April 28th is Duke Ellington Day!!!

April 28th is Duke Ellington Day!!! 

"Duke Ellington called his music "American Music" rather than jazz, and liked to describe those who impressed him as "beyond category. He remains one of the most influential figures in jazz, if not in all American music and is widely considered as one of the twentieth century's best known African American personalities. As both a composer and a band leader, Ellington's reputation has increased since his death, with thematic repackagings of his signature music often becoming best-sellers. Posthumous recognition of his work include a special award citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board." Thank you Mr. Ellington for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Duke Ellington. :-)

http://www.dukeellington.com/ellingtonbio.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY

"Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited." - Duke Ellington

April 28th is Dale Earnhardt Sr. Day!!!

April 28th is Dale Earnhardt Sr. Day!!! 

"Dale Earnhardt was a champion stock car driver with NASCAR who won seven championships. He died in the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001." Whether you are a fan of NASCAR or not, this man definitely deserves to be recognized.  He did a lot for the sport and he was an amazing, fun, and honorable man. I personally am not really a fan of NASCAR, but I do respect it and the talent it takes. Thank you Mr. Earnhardt for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Dale Earnhardt Sr. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/dale-earnhardt-9542044

“You can't let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones.” - Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Green Giant Chip Review - BzzAgent

Received these FREE Samples from BzzAgent a few weeks ago to try.  They are Green Giant chips.  I am still not sure what stores you can find them in yet because I have still not found them in a grocery store yet, but I will definitely keep looking because they were super good!!!!

I am not a huge fan of Sweet Potatoes actually, but the Multigrain Sweet Potato chips were amazing!!!  Light, fluffy, and super tasty!  The Roasted Veggie Tortilla chips were also very good - taste similar to Doritos, but just a different taste.  One of my co-workers absolutely loved them though, she said they taste the closest to how homemade tortilla chips taste in Mexico, so she was going bananas over them!  Overall great chips and great taste, just need to find out what stores carry them regularly so they can be purchased.

If you want to try samples and write reviews and have fun like me check-out www.bzzagent.com, sign-up and get ready for fun :-)

April 27th is Coretta Scott King Day!!!

April 27th is Coretta Scott King Day!!! 

Well, we all know Coretta Scott King as being the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but was a civil rights leader and hero in her own right as well. She was always there at her husband's side and participated in everything.  After her husband's death she continued the fight and did work to make sure all of the past work did not go to waste. She stayed active and even wrote articles until her death.  She was an amazing and strong woman that is a true hero!!! Thank you Mrs. King for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Coretta Scott King. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/coretta-scott-king-9542067

"Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others." - Coretta Scott King

April 27th is the Celebration of Zephyr Competition Skating Team Day!!!

April 27th is the Celebration of Zephyr Competition Skating Team Day!!! 

On this day in 1975 the Zephyr competition team (Z-boys) of Dogtown competed at the Bahre Cadillac Skateboard Championship at the Del Mar Ocean Festival in California.  The reason why this is day of celebration and that you know who this team of skaters are is that they completely changed and progressed skateboarding to another level.  They are the pioneers of the sport that is known today all over the world!!!  Below are the names of all that made up the team, some become very famous, others did not, but every member is a pioneer and part of the history that laid the foundation.  Basically what happened was that the Zephyr team pulled their skating style from surfing and when they competed people didn't even know what to think because no one had ever seen people skate like that before. If you want to learn more about this and the members you can do research and read, but also make sure you see the footage for yourself as well and watch the movie documentary "Dogtown and Z-Boys". The documentary show live footage from that time and great stories and backgrounds on all the members.  Thank you Z-boys for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about the Z-boys. :-)

* Shogo Kubo
* Bob Biniak
* Nathan Pratt
* Stacey Peralta
* Jim Muir
* Allen Sarlo
* Chris Cahill
* Tony Alva
* Paul Constantineau
* Jay Adams
* Peggy Oki
* Wentzle Ruml

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/the-unlocking-of-americas-cement-playground-dogtown-z-boys/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C78BQFDq6hM

"Two hundred years of American technology has unwittingly created a massive cement playground of unlimited potential. But it was the minds of 11 year olds that could see that potential." - Craig Stecyk

April 26th is Ma Rainey Day!!!

April 26th is Ma Rainey Day!!! 

"Singer Ma Rainey was the first popular stage entertainer to incorporate authentic blues into her song repertoire and became known as the 'Mother of the Blues'." Thank you Ms. Rainey for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Ma Rainey. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBkfUMRZa1A

"They hear it come out, but they don't know how it got there. They don't understand that's life's way of talking. You don't sing to feel better. You sing 'cause that's a way of understanding life." - Ma Rainey

April 25th is Ella Fitzgerald Day!!!

April 25th is Ella Fitzgerald Day!!! 


"The First Lady of Song" is celebrated today for all of her wonderful songs and her amazing soulfulness!  If you have not heard her voice or her songs you definitely need to take the time today to listen!  She is one of the most influential jazz singers of all time and worked with many of the other greats as well including Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Count Basie, and Dizzy Gillespie.  She was also had to deal with a lot discrimination and did a lot to help and promote the Civil Rights Movement.  This lady was just amazing! Thank you Ms. Fitzgerald for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Ella Fitzgerald. :-)

http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/biography.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2bigf337aU

"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong." - Ella Fitzgerald

April 23rd is Granville T. Woods Day!!!

April 23rd is Granville T. Woods Day!!! 

"Granville T. Woods was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1856 to free African-Americans. He held various engineering and industrial jobs before establishing a company to develop electrical apparatus. Known as 'Black Edison', he registered nearly 60 patents in his lifetime, including a telephone transmitter, a trolley wheel and the multiplex telegraph (over which he defeated a lawsuit by Thomas Edison)." I don't agree with using that nickname for Granville because he was actually the one to win the suit, so really he should be the most well-known, not Edison! Thank you Mr. Woods for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Granville T. Woods. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/granville-t-woods-9536481

April 23rd is Shirley Temple Day!!!

April 23rd is Shirley Temple Day!!! 

Shirley Temple is who I wanted to be when I was a little kid. Her movies were the first that introduced me to the dancing and culture that hold soooo close to my heart!!! My family always said that I looked like her when I was young as well :-). Well, besides me idealizing her when I was little Shirley Temple has done a lot of great outreach work throughout the world and has been an inspiration for many with her singing and dancing. For me the greatest thing about her is her work and friendship with the great Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. He is the one who taught her to dance and was huge influence on her personality and demeanor. The films she did with him are my favorites! Thank you Ms. Temple for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Shirley Temple. :-)

http://www.shirleytemple.com/bio.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjCFYpWDmfM

"When I was 14, I was the oldest I ever was. I've been getting younger ever since." - Shirley Temple

April 22nd is Henry T. Sampson Jr. Day!!!

April 22nd is Henry T. Sampson Jr. Day!!! 

Henry T. Sampson Jr. Sampson was a pioneer as one of the first African-American chemical engineering graduates. He then became the first African-American to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering in the United States. He went on to be a research chemical engineer for the US Navy and then eventually started working for Aerospace Corp.  On July 6, 1971, he was awarded a patent with George H. Miley for the invention of the gamma-electric cell, a direct-conversion energy device that converts the energy generated from the radiation of high-energy gamma rays into electricity. This is is most well-known invention, but he also went on to be awarded patents in rocket propellants, motors, and explosives. Not only is he a brilliant man, but one of character and culture as well.  He wrote a two-volume set called “Blacks in Black Face: A Source Book on Early Black Musical Shows” about African-Americans in stage, cinema, radio, TV, etc.  He has written many books about this subject and is passionate about these amazing people in history being applauded and recognized for their contributions. Thank you Mr. Sampson Jr. for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Henry T. Sampson. :-)

https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/People/Awards/Institutional/DEA/DEA_2013/Sampson

April 22nd is Charles Mingus Day!!!

April 22nd is Charles Mingus Day!!! 

Charles Mingus is considered to be one of the most important figures in twentieth century American music, he was a virtuoso bass player, accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer. He grew up listening to Duke Ellington and eventually performed with Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton. He became a musical master and lead his own band. He came up with some of the greatest original songs of jazz and his creativity hit another level! Thank you Mr. Mingus for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Charles Mingus. :-)

http://mingusmingusmingus.com/mingus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgX1aMpJkvs

"Had I been born in a different country or had I been born white, I am sure I would have expressed my ideas long ago. Maybe they wouldn’t have been as good because when people are born free? I can’t imagine it, but I’ve got a feeling that if it’s so easy for you, the struggle and the initiative are not as strong as they are for a person who has to struggle and therefore has more to say." - Charles Mingus

April 20th is Lionel Hampton Day!!!

April 20th is Lionel Hampton Day!!! 

"Lionel Hampton is one of the most extraordinary musicians of the 20th century and his artistic achievements symbolize the impact that jazz music has had on our culture in the 21st century.In 1930, Hampton was called in to a recording session with Armstrong, and during a break Hampton walked over to a vibraphone and started to play. He ended up playing the vibes on one song. The song became a hit; Hampton had introduced a new voice to jazz and he became 'King of the Vibes'." Thank you Mr. Hampton for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Lionel Hampton. :-)

http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/hampton/bio.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_rTICMVXQQ

"Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind." - Lionel Hampton

April 18th is Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark Day!!!

April 18th is Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark Day!!! 

Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark was a psychologist that studied the effects of segregation and racism on the self-esteem of black children. Below are some of her greatest accomplishments:
*The Clark Doll Test - one of the most well-known psychological tests for children and has been replicated and influenced many modern tests.
*Research on race, self-concept, self-esteem, and child  development
*Her work with her husband, Kenneth Clark, played an important role in the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case
*She was the first black woman to earn a degree at Columbia University
Thank you Dr. Phipps Clark for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark. :-)

http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/mamiephippsclark.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqvJp2gXJI0

"I think that whites and blacks should be taught to respect their fellow human beings as an integral part of being educated." - Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark

April 18th is Dr. James McCune Smith Day!!!

April 18th is Dr. James McCune Smith Day!!! 

Dr. McCune Smith was the first African American to get a medical degree and practice medicine in the United States.  He got his degree at the University of Glasgow in Scotland because at his time he could not go any further with his education in the United States and there was a lot less racial prejudice in Scotland as well.  He came back to the United States and worked in New York City and eventually became the first to own and operate a pharmacy as well!  He was also active in the abolitionist movement as well and even wrote the introduction to Frederick Douglass second volume of his autobiography. Thank you Dr. McCune Smith for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Dr. James McCune Smith. :-)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/partners/early/e_pioneers_smith.html

"...the worst of our institutions, in its worst aspect, cannot keep down energy, truthfulness, and earnest struggle for the right." - Dr. James McCune Smith

April 16th is Emancipation Day!!!

April 16th is Emancipation Day!!!

I actually have some reserve in even celebrating and acknowledging this as Emancipation Day because even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law on this day in 1862 and officially freed the enslaved people of the USA, there is still a very dark side to this and slavery did not end!!!  Instead of celebrating that Lincoln signed this into law on this day, I am going to celebrate all of the Abolitionists of that time that forced Lincoln's hand to even make this move, since the accomplishment was really theirs and NOT his!  Lincoln did this for politics just as almost every President did before him and since him.  I want to thank and celebrate the people behind the scenes that made it impossible to ignore the issue and rallied people for the cause.  

Below is a link to a pretty good list of Abolitionists, if you have time research even just a few of these people and their ideals and convictions and you will see the influence.  If you don't believe me about Lincoln, his beliefs, and his political ploys just do some REAL research about who he really was and I guarantee you will feel the same way as me and will never celebrate him as a man or President again!!!  REAL facts and HISTORY are out there, you just have to look - don't believe everything you are taught in school or by your parents - the lies have continued for generations!!!

Ok, I got off subject a little, but I just had to make that known so that people stop celebrating the wrong thing!  So today lets thank all who have done great things throughout history to help lead causes to make the world a better and more equal place for ALL HUMANS!!!!  We still have a long way to go, but I am very thankful for the people that have lead the charge and actually stepped up to try with all of their heart and soul to make a change for the better!!!

http://americanabolitionist.liberalarts.iupui.edu/biography.htm

"America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future." - Frederick Douglass

April 16th is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Day!!!

April 16th is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Day!!! 

So everyone pretty much knows Kareem as one of the greatest basketball players, but Kareem has done much more than just basketball and the skyhook in his life.  Not only does is an activist for history and education, an actor, filmaker, and author, but a great martial artists as well.  The last thing is very interesting to me because I didn't know until more recently that he was a student of the great Bruce Lee!  A key influence in making martial arts not just for one race, but for all!  Kareem continues his activism today with education for children and a healthy lifestyle as well. Thank you Mr. Abdul-Jabbar for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. :-)

http://kareemabduljabbar.com/?page_id=182

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM6xCirDOKs

"I think that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice." - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

April 15th is Asa Philip Randolph Day!!!

April 15th is Asa Philip Randolph Day!!! 

Below are some highlights of who A. Philip Randolph was:
*He led 250,000 people in the historic 1963 March on Washington.
*He spoke for all the dispossessed: Blacks, poor Whites, Puerto Ricans, Indians and Mexican Americans.
*He attained for Black workers their rightful at in the house of Labor.
*He won the fight to ban discrimination in the armed forces.
*He organized the 1957-prayer pilgrimage for the civil rights bill.
*He was President of the Institute, bearing his name, and President Emeritus of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the union he built.
Thank you Mr. Randolph for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Asa Philip Randolph. :-)

http://www.apri.org/ht/d/sp/i/225

"A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess." - Asa Philip Randolph

April 15th is Bessie Smith Day!!!

April 15th is Bessie Smith Day!!! 

"Jazz and blues vocalist Bessie Smith's powerful, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the title 'Empress of the Blues'."
Take some time today to listen to at least one of her songs!Thank you Ms. Smith for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Bessie Smith. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/bessie-smith-9486520

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZVD8QqNoak

"It's a long old road, but I know I'm gonna find the end." - Bessie Smith

April 13th is Al Green Day!!!

April 13th is Al Green Day!!! 

All I really have to say about Al Green is listen!!! This man's voice is full of soul. Every song evokes emotion and he can make people feel that emotion. Take some time today to listen to his music and feel that soul! Thank you Mr. Green for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Al Green. :-)

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-green-mn0000607448

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-NbbVk4myM

"Teach success before teaching responsibility. Teach them to believe in themselves. Teach them to think, 'I'm not stupid'. No child wants to fail. Everyone wants to succeed." - Al Green

April 1st is Gil Scott-Heron Day!!!

April 1st is Gil Scott-Heron Day!!! 

Well, basically the first thing I have to say about Gil Scott-Heron is THANK YOU!!!!  Without him there would have been no  REAL Hiphop!!!  REAL Hiphop being my favorite music I have a lot of appreciation for this man's work.  He was a huge influence in the early 70's on the way people decided to do music and the emcees as well.  His jazzy blues soulful sound was not only innovative and refreshing, but also informative and in your face.  The way he put poetry to music and his style of delivery, which later became to be known as rapping was his way of informing the masses of what was going on in the world and and what to do about.  He was a huge activist for social justice and the empowerment of black people .  A true musical genius and influence on sooo much in the world. Thank you Mr. Scott-Heron for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Gil Scott-Heron. :-)

http://gilscottheron.net/about/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGaRtqrlGy8

"They need to study music. I played in several bands before I began my career as a poet. There’s a big difference between putting words over some music, and blending those same words into the music. There’s not a lot of humor. They use a lot of slang and colloquialisms, and you don’t really see inside the person. Instead, you just get a lot of posturing." - Gil Scott-Heron

April 11th is Dr. Percy Lavon Julian Day!!!

April 11th is Dr. Percy Lavon Julian Day!!! 

Dr. Percy Lavon Julian was born to former slaves in Alabama in 1899, he was a pioneering chemist that was not allowed to attend high school but went on to earn his Ph.D. His research at academic and corporate institutions led to the chemical synthesis of drugs to treat glaucoma and arthritis, and although his race presented challenges at every turn, he is regarded as one of the most influential chemists in American history.  Thank you Dr. Julian for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Dr. Percy Lavon Julian. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/percy-julian-9359018

"After we concluded," Jarrett remembered, "one or two [kids] came up and wanted to get his autograph because he was a celebrity. And he says, 'No, let's do it this way.' ... He went down the aisle, shaking hands with every single youngster there. ... He wanted to know their names. ... 'What kind of grades are you making in school? Do you like to read? Have you ever heard of Frederick Douglass?' ... [I]t just knocked me out to see this heralded, international figure doing this one-on-one with these black kids." - Vernon Jarrett

April 9th is Nathan Hare Day!!!

April 9th is Nathan Hare Day!!! 

Nathan Hare is known as the "Father of Black Studies".  He was the first to be hired by an University or College to teach a Black Studies program in the United States by San Francisco State College (Now San Francisco State University). He also he co-founded the Black Think Tank with his wife in 1979. The Black Think Tank addresses the problems and concerns that plague the African-American community. He has written several books and won many prestigious awards as well for all of his work including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. Thank you Mr. Hare for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Nathan Hare. :-)

http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/nathan-hare-38

"Black Anglo-Saxons are chiefly distinguishable in that, in their struggle to throw off the smothering blanket of social inferiority, they disown their own history and mores in order to assume those of the biological descendants of the white Anglo-Saxons. They relate to, and long to be part of, the elusive and hostile white world, whose norms are taken as models of behavior. White society is to most of them a looking-glass for taking stock of their personal conduct. In that way, they acquire what sociologists call a “looking glass self,” an image they must keep on grooming to make what they think white society imagines itself to be: like whites.” - Nathan Hare

April 9th is Paul Robeson Day!!!

April 9th is Paul Robeson Day!!! 

So if you haven't heard of someone that could do it all in life then you have not heard of Paul Robeson.  Not only was this man an amazing athlete, actor, singer, and lawyer, but he was also super active against racism and was an activist all over the world. An absolutely amazing and passionate man, definitely take some time today to learn more about him and if you get a chance definitely read his biography, "Here I Stand" as well. Thank you Mr. Robeson for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Paul Robeson. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/paul-robeson-9460451?page=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9WayN7R-s

"As an artist I come to sing, but as a citizen, I will always speak for peace, and no one can silence me in this." - Paul Robeson

April 7th is Billie Holiday Day!!!

April 7th is Billie Holiday Day!!! 

This lady had an amazing voice and sooo much soul!  Her voice and style of singing has influenced many artists after her.  She is a true pioneer of her time. Take the time today to listen to some of her songs and also watch a video of her as well.  Not only can you feel the emotion from her voice, but watching her just adds even more passion. Thank you Ms. Holiday for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Billie Holiday. :-)

http://www.billieholiday.com/about/biography.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4ZyuULy9zs

"If you copy, it means you're working without any real feeling. No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music." - Billie Holiday

April 7th is World Health Day!!!

April 7th is World Health Day!!! 

"World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world. The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure" Please click the link below and learn more about World Health Day. :-)

http://www.who.int/world-health-day/en/

April 6th is James Beckwourth Day!!!

April 6th is James Beckwourth Day!!! 

"James Pierson Beckwourth was the only African American pioneer to record his exploits in the early days of the western frontier. He was involved in major events from Canada to Mexico and Florida to California, where he discovered the Beckwourth Pass through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Like his better-known contemporaries Daniel Boone, Kit Carson, and Davy Crockett, he was a true adventurer." Thank you Mr. Beckwourth for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about James Beckwourth. :-)

http://blackhistorynow.com/jim-beckwourth/

April 5th is Booker T. Washington Day!!!

April 5th is Booker T. Washington Day!!! 


If you don't know who Booker T. Washington is then you definitely need to do some research and learn!  He was an educator and one  of the foremost African-American leaders of all-time.  He founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, now known as Tuskegee University.  He did a lot to bring light to the prejudices and atrocities against African-Americans and he was super passionate about everyone having access to higher learner and education.  Definitely get "Up from Slavery" his autobiography that details his rise from a slave boy to founding his own University. Thank you Mr. Washington for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Booker T. Washington. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/booker-t-washington-9524663

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNiwuEuTA2Y

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome." - Booker T. Washington

April 5th is Colin Powell Day!!!

April 5th is Colin Powell Day!!! 

No matter what you think of Colin Powell for his past or his politics, this man is definitely someone to be celebrated and remembered. Not only was he a 4-star General in the United States Army, but he also was the first African-American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State, and the first, and so far the only, to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Since retiring from both the Military and politics he has still been active and influential. Thank you Mr. Powell for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Colin Powell. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/colin-powell-9445708

"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand." - Colin Powell

April 4th is Muddy Waters Day!!!

April 4th is Muddy Waters Day!!! 

Muddy Waters was just an amazing musician!!! Take some time today to listen to the blues and one of the pioneers of contributors to modern music. I think almost any real musician can say that Muddy Waters music and style has influenced them in some way. Thank you Mr. Waters for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Muddy Waters. :-)

http://www.muddywaters.com/bio.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hEYwk0bypY

"I was always singing the way I felt, and maybe I didn't exactly know it, but I just didn't like the way things were down there-in Mississippi." - Muddy Waters

April 4th is Maya Angelou Day!!!

April 4th is Maya Angelou Day!!! 

Dr. Maya Angelou is an amazing woman!!! I think everyone has heard a poem or hers or at least a quote from her. She is a very bright and intelligent person with an amazing talent with words. Not only is her work beautiful, but it is TRUTHFUL!!! This is why I appreciate her sooo much and look-up to her wisdom. Thank you Ms. Angelou for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Maya Angelou :-)

http://mayaangelou.com/bio/

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

April 2nd is Charles "Honi" Cole Day!!!

April 2nd is Charles "Honi" Cole Day!!!

I did not learn about Mr. Cole until today actually and all I had to do was find a video of him dancing and that was it!!!!  All I can say is absolutely AMAZING!!!!  Not only did I see the influence of dance steps that I see in contemporary dance today, but stuff I have never even seen while watching other hoofers from that time period as well!  He performed in New York at some of the hottest clubs of his time and performed with Cab Calloway and there met his partner Charles "Cholly" Atkins and they performed some great routines together. Mr Cole later went on to appear in many TV shows and movies. He is most well known for his scene in "Dirty Dancing".  Thank you Mr. Cole for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Charles "Honi" Cole :-)

http://www.atdf.org/awards/honi.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHD78dZIDoE

"Honi makes butterflies look clumsy. He was my Fred Astaire." - Lena Horne

April 2nd is Marvin Gaye Day!!!

April 2nd is Marvin Gaye Day!!!

I am sure that everyone knows who Marvin Gaye is, but in case you don't please watch and listen to the YouTube link below to hear this wonderful man's voice!  He was a true musician and still brings a lot of joy and hope to people. One of Motown's finest!!! Thank you Mr. Gaye for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Marvin Gaye :-)

http://www.marvingayepage.net/biography/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWL7WZZxqg

"If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else." - Marvin Gaye