Unknown America Read online

  The majority of slave holders, both white and black, owned only between one and five slaves. The majority of these working as house servants and nannies, not the tortured field hands often portrayed on the big screen. The few individuals who owned 50 or more slaves were confined to the top one percent.

  In 1860 there were at least six Blacks in Louisiana alone that owned 65 or more slaves. The largest number, 152, were owned by Mrs. C. Richards, a widow, and her son P.C. Richards, who owned a large sugar cane plantation. Another Negro slave magnate in Louisiana, with over 100 slaves, was Antoine Dubuclet, a sugar planter whose estate was valued at (in 1860 dollars) $264,000. That year the average wealth of southern white men was $3,978.00.

  While the travesty of forced slave labor, especially on plantations in the south, was real, harsh and at times inhumane, it was not as widespread as some would believe nor was it exclusively a white institution.

  It might also be worth noting that once the Emancipation of blacks occurred, freed Black men we're granted the right to vote long before white women. Yes inequality was fairly rampant in the early days of the nation. But was not restricted exclusively to the black population.

  Improvised Inspiration

  Few people know that on a hot Wednesday in August of 1963 before a quarter million Americans, that Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the most iconic part of his “I Have a Dream Speech.”

  Standing on the top step at the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King's remarks would conclude the Civil Rights march on Washington. As King stood at the podium, he pushed his notes aside. The original speech he had written just the night before was more political and less historic, according to Clarence B. Jones, and it did not include any reference to dreams. After delivering the now famous line, “we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream,” Dr. King transformed his speech into a fiery sermon.

  On stage near Dr. King, singer Mahalia Jackson reportedly kept saying, “Tell ‘em about the dream Martin.” And while it is not known if he heard her, if he did it could likely have been the inspiration he needed. Dr. King then continued, “Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream….” And King preached on, adding repetition and outlining the specifics of his dream. And while this improvised speech was not considered a universal success at the time, today it is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history.

  More little known MLK, Jr. facts

  * Martin Luther King’s birth name was actually Michael.

  He was born on January 15, 1929 to Michael Sr. and Alberta King. In 1934 his father, who was a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, a church his son would also later pastor, traveled to Germany and was inspired by the teachings of the leader of the Protestant Reformation Martin Luther. As a result, King Sr. changed his own name as well as that of his 5-year-old son.

  * King was a very gifted student which allowed him to skip grades 9 and 12 before enrolling in Morehouse College at the age of 15, the alma mater of his father and maternal grandfather. Although he was the son, grandson and great-grandson of Baptist ministers, Jr. had no desire to enter the ministry.

  * King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was not the first time he spoke at the Lincoln Memorial. Six years earlier King was among the civil rights leaders during the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom on May 17, 1957. King delivered his first national address on the topic of voting rights to an estimated crowd of between 15,000 and 30,000 people.

  * The assassination in Memphis was not the first attempt on his life. He narrowly escaped an attempt a decade before on September 20, 1958. At the time King was in Harlem signing copies of his new book, “Stride Toward Freedom,” in a department store when he was approached by Izola Ware Curry. The woman asked if he was Martin Luther King Jr. After he said yes, Curry said, “I’ve been looking for you for five years,” and she plunged a seven-inch letter opener into his chest. The tip of the blade came to rest alongside his aorta, and King underwent hours of emergency surgery. Surgeons later told King that just one sneeze could have punctured the aorta and killed him.

  * King’s last public speech foretold his death.

  King was in Memphis in April 1968 to support the strike of the city’s black garbage workers, and in a speech on the night before his assassination, he told an audience at Mason Temple Church: “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

  Less then 24 hours later on April 4th, 1968 at 6:01 pm Central time, Michael King, aka Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be shot to death by James Earl Ray on the breezeway of the Lorraine Motel.

  The Black Patriots

  Contrary to much taught US Revolutionary War history, there were many Black Patriot fighters. One such man was Jack Sisson. Sisson was an African-American who served in the First Rhode Island Regiment. He was one of the key figures in the July 1777 capture of British General Richard Prescott. Sisson was among about forty troops under the command of Colonel William Barton. Barton and his troops, including Sisson, navigated British controlled waters to sneak up and capture Prescott. Sisson served both as the pilot for one of the boats and also used his head to break down Prescott's door.

  The capture of Prescott was a major embarrassment for the Brits and is thought to have reinvigorated waning US morale possibly causing a turning point in the war for US independence. In part by Jack Sisson “using his head.”

  The Original Flapper

  The iconic cartoon character Betty Boop is best known for her revealing dress, curvaceous figure, and signature vocals “Boop-Oop-A-Doop!” While there has been controversy over the years, the inspiration for Betty has been traced to Black Jazz singer Esther Jones who was known as “Baby Esther.” She performed regularly in Harlem New York's Cotton Club during the 1920s.

  “Betty” was introduced in 1930 by cartoonist Max Fleischer. The caricature of the jazz age flapper was the first and most famous sex symbol in animation.

  Baby Esther’s trademark vocal style of using “boops” and other scat sounds caught the attention of actress Helen Kane during the 1920s. After seeing Baby Esther, Helen Kane adopted her style and began using “boops” in her songs as well.

  Finding fame early on, Helen Kane often included this “baby style” into her music. When the character Betty Boop was first introduced, Kane sued Fleischer and Paramount Publix Corporation accusing them of using her image and style. However video evidence came to light of Baby Esther performing in a nightclub and the courts ruled against Helen Kane stating in fact, the “booping” style pre-dated her.

  Baby Esther’s “baby style” did little to bring her mainstream fame and she died in relative obscurity but a piece of her lives on in the iconic character Betty Boop.

  The First Black Senator

  Hiram R. Revels was born on September 27, 1827 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Revels was a minister who, in 1870, was elected the first Black United States senator by the state legislature (Which was how US Senators were elected at the time) representing the state of Mississippi. He served for a year before leaving to become the president of the historically black college, Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College.

  Debate surrounded Revels eligibility to serve based primarily on the 1857 Dred Scott decision, which excluded African-Americans from holding office. The decision was effectively reversed by the ratification of the 14th Amendment after the Civil War. Democrats had argued that Revels did not meet the nine-year citizenship requirement to hold congressional office given his ineligibility for citizenship during the war years. But ultimately, Revels and his Republican allies p
revailed arguing he was eligible based on his mixed-race background.

  Revels election to Congress was particularly poignant in that the Senate seat he was elected to had previously belonged to Jefferson Davis, the President of the now defunct Confederate States of America.

  An unlikely and “illegal” hero

  During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, African American Sailor Doris “Dorie” Miller broke the rules to defend this nation and attempt to save US Serviceman lives. That fateful day Miller was working laundry detail when the Japanese Navy fighters attacked.

  As Japanese fighters lay siege to the unsuspecting US Fleet, Miller sprung to action. First, he reportedly carried wounded sailors to safety, including his own captain. Then during the heat of the attack, Miller spotted an abandoned Browning 50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on deck and immediately decided to man the weapon. Though he had no training, Miller shot at the enemy aircraft until his gun ran out of ammunition, by some reports possibly downing as many as 6 Japanese Zeros.

  What makes Dorie Millers story so incredible is that during this time the US the Navy was segregated. Sailors of color like him weren't allowed to serve in combat positions. Instead they worked as cooks, stewards, cabin boys, and mess attendants. They received no weapons training and were officially prohibited from firing guns.

  Due to his heroic act, in March 1942, Rep. John Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, introduced a bill authorizing the president to present Miller with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sen. James Mead introduced a similar measure in the Senate. While Miller did not receive the Congressional Medal of Honor, he became the first African American Sailor to receive the Navy Cross.

  Dorie Miller died a hero almost two years later on November 24 while serving on the Liscome Bay when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo. Miller's parents learned of their sons death on December 7th 1943 exactly two years to the day, of the “Date that will live in infamy.”

  Miller was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, and the World War II Victory Medal. There is also a frigate and a neighborhood on the US Navel Base in Pearl Harbor named in his honor.

  Two part MYTH BUSTER ALERT!

  Eli, et al, and the Gin

  All myths and fallacies of American history are not created equal. While some are deliberate deceptions done for any number of reasons, others are merely concoctions of erroneous reporting, misunderstanding or incorrect assumptions. The story of Eli Whitney and the invention of the Cotton Gin falls into this latter category.

  Eli Whitney is credited with patenting the cotton gin in 1794. Whitney's engine or “gin,” allowed cotton fiber to be separated from it's seed with much greater efficiency, and is considered the primary thrust behind the explosion of the cotton industry in the deep South in the 1800's and with it the demand for slaves. While it took one slave about ten hours to produce a single pound of cotton fiber, the Gin could yield over 50 pounds per day using just two people. This revolutionized the industry and made slave labor much more profitable, expanding the number of slave states from 8 to 15 and adding five times more slaves to the existing population. Cotton’s profitability escalated tensions between the North and South and was among the chief reasons for the Civil War.

  But for reasons that are not entirely clear, for many decades some history books and elementary school history classes portrayed Whitney as a Black man. And nothing could be be further from the truth. This belief may have been due to Whitney’s inclusion in many Black history displays in classrooms and the fact that his invention was so closely associated with the institution of slavery.

  Eli Whitney was born December 8, 1765 in Massachusetts, and was part of a wealthy farming family. A Yale University graduate, like many New Englanders at that time he traveled south, in his case to Georgia, in search of new opportunities.

  While in Georgia Whitney met and befriended a widow named Catherine Greene. In 1795 Catherine had been moved to a Plantation on the Savannah River called Mulberry Grove by her husband Nathanael. Nathanael died of sunstroke in June of 1786. Shortly thereafter Catherine met the young inventor Whitney and encouraged him to take up residence on the Plantation. It was during this period that Whitney began working on a new invention to help farmers with Cotton harvesting. It has been reported that it was Catherine Greene's idea to add a brush like component to the Gin which made it more efficient. Reportedly, Whitney also received advice on the invention from local slaves who obviously would best understand the challenges of cotton production. Many historians believe it was this collective group of people, and not Whitney alone, that came up with the operational prototype. And it is thought that the contributions of the slaves is likely what caused so many to assume Whitney himself was Black.

  And to add to the belief that Whitney alone was responsible for the Cotton Gin, social norms of the day inhibited women wishing to apply for patents and existing laws outright prevented slaves from registering them.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE UNKNOWN FRAMERS

  Some of the most misunderstood people in American history

  The men credited with the idea that would become the American experiment were some of the most brilliant in history. Courage, vision and wisdom were common to most. Although their individual contributions to the new nation varied, most are regarded as true Statesmen.

  Many of the Founders were actually younger than 40 years old in 1776. Several, such as Alexander Hamilton were in their twenties. Hamilton was just 21 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. (Hamilton himself did not sign the document) We tend to see them as much older than they actually were because of paintings that portrayed them later in life, most during their respective times while serving as Presidents or Supreme Court Justices. At the time of the Revolutionary War most were quite young. The cause of Liberty was actually a young man's and young woman's cause.

  Some other youngsters at the time of the Declaration included:

  (Not all these were signers, but all played a role in the establishment of the new nation.)

  James Monroe 18

  Nathan Hale 21

  Gouverneur Morris 24

  Henry Knox 25

  James Madison 25

  John Jay 30

  Thomas Jefferson 33

  Samuel Chase 35

  Ethan Allen 38

  John Hancock and Thomas Paine, both 39, round out the most familiar class of “Under Forty-Somethings.”

  The oldest Framers were:

  John Hart 65

  Stephen Hopkins 69

  Benjamin Franklin 70

  Samuel Whittemore 81

  GEORGE WASHINGTON

  Washington was born on February 11, 1731 under the Julian calendar. In the early 1750s Great Britain converted to the Gregorian calendar and so an adjustment was made and Washington's Birthday became February 22, 1732.

  * Washington gave the shortest inauguration speech in American history on March 4 of 1793. It was only 133 words long.

  * At the time of his inauguration, Washington owned the largest whiskey distillery in the country.

  * Washington would bow at presidential receptions to avoid the physical contact of a handshake. This new “tradition” would last through the presidency of John Adams. Washington would rest one hand on his sword and the other holding a hat to avoid a remote possibility of anyone forcing a handshake. It was Thomas Jefferson that ended the tradition by shaking hands when greeting people.

  * Washington's “wooden” teeth were partially made from real human teeth which he bought from his own slaves.

  * When Washington died on December 14, 1799, his last words were “I die hard but I'm not afraid to go let me go quietly – I cannot last long - it is well.” He was so afraid of being buried alive, Washington asked in his will that he not be interred until three days after his death.

  * The original intent was for George Washington to be buried beneath the rotunda floor
under the dome of the capital but he died before the rotunda was finished in 1828 and so the crypt was covered up.

  * He currently owes almost $300,000 in overdue library book fines.

  JOHN ADAMS

  After graduating from Harvard University John Adams became a grammar school teacher. He was quoted as saying “I would rather sit in school and consider which of my pupils will turn out to be a hero and which a rake, which a philosopher and which a parasite than have an income of 1000 pounds a year.”

  * Adams was the only President to be father of a future president, John Quincy Adams, until George W. Bush became president in the year 2000 making Bush Senior the second president to have a son also become President.

  * Adams was the first President to live in the White House when he came to Washington in DC in November 1800. However he was only there for four months after losing the election of 1800 to Thomas Jefferson.

  * He also had a dog named Satan that lived in the White house.