In the early days and slavery era, in 1800 the first African Methodist Episcopal Church paved the way to continue to spiritual life of African Americans, to be able to praise and worship in our own way. As history has stated that when Africans were brought over to America, one of the things that had that no one could take from them was their spiritual beliefs and worshipping to a higher being. Entertainment 1821 was paved through the first black theater company in the U.S. which was founded in in New York, gave African Americans an opportunity to identify with people whom looked and sounded just like they did, knowing that could entertain in a professional manner and get compensated as well, it made African Americans proud enough to pursue their dreams as a professional in the entertainment field. In 1827 the first African American newspaper "Freedom Journal" was published giving African Americans that insight on what was going on in the African American communities and what was going on outside of the communities, it united the African Americans through written communication and being able to be represented in the newspaper among their peers.
Building Democracy 1866-1953 Era, in 1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act which was a huge beginning for African Americans to share in some of the rights that Whites had from birth, though those rights never equaled to what the Whites had, it was a beginning of a long battle for equal rights. African Americans did not have much to be proud of because what had been aired about the communities and their people had been negative and that we has African Americans would never achieve anything other than being someones maid or servant. But in 1893 African Americans had another person to be proud of, the first African American physician to successfully to perform open-heart surgery, this lead the path of opening avenues for African Americans to be recognized in the medical field right along side of white doctors and their peers.
Civil Rights Era 1954-1971, 1954 Board of Education paved the way for All African Americans and their children to receive an education, though the education in many African American communities is not the same quality and quantity as other school districts, it is the reason why I am able to receive a higher education as well as my children. In 1963 the march on Washington D.C. brought a sense of unity back into the black communities and a sense of pride for African American men and women. It held together that sense of belonging which had been lost along with the break down of the African American family values, that all dreams are a reality through faith and commitment.
Modern Times Era 1972- Present, in 1972 the Equal Employment Opportunity Act achieved great things for African Americans, it provided a positive path of how we could provide for our families, without the threat of not being hired because the color of our skin and assuring that African Americans could have the same opportunities in the job market like others. And finally we could be all so proud that we are a beautiful people and that our skin color just enhanced our beauty and that we could begin to love ourselves just the way we are. In 1983 Vanessa Williams became the first African American to become Miss America, and though she had fallen from that grace, she committed herself to other avenues and opened up more doors of the entertainment industry for many African American women and many African American women have entered the Miss America pageants and any other contests that once excluded people of color.
Karenga and Karenga Principles: The 2nd principle in self-determination can be related to first African American newspaper it taught how to "speaking our own special cultural truth in the world" showing strength, dignity and determination. The fifth principle can be related to 1911 National Urban League by helping many African Americans find jobs and housing, it rebuilding, developing and defending the African American community and its people.
In the Harvey article many of the principles are evident the section on cultural values and behavioral norms can be related to the frist principle "striving for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race", the handyman syndrome relates to the second principle because it talks about defining ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves. The handyman talks about how many of the men felt like failures and feeling personally responsible for not being successful but the ending results were to have the men recognize their strengths and that they are worthy and appreciate who they are and to love the color of their skin.
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