As “Black History Month” fastly approaches, the school system has been teaching us and our children about Black History for years. We all remember doing those book reports every February. The most common figures were always Oprah, Jesse Owens or Martin Luther King or someone along those lines. Over the last 20 years the celebration of Black History month has changed and has even been expanded. Companies create marketing campaigns helping to promote not only black history but American History.
For the last few years there has been many issues dealing with race, intensely relating to racial profiling and police brutality. Due to the recent cases of hate crimes and injustices in the system, we have learned that some things just can’t be reposted on Facebook or other social media platforms. You have to do the research yourself.
Here are 3 Black Historical Facts that may not be taught in schools, but it absolutely should be!
Why February?
You often hear people joke about how Black history month is celebrated during the shortest month of the year, but what many don’t know is that it is because of two important birthdays. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass birthdays fall on the 12th and 14th. It was Carter G. Woodson that put together the idea, which started off as “Negro History week.” So systematically, yes Black History is celebrated during the shortest month, but it is with good reason.
HeLa Cells – The World’s Biggest Break In Health & Medicine
This is a story in history that particular intrigued me; Henrietta Lacks was her name, and she broke barriers for modern day medicine unknowingly. After falling unexpectedly sick, Lack’s was confirmed to have cervical cancer. More than half a century ago, doctors took Henrietta Lacks‘ tissue and used it for research without her permission, creating the first immortal line of cells and making possible billions of dollars in medical research. Lack’s cells were grown in a laboratory at Johns Hopkins and are a biomedical marvel, multiplying and surviving over the last 60 years. You can say that she is the reason for the polio vaccine and countless other research in medicine.
Sarah Rector – One of The First Black Millionaires
By the age of 10, Rector was the richest black child in America, and didn’t know it. She received a great from the Creek Nation as a part of reparations. Shortly after receiving the land, oil was discovered on her property which meant the young child was now of great value. By 1912, the oil’s revenue was $371,000.00 per year, which is roughly 6.5 million dollars today. Despite various attempts to steal her land and fortune, Rector resisted and went on to attend college at Tuskegee University in Alabama. Eventually Rector settled in Kansas City, Missouri where her mansion still stands today.
These were just a few of many of accomplishments in American history by African Americans that aren’t talked about. It’s up to our community to spread the word on the strides and accomplishments the black community has made What are some facts that you wish you were actually taught in school? Comment below!
Subscribe to UStyle Magazine and stay Up-To-Date and In-The-Know with the latest!
