African American History Forum

President Bush to Address Recent Incidents and History of Lynching in Speech

2008-02-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

President George W. Bush uses the 199th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday today to speak against the recent incidents of noose displays that have occurred around the country. HIs speech will also cover the history of lynching.

We all know that the President refused to meet with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and Congressional Black Caucus throughout his presidency. His relationship with African Americans had been poor. This speech is definitely good for Black History Month and for his media image too. Too bad he waited until the end of his term to even address this evil and dark legacy in our country.

His prepared speech mentions the following:

Our Nation has come a long way toward building a more perfect union. Yet as past injustices become more distant memories, there is a risk that our society may lose sight of real suffering that took place.

One symbol of that suffering is the noose. Recently, there have been a number of media reports about nooses being displayed. These disturbing reports have resulted in heightened racial tensions in many communities. And they have revealed that some Americans do not understand why the sight of a noose causes such a visceral reaction among so many people.

For decades, the noose played a central part in a campaign of violence and fear against African-Americans. Fathers were dragged from their homes in the dark of night before the eyes of their terrified children. Summary executions were held by torchlight in front of hateful crowds. In many cases, law enforcement officers responsible for protecting the victims were complicit in their deaths. For generations of African-Americans, the noose was more than a tool of murder. It was a tool of intimidation that conveyed a sense of powerlessness to millions.

The era of rampant lynching is a shameful chapter in American history. The noose is not a symbol of prairie justice, but of gross injustice. Displaying one is not a harmless prank. And lynching is not a word to be mentioned in jest. As a civil society, we should be able to agree that noose displays and lynching jokes are deeply offensive. They are wrong. And they have no place in America today.

Has Black History Month Run Its Course?

2008-02-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Some commentators have argued that African American History Month has become trivial and tokenized in the United States. Children across the country learn the same African American leaders every year to the point that their true accomplishments become diluted. Some have even said the month has become more important in sales and marketing than in the classroom.

This article excerpt is from the newspaper, Lansing State Journal. Do you agree that Black History Month has run its course? Does it still have any relevance today and in the future?

When Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in 1926, he wasn't trying to establish a permanent annual tradition.

In fact, he was looking toward a day when black history would be integrated into the general run of history and carving out time in February to pay attention to it wouldn't be necessary.

But more than 80 years later, Black History Month is an annual tradition, complete with sales, television specials and school assemblies. There are times when it seems to be used more for marketing purposes than idealistic ones.

And some have concluded that it has run its course.

The actor Morgan Freeman, for instance, said in an interview for "60 Minutes" two years ago that it was "ridiculous" to relegate black history to a single month.

TIME: 25 Most Important Films on Race

2008-02-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

TIME magazine has released the 25 most important films on race in America:

To celebrate Black History Month, we've chosen 25 movies to honor the artistry, appeal and determination of African Americans on and behind the screen. The films span nine decades, and reveal a legacy that was tragic before it was triumphant. At first, blacks were invisible; when they were allowed to be seen, it was mostly as derisive comic relief. The 1950s ushered in the age of the noble Negro, in the imposing person of Sidney Poitier — the Jackie Robinson of movies. Only when Hollywood realized that a sizable black audience would pay to see films more reflective of their lives, whether funny, poignant or violent, were they given control of the means of production. Sometimes. The fact remains that of the 25 films here, chosen to cover the widest range of black films, fewer than half were directed by blacks.

I highly recommend browsing the list. Many of the films, such as Imitation of Life, Gone with the Wind, and In the Heat of the Night, were produced in a time where race relations were very intense in the nation. More recent films, such as Do the Right Thing and Bamboozled, explore modern perspectives on race. This is a great link for film and cinema studies enthuasists.

African American History - February 1

2008-02-01T06:05:00.000-08:00

I will launch a daily African American history trivia series. If you have any more trivia that belongs on this list for a certain day, please list your ideas and I will revise the post. Enjoy!

1810 - Charles Lenox Remond is born in Salem, Massachusetts to free black parents. He will become one of the most prominent African American abolitionists in the crusade against slavery in the United States.
1810 - The American Insurance Company of Philadelphia is the first insurance company established and managed by African Americans. Its president was Joseph Randolph; treasurer, Carey Porter; and secretary, William Coleman.
1833 - Henry McNeal Turner is born. He will become one of the first black bishops in the African Methodist Episcopalian church and also serve as an army champlain, political organizer, magazine editor, and college chancellor.
1865 - John S. Rock becomes the first African American attorney to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He was also an abolitionist and physician.
1870 - Jonathan Jasper Wright, a lawyer and politician, becomes the first African American to be elected to the South Carolina Supreme Court.
1871 - Jefferson Franklin Long, ex-slave and trained tailor, becomes the first African American from Georgia to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. He makes his first congressional speech on the floor of Congress opposing leniency to former Confederates.
1902 - Langston Hughes is born. He will become one o the most prolific American poets of the 20th century and a leading voice in the Harlem Renaissance.
1957 - James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. (also known as Rick James) is born. He will become a singer, songwriter, and producer and is best known for his recording of "Super Freak."
1960 - Four African American college students from North Carolina A&T College begin a sit-in protest when they were denied service at a "whites-only" lunch counter.
1965 - More than 1000 demonstrators, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the civil rights struggle against racial discrimination are arrested in Selma, Alabama.
1965 - Ruby Dee becomes the first African American thespian to play a role at the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut.
1978 - The first stamp of the United States Postal Service's Black Heritage USA series honors Harriet Tubman, ex-slave abolitionist and conductor of the Underground Railroad.
1997 - BET and Encore Media Corp launch BET Movie/Starz, the first 24-hour African American movie channel.
2003 - Lt. Colonel Michael P. Anderson, NASA astronaut, dies when the Space Shuttle Columbia explodes during re-entry.

Black History Month in Canada

2008-01-31T12:30:00.000-08:00

February is also Black History Month for black Canadians. About 2-3% of the national population is currently of African descent. The largest populations reside in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta.

Black Canadian history is also linked to the United States. Slavery became increasingly rare in Canada and eventually became illegal in the British empire by 1833. Canada became a favorable place to escape slavery in the United States. Today, there are sizable black communities in Southern Ontario and Nova Scotia who trace their ancestry to the black ex-slaves who used the Underground Railroad to seek refuge and freedom in Canada. This also marks the 175th anniversary of the Act to abolish slavery in the British empire.

For more information about black Canadian history, click here. This is another interesting website on the black Canadian experience in Ontario, 1834-1914.

This news release has been recently announced by the national government of Canada.

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), today invited Canadians to celebrate Black History Month during the month of February.

"I invite all Canadians to join in the celebrations and, in so doing, to reflect upon the significant contributions of black Canadians to our society and the vital role this community has played in our shared history," said Secretary of State Kenney. "This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Act for the Abolition of Slavery in the British Empire, which ended slavery throughout the British colonies and was a key step toward recognizing the evil of slavery."

In December 1995, the Parliament of Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month. Communities across Canada will host events to celebrate the contribution of black Canadians to our society.

February 2008 Is Coming Fast...

2008-01-30T12:36:00.001-08:00

In a few days, the month of February will be here. Educators, media groups and businesses across the country are preparing for African American History Month. Here are a few news releases from various sites and companies. I will continue to update this list until 02/10/08:

Wal-Mart has posted they will provide educational opportunities and host in-store activities on the heritage and experiences of African Americans. "Wal-Mart will also feature an advertising series -- including print, radio and television advertisements -- encouraging African-Americans to live history today." For more information and downloadable materials about Wal-Mart's Black History Month 2008 series, click here.
KMart will host in-store events, workshops and activities to pay tribute to African American inventors through its KMart Shares the Word series. For more information about KMart Share the Word series, click here.
CNN has posted a student fact sheet on the origins of Black History Month. It has a great article on Carter G. Woodson, considered the father of African American History. It has another fact sheet for students to engage in class acitivities and discussions.
BET and TVOne will have their own Black History Month TV specials.
Smithsonian Magazine has a special February issue, "Portraits of Resistance," on the inaugural show of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. For more information about the museum, click here.
NBC News has launched an expansive African-American Studies curriculum resource to be used by schools during Black History Month and throughout the school year. The curriculum is comprised of more than 500 two-to-five minute video clips spanning hundreds of years of history and designed to be easily integrated into teachers' lesson plans.
Black Voices announced plans to honor Black History Month this February by celebrating trailblazers in the African American community from the past, present and future.
SIRIUS satellite radio will host a series of programming specials in the celebration of Black History Month.
Thinkfinity.com (Verizon Foundation) has listed a comprehensive resource for teachers to educate students about African American history and culture.
United States Census Bureau will have a radio series on Black History Month on their Profile America section (02/02/08).
The Library of Congress has a special collection on African American History Month.
Borders, a worldwide retailer of books, music, movies, gifts and stationery items unveiled a newly designed gift card to commemorate Black History Month.
PBS celebrates Black History Month with groundbreaking series exploring African American history. Henry Louis Gates Jr. is joined by Maya Angelou, Morgan Freeman, Tina Turner and other prominent African Americans in AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2, a sequel to the series The New York Times called “the most exciting and stirring documentary on any subject to appear on television in a long time.”

Black History Month Theme 2008: Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism

2008-01-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has announced the Black History Month Theme for 2008: "Carter G. Woodson and the Origins of Multiculturalism." This year, educators and leaders across the country will celebrate and commemorate the contributions of Harvard-educated historian, Carter G. Woodson, a pioneer in the establishment and study of African American historiography.

Born from parents who were ex-slaves and could not read or write in Virginia, he was determined to attend school and earn a college degree. The turning point in his life was when none of the courses he studied included the history of Black Americans. When he pursued doctoral studies at Harvard University, he established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASALH) and "Negro History Week" as a way to share cultural and historical knowledge about Black people around the world. His work with white scholars helped neutralize the racial stereotypes and historical ignorance that negatively labeled African Americans for many centuries.

Today, Negro History Week has expanded to the entire month of February. Similar Black heritage celebrations have arisen and expanded in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. More communities are researching and learning about their own cultural backgrounds from scholars, journalists, archivers and educators who have continued to make the study and teaching of African American history more accessible than ever.

"...Carter G. Woodson did most to forge an intellectual movement to educate Americans about cultural diversity and democracy. For the sake of African Americans and all Americans, Woodson heralded the contributions of African Americans and the black tradition. In 1915, he established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History and by the time of his death in 1950, he had laid the foundation for a rethinking of American identity. The multiculturalism of our times is built on the intellectual and institutional labors of Woodson and the association he established. He should be known not simply as the Father of Black History, but as [a] pioneer of multiculturalism as well." -- ASALH

Martin Luther King Jr.'s National Birthday Holiday

2008-01-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

Today is the Martin Luther King's National Birthday celebration. It marks the 45th anniversary of the renown civil rights leader's assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. Many people don't realize he was in Memphis to support the striking black sanitation workers' right to form a union. While his speech, "I have a Dream," resonates with all of us on his hopes for a more integrated society, he was also a staunch critic of the Vietnam War and was in the early stages to start the Poor People's movement, a symbolic rally to end poverty in America. He had other policy aspirations that would further advanced the civil rights struggle across the country. Many Americans, not suprisingly, at the time opposed his controversial views on human rights and thought he was a unpatriotic troublemaker.

Sadly, American society today has somewhat lost the true meaning of his message. What we celebrate today is oversimplified and sterile. He did not just have a dream for racial integration for his all children; he pushed a national agenda for progressive change to end social and economic inequality in America. The anti-war and anti-poverty demonstrations were among his activities but he had greater goals as a pastor and community organizer. King adopted Gandhi's theory of nonviolence as a potential tool to advance the civil rights struggle and bring about radical social change globally. After the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he shifted his focus to address human rights for everyone. It was not limited to just race or skin tone as the news media wants us to believe. He supported the redistribution of wealth and power in America to help the poor, the sick and the disabled. His life was cut short when an assassin's bullet killed him before he could truly fulfill his dreams.

CNN has an excellent short biography about Dr. King. If you are a teacher, this article is another great resource to ask students in grades 6-12 and college questions about his legacy. Oprah also expresses how Martin Luther King, Jr. changed her own life in this story.

Review: The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man

2008-01-17T20:37:00.000-08:00

The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man (1912), by James Weldon Johnson, narrates the story of a young mulatto man who decides to permanently "pass for white" at the turn of the century (early 1900s). Throughout his young adulthood, he embraces African American (Negro) musical traditions but struggles with the daily difficulties of identifying as a black man in American society.

In his childhood, he and his black mother relocate to Connecticut from Georgia where he excells brilliantly in his studies, especially becoming a music prodigy on the piano. However, one day in school, he is stunned when the teacher asked for him to sit down when all the white students continue to stand. He wonders why he was treated differently from his peers.

He rushes home to tell his mother what happened in school. As he compares his dark curly hair and fair skin complexion to his mother, he learns that he is indeed considered black (because of the racial identity of his mother) and that his father is a white Southerner.This news shocks him. By high school graduation, the sudden death of his mother and the sale of his home leaves him alone with little money to attend Harvard. Following his mother's wishes, he heads south to Atlanta University to pursue his music studies.

Unfortunately, as he reaches the university, he discovers someone has stolen his money. To recover his loss, he finds a job at a cigar factory in Florida and teaches piano lessons on the side. When the factory shuts down, he relocates to New York City where he discovers ragtime music. An older, white gentleman overhears the young man playing the piano at a club and persuades him to tag along on a tour of Europe.

Although he enjoys his trip in Europe, he desires to return to America to pursue his studies on Negro music. His curiousity and admiration for Negro culture is shattered when he witnesses firsthand a white mob lynch a black man. In the wake of this experience, he abandons his musical ambitions. He feels too much shame to associate himself to a group of people "treated worse than animals."

This is a riveting story of the struggles of a young mulatto man living in two separate worlds: one black and one white. As he travels throughout New England and the American South, he develops an appreciation for African American musical traditions, such as ragtime music. Unfortunately, the incident with the white lynch mob terrifies the narrator greatly. Although this book written nearly 80 years ago, its importance in African American literature is still essential. African Americans developed a sense of double consciousness, where they struggled in a society where racial identities were rigid and binary. Racial prejudice was very common and harsh , and those who could escape it "passed for white", or crossed the color line.

James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), best known as the composer to Life Every Voice and Sing, wrote his first and only novel on the complexity of race in American society at the turn of the century. As one of the first fictional novels using the first person written by an African-American author, this famous book inspired other African-American writers, such as Richard Wright and Zora Neale Hurston, to create fictional novels on African American life and culture. Johnson would later become an active leader and writer in the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), African Diaspora studies and the Harlem Renaissance.

I also recommend Danzy Senna's Caucasia and Nella Larsen's Passing, which also explores themes of race and biracial identity throughout African American history.

WELCOME TO MY NEW BLOG!

2008-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog on African American history and culture! I graduated from college and excelled in African American studies. My main research interests included the history of African American education, African American women's history, and American urban history. Recently, I have also expanded my focus on the contributions of German Americans in African American history, particularly slavery and the Reconstruction periods.

My passion in history led me to develop my own Black History Month website. It still needs a lot of work, but I have received many positive compliments over the years. I do plan to attend graduate school in the future. For now, I am enjoying life and engaging in various hobbies. This blog will cover news, books, and discussions on African American history and culture. Please leave comments! I will love to hear from readers!

I thought these two videos were excellent to share on African American history and life at the turn of the century (late 1800s and early 1900s). Enjoy them!