Eden. wrote: Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 to Divide Africa In 1884 at the request of Portugal, German Chancellor Otto von Bismark called together the major western powers of the world to negotiate questions and end confusion over the control of Africa. Bismark appreciated the opportunity to expand Germany’s sphere of influence over Africa and desired to force Germany’s rivals to struggle with one another for territory. The Berlin Conference was Africa’s undoing in more ways than one. The colonial powers superimposed their domains on the African Continent. By the time Africa regained its independence after the late 1950s, the realm had acquired a legacy of political fragmentation that could neither be eliminated nor made to operate satisfactorily. The African politico-geographical map is thus a permanent liability that resulted from the three months of ignorant, greedy acquisitiveness during a period when Europe’s search for minerals and markets had become insatiable. At the time of the conference, 80% of Africa remained under Native Traditional and local control. Fourteen countries were represented by a plethora of ambassadors when the conference opened in Berlin on November 15, 1884 by the imperial chancellor and architect of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck to settle the political partitioning of Africa. Bismarck wanted not only to expand German spheres of influence in Africa but also to play off Germany’s colonial rivals against one another to the Germans’ advantage. The countries represented at the time included Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway (unified from 1814-1905), Turkey, and the United States of America. Of these fourteen nations, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Portugal were the major players in the conference, controlling most of colonial Africa at the time. The initial task of the conference was to agree that the Congo River and Niger River mouths and basins would be considered neutral and open to trade. Despite its neutrality, part of the Kongo Basin became a personal Kingdom (private property) for Belgium’s King Leopold II and under his rule, over half of the region’s population died. At the time of the conference, only the coastal areas of Africa were colonized by the European powers. At the Berlin Conference the European colonial powers scrambled to gain control over the Interior of the Continent. The conference lasted until February 26, 1885 - a three month period where colonial powers haggled over geometric boundaries in the interior of the continent, disregarding the cultural and linguistic boundaries already established by the Native Indigenous African population. What ultimately resulted was a hodgepodge of geometric boundaries that divided Africa into fifty irregular countries. This new map of the continent was superimposed over the one thousand Indigenous cultures and regions of Africa. The new countries lacked rhyme or reason and divided coherent groups of people and merged together disparate groups who really did not get along. Following the conference, the give and take continued. By 1914, the conference participants had fully divided Africa among themselves into fifty unnatural and artificial States. http://www.africafederation.net/Berlin_1885.htm

In all of my studies, I was not aware of this. Thanks Eden.

June, 1964. Black children integrate the swimming pool of the Monson Motel. To force them out, the owner pours acid into the water.

Thanks for bumping this back up bc i couldnt find it and fk the YT'S

^Right?

7 Black Female Pioneers in Education

Black women have a long and proud history of advancing the cause of education in America. Their groundbreaking accomplishments – particularly in higher education –inspire, encourage, and challenge not only black women, but people of every race, age,  gender, and economic background to pursue their dreams.  From the first black female PhD graduates to the first black female presidents of prestigious universities, the 7 women on this list are game changers in the world of education and beyond.

Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander

In 1921, when Dr. Sadie T. M. Alexander graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School, she became the first black person in America to earn a doctorate in economics, and only the second black female to earn a doctorate in any area. Following graduation, Alexander enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and helped found the National Bar Association. In 1927, she was the first black woman to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Adding to this impressive list, Alexander was the first black woman to pass the bar exam, and when she went to work for her husband’s law firm, Alexander became the first black woman to practice law in Pennsylvania.  In 1948, President Harry Truman appointed her to his Committee on Civil Rights, where she coauthored the Commission’s report, “To Secure These Rights,” which laid the foundation for Truman’s civil rights policy.

Dr. Jeanne Noble

A visionary educator, Jeanne Noble was the first black woman to research black women in college. In 1956, she published her findings in a book entitled, “The Negro Woman’s College Education.” In 1962, Noble was the first black woman to become a full professor at New York University. She was also appointed to federal commissions by Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford, and was the first black woman appointed to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. In addition, Noble was the first black woman to serve on the National Board of Girl Scouts USA.

Dr. Johnnetta Cole

In 1987, Dr. Johnnetta Cole became Spelman College’s first black female President. However, the appointment was also noteworthy for several other reasons.  At Cole’s inauguration, Bill Cosby and his wife donated $20 million, which was the single largest contribution from an individual to an historically black college (HBC).  Under Cole’s leadership, the SAT scores of Spelman’s freshman classes ranked consistently higher than any other HBC. Also, in 1992, the college was ranked number one on U.S. News and World Report magazine’s annual survey of best college buys. The magazine also ranked Spelman the top regional liberal arts college in the South.  In 1996, Money magazine listed Spelman as the number one HBCU, the number one women’s college, and the seventh best college in America.  While Cole was President, Spelman’s capital campaign also raised over $113 million, which is a record amount for HBCs.  She is also the first woman to be elected to the Board of Coca Cola Enterprises, and the first black woman to serve as Chair of the Board of United Way of America.

Gwendolyn Boyd

In 1979, Gwendolyn Boyd became the first black female to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Harvard University. After a year at IBM, she joined the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory team, where she performed classified submarine navigation tests and evaluations for the Department of the Navy. Boyd also worked to develop the ATLAS Summer Program, which provides summer internships to minority students majoring in computer science and electrical engineering.  In addition, she oversaw the launch of SEE (Science and Everyday Experiences) to encourage women and minorities to pursue careers in science and engineering. Boyd also established the International Day of Service AIDS awareness program. She received the Black Engineer of the Year Public Service Award in 1996, and Ebony magazine named her among the 100 Most Influential Black Americans in 2003 and 2004.

Dr. Martha Euphemia Lofton Haynes

In 1943, when Dr. Martha Euphemia Lofton Haynes graduated from The Catholic University in Washington, D.C., she became the first black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics. She then established a mathematics department at Miner Teachers College – which later became the District of Columbia Teachers College – and served as Chair of the Division of Mathematics and Education. In 1966, Haynes became the first woman to chair the District of Columbia School Board, where she was instrumental in integrating the DC public school system.

President Shirley Jackson, PhD

 Dr. Shirley Jackson has a staggering list of firsts.  In 1973, she became the first black female to receive a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  This accomplishment also made her one of the first two black women to receive a doctorate in physics. Dr. Jackson was also the first black commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and in 1995, she became the first black person and the first woman to serve as chairman of the commission. She is also the first black woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Adding to her impressive accomplishments, in 1999, Dr. Jackson became President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, making her the first black female at the helm of a major technological institute.

Dr. Melissa Harris Perry

Although she is best known as the host of The Melissa Harris Perry Show on CNN, Dr. Perry is also a heavyweight in the education arena.  In 2009, she became the youngest scholar to give the W.E.B. Du Bois lectures at Harvard University, and that same year she also became the youngest woman to deliver the Ware Lecture.  Dr. Perry received her PhD from Duke University.  She has taught at both Princeton University and Chicago University, and is currently a professor of political science at Tulane University. Dr. Perry is also the founder of the Anna Julia Cooper Project on Gender, Race and Politics in the South.

http://madamenoire.com/183700/advancing-the-cause-of-education-7-black-women-who-kicked-in-the-schoolhouse-door/7/

Richard Theodore Greener (1844-1922) was the first Black graduate of Harvard University (Class of 1870). His papers, including his Harvard diploma, his law license, photos and papers connected to his diplomatic role in Russia and his friendship with President Ulysses S. Grant, were recently discovered in an attic on the South Side of Chicago - just before the house was demolished. Absolutely MONUMENTAL!


(and a cutie pie too!)