About Us
Our Story
In 2016, YAAHA began writing lesson plans about Black history. The more we researched, the more passionate we were about this underserved history and the role Blacks played from our country’s founding to today. More than three years ago, YAAHA started sharing posts on Facebook about Black leaders, inventors, physicians, explorers, authors, teachers, military heroes, and architects, to name a few, with our 26,000 Facebook followers. The responses were electrifying.
“Thank you for helping us focus on examples of those who, in the face of great adversity prevailed. This is ‘part and parcel’ of American exceptionalism.”-Steven M.
“I love seeing and hearing about Black history. When I read about Black history, I learned a lot about the wisdom and knowledge of my Black Heritage.”-Pat R.
“Thank you for sharing this amazing intelligent African American man’s accomplishments! Keep the Black history information/facts coming.”-Betty M.
Our team of educators and board members are like-minded about education, they come from different backgrounds, are extremely creative, and believe we strengthen our voice through knowledge. Education is a weapon for good and knowing that Black history is American history makes a stronger America.
America would be a different place without the contributions of our Black citizens. Blacks invented the Shoe Laster, improved the elevator, created a collapsible fire ladder, scientists made numerous products from soybeans and peanuts, and created the traffic light, to name a few. They were abolitionists, political leaders, jockeys, architects, doctors, cowboys, scientists, teachers, explorers, artists, playwrights, and writers. They are the story of American resilience.
“Everyone wasn’t taught this history. If my generation were taught this, I believe that many of us would not have the prejudices built up.” Antonette Y.
Our team of talented educators, storytellers, and performers is dedicated to comprehensive and well-researched Black history. We want this history to no longer be so difficult for our families to find.
“Thanks for sharing and I would love to read more about our hidden history.” Katie M.
History is complicated. Our new book now being written, The Chronicle of Heroes, Black Contributions to America, is an American story of resilience, cooperation between the races, and determination to correct the wrongs while celebrating the accomplishments of our citizens. It is the good, the bad, and the ugly; it is an American story.
History books do not often tell about black and white abolitionists that worked together to end slavery. James Forten, a wealthy Black man, helped finance William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper, while White Gerrit Smith funded a newspaper of Fredrick Douglass. Whites and Blacks worked together on the Underground Railroad to help escaped slaves.
After the Civil War, Buffalo soldiers tamed the Wild West by incursions with the Indians. Some point out the irony of Blacks becoming the oppressors against the American Indians.
YAAHA’s purpose is to share this real history to prove that Black history is American history and challenge the status quo about what we think we know about Black history.
“I am learning so much about African American history that we had been cheated out of. I’m sharing on my FB in hopes of spreading the knowledge.” Mary Ann D.
Our Mission
We provide a wealth of resources illustrating the ingenuity of African Americans throughout every facet of American life. We convey the impact of Black contributions with the cooperation of others, on our nation’s history.
Our Vision:
We educate to bring people together in cooperation so that race will never be a limiting factor in any human interactions.
Our Beliefs for Black History
We believe that sharing Black history, which includes the significant contributions blacks made in American history, is vital. Yocum African American History Association (YAAHA) is dedicated to finding new ways for our talented board members to bring lesson plans, storytellers, and performances that will enrich the lives of your children, grandchildren, and adults to help spread this rich Black history at the grassroots level.
We believe that the hundreds of original and historically accurate graphs, maps, broadsides, and photographs we procured prevent the limited and stereotypical views of African American history.
We believe that knowledge is power and that education is the key to success.
We believe in equal opportunity, which involves the provision of an opportunity to compete equally, not guarantee equal outcomes.
The Misconceptions of Black History
Misconception:
Slavery is America’s original sin
Slavery is a universal institution, older than written records and flourished throughout the world long before the New World was discovered.
Fact:
Only Black people
were slaves in America
Misconception:
England sent White slaves: criminals, vagabonds, and children to the colonies to work.
Fact:
There were only
White slave owners in America
Misconception:
Fact:
1830, U.S. Census reported 3,775 free Blacks owned 12,740 slaves; the 1860 U.S. Census reported 261,988 Southern Blacks were free and not slaves. Anthony Johnson was the first Black slave owner to win a court case that sanctioned slavery in the Virginia Colony.
Misconception:
Abraham Lincoln was a racist
Lincoln objected to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, “because it assumes that there can be moral right in the enslaving of one man by another. I object to it as a dangerous dalliance for a [free] people…”; his House Divided Speech, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And finally, it is true that during the Civil War, Lincoln’s first aim was to keep the nation together at all costs, then turn his attention on freeing the slaves.
Fact:
There were only a few Black leaders before the 20th Century
Misconception:
There were more than 2000 significant Black leaders during Reconstruction with important city, state, national positions.
Fact:
The 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed by the efforts of President Lyndon Johnson
Misconception:
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen was responsible for getting the bill passed. He was also responsible for the passing of other Civil Rights Bills in 1957, 1960. 1965, and 1968.
Fact:
Welfare has helped the Black community
Misconception:
Welfare destroyed the Black family; in 1950, less than 25% of Black families were a one-parent household. By 2019, 75% of Black families were one-parent families.
Fact:
America is a racist country
Misconception:
Barack Obama was elected twice as President
Fact:
YAAHA is dedicated to encouraging stories about Black history, proving that Black history is American history. We challenge the status quo about what people think they know about Black history.
Donate today! Help YAAHA by supporting the publishing cost of our new book, The Chronicle of Heroes, Black Contributions to America. Share aspirational messages and make a difference through the empowerment of education and become the hero in your community.
Donations will support writing our new book and educating all Americans about Black history from the Revolutionary War to the present.
Misconception:
Slavery is America’s original sin
Slavery is a universal institution, older than written records and flourished throughout the world long before the New World was discovered. Many whites are plagued with “white guilt” because they believe this is America’s “original sin.”
Fact:
Only black people
were slaves in America
Misconception:
England sent white slaves: criminals, vagabonds, and children to the colonies to work.
Fact:
There were only
white slave owners in America
Misconception:
Fact:
1830, U.S. Census reported 3,775 free blacks owned 12,740 slaves; 1860 U.S. Census reported 261,988 Southern blacks were free and not slaves. Anthony Johnson was the first black slave owner to win a court case that sanctioned slavery in the Virginia Colony.
Misconception:
Abraham Lincoln was a racist
Lincoln objected to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, “because it assumes that there can be moral right in the enslaving of one man by another. I object to it as a dangerous dalliance for a [free] people…”; his House Divided Speech, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And finally, it is true that during the Civil War, Lincoln’s first aim was to keep the nation together at all costs, then turn his attention on freeing the slaves.
Fact:
There were only a few black leaders before the 20th Century
Misconception:
There were more than 2000 significant black leaders during Reconstruction with important city, state, national positions.
Fact:
The KKK was started by conservative Republicans
Misconception:
Democrats started various vigilante groups like the KKK to intimidate and prevent newly freed slaves from governing, voting, and leading their communities in the Southern states. The KKK and Jim Crow caused a huge gap in the progress of blacks.
Fact:
Democrats are responsible for the Brown V. Board of Education Case, 1954
Misconception:
It actually took 18 years for this ruling to be completely enacted due to segregation promoted by Democrats like Governors Hollings, Barnett, Davis, Faubus, and Wallace. President Eisenhower sent federal troops to begin the desegregation process in Little Rock, Arkansas in September 1957.
Fact:
The 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed by the efforts of President Lyndon Johnson
Misconception:
Republican Senator Everette Dirksen was responsible for getting the bill passed. He was also responsible for the passing of other Civil Rights Bills in 1957, 1960. 1965, and 1968.
Fact:
Misconception:
Systematic racism and “white supremacy” are the roots of black poverty
It is liberal supremacy and the race grievance industry that tells blacks you can’t be successful, and this is harming the black community. Dr. Shelby Steele said, “Democrats perpetuate the belief that whites are privileged and blacks are victims in need of unending affirmative action.”
Fact:
Two major political parties switched sides on racism
Misconception:
Franklin D. Roosevelt created dependency programs in the New Deal for whites and blacks to end the Great Depression. In doing so, these dependency programs caused more blacks to vote a Democratic ticket.
Fact:
Welfare has helped the black community
Misconception:
Welfare destroyed the black family; in 1950, less than 25% of black families were a one-parent household. By 2019, 75% of black families were one-parent families.
Fact:
America is a racist country
Misconception:
Barack Obama was elected twice as President
Fact:
YAAHA is dedicated to encouraging stories about Black history, proving that Black history is American history. We challenge the status quo about what people think they know about Black history.
Donate today! Help YAAHA by supporting the publishing cost of our new book, The Chronicle of Heroes, Black Contributions to America. Share aspirational messages and make a difference through the empowerment of education and become the hero in your community.
Donations will support writing our new book and educating all Americans about Black history from the Revolutionary War to the present.