Remembering History Introduction

10/13/17 • 11 min

The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales!

Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by rememberinghistory.com where history is power. Today, we’re going to discuss the importance of knowing African American history. We begin by asking why is history important? Great question. Perhaps the answer can be found in this famous journal entry, which says,

Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it.

And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.

I know that dreams do come true.

I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!

I always dreamed about playing for the Dodgers, but honestly, I always had my doubts. I used to tell myself: “Something will happen. It just isn’t in the books for you to play in the majors. You’re a Negro. Negroes haven’t been in the big leagues. Some day they will be. But you won’t be the lucky guy.

Can you guess who wrote this entry? Jackie Robinson. In 1947--following his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson was the first Black person to play major league baseball. He made history. And he went on to win the league’s MVP award in 1949. During his career, he would play in 6 World Series. He concluded this entry by saying,

Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me!

It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in American history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power.

Yes, we can learn a lot from history—that can inspire AND empower US, too.

With this inspiration and empowerment, WE can make history.

And THAT is our goal at rememberinghistory.com. We are remembering history AND we’re MAKING it.

You’re gonna hear about many African Americans that made great accomplishments, contributions and changes in every field—law, medicine, art, literature, science, engineering, the environment, sports, American society and even the world! We will learn that they faced lots of obstacles, problems, rejections and sometimes even violence. But most importantly we will learn that—despite all of their challenges-- they still made history.

Nothing came easy for Jackie Robinson or any of the other African Americans that you’re gonna hear about. Yet through their resolve, perseverance, focus, determination and hard work, they made a difference for themselves and for others. They MADE history. You see, just like Jackie Robinson said: fairy tales can come true. It happened for him. And it can happen for you, too.

History teaches that it can happen. History also teaches HOW things happened and why. And that nothing ever had to happen in the way that it did.

So we need to know the African Americans who came before us; what happened before us—the successes, the defeats, the victories and the challenges. We need to know the African Americans who helped to build and transform the United States and, indeed, who helped to shape our world. Some names will be unfamiliar from the past: Dr. Carter G. Woodson who wrote the Negro National Anthem later called the African American National Anthem (yes, there is one!) and who founded Black History Month. Ida B. Wells who fought against the horrible (but at-the-time common) practice of lynching. And, of course, the mathematical genius, Benjamin Banneker, who made great discoveries in astronomy and developed theories about relativity. Did I mention that Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731, a descendant of enslaved parents?

And, like Jackie Robinson, the road was not easy yet they endured. Others did too. There was James McCune Smith, who moved to Scotland to earn his medical degree because no American universities would accept a Black man. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1837 becoming the first African American to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith then returned to the U.S. where he had a distinguished medical career in private practice, opened two pharmacies, and trained young Black doctors.

And there is Marcelite Harris who, in 1997, became the first woman to achieve the rank of major general in the US Air Force. Yes, she became the highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force and the country’s highest ranking African American woman in the Department of Defense! However, she had to apply THREE TIMES before her application for training was accepted.

And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?! Most of us know what he went on to achieve!

You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand...

The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales!

Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it.

And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.

I know that dreams do come true.

I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!

Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me!

It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in American history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power.

Yes, we can learn a lot from history—that can inspire AND empower US, too.

With this inspiration and empowerment, WE can make history.

And THAT is our goal at rememberinghistory.com. We are remembering history AND we’re MAKING it.

History teaches that it can happen. History also teaches HOW things happened and why. And that nothing ever had to happen in the way that it did.

And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?! Most of us know what he went on to achieve!

You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand...

Previous Episode

Making History Today Newsletter Introduction

Hi everyone, I’m so glad that you are reading this issue of Making History Today and listening to this podcast. I’m Robin Lofton, editor-in-chief, of Making History Today! and I like to add that I’m also one of the in-house history lovers and aspiring history makers. That’s what this newsletter is all about and what Rememberinghistory.com is committed to. In this September issue of Making History Today!, I’m gonna address an issue that many people have approached me about: How can I work as an activist that focuses on the United States when I’m not actually LIVING in the United States? You might be surprised but this is a common concern for many (estimated 9 million) American citizens living around the globe.

This issue is very VERY important to me. You see, I am an American expat living in Belgium. I was born and raised in San Francisco then went to college at UCLA and law school at University of Pennsylvania. I left the United States in 1994 to get my Master of Law degree at the Rijksuniversiteit Maastrict in the Netherlands. But I had only planned to stay in Europe for a year then to return back home the United States. Well, it’s 2017, I’m still living in Europe. Lots of stuff has happened like marriage, children and other work and study opportunities so I’m still here. That’s a long story and maybe I’ll share that with you in another issue.

I’m gonna be honest with you though that for most of my time in Europe, my activism was limited to watching CNN and being the resident “American” among my non-American friends. That basically meant that people asked me questions about the United States like “why don’t most Americans speak more than 1 language?” “Why does U.S. health care cost so much? And my personal favorite “Why do Americans need so many guns?” I answered for all 325 million of my fellow Americans. That was the extent of my activist activities. I was an armchair activist or a slacktivist like I mentioned in the July issue of Making History Today!. That’s pretty sad, huh?

But, over the years, things began to change. I began to pursue my love of history again—I’d always been interested in history—and I started writing about history, which was how Rememberinghistory.com was born. Over the years and 3 presidents (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama), I began to grow more interested in politics and was able to see the United States from a distance. Suddenly, I began to see the problems more clearly: outrageously expensive health care, gun violence, economic disparity, rising levels of racism, sexism and xenophobia and a long list of others. (No, everything isn’t bad but these things definitely exist there!)

And with the election of Donald Trump in November, 2016 as the 45th president of the United States, everything became clear: the time had come to move from only studying and learning history to MAKING history. To taking action.

With that commitment, it has not been difficult working as an expat activist. And it has been so rewarding. So I am glad that people are asking me how to work effectively as an activist when living abroad.

What can you do? To be brief, you can do A LOT.

Let me get more specific:

Connect with the local political party: Democrats Abroad is a worldwide organization and it is definitely following the major issues in the United States and issues that affect Americans living abroad (such as taxation). But mostly they are focused on issues happening within the United States. You can work directly with them as a volunteer on projects that you’re interested in. Or you can get on their mail list and work on your own following their suggestions such as calling members of congress. They have a great campaign right now in which you take a picture of yourself calling your member of congress and reading a certain script. They send the picture to the main office with the hashtag #NotTooFarAwayToCall. By the way, you don’t have to be a member of the Democratic Party to join Democrats Abroad. (BTW, Republicans Abroad also has groups for U.S. expats.
Connect with PAGE, which is Progressives Abroad, Global Exchange. This is a worldwide group of progressive-minded people who want to get involved in U.S. politics. There are offices in many cities around the world. Each office is independently operated by a local expat. This organization is much smaller than Democrats Abroad and they are also more independent. Each group will decide which issues that it wants to focus on and pursue. If there is no group in your city, then you can work on your own or start a group. The global office of PAGE provides weekly guidance and regular support. This is a dynamic, exciting and diverse organization and they are very committed to making change in the United States and around the globe. Remember, you can work with an established group or on your own. Either way, you get lots of exposure to issues and practical idea...

Next Episode

Becoming a Better American

How Leaving the United States made me a better American

Hi and welcome to the July issue of Making History Today, the newsletter for people who want to change the world. I’m Robin, the editor of this great and groundbreaking newsletter. I’m so happy that you are receiving Making History Today and listening to this podcast.

As the editor in chief, I have the privilege every month of writing a few words about a current event or an important issue that I think will be helpful, interesting or even intriguing to the Making History Today community. This month, I made an interesting observation about myself. It’s something that I notice every year. Mostly in July. You see every July, I return to the United States for a vacation. That’s when it happens. I notice the same thing. I notice a change in myself and in the United States.

But let me back up a bit and tell you the whole story. It’s not long but it’s important because then you’ll understand that when I left the United States, I actually became a better American. And that’s the subject of my editor’s note for the July issue of Making History Today.

In 1994, I moved to the Netherlands. It was not supposed to be a permanent move to leave the United States. I was going to study at a Dutch University for my Masters degree in European Law. I was planning a year-long adventure of living abroad, learning another language and travelling around Europe. My program was scheduled to end in May 1995 and then I would return to my life and law practice in California.

I DID complete my program in May of 1995.

But I didn’t return to live in the United States.

What happened?

A lot.

I had developed a different worldview. And my view of America had definitely changed.

Let me begin by saying that I love the United States. I always have. I can still get misty-eyed when reading the Declaration of Independence. I read the U.S. Constitution for the sheer joy of it. I love the cultural diversity of the country, the can-do attitude and the everything-is-possible belief. I could make a long list of the great things in and about the United States. But what I experienced in Europe during that study abroad year was a game changer for me.

I met so many new and interesting people from around the world—each of us defined PRIMARILY but NOT SOLELY by our nationality. But as an African American woman, I never thought of myself as fully, mainstream American but more as “on the fringes” American. Yet when I spoke with people from Spain, Poland or South Africa, I realized how fully American that I really was or am. At first, this was a shocking realization. Then it became a teachable moment, an epiphany—it became my opportunity to grow and learn how other people live, think and experience life. That’s when I discovered how fully American that I really am. And—perhaps more importantly—that Americans are not living as fully as we can.

What do I mean?

I mean that Americans (myself included) accept certain things as “acceptable” or “just how things are”. Or that this is the best way to do something. Or we simply can’t imagine something different. And these are things that we should NEVER accept.

Here’s an example: I became sick while I was in the Netherlands. I was a student and didn’t have much money and no Dutch health insurance. I needed to spend the night in the hospital and have tests. I was worried that I couldn’t afford all of that. The hospital never even asked to see my insurance information. (In contrast, the hospitals and pharmacies that I have visited in the United States spend lots of time asking about insurance, deductibles, exemptions and a host of other financial information that has NOTHING to do with medical treatment!) The Dutch hospital was clearly more interested in my treatment rather than my ability to pay. Everyone spoke English. And I was treated with professionalism and kindness.

Months later, I was sent a bill that was less than $500, (and this was for an overnight stay in the hospital and a complicated test). I sent the bill to my American health insurance provider who refused to pay any part of it.)

This was not the only experience that I have had with the medical systems in different European countries. They all have provided excellent service at a fraction of the costs of the American system. Most non-Americans simply don’t understand how the American system can cost so much money.

The same is true for the educational system, particularly at the university or graduate school level. I paid about $1,000 for my post-graduate program at a fantastic law school in the Netherlands. This is a fraction of the costs of American schools.

But everything is not just about costs. It is much more.

I’ve witnessed what people expect from their government such as transparency and accountability. Real debate and progressive discussion happens on issues...