Black Scroll Network History & Tours

01/04/2025

100 Years Ago - in 1925 - Detroit was a hotspot of activity.

1925 is one of the most consequential years for Detroit’s Black History.

Detroit was well into the first leg of the Great Migration - thousands of African Americans had come from the south to Detroit.

The auto factories had become a powerhouse industry in Detroit by that time.

The highest concentration of African Americans were living in the lower eastside neighborhood of Black Bottom - acre for acre, the most historically significant, culturally rich area in the history of the state of Michigan.

A Black business and entertainment district that would later be known as Paradise Valley, was in its beginning stages.

And racism - in the form of housing segregation, school inequality, and police brutality was at an all-time high.

Just 2 years prior - in 1923 - the Michigan Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan led an all-day 4th of July parade down Woodward and burned a cross in front of the Old City Hall and the Wayne County Building.

A few years after this - 1929 - the K*K would have its state headquarters - the Kastle - in Detroit on John R. & Hancock.

The K*K would back their candidate - Charles Bowles - for Mayor of Detroit as a write-in candidate. Although Bowles would receive the most votes, thousands of the ballots had his name misspelled and were cast out. He would not win.

He would run in the 1929 election and win and then be removed by recall.

In March 1923, a couple who moved to Detroit from Georgia - Aldine Mathis and Fleta Mae McCrary - got married here in Detroit. 2 years later - in March 1925 - they moved into the Old Westside neighborhood into the lower flat at 5913 Northfield with their friends - another Black couple - Austin & Susie Burton.

They were immediately threatened by white so-called neighbors, and the K*K.

In April, mobs of white residents gathered outside of their home.

Aldine and his friend Mr. Burton, both WWI veterans, had to stand on the porch with their rifles to get the crowd to move away.

On April 13, bricks were thrown through the window.

01/01/2025

Habari Gani?

01/01/2025

12/31/2024

Pictured here:
An 1833 painting by Adolphe Duperly of the Destruction of the Roehampton Sugar plantation in Jamaica during the Christmas Rebellion, also known as the Baptist Rebellion, led by Samuel Sharpe, an enslaved African, that lasted until from Christmas of 1831 until January of 1832.

In 1739, the Stone Rebellion, in South Carolina, led by Kongo African leader Jemmy, began on September 9 - the date of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.

About 50 white colonists were killed in this rebellion.

Why was the rebellion on the Feast of St. Mary?

Because a significant number of slaveowners in the area were Catholic and Episcopalian and would be celebrating that day, and would be unprepared for a slave revolt.

In 1768, on St. Patrick’s Day, on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, an African rebellion occurred against the slaveowners.
Why on St. Patrick’s Day?

Because the slaveowners were mainly Irish Catholics, and the Africans knew they would be celebrating and less prepared for a rebellion.

On December 25, 1831, an enslaved Black Baptist preacher named Samuel Sharpe led the Christmas Rebellion in Jamaica.

It lasted until January 4, 1833.

This rebellion caused the deaths of 14 colonists and the destruction of acres and acres of sugarcane from British sugar plantations.

It also played a major role in Britain’s 1833 abolition of slavery.

And THAT abolition act played a major role in the Blackburn uprising in Detroit in June, 1833, as well as making Canada - a British territory- highly important for Black people escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad.

And THAT - Canada being a site for freedom - played a major role in Detroit becoming one of the most important sites for the Underground Railroad and the fight against slavery.

And YOU KNOW why Samuel Sharpe led the rebellion on Christmas!

All history is connected.
And the past is tied to the present.

Merry Christmas!

12/27/2024

In December of 1968, Motown Records released their first Christmas compilation album - “Merry Christmas from Motown.”

The songs on the album were:

1.) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by the Temptations
2.) White Christmas by Diana Ross & the Supremes
3.) Give Love on Christmas Day by the Jackson 5
4.) Christmas Everyday by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
5.) One Little Christmas Tree by Stevie Wonder
6.) Ave Maria by Stevie Wonder
7.) Silver Bells by Diana Ross & The Supremes
8.) The Christmas Song by The Jacksons 5
9.) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
10.) Silent Night by the Temptations.

The only songs that were original songs written for Motown performers were “Give Love on Christmas Day”, written by The Corporation (Berry Gordy Jr., Alphonzo Mizell, Christine Perren, Freddie Perren and Deke Richards), “Christmas Everyday” written by Smokey Robinson, & “One Little Christmas Tree”, written by Ron Miller & Deborah Wells.

Although many Black radio stations and music listeners’ consider the Temptations’ “Silent Night” to be the greatest Christmas song from Motown, the biggest hit on the charts from this album was, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” also by the Temptations.

12/26/2024

HABARI GANI!
Happy Kwanzaa!