That night several years ago was exquisite and filled with fun and the expectation of an enjoyable short journey with my wife and best friend. Throughout the years, we had several of these evening drives to who knows where, and … Continue reading Black Labor, Black Ingenuity, & The Generation Returning Them to Country Music
Was it just a dream, the American dream, Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s dream? Now, I look clearly into the reality of a world gone sideways. In this sideway space where America finds itself, the division has toppled systems of … Continue reading Was It Just A Dream?
Adapted from a chapter in Carl McRoy’s Black from the Past. Did you know Langston Hughes wrote his first published poem just after graduating high school . . . on the back of an envelope . . . in only … Continue reading Langston Hughes: Rivers from Eden to America
As I think about the idea of roots, I ponder the question: where did it start for me? My mind wanders to people, places, smells, laughter, and family. I am not sure if my musings will make much sense, but … Continue reading The Roots That Connect Us
I was sitting in a writing workshop with a group of writers, and our assignment was to make a family tree. We could employ some creative license in making our trees. I set out putting together my creation, complete with … Continue reading When Your Roots Are Severed
“Where do we go from here, where do we go? And is it real or just something we think we know? Where are we going now, where do we go? ‘Cause if it’s the same as yesterday, you know I’m … Continue reading Where Do We Go From Here?
The Metaphor: So, I planted a rosebush next to my mailbox. I thought it would be a beautiful thing. I thought it would grow up and have pretty pink flowers and like so many of my neighbors’ mailbox flora would … Continue reading “The Rosebush and the Root”
Three-Fifths 