What's The Secret To Your Lasting Love?

A few weeks ago, I asked, via social media, a few couples who had been married for over 15 years, to tell me in a few words why their love has lasted.  (I did not even know about Black Marriage Day at the time.  I posted this question on Facebook around Valentine's Day.) After getting the responses from the first three couples, I ran into two more couples who had over 100 years of marriage between them.  I just had to include them, too. Here's what everybody said:

Maurice & Rhondalyn Dulic
21 Years

Rhondalyn's answer:

Although we don't consider ourselves old, we have been happily married for 21 years. Why has our love lasted ?? The Grace of God. . . The Favor of God. . . and Faith in God. Hopefully, this doesn't sound too spiritual but there were times when the devil attacked our marriage. Our commitment and love to each wasn't enough. It was definitely grace, favor and faith that has kept us together.

David & Hope Porter
21 Years

Hope's answer:

 Humor/friendship - not sure which is first

Kevin & Ulanda Hinkston
18 Years
California

                                                        


     Kevin's Answer:

                  

       Trust, Faith and Patience            

Rev. Robert J. & Mrs. Lillie Williams, Sr.
49 Years
Maryland

Mrs. Lillie Williams:

Keep [the love] fresh everyday.

Deacon William & Mrs. Shirley M.K. Berkeley, Sr.
62 Years
Maryland

Mrs. Shirley M.K. Berkeley:

He loved me.  He said, "It was love at first sight.  He takes good care of me."

Women's History Month | Celebrating Women and our Greatness!

Happy Friday to You!  I hope that you are celebrating Women's History Month and the women in your community and life who have made tremendous sacrifices and contributions that have impacted the lives of families, communities, and the world.  This week the WOMEN AT LIBERTY and the Women History Makers Program featured a blog by Blanche Williams,  Founder and Moderator of the Annual National Black Women’s Town Hall Meetings, Talk Show Host, and Public Speaker.  The "21st Century Sisterhood of Greatness Global Manifesto™" provides us with ten great principles on how we should think and treat one another as women, such as:  1)  Redefine Our Identity; 2) Reclaim Our Dignity; 3) Revolutionize Our Thinking...and more. (To go to the blog, click here.)


Coming up this week, WOMEN AT LIBERTY and the Women History Makers Program will feature a video of Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook Chief Operating Officer, answering the question of "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders".  Allison Miller, Guest Blogger, will give a personal testimony of her spiritual journey.  Lastly, in February we asked seasoned married couples to answer the question, "What's The Secret To Your Lasting Love?"  We will show you their answers next week.


Please help us get out the message about the Women's History Makers 2011 Program and contact us at nona@womenatliberty.com if your are interested in supporting this worthwhile endeavor.  Check out and "LIKE" the Women History Makers--DC, MD, &VA Facebook page to get daily motivation and  updates.  You can also follow us on Twitter at:  @womenatliberty.


Have A Great Weekend!

Women History Makers Program

Good Day All!

I hope that you all enjoyed the Black History Months Blogs and posts.  I have been busy working on a special project to honor women who have been pioneers and trailblazers in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.  I actually spoke of the project in a blog honoring the life of the late Apostle Betty Peebles last October.  This project will honor women in the fields of:

• Art & Literature

• Business
• Civic/Religious Leadership
• Media
• Medicine/Science
• Music and Entertainment
• Public Service & Education
• Sports

Are you a history maker? Do you know a history maker? Go to WOMEN AT LIBERTY for more information.  Nominations begin March 20, 2011.  

This week, the WOMEN AT LIBERTY Blog featured the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan's (D-TX) historic Keynote Address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. She was the first woman and African American to deliver a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Also remembered was the late Apostle Peebles of Maryland who was the only woman to lead one of the United States' largest 100 churches' in recent years. 

Don't forget to check out and "Like" the Women History Makers--DC, MD, & VA Page on Facebook . You will find interesting info on History Makers, Motivational Moments by History Makers like First Lady Michelle Obama, Bishop Vashti McKenzie and Katie Couric, stories on pioneering journalists like ABC's Carole Simpson, fashion tips, and more! 

Happy International Women's Day!

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

May God grant you the fortitude to continue to be all you can be in spite of negativity and apathy.
--VWO

It's Women's History Month 2011!

Celebrate women in history, your community, and life who have made and continue to make history. Check out the Women History Makers Page on Facebook for information on history makers, events, stories, blogs motivation, and more, just for women.


Facebook:    Women History Makers
Twitter:  @womenatliberty
Website:    http://www.womenatliberty.com

Celebrating Black History...Leaving A Legacy

PROLOGUE

Whatever you want your legacy to be, you must live that way right now. 
--Bruce H. Clark, The Power to Advance, Pastor of Advance Church in Silver Spring, Maryland

______________________________

Dr. Mae Jemison

Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination. 
-- Mae Jemison, Astronaut--First African American Woman in Space, Physician and Founder of two Technology Companies, www.drmae.com

Cicely Tyson

"I say that if each person in this world will simply take a small piece of this huge thing, this tablecloth, bedspread, whatever, and work it regardless of the color of the yarn, we will have harmony on this planet."
 --Cicely Tyson, America I AM Journal

Dr. Cornell West

• "To be great does not mean you have to dominate other people."
  
• "When you really love people, you can't stand the fact that they are treated unjustly."
  
• "We may be disappointed in something or someone, but in #love we should never give up on it...or on him/her."

--Cornell Well, Noted Professor and Intellectual

Dr. John Hope Franklin

"It takes a person with a stout heart and great courage and uncompromising honesty to look the history of this country squarely in the face and tell it like it is." 

--John Hope Franklin, Noted Historian, Professor and Researcher

John Hope Franklin was born Jan. 2, 1915, in Rentiesville, Oklahoma.  He died on March 25, 2009 in Durham, North Carolina. 

Justice Thurgood Marshall

"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." 
--Thurgood Marshall (1908 - 1993), The First African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Native of Baltimore, Maryland

Some of the public institutions named after Justice Marshall:

• Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Houston, Texas
• Thurgood Marshall College, La Jolla, California
• Thurgood Marshall Middle School, San Diego, California
• Thurgood Marshall High School, Sugarland, Texas
• Thurgood Marshall Academy, A Public Charter School , Washington, D.C.
• H.S. 670 Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change, New York City, NY
• Baltimore Washington International Airport, Baltimore, MD

______________________________

EPILOGUE

Kevin Wayne Johnson

"…our deeds, no matter how small, can bring forth a great return."  
--Kevin Wayne Johnson, Author of Give God The Glory! series & Founder of Writing For The Lord Ministries

Celebrating Black Economic History...Education and Entrepreneurs

Excerpts from "Surviving And Thriving 365 Facts in Black Economic History"by Julianne Malveaux, http://www.lastwordprod.com
(Used by permission.)

Quotes

• ...Dozens of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were organized before the turn of the century, funded in part by church contributions and bake sales and buoyed by simple tenacity.

For a list of all HBCUs, see:  http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/whhbcu/edlite-list.html

• North Carolina Mutual was founded in 1898, and it is the oldest and largest African-American life insurance company in the US.  http://www.ncmutuallife.com/

• Reginald F. Lewis (1942 - 1993) opened the first African American law firm on Wall Street in 1983.  In Baltimore, Maryland, there is a museum honoring the state's African American History named in his memory.  Mr. Lewis was also a distinguished gentleman of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

• Robert L. Johnson, the founder (with Sheila Johnson) of Black Entertainment Television (BET). [BET] was sold to Viacom for about $3 billion. (Most stunning entrepreneurial story of the late 20th century)

• On June 1, 1921, Tulsa Oklahoma's Black Wall Street, a prospering African American community was burned to the ground by mobs of envious Whites and even bombed from the air.

For more information on the 1921 Tulsa Oklahoma Race Riot, see:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot