Author’s Notebook
For my readers who have not read my series called Author’s Notebook in the past. It will be repeated again. It has appeared in the Criterion newspaper for many years. The purpose of Author’s Notebook is to announce upcoming events and articles that I plan to do in my Eye On History column, and in the community in general. In the past few weeks, I have met people in the community who read my column. The Author’s Notebook will keep people updated so they can plan. It will appear from time to time. The following are some things to look forward to in the future.
In light of President Trump’s plan to release the files of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. my topic will be on why we must keep the Legacy of Dr. King alive and reflect on his legacy with honor and respect so that his memory will not be tarnished for years to come. His family recently issued remarks on this and appealed that his memory be respected. In my opinion this is just a distraction from the current controversy surrounding the release of the Epstein files.
In light of the attempts to rewrite history this is another attempt to negate our history. I will also be commenting on the current administration’s suspension of NPR’s and public broadcasting, and why this will affect many people across the county--via historical information and current events. I have been a guest on NPR a number of times and it gave me the opportunity to speak on issues from the perspective of African Americans.
The Legends and Legacies Film Series will return later in the year. The dates and times will be announced in the Author’s Notebook. This film series highlights historical films on a variety of topics and features not only current topics, but entertainers who have made their mark in many different ways. The film series has been featured at the Frank E. Merriweather library for several years. It is another reason to remember our history for both adults and students. Many of these films recall important periods in our history. I have produced several of them myself. An example is the interview by done by filmmaker Doug Ruffin on the African American Curriculum Resource Center that I created at the Campus West School. It lasted for ten years until I retired in 2004.
The Curriculum Center was another example of what can be done to remember and teach our history. Speaking of education, I will give my view on the direction of the new school Superintendent and the upcoming new Board of Education members. There will be new members elected in November. I also plan to do several book reviews of significant books. Many people might remember the Late Tony Brown and his television show called “Tony Brown’s Journal.”
He covered many issues in politics that we are still witnessing today. He also interviewed a number of celebrities. His show was a PBS syndicated television and radio show. Stay tuned to the Author’s Notebook for more information!!