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Since 1976, the United States and Canada have recognized
February as Black History Month. The
idea to dedicate time to the contributions of African Americans was originated
in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. His
vision was to increase the awareness of people and communities to the
significant additions African Americans have made to the overall history of the
United States.
His vision has grown since 1926 to include an entire month
where elementary, junior high and high school students take time to learn about
notable figures and accomplishments of African Americans.
Black History Month’s annual celebration has come with its
fair share of criticism. From
questioning the need to dedicate an entire month to a single race to complaints
about the month chosen being the shortest month of the year, the opinions are
as varied as they can be outlandish.
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Regardless, the idea to educate ourselves about the
historical influence countless African Americans have had on our country and
communities is with merit. It is a time
to dig past the dates and names to attempt to put yourself in the shoes of a race
of people who have struggled to gain an equal footing in the United
States.
Without Black History Month we may be familiar but not as
cognizant of the incredible feats of
Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Jackie
Robinson, or Maya Angelou. The
contributions African Americans have made to the fabric of the United States
are without question.
Please research and report back on the accomplishments of
one of the following people:
Condoleezza Rice
George Washington Carver
Frederick Douglass
Booker T Washington
Louis Armstrong
What did you learn and why did you choose that person?
I chose Fredrick Douglass because he chose not to completely forget about his time as a slave, but to embrace it and use it to become successful. Fredrick was born a slave, but escaped at 20 years old. He then decided to campaign against slavery. He both argued and wrote books about slavery and his life as a slave. Most were very impressed at his intellect and wit and without his approval, he was the first African American to be nominated for vice president of the U.S. He not only was against black discrimination, but against all discrimination: black, native, female, all of it he was against. He died of a heart attack or stroke on February 20, 1895 at 77 years old. He was a great man and we should all try to learn a lesson from him. He was not bitter about being a slave, but instead he decided to use his experiences to make him wiser, kinder, and a better person. He says, "Men have their choice in this world. They can be angels, or they can be demons." He chose to be an angel, what will you chose to be? The choice is yours.
ReplyDeleteI chose Fredrick Douglas because he believed in the equality of everyone, whether they were black, white, or native people. He believed that everyone should have the same rights no matter what. Not only blacks, but everyone in the world no matter who they were. Although he was born into slavery, he always believed in himself that he could do anything. Finally, he escaped slavery in 1838 and joined an abolitionist movement, becoming the leader of the group. Fredrick wrote many autobiographies about his life. In 1895, soon after he had attended a meeting in Washington, D.C., he died of a massive heart attack or stroke at his house. Douglas was aged to be 77 years old at the time. He was buried next to his late wife, Anna- Murray in New York. He lived an amazing life that he cherished every moment of till he died. Douglas was an amazing and insparational man who everyone will remember always.
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong because I heard the name but I wanted to learn more about him. He was a jazz musician. He had his own band called Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five. He had harsh comments about his career. He didn't let that stop him and came back a bigger star later. He was the first African American to write an auto-biography, get featured in a major Hollywood movie, and to host a nationally sponsored radio show. He had a heart attack on his way to Paris. Later in his life he had heart and kidney problems. He died in his sleep in his house in Queens, New York. He is an inspiration to many people around the world.
ReplyDeleteI chose the man named Louis Armstrong. I had heard of him before but had never really learned about who he was. Louis was born on August 4th, 1901 in a very poor neighborhood. He was a jazz musician who played the trumpet and wrote songs like What a Wonderful World and Baby,It's Cold Outside. He played at parties, funerals, and dances. Louis also married four times and had a daughter named Sharon. He performed all over the world. Throughout his career he dealt with insults on his clothes and the way he talked. People also did racist against his skin color. Armstrong had a heart attack and other heart and kidney problems. He died in his sleep on July 6th, 1971. Even though Armstrong wasn't always treated correctly he didn't give up on being a musician. He continued to follow his dream and he taught me to do that, too. Louis is a great role model for all of us to follow.
ReplyDeleteI chose Booker T Washington because he was an educator, author, and adviser to the presidents of the united states. Between 1890 and 1915 Washington was the dominant leader of the African - American community.
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong because he was a trumpet player. I like the trumpet a lot, and I kind of want to play the trmumpet. I learned that Louis Armstrong was one of the best trumpet players in the world. I like Louis Armstrong because he was born in the same month as I was.
ReplyDeleteI picked Louis Armstrong. I never heard of him. Louis was born in August 4, 1901. As a little boy Louis's family was very poor. when Louis was five years old he moved back with his mother after she had left him. To make some money Louis was a paper boy. Luis dropped out of school at age 11. Louis started to join some boys who sang on the streets to make some money. But he got into a lot of trouble. Bunk Johns taught Louis to play the trumpet at 11. At the age of twenty Louis was reading music. He did some trumpet solos. 1918 Louis married Daisy Parker. He adopted a three year old boy. But 1923 he got devoiced. He got remarried in 1924. But once again got devoiced. Louis got married once again. But got devoiced 1942. Louis married Lucille and they stayed together until his death. Louis performed all over the world. Louis had died of a heart attack in 1971. Louis did grow up as kid poor. But he made his dream come true. Louis never gave up as a musician even though he was not treated good. Louis is a great role model for all of us.
ReplyDeleteI picked louis armstrong. Me and my family have heard of him and we have listened to his music. He came from a very very poor family. Music was a great thing for him he learned how to play a trumpet at age 11 !!!
ReplyDeleteLouis adopted a young boy. he was later divorced but he kept going. He is a great example for me because he reminds me to never give up and even though that bad things are going to happen keep going. He went on with his amazing talent and became a very successful man. He shows me to never stop trying. He is an amazing example for me and many other people.
I chose Louis Armstrong. He was a black trumpet player. I think that is it cool that he played the trumpet because considering when and where he was born it was probably not easy. Louis was born on the 4th of August in 1901. And he was born in Louisiana. Back then, in the south there was lots of segregation going around. So it was probably tough for Louis. Louis played at lots of events like weddings. He loved his trumpet. I chose Louis Armstrong because he just reminds me to follow my dreams even if people try to stop you. You should do what you want to do, and don't listen to what people say to you if it's negative.
ReplyDeleteI chose George Washington Carver Because he was a brilliant scientist. He found out the reason the crops were not growing. It was because there was not enough nitrogen in the soil. he also found 145 way to create something from peanuts.
ReplyDeleteI hose George Washington Carver not only because he invented peanut butter, but for all of the other inventions that he had. He developed a fuel made out of soy beans and made rubber out of a string of cotton stalk. He wasnt just a scientist though, he was also a musician, a painter, and a croucheyer.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Washington Carver was a Botanist and inventor. Carver is know for his research on alternative crops to cotton such as peanut butter, soybeans, and sweet potatoes. He wanted to help poor farmers grow alternative crops. George Washington Carver was born into slavery, so he wanted to help other black and in slaved people.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Washington Carver was a famous botanist and inventor who was born into slavery in Missouri(the exact date is unknown). He is famous for his interest in wanting to help farmers grow alternative crops to cotton(peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, etc.). He developed over 100 useful products out of peanuts, from cosmetics to plastics and gasoline. He was a big supporter of anti-slavery.
ReplyDeleteCondoleezza Rice is the first woman African American to serve as the United States national security adviser, as well as the first black woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State. She grew up surrounded by racism in the segregated South. I think that would be very hard. I chose her because racism did not stop her from her dream. Being the first black woman to serve as a U.S. Secretary is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong becuse he was a Musician he played the trumpet and was in a band called Louis Armstrong and the hot five. People used to criticize his music becuse he was black but that didn't stop him. Louis kept making music with his band and became famous. Louis should be an inspiration to all of us because he pushed through hard times to reach his dreams and so can we.
ReplyDeleteI chose Luis Armstrong because he inspired me. That I can do something great with my life. I also am really into music. Some people used to be mean to him because of his race. That didn't stop him. He kept playing music and did what he wanted to do. I believe that anyone can be anything they want if they work hard for it. He made his dreams come true so why cant we.
ReplyDeleteI choose Frederick Douglass because he was a very inspirational man. He was a leader of civil rights escaping slavery. He also supported women's rights and Irish home rule. He also wrote several auto biographies.
ReplyDeleteI Chose George Washington Carver, because he was a great inventor and invented peanut butter. He didn't believe in just growing cotton. Instead he thought that you should grow peanuts, because there healther and to prove his point he made over 100 peanut products including peanut butter.
ReplyDeleteI proudly choose Frederick Douglass because he over many challenges. It all started after he escaped slavery. He lead an abolitionist group and he wrote many anti-slavery books. He used his gifts to the fullest; he had an incredibly way of getting people to rally behind him. He also wrote because he knew he could do it well. I think that since he really believed that slavery was horrific and cruel, those feelings just poured out of him into the people around him and that is why he was a great leader, writer, and speaker. His passion was visible!
ReplyDeleteI choose frederick douglass because he over came many obstacles and was a very inspirational man. He was one of the leaders of the civil rights movement. He wrote auto biographies and supported womens rights.
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong. I chose this person because I knew this man was a musician but I wanted to find out more about him. I found out that me and him share the same birthday, August fourth. Louis was a band instructor, played the trumpet, sang, and was a comedian. Louis is a really cool person, and I am glad to find out more about him.
ReplyDeleteI chose Frederick Douglass because he was a slave that became a high rank in the us government. He helped with the abolish slavery in the united states. when he was 16 he decided to fight back.
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong because I'm not very familiar with him and wanted to learn more about him. Louis Armstrong was a jazz trumpeter who was also a skilled skat singer. Louis also lived with a very poor famiy in New Orleans but when he turned 11 years old he started to get into this stuff and sang on the streets with some of his friends. I just think this man was a inspirational man who folllowed his dreams. That was one of the most important things he taught taught me was to follow my dreams no matter what bad happens to you just keep going. His music became real famous in the 1960s for if youdid not know then it ended later on. Then he sadly died in 1971.
ReplyDeleteCondoleezza Rice was the second African-American women a secretary of state. She was a professor at Sanford University. She served at an assistant for a past president. Rice also served as a National security staff. She has won two of the highest honors for teaching. She has also wrote many books. Now she works energy Software Company. She also helps out at the boys and girls club. Current she lives in California.
ReplyDeleteI chose Fredrick Douglass because he was a very inspirational man. He fought his way to freedom, and soon became a amazing writer. While enslaved, Fredrick taught as many as 40 other slaves lessons. He fought for his own freedom, after attempting two times, he finally escaped slavery. He fled to Maryland from then he was disguised as a sailor and made his way to a safe house in New York. He wrote several autobiographies also some news papers. He had lectures for things such as woman writes. He learned to read, which was a surprise for a slave. He was a amazing man that believed in himself.
ReplyDeleteI choose Louis Armstrong because he is an inspirational man. Louis was born August 4, 1901. His parents ditched him and his sister, to live with there grandma but his mother came back for them when he was 5. He was a trumpeter, bandleader, singer, soloist, film star and comedian! Sadly Armstrong died of a heart attack in his sleep on July 6, 1971, a month before his 70th birthday
ReplyDeleteLuis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 into a poor family. His parents left him and his sister. He later became good at playing the cornet. Eventually he formed a band called Hot Five. At age twenty he could easily read music and started playing many trumpet solos. He specifically played jazz. He was a very inspirational man. He could also sing. Unfortunately on July 6, 1971, he died at the age of 69, from a heart attack. We will always remember this amazing man.
ReplyDeleteLuis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 into a poor family. His parents left him and his sister. He later became good at playing the cornet. Eventually he formed a band called Hot Five. At age twenty he could easily read music and started playing many trumpet solos. He specifically played jazz. He was a very inspirational man. He could also sing. Unfortunately on July 6, 1971, he died at the age of 69, from a heart attack. We will always remember this amazing man.
ReplyDeleteI chose Fredric douglas because he made a large difference in how people of the time thought of African Anericans. He was very sucessful and smart even, which i asume was mostly self taught. He must have inspired other African American to become sucessful. He must have been very motivated considering he tried to escape slavery two times, think about the punishments capured runaway slave would have, but he still eacaped eventually. He ecen held a position in the US government, he must have been very motivating to get people of the time to vote for a black man.
ReplyDeleteI chose Louis Armstrong he was a very insteing man to me. he was born in a very poor family on August 4, 1901. his pratens left him but he lived with his mom some times but never really saw his dad. At the age of 11 he stared singing in streets for money with so boys and soon later he stared playing then trumpet. He stared thye music called jazz and have inpestesd other people to play jazz. He ended his caree in 1960s. On jluy 6 1971 he died form a heart attack. but he is always remembered as a amazing man.
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