by Orissa Arend
The Other Black History, playing at the Ashe Power House, 1731 Baronne St. this Friday and Saturday June 21 and 22 at 7 PM, is an engaging, witty, rapid-fire, informative play written by Flint D. Mitchell, Ph.D. and directed by John Grimsley. It showcases our enormous local talent. Mr. Oliver, played by Oliver Thomas, is a formerly incarcerated school teacher, monitoring detention for four teenagers who are surly, curious, know-it-all, and rambunctious, with attitudes that will ring true across generations. Mr. Oliver decides to use his platform to teach the kids lessons about the real Black history. How is that for art imitating life? (Learn more about Oliver Thomas if you don’t get that reference.)
The kids are wonderful and seem to be channeling the energy and frustration of their generation more than acting. Kiya Henderson is a 17-year-old graduate from Lusher Charter High School who has been acting since she was 7. She will attend Pomona College in Claremont, CA this Fall. Wynton Eli Jones is an 18-year-old graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School. Acting since the age of 6, he’ll attend the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and will study Theater. Hilary Vaucresson is just 13, an 8th grader at Cabrini High School and very excited to be in her first play. Justice Smith, a 16-year-old Sophomore at Holy Cross High School, is grateful to his parents, family, and friends for their unconditional love and support. He wants to perform on Broadway.
Mr. Oliver’s history lesson begins with the transatlantic slave trade and ends with the modern Civil Rights Movement. Playwright Mitchell knew that convincing schools, school districts, and government to teach what is true to their students and citizens would be impossible. His play, then, is his attempt to educate everyone about some basic and controversial American concepts. He counts on art, unlike the text book, to resist censorship and revision. He also counts on the play to take the “Black Facts” succinctly compiled in a little book Mr. Oliver carries with him, and bring them into the lived experience of these young people under his charge. Why? So that they will have the courage and the drive to carry on the Civil Rights Movement which is far from complete.
The most unsettling question came in the talk back from a boy in the audience who looked to be about 10. What is the reason for slavery? Is it laziness, meanness, economic necessity on the part of the owner (a term Oliver Thomas points out that should be used instead of “master”). Each panelist had her or his own answer but they boiled down to greed and the tendency to rationalize anything in the name of profit. These are the kinds of questions, avoided by people of all races, because they are so uncomfortable, that the play invites. They are also the kinds of questions, the playwright points out, that can get you fired from a job or set you at odds with people in your inner circle.
Pastor Gregory Manning of Broadmoor Community Church and co-moderator of Justice and Beyond attended the play with me. He said, “I’m encouraging young people to pack the audience for the next performances. They are our hope for the future.”
Lying, Thieving, ‘Stuntun Money Grubbing Apostate Preachers, Politicos et al have caused our young to stumble!!!
LBRC- Accuracy is “Always” at The Mercy of Guidance “Input”! Let’s Take Young People? Working with Lots of “Young Gifted Intellects”. We are Very, Very Careful!
1. 1st and Foremost, “Learn Survival”, but hold up- wait a minute-
a. Let’s talk Hierarchy of Needs. “Systems” are based in Rules. Take The Internal Combustion Engine. Laws based in Thermal Dynamics, not to mention simple “Energy Activation” are critical “Rules”! Speaking People Generally? Even the Most High says, “As you would have them do unto you…”! What does this portend for your survival? What’s Legal Matters! Duh?
b. 1st Comprehend Rules for Driving, anywhere, before you decide to deviate into Negative Territory aka “Not Knowing”! Now let’s interpolate a little-
c. Before you decide to become a “Smart Azz”, Wizzard, Practicing Adult yada…, you’d be wise not to to disrupt “Equialibrum Factors” like Food, Clothing and Shelter, which in too many cases is highly dependent on “Adult Availability”, the incompetent included! Yet- Even The Incompetent has developed “Coping Machanisms”, even “Social Programs Dependency”! Their young aren’t condemed, depending on other factors, but still- Very, very risky!
2. Understanding Should “Always” Preceed Objection! How often do you hear too many touting “Commonly Understood Falsehoods”, emphatically, not to mention The Uncommon Ones? “NEVER” undermine powers of Observation, Stilness, Processing, Intention and yada…, “Motives” drive nearly everything! “Good Morning” has a motive! “Good Morning” on Mars, The Red Planet? Its Polite, Motivating? Some live on Mars on Earth! What happens if your Space Suit has a hole in it? Rules for Mars are not the rules on Earth. Space is governed by “Universal Orinciples”! In “Space”- “There is no up or down”! When you’re traveling up from Earth, you’re at the same time traveling down to somewhere else! Science says, “Altitude is Up and Elevation is The Distance From Sea Level”! ***Learning gets boring really fast***, which brings us back to you know who?
3. “Learning is Trial and Error! The Less Errors, The Less Trials”! Listen, Process, Comprehend! What made Dr. Maya Angelo so great, a child who didn’t speak for nearly a decade? Trauma, Organic Interference, Cognitive Delay? A decade of Observations?
a. How many times have you heard this- “Young people have more info available today, they’re more inquisitive and are exposed to a lot more and yada…, All Echo Chambers!!!
b. Grandma said- “If you knew everything in the World, what would you have left to think about”? Met lots in the so- called “Block Buster” Movie Industry, the moral of “War of The Worlds”? It confirmed something my father said. “The Mighty Aliens had all The Technolog, Larger Brains, More Processing Capability, Superior Weapons and on…, yet, what took them down? Ans. A Germ!!! New Germs are rising up everyday! Rules for Germs aka Germs Rule, pun intended! It’s not only what you can “See” ‘Dat Rule (Why you always ask the Dim Witted- Don’t you see?). Seek! The cure is effort! So- called adult Apostates, Politicos et al, with your lying, thieving ‘Stuntun ‘sef!!! You caused our young to stumble! You Pitiful Evil spirit!!!
c. They, the young, say- “I’ve never seen Him”! Humans are everywhere and carry Trillions of Germs! Yet? Who “Discerns” let alone see germs about them? The “Gifted” or “Gift Given?
Few, very few, have Survival Abilities which give account to The Unseen! Physics say Entropy is “Disorder”, but not like you think! Disorder is what you can’t measure, “Yet”!!!
Final Advise for kids? LEARN THAN OBJECT, unlike most in your circle! You’ll be okay!
Be Gone All Coons, Neo and Old! We hear and see! Sorry…?
LBRC- Young People/Some, Wanted to Know? The 2019 Negro Politico? How did we get here? Keep it real, frank and honest!
1. Take Rev. A.L. Davis, “Old School” on Jackson Ave. in NOLA. Who?
a. Rev. Davis was “The Real Deal”, just like Rev. Avery C. Alexander. Both “Felt” The People. Neither had a “Personal Ambition” which Prempted “The Community”!
b. Both were “Highly Intelligent, Gifted From The Most High”! How do we know? Some of us were born on Jackson and LaSalle, hinged between The Dew Drop and Rev. Davis’s Church, Institutional. We frequented as infants, with respect to The Dew Drop, ‘Dat’s a long story!…, Back to Negro Politicos, Then vs. “Now”?
2. Rev. Davis challenged The “Status Quo”! This “Scared” lots of Negroes! Believe it! Our Grandfathers and Mothers supported him! Rev. Davis challenged “Caucasion Supremacy” in Politics! As new borns, we were dragged everywhere, lots stuck with us! We weren’t even age ready for McDonogh 36 yet, on Jackson Ave.
3. There was a Negro “Sell Out” Class back then, just like in 2019! Rev. Davis endured all the threats, including a “Church Bombing” one and bodily threats. Finally, he decided to run for office himself. Recall, “Gifted” Black Talent had limited Avenues for Employment”! Preachers, Teachers and few professions comprised “A Black Gifted Pool”! Rev. Davis was a “Rare” Talent! After Rev. Davis paid “The Cost” to be boss! His travails paved ways, other Negroes, including the once “Scared”, saw avenues to ride “His” Coat Tails and “Proven Paridigm” in order to fulfill “Personal Ambitions” not aligned with People’s Needs! It’s no different in 2019! Jim Singleton, from Mississippi, eventually defeated Rev. Davis for Council! Hmmm…
4. Grandma said, “Too many Negroes don’t want anything until another Negro ‘Git it”! Hmmm…, Once Rev. Davis got elected, some Negroes envied his “Shine”! Keep it real!!! In 1991, Dist. 100 in NOE saw the opportunity to elect for The 1st time, a “Black”! Lou Ivon was Bud Rips’ Good Buddy! “The Teacher’s Union”, majority Black, didn’t Endorse a “Black” until “The Runoff”? Look it up!!! Why? How do we know this? We ran a “Black” in 1991, who had a “Proven” record of uncompensated community “Work and Service”! Electing other Ethnicities in majority “Negro” districts in not an “Anomolie”! Look at NOE in 2019! What other “Majority” Etnic Districts in NOLA, JP, St. Tammany reciprocate and elect outside their own ethnicity? Anecdotally? Rev. Davis was about “Do for Self” by Self! This made him “Dangerous”! Enter “The Neo Negro Sell Out Paradigm”! Not ‘Dat it never existed on Plantations, it just got a little more sophisticated! When Sam Bell ran for Governor, SOUL and others got lots of play and clout! Too bad, only remnants “For Community” remain! 2019? ABC Group Sell Outs are ubiquitous! Examine perennial “Endorsements” for Connick and Cannizaro! Prison Industrial Complex? You got duped and did it to yourself, speaking “Old Heads”! Is ‘Dis ‘thang on? 2019 Politicos are void of Histoy and “Uncompensated” Community Service! Lots of Photo Opts! Council Negroes in 2019 represent who? Who endorsed Kira Jones and why? What is Kira Jones’ “Community (r)ecord”? Are you kidding? Why are Negroes so easily duped, “Big Time”? The Skinny? The 2019 Negro Politico is an Anachronastic Paradign, Distanced and Dispictable? Where is your Congressman? Seen him lately? Rev. Davis and Alexander Sacrificed! A New “Class” of “Young Heads” are Comming! They “Comprehend” via Elders! Support them! “Talent is The Ability to accomplish what others find difficult. Genius is The Ability to accomplish was is impossible for Talent alone”! Thank you Rev. Davis, Alexander! Abba Father! Thank You for “Your Young Gifts” in 2019! Peace Out…
Want Some History?…
LBRC- Every Black in The USA should know about and watch this video! Talk about “Shock”? Are you guided by “Proven” Sycophants, ruled by Survival and Personal Ambition in 2018? Hmmm…
1. We don’t tell others how or what to think! This “Video” is Evocative of what? We introduce, “Rev.” Samuel Kyles-
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSwYKD7iayI
2. “Nothing is New Under The Sun”! How so? Negro Sycophants and “Old Tricks”? It seems, the only way Apostate Preachers and “Old Head” Politicos get removed is via “Indictment”, regardless the Crime or Sin. Forget all about Matthew Ch. 5, or “Requirements” for Bishop “Office”? Its one thing to get duped some of the time, but always? Politico Gift of Gab Con Artist return as potent as ever! Remember what Scripture says about Demons who “Return” 7 Fold? We just ‘Sayin…! It’s what they do! “Lepoards don’t change their spots or Tigers their Stripes”! 1st they appear contrite, then? Who would “Praise” Satan or Demons from The Pit of Hell claiming to be polite? The Most High approves this and one who does it??? Yeah right!
3. 2 of the most Racist Parishes in Louisiana are Jefferson (Where KKK Grand Wizzard David Duke won as State Representative), and St. Bernard, where a Black Woman purchased a home after Katrina and it was burned to the ground during the night. Duke “Carried” St. Bernard and had a “Major Campaign Headquarters” there! How Stupid is a Negro Lemming? btw- Where are we with ‘Dat investigation, Sherrif Polman? How in the heck, does a Negro lavish praise on officials who after Hurricane Katrina supported “Legacy Rentals Only” aka “White Only”! Which of these officials spoke out? Jeporady music please…! “Fair Housing”, Attorney James Perry, had to sue to get them to dismiss this action, ‘memba ‘Dat? Somebody(s) aka bodies are Stupid, right? Sycophants and their Lemming following are amazing! Microphones sanitize? Unsanitary is more like it! What is a Lemming? Lemmings believe, period! Sycophants are Historical “Revisionist” and Coon Cons! Like we said, Tigers and Leopards, right! Negro Please!!! Disgraceful!!! Langnippe about Rev. Kyles, Please Go here, “You” decide>>>
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xiOq85bLFnE
Peace Out…