Black History Matters
Don't let anyone tell you that Black History is not important. Always keep the torch burning, and always keep Black History flowing from generation to generation. We must never forget Jack Johnson- was the first black heavyweight boxing champion in the worlds. JOE LOUISEOpen the door for Black Boxers JACKIE ROBINSON- The first black to play major league baseball ROSA PARKs-Is known as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement. BUT In March 1955, nine months before Rosa Parks defied segregation laws by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin did exactly the same thing "Whenever people ask her: 'Why didn't you get up when the bus driver asked you?' I say it felt as though Harriet Tubman's hands were pushing me down on one shoulder and Sojourner Truth's hands were pushing me down on the other shoulder. I felt inspired by these women because my teacher taught us about them in so much detail," Colvin was the first person to be arrested for challenging Montgomery's bus segregation policies, so her story made a few local papers - but nine months later, the same act of defiance by Rosa Parks was reported all over the world. JAMES DERHAMBorn into slavers in Philadelphia in 1762, was fluent in French, Spanish and English. And became the first African American Physician The first Africans to arrive in America in 1619 were sold into bondage as indentured servants, not as slaves BENJAMIN BANNEKER-A scientist and mathematician constructed a clock from wooden materials. And in 1789, predicted a Solar Eclipse. In 1957 nine black students entered an all-white Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas, they are known as the Little Rock Nine. JAMES WELDON JOHNSON-Wrote Life Every Voice and Sing. Which would later become the Black National Anthem DR DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS Was the first to perform open heart surgery. It was 1954 before the Supreme Court changed its mind and said that things are separate cannot be equal. RON BROWN Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is the first black to head a major National Political Party. THURGOOD MARSHALL-In 1967 became the first Negro to be names to the Supreme Court. A Philip Randolph, A Sigma was a labor leader and civil rights activist who founded the nation's first major Black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) in 1925.
LIFE WITHOUT BLACK PEOPLE
A very humorous and revealing story is told about a group of white people who were fed up with African Americans, so they joined together and wished themselves away. They passed through a deep dark tunnel and emerged in sort of a twilight zone where there is an America without black people. At first these white people breathed a sigh of relief. At last, they said, "No more crime, drugs, violence and welfare. All of the blacks have gone!" Then suddenly, reality set in. The "NEW AMERICA" is not America at all — only a barren land.
1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the nation was built on a slavesupported system.
2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander Mils, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it, one finds great difficulty reaching higher floors.
3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man, invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black, invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines, and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals.
4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by another black man, Albert R. Robinson.
5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper.
6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented the fountain pen, and Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They were all, you guessed it, Black.
7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and books, they would not have been transported by mail because William Barry invented the Postmarking and Canceling Machine, William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop.
8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower.
9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Later invented the Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern and Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch. Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop and Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan.
10. Their children met them at the door-barefooted, shabby, motley and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons invented the Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board and George T. Samoninvented the Clothes Dryer.
11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator.
We must all remember before there was any history there was Black History. In 2023 there are people trying to pass laws to keep our history from being taught in schools. We must fight to keep the eternal flame burning because Black History is also American History. And without Black History America has no history.
Merdis Harris, is a Retired Computer Specialist Instructor, Grand Rapids Public Schools. She proposes, "Black History is American History and we must continue to fight to ensure that our children know they are the proud decedents of Kings and queens from Africa."
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