June 30th is Lena Horne Day!!!
"Actress and singer Lena Horne was born June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. She left school at age 16 to help support her mother and became a dancer at the Cotton Club in Harlem. She later sang at Carnegie Hall and appeared in such films as Stormy Weather and The Wiz. She was also known for her work with civil rights groups, and refused to play roles that stereotyped African-American women." Thank you Ms. Horne for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Lena Horne.
http://www.biography.com/people/lena-horne-9344086
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHzx2P4x63c
"Always be smarter than the people who hire you." - Lena Horne
June 29th is James Van Der Zee Day!!!
"Born on June 29, 1886, in Lenox, Massachusetts, James Van Der Zee developed a passion for photography as a youth, and opened up his own Harlem studio in 1916. Van Der Zee became known for his detailed imagery of African-American life, and for capturing celebrities such as Florence Mills and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Following hard financial times, Van Der Zee enjoyed a resurge in his career during his later years. He died in 1983 in Washington, D.C." Thank you Mr. Van Der Zee for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about James Van Der Zee.
http://www.biography.com/people/james-van-der-zee-9515411
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSLMZ3igO-c
"Happiness is perfume, you can't pour it on somebody else without getting a few drops on yourself." - James Van Der Zee
June 29th is Bob Haro Day!!!
"Back then……Bob Haro started Haro Designs in the late 1970′s to create products and services for the emerging BMX scene. Bob was originally a motor cross fanatic, but graduated towards Bicycle Motor Cross when his Honda motorcycle gave up mechanically, and his funds to fix it ran dry. BMX Racing was booming in Southern California, so using his artistic talents and his keen eye for design, he began to produce hand made custom numberplates for local racers. The plates were uique and proved popular, and provided an income when the alternative was working in a supermarket as a box boy. This modest beginning would bloom into a business that changed the shape of BMX, leading the developing market in different directions. From the early beginnings on tour with the BMX Action Trick Team, to the mid 1980′s, the name “Haro” simply dominated the world of BMX Freestyle with products, accessories and a team of riders who were almost undefeatable in competition.
As a rider on tour with his team, as a designer and as a pioneer of the sport, Bob Haro sits proudly in the fabric of BMX and without him, it just wouldn’t be the same….Modern Times…Bob continues to indulge his eye for design and has enjoyed success in other areas of action Sports with his modern day Company; Haro Designs. He maintains a keen interest in the modern day sport of BMX and can be seen regularly at events across the United States, Europe and Asia." Thank you Mr. for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about .
http://www.harobmxcollector.com/history-menu/history-haro-designs/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psRDk3r5w2g
"I was a kid like any other kid - I just wanted to ride my bike." - Bob Haro
June 23rd is Wilma Rudolph Day!!!
"Wilma Rudolph was a sickly child who had to wear a brace on her left leg. She overcame her disabilities through physical therapy and hard work, and went on to become a gifted runner. Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics in 1960, at the Summer Games in Rome, and later worked as a teacher and track coach. She died in Tennessee in 1994." Thank you Ms. Rudolph for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Wilma Rudolph.
http://www.biography.com/people/wilma-rudolph-9466552
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igl8DmcKRhQ
"Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us." - Wilma Rudolph
June 23rd is United Nations Public Service Day!!!
"The UN General Assembly, in its Resolution 57/277, designated 23 June as Public Service Day (A/RES/57/277). The UN Public Service Day intends to celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community; highlight the contribution of public service in the development process; recognize the work of public servants, and encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector. Since the first Awards Ceremony in 2003, the United Nations has received an increasing number of submissions from all around the world."
Please click the link below and learn more about United Nations Public Service Day.
http://www.unpan.org/DPADM/UNPSDayAwards/UNPublicServiceDay/tabid/92/language/en-US/Default.aspx
June 22nd is Katherine Dunham Day!!!
"Katherine Dunham was an American dancer, choreographer and anthropologist noted for her innovative interpretations of ritualistic and ethnic dances." Not only did she learn through her studies and travels the history and roots of African people, but she brought this experience to her dancing and choreography. Making sure that generation after generation can see and realize the true beauty and history of the roots of humanity. Thank you Ms. Dunham for all of your contributions and inspiration! Please click the link below and learn more about Katherine Dunham.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/freetodance/biographies/dunham.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeHzW5M0bTo
"I used to want the words 'She tried' on my tombstone. Now I want 'She did it'." - Katherine Dunham
June 19th is Juneteenth Day!!!
"Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another, is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another, is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or neither of these version could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln's authority over the rebellious states was in question For whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory."
Please click the link below and learn more about Juneteenth Day.
http://www.juneteenth.com/history.htm
