Black History Month 2004

[Craig]

It's that time of the year, ya'll - celebratin' our legacy, people, and history.

This year, we got 29 days instead of 28, ya'll!

All jokes aside, everybody should post some info or link to a site of our people that should be recognized. It can be anybody. Us HB Fam, we did somethin' like this last year, so let's try and find different people or stories to share.

If evry'body could do one or two a week, that'd be straight. And this thread can last the whole month.

Anybody down? Happy BHM!

[Simply_Uneque]

I am down...

Here is mine "George Washington Carver"

www.princeton.edu/~mcbrown/display/carver.html

[Auset]

The movement of Southern blacks to Northern cities, the emergence of radical thought, and the publication of black magazines, set the stage for the creation of the great literature and art that was produced during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s.

During the 1920s and into the 1930s, African American literature and the arts flourished during the Harlem Renaissance.

Known mostly for the emergence of great literature by black authors, the Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was a result of several factors. Before the movement, thousands of blacks migrated from the South to the Northern industrial cities as more employment opportunities became available from World War I. In addition, the black middle class was increasing and more education opportunities for blacks became available.

Furthermore, a new radicalism among blacks emerged before the movement. With the publication of black magazines such as, A. Philip Randolph’s, The Messenger and the NAACP’s The Crisis(edited by W.E.B. Du Bois), the development of a “new consciousness” occurred. Along with these publications, Marcus Garvey’s radical ideas of an independent black economy, racial purity, and the creation of societies in Africa were also influential. These publications and ideas brought attention to the need for economic and social equality and brought a new sense of pride in being black. It was the combination of these events, and the settlement of blacks in New York’s Harlem neighborhood, that soon led to it becoming the cultural center of the Renaissance movement.

Early Renaissance authors such as, Charles W. Chesnutt, Claude McKay, and James Weldon Johnson paved the way with their literary works about black life and racial identity. Johnson published his first book, Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man anonymously in 1912 and McKay broke the color barrier in the publishing industry with the publication of his anthology of poetry, Harlem Shadows (1922). Other early works by black writers included, Cane (1923) by Jean Toomer and There is Confusion (1924) by Jessie Fauset Redmon.

The Harlem Renaissance received a thrust with the publication of the special issue, Harlem (1925), in the magazine, Survey Graphic. Alain Locke, editor of that issue, furthered the movement in 1926 when he summed up the Harlem Renaissance in his book, The New Negro. Suddenly, publishers began looking for literature by black writers as there became an increasing interest in black life as it was expressed in literature.

Black literary writers covered such issues as black life in the South and the North, racial identity, racial issues, and equality. Theses popular themes were a part of poetry, prose, novels, and fiction. Some of the more popular writers tackling these issues included, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Rudolf Fisher, Sterling A. Brown, Zora Neale Hurston, Nella Larsen, Claude McKay, and Jean Toomer.

The visual arts also flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. Artist such as, Hale Woodruff, Palmer Hayden, Edward Burra, Jacob Lawrence, John T. Biggers, Loïs Mailou Jones, and William H. Johnson created notable work.

The Harlem Renaissance ended in the 1930s after the effects of the Great Depression set in. The economic downturn led to the departure of Harlem’s prominent writers.

Although the Renaissance lasted a brief time, it influenced later black writers such as, Richard Wright, and helped to ease the way for the later publication of works by black authors.

[Auset]

Elegant, sophisticated, glamorous, and a uniquely talented singer, Lena Calhoun Horne became one of the most popular entertainers of her time. She was known not only for her singing style, but also for her refusal to accept roles that promoted racial stereotypes.
Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York.
Horne’s career as an entertainer began when she was just 16 years old. Her first job was as a dancer in the chorus line at the Cotton Club. While working there she met such singers as, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington.

In 1935, she sang in the Noble Sissle Orchestra, and in the early 1940s she began touring with the Charlie Barnet Orchestra. Also during this time, she was briefly married to Louis Jones, and had two children with him. In 1942, she moved to Hollywood where her career finally began to thrive. She received movie parts in Cabin in the Sky (1943) and Stormy Weather (1943). However, it was her rendition of the title song, “Stormy Weather” that received critical acclaim and became her signature song. In 1947, Horne married her second husband, Lennie Hayton.

Despite her success, Horne’s career temporarily slowed down after she began associating with friends who were considered communist. Horne had become friends with Paul Robeson and other alleged communists, so she was blacklisted for several years. She still performed in nightclubs, and she made several recordings during this time. Her most notable was, Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria (1957). Horne also received a part in the Broadway musical, Jamaica. In 1958, she won a New York Drama Critics’ Poll Award for her performance.

Horne was also active in the Civil Rights Movement. She participated in the March on Washington and performed at rallies for the National Council for Negro Women. Horne also continued touring, recording, and acting throughout the 1960s. During the 1970s, Horne took a hiatus from public life. She returned in 1981 with her one-person Broadway show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. The show ran for fourteen months, and she won a Tony Award and several other awards. In 1989, Horne received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement.

Filmography


The Duke Is Tops (1938)
Panama Hattie (1942)
Stormy Weather (1943)
I Dood It (1943)
Cabin in the Sky (1943)
Thousands Cheer (1943)
Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)
Swing Fever (1944)
Broadway Rhythm (1944)
Boogie-Woogie Dream (1944)
Mantan Messes Up (1946)
Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
Till the Clouds Roll By (1947)
Words and Music (1948)
Duchess of Idaho (1950)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
Death of a Gunfighter (1969)
The Wiz (1978)

[Craig]

My girl Billie Holiday:

www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/holiday_b.html

Considered by many to be the greatest jazz vocalist of all time, Billie Holiday lived a tempestuous and difficult life. Her singing expressed an incredible depth of emotion that spoke of hard times and injustice as well as triumph. Though her career was relatively short and often erratic, she left behind a body of work as great as any vocalist before or since.

Truly one of the greats. And she looked good.

[Craig]

I'm doin' all women for the first half of the month, so here's:

Althea Gibson

espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/gibson_althea.html

And finally, in 1950, when Gibson was 23 years old, she was permitted to play at the U.S. Nationals, becoming the first black to compete in the tournament. She also later cracked the color barrier at Wimbledon.

In 1956, Gibson made history by becoming the first black person to win the French championships. The next year, she made more history by winning Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals, the first black to win either. She must have liked winning the world's two most prestigious tournaments, too, because she repeated the accomplishments in 1958.

The 5-foot-11 right-hander had a strong serve and preferred to play an attacking game. An athletic woman, she had good foot speed, which allowed her to cover the court. As the years went on, she became more consistent from the baseline. Including six doubles titles, she won a total of 11 Grand Slam events on her way to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.

Venus and Serena have her to thank - se was just as good. For the sisters, this is a great legacy to follow, ya' feel me.

[Craig]

Florence Griffith Joyner, ya'll:

www.florencegriffithjoyner.com/

Flo Jo's success is especially great when her beginnings are considered. She began her life in the projects of South Central Los Angeles. The values of independence and individualism were instilled in her household from an early age. When she was seven, Florence began running. She was a star athlete by adolescence, as well as a straight-A student. Flo Jo was a true role model. Her excellence in all endeavors inspired fans to achieve their own great heights. The image of Flo Jo, victorious, waving the American flag at the Seoul Olympics stands as a testament to this legend that defined the "American Dream."

She was cold back in the day. With the nails, her hair, and she was fine ( ) and she was fast.

Sad she had to go so early. Props to Flo Jo this Black History Month.

[Auset]

Dr. William Henry Cosby, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1956, he left high school to join the United States Navy. While serving in the Navy, he passed a high school equivalency exam. After his discharge in 1961, he began attending Temple University.

In his sophomore year, Cosby left school to pursue a career in comedy. In 1963, after appearing on The Tonight Show, Cosby's popularity soared. Part of Cosby's success was a result of his comedic style. While the civil rights movement was embracing the country, Cosby's comedy focused instead on everyday situations.

In 1965, Cosby was cast as Alexander Scott in the television movie, I Spy. He won three Emmy Awards for his performance. Cosby's television career continued with the Bill Cosby Specials (1968-1971, 1975), The Bill Cosby Show (1969-1971), The New Bill Cosby Show (1972-1973), and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1984). He also appeared on Sesame Street and The Electric Company. Cosby's most successful show was The Cosby Show (1984-1992), which portrayed the life of a successful doctor, his lawyer wife, and their children.

After The Cosby Show ended, Cosby continued entertaining. Other shows included, The Cosby Mysteries, Cosby, and in 1999 he developed the animated television show, Little Bill. In 2001, Little Bill received an Image Award and was nominated for a daytime Emmy. Cosby is also the author of Fatherhood, Time Flies, and Childhood.

During Cosby's career as an entertainer, he was also able to continue with his education. He earned his B.A. from Temple University, and an M.A. (1972) and PhD (1977) in education from the University of Massachusetts.

[Craig]

Moneta Sleet
1926-1996

www.africanpubs.com/Apps/bios/1086SleetMoneta.asp

In 1969 Moneta J. Sleet Jr. became the first African American male and the first African American photographer to win a Pulitzer Prize. He served as staff photographer for the Johnson Publishing Company for over four decades, covering some of the most important events of twentieth-century history. Sleet's Pulitzer Prize-winning photographic portrait of Coretta Scott King and her youngest child, Bernice, was taken during Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. In one split second Sleet captured what words could never adequately express. Whether he was creating images of celebrities or the largely anonymous, all were "photographed with the care and sensitivity that are Moneta Sleet trademarks," in the words of an Ebony article of January 1987.

Didn't even know he was the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize. Learn somethin' new every day, I see.

THIS:



was his most famous work. We all know where that's from.

Props to Moneta and his work.

[Craig]

Hiram Revels - First Black Senator

ctct.essortment.com/africanamerican_pwr.htm

n late 1868, Adelbert Ames, Mississippi's provisional military governor, appointed Revels for a term on the Natchez city Board of Aldermen. In 1869, John R. Lynch, a black political figure from Natchez, encouraged him to enter as a candidate for state senator, representing Adams County. Revels accepted the nomination at the Republican caucus in December 1869. During the first session of the Mississippi legislature in January of 1868, Revels was asked to open the session with a prayer. According to John R. Lynch, "That prayer--one of the more impressive and eloquent prayers that had ever been delivered in the Senate chamber--made Revels a United States Senator. He made a profound impression upon all who heard him."

In January 1870, Mississippi impressed Congress by electing Hiram Revels as a U.S. senator. Mississippi was readmitted to the Union, but the New York Herald predicted that Revels would never be allowed to take his Senate seat--especially since Mississippi's most recent senator had been Jefferson Davis, who had walked out to become president of the Confederacy. In fact, political bickering did delay approval of the new senator's credentials. But finally he was seated on February 25, 1870 and held the office until March 3, 1871, becoming the first African American U.S. senator.

Good info on Mr. Revels, and very interesting. Props to him. Besides being a great man of God, he was also a good politician.

[slim]

Born: May 2, 1844
Died: October 10, 1929
Birthplace: Colchester, Ontario, Canada

Elijah McCoy: Inventor, Engineer



Elijah McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada on May 2, 1844, the son of former slaves who had fled from Kentucky before the U.S. Civil War. Educated in Scotland as a mechanical engineer, Elijah McCoy returned to the United States and settled in Detroit, Michigan. He began experimenting with a cup that would regulate the flow of oil onto moving parts of industrial machines.

His first invention was a lubricator for steam engines, U.S. 129,843, which issued on July 12, 1872. The invention allowed machines to remain in motion to be oiled; his new oiling device revolutionized the industrial machine industry. Elijah McCoy established his own firm and was responsible for a total of 57 patents. The term "real McCoy" refers to the oiling device used for industrial machinery. His contribution to the lubricating device became so popular that people inspecting new equipment would ask is the device contained the real McCoy. This helped popularize the American expression, meaning the real thing. His other inventions included an ironing board and lawn sprinkler.

Elijah McCoy died on October 10, 1929 after a year in the Eloise Infirmary, Eloise, Michigan, suffering from senile dementia caused by hypertension. He was buried in Detroit, Michigan.

[Craig]

Granville T. Woods - the 'black' Edison

www.biography.com/search/article.jsp?aid=9536481

His first invention was for an improved steam boiler furnace, but later patents were mainly for electrical devices, such as his second invention, an improved telephone transmitter. The patent for his device combining the telephone and telegraph was bought by Alexander Graham Bell, and the payment freed Woods to devote himself to his own researches. One of his most important inventions was the ‘troller’ or grooved metal wheel, that allowed street cars (soon known as ‘trolleys’) to collect electric power from overhead wires. His most important invention (1887) was the multiplex telegraph (also known as the induction telegraph, or block system). He defeated Thomas Edison's legal suit that challenged his patent, and turned down Edison's offer to make him a partner. Thereafter Woods was often known as ‘the black Edison’.

That's what I'm talkin' about. Bell and Edison knew how smart Woods was, but he stayed true to his inventions and to me, was the REAL pioneer in telecommunications.

Think about Woods when you talkin' on the phone with your friends...