February 2020

chained in the lower part of ships, and Black History suffered terrible hygienic and feeding conditions until they arrived in the New History World. Then they were sold as property and forced to work for their masters. Slavery in America When Lincoln accepted the nomination By Maria Velazquez for President from the Republican Party, he called for the first time for the Slavery began in America around the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment 16th century. People were captured to the United States Constitution to end from the continent of Africa and were slavery and involuntary servitude, utilized as slaves to work in the except as a punishment for a crime. production of harvests such as cotton, That was in 1863-1864. tobacco, and indigo. Lincoln put an end to slavery in Slaves were forbidden from learning to America, although many ex-slaves read and write, even their behavior and continued to work for their masters as movement were restricted. Many slaves paid workers. were taken to the New World during the 18th century depriving them of their continent and freedom. Rights of African Americans --The Right to Vote By Jose Hernandez African Americans have suffered separation and discrimination over time. Martin Luther King Jr. began a protest march for the right to receive public services and the right to vote. Although Black Americans were mistreated and beaten, their fight and After the American Revolution, many sacrifice was rewarded. On August colonists (especially in the North) 6,1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson started to think about the burden of signed the Voting Rights Act into law. Black slaves comparing it to their own burden under the British, and called for Although this law’s purpose was for the suppression of slavery. everyone to respect the rights of African Americans, some states did not agree Between the 16th and 19th centuries, with the decision, and continued to twelve million Africans were sent to abuse, mistreat, separate and America to do forced labor. Crowded in discriminate against African Americans. slaves ships, many perished on the voyages. The African captives were Today this happens less frequently, but unfortunately there is still separation and creator of these was an African American discrimination between black and white historian Carter G. Woodson. people. Woodson was born in the end of the 19th century to a former slave family. He was educated in school and motivated himself to continue his education and went on to get a Ph.D. from Harvard University. The important idea of his teaching was to use black history and culture as a weapon in the battle for racial equality. Carter Woodson chose February for Negro History Week for many reasons. One of these is that February is the birthday month of a great American Abraham Lincoln (02/12). Woodson wanted to extend the study of Black history and experience of black people. The 1920s was the decade with the name Influences & Contributions New Negro. Over a million African Americans from the South's small cities Carter Woodson moved into big cities of the country. The By Ekaterina Sazykina Black middle class grew and became active members of and users of Black literature “Those who have no record of and culture. what their forebears have accomplished lose the Woodson created and distributed study inspiration which comes from materials like pictures, plays for historical the teaching of biography and performances, and posters of important dates for teachers in schools who needed history.” Carter G. Woodson materials to instruct their pupils. The U.S. can be proud of many Black After receiving a regular flow of knowledge, American people who created part of the black high schools formed the first Negro great American history. February is a time History Clubs. It was the clubs that were for glory and a reminder about the great saving important things about what Black black sons and daughters of the US. people had done, and facts about the life of black generations. Every year, the U.S. celebrates Black History Month and Negro History Week. The Also, Woodson established an adult Black Studies extension program to teach adults throughout the year. His major idea was that At age 16, Morgan moved to Cincinnati, the Black nation could learn of their past Ohio. He felt that the North had more every day. opportunities for Black youth, but like other African-Amercans in those years, he In 1933, Professor Woodson wrote an suffered hard racial discrimination. Many important book “The Mis-Education of the employers said, "We don't employ Negros Negro”. He thought that the mis-education here". began with little girls and boys and after that created vulnerable self-confidence. This Finally this youth got a job sweeping floors. book changed the whole education and Then he worked in several sewing-machine teaching of black people. Pupils with black factories learning how the machines worked skin began to receive the same knowledge and how to fix them. This job captured his as white students. imagination and determined his future. There were many difficult periods of time, In 1916, the city of Cleveland was drilling a injustices, and tragic moments that people new tunnel, but while digging there was a with new thinking, knowledge, and desire to big explosion and some workers were be equal in this country went through. It is trapped in the middle of dangerous gases. important for us to know about and Morgan was contacted and together with his understand that history. brother they entered the tunnel equipped with the gas mask (with a respiratory device) one of his inventions, and they Garrett Augustus Morgan saved two lives. By Servando Carrasco This heroic effort and genius invention took A great inventor a long time to be recognized because the with only a 6th society didn't accept that the Black grade community could invent things and have the education, right to sell them. Morgan's breathing device patented became the model for the gas masks used several during World War I. inventions, including the Mr. Morgan was the first Black man in traffic signal Cleveland to own a car. In 1923 after and a witnessing an accident, he analyzed the respiratory device that was later used in gas problem and created a new kind of traffic masks. signal. This traffic light had one warning light to alert drivers that they would need to Morgan was born in Paris, Kentucky on stop. Morgan received a patent for his traffic March 4, 1877 and died in Cleveland, Ohio signal, a version of the modern three-way on July 27, 1963. traffic light, but he sold the rights to General Electric. Outside of his inventing career, Morgan was Carlos and Smith weren't the first African a social activist. He supported the African American athletes to show the world the American community throughout his life and causes of the Black people. was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005. Sporting events have been one of the most useful platforms to highlight social and As with the traffic light with its different political issues. They have provided a place colors and each one having a different that was commonly unavailable to African meaning, so is the human race; each one Americans. In sports, Black athletes have with our essence has a lot of things to show access to a public that ordinary Black our society. people don't have. They frequently have the admiration of the public. People look up to Enjoy these videos about Garrett Morgan: them. Video 1 Video 2 However, the cost of that type of protest can be high. The day after the protest, the International Olympic Committee took back the medals of Carlos and Smith, but the Sports is the Platform effect of that moment cannot be withdrawn. By Miguel Gonzalez These athletes considered the cause bigger than their own achievement. They were In 1968 in Mexico City more than 5000 fighting for family, friends, and all of African athletes representing 112 countries origin. participated in the Summer Olympics. One of the most traditional races finished Other outstanding African American athletes and there were three athletes on the that used sports as a platform were: podium. John Carlos and Tommie Smith ● Muhammad Ali’s license was were in first and third place of the 200 meter suspended for not going to war. Ali race. Both of them were Americans. Both of didn't accept that African Americans them were African Americans. Then they had to die for a country that denied surprised the world when the medal them their rights. ceremony took place. Carlos and Smith ● In 1936, Jesse Owens won 4 gold raised black-gloved fists and bowed their Olympic medals heads in signal of protest for human rights, at Hitler's own especially for Black people’s rights, while house giving a the national anthem was playing. blow to the white superiority Fifty-two years have passed since that agenda of moment, but the effect of this protest is still Hitler, but very strong. It wasn't a random moment of returning to the protest. Only 5 months had passed since USA, he wasn't the murder of Martin Luther King Jr., and received like the hero that he was. South Africa was in the middle of apartheid. President Franklin D. Roosevelt didn't receive Owens in the White House like other non-black national Bryan Stevenson champions. Weeks later, Owens By Stheffany Lopez wore his Olympic jacket while Bryan Stevenson, lawyer, author of the #1 working in his city as a silent protest.

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