Throughout Black History Month, I’ve included tweets in ‘A Tweet Or Two’ about African-American heroes who with brains, love, strength, blood, sweat, tears, and death; built this nation to what it is today. As Black History Month draws to a close, we celebrate the known and unsung heroes who gave everything and continue to give everything to make this country live up to its promise of “all men are created equal.”
****
Because Of Them We Can
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
AFTUnion: 13 Labor Events And Organizers Who We Should Teach About During Black History Month
Lucy Parsons was a radical labor organizer born in Texas. In the early 1870s, she and her husband had to flee Texas because of intolerant reactions to their interracial marriage. Throughout her subsequent career in Chicago, she wrote for various leftist and labor publications. In 1905, she participated in the founding of the Industrial Workers of the World. In 2004, the city of Chicago named a park after her.
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
Randolph is one of the most important figures in both black history and labor history. In addition to his work with the Pullman porters (see No. 2, above) and the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, he prominently pushed for civil rights during World War II. He planned a 100,000 person march on Washington during the war, which led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to sign an executive order ending discrimination in defense industries. After the order was signed, the march was canceled.
****
****
****
****
****
In the late 1860s, George Pullman hired former slaves to work on his railroad sleeping cars. He exploited their labor, with each porter making the equivalent of about $22,000 a year (in today’s dollars) while working under unfair conditions, including 100-hour workweeks. These workers formed a union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; in 1925, it became the first African-American labor union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor.
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
****
Rosina Tucker was an important figure in the foundation of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Tucker was married to a railroad porter and became involved in the union. She visited the homes of over 300 workers to secretly collect their union dues, and in 1938 she was elected secretary-treasurer of the union’s auxiliary. She continued her union involvement, helping organize teachers, laundry workers and railway clerks in Washington, D.C.
****
****
****
In the 1920s, the Chicago Flat Janitors were an integrated local union, which was considered radical at the time. The union worked to include black members in leadership roles, including its vice president, Seymour Miller. The union eventually grew and today is known as the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU.
****
https://twitter.com/AntoniosTweet/status/568917802943434753
****
The Obama Diary 
Great photos and tweets NW!
🙂
This is just a beautiful post Nerdy – inspirational, uplifting, gorgeous. Thank you, Legend.
🙂
I agree, awesome!
🙂
It has been a wonderful education for many of us. Thank you😊
🙂
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL NERDY AND SO INSPIRING!…THIS…IS AMERICA!
🙂
So educational and totally motivating to scroll though this tribute, NW. Thank you for the considerable effort it took to create it.
🙂
SOMEONE ON THE ‘BECAUSE OF THEM WE CAN’ WEBSITE SUGGESTED MAKING THESE INTO A BOOK…SUCH A WONDERFUL IDEA…I WOULD BUY ONE AND ALSO SEVERAL FOR FRIENDS……………
Great suggestion, Sue!
Unreal NW – what a collection – must admit I started getting worried about what was missing – until I got to the very last picture 🙂
LOL. 😉
NW – thank you so much for curating these incredibly beautiful images. The BECAUSE OF THEM WE CAN campaign is genius! Happy to see Bill R first on this post.
🙂
BRAVA Nerdy Wonka!
Thanks for this excellent walk through history, and uplifting post. A most fitting way to close out the month and inspire all those who are lucky enough to read it. Words can’t thank you enough! 🙂 🙂
🙂
NW, this month has been an educational and emotional feast thanks to you and your hard work. I have learned SO much, and I thank you for that new knowledge.
🙂
NW – This post is very special, as you are very special. Thanks so much for the first part of that, as we all recognize the second part!
🙂
Thank you so much NW for such a wonderful post. Simply beautiful.
🙂
In future #BlackHistoryMonth tributes, the scale of racist venom against President Obama, AG Holder, etc., will likely include remembering this horrid attack on Ambassador Rice ….
I’m not sullying this lovely thread with a link to the ad, btw.
“Is anyone thinking about the future? From now on, whenever the opposition party happens to control Congress — a common enough occurrence — it may call in a foreign leader to speak to a joint meeting of Congress against a president and his policies. Think of how this might have played out in the past. A Democratic-controlled Congress in the 1980s might, for instance, have called the Nobel Prize-winning Costa Rican President Oscar Arias to denounce President Ronald Reagan’s policies in Central America. A Democratic-controlled Congress in 2003 might have called French President Jacques Chirac to oppose President George W. Bush’s impending war in Iraq.
Does that sound implausible? Yes, it was implausible — until now. Now we are sailing into uncharted waters. Those who favor having Netanyahu speak may imagine this is an extraordinary situation requiring extraordinary measures, that one side is so clearly right, the other so clearly wrong. Yet that is often how people feel about the crisis of their time. We can be sure that in the future the urgency will seem just as great. The only difference between then and now is that today, bringing a foreign leader before Congress to challenge a U.S. president’s policies is unprecedented. After next week, it will be just another weapon in our bitter partisan struggle.”
“Former Mossad head Meir Dagan will be the keynote speaker at a rally demanding regime change which is planned for Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on March 7.
Sponsored by the Million Hands grassroots campaign and other social movements, the rally will take place under the banner “Israel wants change.”
Dagan sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a recent statement, saying that he “senses that the continuation of the Zionist dream is in danger” under Netanyahu’s leadership.
“As someone who has served Israel in various security capacities for 45 years, including during the country’s most difficult hours, I feel that we are now at a critical point regarding our existence and our security,” Dagan said.”
BTW, Dagan speaks the absolute truth on the issue of a nuclear Israel …
“Israel, he pointed out, “has never signed any international convention regarding nuclear weapons. Israel refuses to allow international inspections. It would have been better, therefore, for Israel to remain on the sidelines. We will support any effort – intelligence or political – but we should always remain in the background.””
BTW, they are all Former Ambassador’s either to the US or to Israel, by Israel or by the US, respectively.
The difference the WP failed to note is this: Democrats have too much love for their country and too much respect for democracy to pull a treasonous stunt like this on a Republican president. There was a time in my memory when Republicans did have respect for their country and moral limits. Those restraints are gone now. The rancid party of the extreme right, formerly known as the GOP, is just a collection of paranoid saboteurs, who would willing embrace fascism if it would satisfy their racist fantasies of revenge on a black president. They are now enemies of the people who should no longer be accord respect or deference of any kind.
Exactly, Jackie.
Can we get a TOTAL media blackout that day – get as many people as we can to turn off their TV sets and open whitehouse.gov. Keep it there from the time bibi’s speech starts until it ends. Do you think this is something we can do?
Well, idon, if “Black Twitter” and all their allies did emulated @ReignOfApril’s #OscarsSoWhite, maybe we could spark a boycott ….
#HouseSoBibi is my humble suggestion
‘allies emulated’ not ‘allies did emulated’ ….
well I just need the date and time so we can shut down TV outlets who broadcast the speech and use black twitter to mock the hell out of bibi’s sorry ass.
Vicki mentioned the attack on Amb Rice on the early thread
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/02/28/early-bird-rise-and-shine-20/#comment-1274203
I was so shocked at the time I couldn’t think of a reply – but after the intervening threads – there is NO DOUBT that Boehner has left the room of the sane republicans. Seems he will do anything, befriend anyone, if he thinks it will cause harm to PBO. He is surely acting as Putin’s BFF – this is not partisanship – this is treason – but will the media call him out – no – they just print the filth.
Perhaps the NYT wants to go bankrupt sooner than estimated – they surely have no idea as to where their readers come from – but I could guess that the majority do not support RWNJs.
Just when you think you’ve seen ‘over the top’ the #NEOCONSTERS do something even more egregious, 99. BTW, I doubt if we reach the end of the 1st week of March with Boehner still in the Speaker’s seat.
Bob, I hope and pray that you’re right. Of course, he’ll be replaced by a more radical extremist who will turn the once august US House of Representatives into a home for rabid zoo animals.
Hard to know what the outcome will be, Jackie. We know that several dozen House Rs are not nuts and are disgusted with the #Teabaggers. If they were to caucus with the Ds, it would be quite a showdown. Remember a ‘majority party’ does not automatically receive the Speaker’s position – it takes a majority vote of all House Members to approve a Speaker.
Wow, wow. This post needs to go on the sidebar too. Thank you for all this knowledge. We are the ones we have been waiting for.
🙂
YOUR INSPIRATION IS THE REASON I STILL GET UP IN THE MORNING…GOTTA MOVE FORWARD AND PRESS ON…S-E-L-M-A!!!!!!
After Boris Nemtsov’s Assassination, ‘There Are No Longer Any Limits’
“Nemtsov’s assassination took that warning to its logical conclusion. Now, “we live in a different political reality,” tweeted Leonid Volkov, a prominent opposition activist. “The fact that they killed him is a message to frighten everyone, the brave and the not brave,” Yashin said. “That this is what happens to people who go against the government of our country.” Anatoly Chubais — who, like Nemtsov, served in the Yeltsin government, and who remains close to Putin — visited the site of the shooting this morning. “If, just a few days ago, people in our city are carrying signs that say ‘Let’s finish off the fifth column,’ and today they kill Nemtsov,” he said in a statement, referring to the Kremlin-sponsored anti-Maidan protest in Moscow last weekend, “what will happen tomorrow?” Or, as Albats put it, “Hunting season is open.”
Nemtsov had been confiding to friends of late that he was growing frightened. This summer, he went to Israel to hide out for a few months, fearing arrest. He told Albats that he worried he wouldn’t be able to withstand a stint in a Russian penal colony. In the fall, he filed a police report because of threats he was receiving on social media. It didn’t seem to go anywhere. Recently, he even let his bravado slip in public, telling an interviewer two weeks ago that he was scared Putin would kill him.
And yet, he didn’t let up. According to Albats and Yashin, Nemtsov was working on a particularly incendiary report that he planned to call “Putin and Ukraine,” which would trace the stream of weaponry flowing from Russia to separatists in the Donbass. He was meeting with the families of Russian men who had died fighting with the separatists. He kept up his withering attacks on Facebook and Twitter. He kept traveling to Ukraine and meeting with president Petro Poroshenko, something that couldn’t have gone unnoticed by the Kremlin’s security agencies. And still, Nemtsov never hired a bodyguard. He walked home through Moscow late at night unprotected.
And he almost made it. His apartment building was visible from the bridge. “From his window, where he worked out in the mornings, you can see the place where he was killed,” Romanova told me. “For many years, he saw the place where they would kill him.””
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/28/magazine/after-boris-nemtsovs-assassination-there-are-no-longer-any-limits.html
How is it possible February has gone past so quickly?? I don’t understand…
Every cold, snowy, icy day of it. Still without a fully functional furnace.
Glad to see the back end of February!
I apologize for having a big part in wishing it (because of the Midwestern weather) gone, MP! #SorryNotSorry
Only 28 days, compared to the other months with a whopping 30-31 days! 🙂 🙂
Wonderful Nerdy, just perfectly wonderful, thank you so much.
🙂
Bravooooooooo…
Such an awe inspiring collection….Fabulous….
Indeed….YES We Can….Yes We Will…
…Facing the Rising Sunnnn
of our new day begunnnnn
Let us Marchhhhhhh onnnnnn til Victoryyyyyy is Wonnnnnnnnnn! <>
🙂
Thanks, NW; what a great way to recap BHM! I love the idea they had of using kids (our future) to highlight our past.
🙂
NW, thanks so much for the inspiring Black History lesson. You are good, Yes you are good. BTW, did I tell you that your are really good. ✩ ✩ ✩
🙂
BOTH MEN LOOK VERY HANDSOME WITH GRAY ON THE ROOF!…WISDOM BETWEEN THE EARS…NO COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY…I KNOW SOMEONE WILL PICK UP ON THAT!
So very many people either forget this, are afraid to be alone with their own thoughts, or don’t take the time to do this.
“Never be afraid to sit a while and think.” — Lorraine Hansberry
Stunning piece, Nerdy, absolutely stunning. It would be so nice if this history were taught, oh, I don’t know, every fucking month.
Meanwhile, I feel like I’ve been hit by a dump truck. Back to bed for me.
Thankyou for the earlier thread LL – sadly too accurate.
🙂
Get well soon.
NW, thanks for this spectacular black history lesson. Very informative!! Bravo!!
🙂
Love this. I just shared it with my son!
🙂
Magnificent, NW.
Truly, The Book….. of ❤ ….. Post of LOVE ❤ ❤ ❤
Beautifully done.
Hello TOD.
G'Nite TOD
🙂
Thank you NW. Just awesome!
🙂
Katrina Nation is panicking…
She’s disgusting ….
Indeed.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG DAY…AND A SHORT NIGHT TILL SUNRISE…BLESSINGS EVERYONE…EXPECTING MORE ANGEL DANDRUFF THIS EVENING……………………………….STAY WARM WHEREVER YOU ARE…SWEET DREAMS……………….:)
These are awesome, NW! Thank you for sharing these with us!
🙂
Nerdy, Impossible to find the words to tahnk you for this and to express how much it means to me. Now having an AA granddaughter, I feel such a compelling responsibility to be able to share her history with her…….teach her her history. This is a KEEPER. Thank you a million times over.
This is the only time I have ever shared a link to TOD on Facebook. 🙂
🙂
bbl ….
The murderer sends a telegram because he can’t look her in the face and tell lies. Putin will pay for the deaths he has caused.
Yes he will, jojo.
Beautiful and inspiring post, Nerdy. I wish I’d said any one of these things…but since I didn’t, these words will take root in my heart and I can live by them everyday. Others can do the same. Bring these words and sentiments to life!
🙂
Thank you Nerdy this post is so amazing. I love the use of children, our future with words and pictures of our past leaders and trailblazers.
Me, too:) Advertising genius.
🙂
What an absolutely superb compilation, Nerdy! Thank you.
🙂
this is a fabulous post, NW.
beautiful pics and information 🙂
🙂
This bill is disgusting. I’m sick of Republicans in Congress.
Do Congress mean letting Netanyahu weigh in on the deal too?
Sure, why not. It’s not like we have a President with an actual brain, unlike what they have.
Republicans in Congress are being driven insane by their hatred of President Obama. Do they even realize the precedents they are setting by their deranged behavior?
A nice profile of Chuy Garcia
………………….
Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia’s journey from a village in Mexico to the race against Mayor Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel is a heavy favorite, but Garcia offers voters a compelling personal history.
Last Labor Day, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia spent four hours at Karen Lewis’s house, discussing her plan to run against Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Garcia, 58, is a Cook County Board commissioner and a former alderman and state senator; Lewis, 61, is the fiery president of the Chicago Teachers Union. He’s Mexican-American; she’s African-American and Jewish. “We were strategizing her victory path,” Garcia told me recently. “We talked plenty about conditions in the Latino community.”
Lewis hadn’t formally announced that she was running, but she’d begun raising money for the race and was considered a potent challenger to Emanuel. All that changed in early October; she experienced light-headedness and strokelike symptoms, and was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. On October 8, she had emergency surgery, and a spokesman announced she wouldn’t be running for mayor after all.
Soon after Lewis got home from the hospital, she invited Garcia over again. “I went as a well-wisher,” he said. But he quickly learned Lewis had an agenda: she wanted him to run against Emanuel.
Garcia told me he was stunned. “What else did they do to you when you had your surgery?” he asked Lewis. She laughed and gave him a high five. But she persisted: “She said, ‘Seriously, you need to think about this. The communities of Chicago need someone to be their standard-bearer.'”
“Why me?” he asked her.
Lewis told him his years as a community activist and his stellar political career made him an attractive candidate. She conceded that many black Chicagoans weren’t aware of him, but she said they’d support him when they learned his history. She stressed his long-standing ties with labor and with gay and lesbian leaders, Jews and Muslims, and the city’s leading liberals.
Garcia was flattered but uncertain. Lewis asked him to think it over and discuss it with his wife.
He and his wife, Evelyn, talked about it for a week. Evelyn has multiple sclerosis. Because her health had declined, she’d just taken early retirement from her job as a teacher’s assistant in the Chicago Public Schools. Garcia had pledged to spend more time with her “to make sure she’s taking care of herself, to go for walks with her as part of her therapy.” Their three children are grown, but their three grandchildren visit often. The campaign would devour their family time and diminish their privacy, he told Evelyn.
But Evelyn thought he should run. “That’s when I knew I was in trouble,” he told me.
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/jesus-chuy-garcia-rahm-emanuel-chicago-mayor-race-karen-lewis/Content?oid=16255514
Wonderful! https://gigaom.com/2015/02/19/theres-a-new-renaissance-emerging-for-energy-innovation/
So…Rand Rand the racist man won the straw poll at CPAC. HA!
Why do the media or anyone else pay any attention to CPac? Seem to e it is a waste of time. Who won the straw poll in 2012? I don’t think it was Mitt Romney.
Waste of time/ shiny object for lazy MSM. I have no idea, bella:) Like you, i don’t care one bit.
didn’t this lying punk win last year also? also. too. iirr, a cpac win is the kiss of death.
I think so. we’ll see how that works out:) Kiss of death is an understatement. Neocons won’t have any of it….
NW, you’ve done us proud. Thank you for showcasing and informing of our contributions to America.
🙂
Nerdy, this post is a whole course in African American history and it is stunningly beautiful. If school children through the country could take the time to follow up on every person quoted and learn about their history, their lives and assumptions would be changed for the better. You’ve produced a masterpiece tonight and we are all the richer for it. Thank you.
🙂
Hello TOD!
It is very rare that I get a chance to post here on the weekends because I am so busy and lurking is my mode of valuable information.
NW, I just had to thank you for this most informative rich post.I wish that everyone could see this. The children remarkably resembles the photos.
Where can I find this to share with my grandchildren?
Thank you so much.
Legend, you are!
So much more to do before bedtime. Back to lurking mode……
🙂
Thank you so much Nerdy Wonka for this magnificent compilation of heroes….celebrating #blackhistorymonth.
Nice.
I watched some PBS World TV documentary on Italian Americans – you know, because they had to get that in during Black History Month. They included a segment about Mario Cuomo, and how he might have been the first Italian-American President. Then they showed Scalia … who actually said something on camera during an interview that perhaps HIS becoming the first Italian-American Supreme Court Justice was more important than another Italian American’s becoming President. Because ego, don’t you know. Unreal.
Well, there ya go.
Brilliant!
Yes, it was. Ha!
NW, thank you so much for all the work you did pulling all these tributes in honor of Black History Month in this one post. I loved the idea of using children to represent these heroes.
🙂
Nerdy, thank you for this simply extraordinary posting. It is a beautiful, and an incredible reminder of our history.
My heart is heavy with the state of our affairs. What has been unleashed with the Netanyahu speech is so far beyond the pale, it is difficult to fathom. The NYT ad against Susan Rice simply is unspeakable in a civilized democracy against a hard-working public servant. I didn’t think I could be shocked any further after the blatant racism of the last 8 years, but to see this ugliness with Israel and Jews brings this to a whole new level. Barack Obama has a pretty thick skin and has become used to the taunts to some extent, but I cannot see him tolerating this ugliness aimed at Susan. There is going to be a price to pay here far beyond anything Netanyahu and Boehner could have imagined when they cooked this up. My only hope is that even many of the Rs will be equally shocked, and move to put a lid on what has become standard uncivilized discourse. If not, I fear for the future of our country.
Thank you for this magnificent essay in words and images, honoring so many heroes, leaders, creators of art and guiding lights who strengthen and enrich America since its earliest days. You do so much for our TOD community and the whole wide world with your constant inspired energetic gathering in of what is worthy of our attention and respect. Hope you feel the love and gratitude flowing toward you 24/7. TOD blesses me and sustains me every day.
🙂
Thank you so much Nerdy Wonka for this magnificent tribute to a sampling of African Americans who have contributed so much to building this country. As far as I am concerned, the history and culture of United States– and for that matter the history and culture of all the Americas (North, Central, South and the Islands)– would not be the same without the presence of the Africans. It’s a shame that the vast majority of Americans don’t know that Africans (Black people) were here (the U.S.) before the Mayflower. Africans were also here before Columbus. Africans were also here with Columbus and the other Spanish conquistadors who were the first European colonizers of the Americas. And here is something else that many people, but especially the racists who challenge the “American-ness” of African Americans, do not know. The vast majority of African Americans, (i.e. more than 75%) are descendants of Africans who came here before the American Revolution; whereas the vast majority of White Americans (i.e. to say European Americans) came to America after the American Revolution–mainly during the 19th century and early 20th century.
nath – so pleased to “see” you – have been wondering where you were – and yes what an amazing wonderful post from NW.
Pleased to see you too, 99ts. My daughter took over my computer at home. Now and then, mainly on some week-ends when she goes to “hang-out” with her boyfriend, am I able get a chance to read TOD. By the way, I hope one day I will come “down under” to visit your beautiful country. My nephew, who spent 25 years in Melbourne, has been urging me to go.
Your daughter is very lucky to have you. 🙂
Melbourne has never been my favorite city so if your nephew likes it there – he/you would adore the rest of the country 🙂
🙂
By the way, February 23 was the 147 birthday of the great African American scholar/political activist, W.E.B. DuBois. DuBois’ marvelous, though less known, book, “The Gift Of Black Folks,” has always been an inspiration to me; but especially during Black history month. In that little, but powerful, book, Dr. DuBois, as he was fondly called, highlighted three major “Gifts” that African Americans had given the United States:
“The first? A gift of story and song…soft, stirring melody in an ill-harmonized and unmelodious land. The second, a gift of sweat and brawn to beat back the wilderness and conquer this vast economic empire…The third, a gift of the Spirit….”
It is this third “Gift of Spirit,” which has for over five centuries enabled African Americans to survive unimaginable oppression and brutality, and the unrelenting efforts to dehumanize them, that is the greatest of all. It’s this “Gift of the Spirit” that made it possible for Black people to retain “Hope” in the face of hopelessness. It’s also this “Gift of the Spirit” that explain African Americans’ faith in God and the belief that eventually Justice will prevail in America.
NW, somehow, I deeply feel that W.E.B. DuBois would have been proud of your post because it clearly captured the “spirit” of his book.
Thank you for this, Nath–it’s beautifully stated. It’s shaming how many Americans choose to live in ignorance of their collective history. I’ve always believed that our civilization will die of stupidity, rather than an outside enemy. When a people willfully choose not to know who they are, they are doomed to keep making the same mistakes over and over and over again.
🙂
Amen on the third gift….Thank you Nath for a wonderful reminder of W.E.B DuBois. He was also wanted to develop the Talented Tenth to educate the young folks, encourage and elite group of AA’s who will multiply by the thousands to bring up a AA’s through intellect, culture, and enterprise where Booker T. Washington preferred that AA’s learn marketable skills and perfect them then through these skills educate and build an elite group of AA’s. In my AA studies course we had a wonder professor from whom I learned so much. I still have the text book from the 1970’s.
Nath, thanks for the reminder of “The Gift…” It has been on my wishlist for years. Your mention sent me over to Amazon — $81.00 later…
my weakness is books
“It is this third “Gift of Spirit,” which has for over five centuries enabled African Americans to survive unimaginable oppression and brutality, and the unrelenting efforts to dehumanize them, that is the greatest of all. It’s this “Gift of the Spirit” that made it possible for Black people to retain “Hope” in the face of hopelessness. It’s also this “Gift of the Spirit” that explain African Americans’ faith in God and the belief that eventually Justice will prevail in America.”
Thank you nath!!!!
Morning, AMK. I guess the shop will be opening late this morning. March 1 is a good day to sleep in.
Good Morning jackie. Aren’t bt’s supposed to work 24×7 ? If not, why not?
That clause was missing in the contract TOD bts signed. You’ll have to be the one to negotiate a new one with them.
of course, unohoo will have to be banned now.
CHURCH CANCELLED…ANGEL DANDRUFF EVERYWHERE……………….AKA…DON’T THINK THE PEW SITTERS WANTED TO SEE MY HAPPY FACE 2 DAY!….THEIR REPUGNANT ROMP DID NOT TURN OUT AS EXPECTED!…:)…RUSTY NAIL IN COFFIN!
Morning!
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/03/01/early-bird-chat-459/