Alot of people don't know that there are Black Palestinians in the Middle East. There are about 11,000 Afro-Palestinians residing in Gaza City's Al Jalla’a district prior to October 2023. In Jerusalem, an estimated population between 200-450 reside in a historic African enclave around Bab al-Majlis, in the Muslim Quarter, as well as communities in other areas of Jerusalem such as Beit Hanina and At-Tur. They are a marginalized group that experience double discrimination, both systemic marginalization from Israeli authorities and racism within Palestinian communities. There are also Bedouin populations who have descent lines linking them to people of African origin such as in the West Bank city of Jericho. Notable Afro-Palestinians include former PLO official Fatima Bernawi and PFLP official Ali Jiddah. Historically Palestine was a province under foreign powers. From the Rashidun Caliphate of the 7th-century onward, African slaves were transported to the area of the Caliphate from Egypt via the Baqt treaty slave tribute. During the middle ages, African slaves were transported to Abbasid Caliphate via the Red Sea slave trade from Africa across the Red Sea. By the 9th century, it is estimated that some three million Africans had been resettled as enslaved people in the Middle East, working as slave soldiers and slave labourers in the riverine plantation economies. There are some Palestinian communities that trace their origins to pilgrims from Sudan and Central Africa (mainly Chad) who are said to have reached Palestine as early as the 12th century. Their initial aim was to take part in the Hajj and reach Mecca, after which they visited Jerusalem to visit the al-Aqsa Mosque. As is illustrated by the life of Mansa Musa, king of the Empire of Mali, pilgrimage by African converts to Islam became an established practice, though regular pilgrimage only became commonplace in the 15th century, as the Islamic faith spread beyond the narrow confines of sultanate courts to the people at large.
Many Afro-Palestinians also hail from ancestors who were brought to Palestine by the Ottoman enslavers via the Trans-Saharan slave trade from Egypt as well as the Red Sea slave trade, that continued up until modern times. The last official slave ship of enslaved Africans arrived to Haifa in Palestine from Egypt in 1876, after which the official slave trade to Ottoman Palestine appeared to have stopped. Slavery in Palestine gradually diminished in the early 20th-century, and in the 1905 census for Palestine only eight individuals were officially registered as slaves; however a report to the Advisory Committee of Experts on Slavery of the League of Nations in 1934 acknowledged that slaves were still kept among the Arab Bedouin shaykhs in Jordan and Palestine, and that slavery was maintained under the guise of clientage. The Jerusalem community of Afro-Palestinians, 50 families now numbering some 350 (or 450) members, reside in two compounds outside the Ḥaram ash-Sharīf (west of the Inspector's Gate): Ribat al-Mansuri and Ribat of Aladdin (Ribat al-Basiri/Ribat Aladdin al-Bassir/Ribat Al'a ad-Deen Busari). Afro-Palestinians lived during World War I, the 1967 Six Day War, and other events. A 2018 story on Mohammad Obaid, a Dabke performer displaced from his ancestral home in Beersheba, described the racism he experienced in Gazan Palestinian communities, saying that he had to be "the best dancer" and work twice as hard to join his dabke team. Obaid noted increasing discrimination from police. At the time, there were an estimated 11,000 Afro-Palestinians living in Gaza City's Al Jalla’a district, in a neighborhood called an anti-black slur in reference to the history of slavery. Many Palestinians and many Israelis have shown racism toward Afro-Palestinian people. The African Community Society or ACS was created in 1983 as an offshoot of the Sudanese Welfare Club. The ACS forms social activities, sports, mutual aid, and other means to empower Afro-Palestinians in Jerusalem. Many Afro-Palestinians are Suleiman Obied, Ghadir Ghrouf, Mohammaed Aukousa, and other people. There are black people in Israel too. It is always important to promote liberation of Palestine and freedom for all in the Middle East, regardless of color, sex, or background.
There are many heroes of 9/11. One such her was Marcy Borders. She was from Bayonne, New Jersey. She ran from her office covered in dust, and cancer took her at the age of 42 years old. She worked as a legal assistant at Bank of America in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. She escaped the building when the attacks came in New York City. She wanted privacy to rebuild her life. Later, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer in August 2014. She passed away on August 24, 2015, in New Jersey. There were many black firefighters who died on 9/11 during the time of saving lives like Leon Smith Jr., Andre Fletcher, Ronnie Henderson, Shawn Powell, Gerald Baptist, Tarel Coleman, Vernon Cherry, William Henry, Keith Clascoe, Keithroy Maynard, Karl Joseph, and Vernon Richard. Lolita Jackson survived by escaping the World Trade Center in both 1993 and in 2001. LeRoy W. Homer J. was a black pilot in the cockpit of Flight 93 who sacrificed his life to fight back against terrorists on Flight 93. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987 and had a military career reaching the rank of Major. He joined United Airlines in 1995.
He was a father, an Air Force Reserve officer, and a commercial first officer. He was 36 years old on 9/11. Flight 93 had more heroes like passengers Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Jeremy Glick, and Tom Burnett who fought the terrorists back forcing the plane to crash in an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The terrorists wanted to crash the plane into the U.S. Capitol or White House. When American Airlines Flight 77 stuck the Pentagon, Lt. Col. Marilyn Wills saved many lives while her hair was on fire. She was in the U.S. Army. Flight 77 had 30,000 pounds of jet fuel and slammed into the Pentagon's west side at 530 mph (almost directly below the 2nd floor conference room where Wills sat). She saved the life of civilian employee Lois Stevens. For her actions, Lt. Col. Marilyn Willis was awarded the Soldier's Medal for heroism and the Purple Heart for her injury (with burns, smoke inhalation, and traumatic brain injury from the blast). She doesn't consider herself a hero. She lost many of her friends. Moira Smith was an NYPD officer who repeatedly ran back into the burning World Trade Center to guide civilians to safety before she was killed in the collapse. Genelle Buzman-McMillian was the last person pulled alive form the World Trade Center wreckage. She was a Port Authority Worker, who was trapped beneath the debris of the North Tower for 27 hours before being rescued on September 12, 2001. Her story if detailed in her memoir called Angel in the Rubble. FDNY leader Regina Wilson saved many lives on Ground Zero and fights for equity and inclusivity in the department to this day. Rick Rescorla saved nearly 2,700 employees and visitors. He was last seen heading back up the stairs before the tower collapsed in trying to save lives. Frank De Martini and Pablo Ortiz saved at least 77 people in the North Tower before sacrificing their lives. Ladder Company 6 helped a tired officer bookkeeper down the stairs to save her life just as the North Tower fell. 343 FNY firefighters and 71 law enforcement officer including dozens of emergency medical technicians died while actively running into the collapsing buildings to save human lives.
The World Trade has a long history. The original World Trade Center was a complex of seven buildings in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Built primarily between 1966 and 1975, it was dedicated on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed on September 11, 2001, after two hijacked planes were flown into the towers in a coordinated terrorist attack. The complex included the 110-story-tall Twin Towers, at the time of their completion the tallest buildings in the world, with the original 1 World Trade Center (the North Tower) at 1,368 feet (417 m), and 2 World Trade Center (the South Tower) at 1,362 feet (415.1 m). They were also the tallest twin skyscrapers in the world until 1996, when the Petronas Towers opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The other buildings in the complex were the Marriott World Trade Center (3 WTC), 4 WTC, 5 WTC, 6 WTC, and 7 WTC. The complex contained 13,400,000 square feet (1,240,000 m2) of office space and, prior to its completion, was projected to accommodate an estimated 130,000 people. The area of the World Trade Center was near the Hudson River. The Dutch were the first European settlers in Manhattan. Later, the area became New York City's Radio Row, which existed from 1921 to 1966. The neighborhood was a warehouse district in what is now Tribeca and the Financial District. Harry Schneck opened City Radio on Cortlandt Street in 1921, and eventually, the area held several blocks of electronics stores, with Cortlandt Street as its central axis. The used radios, war surplus electronics (e.g., AN/ARC-5 radios), junk, and parts were often piled so high they would spill out onto the street, attracting collectors and scroungers. According to a business writer, it also was the origin of the electronic component distribution business.
The idea of forming the World Trade Center in New York City was first proposed in 1943. The New York State Legislature passed a bill authorizing New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey to start developing plans for the project. They were put on hold in 1949. Plans existed by eminent domain to remove shops in Radio Row bound by Vesey, Church, Liberty, and West Streets by 1961. To help stimulate urban renewal in Lower Manhattan, David Rockefeller suggested that the Port Authority build a World Trade Center there. By 1961, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was deciding to build the world's first world trade center. They had two choices: the east side of Lower Manhattan, near the South Street Seaport; or the west side, near the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M) station, Hudson Terminal. Initial plans, made public in 1961, identified a site along the East River for the World Trade Center. As a bi-state agency, the Port Authority required approval for new projects from the governors of both New York and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Robert B. Meyner objected to New York getting a $335 million project. Toward the end of 1961, negotiations with outgoing New Jersey Governor Meyner reached a stalemate.
Approval was also needed from New York City Mayor John Lindsay and the New York City Council. Disagreements with the city centered on tax issues, and the New York City Planning Commission wanted the Port Authority to increase its payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to the city government. On August 3, 1966, an agreement was reached whereby the Port Authority would make annual PILOTs for the portion of the World Trade Center leased to private tenants. In subsequent years, the payments would rise as the real estate tax rate increased. In May 1967, the New York City Planning Commission approved several changes to the street grid that would allow the Port Authority to begin acquiring land for the complex.
On September 20, 1962, the Port Authority announced the selection of Minoru Yamasaki as lead architect and Emery Roth & Sons as associate architects. Yamasaki devised the plan to incorporate twin towers. His original plan called for the towers to be 80 stories tall, but to meet the Port Authority's requirement for 10,000,000 square feet (930,000 m2) of office space, the buildings would each have to be 110 stories tall. The Port Authority publicly presented a model for the complex on January 18, 1964. The original plans called for two towers rising 1,350 feet (410 m), as well as several six-story buildings surrounding a central plaza (later the Austin J. Tobin Plaza). These buildings were to include office space, restaurants, a hotel, exhibition space, stores, and an information center about world trade. The agency released its final model of the complex in March 1966. Despite public criticism over the height of the 110-story twin towers, Yamasaki & Associates and Emery Roth & Sons made only relatively minor changes to the plans, which were released in May 1966. The revised plans called for the twin towers and four additional low-rise structures to surround the central plaza.
To learn about plants full, people must comprehend about the components of the plant cycle. The plant cycle is a process where a plant grows from a seed, matures, reproduces, and produces new seeds to start the cycle agenda. Therefore, the plant cycle shows a plant's life from birth to reproduction, and to eventual death. This process helps to continue the species. The cycle varies slightly between flowering and non-flowering plants, the fundamental stages are similar. The first stage is the seed stage. A seed contains the embryo of the plant and a food supply called the endosperm, all protected by a seed coat. Seeds can remain dormant until environmental conditions—such as water, oxygen, sunlight, and suitable temperature—are favorable for growth. Seeds are dispersed by wind, water, animals, or humans, allowing plants to colonize new areas. The 2nd stage is about germination. When conditions are right, the seed germinates, and the embryo begins to grow. The root emerges first, anchoring the plant and absorbing nutrients, followed by the shoot and first leaves. This stage transforms the seed into a seedling. Later, you have the seedling stage. The seedling is a young plant that grows toward sunlight and develops roots, stems, and leaves. It relies on photosynthesis, using chlorophyll to convert sunlight into energy, and absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. Then, an adult plant exists. As the plant matures, it becomes an adult plant, capable of reproduction. Flowering plants develop flowers, while non-flowering plants may produce cones or spores. The adult stage is when the plant is fully functional and contributes to the ecosystem. In flowering plants, pollination occurs when pollen from the male anther reaches the female stigma, either through wind, insects, birds, or other animals. Fertilization follows, producing seeds that contain the next generation of plants. This stage completes the cycle and ensures species survival.
Plants also undergo a genetic cycle called alternation of generations, alternating between a haploid gametophyte phase (producing gametes) and a diploid sporophyte phase (producing spores or seeds). In flowering plants, the sporophyte is the dominant, visible stage, while the gametophyte is microscopic and dependent on the sporophyte. Some plants, like ferns and mosses, do not produce seeds but instead reproduce via spores. Despite this difference, they still follow a life cycle that includes growth, reproduction, and the production of new generations. Therefore, the plant cycle goes on with seed growth, germination, seedling, adult plant, reproduction, and new seeds.
I found out that Yolanda Hampton Reeder is my 5th cousin. She is born in February 1977. She is related to my paternal side of my family that originated from North Carolina, migrated to Connecticut, and some have traveled into Florida. How is she related to me? Yolanda Reeder and I share the same ancestors of my 4th great grandparents of George Perkins I (b. 1815) and Esther Perkins (b. 1816). Yolanda Reeder's sister is Clydisha Hampton Vasquez (b. 1980). Their parents are Richard J. Hampton (b. 1955) and Yvette Fountain Drummond (b. 1956). The parents of Yvette Fountain Drummond were the great matriarch Irene Broadnax (1920-2015) and King David Sam William Fountain (1914-1964). The parents of my 3rd cousin Irene Broadnax were Dennis Broadnax (1881-1975) and Cynthia (Lucinda) Broadnax (1885-1931). The parents of my 2nd cousin Cynthia (Lucinda) Broadnax were Dennis Harris (1860-1928) and Gundora (Geneva) Perkins (1868-1927). The parents of Gundora (Geneva) Perkins were George Perkins II (1847-1932) and Fannie Lou Blackstock (1848-1949). The parents of George Perkins II were my 4th great-grandparents George Perkins (b. 1815) and Esther Perkins (b. 1816). So, all things come full circle.
The Bishop Venoal M. Fountain Sr., D.D. is my distant cousin and the uncle to Yolanda Hampton Reeder. Bishop Venoal M. Fountain Sr. 75, was born the 8th child of 15 children, on August 19, 1949, in Eden, North Carolina to the late King David and Irene Broadnax Fountain. Bishop Venoal Fountain Sr. transitioned on Monday, December 23, 2024. His family relocated to Bridgeport, Connecticut where he graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport, CT. He attended Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT and was given an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bishop Venoal was known to be very enterprising as a young man. Young Venoal started working at the age of 16 at General Electric in Bridgeport, CT. He became a supervisor working different shifts in the factory. He later worked for Bullard Machine Tool Company, Bridgeport Machines, Trio Industries, and Tie Communications. Upon leaving Tie communications, then known as Mr. Fountain, started a telephone communications company Le Font Electronics. Le Font Electronics at one time had created 150 plus jobs within the Greater Bridgeport area. His company was ranked number 52 in Black Enterprise Magazine's top 100 companies throughout the nation. In his later years, he was able to officially retire but remained consulting and counseling, which he greatly enjoyed.
He began preaching the gospel at the age of 9. His strong faith and preaching lead him to become the Youth Pastor, as well as the Assistant Pastor of the Fountain of Youth Bibleway Church, Bridgeport, CT, under the tutelage of his older brother the late Bishop Franklin D. Fountain. He also was the 5th Sunday Youth President of Bibleway World Wide, Inc. Connecticut Diocese. As an Elder he opened the Fountain of Youth Revival Center church within Connecticut (Bridgeport, Ansonia, and Stratford areas).
Bishop Venoal Fountain married and is survived by his high school sweetheart, Lady Sandra (Crawford) Fountain in 1970. Bishop Venoal and Lady Sandra had two biological children Aurelia Fountain Mushrall (Joseph) of Bristol, CT and Venoal M. Fountain Jr of Shelton, CT. They have three called adopted sons in love Reverend David R. Foreman, Brian Foreman Fountain, Wayne Carter II. Three biological grandchildren are Julian Fountain, Venoal Fountain III, and Alivia Fountain all of Shelton, CT and his step grandchild Isaiah Mushrall of Bristol, CT. He has one biological great grandchild Julian Fountain Jr. His two adopted grandchildren Adrienne Carter (Clovis) of Derby and Wayne Carter III (Athena) of West Haven, with a host of other grands. Additionally, his brothers Robert Fountain (JoAnn) of Ruskin, FL and Donald Fountain (Rita) of Bridgeport, CT. and his sisters Zorene Fountain Meekins, the matriarch of the family, and Yvette Fountain Hampton of Brandon, FL., Erma Fountain Johnson of Ruskin, FL, Sharon Fountain Whitmore and Jacqueline Fountain Campbell of Bridgeport, CT, and Madeira Fountain Walker (Mark) of Mansfield, OH. He also shared a special relationship with his sisters-in-laws as a "Brother" and spiritual mentor to Shirley Sanders, Doreen Dunham, Marjorie Drinks, Corlette Crawford, Theresa Heyward River, Regina Crawford, and Quinella Hardison. One aunt Harriet Sharpe of Bridgeport. Godchild Joel V Hampton of Brandon, FL and David Manderson of Ct, a special niece Clydisha Vasquez (Melvin) of Brandon, FL and his extended family Christopher Samuels, Pastor Anthony Samuels, Laterrius Johnson (Cassandra), Joel Cortes, Richard Rivera, and Myrone Early of New Haven, Ct., and a host nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Bishop Venoal was a father figure to a host of generations of young men and women. Besides his parents, he is predeceased by his brothers, Clyde, Bishop Franklin, Alvestico, and Norman Fountain; his sisters Betty Best and JoAnn Neri; and his daughter in law Janeen L. Fountain; and his sister-in-law Caren Simmons.
John Anthony (Tony) Meekins age 46, a lifelong resident of Bridgeport, suddenly went home to be with the Lord, on Thursday, February 17, 2011 in Bridgeport Hospital; born March 25, 1964 to John C. Meekins of Fostoria, Ohio and Zorene Fountain Meekins of Bridgeport, John was a minister of Open Arms Outreach Int'l Church in Bridgeport, he was a former member of Bethcar Fellowship in Hamden, and former employer of Laidlaw Transit for many years; he worked for A.B.C.D., Inc. Weatherization Department. He was once married to Kelly A. Coleman (b. 1966) on May 12, 1984, at Bridgeport, Fairfield, Connecticut. He leaves to cherish his memory two sons, Jovan Meekins of Bridgeport and Joshua Meekins of Stratford; five daughters, Johnnecia Meekins (her children are Caden, Jaleel, Caleb, and Kelani), Doris Meekins and Madison Meekins all of Bridgeport, Justyce B. Diorio of Ansonia and Tiara Meekins of Texas; a stepmother Eliza M. Meekins of Fostoria, Ohio; maternal grandmother, Irene Broadnax Fountain of Bridgeport; five brothers, King David (Eileen) Meekins of New York, Robert Meekins Sr. of Bridgeport a special sister-in-law- Dyrene Meekins, Demetrius Meekins of Ohio, Jason (Shawan) Williams of New Haven and Larry Tucker of Ohio; three sisters Carolyn M. (Eddie L.) Cox of Kentucky, Johnna Meekins of New Haven and DeNashia Meekins of Ohio; six grandchildren, and host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousin and friends.
The last album of Aaliyah when she was alive was her self-titled album called Aaliyah. She loved to sing and act constantly during her longevity. During the recording stages of the album, Aaliyah's publicist said that the album's released date would most likely be October 2000, but that wasn't the case. Aaliyah finished recording the album in March of 2001. This was after a year of recording tracks that began in March 2000. Aaliyah was the album released on July 17, 2001 (five years after One in a Million). The album sold 187,000 copies in its first week. The first single from the album was We Need a Resolution. It peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100. The week after her death, the album rose from number 19 to number 1 on the Billboard 200. Rock the Boat was released as a posthumous single. The music video premiered on BET's Access Granted, and it became the most viewed and highest rated episode in the history of the show. The song peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. The promotional posters for Aaliyah that had been put up in major cities like New York City and Los Angeles became makeshift memorials for grieving fans. By February 2002, the album was certified double platinum by RIAA. The album Aaliyah's songs like More than a Woman and I Care 4 U were released as posthumous singles and peaked within the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100. More than a Woman reached number one the UK singles chart, making her the first woman deceased artist to reach number one on the UK singles chart. The album was released by Blackground Records and Virgin Records. Aaliyah worked on the album as early as 1998. She recorded much of the album in 2000 at Sing Sing Studios in Australia, where she shot her role for the 2002 film Queen of the D_____. She also recorded at the Manhattan Center and Sony Music Studios in New York plus Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles (among other locations). There were many writers and producers involved in the project like Bud'da, J. Dub, Rapture, Eric Seats, and longtime collaborator Timbaland. Aaliyah was an album with R&B, neo soul, dance-pop, funk, alternative rock, Electronica, hip hop, and Latin music. Static Major was involved in the project as a friend of Aaliyah too. Aaliyah was the album that was more mature that evaluated romance in a complex way from infatuation to heartache. It promoted women empowerment. Aaliyah was posthumously awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist, and the American Music Award in 2002 for Favorite R&B/Soul Album. Aaliyah helped to change R&B and inspire future R&B stars like Ciara, Ashanti, and Rihanna. Timbaland reached more success with Aaliyah. Timbaland would never reach that next level without Aaliyah as Timbaland would admit too.
By Timothy
No comments:
Post a Comment