Granted, he’s half African American, but that’s me being nit picky because I’m half Asian. Great mashup, though.

i don’t very often comment here, but i remember that while you were making this i kept thinking ‘what an incredible idea’.. seeing it completed.. it’s definitely ‘wow’ worthy. soo much data.. and you always make such things have this ‘impact’.. great work darling.

What a knack for showing the pertinent info that the common public would never research on their own.
You have enabled us to see the real timeline of the black movement in America. Kudos on such a job well done. You answer the questions that we all have but are too lazy to research. Thank you so much!

Jess, I think you just invented the “timeline cloud.” Heh. Great work!

Forgot Gov. Doug Wilder, First African American governor ( I mean, if you are going to hit the first DNC chairman, you should at least mention the first Governor….)

[...] 389 Years Ago [...]

Yeah I missed a lot, but it was really only a survey of black history, I will leave the details to others. You’re right though, I don’t know how Doug Wilder slipped though the cracks though.

Not trying to be a spelling nazi, but you misspelled declares at “54 years ago”.

I loved the picture, I never knew alot of that stuff.

Why does EVERYONE use ‘african american’ to depict a skin color?! ‘african american’ doesnt ALWAYS have to be dark-skinned. My family happens to be from Africa and i was born in America and I’m very much ‘white’. Do I need to change my skin color or something?!

138 years ago, black MEN were given the right to vote - it would not be until 1920 that the 19th amendment to the constitution was ratified and women could vote.

Thats a really inspiring one. Stumbled!

@ Al

Very true. I updated the graphic. It is quite shameful that it took another half century to extend that right to women.

@Jason,

Thanks, I crowdsource my spelling. Fixed it!

This is absolutely gorgeous. Mind if I ask what font you used?

And oddly 70% of African American voters choose separate but equal by voting for Proposition 8 in California.

With any sense of history, in a state where we could not even have interracial marriages until 1959, you’d think the percentage would not be so high.

Religion and Christianity breed fear. Also remember, that the true pioneers of this country never waited for someone to say yes. They just did what they knew was right in their hearts.

Also, Obama is the first recognized Black president. Check Jackson, Coolidge and Lincoln.

Great typograhic piece on the history of it all

Hi, t
This is awesome. I think it would have even more impact with some dates to help anchor perceptions, rather than just “XX years ago”. Maybe it’s just me, but “389 years ago” doesn’t immediately conjure up the point in history when this event occurred - 1619, and it also suffers from the fact that it will no longer be accurate come next year. Both of these issues could be eliminated by alternating the “years ago” descriptor with the actual year.

I guess that’s all a bit nit-picky, but I wouldn’t have bothered commenting if I didn’t really like it to begin with!

wow very few things have had this kind of effect on me. I applaud you this is amazing and really puts things into perspective.

On Nov 4th 2008, 70% of Blacks in California decide to vote for Proposition 8. which unfairly denies marriage rights to another minority.

Did 389 years of injustice not teach you anything ?

This made me tear up. What a wonderful way to trace history.

It is amazing to read that and feel the progress speed up faster and faster as it goes.
It gives me hope about where our common culture is headed. I hope that hate and discrimination will be pushed to marginal fringe populations in our lifetime.

You forgot about the Irish slaves.

Respect, beautiful work.

Slavery isn’t history!

Contrary to popular belief, slavery didn’t end with Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Experts estimate that today there are 27 million people enslaved around the world. It’s happening in countries on all six inhabited continents. And yes, that includes the United States. The CIA estimates 14,500 to 17,000 victims are trafficked into the “Land of the Free” every year.

http://www.iabolish.org/

great work!

Obama is our first multiracial president.

It would help everyone a lot to learn about the “one drop rule” and how it affects our concept of race.

Someone may have said this, but I would go back and change the amount of years to the dates and years. That will give this a longer shelf life. Next year all of your years will be wrong!

Colin Powell was made National Security Adviser under Ronald Reagan 21 years ago. Condi was not the first.

It’s worth pointing out that yes, while great progress has been made on the part of “African Americans” or better yet, Americans of color, the progress made by white/caucasian Americans is equally profound.

Changing attitudes of tolerance, acceptance, and equality, as put forward by African Americans, were listened to, evaluated, and accepted by many not in their situation, and judged corrected. I think that common decency eventually overrides culturally-accepted biases, and this has become an example of that.

Let’s not forget that a vast number of these Americans (including myself) voted for Obama in the hope of a world in which race is immaterial.

I think that ALL Americans should share in this as a victory for common human decency, compassion, and fairness.

This is a great piece of work…After reading all that, the last part seriously gave me chills to read, it was a great feeling. Progress indeed, I believe that Obama can truly turn this country around and bring respect to its name for the first time in over 60 years.

The thing that struck me the most is exactly how long its been and how little has changed. In our supposed age of enlightenment, its considered an “amazing” thing that an african american has been elected president, that ANYONE other than an old caucasian male has been elected as president. So many other countries have had women, minorities as thier leaders it really makes you wonder just how “advanced” the good ole US of A is. Maybe its time to stop calling europe the old country and adopting the term for america, home of the hopelessly old ideas.

Max Robinson anchored ABC World News Tonight starting in 1978, 30 years ago, being the first african american network news anchor.

Ok, Why do we have to make a big deal about the color of his skin? To me this is not progress. Why can we not elect an AMERICAN as President?

If you want progress DEMAND that you be called AMERICANS and not something separate. AFRICAN-AMERICAN to me says you are different. I want to be called an AMERICAN citizen NOT AFRICAN-AMERICAN citizen. Or anything else.

That is progress.

I find it VERY interesting what’s left out of this list of key events in black history.

The Colfax Massacre of 1873 (Louisiana) and the US Supreme Court decision in US v. Cruikshank (1875 case, final decision handed down in 1876).

Short form: blacks in Colfax tried to vote under the new 15th Amendment, and lined up outside the courthouse. A white mob led by local police first disarmed them, then launched three days of riot and murder, culminating in burning down the “corrupted” courthouse where blacks had tried to vote.

US troops restored order. Federal prosecutors charged 60 rioters with Federal civil rights violations under the 14th Amendment, specifically the right to peaceful assembly at the courthouse (1st Amendment), right to arms (2nd Amendment) and right to vote (15th).

The US Supreme Court, as part of a pattern of distaste for the 14th Amendment, claimed that civil rights protections resided with the states only, and freed all 60 rioters.

This is the case that destroyed reconstruction.

Why skip it? Why isn’t it talked about?

Because as late as three months ago, lawyers for Alameda County California (where the city of Oakland is) cited Cruikshank as authority for violations of the 2nd Amendment by state and local governments. Cruikshank is TO THIS DAY a cornerstone of all gun control laws at a state or local level, the fig leaf under which those authorities ignore the 2nd Amendment.

There is hope. The Heller decision cited with approval the 2008 book “The Day Freedom Died” by Charles Lane documenting the Colefax/Cruikshank events. In that book, “the day freedom died” is the day the 14th Amendment was functionally destroyed for generations by the Cruikshank court.

In citing it, the US Supreme Court was opening up to their own racist past to a greater degree than ever before.

Personal self defense was the most important civil right stripped from blacks. At this point, black culture is so ingrained with the idea that self defense is evil that too many support that last set of chains they wear. It’s no coincidence that the places in the US with the highest black populations have the heaviest gun control (Chicago, WashDC, NYC, Los Angeles, etc). but it’s the gun control that preceded the violence, not gun control as a response to violence. Gun control was part and parcel of Jim Crow.

To this day, access to a permit to carry a concealed weapon is discretionary on the part of law enforcement in California, New York, New Jersey, Mass. and a few other states. In all of them, legal access to self defense is heavily restricted along the lines of race and gender.

The big question is, will Obama ever see it, or will he continue to blame objects for a level of cultural violence unacceptable within certain inner-city subcultures?

I had a feeling people might nit-pick spelling or omissions. Nonetheless, Jess, I still think your timeline cloud rawks

The first time I saw it here, it really made me think about the election from another perspective besides “I’m just happy Bush/Cheney are leaving soon.”

Thanks again for your work!

[...] This is powerful stuff. [...]

I love the people who posted after the timeline. They were so on point. If you think this changes anything your wrong. Obama being elected is EPIC in the united states for sure, but you really really really really need to realize that you are winith a country that leads its people to believe they are the greatest, when infact we still have racism, we are STILL using religion to base our laws of human rights on even though church and state is suppose to be seperated and we STILL dont have a clue whats going on in the government due to the fact that we are not uniting to create something greater than democracy. We are a country where the white (your families if your white) were absolutly DEAD wrong!!!! You need to realize this and not listen to what they tell you because they were brought up by what was accepted in their parents generation which was so ass backwards its embarassing to me when i learn about these people. We need to be reborn into a system of new laws and new policies where control and fear are not used to seperate us from one another. In my opinion we are to deep in our ancestory where i cannot get enough people to change of free will. So the change needs to come from something greater something you can FEEL. You better believe i will do everything in my power to make sure Americans hit rock bottom in my lifetime because once we do hit this ultimate level we will finally be free.

Thanks for a job well done. I know that it is virtually impossible to put in all the pertinent
information that lead up to this important milestone in Black history but you have done a very admirable job. Perhaps some of those who are suggesting some insertions could do their own mock-ups and send it to you for possible inclusion, if that is what you want (thinking of one in particular that suggested dates).
Again you deserve a big thank you.

Yep….people were bad…people are bad…not as many free blacks owning slaves as free whites owning blacks…even fewer free blacks owning indentured whites…lots of horrible people …yesterday, today and tomorrow….but you are correct…Progress and brother/sisterhood has and will continue here faster than almost anyplace else…. or at any time in the past….(.People have never been cheaper to buy)

Is there any way to purchase this? It truly amazed me, and has had the same effect on some of the teachers and students here where I teach high school. Thank you.

Anyone clinging to the idea that Barack Obama is only “half black” needs to really restudy their American history carefully, about forced miscegenation via rape, the audacity of inhumanity of defining the Negro as 3/5 a man, Jim and Jane Crow laws systematically defining separate but equal and what precisely “black” is, down to having names for what every percentage of “black blood” made you. By every historical definition, and by definition, I mean those written and legislated by the American white majority throughout our history, Obama would be known as a black man.

The truth is, though Obama is black, his African ancestry is not part of America’s distinct and ugly past. So, to call it “progress” that a biracial child whose parents and ancestors came to America of their own volition is to ignore the reality of how that ugliness and the structural hegemony still permeates our culture. The plight of the American Negro is as unique as America itself.

I respect and celebrate the milestone, but I shake my head at anyone who thinks we are entering some post-racial or even post-racist era.

THIS YEAR blacks in CALIFORNIA voted
overwhelmingly BY 70% to take AWAY the
CIVIL RIGHTS from gays of all COLORS who
want to marry. Just because they CAN.

After coming so FAR, they have embarrassed
those who fought for the DREAM of equality.

Will start an email chain …

This is really great. I have to point out, however, that Max Robinson was actually the first Black anchor on a network news program–in 1969.

And in 1978 he joined ABC’s “World News Tonight” as a cohost (opposite Peter Jennings at their London desk, I believe?). He was actually a role model for Bryant Gumble.

This is not a criticism. I would just hate for this great man not to be recognized.

What about Asian slavery and and Asian congressmen and an Asian president? You don’t see us complaining.

I think this is a great piece of work, typographically and in terms of the points included.

Chills down my spine reading some of these entries.

Good on you for creating it!

*from an expat Aussie living in the deep South of the USA who voted for Obama!*

I saw a comment up top that Obama is only half black. I’d just like to say that almost absolutely no ‘black’ person is all black. And it’s because of some of the things listed here.

I’d love to re-typeset this professionally using better type. Would you share the vector file?

2 people starve to death each second….someone under five and someone older….IT’S ABOUT 60 MILLION a year….I know it’s comparing apples to oranges …How many people were slaves (or died in the passage) coming to North America?…How many to South America? The three hundred year history………………………….

Did I miss something ? Clarence Thomas for Supreme Court ?? since October 1991.

probably the biggest cocksucking thing i have ever seen… bringing race to a nonrace discussion is just racist

ps, yr graphic design skills suck, queer

Very nicely done. Excellent work.
One very minor error I noticed is that you’ve spelled “Toni Morrison” with three r’s. That I found the error at all speaks to how engaging the piece is overall. Congratulations. Kudos!

Very real.

Missed the first black mayor of Cleveland though. One year sooner–1977.

Wouldn’t push the point except it’s my hometown.

T.

How come no one mentions the fact that the Irish were the first slaves in this country. All we can talk about are blacks but they weren’t the first and most never came here. Most went to the caribbean.

[...] Here. Quick money making scheme - Posterize the entire thing. Every history teacher in the country would buy one. addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fmrpotter.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F11%2F07%2Fsummary-of-the-last-389-years%2F’; addthis_title = ‘Summary+of+the+last+389+years’; addthis_pub = ”; [...]

The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, 44 years ago (not 51).

Well done otherwise - thank you!

I’d say you needed to name the base ball player. I don’t feel like Rise & Powel deserve much mention, although Rice does if your cross referencing blank’s & women’s rights.

Obama is an “African” American because his father was an African immigrant. African immigrants are the highest performing minority in the U.S., above even Asians. It’s great if African American youth see him as a role model, but his success doesn’t speak about the failures within the African American culture. He’s just another successful child of a successful immigrant.

I was going to protest that Quakers and Mennonites were two different groups, from different traditions. But research shows me that “The manuscript of the first protest against slavery in North America — written in Germantown in 1688 by a group that included Quakers and former Mennonites . . .” So maybe calling them “Mennonite Quakers” is OK?

Pity you forgot Black Owned Radio Stations, as they played a role in your time line.

http://www.urbanradionation.com/history_of_black_radio.html

[...] years ago November 7, 2008 7:18 PM   Subscribe 389 years ago… posted by desjardins (29 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite That’s pretty [...]

Obama’s about as “black” as Larry Bird…

Very nice, but I believe the LA riots of 1992 belong in there, too.

I agree, you need the Rodney King riots and Oprah in here. Nice work tho.

[...] 389 years ago… [...]

I really like this! One question/nitpick: you say that 320 years ago, “Mennonite Quakers” signed an anti-slavery resolution. I’ve never heard of a Mennonite Quaker group; the two denominations are historically pretty different, despite a common commitment to social justice. Did you mean “Mennonites and Quakers”, or is there a group I’ve never heard of (which would be really cool!)? Thanks!

This is wonderful…so delighted that you took the time to timeline everything…I am appalled at those who have problems with specific events you may have omitted (sans the date thing–that would make it timeless)…guess some folks have to be negative no matter how good something may be…This would be great in poster form…my friends and I have commented how great this would look on our wall.

Progress has been made…but so much farther to go.

Okay I just had to make reference to this comment…althought this individual is entitled to his/her ideals…

(It’s worth pointing out that yes, while great progress has been made on the part of “African Americans” or better yet, Americans of color, the progress made by white/caucasian Americans is equally profound.)

Umm, yes progress, 389 yrs worth…are you aware that from at least half the timeline we were considered property/a less than people with no voice…so that’s why this current event along with all our other milestones are of such importance…umm the progress made by white/caucasion americans—who the hell cares, you have had every opportunity in the world to do as you wanted (when was your enslavement, when was your voice–heck “YOU HAD A VOICE”—give me a break…

Excellent graphic.

If I may be so bold to respond to the commenters who lack reading comprehension and critical thinking:

Anyone who whines “why is everyone talking about The Blacks? What about (insert topic of interest)??”

You are free to make your own poster detailing the history of Irish slaves/slaves in other countries/Asian slaves/modern day slaves/history of sparkling unicorns/etc. Please go do that instead of whining that someone else’s art doesn’t have something you want in it.

Is he half African American? He is half Kenyan and half European American. And pretty much culturally european american in upbringing.

It might be stated that he isn’t even culturaly what we traditionally perceive as african american.

Just my observation.

I mean he is pretty black to me..he has numerous half siblings…he doesnt know his father….and his moms was his whole world…that sounds like something right out of the black experience in america. it sounds like my experience so to say he is not black is wrong in actuality he is the epitome of what african american means, so that not black notion should be thrown away

good job!

Inetersting timeline - Obama has the “right mix” for us all.

Keep the faith. and many blessings to our new president.

And now that black ppl finally got some equality, they decide to punk gay couples and vote against them getting it.

Now that’s progress and history … reserved for black folks only.

Nice job, but uhm… couple of things this typo mashup fails to mention:
First, Obama is half white, or European-American and
Second, He’s not a descendant from a long line of slaves! His father was a Kenyan student! Sooo… I don’t think his election will just elegantly erase those 389 years from you consciousness as you obviously wish. :)) Though I’d call it baby steps :))

Ok you are wronge about the whole slavery thing, & to correct you its been 492 years since africans have been slaves. Its started because of Sugar. http://www.newint.org/issue363/slave.htm .

Drugs started slavery, that & being not as progressed as the Europeans where. Tobacco kept it going which is where your date comes out. But there is more a past to it, fyi.

Even further into the past about slavery & then you got some real reasons people are enslaved. Race is not an issue, or at least the whole/only reason.

Great Job!
Quick comment.

In Ireland when we got our first Female President, (for whom I voted I should add) it was a fantastic thing right up until she made her first speech in which she said that it was a fantastic day for “Mna Na Eirinn” the women of Ireland.

As a male and a supporter I felt really let down as I thought it was a great day for ALL of the people of Ireland!

I began to wonder if her intention was to only be the President for the women of Ireland!

In 52 days this poster will be more wrong than it already is

[...] 389 years ago… | WallStats.com The Art of Information - [...]

Obama becoming the figure head of the American capitalist state isn’t progress. Its downright reactionary, the color of an imperialist’s skin doesn’t change the fact that hes an imperialist. Fuck the American ruling class and their “political” shenanigans. Fuck em.

THATS NOT PROGRESS… 389 YEARS!!!?! SHOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH SOONER

All of us are black. All of us are white. Very few of us can claim to be ALL one “race.”

Go to http://www.otherawarenessproject.com/

I’d like to add one historical nugget to this piece, and that would be the raid at Harpers Ferry, Va in 1859 by one John Brown. His actions are generally viewed as the seeds of the Civil War, and many view him as the catalyst of the movement that would ultimately end the institution of slavery.

@ siftee: thou you could have put your thoughts in a nicer way, you are not entirely wrong to my mind. If we attempt to hail this election as a show of progress, tolerance and equality, why bring Obama’s race up so often?? I think the word AMERICAN in “African American” should mean more if we are talking about a president who will unite the nation.
On the other hand, very nice historical mashup of a true progress that by no means should be discredited or forgotten…

good post. was surprised to find that civil liberty was eased only 5 decades ago. quite a fast growth for Obama.

http://iamgovindan.blogspot.com/

[...] finally, progress from 389 years [...]

I would love to purchase a poster like this. Is this in the works?

z

Great! Wonderful piece put together. Those days can’t be forgortten. However, this is the time for unity. And that’s why God send ” The destiny child” Obama to unite and heal our wounds. Let peace reign.

Please..This would be a wonderful tool for teaching African American History…Please publish a poster

hes only half-black…so dont get all worked up.

Im glad to see the world has no problem with a (half) black man running the country..but i do have a problem with everyone who feels they are celebrating diversity by making it a big deal…that’s just as racist as anything else.

I guess he’s half African, but it’s not like his ancestors were slaves, so it doesn’t really count. Most real African-Americans in the US are still retards. By real I mean those whose forefathers were slaves, who like rap music, and who spend every paycheck buying clothes and jewelry. If one of them got elected president then I guess you could say that an African-American got elected president, but that’s also the day I take my own life.

[...] 389 years ago… | WallStats.com The Art of Information (tags: usa type timeline read racism race politics obama slavery) [...]

If you do the math, and it has been done, Obama is only 6.25% black…

Cracking poster!
Humbling.

The impact of the design really helps bring home the message. Just a couple comments:

1. Getting the facts right is important and I hope you can correct the omissions and errors mentioned. This will become a “source” for people and having it accurate matters.

2. Race isn’t a biological concept but sociological, which makes this powerful and connects Obama to this history. While the poster presents a history of events and the progress of slavery, the underlying message to me is the history of intolerance and hate by the dominant culture.

3. The date versus years thing. I like the years BUT to keep it relevant you should anchor Obama’s election with the year as in “November 4, 2008″

Nice work

I wore my tsitsis during the election so that I would ensure the election of a fringe group and would just be stringing along during the Roper poll.

Paul Gotskind was the biggest misbehaver in my 4th grade class. Where is he now? Chicago?

I stole the money from my mom’s purse so I could buy the set of cowboy cap pistols and holsters that were so neat. My mom came into the classroom, picked up the pistol set and whupped me over the head with them. Mrs. Botalico said nothing while I was abused like that. Now I live in the Chicago area and hate myself and Zelick Shapiro.

Vuntz I had a kendy store
Bizniss vas so bad
I asked mein vife vat to do
And dis is vat she said:
Take yourself some kerosene
Pour it on de floor
Take a match
Give a scratch
No more kendy store, HEY!

If you think I’m an ill-educated, incurious, non-reading, ill-informed, unqualified woman and ought never to be elected to any job anywhere at any time, please email me at
sarahpalinbigliar@yahoo.com

I am so proud to be a part of this history. We have made progress to a great future, but we must realize that we are not there yet. My grandmother still uses horrible words for people different than her. My friends do not always receive the same respect that I do. We have made a tremendous step, but the finish line is still ahead of us.

Yeah, but gay people still have religious groups using their influence to get amendments made to discriminate against them for basic rights such as MARRIAGE or EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION.

Still more work has to be done.

Very cool. I also like how you showed the good and the bad. Steps forward are often followed by backlash. e.g. young student being jumped on election night, middle school students being disciplined for saying ‘Obama’.

Yeah, I looked up the syphilis experiment… mortified. Never heard about that one.

I hope that one day people will understand what equal opportunity and equal protection means.

–Fight the good fight.
Love one another.

JP

While this is a good idea, I really think it has been done before. It isn’t visually appealing. Clean it up a bit by rearranging some things to make the flow nicer, you have a lot of empty space and abrupt text size changes that don’t make sense. Change the “blah blah years ago” to actual, accurate dates and you might have a decent and profitable poster on your hands.

James Byrd, Jr. was not lynched, in fact it was much more horrible. He was tied to the back of a car and dragged to his death. I’m only saying this because this memory should never be forgotten or rewritten.

Wow, just wow. How inspiring. Thanks for putting it all into perspective. Great job.

I think this is very effective. One correction: Brown v. Bd of Ed., the murder of Emmitt Till, and Rosa Parks’ arrest on the bus did not happen in the same year. Brown was 1954 — the first court ruling, holding that school segregation violated the constituion. The second Brown ruling in 1955 was the remedial order requiring that school districts only needed to act “with all deliberate speed,” which was interpreted to allow lengthy delay. Till’s murder and the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott were in 1955. Since you refer to the 1954 Brown ruling, the poster should say that Till’s murder and Rosa Parks’ action came the year after.

you did awesome, be proud take a bow.. for all the haters who are hating on your vision and therefore needed to add their two cents on what was wrong or missing here are some additional facts that are a part of history

my daughter was born on Dec 7
i adopted 5 african american children on June 15 2003
Tasha was the first african american in her sibling group to go to college

oh and in 1980 the first african american got a pedicure from an Asian American on 69th street in Philadelphia…

I mean really, plenty of stuff (history) has happened, i failedto see the excerpt in which you promised or assumed to record everything that has ever happen that was every significant to anyone who ever read this ever…most cities has had a first African American something and if not is coming.
Make your own wallstat if you have so many ideas be creative.

oh and to Andrew….you promise? you know the taking your own life thing…you promise i mean swear to God, hope I die stick a needle in your eye pinky promise? Cause I dare you, I double dare you to just believe for one minute that maybe… just maybe… President Obama’s father’s history continues some slavery that occured in Africa, you know there were slaves there too…. and some American slaves actually went back to Africa…you know when they didn’t get the 40 acres and a mule as promised

much love…Great job no hate at all

This is quite a remarkable job. I was disappointed, however, to see no mention of dred scott or the dred scott decision by the supreme court. Justice Taney’s decision very significant in continuing the perpetuation of slavery into the “new” territories.

Maybe we will all wake up tomorrow and a new line will have been written. One day ago all African Americans returned to Africa. If you put anything in front of American you just need to go to the country you think comes first. Funny that most of them think Africa is a country, not a clue that it is a CONTINENT.

Hey, this is a great time line you put together. I hope teachers see this get one and post it in there classrooms all over america progress has been made.

I hope african-americans can move on now and get over their slave mentality,plenty of europeans and others were treated no better than slaves and we don`t go on about it all the time,remember it was a tiny minority who owned slaves.

i also think it would be great for all africans to be returned to their native continent as they`ll be bitching wherever they are anyway,let them sort out africa before it implodes,as far as i know most whites have left the continent at this stage so any progress can be shown to be achieved by the indiginous folk.in london about 90% of crime is committed by blaks,very few whites are rascist even though they have good reason to be.btw i`m a traveller so i know what i`m saying

Well gee Bob,
You being the white traveller and all, I suggest you board the first jet you see come by, and take a flying fuck.

[...] has this really cool typographic image listing many of the struggles African Americans have faced going back to when the first slave ship [...]

ok marta i`ll pick u up on the way

And on the same day that a majority of Californians voted to elect Obama as our next president, the majority of voting African Americans in California voted Yes on Prop 8 and stripped gays of their civil right to be married. Isn’t it ironic.
How many years ago was it that the last state made it legal for an African American and an Anglo to be married? Could we have that quickly forgotten?
Please remember, we are all equal regardless of race, creed or sexual orientation. And we all can love and experience heartache just as deeply.

Well over 90 percent of slaves from Africa were imported into the Caribbean and South America.
Africans sold by African slave owners to slave traders.

Slaves arrived in SPANISH Florida at least a century before 1619.

Slavery is older than the first human records.

Slavery is virtually a universal institution that continues TO THIS DAY.

No one would argue that this was a sad horrible chapter in US history. However, I didn’t want any impressionable minds to think that 389 years ago, on American shores, slavery began.

The author (and the quirky font poster) fails to provide any historical record to clarify that.

Awesome work here, excellent job. I honestly didn’t know things were so lousy for African-Americans so recently. When I came to the part about Bryant Gumbel I was really shocked that I was alive at that time. When I think of things like slavery they seem so abstract and like they happened eons ago. It is really surprising that it took people so long to figure out that the only difference between African-Americans and Americans of European descent is a slight variation of pigmentation. Thank you so much for creating this, I, and apparently many others really appreciate your time and effort. Obama for peace!

AW no thanks Bobby, that is a ride for special people like you, thanks any way.

[...] [Via Wall Stats] [...]

[...] remember the first black president being elected. Regardless of political viewpoint, it’s an historic moment, a teaching [...]

I think this is a very wonderful writing and
I hope there will be many many many comments on this. This is exquisite and so
much well written. I love it.

For the people claiming (complaining) that obama is only “X”% black… what makes him black isn’t genetics, it is that in this culture he is treated black.

Race is cultural. Genetics has very little to do with how people are treated. Also, black people were not only enslaved- if that were the case they probably would be ‘over it’ by now. They were de-humanized and treated as less than slaves (slaves were treated as people in most cultures, and in all major historical cultures- until the colonization of America).

Until you experience someone else’s life, you cannot accurately judge. Yes, this means that, since you cannot actually do so, you cannot judge.
Closed-minded comments like the ones I am responding to are a sign of ignorance. Become educated for yourself, learn some history, and actually talk to the people you are making blanket statements about.
Yes, there are a lot of ‘rapper’ and ‘gangsta’ images in the media, but just as most white christians aren’t redneck savage imbiciles, maybe most american blacks aren’t ‘ganstas’.

Judging an entire people based on media stereotypes and cultural myopia simply reflects your own lack of humanity, not those you stereotype.

Great piece of art, BTW. I made something similar based on how thoughts about cultural subjects change through time. You can’t include everything, and your representation is a great start to get people thinking.

Peace,
Stacey

I don’t know if he’s half-black, fully-black or whatever. He’s 100% American and ours to cherish. He’s our President (elect) and that’s all that matters. Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we’re free at last!!!

i shouldn`t have to feel guilt for something neither i nor my ancestors did. Obama isn`t black and he never experienced the kind of racism that i have,hes had the best of both worlds maybe if more black males took responsibility for their actions all y`all wouldn`t be in such a mess,children do need fathers present for their emotional development and for societys sake and obama was lucky he had caring grandparents to look after him.peace

i live in a predominatly black area and all white folk who can afford to have left,we`ve all been mugged attacked and so on this is the black culture i see,if this was happening to black folks by whites it`d be all over the news and the national guard would be brought in to stop the racism but as we`re white it cant be racially motivated eh?i really pray that seeing what obama has achieved may motivate these thugs that more can be achieved in life,btw i live in north london and i blame the state of our area on the labour partys unrestricted immigration policy.

He is not black. Just like I’m not Irish. I’m a mix like EVERYONE else. If I was elected President they wouldn’t call me the 5th Irish president. People calling other people racist when they are racist themselves. Let’s hope he doesn’t screw things up.

we as a people have definately made history, this will be “HIS STORY”, so lets not allow the unbelievers to make a mockery of our progress.

[...] Being the first is great. Now he needs to make sure he is not remembered as the first black president who royally screwed up. That wouldn’t be good for the chances of blacks who will come after him. But I’m sure he understands that. [...]

No timeline stamp about O.J.? Most blacks seem to think that this was a “great” moment in history.

surprising…

Good luck Barack. You will need it.

Isn’t it funny how before if one had just one drop of black blood one was considered Black. Now that President Obama has been elected he is bi-racial. I suspect that he will be bi-racial until he “messes up”, only then will he be all Black or African American. God bless him and be with him always.

the only country in africa thats financially better off since independence is the evil state of south africa ,but even they have benn steadily going down the plughole since the corrupt anc have taken power ,vive black power

very good we need more information and keep it coming .

That is a lot of work you did to perpetuate racism. I’ve never met an American slave or slave owner, they are long gone. We will never be able to achieve equality when people continue to single out others based solely on the color of their skin (for bad or good reasons). Knock it off, racists!!!!

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY BY THE GRACE OF GOD! MAY GOD BLESS AND WATCH OVER HIM.

I find it interesting that some people still complain constantly about racism. Most of my friends are Jewish and I have never heard one of them complaining about it. Not only where they enslaved for hundreds if not thousands of years, but many millions were killed in the Holocaust. What did they do? They rose above the pettiness, kept their culture and religion fully alive, and all without acting like Billy stole Johnny’s milk at the lunchroom. Suck it up, act like adults, and racism will disappear.

It appears the oppresses have become the oppressors with the way that african americans voted for Prop 8 in california. Seriously, What the fuck? How can you fight for civil rights for so long and then deny somebody different than you the same civil rights.

Great job!!!!!!! I commend you for your obvious hard work and dedication. I’m sure you must have put in countless hours with this creation. Keep up the good work and be Encouraged!

This is totally amazing to me! I pray we move forward, I never knew white privileges until it was brought to my attention everything I take for granted. I am grateful for everyone who has helped educate me since our schools seemed to have sugar coated our history. I want to see MORE education and LESS hatred, and ignorance!

Listen to you all bitchin at each other!!!
Slavery here slavery there.
Dont forget the county you call great was taken by force, and the only real Americans, the indians, were massacred, and they are still by far worse off than the blacks.
Even if Obama isn´t white who gives a shit, he´s a politician which makes him dangerous.
I personally don´t trust him one bit, he´s changed his views to many times, and only tells the “people” what they want to hear, and you idiots fall for it, long live America *laugh*

What NeXt??? Are The Indians Coming?

I don’t get it isn’t Barrack Obama’s father from Kenya. So he is not of the ethnicity that arrived to American hundredth of years ago so really he is not African-American, just African.
Half-African.

was about time!!

Thanks so much. you can truly tell you’ve done something amazing if you have many different sides all competing to get their opinions out for you to hear. I say congrats. If you didn’t hit a chord, you wouldn’t have heard a thing from any of us.
Congrats!

ps… the communist statement is by far the most unique and got a little giggle out of me.

Great work. This obviously took a lot of time and research and energy — thanks for the concise time line. Interesting, and easy to read. As someone else commented, I like that you are able to visually portray how progress has “sped up” in recent years. Nice job.You got a lot of people thinking!

And those of you commenting on what happened with Prop 8, and what a huge step back it was, you’re absolutely correct. We are making progress but this reverses some of it… civil rights are civil rights, and EVERY one is entitled to them.

You forgot to mention that Massachusetts was the first state to abolish slavery in 1783.

I truly enjoyed reading it, for it was liberation experiance. I hope you do something like this again for it was very well thought out
Sincerly-
Nex Cavalcanti

This is great, but Carl Stokes, Cleveland Ohio was the first African-American mayor

just goes to show how far America has come towards race relations. we, as a nation, have finally grown up. race should not be an issue any more. let it go now. granted there are white supremists out there, but there are also black supremists. racism has no boundaries. but the majority of us know it is wrong.

This was inspiring. (And I am a white woman and a passionate No on 8 advocate.) I wanted to comment on some of the negative comments that have been made here (ignoring the mindless racist attacks as they deserve). It is terrible that so many people–white, black, and other races–voted to take away gay people’s rights, but that issue isn’t relevant to this timeline. Also, since being even partially black has always been counted “against” people in the US, and laws once calculated down to the fraction the amount of African blood a person could have to be counted as “Negro,” I hardly think it is wrong to include people like Tiger Woods and Obama here. If I have a quibble, it would be the way Thurgood Marshall is presented. The first black Supreme Court justice (thank god that wasn’t Thomas!!!) wasn’t a milestone just because of race, he was a profoundly brilliant and influential man. I think he deserves huge block letters. Read a biography of him–even if it is just a short one. This man was a real hero. I think he was one of the greatest figures in twentieth century American history–and I am not alone in this.

well - the idea is/was amazing and well produced - It is certainly a piece of art, and as such really should not be judged in terms of what another feels “should have” been included . . . this is an artistic depiction of a historical theme, not a blow-by-blow account of every step of the black-american experience. AND - the desire to catagorize a culture by calling every black person “african-american” seems odd to me because many black americans have no african heritage in their history. Great message - thanks!

…very well constructed and an excellent history lesson although we still must recognize that 500+ years ago the Europeans stole north america from the native tribes that were here first

Whoops! Nice job but you missed Carl Stokes. “Carl B. Stokes is best known for being Cleveland’s 51st mayor — the first African-American mayor of a major United States city.” That would have 1967, 41 years ago.

This needs to end up on walls in classrooms. A great teaching moment.

What happened to the mention of my favorite hero George Washington Carver?
I would like to see a time line like this of women’s progress in our country and a time line of the history of the Native Americans to hang on the classroom wall alongside this wonderful time line.

[...] Found on WallStats. [...]

Hey congradulations to Obama,
Why do we hear so little of the indigenous americans i think the indigenous have it worse than anyone in this world. is it true that africans (or some) sold their own mob? i am hearing they are selling women as sex slaves to saudi Aribia and other arab countries.
WE NEED INDIGENOUS LEADERS AND LAW

A job well done.

This should be on the wall of every classroom in America. Well done!

First, let me compliment you for your effort in undertaking such an enormous task. You will continue to be challenged by some who will genuinely want to assist you, and by others who simply want to either find fault or show off their historical prowess. In any event, the primary focus here should be that someone took the initiative to contribute to the fabric of education. If there are those of you who feel there are errors, please make your own contributions and post them , so that we may have a more accurate picture of the time lines and persons as they relate to historical events in our American culture. There is truly no need for all of this anger and unproductive, sarcastic commentary. We can never move forward as human beings, if we continue to drag one another through the mud….history is history, but intelligence should separate us from he very devices that have shown our inhumanity to one another, and encourage us to be better than those who came before us. This planet is too small, too fragile, and needy for us to be bickering about things we can consciously fix as members of the human race. This is where we need the growth…not so much in the realm of gender, race, ethnicity, and so on. Our human family is at stake and either we all work together to save ourselves, or we all will perish together…gay, straight,black, white, red, yellow, brown, all religious persuasions, everyone. How does that sound? Let’s focus on the important things…let’s treat each other with respect and a helping hand, rather than a slap across the face. We must be better than this…we are running out of time.
Please…”STAY IN THE LIGHT” For that is where true love resides. Peace,
AC

[...] Relevanz ist dies ein schönes Beispiel, wie Gestaltung via Schrift (Typographie) möglich ist. 389 Jahre afro-amerikanischer Geschichte auf wallstats.com « Kino Forum Offenburg: noch viele [...]

“I hate it when they tell us how far we came to be,
as if our peoples history started with slavery”

- Immortal Technique
“Leaving the Past”

[...] can find it ••here••. You won’t regret it, I [...]

1/2 Kenyan + 1/2 Kansan =

1 African/American

Absolutely Amazing. An Excellent poster for the classrooms. It depicts progress in America, nothing more. NOT about black culture, and their continuous struggle with racism, but progress in an American society. A society with SO many cultures and peoples that any diagram showing progress should be shown to our kids. So that subconsciously and consciously they are aware of the history. Kids more kind-hearted than our elders (since our ignorant society has yet to shape them) and

I believe posters like these will help influence younger generations and old to appreciate ALL walks of life (GAY- STRAIGHT-BLACK-WHITE-RED-BROWN-GREEN?). AGAIN, THIS depicts a cultural progression of a dark history from a country that, even still, has so much hate.

If we can remember our Nation’s past, reflect on it’s present(good or bad), strive for a better more peaceful society, then eventually overtime, we’ll have a society that progresses. THAT is progression, and needs to be acknowledged, so we know how far, as a SOCIETY, we’ve come.

Peace, Love, Happiness to all.

*Wanted to include this in previous post.*

Please, make more of these. This is very captivating to the visual mind set; thus, kids are more likely to grasp the concept of progression.

Also, as a homosexual, I can “relate” to the emotional drawbacks from a diagram of “American Minority Progression” ending with a “mission accomplished”, sort of speak…especially when we all know there’s/should be more to come.

>SO…

How About:

At the very bottom of your diagram, in small Italicized letters, add something to the effect of..”Progression…to be continued.) or something to that nature. It adds more optimism and a keen sense of interest in the path of progression; in which, is still a little crooked.

If society, as a majority, were as optimistic about your progression diagrams as needed be, the ignorant would soon become the minority

I’m crossing my fingers for “Gay Marriage” to be added to your future homosexual progression poster !!

Excellent work! This timeline is beautifully presented and awe-inspiring. This piece celebrates the progress of this country, from once enslaving and oppressing people of color to now electing such a person to the highest office in the land. This is truly progress and every American should be proud. It is truly a new day!

As an African-American, I think it is sad to see all of the postings related to gay rights. This is a completely separate issue and has nothing to do with the election of Barack Obama. Instead of being angry with African-Americans whose votes coincide with their religious beliefs, the gay community should be angry that a civil rights issue was even placed on a ballot for a vote. Additionally, get the facts straight, African-Americans are not a large enough percentage of the population to have swayed the vote on this proposition. It was people from all races and religious groups that voted against gay marriage.

People INSIST on mixing apples with oranges. Why are people STILL confusing a moral,religious issue with a civil,legal issue?We still have separation of church and state. A fight for racial equality is different than fighting for moral/immoral equality. People allied in a struggle for racial equality are bonded by race, people struggling for gay rights are bonded by thier sexual orientation, unfortunately for them others don’t share that bond.

Got to love the guy who points out the spelling error then uses “alot” in the same sentence.

This was wonderful. I, too, would be interested in a poster. I full realize that you could not possibly include all of the people and events which have impacted the lives of Black folks, but I do not recall seeing Thurgood Marshall, who presented the Brown vs, Board of Ed. case to the Supreme Court, later appointed the 1st Federal judge, and most importantly, appointed the first Black U.S. Supreme Court judge, a position he held for 25 years.
But, Jess, you did a fine, ine job.
To Mikyed, perhaps, you SHOULD start complaining.
Yes, slavery has been around for thousands of years. Clearly slavery is not something invented by Americans. Chattel slavery, that which existed in America, is uniquely American and far more insidious.
Some commenters are sorely in need of some history lessons. Yes, Africa was, indeed, a great continent. You need only to read about the ancient civilizations of mali, Songhai, Ghana, and Benin.
Finally, to be Black in America is a social configuration, institutionally and systemically created,driven, and perpetuated. Yes, President-elect Obamba is a Black man, elected to the highest office even though he is obviously a Black man
which makes me hopeful that one
day racism will be seen as some ancient, primitive belief based on ignorance.

Good post, especially the last sentence, Lorraine . . .

And this is an excellent resource for African American youth to better understand that we can create alot more progress alot more quickly if we all actively participate in bettering the quality of learning for our children.

R. Lee Gordon
http://www.uniteedesign.com
http://www.betterdetroityouth.org
http://www.greaternewyorkyouth.org (just around the corner . . .)

Today Obama showed his true “colors”
naming an African-American as Attorney General. Much of the type castings of “black” people as criminals by prosecutors must now change. This is a great victory for all people following an administration that threw away our Constitution. Now we can prosecute the slick tricksters that dominated the Bush-Cheney dictatorship. The torturers of people of color need to ber punished.
don

I am from the UK. One of my African American sisters sent this to me. Although it is quite interesting to follow the timeline, the comments on the blog are very surprising, to say the least. It would appear that Americans are not only unaware of what is happening outside of their country but also unaware of what has happened within their country! I was educated in the Caribbean and a lot of this was taught to us along with the history of slavery etc in the West Indies. My point is that this information should be common knowledge to African Americans, but many are surprised and awe-struck by it! That alone shocking!

Is there any way to make corrections on the poster? First, is the misspelling of Government. In one location, it’s lacking the “n.” In another spot, you have the hyphen in African-American when it’s in smaller print, but immediately preceding it, in large print, the hyphen is missing. I wish the names of all the “first”s were there. The first in baseball… even though I can’t remember his name at this early moment of the morning… has an inspiring story. Another “first” just preceding that doesn’t have the name, either.

Very cool poster, though! Progress has not been without its setbacks. Reminds me of the “Mother may I?” game from childhood, one step forward and two steps back, etc. An ironic position of permission accompanies that analogy, too.

The Mennonite Quakers and Rhode Islanders were sure cool people. The laws and the actions throughout our history make it clear that what we say and what we do have not been so consistent.

When I reached Barack’s accomplishment, which of course I knew was coming, I still teared up. I would like his name to be a bit larger.

It’s a beautiful poster. I like being able to see that all in one place. I need to scout around and find how much it is. Thanks for pulling it together. Is it too late for the corrections?

~ Lizzy

Well, this is to bust all of your bubles because it’s time to stop perpetrating fraud. Obama is NOT the 1st Black President of the uSA and certainly not the 1st prior to the founding of the uSA via of the Articles of Association and the Articles of Confederation, which prepared and set up the uSA. Yes, Obam is only 1/2 Black as someone pointed out but with that, that makes him Black in societies around the world nonetheless. Anyway, George Washington’s mother was Black (from here) and his father was King George from England. Then there is Andrew Jackson, Harding, Lincold and several others who were Black. So this is NOT history. Maybe only because it’s in our lifetime but it’s certainly nothing new or historic. Oh yeah, just because he might be the only one who acknowledged their heritage. Historical facts have always been scewed by those in power to suit their own needs and to manipulate the populace. Please people, read the book, “The 5 Black Presidents” and gain some insight. Do your own research. Go back and reserach why it’s even called the white house. Here’s an assisgnment, have your children do this as an extra-cirriculum assisgment. By the way, so-called Blacks have ALWAYS been here on this continent. They are the true Indigenous People of the continent. They are the so-called Indians, those referred to in Article One of the Constitution f