More great resources, from Peter

 Black History Month 2021 Prepared for the Dignity/Washington Community

Published February 18, 2021

Introduction: We are already in the middle of February and Black History Month. Much has happened in 2020 in which we witnessed in real time social and political injustices that permeates our country. As a follow-up to the three-part essay I wrote last year, you will find an introduction and links to articles and videos available to explore why the Black Lives Mattermovement is critical to the change so desperately needed in America.

Article:

Each February, Black History Month (also known as African American History Month) is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their contributions to the foundation of America often downplayed in U.S. history.

Last February, I wrote a three-part essay describing my experience with the title, “Living in a Paradox.” Since then, almost weekly events occurred in this country exposing so many of the examples I wrote in my essay. These events inspired thegrowth and understanding of the Black Lives Matter protests that captivated the world unlike anything I could have imagined. The movement was led by a rainbow coalition of young people who united to say “enough!”

Below are links to articles and videos that touch on the reasons of the movements so we understand truly the originals of bias discrimination that challenge conventional wisdom.

• PBS documentary: Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America

• A video discussion series with Emmanuel Acho:Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man

• Not Even Past website: Black Women’s History in the US: Past & Present

• CNN’s “United Shades of America,” correspondent W. Kamau Bell: Why I’m Getting Emails from the KKK

Published February 25, 2021

Introduction: As Black History Month comes to an end, I included links in the Bulletin of articles and documentaries that celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans and shows the harsh realities that permeated this nation’s history and why the Black Lives Matter movement needs support from all of us.

Article:

With the end of February and African American History Month, I assembled links to articles and documentaries that rejoice the success of African Americans, explains the African American experience, and uncovers the brutality of racial injustices in systems and practices.

• Courtney Connley is a careers reporter for CNBC Make Itwho assembled a list of 23 Black leaders who are shaping history today.

• Economic independence is part of the American dream that is shared by African Americans. The National Black Guidehighlights Black owned business that each of us can patronize and support the community. The link also includes featured articles and an app you can download to your mobile device.

• Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University, serves as executive producer, host, and writer of a two-part video series, The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. You may know Henry Louis Gates, Jr. from his PBS series, Finding Your Roots.

The next two documentaries take a serious view of historic practices and behaviors that include harsh and unpleasant content and have a rating of TV-MA (for mature audiences).

• Netflix documentary, directed by Ava DuVernay, is an examination of the U.S. prison system that looks at how the country’s history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America: 13th

• A replay of a 2004, 60 Minutes report with correspondent Ed Bradley on the 1955 murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till: 2004: The Murder of Emmett Till.

 

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