Remembering Black Stories And Black Lives, 400 Years After African Americans Arrived Enslaved

By Kiley Koscinski,

Published February 18, 2019 at 4:45 PM EST

1 of 6

The Heinz History Center's long-term exhibit, "From Slavery to Freedom" explores 250 years of local African American history.

Courtesy of the Heinz History Center

2 of 6

The Heinz History Center's long-term exhibit, "From Slavery to Freedom" explores 250 years of local African American history.

Courtesy of the Heinz History Center

3 of 6

The enslavement of African people was a global enterprise. This 1868 image of young boys rescued by the Royal Naval ship HMS Daphne off the East African Coast in the Indian Ocean is evidence of the continuation of the slave trade in East Africa.

National Archives of the U.K.

4 of 6

National Archives of the U.K.

5 of 6

On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation ordering the emancipation of all slaves in any state of the Confederacy that did not return to Union control by Jan. 1, 1863. None returned, and the order took effect.

Library of Congress, lithography of 1863 order, printed February 1864 by L. Lipman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

6 of 6

Library of Congress, lithography of 1863 order, printed February 1864 by L. Lipman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The African American History Commission Act was signed last year to recognize and highlight the resilience and cultural contributions of Africans and African Americans in the 400 years since they first landed in Virginia, by force as slaves.

Samuel Black, director of African American programs at the Heinz History Center and immediate past president of the Association of African American Museums, joins 90.5 WESA's The Confluence to discuss the commission’s goals, Pittsburgh’s African American heritage and the cultural and historical impact on our region.

Samuel Black, director of African American programs at the Heinz History Center, stands outside the WESA studio on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019.

Later in the program:

Allegheny CleanWays is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that focuses on cleaning up illegal dump sites across Allegheny County. Their various programs with more than 13,000 volunteers helped clean up over five million pounds of garbage since the group was founded in 2000. 90.5 WESA’s Brian Cook reports on Allegheny CleanWays’s efforts to clean up Homewood and other Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

After Jordan Robarge was arrested, it was difficult for him to find employment because of his record. Now he’s helping others re-enter society by hiring veterans, people with gaps in their employment history and those who recently got out of jail to work at his two businesses, Revival Chili food truck and Nancy’s Diner in Wilkinsburg. “The goal of this is not just for my personal benefit,” Robarge says. “We want to be able to spread the wealth and say ‘we are all brining each other up together.’”

And when Mike Fincke saw the first astronauts land on the moon, he knew what he wanted to do when he grew up. The now veteran astronaut and Pittsburgh native was recently called up to serve on NASA’s next manned mission, Starliner, which will launch later this year. Although space travel has changed drastically since private companies like Boeing and Space X jumped into the fray, Fincke says he still sees the same excitement for space travel he once did. To children, he says, “Stick with it. If I can become an astronaut then I see lots of future Pittsburghers becoming astronauts, too.”

The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in weekdays at 9 a.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators join veteran journalist Kevin Gavin, taking an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here or wherever you get your podcasts.