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“Read Absolutely Everything,” by Any Means Necessary
“Read absolutely everything you get your hands on because you’ll never know where you’ll get an idea from.”
~ Malcolm X (azquotes.com)
Two Autobiographical Works by an Enslaved African-American
Thanks to staff and volunteers at Project Gutenberg, two autobiographical works by William Wells Brown have been preserved for reading on- and offline…
Title One: Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave
“A woman was also kept at the quarters to do the cooking for the field hands, who were summoned to their unrequited toil every morning at four o’clock, by the ringing of a bell, hung on a post near the house of the overseer. They were allowed half an hour to eat their breakfast, and get to the field. At half past four, a horn was blown by the overseer, which was the signal to commence work; and every one that was not on the spot at the time, had to receive ten lashes from the negro-whip, with which the overseer always went armed. The handle was about three feet long, with the butt-end filled with lead, and the lash six or seven feet in length, made of cowhide, with platted wire on the end of it. This whip was put in requisition very frequently and freely, and a small offence on the part of a slave furnished an occasion for its use.
“During the time that Mr. Cook was overseer, I was a house servant—a situation preferable to that of a field hand, as I was better fed, better clothed, and not obliged to rise at the ringing of the bell, but about half an hour after. I have often laid and heard the crack of the whip, and the screams of the slave.
“My mother was a field hand, and one morning was ten or fifteen minutes behind the others in getting into the field. As soon as she reached the spot where they were at work, the overseer commenced whipping her. She cried, “Oh! pray—Oh! pray—Oh! pray”—these are generally the words of slaves, when imploring mercy at the hands of their oppressors. I heard her voice, and knew it, and jumped out of my bunk, and went to the door. Though the field was some distance from the house, I could hear every crack of the whip, and every groan and cry of my poor mother. I remained at the door, not daring to venture any farther. The cold chills ran over me, and I wept aloud. After giving her ten lashes, the sound of the whip ceased, and I returned to my bed, and found no consolation but in my tears. It was not yet daylight.”
~ “Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave” by William Wells Brown
Title Two:: Three Years in Europe: Places I Have Seen and People I Have Met
“William Wells Brown was born at Lexington, in the state of Kentucky, as nearly as he can tell in the autumn of 1814. In the Southern States of America, the pedigree and age of a horse or a dog are carefully preserved, but no record is kept of the birth of a slave. All that Mr. Brown knows upon the subject is traditionally, that he was born “about corn-cutting time” of that year. His mother was a slave named Elizabeth, the property of Dr. Young, a physician. His father was George Higgins, a relative of his master.”
~ “Three Years in Europe: Places I Have Seen and People I Have Met” by William Wells Brown
Related:
- William Wells Brown | Wikipedia
Video | 10 Black History Facts That Are Least Known [16m 52s]
The Rundown
- Before there was Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin
- Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the most iconic part of his “I Have a Dream…” speech
- Inoculation was introduced to America by Onesimus, an enslaved African
- The earliest recorded protest against slavery was by the Quakers in 1688
- Of the 12.5 million Africans shipped to the New World during the Transatlantic Slave Trade, fewer than 388,000 arrived in the United States
- The diverse history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- One in four cowboys was Black, despite the stories told in popular books and movies
- Esther Jones was the real Betty Boop
- The first licensed African American female pilot was named Bessie Coleman
- Interracial marriage in the United States was banned in 1664 and not overturned until 1967
Related:
- Top 5 Overlooked Black History Facts [5m 35m] | YouTube
- Robert S. Abbott (pictured at the top of the post) | Britannica
Video | How Ida B. Wells Risked Her Life to Hold Murderers Accountable [4m 49s]
“In the late 1800’s, lynchings were happening all over the American South, often without any investigation or consequences for the murderers. A young journalist set out to expose the truth about these killings. Her reports shocked the nation, launched her journalism career and a lifelong pursuit of civil rights. Christina Greer details the life of Ida B. Wells and her tireless struggle for justice.”
~ TED-Ed | How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable – Christina Greer (YouTube)
Madam C.J. Walker, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Political and Social Activist (1867)
“I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations….I have built my own factory on my own ground.”¹
Sarah Breedlove Is Born
On December 23, 1867, Sarah Breedlove was born on a plantation in Delta, Louisiana. Sarah’s parents, Owen and Minerva Anderson Breedlove, were emancipated slaves-turned-sharecroppers after the United States Civil War. The Breedloves had six children; Sarah became the world famous entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist Madam C.J. Walker…
“Walker made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women through the business she founded, Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company.”²
In addition to becoming the first documented and confirmed, self-made millionairess listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, Madam C.J. Walker:
- was an activist for the advancement of black Americans
- donated $5,000 to support the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- was an anti-lynching activist
- paid tuition for six African American students to attend Tuskegee Institute
- made contributions to the Colored Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)
- owned Villa Lewaro, a mansion located in an affluent neighborhood in Irvington, Long Island, New York
- owned real estate properties in Harlem, New York; Chicago, Illinois; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and St. Louis, Missouri
In her last will, Madam Walker bequeathed two-thirds of future net profits to charity.
Related:
- Madam C.J. Walker | Official Site
- First self-made millionairess | Guinness World Records
- Madam C.J. Walker: The Ultimate Self-Made Woman | Medium
- The Collectivist Roots of Madam C.J. Walker’s Philanthropy | Black Perspectives (aaihs.org)
- Madam C.J. Walker | National Women’s History Museum
Footnotes:
- madamcjwalker.com, “Madam C.J. Walker,” https://madamcjwalker.com/
- Wikipedia, “Madam C.J. Walker,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_C._J._Walker
Sources:
- madamcjwalker.com, “About Madam C.J. Walker,” https://madamcjwalker.com/about/
- Chicago – Michals, Debra. “Madam C. J. Walker.” National Women’s History Museum. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/madam-cj-walker.
- Tyrone McKinley Freeman, “The Collectivist Roots of Madam C. J. Walker’s Philanthropy,” https://www.aaihs.org/the-collectivist-roots-of-madam-c-j-walkers-philanthropy/
- Wikipedia, “Madam C.J. Walker,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_C._J._Walker
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