KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 2 Poet of the Day: Phillis Wheatley

April is Poetry Month.  I will regularly post information and resources on African, African American, and Caribbean poets.  April 2 Poet of the Day is Phillis Wheatley.

Biography: http://www.biography.com/people/phillis-wheatley-9528784

Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/431

PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2p12.html

Memoir and Poems: http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/wheatley/wheatley.html

Annenberg, includes teacher resources: http://www.learner.org/amerpass/unit04/authors-10.html

 

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 1 is Poetry Month: Poem by Yusef Komunyakaa

Poets.Org features a poem a day.  April 1 poem is by Yusef Komunyakaa.  Information about him can be found here: His poem is titled Daytime Begins with a Line by Anna Akhmatova.  The poem can be found here: About this poem:

“‘Daytime Begins with a Line By Anna Akhmatova’ addresses a number of polarities as we think about class and its relationship to the creation of art, especially when considering Akhmatova’s apt critique of old world postures through an astute modernist lens. When she lived at the Marble Palace with her second husband, Vladimir Shileiko, one cannot overlook the fact she produced few poems in those years, perhaps because of their dire situation or her husband’s reductive attitude toward her poetry. Shileiko translated Babylonian text, and Akhmatova stood in line through hours of cold at the House of Scholars on Millionnoya Street for food. The poem appears in my forthcoming collection, The Emperor of Water Clocks.” —Yusef Komunyakaa – See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23932#sthash.bxUjBo9q.dpuf
Information retrieved from poets.org
KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 31 Woman of the Day: Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield

Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, an African American vocalist, debuts in Metropolitan Hall in 1853.  Angered that African Americans are denied admission, she performs in a separate concert at the Broadway Tabernacle for five African American congregations.  Read about this pioneering woman here:

More information about this fascinating woman:

Buffalo Newspapers: http://chnm.gmu.edu/lostmuseum/lm/196/

Encyclopedia Brittanica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/245205/Elizabeth-Taylor-Greenfield

Black Past: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/greenfield-elizabeth-taylor-1819-1876

The Black Swan: https://archive.org/details/blackswanathomea00phil

KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 30 Woman of the Day Naomi Sims

March 30 Woman of the Day is Naomi Sims, who was also born on this day.  Naomi Sims was a model, entrepreneur and pioneer.  Read her fascinating story here:

Black America Web: http://blackamericaweb.com/2013/10/22/little-known-black-history-fact-naomi-sims-supermodel/

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111572300

Obituary: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/naomi-sims-model-and-entrepreneur-who-led-the-way-for-black-women-in-the-fashion-industry-1775852.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/fashion/04sims.html?_r=0

KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 29 Woman of the Day: Marva Collins

Marva Collins is March 29 Woman of the Day.  As an educator, she established her own school, the Westside Preparatory in Chicago.  Read about this pioneer and education activist here:

More resources on Marva Collins:

National Endowment for the Humanities: http://www.neh.gov/about/awards/national-humanities-medals/marva-collins

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14178874

Christian Science Monitor: http://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0909/090928.html/%28page%29/2

C-Span: http://www.c-span.org/person/?marvacollins

The Marva Collins Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMjotCrGAOY

Book by Marva Collins: Marva Collins’ Way (1990)

 

KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 28 Woman of the Day: Clara Stanton Jones

For March 28, I selected a woman who was a pioneer in the field of librarianship.  Clara Stanton Jones, was the first African American woman to become a director of an urban public library system.  Read about this pioneering woman here:

More information about Ms. Jones are listed below:

Library Journal Backtalk: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/12/opinion/backtalk/remembering-clara-stanton-jones-backtalk/

Little Known Black Librarian Facts: http://littleknownblacklibrarianfacts.blogspot.com/2012/01/clara-stanton-jones-alas-first-african.html

Obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/insidebayarea/obituary.aspx?pid=160309744

Detroit Public Library: http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/story/mourning-loss-clara-stanton-jones

KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 27 Woman of the Day: Sarah Vaughan

Born on this day in 1924, Sarah Vaughan was a pop and jazz performer.  Read about this soulful performer here:

PBS: http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_vaughan_sarah.htm

PBS American Masters: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/sarah-vaughan/about-sarah-vaughan/723/

NPR: http://www.npr.org/2008/03/26/89072975/sarah-vaughan-vocal-virtuosity

Also search Sarah Vaughan on You Tube to listen to some of her songs.

KRLemmons African American Biography, Resources

March 26 Woman of the Day: Diana Ross

Born on this day in 1944, Diana Ross, former lead singer of the Supremes, is March 26 Woman of the Day.  Read more about this multitalented woman here:

Ms. Ross life in pictures: http://www.style.com/beauty/icon/032114_Diana_Ross/#!beauty-icon/slideshow/go/0

Diana Ross interview with Barbara Walters (2000): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOGdhMf2hK8

Rolling Stone Biography: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/diana-ross-and-the-supremes/biography

Also search Diana Ross on You Tube to listen to some of her songs.

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Biography, African American Literature, Lesson Plans, Resources

March 25 Woman of the Day: Toni Cade Bambara

Toni Cade Bambara, born on March 25 in 1939, is March 25 Woman of the Day.  Read about this author, film-maker, and college professor here:

Other resources on Ms. Bambara:

Lesson plans on Ms. Bambara’s stories: http://www.webenglishteacher.com/bambara.html

Pearson Prentice Hall: http://www.phschool.com/atschool/phlit/author_bios/bambara_tc.html

Voices From the Gap, University of Minnesota: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/bambaraToni.php

The Bombing of Osage Avenue, a documentary written and narrated by Toni Cade Bamabara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVbOlY7svfE

Books written by Toni Cade Bambara:

Gorilla, My Love

The Salt Eaters

These Bones Are Not My Child

The Sea Birds Are Still Alive

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Biography, Resources

March 24 Woman of the Day: Dorothy Height

March 24 Woman of the Day is Dorothy Height, who was born on this day in 1912.  Read about this extraordinary woman here:

Other resources about Dorothy Height:

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126128076

PBS: http://video.pbs.org/video/2206091748/

National Council of Negro Women: http://www.ncnw.org/about/height.htm

Books written by Dorothy Height:

Open Wide the Freedom Gates A Memoir (2005)

Living With Purpose (2010)