Latest news with #What'sGoingOn
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What was Detroit like in the 1960s? Take a look back in time.
It was the best of times — and the boiling point. In the 1960s, Detroit roared with the sounds of new muscle cars and the distinctive sounds of Motown. Woodward Avenue was the glittering spine of the city, lined with movie theaters, shops and crowds. At Motown's Hitsville U.S.A., Berry Gordy was changing the sound of America, while downtown department stores like Hudson's remained bustling centers of fashion and community life. But beneath the rhythm of those radio hits and the hum of the assembly line, tensions between police and the city's Black residents were brewing in the neighborhoods, ultimately leading to a deadly five-day uprising. Take a look back at Detroit in the 1960s with our curated photo gallery, featuring images from the Free Press archives and beyond, capturing the city's highs, lows and everyday life during a decade that changed everything. Riot or rebellion? The debate on what to call Detroit '67 More: Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' still relevant and revealing, 50 years on More: Detroit's Algiers Motel site, where 3 teens were killed in 1967, to get historical marker More: Willie Horton book excerpt: 1967 riot may have been first time I embraced my community This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What was Detroit like in the 1960s? Photos take you back in time
Perth Now
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
'If I kissed some man, I'd cut my lips off': Terrence Howard on whyhe turned down Marvin Gaye biopic
Terrence Howard rejected the chance to play Marvin Gaye because he refused to kiss another man. The 'Empire' actor admitted the "biggest mistake" of his career was turning down Smokey Robinson's personal request for him to play him in a separate project because he was already in talks with director Lee Daniels to play the 'Let's Get It On' hitmaker. However, Terrence grew concerned when he heard rumours about Marvin - who married twice and had three children before being shot dead by his father in 1984 at the age of 44 - and his sexuality. Speaking to Bill Maher on his 'Club Random' podcast, he recalled: 'I was over at Quincy Jones's house, and I'm asking Quincy, 'I'm hearing rumours that Marvin was gay' and I'm like, 'Was he gay?' And Quincy's like, 'Yes.' 'They would've wanted to do that [in the film], and I wouldn't have been able to do that.' Bill asked: 'You mean you couldn't kiss a guy on screen in a movie?' His guest replied: 'No. Because I don't fake it. 'That would f*** me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.' The 56-year-old actor insisted his decision wasn't a sign he is "homophobic" but he felt he couldn't completely commit to the role. He said: "It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man... 'I can't play that character 100%. I can't surrender myself to a place that I don't understand.' Marvin never spoke publicly about his sexuality, but in 2018, late producer Quincy - who died last year aged 91 - claimed the 'What's Going On' singer was one of many high-profile men to have slept with late acting legend Marlon Brando. He told Vulture: "Marlon used to go cha-cha dancing with us. He could dance his ass off. He was the most charming motherf***er you ever met. He'd f*** anything. Anything! He'd f*** a mailbox. James Baldwin. Richard Pryor. Marvin Gaye." Asked again whether he knew for certain that they'd all slept with Brandon, Jones responded: "Come on, man. He did not give a f***!"
Buzz Feed
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
17 Singers Who Tragically Died At The Height Of Their Careers, And It's Truly Heartbreaking
1. Marvin Gaye Marvin Gaye rose to prominence in the '60s and had continued success through the '80s thanks to a string of hits like "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On," and "Sexual Healing." He died in 1984 at age 44 after being shot to death by his father the day before his 45th birthday, according to the New York Times. 2. Aaliyah Aaliyah was a Grammy-nominated singer with major hits in the late '90s and early '00s, including "Try Again," "Miss You," and "Rock The Boat." She died in 2001 at age 22 in a plane crash that took off in the Bahamas, according to the New York Times. 3. Buddy Holly Buddy Holly was a major artist in the late '50s. Across his own albums and his record with The "Chirping" Crickets, his signature songs include "That'll Be the Day," "Oh Boy!" "Everyday," and "Peggy Sue." He died in 1959 at age 22 after a plane he was in crashed in Iowa. Fellow musicians "The Big Bopper" J.P. Richardson and Ritchie Valens also died in the crash, and the incident would later be referred to as "The Day the Music Died" by Don McLean in his 1971 song "American Pie." 4. Selena, known as the Queen of Tejano, had major crossover success in the '90s. The Grammy-nominated singer released four solo albums during her lifetime that included hits like "No Me Queda Más," "Como la Flor," and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom." Her posthumous album, Dreaming of You, went No. 1 shortly after her death. She died in 1995 at age 23 after being shot and killed by her former manager, according to the New York Times. 5. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was a member of the mega-popular group TLC. Together, they won four Grammys, and Lisa released her debut album, Supernova, in 2001. She died in 2002 at age 30 from a car crash in Honduras, according to the New York Times. 6. Jeff Buckley Jeff Buckley released just one album during his lifetime, titled Grace, in 1994. Over the years, his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" has grown in popularity and become his signature track. Jeff died in 1997 at age 30 after accidentally drowning in the Wolf River near Memphis, according to the New York Times. 7. Christina Grimmie 8. Duane Allman Duane Allman was the original leader of the rock band the Allman Brothers. He released two albums with the band before his death. He's also featured on their breakthrough record, the live album At Fillmore East. Duane died in 1971 at age 24 from a motorcycle crash, according to Rolling Stone. 9. Amy Winehouse 10. Tupac Shakur Tupac Shakur was a rapper, actor, and poet who released four solo albums during his lifetime. This included two Billboard No. 1 albums: Me Against the World in 1995 and All Eyez on Me in 1996. As an actor, he starred in several films, including Juice and Poetic Justice. Tupac died in 1996 at age 25 after being shot in a drive-by shooting outside of Las Vegas, according to the Associated Press. 11. Janis Joplin Janis Joplin was a rock 'n roll pioneer in the '60s. She first gained fame as the lead singer of the band Big Brother and the Holding Company before releasing one solo album: I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama! in 1969. A few months after her death, her second album, Pearl, was released. It was ranked as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023. Janis died in 1970 at age 27 from an accidental drug overdose, according to the New York Times. 12. Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix was a titan of '60s rock 'n roll. His band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, saw major success with three albums, including the Billboard No. 1 record Electric Ladyland. He died in 1970 at age 27 from suffocation, likely related to a drug overdose, according to the New York Times. 13. Cass Elliott Cass Elliot, known as Mama Cass, first shot to fame as part of the '60s folk group The Mamas & the Papas. They won a Grammy for the 1966 song "Monday, Monday." Cass went on to release numerous solo albums, including Dream a Little Dream and Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama. She died in 1974 at age 32 from a heart attack, according to the BBC. 14. Karen Carpenter Karen Carpenter was best known for being one-half of the duo The Carpenters alongside her brother, Richard. Together, they released ten albums before Karen's death. She died in 1983 at age 32 from complications of anorexia nervosa, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 15. Juice WRLD Juice WRLD was a rapper who found success thanks to a series of hits in the 2010s, including "Lucid Dreams" and his collaboration with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, "Bandit." He died in 2019 at age 21 from an accidental overdose, according to NPR. 16. Jim Morrison Jim Morrison was the lead singer of the Doors, recording six albums with the band. He died in 1971 at age 27, and his death was attributed to heart failure, though no autopsy was performed, according to NPR. 17. Finally, Mac Miller Mac Miller was a rapper who released five albums during his lifetime, including the chart-topping debut record Blue Slide Park. He died in 2018 at age 26 from an accidental overdose, according to Rolling Stone.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
54 years of marriage and the romantic vibe is still swinging
Love Stories: During February, which is Black History Month and a month for romance, discover the journeys these Black couples are on as they create a loving legacy while partnering despite racial challenges. Today, get to know Tom and Valada Flewellyn, the high school sweethearts who have found their groove while falling in love, raising a family and following their passion. It's a beautiful balmy January winter day and a navy blue golf cart glides over the path at Dubsdread Golf Course in Orlando. Birds chirp on the outside, but inside cart number 13, husband and wife Tom Flewellyn and Valada Flewellyn, both 73, are quietly serenaded by Marvin Gaye as he sings 'What's Going On.' They tee off, chip, pitch, drive and putt along the course to the sound of Aretha Franklin, which makes the heart soar and body sway as she sings 'Rock Steady.' The Flewellyns bring a different vibe to the course in College Park's predominantly upper-middle-class, white neighborhood. The R&B singers weave stories from the '60s, '70s and '80s about Black Power, community pride, culture, strength, family and love. Golf etiquette dictates 'respect the quiet zone' and Tom, the former Wall Street CPA, is a natural rule follower, so they keep the music low. The Flewellyns chat between holes and the Temptations' version of 'I Wish It Would Rain' plays softly from the iPhone speaker. He's an introvert. She's an extrovert. His swing is athletic sans the flexibility of youth. She has bright pink, easy-to-find golf balls. More than 50 years ago, Tom and Valada met at a house party. Valada was in charge of the punch. Tom ventured into the kitchen several times to get said punch but it was not ready. Valada brought him a cup when it was finished and he asked her to dance to 'Stay in My Corner' by the Dells. As the two danced, someone relayed a message that Valada's parents were outside. Feeling her anxiety level rise, Valada asked Tom to join her hoping to mitigate the trouble she was in for breaking her curfew. Her father told Tom if he was going to date his daughter he had to follow the rules and have her home before midnight. Tom took the chastisement from her father even though the two were not on a date. 'Tom was very much a gentleman, you know, so he sort of kept them calm,' Valada remembers. Couple's positive affirmations build a foundation of love for 4 young sons 'She also was a Christian and had a good heart,' Tom explains. 'One of the things I liked about her was she had a good personality and you'd have to be a strange person to not like Valada.' What started with a delayed cup of punch that led to their first dance has been bubbling ever since. Early on Tom noticed that Valada was very studious and always had a book. 'If I could get her, I'd have a girl with the looks and all the brains I don't have,' Tom said grinning broadly. Valada went to The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, to study marketing and Tom attended Central State University, a public, historically Black university in Wilberforce, Ohio, to earn a degree in accounting and finance. The two worked hard in college and made the best of a long-distance relationship with the 60-plus miles between them. Earlier in life, when Valada was 13 years old, she was frustrated at how little Black history was taught at her school and the lack of books by and about Blacks in the libraries. She took it upon herself to gather several pages of signatures, then met with the superintendent of schools and presented her signatures and her request to have more access to Black history in the schools and libraries. The Cleveland school district made no changes after her visit but the visit had changed her. Not long after this exchange with the city, Valada met Icabod Flewellen, who was the 'Father of the African American Museum' the first of its kind with African American artifacts. Flewellen mentored Valada and she volunteered at the museum for the next three years. On her wedding day when he appeared, Valada realized Icabod Flewellen was her new husband's uncle. He was now family, not just a mentor. Family lore is the nurse misspelled the last name when Icabod was born, assuming she knew better than his mom and the family never changed it. After his college graduation, Tom interviewed with Price Waterhouse, one of the Big Eight accounting firms of the time. They offered him a job in the Cleveland office but his favorite professor in college told him 'if you want to be tops in finance you need to be near Wall Street.' He was told there were no openings in the New York City office when he applied but a week later they offered him a job in the financial mecca. The two went shopping for a proper suit for Tom's job on Wall Street. 'My father was a mechanic, I didn't grow up with men coming in the house dressed to go to Wall Street,' Valada said. 'The men that I saw were dressed to go to the club or church.' They bought a suit with a houndstooth pattern with a buckle on it, a maroon short-sleeved shirt and a red tie. 'Babe, you looked good,' Valada said, remembering the outfit. Couple sets sights on future with strong spiritual foundation At the Price Waterhouse office, a colleague of Tom's explained that dark blue suits, long-sleeved white shirts and non-bold ties were the uniform of a financial professional on Wall Street. Tom purchased dark blue suits, long-sleeved white shirts and dark-colored ties for work from that day forward. As the family grew over the next six years, Valada finished her degree in marketing at Marymount College in Tarrytown, which is now called Marymount College of Fordham University. The two decided their home in Queens was a nice place but not the place to continue to grow their family. Tom took a new job at Xerox in Stamford, Connecticut. Valada joined Jack & Jill in Connecticut for her children who would not see many, middle-class Black families in the white community they lived in. Jack & Jill is the oldest African American family organization dedicated to nurturing children ages 2-19 into future American leaders. She was more a housewife than anything else while in Connecticut and started writing poetry and writing books about Jack & Jill and social justice topics. In time, Tom was recruited by Philip Crosby Associates in Winter Park, but he didn't see himself as a Southerner. Tom brought the whole family to Florida for the recruiting trip with the company and while he was busy interviewing, Valada and the kids went house shopping and explored the area. He was offered the position, and he explained to his family he would not take the job if they did not like the area. The consensus was to take the job, move to Orlando and get a house with a pool. There had to be a pool at their new home. In Orlando, Tom has worked at Philip Crosby Associates and as a director of Minority Business Relations at Walt Disney World. He retired three years ago. While Valada raised Tom III, Toya and Tina, she continued writing poetry and books and telling stories about Black history in Sanford and across the United States. 'I love Black history,' Valada said. 'At 73 years old, I finally realized I'm a creative person. I want that to mean something and make the world a better place,' Valada said. She's written poetry for Coretta Scott King and recited two of her poems at the inauguration of Dr. Ben Vinson III, the current president of Howard University. 'I've come full circle, what I was passionate about when I was 13, sharing Black history, is what I'm doing now,' Valada says now of her work. Serendipity played a role in golf cart number 13 being driven around by the Flewellyn's, because Feb. 13, was also their 54th wedding anniversary. Understanding the unique Flewellyn vibe on the golf course is more apparent as the day goes on. Their supportive and happy banter, shared smiles and twinkling eyes communicate respect, friendship and a deep romantic love. If you see the Flewellyns cruising along the paths at Dubsdread Golf Course, listen carefully you might be able to hear their giggles, laughter and Marvin Gaye singing to you about 'What's Going On.' Willie J. Allen Jr. can be reached at wallen@
Chicago Tribune
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Willie Wilson: President Donald Trump is eroding decades of civil rights progress
On the day the nation paused to celebrate the late civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ends all equity plans across the federal government and its employees. The order 'Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing' falsely criticizes diversity, equity and inclusion plans as 'immense public waste and shameful discrimination.' I can imagine King looking down from heaven and singing Marvin Gaye's song 'What's Going On.' Trump's actions are creating conditions for violence, racial unrest and instability. Several of the executive orders erode decades of progress achieved through the civil rights movement. Trump also signed an executive order that invalidates President Lyndon Johnson's 1965 order that required federal contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to promote equal opportunity for women and minorities. Johnson's executive order prohibited employment discrimination based on race, color, religion and national origin, and it was amended to add sex. Trump's order ' Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity ' directs the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs within the Department of Labor to 'immediately cease promoting diversity, holding federal contractors and subcontractors responsible for taking 'affirmative action.'' The order encourages the private sector to 'end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.' Without Johnson's order in place, CNN reports that 'it will be harder for people to confirm that they're being discriminated against, and far fewer checks on employers who do practice discrimination, either consciously or unconsciously.' Trump's order could cause a chilling effect on employers hiring, promoting or contracting with diverse individuals and businesses. This could lead to increased unemployment, poverty and greater instability in communities of color. Crain's Chicago Business reported that 'the Illinois Department of Transportation recently republished a solicitation for roadwork without a diversity goal as a result of a directive from the U.S. Department of Transportation.' Will diversity goals go away? Will research grants examining racial disparities end? Major companies are ending their diversity programs. The U.S. has a painful history of race and gender discrimination. The late Benjamin E. Mays, a leader in the civil rights movement, said: 'He who starts behind in the great race of life must forever remain behind or run faster than the man in front.' That is the dilemma facing Black people in America who arrived on slave ships and Native Americans whose land was taken by force. While we have made progress toward a colorblind society, Black people remain trapped in a spiral of poverty, inferior schools and hopelessness. Racial disparities in wealth, health, housing, employment, education, environment and the criminal justice system continue to hold Black Americans, Native Americans and others down. Last week, the nonprofit watchdog group the Housing Rights Initiative filed 176 complaints against Chicago landlords for discrimination in the largest housing case in Illinois history. Every time Black people have made progress, systemic barriers have been put in place to slow their pace. In 1934, the Federal Housing Administration adopted rules that perpetuated racial discrimination in lending and housing segregation. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was needed to prevent discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin or sex. Redlining was outlawed in 1968, but the effects are still being felt today. In 1921, the Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, dubbed 'Black Wall Street,' was a shining example of Black people's success. They were landowners and operated stores, hotels, churches, law offices, medical and dental offices, schools, barbershops, funeral homes and newspapers. White supremacists burned down 35 city blocks in Greenwood over 24 hours. They left Black people homeless and hundreds injured or dead. Trump and those aligned with his vision of taking America back cannot understand another person's journey unless they walk a mile in that person's shoes. The attempt to erase rules on race and gender equality from the federal government does nothing but give a nod to white supremacists and the architects of Project 2025. Trump's pardons of those who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, emboldens those associated with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Symbols really do matter. Trump has placed a picture of President Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office. Jackson was an owner of enslaved people who became wealthy because of the institution of slavery. His Indian Removal Act forced more than 50,000 Native Americans off their ancestral homes, opening up the land for white settlement. Perhaps Trump's actions will awaken communities of color to organize and use their collective economic and political power to effect positive change. We must fight hate with love. The following are recommendations to keep America moving toward a more perfect union: Civil rights organizations must challenge the legality of Trump's executive orders. Any diminishment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 must be met with a legal challenge. Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois leaders must not retreat from their commitment to diversity in hiring and contracting. Faith leaders should organize roundtable discussions around holding accountable those companies that end diversity programs. In Psalm 37:25, King David said: 'I was young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.' God is in control, and together, we shall overcome. Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
