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Friday, April 07, 2023

Say No to Fascism in Tennessee

 


Fascism is taking place in Tennessee and all over America. Tennessee GOP members immorally expelled Justin Jones and Justin Pearson for just participating in a legal protest (which is part of the First Amendment). This is total injustice, far right-wing extremism, and bigotry against Jones and other Democratic state Tennessee representatives. Justin Jones told the truth that his job is to represent people who are afraid of dying from gun violence. This is beyond an embarrassment for the progressive residents of Tennessee. This is an embarrassment for America. You don't violate people's First Amendment rights of representatives. We won't shut up about the necessity to advance gun control measures. Babies dying and many of these GOP extremists idolize guns in a strange sense of idolatry. Two black people and one woman are being unfairly demonized by numerous TN GOP people. This took place in the state Capitol building at Nashville, Tennessee. This fascism is not new, but it is just as vicious as yesteryear. Freedom is silenced in many places of America (from people banning books to violating basic human rights of many human beings), but people are fighting back to demand an end to gun violence. We want people to stop dying in schools and in the streets of America in general. Many racist Tennessee House members misnamed Justin Pearson after he was expelled from the state legislature. Justin Pearson gave a passionate speech invoking our black ancestors in promoting an end to the epidemic of gun violence in American society. America has a racism problem and other issues that must be solved. The vast majority of Tennessean people want gun reform measures (like federal background checks, real flag laws, etc.), expanded health care, and a growth of the social safety net to help millions of human lives conclusively. The battle for justice in Tennessee continues. We will not back down from the principle of human rights for all. The lives of babies and children plus adults are more important than a gun. The Tennessee Three should inspire the country and the world to continue in the journey for liberty and peace.



Days ago was the Birthday of Sister Jill Scott, and she is now 51 years old. For over 20 years, Jill Scott has been a pioneer and legend of neo-soul music. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania being a great performer, songwriter, model, poet, and actress. Philadelphia is a city known for its musical and soul culture. She grew up in a North Philadelphia neighborhood, raised by her mother and her grandmother. She was loved by her family. Her maternal ancestry has been traced to the Jola people of Guinea-Bissau. After graduating from the Philadelphia High School for Girls, she attended Temple University. She worked 2 jobs and wanted to be a high school English teacher. Later, she worked as a spoken word artist. Questlove of the Roots discovered her. Later, she co-wrote for Soctt on the song "You Got Me" in 2000. That song had Erykah Badu and a young hip hop artist Eve on it. Jill Scott worked with Eric Benet, Will Smith, Common, and other artist. Her first album was 2000's Who is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1. That was in the year of 2000. It was a game changer. Scott's single A Long Walk was one of the best songs of the 2000's era. Jill Scott won many awards. Her 2004 2nd album was Beautiful Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 1. She wrote poetry for years too. 

In early 2007, Jill Scott ws on the George Benson and Al Jarreau collaboration single of "God Bless the Child" (which was an ode to the songwriter of the song, the late Billie Holiday). That song caused Jill Scott to earn her second Grammy at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Daydreaming was the song that she has with Lupe Fiasco. Hate of Me was another anthem from Jill Scott. A great love song was So In Love, featuring Anthony Hamilton. Woman was her album in 2015. By May 9, 2020, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu had their Verzuz battle with many people listening to it. Both women are good friends. Her voice is a soprano with jazz, opera, R&B, spoken word, and hip-hop influences. Jill Scott has a conscious spirit and a down to Earth vibe with her sounds and personality. Jill Scott has acted in TV and movies like Girlfriends, Why Did I Get Married?, the BET series of Black Panther, VH1 Storytellers in 2012, Baggage Claim, First Wives Club, Steel Magnolias (a remake of the 1989 previous movie, etc.). Her Blues Babe Foundations helps young minority student to pay for university expenses. It gives financial assistance to students between the ages of 16 and 21. She loves her child. I wish Sister Jill Scott more Blessings. 

There are many descendants of Sally Williams-Woodson Wiggins (b. 1825). Sally Woodson-Williams married Robert Wiggins. They had children who were Mary Wiggins, Margaret Wiggins, Arry Wiggins, John Wiggins, Robert Wiggins, Augustus Wiggins, and Richard Wiggins. Margaret Wiggins was the daughter of Sally Woodson-Williams and Robert Wiggins. She lived in St. Luke Parish, Southampton County, Virginia. Margaret Wiggins married Jimmie Artis (b. 1853) in October 1871 at Virginia. The couple had many children and one of them were Washington Artis (1876-1958). Washington Artis married Mary Alice Brown (1877-1953) on January 27, 1905, at Nansemond County, Virginia (or Suffolk, Virginia today). Their children were Ayler B. Artis (b. 1900), Augustus O. Artis (b. 1903), Wille Mae Wilson (1904-1987), John H. Artis (b. 1907), Romine Green (1910-1970), Elizabeth Artis, James Robert Artis (1913-1970), Sarah E. Artis (b. 1916), Jasper Artis (1916-1952), Herman William Artis (1917-1973), Edward Artis (1919-1992), Joyce Brown Hill (1920-1957), Joyce Brown Hill (1920-1957), infant son Artis (1921-1921), Rufus T. Artis (1922-1996), and Harry Columbus Artis Sr. (1925-2003). 



My 3rd cousin Rufus T. Artis married Lula Mae Sessoms (1933-2010) on August 18, 1951, at Nansemond, Virginia. Their children (who are my 4th cousins) were: Rufus Lee Artis (1952-2015), Linda Mae Artis (1953-2013), Joseph McCoy Artis (1954-1955), Rosa Diane Artis (b. 1955), Janice Irene Artis-White (1959-2017. She was an U.S. Army veteran whose children are Vondelle Larmont White, born in 1979 and Maurice A. White, born in 1985), and Robert Sessoms. Rufus Lee Artis married Mable Lee Spruill (b. 1959) at Suffolk, Virginia. Their 2 children are Rufus Lindell Artis (1991-2022) and Ava Artis. Tonya Monique Barnes Boneparte (b. 1974) is a descendant of Sarah Woodson-Williams too. She married Robert Boneparte on December 5, 2003, at Portsmouth, Virginia. Tonya’s parents are Roger Lewis Barnes (1948-2019) and Barbara Finell Artis (b. 1950). Barbara Finell Artis’s parents are James Robert Artis (1913-1970) and Eleanor Hoggard (1920-1989). James Robert Artis’s parents were Washington Artis (1877-1958) and Mary Alice Brown (1877-1953). Washington Artis’s parents were Jimmie Artis (b. 1853) and Margaret Wiggins (b. 1847). Margaret Wiggins’s parents were Sally Williams-Woodson and Robert Wiggins. My 4th cousin Laverne Ann Wiggins Reed was born on December 28, 1941 at Southampton County, Virginia. She is married to George Francis Reed (b. 1940) on October 27, 2012 at Norfolk, Virginia. Laverne Ann Wiggins Reed is also a descendant of Sally Woodson-Williams too via her mother Dorothy Mae Wiggins (1919-2018). Dorothy's parents were Everett Wiggins (1896-1977) and Mobie Brown (b. 1903). Everett Wiggins's grandmother was Sally Williams-Woodson (b. 1825). Therefore, genealogical research is always a blessing. 


By Timothy




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