What does African American history involve?

Question: What does African American history involve!?

I know it sounds SUPER ignorant but at least I'm askingWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

It's not SUPER ignorant!. In fact, it's rather astute!. You questioned what was provided to you, and THAT is a WONDERFUL trait!. Keep asking questions!.

As for a direct answer, African American history is about people in the US who are of African descent!. It's everything!. There are the big issues like slavery, emancipation and the civil rights movement (which your teacher barely touched upon, I'm sure, especially if s/he focused on those two individuals as opposed to the entire movement in which these gentlemen were immersed and came from)!.

Black history or African American history is a key component of this country's history, and was just left out!. This country is a giant soup pot of different cultures, and unfortunately because Blacks were slaves and thought of as second class people or less than human by whites, accomplishments by blacks were often just ignored, like it didn't exist!.

In the 1960's and 1970's as a result of the civil rights movement there was an epiphany to many people within the movement that asked a similiar question that you asked!. "wait, there's more to what the establishment is telling me, and I know MY history matters!." It was a question like yours that created inspiration to understand the history of African Americans and their role in shaping this great country in the 1960's and 1970's!.

It was a very hard fought battle to even get many historic black colleges and universities in some cases to develop Black Studies programs and for many young Black intellectuals to have approvals of researching topics for Masters and doctorates that focused on African American history!. There's a lot of information about that alone!.

If you are looking for some highlights in African American history, I strongly suggest that you venture to the library!. I know, I know!.!.!. it's so old school, but seriously!. You can surf the internet, but the books are way cooler, and they are more likely to be accurate!. You don't have to read an entire book unless you want to!. It's just really cool to use the library to go deeper into a subject that interests you that you might find just find a page or two about on the internet!.

African Americans have made significant contributions to every aspect of American life, including sports, arts, business, agriculture, technology, human rights, military and government!.

WEB Dubois!. A great day in Harlem!. Buffalo soldiers!. African American rodeo!. Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey (he was a trip), the founding of Haiti, the founding of Liberia, the invention of JAZZ, Congo Square in New Orleans, Tuskegee Airmen, George Washingtong Carver, Jubilee Singing, Black Gospel Music, Blues, Madame C!.J!. Walker, Minstrel Shows, Wilma Rudolf, Serena and Venus Williams, Arthur Ashe, Jesse Owens, ***** Baseball Leagues (there's a whole museum in Kansas City for this -- check out the team called the "clowns!.")

So it's more than Macolm X and Martin Luther King Jr!. Both were inspired men who ventured to lead and speak out!.

Thanks for asking such a GREAT question!. I hope you are inspired to research further on your own!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Love this question!
Ok, there are several components!. The first part (which everyone should start with) is the African Diaspora!. This is the dispersion of African Peoples primarily to the americas, europe, and the middle east!.
African Americans are comprised of the descendents of slaves in the americas and the history is generally recorded from 1619, when the first slaves arrived on american soil!.
The history is comprised of slavey, emanicipation, the continuing struggle for civil rights, the great migration and the harlem renaissance, and political and economic empowerment!.
I could go on and on and on, but you get the gist!.
EDIT: Penguin, please google John Hope Franklin!. He's my favorite African American Historian!. I hope to be like him when I grow up!Www@QuestionHome@Com

European colonists established global manufacture and trade routes in the 1600's, enabled by ships!. The Americas (North, Central and South) were used to develop agricultural products!.

The English, Portuguese, and others captured slaves in Africa and transported them to the pre-US Southern colonies, Brazil, and the Caribean islands to work as agricultural slave laborers!.

Starting in the 1770's with the US, these countries claimed independence from their colonial rulers in Europe!. More often than not, the African slaves were not freed upon national independence, but remained slaves under the new independent states!. This was true in the US and Brazil!.

African American history is rooted in slavery and marked by a constant struggle to obtain complete freedom and equality!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it's not ignorant because in the past AFRICAN AMERICANS WAS
-slaves
-inventors
-singers
-actors/actress
-the first women to fly a plane/ to be a millionare/ to go in space
-to be the first dentist/doctor
AND I SUPPORT THE JENA 6, GET THOSE BOYS OUT OF JAIL, I'M WEARING MY BLACK ON THAT DAY!Www@QuestionHome@Com

1619 - 2008
Importation of Africans to America
Slavery
Abolishment of slavery
African American migration from south to northern states
Jim crow laws
Oppression & second class citizenship
African American lynching
Civil rights movements
Black Panther
African American culture

There is alotWww@QuestionHome@Com