Items

2021-05-16

Vaccine Hesitancy in the Black Community

This tweet reflects an ongoing controversy of the Covid-19 vaccine. The media has reported a hesitancy of the mRNA vaccine amongst the black community, but with little to no context on why there is such hesitancy. Based on the history of the U.S. public health institution, there have been reported inequalities that include a racial hierarchy within the medical system. This tweet specifies the instances of medical malpractice committed towards people of color and insists on an understanding of racial inequality through the lens of people of color that led to skeptical feelings about the vaccine.

2021-07-26

HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 122

U.N. asked to critique America

2020-12-22

The Virus Is Showing Black People What They Knew All Along

In this article, author Patrice Peck discusses how black Americans are dying of COVID-19 at 1.7 times the rate of whites. In her words "19,000 Black people would still be alive if not for systemic racism."

2020-12-22

How COVID-19 Hollowed Out a Generation of Young Black Men

This is a fascinating and heartbreaking article about the struggles of young black men and health inequity brought to light by COVID-19. The difficulties of systemic racism are costing young black men their lives.

2021-07-19

Erie County Health Equity

This Buffalo News article discusses the racial disparities impacting the residents of Erie County during the pandemic. The article claims that the pandemic shined a light on the racial disparities as more African American community members were becoming infected and dying from COVID.

2021-05-24

HERMIT HERALD, ISSUE 115

MISINFORMATION REIGNS

2021-05-19

I am Dylann Roof

It's a personal essay about race in America and the need for white ownership.

2021-03-26

Black Lawmaker Arrested For Knocking On Governor’s Office Door

State troopers arrested a Georgia lawmaker who was knocking on Gov. Brian Kemp’s office door, in protest of the closed-door signing of a bill that would restrict voter access. Critics, including Rep. Park Cannon, say the new laws will disenfranchise Black and Democratic voters. “I am not the first Georgian to be arrested for fighting voter suppression. I’d love to say I’m the last, but we know that isn’t true.”

2020-07-01

Many Black and Asian Americans Say They Have Experienced Discrimination Amid the COVID-19 Outbreak

About four-in-ten U.S. adults say it has become more common for people to express racist views toward Asians since the pandemic began. Asian and Black Americans are more likely than other groups to report negative experiences because of their race or ethnicity since the COVID-19 outbreak began.

2021-03-01

Former Sacramento Firefighter Accuses Department Of Hostile Work Environment

From the article: Jaymes Butler is one of two African-American captains within the Sacramento Fire Department. He says he’s not surprised by Lewis’s allegations. “Do I believe it? Yes, I do believe it. Because this is what happens when you don’t recruit a diverse department,” Butler said. The Sacramento Fire Department is made up of roughly 700 personnel and nearly 70% of them are white men. “Once the experiences he shared became known to the administration they started an investigation with the city’s Equal Opportunity Employment officers. We strive to have a department the mirrors the community we serve. Knowing that we can do better,” department spokesperson Keith Wade said.

2021-02-01

Just 5 percent of vaccinations have gone to Black Americans, despite equity efforts

An article discussing how racial disparities can be viewed in regards to Black communities and the coronavirus.

2021-02-05

Across The South, COVID-19 Vaccine Sites Missing From Black And Hispanic Neighborhoods

An article and short podcast discussing how difficult it is to get vaccinated in Black neighborhoods, mostly due to lack of vaccinations and locations.

2021-02-28

Building Trust in the Vaccine

When I was pregnant and going to birthing classes, I learned the terrifying rates of mortality for Black women giving birth. The numbers were horrifying, so there is no wonder to me why a high percentage of Black Americans do not plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The American healthcare system has failed them. But a group of Black doctors are standing up to tell their communities that not taking the vaccine is to risk their life, and they deserve better. This video, shared to NowThisNews on twitter, describes what the doctors' message is and why it is so important. Black lives do matter, which is why these doctors are urging everyone to get the vaccine. The video states that more Black Americans have died from COVID than any other ethnic group. Hopefully, the vaccine will stop these deaths.

2021-02-27

Phoenix Zoo & black history month

This is a Facebook post made by the Phoenix Zoo. In this post the Phoenix Zoo interviewed an African American zookeeper, specifically for the elephants, on her life journey becoming a keeper. It shows that black history month is important to the Phoenix Zoo and gives a different perspective on this occasion.

2021-02-27

Housing Instability

This article discusses the way that housing instability has begun to disproportionately affect black people during COVID. Black people typically face a myriad of intersectional issues that come from a lack of resources or economic support. As people were being laid off at the start of COVID black people of course were disproportionately more affected which in turn can be seen in a lack of stable housing. This in turn serves to make black people more susceptible to catching and being more affected by the conditions created by the pandemic. Housing is an important issue that leads to other things like health and safety. This leads to cyclical poverty which is only made worse by racial positionality and the pandemic.

2021-02-25

Disparities in Black Americans receiving the vaccine

As is common with many other facets of BIPOC receiving access to healthcare in westernized countries black people are falling behind their white counterparts in receiving the vaccine. Only 5.7% of black U.S. citizens have received the vaccine as compared to 11.3% of white U.S. citizens. The disparities reflect a general inability for black people to receive adequate care in the United States while white people are generally able to receive a higher level and more care. Vaccines are especially important with regard to COVID as it represents a path back to normal life. Black people are receiving the vaccine at a rate almost half of that of the next racial group.

2021-02-16

"The Nation of Islam, Caring for the Black Body, and Vaccine Hesitancy"

The history of the Nation of Islam and its resistance to traditional American medical practices adds critical context to explain why some African Americans do not want to COVID vaccine.

2021-02-22

"African/African Ancestry Health and Heritage Month Virtual Celebration: Black Family Day"

Repost via Twitter @COVID19Black. Santa Clara County Public Health is hosting a virtual celebration for Black Family Day on Sunday, February 28, 2021 (11:00 AM- 2:00 PM) zoom link provided: http://BIT.LY/FAMILY_DAY2021

2020-09-10

Documenting the Experiences of Black America during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This story, from the Harvard Gazette, features the work of two friends -Tracie Jones & Sarah DeMott- as they try to curate the experiences of black Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. Their collective effort resulted in Black America and COVID-19; a library guide that seeks to serve as a historical database for stories about the impact of the pandemic on African American communities. Information and material included in the database ranges from oral histories, podcasts, blogs, and links to webinars.

2021-02-22

Black history and the COVID-19 pandemic

Though 60 billion is kept aside by CARES act funding for minority and other underserved borrowers, black-owned businesses are having trouble accessing the government's emergency Paycheck Protection Program loans. The corona virus loan program set 10 million in loans per customers that could be turned in to grants depending on individual profiles. but since its launch much controversy developed as with in minutes funds ran out to well resourced companies. Baltimore cafe owner Terence Dickson reached out to every on he knows as he was on his on last couple hundred to keep the staff paid. He states that the " financial industry has shown me no love for 20 years". He believes that the system should be different. This shows how small black owned businesses have continued to struggle through the pandemic even though the availability of loans and grants are there; but its still unavailable to reach them .

2021-01-29

Dear Future Generations

This story tells about the experience of one young person during the pandemic, and their perspective on the future. I wanted to include this to highlight the perspective of young people, and especially to highlight how I am not satisfied with just going back to normal.

2020-12-09

We will rise

So many African Americans are put down or treated different because the color of our skins. Many enslaved and many killed but yet our population arises. I just wanted to get out that we shouldn't be treated differently. We are still human. We don’t understand why this is so we fight with our voices! This pandemic has helped most of our voices get out there. To let the world hear our pain, our struggle. I thank coivid-19 for that.

12/07/2020

Lauren Murray Oral History, 2020/12/07

Interview with a college student studying historical diseases about how COVID-19 compares to past pandemics. Comparison to 1918 Influenza pandemic and Black Death.

2020-12-07

History Repeating Itself

I wrote this exam for my History 103 class at Niagara University as my final project. https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/learning-slavery-legacy-slave-trade-modern-society https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5323/jafriamerhist.97.1-2.0110?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents https://digpodcast.org/2020/01/26/slave-contraband-refugee-the-end-of-slavery-in-the-united-states/

2020-09-09

No Justice, No Peace

I am trying to show how America is not currently living up to its important core values and giving valid reasons to why. Writing this paper has let me express my views and the facts on what America is dealing with and how people live and have to go through.

2020-09-08

Justice and Equality

This essay was produced as a part of the American Studies program at California High School in San Ramon, California. The essay is in response to the prompt "Is America currently living up to its core values?" This essay argues America is not currently living up to its American values as it is shown through our legal system and African Americans lives.

2020-09-06

Just like Mom

In 2020 I was extremely excited to see VP candidate Kamala Harris on the ballot. It was revitalizing to see that in 2020 while all the protest were occurring, racial disparities were brought to light, and the urging to pass social reform in our major cities. When Kamala went on an interview to discuss her early life this picture came across the screen. My mom had an identical pose and hair style she wore as a teenager. This was the first time it really hit home that I could possibly have someone who looks like my mom and other black mothers that looked like mine. That as an African American we had the opportunity to see someone like us hold such a high office was very impactful and motivated me.

2020-07-04

This Work is Spiritual: Finding Willoughby McWhite

COVID gave Janice Gilyard the opportunity to dig deeper into genealogy, one of her hobbies. On July 4, 2020, she uncovered details about the remarkable life of her 5x great grandmother, Willoughby McWhite, who was enslaved. Janice tells about her uncovering of her 5x great grandmother in this way: So here we go. Yesterday, I called my Grandmother to wish her a Happy 97th Birthday (She was born on the 4th of July and she is the ONLY reason I look forward to the 4th of July). I was already disappointed as I could not visit her in South Carolina because of the current covid crisis. Then I was really upset because I could not find the darn photo of my son holding a fish he had caught to include in a photo collage I was preparing to post on Facebook for her. You see, my grandmother was the first person to take my son fishing and everyone refers to her as the fishing lady. I finally got around to posting the collage and called my Aunt and asked her to kiss my grandmother on the forehead and tell her it was from me. That is our thing if I can’t visit. Of course we started talking about family and then she started giving me names she hadn’t mentioned before. I’m the family historian for my maternal and paternal lines. I' m like what the heck!!!! I've been talking to you for 25 years and today you give me NEW names? So we kept talking and I decided to bring up my Ancestry account to enter them. All of a sudden, I saw a note that someone had written for ONE OF MY ANCESTORS. I was already excited that I was adding two additional generations and then BAM!!!!! I S L O W L Y read a note that someone had shared, looked up the reference and what do I see? One of my favorite shows was listed!!!! The History Detectives (aired on PBS). What was the focus of the segment? A woman’s grandfather had purchased a lot of Civil War memorabilia (They live I in Wichita, Kansas). WHAT was the last item included in the material he purchased? A SLAVE BILL OF SALE! WHERE did they start filming? CHARLESTON, SC! WHO was it for????? WAIT FOR IT…. My 5th GREATGRANDMOTHER!!!!!!!!! Who was one of the featured researchers asked to assist in the research? JOSEPH MCGILL from the SLAVE DWELLING Project! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? IN 2012! WHERE was JOSEPH MCGILL when they filmed his segment, Slave Cabins in Florence, SC which I visited over 25 years ago WHEN I FIRST started doing my research!!! WHO else was featured? An Archivist in the same blasted town that my family is from and I’ve met him and talked with him several times about DIFFERENT lines of my family and he helped me so much!!!! Where did my enslaved ancestor live, not far from where we purchased a home in SC several years ago!!!!! Don’t tell me that we are NOT on a SPIRITUAL QUEST when we do our research. I did not plan to do ANY of this yesterday into the next morning (It is now 3:45 AM AND I feel like I have a rubber band around my head because I should be sleeping but I can’t go to sleep until I finish getting this on paper) !!!!! I am stunned and in shock. I encourage you to following the pulling and tugging at your spirit and to listen to the still small voice that guides you to do certain things. I personally believe it is God and our Ancestors directing us to find them and tell their stories! One more thing! Please help other people with their research. I do this all the time and I’m convinced that I’m being helped along the way because I help other people as much as I can. Following is the link to the show that aired. It is at the very beginning. Thank you for reading. From a proud descendant of a STRONG woman who endured, overcame, and refused to die during the struggle!!! Her name was Willoughby and I honor and celebrate her today with my entire being! (Other items in the archive include an interview recorded on July 21, 2020).

2020-07-04

Queen Willoughby, my 5x Great Grandmother

COVID gave Janice Gilyard the opportunity to dig deeper into genealogy, one of her hobbies. On July 4, 2020, she uncovered details about the remarkable life of her 5x great grandmother, Willoughby McWhite. Here is Janice's story about finding Willoughby. (Other items in the archive include an interview where Janice tells the story of how she discovered how Willoughby went from being property in 1829 to being a wife who was independent and keeping house in 1870. The interview with Janice was recorded on July 21, 2020). I’m the President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society – New Jersey Chapter. Following is the link to the show that aired. It is at the very beginning. Thank you for reading. From a proud descendant of a STRONG woman who endured, overcame, and refused to die during the struggle!!! Her name was Willoughby and I honor and celebrate her today with my entire being! After finding and viewing a segment on the PBS Program, The History Detectives https://www.pbs.org/video/history-detectives-bill-sale/ regarding Willoughby, my 5th Great- grandmother, there are new questions that I must answer. I pray that the answers will be found and in my lifetime. They are:  Were you born in Charleston, South Carolina, Africa, or the Caribbean?  Who are your parents and where did you last see them?  How and why were you separated from your parents?  Did you cry?  How were you treated by your enslavers? Ugh!  Did you and Essex decide to be a couple or was the relationship/marriage forced?  Were you ever reunited with your parents?  Where is your final resting place?  Other than me, who are your descendants? All of these questions caused tears to stream down my face. I can’t image my children being ripped away from me and not know what their fate would be? To have your child taken away and you don’t know anything is unfathomable. You were bought and sold three times. It is hard for me to even type these words. Willoughby McWhite, you were victorious to me. You survived, you were married, you had children, and you purchased land! Because of you, I am. I hope that when you purchased the land (160 acres), that you felt free, empowered, and strong! I hope you felt safe that you could breathe freely. When I found about you, I was stunned. Then I wondered why I didn’t find you sooner. Although I wish I had, I realize that I found you when God wanted me to find you, the 4th of July! This is a day that freedom is celebrated in this country. Yeah right! Settlers came to this country for religious freedom, yet they enslaved you and countless others. If one group is free and another is not, there is no real freedom! Thank you for refusing to die. Many would have died from grief but you didn’t. Many would have died from disappointment, but you didn’t. Many would have died from loneliness, but you didn’t. In the segment for The History Detectives, they stated that you were alone twice! Unbelievable! You were still a child. Did you cry yourself to sleep? I was left with my grandmother whom I loved when my mother moved to New Jersey without me and I cried for three days! I have so much more that I will share for your essay. It will include as much information as possible regarding what was going on in the Pee Dee Region of South Carolina as you were being transported/taken from Charleston, SC to Marion, SC. Who were your neighbors? Were there other enslaved people near you that might have been family members? After speaking with my Aunt Ruby and then finding you and a part of your history, I know that I was supposed to find you on the 4th of July! I will celebrate you, tell your story, and make sure that as many people as possible know who Willoughby McWhite was. Thank you for finding me! Thank you for the tugging at my heart to go to Charleston, to visit the slave cabins, to meet Maxey Foxworth, the chat with Joseph McGill via Facebook. Oh yes, I can see clearly now that it was meant to be. Thank you Queen Willoughby! You are forever etched in my heart and soul! For your DNA exist in me! Other entries in the archive relate to this one. To find them search by Willoughby McWhite.

2020-07-21

Interview with Janice Gilyard about Finding Willoughby McWhite

COVID gave Janice Gilyard the opportunity to dig deeper into genealogy, one of her hobbies. On July 4, 2020, she uncovered details about the remarkable life of her 5x great grandmother, Willoughby McWhite, who was enslaved. Janice Gilyard tells the story of finding Willoughby in an interviewed with Juilee Decker recorded on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 4:30 pm. The interview is 72 minutes long, and a transcript is provided. Other entries in the archive relate to this one. To find them search by AAMNC and/or

2020-07-21

Doctor's Testify at Senate Hearing on COVID-19 Racial Disparities Among Seniors

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hears from doctors who discuss the racial health disparities among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mortality rate for older African Americans is 3.6 times higher than for older white Americans. This racial health disparity is also apparent for Native American and Latino populations. Many of these people have no or little insurance and are in poverty, directly leading to poorer outcomes in their health and greater risk of dying from COVID-19.

2020-06-30

Boston African American National Historic Site - Art of the Parks Prompt

Twitter post from the Boston African American National Historic Site detailing their prompt for the #ArtofThePark contest. Participants are prompted to create a piece of art inspired by the site that illustrates the narrative of the BFNHS. Campaigns like this highlight how cultural heritages sites sought to engage with their audiences during social distancing, and how they hoped to continue to have the public interact with the histories they commemorate.

2020-06-21

Comparison for 1919 pandemic and racial violence to 2020 pandemic and racial violence

This is a good history lesson comparing 1919 pandemic and social unrest to that of today.

2020-06-10

Petition to Change a Park's Name During the Pandemic

Even though the pandemic still lingers, the world is pressing on to combat other issues. The recent protests have reawoken the subject of racism in America. I believe the pandemic has afforded us with a unique situation where the nation has more time to discuss this issue at large. Plus, a lot more people have participated in those protests because they are either working from home or have lost their jobs, unfortunately. With all this additional time, people have sought to make changes to promote a more welcoming environment for the black community in many towns and cities. Thousands of residents in Wilmington, NC, have already begun a petition to make such a change. One of the city's most popular parks was named after Hugh MacRae. This man co-lead the plan to overthrow Wilmington's local government. While doing this, his group also demolished a black-owned newspaper office and killed/injured many African Americans. This event became notoriously known as the 1898 Wilmington Massacre. Over 8,000 people have already signed a petition to change the park's name. An interview by WECT News I watched today really struck me. The woman, who was a peaceful protester, had been asked why she thought changing the name of the park was necessary. She told the news anchor that "'I grew up there, I had birthday parties there, and it was always a terrible reminder of the history of Wilmington and having that park, a public park be named after somebody of such vile reputation is shocking and it’s a shame that although Wilmington acknowledged its history it does not do more and be more proactive to make a change.'" The legacy that this man and his mob caused has continued to negatively affect the black community in Wilmington. Renaming that park could lead to a reconciliation of the past in the present day. The reintroduction of the issue of racism and Black Lives Matter might not have been as impactful as it was if the pandemic had not occurred in the first place. Having people at home watching TV (especially the news), helped garnered the attention it needed to begin the movement again.

2020-05-28

Learning about the Civil Rights Movement During the Pandemic

I am currently taking a Civil Rights Movement history course. Due to the pandemic, the original in-class mode of learning has been converted to online learning. Although the class has only been in session for three days, I have gained a lot of new knowledge about this ever-evolving movement. After my online class session ended for the day, I decided to take a nap while my mother was watching PBS. However, my ears perked up when the program she was watching, called North Carolina Weekend, began a segment on Nina Simone. Simone used her skills as a pianist, singer, and songwriter to voice the plight of the African American community during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. The segment discussed her contributions to the music industry in addition to an exciting announcement. Her birthplace was going to become a historical landmark in Tyron, North Carolina. Additionally, a park in that same city had already debuted a statue of her in 2010. They call the location where the statue is at the Nina Simone Plaza. I think the pandemic has given people a lot more time to learn, reflect, and react to things going on in the world. Learning about the extraordinary people and events of the past Civil Rights Movement helps me to see that there is another movement emerging (e.g. the recent outcry in response to Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd's deaths), or, to show that the Civil Rights Movement never died but was only silenced for decades.

2020-05-06

Initial Findings on Covid-19 in New York: Staying home may be putting people at risk.

The source includes testimony of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo regarding the present statistics of Covid-19 in New York. The evidence is shocking because as the government tries to determine how the virus is spreading, they uncover most of the hospitalized population to be those who were quarantined at home and non-essential. The homeless. the jailed, the essential workers, and even the users of public transportation were of the lowest percentage of hospitalized people. The early data begs the question: Is staying at home the best way to fight the pandemic? #CSUS #HIST15H

2020-05-09

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