Still I Rise; A Graphic History of African Americans

I've noticed in recent years the popularity of graphic-novels. You know, the comic book style books you're students can't seem to put down. Though not quite award-winning literature, it was books like these that had kids reading. It gave them a break from reality, and the ability to get lost in the plot of an anime character.

I was a fan of anything that had kids reading. Whether it be a magazine, a website or a graphic novel. But there was always something about these books that just didn't sit well with me. Maybe it was the fact that they were reading a video game plot and weren't really learning anything.

Still I Rise, changes all that. It's a graphic-novel chronicling the struggle that is the history of African-Americans. This is a new version of the book which extends to the Presidency of Barack Obama. The previous version released several years ago stopped at the million man march.

From the slave trade to Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans does an excellent job of highlighting important events and introducing some astounding people most Americans never heard of.

Some of local Philadelphia significance include James Forten and Richard Allen, to name just a few.

I liked the book so much I'm going to propose that it become a necessary text for teaching African-American history at my school. It is the perfect compliment to any text. There is not an event in African -American history left unturned.

Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans - is much more than a comic book. It's got content. History is drawn onto every page. From Amistad and Nat Turner's rebellion to Abraham Lincoln and the assassination of Martin Luther King.

The book will do wonders in getting your students engaged. They won't see it as a text, but as a comic book. There are so many extension activities you can do within the pages of this book.

For example:

Students can choose a character from the book and create a mini-comic book highlighting a day in the life of that character.

The can research and write a biography of one or more of the people in the book. Would be more challenging to choose someone they've never heard of. And there will be plenty.

You could take certain scenes, vignettes from the book and have your students create a movie trailer for a movie about the event.

Regardless, your kids will read the book. They'll learn history.

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The History of Labor Day

Most call it the unofficial end of summer. Many use it as their last hoo-rah before heading back to school... It's another American excuse to barbecue, hang out with friends, drink some beer and close up the beach house...but what exactly is Labor Day?

According to the Department of Labor - Labor Day is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers" and their contributions to the "strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

During the industrial revolution it was common for men, women and children to work 12 hour days, 6 and 7 days a week just to make a living. Without many labor laws in place the terrible working conditions forced many workers to band together forming unions.

On September 5, 1882, in an attempt to voice their demands for a better way of life, some 10,000 of over-worked laborers marched together through the streets of New York City, creating the first-ever Labor Day Parade.

There is debate as to who's idea Labor Day was... but I won't bore you with the specifics...(you can read more about it here). Starting in the 1890's there was increasing legislation movement for states to adopt and institute Labor Day to honor their hardworking citizens. Slowly more and more states adopted the idea.

By 1894, 29 states had adopted the holiday to honor their workers. On June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

So there you have it... kind of a boring history, but a history nonetheless.

Teachers, prepare your lesson plans. Students find your thinking caps. The school year is upon us. Good luck to all.

For more information about Labor Day visit the Department of Labor website: http://www.dol.gov/OPA/ABOUTDOL/LABORDAY.HTM

Also - the history channel has a micro-site dedicated to Labor Day with images and videos: http://www.history.com/minisites/laborday/

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Links to History: BackStoryRadio.org and The Civil Rights Digital Library

As a history blogger with a decent sized audience (and surprisingly good search engine rankings), I'm often contacted to promote local events, websites, publications, etc...

Most of those that contact me do have relevant information that my readers would enjoy, but too often I don't find time to post their requests. This will change.

From now on I'll post these findings every so often as... "Links to History".

This is the first of such postings... enjoy.

backstoryradio.org - BackStoryRadio is a call-in radio show that brings a historical perspective to every day happenings. U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Peter Onuf, and Brian Balogh discuss current events. Check it out.

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www.civilrightslibrary.org - The Civil Rights Digital Library is one of the most comprehensive digital archives of the civil rights movement recently unveiled by The University of Georgia.

The Library aggregates and digitizes never-before-seen video news clips, audio files, images, FBI files, court documents and more from more than 75 institutions from across the nation. You can view some of the best here: http://crdl.usg.edu/voci/go/crdl/pf/abouter/9930.

Also, there is a special part of the site just for teachers.... Freedom on Film, which features lesson plans, worksheets and resources to facilitate learning the civil rights material. (http://crdl.usg.edu/voci/go/crdl/educatorResources/list)

next... the updates to the Antiques Roadshow website... they're going Web 2.0!!!

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The Election of 1960: MLK and The Kennedys

Obviously, the main event of the 1960 Presidential election was the first televised debate between two presidential candidates. No doubt, that is a milestone achievement and deserves further examination. However, this entry of the 1960 Election will focus on Martin Luther King and his role in the election.

King who always stays neutral, "in order to maintain a nonpartisan posture" and to be to be able to look objectively at both parties at all times", is a man of conviction and stuck to his word despite both John and Robert Kennedy working feverishly to help release King from jail, who was ultimately arrested for driving with a suspended license.

The Kennedy's made phone call after phone call demanding that Martin Luther King not stand trial. They even phoned Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, to comfort her and let her know that they were handling the situation. A classy move. A political move, but still a respected one. And except for the whole moonshine thing (it's how the Kennedy's got their fortune), and the rumors of adultery (Mattress Jack) and the whole Chappaquiddick thing, the Kennedy's are a class act.

So, was it the Kennedy's idea to make the phone call? Were they really that concerned and that proactive? The story continues...

For some reason Nixon's press secretary didn't want Nixon to get involved and blocked any calls about the situation. Had Nixon and his advisors handled this situation differently the election may have gone his way.

Coretta Scott King, six months pregnant and very scared that her husband would be killed in a southern Atlanta jail, called Harris Wofford, an advisor to Kennedy. She called him because she had heard that he had previously tried to release King from jail.

Wofford then proceeded to call Sargent Shriver, Kennedy's brother-in-law (he married Eunice, for those that know the Kennedy family), to ask him to get Kennedy to call Mrs. King. (Side note: Sargent Shriver is Maria Shriver's father, which makes him Arnold Schwarzenegger's father-in-law.)

Kennedy, who had been waiting for Georgia's Democratic governor Ernest Vandiver to handle the matter, promptly called Mrs. King.

Mrs. King, very pleased with the call, told Martin Luther King, Sr. (MLKs father). MLK Sr. then announced that Kennedy's "concern" was enough to make him leave the Republican party and vote for Kennedy.

This move helped shift the African American vote decisively in Kennedy's favor and just may have won him the election.

MLK Jr. remained bi-partisan, but his father's pull was enough to swing the African-American vote in the Kennedy's favor.

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One Man: The Death of Martin Luther King - April 4, 1968

Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride

- Pride, U2

April 4, 1968, will be a day that will forever be a day of mourning. A day when one of the bravest men to ever walk the face of the earth, was taken years before his time.

The night before King made his "I've been to the mountain top" speech where his prophetic words came true all too soon...

"I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. "

Six years later on the same day, Hank Aaron helped to reach that promised land. April 4, 1974, on Major League Baseball's opening day, Hank Aaron hit homerun number 714, tying him with Babe Ruth for the all time record.

Hank Aaron was now at the top of the mountain. Hank Aaron now saw the promised land. Like King, he persevered through racism, name calling, eating on the bus as opposed to in the restaurants with the rest of the team. Sleeping in separate hotels. He overcame death threats and threats of harming his family. Hank Aaron overcame and was on top of that mountain. Aaron would eventually reach that promised land. Hank Aaron would go on to hit 41 more homeruns. His 755 homeruns were the most in major league history. His record stood for 34 years, until Barry Bonds broke the record in 2007.

Here is a timeline of Hank Aaron's tumultuous homerun chase: http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/aaron/timeline.html

Martin Luther King would have been proud of Hank Aaron. And Martin Luther King is the epitome of PRIDE.

I present to you a tribute to Dr. King, using U2's "Pride". I encourage you to watch the video and listen to the lyrics. I've included them in their entirety below.

In Memoriam: Dr. Martin Luther King
January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968



U2 - Pride (In the Name of Love) -

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One come he to justify
One man to overthrow

In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love

One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed on an empty beach.
One man betrayed with a kiss

In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love

(nobody like you...)

Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride

In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love

In the name of love
What more in the name of love...

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One Man: Martin Luther King's 'Mountain Top' Speech

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come, he to justify
One man to overthrow

- Pride, U2

It was on this day, April 3, 1968 - when Martin Luther King made his famous Mountain Top speech. It was a speech about determination, perserverence and bravery. It was a speech where King, imagines that he is granted the ability to live in any era in history. He imagines himself with Moses in Eqypt parting the Red Sea and with Roman leaders. He dreams of being in the midst of the reneissance or with Abraham Lincoln at the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. But finally, he concludes, he'd ask "the Almighty" for the ability "to live just a few years in the second half of the twentieth century". If he's given this, he'd be happy.

King goes on to the conclude his speech with the following prophetic lines:

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Little did he know, these words would be his last. King was shot and killed the next morning.




Here's a link to the entire transcription of Martin Luther King's "I've Been to the Mountain Top" Speech - http://www.afscme.org/about/1549.cfm

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Martin Luther King Jr. -- January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968

In August of 1963, in front of thousands of supporters at the March on Washington, the great Dr. Martin Luther King proclaimed:

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Would Dr. King be proud of the nation we live in today? Would Dr. King settle for the way things are now in 2008? Would things have been different had Dr. King not left us too soon?

What can be written about Dr. King that hasn't been written before? His courage, his bravery, his fight, his passion, and his conviction will continue to inspire expression.

King is respected all over this great diverse nation, but probably non-more than in the city of Atlanta. A city rich in black history and civil rights tradition. The birthplace of Martin Luther King. The city where the great, and equally "brave" Hank Aaron overcame adversity and death threats, to proudly finish his illustrious career. The city where on Stone Mountain, outside of Atlanta's city limits, the second founding of the KKK occurred in 1915. The city that was burned to the ground for spite during the Civil War. Yet still, it is the city where every year on the 3rd Monday in January, the world stops to honor the great Martin Luther King.

King is honored with an all day church service televised for all to see.

When I taught Social Studies in Atlanta, to a group of predominantly African-American students, I couldn't help but get emotional when speaking about King's bravery. The students know of his legacy. They respect his legacy. And most importantly they will carry that legacy on to their children, so that one day they can "live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Martin Luther King Jr. -- January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968

King's Legacy can not be limited to mere facts, but here are a few which you may not have known.

At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.

In 1964, King became the first black American to be honored as Time magazine's Man of the Year.

King's efforts were not limited to securing civil rights; he also spoke out against poverty and the Vietnam War.

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The Gettysburg Address - November 19,1863

On this day, 144 years ago, approximately 6 weeks after 7,500 men died in a 3 day battle, 1 man, bellowed 10 sentences and 272 words in 3 minutes. Little did he know that this short speech would eventually become the most quoted speech in United States history. And for good reason.

The speech rang true with many, even to this day as establishing "a new birth of freedom". It was a speech that would bring equality to all citizens, and create a unified nation where the rights of the states were no longer dominant. This man declared a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

What many probably don't know is that this speech almost didn't happen. The Abraham Lincoln Blog has a pretty cool primary document of a letter addressed to Lincoln asking him for "A Few Appropriate Marks", leaving Edward Everett, a popular orator of the time to be the main attraction.

Funny to think that the President of the United States was playing second fiddle and received the invitation less than 3 weeks before the scheduled event. The Abraham Lincoln Blog has the full text of the letter. (thanks for bringing this to our attention)

And without further ado ... Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address", November 19, 1863

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

PS - A new photo of Abraham Lincoln at the Gettysburg memorial ceremony was found. It is the first such discovery since 1952. Here is the link...

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Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. The Board of Education

In 1954 on May 17th the Supreme Court made a decision that would change the way people lived in the United States forever.

It was on this day that the Supreme Court overturned the decision of Plessy v. Ferguson. For 50 years, the Supreme Court upheld precedent which permitted racial segregation in public facilities.

Separate bathrooms, separate water fountains, separate schools, separate rail cars etc... It was determined that "separate was equal."

However, it is well known that these separate schools were hardly equal. The black schools were the ones that were worn down. The black schools had the old books. The black schools were further away. The black bathrooms weren't cleaned as often. The black rail cars were not close the platform... this is not equal.

It was this way until a little girl and her family fought back.

The case was actually a class action suit filed against the Board of Education of the City of Topeka, Kansas, made up of 13 Topeka parents fighting on behalf of their 20 children.

Linda Brown, a 3rd grader, was denied enrollment in a white school just seven blocks from her home, and was instead instructed to go to her designated black school, which was across a set of rail road tracks and over 1 hour away This, is not equal.

Future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall led brown’s legal team. Marshall was sensitive to issues like this. Incidentally, Marshall applied to go to the University of Maryland Law School, but was denied admission because he was Black. Instead, Marshall went to Howard University Law School where the new dean instilled a desire in the the students to apply the tenets of the Constitution to all Americans.

Marshall, was reluctantly living the life of the Plessy v. Ferguson era. Going to a black school, having been denied acceptance into the white school. He would, however get his just deserts, as his first major court case came in 1933 when he successfully sued the University of Maryland to admit a young African American. That is justice.

In the Brown case, Presiding Cheif Justice Earl Warren wrote the unanimous decision stating that racial segregation was unconstitutional… (totally different world to think that anyone would think the opposite.)

The decision's basis was that "separate is inherently unequal…" Our Constitution's 14th Amendment clearly states that no citizen of the united states should be denied the right to life or liberty.

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

I don't see any ambiguity in this one... No State, shall make any Law which shall abridge the privileges of its citizens. Period.

This case, paved the way for civil rights and should be celebrated as one of the greatest victories in American History...

PS:

Excellent resource for classrooms: http://www.landmarkcases.org/brown/background2.html

Federal Records of the case: http://www.archives.gov/publications/ref-info-papers/112/

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Here's To You Mr. Robinson

On this date, April 10, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player to sign a major league contract.

Like the good businessman he turned out to be, Robinson signed a one-year contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dodger's general manager Branch Rickey personally recruited Robinson from the Negro Leagues to play with his ballclub. Robinson left baseball early, after 10 years of service to pursue other endeavors. He became the Vice President for Chock Full o' Nuts and then tried his hand in politics.

On April 15, 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson's entry into Major League Baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig announced that Robinson's #42 would be retired throughout baseball and would never again be issued to on-field personnel. (players currently wearing the number were grandfathered in and allowed to wear the number until retirement)

This year, to mark Robinson's 60th Anniversary, Major League Baseball will honor Robinson once again by allowing players to wear his retired #42 jersey. The idea apparently came as a result of a phone call that Reds' right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. made to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, requesting permission to wear it on the anniversary.

Each of the 15 games throughout Major League Baseball on April 15th will feature festivities to honor Mr. Robinson. The national celebration of Jackie Robinson Day will take place at Dodger Stadium with many VIPs, an on-field ceremony before the game Among those participating in the festivities will be Rachel Robinson, Jackie's wife and founder of The Jackie Robinson Foundation; their daughter, author Sharon Robinson; several of Jackie's former teammates; baseball executives and civic and industry leaders; Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars; and winners of the Breaking Barriers Essay Contest. (info. courtesy of http://www.mlb.com/)

In his rookie season of 1947, Robinson won Rookie of the Year. He as the league's Most Valuable Player in 1949, and led the Dodgers to 6 pennants in his 10 seasons. For more information visit the Baseball Almanac for all of Jackie Robinson's Career Stats.

More than a great ball player, Robinson personifies courage, determination and perseverance. He, like so many black ball players after him had to endure a lot of hardship to play the game they loved. I applaud Jackie Robinson not only for his athletic prowess, but for his courage to be the first to step foot on a major league ball field. He could have said no, and left the name calling and death threats to someone else. But he didn't.

Like Robinson, I've all the respect in the world for Hank Aaron as well. He too received death threats and threats to his family if he dared to break the great Babe Ruth's home run record. Well, he dared. And he succeeded.

American history is perseverance. American history is courage. American history is baseball. American history is Jackie Robinson.


PS:

Here is a PDF link to the 7th-12th Grade Winning Essay

For historians, researchers, baseball fans and curious minds, check out ABNER, the National Baseball Hall of Fame Online Library Catalog...

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