John Keehan aka Count Dante pissed off the martial arts community in Chicago because he openly taught black and Hispanic students. They weren’t welcome at other martial arts schools. Then they won all the tournaments, took all the trophies. This is 1964

Apr 2020 ⋅ ⋅

“Why do I speak to you from exile? Because a Negro community in the South took up guns in self-defense against racist violence—and used them.” - Robert F Williams former heat of the online armed chapter of the NAACP. They ran the Ku Klux Klowns out of town in 1959.

Jul 2022 ⋅

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1962 Class Photo, Haines School, Chinatown, Chicago, the origins of my global curiosity. I'm top row, 3rd right bowtie.

Apr 2022 ⋅

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1974, My first year as a freelance photojournalist in Europe and then Tanzania.

Apr 2020 ⋅

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In 1969, Chicago Black Panther Leader Fred Hampton fed thousands of Children breakfast before school. He was the first one in the kitchen more than a few days. Compassion was his coolness

Aug 2020 ⋅

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1960, first grade, Haines Elementary School, Chinatown Chicago. The photo that made me become a photojournalist. Shot by teacher Melvin Gaynor. He brought his Nikon camera to after-school social center.

Jan 2021 ⋅

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My dad, Bennie fought the Cold War as a radarman on Chicago's Lakefront at Nike Missile Base C-40 in Burham Park at 31st and Lakeshore Drive, and then in Alaska when the Nike Program(reference the 8 bit video game Missile Command) ended in our cities.

Apr 2020 ⋅

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1972, 12 years after my elementary school teacher, Melvin Gaynor, introduced me to photography, I’m working in a commercial studio. First assignment was assisting with the Keebler cookie, cracker and ice cream cone catalog. It was 3 months of drudgery. I can’t look at Keebler products to this day.

Jan 2021 ⋅

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My dad, Bennie fought the Cold War as a radarman on Chicago's Lakefront at Nike Missile Base C-40 in Burham Park at 31st and Lakeshore Drive, and then in Alaska when the Nike Program(reference the 8 bit video game Missile Command) ended in our cities.

Apr 2020 ⋅

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1968, Chairman Fred Hampton, Chicago Black Panther Party. How I remember him. First one to the office in the morning, feeding school kids breakfast by 7 am, last one to go home at night because he said he was about the peoples business. Murdered in his sleep by the Chicago Police, Dec 4, 1969.

Dec 2020 ⋅

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In Jan 1935, John Charles Robinson (Nov 26 1905 - March 27, 1954) an American aviator from Chicago and hailed as the Brown Condor volunteered for service in the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force against the Fascist Mussolini’s Italian Invasion, which began Oct, 1935.

Feb 2021 ⋅

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1978, Clarksdale, Mississippi. My uncle EC Cosby, just died at 92 this past Thursday, still looking this good. Farmer, landowner, entreperneur, rapscallion, ladies man and slick ass opponent of white supremacy, bruh rabbit, outsmarting the fox.

Mar 2021 ⋅

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Is 25 years will this exquisite coin be worth more as a collectors piece than all of Doge? Or will it be symbol of the faith and resilience of Doge millionaires? What say you?

Jun 2022 ⋅

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Milwaukee Housing Riots, 1967. This young lady is not a martial artist, she had no idea how she reacted to this cops harassment and putting his hands in her until after it happened.

Apr 2020 ⋅

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Robert and Mable Williams headed up the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP in the 1950s and into 1961. They ran the KKK out of town. The black arms tradition of self defense is not new.

May 2020 ⋅

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1975, Count Dante, Innovator, master marketer, martial arts PT Barnum, slick self promoter, myth maker. And yes, credible, skilled fighter, teacher and coach of Champions. Like him or not. He remains a topic of conversation and is the source of animus and ire 45 years after his death.

Dec 2020 ⋅

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