Category Archives: Tavis Smiley

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Black History Post Obama…

Hello World!!!

You know I had to do it before the month was over…The obligatory Black History Month write-up…but since even Black History Month has become commercialized courtesy of corporations like McDonald’s (in actuality, I would rather it be commercialized than ignored…), I thought it would be apropos to turn over the Black History Month prism, if you will, and examine it from a different angle…

Let’s the start the conversation with this startling news that I ran across last week – The Epsilon Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpa, a white sorority, beat out members of the Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities in the Sprite Step Off in Atlanta last weekend! The steppers won a whopping $100,000 prize…gotta love corporate sponsorship…since then, a scoring discrepancy has been revealed which may make the team co-winners with a chapter of the AKAs…(READ: Deltas are still the best…yeah, I said it…)

So what do y’all think about a white sorority even being allowed to step in a step show competition? Stepping is rooted in the illustrious history of the Divine 9 black fraternities and sororities which were formed because blacks were not allowed in white fraternities and sororities at colleges and universities throughout the nation…And although white fraternities and sororities seem to be organized for netorking and socialization purposes, black fraternities and sororities have had the added challenge of responding to the societal ills of racism, classism and poverty that disproportionately affected black people…Now since these black organizations were formed in the early part of the 20th century, much of this has changed…our first black president is evidence of this change (hope, change, yes, we can…you know the routine…just being funny.) But does this mean that white fraternities and sororities should be stepping in step show competitions? Apparently, the Epsilon chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha began stepping in the first place to take part in the University of Arkansas Unity Step Show 16 years ago…If Obama is president, maybe white girls can win a step show competition…

Some other news that piqued my interest…Rev. Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley were beefing last week in a way that sorta reminded me of the Booker T. Washington and the W.E.B. DuBois debate…(Shout out to Dr. Gloria Alibaruho who taught me about this debate in high school…) now, don’t get me wrong…The good Reverend and Mr. Smiley don’t compare to these black history giants…But apparently Smiley believes that President Obama is shortchanging black people by not focusing on our issues…And Rev. Sharpton believes that President Obama is everybody’s president and cannot focus on any one group to the exclusion of the other…There is a interesting commentary about the spat here….maybe in a post Obama world, black leaders don’t have to like each other and can nicely cuss each other out for the world to hear…

And while we’re on President Obama and Rev. Al Sharpton, I heard on Sharpton’s show last week that the president has signed an executive order to increase funding at historically black colleges…What if white students began flooding historically black colleges? I attended a historically white institution myself so I have no opinion really…(Actually I love my HWCU – Goooo dawgs!!!) I wonder whatever happened to Joshua Packwood, the first white valedictorian of Morehouse College in 2008…Actually, a quick Google search revealed that he is an analyst at Goldman Sachs…pretty darn good I must say… and cute to boot…(my young readers may want to get up on that!) In a post Obama world, maybe HBCUs can have white valedictorians? what y’all think?

Any thoughts?

To honor Black History Month, I will offer a memorable quote from someone in black history on each post I write this month…

“Everybody’s looking at you, thinking, ‘OK, they say you are the man. What have you got?” Kwatsi Alibaruho, NASA’s first black flight director and the son of my favorite high school teacher Dr. Alibaruho…You did that Dr. A! Congratulations!!!

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Tavis Is Still Alright With Me…

Hello World,

The weather in the A has been gloriously sunny over the last few days, and I’m feeling good…listening to the birds chirping as night fades to day…”Good Morning,” I want to say to them…okay, let me stop waxing poetical and get to the subject of this post…

As my typical custom dictates on Sunday mornings, I tuned my radio to V-103 to listen to “The Triple T (Tall, Talented and Totally Sold Out to the Lord) from Tennessee” also known as Larry Tinsley play the gospel hits as I drove to church last Sunday. (Incidentally, I worked with Mr. Tinlsey for a few months at AIR Gospel, a local record company, for a few months. Not only is he gracious on the air, he is a class act in person as well. ) Instead of hearing Mr. Tinsley’s warm and reassuring voice, I heard another familiar voice…I was a bit startled so I looked at my radio to ensure that I had tuned into the right station. But then, I heard Mr. Tinsley break in and I realized that he was interviewing Tavis Smiley. In characteristic form, Tavis seemed like he was about to stutter as he excitedly described a new exhibit which will be debuting in Atlanta on June 12.

America I AM: The African American Imprint highlights 400 years of African American contributions  to our country through artifacts, documents, multimedia, photos and music. The four-year traveling exhibition museum, which nationally debuted in Philly, will be housed at The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center from June 12 through September 6. The exhibition was developed with the collaboration of  The Smiley Group Inc., Arts and Exhibitions International and the Cincinnati Museum Center. It seems like a must see!

Here are some of the highlights of the exhibit according to the Web site:

•    “The Doors of No Return” from the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, which enslaved Africans passed through to board ships to the “New World”
•    The typewriter Alex Haley used to write the groundbreaking book, “Roots”
•    Objects representing the African-American troops that fought and impacted the outcome of major U.S. wars
•    Malcolm X’s journal and personal Koran
•    The door key and stool from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he authored “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
•    Frederick Douglass’ clothing and letter from President Lincoln that enabled him to move among Union lines recruiting black soldiers
•    The robe that Muhammad Ali wore during training for the “Rumble in the Jungle,” where he defeated world heavyweight champion George Foreman.

Through a partnership with Northern Trust, 10,000 free tickets will be distributed to Georgia youth. Also, in partnership with Wal-Mart, discounted tickets are available at 125 Georgia Wal-Mart locations. (My nephew and I will be in the house! ) Atlanta-area seniors will also be able to visit the exhibition for free through various city programs courtesy of Wal-Mart.

Tickets are also available at Ticketmaster (www.Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000). Tickets are purchased for a specific date, and will be $12 for adults; $5 for children ages 6-17; and $8 for seniors over age 65, as well as for groups of 10 or more.  For more information about the exhibition and tickets, visit www.AmericaIAM.org.

Tavis said that he has worked on this project for several years, and I am deeply thankful for his efforts. People must have thought I was a strange child as I spent hours reading books about slaves as a third grader, but I had a seemingly unquenchable desire to know more about black history. Maybe it was because I was the only black child in my class and felt I didn’t quite fit in among the white students. How I would have loved to view this exhibit back then! Thankfully, I can go now, and I hope y’all do too.

Now, I know that Tavis has fallen out of the good graces of many black folk since the Barack Obama election controversy, but all is forgiven in my eyes. His life is clearly dedicated to the empowerment of black America without apology or compromise…y’all need to stop trippin’ and give him love…

Any thoughts?

P.S. Apparently, Atlanta is the only stop in the Southeast so y’all from the surrounding states better include the A in your summer plans or you will miss out!