On September 13th, Common and author Adam Bradley will be releasing the autobiography, One Day It’ll All Make Sense. The memoir named after his third-solo album released is a full account of Common's life from his childhood in Chicago to his current celebrity life.
On this date in 1988 Ohio native Toni Morrison won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved. The book would later become a movie in 1998 staring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.
"Black people are victims of an enormous amount of violence. None of those things can take place without the complicity of the people who run the schools and the city."
-Toni Morrison
On this date in 1902 James Mercer Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri. While he worked as a busboy in Washington, D.C. in 1925, his literary skills were discovered after he left three of his poems beside the plate of American poet Vachel Lindsay, who recognized Hughes's abilities and helped publicize his work. Hughes is known by many as the "father of the Harlem Renaissance". His writings during that time period not only spoke as a voice for a large number of African Americans, but it also shaped the way many of them viewed themselves in America. Like all great artist, Hughes used his poetry as a vehicle for cultural protest against social and political problems.
This week's question is "Who is your favorite writer of the Harlem Renaissance & why?" For details on how to win go HERE. Below are some writers and poets to think about.
I’m will be giving away a ticketEVERY FRIDAYfrom now until the event to loyalYEBIESreaders and supports via twitter. To win free tickets this is what you'll have to do: 1. Follow@yebiesand@yebiesonlineon Twitter. 2. Retweet this either the old or new way. 3. Send your best answer to the question of the week toinfo@yebies.com The winner will be picked by the end of each friday, and will be notified via twitter and then by email with details.
On this date in 1993 Toni Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. She became the first black woman to win a Nobel Prize and first African American to win a Nobel Prize in a category other than Peace. Morrison is also the only woman to earn both the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes. Some of her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved.
“If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it”- Toni Morrison
The brother M.K. Asante went back to visit Zimbabwe, his place of birth over the summer. While there he was fortunate enough to be interviewed on TV and was able to discuss his work and life as an author, filmmaker, and professor.
On this date in 1942 Haki Madhubuti was born Donald Luther Lee in Little Rock, Arkansas. Madhubuti is the author of more than twenty books and has been a major contributor to the Black literary. He is currently a professor of English and Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center at Chicago State University. As a huge proponent of independent Black institutions, Madhubuti is the founder, publisher, and chairman of the board of Third World Press which he founded in 1967. He is also co-founder of the Institute of Positive Education/New Concept School, and co-founder of Betty Shabazz International Charter School in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a founder and board member of the National Association of Black Book Publishers, a founder and chairman of the board of The International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent, founder and director of the National Black Writers Retreat.
On this date in 1902 James Mercer Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri. While he worked as a busboy in Washington, D.C. in 1925, his literary skills were discovered after he left three of his poems beside the plate of American poet Vachel Lindsay, who recognized Hughes's abilities and helped publicize his work. Hughes is known by many as the "father of the Harlem Renaissance". His writings during that time period not only spoke as a voice for a large number of African Americans, but it also shaped the way many of them viewed themselves in America. Like all great artist, Hughes used his poetry as a vehicle for cultural protest against social and political problems.
The great Howard Zinn died yesterday at the age of 87 in Santa Monica, Calif, where he was traveling. The Boston University historian and political activist who wrote "A People's History of the United States," made the young and old rethink the way textbooks had taught us the American experience for year in our school systems. I was personally was introduced to Mr. Zinn in 11th grade by my AP US History teacher. I actually still have my book from that class and often reread it. His way of thinking was not one that you often saw from his generation. Reading his book had a powerful influence on many of the books I read after and how I read the standard textbooks I had to read. Zinn challenged regular history with how he charged Christopher Columbus and other explorers with genocide, picked apart presidents from Andrew Jackson to Franklin D. Roosevelt and celebrated workers, feminists and war resisters.
On this date in 1950 Gloria Naylor was born in Brooklyn, NY. The Women of Brewster Place and Mama Day are two of her most famous works. Her novel The Women of Brewster Place was adapted into a 1989 film of the same name by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions.
On this date in 1898 Dr. Chancellor Williams was born in Bennettsville, South Carolina, as the last of five children to a former slave. He would move with his family to Washington DC in the early 1900s. He got his undergrad and Masters degrees from Howard University. Williams is known as one of the greatest historians of the black diaspora and author of The Destruction of Black Civilization.
On this date in 1905 James Amos Porter was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He's known for writing the definitive book, Modern Negro Art (1943, 1969, 1992). He was also head of The Department of Art at Howard University from 1953-1970. Porter is one of the most well known painters and historian of African American art. He was instrumental as the first scholar to provide a systematic, critical analysis of African-American artists and their works of art.
On this date in 1875 Cater G. Woodson was born in New Canton, Buckingham County, Virginia. Carter was the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. He was one of the first scholars to value and study Black History from a Afro-American point of view. He was the founder of the Journal of Negro History. He was a member of the first black fraternity Sigma Pi Phi and a member of Omega Psi Phi. His most known piece of work was the Miseducation of the Negro.
Michael Eric Dyson wrote this book on Nas and his classic album Illmatic. The book is slated to come out this December 28th. You can see the entire book description on amazon.com
If you missed the discussion last night at 8 on Twitter, make sure you are online next week at the same time to discuss the first two chapters. Everyone who wants their tweets to be included in the discussion should us the tag #WTBC. This neat idea of the book club was the brainchild of UnoDosTrice. So for all of yall future Wednesday's Twitter Book Club participants, please go pick up "40 Million Dollar Slaves" from a black business and get caught up for next week's chat.
Cornel West is currently on tour promoting his latest book "Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir". The book which came out the 15th of this month takes you through his journey from childhood to a modern day progressive cultural icon. Check out the tour dates and see if he will be at a college or town near you. If you can, also try to catch him with the group The Cornel West Theoryas well. They had a amazing show together with Mr. West last month in DC promoting their new album . Cornel West Tour Dates
On this date in 1958 Michael Eric Dyson was born in Detroit, Michigan. Dyson is considered one of the leaders of a group of "new intellectuals," scholars. Michael Eric Dyson is a professor, lecturer, and an author who addresses issues of race and culture on television and in publications that range from Christian Century to Rolling Stone.
On this date in 1890 Claude McKay was born in Jamaica. The "Harlem Renaissance" novelist and poet would become the first Black to write a best seller in fiction with his book Home to Harlem in 1928.
On this date in 1935 Eldridge Cleaver was born in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. He would go on to write his most famous book Soul On Ice after moving to Los Angles and then became a prominent leader of the Black Panther Party.
Michael Eric Dyson wrote this book on Nas and his classic album Illmatic. The book is slated to come out this December 28th. You can see the entire book description on amazon.com
If you missed the discussion last night at 8 on Twitter, make sure you are online next week at the same time to discuss the first two chapters. Everyone who wants their tweets to be included in the discussion should us the tag #WTBC. This neat idea of the book club was the brainchild of UnoDosTrice. So for all of yall future Wednesday's Twitter Book Club participants, please go pick up "40 Million Dollar Slaves" from a black business and get caught up for next week's chat.
On this date in 1945 John H. Johnson published the first issues of Ebony magazine. He would also go on to create Jet magazine in 1951.
Cornel West is currently on tour promoting his latest book "Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir". The book which came out the 15th of this month takes you through his journey from childhood to a modern day progressive cultural icon. Check out the tour dates and see if he will be at a college or town near you. If you can, also try to catch him with the group The Cornel West Theory as well. They had a amazing show together with Mr. West last month in DC promoting their new album . Cornel West Tour Dates
On this date in 1935 Eldridge Cleaver was born in Wabbaseka, Arkansas. He would go on to write his most famous book Soul On Ice after moving to Los Angles and then became a prominent leader of the Black Panther Party.
