BLACK HISTORY

I'm supposed to be doing my chemistry homework.  So what does that mean? It's time to blog!

I've been giving some thought to February being Black History Month here in the U.S.  Here is a list of my favorite black people seen in American history, whether they be real or fictional.

1) Dominique Deveraux

In the heights of my childhood "Dynasty" obsession, Diahann Carroll joined the cast as Blake Carrington's "illegitimate half-sister," although I had no idea what would make a sibling "illegitimate."  Alexis, of course, was my absolute MOST favorite (we lived outside Denver, and would look for Alexis when we drove around downtown), but I appreciated how Dominique had the stuff to cause a ruckus or two.  And look at all that gold lamé!

2) Roosevelt Franklin


By far the coolest puppet living on Sesame Street, Roosevelt Franklin was a kid who led school lessons about how to count numbers and other such academia.  Although he was constructed with the "reddish-magenta" felt often used to denote any cultural minorities in the Muppet world, he would improvise "scat" songs and sing with rhythm that was obviously representative of black culture at the time.  And he always looked like he was having fun.  I didn't realize at the time I watched him that in 1970, when "Sesame Street" was first broadcast on PBS, TV stations in Mississippi banned the show because of the black characters intermingling with the whites; they took exception especially to the jive songs sung by Roosevelt.  This was in 1970!  What a waste of energy, banning Sesame Street.  Too bad for them--now they probably don't know their numbers.

3) D.A. Dorsey


This is interesting only if you know Miami, but I think it is a cool story.  Back in the day of Miami's founding, when black people were not allowed on the beach (and Jews were allowed only in certain areas), D.A. Dorsey became the first black millionaire through banking, construction, and various investments.  When "Government Cut" was dug through the very-shallow swampy waters of Miami's coast, to make a path for ships headed to downtown Miami, a chunk of nasty, heavily-forested land was separated from Miami Beach with no bridges.  Dorsey  bought this little piece of swampland with the intent of clearing it and turning it into a resort for black people, so they could have someplace to go; but another millionaire, Carl Fisher, saw the potential for the island and offered Dorsey a fat chunk of money for it.  Dorsey took the money; but then Fisher fought with the city for years about how to commercially develop the little plot of land, and while Miami Beach blew up, nothing happend on that little island with no bridge.  Interesting, depressing fact: After Dorsey's beach resort plans ended, the city eventually gave black people a beach: Virginia Key Beach, which often has rip currents too strong for swimming safely.

Fisher eventually ran out of money and gave up fighting, and traded the ugly island to William Vanderbilt for the price of Vanderbilt's boat.  Vanderbilt had some trees cleared and built a house, more millionaires followed Vanderbilt, the island became a haven for the rich, and now it's Fisher Island, one of the wealthiest areas of the U.S. where people like Oprah Winfrey and Andre Agassi have owned condos.  And because there was never an official agreement on what to do with the island, it never joined a city and it is still "unincorporated" land, still no bridge...you have to take a ferry across Government Cut.  Rumor has it when Oprah moved out of Fisher Island, it was because no restaurants would deliver food to the ferry-access-only island.  I believe that rumor is totally true.

4) Darcel Wynne

It is incorrect to say I loved Darcel Wynne.  I wanted to BE Darcel Wynne.  I had plans of how I was going to land a job as a "Solid Gold" dancer, and I would practice dancing with pajama bottoms on my head to accomplish the effect of her hair. Please experience the glory for yourself.

 

5) Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown in "Ghost"

One of the top movies on my "hangover list," I have seen this movie at least 20 times.  The scene in the bank still (still!) makes me laugh.  Watching her is like a master class in acting.  So, so perfect.

6) Phylica Rashad as Claire Huxtable in "The Cosby Show"


I LOVED Claire Huxtable.  I loved her warm, soothing voice; I loved the way she gave nurturing advice to her family; I even loved it when she would freak out and yell at everyone, although she always calmed down after a few minutes.  She couldn't help it! Her kids drove her crazy!  (Of all the Cosby kids, I wanted to be as cool as Denise, but I realized I was probably more of a Vanessa.)  I was fascinated by her ability, as a black woman, to speak Spanish fluently.  And I thought she was beautiful.

7) Nelson Mandela


When I was in high school, I read a newspaper article about how Coca-Cola did business with South Africa, a government that was still a segregated political system.  So I boycotted all Coca-Cola products in my house.  Mandela was still in prison, and I thought it was terrible; I was offended that Coke would want to take money from (what I envisioned to be) such a bad place. 

I cleaned all the Coke and Diet Coke out of our refrigerator and refused to drink it when in restaurants.  My family explained their opinions that my choice to not drink Coke would not help Nelson Mandela get out of prison, and they mocked me openly, which merely steeled my resolve--did they not know me?--and my mother just went to the store and bought more 12-packs.  Coca-Cola had no soul, and neither did the people in my family.

When Mandela was released from prison, I started drinking Coke again, which was good because I think it is delicious.  Then he was elected president, and I was thrilled.  I never gave any thought to whether my little protest mattered to him, because I just did it for me.

 

8) Storm


In the 80's, my best friend James Gallegos had a creek behind his house, and we spent many, many summer afternoons running along the water and climbing trees pretending to be our favorite X-Men while fighting Magneto's evil clan.  We would switch identities as necessary, depending on what skill we needed at the time, but when things got really nasty he would always switch to Wolverine and I would always switch to Storm and we would always save the day.  Storm was IT.  She was the best.  She was tough and smart and she could fry anybody.  And she had long hair just like Darcel.

 

Comments

[sarah]

STORM!!!! YES!

[erik]

Storm was always my favorite X-Man. I never understood why she didn't basically rule the world!

[willam]

i don't see a bit of Latrice Royale here.

[TIffani]

As one of your Black fans, I LOVED THIS POST! You make me proud! :)

[dan renzi]

I am beginning to love Latrice Royale. Every time she is on-screen, she gilds a little piece of my heart with gold. I hope you two don't end up hating each other, because I don't want to be forced to take sides.