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William Joshua Blackmon
William Joshua Blackmon (20 April 1921 – 8 February 2010), also known as Prophet Blackmon, was an American street preacher and a well known Milwaukee artist. Jeffrey R. Hayes, professor of art history at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, described him as "among the best self-taught artists ever to come out of Milwaukee". Life Born on 20 April 1921, Blackmon grew up in Albion, Michigan. His mother, Gussie Blackmon, a devout Baptist, was originally from Macon, Georgia. His father, Dan Blackmon was from Selma, Alabama. They moved north as part of the Great Migration of African Americans out of the Southern United States to seek better jobs and to escape racism and prejudice in the South. According to Blackmon's sister, Lyla M.Washington, their parents arrived in Albion on October 13, 1912, "a young teen-age husband and wife". They eventually had twelve children, seven girls and five sons. The family lived on a small farm near Albion in a five-room house built by Dan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Albion, Michigan
Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,616 at the 2010 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area. The earliest English-speaking settlers also referred to this area as ''The Forks'', because it is situated at the confluence of the north and south branches of the Kalamazoo River. In the early 20th century, immigrants came to Albion from a variety of eastern European nations, including the current Lithuania and Russia. More recently, Hispanic or Latino immigrants have come from Mexico and Central America. The ''Festival of the Forks'' has been held annually since 1967 to celebrate Albion's diverse ethnic heritage. Since the 19th century, several major manufacturers were established here and Albion became known as a factory town. This has changed with the closure of several manufacturers. In the 21st century, Albion's culture is changing to that of a college t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |