The musings of a madman...

March 11, 1959... Lorraine Hansberry’s play opened in the Barrymore Theater starring Sidney Poitier and Claudia McNeil in the starring spots. At 530 showings, it was the longest-running black-written production in Broadway before or since it. ( Phlip note – how GREAT is it that it was this and not some Tyler Perry bullshit?) I could go in on the remakes of the play, I will be honest that I NEVER heard of it until Mrs. Mewborn’s class in 5 th grade, when we watched the made-for-TV 1989 version she recorded on VHS (HA! remember those?) and we watched over the course of 2 days in class. As it were, as with any of my pop-culture jokes that are carefully woven in the jokes that are in-person conversations with me, I have a few go-to moves from this production. ( Phlip note – a conversation with me in person goes a LOT like my blogs, foul language and all, just imagine I’m doing a lot of talking with my hands too) Back to the point, here… The original was nominated for four To

Look, we know who she was and what she did. In being the lynchpin for the very actions that saw that which she was most strongly against actually put down – and WITHIN her lifetime, no less – she is one of the few black heroes that would see at least a portion of their dream (semi-pun totally intended) come to fruition. Well on today’s date in 1913, she passed away at the believed age of 93, though we know quite naturally that we would be fine to assume a “give or take” when discussing the ages of those born slaves. The sad part about this in 2011 terms is how people nowadays choose their “heroes” in the most bass-ackwards of manners. People are deified and damn near worshipped who do nothing, stand for nothing and are often not much more than some slick words and a pretty packaging. We really must start choosing our idols better, people.

Look, the fact that I don't agree with the Canibus line, does not mean that I don't recognize Biggie's spot in the history of hip-hop. For the record, I do not possess the opinion that Tupac was the best ever either, but this post is not about that either. As it were, however, I know I was more of a Biggie fan than probably anyone in my high school - packed to the gills with 'Pac stans. I was more a fan of his ability to tell a story in a conversational manner, not relying on tricks to make his rhymes rhyme. Yes, I know there was a ton of drug/gun/sex talk, a great much of it probably fabricated, but what did I care? I was 17! I will go as far as to say I remember the very night it happened... The homie Damian threw a party (most epic one in all of high school) for the first weekend following his birthday, and his pops LEFT the house and let him do it. Being that Damian and I lived on the same street, I walked to and from the party. Well, I kinda stumbled home at 3somet

This article was written in 1774 (yes, BEFORE the revolution) and published on March 8, 1775, (ALSO before the revolution). It was initially published in the Pennsylvania Journal and the Weekly Advertiser. While Thomas Paine did not claim to have written the anonymously-submitted article, he has since been credited with its scribe. I am of the opinion that he is so credited because of his involvement with anti-slavery movements that began popping up the following month. The text of the article, as found here thanks to the good folks over at Google, reads… To Americans: That some desperate wretches should be willing to steal and enslave men by violence and murder for gain, is rather lamentable than strange. But that many civilized, nay, Christianized people should approve, and be concerned in the savage practice, is surprising; and still persist, though it has been so often proved contrary to the light of nature, to every principle of Justice and Humanity, and even good policy, by a

Look, I know we all (should) at least know about the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965. The fact remains, however, that it was the best representative black history item relevant to my interests with the date of March 7th. Born of the Voting Rights Movement, and with the support of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and his organization, who would bring prominent support to the effort. The planning of the event took place in the face of injunctions against “civil rights activity,” with meetings that could be considered as ‘rogue’ when considering the (unfair) laws that they defied. … but they pushed on… Voter registration drives and protests commenced over the months leading up to the marches in several counties surrounding Selma as well. At one of these – non-violent, mind you – demonstrations, state troopers attacked the crowd gathered, and one man was shot trying to protect his mother as they fled. He would die a week later And now it was time to march from Selma to Montgomery. The

As ever, I know that this is one we have been beaten in the head with as far as items to cover for black history is concerned, but the other options were an unfunny black comedian (D.L. Hughley) and a basketball player who has been out of my good graces for 7 years now (Shaquille O’Neal). So… On March 6, 1856 the US Supreme Court ruled that people of African descent imported into the United States as slaves (or THEIR progeny, whether or not they themselves were slaves) had no protections under the Constitution and therefore had no rights as citizens. Also, congress had no authority to stop slavery in federal territories and since slaves were not to be citizens, due process applied not to them, and they could not sue in court. Speaking of due process, however, slave OWNERS – owner being the operative word here – were protected in that their slaves were viewed as property and therefore could not be taken without due process. What is funny about Dred Scott is th

Look, I know that anyone reading this SHOULD know the name immediately upon reading the title, we were killed to death with that during black history month in school. What we did not know, however, was the date. At least I wasn't, not without researching for this post. Crispus Attucks – a VERY slave-ish name – was believed to be in his 40s when he was the first person shot to death by British redcoats in the Boston Massacre. he is held as a martyr of the American Revolutionary War, with which there IS no America. As ever, with black “heros,” even those only famous for dying, his history is an amalgamation of “little is known” and “well, we still argue over his race… was he a slave, freedman or escapee. Hell, we think he may have had a little Indian in him too!” See the ramp-up to the election of one Barry Obama for continuation of the effectiveness of diminishing the blackness of someone who cannot be denied. Ironic that the prevailing truth that fl

You know how important the memory of things that meant a lot to you as a kid are when you’re adult? That is where today’s post comes from. I mean, the fact remains that Brand Nubian’s albums were only a little more than mediocre – say “pretty good,” I might – but there was ALWAYS that one song that would stick to your conscience. As I type that sentence, the real fans among us are simultaneously remembering 3 or 4 of those songs. Punks Jump Up… All For One Slow Down and for those who acknowledge Puba’s solo career… 2000 One thing they always say with musicians of any sort is that it is not so much what is said as it is the voice used to say it. Some of what Grand Puba and Brand Nubian advocated or spoke on (mainly the Islam-based subject matter) might have them on a no-fly list in 2011. It seemed more in the late 80s/early 90s that it was all about the music, and beats that could jar your fillings and the above-named catchy tunes and hooks were what the doctor ordered. So why am I

March 3, 1991... Motorist and (then alleged) drug user Rodney King is spotted speeding on the 210 in LA, and – by his own admission – RUNS at speeds of up to 117mph, for fear that a DUI would violate his parole for a prior case. Off of the freeway, the chase continued through surface streets, now having taken on several more black-and-whites and some choppers. Cornered, King stopped and he and his compadres were ordered from the car and complied. King, on the other hand remained in the car initially and (according to officers) acted strangely when he finally did step out. Cops converged on him with guns drawn, but put them away and tried to take him down with hands only, but they say he resisted. Superhuman strength, mixed with the previous odd behavior, led the patrol officers to think that Rodney King was dusted, but toxicology tests prove otherwise. At this point, another officer ordered the others away, and King allegedly yelled “DON’

With the end of the Civil War, the task of reassembling the country – this time in a slavery-free configuration – was squarely on the shoulders of the United States Congress… On this day in 1867, the first of the Reconstruction Acts was passed. The others would come over the course of the following year and one month that followed and lived on in spite of President Andrew Johnson’s attempt to veto the acts. We can thank Congress for killing Habeas Corpus and, with it, The Supreme Court’s appellate power over a case such as this one. I ALMOST stopped short of saying WHY this is relevant to black history, but I think it should be obvious in exactly what the points of the act contained. § Creation of five military districts in the seceded states not including Tennessee, which had ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and was readmitted to the Union (so they couldn’t get cute and try that bullshit again) § Requir