'Fast Black History' Creator Taylor Cassidy Makes Black History Accessible for Everyone
NEW YORK -- Taylor Cassidy grew up learning about Black History from her parents, but she quickly realized that what her parents taught her at home was not the same as what she was learning in school.
"I think the first time I noticed that was in elementary school. I was looking through my history textbook and I realized the only Black History that they had were two pages, dead in the center, on slavery. And that was it. Just slavery," says Cassidy.
The continued minimization of Black History, both in her school's curriculum and by her peers, would inspire Cassidy to take matters into her own hands.
She created 'Fast Black History', a series where she takes important moments, facts, and figures from Black History and condenses them into educational and entertaining TikToks. She aims to humanize many of the prominent Black leaders and changemakers of the past to remind the younger generation that, "...they were just like us."
"Representation is everything," notes Cassidy, "Without representation, you can't see yourself doing things, so seeing yourself in TV shows and movies, even if they're a superhero... you see what you are able to do, especially if that person looks like you."
Check out Cassidy's series, 'Fast Black History' on TikTok, and find more of her content at @taylorcassidyj.
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