Primary Sources, Black History

Join Stephanie Gilbert, a descendant of an Underground Railroad passenger turned abolitionist. Stephanie Gilbert will discuss her great grandfather Oliver Cromwell and his daring  escape with the assistance of Abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens- (Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln) on The Gist of Freedom with host, Preston Washington.

The Gist of Freedom presents The Lincoln Movie Review with BrownEyez Publishing Group at Union Square's Think Coffee, Restaurant in New York.   Young NYU, New York University students were also present, discussing the Re-Election of President Obama and their vision for young republicans.

Join The Gist of Freedom live on location, UNESCO Cnference with attorney Harvey Herman, as we discuss attorney Activist, Virgil D. Hawkins and visit his monument in Florida.   In 1949, Civil Rights Activist, Attorney Virgil D. Hawkins, as a student  applied to the University of Florida (UF) law school but was denied entry because of his race. He was urged to attend law school outside Florida but refused and sued the state, which responded by establishing a law school at FAMU. While he was admitted to FAMU’s law school, Hawkins continued his fight for acceptance at the University of Florida. Although he was unsuccessful, Hawkins’ long-fought battle led to the ultimate desegregation of the University of Florida. Hawkins received his law degree from the New England College of Law more than 20 years after applying to UF. The FAMU College of Law was founded in 1949 on the main campus in Tallahassee. After graduating 57 lawyers, the law school was closed by the state of Florida in 1968. The Florida Legislature voted to reopen the law school in 2000 and Orlando was selected as the location. The reestablished FAMU College of Law opened its doors in 2002 and is now housed in a state-of-the-art facility in downtown Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood.  

Join The Gist of Freedom at The UNESCO ST Florida Conference - Live on Location Dr. Dunn, author  "The Beast In Florida" Presentations: Descendants of Rosewood Survivors and Victims. Topics:  The Rosewood Massacre- Self sustaining and Thriving African American town, Raided by Racist Murderers  Harry T. Moore and Harriet T. Moore, NAACP's First Civil Rights activist Couple Murdered. In 1951 after celebrating Christmas Day, civil rights activist Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriette retired to bed in their white frame house tucked inside a small orange grove in Mims, Florida. Ten minutes later, a bomb shattered their house, their lives and any notions that the south's post-war transition to racial equality would be a smooth one. Harry Moore died on the way to the hospital; his wife died nine days later.   As we celebrate and Congratulate America on their re-election of President Obama- we must never forget the historic significance of the struggle and to honor our legacy by making  a pledge to our God and Country to uphold it's tenets,  "I Am My brothers' keeper", From Attucks to Obama, the record shows our contributions to this nation's humanitarian social transformation is rooted in our abiltity  to humbly turn from our wicked ways in prayer, first and to then, courageously and successfully petition the government for relief.  We owe it to the brave freedom fighters to remain vigilant, in every election, from the PTA school board to the Presidency. Thereby doing our part to ensure the wrong side of history will never be forgotten or repeated, i.e, Gang & Gun Violence, Trayvon Matin, Jim Crow, Lynchings and Slavery.      

Join The Gist of Freedom as we broadcast Malcolm X's daughter,Ilyasah Shabazz's (ISE) Election Night Watch Party-Live From one of Harlem's most historic sites, The Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial Educational Center!    To View The Video Click Here   Ilyasah Shabazz Enterprises (ISE) invites you to this historical Election Night Watch at The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center (located at 3940 Broadway @ West 165th Street, New York, NY), beginning at 8:00PM.     

The Gist of Freedom is pleased to present in the wake of Hurricane Sandy... The Reading "Every Vote Counts"Produced by Writing the Election 2012:       Playwrights Address the Nation With Readings of Their New Works !   Postponed due to the Hurricane,  Producing Artist Yvette Heyliger agreed to broadcast the reading on The Gist of Freedom WWW.BlackHISTORYblog.com    Please join us as we enjoy listening to Harlem 21 Playwrights very own  Bill Beasley's "EVERY VOTE COUNTS"  --------- 537 voters made election history in 2000 when President George Bush stole 537 votes from Floridians and in turn stole the Presidency from  .every  American citizen, voter!    On November 26,  2000, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who doubled as state campaign cochair for Bush, certified voting results that gave Bush a 537-vote lead!     Candidate Gore asked for a recount Bush appealed for a stay and on December 12 the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the Recount!  

The Gist of Freedom presents~From indentured to Chattel enslavement, volunteer temporary enslavement to forced life time slavery~ One of the places we have the clearest views of that "terrible transformation" is the colony of Virginia. In the early years of the colony, many Africans and poor whites -- most of the laborers came from the English working class -- stood on the same ground. Black and white servants/slaves worked side-by-side in the fields. But in the mid 1600's the laws began to differentiate between races: the association of “servitude for natural life” with people of African descent became common. Re Negro John Punch (1640) was one of the early cases that made a racial distinction among indentured servants.   In  1640, John Punch, an African indentured servant , is sentenced by a Virginia judge to serve for all his natural life." One of the few recorded histories of an African in America that we can glean from early court records.   Free Blacks- "Antonio the negro," as he was named in the 1625 Virginia census was brought to the colony in 1621. At this time, English and Colonial law did not define racial slavery; the census calls him not a slave but a "servant." Later, Antonio changed his name to Anthony Johnson, married an African American servant named Mary, and they had four children. Mary and Anthony also became free, and he soon owned land and cattle and even indentured servants of his own. Licooln's Campaign speech @ Cooper Union on The Framers' Votes on Slavery  

Join The Gist of Freedom as we welcome The New HARLEM PLAYWRIGHTS 21     Members: Bill Beasley, Tom Mitchelson, Count Stovall, Faizul Khan, Laurence Holder, Sabura Rashid, and Charles White   Congratulations Harlem Playwright William Beasley!   Come Out and Support Bill's Play  Writing the Election 2012: Playwrights Address the Nation With Readings of Their New Works     Monday, October 29th at 7:30pm at  National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Avenue

Malcolm X's Daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, ISE, host Harlem, Debate Watch Party! View the Party on Youtube! Join The Gist of Freedom as we cover the historic presidential debate in Harlem  with Malcolm X's daughters Ilyasah and Malaak!~ This is President Obama's final Presidential Debate!

Join The Gist of Freedom as we discuss Breast Cancer in observance of Breast Cancer month with Debbie A. Mirander! Minister Debbie Mirander, R.N., B.S.N. Holistic Intergative Health Educator Disease Management R.N. Consultant. Debbie Mirander- Called to teach about mind, body and soul! Minister Mirander encourages us to produce fruits in every area of our lives.  As we nourish our mind, body and soul, we become that strong tree we were created to be. With our branches spreading and producing fruits in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones.

W.E.B. DuBois' grandson, Arthur McFarlane and The Gist of Freedom live from Denver as we cover the 1st Pres. Debate, President Barack H. Obama and Romney. Romney's Cheat Sheet Romney: Jim, the president began this segment, so I think I get the last word.   (CROSSTALK)   LEHRER: Well, you’re going to get the first word in the next segment.   ROMNEY: All right. Well, but he gets the first word of that segment. I get the last word (inaudible) I hope. Let me just make this comment.   -------- President Obama: But under Governor Romney’s definition, there are a whole bunch of millionaires and billionaires who are small businesses. Donald Trump is a small business. Now, I know Donald Trump doesn’t like to think of himself as small anything, but -- but that’s how you define small businesses if you’re getting business income.   ----ROMNEY: ... to oil, to tax breaks, then companies going overseas. So let's go through them one by one.   First of all, the Department of Energy has said the tax break for oil companies is $2.8 billion a year. And it's actually an accounting treatment, as you know, that's been in place for a hundred years. Now...   OBAMA: It's time to end it.    

  No doubt you heard about how fabulous WOMEN IN THE PIT is!   Join The Gist of Freedom and host Shellie Gaines as she welcomes Harlem Playwright, Joyce Sylvester!   After several unsuccessful attempts, two deacons and two elders charged with the selection of a new pastor are at odds with one another when it appears that the most qualified candidate is a woman! This drama addresses the age-old controversial issue of women being silent in the church and will take you on a journey full of twists and turns.

Join the Gist of Freedom and host Preston Washington as we welcome curator, Mark E. Mitchell, www.AfricanAmericanCollection.com Mark and Preston will discuss  the exhibit "From Slavery to the White House" . The exhibit at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem celebrates our journey, retracing our steps, "From Slavery to the White House". Join us for a fabulous evening, Where ART, MUSIC & HISTORY Meet., Friday, September 28, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Join The Gist Of Freedom as we welcome Earl Pinto, Founder of New York African American Historical Society. Earl will discuss the exhibit "From Slavery to the White House" which includes is a 1964 letter from Malcolm X to Alex Haley from Cairo, Egypt, courtesy of the Mark E. Mitchell Collection. The exhibit held at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem celebrates our journey, retracing our steps, "From Slavery to the White House". Join us for a fabulous evening, Where ART, MUSIC & HISTORY Meet, Friday, September 28, 2012 from 6 - 9 p.m.. It's free, so come early!

   United Minority Media Association (UMMA) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization of minority entrepreneurs, professionals and students in the communications and media industry. Members share a commitment to career development, education and community service.     M.C. Richardson Chairman/CEO/Founder REACHING OUT United Minority Media Association, Inc. UMMA is reaching out to recruit new members throughout these United States and global. UMMA hasn’t been promoting the organization throughout the Midwest-Southeast Region like it should. The Organization is known mostly by the Majority Media Community, whom always seemed to have more contact persons who share information than Minority Groups share. We as Minorities need to reach out to Educational Institutions, beginning with middle, high schools. Civics Groups, Corporations. Community Organizations, Greek Organizations, Faith Based Groups and places of worship. Individuals such as relatives, friends, counselors and teachers who come in contact with aspiring and gifted students with special interest in Broadcast, Journalism,