Classic Movies : 'Mahogany' Taught the True Value of Being a Success

"Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with."

That's my takeaway quote from the 1975 film "Mahogany".

Agree or disagree?

There was once a time when Diana Ross and Billy Dee Williams were an "item"; for movie couples, that is. They had great onscreen chemistry but never a real-life romance.

They had a romantic relationship in the film Mahogany (1975).  A movie that is memorable for its really nice theme song and great fashion; especially that Bob Mackie rainbow dress Ms. Ross wore in one of the scenes. When it comes to fashion, beauty, and style though, in real life, Ms. Ross was and still is one of the best-dressed women in the entertainment business; onscreen and off. Click through to view a fabulous gown she's wearing in the video for this September 2014 article:

Diana Ross : Still a 'Supreme' Performer

Diana Rossby peterpictureDigital Art / Drawings & Paintings / People / Portraits©2018 peterpicture

Nothing much to say about this motion picture that you can't look up on Wikipedia. That quote about success struck a chord with me though.  That's it!  That's my movie review.

Mahogany (1975)

 

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http://mabellonghetti.tumblr.com/post/145188247227/diana-ross-photographed-by-steve-schapiro-1970s

Learn a part of American history that is practically unknown.

“The Feast of All Saints” is an adaptation of a book by Ms. Rice about people of color, not slaves but free, who lived in New Orleans, Louisiana during the 19th century.

When you hear the name Anne Rice, if you’re like most people you think of vampires. So I was rather surprised several years back when a miniseries was aired on television called the “The Feast of All Saints”. This miniseries is an adaptation of a book with the same title by Ms. Rice, published in 1979. It is historical fiction about people of color, not slaves but free, who lived in New Orleans, Louisiana during the 19th century. The series included many celebrated African-American actors whose work in the entertainment industry is well-known, such as Eartha Kitt, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and Ben Vereen. The series also introduced other not-so-well-known actors of color like Gloria Reuben, Robert Ri’chard, and Nicole Lynn.

I have yet to read the book, but the televised series was excellent from start to finish and very educational. It shed light on a part of American history that is practically unknown.

♦

Original source.

* * * * *  In Memory of Anne Rice (1941 - 2021)

If you like The Feast of All Saints, you might also like "Belle".

Books by Anne Rice ~ https://t.co/abqbln0axq ~ Ms. Rice has written 30+ #books, Her 1st novel, "Interview with the Vampire", published 1976 and another novel “Feast of All Saints” about the free people of color of ante-bellum New Orleans, published 1979, were adapted to film. pic.twitter.com/VL15YFGfYV

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) September 4, 2018

In Case You Were Thinking of Becoming a Writer | Motivational Quotes

Hi! Have you ever thought about becoming a writer?  Any kind of writer? Book writer. Poetry. Articles. Blogger.  Sharing a few inspirational quotes by female writers who have inspired me.

Other writers thought about becoming a writer, before they decided. Something got them started. When they were well on their way, something kept them going.


“When I was about eight, I decided that the most wonderful thing, next to a human being, was a book.”
― Margaret Walker (1915 – 1998)
(Dr. Margaret Abigail Walker Alexander)
http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/9660.Margaret_Walker


“I am a writer perhaps because I am not a talker.”
― Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 – 2000)
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25128.Gwendolyn_Brooks


“I speak to the black experience, but I am always talking about the human condition — about what we can endure, dream, fail at, and still survive.”
― Maya Angelou (1928 – )
http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_maya_angelou.htm


“You might as well answer the door, my child,
the truth is furiously knocking.”
― Lucille Clifton, Good Woman: Poems and a Memoir 1969-1980

“I don’t write out of what I know; I write out of what I wonder. […] Poetry and art are not about answers to me; they are about questions.”
― Lucille Clifton (1936 – )
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/183177.Lucille_Clifton


“Going to the library was the one place we got to go without asking for permission. And they let us choose what we wanted to read. It was a feeling of having a book be mine entirely.”
― Rita Frances Dove (1952 – )
http://linguaspectrum.com/quotations/by_author_english.php?quoteoftheday_author=Rita%20Dove

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Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Michael Jackson was so much more than an eclectic and consummate entertainer. He was an extremely generous humanitarian and would no doubt like for people to remember his love and genuine care and concern for children.

“HEAL THE KIDS” SPEECH at OXFORD UNIVERSITY 2001(Excerpt):

As you all know, our two countries broke from each other over what Thomas Jefferson referred to as “certain inalienable rights”. And while we Americans and British might dispute the justice of his claims, what has never been in dispute is that children have certain inalienable rights, and the gradual erosion of those rights has led to scores of children worldwide being denied the joys and security of childhood. I would therefore like to propose tonight that we install in every home a Children’s Universal Bill of Rights, the tenets of which are:

1. The right to be loved without having to earn it

2. The right to be protected, without having to deserve it

3. The right to feel valuable, even if you came into the world with nothing

4. The right to be listened to without having to be interesting

5. The right to be read a bedtime story, without having to compete with the evening news

6. The right to an education without having to dodge bullets at schools

7. The right to be thought of as adorable – (even if you have a face that only a mother could love).

Famous Poets: Spotlight on Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (1917 - 2000)

"I am a writer perhaps because I am not a talker."  

- -  Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 - 2000) 

A biography snapshot of African-American poet, Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (Jun 7, 1917 - Dec 3, 2000). 

Continue reading:

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks: Famous African-American Poet - 100Springs.com

Renowned Poet Gwendolyn Brooks, May 1968 - Photo by Howard Simmons

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#OTD
Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. #WIU pic.twitter.com/Ve8UEwjHPr

— Gwendolyn Brooks Culture Center (@WIU_GBCC) June 7, 2019

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• Harper Lee to publish sequel to 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
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• University to celebrate life and legacy of poet Gwendolyn Brooks

May 5, 1950 Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her book “Annie Allen.” She was the first AA to receive the prize. Brooks biography, “A Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” was published in 1990. See: https://t.co/LC0E1lEjm2#OnThisDayInBlackHistory pic.twitter.com/sVlNhcefCG

— Thabiti Anyabwile (@ThabitiAnyabwil) May 5, 2019

History Lesson: Slavery: The Practice of Human Bondage

When did slavery begin? Its practice was commonplace during biblical times; the Bible weaves intricate details of slavery into the accounts of daily lives. 

Continue reading: 

The Practice of Human Bondage: When Did Slavery Begin?

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Zen Pencils - Inspirational Quotes Adapted Into Cartoons

Cartoon quotes from famous folks who inspire us - Presented to you by ZenPencils.com.

Discovered this site because it showed up in the post stream via Tumblr.com. Someone has taken one of Maya Angelou's well-known poems - “Phenomenal Woman” - and presented it in comic strip format. Their artistic endeavor was … in a word … phenomenal!

The image supplied with this post is a partial view of his work. To view the entire comic strip, click here .

Gavin Aung Than is the talented cartoonist who creates these “essential” moments in time.

You can submit a quote and he will create a cartoon or comic for it. He has done quotes by Kahlil Gibran, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lao Tzu, Winston Churchill and many more.

If you have a few hours, a slow day, nothing much going on … spend some time perusing this site. You'll leave inspired.

♥ In Memory of: - Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014)



Official Website: zenpencils.com 
♦ Tumblr Blog: zenpencils.tumblr.com

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Content first appeared Feb 2015 at:  Persona Paper

Small Town USA - Greenville, Texas (near Dallas)

Back in 2011, Forbes magazine prepared a TOP 10 List of cities considered to be “economic superstars”. They were recognized as a “superstar” because they have relatively low housing prices, and somehow experienced an increase in new jobs, and managed to keep their economies afloat. The List included 4 Texas cities. - Austin, Texas was Number 1; - San Antonio was Number 4 on the List; - Houston, Number 5; and - Dallas, Number 7. 

- Read more at:  "The Next Big Boom Towns in the U.S." https://web.archive.org/web/20161202135817/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pf_article_113083.html

Austin is the state capital; and in the same way, Cedar Park, Texas benefits from being a part of the Greater Austin community, Greenville, Texas is a “small town” that likely benefits from their proximity to Dallas, one of the places named as an economic superstar. Downtown Greenville is an easy 45 minute trip from Dallas, Texas.

The 2015 estimated population projection for this city is less than 30,000. That's close enough to meeting my definition of having small-town charm.

Greenville, TX is north of Dallas in Northeast, Texas. 

Map found at greenville-texas.com



Here are just a few facts to peak your interest in this colorful U.S. city.


Greenville was established in 1846. It was famous for a sign that read "Welcome to Greenville, The Blackest Land, The Whitest People". 

This sign was hung over the main street in the downtown area from the 1920s to the 1960s. Between the 1960s and 1970s, the sign was changed to "The Blackest Land, The Greatest People". 

There has been a dispute over the interpretation of those words.  Some believed the sign indicated a racist attitude of the people in the city.  Others insisted that "whitest" was not referring to their race but rather their purity, honesty, and integrity of the people who lived there. The color "white" is symbolic for purity, is it not?

Eventually, the sign was just taken down. The fertile black soil of the area resulted in excellent cotton production, and Greenville became known as the "cotton capital of the world".
 
Times have changed for the better and the new attitude is reflected in the City's vision statement:

“The vision of the City of Greenville is to build on our hometown values and rich heritage as a diverse community, by providing cost-effective, quality services to create an enjoyable vibrant place where families and business choose to live, grow and prosper.”

Image credit: Old map of Greenville, TX, 1891; Public Domain; Wikimedia Commons

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Little Known Black History Fact: Lee Wesley Gibson and Ben Isaacs

Mr. Gibson or “George” passed away at the age of 107 and is noted in the records as the oldest surviving member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

Ben Isaacs dies at 107; oldest Pullman porter

• Obituary published August 18, 2012 in LA Times: Excerpt:  “Records kept by the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum in Chicago had recognized 102-year-old Lee Wesley Gibson of Los Angeles as being the oldest living Pullman porter until Isaacs — born five years earlier than Gibson — came forward in 2010.”

Originally posted on Majic 102.1:

At 101 years old, Lee Wesley Gibson of Keatchie, Louisiana is the oldest surviving member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Gibson served as a pullman porter for 38 years. Back in the day, the job of pullman porter was considered a middle-class position, something Gibson, who was raised by a poor single mom, took pride in.

• http://www.blackamericaweb.com/news/little-known-black-history-fact/little-known-black-history-fact-lee-wesley-gibson

View original post

It doesn't matter.  The fact is that both men are in the records and both deserve to be remembered because we all need to be REMINDED that they were unique individual men who each had a name.  THEIR OWN NAME!  A name that some guy couldn't be bothered with learning.  What was that guy's name?  I know he had a name.  Sadly, people don't remember his name fondly.

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Society and Culture: The Olympics is Proof of Peace in Diversity

Doves have come to be known as a recognized universal symbol for peace in many cultures.  

The releasing of doves was done first at the 1896 Olympics held in Athens, Greece. 


It was only fitting that the 100th Anniversary of this tradition be highlighted at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA, USA.  Atlanta, as most students of American history know, was the Confederate Center in Georgia where several engagements of the Civil War were fought.  But that was the 60s (1861-65).  


One decade, we’re fighting like cats and dogs with each other, hooping and hollering about secession; and just 30 years later we are off to Greece, and the United States, emphasis on the word “united” was representing!  


Because, in the end, all that we all really do want is … world peace. 

• Read more: Modern Olympic Symbols and Traditions — Infoplease.com (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/olympicsceremonies.html#ixzz22s1Dtspc)

Summer Olympics Games 1996 Atlanta Collectible Sheet of Twenty 32 Cent Stamps

Let #OlympicPeace take flight. Show your support with a uniquely crafted peace dove. https://t.co/PKNWwGTfga pic.twitter.com/iafqiLEHn7

— Olympics (@Olympics) July 23, 2016

1996 Olympics Atlanta 100 Year Doves

1996 Olympics… 22 in. x 34 in. Allposters.com  

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Jazz, America's Original Art Form ~ Cool Tweets for Where to Find Great Jazz!

"Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but is a gift that America has given the world."
- Ahmad Alaadeen

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Top 60 Jazz Youtube Channels for Jazz Enthusiasts ~ https://t.co/EpUnqcVAWo #music #musiclovers #jazzmusic #entertainment #moviesmusicandbooks #musicvideos pic.twitter.com/FCYJHuJzwt

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 2, 2020

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Jazz24 ~ https://t.co/PReWVsi1Ww - Online jazz streaming free 24/7 #playlists #studiosessions and more. #music #musiclovers #jazzmusic #entertainment #moviesmusicandbooks pic.twitter.com/j3SDff8zAv

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 2, 2020

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JAZZ RADIO, 97.3 FM, Lyon, France | Free Internet Radio | TuneIn https://t.co/Ox6L30iY3v - Listen for free and enjoy countless hours of the best jazz music around. @tunein #music #musiclovers #jazzmusic #entertainment #moviesmusicandbooks pic.twitter.com/HuFmYqMMG4

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 2, 2020

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JazzTimes https://t.co/lOXMYuLikI ~ "...comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the jazz scene." Find news, album, book and video reviews, informative features, special theme issues, etc. #music #musiclovers #jazzmusic #entertainment #moviesmusicandbooks pic.twitter.com/wF09ZBN8bc

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 2, 2020

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The 10 Best Jazz Albums Of 2019 https://t.co/odp59Ug5bx pic.twitter.com/OR7I0yBY9z

— Stereogum (@stereogum) December 9, 2019

♪

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* * * Do you know of any other sites where great jazz can be found?  Leave a comment.

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Apologize for the inconvenience but this content has been moved to my partner blog, Joie de Vivre Magazine. I thought it was more appropriate there since this blog spotlights lifestyle and cultural topics. I appreciate your patience. One more click and you're there!

Black Art in America: Augusta Savage (1892 - 1962) : The Harp

Former Slave Who Sued Master For Back Wages!

Since it's February – Black History Month - Americans usually use the entire month to shine the spotlight on the contributions of black or African Americans, I am reminded of a fascinating article about a woman named Belinda, a former slave who sued her owner/master for back wages and WON!!!

Brenda Barnes is a writer who crossed my path via Wizzley.com. Even though she only contributed two articles, the subject matter discussed is worth recycling.

• Belinda, the Slave Who Sued Her Master for Back Wages

• The Carolina Conjoined Slave Twins Born in 1851

Belinda's Petition: A Concise History of Reparations For The TransAtlantic Slave Trade

 

Related articles Black in Time | Online Resource for Black History Twitter's Blackbirds launch bot for Black History Month

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The Black History of the White House

 

    Silas Watts

Black in Time | Online Resource for Black History

Although February has been officially designated as Black History Month and is observed in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, Black In Time is an excellent online resource for black history and culture all year-round. The tagline for the website states its purpose succinctly: Celebrating Who We Are By Honoring Who We Were. Brief biographical snapshots and historical accounts are presented by way of A Moment in OUR History links that acquaint us with Americans of African heritage - such as: 

Bessie Coleman, the first licensed black pilot in the United States (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

- Bessie Coleman (1922, successful female pilot who broke through racial and gender barriers), 

- Henry O. Flipper (former slave who realized his childhood dream by graduating from The West Point United States Military Academy in 1877), 

- Garrett A. Morgan (invented and patented the gas mask; became a national hero in 1916 when he donned the breathing device and led a rescue team into a tunnel to save 30 workers trapped there after an explosion), 

- Dr. Carter G. Woodson (scholar, historian, educator and author, honored as The Father Of Black History; in 1926 he created what is known today as Black History Month). 

Portrait of African-American historian Carter Godwin Woodson as a young man. Courtesy of the New River Gorge National River website, National Park Service, Dept of the Interior, US Gov'. (Wikipedia)

This site is a research and reference tool intended to assist those interested in tracing the steps of generations from the days of slavery to the present; and its goal is to motivate anyone to create positive, unique stories within their own lives.

Hugh Gaddy is Founder and President of Black In Time Enterprises. You can view his public profile on LinkedIn.com. When asked if there was any one historical personality in particular that really motivated and inspired him, Mr. Gaddy responded: Without question, Malcolm X!! I read his autobiography when I was 15 and it changed my life!!

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Do you get inspired by reading
biographical accounts or personal memoirs?

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MAYA ANGELOU - STILL I RISE

Honoring Dr. Maya Angelou, 
American Author & Poet (1928 - 2014).  

“I speak to the black experience, but I am always talking about the human condition -- about what we can endure, dream, fail at, and still survive.” ― Maya Angelou (Quote Source)

Celebrating Ms. Angelou's contributions to literature.  She has earned her rightful place among the great poets and writers, not just in American literature, but in world literature.  He writings speak to the soul and heart of every individual and about the life of every human being, not just to the African-American experience.

Image credit: President Barack Obama presenting Maya Angelou with the Presidential Medal of Freedom : Wikipedia; Public Domain

• Maya Angelou - her life and poetry

• Maya Angelou: The Poetry and Life of Reinvention

• Dr. Maya Angelou: BLACK IN TIME: A Moment In OUR History

Cartoon quotes from famous folks who inspire us - Presented to you by ZenPencils.com. 

Discovered this site because it showed up in the post stream via Tumblr.com. This artist has taken one of Maya Angelou's well-known poems - “Phenomenal Woman” - and presented it in comic strip format. Their artistic endeavor was … in a word … phenomenal!  ~  View the entire comic strip.

Native American History: The Early Rainbow Coalition

Born and raised in Florida and the Seminoles were the first real American Indians that I had ever seen in my life. Happy to recycle this information a friend on a now-defunct social network shared with me as part of the November celebration for Native American Heritage Month. 

“On Christmas day 1837, 176 years ago, the Africans and Native Americans who formed Florida’s Seminole Nation defeated a vastly superior U.S. invading army bent on cracking this early rainbow coalition and returning the Africans to slavery. …”

Read more:  “Christmas Day Freedom Fighters: Hidden History of the Seminole Anticolonial Struggle” by William Loren Katz: http://bit.ly/1bqgtzD


(Image: Attack of the Seminoles on the blockhouse. Image: WikiCommons.)

An abandoned British fort from the war of 1812 was once occupied by a group of escaped slaves who found refuge and acceptance among the local tribes. The fort and the Spanish control of Florida offered some defense but the U.S. government sent an expeditionary military raid to terminate the outlaw colony. In the summer of 1816, the fort on the Apalachicola River was destroyed and nearly all its inhabitants.

WARRIORS FROM BONDAGE
30″ X 48″ Oil Painting by Jackson Walker of the attack of Negro Fort on the Apalachicola River, 1816. Jackson Walker Florida Artist, Florida History Paintings, Military History Paintings, Legandary Florida, US History, Florida Landscape Paintings