Being black in America

http://youtu.be/oBSnYG-cphA

http://metrotimes.com/news/born-in-jersey-made-in-detroit-1.1183490


By Travis R. Wright

Published: August 3, 2011
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Last Sunday, at the corner of Cass Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Detroit, musicians, poets, artists, politicos and friends by the hundreds convened under the very hot sun, to mourn their recently departed compadre David Blair — or, more often, just Blair. They carried instruments of all sorts: tambourines, kazoos, various hand drums, guitars, one accordion. A New Orleans-style brass section was on hand and helped dampen the weeping, which was contagious. It had been a week to the day since we'd learned that Blair, 43 (though you'd never guess his age), had died.

On Saturday, July 23, Blair's body was discovered by a maid at the Corktown Inn, where he'd often go for the A/C during summer's hottest days. Detroit was under an advisory, with a heat index of 98 degrees, and Blair had mentioned to more than one friend the day before that he hadn't been feeling well. A medical examiner's report is pending.

A week and a day later, some of those dearest to