Today In Black History On January 11th

1 Posted by William Frazier - January 11, 2016 - January, LATEST POSTS, Today In Black History

The Confederacy forces Blacks to fight on their side (January 11, 1865) based on the recommendation of Robert E. Lee. But due to the obvious racism, they were not allowed to bear arms and merely served in lesser capacities. In later parts of the Civil War, the Confederacy had to change its strategy, as Black soldiers in the Confederacy would often flee to the other side for freedom during the war.
The first reconstruction legislature (January 11, 1870) met in Mississippi. In an impressive showing, 29.2% of the 106 representatives were Black, while the senators enjoyed a supportive 15.2% makeup of Blacks. It began a legacy that would endure over the years after first being introduced.
William D. McCoy (January 11, 1892) was appointed minister to Liberia. He served faithfully until dying while at post May 15, 1893. Liberia has become an important historical place, one that finds its roots going back to the days of President Lincoln.
Charles Anderson (January 11, 1936) continued on his journey of change and entered the Kentucky House of Representatives. He was already the first Black legislator in the South since Reconstruction, so this was a natural progression of his career and of the times. A lawyer with his own practice, he had already been a success on his own in 1933 before he took the world of politics by storm.
A racial riot at the University of Georgia saw two Black students getting suspended (January 11, 1961) for the protection of the other students. The suspension of Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes was a smack in the face of the long civil rights lawsuits fighting for desegregation in the South. With support from lawyers, students, and several white faculty members, the two were reinstated and Georgia was ordered to allow their return. Stricter laws for universities followed the incident that would cut off their funding if they continued to send away Blacks interested in higher education.