A Black Perspective of American History.pdf pld991

Originally found on http://www.duboislc.org , this file was compiled by Rbg Street Scholar. More of his files can be found at http://www.scribd.com/rbg_scholar

This endeavor is an attempt to show how the events and flow of American history affected and were effected by Black people. It is written from a Black perspective. It is hoped that the reader will discern trends and patterns, such as, how Black folks were co-opted to deal with certain events and issues and were ruthlessly discarded when they were no longer beneficial (e.g. reconstruction, populist movement, and all of the major wars). It should also be noted how the Black population enlarged in certain areas of the country as laborers were needed (e.g. the ante-bellum south, the northern ghettos during the world wars).
Moreover, as population patterns changed, so too did life styles. Notice how the ghettos gave rise to new Black art and culture (e.g. big city blues, rhythm & blues, jazz, poetry, essays, etc.). Also, it should be ascertained how the growth of the northern Black population affected the politics, sociology, and economics of the country.
In addition to this, special attention should be paid to the cause and effects that the economy and economics of the times had on Black folks.