The "Father Of Black History" Was Born Today!

Carter Woodson wrote "The Miseducation Of The Negro" which is an important read for every race. He is also the founder of "Black History Week" which evolved into "Black History Month." Therefore,Carter Woodson is also known as the "Father of Black History." He knew that it was especially important,as the son of slaves,to know one's true ancestral & historical background.It is empowering to know that you come from royalty as well as slavery. Here's more on this important man from Wikipedia:

"Carter Godwin Woodson (December 19, 1875 - April 3, 1950 was an African-American historian, author, journalist and the founder of Negro History Week, which became Black History Month. He is considered the first to conduct a scholarly effort to popularize the value of Black History. He recognized and acted upon the importance of a people having an awareness and knowledge of their contributions to humanity and left behind an impressive legacy. Woodson was one of the founders of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and Journal of Negro History. He was a member of the first black fraternity Sigma Pi Phi and also a member of Omega Psi Phi,Dr. Woodson is known as the Father of Black History.

"Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia, the son of former slaves James and Elizae Riddle Woodson. His father had helped the Union soldiers during the Civil War, and afterwards moved his family to West Virginia when he heard that Huntington was building a high school for blacks. Coming from a large, poor family, the son Carter Woodson could not regularly attend such schools. Through self-instruction Woodson was able to master the fundamentals of common school subjects by the time he was 17.

Ambitious for more education, Woodson went to Fayette County to earn a living as a miner in the coal fields. He was able to devote only a few months each year to his schooling. In 1895 at the age of twenty, Woodson entered Douglass High School where he received his diploma in less than two years. From 1897 to 1900, Woodson taught in Fayette County. In 1900 he was selected as the principal of Douglass High School. Woodson earned his Bachelor of Literature degree from Berea College in Kentucky."(END OF EXCERPT) Read the rest here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_G._Woodson

Obama's Inauguration Poet Elizabeth Alexander Has An Issue: She Has To Write A Stirring Poem For This Historical Event!

Elizabeth Alexander will be the fourth poet picked to read at an inauguration.Obama's swearing in will be one of the most viewed & memorable inaugurations in history. The world will be watching, so this will be no small feat. But, isn't this the kind of issue that you wish you had? Everyone is vying for a spot at this inauguration. Beyonce is practically begging for the opportunity to serenade the president,even though Obama really wants Jennifer Hudson to do it.So, congrats to Elizabeth Alexander & all the other lucky participants in Obama's inauguration. Here's Elizabeth Alexander reading some of her poetry in this video. And more on this lovely poet from Poets.org:

"Elizabeth Alexander was born in 1962 in Harlem, New York, and grew up in Washington, D.C. She received a B.A. from Yale University, an M.A. from Boston University (where she studied with Derek Walcott), and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

Her collections of poetry include American Sublime (Graywolf Press, 2005), which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Antebellum Dream Book (2001); Body of Life (1996); and The Venus Hottentot (1990).

Alexander’s critical work appears in her essay collection, The Black Interior (Graywolf, 2004). She also edited The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks (Graywolf, 2005) and Love’s Instruments: Poems by Melvin Dixon (1995). Her poems, short stories, and critical writing have been widely published in such journals and periodicals as The Paris Review, American Poetry Review, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, Prairie Schooner, Callaloo, The Village Voice, The Women's Review of Books, and The Washington Post. Her work has been anthologized in over twenty collections, and in May of 1996, her verse play, Diva Studies, premiered at the Yale School of Drama."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here:http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/245

Will Sarah Palin Address The Racism In Alaska's Government?

We all know the tenor that the McCain campaign took towards the end. And we all remember Sarah Palin's "pro-America" speeches.With her silence on the discovery of racist e-mails about Obama that circulated within her state's government,it makes you wonder what those speeches were really about.You can draw many inferences from the fact that she has not uttered one single word.Especially since she complained about the sexism in the media every chance she got. If she's an advocate for patriotism & equal treatment, where is her voice on this issue? Whether or not she likes Obama,Sarah Palin should show that she represents all races as the governor of Alaska & condemn these racist emails!Here's more from Telegraph.co.uk:

"Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, was under pressure on Thursday to respond to the discovery that staff members in her state's government had received and forwarded racist emails about President-Elect Barack Obama.

One of the emails asked about the outcome of the Democrat's victory and concluded: "Another black family living in government housing!" Another, entitled "Night Befo Crizzmus," was forwarded dozens of times, according to the state's information technology division. Administration commissioner Annette Kreitzer said: "It's embarrassing to the state."

Mrs Kreitzer said she alerted the office of Mrs Palin, the failed Republican vice presidential candidate in the recent election, about the emails.

Bill McAllister, a spokesman for the governor, said that the matter concerned individual actions taken by a handful of state employees among thousands.

But the lack of a denunciation from the governor failed to satisfy critics who have suspected her of disrespecting the African American community or of holding racist views herself.

The Rev Alonzo Patterson, state chairman of the Alaska Black Leadership Conference, encouraged Mrs Palin to address the emails.

"They're doing that in a state setting," he said. "She should condemn it."(END OF EXCERPT) Read the rest here:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/3833904/Sarah-Palin-urged-to-speak-on-racist-Barack-Obama-state-government-circulated-emails.html

In this video,black Alaskans talk about how Sarah Palin's administration hasn't done anything for African-Americans. She doesn't support the Juneteenth celebration for blacks & apparently has no blacks in her administration. Now we know why she hasn't denounced those racist e-mails.It seems that any issue that concerns blacks is of the least importance to Sarah Palin.I feel for black Alaskans because Palin has turned a deaf ear to their causes.