By today’s Trumpian standards he seems mild. Even Obama praised him. Along with Lincoln, Republicans trot Ronald Reagan out every time Democrats praise their greats: Obama, LBJ, Kennedy, FDR or Truman.
Republicans regularly rate him their greatest after Lincoln.
In reality, the “great communicator,“ as he was called, was an impenetrable facade of congeniality who was hostile to civil rights.
And when she tried to join the Fediverse, she was greeted with a barrage of hate, sexism, racism, and anti-semitism that should have never been allowed to happen.
So now no one on Fediverse gets to interact with her directly about her work on here. Our loss. 😢
Which is why we'll make it so that this type of terrible welcome is unlikely to happen again. Allowing it to happen to her was a choice. We will make better ones.
#politics#trump#fascism#BlackMastodon#BlackTwitter@blackmastodon
Can you participate in a thought experiment with me? The posts warning about fascism are good, but I'm wondering what you think fascism actually looks like. Give a thought, and list what it looks like. Don't just say "the end of democracy." List what the concrete changes will be and make it local. "In my town/city/county/state the following will happen......" Think about it before replying. Not just for #BlackMastodon .
Gun control is a contentious issue in the United States. Its origins are complex, tied to a history of racial tension, political power dynamics, & competing interpretations of the Second Amendment. One significant chapter in this history is the emergence of the Black Panther Party and their role in the gun control debate.
Because of his willingness to play for segregated audiences, throughout much of his life, Louis Armstrong was called a sellout and an Uncle Tom by many Black Americans, But, in 1957, Satchmo blew up-—blasting Eisenhower to bits for not condemning treatment of Black American students in the South. His passionate words made world headlines, alienated many white fans, and divided Black America.
The G.I. Bill created the prosperity & laid the groundwork for the American superpower. But the postwar boom stopped at the color line. Black American frustration at discriminatory distribution of G.I. benefits would soon erupt into the modern Civil Rights Movement. These discriminatory practices and systemic barriers faced by Black-American veterans under the G.I. Bill had far-reaching consequences that persist today.
John Brown was known for his militant tactics in the fight against slavery while Frederick Douglass, the slave who became a powerful orator & writer, used the power of words and alliances to end that barbarous practice. Although the two men shared the same goal, their approaches were vastly different, and their relationship was often strained. In fact, John Brown's actions almost got Frederick Douglass killed.
British Caribbean slavery, cornerstone of the British empire, was characterized by extreme & brutal exploitation. It yielded substantial wealth for a privileged few and the British government, but inflicted immense suffering on the majority of enslaved individuals, making them the most overworked & harshly treated people in the eighteenth-century Atlantic world. This history had enduring consequences.
In WW2, the movement of millions of American troops to Britain, known as the “friendly invasion,” brought to light stark differences concerning racial segregation. Many Britons struggled to understand or accept the institutionalized discrimination that Black soldiers faced in White America, leading to tensions between the two allied nations on the matter of civil rights.
I'm still not talking about Black history. I'm still talking about white US history.
Q: Why do Black kids not do well in school? Is it because their dads are uninvolved and uncaring parents? Bill Cosby and Herschel Walker told me that, and they are good and wise men that we should listen to! It's Black dads' fault! Boo Black men!
A: No. Black kids only do poorly in school in extremely racist countries.
You know the drill by now. I don't like talking about Black history. Americans know Black history. I want to talk about white American history. In other words, racism, and the erasure of both positive achievements of, and injustices suffered by, non-white people. That's what people don't know.
Try this: Ask your white US friends what the statue of liberty celebrates.
Now ask your Black friends. Or French folk of any color.
“For the horrors of the American Negro’s life,” wrote James Baldwin in 1962, “there has been almost no language.” The history is clear. America gave Black Americans nothing. What freedom we have was earned through blood, toil, grit, perseverance, & courage. After the deadliest insurrection in American history, Black-New Yorkers rebuilt their lives, shaped their destinies & contributed to the ongoing freedom struggle.
Although sparked by the acquittal of 4 white police officers who beat Rodney King, the roots of the 1992 Los Angeles riots can be traced back through decades of racial, economic, & political tensions. Therefore, to understand the magnitude & depth of anger that fueled the riots, one must consider the historical context that set the stage for this tumultuous event.
Paul Robeson’s courage in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee made him a symbol of resistance for subsequent generations of civil rights activists & dissenters, who saw in his actions a model of courage in the face of political intimidation. He stood firm for his beliefs, despite the significant cost, and pushed back against the violation of civil liberties.
160 years ago, in July 1863, a 4-day reign of terror descended upon NYC Black-Americans, who faced targeted violence, persecution & destruction. The riots exposed the deep-rooted racism that permeated Northern society, as Black men, women, & children were brutally attacked and subjected to horrific acts of cruelty. It was the deadliest riot in American history, but it showcased again the resilience of Black America.
A significant number of white Americans opposed fighting in a civil war that would grant freedom to Black Americans. Their concern was former slaves, whom they considered inferior, would compete for jobs at lower wages. Consequently, in July of 1863, a white mob, furious with conscription, targeted Black New Yorkers in an attempt to eradicate them from the landscape. The Union was not as united as it is often portrayed.
The Exodusters were Black Americans who migrated westward, particularly to Kansas, in the late 19th century fleeing southern violence & discrimination. In 1879, 1000s of Exodusters embarked on an arduous journey, hoping to finally find freedom, land, & economic independence. It is known as the Exoduster Movement and it was the first great migration of Black Americans after the Civil War.
The perception of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X is one where the two men are diametrically opposed figures in the battle against white supremacy (political insider vs. political renegade). The truth is more nuanced. King and Malcolm X shared "convergent visions" for the betterment of Black America. However, their strategies to attain their shared goal were shaped by their disparate upbringings.
Rodney King suffered a fractured skull and cheekbone after being beaten by 4 Los Angeles, CA police officers, who were charged with a number of offenses. Many Angelenos felt certain of a conviction. After all, there was irrefutable proof in the form of a video captured by George Holliday, then, blasted across the airwaves. Wrong! Not guilty!
Mary Fields (Stagecoach Mary) was the FIRST Black American & 2nd woman to deliver the mail in the U.S. At 60, she applied for a mail carrier position in Montana's Cascade region. She aced the job by skillfully hitching her horses faster than anyone else. Despite bandits, wolves, & grueling weather, Mary never missed driving the route with horses & Moses, her mule. She would often trek by foot over 10 miles with sacks over her shoulder.
In WW 2, millions of women, called "Rosies," supported the forces. Often overlooked are "Black Rosies," 600,000 Black women who joined various industries. Racism, sexism, & other obstacles hindered them. Despite these adversities, they made significant contributions to the war effort. Given the challenges, these remarkable women are some of the most significant figures of the 20th century. They have earned their place in history.
On July 15, 1944, in Bristol UK, the "Park Street Riot,” saw 400 Black soldiers confront 120 U.S. Military Police (MPs) over pub access. Observers later recounted that locals rooted for the Black troops. Like the Battle of Bamber Bridge a year earlier, this event underscored the racism Black troops faced as well as the disconnect between how they were treated overseas vs in their own country.
#BlackMastodon#BlackTwitter@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon
In Mystal's piece he talks about how Clarence Thomas became self-hating, Mystal shares a story that he told his mother he wasn't black because he heard something negative about black people at school and it didn't apply to him so he figured he wasn't black. I'm just curious how many of black kids tried to separate themselves from blackness when they were young because of some ignorant thing a white person said?