And Still I Rise

Morgan Freeman finally won an Oscar. Best supporting actor for Million Dollar Baby! I can't begin to say how excited I am that after all these years he finally got his hands on one.Should have gotten for Driving Miss Daisy and Shawshank Redemption but we'll take this.

Jamie Foxx walked away with the Best Actor award and gave a stirring acceptance speech.Loved the part where he said Sydney Poitier told him he has to take responsibilty and act grown. By the way,is this the first time two black men have won the best Actor and Best Supporting Actor at the same award ceremony? Way to go! Hilary Swank,my favorite was in winners row again picking up Best Actress for Million Dollar Baby.Cate Blanchett won Best Supporting actress but I was rooting for Natalie Portman.Guess you can't win them all.

Still no directing award for Martin Scorsese as Clint Eastwood and Million Dollar Baby stole the show.And there was Chris Rock, somewhat subdued I found but funny in some parts.And of course no award show is complete without the fashion.Here are a few of the gowns I liked.

Halle

Catalina Moreno

Hilary

Back view

Laura Linney

Sophie Okonedo

A letter in this week's newspaper

Editor: Before we get carried away with concerns over whether the Disney organisation will defame the Caribs,their descendants,and by further extension all current inhabitants of the Carribean by depicting them as cannibals, let us remember that we are talking about a fictitional entertainment,not a documentary.

This is not a work of serious scholarship, nor is it representing itself as such. There is no attempt being made to adhere to strict historical authenticity. It is a STORY, an amusement, meant to distract an entertain an audience by exhibiting a few moments of unreality. It is supposed to be a diversion from the real world, not a mirror of it. This is not the National Geographic Society presenting the results of exhaustive historical research,this is the Mickey Mouse company unveiling yet another fantasy.

Even the most unschooled viewer would probably get a hint from the fact that this is a DISNEY movie,and its predecessor featured sword fighting skeletons.For God's sake ,lighten up! People don't go to this kind of movie expecting accurately detailed,historically and truthful representations of real people recreating true incidents. They go to escape reality.

Most people not institutionalised, know the difference between fiction and fact. Every motion picture that is not a newsreel or a documentary has a disclaimer at the beginning or the end,indicating that the characters represented are fictional and do not represent, or are meant to resemble,any person, living or dead.

I am not, nor have I ever been,an employee of the Disney Corp or any of its far flung associated companies. I am a serious movie goer who knows the difference between fact and fiction, and truly believe most people know that Cinderella, Star Wars, and Pirates of The Caribbean(inspired by a pre existing Disney theme park ride!) are fictional entertainment works.

Don't we have more serious issues with which to concern ourselves? Not that there is anything WRONG with being a cannibal.

Editors' note:While we respect your views, we think it is worth noting that, with all the fiction produced in Hollywood, it's difficult to bring to mind any which portrays the white man as a cannibal. Coincidence? Hardly likely, self respecting people are always careful about how they portray their own. For the indigeneous people of this region who have suffered being villified for centuries, this is in fact no matter of mere amusement.

My Note:Not that there is anything WRONG with being a cannibal.Priceless!

Last night I saw this story on Sixty Minutes 2 about a 4 yr old girl who supposedly is an art prodigy.This 4 year old does abstract paintings which according to art experts are very rare for child artists.Her paintings sell for upwards of 24 thousand,not a bad income for a 4 year old at all.Naturally she would be the subject of much attention from art experts and other such persons.But the claim that she is an art prodigy takes a fishy turn when her father(who happens to be a painter himself) claims that the child cannot paint if she is being observed.Apparently,the presence of people in the room makes her nervous.Anybody else getting suspicious as yet?

Anyway,the father decided to install a camera so the child can paint and satisfy the persons who thought she was not the one doing the work.More than likely he realised that persons were becoming more and more sceptical. The experts claim that the painting she did under surveillance is different from the others that were said to be hers.So hoax or child prodigy,what do you all think?

Am gonna link you all to One woman's account of abuse. Makes you wonder how many persons are walking around with scars.

As some of you may know Pirates Of The Caribbean was filmed in St Vincent and the Grenadines. SVG,along with Dominica and Bahamas(I think) were chosen for the filming of parts two and three of the movie.Now controversy is looming with regards to a scene that Disney wants to make a part of the film.Apparently Disney wants to put a scene that depicts Caribs as cannibals but stops short of showing them eating flesh.This scene is supposed to be filmed in Dominica.

Both St Vincent and Dominica have a large Carib population.In Dominica's case there is a Reserve complete with a chief,while in SVG the majority of Caribs live in the north of the island.The Dominican Carib chief has gone on record voicing his disapproval of the proposed scene.The question now is will Disney back down or will money talk?

Historians have long put to rest the myth that Caribs were cannibals.Studies have proved that Caribs kept the limbs etc because they felt that keeping a part of the warrior gave them added strength.So,is it fair for a movie company to destroy all the gains that Caribs as a race have acquired by this negative depiction? I think not and I think the protest should have been coming from the leadership of the island of Dominica and not necessarily the Carib Chief.But apparently(according to a column in this week's paper) the Dominican government seems more focused on the financial benefits rather than on the perpetuation of myths and the insult to the dignity of their native people.

It makes me wonder what would have been the response of the Vincentian government if that offending scene were to be filmed here.This against the backdrop that the only national hero this island has is Carib Chief Joseph Chatoyer.Would we have sold out? I really don't know.

Hopefully,Disney would not get its way because if it does it means that all our talk about preserving our indigenous peoples and their history is just that.

Yesterday am watching Oprah Winfrey show,a show which lately I am not liking too much.Anyway,her topic was Mothers and Daughters in stormy relationships a topic that is close to home.One of her guests was Ann Robinson of The Weakest Link.Would you believe she was an alcoholic who lost custody of her daughter when the court pronounced her an unfit mother? According to her it was so shameful to be told that you are unable to look after your child although she knew she was not capable of doing it properly.So ,she and her daughter,now 34 are trying to develop a relationship.It was pretty interesting watching them take a road trip that meant they were in each other's company 24/7.Naturally,they got on each other's nerves but I suppose they got to understand each other a little better.

The point is we never know what is happening in peoples' lives.On the surface some people appear to have it all,don't they?But,only they know what the journey was like or what they struggle with everyday.If only we knew it would explain a lot about behaviour and all that.It also reminds you that when you think you had it bad others have had it much worse or are going through something that you can relate to.So,as my grandmother would say "never grudge anybody what they have" because you never know what price it came at.

A real feel good story

A lot of people dismiss VDay as a farce saying it is just an over commercialized fake day.Some say love should be celebrated every day and not on any one day on the calender.For me love is a verb which means it involves doing.The way I see it a lot of people get stuck in a routine and don't even do something nice for their significant others whether it be Valentine's day,a birthday or even Christmas.What am trying to say is we all love to feel appreciated and if it takes a Feb 14th to bring a little change in the monotony in some relationships,so be it.

On the other hand Mothers Day message is pretty much the same.Here is a day that is set aside to show one's mother love and appreciation.Some people I know that are vehemently opposed to VDay get all excited about Mother's Day and pull out all the stops.It makes me wonder if a little bit of hypocrisy not involved here.Why wait for the second Sunday in May to show your mother she is special?

People talk about feeling left out on Vday if they not in any relationships.Think about if you not a mother and everywhere the joys of motherhood being shoved in your face.Bear in mind that women with out children are often perceived as being some what deficient.I have even heard people saying to not have children is sinful because we are supposed to be fruitful and multiply.

Talk about feeling left out ! And if your mother was not particularly nice to you then it can be an all round annoying day.Truth is we all do not have good mothers.On Mothers' Day,I have the excuse of youth so nobody really bugs me with "when are you going to have a baby" etc etc but older women get the the subtle and not so subtle pressure.

So the way I see it all these type of days are commercialised.There is no escaping it.Even Christmas has long lost the meaning so the thing is just to take from each day what is worth taking.Leave behind what annoys and maybe celebrate the thought.

In keeping with the occasion am going to give out some gifts.Not sure how many of you may have issues with the day.But,in my view any day that celebrates love is all
good.So here goes!

For Madbull(Christina Milian)



For Dr D and Jdid.Y'all can share:)



Melody(LL,himself)



Scratchie(Dunno who is your dream girl,so am going with your hobby)



Nahmix(Steve Harris)



Dekkah(Wesley Snipes)



Soli(Mr Terrel Owens)



Angry(Roselyn Sanchez)



Swags(Natalie Portman)



Campfyah,Yammie,Shana,Obi,Humanity Critic and all the others who pass by





Safe Love,y'all!

If anybody wanted proof that we in SVG are losing the AIDS war then a peep at this week's newspapers would confirm it. The News newspaper cover story was about HIV women having babies.And I quote "last year, some 25 pregnant women in SVG tested HIV positive and instead of abstaining, or practising safe sex, 9 of these same women, were pregnant for the second time after being told they were HIV positive."

As if that was not bad enough another weekly reported the Health Minister as saying "The message about the dangers of unprotected sex does not seem to be getting through to many of this country's citizens. And many persons, especially men are not concerned whether their partners have HIV/AIDS or not"

Does this mean we are very stupid people,misinformed or just indifferent? I vote for stupid and indifferent because the Ministry of Health has been actively promoting HIV awareness.I would have liked the report to say the age range of these women,if they pregnant by the same men and if the first babies were healthy.Maybe the time has come to make names public-not that I am even sure it would make any difference.

Heard a story last night about a NYC man whose doctors believe he is infected with a new "drug-resistant and rapidly progressing" strain of the deadly disease.I had to sit up and take notice because between December when he was diagnosed and now he has full blown AIDS.Scary stuff.

My new favorite song.No,I not guilty of anything,well I don't think so:)

I think sometimes I can read your mind
When you make things up I can tell you lie
I see the things that your man can't see
And I wonder what kind of man is he
The one who you say is your lover
Who you insist takes care of you under the covers
And who is there for you and loves you like no other
Then you kiss and tell me that you love me like a brother
[CHORUS]
If I didn't know better
I'd think that you were mine, you?re with me all the time
If I didn't know better
I'd swear we're more than friends, you're touching me again
If I didn't know better
I'd think we were in love
Girl, do you wanna tell me something
Oh, oh, oh
I could be wrong about the things you say
But I don't rub up on my friends that way
You tell me that you've always been a flirt
But if it goes wrong, I could get hurt
But no, you insist it's harmless playin?
It's just a part of who you are, that it's just your nature
And that it's fine
You know I'm a friend, it's really nothing
You say that I'm just like a?
That I'm just like a brother
[CHORUS]
My idea of a friend is when you
Do a lotta things together and have a lotta fun
But my definition of love is different
You touch and hold each other
And you only want to be alone clinging to each other
Like you and he should be, but like you and I are
Well,I know it sounds crazy but?
[CHORUS]

My girl Solitaire's impression of me.(second from left)Cute eh,although I am more likely to have Candace Kate's look.

I got to talk about service or lack of again.Picture this,as Sophia on Golden Girls would say.I took my school ring to the jewellers to have some color replaced in the middle.The ring has the letters GHS against a blue background and the blue part had gotten chipped.I took the ring on the 7th February and was told to pick it up on the 9th.I went the Friday and it was not done and I was asked to pick it up on the Saturday.Monday,I went and collected it only to notice this morning that the color had fallen out.

Back to the jewellers I went and told them the problem.The guy took it from me and proceeded to write a new bill.At that point I said am not going to pay to have it redone since it was not done properly initially.That was the cue for him to tell me that the color falling out was my fault.According to him I had to have been near some kinda heat or used Clorox.Seeing that I was not near a furnace I had no clue what he was talking about.But,I figured anything to divert responsibility from them was going to be offered up.So I said in my bitchiest manner that I was nowhere near heat or Clorox.Then the man asks me how long I had the ring.Well seeing I left school in 1996 I said approx 9 years.He goes 9 years? I reply yes but I noticed he looked somewhat confused.So,I said do you mean when I collected it or how long I had it.Now,he meant the former and I was even more pleased to say Monday with the required attitude.By now am assuming he realised how stupid his demands for me to pay again were so he crossed out the bill.So am supposed to return this Friday and i can only hope they do a proper job this time around.

Later in the evening I went to see Closer with Jude Law,Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts.I liked but I now understand why my blog friend Swagatto was so disturbed to see Natalie Portman in the stripper role.Don't worry Swags because she was the only one who ended up happy.As an aside a mouse was roaming in the cinema and of all the rows to visit it had to choose mine.Must be a case of smelling my fear.And yes,I screamed out

That your days may be long.Of all the commandments,this is the only one with a promise attached.So,I conclude that it is a very serious directive.My understanding of honoring is firstly paying respect and secondly looking out for their welfare.

Therefore,I find a current situation in my extended family to be extremely ridiculous.Coping with mental illness is never an easy task but with a little bit more understanding and tact certain situations could be avoided.Not because one's mother is mentally ill is a license to be abusive and nasty to her.Neither should you feel comfortable watching your husband be abusive to your mother.For crying out loud,show some maturity and treat the woman like a human being.It is the least one can do.And if you find you have bitten off more than you can chew with respect to her care,then make some alternative living arrangements.It is not exactly rocket science.

I hope if I ever find myself in a situation where I have to look after my parents that I would have the strength to do it properly.At times,my mother and I do not have the best of relationships but I would like to think that I would rise to the occasion if I have to.After all,I gotta do what I have to.

108 new AIDS cases in St Vincent and the Grenadines for 2004.In all a total of over seven hundred for an island with a population of little over 105,000.They say that all known cases should be multiplied by ten to get a better idea of what the true picture is.So roughly we have about seven thousand cases,which is highly alarming.At this rate,in ten years time what will SVG workforce be like? Our scarce resources will have to go towards providing health care for all these sick people.I don't know how we are going to do it

All these new cases suggest to me that the education drive is not achieving its desired results.Yes,I still hear people saying that they are not going to use any condoms.Makes me wonder what else the Health Personnel can do to arrest the growth.Seeing that HIV/AIDS is termed a lifestyle disease each person has a responsibility to look inwards and make the necessary changes.

In the meantime,I fear for my generation and the ones that are to come.

We remember the brilliant and evocative music Bob Marley gave the world; music that stretches back over nearly two decades and still remains timeless and universal. Marley has been called "the first Third World superstar," "Rasta Prophet," "visionary," and" "revolutionary artist." These accolades were not mere hyperbole. Marley was one of the most charismatic and challenging performers of our time.

Bob Marley's career stretched back over twenty years. During that time Marley's growing style encompassed every aspect in the rise of Jamaican music, from ska to contemporary reggae. That growth was well reflected in the maturity of the Wailers' music.

Bob took ill in 1980 and cancer was diagnosed.Marley fought the disease for eight months. The battle, however, proved to be too much. He died in a Miami Hospital on May 11,1981.

A month before the end Bob was awarded Jamaica's Order of Merit, the nations' third highest honor, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the country's culture.

On Thursday, May 23,1981, the Honorable Robert Nesta Marley was given an official funeral by the people of Jamaica. Following the funeral -- attended by both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition -- Bob's body was taken to his birthplace where it now rests in a mausoleum. Bob Marley was 36 years old. His legend lives on.

Ossie Davis, a charismatic and versatile actor and outspoken activist, was found dead Friday in his room at a Miami Beach hotel.

Authorities said Davis apparently died of natural causes.

The 87-year-old actor was in Miami to make a new film, "Retirement," which had begun shooting a few days earlier.

He was a playwright, producer and stage and film director as well as a memorable performer. He frequently appeared in tandem with his wife, actress Ruby Dee.

One of the great stage couples, the two met while performing in Robert Ardrey's civil rights drama "Jeb" in 1946, in which Davis made his Broadway debut in the title role. Married in '48, they marked their 50th anniversary by publishing a joint autobiography, "In This Life Together."

Last year, the couple were among the artists who received the Kennedy Center Honors. Davis and his wife also have been jointly inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame and have received the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award, the Academy of Television Arts and Science's Silver Circle Award and a National Medal of Arts. The Kennedy Center Honors cited not only their work on stage and screen, but also as "passionate advocates for social justice, human dignity and creative excellence."

Davis was almost as well known for his activism as for his art, and he creatively combined the two in much of his work. He and his wife actively worked for many progressive causes, especially in the field of civil rights, beginning with the antilynching campaigns of the 1940s, and were outspoken in their opposition to the McCarthy communist hunts of the '50s.

Lifelong campaigners for racial justice, they were close friends of noted African American leaders ranging from Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In his oft-quoted eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral, Davis praised the slain leader as "our own shining black prince."

He continued to give generously of his time and money to civil rights, voting rights and other causes throughout his life. Speaking at Cornell University in the '90s, Davis praised the achievements of the civil rights movement in attaining certain freedoms and added, "Now we need to move black people, women and minorities to be equal. The bird of democracy needs two wings to fly -- that of freedom and equality."

Born in 1917 in Cogwell, Georgia, Davis set his sights on becoming a writer at an early age. He hitchhiked to Washington, D.C., to attend Howard University, graduated in '38, and moved to New York City to join the Harlem- based Rose McClendon Players. His stage career didn't begin in earnest until after World War II, though. Davis served almost four years in the Army, principally as a medical technician in Liberia.

Davis made his film debut in 1950 in "No Way Out," a movie that also introduced Sidney Poitier. Nine years later, he succeeded Poitier in the male lead in Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun" on Broadway, a landmark production in which Dee also played a principal role.

In 1961, Davis made his Broadway debut as a playwright with "Purlie Victorious," a hilarious and sharply satiric civil rights comedy in which he and his wife starred. In a work that upended one racial stereotype after another, Davis played an eager, innocent preacher who returns to a Southern village determined to free the locals from the tyranny of a plantation owner. Davis' broad, vital and charismatic performance helped make the show a hit.

As read today, Howard Taubman's rave review in the New York Times is not only a tribute to Davis' artistry but also to the enormous changes in media attitudes about racial issues since 1961 -- and to Davis' work in helping to bring about those changes. "It is marvelously exhilarating to hear the Negro speak for himself," Taubman wrote, "especially when he does so in the fullness of his native gusto and the enveloping heartiness of his overflowing laughter."

Davis repeated the role of Purlie in a less successful 1963 film version, "Gone Are the Days." But the play became an even greater success as the long- running musical "Purlie," with a book by Davis, in 1970.

Davis appeared in numerous films, including Spike Lee's "School Daze," "Do the Right Thing," "Jungle Fever" and "Malcolm X." He wrote and directed "Cotton Comes to Harlem" in 1970 and directed the movies "Black Girl," "Gordon's War" and "Countdown at Kusini," which he also produced and made in Nigeria. Among his more notable film roles were those in "The Cardinal," "The Hill," "Grumpy Old Men" and "I'm Not Rappaport," in a part he had created on Broadway in 1986.

Davis and Dee also appeared in many TV shows, including "Roots: The Next Generation" and "Martin Luther King: The Dream and the Drum," which they produced for PBS in '86. They received NAACP Image Awards for their '96 series "Promised Land" on CBS. Davis made his TV debut in "The Emperor Jones" in '65 and received Emmy nominations for his work in "Teacher, Teacher, King" and "Miss Evers' Boys." He was also a cast member on "The Defenders" in the '60s and "Evening Shade" in the '90s.

As impressive as he was in individual roles onscreen -- he made about 30 film and TV appearances in the '90s alone -- and onstage, Davis may be best remembered for the sum total of his work in partnership with his wife. The union produced three children, among them the well-known blues artist Guy Davis.

My mother always told me that when I lend money to anyone there is no guarantee am getting it back.Therefore,I should only lend sums that am willing to treat as grants.Needless to say I have not always followed her advice.So,I find myself lending people money and in many instances not getting it back.You would think I'd have learnt my lesson by now,right? No,I still have not(marshallow side again)

So here is what is bothering me.Any of you ever noticed that people who owe you suddenly develop memory loss?They would talk to you about everything under the sun except the fact that they owe you.Actually,they would even ask you for other favours while still having outstanding debts.

I don't know if this happens to anyone else but I find myself being somewhat reluctant to ask for monies owed.I still have not figured out exactly why that is so(no,am not rich.Part of me feels that I should not have to remind anyone to repay their debt and stupid as this sounds I guess there is some kinda embarrassment involved.But why should I even feel embarrassed to ask for what is mine?I just don't know.

Anyway,the point of all this rambling is that one of my very good friends owes me what I consider a considerable amount.Recently she took a loan to cover some expenses she had and as is our custom we discussed at length the best way to use the money.It was not until much later that it dawned on me that she made no mention of what she owed me.Now,I don't think that she has forgotten so why the silence?From our conversations I know she has enough money to settle with me.So I reminded her of her debt and would you know am still waiting to have it settled.

Gabriel came to the Lord and said, "I have to talk to you, I have Black folks up here in Heaven who are causing some problems.


They are swinging on the Pearly Gates, my horn is missing, barbecue sauce is all over their robes, ham hock, sparerib, and pig feet bones are all over the streets of Gold. Some folk are walking around with one wing.

They have been late taking their turn in keeping the stairway to heaven clean. There are watermelon seeds all over the clouds.
Some of them aren't even wearing their halos, saying it is messin up they hair .

The Lord said, "I made them special, as I did you, my angel. Heaven is home to all my children. If you really want to know about problems,
let's call the Devil.

"The Devil answered the phone, "Hello? Dang, hold on.

"The Devil returned to the phone and said, "Hello Lord, what can I do for you?" The Lord replied, "Tell me what kind of problems you are
having down there." The Devil said, "Wait one minute," and put the Lord on hold.

After 5 minutes he returned to the phone, and said "Okay, I'm back. What was the question?" The Lord said, "What kind of problems are you having down there?"

The Devil said, "Man, I don't belie..... hold on, Lord". This time the Devil was gone for 15 minutes. The Devil returned and said, "I'm sorry
Lord, I can't talk right now. These Negroes dun put the fire out, and are trying to install air conditioning!"

From the Ghana Review 95.

A full appreciation of the celebration of Black History Month requires a review and a reassessment of the social and academic climate that prevailed in the Western world, and especially in North America before 1926 when Black History Month was established.

It is important to recall that between 1619 and 1926, African Americans and other peoples of African descent were classified as a race that had not made any contribution to human civilization. Within the public and private sector, African Americans and other peoples of African descent were continually dehumanized and relegated to the position of non-citizens and often defined as fractions of humans. It is estimated that between 1890 and 1925, an African American was lynched every two and a half days.

The academic and intellectual community was no different from the bulk of mainstream America. Peoples of African descent were visibly absent in any scholarship or intellectual discourse that dealt with human civilization.

African Americans were so dehumanized and their history so distorted in academia that "slavery, peonage, segretation and lynching" were considered justifiable conditions. In fact, Professor John Burgess, the founder of Columbia University graduate school of Political Science and an important figure in American scholarship defined the African race as "a race of men which has never created any civilization of any kind..."

It was this kind of climate and the sensational, racist scholarship that inspired the talented and brilliant African American scholar, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson to lead the struggle and search for the truth and institutionalize what was then referred to as "Negro History Week". A Harvard trained Ph.D., Dr. Woodson dropped out of mainstream academia to devote his life to the scientific study of the African experience in America, Africa and throughout the world.

Under Woodson's direction and contributions from other African American and white scholars, the "Negro History Week" was launched on a serious platform in 1926 to neutralize the apparent ignorance and deliberate distortion of Black History. Meetings, exhibitions, lectures and symposia were organized to climax the scientific study of the African experience throughout the year in order to give a more objective and scholarly balance in American and World history.

Today, this national and international observance has been expanded to encompass the entire month of February. The expansion, of course, has increased the number of days for celebration, but its strength and importance lie in the new meaning that has emerged. As Ralph L. Crowder points out in an article in the December 1977 issue of the Western Journal of Black Studies, "it is no longer sufficient to devote the entire month to the celebration of great Negro contributions to the American mainstream."

I believe, like Dr. Crowder, that it is necessary to use the occasion to examine the collective ingenuity, creativity, cultural and political experience of the masses of Africans and peoples of African descent. In North America, a variety of programs - including lectures, exhibitions, banquets and a host of cultural activities are presented throughout the month of February to commemorate the occasion. It is not uncommon, during these weeks in February, for African students in the U.S. to receive a number of invitations to speak at gatherings, schools and in community churches.

In Ghana, it is the W.E.B. DuBois Center for Pan African Culture that has been in the forefront of programs developed to mark the observance. The intention of the founders was not and is still not to initiate a week's or a month's study of the universal African experience. Instead, the observance portrays the climax of a scientific study of the African experience throughout the year.

The month of February is significant and recognized in African American history for the birthdays of great African American pioneers and institutions. These include the birthdays of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Langston Hughes, Eubie Blake, NAACP and the first Pan African Congress.

Historians may also recall that the first African American Senator, Hiram Revels took the oath of office in February 1870. Black History Month takes on a paramount significance as we approach the 21st century. Civil rights laws and celebrations such as Black History Month have exposed the legal consequences of overt discriminatory practices and racial harassment. The struggles for, and achievement of independence by African countries in the 20th century have shown the strength, the humanity, the ingenuity and the contributions of the African to the human civilization.

However, these revelations have not neutralized the prevalence of prejudicial attitudes which generate discriminatory acts both on a national and in the international arena. Behaviour may be controlled by laws, national and international, but attitudes can only change through education and the elimination of ignorance. I believe strongly that Black History Month should be the reaffirmation of struggle and determination to change attitudes and heighten the understanding of the African experience. In the words of Ralph Crowder, "the observance must be a testimony to those African pioneers who struggled to affirm the humanity of African peoples and a challenge to the present generation to protect and preserve...the humanity of all peoples of African descent."

Happy Black History Month

You know am talking about Michael Jackson's child molestation case.I can't figure out what is exactly Michael's problem but anybody who can change their face until it looks so grotesque must have some serious problems.Then what's up with a grown ass man having all those sleep overs with young boys? Remember that documentary where he was saying how he just loves them and puts them to bed etc.Made my blood crawl! It just doesn't seem or feel right and those parents not too smart either.But then the star power of the King of Pop seems very hard to resist.

So what exactly happened at Neverland(please Michael you are not Peter Pan)? Am really cynical so I believe he did something inappropriate but will it come out or will he even be found guilty.I think not in both cases(cynicism at work again).As far as I know child molestation cases are hell to prove since you have to believe the child is telling the truth and when you factor in that the defendant is the King of Pop,well the task is that much harder. Even among ourselves people have strong feelings that he is innocent and it is just based on who he is.If it were the man across the street with the same kinda evidence most of us would conclude he guilty as sin.Not true?Also looking at the system it appears that money will buy you a proper defense with justice not necessarily being done.Anybody still believe OJ was innocent?

So do you all expect a conviction or do you even believe he guilty of anything beside being not too smart?