Today is a very special day for a very special person, my father!

He turns 87 years young today and I wanted to take a moment to tell you happy birthday, Dad, and to let you know that I love you. Without you, obviously, there is no me, but you are my hero for putting the love of our people, history and culture into me at an early age.

I know it doesn’t seem like it with all the resistance I gave you as a youngster. You took me to museums, historical road trips, lectures, even paid me $10 per chapter I read in history books. Still, I didn’t have the same fire, but you didn’t give up and eventually the seeds you planted germinated and grew.

Thank you!

You often talk about our people having a great awakening in the age of information. I’m positive being 87 years old and living through all the decades and witnessing the hell we’ve been through has to be an incredible lens to view 2016 from.

I love to hear you speak on our history, where you think we are going and the insights you give because I know it comes from experience and wisdom.

The best moments of my adult life are coming home, sitting at the kitchen table and chopping up the world, our history and our people with you.

Hope you enjoy the books I sent you, the Autobiography of Malcolm X and Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey. You couldn’t remember if you read X’s autobiography or you said if you did, it was too many decades ago and I thought you’d enjoy the Garvey book. I’m reading them as well, so when I get home for the holidays, we are heading straight to the kitchen table to discuss and solve the ills of the world.

Before I cry all over this keyboard, let me just say one more time. I love you and happy birthday!

BONUS:

My nephew is an amazing young man and he took my Dad to see the movie “Birth of a Nation”, then did a live video of his review. Here it is below for your enjoyment. He also delves into various experiences he has had in his life, his perspective on slavery, Jim Crow times and more.

Be sure to wish him a happy birthday and let us know what you think of his rant, I mean review.