Self Made Millionaire Farrah Gray Trumpet Awards

Basheer Jones Foundation

Our Programs


B. Well – To encourage a healthy living lifestyle by teaching families to prepare healthy meals, exercise, and promote family time

Leadership Ambassadors – is a comprehensive program that focuses on youth leadership engagement and development in order to promote civic action and social advocacy. To give the youth a voice that will enable them to speak out against social injustices as well as development in order to promote civic action and social advocacy. To create leadership qualities in the youth that will enable them to become successful civic leaders.

Head of the Class – is an interactive hands-on after school program that combines a rigourous academic curriculum with character development workshops in order to bring about a holistic approach to educating the child.

Urban Escapes - is designed to revitalize, restore, and renew our communities through eco-friendly iniatives that include providing green spaces, community gardens, fresh fruits and vegetables, and passing parks in our neighborhoods order to enhance its aesthetic appeal.

Back to the Beginning – is designed to bring forth a global perspective to our youth by exposing them to other cultures and environments while enhancing the quality of life for others through service and support.

Who is Basheer Jones?

Basheer Jones‟ gait is like a lion– steady, patient, quiet and ready to pounce. His prey is opportunity – an opportunity to teach young boys, girls, men and women the truth of their worth and value. Warm and uncomplicated; when he speaks they listen. Basheer Jones is an attractive personality, both engaging and inspiring. He‟s a born leader with a life story that gives him mass appeal.

Born in Brooklyn, New York and a transplant to Cleveland, OH: Basheer graduated from Martin Luther King High School, where he became involved with B.R.I.C.K – Brother, Respect, Intelligence, Conduct and Knowledge – a program led by Tim Roberts, a Cleveland police officer who would become a father figure and would also inspire Basheer to pursue his love for both the written and spoken word. His life experiences have been the fuel behind his sincere wordsand his soul stirring delivery, as he speaks to the hearts of many with his poetry, this has opened up many doors for him. One was a chance to attend and graduate Morehouse College with high honors- where he studied African American Studies. He later pursued graduate studies at Howard University. During this time, he continued to make a name for himself.

He is emerging as a powerful and forceful voice in media and entertainment as he hosts a top rated radio talk show that is bound for national syndication. He is rising up as a fiery and impassioned leader, and public speaker with a message of empowerment and change.

Having been requested to be interviewed by Time Magazine and to open for leaders such as Barack Obama and Tavis Smiley, Basheer proves that he possesses something very special. Basheer played an important role in the city of Cleveland during the 2008 Presidential Election. Being in a swing state, he hosted Barack Obama rallies and held one of the largest youth voter registration efforts in city history alongside influential people like Cornel West, Lebron James, Hill Harper, Russell Simmons, and Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.

From the rough streets of Brooklyn, NY and his adopted home city of Cleveland, OH to acclaimed Spoken Word Artist and Essence Award Winner; Morehouse Graduate with honors, to the youngest News Talk Radio host in the country; he has lived up to the belief that we must be the change that we‟ve been searching for.

Source: http://www.thebasheerjonesfoundation.org

The 25 Most Important Black Tech Pioneers

25. Benjamin Banneker
Notable invention: The U.S. wooden clock

The son of a slave, Banneker developed a fascination for repairing watches by taking them apart and studying their components. After mastering his craft he would go on to build America's first-ever wooden clock using carved wooden pieces. The clock worked for more than 40 years. Banneker banked on his nationwide exposure and started up his own watch and clock repair business. They don't make them like they use to.



24. Ronald S. Demon (1977–present)
Notable invention: The Smart Shoe

Inventor and CEO of VectraSense Technologies patented a sports shoe geared towards athletes and nicknamed it the "Smart Shoe". This high-tech footwear sensed a person's movement and automatically adjusted cushions in the shoe to provide better comfort. Nike's either going to buy this technology or build a better version.


23. Lonnie Johnson (1949-present)
Notable invention: The Power Drencher a.k.a. the Super Soaker

The Super Soaker wasn't exactly what we would call groundbreaking, but it was definitely one of the most innovative novelties created during the early 1990s. Lonnie Johnson’s plastic water cannon had kids and grown-ups drenching each other silly with H20 on every front lawn and playground across the nation, raking in more than 1 billion in sales and cementing its place in pop culture as one of the most beloved toys of our generation.



22. Benjamin Bradley (1830–unknown)
Notable invention: Warship steam engine

Having worked at the Annapolis Naval Academy, Bradley performed scientific experiments and was credited for building a steam engine at the age of 16. It was made entirely from scrap metal and used on warships to help travel faster at sea. Though he wasn’t able to patent his work, he sold his idea in exchange for his freedom.



21. Norbert Rillieux (1806-1894)
Notable invention: Multiple-effect evaporator

This American engineer revolutionized the sugar industry with the multiple-effect evaporator, a device that produced high-quality sugar and reduced production costs by using steam efficiently to evaporate water and prevetn sugar from burning or being discolored. After patenting his creation in 1843, sugar manufacturers from Cuba to Egypt requested Rillieux’s machine. It’s still used today to make glue, soap, milk, and other products. Sweet.



20. Andrew Jackson Beard (1849 – 1921)
Notable invention: The Jenny Coupler

Before the Jenny Coupler, railroad cars were manually joined together. As one of the many railroad workers who lost a limb (his leg) in a coupling accident, Beard saved many lives with his invention, which automatically locked two car-bumps together. He patented the device in 1897, the same year Congress created the Federal Safety Appliance Act, a law that made it illegal to operate railroad cars without automatic couplers. Not bad for a man with little to no education in engineering.



19. Lewis Howard Latimer (1848–1928)
Notable invention: Water closet

Before serving as Thomas Edison's original draftsman and sketching invention plans for Alexander Graham Bell, Latimer was best known for improving the railroad toilet system with the water closet. For those brand new to 18th and 19th century jargon, it's a flush toilet. He would also create a method to make carbon filaments for the electric lamp and become the only African American member of the engineering division at the Edison Company. Makes you wonder if Edison stole borrowed any ideas from him.



18. Meredith Gourdine (1929–1998)
Notable inventions: The Incineraid system, Focus Flow Heat Sink, and industrial paint spray

Gourdine has been praised as a pioneer researcher and for creating electrogasdynamics—the generation of electrical energy from the conversion of the kinetic energy contained in a high-pressure, ionized, moving combustion gas. His most popular creation, the Incineraid system, was used to banish smoke from burning buildings and fog from airport runways. Adding to his legacy, he would also create the Focus Flow Heat Sink, a device that cooled down computer chips.



17. Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852 – 1889)
Notable invention: The shoe-lasting machine

Half Dutch, half Surinamese, Matzeliger crafted a machine to help expedite the final step of shoemaking—connecting the leather from the upper shoe to the inner sole. The device helped ensure better quality and fit, and increased shoemaking speed by up to 900 percent. Remember him the next timey you throw down over $300 on a pair of kicks.



16. Garrett Morgan (1877–1963)
Notable inventions: Three-way traffic signal, hair straightener

After witnessing a traffic collision, Morgan decided to build a non-electric three-way traffic signal that featured Stop, Go, and all-directional stop positions. He would create another safety-inspired device, the gas mask, which he used to save 32 men trapped during an explosion in an underground tunnel in Lake Erie. The man even invented the first human-hair straighetner and sold it under the name G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Cream.



15. Granville T. Woods (1856–1910)
Notable inventions: Telegraphony, trolley conducting system, third brake, and improved air brake

The self-taught inventor managed to combine the telephone and telegraph to form the telegraphony, a system used to send voice and telegraph messages over a single wire. His other most notable invention was a detection system that informed train engineers of how close their trains were to collision. He also received credit from a few historians for inventing the third rail, which Thomas Edison was awarded a patent for 10 years earlier in 1882. Now we know why they referred to him as the “Black Edison.”



14. David N. Crosthwait, Jr. (1898-1976)
Notable inventions: Heating systems for huge buildings, vacuum pump, automobile turn signal, and thermostat control

An expert in central air conditioning and heat ventilation systems, Crosthwait took his knowledge of electrical engineering and built everything from vacuum pumps to temperature regulating devices. He would go on to accomplish one of the biggest feats of any 20th century inventor—creating the heating systems for Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. Someone was in an empire state of mind.



13. Roscoe L. Koontz (1922–present)
Notable inventions: Collimator and pinhole gamma ray camera

This health physics specialist created the collimator, a device used to align two or more devices and set toward at a proper focus. He also designed radiation activity measuring devices and automatic air and water sampling equipment.



12. Frederick McKinley Jones (1892–1961)
Notable inventions: Automatic refrigerator system, military air-conditioning unit, self-start gas engine, and movie projector devices

Jones designed portable cooling units for trucks, trains, ships, and aircrafts to help store and keep products chilled. His invention would play a vital role during World War II, where army hospitals and battlefield infantries preserved blood, food, and medicine in these small-scaled refrigerators. With over 61 patents under his belt, he was definitely a jack-of-all-trades inventor.



11. Alexander Miles (1838 – 1905)
Notable invention: Automated elevator door system

During a time when many people died falling down elevator shafts, Alexander Miles made significant upgrades to the electric lift by introducing automated doors and improving the open/close mechanism for elevator shafts. Miles would go on to create an insurance agency devoted to serving blacks who were discriminated upon and would be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. Thanks for saving us the walk-up.



10. Otis Boykin (1920-1982)
Notable inventions: Electrical resistor, variable resistor, control unit for heart stimulators, burglar-proof cash register, and chemical air filter

Inventor of over 25 electronic devices, Boykin’s biggest contribution to the tech field would be the control unit for the artificial heart pacemaker, which used electrical impulses to maintain a steady heartbeat rate. Other big accomplishments would include the creation of the variable resistor (used in guided missiles) and the improved electrical resistor used in computers, radios, and TVs.



9. Henry Blair (1807–1860)
Notable inventions: Seed planter and cotton planter

Very little is known about Henry Blair’s background, but we do know that he invented the seed planter, a machine that allowed farmers to plant corn faster with less work. It’s also been documented that he was the second black inventor to ever be rewarded a patent for his work and was the only inventor to be identified as “a colored man” according to Patent Office records. Blair signed each patent by marking an “x” as his signature because he couldn’t write.



8. Richard Spikes (1884–1962)
Notable inventions: Railroad semaphore, multiple barrel machine gun, beer-keg tap, self-locking rack for billiard cues, automobile directional signals, automatic gear shift, and automatic car washer

Is there anything this guy didn't invent? The San Francisco native is most famous for developing a turn signal system for vehicles, but was never awarded a patent for it. Percy Douglas-Hamilton was bestowed the honor in 1907. Spikes might of gotten the better end of the stick, as his transmission and gear-shifting designs helped him score over $100,000 during the 1930s. Dedicated to his work, Spikes worked on the automatic safety brake until he went blind and died in 1962.



7. Elijah McCoy (1844–1929)
Notable invention: Lubricating cup

Having worked as an oilman on a steam engine locomotive, McCoy combined his education and work experience to create a lubrication system that greased up engines and machines without having to shut them down. This would help reduce transportation times for all steam engine-based trains. As the story goes, his invention was so good, railroad engineers, trying to avoid shotty products, would ask if locomotives were outfitted with "the real McCoy". In addition to the lubricating cup, McCoy also held 57 patents.



6. John Henry Thompson (1959-present)
Notable inventions: Lingo programming and XObjects

Known as the “Father of Lingo Programming", Thompson developed the popular scripting language to help render visuals in computer programs. Lingo’s also been used to create flash and shockwave programs found in animation, web design, and video games. Programmers might recognize the object-oriented programming language embedded into Macromedia Director and other popular Adobe programs. Adobe-philes owe this man a great gratitude of respect.



5. Kenneth J. Dunkley (Unknown)
Notable inventions: 3D glasses

Who ever guessed the inventor of 3D glasses was a black man? We didn’t. Dunkley’s technique of blocking two points of a person’s peripheral vision resulted in people viewing images in the third-dimension. He would also be a recognized as a staple in holography—the process of making holograms. This man was so ahead of his time.



4. Henry Sampson (1934-present)
Notable inventions: Gamma-electric cell, binder system, and case-bounding system for propellants

Sampson’s gamma-electrical cell made it possible to wirelessly send and receive audio signals through radio waves. The nuclear physicist bears patents for inventions related to solid rocket motors as well. His accomplishments served as a vital component to the growth of cellular phone usage. Somebody send this man a text to show him we appreciate is work.



3. George R. Carruthers (1939–present)
Notable inventions: Image converter, ultraviolet camera, and spectrograph

South Side, Chicago native and ultraviolet astronomy pioneer George Carruthers began showing signs of greatness at the age of 10, when he crafted his own telescope for a school science fair. Fast forward to 1972, his spectrograph invention would be used in the Apollo 16 mission to record radiation from the upper half of the ultraviolet spectrum on the Moon. The camera would also produce over 200 photos of the Earth’s outer atmosphere and other deep-space objects like nebulas and comets. Astronomical.



2. James Edward West (1931 - Present)
Notable invention: Electroacoustic Transducer Electret Microphone

Looking to improve the microphone, James West built a more compact and cost efficient version of the mic by placing polymer electret film on one side, resulting in the conversion of sound into high fidelity electrical signals. His invention has been used across the world and can be found in most telephones and tape recorders till this day. West carries over 200 foreign and 47 U.S. patents based around microphones and techniques involving the making of polymer foil-electrets. He now puts in work at John Hopkins University as a research professor.



1. Mark Dean (1957–present)
Notable inventions: ISA systems bus and 1GHz RISC processor chip

Tennessee-bred engineer, Mark Dean, designed the Industry Standard Architecture systems bus, a component that enables several machines like printers and modems to connect with a computer. Dean didn't stop there. He would also lead the design team behind the creation of the 1GHz RISC processor chip. Having occupied several big positions at IBM, he would become the first ever African-American to join IBM Fellow, which is the highest honor any scientist, engineer, or programmer can achieve at the company.


Source: http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/01/the-25-most-important-black-tech-pioneers?nocache=1

The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit: How to Find and Grow Your Side Hustle in Any Economy

Who among us haven't dreamed of turning our passion into an income-producing enterprise? Whether it's arranging flowers, creating our own beauty products, or taking care of children, we all have our special talents. But how do you turn your hobbies into something more lucrative? And when would you ever find the time?

In an uncertain economy, there is no better time than now to get started and The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit offers the step-by-step answers you need to turn your ideas into a business plan and your business plan into a bona fide business. Whether Kimberly Seals-Allers, an entrepreneur herself, is directing you toward resources that will tell you which licenses you need to get started or advising you on how to pick an accountant once your business starts to grow, you can count on her counsel to be clear, concise, and inspiring. Her wisdom on everything from marketing ideas to managing employees is combined with advice and anecdotes from everyday women who have founded companies ranging from small IT consulting businesses to massive operations such as Carol's Daughter. Whether you want to quit your job and start your own company or supplement your existing income with a "side hustle," this inspiring book is for you.

Nelson George

Nelson George is an author, filmmaker, television producer, and critic with a long career in analyzing and presenting the diverse elements of African-American culture.

Queen Latifah won the Golden Globe for playing the lead in his directorial debut, the HBO movie 'Life Support'. The critically acclaimed drama looked at the effects of HIV on a troubled black family in his native Brooklyn, New York. He recently co-edited, with Alan Leeds, 'The James Brown Reader (Plume)', a collection of previously published articles about the Godfather of Soul that date as far back the late '50s. Plume published the book in May '08.

He is an executive producer on two returning cable shows: the third season of BET's American Gangster and the fifth airing of VH1's Hip Hop Honors. George is the executive producer of the Chris Rock hosted feature documentary, Good Hair, a look at hair weaves, relaxers and the international black hair economy that premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
Nelson George served as host of Soul Cities, a travel show that debuted in November 2008. on VH1 Soul. Nelson visited Los Angeles, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Memphis, New Orleans and the Bay Area. He eats food, visits historic sites, and hears lots of music. LaBelle, Robin Thicke, Babyface, Rafael Saadiq, Angie Stone and Jazmine Sullivan are among the many artists who talked with Nelson and perform. He currently serves as travel editor-at-large for www.BlackAtlas.com.

Throughout the '80s and '90s George was an columnist for Billboard magazine and the Village Voice newspaper, work that led him to write a series of award winning black music histories: 'Where Did Our Love Go: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound'; 'The Death of Rythm & Blues'; and 'Hip Hop America'. He won a Grammy for his contribution to the linear notes package on the James Brown 'Star Time' boxed set. George co-wrote 'Life and Def', the autobiography of his old friend Russell Simmons. He's also had a career writing fiction, including the bestselling 'One Woman Short', and the story, 'It's Never Too Late in New York', which has been in several anthologies of erotica.
As a screenwriter George co-wrote 'Strictly Business', which starred Halle Berry, and 'CB4', a vehicle for Chris Rock. His work with Rock led to his involvement with 'The Chris Rock Show', an Emmy award winning HBO late night series. He was an executive producer of Jim McKay's film, 'Everyday People', which premiered at the Sundance festival, and Todd Williams' Peabody award winning documentary 'The N Word'. In 2009 Viking published his memoir, 'City Kid', a look at the connections between childhood in Brooklyn and his adult career in Manhattan, Los Angeles and Detroit. It is now available in paperback.

His web series, Left Unsaid, debuted at ABFF in Miami in July 2009. It can be viewed at www.leftunsaidseries.com or at Nelson George YouTube channel.

His next novel, a noir tale set in the world of hip hop, will be published in fall 2011.

Source: http://nelsondgeorge.net

The Black Man Can

theblackmancan.org was created in April of 2010 with the sole mission of actively promoting a positive black male image. As a young black male myself, I became furious with the collective assault on the black male image each and every day. In an age where various forms of media have painted the image of the black male to be monolithic, which has a huge impact on how the world sees black men and ultimately how we see ourselves, theblackmancan.org will assist in defying and eradicating stereotypes, as well as fight a mindset that has young black men believing that they cannot achieve their hopes and dreams.

Source: http://theblackmancan.org/

Will Smith on the Power of Positive Thinking

Dream an Awesome Dream

Product Details
ISBN: 1598728288
ISBN-13: 9781598728286
Format: Paperback, 40pp
Publisher: BirthMark Books
Pub. Date: March 2007
$10.99

  

READ THE BOOK REVIEW by Linda Pate writer for Urban Views Weekly and owner of Precious Memories Books

Kids bustle with excitement and inspiration when they discover Dream An Awesome Dream. Simple and rhythmic, it's the perfect way to introduce goal setting and determination. From planning steps to making mistakes, young children will love seeing diverse kids in visually stunning imaginings they know all about and love. They'll have fun turning pages and discovering how to dream awesome dreams and how to accomplish those dreams!

Watch the Dream An Awesome Dream video

10 Things College Students Need to Know About Money

This simple book provides clarity in understanding the 10 things every college student needs to know about money, including money attitude, compound interest, credit unions, retirement accounts, credit, the CARD Act and net worth, with humor and brevity. A glossary of common personal finance terms is included. Shay Olivarria is the most dynamic financial education speaker working today, a foster care alumni, and the author of three books on personal finance. She’s been quoted at Bankrate.com, FoxBusiness.com, The Credit Union Times, Redbook, and Essence, among others. Visit her at www.BiggerThanYourBlock.com.

THE AMERICA21 PROJECT

The America21 Project (formerly The Black Innovation and Competitiveness Initiative) is an open, collaborative and innovative platform that fosters solutions-based approaches to 21st century community economic development.

Supported by three essential pillars of innovation:

• STEM Education and Workforce Development
• Access to Capital and Capital Formation
• High-Growth Entrepreneurship

The America21 Project (A21) strategy seeks to leverage existing assets within Black and urban American communities to create new opportunities and ensure competitiveness in the global Innovation Economy.
A21 will facilitate a new narrative to inspire free exchange of innovative ideas among community, business, government and education leaders, students and entrepreneurs, with a goal of achieving exponentially greater economic growth and prosperity throughout Black America.

The America21 Project synthesizes these core components — education, entrepreneurship and capital — to broadly define the Innovation Economy as the economic era of the late 20th and early 21st centuries marked by radical socioeconomic changes brought about by the globalization of commerce, democratization of information and access to capital, and the exponential growth of entrepreneurship and acceleration of new knowledge creation.

Jermaine Griggs, Founder and CEO of HearandPlay.com

Growing up in a rough neighborhood of Long Beach, Calif., Jermaine Griggs caught the entrepreneurial bug at age 7 when he got a summer job selling stationery door to door. "I figured out that I could employ other kids [and make a] dollar for myself," he recalls. When he was just 17, Griggs launched HearandPlay.com as a piano instruction website, and now more than 2 million aspiring musicians download Griggs's online music lessons every year, and more than 200,000 students receive his regular newsletters. But Griggs isn't stopping there. His future plans include speaking to inner city youth all over the country, encouraging them to have big dreams, and showing them how to reach their goals.

Why Go into the Music Business?
"Around 16, I had built up a reputation as this wunderkind church musician. A few parents asked me to teach their children how to play the piano. I immediately figured out that I was teaching the same thing to each student, which was pretty boring, so I created workbooks. I didn't know the big fancy name for this back then -- leverage -- but I certainly knew how it worked. I discovered the Internet a year later, learned HTML, and HearandPlay.com was born, offering my four homemade workbooks to the world!"

“I grew up pretty poor and had a burning desire to change things. I love seeing something come from nothing.”

His Poverty-to-Profits Story
"I grew up pretty poor and had a burning desire to change things. I love seeing something come from nothing. With just $70 to invest in HearandPlay.com (for the domain name), I really believe it doesn't take a lot of money to make money. I've never had investors, no injection of capital, no lines of credit. Cash simply created cash. We've never had an unprofitable year."

What Lies at the Heart of This Entrepreneur?
"Entrepreneurship is in my blood. But it had to be cultivated and it has been. My bookshelf is filled with well over 1,000 books."

Griggs Was Blessed and Befriended By…
"An Internet marketing great -- the late Corey Rudl, founder of the Internet Marketing Center."

His Most Influential Book
"Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill."

His Most Influential Quote
"'Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.' -Benjamin Franklin"

Griggs Tells Other Would-Be Entrepreneurs
"Understand the power of 'selling.' You have to sell at every stage. You have to sell yourself. You have to sell your idea. You have to sell your vision to your future team and partners. Even if you offer a free service, you have to sell because you compete with tons of alternatives."

Technology He Couldn't Live Without
"My CRM system, which houses my customer and mailing list of over 300,000 [people]. If I woke up one day without the ability to stay in constant contact with them, I'd be screwed."

The Most Awkward Question He's Been Asked
"My grandma asked me the other day when I plan to go back to school."

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/humanities-social-science/visual-performing-arts-music/14621525-1.html

Russell Simmons - Quotes

“No matter where you're from or what you've done, you're never stuck in a particular circumstance, relationship, or cycle unless you say you are.”

“A person's strength is to know their weaknesses.”

“The key ingredient to any kind of happiness or success is to never give less than your best”

“When you do good by the world, the world will do good by you”

“There are no failures, only quitters”

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/382.Russell_Simmons

Daymond John: Total Package Reel - Entrepreneur, TV Star, Fashion Mogul, Motivational Speaker

- “RISE & GRIND! Remember the saying: “Everything u want in life is right outside ur comfort zone!” Get uncomfortable 2day! Good luck.” – Daymond John

- “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”

- “RISE &GRIND: Remember, most ppl only hate u when they want 2 be you… I LOVE MY HATERS! U should 2! Be a star 2day.” - Daymond John

- “Rise &Grind! Dont wait 4the “perfect time” u will wait forever, always take advantage of the time ur given &make it “perfect 4 u” GO GET EM!” – Daymond John

- “Rise and Grind! We do today what others won’t 2 achieve 2morrow what others can’t!”

Source:  http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/video-fubus-multi-millionaire-ceo-daymond-john-living-outside-your-comfort-zone/

Negro League Baseball

During the late 1800s numerous attempts were made to organize viable, professional black baseball leagues. However, economic realities, travel and lodging difficulties posed by segregation, and the logistics of travel worked together to thwart the establishment of any solid baseball circuit. Nonetheless, in 1896 an enterprising group of baseball men in Galveston, Texas believed that they had come up with scheme that could build a league on a sound footing. All that was needed to implement their plan for the new Lone Star Colored Baseball League Of Texas, they believed, was an experienced baseball man at the helm.

In 1897 no black player in the country enjoyed a better reputation for his managerial and business skills than the legendary Bud Fowler. Fowler had played on integrated teams in organized baseball prior to the imposition of the color barrier, and he had successfully operated independent clubs throughout the country throughout the early 1890s. The Galveston consortium communicated with Fowler by mail in the winter of 1896, outlined their plan for a new league, and invited Fowler to make the long journey from his home in New York to Texas to organize the new league. In addition to serving as the leauge's principal organizer, Fowler was also asked to manage Galveston's entry into the new circuit, the Galveston Flyaways. Fowler accepted on the condition that he be granted exclusive decision making authority in the management of the Galveston club, and made his way to Texas shortly after Christmas, 1896.

In short, the plan for the new league sought to address the problems of finances and travel by confining the league to cities and towns within close proximity, all within central and eastern Texas. In January of 1897 the first organizational meeting of the league was held at the offices of the Galveston Times newspaper with Fowler representing the Galveston club and several other clubs by proxy. Also in attendance was D. H. Johnson, an early Texas baseball pioneer representing a club from Palestine, Texas.

The Lone Star Colored League of Texas was formed with eight clubs representing Galveston, Palestine, Beaumont, Lagrange, Temple, Austin and Houston, each team remitting a deposit of $25, a sum judged sufficient to guarantee continued operation throughout the inaugural season.

Source: http://www.negroleaguebaseball.com/

Muhammad Ali - Quote Image: Days Count

"Don't count the days, make the days count."
Muhammad Ali

Keenen Ivory Wayans

The trail-blazing linchpin of a sprawling African-American family of comic entertainers, it was multi-talented writer/director/producer Keenen Ivory Wayans (born June 8, 1958, in New York City) who was the first to achieve national prominence by successfully creating, launching and hosting a landmark 1990s black-oriented comedy satire on Fox TV. That, in turn, ignited and/or advanced the careers of not only his younger siblings Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, but others of his extended family as well.

The second of ten children of Howell Wayans, a grocery store manager, and Elvira Wayans, a social worker, Keenan attended Seward Park High School, then majored in engineering at Alabama's Tuskegee University. He dropped out during his senior year when the comedy bug hit him full force. Heavily influenced by Richard Pryor, he found only lukewarm success on the New York standup stage, deciding later to relocate to Los Angeles in order to pursue film and TV opportunities. After being glimpsed in bit parts in such TV shows as "CHiPs" (1977) and "Cheers" (1982) and movies as Star 80 (1983), in which he played a standup comic, he found his first real break in a sudsy TV drama--the short-lived military series "For Love and Honor" (1983), in which he had a recurring role as Pvt. Duke Johnson, who aspired to become a professional boxer.

After hooking up with comedian Eddie Murphy and earning writing credit on the star's raunchy live performance feature Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), Keenen's visibility rose. Partnering with actor/director Robert Townsend, he had his first film hit with Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a pointed satire highlighting the plight of the black actor in Hollywood. Done in hilariously stereotypical fashion, one great bit had detective Townsend battling a blaxploitation villain named Jerry Curl (Wayans). Following this came another similar 1970s blaxploitation parody, the even bigger hit I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) in which Keenen had the starring role and made his directorial debut. He played the revenge-minded, but not particularly macho Jack Spade alongside such icons of 1970s blaxploitation cinema as Jim Brown, Isaac Hayes and Bernie Casey. The film also featured several members of his family.

The sketch-oriented, Emmy-winning variety series "In Living Color" (1990) was Keenen's creative baby and ultimate pièce de résistance. He also turned the show into a family act as well with Damon, Kim, Marlon and Shawn all appearing on the irreverent series that showcased the deviously scathing social humor Keenen was infamous for. As host of the show he graciously spotlighted the comedy ensemble more than himself. Not only did the show introduce the public to a number of terrific black comedians, it made superstars out of brother Damon, as well as Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey, the latter being one of the show's few white regulars. Jennifer Lopez also got her start as one of the original hip-hop dancing, sexy "Fly Girls." Ironically, Keenen would be one of the first of the cast to leave the show over creative issues and contract disputes with the network. He felt Fox was overexposing the show, which would have reduced its monetary value once it turned to syndication. He abruptly left in 1992 and, by next season's end, the rest of the Wayans clan had bailed as well. Nearly half of the regular cast on the show's final season were white.

This unfortunately bitter and acrimonious incident led the one-time driving force to become more selective in his projects, while retreating more and more behind the scenes. In 1997, however, he produced "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show" (1997), a party-themed talk show in which he served as the cool, urban-styled host. The set resembled a nightclub and the atmosphere was rowdy and jaunty. The show wasn't cool enough, apparently, as it was canceled before year's end. Keenen also tried to turn buff action star with the films A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994), which he wrote and directed, The Glimmer Man (1996), pairing up with Steven Seagal, and Most Wanted (1997), but the attempt backfired and he dropped, big time, out of the limelight.

When it comes to outrageous satire Keenen has few peers. Come the millennium he directed the hilarious horror spoof Scary Movie (2000), which prominently displayed brothers Shawn and Marlon and is one of the most successful feature films ever directed by an African-American. He also directed its first sequel, Scary Movie 2 (2001). Keeping things more or less a family affair these days, he recently directed Shawn and Marlon in White Chicks (2004), and is helming Damon's upcoming feature _Homey the Clown (2007)_, based on Damon's famous mean-spirited ghetto character from the "In Living Color" days.

On the personal side, Keenen married wife Daphne in June 2001, and had five children, but the couple have been separated since 2004. Older brother Dwayne Wayans is a composer/musician who served as a production assistant on "In Living Color," while various nephews and cousins have since gotten into the act thanks to Keenen and his groundbreaking accomplishments.

Source: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005540/bio

Before There Was Mozart: The Story of Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-George

The musical superstar of 18th-century France was Joseph Boulogne—a black man. This inspiring story tells how Joseph, the only child of a black slave and her white master, becomes "the most accomplished man in Europe." After traveling from his native West Indies to study music in Paris, young Joseph is taunted about his skin color. Despite his classmates' cruel words, he continues to devote himself to his violin, eventually becoming conductor of a whole orchestra. Joseph begins composing his own operas, which everyone acknowledges to be magnifique. But will he ever reach his dream of performing for the king and queen of France? This lushly illustrated book by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome introduces us to a talented musician and an overlooked figure in black history.

Morehouse College

A Proud Tradition of Producing Outstanding Leaders

Although times change, Morehouse’s mission remains steadfast: to produce academically superior, morally conscious leaders for the conditions and issues of today, whether “today” is post-Civil War or turn of the new millennium.

Martin Luther King Jr. led the country through one of its most transforming civic movements; David Satcher resuscitated the issues of health care disparity and access; Maynard Jackson taught the world the value of diversity and equal access as the first African American mayor of Atlanta; Donn Clendenon scored in the history annals and was part of a miracle when he was named a World Series MVP; and Shelton “Spike” Lee continues to challenge how the world views blacks in life with critically acclaimed films.

All helped change the world. All are Morehouse men.

Preparing Young Men to Change the World

With the right resources, politicking or posturing, anyone can be a leader. Right?

Wrong. At Morehouse, we are redefining the meaning of leadership. It’s not about attaining the highest title or position, but about attaining skills such as compassion, civility, integrity and even listening. Morehouse is poised to become the epicenter of ethical leadership as we continue to develop leaders who are spiritually disciplined, intellectually astute and morally wise.

And leadership first begins at home. Nearly three-fourths of our students volunteer within the community. This volunteerism connects them to their communities and helps them see that, as individuals and as a squadron of educated black men, they can make a difference.

Many Morehouse students also travel or study abroad, awakening them to the complexities of a global community. In today’s age, ethical leaders must have an appreciation of different perspectives and customs, and must also be prepared to negotiate the discordant views that are converging from the four corners of the globe.

Morehouse is committed to training the leaders who will change their communities, the nation and the world.

The College of Choice for Black Men
There is a world of professions and universities to choose from, and today, black men have access to them all. But many of the best and brightest choose Morehouse.

Most people—even the students themselves—are awestruck by the sight of so many talented, studious and highly motivated young black men seeking knowledge and fulfillment. New Student Orientation, when hundreds of fresh-faced freshmen march into King Chapel for the first time, is just as moving as Commencement, when they emerge, queued in a line 500-members strong, as well-trained scholars and leaders. Nowhere else in America, or the world, does this happen. Morehouse has traditionally graduated more black men than other school, anywhere.

So, why do black men still choose Morehouse? No doubt, it is the excellent liberal arts education and an environment that is conducive to academic, social and spiritual growth. But there are many great schools out there, so there must be something more?

We call that something the “Morehouse Mystique.” The phrase is not easily defined or understood, but it’s also not just a clever slogan. The Mystique is joining a brotherhood like none other. And after being ignored, stereotyped or marginalized, it’s about finally finding that “home” that, deep inside, you always knew existed, where you are the heart, soul and hope of the community. And where you are not alone.

This is what makes Morehouse unique. No other institution in the world can match the Morehouse experience. Other colleges and universities may call, but African American men continue to choose the ‘House.

Source: http://www.morehouse.edu/

Joan Myers Brown and the Audacious Hope of the Black Ballerina: A Biohistory of American Performance

Founder of the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) and the Philadelphia School of Dance Arts, Joan Myers Brown's personal and professional histories reflect both the hardships and the accomplishments of African Americans in the artistic and social developments through the twentieth century and into the new millennium. Dixon Gottschild deftly uses Brown's career as the fulcrum to leverage an exploration of the connection between performance, society, and race—beginning with Brown's predecessors in the 1920s—and a concert dance tradition that has had no previous voice to tell its story from the inside out. Augmented by interviews with a score of dance professionals, including Billy Wilson, Gene Hill Sagan, Rennie Harris, Milton Myers, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, and Ronald K. Brown, Joan Myers Brown's background and richly contoured biography are object lessons in survival—a true American narrative.

Ray of Hope Foundation

Established by NBA All-Star Ray Allen in 1997, The Ray of Hope Foundation assists with sports related and community based programs and provides avenues of opportunity through which our youth can “hope” to realize their full potential.

The Ray of Hope Foundation has helped charitable organizations in several parts of the country fulfill their mission of assisting children in need. From providing kids in low-income areas with safe and productive activities, to helping young students build greater self-esteem; the foundation is focused on continuing its positive work and becoming a constructive force in the Northeast.

Since its inception, the Ray of Hope Foundation has raised over $500,000. The organizations that  have received assistance from the foundation include…

AAU Programs – Brookfield Warriors, New Mexico Wildcats, Charlotte Royals
Alliance for Education
B.E.L.L. (Building Educated Leaders for Life)
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation
Boston Centers for Youth and Families
Boys & Girls Club of Boston – No Books/No Balls Basketball Program
Boys & Girls Club of King County
Boys & Girls Club of Milwaukee
Boy Scouts of America
City Ballet Theatre of Milwaukee
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center Foundation
Connecticut Public Schools
Development through Athletics Program
Glen Park Biddy Basketball Program
JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
Joslin Diabetes Center
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Middletown High School
Milwaukee Public Schools
Muhammad’s Islamic Academy
NBA Programs
One Family
The First Tee – Connecticut
The Gifford School
The Home for Little Wanderers
The World Youth Peace Summit
Thomas More High School
Seattle Public Schools
Sumter Volleyball Club
UNICEF
Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center
Washington Education Foundation
Wisconsin Scholars, Inc.
YMCA – Milwaukee
YMCA – Seattle
YMCA Strong Kids Campaign

FOUNDATION ANNUAL EVENTS

Ray Allen Golf Tournament – Held at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT. The tournament is a fun filled day of golf to raise money for the foundation. 36 groups play the 18-hole course in a shamble format. The day features golf, a silent auction, raffle prizes, putting contest, lunch, dinner, and a variety of tasty hors d’oeuvres as you play your round.

ROHF Thanksgiving Event – Provides a Thanksgiving meal for 275 selected families. The foundation, with assistance from Costco Wholesale and Vitamin Water, serve these families with a full Thanksgiving dinner. The families are provided with a non-cooked meal which includes a turkey, gravy, stuffing, russet potatoes, salad, green beans, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie and beverages.

ROHF Holiday Giving Tree – Adorned with 450 ornaments, the Holiday Giving Tree is set up in the mall. Each ornament has printed on it the name and gift wish of an in-need child’s. Shoppers who pick an ornament will buy the gift for the child. In exchange for the gift purchased, Ray will personally sign an autograph as a thank you for the shoppers generosity.

Source: http://www.rayallen20.com

Morgan State University

Morgan State University is by designation of the Maryland General Assembly the State’s public urban university. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive array of programs and services to the citizens and organizations of the Baltimore metropolitan area. Its three major mission components are:

to educate citizens from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds
to carry out research, giving priority to that applicable to the problems of the region and its residents
provide cultural opportunities for the region and offer programs of service to the community and the general public
The University has a long tradition of educating the very best prepared students as well as many others from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is strongly committed to continuing this tradition. At the same time the University is making a transition to a campus that will: award more advanced degrees, particularly in programs of importance to the region; carry out more research on topics important to the local community; and, share its resources with the general public and become a center of social and cultural life for the residents of metropolitan Baltimore. This document provides a blueprint by which the University intends to develop over the next several years.

Vision for the Future
The University will continue to emphasize and strengthen its historic mission; that of providing an excellent undergraduate education to a broad segment of the population, including many of the best prepared as well as some who might not otherwise have the opportunity to enroll in college but who have the potential to complete a degree. At the same time, Morgan plans to place additional emphasis on graduate study in selected disciplines as well as on research in these fields. These programs will be in fields of importance to the economy and will provide the foundation for an increased emphasis by the University on service to the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore region.

Source: http://www.morgan.edu

Lisa Nichols

Lisa Nichols is a best-selling author, a popular public speaker, a powerful coach, and a charismatic teacher!

Lisa Nichols has reached millions, both nationally and internationally with her powerful message of empowerment, service, excellence & gratitude..

Her participation in the self-development phenomenon, The Secret, catapulted her popularity across the globe. Lisa has appeared on the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Extra,” “Larry King Live” and on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning show, “Starting Over.”

In addition, Lisa is the founder of Motivating the Masses and CEO of Motivating the Teen Spirit, LLC. Her transformational workshops have impacted the lives of over 210 thousand teens and over 1 million adults.

Her new book, No Matter What! Hit 6 bestsellers lists, including the New York Times, in the first 37 days of being released and has already been sold in 20 foreign languages. Lisa has been coined “The Breakthrough Specialist” by her peers in the industry.)

Lisa has been honored with many awards in recognition for her empowering work, including the Humanitarian Award from South Africa, the Ambassador of Good Will Award, Emotional literacy award, The Legoland Foundation’s Heart of Learning Award. The Mayor of Henderson, Nevada has proclaimed November 20th as Motivating the Teen Spirit Day. And recently the Mayor of Houston, Texas proclaimed May 9th as Lisa Nichols day for her dedication to service, philanthropy and healing.

Lisa is a dynamic speaker with an extraordinary story and a tremendous ability to touch people’s hearts and souls. She is a master at accomplishing unfathomable goals and teaching others to do the same. Lisa Nichols has transformed her life from struggling single mom to a motivational millionaire entrepreneur, and she has dedicated her life to teaching others how to do the same.

Source: http://www.lisa-nichols.com/media

Thurgood Marshall

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on July 2, 1908, Thurgood Marshall was the grandson of a slave. His father, William Marshall, instilled in him from youth an appreciation for the United States Constitution and the rule of law. After completing high school in 1925, Thurgood followed his brother, William Aubrey Marshall, at the historically black Lincoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania. His classmates at Lincoln included a distinguished group of future Black leaders such as the poet and author Langston Hughes, the future President of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, and musician Cab Calloway. Just before graduation, he married his first wife, Vivian "Buster" Burey. Their twenty-five year marriage ended with her death from cancer in 1955.

In 1930, he applied to the University of Maryland Law School, but was denied admission because he was Black. This was an event that was to haunt him and direct his future professional life. Thurgood sought admission and was accepted at the Howard University Law School that same year and came under the immediate influence of the dynamic new dean, Charles Hamilton Houston, who instilled in all of his students the desire to apply the tenets of the Constitution to all Americans. Paramount in Houston's outlook was the need to overturn the 1898 Supreme Court ruling, Plessy v. Ferguson which established the legal doctrine called, "separate but equal." Marshall's first major court case came in 1933 when he successfully sued the University of Maryland to admit a young African American Amherst University graduate named Donald Gaines Murray. Applauding Marshall's victory, author H.L. Mencken wrote that the decision of denial by the University of Maryland Law School was "brutal and absurd," and they should not object to the "presence among them of a self-respecting and ambitious young Afro-American well prepared for his studies by four years of hard work in a class A college."

Thurgood Marshall followed his Howard University mentor, Charles Hamilton Houston to New York and later became Chief Counsel for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). During this period, Mr. Marshall was asked by the United Nations and the United Kingdom to help draft the constitutions of the emerging African nations of Ghana and what is now Tanzania. It was felt that the person who so successfully fought for the rights of America's oppressed minority would be the perfect person to ensure the rights of the White citizens in these two former European colonies. After amassing an impressive record of Supreme Court challenges to state-sponsored discrimination, including the landmark Brown v. Board decision in 1954, President John F. Kennedy appointed Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In this capacity, he wrote over 150 decisions including support for the rights of immigrants, limiting government intrusion in cases involving illegal search and seizure, double jeopardy, and right to privacy issues. Biographers Michael Davis and Hunter Clark note that, "none of his (Marshall's) 98 majority decisions was ever reversed by the Supreme Court." In 1965 President Lyndon Johnson appointed Judge Marshall to the office of U.S. Solicitor General. Before his subsequent nomination to the United States Supreme Court in 1967, Thurgood Marshall won 14 of the 19 cases he argued before the Supreme Court on behalf of the government. Indeed, Thurgood Marshall represented and won more cases before the United States Supreme Court than any other American.

Until his retirement from the highest court in the land, Justice Marshall established a record for supporting the voiceless American. Having honed his skills since the case against the University of Maryland, he developed a profound sensitivity to injustice by way of the crucible of racial discrimination in this country. As an Associate Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall leaves a legacy that expands that early sensitivity to include all of America's voiceless. Justice Marshall died on January 24, 1993.

Source: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/hill/marshall.htm

The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place

The perennial New York Times bestselling author helps readers discover how to put money in its place and use wealth-building as a tool for joy and fulfillment.

Hill Harper is uniquely poised to guide readers through tough times and offers bestselling advice for reaping the rewards of a truly happy life. With The Wealth Cure, he does more than that: He presents a revolutionary new definition of wealth, motivating readers to not only build financial security but to also achieve wealth in every aspect of their lives.

Using his own journey as a parable, Harper inspires the reader to evaluate their values while explaining the importance of laying a sound financial foundation and how to recognize the worth of your relationships and increase the value of your interactions with the people in your life. Drawing on his personal recollections and true stories from family and friends, Harper helps readers begin to see money not as a goal but as a tool that provides freedom for following their passions. The keys include investing in yourself, tapping the resources you need, and taking responsibility for how those resources are used. Far from a get-rich-quick primer, The Wealth Cure brims with inspired wisdom for building a lasting bounty from the experiences, loved ones, and achievements that really matter.

Billion Dollar Brothers

Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy

In this one-of-a-kind book, Dr. Rovenia M. Brock—known as Dr. Ro™ to fans of Black Entertainment Television’s Heart & Soul—reveals practical, satisfying ways for African American women to eat healthy, get fit, and overcome weight problems and the health risks that accompany them.

From the “Big Ten” myths about miracle weight-loss diets to how eating the right foods can help you live longer and why soul food (if prepared properly) really can be good for you, Dr. Ro shows how many serious illnesses can be largely prevented—and even reversed. And you don’t need Oprah’s salary to do it. Using her own inspiring story and those of many other women as well, Dr. Ro discusses the health, fitness, and even cultural issues that are unique to black women, and outlines a diet and nutrition program to fit every lifestyle.

Resiliency: Mike Tyson Vs Buster Douglas

Eric Speaks on resiliency using the dramatic fight between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas to drive home the point of staying in the fight even when your tired and feel like giving up. You will never know how close you are to a victory if you don't fight to the end. Please visit http://etthehiphoppreacher.com/ For The Official Eric Thomas Website!

Smart Button Shoes

I Did It And So Can You!

Joel Williams Jr. is 14 years old and the inventor of the SmartButton. He would like to share his story and accomplishments with you during this video. The story takes place over the past 5 years and documents the exciting adventure along the way. His hopes and goals are that the story motivates you and ultimately sparks your creative skills.

Source: http://www.smartbuttonshoes.com/index.php

Pooka Pure And Simple

With Dawn Fitch, founder and creator– POOKA became a lifelong pursuit when she became mysteriously ill. After numerous visits to doctors and specialists and no sound diagnosis she began to explore alternative therapies, it was here her interest in aromatherapy and its healing and relaxing attributes was born.

She began reading the ingredients of EVERYTHING and became painfully aware of just how much of what we consume is saturated with unhealthy, unnatural ingredients. In an effort to combat illness and stress and the realization that so much of what goes into the body is not good for you, she changed her entire health regime.

Combining her love for aromatherapy and the need to take better care of herself inside and out she began creating her own bath and body products. Just for fun, she took a few of her hand made products to sell at a local festival and sold out! The response was tremendous. That’s when the realization hit that she had an incredible business idea and Pooka was born!

She knew she couldn’t achieve her Pooka dream alone so she enlisted the help of those closest and dearest to her. Together she and her girlfriends formed Pooka Pure & Simple and today the 4 Pookalitas manage every aspect of Pooka from sales and marketing to finance.

Our Philosophy
It is amazing how many products are based on all natural foundations, but are so chemically modified and reproduced that the essential ingredients are lost. For example: Rosemary & eucalyptus in an oil base was probably the basis for many vapor rubs on the market, just as Thyme was probably the basis for many disinfectants, etc.

We decided to make body products that just have what you need in them. The shelf life may not be as long because we don’t use preservatives but we’re sure you’ll use your Pooka products so fast that it won’t be a problem!

Source: http://www.pookapureandsimple.com/

Look Me In The Eyes - Jordan Commercial - Become Legendary