ICONIQUE MAGAZINE FASHION MUSIC LIFESTYLE JAN. 2020 EDITION
ICONIQUE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020
MEET: VONTRESSA, SHARON, TONIA, MONIQUE, EVA AND YEMOJAWATERGODDESS FOUR POWERFUL SISTERS FROM ATLANTA GA AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND TWO FROM PHOENIX AZ. NASHVILLE TN. IS THE CITY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A PHOTOSHOOT AND TO SHARE WITH YOU THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT HISTORY, IN PARTICULAR, BLACK HISTORY. THEY ALL HAVE BEEN ASKED TO ANSWER A QUESTION PROVIDED TO THEM PRIOR TO THIS PHOTOSHOOT. HERE ARE THEIR STORIES
PHOTOGRAPHER STUDIO PRIMETIME
PC: VON DONALD
VONTRESSA SALTER 1. What are some Precursors to the Black Power Movement?Police brutality and equality 2. What Black Power Organization Leader you remember the most and how does their leadership role effect you today?Malcolm x whom fought for the rights of blacks. We are still fighting today but it was a start to open the eyes of others. Malcolm X was an African American leader in the civil rights movement, minister and supporter of black nationalism. He urged his fellow black Americans to protect themselves against white aggression “by any means necessary,” a stance that often put him at odds with the nonviolent teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. His charisma and oratory skills helped him achieve national prominence in the Nation of Islam, a belief system that merged Islam with black nationalism. After Malcolm X’s assassination in 1965, his bestselling book, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, popularized his ideas and inspired the Black Power movement.
PC: VON DONALD
STELLA B
What was the initial trigger which sparked riots in the Los Angeles suburb of Watts? and Why? The beating and arrest of a black man in Watts, a community in South Central Los Angeles, on suspicion of driving under the influence was the initial trigger to the LA riots. His name was Rodney King. Civil unrest began on April 29, 1992 after a trial jury acquitted four white officers of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for usage of excessive force during King’s detainment. The incident which had been videotaped was widely viewed on television stations across the nation. The shooting death of Latasha Harlins – a 15-year-old African American girl shot in the head by a Korean store owner in South Central further contributed to the outrage. Harlins’ killing came just weeks after the Rodney King beating. Soon Ja Du, a Korean immigrant, initially faced a murder charge for shooting Harlins, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. She was sentenced to 5 years of probation . This decision that shocked and enraged L.A.’s black community. - Stella B
PC: VON DONALD
MONIQUE JOHNSON-ELLIS COINTELPRO (syllabic abbreviation derived from COunter INTELligence PROgram) (1956– 1971) was a series of covert and, at times, illegal projects conducted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) aimed at surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting American political organizations. FBI records show that COINTELPRO resources targeted groups and individuals that the FBI deemed subversive, including feminist organizations, the Communist Party USA, anti–Vietnam War organizers, activists of the civil rights movement or Black Power movement (e.g. Martin Luther King Jr., the Nation of Islam, and the Black Panther Party), environmentalist and animal rights organizations, the American Indian Movement (AIM), independence movements (such as Puerto Rican independence groups like the Young Lords), and a variety of organizations that were part of the broader New Left. The program also targeted the Ku Klux Klan in 1964. In another instance in San Diego, the FBI financed, armed, and controlled an extreme rightwing group of former members of the Minutemen anti-communist para-military organization, transforming it into a group called the Secret Army Organization that targeted groups, activists, and leaders involved in the Anti-War Movement, using both intimidation and violent acts. The FBI has used covert operations against domestic political groups since its inception; however, covert operations under the official COINTELPRO label took place between 1956 and 1971. COINTELPRO tactics are still used to this day and have been alleged to include discrediting targets through psychological warfare; smearing individuals and groups using forged documents and by planting false reports in the media; harassment; wrongful imprisonment; and illegal violence, including assassination. The FBI’s stated motivation was “protecting national security, preventing violence, and maintaining the existing social and political order”. Beginning in 1969, leaders of the Black Panther Party were targeted by the COINTELPRO and “neutralized” by being assassinated, imprisoned, publicly humiliated or falsely charged with crimes. Some of the Black Panthers affected included Fred Hampton, Mark Clark, Zayd Shakur, Geronimo Pratt, Mumia Abu-Jamal,[18] and Marshall Conway. Common tactics used by COINTELPRO were perjury, witness harassment, witness intimidation, and withholding of evidence. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover issued directives governing COINTELPRO, ordering FBI agents to “expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize” the activities of these movements and especially their leaders. Under Hoover, the agent in charge of COINTELPRO was William C. Sullivan. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy personally authorized some of the programs. Although Kennedy only gave written approval for limited wiretapping of Martin Luther King’s phones “on a trial basis, for a month or so”, Hoover extended the clearance so his men were “unshackled” to look for evidence in any areas of King’s life they deemed worthy.
PC: VON DONALD
TONIA CLINCY
Black Panthers History Black Panther Party founders Huey Newton and Bobby Seale met in 1961 while students at Merritt College in Oakland, California. They both protested the college’s “Pioneer Day” celebration, which honored the pioneers who came to California in the 1800s, but omitted the role of African Americans in settling the American West. Seale and Newton formed the Negro History Fact Group, which called on the school to offer classes in black history. They founded the Black Panthers in the wake of the assassination of black nationalist Malcolm X and after police in San Francisco shot and killed an unarmed black teen named Matthew Johnson. Originally dubbed the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, the organization was founded in October 1966. The Black Panthers’ early activities primarily involved monitoring police activities in black communities in Oakland and other cities. As they instituted a number of social programs and engaged in political activities, their popularity grew. The Black Panthers drew widespread support from urban centers with large minority communities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia. By 1968, the Black Panthers had roughly 2,000 members across the country. 14
PC: VON DONALD
EVA & YEMOJAWATERGODDESS What Black Power Organization Leader you remember the most and how does their leadership role effect you today? The leader I remember most is Huey P Newton one of the organizers of The Black Panthers. We were young children during this time however, I remembered The Black Panthers that used to be in our neighborhoods, they would stand on the streets giving each other a high fist or a high “5” as they walked past each other. I remember the black berets, the black outfits, black sunglasses and of course crisp Afro’s. As children we were taught by the media The Black Panthers were a bad organization. We were shown they walked around carrying guns and they promoted violence. In the coming of age we would learn more about The Black Panthers. We came to realize this organization was formed for black communities to educate themselves on the politics of society and of the “white-man”. The Black Panthers was an organization who wanted to give back to the black community. It seems as if Huey P. Newton wanted The Black Panthers to start another Black Wall Street by educating the people, feeding the people, building schools for our people, establishing our own businesses within our communities and to come together united as one. Newton had a vision for black people to rise against property. Newton was a scholar. But media would want us to believe he was nothing but a violent man who became a drug addict. The Black Panthers was a force to be reckoned with and this is why the political powers did not want Huey Newton and The Black Panthers to gain anymore notoriety, as they had organized not only on the West coast but also on the East coast. Huey P Newton was described as a militant, as a man who incited violence in actuality he was an educated man who earned his doctorate. Huey simply wanted to give back to the people and for us to educate ourselves. After learning the true reason why Huey P. Newton and others who formed The Black Panthers organization provided us with a different understanding of why it is important for us to learn our history. It is important to see how the media manipulates society specifically black communities. Huey and The Panthers were feared and rightly so, imagine how strong our communities would be today if the government had not dismantled this blessed organization. The Panthers started their own health clinics and the school lunch programs we have today. Learning of their good works showed just how powerful we can be. Having an understanding of why Newton was such a strong figure has taught us we have to speak up for our rights as black people. We learned there is no greater power then Black Power United. Yes all life’s matter, but not all life’s are being taken at such high rates as Black Lives. Thank you Huey P. Newton and The Black Panthers for being the great leaders you were.
One of The Largest Black-Owned Airlines Is Being Run By A Savvy 29 Year-Old BLACK Woman
You may not have known that there are black-owned airlines, but guess again. Sherrexcia ‘Rexy’ Rolle is the Vice President of Operations and General Counsel for Western Air, a Bahamas-based black-owned aviation business. Although the company was founded by her parents Rex and Shandrice Rolle, Rexy has led the charge in expanding her family’s privately-owned business which has been in existence for approximately two decades. With a net worth of $90+ million, Western Airlines has been steadily increasing its routes across the Caribbean, including direct flights to Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and soon Florida. In this interview, Rexy describes how Western Air came to be and shares advice on how to make it in the aviation industry as a person of color. Let’s get into the history of Western Air. What prompted your family to delve into the business of aviation? Rexy: My parents were very young and just started out their lives when they had me. My mom was 17 and my Dad was 18, just beginning his career as a pilot. We are from a small town called Mastic Point, Andros in the Bahamas. My father started his career in the aviation industry as a private pilot by trade, however, owning his own airlines and developing it in the Bahamas was a lifelong dream of his. My parents worked tirelessly and persevered in developing this business by saving their money and doing their research with various
aircraft brokers. My parents were eventually fortunate enough through faith, their persistence and dedication in their business plan to [receive offers] from two aviation investors from the U.S. From that moment moving forward, Western Air Limited was a dream that is now a reality.
Developing an airline is a lucrative but very competitive industry. What were the market gaps that your family wanted to bridge when developing Western Air Ltd.? Rexy: With any business, it is all about knowing your industry and what particular problem you are solving for the consumer. In the Bahamas, there are over 700 islands and many Bahamians usually take small charter ferries as transportation to the other islands. Even though we have a very efficient government airline in the Bahamas, there were certain islands that were not being targeted for our consumers to have a convenient way to travel. This is where our airline comes in and once we recognized those gaps in the market, we were able to convince our investors why our airline is needed. I understand in the business of aviation there are little to no minorities who are either owners or have senior level positions. What are some of the challenges that you and your family face in this industry and how do you all overcome those challenges in maintaining the brand and taking Western Air Ltd. to the next level? Rexy: Every day we have our challenges, just like any other company. Being the largest privately-owned airline company in the Bahamas, as a family, we have an understanding that we must maintain our focus on our mission. We understand we have to work 10 times harder and we don’t shy away from the challenge. Moreover, as the Vice President of Operations and General Counsel, the number one thing I stressed for our company is consistency.
Saviours’ Day is an annual Nation of Islam commemoration of the birth of Master Fard Muhammad. This year’s convention is February 21–23 at the TCF Center in Detroit, MI. For more information on tickets, registration and more, visit: https://www.noi.org/sd2020/ #Farrakhan #SD20DET
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS February 20, 2020 Registration February 20, 2020 @ 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm Family Night February 20, 2020 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Elevated Places with Dr. Ava Muhammad Live Radio Show February 20, 2020 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm February 21, 2020 Registration February 21, 2020 @ 6:00 am - 8:00 pm
Black Girls in Schools” February 21, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm The Final Call 40th Anniversary Celebration Banquet February 21, 2020 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Mother Khadijah Farrakhan’s Sneaker Ball February 21, 2020 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm February 22, 2020 Vending February 22, 2020 @ 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
NOI Historical Museum Physical Training Class for Men and Women (Taught February 22, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 9:00 pm by Grandmaster Abdul Azziz Muhammad) Mother Khadijah Farrakhan’s Children’s Village February 21, 2020 @ 6:00 am - 8:00 am February 22, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Vending February 21, 2020 @ 8:00 am - 10:00 pm Welcome & Opening February 21, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 9:20 am The Muslim Program Seminars/Workshops February 21, 2020 @ 9:30 am - 11:30 am NOI Historical Museum February 21, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Mother Khadijah Farrakhan’s Children’s Village February 21, 2020 @ 10:00 am - 5:30 pm Salat Al-Jumu’ah February 21, 2020 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm The Muslim Program Seminars/Workshops February 21, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Documentary Film: “Pushout: Criminalization of
Registration February 22, 2020 @ 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm The Black Man and Woman MUST Consider Separation Town Hall Meeting February 22, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Shrine of the Black Madonna - Church, 7625 Linwood St, Detroit, MI 48206, USA The Muslim Program Seminars/Workshops February 22, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Drill Competition February 22, 2020 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm February 23, 2020 The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Keynote Address February 23, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 2:00 pm
THE ANSWER TO ENDING SCHOOL VIOLENCE THE ANSWER TO ENDING SCHOOL SHOOTINGS With the increasing school shootings coupled with fatalities, there has been increasing talk of the need for gun control. At the time of this article, the United States has reached a count of 23 reported school shootings for 2018 with the last one reported for May 25, 2018 in Noblesville, Indiana at Noblesville West Middle School. As our society searches for an answer to ending these tragedies (and whether gun control is the answer), it’s important to look at when these occurrences began. The infamous Columbine shootings of 1999 have been credited with influencing subsequent school shootings. However, the massacre that inspired the making of movies as well as songs about one of the victims, Cassie Bernall, was not the first school shooting or school massacre. The New York Times probably reported the first campus massacre that took place on August 1, 1966 in AUSTIN, Texas. A 25-year-old engineering student, Charles Whitman, carried an arsenal of weapons to the top of the 27-story tower on the University of Texas campus and shot 12 people to death and wounded approximately 33 others before the police killed him. He was stated to be an ex-Marine. It might be of some significance to know that he left notes after he murdered his mother and wife (one with each of their bodies). These murders preceded his massacre on the college campus. These notes indicated he had questions about his mental state. A quote of interest from those letters is, “I imagine it appears that I brutally killed both of my loved ones. I was only trying to do a quick thorough job...If my life insurance policy is valid please pay off my debts...donate the rest anonymously to a mental health foundation. Maybe research can prevent further tragedies of this type...” He requested that an autopsy be performed on his body after his death for any abnormalities. Findings also show that there was a report of a massacre that took place in 1976. The California State University, Fullerton massacre resulted in seven deaths and two injuries. Most people may not realize that the United States has a long history of reported school shootings dating back to the 1800s and the occurrences weren’t so infrequent as some might think. Some incidents resulted in deaths, while some only resulted in injuries. In other cases, there were no tragedies. It’s interesting to note that with recent discussions regarding arming teachers or other school officials, some of the murders in early history were committed by school personnel. One such example took place on February 6, 1864. The Ashland Times reported that George W. Longfelt, the school teacher of the Pyfer’s School House, near Ashland County in Ohio, shot and killed a student, Alfred Desem, at the school house and escaped. At the time of the report there was no information given for the cause of the murder. There have been reported cases of self-defense claims by school officials. The Los Angeles Herald reported an account that took place on September 11, 1909 in Gravette, Arkansas, at the edge of McDonald County, Missouri. A. T. Kelly reportedly killed his student, John Bufram, at Bear Hollow School. Claims were made that Butram announced that school would not be in session that day to other students, but Kelly insisted that school would continue as usual. During the discussion Butram pulled a knife and reportedly injured two teachers; Kelly shot him. Kelly surrendered to authorities. Another self-defense incident took place in 1918 at a dormitory in Jefferson City, MO. However, this tragedy took place between two school officials who were arguing over which dishes to use for a social (see The Kansas City Sun, Volume 10, Number 32).
Some children have always managed to have access to a gun. There are repeated cases in early history where students were playing with a gun and it accidently fired or another student purposely brought a gun to school and murdered another because they were arguing over a girl. Bullying has also been the cause for school shootings. The Richmond, Virginia Daily Dispatch reported that on January 21, 1860, a son of Colonel Elijah Sebree, of Todd County, Kentucky, was killed by another student at a school house in Trenton, TN. Some boys made another student believe that son Sebree was threatening him and intended to kill him; it was a joke. However, the other student didn’t know it was a joke. This day the assumed victimized student took possession of a gun, walked up to Sebree in the schoolhouse and shot him. It’s been stated that the Columbine shootings redefined the actions that took place April 20, 1999 as more than a statement of revenge. It was stated to be a means of protest for bullying, intimidation, social isolation, and public rituals of humiliation. Perhaps perpetrators in subsequent school shootings romanticized the 1999 mission. Findings show that the school shootings that occur today due to tempers, accidents, mental illness, revenge, and other reasons known and unknown, are a repeat of what has occurred for centuries. Perhaps Columbine has just brought all 21st century school shootings to the forefront regardless of the weight of their tragedies because of our increase in knowledge—more media, internet, and smart phones. With all this knowledge we are still divided on the answer to ending the school tragedies. Researched and written by: Charlotte R. Beard Writing Services by Char
Forget Blue Whale Challenge, cyber bullying is more common danger for your kid Tanya grew up in a Mumbai suburb, like any normal teenager. Unknown to her, a classmate from a previous school had started collecting information and pictures of her since they were 12. The information was then used to make a fake Facebook page, and was shown as if Tanya had posted them herself. Tanya had read about cyber bullying, but had never expected herself to be a victim. She found out about the fake page only through her friends. Even though the bullying seemed benign in the beginning, soon schoolmates started sending her crude messages and she became isolated from her friends circle. She withdrew to herself, rarely going out, and became depressed. The bullying then got so bad that she had to go for counseling and change schools to start afresh. Having grown up around gadgets, children rely heavily on them to carry out everyday tasks. They also form their social persona around social media and depend on thes .. In an Ipsos survey in 2014, India topped the list of 254 countries for cyber bullying. 32% of parents surveyed in India said their children experienced cyber bullying, followed by Brazil (20%), Saudi Arabia (18%), Canada (18%) and the United States (15%). Parents in India also reported the greatest intensity of cyber bullying. 13% said a child in their home experiences cyber bullying on a regular basis, followed by 10% in Brazil, 5% in the United States and 5% in Argentina. The frequency of cyber bullying in India was found to be higher than in the U.S. (15% of children), U.K. (11% of children) and France (5% of children). According to a Microsoft study of online bullying among youth 8-17 years old, children in India reported the third highest online bullying rate among the 25 countries surveyed. Credit: economictimes.indiatimes.com
JIM CROW LAWS
Jim Crow laws and Jim Crow state constitutional provisions mandated the segregation of public schools, public places, and public transportation, and the segregation of restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains for whites and blacks. The U.S. military was already segregated. President Woodrow Wilson, a Southern Democrat, initiated the segregation of federal workplaces in 1913.[7] In 1954, segregation of public schools (state-sponsored) was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren in landmark case Brown v. Board of Education.[8][9] [10] In some states, it took many years to implement this decision, while the Warren Court continued to rule against the Jim Crow laws in other cases such as Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States (1964). [11] Generally, the remaining Jim Crow laws were overruled by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Jim Crow laws were state and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.[1] All were enacted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by white Democratic-dominated state legislatures after the Reconstruction period.[2] The laws were enforced until 1965.[3] In practice, Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the states of the former Confederate States of America and other states, starting in the 1870s and 1880s. Jim Crow laws were upheld in 1896 in the case of Plessy vs. Ferguson, in which the U.S. Supreme Court laid out its “separate but equal” legal doctrine for facilities for African Americans. Moreover, public education had essentially been segregated since its establishment in most of the South after the Civil War (1861–65). The legal principle of “separate but equal” racial segregation was extended to public facilities and transportation, including the coaches of interstate trains and buses. Facilities for African Americans and Native Americans were consistently inferior and underfunded compared to the facilities for white Americans; sometimes, there were no facilities for people of color.[4][5] As a body of law, Jim Crow institutionalized economic, educational, and social disadvantages for African Americans and other people of color living in the South.[4][5][6]
NAT TURNER
Nathanial “Nat” Turner (1800-1831) was a black American slave who led the only effective, sustained slave rebellion (August 1831) in U.S. history. Spreading terror throughout the white South, his action set off a new wave of oppressive legislation prohibiting the education, movement, and assembly of slaves and stiffened proslavery, antiabolitionist convictions that persisted in that region until the American Civil War (1861–65). He was born on the Virginia plantation of Benjamin Turner, who allowed him to be instructed in reading, writing, and religion. Sold three times in his childhood and hired out to John Travis (1820s), he became a fiery preacher and leader of African-American slaves on Benjamin Turner’s plantation and in his Southampton County neighbourhood, claiming that he was chosen by God to lead them from bondage. Did you know? Fifty-six blacks accused of participating in Nat Turner’s rebellion were executed, and more than 200 others were beaten by angry mobs or white militias. Believing in signs and hearing divine voices, Turner was convinced by an eclipse of the Sun (1831) that the time to rise up had come, and he enlisted the help of four other slaves in the area. An insurrection was planned, aborted, and rescheduled for August 21,1831, when he and six other slaves killed the Travis family, managed to secure arms and horses, and enlisted about 75 other slaves in a disorganized insurrection that resulted in the murder of 51 white people. Afterwards, Turner hid nearby successfully for six weeks until his discovery, conviction, and hanging at Jerusalem, Virginia, along with 16 of his followers. The incident put fear in the heart of Southerners, ended the organized emancipation movement in that region, resulted in even harsher laws against slaves, and deepened the schism between slave-holders and free-soilers (an anti-slavery political party whose slogan was ‘free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men’) that would culminate in the Civil War.
BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA FIRST BLACK AMERICAN PRESIDENT
Barack Hussein Obama II (/bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/ (About this soundlisten);[1] born August 4, 1961) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African-American president of the United States. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008 and an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 1983, he worked as a community organizer in Chicago. In 1988, he enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduating, he became a civil rights attorney and an academic, teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He represented the 13th district for three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 until 2004, when he ran for the U.S. Senate. He received national attention in 2004 with his March primary win, his well-received July 44 address, and his landslide November Democratic National Convention keynote election to the Senate. In 2008, he was nominated for president a year after his
campaign began, after a close primary campaign against Hillary Clinton. He was elected over Republican John McCain and was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. Nine months later, he was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Regarded as a centrist New Democrat, Obama signed many landmark bills into law during his first two years in office. The main reforms that were passed include the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as the “Affordable Care Act” or “Obamacare”), the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 served as economic stimulus amidst the Great Recession. After a lengthy debate over the national debt limit, he signed the Budget Control and the American Taxpayer Relief Acts. In foreign policy, he increased U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, reduced nuclear weapons with the United States–Russia New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War. He ordered military involvement in Libya, contributing to the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. He also ordered the military operations that resulted in the deaths of Osama bin Laden and suspected Yemeni Al-Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki. After winning re-election by defeating Republican opponent Mitt Romney, Obama was sworn in for a second term in 2013. During this term, he promoted inclusion for LGBT Americans. His administration filed briefs that urged the Supreme Court to strike down samesex marriage bans as unconstitutional (United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges); same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015 after the Court ruled in Obergefell. He advocated for gun control in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, indicating support for a ban on assault weapons, and issued wide-ranging executive actions concerning global warming and immigration. In foreign policy, he ordered military intervention in Iraq in response to gains made by ISIL after the 2011 withdrawal from Iraq, continued the process of ending U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan in 2016, promoted discussions that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement on global climate change, initiated sanctions against Russia following the invasion in Ukraine and again after Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, brokered a nuclear deal with Iran, and normalized U.S. relations with Cuba. Obama nominated three justices to the Supreme Court: Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were confirmed as justices, while Merrick Garland faced unprecedented partisan obstruction and was ultimately not confirmed. During his term in office, America’s soft power and reputation abroad significantly improved. [2] Obama’s presidency has generally been regarded favorably, and evaluations of his presidency among historians, political scientists, and the general public place him among the upper tier of American presidents. Obama left office and retired in January 2017 and currently resides in Washington, D.C.[3][4] A December 2019 Gallup poll found that Obama was the most 45 admired man in America for a record 12th consecutive year.[5]
SUPER BOWL VI Ella Fitzgerald, the first African-American woman to perform at a Super Bowl halftime show
The Super Bowl halftime show didn’t always have the most talked-about pop stars as headliners as it does today. Years back, halftime shows were usually a showcase for the country’s top marching bands and drill teams to perform the national anthem, in addition to a separate halftime performance, according to WNYC. However, it all changed with Super Bowl VI when Jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald became not only the first jazz artist to perform the halftime show but the first African-American female “celebrity” singer in Super Bowl history. Following the death of Louis Armstrong in 1971, the 1972 Super Bowl was set to take place in New Orleans, the legendary performer’s hometown. The official halftime theme was declared a “Salute to Louis Armstrong.” It was the first Super Bowl theme that paid tribute to an important figure especially one that happened to be black, and Fitzgerald was one of two women who were chosen to perform. 46 Carol Channing, an American actress, singer and comedian known for starring in Broadway and film musicals, was also
selected. The two women became the first “celebrity” singers in Super Bowl history. Even though Channing dazzled the fans when she took the stage to sing “When the Saints Go Marching In,” Fitzgerald’s performance was the game-changer. She performed “Mack the Knife”, which got her into history books as the first African-American woman to perform at a Super Bowl halftime show. Fitzgerald was joined by trumpeter, bandleader Al Hirt for the historic rendition of Satchmo’s classic “Mack the Knife.” Unfortunately, Fitzgerald’s performance wasn’t recorded and the details surrounding the performance are scarce since there weren’t any documented interviews. Yet, the audience enjoyed her performance, marking it as one of the best. Hailed as “The First Lady of Song,” Fitzgerald, with her unique, flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless voice, was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. She could sing sultry ballads, sweet jazz and imitate every instrument in an orchestra. She worked with all the jazz greats, from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole, to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, and Benny Goodman. Born on April 25, 1917, as a troubled teenager following the death of those closest to her, Fitzgerald bunked off from school and lived on the streets. It was in the summer of 1938 that she found real success with a 19th-century nursery rhyme that was brought up to date by Van Alexander who regularly sold arrangements to Chick Webb. ‘A-tisket A-tasket’ hit the right note with record buyers and it made No.1 on the American hit parade. A year later, Webb passed away from spinal tuberculosis and for the next few years, Fitzgerald kept his orchestra together, billed as Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra but things didn’t turn out so well. Fitzgerald would later make her first appearance at Jazz at the Philharmonic in 1949, which marked a turnaround in her career. Fitzgerald continued to rise above all circumstances and uplifted herself in music. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums. She performed at top venues all over the world and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range, her website says. Fitzgerald passed away on June 15, 1996. - face2faceafrica.com