Did you know that on Feb. 19, 1919, W.E.B. Du Bois organized the first Pan-African Congress in Paris, France? I wonder what was on the agenda. Feb. 20, 1895, marks the death of spokesman, writer and freedom fighter Frederick Douglass. Seventy years and one day later, Brother Malcolm X would be assassinated at the hands of traitors.
Feb. 24, 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first Black woman to receive an M.D. degree from New England Female Medical College. Raised by her aunt in a small town in Pennsylvania, Crumpler watched her aunt tend to the townspeople who were ill, as she was the one people came to when they were sick.
Crumpler’s medical studies were at first interrupted by the Civil War, but eventually she was able to resume. Upon graduation, she began practicing medicine in Boston. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to Richmond, Va., at the end of the Civil War to help freed slaves who were unable to receive medical care anywhere else. After marrying Arthur Crumpler in 1869, she returned to Massachusetts, where her medical practice specialized in caring for women and children.
Born on that same day, Feb. 24, in 1811, was the Rev. Daniel A. Payne, the first Black college president of Wilberforce University. Payne, who grew up in Charleston, S.C., was self-taught, teaching himself mathematics, physical science and classical languages. By 1829, at the age of 18, he opened his own school. However, he was forced to close the school as a result of the Nat Turner rebellion in 1931, when a South Carolina law was enacted forbidding the teaching of literacy to free people of color and slaves, making violators subject to fines and imprisonment. In 1835, Payne moved from the south to Philadelphia, where he continued to study, teach and advocate on behalf of Black people in the United States.
In 1842, Payne joined the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was his belief that AME ministers should study English grammar, geography, literature and other academic subjects so as to better lead and uplift the congregation. In 1852, Payne was elected and consecrated the sixth bishop of the AME denomination—a position in which he would serve for the rest of his life. Eleven years later, in 1863, Payne was selected as the first African-American college president in the United States at Wilberforce University in Ohio. By the end of the Reconstruction era in 1877, thanks to the undying efforts of Payne and others, such as William Paul Quinn and Lewis Woodson, the AME congregations expanded from Florida to Texas, with a congregation of more than 250,000.
Men representing the Omega Psi Phi Chapter, the second oldest Black fraternity, established in 1911 at Howard University, presented Deacon Rodney Beckford of St. Charles Borromeo Church with the 2015 Distinguished Citizen of the Year award. If only I had a photo of the look of surprise on the deacon’s face as he sat at the alter, listening intently to hear who the award would be presented to. He was shocked to learn it was him. The award is well deserved, as the deacon can always be found with a smile on his face at either the church or the Kennedy Center, where he is in charge of day-to-day activities.
Happy birthday to Michelle Stent, whose sister Nicole hosted a fabulous birthday party for her at the home of Liz Slaughter and Sylvester Albert in New Rochelle. I couldn’t get enough of the buffet, consisting of chicken nuggets and plantains. Among the many guests were Fred Jewell, Karen Hopkins, M.D., Kyndell Reid, Barbara North and others too numerous to mention.
Also celebrating are Debbie James, Steve Accardi, Cordell “Brother” Palmer and Lisa Murphy. Congratulations to Sourove Hossai on his recent marriage and condolences to the family of Elizabeth Bing, who recently passed away.
Tyreta Foster, Esq., of Foster Lynch & Thomas LLC, located at 230 W. 135th St., wrote in to exclaim what an outstanding and exhilarating performance Harlem’s own ballerina extraordinaire, Samari Jackson-Preston, gave during a visit to the United Nations in an Indian-inspired performance alongside the Naseeb Dance Group. Four generations deep of Jacksons showed up for Jackson-Preston’s showdown: Samari’s mom, renowned architect Zevilla Jackson-Preston RA; grandmother Edith; sisters Cypress and Onyx; as well as her nieces Amirhi and Dakari. Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Rosetta Garries, Angelica Thomas, Esq., and Tyreta Foster, Esq., were also in the world’s house. Fun times were had by all, as dancing, henna tattoos and the embrace of the Indian and African cultural nexus abounded.
Hollywood producer Debra Martin Chase, looking impeccable for the occasion, held court at the New York City Ballet’s annual benefit luncheon at Lincoln Center, recognizing former prima ballerina Wendy Whelan. Chase, who was born in Great Lakes, Ill., and grew up in Pasadena, Calif., received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College in 1977 and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1981. She began her career in the movie business by reading books, going to seminars and “meeting with anybody who’d meet with me just to learn information,” she stated in an interview with Essence magazine in 1997.
Her advice to those who are interested in a film career is to seek out as much experience as possible. Along the twists and turns everyone goes through while traveling through the murky waters of craving out a career, Chase worked with the production companies of such luminaries as Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. She was executive producer of the “Cheetah Girls” movies, “Sparkle,” “McKenna Reaches for the Stars,” an American Girl production and the list goes on. She is now the go-to girl in Hollywood. With all of that, she still loves the ballet.
A very happy anniversary to Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo, who will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. And to think their big hit was “I’ve Got the Wedding Bell Blues” somewhere back in the day. The secret, they say, to a long and happy marriage is “compromise!”
According to Davis in a recent interview (not mine unfortunately, but that of columnist Liz Smith), “What do you really ‘win’ when you ‘win’? Is that how to approach issues? We’ve never thought so, and so far it’s working.”
Chiming in, McCoo added, “What is a marriage? It’s not being in the same room all the time, or always agreeing. But how great to be to walk into a room and say, ‘Did you hear that on the news … did you read this? … what do you think about such-and-such? Talking, bouncing ideas back and forth, companionship, friendship.”
Ain’t love grand? Tell someone you love them and keep the spirit of St. Valentine alive.
Until next week … kisses