Comments on: The “Why are you so angry????” edition http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/07/11/the-why-are-you-so-angry-edition/ Race, Politics, Gender, Sexuality, Anger Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:29:38 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Guy Bauman http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/07/11/the-why-are-you-so-angry-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-14380 Guy Bauman Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:35:00 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.com/?p=869#comment-14380 You can be less angry if you take something for your PMS. If Michael Jackson were still alive he could tell you how to be less black. You can be less angry if you take something for your PMS. If Michael Jackson were still alive he could tell you how to be less black.

]]> By: Rob Hansen http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/07/11/the-why-are-you-so-angry-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-14000 Rob Hansen Sun, 12 Jul 2009 07:59:41 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.com/?p=869#comment-14000 If you like links. I have a couple that might interest you. First, some context. About 20 years ago I researched and wrote a history of science fiction fandom in Britain. During the course of this I discovered our first ever fan group had been formed in 1930 and that its meetings had been written about in their local newspaper. An hour or two going through microfiches of that newspaper gave me copies of those reports, and from those reports I got the address of the house where they met. Armed with the address, a few minutes going through local voters lists for the period - held in the same library - gave me the names of the people who lived there and thus the names of more members of the group. Why should this interest you? Because a year earlier than organised British fandom got its start in Ilford, Essex, organised fandom in the US got its start in a house in New York's Harlem. The Scienceers's were America's - and, indeed, the world's - first fan group. They met in Harlem and their first president was a black man named Warren Fitzgerald: http://www.fanac.org/timebinders/scienceers.html He also went on to be one of the founding members of the American Interplanetary Society (later renamed the American Rocket Group) which I believe was the first rocket group in the country (though that would need checking): http://www.gravityassist.com/IAF1/Ref.%201-49.pdf And other than the fact that Sam Moskowitz misnames him James Fitzgerald in THE IMMORTAL STORM his history of early SF fandom (which contains no more on the guy, alas) that's all I know about him. He was the first black fan, and he was there right at the very beginning of fandom. I don't know how distinctive a name Warren Fitzgerald would have been in Harlem in 1929. If it was uncommon then a look at voter lists might yield an address for that house. With an address it might be possible to then learn more about him via public records. It would be particularly cool if someone could find out more about him, or at least the address of that house and maybe even post a photo of it if it still exists, before the end of the year. Why? Because the Scienceers held their first meeting on December 11th, 1929. So a few months from now is the 80th anniversary. If you like links. I have a couple that might interest you. First, some context. About 20 years ago I researched and wrote a history of science fiction fandom in Britain. During the course of this I discovered our first ever fan group had been formed in 1930 and that its meetings had been written about in their local newspaper. An hour or two going through microfiches of that newspaper gave me copies of those reports, and from those reports I got the address of the house where they met. Armed with the address, a few minutes going through local voters lists for the period – held in the same library – gave me the names of the people who lived there and thus the names of more members of the group. Why should this interest you? Because a year earlier than organised British fandom got its start in Ilford, Essex, organised fandom in the US got its start in a house in New York’s Harlem. The Scienceers’s were America’s – and, indeed, the world’s – first fan group. They met in Harlem and their first president was a black man named Warren Fitzgerald:

http://www.fanac.org/timebinders/scienceers.html

He also went on to be one of the founding members of the American Interplanetary Society (later renamed the American Rocket Group) which I believe was the first rocket group in the country (though that would need checking):

http://www.gravityassist.com/IAF1/Ref.%201-49.pdf

And other than the fact that Sam Moskowitz misnames him James Fitzgerald in THE IMMORTAL STORM his history of early SF fandom (which contains no more on the guy, alas) that’s all I know about him. He was the first black fan, and he was there right at the very beginning of fandom.

I don’t know how distinctive a name Warren Fitzgerald would have been in Harlem in 1929. If it was uncommon then a look at voter lists might yield an address for that house. With an address it might be possible to then learn more about him via public records. It would be particularly cool if someone could find out more about him, or at least the address of that house and maybe even post a photo of it if it still exists, before the end of the year. Why? Because the Scienceers held their first meeting on December 11th, 1929. So a few months from now is the 80th anniversary.

]]>