The first thing I have to confess this morning is that I am becoming addicted to Substack! I realized that I just love the idea of sitting down and writing, so I am making arrangements to do it elsewhere as well. I don’t want to overstay my welcome here. And I have become an inveterate re-stacker because there is so much fabulous information here to share. I must say, though, that I am not interested in the statistics that management compiles. Quite frankly, I am much more interested in living an unstructured life which requires no monitoring. That said, let me begin today’s post.
Today is a leap-year extra day of Black History Month, and I particularly want to share the amazing Jim Buie and his subject matter course here on Substack. (I’ve already re-stacked it.)
Knowledge is power, and power to the people has been my mantra since the 60’s at least. My darling has actually been calling me “Angela” all month in honor of our heroine Angela Davis, who is very much still with us at 80. And speaking of age, Dan Rather pointed out that he is 92 on his post recently, and he introduced us all to the fabulous 101-year-old activist Grace Linn who made an amazing quilt listing the titles of many banned books. She speaks out to the school board in Martin County, Florida, saying that “banning books and burning books are the same” (see the video at PEN America). Ageism, sexism, and racism can creep into our lives and take up space there unless we are vigilant in rooting them out. So to that end, may I recommend another book I am currently reading?
It is entitled Medgar & Merlie, the story of Medgar Evers and his wife and “the love story that awakened America.” I have to confess that I had never heard of the author Joy-Ann Reid, host of MSNBC’s The Reidout (because I watch only Netflix on my telly), but she has an amazing bio according to the jacket, including a best selling book about he-who-shall-not be-named. That’s next on my list to read. Her current book chronicles the life and death by assassination of civil rights icon Medgar Evers and his still-alive wife Merlie Evers-Williams. Wikipedia gives us lots of information about what Merlie has been up to since Medgar’s death. I hope everyone will take the time to read about her current life, including delivering the invocation at the second inauguration of Barack Obama (the first woman and first layperson to do so).
Having completed my assignment for today, I am now free to wander provided the sun goes behind the clouds soon. I definitely cannot drive in sunlight right now, but cloudy days make it somewhat easier. The forecast says I will be favored a little later this morning. So keeping fingers crossed that I will get out for a drive today, and I apologize to all of you who prefer sunshine.
My Dad used to say; “For 3 days you are a guest after that you are a pest”! I doubt you could overstay your welcome here. You bring light like a host of others here on Substack. Thank you and be well! I keep taking my AREDS 2 and using my eye drops trying to stave this off. So far it is stabilized.
Thanks, Katharine! There's a great interview with Myrlie Evers on CBS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mor7NHeG4dM