Flying High

Let's keep flying high today! I was browsing on YouTube today and came across this inspiring video!




Courtesy: www.youtube.com/positiveblackstories
No copyright infringement intended.

Shoot for the Moon: Today's Black History Note

Walking on sunshine, more like walking in space as Bernard A. Harris, Jr., M.D., describes himself as a 'dreamer who believes nothing is impossible.' He was a NASA astronaut, in fact, the first African American astronaut to walk in space. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990 and flew his first mission in 1993. It was his second mission in 1995 where Dr. Harris fulfilled a childhood dream of walking in space.  He has spent more than 438 hours of his life in space. He shot for the moon and truly landed among the stars.


Photo Courtesy: jsc.nasa.gov

Black History Note: First African American Professional Football Player

Charles Follis 1879-1910

Victor Cruz will be salsa dancing all night after the New York Giant's Superbowl XLVI win! Keeping up with the spirit of champions, let's remember Charles Follis the first African American professional football player. At his high school, Follis organized the first football team and was elected captain(1899). He attended college at Wooster College, but chose to play for a local amateur team instead. Upon graduation (1904), he signed a contract with the Shelby Blues of the Ohio League. Follis led the Blues with only one season loss. At the Thanksgiving Day game of the 1906 season, Follis suffered a career-ending injury.

Follis turned to baseball since  he played for Wooster and in the Ohio Trolley League. He played for the Cuban Giants,  an African American baseball team(since all the teams were segregated), as a catcher.  After playing on April 5, 1910, Follis caught the pneumonia and died of his sickness.             

A Look into Black History Sports



Ernie Davis 1939-1963

As we come off the signing day frenzy for many of our area high school football stars, let's remember Ernie Davis of Syracuse University. Davis' immaculate skill on the gridiron made him the first African American to win the Heisman trophy during his senior year at the university in 1961.

After college, the Heisman winner was signed to the Cleveland Browns but sadly never got to play a game. He was diagnosed with leukemia a few days before he was set to play in a college all-star game in Chicago. He died at the young age of 23.

Ernie Davis' life may have ended too soon, but it is remembered every time one of our own(Mark Ingram/Cam Newton) wins the honor of the Heisman. Thank you Ernie Davis and congratulations to all of our high school seniors that signed on Wednesday.

Where This Celebration Began



Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950)
Courtesy: kimpearson.net/hiphopwired.com

February may be the shortest month in the year, but our history is
long and began in 1926 with the efforts of Mr. Carter G. Woodson. The
‘father of black history’ was unable to receive any type of education
until he was 20 when he attended high school and later went to study
at the University of Chicago, Harvard and the Sorbonne in Paris.
Working as a school teacher, Woodson saw a void in education as his
students had little knowledge of the history and culture of African
Americans.

In 1926, Woodson created the first of what was to be an annual
celebration of African American achievement. It started as a weeklong
celebration, and in 1976 it was extended to last the entire month of
February. So here we are 86 years later and the celebration continues.
Thank Mr. Woodson for taking the first step



2012 Oscar Nominations

The 84th Academy Awards are upon us, and the nominations are hot off the presses. I am excited to see so much attention being paid to the powerful movie "The Help" with four nominations.

Best Picture: The Help
Best Actress: Viola Davis(middle)
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer(bottom left)
Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain(top left)



One of comedy's leading ladies, Melissa McCarthy landed a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her hilarious antics in Bridesmaids. Along with Bridesmaids scoring a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. One nomination I didn't see coming was Jonah Hill for Best Supporting Actor in Moneyball. I still see Seth from Superbad when I think of his acting, but who am I to typecast? Viola Davis will have to face Meryl Streep(The Iron Lady) and Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn) for the Best Actress title.

Some other nominations include:

Best Actor:Brad Pitt(Moneyball);George Clooney (The Descendants)
Best Animated Film Feature:Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss n Boots, Rango
Best Music (Original Song):"Man or Muppet"(The Muppets),"Real in Rio"(Rio)

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees. It was a great year in movies. To see the full list of nominations,vote and see how others are predicting wins; visit the official Academy Awards website http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/oscars/nominees/ 

Tune in to the 84th Annual Academy Awards Sunday, February 26 at 7pm EST. But set your DVR because you will be at Radar Magazine's The Royal Experience that night getting your own celebrity status treatment.

We Fight!

Box office results for a movie that some of Hollywood's major studios said would be 'difficult to market' pushed Contraband to #3 and grossed $19M landing at #2 after weekend box office results were released today. I took to the theater to see Red Tails Friday night and was overwhelmingly pleased to see so many African Americans, young and seasoned, out supporting this film. George Lucas, best known for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, admitted it was difficult to find support from mainstream studios to support this film because of the all black cast. He recalled studios telling him it would be difficult to "market". The Tuskegee Airmen faced every difficulty possible so marketing seems like a minute hurdle in 2012. No problem for Lucas.

Lucas set out for the movie to be inspiring for teenage boys, but it did much more than that. One thing I learned from "Red Tails" was that our black military men not only fought a war against Germany, but also took a courageous stand against racism. The type of courage that I wish I could display in my own life. Make sure you thank a soldier when you see one after seeing this movie.