Today, GPS highlights the trailblazing career of Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, whose work as an activist and scholar paved the way for many woman that have followed her in public service. We revisit the inspirational and well-known Ben E. King song, “Stand By Me” for our musical inspiration. Learn More https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/16031 https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/barbara-jordan https://www.kff.org/about-barbara-jordan/ Sponsor Black Excellence…  Read More →

We kick off our weekend with inspiration, song, and a time to recognize the contributions of Althea Gibson, a professional athlete who broke racial barriers in a variety of ways. The Supremes and “Got You Back in My Arms Again” will provide our musical inspiration. Learn More https://www.biography.com/athlete/althea-gibson https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/26/sports/tennis/althea-gibson-statue-us-open.html https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014035.html https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/althea-gibson-is-first-african-american-to-win-wimbledon Sponsor Black Excellence Each…  Read More →

Join GPS for another Thursday edition of Take 5 as he shares about pilot Bessie Coleman, 1st African American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license. Our musical pairing is “Baby I Need Your Lovin’,” by Brian and Edward Holland Jr., Lamont Dozier, as performed by the Four Tops. Learn More https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bessie-coleman…  Read More →

On this Wednesday episode of Take 5 with GPS, we feature Misty Copeland, 1st African American to be named principal ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre. Our musical pairing is South African Anti-Apartheid Song, “We Shall Not Give Up the Fight.” Learn More https://mistycopeland.com/ https://www.abt.org/people/misty-copeland/ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/misty%20copeland Sponsor Black Excellence Each episode and blog post take…  Read More →

Join GPS for a Tuesday edition of Take 5, as he shares about educator and civil rights advocate Mary McCleod Bethune and sings a classic made popular by Marvin Gaye, “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by Edward and Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier. Learn More https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-mcleod-bethune https://www.cookman.edu/about_BCU/history/our_founder.html https://www.nps.gov/mamc/learn/historyculture/mary-mcleod-bethune.htm https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mary-mcleod-bethune-vanguard-more-than-50-years-black-progress-180975202/ Sponsor Black…  Read More →

Start Monday off right with this edition of Take 5, where we honor the rich legacy of Black women in history with a look at the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, American Civil Rights Activist, Community Organizer, and Speaker. Our musical pairing is “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around,” traditional song from the Civil…  Read More →

For this Sunday edition of Take 5 we honor the rich legacy of Black women in history with a look at the life and artistry of Marian Anderson, who was the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Our musical pairing is “My Lord What a Mornin’,” a traditional Negro Spiritual arranged by…  Read More →

On this Saturday edition highlighting Black Excellence in Women’s HERstory, GPS highlights the contributions of educator and journalist, Ida B. Wells. Our musical inspiration comes in the form of the Temptations legendary, “My Girl.” Learn More https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett https://www.nps.gov/people/idabwells.htm https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/barnett-ida-wells-1862-1931/ Sponsor Black Excellence Each episode and blog post take $250 to create and produce. Consider sponsoring…  Read More →

It’s Friday morning, so take a few minutes and Take 5 with GPS. This morning GPS shares an inspirational figure to so many in the U.S. and beyond, American politician, educator, and author, Shirley Chisholm. Our musical pairing is “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” by Smokey Robinson and Robert Rogers as made…  Read More →

Join us for another Thursday-edition of Take 5, as GPS highlights education activist Marva Collins and shares a song passed down by oral tradition in the Black community, “Somebody’s Hurting My Brother.” Learn More https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/marva-collins-40 http://nytimes.com/2015/06/29/us/marva-collins-78-no-nonsense-educator-and-activist-dies.html https://tpt.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/7199de5c-446e-4db6-b949-d3a0d22dadcc/george-franklin-husband-of-marva-n-collins/ Sponsor Black Excellence Each episode and blog post take $250 to create and produce. Consider sponsoring a day…  Read More →

It’s a Wednesday kids day on Take 5; join GPS as he sings a little Angel Medley and shares a little about the 1st African American woman to participate in the NASA space program, Mae Jemison. Learn More “Mae Among the Stars” by Roda Ahmed, Stasia Burrington (Illustrator) http://teacher.scholastic.com/space/mae_jemison/index.htm https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mae-jemison https://www.biography.com/astronaut/mae-c-jemison https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/jemison_mae.pdf Sponsor Black Excellence Each…  Read More →

Today, we highlight Janet Emerson Bashen, founder and CEO of the Bashen Corporation, a private consulting group that investigates Equal Employment Opportunity complaints under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the first African American woman in the United States to hold a software patent. Our musical inspiration is “Reach Out and Touch” by Nickolas Ashford and…  Read More →

Today, we highlight physicist, researcher, and University president, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. Our musical inspiration is a call to supporting each other, “I’ll Be There” as made popular by the Jackson 5, Mariah Carey, and other artists. Learn More https://www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots/about/meet-our-guests/shirley-jackson https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/shirley-ann-jackson/ https://www.aps.org/careers/physicists/profiles/sjackson.cfm Sponsor Black Excellence Each episode and blog post take $250 to create and…  Read More →