OURGLASS

Artwork by Phillip H.

ONCE MORE WITH FEELING.

Welcome back to Mirrors, the Conway High School diversity quarterly. We are excited to present our sixth volume, a roaring entry that showcases the preciousness of our time together as human beings. Last year we learned that this publication has the power to unite diverse groups of people, cultures, and ideas. Now it's time to embrace the Mirrors we have created in our own lives and recognize that "our glass" is perfectly reflective of the world we live in.

NEW REFLECTIONS. SAME POWERFUL MESSAGE.

Everything you need to know about this volume is in the title: it's OURS. Young people have all the power to think about the ills of the world, develop a course of action, and make positive changes. The reflective force that is Mirrors has proven that. Whether you're reading about important figures in history or encountering student-crafted poetry . . . the impact is clear. Our students are just getting started.

Artwork by Draven H.

A SHARED VISION:

We sat down with faculty, staff, and students to discuss the purpose of our publication. We wanted to reflect on the importance of diversity, our core values as a school and district, and what our vision might be for the future. As we talked, it became abundantly clear that everyone sees Mirrors as a powerful piece of the Conway Public Schools story.

UNITY.

Value and Respect Diversity is one of the six core values that uphold our entire district. Each participant in Mirrors, each person who reads a volume and experiences unique perspectives - all get to play a fundamental role in how we appreciate one another as humans. We took this energy and embraced positive influence as we crafted our vision for the publication.

MIRRORS EXISTS FOR REFLECTION.

ENCOURAGE INCLUSIVITY.

EMPOWER VOICES.

"OURGLASS" ORIGINAL ARTWORK SERIES BY SENIOR BAILEY M.

WITH ALL OUR MIGHT.

“A mythical, cat-like creature with six legs; four for running at the speed of light, two for fighting with all its might” is the written description of Conway High School’s mascot, the Wampus Cat. Adopted by Conway in 1922, this version of the Wampus Cat was made for the school. But where did the Wampus Cat come from?

Stories of the Wampus Cat spread throughout America, leading to various versions of it. Many depict the Wampus Cat as a cursed beast to be feared, but one of the earliest traces of this powerful mountain cat is found in stories from the Cherokee which spins the Wampus Cat in a different narrative. This Wampus Cat is known as a protector of the Chota tribal land of Tenasi (believed to now be Monroe County, Tennessee), and it all began with the defeat of the scourge of Ew’ah, a nightmarish demon of insanity.

Ew’ah for a long time had terrorized the Chota tribe by giving children nightmares and causing hunters and scavengers to go insane when crossing paths with the demon in the wilderness. The Chota chiefs and shamans came together and agreed that a brave one from the tribe would have to challenge Ew’ah, and a man, Standing Bear (or Great Fellow), stepped forward to take on the demon. He received resources and gear from his tribe along with blessings from the shamans before setting off. Many waited in anticipation, but Standing Bear was not seen for many days.

All of the tribe knew that none could challenge Ew’ah without the risk of going insane, and the tribe soon would learn that Standing Bear would soon become an example. Standing Bear had come back running to the village scratching at his eyes and screaming like mad. He had lost his mind, and that also meant he was lost in the eyes of the village. His wife, Running Deer, looked after the husk of her husband as time went by. Many were too hesitant to risk crossing paths with Ew’ah after the loss of Standing Bear, so none would step forward or be elected to save the tribe and avenge those who went insane at the hands of Ew’ah. That was until Running Deer had enough. She had grown more and more upset with the loss of her husband’s sanity and sought to avenge him. She had gone to the chiefs and stated that she would hunt down Ew’ah.

The tribe once again gave out their gear and the shamans gave their blessings, but also something integral. The shamans came to her and gave her the mask of a mountain cat and a black paste to hide her scent. The shamans said that only the spirit of this mountain cat would challenge the power of Ew’ah, but only if Running Deer could sneak up on and surprise the demon. Running Dear took the information the Shamans offered, kissed her husband on his forehead with only an empty gaze as his response, and set off into the wilderness with her gear and the mask. She hunted Ew’ah for days, until one day she came upon a creek where resting on the edge was Standing Bear’s breastplate.

Running Deer looked around, spotted Ew’ah’s tracks around the attack site, and followed them down the stream where the demon had been hunched down drinking. Sneaking closer and closer, Running Deer got to a point she could sneak no more, and that was when she pounced. Ew’ah turned around to look at Running Deer, but the mask she received from the shamans caused Ew’ah to stubble backward, clawing at its own eyes. The spirit of the mask had reversed the demon’s magic back on itself and banished Ew’ah.

Running Deer ran quickly back to her tribe, and when she had gotten back, she was soon given the title of Running Deer the Spirit-Talker and Home-Protector. Some believe that Running Deer inhabits or was reincarnated as the Wampus Cat and roams around her tribal land, protecting it and its inhabitants from the evil spirits and demons that lurk in the dark, and some believe that the powerful mountain cat spirit within the mask that the shamans gave Running Deer was a Wampus Cat’s. In the end, the Wampus Cat had protected the Chota tribe and had proven to be a trusted force, powerful enough to banish the demon, Ew’ah.

So when we look at our mascot - either the statue in front of the auditorium, the artwork or pictures around the school, or even the actual Wampus Cat suit - let’s embrace some deeper knowledge of the Wampus Cat. Because having a mascot that runs at the speed of light, fights with all its might, banishes demons, and is known as a protective beacon makes it a great day to be a Wampus Cat.

By: Bailey M.

THERE IS SOMETHING POWERFUL ABOUT SEEING YOURSELF IN THE WORLD, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT RELATES TO YOUR VERY HEALTH AND LIVELIHOOD. EVERYONE DESERVES THAT.

MEDICAL. HISTORY.

Chidiebere Ibe is a medical student from Ebonyi State, Nigeria. He is currently attending Kyiv Medical University in Ukraine. He was passionate about education and patient care and saw a lack of diversity in medical illustrations. Chidiebere Ibe leads creative design at the Association of Future African Neurosurgeons. After graduating with a degree in chemistry at the University of Uyo, he began working under Dr. Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye at the association to learn anatomy drawing. While working under Dr. Kanmounye he realized that none of the drawings were in Black skin. This inspired him to study medical illustrations that focus on Black skin.

Ibe, 25 at the time, became a self-taught medical illustrator. His journey began by sharing images on social media that showed conditions such as seborrheic eczema on Black skin. His drawing of a Black fetus inside a Black woman went viral on Twitter. The post was retweeted more than 50,000 times and had more than 88,000 likes on Instagram. The drawing gained interest from many people who realized they'd never seen a Black illustration of this extent before.

There is a lack of understanding of how diseases appear in Black people. Chidiebere Ibe notes that the skin is an important organ that protects us and signals when something is wrong with our body. However, the majority of medical illustrations are of Caucasians. A typical medical diagram is of a White male. The University of Pennsylvania performed a study in January of 2021 on the percentage of textbooks that show darker skin tones. The percentage only came out to 4.5. It is important to diversify medical diagrams for future medical students because conditions look different based on a patient’s skin color. Diversifying medical diagrams could also increase the number of Black medical students. Black students often are interested in learning from illustrations that represent their skin color. According to the Association of African American Medical Colleges, only 5% of active physicians are Black. Ibe believes that if medical textbooks and other health-related illustrations were more diverse, then more Black people would be willing to attend medical school.

Health literacy is an ongoing global public health issue. Health literacy is the degree to which individuals can find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. “It’s not a norm for the physician to care properly [for Black people],” Ibe told Artnet News. He recognizes that there is a history of mistreatment among Black people in healthcare. Black women have the highest maternal mortality rates and Black men have lower life expectancy than any other racial and ethnic group in the United States. Ibe created a Go Fund Me page to advocate for Black representation in medical illustrations in textbooks and public health materials. “I was just sticking up for what I believe in advocating for equality in health through medical illustrations,” he stated in an interview with NBC News. Additionally, Chidiebere Ibe pointed out that misrepresentation leads to a misdiagnosis. Other issues consist of mortality, childbirth pain, and communication problems. Black diagrams diversify our textbooks as well as promote empathy in doctor-patient relationships and improve patient care altogether.

By: Antwanette W.

HEART AND SOUL.

Albert Leorns Greene better known as “Al Greene”, was born on April 13, 1946. Al was born in the small town of Forest City. He is more known for Soul Music but later transitioned to Gospel after the tragic passing of his wife. He is known for his hit songs “Let’s Stay Together”, “Take me to the river”, and “Love and Happiness”. Later on, after getting closer to Christ, he made his comeback to secular music.

Early Life

Al is the sixth of ten children to Cora Lee and Robert Greene. Al began to perform with his sisters and then a group called the “Greene Brothers” at the age of ten. They later relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan where they were kicked out because of their father. He was caught in an altercation with Jackie Wilson. After the eviction, he moved in with a prostitute and then began hustling with drugs. He still kept his dreams of being a musician alive. He then formed a vocal group called Al Greene & the Creations.

Career Takes Off

Al’s group expanded and took off faster than they would have thought. Two of the members, Curtis Rodgers and Palmer James, formed an independent label called Hot Line Music Journal. In 1968, they changed their name to Al Green & the Soul Mates and released the song “Back Up Train” on Hot Line Music. The song hit the R&B charts and peaked at Number 46 in the Cash Box Top 100. Unexpectedly, the following songs did not follow up and get on the charts.

Reverend

On October 18, Al was getting ready to take a bath while on tour. His wife was in the kitchen cooking grits and suddenly, she threw the grits on him. Al then grabbed his gun and shot Mary after receiving third-degree burns. During his recovery, he turned a leaf and gave himself to Christ. In addition to giving his life to Christian, he turned to spiritual music. Greene made a return back to the stage in 1979, he later fell off the stage that night and decided it was time to hang it up. He continued to make only inspirational and gospel music. Now, Al Greene resides just preaching and praying in Memphis.

By: Dakota J.

OUR OWN WALL STREET.

We somehow found a way. Beneath the blanket of oppression layered with ridicule and hate, there was a town where we felt bold enough to see the potential we had. So we began building. We built a foundation that entailed a community where we could feel comfortable with those around us. They tried to break us down but we gathered our shards of resilience and pieced together a haven where things were different. Others saw our progress and valiantly joined, attempting to make a better life for themselves. As people came, our community grew into a place of prominent African American enterprise. There was a place where we finally got to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We were able to live comfortably in a place where people looked like us. The more we grew, the more we built until it became a place known for our success. They rejected us from their world so we found the strength to build our own. We had our stores and barber shops and neighborhoods. We built our own Wall street. It was black, and it was beautiful. But they feared it. They didn’t want to see us succeed in the world they stole. So they tried to knock us down. They unleashed their fire of hatred until our beautiful community was engulfed in the flames of their resentment. Their animosity raged and destroyed our homes as we witnessed our accomplishments blow away, replaced with the embers of discrimination. Even though they knocked us down, it doesn’t mean we didn’t get back up. Our accomplishments didn’t go unnoticed. The violence turned an eye on our community and became evidence that despite what happened, we can achieve amazing things regardless of the color of our skin. Our story taught future generations that although they might have people against them, it doesn’t mean that they are bound to always fail. The mere creation of Black Wall Street displays the lesson that we can be more than a stereotype. It gives a foundation of hope and inspiration to aspiring towards a better future where we can be successful. Despite all of the pain and oppression, we are under, this is one foundation that can never break.

By: Desirae R.

Yasuke

SNAPSHOTS.

Sir Alexander Fleming was born on August 6, 1881. Flemings' discoveries play an important role in how we live today. A lot of us have heard of the antibiotic known as penicillin. I’m sure we have all heard of the bacterial infections pneumonia, strep throat, and meningitis. If it wasn’t for Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, there would be no antibiotic to stop bacteria from multiplying. We owe him for his work and tireless efforts, otherwise, we might not have the medical knowledge we do today.

By: O. P.

BOLD IMPACT.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery and was never sure of his exact birth date. His mother was an enslaved black woman, and his father was a white man of European descent.

Frederick Douglass later became an important activist, author, and public speaker. He became a leader in the abolitionist movement to fight against slavery before and during the Civil War. He continued to fight for equality and human rights until his death, in 1895. Frederick Douglass is an important person in history today.

By: Shae D.

CLEAR FOCUS.

Malcolm X was an African American religious leader and civil rights advocate who spoke about the need for black empowerment and advocated for the adoption of Islam within the black community. He served as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam, a group that was very prominent during the 1950s and 1960s. Malcolm urged his fellow black Americans to protect themselves against aggression and violence “by any means necessary." He also organized temples, founded a newspaper, and led temple No. 7 in New York City’s Harlem.

By: Martez S.

SHOOT FOR THE STARS.

Ellen Ochoa, an American engineer, and former astronaut was the first-ever Hispanic woman to travel into space. Born on May 10, 1958, in Los Angeles, California Ochoa was the middle child of five children, three brothers, and one sister. She attended San Diego State University and acquired her bachelor of science degree in physics. During her time throughout college, she learned that she loved everything about physics so that is what she decided to major in.

The first application she submitted to NASA was in 1985, she was not selected until her second submission when she got invited to an interview and was selected to be in the group of 1990 astronauts. On her nine-day mission trip aboard the Space Shuttle discovery, she was then known as the first-ever Hispanic woman to go up into space. During this trip, she and other mission specialists observed the sun and the Earth's ozone layer. They did various experiments including releasing a satellite to study the solar wind.

Ochoa retired from spacecraft operations in 2007 and became the deputy director of Johnson Space Center. Joining the space center made her the first Hispanic director and also only the 2nd female ever to hold this position. Ochoa has been rewarded with NASA's highest reward, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award for senior executives. Ellen Ochoa is now 64 years old and the vice chair of the National Science Board. Her legacy will continue to be talked about and there will be many more future female astronauts following in her footsteps.

By: Alahna A.

THE WORLD'S A STAGE.

During the era of the slave trade, Africans put on private performances in their owners' homes and on their plantations. The only black characters to appear on stage were white men in 'blackface.' These men would perform in minstrel shows as derogatory stereotypes for comic relief. They would perform 'negro songs' and portray dumb, lazy, and foolish racist caricatures.

William Henry Brown, a freed black man, attempted to get a real black theater company off the ground. The 'African Grove Theater' became a place of Shakespeare play performances. The authorities shut down the theater because of "boisterous behavior." 1916 began to revolutionize black theater when Caribbean African descendants moved to Harlem, New York. These people started the 'Harlem Renaissance.' The Renaissance transformed Broadway and theater into how we know them today. There were lots of firsts for black people in the theater at that time: the first full black cast was Ridgely Torrence's 'Three Plays for a Negro Theatre' (1917), the first black musical was 'Shuffle Along' (1921), and the first black authorship was 'Mulatto: A Tragedy of the Deep' by Langston Hughes(1925). There were also big wins for playwrights, such as the Ethiopian Art Theater (1922-1925), and the American Negro Theater which put on nineteen shows in nine years. After World War II, black people came to the theater with a different attitude. There were shows such as Lorraine Hasburg's 'A Raisin in the Sun that was a jab at preserving racist culture. There was also a boom of all-black casts on Broadway from 1940-1943.

Although black people were 'on the come-up,' there were still racist shows on stage. In 1946, there were two shows filled with problems and racism. The NAACP said they 'detracted from the dignity of our race.' Ironically, the shows flopped. Unfortunately, Broadway became white-dominated again over the next few decades. In 1965, LeRoi Jones, aka Amiri Baraka, started the Black Arts Repertory Theater for the Black Arts Movement. Baraka and his fellow playwrights believed equality would only happen through a strong black aesthetic that stood in defiance of the dominant white culture. Ed Bullins used street lyricism and focused on racial and political tensions.

The 1970s saw black musicals return to Broadway with shows such as 'Ain't supposed to Die a Natural Death (1971) and 'The Wiz' (1975). The Wiz went on to win seven Tony Awards. Activist August Wilson cofounded the Black Horizons Theater in Pittsburgh. This organization put on numerous shows such as 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' 'Fences,' and 'The Piano Lesson' from the 1920s to the 1990s. In current years, many black people play traditionally white roles. Broadway shows such as 'Hamilton' or 'Six' are based on history but have people of color in the main roles. In other shows, like 'Legally Blonde' or 'Annie,' the lead does not always type cast and is sometimes played by a black woman. There is more representation of black shows on Broadway such as 'The Color Purple,' 'The Lion King,' and 'Dreamgirls.'

By: Kaylen C.

A DEEPER PERSPECTIVE.

The movie “Mulan” by Disney is one of the best-known animated films of modern times. Not only does it have two animated movies, but it also earned a live-action adaptation in 2020. Everyone knows the story: a girl’s father falls ill, so she disguises herself as a man and fights the war in his place, ultimately being the reason they win. She ends up marrying the general and becoming a princess by being accepted into the emperor's council. The movie gives much justice to the true story, but not completely. The real story was changed and translated to fit the aesthetics of Disney storytelling, which makes for a good movie for children, but also robs the heroine of key facts about herself.

Mulan's story is based on the written piece “The Ballad of Mulan'' written around 400 C.E. The real story started in the Northern Wei area, where young Hua Mulan was born to the family of a retired war soldier. Due to their honors, Mulan was trained in martial arts for many years and was a natural-born warrior and leader. It wasn't long before her home was attacked by northern forces, and in retaliation, men from everyone's family were to be taken into the army to be trained to fight. When Mulan heard of this and saw her father's name on the draft, she realized she had to do something. Her father was weak and retired, and she had no brothers that were old enough to be in his place. So she gave her goodbyes to her family, cut her hair, and bought a horse and saddle before departing in his place to go to the Yellow River, miles away from her home.

During her time in the war, she had proven to be more than capable. Due to her early training, she was one of the best soldiers on the field and easily made a name for herself. She served for 12 years and climbed her way up the ranks with ease, even earning the title of general at one point. All of these accomplishments were had while easily keeping the fact that she was a woman in secret underneath all her armor. She fought in over 100 hundred battles. She defeated multiple enemies with both an arrow and a sword. With her assistance and an unrelenting force of many soldiers, China won the war.

The “Son of Heaven” emperor Khan held a ceremony to honor the brave soldiers of his war. Mulan was given multiple awards and merits for her service and even offered a place on the royal council. But she refused, only asking for a fast horse to get back to her family quickly. When she arrived, she was greeted by her sisters in their best dresses, her parents, and her younger brother who was ready to slaughter a pig for a feast. There, she got dressed back into her feminine clothes, letting her hair flow, and placing her makeup on. Her fellow soldiers then learned the truth: the soldier they had battled with for 12 long years was a woman.

With that, Mulan replies to their surprise with words of insight: “The male rabbit likes to hop and leap, while the female rabbit prefers to sit still. But when in danger, when two rabbits scurry, who can really tell the difference between man and woman?”

By: Rem J.

BLACK LIGHTNING.

Created by author Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, Black Lightning is a comic book character and title published by DC comics. He is a superhero by night, protecting his community from a gang known as The 100, and Jefferson Pierce by day, a principal at Garfield high school. He has a wife and two daughters to add to his normal daily life. His life is anything but normal. Black Lightning is also a series on Netflix that features an almost all-black cast.

Believe it or not, the infamous lightning-powered superhero was originally supposed to be a white racist man that got transformed into a black man as "punishment." Fortunately, it was recognized as nothing more than a blatant insult before the character ever made it to publishing. Tony also created the character Luke Cage; a powerful man from Marvel comics which made him an ideal pick for DC to bring his idea of Black Lightning to life.

In the original comics, Black Lighting would wear an afro wig and speak with a very strong stereotypical African American vernacular. This was so that no one would be able to find out his identity as the very educated and sophisticated man that he is. This had some controversy around it but is no longer something that needs to be worried About. Black Lightning was the first African American superhero to get its very own title in DC comics. Some may not agree that this is a big deal but I'd personally beg to differ.

Being a person of color and finally seeing a superhero that looks just like you is one of the greatest feelings ever. You don't just admire the character, but you can relate to them and better immerse yourself into their story. As mentioned before there is a Black Lightning TV series with an almost all-black cast. Being able to see that allows me to see myself in each of the characters; villains and all. Unfortunately, the show was only four seasons and was left on a cliffhanger. It was said to be because it wasn't getting very good ratings so they pulled it off the air. As much as I would love for it to continue, the reason that others would not means that we are still a work in progress as a society.

By: Alizeionna P.

DREAMS

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“I want to be a professional basketball player”

“No, I mean a real career.”

There it goes a innocent dream killed

To them our dreams are fairy tales and marked as not real

So often we are told what we cannot be

Maybe our visions are blind to others and only we can see

Or maybe just in fact our dreams are out of reach

No, dreams are the very thing that keep us inspired

Dreams are what keep us going even when tired

Dreams are not to be dismissed but to be encourage

Dreams are goals that should flourish

But also dreams do not work unless you work

Will there be odds against your dreams? Of course

It is okay if no one understands because your dream is yours

So as I say again dreams don't work unless you work hard

Never let them kill your dream because your dream is the start

Poem written by R. J. P.

WEST TOWARD SUCCESS.

Kanye West is a very controversial person, but one thing we can all agree on is that he makes great music for any and everyone to listen to. Before we get to his music though, let's discuss West’s childhood.

Born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta Georgia, West had a fairly average childhood. His mother was Donda West, a professor, and his father is Ray West, a photojournalist and a former member of the Black Panthers. West’s parents divorced when he was only three years old. Due to the divorce, West moved to Chicago with his mother and spent summers with his father.

When he was ten, he moved to China for just a year due to his mother being a part of an exchange program. As he was getting older, he started to develop a passion for music. He attended Chicago State University for one year before dropping out to fully pursue a music career. West became a very successful producer and was in high demand.

Despite all his success as a producer, he was still struggling to be able to make his songs due to his middle-class background. People assumed that he didn’t have a struggle or anything interesting to make music about since he wasn’t from the lower class. After being told “no” so many times, he was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. He proved all these people wrong by releasing his debut album The College Dropout in 2004.

The College Dropout was just the start of West’s very successful career. West has since released 11 more albums and received 21 Grammys. His best album is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. To fully understand West’s life, we have to rewind to talk about the most difficult adversities he has faced since his first album. The first was the passing of his mother, Donda. West was very close to his mother, so her death took a huge toll on him. His mother passed away the day after she had liposuction and a breast reduction from coronary artery disease and other postoperative factors. West blamed himself for her death because he believed that if she wouldn't move to Los Angeles with him then she would have never believed she needed procedures are done which ultimately would’ve kept her alive.

Two years after his mother's death, West infamously interrupted Taylor Swift’s speech at the MTV Awards. This was the first public sign that West may not have been doing well mentally. In 2016, West was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder comes with manic episodes and depressive episodes which we can see all over social media. During his manic episodes, West likes to go on social media platforms, such as Twitter, and say any and everything. He sometimes talks badly about the people closest to him, and he has also lashed out at others.

People closest to him say his mental health started to go downhill after his mother died. This shows that as controversial and potentially hated as he is, he’s just like the rest of us. He just has some things he has to work through to be back to his best self.

By: Kamryn S.

BASEBALL AND THE COLOR LINE.

When you think of Black History in baseball, you probably think of Jackie Robinson. Robinson famously “broke the color line” in 1947, leading to a swift fall of segregated baseball. But Jackie Robinson was not the beginning of the story for black men in baseball. He was merely the latest in a history of talented ballplayers, signaling not a maiden voyage for Major League Baseball, but a continuation of the history of black ballplayers.

Baseball was originally played in small, local teams, with a ruleset that could vary widely from town to town. The first commonly accepted rule book was published in 1845, and the first salaried major league team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, wouldn’t be formed until 1869. But before any official rules could be written, the segregation and racism of the time had already begun to form the so-called “color line," even in the game’s infancy. It was common during the time (and would be until a few years after Jackie Robinson’s debut made the model unprofitable) for there to be All-White and All-Black teams. The teams would play in the same stadiums, with black teams playing while the white team was at away games. This effectively doubled profits for the owners, with interracial games only common during “barnstorming” games. Some white teams would refuse to play with black teams even under those informal circumstances.

But 64 years before Jackie Robinson stepped up to the plate, Moses Fleetwood Walker became the first black man signed to the International League. Walker was an educated man, attending Oberlin College (the first in the country to take applications without discrimination) and the University of Michigan. He was considered a star player. He signed into the majors after his team joined the American Association, and was one of the few players to be retained from the original team. He batted .263 in 152 at-bats during his first 42-game season and continued to improve as his career went on.

By 1887, there were 7 black players in the League along with Moses Walker. Welby Walker, Moses Walker’s younger brother, played for Newark. George Stovey, with an at the time (and would be for years) record-shattering 35 wins in a single season, also for Newark. Steve Grant, called the greatest black baseball player of the nineteenth century, played for Buffalo. Bud Fowler, who tried to start his own Colored Baseball League, played for Binghamton. Randolph Jackson, who was signed after a personal recommendation from Fowler, played for Oswego. Robert Higgins, signed at just 19, playing for Syracuse. Renfroe (first name unknown), a star pitcher who was signed early season in 1887, also playing for Binghamton.

Walker and the other black players at the time would have to endure many professional challenges because of the color of their skin. They would sometimes be shouted and jeered at from the stands, disrupting games and breaking their focus. It was so common for white players to try and hit the black basemen with the spikes of their shoes that Fowler had to wear wooden leg guards and Walker on more than one occasion was moved to the outfield. When black players were up to bat, the pitchers would sometimes try to hit them with such veracity that it would cost their team points as the batters were allowed to walk. It was also not unheard of for white players to intentionally throw games in protest of black teammates. One such incident in 1886 saw Syracuse allowing Toronto to make 21 unearned runs during Robert Higgnis’ opening game, costing them the game 28-8.

But despite the sentiments of the time, the press was known to be supportive of black players. The 1886 Syracuse v Toronto game was slammed by Toronto World as “DISGRACEFUL BASEBALL” and a “disgusting exhibition.” Walker was called “the people’s player” in 1887.

But 1887 would not be remembered as a proud year for baseball in the annals of history. The Newark Times would be the first to write that “THE COLOR LINE [HAS BEEN] DRAWN IN BASEBALL. The International League directors held a secret meeting at the Genesee House yesterday, and the question of colored players was freely discussed. Several representatives declared that many of the best players in the league are anxious to leave on account of the colored element, and the board finally directed Secretary White to approve of no more contracts with colored men.”

It would be codified by the end of the 1887 season that no new contracts could be drafted for black players in the International League. While the current players would remain, they would have to play with the knowledge that the few protections they were afforded by the League were now even less respected. While in 1884, when Adrian D. Anson, a revered ballplayer, refused to play Toledo unless Walker was kept off the field, their manager called his bluff and the game went on with Walker. In1887, a day before the ban, Stovey was successfully benched while Anson played the Little Giants. Black players' time in the International League seemed to be coming to a dead stop, as the few black players still in the league son pulled out either to transfer to Colored Leagues or drop out of baseball entirely. Grant fell into such obscurity that his obituary was not discovered until 1982. And ending as it began, Walker would be the last black player to remain active in the League, retiring in 1889 to return to his hometown.

Walker would be the last black man to play in the International League until Jackie Robinson played his first game for the Montreal Royals in 1947. Robinson’s four runs, two bases, five hits, and a home run in his opening game that allowed the Royals to win 14-1 sent a clear message: America’s Favorite Pastime had finally gotten back its color, and this time it would be here to stay.

By: Neely P.

BOOKS ARE OUR GATEWAY TO THE WORLD AROUND US. THEY ALLOW US TO ENVISION WHO WE ARE, WHO WE WANT TO BE, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TOGETHER. SO WHEN THE CHARACTERS LOOK LIKE US AND HAVE OUR EXPERIENCES, EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LIVES OPENS UP.

LITERARY HERO.

Now I know what you're thinking: Percy Jackson!? Why would anyone choose to write about somebody like that when you could talk about someone more politically influential? Though I probably could, the theme for this was a reflection of what we see in our chosen person that we can see in ourselves. And Percy is someone that I can see myself being a lot alike at times, but it’s not even just him. Thanks to author Rick Riordan’s storytelling efforts, I get to see a wide range of characters to relate to. Frank Zhang, for example - his awkwardness from being a bit taller along with his anxiety causes him to be a bit clumsy. Nico di Angelo’s pessimism is also relatable at times. I say all this because Percy’s sass down to his loyalty to his friends and family . . . that’s all me. Most importantly, I want to be as inspirational as him. He’s personally inspired me to work hard towards whatever goal I have and to take life one step forward at a time, overcoming any challenges that may arise.

Rick Riordan started with a very loveable but basic cast: the heroic protagonist (Percy), the smart one (Annabeth), and the third wheel best friend (sorry Grover). But as these characters grew up and went through different adventures throughout the series, readers got to see sides of them that reflected how deep these characters are. We get to see in Sea of Monsters how strong Annabeth has had to mentally be and in Titan’s Curse how far Percy’s loyalty is willing to go for his friends. This goes into a little bit of the emotional depth of these characters, but what about the actual diversity?

Well, to answer this question we have to look to the author's next series The Kane Chronicles in which the two bi-racial protagonists Carter and Sadie Kane not only deal with the problems of their new mystical lifestyle but also deal with the real-life problems that come with being bi-racial. Carter, being of darker skin color, was taught that he had to live his life strictly so society won't judge him harshly. Meanwhile, Sadie lived her life normally because of how light her skin tone was. We see this become a big problem in the first book when the two get into some trouble with the police and they are skeptical that the characters are related because of how different they look.

In the Heroes of Olympus, one of the main characters, Nico di Angelo, comes out in a period and a place where it was not accepted and was looked down upon extremely harshly. Having to deal with that fear of knowing you're different and not having anyone to confide in was a hard adjustment. Eventually, he is thrown into a world where he can be himself and it is a refreshing adjustment to watch.

Finally, in the Magnus Chase series, we meet Alex Fierro, a person who is openly gender fluid and comfortable with themselves but whose family couldn't stand them for being themselves especially when it was out of their control. Alex runs away and dies saving someone from a wolf causing them to die and go to Valhalla.

I truly didn't know where I was gonna go with this project, but I'm glad I went with a personal story that expressed a true reflection of how I feel while also being able to show the diversity of the characters that Rick Riordan brought to the table that allowed me to be able to complete this. Thank you for taking the time to read this and may the gods be with you.

By: Christopher T.

KING OF ALL.

'Sir Duke' Ellington was born in Washington DC on April 29, 1899. He was one of the most influential pianists and composers of the early 20th century and his sound helped pave the way for what we know today as the “big band” sound. Ellington is also considered one of the greatest Jazz composers of all time. Before I carry on with Mr. Ellington’s story, I’d like to say the point of this is to understand that if you put your mind to something you love and pursue it with love, you will succeed greatly and that you never know what impact it could have on the world around you.

As a child, Ellington grew up in a decent environment in a middle-class family. He lived in Washington, DC and by the time he was 7 he had already begun studying the piano. At 17, he started to professionally perform. Over the years he only developed his sound more and his band grew from a sextet to 14 members. When the 1940s came along Duke and his band had become a sensation. They played many shows in America and even in Europe! One of their hit songs was “Concerto for Cootie”(1940).

As the years went by he only expanded his sound more and more, touching on classical Jazz and motion picture scores. Today, the legacy he leaves behind is most influential and many people hold him as a jazz legend. There is one thing we know for sure, that he knew how to swing! So, if you were to apply yourself as Duke did to his life’s work to succeed no matter what anyone says to you, you will be successful. Life will prosper and you never know . . . you may become one of the most successful and influential people shortly.

By: Morgan S.

COME UP.

Jermaine Lamarr Cole (J. Cole) was born on a U.S military base in Frankfurt, Germany. His father was an African American soldier, and his mother was a German postal worker. His father left his family when Jermaine was young, so his mother moved Jermaine and his brother Zach to Fayetteville, North Carolina. It was there that J. Cole’s mother struggled to make ends meet, and they lived in a trailer park.

Jermaine's mother found another husband who was also a soldier. They moved to a nicer home, but it soon became apparent that the marriage would not last as the new husband was abusive toward J. Cole’s brother Zach. After the marriage, Jermaine’s mother found another partner but his influence ended up getting her addicted to drugs.

While in Fayetteville, Cole found his passion for music and soon after joined the Terry Sanford Orchestra as a violinist. At the same time, he was teaching himself how to rap and produce his music. The first names he came up with were Blaza, Therapist, then finally joining a group named Bomm Sheltuh. After graduating high school, J. Cole moved to New York and attended St. John University. He graduated magna cum laude with a communications degree in 2007.

Jermaine’s first album, “The Come Up,” was self-produced. J. Cole’s song, “Lights Please," on his second album, “The Warm Up," gained the attention of well-known producer and executive Mark Pitts who played the song for Jay-Z. What was surprising was that J. Cole tried giving Jay-Z his album beforehand, but Jay-Z denied it. After they listened to the song and J. Cole’s music became more popular, Jermaine was signed to Roc Nation and would feature on songs by Wale, Jay-Z, and Talib Kweli. Cole’s third album, “Cole World: The Sideline Story,” was released in 2011 and was very successful. Critics all over the world praised his efforts.

Cole's next album "Born Sinner" was not quite as popular, so fans were eagerly awaiting a triumphant return. They got that return in December 2014. Cole’s album "2014 Forest Hills Drive" came with force. Despite not having any type of marketing, the album made it to number one on the Billboard 200 and won several awards, also going platinum, being Cole’s 2nd platinum album. J. Cole’s next album “4 Your Eyez Only” came out in December 2016 just before Christmas. It also reached number one on the charts but had some controversy because some thought there were disses to other artists like Drake and Kanye West.

J. Cole’s recent album “KOD” was eagerly accepted with open arms by his fans. It came out in April 2018 and the day it was released it broke Spotify’s streaming record. The album had many singles perform well on charts and was considered a great success.

J. Cole’s newest album “The Off-Season” was released in May 2021 and flooded the media. Songs like “m y l i f e “, “ p r i d e i s t h e d e v i l”, and “9 5 . s o u t h” were some of the most popular songs.

J. Cole has also done some philanthropic work for his community. Cole has started a foundation called “Dreamville Foundation." It is a non-profit organization in his hometown. Its purpose is to help people in urban areas in Fayetteville to help them get the same opportunities as others. J. Cole has also started a record label called “Dreamville," and its purpose is to help promote lesser-known and up-and-coming rappers. Finally, J. Cole has also repurchased his childhood home and has turned it into a rent-free temporary home for single mothers.

By: Andrew D.

FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY.

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, was one of the greatest boxers in history, he was the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. He was known for his social message of black pride and black resistance to white domination and for refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Summer Olympics.

Ali changed his name in 1964 after joining the Nation of Islam. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused military induction and was stripped of his heavyweight championship and banned from boxing for three years during the prime of his career. Parkinson’s syndrome severely impaired Ali’s motor skills and speech, but he remained active as a humanitarian and goodwill ambassador.

Muhamad Ali was born January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, and died just over 6 years ago June 3, 2016, in Scottsdale Arizona. He grew up in a time when the south was segregated, and he experienced some discrimination in his childhood. Although he was known for being one of the greatest boxers, the way he got into the sport is odd. Ali was first directed toward boxing by Louisville police officer and boxing coach Joe E. Martin, who encountered the 12-year-old fuming over a thief's having taken his bicycle. He told the officer he was going to "whup" the thief. The officer told Clay he had better learn how to box first. He attended Central High School, but his studies suffered due to his commitments to boxing.

Although his boxing career was amazing, Muhamad was a major factor in the civil rights movement. Muhammad Ali’s advocacy for racial justice began with his awareness and experience of racism and white supremacy in Louisville, Kentucky. His dedication to his boxing career was accompanied by his profound conviction that he had a greater purpose. At 13, Muhammad Ali saw the news photo of 14-year-old Emmett Till who was viciously murdered in Mississippi by a group of white people. Till’s open-casket funeral showed the world the brutality of anti-Black racism in the United States. This harsh reality may be one reason Ali had a special concern for the circumstances of young people in the U.S. and across the globe throughout his life.

Ali said that he first learned of the Nation of Islam at the 1959 Golden Gloves boxing tournament in Chicago. A central goal of the Nation of Islam was to empower African-Americans, calling members “Black Muslims.” The day after 22-year-old Ali defeated Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston and claimed his belt, a reporter at a press conference asked him if he was a card-carrying member of the Nation of Islam. “Card-carrying – what does that mean?” the fighter mused. “I know where I’m going, and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be. I’m free to be what I want to be.” He went on to reject the name Clay because black Americans’ last names were often inherited from their slave masters. “I will be known as Cassius X.”

Muhammad Ali had a lifelong connection to African people and nations. On this first trip to Ghana, Nigeria, and Egypt, Ali became an inspirational symbol of anti-colonialism. In Ghana, Ali was welcomed as a son of Africa, a hero, and an inspiration to youth throughout the world. Ali declared his roots by saying “I am an African. When he visited the Pyramids in Cairo, it was said “he fused politics and religion, giving the black power salute while shouting in Arabic ‘God is great.’” At Howard University, Ali gave a version of what had been called his “Black is Beautiful” speech. “Ali blamed African-Americans' sense of inferiority upon a white-dominated society that ignored them and their achievements, as if they didn't exist — a message reminiscent of Ralph Ellison's 1952 novel Invisible Man, but delivered through a strident onslaught of metaphors more characteristic of Malcolm X.”

After losing all appeals within the federal government, Muhammad Ali was ordered to report for induction into the military in Houston where he lived at the time. Ali again asserted his conscientious objection based on his religious beliefs against war and as a minister of the Nation of Islam, He refused to take the traditional step forward. Ali’s boxing license was suspended immediately by the New York State Athletic Commission, banning him from boxing in the U.S. and stripping away his World Heavyweight Championship title. The Commission said Ali’s refusal to enter the military service was detrimental to the best interests of boxing.

In the end, Muhamad Ali was not only a great boxer but also a great person and a big influence on the civil rights movement. Muhammad Ali received the Liberty Medal for his long-time role as an advocate for humanitarian causes, civil rights, and religious freedom. Ali was recognized as the champion of freedom because of his fight for equality, peace, and justice in every area of life all over the world.

By: Zachary E.

Page updated

Report abuse