AFRICAN-AMERICAN
ALL-STARS:
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FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
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A Hot Topics Newspaper Supplement From
YOUR NEWSPAPER LOGO
HERE
An Introduction
A
merican history is filled with
the deeds of great educators,
thinkers, entertainers, inventors,
athletes, writers, scientists, and
other heroes and heroines. This
special newspaper supplement
focuses on some of these fascinating people and their accomplishments. They
represent just a few of the thousands of stories of
African-Americans who have enriched all of our
lives and added to the growth and strength of
our country.
These African-Americans who shaped our history are inspiring and intriguing. Their stories are
designed so that you can cut them out and make
them into trading cards. Simply cut out each person's story, cut it in half horizontally (across the
middle), and paste each half on one side of a 3x5
card. (Yes we know that there are other people on
the other side of each person's story. You will have
to choose the people whose stories you want on
your set of cards.)
We hope that their stories will pique your
interest so that you will want to learn more about
them. On the first two pages of this section, you
will also learn techniques and tools for researching the life of one of the
people you read about.
You’ll learn an easy step-by-step
plan to guide you through the
skills in organization,
research and presentation.
Courage and
determination. Insight
and intensity. Risktaking and rebellion.
Bravery and brilliance. These are just
some of the qualities that make up
these stories. Some of the people we will look at
are pioneers in their fields, having been the first to
accomplish some amazing things. Some continue
to strive for excellence in many different ways. But
all of them have made a difference in our lives
and have earned the right to be celebrated.
This Hot Topics supplement was:
• Written by Debby Carroll
with learning activities by Ned Carroll
• Edited by Ken Bookman
• Designed by Linda Berns, Berns & Kay, Ltd., Bethesda, MD
Copyright Hot Topics Publications Inc. 2000
Hot Topics Publications Inc.
P.O. Box 183, Wyncote, PA 19095-0183
Your Independent Research
Using this supplement, you are going to learn
about some remarkable people. You may then
want to choose a single notable AfricanAmerican, either from the people in this section
or from elsewhere, and complete an independent
research project so that you can teach others
about the person you choose. Although the tips
focus on writing about one of these people, the
skills you will learn can also be applied to
research in any subject area.
Here are the goals of this step-by-step
program. You will:
❏ develop research skills
❏ acquire knowledge and skill in
using a variety of source information
❏ be able to communicate information in
several ways
❏ demonstrate critical-thinking skills by
answering open-ended questions
❏ decide what to include in your report
❏ make a visual aid
❏ organize information
❏ demonstrate mastery of public-speaking
skills
Begin to Think About Your Project:
Brainstorm!
The rules of brainstorming are:
❏ accept all answers
❏ take turns
❏ “piggyback" on others’ answers
❏ record all responses
❏ get as many answers as possible
After reviewing the rules, brainstorm every
famous African-American you can name.
You can work as a class or in teams of
four or five students. If you work in
teams, gather all responses as a
class at the end of five minutes. Write them on
chart paper or on the board. Talk about the
accomplishments of some of the people you
named.
Categorize
Group the responses of the brainstorming session into categories. Then add a new category –
African-Americans in the news – and see how
many more names you can add to your list.
Evaluate and Discuss
Choose five people from your list who you feel
have contributed the most to our world. Rank
them from most to least important and explain
your reasons. Do you think it would have been
easier to brainstorm a list of famous Americans if
you had not been limited to African-Americans?
Why?
Doing Research
Step One: Getting Started
Discuss in class the scope and sequence of your
project. That means you should talk about exactly what you will include and
when you will complete each
part. Those parts are: selecting
a topic (deciding which
person to write about),
formulating research
questions, writing letters to obtain information, using library
resources to obtain information, conducting an
interview or taking a field trip
for information, completing biographical information, creating a visual aid, presenting a written
and oral presentation. Begin with a notebook in
which you will write notes for your report. (You
can do this in a real notebook or in a file in your
computer.) On the first page of your notebook,
create a chart where you write each part of the
project and the date it is due. This chart is your
action plan and will help you stay organized.
Step Two: Learning About Reference
Materials
You will need to become familiar with reference
materials including: the card catalog or electronic reference file at the
library, a book of
quotations, encyclopedias, collective biographies,
magazines,
newspapers and
the
Internet.
At the
library,
you can
ask the librarian to
help you find the references you need. Spend some time looking at the
material you find.
Now is the time to start putting together
your bibliography. That’s the part of your report
that lists any kind of resource used in your
research, including movies you watch, speeches
you listen to, and anything else you use in your
report. Begin writing your bibliography in your
report notebook. Add to it as you proceed.
★★★★★★★★★★
2
Step
Three:
Help Each
Other
Step Six: Taking
Notes While
Researching
After everyone in class
has chosen the person they will write about, post
the choices on a chart on the wall. The chart
should show the name of each person in class
and the name of the person he or she is writing
about. Agree to bring in information for each
other as you find it.
?
Step Four: Asking
Research Questions
In your report notebook, write a
list of 10 questions that you
would like answered after you
research the person you have
chosen as your topic. Some
questions include: Where was the person born?
What was his or her childhood like? What did he
or she hope to accomplish? Are there any historic
landmarks associated with this person? After you
write your questions, write them again in order of
importance to you. You may not have time to
answer all of your questions, so it will help to
start with the big ones.
Step Five: Writing a
Business Letter
Writing a business letter
is an important skill to
learn. You can write letters of this type to
send for information
about your person.
You can write to museums or historical societies or
foundations that might have material
on your person. Here are the guidelines for writing a business letter, whether you write by hand
or use a computer: your return address goes in
the upper left corner with the date written under
it. The name of the person you are writing to, that
person’s organization, and the organization’s
address go under the date but with a space
between them. The salutation, or greeting, goes
under the name of the person, followed by a
colon or comma. Be sure to use correct punctuation in the body of the letter in your request for
information. The closing is written under the
body of the letter so that it lines up under the
return address, and your name is written, then
either printed or typed, under the closing.
When you are gathering
information for your project,
you will be
checking
many sources.
Taking notes in an
orderly manner will
make it easier for you to organize the information
when you are ready to write your speech or your
report. As you read through books, newspapers,
Internet features and other resources, you will
find these note-taking guidelines helpful.
❏ Look at the questions you developed earlier in your notebook. Think about which
answers you might find in each of your
resources.
❏ Choose to use either note cards or a computer file to keep your notes. Jot down
one question per card.
❏ Take notes only on what you feel is important. Notes are highlights.
❏ Limit the information you write to one
main fact and two or three supporting
statements. Be clear so that you can
understand the information when you
look at it later.
❏ Identify
the source
of each fact
on the card.
Also, jot the complete reference
information in the bibliography section
of your notebook.
❏ Identify any direct quotes with quotation
marks.
Step Seven: Paraphrasing
It is extremely important that you
rewrite any information
you find in your own
words and not just
copy it. This is
called "paraphrasing."
If you
copy
any
information directly, you must
note that fact. If you
don’t, you are guilty
of plagiarism, or stealing someone else’s work.
Step Eight: Creating A Visual Aid
If you are going to give an oral presentation, or
speech, about your person, it will help your audience to understand what you are saying if you
have a visual aid. A visual aid is anything that
helps the audience see what you are talking
about. Your aid should be neat and colorful, accurate, large, and clear. If it
is a chart or a graph, it
should be easy to interpret. Some visual aids
are: charts, graphs,
models, dioramas,
mobiles, posters, collages, photographs,
scrapbooks, videotapes, musical performances, puppet
shows and books.
Step Nine:
Preparing a
Speech or
Report
Once you’ve
done all the
research and taken
the notes, you are ready to write your speech or
your report. Be clear about your theme. Prepare a
detailed outline, based on your notes.
Organize your thoughts so that they are in an
order that makes sense. Your opening sentence
should be an attention-grabber. Back up any generalizations you make. Write with feeling. Plan a
strong ending.
Step Ten: Making a Speech
Here are some tips to help you deliver your
speech. Practice giving your talk at home. You
might even ask a family member to videotape
you so that you can watch the tape and look for
ways of improving your performance. When you
are ready to perform in class, make sure that you
have all of your materials ready so that you do not
have to stop in the middle. While talking, stand tall
and try not to show any nervous habits, like
nail-biting or saying "Um." Project
your voice so everyone can
hear. Change the pace and
volume of your speech –
sometimes speaking quickly,
sometimes slowly, sometimes
softly, sometimes more loudly.
Those changes will make you
more interesting to listen to.
After you have completed all 10 steps, it’s a
good idea to evaluate what you learned. Ask yourself what you liked about your work. Are there any
ways it could have been better? Compare your
evaluation to what your teacher thought.
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“As I went out into
life, one thing
loomed above all
else: I was my
father’s son, a Negro
in America. That was
the challenge.”
“Young people should
try and set a goal for
themselves and see that
everything they do has
some relation to the
ultimate attainment of
that goal.”
MARIAN ANDERSON
Robeson was a gifted singer and actor, thrilling audiences in this
country and in Europe. His talent wasn’t just in singing and acting. He was also the first African-American in college football to be named an All-American,
twice! But his true gift was his booming, compelling voice. He learned more than 20 languages and cultures so that he could be understood all over the world. He also got involved
in politics, co-founding the Council of African Affairs and embracing socialism because it recognized racial equality. He was active in politics and involved in many protests. He even
refused to perform for racially segregated audiences.The U.S. government did not appreciate his acceptance of socialism and the Soviet Union, so it canceled his passport, preventing
him from traveling the world to perform. And, at a time when many Americans were feeling
threatened by the Soviet Union, his embrace of socialism cost him the opportunity to get
work performing. Later, his passport was returned, but illness stopped him from returning to
his career. He lived in Philadelphia until his death.
PAUL ROBESON
Anderson is considered by many people to be the best opera singer ever. One orchestra
conductor said that a voice like hers comes along just once in a hundred years. So, why was
she not allowed to sing in Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., in 1939? The reason is that
she was African-American.The owner of the hall, an organization called The Daughters of
the American Revolution, cited racial reasons when they refused to let her sing. First Lady
Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR because of this incident, and it made big news all
over the country. Another performance was scheduled at the Lincoln Memorial and 75,000
people of all races came to hear her sing. Later, in 1955, she was the first African-American to
sing at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. President Eisenhower made her part of the
U.S. delegation to the United Nations.
“Life for me ain’t been
no crystal stair.”
“I have a bias which
leads me to believe that
no problem of human
relations is ever insoluble.”
LANGSTON HUGHES
When Hughes was a child, his mother would wrap him in the blood-stained shawl worn by
her first husband, an abolitionist, and tell him stories of the courageous people who fought
for freedom.This sense of African-American pride was planted early and nurtured throughout his life. He attended Columbia University but left school to work on a ship. He returned
home and his first book of poems,The Weary Blues, was published in 1926. He then attended Lincoln University and graduated in 1929, with his first novel published in 1930. He
founded a theater and staged plays. His work was dominated by one theme – the life of
ordinary African-Americans, which he celebrated with respect in his written works.
RALPH BUNCHE
Bunche was just 12 years old when his parents died and he went to live with his
grandmother.This obstacle did not stop him from getting a good education at UCLA and
later at Harvard University, where he earned a doctoral degree. He began working for the
U.S. State Department. At the end of World War II, he helped to form the United Nations. In
1950, Bunche worked to bring about a peace between the warring Israelis and Arabs in the
Middle East. For this work, he was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. Later, Bunche was
sent to the Congo in Africa to help bring peace to that area. His work helped prevent
a major war there. He also served as a peacemaker in a fight between India and Pakistan.
In 1968, he held the highest rank ever by an American when he was the undersecretary
general of the United Nations.
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4
“The color of the skin is in
no way connected with
strength of the mind
or intellectual powers.”
“The first to
defy and the first
to die.”
BENJAMIN BANNEKER
CRISPUS ATTUCKS
Attucks, a slave, ran away to freedom and spent the next 20
years of his life sailing on cargo and whaling ships.While living in Boston, Mass., he saw a
young boy struck by a British soldier. He charged against that soldier and started a fight
between some citizens and the British soldiers. He was killed, and this battle is thought to
have been a major event leading to the American Revolution against British rule.Thus, it may
be that the American Revolution began, in part, because of the bravery and leadership of an
African-American, Crispus Attucks.
One of America’s first and finest scientists, he also influenced Thomas Jefferson in his vision
of “freedom for all.”He learned to read and write from the family’s Bible but, once he started
attending a Quaker school, he discovered that mathematics was his passion.This led to a
love of exactness and to a life as an astronomer and an inventor. He created a watch – the
first one in America, made entirely of hand-carved wood – that ran for 40 years! He wrote an
almanac that provided weather information and even included essays on the abolition of
slavery. He also helped to lay out the capital city of Washington, D.C.
Maryland Historical Society
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center,
Howard University
“We were stolen from
our mother country and
brought here. We have
tilled the ground and
made fortunes for
thousands…”
★
NEWSPAPER
ACTIVITIES
Crispus Attucks, like other colonists, sacrificed his life to fight for
freedom. The British believed they had the right to control the
colonies. The Revolutionary War was fought to resolve the issues.
Find a conflict in the newspaper and write a summary that
explains the point of view of both sides.
Allen was born into slavery but earned enough
money to buy his freedom. He learned how to preach
while traveling with a minister. Unhappy with the treatment they received at church, Allen
and his friend Absalom Jones formed the Free African Society. Later, they built one of the
first African-American Christian churches, the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church,
where they worshiped as they wished.The church eventually became the foundation of
the African-American community, providing training for leaders who worked to oppose
slavery and discrimination. Churches remain a backbone of the African-American community today.
RICHARD ALLEN
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center,
Howard University
Skill: explain the way nations interact
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt stepped in to help Marian Anderson
when she was facing prejudice. What is our First Lady doing to
improve life in our country? Check the newspaper to find any mention of our current First Lady and write a description of what she is
doing. Or, find an issue in the newspaper that you think the First
Lady should do something about and write her a letter. You can
send it by email to www.whitehouse.gov.
Skill: conducting activities to solve a national problem
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5
Fact:
He took his freedom fight
all the way to the Supreme
Court.
“Save the Negro and you
save the nation.”
DRED SCOTT
Having lived for several years of his slavery with his owner in free territory, Scott argued that
he should be set free.When the slaveowner didn’t agree, Scott took the fight to court and
sued. He lost the first case but, in the second court, he won.The Missouri Supreme Court
overturned that decision in 1852. Scott did not give up. He worked hard to prepare for his
case to be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States. On March 6, 1857, the court
ruled that slaveowners could travel with their slaves, even through free states.The court also
said that Scott, as a black man, was not even a citizen and did not have the right to sue.
Scott did not win his freedom, but his valiant court fight may have pushed America into the
Civil War and the eventual end of slavery.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS
Born into slavery with some owners who were kind and some who were cruel, Douglass
always dreamed of being free. He succeeded on his second attempt to run away to freedom in the North. He began speaking dramatically against slavery and soon became well
known for his ability to make incredible speeches. He even wrote a book about life as a
slave and established a newspaper,North Star, that favored equal rights for all people
regardless of race or gender. Later in life, he held many public-service offices and
continued to work for civil rights. Some people consider him the father of the civil-rights
movement.
Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis
Fact:
She inspired some of the
great minds of her time
to fight against slavery.
Fact:
Her creative work reflected on
the African-American experience
during a period of great change
and growth.
ZORA NEALE HURSTON
Born as Isabella Baumfree, she was sold four times
before she finally ran away to freedom. She believed
that God spoke to her and told her to take the name Sojourner Truth and to travel the land,
educating people about slavery, religion and women’s rights.Thus, she traveled the world, a
gutsy and dynamic speaker. Although she couldn’t read, her passion about the issues
couldn’t be contained. She spoke, she sang and she even acted when necessary. She
became the first Freedom Rider when she insisted that horse-car drivers end their
practice of segregation and give her a ride.
SOJOURNER TRUTH
Moorland-Spingarn Research
Center, Howard University
Throughout her childhood, and continuing when she was in college at Howard University,
Hurston was passionate about the folklore and history of African-Americans. Her writings
were so well-received that she was given a scholarship to Barnard College where she
studied anthropology.While there, she met and worked with Langston Hughes and Paul
Lawrence Dunbar. She became known as a talented observer and writer who could explain
the African-American experience to others. Although she never achieved great financial
success, she valiantly spent her career celebrating African-American culture.
CORBIS
1901
Writer
1960
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6
“Action, self-reliance, the
vision of self and the future
have been the only means
by which the oppressed
have seen and realized the
light of their own freedom.”
“I would never
be of service to
anyone as a slave.”
MARCUS GARVEY
Turner was a deeply religious man, respected by AfricanAmericans and white people, who was known as “the
Prophet.”He said that a sign from God told him to lead the slaves in a revolt.They began the
revolt with an attack on Turner’s owners. From there, the slaves continued, with as many as
80 slaves joining in the fight. Fifty-seven slaveowners were killed.The slaves did not kill any
poor white people who did not own slaves.The rebellious slaves were captured, and Turner
and 17 others were hanged for taking part in the uprising. Some people were shocked that
Turner, who had a reputation as a religious man, had been the leader. In fact, the local sheriff
refused to participate in his hanging because Turner was so religious, so someone far away
had to be brought in to spring the gallows and kill him.Turner died with dignity, a sign to all
America that slavery would not be tolerated much longer.
NAT TURNER
As a young man, Garvey lived in London where he
met many Africans organizing an independence movement. He moved to Jamaica where
he formed the Universal Negro Improvement Association, (UNIA) which he hoped would
protect blacks all over the world. His intention was to have free black people return to live in
Africa. He had thousands of followers and gained more as he spoke across the United
States.They hoped to form a government in Africa with Garvey as their leader.
Unfortunately, before his dream could be realized, he was convicted of mail fraud and had
to spend time in jail. He retired to London until he died. Although he never achieved his
goal, he sparked the imagination and hopes of thousands.
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center,
Howard University
1887
Orator
1940
Black Nationalist
★
“On my underground
railroad, I never ran my
train off the track. And I
never lost a passenger.”
NEWSPAPER
ACTIVITIES
Dred Scott took his case to the Supreme Court. He did not win.
Find an article in the news that deals with the court
system. As the judge in the case you read about, how would you
rule? Write your opinion for the court.
Skill: evaluating the criminal court system
Tubman ran away from slavery in 1849 and spent the
next 16 years helping others get to freedom.The
North Star guided her way, and that inspired her to join the “Underground Railroad,”a network of people helping slaves escape to freedom in the North. She made 19 trips, helping
more than 300 people to freedom. She made the trips wearing disguises and singing religious songs to signal the slaves. Later, during the Civil War, she worked as a nurse, a scout
and a spy for the Union Army of the North. She even established schools for AfricanAmericans and worked for women’s rights. In 1978, the United States Postal Service minted
a stamp in her honor. She is truly an American to celebrate.
HARRIET TUBMAN
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center,
Howard University
Although Nat Turner was a religious man, he led a violent revolt
that resulted in the death of many people. Religious people often
play important leadership roles. Find a religious leader in the
newspaper and write about the five W’s and an H of the story —
who they are, what they are doing, where, when, why, and how
they are doing it.
Skill: describing positive images of characters
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7
The object of the game is move around the board from start to finish, answering the questions as you go. You can make a game piece using
something in your classroom like an eraser or a paper clip. Use a coin to tell you how many spaces to move. Flip the coin and if it lands on heads,
8
A. In the 1600s, slaves cost about
$25. In the 1800s, field slaves cost
about $350 to $500.
Q&A
A. For field slaves, home was a
small one- or two-room cabin
where as many as 12 people
might live.They would be freezing
cold in winter and sweltering hot
in summer.
A. No.There were some free
blacks, but even they did not have
the same rights as free white
people.
Q.
How much did a
slave cost?
Q.
Q&A
Q.
A. The Depression, when jobs and
money were scarce, affected
everyone.
Did the Great
Depression in the 1930s
affect blacks?
What was slavery?
Q.
Q&A
Q.
A. The armed forces were segregated, with blacks and whites
separated, but eventually, blacks
were allowed to become officers.
About 500,000 African-Americans
fought in the war.
A. Slaves worked all day during
the week, but at night and on
Saturday afternoons, and on
Sunday, many were allowed to
hunt, fish and do personal chores.
Q.
A. Slavery is the practice that
treats a person as property,
owned by a master and forced
to work without pay.
Were all black people
slaves in this country?
Q&A
What were the living
conditions like for slaves?
Q&A
Were African-Americans
important in World War II?
Q.
A. It was about slavery and other
economic and political issues.
Q&A
How much work did
slaves do each day?
A. Also known as the War
Between the States, it was a war
between the Union states in the
North and the Confederacy,
which were the states in the
South.The Union won.
Was the Civil War
about slavery?
What was the Civil War?
Q.
Q.
Q&A
START HERE
BE AN AFRICAN-AMERICA
move two spaces. Tails means move 1 space. If you land on a question and answer it correctly you get to move ahead another space.The first
person to reach the finish, and learn the most history, wins! (Of course, everybody wins because everyone will learn at least one new thing!)
Q&A
Where did AfricanAmericans live after the
Civil War ended?
Q.
9
Q&A
A. Both blacks and whites needed
work after the war. Because there
were so few jobs, racial tension
grew, with each group feeling that
the other was getting its jobs.
Q&A
A. Some looked for lost family
members.Others just took off for
new places.But most did not have
the skills to live an independent life.
Some got involved in politics to try
to change the still-unfair laws
What did the slaves do
after they were freed?
Q.
A. Some whites opposed slavery.
They were called abolitionists.
Some were religious leaders.
A. No. Only through ongoing education about understanding and
respecting each other can our society ever hope to solve its race
problems.
A. A group of African-American
graduates of the pilot training
program at Tuskeegee Institute,
known for their aerial expertise
during World War II.
Q.
Q&A
YOU WIN!
A. Slaves were given small
amounts of food, including meat,
flour, milk, lard, corn, cornmeal
and greens.They could also find
some fruits and nuts.
Q.
Q.
Who were the
Tuskeegee Airmen?
Q.
A. Civil rights guarantee each
person equal protection under
the law to homes, schools, jobs
etc. People used the courts,
marches and demonstrations to
get the unfair laws changed.
Q.
A. Yes, free blacks fought with the
North and some slaves were
forced to fight with the South.
What white people
were against slavery?
A. Slave traders had no respect
for families and would often
separate slave families by
selling slaves away from their
loved ones.
Did blacks fight in the
Civil War?
Q.
A. By 1900, one-quarter of them
lived in cities.They moved there to
find work.
What did slaves eat?
Q&A
What were race relations
like after World War I?
Did the civil-rights movement
solve all of the race problems?
What was the civil-rights
movement?
What happened to
slave families?
Q.
Q.
AN ALL-STAR HISTORIAN
“The problem of the 20th
century is the problem of
the color line.”
Fact: Chasing her
dream earned her
more than
$1 million.
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois graduated high school at
age 15 and later went to Harvard University, where he was the
first African- American man to earn a doctoral degree in Social Science. His best known
work is a collection of essays about race – The Souls of Black Folk. He founded the Niagara
Movement that later became the NAACP. His philosophies were different from those of
Booker T.Washington, and many African-Americans chose to agree with one or the other as
they worked to improve society. Later in life, Du Bois worked for the peace movement,
against atomic weapons.This work caused the government to investigate him as a foreign
agent. Unable to finish his work, he moved to Africa.
W.E.B. DU BOIS
Born Sarah Breedlove, she lost her husband to a
lynch mob and became like many women of her
time – working as a washerwoman and raising her child alone. Her poverty and poor nutrition caused her hair to fall out, so she began searching for a way to stop this. She created a
potion that came to her in a dream and called it “Wonderful Hair Grower.”By the time she
met her second husband, C.J.Walker, she was in business, selling her hair-care products. Her
business made her the first African-American woman millionaire.The women who worked
for her company were paid well and treated with respect. She believed that loveliness was
linked with cleanliness, not race. She offered black women the ability to see themselves as
beautiful in a time that was ruled by the white idea of beauty. She was not just a brilliant
businessperson, she was a generous one, too, donating a great deal of money to educational
charities and other worthy causes.
MADAME C.J.WALKER
Fact:
He sang “the blues,” carving a place for AfricanAmerican music for all to
enjoy.
“I leave you love…I leave
you hope…I leave you a
thirst for education…”
(From her will)
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
Handy’s mother always said that
his big ears were a sign that he
would have musical talent. He sure did. Many of the songs he wrote were huge hits, including the “Memphis Blues”and “The St. Louis Blues.”This was the beginning of a new phase in
music – “the blues.”Based on spirituals, folk ballads and songs of ordinary working men, the
blues soon became one of the country’s most popular forms of expression. Not content to
just make music, Handy also worked for civil rights by distributing a paper, published by a
radical activist. He continued to write musical hits, and the blues continued to be a popular
art form.
WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER HANDY
Bethune was the 15th of 17 children – but the first to be born free. She walked five miles to
school each day and brought home what she learned to her brothers and sisters.Thus
began her love of education and her belief in its power. She won a scholarship to school, she
became and married a fellow teacher. She dreamed of starting her own school, and she put
a $5 down payment on land to build one. Later, that school joined with another and became
the Bethune-Cookman College. Bethune was such a highly respected educator that
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made her the Director of Negro Affairs. She worked
constantly for the rights of others. She pleaded with Roosevelt do something about the
Nazis and their inhumane treatment of Jewish people during World War II. She forced Johns
Hopkins Hospital to hire African-American doctors. She raised funds for housing projects for
poor people in Florida. She worked with five
American presidents to increase opportunities for all people.
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10
Fact:
She was the first African-American
female aviator.
Fact: His brilliant
inventions saved
thousands of lives.
Western Reserve Historical Society
GARRETT MORGAN It could be said that Morgan’s life work was about saving lives. After inventing a potion that straightened hair, Morgan made a great deal of
money. It is said that, in fact, he was the first African-American in Cleveland to own a car.
Perhaps that explains why he invented the three-way traffic light that has certainly made car
travel safer and saved thousands of lives. His greatest work may have been his invention of
the gas mask, which protects people from breathing poisonous gases.When 32 workers
were trapped in a tunnel filled with gas, Morgan and his brother put on the masks and were
able to rescue the workers. Fire departments all over the country heard the news and
ordered the masks. However, when they found out that Morgan was an African-American,
the orders stopped coming in. So Morgan hired a white man to sell the masks and determined to fight racism in other ways. He began a newspaper to report on African-American
issues and even ran a failed campaign to be a member of the city council of Cleveland. His
masks, however, saved even more lives during World War I, protecting soldiers from enemies’
poison gas.
Fact:
He gave up a job he
loved when he refused
to follow a racist order.
BESSIE COLEMAN
Coleman became a pilot when her brother insulted her by saying that American women
would never fly. Because she was not someone to back down from that sort of challenge,
she decided at that time that flying was exactly what she would do. Because she was
unable to train for a license in this country, she went to France to learn. She wanted to
inspire other African-Americans to fly, so she began speaking to groups around the country
and demonstrating her remarkable ability. She wanted to start her own aviation school, but
she died tragically during one of her demonstrations. She was in a plane with another pilot
at the controls and without a seatbelt.While leaning out of the plane to scope out a landing
site, she fell from the plane as it plunged into a tailspin and she died. She has been honored
with a stamp that was minted for her.
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University
NEWSPAPER
ACTIVITIES
Madame C.J. Walker was the first female African-American millionaire
with her successful company. Check the business section of your newspaper to find the stock market listings.Find five companies listed showing
gains in the value of their stock. Create a graph showing the companies
and the stock gains.
Skill: organizing and collecting data
While working for his lifelong dream of
being a doctor, Drew became interested
in the study of blood and how to preserve it. Getting the right type of blood quickly is
extremely important in saving lives, but it was hard to separate blood types and, because
blood spoiled easily, it was hard to keep it fresh.While working as a surgeon, Drew performed many experiments, seeking a way to learn more about working with blood. He
developed a way to “bank”blood and later became director of the Red Cross Blood Bank.
He worked to supply blood to soldiers during World War II, saving thousands of lives. But
when he was told not to send any “colored”blood (that is, blood from African-Americans),
or to send it separately from “white”blood, Drew resigned. He continued to teach until his
death.
CHARLES RICHARD DREW
American Red Cross
Mary McLeod Bethune was a well-respected educator who started her
own school. What is the status of education in your area? Look through
the local news to find an article about the schools in your area.Write three
facts about this news story. How does your school affect your life? What
have you learned in school today? Write a paragraph describing one thing
you learned.
Skill: describing the roles of local institutions
Charles Drew successfully found a method to preserve blood and save
millions of lives. Are there any medical advances in the newspaper? Write
about how people are benefiting from this new breakthrough. Or, if you
think there are medical needs that must be addressed, you can write a
persuasive essay that would encourage government officials and medical
personnel to get more involved in the situation.
Skill: describing the social and political factors affecting scientific developments
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11
“Then I was in the front at the
finish. My eyes blurred as I heard
the “Star Spangled Banner” played,
first faintly and then loudly, and
then I saw the American flag slowly
raised for my victory.”
“Many black
people before me
were arrested for
defying the bus
laws. They prepared
the way.”
JESSE OWENS
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks left her job at a department
store and got on a bus for the ride home. She didn’t know that her
trip would kick off the Montgomery Bus Boycott and perhaps give birth to the civil-rights
movement of the 20th century. She simply got on a bus to go home.The law required
African-Americans to sit in the back and to give up their seats to white people if the bus
filled. She refused to give up her seat, so the bus driver called the police and she was arrested. She wasn’t the first to protest in this way, but it was decided that she should be the last.
The head of the NAACP and other organizations called for a boycott, that is, a day when
African-Americans would refuse to ride any buses.The protest was a success and it was
decided to form the Montgomery Improvement Association with Martin Luther King Jr. as its
leader.The boycott lasted 381 days. Finally, the case of Rosa Parks went to the Supreme
Court, which declared Alabama’s bus law unconstitutional.The bus company was required
to give equal access to riders of all races. Parks continues to work for nonviolent solutions to
race problems.
ROSA PARKS
When Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, he really
proved something to Adolf Hitler, the racist leader of Nazi Germany. Hitler, who had insisted
that his German athletes were part of a superior race, had to watch as Owens, an AfricanAmerican, beat the German athletes and all the others, of all races. Owens started racing in
high school. In college, he broke three world records and tied a fourth. His talent was even
more impressive because he suffered from a painful back injury. After doing so well at the
Olympics, Owens was greeted with a parade. But he needed a job, so he went into the public-relations business and spoke to thousands of people about how sports could bring people of all races together. In 1976, he was
awarded the Medal of Freedom.
Fact:
He broke the color line
and opened the doors for
African-Americans to
play major-league
baseball.
Fact:
His Pulitzer Prize-winning
book Roots was turned into
a television miniseries
watched by millions of
people.
ALEX HALEY
JACKIE ROBINSON
Although Robinson was a talented baseball player, he
couldn’t play in the major leagues because they were not open to African-American players.They played in the Negro League.When Branch Rickey, president and general manager
of the Brooklyn Dodgers, decided to take on an African-American player, he sent out scouts
to find the right man. Robinson’s name kept coming up. His baseball talent was important
but also important was his personality. Rickey knew the first African-American player would
have a hard time. He needed a player who could handle the insults and harassment.
Robinson seemed to have the personality needed. He began to play in the major leagues,
and life was difficult. Other players, even some on his own team, made his life miserable. In
1947, Robinson became the first African-American to compete in the World Series. He
retired in 1958.
Alex Haley taught millions of Americans about the African-American experience when he
turned his book Roots into a television miniseries. 130 million people viewed what at the
time was the most-watched television show ever.They were fascinated by Haley’s personal
history, from the time his ancestor Kunta Kinte was captured in Africa and enslaved in
America, through the generations, up to Haley’s own story. He wrote a book about Malcolm
X, and that research of one man’s personal journey is what inspired Haley to delve into his
own life. His love of history came from his grandmother. She wanted him to learn and
appreciate even more of the story than his parents could remember. He did, and millions of
people learned the incredible history of how Africans
came to this country.
Bettman/CORBIS
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12
“I wish to live because life has
within it that which is good, that
which is beautiful and that which
is love.”
“I have a dream that my four
little children will one day live
in a nation where they will
not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content
of their character.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, King
became a minister after graduating from college. He studied the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India, who believed in
changing laws through non-violent protest.When Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to
give up her seat on a bus, King was chosen as the leader of the protest. Following that event,
King wanted to keep the movement going, so he met with other leaders and formed the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference. King continued to take part in and make speeches at protests, marches, sit-ins and other demonstrations demanding equal civil rights for
African-Americans. He won a Nobel Peace Prize.The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting
Rights Act of 1965 were both passed.While trying to help the striking workers of Memphis,
Tenn., King was shot dead. But his eloquent words lived on, inspiring millions to continue the
fight for freedom and human rights.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Fact:
People considered her
the fastest woman in
the world.
WILMA RUDOLPH
When Rudolph was a child, she was stricken with polio,
and doctors said that she might never walk again. Not only did she walk again, but she
became what many considered the fastest woman in the world! She overcame this incredible obstacle with the help of her family – every member helped her to get better and walk
again. Her parents helped with her physical therapy and when she began to walk, her
brothers played basketball with her, helping her to build strength and flexibility. At 15, she
became a basketball star and she began running track.When she was a senior in high
school, she won a bronze medal competing in the 1956 Olympics in Australia. She competed in the Olympics again in 1960, this time becoming the first American woman to win
three gold medals in track! The Associated Press voted her the Female Athlete of the Year.
She became known as the fastest woman
in the world.
LORRAINE HANSBERRY
When Hansberry’s play,“A Raisin in the Sun,”opened in 1959, she became the first
African-American woman to have a play produced on Broadway. She wrote of the struggle
of an African-American family that moved into an all-white neighborhood. She knew that
struggle well, having lived it herself as a child. During her childhood, she became fascinated
with the works of African-American writers, especially Langston Hughes. Her play, named
after a line in a Hughes poem, was a hit and was made into a movie and, later, a musical.
She, too, was a hit, and was asked to write about current political issues, especially civil rights
for African-Americans and women. She died of cancer at a young age. Her husband took
parts of her work and wove them into a play,
“To Be Young, Gifted and Black.”
Moorland-Spingarn Research
Center, Howard University
★
NEWSPAPER
NEWSPAPER
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
The third Monday in January is a holiday to honor Martin Luther
King, Jr. It is a day for remembering the principles for which he
stood - freedom, justice, and equal rights for all, achieved through
peaceful means.Talk with your class about what prejudice means
to you.Talk about some reasons people might be prejudiced (fear,
ignorance, echoing parents' sentiments, etc.). Discuss ways that
people can overcome their prejudices.Then skim the newspaper
to see if you can find any stories involving prejudice. Is there anyone in the newspaper who is working for the same goals as Dr.
King?
Skill: identifying responses to violations of human dignity
After discussing the role the Emancipation Proclamation played
in history, take a closer look at the 13th Amendment. To locate
the amendment, you can check the Internet and access the Web
site “US Historical Documents Archive” at http://w3.one.net
/~mweiler/ushda/ushda.htm. Then check the most important
story in today’s newspaper and write a front-page story, in a similar style, about the passing of this amendment.
Skill: interpreting rights guaranteed by the Constitution
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13
Fact:
He got the highest
honor for a military
person when he was
chosen by President
George Bush to head
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“If you want to succeed,
you must work hard, dedicate
yourself and make the
necessary sacrifices.”
GUION STEWART BLUFORD JR.
Powell served in the military during the war in Vietnam.Then
he returned home to attend George Washington University.
He learned about politics when he received a White House Fellowship. During the term of
President Jimmy Carter, he served as executive assistant to the secretary of energy then as
senior military assistant to the deputy secretary of defense. He was later sent to Germany,
where he was commanding general of a U.S. Army Corps.When he returned home, he
served as a national security adviser. Eventually, President Bush chose Powell for the “most
powerful military position in the world”– head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.When Iraq went to
war with Kuwait, Powell was in control of America’s Operation Desert Storm, the United
States attack on Iraq, which was the most high-tech war ever waged. It ended in victory for
the United States.Then Powell organized a nationwide volunteer program and he was later
appointed Secretary of State by President George W. Bush.
COLIN POWELL
When the space shuttle Challenger blasted off on August 30, 1983, it carried the first
African-American astronaut into space – Guion Bluford Jr. After growing up in Philadelphia,
Bluford joined the Air Force and flew combat missions during the war in Vietnam. He won
more than 24 medals and honors. He then earned a master’s degree and a doctoral degree
in aerospace engineering and applied to the astronaut program. More than 8,000 people
applied and only 35 would be accepted. Bluford was one of the few. He flew on two space
shuttle missions. His hard work, dedication and intelligence paid off.
“I am somebody.”
“The spirit of freedom is
marching with rapid
strides and causing
tyrants to tremble…”
JAMES FORTEN
When Jackson speaks, people listen. Speechmaking is his
special gift and it is part of the reason for his success and
power. He won a scholarship to college where he got involved in sports and student government. He also studied to be a minister. He met Martin Luther King Jr. and worked with him. In
1971, Jackson started Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) to build economic
opportunities for African-Americans. He realized that true power comes partly from political
power, so he traveled the country encouraging voter registration. He also became known as
a great peace mediator and has been effective in negotiating settlements of many disputes.
He tried unsuccessfully to run for President, but he showed Americans that the idea of an
African-American president could someday be a reality.
JESSE JACKSON
When he was just 15 years old, Forten volunteered during the Revolutionary War and
showed great courage when his ship was captured. Later, he worked for, and eventually
purchased, a sail-making business, which made him a fortune. As a wealthy businessman,
Forten was a powerful voice against slavery, especially speaking out against a plan to
return free African-Americans to Africa. He used his wealth and power to form the
Pennsylvania Augustine Society to educate people of color. He also wrote a book titled,
A Series of Letters by a Man of Color. Although he didn’t live to see the end of slavery, he
believed it would come.
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
★★★★★★★★★★
14
“The enjoyment of all the
privileges that will come to
us must be the result of
severe and constant
struggle rather than
artificial forcing.”
Fact:
She is one of the most
important novelists of
our time.
BOOKER T.WASHINGTON
Washington taught himself to read and write and became a believer in the power of education.When a plan was formed to create an institution to train African-American teachers
in Tuskegee, Alabama,Washington was chosen to be its president.The Tuskegee Institute
was a huge success and a highly respected place of learning.Washington was friendly with
many wealthy white business people, who donated money to support Tuskegee.Those
relationships were controversial, with some black leaders objecting to Washington’s closeness to people who supported slavery. Although his methods were debated, there is no
denying that Washington was a strong supporter of education who spent his life preaching
and living the philosophy that education and hard work were the keys to success.
Moorland-Spingarn Research Center,
Howard University
TONI MORRISON
Morrison’s genius is that her writing truly draws in the reader and captures attention.
Perhaps she learned her love of literature as a child listening to the stories of her parents,
both of whom were marvelous storytellers. Her grandmother also loved words and always
kept journals of her dreams. Morrison earned a master’s degree from Cornell University and
began teaching at Howard University. She then worked as an editor at Random House, a
major publishing company. She began to write poignantly about the African-American
experience. Her fifth novel,Beloved, won a Pulitzer Prize for literature and was later made
into a movie starring Oprah Winfrey. In 1993, Morrison became the first African-American
woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature
with her work, Jazz.
NEWSPAPER
Fact:
His life’s work was dedicated
to creating “equal justice
under the law.”
ACTIVITIES
Shirley Chisholm and Jesse Jackson both tried to capture the
Democratic nomination for president.What prominent African-Americans
are involved in politics today? Skim the newspaper to find stories about
African-American politicians. Write a brief description of the person you
find and his or her political affiliation.
Skill: evaluating political behavior
THURGOOD MARSHALL
When he was a boy, Marshall was often in trouble at school. His punishment was that he
had to memorize sections of the Constitution.The punishment didn’t stop him from getting into trouble, but maybe that was why he later chose to study law. As a lawyer, he specialized in cases about civil rights. In 1954, Marshall took the case of Brown v.The Board of
Education of Topeka, Kansas. He successfully convinced the Supreme Court that segregated
(racially separate) education could never be equal education, as was the law. Although he
won the case, school integration did not immediately follow. Marshall filed many suits to
force individual school districts to integrate. At that time, Marshall was also chief lawyer for
the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and won most
of his cases. President Lyndon Johnson appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1967, and
he was the first African-American to serve on that great panel.
Guion Stewart Bluford was the first African-American in space. What is
the most recent news about the space program? Review the newspaper
and write a report about the latest developments in space.
Skill: understanding how we learn about the universe
Booker T. Washington was best known for his devotion to job training in
scientific technology for African-Americans. Look through today's newspaper to find three technical jobs that interest you.For each job determine the
salary, education or skills required, and experience needed. Make a chart to
illustrate the results of your findings.
Skill: using economic reasoning
Toni Morrison said,“It seemed to me that Black people's grace has been
with what they do with language.” The English language, beautifully written, is also beautiful to read aloud. Find a well-written passage in today’s
newspaper.Take turns reading a paragraph aloud, with great expression.
Skill: evaluating texts
★★★★★★★★★★
15
BARACK OBAMA
44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. His father was from Kenya in Africa and his mother was from
Kansas. They met while they were both at the University of Hawaii. When they later divorced, Obama’s
father returned to Kenya so young Barack was raised much of the time by his mother in Hawaii and later in
Indonesia. Eventually, Obama moved to New York and attended Columbia University, graduating in 1983.
After college Obama moved to Chicago. He worked with people who wanted to improve the lives of poor
people. He decided that the best way to effect this kind of change was to work toward changing laws and
politics. He headed to Harvard Law School where he was the first African American president of the
Harvard Law Review. Later he served eight years in the Illinois State Senate and in 2004 he became the
third African American elected to the U.S. Senate, as the junior senator from Illinois.
Obama came to national attention when he gave a powerful keynote speech at the 2004Democratic
National Convention. He talked about the importance of unity and about how much all Americans share,
regardless of their religion, race or beliefs. During his time in the Senate, Obama worked on a bill to
destroy weapons of mass destruction, created a website that tracks federal spending, spoke out for victims
of Hurricane Katrina, pushed for development of alternative energy, and worked hard to improve benefits
for veterans.
In February 2007 Barack Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States. For 22 months Obama campaigned on a message of hope and change. Obama was elected by a majority of the voters. He received more votes than
any other presidential candidate in U.S. history to become the first African American elected president.
He is married to Michelle, who is also a lawyer with a career in public service. They have two daughters Sasha and Malia.
Read some great books to celebrate Black History Month:
Bronzeville Boys and Girls (Pre-K; 1-3, 4-6) - Written by Gwendolyn Brooks
Poems focus on the lives of minority children growing up in the city.
Phyllis Wheatley: First African-American Poet (Pre-K; 1-3) Written by Carol Greene; illustrated by Steven Dobson -Tells of the life of
Phyllis Wheatley and includes a few of her works.
Breaking the Chains (4-6, 7-8) Written by William Loren Katz - Personal slave writings reveal the active roles many slaves took in
bringing about their freedom.
The Dred Scott Decision - (4-6) Written by Brendan January - This book examines the 1857 Supreme Court ruling in its political and
historical context.
Freedom's Sons: The True Story of the Amistad Mutiny (4-6; 7-8) Written by Suzanne Jurmain
The 1839 story of mutiny aboard the slave-ship Amistad, the trials of the fifty-three slaves involved in the mutiny, and their eventual
freedom.
My Name is Not Angelica (4-6; 7-8) Written by Scott O'Dell - Newbery-medalist Scott O'Dell relates through the eyes of sixteen-year old
Raisha the events that led up to the great slave rebellion in 1733.
Our Song, Our Toil (4-6, 7-8) Written and illustrated by Michele Stepto - Stepto masterfully weaves together excerptsfrom slave autobiographies and other historical documents to relate the story of slavery in America.
The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground Railroad (Pre-K, 1-3) Written by F. N. Monjo; illustrated by Fred Brenner - The hero of
this book is the young son of an Underground Railroad conductor who saves a family of runaway slaves.
Escape from Slavery: Five Journeys to Freedom (4-6, 7-8) Written by Doreen Rappaport - The factual accounts of five slaves who
escaped to freedom via the Underground Railroad shortly before the Civil War.
Black Boy (9-12) Written by Richard Wright - The true story of the author's life.
The Bluest Eye (9-12) Written by Toni Morrison Fiction about a girl who prays for blue eyes so that she will be noticed.
16
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