Every year, around Christmas time, you may hear some black folks talking about celebrating Kwanzaa. many of them jokingly because they don’t know the history or roots behind the holiday. Here’s how it all came about and why celebrating it could be more important than ever. Maulana Karenga created Kwanzaa in 1966, as the first specifically African-American holiday. According … [Read more...] about Kwanzaa: What it really is and how and why it’s celebrated
Lifestyles
Let the people be heard: Should blacks celebrate the 4th of July?
Source: TheHustonDefender.com Asked to deliver remarks about the 4th of July to residents of his hometown, Rochester, NY, Frederick Douglass didn’t mince words. On July 5, 1852, during that 76th anniversary of all things red, white and blue, Douglass made plain his answer to the question, “Should blacks celebrate America’s independence,” saying: “What, to the American … [Read more...] about Let the people be heard: Should blacks celebrate the 4th of July?
Benefits of an Owner’s Title Policy
By Roxanne HendonLicensed Realtor I recently worked with a widow who wanted to transfer ownership of the family house to her daughter. In order to ensure that her wishes were carried out correctly when she was no longer around to speak for herself, we first needed to “clean up” the title to the property. First, we needed to remove her late husband from the deed registered … [Read more...] about Benefits of an Owner’s Title Policy
What Is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, TX in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth … [Read more...] about What Is Juneteenth?
The truth about black fatherhood
Stereotypes about black fathers The stereotype of black fathers as “absent” and black children as “fatherless”— first introduced more than 50 years ago—has, like many racial stereotypes, refused to die. In 1965, white sociologist and Assistant Secretary of Labor Daniel Patrick Moynihan published a report called The Negro Family: The Case For National Action. This report … [Read more...] about The truth about black fatherhood
Different fight, same goal: How the black freedom movement inspired early gay activists
The civil rights and early “homophile” movements shared leaders, ideas and, ultimately, the same goal, according to historians. On April 25, 1965, three teenagers refused to leave Dewey’s Restaurant in Philadelphia after employees repeatedly denied service to “homosexuals and persons wearing nonconformist clothing,” according to Drum magazine, which was created by the Janus … [Read more...] about Different fight, same goal: How the black freedom movement inspired early gay activists
The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day
Nowadays, Memorial Day honors veterans of all wars, but its roots are in America’s deadliest conflict, the Civil War. Approximately 620,000 soldiers died, about two-thirds from disease. The work of honoring the dead began right away all over the country, and several American towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Researchers have traced the earliest annual … [Read more...] about The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, remember our most loyal and ill-treated troops
Hundreds of thousands of African American men enlisted and fought for a nation that saw them as second-class citizens. They deserve our thanks. Hundreds of thousands of African American men enlisted and fought for a nation that saw them as second-class citizens. They deserve our thanks. While serving as a sentry with French forces in the Argonne Forest in 1918, a black … [Read more...] about On Memorial Day, remember our most loyal and ill-treated troops
Kwame Brathwaite, photographer of ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement, dies at 85
Kwame Brathwaite, the pioneering activist and photographer whose work helped define the aesthetics of the "Black is Beautiful" movement of the 1960s and beyond, died on April 1, 2023, aged 85. His son, Kwame Brathwaite, Jr., announced his father's death in an Instagram post that read in part, "I am deeply saddened to share that my Baba, the patriarch of our family, our rock … [Read more...] about Kwame Brathwaite, photographer of ‘Black is Beautiful’ movement, dies at 85
Garden Homes Lutheran boys’ basketball team wins LBAA National Tournament
The Garden Homes Lutheran boys' basketball team, The Vikings, have had a season for the record books. They are currently undefeated with a record of 26-0. They are the champions of 5 tournaments including the Wisconsin State Tournament of Champions. Due to their success at the State Tournament, they were invited to the Lutheran Basketball Association of American (LBAA) National … [Read more...] about Garden Homes Lutheran boys’ basketball team wins LBAA National Tournament