Is studying black history relevant in 2012?

One could presume that since African-American innovations are more visible and greater accepted into popular culture that there is no longer a need to engage in discourse on the topic of black history.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, "Father" of Black History Month

However, had it not been for the vision of impassioned revolutionaries like Dr. Carter G. Woodson, African-American history might have gone undocumented another century.  This is a history that traces all the way back to the first Dutch and Spanish ships with Africans arriving to North America around 1624, but outside of propaganda publications that published hurtful ethnic stereotypes, black history wasn’t documented with regard until the 20^th century.

Dr. Woodson helped us see that black history is American history, not a history only for African-Americans to study. We can look at his life and see the “American Dream” manifesting the way all of us hope it to manifest in our own lives. Who wouldn’t be inspired to know that Woodson’s parents were former slaves and he worked in a Kentucky coalmine for years before he enrolled into high school at age 20, then graduated two years later and went on to earn a Ph.D. at Harvard?  As a student, Woodson observed that information written on people of African descent was either fallacious or intentionally less mentioned, which propagated the idea that blacks were an inferior race. To counter this racist ideology, Woodson began documenting facts himself, and established the Journal of Negro History. In 1926, Dr. Woodson began Negro History Week the second week in February as a way to call attention to the contributions being made by African-Americans.

Do you know these dates significant to Black History? (Courtesy of Infoplease.com)

• February 23, 1868:
  W. E. B. DuBois, important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born.
• February 3, 1870:
  The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote.
• February 25, 1870:
  The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901), took his oath of office.
• February 12, 1909:
  The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded by a group of concerned black and white citizens in New York City.
• February 1, 1960:
  In what would become a civil-rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter.
• February 21, 1965:
  Malcolm X, the militant leader who promoted Black Nationalism, was shot to death by three Black Muslims.

In honor and celebration of Black History Month, The Freedom Center is hosting a debate regarding the value and impact of black history called Why Black History? on February 2.

This session’s panelists include Dr. Francille Rusan Wilson, Associate professor of American Studies & Ethnicity and History at the University of Southern California and Dr. Prince Brown, retired Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Northern Kentucky University.

For more details on this free event, which was made possible by PNC, visit the Freedom Center’s event page here:

There is a spark within each of us. Fan the Flame.

Funding for this program was made possible in part by the Ohio Humanities Council with support by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment of the Humanities, or of the Ohio Humanities Council.

Did you know that Cincinnati is home to one of 45 Tuskegee Airmen chapters in the U.S., and includes 18 members whom are considered “original” Airmen?

The Greater Cincinnati Airmen, Inc. was founded in 1986 by Charles O. Southern. Its members come from many diverse professions but share in common an interest to preserve the Tuskegee Airmen legacy, sharing its heritage with future generations.

The Greater Cincinnati Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

Despite racial segregation during World War II, 450 Black fighter pilots fought in the aerial war over North Africa, Sicily, and Europe, completing 1,578 missions in P-39, P-40, P-47 and P-51 aircraft. Dubbed “Schwartze Vogelmenshen” (Black Birdmen) by Germans, and “the Black Red Tail Angels” by white American bomber crews, the Black fighter pilots’ gallant reputation was both respected and feared because they didn’t lose a single escorted bomber to enemy fighters and they were highly decorated for their service. The Tuskegee Airmen legacy is also shared with civilians who provided ground support duty and the men and women who remained in the military after World War II who integrated the U.S. Air Force.

Read the biographies of men from the The Greater Cincinnati Airmen, Inc., here.

Honoring the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center hosts a showing of the film, Double Victory: Two Warriors in the Fight for Civil Rights During WWII., a documentary companion to the George Lucas-produced film, Red Tails. Following the showing of Double Victory, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with the visiting Tuskegee Airmen, as well as a light reception and a book signing by several members of the Airmen.

When: January 28, 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm

Where: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Cost: Free, thanks to a PNC sponsorship for Black History Month

For more information and to RSVP for “Double Victory,” visit: http://freedomcenter.org/freedom-forum/index.php/event/double-victory-cincinnati-chapter-tuskegee-airmen/.

There is a spark in each of us. Fan the Flame.

Funding for this program was made possible in part by the Ohio Humanities Council with support by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the program do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment of the Humanities, or of the Ohio Humanities Council.

January 16^th, 1861 was the day that antebellum diplomacy between the Union and the Confederacy died. The Crittenden compromise, though proposed after four states had already seceded from the Union, was meant to prevent an all-out war between the Union and Confederacy. The proposed compromise would consist of a series of constitutional amendments that would extend the Mason-Dixon line at the 36 30’ parallel across the entire country, forbidding slavery north of this line. The desperation of the compromise is evident. Passing an amendment to the Constitution is no easy task. If the alternative had not been a split of the Union or Civil War, it would have seemed like an unreasonable course of action. Other amendments forbade federal interference with the slave trade, protected slavery in the District of Columbia, and compensated slave owners whose slaves escaped into northern free states.

It should not be difficult to see why this so-called “compromise” failed. The North alleviated every fear held by the South and the confederate States, and yet received nothing from them. A compromise does not exist unless both parties gain something from the exchange. It has been said that a good compromise leaves no one happy. This one was obviously not a good compromise, since the South would have loved it, and the North would not have benefitted whatsoever. This would have forced the Republican Party to abandon the most important issues that had led to the secession crisis.

The bill had no chance of passing. It was doomed from the start. It was a last-ditch effort to keep the Union together. It was voted down in the Senate twenty-five votes to twenty-three. When persuading someone to vote for a law, it is essential for them to see the benefit in voting for it, and if there is nothing to be gained, as was the case for the Republicans, they will not support the legislation. Many historians have argued that the country was past the point of no return. What do you think? Could the Union have gotten away without the Civil War? There is a spark within each of us, so Fan the Flame!

Senator John J Crittenden

12-year-old Maia Thompson, a seventh grader at Mason Middle School, has stepped up to make a difference in her community. Hearing the December 2011 news reports that the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has concerns for its long term financial sustainability, Maia decided to take action.

In a mere two takes, Maia produced a YouTube video explaining why she believes the Freedom Center is so important.

In her video, she asks viewers to support the Freedom Center by making donations; and, she provides the Freedom Center address. Maia is also careful to remind viewers, “It only takes a spark to start a wildfire,” and asks everyone to help the Freedom Center “Fan the Flame.”

To add to her impassioned plea, Maia also designed a t-shirt, which she and her friend Kendall Watkins plan to sell as a fundraiser for the Freedom Center. To support the efforts of these young fundraisers, the Freedom Center is providing an advance order opportunity through its website at https://www.freedomcenter.org/ The t-shirts, priced at $15 each, made of 100% organic cotton, will be ready for delivery in early February, just in time for Black History Month.

NURFC CEO Kim Robinson states,

Maia and Kendall are two outstanding examples of what the Freedom Center mission is all about, “inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom today.” We are all so impressed with their understanding of the important role the Freedom Center plays in helping everyone become a modern day abolitionist. The initiative and the proactive steps these young girls have taken to ensure that our mission shows us that America’s next generation of Freedom Fighters is well on their way.Our thanks to Maia and Kendall for helping us “Fan the Flame.”

In its Sunday, December 18, feature on the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, The Cincinnati Enquirer editorial stated that the Center is “too vital to fail.” It would seem Maia feels the same way.

For more information; or, to arrange an interview with young Maia Thompson, please contact NURFC External Relations Manager Stephanie A. Creech at screech@nurfc.org or 513.333.7506.

Why Do You March?

On Dr. Martin Luther King Day, my friend, whom I’ll call “Bishop,” called me around 8:30 am, wanting to know if I had the day off and what I was doing. I told him our Public Allies class was celebrating a day in service—“a day on, not off,” and was participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition’s march from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Bishop groaned.

At first, Bishop seemed to feel sorry for me that I didn’t “get to stay home,” and told me how cold it was that morning when he left to go work. Then, with sarcasm, he told me some of his co-workers, who are a generation older than us, march every year. “I don’t get that,” he said. “Why are people still marching?”

We laughed at his cynical observation after he described how he is judged for not participating in the march with his co-workers,  like he’s a discredit to Dr. King’s legacy and the black race. For me, it was funny, largely because I know Bishop well enough to know that he was really asking, “What does marching do, in terms of service in 2012? And how does it help people after MLK day?”

I can bet that if Bishop asked his middle-aged African-American co-workers who attend the marches faithfully with their civic organizations why they march, and with the same sarcasm, to them, he might’ve sounded ungrateful for the legacy King’s work imparted on America.

But for Bishop’s and my generation, the generation born a decade after the Civil Rights Movement, this legacy came to us skewed, by talking heads tip-toeing the subject of Black History, and textbooks that summarized the Civil Rights Movement—which lasted two decades—into one or two dry paragraphs. By the time Bishop and I were born, the Black Power Movement looked more like Soul Train dancers; and grassroots leadership was becoming an ambiguous notion as corporate America and government became more involved than “the people.” By the 1970s, Americans were more divided by social and economic factions than ever before since slavery. In retrospect, the word “community” must’ve sounded like a misnomer to most people, who were turning inward and concentrating on self-preservation, or “getting ahead.”

In the mid to late 70s, racism wasn’t being denied access to institutions or service, but it was the fine print in government sanctioned regulations that still made us economically disparaged as a community. Growing up, I heard some of my neighborhood’s elders blame integration for the fall of the black community. I can’t say I don’t understand now what they meant, because as an adult thinking about what integration implies, it’s like the happy ending in a Disney film because it assumes what everyone wants to see after witnessing “moments” of peril. Elders who felt this way lived through the pages in history our textbooks couldn’t contextualize, remembering a time when they were happy living in their microcosmic neighborhood. And they observed,  in silent fear while the assets of living in a black community depleted, as drug dealers and gangs slowly pushed away the family-owned businesses that provided services and goods to them.

Urban sprawl that helped connect the city to the suburbs also made people spend time in their own neighborhoods less and less, and spending time outside of the neighborhood helped you learn what other neighborhoods offered, but sadly, it made many people I grew up around see their own neighborhoods as deficit based. Rightfully so, people wanted to move to where they felt they could have better opportunities, but that didn’t change the plight of the people who had no choice but to stay where they were. Madison Avenue and television marketed the image of an upper middle class that wasn’t reflective in many homes, and for some people, the bootstrap ideology was bunk. Over the sitcom’s laugh track, you could almost hear this overwhelming cry from poor people of all races: “Where is my piece of the pie? I’ve worked hard my whole life.”

Bishop and I come from similar life experiences and relate to each other so well that when he asked the question, “Why do people still march,” I knew he wasn’t being ungrateful to King’s legacy. As children, going beyond the grumblings of our elders who wished things were different, we always dreamed and planned how we would make a difference. Maybe to Bishop, marching on MLK Day in the 21st century placates people’s need to feel like we’re making a difference by remembering the one person we like to think of as the face of the Civil Rights Movement.

This MLK Day, I did march. Maybe on the surface to someone else, it just looked symbolic. But I wasn’t just marching out of compliance to my organization. I marched with reverence and with consciousness for the men and women of all ages and races who marched before me so that I can have the things I have today, which are choices. When I think of service, I want to continue reflecting on how the work I do will serve someone else in a way that reminds him or her that no matter what skin we’re in, someone fought—and still fights– for everyone’s right to choose where they spend their money, where they can live, worship, work and socialize. I march thinking of those mighty fighters who go unmentioned beside Dr. King.

And maybe next MLK Day, Bishop will march with me.

There’s a spark in each of us. Fan the Flame.

Cadets from the Citadel fire upon the Star of the West

January 9^th, 1861 is a date that should be known well by any American. That day, an artillery battery operated by Cadets from the Citadel fired upon the Star of the West, a merchant ship sent to resupply the garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. The withdrawal of the Federal garrison had been demanded by the government of South Carolina, which had seceded from the Union President Buchanan refused, sending the Star of the West to resupply the fort, though the fort’s commander had sent messages saying that he required no assistance for some time, and not to send anyone to resupply Fort Sumter. This forced the Confederates’ hand, and they fired upon the ship, nearly starting the Civil War. As it was, it resulted in both sides blustering until the Confederates actually fired upon the fort itself in April.

At this point, both sides knew that war was likely. It was a question of when and how it would start. The issue of who started the war was important to both sides, because being considered the “right side” or the “good guys” was important not only for simple PR and foreign relations, but also for recruitment. Everyone wanted to fight for the side that they believed to be right, the more honorable one. The incident of the firing upon the Star of the West could have started the Civil War right then and there. One more action on either side, such as Major Anderson going to the ship’s aid, or the Charleston authorities stopping the ship and boarding it, could have started the Civil War right then and there.

This might have had some interesting ramifications for the war. Since South Carolina had not seceded long previously, had Federal troops been sent South, it could have radically changed the course of the war. Crushing South Carolina and the Confederacy before it became strong could have radically shortened the war. On the other hand, there is the possibility that the troops that the government sent down would have been defeated and started the Union off with an embarrassing loss. (Not that the First Battle of Bull Run was much better).What do you think? Should the war have started sooner? What would have happened if it had? This is what makes history wonderful. We can speculate all that we please.

There is a spark within each of us, so Fan the Flame!

A new interactive experience titled, True Freedom is Sparked by Campfires will be one of the highlights for visitors attending the Freedom Center on Monday’s free day event. As part of its Civil War commemoration, the Freedom Center has created a Civil War encampment experience to give young and old alike the opportunity to see, hear, and feel what life was like as a Civil War soldier from recruitment to camp life.

Visitors will have the opportunity to “enlist” at the recruitment station by answering a series of questions, and their answers may determine if they think they are willing to serve. There will be a drilling exercise to make sure the new recruits can march and carry the tools of the trade of the new soldier. Sit around the tent at the encampment and dine on hard tack and try on the uniforms to make sure they fit properly. And, hear stories from a member of the United States Colored Troops as he shares what life has been like for him before and after enslavement.

True Freedom is Sparked by Campfires will be sure to excite all ages, and the fascinating stories of the USCT will tug at each and every emotion. This immersive experience is just one of several new interactive experiences at the Freedom Center, and visitors will have the perfect opportunity to engage in the Civil War encampment experience on Monday January 16, when the Freedom Center is free in honor of the Martin Luther King Day holiday.

Free admission is courtesy of PNC.

There is a spark within each of us, Fan the Flame

Although popular conceptions of sex trafficking are focused internationally (think the Liam Neeson film “Taken”), the brutal reality is that it’s also happening here in here in Ohio, as it across the United States. The trafficking of children into the sex trade is, in fact, just one form of modern slavery that is controlling the lives of human beings here and around the world. This report from public radio station WYSO in Dayton highlights some of the grisly details in the Freedom Center’s home state.

Dr. Celia Williamson from the University of Toledo, with whom I sit on the State Human Trafficking Commission, lays out the stark facts:

“Our problem in Toledo is no different than what’s happening in Columbus, what’s happening in Dayton, what’s happening in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit.”

Williamson is part of a statewide commission that studies child sex trafficking. They estimate about 1,000 Ohio children are trapped in the sex trade in any given year, and almost 3,000 kids are at risk of being recruited.

“And the recruiter is going to be another 14-year-old girl or a 16-year-old guy or an adult woman. It’s not going to be a big scary guy,” Williams says, “And it’s not going to be in a scary place, it’s going to be at the mall or at school, it’s going to be at the hang-out house, and that’s how it’s successful.”

Alex Kreidenweis from the University of Dayton’s New Abolitionist Movement makes the point that lies at the heart of our work at the Freedom Center: “There are a lot of corollaries between human trafficking and what you think of when you think of chattel slavery that occurred during the transatlantic slave trade.” Kreidenweis says, “Human trafficking is the modern day slave trade.”

The Freedom Center tells the stories of the abolitionist heroes of the underground railroad – both the courageous slaves who fought for their freedom and the freedom conductors who helped them – and the realities of modern slavery in order to inspire today’s people of conscience to take up the cause of modern day abolitionism.

And what can today’s abolitionist do to stop this evil? One way is to engage in the political process and advocate for the laws that are necessary to properly address the criminal enterprise of human trafficking.  State Representative Theresa Fedor from Toledo has been the legislative leader of this effort in Ohio:

Last year Representative Fedor passed legislation that made human trafficking a felony in Ohio. It took five years.  “We were the 45th state in the nation to get this law,” Fedor says, “which is just so pitiful.”

And there’s more work to do. The federal government says anyone under eighteen who is involved in prostitution is a victim of child sex trafficking. But in many states the age of consent is lower.  In Ohio, it’s sixteen. So sometimes a minor is seen as a criminal – as a prostitute – rather than a victim. Fedor is trying to change that. She’s working on legislation called the Safe Harbor Act.  It would prevent victims from being arrested and require the state to provide rehabilitation services – two things Toledo is already doing.

“We do not arrest our victims in the city of Toledo,” Fedor says, “and law enforcement, the prosecutors, the judges have been the leaders and the partners in taking a victim centered approach.”

The Freedom Center’s mission closes with the purpose of “challenging and inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom today.” If you live in Ohio, consider whether you might want to “take a courageous step for freedom” by contacting your state legislator in support of the Safe Harbor Act.

There is a spark within each of us. Fan the Flame.

- Luke

Thanks to generous underwriting from PNC, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (NURFC) is able to offer free admission to visitors on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 16, 2012. In its ongoing commitment to the spirit of inclusion, PNC continues to fund this free day, providing access to members of the community otherwise not able to visit.

The desire and the demand for an MLK free day has remained consistent since the opening of the NURFC.  Due to the high financial costs associated with opening the NURFC for free to the general public, the NURFC sought corporate sponsorship for the event.  Last year, PNC was the generous sponsor of MLK Day. “We are proud to partner with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center to provide admission for this important day that celebrates hard-won freedoms,” says PNC Regional President Kay Geiger. “The educational opportunities provided and messages delivered through the Freedom Center are critical to ensuring historical mistakes are not repeated. Learning from our past ensures our future.”

NURFC CEO Kim Robinson says, “We are so grateful for the generous support of PNC. Thanks to their underwriting, the NURFC is able to continue the community tradition of opening our doors for free on this very special public holiday. Last year, we welcomed more than 5,000 visitors on MLK Day. We are looking forward to similar numbers this year.”

On MLK Day, the NURFC will once again host the annual King Legacy Awards Breakfast in collaboration with the Cincinnati MLK Coalition.  This community breakfast, already sold out, will be held in the NURFC Grand Hall and will features two youth and two adult recipients of the King Legacy Award for community service.  The annual MLK Day March to Music Hall will once again begin at the NURFC immediately following the breakfast.  This year’s event will feature an “MLK inspires me to…” photo opportunity that will be posted throughout the day on all Social Media outlets.

There is a spark within each of us. Fan the Flame.

Today, January 11th, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The U.S. Senate resolved three years ago that this day would be dedicated nationally to raising awareness of and opposition to human trafficking. January is also Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

This is a cause to which we here at the Freedom Center are fully dedicated, both through our groundbreaking exhibit Invisible: Slavery Today and our programming and partnerships.  Within our walls, we celebrate those whose courage and perseverance allowed them to escape the bonds of legal slavery in this country, and the abolitionists whose own courage and cooperation ultimately helped end the evil of what our 19th Century forebears euphemistically called “our peculiar institution.” We also drive attention to those trapped in slavery today through the Invisible exhibit, and call on all people of conscience to draw on this country’s history and join together as modern day abolitionists.

Because the fact is, millions of people around the world today desperately need it. Here are the facts:

-  there are an estimated 27 Million people in some form of slavery today

- Human Trafficking is the world’s second largest criminal enterprise, behind only the trade in illict drugs, with estimated annual profits of $32 Billion

- The U.S. State Department estimates nearly 800,000 human being are trafficked across international borders annually, with 80% of those being women and children

And those are just the numbers. The stories – of real human beings forced into different forms of labor, including the sex trade, against their will and with little chance of escape – are alternatively heart-breaking and enraging. They demand our attention and our action.

So here are some good resources:

• A tremendous all-around resource is End Slavery Now, whose “purpose is to support the work of grassroots activists and anti-slavery organizations, and to grow and advance the anti-slavery movement, by consolidating and sharing resources, best practices, and events; and by promoting their work through various social media channels and free listings in the New Underground Railroad”
• We are very proud of our friendship with the innovators at slavery footprint, which has developed a profound and engaging way for you to learn what slave labor went into the goods you use everyday. And they give you a way to do something about it, through their online action center and their innovative Free the World App.
• The Polaris Project, one of our partners in the creation of Invisible is an organization, is at the forefront of anti-slavery activity in the United States

We’d also like to highlight two new friends of ours at the Freedom Center who are similarly engaged in using history to inspire abolitionism today.

• Please check out the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation, who are engaged in “abolition through education“; and specifically their service-learning projects, which seek to protect, engage, enlighten, and empower students.
• Historians Against Slavery is a network of history professors around this country who ” insist that the histories of struggles against earlier systems of slavery provide crucial perspective, insight and inspiration when combating slavery. Knowledge of the histories of slave resistance and abolitionist struggle are critical to combating slavery today.” With this firm belief, HAS is organizing college chapters around the country and providing students and professors the tools to do the same.

these are just a few of the many organizations that are fighting to eradicate the scourge of slavery every day. On this particular day, please take a moment to learn more and think about the role you may want to play in bringing freedom to those who so desperately need and deserve it.

Think about how you will Fan the Flame.

Luke