Today is January 15, a glorious day in American history. It is the birthday of one of the most outstanding civil rights leaders of our time, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the anniversary of the founding of the first Greek-lettered sorority for college-educated African American women, Alpha Kappa Alpha.  

Since 1986, Dr. King’s birthday has been recognized as a federal holiday. Because of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, it is observed on the third Monday of January. This year, the King holiday is celebrated on January 18. Due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, communities around the country are foregoing typical MLK festivities and opting for virtual commemorative celebrations. 

On January 15, 1908, one generation removed from slavery and just 21 years before the birth of Michael King Jr., who would later change his name to Martin, 16 African American women students at Howard University, in Washington DC, officially united to form Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, with a mission to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be “Supreme in Service to All Mankind."

Today, Alpha Kappa Alpha has grown to a membership of 300,000 throughout the United States and abroad. While several notable women are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha, currently, its most famous member is Kamala Harris, the next vice-president of the United States. Harris was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha while a student at Howard University.

Dr. King’s personal history is also intertwined with Alpha Kappa Alpha. While a graduate student at Boston University, he was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha, the first collegiate Greek-letter fraternity for African American men. It was not uncommon for Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha members to become couples, as was the case with King and his wife, Coretta, an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. 

So on this day, if you see a woman wearing pink and green, AKA letters, and a pearl necklace, be sure to wish her a Happy Founders’ Day. Also, be mindful that Dr. King would be 92 years-old today had he not been assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis on April 4, 1968. Let us remember these two icons of African American culture and American culture; both focused on civil rights and service to all. Happy Founders’ Day, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated! Happy Heavenly Birthday, Rev. Dr. King! 

Today, March 8, is designated as International Women’s Day. It is a day of global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity around the world.

Let’s celebrate women and girls around the world whether they are taking care of corporations, taking care of families, or taking care of themselves. 

Women make it look easy. Happy International Women’s Day!

Instead of writing about Christmas, Jordan Peele has me writing about the creepy trailer for his upcoming film, “Us”. This is his follow-up to his smash hit “Get Out”. If the movie is half as good as the trailer, he has another hit on his hand. The visuals are stunning. The music is haunting.

Us is more of a traditional horror film than Get Out. It's not exactly the type of trailer one would expect to debut on Christmas Day. Thanks, Jordan. I will definitely be sleeping with the lights on for a while and I can never hear the song “I Got 5 On It” without thinking of this horror movie.

Let me start off by saying I am so stoked that Lupita N’yongo (Black Panther, Twelve Years a Slave), Winston Duke (M’Baku from Black Panther) and Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) star in this movie. I love their work. N’yongo and Duke play Adelaide and Gabe Wilson. Young actors Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex and Madison Curry seem to hold their own on screen also.

So, from what I can gather from the 2:29 trailer, the protagonists, the doppelganger family had been incarcerated based on their prison jumpsuit attire. I can imagine it has something to do with the carnage scene on the beach at about 1:51 of the video. For sure most of what Jordan Peele includes in a movie is purposeful. The symbolism of the white rabbits, mask the son Jason wears that makes him look like the namesake character from Friday the 13th, the huge gold scissors, and the little black girl who has a doppelganger but is not included in the family of four in the jail jumpsuits. Oh yeah, what’s up with Lupita’s character telling her son to get in rhythm when she is so off beat herself? I have questions.

“Us” doesn’t open officially until March 15, 2019. Tickets are already on sale online at a few theaters. I plan to be at a theater on its opening weekend and more than likely I will watch more than once.

This movie is not about race but I do want to give a shout out to Jordan Peele for the Howard University sweatshirt Winston Duke’s character wears and for the ethnic hairstyles and dark-skinned Black female characters. It might not seem like a big deal but it is. Representation matters.

Reading the headline announcing the death of iconic, trailblazing journalist Gwen Ifill made me nauseous. Although I’ve never met her, I felt as though I’d lost another family member. I loved watching her on television. Whether she was delivering the news, on moderating a debate or commenting as a panelist, Gwen Ifill was the consummate professional. Ifill was the journalist I wish other journalists modeled nowadays. I would be less than honest if I didn’t share that I was proud when I saw her on television. She was a rarity as black and female in nationally televised news dominated by white males. Cool. Calm. Collected. Prepared. Thank you, Gwen Ifill. Job well done.

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Paula Deen apologizes

Celebrity chef Paula Deen has been in hot water lately and can't seem to get herself out of it. Her latest troubles stem from an employment discrimination, racial discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former employee, Lisa T. Jackson.

Media coverage of the lawsuit took off when Ms. Deen admitted to using the word "nigger". Other allegations in the deposition seemed to take a back seat to that. I was surprised Ms. Deen was honest in her answer because many people lie and take the pious, holier-than-thou route.

Of course Ms. Deen mentioned that she'd heard blacks use that word. Now, being black myself, I don't like when anyone uses it. I chalk it up to ignorance, lack class and lack of vocabulary. I can't join the club of blacks that basically says "we can use that word but they can't". It's also not a label of affection if it ends in "a" or "-ah" rather than "-er".

That being said, way more offensive was her talk of a "southern style plantation wedding" replete with servers that reminded Ms. Deen of The Civil War period. Ms. Deen did try to clean up her explanation but it seemed the more she did, the worse it got.

There was also mention of testimony of another former employer that Bubba Hiers, Paula Deen's brother, told Lisa Jackson to keep the front 'light' when hiring. Wow. That means blacks and other dark-skinned people were welcome to work in the kitchen but not as servers, managers, etc. in the front of the restaurant.

Ms. Deen was a no-show for an interview with Matt Lauer on Friday's Today Show. She did release a couple of videos apologizing for her how her words hurt other people.

The Food Network chose to not to renew the contract for Ms. Deen's show which expires this month. If you also agree with that decision, before you jump up for joy, remember that memory of such racial episodes tend to be short lived, especially with most black people. As with similar instances involving Dog the Bounty Hunter and Don Imus, so Paula Deen could return to television soon.

-vb

I heard about the Samuel L. Jackson video in support of President Obama's re-election but I had not seen the full video until today when I surfed over to Wayne Hicks' blog, The Electronic Village. 

This video is hilarious and on point. I will send it to a few friends and some folks I don't know that well. Now, anyone who knows of Samuel L. Jackson, knows there will likely be some profanity involved in his work. In this video there is an attempt to censor the profanity but it is obvious what is being said. 

Folks shouldn't have to be cajoled, entertained, fed or cussed at to vote but if that's what's effective, so be it. Wake up, get up and vote or shut up!

I don’t like going out to the movies. First of all, there are no theaters in my neighborhood so anywhere I go requires at least a 10 or 15 minute drive. Then there’s the parking, expensive admission and way overpriced food at the concession stand.  Not to mention the fact that I usually have lots to do and going to the movies takes a real big chunk out of my day.

Anyhoo, we saw the movie at the Aventura AMC24. We arrived just in time for the previews to start. My Dad had not been to a movie theater in at least 25 years. He said the previews were too long. The movie showtime was scheduled for 4:15 p.m. and that’s the time he expected it to start. The movie started at 4:30.

The opening scenes of the movie explicitly indicate the movie is ‘inspired’ by true events. If you expect a documentary about the Tuskegee Airmen, this is not the movie for you. Does it touch upon the racism the men of the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps endured? Yes, it does. It also highlights the assumptions of intellectual inferiority of the black pilots and their relegation assignments that did not have any impact on the War. 

This movie is also entertaining if you enjoy the rock ‘em sock’em shoot’em up special effects producer George Lucas is known for in his Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies. There are portions of the movie that are predictable and others that are not. The character development of the men was good but could have been a little more in-depth. The relationship between Joe and Sofia was a tad clumsy but a contrast to the fighting and racism. 

I highly recommend this movie. Kudos to George Lucas and to director Anthony Hemingway for a movie that will be remembered for a long time. My deep appreciation to the Tuskegee Airmen for the obstacles they overcame and the lives they saved. There are a few Tuskegee Airmen still alive today. If you know them or they live in your community, please say thank you.

In spite of the cost of the afternoon — admission ($29.00), concession ($24.78) and valet parking ($11), I would have spent twice that to see my Dad smile and have him talk about the Tuskegee Airmen and his military experience for the rest of the evening. 

Go see ‘Red Tails’ and make it a family outing.

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Tuskegee Airmen

Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.