Today In Black History – Feb 29th

1940 – In Hollywood, Hattie McDaniel receives an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role in “Gone With the Wind.” She is the first African American to win an Oscar. Often criticized for her portrayal of maids, she will say, “It’s much better to play a maid than to be one. The only choice permitted me is either to be a servant for $7 a week or portray one for $700 a week.”

1988 – South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and other religious leaders are arrested while kneeling near Parliament with a petition against government bans on anti-apartheid groups.

2004 – President Jean-Bertrand Aristide leaves Haiti, bowing to pressure from a rebellion at home and governments abroad. The administration of U.S president George W. Bush says it welcomes Aristide’s departure and that it was in the best interests of Haiti. Aristide, Haiti’s first democratically elected president in 200 years of independence, flies to the Dominican Republic and seeks asylum in Morocco, Taiwan or Panama.

MTB 4 Update

So Day 26 was on the radio this morning ( shouts to Rashan Ali) and they explained the bitch-assness that Q was infected with the other week. well, it turns out that the bitch-assness actually affected Donnie. When he came home from his date with Aubrey they showed him and the guy talking about meeting up with some girls they met earlier and going out to eat. What they didn’t show was when he said to them how it would be funny if Aubrey was to show up to the restaurant, caught him and threw a drink in his face or something. they all agreed it would be funny and that they would call Aubrey and Dawn to come over. Sometime in between that conversation and the restaurant, Donnie changes his mind, because he knows that Aubrey is crazy, but he doesn’t tell Q. That’s why he got extra mad and everybody was saying that he knew what was going on while he acted like he didn’t. They also said that donnie was putting on extra for the cameras, which we already knew, and that the argument between Q and Brian wasn’t as serious as it seemed on TV. Still sounds like some bitch-assness to me! Robert isn’t pursuing D. Woods anymore since she busted him with the whole Myspace thing. So Rashan asked if they talked to any other former Bad Boy groups to kinda see what went wrong or right. Mike was like, no we’re looking to the future or some stupidness like that. Wouldn’t you want to talk to former artists just to at least know what you’re getting yourself into? Maybe Diddy has a gag order in their contract or something… I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s it for now.

Peace
Sincere

More Black History

I was over at my homey Lisa’s spot and saw this interesting tidbit that I had to share, with it being black history month and all.. Anyway click here to check it out!

Peace and Blessings

Sincere

Today In Black History – Feb 28th

1704 – A school for African Americans is opened in New York City by Elias Neau, a Frenchman.

1708 – A slave revolt occurs in Newton, Long Island in New York State. Seven whites are killed. Two African American male slaves and an Indian slave are hanged, and an African American woman is burned alive.

1778 – Rhode Island General Assembly in precedent-breaking act authorizes the enlistment of slaves.

1854 – Some 50 slavery opponents meet in Ripon, Wisconsin, to call for the creation of a new political group, which will become the Republican Party.

1859 – Arkansas legislature requires free African Americans to choose between exile and enslavement.

1871 – Second Enforcement Act gave federal officers and courts control of registration and voting in congressional elections.

1943 – “Porgy and Bess” opens on Broadway with Anne Brown and Todd Duncan in starring roles.

1984 – Singer Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, breaking the previous record of six awards won by a single artist in 1965. Jackson’s awards stem from his album “Thriller,” which became the biggest selling record of all time with 35 million copies sold since its release in 1982.

1998 – Todd Duncan passed away at his home in Washington, DC, at the age 95. His death is on the fifty-fifth anniversary of his starring role in the Broadway opening of “Porgy and Bess.”

Today In Black History – Feb 27th

1844 – The Dominican Republic gains its independence from Haiti, which had occupied the whole island of Hispaniola since 1822. Prior to Haitian rule, France had administered the eastern part of the island starting in 1795, when Spain ceded the territory to France. The leader of Dominican independence against Haiti was Juan Pablo Duarte.

1869 – John Willis Menard, the first African American elected to Congress in 1868, is never seated. When he pleads his own case before the House of Representatives, he becomes the first African American to speak on the floor of the House.

1872 – Charlotte Ray graduates from Howard Law School in Washington, DC. She will become the first African American woman lawyer in the United States and the third woman admitted to the bar to practice law (April 23, 1872).

1967 – Dominica gains its independence from England.

1988 – Debi Thomas, a world-class figure skater, wins a bronze medal in the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary. She will be the first and only African American, until 2002, to win a medal in the Winter Games.

1992 – Eldrick “Tiger” Woods is the youngest amateur golfer in 35 years to play in a PGA tournament when he tees off at the Los Angeles Open at the age of 16.

1999 – Nigerians vote to elect Olusegun Obasanjo their new president, as the country marks the final phase of its return to democracy.

Today In Black History – Feb 26th

1926 – Dr. Carter G. Woodson starts Negro History Week. This week will be expanded to Black History Month in 1976.

1926 – Theodore “Tiger”(The Georgia Deacon) Flowers becomes the first African American middleweight champion of the world. He defeated Harry Greb in fifteen rounds to win the title in New York City.

1964 – Boxer Cassius Clay converts to Islam, adopting the name Muhammad Ali, saying, “I believe in the religion of Islam…believe in Allah and peace…”

1966 – Andrew Brimmer becomes the first African American governor of the Federal Reserve Board when he is appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Making The Band 4 Season 2 Episode 5

The episode starts with the Diddy down in Miami with his super producers and having them work to make the albums hot. did you hear when Diddy said the guys could be the modern day New Edition? Boi stop!!! B. Cox is the first to get the guys in the studio as they work on “Together” ( I had it on my page a couple weeks ago) and it’s sounding hot. Next is Donnie working with Slam in the studio getting his Justin Timberlake on. Then they show Danity Kane doing some ballads in the studio. DK seems a little upset because they are recording nothing but slow songs. they don’t see the entire picture, they have tunnel vision right now. They want to be this Pop international dance superstar group. Whatever. I like their ballads better. Aubrey is always complaining about everything!! They just don’t understand that this is a business, You’re not gonna like everything that has to be done but before you can do what you want to do you have to do some things you don’t want to do. Ya dig? Diddy names the guys Day 26. I guess another case of Bitch-assness has broken out. Robert has now infected Q with the virus. Diddy calls him a bitch ass because of what he did last week by calling Aubrey and blocking on Donnie. I can see it… The song “Together” is a banger I can’t lie. I’ll repost it later. Aubrey is still complaining about everything. Don’t hate Aubrey just get your weave together and move on! So to celebrate they all go out to party the guys are getting toasted! Of course Mr Bitch-assness himself, Robert, can’t hold his liquor and is stumbling and passing out all over the place. Faling out the bed and all. Dork. The next morning the trainer comes and everyone goes out to work with him. Will oversleeps and nobody even thinks enough to go wake him up. come on, I thought y’all were brothers? Bitch asses! the guys really are out of shape. So Diddy pops up and has a little talk. He knows them boys are not ready. It was their first work out dang, cut the guy some slack. I remember your bitch ass couldn’t run half a mile without almost passing out when you were training for that marathon, How soon we forget… So Diddy decides to bring in a Den Mother. Why does he always bring in a guy as a Den “Mother”? Hmm.. I remember that last guy and he was off the rack for real! Way out of pocket with everything! This guy seems okay. He’s a beauty pageant coach. He seems like he knows his job at least. The guys are determined to get rid of him once he calls them Divas. He has a point, they are acting like their on top when they haven’t even stepped on the stage. I get pissed too when I’m late so I can see Michael’s (Den mother) point. Aubrey and the crew are back in the studio complaining. Aubrey says she’s willing to stand in front of Puff and let him know how she feels, but we all know that’s not gonna happen. complaining to Conrad and Slam is not the same as complaining to Puff. don’t be scurred!!! So instead of going in and recording songs they are arguing with only two weeks left to make an album. Diddy comes back to talk to the girls about the direction on the album and they all clam up. even big mouth Aubrey, big shocker right! the meeting wasn’t nearly as explosive as the promos hyped it to be. The guys decide to play a trick on the den mother by having Mike go up to the pool area and act like he’s crying. so when the den mother comes up there to talk to mike they throw him in the pool. What he was saying to Mike had me thinking that maybe he would be good to keep around, because you know Puff is gonna hurt some feelings!! He was a good sport about it though. The girls want to get the guys back for their little prank so they decide to throw cake into their faces at the barbeque. How that got them back I don’t know. The girls hit the studio and record a new dance track. I’m not feeling it but if they like it I love it… Did anyone else notice that Diddy anounced the guy’s name (Day 26), first single (Got me goin’) and the girls’ first single (Damage) but not Donnie’s? Hmm…

Next week – Looks like all isn’t great in Dawn and Q land. she was getting a little emotional, letting her rat weave go unkept and all. Maybe she’s actually falling for Q…

Until next week!

Today In Black History – Feb 25th

1867 – Tennessee Gov. William Gannaway Brownlow issues a proclamation warning that the unlawful events of the Ku Klux Klan “must and SHALL cease” and that militia would be immediately organized against the organization. This is in response to Ku Klux Klan activities in a nine county area. The Klan’s aim is to reverse the interlocking changes sweeping over the South during the Reconstruction: to destroy the Republican’s party’s infrastructure, undermine the Reconstruction state, reestablish control of the black labor force, and restore racial subordination in every aspect of Southern life. (Editor’s Note: The KKK was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee on December 15, 1865).

1870 – Hiram Rhoades Revels of Mississippi becomes the first African American Senator. He is elected by the Mississippi legislature to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jefferson Davis. After the Senate term expires, he will become the first President of Alcorn A&M College, in Lorman, Mississippi (the first African American land-grant institution in the United States).

1948 – Martin Luther King, Jr. is ordained as a Baptist minister. After graduating from Morehouse College in June, 1948, he will enter the Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.

1964 – Twenty-two year old Cassius Clay becomes world heavyweight boxing champion when he defeats Sonny Liston in Miami, Florida. The feared Liston is the favorite, but Clay predicts he will “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Soon after his victory, Clay will assume his Muslim name of Muhammad Ali. He will be considered by many, the greatest heavyweight champion of all time.

1991 – Adrienne Mitchell becomes the first African American woman to die in a combat zone in the Persian Gulf War when she passed after being killed in her military barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia.

1999 – A jury in Jasper, Texas, sentences white supremacist John William King to death for chaining James Byrd Jr., an African American man, to a pickup truck and dragging him to pieces.

2000 – The killers of unarmed African immigrant Amadou Diallo, four white New York police officers, are acquitted of all charges by a jury in Albany, New York. Diallo had been fired upon 41 times, with 19 shots hitting him while holding only his wallet in the vestibule of his own home.

Today In Black History – Feb 24th

1811 – The first African American to become a college president (Wilberforce University in Ohio – 1863), Daniel A. Payne, is born in Charleston, South Carolina. He became an educator, clergyman, bishop, and historian of the AME Church.

1966 – Military leaders oust Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana – while on a peace mission, in Peking, to stop the Vietnam War.

1992 – Edward Perkins is nominated United Nations ambassador by President George Bush. Perkins had formerly served as director-general of the United States Foreign Service and ambassador to the Republic of South Africa.

The Wire Season 5 Episode 8

So we start with McNulty briefing the department heads on what’s going on with the homeless killer. He gets the go ahead once again from the Mayor to do whatever it takes. Poot is back! He’s working at Jacob’s shoe store when Dook comes in inquiring about a job. After McNulty tells the heads that he wants Carver to help run the surveillance team he goes over and talks to him to get him on board about Marlo. Carver gets a team together to work the Stansfield case and putting it all under the homeless killer case’s tab. Michael delivers the message from Omar to Chris and Snoop leading him and snoop to get into a little tiff about whether or not to tell Marlo. Omar is seen limping through the neighborhood scaring everybody, and throwing stashes into the sewer. Steadily calling Marlo out. Scott finally gets caught up in his lies when one of the homeless comes to the paper to dispute the story. Now are you ready for this? Are you ready (be quiet Keshia!!)? Omar finally gets popped!! No fanfare, no big gun battle, nothing! just buying a pack of soft pack ‘Ports and he gets popped by the little kid, forgot his name, that’s always picking on Dook. Cold blooded… The youth dem cold (Shouts to Richie Spice)!!!! McNulty and Greggs head down to FBI headquarters to discuss the profile of the homeless killer. When he gets back home he finds an empty house and a ‘Dear John’ letter from Edy. Bunk gets the info back from the lab on Bub’s father and it positively Id’s Chris as the killer. He gives McNulty a couple more days before he goes after Chris to bring him in. Lester and the crew figure out the code in the meetings. Once McNulty sees that Greggs is working her behind off to make this bogus case he decides to tell her that it’s all made up. Edy comes back home and sets McNulty straight. Sidnor figures out that the time on the clock is in coalition with the places on the map grid.

* Update: The lil corner boy that got Omar is named Kenard. Thanks LaKeshia!!

Fan Clubs Suck!!

So I go online to get some Mary J and Jay Z tickets but you can only buy them with some kind of promo code or by joining the Mary J Blige fan club. What the hell!! I mean I like Mary and all but I’m cool on fan clubs… And I gotta pay an extra $30 too? Naw homey, I’m gonna have to take a pass on this one. I mean I had already given up on trying to convince the wife to come with me to see ‘Ye but I knew she would want to see her fellow Brooklynite Jay but to pay an extra $60 ( $30 each x 2 tix) for a fan club that we won’t participate in nor will we ever want to be a part of again seems like a waste. Maybe I can just go to the arena and purchase them there without the hassle. Ticketmaster.com had me hot though! If anybody is a member of the MJB fan club and can help a brotha out, please don’t hesitate!! As of now it’s a no go, but the Glow In The Dark Tour is still on and poppin’!!
I had to get a new phone because while I was sick this past week I somehow spilled cough medicine all over and into my phone! Sucks, I know!! Not as much as fan clubs but still sucks. So I copped the new treo 750 windows edition. it was between the treo and the blackberry curve. I’ve owned both in the past and I like them both but that little blackberry outage last week pushed me a little closer to the Treo, plus I love touchscreens for some reason. Since I’m randomly writing, am I the only one that likes that show ‘As the bell rings’ on Disney? It’s like this mini show in between the other shows. The episodes are only like 5 minutes but they crack me up… Anyway, I just thought I’d throw that out there. I haven’t posted in a while.. I mean I do the recaps of ‘The Wire’ and ‘MTB4′ plus the black history stuff, but I haven’t actually written a post on my own thoughts in a minute. I have been really busy lately, plus the flu had me down for a week. I just scored another job and I’m trying to focus on everything at once. Feels like I need to clone myself sometimes! *side note: how long you think we’ve been eating cloned meat? I think ever since back in the day when they came out with that sheep “Dolly”*
If you haven’t noticed, television is my biggest friend and enemy. I will watch it for hours on end. Sometimes I think I watch too much because I tend to compare things that happen to me or around me to an episode on one of my favorite shows. I can compare everything to a story from my soaps… Young and The Restless is tha ish!!!
Another thing that sucks is office parties! I am the type that comes to work and goes home. I’m not really the social butterfly. Most of the time they don’t even know that I’m there. I learned the hard way to stay out of office politics. these parties are usually meant to either build team unity or for some special event like someone’s retirement or maybe a promotion. If I have to go than I am usually seen and not heard. They just seem to be a waste of time to me. If you want to pay me to ignore you and send text messages then go right ahead. If you like it I love it. I’m just not into the fakeness of it all. No one seems genuine. At least not to me. the fake smiles and small talk drives me crazy! Call me anti social or whatever. I don’t care. That’s just my opinion. If you’re down for the office party than do you But I’mma do me!! It is what it is.

Peace and Blessings

Sincere
*Update*
I just hit up Ticketmaster and I can get the tickets now with no problems..

Today In Black History – Feb 23rd

1763 – A major slave rebellion occurs in the Dutch South American colony of Berbice (part of present-day Guyana). Slaves, led by Cuffy, Atta, Accara, and others, fire a rebellion at Plantation Magalenenburg because of the harsh and inhumane treatment of the slave population. Cuffy, proclaims himself Governor of Berbice and orders the Dutch Governor, Hoogenheim, to leave with the white inhabitants. The slaves will control the territory for months. Major resistance will continue beyond October, 4th. There will be a split at the leadership level of the rebellion. The final collapse of the revolution will occur just before the trial of the last resisters on March 16, 1764.

1868 – William Edward Burghardt (W.E.B.) Du Bois is born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He is one of the greatest men of letters of his time, serving as an editor, teacher, political theorist, and novelist. His accomplishments include founding and editing the NAACP “Crisis Magazine,” writing the influential “Souls of Black Folk,” being one of the founding fathers of the NAACP, and the first African American to become a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. He passed away on August 27, 1963 in Accra,Ghana.

1970 – Guyana becomes a republic. The Republic of Guyana changes its name to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. February 23 is chosen to celebrate the start of the Berbice Slave Revolt of 1763, which was led by Cuffy, a slave who became a national hero. One of the first actions of the new republic will be to nationalize foreign-owned companies.

1979 – Colonel Frank E. Peterson, Jr. becomes the first African American promoted to the rank of general in the Marine Corps. He also was the first African American pilot to win Marine Corps wings. He will retire in 1988 as commanding general of the Marine Development Education Command in Quantico, Virginia.

1999 – A jury in Jasper, Texas convicts white supremacist John William King of murder in the gruesome dragging death of an African American man, James Byrd Jr. King will be sentenced to death two days later.

Today In Black History – Feb 22nd

1865 – Tennessee adopts a new constitution abolishing slavery. This will allow Tennessee to become the first former confederate state to be re-admitted to the Union.

1962 – Wilt Chamberlain sets a NBA record with 34 free throw attempts.

1979 – St. Lucia gains its independence from Great Britain.