Black History Month February 2020

This month is Black History Month. There will be many black history programs. There are so many Black History ideas to be  celebrated during this month and so many black historical figures that are outstanding.

Black History Ideas

***As a part of the Black History Celebration I want to share a few things with you***

Black History:

1. Negro Spirituals

Did you know that one of the reasons for singing Negro Spirituals during the days of slavery was to alert each other while traveling in the Underground railroad? That is according to Negro Spiritual.com. For example a famous Negro spiritual “Wade in the Water,” was used when they needed to walk in the water so that the dogs could not smell their tracks. This was just one creative way that was used in order to get the slaves to freedom.

When I first heard of the underground railroad. I pictured an underground train until I was taught in History the true meaning.

2. Harriet Tubman March 1822-March 10, 1913

According to the History channel Harriet Tubman rescued some 70 people through

the underground railroad even though she had been brutally mistreated as an enslaved child. I have freedom but cannot imagine all that she endured as a slave. They further added that secret codes were used during the transition such as incoming fugitives were referred to as  “bundles of wood” or a “parcel.” Again creativeness at it’s best was implored during this time.

3. Hidden Figures

If you have not seen the movie Hidden Figures, you are missing a lot. You just have to see it. We have come a long way, but we have still not arrived. This movie based on a true story tells of the key roles Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn. They were very mathematically talented women. It showed how it was talking the one woman so long to travel to the segregated bathroom while at her job, so the boss changed that so that the young woman could use the bathroom indoors where she worked. Yes we have come along way, but not arrived. I cannot imagine having to use an outdoor toilet. I am sure my children could not either. I have used one when traveling or when at certain events, but I really do not like them.

4. Reading and Writing

Did you know that between 1740 and 1834 Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Caroline, and Virginia all passed anti-literacy laws? According to en.wikipedia.org. They further added South Caroline prohibited teaching slaves to read and write, ignoring this could be punishable by a fine of 100 pounds and 6 months in prison, via an amendment to its 1739 Negro Act. Can you imagine not being allowed the freedom to read and write?  With that said there are still Blacks that cannot read or write. I taught reading to adults and during that time I was astonished that there were those that could not read. Some of them were singers, factory workers, and even grandparents. Many shared that they were ashamed that they did not know. One man shared because of the increase of computers he definitely needed to learn to read. Another shared that he wanted to be able to read to his grandchildren. So there is definitely a need for those to learn to read and write. I recall wanting to learn to read before attending school. I was age 3. The only book we had in our house was the Bible. So I started learning to read at age 3 from the Bible. I was blessed.

5. Picking Cotton

Many of the slaves would have to pick cotton for their slave owners. I still could not imagine. My father and my husband have told me stories of them picking cotton. In fact I had never seen a cotton field or the field’s being sprayed until about 7 years ago when I visited Mississippi for the first time in my life. Also, for the first time I saw giant black mosquitoes. They tried to hitch a ride in our car when we traveled back up North, but we happened to get them out of the car in time. Thank God.

6. Barack Hussein Obama II (August 4, 1961)

He is Black American attorney and politician who served as the 44^th President of the United States from 2009-2071. He inspired many voters young and old to make it to the polls to vote. Obama not only served one term as President, but two terms. Among many of his accomplishments he graduated from Harvard Law School, became a civil rights attorney, and represented the 13^th district for three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997-2004. While he was President some of his accomplishments included the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), reduced nuclear weapons with the United States-Russia New START treaty, Advocate for gun control, and much more. Besides this President Obama can sing. He has an awesome voice. Al Green does not have anything on him. He is still living and his legacy will go down in History. How many other great people can you think of?

Source:

Negro Spirituals. Com

Harriet Tubman

Anti-literacy law 

 President Barack Obama

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