1991_02 The Daily Collegian February 1991

              African People's History Month
Uhuru Na Umoja * February 1,1991
Our African-American Leaders
Those who paved the way
UHURU Staff
During our celebration of African
People's History Month, many of us
will take time out to recognize our
leaders that havecontributed somuch
to the progression of our people. It is
also a time to reflect upon the
achievements and sacrifies that were
made on our behalf. The following
people in many cases gave their lives
so that we might have an existance a
bit more freefrom persecution, hatred
and scorn. Although they might
have had different methods for
achieveingequityforourpeople,they
are all figures that we should be well
acquainted with.
Marcus Garvey
Bom in the West Indies, Garvey
dedicated his life to the "uplifting" of
Black people all over the world. He
believed that Blacks could never
achieve equality until they became
independent—founding their own
governments, businesses, industrial
enterprises and military establish¬
ments. He founded the African
Communities League and the Uni¬
versal Negro Improvment Associa¬
tion. The latter started the "Back to
^(P^'.WWR^^Jfi^ecpA0^2? Libe¬
ria. Betrayed by friends- and pohti*
cians, Garvey was accused of mail
fraud and sentenced to prison. He
died in relative obscurity in 1940 in
England.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Bom in Mississippi, Ms. Bamett was
one of the few women in the South
whoengaged ina vigorous campaign
against the popular lynching prac¬
tices of the time.
In 1985 the festjeprppflationof
hermany pampnlets and articles
called "The Red Record". Her
speaking engagements took her across
the United States to Europe as well.
In 1915 she was elected vice presi¬
dent of the Chicago Equal Rights
Leagueand continued todevote most
of her time to the struggle for civil
rights until her death in 1931.
William E.B. Du Bois
Dr. William E. Burghardt Du Bois,
considered by scholars to be the most
outstanding African-American intel¬
lect of any time, was the first African-
American to write books of scholarly
merit. Of remarkable intellectual
brillance from his early youth, he won
scholarships that took him through
Fisk and Harvard universities. He
won his M. A. and Ph. D. degrees at
Harvard and later studied at the
University of Berlin. Some of his most
notable works include: The Suppres¬
sion of of the Slave Trade, The Souk of
Black Folk and Color and Democracy.
An uncompromising foe of injustice,
W. E. B. remained a t constant spokes¬
person for the-undying desire of Balck
folks to shed their robes of oppres¬
sion. Totally dishearted with the situ¬
ation in the United States, Du Bois
wound up spending the latter years of
his life in Ghana. While in Ghana he
still remained a mentor for the leaders
of the Civil Rights Movement and was
often called upon for guidance. Unfor¬
tunately, his untimely death came one
day before the historic marchon Wash¬
ington D. C. Today a monument is
placed in Ghana in his honor.
Sojourner Truth
Bom Isabella Baumfree in New York
in 1977, she adopted the name So joumer
Truth, a name she felt God had given
her, and travelled the North spreading
the "truth".
Malcolm to split with the organiza¬
tion. He was murdered in 1965 after
having organized his own group,
the Organization of Afro-American
Unity. He had a profound influence
on people of all races with his blunt,
colorful language and his advocacy
on such issues as self-help, self-de¬
fense and education. Once on a trip
to the Birmingham jail in which
Martin Luther King was being held,
it was feared that Malcolm's pres¬
ence would threaten the non-violent
protest going on. Malcolm re¬
sponded simply by saying, "I'm not
here to make Dr King's job any
She soon aligned herself with the
leading abolitionists of the time and
where she would speak, huge crowds
would gather to listen. It was believed
that she had "mystical gifts" as well as
great proven powers of oratory ability.
During the Civil Warsheraised money
to buy gifts for the African- American
soldiers, and would distribute them
herself. She also aided African-Ameri¬
cans who fled to the North, helping
them to find work and places to live.
Age and ill health forced her to dis¬
continue her travels. Shedied in Michi¬
gan in 1883.
Malcolm X
One of the most controversial Afri¬
can-Americans of the 20th century,
MalcolmXbecameanavid follower of
the philosophies of Marcus Garvey.
Having become involved in the under¬
world environment of the drug scene,
he was sentenced to 10 years in prison
for drug sales. There he was intro¬
duced to the Black Muslim sect headed
by Elijah Muhammad and converted
to its beliefs and practices. Released in
1952 hebecamean outspoken defender
of Muslim doctrines! "Future conflicts
within the Black Muslims caused
harder, I'm here so that they might
know the alternative."
Shirley   Chisholm
The first African-American women
to sit in the House of Representa¬
tives, Ms. Chisholm held that posi¬
tion for almost 15 years, announcing
in 1982 that she desired to return to
"a more private life".
Bom of West Indian parents, she
moved to Brooklyn at age 11. After
graduating from Brooklyn College
and receiving amasters degree from
Columbia, Ms. Chisholm began a
career in education and became a
consultant for the New York De¬
partment of Social Services
She entered public life as a state
representative before seeking a seat
in the House of Representatives.
Chisholm, a tough and tenacious
crusader, held the belief that Afri¬
can-Americans dictate a practical
and result- oriented philosophy
which focuses on self-determination
through participation in economic
life..
This means that African-Americans
need sound education, across higher
education, and sensible business
counseling. She decided to leave office
after the political climate of 1980 turned
conservative under the Reagan admini¬
stration.
Frederick Douglass
One of the most prominent voices of
his time, Douglass spent most of his life
in support of the abolitionist movement
and speaking out against slavery. Born
a slave himself, Douglass escaped to the
North and began his career in the anti-
slavery movement. He founded the
famous newspaper The North Star. He
was instrumental in the recruiting of the
celebrated 54 th and 55th Massachusetts
Negro Regiments during the Civil War.
After a short term in law enforcement in
Washington D. C, he was appointed
Minister Resident and Consul General
to the Republic of Haiti. He later re¬
signed his position after learning that
his efforts were being undermined by
unscrupulous American businessmen
interested only in exploiting Haiti. He
died four years later in Washington D.
c Rosa Parks
Though quiet and petite in size, Rosa
Parks single-handedly sparked the fuse
which started the Civil Rights move¬
ment into action and made Martin Lu¬
ther King, Jr. a household name.
After refusing to move to the back of
the bus and stand so that a white man
could sit down, she was arrested and
jailed in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955.
Dr. King once said that she was "the fuse
that led to the modem stride toward
freedom".
She made that stride while sitting still.
Today she tours thecountry doing speak¬
ing engagements because she wants to
help young people grow, develop, and
reach their potential.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
Heralded Civil Rights activist, Dr
King's devotion and energy to the cause
were the driving forcesduring the move¬
ment's greatest decade, 1957-1968.
Undaunted by attempts aimed at dis¬
crediting their efforts. Dr. King and his
supporters risked jail sentences and acts
of violence and hatred to promote their
belief in equality for all people.
Organizer of many of the movement's
famous protests, including the
Montgomery bus boycott in 1956, the
Southern Christian Leadership
Conference in 1957 and the march in
Washington in 1963. In 1964hebecame
the youngest red pientof the Noble Peace
prize.
Though a firm believer in non-violence.
Dr. King was tragically gunned down
on the balcony of a motel in Memphis,
Tennessee on April 4,1968. News of his
death sent a wave of shock and anger
across the country, which resulted in
over one hundred deaths, thousands of
arrests and millions of dollars in prop¬
erty damage.
His birthday, January 15th, is now a
national holiday in honor of his great
contributipns to this country.