The Aeta People are the descendants of the original African natives and inhabitants of the Philippines. It is said that “Aetas are found in Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, Angeles, Olongapo, Panay, Bataan and Nueva Ecija. But because of the Mount Pinatubo eruption, some of them moved to resettlement areas in Pampanga and Tarlac.” The Aeta receive little-to-no recognition and support from the government. They have lost much of their ancestral domain to land grabbers, loggers, and corrupt mining operations. Because they are usually spread out in mountainous areas, the Spaniards had a hard time introducing Catholicism to their population. They mostly resisted to change, which made it difficult for the Spanish to colonize their areas. This is also one of the reasons why they were able to preserve their cultural traditions and beliefs through to today.
Black History 365 | # 164 Vybz Kartel
BIG UP TO VYBZ KARTEL! Enjoy your freedom bruddah. Vybz Kartel is possibly the biggest dancehall artist. This is black history, know’dat.
Black History 365 | # 165 Simone Biles
Black History 365 | # 161 Noah Lyles
In August 2023, Lyles became a six-time world champion when he took home three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and relay in Budapest. He became the first man since Usain Bolt to complete the sprint treble at a World Championships and is placed second behind him on the 200m world all-time list at the World Athletics Championships. Lyles won two gold medals in the 200m and the relay at the 2019 World Championships held in Doha. In 2021, he went on to win his first ever Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo in the 200m men's final. Two years later, the 26-year-old claimed his second global title in the 200m and surpassed Michael Johnson's longstanding national record of 19.32 by running 19.31 which moved him to third on the world all-time list, winning gold and silver medals. Lyles has been quoted as saying, "To be honest, I just see myself as an athlete. Of course, I am black, and I do have that representation, but I feel I hate when I have to say that I am black. It's a tough journey no matter who you are, I feel that is important for all of us to recognize. I am going to show all my sides. Of course, I am going to show my black side - that's why I grow out my hair, plait my hair, wear it in different styles because I know that there is probably a black kid out there who's been told their hair is ugly and I'm out here, being a star, being seen on TV and going to the Olympics and showing that you can do your hair however you want, you're still going to be fine." We gon’ stall him out. Congratulations.
Black History 365 | # 163 Walter Francis White
This is Walter Francis White, what is interesting about White was the executive secretary for the NAACP from 1931-1955. His appearance was that of a White man because he was. White was biracial, but chose to go through his life as a black man despite his appearance. His main goal was to abolish lynching. Throughout his career investigations of lynchings and race riots and conducted a vigorous, sustained drive for enactment of a federal antilynching law. Although no such law was enacted, the climate of public opinion was markedly changed by his investigations and exposés. In 1918, when he joined the NAACP staff, 67 persons, all but 4 of them blacks, were lynched. In the year of his death, 1955, there were only three recorded lynchings, and none had occurred in the five previous years. Lynchings had become a rarity and were soon to disappear from the American scene. As he put it in his book, “I am not white. There is nothing within my mind and heart which tempts me to think I am. Yet I realize acutely that the only characteristic which matters to either the white or the colored race—the appearance of whiteness—is mine. There is magic in a white skin; there is tragedy, loneliness, exile, in a black skin.” I don’t know about that tragedy and loneliness part, I guess I understand, but great work.