Ralph D. Abernathy
Best Known For...
Ralph D. Abernathy was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s chief aide and best friend during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s.
Born on March 11, 1926, in Marengo County, Alabama, Ralph D. Abernathy was raised on a 500-acre farm. He was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1948, and by 1951 led First Baptist Church in Montgomery. In 1955, Abernathy and Martin Luther King Jr. organized the historic boycott of the city's bus system. The two later founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and were almost inseparable during every major civil rights event. Abernathy died in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 17, 1990.
Quotes
"There will be no quiet or peace in this land until justice and equality cover the United States of America as the water covers the seas."
– Ralph D. Abernathy
"Ralph David Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world."
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Ralph Abernathy was the 10th child in a family with 12 offspring; he was born on March 11, 1926, in Marengo County, Alabama, to Louivery Abernathy and William Abernathy, a farmer and deacon. Upon graduating high school, he left his family's 500-acre farm after being drafted into the army during World War II. Following his military service, the young man became an ordained minister in 1948 while pursuing his education. Abernathy earned a mathematics degree in 1950 from Alabama State College and a master's degree in sociology from Atlanta University a year later. He then became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery and dean of students at Alabama State. He also married Juanita Odessa Jones; the two had four children.
In 1954, when Martin Luther King Jr. became a minster at nearby church, Abernathy mentored him. The two formed an incredible bond and would become leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1955, the pair founded the Montgomery Improvement Association and organized a yearlong bus boycott. Their actions were triggered by the arrest of Rosa Parks, who had refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. The boycott caught the country's attention but also brought violence; Abernathy's home and church were damaged by bomb blasts.
The danger didn't deter Abernathy. In 1957, he and King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the most prominent of the civil rights organizations in the south. King was president and Abernathy eventually became vice president. A few years later, Abernathy hosted a rally for the Freedom Riders, black and white activists who traveled by bus to protest segregation in the South.
Later that year, when King took his civil rights efforts to Atlanta, Abernathy followed, working at the West Hunger Street Baptist Church. The two activists continued to organize protests, sit-ins and marches. Abernathy was arrested with King 17 times and was always by King's side, including when the civil rights leader was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Abernathy worked to keep King's spirit alive and became president of the SCLC. He also spearheaded the Poor People's Campaign of 1968, which included a march on Washington that led to the creation of the Federal Food Stamps Program.
In 1977, Abernathy relinquished his role as SCLC president and ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. After failing to be elected, he focused on his work as a minister and speaker.
In 1989, his autobiography And the Walls Came Tumbling Down was published.
Abernathy passed away on April 17, 1990 in Atlanta. He’ll always be remembered as King’s closest confidante and second in command. In fact, King himself said in his last speech, "Ralph David Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world."
Source: Ralph David Abernathy Sr. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:31, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-d-abernathy-9174397.
Alvin Ailey
Best Known For...
Alvin Ailey was an American choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York in 1958.
Born in Texas in 1931, Alvin Ailey was a choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. It was a hugely popular, multi-racial modern dance ensemble that popularized modern dance around the world thanks to extensive world tours. His most famous dance is Revelations, a celebratory study of religious spirit. Ailey received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988. A year later, on December 1, 1989, Ailey died of AIDS in New York City.
"What we do is celebrate people. That's all we're about."
"[Alvin Ailey] had a big heart and a tremendous love of the dance. His work made an important contribution to American culture."
The dance world mourned the passing of one of its great pioneers. Alvin Ailey "had a big heart and a tremendous love of the dance, " dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov told The New York Times, adding, "His work made an important contribution to American culture."
Despite his untimely death, Ailey continues to be an important figure in the arts through the ballets he created and the organizations he founded. The dancers with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater have performed for more than 20 million people around the world and countless others have seen their work through numerous television broadcasts.
Muhammad Ali
Best Known For...
Quotes
"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."
Early Life
Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, Ali showed at an early age that he wasn't afraid of any bout—inside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, Ali experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand, which likely contributed to his early passion for boxing.
At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym.
Ali started working with Martin to learn how to box, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light-heavyweight division.
Olympic Gold
In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Ali was an imposing figure in the ring. He was known for his footwork, and for possessing a powerful jab. After winning his first three bouts, Ali then defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the gold medal.
After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. During the 1960s Ali seemed unstoppable, winning all of his bouts with majority of them being by knockouts. He took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963 and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.
Conversion to Islam
This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life, however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group, the Nation of Islam, in 1964. At first, he called himself "Cassius X," eventually settling on the name Muhammad Ali.
Two years later, Ali started a different kind of fight when he refused to acknowledge his military service after being drafted. He said that he was a practicing Muslim minister, and that his religious beliefs prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam War.
In 1967, Ali put his personal values ahead of his career. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of refusing to be inducted into the military,
but Ali later cleared his name after a lengthy court battle. Professionally, however, Ali did not fare as well. The boxing association took away his title and suspended him from the sport for three and a half years.
Boxing Comeback
Returning to the ring in 1970, Ali won his first bout after his forced hiatus. He knocked out Jerry Quarry in October in Atlanta. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went for 15 rounds before Frazier briefly dropped Ali to the ground, before beating Ali by decision. Ali later beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch.
Another legendary Ali fight took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali fought the reigning heavyweight champion George Foreman. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to his younger, powerful opponent. Ali silenced his critics by defeating Foreman and once again becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
Perhaps one of his toughest bouts took place in 1975 when he battled longtime rival Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" fight. Held in Quezon City, Philippines, the match lasted for more than 14 rounds with each fighter giving it their all. Ali emerged victorious in the end.
By the late 1970s, Ali's career had started to decline. He was defeated by Leon Spinks in 1978 and was knocked out by Larry Holmes in 1980. In 1981, Ali fought his last bout, losing his heavyweight title to Trevor Berbick. He announced his retirement from boxing the next day.
Philanthropy and Legacy
In his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he has Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and has been involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali has also supported the Special Olympics and the Make a Wish Foundation among other organizations.
Muhammad Ali has traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing countries.
In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "I believed in myself and I believe in the goodness of others," said Ali. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."
Despite the progression of his disease, Ali remains active in public life. He embodies the true meaning of a champion with his tireless dedication to the causes he believes in. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn-in. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts.
As he has done every year since its inception, Ali hosted the 15th Annual Celebrity Fight Night Awards in Phoenix in March 2009. The event benefited the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.
Ali has been married to his fourth wife, Yolanda, since 1986. The couple has one son, Asaad, and Ali has several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila who followed in his footsteps for a time as a professional boxer.
Back To African American Pioneers
Noble Drew Ali
Back To African American Pioneers
Younger Years
Minister, educator and writer Richard Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1760. Known as "Negro Richard," he and his family were sold to a Delaware farmer, Stokeley Sturgis, in 1767.
Allen converted to Methodism at the age of 17, after hearing a white itinerant Methodist preacher rail against slavery. His owner, who had already sold Richard's mother and three siblings, also converted and eventually allowed Richard and his brother to purchase their freedom for $2,000 each.
After attaining his freedom, Richard took the last name "Allen" and returned to Philadelphia. There, he worked at odd jobs, as a shoemaker and as manager of a chimney-sweeping company.
Allen soon joined St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church, where blacks and whites worshiped together. There, he became an assistant minister and conducted prayer meetings for blacks. Frustrated with the limitations the church placed on him and black parishioners, in 1787 Allen left the church with the intention of creating an independent Methodist church.
That same year, along with the Reverend Absalom Jones, Allen helped found the Free African Society, a non-denominational religious mutual-aid society dedicated to helping the black community. A century later, NAACP founder W.E.B. Du Bois called the FAS "the first wavering step of a people toward organized social life." In 1794, Allen and 10 other black Methodists founded the Bethel Church, a black Episcopal meeting, in an old blacksmith’s shop. Bethel Church became known as "Mother Bethel" because it birthed the African Methodist Episcopal Church (1816). Helped by his wife, Sarah, Allen helped to hide escaped slaves. The basement of the Bethel Church was a stop on the "Underground Railroad" for blacks fleeing slavery.
Allen died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1831.
In 2008, Richard Newman published a biography of Richard Allen, Freedom's Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church and the Black Founding Fathers, in which he suggested that Allen should be referred to as the "black founding father."
Back To African American Pioneers
Born in Texas in 1931, Alvin Ailey was a choreographer who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. It was a hugely popular, multi-racial modern dance ensemble that popularized modern dance around the world thanks to extensive world tours. His most famous dance is Revelations, a celebratory study of religious spirit. Ailey received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988. A year later, on December 1, 1989, Ailey died of AIDS in New York City.
Quotes
"What we do is celebrate people. That's all we're about."
– Alvin Ailey
"[Alvin Ailey] had a big heart and a tremendous love of the dance. His work made an important contribution to American culture."
– Mikhail Baryshnikov
Born on January 5, 1931, in Rogers, Texas, Alvin Ailey became one of the leading figures in 20th century modern dance. His mother was only a teenager when he was born and his father left the family early on. He grew up poor in the small Texas town of Navasota. Ailey later drew inspiration from the black church services he attended as well as the music he heard at the local dance hall. At the age of 12, he left Texas for Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Ailey proved to be a gifted student in many ways. He excelled at languages and athletics. After seeing the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo perform, Ailey was inspired to pursue dancing. He began studying modern dance with Lester Horton in 1949. He joined Horton's dance company the following year.
In 1954, Ailey made his Broadway debut in Truman Capote's short-lived musical House of Flowers. The following year, he also appeared in The Carefree Tree. Ailey served as the lead dancer in another Broadway musical, Jamaica, starring Lena Horne and Ricardo Montalban in 1957. While in New York, Ailey also had a chance to study dance with Martha Graham and acting with Stella Adler.
Ailey achieved his greatest fame with his own dance company, which he founded in 1958. That same year, he debuted Blues Suite, a piece that drew from his southern roots. Another of his major early works was Revelations, which drew inspiration from the African American music of his youth. The blues, spirituals and gospel songs all informed this dance piece. According to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater website, Revelations came from Ailey's "'blood memories' of his childhood in rural Texas and the Baptist Church."
In the 1960s, Ailey took his company on the road. The U.S. State Department sponsored his tour, which helped create his international reputation. He stopped performing in the mid-1960s, but he continued to choreograph numerous masterpieces. Ailey's Masakela Language, which probed the experience being black in South Africa, premiered in 1969. He also formed the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center—now called the Ailey School—that same year.
In 1974, Ailey used the music of Duke Ellington as the backdrop for Night Creature. He also expanded his dance company by establishing the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble that same year. During his long career, Ailey choreographed close to 80 ballets.
In 1988, Alvin Ailey was honored by the Kennedy Center for his contributions to the arts.
This prestigious accolade came near the end of his life. Ailey died at the age of 58 on December 1, 1989, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. At the time, The New York Times reported that he had suffered from "terminal blood dyscrasia, a rare disorder that affects the bone marrow and red blood cells." It was later revealed that Ailey had died of AIDS.
The dance world mourned the passing of one of its great pioneers. Alvin Ailey "had a big heart and a tremendous love of the dance, " dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov told The New York Times, adding, "His work made an important contribution to American culture."
Despite his untimely death, Ailey continues to be an important figure in the arts through the ballets he created and the organizations he founded. The dancers with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater have performed for more than 20 million people around the world and countless others have seen their work through numerous television broadcasts.
VIDEO: ALVIN AILEY
Source: Alvin Ailey. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:25, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/alvin-ailey-9177959.
Muhammad Ali
Best Known For...
Muhammad Ali is considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, winning both the coveted Golden Gloves title and an Olympic gold medal, among several other honors.
Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali became a Golden Gloves champion in 1959, and became an Olympic gold medalist the following year. Ali won all of his bouts in the 1960s, the majority of them by knockout. Since his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy.
Quotes
"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."
– Muhammad Ali
Early Life
Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, Ali showed at an early age that he wasn't afraid of any bout—inside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, Ali experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand, which likely contributed to his early passion for boxing.
At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym.
Ali started working with Martin to learn how to box, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light-heavyweight division.
Olympic Gold
In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Ali was an imposing figure in the ring. He was known for his footwork, and for possessing a powerful jab. After winning his first three bouts, Ali then defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the gold medal.
After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. During the 1960s Ali seemed unstoppable, winning all of his bouts with majority of them being by knockouts. He took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963 and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring.
Conversion to Islam
This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life, however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group, the Nation of Islam, in 1964. At first, he called himself "Cassius X," eventually settling on the name Muhammad Ali.
In 1967, Ali put his personal values ahead of his career. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of refusing to be inducted into the military,
Boxing Comeback
Returning to the ring in 1970, Ali won his first bout after his forced hiatus. He knocked out Jerry Quarry in October in Atlanta. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went for 15 rounds before Frazier briefly dropped Ali to the ground, before beating Ali by decision. Ali later beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch.
Another legendary Ali fight took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali fought the reigning heavyweight champion George Foreman. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to his younger, powerful opponent. Ali silenced his critics by defeating Foreman and once again becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
Perhaps one of his toughest bouts took place in 1975 when he battled longtime rival Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" fight. Held in Quezon City, Philippines, the match lasted for more than 14 rounds with each fighter giving it their all. Ali emerged victorious in the end.
By the late 1970s, Ali's career had started to decline. He was defeated by Leon Spinks in 1978 and was knocked out by Larry Holmes in 1980. In 1981, Ali fought his last bout, losing his heavyweight title to Trevor Berbick. He announced his retirement from boxing the next day.
Philanthropy and Legacy
In his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he has Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and has been involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali has also supported the Special Olympics and the Make a Wish Foundation among other organizations.
Muhammad Ali has traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing countries.
In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "I believed in myself and I believe in the goodness of others," said Ali. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another."
Despite the progression of his disease, Ali remains active in public life. He embodies the true meaning of a champion with his tireless dedication to the causes he believes in. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn-in. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts.
As he has done every year since its inception, Ali hosted the 15th Annual Celebrity Fight Night Awards in Phoenix in March 2009. The event benefited the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.
Ali has been married to his fourth wife, Yolanda, since 1986. The couple has one son, Asaad, and Ali has several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila who followed in his footsteps for a time as a professional boxer.
VIDEO: MUHAMMAD ALI
Source: Muhammad Ali. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:35, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/muhammad-ali-9181165.
Noble Drew Ali
Moorish American History
In the year 1886, there was a Divine Prophet born in the state of North Carolina. His name was Noble Drew Ali. If is sounds strange to speak of a prophet born in North Carolina, that maybe how it sounded in the days of Jesus, when some thought it strange that a prophet or anything good came out of Nazareth As prophets of olden days came to people around the world to save nations from the wrath of Allah, a Prophet of Islam was sent also to the Moors of America, who were called Negroes. The duty of a prophet is to save nations from the wrath of Allah. As Noah and Lot were warners to the people of those days, Prophet Noble Drew Ali came to warn and redeem the Moors of America from their sinful ways.
The nationality of Prophet Noble Drew Ali was Moorish American, the same as the people he came to uplift. The Prophet uplifted his people by teaching them the Truth-the truth as to their creed, and the truth as to their customs. He taught them to be themselves, and the things necessary ''to make better citizens'' of men and women. He let them know that the Moorish-American are a part of this government, The United States, and they must obey the laws thereof. As a result the Moorish-Americans are good citizens, and an asset to the country also, they endeavor to uplift others who have fallen along the way of life, to redeem them so as to make them an asset to the government, rather than social detriments and wards of the government.
Prophet Noble Drew Ali taught the people termed ''Negroes'' in the United States are ''Asiatic'' and specifically that they are Moorish whose forefathers inhabited Northwest and Southwest Africa before they were enslaved in North America. Marcus Garvey was given credit, by Prophet Noble Drew Ali, of being his forerunner. Garvey's teachings about national issues were similar. Garvey stated in ''Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey''; ''we will have to build our own government, industry, and cultural, before the world will stop to consider us. '' Prophet Drew Ali passed in 1929.
The Beginning
In 1913, Prophet Noble Drew Ali founded the Canaanite Temple in Newark, New Jersey. The Canaanite Temple was an early indication that the so-called Negroes were of Asiatic origin from the Holy Land of Canaan. The Movement spread across the country during the 1920's as the Moorish Holy Temple of Science, as Prophet Noble Drew Ali pioneered in attempts to instill racial pride. Before he came to Chicago in 1925, the movement proliferated to Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, and some southern cities. During his lifetime, membership may have risen as high as thirty thousand members.
In 1925, Noble Drew Ali wearing a flaming red fez appeared on the streets of Chicago, proclaiming to the people of the colored race that they were not Negroes, Colored Folks, Black People or Ethiopians. People began to gather to hear this young man speak. He stated that the fallen sons and daughters of the Asiatic Nation of North America need to learn to love instead of hate, and know of their higher self. His words were impressive because it wasn't long before he established himself in a sizeable meeting hall on Clayborne Avenue on the north side of Chicago.
Finally by 1928, The Moorish Science Temple of America, Inc. was an established fact. It is believed that this procedure of elevating the movement to the Moorish Science Temple of America, Inc. from the Canaanite Temple in phases was to prepare the people for this great "new thought" movement; entirely different from the churches they had been used to. With the incorporation came a new charter, Divine Constitution and By Laws consisting of seven acts. There also follows seven additional laws to strengthen the guidelines for better cohesion in the organization. The object of our organization is to help in the great program of uplifting fallen humanity and teach those things necessary to make our members better citizens. The Moorish Movement is still alive today. There are many small temples all over America still following the great teachings of Prophet Nobel Drew Ali. The star and crescent, fezzes, turban, membership card, button, Moorish Flag, and the correction of "El" or "Bey" to the surname signify Moorish identity.
For Educational Purposes Only. No Copyright Infringement Intended.
Best Known For...
Born into slavery in 1760, Richard Allen bought his freedom at age 17 and went on to found the African Methodist Episcopal church, the first black denomination in the United States.
Minister, educator and writer Richard Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1760. He converted to Methodism at age 17, and bought his freedom in 1783. In 1816, he founded the African Methodist Episcopal church, the first black denomination in the United States. He became an activist and abolitionist whose writings inspired Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. He died in 1831.
Younger Years
Minister, educator and writer Richard Allen was born into slavery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1760. Known as "Negro Richard," he and his family were sold to a Delaware farmer, Stokeley Sturgis, in 1767.
Allen converted to Methodism at the age of 17, after hearing a white itinerant Methodist preacher rail against slavery. His owner, who had already sold Richard's mother and three siblings, also converted and eventually allowed Richard and his brother to purchase their freedom for $2,000 each.
After attaining his freedom, Richard took the last name "Allen" and returned to Philadelphia. There, he worked at odd jobs, as a shoemaker and as manager of a chimney-sweeping company.
Allen soon joined St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church, where blacks and whites worshiped together. There, he became an assistant minister and conducted prayer meetings for blacks. Frustrated with the limitations the church placed on him and black parishioners, in 1787 Allen left the church with the intention of creating an independent Methodist church.
That same year, along with the Reverend Absalom Jones, Allen helped found the Free African Society, a non-denominational religious mutual-aid society dedicated to helping the black community. A century later, NAACP founder W.E.B. Du Bois called the FAS "the first wavering step of a people toward organized social life." In 1794, Allen and 10 other black Methodists founded the Bethel Church, a black Episcopal meeting, in an old blacksmith’s shop. Bethel Church became known as "Mother Bethel" because it birthed the African Methodist Episcopal Church (1816). Helped by his wife, Sarah, Allen helped to hide escaped slaves. The basement of the Bethel Church was a stop on the "Underground Railroad" for blacks fleeing slavery.
Allen died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1831.
In 2008, Richard Newman published a biography of Richard Allen, Freedom's Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church and the Black Founding Fathers, in which he suggested that Allen should be referred to as the "black founding father."
Source: Richard Allen. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:41, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/richard-allen-21056735.
Marian Anderson
Best Known For...
Synopsis
Born February 27, 1897, in Philadelphia, Marian Anderson displayed vocal talent as a child, but her family could not afford to pay for formal training. Members of her church congregation raised funds for her to attend a music school for a year, and in 1955 she became the first African American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Quotes
"I have a great belief in the future of my people and my country."
– Marian Anderson
– Marian Anderson
Singer. An acclaimed singer whose performance at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 helped set the stage for the civil rights era, Marian Anderson was born February 27, 1897, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The oldest of three girls, Anderson was just 6 when she started performing in the choir at the Union Baptist Church, where she earned the nickname "baby contralto." Her father, a coal and ice dealer, supported his daughter's musical interests and, when Anderson was eight, bought her a piano. With the family unable to afford lessons, the prodigious Anderson taught herself.
At the age of 12, Anderson's father died, leaving her mother to raise her three still-young girls. His death, however, did not slow down Anderson's musical ambitions. She remained deeply committed to her church and its choir and rehearsed all the parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) in front of her family until she had perfected them.
Anderson's commitment to her music and her range as a singer so impressed the rest of her choir that the church banded together and raised enough money, about $500, to pay for Anderson to train under Giuseppe Boghetti, a respected voice teacher.
The oldest of three girls, Anderson was just 6 when she started performing in the choir at the Union Baptist Church, where she earned the nickname "baby contralto." Her father, a coal and ice dealer, supported his daughter's musical interests and, when Anderson was eight, bought her a piano. With the family unable to afford lessons, the prodigious Anderson taught herself.
At the age of 12, Anderson's father died, leaving her mother to raise her three still-young girls. His death, however, did not slow down Anderson's musical ambitions. She remained deeply committed to her church and its choir and rehearsed all the parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) in front of her family until she had perfected them.
Anderson's commitment to her music and her range as a singer so impressed the rest of her choir that the church banded together and raised enough money, about $500, to pay for Anderson to train under Giuseppe Boghetti, a respected voice teacher.
During her two years of studying with Boghetti, Anderson won a chance to sing at the Lewisohn Stadium in New York after entering a contest organized by the New York Philharmonic Society.
Other opportunities soon followed. In 1928 she performed at Carnegie Hall for the first time, and eventually embarked on a tour through Europe thanks to a Julius Rosenwald scholarship.
By the late 1930s, Anderson's voice had made her famous on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States she was invited by President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor to perform at the White House, the first African American ever to receive this honor.
Much of her life would ultimately see her breaking down barriers for African-American performers. In 1955, for example, she became the first African-American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Other opportunities soon followed. In 1928 she performed at Carnegie Hall for the first time, and eventually embarked on a tour through Europe thanks to a Julius Rosenwald scholarship.
By the late 1930s, Anderson's voice had made her famous on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States she was invited by President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor to perform at the White House, the first African American ever to receive this honor.
Much of her life would ultimately see her breaking down barriers for African-American performers. In 1955, for example, she became the first African-American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Despite Anderson's success, not all of America was ready to receive her talent. In 1939 her manager tried to set up a performance for her at Washington, D.C.'s Constitution Hall. But the owners of the hall, the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.), informed Anderson and her manager that no dates were available. That was far from the truth. The real reason for turning Anderson away lay in a policy put in place by the D.A.R. that committed the hall to being a place strictly for white performers.
When word leaked out to the public about what had happened, an uproar ensued, led in part by Eleanor Roosevelt, who invited Anderson to perform instead at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday.
When word leaked out to the public about what had happened, an uproar ensued, led in part by Eleanor Roosevelt, who invited Anderson to perform instead at the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday.
In front of a crowd of more than 75,000, Anderson offered up a riveting performance that was broadcast live for millions of radio listeners.
Over the next several decades of her life, Anderson's stature only grew. In 1961 she performed the national anthem at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration. Two years later, Kennedy honored the singer with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
After retiring from performing in 1965, Anderson set up her life on her farm in Connecticut. In 1991, the music world honored her with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Her final years were spent in Portland, Oregon, where she'd moved in with her nephew. She died there of natural causes on April 8, 1993.
Source: Marian Anderson. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:50, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/marian-anderson-9184422.
Maya Angelou
Best Known For...
Maya Angelou is a poet and prize-winning memoirist. She is the author of the critically acclaimed I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Writer and African American activist Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya Angelou's five autobiographical novels were met with critical and popular success. Her volume of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. In 1993, Angelou wrote a poem for Clinton's inauguration. In 2008, she earned a NAACP Award.
Quotes
"The caged bird sings with a fearful trill/ of things unknown but longed for still/ and his tune is heard on the distant hill/ for the caged birds sings of freedom."
– Maya Angelou
"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver."
– Maya Angelou
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."
– Maya Angelou
"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."
– Maya Angelou
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
– Maya Angelou
"Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning."
– Maya Angelou
" How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!"
– Maya Angelou
Multitalented barely seems to cover the depth and breadth of Maya Angelou's accomplishments. She is an author, actress, screenwriter, dancer and poet. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Angelou had a difficult childhood. Her parents split up when she was very young, and she and her older brother Bailey were sent to live with their father's mother, Anne Henderson, in Stamps, Arkansas.
As an African American, Angelou experienced firsthand racial prejudices and discrimination in Arkansas. She also suffered at the hands of a family associate around the age of seven. During a visit with her mother, Angelou was raped by her mother's boyfriend. Her uncles killed the boyfriend for the sexual assault. So traumatized by the experience, Angelou stopped talking. She returned to Arkansas and spent years as a virtual mute.
During World War II, Angelou moved to San Francisco. There she won a scholarship to study dance and acting at the Labor School. Angelou worked for a time as the first female African American cable car conductor. In 1944, the sixteen-year-old future literary icon gave birth to her son Guy. Angelou worked a number of jobs to support herself and her son.
In the mid-1950s, Angelou's career as a performer started to take off. She landed a role in a touring production of Porgy and Bess. Angelou later appeared off-Broadway in Calypso Heat Wave and released her first album Miss Calypso. A member of the Harlem Writers Guild and a civil rights activist, She organized and starred in the musical revue Cabaret for Freedom as a benefit for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Angelou served as the SCLC's northern coordinator.
In 1961, Angelou appeared in an off-Broadway production of Jean Genet's The Blacks with James Earl Jones, Lou Gossett, Jr., and Cicely Tyson. While the play earned strong reviews, she moved on to other pursuits. Angelou spent much of the 1960s living abroad. She first lived in Egypt and then in Ghana, working as an editor and a freelance writer. Angelou also held a position at the University of Ghana for a time.
Angelou returned to the United States. At the urging of her friend, writer James Baldwin, she began writing about her life experiences. The result of her efforts became the 1970 best-selling memoir about her childhood and young adult years entitled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This poignant work made Angelou an international literary star.
Angelou soon broke new creative ground, becoming the first African American woman to have her screenplay produced. She wrote the 1972 drama Georgia, Georgia. Continuing to act, Angelou earned a Tony Award nomination for her role in the 1973 play Look Away and an Emmy Award nomination for her work in the 1977 television miniseries Roots.
Angelou has written several autobiographies, including All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986) and A Song Flung Up to Heaven (2002). She has also published several collections of poetry, including Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die (1971). This collection was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. One of her most famous works was the poem "On the Pulse of Morning," which she wrote especially for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in January 1993. Angelou won a Grammy Award for the audio version of the poem.
Seeking new creative challenges, Angelou made her directorial debut in 1998 with Down in the Delta, which starred Alfre Woodard. Angelou has also written a number of inspirational works, from the essay collection Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now (1994) to her advice for young women in Letter to My Daughter (2008). Interested in health, Angelou published a cookbook, Great Food, All Day Long (2010).
Angelou is good friends with television personality Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey has organized several birthday celebrations for Angelou, including a week-long cruise for her 70th birthday in 1998.
VIDEO: MAYA ANGELOU
Source: Maya Angelou. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:30, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/maya-angelou-9185388.
Mary McLeod Bethune
Best Known For...
Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator and activist, founding the National Association of Colored Women and the National Council of Negro Women.
Born on July 10, 1875, in Mayesville, South Carolina, Mary McLeod Bethune was a child of former slaves. A scholarship to Scotia Seminary in North Carolina in 1888 launched her career as educator and activist. Believing that education provided the key to racial advancement, she founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute, which later became Bethune-Cookman College.
Educator and civil and women's rights activist. Born July 10, 1875 in Mayesville, South Carolina. A child of former slaves, she began her life picking cotton, but a scholarship to Scotia Seminary in North Carolina in 1888 launched her long and distinguished career as educator and activist.
Believing that education provided the key to racial advancement, she founded the Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute, Florida (1904), which through her persistent direction as president (1904–42) became Bethune-Cookman College (1929). An activist, she mobilized thousands of black women as leader and founder of the National Association of Colored Women and the National Council of Negro Women.
A national figure, she served in the Roosevelt administration as adviser to the president on minority affairs and director of the Division of Negro Affairs within the National Youth Administration (1936–44). Through her efforts to promote full citizenship rights for all African-Americans and her feminist perspective, she came to symbolize the dual role black women played as activists for the rights of blacks and women.
Source: Mary McLeod Bethune. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:21, Feb 05, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/mary-mcleod-bethune-9211266.
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