Augustus Freeman Hawkins

Augustus Freeman Hawkins was a Democratic Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 21st district. He was the first African American to serve as the Californian representative in the Congress.  Hawkins was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and wrote over 300 state and federal laws in his time.  He was known to care for the well being of education and the poor.  Hawkins was known as the "silent warrior" because he was would rather work behind the scenes to reach his goals.

Hawkins was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and moved to California as a child.  He received a degree in economics from UCLA in 1931.  Originally planning on becoming an engineer, the Great Depression cut into his graduate school funding.  He became interested in politics and unseated the long sitting Republican.

"The leadership belongs not to the loudest, not to those who beat the drums or blow the trumpets, but to those who day in and day out, in all seasons, work for the practical realization of a better world— those who have the stamina to persist and remain dedicated. To those belong the leadership." - Augustus Freeman Hawkins

"White Slaves"

For most Americans it can be extremely uncomfortable to talk about slavery.  It is a period of our history we cannot ignore and we must all be educated fully on, in this author's opinion.  The forgotten history of slavery is that it was not just about dark skinned slaves.  At the time the slaves were freed half of the slave population had a white appearance; they moved out west and started a new life as "white people". Their history was largely lost and it is now estimated that between 10-20% of all white Americans have African-American ancestry.  This a photo from an orphanage in New Orleans in the 1860's showing black slave children who needed handouts to eat.

We are now practically living in the age of the movie "Gattaca".  It is now completely possible to find out your entire genetic background.  With only a $200 test you can finally find out where your grandfather's lineage begins.  I encouraged everyone, especially African-Americans, to get this amazing test!

 NY Daily News
Ancestry.com
23 And Me






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Ina Ray Hutton

Ina Ray Hutton was the band leader of the Melodears, one of the first all-female swing bands ever to be recorded and filmed.  She passed as white for her entire musical career during the 1930s through the 1960s. 

She was recorded as mulatto on her census records as a child, back when her name was Odessa Cowan.  Growing up in Chicago's South side she was first acquainted with music and performing at an early age.  Her mother was a piano player in dance halls and hotel ballrooms.  Odessa studied dance with Hazel Thompson Davis, a very prominent black teacher and choreographer.  Her first taste of fame was when she was published in the Defender at the age of seven.  Around the age of fourteen she made her Broadway debut and at sixteen she was a featured singer and dancer in George White's "Melody".  She began touring with the Melodears around eighteen years old and was known for doing several costume changes, something extremely unusual at that time.  She conducted the band with her whole body, making broad gestures and dancing all over the stage.  In the 1940s she dyed her hair brown and lead an all-male band. 

Her sister known as bot Elaine Merritt and June Hutton, was also a singer and member of the Melodears.