The American Spy

Mary Elizabeth Bowser



Mary Elizabeth Bowser was a freed slave woman who eventually became a spy working for Union Army during the Civil War.



Some Interesting Facts
* It isn't known when Bowser was born or when she died.

* Mary Elizabeth Bowser was inducted into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame in 1995 by the U.S. government.

* It is believed that Bowser kept a diary, but it is unclear whether or not it was destroyed.

* In 1865 she tried to burn down the Confederate Capitol. She was unsuccessful.

* She worked with Elizabeth Van Lew, her former owner's daughter.

* Her disappearance is still unexplained.

Some Quotes on Mary Elizabeth Bowser
- "...as she was working right in the Davis home and had a photographic mind. Everything she saw on the Rebel president's desk, she could repeat word for word. Unlike most colored, she could read and write. She made a point of always coming out to my wagon when I made deliveries at the Davis' home to drop information."

- "Ms. Bowser certainly succeeded in a highly dangerous mission to the great benefit of the Union effort. She was one of the highest placed and most productive espionage agents of the Civil War. ... [Her information] greatly enhanced the Union's conduct of the war. ... Jefferson Davis never discovered the leak in his household staff, although he knew the Union somehow kept discovering Confederate plans."

- "Slave power crushes freedom of speech and of opinion. Slave power degrades labor. Slave power is arrogant, is jealous and intrusive, is cruel, is despotic, not only over the slave but over the community, the state." (Elizabeth Van Lew quote on Slavery)

Rosa Parks

I want to know what the hell is wrong with this nation that we degrade and drag people through the mud? Where we have no respect for others and devour people's dirty laundry.

I want to know what is wrong with us that we enjoy pulling people down and destroying heroes for the younger generations. Where we worship music that idolizes violence and sex with random girls and boys. We are a sick, twisted nation, with no hope for the future generations because we have not learned anything.

What kind of time have we come to when young people make vile comments against people like Rosa Parks on YouTube and no one cares? How is that acceptable behavior?! How is that right?

Everyone is human, we all have our flaws and our imperfections, that is what makes us human. Since when do we have the right to destroy someone for those same flaws we ourselves have?

When is it right to say that heroes are not heroes, but are actually the villains? What is there left to believe in after we have destroyed everything good? What is there left to hope for when the people to follow us; the people who will be our doctors, our lawyers, our presidents and pastors; have learned nothing about the struggles of humanity and are too ignorant to learn from our mistakes?

What dreams are left to a country such as ours, where children are parents and those children raise themselves? What kind of life is it where people spew infectious venom and everyone around them spews their own? What kind of people are we that even Rosa Parks cannot escape without being called a "cocksucker" and "a bitch" for not giving her seat up to a white man?

We have no respect, no gratitude, no honor for those before us and without that we are doomed to a generation of ignorant racists who have learned nothing from the mistakes of the previous generation and worship only themselves and destruction.

The Duke of "American Music"

Duke Ellington



Duke Ellington was a Jazz composer and band leader during the early to mid 1900's.



Some Interesting Facts
* Ellington is considered one of the Originators of Big-Band Jazz.

* Was honored by the Pulitizer Prize Board posthumously.

* He received 13 Grammy Awards for his music.

* Ellington toured Europe in 1933 and 1939.

* Composed the musical suite Black, Brown and Beige (1943), which portrayed African-American history and was the first in a series he composed.

* He composed the motion picture scores for Anatomy of a Murder and Asphalt Jungle, as well as composing music for ballets and the theatre.

Some Quotes from Duke Ellington
- "You've got to find a way of saying it without saying it."

- "My men and my race are the inspiration of my work. I try to catch the character and mood and feeling of my people."

- "A man is a god in ruins."

- "By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn't want your daughter to associate with."

- "Gray skies are just clouds passing over."

- "Love is supreme and unconditional; like is nice but limited."

"Satin Doll" by Duke Ellington

A Fabulous Evening

AKA: L.E.D.'s Birthday Party

First there was Dinner

We had originally planned to go to O'Charley's for dinner. When Kid, L.E.D. and myself arrived the front of the store was packed and we were told it would be about an hour before we would be able to get a table. So, we stood outside (freezing our asses off) and wondered what we should do.

We looked across the highway and saw Domo Steak and Sushi. We call and they say we can have a table right away (we were expecting a few others). We go over there and meet the rest of our party, only to discover that they cook everything with rice, which I am severely allergic to (yes, it majorly sucks).

So we go back over to O'Charley's. Lira (one of our friends) makes it there just in time to get our table that we were waiting for. We all get to the business of eating and enjoying one another's company. We see Adam (our favorite waiter), he teases L.E.D. about her birthday and we all laugh. She waves her butter knife at him and he playful acts scared. He is fun and I love going to O'Charley's not just for the food or the great alcohol, but for seeing Adam and him being funny as hell.

It was wonderful.

Then there was the Bar

After dinner we decided to go out to a bar downtown. It is the only place that can classify as a dance club in our town. Which is depressing considering how it is a college town.

At the club we meet up with two of Lira's friends, Robin and Sam. We all chit-chat a little, mostly just waiting for the upstairs to open for dancing as we are all itching to listen to some music and just let loose. Robin and Sam take a blow-job (a mixed alcoholic beverage with whipped cream on top) off of Lira's lap and then she takes one off of theirs. Which, was definitely amusing, to say the least.

L.E.D. got a free t-shirt saying "Blow Me, Its My Birthday". Kid bought her a Vanilla Vodka and Coke and Lira bought her a Flaming Dr. Pepper. She liked the Vanilla Vodka and Coke, but apparently the Flaming Dr. Pepper had beer in it, which she didn't like. And the cupcake on her shirt looked more like a muffin, but it was pink and looked fabulous on her.

Also there was the outrageously gay guy. S.S. (one of our friends from High School who had come with us) and I were coming out of the bathroom when we saw this guy walk by in a, dangerously low, bright green, v-neck shirt (that showed off some beautifully sculpted pectoral muscles) with a cut out piece in the back to show off his shoulders. As he walked by he said, in an outrageous valley girl/gay guy accent,

"Hey! What are we doing tonight?!"

I looked at S.S. and she looked at me, both of us stunned into silence for a moment. Finally, after a second or two, I said,

"I'm not sure what just happened there, but we are going to go with it."

After that Lira and I made jokes about making out, including me asking her fiance if he would care if I just started kissing her. He smiled and said he wouldn't care at all, to which Lira said she loved us both even more.

Finally (after waiting for what seemed like years) we head upstairs to the dance section of the bar. We stand around and chat for just a little bit. We are dancing some, but the music isn't ready yet. The D.J. is still setting up his playlist and we are just waiting for him to let it rip.

The Music FINALLY Begins

The beat is reverberating through my chest, my head, my body is moving with it. We are one heartbeat, one body moving in and out of sync. The music is like an explosion building heat at my core and expanding outward, faster and faster. The lights are flashing and we are dancing. It was magnificent, glorious and wonderfully freeing. And, believe it or not, Sarai (as in ME) got low on the dance floor!

We danced to Ke$ha, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Katy Perry, Lynrd Skynrd and Usher. I felt like a part of a movie. I have never experienced something so wonderful!

One of the greatest moments was when two guys (brothers) that I used to go to High School with showed up. They somehow cleared a portion of the floor and they began break dancing! I kid you not, they were break dancing on the floor. We all stood there screaming our consent and watching mesmerized by the sight of them. Then this beautiful girl began dancing in the middle of them so that it looked like she was being fought over by the brothers and it was as if they had purposefully planned this little drama for us. Then everyone crashed back into each other, dancing and moving with the music as it thrummed through all of our bodies.

The greatest break dancing I've seen (the only break dancing I've seen in person) and James (the oldest brother) actually lost his shoes while dancing and didn't miss a beat. They flew off and he didn't even lose his balance!

The Miscellaneous details

It got way too hot and way too crowded after a little bit so we moved outside onto a porch built onto the club. We all sat in a shaded area and shouted above the music pounded out of the club. Sam, one of Lira's friends, complained about her feet hurting, because she was dancing in heels (which I was also doing!). I offered to rub her feet. She said yes and imagine her surprise when I actually pulled her feet into my lap and began rubbing them.

She was really cute too, so I was perfectly happy, and very flattered, when every few moments she moaned how she was in heaven because of my foot rubbing skills. She even told me that if I get a license in Massage Therapy she will pay me $50/half hour a week to rub her feet.

I also rubbed Robin's shoulders. She was also quite pleased with my skills. Then it was 1:30am and Kid, L.E.D., S.S. and I were leaving and headed back home.

Home Again

Once home I had to tell Donnie all about my adventures and he told me about his day. We laid down for bed and I fell asleep sometime after 3:00am. I didn't even move! I woke up at 9:18am in the same position I had gone to sleep in (which is UBER rare for me, since I roll a lot). And I hadn't woken up in-between at all. In fact, it was the best sleep I've had in a long time.

So, that was the crazy, beautiful, eventful, fabulous evening we had celebrating L.E.D.'s birthday.

Freedom isn't Free

Rosa Parks



Rosa Parks has often been credited as being the spark that lit the fire of the Civil Rights Movement. With one simple act of defiance, the unknown seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama, became the Statue of Liberty for an entire race.



Some Interesting Facts
* Rosa Parks appeared in an episode of "Touched By An Angel" in 1999. It was her last television appearance.

* She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented by President Clinton in 1996.

* In 1999 a lawsuit was filed (on Rosa Parks' behalf) against the group OutKast for using her name without permission in their song "Rosa Parks".

* In 1994 Parks was assaulted in her home by a young man by the name of Joseph Skipper, who robbed her and struck her in the face.

* She received the Congressional Gold Medal, which was pushed through by Julia Carson, the senator for Indiana.

* Parks is most famous for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white man. She was removed from the bus and arrested, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Some Quotes from Rosa Parks
- "At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in."

- "Each person must live their life as a model for others."

- "Memories of our lives, of our works and our deeds will continue in others."

- "I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free... so other people would be also free."

- "I'm tired of being treated like a second-class citizen."

- "Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome."

A Video on Rosa Parks