Connecting the past to the present for a better future.
One of my older brothers was a professional artist. On the weekends, he drew portraits on Beale Street. He was also a musician, he played alto and tenor saxophone. For over 20 years, he was surrounded by the excitement and sounds of Beale Street. He wrote about Beale Street and before he passed, gave me …
Beale Street is a colorful street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. When I was a child, because of legal segregation, it was the only street where Black people could shop. In return, Black people made the street their own. It was more than a collection of saloons, stores, pawnshops, lodge halls, lawyer’s offices, insurance offices, and …
I was nearly fifteen years old when Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Once again, it felt like the world had come to a complete stop. We were in shock and disbelief. For years, he stood in the shadows of his older brother, President John F. Kennedy, but his presence was well known in the …
The second oldest Kennedy son was born in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts. He came from a long line of Democrats. His grandfathers served in politics. His paternal grandfather served in the Massachusetts state legislator, and his maternal grandfather served as a U.S. Congressman and Mayor of Boston. All four of his grandparents were …
I grew up during the civil rights era. My parents spoke highly of the Kennedy family. They represented hope for Black people living in poverty in the segregated South. Many Black people had pictures of Jesus, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy hanging on their kitchen walls. Over time, Robert F. …
When I was a young girl, my Dad and other Black men in the community went to a meeting in a lodge. The brick lodge was located off the street on the main road for Black people. It was located within sight of houses but no one talked about it or ventured near it. There …
I grew up in the segregated South and attended church with my family. My mother was a member of a Baptist church, and my father was a member of a Methodist church. They never changed their religious denominations. I learned the culture of the Black Baptist church was birthed in the South. The Baptists were …
In 1855, the U.S. government ordered Native Americans to cede part of their land. Five years later, gold was discovered and an influx of miners traveled to the area. In 1863, the government tried to make the reservation smaller. They wanted to reduce it to less than one-fourth of its previous size. The Native Americans …
According to an interesting article by Alvin M. Josephy, Jr. entitled, “I Will Fight No More Forever,” after the Civil War, white pioneers conquered and exploited the huge frontier between California and the Mississippi River. They began building towns, creating local and state governments, and laid out farms and cattle ranches. The white pioneers who …
I didn’t learn about Venture Smith until I was an adult. He was born Broteer Furro around 1729, in a place called Dukadarra, in West Africa. Reportedly, his father was a local leader and prince. His mother was one of several wives. He spent his early years in Guinea, West Africa. As a child, he …