What does it take to be first? Guts, smarts, bravery
‘Brave. Black. First.’ author
Cheryl Willis Hudson. Stephan
Hudson
Caribbean Life, May 29-June 4, 2020 25
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Step right up.
When you want to be first
in line, that’s what you have to
do: get in place at the head, let
everybody else queue behind
you, and lead them forward.
You might have to show them
how it’s done. You might have
to show some responsibility.
Or, as in the new book “Brave.
Black. First.” by Cheryl Willis
Hudson, illustrated by Erin K.
Robinson, you might have to
take some big risks.
Is it always good to be first?
You might think so: you often
get the best seat, the newest
things, the nicest choice in a
bunch of choices. But think
about this: sometimes, being
first is really hard. Sometimes,
it’s downright scary.
Take, for instance, Ruby
Bridges. When she was just six
years old, she became the first
Black child to attend what had
once been an all-white school.
She put on a brave face and
marched into the school building
but afterward, Ruby’s dad
lost his job and her grandparents
lost their farm because
she just wanted to go to school.
Still, Ruby continued going day
after day after day.
Being first might be a big
honor, as it was for Barbara Jordan,
“the first African American
elected to the Texas state
senate after Reconstruction,
and the first African American
woman elected to the…
House of Representatives.” And
then there’s Shirley Chisolm,
who was the first Black woman
elected to Congress and the
first Black woman to try to be
a Democratic candidate for the
office of President.
The first American athlete
to compete in the Olympics
while wearing a hijab was
Ibtihaj Muhammad. Ella Fitzgerald
was the first African
American to win Grammy
Awards. Phillis Wheatley
was America’s first Black
published poet. Ava DuVernay
was the first Black woman
to direct a film with $100
million budget. Basketballer
Sheryl Swoopes was the first
Black female player to land a
major shoe sponsorship. And
though she’s not the last in
this book of firsts, Michelle
Obama was America’s first
Black First Lady.
Sometimes, the easiest-tolearn
lessons come in the
smallest of doses. That’s certainly
the case inside “Brave.
Black. First.”
Indeed, this book leaps
into its subject matter with
no introduction, just biography,
which is something
young readers might appreciate
since it won’t overwhelm
them with too much information.
No, author Cheryl
Willis Hudson gives them
just enough to teach but also
enough to keep them curious
with a nice balance of biographies.
Women from all walks
of life, from many periods of
history, all age groups, and
with accomplishments in a
variety of fields are represented,
and Hudson includes tales
of adversity as well as those of
triumph. That, and drawsthem
in artwork by Erin K.
Ropbinson, makes this book
accessible and meaningful for
kids ages 8-to-12, and for boy
readers as well as for girls.
“Brave. Black. First.“ is
perfect if your child enjoys
quick reads that are easily
browsed and flipped-through.
It’s likewise great for the kid
who loves inspirational biographies,
so step right up.
“Brave. Black. First.”
by Cheryl Willis Hudson,
illustrated by Erin K. Robinson
c.2020, Crown $18.99 /
$24.99
Canada 128 pages
Book cover of ‘Brave. Black. First.’
Beenie Man, Bounty Killer
compete in first reggae
in-person Verzuz battle
By Nelson A. King
Jamaican reggae artistes
Bounty Killer and Beenie Man
competed against each other on
Instagram Live on Saturday in
the first reggae and in-person
Verzuz battle, according to media
reports.
CNN reported on Saturday
that “the latest Verzuz” between
the popular artistes “was the
party everyone expected, as the
two artists battled in person in
Jamaica.
“It was the first time two musicians
competed physically, as the
previous Verzuz battles were all
virtual,” CNN said. “Beenie Man
and Bounty Killer came ready
with coordinated outfits, each
with their own DJs and a dancer.
“This is how we represent the
culture,” CNN quoted Bounty
Killer as saying at the end of the
two-hour live stream, as he and
Beenie Man sang the legendary
Bob Marley’s “One Love.” “At the
end of the day, it’s a musical
sport.”
Over 450,000 people tuned in
Saturday, including Barbadian
singing sensation Rihanna and
Jamaican Olympic gold medalist
Usain Bolt, CNN said.
It said Beenie Man also
became “a meme for his energetic
dance moves.”
At one point, the police
showed up, according to the
artistes.
The country has a curfew,
beginning at 8 pm, said CNN
referring to information from
the US Embassy in Jamaica.
“No, no, we not stop now,”
Beenie Man said as the livestream
continued for another
hour, according to CNN.
It said Jamaica currently has
more than 500 cases of coronavirus.
CNN said Beenie Man and
Bounty Killer’s battle was “part
of an ongoing series by producers
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland
as a way to entertain fans during
quarantine.”
It said prior battles featured
rappers Nelly and Ludacris,
singers Erykah Badu and Jill
Scott, as well as singer-producers
Teddy Riley and Babyface.