Afro Pop Remix

Topics: Air Jordans, Whitney Houston, Sade, The Color Purple, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Phylicia Rashad (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco)

1985 Notes General Snapshots 1. President: Ronald Reagan 2. Jan – In Hollywood, California, the charity single "We Are the World" is recorded by USA for Africa. The single raises money to combat the ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The American act consists of high-profile performers, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross. 3. Jan – The newest music video channel, VH-1, begins broadcasting on American cable. It is aimed at an older demographic than its sister station, MTV. The first video played is Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner". 4. Mar – WrestleMania debuts at Madison Square Garden. In the main event, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeated Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper. The attendance for the event was 19,121. The event was seen by over one million viewers through closed-circuit television, making it the largest pay-per-view showing of a wrestling event on closed-circuit television in the United States at the time. 5. Apr – Coca-Cola changes its recipe and releases New Coke. The response is overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula is back on the market in less than three months. 6. Aug - Ryan White who was expelled from Western High School in Indiana is allowed to attend his first day of classes via telephone. 7. Sep - The Farm Aid concert is held in Champaign, Illinois, USA. 8. Oct – The Nintendo Entertainment System is released in U.S. stores. By 1988, industry observers stated that the NES's popularity had grown so quickly that the market for Nintendo cartridges was larger than that for all home computer software. The NES was released two years after the North American video game crash of 1983, when many retailers and adult consumers regarded electronic games as a passing fad. With the NES, Nintendo also changed the relationship between console manufacturers and third-party software developers by restricting developers from publishing and distributing software without licensed approval. This led to higher-quality games, which helped change the attitude of a public that had grown weary from poorly produced games for earlier systems. 9. Nov - Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. 10. Open Comments: 11. Top 3 Pop Songs 12. 1 "Careless Whisper" Wham! 13. 2 "Like a Virgin" Madonna 14. 3 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Wham! 15. Grammy Awards 16. Record of the Year: Quincy Jones (producer) for "We Are the World" 17. Album of the Year: Phil Collins (producer & artist) for No Jacket Required 18. Song of the Year: Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (songwriters) for "We Are the World" 19. Best New Artist: Sade 20. Top 3 Movies 21. Back to the Future 22. Rambo: First Blood Part II 23. Rocky IV 24. Other Notables: The Color Purple / Out of Africa / Cocoon / The Jewel of the Nile / Witness / The Goonies / Spies Like Us / The Breakfast Club / Brewster's Millions / St. Elmo's Fire / Krush Groove 25. Top 3 TV Shows 26. The Cosby Show 27. Family Ties 28. Murder, She Wrote 29. TV Debuts 30. Sep - What's Happening Now!! / Stir Crazy 31. Black Snapshots 32. Feb - Whitney Houston releases her debut album – Whitney Houston. 33. Mar – Mike Tyson makes his professional debut in Albany, New York, a match which he wins by a first-round knockout. 34. May - Michael Jordan is named as the NBA's "Rookie of the Year." 35. May – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mayor Wilson Goode, the first African American to hold that office, orders police to storm the headquarters of the black liberation/back-to-nature group MOVE to end a stand-off over serving arrest warrants. (Due process?!?!) The police drop 2 explosive devices into the headquarters, killing 6 adults and 5 children, and destroyed an additional 61 residental homes in the resulting fire. The survivors filed a civil suit against the city and the police department

Topics: 1984 Olympics, Prince, Purple Rain (LP/Film), Cosby Show. (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound)

1984 Notes

General Snapshots

1. President: Ronald Reagan

2. Jan - US Bell System is broken up Bell System divestiture breaks AT&T into 24 independent units.

3. Jan - Wendy's "Fluffy Bun" advertisement is first broadcast, which gains Clara Peller and her "Where's the beef?" catchphrase national fame.

4. Jan - Michael Jackson's hair catches on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial. Michael Jackson stars in a Pepsi commercial with a young Alfonso Ribeiro, a.k.a Carlton from "The Fresh Prince."

5. Feb - Michael Jackson wins a record eight Grammy Awards. [Prince was in the audience]

6. May - Happy Days airs its series finale, "Passages".

7. Jun – Best ever NBA draft: (1) Hakeem Olajuwon, (3) Michael Jordan, (5) Charles Barkley, and (16) John Stockton. [Sam Bowie 2nd pick]

8. Jun - Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

9. Jul - The Motion Picture Association of America institutes the PG-13 rating, as a response to violent horror films such as Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. [Parental Advisory sticker for albums coming next year because of Darling Nikki by Prince]

10. Jul - ABC begins their coverage of the Summer Olympic Games from Los Angeles.

11. Sep - The first MTV Video Music Awards, featuring Madonna's iconic breakout moment, the 'Like a Virgin' performance.

12. Nov - Sony and Philips introduce the first portable CD player.

13. Nov – Reagan Re-Elected

14. Top 3 Pop Songs

15. #1 - "When Doves Cry", Prince

16. #2 - "What's Love Got to Do with It", Tina Turner

17. #3 - "Say Say Say", Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

18. Record of the Year: Tina Turner / What's Love Got To Do With It

19. Album of the Year: Lionel Richie / Can't Slow Down

20. Song of the Year: Terry Britten (songwriter) / What's Love Got To Do With

21. Best New Artist: Cyndi Lauper

22. Top 3 Movies

23. #1 - Beverly Hills Cop

24. #2 - Ghostbusters

25. #3 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

26. Other Notable Movies

27. Gremlins / Karate Kid /Footloose / Terminator / Nightmare on Elm Street / Police Academy / The Never-Ending Story / Sixteen Candles / Romancing the Stone / Breakin' / Beat Street

28. Top 3 TV Shows

29. #1 – Dynasty

30. #2 – Dallas

31. #3 - The Cosby Show

32. Black Snapshots

33. Apr - Marvin Gaye, singer, songwriter, and musician (b. 1939) Motown legend Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his own father after a fight between them. The murder weapon was a gun he had given his father for Christmas. His reputed final words were, "I got what I wanted... I couldn't do it myself, so I made him do it."

34. Jul - Vanessa L. Williams becomes the first Miss America to resign when she surrenders her crown, after nude photos of her appear in Penthouse magazine.

35. Dec - Four African American youths board an express train in The Bronx and attempt to rob Bernhard Goetz. He shoots them.

36. Dec - The first nationally broadcast telethon for the United Negro College fund is held. - "A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste"

37. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Chaka Khan / "I Feel for You"

38. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Billy Ocean / "Caribbean Queen"

39. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: James Ingram & Michael McDonald for "Yah Mo B There"

40. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: Herbie Hancock / "Sound System"

41. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: Prince, songwriter / "I Feel for You" performed by Chaka Khan

42. Economic Snapshot

43. Avg. Income = $21,600

44. House = $86,700

45. New Car = $8,700

46. Avg. Rent = $350

47. Tuition at Harvard = $9,000

48. Movie Ticket = $2.50

49. Gas = $1.10

50. Stamp = $0.20

51. Social Scene: 1984 Olympics [Jul 28th - Aug 12th]

52. Under the direction of the American entrepreneur Peter Ueberroth, the 1984 Olympics witnessed the ascension of commercialism as an integral element in the staging of the Games. Corporate sponsors, principally U.S.-based multinationals, could put Olympic symbols on their products, which were then marketed as the "official" such product of the Olympics. A spot on the torch relay team sold for $3,000 per km. The Olympics turned a profit ($225 million) for the first time since 1932. Despite concerns about growing corporate involvement ... the financial success and high worldwide television ratings raised optimism about the Olympic movement for the first time in a generation. [Due to the success of the games, Peter Ueberroth was named Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1984.] - https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles-

53. The Soviets, and 13 other countries, in retaliation for the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, boycotted the 1984 Olympics.

54. Highlights:

55. Carl Lewis Ties Jesse Owens: At the 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens won four gold medals — the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter, the long jump, and the 400-meter relay. Nearly five decades later, Carl Lewis also won four gold medals, in the same events as Jesse.

56. Edwin Moses won the gold medal in the 400m hurdles 8 years after winning in 1976.

57. Mary Lou Retton: The U.S. became enthralled with the short (4' 9"), exuberant Mary Lou Retton in her attempt to win gold in gymnastics, a sport that had long been dominated by the Soviet Union. When Retton received perfect scores in her final two events, she became the first American woman to win an individual gold medal in gymnastics.

58. A marathon for women was held for the first time at the Olympics (won by Joan Benoit of the U.S.)

59. Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin were on the team that won the gold medal in basketball.

60. The United States topped the medal count for the first time since 1968.

61. Music Scene

62. Black Songs from the Top 40

63. #1 - "When Doves Cry", Prince

64. #2 - "What's Love Got to Do with It", Tina Turner

65. #3 - "Say Say Say", Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

66. #7 – "Hello", Lionel Richie

67. #9 - "Ghostbusters", Ray Parker Jr.

68. #12 - "All Night Long (All Night)", Lionel Richie

69. #13 - "Let's Hear It for the Boy", Deniece Williams

70. #18 - "Jump (For My Love)", The Pointer Sisters

71. #21 - "Let's Go Crazy", Prince and The Revolution

72. #22 - "Say It Isn't So", Hall & Oates

73. #24 - "Joanna", Kool & The Gang

74. #25 - "I Just Called to Say I Love You", Stevie Wonder

75. #30 - "The Glamorous Life", Sheila E.

76. #32 - "Stuck on You", Lionel Richie

77. Vote:

78. Top R&B Albums

79. Jan - Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie

80. Mar – Thriller, Michael Jackson

81. Apr - Busy Body, Luther Vandross

82. Apr - She's Strange, Cameo

83. May - Can't Slow Down, Lionel Richie

84. Jul - Jermaine Jackson, Jermaine Jackson

85. Jul – Lady, One Way

86. Jul - Private Dancer, Tina Turner

87. Jul - Purple Rain [Soundtrack], Prince and The Revolution

88. Dec - The Woman in Red [Soundtrack], Stevie Wonder

89. Vote:

90. Featured Artist: Prince Rogers Nelson, a.k.a. Prince, The Purple One. American singer, songwriter, actor, and multi-instrumentalist. (@ 26 yrs. old)

91. Famous for his flamboyance, powerful voice, and eclectic behavior, he boasted of a career that spanned four long decades, a rarity in the music world where success is fickle. With worldwide sales of 100 million records, he is counted amongst the best-selling artists of all time. The son of a pianist and a jazz singer, Prince inherited his musical talents from his parents who encouraged him from a young age to pursue music as a career. Under his parents' guidance he developed a deep love for music and began creating tunes when he was just seven. He also taught himself how to play the piano, guitar and drums. He became a professional singer and performer as a young man and earned much popularity with his eponymous album 'Prince.' His highly sexualized lyrics, creative compositions, and incorporation of elements of funk, dance, and rock music made him stand out from others of his generation. He enjoyed a very successful career that was cut short by his untimely death at the age of 57.

92. Childhood & Early Life:

93. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 7, 1958 to an African American couple Mattie Della and John Lewis Nelson. His father was a pianist and songwriter and his mother was a jazz singer. He suffered from epileptic seizures as a young child. He became interested in music at a young age and was encouraged by his parents. He taught himself how to play the piano, guitar and drums, and wrote his first tune when he was seven. His parents separated when he was ten, and the next few years were spent repeatedly switching homes, sometimes living with his father and sometimes with his other. He formed his first band, Grand Central (later known as Champagne), when he was 14.

94. Career:

95. Debut album 'For You', (1978) / 'Prince', (1979) - Hit singles 'Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?' and 'I Wanna Be Your Lover'. Went platinum, effectively establishing Prince's career. / 'Dirty Mind' (1980) / 'Controversy' (1981), and '1999' (1982)

96. 1984, he released 'Purple Rain'. Sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1. The same year he appeared in a rock musical drama film of the same name, making his film debut. The film became a cult classic.

97. Following Albums: 'Parade' (1986) / 'Sign o' the Times' (1987) / 'Lovesexy' (1988) / 'Batman' (1989)

98. In the 1990s he started performing with a new backing band, the New Power Generation.

99. In 1993 he changed his stage name to, an unpronounceable symbol which was a combination of the symbols for male (♂) and female (♀).

100. 'Purple Rain' is consistently ranked among the best albums in music history and is widely regarded as Prince's magnum opus. It has sold over 22 million copies worldwide, becoming the sixth best-selling soundtrack album of all time. His album 'Sign o' the Times', which had elements of funk, soul, psychedelic pop, and rock music, and featured tracks like 'If I Was Your Girlfriend', 'Housequake' and 'It' was another one of his mega hits. In 1989, 'Time Out' magazine ranked it as the greatest album of all time.

101. In early April 2016 he reported that he was not feeling well and postponed his performances. It was also said that he was being treated for drug overdose. On April 21, 2016, he was found dead in an elevator. He was 57 years old.

102. Open Comments: Do you know what Purple Rain is?

103. TV Scene:

110. Open Comments:

111. Question: Evans or Huxtables?

112. Vote:

Topics: The Cold War, Run-DMC, New Edition, Bill Cosby (Himself), Eddie Murphy (Delirious). (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco)

1983 Notes 1. Ronald Reagan President 2. Feb - The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, setting a record for most-watched television broadcast in American history. 3. Mar - Strategic Defense Initiative: U.S. President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars". 4. Mar - Michael Jackson performs the dance move that will forever be known as the "moonwalk" at Motown 25. 5. Apr - The April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut kills 63 people. 6. Sep - Cold War: Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down by a Soviet Union jet fighter when the commercial aircraft enters Soviet airspace. All 269 on board are killed including U.S. Congressman Larry McDonald. 7. Sep - Vanessa Lynn Williams becomes the first African American to be crowned Miss America, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 8. Oct - United States troops invade Grenada at the behest of Eugenia Charles of Dominica, a member of the Organization of American States. 9. Oct - Microsoft Word is first released. 10. Nov - The first United States cruise missiles arrive at Greenham Common Airbase in England amid protests from peace campaigners. 11. Dec - Michael Jackson's music video for "Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. It becomes the most often repeated and famous music video of all time, increasing his own popularity and record sales of the album "Thriller". 12. Misc.: McDonald's introduces the McNugget and The Cabbage Patch Kids dolls make their national debut, their popularity leads to the Cabbage Patch riots. 13. Top 3 Pop Songs 14. 1 - "Every Breath You Take", The Police 15. 2 - "Billie Jean", Michael Jackson 16. 3 - "Flashdance... What a Feeling", Irene Cara 17. Record of the Year: "Beat It" – Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones 18. Album of the Year: Thriller – Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones 19. Song of the Year: "Every Breath You Take" – The Police Sting (songwriter) 20. Best New Artist: Culture Club 21. Top 3 Movies 22. 1 - Return of the Jedi 23. 2 - Terms of Endearment 24. 3. Flashdance 25. Top 3 TV 26. 1 - Dallas 27. 2 - 60 Minutes 28. 3 - Dynasty 29. Debuts: The A-Team / Webster 30. Black Snapshots 31. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Chaka Khan – Chaka Khan 32. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson 33. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: "Ain't Nobody" – Chaka Khan & Rufus 34. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: "Rockit" – Herbie Hancock 35. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson 36. Best Comedy Recording: "Eddie Murphy", Comedian – Eddie Murphy (Also shows up in TV) 37. Apr - Harold Lee Washington became the first African American Mayor of Chicago. 38. Aug - STS-8: Space Shuttle Challenger carries Guion S. Bluford (Col, USAF, Ret.), the first African American astronaut, into space. 39. Nov - Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana (a black woman), to create a federal holiday honoring MLK Jr. Although the federal holiday honoring King was signed into law in 1983 and took effect three years later, not every U.S. state chose to observe the holiday at the state level until 1991. 40. Nov - Jessie Jackson announced his campaign for President of the United States in the 1984 election, becoming the second African American (after Shirley Chisholm) to mount a nationwide campaign for president. 41. Sept - Vanesa Williams becomes the first African American recipient of the Miss America title. 42. Misc.: The Color Purple wins the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. 43. The Women of Brewster Place is the debut novel of American author Gloria Naylor. It won the 1983 National Book Award for "First Novel". 44. "Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?", Maya Angelou's fourth volume of poetry, is published. 45. Nikki Giovanni publishes her 9th poetry collection, "Those Wh

Topics: Reaganomics, MJ vis-a-vis Prince, 48 Hrs. (Film). (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1. 1982 Notes 2. General Snapshots 3. Ronald Reagan President 4. Oct – The 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders occur when 7 people in the Chicago area die after ingesting capsules laced with potassium cyanide. 5. November – The unemployment rate peaks at 10.8%. 6. November 2 – United States elections, 1982. The Republican Party loses 27 seats to the majority Democratic Party in the House. 7. November 30 – Michael Jackson releases Thriller, the biggest-selling album of all time. 8. Open Comments 9. Popular Music Scene 10. Top 3 Singles 11. 1 - "Physical", Olivia Newton-John 12. 2 - "Eye of the Tiger", Survivor 13. 3 - "I Love Rock 'n Roll", Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 14. Record of the Year - "Rosanna", Toto 15. Album of the Year - Toto IV, Toto 16. Song of the Year - "Always on My Mind", Willie Nelson 17. Best New Artist - Men at Work 18. Open Comments 19. Popular Movies 20. Top 3 Grossing Movies 21. 1 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 22. 2 – Tootsie 23. 3 - An Officer and a Gentleman 24. Notables: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, First Blood, Poltergeist, Rocky III, Porky's, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan 25. Open Comments 26. Popular TV 27. 1 - 60 Minutes 28. 2 – Dallas 29. 3 - M*A*S*H / Magnum, P.I. 30. Black Snapshots 31. Jan - Fame debuts on TV 32. Mar - Teddy Pendergrass is severely injured in a car accident in Philadelphia. Pendergrass's injuries result in him being paralyzed from the chest down. 33. Andrew Jackson Young Jr., pastor, politician, diplomat, activist, former executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and a close confidant to Martin Luther King Jr. becomes Mayor of Atlanta. 34. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Jennifer Holliday for "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)"Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: Marvin Gaye for "Sexual Healing" 35. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: (tie) Dazz Band for "Let It Whip" 36. Earth, Wind & Fire for "Wanna Be with You" 37. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Turn Your Love Around" performed by George Benson 38. Best Comedy Recording: Richard Pryor for Live on the Sunset Strip 39. Economic Snapshots 40. New House - 82.5k 41. Avg Income - 21k 42. New Car - 8k 43. Avg Rent – 320 44. Harvard Tuition - 7k per year 45. Movie Ticket - 2.50 46. Stamp - .20 47. Open Comments 48. Social Scene: Reaganomics 49. Reaganomics is a popular term used to refer to the economic policies of Ronald Reagan 50. During the campaign of 1980, Ronald Reagan announced a recipe to fix the nation's economic mess. He claimed an undue tax burden, excessive government regulation, and massive social spending programs hampered growth. 51. Reagan's 1981 Program for Economic Recovery had four major policy objectives: (1) reduce the growth of government spending, (2) reduce the marginal tax rates on income from both labor and capital, (3) reduce regulation, and (4) reduce inflation by controlling the growth of the money supply. The economic theory behind the plan was called Supply-Side, or Trickle-Down economics, or voodoo economics by political opponents. 52. Did It Work? 53. President Reagan delivered on each of his four major policy objectives., although not to the extent that he and his supporters had hoped. 54. Government spending wasn't lowered, just shifted from domestic programs to defense. The result? The federal debt almost tripled, from $997 billion in 1981 to $2.857 trillion in 1989. 55. Reagan cut tax rates enough to stimulate consumer demand. By Reagan's last year in office, the top income tax rate was 28 percent for single people making $18,550 or more. Anyone making less paid no taxes at all. That was much less than the 1980 top tax rate of 70 percent for individuals earning $108,000 or more. Reagan offset these tax cuts with tax increases elsewhere. He raised Social Security payroll taxes and some excise taxes. Reagan cut the corporate tax rate from 46 percent to 40 percent. 56. Reagan deregulated: Domestic oil and gas, cable TV, long-distance telephone service, interstate bus service, and ocean shipping. He eased bank regulations, but that helped create the Savings and Loan Crisis in 1989. Reagan increased, not decreased, import barriers. He did little to reduce other regulations affecting health, safety, and the environment. Carter had reduced regulations at a faster pace. 57. Tame Inflation. Reagan was fortunate Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker was already in place. Volcker vigorously attacked the double-digit inflation of the 1970s. 58. Legacy 59. Reagan's indifference to urban problems was legendary. For example, early in his presidency, at a White House reception, Reagan greeted the only black member of his Cabinet, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Samuel Pierce, saying: "How are you, Mr. Mayor? I'm glad to meet you. How are things in your city?" He had failed to recognize his own HUD Secretary. 60. And his dislike for public school education is still with us. 61. MAY 06, 2013 LANCE T. IZUMI: SACRAMENTO, CA – While Ronald Reagan's foreign policy changed the face of the world, it shouldn't be forgotten that his leadership also dramatically changed the face of issues at home. Top among those was education. In 1983, the Reagan administration released the groundbreaking report A Nation at Risk. Using a wealth of statistical data, the report demonstrated in detail the failings of America's education system and the impact of those failings on the country's children. The report recommended greater emphasis on basic subjects such as math and English, more rigorous and measurable standards, higher expectations for student performance and conduct, lengthening the school year, and improving teacher quality through, for example, increasing standards for teacher training programs. It's no coincidence that the report's recommendations form the basis for much of today's agenda for education reform. 62. According to Dick Carpenter, professor of education leadership at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, in the two years after the release of "A Nation at Risk", Reagan delivered more than 50 education-related speeches. Prof. Carpenter found, In speech after speech, Reagan articulated his educational beliefs and ideas, including parental responsibility in education; school choice, including tax credits and vouchers; rigorous academic content focused on basics such as reading, writing, arithmetic, history, and government; religious freedom in schools; high standards of conduct and discipline; character education; and a federal responsibility in helping the disadvantaged. 63. Gary K. Clabaugh The Cutting Edge 259: Most presupposed that the charges made by Mr. Reagan's handpicked panel were true. Oddly, throughout this entire clamor parents' confidence in the schools their children attended remained remarkably high.9Meanwhile Mr. Reagan was quietly halving federal aid to education. 64. That sums up Mr. Reagan's educational legacy. As governor and president he demagogically fanned discontent with public education,then made political hay of it. As governor and president he bashed educators and slashed education spending while professing to value it. And as governor and president, he left the nation's educators dispirited and demoralized. 65. Open Comments 66. Question: What are some of the changes you have noticed in schools since you were a child? Good & Bad. 67. Music Scene 68. Black Songs from the Top 40 69. 4 - "Ebony and Ivory", Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder 70. 15 - "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)", Hall & Oates 71. 24 - "Let It Whip", Dazz Band 72. 26 - "The Other Woman", Ray Parker Jr.27 - "Turn Your Love Around", George Benson 73. 33 - "Let's Groove", Earth, Wind & Fire 74. Vote Top R&B Albums 75. Jan - Raise!, Earth, Wind and Fire 76. Feb - Skyy Line, Skyy 77. Feb - The Poet, Bobby Womack 78. Apr - Love Is Where You Find It, The Whispers 79. Apr - Friends, Shalamar 80. May - Brilliance, Atlantic Starr 81. May - The Other Woman, Ray Parker, Jr. 82. Jun - Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I, Stevie Wonder 83. Jun - Keep It Live, Dazz Band 84. Jul - Gap Band IV, The Gap Band 85. Sep - Jump to It, Aretha Franklin 86. Oct - Get Loose, Evelyn "Champagne" King 87. Nov - Forever, For Always, For Love, Luther Vandross 88. Nov - Lionel Richie, Lionel Richie 89. Dec - Midnight Love, Marvin Gaye 90. Key Artists: Michael Jackson, vis-a-vis Prince, and Quincy 91. Let's just peek into the "underground" scene and see what Prince has been up to since Off The Wall 92. (1979)"Thriller" is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982 93. "1999" is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Prince, and the first to feature his band the Revolution. It was released on October 27, 1982. 94. Previous Albums by Prince: For You (1978), Prince (1979), Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), 1999 (1982) - Peak Chart Position for "1999" was #5 95. Singles from Prince since 1978: 96. June 7, 1978 - "Just as Long as We're Together" 97. November 21, 1978 - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" 98. August 24, 1979"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" 99. January 23, 1980"Still Waiting" 100. March 25, 1980"Sexy Dancer" 101. April 1980 (non-US single)"Uptown" 102. September 10, 1980"Dirty Mind" 103. November 26, 1980"Do It All Night" 104. March 6, 1981"Controversy" 105. September 2, 1981"Sexuality" 106. October 1981 (non-US single)"Let's Work" 107. January 6, 1982"Do Me, Baby" 108. July 16, 1982Singles from "1999""1999" 109. September 24, 1982"Little Red Corvette" 110. February 9, 1983"D.M.S.R." 111. Vote: Prince vs. MJ 112. Quincy Delight Jones Jr., aka The Dude (@ 49 yrs. old): Producer, musician, composer, and film producer. 113. Born on the South Side of Chicago 114. Parents divorced at a young age. At 10 yrs. old, family moved to the state of Washington. 115. At 14, began playing the trumpet, arranging music, and hanging out with 16-year-old Ray Charles. 116. At 19, left college to become a professional musician with the Lionel Hampton band. While with the band he did arrangements for Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and other prominent artists of the day. 117. For the next 8 years he traveled the world performing with Hampton, arranging music, and building possibly the best contacts list in music history. 118. At 27, he started his own band. It was a financial failure and left him in serious debt. 119. Irving Green, friend and head of Mercury records gave him a personal loan, and an executive job. Quincy was off to the races. 120. Highlights: 121. One 1 year later, friend Sidney Lumet, one of the most prolific filmmakers of the era: 12 Angry Men (1957), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Network (1976), and The Verdict (1982), asked him to score his film The Pawnbroker. He would go one to score 40+ films. 122. In 1964, at age 31, he was the arranger/conductor for Frank Sinatra's 2nd album with Count Basie, It Might As Well Be Swing, which contained the classic hit Fly Me to The Moon. It became the first music heard on the Moon when played on a portable cassette player by Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin after he stepped onto the Moon. 123. In addition, he composed the theme music for the TV shows, Sanford and Son, Ironside, Banacek, The Bill Cosby Show, the opening episode of Roots, Mad TV and the game show Now You See It. 124. He was co-producer for the 1985 film The Color Purple. He convinced Steven Spielberg to direct, and was responsible for discovering and casting Oprah. 125. In 1990, he began production for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, with Will Smith, and In the House, with LL Cool J. 126. He launched Vibe magazine in 1993.He is second in the list of all-time Grammy award wins with 28. (31 is 1st) 127. Absolute Legend. 128. Bonus Song: Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five 129. "The Message" is the best-known track by legendary hip-hop innovators Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and is a song that, without exaggeration, changed rap music's tone and content forever. 130. Movie Scene: 48 Hrs., starring Eddie Murphy 131. TV Scene: N/A 132. Vote: Favorite/Most Important Pop Culture thing for the year?

Topics: Black Hair/Jheri Curls, Luther Vandross, Ragtime (Film) - Howard Rollins Jr., Nell Carter (Tv). (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco)

1981 Notes 1. Snapshots 2. Ronald Reagan is President 3. Jan - Ronald Reagan is sworn in as the 40th President of the United States. Minutes later, Iran releases the 52 Americans held for 444 days, ending the Iran hostage crisis. 4. Mar - U.S. President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by John Hinckley, Jr. Two police officers and Press Secretary James Brady are also wounded. 5. Jun - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that five homosexual men in Los Angeles, California, have a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems (the first recognized cases of AIDS). 6. Jul - President Ronald Reagan nominates the first woman, Sandra Day O'Connor, to the Supreme Court of the United States. 7. Aug - MTV (Music Television) is launched on cable television in the United States. 8. Aug - The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is introduced. 9. Nov - Luke and Laura marry on the U.S. soap opera General Hospital; it is the highest-rated hour in daytime television history. 10. Dec - The first American test-tube baby, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, is born in Norfolk, Virginia. 11. Open Comments: 12. Popular Music Scene 13. Top 3 Singles 14. 1 - "Bette Davis Eyes", Kim Carnes 15. 2 - "Endless Love", Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 16. 3 - "Lady", Kenny Rogers 17. Record of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes" performed by Kim Carnes 18. Album of the Year: John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Double Fantasy 19. Song of the Year: "Bette Davis Eyes" performed by Kim Carnes 20. Best New Artist: Sheena Easton 21. Open Comments: 22. Popular Movies 23. Top 3 Grossing Movies 24. 1 - Raiders of the Lost Ark 25. 2 - On Golden Pond 26. 3 - Superman II 27. Open Comments: 28. Popular TV 29. Top 3 Rated Shows 30. 1 - Dallas 31. 2 - 60 Minutes 32. 3 - The Jeffersons 33. Open Comments: 34. Black Snapshots 35. Feb - Funky 4 + 1 perform "That's the Joint" on NBC's Saturday Night Live. This makes them the first hip hop act to perform on national television. 36. Mar - Toni Morrison gave her next novel, Tar Baby (1981), a contemporary setting. In it, a looks-obsessed fashion model, Jadine, falls in love with Son, a penniless drifter who feels at ease with being black. 37. Jun - Wayne Williams, a 23-year-old African American, is arrested and charged with the murders of two other African Americans. He is later accused of 28 others, in the Atlanta child murders. 38. Aug - Bryant Gumbel: The candidates auditioned for Brokaw's job throughout the summer of 1981 when he was on vacation. Gumbel became a candidate for the job just by chance when he served as a last-minute substitute for Today co-anchor Jane Pauley in August 1981. 39. Oct - Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for six seasons from October 29, 1981 until May 12, 1987. The series starred Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three daughters. 40. Sep - Isabel Sanford - For her role on The Jeffersons as "Weezy", she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1981, making her the first African American actress to win in that category. 41. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female: Aretha Franklin for "Hold On I'm Comin'" 42. Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male: James Ingram for "One Hundred Ways" 43. Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal: Quincy Jones for The Dude 44. Best R&B Instrumental Performance: David Sanborn for "All I Need Is You" 45. Best Rhythm & Blues Song: "Just the Two of Us" performed by Grover Washington, Jr. & Bill Withers 46. Open Comments: 47. Economic Snapshot 48. New House: 78k 49. Avg. income: 21k 50. New car: 8k 51. Avg rent: 315 52. Postage Stamp: 18c 53. Movie ticket: 2.25 54. Open Comments: 55. Social Scene: The Jheri Curl 56. Brief History of Black Hair 57. For centuries black

Topics: Pac-Man & the start of the "Gaming" culture, Zapp, Fame (1980 Film), Eddie Murphy. (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound) 1980 1. Jimmy Carter President 2. Jan – The comic strips The Far Side debuts in newspapers 3. Feb – The XIII Winter Olympics open in Lake Placid, New York.[1] 4. Feb – The United States Olympic Hockey Team defeats the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Winter Olympics, in the Miracle on Ice. 5. Feb - U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. 6. Apr – Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation. 7. Apr – Rosie Ruiz wins the Boston Marathon, but is later exposed as a fraud and stripped of her award 8. May – A Miami, Florida court acquits four white police officers of killing Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance executive, provoking three days of race riots. 9. May – Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 and causing US$3 billion in damage. 10. May – The Empire Strikes Back is released. 11. May – Pac-Man, the best-selling arcade game of all time, is released. 12. May – Vernon Jordan is shot and critically injured in an assassination attempt in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Joseph Paul Franklin (the first major news story for CNN). 13. Jun – The Cable News Network (CNN) is officially launched. 14. Jun – In Los Angeles, comedian Richard Pryor is badly burned trying to freebase cocaine. 15. Jun – U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs Proclamation 4771, requiring 19- and 20-year-old males to register for a peacetime military draft, in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 16. Jul – The Unemployment Rate peaks at 7.8%, the highest in four years. 17. Nov – United States presidential election, 1980: Republican challenger and former Governor Ronald Reagan of California defeats incumbent Democratic President Jimmy Carter, exactly one year after the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis. 18. Nov - Millions of viewers tune into the U.S. soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J. R. Ewing. The "Who shot J. R.?" event is a national obsession. 19. Dec - John Lennon is shot and killed by Mark David Chapman in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. 20. Open Comments: 21. Popular Music Scene 22. Top 3 Singles 23. 1 - "Call Me", Blondie 24. 2 - "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II", Pink Floyd 25. 3 - "Magic", Olivia Newton-John 26. Record of the Year: Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for "Sailing" 27. Album of the Year: Michael Omartian (producer) & Christopher Cross for Christopher Cross 28. Song of the Year: Christopher Cross for "Sailing" 29. Best New Artist: Christopher Cross 30. Open Comments: 31. Popular Movies 32. Top 3 Grossing Movies 33. 1 - The Empire Strikes Back 34. 2 - 9 to 5 35. 3 - Stir Crazy 36. Open Comments: 37. Notables: 38. Airplane!, starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Graves, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 39. American Gigolo, directed by Paul Schrader, starring Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton and Héctor Elizondo 40. The Blue Lagoon, starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins 41. The Blues Brothers, directed by John Landis, starring John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, Carrie Fisher, John Candy, Henry Gibson 42. Caddyshack, directed by Harold Ramis, starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Cindy Morgan, Bill Murray 43. Coal Miner's Daughter, starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones 44. Flash Gordon, directed by Mike Hodges, starring Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Chaim Topol 45. Friday the 13th, directed by Sean S. Cunningham, starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King and Harry Crosby 46. Raging Bull, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty 47. The Shining, directed by Stanley Kub

A detailed look at black, African-American, culture during the "Seventies". (1970-1979) (Bonus Artists: Luck Pacheco)

1979: When MJ Was Black - Spcl. Gst. Ed Mar 1, 2019 Topics: Jimmy Carter, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor - Live In Concert, Roots: The Next Generations. 1 "My Sharona" - The Knack 2 "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer 3 "Le Freak" - Chic 1. Kramer vs. Kramer 2. The Amityville Horror 3. Rocky II 1 60 Minutes 2 Three's Company 3 That's Incredible! 1978: It's a Bird, It's a Plane, ...It's Superfreak! - Spcl. Gst. Barbara Feb 1, 2019 Topics: Muhammad Ali, Rick James, The Wiz, Max Robinson (TV). 1 "Shadow Dancing" - Andy Gibb 2 "Night Fever" - Bee Gees 3 "You Light Up My Life" - Debby Boone 1. Grease 2. Superman 3. Animal House 1 Laverne & Shirley 2 Three's Company 3 Mork & Mindy 1977: Going, Going, Gettin' to the Roots! - Spcl. Gst. Barbara, Adam DeCollibus, & Edward Jan 2, 2019 Topics: Roots, by Alex Haley (Social & TV), Which Way is Up?, Thelma Houston / Lou Rawls / The Emotions / The Brothers Johnson 1 "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" - Rod Stewart 2 "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" - Andy Gibb 3 "Best of My Love" - The Emotions 1. Star Wars 2. Smokey and the Bandit 3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1 Laverne & Shirley 2 Happy Days 3 Three's Company 1976: Bi-centennial, Make a Friend Y'all - Spcl. Gst. Barbara Dec 1, 2018 Topics: Black History Month, Chaka Khan, Car Wash (film), What's Happening! (TV). 1 "Silly Love Songs" - Wings 2 "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" - Elton John & Kiki Dee 3 "Disco Lady" - Johnnie Taylor 1. Rocky 2. To Fly! 3. A Star Is Born 1 Happy Days 2 Laverne & Shirley 3 M*A*S*H 1975: We Laugh, We Cry, We Get a Piece of Pie Nov 3, 2018 Topics: Urban Literature, Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim, Natalie Cole, Richard Pryor, Cooley High, The Jeffersons. 1 "Love Will Keep Us Together" - Captain & Tennille 2 "Rhinestone Cowboy" - Glen Campbell 3 "Philadelphia Freedom" - Elton John 1 Jaws 2 The Rocky Horror Picture Show 3 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1 All in the Family 2 Rich Man, Poor Man 3 Laverne & Shirley 1974: It's Pfunky In Here! - Spcl. Gsts. Barbara & Edward (Extra Pfunk to Philip Weightman) Oct 1, 2018 Topics: Black Women vis-a-vis White Women in the feminist community, Funk Music, Claudine (film), Good Times (TV show). 1 "The Way We Were" - Barbra Streisand 2 "Seasons in the Sun" - Terry Jacks 3 "Love's Theme" - Love Unlimited Orchestra 1. Blazing Saddles 2. The Towering Inferno 3. The Trial of Billy Jack 1 All in the Family 2 Sanford and Son 3 Chico and the Man 1973: Party Time! (Yes, Yes, Y'all. You Don't Stop) - Spcl. Gst. Ed Sep 1, 2018 Topics: Dj Kool Herc, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Pam Grier, The Mack, & George Jefferson. 1 "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" - Tony Orlando and Dawn 2 "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" - Jim Croce 3 "Killing Me Softly with His Song" - Roberta Flack 1. The Sting 2. The Exorcist 3. American Graffiti 1 All in the Family 2 The Waltons 3 Sanford and Son 1972: New Directions, from Politics to Pimpin! - Spcl. Gst. Edward Aug 2, 2018 Topics: Shirley Anita Chisholm, H. Rap Brown, Diana Ross, Al Green, Superfly, Sanford & Son, & Fat Albert. 1 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack 2 "Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan 3 "American Pie" - Don McLean 1. The Godfather 2. The Poseidon Adventure 3. What's Up, Doc? 1 All in the Family 2 Sanford and Son 3 Hawaii Five-O 1971: What's Really Going On - Spcl. Gsts. Janice & Edward Jul 1, 2018 Topics: The Black Church, Jessie Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Shaft, & Soul Train. 1 "Joy to the World" - Three Dog Night 2 "Maggie May"/"Reason to Believe" - Rod Stewart 3 "It's Too Late"/"I Feel the Earth Move" - Carole King 1. Fiddler on the Roof 2. The French Connection 3. Diamonds Are Forever 1 All in the Family 2 The Flip Wilson Show 3 Marcus Welby, M.D. 1970: Hello World! Jun 8, 2018 Topics: Black Power Movement, Muhammad Ali, Angela Davis, James Brown,

Topics: Jimmy Carter, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor - Live In Concert, Roots: The Next Generations. (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) 1979 Snapshots 1. Jimmy Carter president 2. Mar - America's most serious nuclear power plant accident at Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania. 3. Mar - C-SPAN, an American television channel focusing on government and public affairs, is launched. 4. Apr - On CBS, the final episode of All in the Family is seen by 40.2 million American viewers. 5. Jun - McDonald's introduces the Happy Meal. 6. Sep - ESPN, an all-sports channel, launches and becomes the first cable TV channel to be launched as a 24-hour channel 7. Oct - President Jimmy Carter signs a law establishing the Department of Education. [also responsible for Dept. of Energy] 8. Nov - Iran hostage crisis begins: 3,000 Iranian radicals, mostly students, invade the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and take 90 hostages (53 of whom are American). They demand that the United States send the former Shah of Iran back to stand trial. 9. Open Comments: 10. Popular Music Scene 11. #1 - "My Sharona", The Knack 12. #2 - "Bad Girls", Donna Summer 13. #3 - "Le Freak", Chic 14. Record of the Year: "What a Fool Believes"-The Doobie Brothers 15. Album of the Year: "52nd Street"-Billy Joel 16. Song of the Year: "What a Fool Believes"-The Doobie Brothers 17. Best New Artist: Rickie Lee Jones 18. Open Comments: 19. Popular Movies 20. #1 - Kramer vs. Kramer 21. #2 - The Amityville Horror 22. #3 - Rocky II 23. Notables: Apocalypse Now, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Alien, 10, The Jerk, Moonraker, The Muppet Movie, Phantasm, The Warriors. 24. Open Comments: 25. Popular TV 26. #1 - 60 Minutes 27. #2 - Three's Company 28. #3 - That's Incredible! 29. Open Comments: 30. Black Snapshots 31. Jan - Singer Donny Hathaway dies after falling 15 stories from his hotel room in New York City. According to Hathaway's record company, Atlantic, the singer had been having some psychological problems 32. Apr - Real People, starring Byron Allen, featured a panel of seated hosts in front of a large studio audience. The hosts introduced pre-filmed segments and engaged in comedic banter about them. Each segment was a visit to someone with a unique occupation or hobby. 33. Aug - Michael Jackson releases his first breakthrough album Off the Wall. It sells 7 million copies in the United States alone, making it a 7x platinum album. 34. Aug – "Prince", the self-titled second studio album from Prince was released. The album was written, arranged, composed, produced and performed entirely by Prince. Singles: "I Wanna Be Your Lover" & "Sexy Dancer". 35. Aug – TV Debut: The Facts of Life 36. Sep - Benson 37. Sep - Sugarhill Gang releases Rapper's Delight. 38. Nov - The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (Film) 39. Open Comments: 40. Economic 41. New House: 58k 42. Avg. income: 17.5k 43. New car: 5.7k 44. Avg rent: 280 45. Gas: 0.86 46. Inflation reaches double digits - 13% 47. Open Comments: 48. Social Scene: Jimmy Carter's truth-telling sermon to Americans 49. James Earl Carter Jr. (@ 55yrs old in 1979), Politician and philanthropist. Born and raised in south-west Georgia, Jimmy grew up to be a U.S. Navy Lieutenant, Georgia State Senator, Governor of Georgia, and the 39th POTUS. 50. On July 15, 1979, President Jimmy Carter went on national television to share with millions of Americans his diagnosis of a nation in crisis. "It's clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper -- deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation or recession. And I realize more than ever that as President I need your help...I know, of course, being President, that government actions and legislation can be very important. That's why I've worked hard to put my campaign promises into law, and I have to admit, with just mixed success. But after listening to the American people, I have been reminded again that all the legislation in the world can't fix what's wrong with America. So, I want to

Topics: Muhammad Ali, Rick James, Max Robinson (TV). (Bonus Artist: hidingtobefound)

1978

1. Snap Shots 2. General News 3. Jimmy Carter is President 4. February 5. The first computer bulletin board system (CBBS) is created in Chicago. Bulletin board systems were in many ways a precursor to the modern form of the World Wide Web, social networks, and other aspects of the Internet. 6. Serial killer Ted Bundy is captured in Florida and The Hillside Strangler of Los Angeles, (serial killing cousins) claims a 10th and final victim. 7. April 8. Women's Army Corps (WAC) abolished (1943-1978); women integrated into regular Army. 9. September 10. The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin . The Accords led directly to the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty a year later. Due to the agreement, Sadat and Begin received the shared 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. In turn, these events led to Sadat's assassination by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad in 1981. 11. November 12. Mass murder/suicide of 909 Americans in Jonestown, Guyana under the direction of Jim Jones. 13. December 14. Chicago serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who is subsequently convicted of the murder of 33 young men, is arrested. 15. Open Comments: 16. Economic Snapshots 17. Min. wage = $2.65hr (+.35) / $106wk / $5,512 yrly) - 2018 = $21,228yrly 18. Avg. Income per year - $16,975 19. Avg. Cost of new house - 54,749 20. Avg. Rent - $260 21. Avg. Cost new car - $5,405 22. Postage Stop - $0.15 23. Unemployment 6.4% vs Black unemployment 14.5% 24. Open Comments: 25. Black Snapshots 26. February 27. Harriet Tubman is the first African American Woman to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp. 28. Muhammad Ali loses title to Leon Spinks 29. May 30. Ain't Misbehavin' (musical) hits Broadway. Won 1978 Tony Award for Best Musical: Breakout Stars was Nell Carter (sitcom Gimme a Break!) and Irene Cara (Flash Dance: What a Feeling) and Charlayne Woodard (Janice on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) 31. June 32. The SCOTUS bars quota systems in college admissions but affirms the constitutionality of programs which give advantages to minorities. 33. July 34. ABC World News Tonight, employing a unique three-anchor setup: Frank Reynolds serving as lead anchor from Washington, Peter Jennings with international news from London, and Max Robinson presenting national news from Chicago. Robinson is noted as the first African-American broadcast network news anchor in the United States 35. September 36. Ali defeats Spinks and regained the WBA heavyweight title, becoming the first man to win the World Heavyweight Championship three times. 37. Misc.: 38. Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collections: Cotton Candy and Woman 39. Open Comments: 40. Music Snapshots 41. Record of the Year: Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are" 42. Album of the Year: Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, Various Artist 43. Song of the Year: Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are" 44. Best New Artist: A Taste of Honey 45. Top Billboard Singles 1. Shadow Dancing", Andy Gibb 2. "Night Fever", Bee Gees 3. "You Light Up My Life", Debby Boone 46. Open Comments: 47. Movie Snapshots: Highest-grossing films 1. Grease 2. Superman 3. National Lampoon's Animal House 48. Open Comments: 49. TV Snapshots 1. Laverne & Shirley 2. Three's Company 3. Mork & Mindy 50. Debuts 51. September - WKRP in Cincinnati (Featuring Tim Reid as Venus Flytrap): BEST THEME SONG EVER!!! 52. November - Diff'rent Strokes: The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two Black boys from Harlem who are taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman and widower named Phillip Drummond (Conrad Bain) and his daughter Kimberly (Dana Plato), for whom their deceased mother previously worked. 53. Open Comments: 54. Social Scene: Ali's Last Dance (Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks I and II) 55. First Fight (February): THE ONLY TIME ALI LOST HIS TITLE IN THE RING 56. Tom Gray (Ringtv.com) - "At 36 y

Topics: Roots, by Alex Haley, with commentary by Adam DeCollibus (@adam_decollibus), author of "Caravan". (Bonus Artist: Luck Pacheco) (***Audio quality is spotty***)

1977 1. General News snapshots 2. Jimmy Carter President 3. Jan - The world's first personal computer, the Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) released 4. Jun - The Apple II released 5. Aug - TRS-80 released (Byte magazine referred to these as the "1977 Trinity" of personal computing) 6. Aug - U.S. President Jimmy Carter signs legislation creating the United States Department of Energy. 7. Aug - Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll dies in his home in Graceland at age 42. 8. Oct - Atari 2600, this popularized the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code. 9. Open Comments 10. Economic Snapshots 11. Min Wage = $2.30 (+.10) 12. Avg. Income = $15,070 13. New House = $49,300 14. New car = $4,785 15. Avg. rent $240 16. Black unemployment 12.1% vs 7.6% 17. Open Comments: 18. Black News Snapshots 19. Jan - Roots airs on ABC. 20. Jul - The New York City blackout of 1977 lasts for 25 hours, resulting in looting and other disorder. 21. Popular Music Snapshots 22. Record of the Year: The Eagles for "Hotel California" 23. Album of the Year: Fleetwood Mac for Rumours 24. Song of the Year (Tied): "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" performed by Barbra Streisand & "You Light Up My Life" performed by Debby Boone 25. Best New Artist: Debby Boone 26. Popular Movie Snapshots 27. Top Grossing Movies 28. 1 - Star Wars 29. 2 - Smokey and the Bandit 30. 3 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind 31. Notable Black Films 32. A Piece of the Action: Crime comedy film directed by and starring Sidney Poitier and co-starring Bill Cosby. It was the third film pairing of Poitier and Cosby, following Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Let's Do It Again (1975). The films are considered a trilogy, even though the actors play characters with different names in each film. It was also Poitier's last acting role for more than a decade, as he focused his attentions on directing only. 33. Which Way is Up? Comedy film starring Richard Pryor. It is a remake of the 1972 Italian comedy film The Seduction of Mimi. Richard Pryor plays three roles: an orange picker who has two women at the same time, the orange picker's father, and a Reverend who gets the orange picker's wife pregnant. 34. Popular TV Shows 35. 1 - Laverne & Shirley 36. 2 - Happy Days 37. 3 - Three's Company 38. Notable Black TV Shows & Snapshots 39. The Richard Pryor Show was an American comedy-variety show starring Richard Pryor. [Lasted for only 4 episodes] 40. Benson DuBois (Robert Guillaume) debuts on Soap as the wisecracking African-American cook/butler. In 1979, Benson leaves for his own spin-off. 41. Janet Jackson (@11 yrs. old) joins the cast of the CBS sitcom Good Times for its final two seasons as Penny Gordon, an upstairs neighbor who is abused her biological mother. 42. Open Comments: 43. Black Social Scene [+ Television] 44. Roots: The Saga of an American Family - "One of the most important books and television series ever to appear, Roots, galvanized the nation, and created an extraordinary political, racial, social and cultural dialogue that hadn't been seen since the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The book sold over one million copies in the first year, and the miniseries was watched by an astonishing 130 million people. It also won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Roots opened up the minds of Americans of all colors and faiths to one of the darkest and most painful parts of America's past." - www.litlovers.com 45. Special guest commentator: Adam DeCollibus, Author of Caravan. 46. Brief explanation for why Adam was invited 47. Adam's