Anniversary of Jack Johnson's Death

“An individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change” - Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson was born as John Johnson on March 31st 1878 in Galveston, Texas, USA. As a child he helped his family financially. He then moved to Dallas, TX. He then began to start boxing. At 16 he moved to New York. After beating a stronger man in a fight he believed he could become a boxer. In 1898 he made his professional debut. In 1901 Johnson was arrested due to prize fighting being illegal in Texas.

(Johnson (Middle) in 1901)

The sheriff let Johnson and the man who he was fighting with spar in jail for a reduced bail. In 1903 he won the World Colored Heavyweight championship. In 1908 he won the world heavyweight title. After winning the title media attacked Johnson with racist comments and called for a “great White hope” to defeat Johnson and take the title back.

(Johnson in 1908)

In 1910 Johnson fought James Jeffries and Johnson won which caused racial riots in Texas, Colorado, New York, Washington D.C. and 22 other states.

(Johnson (Right) in 1910)

Johnson refused to fight Black boxers due to the fact he felt he could make more money fighting White boxers. In 1913 he finally fought another Black boxer.

(Johnson in 1913)

In 1915 Johnson lost the title to Jess Willard.

(Johnson in 1915)

Johnson fought professionally until 1938. He did his last fight in 1945.

(Johnson in 1945)

On June 10th, 1946 Jack Johnson died in a car crash in Franklinton, North Carolina, USA. He was 68 years old.

(Johnson’s grave)

Today is the 71st anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great athlete today.

Videos of Jack Johnson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAzuDJQkxis  “Jack Johnson KOs Burns This Day In Boxing History - December 26, 1908 -”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnMJL36_oCs  “Jack Johnson vs James J. Jeffries (1910)”

P.S. sorry for the late post

Happy Birthday Kathleen Cleaver

“People have been murdered for less than what the Black Panthers did, so the question was for us: 'Do you want to live on your knees or die on your feet?'” - Kathleen Cleaver

(Kathleen Cleaver)

Kathleen Cleaver was born as Kathleen Neal on May 13th, 1945 in Dallas, Texas, USA. Her family moved around the world to countries such as India, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Philippines.

(Neal in her early 20’s)

In 1963 Neal graduated with high honors from George school. She then attended Oberlin college and barnard college. In 1966 she got a job with the Student nonviolent coordinating committee.

(Neal in 1966)

While in Nashville, TN she met Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver. In 1967 she moved to San Francisco, CA and joined the Black Panther Party.

(Neal in 1967)

She married Eldridge Cleaver the same year.

(Kathleen Cleaver (Left) and Eldridge Cleaver (Right) with their 1st born)

She organized the campaign to free Huey Newton from jail.

(Cleaver in 1967)

In 1968 she ran for California's 18th state assembly district, also as a candidate of the Peace and Freedom party. The Cleaver’s house was raided by police in 1968. In 1969 the Cleavers moved to Algeria in exile.

(Kathleen Cleaver and Eldridge Cleaver in Algeria)

The Cleavers formed a new organization called the Revolutionary People’s Communication Network in 1971. They then moved to New York City, NY. In 1976 Kathleen went to work on the Eldridge Cleaver Defense Fund and he was freed on bail. In 1981 she went back to school and received a scholarship from Yale University. She graduated in 1983. In 2005 Cleaver was selected an inaugural Fletcher Foundation Fellow.

(Cleaver in 2005)

She then worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Yale Law School, and a Senior Lecturer in the African American Studies department at Yale University.

(Cleaver in 2016)

Today she turns 72 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Kathleen Cleaver.

Books by Kathleen Cleaver

• Memories of Love and War (1998)

Videos of Kathleen Cleaver

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUna84ztulU  “Kathleen Cleaver on Natural African Hair”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVuFLPcyZwI  “Kathleen Cleaver interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1L3aQFGhQo  “Bobby Seale and Kathleen Cleaver Press Conference on Murder of Bobby Hutton (1968)”     

Happy Birthday Sly Stone

“Stand, you've been sitting much too long, there's a permanent crease in your right or wrong” - Sly Stone

(Sly Stone)

Sly Stone was born as Sylvester Stewart on March 15th, 1943 in Denton, Texas, USA. After Stewart was born his family moved to Vallejo, CA. Stewart and his siblings formed a Gospel band and performed at their church. At 7 years old Stewart had already become proficient on the keyboards.  In 1952 Stewart and his siblings recorded a single called “On the Battlefield”. By the age of 11 he had mastered the guitar, bass, and drums. In high school Stewart was in multiple bands. 1 group Stewart was in he was one of the 2 non white members of the band, this gave him the idea of an interracial band later in life. In the mid 1960’s Stewart became a disk jockey in San Francisco, CA. He then adopted the name Sly Stone. In 1966 he formed a group called The Stoners. Later he formed the band Sly and the Family Stone, which included Cynthia Robinson, Larry Graham, Greg Errico, and Jerry Martini.

(Stone in 1967)

In 1968 they had their 1st hit "Dance to the Music". In 1969 their album “Stand!” was a major hit which sold over 3 million copies.

(Sly and the Family Stone)

The group then performed at the concert Woodstock.

(Stone performing at Woodstock)

In the same year the band started to get involved in heavy drugs. From 1969 to 1971 the band only released 1 single due to being wrapped up in drugs. The single “Thank You” reached #1 on the pop charts in 1970. After moving to Los Angeles, CA Stone’s behavior became more erratic. Their 5th album released in 1971, “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” was mostly done by Stone, with him doing most of the instruments and most of the vocals. In 1973 Bob Marley and the Wailers opened up for Sly and the Family Stone. The group's 1973 and 1974 albums featured more of Stone and less of the band. They became pioneers of Funk and R&B. By 1975 the group’s famed declined. As a solo artist Stone went on to record 5 albums.

(Stone in 1975)

In 1981 Stone collaborated with George Clinton. In 1983 Stone was arrested in Fort Myers, FL, and charged with cocaine possession. In 1984 Stone toured with Bobby Womack.

(Sly Stone (Left) and Bobby Womack (Right))

In 1986 Stone collaborated with Jesse Johnson. Stone's racial, sexual, and stylistic mix, had a major influence in the 1980s on artists such as Prince and Rick James. In 1990 Stone collaborated with Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1993 Sly and the Family Stone was entered into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Artists like Public Enemy, Fatboy Slim, Beck, Beastie Boys and LL Cool J sampled many of Stone’s songs. At the 2006 Grammy Awards Stone gave his first live musical performance since 1987.

(Stone performing in 2006)

Stone filed suit against Jerry Goldstein, the former manager of Sly and the Family Stone for $50 million in January 2010. In January 2015, a Los Angeles, CA jury ruled in favor of Stone, awarding him $5 million.

(Stone in 2015)

Today is his 74th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday Sly Stone.

Albums including Sly Stone

• “A Whole New Thing” (1967)
• “Dance to the Music” (1968)
• “Life” (1968)
• “Stand!” (1969)
• “There’s A Riot Goin’ On” (1971)
• “Fresh” (1973)
• “Small Talk” (1974)
• “High On You” (1975)
• “Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back” (1976)
• “Back on the Right Track” (1979)
• “Ain’t but the One Way” (1982)
• “I’m Back! Family & Friends” (2011)
• “This Day In Music History” (2015)

Videos of Sly Stone

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwcu1Qm9pA0  “IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY by Sly & The Family Stone”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q1vAa0br0w  “SLY & THE FAMILY STONE - 1968 - "Everyday People - Dance To The Music"”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IftRiYvr5Ok  “Exclusive: Sly Stone Talks Rehab”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwe-g3GgJA0  “THANK YOU FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN Sly & The Family stone”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-sonJId90Y  “Sly & The Family Stone - Family Affair”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B5EtjNNf60  “Sly and the Family Stone "Hot Fun in the Summertime" Wanna take u Higher"”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fZBaPS_XvQ  “Sly & The Family Stone - Higher And Higher (live 1969) HD 0815007”

Anniversary of Khalid Muhammad's Death

“Have you forgotten, that once we were brought here, we were robbed of our names, robbed of our language, we lost our religion, our culture, our God, and many of us by the way we act, even lost our minds!” - Khalid Muhammad

(Khalid Muhammad)

Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad was born Harold Moore Jr., January 12th, 1948 in Houston, Texas, USA. He attended Dillard University in Louisiana after graduating high school. He ministered at Sloan Methodist Church while in college. In 1967 he joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. In 1970 Moore joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) under the leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He changed his name to Harold X then to Malik Rushaddin. He became the protege to Minister Louis Farrakhan and was an active recruiter for the Nation of Islam. Rushaddin later transferred to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, USA where he earned a bachelor's degree. In 1978 he was appointed western regional minister of the NOI and leader of mosque #27. In 1981 he became the national spokesman of the NOI. In 1983 Min. Farrakhan gave Rushaddin the new name of Khalid after the Islamic general Khalid ibn al-Whalid. By 1984 Khalid Muhammad was one of Min. Farrakhan’s most trusted advisors.

(Muhammad in 1984)

Muhammad traveled to Libya on a fundraising trip where he became well acquainted with the country’s leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi. He served in NOI mosques in New York City, NY and Atlanta, GA throughout the 1980’s. In 1987 Muhammad was convicted of mortgage fraud and sentenced to 9 months in jail.

(Muhammad (Center) with Chuck D (Left))

In 1991 Muhammad returned to being Min. Farrakhan’s national advisor in the NOI. Muhammad’s position involved public speaking where his messages of Black self empowerment were accused of being anti-white, anti-semitic and homophobic. A particular speech he made in 1993 at Kean college in Union Township, NJ caused much controversy. He spoke of White Jews as blood suckers to the Black community for owning a lot of businesses and housing in Black communities, labelling the Pope as a “no good Crakkka” for his involvement with the nazis during World War 2, and advocated the killing of all White people occupying Apartheid era South Africa.

(Khalid Muhammad making a speech at Kean College in 1993)

The US House of Representatives voted 97-0 in censuring Khalid Muhammad. Min. Farrakhan responded by condemning Muhammad’s speech. Khalid Muhammad later left the NOI. On May 29, 1994 an attempt on Muhammad’s life was made by a former member of the NOI after Muhammad made a speech at the University of California, Riverside, luckily he survived the attempted assassination.

(Muhammad in 1994)

In 1998 Muhammad became the national chairman of the New Black Panther Party.

(Khalid Muhammad as part of the NBPP)

In 1998 Muhammad organized a “Million Youth March” in New York City, NY which had an estimated 6,000 people show up. The then New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied Muhammad a permit calling it a hate march but a court ruled the march could go on. During the march a low flying police helicopter interrupted Muhammad’s speech. Then more than 3,000 NYC police in riot gear came to attack and disperse the crowd. Muhammad called for the crowd to defend themselves from the police. This resulted in 30 officers injured and 5 civilians injured.

(Muhammad (Center) in 1998)

0n February 17, 2001 Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad passed away from a brain aneurysm in Atlanta, GA. He was 53 years old.

(Khalid Muhammad’s Funeral)

Today is the 16 year anniversary of his death. Take time to remember this great revolutionary today.

Videos of Khalid Muhammad

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb4sn622iOs&noredirect=1 “1994 - Phil Donahue Show - Dr. Khalid Muhammad - HD”   
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttIhnRkeg3M  “Dr. Khalid Muhammad's LAST SPEECH!!!”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biadSUyWr0A  “"Kill em all" -Khallid Abdul Muhammad”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQMAv6MjwOo  “Ice Cube - Death (feat. Khalid Abdul Muhammad)”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhShENTTyCo  “Khallid Abdul Muhammad speaks at Kent State Univers”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHHEL9poI40  “Dr Khalid Muhammad Million Youth March 1998”

Happy Birthday Khalid Muhammad

“Have you forgotten, that once we were brought here, we were robbed of our names, robbed of our language, we lost our religion, our culture, our God, and many of us by the way we act, even lost our minds!” - Khalid Muhammad

(Khalid Muhammad)

Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad was born Harold Moore Jr., January 12th, 1948 in Houston, Texas, USA. He attended Dillard University in Louisiana after graduating high school. He ministered at Sloan Methodist Church while in college. In 1967 he joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. In 1970 Moore joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) under the leadership of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He changed his name to Harold X then to Malik Rushaddin. He became the protege to Minister Louis Farrakhan and was an active recruiter for the Nation of Islam. Rushaddin later transferred to Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, USA where he earned a bachelor's degree. In 1978 he was appointed western regional minister of the NOI and leader of mosque #27. In 1981 he became the national spokesman of the NOI. In 1983 Min. Farrakhan gave Rushaddin the new name of Khalid after the Islamic general Khalid ibn al-Whalid. By 1984 Khalid Muhammad was one of Min. Farrakhan’s most trusted advisors.

(Khalid Muhammad giving a speech as part of the NOI)

Muhammad traveled to Libya on a fundraising trip where he became well acquainted with the country’s leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi. He served in NOI mosques in New York City, NY and Atlanta, GA throughout the 1980’s. In 1987 Muhammad was convicted of mortgage fraud and sentenced to 9 months in jail. In 1991 Muhammad returned to being Min. Farrakhan’s national advisor in the NOI. Muhammad’s position involved public speaking where his messages of Black self empowerment were accused of being anti-white, anti-semitic and homophobic. A particular speech he made in 1993 at Kean college in Union Township, NJ caused much controversy. He spoke of White Jews as blood suckers to the Black community for owning a lot of businesses and housing in Black communities, labelling the Pope as a “no good Crakkka” for his involvement with the nazis during World War 2, and advocated the killing of all White people occupying Apartheid era South Africa.

(Khalid Muhammad making a speech at Kean College in 1993)

The US House of Representatives voted 97-0 in censuring Khalid Muhammad. Min. Farrakhan responded by condemning Muhammad’s speech. Khalid Muhammad later left the NOI. On May 29, 1994 an attempt on Muhammad’s life was made by a former member of the NOI after Muhammad made a speech at the University of California, Riverside, luckily he survived the attempted assassination. In 1998 Muhammad became the national chairman of the New Black Panther Party.

(Khalid Muhammad as part of the NBPP)

In 1998 Muhammad organized a “Million Youth March” in New York City, NY which had an estimated 6,000 people show up. The then New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied Muhammad a permit calling it a hate march but a court ruled the march could go on. During the march a low flying police helicopter interrupted Muhammad’s speech. Then more than 3,000 NYC police in riot gear came to attack and disperse the crowd. Muhammad called for the crowd to defend themselves from the police. This resulted in 30 officers injured and 5 civilians injured. 0n February 17, 2001 Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad passed away from a brain aneurysm in Atlanta, GA. He was 53 years old.

(Khalid Muhammad’s Funeral)

Today is his 69th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Khalid Muhammad.

Videos of Khalid Muhammad

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb4sn622iOs&noredirect=1 “1994 - Phil Donahue Show - Dr. Khalid Muhammad - HD”   
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttIhnRkeg3M  “Dr. Khalid Muhammad's LAST SPEECH!!!”

Happy Birthday Kathleen Cleaver

“People have been murdered for less than what the Black Panthers did, so the question was for us: 'Do you want to live on your knees or die on your feet?'” - Kathleen Cleaver

(Kathleen Cleaver)

Kathleen Cleaver was born as Kathleen Neal on May 13th, 1945 in Dallas, Texas, USA. Her family moved around the world to countries such as India, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Philippines.

(Neal in her early 20’s)

In 1963 Neal graduated with high honors from George school. She then attended Oberlin college and barnard college. In 1966 she got a job with the Student nonviolent coordinating committee.

(Neal in 1966)

While in Nashville, TN she met Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver. In 1967 she moved to San Francisco, CA and joined the Black Panther Party.

(Neal in 1967)

She married Eldridge Cleaver the same year.

(Kathleen Cleaver (Left) and Eldridge Cleaver (Right) with their 1st born)

She organized the campaign to free Huey Newton from jail.

(Cleaver in 1967)

In 1968 she ran for California's 18th state assembly district, also as a candidate of the Peace and Freedom party. The Cleaver’s house was raided by police in 1968. In 1969 the Cleavers moved to Algeria in exile.

(Kathleen Cleaver and Eldridge Cleaver in Algeria)

The Cleavers formed a new organization called the Revolutionary People’s Communication Network in 1971. They then moved to New York City, NY. In 1976 Kathleen went to work on the Eldridge Cleaver Defense Fund and he was freed on bail. In 1981 she went back to school and received a scholarship from Yale University. She graduated in 1983. In 2005 Cleaver was selected an inaugural Fletcher Foundation Fellow.

(Cleaver in 2005)

She then worked as a Senior Research Associate at the Yale Law School, and a Senior Lecturer in the African American Studies department at Yale University.

(Cleaver in 2016)

Today she turns 71 years old and we would all like to say happy birthday Kathleen Cleaver.

Books by Kathleen Cleaver

• Memories of Love and War (1998)

Videos of Kathleen Cleaver

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUna84ztulU  “Kathleen Cleaver on Natural African Hair”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVuFLPcyZwI  “Kathleen Cleaver interview”
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1L3aQFGhQo  “Bobby Seale and Kathleen Cleaver Press Conference on Murder of Bobby Hutton (1968)”     

(P.S. sorry for the late post)