Long Days

Wzup everyone? I have once again been to tired to put my history up and gotten an email about it, lol....Right now I am mad busy at work because we are prepping for a major inspection. I am working 12 hour shifts and through the weekends, but I promise if you come to my page and you don't get your knowledge check back the next day and I will have made up for it....remember Knowledge is Power, B E Z....RJ

Today In History

Jan 10th 1864: George Washington Carver, scientist and inventor, is born. (If you enjoy peanut butter you can thank this Genius for he is the "peanut" man.







Jan 10 1924: Drummer Max Roach, influential to modern jazz, is born in New Land, NC.

Yesterday In History

Jan 9th 1906: Renowned poet and writer Paul Laurence Dunbar Dies.




Jan 9th 1914: Phi Beta Sigma fraternity is founded at Howard University

Chess " The Thinking Man's Game"

Wzup people? Well I was on my way to bed and then I got a message from my Uncle Wink challenging me to educate the world on a little history in Chess. Now for all my friends that have been to my spot they know I love the game and currently have four chess boards on display from four different countries. I have one from the U.S., Greece, Iraq and Korea. The game of Chess is definitely a game of strategy and patience and can tell a lot about a man's character. Below is another history lesson. It's a little earlier then the date but I had to hook my Uncle up...One Love Wink





March 15 1999: Maurice Ashley, a Jamaican immigrant became the first African-American to attain the rank of International Grand Master. (Only 500 worldwide have been given this honor.) Maurice a graduate of New York City College learned chess with a group known as the Black Bears School of Chess.

A little Suprised

Wzup people? Well I was a little discouraged because I didn't think any0ne was paying attention to my blog and then my homegirl sent me an email asking me where the "Today in History" was so I decided that no matter how busy I got with work and school I was making it a point to share my fact for the day. I posted today's and made yesterday's up, sorry so late but didn't think anyone was paying attention, much love to all and remember Knowledge truly is Power.

Today in History

Jan 8th 1922: Col. Charles Young, first African American to achieve that rank in the US Army, dies in Lagos, Nigeria.

Yesterday in History

Jan 7th 1891: Folklorist Zora Neale Hurston is born in Notasulga, AL (Author of Their Eyes Were Watching God)




Jan 7th 1997: Former South African President Peter W. Botha is prosecuted for refusing to appear before the nation's truth commission

Today in History

Jan 6th 1993: Jazz trumpeter John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie dies.




Jan 6th 1996: Recycling Black Dollars, an organization of black businesses, campaigns for "Change Bank Day" to benefit black-owned financial institutions.

Poem Time

Wzup people? I am 6 days away from the two year mark that I received news that changed my life forever. I have just recently been able to cope with the news and I am glad to say that after further research I am beginning to become a little more optimistic. Most of my family has read the following poem but I decided to go ahead and get it out there, someone else might be going through the same thing and it's good to know that they are not alone. My advice would be keep your head up and try to keep faith no matter how hard that seems....so here goes my first Poem on my blog.


A LETTER TO MY CHILD THAT COULD NEVER BE.


I dreamt of you for as long as I can remember,
Even imagined that you were conceived in December.

Born unto us late Summer, beginning of Fall,
I wondered if you would take after me and be kinda tall.

I picked out your name way back in the day,
I was just waiting on you to come on your merry ole way.

I dreamt of you in every imaginable way,
Until the Doctor took my dream away.

It was Thursday, January 12th, 2006,
That the news hit me like a ton of bricks.

He said " I have some news and it might sound terrible,
You my son Ricky, are just plain out sterile".

I sat there in silence as the words echoed through my head,
From that moment my child you no longer existed, you were dead.

Then he said "don't worry Ricky, we have a few other options,
There's always donor sperm or hey, what about adoption."

I lifted my head up and stared him dead in his eyes,
Before I knew it I began to cry.

These tears however never ran down my face,
My pain and suffering was in a much deeper place.

Those words the Doc said just five minutes ago,
That shit touched me down to my soul.

He sits there with a pic of his kids as if to gloat,
Man I just want to grab him by his throat.

And his words of comfort were "there's always adoption,"
FUCK you Doc and your stupid ass options.

"How would you feel if your kids were ripped from your life,
And it was you who was filled with grief and strife."

I leave his office but the words just play over and over rattling my brain,
It's slowly killing me, it's driving me so damn insane.

No one knows exactly how I feel,
And the truth of the matter they never will.

I HATE hearing it's okay, just pray, God has a plan,
That's YOUR God, I lost faith, I will never understand.

I messed up a few times in life and that's my word,
But not to be able to enjoy the greatest gift of life, that's just absurd.

I no longer no what to do cause I hate self pity,
But right now I feel so shitty.

I'm lost in this world and don't know my place,
I feel like a failure and such a disgrace.

You my child was all I longed for,
Now I have nothing left to hope for.

And yes it's true you will never be born,
But my love for you will never be torn.

I will dream of you until my dying day,
And no one or nothing can take that away........

Why be mad at Adrianne?

O.k. in case you haven't heard Adrianne Curry made a comment about not having Black History month and she got some serious backlash for it. I personally agree with what she said, I don't think that there should be a Black History Month. Why should we as a people celebrate a history and culture that is so beautiful and vast in one month? I believe that it should be renamed from Black History Month and just be called American History. Why do we continue to segregate ourselves from the rest of America? America does not stand for White nor Black, it represents freedom and diversity; and I believe that Black Americans have contributed just as much to America as White Americans. So why should we have to learn about the very history that makes America what she is in one month and call it Black History Month? It's time that our schools teach History in it's entirety and not offer you an elective course on Black History while American History is a requirement and does not entail Black History. I do not and will not limit Black History to one month because everyday, all 365 days,a Black person has contributed to America in one way or another. And I will share a history fact everyday in my blog. If people take the time to listen to what she was saying and not just assume since she's white she's wrong and has to be racist. Open your mind people and start listening.....God gave us two ears and one mouth so we listen twice as hard as we speak....

I am interested to read the comments that will be left for this one, I might only be 24 but my momma didn't raise a fool.....Knowledge is Power people.....Knowledge is Power.

Historical Facts for the Week

Jan 1st.-1804: Haiti declares it's Independence
1937: Lou Stovall, artist and master printmaker, is born in Athens, GA.

Jan 2nd. 1898: Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, first African American to earn a PhD in economics is born in Philadelphia.
1915: John Hope Franklin, historian, educator and author of From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans, is born.

Jan 3rd. 1621: William Tucker is the first known African to be born in America.
1956: Colored Methodist Church, established in 1870, officially changes it's name to Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Jan 4th. 1787: Prince Hall, founder of the first black Masonic lodge, and others petition the Massachusetts legislature for funds to return to Africa, the first recorded effort by blacks to do so.
1920: Andrew "Rube" Foster organizes the first black baseball league, the Negro National League.

Jan 5th. 1911: Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity is chartered as a national organization.

Intro to Rick's World

Wzup everyone my name is Ricky Johnson and you have just entered my World..... My boy Ragz started his page at http://ragzjapan.blogspot.com/and I liked how he just went with it, so I decided to go ahead and put my thoughts out there and see what the world has to say. I am going to be blunt with what I have to say and sometimes controversial, but I invite anyone to drop a comment, in fact I encourage it. Everyday I will post a historical fact pertaining to that day in history, and since this is my first blog I have some back dating to do, but rest assure you will gain Knowledge everyday. I will also post my Poems from time to time and asks if anyone has skills to feel free to put your work up. I will also attempt to write whatever is on my mind and then ask a question pertaining to my thoughts. I am trying to spark debates with what I have to say and try to get you thinking, so feel free to drop that knowledge with your comments. Once again Welcome and thanks for stopping by.