J.Allen's blog

I remember hearing stories about families moving "up north" from what we called "down south"

Submitted by J.Allen on May 8, 2012 - 11:09am

In her book The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson gives a thorough account of the Great Migration (the mass exodus of over six million African Americans who migrated from the southern regions of the U.S. to the northern).

The "Black Exodus" was motivated by several factors and is a crucial element in America's history and culture. Wilkerson's investigative research presents a multifaceted approach to understanding the reasons blacks migrated from the south to the north.

Ms. Wilkerson spent fifteen years working on her book and had interviewed over a thousand people before settling on three key individuals who reflect the different waves of the migration period.

I just need something Soulful!

Submitted by J.Allen on November 10, 2011 - 8:28am

Amazing Grace, featuring James Cleveland and songs by Thomas Dorsey

Some say music calms the nerves. Sometimes you just need something soothing and inspirational or maybe something jazzy, or a little bit of Rhythm and Blues, and at times you just want to hear the powerful, vibrant voices of gospel's greatest.

Have you been in the mood for an inspirational song? Maybe you're going through a difficult time and just need a pick-me-up, something soulful and uplifting.

Hearing Aretha sing "Oh Mary don't you weep" will send chills down your spine. Aretha sings it with such passion and feeling it's like you're jolted back into time, standing in between the pews clapping your hands and stomping your feet.

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention - Captures the hearts of critics

Submitted by J.Allen on October 13, 2011 - 7:05am

Manning Marable, the noted History professor at Columbia University and the Founding Director of IRAAS (Institute for Research in African American Studies) at Columbia University, opens the platform for dialogue concerning the life of Malcolm X and his membership in the Nation of Islam.

Recently I read Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, a book written by the late Manning Marable, who unfortunately died days before the book was released.