Kamora Freeland, an aviator.

Staten Island’s Kamora Freeland, 17, now one of the youngest licensed Black pilots, recently earned her private pilot’s license. “I have a passion for it, and I love it,” she said.

Freeland, a senior at Kingsborough Early College High School, passed solo and cross-country flight tests, even flying her mom to Martha’s Vineyard.

Freeland heads to Spelman in fall, aiming for a commercial pilot’s license next… (African-American History).

BERLIN 1936.

In the heat of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where the world watched through a lens of tension and nationalism, a remarkable story of friendship and sportsmanship unfolded between two athletes who should have been rivals. Carl “Luz” Long, a German long jumper, was not only competing on home soil but under the watchful eye of the Nazi regime, which sought to showcase Aryan superiority.

But what happened next would defy all expectations.

During the long jump event, Jesse Owens, the African American athlete whose presence was a direct challenge to Nazi ideology, fouled his first two jumps. With just one chance left to qualify, the pressure was immense. It was in this critical moment that Luz Long, rather than standing by, offered Owens some advice on adjusting his takeoff mark.

This small act of kindness from a supposed rival was nothing short of extraordinary. Owens took the advice, and the result? He not only qualified but went on to win the gold medal, setting an Olympic record in the process. Long, who had secured the silver medal, was the first to congratulate Owens, embracing him in full view of the spectators and Nazi officials.

Their friendship didn’t end at the stadium; they corresponded for years after the Olympics, with Long’s letters to Owens expressing a deep respect and camaraderie that transcended borders and ideologies. Unfortunately, Luz Long would later be killed in World War II, but the legacy of his sportsmanship lives on, a powerful reminder that humanity and decency can thrive even in the darkest of times.

This story isn't just about athletics; it's about the triumph of the human spirit over prejudice and the unexpected bonds that can form in the most unlikely of places… (Credit Goes To The Respective Owner).

This Monday, November 4 of 2024 ❤Quincy Jones, the music producer and composer, has died at the age of 91.R.I.P.

His publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed Jones died at his Los Angeles home on Sunday surrounded by his family.

In a statement, his family said: "Tonight, with full but #broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones's passing”.

And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him…

He was the musical genius behind Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and his arrangement of "Fly Me to the Moon" made Frank Sinatra world famous. Now the legendary composer and producer Quincy Jones has died at the age of 91… (Various authors).

HAPPY 68th BIRTHDAY to Dianne Reeves!

Dianne Reeves can effortlessly sing in whatever style she wants with her far-reaching range, whether it’s rhythm-and-blues, gospel, Latin or pop. But jazz always was—and continues to be—her musical foundation.

Born in Detroit and raised in Denver, Colorado, Reeves became interested in music as a result of her family’s rich musical atmosphere and growing up in an era where musical boundaries were less rigid than they are today. She was introduced to jazz through her uncle, Charles Burrell, a classical and jazz bassist, who gave her lots of records, including those by an early influence, Sarah Vaughan. She began singing and playing piano at age 12 under the mentorship of her choir teacher, Bennie Williams, and became a member of her high school jazz band. Upon winning a national competition, the band traveled to Chicago in 1973 to perform at the National Association of Jazz Educators Conference, and she came to the attention of Clark Terry, who hired her to sing with him later that year.

In 1977, Reeves moved to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. Founding members of Earth, Wind of Fire and fellow Denver denizens, Philip Bailey and Larry Dunn, coaxed Reeves to come to LA where she immediately found a great deal of session work waiting for her. She was featured in the band Caldera with Eduardo del Barrio, co-founded the fusion group Night Flight with Billy Childs, and toured extensively with Sergio Mendes.

In 1981, she recorded her first album for Palo Alto Records. In 1983 Reeves moved to New York after she was invited to tour as the featured principal voice with Harry Belafonte, who presented Reeves to the world. In 1987, she was signed to Blue Note Records, whereupon she had her cousin, keyboard pioneer and jazz great George Duke, produce the first of many of her albums.

Stretching across genres, she performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Barenboim as well as with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. She has also recorded and performed as featured soloist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In 2002, she became the first creative chair for jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position designed to build the organization’s jazz presence in the community—in which it has greatly succeeded. Reeves was also featured in George Clooney’s acclaimed 2005 film Good Night, and Good Luck, whose soundtrack provided Reeves with the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. Reeves has won five Grammys to date, including the award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings. She is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the Berklee College of Music and the Juilliard School… (Source: NEA Jazz Masters).