Fort Wayne African-American Independent Woman

Ida B. Wells-Barnett

2007-02-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Ida Barnett Wells was born during the era of slavery and lived during the emancipation of enslaved African-American. However, Wells would witness the birth of Jim Crow laws preventing African-Americans from enjoying true liberation. Abraham Lincoln stated for African-American, they were "free but not equal". But for African-American women, Wells experienced the silence on the intersectional position of being both an African-American and a woman in the United States Constitution. As an educated African-American woman, Wells discovered the new provisions within the document would not protect an African-American woman from being manhandled by raced white men. Who battled for the African-American woman?

Wells was asked to move to another section of the train. Wells, was told to move into a smoking section. Wells must have understood that this demand was not only an insult as a citizen but as a threat against her as a woman. Wells refused to move and was thrown off the train. This light bulb moment would illuminate a different path for the teacher. Wells began a life time crusade against not only discrimination against African-Americans but for legal protection for African-American women.

Wells would have to channel both former crusaders Sojourner Truth and Maria Stewart. It could not be left up to raced whites as Sojourner Truth pointed out, in defining womanhood when she asked "Ain't I A Woman ?" in order to be acknowledged by raced white males. Stewart stated that it was up to the African-American woman to define what it meant to be a woman. Wells would have to fuse the two together to craft her battle plan.

Wells began publishing a newspaper, the Free Speech to tell about the injustices committed against her as an African-American woman. This same newspaper would later chronicle the horrible lynching that were occurring in the south. Wells newspaper documented the number of lynching’s that were occurring under the passive Separate but Equal doctrine. One of her reports an incident of lynching involving her friends and another the torturing of a man accused of raping a raced white young female. The lynching was a public event with witnesses collecting souvenirs.

Wells reports showcased the South total disregard for human life. Wells learned through her travels to other countries, sympathy in her outrages against the south. Wells found a listening ear from the women in Britain. Britain had offer emancipated African-Americans freedom long before President Lincoln. The south was losing many African-Americans fleeing from the south to both Britain and Canada. Well suggested that African-Americans leave Memphis and go elsewhere to live.

Women in other countries were surprised to leave that Wells did not find support for her causes in fighting against injustices from other women in the United States. Wells reported that America's woman movement did not include African-American women. Highlighting the hypocrisy within the pious women movement fight for equality for all women, Wells pointed out the non existence of African-American women membership. In fact, the United States woman movement was a battle about class among raced white women. A class warfare as to which raced white women could enter the sphere of true womanhood and be classed a "lady". These women would be allowed to enter society or sororities to mate and marry America's patriotic and prominent males.

Wells writings about these contradictions in America angered her opponents and her newspaper was destroyed. Wells had to do what she was advocating for others to do. Wells had to flee to the north for her own safety. Wells continued her crusade against racial injustices by helping organize the NAACP. Her voice would replace her newspaper as she ran for political office. This would provide Wells an opportunity to rally others to the bully pulpit to fight for the legal rights of all African-Americans.

Wells life journey reminds us of the outrage years later when mild mannered Rosa Parks, a woman, refused to give her seat to a raced white male and remained in her seat.

Al Sharpton

2007-02-27T12:25:00.000-08:00

Al Sharpton

Once again I was going to write about Ida Wells. But. who could not stop and chuckle upon hearing that good old Dixiecrat,Strom Thurmond's ancestors may have or did enslave some of the ancestors of Al Sharpton. What does it mean, asked Black Professor website?

Well the fact that here it is 2007, and folks keep saying slavery happened soooo long ago. And that there is no way African-Americans today can trace their ancestors to any particular living raced white person in 2007! Yet, Sharpton is living and Thurmond recently died. So it is possible. And in that possibility is the possibilities for reparation. Randall Robinson writes about this debt that is owed to descendant of slave owners, not America but those slave owners who enslaved African-Americans and treated them as property.

Many raced whites when they hear about slavery are quick to discount reparation stating their ancestors did not enslave African-Americans. Well if that's the case, that their ancestors did not enslave African-Americans, no one is asking for your contribution. The conversation is about those who did.

So Sharpton highlighting slavery is not a thing of the past its legacy still lives and Sharpton has become it's mere poster child.

But, even more telling is the surprise of discovery of Sharpton connection to Thurmond rather than highlighting the fact that Thurmond has an African-American daughter. And Thurmond daughter Essie Washington is an African-American. Washington silence contrast to the vocal Sharpton, has inheritance right to the property of Thurmond but little is mentioned about his daughter.

What does it mean when it is more exciting to learn about owning African-Americans rather than being a family member who is an African-American? My question would be was Thurmond really raced white? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr stated it best, one day he dreamt that his daughter would be judged by her character rather than her skin color. That day is not here, race does matter.

The Black Press-Negro Bulletin

2007-02-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write about Ida Wells today, but found this instead, its about the Negro Bulletin. The article The black press: setting the political agenda during World War II - African Americans and World War II is written by Charles G. Spellman with additional information on the black press. I will read it later. To Read more Click hereI wanted to write about Ida Wells today, but found this instead, its about the Negro Bulletin. The article The black press: setting the political agenda during World War II - African Americans and World War II is written by Charles G. Spellman with additional information on the black press. I will read it later.

CREDO FOR THE NEGRO PRESS

I Shall Be A Crusader...

I Shall Be An Advocate...

I Shall Be A Herald...

I Shall Be A Mirror And A Record...

I Shall Have Integrity...

I Shall be a crusader and an advocate, a mirror and a record, a herald and a spotlight, and I Shall not falter.

So help me God.

The Credo, wrtten by Journal and Guide editor P. Bernard Young, Jr. represents a declaration to provide truth, honesty, and service to the black community. When the Credo was written, the black press was the sole "Voice of the Negro." As a crusader, the black press fought vigorously for Negro rights. As an advocate, the black press fought vigorously to ban "Jim Crow" laws which legally sanctioned segregation. As a herald, the black press was the bearer of both good and bad news, always heralding those causes that others would suppress out of bias or perceived lack of interest.

The black press gained its respectful reputation for being the "Voice of the Negro" in the early days of segregation and unconscionable discrimination. African Americans were often negatively depicted in the white media. The negative images were reflective of the perceptions held by many whites, resulting in the development of the advocacy movement by the black press.

In the early years of the black presence in America, access to the white press was denied to the "Negro." As a result, African Americans founded their own newspapers. In 1827, Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm established the first black newpaper, Freedom's Journal writing in an editorial:

"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in the things which concern us dearly."

Although Cornish and Russwurm were primarily concerned with negative aspects of the colonization of free African Americans and the gradualism of emancipation as advocated by the white press, they addressed many issues of concern to their readership. From this auspicious beginning, the black press became the primary voice for information and journalistic expression in the black community. That role remained a key one up to and during World War II.

When the war began, the news and information needs of the black community increased. The absence of news about African Americans in the segregated white media inspired additional coverage by the black press. As the only means of constant mass communication information particularly relevant to the African American, the black press assumed the awesome responsibility of relating the activities of the war to its readership. As reporting increased, so did newspaper circulation. Since the primary news of interest to African Americans appeared in the black press, it reached its peak circulation during the war years. The Pittsburgh Courier had a circulation of 350,000; the Chicago Defender, 230,000; the Baltimore Afro-American, 170,000 and the Norfolk Journal and Guide, 100,000.

The black press enhanced the political awareness of its readership during World War II while mobilizing black public opinion. As America went to war to fight against Nazism and Fascism abroad, the black press formulated a political agenda at home. Theoretically, "the [black] press did not tell its readership what to think; it told its readership what to think about."

The black press reported vital information that increased awareness about war activities and black participation in the armed services. As significant political information about the state of black affairs in the Armed Services was gathered and reported in the black press, black opinion leaders emerged. Ministers, politicians and community leaders were responsible conduits for spreading the word about the war. Consequently, government, political, social, and wartime issues were covered with great care. Important issues concerning the acceptance of African Americans in the armed forces, the types of jobs African Americans would have in the armed forces, the treatment of African Americans in the Armed forces, and whether or not African Americans would be allowed the "right to fight" for their country were among the most important issues covered.

What emerges from the analysis of news coverage is a composite picture of a black press that generally supported the involvement and participation of African Americans in the war effort. For example, the Afro-American Newspaper, based in Baltimore, Maryland, led the way. In an editorial entitled 'We Are For War," September 16, 1939, the editors provided the following reasons for supporting the war:

1. The War would stimulate black migration to the Northern industrial states, a benefit to the race,

2. The War would mean eventual freedom for African Americans, and

3. African Americans were against Hitler because of his race hatred of Jews.

In a strategic move, the press began to look carefully at the Nazi situation, comparing Nazism to racism. It was concluded that there was little difference between the two. Although Hitler had not been guilty of oppressing African Americans, his hatred of Jews sent a clear message that Nazism and racism were based upon similar principles. One black newspaper, The Pittsburgh Courier provided a detailed analysis of Nazism and racism by comparing Germany and Georgia. It suggested that the only difference between the two was that Germany was planning to do what the South had already done. This vivid comparison caught the attention of the black press readership, mainly because "Negroes" had been so negatively affected by racism.

As the black press continued to address issues of concern to the black community, its role and function began to crystalize. It becomes clear, through editorial analysis, that the black press was a "team player." While some editorials justly questioned the segregationist and discriminatory policies of the military, a sampling of messages disseminated through the black press about the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor reveals substantial support by the black press for the nation's war effort.

For example, the December 11, 1941 edition of the Savannah Tribune declared "The Black Tenth is ready," referring to the 10% black population, but wondered whether the country would let African Americans fight. The December 13, 1941 edition of The Afro-American headlined 'Mr. President, Count on Us;' "Strongly proclaims an allegiance to America" appeared as a headline in the December 18, 1941 edition of the Chicago Bee. One of the strongest statements appeared in the California Eagle. The editorial vowed that the newspaper would "Continue to fight against segregation and discrimination but indicated that it would also emphasize citizenship duties since quasi-democracy in America was superior to Fascism and therefore Nazism." As the war progressed, so did the vigilant news gathering and reporting efforts of the black press. Issue oriented messages were regularly sent to a large, disenchanted black audience anxious for information about their friends, relatives and loved ones.

A primary concern to the audience of the black press was the unequal treatment of African Americans in the military. Although abhorrent social conditions related to inequality at home garnered much of the national news, the black press was also instrumental in seeking military justice for soldiers. As wartime casualties increased, so did the numbers of black men and women soldiers. As the number of soldiers increased so did the number of complaints about social injustices. Many were stationed in southern towns where race relations were at best poor. Many of the young men and women were from the North and had not experienced the "Jim Crow" laws they were subjected to upon their arrival. Soon, the black newspapers published stories detailing the complaints of soldiers. Selected opinion leaders were motivated to action after reading the complaints, focusing on the segregationist policies of the military and seeking social justice for the troops. Titles of selected articles appearing in the black press clearly document some of the concerns and issues:

"The Army's policy of racial segregation," Chicago Defender, April 18, 1942

"Military justice," Pittsburgh Courier, December 11, 1943

"Will They try to Discredit Our G.I.s?" New York Amsterdam News, December 2, 1944

"Wacs who staged a strike to protest discriminatory treatment and hostility directed at them," The Afro-American, March 31, 1945; Pittsburgh Courier, March 24, 1945.

Rather than suppress these politically oriented issues about the conditions affecting the lives of black soldiers at home and abroad, the black press chose to aggressively pursue and report all the news, whether good or bad.

On the home front, one of the most significant issues was "the fight for the right to fight." This struggle evolved because of the armed services practice that clearly restricted the use of Negroes in combat missions. Justifications for the practice were the Negroes perceived inability to fight, the impression that Negroes were afraid to fight based on their performance in World War I, and the fear that Negroes could not be trusted with weapons. As a result, the armed services developed a practice to only employ African Americans in menial service jobs behind the lines. The practice relegated black soldiers to a degraded status and further perpetuated their status as second class citizens.

The "right to fight" campaign was supremely important to the cause of equality. To be successful, the fight for the "right to fight" campaign needed wide coverage. The editors of blakc newspapers concluded that a positive record of combat service would significantly further the cause of the African American's civil rights. The editors also wisely concluded that "full equality" could not be achieved for African Americans without a combat record that showed black contributions to the war effort. With this goal, the editors of the black press began to write stories reflecting the right to fight campaign strategy.

To further emphasize the necessity for the success of the "right to fight," the November 27, 1943 edition of the Journal and Guide highlighted the importance of black soldiers being allowed to fight in combat units. "If Negroes didn't fight on the front lines and stayed behind the lines, it could be reasoned that they were not fully entitled to their full share of the fruits of society."
The idea of African Americans actually fighting in combat situations was not received well nor fully accepted. However, the task of the black press was to convince its readership that full participation in the war effort, including combat, would eventually pave the road to freedom, justice and equality. The black press also had to show its readership that World War II was not just a "white man's war." Without black participation in the war effort, losing the war abroad could mean absolute defeat at home. What emerged from this strategic thinking was a struggle for victory on two fronts: victory at home and victory overseas. The double "V" victory struggle became a cause celebrated by the black press. The official campaign was named "The Double V Campaign." For readers of the black press this campaign slogan meant there could be no victory at home without a victory against the Axis powers abroad.

None of the accomplishments of the black press would have been possible without the help of black correspondents who were information gatheres and writers. Most messages and articles were processed through a government censor to make certain vital classified information was not revealed. Even so, the right and need to know about the war effort was significantly enhanced by the presence of black war correspondents. The Pittsburgh Courier, The Afro-American, Chicago Defender, and the Norfolk Journal and Guide had foreign correspondents. The National Negro Publishers Association and the Associated Negro Press filed sotries with several newspapers during the war.
Vincent Tubbs of the Baltimore Afro-American, one of the most notable foreign correspondents, was the first black journalist in the Pacific, arriving in March 1943. He filed numerous stories about conditions affecting the black troops. He later became a movie publicist in Hollywood.

The black press during World War II was the single most important information source for African Americans. The black press set the political agenda for African Americans and was a crusader for human and civil rights. When soldiers were treated badly, the black press investigated and printed the facts.

The primary function of the black press during World War II was to impart vital military, political, social and cultural information to its readership and to ultimately have a significant impact on military and political awareness and participation.

Key objectives were to impact the opinion formation process of the black reader and to move its readership to active participation in the affairs of state and country. The desired result was full citizenship rights. Based on a theory of social responsibility and the Credo for the Black Press, one can only conclude that the black public was well served by the black press during World War II.

African American Newspapers

2007-02-25T09:46:00.000-08:00

Long before Fredrick Douglass started his newspaper the North Star,there were African-American newspapers. Many were short lived. Some Africcan-American newspapers shelf live was limited by finances, death and some were seized and destroyed.

James Williams writes about the "Freedom Journal". The "Freedom Journal" editor was John Russwurm, America's first African-American college graduate. Russwurm words, " We wish to plead our own causes.. Too long have others spoken for us. Too Long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations in things which concern us dearly, through in the estimation of some mere trifles; for though there are many in society who exercise toward us benevolent feelings; still (with sorrow we confess it) there are others who make it their business to enlarge upon the least trifle, which tens to the discredit of any person of colour; and pronounce anathemas and denounce our whole body for the misconduct of the guilty one,", quoted by Williams.

That quote sound like 2007 rather than back in 1827.

To plead the cause of the African-American meant to send these thoughts out into other places, communities of African-Americans. David Walker felt that for change in communities a plan was needed to be shared amongst the group. David Walker wrote the famous "Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World" after working to deliver the "Freedom Journal" in other places.

Williams writes about other writers. Writers who would create newspapers to appeal to the people about their role or place in America as African-Americans. There was a dispute between Samuel Cornish and Russwurm over the issue on whether or not African-American should emigrated back to Africa. After Russwurm death, Cornish changed the name of the "Freedom Journal" to "Rights for All". Cornish did not believe in the back to Africa movement. Cornish would later edit another paper called "The Weekly Advocate" in 1837 that lasted until 1842. A long time for an African-American newspaper expressing the views of African-Americans.

Other radical writers came forward like Fredrick Douglass, such as Ida B. Wells. Wells newspaper was investigative reporting. Wells was documenting the number of lynchings that were occurring among the African-Americans males. Wells was also accusing raced whites males of killing African-American businessmen. If it was not true when Wells wrote it, it became truth, when Wells own newpapers printing company was burned to the ground, which she published under the name of the "Memphis Free Speech" in 1892.

The cost to be outspoken was a high price for those African-Americans who voiced an oppositional view point than the raced white establishment. The price was even higher for those voices that opposed African-Americans who believed in complacency with the raced white establishment. William Monroe Trotter, a Harvard graduate had lots to say about the willingness of African-Americans to just settle by compromising and not arguing for a voice in their America.

Williams writes that Trotter attacked the great Compromiser, who was loved by both raced whites and African-Americans, Booker T. Washington. Trotter began "The Guardian" in 1901, in Boston. "The Guardian" would attack Washington compromising position as not good enough for all African-Americans. To attack Washington the model Negro for raced white, Trotter would end up fined and jail during the Boston Riot.

Trotter used his newspaper to attack the belief that one voice speaks for the whole race best interest. Trotter set the pace for these other voices to emerge from the diverse community of the African-American community. Williams writes, Robert Abbott of the Chicago Defender in 1905 created a new type of African-American newspaper. A sensationalizing type newspaper that was going to pay for itself by getting the word out about segregation and discrimination. Marketing to the people taste for seedy side of the community would generate revenue to substain the longevity of the African-American newspaper.

Abbott's newspaper encouraged African-American migration to the North, with information about jobs and the need to leave the hell hole of the South. The dream of a better place than the oppressive south helped grow the circulation of the Defender. By 1917, "Pittsburgh Courier", "The Baltimore Afro-American" and hundreds of other African-Americans newspapers were expressing a view from prominent African-Americans living in the city about a live that was so different than the south.

In closing Williams writes about The Crisis. W.E.B. Dubois was the editor of a publication belonging to an organization that fought for the betterment of life for African-Americans. The N.A.A.C.P. was the organization that funded the Crisis Magazine, the most powerful voice of the African-American community.

Thousands of African-Americans newspaper exist today, because of the diverse voices that is throughout the world. Not only are African-American and raced white churches the most segregated during Sunday services, so are our African-Americans and raced white newspaper readership on a daily basis.

The First Admendment-Expressing an Oppositional Point of View

2007-02-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

Fredrick Douglass is well known for being an abolitionist. Douglass escaped slavery and was outspoken about the institution of slavery. Douglass wrote a book called The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, An American Slave. Douglass started the most prominent newspaper for African-American, to voice his opposition to the institution of slavery. Douglas published an African-American newspaper in 1847 in Rochester New York, called the North Star. The credo expressed by the newspaper: " The object of the North Star will be to attack slavery in all its forms and aspects advocate universal emancipation exact the standard of the colored people; and to hasten the day of freedom to our three million enslaved fellow countryman." according to the Black Press and The First Amendment by James D. Williams.

Douglass would change the name of his paper from the "North Star" to "Frederick Douglass Paper" in 1851. Douglass later would start a magazine called the "Douglass Magazine" during the Civil War. Douglass used the Magazine to encourage African-American males to join the union Army in order to gain their freedom from slavery. Douglass believed that if African-Americans volunteered to fight in the country battle the country could not refuse to give the African-Americans their freedom. So the same sentiment was written and drafted in the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln in need of African-Americans to win the war against the confederate soldiers.

Readings for African-American History

2007-02-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

One day I will make a list of all the books I have throughout the house, but not today on history, especially African-American history and policies. African-American history can be found in lots of writing. It depends on what you are searching for that will guide your reading. Here is a just a few books I found in thrift shops of authors, stories, history and jokes involving the African American community:

Bibles

World's Great Men of Color J.A. Roger Volume II

Three Negro Classics: Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington; The Souls of Black Folk, William E.B. Dubois; and The AutoBiography of an Ex-Colored Man, James Weldon Johnson

Go Tell it on the Mountain, James Baldwin

A History of the Atlantic Slave Trade Black Cargoes, Daniel P. Mannix

Why Should White Guys have all the Fun, Reginald F. Lewis & Blair S. Walker

The United States Constitution

Indiana Constitutions

The Official Black Folks Joke Book Larry Wilde

African-American History narrative is not just for African-American History Month, African-American History Month, is the restrictive time period in which discourse can occur to say that America citizens are more inclusive.

It is suggested that to discuss the achievement of African-Americans or to point out prominent African-Americans in America is to ghettoize America's History. When it fact the tracing of history will lead some families into learning their cousins or other relatives may not just be one shade of color As I teach tracing your family tree many family are surprised that folks with their same names maybe long lost relatives.

Migration patterns of African-Americans create Black History Sites

2007-02-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

"SoulOfAmerica.com's 12 Top Travel Destination Guides for Black History" (listed in alphabetical order and including links to their Black cultural sites):

1 Atlanta - In addition to the birthplace, church and tombs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Atlanta is home to Auburn Avenue Research Library and APEX Museum. Atlanta Cultural Sites

2 Baltimore - The first wax museum of African-American history, "The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum," the remarkable Reginald Lewis Museum and the new Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Museum are located in Baltimore. Baltimore Cultural Sites

3 Birmingham - A major backdrop to the civil rights struggle, this city boasts the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and is also home to the Eddie Kendricks & Temptations Memorial. Birmingham Cultural Sites

4 Chicago - First settled by Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, a black man, Chicago is home to a museum named in his honor, the Du Sable Museum of African-American History. In addition, the A. Philip Randolph / Pullman Porter Museum, which pays tribute to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, is in this city. Chicago Cultural Sites:

5 Cincinnati - Located on the north bank of the Ohio River, Cincinnati boasts this country's most comprehensive museum chronicling U.S. slavery, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Cincinnati Cultural Sites

6 Detroit - The motor city has several notable museums, including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Motown Historical Museum. Detroit Cultural Sites

7 Memphis - Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed at Memphis' Lorraine Hotel, now the site of a memorial in his honor. The memorial is connected to the National Civil Rights Museum. Soulsville Museum is a must visit for music devotees. Memphis Cultural Sites

8 New Orleans - The birthplace of jazz, New Orleans is the location of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and the New Orleans African-American Museum of Art, Culture & History. New Orleans Cultural Sites

9 New York City - The world-renown Apollo Theater, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and Malcolm X Museum are must visits. The Dance Theater of Harlem is where some of the world's greatest dancers got their start. New York City Cultural Sites

10 Philadelphia - In the first American city to ban slavery, you should explore the African-American Museum of Philadelphia and see where Philadelphia International Records shaped so much of the music we love today. Philadelphia Cultural Sites

11 San Francisco & Oakland - In this metropolis, which was the western terminus of the Underground Railroad, you'll find the Museum of the African Diaspora and the Black Panthers Legacy Walking Tour. San Francisco & Oakland Cultural Sites

12 Washington, DC - The Benjamin Banneker Memorial & Fountain honors the black man who completed the landscape design for the District of Columbia. Howard University and the headquarters of Black Entertainment Television are also in D.C. Washington, D.C. Cultural Sites

Hopes and Dreams Uncompromised /The Measure of a Man

2007-02-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

Hopes and Dreams can be beat out of you by parents. Parents who are trying to protect you from disappointment. Disappointment that may come from some in the world who have little dreams or hope for a different type of life. And some of these disappointment will come from tried and true laws created to limit and restrict your expectation of what it is to live as who you are. In other words man trying to order your steps!

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier. A friend told me about this book, The Measure of a Man. When a young man was killed in our hometown, I remembered what she said about the measure of a man. I decided to blog about the message embodied in the title to get young folks to man up and recognize the fact that they are not street.

My friend used the phrase again during a conversation and she tells me I need to get the book and read it. The words stuck with me, as a challenge for me to give to other men as a catch phrase to man up. I made a mental note to get the book from my library, soon...

Well, I was finally pushed to get the book because the main library where I spent a lot of time was due to close. So, I needed to get there before the move to the new libary to get the book. I am told because of the moving, I could keep the book for three weeks! Enough time to put it to the side ..to read later. But, my friend calls me and says something like, "guess what book Oprah has selected for her book club?" Well bingo it's "The Measure of a Man". Nope, had the book, but was not compelled to read it.

So, I decide well now it's really time for me to read the book just in case, I am selected to go on the show with my friend who has read the book years ago. I believe in miracles.

I decide to pace myself in reading the book. One chapter a day would allow me to read the book in a week. But that did not happen. I could not get into the book. I was too distracted. So, I could not get into Mr. Poitier, writing style, and I kept having flash backs about Pitier leavig his wife to marry a raced white woman. I had to read for a limited amount of time. I was curious and was wondering if he would address this issue. Besides I loved his movies, Guess who's coming to dinner, Who did not cheer for him in To sir with love, and They call me Mr. Tibbs?

So, I had to fight to find his personality that was on the screen in his writing. it was slow, I found it and once again I connected to him like some of the characters he played in his career. From the writing, I went to my childhood and meager beginnings. Meager beginnings, but surrounded by family, my great grandmother, my grandparents, my mother. The conversational tone used in the writing,like, you hear me, reminded me of a time when folks who cared about you talked to you, in such phrasings. Wise saying with only a few words, brief sentences and not a long lecture, but you found yourself remembering the message, twenty years later with ashes on your face. Poitier called it a language shaped from a scarcity of money. Others, unable to give you guidance with this limited language did so by using anothe method as his mama, a wham here and a wham there in taming this wide eyed optimism in believing you could tame nature.

To read about the recklessness in which as a youth, we take life for granted as we did things that were simply suicidal, ( like myself walking on the railing of the bridge above the train track, often, supported only by beams under my feet, but survived anyway. In the Measure of a Man, Poitier gives several moments of reflections, and it seems to have to do with water! A truly deadly force of nature. But some how you survive in spite of the resistance that family offer to protect you from these outside influences, these dangers in the world. Family.

Poitier speaks of the family. The honor in sharing with family. The fact that one honors their mother and father with your own life work is what touched my heart in this book. It was not enough to read how his father provided for his family. The tears came from reading the diligence of a mother to make a way out of no way. The work of beating a rock into pebbles with a hammer. The determination, the sheer will, and the commitment to do such a task over and over again, fired my spirit into uncontrollable tears. I remembered a time when you must push through to survive.

I found myself quoting some of Mr. Poitier sayings, you hear me! In doing so I embraced the meaning my great grandmother, grandparents and mother in their saying, nobody said the road would be easy, it's on down the road for you, mingled with the new old a leaf changes overnight for my children and grandchildren. Life is tough. But what makes it easier, is having hopes that become a plan in which to set goals in overcoming rules or obstacles that tell you it is hopeless to do things differently.

My grandfather was my measure of a man. He encouraged me when others said who does she think she is to think differently. It was my grandfathers words that motivated me to try and see and envision a different world. It was his words through my mother life that inspired me, as he did not bend or swear when others lied on him. So was it my mother's path. Neither went to that place, when others attacked their right to be exactly who they were. My mother would say, do you think I chose to be born this way? Poitier reminded me of this...My grandfather life lived beat the hopelessness out of me no matter the obstacles that nature throws my way. Hopes and dreams goes beyond a belief system placed upon you by laws created to strict ones ambition for going places where you unwanted. I joined a choir, and at that time, included today, could not carry a note, but my grandfather, made me think I could sing! Most favorable.

Poitier points out you will be rejected for doing such thing, with the question, who are you and where did you come from? And the answer is simply I am the one I choose to be and it helps to have family, friends and sometime enemies to helping me. Poitier learned this early in life, I had forgotten this, thank you Mr. Poitier, as I continue to write over 600 posts on this blog.

I was pleased to read that the measure of a man was how well a father provided for his family. Because, if that was the case, as a mother thatI must be a woman if the measure is how well you take care of your children.

Posted at: Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life

Dowdell's Mob and Family

2007-02-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

DOWDELL, James Ferguson, a Representative from Alabama; born near Monticello, Jasper County, Ga., November 26, 1818; completed preparatory studies and in 1840 was graduated from Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1841 and commenced practice in Greenville, Ga.; moved to Chambers County, Ala., in 1846 and engaged in agricultural pursuits; unsuccessful candidate for election to the State house of representatives in 1849 and 1851; elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1853-March 3, 1859); during the Civil War served as colonel of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, under General Price from 1862 until the close of the war; president of the East Alabama College at Auburn 1868-1870; died near Auburn, Lee County, Ala., September 6, 1871; interment in City Cemetery.

from Auburn University.

RICO..the breaking of laws

2007-02-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

K.E. Casey writes,

When task force investigators realized the scope of the operation, Ellison said, they contacted the Drug Enforcement Agency, which coordinated raids at houses in the 8000 block of Winchester Road, the 3500 block of Indiana Avenue and the 4200 block of Arlington Avenue in Fort Wayne.

What surprised me about these properties was there was no mortgage deduction. This tells me a few things. One that the homes are paid for or that whoever filed the paperwork did not properly do so. There is another choice that rises to the same level of criminal activity has the drug dealer. That is that some landlords have renters sign fraudulent documents to reduced the landlord property tax burden. If a landlord can get the renter to sign these documents, property that would not qualify for the mortgage deduction becomes eligible, reducing the landlord payments on his or her many properties. Often the landlord have their attorney to draft these document to give the documents a legal standing.

A Leon Higginbotham points out the fact that attorney have no problems breaking the law. Judge Higginbotham wrote an open letter to the newly appointed United State Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas, suggesting that he not be blinded by the education of his peers. In other words, Judge Higginbotham was warning that because attorneys attended prestigious schools, their values would sometime override the law of the land they studied. So Justice Thomas needed to me watchful and now in awe of his peers, he was now one of them.

As an example, Judge Higginbotham in the letter to Justice Thomas, pointed out the fact that Justice Roger Taney, who attended a little college in Kentucky, pinned the opinion in Plessy. Taney pinned an opinion that was based on tradition rather than law, and four other Justices signed this opinion who graduated from te prestigious schools of Yale and Harvard.

These Justices supported a value, a belief system ,that was not based on the writing of the Constitution but on a common understanding about a group of people. Neverteless, these scholars, the four Justices, from fine institution refused to follow the law, because of the common values they shared with Justice Taney.

So I ask these simple questions, how were these homes purchased? Bank, real estate company, rico......federal investigation...Indiana Steven Carter, where r u ? Following the paper trail...money laundering. Judge Higginbotham also stated, not in Justice Thomas letter but in other writings, that poverty can not be eradicated until a simultaneous battle against both racism and poverty. Unfortunately many folks needed to hear from Judge Higginbotham.

Sounds like Fort Wayne wants to be the big name Drug Town...money, money..Go Muncie.

Understanding our past to not repeat it

2007-02-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

Indiana Constitution was in violation of the United States Constitution banning African-Americans from its soil after the 13th Amendment, 14th and 15th amendment were passed. But the State of Indiana did not amend its Constitution until 1881. Indiana removed the ban of African-Americans from its soil. Furthermore, Indiana new Constitution would have to allow African-Americans to vote under the United States Constitution the 1870 15th amendment. This would explain why Indiana took so long to amend it Constitution. The 1881 amendment would have to allow African-Americans to vote in Indiana. The right to vote motivated more African-Americans to move to Indiana,doubling in size the African-Americans population during the great migration from the south.

The majority of African-Americans were making their way to Indiana migrated largely to three cities, Indianapolis, Gary and Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne attracted the smallest group of African-Americans amongst the three cities. There were some African-Americans who came on their own, and some came with French settlers. The French settlement was Kekionga or Miami town which later could be called Fort Wayne, named after the Indian slaughter, General Mad Anthony Wayne.

Fort Wayne was formed from a merger of Delaware and Randolph county in 1823 and Fort Wayne was platted in 1824. Fort Wayne became a city with a population of 4282 in 1840. Because, of the restriction on African-Americans to travels under the fugitive act, Indiana 1851 Constitution, and the Dred Scott decision, African-American population began to decline in Fort Wayne. More specifically,
African-Americans were limited in Allen County. A statewide referendum was taken to exclude African-Americans from entering Indiana with a vote of 1775 to 261, impacted the grown of African-Americans in Fort Wayne.

In 1850, in Fort Wayne 36 African-American males and 44 African-Americans females lived in the city, by 1860, only 63 African-Americans lived in the city, in spite of the fast growing Allen County population. In 1850 Allen County had a population of over 16,000 residents and in all of Allen County there were only 102 African-Americans.

It was only by after the amended Indiana Constitution, that the population would began to grow. By the 1900, the African-Americans population was exceeding the growth of the raced white population. Indiana was close to a border slave states and that was a concern for raced whites who began to migrate to states further away from slave states. The African-American population began to slow down during the depression, but by the 1940's the great migration began again. Fort Wayne would see the African-Americans population double in size and a rapid out migration of raced whites.

During this time, African-Americans became to battle with southern leaders to dismantle black codes. Black Codes treated African-Americans as an inferior citizens unequal to participate in full citizenship. This would have an impact on the ability of African-Americans to freely travel. By the 1970, the
African-Americans population growth had slowed in Fort Wayne. But the growth of African-Americans were more than the raced white that continued until 2000.

This out migration alarmed elected official and began annexing unincorporated areas of raced whites to grow the raced white population of Fort Wayne. Still this was so much out migration of raced whites that the 14000 raced whites from the annexed areas was only a marginal growth for the raced whites when compared to raced whites.

By 1980, Fort Wayne lost 14, 649 raced whites almost nullifying the numbers captured from the annexation and by 2000, an additional 4, 100 raced whites had left the core of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The cost of annexation would fall heavily on the growing population of African-Americans. The funding for housing, education and jobs would be redirected to the newly annexed areas and residents.

By 1980 many of the factories that employed African-Americans were folding up and moving. Other factories moved to areas were they were subsidized and supported by local elected officials. By 2000, over 90 per cent of African-Americans were segregated in neighborhoods with limited housing, schools and closed factories. Maya Angelo offers up the opinion that the North was a place of exile for African-Americans. A place for African-Americans to escape te killing fields of the south.

From The Trajectory of African-Americans to Fort Wayne, Indiana: Colored by a Badge of Inferiority by dowdellresearch,llc

Obama Significant standing on Illinois's Capitol Steps

2007-02-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Indiana territory was part of the larger Northwest Territory. But by 1816 Indiana territory's population was large enough to become a state. Becoming a state in the in the Northwest Territory required a Constitution. And the governing document for the state would require a provision forbidding slavery and indentured servitude. not outlawed, but forbidden in order to become a state. In essence, the provision banning slavery was not simply because of sympathy towards enslaved African-Americans, but to discourage settlers from bringing more African-Americans into NWT. George Washington's, the surveyor,envision a place for raced white males to govern without British rule or slave products or the Native of the land.

This new place would be populated with raced white male laborers. Laborers who would outnumber the raced whites in the southern which was full of enslaved laborers. Washington would give land to entice raced white males to the new territory. The Northwest Territory Ordinance, has a provision in it governing the distribution of land to these new settlers. The new world would become a place ruled by those who were privileged, raced white man only. The NWTO required five thousand free men to began the territory transformation. Those males who were allowed to participate in a leadership role in this ruling class had to own at least two hundred acres of land. Those who owned at at least fifty acres of land were not allowed leadership position but they were allowed to vote for leadership.

This voting right was important because under the NWTO, voting would be only by the raced white male population who owned a certain amount of land. This meant that foreigners and others would count for growing the population but would not have any say in the development of the state. To become a state, a territory only had to have sixty thousand people living in its borders, not all landowners. Some foreigners came over to the new territory as indentured servants, to help work the land, in hope of owning their own land. These indentured servants would be bonded to the contract for seven years, to pay off their debt. But these folks could not be elible to vote. These raced whites were disenfranchised right along with freed African-Americans. Even those they owned the necessary amount of land, they were not allowed to vote. This re-enforced the governing body only being raced white males with large land holdings. This policy would create conflict among the various class of raced white folks. But that would not be the only conflict.

Some of the earlier settlers were not pleased with policies that were in conflict with the provisions banning slavery. The reason for the discontent was that some of these settlers had enslaved laborers and were not willing to give up their enslaved laborers. This right to own laborers or not dispute would grow as the preferred new raced white settlers were bringing in slave labor from the south. While the earlier settlers could not purchase any new enslaved laborers. This conflict grew among the settlers, who pointed at the provision in the governing document that forbid slavery was not being enforced equally amongst the settlers.

Governor Arthur St. Clair decided to protect these earlier settlers and ignored violations of the governing document. The next Governor saw that the preferential treatment of the first settlers would discourage new landowners who owned enslaved laborers. So Governor William Henry Harrison opened the door to a new type of slavery, called contracted indentured servitude for life. Under the scheme of contracts, landowners would have their enslaved African-Americans agree to labor for these landowners for a specific time frame. This was a form of sponsorship into the free world, as a different type of enslaved labor.

The catch was that, these illusory contracts. Contracts for long term servitude that were not entered into freely. Many African-Americans could not read and the contract were for a life time and included the binding of their children to such contracts. This meant that those African-Americans coerced into signing these contracts would be enslaved for life. The dispute under the Indiana Constitution would not addressed until a new governor of Indiana, Jonathan Jenning is questioned about the constitutionality of the practice of slavery under the Indiana Constitution.

It would be an African-American woman that would challenge the practice. In 1820, Polly, challenged the legislators' meaning of the the clause forbidding slavery. Polly, an African-American was the daughter of a woman who was enslaved. Antione Lasselle gave Polly to Hyacinth Lasselle. a french fur trader. Polly was the daughter of a woman who was bought by Isaac Williams who lived at Kekionga, a slave owner. Polly believed that birth from an enslaved mother did not determine whether or not she was enslaved. Polly believed because she was born in Indiana, a state that forbid slavery determined her status in the new world. The Judge of the newly established Indiana Supreme Court agreed with Polly and stated she was not considered enslaved.

This ruling was not necessarily in Polly best interest as much as it was in the best interest of the State of Indiana. Indiana wanted to rid the territory of French settlers. This ruling freed the French enslaved laborers. To protect their property rights, the French began to migrate toward Canada. The court did not honor the French rights under the Deed of Cessation to own slaves. The French abandoned land would be confiscated and sold to raced white males. But the court did not stop at driving out the French. The African-Americans population would be the next group that would be targeted for exile.

Mary Clark took on the challenge of the racialist practice of coercing African-Americans into slavery with slave like terms embedded in the indentured servant contract. In 1821, Clark believed her long term contract was a form of indentured servitude. The Indiana Supreme Court agreed. The Court found that her binding contract was odious to the purpose for establishing the provision forbidding indentured servant and ordered Clark discharged from her contract. This ruling addressed the state's laissez-faire lack of enforcement toward migrating slave labor. And at the the same time freed Mary Clark, and other African-Americans indentured servants. Two African-Americans women fought for their own freedom long before Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860.

However, after these battles were won,a movement began to rid Indiana of these free African-Americans. The movement would speed up the ousting of the French. It discouraged new settlers from bringing in enslaved laborers from the bordering states. This Back to Africa movement would take care of the problem of the south, discarding of the old and unwanted African-Americans onto Indiana soil.

Governor James Ray required certificate of freedom for African-American coming to Indiana to prevent slave labor. If African-Americans did not voluntarily return back to the south, Indiana would send them back to Africa. Later, a bond would have to be paid by those attempting to bring African-Americans into Indiana. If Indiana could no longer have non paid African-Americans workers, they did not want them on the land. Indiana did not want African-Americans competing for paid laborers positions.

The Indiana Constitution was revised in 1851 with strong language, to exclude African-Americans from the soil of Indiana, making it a crime for African-Americans to set foot in Indiana. By 1857, Chief Justice Roger Taney issued a ruling under the Dred Scott case that allowed even free African-Americans in northern state to be forcefully returned to the south back into slavery. Three years later, Lincoln would support this back to Africa movement theme, in his expressed sentiment of wanting to maintain the new republic without African-Americans during his time as President.

This was to discourage African-Americans from migrating to the north. However, after African-Americans from the south participated in the Civil War and help save the union. But in 1862, after news of the emancipation proclamation, national freedom, African-Americans from the south became their journey to the north. The North was not prepared for the number of African-American flowing into their towns and did not want them. The south wanted African-Americans as non paid laborers. African-Americans found themselves battling for full participation in the new world as citizens. Citizenship that was so easy given to others coming to the new world.

From The Trajectory of African-Americans to Fort Wayne, Indiana: Colored by a Badge of Inferiority written by Jacqueline Dowdell

Many do not want Senator Barack Obama for President, simply because he is an African-American. in 2008. Obama standing on the steps of the capital that excluded African-American from its state's constitution had to be revised to include African-Americans as a citizen, based on the United States Constitution. The Constitution in which Barbara Jordan was so fond.

Obama standing on Illinois state capitol steps, is a reminder, that African-Americans can run for President. Lincoln's Constitution states Obama is a citizen, he is the right age, he is therefore qualified. Justice John Marshall Harlan,stated in his dissenting opinion, a lone voice, in Plessy,

Our Constitution is color-blind and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law. The humblest is the peer of the most powerful. The law regards man as man and takes no account of his surroundings or of his color when his civil rights as guaranteed by the supreme law of the land

. People are not colorblind when it comes to equal rights for all its citizens, and our state laws are a reminder of that fact. One vote, one voice.

Raced White-Carol Channing

2007-02-15T11:29:00.001-08:00

Carol Channing, a famous actress played in Gentlemen prefer Blondes and Hello Dolly. Channing is an African-American who never disclosed this fact until she wrote about this fact in her book, Just Lucky, I Guess, that her father was an African American who passed by adapting to living in two worlds, one black and one white.

Her father learned to portray himself one way in public that was different from who he was at home by changing his speaking mannerism. Channing herself, was famous for her mannerism, which more than likely was art imitating life. How fitting.

Channing decided to race herself white to take advantage of raced white privilege. Channing was nominated for many awards and won a Tony Award. Channing taught us that as a society we are not colorblind. Looking at a person color we assume ethnic background, when in fact we are simply guessing based on skin color.

Here is a picture of Carol Channing, an African-American raced white, like many African-Americans who chose to take advantage of white privileged based on skin color. This practice continues today.

In the Words of Michael Jackson

2007-02-15T11:26:00.001-08:00

Alexis Herman, former Secretary of Labor for the United States of America

I am a descendant of slaves in a country built on slave labor. Now, to have the responsibility of all labor," she trails off. "Well, let's just say that to be here now is historic, special and humbling.

Yesterday, was such a hit, with Ms Channing, I thought I would once again dispel the myth that many folks, who say they are colorblind, are pretending. African-American history teaches us that many African-Americans were creative thinkers and did not want to settle for living in slave states. They would risk their lives to escape to Indian Territory. This area became the northern states, including Indiana where many Indians were slaughtered after befriending the new colonists.

Indiana became the 19th state with a constitution forbidding slavery, in 1816. This was to control the number of African-Americans who were allowed to live in the new territory. The fear that at the growth of African-Americans would overtake the new territory. So,a new form of slavery was introduced called indentured servitude. African-Americans had to have sponsorship, meaning giving their labor to raced whites folks to remain in the territory. If not these African-Americans would be booted back into slavery in the southern states. Many African-Americans who could passed for raced white settled on the outskirts of the territory and some family members were viewed as slaves based on skin color and were left alone but were really family members. Dr. Johnetta B. Cole called this as part of the psychic of studying the master and attempting to get along.

Efforts to identify with the oppressor and prove oneself worthy are accompanied by self-denial and self-deprecation because it is difficult if not impossible to embrace one image of oneself without letting a conflicting one go. This stripping of oneself takes many and diverse forms, from out-and-out "passing" to disassociating oneself from one's people and aspects of one's cultural heritage.

The northerners were not familiar with African-Americans looking like them who passed for raced white. This was simply looking at skin color. One reason was because Africans had came over to the new territory and were part of the Indian community. Many folks today look simply at color and assume folks belong to a specific group. Many raced white folks were fooled long ago and today many are afraid that if they not segregated that their family may become tainted by others African-Americans who are passing for almost any ethnic group, including raced whites. It is called the Hitler syndrome, hoping to remain pure. Pure meaning no dark skin babies..only in America!

In closing, for some African-Americans who can not pass because of skin color, they try to pass in other ways. Some African-Americans will distance themselves from language,music, religion, food or anything that is viewed as a negative trait by raced whites in relationship to the African-Americans. In doing so, they are seeking the approval of those who hate African-Americans on their own terms, and only will relate to those African-Americans who know their place. And an African-American knowing his or her place is because of sponsorship or approval by raced whites. Is this 1787 thinking? No thinking is current in 2007. James Baldwin, calls it the price of the ticket to belong in America. In the words of the Delaney sisters, I am going to have my say!

Malcolm X

2007-02-14T11:31:00.000-08:00

Malcolm X, former leader of the National of Islam. My youngest daughter was in the fourth grade and brought home a book about Malcolm X and wanted to know more about him. Learning about Malcolm X started me on a journey about learning about African-American history. Not only African-American history but other history that was not written in school books.

Malcolm traveled to Mecca and found our their were people who did not look like him but shared his religious belief. This knowledge had a profound impact on way of thinking and transformed his life path. Malcolm taught empowerment and self-educating. Happy Valentine's Day.

Foundation, a local community activist.

Double V for Victory

2007-02-13T11:34:00.001-08:00

In 1775, African-Americans in Virginia were declared free, if they were willing to bear arms and join the British Army. This was in totally contrast to indentured servants role that thrust upon African-Americans trying to make it to the new world. George Washington military had no desire for fighting African-Americans who was providing free labor in developing the new world.

However, as many African-Americans began slaying their masters and joined the British lines and at the same time Washington troops were deserting the Army, African-Americans were allowed to participate in patriots battle for independence. Crispus Attack took a shot in declaring his loyalty to the new world signaling the battle for independence included African-Americans.

Just as George Washington troops were battling from Britain oppression, African-Americans were making their demands for freedom in the new world. African-Americans were to learn later that give me liberty or give me death did not include African-Americans after or during the celebration of independence on July 4, 1776.

Nevertheless, African-Americans would continue their battle to end slavery among the conflicting Americans. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln would have to revisit the issue of whether or not to allow African-Americans to serve in his military. It would be a strategic move by President Lincoln in allowing African-Americans into the military, and destroying the morale of land owners by giving their property to the newly freed African-Americans.

Colin L. Powell, four state General of the United States Army and former Secretary of State of the United States. who was considering running for president of the United States as an independence.

9/11 Hero

2007-02-12T11:36:00.000-08:00

As I was making my way to class on September 11, 2001, I stopped by the bank. Concerned about the distraught look on my favorite teller face, I asked if anything was wrong. What she shared with me, at the moment, jolted me into total awareness. I was unwilling to process or accept that the World Trade Center Towers had been attacked and the Pentagon. The words were not enough to convince me that unthinkable had occurred. However, Jason Thomas, and ex-marine upon hearing the news made his way to ground zero. Thomas was on a mission to save lives.

The monumental task before him was to help rescue two police officer that were tracked under hundreds of floors of debris. Thomas risked his life as an American willing to give his life to save others.

After spending weeks working in the most unimaginable devastation, Thomas simply walked away knowing that he did what he should have as a former marine.

Rick Stevenson, current Wayne Township Trustee

Hands

2007-02-11T11:38:00.000-08:00

Dr. Ben Carson is a neurosurgeon who challenge students to discover their talents. Dr. Carson was not a great student. Not because he did not have the ability, but because of outside and unknown factors. In spite of of his slow start in school, Dr. Carson went on to become a great doctor. Education would guide Dr. Carson to reaching his goals. Read about Dr. Carson overcome adversity including his own lack of self-discipline.

Dr. Charles Coat, local medical doctor

Having their say-African-American women in the political arena

2007-02-10T11:44:00.001-08:00

“The [African-American] woman has occupied a unique if unenviable position in the United States. Historically she has borne the weight of inferior status ad prejudice derived from her [gender] as well as her color.” Treated as less human, viewed as servant and not woman, yet the breeder of enslaved children, laws were not created to protect her. Although she suffered humiliate right along with the African-American male, she fought to secure his freedom, but was relegated to remain in the male shadow. Not willing to remain behind, the African-American women had to step from the shadows and seek her own protection for her existence within the society that had casted her simply invisible.

Through the experience as an African-American and a woman, African-American women had the special role of identifying with two oppressed group, African-American women essence was more inclusive of others than the other two groups. African-Americans women related to both raced white females and African-American males. The African-American woman understood the African-American man had only been elevated up from slave to the stagnate role of servant. She understood that the African-American male was settling for less than full citizenship when compared to the raced white woman citizenship, not equal.

Furthermore, the raced white women only allowed the African-American woman to enter her home as the raced white woman inferior. This meant that the African-American woman was not only not a partial citizen but she was not even viewed as being a woman.

Through this struggle, of existing in the shadow of both raced white women and African-Americans males,, the African-American women were able to craft a political agenda that would meet the needs of future African-American women. In getting there, she had to overcome both obstacles, race and gender, creating some political independent women, “By whatever unstated, immeasurable, invisible standards the American people applied to candidates for Congress, women have seldom been their choice.”

If this was true for raced white women, African-American women were never to be considered a part of the political equation. Three women spoke to the power of African-American women expressing their opinions. In doing so, speaks to the shaping of the history of African-American women in the history of America.

Shirley Chisholm-inclusion--outsider- fought for immigrants' right to become citizens and to participant in the electoral process through democracy..a vote for the people by the people. Chisholm, a child of immigrants, in 1968 became the first African-American woman to serve in Congress, served seven terms. Chisholm saw that the political powers were not in recognition of the interest of the people. Chisholm ran on a platform created by the people and for the people by not following the procedure for entering the political arena. Chisholm credibility was established by staying connected to the people and not by who she knew. Chisholm remained with the people as an outsider. In 1972, she ran as the first African-American and African-American woman for President, a hundred years after the first raced white woman, Victoria Woodhull.

Barbara Jordan—diversity inclusion through the Constitution amendment
Jordan believed in the Constitution. Jordan's rally cry was in gratitude for the amendment of the Constitution. The amendment that allowed her to fully participate as a citizen. Jordan had something to contribute in the political and private sphere as an African-American born in the United States. Jordan believed that the constitution laws were color blind and that they applied to all Americans and should be enforced and upheld. Believing so, we was confronted to its greatest challenge, to impeach the former President of the United States, Richard Nixon. In doing so, reaffirmed the rock solid foundation in which the Constitution was drafted for all the people.

Lani Gunier-Dialogue-understanding the meaning of the voting right act purpose. The voting right act purpose was beyond having access to the ballot box. It would provide enough votes to elect African-Americans to political office. Once in political office these individuals would have an insider view in changing the laws that continue to support the exclusion of African-Americans from fully enjoying citizen rights. The voting right act of 1965 would serve a higher purpose than access to the ballot box to elect African-American candidates, it could used to influences legislature to improve the lives of African-Americans by electing those candidates who supported such interests. The interest of African-Americans included so many others.

The ability to influence lawmakers would be through political mobilization of voters creating a majority that supported African-Americans interest. A convergent of an interest group would have the ability to offset the tradition majority rule that excluded so many. This would be a group organized around interest that impact others beyond race.

Gunier, was an African-American Jewish academia who made her argument among her peers for the inclusion of the people who she had earlier represented. Academia encouraged her ideas, however, when her ideas for empowered African-Americans in the public arena, Gunier was silenced, by her long time friend, former President Bill Clinton. Gunier learned that in spite of her academic and professional accomplishment she was discredited as being on the fringe and not part of mainstream for standing up for what she believed in. The price is steep, but the African-American history never said it would be easy.

Obama's-Touchdown

2007-02-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

Senator Barack Obama will jump in. Obama will make an announcement today in Springfield, IL.

Senator Obama challenge to the people seeking change in Washington is to get him there. Text of his announcement.

Is Obama black enough to get the Black vote

2007-02-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Franz Fanon and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr wrote about the dilemma of having to choose whether one is black or a citizen. Why could not you simply be both? Critics appears to be demanding such an answer from Senator Barack Obama. Critics wants to know is Obama Black, African, African-American, HalfAfrican, or bi-racial? Critics seems to think the answer to the question will determine if Obama will get the black vote to be the first black President of the United States. Earl Ofari Hutchinson writes

in the eyes of many blacks, Obama departs from past black presidential contenders such as Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Messrs. Jackson and Sharpton. They were readily identifiable, urban-bred, African-Americans who spoke out boldly on civil rights, poverty, and economic injustice. On the other hand, the racially mixed, Harvard-trained Obama, as the so-called postracial candidate, has soft-pedaled these issues. It's no accident that his appeal among whites seems stronger so far than among blacks.

It did not bother critics on the issue of blackness when Colin Powell, the four star general, was thinking about running for President. But it's something about this Obama. This Obama who was not afraid of offending his mother from Kansas, when he identfied himself as being black. Unlike, Tiger Woods who was given the same question and decided to combine his father and mother ethnic background and not offend either parent. But Tiger knows that no matter how he defined himself, America defined him black based on the fact that at least one of his parents was dark in complexion. So Obama claimed his blackness quickly. But there is something about Obama blackness because it has charm.

And there is something about this Obama charm. Obama is charming has raced whites folks and that charm is offending some African-Americans. Yes it is something about this educated, handsome charming Obama, that have old guard African-Americans in leadership who are skeptic of his staying power. Old guard leadership is trying to hex Obama with the the Martin Luther King, Jr. hex.

King,Jr. like, Obama was deemed too young for a leadership role in taking his people to the promise land by old guard established African-American leadership. So, the well educated and handsome Obama is being cursed with the excuse of inexperience to forestall his run to the White House presidential seat.

The brutal truth is that Obama is too new on the political scene, too untested, too politically nice, too liberal, and most of all, he's an African-American. That's just too many strikes for many blacks to seriously believe he has a real shot

.

It's a nice way of saying, the old guard does not trust Obama in keeping them around, if the people elect him to that seat. The old guard has no use for Obama because he is too black. Senator Joseph Biden describe Obama blackness as non-traditional, by stating, he is storybook black. Not quite mainstream, but clean enough, not dirty black, but mixed with raced white to be considered even nice looking. Shirley Chisholm experienced similar skepticism in her bid for the white house. Shirley was too black because not only was she first generation black but she was a she, too black.

Black leadership did not believe she was the right one, she was labeled an outsider, not a "he". Chisholm had to go it alone,

I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people.

So for old guard black leadership Obama is too black. What old money wealth does Obama bring to the table for these old established black leaders to fawn over? Obama can only fight for jobs for their children, Obama owns no businesses. The old guard has no use for Obama because he is black, he thinks like a black, he is not quite mainstream, according to Joseph Biden. With all the limelight on Obama, corporate America may not being willing to meet their demands, if Obama is not taking them along for the ride. And because Obama can't court them with brotherhood, Hilliary Clinton will have to be black enough for these old school blacks and their connection to her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

African-Americans will vote for Obama because he is black. But it is the grass root folks who believe that Obama is rooted in the essence of what it means to be a black in America. It's in his walk. Watch Obama movement, he lets you know, it is an outsider that can mingle with the insiders without missing a step in his stroll walk. It's a style of blackness in that walk, a coolness, a level head under pressure. Other African-Americans will not folks for Obama because he is black. Obama has not embraced these African-Americans to map out their benefits. Obama has not internalized their way of compliance with mainstream politics. Obama is too black in his identity still, for them to jeopardize their connections to raced white power.

Will black folks vote for Obama? Some will, some won't for various reason. But the majority will vote for the young, handsome, energetic charismatic Obama because they believe it is time for an African-American to take their rightful place on the seat of the throne in the White House.

The next time a woman runs, or a black, or a Jew or anyone from a group that the country is ‘not ready' to elect to its highest office, I believe that he or she will be taken seriously from the start… I ran because somebody had to do it first. In this country, everybody is supposed to be able to run for President, but that has never really been true.

Obama run for President is being taken seriously by blacks.

Sherri Emerson and Jacqueline Dowdell ran as local independent candidates for political offices.

I'm Black and I'm Proud

2007-02-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

James Brown, dubbed the father of soul, may have sung a song so titled, but with an elevated arm with a fist, this silent gesture shouted the message much louder. When Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Olympic track stars thrust theirs arm upward during the singing of the national anthem of the United States after receiving their medals, it was a message of hope. That silent gesture spoke to a condition of the people: recognize we are proud people.

These were symbols," Smith said. "And I think people remember symbols much more than anything else. We didn't have time to talk, because we were on the victory stand, but the hand (fist gesture) didn't represent so much black power as it did just power, social power, social equity. … And on the stand it was a prayer, a cry for freedom. It was very simple, but people made it so big because it was two black athletes on the victory stand and in an Olympic game, a sporting event. This was the big problem with America.

Read more about Smith.

Kevin Craig, local Fort Wayne Track Star

Daily Surrender Requests

2007-02-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

Jen:

Thank you for reading my

ramblings

. First let me address the math part of your response to shut me down.

No, I didn't have to use a calculator, because it's basic math. Also, I see that you fully understood, later why I was not going for the 9 hours round up instead of 8.57. Because that number after the decimal tells me it was closer to an half hour rather than an whole hour. LOL But you were not going to give me that , now were you? Nope, you just went and got that calculator and got a reality check.

The number 57 played a little visual trick on ya. .57 does not mean half of a dollar but a little more than a half of an hour in this equation huh? Which mean .57 is a litle more than 30 minutes which is less than 60 minutes. But using minutes we do not round up to the next hour. That's okay, you got it after you checked and compared the facts.

Because if we used your new math, we would have paid the good officer an excess of probably somewhere in the range of a 24 more extra hours of overtime pay...pretty cushy huh?

The gentlemen is getting paid for his time, not beyond his duty..he is not volunteering. When the man jump on to the platform and saw the train acoming, but he did it anyway, that's beyond his duty. Can you visualize the difference ? Can you see clearly through the glasses at the issue before you rather than my writing that has language that offense your way of thinking?

Do you know how to calculate overtime, vacation pay, I am telling you the brotha is getting paid for his time. Plain and simple.

My point is let's share the wealth and second let's not focus on one part of town to target your enforcement. Don't be selective in where you are going to perform your job. In other words, the officer working so many hours covering the whole city would help get drunks off the road. Or more officers being able to work the whole city will be able to get more drunks off the road. And if you are not doing that you are targeting a select part of town, where over 90% of African-Americans live work and play.

So, if you want to take your hat and tip it to the officer so be it. Do it. But me questioning, the accountability and the efficiency of a program that allow the one officer running the program to be the only officer benefiting from the grant money, is legit. Which explained my title to the post. If it is not a conflict of interest, please give me some reasons why I should not think that way. But calling me a racist, does not silence the conversation.

Second, I never called the officer a racist. Never. And yes, I do use the term raced whites and I use the term racialist. One speaks of the lack of identity and the other behavior. Plain and simple, and my use of the term and understanding of the terms in noway shape or form makes me a racist or racialist. But, you didn't know, so I forgive you.

I am posting your comments, because, it is obvious we are not talking about the same thing, and if not folks will lose their way in trying to communicate with one. Let's seek clarity. Peace

You scream for equality, which you have and then some, and yet you are the first to throw a fit and in doing so keep racism alive.

Nope not screaming or asking for equality. Nope not keeping racism alive. But I am writing my point of view.

Ok, I'll bite just this once, though I question what good it will do.

Racism Vs. Racialism

Racism is the act of one or a collection of many whom feel they are superior to others and openly discriminate against what they consider to be the inferior race or group of people.

Racialism is the belief that a race or group of people are inferior based on their appearance and/or genetics. So to say that someone is a racialist would require knowing them and speaking with them to gain an understanding of their beliefs, however to say someone is a racist one need only to view their actions and/or written statements in your case.

I've also noticed in your ramblings, I mean writings that you often use the term "raced whites" quite often. This simply means the white race and does not refer to racism nor racialism, it also says to me that you are in fact a racist and against anybody with pale skin. You scream for equality, which you have and then some, and yet you are the first to throw a fit and in doing so keep racism alive. Let me give you an example; If I go out to eat and a waitress who happens to be white is in a bad mood and gives me horrible service she's just a b*tch, but if you eat at the same restaurant and she is rude to you, you scream she's a racist. Do you see the problem here? You are being exactly what you are claiming to fight against. A good friend of mine, who just happens to have dark skin by the way, once said to me "It's ok to be irate and it's ok to be ignorant, but it's not ok to be irate and ignorant". Once again I invite you to let go of your hatred and/or educate yourself and join the Human Race.

As for my math....LOL. You said 8.57, good for you, you can use a calculator. I said and I quote "Working ALMOST 9 hours a day". Forgive me for using basic 3rd grade math and rounding up to the nearest hour. I suppose I could have rounded down to the nearest half hour and said 8 and a half hours a day seven days a week. Or perhaps I should have rounded up to the nearest quarter hour, as employers do, which would have made that 8 hours and 45 minutes. I just figured in the fact that unless this officer lives at the station, thereby eliminating his drive to and from work, and assuming that he doesn't end his shift precisely at a given hour that he probably gets a bit more time in. Generally a shift at any job is 8 hours a day 5 days a week. That tells me that this gentleman is going above and beyond his call of duty, and once again I tip my hat to him.

Regardless, assuming he gets exactly 60 hours a week, working 8 hours, 34 minutes, and 2 seconds, seven days a week still does not sound cushy to me

Entitled to our Opinions

2007-02-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

Clarence Thomas Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court received an A.B., cum laude, from Holy Cross College, and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1974. Justice Thomas served as Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1990, before reaching the highest court. President Bush nominated Justice Thomas in 1990 and was seated as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1991.

Justice Thomas has been catching it for his opinion against affirmative action. Justice Thomas must have understood that as long as there are white women, affirmative action is here to stay. Justice Thomas suggests that law schools equal opportunity programs offers no more to African-American students than schools that denied educational opportunities to African-American children in separate but equal facilities. Justice Thomas suggest that law school affirmative action programs are illusory hyperbole that pretends to opens it doors to African-Americans. In fact, such programs is structured to select a few of among the African-American who would not need the constructive diversity program of law schools.

Justice Thomas suggest that public law school need to continues the legacy of fully integrating it schools, by flinging wide its doors, allowing all qualified students to attend their school. Otherwise the school programs limits African-American chances for attending when the school is fully aware that LSAT are bias toward African-Americans and most will not obtain the scores that required to attend their school.

Because of the bias in the testing, the bar is raised to exclude those African-Americans who could otherwise succeed in law school. Justice Thomas suggest that law schools reach beyond its “aesthetic” approach in seating African-Americans if the law school truly believes that a diverse student body is a compelling state interest rather than the educational benefit that school receives from having the appearance that it believes in affirmative action for African-American students.

In fact, Justice Thomas suggests that it is the law school that receives the educational benefits from the diverse student body and not necessarily the students. Moreover, the argument goes that law school academic selective policy is narrowly tailored upholding its elite status by selecting those few African-Americans who would have qualified for admission without affirmative action because of their ranking. The school get to portray the appearance of a racial inclusive school by drawing in African-Americans students who would have been admitted to other schools anyways. Clustering together these students with bells and whistle in attending such prestige school based on scores gives an appearance rather that the schools are working toward breaking down the barriers that will keep the majority of other African-Americans from attending other schools.

The mission of the law school is the cluster giving that certain appearance of a “critical mass” without having to reduce percentage ranking that would be more inclusive in creating the diverse body that the law school proposes to want to achieve. Using the argument used in Bakke, the law school suggest there is a compelling state interest in allowing the school to use race in achieving its goal of a diverse student body. However, the true reason for the use of race is the educational benefit enjoyed by the university.

Justice Thomas has recently remained mute on using race for integrating neighborhood schools.

Gwen Morgan and Lori Morgan, a local mother and daughter attorney and judge.

We are Soldiers on the battlefield

2007-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

Chaplain Garland White fought for the right of African-Americans to live as citizens in the United States. White may have been motivated by Frederick Douglass who was encouraging men to fight for their right to serve and citizenship. Harriet Tubman, during war time joined, not leaving our women's demands to be recognized as citizens, too.

The story of Garland White appears in the records of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He was a slave belonging to Robert Toombs of Georgia. White, who was literate, studied to become a minister while still a slave. According to documents in his file, he was licensed and "authorized to preach the Gospel" on September 10, 1859, in Washington, Georgia. In 1860 Toombs, with White as a house servant, was living in Washington, D.C. The Toombs’s residence was two doors away from William Seward’s, at the time a senator from New York. It is apparent from correspondence in his record that White enjoyed a friendly relationship with Seward.

During his time in Washington, White became a fugitive and made his way to Canada. According to his records, he was appointed to the "Pastorial Charge of London mission. The said mission being under the jurisdiction of the B. M. E. Annual Conference." It is not known how long he stayed in Canada, but he was very aware of the Civil War and knew that Seward was President Lincoln’s secretary of state. He wrote to him from Canada and told him of his desire to serve his country in any way he could. Garland White returned to the United States (the exact date is not known) and began recruiting for the new USCT. He went to New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Indiana. He raised most of the men of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He petitioned Seward for help in obtaining the chaplaincy of the regiment. In his letter to Seward, White wrote, "I also joined the regiment as a private to be with my boys and should I fail to get my commission I shall willingly serve my time out."

On September 1, 1864, the Field and Company Officers elected Garland H. White chaplain of the Twenty-eighth USCI, subject to the approval of the secretary of war. On October 25, by order of the secretary of war, Garland H. White was appointed chaplain of the Twenty-eighth USCI. He was thirty-five years old. All the previous correspondence was found in his compiled military service record.

H.L Gaulden, member of the Tuskegee Airmen

Oprah-Living History

2007-02-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

In South Africa, Oprah Winfrey built a school for girls. The cost of the Leadership Academy, $40,000,000, controls the news headline. On Good Morning America, Diane Sawyer talks to Oprah about why invest in a school in South African rather than in the United States.

The opportunity already exist for such education in the United States and Oprah expressed her support of education in the United States.

Ministry of Education addressed the criticism of the cost of the school for educating those who have so little. But Oprah understood the difference the school will make in the future of the children. The expense of the school "just enough for now", Oprah expressed, suggesting that more is too come.

For the young girls who were selected for the South Africa, Henlep-on-Klip School, on girl stated, education is the bridge to independent. Some wanted to attend the school to help their families. Other because of the opportunity because they considered themselves poor girls. The school provides living quarters for the students of the school. Oprah is taking care of the future of South African, the young girls who will birth the future.

Oprah began her broadcasting career at WVOL radio in Nashville while still in high school. At the age of 19, she became the youngest person and the first African-American woman to anchor the news at Nashville's WTVF-TV. She then relocated to Baltimore's WJZ-TV to co-anchor the Six O'Clock News and later went on to become co-host of its local talk show, People Are Talking.

In 1984, Oprah moved to Chicago to host WLS-TV's morning talk show, AM Chicago, which became the number one local talk show—surpassing ratings for Donahue—just one month after she began. In less than a year, the show expanded to one hour and was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show. It entered national syndication in 1986, becoming the highest-rated talk show in television history. In 1988, she established Harpo Studios, a production facility in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio.

The Oprah Winfrey Show has remained the number one talk show for 20 consecutive seasons*. Produced by her own production company, Harpo Productions, Inc., the show is seen by an estimated 48 million viewers a week in the United States** and is broadcast internationally in 126 countries.

Dee McKinley, local radio program

Black History Month Super Sunday 2007

2007-02-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

Today is kickoff for the Super Bowl XLI in the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida.
However because this month is Black History Month , today the game takes on more of a significant meaning as well as the football teams headed by, for the first time ever, two African-American coaches. Two teams have made it to the Super Bowl coached by Anthony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears.

For years, the African-American males has been viewed as a "player" in sports, but limited in certain positions, not as the shot caller or owner of a team. Today, it still something to celebrate a player's accomplishment beyond the stereotype.

Douglas Williams squashed the myth that an African-American could not lead a team as a quarterback. Fans celeberated when Williams became the first African American quarterback to win the Most Valuable Player Award in Super Bowl XXII.

Dungy and Smith will be celebrated, also. Not only for being a first, but for being the first African-Americans to reach the Superbowl as coache. One coach will be recorded in history as the first African-American coach to win the Super Bowl.

Fort Wayne Johnny Bright, Roosevelt Barnes, Vaughn Dunbar, Trai Essex, Bernard Pollard, Kevin "Rod" Woodson, retired NFL football player will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in Canton in 2009

A little child shall lead them

2007-02-03T12:31:00.000-08:00

Who has not heard of Brown vs. Board of Education? Linda Brown's parents wanted her to attend her neighborhood school. The problem schools were white only in her neighborhood. Brown declared schools could no longer discriminate by having all white schools only. It was Charles Hamilton Houston, the architecture of the strategy for the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Houston, was the mentor of the former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Houston used his intellect to help his people. Houston loved his people.

Fort Wayne did not love its African-American children. It was not until 1989 that Fort Wayne Community Schools and a group of parents agreed to an out-of-court settlement to racially balance its 53 schools. The settlement would end in the 1997. Race would be used as a factor to remove African-Americans from their neighborhood schools.

Dr. Wendy Robinson would become the first African-American Superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools.

Madame C.J. Walker

2007-02-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Indianapolis, Indiana was the home of Madame C. J. Walker. Walker was born in 1867 and died in 1919. Walker became the first self-made female millionaire in America. Besides the fact that she was a woman and amassed such wealth, she was also an African-American. Walker was innovative and creative in marketing and producing products for African-American hair. Madame C.J. Walker created wealth doing things her way from the bottom on up.

Fort Wayne Stephanie Cozart Burton doing things her way, make up artist and actress.

Black History Month : Celebrating the Love of African-American people

2007-02-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

February begins the celebration of Black History Week.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson born in 1875 and died in 1950 began Negro History Week in 1926, chosen in the second week of February between the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, which evolved into Black History Month in 1976. Dr. Woodson authored the book, The Miseducation of the Negro. Dr. Woodson was known as the Father of Black History and the love of his people.