Happy Black History Month

Lift Every Voice And Sing AKA – The Black National Anthem

Quick Facts

+ Lift Every Voice And Sing is also known as The Black National Anthem

+Written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson (an author, educator, lawyer, diplomat, songwriter, first African American professor hired at New York University, Professor of creative literature and writing at Fisk University,  and civil rights activist).

+Set to music by James’ brother John Rosamond Johnson

+First performed by 500 school children at the segregated Stanton School where James W. Johnson was the principal on February 12, 1900

The Lyrics:

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Lift ev’ry voice and sing,
‘Til earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on ’til victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
‘Til now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand,
True to our God,
True to our native land.

Here is an article I enjoyed about the song:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/why-black-national-anthem-lifting-every-voice-sing-180975519/

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WOW: This website is full of great information about this song: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/09/us/lift-every-voice-and-sing-trnd/

There are so many renditions of this song- I would like to share a few that I love!

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #LiftEveryVoiceAndSing #JamesWeldonJohnson #history #JohnRosamondJohnson #iconicsong #poetry #lifechangingmusic #TheBlackNationalAnthem #communitycollege #associatedegrees #education #blackexcellence #blackculture #FiskUniversityProfessor #blackpride #legacy #inspirational

Some things I expect people to know about, then I remind myself that we are still learning on this journey called life! I hope that you enjoyed this post about the song, LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING!

‘#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month

Alvin Ailey: American Dance Theater

Alvin Ailey was an African American choreographer and activist. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York in 1958. He got a lot of his inspiration from the Black church services that he attended. He was really inspired after seeing the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo performance and decided that he wanted to pursue dance. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988 and died the following year in New York of AIDS.

His most famous dance is Revelations!!

Please check out this website to learn more about Alvin Ailey. I don’t want to to just take all of their pictures from their site! They are so beautiful!

https://www.alvinailey.org/about/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater

You can learn more about the company, see photos, their leadership, and the dancers from this site.

I hope that you have enjoyed this moment in Black History!

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #alvinaileyamericandancetheater #AlvinAiley #dance #revelations #moderndance #americandance #newyork #blackexcellence

I am really enjoying sharing all these moments in Black History. There is so much to share about so many things. Feel free to share these posts with your friends, family members, colleagues or on your own social media platforms. I hope I can keep it up and share more facts throughout the year.

‘#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month

Lets learn about another great HBCU

Clinton College- Rock Hill, South Carolina

Clinton College was established in 1894 as a two year institution with a strong Liberal Arts tradition. The school was founded by The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in hopes to allow the descendants of slaves have access to higher education.

-Two Year Institution

-Undergrad Population of 200 students

-Graduate Population: 0

-Mascot: Bears

-No online classes

-71% Men and 29% Women

-In/Out Of State Tution $4,185

-Ranked number 34 among the top colleges in South Carolina (out of 96)

This school is a great option to get acclimated to college life and earn your two year degree before transferring to a four year institution.

I do not regret my college experience, but sometimes I think about it and if could do it over again I would have attended a two year university first, I totally would.

And the school is having their Founders Day Service next month! Feel free to check it out. It will be on Friday, March 12, 2021 @ 11:00 AM streaming on YouTube and Facebook. Hopefully with the time change and me being in Shanghai I can catch it.

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #educationmatters #hbcu #history #blackcollegesanduniversities #clintoncollege #rockhillsouthcarolina #southcarolina #associatedegreesarestilldegrees #communitycollege #associatedegrees #education #blackexcellence #twoyeardegreesmatter

Here is some information from online I found about the school:

Address:
1029 Crawford Road
Rock Hill, South Carolina 29730
Main Phone: (803) 327-7402 or (888) 458-5816
Main Contact: Kim Shepard
Website:http://www.clintoncollege.edu

‘#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month

I want to introduce you to another great figure in Black History – Living Black History.

Tony Evans- The first African American student to complete a Doctor of Theology degree at Dallas Theological Seminary.

-Founder and Senior Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship – in Dallas, Texas – http://www.ocbfchurch.org

-Founder and President of The Urban Alternative

-Author of over 100 books, booklets, and bible studies

-Former chaplain for Dallas Cowboys

-Current chaplain for Dallas Mavericks

-Celebrated 50 years of ministry in 2019

-The first African American to write a full Bible commentary and study in the United States

-Amazing pastor, leader, speaker, author, father, speaker, expositor, and all around person. A great person with an amazing reputation.

For more information about Tony Evans you can check out this website: https://tonyevans.org

I am so happy to share about Tony Evans because I am a member of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship. My faith and my church are a big part of my life and who I am. I have learned so much from Pastor Evans, his leadership and each of his children. I am a better person because of my pastor and my church.

One of my favorite books by Tony Evans is the book he co-wrote with his daughter Chrystal Evans Hurst – Kingdom Woman!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Woman-Embracing-Purpose-Possibilities/dp/1624053548/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=kingdom+woman&qid=1613115833&sr=8-1

I hope you enjoy this message! THE RISK OF FAITH

Currently: Online Worship Services are Sundays at 10:00 AM CST and Wednesdays at 8:00 PM CST

#livingblackhistory #blackhistory #dallashistory #kingdomman #oakcliffbiblefellowship #DTS #pastor #author #speaker #expositor #preacher #teacher #theologian #ManOfGod

It is officially a new year in China! How exciting. I get to ring in the new year twice.

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  

– Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

It’s my birthday! I’m so excited. It’s also Chinese New Year and my birthday is the day before NYE in China. How cool is it that I get to celebrate and bring in the new year twice? It’s pretty dope! I hope you enjoy my #38Things list …

1. Kindness Matters 
2. It’s okay to ask for help 
3. There is nothing wrong with saying no. 
4. Take the trip! Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t because it’s not first class- and 5 Star hotels! Stay in your budget and enjoy. You know when the world is safe of course 😊 
5. Do something for yourself once a month. More if you can. 
6. Give! It feels good. Research two non-profits in your city/community and donate to each of them once a year. No donation is too small. 
7. Drink lots of water! 
8. Make time for your family and friends. The world is sick and in a weird place right now. So if it’s Zoom or House Party App or Skype or IG video or whatever you use find the time to slow down and connect with the people who mean a lot to you. 
9. Save! It’s important to save. Look at your budget and make a realistic plan for saving for your future 
10. Exercise … there are so many ways to keep active. Find what works for you and do that thing. 
11. Don’t be afraid to try new things! You might find out something you didn’t know about yourself 
12. Read. It’s important to read. Check out authors and genres that are not your usual choice. 
13. Laugh! Laugh a lot! It’s good for the soul. Comedy and comedians are subjective but find the ones that work for you and listen to them when you’re having a tough day. 
14. Push & Challenge yourself. Last year I hiked with some friends to the top of Yellow Mountain. I never thought I would be able to do that. I did it! What a great experience. 
15. Be thankful
16. Get a mentor – I have had mentors in various stages of my life and multiple and one time. There is nothing wrong with getting guidance from someone who has been where you plan on going!
17. Dream very Big 
18. Learn from your mistakes! I enjoyed the book “Failing Up” The best of the best have made so many mistakes and this is how we get better 
19. You spend most of your life at work! Find work that you love and that you are passionate about 
20. Work at being a better you
21. Marvel is greater than DC comics (I’m here from Wonder Woman though) 
22. Tell the people who are closest to you that you love them. You never know how long you have with them 
23. Be flexible in life. Be prepared for change. Your life will constantly change. 
24. Learn a second or third language 
25. PJ Morton and Anthony Evans are two of the best artists out there. I can listen to their music any day.  
26. Tacos are amazing and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, brunch, a quick snack or dinner! 
27. The worst someone can say is No. My dad taught me that. Don’t be afraid to ask for things. 
28. Demand what you deserve.               Do. Not. Settle. 
29. Love YOU! Beauty is subjective. Accept who you are and rock it! 
30. Stop doing more for others than they would do for you. Have boundaries in your friendships and relationships.
31. Public school is cheaper than private and you will still receive a great education. 
32. Never stop learning 
33. Be happy & Live from a place of joy as much as possible 
34. Keep a little cash tucked away somewhere. I promise it will come in handy one day. 
35. Have Fun. Life is short. 
36. Treat people the way you want to be treated. 
37. Try Yoga. It’s not that bad. 
38. Believe in something greater than you. I am a believer- CHRIST FOLLOWER. It is such a big part of my life. Pray. 

You can do it all. Maybe not all at once, but you can do everything you want. My mentor told me that right before I graduated from Georgia State University and when she told me I responded “How?”. I listed off all the things that I want to do and she said “Why can’t you do all those things?”. I really didn’t have an answer and  as we discussed it I realized I could do all the things I want to do just maybe not all at the same time. Life is a journey and while on this journey you get to have different experiences and it’s amazing. Don’t settle or limit yourself. 

Dream and Live Real Big. Believe in yourself. Travel as much as you can. 

-KMG, 2021 – Cheers 🥂 to this new year. 

I’ve turned 38! I don’t mind saying it at all! I’m so happy to see this day. So many people didn’t make it so I don’t take life for granted. 

I am sharing 38 things I know to be true. Hope they can help you in your daily lives. Take what works for you and please share some pearls of wisdom in the comments for me. 

Cheers 🥂 to 2021 being an afrotastically dope year! 

I hope you enjoy this song!

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month

Let’s meet Carl Brashear – January 19, 1931 – July 25, 2006

IF you have seen the movie – MEN OF HONOR (with Cuba Gooding Jr)- it was based on his life.

Excellent movie – highly recommended.

Brashear enlisted in the US Navy in February of 1948 not long after President Harry Truman had desegregated the military. He graduated from US Navy Diving and Salvage School in 1954 becoming the first African American to attend and graduate from the school. Even though the navy was desegregated he still faced hostility and racism from the other divers/students in the school.

Brashear became a Navy diver in 1949 – but in March of 1966 a salvage operation accident resulted in his left leg being amputated. Two years after this he was re-certified as a diver and in 1970 and he became the US Navy’s first African American Master Diver.

He retired from the US Navy in April of 1979 as a master chief petty officer and a master diver.

#blackhistorymonth #CarlBrashear #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #USNavyDiver #thefirstamputeediver #MenofHonor #education #blackexcellence #masterdiver #masterchiefpettyofficer #deepseadiver #givingupisntoanoption #ENVIORNMENTALSCIENCE #nevergiveup #dreambig

ITS NOT A SIN TO GET KNOCKED DOWN. ITS A SIN TO STAY DOWN. – Carl Brashear

To learn more about Carl Brashear and his life check out this website: https://carlbrashear.org/

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

I really hope that you are enjoying the #BHM posts! More from HBCU’s coming soon.

Feel free to share the posts!

What is super cool about #BlackHIstory is that it is always happening. I love that amazing things are still happening. I will let this article speak for itself.

Check out this article (it’s a quick short read-but deserves to be shared)  about the first black student to receive a doctorate in computer science from the University of Florida. What an amazing feat to conquer. I love this.

#blackhistorymonth #JasmineBowers #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #educationmatters #universityoffloriday #historyishappeningnow #femalesandcomputerscience #STEM #computersciencedoctorate #florida #education #blackexcellence

1st Black Female Student to Receive a Doctorate in Computer Science at University of Florida

Feel free to share this post! Hope you are well and taking care of yourself during these difficult days.

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month

Did you know?

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The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats

As a teacher and an educator I am very excited to share this post with you.

The Snowy Day written by, Ezra Jack Keats is the first book featuring an African American child to win the Caldecott Medal for excellence (one of the highest awards in literature during the period when this book was released) in children’s picture books. He is well known for his multicultural children’s pictures books.

Ezra Jack Keats is not a Black American, but I wanted to share about his work and this lovely book. His family was Polish and lived in East New York. If you want to learn more about him feel free to check out this website: https://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ezras-life/

FUN FACT: The Snowy Day is also the most checked out book of all time at The New York Public Library.

#blackhistorymonth #ezrajackkeats #hisotry #childrensbooks #caldecottmedalforexcellence #books #reading #readingchangeslives #representationmatters #newyorkpubliclibrary #picturebooks #BlackHistoryIsAmericanHistory

Here is a link to this book on Amazon and you can look for it in your public library! Enjoy.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Snowy-Day-Ezra-Jack-Keats/dp/0140501827/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Snowy+Day&qid=1612421021&sr=8-1

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Happy Black History Month: Let’s learn about another great HBCU

Trenholm State Community College (TSCC)

*An HBCU located in Montgomery, Alabama

*An Enrollment of 1,334 students

*Tuition is +/-  $3,720 for out of state students and $2,496 for in state students.

*No graduate students

*No room and board

*Campus is 50/50 men/women

*Mascot: HBCU Connect

What is very cool about this institution is that it is an associate degree-granting institution. They have a great purpose and mission to be able to provide affordable and accessible educational opportunities to students. This school was the merging of two schools – John M. Patterson State Technical College with H. Councill Trenholm State Techniocal College in April of 2000.

Feel free to check out their website for more information:

http://www.trenholmstate.edu

#blackhistorymonth #blackhistoryisamericanhistory #educationmatters #hbcu #history #blackcollegesanduniversities #trenholmstatecommunitycollege #alabama #montgomery #associatedegreesarestilldegrees #communitycollege #associatedegrees #education #blackexcellence

Black History is so many things! I am so excited to share so many parts of it with you this month!

I am coming to the end of my second week of vacation… soon I will be back in the classroom and with the routines of my life. Until then … I am enjoying these days that I have off.

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

Whoa! Whoa! Just whoa! I am loving sharing Black History this year. I read an article on line today and I now know that- Jones Bar-B-Q Diner in Marianna, Arkansas is believed to be(I shall continue my research for one older, but as of right now this is the oldest) the oldest Black-owned restaurant in the country! How cool is that? It has been in business for over 100 years.

I absolutely love bbq and a good bbq pork sandwich- – so if/when I make my way back to the states and travel allows this place is on my list of places to check out.

Feel free to click the link below and read up on the restaurant and if you ever happen to be in Marianna, Arkansas check out their BBQ!

#BlackHistory #BBQ #foodie #history #JonesBBQ #MariannaArkansas #BlackOwnedRestaurants #legacy #pitmaster #secretsauce

https://www.blackbusiness.com/2018/06/jones-bar-b-q-diner-oldest-black-owned-restaurant-marianna-arkansas.html?fbclid=IwAR1jK-dWjHcLwBvNdIRZ61NXsuRnI7_PTg5Mg5d72zblP0Di-to2PeWw0AU&m=1

You can follow the restaurant on Facebook at @JonesBarBQDiner 

OR

You can visit their location at 219 W Louisiana Street, Marianna, Arkansas 72360

Black History is American history!

#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #-FaithfulIsMyGod

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

I love this song! I am sharing it again.