Its February! Happy Black History Month !

[MissAnne]

Its Black History Month here in the USA.

I was looking for a fun/inspirational video about Black History Month to put up on Facebook

I found this.... Hmm. Mind you, this is at BYU.



Most of the people probably dont know how ignorant they sound.

And...Whats up with the Black guy not knowing when Black History Month is ?

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

wish usa get a life month every month ans rest planet earths lands on happy valley watin list

thankyou

[G-Lexington]

As the saying goes, "fuck this month. I want the whole year."

Lex

[palbert]

And what a way to start. A black pastress -- who GETS the 10% coincidentally -- wants everyone fired for insulting her ministry. Some pastress. She should eat at her soup kitchen.

[MissAnne]

I hope that Im not being misunderstood.

I did not find this video inspirational. I am still looking for a non-depressing/inspirational Black History Month video.

I also didn't post it thinking that the BYU students represented White Americans.

Actually I found it humorous. I attended a school in a very rural area and they reminded me of my classmates.

[rareboy]

Seven LGBT African-Americans Who Changed The Face Of The Gay Community

Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/seven-lgbt-af...#ixzz2JmpxPJHO
Read more at http://www.queerty.com/seven-lgbt-af...OgUjLijpgoO.99

[CowboyBob]

This means I'll have to post a bunch of vintage pictures of hotties in MisterMajestic's thread.

[xbuzzerx]

I'll spend this month much like I spend many days of my life--remembering the many courageous people that came before me and made it possible to live the life I live now. I'm very grateful.


Also: I'm pulling out my Roots DVDs

Guilting me!!

[Medusa]

Our history, and culture cannot be packed in into one whole shirt as month. But anyways here's a man that people should know about, but oddly sad enough they don't:

http://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/...s-houston.html

http://www.charleshamiltonhouston.org/

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/...milton_Houston
Here's my home girl Ms.Wells



And here's Marie Laveau. You guys are probably wondering why I choose her, well that because she was one awesome lady, and I like this video.

[Medusa]

Seven LGBT African-Americans Who Changed The Face Of The Gay Community

Full story here: http://www.queerty.com/seven-lgbt-af...#ixzz2JmpxPJHO
Read more at http://www.queerty.com/seven-lgbt-af...OgUjLijpgoO.99

You forgot to mention the most famous of them all. Langston Hughes. He was a black poet of the 1920s period, and was rumored to be gay. It was also rumored that Malcolm X was bisexual, but that really does not count because he was addicted to Heroin, and other heavy harsh drugs. But that could count if you want it.

[MissAnne]

I'm going to try to get this book for Black History Month. I only recently found out about who Henrietta Lacks is and I'm so fascinated (and saddened) by her story.

Yeah, her story continues to shock people. Its disgusting. I wouldn't mind reading that book either.

[MissAnne]

Another good book for Black History Month would be:

Warriors Dont Cry by Melba Patillo Beals, she was one of the Little Rock Nine. This is an incredibly good book. Her first account of what went on during the integration of the high school. Its crazy how even adults treated these brave children. You would also be surprised as to who befriended her.



Melba is on the top row second to the left

[MissAnne]

If anyone has any Black History Facts from outside of the US, that would be interesting to post here.

[bankside]

If anyone has any Black History Facts from outside of the US, that would be interesting to post here.

Sure thing: here's some info on Amber Valley, Alberta:
It was settled by black homesteaders from Oklahoma just over a hundred years ago. The prejudice that would have given a strong reason for black families to stick together in a separate community weakened over time, and the settlement declined as farm life changed and people found better opportunities in other places in Alberta or the rest of the country. It's interesting that this Alberta story may be outside the US, but would not have happened without the US experience.

In fact when I think of "black history" in canada, i think of black people from the US as a cultural grouping, as opposed to, say, somalis or ghanaians or zimbabweans who have immigrated in the last 25 years or so…people who in some contexts might be considered part of the same demographic. But I think that's a different history month! Is there a "Black History Fact" that does not relate to the experience of people in the US?


https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Amber+...,+Alberta&z=15

Anyway, as you might guess from the map of Amber Valley as a farmer's field just north of a cloud, there is not a lot of black history on the canadian prairies, and not a lot of contemporary black presence with roots going back to the states either. I definitely noticed the demographic differences between my hometown and the US when I visited seattle…seattle has a huge black community compared to life in western Canadian cities, but Americans tell me Seattle is actually Whitey McWhiteville by comparison with other parts of the US.

[hungprep]

Nina Simone – Sunday in Savannah…



^ Recorded live in Atlanta, April 7, 1968 – three days after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr…

[gsdx]

How well-known is Harriet Tubman? If you've not seen A Woman Called Moses, it's worth a peek. And so is The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman. Both star Cicely Tyson and neither seems to receive the television exposure they deserve.

[xbuzzerx]

How well-known is Harriet Tubman? If you've not seen A Woman Called Moses, it's worth a peek. And so is The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman. Both star Cicely Tyson and neither seems to receive the television exposure they deserve.

I would simply hope that Harriet Tubman is known to anyone who took grade school in the United States, but I guess we all know better than to assume anyone paid attention in history classes. :/

[bankside]

Slavery in Canada was a limited phenomenon, being practised mostly among aboriginal canadians, and then done to them by the french colonists. Enslavement of people of african origin was a practise of british colonists.

Records record some 3600 slaves in Canada in the mid-1700s, less than a third of whom were black. The collapse of the British colonies during the American Revolution resulted in the exit of many former colonists, who came to Canada as slaveholders, changing the figures above. This influx was legal, but at odds with Canadian practice. By the late 1700's the laws here restricted the practice greatly. By 1833 all Canadians were free, and Canada became a destination for those escaping slaveholders in the US. Figures from the Canadian Encyclopedia.


Here's a beautifully written takedown of pro-slavery arguments during Canada's abolitionist period by Ward Chipman:
http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/NBHistor...n/chipman.html

[palbert]

Isn't this month over yet?

[xbuzzerx]

Saw this on buzzfeed...

Happy "How Come There Isn't A White History Month?" Month! It's that time of year again…

@ it's that time of year again.

___


Love this photo:



So badass.

That would so be me. That guy's such an awesome troll.

[palbert]

I am totally over you apologists. When is Cuban , Haitian, Puerto Rican, other commemorative month.

[xbuzzerx]

I am totally over you apologists. When is Cuban , Haitian, Puerto Rican, other commemorative month.

You could always create a thread suggesting those very things instead of ranting about it here.

[palbert]

Sorry if you're an apologist. You're forgiven.

[xbuzzerx]

Buzzer, stop implying that you're a troll.

But I'd even have the "you mad?" sign. Or t-shirt on.

[bankside]

I am totally over you apologists. When is Cuban , Haitian, Puerto Rican, other commemorative month.

Why isn't this Celtic History web site about Maori?

Why isn't this Maori History web site about Hungarians?

Why isn't this Ainu History web site about Somalis?

These, and other fascination questions, brought to you by...

[palbert]

You are being an extremely disrespectful troll right now.
No one put a gun to your head and forced you to open this thread.

Dick.

NOTE I DIDN'T OPEN THIS THREAD.

Your familiarty with the South is limited to a Spelling Bee. One assumes in your favor.

[xbuzzerx]

NOTE I DIDN'T OPEN THIS THREAD.

Your familiarty with the South is limited to a Spelling Bee. One assumes in your favor.

Yes this thread is about black history month. Palbert, take a break. You are trolling this thread pretty hard and no one knows why and I don't think they care either.

[palbert]

Thank you for your concern.

[xbuzzerx]

^

It was in Star Trek that Nichols gained popular recognition by being one of the first black women featured in a major television series not portraying a servant; her prominent supporting role as a bridge officer was unprecedented. During the first year of the series, Nichols was tempted to leave the show, as she wanted to pursue a Broadway career; however, a conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., changed her mind. She has said that King personally encouraged her to stay on the show, telling her that he was a big fan of the series. He said she "could not give up" because she was playing a vital role model for black children and young women across the country, as well as for other children who would see African Americans appearing as equals. It is also often reported that Dr. King added that "Once that door is opened by someone, no one else can close it again."

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison has cited Nichols's role of Lieutenant Uhura as her inspiration for wanting to become an astronaut and Whoopi Goldberg has also spoken of Nichols's influence.

[gsdx]

The thing that I find rather interesting is that Black History is still being made in the US, and it's not always 'good' history. At times, it seems to be regressing.

[MissAnne]

Ive learned so much from PBS' American Experience programs. They have recently been running a 4 parter entitled The Abolitionists . I didn't even know about a lot of these amazingly BRAVE people. I even learned new things about my own city.

[MissAnne]

Also last night was the premiere of Betty and Coretta. Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige played Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabaz.

I found it interesting because this focused on the wives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

[MissAnne]

And Uhura and Kirk was supposedly the first interracial kiss on American television.

Yup. The director kept making them do it over and over because he said that Shatner looked too eager.

[MissAnne]

Oh I am very excited about Steve Mcqueen's upcoming film 12 Years A Slave. I read this book in college and I have to say that it is one of the best books I have ever read. This shockingly true story is an amazing page turner and first account of a free Black man, Solomon Northup, being kidnapped and forced into slavery.

Its not upbeat but its brillant. I would like to read it again before the film comes out.

Here is Michael Fassbender talking about it, sort of.



The book is short and I recommend it to the highest degree.

[xbuzzerx]

Also if you guys liked the Uhura story.. the way I heard it told was that she was actually pretty deadset on leaving the show and had "had it" with the role and the limits of it, feeling like a "secretary in space." And when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was put on the phone with her, all anyone nearby heard her say for the whole conversation was "Yes sir." She never said another word about turning down anything Star Trek.

[MissAnne]

Also if you guys liked the Uhura story.. the way I heard it told was that she was actually pretty deadset on leaving the show and had "had it" with the role and the limits of it, feeling like a "secretary in space." And when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was put on the phone with her, all anyone nearby heard her say for the whole conversation was "Yes sir." She never said another word about turning down anything Star Trek.

Really ? Wow

[xbuzzerx]

Really ? Wow

Amazing how right he turned out to be, too, about how influential and important it was for her to be there, even if the role itself was so limited by the sensibilities of the times as to what a black woman could "believably do", so many people have pointed to her as their inspiration, female pilots and astronauts and actresses.

[MissAnne]

I downloaded The Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl a couple of months ago. I have not finished it, so I cant give it a full review.

This was written by Harriet Ann Jacobs, a survivor of slavery. She tells her story and gives us a female perspective. This again is not an upbeat book, but I feel like its an important story and is really interesting. Its free on the kindle.

Here is someone reading a little bit of it.

Amazing how right he turned out to be, too, about how influential and important it was for her to be there, even if the role itself was so limited by the sensibilities of the times as to what a black woman could "believably do", so many people have pointed to her as their inspiration, female pilots and astronauts and actresses.

Yes! That is so true. There is nothing like tuning into to a TV show, reading a magazine, seeing a film etc. and seeing someone that looks like you do. You feel so visible.

[eastofeden]

For Black History Month...I would like to give a shout out to one of my heroes..Angela Davis. Her book...If They Come In The Morning...changed my life. I have never have been the same after reading it and I thank her for that.

I actually voted for the Communist ticket for President when I saw her as the VP nominee one year...I didn't expect it but I was in the voting booth already and didn't realize she was on the ballot.

I have read all of her books and attended a few lectures...she is a brilliant warrior. I love her.

[xbuzzerx]

-Harriet Tubman






I have so much reverence for her. I'm still in awe at such bravery.

Considering she did all her work with probable brain damage from a hit she took to the head while younger, it's pretty amazing what a force she was.

[dereperez]

I liked this video.

[loveguys72]

Here's my only question: why February, the shortest month of the year?

Oh, and Dr. George Washington Carver? I love that man! He gave me peanut butter. He was a GENIUS!

Also one hell of a scientist.

[Axxess]

I would simply hope that Harriet Tubman is known to anyone who took grade school in the United States, but I guess we all know better than to assume anyone paid attention in history classes. :/

Well, leave it to me to shatter your hope. I never learned about this Harriet Tubman person in school; I don't even know who she is now*. We only learned about Black History Month in elementary school, and every year it was the same two things: Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech and Rosa Parks. Every. Year. We didn't learn about Plessy v. Ferguson, Dred Scott, Jim Crow Laws, Brown v. Board of Education, and the civil rights movement in general until high school.

Happy "How Come There Isn't A White History Month?" Month! It's that time of year again…

Was it wrong of me to assume that this link was from reddit?

*I'll look her up after I'm done posting this.

[MissAnne]

Well, leave it to me to shatter your hope. I never learned about this Harriet Tubman person in school

Well this is probable.

When I went to college I learned that a lot of people had not learned much about Black History. Which is really just American history with Black people in it. I had to help my friend research some stuff about the Civil Rights Movement for a paper because she didn't even know where to start. I went on youtube and played something from PBS and she said "When did they have seperate drinking fountains?"

Needless to say, we had to start further back. It was really overwhelming to her and she got angry because she then realized that her school had skipped over an entire section of American History.

Personally, I can't even begin to explain how amazing Harriet Tubman was. She came long before the Civil Rights Movement and when you think about it, a lot of Black people wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.

Harriet Tubman escaped slavery to become a leading abolitionist. She led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the route of the Underground Railroad.

It still amazes me that this woman not only had the courage to escape but she kept going back to help others. It really blows your mind.

[MissAnne]

Louis Gates Jr. (The Genealogy Man)did another documentary entitled Blacks in Latin America. It was really interesting. I watched it on youtube earlier this year. I hope that its still there because its worth watching.

While many people in the United States view Latinos as a race, the societies of Latin America are multicultural and multiracial. More people of African descent live in Brazil than any country in the world besides Nigeria. Another 8 million African-descended people live in Colombia, and millions more in the Caribbean countries of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Venezuela, Panama and elsewhere.

Here is another really interesting group of interviews done by Mun2. The actors are talking about being Black and Latino in Hollywood.

[MissAnne]

Black History Month was originally Negro History Week, and it occurred in February on the week that both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas were born.

when it was expanded to a month in the 60's/70's, it was kept in February.

http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/about.html

I didnt know that, thanks!

While watching that video in the opening post, the interviewer asked "What do you do to celebrate Black History Month ?" while they were joking about eating fried chicken it had me thinking. 'I don't do anything to celebrate BHM and maybe I should'. I would like to learn something new everyday.

[bankside]

Its Black History Month here in the USA.

Btw, this is officially recognised as black history month in Canada too.

The government of Canada site.
The Historica Dominion Institute site.

Lots of good info in both sites.

[ChickenGuy]

I posted this before somewhere, but can someone remind me again about these two historical events that are very vague in my mind and lacking in context....

1. A black man was admitted to a (college? university?) in the South in the 1960's and someone (a senator? governor?) had this famous photo taken where he is seen physically trying to blockade a door with his body. Have I got that recollection right? And was this the same occasion that the President (Johnson? Nixon?) had to send in troops like the National Guard or something?

2. This is some famous pilgrimage or something and is called a 'road to' somewhere or a 'bridge' or something and I remember that this time (2004?) Hilary Clinton showed up and put on a fake Southern accent in a speech or something - and later on, Al Sharpton said a statement to the effect of "there are SOME of us who come here EVERY year'" (was it the Democratic candidate race in 2004?) meaning Hilary was just there for P.R. and her public profile. Does anyone know more about this?

Thanks.

[gsdx]

1. A black man was admitted to a (college? university?) in the South in the 1960's and someone (a senator? governor?) had this famous photo taken where he is seen physically trying to blockade a door with his body. Have I got that recollection right? And was this the same occasion that the President (Johnson? Nixon?) had to send in troops like the National Guard or something?

That was James Meredith and the University of Mississippi. I've seen several documentaries about him. That man had guts. Most people would have given up the first day. Things got so bad that Robert Kennedy called in US Marshals to take control. His brother, John Kennedy, called in the army.

[ChickenGuy]

That was James Meredith and the University of Mississippi. I've seen several documentaries about him. That man had guts. Most people would have given up the first day. Things got so bad that Robert Kennedy called in US Marshals to take control. His brother, John Kennedy, called in the army.

Thanks for the info, gsdx. I looked him up on Wiki and YouTube.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Meredith



So it was slightly further back than I thought, in 1962.

Robert Kennedy called in 500 U.S. Marshals to take control, who were supported by the 70th Army Engineer Combat Battalion from Ft Campbell, Kentucky. They created a tent camp and kitchen for the US Marshals. To bolster law enforcement, President John F. Kennedy sent in U.S. Army military police from the 503rd Military Police Battalion, and called in troops from the Mississippi Army National Guard and the U.S. Border Patrol as well. In the violent clash, two people died, including the French journalist Paul Guihard, on assignment for the London Daily Sketch. He was found dead behind the Lyceum building with a gunshot wound to the back. One hundred-sixty US Marshals, one-third of the group, were injured in the melee, and 40 soldiers and National Guardsmen were wounded.

I can only imagine the sheer level of conviction, courage, and strength of will and spirit this young man needed to have. To try to study and graduate and when all of THAT insanity is swirling around you. Well done him.

50 years later, and he's still going strong.