1.
Molefi Kete Asante
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Molefi Kete Asante is an African-American professor. He is a figure in the fields of African-American studies, African studies. He is currently professor in the Department of Africology at Temple University and he is president of the Molefi Kete Asante Institute for Afrocentric Studies. He is the author of more than 66 books and the editor of the Journal of Black Studies. He is the father of author and filmmaker M. K. Asante, Asante was born Arthur Lee Smith Jr. in Valdosta, Georgia, the fourth of sixteen children. His father, Arthur Lee Smith, worked in a warehouse and then on the Georgia Southern Railroad. During the summers Asante would return to Georgia to work in the tobacco, an aunt, Georgia Smith, influenced him to pursue his education, she gave him his first book, a collection of short stories by Charles Dickens. As an adolescent, Smith attended Nashville Christian Institute, a Church of Christ-founded boarding school for students, in Nashville. There he earned his high school diploma in 1960, while still in high school, he became involved with the Civil Rights Movement, joining the Fisk University student march in Nashville. After graduation, he enrolled in Southwestern Christian College of Terrell, Texas. There he met Nigerian Essien Essien, whose character and intelligence inspired Smith to learn more about Africa, the first member of his family to graduate from college, Smith received his B. A. from Oklahoma Christian College in 1964. He did graduate work, earning his M. A. from Pepperdine University in 1965 with a thesis on Marshall Keeble, Smith earned his PhD from UCLA in 1968 in communication studies. He worked for a time at UCLA, becoming the director of the Center for Afro-American Studies, at the age of 30, he was appointed by the University at Buffalo as a full professor and head of the Department of Communication. Shortly before assuming his new position in 1976, Asante chose to make a name change because he considered Arthur Lee Smith a slave name. Asante was elected president of the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and his work in intercultural communication made him a leading trainer of doctoral students in the field. Asante has directed more than one hundred PhD dissertations, Asante published his first study of the black movement, Rhetoric of Black Revolution, in 1969. Subsequently, he wrote Transracial Communication, to explain how race complicates human interaction in American society, soon Asante changed his focus to African-American and African culture in communication, with attention to the nature of African-American oratorical style. Additional works on Afrocentric theory included Kemet, Afrocentricity and Knowledge, in 1986 Asante proposed the first doctoral program in African-American studies to the administration at Temple University
2.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
3.
Greatness
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Greatness is a concept of a state of superiority affecting a person or object. Greatness can also be referred to individuals who possess an ability to be better than all others. The concept carries the implication that the person or object. As a descriptive term it is most often applied to a person or their work, an example of an expression of the concept in a qualified sense would be Michael Jordan is the definition of greatness or Stalin was one of the greatest wartime leaders. In the unqualified sense it might be stated Stalin achieved greatness within his own lifetime, thus implying that greatness is a definite, application of the terms great and greatness is dependent on the perspective and subjective judgements of those who apply them. Historically, in Europe, rulers were given the attribute the Great, as in Alexander the Great, Frederick the Great. Starting with the Roman consul and general Pompey, the Latin equivalent Magnus was also used, as in Pompeius Magnus, Albertus Magnus, the English language uses the Latin term magnum opus, to describe certain works of art and literature. Much of this research does not actually use the term ‘great’ in describing itself, preferring terms such as ‘eminence’, ‘genius’, ‘exceptional achievement’, historically the major intellectual battles over this topic have focused around the questions of ‘nature and nurture’ or ‘person vs context’. Today the importance of both dimensions is accepted by all, but disagreements over the importance of each are still reflected in variations in research emphases. The early research had a strong emphasis and focused on intelligence as the driving force behind greatness. The earliest such research, Hereditary Genius by Francis Galton, argued that people vary hugely in “natural ability” which is inherited biologically and those at the very top end of the range, i. e. geniuses, become the leaders and great achievers of their generation. Galton then calculated the odds of eminent people having eminent relations, taking account the closeness of the biological connection. His findings were as anticipated, the famous the parent, the greater likelihood there would be illustrious relatives, and the closer the blood tie. Catharine Cox’s book on The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred Geniuses, was similar to Galton’s in its orientation, for example, John Stuart Mill reportedly studied Greek at 3, read Plato at 7, and learned calculus at 11. As such, what he was doing at 5, the average person couldn’t do until 9 years,6 months of age, there was one major anthropological study of genius, and it was triggered specifically by the author’s contentions with Galton’s work. Alfred Kroeber’s Configurations of Cultural Growth looked at many of the same historic greats as did Galton and Cox, then within these groupings he listed his notables in “strict chronological order”, identifying the most eminent figures by using capital letters for their surnames. Kroeber found that genius never appeared in isolation, but rather, in Simontons words and he also found that there were historical “crests” and “troughs” in every field. These fluctuations in the appearance of genius were much too rapid to be explained by the mechanism of genetic inheritance along family lines
4.
African Americans
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African Americans are an ethnic group of Americans with total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. The term may also be used to only those individuals who are descended from enslaved Africans. As a compound adjective the term is usually hyphenated as African-American, Black and African Americans constitute the third largest racial and ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are of West and Central African descent and are descendants of enslaved peoples within the boundaries of the present United States. On average, African Americans are of 73. 2–80. 9% West African, 18–24% European, according to US Census Bureau data, African immigrants generally do not self-identify as African American. The overwhelming majority of African immigrants identify instead with their own respective ethnicities, immigrants from some Caribbean, Central American and South American nations and their descendants may or may not also self-identify with the term. After the founding of the United States, black people continued to be enslaved, believed to be inferior to white people, they were treated as second-class citizens. The Naturalization Act of 1790 limited U. S. citizenship to whites only, in 2008, Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected President of the United States. The first African slaves arrived via Santo Domingo to the San Miguel de Gualdape colony, the ill-fated colony was almost immediately disrupted by a fight over leadership, during which the slaves revolted and fled the colony to seek refuge among local Native Americans. De Ayllón and many of the colonists died shortly afterwards of an epidemic, the settlers and the slaves who had not escaped returned to Haiti, whence they had come. The first recorded Africans in British North America were 20 and odd negroes who came to Jamestown, as English settlers died from harsh conditions, more and more Africans were brought to work as laborers. Typically, young men or women would sign a contract of indenture in exchange for transportation to the New World, the landowner received 50 acres of land from the state for each servant purchased from a ships captain. An indentured servant would work for years without wages. The status of indentured servants in early Virginia and Maryland was similar to slavery, servants could be bought, sold, or leased and they could be physically beaten for disobedience or running away. Africans could legally raise crops and cattle to purchase their freedom and they raised families, married other Africans and sometimes intermarried with Native Americans or English settlers. By the 1640s and 1650s, several African families owned farms around Jamestown and some became wealthy by colonial standards and purchased indentured servants of their own. In 1640, the Virginia General Court recorded the earliest documentation of slavery when they sentenced John Punch. One of Dutch African arrivals, Anthony Johnson, would own one of the first black slaves, John Casor
5.
Temple University
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Temple University is a state-related-public doctoral university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by Baptist Minister Russell Conwell, in 1882, Conwell came to Pennsylvania to lead the Grace Baptist Church while he began tutoring working class citizens late at night to accommodate their work schedules. These students, later dubbed night owls, were taught in the basement of Conwells Baptist Temple, hence the origin of the universitys name, by 1907, the institution revised its institutional status and incorporated as a university. In 2015, Temple received $227.5 million in funding, ranking it 93rd out of 905 institutions in the NSF’s Higher Education Research. Temple is among the nations largest providers of education, preparing the largest body of professional practitioners in Pennsylvania. Conwell came to Pennsylvania in 1882 to lead the Grace Baptist Church while he began tutoring working class citizens late at night to accommodate their work schedules. These students, later dubbed night owls, were taught in the basement of Conwells Baptist Temple, hence the origin of the universitys name, the Grace Baptist Church quickly grew popular within the North Philadelphia area. A temporary board of trustees was created to handle the rapidly growing formalities associated with the churchs programs, when the board conducted its first meeting they named Russell H. Conwell president of The Temple College. Within the following months, Grace Baptist Church appointed a new board of trustees, printed official admissions files, regardless of whether they had the resources to support the school, Conwell’s desire was “to give education to those who were unable to get it through the usual channels”. Philadelphia granted a charter in 1888 to establish “The Temple College of Philadelphia”, by 1888, the enrollment of the college was nearly 600. It was in 1907 that Temple College revised its institutional status, Legal recognition as a university enhanced Temple in noticeable ways including its reputation, professional and graduate programs, overall enrollment, and financial support. Over time, Temple expanded, Samaritan Hospital was founded, a Medical School was added, after the merger, Temple officially reincorporated as Temple University on December 12,1907. Today, Temple is a Pennsylvania state-related university, meaning the university receives state funds, subject to state appropriations, but is independently operated. In U. S. News & World Reports 2017 rankings, Temple is tied for 56th among U. S. public universities, tied for 118th among all national universities, Temple undergraduate college is among the top colleges profiled in The Princeton Reviews The Best 379 colleges. Temples Social Science faculty is also ranked 76-100 in the world in 2015 by ARWU, Temple is ranked 94th out of 643 US institutions in National Science Foundations 2013 Higher education Research and Development Survey. Tylers graduate programs are highly selective, maintaining their reputation for providing one of the finest programs in the nation, as of 2015, Tyler’s overall ranking is 13th in the nation. Tyler’s individual graduate programs, as of 2015, ranked highly in their fields, painting and drawing, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics. Temples Fox School of Business, founded in 1918, is one of the largest business schools in the country, the Fox School offers 13 undergraduate majors,10 professional masters programs, two PhD programs, and the school has a variety of international partnerships
6.
Hank Aaron
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Henry Louis Hank Aaron, nicknamed Hammer, or Hammerin Hank, is a retired American Major League Baseball right fielder who is currently the senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves. He played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League and 2 seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League, Aaron held the MLB record for career home runs for 33 years, and he still holds several MLB offensive records. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, in 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its 100 Greatest Baseball Players list. Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama, Aaron had seven siblings, including Tommie Aaron, who later played in MLB with him. Aaron appeared briefly in the Negro American League and in minor league baseball before starting his major league career and he played late in Negro league history, by his final MLB season, Aaron was the last Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, in his last two seasons, he was primarily a designated hitter. Aaron was an NL All-Star for 20 seasons and an AL All-Star for 1 season, Aaron holds the record for the most seasons as an All-Star, the most All-Star Game selections, and is tied with Willie Mays and Stan Musial for the most All-Star Games played. He was a Gold Glove winner for three seasons, in 1957, he was the NL Most Valuable Player when the Milwaukee Braves won the World Series. He won the NL Player of the Month award in May 1958, Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career runs batted in, extra base hits, and total bases. Aaron is also in the top five for career hits and runs and he is one of only four players to have at least seventeen seasons with 150 or more hits. Aaron is in place in home runs and at-bats. At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the games key career power hitting records, since his retirement, Aaron has held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, in 1999, MLB introduced the Hank Aaron Award to recognize the top offensive players in each league. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 and he was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society in recognition of accomplishments that reflect the ideals of Georgias founders. Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert Aaron, Sr. Tommie Aaron, one of his brothers, also went on to play Major League Baseball. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings and they were also the first siblings to appear in a League Championship Series as teammates. While he was born in a section of Mobile referred to as Down the Bay, Aaron grew up in a poor family. His family could not afford baseball equipment, so he practiced by hitting bottle caps with sticks and he would create his own bats and balls out of materials he found on the streets
7.
Ira Aldridge
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Ira Frederick Aldridge was an American and later British stage actor and playwright who made his career after 1824 largely on the London stage and in Europe, especially in Shakespearean roles. He was especially popular in Prussia and Russia, where he received top honors from heads of state and he was married twice, once to an Englishwoman, once to a Swedish woman, and had a family in England. Two of his daughters became professional opera singers, Aldridge was born in New York City to Reverend Daniel and Luranah Aldridge on July 24,1807. At age 13, Aldridge went to the African Free School in New York City, established by the New York Manumission Society for the children of black people. They were given an education, with the study of English grammar, writing, mathematics, geography. His classmates at the African free school included Charles L. Reason, George T. Downing, Aldridges first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the African Company, a group founded and managed by William Henry Brown and James Hewlett. In 1821, the built the African Grove Theatre, the first resident African-American theatre in the United States. Aldridge made his debut as Rolla, a Peruvian character in Richard Brinsley Sheridans Pizarro. He may have played the male lead in Romeo and Juliet, as reported later in an 1860 memoir by his schoolfellow. Confronted with the persistent discrimination which black actors had to endure in the United States, Aldridge emigrated to Liverpool, England, during this time the Industrial Revolution had begun, bringing about radical economic change that helped expand the development of theatres. The British Parliament had already outlawed the trade and was moving toward abolishing slavery in the British colonies. Having limited onstage experience and lacking name recognition, Aldridge concocted a story of his African lineage, by 1831 he had taken the name of Keene, a homonym for the then popular British actor, Edmund Kean. Aldridge observed a common practice of assuming an identical or similar nomenclature to that of a celebrity in order to garner attention. In addition to being called F. W. Keene Aldridge, he would later be called African Roscius, on October 10,1825, Aldridge made his European debut at Londons Royal Coburg Theatre, the first African-American actor to establish himself professionally in a foreign country. He played the role of Oroonoko in The Revolt of Surinam, or A Slaves Revenge. According to the scholar Shane White, English people had heard of the African Theatre because of British actor and comedian Charles Mathews, bernth Lindfors says, hen Aldridge starts appearing on the stage at the Royalty Theatre, hes just called a gentleman of color. But when he moves over to the Royal Coburg, hes advertised in the first playbill as the American Tragedian from the African Theater New York City, the second playbill refers to him as The African Tragedian. So everybody goes to the theater expecting to laugh because this is the man they think Mathews saw in New York City, an innovation Aldridge introduced early in his career was a direct address to the audience on the closing night of his engagement at a given theatre
