Detail from artwork for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's film On the Shoulders of Giants . (courtesy of Union Productions and Iconomy) The celebration of major historic milestones is a favorite pastime in pretty much every culture. This year, 2011, in the United States many are commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War. That means four years from now numerous festivities will take place to observe the same anniversary for Jubilee Day, or the liberation of America’s slaves. In addition, countries around the world are currently honoring the first United Nations-declared International Year for People of African Descent. Flip the calendar forward by almost a decade and we find ourselves approaching another major milestone: the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance. To read this article by Aberjhani in full please click the following link : The Approaching 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon In observance of Black History Month and the International Year for People of African Descent, the National African-American Art Examiner in 2011 will report on and explore a variety of issues pertaining to these subjects. Reports will include profiles of contemporary figures, trending developments, and teachable historic moments. The series begins now: Please Continue reading on Examiner.com: Black History Month enhanced by International Year for People of African Descent

The new Literary Savannah Magazine “ I run my fingers over her keyboard and suddenly it all starts up With a tinkling sound the music begins, then speeds up more and more …” ––Reinaldo Arenas, The Parade Ends Please click link to continue reading : Regarding Rituals, Elegies, and This New Year 2011 - Welcome to Aberjhani's

Celebrated poet and theater directory Clinton D. Powell . For a tribute in poetry and prose to one of the celebrated poets in the history of Savannah, Georgia, please click this link : A poem for a poet

Photo of Clinton D. Powell by Tony Jordan Please click and read the full stor y: City of Savannah bids farewell to Beloved Poet Clinton D. Powell - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

The late great jazz composer and actress Abbey Lincoln . For the full story please click the link: Countdown of 10 great moments in 2010 (part 6): The new ancestors - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

Celebrated playwright Ntozake Shange (photo by Stephen Lovekin) For complete story please click the link: Countdown of 10 Great Moments in 2010 (part 4): Cultured Ladies, Political Gents - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

Martina Davis-Correia, human rights activist and sister of death-row inmate Troy Anthony Davis. (photo by Getty Images) Please click this link for full story: Countdown of 10 great moments in 2010 (part 3): The prisoner and the poet - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois (Kensington Books) Countdown of 10 great moments in African-American history 2010 starts today - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

To join the discussion please click the link: Countdown of Great Moments in African-American History 2010 Set to Start | Examiner.com

For full story please click the link: Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance eBook Published - Welcome to Aberjhani's

Cover of Google Editions e-book The Bridge of Silver Wings by Aberjhani. For the full breaking story please click the following link: Google eBooks launch today and present top 10 bestselling titles - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

Guitarist Captain Kirk Douglas of The Roots. Please click link to read full article: John Legend and Roots issue Wake Up call (series part 1): Hard funky times - National African-American Art | Examiner.com

Michael Jackson and summertime from this point on - National African-American Art

Ben Okri's "Famished Road" Leads to Thrilling Reading Pleasure (Part 1)

Savannah Talks Troy Anthony Davis No. 8: Date Set for Evidentiary Hearing Posted using ShareThis

The online literary club, Girls Reading in the South.com, known as G.R.I.T.S.com, has over the past eight years gained a solid reputation as one of the more entertaining and informative literary sites around . Book lovers can get a generous sample of why by tuning in right now as the site’s gracious hostess, Marlive Harris interviews artist Luther E. Vann and author Aberjhani, the creators of ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love at: http://www.thegrits.com/radio The interview is a revealing and sometimes provocative one in which Aberjhani not only discusses the impact of Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential bid on his writings but dedicates a live reading from ELEMENTAL to the historic presidential campaign. In addition, Vann provides a rare glimpse into the creative dynamics and philosophy that drive the creation of his art. Featuring more than 60 color reproductions of acclaimed work by Vann, and including award-winning corresponding essays and poetry by Aberjhani, ELEMENTAL

(2005 model for Freedom Tower to replace World Trade Center) Before the hours of insanity and annihilation that changed world history on September 11, 2001, the month of September was noted by members of my family primarily as the birth month for at least a half dozen individuals. It remained, of course, their month after the destruction of New York City’s World Trade Center and the loss of thousands of lives, but the shadow of that event tends to lessen the glow of birthday candles and soften the volume of songs and laughter. Especially for those born on the actual day. Two years later, the greater impact of 9/11 was just beginning to unfold as the Iraq and Afghanistan wars upgraded to levels of mega-mayhem no one could have fully anticipated. At the same time, Facts On File published my Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance (with Sandra L. West). That the encyclopedia was my first major book published by a major company added––for me, personally––greater emotional balance to the mo

Currently on a ten percent off sale for the summer at a variety of locations, ELEMENTAL, The Power of Illuminated Love, recently joined the line-up of books featured on the G.R.I.T.S. Online Reading Club for the month of July 2008. A showcase of award-winning art by Luther E. Vann, whose work is currently on exhibit at the Jepson Center in Savannah, Georgia, and writings by well-known author Aberjhani, ELEMENTAL has become one of the most acclaimed gift books on the market since its release in May. The weekly newsmagazine Connect Savannah described ELEMENTAL as, “a beautiful book…the reproductions of the paintings are outstanding. The poems were inspired by the paintings, and make perfect companions for the reproductions… a real delight and was definitely worth the wait.” Art critic, author, and collector Ja A. Jahannes called it “A wondrously amazing book.” In addition to ELEMENTAL, other titles featured on G.RI.T.S. include: Say You’re One of Them, by Uwem Kapan; When a Man Loves

Invisible Man, Shadow and Act, and Going to the Territory, all books by that quintessential twentieth century literary artist Ralph Waldo Ellison, remain towering masterworks of American literature for their penetrating explorations of racial identity, cultural complexity, and historical consequences in the United States. With Senator Barack Obama’s historic bid for the White House evolving daily into the possibility of an historic win, Ellison’s brilliantly charged writings, which first catapulted him to fame in the 1950s, are perhaps more relevant now than ever before, making Arnold Rampersad’s detailed biography of the great writer one of the best reads around during these very exciting times. Biographies of high-achieving African Americans have too often in the past fallen into one of two categories: those that romanticized their subjects as cultural heroes and those that condemned them as embarrassing villains. Fortunately, in Rampersad, we have a biographer who assigned himself t