Discourses

President Obama has convened a cabinet meeting on Monday December 1, 2014 to discuss the tough lessons learned from the ongoing unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. The meeting also included young people from civil rights and activist groups based in Ferguson , mayors,  and law enforcement officials from and across the country.

The topic was how to address the deteriorating relations  between the police and the communities they serve, and how to ensure that the divide is bridged. 

Marie Bamutese, AfroAmerica Network Black Woman of Year 2014,  is a survivor. As a schoolgirl, Marie Bamutese survived two of the worst tragedies the World has even known:

Marion Barry, the prominent civil rights activist and self styled former mayor of Washington, D.C. has died. He was 78 years old.

Somi, Rwandan-Ugandan-American Jazz singer: The Lagos Music Salon

AfroAmerica Network
Person of the Year Series
December 15, 2013

Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete AfroAmerica Network Black Man of 2013 

Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the President of the United
Republic of Tanzania is considered as one of the
most in?uential among the current African leaders. In
fact, along with Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos
Santos and  South African President Jacob Zuma,
Jaya Kikwete is perhaps the most important president
of modern day Black Africa.  The three presidents
have become the wise people the international
community consults before any major action
regarding Central, Eastern and Southern Africa. In 2013, Jakaya Kiwete has become the center  of the World attention, and has left a mark on the continent and the international community.

The icon of the struggle against oppression , Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, passed away today December 5, 2013. As the South African President Jacob Zuma said, “Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss. His tireless struggle for freedom earned him the respect of the world.”

The death of Nelson Mandela should be an occasion, not only to mourn the loss of the person who epitomizes the success of overcoming oppression, but also to reflect on our own struggles against oppression, wherever it is and wherever and whoever we are.

While thinking about Mondela’s struggle against oppression, one question came to my mind: “Is there oppression that is not deliberate or by design?”

Book 1: Even Roosters Dream To Fly: The Epic of a German White Catholic Priest and Manzi, a Freedom Fighter and a Mythological King of Rwanda.

Book 2: Legs of Tornado: The Human Who Outran the Wind.

Authored by Felicien Kanyamibwa

Even Roosters Dream To Fly: The Epic of a German White Catholic Priest and Manzi, a Freedom Fighter and a Mythological King of Rwanda.
Authored by Felicien Kanyamibwa

Legs of Tornado: The Human Who Outran the Wind
Authored by Felicien Kanyamibwa

This is the tale of Maguru ya Sarwaya, Legs of Tornado, the human from a humble upbringing who outran the wind, defeated evil spirits, overcame his fate, became a respected clan chief, and triumphed ever after. Long ago, the people of Rwanda suffered through a terrible famine. The rains did not come to help the crops grow, the grass withered, and the soil became so dry that it cracked. 

Monday, January 15, 2024 is Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Tributes to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.  were held in the Unites States, nationwide. This is the second year people interactions were allowed after a break  in 2021 and 2022 hit by worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.  As usual, the day has been marked by  commemorations including events,  marches, speeches, and peaceful protests to remember and celebrate the national civil rights leader who was instrumental in challenging the racial caste system that delineated how millions of Americans lived their lives and promoted racial injustices targeting minorities, especially Blacks.  The day also comes as the World is going through  racial,  ethnic,  or religion related wars, insecurity, and human tragedies especially in the Middle East, the Great Lakes Region of Africa, West and  East Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America. 

 Most Influential Black Person and AfroAmerica Black Person of the Year, as of 2024

In the table below are the Most Influential Black persons and AfroAmerica Black Persons of the Year, as the year 2024 starts. Each year, AfroAmerica Network names a Black Man and a Black Woman of the Year. The influential Black persons are usually selected for a much longer period. Click on the name/link to explore more.