Confederate Monument located in Elmwood Cemetery – Norfolk, Virginia
In light of the recent focus on removing Confederacy-related statues, and monuments of those who supported the transatlantic slave trade and/or the “peculiar institution” of slavery in what is now the United States of America, a deeper look at history can be helpful to understanding the thoughts of people who support leaving the monuments in place, and those who prefer them moved to places that some consider to be more acceptable: cemeteries and museums. It’s obviously a debate that’s being held all over the country right now, and a worthy one. But is there another conversation about where and how history is remembered and presented that is being missed? Let’s look back at who was responsible for much of the history that was presented in the American history textbooks that shaped the conversations and beliefs that we see today.
There is a phrase heard frequently that “history is written by the victors,” but in the case of the Civil War, the Confederacy lost the war but were later able to have a huge influence on how the story of the war, and slavery, is told. Case in point: The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC).
In 1919, 54 years after the end of the war (that surrender at Appomattox), a commission was formed by the United Confederate Veterans (UCV). It consisted of five representative members each, from the UCV, the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), and the UDC. The Rutherford Committee, as it was called, was named after Mildred Lewis Rutherford: a well known supporter and storyteller about a particular peculiar institution (“happy” slaves), the South as a victim of North (they were mean and didn’t want to play fair!), and the KKK (well, they protected White women and children, right?).
Mildred Rutherford later went on to publish a pamphlet called “A Measuring Rod to Test Text Books, and Reference Books in Schools, Colleges and Libraries,” which was used to ensure that the history of the “benevolent” and valiant southern war heroes and the “benevolent” southern supporters of slavery were presented with the loudest voices to the public, and not just those in the south. But they lost the war, remember? Who says women didn’t have power before they could vote? Well, that’s another story for another day in this year that we’re celebrating the 100-year anniversary of women gaining that right. Meanwhile, watch this video for some background on history (or her story?).
Whew, right? But wait, there’s more!
Here are some excerpts from an article presented by the magazine, “Facing South,” which show “history” as quoted from textbooks in 1957.
Life among the Negroes of Virginia in slavery times was generally happy. The Negroes went about in a cheerful manner making a living for themselves and for those for whom they worked.
Fourth grade history book, Virginia History
[Slaves]… did not work so hard as the average free laborer, since he did not have to worry about losing his job. In fact, the slave enjoyed what we might call comprehensive social security. Generally speaking, his food was plentiful, his clothing adequate, his cabin warm, his health protected and his leisure carefree.
Virginia high school history book, Cavalier Commonwealth
Raise your hand if you didn’t know that enslaved Africans had it so good: food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, vacation, (okay, maybe staycations) and you got to look down on the lowly “free” laborers who worked harder than you did. Nice work if you can get it, right? (Yeah, no.)
And a last exerpt from the article:
Up until 1980, Mississippi’s public schools used Lost Cause textbooks exclusively — and it took a federal court order to make them stop.
Photo title: “The United Daughters of the Confederacy Reception Room, used as a House of Representatives committee room at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson”; Created/Published: 2017-11-03; Photographs in the Ben May Charitable Trust Collection of Mississippi Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Notice the date of the photo above: November of 2017. That’s less than three years ago.
The following are photos of the partial removal of the “Johnny Reb” Confederate Monument, which was located literally in the middle of Main Street, in Norfolk VA. The image of the soldier (not pictured) was removed on June 12, with the balance of the removal to be completed later. According to Norfolk Mayor, Kenneth Cooper Alexander, in this 13 News Nowarticle, the “Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans did not oppose the proposed move to Elmwood Cemetery where the monument will stand amongst the graves of Confederate soldiers.”
Maybe it would benefit our united and freshly “woke” selves to pay as much attention to history textbooks and library collections, as we do to statues.
Bonus read: The video mentioned a document called the Confederate Catechism that was taught to schoolchildren. You can (and should!) read it here. You know how we love primary resources, and it’s perfectly okay for you to read it even if it’s been a while since you were young enough to skip history class.
Oh, and don’t forget to read the 23-page pamphlet, A Measuring Rod to Test Text Books, and Reference Books in Schools, Colleges and Libraries, here. Within the link, scroll down and you will see several options for you to be able to read the document, in addition to the option to listen to a choppy (but accurate) audio version.
*****The mission of the Don’t Duck History program is to promote and facilitate the learning and sharing of American history, along with its personal and social implications, and to highlight the history of Americans whose stories are not often presented in traditional American history textbooks.
Don’t Duck History is a program of United Charitable, a registered public 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
If you have followed the Don’t Duck History Facebook page over the past few weeks, you should have noticed several mentions of the Black newspaper, The Richmond Planet, sometimes simply referred to as “The Planet,” based out of Richmond, Virginia. If you haven’t followed our Facebook page, today is a good day to fix that!
Also today, The Planet will be used to tell a story (history) that came to light for many due to recent news, but has also largely been ignored in American history textbooks. The recent news is the recent 99th anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre, (Oklahoma: May 31, 1921-June 1, 1921), where the area of Greenwood contained a district that was sometimes referred to as “Black Wall Street.” Ironically there were other areas in the country that earned that nickname, and a section in Richmond, Virginia was one of them.
Back to Tulsa, the “riot” is said to have been triggered by a Black male being accused of assaulting a White female, and the end result was the massacre of Blacks in the area, and the physical destruction of the thriving community that they had built. Both people and businesses were displaced, and the following article from The Planet announced a request from the NAACP in December of that year, for clothing items to be donated to survivors in need. (It is followed by a transcription of the article, slightly edited for form.)
The Richmond Planet, Saturday, December 17, 1921, Richmond Virginia
N. A. A. C. P. ASKS CLOTHES FOR TULSA SUFFERERS
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York today asked that donations of clothes be sent to the Tulsa Relief Committee, for riot victims who have to face the rigors of winter with inadequate housing and insufficient clothes to protect them from the cold.
The Association’s statement is as follows:
‘Inquiries have been coming in to the National office as to whom to send clothing to in Tulsa, to help the riot sufferers face the cold of winter. The Association has been made a center in New York for relief funds, having raised $3500 which is being exponded for physical relief and legal defense in Tulsa, but cannot undertake the distribution of clothing.
We are therefore asking that those who have clothes to give to the Tulsa sufferers, send them to
MR. S. D. HOOKER, Chairman TulsaRelief Com., 124 N. Greenwood St., Tulsa Oklahoma.
Needless to say only clothes in good condition should be sent, preferably warm garments.’
For the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON, Secretary.
Another resource of information about the massacre is the Library of Congress’ digitized photos, that are available online, which is a good thing because libraries are still closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the photos, below, and follow the links in the captions for more information on each.
“Smoldering ruins of African American’s homes following race riots in Tulsa, Okla., in 1921” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/95517072/
“Tulsa, Oklahoma, race riot, June 1, 1921] / photo by Alvin C. Krupnick Co., Tulsa, Okla.” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/91796047/
“Furniture in street during race riot, probably due to eviction, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1921] / photo by Alvin C. Krupnick Co., Tulsa, Okla.” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/93501250/
“Rear view of truck carrying African Americans during the Tulsa, Okla. riot of 1921] / by Alvin C. Krupnick Co., Tulsa, Okla.” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/95519929/
“Truck on street near Litan Hotel carrying soldiers and African Americans during Tulsa, Okla., race riot in 1921” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/95517748/
“Headquarters staff, American Red Cross Disaster Relief Hdqs., Tulsa, Okla., after the race riot of June 1921” Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/item/2011661526/
Notice that the last photo is captioned as being in “Little Africa.” If you were to Google that phrase, you would get results from several areas in the country that were described as such. Also, notice that most of the Library descriptions use the phrase “race riot,” though a more accurate description is massacre. “Massacre” because not only was the ultimate outcome the slaughter of what may have been hundreds of Blacks, but the killing and destruction was aided by government entities, which are rarely, if ever, accused of “rioting.”
Finally, spend time learning more about the incident from the following articles:
One, from the perspective of Jim Goodwin, publisher of the Black-owned newspaper, Oklahoma Eagle, here.
The second, from this article that calls attention to a manuscript written by Buck Colbert Franklin (1879-1960), which describes Franklin’s first-hand accounts of what he witnessed years before, during, and after the historic massacre, here.
That’s all for now, but stay tuned for more interesting history that you probably didn’t get in history class! 🦆🦆🦆🦆
*****The mission of the Don’t Duck History program is to promote and facilitate the learning and sharing of American history, along with its personal and social implications, and to highlight the history of Americans whose stories are not often presented in traditional American history textbooks.
Don’t Duck History is a program of United Charitable, a registered public 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you appreciated this writing, follow the blog for more American history, and consider a making a donation. Ducks need to eat, too! DONATE HERE
There’s a lot going on these days to distract us from our history lessons, while we’re creating history with our experiences with the novel coronavirus. Today we get back to celebrating the fact that back in June of 1919, Congress passed the 19th Amendment, and the amendment was ratified in August of 2020. That was an experience for the whole country, for sure, but especially for women.
Let’s look back at the experiences of several women of that time period: one, a mother suffering from a physical ailment; one, a business owner who offered a curious treatment for the suffering; and others, who were busy doing the work of achieving the ability to vote in federal, and not just state and/or local elections. Interestingly, all are captured being supportive of other women. A good idea then, and a good idea now.
In the look back, we’re including two old newspaper articles, and the transcriptions are provided below each one.
LETTER FROM MRS. BRUCE – Tells Remarkable Story of Sickness and Recovery.
Brooksburg, Indiana – “When I was a young girl I clerked in my father’s store and I lifted heavy boxes which caused displacement and I suffered greatly. I was married at the age of eighteen and went to a doctor about my trouble and he said if I had a child I would be all right.
After three years twins came to us and I did get all right but three years later a baby boy came and I was troubled again. I could scarcely do any work at all and suffered for four years A neighbor told me about Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound and I took it for a year or more. Now I have a baby girl and do not have any female trouble. You can do anything you like with my letter to help others.”
– Mrs. J. M. BRUCE, R, F. D. 3, Brooksburg, Ind.
The makers of Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound have thousands of such letters as that above – they tell the truth, else they could not have been obtained for love or money. This medicine no stranger-it has stood the test for more than forty years.
If there are any complications you do not understand write to Lydin E. Pinkham Medicine Co. (confidential), Lynn, Mass.]
Mrs. Bruce, with her (likely uterine) displacement, seemed to gladly offer her support to Lydia Pinkham, and suggested that Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound was at least partially responsible for her recovery. Not an easy illness to treat at the time, and one not likely given the deserved attention at a time when most physicians were male.
The Healer
So what about this Lydia Pinkham? According to The Embro Project Encyclopedia, she was a businesswoman who started making her herbal remedies in her home kitchen during an economic downturn in 1873. The ingredients of her vegetable compound initially included black cohosh, fenugreek seed root, life root, pleurisy root, and, you can’t make this up, unicorn root. Raise your hand and giggle if you just learned that unicorn root is a thing. If you’re in a room with someone else and they’re looking at you funny, just share the blog with them and wait for them to raise a hand and giggle. Oh, and the original recipe also included 20% alcohol. She said it was there to preserve the ingredients. Raise your hand and giggle if you question that.
Moving right along, Pinkham’s company advertised in newspapers and magazines, offering relief to women from their “female problems.” Some people called her a quack, but she had the last laugh because a modified, modern version of her original recipe is still on the market today. Of course, this is Don’t Duck History and we actually like quacks, so there’s that. You should read more about Lydia here.
The Suffragettes
Next we have the unidentified woman and shero in the 1920 article below, supporting other women by circulating flyers, and clearly being both proud of and unbothered by the fact that she spent some time in jail for her work supporting women’s right to vote.
Evening journal, April 20, 1920, Page 7 (Wilmington Delaware) shorturl.at/rMRVX
JAIL! WHAT’S THAT TO SUFFRAGISTS ?
Special to The Evening Journal.
DOVER, Del. April 20 – Just, before the convening of Court here yesterday, two suffragists of the National Women’s party strolled into the courtroom distributing circulars of today’s suffrage meeting. When one of the women stepped into the prisoner’s dock thoughtlessly, she was informed by one of the lawyers in court, that she was in the dock, to which she replied, “Oh that does not hurt me, I have been in a prisoner’s dock before and what is more than that, I have served time in jail, see my badge.”
At this she displayed one of the prison door badges worn by several of the National Party workers who have been here during the session of the Legislature.
As members of the National Woman’s Party, and subsequently, the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s (NAWSA), Congressional Committee and the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, some women took what was considered a more militant method of supporting women, and a few of them are pictured below. Like the “girlfriend on a mission” above, these ladies looked like they did not give a…hoot. Or a rat’s patootie. Whatever. Just look at their facial expressions. “By any means necessary” was in their vocabulary.
Library of Congress photo title: “Helena Hill Weed, Norwalk, Conn. Serving 3 day sentence in D.C. prison for carrying banner, “Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Background: “Mrs. Helena Hill Weed of Norwalk, Conn., was a graduate of Vassar College and Montana School of Mines. She was a geologist, a daughter of a member of Congress, and a vice-president of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a prominent member of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage and the NWP. She was one of the first pickets arrested, July 4, 1917, and served three days in District Jail. In January 1918, she was arrested for applauding in court and sentenced to 24 hours, and in August 1918 she was arrested for participation in Lafayette Square meeting, and sentenced to 15 days. Doris Stevens, Jailed for Freedom (New York: Boni and Liveright, 1920), 369.”Library of Congress photo title: “Miss [Lucy] Burns in Occoquan Workhouse, Washington” Background: “Lucy Burns, of New York City, who with Alice Paul established the first permanent headquarters for suffrage work in Washington, D.C., helped organize the suffrage parade of Mar. 3, 1913, and was one of the editors of The Suffragist. Leader of most of the picket demonstrations, she served more time in jail than any other suffragists in America. Arrested picketing June 1917, sentenced to 3 days; arrested Sept. 1917, sentenced to 60 days; arrested Nov. 10, 1917, sentenced to 6 months; in Jan. 1919 arrested at watchfire demonstrations, for which she served one 3 day and two 5 day sentences. She also served 4 prison terms in England. Burns was one of the speakers on the “Prison Special” tour of Feb-Mar 1919. Source: Doris Stevens, Jailed for Freedom (New York: Boni and Liveright, 1920), 356.”
Last, but not least, there were the suffragettes who did not identify as white, and often are left out of the conversation of women’s suffrage history. We are all about including the untold stories, and are grateful for institutions like the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Park Service, who are leading the way to not ducking history, in a big way, well, because they’re big. Below is a glimpse from their writings about some of these lesser-known sheroes. You can read more about the next five, here.
Mary Ann Shadd Cary Founder of an antislavery newspaper in Canada, who later went on to be a lawyerFrances Ellen Watkins Harper Abolitionist and poetMarry Church Terrell Co-founder of the the National Association of Colored Women, and its first presidentNannie Helen Burroughs Educator, founder of the National Training School for Women and Girls in Washington, DCDaisy Elizabeth Adams Lampkin 1915 President of the Lucy Stone Woman Suffrage League
The National Park Service calls attention to Chinese suffragist, Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Though she was active in the cause at the age of sixteen, the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882-1943) made her ineligible for citizenship, and therefore not eligible to vote until 1943.
Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee
In addition, there is Teresa Villarreal in Texas, a Mexican native, who had two publications: La Mujer Moderna (The Modern Woman) and El Obrero (The Worker). Both included women’s suffrage in their writings. The National Park Service has made information about her and many others available in their online resource, The International History of the US Suffrage Movement.
Teresa Villarreal Publisher, women’s and worker’s rights supporter
Bottom line, we can look at history and see the importance of women supporting women. Support through writing letters (today that may be a favorable online review), purchasing goods and services from woman-owned businesses, providing goods and services to women, etc. What others can you think of? Do your research, and do those, too! Most importantly, celebrate women in 2020 and beyond, and celebrate their right to vote.
*****The mission of the Don’t Duck History program is to promote and facilitate the learning and sharing of American history, along with its personal and social implications, and to highlight the history of Americans whose stories are not often presented in traditional American history textbooks.
Don’t Duck History is a program of United Charitable, a registered public 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you appreciated this writing, follow the blog for more American history, and consider a making a donation. Ducks need to eat, too! DONATE HERE
Photo from the Journal and Guide, February 14, 1942
Old Newspapers To The Rescue
For those of us who are average citizens simply trying to understand the COVID-19 pandemic, from its scale to just little things that we can do or should know, it can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming. I often look to history for understanding, sometimes using old newspapers in the process, and once again, history and old newspaper articles have not disappointed, this time, when I wasn’t exactly looking for what was found.
I was looking for somewhat coronavirus-related material in archives of the Journal and Guide, a 120-year-old, African American newspaper based in Norfolk Virginia, and stumbled upon an article about a tuberculosis epidemic that was active in 1942, during the war. Somewhat related, in that I was researching a topic specific to WWII, and the fight against the new virus has been compared to an actual war. I’ve learned to scan the pages that result from my keyword searches, and this is one example of why.
Journal and Guide, February 14, 1942
From the top heading to the first article, it is clear that attention is on tuberculosis, specifically in the Black population of Virginia. Recent news and evidence has shown that just as in the cases of tuberculosis at the time of the war, cases of COVID-19 are showing a similar trend to past cases of TB. Within the United States today, in certain areas that have documented the race of those who have tested positive and/or died from the infection, higher rates of infection and/or death have sometimes been observed in non-white citizens. This writing is primarily taking a closer look at the African American and white European American populations, as they are the racial groups either primarily or exclusively referred to in the articles used. Within those racial groups as they relate to American history, another observation of past and present comes into play – systemic racism. From an April 14, 2020 opinion (and sourced) article in the New York Times, columnist Jamelle Bouie notes:
…if you look at the full picture of American society, it is clear that the structural position of black Americans isn’t so different than it was at the advent of the industrial age. Race still shapes personhood; it still marks the boundaries of who belongs and who doesn’t; of which groups face the brunt of capitalist inequality (in all its forms) and which get some respite. Race, in other words, still answers the question of “who.” Who will live in crowded, segregated neighborhoods? Who will be exposed to lead-poisoned pipes and toxic waste? Who will live with polluted air and suffer disproportionately from maladies like asthma and heart disease? And when disease comes, who will be the first to succumb in large numbers?
If there was anything you could predict about this pandemic — anything you could be certain about once it reached America’s shores — it was that some communities would weather the storm while others would sink under the waves, and that the distribution of this suffering would have everything to do with patterns inscribed by the past.
What more do we know of the history? A little more digging, and let’s look at the Piedmont Sanatorium, mentioned in the Journal and Guide article that was pictured earlier. By the way, “Sanatorium” was the name used for facilities that treated chronic illnesses, over what would usually be an extended period of time, and ironically, tuberculosis was sometimes referred to as the “white plague.” It’s always complicated.
Piedmont Sanatorium, Burkeville VA photo courtesy: asylum projects.org
According to AsylumProjects.org, after local residents in both Ivor and Lynchburg refused to have the sanatorium housed within their limits, somehow the Virginia State Board of Health ultimately allowed the 1918 establishment of the facility in Burkeville VA, over protests of residents there, as well. From the start of its operation, education as well as treatment was expected and delivered:
An important goal of the treatment of tubercular blacks was their eventual re-entry into productive society. In 1919, Miss Helen Morris was hired as the sanatorium’s first occupational therapist. She led the patients in handicraft activities. Some patients were taught skills that they would be able to use once returning to the real world. Piedmont patients were also expected to serve as role models for tubercular blacks who could not come to Piedmont. The Piedmont staff taught their patients the proper ways to dispose of sputum and other ways to handle the ills of tuberculosis in hopes that their patients would return to their home communities and teach other African-Americans about tuberculosis. Educating the black population about tuberculosis took place both on and off the Piedmont site. Patients at the sanatorium were required to attend weekly lectures to learn more about tuberculosis. Field clinics were established to diagnose blacks in other areas of Virginia and to give advice on dealing with the disease. By focusing on the black population as a whole, rather than merely the patients who received treatment at the sanatorium, Piedmont provided widespread benefits to society.
How what could have been viewed as a progressive stance taken by the state happened, is unclear. Self-preservation (the long-term protection of state funds by spending money on the front end vs. the back end) could have been a motivator, but continued separation of the two races could have been a consideration as well. Were politics at play? That’s also a possibility. Nevertheless, the Piedmont Sanatorium served both patients, students, and society in general.
Shortly after the sanatorium opened, a nursing school for black women was established on the Piedmont site. The Nursing School at Piedmont Sanatorium offered a tuberculosis specific curriculum. The program was only for two years and allowed black women to become certified specifically in tuberculosis nursing. If these women wanted to become registered nurses, they had to complete a third year of training at St. Phillips Hospital in Richmond. The ultimate goal of establishing the nursing school for tuberculosis, it may be assumed, was to have these nurses work with the black population at large to fight tuberculosis.
Graduating nurses. Journal and Guide, June 1, 1929
Medical Science to the Rescue
Did the sanatorium make a difference? It did, but according to the following article, the writer suggests that had the states (not just Virginia) leaned more away from the political influences, and more into humanitarian efforts, the drop in tuberculosis rates would have been even greater.
Instead of treating tuberculosis medically at its source, the States have treated it politically in its course, after it was contracted. It provided two white hospital beds for white patients for every one bed provided for colored patients. To have done otherwise would have been a political risk. But while they were following the usual course of political action the scourage [sic] was spreading among both races. While the Negro’s house burned the fire men turned the hose on the white house in the next block, which was not on fire.
Excerpt: “Medical Science to the Rescue of the State,” Journal and Guide, December 11, 1954.
“Medical Science to the Rescue of the State,” Journal and Guide, December 11, 1954.Related article about improvement of infection numbers in Norfolk VA,“Tuberculosis Fight Showing Results Here,” Journal and Guide, February 7, 1931
What Do We Know Today, Regarding COVID-19?
Regarding the novel coronavirus, at the time of this writing, scientists and medical professionals (especially to include epidemiologists) are still looking at patterns and looking for a cure. Because the information changes and/or is updated frequently, a central place to find current information is the website https://www.coronavirus.gov/. There is, however, some additional information that you may find interesting and/or helpful.
While looking at and explaining the current situation with COVID-19, scientists sometimes compare it to the flu, while acknowledging that the two are not the same. Of course, tuberculosis isn’t the same, either, but they all have the common trait of being respiratory illnesses.
In the category of “nutrients,” a journal entry published on April 2, 2020 in the National Institute of Health publication, PubMed, information is shared that a healthy level of vitamin D may be instrumental in protection against the flu and the coronavirus, as the vitamin can have a positive affect on infections, in general. Here’s an excerpt:
This article reviews the roles of vitamin D in reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections, knowledge about the epidemiology of influenza and COVID-19, and how vitamin D supplementation might be a useful measure to reduce risk. Through several mechanisms, vitamin D can reduce risk of infections. Those mechanisms include inducing cathelicidins and defensins that can lower viral replication rates and reducing concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines that produce the inflammation that injures the lining of the lungs, leading to pneumonia, as well as increasing concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Several observational studies and clinical trials reported that vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of influenza, whereas others did not. Evidence supporting the role of vitamin D in reducing risk of COVID-19 includes that the outbreak occurred in winter, a time when 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations are lowest; that the number of cases in the Southern Hemisphere near the end of summer are low; that vitamin D deficiency has been found to contribute to acute respiratory distress syndrome; and that case-fatality rates increase with age and with chronic disease comorbidity, both of which are associated with lower 25(OH)D concentration.
Grant WB, Lahore H, McDonnell SL, et al. Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):E988. Published 2020 Apr 2. doi:10.3390/nu12040988 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32252338/
Interestingly, from a different PubMed entry, an additional exerpt:
Vitamin D insufficiency is more prevalent among African Americans (blacks) than other Americans and, in North America, most young, healthy blacks do not achieve optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations at any time of year. This is primarily due to the fact that pigmentation reduces vitamin D production in the skin. Also, from about puberty and onward, median vitamin D intakes of American blacks are below recommended intakes in every age group, with or without the inclusion of vitamin D from supplements.
So, maybe this journal down the rabbit hole of history via an old newspaper and medical science, is also a reason to speak with your doctor about your vitamin D level.
Stay safe, and if you find that you have more time on your hands than usual – in addition to washing your hands frequently, use them to read more old newspapers at the link provided below.
*****The mission of the Don’t Duck History program is to promote and facilitate the learning and sharing of American history, along with its personal and social implications, and to highlight the history of Americans whose stories are not often presented in traditional American history textbooks.
Don’t Duck History is a program of United Charitable, a registered public 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If you appreciated this writing, follow the blog for more American history, and consider a making a donation. Ducks need to eat, too! DONATE HERE
Lena Horne, 1941. Photographer: Carl Van Vechten. photo: courtesy Library of Congress
FREEDOM, IN A SONG
From dancing at age 16 at the Cotton Club in Harlem, to singing in her one-woman Broadway show, Lena Horne: The Lady and her Music, Lena Horne (1917-2010) paved the way not only for herself, but also for women of color in the entertainment industry who came along in her footsteps.
Lena Horne in Till the Clouds Roll By (1946). photo: courtesy Wikimedia Commons
As her physical appearance displayed a somewhat racial ambiguity (she was of African, European, and Native heritage), she had to learn to navigate racial complexities throughout her life and career. Complex, and confusing: on one hand it seemed that sometimes she was encouraged to lean towards her “whiteness” for the white audiences in her live musical performances; she was limited in roles in MGM films because of those same audiences; and at the same time, the NAACP encouraged her Hollywood pursuits to help break the color barrier while not taking the stereotypical roles that blacks were normally cast at the time, sometimes angering some of her Black peers who accepted those stereotypical roles in exchange for simply being able to work in the industry. However, later along in her career during the Civil Rights Era, she chose to lean into her “blackness,” participating in marches and losing opportunities to work because of that participation. As the song that she is famously known for singing, it was Stormy Weather in real life.
Lena Horne and Coretta Scott King; Trumpet Awards Foundation gala, Atlanta, Georgia, 1994. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Visual Materials from the Rosa Parks Papers, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-DIG-ppmsca-38464
Later in life she stated:
My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman, I’m not alone, I’m free. I no longer have to be a credit, I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody, I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.
At the end of the documentary below, you will see her come into her own using that same song, Stormy Weather, where she had moved away from a more “standard” jazz style (often deemed more acceptable to white audiences early in her career), to a more bluesy delivery towards the end of her journey. She had clearly had freed herself.
The Series-
As Americans (and people all over the world) push through and do our best to adjust our lives to the new realities that the COVID-19 pandemic is showing us, now more than ever, many could use the healing art that music often provides during times of distress. Along comes jazz… and blues, and they each tell a story of the history of America along the way.
The mission of the Don’t Duck History program is to promote and facilitate the learning and sharing of American history, along with its personal and social implications, and to highlight the history of Americans whose stories are not often presented in traditional American history textbooks.
Don’t Duck History is a program of United Charitable, a registered public 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
James Reese Europe conducts the 369th Infantry Regiment band as they perform for wounded soldiers outside of a hospital in France, during WWI. (1918) – Library of Congress
As Americans (and people all over the world) push through and do our best to adjust our lives to the new realities that the COVID-19 pandemic is showing us, now more than ever, many could use the healing art that music often provides during times of distress.
Along comes jazz… and blues. While both are considered to be American music, which came first? Much like the chicken and the egg, we may never agree on that, but we can reap the benefits, regardless. With roots in American chattel slavery, both incorporate African rhythms and styles, which along the way have been built upon to give us additional genres such as R&B, rock and roll, and rap.
Bottom line, they each tell a story of the history of America along the way. Watch this video, which gives some of that history, and hopefully afterwards you will feel entertained, educated, and elevated by the brief episode of healing – through music. Don’t forget to #sharetheknowledge, and don’t forget to wash your hands. 😉
Norfolk Virginia (home of Don’t Duck History), June, 1865. The Civil War had ended a month prior, and a newspaper called The Norfolk Post was born. According to information provided on the National Endowment for Humanities website:
Published by E. M. Brown and edited by John Clark, the four-page paper appeared daily, except Sundays, with subscriptions available at three dollars per one hundred issues, or ten dollars per year. A typical issue included local and national news as well as poetry and short fiction–and a vibrant editorial viewpoint.
In its first issue of June 22, 1865, the Norfolk Post carefully identified itself as politically independent. And yet, each issue in truth presented a decidedly distinct perspective, one that embraced a more diverse city, including its African American constituency. The paper, for example, vigorously supported President Andrew Johnson’s reconstruction efforts and especially saw itself as an “aid in bringing about the ‘era of good feeling’ among the great sections of the nation,” all the better to help “re-establish . . . the Old Union.” Editorial discussions frequently confronted the economic and social issues facing the South–and especially those facing Norfolk. Beginning with its earliest issues, the Norfolk Post reported on news of relevance to its African American readers, particularly coverage of the proceedings of the Convention of Colored Virginians held in Alexandria, Virginia, in August 1865.
Within the first issue, the following writing by Shakespeare was included. As you read it consider the audience of the newspaper, which according to the description above seems to be both the White and Black residents of Norfolk. Who was the poem directed toward? One or the other? Both? Certainly both had experienced the situations described (anger/strife).
LET IT PASS. Let former grudges pass- Shakespeare. Be not swift to take offence; Let it pass. Anger is a foe to sense; Let pass. Brood not darkly o’er a wrong Which will disappear ere long, Rather sing this cheering song, Let it pass, Let it pass.
Strife corrodes the purest mind; Let it pass. As the unregarded wind, Let it pass. Any vulgar souls that live May condemn without reprieve; ‘Tis the noble who forgive, Let it pass, Let it pass. Echo not an angry word; Let it pass. Think how often you have erred; Let it pass. Since our joys must pass away, Like the dewdrops on the spray, Wherefore should our sorrows stay? Let it pass. Let it pass.
If for good you’ve taken ill, Let it pass. Oh! be kind and gentle still; Let it pass. Time at last makes all things straight. Let us not resent but wait, And our triumph shall be great; Let it pass, Let it pass. Bid your anger to depart; Let pass. Lay these homely words to heart, Let it pass. Follow not the giddy throng; Better to be wronged than wrong; Therefore sing this cheery song, Let it pass, Let it pass.
Less than one week ago, the United States held a presidential election that seems to have unleashed anger and strife from supporters of both major parties, both before and after the election. Since the election however, one phrase that has been overheard primarily from the supporters of the new President-elect , is “get over it”.
The purpose of this writing is not to point fingers, but to shed light on the fact that we seem to be revisiting history, and one that for this country caused financial instability, loss of a sense of security, and division of families. It was a war. If we look back to 1865, “let it pass” did not seem to be a helpful suggestion during reconstruction, or at the very least it doesn’t seem to have happened on a large scale, and in 2016, “get over it” doesn’t seem to be a helpful suggestion, either. Imagine the poem if you were to replace “let it pass” with “get over it”. Actually, don’t just imagine it, go back and read it and do it. “Get over it” may be helpful if the issue was that your neighbor cut his grass at 5 a.m. on the Saturday that you planned to sleep in, but in the aftermath of a civil war, was it really helpful? Or reasonable? No, it wasn’t, and it isn’t now. We are once again experiencing financial instability, a loss of a sense of security, and division of families, albeit on a different plane because we are not at war.
“Let it pass.” Could that also simply be an observation that cooler heads prevail? Well, it certainly could. Cooler heads certainly do tend to make better decisions. How can we get to those better decisions? Well, not ducking history might be helpful. There is enough of our history documented that should allow us to use it to help us make better decisions. If you are able to read this blog, you also have access to much of that history, as many institutions have digitized historical documents, books, and other resources, so that if you have internet access, you don’t even need to leave home to view them. For example, the Norfolk Post can be found here. Yes, you can read a newspaper from 1865 from home, with no subscription fee (ha!), as easily as you can watch a useless reality tv show. Just a suggestion. “Let us not resent but wait” does not seem to be working. Waiting for cooler heads to appear without doing the actual work to allow them to be cooler does not work.
Peace, squeaks, and quacks.
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When you think of American history, what pops into your mind? Pilgrims? Cherry trees? Patriots? Indians? Wars? Boring classes? Yep for me, on the last one.
Today I’m sharing some history that popped into my mind recently. Back in the 70’s my family rode around in a Chevy Nova. It was a TANK! Well, it was on the outside. At some point the radio stopped working and it was a while before it got replaced. In the mean time, my father, a Viet Nam War era Veteran, decided it would be a good idea for him to just sing ‘a cappella’ as we were riding to wherever. I’m appreciating that now more than I did at the time. Just sayin’. One of the songs he used to sing was Ball Of Confusion, as performed by the Temptations, and one of the reasons I’m familiar with the lyrics is because of HOW MANY TIMES dad sang that song in the car.
As I have mentioned before, I’m not a professional (or particularly learned) historian, but since I decided to develop Don’t Duck History I find myself curious about history everywhere. In the light of recent global events (terrorism, refugees, racism, wars, the list goes on…), I thought this song would be an interesting subject. While the song was considered a protest/psychedelic/message song for it’s time, it still remains relevant today and we’re still finding ourselves struggling with some of the same issues mentioned in it.
Take a few moments and read the lyrics, then watch the video that I found on youtube. Bottom line, this planet that we live on is all we have right now, and we cannot afford to continue the confusion. I’m struggling to be a part of the solution in my moments of clarity. I hope you decide to join me.
Ball Of Confusion
People moving out, people moving in
Why? Because of the color of their skin
Run, run, run but you sure can’t hide
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
Vote for me and I’ll set you free
Rap on, brother, rap on
Well, the only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher
And it seems nobody’s interested in learning but the teacher
Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration
Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to my nation
Ball of confusion
Oh yeah, that’s what the world is today
Woo, hey, hey
The sale of pills are at an all time high
Young folks walking round with their heads in the sky
The cities a flame in the summer time
And oh, the beat goes on
Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul
Shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon
Politicians say more taxes will solve everything
And the band played on
So, round and around and around we go
Where the world’s headed, said nobody knows
Oh, great Googamooga
Can’t you hear me talking to you?
Just a ball of confusion
Oh yeah, that’s what the world is today
Woo, hey, hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record’s a gas
And the only safe place to live is on an Indian reservation
And the band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors
Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills
Hippies moving to the hills, people all over the world are shouting
‘End the war’ and the band played on
Great Googamooga
Can’t you hear me talking to you?
It’s a ball of confusion
That’s what the world is today, hey, hey
Let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya
Sayin’ ball of confusion
That’s what the world is today, hey, hey
Let me hear ya, let me hear ya
Let me hear ya, let me hear ya, let me hear ya
Sayin’ ball of confusion
See what I mean? We still have work to do. Now that I have your attention, if you’re really curious, take a look at this article. It’s got interesting information on the Temptations and Motown, and includes mentions of many other songs and artists of that time. Read it here. That’s the thing when you don’t duck history. One thing leads to another. Like ducks swimming, even.
Born on February 4, 1913, she is most known in American history as the lady who refused to give up her bus seat one day in Montgomery, Alabama, but there’s so much more! On a trip to Washington, D.C., we (me, the hubby, and grandkids) took a tour of Capitol Hill. Part of that tour included time spent viewing the National Statuary Hall Collection, which is a collection of statues of historical figures presented by individual states. With a twist.
As it turns out, there is a statue of Rosa Parks amongst the statues in the collection, though technically the statue is not part of the collection. Her statue is there due to a special act of Congress, and was not commissioned by any particular state. That’s the twist. Her statue is also the first one that featured an African-American in full length (vs. the busts of MLK, Jr. and Sojourner Truth, for example). That is history!
Rosa Parks statue in the U.S. Capitol. Photo credit: Tracy Clark
As a child, history was never my favorite subject in school. I made good grades, but again, not my favorite-by a long shot. Fast forward to a college level American history class that I took, well into adulthood, and boy had things changed. Well, I had changed. For extra-credit, my husband and I took a day off work, visited a few local Virginia plantations, and I turned in a paper about the experience for the credit. I got an “A” in the class, but still didn’t continue to pursue learning more after the class, even though I enjoyed it. He and I would also take an occasional trip to visit the Smithsonian Museums in Washington D.C., not related to the class, but more for the short getaway than the learning experience. Imagine my surprise when on one of those trips to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, my eyes landed on the name and photo of a relative whose name I recognized, but had never met. That’s a story for another time, but he is one of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African-American military airmen who, because of their efforts during WWII, are recognized for their significant military accomplishments in the face of adversity. Basically, they fought a war on several fronts, including the one at home (Jim Crow). It then made sense to me why I have additional family members who have been licensed pilots, and the one who still is has carried on the name of our family WWII-Air Force-trailblazer-veteran’s name by naming his son after him. How cool is that?
Fast forward to today. It is very clear to me that I’m not the only person who had not been paying close enough attention to events and people around me that not only affect me daily, but shape my life and surroundings on a daily basis. How might I have acted differently, made different decisions, chosen different paths, had I come this enlightenment sooner? The truth is that I believe everything happens, when it happens, for a reason, but certainly my path would have been walked with my head held higher. I am not alone in this regard. While everyone may not be able to point to a relative featured in a museum, or had a movie written based on their actions (Red Tails, released in 2012), history, in this case American history, surrounds us all on a constant basis, and we are all contributors. There is a story behind every object you can sense, place you visit, and person that you run across. Someone told me recently that “History is our teacher, not our past”, and I believe that to be true.
And so, now is the beginning of a fork in my path. I have “ducked” history for long enough. My final inspiration to act, and the play on the word “duck” came from my reaction to a certain “royal” duck related reality television show member who basically said during an interview that Blacks he saw (before the civil rights era, and in rural Louisiana) were all “singing and happy”. Though it was HIS observation (ok, we sometimes see the same things differently, but here we go back to Jim Crow), it was a statement that, at best, thoroughly ignored the experiences Blacks faced at that time, and at worst, was insulting to the very people who experienced it. Also, while I enjoy singing and am generally a happy person, I do understand that sometimes you sing to make yourself happy, not because you already are. Just sayin’.
Moving right along… My hope is to encourage others to walk their paths alongside mine, knowing that there will be forks that will take us in different directions at times. I also believe that the more we walk together, the more chances that our paths will cross, with the ultimate destination being a comfortable place for everyone to just be able to “be”. Everyone deserves that opportunity.
I’ll be blogging about my journey along the way, and I hope you make the time to share yours as well. I encourage you to share your American history related posts on the facebook page. Short stories you may elect to write may also be shared via this form , for possible inclusion in a future book, posting on the Don’t Duck History website (yet to be released), and/or used with other media that will serve the ultimate goals of the project. Then, just be patient; this is a marathon, not a sprint! Take a few minutes and watch this interview of one of the Tuskegee Airmen, from the History.com website.
Last but not least, expenses are ongoing and your help in that department would be appreciated as well. Here is the page where you can lend your support. For a $30 dollar donation (and multiples of $30), you will receive a t-shirt as a thank you gift! You also have the option of supporting with as little as $10, and ongoing monthly support is available as well. The timeline for a project like this is usually several years or more, but to minimize the time from idea to the first published book, funding will be used to hire as much help as possible, in addition to being used for current and upcoming expenses. Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and thank you in advance. Peace, squeaks, and quacks! Because that’s what rubber ducks do.
Don't Duck History 