About Black History

The is the site to learn about the history of Aferican civilizations and how our blacks made fascinating contributions to the world.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tupac Amaru Shakur

Tupac Amaru Shakur

Tupac Amaru Shakur also known by his stage names 2Pac was an rapper and actor. 2Pac has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007 making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world. Rolling Stone Magazine named him the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time. 2Pac began his career as a roadie, backup dancer, and MC for the alternative hip hopgroup Digital Underground. Afeni Shakur and Assata Shakur, his mother and aunt respectively, were involved with the Black Panthers, and 2pac made reference to the organization in the song Changes. On the night of November 30, 1994, Shakur was shot five times and robbed after entering the lobby of Quad Recording Studios in Manhattan by two armed men in army clothing luckily Pac lived on to do what he did best and make music. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot four times in the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Nevada. He was taken to the University Medical Center, where he then passed six days later. R.I.P to one of the greatest additions to the music industry Tupac Amaru Shakur. I picked Tupac Amaru Shakur to talk about because of on great line he said in the video I posted on the blog. “Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots”. That is great inspiration from 2Pac and it makes blacks less insecure and feel like we can rise up after all that ha been said and done to us.

Martin Luther King,

Jr. born January was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of rights in the United States. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial through civil disobedience and other nonviolent means. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Martin Luther King, Jr is one of the very first black hero’s I remember learning about in school; he is indeed the face of black history. His name will always live on through out schools, museums, out on the streets and in our hears. R.I.P. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela July 18 1918) was President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 he was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency Mandela was an anti apartheid activist and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges and sentenced to life in prison. Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to multi-racial democracy in 1994. Mandela is a huge motivation to black youth worldwide and deserves each and every reward he has even been rewarded to him. Everyone needs to know the name nelson Mandela and if you don’t I am glad I could be the one to teach you. Mandela is one of the biggest studs of black history.

Nelson Mandela

Viola Davis Desmond

Viola Davis Desmond (July 6, 1914 – February 7, 1965) was an African-Nova Scotian.On November 8, 1946, Viola Desmond refused to sit in the balcony designated exclusively for blacks in the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow.  took her seat on the ground floor where only white people were allowed to sit. After being forcibly removed from the theatre and arrested, Desmond was eventually found guilty of not paying the one-cent difference in tax on the balcony ticket from the main floor theatre ticket. She was fined $20 ($251.30 in 2010[1]) and court costs ($6). She paid the fine but decided to fight the charge in court. This need to be brought to the attention of people who may be unaware of some of the history and stories that have happened. There are too many people who have been phenomenal impacts to black history and haven’t been recognized but Viola needs to be brought to peoples attention.  

Viola Davis Desmond

Marie-Joseph Angélique

Marie-Joseph Angélique

Marie-Joseph Angélique known as Angélique died June 21, 1734) she was convicted of setting owners home on fire, burning much of what is now Old Montreal where 46 buildings where burned to the ground. Angélique was guilty of the crime of which she was accused. It has recently been argued that she was innocent of the crime and convicted more on the basis of her perception as a rebellious runaway slave than on the basis of factual evidence. After her confession Angélique was paraded through the streets of Montreal in a garbage cart to where she was hanged. No one knows for sure if Angélique set the blaze. Today Angelique’s story has become symbolic of Canada’s Black History. Yes my selection is significant because she needs to be remembered and talked about she’s more then just a usual person and what she did or what was said to do the out of the ordinary. Students need to learn because I don’t think its right to be unaware when it comes to events and people like this.                                                                                        

Angélique

Monday, January 23, 2012

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto

Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto is a three week cultural event including Caribbean music, great food, and dancing. In its 44th year it has become a major international event and the largest cultural festival of its kind in North America.  The city of Toronto explodes with the rhythms and melodies of Calypso, Soca, Reggae, Hip Hop, Chutney, Steel Pan and Brass Bands. Music people will also dress in colourful costumes, theatrical mas band displays, steel bands. Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto is an expression of Toronto's multicultural openness. This is important because it makes people of the Caribbean culture fell welcome outside of their country. Canada lets us celebrate and be happy by dancing in the street to good music. It makes people form Caribbean countries feel at home. Students should learn so they can come enjoy the fun of another country. You don’t have to be form a Caribbean country to come out and have a great time. This even draws people all the way from America to come and celebrate.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman

born in 1820 – March 10, 1913 was an African-American abolitionist  when the American Civil war began, Tubman worked for the Union Army, first as a cook and then as an armed scout and finally a spy. She was born a slave but after escaping from slavery she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves using the Underground Railroad. As a child Tubman was beaten by masters to witch she was hired out. Early in her life, she suffered a head wound when hit by a heavy metal weight. The injury caused disabling seizures, narcoleptic attacks, headaches, and “powerful visionary and dream activity”, which occurred throughout her life. In 1849, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia, and then returned to Maryland to rescue her family. Slowly, one group at a time, she brought relatives out of the state, and eventually guided tons of other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night, Tubman or "Moses" never lost a passenger. This is a significant selection because what Harriet Tubman did was truly amazing. She took such a huge risk just thinking of escaping slavery. I feel her family needs to be rewarded for her outstanding effort to save slaves. Students need to learn about her more and more. Their should be projects and assignments based on Harriet Tubman.

Harriet Tubman

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Garrett Augudtus Morgan

Garrett Augudtus Morgan born on March 4 1877 at the age of fifteen Morgan moved to Cincinnati Ohio looking for some type of employment. Morgan’s teenage years were spent working as a handyman for a Cincinnati landowner. Morgan had to quit school at a young age for work. Morgan was able to hire his own tutor in his teenage years and continued his studies while living in Cincinnati. Morgan moved to Cleveland Ohio where he worked repairing machines for a clothing company. Morgan opened his own sewing machine and shoe repair shop where the company made coats, suits, dresses, and other clothing. That same year, he married Mary Anne Hassek, and together they had three sons. Garrett Augudtus Morgan was the inventor of the very first traffic light. My selection is significant because people should know about such a great invention. Its important for students to learn about Garrett Augudtus Morgan and his great contribution to inventing the stop light because the stop light is something we use in our everyday lives. Maybe people would respect black people a lot more. If Morgan never made such a great invention who knows what we would be using these days. There would probably be a whole lot of traffic police.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Nine Reunited At The 40th Anniversary

The Little Rock Nine

The Little Rock Nine were the first nine students of African decant to be enrolled into a school with white students. The board of education in Little Rock Arkansas decided that schools with strictly only white students must come to a complete stop. When the school bored committed to such a strong decision huge violent riots began. One students first day of school Arkansas had their troops prevent Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed Wair, Melba Pattillo Beals, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Terrence Robert, Jefferson Thomas, Gloria Cecelia Ray, the nine black students from entering the doors of the school building. Each and everyday the nine students were spit on, pushed around and had garbage thrown on them. They were so happy to finally be accepted in society but on the second week seem like it was on the worst moved ever made. The Little Rock Nine is significant because it explains hard time deeper and what the nine students had to go through. Students should learn about the little rock nine because they would most likely appreciate school and a free education a whole lot more. Maybe a lot more students would get motivated and graduate each year. Teens live the lifestyles of kings and queens compared to back in the days when events like this happened. We come to school and eat here for free with a breakfast program; we have friends to greet us and help us each and everyday. These students had to be spit on, beat up, pushed into lockers and rudely judged every single day. This is relevant to the TDSB because is shows how corrupt the school boards can be. Sadly some places believe in the same treatment.

The Little Rock Nine

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Sara Baartman went to Europe willingly thinking she would find riches and fame, she was fooled. They haven’t seen something like her before. She didn’t look like normal white women. She had a big but, large breasts and big lips. Sara was sold to a circus where she danced for entertainment. While no longer wanted she was dropped out and became a prostitute. After being in Europe for 5 years she died at the age of 25. This is significant because a lot of people are unaware of the type of things that happened to blacks and what they went and are still going through. Students must know how this must have been very hurtful and depressing for Sara. Students need to know about these types of crimes that happened so they can respect blacks more by feeling the pain we had to go through.

AFRO FEST

Afro fest is a free event held at Queens Park on July ninth to the tenth. Afro fest is a celebration set to celebrate African culture including musicians and top African groups in Canada. The afro fest will have food and craft vendors, art work, music workshops and a verity of fun activates for children. The afro fest is said to be the cultural event of the summer. Last year African music legend Thomas Mapfumo took place in the Afro fest. 
It’s important the Afro Fest is looked as more of a big event, I think it deserves more media and population then its already getting.  It’s important for students to know about this selection because they may be interested enough to go check out the afro fest. The more students who are uninformed the better. Students can come out and see how beautiful the African culture is. It’s a good thing to take part in and learn more about. The Afro Fest can make black history mote relevant and interesting to the TDSB because it’s an event you can actually go listen to good music and eat food, purchase gifts and souvenirs.  

Monday, January 16, 2012

Minstrel Characters
The Minstrel characters were white people taking black face paint and painting their hands and faces to mock blacks. Southern America is the geographic area Minstrel characters originated. The white folks found it entertaining to make comic skits, funny acts, dancing, and music, all performed to laugh at blacks. Minstrel characters are important to black history because it shows how much black people have overcame.

The minstrel characters are a significant selection because is something that occurred long time ago and students may not be aware. It’s important to bring to the student’s attention especially black students who are unaware of their history and what people have went through for us to live a better life. A minstrel character goes to show how cruel human beings could be. I couldn’t imagine watching people on stage mock me and do such rude acts to hurt and put me down. It’s important we learn about these types of things so we can see just how fortunate we are today to live a good life without having to experience such rude acts. I look at our ancestors getting whipped and put through so much work that we don’t have to go through today like Jesus dying on the cross so we can live a better life. We owe a lot to the people who actually lived the hard times.

Malcolm X

MAlCOLM X

Malcolm x was born on May 19th, 1925 in Omaha Nebraska. Malcolm’s mother Louise Little was a homemaker working hard to take care of the family. Malcolm grew up in a large family with eight children and both his mother and father. Malcolm’s father was a baptise minister and helped support Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Earl little Malcolm’s father received death threats from the whites. Receiving these death threats forced the family to move two times before Malcolm’s fourth birthday. Once moved to Michigan their house was burned to the grown. Two years after the house being burned down Earl Little was found lying across the town’s railroad tracks, but unfortunately the police called both incidents accidents. Malcolm was a student who was very smart and focused graduation Jr High at the top of his class. Malcolm was told by his favourite teacher the dream of becoming a lawyer was not a realistic goal for nigger. After hearing such negative words from his teacher Malcolm started losing interest in school dropped out and stent time in Boston. In 1946 Malcolm was arrested and convicted with burglary charges Malcolm was given ten.
It’s significant to talk more about Malcolm X because he is a very inspirational man. Learning deeper about his story and just how far he has come is very interesting and its suitable for anyone to learn about. It’s important for students to understand and learn about Malcolm X because students go through a lot of hard times during their teen years. Seeing the hard life Malcolm had to go through make it a lot easier to overcome sticky situations. If students see what Malcolm had to go through to get to where he was in his life will make it a lot easier to take school serious smarten up and realize just how fortunate we our. My selection makes black history more relevant to students in the TDSB because it’s all about Malcolm X. 1000 of students across the world are taught about Malcolm each year, I feel he is a huge factor when it comes to black history and should be recognized as much as the other black history legends.  

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