February 2008

BLACK HISTORY

I have many questions about the contributions of Black Americans to this country and how it appears that their place in American history has in so many ways been overlooked by historians and other citizens in America. For instance, compared to white Americans, there is far less record of Black history. Which begs these questions: Why has our history been buried? What is the reason for this disparity between the two races? Why isn't Black history intertwined with American history?

Looking at Black History Month, I often wonder what made those who put themselves in authority think that they could gather all of Black peoples' contributions and put them into one month. American history attempts to explain the selection process for February being Black History Month. They surmised that it was Mr. Carter Godwin Woodson who selected the month of February in 1926. Before then, the time set aside to recognize Black achievement was known as Negro History Week. The month was selected in honor of Mr. Fredrick Douglas (black male) and President Abraham Lincoln (Caucasian male), who were both born in February. I am greatly disturbed by this choice of month knowing that February is the shortest month of the year (and a day longer only if it is a leap year).

President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to initiate freedom for Black Americans. I am not suggesting that President Lincoln doesn't deserve credit for standing up and signing the document, because he could have rejected it. Nevertheless, President Lincoln is who he is, we are who we are, and February is as it is.

The history of our contributions range from the Lewis and Clark expedition to every war those in power in America started. We fought and died for this country more than for ourselves and it is so frustrating to see Caucasian moderates, much less Caucasians who are haters of us behave as if everything is fine and dandy.

There are those who say Black people should be happy and settle for things as they are. They make inferences such as, "What are they complaining about now?" "Aren't they doing better now than ever before?" My answers are: No we are not happy; and although we are doing better, yet we have many reasons to complain. Do they think that we are so blind to see that we are not treated fairly in the justice system, and that all of our gains have come with much suffering?

When it comes to our rights, white America has but given us just a token. When things are such that we are still the last ones hired and the first ones fired, how can we sit and think everything is alright. How long will true justice be denied? How long will hatred and bigotry reign supreme? How long will we continue to sacrifice generation after generation leading them to bondage that they don't see?

I must say that God is not pleased. We Black African American people must stand up and demand that we want all our rights, not next year, not next month, not next week, not even tomorrow, but NOW! These rights are not only guaranteed by the United States Constitution, which states we are all equal, but God almighty has ordained that everyone is created equal. I must ask, how do you expect to be saved from damnation and hate your brothers and sisters created by God?

I must ask Caucasian America, why is it that you don't want Black American History included with American history? Blacks in America are Americans, aren't we? We physically built this country with our blood, sweat and tears. No matter how much you reject our contributions to History and call them fables and stories, your lies will not stand forever. Just like many who make the mistake and behold the Bible as stories, but the Bible is a book of true History and as it is, and so are we.

We were in Africa minding our own business when Caucasian Americans came and did what they did and even to this very moment most of you pretend you are innocent and everything is alright. Why do you act as though you have no part in our struggles of today? Or if this is true, then we welcome you to help us make right that which was wrong. We are not seeking to rule you. We are not even seeking to be in the same class room, diner, etc. with you. We really don't care if we are in the same government with you. But since we are here, we want a justice system that is truly equal under the law.

Stop lady justice from peaking out to see who is standing before her. Stop the scales of justice from being one sided the moment we are pulled over at a traffic stop. The moment we question police brutalities for beating and murdering us, we are labeled as troublemakers. I must ask, "Is this the Black History Caucasian America is selling to the rest of the world," when we are treated as second rate Americans; I hope not? If this is not true we want your help to obtain what is rightfully ours. True Justice!

This is even more disturbing when you consider that this perpetration against Black American citizens was and is done without any type of repercussions from the justice system. The Following are some facts I got from the Black History Facts web site. I encourage all races to visit the site and get a more detailed look at Black America History. I also examined the American Heritage Dictionary (AHD), Third Edition Copyright 1994 to see how well Black American History was covered. It is pretty astonishing the differences in these separate documentations.

1. Mr. Carter Godwin Woodson originated Negro History Week/ month in 1926. Mr. Woodson was not found in the AHD.

2. Mr. Andrew J. Beard invented the "Jenny Coupler" which allows train cars to hook themselves, when bumped into each other. The Jenny is still used today. Mr. Beard was not found in the AHD.

3. Mr. Lewis Howard Latimer invented the Carbon Filament for light bulbs in 1881. Mr. Latimer was not found in the AHD.

4. Mr. Joseph Winters invented the Fire Escape Ladder in 1878. Mr. Winters was not found in the AHD.

5. Mr. John Love invented the Pencil Sharpener in 1897. Mr. Love was not found in the AHD.

6. Ms. Sarah E. Goode invented a Bed that folded up into a Cabinet in 1885. She was not the first Black American woman to receive a patent, but was the second. Ms. Goode was not found in the AHD.

7. Mr. C. B. Brooks invented the Street Sweeper in 1896. It was a truck attached with Brooms. Mr. Brooks was not found in the AHD.

8. L. P. Ray invented the Dustpan in 1897. Ray was not found in the AHD.

9. Mr. Henry Brown created what was known as a "Strong Box" in 1886. This box was a metal container used to store money, jewelry, and other valuables that could be locked with a key. Mr. Brown was not found in the AHD.

10. Mr. Joseph Lee invented an Automatic Bread Making Machine that mixed the ingredients and kneaded the dough, in 1895. Mr. Lee was not found in the AHD.

11. Mr. Lonnie G. Johnson, a NASA engineer, invented the Super soaker Water gun, the number-one selling toy in America in 1991. Mr. Johnson was not found in the AHD.

12. Mr. Alexander Miles Patented an Electric Elevator in 1887 with automatic doors that would close off the shaft way, which made elevators safer. Mr. Miles was not found in the AHD.

13. Mr. Henry Blair invented a Corn Seed Planter in 1834 and a Cotton Seed Planter in 1836. Mr. Blair was the second Black American to receive a patent. Guess what, Mr. Blair could not READ or WRITE and signed his patent with an X. Mr. Blair was not found in the AHD.

14. Mr. Elijah McCoy invented an Automatic Lubricator to oil Steam Engines in 1872. The term, "The Real McCoy" is believed to be reference the reliability of Mr. McCoy's invention. Mr. McCoy was not found in the AHD.

15. Mr. Garrett Augustus Morgan invented a three-way automatic stop sign, which he sold to General Electric. It was used in the United States until the three-light traffic signal was invented. He also developed a gas mask in 1912. Mr. Morgan was not found in the AHD.

16. Mr. Otis Boykin invented Electronic Control Devices for guided Missiles, IBM Computers, and the Control unit for the Pacemaker. Mr. Boykin was not found in the AHD.

17. Mr. George Carruthers invented the Ultraviolet Electrographic Camera, used in the 1972 Apollo 16 mission. This invention showed new features of earth's far-outer atmosphere and deep-space objects from the perspective of the lunar surface. Mr. Carruthers was inducted into the National Inventors' Hall of Fame in 2003. Mr. Carruthers was not found in the AHD.

18. Mr. Jan Ernst Matzeliger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, which connected the upper part of the shoe to the Sole. This invention revolutionized the shoe-making Industry. Mr. Matzeliger was not found the AHD.

That's a snap shot of Black American contributions to the entire world and Black Americans benefited from the inventions less than most. Also, I wanted to be fair to the American Heritage Dictionary Publishers so I took a closer look. On page 515 you will see a listing for McCormick-Cyrus Hall (1809-1884) Amer. Inventor. (Mr. Hall invented the Reaper). The AHD also listed George Herman "Babe" Ruth on page 720 Amer. Baseball Player. I looked for Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron who broke "Babe" Ruth's home run record and "Hank" Aaron was not found. Could this mean that the Caucasian race does not recognize some of us as Americans? To their credit there are some Black Americans found in the AHD, but none of the ones that I researched were found.

All we want is equal justice under the law, which is also Gods' law. We want all Americans, no matter the race, who believes in, "love thy neighbor as thy self"; "right is right and wrong is wrong"; and Americans who believe truth and not lies, to administer fair treatment to all. When we stand on these principles, God will lead us to victory.