Our grandfather was considered the blacksheep in a family of primarily fair-skinned blacks in the 1920s. He was more or less sold into indentured servitude to a Hotel owner in Kansas city USA. In time he ran that hotel - which did not go over so well ...more

I grew up in Philly, in a close-knit family of 12. We didn't have a lot of money, but there was always lots of love and companionship to go around. Being from a big family I learned quickly how to respond to and handle financial crises. Planning, ...more

I was one of 10 children and part of the first 5. All of us bided for the affection of our parents. This was in the 40's and both of my parents had been educated. My mother was the daughter of a college president and my father was one of the studen ...more

My grandfather was one of the first Black police officers in our town. My grandmother was the second Black teacher in the town. When my grandfather retired from the police force he went on to work another 24 years in a second career. My great grandf ...more

My grandmother Elizabeth Murry was the first African American woman to work for RCA in Camden.

My father Edward G. Harris became the first African American patrolman for the DRPA back in 1957. Hired to help combat the police brutality that was occuring against black motorists while crossing from Camden to Philadelphia.

I grew up in a home where my mother was the provider. She had to rent out part of our home, in order to pay bills, besides working for a private family. My mother's name was the same as mine. My dad and mother divorced in 1951. I was about 2 years o ...more

When my father was a little boy living next to the train tracks that ran through Goode, VA, his family was very poor. They were so poor that starting at the age of seven, he was sent out each winter morning with his cousins to walk along the tracks ...more

"My father and uncles talked about my grandfather John Allan all the time. He was larger than life; a Renaissance man living in the South with a 4th grade education. He was a landowner, farmer, blacksmith, distiller and musician who played six ins ...more

I was raised by my grandmother for most of my life. She was strict in my younger years. During that time she taught me values I would need for the rest of my life. As I got older she allowed me to teach myself many lessons. This helped me with being ...more

My black history begins with my Grandmother. It shows how no matter the circumstances we can overcome with the power of the Lord. My Grandmother was a strong Christian woman that had unbelievable strength and faith. She raised me to be a strong-wille ...more

Well, Joe Gilliam was the first black quarter back for the Pittsburg, Steelers. He is my cousin. He really didn't have much growing up but his hard work and determination made him one of the greatest players ever. I hope to be one of the greatest pla ...more

Something that I think my family did that is important to black history month is the way we take each other in. We help each other and we make sure we don't fall victim to the streets. When something terrible happens, my family sticks together so we ...more

My brother Ricardo Mckendrick Jr. was born on September 6,1971. When he was nine years old he was split away from his mother for about five years. That didn't stop him from going to school and getting his education. He attended high school at Enginee ...more

My family's black history is that, my cousin and I will be the first grand children on my mother's side to graduate from high school. 2009 is our time to shine and my cousin and I will change the history in my family. It will be a big thing for the f ...more

My mom is a single mother that's taking care of my brother, my sister, two grandchildren, and my little cousin. It's hard for my mom, as she works very hard day and night. She works overtime to keep a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs and foo ...more

Just last year you couldn't pay my dad all the money in the world to believe that we could possibly have a black president. That was out of the question. He would say things such as; the people aren't ready black man to run this country. But now tod ...more

I grew up in a single parent home. My mom was alone and had to raise four children on her own. I can admit that it was not easy to be with mom and not have my dad around. My dad stayed in and out of jail......but that's a whole another story. My mom ...more

My Grandmother was a wonderful woman in many ways. She raised 11 children all by herself. She even raised kids that weren't hers. That's because she raised her grand children to be like me and without her, I wouldn't be the person I am today and I wa ...more

It was very hard for my her, having to give up her children for their best interests, because she knew that living in and out of shelters wasn't good and running the streets with two young children wasn't the life to live. She didn't have much money ...more

The way I celebrate black history is keeping my mom proud of me. My brother is the first person in my family to go college and be a male nurse. I'm 18 young, smart and black. I choose to keep the honor of black people in the family name. I'm trying t ...more

One thing in my family that is considered black history is that my grandfather raced against Jesse Owens. He came in second place. He would have won, but he tripped over the last hurdle and Jesse Owens won. So, if he did not trip, it would've been Fr ...more

I grew up with a single mother who was raising two children on her own. She then had a third child, my younger brother. She was really struggling with three kids of her own. When I was younger I did not have a father who was there to support me and m ...more

My grandmom was struggling through caring for nine kids including her own in a four bedroom house. Worked for the government and got paid a good salary. She worked for her whole life without any short cuts. She began working at a corner store at twel ...more

My grandmother is a mom of three. She has three girls who she raised on her own. Her kids' father was killed when her daughter was two and she was pregnant with another. The two year old daughter happened to be my mother. She had me when she was 15 y ...more

Eighteen years of love, hope, support and compassion is what she has offered me. She put herself through years of college ending up with her latest masters degree. She is in the midst of raising three loving daughters as well as offering to help any ...more

My family's black history involves Dr. Martin Luther King. He is getting a mural arts picture on the wall of 40th and Lancaster Avenue. In the 1960's, Dr. Martin Luther King was on 40th and Lancaster. He is getting a painting of a picture when he was ...more

My family is full of regular people who are strong minded,outspoken,funny and couragous people.Im school they played hard and worked harder. Now today One aunt and Uncle are School teachers,Another Two are bank workers Ones a Doctor,Another is a nurs ...more

My black history is special to me because while I was growing up my Grandmother always read to me about black history and told me stories about her young age and how life was, when she was younger and how Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman an ...more

My name is Malik Coyett, and my Grandfather and my great grandfather (both sides of my family) were in the Vietnam War, and also my great uncle. They all were in the war at the same time and they all survived to tell their stories but one, my great g ...more

I grew up in a single parent home. My mom was alone and had to raise four children on her own. I can admit that it was not easy to be with mom and not have my dad around. My dad stayed in and out of jail......but that's a whole another story. My mom ...more

My family history is the same as everybody else's. My family tree goes way beyond the 1800's. I never knew who my great grandparents were because I was too young to know but I saw pictures. My Grandmothers grandparents were white and my family most ...more

My uncle is a successful black man, but it wasn't easy for him growing up. He was the fourth child of six. When he was 17, he was arrested for assaulting a white male and served three years in jail and promised his mother that when he got out he wasn ...more

My mom is a powerful woman that is strong and and very heart warming

Fortunately, I grew up with a mother and a father and am the second oldest of six children. Growing up was rather exciting because I was never bored. My family consists of two sets of twins and two singles. Twins are a big part of my family. I say fo ...more

William was five years old when Lincoln gave the orders to free all persons held as slaves, he was in West Point, Virginia. He was born of slave parents and lived on the Chelsa Plantation. When he was about 14 yrs old he left the south and his final ...more

Silas Johnson, my great-grandfather of whom I personally knew, was the descendant of a slave who was brought across the shores from Africa. He eventually experienced freedom under Abraham Lincoln's declaration and attempted to live life a free man. O ...more

African Family Reunion How interesting it would be To follow Alex Halley And retrace our family tree; Back to our native homeland Uganda, Kenya or Chad To see how African life was Before the good things went bad; It's sad we can only ret ...more

My Grandmother was born in Portland, Jamica eighty eight years. She gave birth to my mom Marva Noami White on April 4, 1956. She had ten other kids. My father was born in Lyson in 1954. My mom had me in lysson at Princess Margret hosptial. My grandfa ...more

My name is Wendy Wilks born with Cerebral Palsy May 19th 1963. When I was born, I was a blue baby. The police in this time weren't trained how to deliver babies. The great news is that I survive through it all. Secondly, the doctor didn't recognize I ...more