The New Afriquest Database

I haven't tryed this out yet, I'll revisit the subject when I do.

February 26 -- After a successful beta period, Afriquest
(www.afriquest.com), the free online database for records of African and
African American genealogy and history, will officially launch on Saturday,
February 28.

The Afriquestdatabase will allow anyone to add records, including both text and images.

Furthermore, anyone will be able to access, print and use the records for
research purposes - absolutely free. The software is easy t0 use and has a powerful search engine to help readers quickly find what they are looking for.

Access to the entire content of the Afriquest database will always be free. That's what Afriquest is all about - keeping records of African
and African American genealogy and history free for anyone to access.
So every record shared on Afriquest will not only be preserved, it will be free to access now and for generations to come.
As the databasegrows, Afriquest will become a valuable resourcefor genealogists, historians and educators.

About the collaborators:

WeRelate is a free
public-service wiki for genealogy sponsored by the Foundation for On-Line Genealogy, Inc.
in partnership with the Allen County Public Library.

The USF Africana Heritage Project
is an all-volunteer research project sponsored by the
Africana Studies department at the University of South Florida.
Their research mission is to rediscover records that document
the names and lives of slaves, freedpersons and their descendants
and share those records on the free Internet site

www.africanaheritage.com.

Their searchable online database contains more than 4,000 primary historical documents of interest to anyone researching
African American genealogy, history and culture.
For more information, please visit the USF Africana HeritageProject press kit at
http://www.africanaheritage.com/Press_Kit.asp.

To Paul Laurence Dunbar -- Thank You!

Paul Laurence Dunbar

As Black History Month draws to a close
let's remember Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Talk about inspired, Dunbar's work is
enough to keep us engaged for a long time.


from Ione-Part I Paul Laurence Dunbar.

I loved! Why not? My heart was youthful,
My mind was filled with healthy thought.
He doubts not whose own self is truthful,
Doubt by dishonesty is taught;
So loved I boldly, fearing naught.
I did not walk this lowly earth,
Mine was a newer, higher sphere
Where youth was long and life was dear,
And all save love was little worth.

The Origin of Egyptian Civilization

Who were the Ancient Egyptains? And where did they come from?
Here is one possible answer.



YouTube - The Origin of Egyptian Civilization PT.1



YouTube - The Origin of Egyptian Civilization PT.2

Obama In Canada

Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean,
Governor General of Canada,
and Jean-Daniel Lafond,

welcomed The Honourable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States of America,
on Thursday, February 19, 2009, at the Ottawa International Airport.
The Governor General then met with President Obama.

President Obama is very popular among Canadians.

Eddie G. Griffin (BASG): Judges Sent Juveniles to Prison Receive $2.6 million in Head Count Kickbacks

Eddie G. Griffin (BASG): Judges Sent Juveniles to Prison Receive $2.6 million in Head Count Kickbacks

I have always thought that private prisons create a serious conflict of interest.
This case simply reenforces my belief that prison, as a business, has to have as a goal, filling as many places as possible. IMO this case will prove to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Please read and pass this story on and keep the discussion alive, asI am sure the railroading of our young people into the prison system has not ceased to occur. We have to get peoples attention and engage them in hammering out a solution to this situation.

While you're at it Eddie Griffin has more info about

"the prison industrial complex on his blog. Eddie G. Griffin (BASG)

I personally believe that this topic is related to and should be considered along with the topic of pretrial detention.

We must get into steering monetary resources away from penalizing our youth and start using these resources for the training and education of our young people. This is one way we can begin to break the cycle of crime and punishment in poor and marginal communities.

I'd like to discuss prison labor as being related to the two previous subjects because it stands to reason that if these young people are not receiving training to work outside, they will be fit only to fill some very low paying albeit profitable (for someone), prison labor positions.

The National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons Blog has more articles related to the above topics. Maybe we can convert these prisons to educational facilities.