African American CulturePresented by:

Merissa Fontenot

Teresa Cossey-Simpson

Demographics 281,421,906 African Americans reside in US 54% in South, 19% in Midwest, 18% in

Northeast and 10% in West 3/5 of all African Americans live in ten

particular states: New York, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, and Louisiana

New York, California, Texas, Florida and Georgia all have African American populations over two million

New York is has the largest population of African Americans at two 2.3 million, followed by Chicago with 1.1 million

Three other cities have notable black populations: Detroit, Philadelphia, and Houston

Demographics Cont.

Regional Populations

Texas Demographics On a top ten ranking of the largest black

populations in the Unites States, Texas holds three of the top positions

Houston (#4): 1.9 million Dallas (#8), San Antonio (#9): 1.1 million each 118,988 African Americans reside in SETX

22% of general population Twice statewide percentage of 12%

National Percentages

Origins in Americas Does not begin with slavery 1500’s African’s exploring world 1619 Jamestown 20 arrive in Jamestown, VA

As indentured servants Treated same as white servants Descendents historically free blacks and

overrepresented in middle and upper classes

1700’s Great period of expansion in America Indentured servitude becomes slavery Transatlantic slave trade now in progress 1702 Treaty of Utrecht

British accorded 30 yr. contract to send 5,000 slaves a year to Spanish colonies

1750 Georgia last colony to legalize slavery Now law in all 13 colonies

The Slave Trade 10,000 slaves/yr transported across Atlantic Over the 300 yrs trade in force 10 to 20

million slaves brought to Americas 1 to 4 million ended-up in

what would become US

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

1789 the United States Constitution was ratfied with a clause equating slaves to 3/5 of a white citizen and a provision that the slave trade would end in 20 years Although, it continued for the next 2 generations

Slave compound on the Gulf of Guinea, 1746

Published 1807

Branding Slaves

American Revolution April 1776 Continental Congress votes to

halt slave trade Only to shut-down British commerce

July 1776 drafting Constitution “…inalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of

happiness…” Thomas Jefferson owned over 200 slaves when

wrote these words

3/5 Clause 1789 Constitution ratified with clause

equating “negro” to 3/5 of a white and provision to end slave trade within 20 yrs.

Actually gave southern states more political power and protected slave trade for another 20 yrs

Social, Political and Economical Influences ContFree Blacks.

1790 60,000 1830 300,000 1860 500,000 The fight to free all African Americans over

the next 7 decades launched from abolished slavery in some states to those who simply escaped!

Abolition Cont.

Leaders of an “All Star Team” Fredrick Douglas William Wells Brown Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman

The unrelenting determination and perseverance of the abolitionists brought the issue of slavery to the ONLY war fought on American soil –

Civil War

Sojourner Truth, 1864 (?)

May 21, 1831

1838

Emancipation Civil War

1861 the Confederate States opened fire at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina

January 1st 1863 President Lincoln issues the Emancipation

Proclamation Freeing slaves in all Confederate territories Did not free those in Washing DC or the border

states

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

Quaker Religion were among the 1st to protest the enslavement of African Americas, citing the practice as incongruent with Christian teachings Antislavery societies were formed

These petitions with thousands of signatures were sent to Congress

They held meetings and conferences They boycotted products made with slave labor Gave innumerable speeches for their cause

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

Leaders of an “All Star Team” Fredrick Douglas William Wells Brown Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman

The unrelenting determination and perseverance of the abolitionists brought the issue of slavery to the ONLY war fought on American soil –

Civil War

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

Civil War 1861 the Confederate States opened fire at Fort

Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina January 1st 1863

President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation

Freeing slaves in all Confederate territories Did not free those in Washing DC or the border

states

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

13th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1865 All African Americans were granted their freedom

July 1866 Congress ratified the Fourteenth Amendment invalidating the Supreme Court’s 1857 decision Dred Scott v. Sanford

People of African descent, whether or not they were slaves, could never be citizens of the United States

Social, Political and Economical Influences Cont.

14th Amendment Congress created: Freedmen’s Bureau – supervised relief activities

including issuing rations, clothing and medicine Also set up churches and schools for free blacks

Cultural Impact on the Educational Needs and Service Needs

1837 Institute for Colored Youth was founded by Richard Humphrey

1854 Ashman Institute

1st school of higher learning for young black men founded by John Miller Dickey and his wife Sarah Emlen Cresson

1856 Wilberforce University 1st black school of higher learning owned and operated by African

Americans. It was founded by African Methodist Episcopal Church 1870

1st public high school for African Americans was founded in Washing DC “institution of excellence”

over ¾ of its graduates went onto college Produced 1st black General 1st Cabinet Member 1st Black Judge

Cultural Impact on Educational Needs and Services Cont.

By 1870 More than 240,000 pupils in over 4,000 different

schools Within the next decade the following were

established: Howard University, Meharry Medical College, the

Spelman College, the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, Fisk University and the Hampton Institute

Cultural Impact on Educational Needs and Services Cont.

1870 – ratification of the 15th Amendment granted ALL males the right to vote

1870-1875 EVERY state legislature had African American

members and by

1875 – 11 blacks had been elected to the United States Congress

Cultural Impact on Educational Needs and Services Cont.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas was impetus for the movement toward equal rights and opportunities for black citizens.

1896 Plessy v. Ferguson “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal”

Thurgood Marshall, then an attorney for the NAACP argued the case and would later become the 1st African American Supreme Court Justice

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