Should African-Americans Celebrate “Black History Month? Exposing The Myths” by Michael Imhotep – 2-4-17 • Presented by Michael Imhotep, President of The African History Network, Talk Show Host & Executive Producer of The African History Network Show • We focus on Educating, Empowering and Inspiring people of African Descent in America and throughout the Diaspora. Contact Michael Imhotep at (313) 462-0003 or Email [email protected]. Available for lectures and presentations at, Kwanzaa Celebrations, African- American History Month, Schools, Churches, etc.
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Should African Americans Celebrate Black History Month?
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Should African-AmericansCelebrate “Black History Month?
Exposing The Myths”by Michael Imhotep – 2-4-17
• Presented by Michael Imhotep, President of The African History Network, Talk Show Host & Executive Producer of The African History Network Show
• We focus on Educating, Empowering and Inspiring people of African Descent in America and throughout the Diaspora.
Contact Michael Imhotep at (313) 462-0003 or Email [email protected]. Available for lectures and presentations at, Kwanzaa Celebrations, African-American History Month, Schools, Churches, etc.
Listen on the "TuneIn Radio" app on your smartphone and search for "Empowerment Radio Network" or Listen online at www.TuneIn.com and search for “Empowerment Radio Network”
3. How do we make it relevant for today and the future?
4. Dispel myths regarding our history
Who was Imhotep?• Pronounced (em-ho-tep) it means “he who comes in peace”
in the Medu Neter language of the Ancient Kemites (Egyptians).
• High Priest, physician, architect, mathematician, designer of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara for Pharaoh (Nswt Bity) Zoser of the 3rd Dynasty, known as The World’s 1st Multi-Genius, 3,000 B.C. circa.
This is NOT Imhotep• In the 2001 movie “The Mummy Returns” the
villain was named “Imhotep”, consequently many of our children think that one of our greatest Ancestors was evil and not of African descent.
Actor Arnold Vosloo as High Priest Imhotep
Designed by Imhotep
The Step Pyramid at Saqqara designed by Imhotep
Expanding your Circumference of Awareness
The space inside this Circle represents my realm of knowledge. Everything that I think I know about whatever I think I know is represented within the Circumference of this Circle. I must keep in mind that there are still things to know that exist outside the Circumference of my Own Awareness.
3 Reasons Why I Do This Presentation – “You Don’t Have To Believe A Word I Say – Go Do Your Own Historical Research”. 1. To make you think.
2. To provide the information, history, resources, books, websites, articles, video clips, etc. for your to do your own research.
• American• AMER'ICAN, adjective Pertaining to America.• AMER'ICAN, noun A native of America;
originally applied to the aboriginals, or copper-colored races, found here by the Europeans; but now applied to the descendants of Europeans born in America.
• The name American must always exalt the pride of patriotism. – Washington
Why is studying African History important?• What you do for yourself,
to yourself and what you allow other people to do to you is based upon what you think about yourself.
• What you think about yourself is based upon what you have been taught about yourself.
• What you have been taught about everything you have read, seen and heard about yourself.
Runoko Rashidi – Historian, Author, Lecturer
Featured in “Hidden Colors 2”
What is Power?“Power” is the ability to define and shape
reality and to have other people accept your
definition of reality as if it were there own.”
From the Latin word “potere”
which means “to be able”.
Dr. Wade NoblesPsychologist
How did Racism start?If you don’t understand European White
Supremacy, what it is and how it works,
everything else that you understand will
only confuse you.
Dr. Neely FullerDr. Frances
Cress Welsing
Morgan Freeman on 60 Minutes, 2006
• Black History Month is? “…ridiculous”
• When is White History Month?
• When is Jewish History Month?
• You’re going to relegate my history to a month?
• If we want to get rid of Racism we need to
stop talking about it.
The Father of Black History Month
December 9th, 1875 – April 4th, 1950
Dr. Carter. G. Woodson• Born to parents who were former slaves in Virginia.
• Starts High School at the age of 19 years old.
• He graduates from Berea College in Kentucky in 1903.
• 1905 - General Superintendent of Education in Manila, Philippines for the U.S. Bureau of Insular Affairs. He taught English, Health & Agriculture. He also travels to Asia, North African and Europe in 1907.
• He graduates from University of Chicago, 1907, B.A. & 1908 M.A.
• Teaches High School in Washington D.C. 1909-1919
Dr. Carter. G. Woodson (Cont’d)• Earns a Phd. In History from Harvard University in 1912.
• 1915 – Attends a 3 week Celebration Commemorating the 50Th Anniversary of The Emancipation Proclamation
• He decides to create an organization to promote the Scientific Study of Black Life and History!
• Sept. 9th, 1915 – He meets 4 friends at a Wabash YMCA to form ASNLH.
• 1916 – The Journal of Negro Life and History is started.
• 1919-1922 – Prof. at Howard University and Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Dean of School of Lib. Arts, West Virginia Collegiate Inst.
Why Do We Celebrate Black History Month?
• Why was Black History Month created?
• Negro History Week was created in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Co-Founder of The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Later changed to Black History Month in 1976.
• Why is it celebrated in February?
Dr. Carter. G. Woodson (Cont’d) 3• 1920 – Urges African-American Civic organizations to
promote our achievements.
• 1924- Omega Psi Phi starts Negro History & Literature Week (Negro Achievement Week).
• 1925 – Sends out Press Release Announcing “Negro History Week” in Feb. 1926, 2nd week in Feb.
• Dr. Woodson believed that history was made by people not primarily by great men.
• The 1920’s – Decade of the “New Negro”. (Post WW I Generation)
• Negro History Week Also focused on African History
Early Themes from ASNLH• 1928 - Civilization: A World Achievement
• 1933 - Ethiopia Meets Error in Truth
• 1935 - The Negro Achievements in Africa
• 1936 - African Background Outlined
• 1960 - Strengthening America Through Education in Negro History and African Culture
• 1971 - African Civilization and Culture: A Worthy Historical Background
• 1940s – Efforts slowly began within the African-American community to expand the study of African-American History in the schools. In West Virginia, African-Americans began to celebrate Negro History Month.
• 1960s – African-American students on college campuses learn about our history and links to Africa and replaced Negro History Week with Black History Month.
• Culture acts a an “Immune System” which keeps foreign elements from coming in and attacking you.
Thoughts from Dr. Woodson
• In a Journal of Negro History Article, Woodson called prejudice “the logical result of tradition, the inevitable outcome of thorough instruction to the effect that the Negro has never contributed anything to the progress of mankind”
• He predicted “the achievements of the Negro
properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization.”
“When you control a man’s thinking you donot have to worry about his actions. You don’t not have to tell him not to stand here
orGo yonder. He will find his “proper place” and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go withoutbeing told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.”
- Dr. Carter G. Woodson, 1933
The Mis-Education Of The Negro
Groundbreaking Research• The “Journal of Negro History” covered a
wide range of topics and let to a shift from the “Master’s” perspective of history to that of the “Slave’s” perspective.
• Woodson and other Journal contributors used census data, birth & death certificates, marriage registers, letters, diaries, and oral histories to investigate our history. These methods have only recently been widely adopted by historians.
The Mis-Education Of The Negro
“History shows that it does not matter who
is in power…those who have not learned to
do for themselves and have to depend
solely on others never obtain any more rights or
privileges in the end than they had in the
beginning” - Dr. Carter G. Woodson, 1933
Other Monthly Cultural Celebrations
• Jewish American History Month - May• National Hispanic History Month – Sept. 15th-
Oct.15th• Irish American History Month – March• Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month -
May• Haitian Heritage Month - May• Native American History Month – Nov.• Hispanic Heritage Month – Sept. 15th – Oct. 15th• German American/Polish American Heritage Month
– OctoberCompiled by Michael Imhotep www.AfricanHistoryNetwork.com
• Culture acts a an “Immune System” which keeps foreign elements from coming in and attacking you.
• Culture is the glue or cohesiveness that binds a people together and tells them the only way they will survive is through self reliance.
Were Slaves Really Unskilled?• Crafts, Artisans, Skills Slaves had prior to 1865 –
The Other Slaves: Mechanics, Artisans & Craftsmen – 1978, James Newton, Ronald Lewis
1. Anchor makers
2. Artists
3. Bakers
4. Barrel makers
5. Bartenders
6. Basket makers
7. Beer makers
8. Blacksmiths
9. Bricklayers
10. Brick makers
11. Cabinet makers
12. Cigar makers
13. Cooks
14. Coppersmiths
15. Decorative
Furnishers
16. Fishermen
17. Engineers
18. Gardeners
19. Hemp Baggers
20. Herb Doctors
21. Horse Trainers
22. Hunters
23. Locksmiths
Remember, what you do for yourself is based upon what you think about yourself!
“In the schools of business administration Negroes are trained excessively in the psychology and economics of Wall Street and are, therefore, made to despise the opportunities to run ice wagons, push banana carts, and sell peanuts among their own people. Foreigners, who have not studied economics, but have studied Negroes, take up this business and grow rich.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson, “The Miseducation of
The Negro”, 1933
Paradigm Shift• Is Black History part of American History
or is American History part of African History?
We Are At War!! Everyone knows this except us!!
• African people have been at War since at least 1492 and have been at war with European forces for over 500 years.
• The WAR NEVER ENDED. It just changed it’s form.
• The 13th Amendment continued the WAR
• In 1982 – The WAR ON DRUGS escalated the WAR Against African People
How did Racism start?• The term “race” 1st started being used in the 16th
century. Source: “PowerNomics” by Dr. Claud Anderson, pg. 6-7
• The concept of “race” evolved over a 300 year period of time from the 16th – 18th century.
• It’s a power structure. It’s not hating or not liking someone.
• It occurs when 1 race controls the majority of the wealth, power and resources and uses it to harm others.
• Racism is a system that distributes the advantages and privileges based upon Race.
• Racism is a Power Structure coming out of European White Supremacy.
What is Racism?
How did Racism start?
• The cornerstone of racism was laid in America in 1638 in the colony of Maryland with “The Doctrine of Exclusion”.
• Racism, Prejudice. Discrimination and Bigotry are 4 different things.
“All history is acurrent event. Everything thathas everhappenedcontinues tohappen in someshape, form orfashion.
Dr. John Henrik Clarke
Grandmaster Scholar Warrior
What Freed The Slaves?
• Was it The Emancipation Proclamation or the 13th Amendment that Freed the Slaves?
• What has re-enslaved African-Americans
What Freed The Slaves?
• The 13th Amendment – Dec. 6th, 1865
Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary
Servitude, except as a punishment for crime
Whereof the party shall have been duly
Convicted, shall exist within the United
States, or any place subject to their
Jurisdiction.
Was John Hanson the African-American or Moor the 1st
President?
John Hanson, Fact or Fiction
• Delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780-1782.
• He serves a Continental Congress President from 1781-1782.
• He dies in 1783
• Some mistakenly also say that he was a Sen. to Liberia.
• Was John Hanson on the $2 Bill?
John Hanson, Fact or Fiction
• When were cameras invented?
• The picture is a Daguerreotype from ca. 1856
Sen. John Hanson
Who’s on the $2 Bill
• Is this John Hanson or Prince Hall or another person of African Descent?
• There’s a shadow on the original painting which gets mistaken for an African man.
Drafting of the Declaration of Independence, June 28th, 1776
Will the real Isis please stand up!
Was Africa Named After a Roman General named Scipio Africanus?
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus
236 B.C. – 183 B.C.
Words of wisdom from Malcolm X
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today?”
Available at AfricanHistoryNetwork.com
Dr. King, Garvey & Malcolm X What did they have in common?
Sources1) PowerNomics by Dr. Claud Anderson
2) Black Labor, White Wealth by Dr. Claud Anderson
3) Dirty Little Secrets Vol. 1 by Dr. Claud Anderson
4) The First Americans Were Africans – Documented Evidence
5) Before The Mayflower
6) Nile Valley Contributions To Civilization
7) “The Origins of Black History Month” by Prof. Dary Michael Soctt, Howard University, www.ASALH.org.