Celebrating Black History

By Rebecca Wells-Gonzalez

McKeesport, PA (February 22, 2013) –With

To celebrate Black History Month, ResCare

Workforce Services in McKeesport, PA,

invited civil rights historian and labor

rights activist Jamaal Craig to speak to the

youth about African American history and

the Freedom Riders.



holidays such as Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras and President’s Day, February is truly a month to celebrate. It’s also a month to remember. Beginning in 1976, Black History Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the

contributions and important roles of African

Americans in our country’s history.



To celebrate, ResCare Workforce Services in McKeesport invited Jamaal Craig, a civil rights historian and labor rights activist, to speak to the youth in their program about African American history in the United States, specifically the Freedom Riders.



“The youth were quite surprised with the

information Mr. Craig provided and were

surprisingly unaware, before his visit, of many aspects of the civil rights movement,” Kathleen McGrath McQuillan, project manager for the ResCare Workforce Services operation, said. “Through his visits with us at Mon Valley Bridge and also the New Kensington site, he has become a valuable resource for our youth in all areas of civil rights, as well as history, politics and how all of it relates to them as individuals.”

Mr. Craig did such a wonderful job that he has been invited back to

share the movie “Freedom Riders” with the youth. After showing the movie, he will lead a discussion focused on how concepts from the movie relate to the youths’ lives today.

Mr. Craig left the display that he used for his presentation for students to read at their own pace. The display details information about the Freedom Riders and their stories. Kathleen McGrath McQuillan, project manager, was pleased that he left the display.

“Everyone who visits the Mon Valley Bridge will benefit from this display on the Freedom Riders,” Ms. McQuillan said.

African-American Literature that has Shaped Black Culture

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month I wanted to share some insight into the types of literature that have helped shape the way that I view race, class, and culture. I have listed my very own personal top ten most influential authors along with the specific work that has impacted me the most. It is no secret that the power and forces of bigotry in American society has inflicted many scars on black culture. These authors however, have been able to use their creativity to bring to the surface issues that we as a society both black and white have often times chosen not to confront and frequently have turned our heads the other way in. Their creative genius and literary talents have helped us define and discuss a wide range of issues that many people struggle with such as inferiority complexes, racial uplift, invisibility, rejection, religion, repression, sexism, educational disparities, and trauma. I invite you to take some time to learn more about these authors and their impressive contributions to literature and Black Culture.

·        Richard Wright - Native Son and Black Boy

·        Toni Morrison - The Bluest Eye

·        Ralph Ellison – Invisible Man

·        James Baldwin – Go Tell It on the Mountain

·        Paul Laurence Dunbar – We Wear the Mask

·        Maya Angelou - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

·        Claude McKay – Home to Harlem

·        W.E.B. DuBois - The Souls of Black Folks

·        Zora Neal Hurston - Their Eyes Were Watching God

·        Michael Eric Dyson - Debating Race with Michael Eric Dyson

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters: Vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement Exhibit

On Friday, February 1, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters: Vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement Exhibit, a collection of Pullman Porter artifacts went on display at the Thurgood Marshall Center in Washington, DC. Curated by Jamaal Craig, this unique exhibit will be on display free of charge to the public from February 1 – 28.

The exhibit was created to help raise awareness about the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) - the nation’s first black labor union formed in 1925 and their contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement. With the help of Ms. Thelma Jones, curator of the Thurgood Marshall Exhibit housed in the Thurgood Marshall Center, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters: Vanguard of the Civil Rights Movement exhibit has expanded in scope and was most recently on display in the world renowned Arena Stage Theater in conjunction with the Pullman Porter Blues, an award winning play depicting the life of three generations of Pullman Porters.

The (BSCP) was founded under the guidance of civil rights and labor leader A. Philip Randolph. Considered by many to be the Father of the Civil Rights Movement, Randolph led the (BSCP) in a long fierce 12 year battle to organize for union recognition and collective bargaining rights against the powerful Pullman Company. Prior to forming their union and winning their first contract, the Porters were viewed as servants. Their resilient fight for recognition brought about sweeping changes in Workers' Rights, as well as Civil Rights for Blacks and is credited with creating the basis for a Black Middle Class in America.

For more information on the exhibit please contact Washington DC Exhibit Coordinator Thelma Jones at 202-251-1639 or info@jamaalcraig.com



(L-R) Ms. Thelma Jones and Jamaal Craig at Arena Stage Theater



Why is the United States Senate Elusive to African-Americans?

With the swearing in of Senator John Kerry as the new Secretary of State, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is slated to appoint his former chief of staff William “Mo” Cowan to serve as the place holder until voters can choose a permanent replacement to complete the remainder of Senator Kerry’s term during a special election scheduled for June 25.

As an African-American who has worked in electoral politics for over a decade and also as a historian that has examined the plight of blacks in politics who has mixed feelings about the appointment process in government, I am pleased and excited about the Governor’s choice for a number of reasons. 

First and foremost “Mo” Cowan has an impeccable resume. He is a graduate of Duke University and the Northeastern University Law School. He has served as the Governor’s chief legal counsel and finally chief of staff, which are two key positions in any Governor’s administration that are not to be taken lightly. “Mo’s” hard work earned him the reputation of being “one of Boston’s leading attorneys” according to Frank Phillips of the Boston Globe. Second, his appointment while temporary will make him only the eighth African-American to serve in the United States Senate. This is where the historical significance comes into play.

The Senate is one of the most powerful political body's in the nation; the chamber is second only to the office of the Presidency. Who would have ever imagined that Massachusetts, a state where African-Americans comprise a mere 8% of the entire population, will soon become the state to be remembered in the history books as the first to have had two African-American Senators as well as the first to have an African-American sitting Governor and US Senator! Milestones that we can all build on….

African-Americans in the US Senate  

·        Hiram Rhodes Revels (Mississippi in 1870 – 1871) was the first African-American to serve in the Senate.

·        Blanche Kelso Bruce (Mississippi 1875 – 1881) was the first African-American to serve a full six-year term as senator and the only senator to be a former slave.

·        Edward William Brooke (Massachusetts 1967 – 1979) was the first African-American to be popularly elected, the first to be re-elected, and the first to be elected outside of the southern states.

·        Carol Moseley Braun (Illinois 1993 – 1999) was the first female African-American to serve in the Senate.

·        Barack Obama (Illinois 2005 - 2008) was the fifth African-American to serve as a senator. He resigned from his office to become the first African-American President of the United States.

·        Roland Burris (Illinois 2009 – 2010) was the first African-American to be appointed and the first to succeed another African American. He was appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill the seat vacted by Barack Obama after he was elected president.

·        Tim Scott (South Carolina 2013 - ) was both the first African-American and the first to be affiliated with the Republican Party to represent a southern state since the end of reconstruction. He was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to succeed Jim DeMint.

William “Mo” Cowan

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/01/30/patrick-picks-cowan-interim-senator/0dFtO6tg5pnvg6WiLgw7dL/story.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed6