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44 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2017 Writers' Club The March meeting will return to normal schedule and meet on the second Tuesday of the month, March 14 at 1:30 pm. We look forward to seeing each of you at the meeting. Join us and tell us about what you are writing or offer comment and advice on other's writings. Many of us have found an abundance of help and encouragement at these meetings. Each of us has a story to tell, so why not come and see what writing has to offer. This is a meeting not only for those who have already chosen to write, but also for those looking to start making their words heard. So many memories get lost because we don't write them down. What a way to leave a legacy to our families. Our words whether it is a novel, romance, or just your history can be here to be shared again and again. ~ John Baeyertz We will be performing during the PG 55+ Show on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20. We will be starting our rehearsals on Monday, March 13 at 3 pm in the Lodge Ballroom near the piano. We will be singing to start the show and end the show. Who knows, maybe some of us will be in the show, too! Remember that this is free entertainment (contributions are always welcome) but we don't suggest bringing any grandchildren to this show. Some of our acts will probably be a little risqué. If that humor tickles your fancy bone, come out and watch on either of those nights. There will be other shows this year where you can bring your family and your grandchildren to see them. If you are interested in performing with us, contact me and I will put you on my email list that will give you more specific information. To join or if you have questions about the Four Seasons Singers, call (951) 797-3466 or email me at bawasco@dc.rr.com. ~ Barbara Wasco Four Seasons Singers In honor of Black History Month, the AACC watched the film Slavery by Another Name, a PBS special narrated by Laurence Fishbourne. This documentary was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book of the same name by Douglas A. Blackmon. The film shows you exactly how a new form of slavery erupted after slavery ended in the United States after the Civil War. Black people were freed into a hostile environment as poor whites felt they were competing with blacks for jobs and land. Freedom for blacks was conditional and came with no help from the state, local and federal government. The conditions placed on blacks were designed to make them continually serve slave owners-only they no longer called them Master, they now called them Boss. The new form of slavery was more brutal then slavery itself. Many prisoners were literally worked to death with very little food, water, sleep, or clothing. The film clearly documented how for more than 80 years after slavery, thousands of African Americans remain in the new form of slavery which found blacks guilty of crimes they did not commit, incarcerated and forced to work without pay. Forced labor lasted well into the 20th century and was tolerated by both the North and the South. It left black families with an uphill battle to survive and to write letters to the government for help and to put an end to the Convict Leasing program as well as peonage. Once the film ended, we held a discussion and posed the following questions: 1) Do you think there is a connection between the Convict Leasing program after slavery supposedly ended and the mass incarceration of black men in America today? Keep in mind there was no stable labor force after slavery ended and the state was making revenues of over $1,000,000 a year from these incarcerations. 2) Why do some people believe the time after slavery ended was worse for black people than slavery itself? Keep in mind the KKK membership increased significantly after slavery ended, there were more lynchings and the federal, state and local government was not protecting the rights of black people. 3) Why did it take the Federal government so long to respond to the tens of thousands of letters black families were writing on behalf of their incarcerated family members who were wrongfully placed in the Convict Leasing program? Keep in mind the government didn't want to infringe upon white business owners and the peonage system which brought them revenue. The film also documents that this country was built on the backs of black people. The discussion questions lead us to think about the large segment of American history that has been forgotten or not shared. It was a very educational meeting and the variety of wines, cheese platter, and popcorn was a nice touch as well. We invite you to join us and become a part of a group that wants to make a difference in our community. We meet the first Monday of the month in the Lodge Card Room at 6 pm. For more information please contact Joyce Allen at (951) 769-4354 or Roxie Elliott at (951) 769-2517. ~ Regina Thomas African American Culture Club

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