Black History International
Ranked #1,233 in Culture & Society, #29,291 overall
The importance of knowing, discovering and sharing our history as African people.
This lens contains four polls and two Black history quizzes.
Click here to listen to audio interviews with Zhana.
Click here for loads of books about Black history and Black achievers.
Click here for a series on Why We Need to Heal.
Click here to listen to audio interviews with Zhana.
Click here for loads of books about Black history and Black achievers.
Click here for a series on Why We Need to Heal.
Table of Contents
- International Significance
- A Short Black History Film
- Black History/Cultural Events
- The History of Black History Month/African Heritage Month
- Black History UK
- Great Stuff on Amazon
- Black Facts
- Black History/African Heritage Blogs
- Celebrating the Positive
- Black History Lenses
- Black Heroes and Sheroes Lenses
- Great Stuff on Amazon
- Hotel Rwanda
- Black History Films in London
- Black Writers and Artists
- Great Stuff on Amazon
- Resources
- Black History Lenses
- Black History
- London Black History Walks
- Black People in Europe
- African History
- My Black History Lenses
- Lenses with Polls
- Black History Quiz 1
- More Free Online Fun
- Black Inventors on Amazon
- Black History Quiz 2
- Black Success Stories on Amazon
- Reader Feedback
International Significance
It is important for us to celebrate our African heritage internationally - in the U.S.A., the UK, Africa and the Caribbean, and everywhere African people reside. .
Click here to listen to an interview about the need for us to work together internationally. (It's in the second half of the show, so please be patient!)
Click here to listen to an interview about the need for us to work together internationally. (It's in the second half of the show, so please be patient!)
A Short Black History Film
A short film based on my choreopoem, "Harriet", was screened as part of the London Black Film Festival recently. To read more about it and watch the film, see a choreopoem, Harriet, by Zhana
Click here to listen to a radio interview with Zhana about the importance of telling our stories.
Click here to listen to a radio interview with Zhana about the importance of telling our stories.
Black History/Cultural Events
Events listings
I have listed some Black history/cultural events in the U.S.A. and the UK here.
For more UK events and resources, see: Black History UK.
Click here for Black facts. . Please also try our short Black history quizzes.
For more UK events and resources, see: Black History UK.
Click here for Black facts. . Please also try our short Black history quizzes.
- Upcoming Programs at The Schomburg Center
- The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture presents a wide range of educational and cultural programs on a year-round basis in its renowned Langston Hughes Auditorium and American Negro Theater. From seminars, forums, workshops, staged readings, film screenings, to performing arts programs, and special events. Public programs complement the Schomburg Center's exhibitions, collections and research services and interpret its collections.
See below for details of the Something for the People Film Series February 13-17th and the exhibition The Obama Presidency: A Look behind the Scenes - 1st and Goal in the Bronx
- 1st and Goal in the Bronx, co-sponsored by The New York Urban League, is a film that recounts the first historically black college football game played in New York City. Thirty-one players who played that day in 1968 were drafted to professional teams.
Continuing the Something for the People Film Series at the Schomburg February 13th-17th - Cuba: An African Odyssey
- Cuba: An African Odyssey tells the previously untold story of Cuba's support for African revolutions.
Continuing the Something for the People Film Series at the Schomburg February 13-17th - By The People
- By The People tracks Obama's halting progress from long-odds candidate to front-runner in the 2008 presidential race. It's a roller-coaster ride that includes all the victories and upsets that were followed by millions in the media, seen from within the Obama campaign: from thrilling wins and disappointing losses in key states, to controversies stemming from Obama's associations with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and domestic terrorist Bill Ayers; from the high of receiving his party's nomination over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, to the low of losing his beloved grandmother the day before his final victory over Sen. John McCain on Election Day. [From HBO's By The People website]
Continuing the Something for the People Film Series February 13-17th - The Obama Presidency: A Look Behind the Scenes
- Photographs by Pete Souza Chief Official White House Photographer. This exhibition of 56 photographs by Pete Souza, the chief official White House photographer, forms a visual diary of nearly two years of President Obama's time in office, from September 2009 through May 2011.
Exhibition at the Schomburg continues until June 2012. - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment
- To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Harlem's Apollo Theater, the California African American Museum presents "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment."
The exhibition traces the evolution of the Apollo-from its origins as a segregated burlesque hall to its starring role at the epicenter of African American entertainment and American popular culture.
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" was organized by the National Museum of African American History and Culture in collaboration with the Apollo Theater Foundation.
For more about this and other African American museums, see Black Museums. - For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights
- Hosted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this is billed as "the first exhibition to explore the role played by visual images in shaping, influencing, and transforming the fight for civil rights in the United States".
For more about this and other African American museums, see Black Museums. - Next Black History Events
- Events with Black History Studies and London Black History Walks. These events are held year-round.
- Baltimore Urban Book Festival
- Baltimore Urban Book Festival. Featured authors include Omar Tyree, NYT bestselling author; Chris Hicks, author and publisher of Think Series; T. Styles, bestselling author and publisher of ten novels; Tamika Newhouse, AALAS award-winning author of five novels; and more.
The AAMBC Literary Awards will be held as part of this event. - Video of Dr. Maya Angelou at the Schomburg.
- Video of Dr. Maya Angelou at the Schomburg.
- James Baldwin's Global Imagination
- A multi-site conference. Click here to download the program.
- National Book Festival News
- Karen C. Brown, Brian W. Smith and Avery Washington are just three of the authors taking part in the 2012 National Book Festival.
- Baltimore Urban Book Festival 2012
- Baltimore Urban Book Festival 2012. Panels, workshops, children's activities and more.
The History of Black History Month/African Heritage Month
Black history is the history of people of African heritage. Stolen from Africa, our ancestors were taken to the United States, the Caribbean and Europe.
Our culture was stolen from us. We were told we were no longer Africans, that we had no history or culture.
But we remained Africans and we are rediscovering and reclaiming our culture. We celebrate this in Black History Month/African Heritage Month.
Black History Month began as Negro History Week. Founced by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former enslaved African American people, its aim was to document and celebrate the contributions of African American people.
The identity of a people is dependent upon that people's knowledge of its history. In Africa, the griots were responsible for keeping the stories of the people, spinning them, weaving them into a cloth which preserved the collective memories for future generations. Black History Month can be seen as a continuation of this tradition.
Our culture was stolen from us. We were told we were no longer Africans, that we had no history or culture.
But we remained Africans and we are rediscovering and reclaiming our culture. We celebrate this in Black History Month/African Heritage Month.
Black History Month began as Negro History Week. Founced by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former enslaved African American people, its aim was to document and celebrate the contributions of African American people.
The identity of a people is dependent upon that people's knowledge of its history. In Africa, the griots were responsible for keeping the stories of the people, spinning them, weaving them into a cloth which preserved the collective memories for future generations. Black History Month can be seen as a continuation of this tradition.
Black History UK
Highlighting the Contributions of People of African Heritage
October was chosen as Black History Month in the UK for local authorities and other official bodies. It was NOT intended to be the ONLY BHM.
When BHM UK was first established, it was intended to highlight the contributions of people of African heritage.
Check out these links about people of African heritage in the UK and Europe.
See also: : Black History Films in London.
When BHM UK was first established, it was intended to highlight the contributions of people of African heritage.
Check out these links about people of African heritage in the UK and Europe.
See also: : Black History Films in London.
- Black History Live
- Black history live.
- Queen Charlotte Sophia
- The consort of George III, this German princess had African blood and is an ancestor of Elizabeht II. .
- Black History - interview with Brother T.
- Interview with Brother T. of London Black History Walks + films. Contains loads of links with reviews of his film events including How Black People Won World War II, Black Victims of the Germans and Nazis, and many more.
- History of the Slave Trade - Liverpool International Slavery Museum
- Liverpool was one of the main ports involved in the Transatlantic trade in African people.
Includes a good, but short description of The Middle Passage. Fails to mention the fact that even healthy, able-bodied people were thrown overboard so that the ship owners could claim the insurance. - Black Bristolians- People Who Made a Difference
- Study materials for schools. Young people felt invisible in the schools curriculum and considered that there was an overemphasis on slavery and the Transatlantic trade. They wanted to learn more about the achievements of Black people throughout history, to the present day. This project is the result.
- Next Black History Events
- Film events with Black History Studies and London Black History Walks. The films are followed by presentations and discussions. These events are held year-round.
- Black History Month/African Heritage Month Events 2011
- Events for Black History Month/African Heritage Month UK, October 2011
- Black Women in Europe Blog
- The Black Women in Europe Blog highlights the contributions of Black women all over Europe.
- Black History Studies
- Black history film screenings and presentations, courses and other Black history events throughout the year.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Black history resources on Amazon.
For lots more Black history resources, including books, toys, games and more, download the free African American Holiday Gifts Guide from African American Holiday Shopping.
For lots more Black history resources, including books, toys, games and more, download the free African American Holiday Gifts Guide from African American Holiday Shopping.
Black Facts
Facts about People of African Heritage
Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Micheaux was the first-ever African American filmmaker. He made his first feature film in 1919/20. To read more about him, see
See also: Oscar Micheaux.
Crispus Atttucks
Crispus Attucks, the first person to be killed in the Revolutionary War, was an African American man. What many of us don't know is that he was a community organiser, like Barack Obama.
The Black Wall Street
"The Black Wall Street" was the name given to the prosperous African American community of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Black dollar circulated up to 100 times in the Black area of Tulsa before it left town.
So successful was "The Black Wall Street" that envious white people destroyed the area, bombing it on the 1st of June 1921. 3,000 people were killed in the resulting fire, and over 600 successful businesses were destroyed.
Juneteenth
On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of slavery. On June 19th, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with the news that slavery had ended. Until that time, it is said that enslaved African American people were unaware of this, and of the fact that the war was over. Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, in 1863.
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated all over the world to mark the liberation of African people.
Black Cowboys
The Black American West Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the Old West.
While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, we are broader than this with interests in the stories of all those early Blacks who came west and performed as miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, schoolteachers, lawmen, and every other profession needed to build up the West. In fact, the Museum itself is in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado's first Black woman doctor!
See also: Black Museums.
Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin
In March 1955, nine months before Rosa Parks, in Montgomer, Alabama, high school student Claudette Colvin was arrested when she refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus.
Before this, other Black women had refused to give up their seats, but they usually did not make a fuss, they just paid their fines.
Claudette was inspired by Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth.
You Couldn't Try on Shoes
In the bad old days of segregation, you couldn't even try on shoes -an African American customer would have to draw an outline of his/her foot on a brown paper bag!
To read more about the effects of racism, segregation and caste oppression, see:
Dr. Ambedkar, Visionary and News and Views: ANC Welcomes Ruling.
For more Black facts, take our Black history quizzes lower down on this page.
See also: How to Research Black History.
Oscar Micheaux was the first-ever African American filmmaker. He made his first feature film in 1919/20. To read more about him, see
See also: Oscar Micheaux.
Crispus Atttucks
Crispus Attucks, the first person to be killed in the Revolutionary War, was an African American man. What many of us don't know is that he was a community organiser, like Barack Obama.
The Black Wall Street
"The Black Wall Street" was the name given to the prosperous African American community of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Black dollar circulated up to 100 times in the Black area of Tulsa before it left town.
So successful was "The Black Wall Street" that envious white people destroyed the area, bombing it on the 1st of June 1921. 3,000 people were killed in the resulting fire, and over 600 successful businesses were destroyed.
Juneteenth
On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of slavery. On June 19th, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with the news that slavery had ended. Until that time, it is said that enslaved African American people were unaware of this, and of the fact that the war was over. Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, in 1863.
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated all over the world to mark the liberation of African people.
Black Cowboys
The Black American West Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the Old West.
While famous for telling the story of Black cowboys, we are broader than this with interests in the stories of all those early Blacks who came west and performed as miners, soldiers, homesteaders, ranchers, blacksmiths, schoolteachers, lawmen, and every other profession needed to build up the West. In fact, the Museum itself is in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado's first Black woman doctor!
See also: Black Museums.
Before Rosa Parks, There Was Claudette Colvin
In March 1955, nine months before Rosa Parks, in Montgomer, Alabama, high school student Claudette Colvin was arrested when she refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus.
Before this, other Black women had refused to give up their seats, but they usually did not make a fuss, they just paid their fines.
Claudette was inspired by Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth.
You Couldn't Try on Shoes
In the bad old days of segregation, you couldn't even try on shoes -an African American customer would have to draw an outline of his/her foot on a brown paper bag!
To read more about the effects of racism, segregation and caste oppression, see:
Dr. Ambedkar, Visionary and News and Views: ANC Welcomes Ruling.
For more Black facts, take our Black history quizzes lower down on this page.
See also: How to Research Black History.
Black History/African Heritage Blogs
- Our History, Our Healing
- One reason why I post about Black history so much on Ancestral Energies is that the more we understand our history, the better equipped we are to create a better future.
- Ancestral Energies
- This blog contains hundreds of Black history resources.
- How to Research Black History
- Does what it says on the tin.
- Caribbean Thinkers
- A great course I attended about the link between African and African Diaspora history.
- Black Victims of the Germans and Nazis
- Blog about a Black history presentation with Tony Warner of London Black History Walks
- The Importance of History
- A blog about why it is important for us to know and share our history.
Celebrating the Positive
It's important to celebrate the positive aspects of our history whilst we commemorate the struggle and the suffering we have endured.
Positive cultural identity is key to our self-esteem and sense of self-worth. For more on this, see:
The Key to Confidence
Success Strategies for Black People
Learning history can be fun. This was the idea behind the Nubian Jak board game. Its creator, Jak Dodd, is interviewed in the book Black Success Stories. For more on this, see Do You Think Like a Success?
Positive cultural identity is key to our self-esteem and sense of self-worth. For more on this, see:
The Key to Confidence
Success Strategies for Black People
Learning history can be fun. This was the idea behind the Nubian Jak board game. Its creator, Jak Dodd, is interviewed in the book Black Success Stories. For more on this, see Do You Think Like a Success?
Black History Lenses
Celebrating the achievements and positive contributions of people of African heritage.
Black Heroes and Sheroes Lenses
Lenses that Celebrate the Black heroes, sheroes and freedom fighters who laid the groundwork so we could have better lives.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda tells the story of one man, Paul Rusesabagina, who stood up and, with extraordinary courage, protected people during the Rwandan genocide.
Black History Films in London
Black History Film Presentations with Brother T. and with Black History Studies
Brother T. of Black London Walks gives free audiovisual and film presentations examining and celebrating the lives of African Caribbean people. He holds these events all year, not just during Black History Month.
Black History Studies also holds a regular series of films followed by presentations and discussions all year round.
For more about these events, see: Black History/Cultural Events.
You can read an interview with Brother T. at London Black History Walks.
During the Second World War, people of African heritage from the United States, the Caribbean and Africa signed up to fight for the Allied powers. After the war, many Black people chose to settle in London and other UK cities, which they considered to be their home. England was seen as the "mother country", but it did not welcome its Caribbean children with open arms. For more information, see Black History Films and Small Island.
To read more about London Black History Walks and some of the recent presentations, see London Black History Walks.
Hidden Histories: Black People in WWII. Contains lots of information including material abuot the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. Includes a link to a video presented Robert Maxwell, a former Tuskeegee Airman.
Click here to read about a screening of Small Island with Q&A with the producer.
Click here for the next Black history presentations with Brother T and with Black History Studies.
See also: Africa and Africans on Film.
Black History Studies also holds a regular series of films followed by presentations and discussions all year round.
For more about these events, see: Black History/Cultural Events.
You can read an interview with Brother T. at London Black History Walks.
During the Second World War, people of African heritage from the United States, the Caribbean and Africa signed up to fight for the Allied powers. After the war, many Black people chose to settle in London and other UK cities, which they considered to be their home. England was seen as the "mother country", but it did not welcome its Caribbean children with open arms. For more information, see Black History Films and Small Island.
To read more about London Black History Walks and some of the recent presentations, see London Black History Walks.
Hidden Histories: Black People in WWII. Contains lots of information including material abuot the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. Includes a link to a video presented Robert Maxwell, a former Tuskeegee Airman.
Click here to read about a screening of Small Island with Q&A with the producer.
Click here for the next Black history presentations with Brother T and with Black History Studies.
See also: Africa and Africans on Film.
Black Writers and Artists
Celebrating African American literary and artistic traditions.
Great Stuff on Amazon
Resources
- Why We Need to Heal
- Why people of African heritage need to heal and transform ourselves, our lives and our world.
- Black History Arts Project
- Kuumba-Survivors: interviews with artists of African heritage about their responses to the bicentenary of the end of the slave trade
- Hidden Histories: Black People and World War II
- Often, we are not told about aspects of our history. Every time I attend one of Tony Warner's presentations, I learn more valuable information.
- Black History on Amazon
- Books about the achievements of people of African heritage.
- Black History on Amazon UK
- Books about the achievements of people of African heritage.
- Next Black History Events
- Lists future Black History events with Tony Warner.
- African People's Self-Liberation
- Blog about how African people liberated ourselves in Africa, the Caribbean, the U.S. and the UK.
- What U Need to Know
- This month (October 2010), the theme is Black history. Actually, we do Black history, heritage and healing every month. Tune in at 2 p.m. EDT, 7 p.m. UK time, or go here to listen to the recordings of previous shows.
Black History Lenses
Black History
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London Black History Walks
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Black People in Europe
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African History
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My Black History Lenses
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Lenses with Polls
These are some of my lenses with polls. You gain points every time you respond to a poll.
Black History Quiz 1
Things you may or may not know about Black history.
Want to make up quizzes like this? Click here to join Squidoo and create lenses like this one. It's free to join and there is a profit-sharing scheme.
More Free Online Fun
More free online fun, plus Black history games, books and DVDs.
- More Free Online Fun
- Get more free online fun, plus Black history games, books and DVDs in the Black Holiday Gifts Guide.
- Ancient Egypt Jigsaw Puzzles
- Lots more free online fun.
- Black history quizzes
- Go here for more Black history quizzes.
Black Inventors on Amazon
Black History Quiz 2
More questions about Black History
More things you may or may not know about Black history.
Black Success Stories on Amazon
Reader Feedback
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Inkhand
Jan 6, 2012 @ 7:22 am | delete
- A fascinating lens about reminds us an important part of our world history.
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mytradingcards
Oct 13, 2011 @ 7:33 pm | delete
- What a great lens!
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yourgoldenfuture
Jan 21, 2011 @ 3:12 pm | delete
- interesting topic for polls etc...
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TeamAfro
Jan 20, 2011 @ 10:08 am | delete
- I love this lens. It is so educational with a wide range of topics. It is also very positive. Great work and I will check out your other lenses.
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Zhana21
Sep 13, 2011 @ 9:22 am | delete
- Thank you so much for your comment. So sorry I took so long to respond.
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