Kwanzaa vs ChristmasFrom The Jamaica Gleaner
Christmas is a time when most people of this majority black nation live out a lie. Many engage in a ritual of wanton spending buying gifts for their children, telling these impressionable young that Santa Claus, a snow-white, dumpy man, flies across the world and places the gifts under the Christmas tree.
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Toy Maker Tells Stories of Unknown African-American Heroes
Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) - For the holiday season, History In Action Toys (HIA Toys) is offering a series of limited-edition action figures based on three lesser-known American heroes -- the daring female aviator Bessie Coleman, the self-taught mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker and Matthew Henson, the resourceful explorer. Available for purchase at www.hiatoys.com, this introductory line of safe toys was strategically selected to teach African-American children and others about the diversity in American history and to allow their pride in their background to inspire them to dream big.
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DNA ancestry testing leaves some in doubt
Henry Louis Gates Jr., whose PBS special "African American Lives" explores the ancestry of famous African Americans using DNA testing, has done more than anyone to help popularize such tests and companies that offer them. But recently this Harvard professor has become one of the industry's critics.
Gates says his concerns date back to 2000, when a company told him his maternal ancestry could most likely be traced back to Egypt, probably to the Nubian ethnic group. Five years later, however, a test by a second company startled him. It concluded that his maternal ancestors were not Nubian or even African, but most likely European.
10 comments:
I must with all honesty and no shame say.....I want those action figures. That is so great. I am going to have to order some.
Nice article on the toys. Great looking figures, but way over priced. Let's hope they lower the cost in the future.
Here is what I do not understand, a basic skim through history will tell you that most if not all slaves came from the sub sahara west coast of Africa.
But through romance, black americans are walking around thinking that they share a blood line with North Africans (who do not consider themselves black), and Zulus, Massai, and Nubians who
1- were dominant cultures so it is less likely they would have enslaved
2- because of there location would have been just plain bad business trying to transport them to the West coast for shipment.
The only romantic notion that has truth to it is that there are some Mandingos running around here.
I remember watching that show Oprah thoght she was a Zulu come to find out not.
But the one that had me in stitches was the lady who thought she had native American Blood in her. She dressed the part and everything, in fact I think she was teaching Native history and culture at a university (they will make a professor OUT OF ANYBODY).
Come to find out she did not have a lick of Native blood in her just plain ol black and white.
That right there was when the show to me should have just followed her around to see what she did next.
I know she must have went off on who ever told that lie.
BTW for those like who like to claim Native watch it. The only tribe you maybe from is called Caucasian.
This article proves that the average person know about as much about their ancestry as the average person including the above commentor knows what it takes to become professor!!! LMAO!!!!!
It's why I love the blog world any half-wit can have an opinion about something they know absolutely nothing about!!!! It's free speech at it's best.
Thanks for the stimulating articles to discuss!!!!
LOL, pretty lousy job of ignoring me.
Professor Tracey said...
Sorry MDC - but how do black people benefit from celebrating made-up Kwanzaa? It has no real connection to Africa other than using a few African words. I'm not arguing for Xmas, but I don't see Kwanzaa as much better.
Further, if more people knew the background of the founder of Kwanzaa, particularly his past jail time for the horrific physical abuse of two black women maybe they would not be so quick to support this so-called holiday.
(You put this on another post, so I moved it for you - MDC)
Ehav,
They are cool. I wouldn't mind having a Bessie Coleman figure. (See I could have said doll but I didn't) Lol
Professor Tracey,
I guess if they sell a lot of them the price may come down. I will consider them for gifts in the future.
ClnMike,
I agree that Oprah was really silly thinking she was a Zulu. None of her friends told her that was highly unlikely before she went on TV saying that?
Professor Tracey,
I'm glad you found the articles interesting.
And I wasn't advocating for Kwanzaa. I just thought it was an interesting letter.
You're right I have heard some "stuff" about the Kwanzaa guy.
Hey MDC,
They aren't dolls or figures. Their Action Figures. (smile) In one of the photos on the web-site it looks like Benjamin Banneker can take that map of DC and hit someone with it. (lol) I really want that one since I graduated from the Benjamin Banneker Honors college at Prairie View A&M University.
They look like they have that old school Kung Fu action grip. The only Action Figures I remember like this were the African American members of G.I. Joe and Lando Calrisian from Star Wars.
Ehav,
Yeah, okay action figures. (wink, wink) Lol
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