Kwadjo Boaitey

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Arkansas got some Sooouuuul Trrraaiiin!

In Uncategorized on January 21, 2011 at 3:12 am

QUESTION: Hey Plainclothesman, I’m told you’d do your best to find the answer on all things Arkansas.  Someone, who will remain nameless, told me that the voice of Soul Train (the Sooouuul Trrraaain intro voice) is a man from Arkansas.  Anything is possible, but this person, who will remain nameless, couldn’t back it up.  Tell me is this True or False?                         Thanks, Man from out of town

SCUTTLEBUTT: MFOOT, did you give yourself that name or is that how you’re perpetually referred to?  I can relate.  I had always wanted to go horseback riding and for my birthday a few years ago Mrs. Plainclothesman treated me to a trail ride in the North Georgia mountains.  I believe my horse was called Samson and he had a flatulence problem so the horses (and riders) behind him had a lot to overcome.  Anyway our guides kept saying to me “you’re not from around here,” and before long I was affectionately referred to as “the man from out of town.”

Thinking on it now reminds me of the John Sayles flick, “The Brother from another planet.”  It’s a cult classic.

The brother is an alien who touches down on earth by way of New York City.  He can’t talk (speak verbally) but the film is an allegory for the immigrant experience.  It was nominated for Sundance Grand Jury Prize.

I must say digging up information on Soul Train was an absolute delight.  Soul Train was an international phenomenon.  The music, vibe, expression was unmatched.  Everyone from Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Al Greene, The Ojay’s, The Average White Band appeared on Soul Train.  Soul Train was the epitome of cool and for the 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s qualified soul music.  The Soul Train dancers were hip and always on the cutting edge and for a generation the show evoked the heart of blackness.

To get the answer and more go to the plainclothesman blog at The Sync Weekly.  Enjoy!

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No, I meant to say Big Rock, Arkansas

In Uncategorized on July 16, 2010 at 3:27 am

QUESTION: I am fairly new to Little Rock. I have lived here for a couple of years now. My parents were visiting from Massachusetts and while driving along Rebsamen Park Road Dad pointed out what he called a gorge in the Arkansas River. We couldn’t quite see the river from where we were sitting (in my car) but because I wasn’t aware of a gorge on the Arkansas River as it passed through Little Rock, I asked him, Mom, my two brothers and sister to provide alternate explanations for what we saw. Now, what we saw was a rather large outcropping of rock that looked almost like a canyon wall on the North Little Rock side of the river. It’s stunning. What is it? Thanks Zeb.

SCUTTLEBUTT: According to Little Rock photographer, Brian Cormack the story goes something like this: “The Big Rock was noticed by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe in 1722, who called the hill “Le Rocher Français” or “French Rock.”  Le Harpe is also the guy who called a nearby smaller outcrop along the Arkansas River “little rock,” a name that stuck around….when the French explorers were sailing up the Arkansas River, Native Americans [Quapaws] told them of a massive green rock along the river…the explorers thought that it must be a massive jewel-encrusted rock…the large green rock they had been dreaming about was just a bluff with trees on it.”

SKINNY: Zeb, thank you for the question. I know the spot where you and your family were on Rebsamen Park Road. You were heading east past the Rebsamen Golf Course and just before Rebsamen becomes Riverfront Drive there it is that great wall of rock on the North Little Rock side of the river…..

For more on Big Rock, Arkansas check out The Plainclothesman at Sync Weekly.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Little Rock’s South End public watering hole

In Uncategorized on July 16, 2010 at 3:20 am

QUESTION: Earlier this year I took part in the Martin Luther King Jr. Marade and discovered what seemed to be a site where the general public or people in the know can access spring water. It is located right next to the Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage and Enrichment Center (3012 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive). Is this a public watering hole? What can you tell me about it?

Thanks, -Free Water

SCUTTLEBUTT: Jessie Garrett, Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage and Enrichment Center informed the Plainclothesman that for the past 100 years people have been coming from all over to this Pulaski County spring to drink.

SKINNY: FW, your question touches my heart because I know the spot, the spring you speak of that’s accessible to the public on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. In fact, it was one of the first places I visited upon my arrival to Little Rock. I passed it on my way to the infamous Sim’s Barbecue which until the past year or so was located in the Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood (Little Rock’s South End) on West 33rd Street…….

For more on Little Rock’s South End Public Watering Hole check out The Plainclothesman at Sync Weekly.

In defense of fair housing

In Uncategorized on April 23, 2010 at 5:24 am

42 years after passage of the Federal Fair Housing Act Arkansas enacted its substantially equivalent Fair Housing Act in 2001. The Arkansas Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and disability. Because April is National Fair Housing Month I thought it fitting to republish an opinion piece written about fair housing and the Ninth Annual Arkansas Fair Housing Conference at The Peabody Hotel (in downtown Little Rock), April 29-30, 2010.

Check out the plainclothesman to read this piece and more!

Argenta, Liberia…..really??

In Uncategorized on August 21, 2009 at 10:14 pm

QUESTION: Plainclothesman, is there such a thing as Argenta, Liberia? Thanks, Paolo.

SKINNY: Well Paolo, I don’t know if there is such a thing or place called Argenta, Liberia, but I thought you’d like know that Victoria Tolbert, the wife of the former President of Liberia, President William Tolbert was from Argenta, Arkansas. According to Kenneth C. Barnes, author of Journey of Hope: The Back to Africa Movement in the 1880’s, “Mrs. Tolbert was the daughter of Isaac David who at the age of five emigrated with his family from Argenta (now North Little Rock, Arkansas)” to Liberia……

For more on the “Back to Africa Movement” check out the plainclothesman at Sync Weekly online.

, , , , ,

Little Rock’s forgotten community

In Special projects, Uncategorized on July 31, 2009 at 5:05 am

QUESTION: I was driving through town, cruising by the Clinton School of Public Service and Heifer International. I hit 6th street, took a left and ended up in the East Little Rock neighborhood. I kept driving down 6th street and stumbled upon this huge eerie development that made me feel like I was in the movie 28 days later. All the windows in this development which was made up of six or seven rather large units were blown out. You could see old mattresses and papers strewn about…it seemed as if the people had to run for their lives or something. I drove to 9th street, made a left and saw single family houses that looked the same. Really spooky. I’ve asked friends but no one seems to know what happened much less what this place is or was… What can you find out? Thanks, Liz.

Check out The Plainclothesman, Arkansas’ History Detective blog for the answer and more….

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.