Ten years ago Afro-German Alberto Adriano was brutally killed by three Nazi youths in a park in the Eastern German city of Dessau. To commemorate Adriano, a commemorative event, a memorial concert and a conference will be held on 11 and 12 June in Dessau.
In the evening of June 11the 2000 Alberto Adriano was brutally murdered by three drunken neo-Nazis. They told the police they did it because they hated foreigners.
Alberto Adriano - who had lived and worked in Germany for more than 20 years - had been celebrating a forthcoming trip to Mozambique. Read the full story: Race hate in Germany (BBC)
And photos of the funeral of Adriano, and of East Germany in 2000 here.
In 2001 the German Anti-Racism organisation "Brothers Keepers" made the single "Adriano – Letzte Warnung“, ("Adriano - Final Warning").
A state court sentenced one man to life in prison and two 16-year-old skinhead accomplices to nine years each for the murder of a 39-year-old immigrant from Mozambique.
Black race-hate victims in Europe:
Kerwin Duinmijer (20 August 1983) - Netherlands Stephen Lawrence (22 April 1993) - UK Alberto Adriano (11 June 2000) – Germany
When it comes to pursuing higher education, most African students prefer Germany, France or the UK
About 77 per cent of all African students who study abroad do so in Europe while 18 per cent of all foreign students in Europe are from Africa, according to a report.
It also said out of about 144 million students who enrolled in institutions of higher education, about 3 million of them migrated from the Africa sub-region to Europe.
Prof Goolam Mohamedbhai, Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), said this at a workshop in Accra. The event which brought together about 80 representatives of senior leadership and management personalities from Africa and Europe, explored how higher education institutions in both regions cope with the changing demands of their specific socio-economic environments.
Mohamedbhai said three European countries that received the largest number of the foreign students were the United Kingdom, Germany and France accounting for about 30 per cent. (Source: Pune Mirror.in)
Suzanna Lubrano has won the award for “Best African Artist based in the Diaspora” at the Museke Online Africa Music Awards (MOAMAs) 2010. The winners were selected based on African music fan votes. Voting took place from April 6 to May 29, 2010 on http://awards.museke.com
Suzanna Lubrano is a Netherlands (Rotterdam) based Zouk artist. If you're not into Zouk, Kizomba or Afro-Portuguese music you probably would not know that Lubrano has won the Kora All African Music Award for Best African Female Artist in 2003. The Kora Awards are music awards given annually for musical achievement in sub-Saharan Africa. They are comparable to the American Grammy Awards in intent.
Lubrano performing in the Netherlands
And you probably would not know that she received the award in a live TV show which was watched by over more then 600 million people. (Source: NPS)
This summer, Suzanna Lubrano will have many performances in Africa. Shows are coming up in Angola, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe and elsewhere.
Other shows will take place in Europe and USA, among them June 18 in Rotterdam and June 25 in London (IndigO2, with Yuri da Cunha).
From Der Schwarze Blog: The German Theatre ensemble Label Noir will peform the play “Heimat, bittersüße Heimat” ("Homeland, Bittersweet Homeland") on 4-6 June in the Hoftheater in Berlin.
A theater group is challenging Germany's assumptions about race, culture and identity with a courageous new production that sheds light on the black German experience of everyday racism.
"My, but you speak excellent German - flawless grammar, perfect accent. Keep up the good work!"
The elderly lady with a prim hat and pursed lips tries to compliment the young black woman sitting on the park bench beside her, but her praise backfires when it's obvious that she can hardly grasp the notion that a person of color can be German at the same time. This scene is one of a dizzying array of sketches that combine humor and poignant realism to mirror part of the black/Afro-German experience with unsettling clarity.
"Heimat, bittersuesse Heimat" - which translates to "Homeland, Bittersweet Homeland" - blends scenes of daily life with satirical theater. The actors play themselves as well as their white fellow citizens, whose well-meaning questions and remarks often come across as ignorant, invasive and presumptuous.
Audience reactions to the racist gaffes on stage ranged from hushed embarrassment to howls of laughter.
"If you have black friends, they're just laughing," said Vanessa Rottenburg, who plays the Afro-German in the park bench scene, "because their reaction is: 'Oh yeah, I know that grandma.'" Read the full story of the Deutsch Welle here
The Paris Jazz Festival is an annual summer event which presents a programme of free concerts in the surroundings of the Parc Floral. Concerts take place every Saturday and Sunday throughout June and July.
On July 25 Sandra Nkaké (15H00) and Richard Bona (16H30) will perform on the main stage.
The concerts begin at 3pm and are free to all those who have paid the standard park entry fee. Arrive early to ensure that you get one of the 1500 seats available.
Dave Benton was the first black singer to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Dave Benton, together with Estonian rock singer Tanel Padar and boyband 2XL, won Eurovision Song Contest for Estiona in 2001.
Benton was born on the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba in 1951 and in his 20s moved to the United States. As a drummer and a backing vocalist, he worked with The Drifters, Tom Jones, Billy Ocean, José Feliciano and the Platters. (Source wikipedia).
This is the last post about the Eurovision Song Contest. It was necessary to set the facts strait. The previous post about black singers at the contest is updated with singers from the UK, Sweden and of course Estonia. You can read the post here.
The Eurovison 2010 was won by Germany by the way, see the video of Lena with the song "Satellite" here.
Black singers have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since 1966. The Eurovision Song Contest is the annual song contest of the European Broadcasting Union and member states of Europe.
The first Black singer who won the contest was Dave Benton, he won the contest with Estonian rock singer Tanel. They represented Estonia in 2001. The first Black singer who performed in the contest was Milly Scott, she represented the Netherlands in 1966. In this year’s contest singer Matador competed for France, he finished 12th place.
The competition is broadcasted throughout Europe, but also in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States, even though these countries do not participate. See the website of Eurovision Song Contest here.
Below a list of some of the entries of the Estonia, UK, The Netherlands, France, Portugal and Israel. The ranking is based on a final of 25 countries.
Estonia
Winner of Eurovision copenhagen 2001
Dave benton & Tanel - "Everybody" - 2001
In 2001 Dave benton performed with budding Estonian rock singer Tanel Padar and boyband 2XL to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 with their song "Everybody". Benton was born on the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba.
UK
Jade Ewen - "It's My Time" - 2009
The United Kingdom was a part of the "Big Four", so the song was entered directly into the final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held on 16 May 2009 in Moscow. The show received an average of 7.8 million viewers. She finished in 5th place.
Andy Abraham - "Even If" - 2008
According to betting site PaddyPower.com, the odds for the song to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 were 100/1. In the end, the song reached last place at 25th, with 14 points. The last place triggerd a response from Terry Wogan, he blamed "racist" Eastern Europeans for Britain's dismal showing in the Eurovision Song Contest. Read full story here.
Imaani - "Where Are You?" - 1998
"Where Are You?" was the United Kingdom entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, held in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It was sung by Imaani Saleem (Melanie Crosdale), the first black singer for the UK. She almost won. The song received 166 points, placing second in a field of 25. Imaani was born in Nottingham. Interesting detail is that she is one of the regular singers of the famous London Acid Jazz band Incognito.
Germany Silver Convention - Telegram - 1977
Two members of the trio Silver Convention were black: Ramona Wulf (a daugher of an AA soldier and a German) and a New Yorker Rhonda Heath. The group finished 8the place.
Glennis Grace (born in Amsterdam) won the national contest in the Netherlands for the Eurovision song contest 2005, but didn’t make in to final. She had to leave the contest in the semi-final.
Edsilia Rombley - "Hemel en Aarde" ("Heaven and Earth") - 1998
Edsilia Rombley pulled the Netherlands out of semi-finals to the finals. Only the low ranking countries of the previous year had to compete in the semi-finals. In the finals she came in fourth place in a tele voting contest with the song “Hemel en aarde" ("Heaven and earth"). It was the best placing the Netherlands had seen since their last win in 1975. Edisila was born in Amsterdam and is of Dutch Caribbean descent.
Maxine and Franklin Brown- "De Eerste Keer" ("The first time" - 1996
Maxine & Franklin Brown represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. Their song “De eerste keel” (“The First Time”) came 7th with 78 points.
Ruth Jacott - "Vrede" ("Peace") - 1993
In 1993 Ruth Jacott was the second black female singer for the Netherland. She came in sixth place with the “song “Vrede" ("Peace"). Ruth Jaccot is of Surinamese descent.
Humphrey Campbell "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way") - 1992
Humphrey Campbell performing "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way"), the Dutch entry at the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest. He finished 9th place. Campbell is of Surinamese origins.
Milly Scott - "Fernando en Filippo" - 1966
Milly Scott was the first black singer for the Netherlands in 1966. She finished 15th place. Scott is of Surinamese descent.
France
Matador - "Allez Ola Olé" (2010)
Matador, born Jessy Kimbangi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented France this year. Matador mixes zouk, dancehall, reggae, and hiphop, building on American, African and Caribbean influences. France finished 12th place.
Joëlle Ursull - "White and Black Blues" - 1990
France's entry in the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest "White and Black Blues" by Joëlle Ursull who got the 2nd place. Usull is of Guadeloupean origins.
France is one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest and has entered the competition fifty-two times since their debut at the very first contest in 1956. However, in recent years, the French results have been somewhat disappointing. Since 1998, when the televoting was invented, France has almost always been in the bottom-10 countries in the final. (Wikipedia.)
Portugal
Eduardo Nascimento - "O vento mudou" - 1967
In 1967 Eduardo Nascimento entered the Portuguese Eurovision selection contest, the Festival da Canção, as a solo artist with the song "O vento mudou" ("The Wind Changed"). He won the event by a comfortable margin, and went forward to represent Portugal in the 12th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 8 April in Vienna, where "O vento mudou" finished in joint 12th place of the 17 entries
Sara Tavares – “Chamar a música” -1994
Tavares won the Portuguese selection for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. With the song Chamar a música (Call my music), She achieved an eighth position in Dublin, which is still one of the best Portuguese results in the contest ever. After her appearance in the contest, she went on to become a famous artist in her country, and later on in Europe.
Sweden
Afro-Dite - "Never let you go" - 2002
Afro-dite is a Swedish pop group made up of three pop singers. The group consists of Blossom Tainton-Lindquist, Gladys del Pilar and Kayo Shekoni. Afro-dite reached the 8th place
Israel
Eddie Butler - "Together We Are One" - 2006
Eddie Butler was the Israeli entry for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, with soul ballad "Together We Are One". He finished 23th place.
Butler was born in the Negev Israel. Butler's parents are Americans, and members of the Black Hebrews African-American community that believes they are a lost tribe of Israel. His mother and father came to Israel for a visit 37 years ago and decided to stay.
Black singers Eurovision Song Contest overview
1966 - Netherlands: Milly Scott - "Fernando en Filippo" (15th) 1967 - Portugal: Eduardo Nascimento - "O vento mudou" (12th) 1977 - Germany: Silver Convention - Telegram - (8th) 1981 - Denmark: Debbie Cameron & Tommy Seebach - Krøller eller ej -(11th) 1990 - France: Joëlle Ursull - "White and Black Blues" (2nd) 1992 - France: Kali - "Monté la riviè".-(8th) 1992 - Netherlands: Humphrey Campbell "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way") (9th) 1993 - Netherlands: Ruth Jacott - "Vrede" ("Peace") - 1993 (6th) 1994 - Portugal: Sara Tavares – “Chamar a música” (8th) 1995 - Austria: Stella Jones - Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt. - (13th) 1995 - Portugal: Tó Cruz - Baunilha e chocolate - (21st) 1996 - Netherlands: Maxine and Franklin Brown- "De Eerste Keer" ("The first time") (7th) 1998 - France: Marie-Line - Oú aller? - (23rd) 1998 - Netherlands: - Edsilia Rombley - "Hemel en Aarde" ("Heaven and Earth") 1998 (4th) 1998 - UK: Imaani - "Where Are You?" (2nd) 1999 - Bosnia-Herzegovina: Dino & Béatrice – Putnici -(7th) 1999 - Israel: Eden - Happy Birthday - (5th) 1999 - UK: 1999 - Precious - Say It Again- (12th)Precious - Say It Again- (12th) 2000 - Austria: The Rounder Girls - All To You - (14th) 2001 - Estonia: Dave benton & Tanel - "Everybody" (1st) 2002 - Sweden: Afro-Dite - "Never let you go" (8th) 2005 – UK: Javine -Touch My Fire - (22nd) 2005 - Netherlands: Glennis Grace Netherlands – “My Impossible Dream” (semi-final) 2006 - Isreal: Eddie Butler - "Together We Are One" (23th) 2008 - UK: Andy Abraham - "Even If" (23th) 2009 - UK: Jade Ewen - "It's My Time" - 2009 (5th) 2010 - France: Matador - "Allez Ola Olé" - 2010 (12th)
* At the Eurovision songcontest in 1966 the Swedish singers were accompanied on flute by the Black American jazz musician Sahib Shihab. He is probably the first African-American, who participated in the event.
* This list was updated on 13 May 2014.
This may not be the complete list of singers
See downloadable updated list here
France will try to win the hearts of Europe in Oslo with a real summer hit this year, "Allez Ola Olé". For that they handpicked the charismatic singer Jessy Matador.
Jessy began his artistic career as a dancer in 2001. His artistic concept is a mixture of several styles, inspired by famous African - Ivorian music ranging from hip-hop, jamaican dancehall and zouk.
He made his debut in the group called Les Coeurs Brisés with which he has performed all around the world. He started his singing career in 2008 and has scored a summer hit with the song Decale Gwada. Jessy is currently in the studio finishing his new album. (source BBC)
Haddy Jatou N'jie (1979) will be one of the hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Haddy is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, author and journalist, and is a member of the group Queendom.
The anual contest will be seen by approximately 120 million views over three days (25, 27 and 29 May 2010). See more information on the blog Black Women in Europe.
An update: Haddy Jatou N'jie singing "Mitt lille land (My little country)". An interesting video which also shows the ethnic diversity in Norway.
Is the World Cup Football 2010 really changing the image of South Africa?
I am not so sure. In The Netherlands I am not getting any new images of South Africa. So some comments, quotes and images I picked up these past few days.
I have watched three programs on the Dutch TV about South Africa. The first was a football program, the second a journey-trough-Africa program, and the third was program about the legacy of Charles Darwin (the Beagle).
If I had watched one, I probably would have seen the other two. The topics where race relations in South Africa, poor whites, poor blacks, white supremacists, black activists, Nelson Mandela, Robin Island, and images of the Apartheid. So it was the the “regular” view of South Africa.
However there was conversation in a program (the Beagle) which really shocked me. It was the conversation with genetic scientist Himla Soodyall about how she felt during the days of the 'apartheid' when she spoke to a white person."
She said “O yes of course I was born during the day of apartheid. If you spoke to me 16 or 17 years ago I would probably not even opened my mouth because I would have felt so inferior talking to a white person.
The reporter replied: “So now you are not impressed by me anymore, as a white?“
Laughing she answered : “Fortunately these day when I look at people I don't see colour as an item that I used to take in my person with whom I was contact with. There were times that would have been an issue.”
The images
The Apartheid
Poor whites Translation:Exactly. They would have worked with Forest department. [They have lost their privileges they had under the apartheid regime.]
A youth movement Translation: We don’t tolerate racial polarisation in our country
The South African creole Translation: Voice of Himla Soodyall: "That's how it would be here [if there hadn't been apartheid, then creolisation would have taken place], I am almost certain."
Soul Culture called him UK's Hip Hop legend. And TY is his name. In April he released his new video “Emotions”, featuring Brit Soul singers Shaun Escoffery and Sarina Leah. The single “Emotions” is from the album "Special Kind of Fool", the video was directed by Obi 'wun' Mgbado for the Odyssey Media Collective.
Acording to Line5.com, TY is a big name in the London music scene, but unfortunately he still hasn't got main stream support. Maybe things will change after this release.
Introducing 21-year-old ROX. The half Iranian, half Jamaican singer-songwriter from South London, who is sometimes compared with Amy Whinehouse and Lauren Hill. Her debut album 'Memoirs" will be out June 7.
It is always interesting to see how black people in Europe are portrayed in the media, since there are many stories and pictures where black people are portrayed in a stereotype way. Today I stumbled upon a remarkable example.
In the Dutch free newspaper Depers I saw a picture of Rox, the new singer songwriter from South London.
The front page (above) had the following headline: “We are really proud of Europe.” And in the byline: "And that’s why we advise Rox and four other singers."
And there is more The headline: “New, good, female and European”
I thought great for Rox that she is featured like this. But I had mixed feelings about the by-line.
“An ailing eurozone survives only by substantial investment in the own economy. So buy European products, starting with music.“
When I read the byline it felt as if they are using a black girl on the cover to make protectionisme look a bit friendly. As if they where saying that this appeal is not an anti-foreigner thing.
But maybe I am wrong, and this is just a story of an editor who likes the music of Rox.
