Connecting the Black Dots
BOBSA Newsletter
February 2019
Volume V, Issue 1
Special Edition
Celebrating Black History Month

BOBSA in 2008
The BOBSA organization has come a long way since its beginnings 15 years ago in 2004 in Oakland and continues to grow even stronger today!

Michelle Carter
Editor
Sarah Breedlove bka Madame C.J. Walker
An African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a political and social activist. After suffering from a scalp ailment that resulted in her own hair loss, she invented a line of African American hair care products in 1905. ‘Madam CJ Walker Wonderful Hair Grower.’ A line that gave her great notoriety and made her millions. She even had her hand in improving the hot comb by widening the teeth of the comb to accommodate black hair. Amazing, Brilliant and Relentless are definitely adjectives that could be used to describe this amazing woman. Madam CJ Walker, today we speak your name and appreciate your contribution.#28daysofblackbeauty #beautyisourbusiness #ellasbeautymart #westofatl #blackownedbeautysupplystore #smallbusiness #blackownedbusiness #westsideofatlanta #beautysupplystore #beautysupply #buybacktheblock #buybackthehood #beauty
Madame C. J. Walker
Michelle Carter
Editor
Perils of Children Born in Prison
In Louisiana, black women were put in cells with male prisoners and some became pregnant. In 1848, legislators passed a new law declaring that all children born in the penitentiary of African American parents serving life sentences would be property of the state. The women would raise the kids until the age of ten, at which point the penitentiary would place an ad in the newspaper. Thirty days later, the children would be auctioned off on the courthouse steps 'cash on delivery.' The proceeds were used to fund schools for white children. Many of [the black children] were purchased by prison officials.”

Source: American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer
Michelle Carter
Editor
Michelle Carter
Editor
Muhammad Ali and Family
Muhammad Ali and his younger brother Rahman Ali, with their grandmother. Surely, Ali's grandmother was very proud of her tall and handsome grandsons.
Michelle Carter
Editor
Marian Anderson and DAR
Concert Soloist Marian Anderson
The Daughters of the American Revolution proudly practices a non-discrimination policy and encourages and celebrates diversity in our organization. However, in 1939, opera singer Marian Anderson was denied the opportunity to perform in DAR Constitution Hall because of her race. Conversely, thanks to Eleanor Roosevelt, she subsequently performed an historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 75,000 people. Afterwards, the DAR recognized the need for change and Marian Anderson sang at Constitution Hall on a number of occasions.
In further evidence of changing times, Linda Nance, president of the Annie Malone Historical Society, was invited last week to talk about Annie Malone. To the right President Linda Nance is pictured with Linda Kavensky of the Olde Towne Fenton Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. President Nance received a beautiful plaque following her presentation about Annie Malone on Saturday, Feb. 2nd.

Michelle Carter
Editor
Civil Rights Movement in Canada
Viola Irene Desmond (July 6, 1914 – February 7, 1965) was a Canadian businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent. In 1946 she challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia by refusing to leave a whites-only area of the Roseland Theatre. For this she was convicted of a minor tax violation for the one-cent tax difference between the seat she had paid for and the seat she used, which was more expensive. Desmond's case is one of the most publicized incidents of racial discrimination in Canadian history and helped start the modern civil rights movement in Canada.

Michelle Carter
Editor
Viola Irene Desmond
First Graduating Class from Spelman
Because Atlanta would not open a black public high school until 1924, the first generation of Spelman students enrolled in courses equivalent to high school instruction. In 1887, Spelman awarded its first diplomas at this level. Two women received the school's first baccalaureate degrees in 1901.

Michelle Carter
Editor
Celebrating 28 Days of Excellence in the Beauty Industry

Today @ellasbeautymart would like to appreciate the hard work, tenacity and contributions Nathaniel, Arther and Emma Bronner.

Nathaniel and Arthur Bronner, with the help of their sister, Emma Bronner, started Bronner Bros. in 1947 as a way to teach cosmetology at the local YMCA. A vision that has since evolved and expanded to having one of America’s most famous beauty brands! The company even produces an International Beauty Show which is the largest gathering of multicultural beauty professionals in the U.S., pulling in 22,000 attendees and 300 exhibitors.

All this stemmed from just one thought, one desire and mission to educate future cosmetologists. Today, the Bronner Bros. Enterprise consists of Bronner Bros. Beauty Products, which include BB, African Royale, 4Naturals, Tropical Roots and NuExpressions products continuing the family’s rich legacy. Driven and focused are definitely adjectives that could be used to describe this amazing family. @bronnerbros today we speak your name and appreciate your contribution. #28daysofblackbeauty #beautyisourbusiness #ellasbeautymart #westofatl #blackownedbeautysupplystore #smallbusiness #blackownedbusiness #westsideofatlanta #beauty #buybacktheblock #buybackthehood #beautysypplystore #beautysupply

Michelle Carter
Editor