Good Morning Kossacks and Welcome to Morning Open Thread (MOT)
We're known as the MOTley Crew and you can find us here every morning between 6:30 and 7:00. Feel free to volunteer to take a day - permanent or just once in awhile. With the autopublish feature you can set it and forget it. Quite often the diarist de jour shows up much later, that's the beauty of Open Thread...it carries on without you! Just let us know in the comments. You can click on the Morning Open Thread "heart" if you'd like us to show up in your stream every day.
Miscellany first.
A huge thank you to all the diarists for the 1 in 6 Blogathon for Feeding America this weekend:
noweasels, teacherken, TheFatLadySings, JayinPortland, bluejerseymom, Timroff, rb137, JanF, Aji, Patric Juillet, Chacounne, and boatsie
Many thanks to all who tipped and rec'd those diaries posts and to those who could spare a little something to drop into the pot. I also know there are many from this site who volunteer in many many ways to help feed the hungry and who support their local food banks, homeless shelters and the like. All of you are my heroes.
Our MOTley crew heroine, Fiddlegirl deserves some major kudos. She's very recently completed chemotherapy and began radiation treatment a couple of weeks ago. Throughout this process she has remained upbeat and positive, providing a shining example of courage and grace. On Saturday, Fiddlegirl participated with the Nashville Symphony team in the local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5 mile walk. She not only raised over $600.00 for research, but she jogged, yes I said Jogged!! most of the way. Fiddlegirl: We.Are.All.So.Proud.Of.You.
I am sorry to report sad racing news from Sunday. Indianapolis 500 winner, 33 year old Dan Wheldon died in a 15 car wreck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On Lap 13, just outside turn 2, his car flew over another and smashed into the wall.
“IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries,” IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. IndyCar, its drivers and owners, have decided to end the race. In honor of Dan Wheldon, the drivers have decided to do a five-lap salute to in his honor.”
Wheldon dead after massive 15-car wreck sends cars flying at Las Vegas IndyCar race Hat tip to Phil S 33 for the email alert to this story.
MOT regulars, eeff and gulfgal98 are big race fans and I am sorry for your heavy hearts at this loss. (moment of silence in honor of Dan Wheldon)
Jupiter Hammon was born on this day in 1711 and was a slave his entire life. He lived most of his life in Huntington, Long Island. He was first owned by merchant Henry Lloyd, lord of the Manor of Queen's Village (now Lloyd's Neck), and later to Joseph Lloyd, an American patriot who moved to Hartford, Connecticut during the Revolution. Hammon returned to Lloyd Neck as a slave to Joesph's grandson.
Hammond's father, called Opium, was able to read and write and Jupiter learned as well and was allowed to use his master's library. On Christmas Day, 1760, he published his first poem, "An Evening Thought" making him the first African-American published writer in America. He subsequently published other poems and a prose as well. The date of Jupiter Hammon's death is unknown, but he was living in 1790 at the age of 79, and died by 1806.
Black Poetry Day was proposed in 1970 by Stanley A. Ransom of Huntington, who wanted to recognize the contributions African Americans have made to American life and culture. It is yet to be proclaimed formally a state holiday, but it is celebrated all over the state of New York. Oregon has already proclaimed October 17 as Black Poetry Day.
Langston Hughes is one of my favorite African American poets:
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
I, too, am America.
~ Langston Hughes
My most favorite is Maya Angelou who wrote and read the Inaugural Poem: On The Pulse Of Morning for President Clinton's first term. I'll bet most all of you remember watching this live:
Let the Jibber Jabber begin.