Chubby Checker bombarding the stage with the dance he invented ,”The twist”!!

Chubby Checker? Catchy name right? You bet. Well, he
was just as catchy as his name. A name like his is
memorable enough to sell records quick. He would
perform on Philadelphia. He was in a famous ad for Oreo
Cookies.

Born October 3, 1941, he took on jobs like shining
shoes, selling ice and assisting in a butcher’s shop.
His heroes? Only the top best like Fats Domino,
Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley made his list.
He performed in church and on the streets in his
singing group, the Quantrells.

The music executives were running to get to him
like people running through Walmart like people
who found out about a 50% discount on laptops.
He signed with Cameo Parkway Records in 1959.
He even came up with a song called “The Twist” .
Also, He was labeled “King of the twist.” What
a calling! Not only that folks, he INVENTED
the dance the Twist. Let’s get down with him.

The twist, as a a dance movement revolutionized
popular culture, giving a smooth transitioning
for couples to break up on the dance floor.

He makes me want to try! Amazing! Count on
Chubby Checkers to zoom into action. Vocal
cords that speak volumes and the feet that
keep the beat…What an amazing man! High
five on his kind of talent.

http://www.biography.com/people/chubby-checker-9542332

http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/chubby-checker-ernest-evans-1941

The first tv show with an all black cast is…!

The First Television Series with an all black cast- Amos n Andy Show

Well isn’t it a miracle when we see black tv shows? It is because it’s
not enough. I’m impressed with Tyler Perry’s tv shows “House of Payne”.

I was watching it on tv, now I will start watching it
on cable now tha I’m on college break. They say unity
is power, especially black unity. Therefore black tv shows
are powerful. It’s the best when our peoplework together.
Well now, I just want to point out a black tv show
way way back in hiosty.

It was a show that was the direct descendent of
the radio show that beganon WMAQ. It has the ultimate achievement of being the longest running radio program
in broadcast history. It was created and put
into action by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.
Two white actorsdecided to take on the roles of
Amos Jones and Andy Brown by speaking an
African AMerican dialect.

THe importance of Amos n Andy is that it has
a 30 year history as the most abundantly
successful radio show. The show had its
short contentious years on network television
and its termination from prime-time and
subsequent years in syndication. The media
stills debates the position of Amos n Andy
show in television history. This is shown
by media scholars in the most up to date
books on cultural history of American television.

Amos n’ Andy was first shown on CBS television
in June 1951. This showcontinued until two
years before the program was terminated .
This happened even while black community
protested in 1953. What stands out even
more about its role in black history is that
it was the first television series with an
all black cast.

The characters had a diversity of roles.

Andy Brown- was a business associate

Kingfish Stevens- was known for being
a scheming smoothie.

Lawyer Calhoun- took on the role of the
underhanded crook that no one
could trust.

Lightnin- is one of the characters known
for being a slow moving janitor.

Sapphire Stevens- is a nosey loud mouth.

Mama- was a bossy mother in law.

Then there is the Madame Queen.

The characters were truly stereotypical.
Think about how Hollywood portrays
black characters in a “Stereotyped”
manner. It’s not as if we should be
robots to bad deeds. We are people
and deserve to have many roles. This
show was very insulting because of
the stupid pathetic blackface and
minstrelsy they created in our honor.

It gave us experience but in a negative light.
And what they wanted to use as negative is
a future positive. Lookat all the African American
entertainers doing positive things. Yet,there
are positive roles in media like Keke Palmer in that
movie where she wins the spelling bee. I only saw
the previews butone day I will see the whole movie.

The television portion of Amos n Andy
was almost equivalent to the popularity
of the radio version. I never really researched
the Amos n Andy show and never knew that
that’s where they got blackface from.

Media historian Donald Bogel states
“Neither CBS nor the programs creators
were ready for the change in national
temperament after the World War II…
Within black America, a new political
consciousness and a new awareness
of the importance of image had shown.

Though hardly void of the cruel
insults and disparaging imagery of the past,
Hollywood of the World War II
era chauffered in a selection of better
roles and positive images for
African American performers in Hollywood.

American motion pictures showed off the
first glimpses of black soliders fighting side
by side with white comrades. African American
entertainers appeared in sequined gowns
and tuxedos instead of bandannas and
calico dresses. Black character had become
upgraded, starring as lawyers, teachers and
contributing members of society.”

And guess what though? We did a lot more
positive things besides entertainment.
Keep reading my blog and you will learn a lot of lessons
in due time.

Ladies, ya’ll see I was looking out for you in the gallery of nail designs for our pleasure!

Maybe I don't always get my nails done.
You know some people even bite their nails,
a bad habit. But I have always had long nails
cause I don't bite them. I'm not really into
fake nails. I love natural nails like I love
natural hair. Some nails can be so long it
looks impossible to handle things. But If I
was to get any type of design on my own nails
it would be these.

A gallery of the most elegant and
fashionable nail designs! Enjoy!

Plenty of yarn pictures that’s good on the eyes!!!

Lionel Hampton, a Black musician who rubbed elbows with another black musician named Louis Armstrong!

<img src=”http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com

Music is perfect for calming people and
relaxing in general. But we should all hear
great songs and find out who is behind them.
That way we can have a music collection.
I know it may have happened that some people
heard a song on the radio and could not
find out the song title or artist. That’s
really really hard with jazz because
at least you can type the words in online
and find the song and artist. But
I would like to introduce you all
to this Black musician.

Lionel Hampton is a Black man who is known for being
a musician. He was titled as one of the extraordinary
musicians of the 20th century. Born April 20, 1908,
he was just like his father, all wrapped up in the
music industry. His father was a singer and pianist,
so music is in his bloodline. His sister gave him
drum lessons.

When Lionel attended St. Monica’s School in
Chicago, Lionel got a job selling papers
so he could join Chicago Defender’s Newsboys
Band. To start, Lionel began with the bass drum.
After a while, he moved up to the snare drum.

During his time in high school, he got a job
in a teenage band. At 15, he had already
graduated high school. He later left for
Los Angeles to join Reb Spike’s Sharps and
Flats.

Lionel got a big opportunity to play with Paul
Howard’s Quality Serenaders and a new band
emerged by Hite, which is the same person
who supported Louis Armstrong at the Cotton
Club.

Hampton recorded a session with Armstrong.
During a break he got, Hampton went to
the vibraphone and began playing the vibes
on one song. The song came to him just right
and was a hit. Hampton brought a refreshing
and renewed voice to jazz and he got the
title “King of the Vibes”.

Benny Goodman was impressed and wanted
Hampton to record with him.

Hampton’s wife Gladys took on the role as
being responsible for raising money for
Lionel to start his own band.

He founded the Lionel Hampton Orchestra
full of energy, bright showmanship and top
notch jazz musicianship. “Sunny Side of the
Street”, “Central Avenue Breakdown”, “Flying
Home”, and “Hamp’s Boogie-Woogie” all
became the high in rank best sellers when
released.

This Black man by the name of Lionel Hampton was
a composer and arranger. Lionel wrote over 200 works
which involves Flying Home, Evil Gal Blues, and Midnight Sun.
Also, he composed the King of the Suite.

That, President from long time ago, President Einsenhower asked
Hampton to be a goodwill ambassador for America. Then
Hampton got the chance to tour Europe, Africa, the Middle
East, and the Far East.

And much honor goes to him for all his acheivements
and the fact that there is a school named after
him called the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
Lionel, always found himself achieving cause there is
more. He made his own publishing company, and
he built up the Lionel Hampton Development Corporation
to build low income housing in inner cities.

Lionel passed away but left a beautiful collage
of acheivements in the world and in all places
that has his research information. The Lionel
Hampton Center is a $60 million project that
is the home for jazz housing the university’s
Jazz Festival, it’s School of Music, and its
International Jazz Collections which teach
and preserve jazz. Sounds like somebody
worth meeting, don’t you think?. I wish he was here, but
he is passed.

http://www.uiweb.uidaho.edu/hampton/bio.html

From Jazz to Swing, is the Book that gives a History of African American Jazz Musicians!

From Jazz to Swing,

In the 1920s, there were many black regional jazz bands
that were recorded and became products of the
entertainment industry.

Hennessey makes use of the files of African American newspapers
like Chicago Defender as well as published and
archival oral history interviews. This books showcases
the contradictions that our Black people faced as musicians
and being the products of differing regional experiences.

From Jazz to Swing follows jazz from the beginning in
the regional black music of the turn of the century in
New Orleans, Chicago, and New YOrk, and the
territories that make up the rest of the country.

http://wsupress.wayne.edu/africana/afrhistory/hennesseyfjs.htm

WGPR TV-First Black OWned and Operated Television Station

                            Media is the fastest way to get news spread, tv, internet, radio,

newspaper,etc. As a future Mass Communications major, I

relate to wanting to do work behind the scenes on that stuff. I plan to

get my Bachelors in Mass Communications.
                

                   So the history of The first Black Owned and operated

television station in Detroit MIchigan is right up my alley.
The first Black owned and operated television
station in the United States WGPR-TV in Detroit, MIchigan.

(What a coincidence, this is the same state I live in)           

          Both African AMerican pioneers Doctor WIlliam V. Banks and George

White wanted to communicate with the African American community through

the screen. Jim Panagos helped these wonderful gentleman with

the programming and sales departments and is still working in Detroit.              

            For the first time African Americans were behind the cameras,

microphones, and they made the stations programming

schedules. This is where most midwest African Americans got their

first job in the television field. These men caused WGPR-TV to

become the leaders for all other Black owned stations and

African American programming in the United States.                

               WGPR-TV created a new dance show called “The scene”,

this happened to be first African American dance show

aired. This station was the father to Soul Train in Chicago.             

 Black Power hit the television screens all over the country

 and Detroit’s WGPR show the way.                                  

                         All information found on this site:http://www.gibbsmagazine.com/WGPR-TV%20African%20American%20History.htm