Black History in VR
Black History Museum located in the metaverse.
This project is my contribution to The Culture. Due to approximately 500 years of White Supremacy there has been a concerted effort diminish Black contributions to World History. Black History in VR allows you to explore the diaspora and learn about notable figures. To inform and inspire.
Queen Ahmose- Nefertari
The 18th Dynasty saw the unified New Kingdom of Egypt at the height of its power; making Ahmose Nefertari one of the most powerful women in history. She was Ahmose I first wife and a royal family member of Nubian descent.
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Records show that she presided over administrative duties such as land/estate allocation, workshops & The national treasury. Toward the end of her life she held a diplomatic position in Nubia.
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After her death she was mummified and buried in the West Bank of the Nile River.
Benjamin Benecker
1731 - 1809
Mathematician, Astronomer, Author
Born in Baltimore, Maryland to emancipated parents, Benecker was allotted many liberties that were rare for someone of his status at that time period. His parents were able to send him to a local school where he learned the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. However much of his education was informal/undocumented.
Unverified accounts suggest that during his teens he became acquainted with the local abolitionist Quaker community. This may have given him proximity to resources to perfect his crafts for future works.
Throughout his adult years Benecker accomplished many impressive feats such as: constructing a clock made of wood, publishing an astrological almanac which predicted astrological events, and assisting in the site serving for the District of Columbia otherwise known as Washington, DC.
Benjamin Benecker was an American phenom who used his talents to serve his community. After his death in 1809, he was memorialized through the naming of parks, schools and street names in the Baltimore area.
Princess Senate Seeiso
Born in 2001, as the eldest daughter of King Letsie III & Queen Masenate. By the age of 18 she was leading campaigns to end Child Marriages in Africa.
While currently attending university, she has become a leading figure of Humanitarianism and Women's rights on the continent.
Portrait of Lloyd Patterson
In the 1930's The Soviet Union was rapidly industrializing and were recruiting professionals to aide in the transition to an industrialized economy. Notably they did not discriminate based on race and opportunities were open to all.
Approximately 800 African Americans moved to the Soviet Union in search of economic opportunity and a better quality of life. These Americans provided vital expertise for the implementation and servicing of industrial era machinery.
Living in a country where racism was not institutionalized many of them decided to stay. Most went on to live happy lives; their descendants live in present day Russia.
Yelena Khanga
Born in Moscow, USSR 1962. Khanga graduated from Moscow State University, which was also the alma mater of her mother who was the first Black Woman to attend a Russian University.
After graduating Khanga was hired by Moscow News. In 1988 she partook in a foreign exchange program with an American news publisher. Through this she became a celebrity in the U.S. for being a Black Woman from Russia.
She went on to feature and host many successful Russian talk shows. Khanga and her family split their time between Moscow and New York.
Bass Reeves
The first Black US Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Born into slavery he was forced to fight in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. At some point he managed to escape and fled to 'Indian Territory'. He lived with Native tribes such as the Cherokee, Creeks & Seminoles; learning their languages and customs before officially being freed by the 13th amendment.
In 1875 Reeve's was recruited as a U.S. Deputy Marshal for his skills. He was a known marksman with a rifle and revolver along with developing superior detective skills over his long 32 year career.
When he retired in 1907 Reeves recorded over 3,000 arrest and 14 kills. He never sustained an injury.
Buffalo Soldiers
The Buffalo Soldiers were a United States Army Regiment that comprised primarily of Black Soldiers and eventually some Native American Soldiers. Active from 1866 - 1951, the regiment served in every major American War until the end of WW2.
The 10th Cavalry in particular gained the nickname "Buffalo Soldiers" while fighting The Plains Indians during The American Indian Wars. The reason being, to Native Americans the texture of Black Hair was comparable to Buffalo Fur. The nickname stuck and eventually became synonymous for all All-Black Army regiments.
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In the end, The Buffalo Soldiers were disbanded when President Truman ordered the desegregation of The US Military.
The Deacons for Defense and Justice
Founded in 1964 - Jonesboro, Louisiana
The Deacons for Defense and Justice were a Civil Rights Era self-defense group. The group was comprised of Black Veterans from World War II & The Korean War. Its initial purpose was to protect Civil Rights Activists from attacks by the Ku Klux Klan. But after the assassination of Malcolm X; spread into a region wide network of armed resistance.
During the Summer of 1965 The Bogalusa chapter of The Deacons gained national attention for its violent struggles with the KKK. Led by Earnest “Chilly Willy” Thomas and Fredrick Kirkpatrick, the chapter conducted a series of successful skirmishes; eventually forcing the KKK out of the area.