Bill of Sale

This is an Authentic Negro Bill of Sale. My cousin Sandi sent this to me.
I am spending more time on the slavery end of this timeline since we were informed that we should "get over it". I thought it only fitting that we learn a bit more about what we are to get over. I will never understand this kind of inhumanity.

This was once the African Americans resume....



Click on the document to read.

The Dreaded Scott Decision

1856
Dred Scott (1795-1858)

Dred Scott, a slave, was taken by his master into the free states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Scott was away from Missouri, his slave state, for four years. So he sued for his freedom. The audacity of this slave to do such a thing, but he did. His claim was that he was an established person on "free soil."
The lower courts ruled against Scott. (Color me surprised!) The case eventually went to the Supreme Court of the United States. Again the ruling was unfavorable. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, a resident of Maryland, and the other justices ruled that Dred Scott could not bring suit in federal court because he was a Negro, not just a slave.

"No Negro whether slave or free, could ever be considered a citizen of the United States within the meaning of the Constitution."

Thus, Scott's real problem was not his servitude but his race. This outspoken blow was a positive message for the south in that slavery in America was not going away but was legally a part of the American way of life.

Chief Justice Taney -- a staunch supporter of slavery and intent on protecting southerners from northern aggression -- wrote in the Court's majority opinion that, because Scott was black, he was not a citizen and therefore had no right to sue. The framers of the Constitution, he wrote, believed that blacks

"had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit. He was bought and sold and treated as an ordinary article of merchandise and traffic, whenever profit could be made by it."

Referring to the language in the Declaration of Independence that includes the phrase, "all men are created equal," Taney reasoned that

"it is too clear for dispute, that the enslaved African race were not intended to be included, and formed no part of the people who framed and adopted this declaration. . . ."

The weird thing is, he was correct. The brilliant men who framed the constitution certainly never intended to infer black equality with white Americans.

Abolitionists were incensed. By 1854, the Dred Scott case brought a setback to the Abolitionist Movement. Although disappointed, Frederick Douglass, found a bright side to the decision and announced, "my hopes were never brighter than now." For Douglass, the decision would bring slavery to the attention of the nation and was a step toward slavery's ultimate destruction. Douglass was right, the Dred Scott Decision helped to further polarize the North and the South and quicken the arrival of the Civil War.

While the decision was well-received by slaveholders in the South, many northerners were outraged. The decision greatly influenced the nomination of Abraham Lincoln to the Republican Party and his subsequent election, which in turn led to the South's secession from the Union.
After the Supreme Court's decision, Dred Scott's former master's sons purchased Scott and his wife and set them free. Dred Scott died nine months later.

Face History

Alexandra has a gallery of faces on her site today in tribute to Black History Month. Alex has a great knack for finding interesting pictures of even the most familiar faces. Do you know them all?

February for Monica

This month is always hard on Monica. She finds it personally difficult to have to explain the institution of slavery to five year olds so very far removed from it, and difficult to relive America's racist history every year.
She always begins with Africa and these African American children's connection to that continent. She emphasizes the beauty of that land and the normalcy of life for African children of that day. Then the capture, middle passage, selling, and life as an American slave. She emphasizes the children and families. She does not soft peddle but is careful that the information is age appropriate. Monica always intersperses where possible inspirational slave facts and culture with the harsh realities. She introduces games, books, art, songs and reads Brer Rabbit stories.
Monica does an excellent job moving through the civil war, Abe Lincoln, Jim Crow, the civil rights era into the present. In a world where kids are so insensitive to so much, in a society where watching someone be humiliated is funny, and games are won by being the most violent, she has tough competition. She has to make sure they know slavery was real. Her goal is for the kids to feel not just sympathy but empathy, to feel compassion, to make the connection, to be inspired by their survival and that they can overcome.

Her children get it. They understand what came before them and that's important. Hopefully other teachers will build on the foundation she puts down.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

1852: Uncle Tom's Cabin
Authored by Harriet Beecher Stowe a white abolitionist, is the first major American novel to feature an African American hero and become one of the most influential works to stir anti-slavery sentiments by shedding light on the horrors of slavery.
In her story, even kind Southern whites who care about slaves suffer the ill effects of being slave owners. The presence of slavery corrupts their ability to work as a family, What Stowe wants her white readers to see is that there can't be harmoniously good, white slaveholding families. There isn't a way of making slavery and Christianity compatible. It just doesn't work.
It's 2007 and people are still trying to make oppression and Christianity work. How ridiculous it was then, is how ridiculous it is now.

Uncle Tom's Cabin was the best selling novel of the century, with the bible holding steady at number one.
The book, with its dramatic storytelling, no-holds-barred discussions of the hot-button issue of the day, and heart-rending conclusion, was an instant bestseller. By year's end, it had sold an astonishing 1.5 million copies worldwide.

The novel had "a great impact on people's notions of the evils of slavery," says Thomas Gosset, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin and American Culture." Many Northern soldiers in the Civil War had read it, he says. When Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the White House in 1862, according to Stowe's daughter, he said, "So this is the little lady who wrote the big book that made this great war." Much later, writer Langston Hughes would call "Uncle Tom's Cabin" America's "first protest novel."

Uncle Tom goes to the circus.
But its fame and success was also the start of trouble for the image of Uncle Tom. The novel was made into a number of highly successful theatrical shows. Stowe held no copyright to prevent stage adaptations, which were done without her approval and without compensation. At one point, nearly 500 "Tom companies" were performing around the country, including one by showman P.T. Barnum. These shows removed some characters in the book, enlarged the roles of others, and added song and dance, even comedy, to conform the story to the elements popular in the minstrel shows of the day.
The story was "seized by popular culture, and people ran away with it and basically did what they wanted to with it," says Kathleen Hulser, curator of a new exhibition, "Reading Uncle Tom's Image: a Reconsideration of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 150-Year-Old Character and His Legacy". "The Uncle Tom that we know as an insult – as an old man who is meek, submissive, doesn't stick up for himself, desexualized – that really isn't who the person is in the novel. It's who he became on stage."

Note: Uncle Tom became the insulting nickname for a wussie black person whose behavior is subservient and over accommodating especially toward whites. A Tom also refers to those Blacks with political views considered to be anti-black.

These shows, usually played in blackface by white actors, lingered well into the 20th century. But by the 1930s, blacks began to gain the ear of white Americans with word that this version of Uncle Tom was not appreciated. Nevertheless, the meaning had stuck. By the 1960's, Uncle Tom had gone from being simply weak to being a "race traitor".

The Uncle Tom of the novel is a young and strong slave in the pre-Civil War South, a father of three young children who chooses, out of his Christian convictions, martyrdom over violence to deal with his oppressors.
At the end of the novel, Uncle Tom sacrifices his life to protect others. He dies because he won't reveal to [his master] Simon Legree the presence of two female slaves who have been sexually exploited by Legree.
It remains controversial. However, on college campuses today, Uncle Tom's Cabin appears to have won an enduring place in the study of popular historical images of blacks.

The 150th anniversary examination of this novel showed that the story of "Uncle Tom" and the book that introduced him to Americans is much more complex than a simple story of a racial insult. Despite its flaws, Uncle Tom's Cabin presents the most broad, warm, fully developed cast of black people who had ever been in a novel in the United States.
This novel played an important part in stirring the conscience of America toward anti-slavery. We don't want to forget that.

Congratulations Colts!

Coach Tony Dungy and MVP Peyton Manning did a job on my Bears. But, it was fantastic to get there and bring excitement to the city. Great excuse to fry up some wings and snack like crazy.
And gotta be loving the half-time show with Prince in the pouring Purple Rain. I've got to admit I hoped Prince wouldn't catch sparks while playing his wet guitar especially with fireworks all around him. His dancers in high heeled boots were actually splashing. No malfunctions this year, though.



The opening kickoff touchdown by the Bears was as exciting and unexpected as this whole season has been. Congrats to the Bears too, for that history making TD and for the season. Next year will be da one!

CONGRATULATIONS! To Tony Dungy for being the first African American Head Coach to win the Superbowl. He said:
"I am proud to be the first, but I know in my heart of hearts, I'm not the first to have the ability."

Well said.

Black History Time Line - Mid-1800's

1846: Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)
Douglass launched an abolitionist newspaper, The North Star.

Born a slave in 1818, he escaped from slavery in 1938 by posing as a a free Black seaman on a train ride to the North and became an infamous speaker on the abolitionist lecture circuit and an important political figure. He served as president of Freedman's Saving's Bank during reconstruction. Douglass served as an adviser to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and fought for the adoption of constitutional amendments that guaranteed voting rights and other civil liberties for Blacks. Douglass was the only Black guest at Abe Lincoln's second inauguration. In 1872, he was the first African American to receive a nomination for Vice President of the United States. He was also United States Marshal for the District of Columbia, Recorder of Deeds for Washington, D.C., and Minister-General to the Republic of Haiti.

Douglass provided a powerful voice for human rights during this period of American history and is still revered today for his contributions against racial injustice.
He represents the extremes of the African American experience from a starved and beaten slave to adviser to the President. His story is one every American should know. Douglass wrote three autobiographies. Here is a fascinating read of Frederick Douglass' noteworthy life.

Frederick Douglass Quotes

"A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me."

"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence."

"America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future."

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning."

1850: Underground Railroad
This transportation system was started by William Still. A network of secret routes, way stations, safe havens and meeting points in which thousands of African Americans escaped in the south. Some routes went as far north as Canada and as far south as Mexico.

Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)
Harriet Ross was born into slavery in 1819 or 1820, in Dorchester County, Maryland. Given the names of her two parents, both held in slavery, she was of purely African ancestry. She was raised under harsh conditions, and subjected to whippings even as a small child. Tubman suffered epileptic seizures after an overseer threw a 2 lb weight at her head when she tried to prevent the capture of a run-away slave.

At the age of 25, she married John Tubman, a free African American. Five years later, fearing she would be sold South, she made her escape.
After freeing herself from slavery, Harriet Tubman returned to Maryland to rescue other members of her family and become one of the most celebrated and effective leaders of the Underground Railroad. In all she is believed to have conducted approximately 300 persons to freedom in the North. "She was never captured while rescuing slaves and as she was quoted she "never lost a passenger".
A U.S. Liberty Ship was named after her in WWII - the SS Harriet Tubman.

Harriet Tubman was reverently called "Moses" by the hundreds of slaves she helped to freedom and the thousands of others she inspired. Her life was a monument to courage and determination that continues to stand out in American history.

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
Sojourner Truth was born on the Colonel Johannes Hardenbergh estate in Swartekill, in Ulster County, a Dutch settlement in upstate New York. Her given name was Isabella Baumfree (also spelled Bomefree). She was one of 13 children born to Elizabeth and James Baumfree, also slaves on the Hardenbergh plantation. She spoke only Dutch until she was sold from her family around the age of nine.
She was sold to John Neely, along with a herd of sheep, for $100. Neely's wife and family only spoke English and beat Isabella fiercely for the frequent miscommunications.
Truth became an abolitionist, preacher, advocate for women's rights and conductor of the Underground Railroad. Truth's son who was freed under New York law, was sold into slavery, she sued and won his return.

Sojourner Truth's famous "ain't I a woman" quote.

"That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place, and ain't I a woman? ... I have plowed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me -- and ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man (when I could get it), and bear the lash as well -- and ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most all sold off to slavery and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me -- and ain't I woman?"

Black History - The 1800's

1808: U.S. Bans Import of Slaves
U. S. bans the import of slaves, but not the sale and practice of slavery.

Ohio's original constitution outlawed slavery in 1802. Ohio also aggressively barred black immigration.

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the Southern states wanted Blacks to be counted as equal to Whites, but it was the Northern states that argued that slaves were considered as property and therefore should not be counted at all - a tactic likely used to deny the Southern states the political representation that their large population of blacks would bring them. A Compromise was made whereas each slave would count as three-fifths of a person. The Three-Fifths Compromise.
Ok, so this was all about Southern enumeration for political power. The North wanted it deflated and the South wanted it bolstered. Thus the Three-Fifths Compromise. Monica and I would equal 6/5 or one and one-fifth person. How 'bout that for stupid. Unbelievable.


1831: Nat Turner Slave Revolt
Nat turner (1800-1831) a slave and a preacher, leads a short and bloody slave revolt in Southampton County, VA. Turner is captured, hanged and Virginia consequently institutes stricter slave laws.


Also in 1831, William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) begins publishing The Liberator, a weekly paper that advocates the abolition of slavery.


1839: Amistad Slave Ship Revolt
Joseph Cinque (born Sengbe Pieh) leads 37 African slaves in a revolt aboard the Amistad slave ship. The ship is later recaptured by the U. S. The matter is tried in the Supreme Court, where it is ordered that the slaves be returned to Africa and freed. Former President John Quincy Adams was Joseph Cinque's defense attorney.




In 1730 Ninety-six Africans aboard the Little George slave ship gained control of the vessel and successfully piloted their way back to Africa.
In 1841 Africans aboard the Creole slave ship revolt and sail to the Bahamas, where they are declared free by the British.

(So much for the import ban.)

Congratulations!!!!

To my nephew for making the Honor Roll!!! Marcellus is 8 years old and in the 2nd grade. I am so proud of him! He worked hard and even conquered MATH! That new math that's really new. It's difficult to even help him with it because it's based on totally different concepts than we learned. So it's a learning experience for the whole family.

This will earn him a trip to Dave & Buster's.
Keep up the good work, sweetie!

Did You Know That....

Black History Month originated in 1926 by Carter Godwin Woodson as Negro History Week. The month of February was chosen in honor of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, who were both born in that month.

Religion was used to rationalize slavery?
When the settlers of Georgia saw the prosperity of their South Carolina neighbors who used slave labor, they searched for a justification to introduce that practice in their own settlement. Thus the proprogating of Christianty among the "heathen Africans".
The German settlers were assured by their friends in Germany of its harmlessness. Word came to them in 1749: "If you take slaves in faith and with the intent of conducting them to Christ, the action will not be a sin, but may prove a benediction." The good men's conscience's were spared.
Leading men among the Scotch and Germans who opposed the introduction of slavery were threatened and persecuted. Under great pressure, the trustees yielded, and slavery was introduced on the condition that all masters should be obliged to compel the negroes to "attend, at some time on the Lord's day, for instruction in the Christian religion." In 1752 the charter was surrendered to the crown, the colony had all the privileges accorded to others, and flourished.
How about that. I knew religion was used to pacify the slaves with a promise of a better life in the hereafter.

Black History Timeline
My plan is to post a few dates everyday in addition to any other journal entries. I always learn something new whenever I revisit history. In addition I'll offer some little known tidbits and personal observations here and there.

1619: The First African Slaves
Slave labor introduced in America by a Dutch trader exchanging his cargo for food in Jamestown Virginia in August of 1619. The American slavery system became more developed and codified in its inhumane treatment around 1680. Slaves were denied the use of their native language, drums and other traditions, some practices were retained and became an important part of the American way of life.
Africans introduced the rice plant to North America and taught English settlers how to cultivate and irrigate the crop.



Slave Marketplace


1773: Phillis Wheatley Poetry Published
"Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral" The first African American book published. Wheatley was subjected to an oral examination to test her knowledge and literacy because it was not believed that a Negro could write poetry. John Hancock
was among the group of examiners. Wheatley wrote a poem for George Washington's birthday, to which he wrote a letter of acknowledgement, "I thank you most sincerely for the ..elegant line you enclosed..the style and manner exhibit a striking proof of your poetic talents." You go girl!

John S. Rock - Renaissance Man

John S. Rock was a teacher, doctor, dentist, lawyer, and social activist.

Rock was a member of the abolitionist movement, born of free Black parents in Salem, NJ in 1825. He taught in schools in New Jersey from 1844 to 1848.
At the same time he applied and was denied medical school so he transferred to the field of dentistry and opened a dental practice in 1850. Finally admitted, he graduated from American Medical College in Philadelphia in 1852. At the age of 27, he was a teacher, dentist and physician.

In 1853, he decided that Boston's liberal environment would be better suited for him. While practicing medicine and dentistry, he lectured for the anti-slavery and temperance groups. He became known as one of the most brilliant speakers in the anti-slavery movement.

Troubled by health related problems, Rock went to Paris to seek medical treatment and returned to Boston in February 1859. Doctors advised him to cut back on his work and in 1860, he gave up his medical and dental practices and began to study law.

He gained admittance to the Massachusetts Bar in 1861 and opened his private law office. Rock became the first Black to be received on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

February 1, 1865, the same day congress approved the 13th Amendment ending slavery, Charles Summer introduced a motion that made Rock the first Black attorney to be admitted to argue in the US Supreme Court.

John enjoyed this honor for less than a year. On December 3, 1866, John S. Rock died in his home at the age of 41.
Can you imagine what this man would have accomplished with more time?
Amazing!

Keith Barrow - Sept 1954 - Oct 1983

Mood - Reflective
Listening to:
Cannonball Adderly - Live at Operation Breadbasket:
Country Preacher
I knew Keith Barrow from when he was a teen until he left Chicago to do his music thing. He was so into music and so talented. He like so many others started singing in the church and started a Gospel group of his own. I met Keith when my sister and I joined the Operation Breadbasket choir. Operation Breadbasket was the economic arm of Dr. King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was headed by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Keith's mother was the famous minister Willie Taplin Barrow, who was an executive director of Breadbasket and of the organization it grew into, the Rainbow/Push Coalition.

Keith was easy going and sweet, and as determined and dedicated and focused as his mother, but his heart was his music. Choir rehearsals held at the Parkway Ballroom were always intense and I looked forward to joking around and talking music with Keith. I remember Rev. Jackson came into our rehearsal, trying to sing and making us laugh, and asked Keith to please get him a screwdriver. To say Keith looked perplexed is an understatement. He went away and came back with a butter knife as a substitute. "Boy, I want a vodka and orange juice". Poor Keith was totally embarrassed and as he told me later shocked that a drink from the Parkway bar never crossed his mind as he scrambled everywhere looking for a tool. The choir and Jesse laughed and teased him forever about that.

Keith's talent soon took him to New York city and Los Angeles. He was signed by. Columbia and released his first album Keith Barrow in 1977.
His next LP Physical Attraction was a nice blend of soulful ballads and dance tracks and actually had a couple of well played disco hits including a hit 12 inch single. OMG! Remember those anyone?
His biggest hit also from that LP was "You Know You Wanna Be Loved" which hit #26 on the R&B chart in 1978. Next, the album Just As I Am was released in 1980 by Capital records. Columbia, Capital, these are major labels folks, this guy was good and on the way. But, Just As I Am was Keith Barrow's last album.

I remember the first of the weekly reports that Keith was ill and the requests for prayers. Rev. Barrow relates that her son called her from Paris before a show saying he was too ill to sing. He was hospitalized that night. Keith came home to Chicago very ill and was admitted to Michael Reese hospital. He had AIDS.
Keith's mother is a fiery orator and fierce civil rights activist nicknamed "The Little Warrior" so it was hard to see her sadness and distress as his health declined. Keith died October 22, 1983 of complications due to AIDS. He was the first friend I lost.
I'll always remember arguing with him about some group or song and shutting him up.
"Hey Keith, get me a screwdriver would ya?"
Rolls eyes.
He would have made an impact for sure with his music.

SOA 16

School of the Americas Watch (SOAW) reports that the trial of the SOA 16 is over. Reverend Don Coleman was sentenced to 2 months in federal prison. Don and Ann Marie will return home Tuesday.

This past weekend the SOA 16 and supporters held a Festival of Hope in Columbus GA. Monday morning the 16 and supporters marched to the courthouse where they met with the press before the trial. Five of the 16 made statements.
Joshua Harris, Cathy Webster, Martina Leforce, Alice Gerard and Don Coleman.
In his statement, Joshua Harris spoke of the diverse backgrounds and inspiration of the sixteen defendants; Cathy Webster, in all her wisdom as a grandmother and peace activists reminded us of the importance of love and solidarity against all odds ; Martina Leforce spoke of the connections between the SOA/WHINSEC and the inherent injustice within the political and economical policies implemented by the U.S. government; defendant Alice Gerard's statement focused our need to defend our right to freedom of speech; the closing statement came from Don Coleman of Chicago, IL who told us the story of a family from Guatemala who was torn apart by SOA-trained military during the dirty war.

The defendants stood before Judge G. Mallon Faircloth in three groups.

10:25am
Group 1 of the SOA 16 received the following sentences:

Graymon Ward - 1 month in federal prison
Tina Busch-Nema - 2 months in federal prison
Margaret Bryant-Gainer - 71 days time served
Philip Gates - 2 months in federal prison
Joshua Harris - 2 months in federal prison

12:00pm
Group 2 of the SOA 16 received the following sentences:

Martina Leforce - 2 months in federal prison
Melissa Helman - 2 months in federal prison
Nathan Slater - 2 months in federal prison
Cathy Webster - 2 months in federal prison
Don Coleman - 2 months in federal prison

Group 3 of the SOA 16 received the following sentences:

1:30pm
Whitney Ray, a minor, was sentenced to 1 year probation and community service

3:00pm
Valerie Fillenwarth - 3 months & 10 days in federal prison
Julianne Oldfield - 3 months in federal prison
Sheila Salmon - 3 months & 10 days in federal prison
Mike Vosburg-Casey - 3 months & 10 days in federal prison
Alice Gerard - 6 months in federal prison

The 16 certainly are a diverse group coming from all parts of America and walks of life and ranging in age from 17 to 71. College students, a chicken farmer/piano tuner, journalist and grandmother and more make up this group. Good luck to the 16 and their families as they go home to prepare to serve their sentences.


SOA Watch profile on Don.
Don Coleman is a co-pastor with his wife, Ann Marie, at University Church in Chicago. University Church is a member of two denominations: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. Don and Ann Marie came to University Church and Chicago in September 1, 1991. University Church played a pivotal role in the Sanctuary Movement in the early 80s. Virgilio Vicente and Isabel Canu and their family came to University Church from Guatemala as part of the movement. Virgilio’s parents were killed when their village Saq Ja was razed by the Guatemalan military – trained by the School of the Americas.

His decision to cross the line at Ft Benning is not unrelated to this congregational history.

Don has been part of several delegations to Central America including trips to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and southern Mexico (Chiapas). These trips outside the country have helped provide Don with a critical perspective on US foreign policies. He is a member of the Illinois Mayan Ministries of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Ann Marie and Don were co-directors of the Guild House Campus Ministry at the University of Michigan for sixteen years. He was a campus minister at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas (1968-75) and began his ministry serving two rural churches in Springville and Payson, Utah (1963-68).

Don was born in Provo, Utah June 1, 1937, attended Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, and graduated from Yale Divinity School in 1963.

For more info and profiles and updates regarding SOA check SOA Watch.

Beauty Shop Quartet

We saw the coolest show Saturday night. Two members of our church along with two other women who come together to form Four Friends Singing, a barbershop harmony quartet, presented their annual fundraiser concert. This year Four Friends invited Barber-Y Coast, a male barbershop quartet.

The church had been transformed into a cabaret like atmosphere with candle lit tables, complete with the serving of baked treats, wine and cheese. UC members Diane and Sarah and their two friends started singing years ago when they all attended the University of Chicago. The ladies began the show in classy black then changed into white shirts with colorful sparkly vests and matching armbands. Very sequinny, smart and dapper.
The guys, who sported no mustaches, bow ties or straw hats, were dapper also in vests and arm bands and joked that when they aren't singing in a house of worship they are called the Vestosterones.

The harmony of both groups singing a cappella was astounding. I love that full, ringing chord, distictive barbershop harmony sound. Also, it was nice to remember that songs used to have actual melodies and creative lyrics without backin' that ass up or any such thing. Not that there's any thing wrong with that, I mean I like some of that too. But the songs the Friends and the Coast sang were mostly from the Tin Pan Alley era when songs were crafted for singing. When even after the phonograph, sheet music sales were as important as record sales. The groups also shared song trivia about the songs and the movie or play it came from. Back then, Broadway musicals provided most of the songs on the pop charts. Today of course it's rare to have that crossover. Movie musical songs joined Broadway tunes on the pop charts, but it wasn't as calculated as today where they somehow squeeze in a rap song no matter what the movie is about.

The Four Friends sang the Judy Garland to Mickey Rooney song, My Funny Valentine from Babes in Arms, What'll I Do and Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree and the 1930 song Georgia on My Mind. Trivia surprise, composer Hoagy Carmichael wrote Georgia about his sister not the state.

The ladies finished with a George Gershwin medly. The last song of the medly Strike up the Band ends with the lyrics "when the flag unfurled for a brave new world" they reached down and unfurled the GLBT Rainbow Flag, and the crowd goes wild. Nice surprise! Wonderful evening.

Prisoners of Conscience

He gives the best hugs around. Monica and I look forward to Reverend Don Coleman's hugs. He is handsome, especially with long hair. I like his hair longer, so does his wife and co-pastor at University Church, Rev. Ann Marie Coleman. University Church has come to mean a lot to us and Don is no small part of that. He is an honorable, humble, man of integrity. As I discussed earlier in a post about The School of the Americas, Don was one of those who felt compelled to cross the line in an act of civil disobedience. Members of University Church make this trip to Columbus, Georgia each year to bring attention to this issue.

We are not a large church and Don does a lot. His absence will have an impact. Some members, understandably voiced concern that now may not be a good time to risk the jailing of our co-pastor. But, Don had been contemplating this step to cross that line for a long time - mulling it over with his God, his conscience, and his wife. Coming to the deciding moment he did what he felt he had to do.

The trial begins Monday for Don and the other 15 arrested. I admit I am a bit nervous.
Thank you everyone for the e-mails of concern and for information. I will certainly let everyone know what happens in Columbus. Our hearts are certainly with Don and Ann Marie and the 15 and their families.

“If... the machine of government... is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.” - Henry David Thoreau

CHICAGO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!

WooHooo!!!The Chicago Bears are going to the big one! Who would have thunk it? And Lovie Smith is the first African American Head Coach to go to the Superbowl. The Bears will face the Indianpolis Colts lead by the second Black coach, Tony Dungy, to make it to the NFL Championship game.
I remember when Washington's Doug Williams made it all the way and was the first Black quarterback to do so. That was in 1988.

Congrats! Bears and Colts and for making more history.

Monica Roberts who has a super blog has a great post on this historic moment.

Doug Williams' 1988 Superbowl victory was historic.

Held Captive

We had a very interesting day yesterday. It was inspirational, spiritual, informational and motivational. How 'bout that?
University Church had as guest speaker Reverend Melbalenia Evans, a dynamic, engaging orator. We love it when she visits. Rev. Evans is certainly a proponent of United Church of Christ's, God Is Still Speaking initiative because her biblically based sermons, are always socially and contemporarily
relevant. She makes the connections and she keeps it real.

Sunday's scripture from the book of Amos whose theme is that faith in God is best evidenced by how you live. (Dr. King also draws from Amos in his "I Have a Dream" speech).
Celebrating Dr. Martin L. King, Rev. Evans spoke of how God worked through this man. That he was a true co-worker with God. That King used his eloquence to lift up the oppressed in the face of spit, fire and death to speak on God's behalf.

Then, launching into the theme of her sermon, "Held Captive", Rev. Evans started with a demonstration of the kids game London Bridges, showing how the captive person has restricted movement. Of course, this refers to the restrictions placed on African Americans, but Rev. Evans also made the connection of how God is being held captive in today's world. She pointed out that God does not honor a church service that does not honor God, but only the people giving the service. That God is held captive by churches that erect barriers and only pray exclusively for themselves. That God is dishonored by bashing or brutalizing same gender loving people, pushing seniors aside, racism, invading a country that calls God by a different name. God is held captive by churches and individuals who misappropriate the bible to justify injustice.
We sang We Shall Overcome and the wonderful Regina Bunton sang Precious Lord. Her voice is heaven.

That evening we went back to church for an informational gathering regarding School of the Americas. Listening to first hand experiences from our church member about losing his family members and other horrors was made harder when I realize that the USA sponsors the training of those who commit such acts. Our Rev. Don Coleman spoke of how he came to the decision to step over the line at Ft. Benning GA and get arrested in an act of civil disobedience. He and 15 others have a trial date January 29th. We support him with all our hearts. Love you Don!

MLK Quotes and a Tidbit

"There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society, with a large segment of people in that society, who feel that they have no stake in it; who feel that they have nothing to lose. People who have a stake in their society, protect that society, but when they don't have it, they unconsciously want to destroy it."

"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly I have never yet engaged in a direct action movement that was "well timed," according to the timetable of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word "Wait!" It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. This "wait" has almost always meant "never." We must come to see with the distinguished jurist of yesterday that "justice too long delayed is justice denied."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Before he was the great orator of his time, Martin Luther King Jr. was a athlete and a trash talker. He loved baseball. He ran track and played basketball. And though he was small, he was on his high school football team and had a reputation of talking trash to opponents during competition.

Yvonne De Carlo

The actress best known for starring in numerous 1940's Technicolor costume adventures and Westerns, Canadian-born Yvonne DeCarlo has died at age 84.

Although she had an extensive movie and TV career and a brief singing career (I didn't know that) she achieved pop culture immortality portraying Lily Munster on The Munsters television series in the mid '60's.


For a tribute to and profile of the sultry actress' more than interesting break into show biz and rise to stardom, as well as how and why she became Lily Munster, check out Alexandra's journal. Thanks, Alex.

And Another Year Bites the Dust

Let's usher the New year in with a smile, your choice of bubbly whatever, delicious eats and tons of good wishes. Here is wishing you all a cheerful Happy New Year.

2007, C'mon Down!

Ok here's some fashion looks to leave in 2006 per radaronline.com and me.


Fingerless Gloves
Radar says they "..never made anyone look "biker-tough" or "rock-n-roll chic".
I say, they never made anyone look biker-tough or rock-n-roll chic. Well, Madonna did it wayy back in the Material Girl days and it worked with the rest of her mish-mosh, but not on you. Yes, I've seen you in Chicago, in the winter heading to the emergency room to donate a couple phalanges.

Giant HeadPhones
I agree with Radar, this pretentious look is over. You are not a DJ or directing traffic at Midway OK! And I've seen you on bikes wearing these HUGE things that not only make you unable to hear but now you have no peripheral vision. Please stop it.

Cardigans Worn Over Shoulders
Radar says some think it's still Ralph Louren country club classiness and I agree it was. WAS. Barbara Walters does this constantly. Nuff said.





Sunglasses Worn Inside
This, per Radar means "I'm dying for attention." So unless there's an army ofpaparazzi standing by to snap your photo, just let it go. Well, I say this is harmless, unless your shades have white rims shaped like a heart. Also, if you wear big, very dark ones, don't be surprised when some do-gooder tries to help you walk. I've seen this happen, it's not pretty.



Muffin Top Look
This one is my addition and I say, YUCK! I know I'm ancient, but I am certainly not prudish and I know fashion is fun for young folk and all that, but YUCK. In my ancientness I thought at first that these young women just really had to wear low-riders even though they created an unsightly abdominal eruption all the way around the hip hugger area. Then I noticed no matter how thin the body was the eruption was still there. Finally, I learned the Muffin Top look was the desired effect. (These are conservative pics, believe me. It's usually more like the picture below).
Look, I like low riders (on other people) and love boot cut (c'mon they're bell bottoms) and I love the name, muffin top, cute, I but hope it stays in 2006.


Crack Exposure
You know what I'm talkin' bout. Going to the grocery store is the worse, with women bending to get items from the shelves. Some of course don't have to bend, it's there all the time for us to see. Now, put Muffin Top, Crack Exposure and a crack tattoo together. Yep, painful. I suggest you leave the crack attack to plumbers with tool belts. It's expected and accepted there. So unless you join the union and come to fix the sink, STOP IT!

I hope you weren't offended by any of this, it's all in fun and please know that I am only serious. I can't wait to see what 2007 brings.