Fifty years ago today, Malcolm X was in town. He passed through Rochester (New York) frequently in that era, when African-Americans were fighting hard for rights that are taken for granted now:

The right to buy a house wherever you could afford. To have an equal shot at education. To close up the gas station where you worked without being beaten into paralysis by police who claimed you were robbing the place.

The beating of the gas station attendant, Rufus Fairwell, was one injustice that drew 800 people to a meeting on police brutality on Feb. 17, 1963. Dr. Walter Cooper, who chaired the meeting, saw Malcolm X in the crowd at Baden Street Settlement Center and asked him to speak.

“If we lived in a more humane and enlightened society, (Malcolm X) would have been a nuclear physicist,” Dr. Cooper said on Wednesday. “This is the kind of mind he had.”  Mid-20th century America did not feel humane or enlightened if you were Black, so Malcolm X spent his life fighting.

People have been traveling to India for thousands of years; they were lured by its landscape, rich heritage and history. They were also fascinated by the globe’s oldest culture, gems of classical wisdom, wealth on land and precious metals buried deep under the ground. The travelers included ancient Chinese, the Greek thinker Megasthense, the Persians, the Romans and today hordes of young people with backpacks from all over the world.

If in the past the long voyage to India had been limited to a coterie of individuals, in our times the situation has changed with safe and affordable air travel resulting in the increasing number of people visiting India. The long waiting lines at airport ticket counters, crowded airports and planes would attest to this fact.

“THE LAND OF GANDHI”

On February 10, 1959, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King landed in New Delhi prompted by his vehement desire to see Gandhiji’s homeland, to gather relevant data on Satyagraha or the most enlightened political-spiritual ideology of the last century, in contrast to Nazism and Fascism ravaging Europe. He wanted also to hold discussions with India’s leaders. Upon arrival at the Palam airport in New Delhi, he said: “To other countries I may go as a tourist, but I come to India as a pilgrim. It is because of Mahatma Gandhi, a truly great man of our times.” The following is a compendium of his memorable visit to a vast region of the world, India; he termed “the land of Gandhi”.

Intro:  The chanter was born William Robinson Jr. February 19, 1940, in Detroit, MI. At the age of six, Smokey Robinson wrote a song, sang it and gave probably one of his first live performances during a school play. After such a performance Smokey’s mother must have known he has a gifted voice. She would call family members and have Robinson sing to them on the phone.

Growing up in the hood, (Detroit’s North End) must have been very challenging. He played sports as most do to avoid trouble. At the time, he thought being the stupendous international recording artist/entertainer and multi-talented person he is was an impossible dream. Never mind barriers outside, he was 10 when his mom passed away. Reportedly, the day she passed she called for his son and, “’told him to be good.’” He has been more than good! He has been stellar and still is. With The Miracles he graced the Top 40, at least 25 times in a decade. For decades he’s living his impossible dream.

Anytime smoke gets in your eyes/clothes etc., it is difficult to get out or it always impacts you. Smokey soul, gospel, neo-soul, pop, jazzy and Doo-wop singing icon Robinson is no different. He has been in our hearts and souls for decades. We love his impactful contributions to music and our lives. Thankfully now he is and has been all over the place. His tour dates are easily found on the web; he’s on TV, in movies, on the Internet (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace…), in articles etc.

Smokey Robinson has a fifty plus years on the music scene as a vocalist, songwriter, pianist, recording executive and producer, a walking musical, a living Motown archive. In addition, he is a public speaker and business man. Last summer, he performed at Hoosier Park in Anderson. He sang an array of his original classics (such as songs from the Quiet Storm album considered as one of the most highly acclaimed soul records of the 70s), some award winning hits of the 1980s as well as some of his 2009 CD, Time Flies When You’re Having Fun. Smokey Robinson’s voice is still extra smooth, velvety, soulful, seductive, extraordinary, unique, classical and everlasting.

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.

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.

Harold Usher, P.Eng., DTM  was born in Belize (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 in Belize to acting in Dramatic plays for his Methodist Church in Belize. He participated also in Drama groups in Jamaica and Montreal, CANADA.

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 3^rd 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The young and radiant Senaya was born under the Senegalese sun, in the capital city of Dakar.  Very proud of her roots, she considers herself as originating from both Senegal and Guadeloupe.  Her father is a Senegalese businessman and her mother hails from Guadeloupe.  She works in the medical field and also has a beautiful singing voice. 

Lesra Martin was born in 1963 to Earl and Alma Martin. He was the second eldest son of eight children. The family initially enjoyed a middle class lifestyle until Earl Martin suffered an injury and could no longer work. The family was soon mired in poverty, and was even homeless at some point. Lesra Martin was raised in Bed-Stuy (Bedford Stuyvesant), New York. When he was 10-11 years-old, he took the initiative to bag groceries and sweep up in a local bar.