Stop the Violence!!!...How much are you like your neighbor?

"He did a whole lot of wrong stuff," said William Harris, a retired construction foreman who has lived on 81st Street for more than 40 years. "But this murder stuff really surprised me…If the accusations are true, Harris may be left wondering not just what that says about his neighbor but what it says about the moral compass of his neighborhood.” - Sandy Banks


Dear friends,

In our efforts to develop loving and prosperous communities, it is easy to point fingers at people who behave in unthinkable ways. Yet, what does that say about us as individuals, in any particular neighborhood, if we live and associate with the same people who we denounce, without taking pro-active, positive steps to help create an environment where we live that encourages social interactions between members of the community that are based upon respect, trust, kindness, and honesty?

Still, from random killings to domestic violence to sexual harassment of all kinds - to various forms of robbery, assault, and deception - to forced prostitution, violence against females - regardless of their ages, skin colors, or social statuses - is the world’s biggest problem. Period! It, literally, affects not only half of the population in the US, but, as well, an equal amount of humankind worldwide. Moreover, it is the most immediate threat to our survival as a species than even the suicidal “nuclear proliferation” of all developed countries combined, or the current so-called “world economic crisis”.

In any case, on the link below, a few years ago, Sandy Banks of the Los Angeles Times delivered, in her usual thought-provoking manner, a piece that, aqt least to me, entices us to confront our own inadequacies and insecurities about being good neighbors. Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-banks-20100710,0,5099090,full.column Read full post

Male Supremacy rules in Nigeria/Africa too!!!

"Why are males, of all ages, so insecure that they need to get their self-worth at the expense of females, of all ages?"

Dear friends,

On the link below is a 25 minutes-long video about human trafficking in the nation that has the world's largest Black population, Nigeria (Brazil is 2nd, the US is 3rd). The real problem, even more so than White Supremacy, is: Male Supremacy. It fosters both economic, physical, and emotional violence against females, literally, every second, of every minute, of every day.

Let's stop it! Why are males, of all ages, so insecure that they need to get their self-worth at the expense of females, of all ages?

G. Djata Bumpus
http://saharareporters.com/video/video-human-trafficking-prostitution-and-organized-crime-nigeria-nigerian-connection-film-part Read full post

Wisdom of a Female Scientist about Violence against Women

“Instead of women, including myself. focusing on our chances, or lack thereof, of getting married we need to actively combat the objectification of women... “Dr. Namandje Ne'fertiti Bumpus

Dear friends,

About three years ago, I read a piece by a dear friend, award-winning journalist Jenice Armstrong of the Philadelphia Daily News. In her article, Jen talked about the difficulties of, particularly, middle-aged professional African American women finding a suitable mate once they have passed 40 years of age .

One of my daughters, Namandje, a medical scientist and college professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has just reached thirty-two years-old, but she has spoken with me about the here-to-mentioned stats before.

Therefore, when I read Jen's piece, I forwarded it to her for comments. Her response showed that she had more concern for the recently (2010) murdered grad student from Yale, Annie Le, and how that incident relates to male/female relationships generally. Namandje's response appears below.

Stop the Violence!!!

G. Djata Bumpus ***********************************************

Hey Dad,

The Yale graduate student murder is the issue that is most on my mind. A young woman and young pharmacologist was strangled in a lab she was working in doing her thesis research perhaps by a man that worked with her and was interested in her. She had done research at the NIH (National Institute of Health) and was now a student at Yale.

Yale has a very well-respected pharmacology graduate program so we are talking about a serious graduate student that was serious about developing her science. She wanted to become a professor in academia, when statistics show that many women for whatever reason (family commitments, etc.) choose not to go that route. This hits close to home for me.

The lab for people that are dedicated to our craft is not the same as the average person's workplace. We live in the lab mentally and even physically in a way. We dream about experiments and wake up to write down what we were thinking and run into lab to test it the next day. Many of us spend more time there than we do at home. The fact that a woman could be victimized and murdered in that setting is very troubling. Women cannot walk down the street at night, or sleep in their home alone or even work in a lab in broad daylight alone apparently without having to think about the fact that they might be attacked by a violent predator.

Instead of women, including myself. focusing on our chances, or lack thereof, of getting married we need to actively combat the objectification of women. Once this happens the definitions of men and women and our places in society can evolve to a place that does not depend on women being lesser which currently in many ways they do. Perhaps then we will all approach looking for and entering into a life partnership in a more productive and intellectual manner.

Namandje Read full post

African American Teenage Girls Need Our Support Too

"Parents themselves must have a meaningful way to look at life, other than collecting trinkets and baubles, because your children are watching you!"

Dear friends,


Last year (2012), six beautiful African American teenage girls (I wonder if anyone ever has called them beautiful, because of their darker complexions) attacked a middle-aged, mentally-challenged woman (who I'm presuming is African American), in Chester, PA recently.

For all of the emphasis on "Black males", who do people think bear the latter, through pregnancy?. Yep!. Females.

Therefore, at least to me, it is time for African American people to STOP placing so much emphasis on our male youths only.. After all, to continue concentrating on their male counterparts only, furthers male promotion of, as well as, female submission to, Male Supremacy, no matter how well-intentioned the efforts in favor of emphasizing on males is.

Moreover, it is the responsibility of ALL parents, African American or otherwise, to give their children direction and guidance that is based upon informing identity through the connection between generations, along with their true historical and cultural experiences, so that the "market" doesn't suck our youth into all of the nonsense that has culture being defined outside of generational processes (genuine culture), with nonsense about "gang" culture, "gay" culture, "youth" culture, and all other such idiocy!.

Parents themselves must have a meaningful way to look at life, other than collecting trinkets and baubles, because your children are watching you!

One Love!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120930_Six_teens_charged_in_brutal_Chester_beating.html
Read full post

So Long - Mama Africa (originally posted 11/14/08)

Mariam Makeba aka "Mama Africa" (1932 - 2008)






Dear friends,

Almost forty years ago, I had both the pleasure and honor of meeting Mariam Makeba. At the time, she was married to Stokely Carmichael (later known as Kwame Ture). Stokely was the chief icon of the Black Consciousness Movement. Mariam was a celebrated singer and activist in her own right. The two had married not quite two years earlier.

They had been living in Africa, while Stokely studied under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the former president of Ghana and the main proponent of the concept of Pan Africanism at the time. On this, his first trip back to the States, word got out to activists in Boston's Black community that Stokely was coming through Logan Airport. In a hurry, a group of us, which included some Black college students from Northeastern University, were able to get a hall for him to speak and an honorarium. We then set out to get an audience. It wasn't difficult, considering Stokely's stature. The place was packed, by the scheduled time for Stokely to speak. This all happened in a matter of five or six hours, as I remember.

The last time that I ever saw Mariam Makeba was when we bid the couple farewell in the parking lot behind the building in which Stokely spoke. The two were arm-in-arm, smiling, beneath an umbrella, as the weather had become drizzly. I will always remember that hectic but incredibly positive experience.

On the link below, is a piece that I saw on the Website of WDAS radio in Philadelphia that gives a short biography of Mariam's life. Her spirit will live on in many.

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.wdasfm.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104659?feed=104653&article=4561480 Read full post

Wisdom of a Female Scientist about Violence against Women

Instead of women, including myself. focusing on our chances, or lack thereof, of getting married we need to actively combat the objectification of women... Dr. Namandje Ne'fertiti Bumpus
(Originally posted 3/20/11) 

 Dear friends, 

Last year, I read a piece by a dear friend, award-winning journalist Jenice Armstrong of the Philadelphia Daily News. In her article, Jen talked about the difficulties of, particularly, middle-aged professional African American women finding a suitable mate once they have passed 40 years of age . One of my daughters, Namandje, a medical scientist and college professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, has just reached thirty years-old, but she has spoken with me about the here-to-mentioned stats before. Therefore, when I read Jen's piece, I forwarded it to her for comments. Her response showed that she had more concern for the recently (2010) murdered grad student from Yale, Annie Le, and how that incident relates to male/female relationships generally. Namandje's response appears below. 

 Stop the Violence!!! 

 G. Djata Bumpus 

********************************************* 

 Hey Dad, The Yale graduate student murder is the issue that is most on my mind. A young woman and young pharmacologist was strangled in a lab she was working in doing her thesis research perhaps by a man that worked with her and was interested in her. She had done research at the NIH (National Institute of Health) and was now a student at Yale. 

 Yale has a very well-respected pharmacology graduate program so we are talking about a serious graduate student that was serious about developing her science. She wanted to become a professor in academia, when statistics show that many women for whatever reason (family commitments, etc.) choose not to go that route. This hits close to home for me. 

 The lab for people that are dedicated to our craft is not the same as the average person's workplace. We live in the lab mentally and even physically in a way. We dream about experiments and wake up to write down what we were thinking and run into lab to test it the next day. Many of us spend more time there than we do at home. 

 The fact that a woman could be victimized and murdered in that setting is very troubling. Women cannot walk down the street at night, or sleep in their home alone or even work in a lab in broad daylight alone apparently without having to think about the fact that they might be attacked by a violent predator. Instead of women, including myself. focusing on our chances, or lack thereof, of getting married we need to actively combat the objectification of women. Once this happens the definitions of men and women and our places in society can evolve to a place that does not depend on women being lesser which currently in many ways they do. Perhaps then we will all approach looking for and entering into a life partnership in a more productive and intellectual manner. 

 Namandje Read full post

Videos of Malcolm, Martin, and James

"Considering the recent cartoon that was deliberately posted during Black History Month by the New York Post (in 2009), the series of videos here seem quite timely..."

Dear friends,

Considering the fact that America is still wrought with economic and social problems, regardless of the president's skin color, is Black Nationalism still an answer to the woes of Black people? Below is a link with videos of and about Malcolm X, including interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King and James Baldwin.

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus
Videos of and about Malcolm X, including interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King and James Baldwin Read full post

"Ebony Woman" by Nicki Mathis - a poem

"I wrote this in 1986, as a tribute to Black Women"





"EBONY WOMAN"
by Nicki Mathis

Beautiful are your eyes
Strong, creative, and tender
are your hands
Spiritual is the heart
of my Black sisters

Your eyes are the eyes of the world
Sparkling in the sunlight
Glowing in the moonlight
Girl, I see you dancing in the twilight

Your hands are the hands that weave
webs of life's mysteries
Place me in your stories
Taste the nectar of your love
Bear the fruit of your trees

Sing a song of love and praise
Your adventurous spirit is ageless
You leave me more than misty haze
For my song of love and praise
You foretell all the mazes
To make my life's mirror
So much clearer

I told you about my first love affair
This time before I wake
Listen to my dreamlife without care
And my last heartbreak

My courageous sisters
You cheered me on
You ran this race before me
You taught the lesson so well
You left a priceless legacy
You loved the world enough to tell
All the time you showed me
I can choose not to fail

Now it’s your brilliance
That I bask in
You breathe the breath of life
And it’s I who’s asking
To see the mold that you’re casting
It’s everlasting, everlasting, everlasting

And ever beautiful
You’re the richest of all my treasures
Or how else can I measure
What my life is meant to be
You have made me see
The Universe in me

So I sing my love song to you
I need to be with you girl
I’m so lost without you, and you, and you
My mother you are beautiful
Sister you are beautiful
My love and my friend
You are beautiful Read full post

Pimpin’ the Arts – Grammy, Academy Awards, and other award shows

“S/he serves as a bridge between the appreciator and that which is either real or imagined.”

Dear friends,

Having just aired stories about the anniversary of the unfortunate demise of the great Whitney Houston, all of the network television charlatans are getting North Americans ready for the annual “Awards” circuit. The Oscars are about to happen.

But what is the real point of giving awards to artists? I mean, the artist is asking for someone to “Come listen” or “Come see” or “Come hear” his or her work. The reason? S/he serves as a bridge between the appreciator and that which is either real or imagined.

In the process, art can serve the purpose of liberating or simply providing pleasure of some sort. And seldom are there financial rewards for being an artist.

Moreover, having people appreciate your creations, much less be willing to surrender some of their money to purchase them, in order for the artist to continue to survive so that s/he can keep creating his or her work, is the actual reward in and of itself.

Now, for most occupations, be they teachers, construction workers, architects, police officers, or janitors, or those in super markets, clothing stores, realty offices, automobile outlets, you name it, advertisers and their sponsors have a fairly easy time getting into the pockets of the average citizens mentioned above. However, artists are different. As well, their spending habits are unpredictable. Besides, for the very few who make any money, that means that a lot of money is left on the table. So how do you get some of that money, from these rich, non-traditional members of our society?

Guess what? You play on their egos. It’s that simple. The result is a myriad of formal clothing and hotel rentals. However, more importantly, television commercials that sell at astronomical rates prevail. Millions!

And so, for example, at the show, the announcement is made for the best singer. Then a commercial. Next, an award for the best singer who wore a blue dress. Then another commercial. Then a “Special Achievement Award” for the best singer to have ever worn a blue dress. I imagine that you get the point, by now.

Meanwhile, artists sit around engaging in an orgy of emotional masturbation, basking in illusions of their self-importance. And everyday people watching on television see the aforementioned commercials, and go out and buy more and more silly gadgets that they do no even need.

And there’s no better way to spend one’s time. Right?

Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Re- visiting "Precious" - was it a cinematic masterpiece or a movie full of Black self-hatred, obesity,and greed?

"Still. at least to me, the issue of obesity should actually be attached to the much larger problem of emotional/sexual greed, much less the violence - due to Male Supremacy - against females. that fosters that whole social/health epidemic (i.e., obesity) and helps it proliferate."

Dear friends,

Seeking happiness is, perhaps, the main reason for which, as individuals, we tolerate the burdens, inequities, and inconsistencies of life in an advanced civilization such as ours. That is, it seems worth it. Additionally, in dealing with the aforementioned burdens, inequities, ad inconsistencies, we devise a variety of ways to internally run from ourselves, as opposed to confronting problems..

Consequently, passive entertainment like watching thoughtless Hollywood television and movie productions, instead of pro-active entertainment such as engaging our physical and mental powers through exercise of some sort – from running to reading, leaves most folks in this country in a constant state of apathy and confusion.

Moreover, it is to the benefit of those who control our society to make sure, as much is possible, that we, as a population, maintain homogenous thoughts and tastes about as many circumstances and towards as many things as possible. It would not be in the interests of the rulers, if our thoughts and tastes just mentioned were too heterogeneous, after all. We would be tough to manage and control.

So. through advertising conglomerates and a variety of cultural institutions like schools and government- and corporate-controlled media, the aforesaid rulers make certain that they stay in power, at all costs, for generations on end. And they legitimize their unfair existence by using the threat capacity of the police and military. Let’s face it; as Adam Smith put it so adequately and eloquently in his classic volumes that are titled The Wealth of Nations: For every rich man there are five hundred poor ones, and he wouldn’t get a night’s sleep if it weren’t for the local magistrate.

In any case, it has been interesting how, other than the exceptional Jen Armstrong of the Philadelphia Daily News (who also happens to be a very dear friend of mine), most journalists and other such opinion-makers who I’ve recently read have skillfully circumvented discussing that disgraceful cinematic expression of Black self-hatred based upon a book called Push, by the director of that movie, along with its executive producers and actors. Was the author of the book, or were any of the other “Black” folks who I just noted being greedy when they made this film? Who knows their intentions? Was either Stepinfetchit, or his spritual descendant Eddie “Professor Klump” Murphy, being greedy when he made/makes films? Who knows? In fact, no one ever knows the intentions of another, unless you subject the person to some kind of torture. Even then, you may only be told what the victim thinks you want to hear.

I do know that Black actors in this country continue to make plays, movies, and other performances that either invite us to come laugh at ourselves or make “white” folks feel sorry for us.

Nevertheless, up tp this point, aside from the fact that, other than a male transvestite named “Divine”, I’ve never heard of a morbidly obese “white” actress starring in a single Hollywood production – television or movie. Yet, “Precious” featured a young African American female who fit that bill named Gabourey Sidibe. Why is that?

Still. at least to me, the issue of obesity should actually be attached to the much larger problem of emotional/sexual greed, much less the violence - due to Male Supremacy - against females. that fosters that whole social epidemic (i.e., obesity) and helps it proliferate.

Paradoxically, the greed mentioned above is directly related to the fact that people in our society are starving from a lack of emotional/sexual fulfillment. Therefore, because the pursuit of happiness discussed earlier is so personal and always ongoing, folks are easy to manipulate, especially since, again, most citizens choose a passive route to satisfaction, as opposed to a pro-active one.

And so, obesity results from something that could happen to anyone who uses food to satisfy herself or himself in any way - for whatever reason(s). So why is there so much hype about people in our society being overweight? We all need food in periodic intervals or we will succumb. Everybody knows that.

However, from the Tiger Woods syndrome to the “Big Losers” television program, the insatiable market (conveniently claiming to be based on "supply and demand") takes no prisoners. Instead, voyeurism and consumption lead the sheep to the slaughterhouse of emotional/sexual greed. And, of course, greed is always short-sighted. That’s why it’s so hard for people to control their appetites of whatever sort, in this country. Hence, again, the obesity.

But, to me, the real educationally-useful point of “Precious” should have been about violence against females, including incest (which few people are willing to honestly discuss).

Violence against females was trivialized as being the personal problem of a Hollywood movie character, instead of what it really is: the number one human problem in the world today, over the “economy” - and even worldwide nuclear war.

As a matter of fact, as far as I am concerned, First Lady Obama should be focusing more on the aforementioned issue of violence against females, as opposed to an inescapable problem in an advanced civilization that thrives on power and emotional/sexual greed. She does have two daughters, by the way. And Male Supremacy along with the violence of all kinds that it brings against females already affects those two little girls – and Michelle too. Therefore, one may ask, “Does Mrs. Obama stand on genuinely moral grounds to be criticizing obese people?” Let’s keep it real, folks.

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Hollywood & Lies about LIncoln

"Why is there so much lying? And some wonder why we need to embrace Black History Month."

Dear friends, 

 There are often great misconceptions about the results of the Civil War. However, one thing is for certain. No one "freed" the enslaved. Rather, African Americans - along with many European Americans - stopped the Southern enslavers' oligarchy from expanding their evil economic system while, at the same time, destroying the institution of slavery itself. The above-mentioned soldiers did all of this with courage, skill, determination, and WEAPONS! 

 Even Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation is falsely represented in the government- and corporate-controlled media, and both public and private school systems. For there were actually two prior proclamations. The first was issued by General John Fremont, governor of the Missouri territory, almost two years earlier (August 31, 1861). Upon Lincoln getting word of Missouri captives being freed, the "Great Emancipator" sent a letter ordering Fremont to stop the releases. When the feisty general ignored him, Lincoln ordered Fremont back to Washington DC, and revoked that very first proclamation himself. The second one, by Governor David Hunter of South Carolina, issued in July of 1862, suffered Lincoln’s same condemnation. It was only soon afterwards, when it was clear that , especially since there were already thousands of Black Confederate soldiers who were fighting to preserve slavery, since there were also thousands of Black slave owners in the ante-bellum South, that Lincoln decided to allow the Emancipation Proclamation, the third one, mind you, to move forward. (see Lerone Bennett Jr.'s classic book, Before The Mayflower). 

 There is also plenty of literature in any local public library, as well as your Internet browser, to support that simple fact. Of course, the Hollywood garbage called "Lincoln" not only, conveniently, doesn't mention that just mentioned above, it also doesn't have any mention of Frederick Douglass who was the main person behind inspiring Lincoln to follow through with the enactment of both the 13th and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution. Why is there so much lying? And some wonder why we need to embrace Black History Month. 

 G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

MusicWomen Conference October 9 through 13, 2013, in Ft Lauderdale, Fl‏

Greetings,

Pls MARK YOUR 2013 CALENDAR, and SAVE THE DATE - Nicki Mathis' Afrikan Amerikan Jazz will be performing at the MusicWomen Conference October 9 through 13, 2013, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Early Registration began October 9, 2012, through http://www.jwfamilytravel.com

The webpage: http://www.wijsf.com/conference.htm

Contact

Joan Cartwright, Executive Director

Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc.

2801 S. Oakland Forest Drive #103

Oakland Park, FL 33309

 954-740-3398

FACEBOOK and TWITTER

Support women musicians!

www.wijsf.org

Read full post

FIGHTING THE CRIME INDUSTRY

"A dear friend of mine who lives in Florida has assured me that her state gives youngsters at the lower elementary level (2nd- and 3rd grades) statewide exams that help that state government decide how much additional prison space will be needed in future years, based upon how many youngsters fail the aforementioned exams. Imagine that! Did someone say, 'Crime Industry'?"

Dear friends,

Many of the young people in Our community, especially the teenage boys, are not either in jail or in contact with the criminal justice system, because they have been lucky thus far. However, it is only a matter of time before they may get swallowed into what is essentially an industry in this country. It is, the Crime Industry.

In fact, I do not care how well you raise your kids, for some reason, particularly, African American youth can fall prey to foolishness. Many great parents and those who work with youth through supportive community programs will attest to that. In other words, even those youngsters who have had all of the right parenting, environment, and so forth, can become food for the vultures of the Crime Industry. It's tough. The Crime Industry does not care about guilt or innocence. They make stuff up. Our children suffer. Also, peer pressure to be like the frauds on the hip-hop records is a major problem.

Again, it must be said: Crime in the USA is an industry just as enterprises that manufacture, for example, food, clothing, real estate, and automobiles are. Crime as an industry makes sense, of course. After all, less crime would mean less police, judges, prosecutors, corrections officers, court officers, prison architects to design prisons and construction companies to build them, food- and other types of vendors, you name it. Moreover, without the salaries and pensions of those groups just mentioned a large part of the overall economy of this country would be destroyed.

Actually, one would think that our energies should be used towards more useful purposes like finding cures to human maladies and the like. However, manufacturing crime is, also, a major component of programming for both print and electronic media - another source of great income for many.

Still, in especially urban settings, we hear talk about need to have more police and less guns in our communities as a means to solving our crime problems. Domestic guns are being made mostly for police purposes and sport hunting. Consequently, without the Crime Industry, the gun industry itself may have succumb by now. Let’s face it. In Philadelphia alone, during 2006, for instance, it has been reported that, at least, 20 people were killed by the police (17 of them unarmed). Consequently, the aforementioned data reveals that more police simply means more guns - and more deaths.

In all fairness, that just mentioned reflects only one side of the Crime Industry. On the other side, we have an inordinate amount of African American and Latino young people who display absolutely no dignity for themselves or respect for others, including a lack of consideration for authority. In other words, we have a population filled with young people who, emotionally and intellectually, seem to want to remain in the infant stage of the human experience.

Many of these youngsters were brought into this world by those who were children themselves. Now, the former are repeating what their parent(s) did. Moreover, these African American and Latino youth are the chief commodities of the Crime Industry, whether as petty thieves, drug-dealers, stooges for either drug distributors or the district attorney and the like, or those who are caught up in the court and prison systems with its probation and parole agents. The worst part of all of this lies with the fact that, in the general population of US society, European American (so-called white) youth, clearly, must commit more crimes, because of their numerically greater levels of poverty; however, they are not victims of a marked group that is "profiled".

At any rate, our children’s current behavior reflects our own. Let’s face it, again, history is the story of generations of families of varying sizes. Historically, these families have been headed by a single mother, because men have died young, gone off to war and been killed, or just left to indulge in selfish behavior. The fantasy of the Ozzie and Harriet two-parent household is a fabrication of Hollywood. Moreover, wisdom suggests that a young person, male or female, having a male figure around to help direct him or her through life's uncertain journey, is essential. Yet, single mothers do quite fine, and have done so for millennia. Hence, what is even more important than having male “mentors” is having a community that supports the development of its youth.

Of course, a civil society certainly needs some of those people mentioned at the beginning of this piece (e.g., police, judges, lawyers, and so forth). However, many jobs are created, specifically for and because of the Crime Industry, and maintained by those whose best interests are served by continued criminal behavior in our society. A good example lies with the fact that, all across the country, in many municipalities, district attorneys, are allowed to use confiscated drug money, for instance, for future hires, raising wages in their offices, and improved pensions for the same workers just mentioned. It is not, therefore, in the best interests of prosecutors and their agents to be too “tough on crime”. Dig? As a matter of fact, it makes more sense for such people (DAs, and so forth) to actually regulate crime.
******************************

Here are a few ways that we can fight against the proliferation of the Crime Industry which robs African American people of so much of our potentially productive energy and resources. Can you think of some ways to do the same?

1.) Free Buses To Prisons Program

Transport children to prisons for the explicit purpose of having reading lessons with their incarcerated parents. Dr. Seuss books and other “phonics” type of reading materials are a great way to start. Many of these folks who are incarcerated have only first- and second grade reading levels. By learning their phonics better and due to the fact that they are older than their children, thus more experienced in life, invariably, these "parents" will begin to read at a higher grade level, acquiring deeper comprehension as well as greater mental stamina. This means that they will gain new ideas, by reading more informative literature, instead of only consuming thoughts from people who, like them, are locked up as well and just as clueless about how to be productive citizens.

As stated above, many of the brothers in prison either cannot read or read only at first- or second grade levels. More help in the classrooms at the first- or second grade levels (and a relationship with a loving elder) may have kept them trying in school longer. Their children deserve a better chance than they had. Also, regarding females, sisters in prisons are often there because of some knucklehead males. Therefore, young girls will also benefit from having a wider range of caring adults in their lives, whether those elders are incarcerated or not. Note: A dear friend of mine who lives in Florida has assured me that her state gives youngsters at the lower elementary level (2nd- and 3rd grades) statewide exams that help that state government decide how much additional prison space will be needed in future years, based upon how many youngsters fail the aforementioned exams. Imagine that! Did someone say, "Crime Industry"?

2.) Letters to Prisoners Program

Get people to be pen pals with inmates in area prisons. The main problem here will be that we need to make sure that inmates are not being selfish and engaging in deceitful behavior, in order to borrow money or get “favors” done on the outside. Telephone calls should be prohibited from being a way for inmates to connect with their pen pals. Incarcerated people should learn to write, so that they can think about why they are in that situation in the first place. A phone call does not require such reflection; people can just talk and feel good - then hang up.

3.) Convict Redemption Program

Get those convicted of either human or property damages - of any kind, to construct ways themselves to make up for their transgressions against their fellow community members. For example, as part of the “Buses” program, inmates who are not parents can still donate time to read and learn with young people.

Inmates must redeem themselves! Merely proclaiming belief in God or asking to be forgiven does nothing to repair the damage done. Besides, neither apology or claims of religious loyalty has meaning, if the person has not repaired the damage that he or she caused. For example, people go to AA and NA meetings and hold what amounts to religious revival forums. Yet, as far as I know, not a single member of those groups has ever gone back to a victim and said, "Here's the $100 that I stole from you." Instead, that AA or NA person says, "Will you forgive me for what I did?...I believe in God now." Well, guess what? Everyone on death row, conveniently - now - believes in God, after the fact. Moreover, no one can forgive anyone else. Rather, people must forgive themselves, then redeem themselves by trying to undo the wrong committed against the victim. Otherwise, there is no justice. You just have a crook who has gotten away once more.

The three programs mentioned above are only some of the ways that the community can reach out to our fallen brothers and sisters, in hopes that they will be appreciative for the love that the community has shown them, and, thus, return to the community as productive members.

One Love,
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Pope Benedict resigns after lambasting Capitalism

Dear friends,

During the recent "Fiscal cliff" nonsense about which the crooks in Washington and their lying mainstream media cohorts hoodwinked the American public, it was brought out that Pope Benedict wrote in his first book, several years ago, that "— Benedict XVI criticizes the “cruelty” of capitalism and colonialism and the power of the wealthy over the poor in his first book as pope released on Friday." World Business, NBC.com

Now the pontiff has suddenly and mysteriously resigned....Huh?

To be sure, during the Reagan era, Pope John Paul the 2nd was known as The President's Pope. In fact, he supported the puppet Reagan in all of his evil acts against humanity, under the guise of fighting Communism (whatever that is).

Finally, in this day of mass communication through the Internet, Corporate Capitalism could hardly tolerate a pope that isn't in lock step with the greedy capitalist rulers. And the beat goes on...

G. Djata Bumpus
http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1050&context=srhonorsprog

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Re-visiting Harry Reid's Remark about the "Negro dialect" (originally posted 1/13/10)

"Think about it. Have you ever listened to an ordinary European American person do a voice impression of an African American? No matter what the voice of the latter actually sounds like, the European American just mentioned ALWAYS imitates the 'Southern twang'."

Dear friends,

Imagine. This whole media frenzy is all about Harry Reid using the term “Negro dialect”. What is the Negro dialect? For example, the so-called Southern dialect or twang, as it were, is simply the evolution of the vocal expression of West African captives as they tried to communicate with Europeans. (see Melville Herskovits’ New World Negro)

Think about it. Have you ever listened to an ordinary European American person do a voice impression of an African American? No matter what the voice of the latter actually sounds like, the European American just mentioned ALWAYS imitates the “Southern twang”.

Therefore, considering the above, many European Americans, especially Southerners, speak the “Negro dialect” - each moment of their lives.

So why all of the ruckus over a typical, stupid, inept Washington pol’s faux pas? Does the issue of “race” still fire people up - especially those who embrace the moniker “white”? In fact, who are “white” people? After all, not only people of European descent, but many Asians as well as many Latinos call themselves “white” too. Why is that? What does being “white” do for a person?

Well, by calling yourself “white”, you become part of an artificial “majority” group that mean-spiritedly pits itself against a body of then smaller groups who are labeled “minorities”. Moreover. the artificial group mentioned above automatically inherits privilege over the so-called “minority” groups.

But what if the “whites” started calling themselves Irish American, or Polish American, or Italian American instead? Except for the Irish Americans who, by the way, have only been considered “whites” for a few generations, Polish Americans and Italian Americans each, by themselves, would become a “minority”, at least compared to either the African American or Latino population. Consequently, they would lose privilege. That also means that calling one’s self “white” is in and of itself discriminatory, because it deprives African Americans the same privileges, particularly, equally so, in many areas of our lives. If that is not true, then why do people who call themselves “white” feel that they are being disempowered if they stop identifying themselves that way?

Considering all of this here-to-mentioned, it’s fairly easy to understand why the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. insisted: Discrimination is a hell-hound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is accepted as truth in the society dominating them.

Have you seen a McDonald’s commercial lately?

G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Why do we need to know African American history, much less have a month to honor it?

"African American history is not a separate history; rather, it merely includes more people in the real story of Our country."


Dear friends,

James Baldwin wrote, "...when we speak of history, we are speaking only of how Europe saw - and sees - the world."

To be sure, the mere mention of anything that has to do with African American history often causes resentment among much of our citizenry. The reasons for this vary. For example, some people may feel that, when the historical experiences of African Americans are isolated and emphasized, the aforesaid folks are being excluded from the joy of celebrating and recognizing a past that seems to, at least, in part, belong to all Americans. Or, perhaps, the less informed view the aforementioned historical experiences of African American people as insignificant to the overall development of our communities and country. Finally, a few may even argue that distinguishing one cultural group, in this land, from others makes us appear to be a divided nation.

However, at least to me, the importance of acknowledging the contributions of African Americans to the prosperity of North America, generally, lies in the need for all of us to understand and appreciate the fact that human progress has only occurred due to the efforts of many different peoples. No one body of folks deserves credit for all human accomplishment to this date. Surely, no such group ever will.

Nevertheless, in a book written two generations ago called The Study of Man, author Ralph Linton summed it up best when addressing the question, "What is an American?" He wrote: Our solid American citizen awakens in a bed built on a pattern which originated in the Near East...throws back the covers made from cotton, domesticated in India...goes to the bathroom, whose fixtures are a mixture of European and American inventions, both of recent date...washes with soap invented by the ancient Gauls...Returning to the bedroom - puts on garments whose form originally derived from the skin clothing of the nomads of the Asiatic steppes, puts on shoes made from skins tanned by a process invented in ancient Egypt...Before going out for breakfast - glances through the window, made of glass invented in Egypt...stops to buy a paper, paying for it with coins, an ancient Lydian invention...At the restaurant - (the) plate is made of a form of pottery invented in China...has coffee, an Abyssinian plant, with cream and sugar. Both the domestication of cows and the idea of milking them originated in the Near East, while sugar was first made in India...finished eating - settles back to smoke, an American Indian habit...while smoking - reads the news of the day, imprinted in characters - invented in Germany...and, if - a good conservative citizen , gives thanks to a Hebrew deity, in an Indo-European language, for being 100 percent American.

In other words, all peoples have played or are playing a role in this experience known as human civilization. Moreover, the history of African peoples in the Americas (North, South and Central) is long and old. Yet, today, most people - regardless of either their ethnicity or culture - seem to think that our history here is much more recent.

This is largely due to a deliberate practice, especially by European American journalists and historians to "falsify by omitting" the existence and subsequent contributions of African Americans to the whole intellectual and cultural essence of the North American psyche and behavior. In addition, ever since some lost and confused men, led by one Christopher Columbus, were discovered by Early American Natives, on the shore of a Caribbean island, the rationalizations for almost everything that is relevant to human existence have largely reflected the interests of European rulers and their offshoots in the Americas.

As well, partly due to their controlling what information gets distributed, a dominance has resulted that has turned the Earth (and, in fact, the Universe) into the aforementioned rulers' empire. Consequently, Kwame Nkrumah's reflection regarding the influence of ruling classes on the majority of the population is quite appropriate for this discourse.

In explaining group or "class" interests, Dr. Nkrumah contended,"In societies where there are competing ideologies, it is still usual for one ideology to be dominant. This dominant ideology is that of the ruling group. Though the ideology is the key to the inward identity of its group, it is in intent solidarist. For an ideology does not seek merely to unite a section of the people; it seeks to unite the whole of society in which it finds itself. In its effect, it certainly reaches the whole society, when it is dominant. For, besides seeking to establish common attitudes and purposes for the society, the dominant ideology is that which in the light of circumstances decides what forms institutions shall take, and in what channels the common effort is to be directed." (see Nkrumah's Consciencism)

Oddly enough, however, judging by most of the existing "approaches" to studying historical periods, one would find it hard to draw the conclusions to which I have just referred. That is, under the pretense of sharing common goals, particularly, in creating what eventually became the United States of America, slave-trading rulers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson sold African captives, along with temporarily enslaved colonists, of largely British descent, called "indentured servants", the idea that the aforesaid rulers' interests were consistent with those of everyone else living in the British North American colonies.

As a result, the latter helped them win the war against the British ruling class and their gullible soldiers. It was Werner Sombart who has been credited with the phrase, "No theory, no history."When studying nations, groups or individuals, throughout Europe and North America especially, it becomes apparent that scholars abound with "historical approaches". As a matter of fact, both retail and university bookstores, along with public libraries, are full of literature regarding the subject of "historiography".

Moreover, for the most part, such publications represent the views of the ruling bodies. That is, those who control the manner in which people gain access to wealth, also advance specific attitudes and ideas to keep themselves in power. After all, the onus is on the aforesaid rulers themselves to maintain their wealth advantage. (see Lloyd Hogan's The Principles of Black Political Economy).

At any rate, ever since the end of World War 2, the most common method used for translating the history of African American people is to portray "white" history in blackface." That is, "white" history is based upon deceitful scholarship which calls upon everyday people to identify with an organized "minority" (i.e., European rulers and other celebrities), as opposed to the "majority" (that is, ordinary Non-European and European folks, who, historically, have been born into circumstances where little opportunity has existed for them to become a part of the here-to-mentioned ruling classes.)

Specifically, acting as sycophants for their rulers (mostly, in order to eat, unfortunately), many North American educators and media people have concocted a "white" past that somehow connects all European Americans, as well as non-European Americans, with the rulers of Greece and Rome, that later progresses to being an even greater miraculously twisted logic, linking the aforesaid everyday European Americans and non-European Americans (preponderantly of non-English heritage) to the Kings and Queens of England, before bringing these aforementioned ordinary folks to their ultimate and "natural" psychological, emotional and spiritual union with North American businessmen and their flunkies called politicians.

It should be no surprise then that, in trying to satisfy book publishers and other media outlets, even many mainstream African American historians, particularly for the past generation or so, have focused their work largely on the deeds of African monarchs (rulers) and individual achievers as opposed to the circumstances in which the majority of African Americans, along with our brethren on the great continent (Africa) and throughout the Diaspora, have found and continue to find ourselves.

Of course, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, books like Ivan Van Sertima's, They Came Before Columbus, Lerone Bennett's, Before The Mayflower, and Vince Harding's, There Is A River, and a number of books by Molefi Asante, have contributed immensely to our knowledge regarding the historical experiences of Africans in the Americas. Nonetheless, the vast majority of the available literature as well as the practice that seems to persist among many social theorists and writers is to present the history of African Americans in the same manner that North Americans view a Sear's catalog. Therefore, revelations such as: "Guess who made the first street light?" or "Guess who was the first African American airplane pilot?", are analogous to "Ooh, look at those nice tires!" or "Ooh, look at that great stereo system!" In other words, it gives the person a “lift”.

This excitement seemed to come from a new breed of African Americans who were, as they made their large migration from the South to northern states following World War 2, trying to fit into the previously-mentioned "mainstream" American society. For instance, during the just-mentioned post-war period, it became quite common for urban African Americans to brag, "I'm the first one on my block.". or "I'm the only one on my job." Widely distributed magazines with names like Ebony, Jet, and Sepia were born and specifically appealed to this kind of sentiment.

Unfortunately, this type of petty mentality still persists among far too many African Americans. So now it’s “Ooh, we have the first black president!” This, of course negates the fact that there are and have been scores of “black” presidents throughout Africa and the Caribbean for several generations. In other words, others have reached that status already in their own homelands. The USA is not the only relevant country!

Still, and fortunately, there are increasing numbers of African American folks who choose to side with their own cultural brothers and sisters as opposed to being imitators or "wannabes." Notwithstanding the abovementioned, at least to me, our approach to African American history should be centered around the economical, political, and social circumstances in which African Americans as a whole, not "famous" individual achievers, have found themselves, during the past sixteen generations or so in North America, particularly. Additionally, by observing African Americans as a people whose cultural presence not only blends with, but has, historically, contributed a special texture to the whole social fabric of this society, we may then be able to understand both why and how we have responded to and sustained ourselves through various periods during the historical development of the United States of America.

Clearly, when exploring the historical process of any society or population group, its development cannot be understood by merely recording the deeds of ministers, merchants, monarchs, or militarists alone. After all, a leader without followers is better study for a psychologist than an historian. Therefore, it is also necessary to know the circumstances in which citizens, as a whole, find themselves, during a particular period. Then the choices of actions that they take have real meaning for us, since the obvious limitations of the options that exist for them only allow a specific number of results to occur.

For example, in the British North American colonies, since Puritan ministers were the moral and ideological (and, often, even business) leaders in their communities, then it follows that both thought and behavior in New England - (the area that has historically been and still remains to be the bedrock of North American intellect and customs) were very much influenced by the African captives who generally lived and worked, as well as ate and slept in the same house, with the abovementioned clergymen/captors.

As well, African Americans, besides helping folks learn to relax from their uptight Puritan style by listening to music and dancing (please remember, before the War of Independence, dancing was illegal in Puritan New England, for instance), these African peoples brought with them skills such as farming, animal husbandry and medical care, along with politeness and table manners (character attributes unknown to most Europeans, at the time - see Melville Herskovits' classic book, The New World Negro). In fact, North American culture can only be appreciated within the context of its African as well as its British and Early American Native, along with, albeit to a lesser extent, German, Dutch, and French origins.

Of course, no one asks to be born. That simple fact, usually, even becomes clear to the most stubborn and argumentative person. Also, it is equally apparent that, in order to be born in the first place, at least one living person has to already exist (a Mother).Therefore, it logically follows that we are each born into situations which are directly tied to the economic, political and social well-being of our parent(s). Also, even the very language that we use has a connection with our social relationships. We need only refer to Franz Fanon's contention that inside the language of a people is "the world expressed and implied by that language".

In the final analysis, nonetheless, it should become evident that the real legacy of African American people is a group struggle for "equality, dignity, and justice" - not simply individual achievements of "high" social significance, inventions, or athletic excellence. In addition, all Americans should appreciate the importance of African American contributions, enmeshed with the offerings of all other cultural groups that have helped bring this nation to its current prominence. If we do that, then, ultimately, we should all be able to realize: African American history is not a separate history; rather, it merely includes more people in the real story of our country.

One Love, One Heart, One Spirit,
G. Djata Bumpus Read full post

Will US female soldiers be raped less now?

Dear friends,

ON the link below is an interesting editorial from the Philadelphia Inquirer, regarding the new rule of allowing females to be combat soldiers. The editorial board, correctly, mentions the tragic rape statistics for female soldiers. Yet, isn't it dumb and cowardly for the US armed forces' male rulers to now allow women into combat as a priority, but not first express the same vigor against sexual assaults on female soldiers, by even suggestimg that the sexual assaults may be lessened, if their male counterparts start realizing that, perhaps, females may be needed to save the latter's arses?  Huh? Moreover, is being cannon fodder for the benefit of corporate capitalism something about which females - or males, for that matter, should aspire?...smh Cheers!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://articles.philly.com/2013-01-27/news/36579064_1_combat-roles-male-soldiers-female-troops Read full post

The Angeline Palmer Story - a children's tale (originally posted in 2008)

The following is a true, and very short, story about a young Amherst, Massachusetts girl who faced enslavement in 1840. It was written by one of my brothers, Eshu Bumpus, a renowned storyteller, based upon research done by yours truly. It has already been published several times (books, magazines, and so forth). Now it appears here.

In any case, it shows evidence of the operation of the Underground Railroad in the Amherst, Massachusetts area. Of course,Underground Railroad is the "romantic" term used, in US school books and the mainstream media, to describe an alleged system of escape for African captive workers (so-called slaves). However, there was no actual “system” as such. Rather, there were many ways that folks escaped from slavery. For example, some hid in wagons, while others either earned or were given money and simply hopped on trains.
**************************************

It was a seemingly ordinary Spring day, in the month of May, 168 years or three grandmothers ago (i.e., roughly around the time that the grandmother of the grandmother of a present-day newborn's grandmother lived). Angeline Palmer was an 11 years-old orphan. She was so poor that, in Amherst, where she had been born and raised, the townspeople decided to find a family that would care for her. She had an older brother named Lewis B. Frazier (her late mother's son from a previous marriage) who lived in Amherst. But he was only twenty years-old and could not afford to take care of her by himself.

Meanwhile, Mason and Susan Shaw, a European American couple from nearby Belchertown, offered to take Angeline to live with them. They seemed like a nice couple, so Amherst town officials were satisfied to have found a home for Angeline.

But things were not as pleasant as they seemed. The Shaws had a secret reason for taking Angeline. They had been planning to visit one of the Southern states where many African Americans were still being held in slavery. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw decided to take Angeline with them in order to sell her to a slave trader, because captive workers (so-called slaves)could be sold for lots of money. At any rate, to complete their scheme, when the Shaws returned to Massachusetts, they would tell people that Angeline ran away.

Luckily, a woman overheard Mason Shaw telling some of his friends about the scheme. She did not like what the Shaws were planning. So she made sure that Angeline's brother, Lewis, found out about it. Lewis Frazier was a brave young man. He was not going to let anything happen to his sister. Lewis got two of his friends, Henry Jackson and William Jennings, to help him. The three young African American men broke into the Shaw's house and rescued Angeline. They brought Angeline to Spencer and Sarah Church's farm in North Amherst. The Church family was European American. Although she had eight children of her own, Mrs. Church agreed to care for Angeline and hide her when necessary.

Of course, Lewis knew that his sister could not stay in Amherst. He and his two friends sought the advice of an African American woman named Huldah Kiles who also lived in North Amherst. She brought Lewis and Angeline to her brother, Charles Green, who lived in Colrain, a small town next to the Vermont border. At last, Angeline had found a real home.

Because of how and from where they rescued Angeline, the three men were wanted by the local legal authorities. So, about two weeks after bringing her to safety, Jennings, Jackson and Frazier turned themselves in and were put in jail. Fortunately, because they all had jobs, the men were immediately able to obtain bail bonds and, therefore, freed from jail, until their case was brought before a judge.

When the trial came up, several months later, the judge offered to dismiss all charges if the trio would reveal Angeline's whereabouts. But the young men knew that they were right and would not say a word. So, they were sentenced to three months in the Hampshire County Jail, in neighboring Northampton. Knowing their story, however, Mr. Clapp - the jail keeper, did not take their sentence seriously. He let them leave the jail during the day as long as they promised to return at night, which they did. They were also allowed plenty of visitors who brought them food and clothes. When finally the three returned home to Amherst, they were received as heroes by both African Americans and European Americans alike.

Although Lewis Frazier died about ten years later from a hip complaint, Henry Jackson, who lived out his life in Amherst for over 60 years after the abovementioned incident, went on to become one of the town's most distinguished citizens. William Jennings also remained in Amherst, a little more than 20 years later, became a hero of the North American Civil War. Jennings. He served first in the all-AfricanAmerican 54th Regiment , then later he re-enlisted in the 5th Massachusetts cavalry. Both of these fighting units were depicted in the Hollywood production called Glory, starring Denzel Washington. The very brave Angeline Palmer continued to live a secure and happy childhood in Colrain, before re-appearing in Amherst, eleven years after her escape/rescue, as a married woman with children./em>

For more info about Eshu's storytelling, please copy and paste the following link to your browser: www.folktales.net Read full post

Lyrics From Lockdown at National Black Theatre January 25 - February 24, 2013 in NYC

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A Letter from Eshu Bumpus who is in Senegal since Xmas, until mid-January 2013

THis is my latest Kickstarter update.

E

Goree Island is a place of which I have very stark, vivid memories without ever having been there. Yesterday, we went to Goree Island. I saw the point of no return.

It's hard to know what to expect going to a place so full of history and yet full of it's own present that may reflect very little of what an outsider might imagine that history to mean to people today.

Imagine  going to visit your old neighborhood from when you were a child. Each building and street corner and store and playground may hold very significant meaning for you, but now there are new people living there. They understand that this place was special for you or someone like you, but every inch and every nuance of the place holds completely new meaning for the people who live there now.

We sat and had drinks with the Mayor of Goree. They have a delicious drink called Bissap which is made from Hibiscus and mint. The people, as all over Senegal, were friendly and welcoming. I didn't know what to expect so I tried to just keep an open mind and wait to see what we would experience.

We were there as guests of a wonderful music group made up of three brothers and their band. They are called Bideo BouBess (translates as New Sky).

They have been extremely generous in hosting us this trip. What was most meaningful for me was that I wrote a song many years ago called. "Land Called Freedom." Almost since I wrote that song I have dreamt of singing it on GoreeIsland and thanks to Bideo BouBess I was able to in their concert there. I'll post some pictures or video later, but it was an evening concert so the picture won't be great, but the experience was.

I'll post the lyrics here.

Love you all,

Eshu

Land Called Freedom

The ship was sailing on a western sea

I wondered what would become of me

They brought me to a land so strange

A land that they called Freedom

Separated from my wife and son

Worked as long as you could see the sun

Had to live among my enemies

In a Land that they called Freedom

I shed my blood just like I shed my name

I knew my life would never be the same

So I spend it struggling to be free

Don't want to pass on this misery

If you believe in things you cannot see

Make sure it's something that can set you free

Don't spend your time trying to pretend

You've found a land that they call Freedom

One day you'll realize you're not alone

Freedom's got to be for everyone

Each generations got to find a way

To build a land that they can call Freedom

Freedom doesn't come like a bird on a wing

You know it's got to be a hard won thing

To build a nation in a hostile land

Takes the work of every woman and man

Children will listen if you teach them to

Understand it's up to me and you

'Cause nothing ever comes easily

In this land that they call Freedom

To free yourself, you've got to think and plan

Then act it out with your own two hands

That's why we've got to work hand in hand

to build a land that we can call freedom

To build a land that we can call Freedom

To build a land that we can call Freedom

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Should a Jewish legislator support the Native American Holocaust?

 

Brilliant must-hear & see video lecture by Dr. Molefi K. Asante about the African Renaissance

"he is the actual person who popularized the concept of Afrocentricity..."







Dear friends,

On the link below is an hour-long must-see and -hear video lecture by a distinguished scholar, Dr. Molefi K. Asante. A longtime friend and teacher to me, I can proudly proclaim that Molefi's scholarship is both comprehensive and impressive. He lays out the history of the Atlantic Slaving Operations to the Colonization of Africa to Pan-Africanism to the ideal of a United States of Africa in a clear and concise manner that is as good as it gets. Moreover, he is the actual person who popularized the concept of Afrocentricity, the name of one of his 70 books. Enjoy!

Africans worldwide must unite!!!

G. Djata Bumpus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI_ISfsCYJ4&NR=1 Read full post