Little Known/Unknown Black History Facts '04: Quiz, Links for kids etc.

[AKA2D '91]

Since February is recognized as Black/African-American History month, I thought it would be pertinent to post known/unknown black history facts...you never know who might become educated...

ON THIS DAY IN 1902, POET, LANGSTON HUGHES WAS BORN IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI...

[DoggyStyle82]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91:

ON THIS DAY IN 1902, POET, LANGSTON HUGHES WAS BORN IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI...

Thanks for sharing that info on a great member of Omega Psi Phi.

Here is another. Ernest Everett Just, a founder of Omega Psi Phi, known as the "Black Appollo of Science", was the pioneer of molecular cell studies, which serves as the foundation of all current cancer research. You can find his autobiography in your local or campus library. The U.S. government honored him with his own stamp two years ago.


[This message has been edited by DoggyStyle82 (edited February 01, 2001).]

[The Original Ape]

Four out of the five "Civilized Tribes" fought on the Confederate side of the Civil War; and they forced their "freedmen" to assist them. The last of the five,the Seminole, absorbed African runaway slaves, and fought their own war against the United States.

[SWEETAKA]

Here is something I found to be very interesting. This is a word that I am sure some of you have heard before.....

Scalaway
A scalawag was a native white southerner who joined or supported the Republican Party during the Reconstruction. Scalawags were viewed as siding with the freedman, rather than with the white population. I thought it very interesting since I had heard the name before used in the Black community. I also thought it interesting that the Republican Party were sympathizers to the plight of Black folk. I wonder when that changed. This is taken from the book, "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History" by Jeffrey Stewart. It is an excellent resource.

[DoggyStyle82]

ORIGINAL APE: those so-called Civilized tribes sided with the Confederacy because they had white chiefs who duped the tribes. The famous Sequoia was a white man. The chief who signed away the sovereign rights and lands of the real Cherokee, was a white mand by the name of Joseph Clark. The dispossessed Cherokee were then sent on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma where 70% of them died on the journey. The Cherokee left in NC, Tenn, and GA were mostly "white" and half-white. Real Indians did not own slaves because they were not American citizens, therefore, the only ones who could own them were the legally "white" ones. The Seminole Indians were really Cherokees who objected to the whites having leadership in their tribes and objected to them selling their lands and making deals with the US government. "Seminole" is the Cherokee word for "runaway". These disgruntled Indians ran away to Florida and liberated many slaves in the process. The Seminole Nation was comprised of almost 40% escaped slaves and fought a 40 year war with the US govt.

[PrincessELG]

WOW! THe history of our ancestors is so encouraging to me for the future.

[AKA_Monet]

The Seminoles trained under Nat Turner to encourage them to fight for their land in now Tallahassee, FL.

Most of the early Republicans were abolishonists. They abhorred the treatment of all slavery. In fact Abraham Lincoln the first Republican US President alloted "Liberia" to former slaves after emancipation. Often they worked with former slaves during the reconstruction. The Republican party changed it platform fairly recently-in the last 35 years because of WWII veterans returning to amerikkklan and in order for the white southerner's to maintain some way of economic life, they crossed over into the party. It was discovered how many of them were in the party after Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. Because the mayor of Memphis was a Republican.

Just because I'm an alumnae of Spelman College!!! The college was named "Spelman" because that was J.D. Rockafeller wife's maiden name. Bessie Strong Spelman's family had a "stopping place" for the Underground Railroad.

Oh, and the reason why Spelman didn't reach the "Seven Sisters" school status back in the early 1900's... J.D. Rockafeller and several of his friends were ready to make a "southern ivy league" college for women by donating millions of dollars to Spelman. In fact, all of the land around the school was own by Spelman and Rockafeller and he was ready to give it to the school. But in a meeting with numerous other HBCU presidents and officials, including Mary McLeod Bethune of Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL, the thenpresident of Spelman, President Read, of Read Hall, said to Rockafeller in front of everybody, "No, no that's too much for "THEM"." Meaning that was too much for us Black folks...

Incidentally, that is not in a history book. But it is true because a primary source who was a president of an HBCU said that he was there when she said it. That's why WEB DuBois who was at Atlanta University, wanted nothing to do with Spelman. And he convinced, Julian Bond to do the same--The grandfather, not the one who's still living... Also, my primary source said the only reason why Manley, the husband, became president was because he was good friends with President Read at the time. And Benjamin Mays, the President of Morehouse didn't like President Manley at Spelman...

[AKA2D '91]

I am SOOOOOOOOO glad this thread is getting some "play" . I was beginning to get worried .

You know after folks had been "running" around here going back and forth, 'round and 'round as to say who WAS NOT Black ENOUGH(SELL-OUTS)... and whose HAIR WAS NOT BLACK enough...

I thought these same people would have posted interesting (known or little known) Black History FACTS!

Like I said back then...there are some things that are more important AND KNOWING FACTS, especially about BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN history is ONE of them...especially in a place where OTHERS are "silently monitoring" that way, they too can become educated...INADVERTENTLY!

Or, they may choose to not "monitor" this forum during the month of February! LOL

quoting (paraphrasing) one of my Sorors from another thread..."If I stepped on any toes...I MEANT TO"

Okay, I had my say...now back to the FACTS!

[allsmiles_22]

FYI:

Frederick Jones invented the air conditioner. Alice Parker the heating furnace.
John Standard invented the refrigerator
Walter Sammons invented the comb
Sarah Boone invented the ironing board.
George T. Samon invented the clothes dryer.
John Love invented the pencil sharpener. William Purvis invented the fountain pen.
Lee Burridge invented the typewriter.

These inventions have advanced our way of life significantly and YES these inventors- not known to many-were BLACK.

[The Original Ape]

Originally posted by DoggyStyle82:
ORIGINAL APE: those so-called Civilized tribes sided with the Confederacy because they had white chiefs who duped the tribes. The famous Sequoia was a white man. The chief who signed away the sovereign rights and lands of the real Cherokee, was a white mand by the name of Joseph Clark. The dispossessed Cherokee were then sent on the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma where 70% of them died on the journey. The Cherokee left in NC, Tenn, and GA were mostly "white" and half-white. Real Indians did not own slaves because they were not American citizens, therefore, the only ones who could own them were the legally "white" ones. The Seminole Indians were really Cherokees who objected to the whites having leadership in their tribes and objected to them selling their lands and making deals with the US government. "Seminole" is the Cherokee word for "runaway". These disgruntled Indians ran away to Florida and liberated many slaves in the process. The Seminole Nation was comprised of almost 40% escaped slaves and fought a 40 year war with the US govt.

Hey brutha:

Most of what you say is accurate; but I have to correct you on a few things. First, all of the five civilized tribes owned slaves; and the government RESPECTED their ownership. Even free blacks "owned" slaves; and as longs as their papers were in order, that ownership was respected as well. Secondly, the Seminoles were not Cherokees; they happen to be members of the Creek Nation that were "sympathetic" to the plight of the African slave. There name comes from the Creek language, and it means runaway; but it was a crack on their kin folk that felt sorry for the slave.
As for being duped, I will agree. The government told all of these tribes that if they don't get involved(on the side of the confederacy), they would loose their lands. The divide-and-conquer theory was in full practice then, just as it is today.

I know these things because I am 3rd generation Creek.

[This message has been edited by The Original Ape (edited February 03, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by The Original Ape (edited February 03, 2001).]

[Poplife]

Well, I'm not into spouting "textbook". So here are a few little know facts that I picked up in some non-euro books I found in my dad's librabry. Enjoy!

***************************

Euclid learned math from black people and Pythagoras lived in Egypt for 21 years.


Shakespeare was in love with the appearance of black women. In one of his sonnets he wrote: "Then I will swear beauty herself is black, And all they foul that thy complexion lack."


Dwight D. Eisenhower was 1/4 black.


The earliest comb/pick for woolly hair (African folks) was carbon dated to the year 1550 B.C.E. It was found in Western Africa.


Bartholdi, the Frenchman who originally designed the Statue of Liberty, made the statue as his countries tribute to the emancipation of U.S. slaves, however, he was "asked" to alter the appearance.


Harriet Tubman fed babies sedatives to keep them quite during the road to freedom.

[AKA_Monet]

Eh Pop--

To pinky back on your list.

Many greeks lived in egypt (Kemet) for some time to learn what were Priests and Priestess knew in the Houses of Ankh. But the Kemetics did not allow them into the houses because of the sacredness. That's why Alexander the Great burned the libraries down when he conquered egypt. That was way after the Nubians ran the dynasties.

Another bit:

The Queen of Sheba, Makeda, was one of the Candaces (Kandaces or Qhandyces). As spoken in the Judao-Christian Bible (I Samuel I think and in the Book of Acts), she visited Solomon and gave him several gifts. One of them being a "tree" that emits a curative "sap". This tree can only grow in a place called Gilead--and that's where we get the "Balm of Gilead" that heals the sin-sick soul.

Currently, the Balm is a powerful drug and cannot be sold in the US--don't ask OR GO FIGURE for yourself!!!

OKAY,

Since it's the AKA Board and I'm a Soror, I can demand this of all serious sisterfriends:

Who were the other Candaces? Do your research!!!

[Poplife]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet:
Eh Pop--

To pinky back on your list.

Many greeks lived in egypt (Kemet) for some time to learn what were Priests and Priestess knew in the Houses of Ankh. But the Kemetics did not allow them into the houses because of the sacredness. That's why Alexander the Great burned the libraries down when he conquered egypt. That was way after the Nubians ran the dynasties.

Another bit:

The Queen of Sheba, Makeda, was one of the Candaces (Kandaces or Qhandyces). As spoken in the Judao-Christian Bible (I Samuel I think and in the Book of Acts), she visited Solomon and gave him several gifts. One of them being a "tree" that emits a curative "sap". This tree can only grow in a place called Gilead--and that's where we get the "Balm of Gilead" that heals the sin-sick soul.

Currently, the Balm is a powerful drug and cannot be sold in the US--don't ask OR GO FIGURE for yourself!!!

OKAY,

Since it's the AKA Board and I'm a Soror, I can demand this of all serious sisterfriends:

Who were the other Candaces? Do your research!!!

Well, It's documented that both men studied in Africa.

The concept of the Pythagorean Theory and "Magic 3-4-5" triangle (also called PHI by the ancient people) was being used CENTURIES before the Greeks "discovered it". If you look at sketches of the tomb of Rameses VI there is a picture depicting it.

It carries his name because when he returned to Greece he taught it to the mathematicians there. These people later named the theory after the man who had taught it to them, even though he was NOT the man who invented it.

Because they were not allowed to used the formal facilities of teaching does not mean that they could not learn a secret of Kemet.

About Alexander, I was repeatedly told that he burned the libraries because he could not translate many of the ancient writings of the Kemetic people. I'm not sure if this is a wide-spread rumor or a historical fact. The fact you stated sounds something like what I have been taught. Maybe the truth is a mixture of both stories.

It's funny you should mention candaces. My father often told me that I was going to be one when I was older. *lol* Since you asked...here a few Candaces I have read about.


Queen Amanishakheto (took me forever to spell that..lol) I read she was a jewelry lover!

Queen Amanireras

Queen Nawidemek (I think that's spelled right)


I wish I could remember more, but it's been a while since anyone quizzed me on Cantake Queens. ;-)

Is there a book on them that I can read? All the ones I have learned about have been in books about the Nile Valley, but I have yet to see a whole book devoted to the Queens.

Please inform!

[Ania]

I have to admit, some of these forums have been heated in a way I would not dare touch.

Anyway, I love black history because it pushes me 100% harder to achieve my goals while uplifting the black community.

So, here is my list,

-Daniel Hale Williams-first surgeon to successfully perform open hear surgery. The patient, who was black lived for 50 years after the surgery.

-Chemotherapy was discovered by Dr. Louis T. Wright and his daughter.

-L. Jhonson invented the SUPER SOAKER, yes that gigantic water gun!

-Last but not least, my favorite, Ralph Bunche! He was not only the first black American to hold the position as understretariate for the United Nations but he also was the first black American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for putting together a comprehensive peace treaty between the Isrealis and the Palinstinians.

-Also, did you know that Bunche was a member of the National(or United, sorry for not getting the name correct) Negroe Congress, which claimed to be a Communist group back in the 1930's?

[Discogoddess]

Lorraine Richardson Green-first black person on Chicago's Board of Education (anything else special about her, ladies?);

(I'm surprised no one has mentioned him yet) Garrett Morgan -inventor of the traffic light;

Oscar Micheaux-black film auteur from the 1920s-1930s;

Maroons-the slaves who rose up against their captors and took to the Jamaican hills, living as free people;

Abott/Sengstake families : producers of the Chicago Defender, one of the leading black-owned newspapers in the country, which played a key role in encouraging blacks to escape the Jim Crow South and come North, where jobs, voting and other opps. awaited (I think they oversold those opps., though);