Black History Year

“Kumbaya” may be a beloved campfire song, but it was a Black spiritual before it was co-opted and became anti-Black. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most p...

If you ever had an itchy palm or a twitching eye and been told by an elder that it's a sign, that’s part of a centuries-old belief system many of us have been engaging in without knowing. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make Pu...

They circled outside the praise house. Hips began to swing, and feet glided across the red clay road as the lead singer let out a chilling note. The ‘Shout,’ a rich spiritual tradition, had begun. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. Yo...

This is the Blackest city in the world, outside the boundaries of Africa. And yet, it isn’t the utopia it should be. Here’s why what happens there is important to us here. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen w...

It’s been decades since they disbanded, but we all know the visual identity of the Black Panthers. Think: the logo, the bold, bright colors, the illustrations of revolutionaries and cops. If that rings a bell, you need to know this artist. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of B...

She raised her fist before he could raise his baton. WHAM. The police officer fell to the ground. He looked up at her, eyes burning with rage. She smirked down at him. She was not to be played with. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school....

He was a hidden figure to many, kept out of the limelight because racists preferred it that way. But working in a white-run profession didn’t stop him from reaching for the stars. LITERALLY. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make...

He was forced to strip. Standing naked in front of the gawking masses, he scrubbed his skin raw to prove to them that his skin was, in fact, Black. Why on earth would he need to do this? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make Pus...

Before enslavement was officially established in America, landowners would contract "indentured servants" - of any race - to work their land. If indentured servants survived the grueling seven years their contracts mandated, they were given their freedom and 50 acres of land. Not so for John Casor. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black...

Her work was a counter-narrative to the violence that white media showed in our communities. Her music promoted the beauty of Black life and love. But how could she do this without selling her soul, like so many before her? She decided to take a break. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the...

Gordon Parks knew a picture was worth more than 1,000 words: photographs could be weapons to fight white supremacy. Some saw his career, as a self-taught turned famous photographer, as a way out of the segregated South. But he knew it a way in. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories...

It's become a cool language trend where everyone wants to drop "savage" or "lit" to sound hip. While it may seem harmless, it perpetuates cultural appropriation and erases the history behind AAVE. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. Yo...

When Black people banded together to defend a Black worker from angry white boaters, we celebrated. But the history of the Riverside Park event is even Blacker than the brawl. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happ...

A. Phillip Randolph would become a major asset to the successes of the Civil Rights movement due to his revolutionary organizing skills and deep interest for labor rights. Here’s how he used his passion to fight for us all. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you...

Previously, on Black History Year , we discovered in real-time that Jay of PushBlack had never seen The Wiz . While the rest of the PushBlack podcast team had some fun at Jay’s expense, little did we realize the fun would follow him all the way home, as revealed in this bonus episode of Black History Year .  Podcast producer Len Webb and our audio engineer, Ronald Young Jr., sat down with Jay, aka...

Thousands of Black bodies had been tossed in mass graves after fighting for freedom — it was only right that they honored the fallen. Ten thousand people sang hymns and laid flowers. How did the Black history of this holiday get erased? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Blac...

There are countless movies about dragons, unicorns, leprechauns, and sasquatches. But none of them can hold a candle to these five mythical West African creatures that deserve their own fantasy movies. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in schoo...

White terrorists had incinerated the young teacher’s school, and she’d been powerless to stop them. Physically, she was unwell, yet she vowed to seek revenge for her school, her students, and her work. How on earth did this sickly woman fight back? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the sto...

She sat happily among her many children. She knew the world would throw incredible challenges their way because of their Blackness – but she also knew a powerful secret she would share to prepare them. What was it?. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't...

Today's History Story: The Crown Act Our people were born wearing crowns – but internal and external barriers exist that might impede us from donning them. Today’s guest, however, is harnessing the force of media to highlight the strength within our locks. Lindsey Farrar is an entrepreneur and strategist driven by her mission to shape culture and nurture young leaders. From this she co-founded CRW...

Did your favorite rapper rock the mic AND tell the future? While lyrics can definitely resonate with what we see going on today, here are four times rappers actually predicted the FUTURE with their lyrics. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in s...

Silence hung so thickly in the churchyard that it was hard to breathe. There’d been yet another lynching, and the Black families in the nearly all-white community were exhausted. It was too much – they HAD to go. But where? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you...

Back in the day, some of the most luxurious and happy summertime destinations in America existed just for our people to enjoy. How many of these do you recognize – and what happened to these all-Black havens? _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn i...

She lay still until she was sure they were gone. Her son, confused and scared, cried softly. She’d been beaten and racists had stolen everything they owned, but they were both still alive. On God, she swore, this would never happen again! _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Bl...

Today's History Story: Susie King Taylor and Herbalism Often unrecognized, vitamin deficiency has historically and presently wreaked havoc on the Black community, aided by a neglectful U.S. healthcare system. To safeguard future generations, it's vital to tackle and resolve the factors contributing to these critical deficiencies – and today’s guest is helping us confront these issues. Ashley Harmo...