Kwanzaa Celebration at Shrine of the Black Madonna

At the Shrine of the Black Madonna in West End, young people help Jumoke Ifetayo light the Kwanzaa candles for the second of seven days of celebration. 

Kwanzaa is started in 1965 by Dr. Maulana Karenga in Chicago.  It is celebrated December 26 – January 1.

The foundation of Kwanzaa are the Seven Principles, or Nguzo Saba. When Dr. Karenga created the celebration of Kwanzaa he wanted to reflect the best qualities and characteristics of the “first fruit” or harvest festivals that were celebrated throughout Africa. It was these qualities that established the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles of Kwanzaa. (Nguzo Saba is Kiswahili for Seven Principles).*

 

“The children will carry on the traditions of the land. So we must teach them the history”, said the narrator.

These children dance with the rattle instrument, the shekere,  as the narrator tells an African story with drums.

Rev. Keith Slaughter (above), a WAOK talk show host is tonight’s speaker.  He gives the message entitled, “Stand Your Ground”, in celebration of Day 2, Kujichagulia, self-determination. ‘Stand not to kill people, but to claim what is rightfully ours, what we need…our fair share.  Be truthful and put on the full armour of God as you fight for justice in this world. Pray the righteous will be there for us and beware of the haters!’

Rev. Slaughter’s message was powerful, informative, passionate, on point and short!  He was definitely on his game!

A packed crowd looks on at the Shrine of the Black Madonna during the 15th Annual Kwanzaa celebration at 960 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.

There will be five more nights of Kwanzaa at the Shrine with speakers including Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore on Saturday 2pm-6pm, and Rev. Derrick Rice on a Faith Panel on Tuesday, 4pm-8pm.  For more information, call (404) 549-8676 or (404) 444-6696.

Also, the Shrine has free Black History classes every Saturday from 1:30pm to 3:30pm.  Plan to attend with your family and friends.

*From:  http://www.holidays.net/kwanzaa/principles.htm

White Baseball Players Kneel in 1950’s Protest

Another reason why we need to know our history…it repeats itself.  For more information, visit the link below.

External Image
White Baseball Players Kneel in the 50’s to protest Black Lynchings
Archival photos reveal several white baseball players kneeling during the national anthem in protest of the lynching of innocent negroes and Jim Crow laws. The practice was quickly ended when the players realized that most of their fans were either KKK members or sympathizers.
http://www.breakingnews247.net

 

Preservation of U.S. History

In the midst of the national debate about confederate statues, we must take the discussion to new heights here in metro Atlanta.  As an Atlanta native who has lived all over country, it is unfortunate that the other cities valued and preserved their historic structures while Atlanta continues to tear them down without a second thought. Initially I thought it was because there are so many people here from other places that they don’t care??  Yet, at least half of our current City Council members (many have served 2-4 terms or 8-16 years), the Council President and the Mayor are natives.  Hmmm. So, how could this continue to happen on their watch??

A recent column written by metro area writer Maria Saporta, complete with reader comments, asks several other good questions about preserving local Atlanta history.  This history includes the precious home of Grace Towns Hamilton, the first Black woman elected to the Georgia Legislature and daughter of George Alexander Towns; an educator and man my elementary school was named after.

Grace Towns Hamilton in the House Chamber of the Georgia Legislature.  (Source GA History Center)

Grace Towns Hamilton House in grave need of preservation. (Photo by Brandy Morrison.)

http://www.atlantapreservationcenter.com/place_detail?id=15&pt=1

Maria’s article also includes African American buildings as Morris Brown’s Gaines Hall and Atlanta Life Insurance Company’s first home on Auburn Avenue. I applaud Maria for pulling together this important story because the sale and tearing down of two historic Atlanta churches to make room for a football stadium still makes me sick to my stomach.  And it makes me question why other historic churches all along Peachtree Street were built around like the church across from Colony Square.  And, how about the church next door to the Fulton County Courthouse on Pryor or the one across the street from the State Capitol on Washington…just to name a few.

I believe you will enjoy this article. And, I hope you will think of how you might be a part of a movement to preserve the African American and Civil Rights structures included in the article as well others across the state.

https://saportareport.com/forget-symbols-confederacy-instead-lets-preserve-african-american-heritage/

In conclusion, here is information about Pascal’s Restaurant.  It’s where I walked on rare occasions after being on the tennis courts all day at Washington Park, if I had money for one of their famous fried chicken dinners in the 1970’s.

 

Paschal Brother’s Restaurant & Hotel. Owned and used by Clark Atlanta as a student dorm until 2004.

http://socialshutter.blogspot.com/2013/01/atlantas-warped-civil-right-legacy-sad.html?m=1

This is an important quote from the 2013 article in the link above about how Paschal’s can be preserved;

“If the city of Atlanta can consider sinking money into a new football stadium to draw tourists to the area, shouldn’t it also invest in restoring Paschal’s and its surrounding neighborhood, which may have even greater tourist potential?”

The question now is:  Do we care enough to preserve it and similar important historic structures??

Thanks in advance for leaving your comments and sharing this blog. The more people who know, means more who might help with a full scaled preservation project.