BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: DR. MARK DEAN

Dr. Mark Dean (1957-) is an American inventor and computer scientist.
Born March 2, 1957, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Dr. Dean was a bright and energetic child who was often asked by his classmates if he was really black because, according to them, black people were not supposed to be that smart. He excelled both athletically and academically and continued his success in college as he graduated at the top of his class with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1979.
The following year, Dean was invited to join IBM as an engineer. Despite his new position, Dean continued his education and received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Florida Atlantic University in 1982. As an engineer for IBM, Dean served as the chief engineer for the team that developed the IBM PC/AT, the original home/office computer. Continue Reading »

Sports: CONGRATS TO SERENA & VENUS!

Venus Williams of the US holds her trophy after winning the women’s singles final against her sister Serena Williams, on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Saturday. Venus, the defending champion recovered from a whirlwind start to land her seventh Grand Slam title and 5th Wimbledon singles title. The sisters also won the women’s doubles finals later on that same day!
Serena & Venus on the event:
“My first job is a big sister and I take that very seriously,” Venus said. “It is hard for all of my family, although I like to think they want me to win.”
Serena, who had won five of her previous six Grand Slam finals against her sister, admitted things had not gone as she expected.
“She was a little better today, but it didn’t work out as planned,” she said. “But I’m so happy that at least one of us could win. We were glad to be in the final.” [read more]
Congrats to the Williams Sisters. That’s history right there. Keep reading to view more photos. Continue Reading »

Oh No They Didn't!

UH UHHHHHH!!! GERMAN MAN TRIES TO MAKE A BARACK OBAMA DOLL … AND LOOK WHAT HE CAME UP WITH!!!

Sports: Black Man Qualifies For The U.S. Olympic Swim Team!

A lifelong dream has come true for former Wolfpack swimmer and 2006 NCAA Champion Cullen Jones.
A third-place finish in the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Swim Team Trials on Thursday, July 3, punched Jones ticket to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as a representative of the red, white and blue.“Cullen is a two-time national champion and a world record holder, but this eclipses all of those accomplishments,” said N.C. State head coach Brooks Teal, who was alongside Jones at the trials. “He’s a Olympian now and that’s something he will carry with him for the rest of his life.“N.C. State is extremely proud of him, and I know that the entire Wolfpack nation is behind him all the way.”The achievement makes Jones the second former Wolfpack swimmer to grab a spot on an Olympic roster for the upcoming Summer Games. In addition to Jones, Dan Velez will represent Puerto Rico.
The two join a lengthy list of former State swimmers in the Olympics, including gold medalists David Fox (U.S.A.), Duncan Goodhew (Great Britain) and Steve Rerych (U.S.A.).With a 48.35 time Jones placed behind Garrett Weber-Gale (47.92) and Jason Lezak (48.05) in the event finals. Nathan Adrian placed fourth with a 48.46. The top four finishers each lock up a spot on the American roster.On Wednesday, Jones posted back-to-back personal best times in the preliminaries and semifinals before guaranteeing his roster spot Thursday evening.Already the first African-American to hold a world record in long-course swimming, Jones becomes just the third African-American swimmer in the history of the U.S. Olympic squad.Jones will compete in the 50-meter freestyle, his signature event Friday, with the finals set for Saturday.

Obama: Faith IN GOD Is The Best Way To Change

Barack Obama called "active faith" an obligation of religious Americans and a chief agent of societal change in a speech yesterday at the national meeting of a black church group.

Stopping for about two hours in St. Louis, the Democratic presidential nominee implored thousands of members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the nation's largest and most politically active black denominations, to help fix national and local ills.
He preached individual responsibility, saying he knew he risked criticism for "blaming the victim" by talking about the need for parents to help children with homework and turn off the television to pass on a healthy self-image to daughters, and teach boys both to respect women and "realize that responsibility does not end at conception."
But Obama's main message was the government's duty to address what he said are "moral problems" - such as war, poverty, joblessness, homelessness, violent streets, and crumbling schools - and to employ religious institutions to do it.
"As long as we're not doing everything in our individual and collective power to solve the challenges we face, the conscience of our nation cannot rest," he said.
Obama referred repeatedly to his religious faith in terms that would be familiar to white evangelicals as well as his black audience. He has highlighted faith over the past week as he campaigned in one-time GOP strongholds and talked more about God, country, and service than about his rival, Republican John McCain.
Earlier in the day as he flew from Montana to Missouri, Obama told reporters he was surprised at how the media has "finely calibrated" his recent words on Iraq, and reaffirmed his commitment to ending the war if elected. "I was a little puzzled by the frenzy that I set off by what I thought was a pretty innocuous statement," he said. "I am absolutely committed to ending the war."

Tragic: Gospel Singer Timothy Wright Loses His WIFE And GRANDSON In A Car Crash

Known for the song, "Trouble Don't Last Always"...

NEW YORK - In the midst of mourning, members of the congregation led by gospel singer Timothy Wright raised their voices in praise and remembrance on Sunday, praying for their pastor's recovery and grieving the deaths of his wife and grandson in a head-on car crash. Congregants at the Grace Tabernacle Christian Center refused to be bowed by sorrow following the crash, which critically injured the Grammy-nominated Rev. Wright and killed co-pastor Betty Wright and their 14-year-old grandson. Women in Sunday white and men in dark suits pounded their feet and sang joyful gospel tunes, forgoing solemnity to praise God and share memories of the Wright family. "We honor the Lord for his goodness and his kindness. We say, in spite of everything: God is still good," the Rev. Frank Williams told the crowd. Timothy Wright, the church's 61-year-old founder, was in critical condition, but speakers at the services reassured congregants that he was conscious and led them in fervent prayers for his health.
"He shall live," Williams said. "He has impacted too many people. He has paid some of our rents when he couldn't even pay his own." Williams recalled Betty Wright's sharp sense of humor and strength, calling the 58-year-old "the most powerful, phenomenal woman." "Their blood and sweat are in the walls," he said of the Wrights and the Pentecostal church, located in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. After congregants held hands in prayer, leaders called all former members of the choir forward to join the current group of singers. Amid the pews, tearful churchgoers danced and clapped along with the songs. One woman, bent and sobbing, had to be led from the room. Along with the N.Y. Fellowship Mass Choir, Timothy Wright was nominated for a Grammy award for best traditional soul gospel album for 1994's "Come Thou Almighty King." He has released more than a dozen gospel recordings, including "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus," which came out last year. The Wrights, who have five sons, were returning from a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit when their vehicle was struck Friday, said Leroy Johnson, a trustee at Grace Tabernacle. Their grandson D.J. Wright died the next night, according to a nursing supervisor at a hospital in Danville, Pa. The Pennsylvania crash also killed 44-year-old Lewisburg, Pa., resident John Pick, who drove the wrong way on eastbound Interstate 80 into the Wrights' vehicle, police said. The crash was being investigated. It was a sudden tragedy for members of the Brooklyn church, where on Sunday morning white-clad ushers handed out programs, apparently printed before the accident, that still listed Timothy Wright as the scheduled speaker. The pamphlet also said, "Program subject to change by order of the Holy Spirit." At Sunday's service, the Rev. Willy Robinson sought to comfort congregants. "I'm not going to tell you don't cry ... I've been crying," he said. "You're going to feel bad for a while, but God's going to bring you through. "We're going to see her and them again."

I'm Baaaaack!

Had to take a break from bloggin during the break, but I'm back. The fingers are poppin' and the Mac is ready to go! Stay connected!