Jay Davis
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day7 Meet Bessie Coleman, a Chicagoan…
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day7
Meet Bessie Coleman, a Chicagoan til Chicago ends, and the first African American woman to become a licensed aviator.
She moved to the crib in 1916 when she was 23 and was a manicurist in the Whites Sox Park barber shop (Good Guys Wear Black). Intrigued by the WW1 pilot’s who shared their stories she decided, she wanted to fly. But, being a woman & black in the States it wasn’t gone happen.
Robert Abbot, founder of the Chicago Defender (that would be a good post too) convinced Bessie to follow her dream. She went to France and got busy!
How dope is that!?!? “Shoot for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud”. Ms. Coleman you’re dope and apart of our Black History!!!!
#28DaysOfBlackHistory Bob Marley, we all know his story of…
#28DaysOfBlackHistory
Bob Marley, we all know his story of being a politically driven, ganja smoking Rastafarian who just happens to be an iconic musician.
But, did you know his name is actually “Robert” and was raised Catholic? He didn’t convert Rasta until the 60’s.
He’s one of the world’s top selling artist of all time, he sold 75 million records. Did these numbers in an era where you had to get off your ass and go to a music store (I miss those days).
"Could You Be Loved" & "Jamming" are my joints!!!
Marley died of Cancer in 81’, man F**k Cancer!!!!
This man had so many quotable’s but none more dope than this one;
“If she’s amazing, she won’t be easy. If she’s easy she won’t be amazing. If she’s worth it you won’t give up, and if you give up you’re not worthy. Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you. You just gotta find the one’s worth suffering for”
Let that marinate!!!!
Happy 70th Birthday Mr. Marley, you were a gift to this world.
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day5 16th Street Baptist Church, located…
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day5
16th Street Baptist Church, located in Birmingham, Alabama. A rallying point for civil rights activity, and often used as a meeting place for leaders like MLK.
The morning of Sunday, Sept 15th 1963, 26 children were walking into the basement to prepare for a sermon…………..
A bomb exploded.
Taking the lives of Addie Mae Collins (14yrs old), Denise McNair (11yrs old), Carole Robertson (14yrs Old) & Cynthia Wesley (14yrs Old)
The explosion destroyed the back area, but eerily a stained glass window remained in tact, which showed Christ leading a group of children.
This was a turning point in the Civil Rights movement.
Immediately after this post, I’ll be honoring the 4 girls with their own feature.
In 1997 HBO did a documentary on this very story called “4 Little Girls”, I didn’t thoroughly understand the impact of this act then. At the age of 33, I OVERstand it now.
Let that marinate!!!!
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day4 Billie Holiday also known as Lady…
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day4 Billie Holiday also known as Lady Day; have you ever heard her sing!? Sheesh, her voice is hypnotizing. But, did you know Billie was born to a 19yr old mother who was kicked out of the crib and her pops was a musician who wasn’t around? Sound like the nonsense of today right!?
At the tender age of 12 she had a job running errands in a brothel, by 14 she was prostituting in a different brothel in Harlem. The Harlem brothel was raided and Billie was arrested.
After being released she started singing in Harlem night clubs then calling herself “Billie Dove” inspired by an actress she admired and her “pops”. Eventually, she went ahead and took what she thought was her biological name of “Holiday” from her potential dad, Clarence Holiday. She got her big break at 18 at a club called Covan’s.
Fast forward, Billie obtained huge commercial success, but often in those days (like today) it came with drug addiction and legal problems. She died in 1959 from complications caused by cirrhosis of the liver. When she died she had 70 cents in the bank.
Some of her biggest hits “Blue Moon”, “Nobody’s Business”, “Autumn In New York” and of course “Strange Fruit” referring to the blacks that were lynched in the south “hanging from the trees”; recently sampled by Kanye on “Blood On The Leaves”
Last Friday night, I was in the crib chillin sippin on 50yr old Glenlivet and listening to Billie’s radio station on Spotify and my mood was so eerily surreal, I felt like everything was how it was supposed to be. I wonder what feeling she invoked to those that heard her live!?
Billie, you may have had a hard life, but through your music you brought so much joy, and you’re an iconic staple in black history!
To you, I say thank you for your contribution….
In 2004 Nike SB (SB means “skateboard” for my…
In 2004 Nike SB (SB means “skateboard” for my followers who don’t know) teamed up with De La Soul to commemorate their debut album 3ft High & Rising. That album dropped March of 89’ my favorite songs off that joint were Buddy and Eye Know, I digress.
In 2004 they released 2 SB sneakers, a high and a low with holograms of the 3ft High & Rising album cover. I copped both pair. Don’t wear the low’s cause they’re a size too big, but I wanted them so bad….
Here we are 10yrs later and they are releasing again. This time the white will be high and the green will be low (I’m straight on them). But, the white joints, I’m all over them.
Thank you Nike and a BIG thank you to the #Plugs
Looks like the #SwayInTheMorning team got my package. Lookin…
Looks like the #SwayInTheMorning team got my package. Lookin good @itstracyg #teamiLLaNOise
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day3 Heuy P. Newton & Bobby Seale…
#28DaysOfBlackHistory #Day3 Heuy P. Newton & Bobby Seale Founded the Black Panther Party for Self Defense in Oakland California (shout to @realsway and the bay) in 1966
These brothers took control of their community and fought against police brutality, also fought for equal rights by consistently quoting the Declaration of Independence.
They created the “Ten Point Program” which were guidelines and ways of operation within the BPP. They also created awesome community programs like “Free Breakfast For Children”.
The BPP expanded nationally and was huge here in my home / our home, Chicago (post for a later day) before being crippled and ultimately dissolved by the cross dressing Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover.
Hoover thought the BPP was “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country”. The govt painted the BPP as a militant radical movement, which couldn’t have been further from the truth if we were treated fairly.
Through murder, entrapment, and flooding the community with drugs the govt was able to crush the Black Panthers.
The Black Panther Party’s mantra was black power to black people, white power to white people, asain power to asian people therefore ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!! #Power2ThePeople ✊ :::: Let That Marinate!!!!