I want to conclude this Black History month with a two-part special. I’ve written about Black Love and the importance of representation of nuclear Black families in the past. When I came across this particular union though, a burst of joy ran through my body that was unique from other marriage announcement. A union between […]
Its sad to say but I’ve had people suggest to me in conversation that Black people haven’t done much during our time in the country. Though some may recognize the effect that slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws and mass incarceration has had on African Americans ability to develop economically in this country; others surprisingly do […]
Higher education institutions are an essential part of any society. They’re critical for not only teaching students, but also for developing new theories and preserving history. During February many of us take time to reflect on Black history and the work of those who came before us, many of their stories supported and preserved by […]
Harriet Tubman was not the only runaway who journeyed back to the slave perilous South to free more enslaved Africans. For many free Blacks, the spirit of revolution and ubuntu continued to course through their veins as freedom did not feel whole without the others. The Underground Railroad was a product of ubuntu revolution, a […]
The Spokesperson Model of Narrating Black History Emphasizes Individual Rather Than Collective Struggle and Sacrifice By Lacino Hamilton Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the individual most identified with the civil rights movement has suggested many times during his lifetime that he would rather be remembered as a drum major for justice than an important leader. […]
Throughout history we’ve seen how technological advancements made by African Americans were highjacked and monetized by whites. During the slave era, inventions produced by Blacks to lighten their work load were never promoted as products of their creation. As property, even the product of their thoughts were owned by their masters. For example the cotton […]
We often hear about Africans teaching Europeans how to bathe and the other hygienic rituals required in order to build a healthy society. Abu l-Hasan Ali Ibn Nafi, also known as Ziryab, was born in modern day Iran circa 789 CE to a freed Ethiopian slave. His nickname, Ziryab, means blackbird and was given to him in reference to his […]
When I first came across the story of Henry “Box” Brown tears formed in my eyes thinking about the 26 hours that he endured bent up in a wooden shipping box from Virginia to Philadelphia. In 1815 Brown was born into slavery on a plantation in Virginia. Once he was 15 he was sent to […]
In yesterday’s article we went over the conditions of voting for former slaves during the 19th century and how voting rights evolved over time in legislation and in practice. As people began to communicate around the barriers restricting their voting rights they became more equipped to organize in the interest of dismantling those barriers. This […]
Black people have exponentially grown as a demographic in the states since our kidnapping. Our population broke a million by the 19th century and continued to increase rapidly to 30 million by the 20th century. While our numbers, and contribution (labor, taxes, etc.) to the United States has grown, unfortunately our influence politically has failed […]