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…
The year of 1987 was spectacular for two reasons – LL Cool J and Michael Jackson. Both were at the top of their game and both released singles proclaiming their badness. Back then, being bad was cool and tough. Both artists were in different genres and under different labels, but shared some of the same…
There are so many negative influences and images we see on a daily basis. Shock news and images tend to attract more views and sell more advertising. Society today is inundated with news and images of basically snuff videos of murders, killings, fighting and shootings to incite negative emotions and actions. Newspapers and networks are…
Night Comes On is a drama directed by Jordana Spiro and tells the story of 18 year old Angel and her 10 year old little sister Abby. Angel and Abby are in separate foster homes due to the murder of their mother by the father. The movie opens with Angel remembering her mother as a…
In the month before the March on Washington, there was the Stolen Girls in July of 1963. The Stolen Girls were approximately 15 black girls aged 12-15 who were imprisoned for 45 days without charge. They were imprisoned for marching against the segregation of a movie theater in Americus, Georgia. The march was orchestrated by…
A resume is a document used to detail your experience, education, and abilities. A resume is used to promote yourself on paper to future employers. Your resume is the most important hurdle to landing an interview. The resume is more important than the job application because it is used to verify your application and the…
