Lansing Community College (LCC) will join the national Act commemorating four centuries of African-American history in the United States. As set forth in “The 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act,” LCC will commemorate, educate, and celebrate the contributions and rich history of African-Americans. Our year-long historical journey will showcase and highlight the many ways African-Americans are interwoven in the fabric of this nation with a history and legacy that must be shared. We will create awareness and expand the understanding and appreciation of the significance of the arrival of Africans in this nation within the LCC and Mid-Michigan community. Through a commitment to recognize and elevate the African-American experience and the significant contributions made - from the abhorrent slave trade, to fighting in the Civil War, surviving Jim Crow segregation, to the civil rights movement and beyond - we seek to illuminate the courage, determination and great accomplishments achieved in the face of mighty oppression.
Videos
Four Pillars of Our Work
Our work will be guided by four of the most significant eras of the last 400 years of African-American history. We will commemorate bravery and courage, educate our community on the journey and celebrate the many victories and achievements since the arrival of the first African-Americans in 1619.
- Slavery
- Civil War
- Jim Crow
- Civil Rights Movement
400 Years of African-American History Commission Act
H.R. 1242
(Sec. 3) This bill establishes the 400 Years of African-American History Commission to develop and carry out activities throughout the United States to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.
Year-End Celebration: Trials, Triumphs and Trailblazers
December 3 | 5 p.m. | Dart Auditorium
Did You Know?
Learn more about the contributions, milestones and accomplishments of African-Americans over the last 400 years.
NAACP
On February 12, 2009, the NAACP marked its 100th anniversary. Spurred by growing racial violence in the early twentieth century, and particularly by 1908 race riots in Springfield, Illinois, a group of African-American leaders joined together to form a new permanent civil rights organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). February 12, 1909, was chosen because it was the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Heavyweight Champ
Jack Johnson became the first African-American man to hold the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title in 1908. He held onto the belt until 1915.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
First Lawyer
John Mercer Langston was the first black man to become a lawyer when he passed the bar in Ohio in 1854. When he was elected to the post of Town Clerk for Brownhelm, Ohio, in 1855 Langston became one of the first African Americans ever elected to public office in America. John Mercer Langston was also the great-uncle of Langston Hughes, famed poet of the Harlem Renaissance.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Supreme Court Justice
Thurgood Marshall was the first African American ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and served on the court from 1967 to 1991.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Eminent Scientist
George Washington Carver developed 300 derivative products from peanuts among them cheese, milk, coffee, flour, ink, dyes, plastics, wood stains, soap, linoleum, medicinal oils and cosmetics.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
First Senator
Hiram Rhodes Revels was the first African American ever elected to the U.S. Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi from February 1870 to March 1871.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
First Woman Representative
Shirley Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives. She was elected in 1968 and represented the state of New York. She broke ground again four years later in 1972 when she was the first major party African-American candidate and the first female candidate for president of the United States.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Self-Made Millionaire
Madam C.J. Walker was born on a cotton plantation in Louisiana and became wealthy after inventing a line of African-American hair care products. She established Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories and was also known for her philanthropy.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Population Growth
The black population of the United States in 1870 was 4.8 million; in 2007, the number of black residents of the United States, including those of more than one race, was 40.7 million.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Oscar Winner
In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American performer to win an Academy Award—the film industry’s highest honor—for her portrayal of a loyal slave governess in Gone With the Wind.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Into Space
In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go into space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. During her eight-day mission, she worked with U.S. and Japanese researchers, and was a co-investigator on a bone cell experiment.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
White House
In 2009, Barack Obama became the first African-American president in U.S. history. He occupied the White House for two consecutive terms, serving from 2009 to 2017.
Source
Article Title: Black History Facts
Author: History.com Editors
Get Involved!
You can join the Commission too! Please fill out the form below if you would like more information on how to get involved with our work.