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Saturday, November 16, 2024
Black History

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The Godfather of Tennessee Whiskey – Uncle Nearest

The next time you order your Jack & Coke, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, or Irish Coffee, if they ran out of Jack Daniels, or perhaps you want to try something different, you could tell them to bless you with one of Jack’s mentors – Uncle Nearest. Uncle Nearest isn’t just a new whiskey distillery in Tennessee, it honors an African American Slave who taught the real Jack Daniels everything he knew about the craft of creating the Whiskey that we all still drink today. Not only does Uncle Nearest honor Nathan Nearest Green, who was the first known African American Master Distiller in the country; the brand was created by a black woman named Fawn Weaver.

Fawn Weaver is a best-selling author who dedicated years of her life uncovering Nathan Nearest Green’s amazing history. What started out as an obsession to reveal that Nathan Nearest Green was the person who taught Jack Daniels, turned into a mission to let the world know the real story of how this popular whiskey was actually birthed. In a three-year period, Green has raised approximately $20 million to turn a horse farm into a distillery to take over whiskey production. This makes Weaver the first female person of color to run a major whiskey/spirit brand.

Nathan Nearest Green was a slave around 1850, and he started working with an orphan boy by the name of Jack Daniel. Many people today believe that Jack Daniel owned slaves, but this was never the case; it appears that Green was some sort of mentor to Daniel. Although there is no photo of Green, there is a photo of Jack Daniel with Green’s son, George and other workers in the early 1900s. It simply shows a black man and a white man sitting side by side, in the south, during a time when the south was deeply divided in America. This is a testament to the relationship that Jack Daniel had with Nathan Nearest Green.

Historic photo of Jack Daniel seated next to George Green, the son of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the man who taught Jack Daniel how to make whiskey. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/PUBLIC DOMAIN

Actor Jeffrey Wright, who plays in HBO’s “Westworld” is so passionate about Nathan Nearest Green he created a short film to honor him. Wright also got two tattoos; on one arm, Jack Daniel’s barrel house – and on the other arm, Uncle Nearest’s logo. Wright says, “we just need to know stories like this because it smashes the lies. You have this great…iconic brand, and ..this thing that is representative of something that sits in our soul that’s created by the coming together of two families…an unlikely partnership.“

The Daniels family and the Green family are bonded by some kind of bond that most of us will never understand. Victoria Butler, the great-great-granddaughter, said she wished her grandmother was around to see this. Butler told CBS that the idea to create a brand with Green’s name first came from a member of Jack Daniel’s family, then from the Green family. Fawn Weaver had asked the family, “what can we do to keep Nearest Green’s legacy alive – one member said put his name on a bottle.” These two families are so bonded, three of Green’s descendants still work at the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Weaver explained this is not a competition, “when we go out in the marketplace, we are selling Uncle Nearest, but we are talking about Jack in a way that makes you want to drink Jack Daniels as well.”

These families are working together to tell a story of unity that is gracious, and a perfect testament to the bond that Jack Daniel had with his mentor Nathan Nearest Green.

Uncle Nearest is the fastest-growing independent American spirit. Some of the proceeds from the sales will go into a foundation for Green’s descendants for their college education. As of today, 10 of Nathan Nearest Green’s descendants have graduated from college. Uncle Nearest is currently available in 48 states and 148 countries; if you’re in the lowcountry, you can find it in your nearest Total Wine.

The new Uncle Nearest whiskey distillery will open to the public in Tennessee, September 2019.

Source: CBS

Syllabus Magazine

Syllabus Magazine, the Carolina’s source for Music, Culture and Fashion

http://www.syllabusmagazine.com

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Let’s Just Self-Reflect Today…

Today is a good day to take the time to do a little self-reflection, especially for those of us who live in Charleston, S.C. On this evening, four years ago was a moment in time that most of us will never forget. It was this very evening that murderer, Dylann Roof walked into a bible study in Mother Emanuel Church and murdered nine members of the church who were there to fellowship.

Rev. Clementa Pinckney (41), Cynthia Hurd (54), Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45), Tywanza Sanders (26), Ethel Lance (70), Susie Jackson (87), Depayne Middleton Doctor (49), Rev. Daniel Simmons (74), Myra Thompson (59).

Most of us remember this day. We remember what we were doing, hearing and seeing as news of the massacre spread through the area like wildfire. Text messages, phone calls, what we thought were rumors of people being killed in a church had us like – What! A Church? Thinking that what we were hearing was false or exaggerated information, but, it was true. Then what slowly started as shock, turned to rage for many of us as we saw the murderer on surveillance video entering and leaving the church, and wondered how in the world did he even make it out of South Carolina. Then that rage built into an unmatched fury as we saw the police with Roof in handcuffs – after they got him a meal at a Burger King because he had not eaten. Citizens poured into the streets of downtown Charleston – some ready to do something, some just to stare at the Mother Emanuel Church only imagining what just took place.

Today we reflect, on that day, on those who lost their lives, on Polly Sheppard, Felicia Sanders, and her 11 year old granddaughter who survived. Today, let’s take a moment to simply reflect instead of being busy, this is a perfect way to spend this 4th anniversary of the Emanuel 9 massacre.

We don’t often spend enough time simply being still and reflecting on what was, what is, and what is to come. Many of us may practice this at the end of the year, before the beginning of a new year, but most of our time is spent running from place to place, or so busy trying to look important on social media, we miss the opportunity to simply spend time being still and reflecting. Today, we are encouraging those who will spend this day remembering the Emanuel 9 tragedy to use this moment as an opportunity for some self-reflection; use this moment to turn tragedy into something positive.

According to researchers, self-reflection creates self-awareness, and a way to actually understand what is going on inside/within ourselves. Self-reflection can help in many ways:

  • To make sense of things. No, there is no way to make sense of what happened during the Emanuel 9 Tragedy, we understand it was pure evil. However, can you take this tragedy and understand how precious life is? In a moment, something can happen, take this time to appreciate the life you’ve been given and what you can do with it.
  • Uncover Breakthrough. During times of self-reflection, many people have found solutions to some of the problems they’ve been battling in their minds. The Emanuel 9 massacre led to a moment of self-reflection for many citizens in this state – which then led to the end of the Confederate Flag hanging over the State House. Also, you don’t see as many Confederate Flags on cars – at least not as many as we use to. Use this day to uncover some breakthroughs in your own life.
  • Challenge Your Thoughts.This can be a very dark day for many of us. This day can lead some of us to focus on the extreme racism that we deal with, especially here in the South. Today, we encourage everyone to challenge our own ways of thinking, and let’s not just focus on the bad things that happened. Each member of Emanuel who lost their life left behind great memories and stories. Reflect on some of their stories today. No, we are not pretending that evil doesn’t exist; we know this for sure. However, during this period of self-reflection let’s focus on some goodness.
  • Recognize Change & Track Progress.Again, during this time of self-reflection we are focusing on life and the appreciation of life. What are some things you’ve done to improve your own life? How far have you come? How much has changed? If nothing has changed, what can you do to make those changes? 9 people will never get a chance to have this type of reflection here on Earth, but you can – and you can do this right now. Recognize what you can improve, write it down, and track the improvements.
  • Increase Self Awareness.Reflect on where you are right now, because without this we can’t fully appreciate where we are, who we are, and every experience that has taken place in our lives. On this anniversary of the Emanuel 9, so much has happened in this country – we understand that hate and racism exist, but we also understand the fight against this type of credence has gotten bolder and more fierce. Understand how this tragedy has changed you for the better (or worse), and how does this help getting you where you need to be.
  • Live With More Intention.If nothing else can be learned from the Emanuel tragedy, it should have caused us to understand the importance of how we are moving in our current life. If your days are a blur, if you’re not accomplishing anything, if you’re constantly saying you’re going to do something and not doing it, if you’re constantly breaking promises to yourself – stop. Today is the day to reflect on how you can add more joy and purpose to your life.

Again, we are grateful for the lives of each victim of the Emanuel 9 tragedy. Their lives cause us to take a second look at our own lives, and we are blessed to have that opportunity. Wishing you all peace that surpasses all understanding on this day, and continue to say their names;Rev. Clementa Pinckney (41), Cynthia Hurd (54), Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45), Tywanza Sanders (26), Ethel Lance (70), Susie Jackson (87), Depayne Middleton Doctor (49), Rev. Daniel Simmons (74), Myra Thompson (59).

Syllabus Magazine

Syllabus Magazine, the Carolina’s source for Music, Culture and Fashion

http://www.syllabusmagazine.com

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Say Their Names; Renty and Delia

They are photos of Renty and his daughter, Delia. They are slave photos taken in South Carolina, and they were posed shirtless and were photographed from varying angles. These images have been identified as some of the earliest photos of American slaves, and Harvard University has been profiting from the display of these photos and ignoring requests from descendants to turn over the images to family members. Tamara Lanier believes these images are of two of her ancestors. She grew up hearing stories from her mom about Renty teaching himself to read and having a secret bible while on a plantation in Columbia, South Carolina. Renty was described as “small in stature but towering in the minds of those who knew him.” Lanier has verified her genealogical connection to Renty, and says this is her great-great-great-grandfather.

Tamera Lanier has sent requests to Harvard University twice, for the images to be turned over to her, and Harvard has ignored her requests. Now, Lanier is suing this “prestigious” university for “wrongful seizure, possession and expropriation” that she says depicts her family. In her lawsuit, she is demanding that Harvard turn over these photos, acknowledge her ancestry, and pay damages of an unspecified sum. Spokesperson for Harvard, Jonathan Swain, said in a statement, “the University has not yet been served, and with that is in no position to comment on this complaint.”

These 1850 daguerreotypes, which is defined as an early type of photo, were commissioned by biologist Louis Agassiz, a Harvard biologist. In the lawsuit, it states:

“Agassiz came across these photos while touring plantations in search of racially “pure” slaves born in Africa. To Agassiz, Renty and Delia were nothing more than research specimens. The violence of compelling them to participate in a degrading exercise designed to prove their own subhuman status would not have occurred to him, let alone mattered.”

Lanier believes her ancestors have been exploited by Harvard University. They have used these photos at conferences and they require what has been called a “hefty” licensing fee, to reproduce these images. Renty’s photo can also be found in a book sold by Harvard University. In Lanier’s suit, she is also demanding that Harvard acknowledge its responsibility of humiliating Renty and Delia, and that they are “complicit in perpetuating and justifying the institution of slavery.” The suit also says that Harvard cannot legally own these photos because Agassiz didn’t have his subjects’ consent and had no right to give them to Harvard; the photos should have been given to Renty and Delia’s next of kin.

Most importantly, Lanier believes that Harvard University violates the 13th amendment which abolished slavery. Why? Because Renty would be considered a 169 year slave according to civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump. By ignoring the descendant’s requests and making a profit from Renty and Delia, Harvard is still profiting from the free labor of slavery. Attorney Crump asks, “how long will it be before Harvard finally frees Renty?“

Lanier hopes to have the photos of her ancestors, and she wants to tell the real story of who her great-great-great-grandfather was. She also hopes this sparks a discussion on race and history. “This case is important because it will test the moral climate of this country, and force htis coutnry to reckon with its long history of racism”, Lanier said during a news conference. By ignoring Lanier’s numerous requests, Harvard is continuing to capitalize on slavery.

Syllabus Magazine

Syllabus Magazine, the Carolina’s source for Music, Culture and Fashion

http://www.syllabusmagazine.com

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In honor of Black History Month and a time where we truly need each other the most here are a list of
Black Owned Businesses you should support this year and moving forward. The following brands are
entrepreneurs that work extremely hard to make the best products and cater to their own people, in
other us it’s made by US for US.

1. OmyGlo Cosmetics, owner Joelle Phillips. Now if you are familiar with Instagram she was the
first to display the mixing of pigments in setting spray 2 years back and her video when viral.
After such an impact on the beauty community she started and markets her own brand of the
glow spray. Her products are marketed towards all ethnicities but mostly women of color. Now
since then so many have stolen her idea including MAC cosmetics who received a lot of backlash
in the beauty community for it. Never the less, this hard working black woman is still standing
and going strong. Check out her products on omglocosmetics.com

2. Sonique Saturday, owner Sonique Saturday. This young woman has been popping for a long
time with her unique bags and jackets with her own twist of “Fake” apparel; she has curated the
“You Fake like This Burkin” bag along with many others. Now, it was a year or so ago when Gucci
received backlash for stealing her idea when they introduced their “Real Gucci” spray painted
leather bag, which mimicked her bag to the tee. Never the less her fans stood by her and made
it known that they in fact stole their idea from her, but this woman is still thriving and has
landed her bags with many influencers and celebrities. Shop her at sonqiuesaturday.com

3. Beauty Bakerie, owner Cashmere Nicole. When it comes to all things sweets, spice and
everything nice this is the company to go to because it’s one of the cutest themes ever. This
company markets towards black women with ALL products from lippies, eyeshadow,
highlighters, contours, and foundation and now concealers. If you have never heard of them
then I know you have been under a rock and especially after Huda Beauty stole their “bakery”
theme and used it to introduce their new setting powders. Another company that seeks to steal
ideas from small black entrepreneur’s but remains still standing. You can check them out at
beautybakerie.com

4. The Crayon Case, owner Reynell Steward. This was like watching a movie at the speed of success
this woman accomplished last year. She literally changed the makeup in an hour by grossing
over 1 million in sales in 1 HOUR! Which was truly remarkable and something that has never
been done before. Now, if you have never heard of the brand then you haven’t been looking to
find out because she is very popular on social media. This company workers with black
influencers and caters towards black women. You can check her out at the crayoncase.com

-Aqueilla C. Terry 2/18/19

Aqueilla C Terry

Aqueilla C. Terry, commonly known to many of her followers as “A.C.T” ; is a talented artists of this generation. Born and raised in Richmond, VA is truly a gem of her time. She has been writing for over 10 years as a young child to know a young woman in a world were “words” are her weapon of choice to achieve success. Often considered to be Erykah Badu’s daughter for her way with words, style, presence, music selections and overall persona. A.C.T. is definitely going to take over the world with wide range of creativity. Her ambition is driven by her will to succeed in reaching her goals, but by doing so by remaining herself along the journey. A.C.T. redefines the young black woman by sticking to her beliefs and who she is inside.

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It’s Black History Month, and each day, story after story, there seems to be some echo of how far we, as a nation, have to “over come”. Just in the past two weeks, Gucci has managed to muster up an apology for Blackface images on an $800 sweater. At least 4 politicians, including Virginia’s Governor Ralph Northam, have pictures floating around in blackface. And if that wasn’t enough, Liam Neeson confessed to wanting to murder any black bastard he caught, for the “alleged” rape of his friend. People, we aren’t even half-way through February and it’s like they keep trying us! Though these stories are frustrating, these racists revelations merely scratch the surface of the reality of how it was, and still is, growing up black in America. This is why the National Action Network (NAN) must stop asking the Citadel to remove racist, blackface images, from any historical yearbooks that are a part of that Institution.

This week, the Charleston Chapter of the National Action Network held a press conference to bring to light some racists images that were sent to them from a few old yearbooks located in The Citadel’s library. Elder Johnson, NAN’s President and a few of his supporters decided that the pictures should be removed from the yearbooks. The question we have for NAN is, WHY?

The Real Stories Are Being Erased

Why would we not want future students, especially future students of color, to understand the complete history of in institution like The Citadel. The way an institution takes accountability for their past is by facing it, not by tearing the pages out and deleting it forever. Many in this country know the glorious history of The Citadel, but as an institution that was once all male and all white, there is also some tainted history. That dark history should also be shared, not destroyed or simply torn out of the pages of a yearbook.

There is already a push in our education system to drive young people into thinking that racism in this country really wasn’t “that bad”. Instead of books stating Africans were slaves, they are now calling them “workers”! Texas Mother Teaches Textbook Company A Lesson On Accuracy. Educators have also long taught us that Thanksgiving wasn’t a Holocaust, it was a celebration between Pilgrims and Indians – another lie!

The education system in America has not even scratched the surface of telling the real atrocities of what has happened, and what is happening to black people in this country, so why are we working so hard on trying to erase what needs to be told? Citadel leaders are now promising to remove blackface images from past yearbooks, but is this really in the best interest of understanding not only the history of the Citadel, but the history of the Charleston, the South and growing up black in a country that hated you for being black?

NAN, This Is A Disservice

In this instance, the few members of NAN are not representing the people, and have not made a wise decision in another attempt to speak on behalf of the black community. Before NAN continues to go out and hold these impromptu, dry press conferences, perhaps they should meet with their community in making such an impactful request. There must be thought, and common sense input on the impact of how erasing these images will have on future black students that will attend The Citadel.

Future students and cadets should be able to see these images, discuss them, share them, and understand the impact they, as a student of color, have on becoming a part this institution. They should know not only what happened to Charles Foster, the first black graduate from the Citadel, but also Shannon Faulkner – the first woman to attend The Citadel. Future students should also know and understand what it was like for the first class of African American female cadets to graduate from The Citadel. They should know all of the history-making tails of these trailblazers, but future students should also know the demons that had to be fought in order for history to be made.

1st African American Female Cadets 2002
Charles Foster

Charles Foster
Shannon Faulkner

Syllabus Magazine

Syllabus Magazine, the Carolina’s source for Music, Culture and Fashion

http://www.syllabusmagazine.com
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The Godfather of Tennessee Whiskey - Uncle Nearest The next time you order your Jack & Coke, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, or Irish Coffee, if they...
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