ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

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Bessie Mae Jackson: Historian Makes History Our Time Press ... See MoreSee Less

Bessie Mae Jackson: Historian Makes History

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Bessie Mae Jackson, New York State Director of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, turns 99 on Sunday, March 9. The lifelong educator, playwright, poet, and community a...

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History is at Eastwood Manor.

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Proclamation Honoring Mrs. Bessie M. JacksonThe Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is honored to celebrate the 99th birthday of life member, Mrs. Bessie M. Jackson.Mrs. Jackson has been a fixture at many ASALH conferences. She has served as national secretary and is the New York state director, founder and former president of the Bronx Branch. A lifelong educator, she received a B.S. degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree in curriculum development from Columbia University Teachers College. Mrs. Jackson founded the NYC Day Care Workers Union Local 1707 while in college.Mrs. Jackson joined the NYC Board of Education as a first-grade teacher. After retirement she took on the roles of activist and founder of the African American History and Culture Center in the Bronx. She is also a poet, playwright, activist, and hosted the Smiling Through Tears talk show about racial injustice.Mrs. Jackson spearheaded the campaign that led to legislation establishing the second Monday in July as Abolition Commemoration Day in the state of New York which honors those who fought to end slavery. In 2020, at age 94 and after 16 years of advocacy, she witnessed the passage of this legislation.As we celebrate the 99th birthday of Mrs. Bessie M. Jackson, we wish her many more years filled with love, laughter, and beautiful memories. ASALH loves you dearly Mrs. Bessie M. Jackson.Respectfully submitted,The Officers and members of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, PresidentFebruary 7, 2025 ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

4 days ago

ASALH mourns the loss of Congressman Sylvester Turner who represented the Fifth District in Houston, Texas. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, staff, and constituents. asalh.org/asalh-mourns-the-loss-of-congressman-sylvester-turner/ ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History

4 days ago

On this day, March 7, 1965, “Bloody Sunday” shocked the nation—what happened on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and how did Amelia Boynton Robinson play a pivotal role in this historic event?“Bloody Sunday” occurred when hundreds of peaceful demonstrators attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand voting rights for Black Americans. As they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were brutally attacked by state troopers and sheriff’s deputies using clubs, tear gas, and whips. The violent assault, broadcast across the country, outraged Americans and fueled support for the Civil Rights Movement.Among the marchers was Amelia Boynton Robinson, a longtime voting rights activist and one of the march’s key organizers. She was beaten unconscious, and a haunting photograph of her lying on the ground became one of the most powerful images of the movement. Boynton Robinson had spent years fighting for Black suffrage, even running for Congress in 1964 as the first Black woman to do so in Alabama.Her courage and sacrifice helped lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark law that dismantled many barriers to Black voter registration. Amelia Boynton Robinson’s legacy continues to inspire the ongoing fight for justice and democracy. ... See MoreSee Less

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ASALH Dr. Edna B. McKenzie Branch Hosts Women’s History Month Double Speaker Event

ASALH Dr. Edna B. McKenzie Branch Hosts Women’s History Month Double Speaker Event

March 8 @ 11:30 am - 1:30 pm EST

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