#africanexcellence

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The Impact of African Heritage in European Culture: A Garveyite Perspective

The influence of African heritage on European culture is undeniable, yet often ignored, erased, or downplayed by Eurocentric narratives. From music, language, and art to philosophy, science, and architecture, Africa’s imprint on Europe runs deep. However, from a Garveyite perspective, this relationship is not a story of cultural exchange but rather one of exploitation, theft, and systemic denial of African contributions.

Marcus Garvey believed that African people must reclaim their historical and cultural legacy, rejecting the whitewashing of their achievements and resisting the continued economic and political exploitation of African identity by Europe. This analysis will explore the historical and contemporary impact of African heritage on European culture while also highlighting why Garvey’s teachings demand that Africans stop enriching Europe and instead invest in Africa’s own cultural and economic revival.

1. Ancient African Influence on European Civilization

European history often presents itself as separate from or superior to Africa, yet Europe’s very foundations were shaped by African civilizations.

A. Kemet (Ancient Egypt) and Its Influence on Greek and Roman Thought

The philosophers of ancient Greece, including Plato, Pythagoras, and Aristotle, studied in Kemet (Ancient Egypt), which was an African civilization.

The concept of Ma’at (balance, justice, and truth) influenced Western philosophy, but Greek and Roman scholars never credited Africa for these ideas.

Mathematics, medicine, architecture, and spiritual systems that were developed in Africa were later appropriated by European civilizations.

Example: The Great Library of Alexandria, often credited to the Greeks, was built in Kemet (Egypt) and housed African knowledge stolen by Europeans.

B. Moors and the African Golden Age in Europe (711–1492)

The Moors, who were Africans from North and West Africa, ruled Spain for over 700 years, bringing advanced knowledge in science, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and agriculture.

They introduced street lighting, running water, universities, and libraries, pulling Europe out of the Dark Ages.

European elites later erased this history, downplaying the role of Africans in shaping European progress.

Example: Alhambra Palace in Spain, built by the Moors, is one of the most advanced architectural structures in European history, yet Western narratives rarely acknowledge that it was designed by Africans.

Key Takeaway: African knowledge and innovation built the foundations of European civilization, but history books erase these contributions to maintain the illusion of European superiority.

2. The European Appropriation of African Culture

After the enslavement of African people and the colonization of the continent, Europe began to steal, commercialize, and profit from African cultural, artistic, and intellectual property.

A. The Pillaging of African Art and Artifacts

Thousands of African artifacts were stolen during colonialism and are still held in European museums, including the British Museum, the Louvre (France), and the Berlin Ethnological Museum (Germany).

African art forms, including sculpture, textiles, and architecture, inspired European Modernist movements, such as Cubism, Futurism, and Abstract Art, without credit.

Even today, African nations are demanding the return of their stolen heritage, but European governments refuse, proving their continued colonial mindset.

Example: The Benin Bronzes, some of the most sophisticated metal artworks in history, were looted by the British in 1897 and are still displayed in British and German museums.

B. African Contributions to European Music and Fashion

Jazz, Blues, Rock, and even Classical Music owe much of their foundation to African rhythms and traditions.

African fabrics like Kente, Ankara, and mud cloth have been appropriated by European designers, who profit from African culture while African nations remain economically underdeveloped.

Afrobeat and Caribbean music have shaped European pop culture, yet Black artists still face systemic racism in the European music industry.

Example: European designers use African textiles in high fashion, yet African weavers and artisans see little to no financial benefit.

Key Takeaway: Europe continues to steal from African creativity and culture while ensuring that Africans do not profit from their own heritage.

3. The Economic and Political Exploitation of African Identity

Even in modern times, Europe continues to extract wealth from Africa while pretending to “honour” African culture.

A. The “Ethnic” Market: Selling African Culture for European Profit

European corporations profit from African art, music, fashion, and even spiritual practices, turning them into commercial products.

White-owned businesses market African spirituality, African aesthetics, and “Afro-futurism”, but Black people see little economic return.

Many African artifacts in European museums generate billions in tourism revenue, while the descendants of those civilizations remain impoverished.

Example: European wellness brands profit from African herbal medicine and rituals, yet Africa’s natural resources remain controlled by European corporations.

B. African Talent Drained into Europe Instead of Africa

European nations attract African intellectuals, athletes, and artists, keeping African talent working for European economies rather than developing Africa.

Many African scientists, doctors, and engineers are recruited by European institutions, leaving Africa dependent on foreign aid.

Example: African football players generate millions for European teams, while African sports infrastructure remains underfunded.

Key Takeaway: Europe benefits from Africa’s people, resources, and culture, but Africa remains underdeveloped because European control never truly ended.

4. The Garveyite Solution: Stop Enriching Europe, Build Africa Instead

From a Garveyite perspective, African people must stop fueling European economies and culture and instead invest in Africa’s own development.

A. Reclaiming African Heritage and Economic Independence

Africans must demand reparations and the return of stolen artifacts from European nations.

Black people in Europe must redirect their wealth into Black-owned businesses, not European corporations.

African nations must control their own resources instead of letting Europe dictate trade and production.

B. Strengthening Pan-African Identity Over European Influence

Afro-Europeans must embrace African identity and reject white validation.

Black artists and intellectuals must build Black-owned platforms and stop seeking acceptance in white institutions.

Repatriation to Africa, whether physically or economically, is necessary for true liberation.

Example: Garvey’s UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) aimed to create a fully independent Black economy—Europe cannot be the Black world’s future.

Final Takeaway: African people must stop enriching Europe and start enriching Africa—economically, culturally, and intellectually.

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The Tougaloo Nine were students at Tougaloo College, staged sit-ins at the all-white Jackson Main Library. Before the sit-ins, African Americans were prohibited from using the library. Meredith Coleman Anding Jr., James Cleo Bradford, Alfred Lee Cook, Geraldine Edwards, Janice Jackson, Joseph Jackson Jr., Albert Earl Lassiter, Evelyn Pierce, and Ethel Sawyer were members of the Jackson Youth Council of the NAACP. Medgar Evers trained them for the sit-in protest.

On March 27, 1961, they entered the Library. The women wore dresses and the men wore shirts and ties. The Nine visited the George Washington Branch (Colored) to request books they knew would not be in that facility. They went to the Main Library where they attempted to stage a “read-in.” They sat at different tables reading library books quietly. The Librarian called the Jackson police. They were arrested, charged with breach of the peace, and jailed.

Students from Jackson State College organized a prayer vigil in support. Hundreds of people attended the vigil which was broken up by Jackson State College President Jacob Reddix, who was backed by city police. Joyce and Dorie Ladner and student body President Walter Williams, who organized the prayer vigil were expelled from Jackson State College.

Jackson State students boycotted classes in protest, held another rally, and marched to the Jackson City Jail. They were joined by townspeople and Medgar Evers. Police used tear gas and dogs against the protesters which included women and children. An 81-year-old man suffered a broken arm from an attack by a police officer. Supporters raised bail. They were represented by local civil rights attorney Jack Harvey Young Sr.

They went to trial and were found guilty. They were sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $100. The judge suspended the sentences on the condition that there would be no further demonstrations.

The NAACP filed a class action lawsuit against the Library. District Court Judge William Harold Cox ordered the Library to desegregate. This was one of the first victories in the civil rights campaign in Mississippi. They were honored with a freedom trail marker. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Sergeant Isaac Woodard Jr. (March 18, 1919 – September 23, 1992) was a decorated WWII veteran. On February 12, 1946, hours after being honorably discharged from the Army, he was attacked while still in uniform by South Carolina police as he was taking a bus home. The attack and his injuries sparked national outrage and galvanized the civil rights movement in the US.

The attack left him permanently blind. Due to South Carolina’s reluctance to pursue the case, President Harry S. Truman ordered a federal investigation. The sheriff, Lynwood Shull, was indicted and went to trial in federal court in South Carolina, where he was acquitted by an all-white jury.

Such miscarriages of justice by state governments influenced a move towards civil rights initiatives at the federal level. Truman established a national interracial commission, made a historic speech to the NAACP and the nation in June 1947 in which he described civil rights as a moral priority, submitted a civil rights bill to Congress in February 1948, and issued Executive Orders 9980 and 9981 on June 26, 1948, desegregating the armed forces and the federal government.

A group led by Don North, a retired Army major from Carrollton, Georgia, received permission to erect a historical marker in honor of him in Batesburg-Leesville from the state of South Carolina. In 2019 the marker was unveiled. The bottom part of the marker was written in Braille.

In January 2019, a new book about his story and its aftermath, Unexampled Courage: The Blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the Awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring was published; it was written by Federal Judge Richard Gergel. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Judge Frederick Wayman “Duke” Slater (December 9, 1898 – August 14, 1966) was a football player and judge. He was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Centennial Class in 2020.

He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Playing the tackle position on the line, he was a first-team All-American and a member of the Hawkeyes 1921 National Championship Team. He joined the NFL becoming the first Black lineman in league history. He played ten seasons in the NFL for the Milwaukee Badgers, the Rock Island Independents, and the Chicago Cardinals, garnering six all-pro selections.

He earned his JD and began to practice law as a Chicago attorney. He was elected to the Cook County Municipal Court, becoming just the second African American judge in Chicago history. He served as a Chicago judge for nearly two decades until his death.

He was born in Illinois to George Slater, a Methodist minister. He somehow picked up the name of the family dog, Duke, as a personal nickname, and he would carry it with him all his life. When he was 13 years old, he moved to Clinton, Iowa.

His father forbade him from trying out for football at Clinton High School, believing it to be a sport played by “roughnecks.” He went on a hunger strike for several days, and his father acquiesced on the condition that he must be careful to avoid injury.

He played three seasons of football for Clinton High School. Clinton claimed two Iowa state championships in 1913 and 1914, and the school compiled a 22-3-1 record in his three years there. He led Clinton in scoring as a senior, rushing for six touchdowns from the fullback position.

While playing in the NFL, he returned to Iowa in the off-seasons to attend law school. He earned his JD from the University of Iowa’s College of Law. He practiced law in Chicago while playing for the Cardinals. After one year as a high school coach and athletic director in Oklahoma City, he turned to Chicago as an attorney.

He married Etta Searcy (1926-62) until her death, they had no children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #kappaalphapsi

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Eulaulah Donyll “Lalah” Hathaway (December 16, 1968) is a singer. In 1990 she released her first album titled Lalah Hathaway. After releasing another album, titled A Moment (1994), it debuted at #34 on the Top R&B Albums chart. In 1999 she collaborated with Joe Sample on the album The Song Lives On. After a five-year hiatus, she returned with her fourth album, Outrun the Sky(2004). The single “Forever, For Always, For Love” peaked at number 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.

Stax Records released her fifth album Self Portrait in 2008. It debuted at #63 on the Billboard 200 and reached the top 10 on the Top R&B Albums chart, making this album her most successful album to date. She is the daughter of soul singer and musician Donny Hathaway. According to her website in March 2020, she is working on a studio album entitled, L.A.L.A.H. Rebirth. She received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.

She has recorded collaborations with Marcus Miller, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Mary J. Blige, and keeps her creativity nourished by contributing her voice to Daughters of Soul Tour, a musical mélange founded by Sandra St. Victor and featuring Nona Hendryx, Joyce Kennedy, as well as Indira and Simone.

She is known for singing down-tempo songs, she has done mid-tempo songs such as “Let Go”, “Let Me Love You”, and “Better and Better”. Keeping with the theme of her family, she often journeys back to her childhood with “Little Girl”, which she co-produced with Rex Rideout, Rahsaan Patterson, and Sandra St. Victor. On stage, she performs songs longer than their album equivalents, with many exceeding the five-minute mark and occasionally with new arrangements. Her band consists of a keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer. Her vocal prowess has led to audiences demanding her microphone be turned up in the mix during live performances. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Lanny Smoot (December 13, 1955) is an electrical engineer, inventor, scientist, and theatrical technology creator. With over 100 patents, he is Disney’s most prolific inventor and one of the most prolific Black inventors in American history. He worked to inspire young people, especially Black youth, towards STEM.

Born in Brooklyn, he attended Brooklyn Technical High School. He attended Columbia University supported by a Bell Labs Engineering Scholarship and received his BS in Electrical Engineering. He started work at Bell Communications Research. He completed his MS in Electrical Engineering from Columbia. He worked at Bell for two decades, where his mentors included James West, co-inventor of the electret microphone. Around 2000, he moved to Disney where he is a Disney Research Fellow.

At Bell, he was known for his work on the early development of video-on-demand and other video and fiber-optic technology. He anticipated a future where anyone could broadcast video.

At Disney, his accomplishments include the drive system for the Star Wars BB-8 droid, interactive zoetropes for facial animation of objects, eye imaging for superhero masks and helmets, “Where’s the Fire?” at Innoventions (Epcot), many Haunted Mansion special effects, virtual interactive koi ponds in Hong Kong Disneyland, Fortress Explorations at Tokyo DisneySea, “Power City” in Spaceship Earth (Epcot), and lightsabers for the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience. Other patented inventions include new ride technology and glassless 3D displays. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in Greensboro in 1960, which led to the Woolworth department store chain removing its policy of racial segregation in the South. It was not the first sit-in of the Civil Rights Movement, the Greensboro sit-ins were an instrumental action and the most well-known sit-ins of the Civil Rights Movement. They are considered a catalyst for the subsequent sit-in movement. The sit-ins led to increased national sentiment at a crucial period in US history. The event took place at the Greensboro, Woolworth store, now the International Civil Rights Center and Museum on February 1, 1960.

The Greensboro Four were debating on which way would be the best to get the media’s attention. They were Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr., and David Richmond. All were students at NCATSU. They were all in their freshmen year and met in their dorm rooms to discuss what they could do to stand against segregation. They wanted to change the segregational policies of Woolworths. During the Christmas vacation, McNeil attempted to use the Greensboro Greyhound bus station but was refused. The future Greensboro Four decided that it was time to take action against segregation. The plan was simple but effective: the four men would occupy seats at the local Woolworth, ask to be served, and when they were denied service, they would not leave. They would repeat this process day in and day out, for as long as it would take. If they could attract widespread attention to the issue, Woolworths would feel pressured to desegregate.

Students began a far-reaching boycott of stores with segregated lunch counters. Sales at the boycotted stores dropped by a third. On July 25, 1960, after nearly $200,000 in losses, and a reduction in salary for not meeting sales goals, the store manager asked four Black employees, Geneva Tisdale, Susie Morrison, Anetha Jones, and Charles Bess, to change out of their work clothes and order a meal at the counter. They were the first to be served at a Woolworth lunch counter. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Léopoldine Doualla-Bell-Smith (January 11, 1939 - May 9, 2023) After she graduated from high school at the age of 17, she was sent to Paris for ground hostess training by Air France and moved to UAT for flight training. She began flying as a stewardess with UAT which merged to become part of Union de Transports Aeriens. She didn’t know that she was making history as the first Black person to serve as a flight attendant for any airline. She took to the air the year before Ruth Carol Taylor who is credited with being the first Black flight attendant in the US.

In 1960 she was invited to join Air Afrique. She was the only qualified African in French aviation; her employment identification card was No. 001. She was promoted to Air Afrique’s first cabin chief. During her time as a flight attendant, she flew throughout Africa and as far away as Australia. Because of the color of her skin, some white passengers treated her like an outcast, but dark-skinned passengers often welcomed her presence. She experienced sexual harassment; on one occasion, she slapped a white man who had touched her breasts.

After twelve years as a flight attendant, She left Air Afrique to become manager of Reunited Transport Leaders Travel Agency in Libreville, Gabon. She relocated to DC to study English at Georgetown University. She returned to Gabon in 1976 where she was hired by Air Zaire as station and office manager at the Libreville airport. She supported the Skal Club, the international association of professionals, leaders, and friends who were seeking to promote travel and tourism in Africa.

She retired in 2003 and moved to Denver where they established the Business and Intercultural Services for Educational Travel and Associated Learning. She volunteers at Denver International Airport through their ambassador program. She was honored at the fortieth anniversary of the Black Flight Attendants of America organization at Los Angeles International Airport’s Flight Path Museum. She was honored during the International Women’s Day celebration in Denver on March 10, 2019. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Julius John Carry III (March 12, 1952 – August 19, 2008) was an actor. He made his acting debut in Disco Godfather. He played Sho’Nuff in The Last Dragon. He acted in World Gone Wild and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.

He appeared in numerous television roles, including Dr. Abraham Butterfield on Doctor, Doctor and the bounty hunter Lord Bowler in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. He appeared on shows such as Murphy Brown, Family Matters, A Different World, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, and Boy Meets World.

He grew up in Chicago. He attended Hales Franciscan High School, where he joined the Spartan Players, an acting group. He discovered a love of acting with the group, performing in plays such as Hamlet and West Side Story. After touring the country with the Spartan Players, Carry joined the Chicago Actors Repertory Company, performing with them for four years. He attended Quincy College, but only for one year. His family encouraged him to move to Los Angeles to live with his uncle and “get back on [his] feet.” He entered Loyola Marymount University, where he received a BA in Film and TV Production and an MA in Communication Arts.

In the TV series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. with Bruce Campbell, he played the part of Brisco’s one-time rival and fellow bounty hunter Lord Bowler (a.k.a. James Lonefeather), who became Brisco’s best friend and sidekick. His final appearance as an actor was in the season one episode “Eating The Young” on The Unit in 2006. He guest starred on three episodes of Boy Meets World, once as a college professor and as Sgt. Alvin Moore, father of series regular Angela Moore.

He married twice; his second wife was Naomi Carry. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Gerald Anderson Lawson (December 1, 1940 – April 9, 2011) was an electronic engineer. He is known for his work in designing the Fairchild Channel F video game console as well as leading the team that pioneered the commercial video game cartridge. He was thus dubbed the “father of the videogame cartridge” according to Black Enterprise magazine in 1982. He left Fairchild and founded the game company Video-Soft.

At the age of 13, he gained an amateur ham radio license and then built his station at home with parts from local electronic stores bought with his money. He attended both Queens College and City College of New York but did not complete a degree.

He joined Fairchild Semiconductor as an applications engineering consultant within their sales division. He created an early coin-operated arcade game called Demolition Derby in his garage. Completed in early 1975 using Fairchild’s new F8 microprocessors, Demolition Derby was among the earliest microprocessor-driven games.

He and Ron Jones were the sole African American members of the Homebrew Computer Club, a group of early computer hobbyists. He left Fairchild and founded Videosoft, a video game development company that made software for the Atari 2600 in the early 1980s, as the 2600 had displaced Channel F as the top system in the market. Videosoft closed about five years later, and he started to take on consulting work. He collaborated with the Stanford mentor program and was preparing to write a book on his career.

He was honored as an industry pioneer for his work on the game cartridge concept by the International Game Developers Association. He was honored with the ID@Xbox Gaming Heroes award at the 21st Independent Games Festival for leading the development of the first cartridge-based game console.

There is a display of his contribution to the gaming industry on permanent display at The World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Steven Henson (February 14, 1918 – February 23, 2007) was a Thayer, Nebraska native working as a plumbing contractor in the Anchorage while cooking to feed his work crews. He retired from plumbing and moved with his wife to Santa Barbara County, California, where he purchased a guest ranch in San Marcos Pass and renamed it Hidden Valley Ranch.

He served the salad dressing he had created in the early 1950s at the ranch's steakhouse and guests bought jars to take home. He began selling packages of dressing mix in stores, by mail and devoted every room in his house to the operation. The guest ranch had closed, but his "ranch dressing" mail-order business was thriving.

They incorporated Hidden Valley Ranch Food Products, Inc. and opened a factory to manufacture ranch dressing, which they first distributed to supermarkets nationwide.

In October 1972, the Hidden Valley Ranch brand was bought by Clorox for $8 million and he retired.

Kraft Foods and General Foods introduced similar dry seasoning packets labeled as "ranch style". Clorox reformulated the Hidden Valley Ranch dressing several times to make it more convenient for consumers, including adding buttermilk flavoring to the seasoning, allowing the dressing to be made using much less expensive regular milk. Clorox developed a non-refrigerated bottled formulation.

Ranch became a common snack food flavor, starting with Cool Ranch Doritos. Hidden Valley Ranch Wavy Lay's potato chips were introduced.

Ranch surpassed Italian dressing to become the best-selling salad dressing in the US. Hidden Valley had three child-oriented variations of ranch dressing: pizza, nacho cheese, and taco flavors. Domino’s first started offering ranch sauce as a condiment with its chicken wings and pizzas, a combination that became popular with customers. Clorox subsidiary Hidden Valley Manufacturing Company was producing ranch packets and bottled dressings at two large factories, in Reno and Wheeling, Illinois.

In 2017, Hidden Valley Ranch Products turned over $450 million. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Juliette Derricotte (April 1, 1897 – November 7, 1931) was an educationist and political activist. Her death, after being turned away from a white-only hospital following a car accident in Chattanooga, sparked outrage in the African American community. She was the Dean of Women at Fisk University.

She was born in Athens, Georgia, the fifth of nine children. Her parents were Isaac Derricotte, a cobbler, and Laura Derricotte, a seamstress. She wanted to attend the Lucy Cobb Institute in Athens but the school was segregated and did not accept African American girls. This denial helped shape her perception of the world and her desire to change people’s racial prejudices.

Her public speaking earned her a scholarship to attend Talladega College. After graduating in 1918, she enrolled at the YWCA Training School. She became the YWCA secretary of the National Student Council, where her responsibilities included visiting colleges, planning conferences, and fostering ideas and leadership. She is credited with re-establishing the council’s ideology, helping it become more balanced, open, and interracial.

In 1924, she became a member of the World Student Christian Federation and began traveling the world as a delegate representing American colleges. In 1927, she received an MA in religious education from Columbia University. Her travels included a seven-week trip to Mysore, India starting in December 1928 to attend the World Student Christian Conference. Seeing British colonialism in India, she drew parallels with the subjugation of African Americans, as a growing network of African American and Indian activists were doing at that time. She wrote about the insights and inspiration she gleaned from the trip in the African American magazine, The Crisis.

She resigned from her YWCA position in 1929 to become Dean of Women at Fisk University.

She was an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and affiliated with the sorority’s first graduate chapter in New York City. Delta Sigma Theta established a scholarship fund in her honor, awarded to members of the sorority employed in the social work field. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #deltasigmatheta

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Sister Souljah (Lisa Williamson January 28, 1964) was born in the Bronx and is an author, activist, and film producer. Bill Clinton criticized her remarks about race in the US during his presidential campaign. His repudiation of her comments led to what is now known in American politics as a Sister Souljah moment.

She recounts in her memoir No Disrespect that she was born into poverty and raised on welfare for some years. At the age of 10, she moved with her family to the suburb of Englewood, New Jersey.

She disliked what American students were being taught in school systems across the country. She felt that the school systems intentionally left out the African origins of civilization. She criticized the absence of a comprehensive curriculum of African American history, which she felt that all students, black and white, needed to learn and understand to be properly educated. She was a legislative intern in the House of Representatives. She was the recipient of several honors during her teenage years.

She visited Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Finland, and Russia. Her education was reinforced with first-hand experiences as she worked in a medical center in Mtepa Tepa and assisted refugee children from Mozambique. She traveled to South Africa and Zambia. She graduated from Rutgers University with a dual major in American History and African Studies. She became a well-known and outspoken voice on campus and wrote for the school newspaper. She was part of the Rutgers Coalition for Divestment, which prompted the University administration to divest $3.6 million in its financial holding companies. She and students across the state of New Jersey organized a successful campaign to get the state to divest more than $1 billion of its financial holdings.

She spent the next three years developing, organizing, and financing programs such as African Survival Camp. She became the organizer of the National African Youth-Student Alliance and an outspoken voice against racially motivated violence in cases such as the race murder at Howard Beach.

She is married to Mike Rich and they have a son. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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On December 11, 1917, the US Army executed 13 Black soldiers who had been court-martialed and denied any right to appeal. In July 1917, the all-Black 3rd Battalion of the 24th United States Infantry Regiment was stationed at Camp Logan, to guard white soldiers preparing for deployment to Europe. The Black soldiers were harassed and abused by the Houston police force.

Early on August 23, 1917, several soldiers, including a well-respected corporal, were brutally beaten and jailed by police. Police officers beat African American troops and arrested them on baseless charges; the August 23 assault was the latest in a string of police abuses that had pushed the Black soldiers to their breaking point.

Over 150 Black soldiers armed themselves and left for Houston to confront the police about the persistent violence. They planned a peaceful march to the police station as a demonstration against their mistreatment by police. The soldiers encountered a mob of armed white men. Four soldiers, four policemen, and 12 civilians were killed.

The military investigated and court-martialed 157 Black soldiers, trying them in three separate proceedings. In the first military trial, November 1917, 63 soldiers were tried and 54 were convicted on all charges. 13 were sentenced to death and 43 received life imprisonment. The 13 condemned soldiers were denied any right to appeal and were hanged.

The second and third trials resulted in death sentences for an additional 16 soldiers; however, those men were allowed to appeal, largely due to negative public reactions to the first 13 unlawful executions. President Woodrow Wilson commuted the death sentences for 10 of the remaining soldiers, the remaining six were hanged. The Houston unrest resulted in the executions of 19 Black soldiers. NAACP advocacy and legal assistance helped secure the early release of most of the 50 soldiers serving life sentences. No white civilians were ever brought to trial for involvement in the violence. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Audley “Queen Mother” Moore (July 27, 1898 - May 2, 1997) prominent Harlem civil rights activist, was born in New Iberia, Louisiana to Ella and St. Cry Moore. She educated herself by reading the writings of Frederick Douglass and listening to the speeches of Marcus Garvey.

Moved by the Black Nationalist message in a speech Marcus Garvey gave in New Orleans, she migrated to Harlem in 1922. She became a member and then a leader within Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. A proud shareholder in the Black Star Line, she helped organize UNIA conventions in New York. She married Frank Warner in 1922. They had one son.

After the demise of the UNIA, she founded several organizations. She founded and served as president of the Universal Association of Ethiopian Women. She founded the Committee for Reparations for Descendants of US Slaves, and The Republic of New Africa, which demanded self-determination, land, and reparations for African Americans. During the height of the Cold War, she presented a petition to the UN in 1957 which demanded land and billions in reparations for people of African descent and it requested direct support for African Americans who sought to immigrate to Africa.

She focused on local issues. She participated in a sit-in at a Board of Education meeting in Brooklyn. She and the other protesters said board members failed to adequately fund schools in African American communities. She served as the bishop of the Apostolic Orthodox Church of Judea and she co-founded the Commission to Eliminate Racism, Council of Churches of Greater New York.

While attending the funeral of former Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah, the Ashanti ethnic group bestowed upon her the honorary title “Queen Mother.” The Corcoran Gallery of Art in DC. honored Moore and 40 other famous Black women in Brian Lanker’s photo exhibit, “I Dream a World.”

Her activism continued through the mid-1990s, and she made her final public appearance at the Million Man March in 1995. She was survived by her son, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Sandy H. Love or S.H. Love (February 28, 1893 - March 17, 1963) known as S.H. Love, invented and patented the refrigerated vending machine in 1933. She was born in Colt, Arkansas, and served in Europe during WWI.

Now people use vending machines mostly anything and anywhere like in big stores or buildings. They have vending machines for different stuff like drinks, chips, toys, phones, ice cream, lottery tickets, alcohol, cologne, gold, etc...

Military guns have had a huge impact on history. They help many soldiers and have helped people protect others and themselves. Without military guns, they would probably still be using pistols.

She took a while to improve the vending machine, longer than it takes to make one now. Nowadays, if you want to install a vending machine, it takes about 15 business days. For the military guns, all she did was improve them, apply, and be granted a patent.

Another improvement she made was to improve military guns. She got a patent for military guns on April 22nd, 1919. She had an idea for a theater curtain that would draw instead of dropping from the ceiling. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence