Should any of us be surprised by Zoe Saldana’s recent (and too late) comments about her portrayal of Nina Simone in Cynthia Mort’s soon-to-be-released farce of a film, titled only “Nina”?

http://hiphollywood.com/2013/02/zoe-saldana-responds-to-backlash-over-her-role-as-nina-simone/

It’s not as if shooting of the film were going to wrap up and Zoe would suddenly be all over Twitter like, “OMG y’all guess what you were right I never should’ve accepted that role! I realized it as soon as I sat down in that makeup chair and they started slapping black(er)face and a cheap afro wig on me! Y’all were so right!!! OMG LULZ TTYL #BIOPICFAIL”

Ok, so that’s way too many characters for Twitter, but we should’ve expected nothing less than exactly what Zoe has said in her ego’s own defense. Media outlets lapping up her brief, empty, mindless statement as if she just delivered some deep, conscientious sermon from atop the mountain is laughable. What Zoe said is the equivalent to, “Screw the haters; Imma do me.”

How deep of you Zoe. How really, truly deep.

Then again, this is the same woman who in Ebony Magazine implied racism is dead in Hollywood simply because we have a black president. Furthermore, according to her, black women have no business sitting on their butts “complaining” because of all the opportunities they magically now have due to Obama. Given this, do we really expect her to grasp the subtleties of colorism? (The subtleties of colorism, mind you, from which she herself receives so much privilege and consideration.)

It’s also not as if we’d expect anything less from her costars other than heaps and heaps of praise being lauded upon Zoe and her performance and her singing ability:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/zoe-saldana-might-be-doing-her-own-singing-in-nina-simone-movie

What do we expect from anyone involved in the project other than pure, unadulterated support and promotion of the film they themselves starred in or worked on? Again, how deep – how unexpected – how newsworthy.

People are already divided on this. I’m not going to win anyone over by pointing out how Zoe should’ve never received this role in the first place and how that’s what we should still be discussing. People are going to hear that I’m saying Zoe isn’t “dark enough” to play Nina and cry foul and feign offense and demand political correctness. People will even go as far as saying that I shouldn’t say anything at all. Because it’s mean to Zoe, because I’m white, because I’m a male, because I’m incorrect. Some people will actually say critics should silence ourselves simply because they disagree with us. Have they ever listened to Nina Simone?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Zoe’s complexion is but a symptom of the greater, deeper, and more significant underlying problems with this film. The entire project is based upon lie after lie after lie. The fact Zoe landed the role and ended up in the makeup chair getting black(er)face applied to her is but an outward sign of the internal failures of Cynthia Mort’s artistic vision.

In every conceivable way, Cynthia Mort laid claim to Nina Simone’s identity and repurposed her in a manner that offended even Nina’s own daughter, Simone Kelly.  While folks are predictably going to defend Cynthia Mort’s right to do so, other folks are rightfully going to come to the defense of Nina Simone and demand better treatment for the High Priestess of Soul. Had Cynthia Mort not gentrified Nina Simone for whatever reasons Cynthia Mort justifies doing so, we would not be having this discussion. Whether she did it for financial backing or as an extension of her own ego, had Cynthia Mort approached the subject of Nina Simone with even a modicum of respect, we would’ve never been forced to look at Zoe Saldana in this role.

Now Zoe finally claims to have taken on this role out of what Nina Simone means to her and out of her love for Nina Simone. Zoe and I must have completely different definitions of this meaning and love.

Respecting Nina Simone means acknowledging Nina’s own words. It means you don’t take Safronia and slap a bunch of dark makeup and a cheap afro wig on her so that she can masquerade around as Peaches in “honor” of Nina Simone.

Nina Simone means you do justice to Peaches by letting Peaches be Peaches. Nina Simone doesn’t mean you continue to extend privilege to all the Safronias in the world simply because Safronia wants to be able to do whatever the hell Safronia wants to do without holding herself accountable for her actions (and without the world holding her accountable).

Nina Simone means you have insight, you have integrity, and you have more to say for your own actions than, “Screw all the haters; Imma do me.”

Having love for Nina Simone means you don’t contradict who Nina was as a woman in order to make a film about her. And it certainly means you don’t exclude and offend her own daughter in the process.

I’m not sure what “sisters” Zoe did this for, but Simone Kelly sure as hell is not one of them.

- Aaron Overfield, Content Manager for NinaSimone.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NINA

I was 11 years old when a friend of my parents introduced me to the music of the great Nina Simone.  The album was Little Girl Blue.  I listened to the first cut on it, Mood Indigo, and said, “WOW, I like her”.  But when I got to the title song, Little Girl Blue, my mouth fell wide open.  I was sitting there in disbelief.  I kept playing the song over and over again trying to figure out how she was doing what she was doing, playing one song and singing another at the same time.  I was 11 years old and knew nothing about music, but even for me that seemed like something totally extraordinary and utterly brilliant.

I continued to listen to the album and heard her play Love Me or Leave Me with all of its counterpoint (not knowing then what counterpoint was) thinking that this sounded like something Bach would write (Thank you Leonard Bernstein and The Young People’s Concerts).  That counterpoint would lead right into a jazz riff and she NEVER missed a beat.

I was blown away.  I continued to listen in amazement.  When she got to Good Bait, I WAS HOOKED!!!  I realized that what she was doing had to be a gift from God because no human could possibly do the things that she was doing unless God had His hand on hers.  I BEGGED my daddy to give me $1.50 so that I could buy my own copy of that album.  I was in seventh Heaven when he did because I now owned my own and very first Nina Simone album.  Now, if I could just see her, I would really be happy.

In 1963, my dream came true.  I attended my first Nina Simone concert.  I felt like I had died and gone to Heaven.  I even got her autograph at that concert.  She was definitely my musical idol.  I ate, slept and dreamed Nina Simone.  In 1964, God was good to me again, for I attended my second Nina concert.  This time I not only got her autograph, but she took the time to stop and talk with me.  Thank you, Lord!!!  She was so warm and friendly.

She had just released her Broadway, Blues, Ballads album a week before.  At that point, I had all of her albums except that one.  When I told her that I had all of her albums, she asked if I had that one.  When I told her no, she said that she was sure that I would enjoy it and that it was the first one that she had recorded with full orchestra.  Needless to say, I went out the next day and purchased it.  Oh, yes, I got her autograph again.  My only regret about that meeting is that I did not own a camera and was not able to have my picture taken with her.  I have attended 12 Nina concerts and was never able to have my picture taken with her. I do, however, have some wonderful memories of her concerts.

My favorite Nina concert was in 1978 at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC.  She once talked about being free and spontaneous and just going with the groove.  Well, I witnessed that freedom that night.  She gave two shows.  I hesitantly chose the second show at 11:00 pm, hoping that the audience would not upset her and she would be in a good mood. Well, they must have been on the money, because she came out and did 3 songs and left the stage.  I said, “Oh, Lord, they must have pissed her off during the first show.”  The audience started yelling, “Nina, Nina.”

Nina came back on stage and PERFORMED like I had NEVER seen her perform.  She was in such rare form that the audience was on its feet and had moved into the orchestra pit and grooving with her. Everyone was taking pictures galore, including yours truly and Nina was encouraging everyone to have a good time.  She was so free that at 2:00 am, someone from her entourage came on stage and took her off and believe me when I tell you that she was not ready to go.  There was a PAR-TAY in the Warner that night.  She was freer than I had ever seen her.

The last two times that I saw Nina perform was in 2000 and 2001 at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.  By that time, her health was failing her, but she was in rare form.  She was waving that fan of hers around after every song, which blew the audience away.  Her voice was lower, but her piano facility was still there and her interpretation of a song was still spot-on.  In other words, she was still NINA.

Little did I know that this would be the last time that I would get to see my musical idol.  I did, however, go down to Tryon, NC for the dedication of her statue on her 77th birthday.  It was such a thrill to sit next to her statue and visit her childhood home.  Little did I know that years after meeting Nina, I would be meeting her daughter, Simone and sharing with her some of my memories of her mother.  That, too, has been a pleasure.  Nina is still my musical idol.  I love her and still miss her terribly.

Happy Birthday Nina.

-June I. King, lifelong Nina Simone fan

Later, in the early 90s, Nina personally requested Sherry to photograph her for the Olympia Opera House. Nina chose one of the photos for her autobiography, “I Put A Spell On You.”

An interview with Ms. Barnett regarding her sessions with Nina is available at the Rock Pop Gallery:

http://rockpopgallery.typepad.com/rockpop_gallery_news/2007/10/cover-story-nin.html

There will be additional photographs posted from Sherry’s archives and she’s happy to provide a little personal insight on some of the photos, so stay tuned for more!

Samples of her work are viewable and for sale on her own website as well as the esteemed music photography site:

www.rockpaperphoto.com

Photographer Sherry Rayn Barnett:

www.sherrybarnettphotography.com

She can also be reached at: info@sherrybarnettphotography.com

Percival Prattis (April 27, 1895 – February 29, 1980)

Percival Prattis of “Our World” in New York City became the first black news correspondent admitted to the House and Senate press gallery in Washington, DC on February 3, 1947

Percival Prattis became the first African American news correspondent admitted to the press galleries of both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. In addition to his work as a journalist, Prattis was a civil rights leader working to advance the African American press. A veteran of World War I, Prattis joined the Pittsburgh Courier in 1935, became editor in 1956 and retired in 1962. He has been noted for his ability to unify black newsmen behind the fight against discrimination of African Americans in the press, particularly in the years around World War II. Prattis’ ability to directly observe Congress allowed him to report on government proceedings with firsthand knowledge of events, and he could apply his unique perspective as an African American veteran and leader of the early movement for civil rights.

Extended bio:

Percival Leroy (P. L.) Prattis was born on April 27, 1895 in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the only son of Alexander and Ella (Spraggins) Prattis. He attended grade school at the Christiansburg Industrial Institute in Cambria (now Christiansburg), Virginia, from 1908 to 1912. For further education, he attended the Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Hampton, Virginia, from 1912 to 1915. He later graduated in 1916 from the Ferris Institute, which was a preparatory academy for low income children in Big Rapids, Michigan. Prattis served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He was a Battalion Sergeant Major, headquartered in the Company 813 Pioneer Infantry. He was stationed in France from September 15, 1918 to July 13, 1919, and was honorably discharged from his duties on July 23, 1919. Prattis began his career in 1919 as the editor of the newly formed Michigan State News in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1921 he moved to Chicago, Illinois, to become the city editor of the Chicago Defender, which was the most influential African American weekly newspaper in the country at the beginning of World War I. The Chicago Defender often used sensationalistic headlines and graphic images to capture the reader’s attention and convey the horror of lynching and other atrocities affecting African Americans. It was the first African American newspaper to have a circulation over 100,000. Prattis held this position until May 1923. In June 1923 he was hired as the city editor of the Associated Negro Press in Chicago, which included articles that were syndicated by other African American newspapers. He also traveled on assignment and reported on international stories, such as the activities of the Moton Commission on Education in the Republic of Haiti; he even interviewed the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, in England. He moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1936 to take a position with the highly influential African American newspaper, The Pittsburgh Courier. The Pittsburgh Courier, which was the leading African American newspaper by 1926, came from relatively inauspicious beginnings. The paper was founded by Edwin E. Harleston, a guard for the H. J. Heinz Company, as an outlet for his poetry. The first issue in 1907 was two pages in length and featured Harleston’s poetry. Robert L. Vann, an attorney, drew up incorporation papers and assisted Harleston in finding investors. As one of the few African American lawyers in the city and a friend of Harleston, Vann was retained as legal counsel. Since the Courier could not afford to pay Vann, “he was given ten shares of stock valued at five dollars each in lieu of a fee” (Bunie, p. 44). Vann also was a regular editorial contributor to the Courier. In the fall of 1910, Edwin Harleston quit the paper due to creative differences and financial disagreements with the other investors. The remaining partners offered the editorship to Vann due to his experience as editor of The Courant, a student literary publication at the Western University of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pittsburgh). He was the Courier’s editor, treasurer, and legal counsel and held these positions until his death in 1940. The Pittsburgh Courier became a force for social change. Editorials by Robert Vann and others stressed that the policy of the Pittsburgh Courier was to “uplift of the Negro race … through the medium of the columns” (Brewer, p. 24). Editorials at the Courier called attention to improvements needed in housing, health care, education, job opportunities, political awareness, crime, Jim Crow, and misrepresentation in the white press. When Prattis was hired as a city editor in 1936, the Pittsburgh Courier was the most influential African American newspaper in the country, with a circulation over “250,000″ (Bunie, p. 222). Prattis also had duties as reporter and was dispatched on international assignments to the Middle East, Far East and post-World War II Europe. During World War II, he traveled extensively covering the African American Armed Forces. In 1947 he was unanimously granted membership in the Senate and House press galleries by the executive committee of the Periodical Correspondents Association, thus making him the first such permitted African American journalist. In 1948 he was promoted to managing editor, a position he held until 1956. While working at the Courier, Prattis also wrote the column “The Horizon,” and was a correspondent for Our World magazine. He was named executive editor of the Pittsburgh Courier in 1956. During this time at the Courier, he highlighted the struggles of African Americans for fair employment opportunities from teaching positions to major league sports. In the 1960s the Pittsburgh Courier’s circulation fell as the paper began to lose money and was no longer profitable. Many African American newspapers lost circulation during this time period as mainstream white newspapers gave coverage to the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Prattis retired from the Courier in 1965 after it was bought by John Sengstacke, publisher and owner of the Courier’s longtime competitor, the Chicago Defender. In retirement P. L. Prattis focused on community involvement and was very active in a number of organizations around Pittsburgh. He was the first African American officer on the Community Chest of Allegheny County Council; president of the Brashear Association; and vice-president of the Federation of Social Agencies of Allegheny County for six years. He sat on the boards of the Centre Avenue YMCA, the Pittsburgh branch of the N.A.A.C.P. and the Urban League. He was named “Community Leader of the Year” by the Jewish War Veterans Post 49. In 1962 he was awarded a medal as one of Hampton Institute’s most illustrious alumni and in 1965 was given the “Master of Men” award by the state of Pennsylvania YMCA. P. L. Prattis married Helen Marie Sands in 1939 and their daughter, Patricia, was born in 1943. Prattis died February 29, 1980 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania.

(click to enlarge)

more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Jemison

(suggested by Stephanie Berry Sklut)

(provided by June King)

(provided by June King)

(provided by June King)