Billie Holiday

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie

Picture by Andrew Laurence

From Afro American Newspaper

His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, the grandson of the late Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia came to Washington, D.C., recently not only to help celebrate the Ethiopian-African second millennium but also to reinforce ties between Africans and African Americans.

INQUTATASH-Meskerem 1/2000 is the beginning of the third millennium based on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo calendar that lags the Julian and Gregorian calendars by seven years.

On Sept. 12, one day after the Ethiopian New Year, the prince placed a wreath of green, yellow and red flowers at the African American Civil War Memorial, surrounded by a group of Ethiopian religious and military officials, and other leaders in the Ethiopian, African-American and Ethiopian World Federation community.
The congregation then proceeded to the New Bethel Baptist Church for a ceremony featuring speakers and displays.

Tamrat Medhin, president of the Ethiopian-African 2nd Millennium Council (EA2MC) formally opened the Millennium Ceremony and the honorable Councilman Jim Graham of Ward 1, which has the largest concentration of Ethiopian immigrants, presented a Ceremonial Resolution from the Council of the District of Columbia declaring Sept.12, 2007, as the "Ethiopian Millennium Recognition Day."

"It is the right day, on the dawn of the new millennium, to recognize the struggles and triumphs so many have endured for all of us, as a community of all colors, to have the opportunity to remember and celebrate this connection."
H.I.H. Prince Ermias spoke eloquently about the debt Ethiopians owe to the African-American community for their support during Mussolini's fascist invasion of Ethiopia, and their struggle for civil rights enabling the Ethiopian Diasporas to participate in the American society with dignity. H.I.H. Prince Ermias made an impassioned speech invoking the historical ties between Africans in the Diaspora, and a commitment to make the future more peaceful and prosperous for Africa and the world.

Mr. Chris Haley, the director of Slavery at the Maryland State archives who was made famous by his uncle Alex Haley's book {ROOTS,} spoke about his ancestor who arrived in September 1767 as an enslaved teenager and descendent of Kunta Kinte/Gambia. He added that one could draw a line straight across from Gambia to Ethiopia that connects all Africans together on that map. He saluted the Ethiopians who claim to be from the " Cradle of Civilization" and the birthplace of Lucy "Dinkinesh" ("Thou art wonderful"), the oldest known humanoid fossil.

"I come to you in amazement that I, a Black man born in Washington, D.C., who can trace his roots back to the Gambia, am able to stand in the presence of a descendent from the line of King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba and their child, the first Ethiopian King Menelik; amazed that I can stand before their heir, the grandson of H.I.H. Haile Selassie I," Haley said. "And as his placing of a wreath at the African American Civil War memorial commemorates and links the struggles of African descents who fought against oppression in the 1800s with Ethiopian warriors who fought against European forces in the 1900s and never gave in to colonization, I come to you, citizens of the United States and Ethiopia, in admiration.

"It is the right day, on the dawn of the new millennium, to recognize the struggles and triumphs so many have endured for all of us, as a community of all colors, to have the opportunity to remember and celebrate this connection."
Ms. Nebiat Solomon, director of the Office of African Affairs in the Office of the Mayor brought the elephant tusks residing at City Hall that Emperor Selassie donated to Washington during his visit in 1954 for display at the church.

Mr. Andrew Laurence, president of the Ethiopian-American Cultural Center displayed photos of African-American pilots Herbert Julian, aka "The Black Eagle," and Col. John Robinson who both commanded Ethiopian Air Forces against the Italians; Dr. Melaku Bayen, the first Ethiopian medical school graduate in the US, who founded the Ethiopian Research Council with diplomat Dr. Ralphe Bunche and historian Dr. William Leo Hansberry at Howard University; H.I.M. Haile Selassie presenting an Ethiopian Cross to pastor and U.S. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem; and jazz great Duke Ellington performing in Ethiopia.

More activities are being planned to provide opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the Ethiopian and African-American communities in Washington, D.C., for the future including a religious pilgrimage to Ethiopia, cultural education programs, and grassroots actions on various local issues.

Celebration

Picture by Andrew Laurence

Picture by Andrew Laurence

Africans celebrated the African millennium near the Washington monument on September 11, 2007.

The organizers were Anteneh Demelash, Elias Fullmore, and Seaty Yoseph. Approximately 20,000 people came to celebrate the millennium.

Burntface, African Heritage, and The Pocket entertained the crowd. Food was provided by Zed’s Ethiopian Restaurant, Café Nema Somali restaurant,and Etete Ethiopian Cuisine. The program started at 5:00pm and ended midnight.

The organizers say they are already working on preparing the next year's new year event.

Happy African Millennium

AU Declaration on the Ethiopian Millennium

The following Declaration on the Ethiopian Millennium was made by the Heads of State and Government of the African Union at the Summit in January 2007.

AU Declaration on the Ethiopian Millennium

We, the Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the African Union, meeting during the Eighth Ordinary Session of our Assembly held in Addis Ababa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, from 29th – 30th January 2007;

Taking note of the briefing by the Ethiopian Government on the Ethiopian Millennium to be celebrated on 12 September 2007;

Recognising with appreciation the call of the Ethiopian people to all fellow African brothers and sisters to embrace the Millennium as a truly African occasion and to join them in the celebrations;

Noting with satisfaction the commitment of the Ethiopian people to use this occasion as a unique opportunity to highlight their collective resolve to make a difference in their struggle against poverty, and to broaden the frontiers of democracy and good governance;

Welcoming the cooperation already initiated between the African Union Commission and the Ethiopian Millennium Festival National Council;

Call upon all Member States of the African Union, the Commission of the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities to extend their support towards the successful celebration of this unique African occasion – the Ethiopian Millennium.

ENDS

Abbaye (River Nile)

The river Nile (Abbaye) is the longest river in the world.

The Tale of Two Nations 3

Ethiopian and African-American Relations:
A Brief Timeline

by Andrew Laurence

1896

Ethiopia emerges as one of the fiercely independent nations in Africa, especially after its victory over the Italians in the Battle of
Adwa.

African-Americans increasing look towards Ethiopia and it’s Emperor Menelik II, as a bastion of independence in a continent colonized by European powers.

When the Italians under Mussolini again invade the country 40 years later, Africans worldwide support H.I.M. Haile Selassie’s efforts to regain freedom for Ethiopia, and celebrate on May 5, 1941, when the Emperor returns in triumph to Addis Ababa.

Ethiopian Millennium Day

September 12 is “Ethiopian Millennium Day” in DC thanks to Mayor Fenty.




The Mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian M. Fenty, Proclaimed September 12, 2007 as “Ethiopian Millennium Day” in Washington, DC.

Additionally, Mayor Fenty called upon the residents of Washington, DC to join him in recognizing the multiculturalism and diversity of the Ethiopian community.

For more information about the Ethiopian Millennium see:

www.ethiopianmillennium.com

http://www.ethiopian2000.com/

http://www.addismillennium.com/anancientland_monasteries.htm

http://www.ethiopic.com/Ethiopian_Millennium_Pages.htm

Movie: Black to Our Roots in Sankofa

Black to Our Roots is the inspirational story of group of teenagers’ journey from the inner-city of Atlanta to Ghana, West Africa in search of their ancestral home.

Beginning in Atlanta, the youth work with HABESHA, a community based organization, to raise their own travel costs through fundraising and community service projects in which they learn about their cultural history in preparation for their ultimate journey to Africa.

Sankofa Video Books & Café
2714 Georgia Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20001

August 4, 2007
3PM - 8PM
$10

http://sankofastore.com

A Tale of Two Nations 2

Ethiopian and African-American Relations:
A Brief Timeline

by Andrew Laurence


1808

African-Americans along with a group of Ethiopian merchants are unwilling to accept racially segregated seating at the First Baptist Church of New York and withdraw their membership.

Determined that they would organize their own church, they establish the Abyssinian Baptist Church, now located in Harlem, New York. The name is inspired by the nation from which the merchants of Ethiopia had come, Abyssinia.

As the first non-segregated Baptist Church in America, it is led for many years by the great Pastor and US Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. after his father Adam Clayton Powell Sr., and would serve as a focal point in New York for many of the Pan-African and civil rights movements to come.

Party with a purpose Atlanta with Abezash

Party with a purpose is an event to raise funds for the Artists for Charity Children's home in Ethiopia. The AFC home is an orphanage for HIV+ orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

If your in the Atlanta area please join us on Wednesday the 18th of July at Django. If you can't make it to the event and would like to make a donation please visit the site below.

http://artistsforcharity.org
http://www.artistsforcharity.org/afcchildrenshome/

A Tale of Two Nations 1

Ethiopian and African-American Relations:
A Brief Timeline

by Andrew Laurence




18th - 20th Century A.D. - Numerous references to Ethiopia in the Bible, such as (Psalm 68:31) “…Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands unto God,” provides refuge and salvation for Negro slaves in America.

During the American Revolutionary War, one African-American regiment proudly wears the appellation of “Allen’s Ethiopians,” named after Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Church in Philadelphia.

Robert Alexander Young, a slave preacher, publishes The Ethiopian Manifesto. Phyllis Wheatley, the poet-laureate of colonial America, also makes use of this discourse as did Prince Hall, a Revolutionary War veteran and founder of the African Masonic Lodge.

Drusilla Dunjee Houston, researcher and historian, writes the amazing book, Wonderful Ethiopians of the Ancient Cushite Empire. Frederic Douglas Jr. orates eloquently on the Negro problem alluding inspirationally to Ethiopia.

The decisive victory over Italy at Adwa cements Ethiopia’s independence from European colonialism and has a profound impact on the quest for dignity and respect for Africans throughout the world.

Ethiopian inspired Pan-African movements give hope to those seeking justice in the eyes of God and the world. Martin Delaney, Carter G. Woodson, John Jackson, Willis Huggins, Joseph Harris, and Edward Blyden are prolific scholars who write brilliantly on Ethiopia’s origin and history.

Thinkers and scholars from William E. B. Dubois, editor of the influential Crisis Magazine, Sylvester Williams, C.L.R. James, Chancellor Williams, Walter Rodney, George Padmore, John Henri Clarke and Aime Cesaire build on these traditions of Pan-Africanism and Ethiopianism.

They point the way for future African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Haile Selassie, Sekou Toure, Leopold Senghor, Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, Robert Mugabe, Nelson Mandela; and African-American activists Mary Mcleod Bethune, Paul Robeson, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Harry Belafonte, Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture); and political leaders Congresswomen Maxine Waters, Sheila Jackson Lee, Barbara Lee, Congressmen Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Donald Payne, Ron Dellums, Gregory Meeks and John Conyers, Ambassador Andrew Young, Melvin Foote of Constituency for Africa, Randall Robinson, Danny Glover and Bill Fletcher Jr. of TransAfrica Forum, to name just a few.

Picture: Pastor and US Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Accepts the Ethiopian Lalibela Cross from Emperor Haile Selassie at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York – 1954.


To be continued…..

Mother of Creation

Source: http://www.galleryonesf.net/

Ethiopia’s Exports

Leading Export Sectors:

• Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and agro-processing, including coffee and oilseeds.

Sectors with Greatest Export Growth Potential:

• Agriculture, fisheries, and agro-processing, including coffee, medicine, tea, honey, leather products, and horticultural products
• Energy-related, including hydropower and geothermal energy
• Manufacturing, including textiles and apparel, art, leather goods, and jewelry
• Services, including tourism, education, medicine, air transportation, and publishing

Africa’s Generosity

In 2006, Africa’s total export to the United States was worth approximately $79 billion, which increased by 22.4 percent since the previous year. The top seven African exports were oil, precious metals, organic chemicals, clothing accessories (not knitted), iron and steel, apparel and clothing, and cocoa.

The above information was found from the U.S. government trade database and it does not include the unrecorded exports.

Africa has been exporting mostly raw materials that have been building other continents for centuries. Raw materials do not have high monetary value in the international market. Raw materials – such as diamond, gold, petroleum, natural gas, iron, steel, copper, cobalt, uranium, lead, potash, forest, and coltan – have been flooding out of Africa. Eighty percent of the world’s known reserves of coltan is found in Africa. Coltan is used as a “vital components in electronic devices, ranging widely from mobile phones to laptop computers,” according to wikipedia.org.

Even during ancient times, Africa has always been generous to the world. Some of her incredible and precious offerings included and it still includes, people, music, knowledge, mathematics, arts and more.

The African Diaspora with Africa has now the capacity to add value on Africa’s export in a way it could help all: through creating trade links with each other. Economist Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama suggests Africa also increases the internal trade by creating manufacturing links amongst countries in the continent. Intercontinental trade is almost non existing in Africa. Africa and the African Diaspora also should invest to increase values of the raw materials. Check back to find out ways to be involved in the profitable international trade.

African American in Axum

Here is a young African American connecting with his roots and helping his family.

Thank you Mike-E. Ethiopia loves you.

Ethiopian HipHop

The African Millennium: Our Time

The African Millennium will start on September 11, 2007.

According to our calendar, it is time to awaken and guide our own destiny. Dr. Ephraim Isaac repeats the Prophet Isaiah’s 3,000 years old message, below, to encourage Africans to rule their fate through declaring economic independence.

“Awake! Awake! Put on your strength! Put on your new beautiful garments. Shake yourself from the dust: arise. Loose your bone from your neck....”

Dr. Isaac stressed the importance of mobilizing the African Diaspora to celebrate the Ethiopian millennium as a way to revive the African Renaissance, which is a network of people devoted to sublimate the consciousness and living standards of Africans world wide.

Purchasing African products, such us the traditional clothing and jewelry, is important in asserting economic independence.

Dr. Isaac is a peacemaker, visionary and teacher. He is the first professor of Afro-American Studies department at the Harvard University. So lets us follow his example and wear African garments.

“Best kept secret in today's world economy"

Take out all the negative information about your continent from your mind. Allow me to share positive information about our Africa.

Africa is one of the second largest continents in the world. Africa is larger than China, USA, and Europe combined. The continent is also the least crowded place on earth.

Africa is the richest in human and natural sources. There are so many African workers and intellectuals who built Africa and other continents. United States of America was built by Africans. As soon as the door to the Noble Prize started opening for Africans in the 1950s, after colonialism and slavery, Africans were able to demonstrate to the world their excellence in sciences, arts and peace making.

Other natural resources in Africa include ancient books, medicine, diamond, gold, petroleum, natural gas, copper, medicines, cobalt, uranium, lead, potash, forest, coltan and many more others minerals. Eighty percent of the world’s known reserves of coltan are found in Africa. Coltan in used as a “vital components in electronic devices, ranging widely from mobile phones to laptop computers,” according to wikipedia.org.

Mostly non Africans are currently making most money for their investment in Africa. According to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, "Africa's profitability is one of the best kept secrets in today's world economy."

Now it is our time to make a profit from our continent. Let’s invest our time, money, and knowledge in our continent. Even if we cannot trade, open factories, educate people, or move to Africa now, we can start thinking positively about Africa prosperity and unity. Globalization forces us to become broad minded. Division limits our growth. Our culture also directs us to choose unity.



Picture source: http://www.etiopiamagica.it/fiori1.htm

African Film Festival - 8

Danny Glover participated on the Eighth African Film Festival, which took place in Boston from Febraury 16 to Febrauary 25, 2007.

According to MFA, Mr. Glover through his company, Louverture, produced Abderrahmane Sissako's latest film, "Bamako." Mr. Glover also acted in the film. Mr. Glover decided to work with Sissako on "Bamako" because "It attempts to present the reality of what is happening to people, while at the same time clarifying the macroeconomic context that creates that reality," he said.

Mr. Glover’s company, Louverture, is dedicated to the development and production of films of historical relevance, social purpose, commercial value, and artistic integrity.

Mr. Glover is also a dedicated Pan-Africanist. His presence in many African related events and in Africa is appreciated by many Africans.

He is also the current chairperson of TransAfrica Forum, which is an organization that serves as a major research, educational, and organizing institution for the African-American community offering constructive analyses of issues concerning U.S. policy as it affects Africa and the Diaspora in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Ethiopian Returnees Give Hope

By Eliab Tarkghen

Semira is 13 years old and aspires to be a writer. She writes poems, stories and dramas. In fact she is working on a book. Her book will be about the struggle and battle of living with HIV and also sort of How-To-Guide. You see Semira is writing from experience. She is a living proof that one can lead a normal life even after being infected with HIV. Semira's story is not unique among the 13 other kids who live with her in a family style run charity by Artists For Charity (AFC). Started by Abezash, with her fellow artists Suilman and Mekeda, all returnees from the U.S, the charity feels more like a close-knit family than an orphanage. Indeed the word Orphanage feels cold, distant and heartless, and Abezash herself detest the usage of it.

All the kids came to the AFC family after loosing both their parents to the AIDS epidemic. Neglected by relatives and left to fend for themselves, some of the kids would have died if it was not for AFC. At AFC one can easily see the care that is provided to these kids. Medicine, proper nutrition and a full time Nurse is a priority. In fact when the kids arrive to AFC, most are underweight, some have low white blood cell count (WBC), and some have open soars on their body. With tender care and proper nutrition AFC helps these kids recuperate quickly. The average weight gain of AFC kid is 7 kg, and in cases like Semira it is more than weight gain, it is regaining a fighting chance. Semiria has gained 6 kg, and her WBC that was in the low teens now stands at 200. It is still far from being a normal WBC, but it is a start.

One of the many amazing things about AFC is the founders' passion and commitment. Abezash, Sulliman and Mekeda, not only run the organization, but they live with the kids. They have given up their lives in the U.S to nurture, help, and raise these bright kids. In fact the kids call them Mommy and Daddy, a testament to their closeness with the kids. Everything is about honesty, and support. It
is about knowing the true nature of the disease HIV/AIDS, as well as learning to cope with the disease. The kids will be the first one to tell you they have HIV. They know the stigma; but in their own eloquent way they make you understand, it is just another disease.

Currently, 800,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS in Ethiopia. In fact the prediction is gloomy, it is expected by the year 2014, this figure will increase exponentially to 2.5 million. It takes more than
Abezash, Suliman and Mekeda to tackle this grave threat to our nation. But they have started the hard battle for us, it is now in our hands to extend the fight and lessen the suffering of those who are
unfortunate enough to be the victim of HIV/AIDS and its aftermath.

I know Semira will finish her book. I also know one day we will see this bright writer authoring a mouth-dropping novel that may end up being a best seller. Thanks to AFC it is not a dream, but a reality in
the making.

Visit AFC website
http://www.artistsforcharity.org/
http://www.eliabconsulting.com/abezash_kids/index.html

Peace