Old School Thoughts

Martha and I are continuously returning to the porch to express our thoughts about history, reality, community, self reinvention, and more. We shared our individual thoughts about what we have witnessed and experienced in these expressions of thoughts. When you go about your day(s), what do you think about?

Martha and I decided to swing on the front porch, again. Before we started, we took the time to honor the military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy and for those freedoms we fight to keep. Children In The Kitchen is a reflection of how some of us were able to cook our favorite meals at such a young age. What was your experience(s)?

Martha and I had to halt our pre-episode conversation to go out on the front porch because the topic was getting too hot!! We elected to invite you all to the front porch because there is another generation of children who are about embark on adult life after graduating from high school. We need to keep them in prayer because we will have to depend on them to mature as adults, educators, politicia...

This episode is dedicated to the women of Gees Bend, Alabama. It is also a tribute to African American culture. Martha and I got to watch a YouTube documentary about the women quilt makers of Gees Bend and we were blown away by the history and culture of that community of women. This concerns me because our young people are growing up in a generation of high tech which keeps them from building the...

Martha and I decided to go out on the porch to discuss the planting of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. This podcast is about sowing seeds of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding for future generations to discover. How do you forgive?

During this episode, Martha allowed me to share with all of you a conversation I had with a stranger that turned into a surprising revelation about my family. The second half was given to Martha to talk about the interview between Shannon Sharpe and Amanda Seales on the podcast titled, Club Shay Shay. It is an excellent interview. Please look it up on YouTube. Thanks to all of you for your support...

This episode is a compilation of topics that carries us from family and traditions, in Alabama, to a discussion about Nancy Green versus Aunt Jemima. Martha and I are always exploring the history of our families and the separation of Africans throughout the Diaspora. I was lucky to meet Ms. Latika, a native of Alabama and long time resident of Chicago on 20 April 2024 in Columbus, Georgia. On the...

Martha and I have decided to return to our roots with the podcast. We had to "slow down" for evaluation and reflection. We are using "slow down" as a metaphor for using deep thoughts and experiences when analyzing our history. The African American community has been told so much and led to believe in things that are marred in fallacies. We can't continue to live and exist t...

On Sunday, 31 March 2024, Martha and I decided to go out on the front to reflect on how we celebrated and recognized Easter as children. We remembered the colored eggs, Easter outfits, the gathering of family, and more. We also acknowledged how "Happy Resurrection Day" has become the new greeting. Where did that come from? By whom? When?

I chose this topic because Martha and I are always discussing whether we know how are prepare ourselves for an argument. I am not interested in debating every topic that comes up because someone feels that everything is worth an opposing view. Sometimes opposing views are not worth a continuous response. Sometimes you have to just say it and leave it. The truth is always subjective.

During this episode, I asked Martha to help me understand why some people are committed to making others rich? Who did you make rich, lately? We went out on the front porch to tackle the subject.

Martha and I have returned to the microphone to talk about distractions while sitting on our vicarious front porch. This is our first recording since February 18, 2024 - but now we are back!

This episode is a continuation of S5:E18. Martha and I welcomed Spence and Dewayne back to Old School Thoughts to expand our conversation on African American entrepreneurship. What are the challenges? Why do we give up buildings in certain locations when other ethnicities do not have to grapple with the same concern(s)?

Martha and I had the pleasure of having SFC Richard C. Spencer (aka Spence) to join us on Old School Thoughts to discuss our values. In January 2024, I was parked at the commissary on Fort Moore in Georgia and noticed a soldier gathering grocery carts to return to the entrance of the commissary. I was blown away with his action because I had done the same thing because I can't understand why t...

Martha and I opened the mic to Dewayne because he wanted to discuss the complexities of business planning in the African American community or amongst African Americans as a networking relationship. The conversation was so insightful and led us to expand on some areas that caused us to reach our stopping point. We ended the conversation with an agreement to return for an extended episode. Let us k...

Martha and I are questioning the truth about family genealogy. On 24 January 2024, I made a discovery about my family that I feel very strongly about, but it comes with perplexing feelings and thoughts. Martha joined me in this finding of my/our family's research because Martha is also related to me on my paternal side, as well. On many occasions, I have stated that our family does not belong...

This episode is a tribute to Ella Sheppard, born into slavery in 1851 and died in 1915. She was the daughter of Simon Shepphard and Sarah. She and her parents were property of Andrew Jackson residing on Jackson's Hermitage plantation. She is known as the matriarch of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. This is another example of African American history that we are left to present as trivia information....

Martha and I decided to return to the front porch, on the eve of celebrating the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Holiday, to discuss and evaluate 99 years of violence against the people of Jessup County, Mississippi, that led to the tragedy of Mississippi Burning. We are asking our listeners to watch the movie and evaluate what the timelines of history from 1865 - 1964.

Martha and I have decided to return to the front porch to talk about various conversations. Martha decided to pose the question about our (African Americans) ability to focus on one cause. She stated that when we were enslaved, we singularly focused on freedom. During the Civil Rights Movement, we singularly focused on equality of voting, education, transportation, and etc. Today, we seem to be to...

Here is the question: What would you do, if you found out that what you were doing was wrong? I would usually ask this question to people who would approach me under the umbrella of religion, but I apply it to every point of learning. I have asked Martha and Dunbar to join me in discussing this topic. How did you feel the first time you decided to challenge a belief or tradition that you grew up w...

This episode is an extension of S5:E11. Jarrett Dunbar rejoined Martha and me to expound on his assessment of how gaps are generated and sustained amongst African Americans. There seems to be an influence that comes from the college/university classrooms that impact our younger generation as they are beginning to enter the world stage of learning. Then, there is the question, "Have African Am...

Martha and I were blessed to have Jarrett Dunbar as a guest on Old School Thoughts because we wanted to hear his perspective on a segment of life based on his experiences. Dunbar questioned the gap that is developing and that can continue to broaden between people of "New School" and those of us who are "Old School." I clearly learned a lot and look forward to our next conversa...

The last thing I heard from Martha, as we were hanging up from our phone call, was "Frank, what are you going to give as a title?" At that time - I really didn't know because I usually listen to the finished recording alone to actively listen. This time I initially titled it, "Sometimes We Need Word of Mouth." That triggered me to recall what we would say, in our community,...

In this episode, Martha and I are discussing the kind of counseling we received that was homegrown. That kind of counseling that came from mothers, fathers, relatives, and neighbors that taught you how to survive harsh words and situations. One of those forms of counseling was presented in a parable which stated, "Sticks and stones might break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Whe...

After chatting for over one hour, before recording this episode, Martha and decided to open up sharing our thoughts and experiences about the Old School phone booth(s). How many of you remember using the phone booths? What were some of your experiences? We followed up with another conversation about the amazing Grio Award ceremony, created by Byron Allen, that was televised on CBS on 25 November 2...