Guest Columnists

“Sweet Soul Music” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley To this day, Arthur Lee Conley was the biggest thing to come out of McIntosh County, Georgia. Born on January 4, 1946, Conley performed gospel music with an all-girl group called The Evening Smiles until his voice changed around age 13. He then joined a group called Arthur [...]

“Esquerita: The Other Originator” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley One would think that Little Richard was the originator of Rock and Roll. Surely nobody disputed his word, nor proclaimed it as much as he, but Little Richard would not have been Little Richard without inspiration from somewhere or someone. And part of that somewhere and someone [...]

Trailblazer is the appropriate word to describe Ellis Haizlip, born on September 21, 1929, in Washington D.C. Details of his childhood are few and may consist of part fantasy, but it has been written that his father had once been an ambassador to Trinidad or a dignitary to the Court of St. James, Antigua. Other accounts state [...]

“Michael Peters:  The ‘Balanchine’ of MTV!” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley Michael Douglas Peters was born on August 6, 1948, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He was biracial: his mother was Jewish; his father was Black.  When he was four, his mother noticed that he was always dancing; therefore, she enrolled the little boy in dance classes. Growing up, Peters [...]

“Willi Ninja: VOGUE!” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley Born in New Hyde Park, New York, on April 12, 1961, William (Willi) Roscoe Leake (aka Ninja) had no idea that he’d become a world-famous icon or that he’d create art in various forms that would inspire generations.  Willi, whose ancestry was composed of African-American, Irish, Cherokee, and [...]

“Bronzeville: Black Metropolis” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley In many major cities and some smaller ones in America, an area with a center of entertainment existed, where life had rhythm and movement.  In Chicago, that neighborhood was called Bronzeville, located on the South side. In the past, this area of town was boorishly called things such [...]

“Jackie Shane: Any Other Way” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley Every now and then, an unapologetically genuine person comes along, not needing dire circumstances to force them to be true to themselves and the world. Meet Jackie Shane, a trailblazing original, if ever there was one. Jackie Shane was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on [...]

“The Preacher” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley When people use the phrase "bible belt," they typically (and incorrectly) refer to the country's Southern region. However, the Midwest can also adopt that term. The Midwest can also assert that Reverend Clarence Cobbs was instrumental in bringing innovation to the bible belt's "church world." Clarence Cobbs [...]

“In Gratitude” The year 2022 has come to an end. Indeed, it's had its share of challenges; however, it's also had blessings. As an independent novelist and columnist at this stage of my life, I have much to be grateful. First, I give honor and thanks to God for this gift of writing. [...]

“December 1, 1955” In this day and age, we remember December 1 as World AIDS Day. Even with the medical advances in treating HIV and AIDS, it still impacts people around the globe, particularly people of color. In the height of the fear, ignorance, and paranoia of the 1980s, I attended more funerals [...]

“The Seeker” Guest Writer: Bishop Hartsel Clifton Shirley James Richmond Barthé was born in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Richmond Barthé and Marie Clementine Robateau.  When James was just a few months old, his father passed away at 22, leaving his mother, a dressmaker, to raise him alone.  Before Barthé began elementary school, she married William Franklin, and [...]