Troy

You know, I have to admit the same of true for me too. Despite the fact that I went through a wealth destroying divorce during 45's presidency. 2018 was a record year for AALBC, which was followed about another record year in 2019, and 2020 will be better than 2019! The tax checks were not fun to write, but Trump send be a $1,200 check. I didn't even ask for it (reparations LOL!) The years during the Obama administration were all years of struggle. I did even make any real money on the book they published. I ended up gifting almost as many copies of Michelle Obama's book as I sold. Now is 45 the reason for this? Republicans will say yes and democrats will say no. The question is pretty irrelevant. The site survives because of me busting my ass and because of the support i get from you. Now, if you all are doing better and able to patronize and support AALBC.... part of the reason AALBC can do better is because YOU are doing better. The person stilling in the oval office has little direct impact, outside of the $1,200 payment Trump made -- the first direct payment i ever got from the U.S. Government! It seems 45 has gone out of his way to do things for Black people, letting wrongfully convicted people out of jail and inviting Jim Brown to the White House. I'm sure Obama let some wrongfully convicted Black people out of jail too ... right? Sometimes Black people in power don't do anything to directly support Black people. Sometimes they even take it too far by hurting Black people, just so that they do not appear to be too biased toward Black people. But don't let it be a black and a white one 'Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top Black police showin' out for the white cop --"Fuck tha Police," N.W.A The power white people have is that they don't have to worry about appearing to be biased toward Black people in fact they are usually praised for it.

I work with a book printer, Black Classic Press, in fact I'm a reseller of their services, https://aalbcprintsbooks.com, but I've only had a few clients. There one client I worked with a Brother, Dr. David Covin, who is also a publisher. EVERY business involved with the production of his book (Raisins in Milk), writer, editor, book designer, book cover artist, printer, distributor, publisher, book reviewer, promotion and advertising, and bookseller is Black. In fact, when his book became an AALBC bestseller, he printed AALBC's Bestseller's seal on the book's cover for his second print run! Dr. Covin is not the only author you utilizes Black-owned businesses to produce their books. Imagine, if every indie author did this, rather than giving Amazon all their business? Actually the Black book ecosystem is much stronger outside America. I've work with publishers like African World Press who has offices all over the word. Cassava Republic Press is based in Ghana and the UK. Once of their books In Dependence by Sarah Ladipo Manyika has sold over 3 million copies worldwide. We don't heard about these business and books because we have no significant voice and we do not control the narrative. White folks decide which Black writers are worthy and then every one else, including some Black book sellers follow the white lead. Part of the reason people echo what white folks say is important is because the books that make the bestseller's lists and get the awards are the ones that sell the most and make the most money. It is simple, we must support the business in the black Book Ecosystem, it is the only way our voices will be heard, at least in this country (America). Right now there is a effort to get Big Five publishers to publish more books by Black writers. This is tantamount to asking publishers to produce books that will lose money for them. The books will lose money not because they are not worthy, but book sellers don't have a clue how to sell these books. Sure it is easy to sell Michelle Obama's book or an Anitracist book (right now). How would they sell the upcoming novel from Africa Work Press, Maasai: A Novel of Love, War and Witchcraft in 19th Century East Africa by Elliot Fratkin? ...and that last book was written by a white guy 🙂

@Pioneer1, mentioned, in an off-handed comment on another conversation, a number of prominent Black women with white husbands. While I don't care who people marry, it got me thinking about the number of prominent Black women (non entertainers) who don't chose ADOS husbands. While we celebrate the 1st Black president and Kamala Harris (married a white guy) neither are ADOS. Is this a racist conspiracy against us as Pioneer1 would probably say, or is it a consequence of ADOS being less desirable because we've allowed ourselves to be weakened by our fixating on race, as I believe @daniellegfny would suggest. Candice Owens (married a white guy), in the film Uncle Tom, said Nigerians were more successful for this reason. Are ADOS men, simply inferior stock and less desirable marriage material? Judging by the choices made be smart and successful women one could make the argument... 🤨

Yes she is attractive, but she also looks a lot younger than Michelle or Kamala, so it is not a fair comparison.

Just based upon appearance. She's not the sister in yellow, but I can't judge looking at her head shot. I'm not a fan of that straight-haired wig.

Yep the article mirrors my experience. This may have been the first time I read any media coverage of this. It is interesting, and good that Graassrootz Book and Juice Bar were selected to be highlighted. I never heard of this store before. I just added Graassrootz Book and Juice Bar to AALBC list of Black-owned of bookstores. I first reported seeing a spike in sales of How to Be an Antiracst, on May 31st -- before I even realized what was coming. Within two days I getting a months worth of sales every day. I believe the surge this time spiked far higher than in any period before. Every store owner I talked to saw record levels of sales. Everyone was buying a handful of extremely popular "antiracism" books. This extreme demand for a small number of books actually hurt sales because many of us were unable to get enough copies to fulfill orders. Some Black booksellers believe that large white stores were given prior by distributors for these titles. This would not be surprising because larger bookstores, which are typically white owned, have long term relationships with distributors -- they are often personal friends, so they get preferential treatment. Is this preferential treatment racism? It makes little difference because this kind of thing will never go away, so Black booksellers will always be at a disadvantage. There are Black book sellers but they have to get the books from publishers, and then they have to contend with the same problem. White owned publishing companies providing priority service to the larger white owned-distributors. The privileged afforded white folks is built into the system -- it is institutionalized.

They were not mentioned in the film (that I recall) but I'll add them just for kicks.

Maybe, but in the states that are close voting really matters. Plus, I think knowing the results of the popular vote is useful.

Not really her name is her brand. I would take Michelle Obama over Kamala any day of the weak. To put this into perspective, I find Kamala less appealing than Candice Owens.

@daniellegfny I just posted a review of the documentary film Uncle Tom. Feel free to post your reaction in the comments section.

The thing about the video is you don't have to watch it. You can listen to it while you drive. I completely disagree with not voting in a presidential election, but I don't think people should be forced to do it.

Is that emaciated stick figure a celebrity? I "familiar" with 50ish women who are easily more physically attractive than Mrs. Obama. Michelle is average. Hey going back to the photo you started the conversation with who, as sexist as it this might sound, would you pick first? I'm liking the sister in the far right 😍

I call it your plan cause you are the one who see all this crazy scenarios, that i don't see I don't believe any of your scenarios will come to pass, but you should write a book on your later scenario.

@Pioneer1 you think all women have nice bodies. 😉 Obama does not strike me as shallow I'm sure he was attracted to her mind.

what I mean is that whenever you argument gets weak you start making absolute statement that are impossible to disagree with because you start using AWAYS or NEVER. For example; My position would never assume such a thing. There are cases where a women get with abusive guys because of low self esteem and other issues. So when you make this move by emphasizing words like ALL, NEVER, and ALWAYS it is a desperation move to preempt disagreement.

This newsletter was created by Gwyn Ridenhour, Founder of Matchbook. They cited AALBC, and other Black owned platforms as sources for the books they included in this printed Newsletter. You can obtain a pdf version here. I will be shipping copies with some AALBC Book orders. The most notable part of the effort, besides the spirit in which the newsletter was created, was the fact that Gyyn and her team produced this newsletter for free and arranged for to shipped to booksellers for the price of shipping. I received my batch of 250 copies this week. One indie bookstore even stepped up and volunteered to cover the cost of shipping for any store that needed the support! Again, companies like Amazon simply do not do this sort of thing. I learning over and over again that there still are a great number of business that understand the power of working together to better serve the reader -- which ultimately helps our businesses. Read more about Black Voices. This newsletter is reminiscent of the mailing Black expression sent year ago. I also worked on the similar publication called African American Books That Click which was targeted to book stores and business as a way to help publishers and indie authors expand their reach. Would anyone out there pay to receive a print version of this newsletter?

Again I hear you and I recognize that many feel you can not use our masters tools for liberation. I'ma bit more pragmatic. Few have the stomach, energy, or wherewithal to plan and execute a full on revelation. This that will happen and be successful is magical thinking in my opinion, so we are are left with working the the cards we are given. Would would be the optimal outcome of your race war, revolution, whatever you call it @Pioneer1? @daniellegfny, I don't know what Boyce Watkins's political party is, but is positions, in the video above, pretty much mirror what you've been saying...

Dude you are changing the argument as we go. Sexual harassment is bad. Expressing interest in someone that is reciprocated is good (though tricky in a professional work environment) Also you like to use the words ANY and NEVER when your argument is weak, simply because it is difficult to prove that any situation involving humans will ALWAYS be true or NEVER to true.

I hear you @Pioneer1, but you make is sound like I'M out of touch. Remember I grew up in the inner city. Sure I know what a decent life in New York City is like, I have not had a reported income of more than $40K since I left Wall Street. That is why I got a nice $1,200 check with Donald Trump's signature on it. Sure this year it will be very difficult to report less than $40K, but it is not like I'm as out of touch as you make it seem. I live in the world man, so while I have never been to jail or prison. I know a lot of people you have several are family members. As you mentioned I recognized many of the problems with our culture and fight to remedy what is wrong in my little corner of it. However I do not think a complete revolution will result in a better outcome for us as a people. I think our best opportunities rest in improving the systems we have in place and getting rid of the pieces that don't server us. If all of use supported local indie business and stop using Amazon. Our communities would improve overnight -- no revolution necessary.

OK can you explain, concisely, what this civil war looks like. The temporary protest in Seattle and other cities do rise to the level of a civil war. In my world white people are showning a great deal of support for Black folks supporting our businesses (including AALBC) and marching in the streets of Seattle and other cities (something I'm not doing). Of course there are racist white folks, but will they launch a race war, that they can not possibly win, I strongly doubt it.

So why don't you cast a vote for 45 since that is who you want to win? You know your belief of an imminent civil war sounds like a paranoid delusion, right? Have you expressed these ideas to others you know you well, in the real world? What do they say about your beliefs. Based upon other things you've written i presume you believe it will be a race war? Is that right? The employees if facebook are gonna take arms against the NBA players that sort of thing, huh? It is really interesting that Google put this video in front of me. Looks like Dr. Boyce Watkins is not voting either. He does not think keeping 45 out of office is a good enough reason to vote for a ticket that has Kamala Harris on it. He also answered my question "What would you think if I married a white woman."

@Pioneer1 who are you voting for?

@Pioneer1 the scenarios you described are textbook sexual harassment, so yes my assumption is based upon the fact that mist women dislike this. "Flirting" is not defined as "[seeking] sexual favors from them quite openly calling them baby and staring them up and down..." It seems to me you don't know what flirting means. I'm sure women find husbands at work but i doubt many choice someone who sexually harrassed them.

LOL, I will not judge all republicans or conservatives based upon Danielle's statements. I know many conservatives none of them share Danielle's perspective on this issue. A couple I know pretty well are in law enforcement and they told me early on that this was going to be serious and they were right. The media give these fringe perspectives too much coverage and it give people the impression that the are valid. The nuts running around talking about mandates to wear a mask go against their constitutional rights need help. At least Danielle will wear a mask. Yes I know people copy things from here and other places in the site. There are anomalies in my some of my lists I have not removed because it is a signature of sorts. That is how I can tell that my book store list, for example, was copied widely. People including those that write for major sites often don't attribute sources or even do a cursory check when they copy stuff from other sites. Sometimes people will here will cite a source but then you have to go 3 or more levels before you find the original source, but then the information share is usually a distortion of the original material. So @daniellegfny is 788,000 death enough for you to think the current precautionary actions are sufficient? How about 1 million dead. Do I hear 1.5 million. Still not an apocalypse, but pretty staggering considering most of these deaths and suffering could have been avoided.

You are muddling a wide variety of things and it is cause for some, with all due respect, sloppy thinking. Sure our genetics gave rise to our ability to use language, but the language we use is a function of culture not genetics. Gender is a function of genetics. How we express our gender through behavior and dress is a function of culture. In a different culture you would be speaking a different language, wearing a dress (a kilt) and agruing how that behavior is genetically defined. Open your mind my brother humans are not as narrowly defined as you'd like them to be.