My blog friend, Michael Bowen, at Cobb, has written a touching entry about the death of one of the longest term bloggers of color, Aaron Hawkins, the blogosphere's very own Uppity Negro. Michael says he did not know Aaron well, but considered him one of his blogfathers. I wish to second that sentiment. Aaron added my blogs to his blogroll soon after I moved from guest blogging to being independent. I could always depend on him to promote any civil rights related topic he became aware of or I emailed him about. I was also a reader of his entries, particularly about music and culture. As some of you may have noticed, in recent months, I have begun writing more often about the topic myself. Part of the credit for that belongs to our departed comrade. Through his entries the relationship between African-American culture and its music became more clear to me. Often, what is not being said in print media or books, is being said in the music. I lack the strong sense of music history that Aaron brought to his entries about music, but will attempt to carry part of the tradition he began on.
One of the vintage soul songs I listened to on my iPod, Titaness, earlier this evening was Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "Choice of Colors."
First stanza
If you had a choice of colors,Which one would you choose my brothers?
If there was no day or night
Which would you prefer to be right?
How long have you hated your white teacher
Who told you you love your black preacher?
Do you respect your brother's woman friend?
And share with black folks not of kin?
Chorus
People must prove to the peopleA better day is coming for you and for me.
With just a little bit more education
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Article comments
1 - Hashim
I was a constant reader of his site. His death hit me in the chest because in there's many degrees of connection between us.
2 - Eric Olsen
Mac, very well done. This is absolutely stunning, terrible news. I corresponded a fair amount with Aaron, though not for some time now, and although we disagreed on much we connected on music and he was very encouraging when I began blogging, saying writing is more important than ideology. A very fine and humane writer - I am shocked and very very saddened.
3 - Dawn
Very touching post Mac. It's always sad when someone from the "family" is gone.
While my first encounter with Aaron was a tumultuous one, after a fair amount of correspondence I came to respect him for the differences we shared. He was exceptionally intelligent, an excellent writer and erudite on just about EVERYTHING.
He always struck me as a man possessing a troubled mind - troubled by the world and unwilling to come to terms with it as he understood it.
I hope maybe now he has found peace. Blessings to his family and friends.
4 - Mac Diva
Some blogs will be changing their mastheads to temporarily read "This is an Uppity Negro fan site" in honor of Aaron's death. I had the same idea, but used Aaron's name instead. Mac-a-ro-nies will be "an Aaron Hawkins fan site" for a while. Last but not least, I have asked a couple of noted academics in black studies to visit Uppity Negro and read Aaron's archives. Hopefully, some of his material will live on in book form.
5 - Eric Olsen
those are good ideas