Happy Birthday: Florence Griffith-Joyner (1959-1998)

My favorite female athlete of all times is Florence Griffith-Joyner ... or Flo-Jo. Flo-Jo was born in Los Angeles on this date in 1959.

She was a dominant track star in the 1980s. In fact, the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul Korea is forever imprinted in my mind as the Games of Flo-Jo. In the 1988 Seoul Games, she won gold medals in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and in the 400-meter relay. For these accomplishments, she received the Jesse Owens Award, given to the year's top track and field athlete, and the Sullivan Award, given to the year's most outstanding amateur athlete.

Only us villagers from a certain generation can remember her flashy one-legged uniforms as well as her long and extravagantly painted fingernails. Check out this video to gain an appreciation of this powerful female athlete:



Flo-Jo retired from track in 1989 to devote more time to endorsement activities, modeling, writing, and coaching her husband. President Bill Clinton appointed Griffith-Joyner co-chairperson of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 1993.

Some, like Marion Jones, tried to emulate her without success. Florence Griffith-Joyner died of an apparent heart seizure in 1998.

Do you remember Flo-Jo? What female athlete do you think can challenge her as the greatest of all times?

Happy Birthday: Ossie Davis (1917-2005)

Ossie Davis was born on this date in 1917. He was an African American actor, writer, producer, director, and a "giant of civil rights." It is hard to think of Ossie Davis without thinking of his wife, Ruby Dee. The two of them demonstrated the power of a committed love between a married couple.

Raiford Chatman Davis (his birth name) was the oldest of five children born to Laura Cooper and Kince Davis in Cogden, GA. He picked up his nickname others mistook his mother's articulation of his initials, "R.C” as "Ossie." He headed for Howard University, where he studied under drama critic Alain LeRoy Locke, the first Black Rhodes Scholar. Davis began his career as a writer and an actor with the Rose McClendon Players in Harlem in 1939.

Davis and Ruby Dee were married in 1948, and are the parents of three children. In 1961, Davis wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed “Purlie Victorious.”



He wrote and directed many films, including “Cotton Comes to Harlem” (1970) and “Countdown at Kusini” (co-produced with his wife, Ruby Dee, 1976), the first American feature film to be shot entirely in Africa by Black professionals.

Davis wrote a number of books and received many honors and citations, including the Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement in 1989; the Theater Hall of Fame in 1994; the U.S. National Medal for the Arts in 1995; the New York Urban League Frederick Douglass Award; the NAACP Image Award and more. Dee and Davis were joint Kennedy Center honorees in December. They were cited not only for their "theatrical and film achievement," but because they opened "many a door previously shut tight to African American artists and planted the seed for the flowering of America's multicultural humanity."

Davis and Dee were eloquent voices and fundraisers for civil rights issues from the McCarthy era in the 1950s. They were blacklisted because of their activities, and well into the 1980s and '90s, Davis continued as a spokesman for numerous causes of equality.

Ossie Davis was found dead on February 4, 2005, in his hotel room in Miami Beach, FL, at the age of 87.

I enjoyed watching Ossie Davis whenever I could. I thought that he was great in two Spike Lee movies, 'Get on the Bus' and 'Do The Right Thing'. However, my most powerful memory of Ossie Davis comes from somthing that I heard many years after the fact ... his eulogy at the funeral of Malcolm X.

Villagers -- what is your favorite memory of Ossie Davis?

OURstory: Underground Railroad (1780-1862)

I believe in the Nguzo Saba, especially the Umoja (unity) principle. Umoja calls for us to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

One of the best examples of 'umoja' in American history is the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad, a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves escape to the North and to Canada. This network was not run by any single organization or person. It effectively moved hundreds of slaves northward each year -- according to one estimate, the South lost 100,000 slaves between 1810 and 1850.

An organized system to assist runaway slaves seems to have begun towards the end of the 18th century. In 1786 George Washington complained about how one of his runaway slaves was helped by a "society of Quakers, formed for such purposes." The system grew, and around 1831 it was dubbed "The Underground Railroad," after the then emerging steam railroads. The system even used terms used in railroading: the homes and businesses where fugitives would rest and eat were called "stations" and "depots" and were run by "stationmasters," those who contributed money or goods were "stockholders," and the "conductor" was responsible for moving fugitives from one station to the next.

For the slave, running away to the North was anything but easy. After the initial escape for a slaveholde, the fugitives would move at night. They would generally travel between 10 and 20 miles to the next station, where they would rest and eat, hiding in barns and other out-of-the-way places. While they waited, a message would be sent to the next station to alert its stationmaster.

The Underground Railroad had many notable participants, including John Fairfield in Ohio, the son of a slaveholding family, who made many daring rescues, Levi Coffin, a Quaker who assisted more than 3,000 slaves, and Harriet Tubman, who made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom.

Ohio was crucial to the Underground Railroad saga. It has been estimated that 40,000 runaway slaves escaped to Canadian freedom through Ohio. A secret and successful network of over 700 safehouses and “depots” waited for those fugitives fortunate enough to make it to—and across—the Ohio River.

Although a “free state,” a designation indicating only that its residents could not own slaves, Ohio was a distinctly dangerous host to the escapees. Bounty hunters criss-crossed the state. Pro-slavery factions existed in many villages and cities. The Ohio Black Laws rewarded those who turned in or reported runaways. Lake Erie was a formidable obstacle to attaining Canadian freedom. Vigilante groups scoured the state, targeting all African-Americans. Law officers were aggressive, particularly following the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.

I live in greater Cincinnati area. We are home to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum. I hope that all villagers have a chance to visit this remarkable museum.

Also, the Cincinnati Museum Center hosted a world-class exhibit, America I AM: The African American Imprint in 2010. The Center for African American Decorative Arts lent them a book simply entitled The Underground Railroad to be displayed in the Underground Railroad gallery at the America I AM exhibit. In 1852, a group of Philadelphia abolitionists formed a General Vigilance Committee to assist escaped slaves along the Underground Railroad. William Still was part of this group and kept detailed records of the runaway slaves he encountered. First published in 1872, this book is used to this day in genealogy searches. Many of the stories include references to Cincinnati and the Ohio River.

What are your thoughts about the Underground Railroad?

Happy Birthday: Flip Wilson (1933-1998)

On this date in 1933, Flip Wilson was born. He was an African American entertainer and the most visible Black comedian of the early 1970s.

He was born in Jersey City, N.J., the tenth of 24 children. Clerow Wilson (his given name) was a troublesome and troubled child in his youth. His family was extremely poor, he ran away from several reform schools, and was ultimately raised in foster homes. His comedic talents first surfaced while he was serving in the Air Force overseas. While in the Pacific, Wilson entertained his buddies with preposterous routines. Upon his return to civilian life he had to settle for a day job as a bellhop along with part-time showmanship.

Opportunity found him in 1959 when a Miami businessman sponsored him for one year for $50 per week, enabling him to concentrate on the work he loved. For the next five years, Flip Wilson appeared regularly at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The Tonight Show was his next stop. in 1965, he began a series of nationwide appearances, followed by long-term contracts and a number of hit records. With "The Flip Wilson Show" in the early 1970s, he became the first African American to have a weekly prime-time television show under his own name.



I remember watching Flip Wilson when I was a kid. The two catch phrases that stick with me are: "What you see is what you get!" and "The devil made me do it!" Could Tyler Perry have been successful with Madea without Flip Wilson's portrayal of Geraldine?



Wilson died November 25, 1998 at the age of 64. Rest in peace Mr. Wilson!

Rest In Peace: Elizabeth Edwards (1949-2010)

Elizabeth Edwards died of cancer on this date in 2010 at the age of 61. She was surrounded on her deathbed by friends and family, including her estranged husband, John Edwards.

From all accounts she was a strong woman and a powerful advocate for her husband when he ran for political office.  There was a time when I thought that she would be in the White House.  I voted for her husband whenever he was on the ballot.   He wasn't on the ballot when the 2008 Democratic Primary was held in my state.

She was a strong advocate for health care reform.  And she battled cancer for a number of years.   The shame of it all was that her personal triumphs were overshadowed in the end by the gigantic ego and irresponsible behavior of her husband.   Anyhow, I join with other villagers in saying 'Rest in Peace' to Elizabeth Edwards.

Rest In Peace: Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013)

Today we mourn the death of international hero Nelson Mandela. His life personifies 'the heart of a lion'. He led the fight against apartheid with extraordinary vigor and resilience after spending nearly three decades of his life behind bars. He sacrificed his private life and his youth for his people, and remains South Africa's best known and loved hero.


Mandela was born July 18, 1918. He was jailed in November 1962 for leaving the country illegally and for incitement to strike. While serving the sentence he was charged with sabotage and sentenced to life imprisonment.

In prison Mandela demonstrated his heart by never compromising his political principles. He was always a source of strength for the other prisoners. Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely accepted as the most significant Black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.


More people watched his release from prison on February 11, 1990 than any other prisoner in the history of the world. Some even analyzed the details of his speech he gave on his release! He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He served as president of South Africa from 1994-1999.

Mandela has honorary degrees from more than 50 international universities. Nelson Mandela retired from public life in June 1999 and he currently resides in his birth place - Qunu, Transkei.

Here is my Pinterest board dedicated to Nelson Mandela

Villagers, do you remember your participating in protests against apartheid? Do you remember how you felt when Mandela was finally released from prison? Can you deny that this quite man of peace found a way into your heart?

Rest in peace, Madiba!

Author Carleen Brice Welcomes White Folks to the Black Section of the Bookstore

Soulclap to Black Threads in Kid's Lit for sharing this video with us!

Carleen Brice

You don't see many white folks perusing the Black Literature section of the book store. Perhaps they just need an invitation!



Carleen Brice is the author of the novel Orange Mint and Honey ... her debut novel is the basis for the NAACP Image Award-winning Lifetime TV movie "Sins of the Mother" starring Jill Scott and Nicole Beharie.

Carleen asks that in December everybody buy a book by a Black author and give it to somebody not Black.  The video is ironic in nature ... but, it doesn't hide the problem that Black authors may not be getting maximum revenue potential if their books are not being promoted to larger audiences. Something to consider next time you visit a local bookstore!

Black Moses Barbie (Harriet Tubman Commerical, 3-of-3)

This commercial for a Black Moses Barbie toy is the second in a series celebrating the legacy of Harriet Tubman. It is part of a larger series of paintings and films by Pierre Bennu that deconstruct and re-envision images of people of color in commercial and pop culture.



You can visit the first two Black Moses Barbie videos here and here!

Am I Not Human? The Right to Life

On the 27th of each month we plan to blog about human rights.  Every person is entitled to certain fundamental rights, simply by the fact of being human. These are called “human rights” rather than a privilege (which can be taken away at someone’s whim).

They are “rights” because they are things you are allowed to be, to do or to have. These rights are there for your protection against people who might want to harm or hurt you. They are also there to help us get along with each other and live in peace.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt Reviews UDHR

Born out of the atrocities and enormous loss of life during World War II, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948 to provide a common understanding of what everyone’s rights are. It forms the basis for a world built on freedom, justice and peace. This declaration provided a list of 30 specific human rights.

Human right #3 is something we need to remind ourselves about more often ...

Right to Life!

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.



Just because the nations of the world signed a declaration that defined and respected 'human rights' doesn't mean that abuses don't occur. Human rights abuses are taking place in America and in most other nations of the world. On the 27th of each month we are going to shine our blogging spotlight on human rights abuse ... and our hope is that other bloggers will do so as well.

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Roots of Humanity feels that each of us can fight against human rights abuses in the world. We simply need to do something. Protest. Meditate. Pray. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to blog on the 27th of each month. Just share information on behalf of our human siblings in all suffering areas who are either barred from communication by their governments, or lacking in technology to ask: Am I Not Human?

Sunday Inspiration: Be Still and Know (Psalm 46:10-11)

'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge' ~ Psalm 46:10-11

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BE - God, I say 'yes' to You. I choose to allow Your way to shape me and Your will to direct me in what is best.  I surrender instead of resist, I yield instead of fight, I believe instead of doubt.

STILL - Father, may Your rest abide and Your peace abound within me. Quiet all anxiety that troubles my thoughts and unsettles my emotions.  I bring my soul under the control of the Holy Spirit; I stand steady upon the unmovable foundations of Your kingdom;  I receive the sufficiency of Your grace and the encouragement of Your promises as you calm my soul.

AND KNOW - Lord, thank you that Your word is sure, unchanging, and indisputable. Your word is true. I am certain.  You have saved me from guessing, wondering, wishing, or pretending.
I know! I believe!

I AM GOD - You are who You say You are. You do what You say You do.  There is no other! You are the highest, the greatest, the best.  You have no weakness, no lack, and no equal.  You are my God, and my Heavenly Father. I find comfort in Your nearness, security in Your voice, courage in Your strength, hope in Your promises.  You are enough. More than enough! You are with me. You are my refuge. I am safe in Your care.

Meet Me In The Meadow ~ Roy Lessin

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This blog will continue to seek out Sunday Inspirations, a meme inspired by Sojourner's Place. Sunday Inspirations is just one way to help get us through the week ahead, the trials we may face, and yes, to say 'Thank You Jesus' and testify! I invite you to participate in this weekly meme as your contribution might serve as an inspiration to someone in need.

Black Moses Barbie (Harriet Tubman Commerical, 2-of-3)

This commercial for a Black Moses Barbie toy is the second in a series celebrating the legacy of Harriet Tubman. It is part of a larger series of paintings and films by Pierre Bennu that deconstruct and re-envision images of people of color in commercial and pop culture.

Family of Daniel McConnell Win $2.25 Million Settlement in Taser-Torture Case

Daniel McConnell

I suspect that taser-related deaths should begin to fall if we keep having these large lawsuit settlements that go against law officials. The latest to pay the price for taser-happy police officers is Suffolk County (New York). County officials agreed to pay a $2.25 million settlement to the family of Daniel McDonnell. [SOURCE]

Mr. McConnell, 40, suffered with bipolar disorder and a heart condition when he as placed in police custody on May 5, 2011. He was arrested for violating an order of protection against a neighbor. The penalty for violating court order should not be death. However, the Suffolk County officers decided to play judge, jury and executioner. McConnell's mother came to the station to bring him his medication. The police refused to accept the medication ... and McConnell's mental condition deteriorated in the 18 hours that he was in police custody.

For some reason, the police thought that he would act better without the medication. Instead they came to his holding cell and repeatedly electrocuted him with their taser guns while beating him.

Two detectives decided to lie. They informed McDonnell’s family that he died of a heart attack. His death was later ruled a homicide. The state Commission on Correction concluded that McDonnell's death was preventable and criticized the medical examiner and the Suffolk County district attorney's office for failing to properly investigate his death.

A lawsuit brought by McDonnell's wife and young son was settled last spring on the second day of a civil trial in Brooklyn Federal Court. The settlement was approved by the Suffolk County Legislature and by U.S. District Judge William Kuntz in an order issued today.

A young man will never return to his family. The county will have to pay $2.25 million in the settlement. I wonder if the police officers who killed him will be fired?

What Happens When We Raise The Minimum Wage?

FACT: In January 2014, 13 states raised their minimum wage; since then these states added more jobs and have lower unemployment rates than the 36 states that did not raise the minimum wage.

FACT: The U.S. Government could save $7 billion dollars if companies just paid employees a higher minimum wage.

FACT: Federal minimum wage is $7.25 – and some states actually have a lower state wage of $6.25 an hour.

How can anyone, alone or with a family, survive on minimum wage?

FACT: They can’t.

But together we are fighting to change this. In two weeks, states like Arkansas, Alaska, South Dakota, Nebraska and cities like Eureka and Oakland are casting their votes to raise the wage. And Brave New Films is continuing to expose the Koch brothers' fight against increasing the minimum wage.



It's time to #RaiseTheWage, don't you think?

48th Anniversary of the Black Panther Party

This week is the anniversary of the formation of the Black Panther Party. That was 1966, 48 eight years ago. The original six members of the Black Panther Party are depicted in this photograph.

Standing (L-R): Elbert 'Big Man' Howard, Huey Newton, Sherwin Forte, Bobby Seale
Kneeling (L-R): Reggie Forte and Bobby Hutton

Former Black Panther Party member Eddie Conway shared his recollections of the founding of the organization.



Eddie Conway was a member of the Baltimore branch of the Black Panther Party.  He spent 44 years in prison for an alleged crime of killing a police officer, a crime that he did not commit as laid out in his book,  Marshall Law: The Life & Times of a Baltimore Black Panther.

Sunday Inspiration: Our Train Ride

At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our lives. Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey. Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train.

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This blog will continue to seek out Sunday Inspirations, a meme inspired by Sojourner's Place. Sunday Inspirations is just one way to help get us through the week ahead, the trials we may face, and yes, to say 'Thank You Jesus' and testify! I invite you to participate in this weekly meme as your contribution might serve as an inspiration to someone in need.

Obama's Weekly Address: 'What You Need to Know About Ebola'

In this week’s address, the President discussed what the United States is doing to respond to Ebola, both here at home and abroad, and the key facts Americans need to know.

Black Moses Barbie (Harriet Tubman Commerical, 1-of-3)

This commercial for a Black Moses Barbie toy celebrating the legacy of Harriet Tubman is part of a larger series of paintings and films by Pierre Bennu that deconstruct and re-envision images of people of color in commercial and pop culture.

Rest In Peace: Andrea Ransom Jackson (1967-2011)

Andrea Ransom Jackson passed away on this date in 2011. She was the youngest daughter of my godparents. I'm using my blog to share an excerpt from the alumni newsletter of Stanford Women's Basketball. The article was called: 'In Loving Memory: Remembering Andy'.

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Stanford Women's Basketball mourns the loss of one of our own, Andrea Ransom Jackson, '89. Andrea passed away on October 16, 2011 from breast cancer. An economics major at Stanford, Andrea was the dean of general education at DeVry University in Fremont and resided in Union City. Andrea's spirit lives on in the lives of her husband Philip Jackson and three children, Randi, Kendall, and Jalyn, and the lives of all whom she touched, including her Stanford teammates.

She was quiet but her laughter would fill a room. She worked so hard, you wanted her in your foxhole. She was so sweet, you didn't want to tease her but every now and then she would take a poke at someone with her sweet innocence and it was hysterical. She was a person you always felt comfortable around. She was a wise and considerate soul who helped you enjoy the moment and feel good about yourself. I do not know her husband but I am sure he fell in love with Andrea's sincerity and intellect as much as her incredible outward beauty. I do not know her children but I thank God for leaving us Andrea in them.

I think Andrea's time was short because she is one of God's Angels. She did unbelievable work in all of us and she is now watching over us in hopes we will continue to do good works. Quite simply, if you knew Andrea, she touched you in amazing ways.

Charli Turner Thorne, '87

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Playing basketball at Stanford is a larger than life experience that we all take a great deal of pride in, so the conversation often gravitates to that period of our lives. Andrea and I shared this experience from roughly the Fall of 1986 through the Winter of 1987. It's just now registering with me that the time that we were actually on the Stanford team together was only a little over a year of elapsed time - but, just like many of our Stanford experiences, it was rich enough to lay the foundation for 25 years of friendship.

Finding your way through this life isn't always easy - and, those of you who know me understand that I need all of the help I can get. I don't ever remember having to ask, I just remember Andrea being there for me, from the beginning. Andy would always listen to what I had to say - quite often she would smile and shake her head. Then...she would focus on making sure I knew I was going to be all right in this world - Always.

She's always helped to show me the way. Back in the late 80s, it was everything from learning how to get through a college practice, to figuring out the layout of the dorm cafeteria, to knowing where the parties were at. She took care of me, on and off the court. Then, it was conversations about what it means to be a black woman, and about finding the courage to follow my heart in my life and in my work. Lately, it has been about how to make sure that her children (Randi, Kendall, and Jalyn) know that THEY will be all right in this world.

Another way that she showed me the way was by trusting me to support her at tough times - often, way before I felt like I was ready. Because I wanted to do the best I could for her, she helped me become a better friend and person. She modeled for me openness, excellence, gentleness, strength, persistence, courage, compassion, and how to not be afraid of the truth. And, we laughed - A LOT!

Andrea Dawn Jackson was my teammate on and off the court. She had a fiery determination to be better - everyday, in everything she did. Her enthusiasm and wonderful laughter was as vibrant as her favorite color red. She always moved toward the truth. She loved me like a sister. I am so grateful for the connection that I shared with this wonderful, wonderful woman. We have 25 years worth of shared stories; experiences that were created at all points along that 25-year continuum. I am so grateful that Stanford Basketball brought her into my life. 

I miss her deeply.

-Stacy Parson, '90

The 2014 Elections: What’s at Stake for African Americans

The 2014 elections are almost here, and the focus is whether the Republicans can gain control of the U.S. Senate, a first since 2006.

Thirty-six seats are being contested, and Republicans need only six gains to win a majority.

The stakes are extraordinarily high for the nation. But for African Americans in particular, the outcome of the midterm elections next month may not only be a game changer, but also a game ender.

First off, Republicans consistently oppose civil rights legislation. A GOP majority in the Senate would also likely put in jeopardy measures that help moderate and low-income Americans, including one essential initiative: an increase in the national minimum wage.

Click here to read the rest of this New Pittsburgh Courier article.

Jurors Award $4.65 Million in Taser-Torture Death of Marvin Booker

A federal jury found five Denver sheriff's deputies used excessive force against a homeless street preacher who died in the city's downtown jail and awarded his family a record $4.65 million in damages, a verdict an attorney said should send a message to law enforcement everywhere. [SOURCE]



Marvin Booker died in 2010 after deputies shocked him with a Taser while he was handcuffed, put him in a sleeper hold and lay on top of him, apparently in an effort to control him. The raw video of his killing is available online.

Inmates told investigators that the struggle began when he was ordered to sit down in the jail's booking area but instead moved to collect his shoes, which he had taken off for comfort. His family's attorneys said that was a zealous overreaction to the 56-year-old, who was frail and suffered a heart condition. The city had argued the deputies' actions were in line with the department's policies for subduing a combative inmate.

"He didn't deserve what these five sheriffs did to him that night," his brother, Spencer Booker, said, fighting tears after the verdict. "The jury spoke very, very, very clearly that they used excessive force against my brother. Your actions call for consequences."

Booker's family filed the federal lawsuit against the city and county of Denver as well as deputies Faun Gomez, James Grimes, Kyle Sharp and Kenneth Robinette and Sgt. Carrie Rodriguez. In a rare move on the eve of the trial, the city accepted liability for the actions of the deputies, meaning it is responsible for damages.

City Attorney Scott Martinez said the city was disappointed, but thanked the jurors for their work.

"The city remains committed to its ongoing efforts to improve the Denver Sheriff's Department," Martinez said in a statement.

I suspect that it will take more of these civil lawsuits before police departments around the nation change their taser-happy behavior. At least, we can be sure that police officers in the city of Denver will think twice before they engage in these taser-torture actions again! In fact, it seems that the police officers involved in the death of Mr. Booker should be prosecuted and fired from their jobs. They are definitely *not* public servants!