A resume gap is a period of time that signals on your resume you were not employed. A gap is a period of months or years between two jobs. People for whom work is not their primary source of income tend to have a few gaps of employment. Also, workers who need to take time…
Directed by Robert Townsend, The Five Heartbeats is a musical drama featuring an all-black cast. This culture classic stars Robert Townsend, Leon, Michael Wright, Diahann Carroll, Harry Lennox, and Harold Nicholas. The Five Heartbeats is a pseudo-biopic movie about a male r&b group formed in the 1960’s and their career throughout the subsequent decades. The…
The ability to remain calm and cool under pressure is not a skill that many possess. Civil rights activists such as MLK, Malcolm X, James Baldwin, and Muhammad Ali had to deliver many planned and impromptu speeches, interviews, and debates. They had to have a command of self and the English language. They spoke without…
The Negro Motorist Green Book was authored by Victor Hugo Green. The Green Book was a travel guide for black travelers during the Jim Crow era. The guide was published annually from 1936 – 1966. It was created for black travelers to find establishments that would welcome their business. The travel guide listed businesses in…
The Coronavirus or COVID-19 has tested many relationships this year. Without much notice, the country shut down with orders to stay at home. Restaurants and schools closed. Transportation and travel stopped. Nearly everything and every place with the exception of grocery stores, food manufacturing, and gas stations shut down. Every public place we unknowingly sought…
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about the Promised Land in his last speech. The night before his assassination, he gave the famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. He arrived in Memphis to support the black Memphis Sanitation Workers during their strike for better wages and working conditions. It was a speech he was…
The third Monday of January is recognized as a federal holiday to celebrate the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The enactment of the law to celebrate his birthday was not without a fight. Born January 15, 1929, King was assassinated at the age of 39 in 1968. While legislation for a…
Mae Jemison (1956 – ) was the first African-American woman astronaut to go into space in 1992. She went into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as a Mission Specialist. Space Shuttle Endeavour was built to replace Space Shuttle Challenger which exploded seconds after lift-off in 1986. Aboard the fatal Space Shuttle Challenger was Ronald…
Coleman A. Young (1918 – 1997) was the first African-American mayor of Detroit, Michigan. He served as mayor for 20 years from 1974 – 1994. Coleman served in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman as a second lieutenant. He was known for being outspoken against injustice and racial segregation. He protested against segregation while…
We have chosen a new leader between the lesser of two evils. The problem with choosing between the lesser of two evils is that you’re guaranteed to select evil. The United States has made many promises to African-Americans. Promises made with one hand in support while the other hand held a knife behind its back….
Relocating to a new city or state can be stressful. There are many things to consider before taking the relocation leap. Some things to take into consideration are the climate, the cost of living, the people, and recreation opportunities of the new location. All of these are important especially when relocating to an unknown area….
Hattie McDaniel (1893 – 1952) made history as the first African-American to win an Oscar. McDaniel was born in 1893 to parents who were former slaves. She was born in the Gilded Age which was after the Reconstruction Era. The Gilded Age was a time when the country experienced rapid growth. However, African-Americans were suffering…
Set It Off is a drama directed by F. Gary Gray and tells the story of four black women in Los Angeles. The director, F. Gary Gray directed Friday the previous year along with many R&B and rap videos. Set It Off stars Queen Latifah as Cleo, Jada Pinkett-Smith as Stony, Vivica Fox as Frankie,…
Sketches of the Higher Classes of Colored Society in Philadelphia was written by A Southerner – a southern writer who wanted to remain anonymous. This book was originally published in 1841 and is viewed as culturally important. The author attempts to give a detailed account of the higher class of colored people in Philadelphia. He…
A traditional grandmother is the moral center of every family. They are the glue of tradition and keep families from completely falling apart. A grandmother can be an elder mother figure of no blood relation where all other factors exist of a grandmother/grandchild relationship. Grandmothers and great-grandmothers can be the most important person to the…
As we grow in life, our work grows with us. In many areas, work never stays the same until we are cemented in a specific career. Work life and work experiences can be both good and bad. Some days you may hate your job and other days you can love your job. Most work is…
The country has elected a new leader. The options to select from were not good to begin with. It’s head or tail of the same coin. The same script, just a new Aunt Viv trying to make us believe that everything will improve now that they’re on the set. The entire year has been history…
Stevie Wonder released the single “You Haven’t Done Nothin‘” in August 1974. The single features background vocals from The Jackson Five. The song and lyrics were aimed directly at then Republican President Richard Nixon. Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment and removal from office two days after the song was released. Not surprisingly, the lyrics and…
Jesse Jackson is a civil rights activist, minister, and politician. Jesse Jackson marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and was at the hotel with King when he was assassinated in 1968. After King’s death, Jackson continued to fight for black civil rights through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). When Jackson split from SCLC in…
A priority is a need, want, concern, or desire that takes precedence before all others. A priority is something that is very important to you above anything else. Goals are similar but more specific and are usually the steps needed to achieve a priority. Goals can be long-range or short-range tasks to complete in order…
