Denise Dennis - Black history for beginners

This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children.

Martin Luther King
August 28, 1963

W hen Washington crossed the Delaware, two blacks were with him.

T hat must mean great, ancient Africa...

B lack history is a separate branch of African history that extends beyond its borders.

B lack history is the American history that was omitted from your textbooks.

A esop, St. Augustine and Pushkin were of African heritage.

B ut those who have waged the most enduring struggle for their rights are blacks in the nation that was founded on civil liberties, freedom and equality the United stares of America.

T he black quest in the United States has been the litmus paper on which the proclaimed ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have been tested.

T he results indicate that LIBERTY AND JUSTICE for ALL has been more fancy than fact.

Blacks were in the New World before Columbus arrived. They participated in the first explorations.

B lacks were in Cortes crew in Mexico, with Pizarro in Peru and Alvarado in Quito.

W hen Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean, 30 blacks were with him, including Nufo de Olano.

W hen Alarcon and Coronado conquered New Mexico, blacks were with them, too.

T he best-known of the black conquistadors was ESTIVANICO he initiated the opening of New Mexico and Arizona a for Spain.

I f there are misunderstandings between black and white people today, its because misconceptions about blacks have been allowed to thrive.

T he only way to help abolish stereotypes is to present a more complete picture of black people in history.

N ative Americans in the Chicago area claimed that The first white man to settle at Chickagoa was a negro.

J ean Baptiste Point du Sable, a black man who came to the Mississippi Valley with French explorers, founded the city of Chicago by constructing the first building on the site that developed into the Windy City.

Its inspiring to know that blacks made a triumphant entrance into the Western World, but considering the circumstances of millions of blacks today, something went wrong ...

T he Afro-European slave trade began in 1441 when a Portuguese prince, Henry the Navigator, sought wealth from Africa and Asia. Henry sent a mariner, Antonio Gonsalves, to the west coast of Africa near Cape Bojodor to investigate.

G onsalves brought gold dust and ten Africans back to Lisbon for the Prince, as a display of Africas wealth.

T he Prince gave the Africans to the Pope.

T he Pope, in turn, granted Henry title to lands discovered east of cape Blanco.

P ortugal dominated this area, near Senegal and with it the African trade market for nearly a century.

A papal Bull prevented Spain from going into Africa, but did give her the bulk of the New World. Spain contracted other nations to procure slaves for her. The contract was called an asiento and was Symbol of power.

B y 1460, approximately 600 slaves were entering Portugal annually. In Lisbon, blacks outnumbered whites.

T he Portuguese didnt invent slavery. For example, the ancient Greeks Kept slaves and Moses led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt.

O n the west coast of the dark continent, a slave system was initiated and perpetuated for economic purposes. The commercial Revolution offered Carte Blanche to those who sought to exploit in order to rise on the Social and economic ladder.