African-American Webmasters Guarantee that Our History Is Just a Keystroke Away

The Internet is a vast "network of networks." It connects computer systems serving universities large and small, government agencies, corporations, community institutions, libraries and museums, and individuals all over the world. The World Wide Web is a set of software programs designed to let individual users quickly access the resources on those computer systems, for everything from education to commercial uses to private recreation. Much has been written about how African Americans may be "left behind" as the Internet evolves into the Information Superhighway, but people of color have been involved in Web development almost from the beginning. The sites we present here are only a small sample of the many available labors of love and dedication by African Americans determined not to let Black history be forgotten.

Did you know that on March 1, 1780 Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery, or that on that same date in 1864 Rebecca Lee graduated from the New England Female Medical College and became one of the first African-American female physicians? If Black history is what you are seeking, the Internet is home to a growing number of sites that record the history of African Americans. With just a few keystrokes, you can go to a site that shows video clips of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican American who organized the back to Africa movement during the early 1900s, or to another site that documents the heroic tales of Black Americans who served in World War II. But be forewarned, these sites are so intriguing, you will find yourself in front of your computer for days.

A good place to start is with...

Excerpts from Slave Narratives

http://vi.uh.edu/pages/mintz/1.htm This site gives us a glimpse of the horror of the slave trade and slave life. You will find excerpts like this one from a slave trader: "Those sold by the Blacks are for the most part prisoners of war, taken either in flight, or pursuit, or in the incursions they make into their enemies [sic] territories, others stolen away by their own countrymen, and some there are, who will sell their own children, kindred, or neighbours."

The Book

http://www.blackhistory.com is an inspiring and interactive site filled with African-American culture and history in words, images and sounds. You can find video clips of Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker and Marcus Garvey, as well as speeches from Jesse Jackson, Hank Aaron and Muhammad Ali. This is an unbelievable site that will keep your interest for hours.

The African American Holocaust

http://www.tnp.com/holocaust/index.html   is a painful reminder that just sixty years ago Black men routinely were lynched throughout the United States. This site, designed by a New York City computer programmer, is not for the faint of heart. The picture of a Klan member standing in front of a burning cross brings to mind the words of John Henrik Clarke, "All history is a current event." This site reminds us that there is a lot left to be done.

While Blacks fought the battle against oppression at home, others continued to serve their country well by fighting in the world wars. The 366th Infantry Regiment http://www.wiz-worx.com/366th/index.html   was an all-Black unit that saw action in North Africa and Italy during World War II. While 1.2 million Black Americans served in World War II, not one received the nation's highest military honor, and only nine were awarded the second highest, the Distinguished Service Cross. This site tells their stories.

Another great site is African American Dates in Time

http://www.igc.apc.org/africanam/dates/   Select any month, and this site will take you to a calendar of events important to African Americans that happened at that time.

The African Studies website at the University of Pennsylvania
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/AS   is one of the most comprehensive sites on the Internet. It offers curriculum materials for grades K 12, multimedia files, news feeds direct from Africa, and links to other sites.

These sites and webmasters prove that the Internet can be a powerful educational and communications tool for the African-American community. Just a few hours of surfing will turn up more information about our history than can be found in most school libraries. Access to the Internet is not an option; it is a must for every man, woman and child.