JA ROGERS - YOUR HISTORY | NEW BLACK KNOWLEDGE YOUTUBE (SUBSCRIBE!) (7649 hits)
Joel Augustus Rogers (September 6, 1880 – March 26, 1966) was a Jamaican-American author, journalist, and historian who contributed to the history of Africa and the African diaspora. After settling in the United States in 1906, he lived in Chicago and then New York City. He became interested in the history of African Americans in this country. His research spanned the academic fields of history, sociology and anthropology. He challenged prevailing ideas about the social construction of race, demonstrated the connections between civilizations, and traced achievements of ethnic Africans, including some with mixed European ancestry. He was one of the earliest and greatest popularizers of African history in the 20th century.[1].
Rogers also contributed to a syndicated newspaper cartoon feature entitled Your History. Patterned after the look of Robert Ripley's popular Believe It or Not cartoons, multiple vignettes in each cartoon episode recounted short items about African Americans from Rogers' research. The feature began in the Pittsburgh Courier in November 1934, with art by George L. Lee. In 1940, the art chores were handed over to Samuel Milai, who stayed with the feature through the rest of its run. In 1962, the title was changed to Facts About The Negro. The feature outlived its author, and continued appearing regularly until 1971, presumably in reprints at the end of the run. Two collections were published, Your History (1940) and Facts About The Negro c. 1960
