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Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 -- 10 November 2008) one helluva lady... 100% dedicated to her craft, all the way to her dying day voice of freedom, her songs share the stories, the struggles, the integrity of the native South African people under Apartheid Rule throughout the 60's , 70's , and 80's. now go and learn more, hear more, and share more The woman, the legend, the angel , the sage .. Hail Mama Africa Hail the memory of Miriam Makeba Makeba's life has consistently been marked by struggle. As the daughter of a sangoma, a mystical traditional healer of the Xhosa tribe, she spent six months of her birth year in jail with her mother. Gifted with a dynamic vocal tone, Makeba recorded her debut single, "Lakutshona Llange," as a member of the Manhattan Brothers in 1953. Although she left to form an all-female group named the Skylarks in 1958, she reunited with members of the Manhattan Brothers when she accepted the lead female role in a musical version of King Kong, which told the tragic tale of Black African boxer, Ezekiel "King Kong" Dlamani, in 1959. The same year, she began an 18-month tour of South Africa with Alf Herbert's musical extravaganza, African Jazz and Variety, and made an appearance in a documentary film, Come Back Africa. These successes led to invitations to perform in Europe and the United States. Makeba was embraced by the African American community. "Pata Pata," Makeba's signature tune, was written by Dorothy Masuka and recorded in South Africa in 1956 before eventually becoming a major hit in the U.S. in 1967. In late 1959, she performed for four weeks at the Village Vanguard in New York. She later made a guest appearance during Harry Belafonte's groundbreaking concerts at Carnegie Hall. A double-album of the event, released in 1960, received a Grammy award. Makeba has continued to periodically renew her collaboration with Belafonte, releasing an album in 1972 titled Belafonte & Miriam Makeba. Makeba then made a special guest appearance at the Harry Belafonte Tribute at Madison Square Garden in 1997. Makeba's successes as a vocalist were also balanced by her outspoken views about apartheid.
http://a-aprp-gc.org/?page_id=3242
In 1960, the government of South Africa revoked her citizenship. For the next 30 years, she was forced to be a "citizen of the world." Makeba received the Dag Hammerskjold Peace Prize in 1968. After marrying radical black activist Stokely Carmichael, many of her concerts were canceled, and her recording contract with RCA was dropped, resulting in even more problems for the artist. She eventually relocated to Guinea at the invitation of president Sekou Toure and agreed to serve as Guinea's delegate to the United Nations. In 1964 and 1975, she addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations on the horrors of apartheid. Makeba remained active as a musician over the years. In 1975, she recorded an album, A Promise, with Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Arthur Adams, and David T. Walker of the Crusaders. Makeba joined Paul Simon and South Africa 's Ladysmith Black Mambazo during their worldwide Graceland tour in 1987 and 1988. Two years later, she joined Odetta and Nina Simone for the One Nation tour. Makeba published her autobiography, Miriam: My Story, in English in 1988 and subsequently had it translated and published in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese. Following Nelson Mandela's release from prison, Makeba returned to South Africa in December 1990. She performed her first concert in her homeland in 30 years in April 1991. She appeared in South African award-winning musical Sarafina in 1992 in the role of Sarafina's mother. Two years later, she reunited with her first husband, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, for the Tour of Hope tour. In 1995, Makeba formed a charity organization to raise funds to help protect the women of South Africa. The same year, she performed at the Vatican's Nevi Hall during a worldwide broadcast, Christmas in the Vatican. Makeba's first studio album in a decade, Homeland, was released in 2000. ~ ~ Craig Harris, Rovi ~
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Well, I can say this. I have Iranian students and colleagues (including one female professor of Prench and Persian literature). REpeatedly, I hear from them that the PEOPLE of Iran are getting more and more disgusted with that treacherous theocracy every day. One sign of this was the glimmer of a Persian Spring back in 2009 (or was it 2010?). We may live to see an Iran at least as progressive as Mosadegh was trying to build, maybe more so. Those clerical fascists who hijacked the 1978 revolution are living on borrowed time. And frankly, I don't think the Spring in Egypt is over either. Freedom will come to the people of the Middle East despite the best and worst efforts of theocrats, plutocrats and megalomaniac dictators.
-Savant
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We might have found out if Dr. King had lived a bit longer to lead the Poor Peoples Campaign, and if that campaign had been kept on track. From my research on King I know that at least in the post-Selma period King had revolutionary goals which he sought to achieve by means of nonviolent struggle. Had he lived we might have had our AMERICAN SPRING during April and May of 1968. And a successful nonviolent, humanistic revolution ina America--the wealthiest nation and pillar of imperialism--a revolution here would have profoundly changed the world, radically elevating the level of life for the whole of humanity. FREEDOM RISING!
-Savant
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There was no revolution in Great Britain while she was at the peak of her power. Were a nonviolnt revolution to occur in America while she is still at the peak of her economic, political and military power, it would have a resounding impact on the world.
-Savant
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I mentioned before an interview with a French journalist who asked me (in October 2008) whether an Obama victory would mark the beginning os significant change for the better in America generally, and for Black America in particular.
Plus sir the Congress question and the US Supreme court and not forgetting the states that can oppose fiercely any DC policy.
Everything is made in the US institutions for things ... not to change. Yes we can ? In fact set aside the effective political will in many situations no you can't change most of the times.
a whiteboi
I told him that it could very well be so, but only if there was also a progressive social movement for justice which could push Obama forward and shift the balance of forces.
Precisely such a movement is what was missing when Obama was elected, There was no equivalen to the Abolitionist Movement which held Lincoln's feet to the fire, or the labor Movement which pushed FDR forward, nor a Black freedom movement which held the feet of Kennedy or Johnson to the fire.
The American government was designed to stifle grand efforts for social transformation. And there has usually been little change except during periods fo great social movements.
Without such a Movment Obama will most likely continue on his centrist path.
-Savant
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Mitt Romney's campaign is in deep trouble, and his trouble is affecting other Republicans running for other offices..
Mitt Romney is having a hard time. First he said that he did not care about 47% of the population. Then, he starts boasting about being the "Grandfather of Obamacare." Now he tells the people about his father receiving government help after returning from Mexico, but he gets mad when others requests help from the government.
It may be that he can only win by stealing the election with the help of the new Voter ID lawa and other stringent requirements imposed by Republican controlled states.
-Savant
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We'll see if he winsi think O has learned his lesson now, I think that he will be a "fighting liberal" in his second term
-Savant
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It's interesting that you describe Obama as "center/right" in French political terms. In America, Obama is only regarded as right wing or even centrist by people who are REALLY leftwing: socialists, anarchists & Black "left nationalists" (to use one of Manning Marable's terms).
Sir,
i get your point on that and i certainly don't idealize Obama : oh no. i am fully aware of his numerous shortcomings. They explain the 2010 sounding defeat in Congress and the present hesitation of US voters in the opinion polls.
Besides the US constitutional system is made to limit if not stop any possibility of serious political changes. FDR and Eisenhower/JFK/Johnson had the big 1929 crisis and the WWII events as a leverage to make the massive WASP stone moves a little bit.
Provided he has the same will to emulate these presidents, and i don't think he ever had this will, being a center-right in our French political landscape terms, he would have not been able to : states, Congress, lobbies inside the Rep-Dems, the US Supreme Court, there are so many stumbling blocks on the road of a "yes we can" ; apart from extraordinary circumstances, in the USA ... no you can't move much outside the white capitalist box.
a whiteboi
Your French Revolution of 1789 enable a left "proletarian" moment which never happened in our 1778 Revolution.
Occasionally, a socialist can win a local election in an extraordinarily liberal local community. bu those of us who are left of liberal, who perceive the necessity of ending both racism and capitalist or class oppression, are pretty much excluded from the political process.
Even in the Black community, which is overwhelmingly liberal and which actually esteems some of its historic revolutiionaries, you tend to become politically isolated if you try to go beyond movement or activist politics into the electoral arena.
Former Black leftists who enter the political system either move to the right of their previous black radical progressivism, or become lone voices (if elected) crying in the wilderness.
And to connect his with the issue of secularism, most secular Black folk--surtout atheists, agnostics and the like--seem to be further left of center than most in the Black community. Angela Davis, some leaders of the 1960s Black Panther Party are examples.
They may even be popular as activists leaders and intellectuals, but they have no chance in the established political system.
You don't seem to have many right wing Black atheists,agnostics, skeptics (though such exist). Not many Ayn Rand types.
Indeed, one Black female atheists notes that while white atheists are aroused by culture wars relating to evolution and church/separation, Black secularism "emerges from a SOCIAL JUSTICE lens." The impact of racism and capitalist exploitation on the religiously devout Black poor has for centuries been a central theme in the thought and writings of secular black thinkers and activists--including yours truly.
But there is less room for left thought in America's poltical system. Socialists (even humanist socialists like I) and atheists cannot get elected. Obama used to hang out with people who read Frantz Fanon, with Marxist professors, feminists, and black and latin student activists. But something changed as he entered politics. In America, it usually does.
-Savant
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You wanna know what I thought about it? I think he didn't go far enough (however, for what it's worth, it was still a nice lighthearted joke drenched in honesty).
Regarding the people who got pissed-off, those particular Whites (and you can bet there were some people of color including Blacks in the mix too) don't like it when any of Black celebrities they let reach the privilege of star-status in the system openly show any real backbone in the interest of our people.
-Black7Sun
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http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/share-comrades/37124-fight-south-america.html
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But also sista its because they feel in general that we don't deserve anything we get and if we get it we must be happy and do what they say and when they say it. That why there is always glee and happiness with white fans and the media when a black athlete goes broke or is caught up in some mess. Thats why there is always over reaction.........I mean take Tiger woods for example. You had white folks talking about Tiger owed them an apology. SAY WHAT!!!! Since when I cheat on my spouse and owe people I don't know an apology the only apology I need to give is to my spouse and kids for turning their life upside down. Man people weren't even asking playa playa Clinton for an apology and he was the president.
-originalman
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Originally Posted by back4the1sttime
That just the way it is in this society. People of other races look at blacks in the spotlight with a very big microscope. So if you are black, rich, powerful, and in the spotlight, then you have no room for error. But if you are a non black, then its no big deal. Classic case, look how they handled Barry Bonds in the steroid baseball scandal vs his white counter parts. Out of all the non blacks that were accused of doping, Barry was the only one that had to stand trial.
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Thank you for saying that while Bonds got convicted on some BS. Old Roger child molester and Armstrong dopeman had their charges dropped or got off on some technicality (because the fix was in).
-originalman
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Originally Posted by WrensSmokeyEye
Want different results? Change what you're doing. Anyway it's just dinner, not a relationship or marriage.
|
exactly.... this is what i used to tell my guy friends who would tell me that there were no good women out there and blah blah. And i was like da h___? there are plenty of good women out there, myself included, you just look past them cause they aint got a phat a___, or they actually tryna do something withtheir lives instead of being at the club all day everyday and twice on sunday. Let them know that they cant keep going for the same type of female, and yet expecting different results.. Me personally, i dont have atype, long as dude is working, and tryna do something with his life, treats me well, and we vibe nicely, we good.
-insertnamehere (A Woman)
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Hey Harrison! No doubt he'd be in the thick of it and good Lord, the speeches, he would nail them and people would be motivated and inspired more than they already are and new converts would be pouring in.
Oh, I don't think there's ANY DOUBT whatsoever that Dr. King would firmly endorse the Occupy Movement, brother Savant. He would be down there in the camps....giving CNN interviews....speaking truth to power....cooking up soup or grilling some ribs...and otherwise helping fortify folks' morale.
Long time no read, but as always, it's good to read your posts. Our dear Savant is always on the forefront to help his people and others. God bless him.
-bappie
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-crammasters
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crammasters
Male, Age Private, Chicago, IL
Posted April 01, 2010
@ UCCP
With 70% of BW being single parents, and 45% that will never marry, BW should be UP IN ARMS about all the defecting, interracial-dating BM, especially since MOST are leaving behind the black children they had with BW. I PERSONALLY kn ow several BM who fit this description.
No other (sane) race of people, facing the problems that black folks currently face, would think it was acceptable to divide and conquer themselves, especially when faced by a powerful enemy that is literally stripping away EVERY so-called economic and employment gain that blacks have made over the last 40 years.
Nor would a sane (or self-respecting) male put the female of his oppressor on a pedestal OR put his precious time, money, love, and energy toward ENRICHING his own enemies instead of taking care of his OWN black women and children.
And for those who are confused about who this enemy is -- it's time to pick up a book and READ ABOUT YOUR HISTORY -- both past and present.
There are all kinds of indications that blacks are under severe systematic attack on every level, and we better start taking this SERIOUSLY..
With the ECONOMY literally deconstructing right in front of our faces,
with a black unemployment rate of OVER 26% and rising,
with over ONE MILLION black people rotting in prisons, making one dollar a day for the prison industrial complex,
with BM being the MOST LIKELY to be unemployed regardless of education, with the Jena Six, Katrina, and Sean Bell-type shootings on the rise
with the increase of white extremists groups who are arming up and doing WEAPONS TRAINING after the election of the "first black" prez (who doesn't address a SINGLE BLACK ISSUE)
Hell, the list is too long for this thread, and too damn long for a sane black person to ignore... and that is the problem, some of us are literally insane... I got to be blunt about this..
With 70% of BW being single parents, and 45% that will never marry, BW should be UP IN ARMS about all the defecting, interracial-dating BM, especially since MOST are leaving behind the black children they had with BW. I PERSONALLY kn ow several BM who fit this description.
No other (sane) race of people, facing the problems that black folks currently face, would think it was acceptable to divide and conquer themselves, especially when faced by a powerful enemy that is literally stripping away EVERY so-called economic and employment gain that blacks have made over the last 40 years.
Nor would a sane (or self-respecting) male put the female of his oppressor on a pedestal OR put his precious time, money, love, and energy toward ENRICHING his own enemies instead of taking care of his OWN black women and children.
And for those who are confused about who this enemy is -- it's time to pick up a book and READ ABOUT YOUR HISTORY -- both past and present.
There are all kinds of indications that blacks are under severe systematic attack on every level, and we better start taking this SERIOUSLY..
With the ECONOMY literally deconstructing right in front of our faces,
with a black unemployment rate of OVER 26% and rising,
with over ONE MILLION black people rotting in prisons, making one dollar a day for the prison industrial complex,
with BM being the MOST LIKELY to be unemployed regardless of education, with the Jena Six, Katrina, and Sean Bell-type shootings on the rise
with the increase of white extremists groups who are arming up and doing WEAPONS TRAINING after the election of the "first black" prez (who doesn't address a SINGLE BLACK ISSUE)
Hell, the list is too long for this thread, and too damn long for a sane black person to ignore... and that is the problem, some of us are literally insane... I got to be blunt about this..
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@ Makaveli__23
i agree with most of what u said, but brother, we can't have zero tolerance for 19 year olds. i have seen and known too many black folk who made a turnaround later in life and are nothing like they were when they were young folk. .
----
of course, we shouldn't accept bad behavior, but it's important to offer correction, not just write our young folks off.
---
my biggest problem is black folk are quick to write the females off BUT will always give the BM a second chance
----
the same way young BM are being poisoned by the music, images and videos that encourage them to wear pants hanging off the a____, acting like thugs, shooting, killing, calling BW b____ and h___, and BM n___,
---
is the same way the same music, media, and videos is showing black females getting paid for dressing like and acting like video hos, and when they fall for it, we write them off for good
---
brother, I got a daughter, and I'm trying my damndest to protect her from the degrading sexual images of black females that are killing the self-esteem of our young black girls, so maybe, I got a soft spot for Montana
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i agree with most of what u said, but brother, we can't have zero tolerance for 19 year olds. i have seen and known too many black folk who made a turnaround later in life and are nothing like they were when they were young folk. .
----
of course, we shouldn't accept bad behavior, but it's important to offer correction, not just write our young folks off.
---
my biggest problem is black folk are quick to write the females off BUT will always give the BM a second chance
----
the same way young BM are being poisoned by the music, images and videos that encourage them to wear pants hanging off the a____, acting like thugs, shooting, killing, calling BW b____ and h___, and BM n___,
---
is the same way the same music, media, and videos is showing black females getting paid for dressing like and acting like video hos, and when they fall for it, we write them off for good
---
brother, I got a daughter, and I'm trying my damndest to protect her from the degrading sexual images of black females that are killing the self-esteem of our young black girls, so maybe, I got a soft spot for Montana
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@ Makaveli__23 who said Montana is used goods, will be close to suicide and should be disowned, etc, etc.
brother, u seem HELL-BENT on condemning this young black 19-year-old black stranger... almost like you're HOPING she comes to a bad end.
--
you might want to do a self-check and see why u are so eager to kick another human being when she is already down on her knees
--
and i would advise u to be careful about what kind of HARD-HEARTED messages u put out in the universe because what u put out into the universe
--
will come right back to you, like a Universal Boomerang
---
and the day U need some compassion for something U did, may be the day when other folk condemn u
________________
brother, u seem HELL-BENT on condemning this young black 19-year-old black stranger... almost like you're HOPING she comes to a bad end.
--
you might want to do a self-check and see why u are so eager to kick another human being when she is already down on her knees
--
and i would advise u to be careful about what kind of HARD-HEARTED messages u put out in the universe because what u put out into the universe
--
will come right back to you, like a Universal Boomerang
---
and the day U need some compassion for something U did, may be the day when other folk condemn u
________________
Oh, I don't think there's ANY DOUBT whatsoever that Dr. King would firmly endorse the Occupy Movement, brother Savant. He would be down there in the camps....giving CNN interviews....speaking truth to power....cooking up soup or grilling some ribs...and otherwise helping fortify folks' morale.The 99% Movement is a growing popular democratic movement for economic justice. It is a movement opposed to the concentration of wealth of the corporate plutocracy. And it challenges the worship of wealth and the demeaning of people.
Moreover, the Movement has remained for the most part markedly a NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT.
Is this a Movement such as Dr. King would support were he with us still? Is this movement akin to the Poor Peoples Movement which Dr. King and others were trying to build during the last few months of his life?....
-Harrisson
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Progress was being made. Before 1964, 50% of blacks did not qualify as “middleclass” By the late 70's, they did.
Reagaonomics killed it. It was a repeat of what happened with Reconstruction a century earlier... get a part of the job done, and then give it to white reactionism and end it. Reagan was the repeat of that. Progress was being made because of education and affirmative action hiring.
As for what you were integrated into, I repeat, you can become equal to most whites, and you find that you are still not free! Because they aren't free! They often are tricked and lied to, so they think they are free. Some blacks think they're free now because as you say they can use the same toilet. But the problem is, you were integrated into another level of oppression is all. Now you get the white oppression. There's still residual racism, and the lingering effects of historical discrimination, but basically, get a job, buy a car on time, try to keep your wages ahead of expenses, rush rush rush through the rat race... that's what I see a lot of black people doing and it's the same thing the whites are doing.
Local enterprise is indeed the solution, you are right about that. That is true for anyone, again, not only black people. Local community jobs, all the stuff you named that blacks had developed which is less common now. It's less common among whites too. Drive through a rural small town. Downtown mostly closed. Franchise fastfood out at the freeway ramp. Lots of white people cooking meth. Everyone shops at Walmart. Lots of baby daddies.
-Sinajuavi (I don't agree with him on every issue, but on this one.)
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minnie_ wrote:
Its really hilarious what outsiders think my culture consists of
they refuse to ever recognize the positive (which majority of my culture is whether you like it or not)
outsiders choose to believe what they want
they will talk down on Black Americans constantly
yet the day we mention a disgusting observation about their culture,
were ignorant, were stupid, etc
give us the same respect you expect us to give yall
but of course thats asking too much of yall because
as expected, you folks are the ignorant ones
outsiders can continue to disrespect my culture
but ill laugh as your children and adults imitate it in the same breath
they refuse to ever recognize the positive (which majority of my culture is whether you like it or not)
outsiders choose to believe what they want
they will talk down on Black Americans constantly
yet the day we mention a disgusting observation about their culture,
were ignorant, were stupid, etc
give us the same respect you expect us to give yall
but of course thats asking too much of yall because
as expected, you folks are the ignorant ones
outsiders can continue to disrespect my culture
but ill laugh as your children and adults imitate it in the same breath
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The Africaaners DID shoot down Black miners many times during the era of white minority rule. What shocking about the current regime. led by a party that fought apartheid, is that the shooting reval the same kind of repressive methods used under apartheid. But Frantz Fanon warned that exploitation could wear a black face as well as a white one, and that the African masses needed to progress from the stage of national consciousness to revolutionary social consciousness.
-Savant
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A Response to a skeptic:
Some of you new generation blacks are very apathatic. That isn’t my thing. Now, there are African Americans groups helping black people now. There is the 100 Black Men of America using mentorships and other effects in helping black people. There is the Black Girl Run movement that assists sisters in exercising and health issues. There are also people like the black man Wesley Bellamny. He is the founder of HYPE or Helping Young People Evolve. This program deals with helping human beings to grow in leadership qualities and their education. The reality is that we are not in the Promised Land yet. We still have a long way to go in order for black people worldwide to have that true cultural, social, political, and economic liberation. On the other hand, there are still African Americans day in and day out fighting for truth and fighting against poverty. So, to deny that is ignorance or hatred of your own communities. Poverty is a direct problem.
Poverty comes from socioeconomic factors not from culture. Black non-profits, charities, and religious groups are helping the poor. Although, we should do more in promoting self-sufficiency as you deduced. Black culture deals with honorable treatment, family connections, and tolerance. African Americans should have more cohesiveness and provide more in their own communities. You have no disagreements from me on that specific point. Dr. Claud Anderson and others would agree with you on the weakness of corporate integration. I disagree with you on the total denial of any efforts on the parts of black Americans in helping their own situation. Also, poverty can be solved beyond just individualism. It has to be both public and private efforts. Day in and day out, black groups are protesting against black on black violence for decades. Even someone like Jesse Jackson has protested. You really need to learn the history on that.
People like the reactionaries deny the efforts of black people who fought against violence. Real organizations are worth something. Also, it’s a lie to assume that all African Americans are too individualized or don’t care. There are tons of black people in America plus throughout the world that care deeply about black people. It’s just that a sick Western culture have brainwashed some African Americans to act more materialistic and superficial in their condition.
This isn’t a representation of all black Americans or real African American culture. It’s a sick, white supremacist culture. Back then, we had lynchings, discrimination, rapes, unjust sentences, sharecropping, our cities being burned to the ground by white terrorists. No, I don’t want to revert back to Jim Crow segregation. I understand some of the weakness of mainstream integration. So, I agree with you that we should have more of our own schools and economic infrastructure. I disagree with you in saying that African Americans aren’t doing anything. There are numerous AAs that want to provide and help themselves. We should do more yes, but we are doing something. I do think we need to fight back and promote a cultural revolution in curbing the nihilism in our community too.
There are many custodians of AA culture found in real leaders, activists, scholars, engineers, and other black American leaders.
-By Timothy
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