Frederick McKinley Jones (1893-1961) was born in Covington, Kentucky. This American inventor and engineer is best known for his innovative mobile refrigeration technology, revolutionizing the transportation of perishable goods, which played a major logistical role for the United States in World War II.

In his lifetime Jones received 61 patents, including 40 for refrigeration, and was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1991.

(Image credit Creative Commons.)

Learn more

[VIDEO] Amanda Gorman became the youngest poet to recite at a US presidential inauguration and brought much of America to its feet and to tears with her poem during the Inauguration January 20 of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as the nation's 46th president.

Writing in the NY Times, Chika Okeke-Agulu emphasized the dilemma of African art, which is being more appreciated and valued than ever, bringing record prices, at the same time it is becoming ever less available to the peoples of the continent. The need for national and regional museums to bring home-grown art to the public from whom it sprang is a key requirement for recycling Africa's creative talents into new generations.

(Thanks to JGC for calling this to our attention via Facebook.)

Read More

In Uganda, Christmas is called Sekukkulu. It is celebrated on the 25th of every December to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

During the Christmas season there is high movement of people from the city to their respective villages to share Christmas holiday joys with their families and friends. It is a joyful season, quiet and reflective holiday with very few decorations and lights spread over the city. This is a time to relax, reconnect with family, enjoy good meals, and make visits to old friends and relatives back in the village.

Continues...

In Uganda, drinking malwa, a local brew, is one of the things you will see in almost every part of the country. It is consumed under tree shades, in the comfort of a home or at the market place. Consumers in different parts of the country have different names for it: Ajon (in Teso), Malwa (in Buganda) or Amarwa (in the Western region).

Unlike in the bars and pubs where a drink is shared by only one person, for malwa, it is served in one pot or bucket which can be shared by over 30 people. This local drink brings together all classes of people and it is taken using long, slender bamboo straws.

Probably through such social gatherings, many broken hearts are mended, because as they drink, a lot of things are discussed including problems and misunderstandings in their homes and work places. They also talk about politics comparing the past regimes and the current regime.

Continues...

Ugandart's show "Fabric of Life" has opened at New York City's Empire State College. We're happy to present a few images from the event. The show continues through January 29. For more details see the photos linked below or click the announcement on our home page.

The 2011 Uganda Art Consortium Exhibition held April 8 -10 in Washington DC was declared a success by its organizers. Over 70 paintings and prints including many created in 2010 were included in the show.

Proceeds from the sale of artwork are used to provide art therapy for HIV-AIDS patients and free childrens art workshops in Uganda. The Exhibition is part of Takoma Art Hop, a three day art festival including over 40 artists exhibiting in local galleries, stores and businesses. Uganda Art Consortium is a project of Kisa Foundation USA.

Over 100 works by members of Uganda Art Consortium will be on display May 8, 9 and 10 in the largest exhibit and sale of Ugandan art ever held in the U.S. The show is part of the Ballard May 2009 Artwalk.

Works include oil paintings, wood block prints, vat dye paintings, silk screen prints and other media. Beadwork jewelry produced by children in UAC's free workshops for AIDS patients and orphans will also be on sale. Artists included in the show include Kizito Fred Kakinda, James Nsamba, Kennedy Baguma, Matias Tusime, Hassan Mikiibi, and Hadson Mbabazi.

The exhibition will be held at the Ballard Bookcase Gallery, 4611 11th Ave. NW Seattle, WA 98107. For more information, visit Ugandart.com.

Ugandart - Info and gallery

New New York Times reported August 17 that Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, "whose defiance of white supremacy while traveling through the Upper South in the summer of 1944 led to a Supreme Court decision outlawing segregated seating on interstate bus lines, died Friday in Hayes, Va. She was 90.

Continues...

NY Times Article

According to The Washington Post and Associated Press, a South Carolina land developer will set aside land for a cemetery in a settlement with a family whose slave ancestors settled the land in the 18th Century.

According to family tradition, more than 100 ancestors were buried at the site in wood boxes without tombstones. Remains discovered during construction of an impending redevelopment will be transferred to the new cemetery. Twentieth Century land transfers had failed to provide for family access, and descendants had recently been excluded from visiting the site.

Source article

The James "Jimi" Marshall Hendrix Foundation had announced the appointment of Shyan Selah, international recording artist and CEO of Brave New World Records, as its new spokesman and board member.

The appointment of Selah as board member and spokesman, effective as of March 1, 2007, further marks a conscientious effort by the Hendrix Foundation to maintain the legacy of Jimi Hendrix by continuing to recognize not only his ground breaking music but also his desires to reach out to his community.

Continues...

A Post Office ban on magazines will end this week. The USPS had banned delivery of most periodicals to free up time and space for first class mail and packages.

Times-Picayune Report