Morphological Confetti

On June 30, 1974 Mrs. Alberta Williams King, mother of slain Civil Rights leader and activist, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was shot and killed during a Sunday morning church service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga. Mother King was at the organ playing “The Lord’s Prayer” when the shooting occurred. Deacon, Edward Boykin, was also killed in this violent attack. The assailant, Marcus Wayne Chennault Jr., an African American from Dayton, Ohio, was later convicted and sentenced to death. That sentence was upheld for many years and later changed to life in prison at a state prison in Jackson, Georgia. On August 3, 1995, only two months after his sentence was changed to a life sentence, Chennault suffered a stroke, never regained consciousness and died. He was 44.  Although Mother King's death is rarely mentioned or remembered in the media, she must be remembered as not only a mother of one of the greatest leaders in the 20th Centurty, but for her supporting ...

James Weldon Johnson,  educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, writer, anthropologist, poet and activist, was born June 17, 1871 in Jacksonville, Florida.  Mr. Johnson is perhaps better known for his contribution as a songwriter [along with his brother, Rosamond Johnson] for what was adopted as the Negro National Anthem Hymn, Lift Evr'y Voice and Sing  (1900); however,  he was also a major contributor to the Harlem Renaissance as a novelist and poet.  The most popular of his literary contributions includes Autobiography and Ex-Colored Man (1912)  and the poetic collection of sermons, God's Trombones (1927) .  He also wrote a wonderful autobiography, Along This Way , which chronicles his life and journey as a remarkable human being and a major contributor to what we know today as African American heritage.  He is not often talked about in history class, but he is one of the main reasons that African Americans have a history that ca...

Happy Birthday to the late Academy Award winning actress, Hattie McDaniel, born June 10, 1898 in Wichita, Kansas , to former slaves; she was the youngest of 13 children.  Although Ms. McDaniel has starred in many films, she is best known for her role as a Mammy in Gone with the Wind (1939). Ms. McDaniel won the prestigious Academy Award for her role as best supporting actress; in fact, she was the first African American to win the Academy Award. Despite the menial roles given to African American actors and actresses at the time, Ms. McDaniel made the best of these roles and gave them a uniqueness and meaning that positioned her as a trailblazer for those to come. Ms. McDaniel was also a professional singer-songwriter, comedian, stage actress, radio performer, and television star. She was definitely a woman of many talents. Ms. Hattie died October 26, 1952 from breast cancer. She was 57. In 2010, African American comedienne and actress and Academy Award winner, Mo'Nique of th...

Happy Birthday to late, Gwendolyn Brooks , an excellent poet and extraordinary woman.   I will always be inspired by her poetry.   I recently shared one of my favorites, We Real Cool , with a group of college freshman.   It was interesting to hear their interpretations.  Again, Happy Birthday Ms. Brooks.   At this moment,  I am Jazzin’ June, but in a positive way.   Thank you for your creative concern and poetic protest. .. Above Artwork by : Dirk Hagner [Gwendolyn Brooks, woodcut, 40 x 22.5 inches, hand printed on washi] Book by Gwendolyn Brooks:

Happy Birthday to Mr. Curtis Lee Mayfield born on June 3, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Mayfield grew up in the famed [now demolished] Cabrini Green Housing projects in Chicago. Despite his humble beginnings, he rose to international fame as a singer, songwriter, producer, and all around entertainer. He is better know as the lead singer for the singing trio, The Impressions. He also known for his contribution to the Blaxploitation cinema of the 1970s. On August 13, 1999 Mayfield was injured and paralyzed after lighting equipment fell on him during an outside concert in Wingate Field, Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York. The accident left him unable to play guitar and he was confined to a wheelchair. Nevertheless, Mayfield continued to write and make music until his death on December 26, 1999 due to complications from his paralysis. He was living in the Atlanta metro area at the time of his death. Curtis Lee Mayfield kept on pushing until the very end. His music and voice are legendary, and h...

The 2011 Fort Dupont Summer line up is here!  It's really too bad that Roy Ayers has not been featured in recent years.  He was the one who everybody wanted to see at the end of the summer series.  His cd, Mahogany Vibe, features a song named after the park.  The song has a nice groove and a Go-Go vibe that is popular in the DC area.  Anyway, I hope to see you at the park this summer.  Come DC, VA, Baltimore , Delware, everywhere! 2011 lineup: July 9 The BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS (T.A.P.) featuring special guest artist CHELSEY GREEN, and a “ Soul Review” July 16 REGINA BELLE Opener, “Smooth” a Luther Tribute July 23 The MANHATTANS featuring GERALD ALSTON & BLUE LOVETT Opener, Marvin Brown July 30 ZAPP Opener, Teri S Aug. 6 The BARKAYS Opener, FrameWerk Aug. 13 MANDRILL

Prior to 1835, many African Americans, both free and enslaved, had some semblance of connection with their African ancestry. However, on June 1, 1835, The 5th National Negro Convention met in Philadelphia urging blacks to abandon the use of terms "African" and "colored" when referring to "Negro" institutions, organizations, or themselves. Institutions like African Methodist Episcopal church kept the word “African” in their name, but many places removed the word “African” from schools and other public buildings. This denial of Africa continued until Liberia became an independent republic in 1847. This caused many African Americans to reexamine their position on Africa; therefore, there was a resurgence of African pride and support for the new republic. However, if one looks at the history of African Americans through the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement, they would notice that pride for African ancestry declined among African Americans in the Un...