May 01, 2414

Title: Soil Sisters Magical Garden Adventure: Savoring the Soul of Mother Earth
Authors: Bobbi J Simmons , Thomas Simmons @Jean2021
Illustrator: Blakely Frederick
Reading Age range: 
Publisher: BlackGold Publishing (May 1, 2023)
Paperback: 39 pages
ISBN-10: 1953130267
ISBN-13: 978-1953130266
REFERRAL IN AALBC https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/10407-book-reviews
 
 
MY REVIEW
John Boyd Jr , founder of the National Black Farmer's Association said: "I'm owning land that many of my forefathers worked when it was scotch-free. You know - slave labor man" The relationship that Black people whose forebears were enslaved have to the land that compose the states of the U.S.A. is older than the U.S.A. itself; it is a relationship that introduced the yam, varieties of rice, introduced the okra into the cuisine of the entire populace of the U.S.A.; it is a relationship full of blood, from black bodies after exposure to white whips, white laws, white guns nourishing the soil. A relationship most of said blacks want to forget for obvious reasons. But, Bobbi J Simmons side her husband, Tommy Simmons, compose a loving Black descended of enslaved couple who don't want the relationship forgotten. Not to deny the painful shedding of blood but to keep alive the pride in the craft, the heritage of loving nature, that exist alongside the painful blood in said relationship. In their book, Soil Sisters Magical Garden Adventure, they focus their efforts on the children, the youngest descendants of those enslaved in the U.S.A. , who in majority have been denied learning or knowing of said relationship for said negative reasons. The Simmons weave a simple tale of love, love of growing things, as pure as Bilbo Baggins love for the shire in "the hobbit". The goal, the road, the prize are all the same, watching something in nature you nurture spread joy throughout your life. The illustrations from Blakely have functional color tones, and usually reflect the prose the authors set. Some parents or adult readers may be offset or opposed to certain word choices but I argue the language is appropriate to the audience of young children who should be forgiven as well for a few emissions of their dialect or a few slip ups of the tongue. All readers: child, parent, teacher will enjoy the historical pages; each give a key factor plus visage of a historical figure but said readers will also want more of them. The most important aspect in the book is what can not be read. It is the seeds that come with the book, which surprised me. The little packet of seeds provide children or parents or teachers an offline chance to do more than be inspired from or enjoy reading a story about black youth loving to grow things, supported by their local community while supporting their local community, even with spiritual help when need be; it allows all who buy the book a chance to do offline as the characters in the book, on land they own. And even if said land is only a small pot, the heritage of love to the land Black people grow in the USA: the Simmons prose speaks of, Blakely's art visualizes, Boyd jr. organizes for gains another Black person on an adventurous path to embracing. That is a worthy cause and the only way to lessen the growth of the negativity from the past is to grow another tree that emphasizes the positivity from the past.

Event details

WATN: Alexander Johnson - Glory
Use your writing skills to expand on this legendary drummer's story. Prizes exist for the winners.
from @hddeviant in @crliterature
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/WATN-Alexander-Johnson-Glory-1289525484
#wherearetheynow #watn #alexander #johnson #alexanderjohnson #glory #crliterature #oldmanjohnson
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

Join @CRLiterature in reporting on some of our favorite fictional unknowns by writing fun fan fictions based on popular films and television shows 📽️📺 Ponder pop culture’s most perplexing puzzles as we prompt you to provide fans with a satisfying conclusion to cliffhangers and open-ended mysteries in 250 words or less 🧑‍💻🤩 Get inspired to write about worlds you know and love & you might just pick up some rewards along the way 🏅🏆
The United States of America will be 250 years old this year. While history books often mention famous historical figures like Sacajawea or Calamity Jane or popular fiction mention historical fictions like John Henry or Paul Bunyan, lesser known historical figures or fictions warrant more fanfare. One of these unsung American heroes is Alexander Johnson, the drummer of the 54th Massachusetts infantry Regiment and the first Black musician known to have enlisted in the army of the U.S.A.


A photo, don't know his age but he was 16 when enlisted





We've collected more research on Alexander Johnson that you can find below. Your task is to utilize a piece of this information to add to the growing legend of Alexander Johnson. In a comment below in 250 words or less, in your own words and without the assistance of AI or similar machine learning tools, write a short fan fiction adding to the folk legend of Alexander Johnson. Reveal how he helped other folk heroes of his time, tell tall tales about his drumming ability, or explain how his legend traveled around the globe. Where is Alexander Johnson now?!


Here’s the rules and rewards for this @CRLiterature activity:
All entries must abide by the DeviantArt Terms of Service, Fair Use rules for submissions, and the group rules for CRLiterature; off topic or inappropriate entries will be removed.
Share your entry as a comment to this journal for reward considerations.   
Only submit one (1) comment for this engagement that is your very best work; all entries must be original concepts and human-written, no AI-assisted entries are allowed and will be removed.     
Comment with your entry by the end of the day on May 23rd 2026 for rewards consideration for this activity.
You must be a member of @CRLiterature for awards considerations. Joining the group is fast and free from the group homepage.
Winners selected at the sole discretion of CRLiterature group admin; all decisions are final and non-negotiable. We will select three (3) winners by May 28th 2026 to receive the following rewards::
Each winner will receive 250 points and a quartz badge
One of the three will receive a hype badge
I can’t wait to see how you inform us all on Where Are They Now?!


@HDdeviant
MY EXAMPLE:


Title: Old Man Johnson's Drums


Old man Johnson never stopped drumming, all about Massachusetts. Every adult or child knew he played the drums in the whole state. He taught countless drummers, mentioning his teachings from Buenos Aires to Cairo to Delhi to Saikyo. But Old Man Johnson was a man, and like all men, his time is finite. Many drums were heard at his funeral, like belophonies of rain on a meditative day. But the funeral ended and everyone lamented Old Man Johnson's drums will be heard no more.  
But , ever since his passing, many say when the most violent acts are committed between peoples in the usa, from the pole the flag hangs from being used as a spear, to forty one shots aimed at the groom to be in his bachelor's party, to the murder of nonviolent people wanting to maintain arms for self-defense at Wounded Knee, the drum of Old Man Johnson can be heard. With drumsticks made of love to peace even in spite of harm or trust to strangers even if proven themselves antagonist, the drum fights to sound over the spirit of war vendetta or revenge at the root of the land from sea to shining sea. And of course, the drums of New Bedford have always failed to bring Statians together, but they never give up hope. Drumming in the face of undeniable terrifying reality, while drumming in front of ever-distant fantasy. Try to hear; the drums warn of the fire that may be. 
 
MY POST
O
Literature
Old Man Johnson's Drums
Old man Johnson never stopped drumming, all about


NOTE:
Buenos Aires means Good air, capitol of Argentina, land of silver.
Cairo means the conqueror, locally called Masr, which is the islamic name for Egypt, in ancient times called Kemet.
Delhi , uncertain origin, capitol of India.
Saikyo meaning western capitol was a temporary name for Kyoto which means capitol city; Kyoto was earlier named HEian-kyo which means capitol of peace. In parallel to tokyo which means eastern capitol which was originally named Edo which means estuary.
belophonies, plural of belophony, which means good/belo sound/phony
Wounded Knee, in Lakota Čhaŋkpé Ópi Wakpála, where Lakota were massacred by soldiers of the U.S.A.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER INSPIRATION OR INFORMATION CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING


To get summary of service plus discharge
https://battleofolustee.org/pics/alexander_johnson.html
Quotes unverified from Alexander Johnson


We fought from 7 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon, and we succeeded in driving the enemy back. After the battle we got a paper saying that if Fort Wagner was charged within a week it would be taken.


Most of the way we were singing, Col. Shaw and I marching at the head of the regiment. It was getting dark when we crossed the bridge to Morris Island. It was about 6:30 o’clock when we got there. Col. Shaw ordered me to take a message back to the quartermaster at the wharf, who had charge of the commissary. I took the letter by the first boat, as ordered, and when I returned I found the regiment lying down, waiting for orders to charge. The order to charge was given at 7:30 o’clock.


citation
https://kentakepage.com/alexander-h-johnson-the-first-drummer-boy/


Ronreaco Lee portrayed Alexander Johnson as a mute drummer boy in the film Glory (1989)




Memorial Statue of the 54th Infantry Regiment ; Shaw , on horse, is free standing and the Black soldiers + spirit of are in bas relief. It is the first monument in the USA to pay tribute to black soldiers.



Words from a president of Harvard , Charles W. Eliot :
The White Officers taking life and honor in their hands cast in their lot with men of a despised race unproven in war and risked death as inciters of servile insurrection if taken prisoners besides encountering all the common perils of camp march and battle. The Black rank and file volunteered when disaster clouded the Union Cause. Served without pay for eighteen months till given that of white troops. Faced threatened enslavement if captured. Were brave in action. Patient under heavy and dangerous labors. And cheerful amid hardships and privations. Together they gave to the Nation and the World undying proof that Americans of African descent possess the pride, courage and devotion of the patriot soldier. One hundred and eighty thousand such Americans enlisted under the Union Flag in MDCCCLXIII–MDCCCLXV. [1863-1865]


More information on him
https://battleofolustee.org/pics/alexander_johnson.html


Morgan Freeman on Denzel Washington side Andre Browers characters in the film .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Ct9lTd6x8
Assault on Fort Wagner, in 4 parts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF16tsgwnnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzlNPZ_vKN4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E73qutRp6gI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWyPc1PH6M8


Another Photo
https://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=267&ft=%2054th%20Regiment


PRIOR WHERE ARE THEY NOW's - the challenges are over, but the fun isn't. Give each a go and continue their stories with 250 words.

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#BlackHistory337 2026-2027 #3
The front page of the first story of Kassa has arrived, It is a coloring page, share it to children if you wish.
Blackhistory337 is for the days in between Black History Months, when Black history still goes on.
from @hddeviant in @crliterature
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/BlackHistory337-2026-2027-3-1326770626
#blackhistory337 #blackhistory #kassa #cover #lineart #coloring #crliterature
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

#BlackHistory337 is about the time between Black History Months, when many people including some Black people don't make an effort to emphasize Black History. A way to cover the rest of the year, the remaining 337 days between each 28.
In this edition we focus on Black Writers popular outside the anglophone or countries with large or globally known black populaces, so no USA/Brasil/England/France. Yes, No alexander Dumas.

Horacio Mendizábal of Argentina (1847–1871) [He died like many Black Argentineans from Yellow Fever and other germ outbreaks]
A PDF [FREE TO READ] of his second work- Horas de Meditacion
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Horas_de_meditacion_-_Horacio_Mendizabal.pdf
referral
https://amautayaguar.com.ar/horacio-mendizabal-argentina/

Anton Wilhelm Amo (1732–1780)
Dissertatio inauguralis de iure maurorum in Europa, 1729 (lost). Translated title: Inaugural dissertation on the laws of the Moors in Europe.
Dissertatio inauguralis philosophica de humanae mentis apatheia, Wittenberg, 1734. Inaugural dissertation on the impassivity of the human mind.
https://www.academia.edu/6847481/Amos_1734_PhD_thesis_On_the_Apathy_of_the_Human_Mind_Or_the_Absence_of_Sense_and_of_the_Faculty_of_Sensing_in_the_Human_Mind_And_the_Presence_of_these_in_our_Organic_and_Living_Body
OR
https://digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht?PPN=PPN634497863&view=fulltext-parallel
referral
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Wilhelm_Amo

Malik Ambar (1548 – 14 May 1626)
Sometimes concerning Black people, those who are Black or non Black looking to research must comprehend that the act of erasing Black activity was common throughout a humanity dominated by whites or non blacks.
Malik Ambar
designed the aqueduct of Khadki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neher_water_system
commissioned and partially designed the the Janjira fort
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murud-Janjira
commissioned , meaning paid for his own tomb, which he was laid in
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_Malik_Ambar
must have had papers but because he successfully denied a Mughal emperor.Jahangir meaning World Seizer, the Deccan Sultanate, I imagine much of his work was destroyed. My proof is the following image... It is important to comprehend in modernity how dissimilar the past is when it comes to record keeping or history books.




Artist Abu'l-Hasan Year c. 1620
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jahangir_Shooting_the_Head_of_Malik_Ambar
referral
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malik_Ambar

GALLERY


Can you name a Black Writer or other type of Artist from the 1800s or before in a country that today isn't deemed to have any black people or is not considered a place where Black people have been?


Monthly Content, next month another edition of #Black337 will occur with more literature

Kassa Tome 01 Cover

Index
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/KASSA-or-THE-NOMADIC-ENDLING-JALI-VINDICADOR-1315296783

Event details

May 2026 Contest: MOTHER GOOSE
Two challenges for illustrators. A lineart and a coloring challenge. The lineart is to make a mother goose, referring to a tale. The coloring is to take one of the lineart challenge entries and color it. Prizes for the winners.
from @hddeviant in @color-me-club
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/May-2026-Contest-MOTHER-GOOSE-1289531986
#mothergoose #lineart #coloring #colormeclub #littleredridinghood #gosling
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

🌅 Mother Goose: May 2026 Contest 🌅
Brought to you by:






Join @color-me-club in coloring or creating coloring pages about themes that enliven our spirits. Coloring can be meditative fun or a communal activity, open to anyone at any skill level. Making a coloring page is like making a ticket for another's imagination into a place they have never been. Get inspired to color a world you have never seen but isn't complete without your prismatic touch!

🎯 THE CHALLENGE
1. For the Line Art Creators: From Puss and boots, to old mother hubbard, to humpty dumpty, Mother Goose has entertained and taught lessons through her stories. Do you have a favorite one from her? Do you alone know a tale no one has heard of? Envision Mother Goose, and create line art depicting her, giving note to one of her legendary tales.

2. For the Colorists: Once the line art phase is over, you can color any of the LineArt contest entries to complete these worlds with your prismatic touch! If you want to color before the coloring contest time you must use my example image or your own entry.




If you need more inspiration for your imagination I provide some more tools at the bottom of this post


FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO DO THE COLORING CHALLENGE
After the Coloring page challenge is finished, see below for times, you will be able to use any of the entries of the coloring page challenge plus my example image to color Mother Goose.


FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO DO BOTH CHALLENGES
Please go for it! But you must note the times for each.


📅 DATES & SUBMISSION
Line Art (Submit to Contest Folder)
Starts: May 1 , 2026 | Ends: May 25 , 2026
Coloring (Submit to Contest Folder)
Starts: May 25, 2026 | Ends: May 31 , 2026
You can also share your creations in the comments below to get feedback form other group members or just start a conversation about your art
🏆 PRIZES & REWARDS
All prizes courtesy of @Community and @color-me-club Ambassadors

🖋️ Line Art Category
🏅 Winner: 1,000 pts + Hype
🥈 Honorable Mention I: 500 pts + Hype
🥉 Honorable Mention II: 500 pts + Hype
🎨 Coloring Category
🏅 Winner: 500 pts + Hype
🥈 Honorable Mention I: 250 pts + Quartz
🥉 Honorable Mention II: 250 pts + Quartz
📋 RULES & GUIDELINES
Originality & Copyright: The line art must be your own work. Ripped or "sampled" line art will be disqualified, this includes tracing. This doesn't include referenced images. You may use images for reference, as long as you don't trace it directly and provide credit in the artist's comments section of your entry.
Requirements: Min. 1200px / 300 dpi. Traditional art must be clean and scanned.Need help? Use this website to check the pixel size and dpi of your image.]
Traditional drawings must be cleanly scanned, in focus, adjusted to predominately black and white, and on plain white paper. [Need help? Check out this excellent tutorial by @BeckyKidus: How to digitally edit traditional line art.]
Originality: Must be your own work created after April 31st, 2026. No tracing.
All entries must abide by the DeviantArt Terms of Service, Fair Use rules for submissions
Accessibility: Line art must be free to download.
Membership: Join @color-me-club to be eligible! That's free too
📚 INSPIRATION
Need help with your imagination? Read or view the following




I can't wait to see the beautiful visions of MOTHER GOOSE you create or color!


@HDdeviant


#tctbc #colormeclub #tocolorortobecolored #hddeviant #mothergoose #nurseryrhyme

Event details

Mother Goose with a hooded Gosling
Can you tell the specific mother goose tale from the image?
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Mother-Goose-with-a-hooded-gosling-1327120224
#mothergoose #lineart #coloring #colormeclub #littleredridinghood #gosling
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

Mother Goose Color-Me-Club May challenge Coloring page
for @color-me-club
🌅 Mother Goose: May 2026 Contest 🌅\nBrought to you","html":{"type":"tiptap","features":"[{\"type\":\"TIPTAP_FEATURE\",\"data\":{\"tiptap\":true,\"version\":1}},{\"type\":\"WORD_COUNT_FEATURE\",\"data\":{\"words\":631,\"chars\":3642}},{\"type\":\"MEDIA_COUNT_FEATURE\",\"data\":{\"emoji\":17,\"emotes\":8,\"images\":5,\"mentions\":7,\"video\":0,\"galleries\":0,\"gifs\":0,\"ids\":[1327120224,1284003118,1289384960,1286745083,1317038393]}},{\"type\":\"IS_EMPTY_FEATURE\",\"data\":{\"isEmpty\":false}}]"}},"filetype":"png"}" data-alignment="center" style="font: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: inherit; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; display: flex; justify-content: center; position: relative;">
MOTHER GOOSE Color Me Club
2 days ago
🌅 Mother Goose: May 2026 Contest 🌅 Brought to you
May is when Mother's Day occurs so in honor of all mothers, here is lineart for mothers day. Can you tell the mother goose tale that is inferred in this image?
Do you want me to make a coloring page for you
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/commission/Single-Coloring-Page-1732448
Coloring page Gallery
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/gallery/47013691/comic-coloring-pages
TipJar
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/tier/Tip-Jar-to-HDdeviant-902770076
#mothergoose #redridinghood #colormeclub #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #richardmurray #deviantart #tumblr #rmaalbc #aalbc #kobo #kwl

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Earn the color-me-club May 2026 Profile Badge!
It is may so the theme for the community relation groups in deviantart is Mermay. Take part of the fun by making mermay lineart.
from @hddeviant in @color-me-club
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/journal/Earn-the-color-me-club-May-2026-Profile-Badge-1326962377
#badge #colormeclub #mermay #akorade #lineart #coloring #may #cecaelian #warriorwoman
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

Join @color-me-club and the other Community Affiliated groups as part of Deviantart celebrating MERMAY!!!
It is May and for those that do not know, that means Mermay season! To get the badge make a deviation with the hashtag #mermay and presenting lineart with a mermaid, merman, mercat, merpuppy, or mer-anything. An example below of an entry is to help.
Don't worry if you see this challenge after May 2026, the badge is open to be earned by any member of Deviantart after May 2026.


My example MerMay


Remember to have fun,

A Small Gallery for more Inspiration








#mermay #colormeclub #metalmermay

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Legends of Akorade
At temple, in battlefields, in sporting arenas, Akorade is a cecaelian metalmermay whose legends dwarf any you know.
Do you want to see more legends of her?
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Legends-of-Akorade-1327118010
#badge #colormeclub #mermay #akorade #lineart #coloring #may #cecaelian #warriorwoman
#richardmurray #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #aalbc #rmaalbc #kobo #kwl #deviantart #tumblr

The Legend of Akorade - a metalmermay cecaelian warrior
Example for the May Monthly Badge challenge of @color-me-club
May 2026 Badge for color-me-club
2 days ago
No AI generated entries in this group. Check out

Akorade on the front line when some surface dwellers invaded the Cities of Treasures.
Tentacles actions[clockwise]: killing a surface dweller, shielding children [shield has Sankofa], sending a signal about the enemy similar to morse code [need two ] , getting arrows out of quill, using bow and arrow to kill surface dweller who has killed a fellow warrior[need two], shielding her forward area.
The triangular Temple of Legends exterior is in the background.

Akorade sailfish fighting in a City of Treasure. The sailfish doesn't impale but slashes, while it is the fastest fish in the sea. So, the cape must avoid the slashes. But sailfish have been known to impale to defend themselves. The arena encompass an area with hydrothermal vents , the hydrothermal plume [black smoke] is extremely hot and can kill.

Akorade with a fallen comrades helmet in the Temple of Legends.
NOTE:
Akorade means treasure in twi
I was inspired to the legends of Akorade for #metalmermay by Joan of arc who was canonized may 16th 1920 ; beatified April 18th 1909 ; beatified means a blessed, where figure has entered heaven and can intercede on behalf of someone who invoks them
Plus
the first observance of memorial day is may 30th 1868 as "decoration day" started by the grand army of the republic a fraternal organization to honor union soldiers who fell in the war between the states.
NOTE IMAGE 1:
Partial Sankofa symbol on shield protecting children , Sankofa means learn from the past for a better future.
Forward area shield has symbol of Yemoja
Akorade crown has a snake. She is wearing chainmail. Her wounded comrade has an airgun firing flechettes.
URLS
Adinkra Symbols
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adinkra_symbols
Information on Sailfish stabbing
https://www.myupnow.com/100-pound-sailfish-leaps-out-of-water-stabs-woman/article_1538ce6a-c462-5fbb-ba58-030597f98055.html
Fletchette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flechette
Hydrothermal Vent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_vent

Do you want me to make a coloring page for you
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/commission/Single-Coloring-Page-1732448
Coloring page Gallery
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/gallery/47013691/comic-coloring-pages
TipJar
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/tier/Tip-Jar-to-HDdeviant-902770076
My Original Characters
https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/gallery/85935373/original-characters
#akorade #mermay #metalmermay #hddeviant #richardmurrayhumblr #richardmurray #deviantart #tumblr #rmaalbc #aalbc #kobo #kwl

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