QUOTE]Originally posted by Dove:

Guianese born Blacks in Science and Medicine

Notice biographical data of the following Guianese born medical professionals; James Augustus Trotman, Moses Alfred Haynes, Aubre deL Maynard, Thomas Adolphus Jones, Clifton Orin Dummett, Robert Isaac Greenidge in the book, “Blacks in Science and Medicine”, written by Vivian Ovelton Sammons, Science Librarian at the Library of Congress, 1962-1987, and published by Hemisphere Publishing Corporation in 1990.

I am thinking you would love to request permission from Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, on the behalf of the GGBS to use the copyright material on the web site.


James Augustus Trotman 1876-19??
Physician, Surgeon, Gynecologist, and Obstetrician
Born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), March 11, 1876.
University of Vermont, 1904-07;
M.D., Temple University, 1908;
Post Graduate Work, 1920-22;
Fellowship Courses in Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal Pathological Museum, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland;
Post Graduate Courses, Faculte de Med., Universite de Paris, Surgery (Gynecology, Urology) and Obstetrics.

Memberships and Awards:
Philadelphia County Medical Society; American Medical Association; National Medical Association; Kappa Alpha Psi.

Ref:
Who’s who in Colored American, 1928-29 p 370 (p) opp. p370.
Who’s who in Colored American, 1933-37 p 526 (p) opp. P527.
Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine p 234.

Moses Alfred Haynes 1921
Physician
Born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), November 11, 1921.
US Citizen, 1955.
B.S., Columbia University, 1951;
M.D., State University of New York, 1954;
M.P.H., Harvard University, 1963;
Physician , US Public Health Service Indian Hospital, Cheyenne Agy, SD, 1955-59;
Assistant Professor, Community Medicine, University of Vermont, 1959-64;
Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, 1966-69;
Professor, Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health, UCLA, 1969-77;
Associate Dean, Drew Post Graduate Medical School, Los Angles, 1969-77;
Chairman, Department of Community Medicine,1969-74; Acting Dean, 1975-76; Dean, 1979 -

Memberships and Awards:
Cancer Review Committee, National Cancer Institute; President’s Commission on Health Education, 1972; Executive Director, National Association Foundation, 1968-69; Member, Advisory Committee, National Center for Health statistics, 1974-76; Fellow, American College of Preventive Medicine, President, 1983-85; AAAS; Alpha Omega Alpha; Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine.

Ref:
Who’s Who in American, 1986-87 p 1229.
Living Legends in Black, p 25.
Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine p 115.

Thomas Adolphus Jones 1873-19??
Physician, Surgeon
Born in British Guiana (now Guyana),SA, May 6, 1873.
Howard University Medical School, 1900;
M.D., Boston College of Physicians and Surgeon, Boston, MA, 1903;
MD., CM., McGill University, 1913;
Professor of Bacteriology and Chemistry, Flint Medical College, 1903-04;
Medical Examiner, Bergen Lodge no. 43, K. of P. and St. Marks Lodge, Odd Fellows;
Founded and was Medical Director of an Obstetrical School for colored students, Gonzales, TX, 1904; the school graduated the first four females and two males to pass the Texas State Board of Obstetricians.

Memberships and Awards:
President, Hudson County Physicians Association.

Ref:
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1928-29 p 219.
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1930-32 p 250.
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1933-37 p 302.
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1938-40 p 302.
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1941-44 p 299.
Who’s Who of the Colored Race, 1915 p 164.

Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine p 234.

Robert Isaac Greenidge (1888-19??)
Physician
Born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), October 27, 1888.
B.S., Battle Creek College, MI, 1910;
M.D., College of Medicine, Detroit, 1915;
Further Study Cook County Hospital, Chicago; Illinois Post Graduate Hospital, Superintendent, Fairview Sanatorium, Detroit, 1930;
Director, East Side Medical Laboratory, 1927-;
Medical Directory, Vice-President, Great Lakes Mutual Life Insurance, 1928-

Memberships and Awards:
Alpha Phi Alpha; Wayne County Medical Society; Michigan State Medical Society; American College of Radiology; American Medical Association; National Medical Association;

Ref:
The National Register, 1952 p575
Ebony Oct., 1950 p 41 (p)
Who’s Who in Colored American, 1941-44 pp 217-218..
Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine p 106.

Clifton Orin Dummett (1919)
Dentist
Born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), May 20, 1919.
B.S., Roosevelt University, 1941;
D.D.S., Northwestern University, 1941;
M.S.D., 1942;
M.P.H., 1947;
One of the first three Dentists to get a PhD in Dentistry.
Chief Dental Services, VA Hospital, Tuskegee, 1949-1965;
VA Research Hospital Chicago, 1965-66;
Dean and Director, Dental Education, Meharry Medical College, 1942-47;

Memberships and Awards:
Julius Rosenwald Fellow; American Public Health Association; American College of Dentists; International College of Dentists; Honorary Member, American Dental Association; International Association for Dental Research; National Dental Association; American Academy of Dental Medicine; Sigma X1; Delta Omega; Sigma Pi Phi; Alpha Phi Alpha.

Pub:
The Growth and Development of the Negro in Dentistry in the United States. Chicago, National Dental Association, 1952.

Ref:
Chicago Black Dental Professional, p 100.
Medico-Chirurgical Society of the District of Columbia, Inc., Bulletin, April 1949 p1, (p)
Who’s Who among Black Americans, 1985 p 239.
Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine pp.79-80.

Aubre deL Maynard 1901-19??
Physician, Surgeon (Thoracic)
Born in Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana), 1901.
B.S., College City of New York, 1922;
M.D., New York University Medical College, 1926;
Surgical Director, Harlem Hospital New York, 1952-;
Surgeon in Charge of the removal of the knife from the chest of Dr. Martin Luther King, jr., Harlem Hospital, 1958.

Memberships and Awards:
New York Academy of Medicine; New York Thoracic Surgical; New York Surgical Society; Diplomate, American Board of Surgery.

Ref:
Crisis, June/July 1954 pp 354-356 (p)
Crisis, June/July 1956 pp 337 (p)
A Century of Black Surgeons p 171-179 (p).
Living Legends in Black, p 25.
Sammons, Vivian Ovelton (1990) Blacks in Science and Medicine p 165.[/QUOTE]

Shirley Chisholm's 1972 Presidential Campaign
by Jo Freeman
February 2005



In July of 1971 Shirley Chisholm, Member of Congress from New York's Twelfth District, began to explore the possibility of running for President. When she formally announced her candidacy the following January 25, she became the first woman and the first African-American to seek the nomination of the Democratic Party for the nation's highest office. A few other women and other blacks had run on minor party tickets, and Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R. Me) had campaigned for the Republican Party's nomination in 1964, but Chisholm's candidacy was a double first for the Democrats.

As soon as I heard that she might run, I knew that I had found my candidate. I quickly learned that Chisholm was running a grass roots campaign, in which it was up to the grass roots to figure out what needed to be done and to do it. What was needed in Illinois, where I lived while attending grad school at the University of Chicago, was to get her name on the ballot for the March primary.

That was easier said than done. Not liking the Daley machine which ran the Democratic Party in Chicago, I had not been active in the local Democratic Party. I soon found out that Illinois would not have a Presidential preference primary in 1972; individuals would run for delegate to the Democratic Convention from each Congressional District, committed to a specific candidate or uncommitted. Only those Presidential candidates who had delegates running in a specific District committed to that candidate would appear on a District ballot. The Daley machine would run a complete slate of 59 in all of Chicago's Congressional Districts that was officially uncommitted. Unofficially, the Daley delegates would vote the way Mayor Daley wanted them to; controlling a bloc of votes gave him a lot of power at Democratic Conventions.

Shirley Chisholm had been breaking barriers and challenging conventions for many years. Born in Brooklyn, NY of West Indian parents, she was the first black woman to sit in Congress. Prior to her election in 1968 she had served in the New York Assembly for four years, following a professional career in child care and early childhood education. To be elected from her mostly black Brooklyn district, she had defied what was left of the Brooklyn Democratic machine. "Unbossed and unbought" was her slogan. On entering the House she had refused a place on the Forestry Subcommittee of the Agriculture Committee because she thought it was irrelevant to someone with her background from a poor, urban district. She was reassigned to Veterans Affairs; eventually she added a seat on her Committee of choice, Education and Labor. She deliberately hired a staff of young women, half of whom were black, for all of her office positions, not just the lower level ones usually occupied by women. Her first term she sponsored a bill to finance day care facilities; it passed Congress only to be vetoed by President Nixon.

It's unusual for any Member of the House to run for President, especially after serving only three years, but Chisholm was used to doing the unusual. Of course, she didn't run with the expectation of being nominated, or to increase her clout in Congress. She ran "to give a voice to the people the major candidates were ignoring."

Although Chisholm made a point of saying that she was not the women's candidate, she had always been a strong supporter of women's rights. One of the four founders of the National Women's Political Caucus in 1971, she often said that during her twenty years in local politics "I had met far more discrimination because I am a woman than because I am black." Indeed Shirley Chisholm was so outspoken in favor of women's rights that she was often criticized for not paying enough attention to black issues.

I encountered this negative attitude toward Chisholm by black leaders when I went to Operation PUSH, headed by Rev. Jesse Jackson, for help getting on the ballot. Its headquarters was in the First Congressional District, on the other side of the University of Chicago from where I lived. I found no support, just mild disdain.

Relying largely on my fellow grad students for help in petitioning, I was one of four people in the state of Illinois to get enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot committed to Shirley Chisholm, and the only one from a majority black district. When our campaign wrote her that she would be on the ballot in the First District of Illinois, she sent us 100 buttons, 20 bumper stickers and nine position papers on foreign affairs. Everything else we created ourselves. We used an initial $200 in contributions to buy 1,000 buttons, and the money from selling those to pay for ads and to print literature.

Florida was the first state where Chisholm actively campaigned, largely because it had "blacks, youth and a strong women's movement" and there were a lot of people in Florida eager to organize for her. However, she didn't have enough money to hire professionals and the volunteers often competed against each other rather than working together. Since she also had to attend to Congressional duties in Washington, Chisholm could only make two campaign tours in Florida before the March 14 primary. A Southern state, the big issue was busing "to correct racial imbalance" in the schools, an issue about which the candidate was ambivalent. Despite large and enthusiastic crowds wherever Chisholm spoke, she got only four percent of the vote.

Chisholm continued her campaign wherever she could get on the ballot and had enough volunteers to set up speaking events. She campaigned in New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Michigan and North Carolina. There were some states in which Chisholm was on the ballot but never had time to visit (e.g. Wisconsin). And others in which she won delegates despite a single appearance (Minnesota). And still more in which she received write-in votes, or votes via delegate candidates (e.g. Illinois). Overall, people in fourteen states voted for Shirley Chisholm for President, in some fashion or other. After six months of campaigning in eleven primaries she had twenty-eight delegates committed to vote for her at the Democratic Convention.

California was a special case, because state law gave all of the delegates to the winner, despite national Democratic Party rules requiring that they be apportioned. McGovern won California; Chisholm came in third with a tenth of his votes— enough to entitle her to twelve of California's 271 delegates under the national rules. The primacy of state law would be challenged at the convention.


Chisholm made only one appearance in Chicago, where she spoke at Malcolm X Junior College on the west side of the city on March 6. Her two Chicago delegate candidates were running in districts on the north and south sides of the city, but no free venue could be found in either place. Jesse Jackson's Operation PUSH, which owned its own building (a former synagogue) on the South Side, had declined to invite her to speak there, even though it regularly had some of the best speakers of a liberal persuasion (black and white) in the country.

The Illinois primary was one week after Florida's. Of course I didn't win; the Daley machine's uncommitted candidates won all eight delegate slots in the First District. But in a field of 24 I came in ninth, beating people committed to Sens. George McGovern and Edward M. Kennedy. The next day I read about a challenge to the Daley delegation, which had made no attempt to comply with new Party guidelines requiring that delegations reflect the composition of their districts by race, sex and age. I immediately joined in.

Meeting in June, the Credentials Committee voted that national rules trumped state law in both California and Illinois; the challenge delegations would be seated. However, when the Committee report and recommendations went before the full convention on Monday night in July, the recommendation on California was reversed and all of the McGovern delegates were seated. That decision gave McGovern a lock on the nomination. All the candidate nominations and speeches after that were just window dressing.


I was not a delegate at this convention, but an alternate. Since the election could not be held over again, the decision about who the Chicago challenge delegates should be was made at meetings of the people who had run for delegate in each District. When I arrived prepared to argue that Chisholm was entitled to at least one delegate because she had received more votes in the First District than anyone else, I found that a pre-meeting had been had been held and the delegates already agreed upon. Under the affirmative action rules only one of the eight First District delegates could be white, and that slot had been given to the head of the McGovern slate. Six of the seven blacks chosen had run committed to different candidates. One, Jesse Jackson, had not run at all. However, the three alternates had not been pre-selected, so I became the first alternate from the First District.

At the convention I lobbied the eight First District delegates to give one vote to Chisholm, but without success. All eight wanted to feel like they were part of the winning team, and a token vote for a losing candidate was not the way to do that. When the role call was held on Wednesday, Shirley Chisholm received 151.95 votes, including 4.5 from Illinois. None came from Illinois' First District, even though she had received more votes in the primary from those voters than had McGovern, who got all eight delegate votes. Many of Chisholm's 151.95 votes came from people who had come to the Democratic convention committed to other candidates, and become disenchanted when the race for the nomination ended on Monday. Ohio delegates gave her 23 votes, even though the Ohio voters hadn't given her any.


In the primaries and at the convention Chisholm received stronger support from grassroots feminists and blacks than she did from those identified as leaders. Reps. Ron Dellums (CA) and Parren Mitchell (MD) supported her. Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem ran as Chisholm delegates in New York, but lost. Other Members of Congress and prominent people, both blacks and feminists, ignored her candidacy or opposed it. When Chisholm spoke at a National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana in March, she felt like she was treated like an intruder. However, at the Democratic Convention in July, the Chisholm meetings were full of feminists and the final meeting of the caucus of black delegates voted to support her. Most of those attending and voting were not delegates; those who were, were not bound by a caucus decision.

After it was over Chisholm said that if she had to do it over again, she would, but not the same way. Her campaign was under-organized, under-financed and unprepared. She calculated that she raised and spent only $300,000 between July 1971 when she first floated the idea of running, and July of 1972, when the last vote was counted at the Democratic Convention. That did not include the $2,000 that my campaign raised and spent on her behalf, and a lot more by other local campaigns.

By the next Presidential election Congress had passed the campaign finance acts, which required careful record keeping, certification and reporting, among other things. This effectively ended grass roots Presidential campaigns like those in 1972.

Chisholm quotes from her book on the campaign The Good Fight, Harper and Row, 1973

source



In 1968, Shirley Chisholm becomes the first black woman elected to Congress. In 1972, she becomes the first black woman to run for president. Shunned by the political establishment, she's supported by a motley crew of blacks, feminists, and young voters. Their campaign-trail adventures are frenzied, fierce, and fundamentally right on!

Saul Stacey Williams

Official Website



Born February 29, 1972, in Newburgh, New York, Saul Stacey Williams is considered a powerful voice of the hip hop generation as a poet, preacher, actor, rapper, singer and musician. Best known for his blend of spoken word poetry and hip-hop, and for his leading role in the independent film Slam, he received notable recognition while supporting Nine Inch Nails for parts of their 2005-2006 tour, despite the questionable appeal of his music for that demographic. Saul's third album, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust, was produced by Trent Reznor, and released via the internet on November 1, 2007. In the days leading up to its release, several tracks featuring a combination of industrial and hip hop production were "leaked" to the internet.

Williams has published four books of poetry: "The Seventh Octave", "S/he", ",said the shotgun to the head." and "The Dead Emcee Scrolls"; and released three albums: Amethyst Rock Star, the self titled Saul Williams, and most recently, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!.

we need to see some of the successful celebrities as well..there are lots of them

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson

(Father) Rocky and Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson

Dwayne Douglas Johnson was born in Hayward, California on May 2nd 1972 to Rocky Johnson and Ata Johnson. While growing up, Dwayne traveled around a lot with his parents and watched his father perform in the ring. During his high school years, Dwayne began playing football and he soon received a full scholarship from the University of Miami where he had tremendous success as a football player. In 1995, Dwayne suffered a back injury which cost him a place in the NFL. He then signed a 3 year deal with the Canadian League but left after a year to pursue a career in wrestling. He made his wrestling debut in the USWA under the name Flex Kavanah where he won the tag team championship with Brett Sawyer. In 1996, Dwayne joined the WWE and became Rocky Maivia where he joined a group known as "The Nation of Domination" and turned heel. Rocky eventually took over leadership of the "Nation" and began taking the persona of The Rock. After the "Nation" split, The Rock joined another elite group of wrestlers known as the "Corporation" and began a memorable feud with Steve Austin. Soon the Rock was kicked out of the "Corporation". He turned face and became known as "The Peoples Champion". In 2000, the Rock took time off from WWE to film his appearance in The Mummy Returns (2001). He returned in 2001 during the WCW/ECW invasion where he joined a team of WWE wrestlers at The Scorpion King (2002), a prequel to The Mummy Returns (2001). He is currently married to Dany Johnson (Garcia) and they have a daughter named Simone Alexandra, born in 2001.

Trivia
First ever 7 time WWE World Champion.

In real life, is good friends with the Dudley Boyz and his on-screen enemy, Shane McMahon.

Was the first person to ever kick out of the "Stone Cold Stunner" while fighting Stone Cold Steve Austin (Steve Austin) at Wrestlemania XV.

His favorite eyebrow trademark (not including his own) is Groucho Marx's.

Former World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champion (with Mankind (Mick Foley) in "The Rock 'n Sock Connection").

Was a member of Miami's NCAA national championship football team in 1991. Later in his career he played as Warren Sapp's backup at defensive tackle.

Received guidance and training from Bret Hart (aka "The Hitman") when he first came to the WWF.

Grandson of Peter Fanene Maivia.

Daughter with his wife, Dany Johnson, Simone Alexandra Johnson, was born in Davie, Florida. [14 August 2001]

A member of the elite group of wrestlers, such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair to hold the WWF and WCW world titles on several different occasions.

Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001."

He once appeared on "Martha Stewart Living" (1991) to cook one of his favorite family recipes.

Attended Freedom High School, Bethlehem, PA.

Has a wax figure likeness of himself at Madame Tussaud's museum

Wife, Dany Johnson, was 22 when they met.

Decided to attend the University of Miami because they didn't openly express interest in him

After years of dating Dany Johnson, he did not meet her parents until shortly before their wedding.

Married Dany Johnson the day after his 25th birthday.

His $5.5-million paycheck for The Scorpion King (2002) earned him a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records, as his salary was the highest for any actor receiving top billing for the first time.

No athlete who ever hosted "Saturday Night Live" (1975) has ever repeated for a second time, until The Rock did so in 2002. Technically, he was promoting a film for his second sting (The Scorpion King (2002)) but his college football, CFL and pro wrestling background makes him the show's first two-time athlete-host.

He owns the rights to name "The Rock" (including logos, phrases, etc). The rights to the name "The Rock" were previously owned by WWE, Inc. (which is the main reason why Vince McMahon has received executive producer credits in some of the Rock's films).

Once, while putting on a show for WWF road agent Pat Patterson, sold his opponent's moves so well, his then-girlfriend Dany Johnson thought he was actually hurt.

Growing up, considered what his father did, "wrestling"; he once tried amateur wrestling, and found he didn't like it.

In a 2000 episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" (1975), proved his acting and singing abilities by performing in various skits throughout the show.

He was offered a promotional deal with "Dunkin' Donuts", which would have seen the company name a donut after him. Thinking it would make him appear big-headed, he graciously turned the offer down.

His last match in the WWE before leaving to film The Rundown (2003) was against Bill Goldberg at the 2003 Backlash Pay-Per-View.

WWF Royal Rumble (2000) (V) winner.

Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion (during the wCw/ECW Alliance storyline)

Accidentally smashed the tail-light of a Porsche while filming the movie Walking Tall (2004).

Is of African-Canadian and Samoan descent.

Was a team mate of Doug Flutie with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

In his first semester at the University of Miami, earned a .7 grade point average. He was majoring in criminology.

His wedding anniversary falls on the same day as Stu Hart's birthday. Stu's son, Bret Hart, would often give him tips on how to improve in his matches.

Played his own father in an episode of "That '70s Show" (1998).

Tonga Fifita, the wrestler known as Haku, was Best Man at Dwayne and Dany Johnson's wedding.

In The Rundown (2003), he tells one of the rebels that Muhammad Ali would win a match against Mike Tyson. To intimidate his opponents, his father, Rocky Johnson, would often perform the "Ali shuffle" during his wrestling matches.

While filming The Scorpion King (2002), accidentally hit Michael Clarke Duncan during a fight sequence. Duncan leaned in too far for a hit, and his chin connected with The Rock's elbow.

Though not under contract with the WWE, the Rock makes every attempt to be on their RAW television show whenever the WWE are in either Los Angeles or his hometown of Miami.

Is the third youngest superstar to hold the IC Championship. Jeff Hardy is the youngest at 23, and Randy Orton is the second youngest, also at 23, only a few months older than Hardy.

He weighed 290 pounds during his college football career, but reduced his weight to about 265 pounds late in his wrestling career. He has lost an addition 30 pounds recently for his part in Southland Tales (2006), some of which he since regained.

Dwayne is a skilled light tackle salt water fisherman.

Notable Title Wins Include: USWA Tag Team Titles w/Bret Sawyer; WWF Intercontinental Title; WWF/WWE Heavyweight Title (7); WWF Tag Team Titles w/Mick Foley; WWF Royal Rumble Winner; WWE Tag Team Titles w/Chris Jericho; WCW Heavyweight Title.

Son of Ata Johnson and Rocky Johnson.

Ranked #61 on VH1's 100 Hottest Hotties

WWE named their Thursday night show after one of The Rock's catchphrases, "Layeth the Smack Down" (Smackdown, in case you were wondering)

Officially proclaimed himself "The Rock" during a promo where he attacked Ron Simmons (Faarooq) in a "WWF Raw Is War" (1997) telecast.

Sparred with, and gave guidance to, current Smackdown superstar Orlando Jordan.

He originally chose "Flex Kavana" as his stage name, because he didn't want to seem like he was trading off his family's legacy (Rocky Johnson, his father, and High Chief Peter Fanene Maivia his grandfather). Ironically, WWE officials came up with "Rocky Maivia" after they felt "Flex Kavana" wasn't exactly a great name.

When Rocky Maivia was first considering going by the name The Rock for short, he resisted because he felt it would be stealing the former nickname of WWE Hall-of-Famer Don Muraco. He was talked into it by Vince Russo.

Is good friends with actor Michael Clarke Duncan.

His cousin, Tanoai Reed, is his stunt double for many of his movies.

During a visit to Samoa in July 2004, he was anointed by Head of State Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II with the chiefly title of 'Seiuli, Son of Malietoa'.

Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2003 and 2005 Razzie Award nominating ballots. He was suggested in the Worst Actor category on the 2003 ballot for his role in the film The Scorpion King (2002). And he was suggested again two years later in the Worst Actor category of the 2005 Razzie nominating ballot for his performance in the film _Walking Tall (2004)_. He failed to receive either nomination. The following year though, he finally got a Worst Actor Razzie Nomination for his role in the film Doom (2005).

Attended the Republican National Convention in 2004

Cousin of Solofa Fatu Jr. (Rikishi) and Rodney Anoai (Yokozuna).

As of 2008, Doom (2005) and Southland Tales (2006) are the two only R-rated films he has starred in. All of his other films have received PG-13, at the most.

While filming Be Cool (2005), he was "Punk'd" (2003) by Ashton Kutcher's crew. They set his trailer on fire, which didn't seem to faze him. It was only after Vince, one of the "Punk'd" (2003) crew, blamed the fire on him that things got really heated and they revealed the gag.

Was Tim Burton's second choice for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005).

Daughter: Simone Alexander Johnson (born August 14th 2001)

With his wife, donated $2 million to the University of Miami for the new Robert and Judi Prokop Newman Alumni Center's living room, to be named "The Dany and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Living Room". The donation was announced at the Miami premiere of Gridiron Gang (2006).

Made his WWF television debut at the Survivor Series (1996) (V).

[October 2006] In an interview with "Entertainment Magazine", he no longer wants to be known as "The Rock". Because of his retirement from the wrestling business, he now considers himself an actor: "I no longer am a wrestler, I am now pursuing a future as an actor and someday as a director. I am not the Rock. I am Dwayne Johnson".

Former World Tag Team Champion.

Not only was his father, Rocky Johnson, a wrestler, but his grandfather, three uncles, and six cousins (one adopted) have been in wrestling too.

Ex-brother-in-law of Hiram Garcia.

Has a fear of spiders.

In 2006, he donated $2 million for University of Miami to name new Alumni Center living room.

Has a stepbrother, Jared.

Remains close friends with WWE Writer Brian Gewirtz.

Personal Quotes
Finally...The Rock...has come back to [whatever city he's in at the time]

You will go one on one with the Great One!

Who in the blue hell are you?

[Referring to his 0.7 grade point average in college] "It's pretty hard to get a point seven. You have to do close to nothing."

Can you smell what The Rock is cooking!

The Rock will take you down Know Your Role Boulevard which is on the corner of Jabroni Drive and check you directly into the Smackdown Hotel!

It doesn't matter what you think.

"I have so much love and respect for the fans. I'll never forget where I came from. I love the business. I grew up in the business. And everyone always asks me, from Letterman [David Letterman] to Stone Phillips, what I miss about wrestling. Hands down, I miss the interaction with the fans. Outside of the ring I loved it, too. I mean, how hard is it to sign an autograph? Don't be an a**hole to your fans. And there's many [in WWE] that won't, which is bulls**t. But inside the ring, just that energy and feeding off that energy is great. There's something so special about it. And every night I would just have a blueprint of what I would say and rely so much on ad-libbing and waiting to see what happens when I get out there and let it materialize organically and see what happens. Every night was a different crowd and they gave me so much energy, and I'll always love that and always miss that for sure." [Interview with WWE.com in October 2005]

Mark Sinclair Vincent is 6' and he and his fraternal twin brother Paul were born July 18, 1967, in New York, New York.



The multi-racial Diesel has made a career out of keeping his specific origins a secret. Other than revealing that Vincent is his real last name, he won't talk about much of the rest of his early life; his first attempt at filmmaking was a short called Multi-Facial a film about (say what?) a multi-racial struggling actor. The 1994 flick debuted at Cannes in 1995 and grabbed director Steven Spielberg's attention. Spielberg then cast him in Saving Private Ryan (1998), and Vin's career was launched. Big bad tough-guy roles in Pitch Black, The Fast and the Furious and xXx made him a bankable (and bank-rollin') star.

Never knowing his biological father. His first break in acting happened by chance, when at the age of seven he and his friends broke into a theatre to vandalize it. A woman stopped them and offered them each a script and $20, on the condition that they would attend everyday after school. From there, Vin's fledgling career progressed from the New York repertory company run by his father, to the Off-Off-Broadway circuit. At 17 and already sporting a well-honed physique, he became a bouncer at some of New York's hippest clubs to earn himself some extra cash. It was at this time that he changed his name to Vin Diesel.

Following high school, Vin enrolled as an English major at Hunter College, but dropped out after three years to go to Hollywood to further his acting career. Being an experienced theatre actor did not make any impression in Hollywood and after a year of struggling to make his mark, he returned to New York. His mother then gave him a book called "Feature Films at used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt. The book showed him that he could take control of his career and make his own movies. He wrote a short film based on his own experiences as an actor, called Multi-Facial (1999), which was shot in less than three days at a cost of $3,000. Multi-Facial (1999) was eventually accepted for the 1995 Cannes Film Festival where it got a tumultuous reception.

Afterwards, Vin returned to Los Angeles and raised almost $50,000 through telemarketing to fund the making of his first feature, Strays (1997). Six months after shooting, the film was accepted for the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, and although it received a good reception, it didn't sell as well as hoped. Yet again Vin returned disappointed to New York only to receive a dream phone call. Steven Spielberg was impressed by Multi-Facial (1999) and wanted to meet Vin, leading him to be cast in Saving Private Ryan (1998). Multi-Facial (1999) earned Vin more work, when the director of The Iron Giant (1999) saw it and decided to cast Vin in the title role. From there, Vin's career has steadily grown, with him securing his first lead role as 'Richard B Riddick' in the sci-fi film Pitch Black (2000). That role has earned him a legion of devoted fans and the public recognition he deserves.

5 Things:

1. Yea, he's ecclectic: Diesel was raised by his astrologer/psychologist mother and adoptive father in an artist's housing project in New York's Greenwich Village.
2. Vin adopted the moniker "Vin Diesel" while working as a bouncer at New York City nightclubs.
3. He's not bald, Vin shaves his head.
4. He has a fraternal twin brother, who's a film editor.
5. Geek alert: Vin is a devoted Dungeons and Dragons player.

Trade Mark
Shaves his head.

Muscular physique



Trivia
He worked as a bouncer in New York at the famous nightclubs Tunnel (which has since closed) and Mars.

Has a fraternal twin brother, Paul Vincent, who is a film editor.

Has an Italian Mastiff named "Roman".

Has a younger sister, Samantha and a younger brother in addition to his fraternal twin, Paul.

Ranked #46 in Premiere's 2003 annual Power 100 List. Had ranked #95 in 2002.

He's an admitted fan of Dungeons and Dragons, and, according to an interview on _"Late Night with Conan O'Brian" (1993)_, he played for 24 years.

Was offered the role of Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Daredevil (2003) that eventually went to Ben Affleck.

He is bi-racial, being half African-American and half Italian American

Producing partner with George Zakk. Their company is called One Race Productions.

Wrote an original screenplay titled "Doormen" (based on his experiences as a bouncer) as a follow-up to Strays (1997), his directorial debut. However, his acting career exploded and his plans to direct the film have fallen by the wayside.

During his teens, he performed breakdancing in an instructional video on the subject.

Credits the book "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt as the one resource above all upon which he built his career. This book, according to Diesel, gave him the tools, knowledge, and most importantly, the inspiration to develop his short film _Multi-Facial (1994)_, which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in.

He was cast opposite Ben Affleck in Reindeer Games (2000), but left the production shortly after filming began over concerns with the quality of Ehren Kruger's screenplay and creative differences with director John Frankenheimer.

Revolution Studios wanted him for the title role in Hellboy (2004), but director Guillermo del Toro thought that Ron Perlman was the perfect choice for the role, and wouldn't direct the movie if he wasn't cast.

Was listed as a potential nominee on both the 2003 and 2004 Razzie Award nominating ballots. He was listed as a suggestion for the Worst Actor category on the 2003 ballot for his performances in the films Knockaround Guys (2001) and xXx (2002). And was listed as a suggestion again on the nominating ballot in the Worst Actor category the next year for his role in A Man Apart (2003). He did not receive either nomination. The following year though, he finally received his first Razzie nomination for Worst Actor in the film The Chronicles of Riddick (2004). However he didn't "win".

Is the cousin of rapper/producer Kwame "The Boy Genius". Kwame says if you watch his old videos, you'll see Vin in a few of them.

Once worked as a telemarketer, selling light bulbs.

In addition to being considered for the role of Hellboy in 2004, he was also considered for the part of Abe Sapien.

Credits the book "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car Prices" by Rick Schmidt as the one resource above all upon which he built his career. This book, according to Diesel, gave him the tools, knowledge, and most importantly, the inspiration to develop his short film Multi-Facial (1994), which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in.

He gained 35 pounds so he could portray 'Fat Jackie' in 'Find Me Guilty' (2006).

Attended Hunter College and got his jump start by Steven Spielberg just like fellow actors Sam Feuer and Edward Burns.

George Washington Carver


Edsel Ford, from left, Dr. George Washington Carver and Henry Ford, gathered in front of a log cabin built in Greenfield Village for use by Carver during his three-week visit to Dearborn.



BIO Creates George Washington Carver Award for Significant Contributions in Industrial Biotechnology

Washington, DC—The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announced Feb. 21 creation of the George Washington Carver Award to recognize significant contributions by individuals in the field of industrial biotechnology and its application in biological engineering, environmental science, biorefining and biobased products.
This new Award is intended to honor the original vision of George Washington Carver who, over a century ago, pioneered the creation and commercialization of sustainable biobased products and materials and energy derived from renewable agricultural feedstocks.
Carver’s inventions include plastics, glue, soaps, paints, dyes for cloth and leather, medicines and cosmetic ingredients made from peanuts, sweet potatoes, or other crops and agricultural residues.
Today, companies are using industrial biotechnology to manufacture plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and even food ingredients from renewable agricultural resources.
The George Washington Carver Award will honor individuals in the private sector, government or academia who have worked toward the important goal of using biotechnology innovation to develop sustainable bio-based value-chains.
BIO is now accepting nominations for the George Washington Carver Award online.
Nominees must be living individuals who have demonstrated significant and innovative accomplishments employing industrial biotechnology to advance a biobased economy and industrial sustainability.
Written nominations should highlight the contributions the nominee has made in using biotechnology for sustainable production of biobased products, materials and energy.
In addition, nominations should include examples of the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit of the nominee.
The deadline for nominations is March 11, 2008.
The George Washington Carver Award will be presented during the 2008 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, to be held April 28-30, 2008 at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago.
The World Congress is the only global conference dedicated solely to the most recent advancements in industrial biotechnology.
For more information, call Paul Winters at 202-962-9237

Some beauties and celebrities in their own rights

Ashanti

Beyonce

Brandy

Christina Milian

Ciara

Janet Jackson

Naiomi Campbell

Serena Williams

Tony Braxton

Whitney Houston (she's one of my fave)