Professional Documents
Culture Documents
February 2009
The 2009
Black History
Theme:
“The Quest for
Black
Citizenship in the
Americas "
Maurice Ashley —chess player Ernest Just, a research biologist special- C. DeLores Tucker was the first African
Martin Robinson Delany— doctor,
He earned the rank of national master in ized in the study of cells, hoping that -American and first woman to be Penn-
editor, author, politician, judge and
1986 and became an international grand learning about healthy cells could lead to sylvania Secretary of State. She helped
Army officer. During the Civil War he
master — one of only 470 in the world understanding diseases such as cancer. streamline voter registration, lower the
attained the rank of major, becoming
and the first African-American --in 1999. He was awarded the first Spingarn Medal voting age to 18 and started the first state
the first African-American with a
from the NAACP. commission on the status of women.
regular Army commission.
Barack H. Obama is the 44th President Arna Bontemps, poet, novelist, histo- George Edward Alcorn Jr., the assis-
Condoleezza Rice— the first African-
of the United States and the first Ameri- rian, writer of children's books and short tant director of Applied Engineering and
American woman to be Secretary of
can president of Afro-American origin. stories, editor and librarian, helped Technology at the Goddard Space Flight
State.
See Page 12. shape modern African-American litera- Center. Honored as NASA's inventor of
ture. His most important work is gener- the year in 1984, he holds eight patents,
ally thought to be "Black Thunder." and several of his inventions are used
Sarah Goode was freed from slavery and widely in the semiconductor industry.
moved to Chicago, where she started a
furniture store. She received the first patent John H. Johnson— publisher, owner Dr. George Grant was one of the first George Washington Bush was one of
ever granted to an African-American of the highly influential "Ebony" African-American dentists, and also one the pioneers who set out by wagon train
woman, for a bed that folded up into a magazine, profiling rising African- of the first of his race to play golf. Using to the West in 1844. He moved north
cabinet, which then served as a desk . American figures in business, politics his dental skills, he fashioned the first across the Columbia River in search of
(no photo)
and the arts, and weekly magazine golf tee, for which he received a patent good land — into what is now the state
Dorothy West was one of the members "Jet". in 1899. of Washington.
of the creative outburst in the 1920s
among young African-American artists Tony Dungy, now in his fourth season Sherian Cadoria became the first Edward Davis — the nation's first
and writers known as the Harlem Renais- with the Indianapolis Colts and in his woman to command the all-male Military African-American new car dealer. With
sance. 10th year as an NFL head coach, is Police Training Battalion at Fort the backing of the Studebaker Co., he
widely respected for his knowledge of McClellan, Alabama. She served for 33 opened a dealership in Detroit in 1940,
Rosa Parks the game and his calm demeanor. months in Vietnam and, after 29 years in which he operated until the carmaker
See Page 5. the Army, retired as a brigadier general. closed 26 years later.
2
African-American
History Month
Since Carter G. Woodson first sought to illuminate the African American experience, each February we pause to reflect on the contributions of this community to our national
identity. The history is one of struggle for the recognition of each person's humanity as well as an influence on the broader American culture. African Americans designed our
beautiful Capital City, gave us the melodic rhythms of New Orleans Jazz, issued new discoveries in science and medicine, and forced us to examine ourselves in the pages of
classic literature. This legacy has only added luster to the brand of the United States, which has drawn immigrants to our shores for centuries.
This year's theme, "The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas," is a chance to examine the evolution of our country and how African Americans helped draw us ever
closer to becoming a more perfect union.
The narrative of the African American pursuit of full citizenship with all of the rights and privileges afforded others in this country is also the story of a maturing young Nation.
The voices and examples of the African American people worked collectively to remove the boulders of systemic racism and discrimination that pervaded our laws and our
public consciousness for decades. Through the work of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver, Martin Luther King
and Thurgood Marshall, the African American community has steadily made progress toward the dreams within its grasp and the promise of our Nation. Meanwhile, the belief
that those dreams might one day be realized by all of our citizens gave African American men and women the same sense of duty and love of country that led them to shed
blood in every war we have ever fought, to invest hard-earned resources in their communities with the hope of self empowerment, and to pass the ideals of this great land down
to their children and grandchildren.
As we mark National African American History Month, we should take note of this special moment in our Nation's history and the actors who worked so diligently to deliver us
to this place. One such organization is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People -- the NAACP -- which this year will witness 100 years of service to
the Nation on February 12. Because of their work, including the contributions of those luminaries on the front lines and great advocates behind the scenes, we as a Nation were
able to take the dramatic steps we have in recent history.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim February 2009 as National African American History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States
to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs that raise awareness and appreciation of African American history.
3
African-American
History Month
The event included musical performances by Marian Anderson; Joan Baez; Bob Dylan; Ma- April 16
halia Jackson; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and Josh White. Charlton Heston—representing a contin- 1963
Martin Luther King is arrested and jailed dur-
gent of artists, including Harry Belafonte, Marlon Brando, Diahann Carroll, Ossie Davis, ing anti-segregation protests in Birmingham,
Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne, Paul Newman, and Ala.; he writes his seminal "Letter from Bir-
Sidney Poitier–read a speech by James Baldwin. mingham Jail," arguing that individuals have
the moral duty to disobey unjust laws.
The speakers included all of the "Big Six" civil-rights May
leaders (James Farmer, who was imprisoned in Lou-
isiana at the time, had his speech read by Floyd During civil rights protests in Birmingham,
McKissick); Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish religious Ala., Commissioner of Public Safety Eugene
leaders; and labor leader Walter Reuther. The one fe- "Bull" Connor uses fire hoses and police dogs
on black demonstrators. These images of bru-
male speaker was Josephine Baker, who introduced tality, which are televised and published
several "Negro Women Fighters for Freedom," widely, are instrumental in gaining sympathy
including Rosa Parks. for the civil rights movement around the
world.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, en- question we ask today is not whether our government is
dured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it
helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and
afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is
Gettysburg, Normandy and Khe Sanh.
yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no,
Time and again these men and women struggled and sac- programs will end. And those of us who manage the
rificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we public's dollars will be held to account — to spend
might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light
the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the of day — because only then can we restore the vital
differences of birth or wealth or faction. trust between a people and their government.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most Nor is the question before us whether the market is a
prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and
less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has re-
no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed minded us that without a watchful eye, the market can
than they were last week or last month or last year. Our spin out of control — that a nation cannot prosper long
capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our
pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleas- economy has always depended not just on the size of
ant decisions, that time has surely passed. Starting today, our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our
we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin prosperity, on the ability to extend opportunity to every
again the work of remaking America. willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the
surest route to our common good.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The
state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and As for our common defense, we reject as false the
we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding
foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, Fathers … Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we
the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the
and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by
place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world,
care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And
and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our fac- so to all other peoples and governments who are watch-
tories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and ing today, from the grandest capitals to the small village
universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we where my father was born: Know that America is a friend
can do. All this we will do. of each nation and every man, woman, and child who
seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambi- to lead once more.
tions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too
many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and
forgotten what this country has already done, what free communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with
men and women can achieve when imagination is joined sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They under-
to common purpose, and necessity to courage. stood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does
it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has our power grows through its prudent use; our security
shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments
that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The
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African-American
History Month
emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our flow, to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.
example, the tempering qualities of humility and re- And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we
straint. say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering out-
side our borders, nor can we consume the world's re-
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these prin-
sources without regard to effect. For the world has
ciples once more, we can meet those new threats that
changed, and we must change with it.
demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation
and understanding between nations. We will begin to As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we re-
responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard- member with humble gratitude those brave Americans
earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and for- who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant
mer foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen
threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We
We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we wa- honor them not only because they are the guardians of
ver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service,
their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, a willingness to find meaning in something greater than
we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot Representatives of the Crow Nation of themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will
be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat Montana participate in President Barack define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must in-
you. Obama’s inaugural parade. habit us all.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, For as much as government can do and must do, it is ulti-
not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Mus- mately the faith and determination of the American peo-
lims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers. We are ple upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in
shaped by every language and culture, drawn from a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of work-
every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the ers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose
bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged their job, which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the
from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke,
cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall some- but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally
day pass, that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve, that as decides our fate.
the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall re-
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which
veal itself, and that America must play its role in ushering
we meet them may be new. But those values upon which
in a new era of peace.
Members of the marching band from our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based Barack Obama’s high school, Punahou and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriot-
on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders High School in Honolulu, Hawaii ism — these things are old. These things are true. They have
around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.
their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is
judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recog-
To those who cling to power through corruption and de- nition, on the part of every American, that we have duties
ceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do
the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the
if you are willing to unclench your fist. knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so
defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work along-
task.
side you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters
15
African-American
History Month
This is the price and the promise of citizenship. The former Illinois senator’s rise to become
the 44th president of the United States is a
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to
story that has inspired Americans and non-
shape an uncertain destiny.
Americans alike.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and chil-
Besides making his mark in U.S. history as the
dren of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnifi-
nation’s first African-American president,
cent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have
Obama is now the first person of color to
been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most
govern a country with a white majority.
sacred oath.
Peruvian shamans honored That significance was felt strongly among
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have
President Obama’s inauguration many Africans, who take great pride in
traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of with an ancient ritual to send Obama’s Kenyan ancestry. Celebrating his
patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital him strength. heritage, the new president invited three of
was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.
his Kenyan relatives to join him for the Wash-
At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father
ington festivities.
of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“This is the first of its kind,” a reader from South Africa told America.gov, adding
“Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but
“[I] am proud to be a black.”
hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one
common danger, came forth to meet [it].” WORLD REACTS
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let Kenya was not the only country celebrating itself
us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once as a land of Obama’s ancestors. The small Irish
more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our town of Moneygall near Dublin decked itself out in
the red, white and blue colors of the American
children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end,
flag for the occasion. The president’s great-great-
that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon great grandfather on his mother’s side is believed
and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and deliv- to have emigrated from there to the United States
ered it safely to future generations. in 1850.
Despite a chilly evening in India, many viewed the
Obama’s Inauguration Evokes Global Celebration proceedings as they happened live at 9 p.m. lo-
cal time, holding impromptu gatherings in restau-
President is first person of color to govern country with white majority rants. In neighboring Pakistan, schoolchildren
celebrated earlier in the day with a prayer cere-
Washington — The flag-draped western face of the U.S. Capitol in Washington
mony for global peace.
briefly became the focus of worldwide attention on January 20 as Barack
Obama was sworn in as president and delivered his inaugural address, calling Faith healers in Peru practiced an ancient An-
A Chinese girl smiles as she
on Americans to meet the challenges that currently face them and telling the dean ritual known as Jatun Sonjo, or “Big Heart,”
poses for a snapshot with a
world that the American spirit “is stronger and cannot be broken.” which originally was dedicated to rulers of the
painting depicting U.S. Presi-
Inca civilization. The ceremony included chanting
The live telecasts and webcasts of President Obama’s inauguration ceremony dent-elect Barack Obama, by
Obama’s name while shaking rattles and throwing
united audiences all over the world. At the same time, U.S. television networks Chinese artist Yu Chengsong.,
flower petals at his photograph.
brought Americans the public reactions from places such as the Indonesian at a gallery in Beijing, China,
school Obama attended for four years and his father’s village in Kogelo, Kenya. The town of Obama, Japan, had its own special Tuesday, Jan.20, 2009. (AP
Photo/ Elizabeth Dalziel)
16
African-American
History Month
17
African-American
History Month
18
African-American
History Month
Daisy Bates, civil rights activist, publisher Ella Bully-Cummings, police chief, lawyer (1958 - ) Ray Charles, singer, composer (1930 - 2004)
(c. 1914 - 1999)
Ella Bully-Cummings became chief He told People magazine:
Daisy Bates is best known for her of the Detroit Police Department in "Music is my life, my blood-
involvement in the struggle to inte- November of 2003. A longtime vet- stream, my breathing. I'm gonna
grate Central High School in Little eran of the force, which is the tenth make music until the good Lord
Rock, Arkansas. As an advisor to largest in the United States, she be- says to me, `Ray, you've been a
nine black students trying to attend came the first woman to lead it in its good horse. It's time to put you
a previously all-white school, she 138-year history. She commands out to pasture.'"
was a pivotal figure in that seminal 4,700 sworn officers and civilian employees of a force Charles has groomed, nurtured,
moment of the civil rights move- that works under the eye of a Department of Justice and influenced many out-
ment. monitor. She is one of number of women named to lead standing musicians. Quincy Jones, prolific composer and
As a publisher and journalist, she was also a witness and police departments in major U.S. cities, including San Hollywood arranger, and Hank Crawford, jazz saxo-
advocate on a larger scale. Her memoir of the conflict, Francisco's Heather Fong and Milwaukee's Nan Hegerty. phonist, arranger, and musical director, were early side-
The Long Shadow of Little Rock, is a primary text in the men, arrangers, and musical directors for the Ray
history of American race relations. Charles big bands. In a Rolling Stone article, Wild noted
George Washington Carver, educator, agricultural/ that Charles has influenced singers "from Joe Cocker
food scientist, farmer (1864-1943) and Steve Winwood to Michael Bolton."
19
African-American
History Month
Johnnie Cochran, lawyer (1937 - 2005) Bessie Coleman, aviatrix (1892-1926) slavement. In the same year he went to England and
Ireland, where he remained until 1847, speaking on
Known to an admiring public as slavery and women's right and ultimately raising suffi-
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. led the win- "Queen Bess," Bessie Coleman was cient funds to purchase his freedom.
ning team of lawyers in the "trial of the first black woman ever to fly an After meeting with President Abraham Lincoln he as-
the century," and in the process be- airplane and the first African Ameri- sisted in the formation of the 54th and 55th Negro regi-
came arguably the most famous law- can to earn an international pilot's ments of Massachusetts. During Reconstruction he be-
yer in the world. Cochran's success- license. During her brief yet distin- came deeply involved in the civil rights movement and
ful defense of former football great guished career as a performance flier, in 1871 he was appointed to the territorial legislature of
O. J. Simpson against charges of she appeared at air shows and exhibi- the District of Columbia. He served as one of the presi-
murder in the televised trial was fol- tions across the United States, earn- dential electors-at-large for New York in 1872 and
lowed by millions of Americans. ing wide recognition for her aerial skill, her dramatic shortly thereafter became the secretary of the Santo
Although his trial tactics are still sparking debate, his flair, and her tenacity. Domingo Commission.
legal acumen and ability to sway a jury have character-
ized his legal career. While the People v. O. J. Simpson
is perhaps Cochran's most well known courtroom vic- Gary Davis, blues musician (1896-1972) Charles R. Drew, surgeon and blood researcher
tory, it was proceeded and followed by a string of sig- (1904-1950)
nificant court cases, some involving superstars such as The Reverend Gary Davis was a
Michael Jackson and others involving ordinary people self-taught street musician and Charles R. Drew was a renowned
thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Baptist preacher who became an surgeon, teacher, and researcher.
icon of the mid-twentieth-century He was responsible for founding
folk-music revival. Critics con- two of the world's largest blood
Nat King Cole, vocalist (1919—1965) sider him to be one of the most banks. Because of his research
innovative and influential blues into the storage and shipment of
The Time wrote of Cole, "He wasn't guitarists of the century. His leg- blood plasma—blood without
corrupted by the mainstream. He acy as a teacher and performer cells—he is credited with saving
used jazz to enrich and renew it, and can be heard in the work of some of popular music's the lives of hundreds of Britains
left behind a lasting legacy. Very biggest stars, including Bob Dylan and the Grateful during World War II. He was di-
like a king." Dead. rector of the first American Red Cross effort to collect
Cole was sometimes criticized by and bank blood on a large scale. In 1942, a year after he
other blacks for not taking a more was made a diplomat of surgery by the American Board
aggressive stand against unfair treat- Frederick Douglass, abolitionist (c. 1817-1895) of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University, he became the
ment of racial minorities. He did not first African American surgeon to serve as an examiner
refuse to perform before segregated Douglass quickly became a nation- on the board.
audiences, believing that goodwill ally recognized figure among aboli-
and an exhibition of his talent were more effective than tionists. In 1845 he bravely pub-
formal protests in combating racism. lished his Narrative of the Life of William Edward Burghardt DuBois, cvil rights
Frederick Douglass, which related activist (1868-1963)
his experiences as a slave, revealed
his fugitive status and further ex- An outstanding critic, editor, scholar, author, and civil
posed him to the danger of reen- rights leader, W. E. B. Du Bois is certainly among the
20
African-American
History Month
most influential blacks of the may yet define our view of black American culture as boycotting merchants who discriminated. He worked
twentieth century. He was one of did their predecessors Ralph Ellison and Albert unceasingly despite the threats of violence that his
the first male civil rights leaders to Murray." speeches engendered. He gave much of himself to this
recognize the problems of gender struggle, and in 1963, he gave his life. On June 13,
discrimination. He was among the 1963, he drove home from a meeting, stepped out of his
first men to understand the unique Duke Ellington, bandleader, composer, pianist (1899 car, and was shot in the back.
problems of black women, and to -1974)
value their contributions. He sup-
ported the women's suffrage movement and strove to To tell the story of Duke Elling- Myrlie Evers-Williams, civil rights activist (1933- )
integrate this mostly white struggle. He encouraged ton is to tell the story of jazz; to
many black female writers, artists, poets, and novelists, tell the story of his orchestra is Myrlie Evers's life was shattered
featuring their works in Crisis and sometimes providing to tell the story of his composi- on June 12, 1963, when she
personal financial assistance to them. Several of his tions. The man, the music, the opened her front door to find her
novels feature women as prominently as men, an un- life that he lived, the composi- husband, civil rights leader Med-
usual approach for any author of his day. Du Bois spent tions that he wrote, and the or- gar Evers, dying on their porch —
his life working not just for the equality of all men, but chestra that he fronted were one the victim of a sniper's bullet. In
for the equality of all people. and the same. As jazz critic the days and weeks that followed,
He was one of the founders of the National Association Ralph Gleason wrote in 1966, "the man is the music, the she showed her courage by con-
for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in music is the man, and never have the two things been tinuing Medgar's fight for racial
1909. more true than they are for Ellington." Duke Ellington equality, even in the face of threats
is one of the most important figures in the history and on her own life; and when her husband's murderer was
development of American music. Often referred to as allowed to walk free, Myrlie Evers showed her incredi-
Michael Eric Dyson, educator, writer (1958— ) the greatest single talent in the history of jazz (for ble persistence by working for 30 years to see justice
many, the history of music), he was variously referred done. Her dogged determination paid off in 1994, when
Hailed as one of a group of "new to as "The Aristocrat of Swing," "The King of Swing," Byron De La Beckwith was sentenced to life in prison
intellectuals," scholar Michael Eric and "The King of Jazz." for the murder of Medgar Evers.
Dyson is a longtime professor and
lecturer, and an author who ad- Jamie Foxx, comedian, actor, singer, director,
dresses issues of race and culture Medgar Evers, cvil rights activist (1925-1963) producer, musician (1967 -)
in such diverse publications as
Christian Century and Rolling Medgar Evers was one of the first In the ever-shifting, multi-media
Stone. He has published seven martyrs of the civil-rights move- world of Hollywood entertain-
books, including the well-received Making Malcolm: ment. ment, the art of juggling talents
The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X and I May Not In 1954, he was appointed Missis- has always paid off. Comedian,
Get There With You: The True Martin Luther King Jr. sippi's first field secretary. He was actor, singer, and producer Ja-
He has also appeared on popular talk shows, taught aca- outspoken, and his demands were mie Foxx has helped to affirm
demic courses on gangsta rap and hip-hop music, and radical for his rigidly segregated this, scoring successes on the
even testified before congressional subcommittees on state. He fought for the enforce- stage, the screen, on television, and in the recording
various issues of concern to black Americans. Washing- ment of the 1954 court decision of Brown v. Board of studio. A dynamic and easily likable performer, Foxx
ton Post correspondent David Nicholson noted that Education of Topeka which outlawed school segrega- has rapidly moved from obscurity to the helm of a
Dyson "belongs to a group of young intellectuals who tion; he fought for the right to vote, and he advocated highly rated television series for the WB network, and
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African-American
History Month
shows no signs of decreasing his activity. "As a come- and discography are twin reflections of the same dualty: ships and the ability for the univer-
dian, as an actor, you've got to make things happen," the artistic and personal struggle to heal the split be- sity to grow. He has also boosted
Foxx told People magazine. tween head and heart, flesh and spirit, ego and God. enrollment by almost 4,000 stu-
Meanwhile, the music lives on for the pleasures of its dents, making Hampton University
beauty and the marvel that was Marvin's voice. one of the largest traditional black
Henry Louis Gates, scholar, teacher, critic, writer colleges in the nation. His influence
(1950 -) has reached outside of the university
Alex Haley, journalist, novelist (1921-1992) as well, promoting the welfare of
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., "Skip," is the town of Hampton through land
one of the most powerful aca- The author of the widely ac- purchases and generous donations. He is also serving
demic voices in America. In claimed novel Roots spent the 12 numerous other communities through his position on
1997 Gates was voted one of years traveling three continents the Fannie Mae board of directors where he assists peo-
Time Magazine's "25 Most Influ- tracking his maternal family back ple in securing money for mortgages. On top of all of
ential Americans." to a Mandingo youth, named this, Harvey is also an astute businessman, venturing
He is most recognized for his Kunta Kinte, who was kidnaped into the soft-drink bottling industry when he purchased
extensive research of African into slavery from the small vil- a Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company franchise in 1986, mak-
American history and literature, lage of Juffure, in The Gambia, ing him the first African-American owner in this indus-
and for developing and expanding the African Ameri- West Africa. During this period, try.
can Studies program at Harvard University. The first he lectured extensively in the
black to have received a Ph.D. from Cambridge, Gates United States and in Great Britain
is the author of many books, articles, essays, and re- on his discoveries about his family in Africa, and wrote Billie Holiday, jazz singer
views, and has received numerous awards and honorary many magazine articles on his research in the 1960s and (1915-1959)
degrees. Gates, who has displayed an endless dedication the 1970s. He received several honorary doctor of let-
to bringing African-American culture to the public, has ters degrees for his work. Billie Holiday began singing in
co-authored, co-edited, and produced some of the most New York clubs as a teenager,
comprehensive African-American reference materials in The book Roots, excerpted in Reader's Digest in 1974 and by the time she was old
the country. Booklist declared that Gates "is doing for and heralded for several years, was finally published in enough to drink legally she had
African Americans in the U.S. what Tocqueville did for the fall of 1976 with very wide publicity and reviews. In established a reputation as a stir-
Europeans." January 1977, ABC-TV produced a 12-hour series ring jazz singer. She was a natu-
based on the novel. ral talent with excellent musical instincts and an earthy
voice that matched the searching honesty of her songs.
Marvin Penze Gaye, singer, songwriter (1939-1984) By the end of the 1930s she had sung in the bands of
William R. Harvey, educational administrator Count Basie and Artie Shaw, but life with a big band
Marvin Penze Gaye was one of (1941- ) was too restrictive for her, and in 1938 she became a
the most successful and popular solo act. In 1943 she was voted the best jazz vocalist in
soul artists during the early years During his twenty-five year tenure with Hampton Uni- the Esquire magazine readers' poll. With that acknowl-
of the Motown era. His extraordi- versity, President William R. Harvey has radically edgment of her greatness, Decca Records made a series
nary career matched his extraor- changed the national perception of the school. Since he of thirty-six recordings - among them "Lover Man,"
dinary life, a mixture of blessings assumed leadership of the university in 1978, he has "Porgy," "Now or Never," and a duet with Louis Arm-
and banes, dazzling success and pulled Hampton out of constant financial debt and has strong on "My Sweet Hunk of Trash", that are regarded
inscrutable pain. His biography created a stable income to ensure numerous scholar- among the finest jazz vocals of the time.
22
African-American
History Month
Langston Hughes, writer, editor, lecturer potential as an athlete. For now, his team, his fans, and stands as an example of how strength and determination
(1902-1967) some major corporations are all invested in the idea that can triumph over adversity. An African-American, she
LeBron James is the next big thing. has battled racial discrimination and gender bias and
Langston Hughes achieved triumphed in the male-dominated field of athletic com-
fame as a poet during the bur- Mae C. Jemison, astronaut and physician (1956 - ) petition, despite her personal battle with a debilitating
geoning of the arts known as medical condition.
the Harlem Renaissance, but On September 12, 1992, over five
those who label him "a Har- years after joining NASA, Jemi-
lem Renaissance poet" have son became the first African- Queen Latifah, rapper, actress, producer (1970-)
restricted his fame to only one American female to go into space.
genre and decade. In addition She served as a science mission During the late 1980s, Queen
to his work as a poet, Hughes specialist during an eight-day Latifah emerged as one of the
was a novelist, columnist, playwright, and essayist, and voyage upon the Space Shuttle most significant artists to enter
though he is most closely associated with Harlem, his Endeavour. Jemison's job was to the scene of rap recording, and
world travels influenced his writing in a profound way. study weightlessness and motion earned a reputation as one of the
Langston Hughes followed the example of Paul Laur- sickness on the seven-person crew. most vital female artists of the
ence Dunbar, one of his early poetic influences, to be- In addition to her 1988 Essence Award, she was named following decade. In a recording
come the second African American to earn a living as a the Gamma Sigma Gamma Woman of the Year in 1990 media characterized by the bel-
writer. His long and distinguished career produced vol- and in 1992 received the Ebony Black Achievement ligerence of the gangster culture,
umes of diverse genres and inspired the work of count- Award in 1992. She continued to serve as a role model Queen Latifah established herself as a pillar of female
less other African American writers. to women and African Americans. She told Newsweek, strength and developed a reputation as a role model for
"One of the things that I'm very concerned about is that her generation.
as African-Americans, as women, many times we do After achieving major success as a rapper, Latifah
LeBron James, basketball player (1984 - ) not feel that we have the power to change the world and gained similar notoriety as an actress, mainly through
society as a whole." With her life and accomplishments her own hit television show, Living Single.
He was selected Cleveland she has proven that idea very, very wrong. In 1995 won a Grammy award for Best Rap Solo Per-
Plain Dealer's Player of the formance. Also in 1995, at the Soul Train Music
Year, 2001, 2002; Gatorade Awards she won the Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for En-
National Player of the Year, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, track and field athlete (1962-) tertainer of the Year. Latifah performed at the American
2002; USA Today National Music Awards in January of 1995, and in January of
Player of the Year, 2002; Pa- Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and 1997 she was nominated for two Image Awards, includ-
rade Magazine Player of the raised in a house she remembers as ing Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Set
Year, 2002, 2003; NBA got "little more than paper and sticks," It Off.
milk? Rookie of the Year, 2003 Jackie Joyner-Kersee eventually
-04. became known throughout the
Unlike some of his fellow NBA players, James appears world as one of the finest female Jacob Lawrence, painter, printmaker, muralist
to be a solid citizen. He speaks well of teammates, takes athletes of all time. The winner of (1917 - 2000)
time to sign autographs, is respectful of the history of six Olympic medals, three of them
the game, and—most importantly—has not had any gold, a record-holder in both the multi-event heptathlon He was the first African American to have his work
brushes with the law like other high profile players. (the female version of the decathlon) and the long jump, displayed in a major New York gallery and to be in-
Even more importantly, he appears to have unlimited and a world-class basketball player, Joyner-Kersee cluded in the permanent collection of the Museum of
23
African-American
History Month
Modern Art, both the label's parent company. By belief in world brotherhood and in human justice.
1941. that time he was widely acknowl-
edged as a driving force behind
Jacob Lawrence was the doubling revenue of Def Jam. Thurgood Marshall, lawyer (1908 - 1993)
one of the first Afri- Instrumental in the careers of su-
can American artists perstars like Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and United States Supreme Court Jus-
to rise to prominence DMX, Liles also had his hand in tice Thurgood Marshall built a dis-
in the mainstream spin-off labels Def Soul and Def tinguished career fighting for the
American art world. Jam South, as well as joint music cause of civil rights and equal op-
He was encouraged by teachers and fellow artists during recording ventures, Roc-A-Fella and Murder Inc. A portunity. Ebony dubbed Marshall
his teenage years to study both art and African Ameri- cross-branding whiz, Liles also forged deals that tied "the most important Black man of
can history. He combined these interests to produce Def Jam in with products ranging from clothing to this century — a man who rose
works unique in both their subject and style. Many of video games. With his ability to impart professional higher than any Black person before
these comprise series of panels that join together to cre- respect on an industry often impeded by its gangster him and who has had more effect on
ate a narrative. Lawrence is also known as an illustrator rep, Liles was touted as one of the few hip-hop/rap ex- Black lives than any other person, Black or White." The
of books for adults and children. ecutives that had what it took to segue into a manage- first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court,
ment suite in corporate America. Marshall stood alone as the Supreme Court's liberal
conscience toward the end of his career, the last impas-
Spike Lee, film director, film producer, screen- sioned spokesman for a left-wing view on such causes
writer, actor (1957 - ) Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), black as affirmative action, abolishment of the death penalty,
nationalist (1925-1965) and due process. His retirement in 1991 left the Court in
Known as one of the most original the hands of more conservative justices.
and innovative filmmakers in the Malcolm X was one of the most
world, Lee presents the different fac- fiery and controversial people of
ets of black culture. He is quick to the 20th century. He had a pro- Walter Mosley, writer (1952 -)
admit, however, that there are those found influence on both blacks and
in the black community among his whites. Many blacks responded to "A good private-eye novel . . . is
detractors. Lee says that he is neither a feeling that he was a man of the not really about violence; it's
a spokesman for 35 million African Americans nor tries people, experienced in the ways of about the fallibility of people,
to present himself that way. He will probably continue the street rather than the pulpit or about the grotesqueries of mod-
to court controversy, but with his savvy and salesman- the college campus, which traditionally had provided ern life, and not least it is about
ship skills, Spike Lee will remain a significant influence the preponderance of black leaders. Many young whites one man, the detective, who
in the entertainment world. responded to Malcolm's blunt, colorful language and defines the moral order." This
unwillingness to retreat in the face of hostility. statement, from Washington
The memory and image of Malcolm X has changed as Post reviewer Arthur Krystal,
Kevin Liles, record company executive (1968-) much after his death as his own philosophies changed captures the essence of Walter
during his life. At first thought to be a violent fanatic, Mosley's widely praised detective stories. Mosley's nov-
At the age of 30, after just ten years with the company, he is now understood as an advocate of self-help, self- els include a series of hard-boiled detective tales featur-
Kevin Liles was promoted to president of leading rap defense, and education; as a philosopher and peda- ing Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, who reluctantly gets drawn
label Def Jam Records. Four years later he was ap- gogue, he succeeded in integrating history, religion, and into investigations that lead him through the tough
pointed vice president of Island Def Jam Music Group, mythology to establish a framework for his ultimate streets of black Los Angeles. There Easy operates in a
24
African-American
History Month
kind of gray area, where moral and ethical certainties Soviet Bloc made her a much-sought-after consultant in dolph, a noted goodwill ambassador, was also a talk
are hard to decipher. "The Rawlins novels . . . are most both the public and private sectors. She was President show hostess and active on the lecture circuit.
remarkable for the ways they transform our expecta- Bush's National Security Advisor during his first term
tions of the hard-boiled mystery, taking familiar terri- and Secretary of State during his second term.
tory — the gritty urban landscape of post-World War II Dred Scott, litigator (1795-1858)
Los Angeles — and turning it inside out," wrote David
L. Ulin in the Los Angeles Times Book Review. Richard Pryor, comedian, actor, and writer (1940 - As a slave, Scott accompanied his master to Illinois (a
"Mosley's L.A. (...) is a sprawl of black neighborhoods 2005) free state) and Wisconsin (a terri-
largely hidden from the history books, a shadow com- tory). At various times he attempted
munity within the larger city, where a unique, street- In the 1970s and 1980s Richard to buy his freedom or escape but was
smart justice prevails." Pryor was one of America's top unsuccessful. He obtained the assis-
comedians, an actor, writer, and tance of two attorneys who helped
stand-up artist whose irreverent him to sue for his freedom in county
Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole) black nationalist, albums sold in the millions. Pryor court.
Nation of Islam Spiritual Leader (1897-1975) mined both personal and social Scott lost this case, but the verdict was set aside and in
tragedy for his comic material and 1847 he won a second trail on the grounds that his slave
Poole established the Nation of peppered his appearances with status had been nullified upon entering into a free state.
Islam's Temple, Number Two in outrageous language and adult humor. Even at the peak In 1857 the United States Supreme Count ruled against
Chicago. He was able to build the of his popularity, however, he suffered the dire conse- Scott, stating that slaves were not legally citizens of the
first strong, black religious group quences of drug and alcohol abuse. Premiere correspon- United States and therefore had no standing in the
in the United States that appealed dent David Handelman theorized: "Like many celebri- courts. Shortly after the decision was handed down his
primarily to the unemployed and ties, Pryor turned to drugs in part out of insecurity about owner freed Scott. The case led to the nullification of
underemployed city dweller, and his fame. But he had the added guilt trip of being per- the Missouri Compromise of 1820, allowing the expan-
ultimately to some in the black haps the most successful black man in a country of dis- sion of slavery into formerly free territories and
middle class. In addition, his mes- enfranchised blacks." strengthening the abolition movement.
sage on the virtues of being black was explicit and un-
compromising, and he sought with at least a little suc-
cess to bolster the economic independence of African Wilma Rudolph, track and field athlete (1940-1994) Robert George Seale, activist (1936-)
Americans by establishing schools and businesses under
the auspices of the Nation of Islam. Wilma Rudolph was the first American Robert George Seale was a militant
woman runner to win three gold med- activist who, with Huey P. Newton
als in the Olympic games. Her per- and Bobby Hutton, founded the
Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State( 1954- ) formance was all the more remarkable Black Panther Party for Self Defense
in light of the fact that she had double in 1966. Beginning as an armed pa-
Born in the heart of a still-segregated pneumonia and scarlet fever as a trol dedicated to the defense of Oak-
Dixie, she was brought up to believe young child and could not walk with- land Blacks against the brutality of
that the sky was the limit as far as out braces until age 11. the city police, the Black Panthers
her future was concerned. A profes- Rudolph served as a track coach, an gained local notoriety for their fear-
sor of political science for more than athletic consultant, and assistant director of athletics for lessness and militant demand for
two decades, her expertise on the the Mayor's Youth Foundation in Chicago. She was also Black rights. In 1967 the Black Panther Party (BPP)
political machinations of the former the founder of the Wilma Rudolph Foundation. Ru- garnered national attention when it sent an armed con-
25
African-American
History Month
tingent to the state capitol in Sacramento to protest a Tavis Smiley, radio and television commentator, was friends with such leading white abolitionists as
proposed gun-control law and to assert the constitu- writer (1964 -) James and Lucretia Mott and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
tional right of Blacks to bear arms against their white With the outbreak of the Civil War she raised money to
oppressors. Smiley has been running on a politi- purchase gifts for the soldiers, distributing them herself
Seale was sentenced to four years in jail but in 1971 the cal fast track since he was in college, in the camps. She also helped African Americans who
conspiracy trial ended in a hung jury and the judge or- when he interned in the administra- had escaped to the North to find habitation and shelter.
dered all charges dropped against Seale and the other tion of the late Los Angeles mayor
defendants. The following year the federal government Tom Bradley. After graduation from
suspended the contempt charges and released Seale Indiana University, he worked for C. DeLores Tucker, activist and founder (1927 -
from prison. three years as an administrative aide 2005)
Throughout the 1980s Seale continued to develop and in the Bradley organization, hosted
support organizations dedicated to combating social and radio talk shows, served as a guest commentator on C. DeLores Tucker never shied away
political injustices. He still lectures about his past and several network television shows, and created his own from sensitive political issues. A
current experiences struggling for civil rights for Afri- 60-second syndicated radio commentary, "The Smiley longtime civil rights activist who
can Americans. Report." He has written three books since 1993, most marched with Dr. Martin Luther King
notably the liberal manifesto Hard Right: Straight Talk Jr. and raised funds for the National
about the Wrongs of the Right. Published in June 1996, Association for the Advancement of
Betty Shabazz, activist, nurse, health services the book was into a third printing only a month later. Colored People (NAACP), Tucker
administrator, educator (1936-1997) Smiley's driving ambition, political activism, and will- took her deep convictions and orga-
ingness to confront the issues of the day ensure that his nizing skills into a new arena later in
When Betty Shabazz married the voice will be heard on the American scene for many her life. She launched a crusade to
dynamic civil rights leader Mal- years to come. alter the violent, anti-female message
colm X, she could not anticipate in gangsta rap, a message she saw as undermining and
the extent of her husband's fame or even contributing to the early deaths of American youth
the course that their lives would Sojourner Truth, abolitionist, women's rights advo- --especially black youth. From 1994 on, Tucker used
take. Shabazz was catapulted into cate (c. 1797-1883) her considerable skills as a political figure and public
the American consciousness and speaker to denounce gangsta rap and to persuade the
the media spotlight following her Born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster major entertainment conglomerates not to sell it.
husband's assassination in 1965 by three members of County, New York, around 1797,
the Nation of Islam. His young widow, pregnant with she was freed by the New York
twin daughters at the time of his murder, was left to State Emancipation Act of 1827 and Usher Raymond IV, singer (1979 -)
raise them—and their four sisters—by herself. lived in New York City for a time.
Although raising and educating her daughters took up After taking the name Sojourner Omnipresent on the music
most of her time, Shabazz still managed to further her Truth, which she felt God had given charts for the last seven years,
education and she became director of the school's De- her, she assumed the "mission" of Usher Raymond is an undis-
partment of Communications and Public Relations of spreading "the Truth" across the puted R&B star. His smooth
Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. country. She became famous as an itinerant preacher, ballads, upbeat pop hits and
In a statement released after Shabazz's death, civil rights drawing huge crowds with her oratory (and some said handful of club anthems have
leader Jesse Jackson declared that "she never stopped "mystical gifts") wherever she appeared. She became made him one of the most suc-
giving and she never became cynical. She leaves today one of an active group of black women abolitionists, cessful male artists of the past
the legacy of one who epitomized hope and healing." lectured before numerous abolitionist audiences, and decade. Backed by successful
26
African-American
History Month
producers like P. Diddy and Jermaine Dupri, Usher writings portray the struggle of Denzel Washington, actor, philanthropist (1954 -)
made a name for himself with his self-titled debut al- black people throughout history, and
bum and the gold hit "Think of You." Released in 1997, are praised for their insightful and Washington's trademark for suc-
My Way featured the platinum hits "You Make Me riveting portraits of black life, in cess in portraying a character has
Wanna..." and "Nice & Slow." The young sensation particular the experiences of black been to learn as much about the
then followed up with hits like "U Remind Me" and "U women in a sexist and racist society. individual as possible, including
Got It Bad," and broke records with 2004's Confessions. Her most famous work, the award- his social, historical, and political
winning and best-selling novel The environments and displaying
Color Purple, chronicles the life of a physical traits. With this kind of
Denmark Vesey, carpenter, minister, revolutionary poor and abused southern black woman who eventually dedication and zeal to be true to
(c.1767-1822) triumphs over oppression through affirming female rela- the character, Washington has established himself as a
tionships. leading actor in the movie industry. Handsome, suave,
"Remember Denmark Vesey of Charleston!" was the tall, and brown skinned, it is no coincidence that Denzel
battle cry of the first black regiment formed to fight in Washington has been compared to Sidney Poitier.
the Civil War. The war achieved what Vesey had so Booker Taliafero Washington, lecturer, civil rights/ Washington in 2002 won an Academy Award for his
desperately striven for — the abolition of slavery. He human rights activist, educational administrator, role in director Antoine Fuqua's Training Day, to be-
had planned his own war of liberation in 1822, but his professor, organization executive/founder, author/ come only the second African American actor in the 73-
plans were revealed before the upris- poet (1856-1915) year history of the Motion Picture Academy to win the
ing could take place. Oscar for best actor in a lead role; Poitier was the first.
Vesey's actions were particularly Dedicating himself to the idea that
courageous because by the time he education would raise his people to
planned his rebellion, he had already equality in this country, Washington Ida B. Wells-Barnett, journalist, activist
gained his freedom and was making became a teacher. He first taught in (1862 - 1931)
a good living. But he had seen too his home town, then at the Hampton
much suffering — he hated slavery Institute, and then in 1881, he Activist and journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett was an
and slaveholders — and he was de- founded the Tuskegee Normal and early proponent of civil rights. Editor and partial owner
termined to free his people from the Industrial Institute in Tuskegee, of her own newspaper, she published articles on topics
terrible oppression and cruelty. Like Alabama. As head of the Institute, he traveled the coun- considered controversial at the
others who rose against the system, try unceasingly to raise funds from blacks and whites time. One of her main causes was
Vesey was condemned to death and hanged. Yet his both; soon he became a well-known speaker. fighting the practice of lynching,
opponents could not kill his spirit. Vesey became a In 1895, Washington was asked to speak at the opening which she regarded as a horrific
symbol in the struggle for freedom and an inspiration of the Cotton States Exposition, an unprecedented form of racial prejudice that no
for later abolitionists, including John Brown. honor for an African American. His Atlanta Compro- decent human being could ignore
mise speech explained his major thesis, that blacks or justify. She waged her war
could secure their constitutional rights through their against it in the press as well as on
Alice Walker, writer (1944- ) own economic and moral advancement rather than the podium, earning a reputation
through legal and political changes. for fearlessness and determination despite numerous
Recognized as one of the leading voices among black efforts to intimidate her, including death threats.
American women writers, Alice Walker has produced Wells-Barnett spoke out against discrimination in other
an acclaimed and varied body of work, including po- ways as well, denouncing the restriction of African
etry, novels, short stories, essays, and criticism. Her Americans to the backs of buses and theater balconies
27
African-American
History Month
and their exclusion from religious organizations such as ever been around." White was Oprah Winfrey, talk show host, actress, broadcast-
the Women's Christian Temperance Union. When she voted by the NFL Hall of Fame to ing executive (1954- )
exposed the segregationist policies of the Young Men's the NFL All-time Team in 2000.
Christian Association (YMCA), several wealthy donors Oprah Winfrey revolutionized
withdrew their support from that group and gave nearly White's other career — carrying the the talk show market with her
$9,000 to the establishment of the Negro Fellowship gospel of Christ to those in need — unique and natural style and
Reading Room and Social Center. will last his entire life. He and his rose to become the host of the
wife built Hope Place, a shelter for most watched daytime show on
unwed mothers, on property near television, which boasts 22 mil-
Kanye West, rap musician and record producer their home in rural Tennessee; they lion viewers daily (three-fourths
(1977 - ) also founded the Alpha & Omega Ministry to sponsor a of whom are women). She is the
community development bank in Knoxville. "I'm trying first African American to own
Kanye West began his career in to build up black people's morale, self-confidence and her own TV studio. The multitalented Winfrey is also a
music as a producer for top hip- self-reliance to show them that the Jesus I'm talking millionaire businesswoman, a talented actress, owner of
hop artists such as Jay-Z, but he about is real," White explained in Ebony. a movie production company, and committed philan-
wanted more: he wanted to rap, thropist.
too. Though his middle-class In 1996 and 1997 she was third on the Forbes list of the
background and preppy dress Serena Williams, tennis player, olympic athlete, world's highest-paid entertainers, after grossing a com-
made him seem ill-fitted for a hip- actor (1981 - ) bined total of $201 million, and in 2001 she was listed
hop scene dominated by gangsta among the 10 most influential people in publishing. In
personalities, West's talent and Ranked number one in the world 2001, with an income of $900 million, she placed 280
determination led to his massive success. His debut al- among female tennis professionals on the Forbes list of the 400 richest people in America.
bum, The College Dropout, rewrote the rules of hip- in 2002, Serena Williams had be-
hop, reviving socially conscious lyrics and mixing them come one of the sport's most excit-
with cutting-edge commercial party beats. By the time ing and closely watched young
he released his second album, Late Registration, in Au- players. With her older sister Ve-
gust of 2005, West had become one of hip-hop's biggest nus, she formed half of a tennis-
stars. prodigy pair that had been making
headlines from an early age. As an
African American in a historically
Reggie White, football player, minister, philanthro- white- and European-dominated
pist (1961 - 2004) sport, she found herself in the spotlight and under scru-
tiny. Serena and Venus Williams were coached by their
For a decade and a half, Reggie White dominated the father Richard, an unorthodox career-builder whose
National Football League as one of its most ferocious methods stirred comment and controversy. Beyond all Source:
defensive players. White habitually struck terror into these reasons Serena Williams caught the attention of
many an offense with his strength; he possessed speed, tennis fans simply because she was a player of extraor- www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/
stamina, and the ability to size up situations for maxi- dinary ability and dynamism. She has risen to the very
mum impact. Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach top of her game winning five Grand Slam events in two
Buddy Ryan once called White the "perfect defensive years and being ranked in the top five female tennis
lineman...probably the most gifted defensive athlete I've players in the world for over three years.
28
African-American
History Month
29
Prepared by the
American Embassy
Information Resource Center