Fairfield, CA (Akiit.com) - Pastor Jerone Davison is the author of the popular book The Spiritual Fragrance of a Woman - the Fragrance that Attracts the Right Man. Pastor Jerone is a young man who loves the people in his church and prays that their heart’s desires will be met. He is passionate about the futures of single women in the church and prays to see them happily married.

“The question in our churches is why aren’t our daughters getting married? Why aren’t the men who come to church and get saved choosing to marry the single saved women in the church? Are the women doing something wrong? I don’t think so. Are all of our men going Gay, DL, Thug Life or Crazy Coo Coo Style? I pray not,” says Davison.

The low marital statistics in the Afro American community is not only off the hook but off the charts, being the lowest race to commit to marriage. “Have we all fallen to the hype of Hip Hop or have we just walked away from Bible believing values and morals? What’s up?”

Davison says that one of the reasons why he feels black men don’t marry is because most have grown up in single parent or illegitimate homes. Most have never seen a good marriage first hand leaving no desire for marriage. Marriage for most of today’s men is nowhere on the list of life’s priorities. This is a major issue and is growing uglier by the generation. Which is why the women in our communities must be more demanding of a marital commitment from their boyfriends before sex? Challenge them to be responsible men by making them wait and make a decision. Premarital sex changes everything it changes his feelings about the woman which is why most of the time it’s a hit and quit it situation.

Secondly, most of today’s men don’t understand the spiritual or natural significance of marriage and the impact it has on our children thinking that marriage is only a piece of paper. This is where the Church comes in. We’ve got to preach about marriage. After all car registration is paper, a driver’s license is paper covered by plastic, a receipt is paper etc and without most of these you would be consisted illegitimate just as illegitimate as shacking up and pretending to be married.

Lastly, the Fear Factor. Men have a fear of losing sexual excitement, thinking the more the merrier; they fear that one woman can’t satisfy. Not knowing that sex in marriage is the greatest love of all because God’s blessings are on marriage and marriage has the big three love, commitment and trust anything else is uncivilized. Marriage is a true gift from God and it’s a shame to see it go to waste. The Spiritual Fragrance of a Woman - the Fragrance that Attracts the Right Man can be purchased at www.amazon.com or www.disilgold.com
 

Frankfort, KY (Akiit.com) - During the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960’s, the pride of Black Americans was elevated when the Black Arts Movement popularized the slogan “black is beautify.” In his debut book of poetry, When Heaven Smiles (Awesome Records, $9.95, ISBN: 978-1-893680-09-8) author David Shabazz is laying the groundwork for that slogan’s return. When Heaven Smiles is a collection of poems dedicated to African American women. According to the author, the book was written to celebrate the beauty of black women and to pay tribute to them for their commitment to holding black families together.

“Black women have endured the hardship of slavery, racism, discrimination just as black men have but they have always remained steadfast about keeping the black family unit stable,” Shabazz said. “In recent times they have felt unwanted and unappreciated by the very men they love and prefer. This book is my way of saying ‘thank you’ to black women everywhere and to tell her that she is heaven-on-earth to a black man.” Shabazz says on a superficial level the book is praising the physical attributes of black women, but his real aim is to address the deeper issue of finding the beauty in being who you are as a person.

In stressing the need to show more appreciation for black women, Shabazz points to a recent study Black Males Left Behind which states that seven out of 10 black children are born out of wedlock. “This shows that we are having sex with black women and then leaving them behind to raise the children,” he said. “Since slavery everyone turned their back on the black man except the black woman. Disrespecting black women certainly didn’t start with us, but we can no longer perpetuate this travesty against the very person who has consistently and overwhelmingly remained loyal to black men.”

The book contains over 30 poems using a mixture of several different poetic styles combined with sensual photographs featuring model Cleney Taymil. Shabazz uses candor and simplicity to emphasize his love and appreciation for black women. When Heaven Smiles is currently available in perfect bound soft cover format.
 
 

 Reviewed by Kam Williams

(Akiit.com) “This book endeavors to piece together the broken utterances of 20 women into a seamless painting of understanding which is representative of Black women of the 19th Century… It is an examination of how the unique position of the African-American woman provides her with the ability to dissect the ills of society, and also offers her distinctive insight for positive transformation…

The broken utterances of each of these 20 women serve to make their personal journeys a universal expression of the tripartite and egalitarian nature of gender, race, and class concerns for all Black women in the past and present. They began the erasure of the blue-lined boundaries that society imposed upon them, and boldly opened an exhibition space in which their collective offspring would continue to create.”

For too long, the unique perspective of the African-American female has languished in the shadows of intellectual thought. During the Civil Rights Era, sisters tended to be relegated to support rather than lead roles. Thus the Movement was marked by both machismo and an unchallenged patriarchy, as exhibited by revered icons like Student Non Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Chairman Stokely Carmichael and Black Panther Spokesperson Eldridge Cleaver. 

When Carmichael was confronted during a SNCC conference by black women concerned about their roles and what they saw as sexism, he abruptly ended the discussion by stating, “The only position for women in the movement is prone.“ Cleaver, a convicted rapist, was worse, for he implemented a philosophy termed “Pussy Power” whereby the Panthers pimped out their women for the cause.

In her autobiography, ex-Panther Elaine Brown admits to selling her body to wealthy white men to help support the Party financially. And she has come to regret that a woman asserting herself in the organization was ostracized as a pariah.

Given that prevailing attitude of the previous generation, it should come as no surprise that African-American culture might have devolved into the miasma of misogyny reflected in the explosion of thugs and gangstas in evidence today. However, this sorry state of affairs doesn’t reflect the fact that there are now and have always been many intelligent African-American females inclined to weigh-in on the issues of the day without compromising their dignity.

I have digressed by way of introduction only in order to emphasize the significance of Broken Utterances: A Selected Anthology of 19th Century Black Women’s Social Thought. For this groundbreaking book, edited and illustrated by Michelle Diane Wright, lays the groundwork for an appreciation of a score of visionary sisters who were ready to lead their people over a hundred years ago.

Although a combination of racism, sexism and classism might have meant that most of these brilliant thinkers went unrecognized by mainstream history books, fortunately they left behind speeches, articles and journals which the author has unearthed and culled through to distill into an informative text of considerable significance.  

For in discussions of prominent black women of the 19th Century, generally, only Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth come to mind. And while those two icons were certainly among the leading activists of the era, they were by no means the only ones speaking out eloquently and forcefully on the culture and politic climate.

There was also, for example, Maria W. Stewart (1803-1879), a contemporary of insurrectionist David Walker, earnestly advocating the abolition of slavery. She informs whites that “Our souls are fired with the same love of liberty and independence with which your souls are fired,” adding that she is not out for revenge because, “too much of your blood flows in our veins, and too much of your color is in our skins, for us not to possess your spirits.”

In another chapter, Sarah Mapps Douglass (1805-1882) complains about the use of the insulting term “Negro” in reference to African-Americans. Though born free in Philadelphia, she relates how she came to care about the plight of fellow blacks yet enslaved after someone tried to kidnap her in order to sell her as chattel.

Ann Plato (born 1824) emphasizes education in her essays, saying, “This appears to be the great source from which nations have become civilized, industrious, respectable and happy.” Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), observing the privileged position enjoyed by white women in society insists, “Look at me! Ain’t I a woman?”

Sara Parker Remond (1826-1894) focuses on the wholesale rape of black women and the implicit simultaneous psychosis of the white male in an 1859 speech where she observes that, “there are 800,000 mulattoes… and these are constantly sold by their parents.” And we learn that the fiercely independent Harriet Tubman (1820-1913) left her Uncle Tom of a husband’s black ass behind, even though he threatened to inform massa of her plans to escape. 

These and so many other searing narratives combine to make Broken Utterances not merely a fascinating read, but a seminal contribution to the field of black feminist intellectual thinking. As such, all of African-Americana owes a debt of gratitude to Michelle Diane Wright for her admirable, exhaustive, encyclopedic efforts to elevate these brave, sisters, even if belatedly, to their rightful place as very important voices in the black struggle for freedom.    

Reviewed by Idrissa Uqdah 

(Akiit.com) The Seduction of Mr. Bradley by Chicago author Minnie E. Miller tells a very different kind of love story, a love story complicated by preferences.  These particular preferences are not always understood or accepted by society and that is where it gets complicated.

Bill Bradley a bisexual man falls in love with Jina Cook, a straight woman.  Mr. Bradley had no intention of falling for Jina, but he was seduced by her good looks, her sensuality and her honesty and innocence.  He was also drawn in by the simplicity of her love.  Jina had no idea that Bill was bisexual.  He knew that once she found out, that he could lose her forever.  Would Jina trust his love enough to believe that he could change?  Bill was not so sure. 

The Seduction of Mr. Bradley is a relationship novel.  The twist is that this work of fiction  explores the complexity of bisexuality from a man’s point of view without pages and pages of illicit sex and lust.  The sex scenes in this novel are done tastefully.  Miller was more interested in putting a human face on men who are attracted to both women and other men,.  The author did not sensationalize the subject; but sought, it seemed, to explain who these men are.  These men have been hated, despised and misunderstood while so many men who have been discovered on the “down low” have come out of the closet.  Bill Bradley’s story is being played out all over this country, in more instances than we know or imagine.  Finally someone tells the story in a way that brings truth and reality to the forefront. It’s a story told with compassion.

I found that I could not dislike Mr. Bradley; although I truly disliked his lifestyle.  His character was just like any other African American male who worked hard at getting to the top of his game as a public relations professional. He was kind, gentle and caring.  Bill was good people.  He opened his own PR firm with the help of his older lover and mentor, Ted Grassley whom he was linked with until he met and fell in love with Jina Cook, a client who hired him to promote her book.  Bill’s struggle to find the true desires of his heart is explored in this novel.  It is a story that makes you re-think your opinions on alternative lifestyles. 

Set in Chicago, the author took great care to detail the setting well.  You could just picture the places that the characters visited, the structure of the buildings, the surroundings in their living spaces and landmark spots in the Windy City.  Miller also gave you secondary characters that you came to like and care about.  Bill’s best friend and confidante, Samara and her Aunt Mamie, another one of Bill clients, were well developed characters who added to the storyline.   

How Bill and Jina dealt with his differences and how a family secret from her past contributed to Jina’s reaction to Bill’s sexuality brings the book to an unexpected ending.  I really liked The Seduction of Mr. Bradley and I would recommend this book to those who would enjoy a love story, a love story this is full of  humanity and truth.

Reviewed by Idrissa Uqdah

(Akiit.com) Deatri King-Bey has stepped out of the box and given her readers a Black fairy tale in Beauty And The Beast that I really enjoyed.  Set in modern day Chicago; the story centers around millionaire business mogul, Bruce Maxwell, the beast and his beauty, Nefertiti Townes. 

Bruce and Nefertiti grew up together as playmates, she being the god daughter of his beloved Aunt Victoria who took him in as a young boy when he was abandoned by her wayward sister.  They shared a childhood of good times and as they approached adulthood; they both realized that there was a connection between them that was more than platonic.

However; Bruce’s emotional dysfunction from having faced the rejection from his mother at such a young age did much to discourage him from pursuing the love he felt for Nefertiti.  Although his aunt worked hard at loving him and giving him a secure life as his surrogate parent; Bruce never was far from the pain that his mother’s actions brought into his life.  Bruce had suffered from a mood disorder most of his life and his behavior sometimes had characteristics of a real ‘beast”.  His anger could be over the top and after years of therapy and changes in various medications; he had decided not to medicate.  As a result; he hid himself away from the world.

Nefertiti on the other hand was the only child of two loving parents and a “Daddy’s Girl” at heart.  She did not understand why Bruce had suddenly become indifferent towards her affections.  She was hurt and offended by his change of heart towards her. 

Nefertiti always had a love of art and was very talented.  She majored in fine arts in college and ended up the owner of several well-known art galleries in the area.  She eventually met and fell in love with someone and planned to marry her fiance when tragedy struck this beauty. 

Bruce Maxwell was determined to make a success of his life and worked hard in the business world amassing riches beyond anyone’s imagination.  His only interest was his business that he ran from Maxwell Manor, his opulent mansion on the outskirts of Chicago; that was until his beautiful Nefertiti was brutally attacked and knifed in a break-in at her home.  The thief did not expect her to be there and the beating left her near-death.  She also was scarred for life.  Bruce was enraged and for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself the privilege of acting on his feelings.

Bringing his beauty home to Maxwell Manor where she would be safe until her attacker’s day in court arrived; the couple were thrown together with no other option than to examine the feelings that they always had for one another.  The love story that ensues is beautiful and tender.         The story line also takes the reader on the trail of drug dealers, the world of stolen art and murder.  It is a love story combined with drama, mystery and suspense.  It is not your average fairy tale.

The author explores the meaning of beauty and how much it matters when there is true love.  She also brings awareness to anxiety and mood disorders and how this issue is dealt with in the African American community.  Beauty And The Beast kept me on edge, reading long into the night.  I was delighted with the ending and look forward to more stories by Deatri King-Bey.  This sister can really tell a story.  I know you will love this novel as much as I did.

My recommendation; buy this book!