Bates later went on to serve on the Democratic National Committee and was even a member of President Lyndon B. Johnson administration, and the legendary woman continued her work on behalf of African Americans and poor Americans until her death. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. From her earliest days at anti-lynching protests in the 1930s to President Obama's inauguration, there are few women who have not only seen but been such an important part of African American history the way Height was. By archiving the tweets, we hope to begin building a directory of useful resources for anyone beginning or continuing research into Black History in Leeds. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In her home state of Arkansas, Daisy Bates (1914-1999) made such an impact that there's even an official state holiday in her honor, Daisy Gatson Bates Day, and once you know more about her, you'll understand why. A true inspiration for black Americans and women everywhere, Walker's accomplishments are astounding, especially considering she did it all decades before women's suffrage and the Civil Rights movement. During October the majority of our content on the Secret Library blog will focus on Black History Month, including links to relevant resources held at the Central Library and signposting to external organisations, most specifically relating to Leeds, its history and heritage. Learn how your comment data is processed. The image on the left is (c) Leeds Libraries, http://www.leodis.net and shows: December 1989. Author, poet, feminist, and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou (1928-2014) is a personal hero of mine and likely many others. Alongside the NAACP, Clark created a successful petition that resulted in the first black principal in Charleston, and in 1979, President Jimmy Carter named her the recipient of the Living Legacy Award for her work with African Americans and literacy. The restaurant proved very popular for its traditional dishes of Caribbean chicken, steamed fish with cornmeal, stuffed cheese aubergine, served with gunga peas and rice, leaks, plantain and roast potatoes. Steve Exum/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images, women to be celebrated during Black History Month, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, women you should be celebrating for Black History Month, writes about the immediate need for intersectionality. The daughter of a former slave, she was not only a teacher and a business woman, but she was also the editor of the St. Luke Herald, the first black woman to form a bank, and the first woman of any race to be a bank president in the U.S. She was also an active community member, and once, she even ran for governor of Virginia. As the US and Canada kick off the first Black History Month of 2016, why does it happen, and what exactly is it? The 36 seater venue provided young people with City and Guilds, Caterbase Hotel and Catering Training Board qualifications over two years, and they were paid YTS training allowances. After being refused admission to every flying school she approached in the U.S., Coleman traveled to Paris to train, where she was the only non-white student in her aviation class. Born from humble beginnings in St. Louis, Baker started out as a member of the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers, and eventually made her way to the stage as a chorus girl in Shuffle Along. An outspoken women's activist and the "godmother of Civil Rights," Height made it her life's work to gain equality for black women after she was denied entrance to college because of her race and gender. An activist, journalist, publisher of the Arkansas State Press, and lecturer, Bates played a key part in the Little Rock Integration Crisis in 1957 as an outspoken supporter and guide for the black students who were trying to enroll in the Arkansas public schools with white students. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Black History Month should be acknowledged every day of the year. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. A tireless voting rights activist and civil rights leader, Hamer was an integral part of the Mississippi Freedom Summer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a campaign in 1964 whose aim it was to register as many African American voters as possible in the state, as well as a key member of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which she eventually became the Vice-Chair of and even represented at the National Democratic Convention in 1964. ( Log Out / We know that our collections and our content output do not fully reflect the diversity of experience in our city; this is our starting point, but we know we have much further to go before we can begin to say that our local historical output is truly decolonised. A true inspiration, Baker proved you don't need to be famous to make a difference. In addition to her most notorious action, Parks was also an active member of the NAACP and the Black Power Movement. In January, I would ask my librarian for enough African American biographies for each student in my class. During this period, Baker started adopting what would eventually be 12 children, whom she referred to as her "Rainbow Tribe," proving people of all different races, religions, and backgrounds could live together in harmony. We start this week with the first of those themes: Research. Despite issues of racism and sexism, Coleman graduated with an international pilot's license and went on to become a wildly popular aviatrix drawing thousands of people to her air shows. Though never wholly accepted or appreciated by the industry while she was alive, McDaniel was a pioneer for black women in entertainment who helped paved the way for all those who followed. ( Log Out / Black History Month News News about Black History from ABC News . Today’s image from our Leodis archive is a 1989 shot of the staff at Dr B’s Caribbean Restaurant in Chapeltown. Who will you be celebrating this month? Much of the content will take the form of an archive of tweets on the same theme delivered during our Local and Family History department’s weekly Thursday thread on Twitter. Despite her disabilities and paralysis, Maggie Lena Walker (1864-1934) didn't let anything stop her from becoming a true leader. Though hesitant, Baker did eventually perform in the U.S. again and found the racial climate so different and so much more inviting, it made her weep on stage. Though this list barely begins to scratch the surface of the countless black women in America worth celebrating, these 13 remarkable women are a great place to start. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. View of staff behind the counter of Dr. B’s Caribbean Restaurant, set up by Doctor Barnado’s, the young people’s charity. Images: NPS.org; ZinnEdProject.org; Wikimedia Commons (5). A lifelong activist, Davis is currently a Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she continues to shape the future for feminists and African Americans across the country. Black History Month began as “Negro History Week,” which was created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, a noted African American historian, scholar, educator, and publisher. If you want to know more about her, you should read her American Book Award-winning autobiography, Ready from Within: S eptima Clark and the Civil Rights Movement . President of the National Council of Negro Women for four decades, Dorothy Height (1912-2010) dedicated her life to helping African American women in every way she could. An influential member of the radical counterculture movement of the 1960s and former member of the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party, Davis has never been afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in, no matter how controversial, which has gotten her in trouble more than once. Baker famously left the United States for Paris, where she found fame and fortune on the stage, and became a French citizen after claiming she couldn't live in a country where she was "afraid to be black." Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In addition to her writing career, Angelou worked alongside prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X in their fight for black equality and civil rights. Permanent page bringing all our articles and other resources together in one place. Please follow the Leeds Libraries Twitter account to see those tweets in real-time and for more Black History Month content. You can thank Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) for the phrase âIâm sick and tired of being sick and tired,â among many other things. Black History Month reflects on and honors the African-American experience from the times of slavery through the present. In the face of poverty and discrimination, Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) beat all odds and became the first African American female pilot in the United States. Each week will have a different theme – Research, Events, Social Justice, Windrush and the People of Leeds. You probably know her as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, but Hattie McDaniel is more than her highly criticized role in the 1939 film. From fearless political activists to groundbreaking feminists, here are 13 women you should be celebrating for Black History Month, in case you need more reasons to appreciate this February. Courses are suitable for all heritages but we are running some dedicated to African-Caribbean family history in the near future: https://t.co/fsCic9cqZG pic.twitter.com/T4CRqZpM6t, — Leeds Libraries (@leedslibraries) October 1, 2020. Contact us on 0113 37 86982 or via localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk with any comments. After her tragic death in a plane-related accident in 1926, black and female pilots nationwide began honoring Coleman with an annual fly-over tribute above her grave site. Check out Bustle on YouTube. More than just a civil rights activist, Davis has been involved in the feminist movement, prisoner rights, and social justice. We are always open to feedback, suggestions or contributions. The son of former slaves, Woodson spent his … How Did Black History Month Begin? She was involved in the groundbreaking organizations of the NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee alongside other influential leaders like W. E. B. Have a great week, everyone#librariesfromhome pic.twitter.com/C1oCr0AkM6. Next week, we'll be once again focusing on #BlackHistoryMonth, taking a look at important events, both past and present.