June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 1
Brighter
news
FACILITATING YOUNG PEOPLE TO CONCEPTUALISE THEIR ETHNIC IDENTITY
Thru’ History, Culture & Music! EVOKING PRIDE for BLACK PEOPLE IN BRITAIN
Online Supplement Issue 1
Women Writes.. Rites... Rights
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 2
When Africa stood at the head of the elder nations, The Gods used to travel from foreign lands to look at thee On couch of costly Eastern materials, all perfumed, Reclined thee, as in thy path flow’rs were strewn-sweetest that bloomed. Thy transcendent marvelous beauty made the whole world mad, Bringing Solomon to tears as he viewed thy comeliness; Anthony and the elder Ceasars wept at thy royal feet, Preferring death than to leave thy presence, their foes to meet.
Editor’s Note You are probably wondering why I decided to come out with an online supplement, not even one year since the birth of Blackbright News. It is simple. Growth was needed. “Brighter News” is an online supplement, which means it is free and more people can benefit from the information contained within it, and it can be produced more frequently than Blackbright News. Brighter News will be focussing on historical incidents aligning them with current events. I do hope you enjoy this issue of Brighter News which informs on an alternative perspective of Black, Hair and Beauty, and there are no words more apt or fitting that epitomise the ethos of this supplement than the words of the Rt Honorouble Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Nuff blessings, Myrna Loy, Editor & Founder
The Black Woman by Marcus Mosiah Garvey [1887-1940] Black queen of beauty, thou hast given color to the world! Among other women thou art royal and the fairest! Like the brightest of jewels in the regal diadem, Shin’st thou, Goddess of Africa, Nature’s purest emblem! Black men worship at thy virginal shrine of truest love, Because in thine eyes are virtue’s steady and holy mark, As we see in no other, clothed in silk or fine linen, From ancient Venus, the Goddess, to mythical Helen.
You, in all ages, have attracted the adoring world, And caused many a bloody banner to be unfurled You have sat upon exalted and lofty eminence, To see a world fight in your ancient African defense. Today you have been dethroned, through the weakness of your men, While, in frenzy, those who of yore craved your smiles and your handThose who were all monsters and could not with love approach youHave insulted your pride and now attack your good virtue. Because of disunion you became mother of the world, Giving tinge of robust color to five continents, Making a greater world of millions of colored races, Whose claim to beauty is reflected through our black faces. From the handsome Indian to European brunette, There is a claim for that credit of their sunny beauty That no one can e’er to take from thee, 0 Queen of all women Who have borne trials and troubles and racial burden. Once more we shall, in Africa, fight and conquer for you, Restoring the pearly crown that proud Queen Sheba did wear Yea, it may mean blood, it may mean death; but still we shall fight, Bearing our banners to Vict’ry, men of Africa’s might. Superior Angels look like you in Heaven above, For thou art fairest, queen of the seasons, queen of our love No condition shall make us ever in life desert thee, Sweet Goddess of the ever green land and placid blue sea. Marcus Mosiah Garvey February 28, 1927
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 3
change according to how you are dressed. I have noticed when wandering through the town centre in my casual wear jeans t-shirt, trainers. All of a sudden security guard’s eyes are piercing at me and a look of suspicion comes across their face. However when I am walking in town with a suit. I don’t get a second glance except of admiration. All of a sudden I am not scrutinized as much, in fact I am treated with the utmost respect. I am still the same person, my intentions are still the same, just in different attire. The power an image can have, may say a thousand words before you have even uttered a word. It is an opportunity to command peoples respect or even disrespect according to how you present yourself. Sometimes I feel this perception is unfair as I have fallen victim of being discriminated against before someone has taken the time to get to know me or considered my character. I find this so frustrating because it hinders potential relationships. I cannot help the way I am. I do not see why I should conform to a stereotype, besides people who do tend to take the time to know me, are usually happy that they did.
The Power of Image I attended a lecture the other day and sat waiting for it to start: “Please give a round of applause to Mr *****” I looked up immediately and saw a tall dark black male, with black thin rimmed glasses” dressed in a long black mac, a white shirt, a black tie and black trousers. In my mind I thought: “wow this man looks so militant” but I immediately respected and admired him. I sat up and gave him my full attention, he was educated and knowledgeable. He spoke short, sharp words, I daren’t move out of my seat until he had finished as I felt every word he uttered was important. I did not even know him but respected him nonetheless - was it his words or his image??? Well that was my experience of the power of image. I think it is amazing how people’s perception of you can
Whilst I think image is important in the workplace, interviews and special occasions etc., the theory being that when a person takes the time to dress presentably not only can it open many doors, but also the perception is that they take care in all aspects of their lives.To a point I would say it is true, however, it should not extend to their style of dress. I think the style of dress can send conflicting messages and is not always the intention. Let’s take the sari for example which can be worn in so many different ways, the sari is worn in at least 10 or 15 styles like Gujarathi style, Bengali, Mangalorean, Kannadiga, Kodava, Tamilian, Malayali, which denotes the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman in India although a person who has not been exposed to that culture would not necessarily know that. My opinion is that some of them look so elegant but I could not tell you about the character of the person wearing them. I think an image is very powerful, however. I do not think it should hold as much credence as it does, because many people have been deceived by image and on reflection, discovered the background of the person left a lot to be desired. I would say image says a lot but it doesn’t say it all! By Black Citizen
Barack Obama Candidate for US President
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 4
The name Tiye is itself a pet-name for Nefertari (according to Aldred) - also spelled Tiy and Teje. Tiye was the daughter of Asiatics called Yuya and Tjuyu. Scholars claim that Tiye’s features are distinctly Sub-Saharan African, i.e. tropical or Equatorial African. At the age of between 11 and 12 years old, Tiye is said to have married the Kemetan King Amenhotep III who ruled during the New Kingdom Dynasties around 1391BC. Queen Tiye held the title of “Great Royal Wife” (the king did have many royal wives, but the Great Royal Wife was the most important and the heir and future pharaoh would be her son). Tiye was frequently mentioned, or shown beside Amenhotep in sculptures, reliefs and inscriptions from the period.
Who is this Beauty Queen? Tiye, Queen of Ancient Egypt was considered black, beautiful and gorgeous and one of the most influential Queens ever to rule Kemet (Ancient Egypt). Her date of birth has been chronicled as being anywhere between 1415 - 1340 BC. Queen Tiye is not what we, in the Western world, are used to seeing as ‘a vision of beauty’ so what defines our perception of beauty today? What qualities did Queen Tiye possess that warranted the title of a beautiful Queen? From what I have read, I can only surmise that it was her traits as a wife, a mother and ruler of her country. Her features are somewhat severe, so physical attributes may or may not have been consequential here. Many women today, think beauty is a visual attribute. Is it - or is beauty skin deep? Let’s take a sneak preview into the life of Queen Tiye and question why she was considered the “standard of beauty” of her time.
*[Tiye had at least six children. She definitely had two sons (Tuthmose V and Amenhotep IV, the second of whom went on to become pharaoh) and the famous child king Tut-ankhamen is also said to be her son, although there is considerable a r ch a e o l o g i c a l and textual evidence indicating that Tutankhamun’s was her grandson, so we are not quite sure whether he was her son or grandson. Queen Tiye also had four daughters (Sitamun, Isis, Henut-taneb, and Beketaten) Tiye had a strong effect on the state affairs of Egypt and indeed acted upon it following the end of her husband’s reign. For nearly half of a century, Tiye governed Kemet, regulated her trade, and protected her borders. During this time, she was believed to be the standard of beauty in the ancient world]. “During this time” holds credence for me, and itis for this reason that I have concluded that it was her ‘godly’ character that made her beautiful, i.e. a good mother, a good wife, and a good ruler. I have featured Queen Tiye to highlight that beauty has more to do with our nature than our physical attributes. *Parts Extracted by Loy http://www.heptune.com/Tiye.html and http://www.swagga.com/queen.htm
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 5
DID YOU KNOW... THERE ARE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE ABOUT PERMING YOUR HAIR! (Lye or No-Lye) We need to research the products that have been developed for africaribbeans before we use them. As a people we need to become more educated about the things we put in, and on our bodies! 1) Through periodically straightening our hair to make it more manageable, we are telling ourselves that our natural hair is not acceptable. When you perm a young child’s hair so that it looks Eurocentric, you are telling that child that Eurocentric hair is ‘more beautiful’ and thus, without intentionally meaning to, sowing the seeds of self doubt and self hatred. Most of us do not acquaint ourselves with our natural hair looks and feels and, as such, are not taught to respect and love it. I remember when I started twisting my hair – it was addictive. I loved feeling the way he defied my grip and went its own way. My hair had power. 2) Lye Relaxers can also cause alopecia areata (loss of hair) and male patterned baldness in 60% of men, women and children who use Lye Relaxers on a normal basis say once every four weeks and although 6 weeks is recommended, many use the relaxer before then because their hair grows out quickly and they are afraid that their hair will break off. 3) Children’s heads in particular are not strong enough to handle a lye relaxers. These relaxers are made up with Sodium Hydroxide. They are also referred to as ‘alkaline relaxers’ because they contain alkaline caustics, which can cause chemical burns similar to those a person would get if they came in contact with a strong acid; the pH levels are higher than no-lye relaxers; the pH is of 12-14, which is extremely high and these relax-
ers are formulated with Sodium Hydroxid; the higher the pH the greater risk of damage and hair loss; the “no lye” relaxers are formulated without Sodium Hydroxide and instead are created with calcium hydroxide, guanidine carbonate, and ammonium thioglycolate to make guanidine hydroxide; the ingredients found in Relaxers such as the Sodium Hydroxide are found in drain cleaners, bleach, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, and other household cleaning supplies; and though the combination in “no lye” relaxers results in less scalp damage than lye relaxers the damage to the scalp can potentially be the same if not used properly. 4) The FDA lists hair relaxers and hair dyes among its top consumer complaint areas. [Adapted & Extracted from Talibah Newman article for appropriateness]
For those of you where there is no turning back with the perm because you have been using it so long and you cannot imagine your hair in any other way, minimise the potential damage by using a product like Phytorelaxer which is made with egg and soya extracts and is alleged to be chemical free! The straightening action is claimed to come from the Guarnidine Carbonate which is derived from mushroom salts and not the man-made chemical Guarnidine Carbonate. It is a bit more expensive but your health is worth it. www.phyto.com, www.phytospecific.com or read more on www.sephora.com or do a search of phytorelaxer or “lye” in your search field.
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 6
Being Beautiful Requires MAXIMUM CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Revolutionary Mentality 1. Study-Oriented: reads, evaluates and debates books, newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Accepts the challenge of education. 2. Worker: looks for ways in which to actively work for self; may hold a job outside in order to sustain self and family. Self-Reliant. 3. Organized and Systematic - efficient and diligent. 4. Progressively Collective; conscious of others; Cooperative. 5. Family Oriented: regards mate as partner in struggle; loves children. Values trust in relationships. 6. Land Conscious: realizes that the only thing that nobody is making any more of is land. 7. Disciplined: strong, unyielding and energetic. 8. Serious. Practices fair play, order and punctuality. Honest and dependable.
14. Dislikes incompetence and mediocrity. 15. Fights against Black on Black crime and understands that its root is white on Black crime. 16. Loves Black art, music and literature. 17. Can give and follow instructions. Encourages experimentation and criticism. 18. Committed to Black Liberation - local, national and international. 19. Does not use drugs. 20. Politically Active. Not crisis-oriented; acts on information rather than reacts. Plans ahead for the long term; alert; prepared for change. 21. Self-Confident. Respects others regardless of race or culture.
9. Analytical and critical.
22. Understands the economic forces that control our lives on a local, national and international level.
10. Frugal: buys mainly on need basis; saves.
23. Rational in decisions and actions.
11. Social life is developmental and involves children.
24. Rewards merit and achievement.
12. Creatively Aggressive: will dare the impossible if it is possible. 13. Respects Elders.
Excerpted from Madhubuti, H. R. (1991) Black Men: obsolete, single and dangerous? the Afrikan American Family in transition. Pgs8-9 Chicago: Third World Press.
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 7
gories: Europeans, Far Easterners, Lapps, and blacks who he described as having wooly hair, thick lips, and very white teeth. The first major scientific model was created in 18th century when Carolus Linnaeus recognized four main races: “Europeanus”, the white race; “Asiatic”, the yellow race; “Americanus”, the red race; and “Africanus”, the black race.[ According to Linnaeus, the black male could be defined by his skin tone, face structure, and curly hair. Linnaeus believed blacks were cunning, passive, inattentive, and ruled by impulse. To Linnaeus, black females were shameless, because “they lactate profusely”.
Queen Tiye WHO IS BLACK? Black people or blacks is a political, racial, ethnic, social or cultural classification. No humans are literally black in the colour sense of the word. There is no universally agreed-upon criteria for who is considered black, and the definition has varied in different time periods and locations. Some use the term black to describe ancestry in any dark skinned ethnic group while others confine the term to only those having origins in the dark skinned ethnicities of Africa. Among those who use the latter definition, some believe that only African ancestry South of the Sahara qualifies as black ancestry, while others argue that blacks are indigenous to North Africa as well. A debate within all of these debates concerns how much black ancestry makes one black, with some maintaining that any known black ancestry is enough, others requiring a preponderance of black ancestry, and still others excluding those with any known mixed blood from the black category. The ethnic/racial classification black received something similar to its current meaning during The Enlightenment, when anthropologists of that era defined five human races: Yellows (East Asians), Reds (Native Americans), Whites (Europeans), Browns (Australoids, Southeast Asians), and Blacks (Africans).
Science attempts to define race Further information: Race (historical definitions) Many argue that racism did not always exist, and that its origins can be traced to the Age of Enlightenment which gave rise to biological classifications and the theory of evolution. At the end of the 17th century a French doctor named Francois Bernier divided up humanity based on facial appearance and body type. He proposed four cate-
Linnaeus’ protege, anthropology founder Johann completed his mentor’s color coded race model by adding the brown race, “Malay” for Polynesisians and Melanesians of Pacific Islands, and for aborigines of Australia. Gradually the yellow race and red race got lumped together, and the brown race ignored because of its’ small population, yielding the three main races of anthropology: negroid, caucasoid, and mongoloid (commonly described as Black, White, and (East) Asian) Blumenbach
Some anthropologists later added the brown race back in as an Australoid category (which includes aboriginal peoples of Australia along with various peoples of southeast and south Asia, especially Melanesia and the Malay Archipelago), and viewed it as separate from Negroids (often lumping Australoids in with Caucasoids). abandoned the very idea of a negroid race and instead regarded it as two races (capoids and congoids) creating a five race model. By the 1970s, due to the Black Power and Civil Rights movement redefining black as a symbol of pride and resistance from oppression, the term black replaced Negro in the United States Carleton Coon
The role of the Bible According to some historians, the tale in Genesis 9 in which Noah cursed the descendants of his son Ham with servitude was a seminal moment in defining black people, as the story was passed on through generations of Jewish, Christian and Islamic scholars. According to columnist Felicia R. Lee, “Ham came to be widely portrayed as black; blackness, servitude and the idea of racial hierarchy became inextricably linked.” Some people believe that the tradition of dividing human kind into three major races: Negroid, Caucasoid, and Mongoloid (now also commonly called black, white, and Asian), is partly rooted in tales of Noah’s three sons repopulating the Earth after the Deluge and giving rise to three separate races. For more information: www.dnaancestryproject.com (Wikipedia)
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 8
Makeda Queen of Sheba “Symbol of Beauty” (960 B.C.)
“I am black but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, As the curtains of Solomon, Look not upon me because I am black Because the sun hath scorched me.” (Song of Solomon) Although most of Black history is suppressed, distorted or ignored by an ungrateful modern world, some African traditions are so persistent that all of the power and deception of the Western academic establishment have failed to stamp them out. One such story is that of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon of Israel. Black women of antiquity were legendary for their beauty and power. Especially great were the Queens of Ethiopia. This nation was also known as Nubia, Kush, Axum and Sheba. One thousand years before Christ, Ethiopia was ruled by a line of virgin queens. The one whose story has survived into our time was known as Makeda, “the Queen of Sheba.” Her remarkable tradition was recorded in the Kebar Nagast, or the Glory of Kings, and the Bible. The Bible tells us that, during his reign, King Solomon of Israel decided to build a magnificent temple. To announce this endeavor, the king sent forth messengers to various foreign countries to invite merchants from abroad to come to Jerusalem with their caravans so that they might engage in trade there. At this time, Ethiopia was second only to Egypt in power and fame. Hence, King Solomon was enthralled by Ethiopia’s beautiful people, rich history, deep spiritual tradition and wealth. He was especially interested in engaging in commerce with one of Queen Makeda’s subjects, an important merchant by the name of Tamrin.1 Solomon sent for Tamrin who “packed up stores of valuables including ebony, sapphires and red gold, which he took to Jerusalem to sell to the king.”2 It turns out that Tamrin’s visit was momentous. Although accustomed to the grandeur and luxury of Egypt and Ethiopia, Tamrin was still impressed by King Solomon and his young nation. During a prolonged stay in Israel, Tamrin observed the magnificent buildings and was
intrigued by the Jewish people and their culture. But above all else, he was deeply moved by Solomon’s wisdom and compassion for his subjects. Upon returning to his country, Tamrin poured forth elaborate details about his trip to Queen Makeda. She was so impressed by the exciting story that the great queen decided to visit King Solomon herself.3 To understand the significance of state visits in antiquity in contrast to those of today, we must completely remove ourselves from the present place and time. In ancient times, royal visits were very significant ceremonial affairs. The visiting regent was expected to favor the host with elaborate gifts and the state visit might well last for weeks or even months. Even by ancient standards, however, Queen Makeda’s visit to King Solomon was extraordinary. In I Kings 10:1-2, the Bible tells us: “1. And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions. “2. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bear spices and very much gold, and precious stones. And when she was come to Solomon she communed with him of all that was in her heart.” I Kings 10:10 adds: “She gave the king 120 talents of gold, and of spices very great store and precious stones; there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.” We should pause to consider the staggering sight of this beautiful Black woman and her vast array of resplendent attendants travelling over the Sahara desert into Israel with more than 797 camels plus donkeys and mules too numerous to count. The value of the gold alone, which she gave to King Solomon, would be $3,690,000 today and was of much greater worth in antiquity. King Solomon, and undoubtedly the Jewish people, were flabbergasted by this great woman and her people. He took great pains to accommodate her every need. A special apartment was built for her lodging while she remained in his country. She was also provided with the best of food and eleven changes of garments daily. As so many African leaders before her, this young maiden, though impressed with the beauty of Solomon’s temple and his thriving domain, had come to Israel seeking wisdom and the truth about the God of the Jewish people. Responding to her quest for knowledge, Solomon had a throne set up for the queen beside his. “It was covered with silken carpets, adorned with fringes of gold and silver, and studded with diamonds and pearls.
Extracted from http://www.swagga.com/queen.htm
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 9
WHY LISTEN TO THE DIY REGGAE SHOW? www.lifefm.org.uk Myrna Loy, Editor & Founder of Blackbright News and known as 'Lady Loy' on the DIY Reggae Show, copresents with AK Tramplaz on Life FM 103.6 every Saturday morning from 10 - 12, where under the Lady Loy Selection, she chooses a track that replicates her ethos to educate and stimulate her listeners. She also raises issues that affect the young community, and aligns them in an historical context. .
Lady Loy & A K Tramplaz on the DIY REGGAE SHOW for Edutainment! Every Saturday Morning 10 - 12
on LIFE FM 103.6 FM www.lifefm.org.uk
Life FM is a legal community station based in NW London and the DIY Reggae show edifies the youth through conscious lyrics and social commentary. We believe we can subliminally teach the youth to raise their game through the power of music. At a recent Every Child Matters Conference held in Euston on 26 June, we were told that lyrics and music are key influencers in youth behaviour. Thus, the lyrics we select, whilst unconventional, could help educate and motivate our young listeners to behave more responsibly. Lady Loy is therefore calling reggae artists to send a track you would like aired, that you feel speaks to young people in a constructive way. The Lady Loy Selection usually has nice melodies and harmonies to give balance to the show, so please email your track to ladyloy@googlemail.com with your stage name, title track and age (if under 18) in the subject box. Please also answer the following questions to help us to understand your philosopphy 1.
What is your message to youths in Brent and beyond?
2.
What Is your overall ambition as an artist ?
3.
What is your message as an artist (www.myspace.com/ladyloy)
AK TRAMPLAZ & LADY LOY DIY REGGAE SHOW 10 am - 12 GMT on 103.6 FM Tel: +44 0208 965 1717
Life FM can be accessed world-wide
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 10
Letter to the Editor I have an artical that was in one of the main newspapers and the subject was a dilemma that a wild life preservation in Africa was facing. The preserve was a refuge for elephants and other endangered wild life such as rare white rhinos and other animals. The elephant population eventually grew to the point where they had to relocate some to another preserve in near by South Africa. The park rangers and conservationist came up with an idea to move the masssive creatures quickly and safely, they were going to use Sikorsky helicopters with special under belly harnesses to air lift the elephants to their new location. They ran into a problem with the much larger bull elephants- they could not be lifted, the harnesess broke due to the whieght of the larger elephants. So they ended up moving only the smaller males and females. Things were working out pretty good for a few months, until rangers in the new location started to find dead rhinos and other smaller animals dead and some wounded. At first they thought it was the work of poachers but the rhinos still had their horns intack, and poachers useually cut them off and leave the carcase of the animal. One ranger came up with an idea- lets set up cameras at different areas in the park. To their amazement the found that rogue male elephants were mauling and attacking other animals including the rhinos, which were gored on their sides. This is not elephant like behavior, they were mystified as to why this was happening and what was prompting this bad behavior by these young adult males. When others were brought in to find out what was going on, they found that because they did not air lift any of the older bigger bull males which in other herds they noticed that it was the bull males that kept the younger ones in check!! They eventually were able to move in some older bulll males and sure enough over time the incidents decreased and order was restored. Now what can we learn from the lowly elephants? also this incident was on video by I think National Geographic. I have kept this artical and made my argument as to the problems with our own youth, what can we learn from the animals, we who are much more sophisticated and ferther up the evolutionary ladder, we who are supposed to be above them, yet the same dynamics are present in the jungles of Africa and the concrete jungles we live in made of concrete and steel. I think you can take this and answer that question now in your own elequant and educated way to make the connections. Amir (USA)
The original URL of this article is: www.africaspeaks.com/articles/2004/1212.html
What’s in a Name Defining Black Identity in 21st Century America By Ewuare Osayande
December 12, 2004
The following is an (extracted) transcript of an address given by Ewuare Osayande at a panel discussion “What’s in a Name” at Temple University on November 10, 2004. There is an adage from the Xhosa people of South Africa that says “I am because we are …” One aspect of this multi-meaning truth is that one’s identity is tied to a body larger than the self. The wisdom in the saying also clearly indicates that in order to understand the self, to identify the self, the group from which one emerges must have an identity as well. Herein lies the dilemma of those of us who have been called and have called ourselves by a variety of cultural nomenclatures and derogatory epithets – Negro, nigger, Colored, Black, African, American, Afro-American, African American, African in America. When our ancestors were stolen from Africa and brought to the colonies, they were faced with this same dilemma. By what name would they choose to define themselves? As they began to create institutions they named them and by so naming them, named themselves. In the South, our ancestors enslaved named their first institution the African Baptist Church. In the North, our ancestors freed named their first institution the African Methodist Church. From the outset of our experience here our ancestors were clear as to whom they were – whether enslaved or free, we were Africans! In 1903, the dawn of the 20th Century W.E.B. DuBois penned his now-classic text, The Souls of Black Folk. This work serves as a marker for our people in a number of ways. Namely, it serves as an indicator of the self-perception of our ancestors and forebears of that period. Once again, we witness the use of the term African to define us. Also we witness the use of the word Black as a defining term for our people as well as the term Negro. These words in DuBois’ deft mind were not derogatory nor pejorative. Although Negro was not a term that we created, when used by us, it was given a dignity that surely was not the intent of the whites that called us that. We exchanged these words liberally as we saw fit ‘til a later time when we realized that certain words did not fit us as we grew into new and liberating notions of ourselves. (Extracted) Ewuare Osayande is a political activist, poet and author of more than eleven books including his latest works Black Anti-Ballistic Missives: Resisting War/Resisting Racism and Misogyny and the Emcee: Exposing the Exploitation of Black Women in Hip Hop. He resides in Philadelphia, PA where he is the co-founder of POWER, a grassroots initiative that educates and empowers participants to fight and resist oppression. He can be contacted at osayandeswww.osayande.org peaks@hotmail.com.
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 11
The Decision Fictional Short Story by Lou-G The car Sasha was travelling in pulled up outside a large three storey double bay fronted Victorian building, large concrete steps lead up the centre to a huge front door. Running down the brick walls either side of the door were shiny gold plaques with the names of the doctors who worked at the clinic, each one denoting their name and medical credentials. Sasha leant over and grabbed her overnight bag off of the car seat and stepped out onto the pavement. Her mother came around from the drivers side, closed the passenger door behind her and touched her shoulder gently. “Okay?” she asked Sasha. Her mother’s face showed so much concern it made Sasha ache with guilt. “Yes, I’m fine, the sooner we get on with this the better” Sasha replied. Her mother nodded wearily and rubbed her shoulder.“You know you can stop this at any point don’t you. Dad and I will support you no matter what you decide to do its your body”. Sasha stared at her mother, her eyes giving her mother the answer. “I
know, and I’m okay really I am. Just a bit nervous that’s all. Come on, lets get this show on the road”. Together then walked up the concrete steps arm in arm and Sasha’s mother held the door open for her as she walked through in a large hallway populated by a sea of all girls sitting in chairs that lined the walls along each side of the hallway, some had friends and relatives with them, others sat alone, heads down. Sash walked up to main reception desk and gave them her name to the receptionist behind the desk. “Hi, I’m Sasha Collins, I’m booked in for surgery today”. Sasha waited for the woman behind the desk to make a judgement on her, she searched her face for any inkling of what the woman was thinking about her, but she saw nothing. The receptionist just smiled, crossed off her name on a larger typed sheet of other names of people who had arrived for the same treatment. “That’s lovely, super. Now, if you’d like to take a seat, the doctor will be out shortly to allocate rooms for everyone” Sasha and her mother turned and took a seat on the available empty chairs. Her mother reached over and took her hand, rubbing it gently between her own. “It think you’re being incredibly brave love, I really do. I don’t think I would have handled this as well as you” Sasha could feel the lump in her throat start to rise, her eyes beginning to fill with tears “I know, its not been an easy decision but I know it’s the right one for me, it’s the only decision to make” She tried to keep her voice calm and even, but detected a slight wobble in her voice. She really didn’t want to start crying in front of all these people, she was feeling crappy enough as it was without everyone staring at her. Her mother reached into her bag and pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.As she took it from her mother’s hand, she glanced at her mother’s face, her eyes too were filled with uncried tears.“Oh mum stop, you’ll get me going again…cant have the two of us sitting here blubbering” Sasha said bravely. She smiled weakly at her mother, squeezing her hand.“Come on, this a positive thing I’m doing, and lets be honest, I’m far too young to be having a baby now aren’t I.This is absolutely the right thing to do.What kind of life would I have, only just turned 16 and having a baby. How would I support it and myself, I haven’t even got a job and I‘m still living at home. It wouldn’t be fair to bring a child into the world like this, especially not like this.A baby should be born from love, not a stupid mistake” “I know” her mother replied “I’m just worried about you, you’re still my baby don’t forget. I just cant bear seeing you hurt or upset and this is one time I cant fix the situation for you. I know you’ll be fine you’re a sensible girl, always have been”. They both dabbed their eyes and sat and waited for the doctor to come round. Eventually a doctor appeared at the reception desk
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 12
along with five nurses, clipboard in hand and proceeded to read people’s names, directing them to various nurses so that by the time he’d finished, there were five nurses with six girls each. As each girl’s name was called, they all slowly picked up their belongings, small suitcases and overnight bags and went and stood next their allocated nurse. When Sasha’s name was called, her and her mother rose from the chairs and hugged each other tightly. “I’ll come and see you tonight, about 7.30pm I think it said visiting time was on the leaflet. I’ll bring you something nice too” said her mother, reluctant to let her daughter go. “Thanks mum, that would be great.What will you tell dad though? Sasha enquired. “Don’t you worry about that” said her mother “I’ll just tell him I’m going out with Sandra for a drink. Don’t worry love, he doesn’t know and he certainly doesn’t need to know either. We can handle this between us, he’d be no bloody good anyway! You know what men are like in a crisis…useless. They both chuckled, knowing her dad would actually have been extremely angry and disappointed with her, hence the reason for not involving him at the start.
the corridor which had doors leading off at intervals. Sasha couldn’t help but peek in as they passed. Inside were the other girls from the reception unpacking their bags and getting themselves ready for the day’s event. They reached the end of the corridor and turned right into a large room consisting of six hospital beds running either side of the room, some comfy chairs at the fair end and a communal bathroom off the room. Each girl was shown to her bed and locker and quietly every unpacked. The tension in the room was almost crushing, the anxiety of each individual was clearly visible on everyone’s face. Nobody looked at each other or made eye contact. It was as if they all just wanted the wind the clock forward a few hours for this day to be over. Once they had changed into their various coloured pyjamas and nightshirts, they all climbed into their beds, waiting for the nurse to come around with their pre-med injections. One by one, each occupant was visited by the nurse with a large stainless steel tray, on it lay six syringes all filled with the same liquid.As soon as the injection was administer, they were wheeled off to surgery. When it came to Sasha’s turn, she felt the butterflies in her stomach lurching around inside her, her heart banging against her rib cage. This is it, she thought, no going back now and she felt prick of the needle pierce her skin, the cold liquid of the injection enter under the skin of her hand and into her veins. Her eyelids dropped and she was out for the count. When she woke, it was dark. Her mouth was so dry so couldn’t muster up any saliva to quench her mouth. When she tried to swallow, her throat was sore which she guessed was probably from the air tube pipe they insert into your mouth during surgery. Slowly she turned her head to the left and right, seeing that all the occupants of the beds were back too, some were asleep still and some were up sitting on their beds watching the television screwed to the wall. Sash a felt incredibly queasy and decided not keep turning her head as new she’d probably throw up if she carried on. To be continued...
They said their goodbyes and Sash wandered over to stand next to her designated nurse. “Right ladies, if you’d like to follow me, I’ll show you to your room”. They duly followed behind the nurse in silence, the only sound made was their shoes on the polished parquet flooring. They made their way down
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 13
Common on the other hand has always focused on issues to do with social awareness, which is a trademark of conscious hip-hop. It’s men like him that give black males a sense of personal pride. Other artists like Nas and Mos Def are good influences in the sense that their music doesn’t glorify drugs, violence or crime.
Rap Music
is a big part of
the world around us and without knowing it can influence our dress sense, speech, attitude and behaviour. Plenty of music (particularly rap) is often condemned for its negative lyrics and portray a poor lifestyle of the hustle n grind but not all music adapts to these stereotypes American rapper Common has the poetic force and lyrical talent that is much needed in today’s music industry. He may look rough and tough on the outside but deep within it’s another story, he’s mature enough to avoid negative actions around him; “Outgrowing the streets…ignoring Mc’s like beeps.” (Lyrics from Invocation by Common). A lot of rappers forget about reality when they reach the height of fame and their lyrics switch from praising their parents to rhymes about women and money. Kanye west for example brought out his “college dropout” album in 2003. The album was highly acclaimed for giving hiphop a new outreach, tracks were positive yet political. Although he expresses that school wasn’t for him, he has a very strong messages for black men growing up in this world. Kanye’s debut album made contemporary hiphop reach new heights, but then came the curse of fame came along. His second album “late registration was a little drug orientated.
Drugs can be talked about in both a positive way and a negative way; “don’t make drug dealing your only skill…everyday I tell these youngers, they don’t like what I teach”. (“Talk to Me” by Swiss). Battersea born rapper Swiss (former member of so solid crew) portrays the downside of London life to let others learn. “Cry” brought his music from the basement out to the streets and touched the hearts of those who needed to hear it. “I don’t wanna be another bum, there’s another million n*****s like me in another slum” (Cry, Swiss). A harsh reality that shouldn’t be overlooked. Although this isn’t political music it aims
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 14
for a positive outcome. Recently there has been a huge outcry of the origins of hip-hop (not the roots). This is expressed in the film “The Truth Behind Hip Hop”. The DVD has been watched by 1000’s of people and had a drastic impact on the industry. “The Truth Behind Hip Hop” is from a Christian point of few but is unfortunately full of half-truths. The reverend slates hip-hop music implying that it’s satanic and stems from the devil. I believe the views on the DVD are a little extreme. The negative publicity given by the media only relates to a minority of rap artists. This needs to be realised and let the slander stop. Hip-hop isn’t all bad, far from it. I’ve heard passages from the Bible being rapped and it sounded good to me. Just be aware of what your listening to and don’t let it shape you. Some say hip-hop is a way of life but you have to think of the way your life is first. Unfortunately on our side of the pond we haven’t caught on to political rap, but artist like Sway and Kano are representing the scene. Sway in particular hardly has a bad word to say in any of his songs. His lyrics are real to the core and all listeners can relate, “Some places in Britain ain’t the place to raise your child”. (Lyrics from “Hype Boys” Sway). A lot of Sway’s lyrics are comical but have morals behind them. His songs express the way his life could of gone and how he’s made it to where he is today “ Little Derek wrote lyrics whilst the others got high”. For the struggling rap and garage emcees keep doing your thing, the only way is up. Influential artist Nas said it best “I know I can, be what I want to be, if I work hard at it, I’ll be where I want to be” (lyrics from “I Can” by Nasir Jones aka Nas). By Victoria Wood
Words of encouragement “I’ve never been poor, only broke. Being poor is a frame of mind. Being broke is only a temporary situation.” — Mike Todd, Film Producer Many of us want to be prosperous but lack clear directions. On our journey to happiness there will always be main roads of truth with ditches of errors next to them. From time to time unfortunately we have all found it difficult in keeping our focus on the main road and have ended up in trenches. Where are you now? Just in case you are down in the trenches of life keep looking up. Because as Les Brown said: “if can look up you will get up”. So make sure you use every negative experience to help your journey not to dig your grave. Be warned, prosperity without a purpose could only lead to disappointment and dissatisfaction. Many have found that the things for which they have traded their freedom or which have meant bring fulfilment are the things that have imprisoned them. Prosperity is not something that you have to chase for it would come when you escape from the things that have made you poor. Opportunities are there for those who are willing to be diligent and faithful ready. Benjamin Disraeli said: “the secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.” You cannot afford to be short - sighted’ for this is the number one reason why most people serve life rather than live it. Don’t borrow money just to have fun. For example there are lots of people who borrow money just to go on a holiday. This is like living life in reverse. You are having fun now and paying for it later. Always stop to consider the consequence of this fun. Would it lead to more fun or would it be an expensive penalty that would cause you grief later? Napoleon Hill in the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ states ‘If you want prosperity you must refuse to accept any thing that leads toward poverty.’ We were all designed for fun and freedom but too often we allowed our life-styles to seduce us into confinement. When you escape from the things that made you poor, prosperity will flow naturally.
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 15
SUBSCRIPTION FORM Name: Address Tel:
Email address:
I HAVE REQUESTED [NO. OF COPIES ] AN ONLINE VERSION BY PAYPAL ON WWW.MYSPACE.COM/BLACKBRIGHTNEWS SIGNED……………………………………………………………………………………………………
DATE_______________________________________
SPONSOR FORM
I/We ____________________
wish to sponsor/advertise
Blackbright News (‘Blackbright’) in the sum of £25 per month/£65 per quarter [delete as appropriate] for a 2-year period /OR £50/£125 one off ¼ page advertisement £200 per ½ page and £300 full page for online version. I/We understand that I/we will receive free ¼ page advertising space (subject to complete camera-ready artwork in high resolution JPEG or PDF format) as a result of my/our 2-year commitment. I/We understand that the said amount is payable in advance and enclose our cheque made payable to ‘Blackbright Ltd’ in the sum stated above on the sponsor form and that a 50% cancellation fee becomes due if I cancel. Signed
[ Print Name]
Date: Organisation Name & Address………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………….Tel:___________________ email address:________________________ *Blackbright is offering introductory advertising rates: Payment by BACS: Blackbright Ltd Client Account, HSBC 63 George Street Luton LU1 2AR Sort Code: 40-30-32 Account Number:52118211 – Please confirm method of payment by email: blackbrightnews@aol.com 57 Saywell Road Luton LU2 0QG Tel: 01582 721 605 or Mob. 07915 062 775 Email: blackbrightnews@aol.com
June Supplement 2007.qxp
01/10/2007
14:50
Page 16