Every year during the month of February America celebrates
the memory and accomplishments of African slaves and their
scions who, for centuries, endured the barbarism of American
slavery. Amongst our most well-known African heroes and
heroines are the likes of
Frederick Douglass,
Sojourner Truth,
George Washington Carver, and
Ida B. Wells Barnet. However,
there are
others, not of African descent, who are hardly talked
about or are even recognized for their fight, effort, and outright
bravery against such a barbaric system.
Others like:
I.
William Lloyd Garrison , an editor
from Massachusetts, at 24 years-old
came to the conclusion that slavery
in America must end, NOW!
In 1833, 3 years later, he, along with
others of the same mind, founded
the American Anti-Slavery Society.
A society which had a membership
of nearly 250,000 people. This society
became the First to have men, women, and ex-slaves, together, playing an active
role in the fight to end slavery. They were relentless, radical, and,
at times, down-right rude about it!
Nevertheless,his greatest accomplishment came in 1855 when he,
along with his colleagues, convinced the state of Massachusetts to
desegregate public schools and public transportation; a foreshadow
of what was to come a century later in the civil rights movement
under the leadership of Martin Luther King.
II.
Maria Watson Chapman, was one of the
12 founders of the Boston Female Anti
Slavery Society. In 1835, during one
of the society's normal meetings, an
angry pro-slavery mob surrounded the
place they were meeting being conducted.
Chapman immediately sprung into action
by having the members,each one, grab each others arm, especially that of a
colored person, and in a group of twos lead her members through the crowd,
to her home, and she continued on with the meeting.
Chapman is recorded as saying,
"
When we emerged into the open daylight there went up a roar of rage and contempt, which increased when they saw that we did not intend to separate."
III.
John Brown, a full-time worker
of emancipation, infamous for the Pottowatomie Massacre on May 24, 1856 in Kansas and the Capture of Harpes Ferry (the U.S. government's armory) on October 16,1856 in Virginia.
In the Pottowatomie Massacre of 1856, Brown and his men, brutally and savagely,killed 5 men who were known to be proponents of slavery in the state of Kansas.
The Siege of Harpers Ferry in 1859, in Brown's mind, was going to
be the means to start a slave revolution; a campaign to liberate
all of the slaves across America. Unfortunately, it did not go
that way for the "Old Man"; as he was called. Two days after he
captured Harpers Ferry, the U.S. Marines regained control of the
armory, ten days later he was tried and found guilty, and, no sooner
after his conviction, was hung from a gallows. John Brown achieved
martyrdom for his passion of seeing the slaves gain their freedom at
whatever cost necessary.
In conclusion,
William Lloyd Garrison ,
Maria Watson Chapman, and
John Brown,
and
others like them (colored or not) played a faithful and important
role in seeing that slavery would be a thing of the past in America.
They are part of our heroes and heroines of which their memories
and accomplishments should also be celebrated during the month of February.
And because of the spirit of unity and equality which they
showed toward their fellow brothers & sisters in slavery,
then I hope and pray that one day we will celebrate
the month of February, not as "Black History Month",
but as "Black & White History Month".
References
1) Davis, William C.
The Civil War: Brothers Against Brothers.
The War Begins. 5th edition. Time-Life Books/Alexandra:
Virginia, 1993.
2-12-2013-UPDATED
In celebrating Black History in America, for this Black History Month in the 21st century, let us remember the whites who, in the 20th century, in the 1960s, stood together with the "negroes" in the face of severe racism and segregation; fighting racism and segregation in a very peaceful, selfless, and effective way. Let us take a monemt to remember those black & white individuals, young and old, who stood together and said enough is enough. Either we all live together as free people or whe will die together fighting for freedom. Let us remember the Freedom Riders!
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