A2 NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 1, 2009 INTERNATIONAL NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
This Week in Black History
Week of November 27 to December 3
November 27
1895—Novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas Jr.
dies in France. He was the son of the much more famous
Alexandre Dumas who authored such works as “The
Three Musketeers” and “The Count De Monte Cristo.”
However, “junior” was also an accomplished novelist with
his most famous work being “La Dame Aux Camelias.”
When confronted with French racism, Dumas is fre-
quently quoted as telling his distractors, “My father was
a Creole, his father a Negro, and his father a monkey. My
family, it seems, begins where yours left off.”
1942—Rock musician Jimi Hendrix is born in Seattle,
ALEXANDER DUMAS Wash. Hendrix is considered one of the greatest guitarists
to have ever played. Unfortunately, he died of a drug
overdose while on tour in Europe.
1964—Actress Robin Givens is born in New York City. Her marriage to boxer Mike
Tyson ends in divorce.
1976—Actor Jaleel White is born in Pasadena, Calif. He started acting when he was
AP PHOTO/THEMBA HADEBE
three years old but gained national attention playing the role of Steve Urkel in the tele-
ENVIRONMENTAL EXEC—Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International’s new executive director who took
vision series “Family Matters.”
up his post on Nov. 16, speaks during an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Johan-
November 28
nesburg, South Africa, Nov. 12.
1753—Revolutionary War soldier James Robinson is born in Maryland. Historically,
like “40 acres and a mule,” Robinson epitomizes the White man’s false promises to the
Black man. Robinson, a slave, was promised his freedom for fighting in America’s War
New Greenpeace chief has
of Independence from Britain. He fought so well that he won a
medal for bravery at the Battle of Yorktown. However, after the
war he was sold back into slavery. But he did live to see the end
of slavery. He died in Detroit, Mich. in 1868.
fought apartheid, poverty
1929—Berry Gordy is born in Detroit, Mich. He founded Mo-
town Records in 1957 and built it into the greatest Black-owned
record company in U.S. history.
1960—Richard Wright, perhaps Black America’s greatest novel-
by Donna Bryson
As Naidoo puts it: “If the whole planet is ist, died in Paris, France. He was only 52. Wright’s best known works
under threat...what’s the point of not ad- included “Native Son,” “Black Power,” and “Black Boy.” Wright’s op-
Associated Press Writer
dressing that and saying we’ll do other de- position to American racism led him to join the Communist Party. He
JOHANNESBURG (AP)—An African has velopment work?” later quit but refused to return to America in 1952 as the country
taken over as director of Greenpeace, Naidoo, 44, has fought for the rights of was going through an anti-communist witch hunt.
bringing experience honed as a teenage op- women and children, among the most vul- 1961—Ernie Davis became the first Black man to win college
RICHARD WRIGHT
ponent of White rule in South Africa and a nerable when droughts bring hunger or football’s prestigious Heisman Trophy.
network of powerful contacts to the battle floods disrupt livelihoods. He has pushed to 1997—Coleman Young, Detroit’s first Black mayor, dies at 79. He presided over his
against global warming. strengthen international cooperation and adopted city for an unprecedented five terms.
Greenpeace was founded 38 years ago by ensure the concerns of poor countries are November 29
environmental activists who wanted to stop heard when rich nations plan the future. 1780—After initial racist opposition, especially in the South,
the United States from conducting under- Naidoo took part in nationwide student Blacks are welcomed into the Continental Army to help
ground nuclear tests in a region off Alaska protests as a 15-year-old, and by 16 had fight for American independence from Britain. The move was also
that harbored endangered sea otters. Kumi been kicked out of school for participating prompted by British actions. The Americans were losing to the
Naidoo, the new director, said he still had in peaceful protests against a system that British, the British had launched their Southern campaign and
much to learn about the group’s current denied non-Whites basic rights and eco- were promising Blacks freedom if they joined the British side.
agenda, from protecting whales and forests nomic opportunity. Greenpeace says he Overall, an estimated 5,000 Blacks fought in America’s war for
to stopping nuclear tests and toxic dumping. completed his high school studies at home, independence. However, some Blacks did fight for the British.
But he has already grasped the issues earned a law degree in South Africa and re- 1908—Adam Clayton Powell Jr. is born is born in New
around global warming, an increasingly ceived a doctorate in political sociology as a Haven, Conn. He would follow his father as head of Harlem,
overriding concern of Greenpeace and other Rhodes scholar from Oxford. N.Y.’s powerful Abyssinian Baptist Church. He was also elected
environmental groups. Following Nelson Mandela’s release in to Congress in 1945 and was a major force in the Civil Rights
“We either get it right and all of human- 1990 after 27 years in prison, Naidoo re-
ADAM CLAYTON
Movement. Powell died April 4, 1972.
ity comes out on the other side with a new turned from Britain to work for the African
POWELL JR.
1919—Legendary dancer Pearl Primus
world,” Naidoo told The Associated Press in National Congress and other anti- was born in Trinidad but raised in New
an exclusive interview before he took the apartheid groups. Naidoo—who earlier York City. She blended African and Caribbean dance and music
Greenpeace helm. “Or we get it wrong and this year went on hunger strike for a with Black American traditions of blues, jazz and the jitterbug to
all the world is going to sink.” month to protest human rights abuses in form a new vibrant dance form. She formed a dance troupe and
Gerd Leipold, his predecessor at Green- Zimbabwe—said Greenpeace is committed she personally appeared in such early Broadway hits as “Show-
peace, said Naidoo’s appointment is a wa- to dialogue, but knows when to stir people boat” and “Emperor Jones.” In 1991, the first President Bush
tershed, both because he is the first African into action and sticks to peaceful means. awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She died Oct. 29, 1994.
and because he is the first executive direc- Last month, Greenpeace activists November 30
tor to come from outside the organization. dumped 18 tons of coal in front of the 1912—Legendary filmmaker and photographer Gordon
After battling apartheid in South Africa in Swedish government’s headquarters in a Parks is born in Fort Scott, Kan. In addition to his pioneering
the 1970s and 1980s, Naidoo led global cam- protest meant to pressure European coun- work in film and photography, Parks wrote 12 books and au-
paigns to end poverty and protect human tries to close coal-fired power plants. In thored a ballet entitled “Martin” in honor of civil rights legend
PEARL PRIMUS
rights. Recently, he has led the Global Cam- Britain, they scaled the Parliament build- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
paign for Climate Action, which brings to- ing to wave flags and banners drawing at- 1924—Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm is born in Brooklyn,
gether environmental, aid, religious and tention to calls for cuts in carbon emissions N.Y. Chisholm became the leading Black female politician in Amer-
human rights groups, labor unions, scientists and investment in renewable energy. ica. She served in the New York State Assembly, the United States
and others and has organized mass demon- “Governments, sadly, are unlikely to Congress and ran for the Democratic Party nomination for presi-
strations around climate negotiations. change as fast we need them to unless they dent in 1972. Chisholm died on Jan. 1, 2005. Her most frequently
“Previously, environmentalism was seen are pushed,” Naidoo said. repeated phrase was “un-bought and un-bossed.”
as for the privileged few,” said Tasneem Greenpeace will be there when negotiators December 1
Essop, a South African environmentalist sit down next month in Copenhagen to try to 1641—U.S. (then British) colonies began legalizing slavery. On
who has known Naidoo since their days as draft an agreement to cut greenhouse gas
SHIRLEY CHISOLM
this day, Massachusetts became the first colony to do so. Other
student anti-apartheid activists. She said emissions blamed for global warming. World colonies followed suit. Ironically, Massachusetts was also the first
the new Greenpeace chief will help rally leaders said it is unrealistic to expect an in- state to outlaw slavery as a result of a 1783 state Supreme Court ruling.
other human rights and development ternational, legally binding agreement to 1774—In another compromise measure that characterized the legal struggle against
workers to the climate cause. emerge from Copenhagen. Instead, the goal slavery in America, the Continental Congress approved a measure banning the fur-
is a political framework, ther importation of slaves into the country. However, slavery itself remained legal.
with a fully binding legal Plus, it was common for slave ships to violate the ban.
agreement left to a second 1877—Judge Jonathan Jasper Wright resigns. Wright had been the first Black
meeting next year in Mexico state Supreme Court judge. However, he resigned on this day (out of possible fear for
City. his life) as the Reconstruction era ended and White racists were re-
“Anything short of a bind- asserting control over Southern politics and law. While on the South
ing treaty in Copenhagen Carolina Supreme Court, Wright wrote 87 opinions which were
must be read as a failure of noted for “clear thinking and a solid basis in common law.”
leadership on the part of the 1878—Arthur Spingarn is born. He, along with his brother Joel,
political class,” Naidoo told a was one of the early organizers of the NAACP. At one point, he headed
news conference. “We can’t both the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. His contribu-
Pittsburgh
change the science. The sci- tion to the group was primarily in the areas of law and contacts to lib-
ence is clear. We have to eral, politically well connected Whites.
change the politics. If we December 2
Profiles
can’t change the politics, 1859—John Brown, one of the leading
then we have to put our en- White heroes of Black history, was hung near
with KQV�s
Harpers Ferry, Va. He was a tireless crusader
ARTHUR SPINGARN
ergies into changing the
politicians.” against slavery. His activities ranged from working in the secre-
Elaine Effort
tive Underground Railroad which helped Blacks escape slavery to
THE
attacking slave owners who wanted to expand slavery outside the
sponsored in part
South. Brown’s frustration with the slow pace of efforts to abolish
NEW PITTSBURGH
slavery led him to attempt to incite a violent slave revolt that
by the New
COURIER
began with a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in Octo-
PUBLISHING COMPANY ber 1859. His group was eventually cornered and he was hanged
Pittsburgh
JOHN BROWN
on this day in 1859.
1884—Granville T. Woods (1856-1910) invents and on this day
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patents a major improvement to the telephone transmitter. Indeed, it can be reason-
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ably argued that this highly productive African-American inventor actually invented
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the telephone because his device (called “telegraphony”) was superior to that invented
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by Alexander Graham Bell. It was so superior, in fact, that the Bell Company pur-
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chased it from Woods in part because his telephone was better and in part to prevent
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Woods from becoming a major competitor. Woods received nearly 50 patents for inven-
tions in the areas of transportation, electricity, and communications. He was called “the
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Black Edison” after Thomas Alva Edison who is generally considered the most produc-
tive U.S. inventor. However, Woods and Edison would cross paths when Edison sued
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on Pittsburgh’s all news radio
him in a dispute over which one first invented the multiplex telegraph. Edison tried to
is published weekly buy Woods off by offering him a prominent position in his company but Woods declined.
station for 30 years
1891—Historian Charles Wesley is born in Louisville, Ky. Wesley was one of Black
periodicals
America’s most productive historians and a strong advocate of the need for Blacks to know
paid at Pittsburgh, Pa.
their history. His major works included “Neglected History,” “Collapse of the Confederacy,”
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and “Negro Labor in the United States.” He had a long association with Carter G. Wood-
KQV 1410 AM and
son’s Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in Washington, D.C.
(Payable in advance)
1987—Writer and social activist James Baldwin dies in Paris, France.
1989—Legendary dancer Alvin Ailey dies.
at WWW.KQV.COM
December 3
6 Months...........$20.006 Months...........$25.00
1847—Frederick Douglass and Martin R. Delaney establish The
1 Y
1 Y
ear
ear
.................$45.00
.................$35.00
North Star and it goes on to become a major anti-slavery newspaper.
1970—The first Miss Black World was Jennifer Josephine
Saturday, November 28 at 6:30 A.M.
2 Y
2 Y
ears...............$60.00
ears...............$85.00
Hosten won the title on this day. She was born in Grenada.
1982—Thomas “The Hit Man” Hearns defeats Wilfredo Benitez
and 6:30 P.M. and
POSTMASTER: Send
for the WBC Junior Middleweight boxing title. Hearns becomes the
address changes to:
first person to win boxing titles in five different weight classes.
Sunday, November 29 at 6:30 A.M.
(In a recent column we explained the role played by President Franklin D. Roo- JENNIFER HOSTEN
New Pittsburgh Courier
sevelt’s “New Deal” programs in convincing Blacks to abandon the Republican Party
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and join the Democratic Party. But in doing so, one of our readers in the Norfolk, Va., area, C.C. Hawkins,
and 6:30 P.M.
said we made Roosevelt “sound like the greatest thing since sliced bread.” Hawkins pointed out that Roo-
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
sevelt failed Blacks in several regards including his failure to sign anti-lynching legislation. Hawkins is
right. We did not intend to make Roosevelt look like an angel.)
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