African American Media

Art, Gifts and History of the African Americanmust be something inside that connects the heart
Peopleto the pen and paper, perhaps it is our history
In many ways that is a title whose time has past,that has given rise to strongly writing black
for the history and culture of the African Peoplenovels, poems and screenplays, and many made
are so embedded in the history of America, theyinto movies.
are much one and the same. Of course theOver one hundred years ago, an organization was
history of the African American is a complexformed to help African-Americans feel like they
subject with many varied view points andare advancing in their rights progressively and it is
certainly heated and passionate discussions stillnow commonly known as the NAACP.
ensue.African-American authors and poets began their
To say it is not a definitive part of Americanrise to fame through this group, whose mission
history would not do justice to the people or thewas to better the plight of the African-American
struggle; it is woven intricately into the years andpeople.
part of the curriculum of many colleges andIn 1950 Dr. Ralph J. Bunche was the first African
universities nationwide. The Art Institute ofAmerican to win the Nobel Peace Prize, fourteen
Chicago has a collection has a rich and variedyears later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the
collection dating back over 100 years, full withsecond and also the youngest person thus far to
sculptures, prints and paintings dating from Civilreceive the Peace Prize.
War to the Harlem Renaissance and the strugglesThe history and journeys of the African American
of a people from WWII to the present years.people have traversed the world many times
America is built on the contribution of millions,over, yet the journey has yet to reach a final
many of them minorities and perhaps mostdestination. The words of Dr. Martin Luther King in
overlooked, however their contribution of gifts,his historic speech of August 28, 1963 rang true
graphics, architecture and art serve to remind usthen and still ring with vibrancy today…
of the diversity, aesthetic quality and strength ofWe cannot walk alone.
character of minority creative efforts throughoutAnd as we walk, we must make the pledge that
the years.we shall always march ahead.
Those of us fortunate to live in the 20th and 21stWe cannot turn back.
century have grown up more educated in blackLet us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say
cultural awareness. It's possible thatto you today, my friends.
African-American writing may still occupy only aAnd so even though we face the difficulties of
small corner of your library; however the Internettoday and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a
has brought wider distribution of authors like Phyllisdream deeply rooted in the American dream.
Wheately, who lays claim to being the firstI have a dream that one day this nation will rise
published African-American person. Taking theup and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We
time to peruse the Internet you'll find a wealth ofhold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
poetry, fiction, novels, advice, history, and more.are created equal.
To be a writer who can stir the emotion, there