Carter Woodson (b Dec 1875-Apr 1950) Journalist, historian, author and father of Black History Month I've maintained a blog for years, despite not always having something to say. When Black History Month approaches, I feel a responsibility to write-- for sentence exercise, if nothing else. As I've gotten older and more comfortable with being a …
BHM #16: FIRST TIME WITH ROBERTA FLACK
ROBERTA FLACK b. Feb 1937 - Feb 2025 Roberta legendarily could play anything on piano and finally she played me. I knew her, heard her, but had not sat and really listened to her. She was a musical auntie I'd rarely visit; ubiquitous on radio and tv throughout my childhood, hers was music that sounded …
BHM #11: “I’M JUST GONNA LEAVE THIS HERE…”
44th President Barack Obama's portrait by artist Kehinde Wiley Happy Holiday. No writing on weekends, or holidays apparently. Just to note President #44 Barack Obama was born August 1961 and was president from 2009-2017. This gorgeous official portrait was painted by one of my favorite artists, Kehinde Wiley in 2018. Kehinde is from Los Angeles …
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BHM #9: AMBROSIA WYSINGER JONES of CHARM BEAUTY COLLEGE
Ambrosia Wysinger Jones (b Aug 1905 - Sep 1999) Business owner who established Charm Beauty College in Oakland My mother's currency was hair. Juanita Cagney remodeled elder's naps and sweat flattened loops into bread, milk, cigarettes. On weekends, our kitchen was a revolving door of women getting press and curls, perms, cuts. Sparrows couldn't match …
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BHM #8: SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A MOTHERLESS CHILD
Jazz Vocalist Par Excellence Jimmy Scott (b. July 1925-June 2014) Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child has always been with us. When I looked up its origin, there was none. One day, it stood up on his hind legs in the distance and wailed. Its origin is America itself. Its an old, traditional spiritual …
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The Dirty Rat 