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Jackie Ormes: The First Female African-American Cartoonist PDF Print E-mail
Written by Kymberly Keeton   
Saturday, 17 December 2011 14:44

 

I was on Facebook recently and saw this post regarding African American female cartoonists. The site is entitled, The Ormes Society that was featured on the social networking site. The society is named after Jackie Ormes, the first African American Woman Cartoonist (who was born August 1st 1911). I immediately went online to research her profile and how long she had been creating black cartoons. Nancy Goldstein, a scholar, wrote a biography about Jackie Ormes and features some really amazing work by the cartoonist on her website.

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A Portrait of the Outstanding Harvard Academic Teenager: Saheela Ibraheem PDF Print E-mail
Written by www.yourblackworld.com   
Tuesday, 26 July 2011 00:00

Saheela Ibraheem, a Nigerian teenager, applied to 14 universities across the country, not an extraordinary number of applications, but enough to give her some options.  One thing that clearly makes Ibraheem different from the other applicants is her age, 15 years old.  “It’s the age thing. I wanted to make sure I had options,” said Saheela.

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A biography of the first Afro-Canadian city councillor in London, Canada: Harold Usher PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Saturday, 05 March 2011 18:41

  

Harold Usher, P.Eng., DTM  was born inBelize (in Central America) and arrived in Canada in 1963. Harold has devoted most of his life contributing to the betterment of mankind, the community, and his fellow citizens, starting from his childhood membership in his Primary School (St. Mary’s) Choir and the Boys Brigade inBelize to acting in Dramatic plays for hisMethodistChurch inBelize. He participated also in Drama groups inJamaica and Montreal,CANADA.

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A biography of the great chanter/songwriter Dan Hill PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Friday, 25 February 2011 17:37

                Dan Hill

 

 

 

 

 

Lettrine A

 

lthough Mr. Dan Hill doesn’t need any introduction, in case you have been living in another planet, allow us to present a résumé of his professional accomplishments. Mr.  Daniel Grafton Hill IV was born in Toronto (Ontario, Canada) the 3rd of June 1954 to American parents who, as an interracial couple, moved to Canada to escape the twin scourges of racism (including laws against miscegenation) and McCarthyism. The couple also believed at the time that Canada provided a better environment to raise their family.  The internationally renowned artist Dan Hill comes from a prominent family.  His late father, Daniel G.  Hill III was a social scientist and public servant.  Before he came to Canada, he collaborated in the U.S. with the late eminent American sociologist E.  Franklin Frazier.

 Dan Hill’s father became in 1962 the first Director of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the first black in the country to hold this position.  Mr.  Hill Sr., Ombudsman for Ontario was called Canada’s father of human rights.  His wife, Donna Hill, was also a human rights activist when she was active.  Daniel Grafton Hill’s brother, Lawrence Hill, is a prominent writer.  His sister, Karen Hill, is an authoress and a poetress.

 

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A profile of the Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx PDF Print E-mail
Written by Kam Williams   
Sunday, 14 November 2010 17:09

 

Texas native Jamie Foxx was born Eric Marlon Bishop on December 13, 1967 and raised by his grandparents from the age of seven months following the failure of his parents' marriage.  Although he was a star athlete at Terrell High (where he receive top grades) on both the school's football and basketball teams, he majored in classical music and composition at the U.S International University in California.

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A portrait of the producer of the documentary on Harry Jerome: Selwyn Jacob PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Thursday, 07 October 2010 22:13

Selwyn Jacob was born in Trinidad and Tobago and has been living in Canada since 1968. He earned his Masters Degree at the University of Southern California and then embarked upon a combined career as an educator and filmmaker. He became a teacher and eventually a principal. He later began his career as a producer and as an independent filmmaker. In this capacity, he directed Remember Amber Valley in 1984 and Carol’s Mirror in 1991. He directed and produced The Road Taken in 1996.

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A biography of the eminent psychiatrist Dr. Poussaint, M.D PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Saturday, 02 October 2010 18:20

Alvin Poussaint

 

Dr.  Poussaint is one of the finest and greatest psychiatrists in America.  He was born in East Harlem (NY) in a family of eight children.  His ancestors were from Guadeloupe and New York City.  His parents were Harriet Johston Poussaint, a homemaker, and Christopher Poussaint, who worked as a printer and typographer.  Dr Poussaint is a renowned authority, an eminent dedicated psychiatrist and teacher, part of the American intelligentsia.

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A portrait of Michele Montas: The first woman spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the UN PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Tuesday, 28 September 2010 20:43

 

This journalist and Haitian political militant is the first woman spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, formerly head of South Korean Diplomats.

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A portrait of the star chanter and songwriter Steve Arrington PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Saturday, 25 September 2010 15:04

 

Steven Ralph Arrington was born in 1956 to Dan and Lillian Arrington in Great Lakes, Illinois. Shortly after his birth the family returned to their hometown of Dayton Ohio. Music has always been a part of Arrington’s life. He grew up listening to the popular music of the day on the radio and in the family home on the record player. Iconic singers like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye are just two of the names that impacted on his young life, foretelling what would be a relatively successful music career.

By age five, Steve Arrington was already demonstrating one of the musical skills he would become adept at playing drums. Pots and pans were his instruments then (One can imagine the sounds of the clanging and banging, making his parents and siblings happy. It was his latent talent bubbling to the surface). His grandparents recognized his incipient talent, and at age seven bought him his first drum set. He was well on his way to becoming a successful musician. By age 13, Steve Arrington was a regular performer in the Dayton Battle of the Bands talent show. He was a regular feature performer in various talent shows around the city, serious business in his hometown, akin to the old Star Search TV show or American Idol.

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Dr. Panakal, Ph.D: A Prominent Historian PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Tuesday, 14 September 2010 16:17

India flag for Doctor Panalal's interview 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

r. Thomas Panakal was born in India. He studied Economics, Political Science and World History in his homeland.  He received his Ph.D from the School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies at the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam (in the state of Kerala, India). Dr. Panakal immigrated to Canada. He completed his post-graduate studies in Canada and the U.S.A. in Political Science, International Relations and Education. He also studied Anthropology. In other words, Dr. Thomas Panakal is a multidisciplinarian. He taught World History and English for many years in Montreal (Canada). Dr. Panakal received a Gold Medal from the Rotary International for the best essay on the United Nations Organization, and he is the recipient of the largest number of prizes in the graduating class at college, Kerala University. He has written several books and more than 300 articles published in The Journal of Gandhian Studies (New Delhi), Canadian-India Times (Ottawa), Vancouver Sun (Vancouver, Canada), Femina and Youth Times (Mumbai), Alive (New Delhi), Guardian (Trinidad, West Indies) and others. Dr. Thomas Panakal has served as a visiting member of the Faculty of Mary Mata College in India and has conducted classes and seminars at Mahatma Gandhi University attended by students from outside India. The historian has been interviewed on many occasions on radio and television stations in Montreal such as CJNT (Indo-Montreal Magazine programme). Presently, Dr. Panakal works on the editorial board of Bharat Times (an Indian newspaper from Montreal). It is important to note that he is a regular columnist for this publication. In 2009, Dr. Panakal received an award (for his articles) from Bharat Times.

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