Mark Twain coined the term “Gilded Age” to describe the periodic transformation from post-Civil War and a failed Reconstruction to a time of vast growth in American technology, government, society, and economy at the dawn of the 20th century. Class divisions were being defined by wealth and prosperity. Yet, society was not short on inequality, injustice, and discrimination. For African Americans, The Gilded Age brought on Black Aristocracy, especially in New York. After the draft riots of 1863, there was a “Black Exodus” from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn, New York, where Black communities forme ..read more

Some historians do not share the stories of cooperation between Black and White abolitionists united in a common cause of providing freedom for runaways. In addition, historians don’t acknowledge the cooperation of Black and White abolitionists on the Underground Railroad. YAAHA knows of nearly unlimited stories of free Blacks, rich and poor, and Whites, rich and poor, who worked for a common goal – to provide runaways with freedom and end slavery. One such abolitionist and Underground Railroad “station master” from Peterboro, New York, was Gerrit Smith (1797-1874). Gerrit was the son of a wea ..read more

Black history is a complex tapestry woven with diverse experiences, cultures, struggles, and triumphs. The issue is that if history is reduced to generalities and stereotypes, it takes away rich informative Black history. This essay will explore how cooperation can remove generalizations and stereotypes to understand better the many aspects of the tapestry of Black history. Black history spans centuries of cultural traditions, intellectual achievements, and heroic resistance against injustice. Black history is not just about slavery or the fight for civil rights but a story of kingdoms and em ..read more

We invite you to join us in an endeavor beyond a book’s pages. It’s a journey into the heart of humanity’s shared history, a chance to amplify the Black voices that have long been overlooked, and an opportunity to reshape perspectives for generations to come. We are thrilled to present our book, The Chronicle of Heroes, Black Contributions to America, based on the wishes of our 24,000 Facebook followers’ requests to share our posts and historical timeline in book format. We need your support for book publishing costs to make it a reality. The history of Black communities is a tapestry wo ..read more

The portmanteau word Juneteenth is from the words June and nineteenth and is often called Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, or Emancipation Day. It was signified when the last slaves in Galveston, TX, were told they were free on June 19, 1865. Confederate General Robert Lee signed the end of the Civil War and Union General Ulysses Grant’s peace agreement on April 9, 1865. This peace agreement was supposed to be a blueprint for other generals across the country who remained active. The Confederate troops collapsed, and soldiers were deserting in large numbers; it was futile to keep figh ..read more

March welcomes springtime and is a time to celebrate women through time. Most notable are the many African American women who have cemented their place in history. History has introduced us to many historical figures, such as Harriet Tubman and the extraordinary ladies celebrated in the movie Hidden Figures with their exceptional contribution to mathematics for NASA. We also know Madame CJ Walker, one of the self-made female millionaires and, much more important African American women. There are ones in our community through history that we know very little about, yet their legacy is ..read more

I did not always believe as I do now. My mom taught us biblical principles. That we should love and help anyone in need regardless of their color. And that was her legacy before and after God radically changed her life. We were taught not to hate or walk in unforgiveness because it is against God. However, in my later teen years, I began to allow many elements to formulate my opinions to be radical against the past behaviors of White America regarding slavery. I began to gravitate my readings and my thoughts around the evils of slavery and the residual effects of the Jim Crow laws of the South ..read more

The Lewis and Clark Expedition opened the door westward. Frontiersmen, pioneers, and enslaved ones saw new opportunities on that western horizon. Lewis and Clark and their Corp of Discovery are celebrated and remembered for their brave exploration into the unknown American wilderness. Yet, one Corp member needs to be better known, celebrated, and even mentioned in history in such a way as the others were. Yet, this member had just as important, if not significant, part in the exploration as the others.  His name was York.    William Clark received the young slave York from ..read more

by William Altman Why would I be qualified to write this blog?  I grew up in the very pleasant midwestern town of Brecksville, Ohio.  My neighbors could have been the Norman Rockwell family.  It certainly was a privileged life. In America, the greatest privilege one can have regardless of race is the fact that we were born in this great country.  In addition to that, the fact that I was raised by a two-parent, intact, loving family was crucial to my success.  A well-rounded education was also vital.  I fully understand that some start from a different place than ..read more

The question that YAAHA gets repeatedly is, why wasn’t I taught this history in school? Why is so little black history in textbooks? Is it gaslighting? A lack of space in books? Do historical researchers miss information? Or is the history written with a particular ideology of the authors? It very well may be all the above. Your history gives you your identity, and identity is the basis of your beliefs. Images and text are powerful and persuasive, so when our children don’t know their history, they become vulnerable to lies and misinformation. The success stories of leaders and heroes that YA ..read more