Celebrating Black History Month: Charles Bush, first African-American graduate of US Air Force Academy

Charles Vernon Bush, born December 17, 1939, was one of the first three African-Americans to enter the US Air Force Academy in 1959.  Bush became the first African-American to graduate from the USAFA in 1963. 

In 1964, he completed schooling at Air Intelligence Officers School in Denver, Colorado in November. He volunteered for an assignment to a special intelligence unit during the Vietnam War in 1966.  He became fluent in Vietnamese, and was transferred to the 6499th Special Activities Group in Saigon.  He was awarded the Bronze Star by 7th Air Force and the Joint Services Commendation Medal by Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. The 6499th Special Activities Group was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.

He received an Honorable Discharge in August 1970. He worked in business for several different companies until his retirement.

He passed away in November 2012 from colon cancer in Montana.

Happy birthday, actress Barbara Babcock!

Incredible and under-rated actress Barbara Babcock, born February 27, 1937 in Fort Riley, Kansas, appeared in two Star Trek episodes and provided voices in four others.  She first appeared in A Taste of Armageddon in 1967 and then Plato's Stepchildren in 1968.  She voiced Trelane's mother in Squire of Gothos, Isis the cat in Assignment: Earth, the Tholian commander in The Tholian Web, and Zetar in The Lights of Zetar. 

She appeared in three episodes of Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury.  She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work in Hill Street Blues.

Celebrating Black History Month: 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, Civil War Heroes

In August 1862, Kansas territory army recruiter James Lane authorized the recruitment of black men for raising a regiment.  This went against the wishes of the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.  Nevertheless, many freed black men and escaped slaves volunteered.  The newly formed regiment had three black officers, William D. Matthews, Henry Copeland, and Patrick Minor.  

They were the first black regiment to be organized in a northern state and the first black unit to see combat during the Civil War.  In the skirmish at Island Mound in Missouri, African-American soldiers showed they could fight and they could lead.

At the Battle of Poison Spring in Ouachita County, Arkansas in April 1864, the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry lost more men than any other unit during the Civil War.  

Happy birthday, astronaut Susan Helms!

Susan Jane Helms, born February 26, 1958 in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a veteran of five Space Shuttle flights.  She attained the rank of Lieutenant General in the US Air Force before retiring.

Her first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-54) as mission specialist in January 1993. She spent almost 6 days in space, making 96 orbits of Earth.  

Her second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-64) as mission specialist in September 1994.  She spent almost 11 days in space and completed 176 orbits of Earth.

Her third mission was aboard Columbia (STS-78) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in June-July 1996. She spent almost 17 days in space and completed 271 orbits of Earth.

Her fourth trip was aboard Atlantis (STS-101) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in May 2000. The wake up call on Day 2, Free Fallin' by Tom Petty was dedicated to Helms. She spent almost 10 days in space and completed 155 orbits of Earth.

Her fifth and final mission started on Discovery (STS-102) as mission specialist to the International Space Station launched in March 2001.  She participated in Expedition 2 on the ISS, conducting an EVA on March 11.  She returned to Earth aboard Discovery (STS-105) in August 2001, having spent over 167 days in space.

Celebrating Black History Month: Alice Ball, black chemist who developed an early treatment for leprosy

Alice Augusta Ball, born July 24, 1882 in Seattle, Washington, is the first woman and first African-American woman to receive a Master's Degree from the University of Hawai'i.  She studied chemistry at the University of Washington where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1912.

Based on her work at the University of Hawai'i, Ball was contacted by Dr. Harry Hollimann, who requested her assistance for his research into a treatment of leprosy.  At the time, people diagnosed with leprosy were condemned to the Hawai'ian island Molokai, where they were expected to live out the rest of their lives. 

She developed a technique to isolate the antibiotic properties from chaulmoogra oil that could be injected into the body.  Her research led to successful treatments of leprosy, and people were able to be discharged from the hospital and return to their families.

She passed away from undetermined causes at 24 in December 1916.

Mannheim Steamroller wins Grammy Award for "Fresh Aire 7" 1992

Mannheim Steamroller released the seventh album in their Fresh Aire series, Fresh Aire 7, in November 1990.  It reached #77 on the Billboard album charts but on February 25, 1992, Chip Davis brought home the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.

This is my favorite song from the album:

Celebrating Black History Month: Boley, Oklahoma, early predominantly black pioneer town 1905

Boley, incorporated in 1905 in what is now Oklahoma, is a predominantly black pioneer town in Okfuskee County, west of Oklahoma City. When it was established, people with Native American ancestry were also among its citizens. That area of Indian Territory was settled by Creek Freedmen, who ancestors had been held as slaves of the Creek at the time of the Indian Removal in the 1830s. The US government negotiated treaties that required tribes to emancipate their slaves and give them tribal membership. 

The Fort Smith & Western Railroad approved a station stop at an ideal location for a township, where the land was used for agricultural purposes.  Boley, Creek Nation, Indian Territory was incorporated in 1905, named for a railroad official J.B. Boley.

In the early 20th century, Boley was one of the wealthiest black towns in the nation, including two banks, three cotton gins, an electric company, and two colleges: Creek-Seminole College and Methodist Episcopal College.  By 1911, its population was over 4000. 

After WWI, the railroad went bankrupt, and since Boley was dependent upon it, the town went bankrupt in 1939 during the Great Depression. 

Today, its population is around 1100 people and is still one of the state's few remaining historic African-American towns.  Pumpsie Green, born in Boley, Oklahoma, was the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox. 

Disney's Pinocchio released 1940

Walt Disney released its second full-length animated film Pinocchio February 23, 1940, after premieres in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Baltimore, and Washington DC in the weeks before.  It was based on a children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.  It is a story about a woodcarver Gepetto who cares a wooden puppet and hope that it might become a real boy.

I understand the novel is a bit darker than the movie.  One example is Pinocchio killing Jiminy Cricket in the book, but not the movie.  

It received critical acclaim, garnering a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and it won two Academy Awards: Best Music, Original Score; and Best Music, Original Song for When You Wish Upon a Star.  However, it was a box office bomb when it was released mainly due to the outbreak of WWII (which didn't start for the US until another year and a half?)

Eventually, it made a profit when it was re-released in 1945.  It is considered on of the greatest animated films ever and in 1994, it was added to the National Film Registry. 

George Frederick Handel born 1685

George Frederick Handel, born February 23, 1685, is probably best known for his magnificent composition The Messiah. He composed operas, oratorios, and organ concertos during the Baroque Era.  Born in the same year as Johann Sebastian Bach, the two composers never met, although Bach tried.  

He is considered to be one of the greatest composers of his age, and I think of all time!  He enjoyed major success with The Messiah which he composed in 1742 and premiered in Dublin on April 13. 

Handel passed away in April 1759 in London, England.  He was given a state funeral at Westminster Abbey.

Elsa Lanchester wins Golden Globe 1958

The 1957 film Witness for the Prosecution, based on the play by Agatha Christie, received 5 Golden Globe nominations but on February 22, 1958, at the 15th annual celebration, the amazing Elsa Lanchester walked away with the solo win for the movie that evening.

She took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Miss Pimsoll, private nurse to Sir Wilfrid Robarts.  Witness for the Prosecution was nominated for Best Film Drama, Best Actor - Drama for Charles Laughton, Best Actress - Drama for Marlene Dietrich, and Best Director for Billy Wilder.

Lanchester was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance but did not get the prize. 

Percy Faith's "Theme from A Summer Place" reaches #1 for 9 weeks 1960

Theme from A Summer Place was written for the 1959 movie of the same name by Max Steiner and lyrics by Mack Discant.  Hugo Winterhalter recorded the song as an instrumental for the film.  

However, it is Percy Faith's recording that is the most popular.  He released it in September 1959, and it began a slow rise to #1, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, February 22, 1960.  It remained there for a record 9 weeks, a record which wouldn't be broken until Debby Boone's You Light Up My Life in 1977.  

Billboard ranked Faith's version as the Number One song for 1960.  Percy Faith won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year, becoming the first movie theme and first instrumental to win a Grammy for Record of the Year.

Celebrating Black History Month: The 555th Parachute Infantry, first all-black parachute battalion

In December 1943, Chief of Staff General George Marshall, on the recommendation of Asst. Secretary of War John McCloy, authorized the formation of the first all black unit with black officers and men. The men, selected from the 92nd Infantry Division at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, became the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the first all-black parachute infantry.

During the winter of 1944-1945, Japan sent over 9000 balloons carrying incendiary bombs across the Pacific to the west coast of the United States.  The bombs would cause fires.  The 555th PIB was deployed to combat the threat and put out the fires.  The nature of the Japanese attacks were kept silent by the military and the missions of the 555th PIB were therefore kept secret as well.

Fortunately, no significant wildfires were created but the smaller ones kept the battalion busy.  Some of the bombs would detonate upon landing, but others could remain undisturbed for weeks before exploding.  The 555th PIB combatted 28 fires during 1945, during which they only lost one man, who died during a jump.

After WWII, the battalion was transferred to Fort Bragg, NC and became attached to the 82nd Airborne Division.  When that battalion was disbanded in December 1947, they were transferred to the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.  The 555th PIB was officially disbanded in August 1950, but many of its members volunteered to form an all-black unit since the Army was segregated then.  Although President Truman had ordered the integration of the Army in 1948, the military was slow to comply.  

Many of the 555th PIB fought in the Korean War in other units. 

Celebrating Black History Month: DeHart Hubbard, first African-American to win an individual Olympic gold medal 1924

DeHart Hubbard, born November 25, 1903, attended University of Michigan, where he was National Collegiate Athletic Association champion three times, for the outdoor long jump (1923 and 1925), and the 100-hard dash (1925).  He was the Big Ten Conference champion 7 times.

While he was attending college, he participated in the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris and became the first African-American to win an Olympic gold medal for any sport: the running long jump.

He founded the Cincinnati Tigers, a professional baseball team, which played in the Negro American League.

He has been inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor and the National Track Hall of Fame.

Hubbard passed away in 1976.

Celebrating Black History Month: Alphonso Lofton, first African-American Florida Highway Patrol trooper

Alphonso Lofton was the first African-American trooper in the Florida Highway Patrol. He joined the patrol in 1970 after witnessing an FHP trooper investigating a hit-and-run accident.  After graduating from the academy, he was assigned to Field Operations in Miami's Troop E, and in 1973, he was promoted to Traffic Homicide Investigator.  He became a recruiter in 1981 to encourage more African-Americans into the FHP. 

He received the Martin Luther King Brotherhood Award.  He passed away in 1984 at 39 from multiple sclerosis.

In 2019, he was inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officers' Hall of Fame.

Celebrating Black History Month: 1st American Music Awards, African-American artists win big, 1974

The first annual American Music Awards was held on February 19, 1974 and produced by Dick Clark Productions.  African-American artists won big, winning at least one award in each of three categories, and sweeping the Soul/R&B category.

Stevie Wonder won two awards: Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Song for Superstition.

Charley Pride also won two awards: Favorite Country Male Artist, and Favorite Country Album, A Sunshiny Day with Charley Pride.

Roberta Flack won for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist

The Temptations won Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group

Al Green won Favorite Soul/R&B Album for I'm Still In Love With You.

Diana Ross won Favorite Pop/Rock Album for Lady Sings the Blues.

Astronaut Dave Low born 1956

George David Low, born February 19, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, went into space three times during his career as an astronaut.

His first mission was aboard Columbia (STS-32) as mission specialist in January 1990.  He spent almost 11 days in space, which at the time was the longest shuttle mission yet.

His second mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-43) as mission specialist in August 1991.  He spent almost 9 hours in space.

His third and final mission was on Endeavour (STS-57) as mission specialist in June 1993. He spent almost 10 days in space. 

He passed away in March 2008 from colon cancer.

Celebrating Black History Month: "In Dahomey" first African-American musical opens on Broadway 1903

In Dahomey, the first full-length musical to be written, played, and performed by African-Americans, opened on Broadway February 18, 1903.  It featured music by Will Marion Cook, book by Jesse A. Shipp, and lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar.  

It starred George Walker and Bert Williams who were popular vaudeville entertainers at the time.  It ran for 53 performances, then toured twice in the US and once in the UK. In Dahomey became one of the most successful musical comedies of that time.

Remembering Stella Stevens (1938-2023)

Just days after losing Raquel Welch, another 70s icon has passed away.  Stella Stevens, who starred in The Poseidon Adventure and several other of my favorite movies died today at age 84 from Alzheimer's disease.  Born October 1, 1938 in Yazoo City, Mississippi, she made her acting debut in Say One for Me in 1959 for which she won a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female.  In 1972, she appeared in The Poseidon Adventure, a classic disaster movie, and then in 1973, she starred in the horror-comedy Arnold. Just two years later, she played the bad guy Marcia in the pilot for the new Wonder Woman series starring Lynda Carter.

She appeared with Angela Lansbury in Funeral at Fifty-Mile, an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

I don't know why I love this fight scene between Marcia (Stella) and Wonder Woman (Lynda).

Celebrating Black History Month: Benjamin Banneker, early civil rights activist, astronomer, almanac author

Benjamin Banneker, born November 9, 1731 in Baltimore County, Maryland, was a self-taught man and excelled in fields of astronomy, farming, mathematics, engineering, and land surveyor.  When he was 21, he manufactured a wooden clock that struck on the hour, using only a pocket watch as guidance.  The clock continued to chime until his death.  

In 1791, Thomas Jefferson (then US Secretary of State) asked Major Andrew Ellicott to survey the area that would become Washington, DC.  Ellicott hired Banneker to assist in the initial survey of the district's boundaries.

Afterwards, he returned to Ellicott's Mills (now Ellicott City) and began making astronomical calculations that predicted eclipses and planetary conjunctions.  He published his almanac in 1792. the first in a six-year series, printed and distributed among the northeast US.

In August 1791, Banneker wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, quoting language in the Declaration of Independence (written by Jefferson), express a plea for justice for African-Americans. He accused Jefferson of using fraud and violence to oppress his slaves.

Jefferson did not respond directly to Banneker's accusations but expressed support for the advancement of his" black brethren".  He said of Banneker's almanac: 

"...because I considered it as a document to which your whole colour had a right for their justification against the doubts which have been entertained of them."

This correspondence is considered one of the earliest examples of a plea for civil rights.

Banneker died in October 1806.  On the day of his funeral, a mysterious fire burned down his log cabin, destroying almost all of his life's work.

Remembering Raquel Welch (1940-2023)

Sex symbol for the 60s and 70s, beautiful Raquel Welch, born September 5, 1940 in Chicago, passed away yesterday, February 16, 2023.  She was 82.  She started her acting career by providing sexiness in the background of television shows, such as Bewitched, but she soared to fame when she appeared in One Million Years B.C. in 1966. In 1971, she was a guest on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.  

She starred in The Three Musketeers and its sequel The Four Musketeers as Constance de Bonacieux, a role for which she won a Golden Globe.  

Celebrating Black History Month: Boston Vigilance Committee frees escaped slave Shadrach Minkins 1851

Shadrach Minkins escaped slavery in Virginia in 1850 and fled to Boston.  He worked as a waiter until February 1851 when he was arrested by federal marshals and taken to the courthouse. The Boston Vigilance Committee, an abolitionist organization to protect escaped slaves from being captured and returned to slavery in the South, hired lawyers to defend Minkins.  

On February 15, 1851, about twenty black activists stormed the courthouse, overpowered the marshals, and released Minkins. They spirited him away in a wagon to Beacon Hill and hid him in an attic until nightfall.  With the help of the Underground Railroad, he escaped to Canada.

He settled in Montreal and never returned to the United States.  He passed away in December 1875.

Duke Ellington records "Take the 'A' Train" 1941

Take the 'A' Train written by Billy Strayhorn in 1939 became the signature tune for Duke Ellington and his orchestra.  Strayhorn wrote lyrics, but the Delta Rhythm Boys composed the first lyrics to be recorded. Joya Sherrill wrote the lyrics that would be used to Ellington. 

The most famous recording of it by Ellington and his orchestra took place on February 15, 1941.  Ellington performed it in the 1943 movie Reveille with Beverly with Betty Roche singing.  

National Public Radio included Take the 'A' Train in the NPR 100, a list of the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century.

ABBA releases "Knowing Me, Knowing You" 1977

ABBA released Knowing Me, Knowing You, the third single from their fourth studio album Arrival February 14, 1977.  It was one of their biggest hits and one of their best songs.  Billboard ranked it #4 on its list of top 15 ABBA songs. Rolling Stone ranked it as #2 on their list of top 25 ABBA songs.

Celebrating Black History Month: Wesley A. Brown, first African-American to graduate from US Naval Academy

Wesley Anthony Brown, born April 3, 1927 in Baltimore, Maryland, became the first African-American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy in May 1949.  Five other black men had been admitted before him but never finished due to extensive hostility.  Brown also faced hostility but did not leave.  

He served for twenty years in the US Navy and participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars.  Brown retired in June 1969 as lieutenant commander.  

Brown passed away in Silver Spring, Maryland in May 2012.  The Wesley Brown Field House at the US Naval Academy is named in his honor. 

"Daredevil" released 2003

Marvel Comics released the first movie to bring its superhero Daredevil to the big screen, February 14, 2003. Daredevil starred Ben Affleck in the title role, with Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Colin Farrell (swoon!) as the supervillain Bullseye, and Michael Clark Duncan as Kingpin.  

The movie opened to mixed reviews and didn't fare as well at the box office as some of the other MCU movies did.  It did hold the #1 spot for two weeks before falling to #3 in the third week.  Afterwards, Ben Affleck vowed that he would never appear in a superhero movie again, but went on to play Batman in several DC movies.

I enjoyed the movie, but felt it could be stronger.  A sequel was planned but never materialized.  Pity.  The second movie is usually better than the first.  For example, X2 and Spiderman 2 (the Toby Maguire versions). 

Happy birthday, Lady Deathstrike Kelly Hu!

Beautiful and badass actress Kelly Hu, born February 13, 1968 in Honolulu, Hawai'i, starred in X2: X-Men United as super-villain Lady Deathstrike.  She's also appeared in the DC Universe as White Tiger in Arrow, the series about the Green Arrow.  

She's performed on a number of my other favorite shows:  Warehouse 13, The Orville, and NCIS: New Orleans. She has provided voices for two of the Scooby-Doo movies! 

In 1985, Hu was the first Asian-American to be crowned Miss Teen USA.  She was crowned Miss Hawai'i in 1993 and finished in the Top 6 at the Miss USA pageant. 

Celebrating Black History Month: New York Renaissance, first professional African-American basketball team

In the first decades of the twentieth century, when black athletes were barred from professional sports, Robert Douglas founded and organized the New York Renaissance, the first all-black professional basketball team February 13, 1923.  He managed an agreement with William Roach, who owned the New Renaissance Ballroom and Casino, to allow the team to practice there.

The New York Ren played its first game on November 3, 1923 and they beat the Collegiate Five, an all-white team 28-22. They played until the last game in 1949.  The NBA had been created by that time.

The Rens team was in ducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1963. 

Celebrating Black History Month: Hattie McDaniel, first African-American to win an Oscar

Actress Hattie McDaniel, born June 10, 1893 in Wichita, Kansa, busted race barriers in Hollywood when she won an Oscar, becoming the first African-American to win an Academy Award.  She received the honor for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as Mammy in Gone With The Wind.

She was not allowed to sit in the main room where the awards were being handed out because black people were not permitted.  She was also not allowed to attend the premiere in Atlanta, Georgia.  Clark Gable, a good friend of hers, threatened to boycott the premiere but Hattie convinced him to attend.

She passed away in October 1952 from breast cancer.  

"The Stepford Wives" released 1975

Spooky and controversial thriller, The Stepford Wives, was released in US theaters February 12, 1975.  Based on Ira Levin's 1972 novel of the same name, it is the story about a woman who relocates with her husband and children to a picturesque, idyllic town in Connecticut, where the women are the "perfect wives".  By 'perfect', they mean 'completely submissive'.  

Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, and Tina Louise appear as some of the wives in Stepford.  

Feminist groups were not pleased with the movie for its misogynistic tones, but many applaud it for its satire of domestic homelife, where men only want women with big breasts, frequent sex, and delicious meals.  

Katharine Ross won a Saturn Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films for Best Actress.  The Stepford Wives was nominated for a Saturn for Best Science Fiction Film but lost to Rollerball.

Celebrating Black History Month: Thomas Elkins, African-American inventor

Thomas Elkins, born in 1818, was a dentist, surgeon, pharmacist and inventor.  He received an education in pharmacy and ran a small drugstore until economic difficulties forced him to close.  He focused on dentistry and minor surgery.  He studied dentistry under Dr. Charles Payne, and surgery under Dr. Marsh.  

He participated in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape to Canada.  The house where he and his wife operated the "best-run" Underground Railroad station in New York is now owned by the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.

During the Civil War, Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts appointed him to be the medical examiner in the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantries. He improved the refrigerating apparatus, which prevented the decay of human corpses and food.  

He patented an chamber-commode, a predecessor to the toilet.  

Elkins died in August 1900.

Tianwen-1, Chinese spacecraft, reaches Mars 2021

Launched in July 2020, Tianwen-1, an interplanetary mission by the Chinese National Space Administration, successfully reached Mars February 10, 2021.  The spacecraft carried two deployable cameras, a lander, a remote camera, and the Zhurong rover.  

Tianwen-1 arrived just one day after the United Arab Emirates Space Agency's Hope orbiter.

The Andrews Sisters "Rum And Coca-Cola" reaches #1 1945

Rum and Coca-Cola, composed by Lionel Belasco and lyrics by Lord Invader, was recorded by the Andrews Sisters in 1944 and went to #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, February 10, 1945.  I didn't realize how the song alludes to US soldiers debauching young women on the island of Trinidad.  The song hints at how women prostituted themselves for the soldiers:

Since the Yankee came to Trinidad

They got the young girls all goin' mad

Young girls say they treat 'em nice

Make Trinidad like paradise

The song goes on to say:

From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle
Native girls all dance and smile
Help soldier celebrate his leave
Make every day like New Year's Eve

The Andrews Sisters were asked about the song's lyrics, but they said they were given the song the day before they recorded it, and didn't have a chance to give the lyrics much thought.  Many radio stations in the US refused to play the song since it mentions 'rum' in the title.  

Despite the boycott, Rum and Coca-Cola stayed at #1 for seven weeks.  

Celebrating Black History Month: 1st Louisiana Native Guard, first US militia unit with officers of color

In 1861, after Louisiana's secession, Governor Thomas Moore issued please for troops to defend the state in the upcoming Civil War.  At a meeting in New Orleans on April 22 at the Catholic Institute, 2000 people attended and of those, 1500 signed up.  Moore accepted their services.

A new regiment was formed  in May 1861, consisting mostly of French Creoles of color.   Moore appointed three white officers as commanders and company commanders were appointed from the men of color.  The 1st Louisiana Native Guard, as it was called, was the first of any militia in North America to have officers of color.

They offered their services to the Confederate army but were declined.  The Louisiana State Legislature passed a law in February 15, 1862 that reorganized the militia into only "...free white males capable of bearing arms..."  Therefore, the Native Guard was disbanded.  

Governor Moore reinstated them when Confederate forces abandoned New Orleans ahead of Admiral David Farragut entering the Mississippi.  The Native Guards were left to fend for themselves.  They were officially ordered to disband by General John Lewis April 25, 1862.

"The Cassandra Crossing" released 1976

The star-studded disaster flick, The Cassandra Crossing, was released to rather not-very-positive reviews February 9, 1976.  The plot of the movie has 1000 passengers on a train who have been exposed to a potentially deadly virus.  They are not allowed to leave the train and are being diverted to a place in Poland.  But first they have to traverse the Cassandra Crossing, an abandoned railroad bridge, which has been closed for over twenty years because it was falling apart back then.  Will it manage to support the train or will it collapse?

It starred Sophia Loren, Richard Harris, Martin Sheen, O.J. Simpson, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Ray Lovelock, and Dan Haggerty(?) in an uncredited role.

Despite the negative responses, I enjoy the movie and will continue to watch it.

Happy birthday, Tom Hiddleston!

Versatile and handsome actor Tom Hiddleston, born February 9, 1981 in London, England, is probably best known for his portrayal of Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has appeared as Loki in Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok, The Avengers, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.  He has a television series Loki and has voiced the character in other visual media.  I really liked him in Kong: Skull Island.  He played Hank Williams in the biopic I Saw the Light.

He has received many awards for his work as Loki, but he has also won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in 2017 for his performance in The Night Manager.

The Pointer Sisters appear on the "Carol Burnett Show" 1975

My girls showed up again on the Carol Burnett Show February 8, 1975.  This time they are the panel for the game show Up Your Income as the Shana-Nana-Noonie Sisters.   Ruth, Bonnie, and Anita appeared in the skit.  

Watch Stella Toddler and the Pointer Sisters in Up Your Income!

Happy birthday, "Death In Paradise" star Ralf Little

Impossibly handsome actor Ralf Little, born February 8, 1980 Greater Manchester, England, is currently the resident detective Neville Parker in the awesome series Death In Paradise.  He had appeared in an earlier episode as a guest star, but now he's back as the lead.  He's been nominated twice for a TV Times Award for Favourite Actor.  Maybe this year, he'll get it!

Celebrating Black History Month: Ira Aldridge, nineteenth century actor and trailblazer

Ira Frederick Aldridge, born July 24, 1807 in New York City, was a Shakespearean actor and toured all over Europe, becoming one of the top paid actors of the time. He began acting in the early 1820s but facing persistent discrimination against black actors, he emigrated to Liverpool, England in 1824.  British Parliament had outlawed slavery and was trying to abolish slavery in all of the British empire. This increased the possibility for black actors to perform.

In October 1825, he debuted at London's Royal Coburg Theatre, where he played the lead role in Revolt of Surinam, or A Slave's Revenge.  Audiences loved him, but theatre critics at the time were scandalized by his race, and made their racism evident in their reviews.

He continued to perform throughout Europe and was on tour in Poland in 1867, when he died from a prolonged lung condition.  He is the only African-American actor to be honored with a bronze plaque at the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon.  

Celebrating Black History Month: Flip Wilson, first African American to win Golden Globe for television series

Clerow "Flip" Wilson, born December 8, 1933 in Jersey City, New Jersey, hosted his weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show.  It earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy in 1971.  He became the first African-American to win the award. It also earned him two Emmy Awards.

Wilson won a Grammy Award for his 1970 The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress.

He got the nickname Flip when he served in the US Air Force.  He would tell funny stories, which made him popular.  His barrack mates gave him the nickname because he was always "flipped out". 

Wilson passed away in November 1998.

Here is a clip of him as his character Geraldine Jones with Ray Charles.

Celebrating Black History Month: Harry Lew, first African-American professional basketball player

Harry Haskell Lew, born January 4, 1884 in what is now Lowell, Massachusetts, started out as a talented violinist and played a solo at his grammar school graduation. His great-great-grandfather, Barzillai Lew, served in the American Revolution and fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. His grandparents house was a station on the Underground Railroad.  His father William Lew was a delegate to the 1891 Equal Rights Convention in Boston.

He joined the YMCA basketball team in 1898 and the team was state champions for the four hears he was with them.  In 1902, he was recruited to join Lowell's Pawtucketville Athletic Club of the New England Professional Basketball League. The manager was reluctant to put Lew into the game but after pressure from local press and a series of injuries to other players, Lew was allowed on the court. 

The New England League disbanded after the 1905 season.  He organized teams around New England before he played his final game in St. John's Vermont in 1926.  In 1928, he moved his dry cleaning business to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he died in 1963.

J. Geils Band's "Centerfold" reaches #1 1982

J. Geils Band's single Centerfold, a single from their tenth studio album Freeze Frame, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 February 6, 1982 and stayed there for 6 weeks. It is their most successful single.  Centerfold is listed on Billboard's All Time Top Songs.

Singer Natalie Cole born 1950

Natalie Cole, born February 6, 1950 in Los Angeles, California, was the daughter of the amazing Nat King Cole and won 9 Grammy Awards.

She was the first African-American artist to win Best New Artist in 1976 along with her performance of This Will Be.  In 1991, she released Unforgettable in which she sings a duet with her famous father.  It garnered her 3 more Grammys. She won numerous other awards such as American Music Awards, and NAACP Image Awards for her music and acting.

She passed away December 31, 2015 in Los Angeles.  

I've always loved her song Dangerous.  Listen to it here:

Celebrating Black History Month: Clifton Wharton, Sr., first African-American ambassador

Clifton Wharton Sr., born May 11, 1899 in Baltimore, Maryland, became the first African-American ambassador and the first African-American Foreign Service Officer to become chief of a diplomatic mission.  

He practiced law in Boston before joining the US State Department in the Foreign Service.  He became Vice Consul in Monrovia in 1927, Consul in Las Palmas in 1932, Minister to Romania in 1958, and then Ambassador to Norway in 1961 until his death.

Wharton passed away in Phoenix, Arizona in September 1964.

Glenn Miller records "Tuxedo Junction" 1940

Glenn Miller and his orchestra recorded Tuxedo Junction February 5, 1940 in New York.  His was the most successful recording and it reached #1 on the Billboard charts in 1940.  It sold 115,000 copies in the first week.

The song was written by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson, and Julian Dash, with lyrics by Buddy Feyne.  Tuxedo Junction was written as an instrumental, but the composers sent it to lyricists to see who could write the best words for it.  Hawkins preferred Buddy Feyne's lyrics.

It was released in 1939 and reached #7 on the American pop charts. Tuxedo Junction has been covered by numerous artists including the Andrews Sisters,  Ella Fitzgerald, and the Manhattan Transfer.

Happy birthday, Star Wars/Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis!

Warwick Davis, born February 3, 1970 in Surrey, England, has appeared in several Star Wars movies and all of the Harry Potter movies.  He was 11 years old when his grandmother encouraged him to audition for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, when she heard they were looking for people under 4 feet tall.  He was cast as an extra and was given the role of Wicket, when Kenny Baker, who was originally cast in the role, fell ill.  Davis plays the Ewok who finds Leia in the woods.  

He's appeared in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Star Wars Episode 1: Phantom Menace, Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

After the success of Return of the Jedi, he was cast in the title role in Willow.  He played Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter movies.

Celebrating Black History Month: Capt. Janet Days, first black woman CO of Naval Station Norfolk today!

Today, February 3, 2022, Captain Janet Days will be sworn in as Commanding Officer of the Naval Station in Norfolk, becoming the first black woman to attain that position. She was born in Chicago and graduated from Old Dominion University in 1999 with a BS in Business. Later, she achieved her MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School and earned the Naval War College command and staff diploma. 

She has served as the Destroyer Squadron 28 material officer and staff director on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.  She has also served in Afghanistan as the Joint Staff, J7 liaison. 

"The Woman In Black" released 2012

One of my favorite horror films, The Woman in Black, was released in the US February 3, 2012.  It stars Daniel Radcliffe as a lawyer in London in the early 1900s.  He is sent to a large, abandoned, spooky manor in a remote village where a woman in black has been seen.  Whenever she is spotted, a child dies.  The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Susan Hill, published in 1983. 

I liked it mainly because of its lack of gore and the suspense and intrigue without the violence.  I also liked seeing Radcliffe in a non-Harry Potter role.  The incredibly versatile actor Ciaran Hinds appears in a supporting role.

The movie earned $20M in its opening weekend. It made almost $128M world-wide and is the biggest British horror movie in 20 years. What was the biggest one before it?

Celebrating Black History Month: E. Melvin Porter, Oklahoma's first black senator

Edward Melvin Porter, born May 22, 1930 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, was the first African American to sit in the Oklahoma State Senate.  He was a layer and served as the president of the Oklahoma City NAACP.

He was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1964 and served until 1987.

He passed away in Oklahoma City in June 2016.

"1917" wins 7 BAFTA Awards 2020

1917, the WWI movie about the desperate attempt to deliver a message to the front lines, won 7 British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) at the 73rd ceremony held February 2, 2020.  It was nominated for nine.  It won:

Best Film 

Best Direction (Sam Mendes)

Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins)

Best Production (Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales)

Best Sound

Best Special Visual Effects

Outstanding British Film

The only two categories the movie didn't win were Best Makeup and Hari and Best Original Music.  I was disappointed to see that 1917 did not get any Best Actor nominations, since the acting was spectacular.  George Mackay, the lead actor, put in a lot of hard work and did an awesome job, as did Dean-Charles Chapman, in the supporting role.  The movie had many other stellar actors such as Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden. 

But it definitely deserved every one of the awards it received. 

Happy birthday, astronaut Wally Funk!

Mary Wallace "Wally" Funk, born February 1, 1939 in Las Vegas, New Mexico,  is the oldest woman to go into space.  At age 82, she went into space aboard Blue Origin's NS-16 in July 2021.   At the time, she was the oldest person in space, but later the same year, William Shatner, at 90, broke her record.

Funk is an original member of the Mercury 13 group, thirteen women who were selected to receive the same training as the male astronauts selected by NASA.  They were not part of NASA's official program and none of them went into space.

After the program ended, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education at Oklahoma State University, and at age 20, she became a professional aviator.  She became a civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  In 1971, she became the first woman to complete the Federal Aviation Administration's General Aviation Operations Inspector Academy course.  

In 1974, she became the National Transportation Safety Board's first female Air Safety Investigator.  

In July 1, Blue Origin announced that Funk would fly on the first New Shepard flight with passengers.  On July 20, she spent over 10 minutes in space.