tag:www.funtimesmagazine.com,2005:/categories/history?page=31History | FunTimes Magazine Page 31Celebrating Africa And Its Diaspora2021-09-28T12:23:34-04:00urn:uuid:ab3c54ad-891b-4790-ae3c-ce96438e29c22021-09-18T12:40:40-04:002021-09-28T12:23:34-04:00Recipes of the Diaspora: Guinea-Bissau Independence Edition: Caldo de Mancarra/Chicken with Peanut Stew 2021-09-19 09:00:00 -0400Oga Africa<span><p>Happy Independence Day, Guinea-Bissau. This West African country, not to be confused with Guinea or Equatorial Guinea, gained independence on September 24th, 1973. We are celebrating the country by sharing the recipe of one of Guinea-Bissau’s prized dishes, Caldo de Mancarra or Chicken with Peanut Stew. <br></p><br><p><b>Here are the ingredients you will need</b>:</p><br><p>2 Pounds of Chicken</p><p>2 Cloves of Garlic</p><p>1 Onion</p><p>300 mg of Peanut butter</p><p>White rice</p><p>1 Can of Tomatoes in tomato sauce (canned)</p><p>1 Habanero pepper (optional)</p><p>1 Piece of Dried Sea Snail/Cymbium Senegalense (optional)</p><p>2 Maggi Cubes</p><p>1 Lemon </p><p>Kucharek seasoning (or any vegetable seasoning)</p><p>Black pepper</p><p>Salt</p><p>1 kettle of hot water</p><br><p><b>How to prepare</b>:</p><br><p>Cut chicken into pieces and clean with lemon by squeezing the lemon juice on the chicken. Mince two cloves of garlic and cut one onion. Put the chicken into a pot, and add the onion, garlic, two Maggi cubes, a teaspoon of Kucharik seasoning, black pepper and salt. Mix the ingredients together with your hand. Cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes. Add water if needed so it won’t burn.</p><br><p>While the chicken is steaming, mix 300mg of peanut butter and a can of peeled plum tomatoes in a bowl until it looks like one ingredient. After mixing, add hot water very slowly, while mixing everything together. When you are finished, the peanut butter mixture should have a watery texture.</p><br><p>Sieve the peanut butter mixture into a new pot, to extract the hard particles from the peanut sauce mix. Add a piece of dried sea snail (Cymbium senegalense) or dried fish seasoning, and cook it for about 30 minutes.</p><br><p>After 30 minutes, add the peanut butter sauce to the steamed chicken pot. Mix thoroughly and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the oil comes on top. When the stew is about 10 minutes away from being done, add okra. It is optional to add a habanero pepper when it is almost done, for spiciness, and it is also optional to cut some cassava into pieces and add to the stew within the last 5 minutes of cooking it.</p><br><p>Serve over steamed white rice.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/853524/fill/700x0/caldo_20de_20mancarra_202.png?timestamp=1631983124">(Image by Joaowahnon via Instagram <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/p/BsG1P7pg6VA/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631986475725000&usg=AOvVaw33DD0ET5A9MSIuAfmuoht-">https://www.instagram.com/p/BsG1P7pg6VA/</a> )<br><br><br></div></span><p></p><p></p><p>Recipe by @Anyys_Cuisine (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQ1V33FHMh/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631986475726000&usg=AOvVaw2EyZs-X72KuUbdGHOYSfWK">https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQ1V33FHMh/</a> ) on Instagram.</p><p><br></p><p>Learn more about Guinea-Bissau:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2020/09/24/329641/celebrating-guinea-bissau-independence-day" target="_blank"><img alt="Celebrating Guinea-Bissau Independence Day" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/763225/fit/80x80/young_20woman_20guinea_20bissau.jpg?timestamp=1631983223" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2020/09/24/329641/celebrating-guinea-bissau-independence-day" target="_blank">Celebrating Guinea-Bissau Independence Day</a></h4>
<p>Happy Independence Day, Guinea-Bissau. Today, on September 24th in 1974, this West African country gained independence from the Portuguese. We are sharing 10 interesting facts about the c... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2020/09/24/329641/celebrating-guinea-bissau-independence-day">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b6572d41-6606-46f8-9405-ba24ffce4ea72021-09-09T10:47:09-04:002021-09-17T11:03:04-04:00Try These Delicious Kittitian and Nevisian Dishes: Celebrating St. Kitts and Nevis’s Independence Day2021-09-18 09:00:00 -0400Oga Africa<span><p>Happy Independence Day, St. Kitts and Nevis! On September 19th, 1983, this Caribbean country gained independence from the British. Today we are exploring the history and cuisine of this Caribbean country. <br></p><br><p>St. Kitts and Nevis, also called St. Christopher and Nevis, is made up of two islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, which are two miles apart. Although the previous inhabitants of the islands were the Kalinga and Taino people, the Anglo-French colonialists slaughtered them. After the French, Spanish, and British fought for control of the island, the British, who eventually took control of both islands, brought enslaved Africans to produce agriculture on the lush terrain. In 2000, Encyclopedia Britannica reported that 90.4% of the population was Black.</p><br><br><p>Kittitian and Nevisian cuisine consists of dishes that merge African, British, Puerto Rican, and Trinidadian influences, and incorporates seafood, tubers, vegetables, and fruits into many of its recipes. Some of the country’s signature Caribbean dishes include curry dishes such as curry potato, curry chicken, curry goat, and more. </p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/851807/fill/700x0/kittitian_20nevisian_20cuisine_20vendor.jpeg?timestamp=1631198634">(A vendor serves Kittitian and Nevisian cuisine. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/heatheronhertravels/25163812154/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Image by Heather Cowper via Flickr</a>)<br><br><span>“Johnny Cakes”, a fried biscuit dish, is commonly found in the country, and in other Caribbean countries, and is usually eaten as a snack or consumed with breakfast or lunch. The national dish of the country is stewed saltfish, accompanied by spicy fried plantain and coconut dumplings. The country’s black pudding dish, interestingly enough, is not pudding. The sausage dish, which originated in Europe, is usually made from pig meat, pig fat, pig blood, seasoning, and casing.<br></span><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/851808/fill/700x0/goat_20water.png?timestamp=1631198706"></div><p> (Goat water. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goat_Water.jpg" target="_blank">Image by Cbeanstudios via WikimediaCommons</a>)</p><p></p><p><br></p><p>“Cook Up” is a popular rice and beans dish that normally consists of a varying type of meat, including chicken, pigtails, and salted fish, vegetables, and seasonings. Goat water is a delicious, savory soup dish that includes ingredients like onions, cloves, thyme, garlic, potatoes, boiled dumplings, yam, seasonings, and pieces of goat meat. Conch water is a dish akin to goat water, but with conch instead of goat. Other dishes in the country include conch fritters, sugar cake, roti, and lobster.</p><p></p><p>Have you had any Kittitian, Nevisian, or other Caribbean-style dishes? Comment below and tell us which one is your favorite!</p><p><br></p><p></p><p><b>Works Cited</b></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021565000&usg=AOvVaw1d19m6dG_3DQzoG4Su909J">https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/st-kitts-and-nevis/history-and-culture&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021565000&usg=AOvVaw2Ji5rfcazPZqkCk03zN4ub">https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/caribbean/st-kitts-and-nevis/history-and-culture</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis%23/media/1/517489/209644&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021566000&usg=AOvVaw0xibU2TA8HludgD5vSANtH">https://www.britannica.com/place/Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis#/media/1/517489/209644</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://veganisethis.blogspot.com/2012/10/vegan-mofo-stopover-1-st-kitts-and-nevis.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021566000&usg=AOvVaw2LQxbr-QaSuTpub5oKVxcW">http://veganisethis.blogspot.com/2012/10/vegan-mofo-stopover-1-st-kitts-and-nevis.html</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://experienceskn.com/tag/black-pudding/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021567000&usg=AOvVaw1xaCZ052vfR5fgLTDYuTHl">https://experienceskn.com/tag/black-pudding/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/travel/caribbean/top-9-things-to-eat-in-st-kitts&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021568000&usg=AOvVaw0l7ng4-EhBdR_D4guKNDEu">https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/travel/caribbean/top-9-things-to-eat-in-st-kitts</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://recipes.fandom.com/wiki/Kittitian_Cuisine&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021568000&usg=AOvVaw1YoGlnPIwbAIuhz3KTAEI-">https://recipes.fandom.com/wiki/Kittitian_Cuisine</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0ec.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1631201021569000&usg=AOvVaw20cr620K3z5yh6F_d1OS8i">https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0ec.html</a></p><div><br></div></div></span><span><p><br></p><p>Learn more about St. Kitts and Nevis:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2020/09/19/327766/funtimes-celebrates-st-kitts-and-nevis-on-independence-day" target="_blank"><img alt="FunTimes Celebrates St Kitts and Nevis on Independence Day" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/759177/fit/80x80/landscape_20st_20kitts.jpg?timestamp=1631198806" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2020/09/19/327766/funtimes-celebrates-st-kitts-and-nevis-on-independence-day" target="_blank">FunTimes Celebrates St. Kitts and Nevis on Independence Day</a></h4>
<p>Today we celebrate St. Kitts and Nevis’s independence! On September 19th, 1983, this Caribbean country gained independence from the British. We invite you to journey into the rich culture... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2020/09/19/327766/funtimes-celebrates-st-kitts-and-nevis-on-independence-day">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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</p><p> </p></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b78cb928-87f4-4e1d-9434-ff0bcb6abfb02021-09-16T09:40:03-04:002021-09-16T09:40:44-04:0058 Years Ago, Virgil Lamar Ware Was Murdered While Riding on the Handlebars of His Brother’s Bicycle2021-09-16 10:00:00 -0400 Kassidy Garland<span><p>On September 15, 1963, the city of Birmingham, AL was rocked by the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. The explosion killed 4 young girls, shocking the nation and causing outrage. Nicknamed “Bombingham”, Birmingham, AL was one of the most segregated cities in the country and was known for its extremely violent KKK chapter. While the tragedy of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing covered the front of every newspaper, the murder of Virgil Lamar was swept to the side.<br></p><br><p>Virgil Lamar Ware was born on December 6, 1949, in Pratt City, a section of Birmingham, AL. The third of 6 boys, Virgil was a straight A’s, eighth- grade student, football player, and aspiring lawyer. Ware, just hours after the bombing, was cast aside. On the evening of September 15th, Virgil was riding on the handlebars of his older brother’s bicycle. They were on their way back from the store, unaware that the bombing had occurred, when they encountered Larry Joe Sims and Michael Lee Farley, both age 16, riding a red motorbike.</p><br><p>Sims and Farley were on their way home from a segregationist rally, and were carrying a .22 revolver. Farley suggested that Sims shoot off a few rounds to scare the brothers, and so Sims shot twice with his eyes closed. Virgil Ware was shot once in the cheek and a second time in the chest. The thirteen-year-old died in the middle of the street right in front of his older brother’s eyes.</p><br><p>Jefferson County sheriff's detectives Dan Jordan and J.A. McAlpine were assigned to the case. Based on a tip from another police officer, the detectives were led to the home of Michael Farley, who claimed that he had no knowledge of what had happened. When Sims was questioned, he confessed through tears, stating that he shot with his eyes closed and didn’t mean to kill anyone.</p><br><p>The two boys were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A few months later, Sims was convicted by an all-White jury for second-degree murder. Farley pleaded guilty to the same charge. Both Farley and Sims were sentenced to 7 months in jail, but the sentence was suspended. The boys only ended up serving probation and were released from supervision by 1965. It wasn’t until decades later that Sims and Farley apologized to the Ware family.</p><p><br></p><p>Virgil Ware was buried in an unmarked grave on the side of the road until 2004, when donations allowed the family to move him to a proper burial site with a bronze marker.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/853019/fill/700x0/virgil_20lamar_20grave.jpg?timestamp=1631799090"></div><p> </p><br><p><br></p><p><b>Sources</b>:</p><p><a href="https://www.al.com/spotnews/2013/09/virgil_ware_and_johnny_robinso.html">Alabama</a></p><p><a href="https://iloveancestry.com/topics/ancestry/historical-events/20th-century/travesty-of-justice-murder-virgil-lamar-ware/">I Love Ancestry</a></p><p><a href="https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Virgil_Ware">Bham Wiki</a></p><p><a href="https://blackthen.com/virgil-lamar-ware-13-year-old-unsung-soldier-civil-rights-movement/">Black Then</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776057/fill/300x0/kassidy_20headshot.jpeg?timestamp=1631799535"></div><span><p> Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. <br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Kassidy Garland:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/09/15/368499/58th-anniversary-of-the-16th-street-church-bombing" target="_blank"><img alt="58th Anniversary of The 16th Street Church Bombing" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852749/fit/80x80/16thstreetchurch.jpeg?timestamp=1631799559" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/09/15/368499/58th-anniversary-of-the-16th-street-church-bombing" target="_blank">58th Anniversary of The 16th Street Church Bombing</a></h4>
<p>Shortly before 11AM, the congregation was shaken by an explosion, and they knew it was no accident. The 16th Street Baptist church was a predominantly Black congregation and the space was... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/09/15/368499/58th-anniversary-of-the-16th-street-church-bombing">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday" target="_blank"><img alt="Celebrate Eric Garner Catalyst for the Black Lives Matters Movement On What Would Have Been His 51st Birthday" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852727/fit/80x80/eric_20garner.jpeg?timestamp=1631799568" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday" target="_blank">Celebrate Eric Garner, Catalyst for the Black Lives Matters Movement, On What Would Have Been His 51st Birthday</a></h4>
<p>The video of Eric Garner’s treatment by Police and his death sparked outrage all over the country. “I can’t breathe” echoed as people marched through the streets demanding justice. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/823352/fit/80x80/george_20floyd.png?timestamp=1631799581" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later" target="_blank">Nine and a Half Minutes: One Year Later</a></h4>
<p>The murder of George Floyd occurred one year ago today. The trial of Derek Chauvin, just one month ago, and the trial of the other officers, next year.
<span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><span><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:45ebe4fc-5be5-4d61-bb82-6eac7f8d476c2021-09-15T08:28:25-04:002021-09-15T08:29:12-04:00Celebrate Eric Garner, Catalyst for the Black Lives Matters Movement, On What Would Have Been His 51st Birthday2021-09-15 09:30:00 -0400Kassidy Garland<span><p>Eric Garner was born on September 15, 1970, in NYC. A father of six, including a three-month-old child, and grandfather of three, Eric Garner worked as a mechanic and a horticulturist in the city’s parks and rec department. He was also known as a peacemaker and a gentle giant, standing at 6’3” and 350lbs, in his Staten Island community. His ability to make peace, unfortunately, would bring on his last moments.<br></p><br><p>At around 3:30 pm on July 17, 2014, Officers Daniel Pantaleo and Justin D'Amico approached Eric Garner outside a beauty shop in Tompkinsville, Staten Island. Garner had just broken up a fight, which most likely caught the attention of the officers. Immediately upon their arrival, Officer D’Amico questioned him about illegally selling cigarettes, as he had been known to do before.</p><br><p>Garner stood his ground, insisting that he did nothing wrong, and asking for police to leave him alone, while his friend and member of Cop Watch, Ramsey Orta. Orta eventually began filming the incident. </p><br><p>After Garner continued to stand up for himself, Officer Pantaleo attempted to handcuff him. When Garner resisted and asked the police to leave him alone, Officer Pantaleo put his arms around Garner’s neck, slamming him into the window, and eventually forcing Garner to the ground. Surrounded by both uniformed and plainclothes officers, Officer Pantaleo shoved Garner’s face to the ground. Garner could be heard in the video stating 11 times, “I can’t breathe.”</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852728/fill/700x0/eric_20garner_202.jpeg?timestamp=1631708651"></div><p> </p><p>Soon after the incident, with Garner lying unconscious on the sidewalk, an NYPD sergeant called the paramedics, insisting that the suspect was having trouble, but did not appear to be in great distress. Once the ambulance arrived, Mr. Garner was not placed on oxygen or put on a stretcher. Police later said that in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Garner suffered a heart attack. He died later that day in the hospital. In August, it was revealed that Garner’s cause of death was homicide by strangulation.</p><br><p>The video of Eric Garner’s treatment by police and his death sparked outrage all over the country. “I can’t breathe” echoed as people marched through the streets demanding justice. The protests spread and Officer Pantaleo’s history of misconduct was released to the public. Pantaleo was fired, but he was not indicted, sparking further outrage. </p><br><p>Eric Garner would have turned 51 years old today. He should have been able to spend the rest of his life with his wife, Esaw Garner, watching their children and grandchildren grow up. Instead, his life was taken from him, and his family was robbed of experiences with him.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852729/fill/700x0/eric_20garner_203.jpeg?timestamp=1631708712"></div><p> </p><br><p><br></p><br><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/garner-eric-1970-2014/">Black Past</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Eric_Garner">Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/eric-garner-dies-nypd-chokehold">History</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776057/fill/300x0/kassidy_20headshot.jpeg?timestamp=1631708786"></div><span><p> Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. <br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Kassidy Garland:</p><p><br></p><div class="media clearfix">
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/08/26/365927/the-naacp-vs-blm-the-black-liberation-movement-of-the-future" target="_blank">The NAACP vs. BLM: The Black Liberation Movement of the Future</a></h4>
<p>In later years, the NAACP has struggled financially, but they have remained focused on protecting voter rights, standing up for racial injustice, and making change, but many people argue ... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/08/26/365927/the-naacp-vs-blm-the-black-liberation-movement-of-the-future">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/09/05/367616/claudette-colvin-civil-rights-activist-turns-82" target="_blank">Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Activist Turns 82</a></h4>
<p>On March 2, 1955, Claudette was on her way home from school, when the driver of the public bus demanded that she move to accommodate a white woman. The other children she was sitting with... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/09/05/367616/claudette-colvin-civil-rights-activist-turns-82">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago" target="_blank"><img alt="The Assassination of Fred Hampton and the Raid That Changed Chicago" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/846513/fit/80x80/fred_20hampton_201.jpeg?timestamp=1631708866" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago" target="_blank">The Assassination of Fred Hampton and the Raid That Changed Chicago</a></h4>
<p>Many claimed that Hampton would have ended up becoming an integral member of the Black Panthers’ central committee, had he not been targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO program <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:1da78402-7fe1-461b-a33d-6770f90ce8e32021-09-15T10:33:33-04:002021-09-15T10:33:51-04:0058th Anniversary of The 16th Street Church Bombing2021-09-15 02:30:00 -0400Kassidy Garland<span><p>On September 15, 1963, Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie’s little sister, Sarah, were getting ready and tying one another’s dress sashes, for a church service at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. <br></p><br><p>Sadly, their excitement of the first few days of the school year and finally being included in the adult service would be cut short. Shortly before 11 AM, the congregation was shaken by an explosion, and they knew it was no accident. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a predominantly Black congregation and the space was often used as a meeting place for civil rights activists. </p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852747/fill/700x0/16thstreet.png?timestamp=1631716208"></div><p> </p><p>Birmingham was one of the most segregated cities in America, with Governor George Wallace openly stalling desegregation. The church was no stranger to bomb threats, and it was clear this was a targeted attack. Shortly before the blast, the 14-year old secretary of the Sunday school received a phone call that simply said “3 minutes”, but only one minute later, the explosion occurred. This attack was the 3rd bombing in Birmingham, AL, which was also known as “Bomingham”, in 11 days.</p><br><p>While the majority of the congregation made it out safely, those 5 young women did not. Sarah Collins made it out alive, but was permanently blinded. The bodies of Addie Mae (14), Denise (11), Carole (14), and Cynthia (14) were found beneath the rubble. Along with the members inside the church, at least one passing motorist was thrown from a vehicle.</p><br><p>The attack on the 16th Street Baptist Church shocked the nation and caused outrage. The FBI immediately sent bomb experts and agents to investigate. Martin Luther King, Jr. penned a letter to the governor stating that he had the blood of those four girls on his hands.</p><br><p>Birmingham, AL was known to have one of the most violent KKK chapters, and after considerable interviews, the FBI was led to four suspects, Robert E. Chambliss, Bobby Frank Cherry, Herman Frank Cash, and Thomas E. Blanton, Jr. The FBI, however, was not able to prosecute in the 60s due to lack of evidence. Many claimed that it was actually because FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover disapproved of the Civil Rights Movement.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852748/fill/700x0/pasted_20image_200_20_4_.png?timestamp=1631716289"></div><p> </p><p>In 1977, 5 years after Hoover’s death, Alabama Attorney General Bob Baxley reopened the investigation, bringing Robert E. Chambliss to trial. He was convicted, and died in prison in 1985. The case was reopened, yet again, in 1980, 1988, and 1997, finally convicting two of the other three suspects, Thomas Blanton and Frank Cherry, both of whom were sentenced to life in prison. The fourth and final suspect, Herman Frank Cash, was killed in a car accident before he could be brought to trial.</p><br><p>58 years later, the 16th Street Church bombing remains in people’s hearts. The event was a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, and the outrage sparked by this event forced change across the country.</p><br><p><br></p><br><p><b>Sources:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/16thstreetbaptist.htm">National Park Service</a></p><p><a href="https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/baptist-street-church-bombing">FBI</a></p><p><a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/four-black-schoolgirls-killed-in-birmingham">History</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776057/fill/300x0/kassidy_20headshot.jpeg?timestamp=1631715580"></div><span><p> Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. <br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Kassidy Garland:</p><p><br></p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/823352/fit/80x80/george_20floyd.png?timestamp=1631715699" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later" target="_blank">Nine and a Half Minutes: One Year Later</a></h4>
<p>The murder of George Floyd occurred one year ago today. The trial of Derek Chauvin, just one month ago, and the trial of the other officers, next year.
<span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/05/25/356756/nine-and-a-half-minutes-one-year-later">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday" target="_blank"><img alt="Celebrate Eric Garner Catalyst for the Black Lives Matters Movement On What Would Have Been His 51st Birthday" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/852727/fit/80x80/eric_20garner.jpeg?timestamp=1631715741" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday" target="_blank">Celebrate Eric Garner, Catalyst for the Black Lives Matters Movement, On What Would Have Been His 51st Birthday</a></h4>
<p>The video of Eric Garner’s treatment by Police and his death sparked outrage all over the country. “I can’t breathe” echoed as people marched through the streets demanding justice. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/09/15/368492/celebrate-eric-garner-catalyst-for-the-black-lives-matters-movement-on-what-would-have-been-his-51st-birthday">Read More »</a></span> </p></div></div><br></span><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/05/19/356338/malcolm-x-a-leader-by-all-means-necessary" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/822415/fit/80x80/malcolm_20x_202.jpeg?timestamp=1631715715" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/05/19/356338/malcolm-x-a-leader-by-all-means-necessary" target="_blank">Malcolm X: A Leader By All Means Necessary</a></h4>
<p>Due to Malcolm X’s work, the words to describe African American people changed to “Black” and “Afro-American” rather than “Negro” and “colored”. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/05/19/356338/malcolm-x-a-leader-by-all-means-necessary">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:f92a617d-b140-4b4d-8248-2c174ff952ac2021-09-05T17:42:42-04:002021-09-05T17:43:39-04:00The Youth of Eswatini Are Leading a Revolution: Eswatini’s Independence Day2021-09-05 17:42:34 -0400 Oga Africa<span><p>Happy Independence Day, Eswatini. On September 6th, 1968, this Southern African country gained independence from the United Kingdom. Today we explore the idea of freedom in the country through the lens of Eswatini’s human rights protests and poverty issues and investigate the youth’s role in the current Eswatini revolution.<br></p><br><p>This past June, the country erupted in a series of protests in response to the murder of a 25-year-old law student, Thabani Nkomonye. Nkomonye was reported missing by his parents. The Swazi police told his parents they had nothing to do with their son’s appearance. However, Nkomonye was found in a field. His parents discovered that he had been brutally beaten and that he had multiple bullet wounds and missing eyes. Many believe he was killed by the police. </p><br><p>Police brutality in the Kingdom of Eswatini is but a facet of the country’s monarchical authoritarianism. The youth of the country are seeking change so their future generations will avoid having to live under the ‘Big Brother’esque rule that is their current reality. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/850994/fill/700x0/umfana.jpeg?timestamp=1630878015"></div><p> </p></span>King Mswati III, who has ruled the country for 35 years, has outlawed political parties and factions. His stringent rule has enabled human rights abuses like the jailing of community members and journalists, and he has been criticized for living a lavish life while his citizens struggle with poverty and hunger.<br><p></p><p>Poverty in the country is widespread. In 2017, the World Bank reported that almost 60% of the population lived below the poverty line. Elderly women have resorted to growing and selling ‘Swazi gold’ marijuana strains to support impoverished HIV-infected orphans.</p><p></p><p>The youth-led rallies, catalyzed by police brutality, are fueled by the widespread poverty in the country, other injustices, and lack of political agency. The call for a multiparty system and justice was met with violence from the Eswatini government. In light of protests and violent conflict, Eswatini has been shutting down access to the internet, and has arrested protesters, and shot, brutalized, and murdered citizens.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/850995/fill/700x0/lentokozo.jpeg?timestamp=1630878094"></div><p> </p><p>As of August 16th, 70 protesters have been killed, and more than 600 have been arrested. The youth, who stand at the forefront of this revolution, will not be deterred.</p><p><br></p><p></p><p><b>Works Cited</b></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3880140&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518869000&usg=AOvVaw2u-kIRaIHRKoIwbLYZsLSb">https://www.jstor.org/stable/3880140</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://republic.com.ng/august-september-2021/burnin-and-lootin-eswatini/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518870000&usg=AOvVaw000zGkvwHEvW5DY5Tmb6lS">https://republic.com.ng/august-september-2021/burnin-and-lootin-eswatini/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://honisoit.com/2021/08/in-eswatini-student-unions-lead-fight-for-rights/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518870000&usg=AOvVaw08LDdIekx_OO7VzWGZl6rG">https://honisoit.com/2021/08/in-eswatini-student-unions-lead-fight-for-rights/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/africas-last-absolute-monarchy-shaken-as-protestors-defy-eswatini-king&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518871000&usg=AOvVaw2W9Lx98i86i-5a1eVRtcR2">https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/africas-last-absolute-monarchy-shaken-as-protestors-defy-eswatini-king</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ifex.org/a-king-in-hiding-while-eswatini-burns-rwandan-journalist-abducted-in-mozambique-and-flags-at-half-mast-for-kk/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518871000&usg=AOvVaw2TlfuPhXR1CvJVaA11MU_t">https://ifex.org/a-king-in-hiding-while-eswatini-burns-rwandan-journalist-abducted-in-mozambique-and-flags-at-half-mast-for-kk/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/eswatini/overview&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518871000&usg=AOvVaw3FdKuWJYSIUUGeRzW0MoCm">https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/eswatini/overview</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1016031822/pro-democracy-protests-continue-in-eswatini-africas-last-absolute-monarchy&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518872000&usg=AOvVaw0-6VN_G-v1a27vAmLOlAUN">https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1016031822/pro-democracy-protests-continue-in-eswatini-africas-last-absolute-monarchy</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2021/8/16/why-the-protests-in-eswatini-are-off-your-radar&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518872000&usg=AOvVaw2pl_KzpyFfsnihC_ZuIFrK">https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/2021/8/16/why-the-protests-in-eswatini-are-off-your-radar</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/07/eswatini-dozens-killed-tortured-abducted-as-pro-democracy-protests-intensify/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518873000&usg=AOvVaw251HpjaxsQNfR0NVpmPa3F">https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2021/07/eswatini-dozens-killed-tortured-abducted-as-pro-democracy-protests-intensify/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/8/7/can-eswatinis-monarchy-recover-from-the-crisis&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518873000&usg=AOvVaw2NxYFlz-2LN7EH725HTY0U">https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/8/7/can-eswatinis-monarchy-recover-from-the-crisis</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/africas-last-absolute-monarchy-shaken-as-protestors-defy-eswatini-king&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518874000&usg=AOvVaw0-FVwkuzJOq8OeAnVbtDjl">https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/africas-last-absolute-monarchy-shaken-as-protestors-defy-eswatini-king</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/sep/02/swazi-gold-grandmothers-in-eswatini-growing-cannabis-to-make-ends-meet&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518874000&usg=AOvVaw1wpCMd5aNpLOrTSkSFtNW8">https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/sep/02/swazi-gold-grandmothers-in-eswatini-growing-cannabis-to-make-ends-meet</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://honisoit.com/2021/08/in-eswatini-student-unions-lead-fight-for-rights/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630881518875000&usg=AOvVaw1Quit1xsS_ab9MQEhCHw_5">https://honisoit.com/2021/08/in-eswatini-student-unions-lead-fight-for-rights/</a></p><p><br></p><p>Learn more about Eswatini:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2020/09/06/327157/celebrating-eswatini-independence-day" target="_blank"><img alt="Celebrating eSwatini Independence Day" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/757359/fit/80x80/eswatini_20men.jpg?timestamp=1630878140" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2020/09/06/327157/celebrating-eswatini-independence-day" target="_blank">Celebrating eSwatini Independence Day</a></h4>
<p>On this day, September 6, 1968, eSwatini achieved independence from the British. Join us as we celebrate this South African country. Let’s jump right in!
(Sibebe, an eSwatini beer) <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2020/09/06/327157/celebrating-eswatini-independence-day">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:866c16d2-fe31-466e-8585-5ede6e5c06f02021-09-05T12:35:58-04:002024-03-28T14:38:23-04:00Claudette Colvin, Civil Rights Activist Turns 822021-09-05 12:35:57 -0400Kassidy Garland<span><p>Claudette Colvin was born Claudette Austin in Montgomery, AL on September 5, 1939. After her father left, and her mother could not afford to care for her and her sister any longer, she moved in with her great aunt and uncle, taking their last name. Her younger sister, Delphine, died of polio shortly before Claudette turned 13.<br></p><br><p>Colvin did well in school, receiving mostly A’s. Claudette was also active in the NAACP Youth Council at Booker T. Washington High School. There she also worked under her mentor, Rosa Parks.</p><br><p>Colvin was well aware of the racial divide in the country at the time, and used her natural hair as a form of protest, since straightening it was considered the norm. After learning about Black heroes like Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth during Negro History Month, Colvin was determined and ready to make her own mark on the world.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/850977/fill/700x0/claudette_20colvin_202.jpeg?timestamp=1630859794"></div><p> </p><br><p>On March 2, 1955, Claudette was on her way home from school, when the driver of the public bus demanded that she move to accommodate a White woman. The other children she was sitting with moved, but Claudette refused. She has stated that she felt like Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman were weighing down her shoulders and telling her to stand her ground. </p><br><p>Colvin, who was just 15 at the time, was ripped from her seat and arrested. She has stated that in addition to her aggressive arrest, she was also the target of lewd comments, but the seriousness of the situation didn’t occur to Claudette until the cell door slammed and she was alone in the city jail, where she remained until her mother and pastor bailed her out. She has stated that she was terrified to be in jail alone because of the unknown.</p><br><p>Claudette was arrested on several charges, including violating the city’s segregation laws. Claudette’s refusal to give up her seat came 9 months before Rosa Parks did the same. Rosa’s refusal made headlines and spawned the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Although Claudette’s refusal came first, her age and unplanned pregnancy out of wedlock prevented the NAACP from using her as the face of a movement. Parks would fill that role as an established member of the NAACP.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/850976/fill/700x0/claudette_20colvin_201.jpeg?timestamp=1630859861"></div><p> </p><br><p>In 1956, Claudette Colvin gave birth to a son, Raymond. Later in 1956, Claudette Colvin became one of three plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, which challenged segregation laws in Montgomery. The three judges ruled in their favor and the US Supreme court upheld that decision.</p><br><p>Although Claudette Colvin was crucial to the Civil Rights Movement, her story was mostly unknown until much later. After her refusal to give up her seat, she decided to move from Alabama to New York. In later years, she stated how proud she was of her action that day, and recently, her family has fought for recognition for her brave act. In 2018, she was recognized by Congressman Joe Crowley for contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. March 2nd is also known as Claudette Colvin Day as of 2019, and granite markers recognize her and her co-plaintiffs. Today, Colvin still resides in New York with her family.</p><br><div class="image-main"><br></div><br><p>Sources:</p><p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2009/03/15/101719889/before-rosa-parks-there-was-claudette-colvin">NPR</a></p><p><a href="https://www.biography.com/news/claudette-colvin-rosa-parks-bus-boycott">Biography</a></p><p><a href="https://www.biography.com/activist/claudette-colvin">Biography</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p> </p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776057/fill/300x0/kassidy_20headshot.jpeg?timestamp=1630859668"></div><span><p> Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. <br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Kassidy Garland:</p><p><br></p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2020/12/01/337311/celebrating-rosa-parks-65-years-after-her-historic-stand-in-montgomery" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/780987/fit/80x80/rosa_20parks.png?timestamp=1630859687" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2020/12/01/337311/celebrating-rosa-parks-65-years-after-her-historic-stand-in-montgomery" target="_blank">Celebrating Rosa Parks 65 Years After Her Historic Stand In Montgomery</a></h4>
<p>After a long day of work at a department store, Parks, 42 at the time, refused to stand for a White passenger when asked by the bus driver, James Fred Blake.
<span class="pull-right"><a href="/2020/12/01/337311/celebrating-rosa-parks-65-years-after-her-historic-stand-in-montgomery">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/01/12/341779/congressional-black-caucus-celebrates-50-years" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/791414/fit/80x80/congressional_20black_20caucus.png?timestamp=1630859715" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/01/12/341779/congressional-black-caucus-celebrates-50-years" target="_blank">Congressional Black Caucus Celebrates 50 Years</a></h4>
<p>Beginning with just 13 members including Shirley Chisom and Louis Stokes, the CBC now has a total of 55 members including Maxine Waters, Cory Booker, and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/01/12/341779/congressional-black-caucus-celebrates-50-years">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago" target="_blank"><img alt="The Assassination of Fred Hampton and the Raid That Changed Chicago" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/846513/fit/80x80/fred_20hampton_201.jpeg?timestamp=1630859732" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago" target="_blank">The Assassination of Fred Hampton and the Raid That Changed Chicago</a></h4>
<p>Many claimed that Hampton would have ended up becoming an integral member of the Black Panthers’ central committee, had he not been targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO program <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/08/30/365936/the-assassination-of-fred-hampton-and-the-raid-that-changed-chicago">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:55669554-948a-4b71-90d5-0f4fb4d958e92021-08-31T09:48:27-04:002021-08-31T13:27:31-04:00Celebrating Seven Black Women in Medicine That You Should Know2021-08-31 16:00:00 -0400Boitumelo Masihleho<span><p>August is Women’s Month in South Africa, since National Women’s Day is celebrated on August 9th every year. This is in commemoration of more than 20,000 women who marched to the union buildings on August 9, 1956, in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.</p><p>This year, we celebrate Black women by celebrating and highlighting seven Black female doctors who are blazing a trails for more Black women in medicine.</p><p><br></p><h4>Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett</h4><p>Dr. Kizzmekia "Kizzy" Shanta Corbett is an American viral immunologist. She is the Shutzer Assistant Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute and an assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A viral immunologist by training, Corbett uses her expertise to propel novel vaccine development for pandemic preparedness. Corbett spent several years working on a universal influenza vaccine, which is slated for Phase 1 clinical trial. Corbett is also the scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Corbett was at the helm of the world's first clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine and helped develop the Moderna vaccine, which was approved in December. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, credited this viral immunologist for being right at the forefront of the development of the vaccine. She was highlighted by <a href="https://time.com/collection/time100-next-2021/5937718/kizzmekia-corbett/">Time in the 2021 Time 100 Next list</a>.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849483/fill/700x0/kizzy_20corbett.png?timestamp=1630415478"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Ala Stanford</h4></span><span><p>A pediatric surgeon in the Philadelphia suburbs, Dr. Ala Stanford spent the early days of the pandemic trying to provide COVID-19 tests to the area’s communities of color. When she realized in early April that her fellow Philadelphians in predominantly Black neighborhoods faced disproportionately high rates of COVID and low rates of testing, this private practice pediatric surgeon secured a vehicle, supplies, and volunteers to begin a mobile testing site that would soon become known as the Black Doctors COVID Consortium. The grassroots initiative has since grown into an impressive organization, received and tested more than 20,000 people to date. Stanford chose to become a pediatric surgeon largely because of her childhood experience. “I felt like when kids came to me, there might be things that I recognized were happening in their life that I could help them with, aside from whatever operation they needed,” she says in <a href="https://science.psu.edu/science-journal/winter-2021/alumni-spotlight-dr-ala-stanford">an interview</a>. “If there was a young mom, then she became my patient too and I would help them both.”</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849484/fill/700x0/stanford.png?timestamp=1630415624"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Susan Karanja</h4><p></p><p>With fewer than 40 neurosurgeons in Kenya, Dr. Susan Karanja is one of just three female neurosurgeons in the country. Karanja knew that her calling was to be a medical doctor, having grown up seeing awareness campaigns about the spread of HIV/AIDS. After completing her internships, Karanja shifted her focus from internal medicine to surgery. She went to South Africa for five years to study for her master's degree in medicine neurosurgery at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Karanja notes that the procurement of equipment required for neurosurgery has improved at the KHN. A lot more students are now studying neurosurgery in Kenya and this should significantly alleviate the gap in the ratios.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849485/fill/700x0/karanja.png?timestamp=1630415708"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Terri Young</h4><p></p><p>Born in Sacramento, California, Dr. Terri Young is a pediatric ophthalmologist and is the Peter A. Duehr Endowed Professor and Chairwoman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (DOVS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Young has researched the molecular genetics of myopia to help find better treatments for eye disorders. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Young received the Robert Wood Johnson Faculty Development Award from 1992 through 1997 and became a member of the editorial board of the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus in 1998. That same year she received the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award and in 2002, she received the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Honor Award.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849486/fill/700x0/terri_20young.png?timestamp=1630415762"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Ncumisa Jilata</h4><p></p><p>In 2017, at the age of 29, Dr. Ncumisa Jilata became Africa’s youngest neurosurgeon after completing her fellowship for the Council of Neurosurgeons of South Africa and is one of just five Black, female neurosurgeons in South Africa. Jilata is an expert on all things related to the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and the spine. Jilata’s medical journey began in 2003 when she was in the 11th grade. Her rigorous path included a packed course schedule of condensing three years of biology into just one year. She went on to earn her bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBChB) degree in 2009 at Walter Sisulu University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Jilata credits Dr. Coceka Mfundisi — the fourth Black South African woman to work in the field of neurosurgery — for paving the way and providing mentorship for her. “My support system was Dr. Coceka Mfundisi, who broke most of the barriers for me so that my time as a registrar was smoother than it would have otherwise been,” she explained in <a href="https://afrotech.com/dr-ncumisa-jilata-became-africas-youngest-neurosurgeon-at-29-years-old">an interview with Afrotech</a>. In 2017, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa praised Jilata during his presidency budget vote in Parliament’s national assembly, thanking her and other South African women for breaking barriers in their different fields.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849487/fill/700x0/jilata.png?timestamp=1630415876"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Lindiwe Sidali</h4><p>Dr. Sidali, was born in a small town called iDutywa, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. After high school, she received a bursary from the North West Department of Health to study medicine in Cuba. Sidali became the first African female cardiothoracic surgeon in 2018. She treats patients who suffer from heart, lung, esophagus, diaphragm, and trachea conditions that need surgical intervention and cannot be treated with medicine alone. “It has been an amazing journey, enlightening in a sense that I became aware that I was an African female in a specialty that is famously known for being male-dominated,” said Sidali in <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.africadaily.co.za/index.php?option%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D1386:dr-lindiwe-sidali-open-doors-for-african-girl-children&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630419052625000&usg=AOvVaw2gBlZkTyek7hI8ZT2siO5e">an interview with</a><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.africadaily.co.za/index.php?option%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D1386:dr-lindiwe-sidali-open-doors-for-african-girl-children&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630419052625000&usg=AOvVaw2gBlZkTyek7hI8ZT2siO5e"> Africa Daily</a><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.africadaily.co.za/index.php?option%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D1386:dr-lindiwe-sidali-open-doors-for-african-girl-children&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630419052625000&usg=AOvVaw2gBlZkTyek7hI8ZT2siO5e">.</a> “There is a rise of female doctors in surgical disciplines overall. However, African females have been given the least opportunities compared to their counterparts. We need opportunities and exposure.”</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849489/fill/700x0/sidali.png?timestamp=1630415989"></div><p> </p><h4>Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith</h4><p></p><p>Marcella Nunez-Smith is an American physician. She is an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Yale School of Medicine, where she is also Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center. Weeks after the 2020 elections, President Joe Biden named her the chair of his administration's COVID-19 Equity Task Force, giving her a national stage to push for more accessible testing, treatment, and vaccinations. “Make no mistake about it—beating this pandemic is hard work,” Nunez-Smith said in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/11/us/politics/race-inequities-coronavirus.html">a New York Times profile.</a> "'And beating this pandemic while making sure that everyone in every community has a fair chance to stay safe or to regain their health, well, that's the hard work and the right work.” She is board certified in internal medicine, having completed residency training at Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and fellowship at the Yale Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, where she also received a masters in health sciences.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849490/fill/700x0/nunez-smith.png?timestamp=1630416067"></div><p> </p><p><br></p><p><b>Source</b></p></span><span><p><a href="https://www.health.com/mind-body/health-diversity-inclusion/these-7-black-women-are-the-unsung-heroes-of-the-covid-pandemic">Health</a></p><p><a href="https://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/2021/dr-ala-stanford/">Fortune</a></p><p><a href="https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/">Changing the Face of Medicine</a></p><p><a href="https://www.byawoman.com/dr-susan-karanja-among-the-only-three-female-neurosurgeons-in-kenya/#:~:text=Dr.-,Susan%20Karanja%20Among%20the%20Only%20Three%20Female%20Neurosurgeons%20in%20Kenya,in%20neurosurgery%20in%20South%20Africa.">By A Woman</a></p><p><a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/african-women-in-heath-medicine-doctors/">Global Citizen</a></p><p><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/women-who-inspire-5-must-know-leaders-medicine-science-tech-ncna1242750#anchor-DrKizzmekiaCorbett">NBC News</a></p><p><a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/specialists/marcella_nunez-smith">Yale Medicine</a></p><p><a href="https://www.wimlf.org/blog/61-black-women-in-medicine-you-should-know">WIMLF</a></p><p><a href="https://asm.org/Biographies/Kizzmekia-S-Corbett,-Ph-D">ASM</a></p><div><br></div></span><div><br><br><br><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776121/fill/300x0/boitumelo.jpg?timestamp=1630417512"></div><p> Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies. She's an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/BoitumeloM" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">YouTube channel </a>where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content. </p><p><span><br><br><br><br></span></p><p>Read more from Boitumelo Masihleho:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/08/29/366512/cryotherapy-a-guide-to-this-chilly-beauty-treatment" target="_blank"><img alt="Cryotherapy - A Guide To This Chilly Beauty Treatment " src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/848463/fit/80x80/cryotherapy_20header.png?timestamp=1630417540" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/08/29/366512/cryotherapy-a-guide-to-this-chilly-beauty-treatment" target="_blank">Cryotherapy - A Guide To This Chilly Beauty Treatment </a></h4>
<p>Whole-body cryotherapy is all the rage right now among professional athletes and A-list celebrities. Here’s the low-down on the benefits, safety, and effectiveness of cryotherapy. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/08/29/366512/cryotherapy-a-guide-to-this-chilly-beauty-treatment">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/04/29/354666/nthabeleng-likotsi-the-woman-behind-sas-first-female-owned-bank" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/818727/fit/80x80/nthabeleng_20likotsi.jpeg?timestamp=1630417589" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/04/29/354666/nthabeleng-likotsi-the-woman-behind-sas-first-female-owned-bank" target="_blank">Nthabeleng Likotsi: The Woman Behind SA's First Female Owned Bank</a></h4>
<p>Nthabeleng Likotsi is the first woman in South Africa to own a bank. Read her inspiring story here on why she decided to be a pioneer for Black women in financial services.
<span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/04/29/354666/nthabeleng-likotsi-the-woman-behind-sas-first-female-owned-bank">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/03/21/350927/4-south-african-black-poets-to-celebrate-world-poetry-day" target="_blank"><img alt="4 South African Black Poets To Celebrate World Poetry Day" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/810247/fit/80x80/world_20poets_20day.jpg?timestamp=1630417617" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/03/21/350927/4-south-african-black-poets-to-celebrate-world-poetry-day" target="_blank">4 South African Black Poets To Celebrate World Poetry Day</a></h4>
<p>This #WorldPoetryDay, we highlight some remarkable South African poets who show the great cultural contribution poetry makes to human society. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/03/21/350927/4-south-african-black-poets-to-celebrate-world-poetry-day">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p></div><span><p><br></p><br></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:884d8bf4-5bdb-401e-b91f-12eedec8a7cb2021-08-31T13:26:08-04:002021-08-31T13:27:30-04:00Sierra Leone Offers Citizenship to African Diasporans with Sierra Leonean Ancestry2021-08-31 14:00:00 -0400Nana Ama Addo<span><p>Sierra Leone, a West African country known for its abundance of natural resources, including diamonds, is developing a closer relationship with the descendants of the slave trade. This country, which is a mixture of indigenous African groups and descendants of formerly enslaved people of the African Diaspora from North America, Canada, and British colonies like Jamaica and Trinidad, is calling for more people of the diaspora to come home.<br></p><br><p>Through a partnership with African Ancestry and African American businessman Diallo Sumbry, who also played a monumental role in creating Ghana’s ‘Year of Return’ campaign, the country’s president announced that people who could prove they have Sierra Leonean DNA were eligible for Sierra Leonean citizenship.</p><br><p>Of the Africans transported to the Americas through the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, many were of Sierra Leonean descent. The Gullah People of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida are descendants of Sierra Leoneans who were enslaved on a coast known as the Sea Islands. The name ‘Gullah’ is said to be a version of ‘Gola’, which is a rice-growing tribe that exists in present-day Sierra Leone and Liberia. They were brought to the Sea Islands to cultivate rice and other crops. Because the Gullah people were given a certain level of autonomy, they were able to preserve their African culture and maintain their heritage today. </p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/849622/fill/700x0/gullah_20woman_20basket.png?timestamp=1630430355">(A Gullah woman weaving a basket. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sweetgrass_Basket_Maker.jpg" target="_blank">Image by Mattstone911 via WikimediaCommons</a>)<br><br><p>In May 2021, the founder of African Ancestry, Dr. Gina Paige, and Ms. Memunatu Pratt, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism, signed an agreement and presented 59 passports to people of the African diaspora with Sierra Leonean DNA. At the ceremony, the Sierra Leonean president, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, extended a hand to the new passport holding Sierra Leoneans and invited them to invest in businesses, buy land, and undertake other activities to immerse themselves into Sierra Leonean society.</p><p></p><p>African Diasporan groups like the Sierra Leone-based international organization Black Star Action Network International (BSANI), co-founded by a person of the Gullah community, provide resources for people of the African Diaspora to learn more about relocating to Sierra Leone. The Gullah Leone Union, a collaborative partnership between Pan African organizations, and the Exodus Alliance, are other organizations that serve Sierra Leoneans and their descendants, as well as other people of the African diaspora.</p><p></p><p>Learn more about Gullah Leone’s work here: <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gullahleone.org&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832805000&usg=AOvVaw0f2nDR_IAQ-R_i1FXoGlIf">https://gullahleone.org</a> .</p><p><br></p><p></p><p><b>Works Cited</b></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11920/SL&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832806000&usg=AOvVaw0RVa48AS0gwn6eYCrZxv-J">https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11920/SL</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.beaufortsc.org/guides/gullah-history/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832806000&usg=AOvVaw1ifJlWiF4UgO4lZ2aOABqD">http://www.beaufortsc.org/guides/gullah-history/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bsani.org/about-us/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832806000&usg=AOvVaw3-zl77UTcwwL3UG65qktUY">https://bsani.org/about-us/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/africanancestrycom-becomes-a-path-to-sierra-leone-citizenship-for-black-people-whose-roots-trace-to-the-west-african-country-301290514.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832807000&usg=AOvVaw2-YVPL4KyAHC3kip9MWQpe">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/africanancestrycom-becomes-a-path-to-sierra-leone-citizenship-for-black-people-whose-roots-trace-to-the-west-african-country-301290514.html</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://trueafrica.co/article/moving-back-to-sierra-leone-the-other-side-of-privilege/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832807000&usg=AOvVaw0i0w9OCrvvTn--PdNTFb4k">https://trueafrica.co/article/moving-back-to-sierra-leone-the-other-side-of-privilege/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://slaveryandremembrance.org/articles/article/?id%3DA0140&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832808000&usg=AOvVaw1lFqxYUtQ1d1pm7XVe6O4A">http://slaveryandremembrance.org/articles/article/?id=A0140</a></p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/freed-u-s-slaves-depart-on-journey-to-africa&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1630433832808000&usg=AOvVaw1CeQDmi91Vnk1yD4-8vrFQ">https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/freed-u-s-slaves-depart-on-journey-to-africa</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/790279/fill/300x0/nana_20ama_20addo_202.jpg?timestamp=1630430595"></div><p> Nana Ama Addo is a writer, multimedia strategist, film director and storytelling artist. She graduated with a BA in Africana Studies from the College of Wooster, and has studied at the University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Nana Ama tells stories of entrepreneurship and Ghana repatriation at her brand, Asiedua’s Imprint (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.asieduasimprint.com&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1628193849049000&usg=AOvVaw0_jI7WJpPzNTfeLHA7ZRFC">www.asieduasimprint.com</a> ).<br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Read more from Nana Ama Addo:</p><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/08/08/364705/things-i-miss-about-ghana-from-ghanaians-in-the-diaspora" target="_blank"><img alt="Kaneshie Accra Image by Elodie Ouelo via Wikimedia Commons httpscommonswikimediaorgwikiFileKaneshie_Accra_Ghanajpg " src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/843123/fit/80x80/missing_20ghana.png?timestamp=1630430610" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/08/08/364705/things-i-miss-about-ghana-from-ghanaians-in-the-diaspora" target="_blank">'Things I Miss About Ghana' from Ghanaians in the Diaspora </a></h4>
<p>FunTimes voyaged to North Carolina, London, and circled back to Philly to discover what Ghanaians in the diaspora are missing from Ghana. Let’s jump right in! <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/08/08/364705/things-i-miss-about-ghana-from-ghanaians-in-the-diaspora">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/05/25/357300/exploring-the-african-union-s-inception-initiatives-and-impact-on-africa-day" target="_blank"><img alt="The African Union Emblem Image by Civis Turdetani httpsconworldwikiacomwikiFileEmblem_of_the_African_Unionpng " src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/824447/fit/80x80/african_20union_20emblem.jpg?timestamp=1630430693" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/05/25/357300/exploring-the-african-union-s-inception-initiatives-and-impact-on-africa-day" target="_blank">Exploring the African Union’s Inception, Initiatives, and Impact on Africa Day</a></h4>
<p>A Congolese proverb says: “A single bracelet does not jiggle”. Similarly, through collective power, Africa would change the destiny and sound of the continent. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/05/25/357300/exploring-the-african-union-s-inception-initiatives-and-impact-on-africa-day">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/05/12/356156/throwing-bananas-lack-of-progress-in-racism-towards-african-african-diasporan-soccer-players-and-redirection-of-focus" target="_blank"><img alt="pImage by Riadhriadh2004Image by Riadhriadh2004brp" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/821862/fit/80x80/Soccer_in_south_africa.jpeg?timestamp=1630430706" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/05/12/356156/throwing-bananas-lack-of-progress-in-racism-towards-african-african-diasporan-soccer-players-and-redirection-of-focus" target="_blank">Throwing Bananas: Lack of Progress in Racism Towards African & African Diasporan Soccer Players, and Redirection of Focus</a></h4>
<p>Racism in the soccer industry is not new to the world. However, its persistence, and the lack of infrastructure put behind reform, begs the question: does the European soccer industry lov... <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/05/12/356156/throwing-bananas-lack-of-progress-in-racism-towards-african-african-diasporan-soccer-players-and-redirection-of-focus">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div></span><div><br></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>urn:uuid:937ee9ff-26c7-4182-a978-96a33379f1a92021-08-23T12:09:46-04:002021-08-29T13:19:09-04:00The Assassination of Fred Hampton and the Raid That Changed Chicago2021-08-30 15:00:00 -0400Kassidy Garland<span><p>Frederick Allen Hampton was born on August 30, 1948, in Chicago, IL. Fred was the youngest of three children and grew up with his parents, Francis and Iberia, and his brother and sister in the Chicago suburbs. <br></p><br><p>In the summer of 1955, a Hampton family acquaintance, Emmett Till, was lynched by White men while visiting family in Mississippi. The situation gave Hampton a front-row seat to the racial injustice that was occurring all around him. While still in high school, Hampton organized a student chapter of the NAACP, served on his school’s Interracial Cross Section Committee, and protested the arrest of a classmate, and later the area’s first Black state representative, Eugene Moore. After his high school graduation, Hampton enrolled in a pre-law program at Triton College.</p><br><p>In 1967, Fred Hampton led protests to construct integrated public swimming pools in the Maywood area of the Chicago suburbs. Hampton, along with 17 others were charged with disorderly conduct after windows were broken, a shed was set on fire, and police clashed with protestors. The rallies, however, would succeed and an integrated pool was built.</p><br><p>After considerable clashes with the NAACP and their strict rules, Hampton cut ties and joined the Black Panther Party in 1968. Although the goal of the Black Panther Party was originally to create patrol units for Black neighborhoods, it quickly gained traction as a Marxist group rallying for reparations. They immediately caught the attention of J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI, and the group was monitored closely.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/846517/fill/700x0/fred_20hampton_202.jpeg?timestamp=1629734762"></div><br><br><p>The FBI gained information about the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party via 17-year- old informant William O’Neal, in exchange for the charges being dropped after he was arrested for stealing a car. Fred Hampton became of special interest to the FBI while he was the deputy chairman of the group.</p><br><p>Fred Hampton used his position to connect different groups through the Rainbow Coalition in order to provide aid to low-income citizens by combining the member groups’ varied resources. The Rainbow Coalition included the Puerto Rican Young Lords Association, the Poor White Young Patriots Organization, and the Blackstone Rangers street gang. With Hampton’s growing support of and from the Black Community, the Chicago Police Department considered him a threat. </p><br><p>On December 4, 1969, with a map of Hampton’s 2337 West Monroe Street in Chicago apartment, a 14-man team of police officers raided the home of Fred Hampton, as it was often used as a headquarters for the Black Panther Party. Fred Hampton and Mark Clark were both murdered in the raid, and four others were severely injured. Among the survivors was Fred Hampton’s pregnant common-law wife, Deborah Johnson, later known as Akua Njeri. She and the others were arrested and charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, and unlawful use of weapons. After the raid, it was revealed that of the almost 100 shots fired, all of them came from police except for one.</p><p><br></p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/846514/fill/700x0/black_20panther_20raid.jpeg?timestamp=1629734667"></div><br><p>Njeri recalled that she could not wake Hampton during the raid, and that a police officer remarked “he’s barely alive” followed by two more shots, and the phrase “he’s good and dead now”. The murder of Fred Hampton and Mark Clark sparked outrage in the city and Black community. Many claimed that Hampton would have ended up becoming an integral member of the Black Panthers’ central committee, had he not been targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO program.</p><br><p>Fred Hampton was portrayed by Daniel Kaluuya in the 2021 film Judas and The Black Messiah. The film centered around O’Neal’s betrayal of Hampton.</p><p><br></p><br><p>Sources:</p><p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/12/04/police-raid-that-left-two-black-panthers-dead-shook-chicago-changed-nation/">Washington Post</a></p><p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fred-Hampton">Britannica</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p></span><div class="image-medium image-align-left"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776057/fill/300x0/kassidy_20headshot.jpeg?timestamp=1629734824"></div><span><p> Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. 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<p> </p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.funtimesmagazine.com">FunTimes Magazine</a></small></p>