Silent Ebony explores Jesse Yaw’s most intimate, profound, and heartfelt collections of poetry and prose, which unravels and probes the most intricate and complex aspects of human nature, such as love, rejection, pain, trauma, faith, abuse, identity, war, relationships, family ties and pathology. It also explores racial injustice, trauma, using a myriad of carefully woven tactile and visual imagery, using personification as a means to allow readers to draw close to his mind, heart, spirit, and soul. Jesse’s poetry collection fearlessly addresses current political issues such as black political identity, the violation of black female pathology, and the struggle for freedom and racial equality. The collection of poetry serves as a sacred text, which provides healing, community, and an outpouring for the pure and unashamed voices of those who are marginalised, and those who seek rejuvenation. Providing a formidable social commentary on the state of modern society in the global village and life.
Author
Jesse Yaw is a Ghanaian intellectual, writer, poet, investor, political and economic theorist, and Businessman. He previously released his debut novel, The Deconstruction of Humanity’s Voice, But We Are Still Standing, which has been widely acclaimed and internationally recognised, and catalogued in the Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture in the United States of America, as well as the Black Cultural Archives in the United Kingdom. He is a racial equality activist and philanthropist, an advocate for global peace, social reform, and justice. Jesse was born in the United Kingdom, his heritage sewn into the fabric of the Royal Ashanti tribe of the Akan people.
Playing his clarinet inside one of London’s most exclusive members’ clubs reminded him of the privilege the elites can enjoy, but also the illusive duality of his identity, as the echo of his clanging Ashanti beads around his wrist, the scent of shea butter and sandalwood oil immersed upon his mahogany brown skin, reminded him of his true African identity. Jesse Yaw takes us through his journey as a young black man, exploring the racial constructs of relationships and modern society. With its destructive perceptions of class, race, truth, and equality, coloured by the trajectory of historical discrimination, and prejudiced western norms that have been embraced by the global community, Jesse seeks to explore the psychological impact that assimilation to westernised ideologies of beauty, governance, education, economy, law, class, and politics has on humanity. And what that consequently means for his self-determination. He acknowledges that, for too long, negative perceptions have cast a dark shadow upon black lives and subdued black potential. For these destructive perceptions to be removed from the eyes, lips, minds, and hearts of the global village, the re-education of the human mind is central. Jesse deconstructs the subconscious voice of the human mind, and establishes the unaltered truth of who we really are.
Jesse is a Ghanaian conscientious writer, poet, political theorist and activist, who is an advocate for racial equality and global justice. He was born in the United Kingdom, his heritage sewn into the fabric of the royal Ashanti tribe of the Akan people. He regularly travels back to his motherland, Ghana. Having worked in the corporate finance world for many years and being educated in the United Kingdom, he has had first-hand experience of the perils of racism, assimilation and its adverse effects on black people; and more importantly its crippling impact on black potential. He seeks to unravel the psychology behind racism and to explore the power of manipulation upon the human mind, and hence its conditioning. He explores contemporary, as well as historical, political, psychological issues, particularly in relation to identity and stereotypes, in hopes of exposing false ideas that have been embraced globally about black people. Jesse, acknowledges that the re-education of the mind is central to the true emancipation of African descendants.
Luton African Books Arts & Craft Fest The Black Bookcase Sat 3rd June 12 til 6, Sixth Form College, Bradgers Hill Road, Luton, LU2 7EW
FREE to attend but we would like to ask for a donation if you can afford to do so.
YES, we are bringing the Black Bookcase back.
A family event showcasing and celebrating all books, authors, crafts and more from our African/Caribbean community.
All the exhibitors must be from that heritage, but as always we warmly welcome all visitors to come and experience and celebrate our African & Caribbean Culture
The third book about Tola. She may be small, but she’s very determined!
Too Small Tola lives in a flat in Lagos with her sister, Moji, who is very clever, her brother, Dapo, who is very fast, and Grandmummy, who is very bossy. One day Tola discovers the secret of multiplication and division. She is so happy!
But then there is news of a deadly virus, and news of lockdown too. Moji goes away to live and study with her teacher and Dapo goes off to live and work with his boss. Grandmummy cannot go out to work so Tola does instead.
Tola goes to live with a wealthy couple, the Diamonds. She cleans and washes and scrubs, scrubs, scrubs. She befriends the other workers too. But she soon learns that even the wealthy Dimonds have problems of their own. And when it comes to solving them, Tola proves once again how kind and clever, mighty and resourceful she truly is.
London’s Leading Pan-African Bookshop and Community Space
By Pepukayi and Boukman Academy
The MAA MAAT Centre, located on Tottenham High Road in London, has been a staple of Britain’s pan-African community for decades. Home to some of the greatest and rarest Black studies literature, its walls have seen many brilliant scholars pay a visit to spread their knowledge, such as Julius Malema, Runoko Rashidi, Anthony Browder, Bayyinah Bello, Akala, Llaila Afrika, Queen Afua, and Robin Walker. However, it is in desperate need of your help.
Over the years, the building itself has begun to deteriorate. A lack of support has meant that hiring people to look after the building and the products has proved difficult. Pepukayi, the founder of the Maa Maat Centre, has done everything he can to prevent the closure of this great community space. He has put in thousands of his own money over decades to ensure that the knowledge remains accessible for everyone. Now, the MAA MAAT Centre is calling upon the community to help keep its doors open.
Where Your Money Will Go
The task at hand is simple but extensive. As a result of many circumstances, with the recent pandemic being a major factor, the Centre has lost a lot of income. Additionally, the worsening condition of the building has made it difficult for one of the few remaining Black radical spaces in the country to remain open. As such, we now need £70,000 to cover the complete renovation of the Centre in order to ensure it remains a hub of Black intellectual thought.
The £70,000 provided by you will go towards refurbishing the entire interior of the building including:
Complete renovation of the bookshop
Clearing and restoring the basement for storage of stock
Creating two new events spaces for talks, lectures, workshops, book signings and more
Restoration of the conference room
Once the £70,000 has been raised, an innovative Black radical community space will be available for everyone to attend. Children of all ages will be able to take part in workshops held by multiple education organisations. Adults will be able to hear contemporary pan-African scholars teach. Organisations will be able to use the space as a hub for various tasks.
About Pepukayi
For over 50 years, Baba Pepukayi has been instrumental in the growth of the Black Consciousness Movement in Britain, providing not just books but many spaces for various members of the community to listen, learn and study. Embodying the ethos of “each one teach one”, Pepukayi has dedicated a great amount of his life to the pan-African cause. Far from being merely a provider of books, he has also been heavily involved with many social justice movements and organisations, helping to fight institutional racism in Britain. Now at 71, Pepukayi deserves to past the baton to the next generation. It is up to the rest of us to come together and provide the funds to renovate the Centre.
What You Will Receive as a Donor
All donations, no matter how small, will go towards the building works mentioned above. However, as Pepukayi has made it his mission to spread knowledge, those that donate the following set amounts will have the opportunity to receive a particular book of their choice – some of which aren’t available anywhere else in the U.K! Below is the list of donor amounts and corresponding literature (brackets indicate RRP).
£10: Allows you to choose one of the following children’s books
Malcolm X for Children by Arnold Adoff (£4.99)
Knowing About Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the UNIA by Nyela, Sankofa and Afruika (£4.99)
Who is Nelson Mandela? by Adrian Hadland) (£4.50)
Kung Fu Trip by Benjamin Zephaniah (£4.99)
Akimbo and the Lions by Alexander McCall Smith (£3.99)
Boyz to Men by Yinka Adebayo (£4.99)
Pig Heart Boy by Malorie Blackman (£3.99)
Journey to Jo’Burg by Beverley Naidoo (£4.99)
Tickle Tickle by Dakari Hru and Ken Wilson-Max (£4.99)
Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number by Yinka Ayo (£3.99)
£20: Allows you to choose one of the following books
Singin’ & Swingin’ & Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas by Maya Angelou (£7.99)
Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart by Alice Walker (£8.99)
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (£11.99)
Sula by Toni Morrison (£10.99)
Cooking the Caribbean Way by Cheryl Davidson Kaufman (£11.99)
A Song Flung Up to Heaven by Maya Angelou (£6.99)
Someone Knows My Name aka The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill (£12.99)
So Much Things to Say: the Biography of Bob Marley by Don Taylor (£14.99)
Anatomy of Female Power by Chinweizu (£13.99)
Demystifying Cancer by Devon S J Morgan (£10)
Songs of Enchantment by Ben Okri (£9.99)
Sweet Sweetback’s Badassssss Song by Melvin Van Peebles (£11.99)
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola (£6.99)
Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkins (£11.99)
Africa in History by Basil Davidson (£12.99)
£50: Allows you to choose one of the following books
Seize the Time by Bobby Seale (£16.99)
Garvey and Garveyism by Amy Jacques Garvey (£22.99)
Malcolm X Speeches at Harvard (£16.99)
Black on Black Violence by Amos Wilson (£18.99)
The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness by Amos Wilson (£14.99)
African Holistic Health by Llaila O. Afrika (£17.99)
Overcoming an Angry Vagina by Queen Afua (£17.99)
Tapping the Power Within Hardback by Iyanla Vanzant (£17.99)
Visions of a Liberated Future: Black Arts Movement Writing by Larry Neal w/ Amiri Baraka and others (£24.99)
Up From Slavery Hardback by Booker T. Washington (£22.99)
In the Spirit: the Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor of Essence Magazine (£24.99)
The Power of Black Music by Samuel A. Floyd, jr. (£24.99)
Race, Religion, and the Continuing American Dilemma by C. Eric Lincoln (£15.99)
Man Sharing: Dilemma or Choice by Audrey B. Chapman (£21.99) (£47 on Amazon)
Food and Identity in the Caribbean by Hanna Garth (£24.99)
Stroud’s Slave Laws (US Slave History) by George M. Stroud (£16.99)
Why, Lord? By Anthony B. Pinn (£24.99)
Black Foremothers by Dorothy Sterling (£14.99)
Soul: Black Power, Politics and Pleasure (£24.99)
£100: Allows you to choose one of the following books
The West and the Rest of Us by Chinweizu (£39.99) (£164 on Amazon)
Decolonising the African Mind by Chinweizu (£34.99) (£92 on Amazon)
Of Water and the Spirit Hardback by Malidoma Patrice Somé (£45.99)
African Origins of Major Western Religions by Yosef Ben-Jochannan (£26.99)
Revolution of Conscience by Greg Moses (£27.99) (£184 on Amazon)
Egyptian Book of the Dead Hardback and Illustrated, translated by E. A. Wallis Budge (£34.99)
Company of Prophets by Joyce Elaine Noll (£34.99) (£155 on Amazon)
Black Man Emerging by Joseph L. White and James H. Cones III (£34.99)
In order to receive a copy of the book of your choice, please make your donation, then contact us via GoFundMe with your details and choice accompanied with the shipping address.
What Else You Can Do
As the MAA MAAT Centre is a community space that houses a bookshop, the easiest way to help in the renovating process is by simply buying books. These can be for yourself or family/friends, or as a donation to other organisations or schools at home and abroad.
Additionally, if you have a specific skill and would like to provide your services to the renovation of the building, please do not hesitate to contact us via GoFundMe.
If you would like to volunteer with any sort of help, just let us know via GoFundMe and we can arrange it.
Future Plans
As well as having a completely refurbished bookshop and community space, there are many other prospective plans for the near future. These include:
The development of a pan-African library system where Black radical literature can be accessed by all for a minuscule price.
The development of a pan-African library in Liberia, one of the first on the continent. Books will be provided and shipped by the Centre, which will contribute to establishing a free learning centre in West Africa. If you would like your donation/purchase of a book to go towards the library in Liberia, let us know via GoFundMe with your receipt and book choice attached
Bi-monthly teaching sessions hosted by Boukman Academy for all age ranges and levels of experience.
A range of community activities such as workshops and classes provided by the Centre
A space for hire that the community can use for a number of activities
Thank you for your support. We close with the words of the great warrior Assata Shakur; “We must love and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains!”
Pepukayi, founder of the MAA MAAT Centre
Tyrone Smith, founder of Boukman Academy
Boukman Academy is the only free pan-African online school, providing a complete curriculum of Black history, political science, liberation philosophy, psychology, sociology and culture. You can find out more about us on our website: www.boukmanacademy.com. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Patreon.
Olympic medallist Anyika Onuora is launching her autobiography in Liverpool next month.
Anyika will discuss her athletic career, growing up in Liverpool and the nuances of being a black northern woman. The former sprinter made her Olympic debut at London 2012, competing in the 100m and 200m. In 2015, she won the 4x400m relay bronze at the World Championships in Beijing. A year later she won her first Olympic medal in the 4.400m relay in Rio.
Anyika’s debut autobiography, My Hidden Race, is an unflinching testimony of what it takes to pursue your dreams as a Black British woman against all odds. Revealing her life for the first time with complete fearlessness, Anyika uncovers a world that often takes place far from the spotlight of the Olympic torch and shines an intense light on the brutal reality of professional sport for many black females.
My Hidden Race is being released on June 9 and to celebrate its launch, Anyika will be in conversation with Mia Thornton, from Black Ballad for its second regional event of the year. Black Ballad tell stories, host events and create experiences for, by and about black women that they won’t get anywhere else.
The event takes place at Chapters of Us, on Simpson Street, with doors opening at 6.30pm. Guests will have the opportunity to join in with an audience Q&A, network and chat with like minded black women, and purchase a copy of My Hidden Race, signed by Anyika herself.
Tickets also include a goodie bag with haircare products from ABV Organics and Wakati Hair. This event is open to everyone, with reduced priced tickets for Black Ballad Members. Visit blackballad.co.uk for more information.
GINA YASHERE has penned her first ever memoir, Cack-Handed, available to purchase later this year.
Touching upon issues of social class, racism and sexuality, Cack-Handed is a collection of eccentric and uproarious stories that reveal how Yashere’s upbringing as a child of Nigerian immigrants in working-class London became the foundation of her incredibly successful career as an international comic.
The co-executive producer and writer of the CBS hit series Bob Hearts Abishola also chronicles her odyssey to get to America and break into Hollywood in this lively and humorous literary offering.
According to family superstition, Yashere was born to fulfil the dreams of her grandmother Patience.
The powerful first wife of a wealthy businessman, Patience was poisoned by her jealous sister-wives and marked with a spot on her neck. From birth, Yashere carried a similar birthmark – a sign that she was her grandmother’s chosen heir, and would fulfil Patience’s dreams. Yashere would learn to speak perfect English, live unfettered by men or children, work a man’s job, and travel the world with a free spirit.
Is she the reincarnation of her grandmother? Maybe. Yashere isn’t ruling anything out.
In Cack-Handed, she recalls her intergenerational journey to success foretold by her grandmother and fulfilled thousands of miles from home.
This hilarious memoir tells the story of how from growing up as a child of Nigerian immigrants in working class London, running from skinheads, and her overprotective mum, Yashere went on to become the first female engineer with the UK branch of Otis, the largest elevator company in the world, where she went through a baptism of fire from her racist and sexist co-workers.
Not believing her life was difficult enough, she later left engineering to become a stand up comic, appearing on numerous television shows and becoming one of the top comedians in the UK, before giving it all up to move to the US, a dream she’d had since she was six years old, watching American kids on television, riding cool bicycles, and solving crimes.
Envision Publishing announces the arrival of the paperback edition of Black Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 22 Stories of Passion, Achievement and Success by Shirley Anstis. The book draws attention to the journeys of serving Black members of parliament: who they are, how they got there and their contributions so far.
The UK parliament is made up of 650 Members of Parliament. Of these, 22 are of Black British, African and Caribbean heritage, representing 3%. Despite this small number they are making an impact and can be seen as role-models for another generation who may not know of them or their work.
It comes highly recommended by leading Black political figures Lord Simon Woolley and David Lammy MP.
‘I love this book. It’s simple, straight forward and yet at the same time fantastically complex. Above all, though it is wonderfully inspiring.’ Lord Simon Woolley in the Foreword
This is the first book of its type and captures a moment in time. The data covers the events of the recent past so MPs are quoted on the impact of the Grenfell Tower fire, the Windrush Scandal, Black Lives Matter and many more. Every October we have Black History Month in the UK and schools are unsure how to approach it, with many ignoring it altogether. Lockdown has given many people an opportunity to slow down and appreciate the unique experiences of different parts of society. This book educates and informs adults and young people at a time when everyone wants to know more and be an ally. 2021 is the year to follow through on the hopes of 2020.
Having worked with young people for 10 years Shirley Anstis knows how much they long to see successful people who look like them. By highlighting these 22 individuals Shirley Anstis gives the reader an insight into other successful people to expand their horizons and the future they desire for themselves.
Some of these parliamentarians have dedicated their lives to party politics and representation whilst others have recently transitioned from a different career path. There are many ‘firsts’ included here. These include Diane Abbott as the first Black female MP, Helen Grant as the first mixed female Conservative MP and Kwasi Kwarteng as the First Black African Conservative MP.
‘A fascinating collection of personal stories, struggles and successes….it inspires us to fight for more.’ David Lammy
Black MPs in the House of Commons… has been extensively researched using the House of Commons database Hansard. Media interviews and MPs own social media provide many opportunities to get quotes from them. This is not a critique but a celebration of people doing their best to act in accordance with their beliefs.
Shirley Anstis MA., BSc. is an integrative counsellor in England. For more than 10 years she has been supporting her clients to work through their stories and live the life they envision. As a Careers Adviser she witnessed many young people struggling to find role models to give them hope for a successful future. Her other books: ‘An A-Z for your Life, Discovering and revealing who you are today’, and ‘They Call Me…A look at nicknames in the Caribbean island of Grenada’, explore aspects of identity. Having lived in the Caribbean and the U.K. Shirley is aware of the complexity of our stories and explores this in her therapeutic writing workshops. Find out more on her website www.livingbeingdoing.com
Durotimi the champion is a children’s picture book about a young boy who is encouraged to be whatever he chooses to be when he grows up. This book is a tribute to young children around the world to inspire them to achieve their potential, build confidence in themselves and aspire to dream as big as they dare.
UK Black Writers Forum 