Black History Month

Crispus Attucks was one of the five casualties in the Boston “Massacre.” Aside from the fact that Samuel Adams, propaganda meister extraordinaire, exaggerated the event in order to inflame patriotic passion, is there any reason we should remember the name of this particular victim? Crispus Attucks was black. His martyrdom demonstrates that African-Americans contributed more to the founding of this country than simply slave labor.

Last week, we discussed the topic of the Super Bowl and the ads that were believed to be memorable or ridiculous. No one brought up the ads that celebrated the unique occasion that this was the first Super Bowl to feature two African-American head coaches. Here is a spot from Coke. Here is another from Frito-lay. Watch them—they only take 30 seconds each.

February is also Black History month. From the History.com web site, we can learn that this celebration actually began as “Negro History Week” in the 1920’s. It is safe to say that the experience of Black Americans has changed a lot in the past 80 years. But there still is a need for young African-Americans to have positive role models, to know that their lot in life does not have to be the street or the prison.

Here is your assignment for the week: Once you have followed the link provided above to History.com’s web page on Black History Month, then click on “African American Icons” from the menu on the left. Read one of the biographical entries and summarize the contributions made by your choice. Please don’t repeat a choice that someone else has already made, or the moderator will have to reject your posting. (And keep it respectful.)