BIRTH OF A BLACK HERO

MALCOLM X was born Malcolm Little, on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska.

One of 10 children, he grew up poor, an eighth grade drop out, with limited opportunity, during the Depression of the 1930s.

As an articulate advocate of Black pride, he quickly rose to prominence as a leader in the Nation of Islam.

His aggressive philosophy was clearly different from the other school of Black leadership during his time.

Malcolm X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom, in New York City in 1965. He was 39 years of age.

To read the incredible details of the life of Malcolm X Google his name

ON THIS DAY...4/10

JACKIE ROBINSON signs with the Brooklyn Dodgers, on this day in 1947.

ASSIGNMENT:Jackie Robinson is generally credited with being the first Black baseball player to break the "Color" barrier.  

During the late 1800s , however, there were several Black professional ball players who left their mark on baseball, even though they were not given the opportunity to perform in the large arena of the National League. Among those trailblazers were two outstanding players - Bud Fowler and Fleet Walker.

BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORDS FOR IT...GO FIND YOUR OWN!

ON THIS DAY...4/9

PAUL ROBESON , singer, actor and political activist was born in 1898. He was CONSIDERABLY MORE than that, but I thought I would let YOU do the RESEARCH! 

During his time Robeson was known as a true "Renaissance Man."
He was an extraordinary talent and humanist.

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ASSIGNMENT: 

GOOGLE Paul Robeson's name to read his bio and other exploits.

While you're at it find out what a RENAISSANCE MAN is. It will make you a better person!

BUT DON'T TAKE MY WORDS FOR IT - GO FIND YOUR OWN!!!

BIRTH OF A BLACK HERO

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON  was born in VIRGINIA on APRIL 5, 1856.

He rose from bondage to presidential advisor, a truly great American story. Read his autobiography "UP FROM SLAVERY."



For a thumbnail sketch see post on this blog of May 17, 2014 "Booker T. Washington" - Community Creator. 

For more in-depth knowledge Google his name 

MARCH 5TH - CRISPUS ATTUCKS DAY

Crispus Attucks (1723-1770)

Portrait of Crispus Attucks

Remembered as the "First to Die in the American Revolution", the life of Crispus Attucks is as controversial as the debates historians engage in when they discuss the negro runaway slave and question his place in history.

Who was Crispus Attucks? Was he a hero? Was he a patriot who died for freedom, or just someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time?

The truth may never be known, but these facts we do know; He was born a negro slave and was believed to have had a Native American (Indian) mother. He was given the name Crispus Attucks. The name "Crispus" was most likely after Roman nobility "Crispus Ceasar" who was son of Constantine, c.300 AD. The name "Attucks" is believed to have been a Native American word -- many believe to also be the origin of the name for the Town of Natick (Massachusetts).

Death of Crispus Attucks at the Boston Massacre
by James Wells Champney, (American artist, 1843-1908)

Read the original documents from The Trial of the British soldiers charged with the murder of Crispus Attucks and other patriots at the Boston Massacre.

The following text is from a fugitive slave notice which ran on October 2, 1750 in The Boston Gazette-

10 Pound RewardFor Return of Run Away Slave Ran away from his master William Brown of Framingham on the 30th of Sept. last a mulatto fellow about 27 years of age, named Crispus, 6 feet and 2 inches high, short curl'd hair, his knees nearer together than common; and had on a light colour'd beaver skin coat, plain new buckskin breeches, blue yarn stockings and a checked woolen shirt. Whoever shall take up said runaway and convey him to his aforesaid master shall have 10 pounds old tenor reward, and all necessary charges paid. And all masters of vessels and others are hereby cautioned against concealing or carrying off said servant on penalty of law.

A poet wrote of Crispus Attucks and the Boston Massacre;

"And honor to Crispus Attucks, who was leader and voice that day; The first to defy, and the first to die, with Maverick, Carr and Gray. It riot or revolution, or mob or crowd as you may, such deaths have been seeds of nations, such lives shall be honored for ay". - John Boyle O'Reilly

"Crispus Attucks and the Minutemen" comic book from Fitzgerald Publishing Company's Golden Legacy Series, (1967).

Crispus Attucks is buried in the Granary Burial Ground, Boston, MA (USA).

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A very good description of Crispus Attucks, his involvement in the March 5, 1770 Boston Massacre and other historical facts can be found in J.H. Temple's "History of Framingham 1640-1880", (published 1887). The first ten pages of Chapter V1, (pg. 246-256), under the title "War of the Revolution" provides some details of Attucks' life in Framingham, some details leading up Attucks' death, and some telling of the aftermath which ensued.

More Crispus Attucks Related Links:

• The Murder of Crispus Attucks - Documents and story about the trial of Crispus Attucks' murderers, (U.S. Library of Congress).
• Africans in America: Crispus Attucks - PBS teachers resources and information.
• Poem "Crispus Attucks" - from book "Original Poems", Olivia Bush, published Providence, Rhode Island, by Louis A. Basinet Press, 1899.
• Crispus Attucks Association - organization located in York, Pennsylvania (USA), actively promotes city rehabilitation projects and community programs.  Site contains historical information about Crispus Attucks.****ARTICLE COURTESY OF framingham.com

Microsoft® Translator

BLACK HISTORY MONTH (BIRTHDAY) PROFILE

If a "Ren-ais-sance man"  is - one with a stinging wit, an impeccable education, a profound knowledge of human history and culture, a "gentleman's" good taste in art, music and theater, and a philosopher's vision for a better humanity, then for Black people, that person would be...


...W.E.B. DU BOIS was born on February 23, 1868 as William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, three years after the end of the American Civil War. With his given birth name, and the name of a state like that, he was destined for greatness. He did not disappoint. Du Bois was a writer, scholar, sociologist, historian, Civil Rights activist, and Pan Africanist

Du Bois entered Fisk University in 1885 at the age of 17, and was granted sophomore status. He graduated from Fisk in 1888 and in 1891 he graduated from Harvard University, becoming the first Black man to earn a Ph.d degree, not to mention that from 1891-93 he did some graduate work at the University of Berlin in Germany. In the years to follow, Du Bois became a professor of sociology, history and economics at Atlanta University.

Du Bois was a prolic author. The amount of work he produced is so voluminous that it is estimated that his Annotated Bibliography of writings in magazines, journals, books, encyclopedias, pamphlets, leaflets, and manifestos, would balance out to him writing something scholarly every twelve days of his life for over fifty years.

 

W.E.B. Du Bois died on midnight of August 27, 1963,  the evening before the historic March On Washington. He was 93 years of age.  Du Bois is regarded as one of America's greatest intellectuals.

 

His various overall accomplishments in other walks of life are so great they could not even be mentioned in a blog of this size and scope. 

To learn more, please Google-search his name and prepare to be amazed. 

OH! BY THE WAY...DID I MENTION THAT IN 1909 HE WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP)???  

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROFILE

PIONEERS IN AVIATION

 Ahmet Ali Celikten, was the first Black pilot in aviation history. Born in 1883 in Izmar, of the Ottoman Empire, he wanted to become a naval sailor, and in 1904 joined the Naval Technical School. After graduating as a First Lieutenant in 1908, he took aviation courses in the Naval Flight School.  He "earned his wings" as a member of the Ottoman Air Force  from 1914-15.

 Ali, who is of African Turkish origin, along with Eujene Jacques Bullard, became the first Black pilots to fly a plane in combat, when they both saw flight action in World War I.

Eugene Jacques Bullard, was born in, Columbus, Georgia, in 1895, and as a teenager, in an effort to escape racial discrimination in America, he stowed away on a ship bound for Scotland. 

Bullard eventually found his way to Paris, and at the outbreak of World War I, enlisted in the First Regiment of Foreign Legion, a French colonial troop. Bullard saw ground combat as a machine gunner.

In 1916 , Bullard volunteered to join the French Air Service as an air gunner where he trained for flight combat. 

In November of 1916, as a member of the French Air Service, he joined 269 American aviators at the Lafayette Flying Corps, where American volunteers flew in training missions with French pilots.  Bullard took part in pursuit and bomber/ reconnaissance missions.

In May of 1917, Bullard received his pilot's license. In June, he was promoted to the rank of corporal and assigned to the Escadrille N93 Aero Squadron. As a member of this squadron, Bullard flew over twenty combat missions.

When America entered the war, the Army Air Services recruited pilots from the Lafayette Flying Corps to be in this unit. Bullard was not called because only White pilots were allowed to serve.

Eugene Jacques Bullard died in 1961                      

   Ahmet Ali Celikten died in 1969

To read their comprehensive bio Google -search their names

***SPECIAL NOTE: These Black men flew combat missions approximately 25 years before the Tuskegee Airmen.

Benjamin Banneker - COMMUNITY CREATOR

Benjamin Banneker was an inventor, surveyor, astronomer, mathematician, almanac author, clock maker, and peace activist. 

Born on November 9, 1731, he received very little education from the school system. Much of his knowledge of mathematics and science was self-taught.

When given the task, Banneker created a surveyor's map for Washington, D.C. which rescued city planners from the inaccurate calculations of previous surveyors. In this way, he helped to create one of the world's most beautiful cities.

To read the incredible bio of one of America's first true pioneers Google-search his name

THE FATHER OF BLACK HISTORY

Even though Black History Month began in 1976, Dr. Carter G. Woodson created what was once known as Negro History Week in 1926. He instituted the week to honor Black culture, sacrifice, achievement, and contributions to society.

Dr. Woodson, the son of former slaves, was a Black historian, author, and journalist. In 1915, he founded The Negro Journal, as well as The Association for the Study of  Negro Life and History, now known as The Association for the Study African-American Life and History.

Known as the Father of Black History Month, Woodson was one of the first scholars to study  Black history. He felt that Black history was being misrepresented and ignored by other scholars, and that an in depth study of the subject could reduce racism.  

Black History Month now generates global interest, and is celebrated internationally.

TO ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE GOOGLE-SEARCH HIS NAME

BOB MARLEY - LEGEND

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945, in the rural parish of Nine Miles, St. Ann, Jamaica.

He was a singer, songwriter, and musician who infused his music with a sense of  love, history, and spirituality.

Nesta, as he was called as a child, was the son of Cedella "Ciddy" Booker, a nineteen year old Black woman, and Captain Norval Sinclair Marley, an older White man who had been a captain in the British army.

After several years of bouncing around between the homes of several relatives, where he always seemed to be in some kind of trouble.  The ten year old Nesta was sent to Kingston, where he lived in the Trench Town section with his mother, who had earlier moved to Kingston in order to earn a living. Here he roamed the oppressive streets of Trench Town where he became known as Tuff Gong.

To keep her son from turning to a life of crime, Ciddy enrolled Nesta in the Model Private School near Hanover Street, but Marley did not take to education, and by the time he was 14, he left school.

Nesta's real love was music. He started hanging out at record stores, listening to the latest hits, and also hanging around Third Street at the house of musician Joe Higgs. It was here that he learned to sing and play various instruments.

Marley viewed music not only as something that was fun and would get attention, but also as a way of getting him out of the dead-end existence of the ghetto.

It was here that he put away his childhood names to become known as Bob Marley. 

 Bob Marley died in 1981 but his legend has soared beyond the shores of the island of Jamaica to circle the world.

To read his full biography Google-search his name

ONE LOVE, ONE HEART

IN MEMORY OF...

Charlie Sifford was born on 6/2/1922, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was a professional golfer, and a pioneer in the sport.

In 1952, after playing in numerous golf tournaments organized by Black golfers, he attempted to qualify for a PGA tour event at the Phoenix Open. He was refused, and met with threats and racial abuse.

At this time, Black golfers were excluded from playing with the association because of racial segregation, not only at that event, but at other tournaments as well.

In  1957, Sifford became the first Black man to win a professional golf tournament by winning the Long Beach Open. It was not a PGA event, but was co-sponsored by the PGA, and had a number of well-know white players in the field.

Finally in 1961 he was admitted to the PGA tour, thus becoming the first Black man to do so. 

Six years later in 1967, Sifford became the first Black man to win a PGA tour event when he won the Greater Harvard Open Invitational .

In 2004 he broke ground again, becoming the first Black man to be inducted into the World Golf  Hall of Fame.

Sifford passed away on 2/3/2015 at the age of 92, in Cleveland, Ohio.

To read the details of his life Google-search his name

IN MEMORY OF...

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Ernie Banks (1/31/1931 - 1/23/2015) was a baseball player affectionately known as "Mr. Cub." Reason being: he played his entire baseball career for one team; the Chicago Cubs. 

Banks joined the Cubs in 1953 and was the first Black man to play on that team. For 19 seasons, as a shortstop, left fielder and first baseman, he excelled. He played in 14 National League All-Star games and in 1958 and 1959 won an unprecedented back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards.

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.

For a comprehensive view of his life and career Google-search his name.

BIRTH OF A KING

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on this day in 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia as Michael King Jr.  He and his father Michael King Sr. adopted the name Martin Luther, after the religious figure who founded the Lutheran denomination.

King was a minister and civil rights leader. At the age of 26, he took up the leadership role that would fill the rest of his life. He furthered the stubborn determination of Black people to break down the barriers of a racist American society.

His strategy of non-violent protest brought the passage of legislation that changed America.

Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

To read the details of his life Google-search his name