, Author at FAMOUS AFRICAN AMERICANS

Museum Dedicated to African American History and Culture is Set to Open in 2016

The new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is set to open in Washington, D.C. this year. Created in 2003 by an Act of Congress, establishing it as part of the Smithsonian Institution. This new museum, the Smithsonian’s 19th, will be the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture.

Here is the winning design concept for the Museum designed by architectural team Freelon Adjaye Bond.

nmaahc-design

Recently, a video was released in anticipation of the grand opening.

6 Must-See Malcolm X Posters

Malcolm X has many admirers for he was the most courageous advocate for rights of black people He has even been called one of the greatest and most influential African American in history. Here are the 6 must-see posters of this great man.

Scholarships for African Americans – Black Scholarships

Scholarships For African Americans

Education is the ultimate right of every child regardless of which race, religion or nation he or she belongs to. To promote this ideal and get as many children to get educated, various incentives are given to people who can’t afford it. The early education is free for most people but it is the higher education that costs a lot and often discourages students to receive it. In order to overcome this situation, governments and private sectors in several nations offer incentives called scholarships to encourage higher education among the gifted students eager to explore world of knowledge.

America is the hub of such scholarly endeavors relentlessly motivating students to be part of this incredible journey. However, there was once a time in America when African Americans were banned from receiving formal education and their small but useful inventions were seized by their owners and wrongfully patented to their name. Civil Rights Movement paved way for African Americans to have same rights as white to seek formal education. Despite the softening of laws, African Americans found it hard to make it to a decent college for financial reasons.

The first African American man to earn college degree was Alexander Lucius Twilight. He graduated from Middlebury College in 1823. In 1862, the first black woman to receive Bachelors in Arts from Oberlin College was Mary Jane Patterson. In the following years a few African American scholars were granted fellowship from American educational institutes. In 1876, Edward Alexander Bouchet became the first African-American to earn scholarship that garnered him a doctorate degree from the prestigious Yale College after submitting a dissertation, in physics. He was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society for his outstanding academic performance. Among black women, Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was the first woman who earned a Ph.D from University of Pennsylvania, 1912. Then the same year Georgiana Simpson received a Ph.D in German Philology from University of Chicago. Howard University conferred a doctoral degree upon Eva Beatrice Dykes in the following years. Thus began a new era of equal rights of education. Henceforth, the black students were given the financial support to further their educational endeavors.

Moreover, these scholarships are not just offered to academically gifted students but also to those black students who proved their worth in the playground. Jerry LeVias is said to have been the first African American to be offered a scholarship based on his athletic prowess. He was offered hundreds of scholarships from different colleges but none from traditionally African American college. Hence, he took up Southern Methodist University’s football scholarship.

It is surveyed that estimated $50 billion dollars are invested in scholarship each year for the students coming from multifarious ethnic backgrounds. African American students along with other minorities receive a huge number of these scholarships. It is due to the fact that black students are still in a great need of financial assistance. Furthermore the education gap between whites and blacks is still as vast as before. So as to tackle this situations not only government but numerous non-profit organization and major corporations came forward to ease the financial burden on African American students issuing grants and fellowships.

A majority of these programs focus on fulfilling the academic needs of black students coming from blue-collar families, incapable of affording college tuition fees. Whereas, there are other programs invested in recognizing the gifted students, athletes, or students vigorously involved in community service and offer them grants not taking into account their financial background. In addition to that, the scholarships given to these black students can be renewed for several years as long as they met the required criteria. In fact, the grant offered to them can be used for several academic purposes besides the tuition fees, such as renting a room in a hostel, books, travel etc.

The scholarships for African Americans are targeted toward students with a keen interest in a particular field of knowledge. Numerous websites are setup to assist these individuals seeking to enroll themselves at college. Cappex is one such domain that offers help to students. For instance, a black student interested in majoring in a chemistry related field, the student will be pointed toward a college offering a scholarship in that field, like the American Chemical Society Minority Scholarship. They offer a twenty-five hundred dollar scholarship after reviewing applicant’s academic record and excellence. Other such scholarships for individuals having interest in variety of fields such as teaching, technical and biblical studies can avail Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship, and the Star Supporter Scholarship, respectively.

It is observed that through centuries women’s right to education or equal salary has taken a backseat, whereas, the men are appointed and elected to all the major positions in a society. The same goes for the education of women of color who were previously deprived of their basic right. The gap between white female students and blacks is still huge and consequently even in the 21^st century only 2% of all academia jobs are held by African-American females. Despite the fact that it is the black women who earned these scholarships on the basis of their academic excellence out-performed men, yet they are unable to accomplish better jobs as their male counterparts.

Scholarships may reduce the financial burden and ensure monumental educational possibilities but it still fails to guarantee high-paying career for them. Therefore, the responsibility rests upon the shoulders of white women to also assist black women in their career without prejudice. There are a number of organizations dedicated to the cause of offering scholarship to black women. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is a renowned organization which facilitates black students’ in their education through various scholarship, internship and fellowship programs. The National Black Nurses Associations is another well-known non-profit organization devoted to help African American in nursing education, providing grants and annual scholarships. One other group known for its scholarship programs based on economic disadvantages of black students is Black Women in Sisterhood for Action (BISA).

African-American Civil Rights Movement

civil-rights-movement

The Civil Rights Movement began decades before 19^th century that resulted in the Emancipation Proclamation. Initially, abolition of slavery was not on Abraham Lincoln’s agenda list. However, his ever increasing reliance on black soldiers to punish the rebellious states rendered him to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Previously the constitution protected slavery and allowed the importation of slaves until 1808. African American slaves were seen exclusion to the Declaration of Independence that renders equal right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Only a handful of African Americans managed to stay out of slave system but only to be discriminated and segregated forcefully. The black slaves took it upon themselves to revolt against their inhuman treatment. Some rebelled violently while others resort to non-violent protests, legal complaints, charges, petitions addressed to the government officials and so on. This gradual progress to improve upon their status in society was what massive civil rights movements made of.

At first even white males with no property were not given the right to vote. Eventually, they were granted the right on the expense of black free slaves as they suffered the consequence. In the Southern State slave owners took serious notice of slave revolt incident of Nat Turner by putting a ban on anti-slavery campaigns and protests. The white Southerners went to the extent of disallowing slaves’ right to basic education. The ever increasing repression did not keep slaves from finding ways to escape slavery either by mutual agreement or running away. The Northern American states had a larger population of free African Americans who by that time were able to hold national conventions and meeting to address their problems and find a way toward racial advancement. Even some white good Samaritans joined the antislavery activism and founded American Anti-Slavery Society.

The abolition of slavery movement became even stronger when the former slave and revolutionary figure like Frederick Douglass joined it. He spread awareness regarding the horrors of slavery in his autobiography. Despite their unabated struggle to become equal citizens, the black antislavery activism suffered a major setback when the U.S. Supreme Court deemed African Americans ill-suited to be offered American citizenship. Instead of shaking their resolve, the hypocrite politicians and justice court only ended up steeling their will to strive for freedom. This temporary hindrance and chaos among political leaders to decide where their allegiance truly lies paved way for Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign as a Republican candidate who supported antislavery movement.

In 1863, African Americans efforts paid off when the Emancipation Proclamation was announced which made sure that the Confederacy did not have a hold over their black slaves during the American Civil War. As soon as the war ended, Republican leaders attained ratification of constitutional amendments. The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment ensured the abolishment of slavery and protected the legal equality of former slaves and the Fifteenth Amendment safeguarded the voting rights of former male slaves. Even though these amendments were meant to guarantee the equal rights for African Americans, it took them over a century of struggle to have the former Confederate states to federally enforce those.

The federal military was pulled out of South at the end of Reconstruction. Despite the official ban on slavery, the white government officials reinforced the Jim Crow’s set of ideals in the South. The South perpetuated racial prejudice and segregation. In 1896, the Supreme Court made Plessy v. Ferguson decision endorsing separate but equal facilities for colored civilians. The decision was overtly in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment as the facilities offered to blacks were inferior as compared to whites.

Early twentieth-century is marked as the time when Pan-African movement emerged to overcome racial discrimination and segregation worldwide. Booker T. Washington, a black educator and scholar stressed on economic development without challenging Jim Crow’s ideals openly. Leading advocate for civil rights, W.E.B. Du Bois joined forces with white proponents of racial equality and founded the milestone organization to champion the rights of his race called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The purpose of this organization was to handle matters legally and spread public awareness against the racial injustices. They also filed official complaints and lawsuits demanding equal basic facilities such as public accommodations, education and employment. In a matter of small time NAACP become a national organization dedicated to fighting for civil rights.

Yet some local black Americans believed in individual efforts like when in 1951, a teenager, Barbara Johns, walked out of a Virginia high school. The brave act culminated in Brown decision which sparked the desegregation wave over the public schools. In 1955, another major incident in the civil rights movement occurred when NAACP activist Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus which was expected to be a norm. This act of rebellion ignited the bus boycott which in turn sped up the civil right reform process.

The same time a new influential figure emerged to lead the civil rights movements. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated the nonviolent protest being the leader of Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). Despite the fact that his life was threatened time and again when his house blew up, he refused to opt for violence to achieve his goal of racial equality. He is that proponent of civil rights movement who made the historical speech titled ‘I have a Dream’ relaying his deep feelings and inspiring thousands of Americans to take stand against racial inequality. Then there was a famous Greensboro sit-in incident of four black college students who occupied seats reserved for whites in a drugstore. It became a phenomenon on a national scale when thousands of students joined this campaign.

In 1961 the Freedom-Rides begin, the 1965 the Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama and other such non violent efforts led to noted legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. Eventually, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed imposing ban of any type of discrimination based on religion, color, race, national origin or sex. The racial segregation in schools and workplaces was lifted. In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was passed restoring and protecting African Americans’ right to vote. The same year the Immigration and Nationality Services Act was imposed reopening the immigrants’ entry in the state. However, half a century later it may not come as a surprise that they are still struggling to be seen as equal citizens United States.

African Americans in WW2

The second global war, also known as Second World War (WW2), occurred in 1939 and did not end till 1945. It is considered the world’s deadliest conflict in human history that claimed lives of millions of people upon political and military disagreements. The two opposing military alliances called Axis and Allies consisted of different nations. The main leaders involved in these alliances were Britain, United States, Soviet Union and Republic of China which represented Allies. Axis included Japan, Nazi Germany and Kingdom of Italy. Besides these numerous nations were involved one way or another investing their economic, industrial, military resources to the war at the global scale. The result was genocide of millions, remembered as the ugliest episodes of inhumanity in the history of mankind. The Holocaust of Jews in Nazi Germany and atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ordered by United States claimed lives of millions of innocent civilians.

To stage a war at such a large scale requires equally huge manpower to sustain it. America always managed to stay at the center of conflicts throughout the centuries. Thus, World War II was no different occurrence for America as it ordered troops to join Allies against the Axis. African Americans’ involvement in the world wars also plays an instrumental role because they were drafted in the military at a huge scale. In spite of that hypocrisy of U.S military was quite evident as they segregated black soldiers. Moreover, they were not treated equally, giving way to racial conflicts. The African American soldiers were kept at a far distance from whites at church services, canteens, in transportation and parades.

Over twelve-hundred thousand African Americans in WW2 were sent overseas. It was observed that most black soldiers were appointed the task of serving as truck drivers and as stevedores during the war. As mentioned earlier the military maintained a racially segregated force, declaring black soldiers unfit for the combat. Therefore, they were kept from fighting in the front lines along with the white soldiers and given the support duties mostly.

In 1941, the civil right activists and leaders demanded their right to be treated as equal and given the same opportunities at battle fields as their white counterparts. This protest included demand to set up all-black combat unit. As an experiment, such a unit was established to gauge the efficiency of black soldiers as compared to whites. The Air Force trained the first group of black pilots’ unit, Tuskegee Airman. Woodrow Crockett was part of that experimental unit, who flew 149 missions in a span of a year. Their mission was to protect American bombers and harbors in Italy from German air attacks. In fact the all-black air force unit made a record of never losing bomber plane to an air attack during their 200 missions.

As the experiment succeeded, the white requested the all-black 332nd Fighter Group to escort them. It is noted in the history recorded by African American retired U.S. Army Colonel Bill De Shields, that every victory of black soldiers was denoted by double V gesture. It symbolized two victories against the enemy aboard and the enemy back home that was the racial prejudice and segregated society and its human personification Jim Crow.

Despite the relentless input of African American soldiers to prove their worth fighting side by side with the white, they were discriminated as many times. The disaster of 1944 at Port Chicago was the evidence of it. Upon the command of white officers to quickly load 2,000 tons of ammunition on a ship, an explosion occurred. The accident claimed lives of 320 military and civilian workers who were mostly black. This episode led to Chicago Mutiny which then turned into a full-fledge military trial for mutiny. Fifty African Americans sailors were tried for refusing to load the ammunition under the same dangerous conditions. The end result was the conviction of all defendants which engendered criticism and became an important topic in the discussion of desegregation.

In 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, General Eisenhower was considerably short on replacement troops which were solely based on white soldiers. Short of any feasible alternative, African American soldiers were allowed to be a part of combat unit which was previously consisted of all-whites. Surprisingly, over two thousand soldiers were sent to fight at the front lines on voluntary basis. This decision is regarded as a crucial step toward the desegregation of American military. The brave African American soldier fought with great valor and courage during the World War II sacrificing 708 of their soldiers in the combat.

In 1940, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. became the first African American Brigadier General in the Army. His son Davis, Jr. served in Tuskegee Airmen as the commander and eventually came to receive the United States Air Force’s first African American General’s title. The first African American to earn the Navy Cross was a Navy mess attendant, Dorris Miller, for demonstrating bravery during the Pearl Harbor Attack. Despite having no prior training in use of arms, Miller managed to target Japanese aircraft with an anti-aircraft gun. In addition to the long list of courageous black arm forces, Golden Thirteen unit became first colored officers in the U.S Navy. In 1944, an African American soldier, Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., was appointed as commissioned officer and was promoted to command a US warship which was the first time for any black officer. Also the first African-American to be appointed United States Marine Corps officer was Frederick C. Branch, in 1945.

These soldiers served with distinction in the war with their units. Some of the well-known units include 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 92nd Infantry Division and 761st Tank Battalion. Other units lauded for their heroic achievements included 5th Cavalry Brigade and the Tuskegee Airmen. Their valuable input was appreciated by President Harry S. Truman who declared desegregation of all U.S. Armed Forces, issuing an Executive Order 9981, in 1948. Then in 1997, the contribution of black soldiers was recognized by the former U.S President Bill Clinton. He awarded Medal of Honor for the act of valor to the seven African American soldiers who served in the Second World War.

African American History

African American history entails the American history with regard to black ethnic group that formed its root in America after being enslaved by the whites in their homeland. The heinous tradition of holding blacks in captivity and enslaving them began in the mid 16^th century and lasted till 1865. Most of the blacks who make African American history were slaves. They have been called a variety of terms throughout American history, such as Negros and colored. But now, these terms are considered offensive to refer to African Americans. The contribution of African Americans in the history of United States can’t be neglected. Therefore, each year the blacks’ history in America is celebrated in the month of February to honor them. It is known as the Black History Month. It was not until late twentieth century that academic board in the United States decided to include African Americans’ history in their curriculum, which was previously marginalized for a number of reasons.

As mentioned earlier, the 80-85% African Americans population descended from their ancestors, who were brought from Africa to Northern America during slave trade. The rest of 10% arrived of their own accord by means of Caribbean route or other. The Africans who were captured in African wars were sold to various buyers including United States, Europe and Arabia. The slavery had its roots in Africa for centuries but it was not until Europeans arrived who expanded the market looking for low-cost labor. These labors were mostly captured upon false criminal charges or kidnapped.

These slaves were then transported through ships where they were separated from their families and segregated by gender. The first of slaves were brought to Fort Monroe in Hampton during 17^th century. Their owner kept them as indentured servants which entailed their release upon serving for a certain period of time. This practice was later replaced by race-based slavery and eventually the relegation of blacks reached the point where the slavery was legalized in Massachusetts, in 1641. Gradually, other American states followed their example and furthered the slavery laws by expanding slave system to their children and extending it for a lifetime. Their population took a huge spike 1700 onwards, so much so that the black slave trade took a dive. They made the ten percent of population in North America in the beginning of eighteenth century.

Then came the time when the African slaves were outnumbered by American-born slaves and during that time American Revolution started. This episode in American history led to abolishment of slavery in the most of the Northern states of America, while the South still held fast to its slave trade laws. South Carolina had the biggest black population of all States. In fact, the state seemed like an extension of West Africa. In 1808, United States officially placed a ban on international slave trade. As their population grew, African American slaves revolted against the slavery laws. In 1739, the biggest rebellion was seen in South Carolina, the Stono Uprising. The black slaves outnumbered white citizens by far and thus they decided to revolt against them by means of violence. They seized their weapons and attacked whites, killing twenty civilians which then resulted in counter attack killing most of these rebels.

The second half of the eighteenth century is marked by severe political upheaval disrupting the peace in the United States. While Americans demanded freedom from British colonial power, African Americans also demanded their right to freedom. Thomas Jefferson came up with the historical document known as the Declaration of Independence. The document emphasized human right to personal freedom and equality which was ironic given the fact that Jefferson himself owned 200 slaves. For political gain, the Congress did consider freeing the slaves but couldn’t see through it. One of the free blacks who founded Prince Hall Freemasonry filed petition to free slave but only to have it fallen on deaf ears. Yet, African American did not relinquish the patriotic spirit taking part in the American Revolution. They fought side by side with whites in a number of battles, including Bunker Hill, the battles of Lexington and Concord and the Boston Massacre. Afterwards, black slaves’ participation in the war was barred by George Washington when he came to power.

In the nineteenth century a handful of blacks joined Christian Church which was segregated from whites. The first community institution established by African Americans was the Black church. It was a sort of their sanctuary, a place where they could practice their beliefs without any intrusion from white communities. This all led to the advent of Afro-Christianity which is known in the African-American history as the Second Great Awakening.

Mid-nineteenth century was the time when some white political, scholarly and religious figures stood up for African American’s right to freedom. A campaign was started against slavery highlighting the cruelties and atrocities faced by the blacks. The antislavery movement was stronger in the North as the American abolitionist like Harriet Beecher Stowe illustrated the tragedy of a black slave, being treated less than a human in her highly acclaimed American fiction, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The popularity of the novel would consolidate the support of Northern American against slavery.

There were a series of episodes demonstrating horrific brutality and injustices against African Americans in the history. However, they braved through the most difficult of times through mutual help and support. Eventually the day came when the Emancipation Proclamation was declared. President Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order on January 1, 1863, abolishing the slavery once and for all. In a single bound Lincoln altered the landscape of African American history by freeing three million slaves outside of Confederate government. This decision was followed by 1866 Civil Rights Act which rendered blacks, citizens of United States and then the 14^th amendment granted full U.S. citizenship to African-Americans. And in order to permeate the sense of equality the male black citizens were given the right to vote ratified in the 15th amendment in 1870. Henceforth, the African Americans were given posts in high-ranked political, military, educational spots if not as many as it takes to claim it just. However, it took years to implement these laws in the South which refused to consider blacks as anything more than servants. The twenty-first century brought African Americans a dawn of new age when the entire United States elected a black President, Barack Obama, twice.

Top 10 Most Famous Black Actors of All Time

Famous Black Actors

Hollywood is a giant industry which provides work to hundreds of actors. At the advent of this industry only white actors ruled the silver screen and the blacks were given only minor roles. As the time progressed, blacks were given the voice in the society and eventually allowed white collar jobs. With that the dynamic of stereotypical American society altered and blacks were given jobs with less discrimination. As a result, aspiring black actors found sanctuary in Hollywood as well and some of these talented performers ultimately become stellar actors. It might not be wrong to say that the film industry, theater and television is rendered incomplete without their prodigious input. Here are some of most famous black actors of all time.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman holds a top position in the Hollywood for his tremendous performance. The seventy-eight year old actor was born in June 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee. Morgan was born with an innate talent for acting. When he was nine he took part in a school play as a lead which marked his debut. After moving to California he pursued his dream by enrolling himself at the Pasadena Playhouse. Finally, he debuted on a Broadway play Hello, Dolly! in 1968. The theater brought him into limelight with his titular role in Coriolanus and other alike which earned him Obie Award.

Despite Morgan’s relentless work in theater and television, his acting career truly begins with the silver screen. Moreover, he mostly depicted a kind, wise fatherly figure in his films. The Shawshank Redemption is one such film in which he played the redeemed convict. His incredible performance in this film and Driving Miss Daisy won him nominations in the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He eventually garnered an Oscar award for Million Dollar Baby. His deep reverberating distinctive voice plays a pivotal role in landing him several prominent projects as such the narrator of award Oscar winning documentary March of the Penguins.

Denzel Washington

Besides Morgan, there is another stellar black actor who took the entire Hollywood by storm with his mesmerizing performances. Born, December 28, 1954, Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. is an award winning actor and filmmaker. Washington received his acting education from Lincoln Center campus and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. His acting career was given a major break as he was landed a role in a NBC’s medical drama St. Elsewhere. His praise-worthy roles include his performance in Cry Freedom as political activist Steven Biko and self-possessed ex-slave soldier in Glory. The two roles garnered him nominations for Oscar and the latter won him the prestigious award. His other critically acclaimed works include Malcolm X, The Hurricane, The Great Debaters and Flight.

Samuel L. Jackson

The next name in the list of the greatest actors in American cinema needs no introduction. Samuel Leroy Jackson is known for his monumental work and diverse roles. The sixty-six year old actor grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Earlier in his education Jackson intended to pursue marine biology, however, he switched his major to acting as he developed a great interest in the subject. After starting his career with theater, he moved on to television and then to silver screen with his debut Together for Days (1972). Some of his prominent works include Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance, the Star Wars prequel trilogy and a recurring role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Will Smith

In addition to that Will Smith is also one of those names among the current Hollywood’s finest. The forty-seven year old actor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Besides acting he also produces films, sings and writes songs’ lyrics. His unparalleled acting career was built by his stupendous performances in films like Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness. In 1993 he was landed his first major role in Six Degrees of Separation which was followed by blockbuster action film Bad Boys. His other achievements include his nominations for Golden Globes and Academy Awards and four Grammys wins.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx also belongs to the same category of prominent black actors and proved his worth with numerous outstanding performances. Born Eric Marlon Bishop, Foxx grew up in Terrell, Texas. His critically acclaimed works include playing the supervillain Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the Oscar-nominated film Django Unchained. He won the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for his role in the biopic Ray.

Laurence John Fishburne III

Another major black actor is Laurence John Fishburne III, who worked several radical works in, such as the celebrated Matrix trilogy, Apocalypse Now, Boyz n the Hood and Hannibal. Two Trains Running earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

Eddie Murphy

Hollywood is incomplete without comic actors such as Eddie Murphy. The standup comedian and actor is known for his regular appearance in the Saturday Night Live in the early eighties. He was nominated for several Golden Globe awards from which he won for his work in the Beverly Hills Cop series and Trading Places among others.

Danny Glover

The next African American distinguished actor to grace this list of top performer is the versatile Danny Glover. The sixty-nine year old eminent actor was born in San Francisco, California. Besides acting he also directs the films and found involved in political causes and humanitarian work. He is lauded for his performance in the iconic film series Lethal Weapon, The Color Purple, Angels in the Outfield and Predator 2.

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker also made to the list of top most black actors. Born on July 15, 1961, Whitaker grew up in Longview, Texas. His critically acclaimed works such as The Butler, Bird and Platoon earned him reputation for his intensive character study. For his notable performance he won several awards including Academy Award, British Academy Film Award and Golden Globe Award.

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Last but not the least Cuba Gooding Jr. is another esteemed black actor who appeared in notable projects like A Few Good Men, The Butler and Good as It Gets. The forty-seven year old, New York City native won the prestigious Academy Award for marvelously playing Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire.

Top 10 Richest African Americans

Richest African Americans
No one can understand the value of freedom as the African Americans do. They were led into slavery by whites and kept as petty slaves by land owners deprived of any rights. It took some time for the black to fathom their true potential as human beings deserving of equal respect, rights and social standing in the society. Gradually the idea grew stronger in their minds giving them a new purpose in life that propelled them in the direction of success. Some African Americans became great discoverers and scientists others found ways to expand their financial resources throughout the world and eventually gained success. It might have been surprising to find billionaire African Americans in the last century. However, the twenty-first century is teeming with the richest African Americans.

Oprah Winfrey

Topping the list of richest black in the world is a woman, Oprah Winfrey. She is one of the seven African American billionaires, known for her extensive work in electronic media. Being a television host, producer and actress, Winfrey receives a great praise for her work on television. She came to success with her hit talk show People are Talking, which ran for almost a decade in 1970s. After that she produced her own famous talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which turned out to be a global phenomenon. Furthermore, she uses her celebrity for philanthropic work around the world. Forbes magazine, the trademark magazine that exclusively features rich public figures includes Winfrey among the world’s most powerful women quite often. Her net worth stands at 2.9 billion dollars.

Michael Jordan

Next in line of the richest African American is the America’s beloved basketball player Michael Jordan. He is considered the greatest basketball player of all time, winning a number of titles representing Chicago Bulls in National Basketball Association (NBA). His popularity graph spiked with his outstanding performance which in turn rendered NBA’s popularity to grow throughout the globe. Most of what he makes came from multifarious endorsements such as brands and companies like Five Star Fragrances, Hanes, Nike, and 2K Sports. His net worth is one billion dollars, holds 80% stake in the team named Charlotte Bobcats along with earning royalties from brand Jordan that is a subdivision of Nike.

Sean Combs

Sean Combs also known by his stage name Diddy is one of the richest African Americans in United States. Combs came from musical background and invested his musical talent in record production and rapping. In his youth he dropped out of Howard University and went to work for R&B and hip-hop record label. He found a lucky break when he released his debut track Can’t nobody Hold Me Down. Since then he has been successfully producing music. According to Forbes’ estimation Combs is turning in fifty-million dollar annually and stands the net worth of over half a billion dollars.

Robert L. Johnson

A couple of decades ago the idea of any African American being featured in Forbes was outright outlandish. However, it all changed when the black billionaire Robert L. Johnson, made it to the list of richest persons alive for the first time. The Black Entertainment Television was one of his company that he sold to Viacom in 2001 for three billion dollars. Following this business deal, Johnson ventured into a new lucrative market of investing in a chain of hotels, banks, recording studios and real estate. Moreover, he holds controlling stake in several NBA teams that he purchased.

Tiger Woods

Another African American athlete that joined the millionaire’s club is Tiger Woods. As surveyed by Forbes in 2013, the child prodigy golf player is one of the highest paid athletes in the world. He is a top ranked golf player who earned over sixty millions in endorsements and a seven figure salary. However, his luck ran out when his infidelity scandal became public knowledge in 2009. He became a target of public shaming and as a result his rank took a dive and several sponsors pulled out their contract with him.

Jay-Z
Jay-Z
The American music industry is teeming with African American millionaires. One such musician is Shawn Carter also known by his stage name Jay-Z. The music artist is a world renowned rapper and record producer selling over fifty million albums worldwide. He received numerous accolades for his musical work including seventeen Grammy awards. Apart from music, Jay-Z has invested in several other business ventures including the New Jersey Nets.

Magic Johnson

Best known for his career in professional basketball, Earvin Johnson also widely known as Magic Johnson, is one of the richest African Americans. Currently he is expanding his wealth by investing in several lucrative business deals with companies like Starbucks, AMC Theatres and T.G.I. Fridays. He founded Magic Johnson Enterprises that is estimated to be worth of seven hundred million dollars of which he donated to several charities.

Bill Cosby

From the entertainment industry, Bill Cosby’s name is hard to dismiss as a black millionaire. He was casted as a lead in a sixties NBC’s series I Spy when black actors were denied major roles. He received three Emmy Awards for his performance. Later he launched The Cosby Show that was a milestone in his acting career. The success of the show earned him millions of dollars. Next he published a book Fatherhood heftily profiting from selling millions of copies. Cosby also kept up the charity work, donating 20 million to Spelman College.

Sheila Johnson

Aforementioned millionaire Robert L. Johnson’s former wife, Sheila Johnson also made it to the black rich club with the net worth of four-hundred million. After splitting the couple divided their share. Sheila assumed the team president position at WNBA’s Washington Mystics and holds stakes in NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals after making a major investment in Lincoln Holdings.

Tyler Perry

The jack-of-all-trades personality, Tyler Perry is a popular media celebrity who earned his millionaire status from writing, directing, acting and producing movies. In 2008, he opened up his own studios and owns sitcoms such as Meet the Browns and House of Payne, which have a huge black audience. He currently stands at the net worth of $350 million.

Top 10 Famous African American Scientists and their Contributions

Famous African American Scientists

We live in the twenty-first century with modern comforts to help make our lives simpler and easier. It wouldn’t have been possible without the unrelenting efforts of numerous scientists and their useful inventions. America is one of the major hubs of new scientific discoveries and behind those are innumerable and even unknown African American scientists’ efforts. Before abolition of slavery blacks were prohibited from seeking formal education. Especially the South was a hotbed of rampant racism and social prejudice against blacks that disallowed slave literacy following a series of slave rebellions. As a result, most of their inventions were usurped by their owners and not given the right to have claim over their crafts. However, in 1870, this law was revised allowing blacks to hold patent. Even after the Civil War, African Americans were unable to find quality educational and vocational training equivalent to that of whites. Nonetheless, the blacks refused to give up striving for higher aims and proved their worth with their invaluable inventions. These famous African American scientists come from diverse field of knowledge making discoveries in physics, mathematics, medical, space and nuclear sciences.

Benjamin Banneker

The first name that comes up in the history of African American intellects is Benjamin Banneker. Born in 1973, in Baltimore County, Banneker was a celebrated almanac author, astronomer, clockmaker and mathematician. He made a clock himself after studying the workings of a friend’s watch. Moreover, he taught himself astronomical calculations so accurately that later he predicted a solar eclipse. He published a book on the subject predicting the eclipses. In fact, President George Washington appointed him to survey the borders of the original District of Columbia.

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was another popular African American inventor and botanist. He was known for discovering an alternative to growing cotton helping hundreds of farmers in the process. Born in 1860, in Diamond, Missouri, Carver attended Simpson College after getting his application refused by Kansas University for being black. He received a Bachelors and Masters degree from Iowa State College in agricultural science. He introduced the method of planting peanut, soybean, and sweet potato so as to restore nitrogen in the soil which was completely consumed by cotton crops. Additionally, he was appointed the director of agricultural research in 1896 at Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute.

Lonnie G. Johnson

Another Tuskegee alum, Lonnie G. Johnson, is a world renowned former Air Force and NASA engineer. Born in Alabama in 1949, Johnson went to study nuclear engineering at Tuskegee University and successfully completed his Masters degree. Afterwards, he was recruited by U.S. Air Force and the NASA space program where he assisted in developing the stealth bomber program. He is known for inventing the Super Soaker gun toy which turned out to be a massive success in early 1990s. Moreover, he established Johnson Research & Development where he invested all his energy into developing the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter that converts heat directly into electricity.

Ben Carson

Born in Detroit, in 1951, Ben Carson is an eminent intellectual, scientific and political figure in recent times. He is best known for being the top neurosurgeon in America. Despite having a rough childhood and Carson made it to the big leagues through his mother’s efforts. Carson received Bachelors in psychology after earning a full scholarship to Yale. He then opted for neurosurgery at the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan. Soon he became a physician to hold the position of the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He gained fame in medicinal world by applying a groundbreaking method of separating two conjoined twins. Also his recent popularity is due to the fact that he is running as a Republican candidate in United States presidential elections, 2016.

Guion S. Bluford

The first African American to travel into space was Guion S. Bluford. Born on November 22, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bluford was a well-reputed pilot, astronaut and scientist. He received higher education from Pennsylvania State University earning a degree in aerospace engineering, 1964. He joined NASA after serving in Air Force as a decorated pilot. At the space shuttle, Challenger, he was appointed the mission specialist and spent 688 hours in space carrying out three different missions.

Mae C. Jemison

Speaking of astronauts, another name that comes to mind is Mae C. Jemison, who was the first female African American to travel through space. She attended Stanford University from where she attained a degree in chemical engineering and become a medical doctor from Cornell University Medical College. Soon after, she had the opportunity to be admitted into the astronaut training program which was a first time for a black woman. She was given the responsibility of conducting crew-related scientific experiments on the space shuttle for which she became science mission specialist.

Daniel Hale Williams

Born in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on January 18, 1856, Daniel Hale Williams was a celebrated physician and cardio-surgeon. Pioneering career in medicine rendered Williams to become the first surgeon to perform open-heart surgery in the United States. In addition to this achievement, he founded a Provident Hospital where he appointed interracial staff for the first time.

James West

Scientific world of discovery witnessed a miraculous invention, when James West developed the electret transducer technology. West studied physics from Temple University and applied his learning at Acoustics Research Department at Bell Laboratories. Eventually, he invented a sensitive, inexpensive and compact microphone.

George Carruthers

Another distinguished physicist to remember is George Carruthers. His inventions revolutionized the world of scientific technology. His notable inventions include the ultraviolet camera. The spectrograph helped NASA on their Apollo 16 mission capturing images of Earth’s atmosphere and exploring further mysteries of space.

Charles Drew

Born in 1904, in Washington, medical researcher Charles Drew, came from African American heritage, made a groundbreaking discovery in medical field. He received his medical education from McGill University in Montreal and earned a Rockefeller Fellowship to study at Columbia University. He devised a process to store blood plasma for a longer period of time which helped in blood transfusion that saved lives of many. Additionally, he invested his reserves to establish two largest blood banks during the Second World War.

12 Must See Black History Movies

Black History Movies

Decades of struggle and hardship paid off when United States elected a black president. It is still too early to say that discrimination has been completely abolished from U.S as different races are being targeted instead of blacks. The blacks who used to be traded to western countries and kept as slaves are now seen as the equal member of the white society. In the past it was not an easy thing to depict black experience without getting banned and barred. Still many writers stood up to shed light on the matter through the medium of books, for instance, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. With the passage of time the relentless struggle of those African Americans, to be accepted in the society and seen as equals, came to be captured by the several silver screen productions of Hollywood. The following mentioned must-watch black history movies highlight their role in the American history and presents tribute to their hardships and perseverance.

Driving Miss Daisy

In 1989 a film titled, Driving Miss Daisy was released starring the celebrated black actor Morgan Freeman. The movie brings to light the mid-twentieth century Southern prejudices. Also elucidating that race and religion can go beyond these trivial matters of color and creed and help overcome it. The lead character seventy-two year old Daisy hires a black driver and during her travel she gets to know about the life of a victim of overtly prejudiced and discriminatory society of hers. The resolution of the film shows the dawn of a new beginning as Daisy attends Martin Luther King Jr. speech.

Gone with the Wind

One of the cinema’s classic epic-historical-romance Gone with the Wind (1939), is a narrative of impact of Civil War and the reconstructive period in Southern America. Similar to other films released during this period, this movie portrays the staunch racism rampant in the Southern States. The film also marks the first black actor, Hattie McDaniel, to win an Oscar for her performance. However, she was barred from attending premiere of her own film due to notorious Jim Crowe’s laws, who was an unrelenting supporter of prejudice against blacks.

The Butler

In recent times Lee Daniel’s epic cinematic masterpiece, The Butler, got released. Forest Whitaker in the lead illustrates the character of a real life person Eugene Allen, who served the job of a black butler for generations of elected presidents of United States. Whitaker flawlessly plays the role of an eye-witness to ups and downs in American politics that shaped the future of black population. Moreover, the film realistically captures his personal struggle and his place in all this.

Ray
Ray
Besides representing African-Americans in only political and socially prejudiced context, some films also depict the prodigious side of them, for instance, the biopic of musical genius Ray Charles entitled, Ray (2004). The titular character is played by Jamie Foxx, who won an Academy Award for his spectacular performance in the said role. Ray was not just a musical artist but a prodigy who revolutionized the music scene and left a huge legacy of gospel, country, jazz and orchestral work. Additionally, he fought for the rights for his black fellow musician to come out of the shadows and embrace their musical heritage.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman

Another famed biopic that graced the small screen, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, was an adaptation of Ernest J. Gaines’s publication. Cicely Tyson is lauded for playing the title character who is shown to be born in the slavery in the Southern state and subjected to innumerable hardships as a black woman. Her unabated believe in freedom renders her to live to see the day when she becomes the part of the Civil Rights Movement.

The Color Purple

Based on Alice Walker’s book, Steven Spielberg adapted The Color Purple to the silver screen. It narrates a heart-wrenching tale of Celie Johnson’s youth in the early twentieth-century. The movie captures the trial and tribulation that the central character suffered throughout her life while simultaneously shedding light on the predicaments of black women in general.

Malcolm X

American cinema is teeming with the films that portrayed controversial American figures. It may not come as a surprise that such films based on African-American figures are few and far between. Nonetheless, the valiant and industrious filmmaker Spike Lee lent hand to this staggeringly monumental task, Malcolm X. The biopic is based on the most influential Muslim African Americans who passionately and incessantly fought for the civil rights. The film illustrates his entire life from his sordid youth to stoic adulthood.

Ali
Ali
The list of epic autobiographical movie adaptations is incomplete without this larger than life athlete and political activist figure, Ali. Michael Mann starred Will Smith as the title character in his film that effortlessly captures the struggle of the athlete through his youth and also engulfs certain figures who surrounded and influenced Muhammad Ali.

A Time to Kill

Joel Schumacher the famed director takes his audience on a brutal and a gut-wrenching ride with his film, A Time to Kill. The movie dramatizes the real-life injustices held against the African Americans women in modern day America. Sandra Bullock playing the lead as a young lawyer defends a black man (Morgan Freeman), who is accused of allegedly killing two white men who violated his young daughter. The film also highlights the rebirth of a heinous terrorist organization called Ku Klux Klan which is still very much alive in the present day America.

The Help

Most of these films portraying the black history are based on the books. In 2009 Kathryn Stockett published a novel, The Help, which was soon adapted into a motion picture. It demonstrates the socially prejudiced Southern society through the black maids’ perspective. Set in 1963, the film stars Emma Stone as a white journalist, who explores the world of black domestic help for her book that would help her gain a prestigious job opportunity.

Glory
Glory
Another must see adaptation is Ed Zwick’s Glory, presenting a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes of the Civil War. The adaptation is based on the memoirs of Col. Robert Gould Shaw. Additionally, it encapsulates the rise of a black laborer to a respected commander of all-black 54^th regiment and a beautiful formation of bond between black and white soldiers.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The final installment in this list of great black history films is the aforementioned classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. The American cinema has never seen a film quite like it told from a child’s perspective. The lead character Atticus Finch, a white lawyer displays great courage in defending a black man who is wrongly accused of violating white trash. The film hardly narrates much about blacks in particular but what it does reveal through a child’s eyes is the Southern double standards that is thought-provoking idea and speaks volumes about injustice done against blacks.

10 Famous African American Women You Should Know About

Famous African American Women
It is not untrue when they said it’s a men’s world. One hardly see equal ratio of man and woman, be it in a workplace setting, educational institute or sports. Men always tend to stay ahead of women throughout the history. Even in the twenty-first century we see a huge pay gap between two genders as women are paid twenty percent less than men for the same amount of work done or maybe even more. Despite the oppression of patriarch society some women managed to brave the odds proved their worth by marching side by side with men. Being a woman and let alone an African one in America was a struggle of its own, yet some courageous and famous African American women stood up for their rights against all odds. Their contribution to the society often went without recognition, though this progression wouldn’t have been possible if it were not for their efforts.

Ida B. Wells

In the late 19^th century, Ida B. Wells started her career as a journalist, who actively took part in Civil Rights Movement. It was the time when blacks were still held captive by white and lived under their command. Wells took upon the responsibility to bring the truth to light that how brutally white segregationists treated blacks to show their place in the social ranks. Half a decade before Rosa Parks incident, Wells found herself in a similar situation where she was asked to relinquish her seat for a white passenger. Upon her outright refusal, she was dragged out of train car by the conductors. The brave woman took a daring step and sued the train owner. Despite winning the case it didn’t make any difference as the white patriarchs overturned the ruling.

Fannie Lou Hamer

During the Civil Rights Movement another black woman that appeared at the forefront was Fannie Lou Hamer. She played an instrumental role in organizing the Mississippi Freedom Summer. The campaign was organized to register as many black voters. It was a hazardous act as it could have easily put a target on one’s back for being involved in such activities. That didn’t scare away Hamer, she was fearless and fully devoted to her cause which she expressed in her speeches at several conferences.

Hattie McDaniel

Besides civil activists, there were women from different walks of lives who contributed as much within their capacity such as Hattie McDaniel. She is best known for her supporting role as Mammy in the iconic film Gone with the Wind. Some believed that her role did injustice to black women, on the other hand, it is deemed she could not have done a better job of representing blacks in a limited time slot she was given in the film. Shockingly enough she was prohibited from attending the movie premiere. To honor her part in the film she was nominated for Oscar, which she won hands-down.

Vivian Malone Jones

The University of Alabama was known for its notorious reputation for promoting racism and disallowing blacks to seek admission. Vivian Malone Jones was among the first two women who got enrolled in this all-white institute. George Wallace was the menacing threat to black’s education, whom Malone managed to defeat and not just got enrolled but received a doctorate of humane letters from the college. She eventually became the director of civil rights and served the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promoting environmental justice.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Another notable figure who is credited for promoting African Americans’ right for equal education was Mary McLeod Bethune. Being a racial justice activist Bethune invested all her energy seeking the educational situation for her race that was overlooked by the whites. In Florida, she laid down the foundation of a school for African-American students that evolved into Bethune-Cookman University. Being a president of the National Association of Colored Women, she paved way for other black women.

Harriet Tubman

There are many stories of brave black women, Harriet Tubman’s tale stand quite apart from any other story. She managed to escape the slavery at the age of 29 but returned to free the rest of her family. Her valiant act is that she also helped seventy other slaves escape the captivity through the Underground Railroad leading to Canada which already passed the law against slavery.

Elaine Brown

Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the Black Panther Party’s member Elaine Brown attended her first meeting in L. A. In 1974, she substituted for Huey Newton’s position as minister of defense as he fled the country. She wholeheartedly served the position and maintained control till Newton returned from his exile in 1977. During her leadership, Brown faced many hardships and downright hostility in the patriarchic society. She extended her services to free legal and medical clinics and the free-breakfast program of Oakland.

Shirley Chisholm

In 1968, Shirley Chisholm received the honor of becoming first African American woman to be elected to Congress. In early seventies, she ran a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. She invested all her power serving Congressional committees and for the development of the nation. In addition to that she is well known in the popular culture for her contribution in academic and political domains.

Septima Clark

Known for being the epitome of civil right activism and community teaching, Septima Clark championed the rights of her race. For over three decades she invested all her energy and academic zeal in teaching students throughout South Carolina. She legally fought for the pay equity for black and white teachers while serving for NAACP.

Hannah Stanley Haywood

Eminent scholar and educator in black history was a woman named Hannah Stanley Haywood. She spent her entire life fighting the injustices that women were subjected to due to the color of their skin. She believed that the equality of black women’s rights is as pivotal to the progress of a nation as of white’s equality.