We Are Black History
We…
We are Black history.
Our story began long ago
on a distant land amongst distant shores,
a place where drums had tongues
and spoke a language of their own,
where rhythm was a nation
and Music reigned on the throne.
Harmony and syncopation,
those were words that were unknown,
yet, they flowed through our veins
telling our bodies where to go,
instructing our movements,
fast or slow.
How were we to know
that our gifts of music and dance
would enhance
and grow.
We…
We are Black History.
We were movin’ and groovin’,
and stompin’ at the Savoy.
We made the Cotton Club scene
a thing to explore.
Cab Calloway was puttin’ on the Ritz
while we were swing dancin’, shimmy shakin’,
and doing somersault flips.
And oh, what a sound to behold
when Ella sung out with soul.
Those were the days,
we’re so often told.
Then Motown became the town
and Detroit was the sound
of Smokey Robinson, the “Miracle Man”
Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin.
Pattie Labelle could make a record sell
and the Supremes could STOP
you in your tracks.
Yes…that was the place
where stars were made
and their talent,
forever remembered on wax.
We…
We are Black History.
Do you remember when…
beating the streetlights home was a neighborhood trend?
Run DMC blasted from every car on the street
and Sheltos, Pumas, and Nikes were worn by many feet.
Do you remember when
rocking a kangol and a fat dukey rope
meant you were in?
Triple Fat Gooses – leather or plaid
made a big statement for a coming-of-age lad.
And bamboo earrings, at least two pair,
were hanging from a young girl’s ear.
Do you remember when
Biz Markie was Goin’ Off,
BDP was holding down the Bronx,
and MC Lyte was Cramming to Understand
why Lisa Lisa was All Cried Out with Cult Jam?
We may have been snatched from our land,
Been enslaved and oppressed,
had expectations of us be little than less,
but out of the ashes we rose, a people of pride
determined to make a difference and no longer be recognized
As Nigger, Jigaboo, Spook, or Negro.
See now we’re scientists, inventors, performers, and heroes.
Our skin color doesn’t determine who or what we can become
Barak Obama proved that we CAN overcome.
Our existence is being recorded in time
and will be passed down the line
To future generations of us.
So, let’s not rely on one month
To celebrate all we’ve done.
We live and make change every day.
We.
Are.
Black.
History.
So, each year February 1st marks the first day of Black History Month. Though many have expressed their dislike or annoyance for Black History Month being celebrated during the shortest month of the year, I’m okay with it. I’m black 365 days a year, 7 days a week, and 24 hours a day, therefore as my poem states, I am black history, and I celebrate myself every day.
Now, while I appreciate having a celebratory month that recognizes and acknowledges the many, many, many, many, accomplishments and contributions black men and women have made in U.S. history and since the beginning of time; what I don’t appreciate is the limited black history education that is taught in numerous public and private school systems.
From elementary school to high school, it seems students are largely taught or informed about the big three, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, and Rosa Parks. Or maybe that was just the schools I attended, which were predominately white. In any case, Martin, Malcolm, and Rosa are not the only phenomenal black folks that have impacted the world. To not teach children about pioneers like, Shirley Chisolm, Ruby Bridges, James Baldwin, Cicely Tyson, Henrietta Lacks, Bessie Coleman, and Robert Sengstacke Abbott is a disservice. Don’t know who these people are? Well, look them up…they’re worth knowing.
To know one’s history is the beginning of knowing oneself, and that truth applies to EVERYONE despite our skin color. Now, if you do feel inclined to learn more about the above-named individuals or go on a black history exploration through Google and/or plethora of articles, essays, and books, please do so after reading this post.
And just to be clear, twenty-eight days is not enough time to discuss and acknowledge the profound impact black people have made throughout history, but it’s a start.
Until we speak again…smooches 
Black History Month 101
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
That September, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent.
Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired schools and communities nationwide to organize local celebrations, establish history clubs and host performances and lectures.
In the decades that followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing Negro History Week. By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, Negro History Week had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses.
President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
(Information taken from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month)
The "Firsts"
These black men and women were pioneers in the fields of law, medicine, sports, science, performing arts, and government by being the first to receive prominent positions, titles, and awards.
Hattie McDaniel (1893-1952)
Hattie was the first Black actress and person to win an Academy Award (Oscar) for her portrayal as “Mammy”, a housemaid and former slave in the movie, Gone with the Wind.
Ethel Waters (1896-1977)
Mainly recognized and celebrated for her bluesy/jazzy singing career, Ethel was the First Black person to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a drama series.
Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
Enslaved as a domestic housemaid when just seven years old, Phillis was taught how to read and write by her slave owners. As a young woman she was revered for her intellect and extraordinary writing and poetry. She went on to become the First Black poet to publish a book of poems.
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)
Gwendolyn was one of the widely read poets of 20th-century poetry and the First Black author to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. She was also the first Black woman to work as a poetry consultant to the Library of Congress. Her poem, We Real Cool has received critical acclaim among readers, scholars, and fellow poets.
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. (1942)
Guion is an American aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, former NASA astronaut, and the first Black astronaut to travel to space in 1983.
Mae C. Jamison (1956)
Mae is an engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut who became the first Black woman to be admitted into NASA’s astronaut training program. She made history on September 12, 1992, as the first Black female astronaut to orbit space.
John Baxter Taylor Jr. (1882-1902)
John became the first Black Olympic gold medalist as a member of the men’s medley relay team at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Alice Coachman (1923-2014)
Alice was the First Black female Olympic gold medalist, as well as the first Black female athlete to endorse an international consumer product when she was signed up to promote Coca-Cola.
Macon Bolling Allen (1816-1894)
Macon is believed to be the first Black person to become a lawyer, argue before a jury, and hold a judicial position in the United States. He became a Massachusetts Justice of the Peace in 1847 and moved to South Carolina after the American Civil War to practice law. He was elected as a judge in 1873 and again in 1876.
Charlotte E. Ray (1850-1911)
Charlotte was a first of many things. She was the first Black American female lawyer in the United States, the first woman to graduate from Howard University of School of Law, the first female admitted to the District of Columbia Bar, and the first woman admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. Her admission was used as a precedent by women in other states who sought admission to the bar. Later in life Ray became a teacher after racist and sexist attitudes made it difficult for her to sustain her own law firm. She became involved in the women’s suffrage movement and joined the National Association of Colored Women.
Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)
Thurgood was a successful civil rights attorney, who broke the record by arguing and winning 29 of his 32 cases before the Supreme Court, including the Brown vs. Board of Education case, a landmark case and one of the cornerstones of the Civil Rights Movement. Marshall later went on to become the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951)
An author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Oscar is regarded as the first major Black feature filmmaker and has been described as “the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century” Moos, Dan (2005).
Count Basie (1904-1984)
Born William James Basie, Count Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, Basie formed his own jazz orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra and led the group for 50 years. In 1958 he became the first Black musician to win a Grammy Award.
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)
Ella was an American jazz singer, who is sometimes referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella. In 1958 she became the first Black woman to be awarded a Grammy.
James McCune Smith (1813-1865)
James M. Smith was an American physician, apothecary, abolitionist, and author. He was the first Black American to hold a medical degree and the first Black American to run a pharmacy in the nation.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895)
Born Rebecca Davis, Rebecca was an American physician and author. In 1864 she became the first Black woman to become a Doctor of Medicine in the United States. She was also one of the first female physician authors in the nineteenth century.
Robert Louis Johnson (1946)
Robert L. Johnson is an investor, philanthropist, and the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET). He became the first Black billionaire in 2001 and the first Black majority club owner of a major American sports league in 2002 when he purchased the Charlotte Bobcats Basketball team. He sold his majority stake to Michael Jordan eight years later.
Barack Obama (1941)
Barack Obama made history in 2008 when he won the presidential election making him the 44th president and the first Black President of the United States. He continued to make history by winning a second term in 2013.
Kamala Harris (1964)
Kamala began her career as an attorney and later became a senator for the Democratic party. She is the first Black and female Vice President of the United States.
(Sources: Wikipedia and www.history.com)
Trivia Time
Just in case you don’t know, which you don’t because I never told you, I LOVE triva! So, I thought I would share my love with you. Below are links to 3 different Black History trivia websites. Find out just how much you know and/or remember about Black history, and how much you don’t know or remember. Have fun!
Oh yeah, each of the links will bring you to another site. To return to my site, click the back button on your internet browser.
Can You See Me Now?
I began this post with original poetry that briefly details the culture and history of Black people, so I decided to end the post with a little poetry as well. The poem title was adapted from the Verizon commercial when the man consistently asks, “Can you hear me now?”
I wrote this piece to glorify Black people’s physical features since they’re often debased and seen as ugly. Being Black is not something I’m ashamed of and it’s obviously not something I can change, and while I’m proud to be a Black woman, it is not all I am. As the poem states in the last sentence, there’s so much more that lies underneath my skin color. So yes, see my color but see ME as well.
I wish you would see
someone other than a color
when you look at me.
See my smile. My lips thick
and big, never small.
No kiss do they ever miss, they
catch them all. My thirty-two
perfectly manicured teeth, polished
to perfection, glistening white. It’s alright
that you thought we don’t care
about oral hygiene. You’ve been wrong
about these things before.
See my wavy, coiled, curly, twisted,
braided, coiffed, nappy, kinky, hair.
Stare at its wonder.
It’s no wonder people ask to touch it.
It’s almost magic how I get it to do what it do.
See my eyes. Almond-shaped, or wide,
seizing every image that walks by their path.
Sometimes they’re green, gray, or even blue.
Who knew a rainbow of irises could cause
so much confusion, that folks would start
losing their minds trying to decide
where I fit on the race spectrum.
“What are you?” They feel compelled
to ask, as if my color is a mask
that hides I’m human.
See my nose. Sometimes it’s flat and
small, sometimes it’s spread across
my face. Sometimes it’s large and
awkwardly placed, but
can still smell the roses. The roses
buried in the crap people say and do
all because my color is a darker hue.
I choose to forgive their ignorance.
See my skin. Caramel, almond, cinnamon, toffee,
mocha, amaretto, chocolate, coffee.
Flavorful from head to toe. Quite frankly,
I’m irresistible. Whether or not you choose
to see, I possess so much more underneath.
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