Motown | This Black Sista's Memorial Page

The Ancestors Welcome Bobby Smith, 76, Lead Singer of The Spinners

• March 18, 2013 • Comments Off

Posted in African American History, Black People, Cancer, Celebrities/Royals, Class, Cultural History, Music, The Spinners
Tags: African Americans, Aretha Franklin, Atlantic Records, Berry Gordy, Blacks, Bobbie Smith, Bobby Smith, Cancer, Detroit, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, G.C. Cameron, Growing Up, Henry Fambrough, Lead Singer, Lung Cancer, Motown, Oldies, Orlando FL, Pervis Jackson, Philippé Wynne, Smith, Soul Train Music Cruise, Spinner, Stevie Wonder, The Motor City, The Seventies, The Sixties, Thom Bell

Some Sunday Love: The Band (with the Late Levon Helm on Drums), “Don’t Do It,” New Year’s Eve, New York City Academy of Music, 1971

• April 29, 2012 • Comments Off

Posted in Cancer, Cultural History, Film, Health, Love, Music, Music Videos, The Band
Tags: "Rock of Ages", Allen Toussaint, Band, Canada, Canadians, Garth Hudson, Holland Dozier and Holland, Levon Helm, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Music from Big Pink, New Orleans, New York, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson

Some Tuesday Love: “Up The Ladder To The Roof,” The Supremes, 1970

• February 21, 2012 • 2 Comments

Posted in African American History, American History, Celebrities/Royals, Class, Cultural History, Love, Music, Protestant Denominations, Religion, Spirituality, The Mainstream Media (MSM), The Supremes/Diana Ross and The Supremes, Women
Tags: "Up the Ladder to the Roof", African Americans, Black Women, Blacks, Cindy Birdsong, Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Frank Wilson, Funk Brothers, Jean Terrell, Love, Mary Wilson, Motown, Motown Records, Ross, Shopping, Supremes, The Seventies, United States, Vincent DiMirco, Wah-wah pedal

Don’t Miss “An Evening with Valerie Simpson in Honor of Nick Ashford” Coming to PBS Stations This Month

• February 18, 2012 • Comments Off

Posted in African American History, American History, Ashford and Simpson, Black People, Cancer, Celebrities/Royals, Class, Cultural History, Gwen Ifill, Love, Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell, Protestant Denominations, Religion, Sexuality, Spirituality, Valerie Simpson, Wisconsin, Women
Tags: African Americans, Ashford, Ashford and Simpson, Berry Gordy, Black History Month, Black Women, Blacks, Brother Ray, Celebrity Deaths, Death, Gwen Ifill, Interview, Love, Love Songs, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Nickolas Ashford, Passing, Public Television, Ray Charles, Simpson, Tammi Terrell, Teddy Pendergrass, The Eighties, The Seventies, Tivos, Valerie Simpson, W, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Television

Saturday Night Music, February 11, 2012: “You Met Your Match,” Stevie Wonder, 1968

• February 11, 2012 • Comments Off

Posted in African American History, Black People, Celebrities/Royals, Cultural History, Lula Mae Hardaway, Music, Sexuality, Stevie Wonder, The Mainstream Media (MSM), Women
Tags: "For Once in My Life", "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day.", "You Met Your Match", African Americans, Black Women, Blacks, California, Children, Funk Brother, Grammy, Grammy Award, Growing Up, James Jamerson, Love, Lula Mae Hardaway, Motown, Motown Records, Sex, Stevie, Stevie Wonder, The Seventies, The Sixties

Christmas Songs: Marvin Gaye, “I Want to Come Home for Christmas,” 1972

• December 21, 2011 • 1 Comment

Posted in Afghanistan, African American History, American Foreign Policy, American History, American Politics, Black People, Celebrities/Royals, Class, Cultural History, Education, Health, Holidays, Iraq, Love, Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell, Mental Health/Psychology, Music, Obama Administration, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Race, The Mainstream Media (MSM)
Tags: Afghanistan, African Americans, Berry Gordy, Blacks, Charting, Christmas, Christmas in The City, Forest Hairston, Funk Brothers, Iraq, Marvin, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Motown Records, Occupation, Prisoners of War, Santa Claus, South Vietnam, The Funk Brothers, The Nineties, The Seventies, United States, Vietnam, Vietnam War

Christmas Songs: Stevie Wonder, “(That’s) What Christmas Means To Me (My Love)” 1967

• December 5, 2011 • Comments Off

Posted in African American History, Black People, Celebrities/Royals, Class, Cultural History, Music, Stevie Wonder, The Rest of the World, Women
Tags: "Someday at Christmas", "What Christmas Means to Me", African Americans, Anna Gordy, Anna Gordy Gaye, Benny Benjamin, Blacks, Detroit MI, Funk Brother, Genius, Growing Up, Henry Cosby, James Jamerson, Jazz Musicians, Marvin Gaye, Motown, Session Musicians, Stevie, Stevie Wonder, Stevland Hardaway Judkins, Tamla, The Funk Brothers, The Motown Sound, The Seventies, The Sixties, United States

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The New York Times

Why an Heiress Spent Her Fortune Trying to Keep Immigrants Out August 17, 2019
Newly unearthed documents reveal how an environmental-minded socialite became an ardent nativist whose money helped sow the seeds of the Trump anti-immigration agenda.
11 of Our Best Weekend Reads August 16, 2019
A look at the waves of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, the fate of bohemian consumerism and the doctor behind The New York Times Magazine’s “Diagnosis” column.
Man Charged in Connection With Rice Cooker Scare, Police Say August 18, 2019
The man, who was found in the Bronx on Saturday, faces three charges of placing a false bomb.
Portland Protests: Far-Right Groups and Antifa Face Off as Trump Weighs In August 17, 2019
Conservative groups are urging the United States to label Antifa a domestic terrorist group. President Trump said the city was “being watched very closely.”
A Summer Camp on the Border, Where the Border Crisis Feels Far Away August 17, 2019
These teenagers, many the children of migrants, are growing up in the shadow of a national conversation about immigration. They feel the stereotypes. But at camp, “it’s way different.”
In El Paso, Hundreds Show Up to Mourn a Woman They Didn’t Know August 17, 2019
He invited everyone in El Paso to his wife’s funeral. But he tends to her garden, alone.
Arkansas Woman Charged Over Holding Four Black Teenagers at Gunpoint August 17, 2019
The boys were raising money for their football team. The woman, identified as Jerri Kelly, 46, is facing charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment.
Customs Computer Failure Snarls Passengers at U.S. Airports August 17, 2019
Officials said service was restored after about two hours but travelers then faced long waits to be processed.

The Guardian, UK

Jeremy Corbyn pleads with MPs: back me now before it’s too late August 17, 2019
Britain stands on precipice, warns Labour leader, as 100 MPs tell Boris Johnson to recall parliamentJeremy Corbyn has issued an urgent plea to MPs to unite to stop no-deal Brexit “before it’s too late”, amid cross-party demands for an immediate recall of parliament to deal with the crisis.In a show of defiance, a group of more than 100 MPs representing every […]
'Portland is being watched very closely': Trump stokes tension over far right rally August 17, 2019
President links leftwing ‘antifa’ groups to terrorPortland mayor: ‘Frankly, it’s not helpful’As Portland prepared for one of the biggest political demonstrations of the summer, which authorities expected would lead to violence, Donald Trump threw into the mix a characteristically explosive tweet. Related: How Portland's liberal utopia became the center […]
Jean-Luc Brunel: three former models say they were sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein friend August 17, 2019
Special investigation: As attention turns to associates of the deceased billionaire sex offender, the French model scout is back in the headlinesOn a hot Friday evening in France last month, Jean-Luc Brunel was revelling in his natural habitat: a lavish party packed with the rich and beautiful. Related: Rats and raw sewage: Jeffrey Epstein jail blighted by […]
Dozens feared dead or wounded after Afghan wedding hall blast August 17, 2019
Explosion in packed Kabul venue comes as Donald Trump talks up prospects of peace deal with TalibanAn explosion ripped through a wedding hall on a busy Saturday night in Afghanistan’s capital, leaving dozens of people dead or wounded, a government official has said. Hundreds of people were believed to be inside.Interior ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi told […]
World’s nations gather to tackle wildlife extinction crisis August 17, 2019
Giraffes, sharks, glass frogs - and the woolly mammoth - may get boosted protection at summitFrom giraffes to sharks, the world’s endangered species could gain better protection at an international wildlife conference.The triennial summit of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), that began on Saturday, will tackle disputes over the […]
‘Matteo Salvini must be stopped’: Renzi’s back, but can the ex-PM save Italy? August 17, 2019
As political turmoil grips Rome, the former prime minister tells the Observer of his mission to thwart a far-right takeoverHis energetic stint at the helm of Italy’s government was brought to a juddering halt when, in 2016, he was effectively sacked by voters after suffering an embarrassing defeat in a constitutional referendum. Now Matteo Renzi is back, cas […]
'No sea sickness so far': Greta Thunberg update on Atlantic crossing August 17, 2019
Climate activist is four days into a two-week journey on solar-powered yachtFour days into its two-week Atlantic crossing, the solar-powered yacht carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg is becalmed in the ocean after a choppy start to the trip, still 2,500 nautical miles from New York.In an update posted to Twitter around midday on Saturday, the 16-year-ol […]
Hong Kong: three rallies mark 11th weekend of protests August 17, 2019
Demonstrators aim to show public support for movement remains strongThousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Hong Kong, as they sought to show their movement still had public support even after two months of increasingly violent clashes.Protesters, clad in their signature black and holding umbrellas, marched down major streets in Kowloon, chanting: […]

The BBC

Afghanistan: Bomb rips through wedding in Kabul August 17, 2019
Many casualties are feared in the suspected suicide attack in the west of the Afghan capital.
Portland braced for far-right rally and antifa counter-demo August 17, 2019
Police are mounting a major operation to keep marchers apart from left-wing counter protesters.
Sudan conflict: Army and civilians seal power-sharing deal August 17, 2019
The power-sharing agreement comes after months of protests following the toppling of the president.
Italy's Salvini lets 27 teenagers off Open Arms migrant ship August 17, 2019
The interior minister backs down reluctantly over the migrant minors amid a row within his cabinet.
Kashmir's communications partially restored, says India August 17, 2019
Phone services are slowly being reinstated, but internet and mobile phone services remain suspended.
Bangladesh fire: 15,000 homes destroyed in Dhaka slum August 17, 2019
About 15,000 homes are destroyed in a shanty town in Dhaka - but no deaths have been reported.
Man found dead in underpass after Istanbul floods August 17, 2019
A homeless man was found in the Unkapani district, apparently drowned, after heavy rain caused extensive damage
El Paso shooting: Man shocked as hundreds attend wife's funeral August 17, 2019
Antonio Basco asked members of the community to attend after his wife was killed in El Paso, Texas.