BLACK HISTORY MONTHBY: THE MEA

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Eight People that made a difference in the lives of African-American people.

ROSA PARKS

Rosa Parks was an African-American woman that refused to stand up on a bus when a white passenger got on. She did this because she did not believe in segregation. She started the bus boycott that lead to no segregation on buses.

WILMA RUDOLPH

Wilma Rudolph was an American athlete and an Olympic champion. She was the first African American woman to win three gold medals in track and field during a single Olympic games. When she was young she had polio virus, which she overcame and later competed in the Olympics.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Abe Lincoln was the 16th president of the U.S. During Lincoln's presidency, the Southern states seceded from the Union because Lincoln and the Northern states were against slavery. Six weeks after becoming President, the Civil War began. In this war, the Northern states fought the Southern states. The North won and they ended slavery.

HARRIET TUBMANHarriet Tubman started the underground railroad, where she would

lead slaves to houses where they would be safe for the night, and she worked with the Union army during the Civil war.

RUBY BRIDGESRuby Bridges was the first African-American girl to go to an all-white school. She inspired a lot of other African-Americans to do the same. Even though a lot of people threatened her, cursed at her, and protested about it, she stood strong.

NELSON MANDELA

Nelson Mandela organized non-violence protest action against racial segregation in South Africa. He was imprisoned for 27 years. He then become South Africa’s president.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Martin Luther King Jr. is famous for being one of the first men to give speeches to bring attention to the unfairness in rights between black and white people. He is famous for his speech called “I have a Dream” This speech was about the need to remove racial segregation, and how African-Americans deserved equal rights with white people.

OLIVER BROWN

Oliver Brown lead the Brown vs. Board of Education, where a lot of people wanted to have Black and White people go to the same schools, instead of keeping them separate. This case went to the supreme court and they ruled that “Separate is not equal.” So, as you see now, Oliver Brown won the case and everyone goes to the same schools, instead of separating them by race.