Saturday, March 23, 2013

We Have A Song, Let's Sing It!

The Harp by Augusta Savage
     Lift Every Voice and Sing
 — was publicly performed first as a poem as part of a celebration of Lincoln's Birthday on February 12, 1900, by 500 school children at the segregated Stanton School. Its principal, James Weldon Johnson, wrote the words to introduce its honored guest Booker T. Washington. The poem was later set to music by Johnson's brother John in 1905.



Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
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;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet,
Come to the place for which our fathers died
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered;
Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
Thou Who hast brought us thus far on the way;
Thou Who hast by Thy might, led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee.
Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee.
Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand,
True to our God, true to our native land.[5]



see also Augusta Savage, Sculptor


Friday, March 22, 2013

R.I.P. Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe (born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, 16 November 1930 – 22 March 2013)  was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic.

Taken from The Terrordome - November 11, 2009 "Chinua Achebe on Things Fall Apart - Ep 1933"

Mr. Achebe's talk begins about 10 minutes into the audio file.

Artist/Composer: The Terrordome
Keywords: Terrordome; Africentric; Radio; CJSR; News; Edmonton; Minister Faust
Creative Commons license: Public Domain

also see previous article;

Chinua Achebe - Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic.



Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Role of Black Women in American History continued

This is the continuation of the talk by Dr. John H. Bracy on the role of Black Women in American History. You won't want to miss these next 3 segments of this informative and insightful talk.
(See parts 1&2 here)


Dr. John H. Bracey, Jr.: The Role of Black Women in American History 3



Dr. John H. Bracey, Jr.: The Role of Black Women in American History 4



Dr. John H. Bracey, Jr.: The Role of Black Women in American History 5



Monday, March 18, 2013

Integration Report I (1960)



Documentary showing the civil rights movement in 1959 and 1960: sit-ins, marches, boycotts and Includes such events as the first mass marches in Montgomery, Alabama , reactions against police brutality in Brooklyn , N.Y., and protests against the prejudiced treatment of Negroes in court. Directed by Madeline Anderson.



The Role of Black Women in American History 1&2

Dr. John H. Bracy delivers a poignant talk on the role of Black Women in American history with emphasis on Amanda Berry Smith and Mary Mcleod Bethune. This is recorded in 5 ten minute segments for convenient listening but I can tell you that once you start you'll want to go to the next segment for more ASAP.

Dr. John H. Bracey, Jr.: The Role of Black Women in American History 1




Dr. John H. Bracey, Jr.: The Role of Black Women in American History 2