Welcome to the Febone1960.net Black History Month Calendar. The calendar has been existence for four years and is utilized in public schools and colleges as a teaching of African American History.
In today’s clip we meet the Bailey family, an African American family who moves to Greensboro, N.C. in 1946.
Mariah and Curtis Bailey were born and raised in Society Hill, S.C. Society Hill was a small farm town near the Pee Dee River. In exploring the couples ancestry, we are able to view a slave inventory which list Curtis’ maternal grandfather and mother as the property of Alexander Sparks. We also view a freeman’s contract for Curtis’ Great grandfather and uncle Curtis Bonaparte, and June Bonaparte.
The couple who have 8 children leave this farming community where their lives weren’t much better than slaves. They are in search of new beginnings, and after living in Greensboro for 14 years they witness a radical change in the lives of African Americans which frightens them.
As we travel back 50 years in today’s clip we find that the radical change is a revolution sparked by four freshmen students from the North Carolina Agriculture & Technical College.
Today’s clip is narrated by Yvette Freeman and Dr. James C. Renick. Yvette played nurse Haleh Adams on the long running medical drama “ER”.
Dr. Renick is the former Chancellor at N.C. A&T State University. Dr. Renick who oversaw a substantial expansion on the Aggie campus, recently returned to his Alma Mater as a special adviser to the President of Central State University.
The run-time for this clip which is also narrated in Spanish and interpreted in sign language is 10 minutes and 40 seconds.
Donnie Simpson’s 32-year run on Washington’s airwaves ended on Friday January 29, 1020, afetr the longtime morning host had a falling out with his longtime station, WPGC-FM (95.5).
Simpson, 55, is under contract until March of 2011, but has sought to end his association with the CBS-owned station that has employed him as its signature morning personality since 1993.
CBS will keep Simpson from jumping to another station by invoking the “non-compete” provision of his contract. The clause bars Simpson from working for a Washington-area station for the next 13 1/2 months. CBS invoked a similar provision in 2008 when another of its local personalities, Don Geronimo, left WJFK-FM before his contract had expired.
Simpson’s departure follows months of declining ratings for his show and internal friction between Simpson and WPGC’s management. The station has sought to boost Simpson’s ratings and attract younger listeners by updating his playlist and playing hit songs more often. Simpson and his producer-son, Donnie Jr., have maintained that the station was meddling, compromising his long-running program and alienating loyal listeners.
CBS had wanted to ease Simpson out with a celebratory retirement party in mid-March, but Simpson declined, according to people familiar with the negotiations between him and the station. Late last week he began telling listeners on the air that his departure was imminent but didn’t specify when he’d be leaving.
Simpson has been a radio personality since he was a teenager in Detroit, his home town. Before joining WPGC, he spent 16 years at WKYS-FM, helping to build it into a local powerhouse. He also gained national and international attention as the host of Black Entertainment Television’s “Video Soul” program for almost 15 years.
It was a morning full of emotion from his fans, friends and family…The phone lines were also buzzing with calls from Toni Braxton, Blair Underwood and Tavis Smiley. No mention of Vanity who probably wished that he had ended his show before ending her career over an insensitive remark she made about black males during a Simpson interview.
The show had to run over by one hour to handle all of the goodbyes that continued at the famous Ben’s Chilli Bowl on U Street NW. Remember last year, Obama visited Ben 's before being sworn end causing visitors to storm the small eatery during days leading up to the inauguration.
The video above gives the details of the U Street farewell event.
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Earl Jones doesn’t hesitate to tell it like he perceives when it come to his journey in building the International Civil Rights Museum.
The former Woolsworth Five & Dime will open its doors as the International Civil Rights Museum on Monday February 1, 2010.
On Feb. 1, 1960, the dime store was the site of a sit-in by four N.C. A&T students who opposed the store’s policy of serving only white people at the lunch counter. A six-month protest ensued, triggering similar demonstrations across the South and helping to usher in the nationwide movement that ultimately ended the Jim Crow era of segregation.
Fourteen years ago, Jones a North Carolina General Assembly representative and County Commissioner Skip Alston came up with the idea to turn the closed store into a museum when word circulated that the building would be torn down and converted into a parking lot.
The two created a foundation and the fundraising began.
Initially donations coming by way of an annual banquet trickled in after a failed bond referendum. Jones himself was able to secure funds from the State for the project.
However last year an agreement was struck between the foundation and two investment groups to purchase $10 million in tax credits linked to the project.
In addition to $10 million from the sale of tax credits, local foundations and a variety of corporations made $4 million in new pledges to help complete the project.
Tax credits are purchased by private investors who use them to reduce their state and federal taxes on profits made in other business ventures.
A Gala will preceded the ribbon cutting festivities om Monday. Julian Bond and Tom Joyner will receive awards during the banquet.
A panel discussion headed by Ed Gordon with Jesse Jackson Sr., Al sharpton and Bennet College President Julianne Malveaux will be the highlight on the A&T campus.
Yolanda Adams will headline a spiritual gospel event on Sunday leading up to the ribbon cutting on Monday.
