GIL SCOTT-HERON (1949–2011)…….was an American poet, musician, and social activist, known as a pioneer of spoken-word and hip-hop….his work blended jazz, soul, and funk with politically charged lyrics, addressing racism, inequality, and social justice…..his most famous piece…..The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1971)…..became a cultural anthem…..often called the “Godfather of Rap,” his influence extended to hip-hop and beyond…..despite personal struggles, his legacy remains in his music’s impact on activism and Black consciousness…..the Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is a satirical poem and Black Liberation song by Gil Scott-Heron……Scott-Heron first recorded it for his 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox….on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas and bongo drums…..a re-recorded version, with a 3 piece band, was the B-side to Scott-Heron’s first single….. “Home Is Where the Hatred Is”……from his album Pieces of a Man (1971)…..this recording was still sparsely instrumented, but now…….in addition to drums, featured a driving bassline played by Jerry Jemmott and, somewhat unconventionally…….a jazz-infused flute line by Hubert Laws throughout, acting as a countermelody to Heron’s passionately delivered spoken word vocal…..this sparse and rhythm-driven backdrop to Heron’s incisive vocal……held down by Bernard Purdie’s tight and explosive funk drumming……and eschewing thick chordal accompaniment, foreshadowed musical developments in hip-hop in the decade to come.

AMERICAN HERO…….Nelson Gant – Ex-enslaved, abolitionist, businessman, conductor on the Underground Railroad…..Gant was born into slavery on May 10, 1821, in Loudoun County, Virginia…….Gant spent his time as a slave as his master’s body servant…..in September 1845, upon his owner’s death……Gant received his freedom…..he spent the next year in Virginia, selling firewood…..he hoped to earn enough money to purchase his wife…..Anna Marie Hughes, who was a slave in Virginia…..before earning enough money to secure his wife’s freedom, Gant came to Zanesville, Ohio…..local abolitionists, especially Quakers, helped Gant raise money to purchase his wife…..finally, in February 1847, Gant secured his wife’s freedom from her owner in Leesburg, Virginia…..the reunited Gants settled in Zanesville……Nelson Gant eventually owned three hundred acres of land……Gant earned a living as a farmer, but he also owned a saltlick and a coal mine…..the Gants enrolled their children in Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. …..the Gants also actively assisted fugitive slaves on the Underground Railroad……Nelson Gant eventually sold twenty acres of land to the Townsend Brick Company,…..which turned the land into a public park…..this property became Gant Park, and it is now the home of Municipal Stadium in Zanesville.

DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL……in the 1930s was a beacon of Black excellence,…..standing as a symbol of educational and cultural achievement for African Americans during a time of racial segregation and discrimination…..located in Washington, D.C., Dunbar was one of the premier schools for Black students in the country……renowned for its rigorous academic programs and its commitment to producing scholars, artists, and leaders….who would go on to shape the nation…..despite the challenges posed by systemic racism…..Dunbar High School provided a supportive environment where African American students could excel and prepare for successful futures…..during the 1930s, Dunbar High School’s reputation for academic excellence attracted some of the brightest Black minds in the country…..the schools’ faculty included some of the most educated and dedicated teachers in the nation…..many of whom had attended prestigious universities…..the curriculum emphasized a well-rounded education, and students were exposed to subjects like mathematics, science, history, and literature…..all taught at a level on par with the best schools of the time…..the schools’ alumni included future civil rights leaders, doctors, lawyers, and educators who played pivotal roles in the advancement of African American communities and beyond…..beyond academics, Dunbar High School was also a center for cultural and artistic achievement…..the students engaged in various extracurricular activities, including music, drama, and athletics……which helped to foster a sense of community and pride….the legacy of Dunbar in the 1930s remains a testament to the resilience, talent, and determination of African Americans……during a time when opportunities were limited, and the schools’ history continues to inspire those who seek to make a difference through education and excellence

THE GREATEST BASKETBALL TEAM EVER…..

The Dunbar Poets are considered by many to be the greatest high school basketball team of all time…..the team’s 1981–82 season ended with a 29–0 record……and the 1982–83 season ended with a 31–0 record……and a national ranking of first by USA Today.

THE TEAM INCLUDED:

• Muggsy Bogues: The shortest player in NBA history, Bogues was the team’s MVP as a senior.

• Reggie Williams: The National High School Player of the Year, Williams went on to play in the NBA.

• Reggie Lewis: A future NBA All-Star, Lewis came off the bench for the team.

• David Wingate: A defensive presence in college and the NBA.

• Gary Graham (UNLV), Tim Dawson (Miami), Keith James (UNLV), Darryl Woods (Virginia Union), Jerry White

Coach Bob Wade, a former NFL player from the neighborhood, coached the team.

The team’s success helped to provide a way out for poor kids from the housing projects::::with the opportunity to earn a college scholarship or even play in the NBA.

THE GULLAH…..are an African American ethnic group who predominantly live in the Lowcountry region of the U.S. states of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina….. within the coastal plain and the Sea Islands……the Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the rice, indigo and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast…..many came from the rice-growing region of West Africa…..the nature of their enslavement on isolated island and coastal plantations…..created a unique culture with deep African retentions…..that are clearly visible in the Gullah Geechee people’s distinctive arts, crafts, foodways, music, and language……Gullah Geechee is a unique, creole language spoken in the coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida…..the Gullah Geechee language began as a simplified form of communication among people who spoke many different language……including European slave traders, slave owners and diverse, African ethnic groups…….he vocabulary and grammatical roots come from African and European languages…..it is the only distinctly, African creole language in the United States……and it has influenced traditional Southern vocabulary and speech patterns.