I am so looking forward to the upcoming exhibit at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Black Crossroads: The African Diaspora in Miami. Unfortunately, the exhibition doesn’t open until March 5, 2009. It will be on display until January 24, 2010 but let’s not sleep on this excellent opportunity for connection, re-connection, enlightenment and education about blacks in Miami.

Here’s what the Museum’s website says about the exhibition:

Diverse groups of the African Diaspora have come to settle, work and struggle for freedom in Miami since its incorporation in 1896 to the present day. In the process, they have made significant political, economic and cultural contributions to the city. Black Crossroads: The African Diaspora in Miami explores the enduring presence and impact of African-Americans, Africans, black Caribbeans and black Hispanics on Miami.

On display in this exhibition will be historic photographs, oral histories, memorabilia, film/video and artifacts related to black pioneers, families, laborers, communities and organizations spanning the over 100 history of black migrations to Miami.

Check out the video that really got me excited about the exhibition. There are several folks in the video that I know such as Garth Reeves, Dorothy Fields, Enid Pinckney and Thelma Gibson but one of my favorite photographers, Carl Juste, is featured also. I finally got to see and hear him; his body of work is breathtaking but let me not digress too much.

Black Crossroads: The African Diaspora in Miami Video

Black Crossroads: The African Diaspora in Miami Exhibition Brief

• Download the Black Crossroads Exhibition Brief here

 

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

 

Now that State Farm Insurance is getting out of the business of property insurance in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist doesn’t think they should be allowed to continue to offer other insurance products for auto, health, etc.

About 100,000 South Floridians are affected by State Farm’s decision. More than a million more customers will be affected throughout Florida. Current policyholders have two years to find other coverage.

More Floridians may be forced into coverage by Florida’s Citizen’s Insurance, which hasn’t been a pleasant experience for many Floridians.

Gov. Crist’s response is understandable and shared by many. Was his response a knee jerk reaction or will State Farm be kicked to the curb in Florida?

 

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

      

Residents and visitors to the South Florida area can look forward to a number of exciting events to celebrate Black History Month.   The Miami-Dade County Black Affairs Advisory Board office has compiled a comprehensive list of events that will take place throughout the month of February 2009.   All events marked by an asterisk are sponsored by the Black Affairs Advisory Board’s Heritage Planning Committee, which is comprised of volunteer Miami-Dade County employees.

This year’s national theme is:  “The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas”   Following is a listing of events and activities:   

*Month long Activities

February 1-28, 2009

Kinad, Inc. African American Timeline Exhibition

A look at African-based contributions to American history through a multi-media, interactive exhibit curated by Kinad, Inc.  The exhibit—one  of Miami-Dade County’s largest, is free and open to the general public Monday—Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stephen P. Clark Center (Lobby)

111 NW 1^st Street Miami, Florida

Details: (305) 375-4606

www.kinad.org or www.miamidade.gov

Miami-Dade Transit Black History Bus Tours

February 1-28, 2009

A three and a half hour narrated tour aboard an air-conditioned Miami-Dade Transit bus, features significant historical sites and leaves from the Stephen P. Clark Center each Saturday in February.

Reservations are required and highly recommended.

To schedule a tour:  (786) 469-5028

www.miamidade.gov/transit/blackhis.asp

Miami-Dade Public Library

February 3-28, 2009

Numerous events featuring storytellers, music, art projects, music from Oscar Fuentes, Nicole Yarling, Son de Ahora and various award-winning storytellers.  For a complete listing of all events check out the Miami-Dade Public Library’s website: www.mdpls.org or call

(305) 375-BOOK (2665)

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

February 1-28, 2009

Educational seminars, tours, Annual Theodore Gibson Competition

& Annual Black History Culture & Brain Bowl (January 31, 2009)

Details:  Sherrilyn Scott:  (305) 995-1492 or  sherrilynscott@dadeschools.net

City of Miami Beach

February 1—March 20, 2009

The City of Miami Beach’s Black History Theme is:  “Living the Dream 2009”

Several activities are planned by the Black History Committee including artist presentations; workshops; tribute to Jazz & Blues, “Living the Dream Celebration Banquet” and a fashion showcase.  For a complete listing of all events contact:  Simon Carvil at (305) 673-7000 ext. 6648 or the website at www.miamibeachfl.gov.

Historical Museum of Southern Florida

March 5, 2009 through January 24, 2010

“Black Crossroads:  The African Diaspora in Miami”

Sheds new light on the impact of African Americans, Africans, Black Caribbeans and Hispanics have had on South Florida and examines the Black Experience from 1896 to the present.

Details:  Member Services at (305) 376-5356 or the website www.hmsf.org

CALENDAR EVENTS

February 1—8, 2009

Florida Memorial University’s Annual Homecoming Celebration

(

South Florida’s only Historically Black University-HBCU—celebrates Homecoming for students, alumni and friends.

Details:  (305) 626-3600 or www.fmuniv.edu

Monday, February 2, 2009

6:00—8:00 p.m.

Grand Opening Reception for Black Police Museum Exhibit

1009 N.W. 5^th Avenue

Miami, Florida 33137

Details:  (305) 250-5390

*Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009

12  Noon—2:00 p.m.

Black History Month Exhibit Ribbon Cutting/Opening Ceremony

Grand opening of the  month long interactive, multidimensional exhibit curated by Kinad, Inc. which takes a historical look at the contributions of  the African Diaspora in the Americas

.

Stephen P. Clark Center

111 NW 1^st Street

Miami, Florida

(305) 375-4606

Details:  (305) 375-4606

www.miamidade.gov/baab or www.kinad.org

Friday, February 13, 2009

7 p.m. –10:00 p.m.

 “Asili Night: An Old Fashioned Evening of Poetry and Jazz”

Featuring poets Geoffrey Philip; Joseph McNair; Zarifa Muhammad-El and Samantha Cooper with special guest Jazz Artist Charlie Austin and the Charlie Austin Ensemble

William Lehman Theater

Miami-Dade College, North Campus

Admission:  Free

Details: (305) 693-6236

 

*Saturday, February 14, 2009

7:00 p.m.

5^th Annual Valentine “Old School” Fundraiser “Yes We Can! Valentine Dinner & Dance” 

Miami Women’s Club

1737 North Bayshore Drive

Miami, Florida

Ticketed event with proceeds to benefit the “Young Pillars Scholarship Fund”

Includes dinner, door prizes, games and dancing.

Details: (305) 375-4606 or www.miamidade,gov/baab

*Wednesday, February 18, 2009

12 noon-1:00 p.m.

Miami-Dade Transit Choir Concert

Stephen P. Clark Government Center

111 NW 1^st Street

Miami, Florida

Details: (305) 375-4606 or www.miamidade,gov/baab

February 20-21, 2009

8:00 p.m.

Miami-Dade College’s Cultura del Lobo Performance Series

The Break/s

The Living Word Project by Mark Bamuthi Joseph

Details:  (305) 237-3010

www.mdc.edu/culture

*Saturday, February 21, 2009

10 a.m.—4 p.m.

Black History Extravaganza

All Day Family & Community Event

*Designated stop for Miami-Dade Transit Black History Tour, featuring food, music, fashions, art, entertainment & vendors

African Heritage Cultural Arts Center

6161 NW 22^nd Avenue

Miami, Florida

Details:  (305) 375-4606 or www.miamidade.gov/baab

February 21, 2009

7:00 p.m.

City of Miami Gardens’  “

Miss Miami Gardens Pageant”

Florida Memorial University’s Lou Rawls Center

15800 NW 42^nd Avenue

Details:  (305) 622-8000 ext.  or visit the website at www.missmiamigardens.com

Saturday, February 21, 2009

9:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

“The Evolution of Orisha Worship in Diaspora”

Featuring poets a distinguished forum of scholars, authors and practitioners and presided over by the Yeye Osun of Lagos, Chief Mrs. Ifafunke Motunrayo Olagbaju

William Lehman Theater

Miami-Dade College, North Campus

Room 2147

Admission:  Free

Details: (305) 693-6236

Sunday, February 22, 2009

1:00 –6:00 p.m.

 “Odun:  A Celebration of African Spirituality”

Family event featuring singers, dancers, drummers and masquerades from Nigeria

Joseph Caleb Center

5400 N.W. 22^nd Avenue

Room 2147

Admission:  Free

Details: (305) 693-6236

Friday, February 27, 2009

11:00 a.m.

Corrections and Rehabilitation Department

Black History Month Celebration:  “Change Has Come”

$35.00 per person

Jungle Island-Treetop Ballroom

111 Parrot Jungle Trail

Featuring food, music, fashion shows, art, entertainment & vendors

Details:  (786) 263-6100 or (786) 263-6102

*Friday, February 27, 2009

(Vendors 9 a.m.—4 p.m. & Concert 12 noon-1:30 p.m.)

Free Gospel Concert & African Marketplace Vendors

Stephen P. Clark Government Center

111 NW 1^st Street

Miami, Florida

Details:  (305) 375-4606 or www.miamidade.gov

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Reception 6:30 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m.          

Portrait of Empowerment Scholarship Gala

Biscayne Bay Marriott Hotel

1633 North Bayshore Drive

Miami, Florida 33132

Cost:  $75 per person

 Details: Dottie Johnson (305) 769-6982

            

            

For further details, contact the Black Affairs Advisory Board at   (305) 375-4606 or visit the website at www.miamidade.gov/baab.

 

ALONZO MOURNING AND FRIENDS STEPPED INTO THEIR BOWLING SHOES FOR A GOOD CAUSE

MIAMI, FL (January 27, 2009) – Alonzo Mourning Charities brought the annual Zo's “King Pin” Classic event back to Lucky Strike Lanes on South Beach last Thursday, January 22^nd.   The event, which raised more than $80,000, benefited the Honey Shine Mentoring Program, a program of Alonzo Mourning Charities, which works to empower young girls to shine as women. 

This year, the Seminole Tribe of Indians team took over “King Pin” status and led the other teams that supported the event, including Equinox, The Miami Heat Charitable Fund, Kidding Around, Donte Stallworth, Jennifer Altman and Adam Rubenstein, M.D., among many others.  The teams of bowlers not only had the opportunity to bowl alongside Alonzo and Tracy Wilson Mourning, but they also received official “King Pin” bowling shirts, a commemorative engraved bowling pin, and a photo with the Mournings.

Those lucky guests who attended Zo's “King Pin” Classic rubbed elbows with some of South Florida’s best, including Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion, Dorell Wright and Joel Anthony, as well as Chad Jackson of the Denver Broncos, Donte Stallworth and Braylon Edwards of the Cleveland Browns, former NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, former NFL player O.J. McDuffie, former MLB catcher Charles Johnson, NFL player Duane Starks, and star from NBC’s The Office, Craig Robinson.  Guests also had the chance to enter the live auction and raffle for the chance to take your kids and their friends bowling with Mourning, an autographed Dwyane Wade Olympic jersey, Rod Stewart concert tickets, the chance for your child to be a Miami Heat Ball Kid, swimming clinic with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Canyon Ranch Miami Beach vacation, and more, while enjoying chic cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  The guest DJ kept the party going as billiard tables, massage stations and virtual bowling on Nintendo Wii kept patrons occupied.

With the 4^th Annual Zo's “King Pin” Classic complete, Alonzo Mourning Charities looks forward to their next big event, Tracy Wilson Mourning’s 7^th Annual Hat's Off Luncheon on April 28, 2009.  For more information on how you can sponsor or donate to Alonzo Mourning Charities, visit www.AMCharities.org or call 305.476.0095.

 

The Miami New Times profiled Liberty City Pastor Vincent Spann. Some of the article is positive and the rest of it just makes you go...hmmm. In the end, we are not the judge, right?

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

      

It is rumored that State Senator Dan Gelber will announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate today. If that's true, he will be the second candidate to announce after U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Gelber's announcement will not be a surprise as it was no secret that his decision was contingent upon whether Florida CFO Alex Sink entered the race.

The U.S. Senate race should be very interesting once all of the candidates are known.

Let's talk local politics. It seems that City of Miami commissioner Joe Sanchez will enter the race for mayor of the city today. With that seat wide open since Mayor Manny Diaz is term limited, the fireworks will surely be fast and furious. We will definitely get into the power of the black vote in that race so stay tuned.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

 

Denied bond Tuesday: Francisco Oses, accused of trying to steal a woman's SUV with her three children inside outside a Miami Walgreens -- and punching one baby girl to ``keep her from crying.''

 

Channel 10 reported that the Radio Shack in Liberty City was burglarized early Tuesday morning. According to the store manager, this is the fourth burglary in a few months.

When the store has to increase its prices because of increased operating costs or just close down the store completely, the law abiding customers in the neighborhood suffer. The boneheads who commited the crime probably try to paint their actions as a victimless crime because the store's corporate office will cover the loss. Yeah, think again.

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

      

It takes all kinds of people to make the world go around yet some folks really do it to beat of another drum. Such is Aaron Jackson who I just read about in the Broward/Palm Beach New Times.

This young man, from a privileged background, has made it his personal mission to raise enough funds to provide treatment to cure the ravages of intestinal parasites in people in Haiti. He’s single-mindedly, with a few bumps in the road, managed to help the people of  Haiti and around the world without the traditional aid encumbrance of our government.

It’s difficult to capture this guy’s story in a couple of paragraphs here so please check out his story and support his initiatives through his non-profit organization, Planting Peace. He’s amazing. After reading it you can’t help but believe in the power of one person to effect positive change in the world.

 

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.

      

I am attending the local NAACP celebration in honor of President Barack Obama. This is a fitting occasion as Branch president Bishop Victor Curry reminded us of the need to work together in this community and for the resources of the community to be shared with all of the county's residents. As taxpayers, we must be at the table when decisions are made that affect our community.

There are many generations present on this cold January evening. Today has been a magical day and the magic continues. As the Instant Attraction band entertains us, the hopefulness and renewed American spirit is present in those in the room.

I am prayerful that as blacks in this community, regardless of where we were born and our native tongue, we will continue to break down barriers as our new president has done. While we celebrate his inauguration in a manner that others will not understand, it is important that we move on and move forward.

© 2009, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com

Vote for this blog for Best Pop Culture Blog and Best Blog About Stuff in the 2009 Bloggers Choice Awards.