Monday, February 15, 2010 - William Lambert
William Lambert, the great-grandfather of TJMA listener Christina Streety-Napier, was a lead conductor on the Underground Railroad. He was born free in Trenton, New Jersey and was educated by the Quakers. He arrived in Detroit in 1838 and became very active as an abolitionist. Three years after reaching Detroit, he was made the secretary of the first state convention of Colored Citizens of Michigan. He presented arguments before the state legislature that the word white - as in white only - be stricken from the State constitution. He was also personal friends with Frederick Douglass and served as the recording secretary for John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry. Lambert lived until 1890, and it was alleged that he hung himself, but his family believes that he was hung due to his activism on behalf of blacks.
SUBMITTED BY: C. Streety-Napier
Tuesday, February 17, 2010 - Sharon D. Porter
Spartanburg, South Carolina native Sharon D. Porter, a 15-year member of the Spartanburg County School District 7 Board of Trustees, was recently elected its first black woman chairman. A Spartanburg native, Porter was educated in the Spartanburg school system, received a B.S. degree from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina and a Master's degree from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. She currently serves as director of student support services at Spartanburg Methodist College.
SUBMITTED BY: S. Porter-Johnson
Monday, February 15, 2010 - James H. Daugherty
In 1970, James H. Daugherty became the first African-American elected to a county-wide position (the Board of Education) in Montgomery County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C. He is also co-founder of Blacks in Government, which is now a national organization in the federal government. Before his civic career, Daugherty served as a member of the 92nd Infantry, which was known as the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black unit that fought in northern Italy in World War II. He received a Bronze Star for his service and recently published a book, "The Buffalo Saga," which he wrote at age 23.
SUBMITTED BY: D. Daugherty
Friday, February 12, 2010 - Dr. Jewel Limar-Prestage
Dr. Jewel Limar-Prestage, the aunt of TJMS listener Neia Limar, is known as the "mother of black political science." She is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in political science.
After earning her M.A. in 1952, Limar-Prestage received her Ph.D. at the age of 22 from the University of Iowa. She began her teaching career as an associate professor of political science at Prairie View College in 1954. In 1956, she took a position as associate professor of political science at Southern University in Baton Rouge, where she also served as dean of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the National Advisory Counsel on Women's Educational Programs for the U.S. Department of Education.
A mother of five successful children, Limar-Prestage currently lives in Houston, Texas.
SUBMITTED BY: N. Limar
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 - Mrs. Mae Mallory
In 1958, one year after the ‘Little Rock Nine’ integrated Central High School, the ‘Harlem Nine’ successfully boycotted the school system in New York City to protest against segregated and inferior conditions.
Mrs. Mae Mallory was a prominent figure in the ‘Harlem Nine‘, the Black Liberation and Civil Rights Movement, organizer of the Sixth Pan-African Congress, and a proponent of the right of Black people to Armed Self-Defense in the fight against violent racism (such as brutal beatings and shooting attacks on the Freedom Riders).
In 1961, 32 year old Mrs. Mallory was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rob Williams (Mable) where they were preparing food for the Freedom Riders. Racial tensions grew as the KKK violently attacked Williams’ predominantly black neighborhood. An elderly white couple drove in the neighborhood seemingly defenseless and The Williams’ offered his home as shelter to the couple. The couple enjoyed their generous hospitality and left when the neighborhood was less tense. However this same couple later testified they were detained against their will resulting in indictments of kidnapping against Mrs. Mallory and Williams’.
Mrs. Mallory was sentenced 16-20 years. While she was a political prisoner, she refused many propositions for freedom in exchange of renouncing her beliefs and association with Williams’.
From prison, Mrs. Mallory told her mom, Mrs. Willie Lee Brown, “Don’t worry about me. When they lynch me, don’t cry. I know the battle I’m fighting. I’m fighting for my people and I’m not going to give up.” Mrs. Brown pleaded with her and said: “Remember you have two children.” Mrs. Mallory replied: “Yes, I know…but what good is the life of my two kids living in a hell like this? It is no good for me and it is no good for my children.”
In 1965, Mrs. Mallory’s verdict was reversed. She continued her advocacy for civil rights and armed self-defense.
Nearly a month after her release on February 21, 1965, she witnessed the assassination of Malcolm X as she sat on the front row in the Audubon Ballroom. Mrs. Mallory grabbed Malcolm X’ two young children to protect them which was portrayed in film directed by Spike Lee. During a speech in Buffalo, NY, she said, “A Black hand pulled the trigger, but it had a white CIA brain behind it.”
Mrs. Mallory eventually moved to Mwanza, Tanzania where she remained for five years working as a nurse’s aid. She moved back to NY and transitioned from this life in 2007.
Monday, February 08, 2010 - Milele Chikasa Anana
Milele Chikasa Anana - the aunt of TJMS listener Lisa Brown - has a name that means "a rare and sparkling jewel that will last forever." She is the publisher of UMOJA magazine, a positive-only black news magazine that's celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The oldest black magazine in Madison, Wisconsin, UMOJA started out as a two-page newsletter in 1990, and is now a 52-page monthly publication. Anana has lived in Madison for over 25 years and believes that one's cultural and comunnity roots are signifcant in shaping one's life.
The state of Wisconsin and Dane County, Wisconsin proclaimed January 24 as Milele Chikasa Anana Day and held an appreciation benefit dinner in her honor. Even at 76 years old - and surviving breast cancer - Anana is always ready with camera and piece of paper to passionately record the story of positive black people.
Submitted by: L. Brown
Friday, February 05, 2010 - Andrew Ridges
Andrew Ridges was the first black to work for the Western Electric plant in Baltimore, Maryland.
He was first hired as a janitor. He wasn't welcomed with open arms, but he did his work and eventually formed some friendships with his co-workers. However, when Ridges wanted to apply for one of the other jobs at the plant, he really started being harassed, and it didn't stop until the plant manager stepped in.
The manager called a meeting of all the employees and informed them that Ridges was here to stay and could apply for other jobs if he wished. In fact, he said, anyone who didn't like it could find employment elsewhere.
Ridges retired from Western Electric after 40 years of service.
Submitted by: D. Giles Sr.
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Thursday, February 04, 2010 - Thomas Johnson Sr.
The late Thomas Johnson, Sr. - the father of TJMS listener Tracy Taylor - was the first African-American to be hired at Pitney Bowes in 1953, located in Louisville, Kentucky. The Louisville Defender, the city's black newspaper, captured this trail-blazing event.
He obtained this position through a job program at the Louisville Urban League, where he went on to perform 38 years of service - while not missing a single day of work. Johnson would often take new black hires under his wing and become a mentor to them.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010 - Brewster Hospital
Brewster Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, which has serviced the town's African-American community and trained black nurses from 1901 to 1966, opened in 1885.
The hospital's historic, two-story building has not been occupied for four decades, but underwent a $2.3 million renovation. It was relocated from its original spot on Monroe Street in 2005, and now the city - which own the building - is looking for a new tenant. According to the Jacksonville Times-Union, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on seeking proposals from prospective tenants.
Submitted by: Y.Swindell |