Black Lives Matter at School: Black Excellence Zine by Nocadenas

Neithhotep, circa Queen, Godmother, cofounder of the first dynasty. This is what she looked like:

Write about the person here.

Neithhotep’s name translates to the goddess “Neith is Satisfied” Neithhotep was one of the earliest African queens whose name was known. She was the first queen of kmt which is also known as ancient Egypt cofounder of the first dynasty. Neithhotep married King Narmer.

Neithhotep represents black excellence because she was the one of the first queens to have a name for herself. She was of such a high ranking as a queen. She was a very powerful black woman.

An interesting thing I found about Neithhotep was the many Egyptologists and historians had thought that she was a king because of outstanding large royal serekh surrounding her name. they later found out she was in fact a woman with an extraordinary rank. She was the wife of the first Egyptian Pharaoh.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Leave the question on your poster or state your answer in a way that includes the question, for example: “Hypatia represents Black excellence because she _______________. (Add at least 2-3 more sentences)”

Rashidi, Runoko. “12 Great African Women In History You Should Know.” Atlanta black star, April 27, 2014, https://tinyurl.com/hotepgolash.

BESSIE COLEMAN Pilot, Aviator, Pioneer Bessie Coleman, born Elizabeth Coleman on January 1, 1892, was an American aviator and stunt pilot. She was one of 13 children and was born in Atlanta, Texas. Coleman grew up in Waxahatchie, Texas and later attended college for a short time in Langston, Oklahoma. She then moved to Chicago where she worked as a manicurist and restaurant manager. While there, she became interested in aviation. Because Coleman was both Black and a woman, she faced discrimination and was unable to attend flying schools in the United States. She decided to go to a French school. She learned French and in 1920, she was accepted into the Caudron Brothers School of Aviation in Le Crotoy, France. In 1921, she became the first American woman to earn an international pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. She specialized in stunt flying and parachuting. In the United States, discrimination prevented her from becoming a commercial pilot, so stunt flying was Coleman’s only option. She flew the first public flight by an African American woman on September 3, 1922.

Coleman travelled across America to give flight lessons and perform air shows. She also spoke at schools and churches to encourage African Americans and women to learn to fly. She gave speeches and shoed films of her flights to raise money to create a flight school to train Black aviators. Unfortunately, Coleman died in a flight accident before she could found her school.

Bessie Coleman represents Black excellence because she overcame challenges to achieve her dream of becoming a pilot. Even after she achieved her dream, she worked to help others like her do the same. She stood up for her beliefs and would refuse to speak anywhere that was segregated. When she performed at an arena in Texas, she refused to preform until the managers of the stadium agreed to have everyone enter one gate, regardless of race.

Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Bessie Coleman.” National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bessie-coleman. “Bessie Coleman.” Encyclopædia Brittanica, Encyclopædia Brittanica, Inc., 22 Jan. 2021, www.brittanica.com/biography/Bessie-Coleman.

Amina Sukhera Princess, Fierce Warrior, Trustworthy Amina Sukhera was the Princess of Zazzau which is now called “Zaria” and located at the north of Nigeria. Amina refused to get married, but she would take temporary husband from defeated regions. Amina focused on Zazzau (Zaria) to become the focal point for trade and commercial activity that it did. She was also responsible that Zazzau’s land expanded. Amina introduced the Kola nut as a crop to grow and sell. Amina Sukhera was known for her military and tactical brilliance. Amina loved fighting and was an aggressive combatant. She ruled her people for 34 years. Amina Sukhera was the daughter of Queen Bakwa Turunku, the founder of Zazzau. Amina Sukhera was the first to establish government among all seven regions.

Amina Sukhera’s father was devastated that he had no male heir. This led Amina to be as fierce as she could. It made her capture lots of land. Amina started being a warrior when she was just a child. It is said that her grandmother saw Amina holding a dagger when she was a child, revealing how strong and savagery.

How does this woman challenge stereotypes about women? Amina Sukhera challenges the stereotype that women are weak and they can only do limited work such as cook, clean and nurse the children; she refused to follow up those limitation of the 16th Century, and she became a warrior that personally led a military campaign to spread her people’s land. “Amina Sukhera”, Girl Power, March 21,2018 https://www.girlmuseum.org/amina-sukhera/ Rashidi, Runoko “12 Great African Women You Should Know”, Atlanta Black Star, April 27, 2014 https://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/27/12-great-african-women-in-history-you-should-know/10/

Angela Davis American Political Activist

Angela Davis is an African American Political Activist and an author. She became known because she was a member of the Communist Party of the US and she was also involved in Black Power movements. In 1970 she was put in prison by FBI agents due to a murder charge. Some Black revolutionaries tried to break their allies out of prison by kidnapping a whit judge and some jurors. The FBI thought that Davis bought the gun that one of the revolutionaries used and decided to accuse her of murder of the judge. She was then released from jail in 1972.

After spending time traveling and lecturing, Angela Davis returned to teaching. Today, she is a Distinguished Professor Emerita at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

K.C. Jones Coach, Father, Legend By: Hy Ho 2/3/2021 In his life K.C. Jones and Bill Russell went undefeated at the University of San Francisco. He was a point guard and won 2 NCAA titles and he also acquired an Olympic Gold Medal. He played on 8 NBA Championship teams. He was also a coach, he won 2 titles as a head coach. Every team he coached went to playoffs, except when he retired halfway through his last season as a Seattle coach. He was also smart on and off the court. He was one of the few freshmen allowed to be on varsity by the NCAA. This all happened during 1954 when things were a lot more racist. There was a tournament in Oklahoma City where all the teams got to sleep in hotels while black players had to sleep in a closed down dorm. Despite all this he still managed to win 8 NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics. K.C. Jones is also in the Hall of Fame, He was put into the Hall of Fame because of all his hard works. Along with Russel, Jones is only one of two African American head coaches to win multiple championships.

K.C. Jones had 6 kids with his first wife Beverly Cain. They ended up getting a divorce for unknown reasons, He ends up remarrying Ellen Jones. K.C. Jones died on December 25, 2020. In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? K.C. Jones represents black excellence because he proved that Black people can do it too. I think that there is a lot of closeted racism in our world right now and people like him are proving them wrong. I feel like a lot of people think that some people cannot do something because of their skin color. He proved them all wrong by getting into the Hall of Fame and becoming basically a legend. I do not think anyone will forget the name K.C. Jones Harriot, Michael. Threadreaderapp.com December 26th, 2020 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1342622166530093057.html No Author. Famousbirthdays.com https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/kc-jones.html Nix, Elizabeth. History.com December 2nd, 2016

Angela Davis Educator, Activist, Author

Angela Davis was born in Alabama on January 26, 1944. Angela is known as an African American educator and an activist for civil rights and other social issue. In her early life she lived in this neighborhood named, “Dubbed Hill” there were a lot of African Americans who lived in that neighborhood it was a main target for the Ku Klux Klan. She was involved in Black politics and in several organizations for Black women, including Sisters Inside and Critical Resistance, which she helped found. She also wrote some books Women, race, and class, Blue Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude Ma Rainey and many more books that focus on world problems.

Include one interesting anecdote (short story) about the person here. On October 13, 1970, Angela Davis was arrested at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in Midtown Manhattan she was charged with charges of conspiracy, murder and kidnapping by a jury in San Jose, California. She was named the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list for her supposed involvement in the armed seizure of a Marin County Courthouse in California during which four people died, including a judge, earlier that year. 2 years later she was release from bail.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Angela Davis represents Black excellence because she was a role model for others, she inspired others to make changes. She wrote books so that she could try to educate others on certain social issues. She looked after her community and cared for them. Include your sources here in MLA format: A&E Television Networks, “Angela Davis Biography” biography.com, A&E Television Networks, April 2, 2014, https://www.biography.com/activist/angela-davis Johnson Lewis, Jone “Biography of Angela Davis, Political Activist and Academic” thoughtco.com, Jone Johnson Lewis, November 9, 2020 https://www.thoughtco.com/angela-davis-biography-3528285

Ella Baker Activist, Leader, Community Organizer

Ella Josephine Baker, born on December 13, 1903, was an African-American civil rights and human rights activist. She was one of the most important American leaders of the twentieth century and perhaps the most influential woman in the civil rights movement. She has worked with some of the most noted civil rights leaders of the 20th century, which includes W. E. B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, A. Phillip Randolph, and Martin Luther King Jr. She has also mentored activists, the most well-known, Rosa Parks. Her primary work lies in being a behind-the-scenes organizer, she was also a secretary for the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Ella Baker criticized professionalized, charismatic leadership; she promoted grassroots organizing, radical democracy, and the ability of the oppressed to understand their worlds and advocate for themselves.

Include one interesting anecdote (short story) about the person here.

As a slave, her grandmother had been whipped for refusing to marry a man chosen for her by the slave owner. Her grandmother’s pride and resilience in the face of racism and injustice continued to inspire Ms. Baker throughout her life.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Ella Baker represents Black excellence because she, an African-American woman who grew up during the Jim Crow Laws, was able to stand in a position of leadership. She was able to guide and help others into joining the cause, and she was able to surpass her restrictions. She became one of the most significant women in the civil rights movement; her leadership in many organizations, helped the Black community to build economic and political solidarity. Include your sources here in MLA format: “Who Was Ella Baker” Ella Baker Center For Human Rights, https://ellabakercenter.org/who-was-ella-baker/ Scelfo, Julie. “On MLK Day, Honor the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement, Too” TIME, 1/16/2017, https://time.com/4633460/mlk-day-ella-baker/

W. E. B. Du Bois (William Edward Burghardt Du Bois) TEACHER, ACTIVIST, FOUNDER

Du Bois became the first member in his family to attend a high school. He started writing articles for newspaper organizations like the New York Globe and the Freeman in 1883. He attended Fisk University which Black students attended. He later went to the University of Berlin to receive his doctorate degree. He ran out of funding, so he came back to the states without his degree. He later got his degree from Harvard while he was teaching at Wilberforce University. He got a job at the University of Pennsylvania in 1896. One of his jobs was to find statistics of poverty, crime, and lack of education by conducting interviews. In 1897 he got a job at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics where he learned how slavery has affected the African Americans’ personal life. Du Bois and his family moved to Atlanta, where he began teaching sociology at the University of Georgia and published a book titled “The Souls of Black Folk,” which talks about the culture and being Black in America. In 1910, he moved to New York and became the Director of the NAACP. He believed that Black people should build a separate “group economy” in order to fight against economic discrimination and Black poverty.

Du Bois was the first person in his family to attend high school. He obtained advanced history degrees and doctorate from Harvard University. He worked for numerous news organizations throughout his life and wrote many books about being Black in America. He later became one of the directors for the NAACP. Many of his writings are now used as a standard in American education when learning about slavery.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Du Bois represents Black excellence because he advocated to solve social issues for the Black community. He educated people about the racism and discrimination Black people were facing in this country at the time. He collected data to find statistics of poverty, crime, and lack of education by conducting interviews. History.com Editors. “W.E.B. Du Bois.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/w-e-b-du-bois. Rudwick, Elliott. “W.E.B. Du Bois.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 July 1998, www.britannica.com/biography/W-E-B-Du-Bois.

MADAM CJ WALKER Activist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist Madam CJ Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in the 1860s. She was the first Black woman millionaire in America. A talented entrepreneur who created a hair care products line for Black women. She was inspired after losing her hair from a scalp disorder. The success of her business changed many Black women’s lives forever.

While Madam CJ Walker’s business was rising, she insisted to use her wealth to give back to her community. Funding scholarships, Black charities, and encouraged her peers to keep following their dreams.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Madam CJ Walker represented Black excellence because she promotes that all Black woman should know they can achieve anything they sit their minds to. Embrace your beauty and love yourself to reach your full potential. Archives, M. (2021, February 02). Madam C.J. Walker. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.biography.com/inventor/madam-cjwalker#:~:text=Walker%3F-,Madam%20C.J.,and%20eventually%20established%20Madame%20C.J. History.com Editors, M. (2009, October 29). Madam C. J. Walker. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker

Paul Robeson Paul Robeson, man, artist, film actor

1. Paul Robeson 2. birth date: April 9, 1898 3. death date: January 23, 1976 4. place of birth: Princeton. NJ 5. son of former slave 6. film actor and concert artist 7. won academic scholarship 8. champion athlete 9. spoke more than 20 languages 10. played in NFL

Short story In 1915, Robeson won an academic scholarship to Rutgers College, where he was twice named an all-American in football and was the class valedictorian. Almost 80 years later, he was also inducted into the college football hall of fame. He received his LL.B. from Columbia Law School while playing in the national football league NFL. At Columbia, he sang and acted in off campus productions.

In what way does this person represent black excellence? Paul Robeson sang 16 songs in seven languages, read from Othello, and discussed world events and issues with a near capacity crowd in Clothier Memorial Hall. The event was held under the auspices of the Forum of Free Speech then moved to Somerville where he fielded questions on a range of topics more than 50 students.

Include your sources here in MLA format: Didn’t say author for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081

https://www.swarthmore.edu/celebrating-black-excellence/1955-paul-robeson-performs

Angela Davis Activist, author, and philosopher

About Angela Davis: Angela Davis is a philosopher and activist, playing an important role in civil rights activism in the United States. She grew up in a segregated neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama in 1944. Her neighborhood was specifically named “Dynamite Hill” due to homes being blown up by Ku Klux Klan members. The violence around her against people of color inspired her to study philosophy and join the Black Panther movement, fighting against segregation and injustice. She’s written famous books such as “Women, Race, and Class”, “Blues Legacies and Black Feminism”, and works as a professor today in the University of California in Santa Cruz.

Recently, Angela Davis appeared at the Women’s March after Donald Trump became president in 2016. In her speech, she said: “At a challenging moment in our history, let us remind ourselves that we the hundreds of thousands, the millions of women, trans-people, men and youth who are here at the Women’s March, we represent the powerful forces of change that are determined to prevent the dying cultures of racism, hetero-patriarchy from rising again.” In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Angela Davis represents Black excellence by continuing to fight against injustices that are allowed to happen in the United States (and the world). She not only speaks out about it, but also takes action to actively fight against it. She is truly an inspirational figure, scholar, and activist.

Sources:

- Biography.com Editors. “Angela Davis.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 23 June 2020, www.biography.com/activist/angela-davis. - History.com Editors. “Angela Davis.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/blackhistory/angela-davis#section_3. - Matthews, Lyndsey. “Here's the Full Transcript Of Angela Davis's Women's March Speech.” ELLE, ELLE, 11 Oct. 2017, www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a42337/angela-davis-womens-march-speech-full-transcript/.

Name of the Person 3 words (nouns) that describe them (ex. Queen, Mathematician, Warrior) Include a picture here. Make sure that you size it so it fits in a way that looks good.

Write about the person here. Include a description of their society and/or some context of the time in history so that your audience understands their life. This could be a bullet list of facts, or it could be your own description of them. Whatever it is, make sure it is your own words so that the audience knows that YOU made this and YOU understand what you are talking about.

This man right here is PEAK athleticism. He was the first man to jump the impossible seven feet and that’s not all. He was also a big winner, winning 11 NBA championships, 2 NCAA titles and 1 Olympic gold medal. He disproved all claims that African Americans were physically inferior and he was a great inspiration to show other African Americans they can do the impossible if they try.

This is a story that the officials tried to hide: After the official jump heights were recorded, Russell wanted a challenge. He told the ref to putthe bar at seven feet and compete to do the impossible. His competitor failed miserably but it made sense: no human could jump seven feet… before Russel. Russel’s first two tries he got over, his knee barely hitting the bar, but his final try he cleared it with his ankle barely touching the bar. The bar stayed for a minute then rolled down.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Bill Russel represented black excellence because he was a winner. Whatever he tried he won at. That’s why this man has set so much physical records and impressive feats: because he put his mind to it. Include your sources here in MLA format: Harriot, Michael “Aight. Here’s my favorite 2 stories about Bill Russel.” Threadreaderapp.com, The Threadreaderapp team, December 27, date unknown https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1343106184832835584.html

Fannie Lou Hamer

Fannie Lou Hamer, born Fannie Lou Townsend, was born on October 6th, 1917, in Montgomery County, Mississippi. Both her mom and dad were sharecroppers, and at age 12 she stopped attending school to work. Fannie’s work as an activist began after she attended a meeting led by Black activists in the summer of 1962 and continued for the deration of her life. Fannie opened up multiple opportunities for Black people, including things such as pig banks for farmers, housing, voter registration, and buying up land known as the FFC. At the age of 59, she lost her life to breast cancer. She is memorialized by her famous saying, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired”.

In 1961, Fannie was supposed to undergo a surgery in which she only to have a uterine tumor removed, however, the white doctor performing the surgery gave Fannie a hysterectomy without her consent, leaving her unable to have kids. This led her and her husband, Perry Hamer, to adopt two daughters.

Fannie Lou Hamer represents black excellence because she was faced with hate for simply being a black woman and was still able to advocate for and dedicate time to fight for equality. She was born into a family with two parents who were in debt to white landlords, and knew the harsh reality of the world by the young age of 12, however she worked hard, made change and left a legacy that lives on decades after she passed away.

Michals, Debra. “Fannie Lou Hamer.” www.womenshistory.org, Debra Michals, PHD, 2017, https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/fannie-lou-hamer

History.com. “Fannie Lou Hamer.“ www.history.com, A&E Television Networks, November 9th, 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fannie-lou-hamer

KC Jones Athlete, Coach, Champion

KC Jones, born May 25th 1932 in Texas, was an African American basketball player for the Boston Celtics as a defender. During his time in the NBA he was an 8 time NBA champion as a player and 2 time NBA champion as a coach as well as being the one of the only 8 players to ever win an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He was raised in a poor family during the depression and his parents going through a divorce which caused him and his siblings to move to San Francisco with his mom.

Short Story: In high school in san Francisco Jones won a scholarship to the university of San Francisco because of how well he did in basketball and football. While at university his coach recruited another kid named Bill Russell in which they entered a lifetime friendship. Jones was always quiet and never liked to speak for the entire first month to Russell, “He’d slap my bunk on the way out of the room in the mornings, and he’d nod at the salt or sugar during the silent meals we ate in the school cafeteria. That was the extent of our communication, until one day when he started talking like a normal person.”

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Kc jones is a good example of rags to riches, living through the depression and his parents divorcing as a child to coming up, winning 8 championships and coaching his team to win 2 championships

Include your sources here in MLA format: “Legends Profile: K.C. Jones.” Legends Profile: K.C. Jones | NBA.com, NBA.com Staff, 23 Aug. 2017, 9:37 PM, www.nba.com/history/legends/profiles/kc-jones.

“K. C. Jones.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Jan. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._C._Jones.

MALCOLM X CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVITST

MAY 19 1925 -FEBRUARY 21 1965

Malcolm X was an American Muslim minister who was a key figure in the civil rights movement in the 60’s. Like MLK, he turned the tides in the civil rights movement and became very popular in that time. He encouraged his black brothers by defending themselves “by any means necessary”, however it was a stance that differentiated him with Martin Luther King Jr. He started becoming disillusioned with the religion of Islam as well as its leader, Elijah Muhammad and on February 21st 1965, he was assassinated while giving a speech. In an interview he stated “They want me dead.” and knew they were going to kill him. He challenged stereotypes in a way that MLK through a non-violent movement, Malcolm X did the same but encouraged black people to defend themselves by white oppressors by saying you should defend yourself, any means necessary.

Bill Russell Fighter, Athletic, Inspirational

This is Bill Russell. He is an African American basketball player for the Boston Celtics throughout his career. He was tall and skinny, listed at 6’10 inches. He was a beast on the court with 11 NBA championships and he holds the record with most championships. He grew up in a very racist society, He lived in a society where blacks are separated from whites, blacks are getting arrested and shot for nothing. Bill also participated in fighting for basic rights for black citizens in United States. Short Story Bill Russell also did high jump for fun, then one day he experienced racism when someone told him to never come to Fresno, threatened him and said he looked like a Goat. Bill went anyways, mad and jumped against Charles Dumas, the #1 ranked jumper in the world and tied at 6’9 1/4. Bill was a terrible jumper, but he told the ref to put it at 7 foot. Dumas failed terribly and Bill almost won. After that, Bill inspired Dumas to jump 7 foot after seeing that it was possible and then Charles Dumas became the first man to jump at 7 foot. That’s it, just sharing.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Bill Russell represents Black excellence because of his resilient character. His career was flooded with racism left and right, but he just played and never cared. For that, he opened a door for future black basketball players and inspired them. To this day African- American basketball players look up to him, that’s what made him one of the greats. Bill also used his voice to speak out against racism and participated in the civil rights movement in the 60’s. He did his best

to try to speak for those black people that was discriminated.

Bibliography Puelo, Brett. “Bill Russell: A Leader of Basketball and Civil Rights.” Sutori, 2 Feb. 2021, https://www.sutori.com/story/bill-russell-a-leader-of-basketball-and-civil-rights--a4tWFCDbKE6YMaX1LpDTbvme Russell, Bill. “Bill Russell's Lifelong Fight Against Racism.” SLAM, 27 Aug. 2020, https://www.slamonline.com/themagazine/bill-russells-lifelong-fight-against-racism/

Bill Russell Fighter, Athletic, Inspirational

Short Story Bill Russell also did high jump for fun, then one day he experienced racism when someone told him to never come to Fresno, threatened him and said he looked like a Goat. Bill went anyways, mad and jumped against Charles Dumas, the #1 ranked jumper in the world and tied at 6’9 1/4. Bill was a terrible jumper, but he told the ref to put it at 7 foot. Dumas failed terribly and Bill almost won. After that, Bill inspired Dumas to jump 7 foot after seeing that it was possible and then Charles Dumas became the first man to jump at 7 foot. That’s it, just sharing.

his best to try to speak for those black people that was discriminated.

Bibliography Puelo, Brett. “Bill Russell: A Leader of Basketball and Civil Rights.” Sutori, 2 Feb. 2021, https://www.sutori.com/story/billrussell-a-leader-of-basketball-and-civil-rights--a4tWFCDbKE6YMaX1LpDTbvme Russell, Bill. “Bill Russell's Lifelong Fight Against Racism.” SLAM, 27 Aug. 2020, https://www.slamonline.com/themagazine/bill-russells-lifelong-fight-against-racism/ Harriot, Michael, “No Title.“ Thread reader, 27 December, https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1343106184832835584.html

Sojourner Truth Activist, Advocate, Abolitionist

Sojourner Truth, born in 1797, was an outspoken activist for the abolishment of slavery and many other issues that women and slaves or freed slaves faced. Sojourner Truth was not her birth name, and she was born Isabella Bomfree. She was born into slavery in New York, and was sold to different slave owners 4 times. She eventually escaped to an abolitionist family, and became a free woman. She moved from her small town in New York to the big city, finding work under a minister. Eventually, she found herself participating in the same religious revivals the minister held. It turned out she was phenomenal speaker. Eventually, she picked up the name Sojourner Truth, as she believed that the spirit chose her to spread and preach the truth. She eventually wrote her autobiography and lived off the sales, and she also gained countrywide recognition with it. After meeting 2 women’s rights activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner picked up women’s rights, and went on a lecture tour and ended up in Akron, Ohio, and gave the famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech. She was fighting for justice from the minute she was a free individual. With the help of the Quakers that took her in to live with, she fought in court tirelessly to help save her son who was illegally sold into slavery into the South from New York, after it was abolished there. She eventually got him, showing her determination in making things right and in fighting for the right thing.

I think Truth represents black excellence in a lot of ways. The biggest reason, I believe, is her perseverance. She had continually persevered through everything life had thrown at her and ended up making a big impact on women’s rights and the rights of POC in the US.

Michals, Debra. "Sojourner Truth." National Women's History Museum. National Women's History Museum, 2015. Date accessed.

William Dorsey Swann Emancipated Slave, Queen of Drag, Queer Activist -

Born as a slave in Maryland around 1860, freed in 1863.

Held a series of private balls in Washington D.C. attended mostly by formerly enslaved men, who would dance and talk in beautiful dresses.

The founder of house Swann, William was an originator of queer ballroom culture, and one of the first drag queens.

Dubbed “the queen of drag” his friends called him “the queen”.

He was arrested in 1896 and sentenced to 10 months in jail for “keeping a disorderly house”, but really just for hosting a drag ball for his community.

In 1896 he became the first American to take legal action for the queer community when he requested a pardon president Grover Cleveland after he was arrested and charged for hosting drag balls for his friends and community. The pardon was denied, despite health concerns he was having while incarcerated.

William Dorsey Swann faced a lot of animosity in his life, just for being who he was, from neighbors, politicians, law enforcement, press and strangers. Despite that he created a space where his community could belong, and resisted its suppression, long before movements like stonewall made waves for queer rights.

“Negro Dive Raided, Thirteen Black Men Surprised at Supper and Arrested.” In an article published by the Washington post in April 1888, it described the raid and arrest of William Dorsey Swann and his guests at Swann’s thirtieth birthday ball. Police barged in and chaos erupted, many guests fleeing, and others fighting the officers. Swann himself rushed forward to try to prevent their entering, dressed in a cream-colored satin gown, and told them “You is no gentlemen”. In the ensuing brawl his dress was torn to shreds, and he along with 12 other men were arrested for “being a suspicious character”. Over seventeen others escaped arrest. This article was discovered by journalist Channing Joseph who uncovered the story of the first Drag Queen.

How Does This Person Represent Black Excellence? William Dorsey Swann is a beautiful representation of black excellence. In a polarized and unforgiving time, he carved out a space for queer people, for black people, people like him who society did not respect. Not backing down after all the animosity, he faced is incredibly brave and inspirational and shows his incredible spirit.

Malcolm X

Activist, Public Speaker, Theologist, Minister Sources Joseph, Channing Gerard. “The First Queer American Hero.” Channing Joseph: Historical Research and Discoveries, channingjoseph.com/elements/discoveries.html. “William Dorsey Swann.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Feb. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Dorsey_Swann. Zonkel, Phillip. “William Dorsey Swann the 1st Drag Queen, LGBTQ Rights Pioneer.” Q Voice News, 7 Sept. 2020, qvoicenews.com/2020/03/05/william-dorseyswann-the-1st-drag-queen-lgbtq-rights-pioneer/.

Include a picture here. Make sure that you size it, so it fits in a way that looks good.

Write about the person here. Malcolm X was born on May 19th, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to the name Malcolm little; he later adopted the name Malik Shabazz after a pilgrimage to Mecca. He would adopt the name Malcolm X later in his life, with the X referring to the rejection of his ‘slave name’. Whilst serving time in prison for larceny, Malcolm met a man named John Bembry, who instilled in Malcolm an appetite for literature. After his release in 1952 Malcolm would join the NOI; the Nation of Islam and become a minister. Malcolm would preach ideas which were seen as dangerous, and irresponsible by other famous African American activists, such as Martin Luther King Jr.; Among these were the ideals of Black separatism, Black nationalism, and Black supremacy. Malcolm would remain a figure of controversy, and empowerment until his assassination at the (suspected) hands of the NOI in 1965.

Include one interesting anecdote (short story) about the person here. Malcolm Is most well known for his statement “By any means necessary”, an idea that would go on to define his beliefs and goals.

In what ways does this person represent Black excellence? Malcolm X is not the best activist. He preached ideals which would be seen as borderline extremism and was dangerously pragmatic. On the other hand, he remains an important figure in history, because he was willing to stand up against any group which he perceived as unjust or corrupt. He was never afraid to wear his beliefs on his sleeve and held true to his beliefs, even when he knew they would lead to his death. Include your sources here in MLA format:

“Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Wesleyan University, www.wesleyan.edu/mlk/posters/malcolmx.html.