Well, it's February 2014. During Black History Month, we can count on hearing about the historic contributions of Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey and even President Barack Obama. However, there are many unsung heroes who have contributed to our nation growth and prosperity while advancing the condition of African Americans..
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| Irene Morgan |
You may well know Rosa Parks and her role in the civil rights struggle, but can you tell me about the contributions of Bayard Rustin, Irene Morgan, Charles Hamilton Houston, and Pauli Murray? Oprah Winfrey and Madame C. J. Walker are well known African Americans who become millionaires and contributed generously to move the struggle forward. Are you familiar with Annie Turnbo Malone, William Still and Benjamin "Pap" Singleton who also used their fortunes to change the fabric of America and the lives of the country's African American population?
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| Charles Hamilton Houston |
Paul Robson is an American icon. Among his other accomplishments, he was famous for his portrayal of Shakespeare's Othello, but do you know who wowed British audiences playing Othello in the early 1820s and donned "white face" to play the title role in Richard III?
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| William Still |
It has been said by some naysayers that you can keep information from a Black person if you put it in a book. There are African Americans who "put it in a book" and preserved important account of African American lives. Are you familiar with the "Father of the Underground Railroad" and his meticulous accounts of slaves escaping to freedom? The Philadelphia Press employed a correspondent to detail the lives of America's Black troops during the Civil War. In 1902, a Black woman published her memoir, Reminiscences of My Life in Camp, which preserved vital information about the Black experience during the Civil War.
In 1864, the son of a slave and her master published Clotel: the President's Daughter widely considered the first novel by an African American. The story line was controversial tracing several mix raced descendants of Thomas Jefferson, a reference to Jefferson's long rumored relationship with Sally Hemings. In addition to his other novels, this author was an abolitionist, lecturer, playwright, and historian.
Inquiring minds want to know the answers to all these questions and the stories of these unsung heroes. Visit Ronda Racha Penrice's article in the Grio about 13 unknown African Americans and their contributions to the struggle. Most of these quite warriors were unknown to me, but I enjoyed expanding my knowledge of African American history in the U.S.
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