Remembering Slave Trade and Abolition in Paris

copyright: Régis Durand de Girard: in the middle Davy Sicart and Christiane Taubira

Yesterday May 10th was the official French ceremony of the ‘Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition’. The ceremony was held in the 'jardin du Luxembourg" in Paris, and was only open for invites. See the pictures of the ceremony on the blog fxgpariscaraibe here.

According to the blog FXG, the ceremony didn't had the grandeur of previous commemorations because of the absence of president Sarkozy. It appeared that he was in middle of the crisis meeting about the Euro.

One of the invites was of course Christiane Taubira, MP for overseas region French Guiana. Taubira gave her name to the 21 May 2001 law, "la Loi Taubira", which recognizes the Atlantic slave trade and slavery as a crime against humanity. But in the speech of the minister of interior about recognition, her name wasn't mentioned.

Also present was ex-football player and anti-racism activist Lilian Thuram. Thuram is president of the Lilian Thuram Foundation, an anti-racism foundation that combats racism trough education. Just recently he published his book ‘Mes Etoiles Noirs’, a book about important black personalities and stars.

On the blog there are some interesting interviews with Christiane Taubira and Lilian Thuram.

Among the invites were, Marie-Luce Penchard (Secretary of State for Overseas Territories), Françoise Vergès (chairman of the ‘comité pour la mémoire et l'histoire de l'esclavage’), Davy Sicart (Musician), Marijosée Alie (head of television), Pierre Saintons (Musician), and Nathalie Coualy (comedian).

Afro-Europe is featured on Ebonyjet Online

Afro-Europe International Blog is the editor's pick of the African-American online magazine Ebonyjet Online.

See more on http://www.ebonyjet.com/

Update: In May 2010 Afro-Europe was featured on the main site of Ebony Magazine for two weeks.

Singer and actress Lena Horn dies at 92

Lena Horne, jazz singer and actress who reviled the bigotry that allowed her to entertain white audiences but not socialize with them, slowing her rise to Broadway superstardom, died Sunday. She was 92.

Horne, whose striking beauty and magnetic sex appeal often overshadowed her sultry voice, was remarkably candid about the underlying reason for her success.

"I was unique in that I was a kind of black that white people could accept," she once said. "I was their daydream. I had the worst kind of acceptance because it was never for how great I was or what I contributed. It was because of the way I looked." Read the full story on yahoo news




During the 1960s Horne was involved in the American Civil Rights Movement. She participated in the March on Washington in 1963, performed at rallies in the South and elsewhere, and worked on behalf of the National Council for Negro Women. During the same period, she was also very visible on television, appearing on popular variety shows and in her own special, Lena in Concert, in 1969.
-- World biographies --

I knew Lena Horn only through her music, but after reading about her I now know she was much more then a wonderful singer. Rest in Peace Lena Horn.

An historic political night for Black Britain

British Black politics successful at the elections. With a record voter turnout from the African, Asian and Caribbean electorate and a record number of candidates winning seats at Westminster, black politics in the UK has finally come to age

The blog Operation Black Vote reports: As Britain makes sense of the new political landscape let’s not forget the record breaking numbers of African, Asian and Caribbean candidates elected to Parliament. Overall the number has nearly doubled from 14 to 27, the greatest number and percentage increase ever seen in British politics. And within those historic figures individual firsts have illuminated this election.

Women did particularly well. Helen Grant becomes the first woman of African descent to represent the Conservatives at Westminster. Priti Patel became the first Conservative Asian female. The Labour candidate Shabana Mahmood becomes the first Muslim woman to be elected to Westminster. The Labour Party’s Chi Onwurah became the first women of African descent to win a parliamentary seat.

OBV Director, Simon Woolley: “Black politics came of age last night. A record voter turnout from the African, Asian and Caribbean electorate and a record number of candidates winning seats at Westminster will dramatically change how we see our governing class and how it operates. Greater representation, and greater involvement from our communities will undoubtedly enhance our democracy.”

* The term ‘Black’ is a political term. It refers to African, Asian, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities.

Also see http://www.obv.org.uk/

Also read the very interesting story about the black Identity issue during the elections on the Theroot: U.K. Election Raises Black Identity Issue

Very interesting how the Britons handle the ethnic part in politics, in The Netherlands every ethnic minority has its own lobby.

Festival Africaphonie 2010 - May 13th in Paris

On May 13th the festival Africaphonie 2010 will be held at the Bellevilloise in Paris. Damage: 15€ / Pre-sale 13€ at Digitik, Virgin.

Initiated in 2007 by the Association ORIG'IN with support from UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture and the Overseas Departments, the festival AFRICAPHONIE aims to celebrate and commemorate, France, the African history and culture and its Diaspora.

At the Festival the documentary "10 mai Africaphonie" will be shown.


Artists : ERIK, SAMUEL, PEEDA, ELSA MARTINE, HERMANN, ROSELYNE BELINGA, MILK COFFEE & SUGAR, JACKSON THELEMAQUE, LORD EKOMY NDONG, K’MELEON.

http://www.africaphonie.com

Festival Africaphonie 2009

Forum: "Slavery and Trafficking, crimes against humanity" (Paris)

Forum on the occasion of the 5th edition of the Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (“de la Journée des mémoires de la traite, de l’esclavage et de leurs abolitions”) on May 10, 2010 in Paris.

The theme of the forum discussion will be: "Slavery and Trafficking, crimes against humanity" ("L’esclavage et la traite, crimes contre l’humanité").

In partnership with the FAAC (La Fédération des Associations Africaines et Créoles) the ASPA (l'Association des étudiants de Sciences Po pour l'Afrique) will organise the forum on May 10, 2010 at Sciences Po Paris, Amphithéâtre Jacques Chapsal, 27 rue Guillaumen 75007 Paris.

Participants:

- Frank Anretar , President of the FAAC (La Fédération des Associations Africaines et Créoles
- François Durpaire, Advisor of FAAC and winner of the Literature / Essay “Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens 2008” with L'Amérique de Barack Obama.
- Nelly Schmidt, winner of the Literature / Essay “Trophées des Arts Afro-Caribéens 2009 with the essay “France a-t-elle aboli l'esclavage”?
- Ivan Voice, Chairman of the Education Sector FAAC and President of the association ARCHIVE.
- Ahmed El Keiy, journalist and host the show “Toutes les France” on France O.
- Christiane Taubira, member of Guyana, author of books on slavery.
- Françoise Vergès, President of the Committee for the commemoration of slavery, author of books on slavery.

Together with: Véronique Helenon, Amadou Sall, Karfa Diallo, John W. Franklin

The program will be opened by M. Hervé LADO, Président de l’Association des étudiants de Sciences Po pour l’Afrique (ASPA) and Frank Anretar, President of the FAAC (La Fédération des Associations Africaines et Créoles).

For more details see http://aspa.afrik.com

Singer Lebogang Masemola to perform in Munich

Afro Soul singer Lebogang Masemola will be performing on May 19th in Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. She also performed at the Pan African congres in 2009 with a South African hyme.

For Lebogang Masemola music is freedom. She says “ It is in music that we can just BE. Whether joyful or sad, music can embrace or alter the situation” A way of life that is rooted in her origin. Lebogang was born and raised in South Africa and presently resides in Hamburg Germany.




Details
Hotel Bayerischer Hof
Nightclub
Promenadeplatz 2-6
80333 München

On Myspace: Lebogang Masemola

General Convention of African Diaspora in Italy - 7th and 8th May

General Convention of African Diaspora in Italy - 7th and 8th May

It will focus on how to involve African immigrants in the development of the continent. The Association of Africans in the World is organising the General Convention of African Diaspora in Italy.

The event will be held in Rome on 7th and 8th May, in Via IV Novembre 119 (Palazzo Valentini, sala della Pace).

The Convention is organised in collaboration with the African Diaspora in Europe and the Management Consulting Group (MCG), and is sponsored by the Province of Rome.

Ethical Bank of the African Diaspora will be introduced during the Convention and 5,000 founding members selected.

Round table discussions will centre on many issues affecting Africa’s social, political, cultural, economic development. There will be a special focus on how to involve African immigrants in the development of the continent.

African diplomats and Italian national and local authorities will attend the Convention.

For further information, please log on to: www.africaninelmondo.it or send an email to Mr. Raymond Kouassi, President of the Association of Africans in the World: africaninelmondo@gmail.com

For more information go to www.africaninelmondo.it

Spotted on the blog missasali.blogspot.com

Jermaine Jackson crowns Luciano (9) in "Move Like Michael Jackson" contest

Luciano Hiwat (9) is the winner of the Dutch/Belgian "Move Like Michael" dance contest.

When I see you, I think of my brother Michael and my childhood, " said jury chairman Jermaine Jackson Saturday night to the youngest candidate and winner of the competition.

The "Move Like Michael" contest was a nationwide search to find the most talented and original dancers who could demonstrate that they have the spirit, showmanship and technical ability of Michael Jackson. The competition was only held in the UK and in the Netherlands/Belgium.

The winning act of the dance contest will perform at the official tribute concert.

The UK winner is Animaineaxs, who won the final on Sunday 20th in December 2009.

Video of Dutch winner

May Ayim - "Hope in my Heart " Trailer (Germany)

Today, on May 3rd 2010, the Afro-German poet and activist May Ayim (1960 – 1996) would have turned 50. In memory of her the documentary "Hope in My Heart" was shown in Berlin. Spotted on Black.in.nrw

About the documentary Hope in My Heart: The May Ayim Story (1997) TWN wrote:
A moving documentary about the life and untimely death of Afro-German poet May Ayim which contains both performances by Ayim and places her in the history of the emerging Afro-German movement.

In the foreword to Ayim's blues in swarz weiss (blues in black and white) Maryse Conde wrote "... With the unmistakable sound of her voice her poems spoke to me of her, told of others that are like her and yet so unlike her in Germany, in Africa, in America. These poems held passion and irony ... In May's voice I found the echo of other voices from the diaspora." 

Watch the full documentary at http://afroeurope.blogspot.nl/2013/05/the-documentary-hope-in-my-heart-of.html

Hip Hop: Breakin' Convention 2010 (London)

Breakin' Convention. International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre. Bank Holiday Weekend Sat 1 - Mon 3 May 2010 London.

Breakin' Convention, an International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre:
- 5 days of performances, film, graf jams and workshops
- DJ demos, aerosol art and freestyle circle
- The best Hip Hop dance companies from the UK and across the globe

Breakin' Convention is THE critically acclaimed International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre. Since 2004, Sadler's Wells, the most prestigious dance house in the UK, has featured the very best, most influential artists in the world of Hip Hop. Artistic director and MC Jonzi D hosts the festival, presenting crews from every street corner of the globe!

As well as performances, the festival weekend has an incomparable workshop programme, taught by pioneering artists like the Electric Boogaloos, live graffiti and aerosol art commissions on the foyer walls, and DJ crew Tha En4cers playing old skool funk and breakbeats to packed circles on the mezzanine. Breakin' Convention is now established as the freshest and most innovative event on the global Hip Hop dance calendar!

Breakin' Convention 2010 video diary Friday 30 April


Breakin' Convention

Queen's Day Amsterdam 2010

Some pictures of our Queen's Day. Yesterday was Queen's Day - Koninginnedag in Dutch - in Amsterdam, wich means walking, eating, and buying things from people in the streets. Due to weather the city wasn't as crowded as last year, and it showed.

Because Queen's Day is a national event it's kind of custom that you wear something orange. The colour orange is the national colour of the Netherlands.


This picture was taken at the Weteringsschans, and yes we went into the crowd. Normally you would feel like walking in a pinball machine, but this year it was easy to get through.


Music at the Museumplein. The place to be a on Queen's Day. A lot of life music and fast food. In the background you see the Dutch national museum (or Rijksmuseum).


A place to eat.


A photo made by a lady


We liked the auto rickshaw, but when we looked at the photo later we saw someone say ..


Het Stedelijk Museum or the city museum. But it's closed, and it is being renovated and expanded.



I should say happy anniversary queen Beatrix, but April 30th (Queen's Day) was the birthday of her mother. Bea decided not to change it.


If you are a celebrity you probably liked the buffet at the Amstel Hotel.


Amsteldijk. In the white house on the corner I had my Transcendental Meditation course when I was 15. I took the course long time ago when people were financially nice to each other. For the record, the TM organisation has left this building long time ago. The house is on the other side of the Amstel Hotel.


Metro station Wibautstraat


Art in the metro.


Getting out at metro station Ganzenhoef in the Bijlmer. It's a neighbourhood in the district Amsterdam South East, the district where al lot of Surinamese, Antillean and Ghanaian people live. Gentrification, or Urban renewal as they call it here, is dramatically changing the neigboorhood and the communities.


Ground level Ganzenhoef.

The smartest family in Britain is black

On BlackVoices I read the story of the wonder twins Paula and Peter Imafidon (9 years old) who floored academics a year ago when they aced University of Cambridge's advanced mathematics exam. They are the youngest students to ever pass the test.

The future little scholars' father, Chris, and mother, Ann, immigrated to Britain from Nigeria more than 30 years ago and have actually been down this prodigy route before with their three older children, who are also overachievers.



The couple's oldest daughter, Anne-Marie, is now 20, but at age 13, she won a British government scholarship to take undergraduate courses at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Christiana, 17, their other daughter, is the youngest student ever to study at the undergraduate level in any British University at the age of 11. Youngest daughter, Samantha, now 12, passed two rigorous high school–level mathematics and statistics exams at the age of 6. She mentored the twins to pass their own math secondary school test when they were also 6.

Great story! The sad part is that the story triggered the "controversy" between US blacks and Africans. Read the story and the comments at BlackVoices Britain's Brainiest Family is Black and Has 9-Year-Old High School-Bound Twins