 On May 17, 1912, Mary Beatrice Davidson was born in Monroe, North Carolina, 30 minutes South of Charlotte, North Carolina. Her father was an inventor named Sidney Nathaniel Davidson, he patented the clothing press for a suitcase, a window washer for trains, and a stretcher with wheels for ambulances to better transport injured people. I do not have any information about Mary Kenner’s mother. Her paternal grandfather invented the pants presser, her maternal grandfather is said to be the original inventor of the light signal for trains. The genius to invent items to improve our everyday lives must run in the Davidson bloodline, because Mary Kenner’s sister, Mildred Davidson Austin Smith, invented board games, trademarked her games, and sold her games for a profit. At the age of six, Kenner came up with the idea of the self-oiling door hinge, but the invention was never created. She was very young but wise and thoughtful enough to observe her surroundings and think of how she could improve people’s everyday lives. She would create more ideas for inventions as a child, such as the sponge tip to soak up the water running off of an umbrella, and a portable ashtray that attached to a cigarette carton. In 1924, Kenner’s family moved to Washington D.C. She would spend much of her time in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office learning about the system, how to patent inventions, and looking to see if someone else patented her inventions. Kenner graduated from Dunbar Highschool in 1931, her next step was enrolling at Howard University. She studied at Howard for three or four semesters before dropping out due to financial issues. To support herself and her family, Kenner began working various jobs such as babysitting and working as an elevator operator. She worked where ever she could to earn money. In 1941, Kenner began working for the Census Bureau and General Accounting Office. This job allowed her to make more money, better support her family, and in her spare time create new inventions. Even though the bulk of her time was spent working to help her family, she never lost her passion to invent. In 1950, Kenner saved up enough money to quit her job and open up a florist shop. She had also become a professional florist. Her florist shop was successful and lasted for 20 years. In 1945, Kenner married a man who was a soldier in the U.S. Army, the couple divorced in 1950. Also In 1951, she married the famous boxer and founder of the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington, James “Jabbo” Kenner. The couple produced two sons Antonio and Woodrow. In 1957, Kenner filed and acquired her first patent for her invention the sanitary belt. She originally created the belt as a teen but didn't have the money to file for the patent. The sanitary belt was designed to hold a woman’s sanitary pad in place preventing her menstrual fluids from escaping the pad. This is an invention she would make improvements to overtime. Kenner’s invention was becoming a very useful and popular tool for women at the time. Her invention was so popular that The Sonn-Nap-Pack Company was contacting her to make a business deal. The deal was revoked by The Soon-Nap-Pack Company because they discovered Kenner was a black woman. The use of the sanitary belt declined as the design for menstrual pads was improved upon and tampon was being used. But Kenner was not deterred. In 1976, Kenner patented a walker attachment that included a tray to sit items on and pockets for carrying extra items. In 1982, Kenner and her sister collaborated to patent a toilet paper holder, and in 1987, Kenner patented a mounted back washer and massager; which was her last patent. On January 13, 2006, Mary Beatrice Kenner died at the age of 93. She was a very intelligent and driven woman. She was a visionary who used her imagination and ingenuity to bring her ideas to fruition. This story is a reminder of why it is important to cultivate the interest, skills, discipline, and imagination of your children because they could literally change the world. Mrs. Mary Beatrice Kenner, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to purchase your copies of the OTSOG book series. References: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/mary-kenner-1912-2006/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kenner https://historyofyesterday.com/mary-kenner-the-inventor-of-sanitary-belts-3fa94eb31d15 https://www.peoplepill.com/people/mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner/ https://www.diversityinc.com/womens-history-month-profiles-mary-beatrice-davidson-kenner-inventor/
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 “Live Free or Die.” Were the last words of a pregnant woman fighting for her freedom against the French on the island of Guadeloupe. Solitude was born in 1772, on the Island of Guadeloupe. Her mother was an enslaved African woman and her father was a French sailor who impregnated her mother by force. Solitude’s mother escaped enslavement but left Solitude on the plantation. Years passed, and Solitude grew into a very beautiful young lady. She was said to have beautiful brown skin and exquisite eyes, each was a different color. Men often fought each other for her affection. Solitude worked as a domestic slave cleaning and keeping her master's house tidy. It is believed that she was given domestic duties because of her beauty and skin complexion. She was called the Female Mulatto' because she was of mixed race. In 1794, the French Empire abolished slavery, because the Haitian Revolution was successful, and they wanted to avoid further revolutions throughout the colonies. Solitude and many other enslaved Africans left their plantations to live in Maroon colonies in Guadeloupe and live on other Caribbean Islands. The Africans living within the French colonies were free of French enslavement and able to live their lives as free men and women, so they thought. In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte became the de facto leader of the French Republic, and in 1802 Napolean reinstated slavery with the passing of the Law of 20 May 1802, which revoked the abolition of slavery in 1794. Solitude and a large number of African people revolted against the reinstatement of slavery. Louis Delgrès was the leader of the revolt against Napoleon, and Solitude stood bravely by his side ready to defend her freedom. Solitude joined the fight even though she was pregnant. Before fighting the French, Delgrès released a message to his people; “To the whole universe, the last cry of innocence and despair”. The battles began in May of 1802. Pregnancy did not stop Solitude from excelling on the battlefield. She gained a reputation as a fierce fighter because she was able to help lead her troops deep into the French territory. She was a major contributor to many victories over the French troops. Later in May of 1802, French General Richepance attacked a fort where Delgrès and other Maroons were occupied. The Maroons and the French battled for over 18 days at the Fort. Finally, on the 18th day, the Fort was bombed, Solitude survived the bombing but was injured, she was also captured by the French and jailed. Delgrès and several others died in the bombing. Solitude was jailed until she gave birth to her baby; which became the property of the French because she was no longer a free woman. A day after giving birth, Solitude was executed for her role in the revolt. One thing I learned about Solitude, she did not allow anything to stop her from achieving her goals. Neither pregnancy, the threat of enslavement, nor death, could stop Solitude from fighting for her freedom and the freedom of her people. “Live free or die,” are the last words Solitude spoke before she was executed. To the brave and beautiful Solitude of Guadeloupe, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J. A. Ward Click here to purchase a book from the OTSOG book series. References: https://kentakepage.com/solitude-of-guadeloupe/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Mul%C3%A2tresse_Solitude https://africanlisbontour.com/2021/01/16/solitude-la-mulatresse-solitude/ https://goodblacknews.org/2018/08/09/history-meet-solitude-the-great-warrior-woman-of-guadeloupe-who-fought-against-french-troops-in-1802-while-pregnant/  During the 1730s, a young slave girl named Marie-Joseph Angelique would start a rebellion history would never forget. Angelique was the property of François Poulin of Montreal, Canada. Not much is known about the history of slavery in Canada. She was a slave girl who was being prepared to become a mating partner with a fellow slave. Angelique was a woman of sound mind and was resistant to the demands of her master. She was also engaged in a relationship with a white indentured servant named Claude Thibault from France. On April 10, 1734, Angelique set fire to the home of her slave master. The fire quickly spread to other houses and businesses. The total damage was 46 buildings burned. One of the buildings was the famous L'Hôtel Dieu hospital. She was captured and brought to trial for the fire. The trial took two months, within that time Angelique was interrogated and tortured until she confessed to the fire. On June 21, 1734, Angelique was set to be executed by the authorities of Montreal. She was paraded through the streets by a rope, one end tied to her neck, and the other tied to a wagon. They placed signs upon her back that read arsonist. She was forced to beg for mercy in front of the on-looking crowd, then one of her hands was cut off. She was hung in front of the crowd by a slave named Mathieu, then her body was burned and spread her ashes throughout the land. Slavery in Canada is greatly overlooked and understudied. It is a place where the Church frowned upon slavery, but in the case of Angelique, the Church conveniently turned a blind eye. She was killed because she stood up for her rights as a human being. Freedom was her goal and she gave her life to gain it. Marie-Joseph Angelique; we stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to learn more about the OTSOG book series. References: http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/marie_joseph_angelique_2E.html http://www.blackhistorypages.net/pages/mjangelique.php http://www.canadianmysteries.ca/sites/angelique/accueil/indexen.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie-Joseph_Ang%C3%A9lique  Nefertiti was an Egyptian woman born around 1390 BCE, who became the Queen of Pharaoh Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty. The name Nefertiti means "a beautiful woman has come," which was fitting because she was well known for her beauty. The identity of her parents is unknown and little is known about her early life. She became the wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV who would change his name to Akhenaten because they were followers of Aten. Nefertiti would take on a name change as well, she was known as “Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti” which means “Beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a beautiful woman has come.” Akhenaten made a radical change in converting his kingdom to the following of Aten. Nefertiti was very instrumental in the ruling of Egypt alongside her husband. Akhenaten did not reject her opinions, he respected Nefertiti and her views. Nefertiti was often depicted with the crown of the Pharaoh upon her head, she can also be seen in battle with her husband. She was respected enough to become a member of the priesthood which gave offerings to Aten. It is stated that the Queen gave birth to six children as the wife of the Pharaoh. Unfortunately, not much is known about the Queen because historical records of her are minimal after 1360 BCE. It is said that internal strife existed within Akhenaten’s kingdom because of his change from the following of Amen-Ra to the following of Aten. I do not have any information about the death of Nefertiti because her death or disappearance is a myth. Many theories exist about the disappearance of Nefertiti, no one is quite certain as to what happened to the Queen. What we do know is she was depicted as a majestic, brilliant, beautiful ruler and wife. Queen Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward. Click here to support the OTSOG book series. References: http://www.kingtutone.com/queens/nefertiti/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nefertiti http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/nefertiti  The 18th Dynasty is said to be one of Egypt’s greatest dynasties ruled by popular pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Amenhotep I, Tutankhamun, Akhenaten, and our focus for this feature, Amenhotep III. Amenhotep III was born between 1401 BCE - 1388 BCE and was the son of Thutmose IV and Mutemwiya. Mutemwiya was said to be one of the lesser wives of Thutmose IV. At the age of 12, Amenhotep III succeeded his father and became the Pharaoh of Egypt, which at the time was a very large and prosperous empire. Also during this time, Amenhotep III married Queen Tiye, who is one of the 18th Dynasty’s greatest and most popular figures. Queen Tiye was held in such high regard that she is often depicted as an equal to Amenhotep III. Amenhotep III contributed greatly to the building and expansion of Egypt during his reign; arts and architecture were some of his greatest passions. One of his greatest assets as a ruler was his political acumen and diplomacy. He was very charismatic and built peaceful relationships with rulers of other nations, helping to increase the wealth of Egypt. Maintaining relationships and the quality of roads that traders used to travel also helped increase Egypt’s wealth. Amenhotep III was a very skilled hunter that is said to have killed over 110 lions during his first 10 years as pharaoh. There is also proof of him successfully leading his army into a battle. Amenhotep III completed the construction of a palace for himself at Malkata during the 39th year of his reign. This palace was the largest and most lavish palace in Egypt at the time. Amenhotep III forbade the marrying of Egyptian women to foreign rulers to keep his dynasty strong. This tradition was also implemented by his father Thutmose IV. As mentioned earlier, the arts and architecture were passions of Amenhotep III. That passion led to the construction of over 250 temples and buildings. He also constructed hundreds of statues depicting himself, Queen Tiye, the God Aten, and various other Gods. Around 600 statues were said to be dedicated to the Goddess Sekhmet. Because Amenhotep III was busy with the building of Egypt, Queen Tiye was in charge of maintaining Egypt’s political affairs. Two of Amenhotep’s largest and most popular statues are called the Colossi of Memnon, which were located in his palace. Egypt’s greatest political and economic threat at the time was the cult of Amun, led by priests who dedicated themselves to the worship of the god Amun. The cult owned a large portion of the land and held an immense amount of wealth, making them a worthy threat, if respectable political relations were not maintained. To help prevent any vulnerability to the cult of Amun, Aten became the personal deity of Amenhotep III. Many believe the presence of the cult of Amun is what led Pharaoh Akhenaten, Amenhotep III’s successor, to implement state-mandated monotheism in the worship of Aten. For 39 years, Amenhotep III reigned as the pharaoh of Egypt with the beautiful Queen Tiye by his side. He died in 1353 BCE and was survived by Queen Tiye, his sons Thutmose, Akhenaten, and many other sons and daughters. Before his death, Amenhotep III was succeeded by his son Thutmose, but Thutmose died before Amenhotep III’s death, so Akhenaten became Pharaoh after the death of Amenhotep III. Egypt literally flourished under the rule of Amenhotep III. The people were treated fairly by the ruling class, the empire expanded and increased its wealth, and relations with other nations and kingdoms prospered. The splendor of Egypt was on full display. Architectural campaigns led by Amenhotep III helped Egypt become the most opulent empire of the ancient world. Pharaoh Amenhotep III, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the OTSOG book series. On the Shoulders of Giants Volume 4 The Caribbean is available for pre-sale now. References: https://www.worldhistory.org/Amenhotep_III/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amenhotep_III https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/amenhotep_iii.shtml  In the early 1700s, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade swept across the Caribbean and the Americas, enslaved Africans were transported from the west coast of Africa to Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas. A man known as Black Caesar was said to be an African chief who was very strong and intelligent. He would often use his strength and intelligence to avoid the capture of slave traders. One day, Black Caesar was engaging in conversation with a slave trader who was showing him a watch and other jewels, the slave trader also told tales of treasures and riches which enticed Caesar. Little did Caesar know; he was being lured onto a slave ship. By the time Caesar noticed what was happening, the ship was at sea and Caesar was being held at gunpoint by the crew of the ship. Caesar and several other Africans were kidnapped and shipped to the Americas. During the voyage to the Americas, Caesar became friendly with a member of the ship's crew, this is the only person Caesar trusted to take food and water from. During the voyage, the shipwrecked due to being consumed by a hurricane along the southern coast of Florida. Caesar and the sailor he befriended were able to survive the hurricane and shipwreck. The two men found shelter on an island off the coast of Florida. The legend of Black Caesar began to grow as Caesar and his companion robbed ships passing through the Florida Keys. Caesar and his friend would pretend they were shipwrecked to catch the attention of a passing ship. When the ship was in range, they would use a paddle boat to approach the ship, once aboard the ship, they would rob the passengers and often threaten to sink the ships. According to myths surrounding Black Caesar, he buried a large amount of his treasure in an undisclosed location on Elliot Key, the northernmost Florida Key. Black Caesar eventually killed his friend due to an argument over a woman. Black Caesar took the woman as his own and continued making a living as a pirate. He became a successful pirate during the “golden age” of pirates in the Caribbean. He built his own crew of pirates, started a brothel business, and continued to successfully overtake other pirates and ships passing through the Florida Keys. As time passed, Black Caesar joined forces with the legendary pirate Blackbeard. Black Caesar was a lieutenant within Blackbeard’s crew upon the flagship Queen Anne’s Revenge. Black Caesar’s time with Blackbeard did not last long. Blackbeard was defeated in a battle by Lieutenant Maynard, at Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. Caesar was attempting to blow up the ship to avoid being captured, but he was stopped before he could ignite a gunpowder magazine. He was eventually captured, taken prisoner, and hung for his actions. This story is interesting because the idea of a black pirate is not common. He was taken into slavery, escaped slavery, and made a living robbing those who were either engaged in the slave trade or benefitted from the slave trade. This is the story of the pirate Black Caesar. I hope you enjoyed it. J.A. Ward Click here to support the OTSOG book series. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Caesar_(pirate) https://www.britannica.com/story/black-pirates-and-the-tale-of-black-caesar https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/international-crimes/black-caesar/ https://www.floridarambler.com/historic-florida-getaways/pirate-black-caesar-florida-keys/  In 1552, a slave revolt was led by a man known as Negro Miguel against Spanish slave owners at the San Felipe Mines, in Yaracuy Province, Venezuela. We do not know much about Miguel’s early life, but he was an enslaved African born in Puerto Rico in 1510. Slaveowner Damian del Barrio owned Miguel at the time, he transported Miguel to Venezuela to work the gold mines of San Felipe. Miguel became the property of Pedro del Barrio following the passing of Damian del Barrio. Pedro was the son of Damian. Miguel was a strong man but mostly known for his rebellious nature, intelligence, and quick wit. One day while Miguel was working in the gold mines, an abusive foreman was upset with Miguel and wanted to punish him. His intention was to tie Miguel up so he could punish him, but Miguel was strong enough to wrestle the foreman to the ground and take away the foreman’s sword. After taking the sword, Miguel was able to fight off the foreman and escape into the Cordillera de Merida mountains. Miguel was able to convince a few people to escape into the mountains with him. They used the mountains as their base where they created a Maroon community. Miguel and 19 other people were a part of the newly formed Maroon community of Buria, and they were the 20 people to raid the mines of San Felipe. They were able to overtake the Spanish guards and foremen, take their weapons, and gain full control of the mines. After capturing the mines, the former slaves punished the guards and foremen in the same fashion as they were punished before executing the guards and foremen. Following the raid of the mines, the Maroons continued to raid plantations freeing as many people as possible and leading them back to the Maroon community. Miguel became the King of the Maroon community of Buria, his wife was the Queen, and his son was the Prince. The legend of Miguel was growing while the Spanish were becoming more upset with opposition to their colonization. The Spanish wanted to delete the Maroons of Buria. Miguel led the Maroons to several victories against the Spanish. They would use various battle tactics to intimidate and neutralize the Spanish. In 1555, the Maroons gained a victory over the Spanish in the city of Barquisimeto. They were able to burn down a church, kill a number of Spanish settlers, and kill a Spanish priest. The Spanish and the Maroons were at war from 1552 to 1555. Late in 1555, the Maroons faced the Spanish led by Captain Diego de Losada at Barquisimeto. The Spanish troops outmatched the Maroons and defeated them. During the defeat, Miguel was killed, Maroons who were not killed were captured and severely punished for their involvement in the rebellions. The name Negro Miguel became an iconic name amongst the enslaved and indigenous populations of Venezuela. He was a regular man who refused to be abused and remain enslaved. He took his life into his own hands and literally look his freedom from the abusive slavemaster. He was able to create the Marron community of Buria and free as many people as possible. Miguel de Buria aka Negro Miguel, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J. A. Ward Click here to learn more about the OTSOG book series. References: https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/miguel-i-de-buria-1510-1555/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_de_Bur%C3%ADa https://www.venezuelatuya.com/historia/negro_miguel.htm  700AD is said the be the year a group of Tiano people called the Lucayan migrated from Cuba and Hispaniola to the Bahamas, becoming the first inhabitants of the archipelago. The Lucayans inhabited the Bahamas for eight hundred years or more, their population reached around forty thousand at its height. Archeological evidence showed that most of the population inhabited the largest islands in the archipelago, but they also inhabited the smaller islands. Evidence also shows the Lucayans inhabited the Turks & Caicos Islands. The Lucayans are described as a Western Tiano group. The Western Tiano inhabited Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Though they were closely related to other Tiano groups, the Lucayans did have cultural differences that helped to distinguish them from other groups of Tiano. They spoke a Tiano language that was distinct to their culture. I do not know the name of the language, but as they developed as a culture, their language developed as well. They were known to live in chiefdoms that consisted of many families living in thatched huts made of plant and animal materials. The Lucayan word for the hut is Caney. Christopher Columbus and his men described the Lucayans as very beautiful people. They considered the Lucayan women as some of the most beautiful women in the world. Many of the European men left their homes to be with the Lucayan women. The Lucayan men were regarded as very tall, dark, and handsome. Their skin was bronze-colored and their hair was straight and black and usually cut short. Both the men and women wore customary body paint, tattoos, and traditional scarification. The women wore cotton skirts, while the men wore cotton lion cloths. They decorated themselves with gold and other precious metals and stones as nose rings, earrings, bracelets, and more. They were said to have practiced head flattening to elongate their skulls. Hunting, fishing, gathering, and farming are how they sustained themselves. Their crops usually consisted of cassava, agave, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts, beans, papayas, guava, pineapples, and more. Lucayans were also very skilled craftsmen. They created pottery that is classified as Palmetto Ware, Abaco Redware, and Crooked Island Ware. They also carved canoes to travel between the islands to engage in trade with the other islanders. Weapons, tools, bowls, and other everyday items were also expertly carved by the Lucayans. 1492, is the year Christopher Columbus and his men arrived in the Bahamas. In less than thirty years, the Lucayan population was either completely or almost wiped out by the Europeans. As a child growing up in the State of Florida, in the 80s and 90s, I was taught that Columbus discovered America. I always asked, how could he discover something people already inhabited? I also always wondered who the original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands were. Now I know, and you know as well, that the Tiano and other groups of indigenous people lived on the islands close to a thousand years before dusty ole Columbus got lost. To the Lucayans of the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support my OTSOG book series!! References: https://www.expeditions.com/expedition-stories/stories/lucayans-vanished-indigenous-people-bahamas/ https://www.bahamastourcenter.com/who-were-the-lucayan-indians/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucayan_people  The Haitian Revolution was one of the greatest military and cultural battles to take place in the history of man. The tiny island of Haiti defeated France, England, and Spain to gain its independence in 1804. Toussaint L’Ouverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Dutty Boukman are the well-known leaders of the revolution. But like any successful military campaign, those leaders were supported by an army. I am telling you the story of a little-known hero and integral person of the Haitian Revolution, seamstress, and nurse, Katherine Flon. Not much information is known about her early life, but we know she was born in the Haitian city of Arcahaie in the late seventeen hundreds. Information exists about Katherine being the goddaughter of Jean-Jaques Dessalines, it also says she served as his assistant during the Haitian Revolution. As a young girl, she was introduced to the art of sewing and found very quickly she had a gift. She was also introduced to nursing, which became her profession and a valuable skill during the revolution. As Katherine grew into a woman, she continued to develop her skills as a seamstress and practice nursing. She would open a sewing workshop in the city of Arcahaie to teach young girls how to sew so they could support themselves. The Haitian Revolution began on August 21, 1791, and Katherine’s family was one of the many families to flee their homes seeking refuge from the revolution. Katherine made the difficult choice to not join her family and stay behind to help with the revolution. The majority of Katherine’s service in the revolution was in the capacity of a nurse attending to the wounds of soldiers. She was able to nurse her fellow revolutionaries in a non-combat zone, keeping kept her and others safe. By 1803, Jean-Jaques Dessalines was leading the Haitian army against France, England, and Spain, and an official flag for Haiti was not created yet. Dessalines ripped the white stripe out of a French flag after a battle as a symbol of Haiti no longer being connected to France, sending a message to France’s General Burnet. After Dessalines ripped the white stripe out of the French flag, he told his general, General Clerveau to oversee a team of people who could create the flag for Haiti led by Katherine. Katherine quickly put together her team and their ideas began flowing immediately. The original Haitian flag sewn by Katherine was the vertical red and blue stripes sewn together after Dessalines ripped out the white stripe. That day was May 18, 1803, which is now commemorated as Haitian Flag Day. Now Haiti had its flag, and would soon win its independence on January 1, 1804. The Haitian flag has had many changes to its design. In 1805, the vertical red and blue stripes were now horizontal. In 1806, the National Haitian Coat of Arms was added to the horizontal red and blue stripes. 1811, the flag was a red and black vertical stripe with the coat of arms, and there were three more changes until the current flag was settled upon, the horizontal red and blue stripes with the coat of arms. Katherine Flon, like many other women of the Haitian Revolution, is relatively unknown outside of the island of Haiti. Some historians try to relegate Katherine to just a myth because not much of her story is known, but Haitian historians admire her and she is a key historical figure. The Haitian government decided to place her likeness on the Haitian bill of ten gourdes in the year 2000. To the nurse and seamstress that sacrificed her own safety and freedom to help her people gain their freedom, and even created the original Haitian flag. Katherine Flon, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series. References: https://www.lunionsuite.com/woman-sewed-fabric-liberty-catherine-flon/ https://enslaved.org/fullStory/16-23-126810/ Bello, Bayyinah. (2019). Sheroes of the Haitian Revolution. Thorobred Books, LLC.  On August 8th, 1866, Matthew Alexander Henson was born in Nanjemoy, Maryland, to parents who were free from slavery and worked as sharecroppers in Charles County, Maryland. Like many black Americans at the time, Henson’s family was victims of attacks by white terrorist groups. His mother died when he was between the ages of four and seven, his father, now a single parent was raising a boy and three girls, and working to make ends meet. At the age of eleven, Henson’s father died, forcing him and his sisters to be raised by family members. Matthew Henson moved to the Washington D.C. area to live with an uncle who was able to pay for his schooling. Unfortunately, Henson’s uncle died after only living with him for a year. He would still attend school after being inspired by a Frederick Douglass speech he was able to witness. He moved to Baltimore, Maryland to find work, which he did find, he worked as a cabin boy on a merchant ship called the Katie Hines, which traveled from continent to continent, from Asia to Africa, exposing Henson to the world for the first time. The captain of the Katie Hines became fond of Henson and took the time to teach him how to read and write. Unfortunately, another important person in Henson’s life passed away, Captain Childs, captain of the Katie Hines passed in 1884, from there, Henson moved back to Washington D.C. to make a living. At this time, Henson was a world traveler, he developed skills to make a living, and this was just the beginning of his pioneering journey. In 1887, he found work at the clothing store B.H. Steinemetz and Sons. This was the location where Henson would meet Commander Robert E. Peary, who was a famed explorer and officer in the US Navy. The two men had a conversation and during the conversation, Peary learned of Henson’s travels and exploration skills, he found Henson to be useful to him and recruited him to accompany his team on a exploration in Nicaragua, with the intention of building a canal to connect the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Peary was so highly impressed with Henson’s exploration and navigation skills that he hired him full-time to accompany him on future explorations; Henson was Peary’s “first man”, and accompanied him on explorations for two decades. Peary and Henson explored the Arctic, Canada, Greenland, and parts of North America known for freezing climates. During their time exploring the North American Arctic, Henson and Peary became familiar with the landscapes and the indigenous people of these areas, the Inuit. Both Henson and Peary even married women who were Inuit. In 1893, Henson and Peary went on a two-year journey to Greenland to chart an ice cap; the exploration team almost died of starvation because they ran out of resources; they were able to survive by eating their sled dogs. The two men returned to Greenland a year after leaving from their trip that almost took their lives, this time they were collecting large pieces of meteorites, which they sold and used the money to fund their explorations. By this time, Henson and Peary were interested in reaching the North Pole, they made several attempts, some of the expeditions ended with people losing their lives, but Henson and Peary kept pushing to reach their goal. President Theodore Roosevelt supplied Henson and Peary with a ship that could cut through the frozen ice of the arctic, the ship helped them get closer to the North Pole. The ship did help, but their team got stuck in the ice as they moved closer to the landmass, so they aborted the mission. 1908, is the year that Henson and Peary would make history. With over twenty years of experience traveling the world and exploring the arctic, Henson was primed for this expedition. He was able to build durable sleds, properly train the sled dogs for the mission, and his knowledge of the land greatly helped. Henson and Peary were accompanied by four Inuit people and forty sled dogs, the team reached their destination at the North Pole, led by Mr. Matthew Henson. Even though Henson was the primary leader and navigator of the expedition, Peary, the white man, was given all the credit for leading the expedition, and Henson was given the credit of a helper. After the expedition, Peary spent years working to prove that he and Henson did reach the North Pole. Peary was even forced to testify before congress to prove the mission was real. As for Henson, after his time exploring the world, he worked as a customs clerk in New York, before publishing his book A Negro Explorer at the North Pole in 1912. He became an honorary member of the Explorers Club in New York City and published his biography Dark Companion in 1947. Matthew Henson died on March 9th, 1955, in New York, with his story told from his perspective, but still being hidden by American historians. A black man was the primary leader and the most important component of the explorations with Robert Peary. Peary literally depended on Henson to help him on his expeditions. It is said that after it was all done, Peary took the bulk of the credit. But we are here today to make sure our people know the truth of Matthew Henson. Mr. Mathew Alexander Henson, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the OTSOG book series!! Get your copies today!!! References: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/may/24/matthew-henson-arctic-explorer-first-man-to-north-pole https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Henson https://www.biography.com/explorer/matthew-henson  On June 28th, 1903, Malcolm Ivan Meredith Nurse was born in Tacarigua, Trinidad, to parents James Hubert Alphonso Nurse and Anna Susanna Symister. James Nurse was the great-grandson of an Asante warrior from Ghana, who was enslaved in Barbados. James worked as a schoolmaster. Anna Symister’s roots trace back to Antigua, and she worked as a naturalist. He spent his early educational years attending grade school in Trinidad’s capital city, Port-of-Spain, before attending Port-of-Spain’s government-assisted selective Catholic secondary school, St Mary’s College. After attending St Mary’s College for two years, Padmore transferred to Pamphylian High School, where he would earn his high school diploma in 1918. For the next five years, Padmore was able to hone his writing skills working as a reporter for the Trinidad Publishing Company. Even though he was working and making money for himself, he wanted to further his education. Padmore decided to immigrate to the United States in 1924 to study medicine. He would land in Nashville, Tennessee, and attend Fisk University to further his medical studies. 1924, is also the year that Padmore would marry a woman named Julia Semper who lived with him in the U.S. and they produced a daughter named Blyden. Padmore would leave Fisk University and move to New York City, New York to attend New York University, before transferring to Howard University in Washington, D.C. While attending Howard University, Padmore was introduced to the Workers Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA). He officially became a member of the CPUSA in 1927, before joining the party, he changed his name from Malcolm Ivan Meredith Nurse to George Padmore. He participated in the party’s American Negro Labor Congress, a movement used to organize and advance the rights of African Americans via the communist party. Padmore’s work within the communist party was being noticed by communist politician Wimmiam Z. Foster. Foster recommended Padmore to the party as a future leader, so Padmore was rewarded by going to Moscow, Russia to give a report to the Communist International about the formation of the Trade Union Unity League. Padmore’s report was pleasing to the Communist International so he was asked to head the Negro Bureau of the Red International of Labor Unions, also known as Profintern. His popularity was growing, and his responsibilities were increasing as well. He was elected to serve on the Moscow City Soviet Workers Council. Padmore would also begin using his writing skills and Profintern’s resources to write and distribute literature in pamphlets to the people of Russia. He would also write in Moscow’s newspaper the Moscow Daily News, which was an English-language newspaper. As one of the principal organizers for Profintern, he contributed to the organizing of an international conference that was held in Hamburg, Germany. As a result of the conference, black labor leaders from across Africa, and throughout countries along the Atlantic coast, gathered to form the International Trade Union Committee of Negro Workers (ITUCNW). The organization’s mission was said to be a transnational platform for the African people it served. During this time, Padmore moved from Moscow, Russia, to Vienna, Austria where he worked as the editor for a newspaper owned by the ITUCNW called The Negro Worker. Padmore was living in Hamburg, Germany in 1931, where he produced a great amount of literature for the ITUCNW, such as magazines and pamphlets, to help push the message of liberation for African people. Padmore’s relationship with the communist party was coming to an end. The Nazi Party had taken control over Germany by 1933, the office of The Negro Worker newspaper was raided by Nazi extremist groups looking to suppress any movement that wasn’t in support of the Nazi Party. Because of the Nazi Party gaining power, Padmore was deported to England, the ITUCNW was disabled, and The Negro Worker newspaper was suspended. Later in 1933, Padmore became aware of the Comintern’s intent to become aligned with colonial powers that oppressed African people, so he gave up his membership with the ITUCNW. After renouncing his membership with the ITUCNW, he refused to explain his actions to the International Control Commission, so he was dismissed from the communist party and the communist movement in 1934. Padmore was also prohibited from entering the United States because of his ties to the communist party. Now living in France, Padmore continued to write and find other means of support for the liberation of African people. With the help of British heiress and writer Nancy Cunard, and the Lawrence and Wishart publishing company, Padmore was able to write and publish his book How Britain Rules Africa in 1936. He was also one of the few men of African descent, at the time, to publish a book in the UK. And the book was popular enough to be translated into German. 1934, was also the year Padmore moved to London, England, and joined a group of savvy and skilled African writers using their pens to articulate and push ideas of Pan-Africanism throughout the diaspora. He was able to reunite with a childhood friend, the influential Mr. C.L.R. James, who was cementing himself as a stout Pan-Africanist, writer, and speaker. Padmore became the chairperson for the International African Service Bureau (IASB), an organization founded by James, and a platform Padmore could use to continue his fight for African people globally. Padmore was serving in an organization with people such as Amy Ashwood Garvey and Jomo Kenyatta. Writing became the vehicle Padmore and his colleagues decided to use to spread ideas of independence and Pan-Africanism across the diaspora. Accompanied by Jomo Kenyatta, Kwame Nkrumah, and Peter Abrahams, Padmore, and his colleagues produced a large amount of literature ranging from pamphlets to books. 1945, was the year C.L.R. James was instrumental in the meeting of George Padmore and Kwame Nkrumah in London, England. It was also the year that Padmore organized the Manchester Pan-African Conference, which was the fifth Pan-African Conference, attended by African leaders from around the globe. The mission of this conference was to create a comprehensive plan to decolonize African people and nations globally. Padmore’s relationship with James and other writers in London became strained over time, there is even evidence of writings describing each other in unflattering words. Padmore was able to maintain his relationship with Nkrumah and was even able to become a writer for the Accra Evening News publication in 1947. In 1953, he wrote the book The Gold Coast Revolution. He followed that book by publishing Pan-Africanism or Communism? In 1954. Padmore moved to Ghana to become an advisor for Nkrumah, but it didn’t last long because of health reasons. He moved back to London to receive treatment for cirrhosis of the liver. George Padmore died on September 23rd, 1959. He received many honors, dedications, and awards for his contributions to African people. In total, he published thirteen works of literature and contributed to hundreds of magazine articles, newspaper articles, and pamphlets, to help African people gain their independence globally. Mr. Malcolm Ivan Meredith Nurse, aka, George Padmore, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the OTSOG book series!!! References: https://aaregistry.org/story/george-padmore-pan-africanist-born/ https://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/george-padmore https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/padmore-george-1901-1959/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Padmore  Joseph interviews Julius W. Garvey, M.D., the leader of the @Justice4Garvey effort. Dr. Garvey is the youngest son of the Honorable Marcus Garvey. In 1923, Marcus Garvey was falsely convicted of mail fraud, evidence was found that the conviction had no merit, but it is the year 2021 and his name still isn't exonerated. We will learn more about the @Justice4Garvey effort, Marcus Garvey, Dr. Julius Garvey, and much much more. Tune in. Julius W. Garvey, M.D. is a New York-based retired Board-certified Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon. He is affiliated with Northwell Health System and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has been on several educational and medical missions to Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Mali, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Haiti, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Dr. Garvey has been internationally schooled in England, Canada, Jamaica, and the US. He is regularly invited to lecture on the life and legacy of his father, the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, and attended the opening ceremony of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture which includes an exhibit on the life and legacy of his father, Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The Justice4Garvey effort is on Twitter @Justice4Garvey asking President Biden to exonerate Marcus Garvey by granting a posthumous Presidential pardon. Twitter: @Justice4Garvey www.whitehouse.gov/  On July 12th, 1912, Aoua Keita was born in Bamako, French Sudan, to parents Karamogo Keita and Miriam Coulibaly. Karamogo Keita was a veteran from Guinea who fought for the French in World War I, upon returning to Mali, he contributed to work in a lab to support his family. Miriam Coulibaly was from the Ivory Coast and spoke the Dioula dialect. She was said to be a very traditional woman who believed men were superior to women, women didn’t pursue education, and men made all the important decisions. Aoua’s family was financially stable and her father was able to support a polygamous household. It was widely believed that her paternal family was descendants of the founder of Mali Sundiata Keita, which gave them high social status. Aoua’s father allowed her to attend school and earn an education. She first attended Bamako’s first girls’ school École des filles, before she attended Bamako’s boarding school Foyer des Métisses, where she earned a diploma at the age of sixteen. Later in 1928, she moved to Dakar to study to become a Midwife at the École de Médecine de Dakar; Dakar was the capital city of Mali at the time. Aoua was a young progressive woman who still understood the importance of holding on to some of her cultural practices. She was one of the few women in Sudan who was educated, she came from a high social class, and she was an influential person in the society of Dakar. Aoua’s next move was to the city of Gao where she worked for an administrative outpost for twelve years. In addition to her work at the outpost, she would use her skills in sewing and her experience as a midwife to help the women of Gao. Aoua learned to speak the dialect of the people of Gao which helped her to build trust with the women so she could serve them to the best of her abilities. There was a high death rate in Gao among the mothers and babies because of birthing traditions that were not considered sterile. Aoua was able to observe several births before she was invited to assist a woman in birthing her child. It didn’t take long before the word spread of how great Aoua was in helping mothers have healthy and safe births. Using her education and the knowledge she had of traditional medical practices, Aoua combined the two practices to create an approach that would allow her to be able to help more of the women of Gao. Initially, the women of Gao didn’t accept Aoua's approach or practices, but over time her reputation grew and trust with the women strengthened, and her home even became a popular meeting place. In 1935, Aoua married a man named Dr. Daouda Diawara who helped to cultivate her interest and knowledge in the political processes of the country. Aoua and Dr. Diawara believed that all Europeans should be kicked off of the African Continent because of the oppression and terror they brought to African lands and people. The couple then joined the political party the Union Sudanaise du Rassemblement Démocratique Africain or USRDA in 1946. As a member of the USRDA Aoua used her social gatherings and midwifery practice to help spread the word of the social work the USRDA was doing, and to help increase membership. Because of the social and political work of the USRDA, 1946 was also the first year that the women of Sudan were able to vote. The USRDA used the 1946 Sudanese election to make its presence known in the country. The candidates that represented the organization were not elected to any political positions, but the people of the country knew who they were. Aoua’s marriage to Dr. Diawara was coming to an end. Aoua could not bear children and the oppressive customs in Sudan weighed heavily on their relationship because Aoua believed women should not have to follow oppressive customs. The couple divorced after twelve years of marriage, she would later marry a man named Mahamane Alassane Haidara who was a Sudanese Senator, and Aoua became more of a force within the Sudanese community and political scene. The Union of Salaried Women of Bamako was founded by Aoua and Aissata Sow in 1957. The organization was created to give the women of Sudan a greater political position and voice to gain more rights. She was also instrumental in the founding of the Federation of Black African Workers. She was asked to be a part of the writing of the constitution of the Federation of Mali, as they were gaining their independence in 1958. The political party the Bamako Women’s Bureau was established in 1958 by Aoua and other Sudanese women. The Bureau was created to address the political interest of the women of Sudan. Aoua was elected as the first woman to serve in the National Assembly of the Republic of Mali. The first president of Mali was overthrown within nine years because he was not collaborating with foreign governments that could provide monetary aid. Following the coup of the President, Aoua resigned from her elected position in the National Assembly. She moved back to her hometown of Bamako where she would spend the rest of her days. While in Bamako, Aoua wrote her autobiography titled African Woman in 1975. Four years later she would die, but not before she gave her country as much as she could in the fight for the equality of the women of Sudan. As a young girl receiving her education, she began to understand that women were just as much human as men and deserved to be treated as a human and not a second-class citizen. To Mrs. Aoua Keita, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the OTSOG book series!!! References: https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/keita-aoua-1912-1979 https://genderinafricanbiography.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/aoua-keita-1912-1980-mali/ https://www.ascleiden.nl/content/library-weekly/aoua-keita  In the early 7th century, the Byzantine Empire was losing its control over North Africa and the Mediterranean. Within the Byzantine Empire existed the Jrāwa Zenata tribe of Northwest Africa. The Jrāwa Zenata tribe was a Christian nomadic Berber tribe, one of the larger Berber tribes of North Africa. The Arabs were sweeping through North Africa conquering any people opposing their expansion. The remaining Berber Kingdom was led by a man named Kusayla, who recently defeated Arab forces and claimed the city of Qayrawan. In 688, Kusayla faced an Arab commander named Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi in battle. Kusayla tried to use the mountainous region of Mams to give his army an advantage, but he was eventually defeated and the Arabs claimed more North African territory. Both Berber and Arab armies suffered significant damage and deaths due to several hard-fought battles. The Arabs withdrew from Berber territory to recuperate their forces. The Umayyad Dynasty under the rule of Abd al-Malik took a four-year break from warring with the Berbers to renew his army and naming Hassan ibn al-Numan as the new commander of his army and Governor of the North African territory they recently conquered. Under the command of Hassan, the Arab army took the city of Qayrawan and also conquered the city of Carthage. Many of the defeated Berbers were forced to relocate to other areas of North African or even occupy islands within the Mediterranean. The Arabs were on a quest to control all of North Africa, all that remained in their way was a Berber resistance led by a woman named Dihya or al-Kahina. We don’t have any information about the birth of al-Kahina, but we do know she was a Berber of the Jrāwa Zenata tribe, and the tribe may have converted to Christianity because of her. The names of al-Kahina’s parents are said to be Matiya and Tatit, but I have not confirmed the names with any sources. After the defeat of Kusayla, al-Kahina became the leader of the Berber army. It is believed that she was able to become the leader of the army because of her mixed heritage which gave her rank over the remaining Berbers. She was known as a prophetess who received divine inspiration from God to fight for her empire. al-Kahina was leading her army to many victories and was controlling the strongest army in North Africa next to the Arab army. Hassan learned of the strong army led by a woman named al-Kahina and wanted to challenge her. He believed his army was the strongest and also looked to dispose of any remaining Berber forces. Similar to the Arab forces, al-Kahina’s territory grew larger as she defeated her opponents. She was now in control of the area of the Aures Mountains but the Arabs were encroaching upon her territory, which led to her first attack on the Arab army. 698, was the year that the “Queen of the Berbers,” al-Kahina led an attack at the Meskiana River in Algeria. Hassan suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of al-Kahina and her Berber army. The Berber attack was so severe that it redirected, then halted Arab battle plans, killed hundreds of soldiers, and captured eighty Arab soldiers as prisoners. al-Kahina was well respected by Hassan after the first defeat. She would face and defeat Hassan in two other battles, further cementing her title as “Queen of the Berbers”, and reinforcing the fierceness of the Berber army. Hassan was defeated three times by al-Kahina’s army, so she returned her army to Ifriqiya. Meanwhile, a defeated Hassan was waiting for a chance to catch the Berbers at a weak moment so he would have a greater chance of victory. Sources say after defeating Hassan, al-Kahina attempted to form a healthy political relationship with the Arabs, but the Arabs rejected her attempt. Due to their rejection, al-Kahina implemented what is called a scorched earth policy, to damage the lands that she believed the Arabs wanted to conquer. Burning the lands created enemies within the Berber army and among the Berber people who depended on the lands for their livelihood. A number of the Berbers left Ifriqiya, some threw themselves upon the mercy of Hassan to save them. Only a small number of Berbers remained loyal to al-Kahina. Her army was fractured and her people were doubting her leadership, even though they were unconquered because of her leadership. Hassan had the advantage he needed. Around 699, Hassan led an army of twenty-four thousand troops into the city of Ifriqiya aided by the Berbers who were unhappy with al-Kahina. Her army was outmatched and eventually defeated by Hassan. To save the lives of her sons, she instructed them to join the Arab army. Because of Arab customs, her sons were welcomed into the army and appointed to serve as officers. Members of al-Kahina’s army were able to join the Arab army after al-Kahina’s defeat. It is said that she died in battle near a well in the city of Tabarka, in the Aures Mountains, fighting for her freedom and the freedom of her people. To The Queen of the Berbers, al-Kahina, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series!! References: https://www.geni.com/people/Dahiyya-al-Kahina-bint-D%CC%B2j%CC%B2ar%C4%81wa-al-Zan%C4%81t/6000000017423931416 https://www.blackhistorybuff.com/blogs/the-black-history-buff-blog/the-kahina-queen-of-the-berbers-ruled-688-705-ad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihya https://www.medievalists.net/2019/12/berber-queen-al-kahina/  On July 24th, 1807, Ira Frederick Aldridge was born in New York City, New York to parents Reverend Daniel and Luranah Aldridge. Reverend Daniel Aldridge preached at the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and also worked as a vendor on the streets of New York. There isn’t much information about Luranah Aldridge, but we do know she and her husband raised their family during New York’s Jim Crow Era. At the age of thirteen, Aldridge began his studies at the African Free School, a school founded for the children of slaves and free blacks. While attending the African Free School, Aldridge studied grammar, writing, mathematics, geography, astronomy, and theater. He developed a love for theater and would satisfy his desire to attend plays by watching as many plays as he could from the balcony of New York’s Park Theater. Hewould also be able to attend plays at the African Grove Theater. Aldridge’s experience as a student attending the African Free School afforded him the opportunity to receive a quality education, be exposed to the arts, and become classmates with men such as Charles L. Reason, George T. Downing, and Henry H. Garnet. In 1821, the African Grove Theater created a group called the African Company which included Ira Aldridge, this was his first professional acting experience. William Henry Brown and James Hewlet were the co-founders of the African Grove Theater, they gave Aldridge and many other black actors a platform to showcase their talents. As an actor at the African Grove Theater, Aldridge earned roles in a number of plays sharpening his skills for a future even he was unaware of. The African Grove Theater was under attack by the white citizens of New York, white gangs, the police, and their main opponent was a newspaper editor and sheriff named Mordecai Manuel Noah. They harassed the actors and the owners of the theater constantly, the actors engaged in street fights to defend themselves and the theater. Despite the harassment, Aldridge was able to debut in the play Pizarro, written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He also earned other lead roles and his star was starting to shine. The African Grove Theater didn’t exist long because of the constant harassment they experienced, the harassment and fights also led to Aldridge traveling to Europe to continue his acting career. In 1824, Aldridge arrived in Liverpool, England, traveling along with him were actors known as the Wallack brothers. Aldridge made his professional acting debut in England in May of 1825 at the age of seventeen playing Othello. His next debut was at the Royal Coburg Theater in London. This debut was seen to be the debut that helped Aldridge become a popular actor in London. He then earned the lead role in the play The Revolt of Surinam, where he played the lead role of Oroonoko. One of Aldridge’s challenges was breaking the idea of what “African Theater” was. A so-called white comedian named Charles Matthews introduced white audiences to “African Theater” by exposing them to a Menstrual performance. The performances caused the white audiences to believe what they saw was authentic theater performed by African people. Aldridge was such a skilled actor that even though the white audiences attended the play expecting a menstrual show, they left with respect for Ira Aldridge, his acting skills, and black actors. His performances of Othello would leave audiences entranced by how moving and authentic his performance was. At the end of his performances, Aldridge would speak to the audience about a number of social and cultural issues that negatively affected African Americans and African people globally. As an abolitionist, Aldridge used his platform to bring attention to the plight of his people and his messages were well received. He began touring Europe in 1828, making his first stop in the city of Coventry where his acting skills were praised so much that he was made manager of the Coventry Theater, and became the first manager of the theater to be a black person from America. Aldridge used his platform at the Coventry to speak out against slavery, his speeches were so electrifying and poignant, that the people in London who supported him petitioned the British Parliament to abolish slavery in the British Kingdom. Around 1831, Aldridge traveled to Dublin, Ireland, Bath, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland, leaving behind captivated audiences who sang his praise. The use of different monikers would help Aldridge raise his profile as an actor, the popularity helped him land roles in plays in the city of Exmouth, England, before traveling to Brussels, Belgium. He then began touring throughout Europe where his performances were praised, he even presented to the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and performing for King William IV of Prussia. His successful performances led to him being asked to perform in Budapest, Serbia, and Russia. In 1824, Aldridge met and married a woman named Margaret Gill who he was married to for forty years. Aldridge produced a son from a relationship outside of his marriage which led to him being sued by the actor William Stothard. 1864 was the year of Margaret Gill’s death. In 1865, Aldridge married a woman named Amanda von Brandt, the couple produced four children and lived between Russia and Europe; Aldridge was known for traveling to England often. In 1867, Ira Aldridge died while visiting Poland, after recently completing a seventy-city tour of France. The Polish sculptor Marian Konieczny created a plaque to mark the place of Aldridge’s death. Because of his amazing skill and his social activism, Aldridge received several honors and awards, such as the Prussian Gold Medal for Arts and Sciences, the Golden Cross of Leopold, the Maltese Cross, a bronze plaque at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, etc. The Howard University Department of Theater Arts is named after Aldridge. He was named one of the 100 greatest African Americans by Molefi Kete Asante. Several acting troupes popped up over the U.S. that included Aldridge’s name within their titles, the most popular were in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Connecticut. Ira Aldridge was a force to be reckoned with. He not only displayed to the world his phenomenal acting abilities, but he directly challenged negative stereotypes of African people, changed the way some Europeans viewed African people, pubicaly opposed slavery, and set the standard for actors who would play the character of Othello. Mr. Ira Aldridge, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giant book series. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Aldridge https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/07/29/othellos-daughter https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/bhm-firsts/ira-aldridge/  On February 25th, 1894, William Leo Hansberry was born in Gloster, Mississippi, to parents Elden Hayes and Pauline Hansberry. His father Elden Hayes was a noted history professor at Alcorn A&M College, Mr. Hayes died when William was three years old leaving behind two sons and their mother. William Hansberry was the older brother of the famed civil rights activist and real estate broker Carl Augustus Hansberry, who is the father of author Loraine Hansberry. After the death of his father, William Hansberry acquired his father’s library of history books, which he studied daily, and started him on a path that would inspire generations of African people to learn their past. In 1915, Hansberry began his freshman year at Atlanta University equipped with the knowledge he gained from reading his father’s books about ancient Rome and Greece but was exposed to information about ancient civilizations on the continent of Africa, which piqued his interest and he had to learn more. His interest was further piqued after reading “The Negro” by W.E.B. Dubois, the book exposed Hansberry to other black historical authors and books on the history of Africa. Using the references included within “The Negro” he searched for the books listed but was disappointed when he learned Atlanta University didn’t have the resources to properly study ancient African civilizations. Inspired by “The Negro” he decided to transfer to Harvard University in 1917 to further his studies of Ancient Africa. Unfortunately, Atlanta University couldn’t meet his needs, but he was able to transfer to Harvard to take advantage of their resources, which he would use to empower African people. Hansberry graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in 1921, then moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to become a history professor at Straight College, before accepting a position at Howard University to become a history professor. It was at Howard University that Hansberry created his African societies curriculum, along with creating the African Civilizations Section of the Howard history department. Hansberry was holding true to his mission of gaining as much information about African civilizations so his people could be able to learn about their own history. Hansberry’s impact was beginning to be felt throughout America’s African American community. The African societies curriculum he created was no longer only being taught at Howard, other African American colleges were using his curriculum to educate their students about their history. Hansberry was able to travel to many colleges and universities giving lectures with pictures of Ancient African civilizations, inspiring faculty, and staff, which led to the institutions using his curriculum. 1925, began the decline of the relationship between Professor William Leo Hansberry and Howard University. That year, a symposium on “The Cultures and Civilizations of Negro Peoples in Africa” was sponsored by Howard, Hansberry, and his students presented 28 remarkable papers on evidence they gathered to prove the validity of the existence of ancient African civilizations. They were so impressive that they even provided actual archeological evidence of the existence of these civilizations. Hansberry and his students presented breakthrough evidence and information, but the administration at Howard University directly challenged the validity of Hansberry and his student’s findings. They were even challenged by the president of the university. The Howard administration was not happy with the information Hansberry and his team presented, they challenged the information on every level, the information was found to be credible, but Hansberry was still demoted and unable to gain his tenure. It’s amazing that a black man, at a black institution of higher learning, was punished for teaching black students about black history. Hansberry would go on to earn his master’s degree from Harvard University in 1932. Along the way to earning his master’s, he was able to study at Oxford University and the Chicago Oriental Institute; his reputation for being an expert on the history of African civilizations was spreading rapidly. Hansberry was traveling the globe lecturing about African civilizations and his reputation was growing so much that Howard promoted him to an associate professor position which gave him tenure. At this time, Hansberry was one of, if not, the world’s authority on ancient African civilizations, he was so knowledgeable that he was unable to earn a Ph.D. because no one at the university he attended had enough information to approve his dissertation. Hansberry was not only a world-recognized authority on the history of ancient African civilizations, but he was a mentor to many students who would become prominent figures throughout the world, Kwame Nkrumah and Nnamdi Azikiwe are his two most notable students. Nkrumah would become the first prime minister and president of Ghana, and Azikiwe would become the first president of Nigeria. Nkrumah, Azikiwe, and admirers all around understood the importance of Hansberry’s work and sought to help him in many ways publish and distribute his information. Hansberry was honored in 1963 as an academic center was named after him. He received the first Haile Selassie Prize, for his continuous work in revealing Ethiopian history, but his work was still being challenged by the administration at Howard University. A faculty or administration member accused Hansberry of teaching African history with no proof to validate his information, once again Hansberry had to defend his work, delaying his tenure, which he didn’t gain until 1938. 1959, was the year Hansberry retired from Howard University, leaving behind a strained relationship with the institution, but also blazing a historical path many historians behind him were able to travel. Hansberry died in 1965. Before his death, he prepared manuscripts for books but did not publish them. “Pillars in Ethiopian History” was published in 1974, and “Africa and Africans as Seen by Classical Writers” were published in 1977. Professor William Leo Hansberry, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series!! References: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/hansberry-william-leo-1894-1965 http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2018/aug/16/william-leo-hansberry-noted-authority-ethiopian-hi/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Leo_Hansberry https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/hansberry-william-leo-1894-1965/ 7/18/2021 W.W. Law | The Man Who Preserved The African-American History Of Savannah, GeorgiaRead Now On January 1, 1923, Westly Wallace Law was born in Savannah, Georgia to parents Westly Law and Geneva Wallace. W.W. Law was the eldest of three children and grew up in poor conditions on the West side of Savannah. Around the age of ten, his father died so he began working to help support his family. During this early phase of his life and even throughout his life, he was greatly influenced by his mother, his grandmother, Ralph Mark Gilbert, and John S. Delaware. The influence of John Delaware led him to become a member of the NAACP Youth Council as a high school student. During this time he participated in a desegregation protest at Savannah’s Grayson Stadium, and also participated in the hiring of a black disc jockey at a white-owned radio station. He attended Georgia State College, which is now Savannah State University, where he became the president of the NAACP Youth Council; while he was serving his community he and his mother were working where they could to pay for Law’s education. Law’s mother washed and ironed clothes for white families while Law worked at what was considered Savannah’s white YMCA. After his freshman year of college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve as a soldier in World War II. He served three years in the Army which helped to pay for his education, meaning neither he nor his mother needed to work to pay for his education. Law earned his bachelor’s degree in biology, he then gained a job at the Savannah Postal Service, a job he would hold for over thirty years. In addition to working for the postal service, he served as the scoutmaster for Savannah’s Boy Scout Troop 49, taught Sunday School, and was still the president of the local NAACP chapter. W.W. Law, along with Reverend L. Scott Stell and a committee of others filed a segregation lawsuit against the Chatham County Schools; Chatham County is the county Savannah resides in. The lawsuit was filed before the U.S. district court, U.S. district judge Frank Scarlett oversaw the lawsuit, but Judge Scarlett and others held the case up so long that the group of students the lawsuit was filed to help graduated from high school. Law and his committee had to refile their lawsuit supporting a different group of students; the objective of the lawsuit was to desegregate the public schools in Savannah. Because of the persistence of the Law and his committee, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the desegregation of Savannah’s public schools. Law believed in non-violent resistance to oppression, he would hold weekly meetings at Bolton Street Baptist and St. Phillip A.M.E. churches to organize his non-violent movement. In 1960, an NAACP member was arrested for attempting to dine at the Azalea Room lunch counter. Law’s organizational and mobilizational skills were exceptional, he led a boycott against the restaurant, several protests, and wade-ins throughout Savannah and on Tybee Island. The protesters were relentless, launching protest after protest, which ultimately led to an eighteen-month boycott of Savannah’ Broughton Street. The boycott had a significant economic impact, the city of Savannah and the white merchants were forced to desegregate their businesses. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, while Law was leading non-violent boycotts and sit-ins, his contemporary Hosea Williams held a different ideology, Williams believed black people should be protecting themselves, he even created night watches to protect black neighborhoods, Law believed the night watches invited white racist to be violent against them. The relationship between Law and Williams became strained so much that Williams and his supporters left the NAACP and became members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. During the Mayor ship of Malcolm Maclean, Law and other NAACP members were able to win more desegregation battles, desegregating the library, restaurants, public parks, and other public places. The work of Law and the NAACP allowed black people in Savannah to have more access to the city and its resources. In 1961, Law was fired from his postal service job for his desegregation efforts, the NAACP, and even President John F. Kennedy supported Law and worked to help him regain his job after a decision was made by a three-person panel. Law retired from the Postal Service in 1976, his next mission was the preservation of the African-American history of Savannah. The Savannah-Yamacraw Branch of the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History was founded by W.W. Law to preserve Savannah’s black history. Under the leadership of Law, the association was also able to found the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum, Negro Heritage Trail Tour, King-Tisdell Cottage Museum, and the Beach Institute of African American Culture. Because of Law, the African-American history of Savannah is preserved and accessible to people today. Because of his civil rights and historic preservation efforts, Law was honored by receiving the Governor's Award in the Humanities, an honorary doctorate degree from Savannah State University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Preservation Award, and the Distinguished Georgian Award (1998) from the Center for the Study of Georgia History at Augusta State University. Law died in 2002, but his mark on Savannah is still visible to this day. I recently took a trip to Savannah, Georgia where I learned about W.W. Law and was able to literally see the sites and learn the black history of Savannah. I was a part of a Savannah Black Heritage Tour led by a gentleman who was mentored by W.W. Law, so Law’s legacy still lives on and will continue to live. To Mr. Westly Wallace Law, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to get the On the Shoulders of Giants book series!! References: https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/w-w-law-1923-2002 https://www.savannahga.gov/1909/W-W-Law-Collection  On August 10, 1858, Anna Julia Haywood was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, to parents Hannah Stanley Haywood and George Washington Haywood. Hannah was an enslaved black woman and George was the man who enslaved her mother. George was the son of North Carolina’s longest-serving Treasurer and co-founder of the University of North Carolina, John Haywood. Like most black women of the times, Anna worked for the Haywood's as a servant until the age of nine when she received a scholarship to attend Raleigh’s Saint Augustine's Normal School and Collegiate Institute. The Episcopal Diocese of Raleigh founded the institute to train teachers to educate formerly enslaved black people. Anna spent fourteen years at the institute and distinguished herself as a premier student in the subjects of liberal arts, mathematics, science, English literature, and she even mastered Latin, Greek, and French languages. Though the institute was designed to educate formerly enslaved people, it reserved its upper-level classes for men, until Anna challenged the institute by proving her intellectual prowess and succeeding in being admitted into the class. One of the young men in the class was George A.C. Cooper, the two would marry but George died two years into the marriage. While completing her education at St. Augustine, Anna became a tutor for her fellow classmates. The money she earned from tutoring was used to pay for any expenses not covered by her scholarship. After graduating from St. Augustine, Anna became an instructor for the 1883 school year but taught through the 1886 school year, teaching subjects such as classics, English, vocal and instrumental music, and history. The academic route Anna was following was designed for male students, but she was determined to receive the best education available. Her next step in her academic journey was moving to Ohio to attend Oberlin College and was admitted as a sophomore because of how excellent her academic record was. She was well-rounded in her academic studies but studying music was one of the reasons she chose to attend Oberlin. She had a reputation for taking as many courses as she could because she had a thirst for knowledge, but she did not have the time or capacity to take all the classes she wanted. Anna graduated from Oberlin in 1884 and was classmates with other notable black women such as Mary Church Terrell and Ida Gibbs. Anna was a member of a literary society “LLS” who hosted events featuring orchestras, singers, and well-known lecturers. Between 1884 and 1885 Anna taught at Wilberforce College, 1885 was the year she returned to St. Augustine to teach before deciding to return to Oberlin as a graduate student earning her master’s degree in mathematics. Anna and Mary Church Terrell were the first two black women to earn a masters’ degree in 1888. In the year 1900, she attended the First Pan-African Conference in London, England to contribute her ideas to the upliftment of African people around the world. During her time in Europe, she visited many cities and landmarks. Let’s go back a few years to the year 1892, the year Anna moved to Washington D.C. Anna, along with Helen Appo Cook, Ida B. Wells, Charlotte Forten Grimké, Mary Jane Peterson, Mary Church Terrell, and Evelyn Shaw came together to form the Colored Women’s League, an organization created to promote unity and interest in the black community. Anna took a teaching job at the M Street High School, in 1901, she was eventually named the principal of M Street High School. Her time as the principal of M Street High School was cut short because of a difference in teaching philosophy with the school's governing body. She believed in the philosophy of W.E.B. Dubois while the school was structured by the philosophy of Booker T. Washington. She would later return to the school but it was Anna once again taking a stand for what she believed could help her people. 1892 was the year Anna published her first book A Voice from the South: By a Black Woman of the South. The book was well received and also led her to have public speaking opportunities where she spoke up for the rights of black people and women. Anna was a dynamic woman, after some time speaking publicly she decided to let her pen do the talking for her. In 1883, Anna produced the classic paper "The Intellectual Progress of the Colored Women of the United States since the Emancipation Proclamation" while in Chicago, Illinois attending the World's Congress of Representative Women. As one of five black women invited to the event to speak, she surely left her mark on the hearts and minds of the audience. Anna produced another remarkable paper in 1900 titled “The Negro Problem in America.” September 5th, 1902, she set the hearts of her people on fire when she delivered her speech "The Ethics of the Negro Question." 1914 was the year that Anna began pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy degree at Columbia University but tragedy struck her family. Her brother’s wife died and she adopted their five children which caused her to stop pursuing her Ph.D. temporarily. She faced many obstacles over a ten-year period in an attempt to earn her Ph.D., she also spent that time studying and preparing her dissertation and in 1930 retiring as an educator from Washington Colored High School. Her retirement didn’t last long, soon she became the president of Frelinghuysen University in Washington D.C. She worked at the school for ten years and left the school at the age of ninety-five. Thirty years prior to leaving Frelinghuysen, at the age of sixty-five, she became the fourth black woman in American history to earn a Doctor of Philosophy Degree. Her journey that started ten years earlier finally came to an end despite all the obstacles she faced. In 1964, at the age of one-hundred-five, Anna Cooper died leaving a great legacy in academics, literature, public speaking, civil rights, and women’s rights. Several of her works were published such as A Voice From the South, Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne, Slavery and the French revolutionists, L'attitude de la France à l'égard de l'esclavage pendant la révolution, and The Voice of Anna Julia Cooper: Including A Voice From the South and Other Important Essays, Papers, and Letters. Her writing "The Early Years in Washington: Reminiscences of Life with the Grimkés," was also published. She was born in slavery but died a free woman. Free to educate and elevate herself and as many people as she could. Miss. Anna J Haywood Cooper, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J. A. Ward Click here to purchase the On the Shoulders of Giants book series. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_J._Cooper https://blackhistory.news.columbia.edu/people/anna-julia-cooper https://douglassday.org/cooper/ https://www.feministsforlife.org/anna-julia-cooper/  On January 20, 1876, Drusilla Dunjee was born in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, to parents Rev. John William Dunjee and Lydia Ann Taylor Dunjee. Rev. Dunjee worked as a teacher and a preacher who was employed with a Normal School associated with the Baptist Missionary Association. He received a college education at Storer College in West Virginia. Drusilla was one of nine children her parents produced, and one of three who survived to grow into adults. As a young woman, Drusilla attended a preparatory school where she developed the skill of playing the classical piano and actually studied at the Northwestern Conservatory of Music in the state of Minnesota. Rev. John and Lydia Dunjee moved their family to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1892, Rev. John was given a new position in Oklahoma by the Baptist Governing Board. 1892, is also the year Drusilla began teaching kindergarten until the year 1899, during this time, she was one of the first kindergarten teachers within her Oklahoma school district. Drusilla decided to pursue teaching as a career rather than the career of a musician. In 1898, she met and eloped with a man named Price Houston, the couple moved to McAlester, Oklahoma to start their life together. As a teacher in Oklahoma, Drusilla became dissatisfied with the quality of education young black boys, girls, and woman were receiving, so she opened the McAlester Seminary for Girls, a school she operated for twelve years before becoming the principal of the Oklahoma Baptist College for Girls in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, a position she held for six years. After serving as principal of the Oklahoma Baptist College for Girls, Drusilla and her family moved back to Oklahoma City where she founded her second educational institution, the Oklahoma Vocational Institute of Fine Arts and Crafts. 1934, was the year she began working for the Oklahoma Home for Delinquent Boys as their religious director before she would begin making significant contributions to American literature and African history. In 1926, Drusilla published her groundbreaking book Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire, a book that is considered a classic and made her the first black woman to write a comprehensive multi-volume book covering the history of ancient Africa. The book was written over a twenty-five-year period as Drusilla conducted and compiled her research. During that time, she also contributed to her brother Roscoe’s newspaper the Black Dispatch, which was an important newspaper for black people. After publishing her book, Drusilla faced backlash from prominent black historians and public figures, but over time her works were confirmed to be accurate and pioneering work in revealing ancient African history, decades before a number of our well-known and beloved African scholars. As a journalist, she began her career in 1917 writing for her brother Roscoe’s then newspaper the Bookertee Searchlight before she wrote for his Black Dispatch newspaper. She also wrote for the Arizona Journal and Guide after moving to Arizona in 1935, where she continued to use her words to fight for the rights of her people as well as educate her people about their wonderful past. Because of health reasons, Drusilla moved to Arizona but she also began to receive praise for her groundbreaking work as a historian of African history, she also became a writer whose works were being syndicated through the Associated Negro Press, an organization she would become the director of for four years. Drusilla was both an advocate and activist for her people, she used her words to educate, motivate and empower, but she actively went into her communities to help found organizations like the Oklahoma YMCA, the Red Cross, the NAACP, and the Dogan Reading Room of Oklahoma. She was honored by the Association of Black Women Historians and Black Classic Press for her work as a historian and journalist. Historians account that she wrote six total volumes of Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire but only volume two survived the years. She was also a poet and an important figure in the history of black people in America, because of her pioneering work to chronicle the history of Ancient Africa. She was the first black woman to write about the history of African people, and one of the first black people period to write about African history. She was fearless, driven, and loved her people so much she dedicated her life to educating her people, serving her people, and empowering them people through her gift of words. To Drusilla Dunjee Huston, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series. References: https://www.uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com/person/drusilla-dunjee-houston-1 https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=HO038 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drusilla_Dunjee_Houston  Muhammad Toure was born in the mid-1400s in Senegal and was said to be in the bloodline of the Soniki people within the Songhai Empire. Little is known about Toure’s life before he gained military fame, but he gained his fame through a number of legendary victories on the battlefield. There are scholarly debates over Muhammad Toure being a part of the ruling family of Songhai or not. What we do know is during the time of Toure’s rise to fame Sonni Ali Ber was the Emperor and Founder of the Songhai Empire. Toure served as the Chief Minister to Sonni Ali until Ali’s death in 1492. Ali was succeeded by his son Abu Bakr Da’u aka Sonni Baru. Sonni Baru would only rule Songhai for one year or less because of a coup d’état led by Muhammad Toure, which was followed by Toure naming himself the Emperor of Songhai. Muhammad Toure had plans to expand the Songhai Empire, but he first had to start by reorganizing his empire, equipping it to thrive during its expansion. Toure created new positions for his ruling counsel and appointed family members and the people he trusted the most to the positions. In a strategic move to solidify his empire, he married his daughters and nieces to the prominent men and officials of the kingdoms of the Songhai Empire. Songhai expanded so rapidly that it is known as the largest empire in the history of the continent of Africa, covering 1.4 million square kilometers. Toure wanted his empire to reflect two main things, being an Islamic empire and being an educated empire. Scholars say that other religious and spiritual paths were practiced in Songhai but Islam was declared the official religion. Timbuktu was one of Songhai’s universities and its reputation as one of the world’s leading educational centers grew under the rule of Muhammad Toure. Songhai not only housed one of the world’s leading academic centers, but they were also opening up trade agreements with Asian and European nations, which helped to increase their wealth and expand their empire even more. Toure’s rule of Songhai is known as the “Golden Age” of Muslim Scholarship at Timbuktu, scholars from around the world descended upon Timbuktu to learn. Toure’s rule was also a time when Islamic laws and ways of living began replacing the traditional African laws and ways of living. Toure is known as a well-organized leader, Timbuktu, Jenne, Masina, and Taghaza were the four areas Toure split Songhai into, each area was overseen by a governor who reported directly to Toure. In 1496, Toure took a pilgrimage to the Islamic holy city of Mecca carrying with him the equivalent of 2.5 billion dollars worth of gold, horseman, and infantrymen. Muhammad Toure became know as Askia The Great after a victory between the years 1493 and 1496. Stories are told that he took the title Askia to mock the daughters of the men he defeated because they declared that Muhammad Toure would never be great. The Askia Dynasty was one of the Songhai Empire’s greatest and most successful dynasties, but like all things, an end must come. As Toure grew older his influence on his people grew weaker. A number of the people grew bitter because of his strict Islamic views, but his greatest threat came from within his own household. A number of Toure’s trusted advisors were killed and his life was in danger. As an old man who was losing his sight and could no longer properly defend himself, he relied heavily on his advisors. His oldest son Musa was responsible for the killings of his advisors. Musa wanted Toure’s throne and nothing would stop him. Musa was eventually able to kill Muhammad Toure and take over as the Emperor of Songhai, but the memory of Muhammad Toure would even outlive the Songhai empire. To Muhammad Toure aka Askia The Great, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series. References: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad-I-Askia https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/askia-muhammad-i https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/toure-muhammad-c-1442-1538/ https://www.panafricanalliance.com/askia-the-great/  Juan de Sessa was born around 1518, his place of birth is debated by historians, but it is believed that he was either born in Spain or Ethiopia. We do know he was born from enslaved Africans of the house of Don Luiz Fernandez, the Count of Cabra, the second Duke consort of Sessa. Juan was the personal assistant to the third Duke of Sessa, Don Gonzalo, the son of Don Luiz Fernandez. Juan and Don Gonzalo were said to have been around the same age range. In 1520, Don Luiz Fernandez died, forcing his wife Dona Elvira to move her family to Granada. At the age of twelve, Juan moved to Granada with Don Gonzalo and Dona Elvira, around this time Don Gonzalo began attending school, and because Juan was his personal assistant he accompanied Gonzalo as he attended school. Pedro de Mota was an instructor at the Cathedral of Granada who taught Don Gonzalo, because Juan was constantly in attendance and also paying attention, he also gained an education, becoming proficient in Greek and Latin languages. It is said that because he mastered the Latin language that his classmates named him Juan Latino and the name stuck. Under normal circumstances of the times, Juan would have only just accompanied Don Gonzalo and not have learned much because school was presented as unattainable for enslaved people, but because Juan was eager to learn he began picking up on the lessons and even outperforming Don Gonzalo. Juan was so proficient that he was allowed to continue to study because the instructors could see how much of an asset he was to the household. The University of Granada was founded in 1531, it is also the place where Juan and Don Gonzalo would continue their education after advancing past the Cathedral of Granada. Juan earned his Bachelor’s degree in 1546 and his Master’s degree in 1556, all while starting a family and navigating a world where slavery is still legal and racism is being defined. Juan was an educated man of African descent living in Spain less than fifty years after the Moors were expelled from Spain, and the European nations have begun building wealth from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. To say Juan Latino was an exceptional person would be an understatement. Juan was known for his intellectual prowess and ability to teach others. He was hired to tutor Ana, the daughter of the Licenciado Carlobal, the owners of the estates of the Duke of Sessa. He was tutoring Ana in music; Ana had a reputation for her beauty and Juan had a reputation for being a lady’s man. After tutoring Ana, the two eventually married and the union was a disruption of the social classes of Spain. A man who is the son of a slave of the Duke of Sessa has married the daughter of the overseers of the Duke of Sessa. Ana and Juan produced 4 children from their union, two boys and two girls. Around 1566, Juan competed with Licenciado Villanueva for the position of Cathedral Professor of Grammar, he eventually earned the position and it was incentivized by giving him extra university privileges. Juan Latino was breaking barriers as an African in Spain in the 1500s. He was excelling as a Professor of Grammar and gaining a reputation as a great poet, he was even able to translate the poems of Virgil into Spanish. He was creating quite a reputation of excellence for himself, he was also beginning to be seen and respected within the social circles of Granada, but no amount of success could have shielded him from the presence of racism. Black skin was still seen as inferior to his fellow white counterparts, he was often targeted and ridiculed for his skin color and social class by birth. Juan is credited with contributing to the “Golden Age” of Spanish writing because a number of the writers who pushed Spanish literature into their “Golden Age” were students of Juan Latino. His influence and views of the world helped to prepare some of the most skilled and thought-provoking writers in Spanish history. Juan was very successful in his life, he gained a lot, but he also lost a lot as well. As he aged he began to lose a number of the people who were closest to him. A number of friends and colleagues passed away, but the loss of his dear wife Ana was a devastating blow to him. Juan Latino died in 1608 at the age of 90 due to his health failing and blindness setting in. Before his death, Juan was able to defy the odds of the times. He became a prominent member of his community, and his country, even though he was the son of an enslaved African within a society that saw African people as less than human. Mr. Juan de Sessa, aka, Juan Latino, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support our On the Shoulders of Giants book series. References: https://as.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu-as/asSilverDialogues/documents/M%20Gomez%20May%2020171.pdf https://peoplepill.com/people/juan-latino https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/latino-juan-c-1518-c-1594/ Wirth, N. (2007, December 09). Juan Latino (ca. 1518-ca. 1594). BlackPast.org. https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/latino-juan-c-1518-c-1594/  Learn more about Dr. Runoko Rashidi by visiting www.drrunoko.com PHONE: (323) 803-8663 EMAIL: [email protected] or [email protected] Support Dr. Runoko on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/RunokoRashidi... Cashapp: $RunokoRashidi  In 1833, Marcos Maceo moved to the island of Cuba, after a number of his fellow soldiers were exiled from Venezuela. Marcos Maceo was a Venezuelan soldier fighting for the Spanish in the Venezuelan War of Independence. While living in Cuba Marcos met and married a woman named Mariana Grajales y Cuello, the couple produced a son named Antonio. Antonio Maceo Grajales was born on June 14th, 1845, in the town of San Luis, Cuba. His family lived on the Jobabo farm, which was Antonio’s place of birth. His parents were very instrumental in his upbringing. His father not only was a soldier, but he was also a successful farmer who owned several farms. His mother was an iconic Afro-Cuban woman who fought for women’s rights and Cuban independence. It is said that his father taught him how to be strong, crafty, and resourceful, but his mother taught him, discipline and critical thinking. Bring the eldest of nine siblings he needed to help his family bring in money. At the age of sixteen, he began working for his father as a delivery boy for his father’s farms. During his teens is when Antonio became interested in politics; he joined a Masonic Lodge in the year 1864. As a member of the lodge, Antonio was influenced by Cuban freedom fighters who were fighting against Spain to gain their independence. In 1868, Antonio married a woman named María Cabrales; 1868 is also the year he joined the Cuban Ten Years’ War along with his father and a few siblings. Mariana Grajales fully supported her sons and husband fighting against the Spanish for their independence. She is known as the “Mother of the Nation” because of how dedicated she was to the Cubans gaining their independence from Spain. The Ten Years’ War started after Cuban Revolutionary hero Carlos Manuel de Céspedes led a revolt known as “The Cry of Yara”. Céspedes freed the slaves he owned and they all joined together to fight Spain during “The Cry of Yara”. Antonio excelled as a soldier in the Cuban rebel army. Five months into his enlistment he was promoted to commander in the army, within the next few weeks he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and then colonel shortly after. Antonio was a military star in the making; over his next five years and five hundred battles, he became very popular because of his success over the Spanish. He was promoted to Brigadier General then eventually Major General. Many feel that his promotion to Major General was delayed because of his skin color and his family not being of the bougie class of Cubans. Antonio gained a reputation for being almost invincible on the battlefield, he was known as the “Bronze Titan”, he suffered more than twenty-five injuries on the battlefield but never slowed down leading his men into battle. Antonio admired the military strategies of the Dominican Major General Máximo Gómez and even adopted the use of the machete over the Spanish sword. As the “Ten Years’ War” progressed it was also coming to an end and officially ended with the signing of the Pact of Zanjón, a document Antonio opposed any Cuban rebels signing. Antonio believed that the rebels needed tangible gains from the peace talks such as the abolition of slavery and Cuban independence, not just empty promises and moral victories. The Protest of Baraguá was Antonio and his men rejecting the limited and still oppressive terms of the proposed peace treaty. A comrade of Antonio planned to ambush the Spanish general who proposed the terms of the peace treaty, Antonio rejected the ambush because he wanted his victory to be with honor. Days after meeting with the Spanish general the battle resumed but it was paramount for Antonio to escape from his post in Cuba. He eventually found himself in New York planning a Cuban invasion with Major General Calixto García Íñiguez. The planned invasion became the second of three conflicts between Cuba and Spain known as the Little War. The Spanish did an effective job of promoting racist and divisive messages against the Cubans, which caused tension to arise between the white Cubans and Afro-Cubans. The Spanish were determined to kill Antonio while he was visiting Haiti, Jamaica, and Costa Rica. While in Costa Rica he was aided by the president and assigned to join a Costa Rican military unit as a consultant. Cuban poet and professor José Martí contacted Antonio to convince him to initiate a war thought of as the “Necessary War” or the War of 1895. Antonio was not confident in his army’s chances of victory until Marti was able to convince him that their chances of winning were higher than Antonio may have calculated. He was able to escape the capture of Spanish soldiers by going into the mountains, while in the mountains he was able to form a small group of soldiers that quickly became a small army. Antonio, Marti, and Gomez held a meeting in which Antonio and Marti disagreed on military strategy, days after the meeting Marti was killed in battle, Gomez was named the General in Chief of the Cuban Liberation Army, and Antonio became the Lieutenant General or second in command of the army. Behind the leadership of Gomez and Antonio, the Cuban liberation army traveled one-thousand miles in ninety-six days and earned numerous victories against the Spanish. Gomez organized the liberation army so well that they were overwhelming the Spanish army who had a greater number of soldiers and resources; the guerrilla warfare took a toll on the Spanish army. The cruel treatment of the Spanish towards the Cuban people encourage more able Cubans to join the Cuban Independence Army. A great number of Cubans were placed in concentration camps by the Spanish, which was the fuel needed to encourage more Cubans to fight against the Spanish. The Cuban Liberation Army was earning victories over the Spanish on both the East and West sides of the island. December 7th, 1896, Antonio and his personal escorts were moving in on Spanish territory and attempting to create an entrance for his army into Spanish territory when they were fired upon and Antonio was struck by two bullets that took his life. He was initially buried in a secret location but his remains were later moved to the Monumento El Cacahual in Havana, Cuba, and honored as a military hero. Antonio is remembered as one of Cuba’s greatest military heroes and fighters for the abolition of slavery and the independence of all Cubans, he even was aware enough to fight the underlying racism Afro-Cubans faced from white Cubans. He was the son of a military hero and Cuban independence icon, and he took the lessons from his parents to help lead his people closer to their true independence. To the legendary Antonio Maceo Grajales, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series!! References: http://www.mcnbiografias.com/app-bio/do/show?key=maceo-grajales-antonio https://www.thoughtco.com/antonio-maceo-4688532 https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/grajales-antonio-maceo-1845-1896/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Maceo_Grajales Click the link to join the OTSOG family and get a free copy of On the Shoulders of Giants Vol: 1 North America https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/s...
Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OTSOG Cashapp: $joeward84 Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ontheshoulders1 Visit www.ontheshoulders1.com to download our African history curriculum app Like us on Facebook: On the Shoulders of Giants Connect on LinkedIn: Joseph Ward Click the link to get your copies of On the Shoulders of Giants book series http://ontheshoulders1.com/store/  In the early 1800s, a young girl named Carlota was kidnaped from her Yoruba village in Nigeria and transported to Mantanzas, Cuba. While living in Cuba, she was sold to a sugarcane plantation in Triumvarato where the conditions were poor and inhumane. Carlota was strong-willed and vigilant, she refused to let her conditions break her. In 1843 Carlota met a fellow slave girl named Fermina who planned an uprising. Carlota was willing and able to help Fermina raid the plantation to gain their freedom. Unfortunately, the plantation owners learned of Fermina’s plans, she was beaten and locked in jail. Carlota was not deterred by Fermia’s incarceration; she used the talking drum to communicate to the others about her plans. The slaves would often use their drums as a safe way to communicate with each other. Using the drums Carlota organized a raid on the plantation which helped to free Fermina and others from jail. November 5th, 1843, is said to be the date the slaves led by Carlota launched their yearlong raid against the whites and plantation owners. The slaves used guerilla tactics to attack the whites which helped them to gain victories for a short while. Ultimately, Carlota and her comrades were captured and executed by the Spanish plantation owners. She would inspire future uprisings against slavery and oppression. Her ideas and passion did not die with her; they were continued by those who shared her vision. Even though Carlota was not successful in the end, she represents the spirit of freedom, the spirit of liberty. Humans were born to be free and she was not going to lie down and accept her conditions. She possessed brains, tact, skill, courage, leadership, and a love for her people. Ms. Carlota Lukumi, we proudly stand on your shoulders. J.A. Ward. Click here to support the On the Shoulders of Giants book series!! Carlota Lukumi: https://badassladiesofhistory.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/carlota-lukumi/ http://www.afrocubaweb.com/carlota.htm |
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