Thursday, February 2, 2012

BLACK HISTORY MONTH....IF YOU HAD A CHOICE OF COLOR


Of course we know of the many great African Americans in history that have impacted our lives through their fortitude and selfless acts of bravery.  It’s very difficult to categorize these individuals because they sometimes transcend lines “we” tend to draw.  There are greats from far distant past, not so distant and of course present.

Abolitionists:

Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. Dubois (pictures), Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Nat Turner, Phillis Wheatley, Crispus Attucks, Pierre Toussaint, Dred Scott

Civil Rights Leaders:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Little Rock Nine with Daisy Bates (pictured), Thurgood Marshall, Julian Bond, Shirley Chisholm, Medgar Evers, James Weldon Johnson, Floyd McKissick, Shirley Chisholm



Civil Rights Activists:

Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, Eldridge Cleaver, Angela Davis (pictured), Bayard Rustin, Fannie Lou (Townsend) Hamer, Dorothy Height, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, Fred Shuttlesworth

Government Officials:

President Barack Obama, Harold Washington, Condoleezza Rice, Ralph Bunche, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., David Dinkins, A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Jesse Jackson, Maynard Jackson, Colin Powell




These lists could go on and on and on.  You notice I didn't put any periods at the end of the lists....this is because of the many additional people that could be added.  We could name great musicians, artists, writers, and so on.  As a "baby boomer" I am more than just a little appreciative of Black History Month. 

Black History Month was begun as Negro History Week by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926. His goal was to educate the American people about African-American history, focusing on African Americans' cultural backgrounds and reputable achievements.  I remember when I was in elementary school we would select a historical Black person to write a report on. Somehow we were always given basically the same list of abolitionists and civil rights leaders every year.  My mother went through the expense of buying a beautiful set of Black History Encyclopedia and Black history week became a whole new ballgame for us.  We wrote reports on people no one in our classes had ever heard of.    "Thanks Mom". 

*side note on my mother  She also saw to it that we became  the first girls  in our high school class to wear our hair in Afros, like it or not.*

Since February became Black History Month in 1976, there has been a wonderful awakening of African American accomplishments to our country.  A lot of this came through school, library and even church programs. 

Take a few moments and try to imagine some of the wonderful achievements of African American doctors, statesmen, writers, inventors, activists, etc., etc., etc.

I have a list (of course) of some of my favorite African American authors' books for you for Black History Month.  Enjoy!

Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
Some Things I Never Thought I Would Do by Pearl Cleage
Love by Toni Morrison
The Flip Side of Sin by Rosalynn McMillan
The Future Has a Past by J. California Cooper

This list also would go on and on and on so just hit the link  to African American Resource Center below and find more of my favorites!


http://nutrias.org/info/aarcinfo/readlist/readlist.htm





4 comments:

Arthur Croswell said...

These are some nice additions to your page.

MsCros said...

Thank you sir. I'm trying.... ;-)

Sharon said...

i am not keeping up with this--or anything!! but i will be back. i can't wait to slow down and catch up. and hang at the back of that hiking group with the wise gentleman!! it's looking really good here. love the addition of the recipes i particular! i don't even know what the book is for this month. life is flying. but i will be back!! miss u.

MsCros said...

It's okay missy. I'm finding things to keep myself busy without the bookclub right now. It seems like a lot of people are busy right now. The hiking is great! Why didn't you ever tell me how much fun THAT was?

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