NEWLY RESTORED--In this Sept. 18, 2012 file photo provided by the Motown Museum, Paul McCartney, left, and Berry Gordy stand in front of a newly restored 1877 Steinway grand piano during a benefit at the Motown Museum at Steinway Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Motown Museum, Shahar Azran, File)

by Mike Householder and Jeff Karoub

DETROIT (AP) — An 1877 Steinway grand piano used by Motown greats during the label's 1960s heyday, and restored thanks to Paul McCartney, is back home in Detroit, officials announced Monday.

Long and slow. That’s how you’d describe every line you’ve ever stepped into.
Don’t you hate that?  You’re waiting in line and you see a chance to go to a shorter queue so you change lanes. Suddenly, the line you just left looks like the Indianapolis speedway. And you know what happens if you switch again…
There are definite advantages to being first. In the new book “Black Firsts” by Jessie Carney Smith, you’ll find information on tens of thousands of folks who’ve gone before you—in a good way.
In your lifetime, you’ve seen a lot of big milestones: the first Olympic gold-winning African-American gymnast; the first Black head of National Security and, of course, Barack Obama as the first Black U.S. President.
But Mr. Obama wasn’t the first African American to make White House news.
Read this book and you’ll see that pianist Thomas Greene Bethune was the first Black artist to perform there in 1858. A baby named Thomas was the first Black child born at the White House in 1806. Booker T. Washington was the first Black American to be entertained at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., and Sammy Davis Jr. was the first known Black entertainer to sleep there.
Speaking of entertainment, Ray Charles was the first person of any race to perform at the Georgia Assembly. This book will also tell you who was the first Black singer to appear on TV and when the first recording of Black music happened.
You’ll learn that your grandma’s favorite cartoon was drawn by America’s first Black cartoonist. Both Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock broke comedy records in this century. America’s first Black insurance company opened its doors in 1810 and the first Black-owned car dealership opened 160 years later. The first known Black bookseller started his business in 1834.
The world’s first Black professional model walked the catwalk in the 1950s and the first Black Playboy bunny hopped on the scene in 1965. A Black chef was reportedly the creator of potato chips. America’s first Black Mormon elder gained the priesthood in 1836.
And America’s first Black Millionaire lived in New Orleans in 1890.
It’s hard to imagine anything missing from “Black Firsts.”  It’s so hard, in fact, that author Jessie Carney Smith challenges readers to find and notify her of other milestones in Black history—but not just in North American Black history. You’ll find entries here of things that happened to African-Americans, as well as Black firsts in other countries around the world, too.
But don’t think for a minute that “Black Firsts” is dry and boring. There are lots of entries that will surprise you and others that will stop an argument in a hot minute. Everything’s well-indexed, informative, thorough enough, and as addictive as buttered popcorn.
(“Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events (Third Edition)” by Jessie Carney Smith, c.2013, Visible Ink Press, $24.95/$27.95 Canada, 833 pages, includes index. )

FILM AWARD--TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay, and Richard Middlemas win Oscar for Best Documentary. They pose with performer "Diddy" Feb. 26, 2012. (CNN Photo/Jermey Freeman)

by Breeanna Hare

(CNN) -- Sean "P. Diddy" Combs has gone by many names, but for now we can call him hip-hop's biggest moneymaker.

(NNPA)—Dear Gwendolyn: The past six months have been nothing but sadness in our home. Two years ago my son was awarded an athletic scholarship to a prestigious high school.  The school is costly because mostly children of celebrities attend there.  Poor parents and the working class do not attend unless they, like my son, receive scholarship. Even with the scholarship we had to pay $3,000.
This is the problem:  When school was out in December for winter/holiday break, we were informed that my son would not be able to continue on his football award. My wife had bragged to all her social club affiliates.  The reason the coach gave was that my son was too small body frame.  He was constantly getting hurt. My grandmother would not allow me to play football—that’s why I wanted so much for my son to play the game.
Gwendolyn, how can we let our son know that what happened to him is just a normal part of living?—Aaron
Dear Aaron: Before going into the issue of your son losing his award, I want to caution you about this entire ordeal. Just because your grandmother would not allow you to play the game is no reason you should want your son to play.
Aaron, you and your wife seem to be sad for the wrong reasons. Think about it. Football is dangerous and no boy or man of a certain thin body structure should play. There are more ex-football players who are partially paralyzed (or fully paralyzed) that are never mentioned.
Let me tell you this:  Your son should attempt playing baseball or some other sport where size doesn’t matter. Get him more into the academics. After all when players do not make the pros, they seldom find a good paying job.  They can only run the ball, but their book learning doesn’t go beyond—the field goal.
(Got a problem? Don’t solve it alone. Write to Gwendolyn Baines at:  P.O. Box 10066, Raleigh, N.C. 27605-0066 (To receive a reply, send a self-addressed stamped envelope). Or email her at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and visit her website at: www.gwenbaines.com.)