Brother Dr. George Washington Carver: The "Peanut" Man

Hol' up! Let me tell you people something, especially White people. no offense. just real talk, here). George Washington Carver did NOT invent friggin' peanut butter! The makers of Jif did. Look, this man wasn't a food manufacturer. He was a scientific genius, a true innovator. So, let us dispel this untruth by looking at some of his accomplishments, shall we? All of which you either use, have used or will use at some time in your life or know someone who does. Not to mention the fact that he declined an invitation to work for a salary of more than $100,000 a year (almost a million today) to continue his research on behalf of his countrymen. profiters of peanut butter, as highly vendible as it is, would NEVER DO THAT! Here we go...

 As an agricultural chemist, Carver discovered three hundred uses for peanuts and hundreds more uses for soybeans, pecans and sweet potatoes. He suggested to southern farmers to help them economically were his recipes and improvements to/for: adhesives, axle grease, bleach, buttermilk, chili sauce, fuel briquettes, ink, instant coffee, linoleum, mayonnaise, meat tenderizer, metal polish, paper, plastic, pavement, shaving cream, shoe polish, synthetic rubber, talcum powder and wood stain.and he only applied for 3 patents: cosmetics, plants, & stains.

Now, maybe it's me, but, I don't see jack shiggidy on this list about peanut butter. Do you? A. Know YOUR History; NOT HIS-story...real talk...inmymind...

John F. Kennedy once said, "Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities because, in each of us, there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength of the nation." He also said, "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." It's no wonder he's no longer here. He exercised honesty, wisdom, sensicality, & truth. 

So, what is education? Really? Is it an institution? Is it just something to do? Or is it fun-to-mental? There may be lots of answers to these questions; however, when it all boils down to it, in my mind, it is everything. To me, what you know can never be taken from you. You'll always know what you've learned, even if you don't remember everything 10 minutes from the time you learned it; it's something that YOU know. To KNOW something is to be made aware through personal observation or experience, inquiry or information. According to what is true, we learn something each & every day. Though not always new, we have learned, nonetheless.

With that being said, I'd like to delve into the issue of education in the United States. As an older, less traditional college student, I have to great privilege to offer years of what I know to a younger group. I offer what I know at every opportunity, including study habits, time management & a dedication to do my best, against the odds. Here's what I've found though, somewhere along the line, the ethics found in the essence of education has been lost. Sure, many college kids like to hang out & "kick it" but the students who know how to mix learning with pleasure seem to have fallen by the wayside. The dedication to oneself has drifted away.

Outside if the chance to earn higher pay after graduation, the only other reason that many student are attending college is because they were made to go. I think back to the images I saw on the bigscreen years ago, watching the hunger & thirst for education on young black & white faces. The protests, the sit-ins, the prayers...all engrossed a society of youth who were literally willing to give their lives just to be able to know. Today, there is no true concept of what education truly means. 

What you know can open the doors to what you do not know & thrust you into a world of many challenges, so don't be afraid to open your mind to your growth...inmymind...

“Finally, in our world and time when words of hope and change evaporate into business as usual, when peace is postponed for war, social programs put on hold, bankers bailed out and the poor erased from the agenda, Imani (Faith) offers a shield against despair, cynicism and paralyzing disappointment. Faith calls us to believe in the good we seek to create, to work for it, and to live it in our daily lives. Indeed, only in this way will we be able to repair and renew ourselves in the process and practice of repairing, rebuilding and renewing the world.”

“In the spirit of the steadfast faith of our ancestors, let us meditate on and give ever-deeper meaning in actual practice to this Kwanzaa wish of good and prayerful request of our ancestors: May we speak truth and do justice everywhere. May we always evaluate rightfully and not act in disregard of the sacred and the people. May we enter praised and leave loved everywhere we go. May our speech be wholesome and without blame or injury to others. May we reject evil and embrace joy. May we live a lifetime of peace. And may we pass in peace having done Maat and brought good in the world.”-Dr. Maulana Karanga

Heri za Kwanzaa (Happy Kwanzaa)

http://elev8.com/holidays-2011/elev8staff2/day-7-celebration-of-kwanzaa-imani-faith/