Week 4

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 1

 Character Education
Black History Month
African Americans
and the Civil War
A publication of the
Afro-American Newspapers
The Baltimore
Afro-American Newspaper
2519 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 554-8200
The Washington
Afro-American Newspaper
1917 Benning Road NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 332-0080
John J. Oliver Jr.
Chairman/Publisher
Character Education Project Manager
Diane Hocker
Character Education Coordinator
Takiea Hinton
Project Editors
Zenitha Prince
Talibah Chikwendu
Kristin Gray
Electronic Editor
William Parschalk
Graphic Designer
Denise Dorsey
2 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers
Table of Contents
3 Black History Introduction
4 Character Education Profile: BGE
6 Black Politics After the Civil War
7 The Freedmen’s Bureau
8 Character Education Profile:
College Savings Plans of Maryland
9 Black Townships and Migration
Character Education 2011
T
he Afro-American Newspapers’
Character Education program
is designed to promote
positive character traits in our public
school students. Each year, several
corporate professionals and business
leaders join our effort and share stories
that illustrate how the building of
their character not only helps them
personally but also in the workplace.
During Black History Month, the
AFRO is delivered to public middle
schools across the region including
Anne Arundel County, Baltimore
City and Baltimore County, Howard
County, Montgomery County, Prince
George’s County and Washington,
D.C. Each publication contains the
testimonies of our corporate partners.
How does it work?
During the AFRO’s Black History
Month series – the newspapers’ most
active and sought after series each
year – we feature a Black History and
Character Education publication that
profiles diverse corporate professionals,
their success stories and helpful
strategies for planning a successful
career. Each week, eighth-graders from
Anne Arundel County, Baltimore
City and Baltimore County, Howard
10 Character
Legg Mason
Education Profile:
11 Character Education Profile:
Legg Mason
12 Black Education
13 Character Education Profile:
T. Rowe Price
15 Character
Verizon
Education Profile:
County, Montgomery County, Prince
George’s County and Washington,
D.C. Public Schools receive the
publication at no cost. The goal is for
students to read the featured profiles
and Black history content and submit
an essay connecting what they’ve
learned from a particular profile to
the importance of character building.
Winners of the essay contest are
awarded valuable prizes to further their
education and an opportunity to meet
the corporate professional they chose to
write about.
Why eighth-graders?
Our research shows that by the
eighth grade, most students have
started to seriously think about their
career goals and are more receptive to
the information shared by the business
community.
How can the schools help?
• Allow the AFRO to deliver
Character Education to your school on
a weekly basis throughout the month of
February. In addition, provide the Afro-
American Newspapers in your school’s
media center or library on a weekly
basis for the current calendar year.
• Assist in coordinating the
distribution of the publication within
participating school districts.
• Identify a liaison to advise us
on information concerning character
education that can be included in each
edition.
• Encourage teachers and students
to participate in the essay contest.
How do schools benefit?
• The AFRO encourages staff and
students of participating schools to
submit stories, columns, photos, etc.,
about the importance of education and
good character.
• During February, all participating
schools receive the Character Education
publication to assist students in their
learning of Black history and to further
promote literacy.
Partnership opportunity
Corporations, nonprofits and other
organizations are invited to become
strategic partners with this campaign.
By becoming a partner, your company
will help provide the AFRO as an
educational tool to eighth-graders
throughout the region. In addition,
your company will illustrate its support
for professional development among
today’s youth.
 Celebrating Black History Month

Black Life after the Civil War

W
hen the last musket had been shot and the dust cleared
from fields of battle in the American Civil War, possi-
bilities loomed large for the estimated 4 million former
enslaved African Americans.
Many fled from the sites of their ignominy, the now-decimated planta-
tions where they had suffered the fate of men, women and children con-
sidered as chattel. They developed townships of their own…raised their
own crops on 40-acre plots confiscated from their former owners and
promised to them by the Union. And many more turned their eyes toward
the North, leaving the South in a large exodus of impoverished people
seeking an urban promise land.
With the singular contributions of Black men and women in the war of
the states, the goodwill extended to former slaves translated itself into op-
portunities in politics, in formal education and more.
But those halcyon days did not last. In 1866 the Klu Klux Klan, a
secret terrorist organization, began organizing underground resistance
against the civil rights and sociopolitical power afforded to African Amer-
icans during Reconstruction. And a decade after the end of the Civil War,
when the U.S. economy began to wane, so too did the support for Black
equality. Restrictive “Black codes” began to resurge. And in 1896 the
Supreme Court passed the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, enshrining the hy-
pocrisy that was the dark doctrine of “separate but equal,” and signaling
the dawn of a new era of terror for African Americans.

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 3

 Stay Involved and Open to New Experiences
One of my favorite quotes is from the great poet and author, Dr. Maya
Angelou, who wrote, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and
liking how you do it.” I’ve always found those words highly inspirational
and something I think about often when it comes to my personal life
and my career.

My mother has always been an incredible inspiration to me. She was a

very outgoing, generous woman who believed strongly in giving back to
the community. From a very early age, she instilled a sense of philan-
thropy and encouraged me to get involved in community activities. I
remember sitting next to her years ago as she registered new voters
during a political election. She took the time to carefully explain to me
that voting is not just a privilege; it is a responsibility, too.

I grew up participating in Girl Scouts from a Brownie to a Senior Scout.

Through various activities it opened new doors for me and I began to
understand the importance of leadership. I volunteered for opportuni-
ties to mentor younger scouts and help them with their badges, proj-
ects, and camping events. I also completed the Girl Scout Silver Award
which required a 50 hour service project to develop leadership skills in
senior scouts. Those interactions gave me the confidence to apply for,
and be accepted to, a 6 week Congressman Mickey Lealand Kibbutz
internship to Israel. This created the foundation toward building my
leadership skills.

Engaging in community activities opened my eyes to the diverse oppor-

tunities available to me. I was exposed to the arts, theater, music, new LaMetrice Dopson
Director AMI/DRI
foods, traveling, and much more. I was encouraged by positive role models
to try new things, and I enthusiastically took on those challenges. Through
those experiences I developed what I call an ‘inquisitive mind’ and I began
asking questions to learn more―a practice that has enabled me to take
others’ opinions into consideration, but to also rely on my own judgment.
Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.
Today, as a director in BGE’s information technology department, my team
and I are responsible for the behind-the-scenes technical infrastructure
and support that makes it easy for our customers to effectively com-
municate with us. I interact with many different people in a changing,
fast-paced work environment, and I credit much of my success to being
open to new ideas, being respectful to others, and to being willing to get
involved and try new things.

4 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers

Black Politics after the Civil War
By Valencia Mohammed and Zenitha Prince has been misrepresented and skewed, some say.

T
“The roles played by Americans of African descent
rue freedom for the millions in American political history, and American
of African people enslaved History in general, have long been depicted
for centuries in America – inaccurately and downplayed,” said Douglas
which came after the Civil War and Hiram Wilder, the first Black governor of Virginia since
emancipation on Dec. 6, 1865 – came Revels Reconstruction, in Rep. William L. Clay’s (D-Mo.)
with a heavy price. Not only did they was book, Just Permanent Interests.
become so-called “equals,” Negroes the first The truth is, the book argues, Negro slaves
became competitors in the eyes of African- were sought as advisors to many White leaders to
their former oppressors. Many of American understand the “political” thinking of the Black
the arenas to which Whites held U.S. masses. In fact, many historians believe that if
exclusive rights before, including the senator. Blacks had not risen in politics after the Civil War,
political arena, were being opened more unrest, rebellions and even White lynchings
to the formerly enslaved. Even the may have occurred in retaliation for hundreds of
Whites who supported Blacks during years of inhumane enslavement.
the abolitionist movement were
unwilling to acknowledge the equality From Pulpits to Platforms
of former slaves. According to historians, Black churches laid the
“Many Blacks went from being slaves foundation and forum for many men who sought a
to [becoming] Civil War soldiers and politicians,” career in politics. “It was a natural progression for
A Civil
said Frank Smith, director of the African American them,” said political historian Chuck Hicks. “They
War
War Museum in Washington, D.C. “The Civil War hero, spoke to masses of people all the time.
changed the lives of Black people dramatically.”Capt. They could galvanize a large group and
Recounting an example of the era, Smith sway their opinions.”
recalled a slave named Capt. Robert Smalls from A Civil
War hero,
Beginning with the formation of the
South Carolina, who went from war hero to being American Methodist Episcopal Church
Capt.
elected as a Republican congressman from South Robert in 1816, the church was among one
Carolina, serving for 12 years. Smalls of the first things Blacks could claim
“Smalls and several others laid the framework went as their own, forming a basis for the
for a society for Black people,” said Smith. on to sense of self-sufficiency and pride
For several decades after the nation slowly represent that formed the central element of the
“reconstructed” itself, the Negro rose to South concept of Black freedom that fueled
prominence. Blacks from around the country Carolina sociopolitical activism.
looked for their place in society to represent the in
According to Hicks, during
rights of the downtrodden in local and national Congress.
reconstruction there were many
political affairs. “uneducated” Baptist preachers who
But even before emancipation, Blacks had a ran for political office as did their
hand in the politics of the day, though that history
AFRO Archives Illustrations Continued on Page 6

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 5

Black Politics after the Civil War
Continued from Page 5
White counterparts, who may have been farmers,
sharecroppers and cattlemen. “There were also the January 1865, the Freedmen’s Bureau, to ensure
‘educated’ Methodist ministers who ran for and
won political offices,” said Hicks.
When Republicans were indeed
the Grand Old Party
By 1860, there were 4,441,830
Black people in America representing
14 percent of the U.S. population.
Republicans took control over most
of the Southern legislatures and
governorships after the Civil War and
elected Blacks to state and national
political offices.
Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Black
minister and Civil War veteran, was
elected to fill the unexpired term of
the Confederate President Jefferson
Davis in the Mississippi legislature.
Joseph H. Rainey, a barber by
profession, became involved in the
state Republican Party in Georgetown,
S.C., and was elected to the state senate.
By 1870, he was elected to fill a vacancy
in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He authored bills to protect Blacks from
the Klu Klux Klan. He remained for eight
years. Robert Brown Elliott and Robert C.
DeLarge were elected as Republicans representing who quickly moved to institute “Black codes,”
South Carolina. Blanche K. Bruce was elected
to the Mississippi state senate. Josiah T. Wells
was elected in Florida to the U.S. House of
Representatives.
This leap in Black political involvement was
fueled largely by the efforts of the Republican
Party.
Republican President Abraham Lincoln took
a moderate approach, advocating both gradual
6 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers
emancipation and Black suffrage. He instituted in
new rights for the newly freed African Americans.
When Vice President Andrew Johnson took the
reins after Lincoln’s assassination, he loosened the and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for
restrictions on the Southern state governments,
Many ministers used the pulpit as a platform for
sociopolitical advocacy, and many ministers became
the congressmen and state delegates that represented
the Black community during Reconstruction.
which offered only a limited set of second-class
civil rights to Blacks. In response, Sen. Lyman
Trumbull (R-Ill.) proposed the first Civil Rights
law, saying the abolition of slavery was nullified
if “laws are to be enacted and enforced depriving
persons of African descent of privileges which are
essential to freemen.”
The bill asserted:
“All persons born in the United States ... are
hereby declared to be citizens of the United States;
and such citizens of every race and color, without
regard to any previous condition of slavery ...
shall have the same right in every state ... to make
and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, and give
evidence, to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold,
and convey real and personal property, and to full
the security of person and property,
as is enjoyed by white citizens, and
shall be subject to like punishment,
AFRO File Illustration/T.S. Stockett
pains, and penalties and to none
other, any law, statute, ordinance,
regulation, or custom to the Contrary
notwithstanding.”
Congress quickly passed the Civil
Rights bill; which Johnson vetoed.
In this he was supported by the
Democratic Party, which proclaimed
itself the party of White men. Congress
overrode the veto and instituted the
law. Between 1865 and 1873, Congress
passed three important legislations: the
13th Amendment abolishing slavery; the
14th Amendment which was ratified in
1868 that guaranteed citizenship to all
persons born or naturalized in the United States,
except Native Americans, and granting them
federal civil rights and the 15th Amendment
passed in 1870, decreeing that the right to vote
could not be denied because of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude.
White Resistance and the Waning of Black
Political Power
According to historical records, in 1866, a
secret terrorist organization, the Ku Klux Klan led
underground resistance against the civil rights and
political power of newly freed slaves during the
Reconstruction Period. Attempts to enact Black
codes were squashed by Congress and the Civil
Rights Acts of 1866, on paper at least, gave Blacks
Continued on Page 14
After the Civil War
The Freedmen’s Bureau
T
By AFRO Staff they allocated over 21 million rations to poor Blacks and Whites.
The Bureau also aspired to establish fair employment systems for Blacks
he Freedmen’s Bureau, advocated by Radical Republicans in and plantation owners. Though they attempted to issue 40-acre plots of
Congress, was incepted in 1865 following the Civil War, according abandoned lands to Blacks for them to lease and later buy, newly-appointed
to the Encyclopedia of African-American Politics. Also known as President Andrew Johnson, who opposed the group, prevented this from
the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen happening. As a result, Blacks
and Abandoned Lands, the group were not able to become farmers
assisted recently-freed slaves and had to become sharecroppers
in the South and the District of with their former owners.
Columbia and provided them However, many Blacks still
with food, medicine, shelter and acquired their own land through
education, among a long list of this system.
other contributions. The Bureau is Among a long list of other
credited as the first social-welfare accomplishments, the group’s
bureaucracy in the U.S. most celebrated achievement was
According to the U.S. National their construction of over 1,000
Archives, after the war ended, Black schools, thus breaking
nearly 4 million slaves were freed ground for many of the nation’s
and many of the South’s cities were historically Black colleges
annihilated. As a result, Blacks and universities. Additionally,
and many White plantation owners the group donated more than
were left virtually homeless and $400,000 to implement teacher
hungry. development institutions.
Though the bill to create the The Bureau slowly began
Bureau was vetoed by Conservative to see its demise as President
Republicans and some Democrats, Johnson aimed to dissolve the
President Abraham Lincoln group shortly after his entrance
supported it and the agency was into office. After he vetoed a
created as a short-term, one-year bill for its extension, Congress
Photo Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
branch of the U.S. War Department. One in a series of racist posters attacking Radical Republicans on the overrode it and the group was able
Lincoln appointed Gen. Oliver issue of Black suffrage, issued during the Pennsylvania gubernatorial to survive for another six years.
O. Howard to lead the Bureau election of 1866. Critics believed the Bureau held
and the agency cleared many racial favoritism and deemed it
achievements, despite heavy adversity. Though they were denied public ineffective. They also accused the group of making Blacks reliant on handouts
funding, the group received donations and rent acquired from lands it rather than having self initiative and independence. Finally, after the Radical
occupied. They built hospitals for and provided medical care to over a million Republicans’ and Congress’ continued efforts to keep the Bureau in existence,
newly freed men, according to the African American Registry. Additionally, it disbanded in 1872.

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 7

 The Importance of Diligence and Reliability
I began my career at T. Rowe Price as a trading assistant, processing trade tickets
for the firm’s mutual fund accounts. Wow, was that an eye-opening experience,
seeing millions of dollars in transactions taking place every day! You bet that I was
really diligent adding up all those zeros and making sure that I didn’t make any
mistakes with those large sums of money. I can’t stress the importance of dili-
gence and reliability enough. Take care and pride in everything you do and soon
others will respect and value you.

As time passed and the number and size of accounts grew, the firm needed
another trader. That diligence paid off and this growth presented an opportunity
for me to grow as well. I worked with many great people who were willing to take
the time to answer my constant questions and coach me about trading and the
markets. So, when the opportunity came about, I was ready to take on the new
and greater responsibility of trading. Don’t be afraid of a challenge, stay alert and
keep yourself prepared (education!) so that opportunity doesn’t pass you by.

Every experience is an opportunity to learn a little about what the future has
to offer. You must design your own future by figuring out where you want to be
and what you want to do (yes - goals!). Realistically, not everything always goes
exactly as you plan; you will certainly encounter obstacles along the way - difficult
people, difficult situations, occasional setbacks. Just remember to stay focused
and try get around those obstacles with grace -- always treating others fairly and
keeping your words and temper in check. Some challenges are more important
than others. Don’t try to take them all on!
Cheryl A.
It’s been over 20 years and I now manage portfolios of my own for our clients at T.
Rowe Price. I have had so many opportunities here that I was not only eager to take
on, but fortunately, for which I was well prepared, too. I went to college and while
Mickel, CFA
working here I also earned a Masters degree in Business as well as received the Char-
tered Financial Analyst designation. This was a lot of work, but I could never have Vice President
accomplished any of my goals without perseverance and focus… And you can rest
assured; I am still quite diligent about counting all those zeros! and Portfolio Manager,
T. Rowe Price
Fixed Income Division

8 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers

After the Civil War
Black Townships and Migration
By Shernay Williams
Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
AFRO Staff Writer

A
fter Abraham Lincoln ordered
emancipation of the South’s slaves in
1863, the newly freed people, many of
whom had spent their entire lives in shackles, had
to learn what it meant to be free.
“For we colored people did not know how
to be free and the white people did not know
how to have a free colored person about them,”
the recently freed Houston Hartsfield Holloway
famously wrote.
Blacks now had to find places to live and
adjust to being “independent actors” in an
economy. Many elected to stay on the plantations
where they had been enslaved and work for their
former masters.
“They stayed for all kinds of reasons but one
of the things, many of them had lived a long time “Free at last, free at last,
in these places and they didn’t want to give up all thank God Almighty,
they had built and achieved there,” said Michael When the 13th Amendment was ratified in by wartime scarcity,” I’m free at last.” This
Johnson, Black migration expert and professor at January 1865, the million or so Blacks in the said PBS. “By 1863, group of former slaves
Johns Hopkins University. northern states, who were still considered slaves there was a food is shown immediately
It is difficult to estimate how many Blacks after emancipation, were declared free. While shortage. Riots and after the Emancipation
remained on the same plantation. Most of those Black southerners looked for new homes, the strikes occurred Proclamation outside
that left remained in rural areas and performed newly freed northerners traveled to the South by as inflation soared one of the cabins that
labor jobs. Many went “from one farm or the thousands searching for separated loved ones, and people became housed them on a
southern plantation.
plantation to another—trying to get a decent according to a PBS special called Africans in desperate.”
landlord,” Johnson said. America. So, Blacks had to
Although the majority of freed slaves endured Some White southerners remained bitter and contend with racism and few opportunities for
the same type of physical labor and nature of vengeful after the fall of their most profitable work.
work as when they were enslaved, they now industry. Even when the booming slave business While some remained in the South, others left
held annual contracts. These agreements entitled was legal, working southerners were relatively in droves for northern and western states. Census
the heads of households—mostly men—to have poor, so after its demise their economic situation documents from 1890 include data and picture
some control over the labor he and his family grew bleaker. graphs of Black migration in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
endured, Johnson noted. “In addition, the common people were hit hard Continued on Page 14

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 9

 Life is a Rollercoaster Ride
The legal field is intricate and dynamic, and I have always
had a passion for law. Through hard work and dedica-
tion, I am now an integral part of the legal team at Legg
Mason. However, the structure needed to be success-
ful was developed early in my life. There were lessons
taught - stuff like, algebra and chemistry, and then there
were lessons learned through behavior during my “roll-
ercoaster years.” Below are the ones that most impacted
my life:

BAD = procrastination. Whenever I put off studying, ar-

rived late for sports practice or, better yet, chose to goof
off with my friends instead of doing my house chores,
the results were: I earned low grades, got kicked off the
badminton team and received less allowance.

FAILURE = low grades. Once I had gotten the idea that

putting things off can result in bad things happening, I
straightened up. I was driven to earn the best grade. I
became the “teacher’s pet;” a ‘C’ or ‘D’ grade was no
longer cool for me. I took pride in doing my chores at home.

FRIENDSHIP = good or bad. They say “be yourself,” but what does that
Nadia Hogarth
mean? Usually, it means making changes in your life. Well, I joined a
sports team that “I” liked and not because of my friends. I was dedi- Legal Specialist
cated and punctual at every training session. I became disciplined in
my studies, which resulted in earning good grades, but did not always Legg Mason
impress my friends.

IDENTITY = discoveries/recognition. My attitude changes meant I lost

some friends, but there is always a group that fits perfectly with the
new “you.” I developed dignity. I realized if I wanted to be success-
ful, all I had to do was work hard and apply myself. School sharp-
ens your skills, but seldom taps into your most powerful reserve of
all: PASSION. If you want to be happy, get involved in something you
love, and think positively. Attitude sets the tone of your abilities. If
you believe you can do something, chances are YOU really can.

10 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers

 All I Have Is My Education
My father always told us, “Make sure you complete your education. You may
have everything taken away from you, but the one thing no one can take
from you is your education.” Education, according to my father, was finishing
college or obtaining a master’s degree or Ph.D. He knew first-hand that a
college education creates endless opportunities in life.

My father immigrated to America from Haiti in 1969 with five Haitian dollars
in his pocket, the clothes on his back and his mother’s address (who was the
only family member he had in America). His most important asset was his
education, which he used to get the jobs he needed to support and provide
for his growing family. His belief in education was so great that we lived in
the projects of Brooklyn, N.Y., so that he could afford to send us to private
schools. Through his example, he taught all of his children to realize and
understand the importance of education.

As I grew up, I realized that education is the ticket to achieve anything in this
world. We may not all have the physical abilities or talents to become great
athletes or musicians, but we all have the ability to apply ourselves in school.
I made sure that I had good grades in school and graduated at the top of my
Rachel Pluviose high school class. I received a full academic scholarship to Howard Univer-
sity, majored in business and had several job offers upon graduation.
Assistant Manager, Corporate My education has afforded me the opportunity to work for some great com-
Insurance Department panies, including Legg Mason, where I am currently an assistant manager in
our Corporate Insurance Department. I am able to travel and meet interest-
Legg Mason ing people through work and in my personal life. Education made it possible
for me to have and maintain a job in a difficult economy, and to do
the things in life I truly enjoy. If a child of Haitian immigrants, born
and raised in the projects of Brooklyn can accomplish this much,
so can anyone else who applies themselves and finishes their
education.

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 11

After the Civil War

Black Education
F
By AFRO Staff For that reason, early Black education in the United States was
concentrated among free men and women. And after the Civil War, it was this
or those who supported and thrived on the brutish institution of inaugural “Talented Tenth” that worked with Northern White missionaries –
slavery, ignorance among the enslaved was a valuable weapon. who saw education as a means of spreading the Christian faith to Blacks – and
“Believing that slaves could not be enlightened without developing philanthropists to advance education among Blacks.
in them a longing But the former slaves were
for liberty, not a few masters not mere supplicants, according
maintained that the more brutish to the Encyclopedia. “The black
the bondmen the more pliant community, although hindered by
they become for purposes of poverty, contributed significantly
exploitation,” wrote Carter G. to the development of early black
Woodson in The Education of education,” it stated. “In all of the
the Negro Prior to 1861. Southern states the black church and
And to perpetuate that other organizations solicited funds
ignorance, slaveholders often to establish schools. In some parts of
inflicted severe punishment, the South, the schools organized by
in the form of fines and blacks were the first to be established
imprisonment, on anyone found in a town or village.”
teaching slaves to read and But Black communities – or poor
write or on any slave found White ones for that matter – could
committing that grave sin. not afford the cost of sustaining
Conversely, knowledge was a private schools. And it took
treasured and indispensable tool Reconstruction-era governments,
to enslaved African Americans working mainly through The
in their struggle for freedom Freedmen’s Bureau, a federal entity
and equality. Enslaved Blacks created to serve the needs of the
often put themselves at grave Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
former slaves and poor Whites after
One of the principal tasks of the Bureau of Freedmen, Refugees, and
risk, meeting in secret, to learn the War, to advance education to the
Abandoned Lands was to educate the 4 million former slaves after the Civil
to read and write. Still, the War. Over the course of five years, the bureau built over 4,000 schools
Black masses. As one of its greatest
system of slavery was adept at in the South. This engraving from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated shows a legacies, the Bureau established a
suppressing Black education, Freedmen’s Bureau schoolroom in Virginia. system of free public schools for
so much so that over 90 percent Blacks throughout the South, staffing
of the adult Black population in the Southern states was illiterate in 1860 at them mainly with White teachers from the North. The Bureau also founded
the start of the Civil War, according to the Encyclopedia of African-American historically Black institutions such as Atlanta, Fisk and Howard universities.
Politics. The education program lasted until 1872 when support for the Bureau – and
Continued on Page 14

12 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers

 Determination Will See You Through
Determination is the act of being persistent in order to reach a particu-
lar goal. It is an important character trait. Unfortunately, determination,
as with other esteemed character traits, is something that is not easily
taught. Some are fortunate and seem determined and focused from an
early age. We have all heard stories of those who are very successful who
became so because they would not give up, even under difficult circum-
stances. For others, determination is a trait or an attitude that is acquired
through life experiences.

Very early in my professional career, I was given the opportunity to work

on a challenging and exciting project. The team worked diligently to ac-
complish the task at hand. Unexpectedly, when the work was complete,
the end result was not as expected. The problems were extensive. Being
so young, the experience affected me deeply since I hadn’t personally ex-
perienced that kind of professional disappointment. I didn’t know how to
react and began to have self doubts. As pressure mounted, my immediate
inclination was defensive, wanting nothing more than to remove myself
from the project. However, I had team members who were supportive and
wanted, foremost, to focus on finding a solution. They were calm during
the crisis and remained respectful of others. Their example allowed me to
put the situation in proper perspective, and I became determined to con-
tribute to the success of the project. With a new focus and sense of deter-
mination, I stayed with the project; learned from the mistakes that were
made; continued to work tirelessly; and, ultimately, helped with making

Mark Stirling
the effort a success.

For me, there were many lessons to be learned or reaffirmed from that experience.
Systems Engineer Integrity, civility, and patience all come to mind, and these are all excellent character
traits to make your own. What I learned most from that experience, however, was
T. Rowe Price determination. Looking back, I clearly see that it was determination that took me
from a point of wanting to give up on the project to being a contributor to the final
solution. Determination helped me to overcome fears and to focus
on finishing the work. That experience became a defining moment,
as it helped me to understand the type of attitude required to be
successful. As you embark upon your academic and professional
career, I encourage you to be purposeful in your decisions and de-
termined to follow through even when circumstances present an
unexpected challenge.

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 13

Black Politics
Continued from Page 6
equal standing with their former
“masters,” a truth that many Whites
could not swallow. The Klan’s goal,
then, was to reestablish the dominance
of the pre-war plantation aristocracy.
The Klan’s creation was a centerpiece
of widespread protest, mostly violent,
by the former planter aristocracy
against Blacks.
But it was economics that
eventually caused the demise of Black
political involvement. Economic
depression turned public opinion away
from the sociopolitical plight of the
Negro. The Republican Party began
to split. And dissident Republicans
(called scalawags), disgusted by
the corruption, high taxes and high
state debts of Republican President
Ulysses Grant’s administration, joined
ex-Confederates (Democrats) in
regaining control of state legislatures
and putting an end to the system
instituted by radical Republicanism.
Even Black leaders began to focus,
Black Education
Continued from Page 12
goodwill that fueled Reconstruction –
began to wane.
The system of public education
– though hailed by many within the
Black community as a significant
step toward universal Black
education – was nonetheless founded
on principles of White supremacy
and inequality. The 1896 Supreme
Court decision, Plessy v. Ferguson
14 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers
less on political progress, and more
on individual economic progress like
many of the White elite.
That period, from 1873-1877,
known as the Redemption, saw a
wane in Black political influence.
Blacks continued to vote and were
elected into the 1880s. But after
1901, when George Henry White,
the last Southern Black of the post-
Reconstruction period to serve
in Congress, retired, not a single
Black served in Congress until 1966
when Edward Brooke was elected
to represent Massachusetts in the
Senate. And the consequent institution
of Jim Crow laws, a philosophy of
segregation, ushered in one of the
darkest periods in Black history.
** The AFRO appreciates the assistance of the
staff of the Martin Luther King Library Black
Studies Division.
This article was originally published in
the AFRO, February 17, 2007 edition under
the headline, “The Political Language of
Freedom.”
enshrined the idea of “separate but
equal” in all matters relating to Blacks
and Whites, including education.
However, history shows that while the
mandate to “separateness” was firmly
enforced, “equality” in education
and otherwise would be an ongoing
struggle that sparked the Civil Rights
Movement and continues to be a
problem today.
Black Townships
Continued from Page 9
The graphs show their increased movement to urban areas in the north
such as New York City, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and Missouri.
The pattern thins out but is still discernible in Western states including
Oklahoma, New Mexico and California.
After the 1860s, the Black population in free states had increased by 50
percent, indicating a sizable Black exodus from the south, said Johnson.
But Blacks battled opposition in the northern states, as well. “The
North was also hit by economic depression, and enraged White people
rioted against African Americans, who they accused of stealing their jobs,”
according to Africans in America.
While some traveled to the Northeast, a large number migrated to mid-
western states. Blacks and other races, attracted to the relatively cheap and
available land, flocked to these areas. The rural labor was also comparable
to the work former slaves were accustomed.
From 1879-1880, about 20,000 Blacks, called “exodusters,” migrated
to some part of Kansas, said PBS. One such group of migrant ex-slaves
traveled from Kentucky to northwestern Kansas. Six Blacks and two
Whites established the Nicodemus community in 1877. At one point,
the area thrived with about 500 residents. Nicodemus, now a registered
national historic site, is the only remaining western town established by
Blacks during Reconstruction.
The more than 180,000 Black men, who had served as union soldiers
in the war, had the most resources to migrate. The Army helped many
of these men resettle in the mid-western states, and after a great deal of
agitation, their pay had become comparable to Whites by the end of the
War, Johnson said.
“Many of these men had an opportunity to move to some place and start
a life there because they had a little bit of money,” he said. “More money
than frankly poor farmers and laborers had even outside the slave system.”
Still others set sights on Liberia. During the last three years of the
1870s, approximately 388 Blacks voyaged to West Africa, most leaving
from the Carolinas or Arkansas, according to the historical book Nation
Under Our Feet.
The turn of the century would see even more Black migration. During
World War I, some 500,000 southern Blacks would travel to northern cities
in search of factory jobs. Then, from 1916 to 1970, more than six million
Blacks would abandon the South. By the end of those periods known
as the great and second great migrations, almost half of all Blacks lived
outside of the South.
 ‘Icy’ - It’s More Than Just a Name
My name is Icy Barton and I am Verizon’s last line of defense. I
work as a consultant in our Maryland Consumer and Sales de-
partment specializing in retaining our customers.

I began my career with Verizon in 1998 as service representative

in collections. Thanks to Verizon’s tuition assistance program,
I earned my master’s of business administration (MBA) degree
in 2007 from Washington Adventist University. People always
ask me how I got a name like Icy. My job requires that I talk to
hundreds of people every week and to remain cool and positive.
A typical day might include a customers yelling at me or, even
worse, trying to bully me. I listen to what they say and don’t
take it personally. Instead, I tell them how I am going to fix their
problem.

In my spare time, I visit a nursing home once a month because

our senior citizens are great to be around. I am member of Toast-
masters, a nonprofit organization that helps me to strengthen my
speaking ability. I also am a solider in the Army Reserves. Last
year, I wrote and directed my first play, Welcome Home, The Story
of the Prodigal Son. I even used real pigs in the play.

The best character trait that has been instilled in me is integrity.

Watching my parents gave me the best example. No one wants to
Icy Barton deal with a dishonest person. Integrity will help you live long and pros-
per. It’s essential in achieving success not only in business but with your

Consultant, Maryland Consumer relationships, family and friends.

and Sales Department

Verizon

Afro-American Newspapers February 26, 2011 Character Education/Black History Month 15

 Afro-American Newspapers’
Character Education Essay Contest

Eighth-Graders Only

T
he Afro-American Newspapers’ Character Education
Contest was launched 14 years ago to promote
positive character development among the nation’s
leaders of tomorrow – our youth.
We believe good character has to be taught and
modeled, which is why we have chosen to profile local corporate
professionals and business leaders in our publication.
The featured individuals, time and time again, incorporate positive
character traits – such as honesty, respect, responsibility, courage
and perseverance – in their everyday lives, proving to be positive role
models in their community.
For the contest, students are asked to read the featured profiles
and choose the one that inspires them most to incorporate positive
character traits in their own lives. Students should then write an essay
that best explains why they chose the article and how they plan to use
what they’ve learned to shape their future.
• Essays should be between two and four pages in length (double-
spaced) and must be typed.
• Essays will be judged on neatness, grammar, punctuation and the
student’s ability to give insight on what they learned from the profile.
Judges are impartial volunteers and may include teachers, staff from
local colleges and universities and the editorial staff at the AFRO.
For more information concerning the Afro-American Newspapers’
Character Education Contest, please contact: Diane Hocker,
410-554-8243.

Cash prizes to be awarded

Deadline: April 8, 2011
Mail typed essays to:
Diane Hocker • Afro-American Newspapers
2519 N. Charles Street • Baltimore, Md. 21218
or e-mail them to:
charactereducation@afro.com
No faxes will be accepted
16 Character Education/Black History Month February 26, 2011 Afro-American Newspapers