*** Note: This blog was written by our former Director of Marketing Preston Simmons.

Black history and accomplishments should be celebrated every day of the year in addition to during Black History Month. These individuals have made invaluable contributions to their local communities and to global society . Because Peace360 is an organization with chapters in many countries, we recognize and celebrate the efforts of notable individuals, regardless of their nation or origin, culture, skin color or how they choose to identify.

Self-Identification of Black/African American Individuals

An important aspect of self-identification within the Black/African American community is what term is used to refer to someone. Adrienne Broaddus of kare11.com explains:

“When I address you as Black or African American, they both apply but it may be a situation where some black folks whose parents come from other parts of the world may not identify as African American. It is better to call them black American”.

Notable Black Individuals Who Are Not Well Known

The news outlet 6abc.com reported on their website about the following Black individuals who made very important contributions to global history.

Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States, Alexander achieved much during her life that served as an example for women in general and Black women across the world. According to 6ABC, she was “the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. in economics in the United States, the first black woman student to graduate with a law degree from Penn Law School, and the first African-American woman to practice law in Pennsylvania ”. The contributions that she has made to academia, the legal system and the Black community are undeniable, because she paved the way for other women to achieve their own goals in these fields. According to upenn.edu, she was “The first African-American woman to serve as assistant city solicitor of Philadelphia from 1927 to 1931”. Additionally, in 1947 she was “Appointed to the President’s Committee on Civil Rights by President Harry S. Truman. The committee… served as the foundation of the civil-rights movement in America and was the basis for future civil-rights policy decisions and legislation”.

Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Pushkin was a Russian author and poet who also had African ancestry. As Cynthia Green of JSTOR stated, he “took particular inspiration from his African great-grandfather, General Abraham Petrovitch Gannibal”. As listed by theculturetrip.com, Pushkin published famous works such as Eugene Onegin, Dubrovsky and The Queen of Spades. While many do not know about his African ancestry, his works show that talent and discipline are what allow an author to change the world through their writing.

Kwame Nkrumah

According to biographyonline.net, Nkrumah “became the President of Ghana” when he led this area in the fight for independence from British colonial rule. He was also an advocate for “Pan-Africanism and African independence”. Britannica.com says that he “inspired subsequent independence movements throughout Africa”. His impact on Ghana and other African nations to create independent nations where their citizens can enjoy personal freedom is one of the most important contributions to that region in Africa.

How to Learn About Black History

History.com has various free resources to help you learn more about Black patriots, civil rights activists, and soldiers. These resources include short teacher’s manuals about these topics, as well as comprehensive documents that clearly teach about these individual’s accomplishments. These documents also provide additional print and web resources to expand your knowledge regarding these topics. One important resource that many people do not know about is the one hour documentary about Black patriots of the Revolutionary War that helped shape the founding of the United States.

How to Support Black Accomplishments

To support the accomplishments of Black individuals, you can follow Black social media creators on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to Black YouTuber’s channels channels about Black history/accomplishments. In your community, you can eat at Black owned businesses or shop at Black owned stores. Prominent apps and websites that you can use to support these businesses include:

• SupportBlackOwned.com (a mobile website and app to find Black-owned businesses in your community).
• EatOkra.com (A website to help you find Black-owned restaurants).
• WeBuyBlack.com (A website with an online marketplace to buy from Black-owned brands).

We at Peace360 hope that you will take the time to learn more about Black history and the contributions of Black individuals to your community and to our global human family. This knowledge will enable you to be more informed and will allow you to become an ally to aid in the advancement of Black individuals in every nation. 

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This Friday, March 5th at 9:00 am (Pacific Time), our Friday Focus on Facebook Live was the second part of a two-part series about ways to heal from grief. We hope that you will tune in! Click on the links below to follow us on social media!

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