Black History Month Presentation

John ResendezMrs. Corzine

North Crowley 9th

9

Introduction• -black history to me is a whole month

dedicated to the African American people that has helped us in this present time. With out some of these people we probably wouldn’t be were we are today.

Overview• In the presentation I am about to give

you, I will give you a brief historical information on three African Americans who to day made it possible for young African American to follow there dreams.

• Jack Johnson• John Mercer Langston• Sarah Vaughan

History• Make a timeline of the important historical

events

Name of Event 1

Name of Event 2

Name of Event 3

Name of Event 4

Name of Event 5

Name of Event 6

1619 1746 1773 1787 1808 1849

The first African slaves arrive in Virginia.

Lucy Terry, an enslaved person in 1746, becomes the earliest known black American poet when she writes about the last American Indian attack on her village of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Her poem, Bar's Fight, is not published until

1855

Phillis Wheatley's book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral is published, making her the first African American to do so.

Slavery is made illegal in the Northwest Territory. The U.S Constitution states that Congress may not ban the slave trade until 1808.

Congress bans the importation of slaves from Africa

Harriet Tubman escapes from slavery and becomes one of the most effective and celebrated leaders of the Underground Railroad.

Interesting Facts• Americans have recognized black

history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as "Black History Month." What you might not know is that black history had barely begun to be studied-or even documented-when the tradition originated. Although blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the history books.

Black History Leaders• Jack Johnson- He was the first black Heavyweight Champion of the World (1908-

1915). In a documentary about his life, Ken Burns notes: "For more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous and the most notorious African-American on Earth.

• John Mercer Langston- a graduate of Oberlin College and Oberlin resident for 15 years, was a black leader of conviction and influence, a visionary reformer, and an accomplished statesman and lawyer. John Mercer Langston, a graduate of Oberlin College and Oberlin resident for 15 years, was a black leader of conviction and influence, a visionary reformer, and an accomplished statesman and lawyer.Langston was born free in 1829 in Louisa County Virginia, the youngest of four children. His father, Ralph Quarles, was a wealthy white planter and slaveholder. Langston's mother, Lucy Langston, was an emancipated slave of Indian and Black ancestry. Both parents died in 1834 after brief, unrelated illnesses. Langston was left a sizable inheritance which ensured his financial independence.William Gooch, a friend of Quarles who lived in Chillicothe, Ohio, cared for Langston and his brothers Charles and Gideon. In 1838, Gooch moved his family to Missouri, a slave state. A court ruled that Langston's inheritance would be threatened if he accompanied them. Langston moved to Cincinnati, where he became enamored with the tight-knit community of freedmen which persisted in the face of relentless bigotry.At the age of 14, Langston enrolled in the Preparatory Department at Oberlin College. While a student at Oberlin he excelled in debate. He graduated from the Collegiate Department in 1849, the fifth black man to do so. Inspired by his experiences in Cincinnati, he involved himself in the black rights movement. In 1848, at the invitation of Frederick Douglas, Langston delivered an impromptu speech to the National Black Convention in Cleveland, condemning those who refused to help fugitive slaves.

• Sarah Vaughan- Sarah Lois Vaughan (nicknamed "Sassy" and "The Divine One") (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century".She had a contralto vocal range. Sarah Vaughan was a three time Grammy Award winner. The National Endowment for the Arts bestowed upon her its highest honor in jazz, the NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1989.

Arts and Literature• Phillis

Wheatley's book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral is published, making her the first African American to do so.

How We Celebrate• Programs at school• Black history Parades • TV programs• Books and poets

Conclusion• Provide a brief summary of your

presentation

Questions & Answers• Invite questions from the audience

Resources• List the resources you used for your

research