#seven African powers

[blancabitchcraft]

Run me that birth certificate!!!!

[quotesfrommyreading]

The auditory version of the blank sheet is, of course, silence. Protesting wordlessly was a technique employed by Black Americans in July 1917, when an estimated 10,000 citizens, organized by religious groups and the NAACP, marched down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to protest racial violence and discrimination. As the New York Times reported, “Those in the parade represented every negro organization and church in the city. They marched, however, not as organizations, but as a people of one race, united by ties of blood and color, and working for a common cause.”

In September 1968, tens of thousands of students staged a silent march calling for greater democracy in Mexico. Contradicting the Mexican government’s accusations that they were resorting to violence, the students protested by simply carrying flags. (Around this same time, civil rights activists in the United States wielded flags with similar goals in mind.) “You’re taking the symbols of the regime and exposing the illegitimacy of the regime at the same time,” says David Meyer, a sociologist at the University of California, Irvine.

Other protests have employed more obvious symbols of repression, including handcuffs, blindfolds and gags. The last of these became widespread as a political prop following the trial of the Chicago Seven (originally eight), antiwar protesters who were charged with inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. During the 1969 trial, the judge ordered defendant Bobby Seale to be gagged and chained to his chair.

Decades before football player Colin Kaepernick created a stir by kneeling during the national anthem, Black athletes silently used their status to fight oppression. At the awards ceremony for the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised a clenched gloved fist in a call for global human rights.

The operating theory behind silent protests is that when the cause is clear and righteous, there’s no reason to yell about it—a principle demonstrated by more recent examples of silent protests, too. In 2009, a peaceful rally in Iran against unfair elections ended in gunfire and explosions. To vent their fury, hundreds of thousands of Iranians met at Tehran’s symbolic central roadway, Islamic Revolution Street, and marched quietly to Freedom Square, hoping to avoid a police crackdown. In 2011, protesters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, stood quietly in solidarity with activists detained without trial by the country’s regime. Multiple times in Hong Kong, lawyers have marched in silence to protest Beijing’s incursions into the city’s constitution and legal affairs.

  —  The History Behind China's White Paper Protests

[marilynsweet]

Redesigning the Light Court for the third time like 🫠

I also have a question: what country/region are the Gerudo from BOTW based in? I’m having a hell of a time finding clothing references (this is for a region in Light not the entirety of Light)

[flammeinfernale]

𝕾𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖚𝖊𝖗𝖙𝖊: 𝔖𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔊𝔬𝔡𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔡 

When it comes to death, there are many variations of gods that come to our mind from different cultures, since this process is an inevitable and crucial part of all our lives notwithstanding our ethnicity, race, social status, religious beliefs, etc.  

Most of us heard about one such deity: Santa Muerte, who is commonly known as a folk saint and is closely associated with Mexican el Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead. Usually she is depicted as a skeleton with traditional feminine features, long hair, flower wreath and in a bright dress. 

Despite her status among Spanish Catholics, the catholic church doesn’t accept her as an official saint since some other figures play this role in catholicism, as well as Santa Muerte’s eerie connections with witchcraft and narco cartels don’t quite fit Christian morals. 

But what do we know about the origin of the Mother of Death? 

Origin

Although Santa Muerte is an unofficial catholic saint, her roots are more complex than they seem and aren’t limited by her status among Spanish Catholics. 

There are a few main theories of where Santa Muerte comes from:

Aztec death deity Mictecacihuatl

Figure of Grim Reaper during Black Death

African death goddesses

And more others.

But there is no general agreement on which one is true. It can be confusing, but at the same time, it allows us to analyze and define the truth for ourselves.

Still there is one most popular theory which is related to Aztec beliefs.

Aztec death goddess

As we know, Santa Muerte has the most popularity in Mexico. From the history overview, the Valley of Mexico was earlier the Aztec home before the conquest of this land by the Spanish in the early 16th century.

Before Mexican el Día de Muertos, the Aztecs had their own celebration connected to several death gods: Mictecacihuatl and Mictlantecuhtli. Few principal gods were represented as female (Mictecacihuatl) and male (Mictlantecuhtli) embodiments of death and rulers of Mictlan (underworld).

!For the remark: they are not the only ones, there was goddess Tonantzin as well, but she is related to the other catholic figure. 

One of the theories is that Mictecacihuatl and Santa Muerte are the same deity because the Spanish had to accept some Aztec customs due to their cooperation. Also, Mictecacihuatl was a dominant death deity in the Aztec pantheon, so it was important to save her figure even under a different name.

Many faces of Mother of Death

Apart from Santa Muerte’s grim image and direct relation to death, she is patient with the newbies and her devotees and has a pleasant presence and nurturing nature. 

Like all deities, Lady of Death is versatile and can be both gentle and destructive. Don’t be surprised to learn that she has a strong connection with drug traffickers and many of them honour this goddess so she gives them protection and prosperity. 

Another feature is that Mother of Death accepts all people since death doesn’t care about your social status, sexual orientation, colour of skin, gender, and any other things. She is a protector of those who are rejected by society and helps them to stay safe and find their way in life. 

But you need to keep in mind that she should be respected as any other deity and she won’t forgive your ignorance or rudeness towards her. 

How to start working with Santa Muerte

As many of us know, it is important to understand which aspects have certain deities when we start working with them. It helps us to figure out for what purposes we can contact them. 

Santa Muerte is an universal goddess who has keys to the many doors on our paths. It is no wonder, because death is ever-present and has power over all. 

When you decide that you would like to ask Santa Muerte for something, you should define your request and reach out to one of her seven colours or aspects. 

!However, if you aren’t sure which colour is right, it is fine to reach out to Santa Muerte without referring to a certain aspect of her. 

The Seven Colors of Santa Muerte 

I will give a short guide of her seven colours, so it will be easier to define which aspect is most suitable for your problem or situation. 

Niña Blanca, White Santa Muerte

Protection, cleansing, renewal, starting new projects, healing, opening new paths, punishing enemies.

Niña Violeta, Purple Santa Muerte

Magic, secret knowledge, wisdom, spiritual growth, clairvoyance, divination.

Niña Azul, Blue Santa Muerte

Partnerships, social life, human interactions (she can both harmonize and destroy relationships).

Niña Dorada, Golden Santa Muerte

Money, wealth, prosperity, fate, luck (as well as lack of money, poverty and bad luck for enemies).

Niña Roja, Red or Pink Santa Muerte

Romantic relationships, love, lust, attracting a partner (it is possible to punish unfaithful partners with Red Santa Muerte’s help).

Niña Verde, Green Santa Muerte

Winning legal cases, justice, defining truth, protection from criminals, imprisoning someone, making someone commit illegal acts, endanger someone to be robbed or assaulted. 

Niña Negra, Black Santa Muerte

Neutralizing curses, malevolent spirits, ending bad luck or all kinds of problems, protection, spiritual transformations, harming enemies.

Associations

Planetary aspects: 

Moon and Saturn (but it can vary depending on the aspect)

Plants:

Rose, rosemary, syrian rye, tobacco, marigolds, aloe

Animals: 

Owl, raven, butterfly, snake, worm

Incense: 

Rose, vanilla, sage, copal, myrrh, rosemary, aloe, palo santo

Symbols:

Scythe, skull, flower wreath, golden jewelry, scale, cloak

Tarot:

Death, Queen of Swords, Judgement, the Empress, the High Priestess, the Hierophant (but it depends on your perception as well)

Offerings

Tequila, red wine, chocolate (or any other sweets), red apples, pomegranates, fruits (especially exotic ones such as pineapples, mangoes, dragon fruits), coffee and cacao, salt, bread, flowers (mostly red or white roses), red meat, chicken hearts, candles (the colour depends on the aspect or you can choose the black one as universal), incenses. 

𖤐

Let me know if you would like new posts about Santa Muerte. Mother and I will be happy to tell you a lot more.

[women-throughout-history]

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley's journey began when she was seized from Senegal/Gambia at the age of seven and brought to Boston as a domestic servant. Despite her circumstances, she displayed exceptional intelligence and was taught to read and write by her owners, the Wheatley family. Her talent for poetry emerged early, and she gained recognition with her published elegy for English evangelist George Whitefield.

Facing obstacles in America, Phillis and the Wheatleys sought a publisher in London, where her collection "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" was published in 1773, making her the first African American to publish a book of poetry. Despite her literary success, Phillis faced personal challenges, including the deaths of her benefactors and financial struggles. She married John Peters, a free Black man, but their life together was marked by economic hardship and tragedy.

Throughout her life, Phillis continued to write and express her views on freedom and equality, addressing themes of slavery and injustice in her poetry. Despite facing increasing hardship and poverty, she remained committed to advocating for social justice until her death at the age of 31.

Phillis Wheatley's legacy as a celebrated poet and voice for the oppressed continues to inspire generations, reminding us of the power of literature to illuminate the human experience and advocate for change.

[baldwinivmybeloved]

꒰ ͟͡ || ͟͡ ꒱ 𒁍 MASTERLIST⠀⠀⠀⠀⬤⬮ BALDWIN X READER FICS

"This post contains the chapters of my 2 fics published to date"

Slave to your heart completed The rose and the king in publication

°:. *₊ ° .THE KING AND THE ROSE ★ . ° ₊ *

ALLISHAH X BALDWIN IV

In a land marked by the sands of time and whispers of betrayal, a story of love, revenge, and faith unfolds. At the heart of the kingdom, King Baldwin IV, a figure shrouded in mystery and power, faces the challenges of a tumultuous world.Allishah, a young woman of celestial beauty and naive spirit, finds herself ensnared in a game of intrigue when her mother marries the infamous Reynald de Chatilleau. Manipulated by her mother's cunning and desired by all, Allishah struggles to find her own path amidst shadows that conceal secrets and broken promises List of charpers

Charper One

Charper Two

Charper Three

Charper Four

➜ ꜝ🦢﹒ Slave to your heart ⌗

XICA x BALDWIN IV

“Xica, a beautiful slave girl, the illegitimate daughter of an African woman and a French count of white complexion, whose father was executed in his homeland. The African slave was forced to flee with her daughter to the lands of Jerusalem. But fate changes; young girls become more beautiful as time passes, more graceful. Having a beautiful body is both a curse and a blessing for a slave; it could not bring much benefit except that her beauty and the kindness with which she was blessed would help her to win over the leprous king.”

“list of chapters

Charper one

Charper Two

Charper Three

Charper Four

Charper Five

Charper Six

Charper Seven

Charper Eight

Charper Nine

Charper Ten

Charper Eleven

Charper Twelve

Charper Thirteen

Charper Fourteen

Charper Fifteen

Charper Sixteen

Charper Seventeen

Charper Eighteen

Charper Nineteen

Charper twenty

Charper Twenty One

Charper Twenty Two

Charper Twenty Three

Charper Twenty Four

Charper Twenty Five

Charper Twenty Six

Charper Twenty Seven

Charper Twenty Eight

Charper twenty Nine

Charper Thirty

Charper Thirty One

FINAL CHARPER + 3 finals

[artstar1997]

Here’s the poster for @georgi-girl’s Trolls Elemental AU fanfic, Winged Reign, which coincidentally is a crossover between Trolls and Neopets. It follows the story of Princess Poppy, Branch, and the Snack Pack as butterfly fairies as they grew up with the dragonfly fairies alongside their childhood friend, Princess Rosetta a.k.a Princess Rose after they were scattered from their court during the escape, which is “orchestrated” by the Darkest Faerie. Together, they’d spend the day playing hide-and-seek and flying without a care at day and wishing upon stars at night.

When Princess Rose made a wish, she gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when she got an unexpected call from her ancestors to reunite the seven fairy courts and take down the Darkest Faerie together. As they travel throughout their home, the Isle of the Fay and all over Neopia, they met humans, neopets, and other mythical creatures as they learn the key to making their dreams come true and the connection between stars, wishes, and the soul.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The trolls characters in this AU are mythical beings and I wanna start about the trolls characters as fairies. The fairies are a subspecies of fae who are the more colorful cousins of the faeries. They have longer, pointed ears, colorful skin, hair, and eyes, insectoid wings that vary in shapes and size, and matching antennae. There are seven fairy courts that rule over fairykind, the earth court (its fairies have beigetone coloration, cricket-like antennae, and their wings are shaped like fruit slices, flower petals, and leaves), the water court (the fairies have neon colors but lacked antennae, have webbed-like ears, and fish fin wings for both swimming and flying), the fire court (the fairies that belong to the fire court are muddy-colored, with beetle-like clubbed antennae, beetle-like wings, and beetle shells as armor), the air court (they’re mostly yellow skinned but have bee antennae and wings with a light plaster of glitter), the mind court (the fairies there are colorful have moth-like antennae (the men have thick feathery antennae while the women have refined and threadlike antennae) and wings, are African-coded, and they’re powerful empaths), the energy court (the fairies are very colorful, possess butterfly wings and antennae, and some can have glittery details on their wings, which makes them emit fairy dust in flight), and the light court (the fairies of the dominant tribe have a variety of colored skin, hair, and eyes but some have some have luminous, chrome, metallic, pastel or vibrant hair and eyes, straight antennae, and dragonfly wings). The subtribes are the noble houses that were the nobility of the light court, with spring, summer, autumn, and winter houses leading them.

As for the Bergens, they’re giants in Neopia, the Party Crashers are drakes, the vacaytioners are merfolk, and the rageons are elves while the known neopets, both heroes and villains, are mostly humans but the others being pixies, centaurs, satyrs, minotaurs, ogres, and other mythical beings and creatures.

Enjoy the fanfic that me and @georgi-girl made.

[vintagetvstars]

Betty White Vs. Eartha Kitt

Propaganda

Betty White - (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, Life With Elizabeth) - I mean - does she really need an introduction? It's Betty White, people! The First Lady Of Television! What *hasn't* she done? She had an incredible career (in fact, she earned the Guinness World Record for the longest TV career by a female entertainer *twice*!) with an infinite list of successes - she won seven Emmys, three SAG awards, and even a Grammy. I personally know her best for her spectacular portrayal of Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls, but she's played so many great characters in her long career. A lesser known but marvelously charming role is that of the titular character in Life With Elizabeth, a 1950s sitcom which she also co-produced at the age of *28*! She was also a great advocate for a number of causes - animal welfare, gay rights (she used to accompany her friend Liberace to events to help him avoid being outed as gay), and racial equality: she famously hired Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on one of her shows, and when threatened with going off-air if he wasn't fired, she just declared "He stays, live with it." She's the whole package - amazing actress (and comedienne and producer!), kind and hilarious, and of course - beautiful! Just look at her - that smile! Those eyes! That charm!! Watch her in action if you can (they're too long to link here, but entire episodes of Life With Elizabeth are on youtube!), but honestly - her pictures alone are enough to make me swoon!

Eartha Kitt - (Batman) - No text propaganda

Master Poll List of the Hot Vintage TV Ladies Bracket

Additional propaganda below the cut

Betty White:

Have you seen her?? Look me in the eyes and tell me that Betty White's smile doesn't have the power to turn anyone's heart to mush. She looks adorable one moment, and can come up with the most out of pocket lines the next (all while still looking innocent about it). People know her best as Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls, of course, where she played the show's most naive character. But reportedly, Betty was actually the cleverest person on set. She didn't even have to learn her lines; reading the script once was enough for her, and she'd be able to remember any additional changes throughout the week without a problem. Which is pretty amazing if you ask me! Anyway, Betty is an icon. Her television career spanned seven (7!!!) decades, covering basically the entire tournament's time period (and then some!). She *almost* turned 100 and her outliving other celebrities was a Tumblr meme for ages. She had her own talkshow in the 1950s, for which she hired a female director, and had an African-American tap dancer (Arthur Duncan) as a regular cast member. When faced with criticism for the latter and the threat of being boycotted, Betty responded with "I'm sorry. Live with it" and gave Duncan *more* airtime. She was also the first woman to ever produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth) in which she played the lead, and looked absolutely stunning doing it. All in all: Betty was a badass, had a heart of gold, and she's absolutely stunning!

I think I might cry at how pretty she is honestly

that SMILE!!!

she's even pretty when she's not smiling... ahh...

some soft butch realness

[deathmoth-blog]

The name death's-head hawkmoth refers to any of three moth species of the genus Acherontia (Acherontia atropos, Acherontia styx and Acherontia lachesis). The former species is found throughout Africa and in Europe, the latter two are Asian; most uses of the common name refer to the African species. These moths are easily distinguishable by the vaguely human skull-shaped pattern of markings on the thorax. They are large nocturnal moths with brown and yellow or orange coloring, and all three species are fairly similar in size, coloration and life cycle.

The African death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) is the largest moth in the British Isles (though not in Africa), with a wingspan of 13 cm (5 in); it is a powerful flier, having sometimes been found on ships far from land. The forewings are a mottled dark brown and pale brown, and the hind wings are orangey-buff with two narrow dark bands parallel with the hind margin. The abdomen is a similar orangey-brown, with a broad, dark dorsal stripe. The most notable feature is a patch of short yellowish hairs on the thorax that gives the impression of depicting a human skull. It is a striking insect, but is seldom seen because it flies late in the night.

A 2020 study describes how, when viewed upside-down, Acherontia atropos creates an illusion of a head with eyes: the mark on its thorax likened to a human skull is the "nose", with the skull's eye-sockets resembling nostrils. Spots on its forewings can be seen as eyes, and various other markings and features can be interpreted as ears, muzzle and lips. This illusion is also present in Agrius convolvuli (convolvulus hawk-moth) and five other species, with the study author suggesting that the function of the illusion of an eyed head is "almost certainly to deter, distract or otherwise deceive predators".

The caterpillar of the African death's-head hawkmoth is also sturdy and somewhat variable in colour, being some shade of buff, green or brown, with seven diagonal blue lines. At the rear is a curved, thorn-like horn. It can attain a length of 5 to 6 in (13 to 15 cm). The other two species of death's-head hawkmoth similarly have three larval color forms: typically, green, brown and yellow. The pupa is stout and reddish-brown, and is formed 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) under the ground in a chamber the size of a large hen's egg.

These moths have several unusual features. All three species have the ability to emit a loud chirp if irritated. The sound is produced by inhaling and expelling air, which vibrates the epipharynx like an accordion, often accompanied by flashing of the brightly colored abdomen in a further attempt to deter predators. The chirp of the death's head hawkmoth takes approximately one-fifth of a second. A study by National Geographic found that the epipharynx was originally built to suck up honey, but later evolved to produce sound.

Adults of all three species are commonly observed raiding beehives of different species of honey bee; A. atropos only invades colonies of the well-known western honey bee, Apis mellifera, and feeds on both nectar and honey. They can move about in hives without being disturbed because they mimic the scent of the bees and are not recognised as intruders. If their disguise is discovered, the moth's thick waxy cuticle helps to protect it against stings.

Leaves of the potato plant contain calystegines, a group of polyhydroxy alkaloids, which are toxic. The larva of A. atropos feeding on potato foliage accumulates these alkaloids.

[saddayfordemocracy]

Edward Burtynsky, “African Studies”

From the diamond mines of South Africa to the richly textured landscape of Namibia’s Tsaus Mountains, the series spotlights the sub-Saharan region and its reserves of metals, salt, precious gemstones, and other ores. 

“I am surveying two very distinct aspects of the landscape,” he says in a statement, “that of the earth as something intact, undisturbed yet implicitly vulnerable… and that of the earth as opened up by the systematic extraction of resources.”

Taken over seven years in ten nations—these include Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar, and Tanzania—the aerial photos, which are compiled in a forthcoming book published by Steidl, present a dichotomy between a region irrevocably altered by humanity and one of immense possibility. 

Since 2013 when it launched its Belt and Road initiative, China has invested billions of dollars in expanding its global presence, with many African nations as targets. This growth, along with international competition for access and power on the continent, has widespread economic, environmental, and governmental impacts, which Burtynsky explores through the series.

[ausetkmt]

click the title link to DOWNLOAD This Book for FREE from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

Would you like to find a way into the lost world and forgotten art of Hoodoo Rootwork and Conjure?

Are you looking for a modern guide on traditional African-American folk magic to cast powerful spells, craft conjuring oils and mojo bags, and build mighty altars to guarantee positive outcomes in your love life and professional endeavors?

Hoodoo was born out of sorrow and desperation, as a weapon and a defense, from the faith and resilience of the African slaves that adapted their religious tradition to the treacherous New World. As the world changed, Hoodoo adapted incorporating Native American herbal healing traditions and European religions and magical traditions, building a syncretic powerful folk magic system that works!

First prohibited, then ridiculed and commodified, Hoodoo has always been shrouded in secrecy and passed on quietly from generation to generation for fear of reprisal, contempt, and abuse and to this day is hard to find reputable sources on conjure and Rootwork. But don’t be discouraged!

I am proud to present The Hoodoo Bible: The 7-in-1 Root Doctor’s Companion to Black Folk Magic: an in-depth, all-encompassing, powerful 7-books-in-1 bundle that has recorded our rich heritage of herbal magic, traditional rootwork, and divination practices.

More exhaustive than any other book on the market, thoroughly researched and written with ease of use in mind, The Hoodoo Bible will accompany you through the spiritual path that our ancestors have beaten for us to explore the potent and practical magic of Hoodoo to claim justice, invoke protection, and find love, luck, and success.

With over 1000 authentic Hoodoo workings, these seven volumes will bring Hoodoo alive to budding rootworkers and adept practitioners alike:

The first volume will explore the history, culture, principles, fundamentals, and ethics of Hoodoo, giving you the theoretical groundwork you need to master the craft.

With the second volume the fun really begins! This practical how-to Hoodoo guide for beginners has everything you need to start practicing Rootwork and Conjure.

By the end of the third volume, you can start to call yourself a Root Doctor. With 275+ magical herbs, roots, spices, and curios, this book will help you craft powerful conjuring oils, spiritual baths and floor washes, magical teas and tonics, herb bundles and garlands to accomplish amazingly mighty Rootwork.

In the fourth volume you will find 30+ money spells, 25+ love spells, fertility spells, healing spells, and justice spells, with easy step-by-step instructions including a special chapter on inscribed spells and a complete guide on crossroads spells.

The fifth volumedelves into advanced spellcasting and conjure, teaching you how to conjure spirits, protect your home, banish your enemies, get revenge, and lay sneaky tricks. It includes a special chapter on graveyard spells and foot track magic.

In the sixth volumeyou will explore Hoodoo divination with step-by-step techniques for bone throwing, dice casting, and Hoodoo tarot. With a special chapter on dream divination and omens.

The seventh and last volume explores candle magic. This complete guide will teach you how to build an altar and use the magic of fire and the psalms to achieve your goals, be it money, success, luck, or love.

Applying Hoodoo magic to everyday life will help you achieve your goals in your private and professional life and along the way you will discover that working the roots has also sharpened your intuition, enriched your life, and prepared you for whatever may come your way.

So are you ready to discover the lost world and forgotten art of Hoodoo Rootwork and Conjure?

click the title link to DOWNLOAD This Book for FREE from THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

[quotesfrommyreading]

African countries are being forced to spend billions of dollars a year coping with the effects of the climate crisis, which is diverting potential investment from schools and hospitals and threatens to drive countries into ever deeper poverty.

Dealing with extreme weather is costing close to 6% of GDP in Ethiopia alone, equating to a spend of more than $1 repairing climate damage for every $20 of national income, according to research by the thinktank Power Shift Africa.

The warning comes just before the major new scientific report from the global authority on climate science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This report, the second part of the IPCC’s comprehensive summary of global climate science, will set out the consequences of climate breakdown across the world, looking at the floods, droughts, heatwaves and storms that are affecting food systems, water supplies and infrastructure. As global temperatures have risen in recent decades, and as the impact of extreme weather has become more apparent around the world, efforts to make infrastructure and communities more resilient have largely stalled.

Africa will be one of the worst-hit regions, despite having done least to cause the climate crisis. According to the Power Shift Africa study, titled Adapt or Die: An analysis of African climate adaptation strategies, African countries will spend an average of 4% of GDP on adapting to climate breakdown.

These countries include some of the world’s poorest people, whose responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions is many times less than those of people in developed countries, or in large emerging economies such as China. Sierra Leone will have to spend $90m a year on adapting to the climate crisis, though its citizens are responsible for about 0.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year each, while US citizens generate about 80 times more.

Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa, said: “This report shows the deep injustice of the climate emergency. Some of the poorest countries in the world are having to use scarce resources to adapt to a crisis not of their making. Despite only having tiny carbon footprints compared with those of the rich world, these African countries are suffering from droughts, storms and floods which are putting already stretched public finances under strain and limiting their ability to tackle other problems.”

He called for more funding from developed countries, which promised at the Cop26 UN climate summit to double the money available to help poor countries adapt to the climate crisis. Rich countries promised in 2009 to provide $100bn a year to help poor countries cut their greenhouse gas emissions and cope with the effects of climate breakdown. But so far they have fallen short of that target, and most of the funds that have been provided have gone to projects to cut emissions, such as windfarms and solar panels, rather than efforts to help countries adapt.

The study examined national adaptation plans submitted to the UN by seven African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan and Togo. South Sudan, which is the world’s second poorest country, was hit by floods last year that displaced 850,000 people, and led to outbreaks of water-borne diseases. The country is to spend $376m a year on adaptation, about 3.1% of its GDP.

Chukwumerije Okereke, director of the centre for climate change and development at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Nigeria, said rich countries must respond to the findings, and to the IPCC report.

“It is both irresponsible and immoral for those that are the chief cause of climate change to look on while Africa, which has contributed next to nothing to climate change, continues to bear a disproportionate share of the impact,” he said. “The time for warm words is long gone. We need urgent, scaled-up, long-term support from the world-leading climate polluters.”

  —  African countries spending billions to cope with climate crisis

[lotus-flower-writes-history]

The Unofficial Black History Book

Huey P. Newton (1942-1989)

'The Revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution.' - Huey Newton

This is his story.

Huey Percy Newton was born on February 17th, 1942, in Monroe, Louisiana. The youngest of seven children to Armelia Johnson and Walter Newton, he was named after former Governor of Louisiana, Huey Long.

His family relocated to Oakland, California, in search of better economic opportunities in 1945. His family struggled financially and frequently relocated, but he never went hungry or homeless.

Growing up in Oakland, Newton recalled his white teachers making him feel ashamed for being African-American, despite never being taught anything useful. In his Autobiography, ‘Revolutionary Suicide’, he wrote – “Was made to feel ashamed of being black. During those long years in Oakland Public Schools, I did not have one teacher who taught me anything relevant to my own life or experience. Not one instructor ever awoke in me a desire to learn more or to question or to explore the worlds of literature, science, and history. All they did was try to rob me of the sense of my own uniqueness and worth, and in the process nearly killed my urge to inquire.” 

He also had a troubled childhood; he was arrested several times as a teenager for gun possession and vandalism.

Huey was illiterate when he graduated from high school, but he taught himself to read and write by studying poetry before enrolling at Merritt College. 

During his time there, he supported himself by breaking into homes in Oakland and Berkeley Hills and committing other minor offenses. He also attended Oakland College and San Francisco Law School, ostensibly to improve his criminal skills.

He joined Pi Beta Sigma Fraternity while still a student at Merritt College and met Bobby Seale, a political activist and engineer. Huey also fought for curriculum diversification, the hiring of more black instructors, and involvement in local political activities in the Bay Area. 

In addition, he was exposed to a rising tide of Black Nationalism and briefly joined the Afro-American Association, where he studied Frantz Fanon, Che Guevara, Mao Zedong, E. Franklin Frazier, James Baldwin, Karl Marx, and Vladimir Lenin.

Huey had adopted a Marxist/Leninist viewpoint in which he saw the black community as an internal colony ruled by outside forces such as white businessmen, City Hall, and the police. In October 1966, he and Bobby Seale founded The Black Panther Party for self-defense, believing that the black working class needed to seize control of the institutions that most affected their community.

It was a coin toss that resulted in Newton becoming defense minister and Seale becoming chairman of the Black Panther Party. Newton’s job as the Minister of Defense and main leader of the Black Panther Party was to write in the Ten-Point Program, the founding document of the Party, and he demanded that blacks need the “Power to determine the destiny of our Black Community”. It would allow blacks to gain “Land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace.”

The Panthers took advantage of a California law allowing people to carry non-concealed weapons and established armed patrols that monitored police activity in the Black Community. 

One of the main points of focus for the Black Panther Party was the right to self-defense. Newton believed and preached that sometimes violence, or even the threat of violence, is required to achieve one's goals. 

Members of the Black Panther Party once stormed the California Legislature while fully armed in order to protest the outcome of a gun bill.

Newton also established the Free Breakfast for Children Program, martial arts training for teenagers, and educational programs for children from low-income families. 

The Black Panthers believed that in the Black struggle for justice, violence or the potential for violence may be necessary.

 The Black Panthers had chapters in several major cities and over 2,000 members. Members became involved in several shoot-outs after being harassed by police.

On October 28, 1967, the Panthers and the police exchanged gunfire in Oakland. Huey was injured in the crossfire, and while recovering in the hospital, he was charged with killing an Oakland police officer, John Frey. 

He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter the following year.

Huey was regarded as a political prisoner, and the Panthers organized a 'Free Huey' campaign led by Panther Party Minister Eldridge Cleaver. And Charles R. Geary, a well-known attorney who was in charge of Newton’s legal defense.

Newton was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in 1968 and sentenced to 2-15 years in prison. However, the California Appellate Court ordered a new trial in May 1970. The conviction was reversed on appeal, the case was dismissed by the California Supreme Court, and Huey was acquitted.

Huey renounced political violence after being released from prison. Over a six-year period, 24 Black Panther members were killed in gunfights with the police. Another member, George Jackson, was killed in August 1971 while serving time in San Quentin Prison.

The Black Panther Party, under the leadership of Newton, gained international support. This was most evident in 1970 when Newton was invited to visit China. Large crowds greeted him enthusiastically, holding copies of "Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung," as well as signs supporting the Panther Party and criticizing US imperialism.

In the early 1970s, Newton's leadership of the Black Panther Party contributed to its demise. He oversaw a number of purges of Party members, the most famous of which was in 1971 when he expelled Eldridge Cleaver in what became known as the Newton-Cleaver split over the party's primary function.

Newton wanted the party to be solely focused on serving African-American communities, whereas Cleaver believed the party should be focused on developing relationships with international revolutionary movements. The schism resulted in violence between the factions and the deaths of several Black Panther members. The Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) was one of several factions that had broken away from the main party.

Then, in 1974, Newton was accused of assaulting a 17-year-old prostitute named Kathleen Smith, who later died, raising the charge to murder. Instead of facing trial, Huey fled to Cuba with his girlfriend at the time, where he remained for three years. The key witness in the trial was Crystal Gray. And three Black Panther members attempted to assassinate her before she gave her testimony.

Huey returned to the States in 1976 to stand trial but denied any involvement. The jury was deadlocked, and Newton was eventually acquitted after two mistrials.

In 1978, he enrolled in the History of Consciousness program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and earned his Doctorate in 1980.

"War Against the Panthers: A Study of Repression in America," his dissertation, was later turned into a book.

On charges of embezzling Panther Party funds, Huey P. Newton was sentenced to 6 months in prison followed by 18 months on probation in 1982.

On August 22, 1989, Newton was assassinated by a member of the BGF, named Tyrone Robinson.

Huey was 46 years old at the time of his assassination. Robinson was convicted of Huey’s murder in 1991 and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison. 

His wife, Fredricka Newton, carried on his legacy. 'Revolutionary Suicide,' his autobiography, was first published in 1973 and then republished in 1995.

Huey Newton was not perfect, but he did fight to protect the rights of the Black Community. The rights that we're still fighting for today.

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Ruby Bridges

Next

Henry "Box" Brown

___

My Sources

[argyrocratie]

"When I first went to Jamaica in 2012 as a graduate student studying the environmental politics of the Maroons, an Afro-Indigenous community who freed themselves from enslavement in the 18th century and established an autonomous society in the mountainous interior of the island, Chinese overseas development policy seemed irrelevant to my work. Yet as my field research progressed over the following eight years, first as a doctoral student in African diaspora studies and then as a post-doctoral researcher, the impact of Chinese infrastructural development and extractive industry on the Jamaican people and environment became increasingly apparent.

The timing of my field work overlapped with an unprecedented surge in Chinese economic and diplomatic engagement with Jamaica and the Caribbean as a whole.

(...)

It is beyond the scope of this article to detail the political economic dynamics and immense social impact of debt in Jamaica over the last 40 years.4 Suffice it to say that the island became a byword for structural adjustment during this period, with every new loan from the World Bank, or default on payments thereof, coming with International Monetary Fund-mandated austerity.

Health and education were notable casualties of this socio-economic assault. By the start of my field research, Jamaican child mortality had almost doubled over the span of a single decade while completion of primary school dropped from 97% to 73% in the same period. This despite the fact that Jamaica had already repaid more money than it had been lent, with continuing debt servicing accounting for a 106% debt-to-GDP ratio according to the latest World Bank figures.

All this is only a small snapshot of the catastrophic outcomes of debt wielded as a tool of neocolonialism.

With the island’s status as one of the most indebted countries on the planet, Chinese infrastructural development was received with fanfare from Jamaican elites, a possible economic lifeline out of the debt trap.

(...)

Jamaican elites may appreciate that they can pay back debts with land, and that China does not directly require broad policy changes like the structural adjustment conditions of IMF and World Bank loans.

However, even with the above and the fact that the Jamaican debt to China is small compared to that claimed by Western IFIs and private firms, Jamaican politicians are growing increasingly wary of the costs of doing business with China. In November 2019, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica would no longer borrow from China, a scant seven months after formally joining the BRI.

As usual, most Jamaicans are not privy to the inter-governmental discussions and deals driving these decisions, but their government’s newfound reticence in engaging with China reflects deeper concerns among BRI partners that the initiative is a debt trap.

(...)

Almost two decades of Chinese loans and infrastructure-led development have left Jamaican workers and farmers as precarious and dispossessed as ever. The hard-fought and generational struggle for Jamaican workers’ power (trade unions were instrumental to Jamaica’s independence struggle) has been curtailed and rolled back by China’s transposed sovereignty.

Furthermore, Chinese mining interests appear poised to pick up where their Western counterparts left off in terms of irreversible ecological destruction and threats to indigenous survival. Certainly, Jamaica cannot bear another 50 years of capitalist exploitation and extractive industry.

If there is any hope in turning this dire situation into revolutionary momentum, it will be in Jamaicans making common cause with the Chinese laborers imported to the country. According to China Labor Watch, Chinese workers on overseas BRI projects are often subject to “deceptive job ads, passport retention, wage withholding, physical violence and lack of contracts” to the extent of constituting forced labor and human trafficking.

In fact, at least one Chinese worker in Jamaica has already blown the whistle on such conditions. Unfortunately, as of the time of writing this article, there appears to be no organized effort to make solidaristic alliances among Jamaican workers, Chinese workers, and Maroons. The Maroons are organized as an indigenous community seeking land and sovereign rights, rather than workers seeking class emancipation, and remain locked in a fractious political battle with the Jamaican state toward those ends.

Furthermore, the cultural and language barriers between Jamaicans and imported Chinese workers are significant. Yet both countries have rich revolutionary traditions. If Jamaican labor militancy and Maroon struggle were able to reconcile and align their interests, while cultivating strategic allies among the heavily exploited Chinese workers, a powerful relationship of international solidarity from below could be forged."

...

[fnunelfn]

Icon and Rocket-Milestone Comics

Freddy Nunez

"Icon and Rocket: Changes"

"Superhero/Action"

PAGE ONE 

Panel 1: 

On a clear night, we open on an exterior shot of the Le Diplomate restaurant in Washington, D.C.. 

LOCATION CAPTION: The Le Diplomate, Washington, D.C. 

Panel 2: Inside the restaurant, we see ICON and ROCKET, in their civilian identities, enjoying a lavish meal. ICON mentions that he will be giving a televised speech at Georgetown University as his civilian identity, Agustus Freeman IV, as part of a national law conference. 

AUGUSTUS: Raquel, I am glad you will be at the speech tonight. The University of Georgetown is hoping that by televising tonight's speeches will have a positive effect on African Americans considering a career in law.   

RAQUEL: You seem a little nervous, Augustus. Let me find out! Can I get a preview of your speech?

AUGUSTUS: Of course. 

Panel 3: (Insert): Augustus hands Raquel his speech

Panel 4: Raquel looks enthusiastically at the speech. 

CAPTION (Augustus Speech):...We know that the number of men in our community continues to make bad choices. I have heard many times failings excused away as examples of the world trying to keep a black man down. One of the things I have learned is that there is no more room for excuses. Excuses are nails used to build a house of failure…

PAGE TWO 

Panel 1: RAQUEL looks at AUGUSTUS with an incredulous look on her face. 

RAQUEL: What the $%^& is this? 

Panel 2: Wide shot of the two of them in silhouette. 

AUGUSTUS: What is the matter, Raquel? 

RAQUEL: This speech. “We know that too many young men in our community continue to make bad choices” ? “in this hyper-competitive world no one is going to GIVE you anything”? What the hell are you talking about? 

AUGUSTUS: I am speaking to the failings in our community. I hope to galvanize those on the sideline into action.  

Panel 3: RAQUEL is annoyed by AGUSTUS’s stance on this issue. She crosses her arms and responds with annoyance. We can see people running outside of the restaurant in a panic.  

ROCKET: That's bull$#%&. 

Panel 4: AUGUSTUS looks out of the window distracted by a commotion outside. 

AUGUSTUS: I think we will need to pause this for now. There is trouble outside. 

PAGE THREE 

Panel 1: We see a blond man in his late 40s terrorizing downtown D.C. in a mechanical suit. 

MECHANICAL MAN: We are the sons of the Aryan Pride! We will not be replaced! Blood and Soil! 

Panel 2: We pan out to see four more men wearing similar suits, all sporting the insignia of the Sons of Aryan Pride or SOAP on their Suits. They are firing flame throwers and flipping cars, creating mass chaos. 

Panel 3: Icon comes rushing into the scene revving up a mighty punch. 

ICON: Okay, I think we have heard enough of this. 

Panel 4: Rocket kicks one of the terrorists in the face with a powerful kinetic kick. 

ROCKET: I think what my dude meant to say was, SHUT THE $%^& UP!

PAGE FIVE 

SPLASH PAGE: Full page shot of ICON and ROCKET beating the daylights out of the terrorist. 

PAGE SIX 

Panel 1: We see the aftermath of the fight as terrorists lead away. ICON speaks to a police officer about the bad guys who caused all this trouble. In the background we see ROCKET looking exasperated. 

POLICE OFFICER: We can’t thank you enough for these. It’s too bad these poor guys got mixed up in all this. The economy being what it is and all the news you know how it is. 

Panel 2: ROCKET has heard enough and snaps at ICON. 

ROCKET: That’s it. Right there. That’s why your speech sucks. 

Panel 3: ROCKET flies off. 

Panel 4: ICON follows after her leaving a confused officer behind. 

PAGE SEVEN

Panel 1: Rocket sits atop the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C. and is looking down at the people walking on the street. She is deep in thought as ICON enters the frame from above. 

ICON: Raquel, I am sorry that we were interrupted before we could talk. I-- 

ROCKET: It’s not you… Well, it is, in a way, but tonight just brought something up I have had on my mind for some time. 

Panel 2: Icon is now sitting beside Rocket as they continue their conversation. 

ROCKET: You think anyone is going to tell those crazy white boys their community is to blame for their crimes? You heard that cop. It’s always the economy, or their fear, or cable news.

ICON: I think we have a responsibility to ourselves. What blame they get is not for me to answer---

Panel 3: ICON sits with his arms crossed looking towards the sky as Rocket makes her point. 

ROCKET:  We are villainized. We are victimized. We are scrutinized. We are blamed. I don’t have a simple answer for you. 

ROCKET (Cont.): I do think we owe Black folks a little more than scolding and judgement.  

Panel 4: ROCKET and ICON stand facing each other. 

ICON: What can I give Black folks that would motivate them to self-action?  

ROCKET: Inspiration.

Panel 5 (insert): Close on Icon he looks shocked by what Rocket has told him. He is surprised to hear that he has not been an inspiration to Black people.  

PAGE EIGHT 

Panel 1: We have a view of the stage at Georgetown University later that night. The room is busy with reporters and audience members there to see the speakers. A silhouetted figure introduces the first speaker.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies, and gentlemen if you could all have a seat. I would like to introduce tonight's first speaker at our African American Law conference minister Agustus Freeman IV.  

Panel 2: We see Rocket, in her civilian identity, sitting among the audience clapping for Agustus. 

Panel 3: Augustus is at the podium.

AUGUSTUS FREEMAN: Good evening, I originally intended this speech to speak hard truths to a community. And I am afraid what I will say does not line up with tonight’s theme.  

AUGUSTUS FREEMAN (Cont.) I believe I understand what is needed. For Black folks, this odyssey has been difficult and not always fair. I hope that I will help more directly than before. 

Panel 4: Augustus has changed into his ICON identity in front of the whole world. The room is abuzz as he makes his announcement. 

ICON: My name is Agustus Freeman, I am Icon and this is my first act in my effort to change what I see as an unjust world. I will not hide in the shadows. I will lead in the light.

ICON: What we need is a new nation where justice is true. I promise we will achieve this together. 

Panel 5: Rocket stands in the middle of the crowd, her arms crossed smiling at ICON. 

ROCKET: Well, damn. 

End

[vintagetvstars]

Betty White Vs. Gracie Allen

Propaganda

Betty White - (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, Life With Elizabeth) - I mean - does she really need an introduction? It's Betty White, people! The First Lady Of Television! What *hasn't* she done? She had an incredible career (in fact, she earned the Guinness World Record for the longest TV career by a female entertainer *twice*!) with an infinite list of successes - she won seven Emmys, three SAG awards, and even a Grammy. I personally know her best for her spectacular portrayal of Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls, but she's played so many great characters in her long career. A lesser known but marvelously charming role is that of the titular character in Life With Elizabeth, a 1950s sitcom which she also co-produced at the age of *28*! She was also a great advocate for a number of causes - animal welfare, gay rights (she used to accompany her friend Liberace to events to help him avoid being outed as gay), and racial equality: she famously hired Arthur Duncan, a Black tap dancer, on one of her shows, and when threatened with going off-air if he wasn't fired, she just declared "He stays, live with it." She's the whole package - amazing actress (and comedienne and producer!), kind and hilarious, and of course - beautiful! Just look at her - that smile! Those eyes! That charm!! Watch her in action if you can (they're too long to link here, but entire episodes of Life With Elizabeth are on youtube!), but honestly - her pictures alone are enough to make me swoon!

Gracie Allen - (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) - she's SO funny

Master Poll List of the Hot Vintage TV Ladies Bracket

Additional propaganda below the cut

Betty White:

Have you seen her?? Look me in the eyes and tell me that Betty White's smile doesn't have the power to turn anyone's heart to mush. She looks adorable one moment, and can come up with the most out of pocket lines the next (all while still looking innocent about it). People know her best as Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls, of course, where she played the show's most naive character. But reportedly, Betty was actually the cleverest person on set. She didn't even have to learn her lines; reading the script once was enough for her, and she'd be able to remember any additional changes throughout the week without a problem. Which is pretty amazing if you ask me! Anyway, Betty is an icon. Her television career spanned seven (7!!!) decades, covering basically the entire tournament's time period (and then some!). She *almost* turned 100 and her outliving other celebrities was a Tumblr meme for ages. She had her own talkshow in the 1950s, for which she hired a female director, and had an African-American tap dancer (Arthur Duncan) as a regular cast member. When faced with criticism for the latter and the threat of being boycotted, Betty responded with "I'm sorry. Live with it" and gave Duncan *more* airtime. She was also the first woman to ever produce a sitcom (Life with Elizabeth) in which she played the lead, and looked absolutely stunning doing it. All in all: Betty was a badass, had a heart of gold, and she's absolutely stunning!

I think I might cry at how pretty she is honestly

that SMILE!!!

some soft butch realness

she's even pretty when she's not smiling... ahh...

she is marvelously bitchy as Sue Ann Nivens. please for the love of god watch these videos

Betty White / Sue Ann Moment #1: Coffee Experts Agree

Betty White / Sue Ann Moment #3: Massive Mudslides Wreak Havoc

Betty White / Sue Ann Moment #5: Have a Sexy Birthday

Gracie Allen:

Gracie Allen--Best Lines Compilation 1