Black History Month was enthusiastically accepted by the Black community, prompting the formation of Back history clubs.
Black history month is not celebrated the same way across the world. However, it started with the goal of recognizing the important events and people in the past of the African diaspora.
We must teach our children about Black history. Too often, accomplishments and contributions of the Black community are left out of the school curriculum.
It is a disservice to our children and our ancestors. In this article, we will discuss facts about Black history that must be taught in schools. These facts cover everything from the first Black woman to the Black soldiers who fought in World War II and the first Olympic gold medal won by a Black sportsperson.
By the 18th century, almost 10% of the United States population was made up of Black people. Many were brought from West Indies as enslaved people from Caribbean plantations.
These Black people were treated as enslaved people for life with their offspring born into a life of slavery. Their masters only wanted these Black people to work like livestock. These Black people were away from their culture and families and were forced to adapt to bad living and extreme working conditions.
In response, the Black community formed its own religious practice, culture, and society. Some enslaved people also organized rebellions or ran away from their master's house.
Around the time of the American Revolution, almost 25% of people were enslaved in the south, while 2% were in the North. They were involved in all kinds of manual labor.
A few American colonists recognized that the struggle of these enslaved people was quite identical to their own struggle to be independent of British rule.
American Black history has people who helped civilize and settle the western United States. The Black community was a huge part of the western frontier and western expansion in the mid-1700s, from the start of European colonization.
The Civil Rights Movement consisted of non-violent protests like marches and sit-ins. Protests started after the Rosa Parks incident when she refused to give up her seat on a bus.
It led to more protests that took place throughout the country. Little Rock Central High School of Arkansas was desegregated in 1957 to come into the line with the 'Board of Education vs. Brown' decision.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was the first Black man who graduated from Harvard University with a Ph.D. in 1895. He even went on to conduct a series of lectures.
Black History Month
Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements of Black people throughout history. It is also a time to reflect on the progress that has been made and to consider ways that we can continue to improve race relations in America.
The orator and author, Booker T. Washington, was the advisor during the Taft and Roosevelt presidential tenure.
He advocated an accumulated approach towards the betterment of life and education aspects of Black Americans. In Canada, Dr. Jean Augustine is called the 'Mother of Black History Month' as she founded Black history month in Canada.
'Strange Fruit' song is one of the iconic Civil Rights Movement songs that still holds great power.
Although Rosa Parks' protest to not give up her seat was the driving force for the Civil Rights Movement. However, she was not the first Black woman who did it; Claudette Colvin was.
It was President Gerald Ford who finally recognized Black History Month in 1976 and declared it a public holiday.
Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to run for president of the United States. She ran as a Democrat in 1972.
In 1965, Malcolm X became the first Black person to address the United Nations General Assembly.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization that was founded in 1909. It works to end racial discrimination and bigotry.
In 1990, Colin Powell became the first Black person to serve as Secretary of State.
During Black History Month, we can reflect on the ongoing struggle for racial equality and justice in America.
Canada and the USA celebrate Black History Month in February.
In October, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom celebrate Black History Month.
Ireland was only the fourth country to commemorate Black History Month in the world after 2014.
In 1777, the state of Vermont was the first state to abolish slavery.
Langston Hughes, a poet, created revolutionary books, essays, poems, and more works in the '20s, which concentrated on the life of Black people in the United States.
Beyonce was awarded the 28th Grammy in 2021. She has won the most Grammys of any woman and any singer in history.
In the 1800s, Frederick Douglass, the popular abolitionist, was the most photographed American, as per NPCA.
Not all Black society members believed in the non-violence approach to end discrimination.
As per 'History,' Black people commemorate Juneteenth on June 19, honoring the day when the enslaved people were finally free in the United States in 1865. This day was only federally recognized in 2021.
Ella Fitzgerald, the singer, won two Grammys in 1958, which made her the first Black musician to win this award.
Recently, Maya Angelou became the first Black female to be featured on a coin in January 2022. Maya Angelou was an activist, poet, and writer.
Throughout February 2022, the ASALH has arranged a virtual festival for Black History Month consisting of many events.
Civil rights campaigns between 1963-1964 in Alabama's Birmingham challenged the downtown business segregation.
The MAAH or Museum of African-American History and Culture is the largest museum in New England. The United States is dedicated to interpreting, conserving, and preserving the contributions of the Black community.
Famous Figures In Black History
The first Black woman to vote was Ida B. Wells Barnett. In 1863, Union General James H. Lane issued an order to free all enslaved people in Kansas. The head of the Haitian slave revolt in 1791 was Toussaint Louverture.
Black History Month is officially recognized in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland. Dr. Clifton R. Wharton was the first black chairman and CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 1987. A store called Oshkosh B'Gosh was named in honor of Chief Oshkosh, a Negro-Indian.
The first Black person to graduate from Alabama University was a woman called Vivian Malone Jones. She fought trials and was dedicated throughout the course, finally graduating in 1965.
Aretha Franklin was the first Black woman and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech is one of the most famous speeches in American history. It was delivered on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray was convicted and sentenced to 99 years in prison for the murder.
Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States and the first Black person to hold this office. He served from 2009 to 2017.
Alice Coachman was the first Black woman who won a gold medal in the Olympics in 1948.
The first Black musician to win the 'Album of the Year' Grammy was Stevie Wonder in 1973.
The first Black man selected for Major League Baseball was Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was selected in 1947.
The first Black person to gold at the Olympics was John Baxter Taylor.
Kamala Harris is the first elected Black vice president of America in 2022. Several Black women worked towards reaching the White House.
Cathay Williams is the United States' only female buffalo soldier. She disguised herself as a man named William Cathay.
The civil rights activist, musician, and author, Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King's widow, played a huge role in the civil rights campaign.
Competitors John Carlos and Tommie Smith wore black gloves symbolizing the Black power fist during the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.
The first Black man of science was Benjamin Banneker, who taught himself math and astronomy.
The first Black actress who was the Oscar winner for best-supporting actress was Hattie McDaniel.
The first Black woman to vote was Ida B. Wells-Barnett. She cast her ballot in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1892.
The first Black person born in 13 British colonies was William Tucker.
The first Black man who was elected to the United States House of Representatives was John Langston in Virginia.
Nelson Mandela worked towards ending apartheid in South Africa for most of his life. After spending 20 years in prison, he became the first president of South Africa in post-apartheid.
The first Black female to win gold in Olympic wrestling was Tamyra Mensah-Scott in Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The first Black actress awarded the Golden Globe was 1986 Whoopi Goldberg.
One of the greatest basketball players, Micheal Jordan, is a six-time NBA champion.
An icon in athletics, Usain Bolt, won the gold medal thrice in the Olympics of 2008, then in 2012, and later in 2016. He also broke the world record in 200m and 100m races.
Importance Of Black History
Black history is an integral part of American history. It teaches us about the struggles and accomplishments of Blacks throughout American history, and it helps to promote diversity and inclusion.
Black History Month is important as it acts as a guide for our future, allowing us to learn from the past of the Black community. The Women, Infant, and Children or WIC program were founded in the late '60s by the Black Panther Party.
Kent State University's black students and educators first commemorated Black History Month in 1970 (January and February).
In 1863, Union General James H. Lane issued an order to free all enslaved people in Kansas. This made Kansas the first free state in the Union.
In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was a landmark piece of legislation that guaranteed Black people the right to vote.
The Civil Rights Movement was a movement in the United States that aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination. It began in the '50s and lasted until the '70s.
Black History Month is celebrated every year in the United States in October. It commemorates the history and accomplishments of Blacks throughout the world.
Black History Month has the potential to uplift today's Black community. Black history is not a synonym of suffering but tenacity, achievement, and perseverance.
Carter G. Woodson, a historian, is also called the 'Father of Black History,' came up with the bold idea of 'Negro History Week' in 1925.
'Negro History Week' was first commemorated in February 1926. It got a great response from philanthropists, scholars, and educators coming forward to endorse this event.
The second week of February was chosen to celebrate 'Negro History Week' as it coincided with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
The ban on interracial marriage was overturned after 300 years in 1967.
The political scientist and diplomat Ralph Bunche was the first Black man and the first human of color to be awarded the Noble Peace Prize.
In October of 1987, the first Black history month was commemorated in the United Kingdom. It was organized under the leadership of Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, a Ghanaian analyst.
The first-ever Black history month event on Instagram was created in 2018 with the assistance of SHAVONE, the then-head of Instagram's youth culture and global music communications.
Forbes noted in 2020 that a lot of corporate America is celebrating Black History Month, including Under Armour, United Parcel Service, Macy's, Target Corporation, Google, and The Coca-Cola Company.
The Black Lives Matter movement is a social justice movement that aims to end racism and police brutality against Black people.
Anna Murray was the first Black woman to be appointed as an Episcopal priest.
The newspaper that was first Black-operated and owned was 'Freedom's Journal.' It was established by two free Black men in New York, John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish.
Jesse Owens won four Olympic gold medals in Berlin's 'Hitler Olympics' in 1936.
Kofi Annan, from Ghana, served two terms as the United Nations Secretary-General.
The Black press played a huge role in recording Black history across the world and providing a voice to the Black community.
As the United States expanded towards the Pacific beyond the borders of Mississippi, the free Black people moved toward the west. The Black community was now involved in business, farming, colonizing, and many other things.
Facts about Black History
A political organization named Black Panther Organization was founded in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. It aimed to promote Black self-reliance and empowerment. Black history month is also called 'African-American history month.' A total of 32 Black women hold Hall of Fame out of the 56 females. A major label signed the first rapper called Kurtis Blow.
Robert Tanner Freeman was born in 1846 to enslaved Black people. Freeman worked with a local white dentist when he was young and then applied to colleges. He became the first Black dentist.
The first Black person to be elected to Congress was Hirman Revels, who served as a senator from Mississippi from 1870-1871.
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of Black pilots who fought in World War II. They were some of the most highly decorated soldiers in the war.
Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human heart transplant in 1967. He used organs from a Black donor.
Toni Morrison was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who wrote about the African American experience. Her novels include 'Beloved' and 'Song of Solomon.'
The first Black general of the Marine Corps was Frank E. Peterson Jr., selected in 1979.
The first Black member was accepted into New York Stock Exchange in 1970.
The first Black woman to lead the United States military operation was Harriet Tubman in 1863.
The first Black woman to qualify as a doctor of Medicine in the United States was Rebecca Lee Crumpler. She graduated with an M. D. degree in 1864.
Philis Wheatley, who was only 12 when she published her poem in 1773, was the first Black woman to be a published author.
Philis Wheatley's work was appreciated by notable members of society, especially by George Washington.
Matthew Henson made possible the first successful journey to the North Pole and other expeditions to the Arctic.
America's first woman self-made millionaire was Madam C. J. Walker, a Black entrepreneur. She was born in 1867.
The science-fiction writer Octavia E. Butler was the first Black person to receive the McArthur Fellowship and also won many awards.
Dr. Mayme Clayton founded the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum.
The 6888th Battalion of the Central Postal Directory in 1945 was an all-women and all-Black military unit who were appointed to deliver mail to the world war troops around England.
In 1908, Colonel Alleen Allensworth founded the all-Black township of California with a group of Black men.
After a decade of work in the entertainment field, Oprah Winfrey was declared the first Black female to become a self-made billionaire in 2003.
The theme of Black History Month 2022 is 'Black Health and Wellness, ' focusing on naturopaths, midwives, doulas, medical practitioners, and scholars.
The boxer of the '60s, Mohammed Ali, is globally admired as an ethical figure of high stature.
You can visit the National Great Blacks and Wax Museum, which is a place committed to preserving and studying Black history.
The famous singer and musician Michael Jackson were known for many hit songs and dances.
The famous tennis player Serena Williams holds 15 double grand slam titles and 23 singles titles. She has also won three gold in the Olympics.
