Author: jjadmin

  • On the Tenth Day of Black History…28 Days of Black History Excerpt

    On the tenth day of Black History …..
    My Blackness gave to me athleticism
    Kobe Lebron Wilma Rudolph

  • On the Ninth Day of Black History…..28 days of Black History Excerpt

    On the Ninth Day of Black History…..
    Alicia Keys

    Billie Holiday
    click photo to learn more about Lady Day

    My Blackness gave to me the gift of song via Be-Bop, Hip-Hop, 
    The Gospel of Mahalia Jackson crooning over the troubles of the world,

    Lift Every Voice and Sing!
    Ella scatting, Bassie & Coltrane and all that Jazz
    Leontyne Price and Marion Anderson’s Opera-sweet and nice,
    Billie Holiday’s Blues lamenting over lynched lives,
    Rock and Roll Soul thrives-with the God Father J.B.
    Before long the Motown sound came about
    Rhythm and Blues gave way to countless tunes
    Following the blueprint of Curtis Blow’s aptitude to flow
    Big Tif, Mc Lyte, Eric B. & Rakim came to rock the show
    The King of  Pop dropped groundbreaking charts and reigned royalty with the sound of immortality
    Prince serenaded us with soft and high controversial vocals that made some fuss

    The Queen of soul made way for the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Ms. Mary J.

    Alicia Keys used her vocal instrument and tools combined with the ivories of the keyboard and the musical master has had masses Falling every since
    Neo Soul, old soul with a new twist and strong hold was next to unfold  
    Spittin Baduizm, and Jilly from Philly’s poetic libretto’s,  India Arie, Angie Stone, Kindred the Family Soul & on and on the microphone won’t rest with new comer’s Coming From Where I’m From Anthony Hamilton Neo Soul’s son,  Jasmine Sullivan and Ledisi
    Music is so much more than a beat

    Reflection: 
    1. What African-American singer/musician inspires you the most? Why?
    2. What is your favorite genre of music and why?
    3. What is your favorite song?
  • 28 Days of Black History, On the Eighth Day…

    28 Days of Black History, On the Eighth Day…

    On the Eighth day of Black History…

    My Blackness gave to me
    Literary greats with no debate

    Vast distinguished works speak
    Dancing on the pages of poetry, novels, books and plays

    Amiri Biraka pleaded “Who did what to the United States? “
    Phenomenal Women who rose and activist who chose to compose literature that reflects a diverse people

    Creative intellectual minds who wrote without the coat of sugar or syrupy sweet

    Producing great characters such as Walter Lee Younger and Boy Willie & poems of Dreams we hear them speak volumes

    Lucille Clifton lifting us

    Still Thirsting for Hurston calling out for an S.O.S for Sanchez
    Walter Dean Myers, Sharon Draper, Christopher Paul Curtis and Mildred D. Taylor’s Road to Memphis. Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison the writing journey has begun-and I’m on board

    Reflection:

    1. Who is your favorite African-American Writer? Why?

    2. Tell us about your favorite book by an African-American Author. Note the genre.

    3. Research the characters, titles mentioned in the poem. Who wrote them and which body of work do they come from?

    4. Research the authors mentioned in the poem. Name one title from each of their works.

    5. Which modern day writers from the poem write Young Adult realistic fiction?

    6. List at least eight African-American writers that are not listed in the poem and their contribution (title).