Saturday, September 21, 2013
Dancing in the Street - A Rock And Roll History episode 1
This is a documentary that you should watch if you want a bit of history of
modern American Music.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
October is Black History Month in the UK
"The first UK Black History event was held in 1987. Set up by Akyaaba Addai Sebbo, who worked with Ken Livingstone at the Greater London Council, its aim was to mark the contributions of black people throughout history. Black History Month now runs throughout the month of October. As there has long been concern about the experience of black children in the UK, October - as the beginning of the academic year - felt like a good time to instill pride and a sense of identity for these children."
UK BHM 2013
If we African Americans and Canadians put some effort into studying and
sharing the info we find then African Diasporan History will advance that much
further. I hope to see some sharing going on over the pond this year
in October and next year in February. It would be really something if we
could keep it going from the beginning of October through February.
Africans in Britain
From the late Middle Ages, as Europeans began to make direct contact with Africa, the number of Africans and people of African descent in Britain began to increase. The most important cause of these migrations was probably the slave trade. British involvement in the trade began in the 16th century and had reached huge proportions by the 18th. Over a period of 400 years, Europeans transported many millions of Africans to labour in their colonies in the Americas. These migrations created the Black
diaspora.
UK BHM 2013
If we African Americans and Canadians put some effort into studying and
sharing the info we find then African Diasporan History will advance that much
further. I hope to see some sharing going on over the pond this year
in October and next year in February. It would be really something if we
could keep it going from the beginning of October through February.
Africans in Britain
From the late Middle Ages, as Europeans began to make direct contact with Africa, the number of Africans and people of African descent in Britain began to increase. The most important cause of these migrations was probably the slave trade. British involvement in the trade began in the 16th century and had reached huge proportions by the 18th. Over a period of 400 years, Europeans transported many millions of Africans to labour in their colonies in the Americas. These migrations created the Black
diaspora.
This image, from the Gentleman's Magazine, shows Ayuba Suleiman Diallo (here called by the English version of his name, Job ben Solomon), the son of a Muslim imam from Gambia, and William Ansah Sessarakoo, a prince from Ghana. They were both tricked into slavery, but freed on account of their noble origins and education. Sessarakoo lived in England from 1749 to 1750.
Solomon travelled to England after spending time on a plantation in Maryland. He became something of a celebrity and was 'graciously received by nobility'. Dressed in an African gown, he was presented to the king and queen. After spending some time in England, he was taken back to Africa by the Royal African Company.
Gentleman's Magazine, June 1750, p. 273
Links
I could go on with the links but I believe you get the picture,
please share and discuss the info you find with family and friends and
feel free to come back with other info, comments are welcome.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
September 15, 1963 - Birmingham Sunday - 53 Years Ago
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The four girls killed in the bombing (Clockwise from top left,
Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair) |
In Birmingham, Alabama, a senseless, racially motivated attack occured on September 15, 1963. Members of the Ku Klux Klan dynamited the basement of Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church during Sunday School and 4 little girls lost their lives, Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14) died and 22 other people were injured on that fateful Sunday.
The cowardly bigots of Birmingham showed us the stuff they were made of that day but what's more important was that they also demonstrated the strength of will, of all the Black people of that city who were not broken by this or any of the other atrocities perpetrated by these viscious racists.
While it's important to remember these terroristic acts of bigotry and cowardice it is even more important to remember that the children of Birmingham were not simply victims. The children of Birmingham, in the face of grave personal peril, courageously played a vital role in the acquisition of their civil rights. They left a legacy, which must be acknowledged and continued in order for their acts to not have been done in vain.
Web Prospector
Birmingham’s Child Heroes
By Steve Theunissen
(excerpt)
"And so it was that on May 2nd, more than one thousand Black students skipped school and congregated at the 16th Street Baptist church ready to march downtown. Police Chief Eugene “Bull” Connor marshaled his forces against them. Coming out of the church in waves of 50, the students were arrested and carted off in police vans. Soon, however, there were no vans left and the police had to recruit school busses. Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent goal of filling the jails was being realized.
The next day hundreds more children turned up at 16th Street Baptist, ready and willing to be carted off to jail."
see the complete article at
This Video begins with a moment of silence in memory of the victims.