In 1970, Angela Davis became the third woman ever at that time, (11 total) to be placed on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list. She was wanted for her alleged involvement in kidnappings and murders. The origin was an armed seizure of the Marin County Courthouse in California. In history class you were taught that Ms. Davis was a radical Black Panther member. This description is too narrow a stroke to paint Ms. Davis’ full complex canvas. She was a brief advocate of the Communist party, and is still a member of the Rainbow movement.
Browsing: Lost Black History
SunDown laws are another blemish to our great union’s history. When President George W. Bush spoke at the opening of the African American museum he said, “A great nation does not hide its history. It faces its flaws, and corrects them.” We have a responsibility to know our Black history, so we can share it with the younger generations. We were not taught about Sundown laws in school. That does not suggest that our kids can’t learn about it from us! The current trend toward “Erasing” history to teach just the pretty parts is a Clarion call for our action. If we don’t know Our History, we are doomed to learn “His-Story!
Our bond with the Native community was enigmatic, because most of the time we fought a common oppressor. Recall the proverb: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Whites enslaved Natives first and introduced Black slaves shortly there after. That built a mutual loathing of the slave masters.
Slave ownership is only tacitly presented in US schools. There are many aspects of slavery that have been left to the dim mists of history. This week we illuminate the price to own a human being. A repulsive topic, but you have a responsibility to know it. We have always been an oral society. The elders would pass on the history and rituals of our culture. The current political posture is to not educate our students on the full pain of the Black diaspora in America!
Lost Black History Part 2 • By Don Valentine John Stanly was a Black millionaire of faulty character. He started his path to wealth as a…
Black slaves were brought to California as chattell/property, like a horse or plow. The gold rush of the 1840s lured adventurous slave owners to California. A necessary tool is someone to dig up the gold. This migration began about 15 years before the Civil war. During this time Blacks could be found working in the gold fields and domestic spaces of California.
Prior to Madam C.J. Walker, there was millionaire Jeremiah Hamilton. His birth is murky depending on whom he talked to. His death certificate stated he was born in the West Indies, but most scholars cite him as Haitian born. Mr. Hamilton put the other merchants of Wall Street in the awkward position of having to negotiate with a Black broker.
Black soldiers have served the US military since the Revolutionary War. Note: We have participated in every war the US has fought. The motivation to fight was for a new country that anchored itself on the motto “Freedom For All!” After 246 years our Union is still in pursuit of that mantra. The website armymilitary.com reported that “Many African Americans were inspired by the Black soldiers from Haiti and Senegal fighting for France and earning respect, and hoped that they would receive the same recognition from their fellow Americans.” This sentiment took over a 100 years to gain any traction.
A good recitation on the aim of Redlining, was articulated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The AP reported Mayor Bloomberg opined in his 2020 Presidential campaign that the great “Recession” was due to the credit given to poor people (insert-Black/Brown). He said, “It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone. People in these neighborhoods are poor, they’re not going to be able to pay off their mortgages…”
Madam Queen was a notorious violent Numbers banker. She was arguably the most successful Numbers bankers in Harlem. Her lavish flamboyant lifestyle and gangster path captured the imaginations of Harlam residents. Gotham Center org, noted that she came to the city in 1910 from the French island Guadeloupe. Madam St. Clair won a wrongful eviction lawsuit against and received $1,000 in 1923. Adjusted for inflation that would be about $14,808. She used that fortune to almost take over the Numbers rackets in Harlem. The Queen employed up to 50 staffers “runners” for her business and would own several apartment buildings.