Troy

This prize has been awarded and I felt good about the person who won. Here is a note that she shared with me when I asked if she would send me her photo: "Also, I would be honored to take a photo with the book, and I would like to share it with my 93-year-old grandmother as well. And I will also ensure that her picture is taken with it too. This is such an honor. Next month, my mother and I are flying to Washington, DC, to hear Mrs. Obama on her new tour. This is so exciting. " Only 127 raffles were purchased of those who purchased raffles two people brought 30 raffles each -- those two had, almost, a 50% chance of winning -- which is not a bad chance considering other copies of the book are going $800 or more on the secondary markets.

The "short lady," Crystal Hudson, is a Brooklyn Borough Council member, along with the brother on the other side presented me with the Proclamation. We are not related.

A Jubilant Time Indeed at the Center for Black Literature’s 20th Anniversary! “It’s terrific to see so many friends and what really feels like family!” said Johnson. “It’s always a great thing to be honored by the people you’re really trying to serve. It’s been almost 25 years to the day––October of 1997––that I started, and I would never have thought it would be my livelihood. And being honored for it is just unimaginable!”

Actually Gravey was quite successful it was not for a lack of black support but racists who did everything to foil his plans ultimately throwing him out the country. Considering his time, before mass media, his UNIA, which is still in operation, was prodigious and unprecedented.

Congrats @Milton https://aalbc.com/books/bookinfo.php?isbn13=9798985733631

True, and imagine if everyone did this. Love did work. Hate is what causes all the misery.

@Pioneer1 we do have choices man; some are not practical or realistic. some choices are down right stupid. i can decide i want to be a professional basketball player but that would not be very smart. That does not mean the system is bad or that i’m being held back Given our skills and the environment some choices are better than others. the ones we make are up to us. That is the benefit of living in a relatively free capitalistic country. It is also the downside as many of us will simply make bad choices.

it written down. It wouldn’t take to much searching; the Internet is full of stuff related to sex. but how do you know it wasn't practiced? Humans have been around a long time… Is missionary the only form of sexual engagement you approve of?

Yes, absolutely. Of course your choices are restricted to your ability, but not that involuntary servitude is over, opportunities are more abundant than ever — despite the imperfections you mentioned and that I had previously acknowledged. Plus everything else @ProfD wrote.

Yes, people have the power to choose what they do. Absolutely, but giving us the choice of where we live. Most of the inadequacies of capitalism occur because we practice a perverted form of rife with racism, cronyism, and greed.

…And who decides what is “worth” contributing and who gets to to do it. Capitalism does a better job of handing these decisions, making them largely the choice of the individual. there will always be laggards any system will have to account for and presumably care for them.

I read that Black Panther’s Dora Milaje regiment was inspired by the Dahome’s Agojie. No one threatened to boycott Black Panther yet this Twitter-conjured controversy is leveled against The Woman King. Why? Who cares why Lupita did not do the film? I have not read where she is asking people to boycott the film. This social media fueled controversy only serves the owners Twitter not Black people. Boycott Twitter not The Woman Kin 🙂

yes when they fail to get into Harvard. 😉 Yes generally Black institutions have less resources and are less wealthy than their white counterparts. But this is a self fulfilling prophecy, white people support white business and black people support white businesses. when George Floyd was Murdered my business benefited, for a short time, from a broad base of customers. It was really remarkable to see what was possible.

@Chevdove seems like the Black Diaspora channel would have explained her reasoning, otherwise it sounds like idle gossip to me. Brain cancer from oral sex, girl there would be A LOT of people with cancerous brains running around of that were true 👅 @Dee Miller it is never too late to post a reply, I’ve seen conversation go on for years. you are right about @Pioneer1 I disagree with him often but i have never doubted his love for Black people ✊

Hey @Dee Miller where have you been? Please share your book's ISBN13 here.

I'm glad you made that clarification. A war against white folks, in this country, would include the police forces, the US military, and every racist group you can name, would be suicide. This is obviously true. Pan Africanism is so potentially powerful, but our best and brightest still want to work for a Facebook and Google and live in the west. Look, we view going to Harvard more prestigious than going to Spelman. We view being covered by, or writing for, a white publication better than being covered by or writing for a Black one. We view winning an Academy Award more of an honor that winning an Image Award. Why? We will watch our daily newspapers turn into weekly and go out of business without batting an eye. What was the lasty Black-owned magazine that you've subscribed too? Even if magazines are passe, which web platforms do you support financially? Here is the kicker, once white folks start supporting a Black business then here comes the Black support... Am I wrong?

I agree, but obviously Somebody, though he served a purpose. Clearly that purpose escapes both of us. Perhaps @Pioneer1 will enlighten us Again I think they are just trying to be inclusive because it bring in more revenue. I can remember when there were virtually no Black people on broadcast TV and I sure when they staring having Blacks on TV some white people went crazy too... You do this everyday you walk our your door or turn on a screen. Again, everything you say against the film is meaningless as you have not seen it. Once you see it then we can have a proper conversation about it. Aw come on man, look I'm sure a few white boys tried to stick their penises inside whatever canine were around then, but to suggest that is was a regular practice is outrageous. Hummm where are you getting this information? Oral sex goes back throughout recorded history and in all cultures.

It would be really interesting to heard the terminated brother's side of the story and well as what the boss who canned him have to say about why he was left go. I agree with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad on do for self. But you can't do for self alone.

This is very true, but there has to be some commercial value in that thing you love to do and that is the tricky part. I used to know a guy who billed himself as the "Passion Profit." He used to help people turn their passions into businesses. He believed anything you loved to do could be turned into a business.

Honestly, the difference in the way I was treated and my white peers were treated was the reason I left corporate America. It takes time to learn to play the game and for some it is not worth it. Even after you master it, you may come to realize it is not worth it. It is no different than working any job you dislike until you can qualify for a pension and social security and quit. For many that is the only choice,' It is a blessing to have a job that you actually like and one for which you do not have to sell out or compromise your personal values. Here is another example of a Black woman in publishing who was fired, without notice and apparently without cause. She worked for Amistad (an AALBC sponsor). Amistad was an independent publishing house founded by a Brother until it was purchased by HarperCollins. I share this story here because it publicly shared Twitter. I learned about this when a journalist shared it with me looking for a comment (I had none): https://twitter.com/jbakernyc/status/1569332752889028608

I had not considered the comedic aspect, but making fun of gay dude like that is so politically incorrect I can't imagine that was the reason, but I hear you. Still his character was a minor one an impacts very little on the overall film. The gay dude was not so unbelievable as Voila Davis, a woman in her deep 50s, kicking the killing a bigger mike-tyson-looking male warrior in hand-to-hand combat. The same goes for the prepubescent-looking girl... Still I was able to suspend disbelief, because it was well done. After seeing the film, I think it is more of a positive, than a negative, for Black culture. It is hard to image why Black people would trash the film. Now I can see why white people would do so. The few who were in it were soundly demonized and brutally murdered. @Pioneer1 if you ever actually watch the movie, it would be interesting to see if you are willing soften your harsh critique.

I think t Trump's hypocrisies have already been exposed, but it does not seem to matter to his supporters. Indeed it is a badge of honor given Trump's great successes.

Agreed, while homie was flaming he had a dignity… maybe they were just ticking off another demographic-we-gotta-appeal to box… @ProfD do you believe the film will be nominated for an i Oscar? Do you believe it deserves the accolade?

@Pioneer1 sure, many of our people have an appetite for ridiculous entertainment. But that is not a black thing is all part of our (American) culture. I also believe there is plenty of demand for more serious and intelligent conversation on the web. The problem is Black people generally go to white platforms for this and engage in a there, ala “Black Twitter.” I always start a that we will seek out their platforms, put at the end of the day we desire their validation. We desire the validation because once we have it that is when the wealth and celebrity becomes possible. The truth of the matter is, we don’t need their validation, but we give them the power. And I guess that’s the result of hundreds of years of indoctrination. so if your goal is celebrity and money you go to tictok or Instagram. But if your goal is to actually support black people and our independence on the web you engage and support sites like AALBC. It really is that simple.