Old School Thoughts

Pastor James Daniels and I explore the psychological impact of poverty and discussed what is considered poor. Many of our ancestors left the South to pursue a better standard of living in Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Indiana, Chicago, and etc. Overt discrimination laws managed the South.

Darrell Sumbry and I are taking you on a vicarious trip down memory lane to the neighborhood corner store. It was amazing what we were able to buy with .25 cents. What would you buy with a quarter at your neighborhood corner store?

Gail Bellamy-Mitchell agreed to be my first guest on Old School Thoughts. This title is based on a suggestion she submitted to me to talk about when the county fair was divided into “White Day” and “Black Day.” Having a guest has been a goal of mine for this podcast and here we are. I really enjoyed the conversation with Cousin Gail Bellamy-Mitchell. I hope you enjoy it - as well.

This episode is examining what might have caused the breakdown of communication amongst African Americans. Deception, a sense of self-improvement, and a change in communicating have always attributed to separation. Now, it is difficult to give the greeting of the day.

So much of our history has been lost due to death and the reluctance to share family jewels of secrets. Genealogy is so important to knowing where you have come from as you manage where you are, today. There is a fear of talking to real people during this era of social media. Tell your stories because as each generation passes - so goes your history.

Ricky and Gregg decided to roll back the clock of history to join two middle school neighbors in street football. It was great to watch and funny at the same time. Go Old School!!!

This episode reexamines the history of family reunions. Everybody was invited to participate and enjoy. Traditions were handed down. Nicknames were aligned with actual names/people. We had the best characters represented from the matriarch to the championship liar. They were all there. As each generation passes - so goes your history.

This is a tribute to Cousin Dorothy Davis-Titus and all the incredible Mamas that sacrificed their lives for our benefit. I hope you see your mama in this episode.

When unknown relatives contact you, are you willing to listen, share, and include? Do you leave the person with the feeling that he or she is not good enough? This episode explores families leaving home to pursue a better way of life and how that distance would eventually erode family relationships as elders begin to die along with those connections.

This episode is a call for action. Actions to get serious about the upcoming election to remove hatred from the Oval Office. Old School can’t always be funny. We have to get serious from time-to-time for change. Well, this is our time to fight for change. Let our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren find our names on the right side of history.

Today, we celebrate the life of U.S. Congressman John Lewis. He was a good and faithful servant who fought a good fight for change. He endured a fractured skull on ‘Bloody Sunday’ for the Civil Liberties we enjoy as a nation of American citizens. Well done our good and faithful servant.

This episode is dedicated to the wisdom and leadership of mothers. My mother spoke in parables everyday. She had parables for whipping your behind and parables for showing love. What do you recall?

What superstitions do you recall and still practice today?

At a time when we are accessing history and moving forward to change the past sins of America, are we overlooking the negative impact of how we celebrate the 4th of July? Read Frederick Douglass’ speech that was presented on 5 July 1852.

After adding a new branch to my family tree, I realized how damaging it has been to recover from the effects of colonialism and the slave trade. African American families are still separated by names.

Please be patient enough to listen to this episode because it addresses the history of Sarah Collins, the lone survival who was with the four little girls bombed/murdered in the basement of the 16th St. Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.

We are celebrating the first National Observance of Juneteenth in the United States of America.

This episode analyzes freedom and equal justice. If you don’t have an interest in your history, then you are bound to repeat it

This episode reflects my personal reaction to the death of George Floyd, centuries of brutal treatment of Africans-in-America, the future of my children and granddaughter, and all others. I am tired and it’s time to be angry.

I decided to examine the impact of nicknames on people at the receiving end of those names. Were they positive or negative? How did you use nicknames? What nicknames were given to you? What was the impact?

Has God befriended me? That is my question as I analyze the evolution of Old School Thoughts and how ‘Old School’ history could be a testament for us to study. I hope to hear from you.

Talking about how assimilation and acculturation changed the lives of the Nation of Atomic Dogs.

Assessing the impact of family separation. It takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes the child needs to know who is in the village.

This episode talks about rallying for support during the Coronavirus pandemic.

This episode gives a shout-out to all the father and mother figures who stepped-up to provide mentoring as an extension to what you received from your parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents.