Dr. Ivory Phillips

In the History Corner… African peoples and American slavery

According to popular history, on or about August 20, 1619, twenty-odd captured Angolans were brought to Port Comfort and sold to merchants around Jamestown, Virginia. Those facts have been documented and agreed upon by many historians. Based upon them, writer Lerone Bennett wrote his widely-read Black history book, “Before the Mayflower” and Nikole Hannah Jones wrote and initiated the papers, now known as Project 1619. It was surrounding those facts that a 400-year commemoration was held in Virginia in 2019.

Making peons of essential public servants, a major cause of America’s decline

The war for racial justice needs soldiers of all types

Earlier in the week, while preparing for the march and rally to save historically Black colleges and universities, it occurred to several promoters of the march and rally that some would-be soldiers might be reluctant or even decline to sign-on to the effort because it was set to begin with a two-mile march from the Masonic Lodge at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 14th. The good news since the original announcement is that the beginning of the march has been changed to 9:00 a.m.

Voting rights still the key to democracy and freedom

Mississippians to march and rally to save HBCUs

Protecting and promoting democracy is hard work, but somebody’s got to do it

Policing plan unfolded by Tate Reeves helpful but inadequate

In the History Corner… Never forget the history of the undoing of Reconstruction in Mississippi

When America’s Civil War ended in 1865, because it had been a rebellion against the government and the Constitution, federal troops were stationed throughout the territory of what had been the Confederate States of America. This was designed to secure the re-uniting of the U.S.A., providing the franchise and opportunity to hold office for those who had remained loyal. It also disenfranchised and barred those who from office those who had instigated and/or participated in the rebellion. That was what Reconstruction was about. The important side effect was that Black men were able to vote and hold office.

Monitoring American foreign affairs, not just for the diplomats

Cheers for Zaila Avant-garde, Jody-Anne Maxwell, and Marie Bolden, champions all

Last week, many people, especially African Americans, were as high as could be over the fact that Zaila Avant-garde of Harvey, LA won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. It truly is time for celebration when a student accomplishes such a feat. It generated exhilaration beyond measure this year because Avant-garde was recognized not only as the first African American to do so, she was also recognized as the first Louisiana student to do so and the first home-schooled student to do so.