This small 2003 collection of essays, now alas out of print, had its origins in two incidents, somewhat related, and which also turned out to be the start of something bigger, at least for me. In the first, I proposed to the Publications Committee of Friends General Conference (FGC), the “liberal” association of U. S. … Continue reading Shaggy Locks & Birkenstocks: wandering through recent Quaker history
Let’s see: Racism & U. S. History. 1776 or 1619? The New York Times, or Trump’s “Patriotic Education” commission? The truth is rising, or the sky is falling? Pick your side, get in line, join the Culture War’s latest rehearsal for Armageddon. Really? As some once-legendary movie mogul once said of another sketchy deal, “Include … Continue reading U. S. Black History: 1619, 1776, or What? How About 1962?
[Details on a live performance of “The Spirit of Harriet Tubman” 0n June 27 are below. Spread the word!] During much of the 1850s, Harriet Tubman, felt almost like a prisoner. She lived in Canada, just a few miles west of the U. S. border at Niagara Falls. She was safe there, but itchy to … Continue reading The “Spirit of Harriet Tubman” is Ready to speak Again
George Moses Horton: A Biographical Sketch & several poems; from local sources George Moses Horton George Moses Horton (1797-1893) could rightly be called North Carolina’s first professional poet. Born enslaved by Chatham County yeoman farmer William Horton, young George Moses Horton loved the rhyming sounds of hymns, and yearned to be able to read.
Bob McGahey, the Clerk of SAYMA (Southern Appalachian Yearly Meeting & Association), saw what was coming at last week’s 2021 annual sessions. What did he see? Trouble & woe. How do I know? Because he said so, in a Clerk’s letter sent out as the group was gathering (mostly in Zoom) last week. The key … Continue reading SAYMA 2021: The Post-Mortem