Black history: The Black Paris Blog

The Black Paris blog, hosted by blogger Monique Y. Wells, profiles contemporary and historical Black people resident in Paris. Monique also explores the history of people of African heritage in Paris.

She is one of the bloggers I have interviewed in Secrets of the Black Bloggers. Download your copy today.

See also: The Black Blogger as Modern Griot.

See also: Black Women in Europe.

Black Blogger: Black Women in Europe

Adrianne George of the Black Women in Europe blog is one of the most helpful and creative bloggers I have met online. I am very pleased to have been able to interview Adrianne about Black Women in Europe in my new ebook Secrets of the Black Bloggers.

It is so important for us as people of African heritage to celebrate one another’s achievements and contributions. We can learn so much from each other.

The Black Women in Europe blog consistently seeks out and acknowledges the achievements of Black women.

Like all the bloggers interviewed in Secrets of the Black Bloggers, Adrianne talks about

- what to blog about
- how often to blog
- how to get traffic to your blog

and much more.

To read my interview with Adrianne, click here to download your copy of Secrets of the Black Bloggers now.

Plus click here for an audio interview with Adrianne about Black Women in Europe.

Click here to read about the Black blogger as modern griot.

Enjoy!

Black History: African American Entertainment Entrepreneurs

I have posted this blog to acknowledge and to celebrate African American entrepreneurs who made their names in the entertainment field, and achieved great success at a time when few opportunities existed for Black people.

People who provided employment and training for African Americans, helped Black performers to forge successful careers, and contributed to the financial prosperity of the Black community.

Don Cornelius, producer and presenter of Soul Train, was one of the first African American entrepreneurs whose business operated without white backing.

Click here to watch a video about Don Cornelius.

Berry Gordy founded the Motown empire. He had worked in a car factory himself, and based Motown on the way the automobile factories operated.

Click here to read more about Berry Gordy and the legend that is Motown.

Oscar Micheaux was the first African American to make a feature film. He promoted African American actors from 1919/20 onwards. Click here to read more about Oscar Micheaux's life and work.

Plus click here for free advice from Black business experts.

This blog contains hundreds of Black history resources. To locate them, just type "Black history" into the search box.

The Publishing Revolution

These days, people often ask me what I think the future will hold for writers and publishers.

For more about this, click here for an interview with Adrianne George of Black Women in Europe.

And click here for more interviews.

Plus click here for more about Secrets of the Black Bloggers.

The Black Blogger as Modern Griot

I am delighted to announce the launch of my new ebook, Secrets of the Black Bloggers.


The griot was part of an ancient oral tradition in areas of West Africa from which many of our ancestors originated.

If you have seen Roots or read the book, you will know a little bit about the griot.

The role of the griot was to remember the history and customs of the community, and to share them orally with others in the village or clan, passing them down to the next generation. So the griot was vital in helping the community to define its identity.

During slavery times, although forbidden to read or write, our ancestors still managed to record their stories – either by memory or through scribbling away in secret.

We are fortunate to have access to many of their words today.

In the 21st century, bloggers fulfil the functions of the griot. We record the lives and experiences of our people digitally. Living in the information age, we can now share our words globally.

We record the doings of our people, our lives and the events which affect us – be they local, national or global.

As February is recognized as Black History Month in the U.S.A., we are particularly called upon to recall our history, comment on it and share it.

There are always forces at work striving to eradicate our history, our memories and, in truth, our lives.

Yet many Black bloggers, by putting the news and views of the community at the forefront of our work, ensure that our history continues to remain alive. The news and opinions we blog about today are a living history, which continues to inform a larger and larger readership.

The 16 bloggers I have interviewed in Secrets of the Black Bloggers are continuing this tradition of the griot. Writing our stories. Sharing our truths.

What may be different is that we comment in ways that are unashamedly biased and opinionated. Every voice has a place, and every blogger has the freedom to express his or her point of view.

I am sure you will enjoy Secrets of the Black Bloggers as much as I have. These bloggers will entertain, inform and inspire you.

Please leave your comments below.

This blog contains hundreds of Black history resources.  Go here to check out some of my Black history blogs.