January 31st is Jackie Robinson Day!!!

January 31st is Jackie Robinson Day!!!

Not only was he an amazing Baseball player, but he broke the racial barriers and definitely helped with the Civil Rights Movement! If you don't know who he is or about him please do some research on this great man! There are also a couple movies out there about his life and his baseball career as well. You get at least a little bit of an idea of what he had to go through and endure just to play a sport that he loved and was good at. Thank you Mr. Robinson for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Jackie Robinson. :-)

http://www.jackierobinson.com/about/bio.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XY-XshGhMU

"Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life." - Jackie Robinson

January 30th is Phil Collins Day!!!

January 30th is Phil Collins Day!!!

Some people might not see the significance of this or understand his music, but Phil Collins has done a lot for music! Not only were his inspirations from some of the greatest musicians, but he took those influences and built on them to create heartfelt songs and songs that brought awareness to many issues in society. Thank you Mr. Collins for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Phil Collins. :-)

http://www.philcollins.co.uk/biography

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLpfbcXTeo8

"Beyond a certain point, the music isn't mine anymore. It's yours." - Phil Collins

January 28th is Darius I Day!!!

January 28th is Darius I Day!!!


"Darius I "the Great" (549-486 BCE) was a king of Persia who ruled for 35 years, from September 522 BCE to October 486 BCE. He was the third Achaemenian king and was considered by many to be “the greatest of the Achaemenian kings.” During his reign, Darius completed the work of his predecessors, and not only did he “hold together the empire,” but he also extended it in all directions. Thus, with Darius as Great King, Achaemenian Persia became the largest empire in the world. Darius was responsible for more than just the expansion of the empire. He also centralized the administration of the empire, encouraged cultural and artistic pursuits, introduced legal reforms, and developed juridical systems. In addition, many large building projects were started under Darius’ rule, including the construction of a new capital city called Persepolis." Thank you Darius I for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Darius I. :-) 

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Darius_I/

"Force is always beside the point when sublety will serve." - Darius I

January 27th is Mozart Day!!!

January 27th is Mozart Day!!!

Mozart was an absolutely amazing musician who wrote and composed a lot of music and is and will forever be an inspiration for musicians all over the world. Thank you Mozart for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Mozart. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/wolfgang-mozart-9417115

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb0UmrCXxVA

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Mozart

January 26th is Angela Davis Day!!!

January 26th is Angela Davis Day!!!

Angela Davis is a social activist, scholar, and author. She was wrongfully imprisoned in 1970 and fought very hard even while imprisoned to prove her innocence and show how corrupt the government and the system is. She is a huge voice in activism and has brought light to many injustices in the world and especially the plight of black people and women here in the U.S. She was very influential during the 60's and 70's, but today still works her ass off to teach and bring light to the never ending cycle of injustice! Thank you Ms. Davis for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Angela Davis. :-)

http://feministstudies.ucsc.edu/faculty/singleton.php?&singleton=true&cruz_id=aydavis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2BIZy0HScM

"We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society." - Angela Davis

January 26th is Bessie Coleman Day!!!

January 26th is Bessie Coleman Day!!!

Bessie Coleman was the first African-American female pilot. She also specialized in stunt flying and parachuting! Thank you Bessie for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Bessie Coleman. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/bessie-coleman-36928

"The air is the only place free from prejudices." - Bessie Coleman

January 25th is Etta James Day!!!

January 25th is Etta James Day!!!

Etta James was a singer with an amazing voice and always very outspoken for what she believed in. Thank you Ms. James for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Etta James. :-) 

http://www.biography.com/people/etta-james-9542558

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRajZappq8c

"You can't fake this music. You might be a great singer or a great musician but, in the need, that's got nothing to do with it. It's how you connect to the songs and to the history behind them." - Etta James

January 25th is Florence Mills Day!!!

January 25th is Florence Mills Day!!!

Florence Mills was a dancer, singer, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance period and 1920's. She was not only an entertainer, but spoke out for rights of her fellow African-Americans as well. Thank you Florence Mills for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Florence Mills. :-)

http://panafricannews.blogspot.com/2007/10/florence-mills-1896-1927-harlem-jazz.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_HNXMZyOZQ

“I belong to a race that sings and dances as it breathes. I don’t care where I am so long as I can sing and dance. The wide world is my stage and I am my audience. If I didn't feel like that I wouldn't be an artist. The things you do best for other people are the things you would do just as well for yourself.” - Florence Mills

January 24th is Howard Sims "Sandman" Day!!!

January 24th is Howard Sims "Sandman" Day!!!

Sandman was an absolutely amazing tap dancer and one of the original "Hoofers" who innovated the dance and culture. Thank you Sandman for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Sandman. :-) 

http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/fellow.php?id=1984_11&type=bio

For Sims, tap dancing was "most telling a story ... a different story to each person because everybody takes it a different way. It takes a lot of skill because you have to be moving every muscle in your body. The dancing we'd do is what we feel and what we hear. You have to have a vast amount of imagination to be a hoofer. Anybody can be a tap dancer, but being a hoofer is like going over the bridge."

January 23rd is Petey Greene Day!!!

January 23rd is Petey Greene Day!!!

Petey Greene was a radio and TV host. He was a very raw person that just told it like it is and never shy'd from talking about issues of racism, poverty, and other things of his time period. Thank you Mr. Greene for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Petey Greene. :-)

http://www.peteygreene.com/meet_petey.htm

“So grab your head and make a fist. Listen at me and remember this, that I’ll tell it to the hot, tell it to the cold, tell it to the young and tell it to the old. I don’t want no laughing, I don’t want no crying, and most of all, no signifying.” - Petey Greene

January 21st is Hammurabi Day!!!

January 21st is Hammurabi Day!!!

"Hammurabi (Akkadian from Amorite ʻAmmurāpi, "the kinsman is a healer", from ʻAmmu, "paternal kinsman", and Rāpi, "healer"; died c. 1750 BCE middle chronology) was the sixth king of Babylon of the First Babylonian Dynasty from 1792 BCE to 1750 BCE middle chronology (1728 BCE – 1686 BCE short chronology). He became the first king of the Babylonian Empire following the abdication of his father, Sin-Muballit, extending Babylon's control over Mesopotamia by winning a series of wars against neighboring kingdoms. Although his empire controlled all of Mesopotamia at the time of his death, his successors were unable to maintain his empire. He is known for the set of laws called Hammurabi's Code, one of the first written codes of law in recorded history. These laws were inscribed on stone tablets (stelae) standing over eight feet tall (2.4 meters), of unknown provenance, found in Persia in 1901 CE. Owing to his reputation in modern times as an ancient law-giver, Hammurabi's portrait is in many government buildings throughout the world." Thank you Mr. Hammurabi for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Hammurabi. :-) 

http://www.ancient.eu.com/hammurabi/

“The first duty of government is to protect the powerless from the powerful.” ― Code of Hammurabi 1772 B.C.

Richard Sherman IS a Class Act! A Positive and Passionate Man!!! :-)

Every Sports Analyst and Reporter out there that is talking shit and voicing their opinion about Richard Sherman can all go jump off a cliff, FOR REAL!!!! 

I am sure there are a lot of people voicing their opinions right now and everyone especially in this country thinks they have a right to it and they can judge people all they want to, but really you have NO RIGHT to judge anyone, but yourself!!!! If you have opinion based off of someone's sports performance and what they do on the field, fine, but you have no right to judge someone for their character and approach! The people at FOX and ESPN especially need to check themselves! You have never got excited about anything in your life or been upset that people talk trash about you and then you prove them wrong? Oh, yeah that's right you haven't and probably never will because your NOT doing ANYTHING but talking shit about other people!!!!!

If Richard Sherman wants to be brash and he wants to be loud and he wants to talk the way he does deal with it!!!! Just because he doesn't fit into your stupid, bitch-ass view of how people should act in this world does not mean what he does is wrong or harmful in anyway!!!! We need more people like Richard Sherman in this world! People with passion, fire, love, talent, and a since of pride in self and their job in life! If you have something to say about someone as a Sports Analyst or Reporter then talk about someone's performance in that sport, not about their character or how they act!!! Yes, if someone commits a crime or something serious I understand talking about what the person did if they are convicted, but other than that keep it solely about someone's performance and that is it!!!!!

People in this world must not learn the mantra from their parents anymore that goes "If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all." Whether this was a serious saying to teach kids a lesson or not, Adults today need to repeat this and live by this!!!! I personally loved Richard's passion and excitement and thought it was great that he got to tell all of his critics on National TV that no matter what you say I still come out here and play my best to be the best! But even my opinion doesn't matter either, all that matters is what Richard Sherman does for himself and his team and him talking and speaking out does nothing to harm himself or his team in ANY way, the media and reporters are the one's that harm and hurt people and teams because they make stories out of every little thing and most of the time they love to turn things negative so it gets buzz and people talking about it.

I got to shake hands with Richard Sherman when he came to SportsNation and hear him speak from his heart about the haters. He was one of the nicest and most friendly people I have gotten to see and meet in person. I don't know him personally or anything, but I have NEVER seen him do or say anything horrible to hurt ANYONE!!!! I know no matter what I say people will still continue to be idiots and talk our of their asses about him and others playing sports as well, but just know this, your opinion does NOT matter one bit and if anything those players take your ignorance and stupidity and use it on the field to fuel them to play better and prove you wrong time and time again!!!! I have been feeling this way about this for a long time and this situation with Richard Sherman just put me over the edge that I had to at least say something about it using actual facts and logic instead of hollow-ass opinions!

Oh and if this was a white man, you wouldn't say shit, don't even try to tell me that people aren't still racist and complete ignorant!!! Negative press is almost exclusive to black people, but when it comes to the white boys you always want to talk about the positive and legacy!!! So keep your racist, ignorant shit to yourselves!!!!

Richard Sherman, never change and keep doing you because that is what makes you not only the best corner in the game, but a great human being! You already know, but just wanted to send some positive vibes your way ad-mist all of the negativity. Many blessings to you always!!! 

January 20th is Huddie Ledbetter "Leadbelly" Day!!!

January 20th is Huddie Ledbetter "Leadbelly" Day!!!

Leadbelly was a folk and gospel singer during the 1930's and 40's. He was a huge influence on what we now call blues music and an amazing guitarist. Thank you Leadbelly for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Leadbelly. :-)

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/leadbelly-mn0000124390

"Well, it's on a one table, knife, a fork and a pan, and if you say anything about it, you're in trouble with the man." - Leadbelly

January 19th is Master Chief Carl Brashear Day!!!

January 19th is Master Chief Carl Brashear Day!!!

Master Chief Carl Brashear was the first African-American Master Diver in the Navy. He overcame immense racism and odds against him, but never gave up! His story is featured in the movie - "Men of Honor". Thank you Master Chief Brashear for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Master Chief Carl Brashear. :-) 

http://www.internationallegendsofdiving.com/FeaturedLegends/brashear-carl_bio.htm

“I can honestly say that I reached my goal in the Navy. It was an exciting career, but then it wasn't a bed of roses either. I had my ups and downs in the Navy, but I would do it over if I could. I enjoyed the excitement of being a deep-sea diver. I grew a lot in the Navy. As a matter of fact, I grew up in the Navy as far as my professional life goes. . . . And I just enjoyed the Navy. I really did. I don’t think I could have made it in civilian life with the limited education I had and my attitude. I think the Navy was the best place for me to grow up and find myself.” - Master Chief Carl Brashear

January 18th is Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Day!!!

January 18th is Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Day!!!

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was the first doctor to successfully complete and open heart surgery on a patient in the United States. He also opened a hospital for interracial staff and patients. Thank you Dr. Williams for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. 

http://www.biography.com/people/daniel-hale-williams-9532269

January 17th is Muhammad Ali Day!!!

January 17th is Muhammad Ali Day!!!

Muhammad Ali is not only the greatest boxer, but he is also a great social activist. He is an inspiration to many people and if you are not familiar with his story and life, please do some research and learn. Thank you Mr. Ali for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Muhammad Ali. :-)

http://www.ali.com/legend_main.php

"I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want." - Muhammad Ali

January 16th is Hatshepsut Day!!!

January 16th is Hatshepsut Day!!!

"Queen Hatshepsut (left) was the first great woman in recorded history: the forerunner of such figures as Cleopatra, Catherine the Great and Elizabeth I. Her rise to power went against all the conventions of her time. She was the first wife and Queen of Thutmose II and on his death proclaimed herself Pharaoh, denying the old king's son, her nephew, his inheritance. To support her cause she claimed the God Amun-Ra spoke, saying "welcome my sweet daughter, my favourite, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the King, taking possession of the Two Lands." She dressed as a king, even wearing a false beard and the Egyptian people seem to have accepted this unprecedented behaviour."  Thank you Ms. Hatshepsut. for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Hatshepsut. :-)

http://www.discoveringegypt.com/hatshepsut.htm

"Hear ye, all persons! Ye people as many as ye are! I have done this according to the design of my heart. ... I have restored that which was in ruins, I have raised up that which was unfinished since the Asiatics were in the midst of the Northland, and the barbarians were in the midst of them, overthrowing that which was made, while they ruled in ignorance of Re. He did not do according to the divine command until my majesty. When I was firm upon the throne of Re, I was ennobled until the two periods of years...I came as Hor-watit flaming against my enemies." - Hatshepsut

January 15th is Martin Luther King Jr. Day!!!

January 15th is Martin Luther King Jr. Day!!!

Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader and activist. If you don't know anything about Mr. King Jr. please do some research because everyone should know! A very influential man and definitely deserves recognition for all he did to bring racial equality to the USA. Thank you Mr. King Jr. for all of your contributions and inspiration Please click the link below and learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. :-)

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King Jr.

January 15th is Palmer Hayden Day!!!

January 15th is Palmer Hayden Day!!!

Palmer Hayden was a painter during the Harlem Renaissance. He painted about the life of African-Americans, not only just of life and how it is or was, but his paintings embodied history and made sure to show the emotion of the story.Thank you Mr. Hayden for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Palmer Hayden. 

http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/palmer-hayden-harlem-renaissance-artist-and-beyond

"I paint what us Negroes, colored people, us Americans know. We're a brand new race, raised and manufactured in the United States. I do like to paint what they did." - Palmer Hayden

January 14th is Ramses II Day!!!

January 14th is Ramses II Day!!!

"Ramesses II (alternative spellings: Ramses, Rameses and known to the Egyptians as Userma’atre’setepenre, which means 'Keeper of Harmony and Balance, Strong in Right, Elect of Ra’, known also as Ozymandias and as Ramesses the Great) was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty. Ramesses lived to be 96 years old. So long was his reign that all of his subjects, when he died, had been born knowing Ramesses as pharaoh and there was widespread panic that the world would end with the death of their king. There is virtually no ancient site in Egypt which does not make mention of Ramesses the Great. Ramesses was the son of Seti I and Queen Tuya and accompanied his father on military campaigns in Libya and Palestine at the age of 14. By the age of 22 Ramesses was leading his own campaigns in Nubia with his own sons and was named co-ruler with Seti. With his father, Ramesses set about vast restoration projects and built a new palace at Avaris. After the death of Seti I in 1290 BCE, Ramesses assumed the throne and at once began military campaigns to restore the borders of Egypt and ensure trade routes. The Battle of Kadesh, one of his earliest engagements (dated, by some, at 1274 BCE) almost resulted in his defeat and death. It was only owing to his own personal courage and calm in battle that he was able to turn the tide against the Hittite King Muwatalli II. Rameses immortalized his feats at Kadesh in the Poem of Pentaur and The Bulletin in which he describes the battle as a dazzling victory for Egypt (recent scholarship has concluded the battle was more of a draw)." Thank you Ramses II for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Ramses II. :-)

http://www.ancient.eu.com/Ramesses_II/

January 13th is Remembrance for all the Victims of Elmina Castle Day!!!

January 13th is Remembrance for all the Victims of Elmina Castle Day!!!

Although this is horrible place, I think it is an important historical place and point that we all remember and never forget because it was the beginning of a very dark and horrible time in history.  Many ancestors of today's families went through this building or never made it out of that building and their memory deserves to be honored and remembered. One thing I will say though is that the people in Ghana that run this now museum should definitely re-name it and definitely take Castle out of the name, this is definitely NOT a Castle and doesn't deserve that title at all no matter how the building looks or it was built! "Built in 1482 by Portuguese traders, Elmina Castle was the first European slave-trading post in all of sub-saharan Africa. Located on the western coast of present-day Ghana, it was originally built to protect the gold trade but following its capture by the Dutch in 1637, it came to serve the Dutch slave trade with Brazil and the Caribbean. The castle came under British ownership in the 1800s. Elmina, like other West African slave fortresses, housed luxury suites for the Europeans in the upper levels. The slave dungeons below were cramped and filthy, each cell often housing as many as 200 people at a time, without enough space to even lie down. The floor of the dungeon, as result of centuries of impacted filth and human excrement, is now several inches higher than it was when it was built. Outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever were common. Staircases led directly from the governor 's chambers to the women's dungeons below, making it easy for him to select personal concubines from amongst the women." Please click the link below and learn more about Elmina Castle and the atrocities that happened there. 

http://www.pbs.org/wonders/Episodes/Epi3/elmina.htm

January 12th is James L. Farmer Jr. Day!!!

January 12th is James L. Farmer Jr. Day!!!

James L. Farmer Jr. was a civil rights leader and activist. He founded the group C.O.R.E. (Congress of Racial Equality) and he also was the organizer of the Freedom Ride as well. A very influential man and definitely deserves recognition for all he did to bring racial equality to the USA. Thank you Mr. Farmer Jr. for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about James L. Farmer Jr. :-)

http://fredmarkers.umwblogs.org/2008/04/18/james-farmer-e-113/

“Like a seed, a real core, it would germinate and radiate its equality in wider and wider circles until it encompassed the whole nation.” - James L. Farmer Jr.

January 12th is Clarence Elder Day!!!

January 12th is Clarence Elder Day!!!

Clarence Elder was scientist and inventor. He developed Occustat, a monitoring and energy conservation system. It is for buildings, so that when people are not present the temperature of a room and other things are automatically change electronically to conserve energy. His birth date is not known so we celebrate on this day which is when his earliest patent was issued. Thank you Mr. Elder for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Clarence Elder. :-)

https://webfiles.uci.edu/mcbrown/display/elder.html

January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day!!!

January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day!!!

"Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.   It is estimated that more than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking. The United States is a source, transit and destination country for some of these men, women and children — both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals — who are subjected to the injustices of human trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, and sex trafficking. ACF has worked for more than a decade to better identify and serve victims of human trafficking, among the most marginalized and under-recognized members of our community." Please click the link below and learn more about National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/january-11-national-human-trafficking-awareness-day

January 10th is Ropni, Mekaron-Ti, and Amazon Indigenous Day!!!

January 10th is Ropni, Mekaron-Ti, and Amazon Indigenous Day!!!

I was at Walgreens a couple weeks ago just getting a few things and was captivated by the cover of the January 2014 National Geographic magazine!  There was a picture of boy from an indigenous tribe in the Amazon (in Brasil).  I have always been interested in these people, their rights, and their convictions for awhile now, but just never really got a chance to read and learn a lot about them.  So, of course, I bought the magazine and then went home immediately to read the article on the Kayapo tribe.  I learned a lot and I feel that in particular these 2 Chiefs Ropni and Mekaron-Ti deserve a day of recognition for all they have done and continue to do for their people!!!  The government and many companies worldwide would love for them and all of their people to be gone and removed so they can develop and make money on their land, but they are doing everything possible to make sure this does not happen and that they are able to keep the land that has been in their tribes for thousands of years.  Most tribes still do and practice traditional ways and thinking, but this does not make them any different from anybody else in the world and they have the right to their land!!!!  I am soooo happy that I read this and learned more and if I could do anything to help I would, but really the best thing that anybody can do to help is to just stay out of their business and their land.  Let them live the lives they want and have respect!!! If you can do anything to influence governments and companies to stay out of their land that is the best thing you can do to help. Thank you Mr. Ropni and Mekaron-Ti for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about the Amazon Indigenous people. :-)

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/01/kayapo/brown-text?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_n1p_us_se_w#
 


“In the old days men were men,” Ropni said. “They were raised to be warriors; they weren’t afraid to die. They weren’t afraid to back up their words with action. They met guns with bows and arrows. A lot of Indians died, but a lot of whites died too. That’s what formed me: the warrior tradition. I have never been afraid to say what I believed. I have never felt humiliated in front of the whites. They need to respect us, but we need to respect them too. I still think that warrior tradition survives. The Kayapo will fight again if threatened, but I have counseled my people not to go looking for fights.”

January 9th is Mat Hoffman Day!!!

January 9th is Mat Hoffman Day!!!

Mat Hoffman is a BMX rider from Oklahoma that helped elevate and change the sport. Most people don't know who he is or even care because he is just another person doing those extreme sports things, but he does deserve a day of recognition and celebration for his achievements and accomplishments. He is an inspiration to many young people all over the world not just for his feats, but also because he is an amazingly humble and generous person. Parents might not see the reason for their kids to look up to extreme sports stars, but I would be ecstatic if my child to wanted to be like Mat Hoffman and others - the culture is wonderful and so are the people!!!! Yes, things are dangerous, but what is life without a little risk and it is all worth it to do something love with your heart and soul! Thank you Mr. Hoffman for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Mat Hoffman and also watch the ESPN 30 for 30 movie "The Birth of Big Air" as well. :-)

http://mathoffman.com/bio/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSORjIheenY

"If you want to experience all of the successes and pleasure in life, you have to be willing to accept all the pain and failure that comes with it." - Mat Hoffman

January 8th is Hannibal Day!!!

January 8th is Hannibal Day!!!

And again I had a hard time finding any type of picture or statue that would depict based on REAL history what Hannibal would look like and a site that would tell his REAL origin and history as well without trying to put religion and lies into it!!!!  Thankfully the site below is pretty good, but let's make this very clear first off, Hannibal was black!!!! Another piece of history related to this that no one wants the general public to know is that Sicily in particular was a settlement of the Phoenician people, who were the group of people the Carthaginians came from, the Phoenicians created and settled Carthage. These people had been settled in Sicily and surrounding areas since 750 B.C. way before the Romans and they did not conquer anyone to get the land, they just settled there, so they had all original rights to this land, so really Hannibal besides avenging his father was just taking back what already belong to his people in the beginning and was taken by force by the Romans. "Carthage and Rome were at war during the First Punic War (264-241 B.C.). Both empires were seeking supremacy over the Mediterranean. Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca, general of the Carthaginian mercenaries, was infuriated about the western Mediterranean losses of Sicily and Sardinia. When Hannibal was 17 years old, however, his father was killed in an ambush in Spain, which was primarily under the rule of the North African empire. Hannibal would son step fully into his military career. In October 218 B.C., during the Second Punic War, Hannibal had arrived at the Alps. His soldiers are said to have stretched for more than eight miles at the Alps, the foothills of the Roman Empire. Hannibal's army of 100,000 men would trek and fight 1,500 miles to arrive at the Alps from Spain. Hannibal armies included Numidians, North Africans from an area roughly where Algeria now draws its boundaries. The Numidians were known as master horsemen who could guide their horses with their knees, leaving their hands free to use swords and throw javelins.They had fought attacks from European tribes like the Gauls." Thank you Mr. Hannibal for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Hannibal. :-)  

http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2012/07/hannibal-barca-of-carthage-north-africa.html

"Soldiers! You have now surmounted not only the ramparts of Italy, but also Rome. You are entering friendly country inhabited by people who hate the Romans as much as we do. The rest of the journey will be smooth and downhill, and, after one, or at most a second battle, you will have the citadel and capital of Italy in your possession." - Hannibal

January 7th is Zora Neale Hurston Day!!!

January 7th is Zora Neale Hurston Day!!!

"Zora Neale Hurston is considered one of the pre-eminent writers of twentieth-century African-American literature. Hurston was closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance and has influenced such writers as Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison, Gayle Jones, Alice Walker, and Toni Cade Bambara. In 1975, Ms. Magazine published Alice Walker's essay, "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston" reviving interest in the author. Hurston's four novels and two books of folklore resulted from extensive anthropological research and have proven invaluable sources on the oral cultures of African America. Through her writings, Robert Hemenway wrote in The Harlem Renaissance Remembered, Hurston "helped to remind the Renaissance--especially its more bourgeois members--of the richness in the racial heritage." Thank you Ms. Hurston for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Zora Neale Hurston. :-)  

http://zoranealehurston.com/about/

"Sometimes, I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It's beyond me." - Zora Neale Hurston

January 6th is Akhenaten and Nefertiti Day!!!

January 6th is Akhenaten and Nefertiti Day!!!

There is some good and some bad about the reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, but none the less both were very influential figures in Egypt and have a hand in many influences through out the world and history.  There is A LOT of incorrect history on this couple and their families pulling from religious texts that are NOT REAL history, so it is was hard to find anything that would decently describe some of the things that are true about their history, but the site below is pretty good and doesn't mention the things that have not been proven as real history. 

"Akhenaten ("He who is of service to the Aten" or "Effective Spirit of Aten") is one of the most famous pharaohs of ancient Egypt, despite the attempts of later rulers to omit him from the lists of kings. He began his reign under the name Amenhotep IV ("Amun is satisfied"). As the son of Amenhotep III, he inherited a prosperous and peaceful nation. He was crowned pharaoh with all of the usual flair and began an apparently normal reign. It is thought that his father reigned as co-regent during the first few years, but this is disputed by some scholars. The co-regency is supported by similarities in the artistic style during the later years of Amenhotep III and that of his son, but the style may well have developed before Akhenaten (then Amenhotep IV) became king. However, it became clear early in his reign that the young king was prepared to go against convention. In his first year, he built a Temple dedicated to the Aten at the perimeter of the Temple of Amun at Karnak. He took the unconventional step of celebrating a Sed-festival in his third year (this festival was usually conducted in the thirtieth year of a Pharaoh's reign) but still presented the Aten as a variant of Amun-Ra. The Eighteenth Dynasty was characterised by powerful women, but Akhenaten seems to have granted his chief wife, Nefertiti, with power surpassed only by the Pharaoh himself. Some scholars even suggest that she ruled as co-regent for part of his reign."  

Thank you Mr. Akhenaten and Nefertiti for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Akhenaten and Nefertiti. :-)

http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/akhenaten.html

January 5th is Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones Day!!!

January 5th is Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones Day!!!

Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones was a soprano opera singer. She was the first African-American to sing at Carnegie Hall and she sang for 5 Presidents. She was super talented, but obviously because of racism and prejudice even with her success she did not get what she deserved in pay and recognition. Thank you Mr. Carver for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones. :-) 

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/jone-sis.htm

January 5th is George Washington Carver Day!!!

January 5th is George Washington Carver Day!!!

George Washington Carver was an inventor and scientist. He was also a teacher at the Tuskegee Institute. Thank you Mr. Carver for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about George Washington Carver. :-)

http://www.biography.com/people/george-washington-carver-9240299

"Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater." - George Washington Carver

January 3rd is Mansa Musa Day!!!

January 3rd is Mansa Musa Day!!!

"Mansa Musa became known throughout Africa, Europe, and Central Asia for his wealth and generous ways. As king of the West African empire of Mali, Musa controlled the gold-producing regions of Senegal and Bouré. During his rule, both learning and the arts increased in his kingdom. Musa became best known over the centuries for his show of wealth during his pilgrimage, or religious trip, to Mecca in what is today Saudi Arabia. Little is known about the early life of the person who became known as Mansa Musa. The term mansa means "king" or "lord." Historians do know that Musa inherited the title mansa and the kingdom of Mali from his father in about 1307. Years before, Musa's grandfather, Sundiata, founded the kingdom of Mali, after conquering the Ghana Empire around 1230. Under Musa's father, Uli, trade centers, such as Timbuktu and Djenné, became important places of culture." Please click the link below and learn more about Mansa Musa. 

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/biographies/musa/ 

January 2 is Oscar Micheaux Day!!!

January 2 is Oscar Micheaux Day!!!

Oscar Micheaux was the first African-American to produce a feature length film. A true pioneer in the film business and bringing issues of race to a larger audience. Please click the link below and learn more about Oscar Micheaux. 

http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-micheaux-9407584

“Your self image is so powerful it unwittingly becomes your destiny.” - Oscar Micheaux

January 2 is John Hope Franklin Day!!!

January 2 is John Hope Franklin Day!!!

John Hope Franklin was a historian that focused on the history of the African people brought to the USA in the slave trade and their stories through out history. He also wrote about race relations as well. Thank you for all of your hard work and research, you are truly missed, but your teachings will live on. Please click the link below and learn more about John Hope Franklin. 

http://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/franklin/bio.html

"We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey." - John Hope Franklin

January 1st is Grandmaster Flash Day!!!

January 1st is Grandmaster Flash Day!!!

"There are lots of stories about the birth of jazz and the beginning of rock n’ roll, but hip-hop has founding fathers: one of them is DJ Grandmaster Flash. In the early 70’s Joseph Saddler was living in the South Bronx and studying electrical engineering. However, Saddler, a native of the Bronx, had a much deeper passion for music; he had been experimenting with his father’s vinyl since he was an toddler. His knowledge of audio equipment led him to an idea that would revolutionize the way he Played music: the turntable would become his instrument. The career of DJ Grandmaster Flash began in the Bronx with neighborhood block parties that essentially were the start of what would become a global phenomenon — the dawn of a musical genre. He was the first DJ to physically lay his hands on the vinyl and manipulate it in a backward, forward or counterclockwise motion, when most DJs simply handled the record by the edges, put down the tone arm, and let it play. Those DJs let the tone arm guide their music, but Flash marked up the body of the vinyl with crayon, fluorescent pen, and grease pencil—and those markings became his compass." Thank you Mr. Flash for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Grandmaster Flash. :-)

http://www.grandmasterflash.com/about/ 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYMkEMCHtJ4

"We gotta stop fighting amongst each other. I think the only rift should be when take it the stage and try to out perform each other." - Grandmaster Flash

January 1st is Benjamin Bradley Day!!!

January 1st is Benjamin Bradley day!!!

Benjamin Bradley invented the steam engine. There are no known dates for him, so January 1st will be his day of celebration. There are also no photos of him as well, but please go to the link below and read more about this amazing man. :-)

http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/benjamin-bradley.html