Bill Cosby Biography

Dr. Dubois was awarded the first Spingarn Medal in 1920. This was awarded "to that Negro who achieved the highest in any human endeavor." He was an activist for global affairs, editor of the NAACP Crisis publication, and set up the meeting for the first Pan-African Congress. He was an individual of principle and conviction. The seeds he planted still nourish us today. (http://www.websn.com/Pride/Pride/w.htm)

Did you know that Martin Luther King JR was shot and killed in a hotel in Memphis? Martin Luther King is one of the best motivators of his time, with words like, don’t judge someone by the color of their skin, but by the actions that they choose to make. MLK (Martin Luther King JR) was a shooting star, that actually makes dreams come true, you only see that once in a lifetime. First, MLK was one of those people who knew education like it was the back of their hand. Also, if it wasn’t for his speeches we would be right where we were before he made his speeches, race against race. In the end, he had the confidence to lead him into these speeches and no one could take that, sure he was a “Negro” that does not meant that he doesn’t have the charisma, the education, as a “White person.” MLK made a difference, so can you. Those are some reasons why MLK was and will forever be, one of the best inspirers, he shows differences, he is smart, he is charismatic, he simply is a, owl, a cat hunting, a dolphin having its jumps in life, he was the dream maker, a huge impact on racism, he wanted to make sure that the people, you and me, would be together, knowing that someone in life had sacrificed so much to get you where you are today.

Black History Month is a very important one. My favorite person that we can celebrate this month is Hank Aaron. Hank is an incredible baseball player. He set glorious examples for all African Americans who wished to have an accomplished career in baseball. Hank Aaron is one of the best performers I know of.

The time has come again to celebrate the achievements of all black men and women who have chipped in to form the Black society. There are television programs about the African Queens and Kings who never set sail for America, but are acknowledged as the pillars of our identity. In addition, our black school children finally get to hear about the history of their ancestors instead of hearing about Columbus and the founding of America. The great founding of America briefly includes the slavery period and the Antebellum south, but readily excludes both black men and women, such as George Washington Carver, Langston Hughes, and Mary Bethune. These men and women have contributed greatly to American society.

Throughout Shakespeare’s plays, a vital aspect in his writing is similarity to classic Greek tragedy; specifically including a tragic hero, who is identified by a detrimental flaw ingrained in their character, eventually causing their demise. Bill Cosby, a beloved family comedian, prominent figure in American television, and an imperative influence on American’s view of black families, depicts a modern day tragic hero. However, like all tragic heroes, Bill Cosby had a downfall, as Mark Seal states in his article, “The One Accuser who might bring Bill Cosby down for Good,” he allegedly committed over 60 sexual assaults and rapes. Therefore, it is apparent that Bill Cosby portrays a tragic hero because he was an outstanding figure in the civil rights movement. He was beloved; nevertheless, he destroyed his life work, reputation, and family by sexually assaulting young women throughout his life.

Considered one of the most important writers of the twentieth century African American literature, Zora Neale Hurston successfully paved the way for future prominent writers. Through dedication and hardships in her life, she is famously recognized as an important person during the 1920s for her writing and role in the Harlem Renaissance. (Zora.com)

Malcolm X has made one of the greatest impacts on cultural consciousness for the African American Community during the second half of the twentieth century. He was a revolutionary icon who revolutionized the African American mindset. Malcolm X transformed modest African Americans into self confident, proud, powerful African Americans. No one could escape Malcolm’s influence, even after his death.

When you look at the amount of African American stars on television, it is easy to tell that stereotypes of African Americans are being portrayed negatively. Since the 1960s, black television has thrived in many different ways. From “Different Matters” to “Insecure”, African Americans have tried to get rid of this stigma. African Americans are constantly shown as. However, with the increase of representation comes an increase in misrepresentation. The amount of discrimination has risen exponentially in the United States. This is due to the increased hatred and miscommunication of black struggle and black problems in the world, causing an inhumane belief and standard of regular African Americans in the world.

Before becoming a well-known and influential speaker, X lived a life full of crime and little purpose. During the earlier years of his childhood, X grew up in a household where Black pride was prominent. He was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to Earl and Louise Little, who were activists in the Universal Negro Improvement Association. His parents were active followers of Marcus Garvey, and this definitely had its part in shaping X’s views when he grew older. When X was still

Carter G Woodson, the oldest of nine in a poor coal mining family found his love of learning early. Earning a Masters’ degree only one year after earning a bachelor’s degree, he quickly followed in the footsteps of great minds and earned his PhD from Harvard University. He had a very well rounded and multifaceted educational journey according to the text, but felt most connected to furthering the pursuit of excellence for all African Americans through the creation of journals, organizations, and eventually continuing on in higher education with the African American in mind. He is credited with Black History week. In light of the time in history wherein he flourished, it is fitting that he was part of the movement that resulted in the creation of the NAACP (iv-v). In short, he objectively appears to single handedly be the father of the African American social awareness movement.

In many ways it could be argued that Marcus Garvey was the most significant African American civil rights leader of this time because of his role in tackling the social issues African American’s faced. He aimed to improve the lives of African Americans by encouraging them to take control of their own affairs and education. His role surrounding this issue is illustrated by his founding of the UNIA. This Universal Negro Improvement Association was an organisation dedicated to racial pride, economic self sufficiency and the formation of an independent black nation in Africa. Through this and the magazine the ‘Negro World’ he urged African Americans to be proud of their race, and argued “a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. It has been said that through Garvey’s dedication to social improvement for his race he managed to capture the imagination of many blacks for whom the American Dream was a dirty joke.

The two authors I picked were W.E.B Du Bois and Langston Hughes. The reason why I picked these two is because of the dedicated work they have flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. W.E.B Du Bois was one of the most famous black political leaders during that time. Du Bois had a lot of talent to bring

The woman who raised and loved him did not know him any longer. This is one of many instances that illustrates the white society’s “lack of mercy and compassion” (22). Malcolm X blames whites for robbing his mother’s dignity, for separating his siblings, and for “disintegrating” his home and unity. Therefore, Malcolm X states he has no compassion for “a white society that will crush people” (22). The word “crushed” imparts the same horror he feels on the audience to illuminate the extremity of racism so that the audience can sympathize with his reasoned anger. Being called the ‘n-word’ in his life is another factor in Malcolm X’s belief that white society is demeaning to blacks. When Malcolm X told his English teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer, she replied, “That’s no realistic goal for a n-word” (118). The teacher’s statement is a clear portrayal of the widely accepted sentiment in that time period that African Americans are too incompetent to have good jobs and have ambitions. As a result, this incident deeply affected Malcolm X and has contributed to his disapproval of blacks being servile in a white society. Malcolm X appeals to the audience 's sense of horror and hatred by sharing his experiences in order for paint a more illuminated picture of racism.

Comedians such as Dick Gregory, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy were just a few of many that fought against these racial negative stereotypes that were portrayed within the media.

Throughout American history, there is a variety of great authors who have brought the many genres of literature we have today. Many hear names like Edgar Allan Poe and automatically think of a dark short story, or two, from his collection of works. But how many authors are there which give strong visualization and experiences that not many individuals may get the chance to examine in their life? Around the early 20th century, African Americans were slowly progressing into being intergraded in society as citizens of America. As there were many complications with this adjustment, African Americans were held back from living what everyone else would call “The American Dream” through the next few decades and still fighting for it. About 1955, the Civil Rights movement began for equal rights of African American citizens to be treated equally as everyone one else. Many activists got involved with the movement to help pave the way for a brighter future. There were powerful leaders like Martin Luther King Jr; Malcom X who was more on the religious side and their voices heard through media around the nation. Then there were leaders like James Baldwin, an author and a Samaritan to African Americans.