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Juneteenth 2009.
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| Article Type: | Poem |
| Author: | Johnson-Redd, Larry Ukali |
| Pub Date: | 11/01/2010 |
| Publication: | Name: Journal of Pan African Studies Publisher: Journal of Pan African Studies Audience: Academic Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Social sciences Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 Journal of Pan African Studies ISSN: 0888-6601 |
| Issue: | Date: Nov, 2010 Source Volume: 4 Source Issue: 1 |
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| Accession Number: | 306754366 |
| Full Text: |
Larry Ukali Johnson-Redd (ljredd52@aol.com) has a B.A. in Political
Science and Ethnic Studies (University of San Francisco), a M.P.A.
(Golden Gate University), an administrative credential, and a M.A. in
Educational Administration (San Francisco State University). He is also
the author of The Black Expatriate in Africa (1982), Journey to the
Motherland: From San Francisco to Benin City (2002), History to Destiny
Through Afrocentric Poetry (2003), Loving Black Women (2006), and Long
Distance Love (2010), an autobiographical love story about a struggling
writer-school administrator who travels to Nigeria after a 24 year
absence. In the context of Long Distance Love this poet, writer and school administrator sits in his principal or site leader's office and dreams about returning to Nigeria and writing a new novel. A good Nigerian friend then decides to introduce him to his niece in Lagos, Nigeria. The relationship blossoms online, through the telephones and through letters. Ukali travels to Nigeria for the first time in 24 years to meet his lovely fiance to be. While he waits and goes through the finance visa process, he writes some of the most beautiful poetry ever written while professing his love to Ese. Ese is younger than Ukali. Eventually a visa is given after 4 years and his young fiance arrives, only to get cold feet and returns to Nigeria. While in Nigeria Ukali flies to his beloved Benin City and upcountry to a village called Ubiaja in Edo State in Nigeria, 80 miles up country where he runs into twin politician friends whom he had not seen for 24 years. What a friend's reunion! How do you think this story ends? One will need to read to the conclusion to see how this autobiographical love story of an African-American and a Nigerian unfolds. The book and other resources by the author can be accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nttathrdpsr1? encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field- author=Larry%20Ukali%20Johnson- Redd http://www.youtube.com/user/ukalitheafrican http://www.blackplanet.com/your page/videos/ index.html?profile id=39945499&profile name= Ukal2003&user id=39945499&username=Ukal2003 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPz7xAnLF9M http://www.nathanielturner.com/larryuklaijohnsonreddtable.htm Juneteenth 2009 To the mighty 3/5ths unequal The mighty Juneteeth People This is Our special day To say In our special way We are here and Obama, Obama, Obama leads the way With Michelle In the white house today Through trials And great tribulation We fought on for Our Black liberation To the mighty 3/5ths unequal Listen and learn well Hear me my people Love or at least respect Everyone No matter where they come from Embrace Black Self Love My beautiful people So we can be alive and have a sequel for our ancestors from Africa To our ancestors all over America No Chains on our Hands and feet They even say We are free To the mighty Juneteeth People We will be equal And Obama, Obama, Obama is our sequel This is our story Our days of Black Glory You and Me--WE Are Black History |
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