African American History Midterm #1 Review

Victorious Consciousness

State of mind in which one feels empowered and in control of their inner world

Afrocentricity

Placing the African peoples at the center of their own histories, making them the agents of their past

40 Acres & A Mule

Slogan created in 1865 which gave freed Blacks land and a fresh start after enslavement was abolished

Kandake

Powerful female leader who co-ruled Kush with her husband and sons

Lynching

Putting a person to death by mob action without due process of law

Antebellum

Belonging to a period before a war especially the American Civil War

Agency

The ability to think, act, and make choices independently

Slave Codes

Laws that controlled the lives of enslaved African Americans and denied them basic rights.

Black Codes

Laws denying most legal rights to newly freed slaves; passed by southern states following the Civil War

Convict Leasing

Southern state officials allowed private companies to hire out prisoners to labor under brutal conditions in mines and other industries.

Redlining

Denying/limiting financial services to residents in certain neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity.

Blockbusting

Inducing homeowners to sell their properties by telling them that people of a certain race, national origin or religion are moving into the area

Sundown Town

A town that keeps out African Americans (or other minorities) by posting signs warning them to leave by sundown; also using police intimidation.

Ma'at

Egyptian concept of truth, justice, and cosmic order, represented by a goddess portrayed with a feather upon her head.

Maafa

African Holocaust, Holocaust of Enslavement, Black holocaust as alternatives; terms used to describe the history and ongoing effects of atrocities inflicted on African people.

Chattel Slavery

Absolute legal ownership of another person, including the right to buy or sell that person like cattle.

Middle Passage

Route in between the western ports of Africa to the Caribbean and southern U.S. that carried the slave trade.

Black gold

Coal

1441

Start of Atlantic slave trade

1619

First Africans arrive in Virginia

1804

Haitian independence

1926

"Negro History Week" created, Harlem Renaissance, Black sorority founded at Howard

January 1, 1863

Emancipation Proclamation

June 19, 1865

Juneteenth (Slaves are freed).

Summer 1919

Red Summer; African Americans face heavy racial tension and violence

Queen Amanirenas

Powerful Kandake; Defended Kush against Romans in 24 BCE and defeated the most powerful empire in the world; kingdom survived for nearly 400 more years

Sojourner Truth

Former slave who became an abolitionist and women's rights activist, "Ain't I A Woman?"

Phillis Wheatley

First African American female writer to be published in the United States; first African American to get a volume of poetry published.

Crispus Attucks

A free black man who was the first person killed in the Revolution at the Boston Massacre.

Ida B. Wells

African American woman journalist who led anti-lynching movement

Molefi Kete Asante

African American philosopher who specializes in Africology; founder of Afrocentricity concept

Harriet Jacobs

Wrote Incidents in the Life of Slave Girl to highlight the sexual exploitation inherent in slavery. She hid for years in an attic. Willingly took a white lover who was not her owner as a form of resistance to sexual exploitation. Also known as Linda Brent.

Frederick Douglass

(1817-1895) American abolitionist and writer, he escaped slavery and became a leading African American spokesman and writer. He published The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and founded the abolitionist newspaper, the North Star.

Carter G. Woodson

Father of Black History; believed Africans were misrepresented in their own histories

Booker T. Washington

African American progressive who supported segregation and demanded that African American better themselves individually to achieve equality.

Imhotep

Name of the architect who designed the Step Pyramid

W.E.B. DuBois

1st black to earn Ph.D. from Harvard, encouraged blacks to resist systems of segregation and discrimination, helped create NAACP in 1910

Marcus Garvey

African American leader during the 1920s; founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and advocated mass migration of African Americans back to Africa. Deported to Jamaica in 1927.

Dutty Boukman

A leader of Haitian Revolution; enslaved in Jamaica and caught planning a revolt

Mansa Musa

Ruler of Mali (r. 1312-1337). Pilgrimage through Egypt to Mecca in 1324-1325 established the empire's reputation for wealth in the Mediterranean world.

Toussaint L'Ouverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution. Freed the slaves and gained effective independence for Haiti despite military interventions by the British and French.

Jean Jacque Dessalines

Took over Haitian rebellion after L'Ouverture was captured. Defeated the French in the west and declared Haitian independence in 1804. Called on followers to kill all whites on the island.

Nat Turner

Leader of 1831 slave rebellion in Virginia. Revolt led to the deaths of 20 whites and 40 blacks and led to the "gag rule' outlawing any discussion of slavery in the House of Representatives

Harriet Tubman

United States abolitionist born a slave on a plantation in Maryland and became a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad leading other slaves to freedom in the North (1820-1913)

Hatshepsut

First female pharaoh who expanded Egypt through trade

Abraham Lincoln

16th President of the United States. Saved Union during the Civil War and emancipated the slaves; was assassinated by Booth (1809-1865)

The Moors

Muslims of Spain (from North Africa)

D.W. Griffith

American film director, directed The Birth of a Nation

Haitian Revolution 1790

Toussaint L'Ouverture led in 1790, which resulted in the successful overthrow of French colonial rule on this Caribbean Island. Set up the first black government in the Western Hemisphere and the world's second democratic republic (after the US). The US was reluctant to give full support to this republic led by former slaves.

Nat Turner's Rebellion 1831

Rebellion in which Nat Turner led a group of slaves through Virginia in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow and kill planter families (1831)

Back to Africa Movement

Led by Marcus Garvey; encouraged those of African descent to return to Africa to their ancestors so that they could have their own empire because they were treated poorly in America.

Tulsa Massacre 1921

Burning and destruction of the neighborhood of Greenwood (Black Wall Street). Perpetrators were not held accountable and those who had insurance policies on their homes and businesses never received an insurance payment.

Red Summer 1919

Bloody race riots that occurred during summer of 1919. Erupted in several cities in both the North and South of the United States. The three with the highest number of fatalities happened in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Elaine, Arkansas.

Rosewood Massacre

Small black town in FL whose black men were accused of beating and raping a white woman. The town was burnt down by a white mob.

Why is Afrocentricity important?

Centers Africans within their histories and challenges Eurocentric narratives.

What to consider when analyzing historical scholarship?

The author's perspective, methodology, and biases. Consider the context of the work.

How did BHM start?

Originated from "Negro History Week" (1926, Carter G. Woodson). Expanded into a month-long observance in 1976.

Nubia (Libya/Sudan)

Land of the Bow. Excelled in trade, architecture, and astronomy; ruled Egypt during its golden ages and developed concept of a monarchy

Kush (Nubia)

Land of the Lion Warriors. Competed with Kemet, mastered the art of war because of bow & arrow.

Aksum/Axum (Ethiopia)

"Burnt faces" in English. Renowned for heavy trade networks and early adoption of Christianity. Connected Africa, Middle East, and Mediterranean.

Kemet (Egypt)

Land of the Blacks. Guided by Ma'at (balance). Innovations in philosophy, math, astronomy. Gave the world the pyramids and hieroglyphics.

Ghana (Mali/Senegal)

Land of Gold. Strong military, major trade. Also known as Wagadou. Ghana=King

Mali (West Africa, upper Niger River)

Known for immense wealth, particularly gold. Rulers like Mansa Musa helped promote trade, Islamic scholarship, and architecture.

Songhay (West Africa)

Thrived on trans-Saharan trade, especially in gold & salt.

Difference between Black Codes & Slave Codes

Slave Codes controlled enslaved before Civil War, Black Codes were enacted after the civil war.

Describe the conditions of enslavement

Harsh living, violence, and exploitation. Long hours with limited to no food/water and abuse of physical, verbal, and emotional natures

Explain the Fugitive Slave Laws (enacted in 1793 & 1850)

Required the return of escaped enslaved Africans to their enslavers, even from free states. Intensifies tensions between abolitionist and pro-slavery factions, contributing to the Civil War

Relation between "The Birth of a Nation" (1915) and the KKK

The film glorified the Klan, portraying them as heroic defenders of the South. This depiction helped revive the KKK, leading to a surge in membership and influence.

How were climate theory and curse theory used to justify enslavement?

Climate theory claimed people in extremely hot/cold climates were inherently inferior and suited for servitude. Curse theory justified the enslavement of Black people as divinely ordained as a result of the "Curse of Ham".

Reasons for resistance to Black men fighting in the Civil War

Black men were feared to become violent once provided with arms. Their competence was also questioned and granting Africans military roles was believed to possibly disrupt social hierarchies.

Key factors that led to the decline of Africa

Colonialism, transatlantic slave trade, and systemic oppression all contributed to the downfall along with internal conflicts and other external pressures.

How was hair used as a tool of resistance?

Cornrows served as covert maps for escape routes, and braiding patterns were used to convey messages and preserve cultural identity and connections among enslaved individuals.

Myths of the Antebellum Period

Enslaved Africans were portrayed as "happy" and wanting of slavery, which was "not so bad". White men were seen as chivalrous and white women modest.

Difference between the terms "slave" and "enslaved"

"Slave" reduces a person down to property, while "enslaved" offers sympathy for the enslaved person and provides context to their situation.

Differences between the terms "master" and "enslaver"

"Master" glorifies a malicious practice, while "enslaver" does not promote their horrid actions.

Physical and psychological effects of enslavement

Forced labor caused many chronic injuries, and physical punishments such as whipping left enslaved persons in prolonged pain. Enslaved were left with severe trauma as a result of repeated violence, family separation, and dehumanization.

Methods of resistance during enslavement

Enslaved persons' methods of resistance varied from subtle acts of defiance to outright rebellion. Methods included work boycotts, faking illness, sabotage, and theft. Organized revolts and escape attempts showcased resilience and determination to fight oppression.

How Civil War and enslavement are connected

Southern economy relied heavily on enslaved labor, especially in agriculture. Tensions arose over expansion of slavery, as North opposed slavery. Slavery was abolished as a result of the war.

Aftermath of the Haitian Revolution and what led to the country

Haiti became the first independent Black republic in 1804 and the first nation to abolish slavery. After, Haiti faced economic isolation and were punished heavily by France and troubled with political instability, which hindered its development.

Why was February chosen for BHM?

February coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb 14). Carter G. Woodson (founder) selected this month to honor the men's contributions.

4 key factors that led to the Civil War

Slavery, state rights, economic differences, and political events of the time.

Limitations of the Emancipation Proclamation

Only applied to enslaved individuals in Confederate states rebelling against the Union; slavery was left untouched in border states like Maryland and Kentucky. Enforcement depended on Union military victories, meaning all enslaved people could not be immediately freed.

Purposes of the Freedman's Bureau (1865)

Aimed to assist formerly enslaved individuals and poor whites in the South after the Civil War. Provided food, housing, education, etc. and helped reunite families and the transition to a freed life.

Purpose of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

13th: Abolished slavery & involuntary servitude in the U.S., except as punishment for a crime

14th: Granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S., ensuring equal protection under the law and due process rights.

15th: Prohibited denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, aiming to enfranchise African American men.