Making Black History

In honor of Black History Month, let's go through a little history: Phillis Wheatley was the first African American author for a book of poems, Althea Gibson was the first African American tennis player, and I won't get into the first black teacher. Meanwhile, I have a first as well. What a title it is too! I'm the first young African American to entitle 3 jobs as a teacher, author and tennis coach.
 To think, this all happened at the age of 16. Yep, at the age of 16, I was starting my life as an author writing The Bus Driver of Doom and The Unlucky Charm. At 18 these books were published and sold on about 3 websites, including Createspace, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. In 2014 Shiver and Fears was added to 7 more websites (including social media)
 Back in 2011, I was included in a tennis lesson for young players, by 2013 the tennis coaches joined together and formed a tennis camp. By the age of 20 this tennis player was joining in tennis lessons to coach to new team The Cheetahs, by 2018 I was coaching 2 tennis teams.
And lastly, my teaching career started in 2012 over the summer as a Teacher in Training. By the year 2016, I was teaching my own class of 3rd graders. 
 By 2019 I've published 31 books, coaching 2 champion teams at my own church, and been teaching at the same school for almost 7 years now. How many historians African Americans have those 3 titles? It just shows some of us have a historical claim, even if it's not always accurate.
Happy Black History Month!

Caught on Camera

Taking a break on book blogging, because I have a question. Have you ever just minded your own business doing something and later looked in a newspaper or watched the news or even watched a video and said "Wait, I was there!" or "Hold on, when was that?" or what about "I recognize that place.." Well, earlier this week (Sunday to be exact) I was coaching with my buddy Shawn with 7 young players outside my church on our new courts and thought, 'What a great day.' Then today that young, little girl, with the blue racket, traveling around the cone, her mother (a friend of mine) showed me a newspaper with that tennis day on it.

I was in confusion, like when was this taken? Where am I in all this? Wasn't I there? All was answered when the church pastor (the man in the black jacket) posted this video on facebook. Well, my mouth dropped as I told myself, "I was there!" and asked, "Where am I in this?" "When was the newscast even there?"

Well, it was good to know that at 00:32 my friend Shawn and I had our spotlight moment with those 7 tennis champs. (I'm the one in white jacket and hat) I still wonder where those camera people were because I would have noticed them if they were there. (must have been in Coach Mode). who knew?