James Hemings, brother to Sally Hemings was the first American to train as a chef in France. He was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson at 8.
The Chef de cuisine is the reason macaroni and cheese made it to America. #BlackHistoryMonth
A THREAD!
James Hemings was born in 1765 into slavery and lived much of his life enslaved. He was among the many enslaved people who came into Thomas Jefferson's possession through his wife's inheritance.
In May 1784, Hemings received a summons to join Jefferson in Philadelphia. From there they travelled to Paris where he was trained in the art of French cooking. At a time when illiteracy was imposed on all African people, he was not only literate but fluent in English and French.
James went on to make culinary history. He ran the kitchens of Jefferson’s residence on the Champs-Élysées, overseeing meals served to the notables of Europe. This made him the first American chef to be head cook at an American embassy.
Macaroni & cheese, vanilla ice cream, French fries, crème brulée, meringues, and many other foods were introduced by Hemings, though Jefferson got the credit.
James continued his legacy and became one of the nation’s most influential culinary instructors. His transfer of knowledge impacted Black cooks, caterers, and chefs who were instrumental in developing American dining.
Hemings life was cut tragically short in 1801 through suicide at 36; a letter addressed to Jefferson said that the cause was “drinking too freely.” Ultimately he left an important legacy in culinary history. He helped to create and define American Cuisine as we know it today!
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How Slavery continued after the 13th amendment ‘abolished slavery’
A THREAD!
In 1866, a year after the amendment was ratified, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina began to lease out convicts for labor.
This made the business of arresting black people very lucrative, thus hundreds of white men were hired by these states as police officers.
Their primary responsibility being to search out and arrest black peoples who were in violation of ‘Black Codes’
Basically, black codes were a series of laws criminalizing legal activity for black people. Through the enforcement of these laws, they could be imprisoned.
Job Maseko, a WW2 hero, sank a NAZI ship with a bomb made from a tin can with condensed milk. He was denied the highest military decoration, due to his race. #BlackHistoryMonth
A THREAD!
Job Maseko, a WW2 hero, sank a NAZI ship with a bomb made from a tin can with condensed milk. He was denied the highest military decoration, due to his race. #BlackHistoryMonth
A THREAD!
Due to South African race regulations at the time, they were unable to carry firearms. They were only allowed traditional weapons such as spears for guard and ceremonial duty.
19 year old Frank Embree was tortured, castrated, skinned and then lynched in front of a cheering crowd, for a crime he didn’t commit in 1899. Though published photographs clearly depicted the faces of his assailants, no one was ever arrested. BlackHistorymonth
A THREAD!
On the morning of July 22, 1899, a white mob abducted Frank from officers transporting him to stand trial. He had been arrested roughly a month earlier, accused of assaulting a young white girl.
Though he was scheduled to stand trial on July 22, he was lynched instead when the town’s residents grew impatient and decided to take “justice” into their own hands.
Eatonville was the first all-Black city that was incorporated in Florida in 1887, located 6 miles north of Orlando.
It's the oldest black incorporated municipality in the U.S. It is the first town successfully established by African American freedmen. #BlackHistorymonth
THREAD!
The founding of this town stands as an enormous achievement for once enslaved black men and women. Having to live life being considered inferior to the white majority, African Americans finally found some freedom for themselves in Eatonville.
The town is the childhood home of Zora Neale Hurston, the most famous writer of the Harlem Renaissance she described it in 1935: "the city of five lakes, three croquet courts, 300 brown skins, 300 good swimmers, plenty guavas, two schools and no jailhouse." .
Scottsboro Boys were 9 black teenagers falsely accused in 1931 of raping 2 white women on a train and an all white jury found them guilty. They collectively served more than 100 years in prison.
The right of blacks to serve on juries was established by their case.
A THREAD
On March 25, 1931, nine African American teenagers were accused of raping two white women, Victoria and Ruby, aboard a Southern Railroad freight train in northern Alabama.
Haywood Patterson, Olen Montgomery, Clarence Norris, Willie Roberson, Andy Wright, Ozzie Powell, Eugene Williams, Charley Weems and Roy Wright were searching for work when a racially-charged fight broke out between passengers.
Happy 81st Birthday to the late Huey P. Newton. He was the co-founder & leader of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.
It was originally founded to fight police racism, they were dedicated to liberating people from white supremacism & much more. #BlackHistoryMonth
A THREAD
In the wake of the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, Merritt Junior College students Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense on October 15, 1966, in West Oakland, California. Shortening its name to the Black Panther Party.
The party sought to set itself apart from black cultural nationalist organizations, such as the Universal Negro Improvement Association & the Nation of Islam, to which it was commonly compared.