All views are my Own! - Blog News

Taking a break for this month!

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 13:52:00 +0000

I am taking a break for this month, a lot has happened this month. I just got a new job at the Trevor Chat and I am doing extensive training for them right now. I really want to focus on that and I am starting graduate school. I would be holding off posting for a while. Thank you guys, for the support!

New Topic-Black Lives Matter Movement!

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 16:35:00 +0000

The new topic for this month is the Black Lives Matter Movement. I chose this topic after what I have been reading about in the news and also this is my true passion. I wrote a research paper on people's attitudes towards police brutality, it is attached below. My paper discuss what police brutality is and the social construction of race. police_brutality_research_paper_.docx

2002 Oscars, Barack Obama, and the Smithsonian Museum

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 16:29:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/halle-berry-denzel-washington-triumph-at-oscars

Oscars 2002, History.Com

The 2002 Oscars was the first Oscar ceremony since 9/11. The security was tighter than ever and the tone of the night was very subdued. Halle Berry was presented with the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster Ball. She tearfully cried and said “the door has been opened” for actresses of color. Then Denzel Washington became only the second African-American to win Best Actor in the movie Training Day.

Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/barack-obama

Barack Obama, History. Com

Here’s a little disclosure about me. I was at my brother’s godmother party when Obama won the election. I have never seen so many elated when he won. Yes, we can! I was a freshman in college when I voted for Obama for his second term. On November 4^th, 2008, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected President of the United States over Senator John McCain of Arizona. Obama became the 44^th president, and the first African-American to be elected to the office. Obama please come back, we need you!

Citation: https://nmaahc.si.edu

Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture

I had the honor to actually visit this museum and I absolutely enjoyed myself. The food was amazing. Please check out the website!

The Million Man March, Colin Powell

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 13:52:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.noi.org/about-million-man-march/

The Million Man March, October 16^th, 1995

The March was led by Louis Farrakhan, more than a million Black men gathered in Washington D.C. to declare their right to justice. The march showed black men in a positive light. Farrakhan wanted black men to take responsibility for their actions and uplift their communities.

Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/colin-powell-9445708

Colin Powell, Biography.com

Colin Powell was the first African-American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State, and the first to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colin Luther Powell was a united states man and a retired four-star general in the United States army. He was the 65^th United States Secretary of State (2001-2005), serving under President George W. Bush. He was born on April 5^th, 1937, in Harlem, New York. Powell was the son of Jamaican immigrants Luther and Maud Powell. Then he graduated from City College of New York and studied geology. Next, he became commander of his unit in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Lastly, he earned his MBA (Master of Business Administration) at George Washington University. Right after that he was assigned to the office of management and budget during the Nixon administration. Afterwards he retired from the army in 1993 and he retired from all political endeavors in 2006.

Los Angeles Riots 1992

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 20:21:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/riots-erupt-in-los-angeles

Los Angeles Riots, 1992, History. Com

In Los Angeles, California a riot broke out after four Los Angeles police officers had been caught beating Rodney King brutally. Rodney King was unarmed and all of the officers were acquitted. Hours after the verdict people were furious and they started to protest, and burn down buildings. The violence quickly began. On March 3^rd, 1991, paroled felon Rodney King led the police on a high-speed chase through the streets of Los Angeles County before eventually surrendering. King was intoxicated and he resisted arrest, however, he did not deserve to get brutally beaten by four police officers. The officers’ names are Laurence Powell, Theodore Briseno, Timothy Wind and Stacey Koon. King was released without charges and Sergeant Koon and the other officers were indicted by a Los Angeles grand jury in connection with the beating. All of the officers were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and excessive use of force. Powell and Koon also charged with filing false reports. On April 29^th, 1992, all of the officers were acquitted and the LA Riots broke out. Violence erupted at the intersection of Florence Boulevard and Normandie Avenue in South-Central Los Angeles. Three African-American men beat a white truck driver named Reginald Denny very badly. The violence continued for 24 hours until President George HW Bush ordered military troops and riot-trained federal officers to LA. The LA Riots killed more than 60 people, injured almost 2,000 people and led to 7,000 arrests, and caused nearly $1 billion in property damages, including the burnings of more than 3,000 buildings. In federal court on April 17^th, 1993, Koon and Powell were convicted of violating Rodney King’s constitutional rights and they were sentenced to two and half years in prison.

Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ZyGclmCHY

Rodney King Beating LA Riots TV Special with Mike Wallace, Published on Dec 31, 2016

Rodney King is a 25-year-old high school dropout with a criminal record. He was shot by a Taser gun, one police officer stomped on his head and kicked him repeatedly, and both his wrist and ankles were bound to the ground. The tape recording of King’s beating was broadcasted to the world and people flipped out. Eyewitnesses saw him getting beat repeatedly and they were in awe. The police thought that King was high on drugs and resisting arrest. Rodney King stated, “They beat on me, all over my body, they beat on my ankles, it hurts, it hurts real bad because it was hit with a stick, and the same with my face, my jaw, I was scared, I was scared for my life.” Stacey Koon, Ted Briseno, Larry Powell and Tim Wind face felony charges. Eleven days later they faced a white-middle class jury. Koon was the sergeant and he was facing more charges than the others because he was supposed to keep his officers in line that night. He is accused of assault and intentional great bodily harm, then he tried to cover up his tracks by writing a false police report. Powell was a veteran and Win a rookie also faced assault charges. Briseno is shown on the tape shouting at King and then stomping on his head. Win and Powell were writing these offensive statements about African-Americans on their dispatcher it was shown in the trial. Win and Powell wrote “It was night filled with gorillas in the mist, they wrote that on their dispatcher just hours before the Rodney King’s beating. Win and Powell also wrote another offensive statement about Blacks last week on their dispatcher and it reads “I haven’t beaten anyone this bad in a long time.” The officers were laughing after they beaten Rodney King it was picked up the supervising sergeant command center. However, in the courtroom Briseno testified against his officers, but the prosecutor White could not break Koon’s story. Koon told the prosecutor that’s how the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) trained him, and he was taught to beat someone repeatedly until they comply. The officers’ attorneys stated that if the verdict reads guilty most of Los Angeles would lose faith in their police officers and that being a police officer is tough and sometimes requires physical force. However, Prosecutor White fought back “It was an embarrassment, it is embarrassing to every man and woman across this country who puts on a uniform every day and follow the law.” After the verdict read not guilty the LA riots broke out. Protestors said things like “We declare a war, one injustice after another!” Crowds of people were chanting “No Justice, No Peace!” A black woman while shopping with her kids told the reporter “It was on fil, its bull shit, it’s not going to stop.” Between Florence Blvd and Normandie Blvd in South Central was when the riot first broke out. Anyone who was not black was prone to violence, Reginald Denney received a vicious beating from three black men, he was rescued by other Blacks. Darryl Gates was the police chief and he was not in the city when the riots broke out. He turned a blind eye. People of all backgrounds were protesting. Then the looting began, they threw bottles into the police headquarters windows, and they committed arson. Mayor Bradley asked the Governor of California Pete Wilson to send over 2,000 National Guards to try to calm things down. Other cities started to riot like Seattle, San Francisco, Tampa, Birmingham, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Police were outnumbered in Los Angeles because so many people were looting the stores and many police officers were not doing anything. Store owners had rifles and ammunition. Bus service was halted; the selling of ammunition and gas was also banned. Public schools were closed and looters were throwing gas bombs into the store. The Riots involved mostly Hispanics because they made up 44% of the population. Rodney King begged for the rioting to stop, he did not like it. Finally, President George HW Bush ordered 5,000 federal troops into the Los Angeles to help control the violence. The four officers were bought up on civil rights charges in federal court. George HW Bush said, “What I saw was revolting, anger, and pain. How could I explain this to my grandchildren?” He was talking about the LA riots and what he witnessed on the news. The massive military and police presence had finally brought LA under control on May 3^rd, 1992.

Affirmative Action, Jesse Jackson, The Oprah Winfrey Show

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 13:46:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.britannica.com/topic/affirmative-action

Affirmative Action, Written By: The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica

Affirmative Action, is when laws were passed to improve the employment or educational opportunities for minority groups and women. Affirmative action was brought forward by President Lyndon Johnson. Businesses could not use aptitude tests that were discriminatory towards African-Americans, however, affirmative action was known as “reverse discrimination.”

Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/jesse-jackson

Jesse Jackson, History.com

Jesse Jackson was the third African-American candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In 1984, Jackson ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination. He won five primaries and caucuses and more than 18% of votes cast.

Citation: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/oprah-goes-national

Oprah launched syndicated TV Show, History.com

Oprah Winfrey syndicated her talk show September 8^th, 1986. She began her TV career as a local news anchor in Nashville and Baltimore before moving to Chicago in 1984 to host a low-rated morning talk program. Winfrey signed a syndication deal with King’s World and The Oprah Winfrey Show was broadcasted nationally. The Oprah Winfrey Show was the highest-rated talk show in TV history. In 2008, The Oprah Winfrey Show had an estimated weekly audience of some 46 million viewers in the US, broadcast around the world in 134 countries. The show ended on May 2011, after she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

Shirley Chisholm

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 23:00:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.biography.com/people/shirley-chisholm-9247015

Shirley Chisholm, Biography.com

Shirley Chisholm became the first African-American congress woman in 1968. In 1972, she ran for presidency for the democratic party. She was born Shirley Anita St. Hill on November 30^th, 1924 in Brooklyn, NY. Chisholm represented the New York state in the U.S. house of representatives for seven terms. Throughout, her political career she fought for education opportunities and social justice for minorities. She became one of the primary members of the black caucus in 1969. Chisholm left congress in 1983 to teach and she died in Florida in 2005.

Chisholm ’72- unbought and unbossed 2004, Director: Shola Lynch

At the Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY on January 1972 Shirley Chisholm speaks. She says “I stand before you today as a candidate for the democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States of America.” Chisholm is the first black woman to run for office. She called her 1972 campaign “Unbought and Unbossed!” Chisholm did not want to be known as the first black woman to run for presidency. She wanted to be remembered for having courage and perseverance. As she addresses the crowd this is what she said, “I am not the candidate for black America although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate for the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman and I am equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people of America.” Before there was Barack Obama there was Shirley Chisholm who was advocating for social justice, head start and equal job opportunities. Chisholm was broadcasted everywhere as the CBS evening news reporter Walter Cronkite reported “Ms. Shirley Chisholm the first black woman to serve in congress.” She inspired everyone particularly black women like Barbara Lee. Lee was part of the Black Student Union and the union invited Chisholm to speak. Chisholm told the union that she is running for president. Everyone in the Union thought she was crazy, but Lee realized how important it was to register to vote. Barbara Lee said, “Martin Luther King said the most important thing for an African-American to do is to evoke their citizenship.” Lee realized that Chisholm was taking full advantage of her citizenship and that inspired her to register to vote. In 1972, Chisholm is campaigning for presidency diligently. She would talk to any group regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation. The National Organization for Women (NOW) supported her. Many white women from the organization applauded her courageous efforts to run for presidency. Chisholm was popular. Shirley Chisholm was West Indian. Her mother was from Barbados and her father was from Guyana. She was born Shirley Anita St. Hill. Her mother took her to Barbados to live and receive a strong education. Chisholm stayed in Barbados for seven years. Then she left Barbados with her sister in 1934 and her father bought a brownstone in Brooklyn. Chisholm graduated from Columbia University with a Master’s degree and became a daycare teacher. She became interested in politics, because she realized that blacks needed representation. Edmund Muskie, George Wallace, George McGovern, Hubert Humphrey and Shirley Chisholm all ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination, while Nixon was running for the republican party. The Vietnam War was still going on and many young people wanted the war to end, because young men could be drafted to fight in the war. Therefore, the 26^th amendment was created and the amendment states that 18-year-olds can vote. Chisholm did not support troops being in the war because she said over 75% in budget is used for the war. Chisholm was undermining America’s view on women. Black women were not valued and educated, and Chisholm was the opposite. Women were discriminated in so many ways. For example, a married woman could not have her own name printed on a credit card, because it was assumed that her husband paid the bills. An also women had higher car insurance because insurance companies taught that a woman would get into more accidents, because she would have her boyfriend’s drive her car. These issues sparked the women’s movement. Chisolm was in the center of that because it was unnatural for woman to have ambition. She also was a positive role model for black children. Chisolm encouraged children to stay in school and make something of themselves, but others viewed her differently. She received hate mail and she was attacked three times. A man tried to stab her in the back with a 10-inch blade and her bumper stickers would read “Nigger go home!” Even though, Chisholm lost the democratic presidential nominations, she is a legend. Chisholm broke down barriers.

Fair Housing Act!

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 14:57:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fair-housing-act

Fair Housing Act, History.com

The Fair Housing Act was the last major legislation passed of the Civil Rights era. The law prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex or sexual orientation. However, after the law was passed many whites moved out of the urban cities to the suburbs.

Lovings vs. Virginia

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/loving-v-virginia

Loving Vs. Virginia, History.com

Loving Vs. Virginia was a Supreme Court case that challenged the “interracial” laws in Virginia. The plaintiffs in the case were Richard and Mildred Loving. Richard is a white man and Mildred is an African-American woman with Native American ancestry. In June 1958, they exchanged their vows in D.C. where interracial marriage was legal then they moved to their home state Virginia. On July 11^th, 1958, just five weeks after their wedding, the Lovings were arrested by the local sheriff. Richard and Mildred were facing a felony. The Lovings were forced to leave Virginia, so Mildred wrote to Robert Kennedy, and Kennedy referred them to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The Judge eventually legalized their marriage and returned to Central Point, Virginia. Sadly, Richard was killed in a car accident in 1975, but his wife survived. She eventually died in 2008. The couple had three children.

Black Panther Party

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 22:06:00 +0000

Citation: https://www.history.com/topics/black-panthers

Black Panther Party, History.com

The Black Panthers also known as the Black Panther Party was a political organization founded in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. The organization was created to challenge the police brutality against the African-American community. The FBI worked diligently to dismantle the Black Panthers and they were successful. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale met in 1961 while students at Merritt College in Oakland, California. They formed the Negro History Fact Group, that taught black history in the school. The founders created the party after Malcom X was assassinated and an unarmed black teenager was shot by the police. They created the ten-point program which called for to immediately end police brutality, unemployment for African-Americans, for African-Americans to have land, housing, and justice. Their goal was to get more African-Americans elected in office. The Black Panther Party was a social organization they helped out many black communities and offered free breakfast, but some members were violent. In 1967, founder Huey Newton allegedly killed Oakland Police officer John Frey. Newton was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Eldrige Cleaver who was the editor of the Black Panther newspaper and 17-year-old Bobby Hutton were involved in a shootout in 1968. The organization was an FBI target and J. Edgar Hoover stated that the organization was a threat to American Society. The FBI dismantled the free breakfast program and exploited the rivalries between Black Nationalist groups. The Black Panther Party officially disbanded in 1982.

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Director: Stanley Nelson Jr.

The Black Panther Party has a very complex history. The whites were treating the blacks horribly. Black people were getting attacked by dogs and police spraying them with fire hoses. Other black people could not turn the other cheek, they wanted black power! In 1966, the police brutality was intensifying in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Police officers in major urban cities treats black differently to whites. The officers would jump on black men and beat them severely. Some officers would even put a gun to the black men’s head and threaten to shoot him. Oakland was a huge urban city with massive problems, and Huey Newton recognized those issues. Huey and Bobby Seale started the Black Panther Party. They were both college-educated and they understood their rights. It was Huey’s idea for the black panthers to carry guns for their protection, and because of the 2^nd amendment. Ronald Regan was the governor of California and the panthers hated him, because he was racist. Therefore, the black panthers decided to raid the state’s capitol. The Panthers invaded the Sacramento office with guns attached to them. After that incident, more black people wanted to join the Black Panthers. The Black Panther Party National Headquarters office was located in West Oakland. The Panthers wanted to end police brutality immediately, they wanted to have freedom endlessly, and strong education for eternity, so the organization came up with the 10-point program. The 10-point program was like the Organization’s bible, because it formulated the foundational work that the panthers must represent. The program was against white supremacy and capitalism. The organization grew, but members came from off the streets. There was no screening and rigidness to the organization. Until Eldrige Cleaver came into the picture, he wrote “Soul on Ice!” The book was a New York Times best seller. Cleaver was an eloquent speaker and an impeccable writer to join the party. Huey sponsored him to join the party, because it would Cleaver would be a positive outlook for the organization. After Cleaver joined the group, Huey was arrested for allegedly murdering John Cry. Huey faced execution and the panthers started to protest, because many others were jailed at the time, so Cleaver was the only spokesperson. White and Blacks were protesting for Huey’s freedom, Huey’s arrest became a movement. The Black Panthers grew stronger, because they hated oppression and blacks being murdered. The organization became like a family. The members walked and spoke with swagger. The group created the concept that urban blacks are beautiful which is why the members had the Afro. Teenagers were mostly in the Black Panther party because they wanted to embody the strength and culture that is associated with being a Black Panther. Photographers were drawn to the Black Panthers and broadcasters exploited the Black Panthers. The group were a positive organization and they started the “Free Breakfast” children program gave children free breakfast before they went to school. They served over 20,000 meals to over 19 different communities. The organization also opened up free health clinics. The group was shown in a positive light until J Edgar Hoover attacked the party. Hoover stated “The Black Panther Party is a threat to American Society”, so Hoover created COINTELPRO which stood for Counter Intelligence Program. The program was to expose, misdirect and neutralize the activities of Black Nationalists. The FBI sent out informants from the party to arrest their members and Hoover sent out letters to every Black Panther office in America. Hoover’s main goal was to dismantle the party and to prevent the rise of the “Black Messiah”, to prevent black youth growing, and gaining respect in the black community. The FBI harassed, and taunted the black panthers by tapping their phones, and following them also the FBI would taunt the panthers’ family members. The ultimate goal was to turn the black panther party members against each other, so the members were equipped to what the FBI was doing. The panthers bounded with each other and formed “Panther Pads.” These pads consisted of 10 people living in 3 bedroom apartments. People were so dedicated to the party. They would leave their family members to stay in the pads. The party depended on each other for support, because they knew the FBI was targeting them. Women would creak breakfast for their “Free Breakfast Program” and they were secretaries for the chapters in their cities. Women wanted to become more involved in the party, so they switched gender roles. The women started to have guns and the men started cooking. The Black Panther newspaper was 25 cents back then and the paper was vital tool for the party, because it was their way of spreading their message. In the paper, the artist Emory Douglas drew caricatures of black people and police officers as pigs. The Black Panthers called the police pigs. Their motto was the pigs needed to be taken out by any means necessary following Malcolm X approach. On April 4^th, 1968 Martin Luther King was assassinated and riot broke out. People were devastated, because King was a peaceful man that did not condone violence. After the riot, Little Bobby Hutton gets a shotgun from Edward “Big Man” Howard. Bobby get gunned down by the police he was 17-years-old. Then the FBI is looking for Eldrige Cleaver he was considered a fugitive, but he was in Algeria, so Dave Hilliard became the new spokesperson, because the others members were either away or locked up in jail. The FBI manipulated the police to target the Black Panthers. The party was now viewed as a terrorist organization, so the police shot at the black panthers. The shootout lasted for 30 minutes and on April 2^nd, 1969 21 black panthers were charged with terrorist activities, so the “Panther 21” was created. The “Panther 21” was created because 21 people were in court with $100,000 bails and facing 800 plus years in prison. The FBI tried to frame the Black Panthers by not allowing them a fair trial, but Jane Fonda and other celebrities supported the Black Panthers. She opened up her home for black panthers to stay and do their fundraising. After a 13-month trial, the jury deliberated for 3 hours and have found the 21 people not guilty, but after that tumultuous incident more smaller trials started to pop up all over the country. Other blacks were afraid to join the party because they did not want to be subjected to court. At the Democratic Convention in Chicago Bobby Seale speaks and a riot breaks out. September 1969, Seale was arrested and he was bought to trial. Seale lost his cool in the courtroom, because the judge did not allow him to defend himself, so the judge tied him to a chair with duct tape across his mouth. People from different cultures and backgrounds protested for him, but it did not work, so Fred Hampton took over. Fred Hampton was a 17-year-old black teenager who gained fame after protesting for Bobby, because he was a passionate orator. Hampton was the head of the NAACP youth branch and the chairman of the Illinois Chapter of Black Panther party. He wanted to unite the poor whites with the blacks. Many of the hillbillies supported the party. Hoover did not want the blacks and whites to come together, so he set Hampton up. On December 4^th, 1969 Hampton was murdered by the police in his apartment, while his wife was pregnant with their son. The police laughed about the incident and the FBI never acknowledged that they set Hampton up to be killed. In Los Angeles, four days later the Black Panther Party retaliated at the police force after the riot was over more panthers got locked up, but Huey was released from jail. Huey became very erratic after he was incarcerated, because he started to abuse drugs. Huey did not trust Eldridge, because the FBI was sending out informants to break up their close friendship. Eldridge and Huey were no longer friends, and Huey was abusive to his friends and women. After Seale lost the election for mayor against Reading he got into a physical altercation with Huey. The Party blew to shambles, in the early 80’s.