HAPPY BLACK GIRL DAY!!!!!!

Happy Black Girl Day, originated by Sister Toldja over at The Beautiful Struggler, was created as a day for black women to have something to be happy about. (y'all deserve it!) So today, in honor of HBGD, I would like to thank all of the black women who have had made a positive impact on my life.  Thank you! Thank you!

This song is dedicated to all of my "soul sistas" celebrating HBGD.



Spread the word that today is HBGD. 

Does The Music Industry Have An Obsession With Complexion?

Here is part 1 of a short documentary entitled "Complexion Obsession".  The documentary was put together by Joy Daily.tv.  The video explores the mindset of some rappers, the women who star in their videos and why most music videos only feature light skin women?  What are your thoughts on the documentary?

Jumping The Broom (Black History Cont.)

This past weekend I attended a wedding.  It was a small ceremony wherein after the marrying couple said their "I do's", the bridal party attended Sunday service together.  At the conclusion of church, the newlyweds completed their ceremony by jumping over a broomstick.  An African-American tradition that dates back to the 19th century (some believe that it may date back as far as the 17th century).

In many African-American wedding ceremonies, the marrying couple will jump over a broomstick to symbolize their union. During the times of slavery, unions between African-American slaves were not recognized and formal marriages were not permitted.  In the absence of formal ceremonies, jumping the broom became the open declaration for a marriage-like union.  Jumping the broom was always done before witnesses as a public announcement to other members of the slave community that a couple had joined in union.

Other ethnic groups also celebrate traditions similar to jumping the broom.

Happy Valentine's Day

Just wanted to take this time to wish everyone a safe and happy Valentine's Day.

Bessie Coleman (Black History cont.)

Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (January 26, 1892 - April 30, 1926) was the first person of African American descent to become a licensed airplane pilot.  She was also the first American of any race or gender to hold an international pilot license.  Popularly known as "Brave Bessie" or "Queen Bess", her pioneering achievements served as an inspiration for a generation of African American men and women.

Coleman died at the young age of 34 while riding in a plane with her mechanic and publicity agent.  Coleman's mechanic, William Wills, was flying the plane while she was in the other seat.  She was not wearing her seatbelt as she was planning a parachute jump the next day and wanted to look over the cockpit to examine the terrain.  Ten minutes into the flight, the plain did not pull out of a planned nosedive.  The plane accelerated into a tailspin and Coleman was thrown 500 feet from the plane and died instantly when she hit the ground.  Wills was unable to regain control and also died upon impact as the plane bursted into flames.

Numerous books have been written Coleman, including books which encourage children to believe in themselves and their dreams.

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U.S. Civil War Colored Troops Medal (Black History cont.)

The image posted here is that of one of the medals that were awarded to African American soldiers that fought in the Civil War.  The medals were awarded by Gen. Benjamin F. Butler to African American soldiers under his command during the 1864 battles at Fort Harrison and Fort Gilmer to show appreciation for their heroics.  The medals held no official status and, after the General was relieved of his duties the following year, the soldiers were not permitted to wear the the medals on their uniforms.  

I know that receiving any type of medal for your service in the military is a great honor and to be a soldier of African American heritage fighting for your freedom, the medals probably held more meaning to those soldiers and their families than anyone could imagine.  Being of African American descent and knowing the significance that war held for this country, it's nice to know that a few African American soldiers were acknowledge for their bravery even if there were not allowed to display the medals on their uniforms.

300 African American soldiers received these medals.    


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February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

In honor of Black History Month, here at Everything will be Everything, we will be periodically posting some known and unknown facts about black history during the entire month of February.

Have you ever wondered where the idea of Black History Month came from? Black History Month was the idea of Dr. Carter G. Woodson (December 19, 1875 - April 3, 1950).  In 1926, Dr. Woodson created the celebration of "Negro History Week", for the second week in February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas.  This week of celebration for black history was later extended to the full month of February and renamed Black History Month.  Dr. Woodson noted that African American contributions "were overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them." 


Dr. Carter G. Woodson, along with William Hartgrove, Cleveland Hall, Alexander L. Jackson and James E. Stamp, founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Because of his devotion to the history of black people, Dr. Woodson is also known as the Father of Black History.  

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Spoken Word Performed by Ainsley Burrows

Below is a clip of poet Ainsley Burrows.  This spoken word piece speaks of Burrows' own journey to greatness, all in one minute.  The spot which was shot for Guinness is subtle, yet moving at the same time.  It brings to mind one's own journey to greatness.  This piece is a reminder that the only force in life that can stop you from reaching your goals is you!  

Guinness - Spoken Word from Shilo on Vimeo.


Feel free to share what you're doing to aspire to greatness in the comment section.  

50 cent vs. Barack Obama

No, no, no! This is not one of Fiddy's lame beefs in an attempt for publicity, but rather director Byron Hurt's short documentary examining black manhood in America.  The director uses the images set forth by the at time presidential candidate, Barack Obama, against that of a rapper, 50 Cent, to illustrate his point about black masculinity in today's society.  While watching this short documentary, which was released October 2008, try to get past looking at the two men being contrast and concentrate on the images that they both represent.  Let me know your views on this subject. 

Quote Of The Day

"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Baptist minister, activist, & civil rights leader (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)

In observance of the holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I thought it fitting to give you this quote on today's date.

Haitian Relief Fund

HELP NOW! Donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. The devastation that Haiti has faced is beyond measure. The smallest donation can have a huge effect on the crisis-torn area.

As of 1/14/10, the American Red Cross is releasing $10 million to help the people of Haiti. You can read the story here.

Click on the highlighted words to be redirected to that agency's website. For the American Red Cross or SOS Children's Villages or Unicef. All of the links will redirect you to that organization's website. I know I am a little late on this post, but it's better late than never. Please open up your hearts and help those that are in desperate need.

Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage - Theatrical Trailer

Tired of all of the negative images of blacks and marriage, the creators of the website BlackandMarriedWithKids.com decided to create a documentary to challenge negative stereotypes surrounding blacks and marriage. Below is the trailer for the documentary.

Single Black Women x ABC News

With a shortage of black men, listen as these African-American women discuss with ABC News the obstacles in finding a man that is ready for marriage. Why are these women single and not able to find a man? Are there standards too high? Should they look outside their race? Or are the women in the video just too full of themselves? Let me know what you think about the situation that the women in this video face.

Milkcrate x HBO Collaboration

D.J. and fashion designer Aaron LaCrate's Milkcrate Athletics has team up with HBO to produce a line of shirts inspired by the hit show "The Wire". Being a die hard fan of the show, I was more than excited when I heard about the line. However, after viewing the line, I found myself feeling a little disappointed. I feel as though the tees lacked creativity especially given the range of depth that the show gave viewers, the development of the characters and the overall plot of the series. Aaron LaCrate's team describe the tees as "edgy, colorful and powerful". I would describe the tees as boring and unimaginative. This is one of the most uninspired lines that I have viewed. I believe that there was so much more that could have been done with this line. A show this great shouldn't be subjected to designs this awful. Remember, this is just my personal opinion. You can judge for yourself by checking out the line here. The line is currently for sale exclusively at Karmaloop.com