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DEADLINE Volume 7 | Issue Seven

IN THIS ISSUE: Cooking with Dragons: p. 3-4 Black History in Color: p. 7-8 Popular Dishes Around Africa: p. 11-12 U.S. History in Full Context: p. 17-19 Ten Black Leaders and Activists : p. 23-32

TIME IS NOW

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, is truly something I believe everyone should attempt to watch this month. This film came out in December of last year and was quickly the most popular streamed movie on Netflix for almost the entire month. The movie takes place one afternoon at a Chicago recording studio in 1927 and follows Ma Rainey and her band. Ma Rainey was a real person in history who was a very popular blues singer. She was well known in the South, but not so much up North. In the movie, when she arrives at the studio, she is met with a rude producer who only cares about the money he can earn by recording Ma’s voice. Levee, played by Chadwick Boseman, is an extremely complex character. At the beginning of the movie, Levee arrives late at the studio because he spotted a pair of yellow shoes he had to have on his way there. These shoes come to be Levee’s undoing later on, but I don’t want to spoil the event, so I won’t say how. The other band members, Cutler, Toledo, and Slow Drag have been working with Ma for years, whereas Levee is relatively new. This is important because it draws a line between Levee and the rest of them, which also leads to his declining mental state. Levee, however, is young and ambitious. He plans on quitting Ma’s band and starting one up all on his own and with his people. Despite his seemingly positive outlook on life and child-like positivity, internally Levee is a large ball of rage. Levee explodes on his bandmates when they mock him for saying “yes sir” to the white producer. Levee tells his story about when his mother was raped by a group of white men in their own home. He says all his father did at first was sell their house and land to the white men who had raped his mother. But later after they had all moved into their old house, Levee’s father went back onto that land and hunted 4 of them down before they caught him and hung him. “I can smile and say ‘yes, sir’ to whomever I please,” Levee said to his bandmates at the end of his story. “I got my time coming.” 1

Netflix Nook Arlene Hickman

Another chill-bringing monologue from Levee comes when he is yelling at Cutler for his religiosity. He asks Cutler over and over again where is his God when he needs him while chasing Cutler around with a knife. This is the speech that really hit a lot of viewers in the heart, because the things Levee says are things someone might say if they know they are dying. Levee is talking to “Cutler's God”, “Come on. Turn your back on me. Where is you? Come on and turn your back on me. I'll cut your heart out.” Ma Rainey, played by Viola Davis, was portrayed beautifully. The opening scene of the movie is of Ma performing in the South for a large crowd of freed slaves. This sets up people watching to be able to compare how Ma is treated in the South versus in the North. The next time you meet Ma, she is mad about someone crashing into her new car and trying to blame the whole thing on her. Already in a bad mood, she isn’t made any happier when the producer treats her with disrespect, Levee begins pushing her buttons, and her manager is doing nothing to make things easier for Ma. Ma is very open with her sexuality and mentions so in her songs, “went out last night, with a crowd of my friends. It must have been women, cuz I don’t like no mens.” In the film, Ma brings along with her to the session Bessie May, her latest side piece. Bessie is extremely flirty with everyone around her, but everyone (except Levee) knows better. Ma has conversations with Cutler where they discuss what the blues mean to black people and how the white folks would never quite understand why or how they sing the blues. Ma tells him, “White folks don’t understand about the blues. They hear it come out but they don't know how it got there. They don’t understand its life's way of talking. You don’t sing to feel better, you sing cause that’s a way of understanding life. The blues help you get out of bed in the morning. You get up knowing you ain't alone. There's something else in the world. Something’s been added by that song.” If you watch the movie, I recommend watching the behind the scenes as well. It is 30 minutes and really helps pull things together and bring details to light that you might have missed. Unfortunately, Chadwick Boseman passed away before the filming of the interviews conducted for the clip, but the other cast members, along with the director and writer, give great insight into Levee and Boseman during filming. One thing that shocked me was that Boseman learned how to play the trumpet for this role. Once again, I highly recommend this movie and the extra behind the scenes. This movie really shows what life was like for successful freed slaves in America and how they were treated. 2

O O C

T I H W DRA G N I GO K

GUMBO By: Nora Taing

It’s the beginning of February which means it is Black History Month! This month we honor African Americans and important historical figures. I hope you guys can spare some time to take part in this celebration. We can also show our appreciation by experiencing the culture through music and food. In this month’s edition, I will be giving a Cajun-style gumbo recipe. First, let’s start with the history of the dish, gumbo. The dish originated in Louisiana in the 19th century and gained popularity in southern America. Gumbo contained aspects of the French soup bouillabaisse which is a salty soup with seafood. However, African Americans took the dish to another level. Gumbo is a thick soup that is made with rice, vegetables, and any choice of meat (beef, pork, seafood). Anything could be added into gumbo, which gives plenty of room for creativity. Ingredients found in gumbo included: crab, chicken, shrimp, ham, okra, or filé. There were also variations of the dish within the roux of gumbo which gives it that thick consistency. Gumbo can be enjoyed in restaurants, at parties, and even at home.

Preparation:

(It is recommended to dice all your ingredients and prep your meats first! It will be easier to cook once you have everything ready.) Dice the onions, celery, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic, and set veggies aside. Prepare and clean shrimp, chicken, and crab legs. Once done, season chicken and shrimp with 1-½ to 2 tablespoons of seasoning. (I like to use old bay seasoning.) Slice the sausages. Preheat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken. Don't overcrowd the pot, cook the meat until it’s brown in batches if needed. Add more oil to the pot and cook the sausage until it’s brown, again do it in batches if needed.Set both aside.

Cooking:

First, let’s make the roux. Get a new clean pot. Preheat 3/4 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of flour and stir. Continuously stir until the roux is a little browned (not burnt). Adjust the heat to medium if needed to avoid burning.

Ingredients:

Cooking Oil (any choice) 1 Cup All Purpose Flour 1- ½ Pound Andouille Sausage 1-½ pound smoke sausage 3-4 pound chicken 2 cups dice onions 1-½ cups diced green bell pepper 1-½ cups diced celery 4 Cloves Garlic, minced 1, 30 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes ( you may also use a smaller amount) 2-3 Dried Bay Leaves 3-4 Tablespoons or To Taste Grand Diamond All Purpose Seasoning plus more to season the chicken, shrimp, and okra 1-1/2 Tablespoons Dried Thyme 1-1/2 Tablespoons of Gumbo File 1-2 Tablespoons or To Taste Liquid Crab Boil 4 Quarts Seafood Stock, you may add an additional 2 quarts if desired 12 Ounces (or less) Okra, fresh or frozen that has been thawed 4-5 Pounds King Crab Legs, or your choice of Crab Legs 1/2-1 Pound Super Lump Crab Meat (OPTIONAL) 2-3 Pounds Shrimp size 21-25 or size 26-30, deveined, tails removed

Next, stir in the veggies. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute. Add the bay leaves and tomatoes, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of any seasoning of choice (be mindful of the amount of sodium being added). Add the thyme, crab boil, Taste and adjust the seasoning(s) to taste. Be mindful of the sodium content in all of the and gumbo file. Stir to combine. seasonings that are being used. Seafood has its Stir in the chicken and sausage and follow with own sodium content. the seafood stock. (Note: If you like your okra to cook for most of the cooking time, add it at this Add the crab legs and optional lump crab meat point along with the chicken and sausage.) Place along with the okra. Place the lid on and simmer the lid on the pot and bring to a boil over high for 30 minutes or so. heat then reduce to medium heat. Simmer for about Finally, stir in the shrimp and cover with the an hour, stirring occasionally. lid. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until the In a small pan over medium-high heat preheat 2 or shrimp turns pink. 3 tablespoons of oil. Saute the okra until the slime is no longer visible. Turn off the heat, and I hope you guys try out this recipe by Carolyn! I’ve always wondered what gumbo tasted like, add to the gumbo with the crab legs. and let me tell you: It’s sooo good! I love After an hour or so, skim the top of the gumbo with soup, and this is perfect for the winter season. a large serving spoon to remove some of the fat Please continue to support Black History Month and stay safe. :) that has come to the surface.

Race and Wealth: A Look at Inequality in Recovery and Crisis

By: Jaskaran Bajwa

Tragic events, such as the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, have ignited the complex and heavily divisive discussion between the relation of wealth and race in the United States. While many people are aware that there is a relation between the two, many, even myself, still do not understand how deep the problem runs, from our flawed criminal justice system, to the impact of redlining, to our education gap. Recently, as we gradually recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, economists are witnessing a distressing occurrence in the world economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the world economy, but has hit minorities and communities of color harder than other communities. Our economy is undergoing what is known as a K-Shaped recovery. According to Business Insider, a K-Shaped economy is when different parts of the economy recover at different rates. “A K-shaped recovery is a post-recession scenario in which one segment of the economy begins to climb back upward while another segment continues to suffer.” This recovery pattern has caused economists to look at the root cause of the problem, and many have turned to the idea of wealth. According to The Brookings Institute, wealth is defined as the “difference between household assets and debt…” Income from assets and wealth is taxed at a much lower rate than income from work and can serve as a buffer of sorts in the case of an economic downturn, such as the one we currently find ourselves in. Recent and previous studies have found that the difference in wealth between white and African-American families is staggering and has persisted well into the COVID-19 pandemic. This has caused Black households to be left with far less wealth to weather the storm caused by COVID-19. In a difficult time, such as the one we currently face, it is important to have capital and wealth at one's disposal to be able to survive the impacts of the crisis. The pandemic has proven that, unfortunately, that is not true for all families. The average white family has $983,400 in wealth while black families only have $24,1000 in average wealth. The Black-White wealth divide serves as an example of how economic recoveries can become uneven as discussed in the previously mentioned K curve recovery. One example of the difference in how wealth can affect recovery after a crisis is the aftermath of the 2008 Great Recession. During the recession, both white and black families saw the same decline in wealth. However,fter the recession ended, while white families were starting to gain wealth, black families continued to lose their wealth. This recession serves as an example of how recovery does not affect everyone equally. Inherited wealth also plays a part as white families on average have generational wealth to pass down to their offspring, while black families on average do not and sometimes can pass on negative wealth. The K shaped recovery should concern all of us and serves as an example of how deep racial inequality penetrates our society. Hopefully, with the hard lessons learnt from the past we can rectify our mistakes and steps can be taken. We live in a society that strives for equality so let us continue to work towards that goal.

Black History in Color In honor of Black History Month, I will be discussing a recent trend about the images of the Civil Rights era. “Photos from the civil rights movement were originally taken in color but shown in black in white to make them appear older.” The civil rights movement occurred in the United States between 1954 to 1968, and there was a breakthrough with color photography during the 1960s. Many people would start to believe in this rumor, because the dates align with one another. But the reason why this accusation is false is because color photography was expensive. Not only was a colored film more expensive, printing in color was too. Due to economic reasons, most newspapers did not start printing in color until a couple of decades after the civil rights movement. In 1979, only 12% of newspapers had some images printed in color. It wasn’t until 1993 that the number had increased to 97%. The colored film also took significantly more time to develop. For photojournalists with short deadlines, this was more of a hassle as they did not have the time to wait. Newspapers that were printed on the same day as a major event were almost never printed in color. 7

As a result of costly expenses, short deadlines, and aesthetic purposes, photos from the civil rights movement were originally taken in black and white. However, there are rare colored images presented to the public at the National Museum of American History. With the advanced technology we have today, many of these black and white images can be colorized to feel the full extent of the images.

Accompanying money and time constraints, many photographers and documentations preferred black and white images over color for artistic purposes. Believing that colored images are a distraction from the entirety of the image at hand, many photographers have chosen to select black and white images. Many photographers would prefer to see a clear contrast between the people’s images in black and white as it is thought to represent a stronger image.

By: Hieu Ho 8

Black Musical Influence in American Music and Beyond Just to name Aretha Franklin, Prince, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Micheal Jackson, The Weeknd and Frank Ocean, saying that African American people do not influence what is popular in American music today is a disservice in itself. Without Black musicians and the art they’ve produced for the world to hear— the music industry would be entirely different. They are the foundation of American musical culture. Their music is among the most poetic, rich in sound, and holds importance to the socio-cultural heritage of people around the world. Their musical roots stem from the continent of Africa. From those shores, slaves were imported to the Americas, stripped of their humanity, and forced into inhumane and despicable enslavement; music was their solace in those dark and tragic times. Slaves were forced to convert to Christianity, so the blend of European Christianity to African music was the birth of Spirituals. Spirituals were used for many things: music to express the never-ending sorrow from enslavement, hope for freedom, and codes to plan escapes and rebellions. The popularity of Spirituals died down for a while but experienced a resurgence during the Civil Rights Movement. Spirituals expressed the oppression that still plagues Black people after the emancipation. They tell a story that should be heard.

“Music was not just a luxury to be enjoyed in free time but also a necessity to spiritual and physical survival.”

- Mac Dressman and Yewande Ilawole

Ragtime music emerged during the mid-1890s and by the 1900s it flooded the music industry. Deeply rooted in African music, ragtime blended improvised tunes while maintaining a harmonic structure. Scott Joplin was known as the “father of ragtime” with his notable works: The Entertainer, The Ragtime Dance, and Weeping Willow. It was a unique genre of music that won its immense popularity for music lovers. The Blues is a mixture of Spirituals, traditional songs, folk ballads, and chants. During those unbearable reins of slavery, slaves developed a “call and response” way of singing to give rhythm while they worked. The music itself is inclusive to every feeling. From sadness to happiness, Blues music evokes genuine emotion in its listeners. Blues music evolved immensely throughout the country— developing genres and influence in jazz, rock, country, and even classical music. B.B. King, Bessie Smith, and Buddy Guy are some of the most notable artists in this genre. In the 1920s, jazz was the new musical craze in America. The Harlem Renaissance was during this time and was known as the rebirth of Black literature, music, and fashion. Jazz was played around the country by both African American and white bands, eventually becoming the sound of the roaring ‘20s. African American performers playing white clubs/audiences brought several racial conflicts (Cotton Club). Nonetheless, this widely acclaimed genre introduced some of the most excellent Black musicians to ever perform. Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday were known across North America. Until now, their music is still played and has influenced jazz musicians alike. Post World War II era was the arrival of Rock and Roll, r&b, swing music, soul, and cool jazz. Chuck Berry was named the “Father of Rock and Roll” and wrote the famous song, Johnny B. Goode. Singers like Little Richard, James Brown, and Bo Diddley, helped set the trends in Rock and Roll music. In the 60s, Ray Charles 9

and Sam Cooke combined gospel, blues, and jazz into one sound that became the preface of Soul music in the 60s. The 60s was a decade for Civil Rights and a celebrated era for music. Many Black Americans started to style their hair in Afros and ditched the straight processed hair. It was a time where they began to express themselves in appearance, deflect societal stereotypes, speak against injustice, and shine. Jimi Hendrix was known to be one of the most influential electric guitarists and most celebrated artists in the 20th century. Motown exploded in popularity during this time. It helped transform rhythm and blues music into the Soul music of the 60s. Singers like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and The Supremes released hits like My Girl, Superstition, What’s Going On, and You Can’t Hurry Love. The Jackson 5 began their group in 1965 created sensational music such as I’ll Be There and ABC would be the beginning of the career of one of the most loved musicians, Micheal Jackson. In the 70s, Disco, Funk, and Jazz Fusion were the main genres of the decade that would later create Hip-hop and Rap music. September by Earth, Wind & Fire with its iconic lines and melody, and I’m Every Woman by Chaka Khan dominated radio and music sales. Reggae was introduced in the late 60s but gained popularity in the 70s. This genre originated in Jamaica in the late 60s— producing artists like Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker, and Peter Tosh. In the 80s was the rise for Pop music. Artists like Micheal Jackson with Thriller, Whitney Houston with I Wanna Dance with Somebody, and Prince with Purple Rain paved the pathway for music. Pop music is flexible and versatile as it blends sounds from a variety of musical genres, such as soul, funk, and disco. This genre will soon influence the complexity, and continuation of the cultural and artistic sound for Rap and Hip Hop. The 90s was the rise of Rap, Hip Hop music, and the emergence of R&B. This era, known as the Golden Age of Hip Hop, produced music icons that would dominate the music industry past the 90s, such as, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, and many others. Female groups like SMW, TLC, and Destiny’s Child would set the precedent for group pop/R&B music. Mariah Carey, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, and Mary J.Blige set the scene for female R&B songs of this era. This decade of music would promote the longevity and popularity of these prominent artists and rhythmic genres into the 21st century. The 21st century was the height for R&B and solo music with the birth of artists like Ne-Yo, Ashanti, Usher, Beyonce, Rihanna, and Alicia Keys. The music followed by aesthetically creative and unique music videos such as Beyonce’s Single Ladies and Rihanna’s Umbrella. These artists will influence what is to come for the next decade of music. The sound from the 2000s is similar to that of the 10s-beyond. In the 2010s, pop, alternative rock, trap, and continuation of hip hop influence dominated the charts. Lyricists like J.Cole, Kanye West, and Childish Gambino are some of the prominent figures in rap and hip hop in this era. Female rappers like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Doja Cat, and many more have cultivated a huge following, recognition in the industry, and dominated the charts. Subgenres such as Alternative R&B and neo soul have seen a rise with artists producing versatility and a new style to R&B like The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Jhene Aiko, Bryson Tiller, and SZA. The new wave of rap music is something we’ve all heard or listened to at least once with rappers like Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti, and many others. These artists dominate American music today and will only evolve from here.

“This cultural phenomenon is showing no signs of slowing down, and it is exceedingly exciting to see where it will go from here.” - Danny Corvino

The dominance of Black/African American culture is prominent in American music for decades. It has produced talented vocalists, amazing lyricists, and interpretive music we all enjoy. These genres and music are generational, passed down from jazz, Motown, Reggae, and many more. What’s powerful about Black influence in music today is that it never fails to inspire future artists, vocalists, and producers around the world. It continues to motivate people to create a movement, connect, and speak their truth. By: Danielle Tuazon 10

Popular Dishes from Around Africa Since this month is Black History Month, I am going to talk about some of the most popular dishes that can be found all around the continent of Africa. According to an article by CNN Travel, the very first barbeque may have been in Africa. There are so many African dishes, but unfortunately, many of them are underrepresented in the culinary world. 1. Maize porridge and barbequed meat is a very popular combination in southern Africa. Pap en vleis (or “maize porridge and meat” in English) is a dish that includes starch, stewed meat, spicy gravy, relish, or chakalaka (a spicy vegetable relish) on the side. 2. Another popular dish is called chorba frik. This dish is very popular in Algeria. It is a soup with a tomato base. It includes meat, chickpeas, and frik (which is an Maize Porridge

ancient grain). It usually has traditional spices, which include mint and coriander. 3. Efo-Riro is a popular soup dish in Nigeria that is native to the Yorubas (one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria). This soup is usually made with stock cubes, leaves of pumpkins, onions, meats, fish, and tomatoes. The name of this dish means vegetable soup in English. 4. Another popular dish from Nigeria, more specifically Edo, is Ogbono Soup. This is a traditional soup made from ogbono seeds, onions, stock, seasoning cubes, leafy vegetables (spinach, pumpkin leaves, and bitterleaf), red palm oil, different meats (including beef), and different kinds of fish (including shrimp and crayfish). 5. Galinaha a Zambeziana is a chicken dish that is cooked with lime, garlic, coconut milk, piri piri sauce, and pepper. This dish is from Ogbono Soup

Mozambique. The food in Mozambique is a combination of African flavors as well as Portuguese, oriental, and Arab flavors. Galinaha a Zambeziana is commonly served with matapa, which is cassava leaves that are cooked in a peanut sauce. Most tourists who visit Mozambique usually call this dish grilled chicken piri piri. 6. Jollof rice is a very popular dish from Nigeria. Many people think that this is “a great favorite all over West Africa.” Many people believe that this dish might be the origin of jambalaya, which 11

is a popular Cajun dish. Jollof rice is a simple and spicy dish. It is usually made with rice, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. This dish can usually be found at parties and festive gatherings. 7. Another common dish is called bunny chow from South Africa. It is not known why this is the name, but it is a very popular street food in South Africa. Bunny chow is a loaf of white bread with the middle cut out (usually half or a quarter loaf) that is filled with curry. The curry is either meat or vegetable curry. [Show in the picture to the left.] 8. Githeri is a common dish in Kiambu County, Kenya. This is a bean and maize (corn) dish that is made into a stew with tomatoes, onions, potaJollof Rice

toes, and meat. Some common seasonings include cumin, turmeric, and chili powder. Sometimes, githeri is served with rice or bread, but it is usually served by itself. 9. Rechta is a traditional dish from Algeria. This dish is a noodle dish, that is made of thin, flat noodles and a chicken sauce. The noodles are made from flour, water, salt, and ghee (clarified butter). The chicken sauce is made with chicken, oil, garlic, chickpeas, ras el hanout (a spice mix with usually over a dozen different spices), turnips, cinnamon, potatoes, and zucchini. 10. Mchicha is the most popular dish in Tanzania. This is a vegetarian dish that is thick and creamy. It is made with leafy vegetables (like Bunny Chow

spinach), grated coconut, coconut milk, peanut butter, onions, and tomatoes. It is commonly served with either rice, ugali (a type of maize flour porridge), samp (dried corn), or beans on the side. By: Elizabeth Rocili

Mchicha

Ungodly Hour Chloe X Halle

By: Mekhi Randle R&B group Chloe x Halle’s second studio album, “Ungodly Hour,” was released on June 12th, 2020. The song includes thirteen tracks and is thirty-seven minutes in length. 1. Intro “Intro” is an absolute refresher to the ears. With both girls harmonizing to the melody of “Forgive Me,” they sound like angels in human form. It’s a short intro that leads seamlessly into the second track. 2. Forgive Me “Forgive Me” is about how Chloe found out about a guy who picked another girl instead of her. This song is top tier because you can feel the emotion in her voice and how hurt she was. The music makes you feel empowered to move on. 3. Baby Girl “Baby Girl” is a women empowerment song, which once again delivers in the vocal department. Since I’m not a woman, I can’t relate directly to the music, but it is a true masterpiece that anyone can enjoy regardless of their gender. 4. Do It “Do It” is one of their most popular songs, and it’s for a reason! The energy you get from the music is immaculate. The upbeat R&B sound makes this perfect for listening in any situation, whether in the car, at a party, or wanting to just dance in your bedroom.

5. Tipsy “Tipsy” is my FAVORITE song on the album. This discussion will be closed for the rest of 2021. The song is about how the sisters are intoxicated but not dumb and incoherent. If their boyfriend tries to pull anything, they’ll get their revenge. 6. Ungodly Hour “Ungodly Hour” is the title track to this album, about how they want a boyfriend with confidence and knows how to be a man. They’re showing they know all the red flags and don’t have time for it with this song. 7. Busy Boy “Busy Boy” is another upbeat R&B song. I love this song for the sole purpose of the message. This song is about a guy who pursues many women, and he thinks that no one knows. This song is based on an experience, according to Halle. This isn’t their strongest song on the album; however, I would enjoy every second of it if it were to play. 8. Catch Up (feat. Swae Lee & Mike WiLL Made-It “Catch Up” is the girls’ only song on the album with a feature. The notes the girls hit are hard to replicate (trust me, I’ve tried), and I think that Swae Lee’s part was good. Not completely necessary as the girls are amazing on their own. I also love Mike WiLL Made-Its talent in producing. This is one of the best beats on the album, and I’m impressed with how they flipped the beat with their vocals. 9. Overwhelmed “Overwhelmed” is an interlude to the rest of the album, and wow. There is no real beat, just a couple of piano keys, so their voices are what’s holding the fifty-two-second song together. This song is so sad to me, especially when you read the lyrics. The song is about self-improvement and how Chloe and Halle feel like they’re not perfect and sometimes get overwhelmed, but they’re working on it. 10. Lonely “Lonely” is a song for the listeners. Instead of self-experiences, it includes relatable lyrics for the general public to enjoy, not just a targeted group of people. This song is one of the slower songs on the album and is less-tempo, calming with their harmonies. 11. Don’t Make It Harder On Me “Don’t Make It Harder On Me” is about the struggles of leaving someone that you thought you had a lot of love for. Both of them are trying to make it clear that second-guessing is okay, but the actions of their boyfriends make it harder for them to come up with the final decision of leaving or not. 12. Wonder What She Thinks of Me “Wonder What She Thinks of Me,” a Grammy-nominated song, is about how Halle likes a boy currently in a relationship, which makes it harder for her. This song goes hand-in-hand with “Don’t Make It Harder On Me.” I like this song, but it’s not my favorite. 13. ROYL “ROYL,” the final track on the album, is short for “rest of your life.” According to Chloe, “It doesn’t matter what mistakes you make, just live your life, go for it, and have fun. You don’t know when your time to leave this earth is, so just live out for the rest of your life.” Once again, it isn’t my favorite song on the album.

Sixteen

Oscar Welsh

Mariposa

Peach Tree Rascals

Put Your Records On Ritt Romney

Mona Lisa Valntn

Honeymoon

The Shadowboxes

Feel free to send us your favorite songs: tinyurl.com/mchsmixtape

M I X T A P E

Chasing Pavements Adele

Yellow Brick Road Elton John

Lovely Day Bill Withers

You Feel Like Hojean

always Keshi

U.S. History in Full Context With February being Black History Month, the discussion surrounding whitewashed history has reached a new height of popularity. From watered-down lessons about slavery to the minimal education revolving around black leaders, the erasure of history is undoubtedly a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. According to the Washington Post, “Unlike with math and science, there is no nationally agreed upon set of standards for teaching social studies. What public school children in the United States learn about slavery has almost everything to do with where they grow up.”

Voter suppression isn’t a new subject in political discussions surrounding racial inequality, but the blunt intent behind these laws are often sugarcoated when presented. When former state senator, Austin Crothers, was newly elected governor of Maryland, he gave a speech declaring his mission to prevent black voters from exercising their right.

He publicly proclaimed, “[A] high and momentous obligation . . . which the people [that] called us to office has imposed upon us the elimination of the illiterate and irresponsible [Black voters] from the electorate of the State.” He goes on to promise that his While some states may have set explicit requirements for their administration will “secure and safeguard the [right to vote] in public school districts, others leave it up to the city and school the hands of our white citizens, both native and naturalized,” and districts’ choosing. In a few instances, these result in a positive proclaims, “Let us execute [the purpose of the Democratic pledge outcome, such as the rare case of Philadelphia. “In Philadelphia’s unflinchingly] by all lawful and constitutional means to maintain public school district, students must take a year of African Amer- the political supremacy of the white race in Maryland . . .” ican history in high school . . .” The course begins with a section on life in Africa pre-transatlantic slave trade, and covers the The system that grants Crothers’s words into powerful effect experience of slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, remains today. From the restrictions implemented by felony and the Civil Rights era. disenfranchisement to the increased voter purging rates in recent years to the common practice of gerrymandering, the fact that 1 “You cannot understand American history without underin 13 black citizens cannot vote due to voter suppression laws is no standing the African-American experience; I don’t care what surprise. anybody says,” Paul G. Vallas, the Philadelphia’s school system’s chief executive, stated in a New York Times article. “It benefits 2. June 27, 1973 - Forced Sterilization Against the Relf Sisters African-American children who need a more comprehensive Medical treatment has been historically abusive towards minoriunderstanding of their own culture, and it also benefits non-Af- ties, with many scientists and politicians subscribing to the racist rican-Americans to understand the full totality of the American belief of eugenics, a concept that claims certain races are genetiexperience.” cally superior. These beliefs eventually paved the way for laws that “support sterilization and ethnic cleansing” to be implemented in More often than not, however, the loose standards on education order to “advance white supremacy and racial hierarchy.” tend to produce negative outcomes. Some states reference slavery only briefly or not at all in their education guidelines. While Massachusetts mentions slavery 104 times in their social studies framework, Louisiana only references it 4 times and Idaho 2 times. In a report analysis conducted by the Teaching Tolerance project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the teaching standards of the 15 states examined “rarely addressed the key concepts [of slavery] in any meaningful way.” This inconsistency within the education system only serves to sow the division that haunts this country. Without the full context of brutal but important history, the U.S. finds itself torn over issues, such as Confederate statues, police brutality, prison reform, and wealth inequality.

[The Two Relf Sisters Pictured Here]

One of the most popular cases was the one committed against 14-year-old Mary Alice Relf and her 12-year-old sister, Minnie We find ourselves ignorant of the various injustices conducted Relf. The Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, taking advantage by this country that built the foundation of our problems today, of their mother’s illiteracy, manipulated her into believing that but we also find ourselves unaware of the numerous accomplishthe two girls will receive birth control shots. The clinic targetments—cultivated by the very oppressed—that ease our everyed her daughters because “they were poor, Black, and living in day life. It is on this critical note that I present black history in public housing,” sterilizing the two girls without their consent. context: five injustices erased and five accomplishments unacThe Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) soon filed a lawsuit knowledged. on the Relf sisters’ behalf, leading to the discovery of widespread, decade long sterilization abuse. The district court found that an FIVE INJUSTICES ERASED “estimated 100,000 to 150,000 . . . were sterilized annually under 1. Jan. 08, 1908 - A Maryland Governor’s Determination to Dis- federally-funded programs. Countless others were forced to agree enfranchise Black Voters to be sterilized when doctors threatened to terminate their welfare

consented to the procedures.” In many cases, clinics threatened to deny children healthcare unless their mother agreed to sterilization.

(1992), and Missouri v. Jenkins (1995)—that made it easier for schools to ignore federal desegregation orders.

4. Dec. 31, 1907 - Savannah City Judge Advocates for the Death Penalty for Black People in Interracial Relationships Today, a lot of change still needs to happen. Racial disparities still Interracial relationships were heavily stigmatized throughout remain in the healthcare system, with black patients commonly history, with U.S. laws prohibiting this union. In most cases, receiving lower quality medical treatment compared to white interracial couples were arrested and imprisoned, one of the most patients due to implicit bias and racism. With both these histori- popular examples being Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter. In cal and modern-day inequalities, it’s crucial that we address this some cases, interracial couples were even murdered, such as the systemic issue. tragic fate of Patrick and Charlotte “Lottie” Morris. However, hatred against interracial relationships was so strong among many 3. Sept. 12, 1966 - Black Students Attacked After Attempting to that some politicians advocated for harsher punishment against Integrate into Grenada, Mississippi Schools those that participated in it. One unknown but important example was former U.S. Senator Thomas Norwood. In his last address as Savannah City Judge, Norwood argued that Black men involved in interracial relationships be given the death penalty. He claimed that seeing Black people in interracial relationships will cause other Black people to commit “deeds of violence . . . [creating] disorder.” He described “Black people as naturally violent and inherently sexually promiscuous,” and promoted “degrading false narratives of Black families as prone to intimate partner violence and child abuse.” Today, acceptance of interracial relationships is increasing. However, a sharp partisan divide still remains on this particular subject. According to a Pew Research Center 2017 study, roughly 49 percent of the surveyed Democrats and independents who lean left view interracial marriage positively. The vast majority of surveyed Republicans and independents who lean right believe otherwise, with only 28 percent believing that interracial marriage is good.

[Civil Rights Protestors Advocating for Desegregation Prior to the Brown v. Board of Education Decision Pictured Here] Even though segregation was outlawed by the Supreme Court’s historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, the integration of black students into white schools was met with cruel and discriminatory actions. Grenada, Mississippi is only one example. Because the city refused to desegregate their public schools, 5. June 17, 1971 - President Nixon Declares the “War on Drugs” a federal judge had to establish an order to force the city to enroll African American students. Despite this, the school district found loopholes around the order. They postponed the start of the schools in order to allow white leaders time to “coerce African American parents into withdrawing their children from the white schools by threatening them with firing or eviction.” This resulted in the withdrawal of 200 students, and the remaining 250 students were faced with a mob that beat them with chains, pipes, and clubs on their first day of school. Reporters “covering the story were also beaten.” Many were hospitalized. Despite what American textbooks claim, segregation is still prevalent today—maybe not in law, but in specific practices. In 2001, Harvard published a study that showed a startling trend of school segregation on the rise, particularly in the South. Over 70 percent of black students in the U.S. attend predominantly minority schools—an increase from 62.9 percent in the 80s—and the percent of black students in white majority schools decreased from 43.5 percent to 32.7 percent. Furthermore, white students on average attend schools where at least 80 percent of the student body population was white. According to the analysis, these trends are most likely attributed to three Supreme Court cases— Board of Education of Oklahoma City v. Dowell (1991), Freeman

[President Nixon and Administration Members Pictured Left] Mass incarceration is an enormous issue in this nation. Despite making up only 5 percent of the global population, the U.S. makes up “25 percent of the world’s prison population,” and 1 out of 3 Black men, on average, will experience imprisonment at least once in their life. While some are aware of the catalysts that cultivated this problem, the fact remains that the repercussions of Nixon’s War on Drugs often go untaught.

Unlike what propaganda claims, the criminalization of certain drug possession was entirely racially motivated. This is a common trend in the U.S. Similar to how the first anti-opium laws targeted Chinese immigrants in the 1870s, the first anti-marijuana laws introduced during the War on Drugs were directed at Black and Latine citizens. John Ehrlichman, one of Nixon’s top aides, even admits so in a 2016 Harper’s Magazine: “You want to know what this was really all about? . . . The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news . . . Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

traffic more efficiently and safely. 3. Electret Microphone - While many tend to associate microphones with entertainment shows or karaoke night, people don’t often realize how integral microphones are to our everyday life: from wireless communication to voice assistants to even computer shortcuts. This influential invention is only thanks to African American inventor, James E. West, whose innovation makes up over 90 percent of the microphones used today, including the ones used in phones and cameras. 4. Caller ID and Caller Waiting Feature - Arguably one of the most influential figures in the tech industry today, Shirley Ann Jackson is known for many inventions, one of her most impactful being the caller ID and caller waiting phone feature. She created it during her physics research at AT&T Bell Labs. Thanks to her, people today can screen “known, unknown, and unwanted calls,” as well as avoid missing incoming calls when on the phone with another person. She earned countless accolades for her work, one of the most prestigious being the National Medal of Science in 2016, the U.S.A.’s highest honor for contributions in science and engineering, given by then-president Barack Obama. Furthermore, she has also been awarded 55 honorary doctoral degrees due to her contribution to the tech research field.

The War on Drugs caused a 700 percent increase in the U.S. prison population, and despite reforms in recent years, these policies still disproportionately affect BIPOC citizens today. Though the rate of use between white subjects and minorities are similar, BIPOC “are far more likely to be stopped, searched, arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and incarcerated for drug law violations when compared to white people. The lifelong penalties and exclusions that follow a drug conviction render huge numbers of primarily poor people of color into an American underclass that is disenfranchised and prevented from accessing social benefits, such as housing, food, and educational assistance.”

5. Home Security System - You can thank African American nurse and inventor, Marie Van Brittan Brown, for this brilliant layer of security. Wanting to increase her personal safety in a dangerous city, Brown created a contraption composed of “peepholes, a camera, monitors, . . . a two-way microphone, [and] a voice component” that allows her to speak to those outside. Her machinery even includes alarms and remote-controlled doors that protect from intruders and welcome expected guests in with ease. Her invention was groundbreaking in science, and her designs serve as a foundation for our modern-day security systems.

A Pew Research Center analysis found that 1.65 million drug arrests were made in 2018, with 663,000 arrests (40 percent) being marijuana-related. A staggering 92 percent of those arrests were simply for drug possession, with only 8 percent being for manufacturing. While the decriminalization of marijuana has resulted in a decrease in marijuana-related arrests, people still face legal repercussions if they possess more than the authorized limit. Additionally, because “marijuana remains illegal federally, U.S. law enforcement agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, can make arrests for marijuana offenses,” despite certain state laws.

IN THE END . . .

. . . while many believe that focusing on the black community in U.S. history is a threat to unity, I and countless others argue otherwise. We cannot move forward as a nation unless we learn and grasp the full context of our past—both the beautiful and the ugly. As Yale historian David Blight profoundly said, “The point is not to teach American history as a chronicle of shame and oppression—far from it. The point is to tell American history as a story of real human beings, of power, of vast economic and geographical expansion, of great achievements as well as great dispossession, of human brutality and human reform.”

FIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNACKNOWLEDGED

1. Automatic Elevator Doors - The ease of modern-day elevators wouldn’t have existed without 19th-century African-American inventor, Alexander Miles. Previous to his innovation, elevator doors would have to be opened and closed manually by “either the elevator operator or by passengers,” which only increased the safety hazards of this passage. After noticing these risks when he rode an elevator with his daughter, Miles improved the design to address this issue. Even though the patent was created in the 1880s, his modifications are still used in modern elevators today. 2. Three-Position Traffic Design - While Garrett Morgan’s design wasn’t the first traffic signal design, it was a crucial innovation that improved driver safety on the road. After witnessing several collisions between vehicles, he came up with the idea to add an automated warning signal (“the ancestor of today’s yellow light”) that allowed drivers time to clear the intersection and operate in

By, Chau-Anh Nguyen 19

BLACK STUDENT INTERVIEWS By: Chau-Anh Nguyen

MELIA E.

What are your dreams, hopes, and/or aspirations? Future plans? “In the future, I’d like to be a psychiatrist. I [have been] interested in psychology since I was 11, and psychiatry is a field I’m really interested in. I don’t have many plans for the future, but becoming a psychiatrist is my main goal.” If at all, how do you think your racial background might affect your aspirations? “Since I’m half white (from my mom), and I’m not really in touch with the other side of my family, I wouldn’t say my racial background affected my aspirations. It mostly comes from my mom, she inspires me to be successful and happy with the path I take.” What does Black History Month mean to you? “I believe it’s very important, a month of learning black history and not erasing the bad parts. History books can often ignore America’s bad, or make it seem not as bad if you understand. To me, Black History Month is a great time to empower black voices and learn from African-American leaders before us.” What is your personal definition of diversity? Do you consider MCHS to be diverse (considering the population is majority Asian)? “Diversity means a variety of different people, whether that be race, gender, class, religion, etc. MCHS seems to be pretty diverse. It is majority Asian, but I think it’s diverse because I’ve met people from lots of different backgrounds.” Considering Stockton’s diversity, what are some positives to living in this city? “Being in a diverse city means you get to learn from people from all types of backgrounds. I think the more diversity there is, the more educated you are. You can also learn about different cultures through the different events that go on.” On the other hand, what are some negatives that you’ve experienced living in this city? “Although we do live in a diverse city, there is still a fair share of racism. That comes with almost any city though, and I don’t think it’s that bad here. People, mostly kids, will use the n-word, because they hear black people say it. Some kids aren’t taught the severity of using slurs, and it can become an issue. Other than that, there aren’t that many downsides.” Do you prefer the label “Black” or “African American” and why? If these labels don’t really matter to you, “It doesn’t really matter to me. Neither are rude or discriminatory, so I don’t care what label is used on me.” Do you feel comfortable in your learning environment as a student of a marginalized community? If not, “Yeah, I’ve always felt comfortable in my learning environment. Luckily, I was treated pretty equally throughout school, because I’ve lived in Stockton my whole life. Everyone is pretty accepting of each other here.” Have you ever experienced difficult situations in your life because of your race? “I guess so, but it’s mostly because I’m black and the rest of my family is white. I feel like I can be treated differently than the rest of my family members, but nothing super crazy—just little microaggressions towards me.” What makes you proud to be black? “ . . . black women that have created various things that we use today. Like, Marie Van Brittan Brown, who helped create the first home security system. Without her, we may not have had home security at all, or like the [level of] security [that] we have now.”

MEKHI R.

What are your dreams, hopes, and/or aspirations? Future plans? “In the future, I’d like to be a business owner/CEO and right now I would love to be a social media personality. I’ve been obsessed with YouTube and making videos since I was 7, and being able to pursue my passion would be a dream come true.” If at all, how do you think your racial background might affect your aspirations?

“Being Black in this industry is hard in a white-dominated industry—especially one that hardly rewards Black creators for their work—is tough. I know my talents will shine through, as they’ve had in the past, so I’m not too worried about my racial background affecting my opportunities, but it is harder to come up as a Black social media star.” What does Black History Month mean to you? “Being Black in this industry is hard in a white-dominated industry—especially one that hardly rewards Black creators for their work—is tough. I know my talents will shine through, as they’ve had in the past, so I’m not too worried about my racial background affecting my opportunities, but it is harder to come up as a a Black social media star.” What is your personal definition of diversity? Do you consider MCHS to be diverse (considering the population is majority Asian)? “My personal definition of diversity is looking around and seeing different types of people with different social and racial backgrounds. I do consider MCHS to be more diverse now than it was. I am the only Black male in the class of 2022, so it was nice seeing a lot more people who look like me in the class of 2023.” Considering Stockton’s diversity, what are some positives to living in this city? “One positive of living in Stockton would be the opportunity of Middle College. Dual-enrollment, where you get to also go to a college campus, is something that I feel every student who wants to go to college should experience.” On the other hand, what are some negatives that you’ve experienced living in this city? “A negative to living in this city is the stigma around it being ‘ghetto.’ I never grew up around the bad areas of Stockton so I really never experienced anything dangerous, but it’s always shunned upon for being one of the most dangerous cities to live in America. There also isn’t much to do in Stockton versus other California cities.” Do you prefer the label “Black” or “African American” and why? If these labels don’t really matter to you, why? “I prefer either because I am Black and African-American. These labels do matter to me as African-American is my ethnicity, not anything else. I don’t really mind either term though.” Do you feel comfortable in your learning environment as a student of a marginalized community? If not, why? “Yes, I do feel safe in my learning environment. MCHS is not a discriminatory place at all. I feel like [the] majority of everyone here is a minority, so I do get a sense of clarity and safety between me and my peers.” On the other hand, what are some negatives that you’ve experienced living in this city? “I am proud of being Black because of the intensive history and the amazing people who came before me. I am grateful for my skin, and I take pride in my history.”

Ten Black Activis Bayard Rustin (1912-1987) “Let us be enraged by injustice, but let us not be destroyed by it.”

Bayard Rustin was a Black leader that advocated for civil rights, gay rights, socialism, and nonviolence. Born on March 17, 1912, he became heavily involved in activism in his emerging adolescence, performing an impromptu sit-in protest at a discriminatory restaurant in just his teenage years. He was outspokenly political during his college years, and even notably joined the Young Communist League, a youth branch of the U.S.A.’s Communist Party, solely because they were the “only political party in the 1930s to be fully opposed to segregation.” Though he would soon quit the organization after they attempted to prevent him from protesting racial segregation in the U.S. military, his short involvement placed him on the FBI’s radar. Rustin was a deeply devoted Quaker (due to his upbringing), which played a major role in how he conducted himself in his activism. After leaving the Youth Communist League, he worked with members of the Socialist Party, such as A. Philip Randolph and Mahatma Gandhi, and developed a personal philosophy of pacifism, socialism, and nonviolent protest. He soon became a member of the pacifist Rev. A.J. Muste’s Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) and traveled around the country as a public speaker after the FOR launch of the Congress of Racial Equality in 1942. Rustin is most known for his work with Martin Luther King Jr., who he met in 1956 after traveling to Alabama to support the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He mainly served as King’s advisor during the civil rights movement. While King was the face of the movement, Rustin was the chief organizer behind the civil rights marches. Among the many civil rights events that were made possible due to Bayard Rustin’s skills, he is most famous for his work behind the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where King delivered his renowned “I Have a Dream” speech. Organized over just a mere eight short weeks, Rustin’s efficiency behind this march granted him significant recognition. His sheer influence behind the civil rights movement and its actions are indisputable, and many even attribute the civil rights movement’s nonviolent approach to Rustin’s Quaker-style leadership and values. 23

sts and Leaders Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005) “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Shirley Chisholm is the first African American woman to be elected to the United States Congress, and the first African American woman to ever run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York. She was born to immigrant parents with her father, Charles St. Hill, being from Guyana, and her mother, Ruby Seale St. Hill, being from Barbados. Although she was supported and encouraged to pursue a career in politics by her professors, she replied that she faced a ”double handicap” as being both African American and female. Being aware of the racial and gender inequality present, Chrisholm joined her local chapters of the League of Women Voters, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Urban League, and the Democratic Party club. In 1964, after her area was redistricted to become more Democratic, Chisholm ran and became the second African American in the New York State Legislature. Then, in 1968, she ran and earned a seat in Congress becoming the first African American woman to be in Congress. She went on to serve seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Nicknamed “Fighting Shirley,” she introduced and fought for more than 50 pieces of legislation—mainly focusing on racial and gender equality, poverty, and ending the Vietnam War. She also co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971. In 1972, she became the first woman and African American to seek the presidential nomination from the Democratic party, despite facing frequent discrimination She was blocked from televised primary debates, and even after taking legal action, she was only allowed to make one speech. Regardless of all these obstacles, she gained 152 of the delegates’ votes which were 10% of the total number of votes from the Caucus. In 1983, Chisholm retired from Congress, and went on to teach at Mount Holyoke College. She also co-founded the National Political Congress of Black Women. Chisholm said that she wants to be remembered, “...as a woman… who dared to be a catalyst of change.” 24

Francis E.W. Harper (1825-1911) “We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members without receiving the curse in its own soul.”

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is the first African American woman to publish a short story. She was an abolitionist, suffragist, and reformer who co-founded the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. Francis Harper was born on September 24, 1825, in Baltimore, Maryland. As an only child, she was born to free African American parents. Unfortunately, when she was three years old, both of her parents passed away. Her aunt and uncle, Henrietta and William Watkins, raised her. Her uncle was an abolitionist and organized a black literary society and established his own school in 1820 called the Watkins Academy for Negro Youth. Harper attended the academy until she was 13years old. She became a nursemaid and seamstress for a Quaker household that owned a bookshop, which started her love for books. By the age of 21, she wrote her first volume of poetry called Forest Leaves. When she was 26 years old, she left Maryland and became the first woman instructor at Union Seminary, a school for free African Americans in Ohio. She moved to a school in York, Pennsylvania. Because Maryland passed a law stating free African Americans living in the North were not allowed to enter the state of Maryland, they couldn’t go back home. She started devoting her time to the antislavery cause. Harper began writing poetry in an antislavery newspaper. Her poem “Eliza Harris,” was published in the Liberator and Frederick Douglass’ Paper. She became a traveling lecturer for various organizations such as the Maine Anti-Slavery Society and the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Throughout her career, she published many of her poems, and her first short story, called “The Two Offers,’’ was the first story published by an African American woman. In 1860, Frances married Fenton Harper, and they had a daughter together. When Fenton passed away, she began touring and formed alliances with prominent women’s rights activists. During the Reconstruction, she was an activist for civil rights, education, and women’s rights. She became the superintendent of the Colored Section of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Women’s Christian Temperance Union. She was the co-founder and vice president of the National Association of Colored Women, a member of the American Woman’s Suffrage Association, and the director of the American Association of Colored Youth. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper was a widely accomplished woman speaking for women’s rights and civil rights—equality for all. She passed away on February 22, 1911, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 25

Marsha P. Johnson (1954-1992)

“As long as my people don’t have their rights across America, there’s no reason for celebration.”

Being born black, poor, gay, and gender-nonconforming during a time in history when all of these things were frowned upon, Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson was dealt a difficult hand of cards. Johnson dedicated her life to helping the LGBT+ and black community to fight for their rights. Johnson did not grow up in a very accepting city and moved out as soon as she finished high school. She moved to New York City where she became a waitress and sex worker. Later on, she became a drag queen and was a frequent performer. Johnson is recognized for participating in the Stonewall riots—a series of protests and demonstrations in response to police targetting and raiding a gay club in the middle of the night. Johnson arrived at the Stonewall club that night a couple of hours after the cops had arrived, and the chaos broke out, but she joined right in and stayed fighting off the cops through the morning. Johnson said she was not afraid of being arrested because she had been getting arrested for years for wearing makeup, and walking down the street. Johnson, along with her close friend Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a trans activist group. The two of them also maintained the STAR house, a place to help refugee LGBT+ youth. Despite making little money from gigs, Johnson still spent a large portion of her earnings on meals for homeless people. Her death in 1992 was originally ruled as a suicide after her body had been found in the Hudson river. Johnson’s close friends did not agree with this ruling though, and it has since been ruled as a possible homicide. In February of 2020, New York’s Governor Cuomo renamed a state park in honor of Marsha P. Johnson, making this the first state park to be named after a trans woman of color. Along with the state park, later this year a monument would be placed at her hometown’s city hall. This statue was proposed to replace the existing statue of Christopher Columbus in Elizabeth, New Jersey’s city hall. 26

John Lewis (1987-2020)

“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”

John Lewis is a name that many of us may not recognize, but the contributions made towards civil rights will be remembered forever. Born in Troy, Alabama, Lewis had a happy childhood, working hard to help his sharecropper parents. While he lived in a segregated society he was inspired by listening to Reverend Martin Luther King’s sermons to make a difference in the world . Lewis eventually left Alabama to attend the American Baptist Theological Seminary, where he originally trained to become a Pastor. It was at the seminary where he learned all about the art of nonviolent protests. He organized sit-ins at segregated lunch counters and was often arrested, but was undeterred in his mission and later participated in the freedom rides of 1961. While Lewis was beaten many times throughout his protesting career, that didn’t stop him from continuing to do what he was passionate about. In 1963, Lewis became the leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was named one of the “Big Six.’’ He even went on to help organize the iconic march on Washington D.C. where he was the youngest speaker at the event. While the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, banning segregation, there was a glaring problem that remained: the suppression of African-American votes. To help protest against the unfair discrimination in the south, Lewis helped stage a protest which later became violent. The event would become known as Bloody Sunday, and Lewis just barely survived with a fractured skull. After a life of peaceful protesting and Civil Rights Activism, Lewis stepped into the world of Politics. In 1981, he won a seat on the Montgomery City Council, and in 1986 won Georgia’s congress seat. As a member of Congress, he saw multiple renewals of the Civil Rights Act, health care reform, and gun reform. He is best known for staging a sit-in with fellow members of Congress over the Orlando Nightclub Shooting, 170 lawmakers attended in support of gun control measures. In 2019 Lewis had been diagnosed with Stage-4 Pancreatic Cancer and swore to fight it for as long as he could. Unfortunately, he has passed away since then. However, the impact of the work Lewis dedicated his life to is seen today. From voting rights, healthcare, to gun control, we have a lot to thank Congressman John Lewis for. 27

Ruby Bridges (1954-Present)

“

Racism is something that we, as adults, have kept alive. We pass it on to our kids. None of our kids come into the world knowing anything about disliking one another.”

Ruby Bridges, heart full of courage, was known as the first African American child to attend an all-white public school in southern America. Her first steps into the school signified the change of American’s views of racism to become more accepting and equal to people of color. Ruby Bridges was born on September 8, 1954 , in Tylertown, Mississippi. When she was four years old, her family moved to New Orleans. There, Bridges took a difficult test for African American students to determine whether or not they were eligible to attend an all-white school. During this time, the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case had ruled that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. When she passed the test she was assigned to William Frantz Elementary School. Although six other African American students were also assigned, Ruby Bridges ended up being the only child to enroll. November 14, 1960, was her first day at school, and she was escorted by four federal marshals to ensure her safety. Students’ parents would rebel against the school, outraged by the fact an African American was attending school there. Despite the harsh criticism Bridges faced, she continued to be escorted every day and be taught in an empty classroom. After her first year at the school, the crowds started to dissipate and more African Americans attended the school. Bridges became an inspirational figure to young African Americans and helped change American society. The famous painting, The Problem We All Live With (1963) by Norman Rockwell, was inspired by the scene of Bridges going to school with a mob of angry people every day. Her story was also featured in children’s books and eventually became the backbone of her memoir, Through My Eyes. Ruby Bridges is still an inspiring activist today. She hosts podcasts, Zoom classrooms, and many more -- to encourage people to chase after their dreams. Ever since she was young, she was never afraid to try new things. We are thankful for Ruby Bridges’s bravery at such a young age to be able to lessen racism in our American society. 28

Phillis Wheatly (1753-1784)

“

The world is a severe schoolmaster, for its frowns are less dangerous than its smiles and flatteries, and it is a difficult task to keep in the path of wisdom.”

In the world of literature, the name Phillis Wheatley is well known and is connected to the history of the first African American woman renowned to be the Mother of African American Literature. Born in West Africa, Wheatly was brought to the United States when she was seven and was sold into slavery to the Wheatly family. Despite being a slave, she was educated by the family on various subjects such as astronomy, geography, and literature. By the age of 14, she had published her first poem. However, with the publication of “An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Celebrated Divine George Whitefield,” she began to receive a lot of attention. By the time she was the age of 18, a collection of her poems were published and ran as advertisements in Boston newspapers. However, once the colonists found out, they refused to support her literature. Even so, she and the Wheatley family began to look for a publisher in London which led to her preparation of her first book. Her poems were a reflection of her own life as seen through the contents and the style of her own writing. Her writing style was similar to that of an elegy, where in her culture, it was the role of the women to sing and perform funeral dirges. As the years progressed, her writing began to reflect the events that were happening during that time. She had supported the patriots during the American Revolution, but was strongly opposed against the slavery that was going on. She had written many poems, one of the most well liked being reflected on George Washington’s appointment as the commander of the Continental army. Wheatley passed away in December of 1784 due to complications of childbirth, however, she will also be known as an inspiration to African-American writers. Her work and her contributions to literature helped show that the African-American people were capable people who benefitted from an education.

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)

“

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

Born in Cordova, Maryland, Frederick Douglass is remembered today as an African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping slavery and becoming a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, he found popularity amongst many people for his well-spoken speeches and anti-slavery writings. He was commonly recognized for one of his several autobiographies, titled Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Douglass, born into slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, in 1818. With no actual date of when he was born, he decided to choose February 14th, after he recalled his mother calling him her “Little Valentine.” His parents are alleged to be his master, and his mother Harriet Bailey, who was later separated from him. In one of his autobiographies, he later wrote that “The opinion was… whispered that my master was my father; but of the correctness of this opinion I know nothing… my mother and I were separated when I was an infant.” During his abolitionist days, many would describe Douglass as a “living counterexample to slaveholders’ arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens.” Frederick is known for being one of the few educated American slaves who could articulate his colloquies in unbelievable ways. Frederick believed heavily in the equality of everyone, whether they were a minority or white. When radical abolitionists, who believed that slaves and slave owners should have no converse whatsoever, criticized Frederick for his compliance in talking to slave owners, he replied: “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.” Douglass lived his last days in Washington D.C. On February 20th, 1895, he attended a meeting of the National Council of Women. When Frederick returned home, he suffered a massive heart attack. He lived an inspirational and long life and still impacts people with his iconic writings every day.

Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)

“

I have heard their groans and sighs, and seen their tears, and I would give every drop of blood in my veins to free them.”

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery, and eventually escaped to her freedom in 1849. Harriet Tubman was born with the name Araminta Ross, but she changed her name to Harriet Tubman after she married John Tubman, who was “a free black man” in 1844. Harriet was the name of her mother. Harriet Tubman is most famous for being a conductor of the Underground Railroad, which was a series of many safe houses that helped slaves escape to their freedom. She helped so many people through the Underground Railroad between the years 1850 and 1860. In total, she made 19 trips, helping over 300 people escape to their freedom. Her first encounter with the Underground Railroad was in 1849, when she used it to escape to her freedom. Instead of staying in the North where she could be safe, she decided to help so many others, and she became famous for helping all of these people on the Underground Railroad. For helping so many people, she eventually received the nickname “Moses.” Because of the Fugitive Slave Law, which said that escaped slaves had to be returned from the North to the South, Harriet Tubman instead helped slaves escape to Canada, instead of the North. Harriet Tubman was also a nurse during the Civil War for the Union army, and she was a scout, spy, and guerrilla soldier. She was the first African American woman to actually serve in the military. Harriet Tubman inspired so many people throughout her life, that there have been many things done to honor her. There are many schools named after her, there is a museum about her in Cambridge, and a plaque on the courthouse in Auburn. Along with these, there were also two movies made to honor her called, A Woman Called Moses (1978) and Harriet (2019). In 2016, it was announced that she would replace Jackson on the $20 bill because she “devoted her life to racial equality and fought for women’s rights.”

Malcolm X (1925-1965)

“

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. He spent most of his young years in foster homes or with relatives after experiencing the sudden death of his father and his mother’s hospitalization to an insane asylum. He was an excellent student, however, he quickly lost interest when a teacher discouraged him from his dreams of being a lawyer. He started to become involved in many illicit activities that led to him being sentenced to prison for six years in 1946 for larceny and breaking and entering. Throughout his time in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam and adopted the name Malcolm X, which represents his lack of an African American surname, believing that his current name originates from white slaveholders. Malcolm X soon became known as one of the most influential leaders in 1952 during his time in patrol. He acted as the Nation of Islam’s public representative for several years in which he advocated for black empowerment, the segregation of Americans, and critized the civil rights movement for its emphasis on nonviolence practices. He often spoke out during the civil rights movements at major universities. Countering Martin Luther King Jr.’s desire for integration and non-violence, he argues that civil rights was more than just the ability to sit inside a restaurant and the right to vote. To Malcolm X, it was an issue of Black identity, integrity, and independence. He wanted his followers to defend themselves “by any means necessary.” His ideas set the foundation for Black Power and Black consciousness movements. In his final years, while Malcolm became an active figure in the civil rights movement, his teachings were deemed as violations of the moral code of the Nations. He became quite controversial as he publically called President John F. Kennedy’s assassination “chickens coming home to roost.” This means that it was the consequences of violence throughout a violent society. Because of this, Malcolm was forced to leave the Nation. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated while delivering a lecture in Harlem. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of his murder.

FEBRUARY 2021

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