by @NerdyWonka and @NoShock
Donna Dem’s (@NoShock) Black History Month ‘Did You Know?’ Series:
In honor of Black History Month I decided to do a “Did You Know” series for the month of February. So often we hear about well known African-Americans who have made history through the ages. In order to give a little more perspective, I wanted to share some of the back stories that are rarely ever spoken of.
Did You Know That?
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on friend Maya Angelou’s birthday, on April 4, 1968. Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday for years afterward, and sent flowers to King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, for more than 30 years, until Coretta’s death in 2006.
Did You Know That?
Muhammad Ali, Golden Glove champion, Olympic Gold medalist, Heavy Weight boxing champion and Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee is considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history had a penchant of being controversial and outspoken. He didn’t disappoint when he was awarded a star on the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ali didn’t want anyone “stepping on him” so of the more than 2500 stars that have been honored he is the only celebrity whose star is not located on the sidewalk. He was installed on a wall of the Kodak Theatre in true “I am the greatest” Muhammad Ali style.
Did You Know That?
Allensworth, CA is the first all-black Californian township, founded and financed by African Americans. Created by Lieutenant Colonel Allen Allensworth in 1908, the town was built with the intention of establishing a self-sufficient city where African Americans could live their lives free of racial prejudice.
It has since been designated Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.
Did You Know That?
Althea Gibson, the first AA to win a Tennis Grand Slam event, the French Open and then later Wimbledon was also a talented vocalist and saxophonist who appeared at the legendary Apollo Theater and on the Ed Sullivan show before starting her tennis career.
Did You Know That?
After the success of Negro Digest (similar to the Reader’s Digest but aimed to cover positive stories about the African-American community), publisher John H. Johnson in 1945 decided to create a magazine to showcase black achievement while also looking at current issues affecting African Americans. The first issue of his publication, Ebony, sold out in a matter of hours. The magazine has been published continually since the autumn of 1945.
Did You Know That?
Frederick Douglas, Black abolitionist, orator and writer and Moneta Sleet, the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize for his iconic photograph of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s widow, Coretta Scott King, at Dr. King’s funeral and Gregory Hines, world renowned tap dancer, choreographer, actor, singer and director all share a birthday on ♥ ♥Valentine’s Day ♥ ♥ .
Did You Know That?
Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History“, was an African-American historian, author, journalist and University Dean. In 1926, Dr. Woodson initiated the celebration of Negro History Week, which corresponded with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1972, it was renamed Black History Week. The celebration was expanded in 1976 to include the entire month of February and today Black History Month garners support throughout the country as people of all ethnic and social backgrounds discuss the black experience.
Did You Know That?
In her early life, Coretta Scott King was as well known for her singing and violin playing as she was for her civil rights activism. The young soprano won a fellowship to the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, the city where she met future husband Martin Luther King Jr.
Did You Know That?
Rosa Parks known as “the mother of the freedom movement” because she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, in 1965 she moved to Detroit and worked for U.S. Representative John Conyers as a secretary and receptionist until 1988. She was a gifted speaker but would donate all of her speaking fees to charity. At the end of her life she was being financially supported by the generosity of those in her community and was the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
Did You Know That?
Wally Amos, famed African American entrepreneur and founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie brand, started his career in the mailroom at the prestigious William Morris Agency. In 1962, following a number of promotions, Amos became the first black talent agent in the history of the William Morris Agency. Determined to make his mark by signing a blockbuster act, his tenacity was rewarded when he discovered the singing duo Simon & Garfunkel. Over the next few years, Amos headed the agency’s newly formed rock ‘n’ roll department, where he worked with Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke.
In 1967 he left the William Morris Agency and built his cookie empire and as they say, the rest is history!
Did You Know That?
U.S. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm who was the first major-party African-American candidate for the U.S. Presidency survived THREE assassination attempts during her 1972 presidential campaign.
She created controversy when she visited presidential primary rival and previously known segregationist Governor George Wallace in the hospital soon after his shooting in May 1972. She said it was the humane thing to do. Several years later, when Chisholm worked as a U.S. Congresswoman on a bill to give domestic workers the right to a minimum wage, Governor Wallace helped her gain votes of enough Southern congressmen to push the legislation through the House.
Did You Know That?
Earvin “Magic” Johnson, entrepreneur and HIV awareness activist who was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History and enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 was a young civil rights leader who was the President of the NAACP Youth Council when he attended High School in Lansing, Michigan?
Did You Know That?
Probably the most impactful person in the Civil Rights Movement is a woman who is rarely mentioned in the history books. Her name is Diane Nash. She was the amazingly brave activist, leader and strategist of the student wing of the 1960s Movement. Her efforts included the first successful civil rights campaign to integrate lunch counters (Nashville); the Freedom riders, who de-segregated interstate travel; founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); and the Selma Voting Rights Movement campaign, which resulted in African Americans getting the vote and political power throughout the South.
Many of the more well-known civil right leaders of those times followed her and these students lead and were there for support but the organizing and strategizing was being done on the ground by young students such as Nash, John Lewis, James Bevel and others. It truly is a fascinating story of courage and leadership.
A historian once described her as “bright, focused, utterly fearless, with an unerring instinct for the correct tactical move at each increment of the crisis; as a leader, her instincts had been flawless, and she was the kind of person who pushed those around her to be at their best, or be gone from the movement.” An extremely successful activist in many aspects of the Civil Rights Movement, Diane Nash is an extraordinary woman and I salute her courage and determination to make sure that everyone in this country has equal rights under the law.
Did You Know That?
Louis Armstrong considered one of the most influential artists in jazz history, as a young child fired his stepfather’s gun in the air during a New Year’s Eve celebration and was arrested on the spot. He was then sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. There, he received musical instruction on the cornet and fell in love with music.
He defined what it was to play Jazz. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominates Jazz to this day.
New Orleans’s airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport in his honor and the house where he lived for 28 years in Queens, NY was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and is now a museum, The Louis Armstrong House Museum.
He shares a birthday of August 4th with our 44th President, President Barack Obama.
Did You Know That?
Gerald Lawson, an African-American self-taught engineer is the person to thank for that PlayStation, Wii or Xbox you, your friends and loved ones play on today. He is considered a pioneer in the video game world for creating the single cartridge-based gaming system.
His interest in computing led him in the 1970s to Silicon Valley’s Homebrew Computer Club, of which he was the only black member at the time. Though basic by today’s standards, Lawson’s work brought interchangeable video games into people’s homes with the invention of the Fairchild Channel F, the precursor to modern video game systems.
Did You Know That?
1) When MLK was six years old, his father changed the name on his birth certificate to Martin Luther King, Jr., and his own name to Martin Luther King, Sr., to pay tribute to the seminal Protestant reformer.
2) Martin Luther King Jr. was a Trekkie – King watched the show with his family and even convinced actress Nichelle “Lt. Uhura” Nichols to stay on the show. The gifted orator reportedly told her: “You are part of history, and it’s your responsibility, even though it wasn’t your career choice.”
3) King’s booming voice wasn’t just for orating. In 1939, he sang with the Ebenezer Baptist Church choir at the film premiere of “Gone With The Wind.”
4) MLK Jr. was an ambitious student from the start, skipping two grades in high school and entering college as a 15-year-old freshman.
5) When MLK Jr. married Coretta Scott in 1953, the newlyweds were not allowed to spend their honeymoon in a white-owned hotel, so the couple spent their wedding night at a black funeral home.
6) Although King was only 39 when he was assassinated, his autopsy revealed he had the heart of a 60 year old. The doctor believed this was a
result of heavy stress.
Did You Know That?
Scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois died one day before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the infamous March on Washington (August 28, 1963). Du Bois became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University and he wrote extensively but was the best known spokesperson for African-American rights during the first half of the 20th century.
Did You Know That?
After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr major cities like Chicago, Detroit, LA etc., had all experienced social unrest. The need for an injection of hope and inspiration was at the forefront in the African-American community. It appeared Blacks everywhere had reached their peak with the injustice in this Country. Recognizing the need to address this problem and sensing that Black business leaders were better able to address issues and concerns in the community where they live and work the McDonald’s Corporation offered a Franchise to a black man. The recipient of opportunity was Herman Petty opening his first restaurant in December 1968 on 67th and Stony Island on the Southside of Chicago.
Mr. Petty went on to own numerous other McDonald’s locations and was a founding member of the NBMOA (National Black McDonald’s Operators Association). Today there are over 300 African American Owner Operators of McDonald’s nationwide.
Did You Know That?
James Meredith, a pioneer of the civil rights movement who became the first black student to successfully enroll at the University of Mississippi and was shot and injured during a March Against Fear, at some point in the late 60’s his politics took a sharp swing to the right. Meredith became a Republican and renounced his role in the civil rights movement, opposed the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., staunchly opposed affirmative action and became an adviser to southern conservative Senator Jesse Helms. WOW!!! 
Did You Know That?
In 1957 Daisy Bates an African American civil rights activist was the critical player in helping nine black students to become the first to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas? These students became known as the Little Rock Nine. Despite the enormous amount of animosity they faced from white residents of the city, these students were undeterred from their mission to attend the school.
Bates’ home became the headquarters for the battle to integrate Central High School and she served as a personal advocate and supporter to the students. Daisy Bates guided and advised the nine students when they attempted to enroll in 1957 at Little Rock Central High School, a previously all-white institution. The students’ attempts to enroll provoked a confrontation with Governor Orval Faubus, who called out the National Guard to prevent their entry. White mobs met at the school and threatened to kill the black students; these mobs harassed not only activists but also northern journalists who came to cover the story.
Mrs. Bates used her organizational skills to plan a way for the nine students to get into Central High. She planned for ministers to escort the children into the school, two in front of the children and two behind. She thought that not only would they help protect the children physically but having ministers accompany them would “serve as powerful symbols against the bulwark of segregation.” Bates continued with her task of helping the nine enroll in school. She spoke with their parents several times throughout the day to make sure they knew what was going on. She joined the parent-teacher organization, even though she did not have a student enrolled in school. She was persistent and realized that she needed to dominate the situation in order to succeed.
On the direction on President Eisenhower and with U.S. soldiers providing security, the Little Rock Nine left from Bates’ home for their first day of school on September 25, 1957.
Mrs. Bates was a pivotal figure in that seminal moment of the civil rights movement.
Did You Know That?
In 1891, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was inspired by the experience of a black woman who was denied from nursing schools because of her race. As a result, Williams founded the Provident Hospital and Training School. Provident Hospital of Cook County holds the distinction of being the nation’s first black-owned and operated hospital in the country.
On July 9, 1893, a man entered Provident Hospital with a stab wound dangerously close to his heart. Williams operated, repairing the heart’s lining surgically, and the patient recovered fully within two months. Chicago surgeon Dr. Daniel Hale Williams became known as the first person to perform a successful open-heart surgery. Since Williams was one of the nation’s few black cardiologists at the time, this became both a significant medical advancement and a huge step in the fight for equality.
Did You Know That?
African-American Toni Blackman is the U.S. State Department’s first official hip-hop ambassador working under their Cultural Diplomacy Program. Blackman has a long history in music, from freestyling and rapping as a child to starting her own organization in Washington D.C. called the Freestyling Cipher Workshop. Through her work with the government, she’s traveled to countries like Senegal to work with the hip-hop community and to Guyana to work with art teachers. Blackman has used art as a way to prevent violence against women in the Congo and other war-torn countries.
One of the ways she brings diverse artist together is by using ciphers, a gathering of creative artists in a circle to make beats together and express themselves through music. Blackman’s tireless work has also led her to Ghana, Botswana, and Swaziland. She’s performed with Erykah Badu, Mos Def, The Roots, the Wu-Tang Clan, Guru, Me’Shell NdegeoCello, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, and more and has collaborated with Craig Harris, James “Blood” Ulmer, Vernon Reid, Jay Rodriguez and master kora players Papa Susso and Yacouba.
Did You Know That?
In the eleven-year period between 1957 and 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled over six million miles and spoke over twenty-five hundred times, appearing wherever there was injustice, protest, and action. Meanwhile, Dr. King wrote five books, as well as numerous articles. While imprisoned, Dr. King penned “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, which dealt with the implementation of a non-violent strategy against racism, arguing that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws.
Did You Know That?
Henry O. Flipper who was the first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the Army in an apparent racial incident, was accused by his white commanding officer of embezzling funds.
Although he was acquitted of the charges, he was dishonorably discharged in 1882. Flipper tried unsuccessfully to vindicate himself for many years thereafter. He died on May 3, 1940, in Atlanta, Georgia. Thirty-six years after his death, in 1976, it was revealed that officers had framed him.
President Bill Clinton posthumously granted Flipper an honorable discharge in 1999 and on the 100th anniversary of his graduation West Point unveiled a bust to honor the former graduate.
Today marks the end of the Did You Know series for #BlackHistoryMonth.
I hope that you all have been enlightened into some of the black history that you may not hear about through the mainstream. I’ve enjoyed researching this information and hopefully we’re all a little more informed about the struggles and accomplishments by people of color through the ages.
Finale:
Did You Know That African-American Beulah Mae Donald won a $7-million judgment against the Ku Klux Klan for the brutal killing of her son? She was the mother of Michael Donald, who was 19 when he was beaten, hanged and had his throat cut by Klansmen in March, 1981.
Several months after Michael Donald’s body was found hanged from a tree in a Mobile, AL neighborhood, two Klansmen were convicted in the case. Not content with the sentences they received, Mrs. Donald filed a civil lawsuit against the United Klans of America, considered the largest Klan organization in the country at that time and headquartered in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and on Feb. 12, 1987, a jury awarded the family a $7-million judgment. The Klans group was forced to turn over its headquarters to Ms. Donald.
“She’ll forever have a place in history as the woman who beat the Klan,” said Morris Dees, executive director of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the chief attorney for the Donald family in the case against the Klan. “I just think she was a brave and courageous mother whose love as a mother ensured that he did not die in vain.”
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In the spirit of Donna’s ‘Did You Know’ series it seemed fitting to follow her spectacular lead and cap off Black History Month with this list of notable firsts. Thank you, Donna for educating and enlightening us about the people who with blood, sweat, and tears shaped our country and made this nation into something noteworthy. TOD is lucky to have you.
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1773 – Phillis Wheatley – Literature —The first known African American woman published.
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Yahoo: Celebrating Black History Month: African-American Female Firsts
1879 – Mary Eliza Mahoney – Medicine – The first African American to study and work as a professionally trained nurse in the United States.
1903 – Maggie L. Walker – Businness – The first African-American woman to found and become president of a bank.
1921 – Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander – Education – First African-American woman to earn a Ph.D
1921 – Bessie Coleman – Aviation – First African-American woman to become an airplane pilot and first American to hold an international pilot’s license.
1939 – Ethel Waters – Entertainment – First African-American woman to star in her own TV program and in 1962 was the first African-American woman to be nominated for an Emmy Award.
1948 – Alice Coachman – Sports – First African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
1950 – Edith Sampson – Government – First African-American woman to be appointed as a delegate to the U.N.
1950 – Gwendolyn Brooks – Literature – First African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize.
1952 – Charlotta A. Bass – Politics – First African-American woman to be nominated for a national political office. — Progressive Party candidate for Vice President
1954 – Dorothy Dandridge – Entertainment – First African-American woman to be nominated for ‘Best Actress’ Academy Award and first African-American woman to be the cover subject of LIFE magazine.
1968 – Shirley Chisholm – Government – First African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1974 – Beverly Johnson – Fashion – First African-American model to be on the cover of American ‘Vogue Magazine’
2001 – Sheila Johnson – Business – First African-American female billionaire. — owner and president of the Washington Mystics
2002 – Vonetta Flowers – Sports – First African-American Winter Olympic gold medal winner.
2002 – Halle Berry – Entertainment – First African-American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress.
2007 – Barbara Hillary – Exploration – First known African-American woman to reach the North Pole.
2009 – Susan Rice – Government – First African-American woman to be appointed as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
More of this list of phenomenal human beings here
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2009 – Michelle Obama – Government – First African-American First Lady of the United States.
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And don’t miss 3ChicsPolitico’s completely unrivaled Black History series
The Obama Diary 
Me.
You. Congrats LL on #1 🙂
Fantastic list, donna dem!
Great diary. I did a post two years ago about the first African-American mayor in New York State. No, it wasn’t a big city. 😀
What a fitting way to conclude Black History Month – thanks donna for the Series, and thanks NW for the compilation (with pictures too) into one fascinating TOD thread!!!
Thank you, HF.
Nerdy Wonka, I know I am not being original here, but I think you are absolutely fabulous.! Thank you so much for sharing all this knowledge with us. Thank you, always, for all of your other informative posts
Thank you, Nath!
Thank you so much, Chiparoo.
Splendid post Ladies! Thank you so much!
Goodness gracious – what a wonderful post, Nerdy Wonka! I feel as though I’ve had an archivist’s look at all of this!
Thanks to Chips, NW, Donna (great idea), 3ChicsPolitico, and everyone else who contributed daily during TOD’s celebration of Black History Month.
And “a picture is worth a thousand words,” so thanks for compiling all of these glorious images for us today, too, NW.
O my gosh!
This is just A W E S O M E Nerdy Wonka….THANK YOU SO MUCH! going to sit back and read “all” of this to refresh my own memory of the past.
***I must say; when I saw the picture of W. E. B. Du Bois, as crazy as this sounds…..for a quick moment, I thought that it was Michael Steele. Kind of eerie, I had to shake it off : )
To all those racist pigs out there (and as a white guy I can call them that) who complain about Black history Month and ask why there isn’t a White History Month, the above is a perfect encapsulation of why.
I consider myself relatively well educated, and although I knew some of those achievements and trivia, most I was unaware of.
And these people played important roles in our history yet for the most part get ignored.
Meanwhile, look through most history books and you will find that White History is a year round thing.
Thank you japa21….
Beautifully said, the truth will set us free……sometimes.
Well-said japa.
Thank you japa.
And this compilation is just scratching the surface. The list of inventors and inventions will make you stop and think “a black person invented what I just used” several times a day
Check out 34 Black History inventors and groundbreakers who left their mark in our collective history.
Fact #1
Nathaniel Alexander was the first to patent the folding chair.
Fact #2
In 1897, Andrew Jackson Beard invented the Jenny Coupler, a device linking train cars together through a bumping process. The Coupler was a boon to the welfare of many railroad workers, who originally had the dangerous job of hooking moving cars together by hand.
Fact #3
Henry Blair is believed to be the second African American to receive a patent. He invented a corn seed planter in 1834 and a cotton planter in 1836. Because he could not read or write, Blair signed his patent with an “X.”
Fact #4
Otis Boykin invented electronic control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers and pacemakers. He would receive almost a dozen patents over his lifetime.
Fact #5
In the late 19th century, C.B. Brooks invented and patented the mechanical street sweeper, a truck equipped with brooms.
http://www.biography.com/tv/classroom/black-history-inventions-and-discoveries
“Meanwhile, look through most history books and you will find that White History is a year round thing.”
Thank you, Japa21, for speaking the truth! Surely American history that begins with Christopher Columbus, and then on to the Mayflower, then on to Paul Revere, and then the White founding fathers, and then all the white Presidents, from George Washington to George W.Bush, can’t be accused of neglecting White history. I know that’s not what they were called, but for old folks like me, with deep interest in history, U.S. History, Western Civilization, and even World History, was mainly all about White History.
LIVE NOW: President Obama on C-Span
Excellent NW.
Thurgood Marshall, the 1st Black Supreme Ct Justice.
The contributions made by African Americans to these USA is indeed unmeasurable.
Dr. Gates of Harvard has devoted his life’s work on African Americans…..his work is amazing.
The late Barbara Jordan, a former rep from TX with unmatched legal mind.
Then there is The Current President of the USA. History is still unfolding.
Good Evening TODable TOD community.
Thanks NW.
Thank you Nerdy.. this is so lovely.
and Thank YOU Donna ~
I have a feeling that if TOD kept going til, oh, 2094, there wouldn’t be a more moving, powerful post. Nerdy and Donna, I have no words, except thank you. Love ya both.
I have no suitably adequate words except, thank you….thank you….THANK YOU, Chiparoo. You are one of a kind. 😀
1 is moar dan enuf nurdy sheez in reely bad mood jus coz i eeted hur nuspapar
{{{{{DannyBoyO}}}}}. Don’t tell your mum I said this, but I am very impressed with how well you have managed to learn keyboard, master English usage, as well as read the human psyche, all in only a few short months!! I look forward to watching you master your life!! ♥ ♥ ♥ AuntieMP!
tnx anty p its eesy 4 me im vary intelagint
♥
STELLAR work, Donna Dem and NW. As the years unfold, so many untold stories. Thank you for filling in the gaps.
What an excellent piece, NW!! Thank you.
I just wanted to share a small piece of black history as it relates to my native Liberia, West Africa and America.
Did you know that Liberia’s first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts was born in Virginia? Liberia was founded by freed slaves, mostly from the south. We have enclaves called Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland and our president was named after President James Monroe. Hence, Monrovia.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/505536/Joseph-Jenkins-Roberts
Joseph Jenkins Roberts Picture. Hope it is visible here.
http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=618&tbm=isch&tbnid=JmpLt6cPCtDBAM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonal.denison.edu%2F~waite%2Fliberia%2Fhistory%2F49-71.htm&docid=Ib4bQkAARks9tM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonal.denison.edu%2F~waite%2Fliberia%2Fhistory%2Fgifs%2Fjj_rob.jpg&w=155&h=199&ei=sxoRU_ClMabD2AWD-4CYAQ&zoom=1&ved=0CGMQhBwwBQ&iact=rc&dur=581&page=1&start=0&ndsp=18
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfWMhrfhOFZxtIXMAluYC-yK0PA5oKCEsiXeahSe9SW-enAgpBVQ
A guy I came to know wrote this book about a Liberian family with roots in Mississippi.
http://www.amazon.com/Mississippi-Africa-Prospect-Plantation-Liberia/dp/1592400442
Trying Jenkins picture again.
http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=618&tbm=isch&tbnid=QRgdtbGOGUP1YM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panix.com%2F~clay%2Fcurrency%2FLiberia.html&docid=Lz2WJhgSd0_XRM&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.panix.com%2F~clay%2Fcurrency%2FLR-27.jpg&w=1200&h=1043&ei=sxoRU_ClMabD2AWD-4CYAQ&zoom=1&ved=0CH4QhBwwDg&iact=rc&dur=2658&page=1&start=0&ndsp=18
Sorry guys. one more try. Picture of Joseph Jenkins Roberts
Thank you africa – my knowledge grows by the second as I read TOD
What an incredible tribute! This was a history lesson for the ages. Thank you so much to everyone that contributed to this….Donna, you are priceless:)
LOVE this pic! 🙂
Squeeeeeeeeee!
Beautiful …..Beautiful…… Post…
HOLY. FREAKING. AWESOMENESS.
So Very Coolllll!
This is a fantastic picture and one for the books. Will the media circulate this selfie with the same quickness and enthusiasm that they circulated the selfie with Cameron & Danish Prime Minister?
More squeeeee than I could possibly squee in one lifetime! 😀
Did u see this one? 😀
Ok so which one of the two had on the shoes with the buckle….the Science Guy or the Astrophysicist Guy?
Inquiring minds want to know!
I’ll check back when I get home…gotta back my boat out of the parking lot and row home 🙂
Love it.
P.S. Bill, please, see somebody about the eyebrows. TYVM.
If he waits a couple of years, he can take POTUS with him. His eyebrows are headed in that same direction – as do all men of a certain age 🙂
Eek.
Which is why I trim my brows. Yes, I’m metrosexual. Why do you ask?
Nothin’ wrong with a well-groomed librarian! Teach ’em
Brother! 😀
Too funny. You can tell it’s Friday – the jokes have been great all day, everywhere I go! Keep.Them.Coming.
Oh, snap.
OMGoodness
Exactly – and check out wonkette
http://wonkette.com/542928/jennifer-rubin-furious-that-obama-administration-finally-doing-what-jennifer-rubin-wanted
Rubin was for it – before she was against it. In other words – whatever the President says or does – he changes Rubin’s mind by saying/doing it – now THAT is power
NW & DD – this compilation is beautiful. Thank you!
It’s magnificent!!!
Love the kick you’re giving yourself, putting “fuckery” in every other sentence today. Ha!
It’s one of those days. 😆
Go for it. It’s liberating!
It’s catching!
WOW! WOW! WOW!!!
Hi gb – hope things are good with you today – this post is for the WOWS!!!! indeed
Hey 99! Yes, I’m still doing well today. A bit of a dry mouth which I have some Biotene for.
There have been some amazing advances in chemo treatment – happy dance because this has happened – 🙂
Howdy gobrooklyn,
Happy Friday to ya!
Good to see you peeping in; nothing but prayers and blessings sent to you.
Have a wonderful evening!
Thanks, Cindy. Still no major side effects today. 🙂
YES! The power of prayers. That’s what I am talking about…..GOOD NEWS!
The prayers go up and the BLESSINGS rain down.
Ma’am, you’d better be getting better. Brooklyn needs your steady hand.
HA!! Doing good today LL, again. A bit of a dry mouth but that can be alleviated.
Yeah, GB!
Our paths don’t often cross here at TOD, but I nod my head in agreement when I read the encouraging words that TODville offers to you.
Love your spunk and enthusiasm, and love to see your posts.
I have zero medical knowledge, so cannot offer any practical advice, but good for you that you have experienced side-effects yet.
(((((GB)))))
Thanks Arapaho!! ((((HUGZ)))) 🙂
Guess what I get to do next month? That’s right, I’m my mom’s date to a gay wedding! Yeehaw!!
I know I kvetch about my mother, because hey, I’m the youngest. But, really, she has evolved to an extent I would have thought unthinkable 20 years ago.
But, even more shocking, the wedding is going to be at the Cuban club, which is run by my aunt and uncle. My very conservative, very Republican aunt and uncle. And from what my mom says, they’ve been renting it out to gay weddings left and right. (And my uncle is going to roast a pig. So yum.)
Family. Blowing your mind at the most unexpected moments.
My goodness LL, if that doesn’t sound like plot of a new sitcom, I don’t know what would! 😀
I wanna hear ALL the juicy details when you get back!
Awesome! Tell us all about it after the wedding.
Meta – was just checking the competition results – many congrats on your 2nd – and many more thanks for the blog and introducing me to the kitchn – as the world’s second worst baker – it is an eye opening collection of help.
Hi 99ts,
HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU!!!
Haven’t seen you in a while…..but I’ve been lurking, paperwork keeping me busy.
Hope you are having a beautiful Saturday morning with a good cup of coffee.
Have an AWESOME DAY!!
Hi Cindy – I am having Saturday coffee – recovering from my busiest ever Friday (I don’t often do busy since I retired 🙂 ) – before I head out for a much less busy Saturday
aaaaahhhhhh……..the sweet sound of retiredment, and the sweet smell of coffee.
okay, reach over here and give me a cup : )
Hey, 99ts! Thanks very much and glad you’re enjoying The Kitchn. They’ve really grown in the last year and have tons of useful information.
THANKGODTHANKGODTHANKGODTHANKGOD we have THIS President managing the Ukraine crisis and not a cabal of delusional, neocon vomit bags.
THIS A MILLION TIMES OVER!!! Fucking war profiteers.
Amen to that!
WORD
Thank you NW and DonnaDem for this wonderful post.
We must be coming up on the 50th anniversary of “Black Studies,” since all 1960s events are having their 50th anniversary this decade.
It pains me that this part of our education is still considered “separate but equal.” Fifty years is enough time to change K-12 textbooks and curricula to present a more integrated history of our young country. We don’t have to compress thousands of years of history as do most other countries in a single school year, but apparently we haven’t been able to do this simple task.
All Americans should know about our country’s earliest and most established immigrants, both black and white.
Hopefully at the 100-year-mark the info presented here won’t be considered “obscure” by the youth of that time.
To Nerdy Wonka & Donna Dem:
I am filled with gratitude and awe for this spectacular post in honor of Black History Month. This is a treasure to enjoy and share. Thank you so much. LH
Thank you, LH.
Anyone hear from zizi?
She mentioned awhile ago that she’s in Europe with her daughter (not 100% I’m remembering correctly, but with a family member).
She retweeted on Tuesday (see sidebar), so she appears to be OK, just not that into us (kidding).
Would love to hear her thoughts on yesterday’s Brother’s Keeper event, which would be far more illuminating than those being paid a good sum to shoot their mouth off.
Didn’t see Joy Reid on @Lawrence yesterday, but will watch tonight, which I’m looking forward to.
Thank you very much. Appreciate. I have just missed seeing her on twitter or here.
As so many have said before, this post was a spectacular summation of Black History Month due to the intelligence and passion of Donna Dem and NW. Someday some of those young AA kids whose lives have been enriched by the example and caring of the Obamas will be adding to the list of firsts and greatests. The haters can’t stop the awesome future coming. Proud of my country with these amazing people in the White House!
OMG I am just signing in for the evening. How beautiful is this!!!
Thank you NW and Chips for included the “Did You Know” series in this awesome Black History thread. It was quite a learning experience for me.
I really ♥ my fellow TODer’s
We love you back, as President Obama would say!
We ♥ you back, DD4O. Your excellent lessons have all been posted to my FB page, Lord knows there are many there who have n idea at all of the immense contributions which have been made to all our well being by the full-hearted efforts of our African-American sisters and brothers. Thank you.
I wish our MSM could taken responsibility for their actions instead of kowtowing to the allmighty (Koch) dollar.
LL posted a couple of tweets from the fictional @WillMcAvoyACN on the previous thread… the fact that print and international websites were leading with #Ukraine news online, but the US TV websites were featuring other news.
I liked this tweet:
A very tense situation in Crimea now.
Here are a couple of observations (from Feb 19 and 20):
https://twitter.com/ianbremmer/status/436251796739469312
Nailed it!
What a wonderful post!!! So much to learn. I love it. I hope this post gets it’s own spot on the blog somewhere. I know I want to be able to come back and read some more All the information the mind blowing. What a privilege to be in this community.
We are really having a unusual blizzard here. More than we have had in years. Just down the street from us we have had a avalanche that took out a house. A child is still missing. I have lived in Missoula for 30 years and we have never had anything like this. We do live in a valley but have never had an avalanche in the city. More snow is coming. Winds with gusts of 50. I am not leaving the house.
OMG, Marilyn!! SO sorry to hear this….please stay safe and prayers for the family of the little one…..an avalanche in the CITY??? That doesn’t even sound right…. keep us posted so we know you and the family is alright.
Thank you DF, they have found the couple but no report as to their condition. This is really bad weather, and we are use to bad weather. I will keep you updated.
Stay safe and warm, MTMarilyn!
DF, have you been to Missoula?
Darling town in the most beautiful state in the contintental 48.
There’s a mountain that overlooks the University of Montana with a big “M” on the side of it, so I could see how such a catastrophe could happen.
Condolences to those affected, hope everyone is safe.
Wind is such a powerful force, combined with other precipitation makes for very perilous conditions.
Someone at TOD mentioned that Daylight Saving Time starts next week. Since you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, I’m ready for that to happen in April or late March, not eartly March!
No, never been to MT, but I DO know mtmarilyn and hope that she’s safe and sound:) It’s been quite the winter for everyone…Spring is just around the corner…. hold on a little longer!
I do love my town and state. If you come back please call, we love company.
Our conditions right now are so dangerous. We are all waiting to hear the condition of all the people found.
Stay safe M!
We are staying inside and warm. Thanks
WHOA, that is incredible. I hope they find the missing child.
Please stay safe!
They have found the child and an elderly couple. We don’t know their condition. Will keep you updated.
Yikes, mtm, I’ve been to Missoula, and to Bozeman; always thought MT a fabulously beautiful state. Avalanche in town, astonishing. I hope they find the little kid, that’s a serious concern. Take care. ♥
Update so far, they found the little boy, he has been taken to the hospital, don’t know his condition. But now they have found that an elderly couple from a second house is missing. It is very dangerous with the wind and snow. So far we have gotten 12″ and more to come this weekend.
I have lived here for 40 years and we haven’t had anything quite like this. With the University closed all the young men are out going around town helping in any place they are needed.
I’ll keep you posted. I have a feeling this will be making national news. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers, keep them coming.
Candles alight.
Good evening mtmarilyn,
So sorry to hear about the lost of your dear friends (5) over the past 10 days. Life truly is short and we must live it to the fullest; work hard but laugh a little, play a little and smell the coffee. In 1993, we lost 5 members of our family in 1 year, every two months it was a funeral and they were all unexpected, so I know how you feel. It got to a point, that I was literally afraid to answer the phone.
I pray that you, and all who are affected by the grief of the lost of love ones, will find comfort and peace in the storm of bereavement. May God bless and comfort you and your friends who are left to grieve.
Please stay safe, the weather is turning and is unpredictable, sending prayers for you and your family, and all who are there.
Blessings,
Cindy
Oh, Cindy. There is no easy way thru lose. Thankful for faith, family and friends to lean on. Thank you for you thoughts.
Speaking of the fictional @WillMcAvoyACN, here’s some more from today:
John McCain dig:
I saw this and thought this was a joke. Was it really? Shaking my head violently.
you and I are on the same page, africa! I was wondering the same thing myself. What’s wrong with these people??
Yup…apparently it did happen.
Thanks for posting WWR tweet.
Here’s one journalist’s pessimistic assessment of the Crimea situation:
But of all the policitians I’ve known in my lifetime, the one that I trust will do the right thing, who will weigh all the options and encourage dissent from his advisors is our current President.
People living in the Reagan era need to keep their mouths zipping shut.
P.S. Lib_Librarian, if you see this, your note on that book from the late 1980s sounds fascinating. Would love to see one of your always-wonderful essays on that topic.
GAH
Love the entire range of expressions on PBO’s face.
I’d like to know how a heckler got into a DNC meeting.
Kind of tired of these hecklers disrespecting POTUS.
I hope the heckler was toss out of the room.
Thank you for posting it.
Happy Hour. Who’s the one come out looking like a fool? That heckler.
Did Snowden tell that heckler that POTUS was going to nuke Russia?
Have to make a Trader Joe’s run….but it’s rush hour now, so I’m dragging my feet. I’m exhausted. This is where we took the kiddos today for a field trip: http://mim.org/ What a great, great, great museum this is…and what a wonderful time all of us had! We got our African drumming down pat….fabulous. Going back, for sure!
For anyone out who does watch CNN
Quickest way to convince the GOP the US is on the side of the Ukrainian people – deny it Works every time – there is NO logic or sense in how the GOP makes decisions – the power of the President to change their bigoted minds is the amazement of the ages.
The GOP are always against it – before they are for it – or always for it – before they are against it.
Awesome post! Absolutely love it! Fills me with pride. Thank you NW.
Thank you DD for the daily lessons this month, and NW for reviewing it for us today. I have learned SO much……… I’m like japa, so have not learned much of this. The fact that this info is not taught is disgraceful.
I learned this week that one of my students is from Liberia. Her family moved here about six years ago. Her roommate is also in the same class, and she talked about how she is loving getting to share in the culture with her roommate’s family. She is learning so much.
Seems like many of us are going to have wild and woolly weather this weekend. So hope you will be safe mtm.
Dear NW and Donna – Inspirational, and a lovely way to remind all of us that even a month is not enough time to recognize and honor the vastness of the contributions that people of color have inextricably woven into the fabric of America.
Thank you!!!
Thanks, Bob!
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/02/28/dont-come-for-president-obama-if-he-didnt-send-for-you/
Think you’ve seen it all? Nope, you haven’t…
The Los Angeles Rain now has a Twitter account!
Seriously. I.am.not.kidding. Go look. I’ll wait… [taps fingers on desk]
this is a great post. thanks.
Thank you so much Donna Dem and NW for putting all these Black History “did you know” facts together into one thread with pictures.
Thank you TOD for the incredibly positive post highlighting our history celebrated as Black History Month! I really appreciate learning even more about our African-American citizenry who have contributed mightily to the tapestry of our nation! Bravo!