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Happy Birthday to Marcus Garvey Considering Marcus Garvey saw the caribbean or north america during his life as places that Black people needed to get away from, when you think of the struggles/challenges/unhappiness in Black Americans <Blacks or Negras from Canada/USA/MExico/JAmaica/HAiti/Dominican Republic/Puerto Rico/Trinidad/Colombia/Venezuela/Brazil/Chile/Argentina or any other land in the American continent> in the American Continent, was MArcus Garvey proven right about the inefficacy of Black people living side Whites? Side the best efficacy of Blacks when they live mostly around Blacks? And today happens to be MArtin Luther King Jr Day I quote MArtin Luther King Jr the third concernng voting rights legislation ""he would be greatly disappointed in the leadership in the Senate...that it's chosen so far not to get this done"" MLK the Third either is using very well constructed language or doesn't know his father. Disappointment today refers to an unfulfilled desire or want. Not, to remove from office. if MLK the third is suggesting MLK jr. will desire senators be disappointed. I 100% concur to that. MLK jr. always said in words how dysfunctional the class of elected officials are to the improvement of the populace in the U.S.A. If MLK the third is suggesting MLK jr. desired or thought the congress of the usa will act in the betterment of voting rights, Ihe doesn't know his father. MLK jr. wasn't an elected official for a simple reason. That path doesn't lead to the freedom leaded to tell the truth, to lead the people when what has to be said can't be a lie. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the battle of Hayes-Pond. https://www.lumbeetribe.com/ Happy birthday Sade Nothing can come between us- For the distant lovers The Sweetest Taboo- For the secret lovers Love is stronger than Pride - For the long time lovers <NEar my favorite Sade song, though I don't have a clear favorite> Smooth operator- For the players Is it a crime- for the mistresses or ladies of the evening out there And just so you know, Sade's early videos had an interwoven story about her and a guy if you notice:)

DC Milestone (dcuniverse.com) NEW VOICES. NEW VISIONARIES IT’S TIME TO WRITE A NEW CHAPTER IN THE SUPERHERO STORY. If stories are what shape the world we live in, then the storytellers should reflect that world. The Milestone Initiative is looking for the next generation of Black and diverse comic book creators. DC Superhero In 1993, four Black creators created Milestone Comics: a new universe of Black Super Heroes, brought to life by Black creators and other artists of color. Milestone didn’t just change the way our heroes looked. It built a pipeline for talent who had been excluded and marginalized for too long, and an ecosystem in which Black creativity could thrive. Now, with the relaunch of Milestone Comics and the creation of The Milestone Initiative, we want to honor the creators of Milestone by continuing their mission. But we can’t do it without you. DC Superhero MAKE YOUR MARK Do you have a story to tell? Do your experiences, imagination, and perspective go beyond the limits of what you see on TV, in movies, and in other media? If you live and breathe comics, and you’re an emerging Black artist or writer —or a creator from an underrepresented group —we’re looking for you to join The Milestone Initiative. The path to a sustainable creative career in this competitive industry will never be an easy one. You already know that —you’ve spent years honing your craft on your own. But with The Milestone Initiative, we hope to give you the support you need to make that hard work pay off. The next step starts here. DC Summit THE SUMMIT Participants in The Milestone Initiative will be invited to a one-week summit, hosted by WarnerMedia, DC, and Ally, where they’ll make connections, create community, and begin an immersive course to help hone creative skills and better understand the comic book industry. WHEN 02.14.22 – 02.18.22 WHERE BURBANK, CA 1. ARRIVE If you’re selected to participate in The Milestone Initiative, your journey will begin with the Milestone Summit. You’ll travel at our expense to DC’s headquarters in Burbank, to meet legendary creators, editors, and executives in the comics and entertainment industries. 2. LEARN Under the mentorship of some of the most prominent names in comics, as well as Ally’s team of financial experts, you’ll receive in-depth, substantive instruction about building a creative life and earning a living in this field. You’ll hone your creative skills, but you’ll also learn the business of the comics industry and receive advice on sustaining a long-term career. Following the Milestone Summit, you’ll go home and participate in an 8-week virtual course, where you’ll receive technical training through best-in-class cartooning and graphic art school The Kubert School. 3. CREATE It won’t be easy —throughout this multi-week course, you’ll be working as well as learning, crafting stories with your fellow participants. At the end of this journey you’ll come away with polished work that will showcase your unique talents, new knowledge, and skills and you'll have a pathway into the DC talent community if you want to pursue it. 4. IGNITE The Milestone Initiative doesn’t end with the the completion of the coursework. The team from DC will remain in contact with all participants in the months following and will work with them to find appropriate comics assignments and other work that will help them continue to grow as creators and further their careers with DC and in the comics world. HOW TO APPLY The Milestone Initiative is open to Black and other underrepresented creators who are ready to enter the comic book industry at a professional level. You’ve got the talent, you’ve put in the hours of practice, and this is the opening you’ve been waiting for. Think you have what it takes? Get ready to dive into the application. You have a story to tell. We want to hear it. PROCESS DC Milestone Now a quick reality check: we know you’re serious, and we’re serious too. So this application is going to take some time. We think it’s worth it. STEP 1: 10-20 MINUTES First, we’ll ask you for a bit of biographical information. We’ll also ask you to provide us with links to a few existing pieces of completed original work, to give us a sense of your creative voice and vision. STEP 2: 5-7 DAYS The next sections are where you should plan wisely. We’ll be asking you to put your talent and skills into action by completing a short assignment. If you’re an artist, that will mean drawing three comic pages based on a script we provide; if you’re a writer, you’ll be creating a script for an 8 page story based on a loose prompt we’ve created. STEP 3: 2-3 DAYS Finally, we want writers and artists to answer a few, short essay questions and tell us who you are as a creator. Describe your voice and your vision —what do you believe you have to offer the world? The answers won’t take long to write, but they will take some time to think about. (And artists, don’t be intimidated if writing isn’t your thing. We’re looking for substance here, not style.) Got it? Get started. You don’t have to complete everything now —our system can save your work, just make sure to click “Save Draft” at the bottom of the page so you can begin now and tackle it a piece at a time. DC Superpowered WHAT IS THE MILESTONE INITIATIVE? Superman wasn’t just the first superhero: he was an immigrant, an American, and an enduring symbol of our shared ideals. But as an explosion of comic book heroes took place over the second half of the 20th century, there was something missing. Despite an enduring Black readership, it took decades before the first Black heroes appeared, and once they did, they remained uncommon. Even the most prominent Black heroes usually appeared in stories written and illustrated by white creators. Enter Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle. With talent, vision, and tenacity, these four Black creators carved a place for themselves in an industry that didn’t always welcome or understand them. Despite their success, they were frustrated by the dearth of other Black creators in their field, and the resistance they met in trying to tell stories that reflected their own experiences and perspectives. DC story-1-480 So they founded Milestone Media —a company that placed Black superheroes at the center of the action with their Milestone comics line, and which would make an inclusive space for Black and underrepresented comic book creators to flourish and succeed. Milestone hit like a space pod crashing to Earth —and its impact has continued to this day. Now, Milestone Media, is helmed by Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan, and DC is relaunching Milestone Comics and reintroducing its characters to new audiences, but we understand that there’s still much more work to be done to continue the mission of Milestone’s founders. That’s why, with Ally as our partner, we’ve created The Milestone Initiative. While Milestone Media is about telling the stories of Black heroes, The Milestone Initiative is about empowering the creators who can tell those stories in ways that are resonant, real, and revolutionary. The program is part of DC’s talent development program, Next Generation DC (NGDC), and is designed to identify, educate, spotlight, and empower the next generation of Black and diverse creators in our field so that the stories of the next century are truly reflective of the world around us. Throughout American history —in the comic book industry as well as in other creative fields —Black and other underrepresented creators have been consistent innovators and visionaries despite systems that work to exclude them. Now, as comic books take center stage in popular culture, DC, WarnerMedia, and Ally want to change that with The Milestone Initiative. The Milestone Media founders started the mission. It’s time for you to pick up their mantle. DC story-2-480 READY TO MAKE YOUR MARK? SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DC Milestone (dcuniverse.com)

Well... it is another Friday, another day to love, to Oxum, Oshun, Freya, or Venus, another day to Kizomba! SOmetimes, you just dance to have fun and we see that in Irina dancing side José N'dongala, I love how the camera moved when he tried a trick. enjoy a free read https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-nyotenda

Hi everyone, just want to wish everyone a safe weekend coming up and a sound piece of mind in these trouble times of ours. Have a safe weekend while not letting the sour times get in your mind, by destroying you mood, instead throw on some funky toons to get you in the up and coming weekend groove.... Jaws R.

Happy Hardcore Easter

Hey did you know that I'm A Proud Alumni of Medgar Evers College Class of 1996

Storytellers play the long game - "We must remember, we’re a civilization rooted in story-telling. We share information filled with iconic imagery, symbolism, and sounds. Celebrities are no different. They use the media to tell stories that voice their platform position or opposition." ~Melhopkinsdotcom

End of Poverty ?, the documentary by Philippe Diaz should be called how thugs ravage the land and have taken over the world. Imagine coming up with a concept for a book, writing a draft and then shipping the raw document to someone else - only to have to pay $14.95 to read the finish product. Except that is exactly what is happening in so called third world countries such as Kenya - "predatory capitalism" where the impoverished Kenyans work the land ship their raw materials for tea and coffee to other countries and never profit from it. I became interested in watching the documentary after seeing an interview clips from Confession of an Economic Hitman, author John Perkins. He talks about how he and others like him work on the behalf of multinational corporations to jack the land and resources from people in African countries... We're not free in this country - it's impossible to be - because no one will be free until everyone is free... Watch the documentary. Read the book, and then really begin to wake the Eff up!

I want to thank Mel Hopkins for her exhaustive review of Severed, A Novel. I am so grateful for her insights. It's fascinating to see how people interact with my characters. It's even more intriguing when they see things I did not see myself. Watch her space. She's up and coming. We need more writers like her who are willing to put the time in, to be thoughtful, critical, yet supportive. Thank you, Mel. You do me the greatest honor, to critique a novel written for Black women.

Kiese Laymon: A Writer's Writer Writing takes far more than talent to be great. One most also possess courage to be at the top of her craft. At least that's the takeaway from the essay "You Are the Second Person" by Kiese Laymon. Laymon is identified as an essayist and novelist but a few paragraphs into "You Are the Second Person" you begin to realize those aren’t just his job titles, he’s the embodiment of those skills. Prior to reading his essay, the definition of hack eluded me. Now I know it identifies someone who eschews writing for expression and instead kowtows to a publisher for a check. Check out Guernica Magazine and "You're Are the Second Person"

Why White Folks Love Hidden Figures by BAR editor and columnist Dr. Marsha Adebayo “It’s a feel good movie that demonstrates that even during one of the vilest and most racist periods of American history white saviors rose to the occasion.”

Angela Bassett visits the Ilê Aiyê headquarters and dances alongside Taís Araujo Actresses are in the capital of Bahia for the Liberatum Festival By gshow Angela Bassett and Taís Araujo visit Ilê Aiyê — Photo: Lucas Ramos/Brazil News Confirmed presence at the Liberatum Festival starting on Friday (3), in Salvador, Bahia, actress Angela Bassett is already enjoying the capital of Bahia. On the afternoon of this Thursday (2), she visited the headquarters of the Ilê Aiyê Afro bloc, met those responsible for the cultural group and was symbolically crowned. Furthermore, he had fun alongside actress Taís Araujo , with whom he danced to the sound of the drums. "It's the most beautiful thing in the world, I've been an admirer of Angela for many years, it's beautiful to meet her, to see her getting to know the culture of Brazil, she's excited, it was very beautiful", said Taís, in a chat with gshow . "A day to never forget! Thank you very much, Salvador. Thank you very much to Ilê Aiyê and Dete Lima for giving me the honor of being dressed by you", she added on Instagram. Angela Basset has fun and dances alongside Taís Araújo- a video is present at the URL linked below Other famous Brazilians are also there, such as actress Luana Xavier, singer Majur and influencer Hugo Gloss. From tomorrow until the 5th, Angela, Taís and all the guests will focus on Liberatum, which acts as an international platform to defend equality, diversity and inclusion and takes place for the first time in Brazil after 13 editions around the world. With free programming and open to the public, anyone who stops by will be able to watch the panels with appearances by great world stars, such as Viola Davis, Angela Bassett and Debbie Harry, and great stars of Brazilian cinema and music, such as Taís Araújo, Seu Jorge and Karol Conká. Angela Bassett visits Ilê Aiyê — Photo: Lucas Ramos/Brazil News Angela Bassett and Majur visit Ilê Aiyê — Photo: Lucas Ramos/Brazil News Angela Bassett visits Ilê Aiyê — Photo: Lucas Ramos/Brazil News URL https://gshow.globo.com/tudo-mais/tv-e-famosos/noticia/angela-basset-visita-a-sede-do-ile-aiye-e-danca-ao-lado-de-tais-araujo.ghtml

Sailor Medusa Birthday Treat For Princess Tranquility characters from Kuroshi-tenshi Kuroshi's Sailor Medusa loves milkshakes so I figured, a great birthday treat for Princess Tranqulity, whom the sailor protects will be a milkshake: a cup and cream like Sailor MEdusa while a cookie in its embrace is like Princess Tranquility. 3D model https://skfb.ly/oKJyp Sailor Medusa Birthday Gift by richardmurray3d on Sketchfab Colored page version https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Adopt-August-2023-Submission-979394363 Coloring page version https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Adopt-August-2023-Bw-979394208 Sailor Medusa side Princess Tranquility https://www.deviantart.com/kuroshi-tenshi/art/Kalfu-s-Moon-Her-first-friend-976229718 Contest from @arcencieldigitalart https://www.deviantart.com/arcencieldigitalart/journal/OPEN-Contest-3D-Art-in-all-it-s-Forms-974532840 I used Figuro to design https://figuro.io/Designer

Artistic Truth I have said constantly that instead of complaining about what others create, just create yourself. But this goes into the realm of the battle between commerciality side creativity in the artistic environment in the fiscal capitalistic world in modernity. While I have always adhered to what my fellow artists said below. I also comprehend the challenge. that he dismisses unfairly. The problem with many people in fiscal capitalism is not that they don't have anything to say, but they want to say something that will generate money ,and that is where the creative is subdued by the statistics of commerce. All know, even if they don't say, to create art from your soul will not provide the highest probability to make money and all artists need money in a fiscal capitalistic world to eat. Nothing is impossible but making money in art is not about the artists but the viewers/listeners/readers. The creative side is controlled by the artists. The commercial side is controlled by the entire scale of financiers : from kings with a commission to the peasant who sees something for free. Create folks but accept that what you create may not be financially profitable, no matter how many people like it.

I.S.D. cup for the I.R.C.L. Tour of Earth. I.S.D. cup for the I.R.C.L. Tour of Earth. by richardmurray3d on Sketchfab Il Sol Depth cup for the champion of the Interplanetary Recycle Craft League Tour of Earth. This is the I.S.D. cup or Il Sol Depth cup for champions of the twenty third Interplanetary Recycle Craft League Tour of Earth. Each element represents something. The base represents the Interstellar Medium, the space outside the Sun's gravitational power. The golden-esque cup looking like dust/gas is the Heliosphere, yes the sphere of the sun, created by the sun which the solar system we live in exist in. I chose the color for the effect. The greyish spirals above is an interpretation of the Heliospheric current, which is shaped like an archemides spiral but after hours and hours and some lost attempts:) I just went for spiral rings. One day I may upload the sketches. In the center is the sun and the planets from mercury to Jupiter are present at top. And yes, it can be used as a sipping cup. At the bottom is a small indentation representing the milkyway. The eye where our sun resides. Sketchfab URL: https://skfb.ly/oGJuE Still image : https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/I-S-D-cup-for-the-I-R-C-L-Tour-of-Earth-960470478 The trophy was made for @arcencieldigitalart 3D art contest https://www.deviantart.com/arcencieldigitalart/journal/Contest-3D-Art-in-all-it-s-forms-956559237 The story the trophy is for is the following https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/The-Final-Distance-Of-The-Twenty-Third-I-R-C-L-To-947551245 The story was made for the promoting positivity challenge from @rtnightmare https://www.deviantart.com/rtnightmare/journal/Promoting-Positivity-December-Challenge-937526879 It was because of @moonbeam13 I learned of the contest so consider following her folks https://www.deviantart.com/moonbeam13/status-update/ArcencielDigitalArt-is-hosting-a-new-956762859 image aided in use https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliosphere#/media/File:PIA22835-VoyagerProgram&Heliosphere-Chart-20181210.png https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way#/media/File:UGC_12158.jpg I used Figuro to create https://figuro.io/Designer and Sketchfab to display https://sketchfab.com/richardmurray3d

The photo above refers to the idea of Hip Hop turning 50 in the Bronx. A museum will be erected and celebrations across the city will be made. well in my view, what people call hip hop is merely a continuation of the Black poetic culture in the 1950s and 1960s which spoke more to black empowerment/africa that itself was born from earlier decades like langston hughes which you see in harlem's last poets. Mixed with the experimentation that black disk jockey's had started significantly earlier. And even the global exposure is merely continuation. If you look at Gospel then the Blues, then Jazz and then the Motown Sound<itself a version of rhythm and blues> you can see how each became more and more profitable in foreign shores. Hip Hop merely continued the long tradition in the music industry of the USA of exporting a style of Black music. .... For me, one of the tragedies of musical history is how it is presented by those in power more segmented than it is. Again, Rock & Roll is merely a variation of Rhythm and Blues which itself is a variation of the Blues. In the same way that Baroque/Classical/Oriental music in European Music is merely just versions of European Orchestral music. What I find changes more than music is the culture of people. And that is where the Bronx comes in. All the parts of hip hop were in harlem in the 1960s, but Harlem has a long musical tradition whereas the bronx was mostly white. So when the Black people from the south combined with the black folk from the carribean , immigration act in the 1960s who also combined with the white/mulatto/negra latinos, you created a multiphenotypical while also multicultural group of people who represented the future of NYC and regions of the USA. A plurality majority culturally is what Hip Hop allowed the USA to present to the humanity outside and it stunned the humanity outside who was used to Black music, but it was never attached to a culturally fluid identity like the hip hopers. Country music, which is merely white versions of the Blues mixed with european peasant music. or JAzz music which is secular southern Black music with metal instruments , ala the new orleans connection, are both very popular outside the USA but are culturally more rigid. While the Hip hoppers have an everybody's welcome attitude for the most part, that connects to the USA's reality after the immigration act of the 1960s. When Jennifer Lopez a child of the Bronx in the era of hip hoppers wanted to headline a motown show. Black people booed her and the show . why? back to my point. The key to Hip Hopers isn't their music. Everything Hip Hopers did musically you can find in Black music or music by Black people in the USA before the 1970s. Phyllis Wheatley through the last poets is the poetry. The Ragtimers through to the experimental jazz is the extreme improvisation. The Blues or its derivatives: rhythm and blues and rock and roll make up the rest. But culturally, the Hip Hoppers at their core were welcoming to all. All they wanted in return was respect. Whereas the last poets were against inviting blancos <white latinos> or white asians or white jews the Hip Hoppers welcomed all. And even that ties to the History of those whose appearance is given the text label black. Frederick Douglass to MLK jr's philosophies is embedded in Hip Hoppers aracial view. If you give the hip hopper respect, they give it to you. Content of character not color of skin. And to that end, I wonder... but anyway, congratulations to the black folk involved.

Here is the application https://www.carverbank.com/assets/files/sH4xAGTG To Apply use the following link https://www.carverbank.com/Competition The following is the application in images

Title: One day a nigger one day a nigger caught in his hand a little star no bigger than not to understand "i'll never let you go until you've made me white" so she did and now stars shine at night author: e e cummings Book: XAIPE page 24 Title: (tonight (tonight in nigger street the snow is perfectly falling, the noiselessly snow is sexually fingering the uttery asleep houses) The brite snow likes niggers. it dozes prettily on unsafe reefs and dangerous stairs. It kisses a trillion times beautifully the sagging unlighted filth, within - which black bodies clutch and cuddle (i dreamed God took away the world, when the niggers were asleep and threw it into Hell and the white and the brown and the yellow people all turned suddenly black but God looked down and the niggers were laughing at Him. And He laughed Himself and told the snow "I want you to go down into nigger street, and put that fire out because I have called off The Last Day.") ONE Bif - -fing street-lamp and I are watching, in the perfect noiselessly air which is falling, with kissing bright sexual fingers fingering the utterly asleep street the brite snow likes niggers author: e e cummings in correspondence between scofield thayer side himself https://www.theawl.com/2011/05/a-lost-e-e-cummings-poem-discovered/

May your spirit fly high Nichelle Nichols Uhura LINK Uhura tuning Vulcan lute LINK Uhura singing beyond Antares LINK Bill Russell's spirit flew as well, the most honest Black basketball in media ever on coaching LINK on Black Youth LINK I PAraphrase Bill russell, use the link above to verify or read the whole"You have guys who have been pampered for 10-15 years. So you can't say this is an example. Or this is an average guy. Most athletes, my self included, are self centered. Maybe psychologically that is why we plays sports, but it is not normal. ... If i am going to go into Harlem, and go to a play ground and say to kids, if you work hard you can do the same thing I did, that would be a lie. That would be unfair to myself and unfair to the kids. I can say to the kids, do your best and fight it everyday. But to say I am an example of the greatness of the country, that is not true. If I am going to be honest to myself, I am an exception and have treated as an exception for years and years. The problem is I am only treated as an exception in certain areas. "

The Wild Seeds Writers Retreat for Writers of Color (formerly the North Country Institute & Retreat for Writers of Color), is a collaboration with the Center for Black Literature, the English Department at SUNY, Plattsburgh, and the Paden Institute and Retreat for Writers. It provides a writing community where established and emerging writers of color can focus on the craft of writing and create cross-cultural conversations around the literature created by writers of the African diaspora. Writing fellows have an opportunity to draw upon their experiences as writers in a racialized society; to become knowledgeable about the issues facing other writers of color; and to study with a professional in the genres of fiction, memoir, and poetry. Recognizing that the Writers Retreat should not be limited to a specific geographical region, the Center renamed the Retreat in honor of Octavia E. Butler, a speculative fiction writer known globally for blending science fiction with African American spiritualism. Butler's writing crossed many boundaries and represented varying diverse voices. The Goal The Retreat strives to provide writers of color with an opportunity to meet other writers; to workshop their writing among peers; and to engage with published writers about concerns and issues related to writing and publishing. Through its writing workshops leaders, the Retreat provides the public with an opportunity to become knowledgeable about the range and diversity of the work produced by writers of color. A Look Back The first Writers' Retreat, held in 2004, was highly successful and featured the internationally acclaimed poet Sonia Sanchez, author Tony Medina, and writer Indira Ganesan. Subsequent faculty workshop leaders have been nonfiction writer Patrice Gaines; poets Martin Espada, E. Ethelbert Miller, Aracelis Girmay, and Patricia Spears Jones; and writers Jeffery Renard Allen, Marita Golden, Victor LaValle, and Bernice McFadden, among many others. Typically, the Retreat alternates between the Valcour Educational and Conference Center in Plattsburgh, New York, and the campus of Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. Venues are subject to change. NEW LOCATION for SUMMER 2022 The new location for the Retreat will be determined soon. It will be a scenic location Upstate New York as in previous years. As of early April 2022, the summer retreat will no longer be held at SUNY, New Paltz (The State University of New York, New Paltz) as previously announced. Previous Poetry, Fiction, and Playwriting Workshop Leaders Jeffery Renard Allen Mo Beasley Martin Espada Patrice Gaines Indira Ganesan Aracelis Girmay Marita Golden Tonya Cherie Hegamin Donna Hill Major Jackson Sandra Jackson-Opoku Patricia Spears Jones Victor LaValle E. Ethelbert Miller Bernice McFadden Shaun Neblett Greg Pardlo Willie Perdomo Ernesto Quiñonez Sonia Sanchez Ravi Shankar PLEASE NOTE: Applications < https://centerforblackliterature.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WSWR_AppSummer2022_REVISED11April.pdf > are available now. The deadline to apply is Monday, May 16, 2022. The cost of the Retreat is $600 and there is a one-time non-refundable $25 application fee. Scholarships are made available only when sponsorship gifts permit and are not necessarily applicable for each Retreat. Please direct inquiries to Director of Literary Programs Clarence V. Reynolds at reynolds@centerforblackliterature.org

Mel Hopkins < https://aalbc.com/tc/profile/18-mel-hopkins/ > said on the post < https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/8495-what-do-you-want-out-of-life/ > Mel Hopkins said: To know what purpose the human species serves. It appears every other species are caretakers of this planet - and accomplishes their role in the ecosystem. I'd like to know the human's purpose. Click and drag to move MY REPLY the purpose of the human species in relation to earth is like all other children of earth, to live on earth. The great problem with humans is the idea that earth can be killed by humans, it can't. If all the nuclear bombs went off and tons of pollution was made, the earth will not die. Many children of earth will die, but not the earth. The earth, like any lifeform, will heal itself. IT will take the earth a while but it will eventually.

Brooklyn’s Lost Black City Of Weeksville: A Hidden Gem Of Pre-Civil War Black Excellence Tucked away deep inside the history of one of New York City’s most famous boroughs is the extraordinary story of a little town called ‘Weeksville’. Bilal G. Morris Written By Bilal G. Morris Posted January 17, 2022 Many of our stories of Black Excellence are buried beneath the sands of time, never to truly be uncovered. But history leaves breadcrumbs, and if you follow them, you’re bound to find an amazing story. Tucked away deep inside the history of one of New York City’s most famous boroughs is the extraordinary story of a little town called ‘Weeksville’. When we think of slavery we don’t usually think of New York, but the state didn’t end the practice until 1827. In 1801, Kings County, which today is known as the borough of Brooklyn, was still primarily under Dutch rule. More than one-quarter of the inhabitants were Black slaves. Nearly 60% of households in Kings County were slave owners. Slavery in Brooklyn was vastly different than the plantation-style slavery adopted by southern whites. It was more ingrained into the northern culture and economy. Families usually owned a smaller number of slaves and the slaves usually lived in the same house as their owners. Families who did not own slaves would regularly rent them from their neighbors. Although slavery was on its way out in New York, it was a way of life for thousands of Blacks who called Brooklyn their home. By 1820 there were just 518 slaves in New York City and a thriving free Black population of over 10,000. But in Kings County, there were 879 slaves, almost the same amount as free Blacks in the county. During The Panic of 1837 wealthy white landowners began liquidating their holdings in fear of losing money on their assets and properties. Smart and savvy free Black men saw this as an opportunity and began to buy plots of land from wealthy whites who would sell. In 1837 The Abolitionist and Black community leader Henry C. Thompson purchased 32 lots from wealthy Brooklynite John Lefferts. The Lefferts family estate was comprised of most of what is now known as Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. A year later, Thompson would begin to sell the lots to free Blacks in Brooklyn, selling two of the lots to James Weeks a longshoreman with a vision of a self-sufficient Black community hidden within the slopes and valleys of Bedford Hills, secluded from the rest of Brooklyn. The seclusion would not only keep the town’s residents safe from the white and dangerous world around them but would also grant them the freedoms to build a self-sufficient community with education at the forefront. By The 1850s Weeksville was home to more than 550 free Black People. It was the second-largest free Black community in Antebellum America. The town had one of the highest property and business ownership rates for any Black community in the country. Weeksville was steeped in Black American history. The town’s school, Colored School No. 2, would eventually become PS 68, which after the Civil War would become the first integrated school in America. Weeksville was also home to the nation’s first Black newspaper the ‘Freedman’s Torchlight. Susan Smith McKinney Steward, the first Black female doctor in the state of New York was a resident of Weeksville. Her sister, Sarah Smith Tompkins Garnet was Brooklyn’s first female school principal. Sarah Smith would also found the Equal Suffrage League of Brooklyn, the first suffrage organization for Black women in the nation’s history. Along with economic prosperity, Weeksville also brought political opportunities for Blacks who had been strategically kept out of the process. In 1821 there was a $250 property requirement for Black men to vote. Establishing land in Weeksville gave Black men the opportunity to vote in elections they hadn’t been privy to in the past. The community thrived and continued to grow throughout the 19th century, but Brooklyn was growing and would soon swallow Weeksville whole. By the 1880s, Weeksville was secluded no more and the Eastern Parkway was built leaving residents not much choice but to leave. By the 20th century, the town was nothing more than a memory. But history has its breadcrumbs and if you take the time to follow them you can create a way to keep that history alive forever. In 1968, Pratt researchers found remnants of the lost city while flying over Brooklyn in an airplane. They located four homes on Hunterfly Road, which were the only homes left from the original town of Weeksville. In 1970, the Hunterfly Road Houses were designated New York City Landmarks and in 1971, all four houses were added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005 The Weeksville Heritage Center was created, which offers tours of the homes, as well as public programs and exhibits to learn more about the history of Weeksville. Thankfully, what was left of this pioneering small town will be preserved so that future generations can see that Black Excellence is sprinkled all over American history. MY THOUGHTS Black people whose forebears were enslaved in the American continent <canada to argentina> have a challenge in finding positive little towns where black people were happy but the reason why is against the theme of the article. the reason why shows how many black people were enslaved. The question is simple, do those black people whose forebears were enslaved focus on the majority of black people who were miserable/in pain , or do they focus on the one percent of the population of blacks who lived happy with a level of freedom whill ninety nine percent of black people were in living hell? Another interesting thing in media, when black people compose articles, why can't we say whites. The article writer used the word families, as if families could had been black/white/ or other. WHite families loaned Enslaved blacks. The aphenotypical linguistic or literary choices from black people in usa based media explains a lot. Black American, Black being a phenotypical range, American being of the American continent <canada to argentina> , history is part indegenous/part enslaved/part european invader/part modern global economy immigrant But for the most part the history of Black people in the white europan imperial age of the american continent is negative. That negativity shouldn't yield happiness in the hearts or minds of black people. The only solution to lessening that negativity isn't a battle of philosophy or opinions, it is collective results, successful group actions, and the absence of successful collective results or group actions is the source of the continuance of anger/hatred/bitterness in the black american village. So , what have you created with other black people most recently? ARTICLE https://newsone.com/4277359/weeksville-black-town-brooklyn/

My Entry for the Werewolf your pet is LINKED below, above is the invitational image OCTOWOLF! ITS A WOLF THAT'S AN OCTOPUS Submission https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-Page1-896626596?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635745388 Gif Comic https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-gifcomic-896630322 Comic Pages PAGES Page 1 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-Page1-896626596?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635745388 PAge 2 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-Page2-896627148?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635745711 PAge 3 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page3-896627414?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635745938 Page 4 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page4-896627719?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635746173 Page 5 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page5-896627980?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635746398 Page 6 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page6-896628158?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635746603 Page 7 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page7-896628399?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635746851 Page 8 https://www.deviantart.com/hddeviant/art/Theendof-octowolf-page8-896628713?ga_submit_new=10%3A1635747164

https://twitter.com/Hardcore888/status/1437089180090314752?s=04

Enjoy Let's Groove together this holiday season and all year long. Brought to you by VisitDetroit.com Follow-us on Facebook to stay up to date on all things Detroit! https://www.facebook.com/VisitDetroit *** ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE (Detroit’s Tribute to The Funk) Original song by Funkadelic was released in1978 by Warner Bros. Songwriters: George Clinton Jr., Walter Morrison and Garry Shider. Published by Bridgeport Music, Inc. BMI Performed by The Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences Choir ft. King Bethel and Anaiya Hall DAAS choir includes: Sincere Austin, Ireland Bradley, Kyndall Bouldin, Drie Boyd, Alonzo Dock, Aniya Elkins, Taylor Glover, Morgann Hicks, Ari'Onah Jackson, Precious Jackson, Jeremiah Johnson, Tania Kato, Lucinda Liggions, Brionna Mahone, DeShawn Marks, Akeylah Mason, Charles McLean, Lillyan Orr-Mercer, Jessie Miller, Joslyn Mosley, Marcus Parker, Brandon Payton, Aja Ross, Aianya Smith, Ashanti Wade, Alanah Wingfield, Rian Woods Choir Direction by Angela Kee Dr. Ras Mikey C, Director of Choreography Also featuring: Chi Amen-Ra, Percussion Efe Bes, Percussion Duminie Deporres, Guitar Amp Fiddler, Synthesizer Larry Fratangelo, Percussion LaShawn D. Gary, Keys & Key Bass Eric “Rain Man” Gaston, Drums Video presented by VisitDetroit.Com and the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive producer, director and editor, Bill Bowen, Octane Design Co-produced by Mike Ellison, AddisDetroit Song produced and arranged by Mike Ellison and LaShawn D. Gary Spoken word written by Mike Ellison Recorded at the Tempermill in Ferndale, MI Sound engineers Tony Hamera and Jake Shives Mixed by Carlos Gunn, Masterpiece Sound Studios Mastered by Danny Leake, Urban Guerrilla Engineers Directors of photography: Andrew Stefanik, Iron Coast and Myron Watkins II Cameras: Ed Knight and Scott West It takes a village. Thanks to these people for their help. All the parents of these beautiful children for allowing their kids to be at the various locations for filming. Talent coordination by Ann Delisi, AddisDetroit Interpretive performer, Dr. Ras Mikey C Appearance by B-Boy, Haleem “Stringz” Rasul Armen Boladian, Bridgeport Music, Inc. Scott L. Guy, The Riviera Group Management Crystal McMahon, DMCVB PM, Christine Ribusovski, Octane Design And anyone we may have missed : ) Special thanks to these locations/organizations: Capoeira Mandinga Detroit Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History Detroit Institute of Art Downtown Detroit Partnership (Capitol Park and Cadillac Square) Eastern Market Guardian Building Great Lakes Crossing Outlets The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (Rosa Parks bus) The Majestic Theatre MOCAD Motown Museum Narrow Way Cafe QLINE The Riverfront Conservancy Royal Transportation Co. Yum Village Image of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic performing in Waterfront Park, Louisville, Kentucky on July 4th, 2008 by JMSchneid. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. See why you can't stop Detroit at VisitDetroit.com #ItsGoTimeDetroit

A Moment Or A Movement? Black Bookstore Owners On Business One Year Later On the day George Floyd was murdered — Monday, May 25, 2020 — there weren't any books exclusively tackling white privilege, anti-Blackness, or policing on the New York Times' Best Sellers list. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo was the only book to break through the week of May 31, but by June 21, almost 70% of the Times' Best Seller list confronted race. With the sale of print books rising just over 8% and all unit sales of books surpassing 750 million, Black bookstores would play an integral role in feeding the nation's "sudden" appetite in the plight of Black people. Black bookstore owners like VaLinda Miller of Turning Page Bookshop in Goose Creek, S.C., can attest to the book boom. "It was crazy and extremely overwhelming. And I had to hire some more staff members just to mail out the books," Miller says. From June through August, Miller says they "were getting [anywhere] from 100 to 200 to 300 orders a day." Even though anti-Blackness is an indiscriminate system that pays little attention to borders, Miller was especially shocked by the international shipping addresses. "About 70% of my customers were from the United States... [but] I was surprised I got so many people from Brazil and Venezuela and so many other foreign countries," Miller says. She called the surge "unbelievable," and that word resonates twofold for Miller, who had to close her first bookstore, The BookSmith, after only a few years when "people weren't interested" in what she had to offer." After Miller reopened in June of 2019, she learned from this and took on a different approach when engaging this past summer's burgeoning readers. She prodded customers to buy a book from their favorite genre in addition to the book on race that they were solemnly after. Miller vividly recounts an instance where an elderly white man entered her store looking for White Fragility. "He said 'My wife told me to come in here and buy a book by a Black author so I can support a Black-owned bookstore,' " Miller says. Her store is the only Black-owned, brick-and-mortar bookstore in the state. "I want you to support my store," she remembers saying, "but if you're going to buy this book, especially considering what's going on, I need you to also buy another book because I know what you're going to do. You're going to take this book home, put it down, and read the other book," Miller says. A few months later, this same gentleman stopped by Turning Page Bookstore to confess that he did exactly that. In other places across the country, Black bookstore owners saw new customers who were engaging in anti-racist reading. Derrick Young, one of the co-owners of Mahogany Books in Southeast Washington, D.C., where the population is more than 90% Black, says he noticed more white customers coming to shop in his store. "We're definitely seeing more people who seem like they're really willing to do the work; we see people who aren't just picking up notable bestsellers like White Fragility," he says. Young is able to gauge those willing to "do the work" based on the books they're asking for. He believes it's indicative of where that person is on their journey. "We see people who are coming in to buy books like Chocolate City from us, or Medical Apartheid," Young says. "Books that are a little bit more specific and dealing with issues that we've been talking about for a long time that create issues of equity in our communities." Young says that his store, which was recently nominated for Bookstore of the Year, has seen some patron attrition, but admits that was inevitable. He isn't discouraged; he's moved by the continued growth of readers who keep coming back. "They're coming back not just to purchase books around Black people, but we now have people who are purchasing books specifically about women issues, about LGBTQ issues," Young says. "So, you know, it is really good to see that people are sticking around and trying to do the reading necessary to really open up their minds." La'Nae Robinson, co-owner of Bliss Books & Wine in Kansas City, Mo., saw something similar in her customers. "They were forming some of their own book clubs and reading groups and they were looking for recommendations," she says. "They wanted us to help facilitate." These facilitated conversations led to a bevy of questions. "Like 'I really didn't understand everything that was going on, but now that I do know, how do I learn more?' And 'What do I do with the information that I have now?' " Robinson recalls. Bliss Books & Wine made these conversations more immediate to Kansas City and started virtual book conversation with local authors. Robinson believes this is how her bookstore was able to retain some customers who may have stopped by once or twice just to say they supported a Black bookstore and bought an anti-racist book. "I think it allowed us to bring in those new customers and then introduce them to new books and some of the classics — some of the ones that were more known within the Black community, but not necessarily mainstream or within the white community," she says. While print book sales are still surging, the Black bookstore owners who spoke to NPR say sales are down for them when compared to last summer, when they were handling 100-300 orders per day. Some of the books purchased at the apex of last summer's protests were never finished. And there are no longer legions of protesters marching for accountability for consecutive days, despite their personal feelings toward the Black Lives Matter global network. Measuring America's progress on race relations one year after a video of George Floyd's murder at the hands of former police officer Derek Chauvin went viral is both premature and inconclusive. However, if last year's book boom on all things white privilege and anti-racism is a litmus test, then, at least in theory, Americans are intrigued at understanding racism and its byproducts. photo citation Derrick Young, co-owner of Mahogany Books in Washington, D.C., says his store has seen new customers in the last year who seem to be "willing to do the work" to educate themselves on issues of race in America. Bonnie Jo Mount/Getty Images La'Nesha Frazier and La'Nae Robinson own Bliss Books & Wine in Kansas City, Mo. Robinson says that even though readers might have initially come in "to check the box," overall they've retained new customers. Courtesy Bliss Books & Wine Article link https://www.npr.org/2021/05/26/999956694/a-moment-or-a-movement-black-bookstore-owners-on-business-one-year-later Welcome to the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition! Or the spussfic, as we like to call it around here. What in the world is the SPSFC? It’s an opportunity to shine a great big laser beam on wonderful works of self-pubbed science fiction. Some rules for admission 1) Your book must be a standalone or the first in a series. 2) One book per author. So send your best! 3) It must be a novel, not an anthology. 4) The book must be self-published and available for purchase now. 5) Works must be at least 50,000 words. Contest link https://hughhowey.com/the-spsfc-begins/ Referral https://kobowritinglife.com/2021/05/29/a-wattpad-imprint-emily-bronte-poetry-and-a-steinbeck-werewolf-novel-this-week-in-book-news/

Not so fast: Prolific Black Authors left out of a soon-to-be-published book of writers covering the past 2500 years. The Guardian reports with too Black voices missing from the nearly 750 page book, a major US publisher cancels publication. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/16/whos-missing-top-author-stirs-anger-with-too-white-history

Happy Easter Photostory tumblr https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-good-news-blog-stories-through-a-year/?tab=comments#comment-892 Photostory deviantart https://aalbc.com/tc/blogs/entry/261-good-news-blog-stories-through-a-year/?tab=comments#comment-893

yesterday was the anniversary of the first time a us president lived in washington d.c. and that president was... john adams:) Today is the greatest elongation between mercury and the sun, that means today mercury will appear farthest from the sky than any time after until the next greatest elongation Tomorrow is a lunar penumbral eclipse. MEaning the moon will go across the penumbral which is where the light of the sun is refracted off the side of the earth, not the umbral where the sunlight is blocked by the earth. It is also a strawberry full moon, a better word I think is totluc moon meaning total light moon. The moon is always full. Where as the %paraluc moon can be for the other phases of the moon outside the new moon , which is more appropriately anluc meaning no light. It is called a strawberry moon based on the habit of algonquin's , a native people that used to live where the midatlantic states in the usa reside, who will pick strawberry's around this time of year. It is also the roman catholic st bonafice day who is known as the patron saint of the germans. As well as an Ember day for the Latin Catholics, so be ready to fast you latins.

HOLD ONTO LOVE. Shit happens — no need to immortalize it. If you survive it, internalize what's left. LOVE. Happy Valentine's Day.

Hi doll! Miss you.

Greetings Everyone and Happy 2020' I am feeling energized by what is still yet to come for me and continuing my journey. I recently went out to perform and it felt great being appreciated by the crowd. Here is a little clip of me. Peace! https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=37701fd47c&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a:r172384196585482943&th=16fa897786429dd7&view=att&disp=safe&realattid=16fa896ea276ea0d9b71

The art of lying:) from #Omarosa enjoy what is the lesson concerning the fury from black folk that lick white people's balls or the lies we tell, for she is trying to bring down the, i quote her, the most powerful man in the universe, and she has the audiotapes to try https://photos.app.goo.gl/G9RxaEaqCzGNepML9

The Cooking Gene by Culinary Historian Michael W. Twitty is The 2018 James Beard Award (non-cookbook) winner and as much as I can't stand awards I have to give them a second look now because without hearing that Twitty won the award I would not have heard of this book - which I now absolutely must have on my bookshelf. I love to cook but I especially love to cook the foods that are indigenous to my family. Anyway, I found this interview from Mr. Twitty and African Ancestry's co-founder Dr. Gina Paige and it too is delightful!!!

From ~ The Problem of Identifying Ourselves Based Upon Whites' Concept of Race Mel Hopkins replied to Troy's topic in Culture, Race & Economy

Jesus said unto him "Thou shalt love the Lord thy G-d with all thy heart, and with all ... 39 And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." #Greatestcommandment #relationshipgoals Nah, I’d rather you love me better. It seems most of Y’all don't love yourself all that well. ~Thanks.

"Life is the sum of your choices"

Before digital social networks and social media, I used to keep a scrapbook for all the news stories I found interesting - here's one such article : Pioneer Aviator Bessie Coleman in this 1920s photos was the world's first black female aviator. She was licensed in 1921

Data Scientist: Trillions! African-Americans Spend as Much as Australia “We have the intention and the power as influencers to drive change where it strikes fear in this system – the revenue stream. We watch 40% more television than any other group of people. 95% of us tune into a radio station at least once a week. We make more trips to the grocery store than any other consumer segment — We spend 1.3 trillion dollars every single year. That’s what Australia spends.” Grace Pearson-McNeil added that “although the buying power of Blacks speak volumes and worthy of pursuit, brands still don’t allocate funds proportionately.” http://theleadstory.org/data-scientist-trillions-african-americans-spend-as-much-as-australia/

OCEAN'S 8 Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' all female Caper Heist flick Music Superstar Rihanna is coming to a big screen near you. She is set to join a group of A-list Film, Television and Web actresses in the updated Ocean's 8 caper heist flick set in New York City. Ocean's 8 expected release June 8, 2018 Photo Credit: Barry Wetcher

"Severed", A Novel, is a crime thriller and an entertaining whodunit but I recommend it as a self-help book in my commentary "Severed", A Novel | A Black Woman's Burden Short Synopsis | Severed, a Novel "Someone is a few digits short of a hand in Nakadee, Louisiana. What’s worse, someone may be torturing and holding the finger-less victim captive in this small river town. Head of Nakadee Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit Captain Nate Padgett enlists the help of Forensic Anthropologist Lula Logan, PhD whom he feels he can trust since she’s having an affair with his direct report Junior Detective Devon Lemonde. Padgett needs Logan to find out if the victim is still among the living. Dead or Alive means the difference between a local investigation or handing it over to the Feds. Meanwhile Dr. Logan has her own project underway. She’s in town to work on research project that will tell the story of the enslaved Africans who revolted against their captors in 1830 on a former plantation. Dr. Logan has her finger on the pulse of present missing fingers case and that of the enslaved Africans of the past …the question remains, however, which case will be her undoing."

#BlackMindsBlackPower Cassie Owens, writer, links to AALBC's list of Black Bookstores in this ode to one of the last two Philadelphia black bookstores,Black and Nobel" Black and Nobel is opened 7 days a week and according to its owner Hakim Hopkins " “Health and wellness keeps us open,” “but the books are a foundation — everybody knows us as ‘the bookstore.’” If a bookstore were a tourist destination it would be "Black and Nobel". This article gives the bookstore a feel of a popular haunt for both residents and visitors alike.

Robinne Lee, Actor, who stars in 50 Shades Darker, that opened this month on the 10th, is scheduled to release her debut novel "The Idea of You" June 2017 . The synopsis reads a bit like a scandalous love affair between a popular boy band member and an single mom art gallery owner almost 20 years his senior... Normally, I don't read romance but this one appeals to me because it's feels like a mix between "Beyond the Lights" and "How Stella Got her Groove back ' - Don't want to plug another website but Lee's publisher St. Martin's Griffin is hosting a book giveaway... If I win; look for my review!

SoulJourn: "Celebrating Black Women Filmmakers" "On the occasion of the recent restoration and re-release of Julie Dash’s 1991 masterpiece Daughters of the Dust, BAMcinématek celebrates the black women directors who blazed the trail for that landmark film. The filmmakers represented in this series all worked far outside the mainstream, often with limited resources, overcoming a historically hostile system in order to tell their stories on screen. Taken together, their work represents a rich history of long-undervalued independent filmmaking. “One Way or Another” is co-programmed by BAMcinématek’s Nellie Killian and Michelle Materre; founder, host-producer, Creatively Speaking Film Series; Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film at The New School." Source: 'One Way or Another: Black Women's Cinema, 1970–1991'BAMcinématekFebruary 3–23, 2017

SoulJourn: "Not all Blacks in America were enslaved but laws enacted against their freedom haven't changed since colonial times. Source: The Black North: A Social Study by &nbsp;William Edward Burghardt Du Bois &nbsp;November 17, 1901

Status: Agitated As humans our default mode is happy. It may be hard to tell but we are a community-oriented species... Just watch us when shit hits the fan and you'll see our true nature. We come together with one mission - "to make everyone whole again". Yet, there are forces in this world that prefer we stay agitated. Upgrade: remaining agitated eventually leads to submission. Today's MISSION: Shine bright like the Sun!

Wanted: Information on "Free Negro" a British Legal status for those never enslaved in America but reemerged on the Americas as early as 1513... Also, looking for black female polymaths from baby boomers, generation x, y, millennials even budding polymaths. Polymaths are defined for this purpose as those who know a lot, can do a lot and have a body of peer-reviewed work and accomplishments in varied areas. Thank you!

As we head into Black history month 2017 I hope to find out more and report on the under-told story of "free negro" - A British legal status referring to black people in early America who were not nor were ever slaves. If anyone has any info know that I welcome all tips!

Have you heard of Jelly? It's a Q & A social media platform. I answered this question " I need new shoes for walking/jogging long distance. My biggest issue is that I have a men's size 16 shoe. Any tips on a brand?" I linked to your FAQ on your site about 15 and up-personal shopping and my answer was helpful. Not sure if you're on Jelly but with your expertise in shoes - I think you'd do well there too!

"Black people don't do this that", "Black people boycott", Black people protest" is so reactionary, so yesterday, My word of today is ACTUATE: From the latin word "Actus" to medieval latin "Actuare", "Actuat" to carry out in practice; to stir into activity; enliven! Let's GO!