Roots - Still Deep After 30 Years!

I remember the talk about a man researching his familial beginnings back in 1976 and shrugged if off thinking it was another individual going the genealogy route looking for legitimacy. Six months later toward the latter part of that year I found out that one, Alex Haley, indeed was serious and had documented through travel, porous research, and due diligence in producing a seminal tome worthy of the literary world’s penchant for proof positive. Roots, was the name of the book and everything documented therein helped to create the legacy of a man on a mission! I grabbed a copy of Reader’s Digest to start my journey with this arduous quest. Reading the excerpts I was hooked, and over the years I’ve read the book twice, including having seen numerous reruns of the mini-series that captivated us, and further sealed the phenomena that commanded our apt attention.

Reader’s Digest played a major role in the transformation of this epic to fruition. Commissioned to write a groundbreaking article on his family, it proved to be the forerunner for an all expense paid trip to Africa tracing his family’s history from one generation to another, culminating into the nearly 700-page product destined to become a bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner. Despite subsequent problematic issues surrounding Haley not being a Historian, along with lack of written records, legitimate sources, and reliable documentation, Roots effected the life of many and impacted race consciousness in a country that needed it most.

Speaking of Reader’s Digest, and to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the first printing of Roots, they have published a collection of Haley’s important works detailing ordinary folk accomplishing extraordinary feats from 1954 t0 1991. The book, “Alex Haley", and subtitled, "The Man Who Traced America’s Roots” should be on the shelves as you read this piece. I found this collection to be quite informative, and gave spotlight to stories of people overcoming great odds to achieve success. Our trials and tribulations being Black in America are full of superlative initiative when the sum of all the parts equals total effort.

The book has four sections – Stories of Triumph, Race and Resilience, The Search Begins, and The Legacy. In them, you find Mr. Haley delving deep in bringing the blood, sweat and tears of protracted struggle to the fore. Along the way you will meet up close and personal, Mahalia Jackson, Wilma Rudolph, et al; Harlem, USA, the little ‘city’ that could; and a few other gems worth your time. The latter two chapters are purely good journalism ditties where the author gives insight on the steps preparing the search, and revealing poignant revelations that helped build and begat the legacy.

I enjoyed this book because it establishes the foundation for understanding the book Roots just that much better. Moreover, it forced America to look at race for a better reason for reconciliation…accessible regardless of creed, color, and ethnicity. Salute Alex Haley posthumously if you will, but know that he delivered an amusing, intuitive, and majestic work for the ages!

Deciphering the Dilemmas Along the Campaign Trail

Is this country ready for a darker shade of pale in the White House? In my lifetime, I'm watching with baited breath for the smoke to clear devoid of deception and mayhem. Nonetheless, I'm both bemused and baffled at times watching the drama unfold while Obama and Hillary jockey for position in their quest for bi-partisan for President. Look at the intangibles and go figure the circumstance and consequences here. They are bringing some extra drama to a familiar and not always welcome questions: Are African-American women going to be torn between two firsts? Will they vote along ethnic lines supporting a Black man, or will they vote gender specific and allow Hillary to prevail in a heart-felt way? Will it be both? Or neither? Has Obama appealed enough to the hearts and minds of Black men to be believable amid strands of doubt, ethnic background notwithstanding?

My research shows that Black support is split about evenly between the two, but I'm leaning toward believing that there's strong evidence of a gender gap. YES, a gender gap, but it's predictable! Obama appeals to Black men and has a comfortable lead there, while Black women obviously favor Hillary. I'm still trying to fathom why the support of either candidate is concise among those comparisons. I cannot ignore history's treatment of women of color. It seems to me that they've always had to prove themselves, be it the subjection of loyalty oaths or disloyalty taunts where dissention and tension among the ranks were rife with contradiction without being given equal parity. History has also proven that sexist attitudes die hard. Against this backdrop you cannot prove to me that somehow Hillary doesn't have an ace up her sleeve.

I recall tension and consternation going back to Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony toe to toe in acrimony and disagreement on who was more worthy of being the spokeswoman for women suffrage agendas. This was during the Women's Rights Convention in 1851 when Sojourner when challenged adamantly retorted, "Ain't I a woman?" Parallel and paradox to this analogy is the fact that there were racists in the women's rights movement as well as sexists in the civil rights movement. Think back to our whipping boy Clarence Thomas and his assertion that racist attitudes were at the base and cause of people siding against him. Anita Hill, his adversary was painted as less than honorable, and persona non grata to boot in deference to African-American men. Again, it’s the battle royal between Black man and the gender of a woman under duress. Suffice it to say, Hillary not a woman of color, but a ‘woman’ nonetheless battling issues that will surely split the votes among minorities. Other parallels abound with references depicting Black women as vulnerable in taking sides.

In this presidential race we have both a white woman and a Black man in the top tier of contenders. At the same time, these are candidates who have, in many ways, transcended their race and gender - especially in the level of popularity they've garnered. Race and gender has become less of a moot point. It's going to be quite interesting to see how this scenario will eventually pan out. How will Amerikkka vote? Will Obama make it to the end? Will some racist fiend decide to reopen the can of white supremacy worms sitting within reach? Better yet; is this country truly ready for a Black, or a female president? The fact that I'm American and have options is much more than I could ask for living in the land of the free. I'm all for a good race, and will even feel ecstatic again knowing that the politicos and politics that make this nation great, are gearing for an interesting, if not historic ending. Stay tuned, will ya?

In Memory Of A Literary Friend

This is in memory of a respected colleague of mine - Katherine D. Jones, the erudite and talented author. Ms Jones passed away yesterday (May 17) at her home in Texas. Of course she will be missed...and as I write this piece, my heart is heavy, and I'm not ashamed to admit that the tracks of my tears are still visible. The New Jerusalem will be a fitting place for all angels, with Katherine in that number, to be the final resting place. Yes, she was an angel in my eyes, and I’m reminded of our last conversation. It was here in Miami at the Romance Slam Jam Conference that she greeted me with a great big ole hug, and that million-dollar smile. Before I could get it out of my mouth she was talking about her boys, and her upcoming move to Germany, via her husband's military affiliation.

I first met Kathy several years ago in Atlanta, this before we started freelancing for the Dorchester Media group of erstwhile magazines, i.e., BRONZE THRILLS, JIVE, BLACK ROMANCE, TRUE CONFESSIONS, et al. The Romance Slam Conference for romance writers was common ground for familiarity, and we hooked up again in Dallas (2005), and again in Miami (2007). Author and Editor Nathasha Brooks-Harris assured that we had the best assignments and expected us to write like hell to be paid while writing for Dorchester! Katherine was no exception to that rule, and she wrote the best articles. I considered her to be a much more polished writer than I, and always told her so.

She definitely was a social butterfly and loved to discuss the writing of romance and putting her special flavor to the mix. Parker Publishing, LLC her latest publisher had grand plans to coincide with a new transitional stage for her and others writing for their NOIRE PASSION imprint. The author’s Special Corruption Unit series (SCU) was a fan favorite, consisting of novels Love Worth Fighting For and Worth the Wait, both published by the defunct BET Arabesque Books; Undercover Lover and the final book in the SCU series, Deep Down, published by Kensington/Dafina. Her third novel, Undercover Lover recently recognized in Essence Magazine as suggested reading for Valentine's Day 2006.

Katherine' fine novella, Gunns and Roses appeared in the Parker Publishing anthology, Cuffed by Candlelight, which was released in February of this year (2007). Dangerous Dilemmas, my favorite book by her, takes erotica suspense to an exciting new level. I recently reviewed this book and will make it available to the masses as you read this! Talking to the writer, she has always been modest about her writing ability, but I never shied away from telling her how much I appreciated being a writing mate while we were with Dorchester. She describes her writing as contemporary romance fiction with a twist, because she liked to give her readers an unexpected ride. Katherine, you are missed already, and the ride was anything but unexpected! The author leaves a loving husband and two precious boys. Supporting this author posthumously wouldn't be a bad idea. Katherine, we love you!
Note: Parts of Katherine's BIO and adjunct information is credited to her publisher, Parker Publishing, LLC

They Voted Her Off, And I'm Boycotting American Idol!

I’m an unabashed Melinda Doolittle fan. I recognize talent when I see it. When being the best is not good enough, you know something is amiss. Lessons learned in the voting process and mainstream America’s finicky and unpredictable habits of voting along racial lines are legendary, if not status quo. Okay, are there anyone out there who agrees with me that Blake has no place among the final contestants for America’s Idol? Am I alone in my thoughts that this guy should have been gone long ago…and finally, is mainstream America so deaf and blind that they can’t hear good vibes, and see dynamic stage presence? This to me was the most blatant show of inaccurate judgment this show has demonstrated. American Idol is an anathema for giving credence where it’s due, and truly voting in a perceptive way, and with allowing discernible options to be more prevalent than voting along racial and ethnic. How can the best singer end up with the least amount of votes?

Damn it, do the right thing and vote with honest appeal and with the preservation of mind that talent is talent and shouldn’t be compromised with any of the aforementioned angst. Melinda Doolittle and Jordin Sparks can flat out sing, as well as LaKisha Jones who felt the sting of unjust judging herself. To make a case whether Blake should be there poising to win arguably will be debated long after I settle down and allow my heart and mind to get back to normal. Yes, they voted her off, and I’m boycotting American Idol! Why boycott you ask? I'm boycotting for the same reason how unequal playing fields permeate our society and good judgment goes fallow in lieu of calling a spade a spade...with no puns intended. This goes beyond mere racial alignments, and in Melinda's case, she just may have been simply too 'old'. Old or young, talent is talent.

American Idol needs an overhaul, including replacing two of the three celebrity judges. Believe it or not, I like Simon. He adds grit, welcomed controversy, and an abrasive demeanor that’s good for the show in an iconic way. Iconic because this show would not survive without rancor and a bit of consternation that Simon supplies with his twisted wit and British accent! Paula Abdul in my opinion is an airhead, gullible, and doesn’t give enough intrusive commentary when needed most. Moreover, her problems outside of the arena have done more damage in my opinion to usurp any credible reason for her to continue. Lastly, Randy Jackson is a misnomer. He’s not really the REAL Randy Jackson at that. Suffice it to say though, I‘ve always felt that the judges needed an industry veteran as part of the overall makeup, but sure whether Randy was the right choice.

Nonetheless, American Idol needs a change of décor and a better way to adequately and fairly judge contestants based on talent, charisma, and stage presence and not on the whims of the public. I feel too, that technical merit and professional feel for all the things that are inherent for success cannot and shouldn’t be left for the public to have final decisions on. This is NOT the end of her road. Her distinguished professional experience, expressive vocals and near unblemished run on "Idol," the judges sent Doolittle off with assurances from me and countless others that her career has just begun. I feel that she already have made it, Idol results notwithstanding. Alas, she bows out graciously joining the list of singers whose surprising exits before the finale were temporary stumbling blocks on the way to their eventual success. You have not heard the last from this songbird. Clive, where are you?!!

Notes On A Napkin #2

Death's Unexpected Knock!

Imagine if you would, how you think the end might be for you having lived life, and partook in all things that were privy to you. You are taking the days as they come, reveling in the privileges that come with being alive. You may have attended numerous funerals, and have heard tell it that someone you knew had ‘kicked the bucket’…but do you ever think that one day you will go this same route? It is said the death is ominous, dark, and foreboding. Really?! You couldn’t prove that to the heavenly senate, where God is in control determining who is next. His legislation is absolute – He’s judge and jury. When death comes knocking there’s no defense, no lamentations, and certainly nothing to stop the inevitable. You see, God calls it a homecoming and it wasn’t meant to be sad and mourning. Rather, it’s a joyous occasion and cause for celebration. If only we heed what has always been status quo with God, and that is not to be of the world but with your sights upward towards Zion, but to do that we need to do a better job of understanding faith to make our elections sure.

People die all the time, at different times and for variable reasons. We hold on to virtues that are not in the realm of Christian value and find ourselves in a pall for the wrong reasons. We think nothing of living the life and accumulating as much material things possible to aid and abet sin. I include myself in this, for I’ve been guilty of apostasy, lackadaisical faith initiatives, and just doing what I wanted to do without paying homage to Him. Death’s unexpected knock can come at any moment to claim you. Would you be ready? Have you prepared for the New Jerusalem? Hearty and straightforward questions are these, but they must be answered for clarity to be the beacon to change.

When death comes knocking it can claim the likes of Martin Luther King’s eldest, Yolanda King, Jerry Falwell, and most recently to my dear friend and colleague, Katherine D. Jones. Three good people who may have done what was needed to see another life. After being spared for over a half of a century now, I will be grateful. Moreover, I will speak for myself and say that I’m glad that time has rendered me a new heart, and a righteous mind for that which is much more formidable looking at death through the other end. I know that the Lord said that life is not eternal, and that three score and seven would be the norm. Anything more than that, I know would be living on borrowed time. Would it behoove me to keep the faith and hope that readers reading this blog would change their way of thinking about death? Of course! You’d want to be prepared to know that there’s truly life after death – but it shouldn’t kill you on the way to salvation!

Notes On A Napkin #1

• Warner No More

WOW! Talking about reverse order, and no strings attached! Warner Books has changed its named to Grand Central Publishing, reflecting their soon-to-be new address on Park Avenue just north of the station. "It also reflects the publisher's renewed commitment to publishing a diverse range of books and offering readers content through new channels and new formats." If you don’t know by now, foreign companies, most notably French and German conglomerates, own most of our major publishing houses. On the reverse side of the coin, you would rarely see Americans owning anything on the same level of business dealings. Even with the French, there’s a healthy and growing American expatriate community of Blacks, but rest assured we are kept at bay and limited to what we can truly be independent of.

• Coming Soon…

By the time you read this Oprah Winfrey will have already announced a new book club pick. Vintage is the lucky publisher. Lucky?! Shouldn’t that be changed to BLESSED? How much you wanna bet that the book she pick will NOT be one of an African-American entity? It boggles my mind that few of our books and authors are thought enough to be inclusive of Oprah’s ‘generosity’ here in the States. Do we have to live in South Africa for benevolence to be shown to us closer to home?

• Quick Riches the Easy Way

Seems to me the best and quickest way to make a name for yourself and earn more than a fist full of dollars would be to write a NON-FICTION book! Yes, one without drama and the usual nuances associated with call, response, and the all too-familiar waiting game. BUT…you have to have something to say that would garner the support and sensibilities of the general public. Go through Oprah, you say? Sure, and we KNOW how successful THAT would be, right? I say go non-fiction because other persuasions are taking practical and generic lore and making it seem like a new invention, or something just now available to mankind that is a cure-all for anything mentally and physical. The common thread is – you don’t need anyone or anything to steer you away from what has always been there for you in the first place: common sense, and faith in God. Biblical truth is not a time intensive value…it’s there for us anytime we feel the need to take initiatives. Read my essay below on The Secret’.

• The Fly Jock’s Mosquito in the Mix

Mosquitoes are pests and one of the worst kinds of nuances because they have tendencies of staying around. I wonder how Tom Joyner feels about Steve Harvey muscling in on many of his established markets? Here in the Miami-Ft Lauderdale area he (Mr. Harvey) is holding his own, but in recent weeks have been trounced severely according to the Arbitron rating system. I personally think there’s room for another player, but to be competitive newcomers MUST bring their A Game and offer much more than their immediate competition. In my opinion, Steve Harvey is okay, but hardly a Tom Joyner…especially in the sense of his philanthropy work toward education, assisting the HBCU’s, and finding money for needy school children. Steve…are you listening?

• Where’s the Love?

I was invited recently to attend a literary conference and was awed by the number of major publishing house sponsorships. Of course, I’m privy too, and understand the need for publishers to honor and support their writers. This is where the respect and high visibility often comes down to in many different ways. I immediately thought about how Romantic Times and Romance Writers of America (RWA) go to lengths to solicit funds to showcase authors writing the genre. Then I think about our Romance Slam Jam…I mean, I can say more, but is there a need to? One thing I found lacking from what I could see on the surface, was the noticeable absence of a presence from those companies that the AA writers are writing for, save for Parker Publishing. I’m one that would want to SEE the fruit of labor and know that the support is visible and not something done behind the scenes. And to think that RWA owes a lot to a Black woman who inspired it all! Maybe one of these good ole days we will see wholehearted support all the way across the board for the authors who want that equal parity but don’t see a lot of it.

Giving 'The Secret ' A New Meaning

Here we go again…another phenomenon has entered our sensibilities with The Secret. Fueled by the Oprah Winfrey marketing machine, the book, movie, and discourse on many online and offline discussion boards are superlative and getting stronger. We also witnessed just recently Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven Life platforms, which in my opinion are on the same wavelength as the former. This time around, it’s Rhonda Byrne attempting to hit us up side the head with truths that are already prevalent in the Bible and elsewhere in literary lore. Is this a new thing, or do we have other vestiges that can give us just the things we need to enjoy the quality of life we seek? Life-changing information is not new to those that need it most, nor is it hidden where we can’t find it.

People of color have always trusted in the Lord, and have read His word, and have gone out and lived the life to boot. So what’s so masterful about this subject that The Secret has wrought? It’s easy and really doesn’t need Oprah or anybody else of noted fame to bring them to the fore. Getting the concept of The Secret can be assessed along practical lines where children, teenagers and adults of all ages can report a new lease on their lives in a positive way without some entrepreneurial marketing scheme.

I’ve discussed this issue with various members of my inner circle and we all came to the same conclusion that this theme is attributed to Faith-based initiatives. As quoted by one of my friends -- “All The Secret is to me is the Faith concept repackaged to make someone really rich. You can get the same from the Bible…’name it and claim it’ was introduced by the Bible, and Mark chapters 4 and 5 are excellent examples of Faith”. I agree. All one has to do is decipher what the Lord wanted to be discerned by reading the Parable of the Sower, Mark 4:1-12; The Seed, Mark 4:26-29; and The Mustard Seed, Mark 4:30-41. These passages are adamant with explanation giving reasons why we should have faith, and why believing solely in Him is all you’d need. There's nothing monetary, of egotistical value, nor the need to sell anything other than Divine Order.

The laws of conjecture I'm sure, will have people believing what they want and using other examples of faith to draw upon. So, do we really need Oprah and Rhonda Bryne giving us something supposedly new, that we can readily find on our own through Biblical reference? I keep harking back to that which has always been a staple in my life when it comes to relying thusly on the Lord's dictates. It's all about the Bible stating without question that whosoever asks in Jesus' name, and believes wholeheartedly in Him shall be prosperous and live a great life. And that’s all I’ll ever need without me having to seek a ‘secret’!