MIDNIGHT PEARL COMMISSIONS

Mattiwilda Dobbs born in Atlanta (7-11-1925) was an international vocalist/opera singer. She refused to sing in segregated crowds & didn't perform in Atlanta until 1962. In 1953,  she became to first black woman to perform at La Scala Opera in Milan. (source)

d'evils - what type of corruption have you noticed in your neighborhood? are your friends and family caught up in it?

Fredrick Allen Hampton at OLIVET CHURCH, 1969, ( August 30, 1948 – December 4, 1969) 

— Fullamusu Bangura is a poet, essayist, and youth advocate currently residing in Chicago, IL. She is the child of two Sierra Leonean immigrants and was raised in Washington, DC. Fullamusu’s work has been published in Peach Mag, TRACK//FOUR, and Memoir Mixtapes.

– Clark Jackson, Gloria. Mark Clark: Soul of a Black Panther, R.I.P Mark Clark ( June 28, 1947 – December 4, 1969 )

“ these days i have no time for rallies and politics. ” “ but time is also money. ” “ their time is soon over. ” “ anyway, this is business. ” “ i have chocolates. who wants chocolates? ” “ many foreign press are arriving for the... ” “ there is nothing we can do. ” “ someone who didn’t like him denounced him as a rebel spy. ” “ it wouldn’t help. ” “ he is not family. family is all that matters. ” “ please leave these things to my good judgement. ” “ the world press are watching. ” “ the peace has been signed, let this process work. ” “ why do the neighbors run to us? ” “ we must remain calm for the children. ” “ talk to me. where are you hurt? ” “ you are not hurt. ” “ stay calm and be quiet. ” “ i... i better go have a word with them. ” “ who is in charge here? ” “ don’t look... don’t look. ” “ please, i don’t use guns. ” “ you name a price. ” “ i’ll get you the money. ” “ we’re trying to get as much information for you as we can. ” “ you better get out of this room. ” “ i shouldn’t have brought them here. ” “ soon, all of this will be over. ” “ bathe them. feed them. put them to bed. i will send you some help. ” “ let me tell you, it was an embarrassment to have to ask for this. ” “ i am glad that you shot this footage, and that the world will see it. ” “ it is the only way we will have a chance for people to intervene. ” “ how can they not intervene? when they witness such atrocities? ” “ i have more work to do. thank you for your offer. ” “ i’m afraid i don’t understand what you’re saying. ” “ we have been abandoned. ” “ we have to let him go. ” “ these men are not here to help us. ” “ i will never leave you. ” “ i think they mean to kill us. ” “ that will take time. ” “ we can only save yourselves. ” “ you must tell them what will happen to us. ” “ say goodbye. but when you say goodbye, say it as though you are reaching through the phone and holding their hand. let them know if they let go of that hand, you will die. ” “ we must shame them into sending help. ” “ i overheard something i think you should know about. ” “ i wish i were more like you. ” “ please, please. we have a job this morning. ” “ you do not honestly believe that you can kill them all? ” “ you will tell no one what you have seen here today. ” “ i’ll be out in a minute. ” “ hundreds. it was too many to count. ” “ hatred. insanity. i dont know. ” “ we have had a good life, you and i, yes? ” “ i thank god for the time we had. ” “ the machete is no way to die. ” “ those girls have no one now. ” “ we have to leave by 7am. ” “ i will find someone. i promise you. ” “ i wish i could have done more. i’m sorry. ” “ i wanted you to be safe. all of you. ” “ they will kill us all, if we stay here. ” “ there’s no way we can hold out for two days. ” “ we need to help one another. ” “ how do you think these people operate? ” “ who will tell them? ” “ do you think they’re going to believe you? ” “ shoot me. please shoot me. it will be a blessing. ” “ we are leaving. right now. ” “ what were you going to do with this? ” “ someplace safe. ” “ have you seen these girls? ” “ there’s always room. ”

“ you’re requesting that i read specific selections from my report? ” “ i believe it’s premature to reveal these images to the general public at this time. ” “ i’ve been on the phone with the national guard all day. ” “ they’re going to take your suits. ” “ well guess what, somebody else had it yesterday.” “it’s not theoretical anymore.” “ are you listening to me? are you okay? ” “ is that suppose to be smoking? ” “ you had this in your body.” “ how about the high-tech crossword puzzle on your neck? ” “ i’m looking at you.” “ you want to do this whole lone gunslinger act, and it’s unnecessary. you don’t got to do this alone. ” “ you’ve got to be kidding me. ” “ this is ridiculous. i just stuck my neck out for this guy. ” “ handle it, or i’m going to have to. ” “ i’m only going to say this once: get out. ” “ you don’t to deserve to wear one of these. shut it  down. ” “ i told you to shut it down. ” “ sidekick this! ” “ had enough? ” “ put your hand down. ” “ let’s take it inside. ” “ this is not a scientific exercise. ” “ i want to know what you’re going to do for us. ” “ i think i’ll take it. all of it. ” “ i’m here on orders, let’s not do this right now. ” “ yeah i tried that. i got tossed around your house, remember? ” “ that’s not me. ” “ get out of here! the whole system’s been compromised. ” “ i’m closing in on you. ” “ i should’ve trusted you more. ” “ no, its your fault. i just wanted to say i’m sorry. ” “ it’s called being a badass. ” “ this is where you go to die. ” “ yeah, yeah, nice. ” “ mm. i think you should lead with that next time. ” “ oh, this ain’t going to be good. ” “ i got something special for this guy. ” “ i think it was weird. ” “ you guys look like two seals fighting over a grape. ” “ you don’t have to do that. i heard the whole thing. ” “ i was here first. get a roof. ” “ thank you, you too. ” “ listen, my car got taken out in the explosion, so i’m going to have to hang on to your suit. ”

“ i’m a gemini, so i’m two people anyway. ” “ don’t call it jazz. ” “ if you’re going to tell a story, come with some attitude. ” “ fuck you, mac. get in line. ” “ yeah, it’s really me. listen, shut up. you talk too goddamn much. ” “ this ain’t a interview, okay? you take this, i’ll kill you, got it? ” “ no forget it, man. listen... ” “ where’s my money? ” “ i didn’t go nowhere. ” “ open this goddamn door. have you lost your fucking mind? ” “ can you drive, motherfucker? ” “ take that thing off my fucking dashboard. ” “ i did some dope. made some more music. then you came to my house. ” “ that’s what all you writing motherfuckers do anyhow. ” “ bring your ass out of my car. ” “ don’t send people to my house. ” “ that’s right--my material. ” “ you must be a rich man. how much money you got on you? ” “ you know how they say it in Missouri, son: show me ” “ and i’m the asshole in the room, right? ” “ this is my phone number. now you don’t have to stare. ” “ so where is it at? ” “ look man, don’t worry about none of that. ” “ fill my tank. go get me cash if i need it. ” “ get the fuck off me, hitler! ” “ keep your simple ass friends away from my equipment. ” “ you’re gon be alright? ” “ grab me some of that brown liquor. ” “ nah, just woke up black and knew how to play. ” “ i wanted to quit every night. ” “ it takes a long time to be able to play like yourself. ” “ your turn, motherfucker. ” “ don’t get snappy with me, i’m the one waiting. ” “ i need you to come home. ” “ let’s have a real serious talk about it when you get home. ” “ they was in my house last night?! ” “ your tits, what!? ” “ this public property. i can stand here and have a smoke if i want to. ” “ just stay off the damn phone. shit. ” “ are you through? ” “ what’s that? ” “ don’t come all corny with the shit. ” “ i gotta go. got work to do. ” “ better believe it. ”

“ that would be unwise. ” “ once a weed, uprooted and burned. ” “ but, what is its truth? ” “ you! turn around. ” “ no, i--well, yes. you know i can’t lie. turn. ” “ i’m not going to risk looking at those tricky eyes of yours. ” “ i’m not even half done. ” “ a child could deduce why you’re here. ” “ i will solve it. ” “ well, draw lots. ” “ this is far too important to risk. ” “ i can recite the true name of the stars. ” “ i have seen the world created from sand and water. ” “ i contain all the wisdom in the universe. ” “ its mystery. its essence. its truth. ” “ apology accepted. now, get out! ” “ careful. i outnumber you. ” “ i thought you were a stray baboon. ” “ your chance of failure is overwhelming. ” “ this is the cleverest strategy you could devise? ” “ playing on my ego? how vain do you think i am? ” “ yes, well. fine. fine! ” “ if i even attempted to explain, your brains would liquify and run out of your ears. ” “ all the time you were apart, she never forgot you. ” “ you know, i think everyone’s a fool. ” “ i find your dependence on chance troubling. ” “ if you continue to survive, i may need to study you further. ” “ that was a completely suitable answer. ” “ then i might as well stop thinking! ”

“ it’s there on the ticket, ma’am. ” “ i’ll make it last. ” “ i don’t make much. ” “ i’m sorry, i don’t understand. ” “ i have no intentions of working.. or staying. ” “ i’m looking for someone. i think i have the right address. ” “ so, they both moved on? ” “ she’s my little sister. ” “ i’m looking for my sister. ” “ i only want to know if you have seen this woman and perhaps the kid. ” “ i’m looking for them. they disappeared. ” “ what did she say? ” “ whoever you work for, tell them this was a message from the king. ” “ we need to talk. ” “ is that why he hates her? ” “ you get to cussing when you get nervous, did you know that? ” “ it’s a reasonable question. ” “ you didn’t answer my question. ” “ pissed who off? PISSED WHO OFF? ” “ who does he work for? ” “ you have to keep a roof over your head. ” “ can i use it? only for a few hours. ” “ i have to go. chop, chop. ” “ she had something they wanted. ” “ what happened after that? ” “ she’d been tortured. they cut off her foot. they blinded her. ” “ this isn’t about money. ” “ what if somebody did get hurt? ” “ i used to think so. i’m not sure if i do anymore. ” “ yeah, my apologies. that was my mistake. ” “speak no evil. good words.” “good thoughts, good words... good deeds.” “ such a little prankster. ” “ maybe she was right. ” “ maybe i should have been able to stop that too.” “ she didn’t think she could come to me until it was too late. ” “ i’ve got what you want, and you’ve got what i want. ”

‘ i'd just like to be inside your head for five minutes. ’ ‘ you done got more shit piled up and mixed up in there than the devil got sinners. ’ ‘ you been reading too many goddamn books. ’ ‘ what is you? i don’t see your name in lights. ’ ‘ i just picked it up . . . like you pick up anything. ’ ‘ i got style! ’ ‘ But everybody can't play like I do. ’ ‘ I got sense enough to know that. ’  ‘ you just mad 'cause I spelled it. ’ ‘ that don't prove nothing. what's that supposed to prove. ’ ‘ naw! naw! we ain't doing it that way. ’ ‘ it say so right there on that piece of paper you got. ’ ‘ what kind of sense it make to rehearse the wrong version of the song? ’ ‘ you all got to keep up now. ’ ‘ if you was any kind of musician, you'd take care of your instrument. ’ ‘ watch them big-ass shoes you got. ’ ‘ you done stepped on my shoes. ’ ‘ got nerve to put on a suit and tie with them farming boots. ’ ‘ a man got to have some shoes to dance like this. ’ ' he done got to the point where he forgot how to laugh and have a good time. ’ ' thinking you smarter than everybody else. what is you doing, huh? ’ ‘ well, why didn't you say that, then? ’ ‘ now you gonna take sides and call me a fool. ’ ‘ you wasn't even in the conversation. ’ ' but I'll tell you this . . . I ain't gonna be too many more of your fools. ’ ‘ now put that in your pipe and smoke it. ’ ' there you go! That's who I am. I'm the devil. I ain't nothing but the devil. ’ ' Cause if there's a god up there, he done went to sleep. ’ ‘ God don't mean nothing to me. Let him strike me! ’

— Geechee