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Movie Night Friday – Soul Food

Welcome back to another segment of Movie Night Friday. Where I present some of my favorite movies and why I love them.

Today I would like to discuss Soul Food, one of my favorite movies.

Soul Food is a movie about one family and their ability to stay a family through their willingness to endure all of the trial and tribulations that befall them. Told from the perspective of 11-year-old Ahmad, the Chicago family creates a bond around the Sunday “Soul Food” dinners they have every Sunday. Documented to have been coined in 1964 when blacks exercised self-awareness concerning themselves and “Soul” and “Black Power” got popular, there are a lot of misconceptions concerning Soul Food. The assumption is that the essential ingredient is pork and that deep-fat frying is its ultimate technique. It is assumed that the food must be dangerously unhealthy (I have to agree with Huey on the Boondocks. How they gonna go back to eating the same food that gave Big Mama diabetes tho) and is even mentioned in the movie that because we didn’t have anything else to eat in slavery we made meals of whatever we were given and that this is soul food. While it is true that blacks during slavery had little to nothing to eat, Soul Food got its name, not necessarily because of slavery, but because of how it brought black families and communities together which predates the institution of chattel slavery. African Americans have always been a communal people and food has always been an art form. Even if it wasn’t called Soul Food specifically, “Soul Food” is a tradition that go back for centuries.

I still remember when I watched this for the first time back in ’97 or ’98 and it was the ideal family I imagined we have all wanted and if we had, something that we have all cherished. However, it is always easy to be there for one another during the good times, but what about when tragedy strikes? Multiple tragedies?

Can the Joseph family endure the ultimate challenge of betrayal, hurt, and Big Mama’s failing health? Does a family, who is knit together seemingly through the strength of one person, have what it takes to stay once that person is gone?

As is obvious, this became my favorite because of the family bond and the unity of love they had for one another. I wouldn’t say that I watch it over and over again or anything, but it is a good throwback classic.

Soul Food was eventually spent off into a TV series.

Trailer:

Is Soul Food among one of your favs? Why do you love it?

The Voice of a Slave: CNN Freedom Project

http://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2015/08/21/spc-freedom-project-the-voice-of-a-slave.cnn

Check this video out. Its the voice of a man who was a slave who reveals briefly his experience. Of course I had to find something like this, but I’m really passionate about reliving history at the foot of the elders. I’ve always loved listening to the elders speak about their experience picking cotton and sharecropping and all of that, which nurtured my decision to write more about black history.

Speaking of Slave Ships, has anyone ever wondered what happened to those ships? Why are there no authentic slave ships in museums? I’m not talking about the replicas. How did whole ships just disappear? Is it possible that the wood was used to make other things? It does after all hold a lot of energy. Blacks were also hung from trees, which is also wood. What do we call a thick Forrest? We call it the woods. Can there be a significance to this? Just trying to expand my understanding on the whole institution of slavery itself. It’s not just that blacks committed suicide, but could it also be that they were sacrificed as well? Not everyone jumped ship, some were murdered. Just a thought.

Something New: Embracing Change – Yecheilyah Ysrayl

My “Something New” Guest Post with Lisa Tetting. Thank you for having me.

Lisa W. Tetting

Try Something New Today!

Primarily, I would like to thank Lisa for giving me the keys to the house. It’s nice and cozy in here and you all look great! While I tend to be long winded, I have been given a copy of the house rules, so I’ll be brief.

Lisa asked me to write about newness today and I choose change.

We live in a world that celebrates routine and ritual, so it’s not always easy to embrace change. It is something that happens so frequently in our lives and yet remains something new; moving in and out of our day with the same glide as oil to a pan. Starting with a puddle and then auctioning pieces of itself off into different directions. But this is not easy for us to do; to forgo tradition for a road less traveled by. To be reborn in a way that blows our minds…

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Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Throwing Words

Hey there loves, Welcome to another Writer’s Quote Wednesday Edition with Colleen of Silver Threading. I thought it would be fun to surprise her with a cartoon of us together since she got me so addicted to them.

Now, in other news, who’s throwing words tho?

Whew, he said that.

There were lots of quotes I wanted to use from Richard Wright’s “Black Boy”, but I enjoyed this one the most as appropriate for Writer’s Quote Wednesday. I love Wright’s description of hurling words into the darkness and waiting for an echo because I think that is something all writers do. If we see light as symbolic of truth, of awakening, and of hope, then to throw our words into the darkness is to send hope out into the world. If someone responds, someone who has perhaps awaited this moment for some time, if that person responds, they are the echo that justifies the need for this light. They are the people who validate that the writing is not in vain and gives authors a kind of heads up that it is OK to throw more words out into the darkness. It is not from the perspective of writing specifically to be heard or writing for validation. The heads up instead informs us that there are others who are in need of the power these words have to offer.

About Black Boy

Most of us are all familiar with Richard Wright by now (and if we aren’t Google is a gem) so I thought I’d give history on “Black Boy” instead, Wright’s Memoir.

From: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/b/black-boy/book-summary

(clearing throat) yes these are cliff notes, don’t judge us:

“Black Boy”, an autobiography of Richard Wright’s early life, examines Richard’s tortured years in the Jim Crow South from 1912 to 1927. In each chapter, Richard relates painful and confusing memories that lead to a better understanding of the man a black, Southern, American writer who eventually emerges. Although Richard, as the narrator, maintains an adult voice throughout the story, each chapter is told from the perspective and knowledge that a child might possess. Yet, because the narrative is told with such force and honesty, the reliability of Richard’s memories is not questioned. By the story’s end, as Richard comes of age, the voice of the narrator and of the nineteen-year-old young man he has become merge into one.”

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And that’s it for this weeks segment. See ya next week 🙂

Newsletters: My Policy

I just recently sent a welcome email out to my subscribers and I thought it would be a good idea to post it here for those who may be interested in joining my mailing list:

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Welcome!

Good Morning Everyone,

Guess what? We have new subscribers!

And I would just like to take this time to Welcome them. I only have two policies:

#1: We are Family

This means that I will treat my subscribers with respect. Their email is my email. I will never send vulgar, nude, or disrespectful emails to my family. I will never put someone on blast as to shame them. I will never spam your emails.

#2: No Spam

Because we are family, I do not spam emails. This Newsletter is different than most. I do not send pages and pages of articles or draft long post, that’s what my blog is for. Attention spans are short and I’m busy. I don’t have the time to keep you reading forever. This Newsletter comes out every now and again and will only include important, need-to-know information. It will promote new products and while I expect to receive support from subscribers, I will never force you to purchase.

So welcome to the family! Please take this time to browse our website. We are currently looking to upgrade soon, but for now we do hope that you enjoy your stay here.

Much Love,

Yecheilyah

theliterarykorner.com

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If you would like me to add your email to my Newsletter, please send it to me at the email below. Anyone who is already a subscriber can tell you I’m true to my word.

ahouseofpoetry@gmail.com

When Inspiration Comes

I thought of you this morning and knew that you would come. I thought to write about you then, but I tend to learn all too late that there is a time and place even for thoughts; a succession of images and ideas, some brighter than the others. Some wait patiently for me to notice the size and shape of their existence, while others show up between the colors of rainbows after the rain. Shiny pieces of ambition threatening to either cut or spark curiosity amidst the heart, causing it to act. Action, it is what I demand of these visions both beautiful and stubborn alike. They must all remember that while I love them, dreams and realities are opposites and only action makes them whole. Offer me not death on a silver platter, champagne taste against beer breath. The motivation to be inspired, it always comes at a price. In what way will I choose to spend this currency of influence now upon me? These fragile ideas of ours, this soaring hope, it must be handled carefully. Dare I let the concept of failure steal away my beating heart? When the inspiration comes, I know that it will either bend or break at my command, which will I choose?

Book Release Trivia Day! Post #2 GAME TIME

Yall ready? Here we go:

GAME #1:

Fresh Cup: Since it’s still early, the name of this game is Fresh Cup. Sit down and have a cup of coffee or tea with Stella by winning a Free Coffee Mug when you answer this question correctly. I will take the first 2 commenters to this post:

Stella’s life takes place during the Jim Crow Laws that forbade African American’s from doing certain things. Name at least two of the things blacks couldn’t do during this time.

*First 2 Answers*

(Winners announced soon…….hurry!)

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