While the season of winter is my least favorite of the four seasons, the month of February has its perks and is a very important month in the early quarter of the New Year. What’s so special about February? Black History Month. A month where we take the time and appreciate black excellence throughout history. Black folks in general have endured so much plight for centuries and centuries but we have also made strides despite the roadblocks and pitfalls that have been thrown our way. Within our community we do have our ups and downs but at the end of the day whether you’re black, brown, or caramel, being a cohesive unit and supporting one another is key and for the most part we have that patted down. If you aren’t black but yet you take the time to appreciate our culture, understand/listen on the struggles we go through, and show support when necessary, you’re in good spirits and I salute you.
For the rest of this month, I will give quick shout outs to Black individuals who exemplify Black Excellence. Those who excel in the arts, politics, and athletics, among such will receive spots throughout the month. With so many people to go around, I may not get to everybody but just know that says a lot on how impactful as a race we have been despite the lack of credit we get. The shout outs will be short and sweet to the point so let’s get started with the late and great Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye; (R&B Soul artist) – Dubbed as one of the greatest musicians ever, Gaye was a prominent figure during his time in addition to assisting in shaping the sound of Motown back in the 60’s and 70’s. He has a wide collection of great music which includes the classic What’s Going On. The song’s origins centers around police brutality and with the events that have been brought to light recently, this song speaks volumes. If you aren’t familiar with his music, I urge you to check him out. Anderson .Paak; (R&B/Hip Hop artist) – I know I know, I do often mention this guy a lot in my blog posts but another mention won’t hurt. The West Coast artist known as Anderson .Paak has really been a favorite of mine within the past few months. His style is smooth and offers a positive vibe. He’s pretty versatile as well and his work ethic is quite impressive. Seeing black men driving like this man does will always get recognition from me. Check out some of his music. He has a new album out called Malibu and was featured multiple times on Dr. Dre’s new album Compton which includes his own song called Animals. LeBron James; (NBA Superstar) – I’m not gonna lie, I used to be on that “We hate the King” trend. However, that was in High School and I decided to grow up. As I learned a bit more about the NBA, I appreciated the things LeBron has done. He will arguably go down as one of the best athletes ever and also, I won’t rule out that he may end up as the best basketball player ever. He’s that special. LeBron is also a good human. He always has good intentions and finds ways to help the people within his community. I may at times be critical of his play and how his team performs but I’ll always have respect for a black man with a good heart and great talent. Stuart Scott; (Anchor/Reporter) – Another prominent black figure who left us too soon due to Cancer, Stuart Scott was a sportscaster/anchor for ESPN. His swagger, charisma, and catchphrases was the key to every sports center broadcast. He was a unique part of television and he is in fact one of the reasons why I want to go on the similar career path he was on in terms of Radio-TV-Film and Journalism. Before his death, I only knew him from the times I would watch sports center but upon hearing of his death I felt strange and down about it. A lot of people cared about this guy and were sadden. I want to know more about him and how he got to where he was. I encourage you to do the same if you like. Coretta Scott King; (Activist/Leader) – Coretta helped lead the African American Civil Rights Movement along with several others. One of those people included her husband Martin Luther King. I admire the bravery and strength she had while combating everyday ridicule due to not only the fact that she was black but that she was a woman as well. Young black woman should try and emulate Ms. Scott and stay strong while poised. Losing her husband at the height of the movement didn’t stop her from continuing the work she was doing and that speaks volumes. Rest in peace Queen Coretta. Got any Black individuals you’d like for me to shout out on next week’s edition of Black Excellence? Shoot me an email with the description and the person to [email protected]. The person could be anyone from famous, to someone who you know personally in your local area, or to someone you even follow on social media. Let me know!
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March 2017
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