Black History Month

Fourth in a series from AAHAWM honoring Black History Month

The Reconstruction Era, which lasted from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1877, was a period of significant change and progress for African Americans. The Union army had defeated the Confederacy and the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments were added to the Constitution, which abolished slavery and granted citizenship and voting rights to African Americans. This was a time of hope and optimism for Black Americans who had been enslaved for centuries.

However, the Reconstruction Era was also marked by the rise of Black Codes, laws passed by Southern states to restrict the rights and freedoms of African Americans. These laws were designed to maintain white supremacy and control the labor of formerly enslaved people. The Black Codes varied from state to state, but they often included provisions that criminalized certain behaviors such as vagrancy, loitering, and not having employment. These laws were used as a tool to discriminate and oppress Black Americans and return them to a state of near-slavery.

The Black Codes were met with resistance from newly freed African Americans and the federal government. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th amendment were passed to counteract these discriminatory laws. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 granted citizenship and equal rights to all people born in the United States, regardless of race, color, or previous condition of slavery. The 14th amendment granted equal protection under the law to all citizens and prohibited states from denying any person “life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

Despite these efforts, the Black Codes persisted, and their legacy can still be seen in the systemic discrimination and inequality that African Americans continue to face today. The fight for civil rights and equality for Black Americans did not end with the abolition of slavery or the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. It was a continuous struggle that continues to this day.

In honor of Black History Month, it is important to remember the sacrifices and struggles of those who fought for the rights and equality of African Americans during the Reconstruction Era, and to acknowledge the ongoing fight against discrimination and inequality. For further readings:

• “The Rise and Fall of the Black Codes” by the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-black-codes.htm)
• “The Black Codes” by the Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/reconwar/codes/)
• “The Civil Rights Act of 1866” by the National Archives (https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/civil-rights-act-1866)
• “The Southern ‘Black Codes’ of 1865-66” by the Consitutional Rights Foundation (https://www.crf-usa.org/brown-v-board-50th-anniversary/southern-black-codes.html)

Second in a series from AAHAWM honoring Black History Month

During the 19th century, a secret network of routes and safe houses existed in the United States to aid enslaved African Americans in their quest for freedom. Known as the Underground Railroad, it was not an actual railroad, but a metaphorical system of escape routes and safe houses.

The Underground Railroad was operated by a diverse group of individuals, including abolitionists, free Black people, and even some sympathetic white people. These individuals risked their own freedom and lives to assist enslaved people in their journey to freedom. Many safe houses were located in the Northern states where slavery was illegal, but there were also safe houses in border states and even in the South.

Escape was a difficult and dangerous journey. Enslaved people had to travel at night, often on foot, and avoid detection by slave catchers and patrols. Many were caught and returned to slavery, others died trying to escape.

Despite the risks, thousands were able to escape to freedom. Famous figures such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and William Still were key figures in the Underground Railroad and helped many enslaved people escape to freedom.

The Underground Railroad was a crucial aspect of American history and played a vital role in the abolition of slavery in the United States. It stands as a testament to the bravery and resilience of enslaved people, as well as the compassion and humanity of those who helped them escape to freedom.

In honor of Black History Month, let us remember the sacrifices and heroism of those who were a part of the Underground Railroad and continue to work towards a more just and equitable society for all.

First in a series from AAHAWM honoring Black History Month

Today, we remember the victims of the transatlantic slave trade and honor their legacy. We must continue to educate ourselves about this horrific chapter in our history so that we can better understand its lasting impact on our society today.

The transatlantic slave trade was a brutal period in history that lasted for several centuries, during which millions of Africans were forcibly taken from their homes and transported across the Atlantic Ocean to be sold as slaves in North and South America. This system of exploitation and oppression had devastating consequences for African people, their families, and their communities.

The slave trade was driven by the need for labor on the growing number of plantations in the Americas, which was fueled by the rise of the transatlantic economy based on the cultivation of cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, and cotton. Slaves were captured in Africa, often through violent means, and then transported across the Atlantic in overcrowded and disease-ridden ships, known as the Middle Passage. Many enslaved Africans died before they even reached the Americas.

Once in the Americas, enslaved Africans were sold at auction and put to work on plantations, where they were treated as property and subjected to brutal conditions, including physical abuse, forced labor, and separation from their families. Despite this, enslaved Africans resisted slavery in various ways, including rebellion, running away, and preserving their culture and traditions through music and storytelling.

The slave trade had a profound and lasting impact on the lives of enslaved Africans and their descendants, as well as on the economies and societies of the Americas. Although the slave trade was eventually abolished in the 19th century, the legacy of slavery continues to shape the lives of African Americans today.

During Black History Month, we should take time to reflect on how far we have come since the those times and how much further we still need to go to achieve true equality for all people. It is important to acknowledge and remember the atrocities of the past in order to work towards a more just and equal future for all. #BlackHistoryMonth

References:

• “The Transatlantic Slave Trade” The History Channel: https://www.history.com/topics/african-history/transatlantic-slave-trade
• “Transatlantic Slave Trade” Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/transatlantic-slave-trade
• “The Middle Passage” PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr3.html

Links:

• “Slavery and the Making of America” PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/index.html
• “African American Odyssey” Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african-american-odyssey/

Image courtesty of KuroNekoNiyah, from the Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade