Troy

http://aalbc.it/vernondavis Check out our interview with Vernon Davis who was the big star in the SF 49ers upset win over the New Orleans Saints. Vernon scored the 1st touchdown and then the final one (with just 13 seconds left) before breaking down and crying on national TV. While Tim Tebow has been enjoying most of the NFL limelight lately, perhpas you'll be more inspired by Vern's story of overcoming the odds and his commitment to giving back. Plus he is a reader :-)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Linda A. Duggins Director, Multicultural Publicity 212-364-1424 linda.duggins@hbgusa.com GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING TO PUBLISH PRISON MEMOIR BY HIP HOP STAR LIL WAYNE New York, NY—January 12, 2012 Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, announced today that it will publish GONE TILL NOVEMBER, a book by Lil Wayne, on November 28, 2012. Based on diaries he kept during his eight months on Rikers Island, GONE TILL NOVEMBER offers fans their first literary opportunity to get inside the wonderfully unique and enigmatic mind of the biggest name in hip hop. Ben Greenberg, Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing acquired the book from Matthew Guma at The Guma Agency. Greenberg said, “We are thrilled to be publishing Wayne’s prison memoir. He kept detailed journals of his inner and outer life while he was on Rikers Island, and they certainly tell a story. They are revealing.” The past few years have brought Wayne incredible highs—topping albums sales charts, selling out tours, selling millions of albums, but also dark lows, resulting in a gun charge that landed him in Rikers Island for a year (of which he served 8 months). The journals he kept while incarcerated form an internal monologue, detailing his thoughts and feelings, the strange people he met, his plans, his family, his children, his past, present, and future. About Hachette Book Group: Hachette Book Group (HBG) is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the second-largest publisher in the world. HBG publishes under the divisions of Little, Brown and Company, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, FaithWords, Center Street, Orbit, and Hachette Digital. ### Link to this page: http://aalbc.it/gonetillnov

Cynqiue, I posed to the question, to everyone really, but to you in particular because you have lived through "..several eras of the black experience..." that experience must have been dizzying. Plus Cynique, you have a clarity of thought that I admire. I've read ton's of articles and a few books on various aspects of the points you so concisely summarized. Your opinions mirror much of what I've read. While I've read about the great inpact our communities suffered as a result of the Black middle class leaving communties for the vanilla suburbs, I never fully appreciated the impact of this shift until I was an adult. I grew up in an environment devoid of career professionals. Almost no one went to college. If they did go to college they never came back. I did not come back myself for almost 20 years. My kids spent the 2nd half of their childhoods growing up in the same neighborhood I did. I always say that they might as well have grown up on different planets. Not so much because the neighborhood is so much better, but because they have had access to people in every concievable profession, socio-economoical level, and race. This difference is due largerly to having my wife and I as parents, and to the private schools and summer camps they attended. All the kids I knew growing up were Black or Puetro Rician. I did not know a white person my age until I entered high school (remember I grew up in majority white New York City). In today's Harlem the extreme stratifcation of race and class still exists -- it exisits, despite more upper middle class Black and White people living in Harlem now than anytime in the previous half a century. The classes rarely mix. Anyone who can sends their chidlren to private school. Poor people and those without options langish in failing schools. The last time I checked every middle school in my district was a failing school. I owned a Brownstone across the street from the Harlem Sucess Academy (the charter school highlighted in the film "Waiting for Superman"), but the number of students that school can accomodate is minuscule. If I go to one of the nice new Black restaurants, I never see anyone from my block except for the new arrivals like myself -- understandably -- the restaurants are expensive. But the interest in going it not there; "I'm not spending all that money just to eat." or "I ain't sittin' up in there with all those white folks". The cultural differences are profound -- even trumping racial differences. So in communities like Harlem where you have Black and white professionals returning, the result is that the poorer people are being forced out rather than adopting middle class values... This will come to a head one day. Don't even get me stared on the impact of celebrity culture

Hey Xeon, initially I felt the same way about boitumelo's posts, but I welcome them now. The comments do foster more meaningful conversation from time to time. Thanks boitumelo. I'm not sure Herman Cain, or at least his mentality is irrelavent. While some of us may not be able to understand Cain's appeal (much like we could not understand Palin's appeal); there are large numbers of people in the US who really like him. I hope team Obama, does not consider the Cain or his supported irrelavent, if they do, they do so at there own peril...

Funny.

MLK day is to King as Christmas is to Christ.

Cynique, I was rasied in governement subsidized housing "the projects" located in the protypical inner city of Spanish Harlem. I remember when an out of wedlock, teenage preganancy (a rare event) was looked upon with shame, frowned upon. One girl I knew just "went down south" for some unexplained reason. I later learned she was pregnant. It seemed, overnight, teenagers everywhere around here were pushing baby carriages. I find it astonishing that attitudes and behavior in the 'hood could change so profoundly, so quickly. What caused the attitudes to chage? Abortions are more easily obtained. Condoms are freely available, the way mints once were in the neighborhood. I'm inclinded to think it has to do with the fact that today, a woman, can survive (thrive even) as a single parent -- even one who is undereducated, young and poor. 50 years ago, this would have been much more difficult. What do you think?

This argument is just like "Just Say No" argument. In the heat of the moment, many women and men, obviously have difficulty putting on a condom before sex. Apparently Plan B or is too much trouble too. It would seem to me the majoirty of out of wedlock or teen pregnancies are by women (it is their bodies) who actually want to have the babies. All of the many circumstances I'm aware of this has been the case... The ones who did not want the children demonstrated this in their behavior.

Sonia Sanchez Now Poet Laureate of Phillly From "Great Things Happ'nin'/ January 2012" Compiled and edited by Louis Reyes Rivera Louisreyesrivera@aol.com Sonia Sanchez Now Poet Laureate ============================= As of Thursday, December 29, 2011, Mayor Michael Nutter and the City of Philadelphia have installed West Philadelphia resident Sonia Sanchez as their first Poet Laureate. In his announcement, Mayor Nutter called Ms. Sanchez "the longtime conscience of the city." Throughout her vocation as such, the 77-year-old poet has geared her poetry as a tool for social activism during the culminating periods of both the Civil Rights and Black Arts movements. As well, the Harlem born poet has held teaching positions at eight universities, including her long-time residency at Temple University. At the induction ceremony, Mayor Nutter said, "Poetry is an extraordinary and powerful art form. Ms. Sanchez exemplifies the role a poet can play in helping to define a city and helping its citizens discover beauty." In her position, she'll be called upon to mentor a youth poet laureate and appear at Spoken Word and other poetry events at City Hall and at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Ms. Sanchez was quoted as stating that she seeks to explore what it means to be human in the 21st century. To her, that means promoting peace in self and others. One project that she has recently initiated is to gather haikus from her comrades of the pen (i.e., Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Louis Reyes Rivera, among others) for purposes of having them posted on a public mural in South Philadelphia. The theme is Peace!

I had the pleasure of speaking in a couple of the short video biographies, on American novelists, created by Bio.com, which is part of the A+E Television Networks. I spoke briefly about James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. http://aalbc.it/aebios

Here is the video:

Happy New year everyone! Surround yourself with people you love and who love you. That is all we can do. American's, despite all the shit going down now, have been largely spared from the misery that is quite common in the rest of the world. Try to stay positive, and do what good you can. In fact, if we all can make it through the day without murdering someone, stealing something, telling unnecessary lies, and maybe share something with someone less fortunate, America would be a better place.

Hi Biaunca -- thanks for joining us! "Attack" may be too strong a word, but in the almost 15 years I've been running this site, it seems the appreciation for literature is waning. I think many things have conspired to create this situation, and most have to do with financial incentives.

NIaknows, "...could contact a company that she approves of and convince them to advertise as well." EXACTLY! I wish I thought of that myself. That is both a positive and constructive response. Thanks for taking the time to contribute your thoughts. Looking forward to reading your contributions in the future. Peace.

Thanks Cynique, I gotta tell you it gets more challenging every year. I am and will always be very appreciative of your support over that last decade.

For Immediate Release Media Contact: Evelyn Santana, BazanPR evelyn_santana@bazanpr.com 212-643-4664 X702 “THE HELP” NAMED BEST FILM OF 2011 BY THE BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE New York, NY (December 20, 2011) – The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) has voted “THE HELP” Best Film of 2011, Dee Rees Best Director for “PARIAH”, Viola Davis Best Actress for “THE HELP” and Olivier Litondo Best Actor for “THE FIRST GRADER”. The announcement was made by today by Mike Sargent, co-president, BFCC. Votes were cast and tabulated in NY at the organization’s annual meeting on December 19, 2011. Recognizing achievements in theatrical motion pictures, the BFCC awarded prizes in 13 categories including best picture, best director, original and adapted screenplay, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best animated feature, best independent film, best documentary feature, best foreign film and best ensemble. Special Signature awards are also given to industry pioneers and rising stars. “This year was a very engaging one in cinema,” says Sargent. “Both commercial and independent fare illustrated the continued ability of Hollywood to entertain, spotlight new talent, show fresh perspectives and move audiences. Congratulations to all of the winners.” The complete list of award winners include: Best Picture - THE HELP Best Director - Dee Rees for PARIAH Best Actor - Olivier Litondo for THE FIRST GRADER Best Actress - Viola Davis for THE HELP Best Supporting Actor - Albert Brooks for DRIVE Best Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer for THE HELP Best Independent Film - PARIAH Best Original Screenplay - Dee Rees for PARIAH Best Adapted Screenplay - Tate Taylor for THE HELP Best Documentary - BEING ELMO: A Puppeteer's Journey Best Foreign Film - LIFE, ABOVE ALL Best Animated Film - RANGO Best Ensemble - THE HELP BFCC Signature Awards include: Pioneer - Harry Belafonte A renaissance artist who brought his unique talent to all areas of entertainment in a career that has spanned nearly 60 years, Belafonte is a multi-Grammy© winning artist, an Emmy© Award winner with the distinct designation as the first African American television producer, a Tony© Award winner, motion picture film actor and producer, Civil Rights Activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. From his music, films, and humanitarian work, Harry Belafonte has continued to embody the very essence of the word Pioneer. Rising Star - Adepero Oduye Adepero’s performance in PARIAH is a moving, powerful unforgettable portrayal of a young woman of color coming to terms with herself, her sexuality, and her family. We believe she is truly a Talent to Watch. Special Mention - Attack the Block: Attack is a genre film that defies a number of conventions, not only by having a primarily black cast but portraying each character with a dignity seldom seen on screen and even more rarely in a Science-Fiction film. BFCC's Top ten films of 2011 1. The Help 2. The Artist 3. Pariah 4. Drive 5. The Descendants 6. Attack the Block 7. Tree of Life 8. Hugo 9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 10. Warrior Founded in 2010, the Black Film Critics Circle is a membership organization comprised of film critics of color from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television and qualifying on-line publications. The organization is dedicated to honoring excellence of professionals in the theatrical motion picture industry in U.S. and World Cinema. Its mission is to celebrate contributions and achievements in film by people of the black Diaspora who work in front of and behind the camera, maintain the integrity of a true Critics organization and advance a collective vision of journalists of the black Diaspora. BFCC assists in the development of new talent in the field of entertainment journalism through educational opportunities, mentoring and strategic partnerships and raises awareness of the significance of black film and black film history as a critical part of film culture and preservation. The organization meets annually in December to vote on the year’s films. BFCC’s Founding Members are journalists Mike Sargent (WBAI-FM NY/Tor.com), Wilson Morales (Blackfilm.com), and Shawn Edwards (WDAF-TV Fox Affiliate Kansas City, MO). For more information, visit us online @ Blackfilmcriticscircle.org or visit us on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/BFCC/215361925204008 ###

There have been a lot of stories about returning veterans suffering from PTSD, permanently crippled, homeless, jobless, loosing homes. What a shame. Maybe one day someone will do a investigative report and research the real reason we went into Iraq, what we accomplished and what it really cost not just in terms of money, but in terms of lives lost and destroyed.

Check out Baratunde Thurston's lastest book. It does not com out until next month. I have not read it, but everything else I read or seen this guy produce has been pretty funny: His speak on Twitter was technically correct and very funny -- a rare skill. How to Be Black

All of you here contribute, in some way, to the success of AALBC.com, I just wanted to say thank you. Peace, Troy Johnson, Founder AALBC.com

writegirl, Amazon reviews, the ones submitted by users, are useless. I never read them unless I know the reviewer -- which is rare. Many are contributed by the author, or on behalf of the author, and are little more than additional promotional material. I even know some reviews which are posted to deliberately slam an author's work for malicious reasons. I do read the reviews on Amazon that are supplied by the known entities like Publishers weekly, Kirkus or the Library Journal, but those are really very short and not too informative. I would not give up on the new authors completely; just use a different method to discover them. I bet if you posted a request here: "...looking for a light humorous read by a new author. Any suggestions" people would provide some recommendations. You can also try review the " conversation.

While I'm sure many will find this book and certainly the DVD entertaining, I wonder how many will consume these products looking for serious help in their relationships. To his credit Michael is not positioning these products as solutions. In an attempt at a little sardonic wit, I suggested answers would be provided

Ladies, if Steve Harvey's books offered you no salvation the complex world of Black men and relationships look no furthur the author of "Never Satisfied: How and Why Men Cheat", Michael Baisden, has a new book Never Satisfied Do Men Know What They Want At at last, sisters you long wait is over: Michael addresses the profound questions and provides answers escaping us all. In his book you'll learn: Men don't don;t worry Mike has something for you too: Marriage, money, monogamy and more... Do Women Know What They Want? (Uncut Version) DVD "In this uncensored version, things quickly get hot and out of hand as Michael and his co-host, George Willborn, host a "passion party" to find out what the ladies want in the bedroom. Frank talk not for the faint of heart."

Carey to clarify my point a bit. If a preacher can not, in the privacy of his own home, adhere to the most basic tenets of his faith, then he should remove himself. He certainly should not be misguiding the followers. At best he is a very dumb or ignorant man at worse is is a devil in preacher's clothing.

Writegirl, reading books that have been so badly edited that I can not complete them is a rare occurrence. Typically it is the subject matter or style that prevents be from completing books -- rather than run sentences or a misplaced modifiers. How do you decide which books to read? It seems to me you'd be able to avoid the really badly edited or unedited ones with a little scrutiny or using a good source for recommendations.