Genealogy and History Fan

As the Civil War came to an end, it was important to take the accomplishments that had been made and transition them into the law of the land. This needed to be done before any ground was lost, and as reconstruction returned the nation to one country rather than two warring parties. The upheaval of society that the abolition of slavery represented and the massive surge forward for black history was so important that it had to be made permanent with amendments to the constitution.

The work to change a nation from one of slavery to one of equality started with three important amendments to the constitution. The thirteenth amendment abolished slavery forever and the fourteenth amendment reversed the negative effects of the Dred Scott decision providing equal protection under the law for all citizens of this country regardless of race, color or creed.

Next came the fifteenth amendment which went further than just establishing the basic human rights of the African American community. It made a change so fundamental to how America works that its ramifications were sweeping and far reaching down to this day. The text of the amendment is direct and elegant…

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.This was a tremendous leap forward for the black community when this amendment was ratified on February 3, 1870. It finally meant that the African American population in this country could stand up and be counted and start making a mark on politics.But like so many other great advances in black history, earning the right to vote didn’t automatically make it easy to vote. There was staunch resistance to actually allowing blacks to go to the polling booth in many communities across the country. The Klu Klux Klan engaged in intimidation tactics to try to keep African Americans home from the polls. In Louisiana, the mob attempts to stop the institutions of a legally elected and integrated local government had to be broken up by federal troops sent in by Ulysses S. Grant.

Probably the most serious threat to the actual workability of the fifteenth amendment was the introduction of the poll tax and other registration tricks that were used such as literacy tests and voter qualification tests. This practice became such a problem that it instigated the passage of the twenty fourth amendment which outlawed poll taxes which were only designed to usurp the rights of African Americans to vote.

But these desperate attempts could not stop the march of justice and democracy to assure that voting rights were available to all Americans. Before long blacks were occupying positions of influence and decision making in state legislatures and at the federal level. It’s been a long struggle but even in the last few decades we have seen positions of high honor and influence held by African Americans such as Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. And if Barack Obama wins the democratic nomination, that will be yet another break through for a proud man and a proud people.

“If liberty and equality are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be attained when all persons share in government to the utmost.”

Aristotle (384-323 B.C.)

May we all exercise our right to vote so we can all be a part of the governing process. But we should also care enough to learn about the candidates and issues and vote for who we think would be the best for our country.

“Every voter ought not merely to vote, but to vote under the inspiration of the high purpose to serve a nation.”

Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)

The Freedman Savings and Trust Company was established in 1865 as a bank for freed slaves and former soldiers who were African American. It began in Washington D.C., but had 37 branches in the south and also in New York and Pennsylvania. This bank with it’s branches had about 72,000 clients. It is believed that 8 - 10 million African Americans living today have ancestors on these records.

The records contain the applications forms that were filled out to open accounts at the bank. Some of the questions asked were of course the name of the applicant, also age, place of birth , where they were raised, occupation, employer, names of spouse, children, parents and siblings, military service etc. What a wealth of information! The problem was they were not in alphabetical order so they were very difficult to search.

Several years ago The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with the aid of prisoners from the Utah State Prison, worked to extract and organize these records.
These records contain 480,000 names in alphabetical order, and are on an easy to use CD-Rom. The cost is $6.50 - yes six dollars and fifty cents and that includes shipping! If you have African American ancestors, there is an excellent chance you will find them in this database.

The Freedman Bank records were said to be the main records that Alex Haley used to find his ancestors for his famous book “Roots”. Speaking of family history and Alex Haley - he once said “My fondest hope is that “Roots” may start black, white, brown, red and yellow people digging back for their own roots. Man, that would make me feel 90 feet tall!” If Haley were alive today, I’m sure he would be standing tall for his sparking a desire in millions of people to search for their family history.

To order the Freedman Bank records go to http://www.familysearch.org/ and click on order/download products (upper right hand corner)

Rosa Louise McCauley was born on February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her father James McCauley, was a carpenter and her mother Leona Edwards, was a teacher. Rosa, as a child, was small for her age and suffered poor health. She was raised on her maternal grandparents farm near Montgomery, Alabama. She lived there with her grandparents, her mother and her younger brother Sylvester. Rosa was home schooled by her mother until she was 11 years old. She enrolled in school to take academic and vocational classes but had to drop out to help care for her grandmother and mother who became ill.

In 1932, Rosa married Raymond Parks who was a barber from Montgomery. After her marriage Rosa was employed as a domestic worker and also as a hospital aide. With her husband’s encouragement, Rosa finished high school in 1933. This was at a time when less than 7% of African American had a high school diploma.

Rosa and her husband Raymond were members of the NAACP. She served for many years as the secretary of the Montgomery chapter.

In 1955, Rosa worked at Montgomery Fair, a department store in downtown Montgomery. She boarded her usual bus at 6pm, Thursday December 1, to go home. She paid the fare and sat in the first row of seats in the “colored section”. When the bus became crowded, the bus driver ordered Rosa to relinquish her seat to a white man as was the cultural order of things at that time. But Rosa Parks was not interested in seeing that the cultural order of things continue. She refused to give up that seat.

The explosion of outrage and social change that was released by that one simple act of “civil disobedience” is the watershed moment that anyone affected by the civil rights movement points to as the most important event in modern black history. Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving her seat up that day. Her trial for that act of “civil disobedience” brought to the national spotlight another important leader in the civil rights movement by the name of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This one event began to escalate and gather energy in the black community. It was an exciting and somewhat frightening time as the black community was energized and began to organize around these two courageous leaders. The result was the most powerful civil rights protests in the history of the movement occurred. This protest came to be known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Rosa Parks was not a trained instigator or a skilled manipulator of groups. She was just a citizen and an “ordinary” woman with simple daily needs. She was not looking to start a nation changing civil rights movement when she refused to give up her bus seat.

Rosa Parks won the right to be treated as a human being for herself and for her people across America and even around the world. She is an inspiration to us all that we too must demand the right of simple human dignity for all people who are citizens of this great land. 

In 1996, President Bill Clinton presented Rosa with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1999 she was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

Rosa Parks died October 24, 2005. President George Bush ordered that all U.S. flags in public areas be flown at half-staff on the day of her funeral. She was the 31^st person and the 1^st woman whose body lay in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

The infamous bus is at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, Michigan. On the 50^th anniversary of her arrest, President Bush declared that a statue of Parks be included in the United States Capitol’s National Statuary Hall. You’re come a long way Rosa!

In the United States we have been blessed to have had some truly outstanding leaders. On almost anyone’s “top ten” list of great presidents, George Washington will usually be at the top of the list. His stature in American history is legendary and the respect Americans have for him, their first president, borders on adoration.

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His father Augustine Washington, owned a large tobacco plantation. George learned the manners and received the education befitting a Virginia gentleman.

As a teenager, George’s main interest seemed to be his military training and western land expansion! At age 16, he assisted in surveying the Shenandoah Valley on behalf of Lord Thomas Fairfax who was a distant relative.

At age 22 George received a commission as a lieutenant colonel in the Virginia militia. He fought in skirmishes in a conflict which grew into the French and Indian War. The following year he began serving as an aide to General Edward Braddock. During this time he escaped injury even though 4 bullets tore through his jacket. He also had 2 horses shot from under him and was still unhurt.

When commanding the troops during the Revolutionary War, a famous incident that has been captured beautifully by artists, was his decision to cross the Delaware in New Jersey to stage a surprise attack. It was yet another brilliant maneuver that showed his firm grasp of military strategy and only served to add to his fame and reputation as an outstanding leader of men. His skills on the battlefield earned him the title of Commander-in-Chief of the American Army when the continental congress created that role in 1775. Small wonder when he ascended to the presidency some years later, he carried the title of Commander-in-Chief with him to the presidency where it continues to reside today.

After the war, Washington was interested in retiring from public life but he was never one to turn away when his nation needed him. And needed him it did as he presided over the Continental Congress to assure the successful drafting of the US Constitution. Of the many great accomplishments of his life, his ability to provide leadership and inspiration to that assembly to produce this masterpiece, the U.S. Constitution, would certainly be ranked as perhaps his finest hour.

George Washington was rewarded for his superior leadership skills when he was given the awesome responsibility of serving as the first President of the United States. His wisdom and insight into what the nation needed at each stage of its early development made him the man of the hour for a struggling republic. Few recognize that one of his greatest contributions to the presidency was recognizing that the nation was torn and weary of war. So using his considerable influence and negotiating skills, Washington signed a number of important treaties that resulted in years of peace that were needed to turn the country from thoughts of war to thoughts of building a great nation.

Washington never tired of providing leadership for two terms as the first American president and it was he who decided not to serve a third term and returned once again to private life. But his impact on the nation and the world was profound and long lasting. It was the kind of nation shaping influence that truly earned him the title “Father of our Country .”

On December 14, 1799, within 3 years after his retirement to Mount Vernon, he died of a throat infection. For months the nation mourned his passing.

One of my favorite quotes by George Washington is: “Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the nations of the world would live by this creed!

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Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky, to Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Thomas was a carpenter and a farmer. Due to a land title problem the Lincoln family (Thomas, Nancy, older sister Sarah and Abraham) moved to Perry County, Indiana in 1816. A land ordinance act in that area made land titles more secure. A state anti-slavery act also made Indiana a more agreeable place for them to live since they opposed slavery.

Very little is known about Nancy Hanks Lincoln who died when Abraham was 8 years old (1818). Thomas remarried the next year to Sarah Bush Johnston, a widow with 3 children. Lincoln said of his step-mother, “she proved to be a good and kind mother.”

Lincoln was raised to be a farmer and had very little formal education as a child. Nevertheless he learned to read, write and do some arithmetic. His love for reading proved a continual source of conflict between Abraham and his father.

In 1830, the Lincolns moved to Illinois.  Abraham tried his hand at various occupations and served in the military during the Black Hawk War.

Lincoln became interested in a political career and was a candidate for the Illinois Legislature in 1832. He lost that first election but went on to serve 4 terms in that legislature. During this time he studied law and became an attorney in 1836. He also served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1854 he lost his bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate. In 1856 he nearly became the U.S. vice-presidential nominee. He continued to gain national prominence and was elected President of the United States on November 6, 1860. He was elected to a second term in 1864.

Of the handful of men who have held that office, a few have stood out for their great achievements and leadership in a time that changed the country forever. One of these truly great presidents was Abraham Lincoln. Probably more than any other president, Lincoln had to handle one of the bloodiest and costliest wars in the nation’s history. Of course the reason that made it so horrible was that all of the casualties on both sides were casualties of Americans. This was a dispute that could have permanently torn the country in half and that could have resulted in dozens of small weak independent states instead of the powerful nation we know as America today.

It was Lincoln’s leadership, his commitment to values and his strong moral fiber that made it possible for America to find its way through that war and then to begin the healing process that would eventually lead the nation back to unity once again. His bold and unchanging opposition to slavery is without any doubt his greatest contribution to the history of America and indeed to world history as well. He was willing to put everything on the line to stop this barbaric social sin. Lincoln made a stand to bring slavery to an end.

On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, the Lincolns went to Ford Theater to see the play “Our American Cousin”. John Wilkes Booth, a racist and Southern sympathizer, shot Lincoln in the back of the head. He died the next morning. He was the first U.S. president to be assassinated. For months the nation greatly mourned their fallen leader.

The freedom that was won for so many black Americans in the Civil War permanently enshrined the memory of Abraham Lincoln as one of our greatest presidents in the hearts and minds of all Americans. Small wonder the monument honoring him on Washington’s national mall is one of the most revered spots in the nation and one that thousands flock to each year.

Inscribed on a wall of his monument is a quote from his second inaugural speech. Although written 143 years ago, his words are still relevant for our nation today.

“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds…”

We all want to be as successful as possible in all our pursuits. The following article has great tips to help us be more successful in our family history research.

Researching Genealogy Online? Here are Ten Tips

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Cristopher_Fowers]Cristopher Fowers

Researching your family history can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. Here are some tips to make your exploration go smoothly.

1. Gather All of Your Genealogy Information

Before starting any type of genealogical research, it’s a good idea to gather all of your known information. This way you will not waste time searching for people that you could have easily found with just a phone call or a letter. You will be amazed at how many names, birthdates, marriage dates and other details about your ancestors you can collect just by talking to family members.

You can also look through old records that family members may have including journals, wills, deeds, baptism records and marriage, birth and death certificates. Spread the word that you’re beginning a family tree or pedigree chart, and other family members may want to get involved.

2. Become a Member of an Online Genealogy Chat Room

Computers and the Internet connect thousands of people from all over the world each day and there are tons of genealogy chat rooms. Take advantage—you can learn a lot from other genealogists. This is a great way to learn the tricks of the trade and share success stories.

3. Subscribe to an Online Genealogy Search Website

Genealogy websites come with various features and capabilities. You may want to use more than one during your research. Some websites are free of charge, like Rootsweb.com, while more comprehensive sites, like Ancestry.com, require a subscription fee. Before choosing a site make sure it’s going to provide the information that you need. Remember some sites search by country or ethnic background—these can work to your advantage if you’re looking for ancestors from a certain country. However, if you’re not, the site will do you little if any good.

4. Make Genealogy Research Fun and Gratifying

There is usually no monetary award for doing genealogy, and knowing who your great-great-great-grandfather is, typically won’t get you ahead in life. So—why do people do genealogical research?

People research their past for a number of reasons, but everyone who is involved in genealogy does it because they enjoy it. They find satisfaction in learning about their roots. Remember you are learning about real people who once walked the earth. Instead of just learning names and dates, try to find stories about your ancestors, look for pictures and diaries. In some cases, you may be able to interview someone who knew the person.

5. Use Various Genealogical Resources

There are so many sources available to genealogists it’s a good idea to use a number of them during your investigations. Don’t put all of your efforts into one website. Use a number of different websites and databases.

There are also genealogy libraries where you can conduct your research. The largest of these libraries, The Family History Library, owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has satellite libraries all over the world and is open to the public at no charge. It houses the records of close to a billion people and offers other resources as well. A library like this can be a great asset if there is one in your area.

6. Involve the Entire Family

Build a family tree and family relationships at the same time—genealogy is a project the entire family can work on and contribute their findings. You can start an email or snail-mail newsletter to share experiences and information with family members. Family reunions are also a time when the whole family can get together, share stories about forefathers and foremothers and work on genealogy.

7. Subscribe to a Genealogy Newsletter

Many online genealogy websites offer a newsletter. Newsletters offer great tips on how to locate those hard-to-find ancestors. Newsletters will often explain how to use different databases or tools and let you know when new databases become available. It’s also great to hear motivational and inspiring success stories of others, or share one of your own.

8. Create a hard copy of the Genealogy Information

In today’s world of technology, we tend to want to digitize everything, but there are some good reasons to create hardcopy information to go along with your digital data.

Primarily, you’re going to come across a lot of hard copy information as you do your research. Remember computers have only been used to store information for a quarter century. You will likely come across old documents, journals, records and photographs.

Making a scrapbook of your findings is a great way to present your research to others. Looking at a computer screen with scanned documents just isn’t the same as flipping through a book. It really helps some people to create a giant pedigree chart or family tree in their office or den so they can visualize the entire puzzle at one time.

Binders are a good way to store information. As your library increases, develop a binder system so information is organized and easy to find.

9. Backup Genealogy Data Often

Maybe you’ve heard horror stories, or have one of your own that ends with the words, “and that’s when I lost everything.” The importance of backing up computer data cannot be stressed enough. Today’s backup software makes protecting and storing your valuable data more convenient than ever. There are a number of different programs to get the job done. Find the one that has the features you need, is user-friendly and in your price range.

There are also various ways of storing data. You can use 3.5-inch floppy disks, zip drives, CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives and external hard drives. Again, choose the one that suits you best. As you gather more information, you may want to invest in a safety deposit box or a fireproof safe to protect your family history.

10. Verify Genealogy Information Found on Web Sources

We like to think that everything found on the web is accurate and true. However, you should always verify any genealogy information found on the web, no matter where you found the information. The best way to verify information is to locate and research the source. Many databases include a list of sources but sometimes you’ll come across one that doesn’t. In this case, look at dates and the type of information and ask yourself what type of source would provide that information.

At some point in your research, you will encounter conflicting information—maybe different middle initials or birthdates. Carefully evaluate each source and try to find other sources with the same information to shed light on the inconsistencies.

Genealogy is an exciting and rewarding pastime that will link the generations and bring families together.

References

Casselman, Bryce. Why Backup your Computer Data?. [2005] 22 Sept. 2005

Powell, Kimberly. Five Steps to Verifying Online Genealogy Resources. [2005] 22 Sept. 2005

Sowton, Robin. The History Slice: Getting Organized—Setting Up a Binder System. [1999] 22 Sept. 2005

Cristopher Fowers

Cristopher Fowers is a Writer/Reviewer for [http://genealogy-search-review.toptenreviews.com/]TopTenREVIEWS.com. TopTenREVIEWS features expert reviews for technology and entertainment products and services. For more information and an in-depth review on online genealogy search websites, see [http://genealogy-search-review.toptenreviews.com/]http://genealogy-search-review.toptenreviews.com We do the research so you don’t have to™.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cristopher_Fowers http://EzineArticles.com/?Researching-Genealogy-Online?-Here-are-Ten-Tips&id=339126

We can learn a lot from Cristopher Fowers’ experience. Doing things right the first time will sure save us a lot of frustration down the line. I highly recommend we implement his great advise into our research.

Between the years 1955 to 1965 there was a war raging right in the middle of America. No, it wasn’t a war like the Revolutionary War or World War II. It was a war for the heart and soul of this country to determine once and for all if America was really going to be a land of equal opportunity for all. It was a war that eventually took on the name “The Civil Rights Movement.”

We must make no mistake, this was not just a shouting match. Those who fought in this war on both sides were deadly serious about the causes they represented and willing to fight and even die to see their cause succeed. The war waged for years and steady progress was made but not without tremendous sacrifice by the leaders of the movement who were committed to giving a new meaning to the phrase “set my people free.”

In all of black history, there may be no more significant a time since the Civil War when the rights of African Americans were so deeply fought and won. The tensions in the country had been building. When the Supreme Court mandated desegregation in the schools in the historic case Brown versus the Board of Education, the stage was set. But it was on December 1, 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama to a white man that the movement finally took shape.

This tremendous struggle for freedom was never easy and was often marked with violence. Over the next ten years some of the most important milestone in black history took place including:

1957 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower had to send federal troops to Arkansas to secure admission to Central High School by nine black students.1960 – The sit-in at Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina set the stage for nonviolent protest that was used with great success for the rest of the struggle. Nonviolent protest and civil disobedience became a staple of the civil rights movement because of the influence of Martin Luther King.

1963 – The historic March on Washington in which over 200,000 people gathered to hear Dr. Kings famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

1964 – President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill that was the most significant event of his presidency and one he believed deeply in, the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1965 – The assignation of Malcolm X and the Watts race rights.

1965 – President Johnson takes another bold step to accelerate the civil rights movement implementing Affirmative Action when he issues Executive Order 11246.

This short list is just a few of the highlights of this troubled time in which the rights of all citizens of America, black and white and of all colors were being redefined both on the streets, in the courts and in the different branches of government. In the years to come there would be great steps forward. One by one, every area of American life would see breakthroughs by African Americans in the areas of sports, entertainment, education and politics. There were many proud moments and there were moments of tremendous shame and heinous acts committed by both white and black people. But through all that struggle, the society continued to grow and adapt to the will of the people as has always been the tradition in American culture.The struggle is far from over. Discrimination and hate speech continue to be a problem to this day. And while it is easy to reflect on those days of struggle with regret, we can also look at them with pride. We can be proud of the great leaders who demonstrated tremendous courage and wisdom to lead this nation to a better way of life. And we can be proud of America because it is here where such a struggle can result in equality and freedom for all citizens, not just a few.

“Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!”

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Black History Month is celebrated in February in the U.S. and Canada. It is a time to remember and reflect upon the people and important events in African American history.

Black history has been a progressive climb from the lowest echelons of society during slavery to the highest. When we think of black history, we often think of the civil rights movement, of John Brown’s violent protests, or of the Underground Railroad. But black history doesn’t end with any one event. It is always in the process of being made every day.

Even in the last ten years, huge steps forward have been made at the very top governmental positions by notable and highly qualified black Americans who are making all of us proud in the contributions they are making to America. Colin Powell was an accomplished general who demonstrated with quiet dignity and authority that he could lead many men into battle. He was rewarded for his valiant efforts finally reaching the very top levels of the government serving as President Bush’s Secretary of State in his first administration. Throughout the halls of government and anywhere Secretary Powell served, he was treated with respect and the honor that he deserved for serving his country so well.

Following the honorable service of Colin Powell is a just as distinguished public servant, a black woman by the name of Condoleezza Rice. It was a proud day when she stepped into that office showing how far America had come from the days when blacks could not eat in the same restaurants as whites or drink from the same drinking fountains. And her service has been just as distinguished, meeting with heads of state from Africa to Europe to the Middle East to South America and making great accomplishments throughout her career.

These two black Americans are true examples of Doctor King’s vision of people who were recognized not for the color of their skin but the content of their character. Their excellence as leaders and their amazing resumes they brought to their jobs provide tremendous inspiration to black boys and girls in school. Young African Americans can see they too can rise up in this society. America has far to go but Dr. Rice and General Powell are examples that the system can reward black people of excellence and will not over look the contributions they can make to America’s future.

And now we are on that part of black history that is yet to be. The future is a part of black history yet to be written. And we witness another black leader of excellence preparing to be considered for the very top position of power in the country, perhaps in the world, the presidency of the United States. And as with General Powell and Dr. Rice, Barrack Obama will not be judged as a black man or in the context of the racial struggle in this country. Already he is being admired and praised for his leadership, his eloquence and his ability to bring new vision to this country. It is a day of pride for all of black America to see Barrack Obama be considered for this position. He will have to work hard and be judged on his talents, skills, experience and ability to lead. But it’s a testimony to how far the country has come that he has just as much of a chance to win that election as any other candidate. And if he wins he will knock down one more barrier to black people and throughout African American society, children will be able to say, there is nothing I cannot do if I try hard. And that is the vision every civil right leader since the civil war has wanted for blacks in America.

Throughout the  month of February, let’s take the opportunity to honor and learn more about the great contributions  African Americans have made for all mankind.