Isaac Wallace-Johnson

Isaac Theophilus Akunna Wallace-Johnson (1895-1965) was a West African trade union organizer, nationalist political leader, journalist, and pan-Africanist. He was born to Creole parents in Wilberforce, Sierra Leonne. Granted that during his early life blacks were still considered inferior, missionaries were sent from the United States to 'teach and civilize' Africans with the word of God. This 'civilazation' occurred through the construction of Catholic churches and mission schools, which is where Isaac Wallace- Johnson was educated. However, he abandoned his secondary education and became employed in an attempt to support his family. He worked in various commercial establishments until 1913, when he became a clerk for the colonial government.


Wallace's oratory and organization skills were exceptional and propelled him to a leadership position at the Customs Department in Sierra Leonne where he organized the first trade union.


In 1914 he called for a strike and was immediately fired. the years passed Wallace took on more jobs that enabled him to voice his opinions and vehemently oppose the injustices that occured in Sierra Leonne. Whether it was publishing his own editorial in various newspapers or joining a cul-de-sac, he managed to speak his mind. Quickly, British officials castigated him and deemed him a trouble maker. He was incarcerated however he managed to attract a large crowd who related to him and the changes of independence he wanted to occur in Sierra Leonne.


As the years passed the British officials continued to cause problems in Wallace's life and dterred some of his followers, however until his death on May 10, 1965, at the age of 70, in a car crash in Ghana while attending the Afro Asian Solidarity Conference, Wallace still managed gain the respect of other Pan Africanist and more importantly the people.

What did I discover?

Similar to Jamaica's national heroes and heroine, Isaac Wallace-Johnson has done a lot for Sierra Leonne's independence and its fight against the British. It was his voice and his fight against injustices in order to uplift his nation and people which made him a household name in Sierra leonne. Thus, it is evident why his statue was erected and why his fellow Leoneans are thankful for his achievements and the obstacles he overcame to propel the country forward to liberty.

Citations

http://www.answers.com/topic/isaac-wallace-johnson

http://www.atypon-link.com/GPI/doi/abs/10.1521/siso.2006.70.1.22?journalCode=siso
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5229/is_2003/ai_n19150993

African American Lives

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/aalivestoolkit/

February 13, Channel 13 at 9pm

1) Who is Dr. Henry Gates?

Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. is among a lists of many things. He is a literary critic, educator, scholar, writer, editor, and public intellectual. Currently he serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University, where he is Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. In addition he s the host and co-producer of African American Lives and African American Lives 2 in which he details the lineage of predominant African Americans through genealogical resources and DNA testing.

African American Lives has led Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. to insurmountable discoveries of his ancestry. Since the program's first series airing he has learned about his European ancestry and in the second installment viewers learned that he was descended from the Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Also, he learned of his descent from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. In 2006, Gates was inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution, after he traced his lineage back to John Redman, a Free Negro who fought in the Revolutionary War.

2) Choose one of Dr. Gates interviewee and discuss the following: historical events of his/her family and their historical significance.

Unlike many slaves who gained freedom after the Civil War, Don Cheadle's ancestors were not free. In fact, Cheadle's ancestors were owned by the Chickasaw Freedman's, former slaves of the Chickasaw Nation. His ancestors were enslaved by Native Americans. His ancestors were one the few African Americans who were not enslaved by Caucasians. Thus, when the Civil War ended the Chickasaw refused to liberate their slaves. They were a self governing nation thus they were not subjected to the laws Americans abide by.