Play runs almost 2 decades, you can't name it

**I also posted this at All American Blog**

If I told you that a play has been performed continuously for more than 15 years, with 2500 performances around the world, any you couldn’t name what it was you might think I was silly. Let’s see. Think of what play I could be talking about, don’t go further, and just get the names in your head or on paper.

No cheating. Give it a moment.


Ok, are you ready now? What did you get? Cats, Les Misreables? Little Shop of Horrors? Rocky Horror Picture Show? All wrong.

The play I’m discussing is 1,001 Black Inventions. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised. Neither had I until I saw a bit on it at the Richmond Register. Yet this play has been going strong since 1986. The play is more than the history lesson the title may cause you to believe.

This play looks at several inventors of African and African American decent that have literally changed the world. What did these inventors (such as Benjamin Banneker, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Jan Ernst Matzeliger) make that could affect the world? What would the world be like without their various inventions?

A place with no cellular phones, typewriters or fountain pens. No spark plugs, lawn mowers or self-starting gasoline motors. No clothes dryers, hair brushes, or ironing boards no rolling pins, biscuit cutters or peanut butter.

That’s just a few of the items. The play takes a look at what the effect might be without all these items and the trial of Dr George Washington Carver for witchcraft. It’s a satire and a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it makes its point.

Addressing the view of British historian Arnold Toynbee, who wrote that the "black race" had never made a creative contribution to any civilization. While this is a tunnel visioned, myopic view of the facts, its impact can be seen in the programming and emphasis of the media in targeting and portraying African Americans today. This play takes that image and shows the converse with humor.

If you don’t have the chance to see 1,001 Black Inventions, currently at Eastern Kentucky University, there is a book available. But I’d suggest seeing a play that’s garnered honors such as the D.C. Commission on the Arts' "Mayor's Excellence in the Arts Awards” and endorsements from the Smithsonian Institution.

Hey, it’s done thousands of performances for nearly 2 decades, there has to be something that keeps it going, don’t you think? Broadway doesn’t have all the success stories out there.

Recap of the 2nd week of January 2007 - 1.16.2007.1

There are a few things from last week I didn’t get a chance to mention. I’ll try to catch up now. First the week in history. During the last week: Fisk University was founded, Dr. George Washington Carver was born, Delta Sigma Theta is started, Twelfth Night or the Epiphany occurred (the baby Jesus was born in January not December and the 3 wise men visited him last week).

Beyond those events, this is the second week I can mention that of the 3 individuals considering or running for President that I have contacted none have responded to date. Now to be fair I did not send my letters to each all on the same day, but they have had some time. Of course I may not be the first name on their list to respond to. Still considering that the questions I am asking are what I believe are important to you as well, I think that they should be in touch soon. Then again, some of them may not wish to clearly define where they stand on issues important to Black Americans, Latinos and Hispanic Americans, and others. But when they do respond I will post every word, unaltered, for every one of the tens of thousands of you to read. [Yes I feel good that so many pay attention to my blogs] You can look forward to reading my letters to Senator McCain, and Obama in the near term. Possibly Rev. Sharpton as well.

You can reach each letter posted to date at the following:
Letter to Mitt Romney - 1.10.2007.1
Letter sent to John Edwards - 1.5.2007.1
Letter to Senator Clinton - 12.16.2006.1

As for some events that happened last week, there is an interesting bit on the rapper Noreaga or NORE or whatever he goes by now (his name is Victor Santiago and I will refer to him as such). In Mr. Santiago’s desire to build record sales, he had no problem befriending and employing a couple of members of the Murder Unit gang. That’s not my opinion, he said, “Hard-core hip-hop tends to sell more records. It's about selling an image.” Mr. Santiago stated this as a witness in the trail of one of the members of the gang. It seems that the accused allegedly murdered 3 victims and stole cocaine. My opinion is that Mr. Santiago’s claim that he was unaware of any of these gang members he employed were selling drugs, carried weapons, and were violent is either false or the man is beyond dim. Since he knows how to use people to promote himself, as well as possibly providing him with the drugs he admitted to using [a shame they couldn’t arrest him for that] I doubt dim. I just find it infuriating when an entertainer (especially a Latino/Hispanic) brazenly uses drugs, chases women, employs potentially violent drug dealing felons and brazenly admits to it while cracking goes at a trial. All this just to sell records and make money on an image. Wealth is just not worth it, I think.

Something worth speaking about are the continuing efforts of Mr. George Clooney and his father in bringing more attention to the Dafur atrocity. If you have missed the news on Darfur, which is easy since little is mentioned about it on the news [though there is plenty of time to discuss say the Trump vs. O’Donnell idiocy], over 200,000 Africans have died since 2003. Over 2.5 million have had to flee from their homes. Mr. Clooney has spent a good deal of time raising the awareness of this situation, having spoken to the U.N. twice already trying to get international attention on the matter. I respect Mr. Clooney as a man due to his efforts, as well as respecting his choice of movies and ability in them. If you missed the presentation of his documentary film A Journey to Darfur, look for a replay on the AmericanLife TV Network. Or ask for it to be put on DVD or on a local station near you.

Perhaps 2007 will be the year we see some of these rappers, or other celebrities, entertainers, and politicians do something to help these Africans that are in need. It may not be as much fun for them, but I hope they all don’t want to live like Mr. Santiago.

This is what I think, what do you think?