Pages

Friday, September 30, 2022

Life Experiences.

 


Recently, we know about the whistleblower former January 6 House Select Committee investigator Denver Riggleman. He said that the Trump team had a larger role in the January 6th fascist attack than what has been previously known. He said his words on CBS News 60 Minutes. Riggleman said that he said that the White House Switchboard had connected to a rioter's phone while the attack happened. This is treason beyond negligence from the Trump administration. Riggleman said that while he was working for the January 6 committee, his team was able to analyze the call records of leading Trump co-conspirators like fascists Roger Stone, Alex Jones, and Bianca Garcia. Garcia is tied to the former Proud Boys chairman Henery Tarrio. Garcia met with Tarrio and Oath Keeper founder Stewart Rhodes in a Washington D.C. parking garage. Stone is tied to many Republicans and far right extremists who want to overturn the 2020 election. To this day, Stone, Ginni Thomas, and Donald Trump are not charged for the fascist coup more than 20 months after the fact.


The war in Ukraine continues. Russia is claiming that the Eastern regions of Ukraine with pseudo referendums. Western nations view these referendums as shams. Russia could desire to try to annex the four areas within days. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Kremlin wants to force the region's residents to fight in the Russian military. There have been unexplained leaks found in 2 Russian undersea gas pipelines to Europe. NATO's chief and multiple European leaders have accused Russia of acts of sabotage. Russian leaders deny these allegations as "absurd." America is urging all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately. The reason is that Putin has mobilized its military. People with dual American/Russia citizenship in Russia could potentially be drafted to fight Ukraine in a war against their wills. Also, Americans have been arrested in anti-war demonstrations in Russia too. Russia has killed at least 23 people in a strike on a humanitarian convoy. This is cowardly from Putin, as Putin has committed war crimes in Ukraine and against his own Russian people. 

Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Kelly McCreary, and she is 41 years old. As one of the most talented, unsung actresses of our time, she has worked on many prolific shows. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child, she was interested in acting and theater when she was in the fourth grade. She attended middle and high schools for the arts. McCreary was in a sixth-grade musical. By the time she was 17 years old, she moved to New York City to study acting at Barnard College, a women's college of Columbia University. She spent a semester at the British American Drama Academy in London. McCreary also was in commercials before graduating from Barnard in 2003. She had training at the Chautauqua Conservatory Theater Company and The Actor's Center in New York. She lived in Harlem to participate in plays. Later, she moved to Spain and worked on a farm. McCreary was on the PBS aminated series The Electric Company, Emily Owens, M.D., Grey's Anatomy, and Harvey Street Kids. Right now, Kelly McCreary lives in Los Angeles, California. She is married to director Pete Chatmon and have their daughter together.  I wish Sister Kelly McCreary more Blessings. 


Recently Coolio passed away at 59 years old. Many people are emotional about his passing. He was a different type of hip-hop artist who never forgot where he came from. Also, Coolio wanted to bring joy and consciousness to music. Just before his passing, he wanted musicians to unite to fight corporate exploitation and manipulation of artists. He made Gangsta's Paradise in 1995. I was in middle school during that year. That song honestly presented to the world the anger, angst, pain, and resilience of black youth. It was a song that was more than part of the Dangerous Minds movie soundtrack. It was a call for us as a people to show our voices and outline our right of us to be heard in society. Coolio loved his family and children unconditionally, and he told stories about his multifaceted life. He was born in Pennsylvania and was raised in Compton, California. A lot of people don't know that he was a firefighter saving lives, and he was one of the hardest working men in the industry since the 1980's making music. 

Rest in Power Brother Coolio.



By Timothy




Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Hurricane Ian and other Information.

 



Hurricane Ian is headed for Florida. It's not a game. Evacuations have taken place in the state for a time now. Also, Iran has made landfall in western Cuba on early Tuesday. This Category 3 storm is a life-threatening storm too. The hurricane is very dangerous and people in Charlotte County are preparing for the damage and storm surge. People predict the storm surge from Ian in Florida to be well above 10 feet. Many people in various parts of the state are urged to leave their homes immediately or seek shelter. People with RVs and mobile homes are being told to evacuate from Flagler County. The Hurricane is well over 100 mph in its top sustained winds. Venice, Florida is suspending potable water services to the island starting at around 8pm. on Wednesday. Universal Orlando resort themes parks close due to Hurricane Ian as well. Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, and Naples are in the crosshairs now. People staying in Florida are advised to leave their homes and if they are stuck, stay in their area, not outside. Ian is unlike any Hurricane in Florida for decades. The storm is a Category 4 storm now with winds up to 155 mph. It could strengthen further which is messed up news. 


The seditious conspiracy trial of Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes is taking place. The Oath Keepers is a far-right militia group who supports Trump and was involved in the violent, treasonous attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Rhodes is being accused of being in a seditious conspiracy to attack the U.S. Capitol building. The federal government is accusing him of using teams of Oath Keepers to rush into Washington, D.C. from Virginia on January 6, 2021. Many of these terrorists have said that Trump ordered them to do these abhorrent actions at the U.S. Capitol. We know of the Roger Stone interview, the Trump aide testimony, and other evidence showing a conspiracy against American democracy and against the American people. Roger Stone, on tape, said profanity and wanted legal election results to be gone by violence. The Oath Keepers hypocritically claim to support the Constitution, but they were involved in a conspiracy to end legal constitutional processes like the peaceful transition of power after a legal 2020 election took place. 




Many courageous people in Iran have protested the death of Mahsa Amini. She was in the custody of Iran's "morality police." Iran is a theocratic, authoritarian state since 1979. Women face massive oppression in Iran, and human beings in Iran desire freedom and democratic rights. Protests in favor of real freedom in Iran and justice for Mahsa Amini have existed worldwide too. Masha was only 22 years old. Iran has massive social and economic complications too. The bourgeois state in Iran has been filled with imperfections. Amini was arrested for "improperly" wearing a hijab by the morality police. Reports suggest that she was severely beaten by the police. Some accuse the police of hitting her in the head with a baton and slamming her against a police vehicle. The police claimed that she died of health problems, but Amini's family said that she had no health issues. The Iranian government has fired live rounds at protesters in Iran. Amimi was a Kurdish minority in Iran. For decades, the Shah brutalized Iranian citizens (being funded by America and the West). Since 1979, a theocracy existed. Iran should be free but not a U.S. puppet state. It should have its own independence free from oppression and authoritarianism.



The situation with Ime Udoka's suspension is very tragic for Nia Long. For years, Nia Long has been in love with a cheater. Ime Udoka did wrong, but I also blame the Celtics organization for not showing transparency. They were inconsistent once not suspending him for a long time to be suspended for the whole season. It doesn't show consistency. If Ime is wrong, either fire him or punish him in other ways without switching up punishments. I agree with Stephen A. Smith for saying that the Celtics should have been clearer on their punishment. Stephen A. Smith responded to Malika Andrews for misinterpreting what Smith had to say. Smith said that he isn't blaming anyone but Udoka for this situation. Smith is right to say that if the Celtics leadership is not handling it privately, then the Celtics have that responsibility to go out and show why they punish Udoka. Either fire the man or not but not be ambiguous about your punishment. Management should handle the situation the same from across the board in a fair fashion. Me personally, Udoka violated policies that merit punishment, and he should face accountability for his wrong actions that have no justification at all.


One shocking news is that the neo-fascist-linked Giorgia Meloni of the Brothers of Italy (Fdl) party wins the general election. Her party is a direct descendant of Benito Mussolini's fascist Party. Fascism is a threat to world civilization and democracy. Fascists murdered black people, communists, socialists, Jewish people, and other human beings during the Holocaust. Fascism is anathema to peace and freedom because fascism denies the fundamental, sacrosanct tenets of equality, community, and solidarity. This is the most significant fascist event in Italy since the rise of Benito Mussolini during World War II. Meloni wants to seek a far-right government. Italy's main social-democratic party fell to less than 19 percent. The populist Five Star Movement (M5S) won 15.5 percent. There should be unity among the working class and the oppressed to stand up against imperialism, social austerity, and bigotry worldwide. Worldwide, extremists have promoted austerity, bank bailouts for the rich, and imperialist wars. Many of our ancestors in real life fought fascism during the American Civil War, WWII, etc. Melino praised Benito Mussolini in 1996 and the Nazi collaborator and co-founder of MSI Giorgio Almirante in 2020. She believes in the racist Great Replacement lie.




By Timothy


Monday, September 26, 2022

Updates on History and Culture at the end of September 2022.

 


The journey of Cicely Tyson started on December 19, 1924, when she was born in the Bronx, New York City. Later, her family relocated to East Harlem, NYC. Tyson was one of three children born to Fredericka (Huggins) Tyson, a domestic worker. Her father was William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter and painter. Her parents were immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies. Her father arrived in New York City at the age of 21 and was processed at Ellis Island on August 4, 1919. When I was in high school (during the 1990's), I did a history project on Ellis Island and knew that Afro-Caribbeans were in Ellis Island in order to live in the United States of America. Cicely Tyson was raised in a religious household as she sang in the choir and attended prayer meetings at an Episcopal church in East Harlem. Tyson's mother supported her being an actress after she saw Cicely appear on stage. By the time she was 18, Cicely Tyson married Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942. They had a daughter two months later (named Joan Tyson), in February 1943. According to her divorce decree, her husband abandoned her after less than 18 months of marriage. The marriage was formally dissolved by 1956. In 1958, Cicely Tyson was discovered by a photographer for Ebony magazine, and she became a successful fashion model. Her first acting role was part in the 1956 film Carib Gold. She was onstage in Vinnette Carrol's production of Dark of the Moon at the Harlem YMCA in 1958. She had small roles in the 1959 films Odds Against Tomorrow and The Last Angry Man. She was in the 1960 comedy Who Was That Lady? By 1961, she made her television debut in the NBC series Frontiers of Faith. 


By the early 1960's, Tyson appeared in the original cast of French playwright Jean Genet's The Blacks. She played the role of Stephanie Virtue Secret-Rose Diop. Other cast members were Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones, Godfrey Cambridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Charles Gordone. The show was the longest-running off-Broadway non-musical of the decade, running for 1,408 performances. Tyson worked in many theater productions too. She earned the Vernon Rice Award in 1962 for her Off-Broadway performance in Moon on a Rainbow Shawl. In 1963, she was a student at New York's New School for Social Research. In that year, she was on the network television game show To Tell the Truth as an "imposter" for Australian singer Shirly Abicair, receiving 2 of the four possible votes. Cicely Tyson once worked for a social services agency. Producer David Susskind discovered her and was cast for the role in the CBS TV series East Side/West Side (1963-1964), playing the secretary of a social worker played by George C. Scott. She was at the time the only African American regular member of a TV cast including showing cornrows too. The show talked about social issues. One episode showed an African American couple in Harlem (played by James Earl Jones and Diana Sands) was blacked out in Atlanta and Shreveport, Louisiana. By the 1960's, she dated the jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. This was when Davis was in the process of divorcing dancer Frances Davis. Miles Davis used a photo of Cicely Tyson in his 1967 album of Sorcerer. Davis told the press in 1967 that he wanted to marry Tyson in March 1968 after his divorce was finalized. Yet, he married Berry Davis that September. By the mid-1960's, Cicely Tyson has a recurring role in the soap opera of The Guiding Light. She was in the 1966 film A Man Called Adam featuring Sammy Davis Jr. (who played a jazz musician who led a destructive life). Cicely Tyson was in the 1968 film The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. She had a small role in the film version of The Comedians back in 1967) based on the Graham Greene novel. 


By the 1970's, Cicely Tyson experienced superstardom. In 1972, Cicely Tyson played the role of Rebecca Morgan in the film Sounder. Sounder was a film about African Americans in the rural South during the early 20th century trying to survive literally from racism and economic oppression. She was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work on Sounder. She won the NSFC Best Actress and NBR Best Actress Awards. In 1974, she played the title role in the television film The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Tyson's portrayal of a centenarian black woman's life from slavery until her death before the Civil rights movement won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie and an Emmy Award for Actress of the Year – Special. Tyson was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her work in this television film. In 1977, Tyson was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. In 1980, she received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. In 1982, Tyson was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. The award is given to outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. In 1988, Tyson received a Candace Award for Distinguished Service from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. In 1997, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cicely Tyson and Miles Davis rekindled their relationship in 1978, and they married on November 26, 1981. The ceremony was conducted by Atlanta mayor Andrew Young at the home of actor and comedian Bill Cosby. The marriage ended in 1988. Miles Davis had drug addiction issues, had a volatile temper, and Davis committed adultery. The couple lived in Malibu, California, and New York City until the divorce was finalized in 1989. Davis died in 1991. 



In 1989, Tyson appeared in the television miniseries The Women of Brewster Place. In 1991, Tyson appeared in Fried Green Tomatoes as Sipsey. In the 1994–95 television series Sweet Justice, Tyson portrayed a civil rights activist and attorney named Carrie Grace Battle, a character she modeled after Washington, D.C. civil rights and criminal defense lawyer Dovey Johnson Roundtree. Her other notable film roles include the dramas Hoodlum (1997) and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), and the television films Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994) (for which she received her third Emmy Award) and A Lesson Before Dying (1999). In 2005, Tyson co-starred in Because of Winn-Dixie.




In 2005, Tyson was honored at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball. She was also honored by the Congress of Racial Equality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Council of Negro Women. Tyson received honorary degrees from Clark Atlanta University, Columbia University; Howard University; and Morehouse College, an all-male historically black college. The Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, a magnet school in East Orange, New Jersey, was named after her in 2009.



Tyson was awarded the NAACP's 2010 Spingarn Medal for her contribution to the entertainment industry, her modeling career, and her support of civil rights. In 2010, Tyson appeared in Why Did I Get Married Too? and narrated the Paul Robeson Award-winning documentary Up from the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream. In 2011, Tyson appeared in her first music video in Willow Smith's 21st Century Girl. That same year, she played Constantine Jefferson, a maid in Jackson, Mississippi, in the critically acclaimed period drama The Help. Set in the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, the film won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2013, Tyson played a supporting role in the horror film The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. Beginning in 2014, Tyson guest-starred on How to Get Away with Murder as Ophelia Harkness, the mother of main character Annalise Keating (Viola Davis); for this role, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. At the 67th Tony Awards, on June 9, 2013, Tyson won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Miss Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful. Upon winning, the 88-year-old actress became the oldest recipient of the Best Actress Tony Award. She also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for the role. 




Tyson was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015. She was awarded the United States' highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Barack Obama in November 2016. In September 2018, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Tyson would receive an Academy Honorary Award. On November 18, 2018, Tyson became the first African American woman to receive an honorary Oscar. In 2018, Tyson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame. One of 12 soundstages was named after Tyson in her honor at Tyler Perry Studios. She was chosen to be inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2020, she starred in the popular movie A Fall From Grace which was featured on Netflix. Cicely Tyson passed away on January 28, 2021, at the age of 96. Her funeral was held on February 16 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and was attended by Tyler Perry, her godson Lenny Kravitz, and Bill and Hillary Clinton. In 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame. 



Sidney Poitier was born on February 20, 1927, in Miami, Florida. His parents are Afro-Bahamian farmers. His parents are Evelyn (nee Outten) and Reginal James Poitier. The family-owned a farm on Cat Island. The family would go to Miami to sell tomatoes and other produce to wholesalers. Some believe that Poitier's ancestors came from Haiti, among the runaway slaves who formed maroon communities all over the Bahamas (like in Cat Island). Poitier is a French name. There is a planter named Charles Leonard Poitier who immigrated from Jamaica during the early 1800's. Poitier is a name that has been introduced to the UK since the Norman Conquest in the eleventh century. Sidney Poitier was the youngest of seven children. His father worked as a cab driver in Nassau, Bahamas. Sidney Poitier grew up in the Bahamas, which was a British colony back then. He was born in America, so he has United States citizenship. By the time, he was 15 years old, Sidney Poitier was sent to Maimi to live with his brother's large family. Poitier experienced firsthand the Jim Crow racism in Florida. By the time when he was 16 years old, he moved to New York City. He wanted to be an actor. At first, he worked as a dishwasher. Sidney Poitier worked hard. He failed his first audition with the American Negro Theater due to his inability to fluently read the script. Later, an elderly Jewish waiter sat with him every night for several weeks, helping him to improve his reading by using the newspaper. Sidney Poitier enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II in November of 1943. He didn't admit his real age when he joined the Army. He was assigned to a Veteran's Administration hospital in Northport, New York, and was trained to work with psychiatric patients. Poitier became upset with how the hospital treated its patients and feigned mental illness to obtain a discharge. Poitier confessed to a psychiatrist that he was faking his condition, but the doctor was sympathetic and granted his discharge under Section VIII of Army regulation 615–360 in December 1944. 


In 1947, Poitier was a founding member of the Committee for the Negro in the Arts (CNA), an organization whose participants were committed to a left-wing analysis of class and racial exploitation. Among his other CNA-related activities, in the early 1950s he was a Vice Chair of the organization. In 1952, he was one of several narrators in a pageant written by Alice Childress and Lorraine Hansberry for the Negro History Festival put on by the leftist Harlem monthly newspaper Freedom. Poitier was first married to Juanita Hardy from April 29, 1950, until 1965. Though Poitier became a resident of Mount Vernon in Westchester County, New York in 1956, they raised their family in Stuyvesant, New York, in a house on the Hudson River. 


By late 1949, Poitier had to choose between leading roles on stage and an offer to work for Darryl F. Zanuck in the film No Way Out (1950). His performance in No Way Out, as a doctor treating a Caucasian bigot (played by Richard Widmark, who became a friend), was noticed and led to more roles, each considerably more interesting and more prominent than those most African-American actors of the time were offered. In 1951, he traveled to South Africa with the African-American actor Canada Lee to star in the film version of Cry, the Beloved Country. Poitier's distinction continued in his role as Gregory W. Miller, a member of an incorrigible high-school class in Blackboard Jungle (1955). But it was his performance in Martin Ritt's 1957 Edge of the City that the industry could not ignore. It was a pitch towards stardom granted him. In 1958 he starred alongside Tony Curtis in director Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones. The film was a critical and commercial success with the performances of both Poitier and Curtis being praised. The film landed eight Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor nominations for both stars, making Poitier the first Black male actor to be nominated for a competitive Academy Award as best actor. Poitier did win the British Academy Film Award for Best Foreign Actor. 


Poitier acted in the first production of A Raisin in the Sun alongside Ruby Dee on the Broadway stage at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in 1959. The play was directed by Lloyd Richards. The play introduced details of Black life to the overwhelmingly white Broadway audiences, while director Richards observed that it was the first play to which large numbers of Black people were drawn. The play was a groundbreaking piece of American theater with Frank Rich, critic from The New York Times writing in 1983, that A Raisin in the Sun "changed American theater forever." For his performance, he earned a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. That same year Poitier would star in the film adaptation of Porgy and Bess (1959) alongside Dorothy Dandridge. For his performance, Poitier received a 1960 Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.


In 1961, Poitier starred in the film adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun for which he received another Golden Globe Award nomination. Also in 1961, Poitier starred in Paris Blues alongside Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Louis Armstrong, and Diahann Carroll. The film dealt with the American racism of the time by contrasting it with Paris's supposed "open acceptance" of Black people. In 1963, he starred in Lilies of the Field. For this role, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor and became the first Black male to win the award. His satisfaction at this honor was undermined by his concerns that this award was more of the industry congratulating itself for having him as a token and it would inhibit him from asking for more substantive considerations afterward. Poitier worked relatively little over the following year; he remained of the few actors of African descent whose roles offered were not predominantly typecast as a soft-spoken appeaser.



In 1964, Poitier recorded an album with the composer Fred Katz called Poitier Meets Plato, in which Poitier recites passages from Plato's writings. He also performed in the Cold War drama The Bedford Incident (1965) alongside the film's producer Richard Widmark, the Biblical epic film The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) alongside Charlton Heston and Max von Sydow, and A Patch of Blue (1965) co-starring Elizabeth Hartman and Shelley Winters. 



Poitier was aware of this pattern himself but was conflicted on the matter (of the perception of being too typecast). He wanted more varied roles; but he also felt obliged to set an example with his characters, by challenging old stereotypes, as he was one the only major actors of African descent being cast in leading roles in the American film industry at the time. For instance, in 1966, he turned down an opportunity to play the lead in an NBC television production of Othello with that spirit in mind. Despite this, many of the films in which Poitier starred during the 1960s would later be cited as social thrillers by both filmmakers and critics.



In 1967, he was the most successful draw at the box office, the commercial peak of his career, with three popular films, To Sir, with Love, and In the Heat of the Night, and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Although these three films seemingly shared little similarity, they all, albeit not overtly, dealt with racial and social issues. Sidney Poitier was in the film For the Love of Ivy showing Black Love with the actress Abbey Lincoln (who is a singer). 


In 1959, Poitier began a nine-year affair with actress Diahann Carroll. He married Joanna Shimkus, a Canadian actress who starred with Poitier in The Lost Man in 1969, on January 23, 1976, and they remained married until his death. He had four daughters with his first wife Juanita Poitier (Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, and Gina) and two with his second wife Joanna Shimkus (Anika and Sydney Tamia).



In 1972, Sidney Poitier made his feature film directorial debut, the Western Buck and the Preacher, in which Poitier also starred, alongside Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee. Poitier replaced the original director, Joseph Sargent. The following year he directed his second feature, the romantic drama A Warm December. Poitier also starred in the film alongside Esther Anderson. In 1995, he received the Kennedy Center Honor and in 2009, Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. He was also named an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. In 1986, he gave the Commencement Address to the University of Miami graduating class and was given the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Fine Arts. 



In 1982, he received the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award. In 1988, he starred in Shoot to Kill with Tom Berenger. In 1992, he starred in Sneakers with Robert Redford and Dan Aykroyd. In 1997, he co-starred in The Jackal with Richard Gere and Bruce Willis. In the 1990s, he starred in several well-received television movies and miniseries such as Separate but Equal (1991), To Sir, with Love II (1996), Mandela and de Klerk (1997), and The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999). He received Emmy nominations for his work in Separate but Equal and Mandela and de Klerk, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for the former. He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in 2001. 



In 1995, he received the Kennedy Center Honor. From 1997 to 2007, he was the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan. In 1999, he ranked 22nd among male actors on the "100 Years...100 Stars" list by the American Film Institute and received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. In 2002, he was given an Honorary Academy Award, in recognition of his "remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being."


In 2002, Poitier received the 2001 Honorary Academy Award for his overall contribution to American cinema. Later in the ceremony, Denzel Washington won the award for Best Actor for his performance in Training Day, becoming the second Black actor to win the award. In his victory speech, Washington saluted Poitier by saying "I'll always be chasing you, Sidney. I'll always be following in your footsteps. There's nothing I would rather do, sir." 



In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama. In 2016, he was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for outstanding lifetime achievement in film.





In addition to his six daughters, Poitier had eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. When Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas in September 2019, Poitier's family had 23 missing relatives. 


With the death of Ernest Borgnine in 2012, Poitier became the oldest living recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor. On March 2, 2014, Poitier appeared with Angelina Jolie at the 86th Academy Awards to present the Best Director Award. He was given a standing ovation and Jolie thanked him for all his Hollywood contributions, stating: "We are in your debt." Poitier gave a brief speech, telling his peers to "keep up the wonderful work" to warm applause. In 2021, the academy dedicated the lobby of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles as the "Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby" in his honor.


On January 6, 2022, Poitier passed away at his home in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 94. His death was confirmed by Fred Mitchell, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas. According to a copy of his death certificate obtained by sources, the cause of death was a cardiopulmonary failure, with Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer listed as underlying causes.



Many in the entertainment industry also paid tribute to Poitier, including Martin Scorsese who wrote, "For years, the spotlight was on Sidney Poitier. He had a vocal precision and physical power and grace that at moments seemed almost supernatural." Harry Belafonte, Morgan Freeman, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Lupita Nyong'o, Halle Berry, Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey, Octavia Spencer, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Esposito, Quincy Jones, Michael Eisner, Ron Howard and others also paid tribute. Broadway paid tribute when its theaters dimmed their lights on January 19, 2022, at 7:45 pm ET. Sidney, a documentary film about Poitier's life and legacy by Reginald Hudlin, was released on September 23, 2022.









Calvin Ronald Wilson lived from March 10, 1942, in Portsmouth Virginia to November 6, 2022, in Suffolk, Virginia. He was the husband of my 4th cousin Barbara Jean Powell (b. 1945. Barbara Powell is related to the Claud family). Calvin Ronald Wilson married Barbara Jean Powell on October 2, 1965, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Calvin's parents are Joseph C. Wilson and Lucy R. Wilson. He attended both Portsmouth and Chesapeake schools. Also, he graduated from I.C. Norcom High School (in Portsmouth) in 1961. Clavin joined the United States Air Force and graduated from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He worked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard as an Electrician and Supervisor. He married Barbara Powell for 55 years. He is known for his sense of humor, loving the Norfolk States Spartans, and being a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers too. Calvin Ronald Wilson and Barbara Jean Powell have 5 children whose names are: Calvin Ranaldo Wilson (b. 1965. His wife is Pamela Cheri Jackson Wilson who was born in 1966), Matthan Cornelius Wilson (b. 1967. His wife is Niricoel Wilson), Kimberly Dawn Wilson (b. 1972. Her husband is Robert Thompson), Anah Wynn (b. 1969. She is married to Quentin Ray Wynn who was born in 1969), and Omega Julian Wilson (b. 1974. He is married to Lisa Diann Robinson). Calvin Ronald Wilson's grandchildren are Whitney (who is with Jason), Ashley, Clavin (who is with Cam), Daniel, DaeJaun, Angel Rebekah, Rayna, Chase, Rachel, Allison, and Christopher. He has 5 great-grandchildren too. 





Vernell Peeples Jr. lived from July 15, 1942, to July 21, 2021. He was the son of Bettie and Vernell Peeples Sr. As a member of the Peeples family, Vernell Franklin Peeples Jr. was my 2nd cousin. He passed away at the Sentara Hospice House in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was educated in the Portsmouth public school system. He later moved to New York City to start a new chapter of his life. Later, he met the love of his life in NYC named Olivia Jennie Lindsey (b. 1944). They married in New York City in 1976, and Olivia's nickname was called "Libby." They would start a family and be married for many decades. Their two children are Shelton N. Peeples (b. 1969. He is married to Teri Nicole Harris Peeples who was born in 1969. They live in Bayonne, New Jersey), and Darnell Peeples (b. 1970. He is married to Monique Peeples and the couple lives in Hiram, Georgia). Vernell Peeples Jr. worked hard in the hospitality sector. He had a great sense of humor. Vernell Peeples Jr. has the following siblings of Dollie Wells of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Geraldine Epps (who is married to Robert Epps) of Chesapeake, Virginia, Elsie Whitehead (who is married to Moses Whitehead) of Chesapeake, Virginia, Carolyn Parker (who is married to Larry Parker) of Chesapeake, Virginia, Sharon Sampson of Portsmouth, Virginia, James Wilson Peeples (who is married to Barbara Peeples) of Norfolk, Virginia, Matthew Peeples (of Virginia Beach, Virginia), Lloyd Henry Peeples (1944-1947), and Milton Frank Peeples (who is married to Sheri Peeples) of Portsmouth, Virginia, and the late Bettie Jean Boone. 





Kim Denise Kuykendall Smith is my cousin too who is related to the Peeples family. She lived from September 4, 1958, to November 20, 2021. She passed away in Norfolk, Virginia. She was born to the parents of Dollie Mae Peeples Wells and the late Ronald Dean Kuykendall. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1976 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She attended Norfolk State University and worked for the federal government as an inventory management specialist at the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in Norfolk, Virginia for over 32 years. She also worked part-time at QVC in Virginia Beach. She loved to read books and worked at the library during her retirement. Her niece is my cousin Kourtney D. Cagle- Johnson (she is married to Jordan Cagle-Johnson) and Keith Jamal Pulliam. Her great niece is Charlotte Lynn Cagle-Johnson. 



By Timothy


The Start of Fall News.

 


Right now, there have been over 1,300 people being detained in Russia over a crackdown on anti-war protests. These Russians oppose the Putin regime. This comes after Vladimir Putin wants a partial mobilization against Ukraine. Putin is clear to believe in the pernicious lie that Ukraine has no right to exist and must be conquered by Russia. Ukraine. Likewise Western allies have condemned Putin's slick proposed referendums as a sham. Russia illegally occupied four regions of Ukraine. There are tons of Russians fleeing Russia in opposition to the mobilization, which is nothing more than an unjust, involuntary draft of human beings to fight a war. There are blatant human rights abuses done by Russia. We know that the West had done war crimes for decades and centuries. Yet, two wrongs don't make a right. If the West is wrong to do war crimes for a long time, then it is wrong for Russia to commit war crimes in Ukraine too. Ukrainian President Zelensky encourages Russians to rightfully protest Putin's partial mobilization order of 300,000 people to fight an immoral war.

The Russian Kremlin is desperate, so Putin pushes a new law on wartime mobilization. Russia wants referendums in East Ukraine too to allow unjust annexations. The Russian army has another major military defeat in northeastern Ukraine. Russian military forces are fleeing parts of Ukraine. Putin via the Duma Parliament introduced terms like mobilization, martial law, and wartime. Putin even threatened the use of nuclear weapons if things don't get his way. Putin is so unhinged that even China and India don't agree with his actions in Ukraine as Putin is losing that war badly. The new law increases the punishment for Russian soldiers who voluntarily give themselves up as prisoners of war. There are Russian anti-Putin protests recently all over Russia again. Politicians in Petersburg want to impeach Putin on the grounds of national treason. The Putin regime is authoritarian, imperialistic, aggressive, and nationalistic.

The New York state Attorney General Letitia James (she made a criminal referral to the IRS and SDNY for possible federal violations of tax law) made a historic announcement. She filed a sweeping lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, three of his adult children (Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump), and the Trump Organization. This lawsuit accused them of being involved in an expansive fraud lagging over a decade that the former President used to enrich himself. The lawsuit has 200 pages in documents. The fraud, according to James, touched on all areas of the Trump business, including its properties and gold courses. The lawsuit accuses the Trump Organization of deceiving lenders, insurers, and tax authorities by inflating the value of his properties using misleading appraisals. The New York state Attorney General said that Trump's oldest children "knowingly participated" in the fraudulent scheme. This is unprecedented news. Of course, Donald Trump denies all charges. Trump has a long legacy of habitual lying, so we can't trust him. New York Attorney General seeks $250 million in penalties from Donald Trump. James is in conversations with Deutsche Bank, one of Trump's biggest lenders. This is very serious news. If Trump is so sure of his innocence, why he pled the Fifth Amendment tons of times when he was interviewed by authorities?

Unprecedented protests in Iran exist now since 1979 over the death of a woman in police custody. Her name is Mahsa Amini. Many Generation Z people in Iran are protesting for their human rights. Iran has greatly shut down the Internet now. This younger generation is fighting back despite the crackdown being vicious. The youth are still large and angry to fight for their lives and their human rights. Iran never faced this situation in 43 years. Everyone knows that the actions of Governor Abbott and Ron DeSantis in sending legal migrants from Texas and Florida to other parts of the country are evil, cruel, and exploitative. It is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars. Many authorities are investigating DeSantis to see if he violated human trafficking laws. Many migrants are suing DeSantis too. The migrants are human beings, and we are called to follow the Golden Rule. The Republican leadership including Mitch McConnell called this evil migrant shipping policy as a "good idea." It is never a good idea to mislead migrants about this sick action.

Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Swin Cash, and she is 43 years old. She is one of the best women basketball players of all time. She played for the WNBA for 15 seasons. She was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. McKeesport is found near Pittsburgh. Her mother Cynthia raised her with 2 brothers and a sister. She holds basketball camps and clinics under her company, Swin Cash Enterprise LLC. She married her longtime boyfriend Steve Canal in Atlanta, Georgia. Cash played baseball, track, and cheerleading at McKessport Area High School in McKessport. Cash played basketball too. She was in UConn where she won the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship with the UConn Huskies in 2000 and 2002. She first played for the Detroit Shock in 2002. Cash was a 3-time WNBA Champion, 4-time WNBA All-Star, and won 2 gold medals in 2004 in Athens and in 2012 in London. Cash fought against gun violence and police brutality for years. Swim Cash is always outspoken on social justice issues. Now, Swim Cash is the Vice President of basketball operations and team development for the New Orleans Pelicans. I wish Sister Swim Cash more Blessings. 


By Timothy







News in Late September 2022.

 


President Biden once said that the pandemic is over. Is this true? The truth is no. What is true is that tons of progress has been made in fighting back against the pandemic virus. In 2020, tons of schools and stadiums were closed because of the virus. Over one million people have died in America alone as a result of the pandemic. Vaccinations, booster shots, education, and other investments have lowered COVID-19 rates in the world. We have now the majority of Americans are vaccinated. Yet, the pandemic is not over as about 400 people have died each day. Variants are still around, and these variants can spread faster than the original virus. There is a risk of a future winter surge during the 2022-2023 winter season. That is why people should be prepared for illnesses in general. Everyone knows that the actions of Governor Abbott and Ron DeSantis in sending legal migrants from Texas and Florida to other parts of the country is evil, cruel, and exploitative. It is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars. Many authorities are investigating DeSantis to see if he violated human trafficking laws. Many migrants are suing DeSantis too. The migrants are human beings, and we are called to follow the Golden Rule. The Republican leadership including Mitch McConnell called this evil migrant shipping policy as a "good idea." It is never a good idea to mislead migrants about this sick action.


The appeals courts have asked the appeals court to block the Trump documents ruling. This request comes to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Justice Department said that the lower court's move to block the criminal investigations from reviewing the seized documents (marked as classified) will cause irreparable harm. The DOJ said that its criminal investigation is important to stop potential national security risks. It is obvious what Trump is trying to do. Trump is trying to stall and delay to prevent himself from being indicted as a criminal. Judge Cannon did the wrong thing by supporting compromises to Trump instead of real accountability to Trump. Judge Cannon wanted the DOJ to send documents to the Master and the plaintiff's attorneys (when they possibly don't have security clearances). Classified information is heavily sensitive. Trump experienced a legal search warrant, and that search warrant is justified under the circumstances that we live in. Trump's team has until noon ET on Tuesday to respond to the DOJ's request. The rule of law matters, and a former executive member doesn't have infallible powers.


The Las Vegas Aces win their first WNBA title. They beat the Connecticut Sun in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. Chelsea Gray is named MVP. After hard work, the Aces have achieved victory. The WNBA was born in 1997 after the historic 1996 Olympics when the USA Women's Basketball Olympics team made gold a reality. Las Vegas has now its first major professional sports championship. It's a very important, historic time for the Western city of Las Vegas, and we congratulate the Las Vegas Aces for their hard work, courage, talent, and resiliency. Coach Becky Hammon (being 45 years old) is the first person in WNBA history to win a title in her first season as a head coach (other than the inaugural season of the WNBA in 1997). The Season's MVP is A'ja Wilson of the Aces too.




Hurricane Fiona has damaged much of the Caribbean in places like Puerto Rico. Heavy rain and flooding have been produced by the storm. Millions are without power, clean water, and safe shelter in Puerto Rico. It has moved into the Dominican Republic. As high as 30 inches of rain has poured down on Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is an American territory still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Maria. Maria came to the island five years ago. The working class and the poor of Puerto Rico are suffering also from the looting of its state-owned utilities and other public assets under the financial restructuring done by the U.S. government. Puerto Rico has a lot of debt. Climate change has impacted the growing intensity of Hurricane Fiona too. Warmer waters will result in more precipitation. Some have died in the area too. There have been over 1,000 rescues of people in Puerto Rico as some folks had to climb on the roofs of their homes to survive. As human beings, we certainly express empathy for the people of Puerto Rico. The massive privatization of Puerto Rico's resources should end.


Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Deborah Roberts, and she is 62 years old. She is a famous journalist for ABC News and is married to the meteorologist Al Roker. Perry, Georgia is the city of her birth. She graduated from the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 1982. By 1992, Roberts was awarded the University of Georgia Distinguished Alumnus Awards for her rapid success as a journalist. Roberts worked in Columbus, Georgia, Orlando, and other locations. Later, she was a correspondent for Dateline NBC. She was in ABC News since 1995. She worked for Good Morning America and the View. Also, she won an Emmy Award and a Clarion Award for her reporting. Her non-fiction book by her and Al Roker was published in 2016. It is titled Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Time. She loves her daughter and son with Al Roker. She has a stepdaughter too. She is an iconic human being. I wish Sister Deborah Roberts more Blessings. 


By Timothy



Late September 2022 Updates.

 



There are tons of facts shown about history all of the time. Nettie B. Claud lived from October 7, 1926 to March 1, 2021. She was born to the late Curnel Owens Turner and Rosa Lee Ralph of Drewryville, Virginia. Nettie was one of eleven siblings whose names are: Curnel Turner Jr. (1930-2003), James Owens Turner (b. 1928), Henry Wilbert Turner (1934-2020), Roosevelt Turner, Mae Belle Turner (1919-2004), Anna Rose Claude (1921-2011), Mamie (Katherine) Joyner, Lula Bishop, Essie Mae Turner (b. 1931), and Vivian Claud (1936-2013). Nettie B. Claud joined the Apostolic Fath and was a missionary. She was the Virginia State Supervisor of the Women's Department for over 30 years. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia after doing night school in 1996 at the age of 70 years old. 


Nettie B. Turner married my cousin Willie Claud (who is a descendant of my 5th great grandmother Zilphy Claud) in Norfolk, Virginia on April 9, 1948. They had 2 children whose names are Jean Melvone Claud Ward (1949-2017) and Leon Claude (b. 1951). My fourth cousin Jean Melvone Claud married Bobby Perkins Ward (b. 1951) in Norfolk, Virginia on November 21, 1976.  Their children are Cornelius Jude Ward (b. 1979) and Apollos Lamont Ward (b. 1981). My 5th cousin Cornelius Jude Ward is with Nadina Lynn. Jean Ward spent her career working for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and retired after 33 years in 2006. Getting bored, and needing something to do, a few months later she began working as a substitute teacher with the children at James Ryder Randall Elementary School. Jean Melvone Ward's grandchildren are Tionne Shundien, Magnolia Jude, and Nautica Mathias. My 5th cousin Apollos Lamont Ward married Tekeia Monique Epps (b. 1982). My 4th cousin Leon Claude married Linda Juanita Ford (b. 1953) on June 19, 1973, in Chesapeake, Virginia. Their children are: Prinston Guyon Claud (b. 1974. He is married to Sharon Ann Lumas), Lovell Leon Claud (b. 1976. He is married to Ebony R. Claud), and Hosea Gerar Claud (b. 1979. He is married to Cheree Annette Armstrong). Nettie B. Claud has 11 great-grandchildren too. Recently on 23 and Me, there was a new person named Veronica Denise Claud shown there being related to me based on DNA evidence. Many people of the Claud family are related to me as found on Ancestry.com and 23 and Me. She is my 4th cousin born on July 14, 1959 in Northampton, North Carolina. She married Jerman Toro (b. 1959) on July 30, 1986, in Newport News, Virginia. Veronica Denise Claud is a descendant of Frank Thomas Claud (1856-1948) and Zilphy Claud (1820-1893). I am also related to the late Cynthia Marie Battle (July 14, 1946 - August 7, 2021) as we both are descendants of Zilphy Claud too. 


 


The Jackson, Mississippi water crisis is one of the worst environmental disasters in American history. It shows the callousness of racism and economic exploitation. When the GOP leaders of the Mississippi government disrespected the residents of Jackson by acting with kid gloves on this issue for years, then we see that laissez-faire capitalism is not only evil and wrong. Laissez-faire capitalism is an overt enemy of the human race and of democratic rights. First, it is important to give support and solidarity to the people of Jackson, Mississippi. They are suffering unspeakable horrors that we can't fathom in lacking clean drinking water. This new water crisis started by later in August 2022. This came after the Pearl River flooded as a result of severe storms in the state. The flooding caused the O. B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, the city's largest water treatment facility, which was already running on backup pumps due to failures the month prior, to stop the treatment of drinking water indefinitely. This resulted in approximately 150,000 residents of the city being left without access to safe drinking water. United States President Joe Biden declared a federal disaster to trigger federal aid. The crisis triggered a political debate regarding racial discrimination, infrastructure neglect, and shifting local demographics. Fundamentally, this is why President Biden passed that infrastructure bill in order to help people. The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi is doing all that he can to help the situation.




First, we have to look at things chronologically. Jackson, Mississippi is the largest city in the state of Mississippi, and Mississippi is probably the poorest state in the United States of America. Its water system has more than 71,000 water connections. For years, Jackson's drinking water treatment systems have had real problems. Back in 2010, a winter storm caused several water main breaks and a widespread outage. City hospitals increased privately owned well capacity as a response to that emergency, and as a result, in the August 2022 crisis core medical services were able to continue operating with running water. In 2012, Jackson failed a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inspection enforcing Safe Drinking Water Act standards, resulting in a November 2012 settlement requiring that the city improve maintenance. In February 2021, a winter storm shut down the O. B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, leaving residents without water for a month. The freezing water lines caused water mains to burst knocking out water service to the entire city and surrounding suburbs. City leaders asked the state for $47 million for sewer repairs but received only $3 million. The city and the EPA agreed on a repair plan in July 2021, but the city's water infrastructure continued to deteriorate. Residents complained of low water pressure and sewage floating in the streets. The city issued many boil water orders after the February storm, including one in July 2022 when plant damage forced a move to backup pumps; that order was still in effect when the August 2022 flooding arrived. A private contractor failed to send water bills to thousands of residents, and the governor vetoed an amnesty plan in 2020, but not in 2021. This action allowed the city to recover partial payments from some customers.


By the late summer of 2022, heavy rain fell over parts of Mississippi during the week prior to the new crisis. Walnut Grove had 12 inches (300 millimeters) of precipitation. These storms made flash flooding in the areas, including Jackson. That is why Jackson mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba declared a local emergency on August 24, 2022. The immediate flash flooding receded that week, but water moving through streams and rivers caused the Pearl River to flood cresting at 35.37 feet (10.78 meters) on August 29 and not falling below the flood stage of 28 feet (8.5 m) until September 1. One home in Jackson was flooded and a few neighborhoods were evacuated as a precaution. Mississippi governor Tate Reeves deployed 600 members of the Mississippi National Guard on August 31 to help distribute bottled water and hand sanitizer. At Reeves' request President Joe Biden declared Jackson to be a disaster area, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send resources to the city and to help pay for the response. Local schools and universities moved to virtual learning due to the lack of water. Other Mississippi communities organized drives to donate water and other supplies to the city's residents and offered accommodations for some people displaced by the crisis.


A well dug at the Mississippi Fairgrounds after the 2021 crisis was used to source emergency water locally. Rented pumps were used to increase water pressure, and the city considered using a contractor or retired operators to deal with a chronic staffing shortage. In December 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency announced an allocation of $74.9 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to Mississippi for water infrastructure improvements. Mayor Lumumba estimated the cost of fully repairing the water system at $2 billion. On September 5, Governor Reeves said that conditions at the water treatment plant had improved with the pumped-out water being much cleaner. For long-term solutions, Reeves stated that the state was considering a range of solutions, including privatization of the system and forming a commission to oversee failed water system. We don't need some privatization but real solutions. Republican Congressman Michael Guest blames political gridlock on city leadership for the crisis, not racism. Reeves has tried to blame city officials for the latest chapter of the yearslong crisis, though the state has historically refused to help pay for repairs that have been impossible for the city to afford as decades of white flight have left it with less tax revenue. Obviously, there is more to the whole story. For decades, Jackson and other places in America have been victims of environmental racism with the state for a long time refusing to adequately support infrastructure in its own capital city of Jackson, Mississippi. The crisis has also spurred discussion about how climate change is expected to strain existing infrastructure in the United States. Writing for the American socialist publication Jacobin, Ryan Zickgraf states that the water crisis in Jackson can be attributed to decades of austerity and capital disinvestment. Arielle King, a lawyer, and environmental justice advocate said that Jackson has been a victim of redlining and racism by many black communities being concentrated in polluting industries like landfills, oil refineries, and wastewater treatment plants. 




About 150,000 residents of Jackson, Mississippi lacking clean drinking water is totally wrong. Now, people have to rely on bottled water or use buckets to collect water from wells in the wealthiest country in the world. That is very contradictory. We have blackouts in California, power outages in Metro Detroit, and the water poisoning of Flint, Michigan. We have the money to rebuild Jackson's water infrastructure too. If the Biden administration can send billions of dollars to help Ukraine fight Russian invaders and trillions of dollars have been spent to fund the military in over 20 years, then billions of dollars can be spent to rebuild American infrastructure. Back in 2012, there was a $90 million deal by the outgoing mayor with the global conglomerate Siemens. The plan was to upgrade the city's water and sewage system to have an automated billing system. The new billing and water meter system failed to send bills to residents, resulting in more than $43 million in unpaid water bills and throwing the city’s water fund into crisis. A legal settlement in 2020 saw the city recover the $90 million from the company, but by this point, the antiquated water system had degraded further. In 2016 it was announced that elevated levels of lead had been discovered in the water. The state continues to advise that children under five and pregnant women not drink unfiltered tap water. Lead in water is especially harmful to children as it can cause serious developmental problems. 

An Environmental Protection Agency assessment in 2015 found that the state required $4.8 billion over 20 years to guarantee safe drinking water, with much of the infrastructure reaching or well beyond its designed life span. Underfunding and racism contributed to this crisis. Governor Reeves wants the whole public water system to be privatized allowing select corporations to loot resources that have been done years ago. We don't omit the deindustrialization and impoverishment of mostly African American city of Jackson over four decades that contributed to this crisis too along with climate change. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also mocked the citizens of Jackson, Mississippi recently. “I’ve got to tell you it is a great day to be in Hattiesburg. It's also, as always, a great day to not be in Jackson,” Reeves said, as he spoke at a groundbreaking event in the southern Mississippi city on Friday. “I feel like I should take off my emergency management director hat and leave it in the car and take off my public works director hat and leave it in the car.” His words show how GOP far-right extremists feel about people who look like us. His words are callous and disrespectful. “In the most disgraceful Governor sweepstakes, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is a winner,” Sherrilyn Ifill, a civil rights attorney and former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, tweeted. The Republican government of Mississippi has refused to adequately finance a response to handle this crisis in the billions of dollars. There are many groups in Jackson like Cooperation Jackson who are fighting for Jackson to have clean drinking water to this very day. 

 



For decades, he lived a life of breaking down barriers, being excellent in acting, and standing up for dignity among black actors and black actresses. Also, he became a director and diplomat. He was the late Sidney Poitier. There were predecessors before him. Paul Robeson and Canada Lee participated in dignified, pro-black roles and fought for more fair, progressive representation among black people. Historically, black men and black women have been fighting for our liberation for eons of our time. Sidney Poitier was born in Miami, Florida and he lived to be 94 years old. He is one of the longest-living old-school Hollywood legends of all time. His story is a Bahamian story (as he is of Afro-Caribbean descent. Caribbeans have great cultures) and an American story (as he worked in America constantly to combat racism and negative stereotypes against black people). The greatness of Sidney Poitier is that he has been part of some of the ahead of their times great films of all time like In the Heat of the Night, To Sir with Love, A Raisin in the Sun, Blackboard Jungle, etc. Poitier won many awards, and he always possessed a humble spirit. From giving advice to Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx to helping the Bahamas for decades, Sidney Poitier was an icon of the human race. His story should be shown without compromise and with a great sense of inspiration for present and future generations to achieve their goals. 



 

There is one human being who changed the face of acting in a great level over many decades. She worked so hard, and she earned her awards by her merit. She never compromised her dignity, and she always worked for the cause of our freedom. She is the late Sister Cicely Tyson. For more than seven decades, Cicely Tyson has worked to show an accurate, non-stereotypical image of black women in film and theater. No one can deny what she has done. From Sounder to the film of Moses, Cicely Tyson always was an icon of acting. She was born in New York City of Afro-Caribbean descent. Having faith in God and in our people, she was always on the move to display some of the best work involving the field of acting of human history. She wore cornrows back in the early 1960's which was revolutionary during that time. She constantly refuted the evil of colorism to make sure that all shades of black people ought to be represented in TV, movie, and theater roles. At the end of the day. black people of every hue should be treated with dignity and respect. Cicely Tyson gave great hope and motivation for us all to live out our dreams. Her memoir of Just as I Am was published on January 26, 2021. She promoted the book during the late weeks of her life. She certainly did her best to outline excellence, to fulfill her own dreams, and to give great support to black people (especially black women) who sought her counsel and advice. 


 


The 2022 Woman King movie has tons of talented people. Before delving into the elephant in the room and the controversies, it is fair to describe what this film is all about first. The Woman King is a film based on the historic Agojie, the all-women group that protected the West African Kingdom of Dahomey from the 17th to 19th centuries. The film is set in the 1820's. The film stars Viola Davis as a general who trains the next generation of warriors to fight their enemies. The film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and it was written by Dana Stevens. Dana Stevens wrote the story with Maria Bello. The film also stars Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, and John Boyega. The producers of the movie are Cathy Schulman, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and Maria Bello. Polly Morgan did the movie's cinematography. It was released in America on September 16, 2022, being the number one film in the nation for the week of its being released. Bello went to Benin and started to work on the movie of The Woman King in 2015. The film took years to be shown. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022. It was released by Sony Pictures Releasing in America and Canada 7 days later. The film (regardless of what you think of its historical accuracy) has been praised by many people for its action and acting. 


The film is set in the West African Kingdom of Dahomey during the 1820's. The all-women group of warriors called the Agojie protect the kingdom (in real life, the Agojie were wives to the kings of the Dahomey). The movie has the group's general Nanisca training people to fight slavery and the European imperialists who seek to destroy their lives. Lashana Lynch plays Izogie, John Boyega plays King Ghezo, Angelique Kidjo plays the Meunon, Sheila Atim plays Amenza, and there are other talented actors and actresses in the film too. Director Prince-Bythewood wanted the film to be like Gladiator, The Last of the Mohicans, and Braveheart which shows athleticism and courage as motifs. She inspired the film to show realistic fight scenes. She worked with Princeton professor Leonard Wantchekon to study the Agojie along with production designer Akin McKenzie. The cast worked 90 minutes a day of weight lifting with trainer Gabriela Mclain followed by three and a half hours of fight training with stunt coordinator Danny Hernandez (with running, martial arts, swords, and spears). Davis was inspired by pro boxer Claressa Sheilds (who is the greatest woman boxer in our generation). Prince-Blythewood wanted the department heads to be women and people of color. The cast and crew flew to South Africa for a five-month shoot. The movie has been praised for its acting, realism, and courage. It has an intensity that showed how times were back then. I do agree with Viola Davis that there should be more dark-skinned black people in movies to outline fair representations. Ironically, many Hoteps and even some divestors agree with each other that this film shouldn't show black women in athleticism, fierce courage, and strength (in fighting military battles in movies). Of course, that is sexist nonsense. Black women and any human being have the right to show courage, strength, leadership, athleticism, and power without apology period. That is not a detriment to femininity as femininity is diverse. In other words, a woman has the right to stay at home or to work to be an engineer or teacher. 



Now, let's get into the controversies. The Woman King film is set in the kingdom of Dahomey in the year of 1823. The Kingdom existed from 1600 to 1904. The Agojie existed for most of that time. Viola Davis plays the Agojie general Nanisca who is a fictional character. It is said that her name was inspired by the Aghojie teenage recruit of the same name who was written by a French naval officer in 1889. John Boyega played King Ghezo, who existed in real life. He ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858. He was evil to engage in the Atlantic slave trade through the end of his reign. Hero Fiennes Tiffin played the white Portuguese-speaking slave trader Santo Ferreira, who is fictional and portrayed as an enemy to Ghezo. This may be inspired by Francisco Felix de Sousa, a Brazilian slave trader who actually helped Ghezo to gain power. There is no question that Dahomey was a kingdom that conquered other African states, enslaved their citizens to sell in the Atlantic slave trade, and most of the kingdom's wealth was derived from slavery. If I knew this in minutes of research, the producers knew this. I think that the producers of this film underestimated the backlash against the film, but we are humans. We are curious by nature, and we will research the facts. I feel that Prince-Blythewood and Viola Davis are sincere in showing the beauty and strength of black women warriors in Africa (as both black women love black people), but we can't whitewash history here. Slave trading is evil. The Agojie had a history of participating in slave raiding. Slavery in Dahomey existed even after the British Empire stopped Dahomey from continuing the Atlantic slave trade. The Agoije at its peak had about 6,000 members in the 1840's. The film rightfully exposes the evil of European colonialism and the evil of slavery, but it omits how invested in slavery the Kindgom of Dahomey was involved in. Dahomey ultimately was ended by French imperialism after various wars. Ghezo used palm oil production in trading in replacing slavery. Then, he continued to be involved in slave trading still. The movie accurately showed Dahomey being free from its status under the Oyo Empire. There are tons of black women warriors in African history who not only opposed slavery but fought colonialism overtly. Do I feel that some critics of the film are motivated by misogynoir and xenophobia against Africans (as Africans collectively are never complicit in the Maafa)? Yes. There are racists, Hoteps, and xenophobes who exploit the complex nature of the film in order to slander African people collectively. There are sexists who can't stand the fact of a movie showing beautiful, strong, and dark black women beating men up in films with courage and power. Yet, the issue of the Dahomey Kingdom's role in slavery can't be omitted (Ghezo reigned from 1818 to 1859. His son Glele reigned from 1858 to 1889). We have to show all of the truth. The Oyo Empire is a powerful Yoruba state in southwestern Nigeria.  In the film Nanisca opposes the slave trade. From an artistic standpoint, the film has glorious scenes, but its omissions and imperfections in showing real history can't be omitted either. The Woman King will start a new conversation in making sure that black men and black women are increasingly shown in non-stereotypical ways in film. Regardless of what you think of the film, African history is complex. There were black women leaders in Africa spanning thousands of years, and there is nothing wrong with that. Leadership and true dignity are never limited based on background. Also, I believe in Pan African Unity in that people of black African unity should unite and fight for black liberation without compromise. I don't agree with the ADOS and FBA movements. I consider myself a lover of Africa and a lover of Blackness. To be free is to be real. To be real is to show the truth and acknowledge the power of the Most High to lead us in a positive direction. Therefore, my view of the film Woman King is that it showed the beauty, courage, and strength of black women. That should be praised. I do feel that the film's producers underestimated the criticism. There are plenty of stories that have all black women warriors fighting slavery in real life. For the film's rejection of the slave trade and the support of black determination, I support people's right to boycott the film or not. The film is not Birth of a Nation which overtly slanders black people using blackface, falsely accuses black men collectively of raping white women, etc. I do condemn the Dahomey role in the slave trade, I understand the film's complexities, and I understand the sincerity of Viola Davis and the director. Yet, I won't demonize those who boycott the Woman King for the slave trade issues out of sincere motivations. Lupita refused to be in the film, because of the Dahomey role in the slave trade. I respect Lupita. At the end of the day, we need more black films created by black people to tell our own black stories. Part of that story is about all black women heroic warriors. We can agree to agree or disagree with the movie as rational adults. The Woman King film has been number one in the country of America. Black stories didn't start with slavery, and it didn't end with slavery. 

 


With the recent news, the student loan crisis has been one of the most important issues of our time. Decades ago, college tuition was either free or it only cost a small amount of money per year. Now, times are different. The majority of recent borrowers and defaulters attend for-profit and non-selective schools. Many people have difficulty in financial stability because of high student loan debt. There are many stories of people and organizations paying off student loan debt of people from across America, but the crisis remains because of many factors. The federal student loan debt is about $1.7 trillion, which is a huge amount of money. Student tuition has radically grown up over the course of four decades. Back when the GI Bill, the National Defense Education Act, and the Higher Education Act of 1965 were passed, many people had greater access to college. Enrollment grew and the costs were very low decades ago. What happened? Deep cuts in state funding for higher education inspired higher tuition rates. These costs of the colleges were pushed onto students. That is why now, tuition is about half of all public college revenue. State and local governments provide the other half. Back then, tuition was only a quarter of revenue, and state and local government took over the rest. Household income is stagnant while average tuition prices are up. That is why more students have to rely on jobs, scholarships, grants, and other programs to help pay for higher tuition rates. Graduate courses have high tuition too. Some use the repayment plan with the lowest monthly payment, but it takes a long time to pay it back. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it takes a person 17 years on average to pay off their educational debt. Without revolutionary solutions, student loan debt could reach $3 trillion. 


By Timothy





Friday, September 16, 2022

End of the Week Updates in September 2022.

 

One lesson out of life is to decolonize your mind. When we were kids back in the day, many of us were taught lies like Christopher Columbus discovered America, every Pilgrim was just a peaceful traveler, and the British Empire never committed atrocities. Today, we live in a time of more of the Internet, books, and other sources of information that shows us the truth about the world. That is why the system of racism and imperialism must be defeated once and for all. It is easy to see that the system of monarchy and Empire for centuries brutalized our black ancestors and other persons of color for centuries. The British Empire used concentration camps and torture in Keyna decades ago when Kenya fought for its own independence from the UK. The Windrush scandal harmed the human rights of Caribbean immigrants. Many of the monarchs of the UK, Germany, and Russia were related to each other. King Leopold, I was involved in the murder of 15 million black Congolese over 100 years ago. Therefore, decolonizing the mind is not about hating people. It's about showing historical truth in order to cause the transformation of the human mind in desiring justice for everybody.



Now, Governors Abbott of Texas and DeSantis of Florida are sending migrants to Washington, D.C., and other places of America, not for generous reasons. They are doing it to promote political exploitation of the human suffering of migrants who escaped war zones and totalitarian governments. Xenophobia is never a political solution. Both Governors are not only far-right extremists. They believe in the myth that the free market is nearly infallible, and a border fence will magically eliminate the migrant crisis. Florida Governor sent dozens of migrants into Martha's Vineyard on Wednesday night. Tons of people are giving aid to the migrants at Martha's Vineyard too. These Republicans claim that the federal government is providing inadequate federal efforts on southern border security. Immigration issues have existed for decades in America. It wasn't caused by one man or one party. The problem with DeSantis and Abbott is that they didn't send anyone advanced notice or form a plan at all. They are just shipping human beings off, because they hate progressive ideological views. The truth is that we are called to help the sojourner and the immigrant as the Golden Rule says love your neighbor as yourself. Therefore, a comprehensive immigration policy should be made by Congress to address immigration matters in a fair, humanitarian fashion. Back in 1962, racist people shipped African Americans to the North in opposition to civil rights legislation.



Some tragic news is the murder of PnB Rock. He was a hip-hop artist from Philadelphia who was killed in Los Angeles at a Roscoes Chickens and Waffles restaurant. He talked about fellow artists feeling targeted for robbery. You have some extremists even blaming him or his girlfriend for his own death which is cruel and a lie. It is one thing to say that celebrities have to be careful in their lives. It's quite another to say that an artist is responsible for his own murder. PnB Rock was with his girlfriend was enjoying a meal at the restaurant. Later, an individual brutally attacked him and murdered him. A social media posting of the artist's location existed. Gun violence is at epidemic levels in America. America is the only industrialized nation on Earth with this level of gun murders. I visited Los Angeles before in 2019. I know which places to go, and I enjoyed myself (at restaurants, a hotel, a university, and other places). There should be a real policy to address gun violence, economic inequality, crime, and other issues where human rights are protected and accountability is shown to those who inflict harm and death on innocent human beings.


This year is the 200th year anniversary of the time of Brazil's independence. That was in 1822. The far-right extremist President Jair Bolsonaro wants to celebrate this anniversary with a display of militarism and traditional extremism. He integrates the military high command into right-wing demonstrations. Some want to overturn the results of the October general elections to maintain Jair's power. Brazil's leader supports Portugal, whose President was side by side with Brazil's fascist head of state. Warships joined a naval parade off the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Dom Pedro I was a dictator of Brazil being emperor back in the 19th century. Brazil has been a victim of a right-wing coup in 1964 which was supported by the U.S. imperialists. It was carried out with the murder of rural guerillas and the suppression of working-class movements. That regime would work to promote military coups in Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina causing the deaths of over 70,000 people. Some even want to glorify Dom as a revolutionary visionary leader which he wasn't. 

Today, we see Brazil in an era of a crossroads. After 200 years, Brazil has had a huge assault on living standards. There is massive impoverishment in the nation, and the pandemic still has cost human lives. Bolsonaro supporters believe that Article 142 of Brazil's Constitution that any of the three branches of government can call out the Army to be a "moderating power." We know about the massive racism, police brutality, and economic exploitation that Afro-Brazilians experience every single day. For example, the black Brazilian woman Marcelle Silva Santos (who is 22 years old) is a trainee of the 1st Naval District of the Navy. She denounced racism in the Brazilian Navy as they made her to wash dishes because she is black. She continues to fight racism in Brazil. Racism in Brazil is so vicious, that I would run out of space to list all of it. Yet, many progressive Brazilians are still in Brazil fighting for justice for all. 




By Timothy


Wednesday, September 14, 2022

News on Our Lives.

 

Some breaking news is that a Former U.S. Attorney said that Donald Trump wanted the DOJ to pressure people to aid the Trump team politically. His name is Geoffrey Berman, a Donald Trump appointee. He was fired by Trump. The New York Times has reported on this story too. Berman said that declined Trump's attempt to use his office to aid them politically. This information will be found in his book called Holding the Line. This comes during a time when the federal government investigators have seized classified documents from the Trump Mar-a-Lago residence. Berman wrote about how former Attorney General Bill Barr attempted to have Michael Cohen's 2018 convicted reversed. Berman wrote that the Justice Department (during the Trump years) wanted to investigate former Secretary of State John Kerry. Trump accused Kerry of violating the Logan Act. Kerry has denied the allegations, and he wasn't told about the investigation, according to Berman.



The Justice Department has seized the phones of top Trump aides in the January 6th inquiry. The Justice Department made 40 subpoenas. The January 6th committee s set to meet in person on Tuesday. It will be debated on whether to invite Trump and Pence to appear. It is expected that both men will not testify, but some want to show invitations should be extended for the record. Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (who is a Mississippi Democrat) wants Trump and Pence to testify. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California wants them both to testify, but he realizes that it will be difficult for that dream to come to fruition. Former U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote a book about the Justice Department under Trump. Berman proves up close that Trump is easily the top 3 most corrupt Presidencies in American history This statement is not an exaggeration or hyperbole. It's a fact.



The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards taking place on September 12, 2022, was very historic. Many people in the awards show wanted inclusion and justice. It was held at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was produced via Done and Dusted and Hudlin Entertainment. It was directed by Hamish Hamilton, and Kenan Thompson served as host for the event. One of the most well-known winners of the event is Sherly Lee Ralph for Outstanding Supporting Actress in Comedy Series. She is on the show Abbot Elementary which is highly praised for its realism about what goes on in educational schools. She sang during her acceptance speech. Also, we know Sheryl Lee Ralph being on the show Moesha (I loved that show as a teenager during the mid to late 1990's), and the Dreamgirls theatrical play of the early 1980's. Other awards were won by Jason Sudeikis for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Jean Smart for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy series, Lee jung-jae for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Zendaya for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and other human beings. Shows that won big were Ted Lasso, Succession, The White Lotus, Lizzo's show, etc.

Days ago it was the 21st year anniversary of 9/11. We know what happened on that day. On that day, cowardly terrorists used planes as weapons to murder almost 3,000 innocent human beings of many backgrounds. The attacks were an attack on America and on the human race in general. Osama bin Laden lived like a coward, and he never cared about his own people. If he truly cared about his people, he would be an activist to set up programs to address economic oppression, racism, and other evils. Yet, bin Laden decided to use terrorism, extremism, hatred, and jealousy of democratic principles to express his insane vision of the world. Also, it is right to condemn al-Qaeda and Western imperialism too. For decades and centuries before the 21st century, Western imperialism colonized Africa, the Middle East, Asia, etc. We know that many U.S. allies gave specific warnings to the American government about possible attacks in America. The FBI agents who tried to stop the attacks like O'Neill were blocked by headquarters. The CIA "Alec Station" did not tell the FBI that some hijackers have entered the U.S. 


Days ago was the Birthday of Sister Lisa Simone Kelly, and she is 60 years old. She is the only child of the late musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone. She is the executive producer of the Netflix documentary called, "What Happened, Miss Simone?" She is a famous jazz musician who made albums like Simone on Simone, All is Well, My World and Live at the Edge. As a child, she lived with her relatives and friends as Nina Simone was on touring dates worldwide. Lisa Simone Kelly served in the United States Air Force for over 10 years as an engineering assistant stationed at Davis Monthan in Tuscon, Arizona, Osan Airbase in South Korea, and Rhein Main Air Base in Frankfurt, Germany. She is a veteran of the Gulf War. She was in many plays from Aida to The Lion King. She loved jazz including her group Liquid Soul. Lisa Simone Kelly is fluent in French as she was partly raised in Switzerland. Her husband is Robert Kelly. I wish Sister Lisa Simone Kelly more Blessings. 


By Timothy




Political Histories.

 


President George W. Bush was the first President whose Presidency totally existed during the 21st century. He lived through one of the worst events in human history being the 9/11 attacks. The early part of his Presidency before 9/11 was filled with political divisions and confusion about what his legacy would be. Bush Jr. talked about compassionate "conservativism" being his aim and his opposition to nation-building before 9/11. 9/11 transformed his Presidency forever. Afterward, he led the American response to the war on terror and his foreign policy embraced overt interventionism. His approval rating after 9/11 was over 90 percent, as the nation was united to confront radical terrorism. That would change with the Iraq War, the Patriot Act, warrantless wiretapping from the NSA, torture at Abu Ghraib, and other scandals. The Iraq War caused massive protests not seen since the Vietnam War era. He defeated John Kerry in 2004. The Bush administration's investments to Africa have been underestimated as one of his greatest accomplishments. Yet, the event of Hurricane Katrina in my opinion destroyed the latter half of the Bush Presidency. The federal, state, and local responses to Katrina were very bad, and people starved to death. Later, services came to help people, but thousands of people (especially black people as let's keep it real) were displaced to places nationwide, and the economic recession hit. The economic recession was not caused by one man. It was created by many complex factors, and it ruined many people's lives. Bush and others passed a bailout for Wall Street, and his Presidency ended in 2009 with President Barack Obama taking power. Afterward, George W. Bush has been a fierce critic of Donald Trump's extremism. Now, here is the story of the Presidency of George W. Bush. 



George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946 at Grace New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the first child of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce. He was raised in Midland and Houston, Texas. His siblings are: Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. His younger sister, Robin, died from leukemia at the age of 3 in 1953. George W. Bush's paternal grandfather was Prescott Bush (a U.S. Senator from Connecticut). Bush has English and German ancestry. He has distant Dutch, Welsh, Irish, French, and Scottish roots too. George W. Bush attended public schools in Midland, Texas. He lived in Houston by the time when he was in the 7th grade. To prepare for college, he attended the college preparatory school called The Kinkaid School. He played baseball and was the head cheerleader during his senior year at the boarding school of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. George W. Bush attended Yale University from 1964 to 1968. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. At Yale, he joined the Skulls and Bones, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and he was a cheerleader again. Bush played rugby, and he earned a MBA degree from Harvard Business School in 1975 after graduation. He is the only American President with a MBA. Bush was engaged to Cathryn Lee Wolfman in 1967, but the engagement did not last. Bush and Wolfman remained on good terms after the end of the relationship. While Bush was at a backyard barbecue in 1977, friends introduced him to Laura Welch, a schoolteacher and librarian. After a three-month courtship, she accepted his marriage proposal and they wed on November 5 of that year. The couple settled in Midland, Texas. Bush left his family's Episcopal Church to join his wife's United Methodist Church. On November 25, 1981, Laura Bush gave birth to fraternal twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. Bush describes being challenged by Billy Graham to consider faith in Jesus "Christ as the risen Lord", how he began to read the Bible daily, "surrendering" to the "Almighty", that "faith is a walk" and that he was "moved by God's love." It is no secret that George W. Bush had to overcome alcohol and drug addiction. He gave up alcohol in 1986.   George W. Bush loves to read biographies and histories. Bush would read the Bible daily when he was President. Shocking to some, he is not a believer in Bible literalism. Bush is also a painter and an author of many books. He read books by F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, and Gore Vidal. 


George W. Bush by May of 1968 was in the Texas Air National Guard. He trained for 2 years in active duty service. He worked in Houston flying Convair F-102s with the 147the Reconnaissance Wing out of the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base. He worked in the Arbusto Energy business back in 1977. George W. Bush also worked with the Texas Rangers baseball franchise. He worked in politics for decades. He lost many elections until he was Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. Bush declared his candidacy for the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election at the same time his brother Jeb sought the governorship in Florida. His campaign focused on four themes: welfare reform, tort reform, crime reduction, and education improvement. Bush's campaign advisers were Karen Hughes, Joe Allbaugh, and Karl Rove. After easily winning the Republican primary, Bush faced popular Democratic incumbent Governor Ann Richards. In the course of the campaign, Bush pledged to sign a bill allowing Texans to obtain permits to carry concealed weapons. Richards had vetoed the bill, but Bush signed it into law after he became governor. Bush supporters promoted a rumor about Richards. Bush won the general election with 53.5 percent against Richards' 45.9 percent. Bush used a budget surplus to push through Texas's largest tax-cut, $2 billion. He extended government funding for organizations providing education of the dangers of alcohol and drug use and abuse and helping to reduce domestic violence. Critics contended that during his tenure, Texas ranked near the bottom in environmental evaluations. Supporters pointed to his efforts to raise the salaries of teachers and improve educational test scores. We know about Bush and the death penalty controversies too. 




As Texas Governor, he won re-election with 69 percent of the vote being the first Texas governor winning 2 consecutive four year terms. He promoted renewable sources of energy including wind power. George W. Bush wanted to run for President during his first term as Governor. He ran for the Presidency in the year of 2000. His Presidential campaign promoted him as a compassionate conservative being more centrist than other Republicans.  He campaigned on a platform that included bringing integrity and honor back to the White House, increasing the size of the military, cutting taxes, improving education, and aiding minorities. By early 2000, the Republican primary race had centered on Bush and Arizona Senator John McCain.


Bush won the Iowa caucuses and, although heavily favored to win the New Hampshire primary, trailed McCain by 19 percent and lost. Despite this he regained momentum and effectively became the front runner after the South Carolina primary, which according to The Boston Globe made history for his campaign's negativity. The New York Times described it as a smear campaign. In actuality, it was a smear campaign when many Bush campaign people slander John McCain's adopted daughter in racist terms. On July 25, 2000, Bush surprised some observers when he selected Dick Cheney – a former White House chief of staff, representative and secretary of defense – to be his running mate. At the time, Cheney was serving as head of Bush's vice presidential search committee. Soon after at the 2000 Republican National Convention, Bush and Cheney were officially nominated by the Republican Party.


Bush continued to campaign across the country and touted his record as Governor of Texas. During his campaign, Bush criticized his Democratic opponent, incumbent Vice President Al Gore, over gun control and taxation.


When the election returns were tallied on November 7, Bush had won 29 states, including Florida. The closeness of the Florida outcome led to a recount. The initial recount also went to Bush, but the outcome was tied up in lower courts for a month until eventually reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. On December 9, in the controversial Bush v. Gore ruling, the Court reversed a Florida Supreme Court decision that had ordered a third count and stopped an ordered statewide hand recount based on the argument that the use of different standards among Florida's counties violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The machine recount showed that Bush had won the Florida vote by a margin of 537 votes out of six million casts.  Although he had received 543,895 fewer individual nationwide votes than Gore, Bush won the election, receiving 271 electoral votes to Gore's 266 (Gore had actually been awarded 267 votes by the states pledged to him plus the District of Columbia, but one D.C. elector abstained). Bush was the first person to win an American presidential election with fewer popular votes than another candidate since Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Greg Palast and other scholars used sources to document voter suppression in Florida back in 2000. 



When he was President, George W. Bush saw an economic recession with the dot com bubble. The 9/11 terrorist attacks also impacted the economy. He was inaugurated in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2001 by Chief Justice Rehnquist. He said that he wants a balance of power and freedom. George W. Bush supported the ban on aid to international groups doing abortions internationally like Reagan did. Bush supported the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to ease regulations on religious charities and promote grassroots efforts to tackle issues like aid to the poor and disadvantaged. Cabinet members were Donald Rumsfeld of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Roderick R. Paige as Secretary of Education head, etc. Vice President Dick Cheney have a powerful role in the Bush administration. President Bush announced a $1.025 billion, five-year plan to assist disabled persons to gain greater independence while seated at a wheelchair-accessible podium and surrounded by an audience of persons with disabilities and their supporters. By 2001, President Bush supported a $1.6 trillion, 10 year tax cut proposal to Congress. By March 6, 2001, President Bush issued a message on the observance of Eid al-Adha, saying in part that those celebrating the holiday will "honor the great sacrifice and devotion of Abraham as recognized by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. By educating others about your religious traditions, you enrich the lives of others in your local communities."




By 2001, the Bush administration supported missile defense, the Kyoto Protocol, and other foreign policy matters. From Sweden, President Bush announces that the U.S. military will cease Vieques bombing exercises due to residents not wanting "us there." That was on June 15, 2001. By August 2001, he supported funding for existing embryonic stem cell lines but not going further. He supports federal funds for adult stem cells. President Bush addresses the 83rd national convention of the American Legion in San Antonio, Texas. In his speech on the nation's defense priorities, the president highlights his administration's commitment to enhancing the delivery of quality health care to veterans and military retirees. President Bush meets with congressional leaders for talk about the previous month's unemployment numbers. The August 2001 unemployment rate is 4.9 percent, up from 4.5 percent in July, and the highest since September 1997.  The September 11 attacks occurred, as Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial jets and crash them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. With 2,996 people killed, and over 6,000 others injured, it is the worst attack on American soil since the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. President George W. Bush supported the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. He also passed the Patriot Act and condemned the harassment of Muslim Americans. A global coalition existed to support George W. Bush. The 2001 anthrax attack happened too. By 2002, more changes existed in America. 


 



By January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act. It created federal requirements for state education. It's one of the most consequential legislation of the Bush administration. He gave the controversial Axis of Evil speech during his Annual State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002. He called Iran, Iraq, and North Korea part of the Axis of Evil. By May 16, 2002, there was a press briefing on the events leading up to 9/11 by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said, "I want to reiterate that during this time, the overwhelming bulk of the evidence was that this was an attack that was likely to take place overseas.” In 2002, President Bush signed the strategic reduction treaty between America and Russia to reduce the nuclear weapons in each nation. He proposed the Department of Homeland Security on June 6, 2002.  By October 16, 2002, he signed the Congressional Resolution of Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq. Bush wanted to invade Iraq for many reasons from economic issues to desiring revenge over Saddam wanting to assassinate his father. First, nuclear investigators are in Iraq. The United Nations accused Iraq of violation of Security Council Resolution 1441. In 29003, the Columbia Shuttle exploded in space killing all seven crew members. By March 17, 2003, President George W. Bush addressed the nation to warn Saddam Hussein and his son to leave Iraq within 48 hours. 


On March 19, 2003, the Western invasion of Iraq started. He said that "On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance." By April 10, 2003, British Prime Minister Tony Blair supported the Iraq War. On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush did the infamous address to the nation on Iraq from the U.S.S. Lincoln to say that Mission Accomplished with the banner. He said that major combat operations in Iraq have ended, and the war has begun to end. We know that to be false. Income taxes are reduced by Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. The Senate Intelligence Report on U.S. pre-war intelligence raised concerns about the administration's lie that Iraq had massive weapons of mass destruction on July 9, 2003. U.S. forces killed Uday and Qusay Hussein or the sons of Saddam Hussein on July 22, 2003. By the end of 2003, the late-term abortion ban is signed and the prescription drug plan in Medicare was signed. Saddam Hussein was captured in Tikrit, Iraq on December 13, 2003. Iraq has a transitional government in 2004, but the Abu Ghraib scandal exists in April 28, 2004 where Iraqi prisoners were abused, tortured, and harmed in perverted ways. We see the Presidential re-election of Bush in 2004. John Ashcroft (an Attorney General) appeared before Senate Judiciary Committee to testify on two leaked documents containing legal arguments for circumventing the US and international bans on torture in the questioning of terrorist subjects. Fallujah, Iraq was invaded on November 8, 2004. It was controversial as allegations of war crimes done by the West have existed. Colin Powell resigned as Secretary of State to be replaced by Condoleezza Rice, who was the first African American woman Secretary of State.


After his State of the Union Address, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was sworn in as the first Hispanic American to serve in that post. The Terri Schiavo ordeal took place in 2005 too. She passed away after her feeding tube was removed on March 31, 2005. President George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005; which included tax credits for wind and other alternative energy; identified ocean energy as a renewable technology. By late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina took place in the Gulf Coast. It destroyed many places in the South including New Orleans. A terrible response happened among the federal, state, and local governments. The Hurricane response totally ends the Bush administration as we know it. It was that bad. Many people starved to death, there were poor and black Americans displaced from their homes forever. It was one of the most terrible times in American history. On September 29, 2005, Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. By 2006, the NSA spying scandal existed when the NSA used warrantless spying. By the end of 2006, Democrats won big in the House and the Senate. They won both houses. Fences on the border go up, and Nancy Pelosi was the first woman speaker of the House in 2007. On December 30, 2006, Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging in Baghdad for his crimes against humanity after a trial. More troops come into Iraq in 2007. On March 6, 2007, Scooter Libby, VP Cheney’s Chief of Staff Convicted of Perjury, Bush later commutes his sentence. By April 16, 2007, the Virginia Tech massacre existed with a student killing 32 people and then committing suicide. Bush vetoed a scheduled troop withdrawal bill. The Iraq war continues. By July 26, 2007, the National Security Act of 2007 was signed. It allowed screening of air and sea cargo. It gives more money in antiterrorism grants to states with the greatest risks of attacks. Alberto Gonzales leaves office after protracted controversy about the dismissal of U.S. attorneys. President George W. Bush created the Middle East peace Conference with Israel's and Palestine's Presidents. Later, Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act. It forced automobile manufacturers to increase fuel efficiency. 2008 was when the recession hit America bad. Homes were foreclosed, there was massive Wall Street damage, and homelessness increased in America.


The economic crisis continued, and six detainees are charged for 9/11 in Guantanamo Bay. President Bush signed the Economic Stimulus Act on February 13, 2008. Bear Stearns is bailed out by the Federal Reserve. Homeowners never were bailed out. Later, Congress passed the Farm Bill of 2008 over veto. By 2008, John McCain ran for President on the Republican side. He was defeated by Barack Obama in 2008. He was the first African American President in American history. On September 7, 2008, the US Treasury tookoOver of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Corporations, in order to prevent more than half of Americans’ mortgages from going under. Investment bank Lehman Brothers fails and is not bailed out;  Merrill Lynch is acquired by Bank of America. The Federal Reserve takes ownership of American International Group. A nuclear deal took place in 2008 between America and India. Bush signed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, the largest bailout in history, attempting to fight one of the worst recessions in American history. On November 25, 2008, The Treasury and Federal Reserve Agree to Buy Debt to Provide Another $800 Billion in Lending Programs and to Provide More Small Loans to Consumers. Bush promoted the TARP program to fight GM and Chrysler from experiencing bankruptcy. 


George W. Bush ended his Presidency on January 20, 2009. Afterwards, he did more activities. Following the inauguration of Barack Obama, Bush and his family flew from Andrews Air Force Base to a homecoming celebration in Midland, Texas, following which they returned to their ranch in Crawford, Texas. They bought a home in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, where they settled down.


Bush made regular appearances at various events throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including the opening coin toss at the Dallas Cowboys' first game in the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington and an April 2009 Texas Rangers game, where he thanked the people of Dallas for helping him settle in, which was met with a standing ovation. He also attended every home playoff game during the Rangers' 2010 season and, accompanied by his father, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington for Game 4 of the 2010 World Series on October 31.


On August 6, 2013, Bush was successfully treated for a coronary artery blockage with a stent. The blockage had been found during an annual medical examination.


In reaction to the 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers, Bush said, "Laura and I are heartbroken by the heinous acts of violence in our city last night. Murdering the innocent is always evil, never more so than when the lives taken belong to those who protect our families and communities." George W. Bush condemned the Charlottesville racist rally and violence. In February 2017, Bush released a book of his own portraits of veterans called Portraits of Courage. In August, following the white nationalist Unite the Right rally, Bush and his father released a joint statement condemning the violence and ideologies present there. Subsequently, Bush gave a speech in New York where he noted of the current political climate, "Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication." He continued, "Bigotry in any form is blasphemy against the American creed and it means the very identity of our nation depends on the passing of civic ideals to the next generation," while urging citizens to oppose threats to American democracy and be positive role models for young people. The speech was widely interpreted as a denouncement of Donald Trump and his ideologies, despite Bush not mentioning Trump by name. George W. Bush condemned the January 6, 2021 insurrection. He opposed the Afghanistan withdrawal. 



 

President Barack Obama made history as the first African American President in American history. Centuries ago, it would seem to be impossible to witness a man with an African father and a mother from Kansas to one day have a child to be President of America. Yet, history teaches us that miracles can happen. Barack Obama is a Baby Boomer who was shaped by many events. He traveled the world as a child, he was educated in some of the best universities on Earth, he is eloquent in his speeches, and he was a community organizer in the South side of Chicago. Also, Barack Obama wouldn't be the man that he is and he wouldn't be President without marrying his gracious, very intelligent wife Michelle Obama (who is a very inspiring black woman). The Obama family certainly was different than any other Presidential family in our history. Yet, the Obamas want everything that any other family would desire like stability, ethics, and the promotion of justice for all. Barack Obama won 2 terms in his Presidency. President Barack Obama helped us to escape from a vicious recession with many domestic accomplishments like health care legislation, women's equal pay legislation, etc. He also saw Black Lives Matter and other progressive movements grow during the midst of the epidemic of gun violence, police brutality, racism, sexism, etc. President Obama also had a hawkish foreign policy in many cases, but he supported the courageous Iran nuclear deal, despite opposition from people even in his own party. President Barack Obama left the Presidency in 2017 before Trump took office. To this day, Barack Obama supports charities, volunteerism, and progressive candidates. 





To start, Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 at Honolulu, Hawaii at Kapionali Medical Center for Women and Children. His parents are Barack Obama Sr. (from Kenya) and Ann Dunham (she is of mostly English descent). In 2007, it was discovered her great-great-grandfather Falmouth Kearney emigrated from the village of Moneygall, Ireland to the US in 1850. In July 2012, Ancestry.com found a strong likelihood that Dunham was descended from John Punch, an enslaved African man who lived in the Colony of Virginia during the seventeenth century. Obama's father, Barack Obama Sr. (1934–1982), was a married Luo Kenyan from Nyang'oma Kogelo. Obama's parents met in 1960 in a Russian language class at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was a foreign student on a scholarship. The couple married in Wailuku, Hawaii, on February 2, 1961, six months before Obama was born.


In late August 1961, a few weeks after he was born, Barack and his mother moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, where they lived for a year. During that time, Barack's father completed his undergraduate degree in economics in Hawaii, graduating in June 1962. He left to attend graduate school on a scholarship at Harvard University, where he earned an M.A. in economics. Obama's parents divorced in March 1964. Obama Sr. returned to Kenya in 1964, where he married for a third time and worked for the Kenyan government as the Senior Economic Analyst in the Ministry of Finance. He visited his son in Hawaii only once, at Christmas 1971, before he was killed in an automobile accident in 1982, when Obama was 21 years old. Recalling his early childhood, Obama said: "That my father looked nothing like the people around me—that he was black as pitch, my mother white as milk—barely registered in my mind." He described his struggles as a young adult to reconcile social perceptions of his multiracial heritage.  Dunham married Lolo Soetoro (who was from Indonesia) on March 15, 1965. Barck Obama toured the world in South Jakarta and in other places. By 1971, Obama came to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandparents, Madelyn and Stanley Dunham. 



He attended Punahou School—a private college preparatory school—with the aid of a scholarship from fifth grade until he graduated from high school in 1979. In his youth, Obama went by the nickname "Barry." Obama lived with his mother and half-sister, Maya Soetoro, in Hawaii for three years from 1972 to 1975 while his mother was a graduate student in anthropology at the University of Hawaii. Obama chose to stay in Hawaii when his mother and half-sister returned to Indonesia in 1975, so his mother could begin anthropology field work. His mother spent most of the next two decades in Indonesia, divorcing Lolo in 1980 and earning a Ph.D. degree in 1992, before dying in 1995 in Hawaii following unsuccessful treatment for ovarian and uterine cancer. Of his years in Honolulu, Obama wrote: "The opportunity that Hawaii offered — to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect — became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values that I hold most dear." Barack Obama studied at Occidental College in 1979 after high school. He fought apartheid. In February of 1981, he gave a speech for Occidental to be involved in the disinvestment movement against South African apartheid. By 1981, he transferred to Columbia University as a junior. He majored in political science with a specialty in international relations and English literature. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983 and a 3.7 GPA. After graduating, Obama worked for about a year at the Business International Corporation, where he was a financial researcher and writer, then as a project coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group on the City College of New York campus for three months in 1985.



Later, he worked at Harvard Law School and was a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago. He worked as a consultant and instructor for the Gamaliel Foundation, or a community organizing institute. He visited his relatives in Kenya in 1988. He was selected as an editor of the Harvard Law Review at the end of his first year, president of the journal in his second year, and research assistant to the constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe while at Harvard for two years. During his summers, he returned to Chicago, where he worked as a summer associate at the law firms of Sidley Austin in 1989 and Hopkins & Sutter in 1990. After graduating with a Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago. Obama's election as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review gained national media attention and led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations, which evolved into a personal memoir. The manuscript was published in mid-1995 as Dreams from My Father. Barack Obama was a professor and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for 12 years. He helped to register thousands of black Americans in Illinois to vote. Later, he married Michelle Obama on October 3, 1992. From 1997-2004, Obama was in the Illinois state Senate. He worked to promote tax credits for low-income workers, welfare reform, and higher subsidies for children. He easily defeated Alan Keyes to be the United States Senator from 2005 to 2008. 



Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 3, 2005, becoming the only Senate member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He introduced two initiatives that bore his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction concept to conventional weapons; and the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which authorized the establishment of USAspending.gov, a web search engine on federal spending. Barack Obama held assignments in many Senate positions like Committees of Foreign Relations, Environment and Public Works and Veterans' Affairs through 2006. By 2007, he visited globally. He met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and gave a speech at the University of Nairobi to condemn corruption in the Kenyan government. 


On February 10, 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the Old State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois. The choice of the announcement site was viewed as symbolic because it was also where Abraham Lincoln delivered his historic "House Divided" speech in 1858. Obama emphasized issues of rapidly ending the Iraq War, increasing energy independence, and reforming the health care system, in a campaign that projected themes of hope and change. It was a cold day in Springfield. From the start, the campaign was hard fought. During the Democratic primary, he had to face Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John Edwards, and other people. By the early part of 2008, it was a campaign between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Barack Obama gained more delegates and won many races. On June 2, 2008, Obama received enough votes to clinch his election. On all previous occasions, the defeated candidate had immediately conceded and endorsed the winner. Clinton however refused to do so. On June 6, 2008, Obama unexpectedly flew to a meeting of AIPAC (The American Israel Public Action Committee) where he made a wildly applauded speech in which he declared that "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided", contrary to his previous views about the Palestinian issue. This opened the door to additional Jewish funding for his presidential campaign. On June 7, 2008, Clinton ended her campaign and endorsed Obama.


On August 23, 2008, Obama announced his selection of Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate. Obama selected Biden from a field speculated to include former Indiana Governor and Senator Evan Bayh and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine. At the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, Hillary Clinton called for her supporters to endorse Obama, and she and Bill Clinton gave convention speeches in his support. Obama delivered his acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High stadium to a crowd of about eighty-four thousand; the speech was viewed by over three million people worldwide. Barack Obama gave a powerful speech. 


During both the primary process and the general election, Obama's campaign set numerous fundraising records, particularly in the quantity of small donations. On June 19, 2008, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down public financing in the general election since the system was created in 1976. He faced John McCain and Sarah Palin. After 3 Presidential debates in September and October of 2008, Barack Obama won. Barack Obama even gave a Philadelphia speech on race that was a nuisance commentary, eloquent, and reduced fears of some. On November 4, Obama won the presidency with 365 electoral votes to 173 received by McCain. Obama won 52.9 percent of the popular vote to McCain's 45.7 percent. He became the first African-American to be elected president. Obama delivered his victory speech before hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago's Grant Park.  He is one of the three United States senators who moved directly from the U.S. Senate to the White House, the others are Warren G. Harding and John F. Kennedy. President Barack Obama gave a historic inaugural address on January 20, 2009. There were parades, celebrities, bands, and other events during the whole day. There were high hopes for America. On January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13491, Ensuring Lawful Interrogations.  Directs that detainees in armed conflict shall be treated humanely and not be subject “to violence to life and person” or “outrages to personal dignity.” He wanted to close the Guantanamo Bay center. By January 29, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 to protect workers against pay discrimination based on sex. 



On February 4, 2009, the Treasury Department Caps Executive Pay for Businesses Receiving Federal Bailout Funding., and on February 17, 2009, he signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $787 billion dollar stimulus package. In his February 24, 2009 Address Before a Joint Session of Congress (In effect a State of the Union Address), he said that,  “ . . . we have lived through an era where too often short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity, where we failed to look beyond the next payment, the next quarter, or the next election.” President Obama made the first-ever White House online Livestream discussion. Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2009. His famous Cairo speech talked about Middle Eastern issues and America. By July of 2009, President Barack Obama defended his friend Professor Henry Louis Gates (who was arrested while trying to get into his own home). Things end with a "beer summit" at the White House on July 30th with Obama, Gates, and Cambridge Police Sergeant Jim Crowley. Barack Obama promotes health care, and one Congressman disrespectfully said "you lie" to him in Congress. He received the Nobel Peace Prize on October 9, 2009. President Barack Obama signed the November 28, 2009, Matthew Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The law extends the Federal hate crimes protections to gender, race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.



By December 2009, Barack Obama wants to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. During the Earthquake in Haiti, he wants Haiti to have $100 million for earthquake relief. By March 23, 2010, he signed a legacy-defining law called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which significantly expands Medicaid and Medicare; guarantees insurance to people with preexisting conditions; provides free preventive care; mandates subscription to health insurance. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty at the summit with Russian President Medvedev. The April 20, 2010 oil speech or the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest oil spill in American history. Obama nominated Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. In July 2010, Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (it reformed areas of the financial sector thought to be responsible for the 2008 crash). My August of 2010, he signed the Fair Sentencing Act of 2013 which reduces the disparity in punishment of the crime of possession of crack vs. powder cocaine. Rosa's Law changed the words of people with disabilities to "intellectual disabilities." The 2010 Midterm Election cause Republicans to sin seas in the Senate and the House. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 provides federal food funding for low-income schools. First Lady Michelle Obama promoted healthy eating and exercise in public schools and schools in general with her health program. In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Tax Relief Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Create Act of 2010 and repealed Don't Ask, Don't  Tell to allow LGBTQ+ people to openly serve in the military.


In January 8, 2011, there was the mass shooting in Tuscon, Arizona where Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot. Barack Obama fights for gun control, but nothing comes about. Later, the Egyptian Revolution occurs part of the Arab Spring. The Libyan Civil War started in February 23, 2011. This comes after the START Treaty existed. The Libyan civil war totally destroys Libya and was unjust for many reasons. As early as 2011, racists lied and say that President Barack Obama wasn't born in America, so the White House released the long-form birth certificate. By May of 2011, Osama Bin Laden is dead. President Barack Obama signed the Budget Control Act of 2011 which resolved in the 2011 debt ceiling crisis. In 2012 , Barack Obama won the election a second time, but it will be much harder. The Keystone XL pipeline controversy grows. In February of 2012, Trayvon Martin was murdered which culminates in more activism against police brutality and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 28, 2012, the Supreme Court decides the National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, upholding the central features of the Affordable Care Act.  Obama made remarks about the decision later that day. On November 16, 2012, President Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney. The Sandy Hook Shooting in Newton, Connecticut saw 26 people murdered, including 20 first graders. President Barack Obama cries over their deaths. President Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. He fight for immigration reform and signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. 



Terrorism continues with the Boston Marathon terrorist attack where 3 people are killed and 140 people are injured. The Voting Rights Act is gutted of Section 5 in the Shelby County v. Holder decision on June 25, 2013. President Obama fights against climate change. President Barack Obama gave remarks to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington. The minimum wage goes up. Crimea is annexed by Russia in 2014. President Barack Obama supports abortion and the LGBTQ+ movement in signing executive orders. By 2014, the ebola virus starts in West Africa. The 2014 midterms cause Democrats to lose seats again. Loretta Lynch became the first African American to be the Attorney General in 2014. In the same year, he signed the  Child Care and Development Block Grant of 2014, authorizing funds for education programs and work support for low-income families. In 2015, there was the Paris terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo cartoon company. President Obama was involved in the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery in fighting for voting rights. He gave the eulogy of  Child Care and Development Block Grant of 2014, authorizing funds for education programs and work support for low-income families. On June 26, 2015, the U.S.. Supreme Court rules in Obergefell v. Hodges, that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. President Barack Obama tries to improve America/Cuba relations, and he promotes the nuclear deal with Iran. President Obama saw Pope Francis visiting the White House and America in September 2015. The President supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In 2016, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died, he visited Cuba, he gave a speech about Flint's water crisis, and the Pulse Nightclub shooting happen (with 49 people died and 53 people injured). 




In 2016, the Supreme Court in the United States v. Texas, an equally-divided Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the 5th circuit that an important Obama initiative, “Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents,” could not be implemented.  In Fisher v. University of Texas, the Court upheld the use of race as a factor in university admissions decisions. On September 24, 2016, President Barack Obama gave remarks at the dedication of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. President Obama supported Hillary Clinton in her 2016 campaign, but Trump defeats Clinton. President Barack Obama gave his farewell address to the nation on January 10, 2017. Before, he gave a statement on the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. 


By Timothy