Interesting President's Day article (to me at least) about how Washington is now the "blackest name" in this country (90% of Washingtons are African American) and the effect this name has on people. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110221/ap_on_re_us/us_the_blackest_name
<a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/george washington gif/MANITOU57/mar1juana ANIMATIONS/ANIMATIONWASHINGTONSTAMP.gif?o=0" target="_blank"><img src="http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr133/MANITOU57/mar1juana%20ANIMATIONS/ANIMATIONWASHINGTONSTAMP.gif" border="0"></a> he's responsible
It's not debate or discuss. I guess since it has to do with race, it'll prolly be moved here from 'hangout' anyway.
From the article: This surprised me. Other than my mom's family, virtually every person named White that I meet is black. Must be regionally dominated by black people. On the other hand, I've only met one black person named Linder in my life, and Linders have been in the American South since the 1750's.
Every person I meet that has the same last name as me is black, I'm not 100% positive, but after doing some genealogy it looks like my family had a giant ass plantation at some point.
That article was r****ded but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize why freed slaves took on that name. Even before Emancipation blacks revered the name of our first President. George Washington Carver for example was given that name even when he was born into slavery out of respect for Washington. Hell, if I could choose a last name right now I'd probably choose Washington or Lincoln. No joke. Is there a better legacy you could strive for than either of those men? Much respect to those who chose Washington for their name. Most of those slaves probably didn't have enough education to realize what an apt name Washington would be for a freed slave. Washington lost his father at 11 and started over with nothing to his name. Both his legacy and his example are a good symbolic starting point for any man who wanted to make something of himself after the Civil War.
Not if it gets a callback on your resume. "Dear Mr. Slavenomore, thank you for applying for the Junior Accounting Clerk position. My discussions with you were valuable and I hope you found them useful as well. While your credentials are impressive..."
Also, this (from wikipedia): Washington was the only prominent, slaveholding Founding Father to emancipate his slaves. He did not free his slaves in his lifetime, however, but instead included a provision in his will to free his slaves upon the death of his wife.
