HunnyBeeARevolutionary

"I am...A REVOLUTIONARY"

At age 10, I lived in Montgomery County, MD., and “preached and teached” African American pride to my schoolmates. I passed out homemade fliers and pamphlets about African American history, I made my friends sing freedom songs, and I asked all my friends to recite the Black Panther Party FOR SELF DEFENSE Ten-Point Program, (a list of demands to promote a form of Reparations African Americans). Even though this was a small act, I knew I was a Revolutionary at age 10, even if it was on the playground of my “middle-class” suburban elementary school.

Growing up in a house where it was common to get an everyday dose of African American history, I was taught to read between the fine lines and learn about my ancestors, our history, and to not settle for the way society may look at my race. After school, I mainly spent my time in the libraries in NW D.C. with my gram, learning about the history of my ancestors, conditions and struggles they went through, and narratives of how they made it through injustices. “Sick days”, my gram and I spent hours driving back and forth to old slave Plantations gathering information. Summers I spent reading though autobiographies of some of my favorite leaders.

For those reasons, I chose to graduate from the University of Maryland College Park, with a Bachelors degree in the Cultural & Social Analysis of African American History.

To me, it’s amazing that today, even though we have a sun-kissed President, there are still children living in Southeast, Washington D.C., that have never visited the Fredrick Douglass house, even though they may live within a 10 block radius of the estate. You can talk to children all day, and hear all the gossip about Beyonce, or who Kanye stole the mic from last week, but if you ask, some may only know the extent of African American history as just consisting of Martin Luther king Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, and President Obama. Recently, I’ve even heard adults discuss the topic of African American history, but stumble upon whether Lauryn Hill came up with the clever title of the “Mis-Education”, or if it was Carter G. Woodson. I also find it dangerous and distasteful that not only our local news stations broadcast live news and call President Obama, “Mr. Obama”, but also when we engage in this act ourselves in professional commentary. Sometimes I have to remind myself, “Was I confused, is he not the President???” Imjustsayin-

With this in mind, below is a quiz. Basic African American facts I gave my students last year while teaching African American history/Genealogy, to my 7-14 year olds in Washington D.C.- If you don’t know the answers, then go back-learn African American history, and understand why it is important for you to understand its worth in today’s society. If you happen to be African American, I have to except that “to each his own”, and maybe it wasn’t taught in your house, or taught in your school, but today, you should start to search to help brighten your future.

You can’t go Forward without Knowing your PAST! Go back and Reclaim it! Sankofa!

Who was the first Black American Supreme Court justice?

a) Nelson Mandella
b) Jesse Jackson
c) Thurgood Marshall
d) Richard Wright

Which well-known scientist displayed ways of making various products out of peanuts?

a) Benjamin Banneker
b) George Washington Carver
c) Garret A. Morgan
d) Carter G. Woodson


Black History Month began in:

a)1926
b)1976
c)1895

What College did Martin Luther King Jr. Graduate:

a)Harvard University
b)Howard University
c)Morehouse College
d)Hampton University

What was the name of the abolitionist newspaper founded by Frederick Douglass?

a)“Freedom”
b)“North Star”
c)“Call to Arms”
d)“The Supporter”

Please keep in mind this is just a glimpse into the Wednesday posts to come.



Happy Revolutionary Wednesdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!