Slavery Essays (1135 words) - Slavery In The United States, Racism

Slavery Slavery The representative government begins with the House of Burguess. The house of Burguess as the legislature was called; they first met on July 30, 1619 in a little church in Jamestown to write the laws of Virginia. The house of Burguess remained in existence even after James I took control of Virginia. At that time there were eleven settlements in the colony. Each of them elected two, burguesses, as representatives were called. In 1964 James I cancelled the charter of the Virginia Company, thus making Virginia a royal colony. The tobacco cultivation assures Virginias success, which was another unanticipated development was the discovery that raising tobacco was a profitable way to make a living. In 1612 Captain John Rolfe introduced a tropical variety possibly from Trinidad to Virginia. Rolfe, like other Englishmen, he had learned to enjoy puffing on a pipe. Rolfes tobacco found a waiting market in London. The weed quickly wore out the land, and the steady search for new acres was instrumental in pushing settlement farther and farther west. The first crop arrived in London in 1614. Because rivers were required for shipping the crop, the banks of Potomac, the James, and the Rappahannock Rivers soon were lined with tobacco farms. So completely did tobacco take up peoples lives in Virginia that no large towns developed as centers of commerce and culture? The town of Williamsburg was the political hub of the colony. Williamsburg became Virginias capital in 1699 after Jamestown was destroyed by fire. The leade rs of the colony met there to debate governmental matters. Indentured servants came to America. Many people had been driven off the land by what was called the enclosure movement. The cost of crossing the Atlantic was, beyond the means of these people. Under the indenture system a farmer in America would gladly agree to pay the ship passage of an immigrant. The immigrant would in turn agree in writing to serve that farmer for a specified number of years, varying from four to seven. After the period of indenture was over, the worker became a free man or woman again. Often receiving land to take up farming. The indenture system had its drawbacks; many servants who had arrived in America resented their condition and worked unwillingly. Slavery was introduced among the early indentured servants were people who did not come to America willingly. The first Africans arrived in Virginia in 1619. For the next thirty years or so, Africans were generally treated like indentured servants from Europe. By 1651 there were about 300 Africans in Virginias population of 15000. By 1640 some black servants were forced to serve their indentures for life. Slaveholders were given increasing control as the personal and civil freedom of black people, which was more and more restricted. Finally, as the 1700s opened, the English were becoming heavily involved in the profitable slave trade, until then a monopoly of Spain. The demand for slaves increases because of labor shortage. Another response was the importation of African slaves. Slave trading itself mocked the high ideals on which so many of the colonies which had been founded. For the suffering of slaves the torment was often made worse by the fact that they came from different places of Africa. Some Africans tried to escape their mystery by starving themselves to death aboard the ships. Accustomed to agricultural work in Africa, they became indispensable to the colonial economy. Those Africans who survived the Atlantic crossing were quickly taken in hand and taught the tasks they would have to perform in America. It is estimated that 2/3 of the slaves captured in Africa never survived to land in America. The American Revolution cut off trade with England. Debate whether slavery is still necessary with the decline of agriculture. Southerners needed a new crop to make farming profitable. They grew cotton in small amounts. Long staple cotton grew only in coastal areas. Short staple cotton grew everywhere in the south. They were loaded with seeds, which had to be removed before making it into cloth. It required 10 slaves to clean the amount of cotton one could pick. Eli Whitney invented a cotton gin. Now one slave can clean out what ten could pick. Englands textile factories

Cons on legalizing drugs essays

Cons on legalizing drugs essays In the following essay I will persuade you into thinking why drugs should not be legalized. I will also talk about the different types of drugs that the government is thinking about legalizing. Drugs break up into many categories. There is marijuana, heroin, crack cocaine, pcp, and other harder drugs. Marijuana is really not a bad drug; Smoking Marijuana produces almost instant effects, lasting one to four hours. Marijuana makes people relaxed and talkative, but is a depressant, which can make people who are sad feel worse. Sound and colors also become more intense. Users typically say that Marijuana improves self-awareness, relationships with others and makes them more "easy going", tolerant and understanding. Some Marijuana users say that it helps them to be creative. When most people use marijuana they end up taking the harder drugs. Harder drugs include heroin, crack cocaine, pcp, cannabis etc. Society will tell you that marijuana is a harmless drug. All this drug does is get you high. After using this drug for awhile, the user starts wanting to get a bigger high. When that happens they turn into crack heads. That is one reason why drugs shouldnt be legalized. Another reason why I think drugs shouldnt be legalized is because people driving under the influence of marijuana will increase along with other things that can happen when you are under the influence of drugs. While driving high your sense of judgment is off, and that might cause you to have an accident. You might even cause an accident to happen because of your judgment. When your judgment is off while driving, that can cause a lot of damaging things to happen. Sometimes while you are using marijuana it changes your whole body emotions. You might end up doing or committing a crime while using marijuana or any other drugs. Being under the influence of drugs can cause you to act like something that you are not. For examp...

Power of Higher Authority in significant relevance to Antigone by Essay

Power of Higher Authority in significant relevance to Antigone by Sophocles and Another Antigone by A.R Gurney - Essay Example The modern adaptation for theatre by A.R. Gurney offers an interesting contextualization of heroine Antigone’s fight against authority. In both the cases, the theme is the same, one of confrontation of the individual will against a powerful authority figure. In Sophocles’ Antigone, this antagonist was Creon the King. In Gurney’s play it is the Professor in Classics Department George Henry Harper. But the nature of struggle of the two heroines is the same. This essay will argue that the depiction of the power of Higher Authority is crucial to the dramatization and moral deliberation of the two plays. Professor Henry Harper is equated to the all powerful Creon of Sophocles’ conception. To match with his role as an intimidator Harper is given a grizzly white beard by author Gurney. The University of Boston and its hierarchy of administrators provide the power structure for Another Antigone, with Henry Harper assuming a key position of power within in the Depa rtment of Classics. He is a tragicomic character in an academic environment that is struggling with reduced government funding and decreasing student enthusiasm. It is in this backdrop that Judy Miller plays out her tryst with power. (Diski 49) Miller, a candidate for valedictorian, presents her bold reworking of Antigone in blank verse form in the place of a formal term paper. Taken aback by this disrespect for rules, the professor exclaims â€Å"Another Antigone!" in reference to both the work being presented and its author. At this point a antagonistic position of the rebellious student and her convention respecting professor is established. In Sophocles’ Antigone, by contrast, the confrontation between Antigone and her uncle Creon (the ruler of Thebes) begins with the demise of her two brothers Eteocles and Polyneices. Since Creon was on the side of Eteocles during the combat between the two brothers, he decrees to honor him in death. In sharp contrast he decrees that Po lyneices be left rotting in the battle field sans a proper burial. This is the highest form of punishment in ancient Greek and its evocation is a measure of Creon’s hostility toward Polyneices. (Botton 20) In Creon’s own view, what legitimizes his decree is his authority as the supreme ruler of Thebes. He performs very little moral deliberation before setting his order to execution. It is unfair to compare Creon with Gurvey’s Harper, for the latter is not so much arrogant as formal and conservative. Henry Harper’s power in the University is nowhere near equal to that wielded by Creon, the emperor of Thebes. Hence, although the two authority figures share a position of prestige and power, their personalities and purviews are very different. The overbearing undergrad Antigone, Ms. Miller, has â€Å"as great an irrational self-confidence in her thespian powers as Shakespeare's Bottom, and when Henry Harper, that old Creon, refuses to give her play at least a B, she launches a campaign against him, including charges of anti-Semitism, that leads to a proper catastrophe.† (Disch 174) But in Sophocles’ classic, Polyneices’ beloved sister Antigone is a balanced, intellectual and humane person (as evidenced from allusions in the play). Her love for her brother impels her to bury him properly. Though this action would invoke the wrath of Creon and jeopardize her life, her humanity and love supersedes all other considerations. Antigone believes that though she may die as a consequence

Observers Paradox and Ways to minimize its Impact in Collection of Essay

Observers Paradox and Ways to minimize its Impact in Collection of Live Speech Data - Essay Example Therefore, the collection of live speech data is an indispensable data collection method that makes the overarching aims of sociolinguistic study attainable. For instance, speech data helps the researcher unravel elements of the social milieu and shared perspectives that define a community. However, the awareness that the participants are under observation impacts on the way they speak and what they speak about, an effect called the Observer’s Paradox. A famed sociolinguist, William Labov, was the first to discuss the paradox in detail. Labov observed that the use of systemized observation had an impact on the way respondents made use of their sociolinguistic abilities, in a way that could profoundly distort the nature of the data collected. This, he noted, could dent the validity of the research in question. This research seeks to discuss the Observer’s Paradox in the context of collecting speech data and explore some ways in which a researcher can roll back some of it s negative effects in sociolinguistic research. INTRODUCTION Observer’s Paradox is a term attributable to the linguistic researcher, William Labov. The term describes the situation whereby the observation of an event by a researcher in a controlled experimental situation fundamentally alters the natural way in which the event occurs. This transformation, especially in sociolinguistic behavior, impedes the collection of accurate data on the subject. Consequently, the effect arouses much concern in the linguistic research community. According to Labov (1), linguistic research should aim to reveal how people talk without the influence of systematic observation, even though data is unobtainable without systematic observation (Labov, 1). Hence, Observer’s Paradox poses a challenge to sociolinguistic researchers, and ways to circumvent the hurdle are necessary to maintain the validity of research with regard to accuracy and ethical codes that govern empirical research. One of the broad aims of sociolinguistic research is to observe lin guistic elements in a community. The elements under empirical scrutiny occur normally, although they are usually unnoticeable outside the confines of systematic controlled observations (Sheffield university, 1). This necessitates the introduction of statistical research methods such as data collection through recording of live speech data. By extension, this means the introduction of a third party to the social setup within which these linguistic factors occur. The disruptions of the natural conditions that define sociolinguistic elements in a community are not dismissible, and can influence the intimate understanding of a community’s sociolinguistic landscape. Sociolinguistic studies are rarely quantifiable, therefore qualitative data collection method remains the best option for many researchers. Speech data is one of the strongest methods through which sociolinguistic data is obtainable. Unfortunately, the method of data collection is one of the major in which the effect o f Observer’s Paradox happens. Since the effect's initial observation in Labov’s seminal work on qualitative sociolinguistic work, Observer’s Paradox has attracted considerable attention from the linguistic research community (Labov, 92). Presently, the issues pertaining to the paradox and the consequential ways in which the effects of the effect are eliminable in sociolinguistic research are plentiful. This research seeks to discuss the various issues that are attributable to Observer’s Paradox, and some of the ways in which the negative attributes of the

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory - Essay Example An organization has to satisfy these needs if it wants to achieve efficiency from its customers (Bateman and Snell, 2013). It is important to denote that the satisfaction of these needs must be done in a hierarchical order. Starting with the most important need, that is need for survival; up to the least important need that is the need of self-actualization. Another theory is the ERG theory by Aldefer. According to this theory, an individual has three important needs that an organization must satisfy in order to motivate them. These needs are the desire to exist, relate and grow. According to this theory, these needs change as the position of an employee progresses (Tracy, 2013). Existence encompasses the desire to satisfy basic human needs such as food, shelter and clothing. Relatedness is the desire of an employee to form associations with employers, co-workers, and family members (Dessler, 2013). Growth is the desire of an employee to achieve his or her ambitions. McClelland needs theory is another theory of motivation. According to this theory, the needs of an individual are acquired over time, and it is their experiences that shape these needs. McClelland identifies three needs, which are achievement, affiliation and power. This theory is often referred to as the three needs theory. Under achievement, an individual takes a calculated risk to accomplish their goals. They tend to avoid high risks situations, because success there comes as a chance. They also tend to avoid low risk situations because there is no guarantee of success (Fa?bregas and Scalise, 2012). With affiliation, comes the desire of an individual to create relationships. On this basis, an individual favors collaborations, as opposed to competition. The individual also desires power. Under this need, two types of power exists, institutional and personal (Walters, 2010). Personal power involves the need to control friends, and family members. While institutional is the need to control organiza tions. The motivator-hygiene model theory is also another example of a motivational theory. According to this theory, an organization needs to understand the factors that cause an employee to be motivated, and ones that cause the same employee to be de-motivated. This theory denotes that factors that motivate an employee can change over a period of time, and settings of work (Ryan, 2012). However, the need of respect cannot change. It is the most motivating factor at any given point of an individual’s life. This theory further denotes that in an organization, there is an aspect of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Managers must put all this in consideration while formulating policies. The final theory is the equity theory of motivation. This theory explains that the motivation of employees come as a result of perceptions in relation to the fairness in which an organization treats its various employees (Schunk, 2012). This theory denotes that individuals value fairness, and th is makes them to have motivation. Of these theories, the most important theory of motivation is the Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Model. This is because the theory is practical and identifies two factors that an organizations needs to consider while developing human resource policies.

Quality In Higher Education In India

Quality In Higher Education In India Just as water needs the wind to create waves of change so does every individual need a helping hand to achieve the impossible and education is that helping hand which can guide the individuals as well as the nations to the path of progress and success in this rapidly changing world. Primary education prepares a base for the whole education but higher education provides the cutting edge and the specialized skills required to move ahead. Higher education is the peak of the educational journey of any individual and it aims to contribute to the development and improvement of the society as a whole in a sustainable manner. Higher education should be able to meet the needs of all sectors of human activity. The World Bank and UNESCO report (2000) rightly presents a powerful message that higher education is no longer a luxury. It is essential for survival. So we are interested in higher education because we are interested in our survival. So, the importance of quality higher education is imm ense. But, Indian higher education does not stand anywhere among the world higher education in terms of quality and it is a matter of great concern for all the stakeholders of education i.e. students, teachers, institutions, society as a whole and policy makers etc. So, the higher education needs a total transformation to achieve the qualitative dimension of the higher education according to international standards. Present paper briefly talks about the factors which are influencing the quality of higher education in India and then recommends some of the ways through which the quality can be implemented to the Indian higher education system Key Words: Implement, Quality, Higher Education INTRODUCTION: We are living in an important and epoch- making age. This is an age of accelerated change and the age of unprecedented developments and Education is the tool through which individuals, societies and nations can live, progress and achieve success. Education is an enlightening experience which helps in making a meaning out of the complex realities of life. In India we have always believed that education is a liberating as well as evolutionary force, which enables the individual to rise from mere materiality to superior planes of intellectual and spiritual consciousness. Education is a dialogue between the past, present and future, so that the coming generations receive the accumulated lessons of the heritage and carry it forward. In the last two decades India has made rapid progress in the expansion of higher educational facilities and institutions and at present Indias higher education system is the second largest in the world, after the United States. Indian higher education system has expanded at a fast pace by adding nearly 20,000 colleges and more than 8 million students in a decade from 2000-01 to 2010-11. As of 2011, India has 42 central universities, 275 state universities, 130 deemed universities, 90 private universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 33 Institutes of National Importance. Other institutions include 33,000 colleges as Government Degree Colleges and Private Degree Colleges, including 1800 exclusive womens colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions as reported by the UGC in 2012. Fig. 1, Growth of Higher Education: Universities/Colleges/Students enrolment/Teaching Staff: 1950-51 2010-11 (Source: Higher Education in India at a glance, UGC Brochure 2012) The growth is very impressive in numbers but quality is far behind the existed standards and requirements. And thats why quality of higher education in India is a matter of great apprehension. To stand at par with the developed countries we have to first meet out the challenges in imparting education especially in higher education. Reasons for concern for the quality of Higher Education: The quality in higher education is the biggest need of the hour as our country is progressing towards becoming the educational hub of the world. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2007) said that our university system is, in many parts, in a state of disrepairà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. In almost half the districts in the country, higher education enrolments are abysmally low, almost two-third of our universities and 90 percent of our colleges are rated as below average on quality parametersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I am concerned that in many states university appointments, including that of vice-chancellors, have been politicized and have become subject to caste and communal considerations; there are complaints of favoritism and corruption. These words reflect the concerns for the quality of higher education in India. The quality of higher education in most of our universities and colleges requires substantial improvements. The following problems are common enough to be a cause for quality concern in highe r education: First, curricula, which have remained almost unchanged for decades, have not kept pace with the times. Second, learning and creativity are at reducing in a system of evaluation that places its focus on memory rather than understanding. Third, the atmosphere is not favorable to anything beyond the classrooms, for it is caught in a 9.30 to 1.30 syndrome. Fourth, the academic calendar is no longer untouchable for classes or for examinations, as there are slippages in schedules so much so that, at several places, classes in the time table are not held and results are often declared with a time delay of 6 to 12 months. Fifth, the infrastructure is not only inadequate but also on the threshold of collapse. Sixth, the importance attached to research has eroded gradually over time. Seventh, the boundaries between disciplines have become dividing walls that constitute barriers to entry for new disciplines. Eight, there is little accountability, because there are no rewards for performance and no penalties for non-performance. Ninth, structures of governance are not responsive to changing times but the system is readily subverted by vested interests. Tenth, teachers are not playing their roles as per the changing needs and requirements. They are unable to prepare students to meet the demands of the digital, technological, interactive, collaborate changing world around us. Quality of teacher education curriculum also needs a transformation according to the present developments and needs. It is not possible here to provide a complete analysis of what are the other minor but relevant concern areas related to the quality of our higher education system. But, above mentioned areas need urgent transformation if India wants to move ahead or along with the world higher education systems. IMPLEMENTING QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: The following points provide a framework or guideline for improving the quality of higher education in India taking into account the various levels and key factors in education: Both, academic (institutional goals and objectives, curriculum design and review, teaching learning and evaluation, research and publications) and administrative (organization and management, infrastructure facilities, support services, student feedback and counseling and management of financial resources) aspects should be assessed and to be improved to improve the quality of higher education as it will be the first step towards the most needed education. Examination reforms like semester system, credit system are to be exercised to streamline them in a proper manner. As these are brought up from abroad, we should first of all check its feasibility for our organizational climate. Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation is to be encouraged. Standardized assessment procedures to strengthen the evaluation system. Financial Accountability is more important which means that the fund is to be used for the enhancement of the laboratory and library facilities. Gaps or deficiencies in our educational system are to be bridged to suit our economic, social and cultural requirements. Education is emerging as a service influenced by market operations, and so, it has to meet quality requirements and expectations of stakeholders for its survival. Distance education has a great potential for high productivity and we must take advantage of it in a big way. Curriculum restructuring and innovations and evolvement, conducting training programmes, orientation programmes, refresher courses. Accessibility, accountability and affordability are the major requirements. While the notion of quality was not fully developed, it was recognized that expanding access alone would be insufficient foe education to contribute fully to the development of the individual and society. Need to raise investment in education: education can be the next big area of economic growth in the country. Despite promises by the policy planners to raise investment in education to 6% of GDP, state and central governments together have spent less than 4% of GDP on education. Anything less now would mean further delays in providing quality higher education. Fig. 2, Expenditure on Higher Education in India (As % of GDP) (Source: Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education, MHRD) Promotion of higher education with good governance, management, development and planning is very essential. Education should allow the children to reach their fullest potentials in terms of cognitive, emotional and creative capacities. For this appropriate aims must be described at the higher education level. Need to stop commercialization of education: any initiative to reverse the rapidly deteriorating situation will have necessarily to begin with educational institutions. There is, in fact, plenty that can be done even within the existing pattern of education and academic and professional course content to raise the level of awareness and proficiency of the students, provided the temples of learning and scholarship live up to that description. Teachers need to be the drivers of the qualitative change in the higher education. It would be pertinent to list down the key areas that teachers are capable and need to do to make higher education impactful/meaningful: Fig. 3, what teachers need to do to improve the quality of higher education? Teacher Education: the preparation of teachers for all levels of education is the responsibility of higher education. Therefore it is also necessary to enhance the quality of teacher education within the higher education by adopting new learner centered approaches like constructivism etc. Accountability: the higher education system must provide for accountability vis-à  -vis the outside world and create accountability within the system. We need to create systems that enable students, or their parents, to choose between and assess universities. Information: institutions imparting higher education should be required to place basic information relating to their financial situation, physical assets, accreditation ratings, faculty positions, academic curricula, and so on, in the public domain. This would empower students and parents and can be an important step for maintaining qualitative standards. Thus these are only some of the steps which must be taken towards the qualitative higher education. But, implementing the above guidelines will require support from the management, government, teachers and students as well as the readiness to change as per required changing needs, and then only these guidelines can take a practical form. CONCLUSION: Thus, it can be concluded at the end that quality is a buzz word in todays world of education. It has become an important ideology of education which helps make education more relevant to the needs of the individual and society. Every educational institution must strive to achieve excellence through adopting the highest measures of quality as ongoing basis as fostering quality in higher education is a continuous journey. We all know that education is the key to success as well as a very powerful tool for change. Higher education is the peak time of education of individuals which must be qualitatively strong so that it can guarantee to high employability at good and reputed positions. Improvement in quality of higher education will eventually draw more and more students and problem of low enrolment will get solved. For this higher education curriculum must be relevant so that students can directly link with their routine lives and find it useful to study. Teachers must also change the ir traditional role and be ready for their role as learners first because teachers have a pivotal role to play in the transformation process and the need of the hour is to get things moving and put them in place. What is needed is a vision of quality that goes far beyond mere conformance to standard; we need a passion for quality and continuous improvement, a quest for improvement that is never ending so that our higher education will always be qualitative and as per the needs. REFRENCES: Akhtar, SW (2011): Quality in Higher Education at par with International Standards; University News, 49(52) December 26-01: Delhi. Chaudhary, S. (2011), Problems and prospects of Indian Higher Education in the Age of globalization, University News, vol. 49(23): Delhi. Deka, B. (2000): Higher Education in India; Atlantic Publishers and Distributors: Delhi. Dube, S.C. (1988). Higher Education and Social Change, in A. Singh and G.D. Sharma (Ed.), Higher education in India: The Social Context, Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd.: New Delhi. Kurhade, MS (2011): In Quest of Quality Education; University News, 49(32) August 08-14: Delhi. PMs address at the 150th Anniversary Function of University of Mumbai: http://pmindia.nic.in/speech.content.asp?id=555. Premji, Azim (2004): Importance of Quality Education for the Development of the Nation; Legal News Views. Ranganathan, R. Rao, SVL (2011): Reformation of Higher Education in India: Quality Concerns; University News, 49 (10) March 07-13: Delhi. Sehrawat, SS (2012): Quality Assurance in Higher Education; University News, 50 (26) June 25-01 July: Delhi. Saleem, S. Gawali, VS (2011): India needs Quality Education: University News, 49 (06) February 07-13: Delhi. Singh, K.P. Ahmad, S. (2011), Higher Education in India: Major Concerns, University News, vol. 49(29): Delhi. Singh, UK Sudarshan, KN (1996): Quality Education; Discovery Publishing House: New Delhi. UNESCO (2000): Task Force on Higher Education and Society; UNESCO World Bank Report.

Lena Horne Essay -- Essays Papers

Lena Horne Lena Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were Teddy and Edna Scottron Horne. After her father left her at the age of two in order to pursue his gambling career; her mother leaving soon after that to pursue her acting career; she went to live with her grandparents. Through her grandparents influence she became involved with organizations like the NAACP, at an early age. In 1924 she went back to live with her mother, traveling and being schooled all over the state until she was fourteen. At the age of fourteen she decided to drop out of school and go to work. Because she was talented and light skinned it was not hard for her to find a job. She became a chorus girl in Harlem’s Cotton Club where blacks entertained a strictly all white crowd. At that time she was making about $25 a week. It was here that Lena got to meet and observe now famous artists such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Ethal Waters, and Billie Holiday. At the age of nineteen she met and married Louis Jones. Together they had two children Gail and Teddy (who later died in 1970 from kidney failure). While trying to get used to raising a family and having a career, she received a call from an agent, who had seen her at the Cotton Club, about a part in a movie. Her controlling husband allowed her to be in â€Å"The Duke is Tops† and also the musical revue â€Å"Blackbirds of 1939." When she finally got up the courage to leave Louis, he deiced to take her son away from her. She lost custody of Teddy when the divorce was final and has always regretted not fighting harder for her son. After her divorce she began singing with Noble Sissie’s Society Orchestra. Through out their tour she had to endure harsh racism having to sleep in tenement boarding houses, the bus and even once in circus grounds. Soon after that, she toured with Charlie Barnet’s Outfit and became the first African American to tour with an all white band. She was their feature singer and considers this to be the beginning of her success. Lena decided to head out to Hollywood and see what she could do out there. She began singing in the Trocadero Club where she met one of the most influential people in her life: Billy Strayhom. Billy Strayhom was the chief music-writer for Duke Ellington. Lena has always felt that she and he were soul mates, d... ...becoming the first Africa American to tour with an all white band and also the first African American women to sign a long-term contract with a major film studio. She was also an accomplished jazz singer. Recording songs such as: â€Å"The Lady and Her Music† and â€Å"The Best Things in Life Are Free.† Lena was a strong advocate of equal rights. he was a member of the NAACP, the National Council of Negro women and the Urban League. I think that she is a great pioneer of equal rights because she did it on her own terms and was not as forceful as some of the other advocates. She achieved equal rights and respect because of her grace, elegance and talent. Bibliography Magazines: Lena Town & Country, September ‘95, Vol. 149 issue 5184, page 128. Author: Jonathan Schwartz The Lady Lived The Blues Biography, February ‘98, Vol. 2 issue 2, page 62 Author: Beverly Lauderdale Lena Horne, Timeless as Ever Billboard, June ‘98, Vol. 110 issue 25, page 36 Author: Philip Booth Web Pages: www.amctv.com/behind/stars/horne.html www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000006Q62/afrciangenesis www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Delta/6424