Resources

Film & Books, Authors, Historical Events

Black Wallstreet, Tulsa — America ’s most affluent Black community was destroyed in June, 1921 by angry mobs of whites. The mobs burned and looted, killing hundreds of innocent blacks.

Medgar Evers (1925-1963)—Black civil rights activist from Mississippi . He was assassinated in June, 1963 while working to advance the cause of Blacks in Mississippi .

Marcus Garvey (1887-1940)—Garvey was born in Jamaica in 1887. He was a Black Nationalist leader whose Negro Improvement Association (NIA) was the most prominent Black power organization of the 1920's.

D. W. Griffith (1875-1948)—American film director best known as director of controversial film The Birth of a Nation (1914).

Alex Haley (1921-1992)—Author of monumental best seller Roots and winner of Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction. Roots became a TV mini-series. Haley traces his family history through the drama of eighteenth-century slave Kunta Kinte.

Rosewood —A film by John Singleton, 1997—Depicted the massacre of the predominately black town of Rosewood , Florida by an angry whites alleging an attack on a white woman.

Sterling Stuckey —Noted author on Black slave life and culture. One of his works, Slave Culture: Nationalist Theory and the Foundations of Black American (paperback), received the following review:

Stuckey’s stimulating work clearly suggests that Afro-Americans can resolve not only the problems of economic and political empowerment but also the problem of cultural self-definition—especially as regards their Africaness—the travail of Black liberation will not come to an end. —The Nation

The 54th Massachusetts —All Black volunteer regiment from Massachusetts who fought in the Civil War and became the subject of the movie Glory.

Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 to November 14, 1915)—American (Black) political leader, educator and author; He was one of the dominant figures in Black American history in the United States .

Political Acts, Amendments

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 —Guaranteed basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race.

Three-Fifths Compromise —A compromise between Northern and Southern States during the 1787 United States constitutional convention that declared a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation.

Named Historical References

Crispus Attucks (1723-1770)—In 1770, a Black man who became the first casualty of the American Revolution when he was shot and killed in the Boston Massacre.

Sojurner Truth (Isabella Baumfree), (1797-1883)—American abolitionist born into slavery, who was also an advocate of women’s rights.

Harry Belafonte ( March 1, 1927 )—Black Harlem-born actor/singer, activist and humanitarian.

Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955)—Black educator and activist. Founder of Bethune-Cookman College and the National Council of Negro Women.

Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005)—Politician, educator and author. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black American to make a bid for the presidency (1972).

Bessie Coleman (1892-1926)—Black female aviatrix and pioneer who was the first woman to earn an international aviation license.

Ben Hodges —Fast-talking, well-known gambler from Dodge City , Kansas —The Black West, by William Loren Katz.

W.E.B. DuBois (1868-1963)—American civil rights activist, Pan-African, socialist, educator, writer, poet and scholar who at the age of 95 became a naturalized citizen of Ghana .

Mary Fields —A Black gun-totin’ female known as Stagecoach Mary, she was six feet tall, ambitious and as daring as any man. The Black West by William Loren Katz.

Althea Gibson (August 25, 1927-September 28, 2003)—First Black female to win tennis Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon, The French Open, and the United States Open in the 1950's.

Lena Horne (1930 )—Internationally known Black female singer/actress.

Sidney Poitier ( February 20, 1927 )—Bahamian born Black American award winning actor, director and activist.

Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898-January 23, 1976)—Multi-lingual Black American actor, athlete, bass-baritone, concert singer, writer and civil rights activist and Levin Peace Prize Laureate.

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (1878-1949)—Tap dancer, actor who became the first Black American to star in the Ziegfield Follies and originated the routine of tapping up and down stairs.

William Robinson (California, Mid 1800's)—Black California Pony Express Rider—The Black West, by William Loren Katz.

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (1856-1931)—Founder of Provident Hospital in Chicago . He was the first doctor to successfully operate on a human heart.

Coleman Young (1918-1927)—Member of the Tuskegee Airman and the first Black Mayor of Detroit who served 5 terms.

Andrew Young ( March 12, 1932 )—American civil rights activist, former Mayor of Atlanta and first Black Ambassador to the United Nations.



		Resources Film & Books, Authors, Historical Events *Black Wallstreet, Tulsa* — America ’s most affluent Black community was destroyed in June, 1921 by angry mobs of whites. The mobs burned and looted, killing hundreds of innocent blacks. *Medgar Evers* (1925-1963)—Black civil rights activist from Mississippi . He was assassinated in June, 1963 while working to advance the cause of Blacks in Mississippi . *Marcus Garvey* (1887-1940)—Garvey was born in Jamaica in 1887. He was a Black Nationalist leader whose Negro Improvement Association (NIA) was the most prominent Black power organization of the 1920's. *D. W.* *Griffith* (1875-1948)—American film director best known as director of controversial film The Birth of a Nation (1914). *Alex Haley* (1921-1992)—Author of monumental best seller Roots and winner of Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction. Roots became a TV mini-series. Haley traces his family history through the drama of eighteenth-century slave Kunta Kinte. *Rosewood* —A film by John Singleton, 1997—Depicted the massacre of the predominately black town of Rosewood , Florida by an angry whites alleging an attack on a white woman. *Sterling Stuckey* —Noted author on Black slave life and culture. One of his works, Slave Culture: Nationalist Theory and the Foundations of Black American (paperback), received the following review: Stuckey’s stimulating work clearly suggests that Afro-Americans can resolve not only the problems of economic and political empowerment but also the problem of cultural self-definition—especially as regards their Africaness—the travail of Black liberation will not come to an end. *—The Nation* *The 54th Massachusetts* —All Black volunteer regiment from Massachusetts who fought in the Civil War and became the subject of the movie Glory. *Booker T. Washington* (April 5, 1856 to November 14, 1915)—American (Black) political leader, educator and author; He was one of the dominant figures in Black American history in the United States . Political Acts, Amendments *Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965* —Guaranteed basic civil rights for all Americans, regardless of race. *Three-Fifths Compromise* —A compromise between Northern and Southern States during the 1787 United States constitutional convention that declared a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation. Named Historical References *Crispus Attucks* (1723-1770)—In 1770, a Black man who became the first casualty of the American Revolution when he was shot and killed in the Boston Massacre. *Sojurner Truth* (Isabella Baumfree), (1797-1883)—American abolitionist born into slavery, who was also an advocate of women’s rights. *Harry Belafonte* ( March 1, 1927 )—Black Harlem-born actor/singer, activist and humanitarian. *Mary McLeod Bethune* (1875-1955)—Black educator and activist. Founder of Bethune-Cookman College and the National Council of Negro Women. *Shirley Chisholm* (1924-2005)—Politician, educator and author. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first Black American to make a bid for the presidency (1972). *Bessie Coleman* (1892-1926)—Black female aviatrix and pioneer who was the first woman to earn an international aviation license. *Ben Hodges* —Fast-talking, well-known gambler from Dodge City , Kansas —The Black West, by William Loren Katz. *W.E.B. DuBois* (1868-1963)—American civil rights activist, Pan-African, socialist, educator, writer, poet and scholar who at the age of 95 became a naturalized citizen of Ghana . *Mary Fields* —A Black gun-totin’ female known as Stagecoach Mary, she was six feet tall, ambitious and as daring as any man. The Black West by William Loren Katz. *Althea Gibson* (August 25, 1927-September 28, 2003)—First Black female to win tennis Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon, The French Open, and the United States Open in the 1950's. *Lena* *Horne* (1930 )—Internationally known Black female singer/actress. *Sidney Poitier* ( February 20, 1927 )—Bahamian born Black American award winning actor, director and activist. *Paul Robeson* (April 9, 1898-January 23, 1976)—Multi-lingual Black American actor, athlete, bass-baritone, concert singer, writer and civil rights activist and Levin Peace Prize Laureate. *Bill “Bojangles” Robinson* (1878-1949)—Tap dancer, actor who became the first Black American to star in the Ziegfield Follies and originated the routine of tapping up and down stairs. *William Robinson* (California, Mid 1800's)—Black California Pony Express Rider—The Black West, by William Loren Katz. *Dr. Daniel Hale Williams* (1856-1931)—Founder of Provident Hospital in Chicago . He was the first doctor to successfully operate on a human heart. *Coleman Young* (1918-1927)—Member of the Tuskegee Airman and the first Black Mayor of Detroit who served 5 terms. *Andrew Young* ( March 12, 1932 )—American civil rights activist, former Mayor of Atlanta and first Black Ambassador to the United Nations.