Podcasts about wiki history

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani,   I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com and I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show. We’ve been doing something a bit different from our usual podcast show when we talk about different issues affecting the African American community, and discuss the great contributions of African Americans to their communities, the country and world. Today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day six of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on the concept of Kuumba, which means creativity.   I’ll begin—as usual--by bidding you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very glad to have you with us and I would strongly urge you to listen to the 6 previous podcasts shows.   We learned yesterday that Nia or finding and living your purpose is founded on knowing your historical and cultural identity. And that your purpose should be a goal that contributes something great to your community or the world. It must be something larger than yourself and larger than the pursuit of money. I think of it as a “magnificent obsession.” If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanzaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the sixth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins to quiet and focus myself. Perhaps you want to stand and do a few stretching movements. Just take a moment to get centered and ready to begin the celebration. Remember Kwanzaa IS a celebration but please also show respect for this solemn ritual.   Day 6: Kuumba (creativity)   Habari gani! Your response: Kuumba!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Kuumba!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Kuumba!   The 6th day of Kwanzaa falls on December 31st and it is an extra special day! As it is New Year’s Eve, the day is an especially festive day because it marks the last day of the calendar year.   On this special final day of the year, the home is specially decorated with traditional Kwanzaa colors of black, red and green. Special dishes are made for the family and guests. On December 31, families and communities hold a karamu which is a special feast, including readings, remembrances and a festive meal. The karamu feast may consist of traditional African dishes, as well as those featuring ingredients that Africans brought to the United States...sesame seeds, peanuts, sweet potatoes, collard greens and spicy sauces, for example. This celebration may be held at a home, church or community center.   The sixth day of Kwanzaa is Kuumba! Again, it means creativity. Everyone has a different vision of creativity so let’s ask what does creativity mean in the context of Kwanzaa?   Dr. Karenga thought of Kuumba as always doing as much as we can in the way that we can in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.   Kuumba follows logically from the principle of Nia. (Nia means purpose which we discussed it yesterday). Kuumba is the commitment to expressing your creativity within the context of your purpose (your magnificent obsession). It is the commitment to leave the community and your world in a better position than when you came into them.   This principle was deeply rooted in ancient Egyptian culture. Creativity was considered both an original act of the Creator (or God) and a restorative act of God. There was a spiritual and ethical commitment and obligation to constantly renew and restore the legacy of the ancestors and the great works of history. This was considered as Ma’at, which we discussed in the first day of Kwanzaa called Umoja or unity. Each pharaoh saw his or her reign as a reaffirmation and renewal of the good, the beautiful and the right.   Creativity is viewed much differently in modern western culture, including African American culture. In that context, it is viewed as a method of personal and individual expression. Perhaps the missing element is the Nia, which links creativity to a larger purpose serving humanity. However, Kuumba is rooted in African philosophy and, therefore, is a part of African American heritage. Regaining and reconnecting with our historical and cultural identity is an essential step toward expressing our Kuumba and finding our Nia. These principles are, indeed, closely connected, both being dependent on learning and teaching African (and African American) history, culture and traditions.   For more information, return to the resources on purpose by WEB Dubois and Franz Fanon.   Now let’s prepare to light the Kwanzaa candles:   First, the Black candle (in the middle) is lit. Next we will light the red candle then a green candle. Then another red candle then a green candle. Finally we end with a red candle.   Take a moment to enjoy the beautifully lit candleholder (the kinara).   Not let’s read a story about the concept of Kuumba.   Just a short note. This story involves a *Griot (Pronounced Gree-Oh). A griot is a name for the traditional Storyteller and Historian in parts of West Africa. Let’s begin:   Anansi Writes a Song A lion named Simba was ruler of a small kingdom called Korro. A traveling griot* came to his village to give a performance. He played the Kora and sang stories about great men and women and the deeds they'd done. He sang about things going on all across the wide world. The king and everyone around enjoyed the music very much. When he was finished, the bard asked king Simba for a small token in exchange for his performance. Simba went into a rage! "You dare ask me for a gift!? You should be honored to have me listen! You should give me a gift!" Simba was so angry that he ordered his servants to give the griot fifty lashes. The griot returned home and told his friends what happened to him at King Simba's court. They were shocked and angry to hear of the meanness of the king. Anansi was among the friends of this griot and he decided to write a song to let everyone know how they felt about Simba. It went like this. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He is fat and very flabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He's a fool whose mane is shabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, his face is ugly, his teeth are few. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He wrote the song with a very catchy tune and people all over the countryside began to sing it. Women sang it while they were cleaning clothes at the river. Children sang it during their games. Men sang it while digging yams. It was heard at dances and festivals. Soon it was known all over Africa. When the king heard the song, he sent for the griot he had mistreated and asked him, "Who has written this song about me?" "It was Anansi who wrote the song, but everyone sings it," responded the griot. "I will give you much money if you tell him to stop the song." Simba promised. But the griot refused saying, " A thing once it is done cannot be undone. You did not have to have me beaten, but you did. And now you cannot undo it. Anansi did not have to write the song, but he did. Now the song is alive among the people. It cannot be taken back." Anansi's song about Simba is still sung to this day. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He is fat and very flabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, He's a fool whose mane is shabby. Simba the Lion, king of Korro, his face is ugly, his teeth are few. Simba the Lion, king of Korro. The End. KUUMBA — Creativity   If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of Kuumba (creativity) and how you can bring more beauty and benefit to your world in your own special or unique way. Try to think of your special gifts and how they can be used to uplift humanity. Then blow out the candles. This concludes Day 6 of the Kwanzaa celebration. Again I want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about creativity. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. Thank you for participating in Day 6 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com and I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show. We’ve been doing something a bit different from our usual podcast show when we talk about different issues affecting the African American community, and discuss the great contributions of African Americans to their communities, the country and world. Today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day five of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on the concept of Nia which means purpose.   I’ll begin by bidding you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very glad to have you with us and I would strongly urge you to listen to the 5 previous podcasts: the introduction to Kwanzaa podcast, the first day of Kwanzaa podcast (called umoja or unity), and the second day of Kwanzaa podcast (called kujichagulia or self-determination), day 3 of the Kwanzaa podcast which is called Ujima and yesterday, we did day four of Kwanzaa, which is called Ujamaa.   We learned yesterday that cooperative economics of Ujamaa) is a commitment to shared social wealth and working not only to help people that are disadvantaged or impoverished, but actually ending poverty itself. We learned that Julius Nyerere (who was the first president of Tanzania) was a strong advocate of Ujamaa or African socialism for his people and he was much beloved by them. Remember they called him Mwalimu, which is a name for a beloved and respected teacher. And you might remember that Dr. Martin Luther King fought against poverty and materialism, which he said created a sick society. He was a true radical. If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanzaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the fifth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins but I always find some way to quiet and focus myself. Perhaps you want to stand and do a few stretching movements. Just take a moment to get centered and ready to begin the celebration. Remember Kwanzaa IS a celebration but please also show respect for this solemn ritual.   Day 4: Nia (Purpose)   Habari gani! Your response: Nia!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Nia!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Nia!   The fifth day of Kwanzaa is Nia! It means purpose. That’s a rather vague concept so let’s ask what does purpose mean in the context of Kwanzaa?   Dr. Karenga thought of Nia as building our communities together, maintaining them, and restoring them to greatness.   Nia is essentially a commitment to the collective vocation of building, developing and defending our national community, its culture and history in order to regain our historical initiative and greatness as a people. This requires an understanding that our role in human history has been and remains a significant one and that we, as an African people share in the grand human legacy that Africa has given to the world. We have the legacy of not only being the fathers and mothers of humanity but also the fathers and mothers of human civilization. It’s unacceptable that we who are the fathers and mothers of human civilization have been playing the role of cultural children of the world. The principle of Nia brings awareness to our purpse in light of our historical and cultural identity.   Inherent in this discussion of deriving purpose from our historical and cultural identity is the focus on generational responsibility. Franz Fanon (remember him from our discussion of self-determination/kujichagulia) poses this responsibility in competing terms by saying “each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission and then fulfill or betray it. He suggests that this “mission” should be framed within the larger context of the needs, hopes and aspirations of the people. He goes further to state that each of us is morally and culturally obligated to participate in creating a context of maximum freedom and development of the people.   Finally, Nia suggests that personal and social purpose do not conflict but rather complement each other. The highest form of personal purpose is, in the final analysis, a social purpose. And a social purpose is a personal purpose that translates into a vocation and commitment which involves and benefits the collective whole AND gives fullness and mean to a person’s life in a way that individualistic and isolated pursuits cannot.   According to the Nia concept, true greatness and growth can never occur in isolation or at another’s expense. African philosophy teaches that we are first and foremost social beings who reality and relevance are root in the quality and kinds of relationships that we have with others. WEB Dubois (a scholar who wrote the Souls of Black Folk) stressed education of social contribution and rejected vulgar careerism rooted in the sole pursuit of money. This reiterates that purpose is not to simply create money markers but to cultivate men and women capable of social and human exchange on a larger and more meaningful scale, men and women of culture and social conscience, men and women of vision and values that expand the human project of freedom and development rather than diminish it.   Wow, there is a lot of relevance and reflection for African Americans! Understanding our purpose from the perspective of a historical and cultural identity requires us to KNOW our historical and cultural identity. Yet this has been denied to us since the day that we were brought to the United States. African history is not taught in elementary or high school. It is available at the college level but, by that time, African American children have already learned many myths about the continent. These myths make African American children embarrassed or ashamed of their African roots. And this disinformation is difficult to override after it is learned.         So, the African American community is challenged with teaching African history, its greatness and glory and its cultural traditions to the next generation. Because with the historical and cultural identity, finding and pursuing one’s true and higher purpose is difficult and confusing.   It is important to pursue the highest and loftiest purpose that uplifts and develops the community and world. And this need not conflict with one’s personal (or career) goals. However, this can conflict with western philosophy that focuses on the materialistic and “me-first” goals of the individual over the development of the community. Yet this philosophy remains deeply present in the African American community though it is often disparaged. But, when considered with the other communitarian principles of Kwanzaa, it shows that our fates are connected. When one African is suffering, all Africans are suffering. And when any African American is suffering, all African Americans are suffering. African Americans have shown their understanding in this principle through their courage and efforts during the slavery period, the struggle for civil rights and the Black empowerment—political and economic--movements.  But the development of a purpose that is a true expression of one is based on knowing one’s historical and cultural identity. And African Americans are learning and teaching this as never before in our history. On that high note, let’s move to the next part of the Kwanzaa celebration of Nia.   But quickly let me just mention that I strongly encourage everyone to read Franz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth and The Souls of Black Folk by WEB Dubois. These are books to read again and again and keep in your library. Then pass them on to your children.   Now, let’s light another green candle.   We will light a lot of candles today so let me just say the order:   Black candle (in the middle) is lit first. Then the Red candle to the far left is lit Next the Green candle to the far right is lit Then the red candle farthest to the left is lit. Then (today) another green candle farthest to the right is lit. (pause)   Take a moment to enjoy the beautiful lit candleholder (the kinara).   Not let’s read a story about the concept of Nia.   The Name of the Tree  Once there was a terrible drought in the land of the animals. A kindly king came from over the mountain and planted a special tree. He told them that this tree would bear fruit all year round in any kind of weather. All they had to do to get the fruit was to speak its name. The name of the tree was Oowungalema. The animals thanked the kind old king and he returned to his own land, which was far over the mountain. The animals then sounded the Great Drum to call everyone for miles around. When all were gathered at the tree, the lion asked Anansi to speak the name of the tree. "I thought you were going to remember the name!" said Anansi. "I don't remember the name!" said the lion, "Someone must know it!" They asked everyone who had been there when the old king planted the tree, but not one of them could remember the name of the tree. They decided to send someone to ask the king for the name. They were all very hungry, so they decided to send someone fast. They sent the hare. The hare ran as fast as he could through villages, across the river, through the bush, over the mountain and straight to the court of the kindly old king. The king told him, "The name of the tree is Oowungalema." The hare ran back, repeating the name to himself as he went along. On the way home, he stopped at the river to rest and take a drink. The water was nice and cool. It felt good after all that running. The hare splashed around for a while to cool himself off, then he got out of the water and started back to the tree. When he got back, the animals all cheered. "Now we can have the fruit! " they shouted. Hare went up to the tree to speak the name, "Oomagamoomoo, no, oobapadoopa, Noomooogamooga" Try as he might, the hare just couldn't remember the name. "We have to send someone else." Lion said at last. So the springbok was sent. She ran all the way to the king over the mountain and tried to keep the name in her head all the way home, but coming through the forest, she tripped over a root and bumped her head. The name was lost again. Next they sent Leopard, but on the way back he started chasing a monkey who was teasing him. He forgot the name as well. Many others tried and failed until finally, the tortoise asked if she might go. Most of the animals laughed because the tortoise is so slow. "Give her a chance!" Anansi said, "She may succeed where the rest of us have failed." The tortoise went to her mother and asked, "What do you do if you must remember something very important?" Her mother told her to keep repeating it no matter what happens. So the tortoise set out on her journey. When she reached the king over the mountain, he said, "The name of the tree is Oowungalema." Tortoise kept repeating it over and over to herself all the way home. When the monkeys teased her in the forest, she only said, " Oowungalema." When she passed by the river and the sound of the water made her thirsty, she looked at the water and said, "Oowungalema." And when she got near her house and her children came running to her, she only said, "Oowungalema." Finally, the tortoise came to the tree. All the other animals were anxiously waiting. The lion spoke, "Tortoise, please speak the name of the tree." Tortoise said, "Oowungalema." At last, the animals were able to eat the fruit. Everyone was grateful to the tortoise who kept to her purpose where every one else had failed. The end. If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of Nia (or purpose) and what you feel is your TRUE purpose in life. Try to think of it as something that is bigger than just you, something that can move and uplift humanity. Then blow out the candles. (pause) This concludes Day 5 of the Kwanzaa celebration. Again I want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about collective work and responsibility. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. Thank you for participating in Day 5 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!          

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve come back for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. And today is a very special day because we are continuing with our celebration of Kwanzaa! We are already on day four of this uplifting and inspirational celebration. Today we will focus on Ujamaa.   So, I’ll bid you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome but I would strongly urge you to listen to the 4 previous podcasts: the introduction to Kwanzaa podcast, the first day of Kwanzaa podcast (called umoja or unity), and the second day of Kwanzaa podcast (called kujichagulia or self-determination) and day 3 which is called Ujima.   We learned yesterday that collective work and responsibility (or Ujima) is a commitment to active and informed togetherness on matters of common interest. And we learned a powerful lesson that African freedom is indivisible, meaning that if any African anywhere is oppressed then all Africans are oppressed. If you haven’t heard the previous Kwanzaa podcasts, I strongly recommend that you do so. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. Stay with us today—everyone is welcome around the Kwanaa mat (the mkeka)—but please take time to listen to the previous shows.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin to Kwanzaa celebration for the fourth day. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins but I always find some way to quiet and focus myself. Remember Kwanzaa is a celebration but please remember to show respect for the solemn ritual.   Day 4: Ujamaa (cooperative economics)   Habari gani! Your response: Ujamaa!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Ujamaa!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Ujamaa!   The fourth day of Kwanzaa is Ujamaa! It means cooperative economics. That’s a strange and curious term but what IS cooperative economics?   Dr. Karenga (remember he founded Kwanzaa) said that cooperative economics means to build our own businesses, control the economics of our own community and share in all its work and wealth.   It sounds like a complicated term but it is actually quite simple. Ujamaa (cooperative economics) is a commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work necessary to achieve it. Cooperative economics is built on the fundamental communal concept that social wealth belongs to the masses of people who created it and that no one should have more than his or her fair share. It is the principle and practice of shared wealth. I really like that the Kwanzaa principles are not just theoretical but require action and practical effects.   One famous African president strongly believed in Ujamaa. He was Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, following colonialism. Much loved by Tanzanians and the British, Nyerere (known to most people as Mwalimu, meaning teacher) was an African socialist who strongly believed in Ujamaa. He said, “Ujamaa is based on the assumption of human equality, on the belief that it is wrong for one person to dominate or exploit another , and on the knowledge that every individual hopes to live in a society as a free person able to lead a decent life, in conditions of peace with his or her neighbor.” Mwalimu (President Nyerere) told us that ujamaa is above all human centered, concerened foremost with the well-being, happiness and development of the human person.     Ujamaa also stresses self-reliance in the building, strengthening and control of the economics of the community. Mwalimu said that we must depend on ourselves and our own resources. Closely related to self-reliance is the respect for the dignity and obligation of work and appreciation for the value of work. Inherent in this belief is harnessing our resources and putting them to the best possible use. All of this is for the community and society at large.   A strong (though possibly not obvious) element of ujamaa is generosity. Generosity is thought to generate its own reward. An African proverb (in the book of Ani) says “small gifts return greater and what is replaced brings abundance.” And the Book of Ptah-Hoptep teaches “be generous as long as you live. What goes into the storehouse should come out. for the bread is made to be shared.”   This is an ancient African ethic of care and responsibility which forms the concept of shared wealth. This ethic is expressed in one of the earliest books—called the Book of Coming Forth by Day—which defines generosity as “one who has given bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked and a boat to those without one.” In fact, many of the ancient writings in Egypt and other parts of Africa express the ethic of responsibility and shared social wealth. In modern philosophy, the concept of shared social wealth is not simply to be generous to the poor and vulnerable but ultimately to end their poverty and vulnerability so that they too can live a decent, un-deprived and meaningful life.   As African Americans, we can also think of ways to be generous. How can we help our communities? How can we work to end poverty? What is our vision of a shared social wealth?   Volunteering and donating money are both admirable and necessary to help others. But how can we envision an end to poverty in the African American community and on a global scale? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while fighting for social justice, was also working for economic justice and an end to poverty.             Most people are not familiar with Dr. King’s attack on poverty as an evil pervasive in American society. His dream of a more free and democratic America and world morphed into a nightmare owning to the persistence of racism, poverty, militarism and materialism. (These are Dr. King’s words!) This is the Radical King that was committed to looking beyond race and instead looked to concentrations of economic power and pockets of economic weakness or deprivation. So, we can think and envision a world in which poverty no longer exists rather than accept that it is simply a fact of life. Like Mwalimu (Julius Nyerere) and Dr. King, we can envision a world based on shared wealth. For more information, refer to the book, The Radical King by Cornel West. This book shows the radical, intellectual and visionary that was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Essential and eye-opening book.     Remembering Julius Nyerere in Tanzania. History, Memory, Legacy by Marie-Aude Fouéré If you’re interested in learning more about Julius Nyerere—and I hope that you are—this is a great introduction to this lesser known post-colonial African leader.   The Book of Going Forth by Day Yes, it’s a real book!   Let’s end the discussion about cooperative economics and move to the next step in the Kwanzaa celebration.   It is now time to light another red candle to the right.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about cooperative economics.     If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of ujamaa (cooperative economics) and how you can work to help people suffering in poverty or other disadvantages. Try to envision a world without poverty. Yes, it’s possible. Then blow out the candles. This concludes Day 4 of the Kwanzaa celebration. I just want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about collective work and responsibility. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast. Thank you for participating in Day 4 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!                

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve joined us for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. Remember boring stuff is NEVER allowed at the Wiki History podcast show so get ready for exciting stuff today—the third day of our Kwanzaa celebration.   So, I’ll bid you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome but I would strongly urge you to listen to the 3 previous podcasts: the introductory podcast show, the first day of Kwanzaa podcast (called umoja or unity), and the second day of Kwanzaa podcast (called kujichagulia or self-determination).   We learned yesterday that self-determination (or kujichagulia) is a commitment to learning about yourself, your history and culture and the practice of your history, culture and just being you. Listening to our podcast show will help so I really recommend it. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin. Sometimes I take a deep cleansing breath before the celebration begins but I always find some way to quiet and focus myself. Remember Kwanzaa is a celebration but please remember to show respect for the ritual.   Day 3: Ujima (collective work and responsibility)   Habari gani! Your response: Ujima!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Ujima!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Ujima!   Yes, the third day of Kwanzaa is Ujima! It means collective work and responsibility. But what IS collective work and responsbility?   Dr. Karenga says that Ujima means “to build and maintain our community together and to make our Brother’s and our sister’s problems, our problems and to solve them together.”   Examining ujima (or collective work and responsibility) shows that it is a commitment to active and informed togetherness, particularly on matters of common interest. It is also recognition and respect of the fact that WITHOUT collective work and responsibility, progress is impossible and freedom unthinkable. This makes us think about a collective identity and a collective future.   Ujima, as a principle and practice, means that we accept responsibility for (collective responsibility for) our failures and setback as well as our victories and achievements. This shows that African freedom is indivisible. As long as any African is oppressed, exploited, enslaved or wounded, all African people are. Clearly, this rejects the concept of individual freedom. Instead it shows the need for humanism though not an abstract or escapism type of humanism. Ujima supports humanism that begins with commitment to and concern for other human beings.   Finally, ujima can be seen in terms of the challenge of culture and history. Labor—on the personal level and collective level—is at the center of history and culture because it is the fundamental way that we create ourselves, define ourselves, develop ourselves and confirm ourselves as people.   The challenge that we are faced with is how to restore that which was damaged or destroyed in our history and culture. And we must remember that we are each a cultural representative of our people and have no right to misrepresent them or willfully do less than is demanded of us by our history and culture.   Collective work and responsibility remains a strong mindset in the African American community. Yet it is also misunderstood, probably because of the immersion in African American culture in the broader western culture of individualism in the United States. This could also be an example of the destructive effects of slavery. Not only did African slavery destroyed tens of millions of lives but it also destroyed great cultural achievements, created technological and cultural arrest, thereby eroding and limiting the human possibility that Africa could have offered to the world. This is often forgotten or diminished.   There have been groups within the African American community that have lived and operated under the principle of Ujima. The Black Panther Party is a prime example in its internal operations but also in its commitment to uplift the community through various different—and successful—programs. The Nation of Islam also focused and continues to focus on collective work and responsibility in the Black community. These groups and many others within the Black community have shown the strength and commitment to put the collective above the individual, knowing that the individual benefits best in this environment. Also the recognition that progress is impossible with the collective effort is taking hold and staying at the forefront of African American consciousness.   For more information, read   The Black Panther Party: Service to the People Programs. The book discusses the different and revolutionary social programs started and operated by the Black Panther Party. Its Free Breakfast Program served as a model for national programs. Other initiatives included free clinics, grocery giveaways, school and education programs, senior programs, and legal aid programs. These programs addressed the persistent social and economic injustices in the United States. This is a great introduction to the social injustices but also shows that people, working and planning together, can make huge progress.   Let’s end the discussion about collective work and responsibility and move to the next step in the Kwanzaa celebration.   It is now time to light the green candle farthest to the right.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about collective work and responsibility.   The Great Drum  The lion sent out a message for all the animals to come to a very special meeting.  Messengers went far and wide to spread the news of this meeting. As soon as the animals heard the message, they hurried right away to the council circle. It was about three weeks before they were all gathered. The lion was very disappointed.  "We have got to find a way to get everyone together more quickly!" shouted the lion.  Anansi had an idea. "What we need," he explained, "Is a great drum, one that can be heard all over the forest. When the great drum is sounded, everyone will know right away and come swiftly to meetings."  Everyone agreed that this was a fine idea. The animals were divided into groups, each group taking on a different part in the construction of the drum. The first group cut down a large tree.  The second group trimmed off all the branches. The next group hollowed out the tree.  Then sculptors worked to decorate the drum. They worked hard through many days. On their way home at the end of each day, they would sing;  Life is labor, We are tired and hot, We work so hard, Because we work for our people. Everyone worked except the monkey. While the others labored, he found a nice shady spot to hide and eat berries all day long.  When they were on their way back to the village, Monkey would join them as though he had been working with them all along.  Monkey sang: Life is labor, I am tired and hot, I work so hard, Because I work for my people. Anansi watched and knew exactly what Monkey was doing, but Anansi said nothing.  When the Great Drum was finished, it had to be brought to the council circle. The problem was that the Drum was very heavy and no one wanted to carry it. It was then that  Anansi spoke up.  "Since no one wants to carry the Great Drum and we have all worked so hard already, I suggest that the laziest person among us carry the Drum."  All the animals thought this was a good plan. Each of them looked around, trying to think who among them was laziest. Who hadn't they seen working? First one looked at Monkey, then another and soon all eyes rested on the monkey.  Monkey stepped out into the center of the circle and announced, "I just want to make one thing perfectly clear. I will not carry that drum!"  All the animals laughed. Anansi said, "No one mentioned your name, Monkey. All we said was that the laziest person should carry the Drum."  People were wondering to themselves, who was laziest among them. But the monkey did not have to wonder. He knew very well who was laziest. He came forward and made it clear when he spoke.  So it was agreed that the monkey had to carry the Great Drum to the council circle. The end.         If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of ujima (collective work and responsibility) and how you can work together with others to resolve problems. Of course, this is just a suggestion. Ujima has many layers and any of them can give cause for reflection. Then blow out the candle. This concludes Day 3 of the Kwanzaa celebration. I just want to thank my son Benjamin Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about collective work and responsibility. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast. Thank you for participating in Day 3 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!                  

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Habari gani, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   I’m so glad that you’ve joined us for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show. Remember boring stuff is NEVER allowed at the Wiki History podcast show so get ready for exciting stuff today—the second day of our Kwanzaa celebration.   So, I’ll bid you the traditional greeting of Kwanzaa in the Swahili language: Habari gani! If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome but I would strongly urge you to listen to the introductory podcast show on Kwanzaa and the show about the first day of Kwanzaa called Umoja, which means unity.   We learned yesterday that unity (or umoja) is the foundational principle AND practice of the Kwanzaa celebration so it’s important to learn about unity. Listening to our podcast show will help so I really recommend it. If you have any questions, please contact us at rememberinghistory.com website or the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook.   Definitely stay with us today but, when you get a chance, I think that you will learn a lot about what Kwanzaa is, who started it and why it was founded in 1966 and the importance of unity on which all the other principles are based. Always good to have background information. Knowledge is power.   Let’s prepare ourselves to begin.   Day 2: Kujichagulia (or self-determination)   Habari gani! Your response: Kujichagulia!   Let’s do it again: Habari gani! Kujichagulia!   Now please give me the Swahili greeting. (pause) Kujichagulia!   Yes, the second day of Kwanzaa is Kujichagulia! It means self-determination. But what is self-determination?   Dr. Karenga said self-determination is: To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.   This is a particularly important concept for African Americans. But first let’s go a little more deeply into examining the principle.   Self-determination (I will use the English word) is both a commitment and a practice. It demands that we, as an African people, define, defend and develop ourselves instead of encouraging others to do this for us. It requires that we learn, accept and embody our history and culture and commit to shape our world in our own image. It is also a call to bring our own unique perspective to the world and speak its truth to the world.   Self-determination is a fundamental part* of freedom and of being a free people. For that reason, we also want the world to reflect our truth and perspective, our image AND our interest. Before we are able to reflect this to the world, we must as individuals, develop a strong sense of self-awareness and self-acceptance.   The great Franz Fanon (who wrote the groundbreaking book, The Wretched of the Earth), has said that each person must ask himself or herself three questions:   Who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be?   Yes, those are not easy questions, but they are important even essential to self-awareness and self-acceptance as a prelude to self-determination. They are not simply questions of personal identity, but more profoundly, they are also questions of history and culture. They are questions of understanding and accepting a collective identity.   Returning to the three questions.   Who am I? To answer this question requires the individual to know and live one’s history and to practice one’s culture.   Am I really who I say I am? To answer this question requires the individual to have an employ a level of cultural authenticity, discerning between what is merely appearance and what is fundamental, what is culturally rooted and what is foreign.     Am I all that I ought to be? To answer this question requires the individual to use ethical and cultural standards to measure individuality and personhood. To examine the quality of one’s thought and practice in the context of who they are at this time and who they want to be now and in the future.   These are not easy questions or self-examinations but they are important exercises to attain a full level of self-realization. They are important for exercising your rights to freedom. Freedom is not free and self-examination is one cost of it.   For African Americans, this is particularly important because self-determination was denied to us in the United States. As enslaved persons, we were denied EVERY type of power or right to live as free persons and to pursue a self-determined path. That also involved the denial of our African history, language, and culture. After the end of slavery, African Americans were STILL denied this right and power. We were given labels rather than being allowed to name ourselves. We were denied a proper education, the right to vote, the right to own property, to travel, to marry whom we chose, and many other fundamental rights to determine and shape our lives and our future. That is why the celebration of Kwanzaa is so important as it helps us to remember and connect with our heritage. And Carter G. Woodson founded Black History month (today called African American history month) for the same reason. He said, “If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.”   But the commitment to self-determination was ALWAYS present in Black people even after we first landed in America. (This is not a surprise since this concept is an integral part of African cultures.) So, we fought for freedom. We have fought for equality. And we fought to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. (Dr. Karenga was right about that.) But the struggle continues. For rights and powers individually and collectively. Learning our history and culture is an important. Practicing our culture is important.   So that ends the discussion of self-determination (or kujichagulia—I felt the need to use the Swahili word, exercising my right to use my language of choice). Please remember to ask yourself: Who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be? Ask yourself every day. And I strongly encourage you to read The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon. He was a true warrior for freedom and self-determination of the African people. His book is life-changing.   It is now time to light the red candle farthest to the left.   It is now time to hear a Kwanzaa story about self-determination.   The Three Tests Once, long ago three tigers came to Africa. They went to the country of the animals and made this terrible announcement. "From now on, this land will be ruled by the Tigers. We are, after all, the strongest, fastest and wisest of all animals. Therefore, we are the only fit rulers." they claimed. A little mouse spoke up from the crowd, " But we have a council where we make our decisions together, we don't need or want any ruler." One of the tigers let out a roar so loud and fierce that the poor mouse started running and didn't stop until he was in the land of the humans. To this day, he lives in the houses of humans. Her cousin, the field mouse misses her terribly. The other animals didn't like the idea much either, but they looked at those tigers' big claws and sharp teeth and were afraid to speak. These tigers were even bigger than the lion. "We will collect taxes and we'll also change the name of this country. From now on, this will be Tigerland and you will call yourselves servants of the tigers." they said. Finally, Anansi spoke. "Great tigers, it is clear that you are strong, fast and wise, but just so that everyone will know for sure that you are stronger, faster and wiser than anyone else, let us have a contest." Anansi suggested. The tigers liked the idea, so Anansi continued. "Let us prepare ourselves, then tomorrow we will choose someone to compete against each of you." So the tigers left and the animals held a private meeting to discuss what to do. The next morning, the animals were ready. The tigers came to the council circle. The strongest tiger spoke first. "Who will compete against me?" he asked. "I will." said the tiny voice of the field mouse. The tiger laughed until he cried. "This will not take long." he said. "Who will race me?" roared the swiftest tiger. "I will." said the tortoise. "This is no contest at all!" shouted the tigers. Hare told the third tiger, " I must bring you to the home of the owl. She is the wisest of all creatures." "We will see," said the tiger. First was the contest of strength. The field mouse brought the tiger to a large clearing. They each stood at one edge of the clearing with one end of a rope. Between them was placed hundreds of big thorn bushes. When she gave a signal of two short tugs on the rope, the tiger was to start pulling. The loser would get dragged across the thorns. The tiger laughed at the little mouse and said that he was ready. She gave the signal, and the tiger began to pull. What he didn't know was that behind the field mouse, standing in the forest was a great bull elephant holding onto the rope. So while the tiger pulled on one end, the elephant pulled on the other. The tiger got dragged all the way through the thorn bushes yelling, " Ouch! OOOCH! Ouch! Ouch!" all the way. "If this is how strong the mice are, I would hate to see what the other animals can do!" he shouted.  Next was the race. The tortoise brought the fastest tiger to a five-mile stretch of road in the forest. At each mile marker, one of tortoise's cousins was hiding. (To the tiger they would all look alike.) When the race began, Tiger went zooming away, leaving the tortoise in his dust. As he was coming to the first mile marker, the tiger was laughing to himself. "How could a tortoise think he could outrun me?" he said. Just then, Tortoise came out from his hiding place behind the mile marker. "What took you so long, Mr. Tiger?" he asked politely. Tiger was shocked. "How did you get here so fast?!" he screamed. Tortoise didn't answer. He just slowly plodded off toward the next marker. The tiger zoomed past him and ran at top speed to the second mile-marker, only to find Tortoise sitting there waiting. "I really thought tigers were faster than this." he said, sounding very disappointed. "I'll beat you yet!" shouted the tiger as he sped to the next marker. At this third marker, Tortoise was sitting down playing a game of Mankala with Anansi and laughing about how easy the race was. Tiger couldn't believe his eyes. At the fourth marker, Tortoise was asleep, snoring loudly. Tiger sped by him so fast that he left the tortoise spinning like a top. Finally, tiger was racing toward the finish line. Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Tiger was running at full speed. Nothing could stop him now. Yet, as he got closer to the line, he noticed a little round thing sitting there. It must be a rock he told himself. But as he got closer, he saw that little head and those four little legs and he knew. Tortoise was already there! "It's impossible!" he screamed. But no matter how much he screamed, it didn't change the fact that Tortoise had won the race.  Now the hare was bringing the third tiger to the home of the wise old owl. But the hare kept complaining of stomach pains and said that he couldn't walk very well. "Can't you get someone else to show me the way?" said the tiger angrily. "I'm the only one who knows the way," whispered Hare, "It's a secret." Tiger was irritated. " Then you'll just have to ride on my back," he said. They rode on for a little while, but the hare kept letting himself slide off the tiger's back, so they weren't making much progress. "If you bring me to my house, I can get my saddle." Hare suggested, "That way, I won't slip off." So the tiger brought the hare home and let Hare put a saddle on him. "And if you let me use these reins," Hare continued, "I can steer you left or right without talking so much. I have a sore throat you know." Tiger agreed. Then the hare went into his house and came out wearing spurs and carrying a whip. "Wait a minute!" said Tiger, "What's all that for?!" "Oh I just wear these spurs for show." Hare said. " And the whip is so I can keep the flies off you while you're giving me a ride." "Okay," said the tiger, "But be careful." So they rode on, but not to the owl's home. They went right to the council circle. All the other animals were gathered there. When Hare came in sight of the other animals, he dug his spurs into the tiger's sides and snapped that whip against the tiger's backside and yelled "GITTY UP HORSEY!" That tiger went jumping and howling through the crowd looking about as foolish as a fool can look. All the animals laughed and laughed. The other tigers were so embarrassed that they pleaded with the hare to stop. The hare got off the tiger's back and took his saddle and reins. Those tigers agreed never to come back to Africa again. That's why, to this day, there are no tigers in the forests of Africa. And everyone got along fine in the land of animals with everyone as equals, no kings, no queens, no rulers. The End.       If you like, you can discuss this story and what it meant to you. No pressure or demands. This is a time of sharing for those who wish to share. And a time of listening for those who prefer to listen. Now let’s fill and pass the unity cup (kikomba cha umoja). Everyone take a sip. Pause and reflect on the concept of kujichagulia (self determination) for a moment. Perhaps consider the three questions: who am I? Am I really who I say I am? Am I all that I ought to be? Then blow out the candle. This concludes Day 2 of the Kwanzaa celebration. I just want to thank Eshu Bumpus for providing this story about self-determination. This story was written by Eshu who is an accomplished storyteller and expert on Kwanzaa. You might know that storytelling has strong roots in African culture as a method of teaching and transforming as well as entertainment. Eshu has a website called www.folktales.net. I am so grateful that he has agreed to allow us to present his stories on this Wiki history podcast. Thank you for participating in Day 2 of Kwanzaa with us. Remember to visit us on our Facebook page called Wiki History if you need more information or want to share your Kwanzaa experiences with us. We hope to see you tomorrow at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Kwanzaa yenu iwe na heri. (Kwanzaa YEH-Noo ee-wah nah heh-REE). Happy Kwanzaa!                  

Hello history lovers and welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.   Hi, I’m Robin the host and in-house historian at rememberinghistory.com.   We hope that you enjoyed the November podcasts that discussed African Americans in the military, focusing mostly on Black veterans. We heard some great stories, some sad stories and some inspirational stories. And remember the quote by WEB Dubois: We return. We return from fighting. We return fighting. I’m still moved whenever I read that quote. African Americans had it hard after they returned home from various wars. They weren’t welcomed as the heroes they were, who had fought for freedom and democracy around the world. But WE can recognize their courage and service and we should do so throughout the year. These stories and podcast shows are just one way but it’s important that they are remembered for their service. I know that some of the stories were a bit heavy, but I hope that the lessons were learned and that the inspiration was felt.   I’m so glad that you’ve returned for this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history and culture. I find history to BE inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history and culture fit the bill in all of these ways. Personally, I hate boring stuff. So boring stuff is not allowed at rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show.   Speaking of the show, the Wiki history podcast show for December will focus on a very special theme: The celebration of Kwanzaa! Yes, this is the month that many Black people—African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans and continental Africans—celebrate Kwanzaa. And that’s what we are going to do this month.   The format of the show will also be a bit different too. Today’s show will introduce the celebration of Kwanzaa, what it’s about, who started it, when was it founded, WHY it was started, then I’ll briefly introduce the 7 days of Kwanzaa.   Each of the next 7 shows will be dedicated to celebrating one of the 7 Kwanzaa days. These shows are for the whole family—all of the rememberinghistory.com shows are good for the whole family—but these Kwanzaa shows can be enjoyed during the Kwanzaa season. There will be great information but, more interestingly, there will be a Kwanzaa story that explains the daily Kwanzaa theme. It will be great for families to discuss the Kwanzaa theme, what it means and how individuals and families can incorporate this theme into their lives.   So, you see, this is very different from our usual Wiki history podcast format. It’s more interactive and celebratory. By the way, I would love to know your thoughts about these podcasts after you have listened to them. It can help us to improve these podcasts to make them more meaningful and impactful (I love that word!) for you.   Before we begin, just a bit of housekeeping.   During this podcast, you will hear about the rituals, the objects and different words in Swahili related to Kwanzaa. You will HEAR about them, but I completely understand if you want to actually SEE them, too. You can find visuals and words on the Wiki History Podcast Page on Facebook. You will find pictures, animated videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for us because we really appreciate them and we do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. Let’s change the way that we think of history—one friend at a time.   And the Rememberinghistory.com staff is committed to presenting the stories and contributions of African Americans but we also want to encourage you to make history today. We hope that this show does that but also we have the Making History Today! newsletter that teaches people how to change the world! It’s actually easier than you might think but it’s a great newsletter that you can subscribe to at the Rememberinghistory.com website and Facebook page. Don’t be shy; go right ahead and subscribe and get started changing the world and making history!   Let’s begin talking about Kwanzaa! Tis the season!   Habari gani!   Habari gani!   That’s a traditional greeting in the Swahili language. And it is always the way of starting the Kwanzaa celebration for the day.   We’re gonna begin the discussion in a slightly different way. Before we talk about what Kwanzaa is, let’s talk about what Kwanzaa is not.   Kwanzaa is NOT political. Kwanzaa is NOT religious. And Kwanzaa is NOT related to Christmas.   Kwanzaa IS a wonderful week-long celebration of African culture and spirituality. (It is NOT associated with any religion.) It was designed to help African Americans remember the history, richness and rituals of African culture, particularly the African mindset of showing gratitude for the harvest, honoring the ancestors and remembering the family unit. Kwanzaa celebrates all of this.   Kwanzaa was founded in 1966 by Dr. Ron Karenga who was an active part of the Black nationalist movements of the 1960s and 1970s. He designed it as one of the first specifically African American holidays. During the 1960s and 70s, there was a movement by African Americans to reconnect with African culture and history—things that were systematically stripped away from us during slavery and then diminished and disregarded for years. So, Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration. No, it is NOT political. It is NOT religious. It is NOT related to Christmas. It is cultural and educational.   Today, Kwanzaa is celebrated by about 30 million people worldwide—in the United States, in Canada, the Caribbean and several European countries.   Kwanzaa (which means “first fruits”) begins on December 26th and ends on January 1st (New Years Day).   It’s important to remember that Kwanzaa is a celebration of African heritage. So, start with decorating your home, making your home beautiful with pictures, posters, art, statues or anything else that uplifts your spirit and beautifies your home. Place African crafts, baskets, cloth patterns, sculptures, banners and pictures throughout your home. Focus on the Kwanzaa colors of black (which represents the African people), red (which represents the blood or struggle of the African people) and green (which represents the land and future of the African people). Most important thing: create a space in a prominent area for the Kwanzaa table or altar. You will use that every day throughout Kwanzaa.   What will you need   You need 3 things:   Kwanzaa mat (mkeka). You can use the Kwanzaa flag, Pan-African flag or a tablecloth with 1 or all of the Kwanzaa colors. A candleholder (kinara) with 7 candles mishumaa saba. 1 black candle, 3 red candles and 3 green candles. Unity cup kikombe cha umoja—any simple or elaborate cup or goblet.   That’s it. Yes, of course, there is a lot more that you can add but these are the basics. And you will use these items on every day of the Kwanzaa celebration.   So, let’s get to it:   Each of the 7 days of Kwanzaa has a theme on which you will focus during the ceremony. Let’s go through the theme first then we’ll go through the activities. By the way, I’m gonna give you the daily theme in Swahili first then in English. It really doesn’t matter which language you use. Personally, I like using new languages but just use whichever feels better to you.   Day 1. Umoja!   Harbari gani! On the first day of Kwanzaa, we recognize Umoja or the concept of Unity.   Dr. Karenga (remember he founded Kwanzaa) thought of Umoja (Unity)—working for and maintaining harmony and togetherness in the family, the community, the nation and the world.   The first day of Kwanzaa is celebrated on December 26. It begins with lighting the Black candle at the center of the kinara. Lighting the Black candle marks the beginning of the festive Kwanzaa season. Someone will then make a statement, tell a story or even say a poem about the concept of Unity. This part is very flexible. You can sing a song, play an instrument, perform a dance or do anything that illustrates the concept of unity. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled. Then it is passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the Black candle is blown out and the ceremony for the day is ended.   (Day 2): Kujichagulia!   Harbari gani! December 27 is the second day of Kwanzaa. On Day 2, we celebrate Kujichagulia or self-determination.   Dr. Karenga thought of self-determination as defining who we are, creating who we are, and acting and speaking for ourselves.   On this second day of Kwanzaa, first the black candle is lit then the red candle (farthest to the left) is lit. Then someone will make a statement or tell a story about the principle of self-determination in his or her own life. Again, this part is very flexible. You can be as creative as you like. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled then passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the Black and Red candles are blown out and the ceremony for the day is ended.   (Day 3): Habari gani! Ujima!   Remember that everyone will greet each other with habari gani.   December 28 marks the third day of Kwanzaa. On Day 3, we celebrate Ujima or collective work and responsibility.   Dr. Karenga thought of Ujima as building and maintaining our community together, sharing our joys and problems and solving our problems together.   Next we light the candles in the following order:   Black candle (in the middle) is lit Red candle to the far left is lit Green candle to the far right is lit   Then someone present will then make a statement, tell a story or discuss about the principle of collective work and responsibility. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled. Then it is passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the candles are extinguished and the ceremony for the day is ended.   (Day 4): Ujamaa!   Harbari gani! December 29 marks the fourth day of Kwanzaa. On day 4, we celebrate Ujamaa or cooperative economics.   Dr. Karenga thought of the concept of Ujamaa as building and maintaining our own businesses, and supporting the businesses of others and growing and profiting from them together.   On the fourth day of Kwanzaa, you will light another red candle. So the order is:   Black candle (in the middle) is lit first. Red candle to the far left is lit Green candle to the far right is lit Finally the red candle farthest to the left is lit.   Then someone will make a statement, tell a story or discuss about the principle of cooperative economics in their life or as it affects others. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled then it is passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the candles are extinguished and the ceremony for the day is ended   (Day 5): Nia!   Harbari gani! December 30 marks the fifth day of Kwanzaa. On day 5, we celebrate the principle of Nia or purpose.   Dr. Karenga thought of nia as focusing on building our communities together, maintaining them, and restoring them to greatness.   On the fifth day of Kwanzaa, you will light another green candle. So the order is:   Black candle (in the middle) is lit first. Red candle to the far left is lit Green candle to the far right is lit Then the red candle farthest to the left is lit. Then another green candle farthest to the right is lit.   Then someone will make a statement, tell a story or discuss about the principle of purpose. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled with juice. Then it is passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the candles are extinguished and the ceremony for the day is ended.   (Day 6): Kuumba!   Harbari gani! December 31st marks the 6th day of Kwanzaa and it is a very special day! On the 6th day, we celebrate the principle of Kuumba or creativity. As it is New Year’s Eve, the day is an especially festive day because it marks the last day of the calendar year.   Dr. Karenga thought of kuumba or creativity as working hard to make our communities more beautiful and functional for today and for future generations.   Then we light the candles:   First, the Black candle (in the middle) is lit. Red candle to the far left is lit Green candle to the far right is lit Then another red candle farthest to the left is lit. Then another green candle farthest to the right is lit. Then final red candle is lit.     On this special final day of the year, the home is specially decorated with traditional Kwanzaa colors of black, red and green. Special dishes are made for the family and guests. On December 31, families and communities hold a karamu which is a special feast, including readings, remembrances and a festive meal. The karamu feast may consist of traditional African dishes, as well as those featuring ingredients that Africans brought to the United States...sesame seeds, peanuts, sweet potatoes, collard greens and spicy sauces, for example. This celebration may be held at a home, church or community center.   Then the unity cup is passed around. All members who are present should remember their ancestors while the Unity cup is shared.   (Day 7): Habari gani! Imani!   The last and final day of Kwanzaa falls on January 1st, New Year’s Day.   The focus on the seventh day of Kwanzaa is on Imani or faith.   Dr. Karenga thought of Imani as believing in ourselves, our people, our parents and teachers and our leaders. Believing in the importance of our vision for a better community and for a better world.   Next the candles are lit:   Always begin with the Black candle in the center then alternate back and forth between the red and green candles until all are lit.   Then someone will make a statement, tell a story or discuss about the principle of creativity. Afterwards, the unity cup is filled with juice. Then it is passed around the table. Everyone takes a sip from the unity cup. After the sharing of the cup, the candles are extinguished and the ceremony for the day is ended.   The last day of Kwanzaa...the first day of the New Year...has been a time of serious appraisal for African people. Also known as the "Day of Meditation" or "Day of Assessment," it is a period of self-reflection related to things done and things yet to be done. Following in this tradition, it is a time to ask yourself the following three questions: "Who am I?" - "Am I really who I say I am" - "Am I all I ought to be?" In addition, this is also a day when many Kwanzaa participants choose to pay particular homage to the ancestors...those of the national community as well as those of the family.   Everyone concludes the entire ceremony saying "Harambee!" (which is a reminder to “let’s pull together!”) seven times—one time for each day of the Kwanzaa ceremony.               So, lots of information just now. Just to recap.   Step 1: Everyone stands around the Kwanzaa table. Bid each other the traditional greeting of Habari gani. Answer by saying the theme of the day. Take this opportunity to practice your Swahili. Answer: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) or Imani (faith)   Step 2: Light the candles for the day. Always start with the black candle in the middle then alternate between the red and green candles.   Step 3: Someone present will make a statement, tell a story, say a poem, sing a song or just discuss the daily theme in his or her life. Get creative here and just express yourself in any way that works best for you.   Step 4: Fill the Unity cup and pass it around the table. Everyone will take a sip from the cup.   Step 5: Put the candles out. You’re finished.   These steps are continued for the seven days of Kwanzaa. At the end of the 7th day, everyone shouts “Harambee!” seven times. Harambee means “let’s pull together!”   So, that is the celebration of Kwanzaa. You see that it can help individuals and families to remember and feel the connection with their African roots, culture and heritage. There is a lot more that you can do as part of this celebration. Do it YOUR way but don’t be shy about expanding yourself and reaching for new experiences.   And, as I promised in the beginning, you can get more information about Kwanzaa from Maya Angelou. She and award-winning filmmaker, MK Asante made a movie about Kwanzaa called The Black Candle. It is the first movie ever made about Kwanzaa and was filmed in the United States, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. The film discusses Kwanzaa’s growth during the Black Power movement through the modern day experience as a global pan-African movement. This is an excellent film for all ages and can help to understand the context, meaning and importance of Kwanzaa to families and communities. The Black Candle has been described as more than a film about a holiday: it’s a celebration of a people! Highly recommended. You can get more information about The Black Candle on the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook and you can rent the film on iTunes.   Speaking of excellent films about Kwanzaa, the rememberinghistory.com team has created an animated video about Kwanzaa—what it is, what it means and how to celebrate it. You can find it on the rememberinghistory.com website and the Wiki Podcast page. It’s short, educational and lots of fun. Your whole family will enjoy it.   So, that’s all for this introduction. I know that I mentioned a lot of words in Swahili. Again, you can find them at the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook. You will also find pictures of the items like the kinari (the candleholder), the unity cup (kikumba cha umoja) and lots of other helpful items. Most importantly, you will find a lively group of African American history and culture enthusiasts who enjoy meeting new people and discussing these topics. Everyone is welcome!   Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   Are you ready to learn about Kwanzaa and hear some great Kwanzaa stories? Great! Go ahead and listen to Day 1 of Kwanzaa!             If you have any questions about Kwanzaa or want to share your stories of how you celebrate Kwanzaa or even why you choose NOT to celebrate Kwanzaa, please contact me at robin@rememberinghistory.com. I love hearing your thoughts and stories. Also, as promised, when you contact me and leave your email address, I will send you a special e-gift for Kwanzaa (yes, Kwanzaa also can involve gift-giving!)   On that high note, a very joyous Kwanzaa from everyone at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it! Every day. Ha  

Welcome back! That last section was pretty heavy. The racial terror and violence inflicted on Black veterans who had fought for their country are difficult subjects to hear and infuriating to learn about. But it’s even more infuriating that these stories are not taught in schools or discussed on the Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day holidays. Yet these stories need to be told and remembered. Why? It’s history. Not the glamorous and happy history but still it is a part of American history AND the African American experience. It honors the Black soldiers who fought, endured and persevered through the wars, the discrimination and the violence. Again, it reminds me of the quote by WEB DuBois: We return. We return from fighting. We return fighting.   Second, this dishonorable behavior by white Americans who were determined never to accept or respect the contributions of African American soldiers is instructive. We can learn something from their behavior: Why did they act as they did? What were they thinking? What were they afraid of?   Some historians have responded to these questions by focusing on the trigger of their behavior. They didn’t like the thought of a Black veteran wearing his uniform with pride, unity and confidence. This conflicted with the white supremacist picture and structure that they had worked hard since the slavery period to develop. A skilled and confident Black serviceman in uniform is a different person than an uneducated and enslaved person in rags. The former terrified white people. The latter appeased them.     Think of Black Navy veteran Joe Nathan Roberts who, in June 1947, was studying at Temple University as a result of the GI Bill. He went to visit family in Georgia when a group of white men became upset because he refused to call them “sir.” Later that night, Mr. Roberts was abducted from his parents’ home and shot to death. African American veterans had definitely changed and this was disturbing to the white population, particularly in the south.   Then the federal government made a bold move to help veterans. They passed the GI bill. And that permanently changed life in America.   What is the GI Bill?   The GI Bill was officially known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. It was a law that provided a range of benefits for returning World War II veterans (who were commonly referred to as G.I.s). It was an important race-neutral piece of legislation for veterans. However, we will see that African American veterans did not receive the full benefits of this historic legislation.   Benefits included dedicated payments of tuition and living expenses to attend high school, college or vocational or technical school, low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business, as well as one year of unemployment compensation. It was available to all veterans who had been on active duty during the war years for at least 90 days and had not been dishonorably discharged—exposure to combat was not required. By 1956, roughly 7.8 million veterans had used the G.I. Bill education benefits, some 2.2 million to attend colleges or universities and an additional 5.6 million used the GI bill for some kind of training program.   Historians and economists judge the G.I. Bill as a major political and economic success—especially in contrast to the treatment of World War I veterans—and a major contribution to America's long-term economic growth.   Although the G.I. Bill did not specifically advocate discrimination, it was interpreted differently for blacks than for whites. Historians have argued "the law was deliberately designed to accommodate a “Jim Crow” or segregation-based society. Because the programs were directed by local, white officials, many Black veterans were refused benefits. For example, of the first 67,000 mortgages insured by the G.I. Bill, fewer than 100 were taken out by non-white vets.   Why is this part of the story important to remember? Because it helps explain the ongoing challenges of African-Americans to build wealth and achieve intergenerational mobility.    How the GI Bill played out is one of those reasons. Whites were able to use the government guaranteed housing loans that were a pillar of the bill to buy homes in the fast growing suburbs. Those homes subsequently rose greatly in value in coming decades, creating vast new household wealth for whites during the postwar era.  But black veterans weren't able to make use of the housing provisions of the GI Bill for the most part. Banks generally wouldn't make loans for mortgages in black neighborhoods, and African-Americans were excluded from the suburbs (and other predominantly white neighborhood) by a combination of racially restrictive covenants (that were still legal) and informal racism.  In short, the GI Bill helped fostered a long-term boom in white wealth but did almost nothing to help blacks to build wealth or to help Black veterans to re-adjust after their military service. We are still living with the effects of that exclusion today -- and will be for a long time to come.  THIS is why it is so important to discuss this GI bill of 1944. What happens in the past can definitely have an effect in the present: The GI bill is a great example of that. But the GI bill did have its benefits for Black veterans too. The GI bill did have a very positive effect in one area: Education. The passage of the G.I. Bill in 1944 set off an explosion in higher education. It provided veterans with generous financial aid for tuition and living expenses. By 1947, 49 percent of all college students were veterans and nearly half of the 16 million eligible veterans had used the G.I. Bill for higher education or job training when it ended in 1956. It has been passed again to extend it for veterans of later wars.) The G.I. Bill changed the structure of the United States, creating access to education for millions of Americans and helping to spawn the modern middle class. But this increased opportunity was not universal even in education. Many African-American veterans could not attend college because of their sub-standard Jim Crow primary and secondary educations. Those with high school diplomas were largely limited to overcrowded and under-funded historically black colleges and universities that often lacked the liberal arts education available at predominantly white institutions. While these veterans were often only able to choose among overcrowded black colleges, the influx of subsidies for black students forced many white universities to open their doors to nonwhites, helping begin the great integration of higher education. Of course, many of the southern universities remained solidly segregationist. Eventually, the supreme court (with the help of federal troops) forced them to integrate.    So, the GI Bill (The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944) had a positive impact on veterans following World War II and fortunately it was passed again for subsequent wars. In some ways, it contributed to creating or solidifying an American middle class—by helping people to buy homes, receive unemployment benefits and attend high school and college. In fact, President Bill Clinton called it one of the most important pieces of economic legislation that was ever passed in the United States. But it’s clear that the benefits were unequal. African American veterans (and other non-white veterans) were not able to reap the benefits of the GI bill. The social structure that kept whites on top and blacks on the bottom had not been resolved in such a way that Black veterans were able to fully access the benefits of the bill in the way that white veterans were able to. But access to education was certainly one way in which African Americans were able to benefit. And they took full advantage of that opportunity. That benefit had an impact on generations of African Americans. But the financial benefits offered by the bill that would help with mortgages and assist in home ownership were largely inaccessible to African Americans. And that also had an impact on generations of African Americans. We’re gonna come to a close now. This podcast is getting rather long. But the story of African Americans in the military needs to be told. We’ve only touched on it. I haven’t even mentioned the Black heroes—both men and women—who served with great distinction and honor in the military. They deserve to be remembered. And I haven’t mentioned the servicewomen and men who TODAY are serving courageously and protecting freedom and democracy around the world. They deserve a podcast show too.         Remember that the African American experience in the United States is not all doom and gloom. It’s also victory and achievement. Courage and honor. Greatness and glory. In spite of everything, African American veterans and civilians have achieved so much in this country and contributed so much to building and protecting the United States.   Remembering history means remembering everything including the good, the bad and the ugly. Let’s end with the following quote: On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind.   So, what can WE do?   At rememberinghistory.com, we want to learn the history but we also want to take action. We can we do so that no veteran (Black or otherwise) is ever left behind?   It’s a good question but I don’t have all the answers. I have some ideas though.   I want to hear your thoughts and ideas. But I also want to see you at the next show where you can hear practical tips for helping our veterans. They did for us. Now it’s time to do for them. We don’t want any of our service women or men left behind.   So, let’s confront this tough task in the next show. It should be interesting and I hope actionable. It is time to take real action to respect, protect and support our veterans and their families. So that brings us to the end of today’s podcast show.   I realize that I mentioned lots of names, places, events, experiences and other information that you might want more information about. The rememberinghistory.com team has you covered. You can get more information, see the people and places, read the “What You Can Do” list, see great pictures and even find good a book list at the Wiki History podcast page on Facebook. You can also find the newsletter called Making History Today! which discusses practical ways that you can actually MAKE history through education, the arts, political activism or whatever interests you.   Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day! And, like Matthew Henson, get ready to sit on top of the world! Bye for now!            

Welcome to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. I’m Robin Lofton, the Chief In-house Historian and host of this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history. I find history to BE inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history fits the bill in all of these ways. Personally, I hate boring stuff. So boring stuff is not allowed at rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show.   Speaking of the show, today’s podcast show is about Black explorers and adventurers. I think that this is a great time to learn about Black explorers. Why? Because it’s October. In the United States, October is the month that many people celebrate Columbus’s birthday. Yes, it’s a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October. But it’s important to know many individual states are celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ day instead of Columbus’s birthday. And I think that we all know the reason for that.   Here at rememberinghistory.com, we are celebrating Black explorers as we have for the past several years by discussing a few Black explorers and their inspirational stories. However, this year, we’re doing something a bit different. We are going to examine WHY people explore, why exploration is so important, and then we’re gonna ask for your thoughts about what exploration means to you and where you might like to explore one day.   During this podcast, you will hear about people, places, events and issues. You will HEAR about them, but I completely understand if you want to actually SEE them, too. You can find pictures of them on the Wiki History Podcast Page on Facebook. You will find pictures, animated videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for me because I really appreciate them and I do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. Let’s change the way that we think of history—one friend at a time.   So, why is exploring important? First let’s look at what exploring actually is.   To explore means to travel to an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it.   Throughout the centuries, exploring has taken different forms. Yet there was always the aspect of a “new and unfamiliar” place. In days past, many people explored new areas to find new riches and wealth like gold or other precious minerals. Others explored new areas to acquire land that they could homestead and farm. Still others were interested in the peoples of new and unfamiliar lands for reasons such as enslavement, slave trading or promoting “civilization.”   Wow, these past purposes of exploration were not so noble or endearing. Exploitation was the focus. And we know the damage and destruction that was done to indigenous peoples and their land. Gee, this makes me think of the quote “I fear the evil that men do in the name of evil but God save us from the evil that men do in the name of good.” Lots of death and destruction in the wake of many early explorers. Columbus included. But did you know that there were several Black explorers who traveled with Columbus like the Nina brothers Juan (he actually helmed La Nina), Francisco who was a sailor and Pedro who was actually with Columbus when he landed in Trinidad. Another Black explorer, Juan Guarrido, accompanied Vasco de Gama in his search of the Fountain of Youth. Juan Guarrido was also part of the Cortez-led invasion of Mexico, which led to the conquest of the Aztecs in 1519. (Okay, that’s not a great legacy for an explorer but he is also credited with harvesting the first commercial wheat crop in the Americas.)   Modern exploration is MUCH different from exploring in days long past. (Unless perhaps you’re thinking of exploration for oil, rubber or other precious commodities.)   Modern explorers focus more on the educational and observational aspects of exploring. Today’s explorers really want to learn about a new place or to discover the existence of the new place. Take Matthew Henson for example. He is credited as being the first African American to reach the North Pole. (Some say that he was actually the first person from anywhere to reach the North Pole!)   But Matthew Henson was an able and experienced sailor, navigator and craftsman. He learned the Inuit language and culture, married an Inuit woman and learned to build igloos and drive dogsleds in the Inuit way. I remember an iconic quote from Henson saying, “I think that I am the first man to sit on the top of the world!”           And, of course, there was William Henry Sheppard who explored the Congo river area in Central Africa. Born a free man in Virginia in 1865, he attended a “colored” school where he learned to read and write then actually took classes with Booker T. Washington at Hampton College. After becoming a Presbyterian minister, he developed a burning desire to become a missionary in Africa. He was finally allowed to go to the Congo river basin in what is today called the Democratic Republic on Congo. He settled in a village called Luebo.   He met the Bakuba people and learned their methods of survival and culture. He studied their crops, textiles and music. He studied the way that the Bakuba people worshipped their ancestors. He learned to hunt and killed snakes and large game to help feed the villagers. He even killed a hippopotamus and learned to dry the meat to trade and share with the villagers.   Sheppard learned to speak the Kuba language, which helped him to discover parts of the Congo region where no American or European had ever gone. Sheppard and his local Bakuba guide would go from village to village buying eggs at different markets. For three months, he would buy and eat eggs and preach the gospel at every village where he stopped. For years, he stayed and studied the culture and, because of his excellent language skills and respectful manner, he was welcomed into the villages by the local leaders. William Henry Sheppard was definitely an explorer!   As a boy, Sheppard had often said of Africa, “When I grow up, I shall go there.” And that’s exactly what he did!   Barbara Hillary also went there! Not to the Congo but to the North Pole. Then to the South Pole. Many people told her that she was too old and that she would die from the cold and hardships. That the North Pole was no place for a 75-year old woman from New York who had reduced breathing capacity about a bout with lung cancer. But she went there anyway. At the age of 75, she went to the North Pole. Then at 79 years old (in her case, 79 years young), she went to the South Pole! She always said that age was just a number. To get out a challenge yourself. That was exactly what she did.       Another explorer who wouldn’t let age stop her was Sophie Danenberg who at age 34 became the first African American woman to climb Mount Everest. Through the urging of a childhood friend, she started mountain climbing while living in Illinois.   Danenberg's first major climb was at Mount Rainier in Washington State in 2002.  Over the next two years, she scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Baker in Washington state, and Mount Kenya, 2003.  In 2005 she scaled five more major peaks including Denali and Mount Tasman.   But 2006 proved to be her big year!   Sophie received a surprise phone call to inform her that she was permitted to join the expedition that was going up Mount Everest. And she only had one week to prepare! Yes, it was a struggle. On the mountain of mountains, she developed bronchitis, frostbite and a clogged oxygen mask. Yet but she persisted and prevailed. And, on May 19, 2006, she became the first Black woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.   Sophie was the first Black person but definitely NOT the last. With privately raised funds and sheer focus and determination, men and women from the African continent have scaled Mount Everest. Notably, Saray Khumalo from South Africa climbed Kilimanjaro, Mera Peak, LoBuche East, Elbrus and Aconcagua—all in four short years. She has faced Everest but, unfortunately, nature stood in the way. In 2014, she was deterred by deadly avalanche that killed 16 sherpa. The following year, an earthquake prevented her from climbing Everest. But Saray Khumalo will not be forever deterred and she’s already started raising the money for her next excursion—this time to the summit!—going up Everest, encouraged by a quote from Nelson Mandela: It always seems impossible until it’s done! Saray climbs for herself but also for others: she has raised money to building libraries and schools in South Africa and to provide lunches for school children. And, by the way, another South African, SibuSiso Vilane, became the first Black man to climb Mt. Everest in 2003 and has actually climbed all seven major peaks and completed the 3 Poles Challenge (you know, North Pole, South Pole and Everest).     But explorers have not stopped with Mount Everest. That’s the highest peak offered on this planet but other Black explorers went beyond the limits of planet Earth. Where did they go? They went into space! African American astronauts are a group of extreme explorers and have gone “where no man (or no ONE) has gone before!” (Sorry I just couldn’t resist that Star Trek quote!)   Let’s quickly meet them:   *Colonel Frederick Gregory—an accomplished pilot and test pilot BEFORE joining NASA. He spent more than 18 days in space and he was the first African American to pilot and command a space shuttle mission.   *Mae Jemison was a scientist and medical doctor before joining NASA. She spent 190 hours in space as a mission specialist and conducted groundbreaking experiments in space on weightlessness and motion sickness. In 1992, she became the first African American woman to go to space.   *Major General Charles Bolden was an experienced marine aviator and test pilot before joining NASA. He went on 4 flights and served as commander and pilot on the different flights. Major General Bolden spent more than 28 days in space.   *Colonel Guion Bluford, Jr.—a fighter pilot and engineer before joining NASA. In 1983, Colonel Bluford became the first African American to go to space, logging in more than 28 days in space as a mission specialist.   *Stephanie Wilson was an aerospace engineer before joining NASA as an astronaut. She has spent more than 42 days in space as a mission specialist and was responsible for robotics for spacewalking support. Ms. Wilson is still in active duty with NASA.   *Joan Higginbottam was an electrical engineer before joining NASA. She logged in more than 12 days in space where she operated the space station remote manipulator system.   *Robert Satcher was a surgeon, chemical engineer and professor at Feinburg School of Medicine before joining NASA. He was a mission specialist logging in 10 days and 2 walks in space. *Robert Curbeam was a Naval flight officer, pilot and engineer before joining NASA as an astronaut. He worked as the spacecraft communicator and spent 37 days in space, including 45 hours on 7 walks in space. And yes THAT is the record for time spent walking in space!   *Lieutenant Colonel Michael P. Anderson was a physicist before joining NASA as an astronaut. He spent more than 593 hours in space as a mission specialist, payload commander and lieutenant colonel in charge of science experiments.   *Captain Winston E. Scott is an engineer, pilot and (today) Dean of the Florida Institute of Technology before joining NASA. Captain Scott logged in 24 days in space, including 19 hours spent on 3 WALKS in space.   *Alvin Drew was a physicist and aeronautical engineer before joining NASA. He spent more than 25 days in space as a mission specialist and CAPCOM officer. He also did 2 walks in space for 12 hours!   *Leland Melvin was a materials science engineer before joining NASA. He has since logged in more than 23 days in space as a mission specialist.   *Bernard Anthony Harris was a biologist, medical doctor and pilot before joining NASA. He logged in 18 days in space as mission specialist and payload officer. In 1995, he became the first African American to do extra-vehicular activities, meaning that he actually WALKED in space.   Wow, we could make an entire show of the African American astronauts who have graced the NASA program AND ventured into outer space.   I want to give a special salute to two astronauts who died during their explorations:   *Major Robert Lawrence, Jr. was a skilled pilot and scientist. He was the First African-American astronaut; the first to be selected for astronaut training in 1967 in the Manned Orbital Laboratory program, which predated NASA. Major Lawrence was killed in a jet accident.   *Ronald McNair—was an optical physicist when he was selected by NASA. McNair was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster mission in 1986.   Before we move on to another interesting group of explorers, I do want to mention one more astronaut: Jeannette Epps. She has not yet gone into space but her time is coming. In 2016 NASA announced that Ms. Epps will launch on her first spaceflight in May 2018. She will be a flight engineer on Expedition 56, remaining on board for Expedition 57. Ms. Epps will become the first African-American crew member on the space station!   Let’s cheer her on in May of 2018. Great to watch a first flight AND a great step forward for African Americans and women everywhere!   But African American explorers didn’t only just aim higher and higher. They also set their sights on what lies beneath. In this case, they aimed—and conquered—the Mammoth caves in Kentucky.   We’re gonna stop here in this podcast show. We’ve covered a lot of great explorers; people who explored the North and South poles and the Congo. We just discussed people who have explored outer space and even walked in space! I think that we’ve gone high enough for now. In the next podcast show, we’re gonna explore another dark and untouched part of THIS planet. And we’re gonna continue our discussion about why we explore and why exploring is so important. I hope to see you at Part II of this great and groundbreaking discussion.   Also, please remember that you can “meet” many of these people on Facebook at out Wiki History Podcast page. Or at least you can see them. Pictures really do say a thousand words and seeing these people can help to bring them to life. You will also find our newsletter that helps you to learn history and teaches ways that you can MAKE history. Remember, we’re all history makers. We all have something to contribute. These stories show that ordinary people can do extraordinary things and live extraordinary lives.   So, I look forward to seeing you at Part II of the Black explorers podcast show at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it every day. Bye for now!                                                                           Welcome back to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. I’m Robin Lofton, the Chief In-house Historian and host of this great and groundbreaking show that will inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history.   This is part II of the podcast show on Black explorers. In the previous show, we discussed the importance of exploration and how exploration has changed over the centuries. And we discussed people who had aimed high (Mount Everest high) and even higher (outer space). Those were such interesting and inspirational stories. I hope that you’ve listened to part I of this series. I promise that you’ll be ready to stand and salute these brave men and women. But for now, I think that we should continue with the discussion of Black explorers.   Remember at the end of the show, I introduced the next group of explorers. They didn’t aim to go higher and higher. They were focused on discovering a part of this planet that had been ignored and feared: the Mammoth Cave system in Kentucky. Let’s get straight to their fascinating stories and then we’ll end with a discussion of why exploring is important and why it’s important to learn the stories of these great explorers.   The Mammoth caves make up the longest known cave system in the world, with more than 400 miles explored. Did that stop or scare these explorers? Not for a minute. In fact, many African Americans (some former enslaved persons) extensively explored this grand, gloomy and peculiar place.   Let me just mention a few of these courageous and skilled cave navigators.   Although human activity has been recorded in the Mammoth caves for more than 6,000 years, Stephen Bishop was one of the lead explorers and guides in the complex and yes dangerous subterranean cave system. In fact, he is the person who coined the “grand, gloomy and peculiar” term to describe the Mammoth Caves.   Stephen Bishop came to the Mammoth caves in 1838. He was African American, 17 years old and enslaved. Yet because of his great exploration and guiding skills, he did enjoy some freedoms and privileges in the Mammoth caves—and avoided the grueling physical work and suffering endured by other enslaved people. In fact, he was first introduced to the Mammoth caves by a white explorer. This developed Bishop’s love of exploration—and he spent the next two decades exploring the Mammoth caves.   Although he was introduced to the caves by other explorers, Stephen Bishop went far beyond those explored and toured areas. Bishop discovered miles of new routes that no human eye had ever seen. And he opened the gateway for modern exploration of these vast and incredible caves. Bishop also worked to draw a map from memory of the different passages in the caves. It was published in 1844 and was the defining map of the caves for over 40 years!   Yes, he made history: Stephen Bishop was the first to cross the “Bottomless Pit” which was a series of deep vertical shafts. Other explorers had stopped at the Bottomless Pit, refusing to cross over that dangerous abyss. Quite understandable but Bishop was not scared or stopped. He continued past the Bottomless Pit and into areas that had been completely unexplored. And he later safely guided others over the Bottomless Pit and into new regions of the caves. Bishop also explored and guided others into areas of the Mammoth Caves called Fat Man’s Misery (I can only guess why it was given that name!), Cleveland Avenue and the Mammoth Domes. Those are some of the most famous areas of the caves, made famous and popular by Stephen Bishop. Other popular attraction discovered by Stephen Bishop He discovered strange blind fish, snakes, silent crickets, and the remains of cave bears.     He absolutely loved the Mammoth caves and had a real drive for exploration. Still it was hard work and he crawled through tight winding passageways, discovered an underground river, scaled huge rocks, and dared to walk on a rickety nature-made ladder across the "Bottomless Pit."   In 1856, Stephen Bishop received his freedom but unfortunately died the following year at the age of 37.   Stephen Bishop might have been born into slavery, but he was never a slave. He was an explorer! And today he is a legend!   Another Black explorer who came to the Mammoth caves in 1838 was Nick Bransford. However, Bransford didn’t become a full-time explorer for nearly 20 years after moving to the caves. He started full-time guiding in 1857, after the death of Stephen Bishop.   Nick Bransford was an enslaved person (born during the period of slavery). Like Bishop, he was leased out and sent to the Mammoth caves to work. And interestingly there were records showing that he was valued at $800, which was substantially more than for other enslaved persons. This was most likely because of his skills as an explorer and guide.   Bransford later purchased his freedom by selling eyeless fish that he captured in the underground rivers within the caves.   The Mammoth Caves attracted many formerly enslaved people. Ed Bishop for example. No relation to Stephen Bishop. He came to the Mammoth caves in 1886.   Among his greatest achievements was to guide the German cartographer, Max Kamper, into the Mammoth Caves. For 8 months, he and Kamper remained at the cave, visiting all the known sections. But Ed Bishop also discovered new sections that he presented to Max Kamper. One such newly discovered point (located on the Violet City Lantern route) was named Bishop’s Pit in 1908, in honor of Ed Bishop. Together Bishop and Kamper produced a map representing more than 35 miles of passages in the cave. Ed Bishop was widely recognized for his knowledge of the cave and as a teacher for the guides.   Ed Hawkins discovered a monumental series of vertical shafts. The passage leading up to these incredible shafts was later named Hawkins Pass. A great honor to this great explorer. And, yes, visitors can still see these shafts. Just take the Wild Caves Tour!         The last person that we’ll discuss who was important at the Mammoth Caves was Will Garvin. He was a private in the army, serving in a Colored Troop during the Civil War. Will Garvin was never an enslaved person. Following the Civil War, he began exploring and guiding in Mammoth caves where he made his mark for discovering an area later call the Corkscrew. This was actually a maze through collapsed rubble that linked the upper levels of the cave system to the lower levels near the water table. This area also provided an exit from the cave so visitors wouldn’t have to retrace their steps.   Some people say that Will Garvin also discovered the Colossal Caverns. This area was so treacherous that it even wasn’t opened to the public until 1972 (some 70 years after its discovery). It is one of the caves still protected within Mammoth Cave National Park.   But Will Garvin also made another important discovery—or had an important experience. This is really interesting.   He was the first person to experience the optical illusion called the Statue of Martha Washington. As he was exiting the cave, he saw a spectral silhouette of a woman who looked just like Martha Washington! I know strange things can be seen in the caves but this was one of the strangest! And it is still occasionally seen on certain tours in the historic section!   So, that concludes the discussion about Black explorers at the Mammoth Caves. And it concludes the presentation of Black explorers.   Now I just have one question:     Why do we care about these explorers?   Because they faced their challenges with honor, courage, and determination.   Whether it was Mount Everest, the Mammoth caves, the mighty Congo River, the North and South poles or outer space, they went there (using the words from Henry Sheppard in the Congo!) And they went boldly!   Everyone has an Everest. Everest can take many forms: going to school, applying for a job, fighting injustice, writing a book, public speaking or fighting an addiction. We all have our Everests. We are ALL explorers. The personal accounts in this podcast are stories of REAL people. And we can have a story too. We just have to find our challenge and face it. Victory is inevitable.   So we have much to learn from explorING and from exploRERS. Like many other people, I have done my share of exploring. And I think that the main thing that explorers discover is actually something within themselves. It is strength, courage, determination, creativity, persistence and other qualities that helped them to endure hardships, face their fears and rise to new heights. As Barbara Hillary said, when she reached the North Pole at the age of 75, there are no limits to what we can do and we can all challenge ourselves to do great things.   On that high note, I think that this is a great place to conclude this podcast. I hope that you have found it fun, educational and inspirational. I definitely have!   One interesting thing that I noticed about all of these great explorers is that they had so many different interests. Of course, they were completing committed to their explorations and their time, energy and focus were always in that direction. But they were multi-dimensional people in every respect. Matthew Henson—who went to the North Pole—was also a survivalist and linguist who loved the Inuit culture.   William Henry Sheppard –who explored the Congo—was also an avid art collector.   Mae Jemison—the first African American woman in space—loves African history and dance and speaks four languages: Swahili, Russian and Japanese in addition to English.   Others are voracious readers, cartologists, scuba divers, marathon runners, musicians, public speakers, sculptors and so many different interests. So, it’s important to remember that we can have many interests—some might be consistent with your dharma (life’s purpose) but others might conflict. Yet these interests make us complete people.   And, since I mentioned Mae Jemison, I read a story about her. After she had finished her medical studies and returned from the Peace Corps, she received a phone call. It was from NASA. She had submitted an application to NASA years before. On the phone call, they asked her: “Are you still interested in becoming an astronaut?” She answered simply “yeah”. That answer opened up a whole new world to her and within 2 years she went to outer space. Lesson here: Say “yes!”.   All of these explorers said yes to new experiences even when others were telling them to say no. But saying yes opened them to becoming great explorers.   Finally, Charles Bolden, the astronaut who was the first African American to become head of NASA, showed how there are no limits except what we can envision. He said,   "You know, the universe is a big place. I'm a practicing Christian, so in my faith, I learn about omnipotent, omnipresent God, which means he's everywhere. He's all-knowing. He does everything. And I just cannot bring my little pea brain to believe that a God like that would pick one planet of one of millions of suns and say that's the only place in the vast universe that I'm going to put any kind of life. And so the problem is I haven't been far enough away." [29]   I realize that I mentioned lots of names, places, events, experiences and other information that you might want more information about. The rememberinghistory.com team has you covered. You can get more information, see the people and places, read the “What You Can Do” list, see great pictures and even find good a book list at the Wiki History podcast page on Facebook. You can also find the newsletter called Making History Today! which discusses practical ways that you can actually MAKE history through education, the arts, political activism or whatever interests you.   Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day! And, like Matthew Henson, get ready to sit on top of the world! Bye for now!    

The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales! Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by rememberinghistory.com where history is power. Today, we’re going to discuss the importance of knowing African American history. We begin by asking why is history important? Great question. Perhaps the answer can be found in this famous journal entry, which says, Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it. And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.  I know that dreams do come true.  I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!  I always dreamed about playing for the Dodgers, but honestly, I always had my doubts. I used to tell myself: “Something will happen. It just isn’t in the books for you to play in the majors. You’re a Negro. Negroes haven’t been in the big leagues. Some day they will be. But you won’t be the lucky guy. Can you guess who wrote this entry? Jackie Robinson. In 1947--following his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson was the first Black person to play major league baseball. He made history. And he went on to win the league’s MVP award in 1949. During his career, he would play in 6 World Series. He concluded this entry by saying, Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me! It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in American history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power. Yes, we can learn a lot from history—that can inspire AND empower US, too. With this inspiration and empowerment, WE can make history. And THAT is our goal at rememberinghistory.com. We are remembering history AND we’re MAKING it. You’re gonna hear about many African Americans that made great accomplishments, contributions and changes in every field—law, medicine, art, literature, science, engineering, the environment, sports, American society and even the world! We will learn that they faced lots of obstacles, problems, rejections and sometimes even violence. But most importantly we will learn that—despite all of their challenges-- they still made history. Nothing came easy for Jackie Robinson or any of the other African Americans that you’re gonna hear about. Yet through their resolve, perseverance, focus, determination and hard work, they made a difference for themselves and for others. They MADE history. You see, just like Jackie Robinson said: fairy tales can come true. It happened for him. And it can happen for you, too. History teaches that it can happen. History also teaches HOW things happened and why. And that nothing ever had to happen in the way that it did. So we need to know the African Americans who came before us; what happened before us—the successes, the defeats, the victories and the challenges. We need to know the African Americans who helped to build and transform the United States and, indeed, who helped to shape our world. Some names will be unfamiliar from the past: Dr. Carter G. Woodson who wrote the Negro National Anthem later called the African American National Anthem (yes, there is one!) and who founded Black History Month. Ida B. Wells who fought against the horrible (but at-the-time common) practice of lynching. And, of course, the mathematical genius, Benjamin Banneker, who made great discoveries in astronomy and developed theories about relativity. Did I mention that Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731, a descendant of enslaved parents? And, like Jackie Robinson, the road was not easy yet they endured. Others did too. There was James McCune Smith, who moved to Scotland to earn his medical degree because no American universities would accept a Black man. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1837 becoming the first African American to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith then returned to the U.S. where he had a distinguished medical career in private practice, opened two pharmacies, and trained young Black doctors. And there is Marcelite Harris who, in 1997, became the first woman to achieve the rank of major general in the US Air Force. Yes, she became the highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force and the country’s highest ranking African American woman in the Department of Defense! However, she had to apply THREE TIMES before her application for training was accepted. And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?! Most of us know what he went on to achieve! You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand out. Or even to stand alone. They weren’t afraid to fail. They never gave up. Neither should we. We can learn a lot from them. We can begin by asking ourselves: What was it like to be alive during their time? What it was like to walk in their shoes? What motivated them? What were they afraid of? What didn’t they know?   But remember that history is not just the study of the past. It is interesting because nobody ever lived in the past. People have only lived in the present. Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman didn’t think of themselves as living in the past. They were living in the present. The difference is that it was THEIR present. Not ours. They were caught up in the living moment exactly as we are today. They didn’t know how things would turn out. Neither do we today. Jackie Robinson didn’t know what would happen when he joined the Dodgers and stepped on the field that day in 1947. Dr. Smith did not know what would happen when he moved to Scotland to study medicine or when he returned to America in 1837. And Major General Marcelite Harris never knew if she would ever be accepted into the Air Force or that she would receive so many medals and honors but she kept trying. But we can use their stories and strength (their fairy tales) to be empowered, inspired, and moved to make our own fairy tales. We know the history. And history is power. History teaches us that we can believe in fairy tales. And that we can make history. This website will span 400 years of the African American experience: from slavery to freedom to equality to justice. The stories and lessons will empower and inspire you. We will learn about Black explorers, educators, civil rights, the Black experience in the military, Black holidays and celebrations, the struggle for equality through marches and protests and many more fascinating subjects. Take a look at rememberinghistory.com for the complete schedule. We’ll also discuss CURRENT events and TODAY’S heroes and history makers. That’s gonna keep us busy and intrigued as well but we MUST recognize and honor them too. People like Marva Collins, a great educator who founded an elementary school for Black kids who were labeled as “uneducatable”. But she developed a school and system to help these children to learn and become successful adults. Another current hero is Mae Jamison who is an engineer, physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first African American woman to travel in space. Did I mention that she also speaks four languages?! You’ll have to listen to the podcast show to find out which ones! She has been described as one of the most impressive people that you’ll ever meet. And, we absolutely cannot forget Colin Kaepernick, who was a skilled and talented quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers taking them to the Superbowl and NFC championships. He has not been signed to ANY NFL team since he started the “take a knee” movement, which focuses police violence and racial injustice against African Americans. He is a brave and committed role model and leader that deserves our respect. All of these people are deserve our respect because they fought and defeated the odds and lots of obstacles. They are making a difference and making history.   You see, these are great stories and there are so many of them to listen to, enjoy and learn from. So, we hope that you will join us at rememberinghistory.com. And that you will read our newsletter called Making History Today where you can learn how to make a difference in your community and even the world! And we do hope that you will make comments, ask questions and join this wonderful community of history lovers and aspiring history makers on the website or on Facebook. Or both! No limits! Keep believing in fairy tales! They do happen. We hope to see you soon at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Every day. Bye for now!    

Marching Podcast #1   Welcome back to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it every day! March is the month in which we focus on—surprise!—marching! Marching is one of the most common and I would say most effective ways to protest. And Americans have been protest marching since the country was founded.     Americans have marched for many reasons. American marched to protest the Stamp Tax—actually that march took place even before the United States officially existed. Americans have marched to protest wars like the War of 1812 and the Vietnam War. We have marched to protest racial inequality. We have marched to ensure the right to vote for women and people of color. We have marched to bring attention to and protest against police violence and gun “carry” laws. Americans have marched to show unity and solidarity with immigrants, refugees and other vulnerable and disenfranchised groups. Americans have been marching for almost 250 years and there is no reason to think that we will ever stop marching. In fact, I hope that we don’t stop marching because it is the hallmark of a democracy that people can “speak out” against their government’s action.   Of course, Americans aren’t the only people who march. I’m reminded of Gandhi marching against British rule in India. I’m also reminded of Black South Africans who marched against the violent and racist regime of apartheid. I can’t forget the suffragettes in England who marched to demand the vote for women AND for other social and economic rights for women. And, on a smaller but still important scale, I remember the students at Oxford in 1973 were marching and chanting: “What do we want? A student union! When do we want it? Now! What are we wearing? Dirty jerseys!” This was a major act of civil disobedience by Oxford students in violation of a strict and centuries-long dress code. And yes they DID get their student union. And India got independence from Britain. And apartheid was ended in South Africa. And English women got the right to vote. Marching works!       Yes, marching is a worldwide phenomenon to demand, to oppose, to protest and to bring attention to a problem and evoke emotion in people. Marching is effective. Marching is powerful. Marching makes history. So, this month (March), rememberinghistory.com salutes all of those brave, strong and committed people who get out and march. And just as people need marches, marches need people. And the people who brave the elements, the security forces, the wrath and power of the government, and the criticism of friends and family members to get out and march deserve our respect and our gratitude. So, this episode is dedicated to marchers and marches around the world.   In this first show about marching, we will look at some marches from the past. Some of the marches are VERY famous and iconic. Others are not-so-famous or widely-known. However, the common thing about all of these marches is that they were very effective in what they were trying to achieve. That takes us directly to our second podcast show this month which will discuss how to conduct a march effectively and how to participate in a march safely. Marches are often started by ordinary citizens just like you—individuals who CARE about an issue and want other people and their government to know about it and DO something about it. These were people who cared enough to get involved. And they made history. You can also make history and the next podcast show can help to you organize a march or participate in one.   One last bit of housekeeping then we’ll get straight to learning about marches in history:   First, if you enjoy this show, you can get more information at the Wiki history podcast page on Facebook. You will find pictures, short videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for me because I really appreciate them and I do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. We can all remember history AND we can all make history!             Finally, I just want to remind you that in 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington DC. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. I also donate personally and I hope that you will too.   That’s enough for now. Let’s get started with this great and groundbreaking Wiki history podcast show. Today’s show is called “marches that made history.”   When I was remembering or reading about important marches, I found myself torn between marches that were huge—100,000 people or more—and marches that were relatively small—some were less than 50 people. We will discuss a march that had only ONE person. Which marches had the most impact? Which marches got media attention? Which marches changed laws and society? Which marches are still remembered?   What I discovered was nothing short of remarkable. Size didn’t matter! The number of people participating in the march was not as important as the organization, focus and determination of the marchers. Of course, participation is important—I really want to stress that—but I want to stress even more that the determination of the marchers was more important than any other factor. Their determination to affect change, to persist in the face of adversity, to be united in their cause, and to be committed to this form of nonviolent protest. With that said, let’s begin our journey down the memory lane of marching!   We will open with a small march that left a mark on the city of Oakland and perhaps beyond: The Twelve-Man March   This march was organized to bring awareness to the reality and the dangers of racial profiling. This was a great march: here’s what they did:  On July 19, 2013, twelve African American men marched to Oakland’s city hall.  All the men wore business attire: suit, tie, dress shoes, etc. All the African American men presented as businessmen.  They peacefully marched to city hall holding signs condemning racial profiling and the negative portrayal of African American men in the media.     In speeches at Oakland’s famous Ogawa Hall, the protesters cited the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida and Alan Blueford in Oakland. Both were African American, young, and unarmed when they were killed. Alan Blueford killed by law enforcement. Trayvon Martin by a self-proclaimed neighborhood watch officer.  No one was convicted in either killing.  Racial profiling was the cause that identified (incorrectly and unjustly) these young men as dangerous criminals. Racial profiling had also been involved in other kinds of harassment of African Americans by law enforcement officers.   This was a small, but powerful and focused march that that brought awareness to racial profiling and presented a powerful vision of African American men that is rarely shown to the public.   Let’s jump back in time for a moment—and for some of the most famous marches. We’re going to the 1960s. This was a huge decade of social change and it witnessed LOTS of marches.   Of course, there was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held on August 28, 1963. Did you know that was the FULL name of the march? The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his iconic “I have a dream speech.” There were an estimated 250,000 people in attendance—people of all races, ethnicities, genders and religious backgrounds. The focus of the march was to encourage President Kennedy to sign a civil rights bill that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, education and the use of public facilities.   Also in the 1960s, staying with the same theme were the Selma to Montgomery marches. These were a series of three marches to demand the passage of a voting rights act. The marchers walked along Route 80 from Selma, Alabama to the capitol in Montgomery. On March 7, 1965, as the marchers peacefully crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, state troopers and county possemen attacked the unarmed marchers with billy clubs and tear gas after they passed over the county line. It was a violent and aggressive act by law enforcement that was witnessed by the entire country and even internationally. This event became known as Bloody Sunday.         The second march took place March 9. Troopers, police, and marchers confronted each other at the county end of the bridge, but when the troopers stepped aside to let them pass, King led the marchers back to the church. The third march started March 21. Protected by 1,900 members of the Alabama National Guard under federal command by President Johnson, and many FBI agents and Federal Marshals, the marchers averaged 10 miles (16 km) a day along the highway. The marchers arrived in Montgomery on March 24 and at the Alabama State Capitol on March 25.[11] With thousands having joined the campaign, 25,000 people entered the capital city that day in support of voting rights. The route is memorialized as the "Selma To Montgomery Voting Rights Trail," and is designated as a U.S. National Historic Trail. The Voting Rights Act was passed in that same year.   Another march that turned violent was an Anti-Vietnam War march, held on November 15, 1969. More than a half-million people marched on Washington, DC to protest the US sending troops to fight in Vietnam. This was just one of many marches opposing the Vietnam War—some were peaceful, some were not. But they all were impassioned and determined. (Just a separate note here: some people claimed that the Vietnam War was one of the first wars to ignite public protest and marches. Not true. The first major movement against an American war was to protest the War of 1812. These marches often did become violent, threatening President Madison and members of Congress.)   Leaving the 1960s, the Reagan presidency (1981 to 1989) ignited another wave of marches and protests.   One of the largest and most memorable (for its uniqueness) was the Solidarity Day march. Do you remember that march? I do even though I was a teenager at the time! On September 19, 1981, more than 260,000 people marched in Washington DC in support of the air traffic controllers. President Reagan had just summarily fired 12,000 air traffic controllers who had gone on strike for better wages and safer working conditions (for instance, to limit their working hours). But the larger goal of the march was to protest Reagan’s budget cuts and tax policies. Labor unions—particularly the AFL-CIO—and civil rights organizations met at the Washington Monument to show solidarity against the president’s policies.   The next year, 1982, witnessed one of the biggest marches in US history against the building and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Held on June 12, 1982, more than a million people marched in New York City to protest President Reagan’s proposed budget that expanded the military budget to allow for the research and building of nuclear weapons—while cutting the budgets for health care and education. These marches remained peaceful—by both marchers and law enforcement—but tensions and passions ran very high during these events.   And who could ever forget the National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian rights? Held on October 11, 1987—still during Reagan’s presidency—the “Great March” as it was dubbed was attended by 200,000 people—of all orientations—demanding federal money for AIDS research and treatment and an end to discrimination against homosexuals. This march was held during the “AIDS epidemic” which was disproportionately affecting the gay and lesbian communities but the federal government had not responded with federal funds or legislation to protect this segment of American society.   The next major march on this issue was the March on Washington for LGBT rights and LIBERATION. Held on April 25, 1993 (just 6 years after the previous march on Washington for Gay and Lesbian rights), an estimated million people marched to demand a civil rights bill against discrimination, to demand more funding for AIDS research and for reproductive rights.   Two years later, Washington DC experienced its next million-person march called the Million Man march. Held on October 16, 1995, more than a million people marched in Washington DC. This march had a different goal than the others—it was not primarily making demands on the government (for legislation for example) or telling the government to stop something (like the Vietnam War or funding nuclear weapons). The million-man march—more accurately could be called the million black man march. It focused on bringing solidarity and unity to the African American community. It was a serious march and also a fun and festive black family day of picnics, music and fun.       The new millennium witnessed a new kind of marching. Single city marches expanded into multi-city, even multi-national marches--all coordinated on a single day or weekend. In other words: marching went global!   The invention of the Internet/World Wide Web and later social media helped to expand the reach and inclusion and coordination of marchers and protesters focused on a single goal.   One of the biggest of these modern marches was the march against the Iraq war. This march was held on February 15 and 16 in 2003 and occurred in cities across the United States (including New York, Seattle and Los Angeles). More than 10 million people attended. This march is known as the largest march in world history and it demanded that President Bush stop the invasion of Iraq.   Another large, multi-city march was held the following year on April 25, 2004 in cities across the United States. It was the march for women’s lives and was the largest pro-choice march ever held in the United States--attended by 1.5 million people both women AND men.   Wow, so the marches got larger but more focused. More diverse, inclusive and sophisticated. This is activism at its finest and these marches all made a difference. And the marchers made history.   While the early marches (like the Vietnam War marches) might seem like they were unsophisticated and simple, that is simply untrue. People were focused and passionate. They coordinated their efforts and took to the streets—sometimes facing the wrath of law enforcement. The people on that fateful bridge in Selma* had very little protection from law enforcement or recourse for the violence taken by the police or military. These marchers put their lives on the line. (And lest one thinks that this cannot happen today, just look at the DAPL marchers* in North Dakota, facing private military forces and being deprived of basic necessities in their protest march for clean water and respect for their sacred lands.)           Without the Internet and social media back in the 1960s, people relied on phones, meetings and word of mouth. I remember in college that I would see posters that advertised marches about issues like the environment, rights of minority groups and health care. Marching has definitely evolved over the decades (actually centuries!) but they continue to be an essential tool to let our government know what we think and to make demands for our rights.   And marching continues to bring us together as a people. Think of January 21, 2017. The Women’s march following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th U.S. president took place in numerous cities and countries (including my resident city of Brussels, Belgium). And it brought us all together to remember that we are “ONE” people and that we must support each other during bad times and good. It was one of the most unifying events that I have ever witnessed, seeing women AND men and everyone else standing together as one. It reminded of that saying, “A people united can never be defeated.”   I want to conclude this Wiki history podcast show by discussing one more march. It is a notable march though you probably won’t read about it in many history books. It is not notable because it involved thousands of people because it didn’t. It is not important because it involved multiple cities or countries. It isn’t notable because so many famous people participated in it. But it IS important and it IS notable. This march definitely made history.   This march involved one man with an important cause. His name was William Lewis Moore. Moore was a white man, a former graduate student at Johns Hopkins and postal worker who became an activist supporting rights for mentally ill persons and later supporting civil rights for African Americans. (In fact, he became a member of CORE—the Congress of Racial Equality). William Moore participated in a series of one-man marches in support of civil rights. On his first march he walked to Annapolis, Maryland, the state capital. On his second march he walked to the White House. His third march started in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was headed to the state capitol in Jackson, Mississippi. He was carrying a letter that he planned to hand-deliver to Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett urging racial equality and an end to segregation. During his march, he wore a sandwich board sign that said “Equal rights for all and Mississippi or bust!” Moore said: "I intend to walk right up to the governor's mansion in Mississippi and ring his doorbell. Then I'll hand him my letter." ***** Unfortunately, on April 21, 1963, 70 miles into his march to Mississippi, Moore was found dead by the roadside, having been shot twice in the head at close range. No one was ever convicted of his murder. In his bag, he had the letter that he had planned to deliver. In part, it said, "the white man cannot be truly free himself until all men have their rights." He asked Governor Barnett to "Be gracious and give more than is immediately demanded of you...." Moore was 36 years old at the time of his murder. You can find additional information about William Moore, including pictures, on the Wiki History podcast page on Facebook.   This might be a downer to end with but I do want it to have an impact. This was a march by one brave man who stood for racial equality and wanted to take his views directly to the governor of Alabama. That took courage! He deserves to be remembered for his bravery and activism. That’s what rememberinghistory.com is all about!   So, that’s all for today’s podcast show. Marches are great! I hope that this trip down the memory lane of marches and marching has left you feeling as inspired as I am. From the biggest multi-city, multi-national marches to the 12-man march in Oakland and William Moore’s one-man march in Alabama, individuals can have an impact and make a difference. And marching is one way to make a difference AND make history.   In the next podcast show, you will learn HOW to march and the elements of an effective protest march. Learning history IS important but MAKING history is essential. And you’re gonna learn how to do JUST that in the next show. Remember to go to the Wiki History Podcast page for more information about great marches and great marchERS. And that for everyone who listens to these great and groundbreaking podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will make a contribution to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   And let’s all remember the words of William Moore, "Be gracious and give more than is immediately demanded of you."   See you next time at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history AND we’re making it. Every day. Bye for now.  

Great American Marches in History   Welcome back to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it every day! March is the month in which we focus on—surprise!—marching! Marching is one of the most common and I would say most effective ways to protest. And Americans have been protest marching since the country was founded.     Americans have marched for many reasons. American marched to protest the Stamp Tax—actually that march took place even before the United States officially existed. Americans have marched to protest wars like the War of 1812 and the Vietnam War. We have marched to protest racial inequality. We have marched to ensure the right to vote for women and people of color. We have marched to bring attention to and protest against police violence and gun “carry” laws. Americans have marched to show unity and solidarity with immigrants, refugees and other vulnerable and disenfranchised groups. Americans have been marching for almost 250 years and there is no reason to think that we will ever stop marching. In fact, I hope that we don’t stop marching because it is the hallmark of a democracy that people can “speak out” against their government’s action.   Of course, Americans aren’t the only people who march. I’m reminded of Gandhi marching against British rule in India. I’m also reminded of Black South Africans who marched against the violent and racist regime of apartheid. I can’t forget the suffragettes in England who marched to demand the vote for women AND for other social and economic rights for women. And, on a smaller but still important scale, I remember the students at Oxford in 1973 were marching and chanting: “What do we want? A student union! When do we want it? Now! What are we wearing? Dirty jerseys!” This was a major act of civil disobedience by Oxford students in violation of a strict and centuries-long dress code. And yes they DID get their student union. And India got independence from Britain. And apartheid was ended in South Africa. And English women got the right to vote. Marching works!       Yes, marching is a worldwide phenomenon to demand, to oppose, to protest and to bring attention to a problem and evoke emotion in people. Marching is effective. Marching is powerful. Marching makes history. So, this month (March), rememberinghistory.com salutes all of those brave, strong and committed people who get out and march. And just as people need marches, marches need people. And the people who brave the elements, the security forces, the wrath and power of the government, and the criticism of friends and family members to get out and march deserve our respect and our gratitude. So, this episode is dedicated to marchers and marches around the world.   In this first show about marching, we will look at some marches from the past. Some of the marches are VERY famous and iconic. Others are not-so-famous or widely-known. However, the common thing about all of these marches is that they were very effective in what they were trying to achieve. That takes us directly to our second podcast show this month which will discuss how to conduct a march effectively and how to participate in a march safely. Marches are often started by ordinary citizens just like you—individuals who CARE about an issue and want other people and their government to know about it and DO something about it. These were people who cared enough to get involved. And they made history. You can also make history and the next podcast show can help to you organize a march or participate in one.   One last bit of housekeeping then we’ll get straight to learning about marches in history:   First, if you enjoy this show, you can get more information at the Wiki history podcast page on Facebook. You will find pictures, short videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for me because I really appreciate them and I do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. We can all remember history AND we can all make history!             Finally, I just want to remind you that in 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington DC. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. I also donate personally and I hope that you will too.   That’s enough for now. Let’s get started with this great and groundbreaking Wiki history podcast show. Today’s show is called “marches that made history.”   When I was remembering or reading about important marches, I found myself torn between marches that were huge—100,000 people or more—and marches that were relatively small—some were less than 50 people. We will discuss a march that had only ONE person. Which marches had the most impact? Which marches got media attention? Which marches changed laws and society? Which marches are still remembered?   What I discovered was nothing short of remarkable. Size didn’t matter! The number of people participating in the march was not as important as the organization, focus and determination of the marchers. Of course, participation is important—I really want to stress that—but I want to stress even more that the determination of the marchers was more important than any other factor. Their determination to affect change, to persist in the face of adversity, to be united in their cause, and to be committed to this form of nonviolent protest. With that said, let’s begin our journey down the memory lane of marching!   We will open with a small march that left a mark on the city of Oakland and perhaps beyond: The Twelve-Man March   This march was organized to bring awareness to the reality and the dangers of racial profiling. This was a great march: here’s what they did:  On July 19, 2013, twelve African American men marched to Oakland’s city hall.  All the men wore business attire: suit, tie, dress shoes, etc. All the African American men presented as businessmen.  They peacefully marched to city hall holding signs condemning racial profiling and the negative portrayal of African American men in the media.     In speeches at Oakland’s famous Ogawa Hall, the protesters cited the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida and Alan Blueford in Oakland. Both were African American, young, and unarmed when they were killed. Alan Blueford killed by law enforcement. Trayvon Martin by a self-proclaimed neighborhood watch officer.  No one was convicted in either killing.  Racial profiling was the cause that identified (incorrectly and unjustly) these young men as dangerous criminals. Racial profiling had also been involved in other kinds of harassment of African Americans by law enforcement officers.   This was a small, but powerful and focused march that that brought awareness to racial profiling and presented a powerful vision of African American men that is rarely shown to the public.   Let’s jump back in time for a moment—and for some of the most famous marches. We’re going to the 1960s. This was a huge decade of social change and it witnessed LOTS of marches.   Of course, there was the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held on August 28, 1963. Did you know that was the FULL name of the march? The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his iconic “I have a dream speech.” There were an estimated 250,000 people in attendance—people of all races, ethnicities, genders and religious backgrounds. The focus of the march was to encourage President Kennedy to sign a civil rights bill that prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, education and the use of public facilities.   Also in the 1960s, staying with the same theme were the Selma to Montgomery marches. These were a series of three marches to demand the passage of a voting rights act. The marchers walked along Route 80 from Selma, Alabama to the capitol in Montgomery. On March 7, 1965, as the marchers peacefully crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, state troopers and county possemen attacked the unarmed marchers with billy clubs and tear gas after they passed over the county line. It was a violent and aggressive act by law enforcement that was witnessed by the entire country and even internationally. This event became known as Bloody Sunday.         The second march took place March 9. Troopers, police, and marchers confronted each other at the county end of the bridge, but when the troopers stepped aside to let them pass, King led the marchers back to the church. The third march started March 21. Protected by 1,900 members of the Alabama National Guard under federal command by President Johnson, and many FBI agents and Federal Marshals, the marchers averaged 10 miles (16 km) a day along the highway. The marchers arrived in Montgomery on March 24 and at the Alabama State Capitol on March 25.[11] With thousands having joined the campaign, 25,000 people entered the capital city that day in support of voting rights. The route is memorialized as the "Selma To Montgomery Voting Rights Trail," and is designated as a U.S. National Historic Trail. The Voting Rights Act was passed in that same year.   Another march that turned violent was an Anti-Vietnam War march, held on November 15, 1969. More than a half-million people marched on Washington, DC to protest the US sending troops to fight in Vietnam. This was just one of many marches opposing the Vietnam War—some were peaceful, some were not. But they all were impassioned and determined. (Just a separate note here: some people claimed that the Vietnam War was one of the first wars to ignite public protest and marches. Not true. The first major movement against an American war was to protest the War of 1812. These marches often did become violent, threatening President Madison and members of Congress.)   Leaving the 1960s, the Reagan presidency (1981 to 1989) ignited another wave of marches and protests.   One of the largest and most memorable (for its uniqueness) was the Solidarity Day march. Do you remember that march? I do even though I was a teenager at the time! On September 19, 1981, more than 260,000 people marched in Washington DC in support of the air traffic controllers. President Reagan had just summarily fired 12,000 air traffic controllers who had gone on strike for better wages and safer working conditions (for instance, to limit their working hours). But the larger goal of the march was to protest Reagan’s budget cuts and tax policies. Labor unions—particularly the AFL-CIO—and civil rights organizations met at the Washington Monument to show solidarity against the president’s policies.   The next year, 1982, witnessed one of the biggest marches in US history against the building and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Held on June 12, 1982, more than a million people marched in New York City to protest President Reagan’s proposed budget that expanded the military budget to allow for the research and building of nuclear weapons—while cutting the budgets for health care and education. These marches remained peaceful—by both marchers and law enforcement—but tensions and passions ran very high during these events.   And who could ever forget the National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian rights? Held on October 11, 1987—still during Reagan’s presidency—the “Great March” as it was dubbed was attended by 200,000 people—of all orientations—demanding federal money for AIDS research and treatment and an end to discrimination against homosexuals. This march was held during the “AIDS epidemic” which was disproportionately affecting the gay and lesbian communities but the federal government had not responded with federal funds or legislation to protect this segment of American society.   The next major march on this issue was the March on Washington for LGBT rights and LIBERATION. Held on April 25, 1993 (just 6 years after the previous march on Washington for Gay and Lesbian rights), an estimated million people marched to demand a civil rights bill against discrimination, to demand more funding for AIDS research and for reproductive rights.   Two years later, Washington DC experienced its next million-person march called the Million Man march. Held on October 16, 1995, more than a million people marched in Washington DC. This march had a different goal than the others—it was not primarily making demands on the government (for legislation for example) or telling the government to stop something (like the Vietnam War or funding nuclear weapons). The million-man march—more accurately could be called the million black man march. It focused on bringing solidarity and unity to the African American community. It was a serious march and also a fun and festive black family day of picnics, music and fun.       The new millennium witnessed a new kind of marching. Single city marches expanded into multi-city, even multi-national marches--all coordinated on a single day or weekend. In other words: marching went global!   The invention of the Internet/World Wide Web and later social media helped to expand the reach and inclusion and coordination of marchers and protesters focused on a single goal.   One of the biggest of these modern marches was the march against the Iraq war. This march was held on February 15 and 16 in 2003 and occurred in cities across the United States (including New York, Seattle and Los Angeles). More than 10 million people attended. This march is known as the largest march in world history and it demanded that President Bush stop the invasion of Iraq.   Another large, multi-city march was held the following year on April 25, 2004 in cities across the United States. It was the march for women’s lives and was the largest pro-choice march ever held in the United States--attended by 1.5 million people both women AND men.   Wow, so the marches got larger but more focused. More diverse, inclusive and sophisticated. This is activism at its finest and these marches all made a difference. And the marchers made history.   While the early marches (like the Vietnam War marches) might seem like they were unsophisticated and simple, that is simply untrue. People were focused and passionate. They coordinated their efforts and took to the streets—sometimes facing the wrath of law enforcement. The people on that fateful bridge in Selma* had very little protection from law enforcement or recourse for the violence taken by the police or military. These marchers put their lives on the line. (And lest one thinks that this cannot happen today, just look at the DAPL marchers* in North Dakota, facing private military forces and being deprived of basic necessities in their protest march for clean water and respect for their sacred lands.)           Without the Internet and social media back in the 1960s, people relied on phones, meetings and word of mouth. I remember in college that I would see posters that advertised marches about issues like the environment, rights of minority groups and health care. Marching has definitely evolved over the decades (actually centuries!) but they continue to be an essential tool to let our government know what we think and to make demands for our rights.   And marching continues to bring us together as a people. Think of January 21, 2017. The Women’s march following the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th U.S. president took place in numerous cities and countries (including my resident city of Brussels, Belgium). And it brought us all together to remember that we are “ONE” people and that we must support each other during bad times and good. It was one of the most unifying events that I have ever witnessed, seeing women AND men and everyone else standing together as one. It reminded of that saying, “A people united can never be defeated.”   I want to conclude this Wiki history podcast show by discussing one more march. It is a notable march though you probably won’t read about it in many history books. It is not notable because it involved thousands of people because it didn’t. It is not important because it involved multiple cities or countries. It isn’t notable because so many famous people participated in it. But it IS important and it IS notable. This march definitely made history.   This march involved one man with an important cause. His name was William Lewis Moore. Moore was a white man, a former graduate student at Johns Hopkins and postal worker who became an activist supporting rights for mentally ill persons and later supporting civil rights for African Americans. (In fact, he became a member of CORE—the Congress of Racial Equality). William Moore participated in a series of one-man marches in support of civil rights. On his first march he walked to Annapolis, Maryland, the state capital. On his second march he walked to the White House. His third march started in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was headed to the state capitol in Jackson, Mississippi. He was carrying a letter that he planned to hand-deliver to Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett urging racial equality and an end to segregation. During his march, he wore a sandwich board sign that said “Equal rights for all and Mississippi or bust!” Moore said: "I intend to walk right up to the governor's mansion in Mississippi and ring his doorbell. Then I'll hand him my letter." ***** Unfortunately, on April 21, 1963, 70 miles into his march to Mississippi, Moore was found dead by the roadside, having been shot twice in the head at close range. No one was ever convicted of his murder. In his bag, he had the letter that he had planned to deliver. In part, it said, "the white man cannot be truly free himself until all men have their rights." He asked Governor Barnett to "Be gracious and give more than is immediately demanded of you...." Moore was 36 years old at the time of his murder. You can find additional information about William Moore, including pictures, on the Wiki History podcast page on Facebook.   This might be a downer to end with but I do want it to have an impact. This was a march by one brave man who stood for racial equality and wanted to take his views directly to the governor of Alabama. That took courage! He deserves to be remembered for his bravery and activism. That’s what rememberinghistory.com is all about!   So, that’s all for today’s podcast show. Marches are great! I hope that this trip down the memory lane of marches and marching has left you feeling as inspired as I am. From the biggest multi-city, multi-national marches to the 12-man march in Oakland and William Moore’s one-man march in Alabama, individuals can have an impact and make a difference. And marching is one way to make a difference AND make history.   In the next podcast show, you will learn HOW to march and the elements of an effective protest march. Learning history IS important but MAKING history is essential. And you’re gonna learn how to do JUST that in the next show. Remember to go to the Wiki History Podcast page for more information about great marches and great marchERS. And that for everyone who listens to these great and groundbreaking podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will make a contribution to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   And let’s all remember the words of William Moore, "Be gracious and give more than is immediately demanded of you."   See you next time at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history AND we’re making it. Every day. Bye for now.  

Do you recognize the names of Emmett Till, Melba Patillo, Gloria Ray, David Richmond or Ruby Bridges?   Perhaps you recognize some but not others. Perhaps none.   That’s okay. They weren’t seeking fame or fortune. They just wanted to get an education, vote or just eat at a cafeteria lunch counter. You might not know their names but they made a difference for all of us. In this podcast show, you’re gonna here EXACTLY what they did.   Hi, I’m Robin Lofton, the Chief In-house Historian and host of this great and groundbreaking show that can inspire YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history. I find history to BE inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history fits the bill in all of these ways. Personally, I hate boring stuff. So boring stuff is not allowed at rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show.   This was planned as the third and final podcast in our series on civil rights and the civil rights movement. But the rememberinghistory.com team decided that a change was necessary: This show about student activists has been divided into TWO parts. Why? Because this is a FASCINATING topic (you’re gonna here some great stores) and we wanted to make it practical too. So we’ve added a section on ways that young people and students TODAY can also help to make changes and have an impact in their communities, the country and world. So, that’s what we’ll discuss in part II of the series.   In the previous podcast shows, we discussed lessons we can STILL learn from Martin Luther King. If you haven’t heard that show, I really encourage you to do so because there were great lessons—yes, we can still learn from Dr. King and it stirred up a lot of interesting discussion. Spoiler alert: The first lesson was called “be maladjusted.” People really had a lot to say about that and I’m sure that you will too. The other podcast show was about voting rights in America. Yes, there is still a lot of discrimination in voting—in deciding how districts will be formed, in the voter registration process, even directly at the polling stations. And we presented specific and doable ways to fight discrimination in voting. The types of voter discrimination actions were shocking but it was also an empowering show. So be sure to listen so that you are ready to fight for your right to vote. And, of course, we made great animated videos to summarize the issues and entertain you as well. You can find them at rememberinghistory.com and on our YouTube channel. Remember, we don’t “do boring” here so prepare to be entertained AND learn a little something useful.   Today’s show refocuses on the people in history: a very special group of people who participated—and gave special momentum—to the civil rights movement. Young people and students. I planned to focus on college students. Yes, they did a lot. But as I thought about it more, I remembered that high school students and even elementary school students played an important part in the movement. So, we gonna include them in this discussion too. You see, even a CHIEF inhouse historian can change her mind and learn something new.   This is a particularly important show. Often, young people feel they can’t make a difference that they can’t have an impact and that decisions are being made only by the adults. This show will prove that this is simply not true. And I hope that it will convince young people and students that they do have a voice and an important role to play in protecting civil rights or in any cause that they’re passionate about. That’s important to remember. While these shows focus on civil rights, there are many causes that need and deserve attention and action. But protecting civil rights is an urgent focus right now—perhaps now more than in any time since the civil rights movement of the 1960s. And this show will suggest some ways in which they can get involved in protecting the civil rights—of people of color, of the economically disadvantaged, of refugees and immigrants and frankly of any group under attack or suffering injustice. Remember those famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”   Well, let’s get to the show, “The Youth and Students in the Civil Rights Movement”*           Is it strange of think of young people and students focused, committing and working for civil rights? If you find it hard to imagine that children were brave enough, that high school students were focused enough and that college students were concerned enough to work together for civil rights, then it’s time to grab a chair and get comfortable. Perhaps even grab your kids to listen with you. This is history at its finest! This is the story of young people from elementary school—the youngest was only 7 years old!—through the college who showed commitment and courage under fire. And the “fires” that they faced were real and deadly—beatings, dog attacks, imprisonment, threats, and yes murder as well. Yet these young people stood up for their rights to equality and justice—and they stood up for your rights too. In one youth-led movement in 1963, Martin Luther King told the students who had been jailed (in Birmingham, Alabama) : “What you do this day will impact children who have not yet been born.” Wow. Sooo true. And these kids DID forge a path for us. Stay tuned—remember in Part II, we will present ways that young people can continue to be involved in social activism and have an impact on kids that are not yet born.   *[Applause break here]   Many of the young people involved in the Civil Rights Movement actively joined and participated in the meetings, marches, demonstrations and other nonviolent activities to draw attention to their cause. Others became involuntary victims of the racist and oppressive culture of segregation. However, both groups—whether actively participating or involuntarily drawn in-- made an invaluable contribution to the cause.                         We are gonna begin today’s journey by discussing a name whom I hope is familiar. Very familiar. Sadly familiar. But don’t worry if it’s not because we’re learning here together. The name: Emmett Till.   Personally, I don’t remember the first time that I heard the name of Emmett Till. I must have been too young. But he was a name that was always deeply embedded in me—not the details of his horrific claim to fame. But the feeling his fate stirred up: sadness, anger, disbelief, fear. I’m sure that all of these feelings came from my parents and I picked them up as an impressionable child. But his name is a part of my life story. Why? Because ALL Black children could have been young Emmett. Actually, I know that there were other Emmetts but HIS terrible experience changed everything. I’m jumping ahead of myself. Let’s hear the story.   In the summer of 1955, Emmett was just like any other 14-year old Black kid. Just finished the 7th grade at his Chicago school. High-spirited. Fun-loving. Growing into manhood. Polite. Looking forward to a great summer. Adored by his mother. Emmett was especially excited because he would spend the summer with his cousins in Mississippi. Emmett had never visited the segregated south so his mother counseled him about how to behave around white people.   The rest of the story has become a sad legend. Emmett enjoyed his first few days in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. Worked in the cotton fields during the day and played with his cousins in the evening. On his third day there, he went to a grocery store with his cousins and that’s when the trouble started. There is no clear account of what happened but Emmett might have whistled at the wife (who was white) who owned the store. A few nights later, her husband and brother-in-law went to house of Emmett’s uncle in the dead of night mind you, snatched Emmett out of bed and drove off with him into the night. Three days later, Emmett’s horribly mutilated body was discovered in a river. I won’t go into details, but young Emmett had been tortured, beaten and shot in the head. Witnesses recounted hearing a young boy screaming and calling for help from a barn. He was mutilated beyond recognition.         His grieving but brave mother firmly decided on an open casket at his funeral in Chicago. Thousands of mourners filed past the casket. Jet Magazine and several other Black publications printed the graphic photos of Emmett’s body. I have seen the horrific almost gruesome pictures and I will never forget them. Several of older friends actually went to Emmett’s funeral and viewed his body. I can see the pain and sadness still in their eyes—from 1955.   The murderers of Emmett Till were quickly tried and acquitted. I think that it took only an hour. Is that scenario familiar today? One of the killers even gave an interview to LOOK Magazine detailing how they killed Emmett.   Many people say that the murder of Emmett Till sparked the modern Civil Rights Movement. It brought light to the brutality and regularity of lynching in the south, the effects of segregation and the vulnerability of Black lives. Emmett Till could have been any Black man, woman or child in the Jim Crow south. African Americans demanded justice for Emmett. And young Black children and students were especially outraged and fearful because Emmett was only 14 years old so they connected with this movement perhaps feeling that their lives hung in the balance. The Civil Rights Movement was on—and young people were a committed and focused part of it. Emmett was not a voluntary student-activist but his name will be remembered as someone who started a movement.   The first real student-involved movement (that we’ll discuss) took place in 1957, just two years after the lynching of Emmett Till.   It involved 9 brave African Americans kids attempting to attend a white high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. These kids became known as the Little Rock Nine. Let’s back up just a bit to 1954.   The United States was in chaos. (More was to come, of course, but most people didn’t know that.) Interesting thing about history—it’s not the story of people living in the present. It’s the story of people living in the present, THEIR present. So, in 1954, many people didn’t know or didn’t accept that change prompted by the civil rights movement was looming in their future. Hmm…gotta think about that one. Anyway, in 1954, the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education had just been decided by the Supreme Court. The decision that desegregated public schools.   Remember that’s where we got the “separate but equal is inherently unequal” quote and that THIS violated the 14th Amendment. So, segregated schools were declared illegal and ordered to integrate “with all deliberate speed.” (another great quote). But many school districts especially in the southern states refused to accept this decision. They fought back. Some just ignored the decision and dared the federal government to try to enforce it. Others closed down schools rather than integrate them. Let’s jump from the immediate aftermath of the Brown case back to the summer of 1957, Little Rock Arkansas.   The NAACP (Arkansas Branch) was determined to integrate the high schools, beginning in Little Rock, the state’s capital. Daisy Bates, president of the Arkansas Branch of the NAACP recruited nine high school students whom she believed possessed the strength and determination to face the RESISTANCE to integration. During that summer, the students participated in intensive counseling sessions on what to expect and how to respond to the reaction from the white community--students AND parents.   Just before school opened in September, Arkansas Governor Oval Faubus ordered the National Guard to bar the African American students from entering the state’s schools. He claimed that it was for “their own protection” (quote. Don’t we hear that one a lot today?) The next day, a federal court judge issued a counter-ruling that desegregation would proceed.   As the nine Black students attempted to enter the school, a huge crowd of angry white students and adults as well as the Arkansas National Guard (ordered by the Governor) barred the students’ from entering. White protesters threatened the students, screamed racial slurs and spit on them. They were not able to enter the school that day.   Days later, the students tried to enter the school again with a police escort. However, more than a thousand white protesters appeared and again blocked the students’ from entering the building. President Eisenhower finally sent federal troops to enforce the integration order. Army troops actually had to escort the students to their first day of class.       But that wasn’t the end of the story. Protests against integration continued. The 101st Airborne Division stayed at the school to protect the students for an entire year. The nine kids faced verbal and physical abuse. One student had acid thrown in her face. Another was pushed down the stairs. The threats were constant and real. Both teachers AND students were hostile. But the kids survived and even thrived at their high school. All graduated and held distinguished careers. However, they only stayed at Little Rock Central High School for a year. The school board voted by 3 to 1 to close the school rather than officially integrate (of course, they cited budget cuts as the reason for the school closure.) But the brave high school students had stood up for their rights in a hostile and dangerous situation. Just imagine having to be escorted to school by federal guards. Imagine parents shouting ugly remarks at you. Imagine being spat upon, pushed around or down stairs, ignored by teachers and facing a large hostile crowd in the school cafeteria. This was definitely courage under fire and these kids deserve to be recognized and respected for their great achievement. And I want to say their names because they should become a familiar part of African American history:   Elizabeth Eckford Ernest Green Thelma Mothershed Melba Patillo Minnijean Brown Gloria Ray Terrence Roberts Jefferson Thomas Carlotta Walls   [Break for applause.]   By the way, during this podcast, you have heard and will continue to hear about people, places, events and issues. You will HEAR about them, but I completely understand if you want to actually SEE them, too. We got that covered on the Wiki History Podcast Page on Facebook. You will find pictures, animated videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for us because we really appreciate them AND we do respond. Of course, we welcome all questions too.   Moving on…1960 was a BIG year for student activism. It’s really hard to know where to begin.   But I’ll adopt a “ladies first” position here—especially for this little lady named Ruby Bridges.   Ruby wanted to attend William Frantz Elementary School, which was an all-white school based in New Orleans. (I know what you’re thinking: you can’t have an all-white school because the Brown v. Board of Education case declared them illegal. Well, just like in Little Rock, the school boards were NOT going to give up their segregated lifestyle and institutions willingly. So the fight continued.) And little Ruby Bridges wanted to attend this school in her neighborhood school and for which she had passed a rigorous entry test. (This test had ACTUALLY been designed to screen out Black students and had been successful until Ruby.) So, she was excited to attend the kindergarten. Yes, that’s right little Miss Ruby Bridges was seven years old. She had to be escorted to school every day by 4 U.S. Marshals. She spent her first day in the principal’s office and watched as white parents removed their kids from school. A compromise was reached in which white students would return to school and Ruby would be isolated in a classroom on a floor separated from the other students. Only one teacher (Barbara Henry who was from Boston) agreed to teach her. For the remainder of the year, Mrs. Henry and Ruby would sit side-by-side going over lessons in the classroom. At recess, Ruby would stay in the classroom and play games or do calisthenics. At lunch, Ruby would eat alone in the classroom. Outside the school, the parents continued to protest against Ruby. One woman threatened to poison her every day. Another put a black baby doll in a coffin and left it at the school. Ruby said that scared her more than anything! Her father lost his job. Her mother was banned from shopping at the local grocery store.   This behavior seriously affected Ruby—as it would affect any 7-year old child. She began having nightmares. Stopped eating and started to have crying fits. She received counseling and gradually settled into a normal routine with the help of her teacher, Mrs. Henry. By the second year, Ruby started making friends and attending classes with the other students. Ruby attended integrated schools all the way through high school and went on to business school. (Interestingly, Ruby was reunited with Mrs. Henry on the Oprah Winfrey show.) That must have been an emotional reunion! Teachers really do make a difference. But it was Ruby’s strength and determination that helped her to succeed. Still--no one does it alone.   Remember to look for the pictures of Ruby Bridges and Barbara Henry on the Wiki History Podcast page on Face book. I’m really moved by two pictures of 7-year old Ruby marching into school escorted by 4 US Marshals. One is a real-life picture. The second is what has become an iconic portrait made by Norman Rockwell called “The Problem we all live with.”   We’re still in 1960 and now we have the Greensboro Four and their protest is marked as the beginning of student activism during the civil rights movement.   The group known as the Greensboro four was attending the North Carolina A & T State University. They were dedicated students who were fans of Mahatma Gandhi, believed in nonviolence and spent their evening studying and discussing current events. Like many other young people, they had been and still were deeply affected by the murder of Emmett Till 5 years earlier. They had also been very impressed and moved by the Freedom Rides in the Deep South led by the Congress of Racial Equality (or CORE). They acknowledged some progress but also recognized and refused to be distracted into thinking that this progress was good enough. Most businesses were privately owned and therefore not subject to federal law that banned segregation. They decided to take action.   On February 1, 1960 at 4:30pm, all four students walked into a Woolworth in Greensboro, North Carolina. Wearing their Sunday best, they sat at the whites-only lunch counter and requested service. They were denied. They continued to request service in a polite way but they were continuously denied by store manager. They were told to leave but they refused. Police were called but they didn’t arrest the students because they had not been violent or disorderly. Media arrived. Crowds developed. The students stayed at the lunch counter for the entire day until the store closed. Woolworth issued a statement to the press that it would continue to “abide by local custom”, meaning that it would continue to practice segregation.   The Greensboro Four went back the next day. More students joined the sit-in, this time from the Bennett College, which was an all-women’s college in Greensboro. Each day more students joined the protest—and it spread to other southern cities like Richmond and Nashville. By February 5th, hundreds of students joined in the lunch counter sit-ins. It paralyzed all business at the counter. The student protesters were verbally abused and threatened by white customers. THIS sit-in launched a nationwide movement at segregated lunch counters across the country. It also sparked a movement on college campuses that brought ATTENTION to the civil rights situation in the United States. The sit-in protests in Greensboro and other cities received lots of attention from the media and eventually the government. By the end of the year, many restaurants, lunch counters and privately-owned business had desegregated their facilities without any court action or marshals. And, yes, Woolworth in Greensboro also desegregated its lunch counters. Sit-ins were one of the most effective kinds of protests during the Civil Rights Movement. And it started with four intelligent, ambitious and civic-minded African American students and grew to more than 70,000 people protesting throughout the country. The protest ended on March 25th—lasting 5 months, 3 weeks and 3 days.   I absolutely love this story; it is SO inspirational on many different levels. The close friendship among the students. Their motivation, discipline and courage. Their education and reliance on a philosophy of non-violence and civil disobedience. The quick growth of the protests among college students who seemed ripe and ready to show their discontent and ability to fight for their rights. I could go on and on about this but I think that you see the same picture.* And because these students deserve our respect and have earned their place in history, I want to mention their names:   Ezell Blair, Jr. David Richmond Franklin McCain Joseph McNeil   *[Applause track here]       This story shows how a small but determined group can create a big and lasting change. As a follow up, although their protests were successful and many people praised them, both Black and White, all of the Greensboro Four had to leave the city because of harassment and death threats. They had been labeled as troublemakers so the local white population made life difficult and dangerous for the men to continue living there. Today there are several statues and remembrances of the protests initiated by the Greensboro Four. The February One statue of the four student-activists is located on the campus of North Carolina A & T State University. It is really moving. And you can find the original four lunch counter seats at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro. I also have pictures on the Wiki History Podcast Facebook page. I strongly encourage you to see them. I’m sure that you’ll be moved too.   Our last group of student-activists (in Part I) took the fight for civil rights to another level—the international level. They forged a CONNECTION with the civil rights movement in the United States and the anti-colonial movement that was sweeping across the continent of Africa. But I’m jumping ahead of myself; I’m just so excited to talk about this group. The group’s name: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (or SNCC). Let’s start at the beginning.   Still--in 1960.   In April, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) sponsored a conference on student leadership and nonviolent resistance. This conference was partially initiated by the sit-ins in Greensboro and other cities. 300 students attended that conference. These students (who acted as delegates and observers) witnessed the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. SNCC was born!   The members of SNCC joined the Freedom Riders that were sponsored by CORE (remember, Congress of Racial Equality). The Freedom Riders would take people all over the southern states to test the public facilities at the bus stations. However, the Freedom Riders started facing VERY intense attacks and violence. Buses were burned. People were assaulted with baseball bats, bombs and other weapons. Because of these attacks, in 1961, CORE suspended its Freedom Rides. SNCC decided to start running its own Freedom Rides. A SNCC member said, “There was so much at stake, we could NOT allow the segregationists to stop us. We HAD to continue that Freedom Ride EVEN if we were killed in the process.” So SNCC started making its own Freedom rides into the southern states.After numerous members of SNCC were beaten, tortured and imprisoned on false charges during the Freedom Rides, the government was forced to intervene and repeal the segregation laws that regulated interstate public transportation. SNCC had won—but at a great cost.   But the students wanted more. Their next campaign was for voting rights, which they started in 1963. Their slogan “one man, one vote” became the cornerstone of SNCC’s programs. SNCC demanded universal suffrage in the United States, continuing to parallel the efforts in the U.S. with the efforts taking place within the anti-colonial struggle in Africa. These were some serious students!   SNCC continued its sit-in protests and also met with the Oginga Odinga, the president of the newly independent government of Kenya. The racist image of the United States that SNCC’s work showed to the world was a sharp contrast to the picture of democracy painted by the politicians in Washington. And this became a problem.   In 1964, SNCC embarked on its most challenging effort with the Mississippi Summer Project. SNCC joined with other civil rights organizations in the state. (Like the SCLC and church organizations.) The coalition mobilized nearly a thousand volunteers from northern universities to travel to Mississippi to organize an independent Freedom Democratic Party and to register thousands of African Americans to vote. This was the famous Freedom Summer. The white protesters (including Klan members, law enforcement, policians and members of citizen’s councils) responded to SNCC’s civil rights activities with murder, beatings and imprisonment. If you’re wondering, this WAS summer that Cheney, Goodman and Schwerner kidnapped and killed were killed by police and the ku klux klan. More young lives cut short for trying to register Black voters. Unfortunately, the Freedom Democratic Party was never seated at the National Democratic Convention in 1964 and universal suffrage wouldn’t be guaranteed until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, but the work by SNCC brought many more people into the movement for political and economic equality.   Because SNCC had gained a high level of prominence from its consistent work and many successes, the student organization was invited to send a delegation to tour several independent countries in Africa during the fall of 1964. They visited the Republic of Guinea and received a special invitation to meet President Sekou Toure. One of SNCC’s leading members, John Lewis also visited Kenya, Zambia and other African countries. After this important trip, SNCC created an international affairs section, which made a powerful presentation before the United Nations Committee on Decolonization. The role of SNCC during this period illustrated the interconnectedness of the African American struggle for equality and the struggle for independence by the colonized countries on the African continent. Independence, equality, and civil rights were now expanded beyond U.S. borders into an international movement on two continents! Wow. That is huge! Students took the struggle to a new level—as only young people can do!   But SNCC never lost sight of its commitment and work in the cities, small towns and rural areas of the south, working with farmers and young activists on a daily basis to fight for civil rights.   SNCC was a strong and sophisticated organization. It took political activism to a new level while always staying true to its vision. And its members bravely put themselves in harm’s way to demand the right to vote and to demand equality in housing and education. They even faced the issue of police brutality together with its close ally, The Black Panthers. (Did you know that the Black Panthers’ full name was the Black Panthers for Self-Defense?) I just have to give a big shout out to the Black Panthers (who were made up mostly of young people and students) for their efforts in the civil rights movement and for Black empowerment. Everyone had a role. But I want to mention just a few names from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee:   Ella Baker Marion Barry John Lewis Kwame Ture Julian Bond   [Applause here.]*   Julian Bond, who was a former founding member of SNCC and eventually served in the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives, remarked, "a final SNCC legacy is the destruction of the psychological shackles which had kept black southerners in physical and mental servitude; SNCC helped break those chains forever. It demonstrated that ordinary women and men, young and old, could perform extraordinary tasks."   This wise statement applies to all of these student and youth activists. And we’ll definitely see this in the next group of young people. Then in Part II, you will learn ways that YOU can make a positive difference in your own town, country or even the world. And, yes, it IS possible!   We’re gonna go back in time and back down south to Birmingham, Alabama, 1963. There was no Civil Rights Act. No Voting Rights Act. Segregation was still the law in many states in the south and whites fiercely defended this way of life in Alabama. Dr. Martin Luther King, the SCLC, SNCC and other civil rights organizations and churches are DETERMINED to release the racist grip that the Ku Klux Klan, law enforcement, white politicians and citizens’ councils hold on the city. In Dr. King’s words, it was a true symbol of “hard-core resistance to integration.” [pause]* May 1963. Birmingham, Alabama is “ground zero” in the fight for civil rights.   Civil rights leaders needed to take a stronger and more radical approach to their nonviolent protests. So, they decided to request the help and participation of students. They approached high school students and college students to volunteer in a march. And the students stepped up the plate. The students were trained in the tactics of non-violent resistance. Thus began the famous, never-to-be forgotten Children’s Crusade.   On May 2, 1963, 800 Black students skipped school and gathered at the 16th street Baptist Church, awaiting for instructions. They marched 10 miles to downtown on a mission to meet with Birmingham Mayor about segregation. As the students approached city hall, singing songs of freedom, they were corralled by police and arrested. Hundreds were put into paddy wagons and taken to jail.   But that wasn’t the end.   The march would eventually include 3,000 children.   The next day, May 3rd, the march resumed. But this time it was NOT met with a peaceful response. Police were waiting for them with clubs, water cannons and police dogs. The Birmingham Public Safety Commissioner—the infamous Bull Connor--ordered the men to immediately attack the students. They released the dogs and sprayed the students with the water cannons. The scene turned from a peaceful and quiet march of students singing along their way to city hall into a violent scene of terror with kids scattering and screaming as they were beaten and attacked by dogs.   The media captured the violent attack against the unarmed youngsters. Videos were shown around the country, actually the world. White-owned businesses and the white residents of Birmingham were criticized and ostracized by people across the country. On May 10, city leaders agreed to desegregate businesses and public facilities. It also captured the attention and sympathy of the President Kennedy who felt then compelled to public support federal Civil Rights legislation, leading to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Oh, yeah, and Martin Luther King negotiated having Bull Connor removed from public office!   The Children’s Crusade was an essential part of the Civil Rights Movement. Not just because it happened in what was called the “most racist city in the South.” But also because the children were so determined and focused. They were prepared to face violence. Many of the adults didn’t want to face arrest and imprisonment so they refused to participate. (Please understand that I’m not making any judgments about them.) But the kids were simply fed up and refused to back down. Many of them were arrested multiple times, had been beaten on numerous occasions and faced expulsion from school. Yet they kept coming back in greater and greater numbers. Why would they do that? Here are the words of one of the high school student activists:         Jessie Shepherd, then 16, was soaking wet (from the fire hoses) when she was loaded up in a paddy wagon. “I was told not to participate,” says Shepherd, now a retired clinical diet technician. “But I was tired of the injustice.”     “I couldn’t understand why there had to be a colored fountain and a white fountain,” says Shepherd. “Why couldn’t I drink out the fountain that other little kids drank out of? As I got older, I understood that’s just the way it was, because my skin was black, and we were treated differently because of that.” So she marched.   And that march changed the nation.   As we end Part I of this podcast show on student-activism in the civil rights movement, I would ask that if you participated as a student-activist in this march or any of the numerous other marches, sit-ins, Freedom Rides or any other protests, please contact rememberinghistory.com and tell your experience. We want to hear YOUR story. Please add your story and experiences on the comment page. Or you can send me a personal email message to robin@rememberinghistory.com. And please tell your story to YOUR children, your nieces, nephews and other children that you. They NEED to know that young people and students CAN make a difference. That they HAVE power and influence. And knowing YOUR experience and knowing African American history (no matter about yours or the child’s cultural background) shows proof of the power that young people hold in their hands.   On that high note, we will turn to present ways that YOU can get involved, ways that YOU can help. I hope you’ve seen that everyone can contribute. And that everyone has reserves of strength and courage that they probably never knew existed…until they are called to show it. That’s exactly what the young people and students did during the Civil Rights movement. And the young people and students TODAY also have the strength and courage to make a positive impact in the lives of their families, communities, the country and even the world. And, as 2017 begins, it IS clear that strength and courage as well as integrity, passion and vision are going to be needed. As Dr. King remarked, what they do now will impact children who have not yet been born. Please join us in Part II to start making an impact. We have reached the end of this podcast show. Are you feeling inspired? I really am! And I hope that you too.   Please remember to look at the Wiki History Podcast page on Facebook so you can actually SEE these brave kids and for really candid scenes of their experiences. I have deliberately decided NOT to put the mutilated picture of Emmett Till on the page but you can find a picture of him as a promising and eager young man who was the apple of this mother’s eye. You will also see other scenes from Money, Mississippi. And definitely don’t miss the picture of Ruby Bridges being escorted into school surrounded by federal marshals. It’s all there on the Wiki History Facebook page.   Also, if you enjoyed this show, please let others know about it. They might like it, find it inspirational too. We are growing a community of historians of all ages, backgrounds and interests. Everyone is welcome. Let’s change the way people think about history—one good friend at a time.   And we have a special announcement and offer to make to all Wiki History podcast listeners in the next show. Especially for Black History month.   So,come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day!                                             At the end of the show: Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   And we have a special announcement and offer to make to all Wiki History podcast listeners.   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day!   Bye for now!           ************************************************************   But what TO do? How can YOU have a positive impact?   Recognize that there are major problems and challenges around the world. Some problems that existed and led to the Civil Rights Movement STILL exist. Problems like discrimination in voting, education, job and housing still exist. Police violence, poverty and cultural and religious intolerance STILL exist. There are more than * refugees around the world. The environment is under threat. I don’t want to even try to list all the problems on a worldwide scale, but I just recognize that the world is a far from perfect place. There’s a lot that you can do to have an impact. But awareness is the first step.   Get your education. Learn history. The rememberinghistory.com team is committed to keeping history alive and spreading the word so that we can avoid the mistakes of the past, learn the lessons of great people from the past. The world needs more people with education and insight. This doesn’t only mean an “academic” education. Learn a trade. Develop a skill. Read a lot. Okay, these were 2 good ways to prepare yourself to save the world. Now, let’s look at some specific things that you can do.   Do you have a cell phone? Well, you can use it to document racist behavior, threatening behavior or anything that is unacceptable. The camera on your phone can save a life. Remember, the world would never have known about the police beating of Rodney King. You can also use your phone to call for assistance from family, friends or the police. Trayvon Martin used his phone to report that he was being followed. Your phone can be a powerful tool.                                                         After the first discussion:   Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it, find it inspirational too. Let’s change the way people think about history—one good friend at a time.     At the end of the show: Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.   And we have a special announcement and offer to make to all Wiki History podcast listeners.   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day!   Bye for now!    

Can you vote? Do you want to vote? Do you even have a vote?   Great questions!   You might have a quick answer that “of course” you can vote. Or you WILL vote after you turn 18. That’s excellent if you do!   Now what if someone told you that YOU couldn’t vote?   You might answer: No, that’s wrong. I meet the age requirement. I’m over 18.   But then you are asked:   Do you know the US Constitution?   Of course! I know about it, you say.   Then the registrar says: Great. Now recite the entire Constitution.   Do you mean that I should read it to you?   Can you read?   Yes, again, of course.   No, she says, just recite the entire Constitution from memory.   But I don’t KNOW it from memory!   So, the registrar says, “Then you can’t vote. Your application to register to vote is denied!”   Or the scenario could go this way:   You might be asked: Did you pay the $1,000 poll tax?   No, but I can pay it. I can write you a check right now.   Then the registrar says: No, you have paid it for 10 years. You owe $10,000 plus fines. Can you pay it now? Your answer: No. Then you cannot register to vote!   Or you might have been asked: Was your granddaddy registered to vote before the Civil War? Or explain what “Full faith and credit” means or what “ex post facto laws” are. Or I noticed that your name has a hyphen on the registry but not on your ID.   Denied. Denied. Denied.   I think that you get the picture: You are not going to be allowed to vote. Not today.   This was the situation faced by most African Americans in the after they received their freedom. They were regularly denied the right to vote.   And that is not the whole story. Many African Americans were threatened with losing their jobs, they were beaten, had their house burned down or even killed if they tried to register to vote. This was happening primarily—but not exclusively—in the southern states. And this was what African Americans, former enslaved persons, their children and grandchildren faced until the 1965.   So, when I asked: can you vote, do you want to vote and do you have a vote, I hope that you answered a resounding “yes!” to those questions. Because African Americans (and others) fought for the right to vote for a very long time. And the fight continues today—we’ll get to that a bit later.   First, I want to welcome you to Rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it.             Hi, I’m Robin Lofton, the In-house Historian and host of this great and groundbreaking show that inspires YOU and your FAMILY with true stories, real experiences, practical lessons, cultural traditions, and fun celebrations—all inspired by African American history. I find history to be inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history fits the bill in all of these ways. Personally, I hate boring stuff. So boring stuff is not allowed at rememberinghistory.com or at this Wiki history podcast show. So, if you’re looking for boring, sorry you might have to turn to the other media. (I won’t mention any names.)   In the previous podcast show, I mentioned how my history of jazz course in college has inspired a lifelong love of jazz. Some of you sent me your stories about how a history class and even a history teacher inspired you to read more, learn African history, to teach and even to go to law school. History really does have it all—the mystery, the drama, the suspense, the personalities, the victories and yes even the crushing defeats. My favorite historian—yes, I have a favorite historian-- David McCullough, said, “For almost anyone with the normal human allotment of curiosity and an interest in people, history is a field day!” He continues on to say, “Why would anyone wish to be provincial in time any more than being tied down to one place through life, when the whole reach of the human drama is there to experience in some of the greatest books ever written?”   And this applies to all kinds of history—not just western civilization, American or European history. But also to African history (remembering the great Oyo and Ashanti Empires, the Kingdom of Kush, the amazing empires of Benin, Wolof and Kanem-Bornu—which flourished for a thousand years and there were so many others), and of course African American history (including but definitely not limited to slavery) and evolving as an integral part of American history. The saga continues. Like I said, you won’t ever find boring stuff here. Okay, let’s get back to the show!   Every month, the Wiki history podcast show focuses on a theme. The theme for January is: civil rights. And an essential part of civil rights is…voting rights. That’s what we’ll discuss in this show.           The previous show in January (for the new listeners) was a fun and innovative podcast called Lessons from a King. (Martin Luther King, that is.) His birthday is celebrated in January so the rememberinghistory.com team thought that this was a good opportunity to discuss Dr. King. We discussed 3 lessons—and they weren’t what you might have expected. I don’t want to spoil the surprise and ruin the fun so I’ll just encourage you to listen to the previous podcast: Lesson from a King. Get ready to be surprised. And inspired.   The next and last show in January on civil rights won’t focus on the law or rights but instead on the modern civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. The show will focus on a group that is often neglected though they had a huge impact: college students. College students were often on the front lines of civil rights activities. These student-activists were marching, engaging in sit-ins, writing articles and making speeches, registering people to vote and so many other activities. They were often threatened, beaten and sometimes worse. But their impact is undeniable. Stay tuned for this important show. Students can make a difference. So that’s where we’re going in the next podcast show.   We will get started with today’s show in just a moment. Just a bit of information first.   During this podcast, you will hear about people, places, events and issues. You will HEAR about them, but I completely understand if you want to actually SEE them, too. We got that covered on the Wiki History Podcast Page on Facebook. You will find pictures, animated videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for me because I really appreciate them and I do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. Let’s change the way that we think of history—one friend at a time.   I have one more item of interest, it’s about our podcast dedication for 2017—but I’ll save it for AFTER the show.   That’s enough for now. Let’s get started with this great and groundbreaking Wiki history podcast show called “The Fight for the Right: Voting Rights in America.”         Let’s think back to the opening of this podcast to the scenario where you were submitting your application to register to vote and the voting registrar asked crazy questions, made crazy demands and basically set up insurmountable barriers to voting (like requiring you to recite the entire 4500-word Constitution). In the end, you were not allowed to vote. And this was the situation faced by many African Americans for almost a hundred years—until 1965 with the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Yes, that’s right, this discriminatory voting system started around 1870 (shortly after the end of slavery) and continued until 1965. In some ways, it continues today but we’ll get to that a bit later.   You might say but wait, what about the 15th Amendment to the Constitution?!   Great question and it’s a great place to start with our discussion about voting rights in the United States.   The 15th Amendment (passed in 1869) was short. It said,   “The right of citizens to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”   That should resolve the question right there. Race, color or previous condition of servitude (namely enslavement) should not prevent a person from voting.   The immediate effect of the 15th Amendment was that more African Americans started voting and more African Americans were elected to public office. This didn’t last long, however.   This short and vague amendment merely forbade the denial of the vote based on race, color and previous enslavement (weird thing to say). But it (very conspicuously) ignored more detailed issues such as the use of indirect methods to block the vote—like the poll tax and literacy test in the opening scenario of this podcast. Did you notice that they never asked or commented on your race in the opening scenario? And these “INDIRECT methods of disenfranchisement” were directly responsible for keeping African Americans out of the voting booths for nearly 100 years.   During that period, there was systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans led by conservative southern Democrats (yes, Democrats).   They used: Literacy tests—first used in South Carolina. (Most former slaves couldn’t read.) Understanding tests—the potential voter had to demonstrate an understanding of certain clauses in the Constitution. Poll taxes—large sums were required to register to vote, sometimes cumulative back taxes were required. This eliminated most African Americans and poor whites from registering. Grandfather clauses—your grandfather must have been eligible to vote before the Civil War. Of course, most enslaved persons and their children would not qualify to vote under the grandfather clauses. Fortunately, the Supreme Court invalidated these grandfather clauses in a case against Oklahoma in 1915. Residency requirements—you had to have resided in a specific area to vote. Long-term residency requirements Constant re-residency requirements—changing the reqs without notice   Election fraud was rampant. There was ballot box stuffing, throwing out votes by African Americans, and the refusal to count votes for Black candidates (this was discovered in Kentucky) but happened throughout the southern United States in the early 1900s. And violence was actually the principal means used to disenfranchise African Americans and to keep them from voting or running for elected office. The Ku Klux Klan (founded in Kentucky in 1866) was formed with the purpose of terrorizing African Americans who acquired economic and/or political power, particularly focusing on Blacks who tried to vote. But “citizens councils” and other groups used violence to disenfranchise African Americans.         This period of black disenfranchisement (1870 to 1965) demonstrates that it was not caused solely by the actions of Southern states and individual people using violence and terror. It was also a failure of the PRESIDENT to uphold and exercise federal power to ensure that Blacks could participate in the electoral system. CONGRESS also failed to use its powers under the 14th and 15th amendments. And the SUPREME COURT actively undermined federal executive powers to protect black voting rights, refused to acknowledge racial discrimination even when it was obvious, and it accepted blatant constitutional violations. Lots of cases about that but too many to mention now. We’ll examine one case soon though.   Let’s move from THAT bleak picture to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.   The Voting Rights Act prohibits racial discrimination in voting. Notice the difference from the 15th Amendment? No focus on merely race or color or previous enslavement. The focus of the Voting Rights Act is on prohibiting ANY kind of action that in purpose or effect discriminates against racial minorities. That’s big. Much bigger than the deliberately watered-down language of the 15th Amendment.   The DOJ said it best: the Voting Rights Act is the most effective piece of civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country.   It was signed by President Lyndon Johnson and has been amended at least 5 times to expand its scope.   The immediate and lasting effect of the Voting Rights Act was to SUSPEND literacy tests, poll taxes, understanding tests, grandfather clauses and all the other obstacles placed before African Americans applying to vote. But it did even more than that. It assigned federal examiners to oversee elections and assigned observers to help people register to vote. And most importantly it required states that had a history of racial discrimination in voting to apply to the U.S. Attorney General WHENEVER the state or local government wanted to create new laws, rules or codes that might result in racial discrimination in voting. Again, that’s another “wow!”   The Voting Rights Act contains numerous provisions that regulate election administration. The Act's "general provisions" provide nationwide protections for voting rights.   The Act also contains "special provisions" that apply ONLY TO CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS. A core special provision is the Section 5 preclearance requirement, which prohibits certain jurisdictions from implementing any change affecting voting without receiving preapproval from the U.S. Attorney General that the change doesn’t discriminate against protected minorities.   Remember this special preclearance requirement (where they had to get approval from the Attorney General) only applies to certain jurisdictions. I’m sure that you can guess which, but I’ll tell you anyway.   Alabama Georgia Louisiana Mississippi South Carolina Virginia   Alaska, Arizona and Texas were added in 1975.   And a few counties in California, Florida, New York, North Carolina (actually 40 counties in NC) and South Dakota.   Just look at the immediate effect. In 1964, a year before the Voting Rights Act was passed, 29 percent of African Americans were registered to vote. (That’s a nationwide percentage—the figures in the southern states were definitely lower.) But just 2 years AFTER the Voting Rights Act was passed, 52 percent of African Americans were registered to vote. From 29 percent to 52 percent in just 3 years. The Voting Rights Act was POWERFUL. No wonder that it was a prime objective of Dr. Martin Luther King to pass this law!     If you’re still not impressed, let me give you some real numbers. Going beyond registered voters. Here’s one figure. In 1964 (the year before the Voting Rights Act), 6 percent of African Americans were registered to vote in Mississippi. By 1969, 59 percent of African Americans were registered! That’s impressive!   But I’m sorry to say that problems continue for African Americans and other racial, ethnic and language minorities in the American voting system.   In one of its worst blows to civil rights, the Supreme Court invalidated important sections of the Voting Rights Act. The case was called County of Shelby v. Holder, decided in 2013. In a 5-4 decision, the Court admitted that voting discrimination continues to exist but said the Voting Rights Act exceeded Congress’s power to enforce the 15th Amendment and was punishing states for past behavior that might not be relevant today.   The Shelby County v. Holder case was an unfortunate step backwards in the long struggle to end discrimination in voting. The reality is that discrimination in voting REMAINS a real and immediate problem. Violations still occur. And any violation (even if it seems small) often impacts thousands, tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of voters. (Recent presidential elections have been decided by these kinds of numbers!)   I have official reports that list serious violations in practically every state in the country. The violations are numerous. The reports are detailed. And they show unequivocally that discrimination in voting remains a serious problem. I won’t list all the violations here—there are just too many of them—but they are important so maybe I’ll make a different podcast discussing them. But the most common violations can be grouped under the category of vote dilution. Attempts to dilute the voting power of individuals or groups of minorities.           Vote dilution is the practice of reducing he potential effectiveness of a group’s voting strength by limiting the group’s chances to translate voting strength into voting power. In the United States, this occurs when a traditional white majority precludes a minority group’s choices from having any bearing or significant meaning in an election on par with the white voters in the same election. (I know that’s vague so I’ll try to get more specific.)   The usual device for diluting the minority vote is manipulation of district lines either by fragmenting the minority voters into several districts where a bloc-voting majority can routinely outvote them or “packing” minority voters into a small number of districts to minimize their influence in adjacent districts. This kind of re-districting is common, effective and insidious in disenfranchising African Americans and other minority groups. And it is happening right now.   I do want to mention other modern ways of disenfranchising voters.   Requiring state ID for voters. This was done in Georgia, Kansas and Alabama. Excessively long waiting lines in some areas (for example, Maricopa County in Arizona had ONLY one polling station for every 21,000 residents while the rest of the state had one for every 11,000 residents.) People waited for hours to vote and sometimes the voting station closed before everyone in line could vote. Closing polling stations in exchange for mail-only polling station. This was done in San Juan County, Utah. This opens the door to voter fraud and rejecting ballots from voters in certain areas (identified by the zip code). Rejecting people whose names don’t match EXACTLY the driver’s license or social security cards. People were rejected for a missing accent or hyphen on the card. This particularly affected women, Latinos and African Americans. Prohibiting people with a felony conviction from voting. That means more nearly 6 million Americans, including 1 in 13 African Americans are forever barred from voting.   These are pretty sneaky but effective ways of prohibiting large groups of people from voting. And it definitely has an effect in elections.   But don’t despair. All is not lost. The Voting Rights Act is not dead. In 2014, Congress introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act (with bipartisan support!) directly in response to the Supreme Court case. The VRAA includes NEW methods of federal action, NEW tools to identify and stop voting discrimination BEFORE it occurs and it works to ensure that election changes are transparent. So, the fight against voting discrimination continues in the Congress.   That brings me to the final section that examines what YOU can do to fight voting discrimination. Everyone has a role to play and, as you can see from the history, people from all backgrounds, races, genders and ethnicities have been working hard to ensure the right to vote and that the vote has an impact.               So, what can YOU do?   Be sure to register to vote. Check your registration status periodically to ensure that you have not been removed from the voter registry. (This happens A LOT!) But don’t just focus on federal elections. Vote in state, county and local elections. Most voter discrimination happens at the local level. Keep abreast of changes to the voting rules in your district. Again, remember to watch the local elections too—where most voter discrimination occurs. Watch everything from federal elections down to the local school board election. It all matters! Speak out and challenge any rules that negatively affect your ability to vote. Get to know your local representative and contact them whenever changes are made. Encourage others to speak out against discriminatory voting laws and rules. Help others register to vote and assist people in getting to the polls. At the voting polls, be observant. Report harassment, excessively long lines, intimidation of ANY kind or hints of voter suppression. Definitely report it. Volunteer at voter registration events. The NAACP and other organizations regularly host these events. Sign up for the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights at www.civilrights.org. They will send notifications whenever changes are proposed to the voting laws in your district. Then, take action!   So, you see? There is a lot that you (and I) can do to fight discrimination in voting. And we HAVE to do it if we want to ensure voter access and equality. We’ve come too far to drop the ballot now! Voter discrimination remains, “an insidious and pervasive evil” (that’s a direct quote from the Voting Rights Act).   That wraps up this Wiki history podcast called “The Fight for the Right: Voting Rights in America.” I hope that you enjoyed it, learned a little something and felt inspired and moved to do what you can to protect the right to vote. More people need to know about this continuing struggle. And it definitely IS continuing.   I realize that I mentioned names of laws and other information that you might want more information about. The rememberinghistory.com team has you covered. You can get more information, read the “What You Can Do” list, see great pictures and even find good a book list at the Wiki History podcast page on Facebook. You will also find a link to a short animated video about voting rights. It’s only 2 minutes and I think that you’ll find interesting and fun. And it’s great for kids of all ages.   Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.     The next show is about the role and impact of students in the civil rights movement. These student-activists were bold, brave and didn’t back down. You definitely don’t wanna miss that show! After that we’re heading into Black History Month, which is always an exciting month at rememberinghistory.com. And we have a special announcement and offer to make to all Wiki History podcast listeners.   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day!   Bye for now!              

Rememberinghistory.com Podcast Show January 2017   Hello and welcome back to rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. I’m Robin Lofton, the host of this great and groundbreaking show that inspires YOU and YOUR family with stories, experiences, lessons, traditions, and celebrations—all from African American history. That’s right—it’s inspirational. History—in all its forms--can be inspirational. American history, ancient history, European history, music history, history of medicine, history of technology, history of law, women’s history. All kinds of history can be inspirational, instructional and entertaining. And African American history fits the bill in all of these ways.   I remember taking a course on the history of jazz when I was in college. Confession time, I took the class because I heard that it was easy and that I would easily get a good grade. What do you think that I discovered when I actually took the class? It WAS easy and I DID get a good grade. But it was easy because it was so interesting. I listened to and learned about great jazz musicians like Muddy Waters, Louie Armstrong, Count Basie, Chet Baker, Miles Davis and so many others. I learned about how and why jazz (and the blues) developed, how it changed over time and heard amazing true stories about the people who created this form of “folk music”. Yes, history of jazz was easy for me because it was absolutely fascinating. And I’ve been something of a jazz maniac ever since, going to jazz festivals throughout the United States and Europe. One class—one history class—changed me forever. That’s what history can do. I hate “boring stuff”. So you won’t ever find boring stuff here. Okay, let’s get back to the show!   Every month, the rememberinghistory.com podcast show (which is actually called Wiki History) focuses on a theme. The theme for January is: civil rights. I know that you’ve heard of them but what are “civil rights”? Broadly, civil rights (as defined by Wikipedia—and a big shout out to them for their work) is a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. That’s pretty general but it’s accurate. So, this month, the Wiki History podcast show will have two shows on civil rights.       The first show on civil rights is about the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act prohibited discrimination in voting based on race, gender, religion and other characteristics. I think that this is a particularly important time to discuss the Voting Rights Act because the right and ability to vote are (in my humble but educated opinion) at the very heart of democracy. If there is no voter equality then there is really isn’t a functioning or legitimate democracy. So, this will be discussed in the podcast coming later this month.   The second show on civil rights will not focus on the law but on the modern civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. The show will focus on a group that is often neglected though they had an enormous impact: college students. College students were often on the front lines of civil rights activities. These student-activists were marching, engaging in sit-ins, writing articles and making speeches, registering people to vote and so many other activities. They were often threatened, beaten and sometimes worse. But their impact is undeniable. Stay tuned for this important show. Students can make a difference.   But today’s show is a slightly different—only slightly—because it is about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He fought hard for civil rights; we all know that. But his birthday is also in January—January 15th to be exact—so I felt that it was important to have a show that gives a “shout out” to him and remembers his birthday, which is celebrated as a federal holiday in the United States on the third Monday of January. Today’s Wiki history show about Dr. King won’t focus so much on what he did—though that will be discussed—but rather on how he can continue to inspire us, long after his early death in 1968. This show and every Wiki history podcast show is history at its finest. We’ll go beyond the names, dates and death counts of your high school history classes. (Remember, there is no “boring stuff” allowed here!) Instead, we’ll use history as a stepping stone to greater heights of wisdom and inspiration. We’re gonna get to it after just a bit of important information that you might find helpful.   First, if you enjoy this show, you can get more information at the Remembering history podcast page on Facebook. You will find pictures, short videos and a community of history lovers. There is also a place for comments, which I hope that you will leave for me because I really appreciate them and I do respond. Also, if you enjoy this show, please let others know about it. They might like it and find it inspirational too. Let’s change the way that we think of history—one friend at a time. By the way, you also find a short animated video of this podcast on the Remembering history Podcast Page (again on Facebook.)   Finally, I just want to remind you that 2017, the Wiki History podcast show is dedicated to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Located in Washington, DC as part of the Smithsonian, the National Museum of African American History & Culture opened in 2016. This kind of museum was long overdue but it finally happened and it is a place that everyone should visit and explore. Museums are a great way to bring history to life and to keep it alive for future generations. Wiki History is honored to be a part of this important process. For every person that listens to this podcast show, rememberinghistory.com will donate $1 to the National Museum of African American History & Culture. I also donate personally and I hope that you will too.   That’s enough for now. Let’s get started with this great and groundbreaking Wiki history podcast show. Today’s show is called “Lessons from a King.”               “I have a dream” (speech excerpt) Play excerpt   August 28, 1963. I think that we all recognize this speech by Dr. Martin Luther King—one of the most famous speeches ever—given at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It’s also one of the most important glimpses into the heart and mind of Dr. King. The strength to dream, to envision a better world. The depth to let his spiritual side lead and encourage him to new heights. The audacity to challenge everyone to dream and work towards a world where equality, justice and peace are the norm.   And this speech is so inspirational that people want to wake up from their dreams to stand up and cheer. I certainly wanted to while I was listening to this recording.   We gonna hear more quotes from Dr. King throughout this podcast—he was one of the most quotable people on the planet—and his speeches inspired a generation. And continues to inspire people. There is so much that we can still learn from Martin Luther King and that is the focus of today’s podcast. We are gonna focus on the lessons learned from and inspirations acquired from Dr. King. His legacy will never die.   By the way, this is one of the joys of history. We can be inspired by people who are no longer here. We can continue to learn from their lives, the mistakes and their victories. Their stories never die. They become part of the never-ending human drama.   So, what lessons can we get from Dr. Martin Luther King? How can he inspire us?   So many ways but we will focus on just three.   Lesson #1: Be Maladjusted. Lesson #2: Work together. Lesson #3: Take action.   He spoke about these lessons. But, more importantly, he lived these lessons. And they inspired the world!           Let’s talk first about lesson #1. Be maladjusted.   That doesn’t sound right, does it? Why should we be maladjusted? Maladjusted means “failing to cope with one’s social environment or norms.” Did Dr. King really encourage us to be maladjusted? In a word, “yes!”   In a speech to the YMCA on June 4, 1957, Dr. King spoke to a group of students. He said,--and I gotta apologize that I’m not have a lot of audio recordings of Dr. King’s speeches. Instead, I will read an excerpt. Hope that’s okay. He said, “There are some things within our societal order to which I am proud to be maladjusted and to which I call upon you to be maladjusted. I never intend to adjust myself to segregation and discrimination. I never intend to adjust myself to mob rule. I never intend to adjust myself to the tragic effects of the methods of physical violence and to tragic militarism. I call upon you to be maladjusted to such things.” Later, speaking a Western Michigan University in 1963, he further said, “I never intend to become adjusted to religious bigotry. I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few. I am proud to be maladjusted.”   Wow! Here is Dr. King encouraging you to question societal norms that are inconsistent with your values and rights. Of course, things that Dr. King was fighting like segregation and discrimination are no longer legal but there are certainly other things happening and accepted today that you might not want to accept as normal, even if society does such as continued racial discrimination, LGTBQ discrimination, police violence, religious intolerance, economic inequality to name just a few.   Being maladjusted takes courage and conviction. It means going against an impassioned and fearful majority and deciding right and wrong on your own terms. This can be difficult but, as Dr. King said, “Our lives begin to end the day that we become silent about things that matter.” Being maladjusted means not being silent. It means speaking out. It means taking a stand. It means doing something. It can even be dangerous if others who disagree with you feel threatened and become violent. But it is definitely the “high road.” Creative maladjustment does not ask “is it safe?” “is it expedient?” “is it popular?” or “is it efficient?” Creative maladjustment simply asks “is it right?” Only your conscience can answer that question. And, as Dr. King said, “The time is always right to do the right thing.”       Being maladjusted can be expressed in so many ways that can improve your life. It can encourage you to go to college or start a business when others are telling to get a low-paying, dead-end job. It can encourage you to travel and meet new people when others are telling you that it’s better just to stay home. It can encourage you to follow your dreams to be a writer, musician or any other career ambition when others are telling to remain in your comfort zone or take something safe and steady. Being maladjusted can help you to live YOUR life rather than limiting yourself to what other’s say is possible for you.   What an inspirational and courageous concept! With all the difficulties that we face today—things can be quite confusing!—we can all follow the enduring legacy of Dr. King and remain true to our values and let our conscience to our guide.   "There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right."    Let’s move on to the next lesson. Lesson #2 is to work together.   At the commencement speech at Oberlin College in 1965, Dr. King while discussing the importance of unity said, “We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”   When many people talk about the civil rights movement, they focus on the work of Martin Luther King. There’s no doubt that he was at the center of the movement. But he was not alone. There were many organizations and people of all races, ethnicities, genders and backgrounds involved in the civil rights movement. And each person and organization played an important role.   Dr. King was not just a single person leading the movement. He was a founding member and the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, formed in 1957* following the successful 381-day Montgomery bus boycott. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (or SCLC) was a group of Baptist ministers who recruited members from churches to participate in civil rights demonstrations.       There was the NAACP—working nationally and locally to ensure economic, social and political equality, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (or SNCC)—you will hear more about them in a podcast on students in the civil rights movement later this month, there was the Nation of Islam whose most famous member was Malcolm X who focused on Black nationalism, CORE—the Congress of Racial Equality who were instrumental in the freedom rights to register Blacks to vote in the southern states, NAACP Legal Defense Fund led by William Hastie and Thurgood Marshall working hard to document disparate education between schools for Blacks and whites and to abolish the federal and state segregation laws. There were many other organizations involved and thousands of people working at the national and grassroots levels during the civil rights movement. I’m reluctant to mention any names because I can’t say them all and I don’t want to imply that any one was more important than another. But I can’t resist mentioning the “mother of the civil rights movement” Rosa Parks had worked to document and report incidents of white men engaging in systematic and unprosecuted sexual assaults against Black women. She had been involved in this risky work even before she refused to give up her seat on the Montgomery bus on December 1, 1955. There was Harry T. Moore* working in Florida to desegregate schools and demand equal pay for Black teachers. He and his wife were unfortunately killed in a bomb attack by the KKK. His story is amazing but often neglected. There was Viola Davis, a white housewife killed for transporting people during the March on Washington. (Remembering history has made an interesting but sad podcast about people killed fighting for civil rights. You can find it on the Facebook page.) And, of course, there were thousands of people who participated in the marches, sit-ins, freedom rides, boycotts and demonstrations. So many people. All working together.   Of course, there were conflicts and disagreements. Organizations had different approaches to achieving civil rights. Individuals had different motives and visions. But everyone ultimately wanted the same thing: freedom, justice and equality. I think that Dr. King: “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” They had to learn to work together.   No, Dr. King did not act alone. The lesson here is that we must work together towards our common goal. Whether that goal is the cause of justice and equality, fighting for the environment, helping the poor or displaced persons, passing a law, stopping violence or raising a family, nobody walks alone. We must work together. It takes a village!   The lesson is clear: Look for ways to live and work together. Or else everyone loses. Everyone will be defeated. There really is strength in numbers.   Now, let’s turn to the third lesson (and arguably the most important and inspirational lesson of all). Lesson #3 is that you MUST take action.   Martin Luther King was a philosophical man, an educated man, a thinking man and a deeply spiritual man. But he was also a man of action. He was at the forefront of the modern civil rights movement from the beginning. Sometimes, we like to think of him as a man with dreams—and he certainly had dreams and visions of a better world. But he was absolutely committed to working—and I mean working hard—for change in the United States and around the world. And he always encouraged others to take action.   He once said, “Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.”   Is there any doubt that Dr. King was a man of action?   He organized and participated in numerous marches, sometimes in the front of the line. He also organized and participated in demonstrations and boycotts, gave speeches, wrote letters and sometimes just made an appearance to give people hope.   Dr. King was acutely aware that the work also had to occur in the political arena. He met with U.S. presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and Bobby Kennedy (who was attorney general under President Kennedy) constantly pressuring them for legislation on civil rights and voting rights, pressuring them to use federal troops to protect peaceful demonstrators and to enforce the desegregation orders in public schools.   He faced attack dogs, fire hoses and billy clubs in demonstrations. No, he wasn’t present at the Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery in which the police and local citizens brutalized the nonviolent demonstrators. Afterwards, Dr. King stated, “If I had any idea that the state troopers would use the kind of brutality they did, I would have felt compelled to give up my church duties altogether to lead the line.” He was arrested numerous times, risking getting beaten or killed in jail. Even when he was imprisoned, he wrote his famous Letter from a Birmingham Jail in which he stated firmly that Blacks can’t be patient and wait for change. Change had to happen NOW.   This podcast is just too short to list all of Martin Luther King’s work for civil rights. I just mention a few activities to reinforce the lesson that you must act to make things happen. Whether it is working for a cause, building a business, attending school, looking for a job or anything that is important to you, you must take action to make it happen. Sure, dream about it, envision it, plan it out. But also get to work to make it happen! And remember the words of Dr. King, “If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run then walk. If you can walk then crawl. But whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”   So, you have the 3 lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King.   To recap:   Be maladjusted—don’t accept the norm if it conflicts with your values. Dare to be different. Work together—the more, the merrier and the more powerful. You don’t need to do it alone, Take action—work, work and keep working to achieve your goals.   That wraps up this Wiki history podcast. I hope that you enjoyed it, learned a little something and felt inspired. If you did like it, I would be grateful if you would tell others about this podcast and about the Wiki history show.   I realize that I mentioned a lot of quotations, names of people and organizations who were instrumental in the civil rights movement. You can get more information, see iconic pictures, find the quotations and even good a book list at the remembering history podcast page on Facebook. You will also find a link to a short animated video about “Lessons from a King”. It’s only 2 minutes and I think that you’ll find interesting and fun. And it’s great for kids of all ages.   The next show is about the Voting Rights Act. Dr. King was absolutely committed to the passage of this important law. You’ll learn about it and how effective it remains today. (Spoiler alert: The Supreme Court has not reigned supreme in protecting voting rights!)   And the final show for January is about the role of student-activists during the civil rights movement. They were bold, brave and didn’t back down. You definitely don’t wanna miss that show!   Come back soon to Remembering History where we ARE remembering history and we’re making it. Every day!   Bye for now!

Welcome back to robinlofton.com.  Actually, I should welcome to the new rememberinghistory.com podcast. This month, April 2015, I launched the new and improved website and podcast called rememberinghistory.com where we are still remembering history and we’re still making history, too!  Yes, it’s a new and improved website and community where you can still find the Wiki History podcasts, my bodacious blog and a great community of fun and friendly people who love history!  You will also find some new things at rememberinghistory.com. I have opened a store called Books & Stuff where you can find, well, books. But you can also find DVDs, videos, and lots of other “stuff” to enhance your history experience.    While I’m glad that you are listening to my podcasts, I think that it’s also important to read, read and read some more.  I remember that John Adams (2nd president of the United States) said when after finishing his studies at Harvard and before writing the Massachusetts constitution was asking himself, “How can I judge? How can any man judge unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading?!”  That’s why I have opened a books and stuff store.  And I’ve made it easy because I have also added my personal reading recommendations for the month and for just general knowledge and interest. Everything that I recommend in the store, I have personally read and highly recommend. So, what if you’re not the reading type? That’s okay too. Some people are more visual. Some people are more audio-oriented. Everyone is learns differently.  (John Adams and his contemporaries didn’t have that option!) But we do so I also recommend DVDs and audiobooks. Again, each one has been personally vetted by me—I have read, watched or listened to all of them.  I would also like your opinions about these supplementary items and I definitely want your recommendations too. So, that is one of the new things that you will find at rememberinghistory.com.   There will be another new addition to the website too, which will launch on June 1st.  I will give you more information and ways to win prizes and other freebies as the date gets closer but for now…just know that something big is coming soon. Stay tuned.  Finally, before getting to our first Wiki History Podcast about Less Famous Heroes, I just want to remind you that you can still go to robinlofton.com but you will be redirected automatically to rememberinghistory.com.      Please remember to sign up so that you can receive the podcasts, blogs, news and updates directly to you by email.  (Don’t worry, you won’t get an avalanche of email messages but you will stay informed and updated about the goings on at rememberinghistory.com. Enough said about that.   In the Spring, I like to take a moment to remember the people who have fought and died in the struggle for civil rights, the fight for human rights.  Yes, I know that Spring is upon us, the days are longer, the birds are singing again and the flower buds are just returning. It is a time for renewal. But for me it is also a time for remembrance.  Why? Two reasons. In the midst of all the wonderful feelings of happiness, joy and freedom, it just feels right to me to remember those people who fought for us to have the right to enjoy those freedoms.  The second reason is that April 4th is the day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.  April 4, 1968 to be exact.  He was certainly a fallen—and definitely not forgotten—hero.   Dr. King needs no introduction. But he definitely deserves our remembrance this month. He was a (or the) leader in the civil rights movement.  Many people do not realize, though, that he was also a philosopher and prolific writer.  His speeches are legendary but his books take the issues to a new level of deep.  One of his best, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?  should be on everyone’s short list to read. Written in 1967, Dr. King discusses, in this book, the advances made in civil rights in the 1950s and 60s. But then he continues on to question what African Americans can and should do with these hard-won freedoms. He concludes that Blacks and whites—or actually, everyone—should unite to fight poverty and demand equality of opportunity. This is a powerful book, and very ahead of its time.       For a shorter and very moving summary of his philosophy, read Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham jail (written on April 16, 1963).  It is a condensed version of his philosophy and thoughts about discrimination, equality and how people will have to unite for the common good.  I saw another side to Dr. King as well in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. He sounded angry and frustrated about the difficulties that he was facing in the cause of equality, especially from his clergy brethren.  You will see a very human side to Dr. King, which is compelling and provides a fuller picture of this brilliant man. Dr. King was the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964. Yes, he was a leader of the African American community but his vision and work led him to become a world leader.  Dr. King was killed on April 4, 1968.  He will always be remembered and honored for his dedication and service.  And now is a great time to remember other people who though not so prominent or famous as Dr. King made important and courageous contributions in the field of human rights too.  Some made big contributions. Others made strong individual stands. All were important and deserve to be remembered. That’s what I’m doing today.   By the way, you can find Where Do We Go From Here? Chaos or Community? and Letter from a Birmingham Jail as well as DVDs and audiobooks in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com. You don’t have to remember the names—you will find them in the Special Section called Less Famous Heroes in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com.   Have you heard of Corporal Roman Ducksworth, Jr.?   Corporal Ducksworth was a military officer with leave to go home to see his wife and five children. On April 9, 1962, he was taking a bus through Mississippi when a police officer, William Kelly, awoke Corporal Ducksworth by punching him in the face. The officer then ordered Corporal Ducksworth off the bus. He refused.  The officer dragged then dragged him off the bus at gunpoint and shot him through the heart. Let’s back up a moment.  Why did this happen, why was Corporal Ducksworth killed?  Different accounts but probably because he refused to move when the bus entered Mississippi, where segregation was still enforced.  The Supreme Court had already declared segregation on buses to be illegal.  And Corporal Ducksworth stood up for his right to sit in any available seat on the bus. For that stand, he was punished, killed. In standing up for his right, he also stood up for our rights.  This was a courageous move for anyone to make in Mississippi in 1962. Unfortunately, Corporal Ducksworth was killed and Officer Kelly’s actions were ruled as justifiable homicide; no federal charges were filed.   However, Corporal Ducksworth received full military honors and a 16-gun salute. For his bravery in standing up for his rights, we salute Corporal Ducksworth and honor his courage.  Thank you, Corporal Ducksworth!     Rev. George Washington Lee   We move on now to another brave man in the fight for civil rights. Rev. George Washington Lee. What a great name. In fact, many African Americans were named (or named themselves) after the founders of the United States.  People like George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington are other examples.  Some were so named during slavery but many others received their names after slavery ended.  Back to George Washington Lee.   Reverend Lee was the first black person to register to vote in Humphreys County, Mississippi since Reconstruction. Rev. Lee often used his pulpit and his printing press to urge other Blacks to vote. White officials offered him protection on the condition he end his voter registration efforts. And Rev. Lee received many death threats for his efforts to register himself and other Blacks to vote. But he would not be deterred.   Reverend Lee was a member of the NAACP and had worked for years to pay poll taxes so that he could vote and was finally allowed to sign the register after the county sheriff feared federal prosecution.   On the night of May 7, 1955, Reverend Lee drove his car along Belzoni’s Church Street, returning from an NAACP meeting when people said “two gun blasts shattered the night stillness, and his Buick sedan swerved over the curb and rammed into a frame house.  Several witnesses saw a car drive by with white men inside but the local sheriff ruled that Rev. Lee had argued with a woman and lost control of his car. He died on his way to the Humphreys County Memorial Hospital.”     As it turned out, the FBI did investigate Rev Lee’s murder and records show the agency built a circumstantial murder case against two men, but a local prosecutor refused to take the case to a grand jury. Peck Ray and Joe David Watson Sr., the suspects, were members of the Citizens Council. Both died in the 1970s and never served any time for the killing.   Some of Lee’s friends believe the murder was part of a larger conspiracy involving influential members of the community who wanted to silence Rev. Lee for encouraging blacks to register to vote.   For his courage and determination to vote and encouraging other Blacks to vote, we honor the memory of Rev. George Washington Lee. And we thank him for his service.  (Applause)   I will end this first podcast about Less famous heroes with a discussion of Harry and Harriet Moore. They were both black educators in Florida and formed the first office of the N AACP in the southern state.  The Moores focused on the sharp disparity or difference between the salaries and benefits received by white teachers and black teachers in the public schools. In fact, they filed the first lawsuit teacher salary disparities.  They also fought against segregation particularly in education. Later, Mr. Moore began to focus on the problem of police brutality and lynching—both very controversial and dangerous subjects. Harry Moore documented and personally investigated more than a hundred cases of lynching in the state of Florida.  Because of their work against violence and discrimination, they received numerous death threats and were later fired from their jobs.         On Christmas Day in 1951, a firebomb was placed directly under their bedroom in the house where they with their two daughters. The bomb exploded while they slept. Its explosion was called the “blast heard around the world” and sent the bed flying through the ceiling. Harry Moore was killed instantly. Nine days later, Harriett Moore died. Their daughters survived. Rallies were held. Letters were sent to the Governor and President Eisenhower but to no avail. No one was ever arrested or charged. They are the only known couple to be killed in the fight for civil rights.     A recent investigation into the bombing—and by recent, I mean 2005 (more than 50 years ago their murders)—by the Florida State Attorney General discovered that the bombing had been done by four Klansmen who were known to be especially violent and used explosives in other killings. One of the klansmen actually had a diagram of the Moore’s home. Two of the klansmen died in 1956 (the year after the bombing), one klansman committed suicide and the remaining killer died in 1978. Before his death from cancer, he admitted to being at the scene of the bombing of the Moore’s home in 1951.   The Moore’s have received many posthumous awards and honors, including have a post office and state high way named after them. They were also inducted into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Langston Hughes wrote and read a poem at their funeral. It is short so I want to take a moment to read it.   Florida means land of flowers It was on a Christmas night. In the state named for the flowers Men came bearing dynamite... It could not be in Jesus’ name Beneath the bedroom floor On Christmas night the killers Hid the bomb for Harry Moore   A book was written about Harry Moore called Before His Time: The Untold Story of Harry T. Moore, America’s First Civil Rights Martyr. It was written in 1999 by investigative journalist Ben Green. You can find this book (which is also about Harriett too) in the bookstore at rememberinghistory.com.  I hope that you read it but be prepared for an emotional ride—anger, sadness, frustration or all of the above. You decide. And let me know your thoughts and feelings about the book; I look forward to your comments.   For their work in education and courage to fight segregation and violence against African Americans, we remember and honor Harry and Harriett Moore. And we thank them for their service. (Applause!)   So, this brings the first podcast about Less Famous heroes to an end.  Corporal Ducksworth. Reverend George Washington Lee. Harry and Harriett Moore. While it is important to note the violence that ended their lives, it is more important (I believe) to remember how they lived, what they fought for and their courage under fire.  And they can give us the courage to stand up for what is right and fair for all people.   In the next podcast, I will make a special focus still on Less Famous heroes. But the next podcast will focus on heroes who were white and were killed during the civil rights movement, fighting for civil rights. I think that many times we forget that many whites participated in the rallies and marches and were also opposed to segregation and the other evils of discrimination. (Their work and activities also caused them to lose friends, be rejected by family members and face violence.) So, I’m going to remember them in the next podcast.  Their stories are also interesting and inspirational and remind us to stand up not only for our own rights, but also for the rights of others.   I am reminded of one of my favorite philosophers, Edmund Burke, who said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (repeat)  Well these people refused to “do nothing” even though things might have been easier and safer for them if they did. So they are an inspiration to us all and I am happy to remember and honor them in the next podcast.   I hope that you will join me for the next podcast and that you enjoyed this session.  Yes, the stories can be sad. They can be frustrating, perhaps even make you angry.  But they are a part of history—all these people made history and we are here to remember history and to make history, too!   If you want more information—and I hope that you do—please visit rememberinghistory.com and look at the blog and the bookstore where you will find the books that I mentioned at the beginning called Where do we go from here: Chaos or Community and the Letter from a Birmingham Jail. And the book about Harry Moore. You will also find other books, DVDs and resources that I personally recommend.  Also, please leave your questions, comments, stories or just whatever is on your mind. We are a welcoming community of historians and we want you to be a part of it.  So, see you next time at rememberinghistory.com (formerly robinlofton.com) where we are remembering history and we’re making history!   Bye for now!  

Part I Coming to America: Slavery and Abolition   Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by robinlofton.com where history is power.  In the introductory lecture, we read a journal entry by Jackie Robinson about how he felt that he was living in a fairy tale on the day that joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. His moving entry helped us to understand that fairy tales (or happy endings) can happen to everyone, including you and me. And that is one reason to learn history: inspiration.   Today, we continue our Wiki lecture series about the importance of knowing African American history.  We can ask again: why is history important?   Let’s begin with another journal entry.   Look at www.robinlofton.com for the written excerpt by Frederick Douglass.   That was from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. He very eloquently describes how slaves were treated with such inhumanity, nearly like animals, and kept ignorant of even their identity. And this is where we begin our lecture.   Today’s wiki lecture is called Coming to America: Slavery and the Abolition movement.   I know that some of my listeners are now rolling their eyes and asking themselves: why do we need to know about slavery?  African slavery is finished and has been for almost 150 years.  Why can’t we just move on and forget about it?   Those are good questions and this is a good time to address them.    There is a great quote by a very wise man, Daniel Boorstin (a former librarian of Congress) who said: “Trying to plan for the future without a sense of the past is like trying plant cut flowers.”   I will repeat it because it is so relevant to this question of why it is important to know history.   “Trying to plan for the future without a sense of the past is like trying to plant cut flowers.”   In other words, it is impossible for African Americans to move forward and build a true and meaningful presence in America without knowing our history.  Slavery is just one part of our history. Of course, there are other parts including our important contributions to the United States and the world. Contributions in areas like music, language, science, medicine, law, religion and spirituality, art, literature, and culture are all important parts of our past that we should know and cherish just like we should know about the parts that include slavery, injustice, suffering, and struggle. These are aspects of our history that have had a direct effect on us as individuals and as a people. And those effects are still felt today. So, we will examine slavery today and learn of its lasting effects on African American culture.   Slavery in America was a unique and terrible institution. It was marked by violence, brutality, and degradation. It also broke up families, and destroyed traditions, cultures, and languages. It used fear, torture, ignorance, and severe punishments to control the growing slave population. Whippings, executions, and rapes were common. In the antebellum (pre-civil war) South, slaves constituted one-third of the population.  These measures were used to control the large and growing number of slaves in the region.     Slaves were considered as property. They were bought and sold as one would buy or sell a horse or a cow. There are many slave narratives that discuss the brutality and difficulties of life as a slave. But they also discuss how slaves worked to keep their dignity, develop and maintain relationships, and how they struggled for survival for themselves and their families.  One of the best slave narratives is written by Frederick Douglass. There is also a very moving collection of narratives called Remembering Slavery. This collection also contains audio recordings by former slaves about life during slavery. Here is an interview with Phoebus, a former slave in Virginia, reflecting on her grandmother’s experiences working in the fields as a young child:   Grandma said slaves had to pick so many pounds of cotton a day, they were given an awful whipping if they didn’t get this amount. My grandma said that she was small and just couldn’t get her proper amount, but was jolly and always ran to get water for the other slaves when they wanted it. At the end of the day, one of the men would tell another, “Give that little black girl five pounds of  cotton. She’s all right.” When they evened her up, she wouldn’t get a beating but lots of time she would come up short and would have to take the whippin. All the slaves who had fallen short had to stand in line with their backs bare for their whippin. Grandma said that often she was whipped until she could barely move.   From the arrival of the first slave ships in the American colonies in 1619 until slavery was abolished in 1865, the slaves fought for their freedom.  They never just accepted their fate.  They never accepted themselves as less than human. And they fought to maintain their dignity. Freedom was always on their mind and in their hearts.   There were slave rebellions and organized revolts. And, of course, slaves continuously tried to escape and reach the so-called “free” states or even Canada. Nat Turner’s Rebellion in Virginia was one of the largest and most famous rebellions, consisting of more than 70 free and enslaved Black people.   The rebellion was quick and violent. On August 21, 1831, Nat Turner and his band went from house to house setting free every slave that they found. More than 60 people were killed on that night.  Nat Turner and the others were caught and executed.   So, slaves were constantly fighting for, struggling for, or running towards freedom. The response was often harsh punishment, torture, and death to the slaves themselves and sometimes to anyone who helped them.  Although some historians label the slaves as “exceptionally docile”,  there were as many as 300 such rebellions by slaves who sought freedom. In fact, slave owners deeply feared rebellions and took brutal measures to deter and suppress them.   The peculiar institution of slavery divided the United States. This was partially the fault of the delegates who wrote the national Constitution in 1787. Although certain sections of the Constitution made vague references to slavery, it was never formally addressed by the document. Delegates on both sides fought fervently for their position. Yet slavery was left as an issue belonging to the states. Nevertheless, the movement to abolish slavery was gaining momentum.    By the 1850’s, the abolitionist movement had a lot of support. It was promoted by both African Americans, notably Frederick Douglass (himself an escaped slave who became an eloquent orator, prolific author, and leading abolitionist figure both nationally and internationally), Sojourner Truth (also escaped from slavery who became a leading abolitionist and suffragette), Harriet Tubman (who led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad, and worked as a spy and nurse during the Civil War), and Benjamin Banneker (who was born free but wrote notable letters to President Thomas Jefferson accusing him of violating the “self-evident” rights of all people).  There were also white people who demanded the abolition of slavery like Harriett Beecher Stowe (who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin), John Brown (who led an important revolt at Harper’s Ferry and who gave an eloquent speech about his desire to free the slaves before his execution) and William Lloyd Garrison (who founded the American Anti-Slavery Society and demanded the immediate abolition of slavery).   It was, indeed, a multicultural movement! Countless others contributed to the movement to end slavery in great and small ways. Some contributed money. Others opened their homes to escaped slaves. Still others wrote articles, gave speeches, taught slaves to read and write. And each contribution was important to end the peculiar and terrible institution of slavery in the United States.  Following abolition, many of these same people fought for equal rights for Black persons and for equality of all people.    Abolition of slavery and the beginning of the reconstruction era were two big steps for African Americans. Freedom was important, it was imperative but it was just the beginning. The story (or the “fairy tale”) continued and is still being written today.       Slavery was without a doubt one of the most difficult times for African Americans.  The violence and brutality are heartbreaking and infuriating. But the slaves’ bravery and courage are moving and inspiring.  We should never forget what they suffered for generations, what they endured for centureis Or the effects of hundreds of years of slavery. Yes, slavery is over. But the story continues.   In the next History is Power! Podcast, we will continue our “fairy tale” . It moves from the fight for freedom to the fight for equality. We will examine the struggle for civil rights. Some names and events will be familiar, particularly those from the civil rights movement.  But others will be new and surprising. The struggle for equal rights began long before the 1950s. And you will hear about them in the next podcast in the first week of December.   I hope that you enjoyed this History is Power lecture at robinlofton.com.  Please remember to subscribe so that the wiki history lectures and the History is Power! lectures will be sent directly to your mailbox.  I also encourage you to make comments, ask questions, or just leave me a message. I love to hear from you all.   Remember to keep believing in fairy tales and never plant cut flowers.   See you again soon!          

Black Explorers Part II   Welcome back to robinlofton.com for another Wiki History lecture. Today is the second lecture about black explorers. In the first Wiki history lecture, we discussed Matthew Henson, who was the first person to reach the North Pole. While there is some dispute about this, we recognized that Henson made incredible contributions as a navigator, ocean surveyor, and explorer.  There is a lot more to know about this great man and his explorations so I encourage you to listen to the first Wiki History lecture and to read his book, A Negro in the North Pole, which you can find on robinlofton.com.   In today’s wiki lecture, we will discuss explorations that are out of this world!  These black explorers went longer and farther than many people ever dream of going.  They are great examples of why we are studying explorers. We can learn so much from them. They had a grand vision and never-ending determination. They worked hard and never gave up. Remember it took 20 years and numerous failed attempts for Matthew Henson to reach the North Pole.  But he eventually made it. And that’s what we can learn from these explorers.   Let’s get started with today’s great Black explorers.   Today’s explorers won’t go north or south. Today, they go up!   We begin with Guion Bluford, who on August 30, 1983, was the first African American astronaut to make a space flight.  But let’s back up for a minute. Dr. Bluford was born in Philadelphia in 1942. He earned his pilot’s license when he was just 24. Then he went on to earn his doctorate in aerospace engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1978.  He also joined NASA in 1978. And made his maiden voyage in space was just 5 years later. He operated the remote manipulator system, Spacelab-3 experiments, shuttle systems, and the flight systems lab. During his career, Dr. Bluford made numerous space flights and spent a total of 688 hours in space before his retirement from NASA in 1993.      Other African Americans also dedicated themselves to space flight and exploration.   Frederick Gregory was the first Black person to actually command a space shuttle mission. In 1985, he served as a pilot on Challenger for a 7-day mission. Commander Gregory joined NASA shortly after receiving his masters degree in information systems. In 1989, he was given command of the Discovery mission, which orbited the Earth 79 times in 120 hours. In total, he commanded 3 major space missions and spent over 450 hours in space. By the end of his career, he reached the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force.   In 1987, Mae Jemison was the first black woman astronaut and the first Black woman to fly in space. She was the science mission specialist on the historic 8-day mission on the Endeavor space shuttle. By her retirement from NASA, Dr. Jamison logged in 190 hours in space. Her educational background is as varied as it is impressive having graduated from Stanford University with a degree in both chemical engineering and African American studies.  She also earned a doctorate degree from Cornell University and worked as a staff doctor for the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone.  Today, Dr. Jamison owns a private firm, called the Jamison Group, and teaches at Dartmouth University.   Coming out of the shuttle, Bernard Harris, Jr. became the first black astronaut to actually walk in space. He walked in space for 5 hours and logged in more than 230 hours in space.  He was also a medical doctor and trained as a flight surgeon.  After leaving NASA, he founded the Harris Group, which is a Texas-based organization that works to empower individuals, in particular minorities and other economically and/or socially disadvantaged, to recognize their potential and pursue their dreams. Dr. Harris first became interested in being an astronaut watching the Apollo 11 mission on TV in 1969. Twenty years—and lots of hard work and determination later—he was asked to join NASA. By the end of his career, he logged more than 4,164,183 miles in space.   Finally, and sadly, in 1986, Ronald McNair became the first black astronaut killed during a space mission. He was aboard the ill-fated Challenger when it exploded shortly after liftoff. Dr. McNair was an extraordinary explorer who was born in South Carolina and able to read and write by the age of three.  At the age of four, he successfully challenged the whites-only borrowing privileges at the local library. In 1976, he received a scholarship to MIT where he graduated magna cum laude with a doctorate in physics. He was invited to join NASA in 1978. Dr. McNair is remembered as having encouraged and supported young black engineers and scientists in the aerospace program. In his short life, he was an extraordinary student, physicist, and astronaut.    He once said, "Whether or not you reach your goals in life depends entirely on how well you prepare for them and how badly you want them. . . ..You're eagles! Stretch your wings and fly to the sky."   Words to live by!   There are so many others that have contributed to space exploration. However, we only have time to acknowledge the contributions of these five astronauts who committed themselves to exploring where no one had gone before. And they also made great contributions on earth too.   Remember the names: Guy Bluford, Frederick Gregory, Mae Jamison, Bernard Harris, and Ronald McNair.  Great explorers. Great scientists. Great people!   Now here is another great explorer. She was not an astronaut. She did not go into outer space. But she set her sights high and she reached incredible heights: The top of Mount Everest!   Sophia Danenberg was always a high flyer and explorer.  Born in Illinois in 1972, Sophia became the first African American woman and the first Black woman from anywhere in the world to climb Mt. Everest.   Sophia became involved in mountaineering after receiving her degree from Harvard University. For 2 years, she did technical rock climbs with her local Appalachian Mountain Club.   Danenberg's first major climb was at Mount Rainier, in Washington State in 2002.  Over the next two years she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, Mount Baker in Washington state and Mount Kenya.  In 2005 she scaled five peaks plus Mount McKinley in Alaska. That’s right, she climbed the highest peak in North America.   But her great challenge was yet to come. In the spring of 2006, at the age of 34 and with only one week of planning, she started climbing Mount Everest—the highest mountain in the world.    She signed up for an unguided climb, which meant that she had to carry all of her own gear, pitch her own tent, and make all the decisions, and basically find her own way. On May 19, 2006, after two months of climbing, she reached the summit of Mount Everest at 29,000 feet. She was suffering from bronchits, a stuffed nose and frostbitten cheeks but she was determined to push through the bad weather and sit on top of the world!   But she did not stop with Everest. She has now climbed more than 19 peaks around the world.   Back on lower elevations, Sophia Danenberg has continued her upward journey. She received her masters in economics from the University of Connecticut and works with inner city children.   About her historic climb, she says, “It’s not really about having the ability to climb. It’s about this ability to say, ‘I can do it really well.”   That’s a great goal.  Whatever you do, do it really well.   Thank you for visiting robinlofton.com for this Wiki history lecture about great Black explorers.  Remember to subscribe so that the Wiki History lectures will come directly to your mailbox. Please visit robinlofton.com and leave your comments.  I would love to hear about your explorations. Future Wiki History lectures will focus on Blacks in the Military (lots of interesting information and lessons from the African Americans who fought in America’s wars beginning with the Civil War) and we will post Part II about the importance of African American history and how it can inspire and motivate us.   Remember that we can learn a lot from the great explorers. We can learn from their courage, vision, determination, and positive outlook.  Life is an exploration. Keep exploring higher and farther! See you again soon.

  The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales!   Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by robinlofton.com where history is power. Today, we begin our 5-minute lecture series about the importance of knowing African American history.  We begin by asking why is history important? Great question. Perhaps the answer can be found in this famous journal entry, which says,   Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it.   And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.   I know that dreams do come true.   I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!   I always dreamed about playing for the Dodgers, but honestly, I always had my doubts. I used to tell myself: “Something will happen. It just isn’t in the books for you to play in the majors. You’re a Negro. Negroes haven’t been in the big leagues. Some day they will be. But you won’t be the lucky guy.   Can you guess who wrote this entry?  Jackie Robinson. In 1947--following his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Jackie Robinson was the first Black person to play major league baseball. He made history. And he went on to win the leagues MVP award in 1949. During his career, he would play in 6 World Series. He concluded this entry by saying, Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me!   It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power.   We can learn a lot from history—and that can empower us, too. We’ll hear about many African Americans that made great accomplishments. We will learn that they faced lots of obstacles, problems, and rejections. And most importantly we will learn that they still made history.  You see, just like Jackie Robinson said: fairy tales are real. They happened to him. And they can happen to you, too.   But we need to know the African Americans who came before us; what happened before us—the successes, the defeats, the victories and the challenges. We need to know the African Americans who helped to build the United States and, indeed, who helped to shape the world. Some names will be unfamiliar from the past: Dr. Carter G. Woodson who wrote the Negro National Anthem (yes, we have one!) and who founded Black History Month. Ida B. Wells who fought against the horrible (but at-the-time accepted) practice of lynching. And, of course, the mathematical genius, Benjamin Banneker, who made great discoveries in astronomy and developed theories about relativity. Did I mention that Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731, a descendant of slaves?   And, like Jackie Robinson, the road was not easy yet they endured. Others did too. There was James McCune Smith, who moved to Scotland to earn his medical degree because no American universities would accept a Black man. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1837 becoming the first African American to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith then returned to the U.S. where he had a distinguished medical career in private practice, opened two pharmacies, and trained young doctors.   And there is Marcelite Harris who is the first Black woman to become a brigadier general in the US Air Force. However, she had to apply three times before her application for training was accepted.   And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?!   You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand out. Or even to stand alone. They weren’t afraid to fail. They never gave up. Neither should we.   We can learn a lot from them. We can begin by asking ourselves: What was it like to be alive during their time? What it was like to walk in their shoes? What motivated them? What were they afraid of? What didn’t they know?    But remember that history is not just the study of the past. It is interesting because nobody ever lived in the past.  People have only lived in the present. Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman didn’t think of themselves as living in the past. They were living in the present. The difference is that it was their present.  They were caught up in the living moment exactly as we are today. They didn’t know how things would turn out. Neither do we.  Jackie Robinson didn’t know what would happen when he joined the Dodgers and stepped on the field that day.  Dr. Smith did not know what would happen when he moved to Scotland to study medicine. But we can use their stories and strength (their fairy tales) to be empowered, inspired, and moved to make our own fairy tales.     We know the history. And history is power.   History teaches us that we can believe in fairy tales.   This 3-part series will span 400 years of the African American experience: from freedom to equality to justice.  And the conclusion will empower and inspire you. Please look at my website, robinlofton.com for the complete schedule.   Part I will discuss slavery and the fight to abolish that terrible institution. Part II will present the civil rights movement and the struggle for equality. Part III is about racial violence and the fight for justice.   Don’t worry. Each part will only last around 5 minutes!  Remember this is called Wiki history!   Join me for Part I of the History is Power! series on Thursday, November 6 when we will officially begin our “fairy tale” journey.   Moving on, October is dedicated to learning about Black explorers—those who stepped boldly into the unknown and gave us stars to steer by. You will learn about the contributions and courage of these explorers (some of whom were born during slavery) and even learn about the first Black woman to climb Mount Everest!   You can find more even more fun and fascinating facts as well as more “fairy tales” on robinlofton.com, especially on my bodacious Blog.  And remember to subscribe.   See you there and, keep believing in fairy tales! They can happen to you, too.