Black History Spotlight...

Mary Ann Shadd
(1823–1893)

"Self-reliance Is the Fine Road to Independence."

Shadd holds two titles: first female black lawyer and first female newspaper editor in North America. She was one of the first people to push for complete integration and opened the first school in Canada open to all races.

EDUCATION: At the age of ten, the Shadd's moved to West Chester, Pennsylvania where Mary attended a Quaker School for the next six years. This experience influence dMary later in life, whereby she returned to this location and opened a school for Black children in 1840. Later, she also taught in New York City and Norristown, Pennsylvania.

1889, Mary Ann Shadd Cary became the first woman to enter Howard University's law school. She was in 1883 the first Negro woman to obtain a law degree from Howard University [the Encyclopedia Britannica says the degree is from Havard which seems to me odd for a student at Howard University] and among the first women in the United States to do so. She wrote for National Era and The People's Advocate and joined the National Woman's Suffrage Association. Cary then worked alongside Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton for women's suffrage, testifying before the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives and becoming the first Negro woman to cast a vote in a national election. As an educator, an abolitionist, an editor, an attorney and a feminist, she dedicated her life to improving the quality of life for everyone -- black and white, male and female.

Monday's Motivation

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
Booker T. Washington



Born: (1856-1915)
Occuptaion: Lecturer, Civil Rights/Human Rights Activist, Educational Administrator, Professor, Organization Executive/Founder, Author/Poet

Booker T. Washington was born a slave in Hale's Ford, Virginia, reportedly on April 5, 1856. After emancipation, his family was so poverty stricken that he worked in salt furnaces and coal mines beginning at age nine. Always an intelligent and curious child, he yearned for an education and was frustrated when he could not receive good schooling locally. When he was 16 his parents allowed him to quit work to go to school. They had no money to help him, so he walked 200 miles to attend the Hampton Institute in Virginia and paid his tuition and board there by working as the janitor.

Dedicating himself to the idea that education would raise his people to equality in this country, Washington became a teacher. He first taught in his home town, then at the Hampton Institute, and then in 1881, he founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. As head of the Institute, he traveled the country unceasingly to raise funds from blacks and whites both; soon he became a well-known speaker.

Famous Booker T. Washington Quotes

"Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company."

"Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."

"I let no man drag me down so low as to make me hate him."

In honor of Black History I'm gonna bring your attention to a different Black History figure everyday. Take time to read the different info and enlighten yourself.Thanks for reading the blog and come back tomorrow. Refresh-Rethink-Renew!!!

Wed. Wisdom

Wednesday's Wisdom:
Are you a person that Acts or Reacts?

Often times different situations show their warning signs even before they happen. We all need to take a Pro-Active Aprroach to life's different challenges and situations, instead of waiting until something happens to make a change..This can be applied to Life, Finance, and even Relationships. Think about it and when a situation happens ask yourself...Am I Acting or Reacting??? Failing to Prepare is really Preparing to fail...Refresh-Regroup-Rethink your current situations...

Monday's Motivation...

Monday's Motivation: I want you to take a sec and look at this Great Man on the left...He had a Dream and we should all have one as well...Today should be more than just a day of work. Take the time to Reflect on how far we have come as a People/City/State/ and Nation…Some of us have Dreams to do many different things, and the sky is the limit as long as you Dream Big. Take the time to share your Dream with like-minded individuals so that it becomes a Vision. Do something everyday to Reach your Dream and to help make it a reality. Once again look at this man on the left and take time to Reflect, Regroup, and now Relive your Dream!!!

Wednesday's Wisdom

Wednesday's Wisdom: "If you see a turtle sitting on a fencepost, he had help getting there”...An old rancher was out working the fields when he looked and saw a turtle on a fence post. He came back and told his farmhands "If you see a turtle sitting on a fencepost, he had help getting there” "You know he didn'...t get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, and he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and you just wonder what kind of complete moron put him up there to begin with." Zo Says "Everybody and Everything has it's on special place in life. " Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it from Loved ones, Family & Friends. Stop trying to get to the top and stop asking others to help you get there when you haven't prepared yourself properly to be at the top. Don't become that lost, scared, & helpless Turtle."

I Know it's been a Min...

I know it's been a min since my last blog post...but I promise to get at least 2 a week up from here on out! Be sure yall hold me to it 2. Just to give you an update Im back in the "Jack" now Jackson, MS that is...Doin a lil coaching at a local high school and still staying busy running several of my businesses...Im back on the grind...Internet hustle here I come so be on the look out in the near future. Im out Holla at ur boi! follow me on twitter.com/Big_Zo or facebook.com/lbreland or myspace.com/zonow

We n a recession huh???

" We too often love things and use people, when we should be using things

and loving people!" Think about it...

As we embark on one of the most useless holidays people forget about the so called recession that we're in. So much talk about the economic crisis but people are spending money on valentines day.

Roses $25
Teddy Bear $15
Dinner for 2= $100
Hotel= $79.99
Chocolate =$10

TOTAL $229.00

All this money spent on a useless holiday but were in a recession the media plays trick on people minds everyday and we don't see it.Think about how much money you spent this past weekend on your significant other whoever it may be. Now think about your personal economic situation.

Do you think the media plays a part in the success of all holidays? (Especially this one)

Are your personal spending habits the same throughout the year as this past weekend?

Let me know what you think...

"America won't think about a recession after today...flowers, candy, dinner"...

Big Zo says the Economy is up!!!