Dad was an intelligent man displaced in the Jim Crow South. He served his country during WWII. He was discharged in 1943 and was denied G.I. benefits. He made a cumulative score of 97 on the Civil Service Examination but was denied meaningful employment. He had a wife and five children to provide for, so …
According to the book, They Came Searching, by Eddie Faye Gates, from pre-statehood days to the present, people have come to Tulsa seeking a better way of life. Tulsa had mineral-rich lands and people of all races and nationalities. People from all over the United States went there for a better way of life. Native …
When I was growing up, not many people knew about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. Even today, the history is not well-known. We knew about race massacres across the nation but not in Tulsa. One of my older brothers loved history and told us, his younger siblings, about the history. At one time, Ida …
I was asked to present an overview of Juneteenth for our community Black History Month program. I quickly gathered a team together and we presented information to an audience that was willing to listen and learn. Our theme was “Celebrating Freedom Together.” I’m grateful to the awesome singers from a local Black church that supported …
When I was a child, I heard my father calling a pig or hog, Suar. I didn’t know what this word meant. It was not until years later, when I read one of his books, that I learned that this was the name of a foul animal. We couldn’t afford animals, so he went to …
When I was growing up, our parents taught my siblings and me about The Great Depression. We were poor, but that was no excuse not to learn. Our parents earned $3.00 a day chopping cotton in the hot sun during the summer. In the fall, they picked cotton and were paid based on the weight. …
Live Your Best Life! You can choose to succeed in whatever you were meant to be or do. How many times do you meet people who are complaining about what they don’t have instead of enjoying what they do have? There are many opportunities in life. Doors close and windows open. Don’t spend so much …
According to historians, by 1444, there was a thriving market in Portugal for African enslaved people. Both the Europeans and Africans had a tradition of slavery but the two differed. Slavery was prevalent in many Central and West African societies before and during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. When diverse African empires, small to medium-sized nations, …
Africa is called the “Motherland” and “Fatherland” because it’s the birthplace of the human race. Our African ancestors created human history, culture, and civilization. Black history does not begin with enslaved people. Africa was an advanced civilization prior to the arrival of Europeans. In August of this year, I was excitedly preparing to journey …
The Cradle of Civilization-The Motherland and Fatherland Read More »
The racial dynamics of Memphis changed between 1862-1865. During the Civil War, thousands of enslaved and formerly enslaved Black people fled to the city. In 1865, the Black population was 39%. Most of the Black population gathered around Beale, Linden, and Causey streets. These areas were considered, “Negro Quarters.” Lymus Wallace was the first …