Black History is Music History
Month: February 2022
Art of the Month
Common Era history would have you believe that there is no history from the continent of Africa that would require chronicling.
I disagree.
There is rich valuable information that can be determined from this history. It just needs to be presented so that each individual can make up their own minds.
We have established through a biblical context that people of African descent have been viable since history keeping began. After walking the road with Jesus and Simon of Cyrene, we move to another part of the continent and a little later in time.
Between the 2 and 3rd Century AD, the Kingdom of Aksum (which is now present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia) traded gold and ivory into Middle East, India, and China. This was a wealthy civilization that thrived for centuries. They also exported frankincense, myrrh, emeralds, salt, and live animals. It established economic strength, noted in the image as the coin, which held the image of its leaders.
Meanwhile a tribe of about 4,000 people in 200 AD grew to about 26,000 by 800 AD in a settlement in Northern Nigeria. They developed a method to grow rice using tools made of iron. This system would become a game changer later in history. It is noted in the image as white mountain. The other mountains represent gold and copper which were also items other nations wanted.
Different tribes throughout the continent of Africa would gather their natural resources and trade them with countries around the world. Although many of the tales will never be told, Africans began globalization by 150 BC as notes from Chinese Courts tell of ambassadors from Ethiopia bringing goods.
By 1000 AD, Madagascar was part of the route to trading with China through the town of Kilwa on Tanzania. Archeological digs in the town reveal Chinese porcelain.
Stereotypes of people from African countries show them as primitive uneducated people who didn’t know how to manage their own lives, less alone build booming economies. For a very long time they have been the innovators that make the world a better place.
Affirmation
Both of Bessie Smith’s parents died when she was young, because of that she did not get a formal education. To raise money for her family, she and her brother become street performers. Yet she was able to transform her life to become one of the biggest blues singers in the country.
She had to believe she could do it, in order to do it.
Tell yourself you are able. You can do it. Whatever it is.
This Is Our History
A few years ago I did a photoshoot with costumes and the whole bit. I wanted to focus on women who had impacted history. This month I will focus on some of those.
This week I want to focus on music because it has its own life in the culture.
Empress of the Blues was one of the titles Bessie Smith was known for. She was born in 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She started her career in 1912 traveling with Ma Rainey as a dancer. By 1923 she signed with Columbia Records where over the years she made over 160 recordings. She toured vaudeville and later did a show on Broadway. In 1929 she appeared in the movie, St Louis Blues. Her music dealt with the social issues of her day, Jail House Blues, Work House Blues, Prison Blues. She was injured in a car crash in 1937 where she later died from those injuries.
Book of the Quarter
It is Black History Month. I love being African American. I love history. This month I will share different moments from the Book of the Quarter, Destiny’s Dilemma. This week in history we will celebrate music. In this scene Zo, our heroine entertains her mother with music she knows she will like.
“Mama I want you to hear this.”
After getting back from the long afternoon, she brought her mother into the parlor and made her comfortable. She enjoyed this time with her. They could talk in a way they had not before.
“Is this some of them blues?”
“Mama, listen.”
Zo started the phonograph. Hattie listened for a few minutes, then looked at her daughter.
“Is she…”
“Singing about Jesus. Yes ma’am. I told you some of these new fangle things could be used for the good.”
Zo giggled at herself. She loved the surprised look on her mother’s face. She enjoyed watching her mother settle in and listen.
“What Baptist church she go to?” her mother asked about the woman singing.
“Mama she one of them holy rollers.”
“You don’t say.”
“This little girl’s name is Arizona. She from around this way, up in Sherman.”
“She can sing. The lambs blood washed me clean. I like that.”
Her mother reclined on the sofa and listened to church music.
Destiny’s Dilemma
An African American woman moved home to take care of her dying mother giving up the opportunity to experience a world beyond segregation. Zoraida Hughes Williams finds that some things have changed about her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas while some have stayed the same, like Hell’s Half Acre, an area where saloons, prostitution and gambling runs wild. Like most of the residents, she wants to keep her head down and stay away from trouble, but it comes in the unlikely form of an Anglo Baptist preacher. He messes up everything and almost gets them killed.
Available on Amazon.com or Books2read.com which include Barnes & Noble, Apple, Indigo and more.
Is It Better Than Comfort Food?
Kind of like comfort food, this series is one of those shows that has lots of familiar things the audience has grown comfortable with. In this new spin off, they have changed the recipe. Will it work? Will these sisters still gain their Law & Order degrees? Listen to hear.
Episode Law And Order
TV Talk and Black History
In celebration of Black History Month, Regina and I are going to share some of our favorites with you. This week it is our top favorite movies.
Black History is Everybody’s History
People of African descent have made significant contributions to society. This month is an opportunity to look at those achievements and celebrate those people.
This Month’s shirt Everybody’s History
Art of the Month
Common Era history would have you believe that there is no history from the continent of Africa that would require chronicling.
I disagree.
There is rich valuable information that can be determined from this history. It just needs to be presented so that each individual can make up their own minds.
We have established through a biblical context that people of African descent have been viable since history keeping began. After walking the road with Jesus and Simon of Cyrene, we move to another part of the continent and a little later in time.
Between the 2 and 3rd Century AD, the Kingdom of Aksum (which is now present-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia) traded gold and ivory into Middle East, India, and China. This was a wealthy civilization that thrived for centuries. They also exported frankincense, myrrh, emeralds, salt, and live animals. It established economic strength, noted in the image as the coin, which held the image of its leaders.
Meanwhile a tribe of about 4,000 people in 200 AD grew to about 26,000 by 800 AD in a settlement in Northern Nigeria. They developed a method to grow rice using tools made of iron. This system would become a game changer later in history. It is noted in the image as white mountain. The other mountains represent gold and copper which were also items other nations wanted.
Different tribes throughout the continent of Africa would gather their natural resources and trade them with countries around the world. Although many of the tales will never be told, Africans began globalization by 150 BC as notes from Chinese Courts tell of ambassadors from Ethiopia bringing goods.
By 1000 AD, Madagascar was part of the route to trading with China through the town of Kilwa on Tanzania. Archeological digs in the town reveal Chinese porcelain.
Stereotypes of people from African countries show them as primitive uneducated people who didn’t know how to manage their own lives, less alone build booming economies. For a very long time they have been the innovators that make the world a better place.
Today’s Quote
UPP Creative Media 