A black woman watches as robed Klansmen walk in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, prior to a cross burning rally that night, November 24, 1956
Rare and very interesting photos
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An army unit known as the “Six Triple Eight” had a specific mission in World War II: to sort and clear a two-year backlog of mail for Americans stationed in Europe. Between the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Red Cross and uniformed civilian specialists, that amounted to seven million people waiting for mail. And the responsibility to deliver all of it fell on the shoulders of 855 African-American women.
From February 1945 to March 1946, the women of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion distributed mail in warehouses in England and France. Because of a shortage of resources and manpower, letters and packages had been accumulating in warehouses for months. Part of the Women’s Army Corps, known as WACs, the 6888 had a motto, “No mail, low morale.” But these women did far more than distribute letters and packages. As the largest contingent of Black women to ever serve overseas, they dispelled stereotypes and represented a change in racial and gender roles in the military.
From February 1945 to March 1946, the women of the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion distributed mail in warehouses in England and France. Because of a shortage of resources and manpower, letters and packages had been accumulating in warehouses for months. Part of the Women’s Army Corps, known as WACs, the 6888 had a motto, “No mail, low morale.” But these women did far more than distribute letters and packages. As the largest contingent of Black women to ever serve overseas, they dispelled stereotypes and represented a change in racial and gender roles in the military.
When a group of white and black integrationists refused to leave a motel swimming pool in St. Augustine, Florida, this man dove in and tried to clear them out on June 18, 1964. They were all were arrested.
Black exchange students from Lincoln University, Missouri at a Black Panther solidarity rally in the University of Frankfurt, Germany 1971.
Protesters stand outside of the segregated White Pantry restaurant in Huntington WV, August 1963. In 1963, members of the Civic Interest Progressives, a civil rights organization led by Marshall students and Huntington community leaders, challenged racial discrimination at local eateries such as Bailey's and the White Pantry Inn. After students waging a sit-in were attacked at the White Pantry, they changed their strategy and held a series of "share-ins." In these protests, liberal white students who wanted to help challenge the color line would enter a restaurant and order a meal. After the meal was delivered, they would invite black students to join them at their table. Although these protests led to the end of Jim Crow at many Huntington restaurants prior to the spring of 1963, the owner of the White Pantry turned violent and attacked one of the black students with a cattle prod.
This picture is a lot different than our hair today.Black exchange students from Lincoln University, Missouri at a Black Panther solidarity rally in the University of Frankfurt, Germany 1971.
They say they made the movie king kong about him. He had a love for white ladies.
Colonel Charles Young had a long and storied career in the service of the United States. First serving briefly in the 10th Cavalry and then in the 9th Cavalry, he went on to be Professor of Military Science at Wilberforce College (becoming friends with WEB Du Bois) in 1894. In 1898 he commanded the 9th Ohio Volunteers (an all-black unit) as a temporary Major for the Spanish-American War but the unit was not sent overseas to action, his appointment was significant as one of the few times in the 19th century a black American was put in overall command of a military unit. In 1901, back in the Ninth Cavalry, he was made Captain.
He then spent several years as a National Park Superintendant - at the time, US National Parks were managed by the army - running Sequoia and General Grant national parks as the first black American to hold such a role. He notably improved access to the parks with better roads, allowing them to be easier enjoyed by visitors.
Following this civil role, in 1903 he was transferred back to his first unit, the 10th Cavalry, the famous "Buffalo Soldiers". In 1904 he was then sent as US Military Attache to Haiti, in 1908 he led two squadrons of the 9th Cavalry in the Philippines and then in 1912 he was sent as US Military Attache to Liberia.
He published a work of military theory in 1912, presciently asserting that he had observed no meaningful difference in any given race or culture's ability to fight, if the cause was right - and that United States' promise of equality and opportunity for all, if embraced fully, was a powerful motivator of military morale. He dedicated the work to Theodore Roosevelt. He was awarded the NAACP "Springarn Medal" in 1916 as an African American demonstrating huge achievement.
In 1916, he led the 2nd Squadron of the 10th Cavalry in the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico; leading his squadron with elan in combat led to him being promoted to Colonel, the first African-American to gain that rank. It was at this point, as the United States prepared to enter the First World War, that Colonel Young's service to the United States was derailed. If he was to lead soldiers - even an all-black unit - in combat, he would be eligible for promotion to Brigadier-General (a one-star general) - and due to the size of military force he would be eligible to command, would inevitably have white subordinate officers.
President Wilson, who introduced a range of segregationist measures to the United States at the federal level, was aware of these concerns and seems to have been complicit in what followed - Colonel Young was removed from active duty due to 'high blood pressure'. Colonel Young appealed to former President Theodore Roosevelt, who was in the process of organising his own volunteer units to offer to the US Government. Roosevelt was delighted to have Young onboard as a potential officer for his units, but President Wilson refused Roosevelt permission to continue his project.
Returning to teaching at Wilberforce University, Colonel Young was reinstated in November 1918 - too late to take part in any active combat and gain promotion - after riding from Ohio to Washington DC to demonstrate his fitness for service. He was sent as Military Attache to Liberia again in 1919, and died in Lagos (British Nigeria) in 1922.
Other stuff: - African Americans, in the service of the Tsar
- African Americans, in the service of the King
- an almost-forgot scene of African American resistance
- the British Empire's African War, with as few Africans as possible
- a lynching, in Liverpool
Helen Ann Smith at the diner Harlem House, Beale St, Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1950s. Photo by Ernest C Withers.
60 years ago today, Ruby Bridges, flanked by federal marshals for her protection, marched past a rioting crowd to attend William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans as the first black student in a newly-integrated school. She attended classes alone. The mobs continued to show up, even waving coffins with little black dolls inside. Her family was threatened. Her father lost his job, her mother was not allowed to grocery shop in the area. By the time she reached second grade, there were eight black students in the school.
Sixty years is not very long ago. Ruby Bridges is alive and well, and not particularly old for a baby boomer. Her mother only recently passed away. We tend to look at moments like this as nebulously “in the past,” as if they happened thousands of years ago on a foreign planet, but no. These struggles are in recent, living memory, and we the people still bear the scars
Lucille Brigdes, the courageous mother who dared to enroll her daughter, Ruby, six years, in an all-white public elementary school in New Orleans where blacks were forbidden to go, dies at age 86
She accompanied her to school every day because the insults and threats were daily, she and her daughter were never bowed their heads. They ended up being escorted by federal agents, until she was accepted, giving birth to the Civil Rights movement that eventually ended school segregation. In the picture the famous painting by Norman Rockwell that made the case immortal.
She accompanied her to school every day because the insults and threats were daily, she and her daughter were never bowed their heads. They ended up being escorted by federal agents, until she was accepted, giving birth to the Civil Rights movement that eventually ended school segregation. In the picture the famous painting by Norman Rockwell that made the case immortal.
David Prowse (Darth Vader), Kenny Baker (R2D2) & Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)
Darth Vader star dead at 85: British actor David Prowse dies
Dave Prowse, a former bodybuilder, was best known for playing the iconic super-villain in the original three George Lucas movies. He has died at the age of 85 after a short illness.
Meet Norwell Roberts; first black police officer in London
face2faceafrica.com
Meet Norwell Roberts; first black police officer in London - Face2Face Africa
“They will remember the first policeman; the second or the third they will forget, but the first is always something special,” said Norwell Roberts. Roberts defied unbridled prejudice and racism and became the first Black police officer in London. Born on October 23, 1945, in Anguilla, Roberts...
face2faceafrica.com
New York, 1966
Actor Sidney Poitier (R) and singer(actor )Harry Belafonte (2nd from R) leave Criminal Courts building after poising a $50 bond each for James Forman (L) and John Lewis. Forma, Lewis, and three others charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing after refusing to leave the South African Consulate
Meet Norwell Roberts; first black police officer in London
Meet Norwell Roberts; first black police officer in London - Face2Face Africa
“They will remember the first policeman; the second or the third they will forget, but the first is always something special,” said Norwell Roberts. Roberts defied unbridled prejudice and racism and became the first Black police officer in London. Born on October 23, 1945, in Anguilla, Roberts...
Steve McQueen has a movie coming out on Prime Video about his life.
Norwell Roberts movie
And actually Steve McQueen released a series of movies on Prime about the black struggle and life in London back in the 60s/70s.
Dope!!!!
New York, 1966
Actor Sidney Poitier (R) and singer(actor )Harry Belafonte (2nd from R) leave Criminal Courts building after poising a $50 bond each for James Forman (L) and John Lewis. Forma, Lewis, and three others charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing after refusing to leave the South African Consulate
Rev. A. D. Williams (grandfather of Dr. Martin Luther King), led a boycott throughout the holiday season (yep Thanksgiving~Xmas~New Years) in Atlanta 1906-1907. This boycott put the racist white newspaper (Atlanta Evening News) out of business. Williams (organizer of the Atlanta Civic League) first went to see the publisher, who insulted him, refused to issue an apology, and then ordered him off the premises, “yelling that no ****** was going to dictate editorial policies for white folks, not ever!” Within hours, Williams called on several pastors and others for a meeting at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Pastors agreed to announce from their pulpits the following Sunday the local businesses their members were to boycott, including another white newspaper, The Georgian. Some reports estimated over 6,000 readers dropped the newspaper within the first week. By Christmas time, there was no Ho Ho Ho because this racist didn’t have no Doe Doe Doe. The newspaper went out of business on February 1, 1907. Rev. Williams would continue these types of social protests from the pulpit of Ebenezer until his death in 1931.
Jimi "Purple_Haze" Hendrix and father.
On this day in 1967, Otis Redding went into the studio to record “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay,” 72 hours before he was to die in a plane crash
He wrote the song on a houseboat in Sausalito, California a short time after his appearance at The Monterey pop festival. He never saw its release or its rise to #1. Otis Redding also wrote “Respect”, the song most associated with Aretha Franklin; and recorded a famous cover of “Try a Little Tenderness”.
He wrote the song on a houseboat in Sausalito, California a short time after his appearance at The Monterey pop festival. He never saw its release or its rise to #1. Otis Redding also wrote “Respect”, the song most associated with Aretha Franklin; and recorded a famous cover of “Try a Little Tenderness”.
The faces of these devils is very clear and readily identifiable, so I ask were they ever dragged through the public square for their demonic stance against racial justice. Even now, their families and everyone associated with them needs to be reminded so as to bear their legacy. We have the receipts, so why were they let off the hook so easily?
She attended classes alone. The mobs continued to show up, even waving coffins with little black dolls inside. ...
Rev. A. D. Williams (grandfather of Dr. Martin Luther King), led a boycott throughout the holiday season (yep Thanksgiving~Xmas~New Years) in Atlanta 1906-1907. This boycott put the racist white newspaper (Atlanta Evening News) out of business. Williams (organizer of the Atlanta Civic League) first went to see the publisher, who insulted him, refused to issue an apology, and then ordered him off the premises, “yelling that no ****** was going to dictate editorial policies for white folks, not ever!” Within hours, Williams called on several pastors and others for a meeting at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Pastors agreed to announce from their pulpits the following Sunday the local businesses their members were to boycott, including another white newspaper, The Georgian. Some reports estimated over 6,000 readers dropped the newspaper within the first week. By Christmas time, there was no Ho Ho Ho because this racist didn’t have no Doe Doe Doe. The newspaper went out of business on February 1, 1907. Rev. Williams would continue these types of social protests from the pulpit of Ebenezer until his death in 1931.
This is the joint! Good drop!
Trio of women walking down the street in Marshall, Texas- 1899
Jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong poses for a portrait with his mother Mary Albert (seated) and sister Beatrice 'Mama Lucy' Armstrong circa 1918 in New Orleans.
Protesting hiring practices at Jefferson Bank in St. Louis in 1963
Former Congressman Bill Clay Sitting on bumper.
Protestors inside of Jefferson Bank
Former Congressman Bill Clay Sitting on bumper.
Protestors inside of Jefferson Bank
St. Louis activist Percy Green lying at the foot of the Arch, protesting the lack of black workers
Green and another activist climbed nearly 125 feet up one of the legs of the Arch.
Green and another activist climbed nearly 125 feet up one of the legs of the Arch.
Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, takes a moment to speak to Nat King Cole, who is standing next to the visitor’s dugout at Wrigley Field in Chicago, June 1954. Cole was often referred to as "The Jackie Robinson of Television."
