Phillip Winn @pwinn@qoto.org

Fix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czzt48s8Ej8

#BlackFriday
#BlackMastodon
#90sRnB
#90sR&B
@BlackMastodon@chirp.social
@blackmastodon@a.gup.pe

The next time you use any navigation device, software or Google Maps thank Dr. Gladys West. Her contributions to the mathematical modeling of the shape of Earth, and her work on the development of the satellite models that were eventually incorporated into  the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. #BlackMastodon #BlackHistoryMonth

We all admire Amsterdam for having the vision to replace car infrastructure with bike infrastructure. We see the positive uplift in small business activity, and livability. 🙂👍🏿

Now imagine doing that in reverse. Replace relatively safely walkable and bikeable infrastructure with car infrastructure. In fact, put in freeways. Demolish entire thriving wealthy neighborhoods with freeways that don't serve the neighborhood.🙃

That's what we did to Black folk. That's how we destroyed Black wealth.

Remember: A billionaire is just a billion dollars that has taken possession of a human body and is using it for purposes of murder.

A #BlackHistoryMonth post by @mekkaokereke about black communities in the USA that were razed reminded me of a Canadian example: Africville.

Canadaland did a great podcast on it:
https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/real-estate-2-the-last-man-in-africville/

Basically, Africville was founded by Black former slaves who fought as loyalists in the US revolution.

They were given the land near Halifax, then treated as a nuisance until it was ultimately razed.

We Canadians like to pretend these things didn't happen here, but they did.

🧵 For #BlackHistoryMonth I want to recognize contributions made by Black people to some of the things I care about. I'm gonna kick things off by shining the spotlight on #MikePondsmith, best known as the creator of the #Cyberpunk tabletop RPG. Pondsmith enjoyed playing traditional games as a kid, went to school for graphic design and behavioral psychology, and ended up working in publishing. [continued]

Hey #lawfedi folks, a friend that runs a low-bono #legal services firm is in need of funding.

They do incredible work for sexual assault, domestic violence, eviction and other at-risk populations in Indiana.

They are, frankly, right now at risk themselves. This is an incredible organization doing important #legal work for the people of #Indiana.

If you can give, please do. If you can't, please boost or share the link elsewhere. Let's help them out!

https://justiceunlocked.com/donate/

@law #law

Children killed annually by mass education of Black history: 0

Children killed annually by mass book reading: 0

Children killed annually by drag shows: 0

Children killed annually by mass shootings & firearms: 4400

GOP: The only way to protect our kids is ban history, ban books, ban drag, and arm more kids with guns.

It should become clear why Black folk can't seem to build generational wealth in the United States.

This failure is not something intrinsic in the makeup or behavior of Black people.

This failure is baked into how Black people in the US are treated. In other words, racism.

Black folk cannot just "bootstraps" or "education is the key" or "LLC Twitter" or "Hustle, grind, put in work," their way out of this reality. We need to address the racism head on. And we can't do it alone.

*Creating* generational wealth is not hard for Black people. It's happened many times in US history. There have been thriving communities.

*Keeping* generational wealth has proved to be nearly impossible. Between racist pogroms, and eminent domain used to create parks, freeways, reservoirs, and shopping malls, Black folk in the US have consistently had their wealth stolen by white folks.

I still run into New Yorkers that go to Central Park every week, but have never heard of Seneca Village.

Why do white Americans learn about the dozens of wealthy Black towns that were destroyed by racism, from:
* Fictional TV shows made by HBO
* Black women comedians (Amber Ruffin)
* Random Black dudes the post on the internet 🙋🏿‍♂️

Instead of from their history text books?

Again folks will ask "Why was I not taught this in school?" And again, I will say, "You know why." Look at what DeSantis is doing. Look at what the Texas Board of Education has always done.

This is the Forbidden Knowledge(tm)! 🤫

Frederick Douglass: The Most Photographed American of the 19th Century

Frederick Douglass understood that it would take much more than rhetoric and the Civil War to make white Americans grant black folks their humanity.

1/11

#BlackMastodon #BlackTwitter #BlackFedi #BlackExcellence #BlackJoy #histodons #History

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth !

I'm still not ready to talk about Black history. I want to talk about white US history.

Q: "Why don't Black people build any generational wealth? Newer immigrant groups seem to be doing just fine? Must be a lazy and shiftless people!"

A: Because for most of US history, white folk have *intentionally* destroyed the wealthiest Black neighborhoods in the US and stolen all the wealth.

Greenwood. Allentown. Seneca Village. Rosewood. Freedmen's town.

1/N

#BlackMastodon

It’s February 1st, #BlackHistoryMonth. That means your reparations are due. ✊🏽

All month you can Venmo/CashApp me, or buy my art.

#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistory

Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
Black history is American history!
#BlackHistoryMonth