1960-2010 African American History

Black Panthers

The Black Panther Party (BPP) was founded in October I966 by Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton, both student activists at Merritt Junior College in Oakland CA. Influenced by the teachings of Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement, the BPP, originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, called for the restructuring of American society to achieve social, political, and economic equality, based on principles of socialism. The party platform consisted often points ("We want..."):

1. Freedom and Self-determination
2. Full employment for all Black people
3 Restitution for slave labor and mass murder of Black people
4. Decent housing
5. Education to give Black people knowledge of self and expose the true history of American society
6. Exemption from military service for all Black men who should not be forced to defend a racist government
7. An immediate end to police brutality
8. Release from prison for all Black people because they have not received a fair and impartial trial
9. All Black people who are brought to trial to be tried by a jury of their peers from the Black community
l0. Land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace. As a major political objective, a United Nations supervised plebiscite for Black Americans to determine their will as to their national destiny.
<Haynes, Larry. "Black Panthers." Telephone interview. 17 Jan. 2012.>

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Lynn Williams was born on March 18, 1963, and raised in suburban New York City. She attended Syracuse University, where she majored in musical theater. After winning the Miss New York title, Vanessa went to Atlantic City, NJ, to participate in the Miss America pageant. On September 17, 1983, 20-year-old Vanessa made history by becoming the first African-American woman in the pageant’s 63-year history to capture the Miss America title. For the competition’s first 30 years, blacks weren’t even allowed to become contestants. Less than a year later Scandal erupted. On July 23, 1984, Vanessa gave up her crown to Suzette Charles, Miss New Jersey, after nude photos of her surfaced. This made Suzette the second African American Miss America. The nude photos that surfaced had reportedly been shot when she worked for a photographer before her pageant days. She was forced to resign her Miss America title in July 1984. The photos later appeared without Vanessa’s consent in ‘Penthouse’ magazine. Despite the scandal, Vanessa later became a very successful woman, taking her singing and acting career to an ultimate high.

<Lewis, Jone J. "African American History and Women - Timeline." Women's History - Comprehensive Women's History Research Guide. 2012. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. http://womenshistory.about.com/od/aframwomentimeline/a/aaw1980_time.htm.>

Doctor Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama on October 17, 1956. She was the youngest of three. The Jemison family moved to Chicago when Mae was only three. It was in Chicago that an uncle introduced her to the world of science. At a very early age, Mae developed interests in anthropology, archaeology, and astronomy that she pursued throughout her childhood. Mae Jemison enrolled at Stanford University at the age of 16 and in 1977 graduated with degrees in both chemical engineering and Afro-American studies. She received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University in 1981. Dr. Jemison has practiced medicine as a volunteer in a Cambodian refugee camp and as a medical officer with the Peace Corps in West Africa. She was working as a general practitioner in Los Angeles, California when NASA selected her and 14 others for astronaut training. Dr. Jemison completed her training as a mission specialist with NASA in 1988. In September of 1992, as a mission specialist aboard the Shuttle Endeavour, Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman to enter space. In 1993, Dr. Jemison resigned from NASA and founded the Jemison Group, Inc. Among her current projects are several that focus on improving healthcare in Africa and advancing technology in developing countries.

<Jemison, Mae. "Biography." DrMae-Daring Makes a Differance. 2012. Web. 18 Jan. 2012. http://www.drmae.com/biography-3-563.>