OURstory: Martin Luther King Day

Today's date is significant because it is Martin Luther King Day. The official holiday, on the third Monday of January, began in 1986. It was the first new American holiday since 1948, when Memorial Day was created as a "prayer for peace" day. Also it was only the second national holiday in the twentieth century (the other was Veterans Day, created as Armistice Day in 1926 to honor those who died in World War I). King is the only American besides George Washington to have a national holiday designated for his birthday (those of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee and others are celebrated in some states but not nationwide).

Internationally, King is one of the few social leaders of any country to be honored with a holiday (Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is observed in India).

In honor of this date ... Martin Luther King Day ... we have the text of his speech I have a Dream. This speech by King was delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.

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"Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.

Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold, which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.

We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our White brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little White boys and White girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

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Sometimes I worry that Martin Luther King's legacy has been reduced by many of us to this speech. Please share your village voice about MLK ... without referring to this speech. What other aspect of his life and legacy do you think is important for us to consider on this date?

OURstory: Black Indians in America

I will continue to use this blog to educate myself and other villagers on some aspect of African American history.  One of the least known aspects of American history is the existence of Black Indians. Most consider that the initial joining of Africans and Native Americans began in April 1502, when the first Africans kidnapped were brought to Hispanola to serve as slaves. Some escaped and somewhere inland on Santo Dominico life birthed the first circle of Black Indians.

Some Black Indians have a dual ancestry of African and Native American bloodlines. Others are Black people who have lived with Native Americans and maintain their cultural-ceremonial traditions. The seizure and mistreatment of Native Americans and their land, and the enslavement of Native Americans and Africans, were the two parallel institutions that resulted in the Black Indian culture.

Though neither white, Christian, nor European, together they created communities of permanence, that included people from overseas. The early history of these communities provides examples of two diverse people living together in peace. Exclusion from most written historical texts does not erase or deny the facts. Only the absence of true understanding of the relationships red and Black peoples had, leaves unanswered questions for those groping to understand their family's past. You can learn more here and here.

Many people believe racial and ethnic groups in North America have always lived as separately as they do now. However, segregation was neither practical nor preferable when people who were not native to this continent began arriving here. Europeans needed Indians as guides, trade partners and military allies. They needed Africans to tend their crops and to build an infrastructure.

Africans arrived on 'New World' shores with valuable assets for both European and Native Americans. They were used to agricultural labor and working in field gangs, something unknown to most Indians. As experts in tropical agriculture, Africans found much to share with Native Americans, and the two groups shared and combined knowledge about indigenous farming.

Americans found that Africans had 'Great Medicine' in their bodies. They were virtually immune to European diseases that decimated most native populations. This was also an encouragement for joining together, to create stronger, healthier children from the unions.

Their slave experience also qualified Africans as experts on whites - their motives, diplomacy, armaments, strengths, weaknesses, languages, defenses and plans. From a common foe, Africans and Native Americans found the first link of friendship and earliest motivation for an alliance.

They discovered they shared some vital life views. Family was of basic importance to both, with children and the elderly treasured. Religion, a love and respect for 'Mother Life', and the sacred mystery behind life, was a daily part of cultural life.

Both Africans and Native Americans found they shared a belief in cooperation, rather than competition and rivalry. Beyond individual human differences in personality, generally speaking, each race was proud, but neither was weighed down by prejudice. Skill, friendship and trust, not skin color or race was important.

That Native Americans and Africans merged by choice, invitation, and bonds of trust and friendship, cannot be understated. It explains why families who share this biracial inheritance have never forgotten these family ties.

Since 1502, Black Indians have been reported, documented, painted, and photographed coast to coast from Hudson's Bay to Tierra del Fuego. In the decades between the 1619 Jamestown settlement and the 'Great Treaty Signings' of the 1880's, Black Indian Societies were reported in more than 15 states from New York to South Carolina as well as the thirty Caribbean Islands 'blessed' by European colonization.

It was around the 1740's that British colonists in the southern colonies, introduced the practice of slavery among neighboring Native Americans. When more than 60,000 Native Americans were removed from their homes during the 1830s by U.S. Federal troops from the southeastern states of the United States - they were forced Westward to Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. This was called the "Trail of Tears".

Many of these Native American tribes had previously embraced and either helped or kept numerous African Americans as slaves. African Americans and Native Americans created a mixed cultural blend depending upon the specific tribal group.

Later, as the new American government began to thrive, laws were drafted to protect the land and property the colonists had acquired. These laws strengthened the powers of slave owners, limited the rights of free Africans and barred most Indian rights altogether. Today, Black, white and red Americans still feel the aftershock of those laws.

In order to enforce the new laws, Indians and Africans had to be distinguished from Europeans. Government census takers began visiting Indian communities east of the Mississippi River in the late 1700s and continued their task of identifying, categorizing, and counting individuals and "tribes" well into the 20th century. In the earlier days of this process, Native American communities that were found to be harboring escaped African slaves were threatened with loss of their tribal status, thereby nullifying their treaties with the U.S. government and relinquishing all claims to their land.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the U.S. government, Indians and Africans still managed to form close bonds. Some Native American communities ignored the laws and continued to aid fleeing African slaves. Some free Africans aided displaced Indians. Sometimes the two groups came together in "prayer towns" -- European communities that welcomed and protected converts to Christianity, regardless of race. Sometimes, Indian women married African men when the number of men in their own communities was decimated by war or natural disaster.

Some Native Americans listed themselves as "Negro" or "mixed" in order to retain ownership of their land.

Some Native Americans refused to sign the census rolls during the 18th and 19th centuries, some refused to register with the Bureau of Indian Affairs or to allow themselves to be "removed" to "Indian Territory" in Oklahoma during the 1800s. As a result, many of their descendants grew up in urban environments instead of on reservations. Others, such as the Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts formed some of the toughest units in the United States Army. This isn't the image of Native American experience most people carry in their heads but, in this part of the country, it is quite prevalent.

There are some who hold the mistaken belief that one must look, act and speak in particular ways, to be recognized as being part of a particular cultural heritage. During the past 400 years, slavery, oppression and racism have served African American Indians like wind upon the desert corn, they have caused the roots of our culture to grow deeper, in places where experts would say it is impossible for plants to grow.

Here are three books about Black Indians that you may find interesting:

• Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage by William Loren Katz
• Confounding the Color Line: The Indian-Black Experience in North America by James F. Brooks
  
• Black Indian Slave Narratives by Patrick Minges

I hope that you have enjoyed my take on this unique segment of our Black History! I look forward to your thoughts, comments and village voices!

Manic Monday: Shower (or Stop Black AIDS)

This week's theme for Manic Monday meme is shower. Have you seen the movies where folks are rushed into a shower to cleanse themselves of hazardous materials. We've seen these hot HazMat showers in atomic labs or emergency rooms or government offices.

I often wish that folks with HIV/AIDS could simply take a special shower to remove the disease from their body. My wish is not coming true. We'll need to do something else if we hope to eliminate HIV/AIDS in our community.

The incidence of HIV/AIDS has reached alarming rates among African Americans, and young Blacks are being hit hardest. To address the crisis, our blog is supporting efforts by TheLoop21.com and Magic Johnson Foundation, a recognized leader in HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, for an online awareness campaign this summer.

We will participate in the national conversations about the crisis during the weeks of June 21-27 and July 19-25. The whole idea is to call attention to an epidemic often ignored by the mainstream media and to search for a way to begin addressing a problem that's deeply affected our community and is only getting worse.

Get involved by reading about why a campaign like this is needed. Read about why HIV/AIDS has become a crisis or how Congress can get involved, find some books on the subject, sign our petition or become one of our partner organizations or bloggers and check back often for more of the kind of stories about this issue you won't find anywhere else.

What you can do right now?

1. Add the logo to the right to your blog or Facebook page (Here's how: right click, or control-click on a Mac, and "save image as" to your computer)
   
2. Start an online discussion about AIDS on your blog or Facebook page
   
3. Subscribe to our HIV/AIDS Awareness groupsite.
   
4. Join in the first national online discussion June 21-27
   
5. Sign our petition and encourage others to do the same.

Please take a moment to share your thoughts on this effort to stop AIDS in the Black community.

Manic Monday: Shine

The theme for this week's Manic Monday meme is Shine. I would like to shine the light on HIV/AIDS awareness efforts in the Caribbean.

June 8 is Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The National Planning Committee convened by Caribbean People International Collective is the lead for the Day.

HIV/AIDS has devastated the Caribbean, which ranks second only to sub-Saharan Africa for AIDS prevalence. In 2006, the United Nations estimated that 19,000 Caribbeans died of AIDS, and that an additional 250,000 were living with the virus. In 2005, there were a reported 38,133 new HIV diagnoses among Caribbean Americans in the U.S.

There are many ways that you can shine the light in response to HIV/AIDS:

1. get tested for HIV
   
2. practice safer methods to prevent HIV


3. decide not to engage in high risk behaviors


4. talk about HIV prevention with family, friends, and colleagues


5. provide support to people living with HIV/AIDS


6. subscribe to our HIV/AIDS Awareness Day groupsite

I hope that all villagers will take this opportunity to think hard on steps we can each take ... not just in the Caribbean American community ... to prevent HIV/AIDS from its continued devastation. Shine your light!

Manic Monday: Bird

There is a creative weekly meme known as Manic Monday. Bloggers are challenged to create a post based on a different word each week. This week the word is 'Bird'. My first reaction was to go with the legendary jazz musician known by that name.

However, my spirit was moved in a different direction. Many folks in the current generation don't understand the power of Maya Angelou. Some know her from her inaugural poem when President Clinton came into office. However, in my home she became a superstar with the emotion and images evoked by the following poem.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the win
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou

Dr. Maya Angelou is a remarkable Renaissance woman who is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her legendary wisdom.

What is your best memory of May Angelou?

Manic Monday: First Black Fire Chiefs

The theme for this week's Manic Monday meme is 'fire'. I thought it would be a good idea to honor Black firefighters since it is Black History Month.

I met Cortez Trotter, the first Black fire chief of Chicago, at a banquet a few years ago. We take it for granted that African Americans can serve anywhere in our society now that we're in the Obama era. However, it wasn't so long ago that firehouses were extremely segregated. The story was pertinent enough to become a movie. Do any of you remember Richard Roundtree in 1973 movie, 'Firehouse'?

Cortez was the first Black fire chief in Chicago. Other cities that hired their first Black fire chief in recent years include:

• Akron - Charles Gladman (1997)
  
• Chattanooga - Wendell Rowe (2005)
  
• Charleston - Leonard Judge (2005)
  
• Chicago - Cortez Trotter (2004)
  
• Cincinnati - Robert Wright (2006)
  
• Decatur, GA - Toni Dixon (2009)
  
• Denver - Rod Juniel (2001)
  
• Fort Worth - Charles Gaines (2002)
  
• Framingham, MA - Ollie Gadson (2005)
  
• Indianapolis - Joe Kimbrew (1987)
  
• Jackson, MS - Joseph Graham (1996)
  
• Los Angeles - Douglas Barry (2006)
  
• McKeesport, PA - Frederick Bray (1994)
  
• Milwaukee - Douglas Holton (2007)
  
• Mineapolis - Alex Jackson(2008)
  
• Newport News - L.L. Orie (1968)
  
• New York City - Robert Lowery (1965)
  
• Oakland - Samuel Golden (1981)
  
• Pasadena, CA - James Shern (1972)
  
• Pittsburgh - Darryl Jones (2007)
  
• Red Bank, NJ - Noel Blackwood (2008)
  
• Shreveport - Kevin Cochran (1999)
  
• St. Louis - Sherman George (1999)
  
• St. Paul - Douglas Holton (2003)
  
• Warren, MI - Wilburt McAdams (2008)
  
• Washington DC - Burton Johnson (1973)

Did I miss any other Black fire chiefs around the nation?

Manic Monday: Ghosts (Day of Prayer and Fasting)

The theme for this week's Manic Monday meme is 'Ghosts'. It made me wonder what our American ghosts are thinkg about as we move towards next week's elections.

Americans have the ghosts of Medgar Evers, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz and Emmett Till watching down on this election. These great Americans paid the ultimate price for their dream of a country that lived up to its ideals.

Each of those ghosts died before their dream was realized.

Now we sit with 9 days to go until our next national elections. This election cycle has been long and rough. However, the chance exists for the dream of our American ghosts to be realized.

We are 9 days away from the possibility of a Black man being elected as President of the United States. Robert Kennedy predicted the possibility 40 years ago. MLK wanted America to judge a man by the content of his character. 14-year old Emmett Till died before America was willing to overcome its racism.

Our American ghosts are looking down with interest in the election next week.

As such, it is fitting that a Day of Prayer & Fasting for Barack Obama has now been called for November 3rd, the day before our national elections.

I encourage all villagers to join me and others throughout the world in prayer and fasting for Senator Barack Obama. If you are so inclined, I'm also asking that you help spread the word.

When: November 3, 2008
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Instead of eating, let us all "join hands in prayer" and give up one meal that day for:

1. The Hand of God to move in a mighty way over this election.


2. The election to be handled in a fair and honest manner and in a way that pleases God.


3. The protection of Barack Obama and his family.


4. The results of the election will not result in any activity or events that will further divide the citizenry of this Nation.

Think about our American ghosts during that lunch hour of prayer and fasting. Amen!

Electronic Village Milestone: 1,000 Posts!

I had no idea that I would post 1,000 posts when I first started this blog back in January 2007. I didn't have a vision for the blog when I first created it. My sister told me that I could start a blog for free ... and that was pretty much my only motivation.

However, this blog evolved over the past 1,000 posts. We seek to provide information that uplifts people of African descent here in America. Our most favorite topics have been 'Barack Obama', 'Election-2008' and 'Criminal Justice'. It should be interesting to see how we evolve in the coming weeks as the 2008 election cycle comes to an end.

I am very grateful to all the villagers that have supported this blog. Cliff, Danielle, Field, Gattina, Iya, Keith, Kyra, Mike, Mrs. Grapevine, Pam, Purple Zoe, Regina, Sojourner and so many others have shared comments, insights and suggestions.

My hope is that I discover a way to encourage more COMMENTS from those of you that visit. That is going to be a focus for me over the coming weeks.

Anyhow, I decided to go back and find my favorite posts within the ten 100-post intervals since we began this thing. Here is what I came up with.

1. Posts 1 - 100: Manic Monday: Graphic - Manic Monday is a weekly meme that helped introduce me to some remarkable bloggers. I use it to research Black history and Black culture. Anyhow, this post focused on the inhuman legacy of lynching in America. Unfortunately, I find myself referencing this post often ... including just recently when a McCain supporter hung Obama in effigy.


2. Posts 101 - 200: Jena 6, Racism in America - Black bloggers brought this story to the attention of the mainstream media. The result was the largest civil rights march in over a decade on 9/20/2007. I provided villagers with an overview of the Jena 6 case in this post.


3. Posts 201 - 300: Only A Dad - I posted this photo and poem a few days after my father passed away. I miss him everyday.


4. Posts 301 - 400: Iowa Victory Speech - I watched this speech with my Mom. She didn't notice ... but, I cried. I was already an Obama supporter, however, this speech was the first time that I realized deep down in my soul that he had a chance to win. This remains my favorite Obama speech of all-time.


5. Posts 401 - 500: Evolution of the AfroSpear - My blog has grown exponentially since I hooked up with the kinfolk in this alliance of progressive Black bloggers. This post provided an overview of the AfroSpear for my blog readers.


6. Posts 501 - 600: Al Sharpton & NAACP Are Wrong - It felt good to be part of the online activism that supported the woman terrorized by the gang of rapists in Dunbar Village. We forced Al Sharpton and NAACP to revisit their approach to the situation down in Florida.


7. Posts 601 - 700: Justice for LaVena Johnson - I introduced the late Pfc. LaVena Johnson to my blog readers with this post. We still have work to do. We need to get Congress to investigate her wrongful death while serving in Iraq.


8. Posts 701 - 800: Blogging While Brown Conference - This was the first time in history that bloggers of color gathered together under one roof to learn and motivate one another in a serious way. This post gave my review of the BWB Conference to my blog readers.


9. Posts 801 - 900: African Americans & Sarah Palin - The hits on my blog have increased almost three-fold since I published this post on what African Americans in Alaska thought about Sarah Palin. I will miss Gov. Palin when she goes back to obscurity after November 4.


10. Posts 901 - 1,000: NAACP's Ben Jealous Meets With Black Bloggers - My relationship with the NAACP evolved over the past year. My first NAACP post was entitled, "Is the NAACP Relevant?". Now, I find myself with other Black bloggers talking to the NAACP president. Only in America!

Let's turn this into an OPEN THREAD until our next milestone post. Feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, memories and anything else on your mind as it relates to the Electronic Village blog. What's on your mind?

Manic Monday: Bite (Black Vampires)

The theme for this week's Manic Monday is 'Bite'. I debated about talking about dentists or vampires. You're not surprised that I went for vampires, are you?

The first Black vampire that I ever heard about was Blackula, the 1972 blaxploitation film [movie trailer]. Interior decorators buy the coffin of Manuwalde, an African prince bitten by Dracula centuries before and bring it back to Los Angeles. The African prince starts feeding his hunger while following a woman who looks like his departed wife.

The second Black vampire that I ever heard about was Maximillan, the Vampire in Brooklyn [movie trailer]. Maximillian is the only survivor from a race of vampires on a Caribbean Island, and as a vampire, he must find a mate to keep the line from ending. He knows that a child had been born to a woman who had a vampire father, and he searches for her in Brooklyn. Rita's mother, who has died in an asylum, was that woman and Rita has nightmares that she does not understand. Not knowing that she is part vampire, Max woos her and attempts to bring her to her blood sucking destiny.

On the other side of the spectrum, we find folks who hate those who bite ... vampire slayers. Buffy is the most famous. However, Damali Richards might be the most important vampire hunter in a millennium. However, unfortunately for the inexperienced young huntress, the vampires and demons have both discovered her existence. An age-old war escalates to unprecedented heights of violence as the dark forces strive to slay Damali before she comes of age and gains her full powers. You can read all about Damali in the 11-part Vampire Huntress series.

Finally, I imagine that another great vampire slayer is Blade. He was played by Wesley Snipes in a movie trilogy. I doubt we will see another one as Wesley Snipes was bitten by the IRS recently!

Manic Monday: Moon

The theme for this week's Manic Monday meme is 'Moon'. Villagers know that I use this weekly meme to explore some aspect of African American history or culture.

Did you know that there are 15 past, current and future African American astronauts?

Many villagers think that Guion Bluford was the first Black astronaut. That is wrong. Though Bluford was the first African American to enter space, he was not the first African American astronaut. That distinction belongs to Robert H. Lawrence Jr., who became an astronaut on June 10, 1967. Tragically, Lawrence never made it into space. A short time later, he was killed when his plane crashed during a training flight.

Other notable African Americans in the space program include Bernard A. Harris Jr., the first African American to walk in space, and Mae C. Jamison, the first African American woman in space.

No Black astronaut ever went on a mission to the moon. Things might have been different if rampant discrimination in the space program didn't spell doom for NASSA, the Negro American Society of Space Astronauts.

What?
You haven't heard about the old Negro Space Program? Lucky for you ... we have a video documentary on a little-known aspect of American history. Check it out!

Manic Monday: Ryan Leaf

Morgen selected 'leaf' as the theme for this week's Manic Monday meme. It is football season. My 8-year old's team is on a 6-game winning streak. We live in Cincinnati ... my 8-year old's team is the only winning football available to us!

I imagine that the folks in San Diego CA still have nightmares about the 1998 NFL draft. The top two picks were to be quarterbacks with Peyton Manning of Tennesse, and Ryan Leaf of Washington State entering the draft. Both QB's were sure fire bets. With the first overall pick the Colts took Peyton Manning. The Chargers jumped at the opportunity to draft Leaf. The Chargers then signed their golden boy to a lucrative long term contract, with a $11.25 million dollar signing bonus.

What was to follow would become NFL history. Leaf threw more interceptions than completions, hurt himself, yelled at reporters, hurt himself again, got his own teammates angry at him, got hurt some more, changed teams a few times, and eventually retired as the quarterback with the worst Passer Rating in NFL history.

I understand that his high school removed all his trophies from their trophy case!

Obviously, the Colts made the right decision in 1998.

However, the story is building towards a better ending for Leaf. Despite being known as the 'biggest bust ever', Leaf is now leading a productive life. He is currently the QB coach for West Texas A&M (Div. II).

Village soulclap to Ryan Leaf for finding a way to stay in the game that he loves!

Manic Monday: Night

Morgen established 'Night' as the theme for Manic Monday this week. I decided to go back to my Manic Monday roots and find an afrocentric twist to the weekly word. In this case, I simply looked to one of America's best poets ... Langston Hughes. He wrote a poem called, Night Funeral in Harlem. I hope you enjoy the flow...


Night funeral
In Harlem:

Where did they get
Them two fine cars?

Insurance man, he did not pay--
His insurance lapsed the other day--
Yet they got a satin box
for his head to lay.

Night funeral
In Harlem:

Who was it sent
That wreath of flowers?

Them flowers came
from that poor boy's friends--
They'll want flowers, too,
When they meet their ends.

Night funeral
in Harlem:

Who preached that
Black boy to his grave?

Old preacher man
Preached that boy away--
Charged Five Dollars
His girl friend had to pay.

Night funeral
In Harlem:

When it was all over
And the lid shut on his head
and the organ had done played
and the last prayers been said
and six pallbearers
Carried him out for dead
And off down Lenox Avenue
That long black hearse done sped,
The street light
At his corner
Shined just like a tear--
That boy that they was mournin'
Was so dear, so dear
To them folks that brought the flowers,
To that girl who paid the preacher man--
It was all their tears that made
That poor boy's
Funeral grand.

Night funeral
In Harlem.

Manic Monday: Star

Morgen selected Star as the theme for this week's Manic Monday meme. He dedicated the theme to Sarge Charlie and all the men & women around the world who have bravely served their country. I have shared information about our brave military heroes here and here in the past.

Often we act like Memorial Day is all about barbecues and extended weekend parties and celebration. Some of us think that this day is significant because it is when swimming pools open. We forget to consider the sacrifices of the soldiers in whose honor it is celebrated.

As such, I encourage all Villagers to share with your family, friends or blog readers a reminder about the 'National Moment of Remembrance' as a teaching moment for future generations to learn about the real meaning of the holiday. We want you to keep silent for a minute, exactly at 3.00 pm (local time) on Memorial Day when 'Taps' is played. Use that moment of remembrance to reflect on the glory of those who have shed blood for us.

Manic Monday: 1,000

The Manic Monday meme word today is 1,000.

Villagers, I hope is that it won't take 1,000 years for our nation to become the 'more perfect union' that Barack Obama spoke about in Philadelphia last month. We have mishandled, fumbled, stumbled and generally messed race relations up in our generation ... our parent's generation ... our grandparent's generation and so forth thru the birth of our nation.

One reason I support Barack Obama is that his vision for our country is filtered through the lens of his existence as the child of a Black father and a white mother. As such, he may be able to show us by his own personal character and judgement that positive race relations is possible. However, there are other things we need to do to ensure harmonious and productive race relations in America over the next 1,000 years!

One thing we can do today is ensure that our children see themselves and the diversity of our nation in the books that they read.

Did you know that the number of African American Children’s Book authors published in 2007 has declined nearly 12% since 2006! The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) has tracked children’s books by and about people of color in the US since 1994. Recently the CCBC released the 2007 stats - an estimated 77 children’s books by African American authors were published in 2007 out of an estimated 5,000 children’s books published! [SOURCE]

It made me sad to learn this information today. I hope my future generations over the coming 1,000 years of our nation's glorious existence on this planet will be marked by a 'more perfect union'. I hope that all of us support and encourage our libraries, bookstores and childcare-providers to demand more African American children's books for all of our children to read in 2008 and beyond.

You can begin today. Be one of the next 1,000 people to purchase Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria for a child you know!

Manic Monday: Egg

Morgan selected egg as the Manic Monday meme word this week. Of course, I imagine most folks are going with the traditional tie-in of Easter eggs. I imagine someone will tell us the origin of Easter egg hunts and that big bunny rabbit. Seems out of step with the whole crucifixion and resurrection storyline from the Bible. Anyhow, I'm going in a different direction. Did you know that there are a shortage of African American egg donors?

Not the Easter egg variety ... more like the fertility vs. infertility variety. At many donor egg agencies, infertile couples looking for African American egg donors are often encouraged to place themselves on waiting lists and to sign up at more than one egg donor program. The emotional challenge of dealing with infertility must be rough from the start ... so the dearth of African American egg donors must truly try the patience of aspiring African American parents in need of this service.

Turns out that there is a company called F. Williams Donor Egg Services that specializes in African American egg donors. I'm told that they have over 30 smart, attractive donors in their database. This company helps Black couples find racially diverse egg donors so that they might end up with a baby in their arms. And, after all ... as those of us that are parents can attest ... the joy of having children is worth any investment of time or money.

Finally, since I know how some villagers are curious --> click here to learn how you can become an egg donor!

Manic Monday: Drink

Morgen asks that we blog about the word 'drink'. I would love to celebrate the positive aspects of the word. My favorite drink is sweet iced tea ... especially that which can only be found in the deep South.

However, my mind keeps going back to the horrific action of four white students at the University of the Free State in South Africa who forced five Black domestic workers to participate in beer-downing competitions, races and mock rugby games. However, the worst aspect of this public humiliation came when these four privileged white boys forced the domestic workers to eat dirty food and drink soup in which they had urinated while videotaping the whole thing. For those of us who do not speak Afrikaaner ... click here to see the video with English subtitles.



Many villagers joined us in celebrating the liberation of Black people in South Africa when apartheid was eliminated and Nelson Mandela was released from prison and lifted to the presidency of his country. Now we see that some people are still willing to denigrate other human beings simply because of the melanin in their body. I was glad to see the protest movement against these sick white South African students that took place a few days later in Johannesburg.



When will we overcome the madness of racism? When can we live in a world in which other humans are treated with respect and dignity for no other reason than their humanity? When can the act of sharing a drink with someone be a sign of comraderie and not something hateful?

Manic Monday: 2

This week's Manic Monday meme is focused on the number '2'. For a moment I thought that the #2 car of NASCAR driver Kurt Busch was going to win the Daytona 500 last night. However, he came in #2, losing to his teammate, Ryan Newman.

I have 2 beautiful daughters; 2 understanding former wives; and 2 remarkable sisters. One of my sisters wrote 2 books. One of her books is being recognized during Black History Month in celebration of children's literature. Her other book is the definitive academic resource for the study of African American quilts and quilters.

Each political party seeks to select a nominee from the 2 candidates still standing on each side. One of these remaining candidates will become the 2nd person to serve as President of the United States in the 21st century in less than a year.

2 people born on this date are Toni Morrison (1931) and Dr. Dre (1965). 2 people who passed away on this date are Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (2001) and Michaelangelo (1564).

Quite frankly, I don't know where else to go with this 2 idea. Did I inspire any ideas or thoughts on your end. How would you have blogged about the number '2'?

Manic Monday: Blue

I enjoyed using my Manic Monday weekly meme last week to focus on music. This week Mo asked us to post on the word Blue.

I thought about giving some background on the blues. I've listened to some good Blues music in my life ... but that era of music was before my time. My next thought was a musical group called Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

Not all of y'all may know what I'm talking about ... but Harold Melvin's Blue Notes were da bomb back in the day. That was an era when you could touch the body of your dance partner ... you didn't have to search around to find where your partner went to. That was an era when there was still some mystery to the lyrics of a song or the visuals in a video. And for truly ol' school folks like me ... that was an era when you could understand the lyrics as they were being sung!!!!

The most famous Blue Note was Teddy Pendergrass. He was so good at singing his songs that female fans would throw their panties on the stage during his concerts! Do any of y'all remember that?

Some of the top hits from the Blue Notes included: 'If You Don't Know Me By Now', 'Satisfaction Guaranteed', 'The Love I Lost', 'Where Are All My Friends', 'Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" (with Sharon Paige)', 'Wake Up Everybody', 'Don't Leave Me This Way', 'Bad Luck', 'You Know How To Make Me', Get Out (And Let Me Cry)', Be For Real', 'Yesterday I Had The Blues', 'Reaching For The World' and many more.

Here is video of one of my favorites...

Dayum ... this was back when a brotha would beg for a sista! The lyrics from this song are simple and direct and they hit home with me very much. Now, I'm getting blue (sigh). What does hearing this music remind you of in your past?

Related articles

• Rest in Peace: Teddy Pendergrass (1950-2010)

Manic Monday: Wish

I Wish

Looking back on when I
Was a little nappy headed boy
Then my only worry
Was for christmas what would be my toy
Even though we sometimes
Would not get a thing
We were happy with the
Joy the day would bring

Sneaking out the back door
To hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine
Greeted at the back door
With boy thought I told you not to go outside,
Tryin’ your best to bring the
Water to your eyes
Thinkin’ it might stop her
From woopin’ your behind

I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ev-er have to go
I wish those days could come back once more
Why did those days ev-er have to go
Cause I love them so

Click here for to see the lyrics of 'I Wish' in writing. Stevie Wonder was the man back in the day. For that matter I recall times when Prince and Michael Jackson were at the top of the charts every week. I'm getting old (sigh)... however maybe some of y'all can help me out. What do you recall about your youth? What do you wish you could listen to or visit or do again in 2008 that simply ain't available to listen to or do any longer?

Manic Monday Carnival