Beyonce Knowles

My favorite artist was Beyonce Knowles. Beyonce was born September 4, 1981, born and raised in Houston Texas, the daughter of Matthew Knowles, a successful record manager, and Tina Beyince', a costume designer and hair stylist. Knowles father is African American and her mother is of Creole ( African American, Native American, and French) descent. Knowles was baptized after her mother's maiden name, as a tribute to her mother and to prevent the name from becoming obsolete, since only a few of a Beyince males carry the name. Her maternal grandparents, Lumis Albert Beyince and Agnez Dereon, were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles. She is the eldest sister of Solange, a singer-songwriter and actress.

Beyonce is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She became a huge success after being in the group Destiny Child. Beyonce is intelligent. When she sings; she does it from the heart. I can relate to some of her music because she is real, honest and truthful. She teamed up with her mother and made a clothing line called House of Dereon. The clothes are cute and stylish and they have a meaning behind them. The concept is inspired by three generations of women in their family, with the name Dereon paying tribute to Knowles grandmother Agnez Dereon. She has a great voice.

Since Destiny's Child, Knowles has been artistically involved in her career. She co-wrote most of the songs recorded by the group, as well as her solo efforts. Known for writing personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions, she has stated that having Jay-Z in her life has changed a few of her thoughts about how men and women relate to one another. Some of her songs are autobiographical, which she has admitted are taken from personal experiences, as well as her friends'.
Although she does not formulate beats herself, she typically comes up with melodies and ideas during production, sharing them with producers. Knowles was recognized as a songwriter during the run of Destiny's Child in the 1990s and early to mid-2000s. She won the Songwriter of the Year award at the 2001 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards, becoming the first African-American female and second female songwriter of all time to accomplish the feat. Knowles received three songwriting credits in a single year for co-writing "Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It", the only woman to achieve since Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991.
By: Lanee G. Hill

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly poor black section of North Philadelphia, on July 12, 1937. He is one of four sons born to Anna Pearl, a maid and William Henry Cosby, Sr, a cook for the U.S. Navy. During much of his early childhood, Cosby's father was away in the U.S. armed forces and spent several years fighting in World War II. As a student, he described himself as a class clown. Cosby was the captain of the baseball and track & field teams at Mary Channing Wister Elementary School in Philadelphia as well as the class president. Early on though, teachers noted his propensity for clowning around rather than studying. At Glynn Academy, Cosby began acting in plays as well as continuing his devotion to playing sports. He went to Central High School, an academically challenging magnet school, but his full schedule of playing football, basketball, baseball, and running track made it hard for him. In addition Cosby was working before and after school, selling produce, shinning shoes, and stocking shelves at a supermarket to help out the family.

Cosby transferred to Germantown High School, but failed the tenth grade. Instead of repeating, he got a job as an apprentice at a shoe repair shop, which he liked, but could not see himself doing the rest of his life. Subsequently, he joined the Navy, serving at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Naval Station, Newfoundland and at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. While serving in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman for four years, Cosby worked in physical therapy with some seriously injured Korean War casualties, which helped him discover what was important to him. Then he immediately realized the need for an education, and finished his equivalency diploma via correspondence courses. he then won a track & field scholarship to Philadelphia's Temple University in 1961-62, and studied physical education while running track and playing fullback on the football team. Cosby also joined the school's chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.He earned an Ed.D. degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1976. For his doctoral research, he wrote a dissertation entitled “An Integration of the Visual Media Via "Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids" Into the Elementary School Curriculum as a Teaching Aid and Vehicle to Achieve Increased Learning”

Cosby is an comedian, philanthropist, and actor. To help support himself at Temple Cosby worked as a bartender in a local basement bar known as The Underground, which paid him five dollars a night plus his tips. His humor made him a popular bartender; consequently, when the regular stand-up comedian was absent, Cosby was asked to perform instead, that increased his regular income to $25 dollars each performance. Cosby became serious about comedy and prepared himself well for the jokes he would tell. he refused to tell dirty jokes but did add some racial quips. He was funny and had a natural "cool". He also borrowed material from such successful comedians as Dick Gregory, Lenny Bruce,Nipsey Russell, Flip Wilson, George Carlin, and Johnathon Winters.

In 1962, Bill Cosby began to take his talent elsewhere, he took it to New York City on weekends where he worked at the Gaslight Cafe in Green which Village starting at $60 dollars a week but in time he earned $175 dollars a week. His positive reviews by newspaper critics further increased his popularity, and he accepted a gig at Chicago's Gate of Horn for $200 a week. Now that Cosby felt like he was doing rather well financially, Cosby decided to ignore his mother's advice that she has always given him to get an education and left his athletic scholarship and Temple University in the middle of his junior year to go for bigger purses. In 1963 Cosby released Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow... Right, the first of a series of popular comedy album in 1964.
By: Lanee G. Hill

Marian Anderson

Doing research on Mary Anderson was quite interesting and exciting for me. Marian Anderson was a very unique person and singer as well. Being though she was born through some racial prejudice time she had some things she had to go through. What I can say she didn't give up at what she was doing. What made me want to research her was because she seem to be a very strong and determine person through her pictures. I said to myself I would like to learn more about her. To me, it seem to be a good learning experience. In this passage I will be discussing her background briefly, beginning of life, education, career time in Europe , middle of life time and end of life time, awards and legacy.


Marian Anderson was born on February 27, 1897 in Philadelphia Pa, and died in Portland Oregon on April 8, 1993. She was a singer with a gifted voice that was deep and vibrant. she one of the most recognized singers from the 20th century. Her voice had a quality of beauty. Between 1925-1965 Marian performed throughout the United States and Europe in concerts & recital major venues and orchestras. Anderson had become an important figure because of the struggle to overcome the racism in the united States in the mid 20th century. 1939 she was refused the permission to sing to an integrated crowd in Constitutional Hall by Daughter of the American Revolution. The racial refusal put her in the spotlight of the international community on level usually found by high profile celebrities and politicians. Also in 1939 with the help of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson performed on Easter Sunday on the steps of Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. to over 75,000 people and radio listeners audience was millions. Anderson continued to break the barriers for black singes and artist in the United States. 1960 during the Civil Rights Movement she became a important figure of beauty and grace. 1963 she sung at the march on Washington for Work& Freedom. Briefly letting you know what going on I will talk about the beginning of her life.


The oldest daughter of three born to John Berkly Anderson who was a truck loader and his own little liquor business and Annie Delilah Rucker who was a school teacher in Virginia. Her two sister Alice (1899-1965) and Ethel (1902-1990) were singers as well. Her sister Ethel had a son who is noted conductor James DePreist. Her parents were devoted Christians and went to the Union Baptist Church in South Philadelphia. That is where she was convince by her dad sister to join the junior choir at the age of 6. She had the opportunity to sing duets and solos. When she go in her teens she was paid four and five dollars for her singing which in her time considered to be a lot of money. She stared singing at a young age she was an educated individual to.


She attended Stanton grammar school and graduated in 1912. Her family couldn't afford to send her to high school, so she learned from who ever was willing to teach her. She also continued to perform while trying to learn. She joined Campfire Girls and Baptist Young People Union which provided her some musical opportunities. The pastor at the church she was attending and others from the community got together to raise money for her to get singing lessons with Mary S. Patterson and to attend South Philly High and she graduated in 1921. After high school she tried to apply for a all white music school and she was refused by a lady that said we don't accept people of color. Her principle was an help and introduced her to a talented music teacher Giuseppe Boghetti. She did an excellent performance for him that brought him to tears. She received private lessons from Giuseppe and Agnes Reifsynder with the support of her community. 1925 Anderson got the chance to perform and won a singing competition. As winner she got a chance to perform with an orchestra on August 27, 1925 a performance that scored immediate success. She remained in New York to pursue more studies with Frank LaForge and Arthur Judson who became her manger. Over the years she performed in a number of concerts but racism slowed her career from gaining. So she eventually went to Europe spent some months studying with Mme Charles Cahier. She also started a little career while over in Europe.


1930 she made her Europe debut concert in Wighor Hall in London where she did good she didn't have to worry about racist encounters. She met a pianist in Scandinavia while traveling name Kosti Vehanen who became her vocal coach. While in Europe she met and later had professionally partnered up with a guy name Jean Sibelius. They got to know one another and had become good friends. He liked and her singing and thought that it was very touching. They became partners and he wrote song for her to perform. 1934 she met a man name Sol Hurok who had offered her a better contract than the one she currently had with Arthur Judson. She took he opportunity and he became her manager for the rest of the time she was performing in Europe. Eventually he persuaded her to go back to America to perform. 1935 she performed in New York at Town Hall and received highly compliments from music critics. The next four years she continued touring in the US and Europe. Anderson and Vehanen traveled together and tour and the mid 1930's. She visited eastern Europe capitals and Russia and then returned back to Scandinavia where it was Marian fever because her singing traveled through out the small towns. She became a favorite to conduction of European orchestras and drew very large crowds.


During her mid life in World War 2 and the Korean war Anderson entertained the troops at bases and hospitals. July 17, 1943 in Bethel Connecticut Anderson became the second wife to architect Orpheus H. Fisher (1990-1986) also known as King she became step mom to his son James Fisher and they brought 100 acre farm in Danbury. January 7, 1955 she became the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. 1957 she performed for president Dwight Eisenhower intro to office and toured in India and Far East as a goodwill ti the US State Department and America National Theater and Academy. She traveled over 30,000 miles in 12 weeks performed 24 concerts. 1961 she sang for John F. Kennedy intro to office and in 1962 she performed for President John F. Kennedy and other important people in the east Room of the whit house and toured Australia. 1965 she retired from singing and still appeared in the public. Anderson achievements were very well recognized and she received many of awards like the UN Peace Prize in 1972, University of Penn Glee Club in 1973, Congressional Gold Medal in 1977, Kennedy Center Honor in 1978, George Peabody in 1981, National Medal of Arts in 1984, and Grammy Award for Lifetime achievement in 1991. !986 Anderson husband died after 43 years of marriage. She remained at their farm called Marianna until 1992, one year before her death. The property sold to developers but the city of Danbury fought to protect her studio and the effort was good and Danbury Museum & Historical society received a grant from the state of Connecticut and relocated and was restructed and opened for the public in 2004. 1993 Marian Anderson died at the age of 96 from a heart attack a moth after she had a stroke at the home she shared with her nephew James Depreist.The life of Marian Anderson has inspired many artist and writers who took the time to write plays and documentaries. She was listed as one of 100 Greatest African American by scholar Molefi Kete Asante.


In conclusion Marian Anderson made some of what history today. She had some task to achieve and she did it. She did not let anybody hold her back and tell what she couldn't do. She was a very determine individual. She showed people that she would come out on top even with the struggle she had. I admire her for that because there were many people who believed and still do believe that African Americans couldn't amount to anything and she one of the many African Americans that showed black people can do things also.

Sonia Sanchez

Hello my name is Samantha. My blog is about one of my favorite artist Sonia Sanchez. Sonia Sanchez is a great poet, mother, activist, professor, and international lecturer of women's liberation, peace, and racial peace.Wilsonia Berita Driver known as Sonia Sanchez was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Her Father was a musician and a teacher, that's where she gets her talent from. Her mother died when Sanchez was just a baby. She was raised by her grandmother who taught her strength and show her unconditional love. After her grandmother passed, at the age of six she started to write poetry.

When Sanchez was nine she and her older sister went to Harlem, New York to live with their father. After graduating high school she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Hunter College, She also took several creative writing courses. She did post - graduate work at New York University and studied poetry. Sanchez poems talks about the struggles and lives of blacks. Also about whites, men, women, different cultures. She has traveled to places like Africa, Cuba, England, The Caribbean, Australia, Norway, and even Canada reading her poetry. Because of her poetry she has won awards like The Outstanding Arts Award, The Peace and Freedom Award, and the Langston Hughes Poetry Award just to name a few.

She is not just a poet she is also a teacher. She has lectured at more than eight universities and five hundred colleges. In her lifetime she has author over a dozen books of poetry, published seven plays, three children books and two anthologies. Sanchez was a very influential part of the Civil Rights Movement and also the Black Arts Movement. Sonia Sanchez is considered one of the most important figures in African American Literature. She is now retired with three children and three grandchildren and is living in Philadelphia.

Aaliyah Haughton

In my blog today I will be talking about my favorite artist. My favorite artist is Aaliyah. She is my favorite artist because she is very pretty, she talented and she has her own style. Aaliyah was born in Brooklyn, New york January 16, 1979. She was the second and youngest child of Diane and Micheal Haughton. At a young age she received singing lesson by her mom. At the age of 5 her family moved to Detroit, Michigan where she was raised. She attended Catholic school Gesu Elementary and in when she was in the first grade she received a part in the stage play Annie.

Barry Hankerson is Aaliyah uncle from Blackground entertainment. She traveled with him and was able to audition for commercials and TV programs. At the age of nine she appeared on Star Search. She auditioned for several record labels and appeared with Gladys Knight at a concert when she was eleven. Aaliyah was signed to her uncle label and Jive records at the age of twelve. She then was introduced to R. Kelly who became her song writer and mentor. She had her first album "Age Aint Nothing But A Number" when she was fourteen. She married R. Kelly at the age of fifteen. Rumors started to fly which the two denied and in 1996 she left Jive records and signed to Atlantic records working with Timberland and Missy Elliott. She attended Detroit High school for Performing Arts majoring in drama and graduated in 1997 with a 4.0 GPA.

She began her career the same year she graduated and she played in New York Undercover. She was the youngest performer to appear at the 1998 Academy awards where she received an award for performing a cover version of Journey to the Past. She has been credited for helping define R&B and hip-hop and is named the Queen of Urban hip-hop. She has sold over millions of albums in her lifetime. She premiered in the Romeo Must die at the age of 20 and Queen of the Damned. Romeo Must Die ranked at $18.6 million in its first weekend. She served as a executive producer where she contributed of her songs. The video and song Try Again got her an Grammy award for Best Female R&B vocalist. She also earned Best Female Video and Best Video from a film at MTV video music award in 200

August 25, 2001 she died from a plane crash in Marsh Harbour, Albaco Islands(The Bahamas). It was due to heavy equipment loaded on the plane. It was stated that the pilot was intoxicated and had drugs in his system and he lied about his pilot license. She was in the Bahamas doing a video shoot for her song "Rock the Boat". August 31, 2001 her funeral took place at Ignatius Loyola Church in New York where over 800 mourners attended she was buried at Ferncliff.

It sad to say she left this earth at the age of 22. But if she still was living she would still be achieving ans succeeding. She was doing a great job at the time of her death.