Podcasts about negro national anthem

Tales Vinyl Tells Podcast Episode 147: Juneteenth Special June 20, 2024 Here it is again. My annual salute to the celebration of the end of slavery on June 19, 1865 when Union General Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston, Texas that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free even though the emancipation proclamation had formally freed them almost 2-1/2 years earlier. This was a very significant event but was replaced by Jim Crow laws that still today hamstring the lives of many previous slaves' families. My hopes are that when you hear The Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing, you'll feel something inside reminding you of the concept of freedom and justice for all. Financial support of Tales Vinyl Tells is greatly appreciated and it helps to offset the expenses that it takes to put this program together. You can learn more at Patron.podbean.com/talesvinyltellssupport. Thank you so much. http://www.studiomillswellness.com/tales-vinyl-tells

Destination Freedom was a weekly radio program produced by NBC radio station WMAQ in Chicago from 1948 to 1950. It presented biographical histories of prominent African-Americans as written by the program's producer Richard Durham. You are going to hear episodes about three tireless advocates for civil rights, diversity and inclusion. The 1948 story of James Weldon Johnson, an attorney, diplomat, writer, and co-creator of the Negro National Anthem. The 1949 story of the legendary educator Booker T. Washington, president of the Tuskegee Institute. And the 1949 story of Mary Church Terrell, one of the first African-American women to earn a college degree. Terrell was a talented journalist and charter member of the NAACP. More at http://krobcollection.com

A Jewish US Congressman is upset very few stood for the "Negro National Anthem" (disavow) at an American football game. The Florida DMV is "killing trans people." Minnesota State senator is worried illegal aliens won't call 9-1-1. Leftists don't have values. The only undermine them. ____________________________________________________ Today's podcast supported by https://CatholicVote.Org (Get in The LOOP) Use PROMO CODE "KYLE" at these sites: https://contingencymedical.com/ (Emergency Antibiotic Kit!) https://4Patriots.com/KYLE (Survival foods) http://The-Suspendables.com (Show Merch) http://PatriotCoolers.com/ (Tumblers & Coolers) http://MyPillow.com/Kyle (Pillows/Towels/Bedding)

TONY AWARD®, United States Congressional Record & National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, Hollywood Walk of Fame Inductee 2023!!The Music Historian in ME Loves to Talk to the Legends.Melba's NEW Music Compilation called "Imagine' Already Topping the American & British Soul charts. Melba Moore has done it all, twice. At the tender age of 10, Melba, she was introduced to music and that “I didn't have any music in my life before my mother married my stepfather. He introduced music into our home and into my life.” From that moment forward, Melba began to develop her 5-octave, note-holding soprano that would soon bring audiences to their feet. Theater: Won a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for her role in the musical "Purlie," Replaced  Diane Keaton in  the Broadway musical "Hair" Was first African American woman to play the female lead in the musical "Les Misérables" on Broadway. The Newark, NJ Arts High School graduate started doing recording sessions after a chance meeting with singer/songwriter/composer Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson).  That opportunity in the studio led Melba in the company of the Broadway musical “HAIR!” First in the ensemble of the show, Melba's name was tossed into the conversation when actress Diane Keaton left the show and Melba took the female lead and broke all the rules, being the first Black woman to replace a white actress in a featured role on Broadway. The journey of Melba's career took her to the lead of “PURLIE,” a musical adaptation of a play written by acting husband and wife pioneers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. That role and its musical soundtrack would earn Moore a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1971 and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress.TelevisionStarred in her own sitcom, "Melba." Melba Moore became so well known that network television offered her a summer variety series.  Starring Melba and actor/singer Clifton Davis, who was starring on Broadway in another show, the duo, who were dating, were given the choice to bring their mass appeal into Middle America.  Music  Celebrated top hits during the70s, 80s and 90s-- "Falling," "You Stepped Into My Life," "Love's Comin' At Ya," and "A Little Bit More" — and others Performed a special rendition of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'  "Read My Lips"—which later won Moore a third Grammy nomination (for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance), making her just the third black artist after Donna Summer and Michael Jackson to be nominated in the rock category.  Hits like the #1 "A Little Bit More" with Freddie Jackson and "Falling," a hypnotic ballad that features one of the longest held notes in recorded history. Moore would also Produce & Record “Lift Every Voice And Sing” (the Negro National Anthem) at the behest of Dr. Dorothy Height, the president of the National Council of Negro Women, who wanted Moore to use her formidable talent to ensure that the song would reach new generations. Her version was entered into the United States Congressional Record as the official Negro National Anthem in 1990, was just named an ‘American Aural Treasure,' by the   National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.© 2023 Building Abundant Success!!2023 All Rights ReservedJoin Me ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASAmazon ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

TONY AWARD®, United States Congressional Record & National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, Hollywood Walk of Fame Inductee 2023!!The Music Historian in ME Loves to Talk to the Legends in Many Niche Careers & Ms. Melba Moore has a unique career in Entertainment!Finding out she's getting a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023 hasn't stopped Tony Award winner and trailblazing singer, actress, television host and Newark Arts High School graduate Melba Moore from continuing her more than five-decade entertainment career.Marvelous Melba is truly a triple threat in the entertainment industry -- winning top honors in music, theatre and television: American prolific 5 Octave singer and Tony award winning actress.Broadway, Contemporary Soul/R&B, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Gospel and Classical.Melba has NEW Music Compilation called "Imagine'. Already Topping the American & British Soul charts. The title track already being named Soultracks' Song of the Year.Melba Moore has done it all, twice. At the tender age of 10, Melba notes that it was then that she was introduced to music and that “I didn't have any music in my life before my mother married my stepfather. He introduced music into our home and into my life.” From that moment forward, Melba began to develop her 5-octave, note-holding soprano that would soon bring audiences to their feet. Theater: Won a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for her role in the musical "Purlie," Replaced  Diane Keaton in  the Broadway musical "Hair" Was first African American woman to play the female lead in the musical "Les Misérables" on Broadway. The Newark, NJ Arts High School graduate started doing recording sessions after a chance meeting with singer/songwriter/composer Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson).  That opportunity in the studio led Melba in the company of the Broadway musical “HAIR!” First in the ensemble of the show, Melba's name was tossed into the conversation when actress Diane Keaton left the show and Melba took the female lead and broke all the rules, being the first Black woman to replace a white actress in a featured role on Broadway. The journey of Melba's career took her meteorically from there to the lead of “PURLIE,” a musical adaptation of a play written by acting husband and wife pioneers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.  That role and its musical soundtrack would earn Moore a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1971 and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress.  The power of her presence on Broadway got Melba noticed and she became a virtual sensation. TelevisionStarred in her own sitcom, "Melba." Melba Moore became so well known that network television offered her a summer variety series.  Starring Melba and actor/singer Clifton Davis, who was starring on Broadway in another show, the duo, who were dating, were given the choice to bring their mass appeal into Middle America.  Music  Celebrated top hits during the70s, 80s and 90s-- "Falling," "You Stepped Into My Life," "Love's Comin' At Ya," and "A Little Bit More" — and others Performed a special rendition of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'  Merged her inspirational and gospel style in many songs. Soon after the success of the ‘The Melba Moore/Clifton Davis Show,” it was time for her soaring soprano to take her foray into the recording studio. First signed to Buddah Records, Melba had hits like “This Is It,” “Lean On Me” and “You Stepped Into My Life,” garnering Grammy nominations and international success. Later signed to Capitol Records, she followed that success with “Love's Comin At Ya” and then a string of R&B hits followed, including "Read My Lips"—which later won Moore a third Grammy nomination (for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance), making her just the third black artist after Donna Summer and Michael Jackson to be nominated in the rock category.  Hits like the #1 "A Little Bit More" with Freddie Jackson and "Falling," a hypnotic ballad that features one of the longest held notes in recorded history. Moore would also record “Lift Every Voice And Sing” (the Negro National Anthem) at the behest of Dr. Dorothy Height, the president of the National Council of Negro Women, who wanted Moore to use her formidable talent to ensure that the song would reach a new generation.Melba Moore's produced version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing" which was entered into the United States Congressional Record as the official Negro National Anthem in 1990, was just named an ‘American Aural Treasure,' by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for Ms. Moore's co-produced recorded rendition of the anthem© 2023 Building Abundant Success!!2023 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

Broadcasting from our little cloud of stink, we celebrate signs of Spring, cycles within cycles within cycles, the Way of the Wasp, tire sandals, pine carpeting, frigging, Dun, coffee filters, and we sprinkle it all with a touch of Cedar Fever! Our mental bowel movement here is assisted by Andy Ward, Tom Brown Jr., Daniel Quinn, the Hairy Potter, Charlie Cheon, Samuel Thayer, Tom Elpel, Rufus, Rerun, Martin Lawrence, Albert Camus, Terrence K. Williams, the Kalahari Bushmen, Laurens van der Post, the CryptoNaturalist, and many others, and I'm sure they couldn't all be prouder! Bing.

The Negro National Anthem is the subject of scrutiny in FL.  There is a conviction tied to the insurrection from January 6.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TONY AWARD®, United States Congressional Record & National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, Hollywood Walk of Fame Inductee 2022!!Marvelous Melba is truly a triple threat in the entertainment industry -- winning top honors in music, theatre and television: American prolific 5 Octave singer and Tony award winning actress.Broadway, Contemporary Soul/R&B, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Gospel and Classical.The Music Historian in ME Loves to Talk to the Legends in Many Niche Careers & Ms. Melba Moore has a unique career in Entertainment!Melba has NEW Music Compilation called "Imagine'. Already Topping the American & British Soul charts.Melba Moore has done it all, twice. At the tender age of 10, Melba notes that it was then that she was introduced to music and that “I didn't have any music in my life before my mother married my stepfather. He introduced music into our home and into my life.” From that moment forward, Melba began to develop her 5-octave, note-holding soprano that would soon bring audiences to their feet. Theater: Won a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for her role in the musical "Purlie," Replaced  Diane Keaton in  the Broadway musical "Hair" Was first African American woman to play the female lead in the musical "Les Misérables" on Broadway. The Newark, NJ Arts High School graduate started doing recording sessions after a chance meeting with singer/songwriter/composer Valerie Simpson (of Ashford & Simpson).  That opportunity in the studio led Melba in the company of the Broadway musical “HAIR!” First in the ensemble of the show, Melba's name was tossed into the conversation when actress Diane Keaton left the show and Melba took the female lead and broke all the rules, being the first Black woman to replace a white actress in a featured role on Broadway. The journey of Melba's career took her meteorically from there to the lead of “PURLIE,” a musical adaptation of a play written by acting husband and wife pioneers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.  That role and its musical soundtrack would earn Moore a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1971 and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress.  The power of her presence on Broadway got Melba noticed and she became a virtual sensation.  TelevisionStarred in her own sitcom, "Melba." Melba Moore became so well known that network television offered her a summer variety series.  Starring Melba and actor/singer Clifton Davis, who was starring on Broadway in another show, the duo, who were dating, were given the choice to bring their mass appeal into Middle America.  Music  Celebrated top hits during the70s, 80s and 90s-- "Falling," "You Stepped Into My Life," "Love's Comin' At Ya," and "A Little Bit More" — and others Performed a special rendition of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'  Merged her inspirational and gospel style in many songs. Soon after the success of the ‘The Melba Moore/Clifton Davis Show,” it was time for her soaring soprano to take her foray into the recording studio. First signed to Buddah Records, Melba had hits like “This Is It,” “Lean On Me” and “You Stepped Into My Life,” garnering Grammy nominations and international success. Later signed to Capitol Records, she followed that success with “Love's Comin At Ya” and then a string of R&B hits followed, including "Read My Lips"—which later won Moore a third Grammy nomination (for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance), making her just the third black artist after Donna Summer and Michael Jackson to be nominated in the rock category.  Hits like the #1 "A Little Bit More" with Freddie Jackson and "Falling," a hypnotic ballad that features one of the longest held notes in recorded history. Moore would also record “Lift Every Voice And Sing” (the Negro National Anthem) at the behest of Dr. Dorothy Height, the president of the National Council of Negro Women, who wanted Moore to use her formidable talent to ensure that the song would reach a new generation.Melba Moore's produced version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing" which was entered into the United States Congressional Record as the official Negro National Anthem in 1990, was just named an ‘American Aural Treasure,' by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for Ms. Moore's co-produced recorded rendition of the anthem© 2022 Building Abundant Success!!2022 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Radio @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBAS

Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth interview with Melba Moore, Legendary Singer, Actress and Recording Artist About Harvey's guest: Today's guest is Melba Moore, the iconic, award-winning music superstar who's been dazzling audiences with her incredibly beautiful and soulful 5-octave voice since she burst on the scene in the late 60s in the original cast of the Broadway musical, “Hair”.    She then was one of the first Black women to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, for her performance in “Purlie”.   She's hosted 2 television variety shows and appeared in hit movies like “All Dogs Go to Heaven” and “The Fighting Temptations”.  She was the first African American woman to play “Fantine” on Broadway in “Les Miserables”.  But ultimately, it's her FABULOUS voice that earned her THREE Grammy nominations and made her a music legend in songs like “Lean On Me," “This Is It," “You Stepped Into My Life," “Read My Lips”, "Love's Comin' At Ya," "Livin' For Your Love," "Falling", and "A Little Bit More" her #1 duet with Freddie Jackson.   She's recorded 28 spectacular albums, including 2 sensational live albums, and a beautiful duet album entitled, “The Gift of Love”.   And NOW, she's released her BRAND NEW album entitled, “Imagine”.  She's received numerous awards including a Drama Desk Award, the Ellis Island Award, the Artist Guild Award, and the NAACP Spingarn Award.  She's been inducted into the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.  And her 5-decade career is being honoured with displays at the Grammy Museum, and the Smithsonian.   In August, she'll be presented with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joe Biden.    “Music is what God allows me to do," declares Melba Moore. Born into a musical family, music chose Melba. “Music was a centerpiece in my family. My parents were musicians and so were many of my aunts and uncles." Melba's father is the legendary big band leader Teddy Hill and her mother, Bonnie Davis, had a #1 hit on the R&B charts with the song “Don't Stop Now." Melba Moore's produced version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing" which was entered into the United States Congressional Record as the official Negro National Anthem in 1990, was just named an ‘American Aural Treasure,' by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for Ms. Moore's co-produced recorded rendition of the anthem. For more interviews and podcasts go to: https://www.harveybrownstoneinterviews.com/ https://www.melbamoore.com/ https://www.instagram.com/melba1moore/ https://www.facebook.com/mooremelbahttps://www.youtube.com/user/MelbaMooreMusic #MelbaMoore  #harveybrownstoneinterviews

Jobina starts the show strong by choosing to rate a joke, and she specifically asked for a dumb joke. After the joke, I ask Jobina to rate her name on a scale from 1 to 10, and I know you're wondering what she said. And then in a plot twist, Jobina reveals that she recently learned her pre-adoption name, and rates that too. Jobina rates being 47, the great state of Texas (kinda), and then introduces us to the book Scythe, which is about a post-mortal world. This causes us to ponder briefly if a person who listens to an audio book can say they "read" the book. Jobina rates the Negro National Anthem, getting roses on Valentine's day, gardening, stuffed crust pizza, and the idiom, "The grass is always greener on the other side."Jobina rates the Negro National Anthem, getting roses on Valentine's day, gardening, stuffed crust pizza, and the idiom, "The grass is always greener on the other side." On more personal notes, Jobina rates adoption and talks us through her finding her birth parents, and then what that relationship looks like now. Jobina also got a tummy tuck, rates elective cosmetic surgery, and describes why she made the decision. Lastly, Jobina rates marriage, and talks about how that rating changed from the end of her first marriage to the bliss she's enjoying now. I am always looking for interesting things to ask people to rate, so if you have any ideas, jump in my Instagram DMs. Also follow us on the gram (@theratingshow), which has more fun reviews on it. If you enjoy this episode, tell 3 people about it, subsribe to the podcast to be informed when a new episode drops, write a review, and write a jingle for it that gets stuck in people's heads when you sing it around the office.

Negro National Anthem. 2 Anita Helm

Negro National Anthem

Harvey Morris, President and CEO of Tuff Stuff Productions, is an Emmy Award winning producer, songwriter, vocal arranger, professional drummer an actor and videographer. His extensive and diversified experience has contributed to his reputation as a consummate professional in the entertainment industry. He is making history with his hair-raising remake of the most iconic song in the history of African-American culture, The Negro National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Harvey was born in the Bronx of New York City. His parents recognized his joy for music early and purchased his first drum set when he was just 2 years old to keep him from banging on their pots and pans. At age 4, Harvey and his cousins would sing and dance at family gatherings to the sounds of Motown and Stay Records. By then, it was clear to Harvey's family that he was destined to become an entertainer. He grew up in a household with God-fearing grandparents and attended the St. Luke A.M.E. Church in Harlem. When he was 8 years old he began singing in the children's choir under the caring directorship if Yvonne Clark. By age 12, Harvey had recorded his first commercial for American Airlines under the tutelage of musical director Leon Tubman, also of St. Luke A.M.E. Church. The years to follow have proven to be a constant progression and refinement of his talent.

Harvey Morris, President and CEO of Tuff Stuff Productions, is an Emmy Award winning producer, songwriter, vocal arranger, professional drummer an actor and videographer. His extensive and diversified experience has contributed to his reputation as a consummate professional in the entertainment industry. He is making history with his hair-raising remake of the most iconic song in the history of African-American culture, The Negro National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing."Harvey was born in the Bronx of New York City. His parents recognized his joy for music early and purchased his first drum set when he was just 2 years old to keep him from banging on their pots and pans. At age 4, Harvey and his cousins would sing and dance at family gatherings to the sounds of Motown and Stay Records. By then, it was clear to Harvey's family that he was destined to become an entertainer.He grew up in a household with God-fearing grandparents and attended the St. Luke A.M.E. Church in Harlem. When he was 8 years old he began singing in the children's choir under the caring directorship if Yvonne Clark. By age 12, Harvey had recorded his first commercial for American Airlines under the tutelage of musical director Leon Tubman, also of St. Luke A.M.E. Church. The years to follow have proven to be a constant progression and refinement of his talent.

On this episode: Web-D Report: Congratulations to the Dawson's on their newborn baby girl! (5:38) Black Swan Panther aka Roland is here (7:00) Cap Recap: L.D.'s Birthday (12:10), Cap's Birthday (13:10), R.I.P. Biz Markie and Charlie Robinson (13:30), Space Jam: A New Legacy (14:40) Are You Around?: LOX VERZUZ Dipset (18:45), Mac N Cheese Ice Cream (30:30), NBA 2k Covers (36:40), Pop Smoke album (41:30), New Emojis (44:00) Detrimental Sports Report: Richard Sherman (51:50), Negro National Anthem at NFL games (59:00), NBA Finals update (1:04:45) Scroll or Push the Button - 300 new words added to Dictionary.com (1:14:30) Who Knew? What year was Friendly's Ice Cream established? (32:40) How many emojis currently exist? (48:15) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/detrimental-podcast/message

Annie Lockhart-Gilroy speaks on how we can nurture a “sanctified imagination.” In this episode, you will hear Shari Oosting talk with Annie about her book, Nurturing the Sanctified Imagination of Urban Youth. They discuss what it looks like to do ministry in an urban setting and how we might prepare urban youth for a future that is designed in partnership with God.Rev. Annie A. Lockhart-Gilroy, Ph.D. is a scholar in Christian education and practical theology with a focus on youth ministry and emancipatory pedagogy.  She has taught students on many levels from middle school to doctoral students. She has worked with youth as a teacher, coach, youth minister, and Christian educator for almost two decades. She earned her PhD. in Christian Education and Congregational Studies from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and her M.Div. ('05) from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her teaching and research interests include: womanist approaches to working with Black girls, emancipatory pedagogy, faith and developmental theories, and ministry to, with, and for, youth and young adults. She is currently assistant professor of Christian education and practical theology at Phillips Theological Seminary, and author of Nurturing the Sanctified Imagination in Urban Youth (Urban Loft Publishing).Intro (00:01): How can we nurture the imagination of urban youth and prepare them for a future that is designed in partnership with God? In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Annie Lockhart Gilroy, an assistant professor of Christian Education and Practical Theology at Phillips Theological Seminary. Shari Oosting talks with her about how we can spark hope and possibility in the future of urban youth and their communities by creating space for sanctified imagination. You're listening to The Distillery at Princeton Theological Seminary. Shari (00:39): Annie, thank you so much for talking with me today. Annie (00:42): It is my pleasure. Thank you for inviting me. Shari (00:45): Today, we are talking about your book, Nurturing the Sanctified Imagination of Urban Youth. And I would love if you would walk us into what sparked your interest in studying this. Annie (00:58): I did ministry for about a decade in a small city. So that was my context for a long period of time. I will say though, that although each chapter in this text starts with a story and although most of the stories start within a small city context, I also taught at an independent high school, which there is a story there that starts a chapter and my own childhood starts a chapter. And I am not from an urban upbringing at all. As I like to say, I am pretty country, as in, "I got a cow for my eighth birthday" kind of country. Shari (01:43): You did? Well, don't tell my children that because they will want a cow for their eighth birthday. Annie (01:48): I wanted one because one of my friends in my neighborhood had one and I wanted one, too. New Speaker (01:54): That's amazing. Annie (01:56): So, entering into this environment, there was a lot that I had to learn. It was not, it was not clear for me. It was like I said, it did not, for me as a child was not part of my upbringing. So it was a lot of information that I had to gather and to learn. So I had the opportunity of looking in my, looking at my ministry with a different set of eyes. Of course being an insider because I was a part of the congregation, but being an outsider because... understandings, language, all of those things were different from my own upbringing. Not only not being in necessarily an urban setting, but I was also raised on an island. I'm from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. So the culture is different. So you're also looking at West Indian culture versus US American continental culture. So, so going into those experiences always tends to open one's eyes in a particular way, and they tend to see things that others who have been swimming in the culture their entire life don't necessarily see. Shari (03:09): Yeah. So you entered into urban ministry in a small city, so can you describe what you started observing as kind of this outsider coming in, so to speak. Annie (03:24): Yeah. So it was interesting the conversation about what I would describe as how great this city used to be. And again, this conversation does not only apply to cities, but it takes on a different feel. So there are a lot of empty factories in the city, right? So it used to be a great factory city that would produce a lot of things. And we hear this story from, right, across the country of these empty factories, empty spaces that used to employ a lot of people. One could work at these factories and achieve a middle-class lifestyle, not necessarily with a college education, right? But that was no longer the case. And one of the things that was the most striking to me is that there were a lot of "revitalize" conversations. And those conversations tended to be about going back to the way the city used to be. There was some conversation about how to move forward and what are some new things that are happening, what are new things other cities were doing, how could we imagine some changes, and those conversations will go forth a little bit and then it would get knocked back to, "We need to bring factories back, we need to bring this back. Remember when this particular space was booming. We need to do that again." Shari (05:01): Yeah. So it was kind of like this, this longing to bring back the economy, which was manufacturing. And then the [inaudible] came along with that. Annie (05:10): Yeah. And I call that in the text a crippling nostalgia. It's the idea that you are looking back so much, that you are unable to move forward. What you want to do is go backwards, and that is the actual desire to go back. Right? And like I said before, this is not unique, right. Even on the island that I grew up in, there is one major employer, an oil refinery, that closed for a couple of years and sent the island into economic chaos. Right? And employed a majority of people. And we see this in small towns, when factories go out of business, we have the conversations about coal mines, right? And I think what makes the small city a little different is that it doesn't have the same cultural myth as the small towns. Right. And it doesn't have the great, the cultural myth of the small towns being quaint, right? Salt of the earth people, hardworking folk, right? Folks who are worthy of help because they will help themselves. Shari (06:30): This bootstrap mentality. Annie (06:33): Yeah, that they don't need a hand out, but they, but, you know, but -- stop discrediting them in some ways, by taking away these jobs, right. What they need is just jobs, and all of these factories leaving -- they'll take away these jobs. And then there's the myth of the big cities where it's bright eyed, bushy tail. Right. I keep imagining that movie scene of someone from Kansas getting off the bus in New York City. Shari (07:00): The clouds part, and they're on a musical or something. Annie (07:03): Right. You know, it's beautiful. It's fabulous. You know, they're going to Broadway, they may get robbed on the way, but you know, they're dealing with it. Shari (07:12): Yeah. Hardship, but it's worth it for the glamour. Annie (07:17): Right. So we have our myths for Middle America, and we have the myth of the big city -- the New York, the Chicago, the LA, right. It's beautiful and glamorous. And we don't have those equal myths about small cities. Right. There's no... There's no great, like, "I just can't wait until I can move to a Baltimore or a Newark, Camden, Trenton, Tulsa." Right? And so those, so then what you have is this ongoing story of even though it's the same underlying problem as small towns, they're crime infested -- that's what you focus on -- they're drug infested. And it's not that they need jobs as a mythical, beautiful small town does. It's -- there's something wrong with the people. And what I had to walk very carefully on is: I don't think it's about the people, right? So I think even though "urban" is very clearly in the title, I think there's a lot to be gleaned from those don't do urban ministry. Because I don't think it's in the people. Like, I don't think that's where all the problem lies. There's lots of systemic racism and classism and all of these different issues that people have to deal with. And at the same time, as we push for government and many other things to do their jobs and help these people, we do that realizing that that's what they should do, but I'm not holding my breath that help is coming because I see enough of the coded language that is used, that when help goes to these small city areas, it's automatically a handout. It won't help them. When help goes to farmers or, you know, former coal miners, then it's aid. Shari (09:18): Or an investment. Annie (09:20): Right. So I'm not blaming them for their own oppression, but I don't... I'm not going to hold my breath that help is on the way. Shari (09:30): Can you talk a bit about your decision to use the word "urban"? You point out in the book that there's some tension in even making that choice, because the word "urban" can be coded. Can you talk about your decision about whether or not to use the word "urban"? Annie (09:45): Yeah. I mean, I went back and forth. You know, titling is not my strong suit and, as many of your readers should know, titling is also not always the decision of the author. But, so it's published through Urban Loft Ministries, and that is their focus. And this is part of the Urban Youth Series. And a lot of their titles have either "urban" or "in the city." And I chose "urban" specifically because "in the city" also gives a different connotation. Most of the people that I'm speaking about are Black and Brown people. So that is often what we think of when we think of the term "urban." And my goal in using that term is to say, you know, here are the various ways that these people are just like other folks and other types of folks that we mythically think wonderfully of. But this word is seen as synonymous often with "Black." Because even if we... I'm sorry, I think the first time I saw the term urban music and how confused I was, because the person, I can't really remember who the artist was, but I knew that the artist was not born or raised in a city. Shari (11:18): So you're like, how is this an urban artist? Annie (11:22): Right. And then I learned that I was synonymous with Black. And while I don't necessarily think the term should be synonymous with Black, right, the city is complex and diverse and has a variety of race ethnicities, you know, socioeconomic classes. And I do recognize a need for speaking about this term in a positive light -- look at the power that urban youth can have. Shari (11:51): So talk to me a little bit about what you... You were working in two really different contexts, this private school and a congregational ministry context, and you observed some pretty sharp differences in what you call the imagination of young people or the way that they envision their future. Can you break that down? Annie (12:15): Yeah. What they saw their future to be. The youth in the independent school where I taught is a college prep school. It is expected that everyone go to college, not even just to college, but to a *good* college that, you know, that adjective is often thrown in there. You know, every student has a college counselor that walks with them, that, you know, gets to know them talks about the types of college that works. There's a, you know, a growing list of colleges these days that are seen as the *right* college. And then college is meant to provide, you know, give them, provide them for their future wonderful, successful life. And the *right* college, the *good* college is important because it's not just about an education that ones gets, but it's about the connections that one makes. Annie (13:19): So when speaking about, one's future in that context, it is this like bright rosy (in some senses) future of -- I'm going to do, I'm going to go to college, I'm gonna have this career, I'm going to do this. I'm going to do that. In the urban ministry setting that I was in, and this particular program, which, was designed for "at-risk" youth, which I put in quotation marks -- let's define what "at-risk" means -- that they were taught to be more realistic, so to speak. So I talk about different language jargon. Shari (14:10): What does it mean to be "realistic" about your future? Annie (14:13): Right. Well, there's a particular rung that one should reach for. So the difference in language jargon for example, is, you know, the independent school kids talked about careers, urban kids talked about jobs. Right? In the summer the independent school kids talked about experiences that they would have and the camps that they go to, and the conversation for urban kids is about like, what, what do they do to spend their time and get out of trouble, stay out of trouble. Right? It could be doing very similar things, but what related to what you were doing, was seen as different, right? On one hand, you're either -- Shari (14:52): You're building a résumé or you're avoiding trouble. That's a very different framework. Annie (14:57): Right. And you could be at the same camp. Right? And also I talk about, you know, like, what were some of the -- what was the difference here? And the easy answer is socioeconomic class and how my independent school kids talked about these bright futures almost as a birthright. And if that is the case within was the birthright for the kids I was working with in the urban context. And what I saw was simply a perpetuation of the current class structure. Shari (15:38): Can you tell the story you wrote about Maya Angelou's experience at graduation? And I thought it was a really concrete example of this. Can you tell that story? Annie (15:49): Yeah. So in her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she writes about her eighth grade graduation, and she talks about how her town was all abuzz. And she lived with her grandmother and her grandmother sewed the dress, and the dress was gorgeous, and everyone was excited, and she was top of her class, and I think she was sitting up front or on the stage or something. And people were just fabulous. This wonderful thing was happening, right -- graduation of their students. And there was a speaker that came, I think he was an elected government official, and Maya Angelou, growing up in the forties, right? So this is segregated schooling. And this elected official comes to talk about, you know, the great changes they are making in the education systems, in this particular place. And he talks about how the school, the Black school, had just paved over their playing areas. And they had a new gym and, you know, and he talks about their heroes, like, Joe Lewis and such. And when he talked about the white school, he talked about their new labs, their new learning facilities. Right? And when Maya Angelou describes that, she talks about how the joy was just taken away from that space... that this is a group of people that when people talk, there are "amens" and "yes," and "lovely" -- responses. And when the elected official starts to speak, there's some of that, but then that quiets down. And as Angelou reflects, she talks about how that official had just placed a bar on them, right? That he made it very clear that the white students got to be scientists and doctors and all these other things. And the black students got to be athletes. You know... as she states, you know, there are certainly athletes in our community that are heroes, but we should get to decide that. He shouldn't get to decide that's all we can be. So she talks about how low, how just dull this place felt and how they felt so depleted. And then the valedictorian gets up to give his speech and he starts quoting Hamlet to be, or not to be, and she's sitting there going, why is he doing this? You know, it has just been made very clear to us that we are not to be. And he talks about, she talks about how the valedictorian -- I don't know if it's, I don't remember if it's in the middle of the speech or towards the end that he starts to quietly sing the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing, also known as the Black National Anthem, which would have been known then as the Negro National Anthem. And he starts to quietly sing. And, you know, this is a song that they all know. And the, one of the teachers who was overseeing music gets her group to sing along. And by the end of the song, everybody is singing. Their joy is back. Their feeling that they can indeed overcome is back. And I talk about that as an example of [indecipherable] education that does look back, not in a crippling nostalgic kind of way. I talk about the idea of Sankofa, which is a Western African idea of looking back, but moving forward... That you have this historical imagination as [indecipherable] would call it, that you remember that people have been here before and have overcome these obstacles that's been placed in their way. And yes, there are people, stories, myths, coded language, all sorts of things that are meant to put you in your place or keep you in a particular place or lane. And there are also resources, strength, right? Spirituals, ancestors, great power from one's own history and history of their people that reminds them that they don't have to listen to those people putting limitations on them. And in fact, what they are saying is a lie, right? Because you have no God-given limitations on you in that way. We have limitations, of course, right? Like we can't fly and things like that, but we can achieve things that other humans can achieve. So we know that one's zip code can often tell us a variety of things of where they will end up 20, 30 years from now. We also know that it does not have to be that way. Shari (21:07): Yeah. The Sankofa is helpful, right. It's our relationship with the past, but not one that's defined by nostalgia as you put it. The one that is future oriented. Annie (21:21): Right. And it's a critical look at history and using different thoughts and processes that were used and not simply looking at products. Right. So I think that a crippling nostalgia looked at products. This is what we had, but it doesn't necessarily look at the process of how you got there. I mean, factories were new at one point, right. So it was imagination that got us there. But Sankofa asks us to say, okay, so what exactly are we trying to bring forward? Shari (21:55): People also talk about imagination about the future as though imagination is fantasy. How do you think about that in-the-future orientation as not being fantasy, but something that's less abstract? Annie (22:07): Yeah. I do separate a little bit, imagination from wishful thinking. You know, wishful thinking can give us some sort of relief for a few minutes, right. So I could talk about how great my life will be when I win the lottery, even though I don't play, but you know, how great it could be if I struck oil and what I would do with, you know, a couple of million dollars, right. That is wishful thinking. That's not gonna happen. Even if I did start playing the lottery, that's leaving it up to chance. There is no plan, right? Imagination is different because imagination is the beginning of... The beginning of something that can come into fruition. So, every thing that we see starts with an idea, right? And along with nurturing this imagination is also nurturing ways to make our ideas come into fruition, which goes along with learning ways in which other people have made their ideas come into fruition in the past, how they make their ideas come into fruition now, providing folks with a variety of resources, you becoming a resource in and of yourself. And one of the reasons that I picked imagination is because I do believe that is a natural gift. I think it's something that is often inate in young people, right? So we don't have to give young people that imagination. They have an imagination. In fact, young people tend to have an imagination much more so than older adults because they haven't had, you know, "real life" (in quotation marks), you know, pressed down upon them, right, killing hopes and dreams. But they still see the possibilities of what could be, so it doesn't need to be given to them, but it does need to be nurtured. And more often than not, I think that it's not nurtured. It's kind of pushed out of young people. So imagination is a possibility of what life could be, with ideas of -- how do we get there. Now, for some, they could say, well, there really isn't a difference, right? Annie (24:47): Because you're talking about, you know, breaking down socioeconomic class systems -- like, that is not going to happen. Right. Is it, is it unrealistic? Are you just, is this wishful thinking, is this, like, you know, what is this? And I would say that it is as unrealistic as, you know, a group of people under monarchs, deciding that they were going to free themselves from that and govern themselves. It is that it's unrealistic as the slave, knowing that one day they will be free and their children will be free. It is as unrealistic as any historical story, person, representation, we have that said this way that we exist is wrong. There is another way. And we have seen the world change. So we know that it can happen. And it will happen. The thing is how involved will you be in the change? Shari (26:04): I'd love to return to the particularity of the small city, because you talk a little bit about the biblical character Hagar to really explore some of the particularities of the small city, and you use the imagery of wilderness, and how that's significant because the wilderness isn't just one thing. Can you talk us through that? Annie (26:33): Like you said, I, I focused on Hagar and Dolores Williams' treatment of Hagar and what she learns in the wilderness, but we also know from different biblical literature and all different types of literature through all the ages, the wilderness is a popular motif, right? Shari (26:52): Yeah, we're doing this interview during Lent. So for anybody on the liturgical calendar, we're in the wilderness, right? Annie (26:58): Indeed. Yeah. And there are several sides to the wilderness. One is that the wilderness is dangerous. There's unknown things out there, creatures, um, a variety of things that, that just basically is out to get you. This is particularly true in, like, fairy tales, when they, you know, go into the woods. The wilderness doesn't have always the necessary things that we need to survive. So in the Hagar story, when she is banished and sent out to the wilderness, she runs out of water and there was no food. She is afraid that her child will die, so she puts the child down and goes a distance so she doesn't hear her child wailing. There's nothing that she can do to provide for her child Ishmael. The wilderness is a dangerous place. The wilderness, though, is also a space for growth. The wilderness is a space for miracles happening where we see, for Hagar, God appearing to her, providing for her and her child. Twice, right? Because Hagar has two wilderness stories. We see the theophanies as the people of Israel is in the wilderness for 40 years, right? For that long period of time, we see the different ways that God shows up in miraculous ways. There is no food -- manna rains down from heaven. The wilderness is also a space where one comes into their own being. So I think of many stories in literature, that coming of age happens in that wilderness hiking, right -- thinking "Into the Wild" -- spaces, you get to know yourself in a particular way. There's something to having come through this wilderness experience, right? I'm also thinking of the second part of Little Red Riding Hood. So wilderness is all over literature. And using the Hagar story in particular helped me to talk about, in many ways, either growing up in these small cities, how it is wilderness experience for them in both the positive and the negative ways. And, you know, small cities can be dangerous, right? Crime, drugs, gang-related activities, there's often not enough resources to protect, provide education, right? There's a lot of danger there. Shari (29:53): And those dangers can be very real. Annie (29:55): Absolutely. And there is also a lot of hope there. There's a lot of people working to make these spaces better. So it is not just a horrible experience, right? Like, you know, I would tell people the work that I do, which was on mostly on the weekends at this particular city, and they'd be like, "Oh wow. You know, like, aren't you awesome." And I'm like, there's some really good things also happening in a small city that you are afraid of. And this is not to say that, you know, that the danger isn't real, but the wilderness experience is both. That is how that story helps me and, of course at the end, realizing that that God gives Hagar a new vision, right. She sees a well, and from this well, she is able to provide for her child. It is a beautiful, but still yet a simple provision, right. This water provision and the child is, you know, as the story goes and goes off and becomes a father to a large group of people. So there's something about planning, a particular seed that allows someone to say, okay, now I can, I have what I need and I can move on to care for myself and for my kids and for my community and I can move on to be great. So I think those are a couple of ways that the Hagar story helps me think about ways in which we can foster this type of imagination with this population. Shari (31:34): That's a great segue. When you get really practical, you, you talk about mentoring as one of the most significant aspects. It kind of creates this rich soil where the imagination that you're dreaming of can be cultivated. And I'm curious if you can talk a little bit about the kind of mentoring and maybe share a story, a mentoring story that's been really impactful. Annie (31:59): I think one of the things to recognize is the importance of community. And one of the factors for community would be different mentoring experiences. Shari (32:12): And you're not thinking of like this top-down -- I tell you things cause I'm old and wise, right? Annie (32:18): Right. I talk about bi-directional mentoring. So in bi-directional mentoring, you would have an adult and a young person working together, whether the goal is to plan a particular thing about their congregation, their community at large, but working to get together to imagine something differently. And I think that once you do whatever that something is, young people can see how we imagine this one thing differently and enact change. We can imagine this other thing differently and enact change. And then imagine this other thing differently and enact change. We don't have to be stuck in the reality that we are in. And I think about my own youth ministry upbringing, where there were different generations in the same room, you know, it was kind of happenstance of how that happened. You know, there, there wasn't like a young adult ministry, so people tend not to kind of age out. Shari (33:22): So there was like an intergenerational accident that happened? Annie (33:26): An intergenerational accident. And in this room where, you know, people like me who like grew up in the church, right -- I don't remember a time that I did not go to church multiple times a week -- and others who were new to the faith. So there were many times when me as a 14 or 15 year old, not only growing up in the church and it was a Roman Catholic congregation, but going to Catholic school (like I, you know, I was very Catholic girl) so that I could, you know, answer particular questions about Catholic doctrine, that someone who was new to the faith, even though they were 10, 15 years older than me. And I talk about how that happens by accident and imagine the possibilities if that was done on purpose. Shari (34:15): It feels like... It feels counter-cultural in a number of ways, both this idea of almost a shared authority or the reciprocity that can be present in something like that. But also in your suggestion of corporate imagination, they both seem counterintuitive, especially in churches where things can be pretty hierarchical. Annie (34:38): Yes. Some of the pushback that I get on this because it's so counter-cultural -- shared power with young people, right? And I recognize that... That certainly the power authority, it lies with the adults. This is not an equal relationship, and in some ways that makes it tricky. But interestingly enough, for me, there's a lot of conversation about intergenerational friendship. And in my particular understandings, I find that harder than intergenerational mentoring, bi-directional mentoring. Shari (35:14): Is that because friendship has less structure or intentionality to it, or... Annie (35:20): Yeah. That there isn't... This isn't necessarily a friendship. I mean, I've had great mentors in my life that it was a great relationship for that period. And we achieved a particular goal. They don't pop into my mind first when I think about throwing dinner parties, right? That we can have working relationships with clear boundaries and understandings with people of different authority and power, a little easier than we can have friendships. We do it all the time. Right? Our supervisors and our boss have different power and authority than we do. We have those working relationships all the time. Another pushback is people saying, you know, young people can teach. I don't think they can mentor because... a mentor requires a particular type of wisdom. Right. Another thing I hear a lot. And I agree with that. However, I would, I tend to redefine and talk about the definition of wisdom. I think that young people have wisdom, right? It's not the same, it's not backed by, you know, the amount of dead scholars that, you know, we academics like to quote... Shari (36:50): They are, perhaps, freed of that burden. Annie (36:52): Yes, indeed. It's interesting to me to hear from young people, their ideas, and sometimes it's their ideas that already exist. Right. But they're these ideas that I've had conversations with young people and I'm like, well, that's Plato, right? That's Aristotle. You don't yet know that it exists, but how awesome is it that you had the same idea as Plato, right? (If you hold Plato in high regard, right.) So they don't yet know what exists. But then there may be some other idea that tweaks it because Plato doesn't know anything about living in a small city. Well, I mean, I don't know, I don't really know much about Plato. But certainly not within the 21st century. Right. So it's... They can have that same idea that's an old theory, but they're not thinking about it in that old theory way. They are already placing it in a modern perspective. So we have this project together and we guide each other and we share wisdom with each other. And the other aspect of mentoring that I talk about when I go into the etymology of "mentor" coming from the Odyssey, and how Athena takes on the body and persona of mentor and talk about where is the divine within this? Shari (38:29): Okay, so, I was not well versed enough in mythology. And I forgot to check with my 12 year old, who is very well versed in, but to catch people up who might be rusty on this, like I am -- you're talking about the myth where the word mentor comes from. Can you get us on the same page for anyone else who's as rusty as I am? Annie (38:48): All right. So "mentor" comes from the book the Odyssey, um, which I taught as a high school teacher for a number of years. I am not a big fan of the book, but I thought, "Oh, here's the purpose of me having to teach this book for so many years; now it's useful to me. Shari (39:08): You used a small piece of it nonetheless, Annie (39:12): Yeah. So I was actually kind of surprised that that is where the word comes from. But, so it was the name of a character that... Odysseus goes off to fight the Trojan war. And he has a newborn son, Te-LEM-achus, or Tele-MAH-chus, depending on how it's translated. And he leaves Telemachus and his wife, Penelope, under the guise of his friend Mentor, right? Just as anybody else who would leave and say, please look after my family, right? You're one of my best friends care for my family. He goes off, he fights the war. Everyone comes back or does he has this and come back or they see his wanders for a really, really long time. Telemachus grows up into a young man, but Mentor is always his go-to, right? Mentor has upheld his promise. He has cared for Odysseus' family. Telemachus decides that he wants to go find his... he's going out adventuring to try to find his father, I think, and Mentor accompanies him. Right? So we have the accompanying... we have the caring for, the accompanying in one's journey, right? The advice-giving -- you see some dialogue between the two of them. And, Athena, who is the goddess of war and some other things, who is also looking out for this family -- when she comes to earth, she can take on different bodily formations. And she takes on the formation of Mentor. And at one point towards the end, it's the scene that all my ninth grade boys liked, there's this big fight battle, right? Like, this big fight scene, where Odysseus, Telemachus, Mentor take on these suitors that have invaded Odysseus' house and they're trying to get his wife Penelope, and they fight them off. Annie (41:12): So, then for me -- I look at Mentor. Part of being a mentor is not only journeying with, but also fighting besides. So I do a lot of critical analysis with this character as a way of throwing on some flesh of this word, because I find the etymology interesting. And, when I first read that, that was the etymology of it, I found that hard to believe. And did some more digging. I don't quite know why I resisted it. I'm like, words come from what you name a character in your story? But, you know, but I just, I find that intriguing. Shari (41:53): I'm curious if there's an example of somebody whose mentoring has been really inspiring to you, as you think about the possibilities for this with young people. Annie (42:05): There's a few. I have been lucky. Just, I have been graced with lots of mentors throughout my life. There is a woman when I was in college, Dr. Blake, who, you know, who walked me through the first three years of college or the director of the multicultural program and, you know, left the institution before my last year. But her guidance through kind of, like, Allowed me to, to, to make it that fourth year, without it, without her in college was a very difficult time for me, for many reasons. You know, I mean, I spoke to her recently and just said, I would not... I said, I would not have made it through that experience without you, at least not this way. So I may have graduated, but in far more of a broken way, so to survive in a somewhat healthy way, right, comes from mentoring guidance, you know, her fighting on my behalf, fighting next to me. And through different jobs and careers I've had, there's usually always been at least one person and many times more who reaches out to me in some ways and says, okay, let's get some, you know, let's get some understanding of what we want to achieve here. Right? So, I have been graced with some fabulous mentors, and what I've seen that is common between them, at least, you know, the good ones that I claim, it is a give-and-take relationship. At no point, is it a matter of -- I have the knowledge, let me pour it into you. It also is not -- let me turn you into a mini-me. It's -- let me get to know you. What do you want? What are your desires and goals? Well, what do you think about this? Can we stretch it this way? Can we do it that way? If you go along with me and then we'll keep going, if you pull back and say, absolutely not, then we'll go a different direction. What kind of student do you want to be? What kind of teacher do you want to be? What kind of scholar do you want to be? Those are the questions that have started my different mentoring relationships. And then, how can we broaden that? So, one of the benefits of a mentor is someone who has a broader idea, which is once again, why I think bi-directional mentoring can work because while adults have a broader idea because of their experience, youth have a broader idea, in many ways, because they haven't had, you know, that imagination kind of knocked out of them. They have not... they can come up with an idea and not automatically have 10 reasons why it won't. Shari (45:02): Yeah. When you talk about possibilities for young people, there were so many words connected with freedom, liberation, emancipation. So I think as we come toward the end of our interview, I'd love for you to talk about -- why those words? You mentioned liberation theology earlier, but it seems like there's a particular resonance with young people. And I'm wondering if it's connected to that sense of possibility. I mean, at the very beginning of our conversation, you talked about how sometimes language choice even about the future is limiting. But it sounds like, pushing beyond that, you use a lot of this emancipation language. Can you talk about that? Annie (45:43): Yeah. I think a lot of the ways that we use the language to talk about this population, a lot of the ways that we educate this population, the types of education that are in the schools and the offerings for them and all of those things, this is where I get really sad. And, I think it's oppressive. I think it's de-humanizing. I think that a lot of the shaping is made to put people within this particular race, socioeconomic class and geography in their place. And it's wrong, right? So all of this language of emancipatory liberation, that is what is needed when people are being oppressed and dehumanized. And understanding that you can be freed of this, that no one gets to tell you where your place is. And you can see things, as a friend of mine would say, through God-given glasses, right... that there is, there, there is, there can be divine vision of your place being greater than what society says your place is. And I'm very careful to use terms like greater, right? Because I am not suggesting that one career is better than another. It makes you a better human being or anything like that, right? When I say greater, bigger, I mean, being able to live into your vocation and calling without barriers, right? Realizing the human place to barriers in your way of your divine calling. Like I said before, in the sense of seeing that, like, you know, in many ways, many of the students that I worked with, whether they were in the independent school or the urban atmosphere, they were trapped, right? So you can be stopped of your divine calling by a family, the things that your job, that job is beneath you. But whatever your trappings are, we need to help each other be liberated from that. And I think that's the... that's the benefit of bi-directional mentoring is that tapping into some of that youthful imagination, right? Tapping into that annoyance and anger you used to have that made you cry, "That's not fair!" before every adult in your life told you, "Well, life's not fair." But tapping into that, like "Grr, it's not fair, and it should be, and how do we make it so?" Shari (48:48): I have an eight year old you can borrow for some of that. Annie (48:50): Right. And that's not something that I don't really think that we should beat out of them now. Yes. We want to prepare them that life is not fair, but at the same time, recognize that it should be. Right? And we don't want to live in, you know, la-la land -- Shari (49:05): No, but we need to have the ability to cry out when things are unjust... Annie (49:07): Exactly. Shari (49:07): ...and be genuinely appalled when they're unjust. Annie (49:10): Exactly. Shari (49:10): I'm so grateful for your time today and for this conversation. Thank you. New Speaker (49:18): Thank you. This has been great. Dayle (49:20): You've been listening to The Distillery. Interviews are conducted by me, Dayle Rounds... Sushama (49:25): ...and me, Sushama Austin-Connor, Shari (49:27): ...and I'm Shari Oosting. Amar (49:29): I'm Amar Peterman, and I am in charge of production. New Speaker (49:32): Like what you're hearing? Subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or your preferred podcast app. The Distillery is a production of Princeton Theological Seminary's Office of Continuing Education. You can find out more at thedistillery.ptsem.edu. Thanks for listening.  

The Negro National Anthem encourages us to sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us; sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us. If we are to do that and to live as people of faith, we may have to reach back and reclaim the faith of our cultural and biblical heritage. By faith, our ancestors overcame unimaginable hardships and did amazing things empowered by the grace of God at work within them. What will we accomplish by faith -- when we learn to reach back and rise up?"Reach Back and Rise Up!" - Rev. Eleanor ColvinIsaiah 40:28-31 and Hebrews 11:1Bulletin flipbook: View https://pubhtml5.com/homepage/ymvqSubscribe to Worship 1st Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite player. Also, listen at http://1stcollegestation.org/Episode participants: Praise Team, Matthew Douglas, Stephanie Jones, Crystal Carter, and Rev. Eleanor ColvinProducers: Jacorien Bowers, Crystal CarterFor more information contact Rev. Eleanor Colvin, Pastor at pastor@1stcollegestation.org

This episode talk's about Vell's take on the power of using your voice. Lift Every Voice can be heard before any major black event and nationally recognized as the Negro National Anthem. Because of the climate of the 2020 presidential election it was only right. The Good Read for this episode is Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It by Charlamagne Tha God. In Black Privilege, Charlamagne presents his often controversial and always brutally honest insights on how living an authentic life is the quickest path to success. This journey to truth begins in the small town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina. What's popping in Vell's World consist of 2020 Presidential Election, Shonda Rhimes (UPDATE), Mike Tyson & Boosie interview, RIP King Von, and much more. Follow on Twitter and Instagram @LDMonger1 Email contact@ldmonger.com with any comments, questions, or concerns you would like mentioned in our upcoming episodes. To sponsor an episode send us an email. Don't forget to subscribe and share with others. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vellsworldpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/vellsworldpodcast/support

Rev. Adnoid is in for Deacon Def Jam and has Church Complaints and Announcements. There is an issue surrounding the Negro National Anthem and communion will be done via Zoom for COVID-19 reasons. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

- WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO - We set up a temporary studio in The Mo, Boating in Galveston, Installing Nest Doorbells, Continued Issues with Moving, Breaking in a Weber Grill, Whatching What Said Around The Boy, The Reese Chopped it up with The Montoyis' Uncle Les - NEWS - Fox News Faces More Law Suits, Kanye Held Rally, NFL plans to play the Negro National Anthem to Open the Season, The NBA plans to Start Back in a Bubble, Don Jr's Concubine Catches Tha Rona - BREAK - Entanglement With August - FUCKERY/LISTENER FEEDBACK - We define Entanglement, Should NBA Players Risk Playing in the Bubble, Reaction to our Boosie Noodles Review, The Famous Entanglement and the Song That Came With it, Nicki Minaj is Preggers, Meg Tha Stallion Gets Shot The website is www.Shootfromthehip.xyz! Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play Music or wherever you get your Podcasts! Reach us at @FromThe_Hip on Twitter. Email us at shootfromthehip1@gmail.com. The Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ShootFromTheHipShow/ and the voicemail line is (559)825-SHOT! #SFTH #PODCAST #HUMOR #COMMONSENSE  

The Washington football team is in hot water. A name change seems to be on the horizon. Covid-19 is affecting sports. Will there be a season? DeSean Jackson reposted anti-semitic rhetoric. What's up with women in football? The "Negro National Anthem" will be played at games?! This episode is packed with NFL updates. The guys also discuss the history of the NFL North. Jon had to cut out early, so the final European team designation will be covered next week. Support this podcast at patreon.com/svenfl

In this episode I'll be looking at LSU adding HBCU schools Southern and Grambling to there future schedule and what other schools do you think should do the same. Also Maya Moore's quest to help a man imprisoned gain his freedom and the NFL's plan to play the Negro National Anthem during week one to kick of the season. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/anthony-smith34/support

Keep the movement going --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Please meet my guest Miss Nia Alsop, Miss Nia, performed the Negro National Anthem, Lift every voice and sing. She is being featured by Success In The Evening With Coach Ricky Terry on Nlgradio.com Monday March 9th, Success In Evening, broadcast live each and every Monday from 5 to 7 PM (EST) on Nlgradio.com Nia, is a student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts and just celebrated her 16th birthday. So meet us, on Monday, March 9th to celebrate and recognize this young and out-front leader! #youngandoutfrontleaders Click the link below: https://lnkd.in/eT24Kj4 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rickyterry/message

In this episode, Dr. Tip discusses the end of her season at her HBCU, the final exam she gave her students, and what she hoped to accomplish. Together, Dr. TIp and her listeners will unpack the lyrics of the Negro National Anthem "Lift Every Voice." Then, the song will be used as a framework to discuss the parental dress code enforced by a Black woman principal in Houston.

Imani Gandy (Boom! Lawyered), Ify Nwadiwe (Nerdificent), Carl Tart (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Zeke Nicholson (A.P. Bio) join Andrew and Tawny live from San Francisco SketchFest to discuss a white caller’s question about deleting old photos of her with dreadlocks from social media, The Negro National Anthem, an audience member who has t-shirt problems, Elvis Costello’s “Oliver’s Army,” and much more. As always, leave us a message about anything you think is racist at (323) 389-RACE.

Members of the community came together on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Black History Month. The celebration began in 1970 but has its beginning in the 1920s. The Alice celebration focused on celebrating the history of African American people through music, speeches and education exhibits featured throughout the venue.Music was a prominent feature for the day, with many choirs and soloists performing. The AHS choir performed the unofficial Negro National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing. The Texas A&M Jazz Band was on hand to perform, as well as saxophonist Daryl Eason. Dinah Taylor also sang a selection of songs by Whitney Houston.The keynote speaker was Liza Wisner, a Kenyan born American who has attained much success after coming to the states in 1999 on a golf scholarship from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Wisner was also a top three finalist on The Apprentice, the television program formerly helmed by President Donald Trump. Wisner gave an inspiring speech about the power of people and how one person can provide their family with “generational wealth”.“Tomorrow is not promised, all you have is today,” said Wisner. “The time is now, the opportunities are now.”She also encouraged those in attendance to never remain neutral in the face of conflict. Wisner discussed her great grandmother, who had been a Kenyan freedom fighter.“When you remain neutral, you’re actually on the side of the oppressor,” said Wisner.Dinner followed the day’s events.

Today we’re airing a special episode to coincide with the first day of Black History Month, although you can listen on any day of the year. Our four guests today are intentionally from the Black diaspora, which Wikipedia describes as a “worldwide collection of communities descended from African peoples.” They were all recorded separately. Here’s the outline for the episode, including the bios of the guests, except for the interview which you’lll hear later, then we’ll get started. There will be a prayer, three poems, an interview, two more poems, and another prayer.  The Rev. Rowena Kemp, priest in charge at Grace Church, Hartford, will read a confession that’s part of the recommended liturgy for Episcopalians in Connecticut on February 10, a Sunday that was chosen by its members at their Annual Convention last fall to be a Day for Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation,  part of a Season of Racial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation. Rowena will close the episode with a prayer as well, reading a collect from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. In addition to serving as Priest-in-Charge at Grace Church in Hartford, Rowena is chaplain for the national Girls Friendly Society USA. She is a member of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s Standing Committee and numerous other groups, and serves as co-leader of the Episcopal Church’sRacial Healing, Justice, and Reconciliation Ministry Network. She has a Master's in Clinical Research Administration and a Master's of Public Health, Health Policy and Management from New York Medical College. Before her work with the church, Rowena worked as a program manager for Yale University School of Medicine and is skilled in molecular biology, biochemical research, DNA sequencing, and biomarkers. Rowena graduated with an M.Div from Yale in 2013 and was ordained that year. She then served as a priest for the Middlesex Area Cluster Ministry, then assistant rector at Trinity on the Green in New Haven, and has been priest-in-charge at Grace since 2016. Dr. Eleanor Q. Tignor, a retired English professor who organizes an annual African American Read-in at her church, Trinity on the Green, New Haven, when people from the church and community take turns reading from African-American literature. She will read three poems, two in the beginning and one at the end. The first is, “On Being Brought From Africa to America.” It’s from the 1770s and was written by an enslaved woman. The second is “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the original poem by James Weldon Johnson that was put to music and is known as the “Negro National Anthem.” The third is by Dr. Maya Angelou and called, “Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem.” Dr. Tignor is a retired English professor, Professor Emerita, of LaGuardia Community College (City University of New York).  There she taught African American Literature and other English courses for 29 years, as a follow up to having taught at two colleges in Baltimore, Maryland, namely Morgan State College (now University) from which she received her B.A. in English and Coppin State College (now University).  She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in English from Howard University, Washington, D.C. Both graduate dissertations are on African American fiction writers. Active over the years in professional organizations in English, she served as president of the historically black College Language Association and on various committees of the National Council of Teachers of English. It was as a member of the Black Caucus of the NCTE that she became interested in introducing the African American Read-In at Trinity. Our interview today is with Enola G. Aird, Esq., an activist mother and lawyer, who talks about the Community Healing Network, which she founded in 2006 at her church, St. Luke’s, New Haven. CHN has continued to expand and now has a global impact. It has a visionof "a world in which all Black people have moved beyond surviving to flourishing, and are enjoying life in all its fullness, in body, mind, and spirit" and a mission"to mobilize Black people across the African Diaspora to heal from the trauma caused by centuries of anti-Black racism, to free ourselves of toxic stereotypes, and to reclaim our dignity and humanity as people of African ancestry."  Enola G. Aird describes herself as an activist mother. A former corporate lawyer, she has worked at the Children’s Defense Fund, leading its violence prevention initiative and serving as acting director of its Black Community Crusade for Children; is a past chair of the Connecticut Commission on Children; and was a visiting scholar at the Judge Baker Children’s Center in Boston. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Barnard College and earned her law degree from Yale University. She was born in the Republic of Panama, of Caribbean heritage, and attributes much of her vision and passion for the movement for emotional emancipation to stories passed down in her family about her great-grandfather, Samuel Alleyne, a loyal follower of Marcus Garvey. Our fourth guest is Marc-Yves Regis, a Haitian-born photojournalist, author and poet, who will read us one of his poems giving tribute to Rosa Parks, and another poem about his personal experience, which he titled, “My Face.” Marc was born in Haiti and spent his earliest years there, learning to love photography; he immigrated to this country and became a citizen in 1996. He earned a degree in photography at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and worked as a photojournalist for the Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, and the Hartford Courant, and as a freelancer. He is the author of five books about the people of Haiti and their ongoing struggles. He is also the founder and director of Camp Hispaniolathat provides annual summer camps in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, serving over 150 at each site. He frequently works as a photographer for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, covering many of its significant diocesan occasions and events of the past nearly two decades, and also provides major photography for its annual magazine.

Growing up in the black community in Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. in the ‘70s and ‘80s, there were a few things you'd take for granted:  We learned Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing, also known as the Negro National Anthem, in school. We learned there was practically nothing George Washington Carver couldn’t do with a soybean. And a middle class black family was likely to have at least four magazines in the house: Ebony and Jet, of course. And if they were a little fancy, Essence and Black Enterprise.   These days, magazines aren’t what they used to be. Like many digital publishers, Black Enterprise is undergoing a reinvention, becoming less a publication and more a live events business. Back in October I interviewed Intel's CEO at a Black Enterprise tech event outside San Francisco – an event that showcased the brand's push to evolve beyond the printed page.   Earl Graves, Jr. -- he's known as "Butch" -- is the son of the founder of Black Enterprise. Now he's the CEO. I sat down with him to talk about how the brand was born, how it's trying to evolve in a digital world, and what the future looks like for minority entrepreneurs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales! Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by rememberinghistory.com where history is power. Today, we’re going to discuss the importance of knowing African American history. We begin by asking why is history important? Great question. Perhaps the answer can be found in this famous journal entry, which says, Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it. And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.  I know that dreams do come true.  I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!  I always dreamed about playing for the Dodgers, but honestly, I always had my doubts. I used to tell myself: “Something will happen. It just isn’t in the books for you to play in the majors. You’re a Negro. Negroes haven’t been in the big leagues. Some day they will be. But you won’t be the lucky guy. Can you guess who wrote this entry? Jackie Robinson. In 1947--following his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie Robinson was the first Black person to play major league baseball. He made history. And he went on to win the league’s MVP award in 1949. During his career, he would play in 6 World Series. He concluded this entry by saying, Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me! It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in American history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power. Yes, we can learn a lot from history—that can inspire AND empower US, too. With this inspiration and empowerment, WE can make history. And THAT is our goal at rememberinghistory.com. We are remembering history AND we’re MAKING it. You’re gonna hear about many African Americans that made great accomplishments, contributions and changes in every field—law, medicine, art, literature, science, engineering, the environment, sports, American society and even the world! We will learn that they faced lots of obstacles, problems, rejections and sometimes even violence. But most importantly we will learn that—despite all of their challenges-- they still made history. Nothing came easy for Jackie Robinson or any of the other African Americans that you’re gonna hear about. Yet through their resolve, perseverance, focus, determination and hard work, they made a difference for themselves and for others. They MADE history. You see, just like Jackie Robinson said: fairy tales can come true. It happened for him. And it can happen for you, too. History teaches that it can happen. History also teaches HOW things happened and why. And that nothing ever had to happen in the way that it did. So we need to know the African Americans who came before us; what happened before us—the successes, the defeats, the victories and the challenges. We need to know the African Americans who helped to build and transform the United States and, indeed, who helped to shape our world. Some names will be unfamiliar from the past: Dr. Carter G. Woodson who wrote the Negro National Anthem later called the African American National Anthem (yes, there is one!) and who founded Black History Month. Ida B. Wells who fought against the horrible (but at-the-time common) practice of lynching. And, of course, the mathematical genius, Benjamin Banneker, who made great discoveries in astronomy and developed theories about relativity. Did I mention that Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731, a descendant of enslaved parents? And, like Jackie Robinson, the road was not easy yet they endured. Others did too. There was James McCune Smith, who moved to Scotland to earn his medical degree because no American universities would accept a Black man. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1837 becoming the first African American to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith then returned to the U.S. where he had a distinguished medical career in private practice, opened two pharmacies, and trained young Black doctors. And there is Marcelite Harris who, in 1997, became the first woman to achieve the rank of major general in the US Air Force. Yes, she became the highest ranking woman in the United States Air Force and the country’s highest ranking African American woman in the Department of Defense! However, she had to apply THREE TIMES before her application for training was accepted. And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?! Most of us know what he went on to achieve! You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand out. Or even to stand alone. They weren’t afraid to fail. They never gave up. Neither should we. We can learn a lot from them. We can begin by asking ourselves: What was it like to be alive during their time? What it was like to walk in their shoes? What motivated them? What were they afraid of? What didn’t they know?   But remember that history is not just the study of the past. It is interesting because nobody ever lived in the past. People have only lived in the present. Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman didn’t think of themselves as living in the past. They were living in the present. The difference is that it was THEIR present. Not ours. They were caught up in the living moment exactly as we are today. They didn’t know how things would turn out. Neither do we today. Jackie Robinson didn’t know what would happen when he joined the Dodgers and stepped on the field that day in 1947. Dr. Smith did not know what would happen when he moved to Scotland to study medicine or when he returned to America in 1837. And Major General Marcelite Harris never knew if she would ever be accepted into the Air Force or that she would receive so many medals and honors but she kept trying. But we can use their stories and strength (their fairy tales) to be empowered, inspired, and moved to make our own fairy tales. We know the history. And history is power. History teaches us that we can believe in fairy tales. And that we can make history. This website will span 400 years of the African American experience: from slavery to freedom to equality to justice. The stories and lessons will empower and inspire you. We will learn about Black explorers, educators, civil rights, the Black experience in the military, Black holidays and celebrations, the struggle for equality through marches and protests and many more fascinating subjects. Take a look at rememberinghistory.com for the complete schedule. We’ll also discuss CURRENT events and TODAY’S heroes and history makers. That’s gonna keep us busy and intrigued as well but we MUST recognize and honor them too. People like Marva Collins, a great educator who founded an elementary school for Black kids who were labeled as “uneducatable”. But she developed a school and system to help these children to learn and become successful adults. Another current hero is Mae Jamison who is an engineer, physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first African American woman to travel in space. Did I mention that she also speaks four languages?! You’ll have to listen to the podcast show to find out which ones! She has been described as one of the most impressive people that you’ll ever meet. And, we absolutely cannot forget Colin Kaepernick, who was a skilled and talented quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers taking them to the Superbowl and NFC championships. He has not been signed to ANY NFL team since he started the “take a knee” movement, which focuses police violence and racial injustice against African Americans. He is a brave and committed role model and leader that deserves our respect. All of these people are deserve our respect because they fought and defeated the odds and lots of obstacles. They are making a difference and making history.   You see, these are great stories and there are so many of them to listen to, enjoy and learn from. So, we hope that you will join us at rememberinghistory.com. And that you will read our newsletter called Making History Today where you can learn how to make a difference in your community and even the world! And we do hope that you will make comments, ask questions and join this wonderful community of history lovers and aspiring history makers on the website or on Facebook. Or both! No limits! Keep believing in fairy tales! They do happen. We hope to see you soon at rememberinghistory.com where we are remembering history and we’re making it. Every day. Bye for now!    

Melba Moore http://www.melbamoore.com/ MELBA MOORE Is an American prolific 5 Octave singer and award winning actress. Broadway, Contemporary Soul/R&B, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Gospel and Classical Melba Moore was destined to be a Star! It could have been her Grammy-nominated cover of the Aretha Franklin classic "Lean On Me" or her Tony Award-winning performance as ‘LuttieBelle GussieMae Jenkins’ in Purlie that solidified her place in America's hearts, and when she became the first African-American woman to perform the role of Fantine in Les Misérables. “Music is what God allows me to do," declares Melba Moore. Born into a musical family, music chose Melba. “Music was a centerpiece in my family. My parents were musicians and so were many of my aunts and uncles." Melba’s father is the legendary big band leader Teddy Hill and her mother, Bonnie Davis, had a #1 hit on the R&B charts with the song “Don’t Stop Now." A graduate of the famed Arts High in Newark, Melba, at the encouragement of her parents went on to pursue music education at Montclair State, but her inner voice told her she had to see if she had the chops to make it as a performer. Melba’s stepfather (pianist Clement Moorman) introduced her to several agents which led to some studio work and eventually an audition that landed her a role in the cult classic Hair on Broadway in 1969. It was in Hair that Melba became the first African American woman to replace a white actress, who happened to be the acclaimed Diane Keaton, in a lead role on Broadway. One years later, she starred in Purlie, which earned her a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her portrayal as ‘Lutiebelle.’ At that time, Melba was one of the first Black women to win a Tony Award. Ms. Moore was the first female pop/R&B artist to do a non operatic solo concert at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House and at the Olympia in Paris. Melba was born to shine. Melba is better than ever, an elegant living legend, humanitarian, a star of stage, screen, and recordings, she's done it all and has done it beautifully. An American trend setter, she sets the bar high. She is currently in the planning stages of her return to Broadway and Television. She is a Grammy nominated vocalist; a film star (she was in films ‘All Dogs Go To Heaven,’ ‘The Fighting Temptations’ (Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonce Knowles). Moore has a successful track record in Television with the Melba Moore Show, Melba Moore Clifton Davis Show, Falcon Crest, Ellis Island, she produced ‘Melba Moore Live’ concert for TV, she is also profiled in the docu-series on TV-One's acclaimed ‘Unsung.’ She scored a string of Billboard charted hits … 8 top 10 R&B hits including two #1 smash hits and 3 Grammy nominations, AMA Nominations; rewards received are Tony Award, Ellis Island Award, Artist Guild Award, Trumpet Award of Excellence, NAACP Spingarn Award, History Makers Tribute. In the 80s and 90s, Melba Moore gifted us with classic jams like “Lean On Me," “This Is It," “You Stepped Into My Life," "Love's Comin' At Ya," "Livin' For Your Love," "Falling" and "A Little Bit More" a #1 duet with Freddie Jackson. “With over 40 years in the industry, the singer and Broadway actress continues to create new music for fans to enjoy, and plans to release a new album this spring. In recent years, the resilient and always the renaissance woman, Moore’s recording projects have primarily been gospel albums, including the CD “Nobody But Jesus." In 2002, she released “I’m Still Here" and in 2010 she released “The Gift of Love," a duet album of classic songs and unforgettable originals. This multifaceted artist/philanthropist is always reaching deeper, pressing harder, ever challenging herself; keeping her audience on the edge of their seats, knowing that whatever happens next will be at least, as exciting as what happened before. Melba Moore’s produced version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing" which was entered into the United States Congressional Record as the official Negro National Anthem in 1990, was just named an ‘American Aural Treasure,’ by the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for Ms. Moore’s co-produced recorded rendition of the anthem.

Yesterday, I introduced Black History Month.  I discussed what this month is and means and all the ways great and small that people can celebrate this great month.  I also noted that everyone is invited to participate in Black History Month. It’s not just for African Americans (or even just for Black peopld worldwide) but also for all cultures and ethnicities, genders, ages, and interests.   Today, I will discuss the person who initiated or founded Black History month.   Have you heard of Dr. Carter G. Woodson?  Listen and prepare to be impressed!   Carter G. Woodson was born in Virginia in 1875,  the son of former slaves. As the eldest son of nine children, he helped to support the family by working as a sharecropper and a miner. But he was always an avid reader and interested student.  He graduated from Douglass High School, the University of Chicago, and, in 1912, became the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard University. (W.E.B. Dubois was the first.)   Throughout his studies, he noticed that the contributions of African Americans were never discussed or taught in school. African American history was either missing or misrepresented in the educational systems throughout the United States--both in the northern and southern states.  He was determined to change this problem.   In 1915, he founded the Association for Negro Life, which later became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. This organization was—and still is--dedicated to ensuring that Black history was taught in school and studied by scholars. Perhaps many of us don’t understand or remember when Black history was not taught in schools or when the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans were not presented or acknowledged.  It was not that long ago.   Personally, I remember that throughout elementary school in the 1970s, we used a 500-page textbook for American history. In all those 500 pages, there was a single paragraph that mentioned African Americans. It mentioned slavery and how Blacks were brought to the United States as slaves then continued to say that President Lincoln freed the slaves!  We know that slavery was one part of African American history but there is so much more and it’s essential that this information become part of the standard education and to be treated as a scholarly pursuit.   In 1926, Dr. Woodson founded Negro History week, which was the second week of February. (Yes, it started as only a week.) Dr. Woodson chose the second week of February because it coincided with the birthdays of the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. He envisioned this week as a time for Blacks to learn about their history and culture.   In addition to teaching, Dr. Woodson wrote more than a dozen books, including the iconic and influential Mis-education of the Negro in 1933. This book, which is still required reading in some universities, discussed the western indoctrination of the educational system and the means of self-empowerment for African Americans. It is an incredible book that remains relevant today.  You can find this book, The Mis-education of the Negro, in the bookstore at robinlofton.com.  He also wrote numerous works of literature to teach African American history to elementary and secondary school students.   His continuous commitment to teaching and legitimizing Ahistory and culture in the United States have made these subjects essential parts of educational curricula throughout the country. For this reason, he is known as the father of Black History. He has definitely earned that distinguished title. I’m grateful for his hard work and vision.   Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration that comes from teaching of biography and history. ~ Dr. Carter G. Woodson   Dr. Woodson died in 1950. In 1976, Negro History Week became Black History Month as African Americans started to embrace their culture and history.   This was the short story of Dr. Carter G. Woodson.  He also wrote the Negro National Anthem, which is a powerful and vivid reminder of how much progress African Americans have made in the United States.  It’s called Lift E’vry Voice and Sing! and is one of the most moving and uplifting songs that I’ve ever heard.   Well, that’s all for today’s podcast. Next time, we will ask:   Do we still need Black History Month?   In this podcast, we learned that Dr. Carter G. Woodson initiated Black History month to encourage people to learn about Black history and to support scholarly examination. Both are good reasons. But remember he founded Black History month in 1926. That’s a long time ago. Do we still need it today?   So, I hope that you enjoyed this podcast about Dr. Woodson.  I really enjoyed researching it and presenting it to you. I hope that you will take it further than I have. Please remember to visit robinlofton.com.  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Black History Month and what you are doing to celebrate this exciting month. As I said, one thing that I’m doing is making food from my heritage every day this month. Yesterday, I made Jollof Rice, which is a dish from Gambia. Today, I made fried plantains. I have posted pictures of these dishes on my facebook page at Robin Lofton and Remembering History. I have also tweeted them. You can follow Waikoloarobin (spell it) to see these dishes every day.   Finally, I want to remind you that for every one who listens to this podcast and every podcast this month, I will donate $1 to Blackpast.org, which is an online encyclopedia of African American history. It is a great resource so I hope that you also visit it and contribute to it. Remember, Blackpast.org. And don’t forget robinlofton.com. We are a great community here and everyone is welcome. Every day.   See you next time at robinlofton.com where we remember history and we make it!

  The Importance of African American history: Believe in fairy tales!   Hi and welcome to the Wiki History lecture series called History is Power! Produced by robinlofton.com where history is power. Today, we begin our 5-minute lecture series about the importance of knowing African American history.  We begin by asking why is history important? Great question. Perhaps the answer can be found in this famous journal entry, which says,   Next time I go to a movie and see a picture of a little ordinary girl become a great star, I’ll believe it.   And whenever I hear someone read fairy tales to my little boy, I’ll listen.   I know that dreams do come true.   I know because I am now playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the big leagues!   I always dreamed about playing for the Dodgers, but honestly, I always had my doubts. I used to tell myself: “Something will happen. It just isn’t in the books for you to play in the majors. You’re a Negro. Negroes haven’t been in the big leagues. Some day they will be. But you won’t be the lucky guy.   Can you guess who wrote this entry?  Jackie Robinson. In 1947--following his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Jackie Robinson was the first Black person to play major league baseball. He made history. And he went on to win the leagues MVP award in 1949. During his career, he would play in 6 World Series. He concluded this entry by saying, Being up here is absolutely wonderful. That’s why I’m a believer in fairy tales now. You see, it actually happened to me!   It was said that Jackie Robinson endured more racial insults and threats of violence than anyone in history. But we know that Jackie Robinson made history. And history is power.   We can learn a lot from history—and that can empower us, too. We’ll hear about many African Americans that made great accomplishments. We will learn that they faced lots of obstacles, problems, and rejections. And most importantly we will learn that they still made history.  You see, just like Jackie Robinson said: fairy tales are real. They happened to him. And they can happen to you, too.   But we need to know the African Americans who came before us; what happened before us—the successes, the defeats, the victories and the challenges. We need to know the African Americans who helped to build the United States and, indeed, who helped to shape the world. Some names will be unfamiliar from the past: Dr. Carter G. Woodson who wrote the Negro National Anthem (yes, we have one!) and who founded Black History Month. Ida B. Wells who fought against the horrible (but at-the-time accepted) practice of lynching. And, of course, the mathematical genius, Benjamin Banneker, who made great discoveries in astronomy and developed theories about relativity. Did I mention that Benjamin Banneker was born in 1731, a descendant of slaves?   And, like Jackie Robinson, the road was not easy yet they endured. Others did too. There was James McCune Smith, who moved to Scotland to earn his medical degree because no American universities would accept a Black man. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1837 becoming the first African American to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith then returned to the U.S. where he had a distinguished medical career in private practice, opened two pharmacies, and trained young doctors.   And there is Marcelite Harris who is the first Black woman to become a brigadier general in the US Air Force. However, she had to apply three times before her application for training was accepted.   And did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from the basketball team in his sophomore year?!   You see; nothing came easy for any of them. But these people were not afraid to be first. Or to stand out. Or even to stand alone. They weren’t afraid to fail. They never gave up. Neither should we.   We can learn a lot from them. We can begin by asking ourselves: What was it like to be alive during their time? What it was like to walk in their shoes? What motivated them? What were they afraid of? What didn’t they know?    But remember that history is not just the study of the past. It is interesting because nobody ever lived in the past.  People have only lived in the present. Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and Harriet Tubman didn’t think of themselves as living in the past. They were living in the present. The difference is that it was their present.  They were caught up in the living moment exactly as we are today. They didn’t know how things would turn out. Neither do we.  Jackie Robinson didn’t know what would happen when he joined the Dodgers and stepped on the field that day.  Dr. Smith did not know what would happen when he moved to Scotland to study medicine. But we can use their stories and strength (their fairy tales) to be empowered, inspired, and moved to make our own fairy tales.     We know the history. And history is power.   History teaches us that we can believe in fairy tales.   This 3-part series will span 400 years of the African American experience: from freedom to equality to justice.  And the conclusion will empower and inspire you. Please look at my website, robinlofton.com for the complete schedule.   Part I will discuss slavery and the fight to abolish that terrible institution. Part II will present the civil rights movement and the struggle for equality. Part III is about racial violence and the fight for justice.   Don’t worry. Each part will only last around 5 minutes!  Remember this is called Wiki history!   Join me for Part I of the History is Power! series on Thursday, November 6 when we will officially begin our “fairy tale” journey.   Moving on, October is dedicated to learning about Black explorers—those who stepped boldly into the unknown and gave us stars to steer by. You will learn about the contributions and courage of these explorers (some of whom were born during slavery) and even learn about the first Black woman to climb Mount Everest!   You can find more even more fun and fascinating facts as well as more “fairy tales” on robinlofton.com, especially on my bodacious Blog.  And remember to subscribe.   See you there and, keep believing in fairy tales! They can happen to you, too.