The first organized immigration of freed enslaved people to Africa
from the United States departed New York harbor on a journey to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. The immigration was largely
the work of the American Colonization Society, a U.S. organization founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to return formerly enslaved
African people to Africa. However, the expedition was also partially funded by the U.S. Congress, which in 1819 had appropriated
$100,000 to be used in returning displaced Africans, illegally
brought to the United States after the abolishment of the slave
trade in 1808, to Africa.

The program was modeled after British’s efforts to resettle formerly enslaved people in Africa following England’s abolishment of the
slave trade in 1772.

Most Americans of African descent were not enthusiastic to
abandon their homes in the United States for the West African
coast.

February 1, 1978: Antislavery crusader and Civil War veteran
Harriet Tubman become the first African American woman to
appear on a U.S. postage stamp, the first in the Post Office’s
Black Heritage Series. Tubman’s appearance on stamps was
emblematic both of the progress made in recognizing African
Americans’ contributions to American history and of the
ongoing effort to put abolitionists on equal footing with
slaveowners in the nation’s historical canon.

Harriet Tubman
(born Araminta Ross, c.
(March 1822 – March 10, 1913)

Nancy Green (below) portrayed the Aunt Jemima character at the
1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, one of the first
Black corporate models in the United States.

Subsequent advertising agencies hired dozens of actors to perform
the role as the first organized sales promotion campaign.           

The Aunt Jemima character has been criticized as an example of
the exploitation of Black women in American society. "Aunt Jemima"
is sometimes used as a female version of the derogatory epithet
"Uncle Tom" or "Rastus". In June 2020, Quaker Oats announced
that the Aunt Jemima brand would be discontinued "to make
progress toward racial equality", and the brand was discontinued
one year later.

Nancy Green (March 4, 1834 – August 30, 1923)

PORTLAND, Ore. — TriMet is honoring civil rights activist Rosa
Parks on Friday, February 4 on what would have been her 109th
birthday.

Officials said no fares will be collected for bus, MAX, WES or LIFT.

Portland Streetcar and C-TRAN will also provide free rides as an
annual tribute to Rosa Parks.

Rosa Louise McCauley Parks
(February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005)

Martin Luther King Jr.
(born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta,
Georgia, the son of a Baptist minister. King received a doctorate
degree in theology and in 1955 helped organize the first major
protest of the African American civil rights movement: the
successful Montgomery Bus Boycott.