Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom through the underground railroad. I was always fascinated by her story because she would move her people by night and in the middle of the night. she had code references of how she operated her underground railroad that were only known to other slaves. Harriet Tubman was only about five feet tall, but she was smart and she was strong — and she carried a long rifle. She used the rifle not only to intimidate pro-slavery people they might meet, but also to keep any of the slaves from backing out. She threatened any of them who seemed like they were about to leave, telling them that “dead Negroes tell no tales.” A slave who returned from one of these trips could betray too many secrets: who had helped, what paths the flight had taken, how messages were passed. This woman was bad and she was bold!!! My favorite saying of hers was; “I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger”.
Diana Ross a legend of her time who was first lead singer of the sixties girl group “The Supreme’s” before branching out as a solo singer and actress. Ross had such hits as; “Touch me in the morning” “Upside Down” and my all-time favorite “I’m coming out”. Ross starred in such films as; “Mahogany” which launched a fashion and makeup line, “Lady Sings The Blues” and Motown’s makeover and Broadway production of “The Wiz”.
My favorite athlete of all time is Michael Jordan. Jordan was the best of the best. After a three-season career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA’s Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames “Air Jordan” and “His Airness“. These young cats in the NBA today like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Dwight Howard ain’t got nothing on Jordan compared to his game.
Eddie Murphy my favorite comedian, I must’ve seen “The Klumps” and “Beverly Hills Cops” a thousand times, I was so impressed with the artistic talent Murphy displayed in these movies. Tyler Perry an actor of this generation who has become a successful playwright, actor and movie director. Perry have many plays turned movies under his belt such as; “I can do bad all by myself” “Diary of a mad black woman” and “Madea goes to jail”. Both Murphy and Perry have been innovative in the roles and characters they’ve created.
And my all time favorite philanthropist, politician and actors are Colin Powell, Tom Joyner and Denzel Washington of course.
Powell, who has recently been disowned by his own political party for addressing the old and bold prejudices they (the republicans) have against the current administration, holding office in the White house. An administration Powell ultimately supported. A retired four star general in the United States Army, Powell was the first, and so far the only, African-American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and was the first of two consecutive African-American office-holders to hold the key Administration position of U.S. Secretary of State.
Tom Joyner of the “Tom Joyner” morning show and also founder of REACH Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com. Joyner also founded The Tom Joyner Foundation to provide financial assistance to students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Since 1998, it has raised more than $60 million dollars to help keep students enrolled at HBCUs. The Tom Joyner Foundation also hosts an annual cruise named the Fantastic Voyage which also raises money for HBCU’s.
Denzel Washington who has recently made it known how he doesn’t have any white actors as friends. Denzel is the heart-throb of many and the Flight actor told a British newspaper that he doesn’t spend much time with his celebrity peers.
“Even within the industry, I don’t have any actor friends. My friends are old friends,” Washington, 58, admitted. “One’s an ex-music guy, the other’s a restaurant owner and the other’s an ex-pro ballplayer.”
Old friends keep you grounded. Washington who has many movie roles under his belt, has starred in such movies as; “Malcolm X” “Ricochet” “Mo Better Blues” “Training Day” “The Book of Eli” and “Glory” just to name a few. Aside from his talents and good looks, Denzel is both down to earth and grounded.
Join me tonight, Wednesday February 27, 2013 at 8:00 PM on “Conversations Of A Sistah” on “Conversations Live” as I wrap up Black History Month talking about the many accomplishments of my favorite pioneers.
Send your questions and comments to the show at conversations@optonline.net and follow the link to the show at any of the “Conversations Links” in this post.
Madame C.J.’s parents and elder siblings were slaves on the Madison Parish plantation owned by Robert W. Burney, but Madame C.J. was the first child in her family born into freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
Conversations Of A Sistah 