Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses!

A horse of a different color

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

By the second half of the 17th Century in America, larger towns in the East were building racing tracks. Nearly, one hundred years later in towns further west, horse races were still occurring in the streets in the middle of town. In the early 1800’s, formal racetracks were built in and around Louisville, Kentucky – the Hope Distillery Course, Oakland Race Course, Woodlawn Course and Beargrass Track. In the mid-1800’s while horseracing was flourishing at Saratoga, New York, the courses in and around Louisville was floundering.

In 1872, M. Lewis Clark, a young Louisvillian, left for Europe to get ideas to further develop racing in his hometown. After visiting both the French and English Jockey Clubs, he returned. Having been impressed with the Epsom Derby held on the outskirts of London, Clark realized that there was no event like it in America.

Clark then leased land from his uncles – John and Henry Churchill. He developed a racetrack to showcase the Kentucky horse breeding industry, and to attract the best horses from around the country.

The inaugural “meeting” at what would ultimately become known as Churchill Downs, was held on May 17, 1875.

A ray of “Hope”

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

On Wednesday of last week, March 25th, I received an email from Ms. Sylvia Y. Cyrus, Executive Director of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALPH), informing me of the early morning passing of John Hope Franklin. I was floored!

Why was I floored at his passing? He had a long and productive life. Mr. Franklin lived to the ripe old age of 94. But still, another African American icon has passed on to the “sweet by-and-by.” Therefore, as his middle name is “Hope,” we must keep his work alive in our spirit, and, as the Reverend Jesse Jackson would suggest, “Keep Hope Alive.”

John Hope Franklin was a scholar and a pioneer of African American studies. He was an expert in “black” history. I read most of his work, and made reference to his book, From Slavery to Freedom, in previous writings. From Slavery to Freedom, published in 1947, is as relevant today as when it was first written sixty plus years ago. I am privileged and honored, to have met Mr. Franklin at several of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) conventions that I attended.

America’s hidden “black” history

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses!, has demonstrated and used as examples various distortions of what many of us were lead to believe to be an accurate account of American history. Much of the accounts are chronicled in the annals of history, only to find that some are mere distortions and misrepresentations of the truth.

In order for America to change and maintain its greatness, Americans must embrace all aspects of its history and allow its true colors to shine. Americans must embrace its whiteness, blackness, redness, brownness and yellowness. America must embrace its slavery and freedom, masculinity and femininity, its richness and poorness, etc. America must embrace the “truth.”

Yet another attempt to water down or soften the true history of the making of America is that of “Lady Liberty” herself, the Statue of Liberty. The first and original United States Statue of Liberty was to be dedicated to the liberation of the Black American slaves that were freed in 1865.

Civil War and civil rights

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

Americans and America have proven a susceptibility to soften its history. They continue to offer a watered down version, offering only the aspects of history they want Americans and the world to accept as true. The reported facts of the making of America have been cherry-picked and in some instances excluded from the chronicles of history. The same would prove itself true with the African American contribution to the Civil War.

African Americans fought in most, if not all wars on American soil. The African American contribution to the Civil War seems to have been forgotten. More specifically, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Louisiana Native Guard Volunteers – all black regiments – were commissioned in October 1862 to fight in the Civil War, although under white commanding officers. These regiments represent the pioneering stages of the history of “black” troops at war.

The recruitment of “black” enlisted men was ordered by General Patrick Cleburne as an experiment. Men of varied backgrounds – free or ex-slave, light skinned or dark, educated or illiterate – joined these army regiments, often referred to as “free” black units. These regiments included a majority of former slaves. It was the original enlistment of the 1st Regiment that prompted the word “free”, for it contained a core group of free people of color, many of whom were light skinned, well educated and prominent citizens in their respective communities.

Civil War and civil rights part II

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

African American participants in the Civil War, particularly “black” commissioned officers, are certainly revered as the early pioneers of the “civil rights movement.” The Civil War was indeed, a movement for civil, economic, social and political rights. The African American’s participation in the Civil War and in the making of America has been scarcely chronicled in history. The same would also prove itself true with the African American contribution to America’s political landscape.

One of the best known amongst the “black” commissioned officers during the Civil War, and Louisiana’s own native son, Pinckney Benton Stewart “P. B. S.” Pinchback, made a reputation not only through his military service, but through his political involvement. He pressed for “political rights for the free community” and declared that soldiers who fought in the Civil War and who are citizens should have the right to vote.

New Orleans in the swing!

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

The institution and game of golf has grown significantly from St. Andrews to Pebble Beach. The game has evolved from the obscure names of Jamie and Willie Anderson, Tom Morris, Jr. and Sr., Tommy Armour, John Ball, Walter Hagen, Willie Park, Jr. and Sr., Jim Barnes, Tommy Bolt, Robert Ferguson, Allan Robertson, Gene Sarazen, Cyril Tolley and Bobby Jones, to more modern day names such as Arnold Palmer, Seviano Ballestero, Greg Norman, Fuzzy Zoeller, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Curtis Strange, Jack Nicklaus, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, and to the greatest golfer to ever play the game, Eldrick “Tiger” Woods.

However, the road travelled from then to now has not been “a walk in the park” for African Americans. Nonetheless, the African American community has made significant contributions to the evolution of the sport. African Americans served as high-profile caddies, groundskeepers, instructors of the game, inventors of golf equipment, professional golfers, club professionals, as well as designers and architects of golf courses around the world.

New Orleans in the swing! Part II

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

It was not uncommon for Africans and African Americans to go “above and beyond” what they were called to do to survive in America. It was also commonplace for people of color to be servant workers, or simply subservient. It is widely known that people of color had to be several times better than their white counterpart in order to be acceptable, as well as to compete in their daily lives just for the purpose of survival. Would it not be conceivable that the same would apply to the game and institution of golf?

At the advent of the 20th century, America was familiar with the numerous problems that existed within the African American community – high unemployment, poverty, substandard housing and a host of other social ills. Still, a small number of African Americans were able to muster-up the money and time to devote to playing golf. The complex task at hand, was finding a place to tee-up, for people of color were not readily accepted for play at then segregated golf courses and clubs.

The Essence of America

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

The Kingdom of Great Britain attempted to make the colonists within the then, thirteen colonies of America, follow more rules as well as pay higher taxes to receive services and governance. The thirteen colonies consisted of the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The colonists were not happy at that proposal, so they began to strategize, so that they could make their own rules. The colonists revolted, thus the start of the American Revolution.

The successful American Revolution served as the legal separation of American colonies from Great Britain. Americans decided to govern themselves. On July 2, 1776, the 2nd Continental Congress voted to approve a declaration of the 13 United States of America as was proposed previously in June of the same year. Congress debated and revised the resolution, and ultimately approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, delegates in Congress did not sign the declaration until August 2, 1776, which made the declaration official.

The miseducation of the Negro? Or, the miseducation of America?

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

Education is a very touchy subject in New Orleans and throughout the state of Louisiana. More so, education continues to be a topic for discussion throughout America. There is a direct relationship between “learning” and “earning". Thusly, education can determine the potential of one’s level of financial success.

However, the manner for which education is packaged and delivered, and the content that is taught, may determine the level for which someone embraces learning, live their lives, and ultimately tells his or her own story. As an activist and former President of the New Orleans Branch NAACP, I maintain that “If people of color are learning, then we know that the community at-large is learning.” But, I also maintain that the education of people, particularly as it relates to the teaching of history, must be truthful.

The miseducation of the Negro? Or, the miseducation of America? Part II

Written by Cyril B Saulny

Cyril's Solutions: No Excuses

Yes, education is a very touchy subject, particularly as it relates to the teaching of history. Even more touchy as it relates to the accuracy of history that is being taught. Judging by the amount of interest in my previous blog and the passion for which the subject is pursued, the same holds true.

There is no dispute that George Washington’s “I cannot tell a lie” story was itself, a lie. There is no dispute that George Washington is not the “father of our country,” and was not the very first president of the United States. There is no dispute that George Washington was, in fact, the 9th president and the 1st under the constitution. There is also no dispute in the names of the presidents preceding George Washington. And, there is no dispute in that John Hanson was the 1st president.

Welcome to Cyril’s Solutions: No Excuses!

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Cyril B. Saulny

Cyril B. Saulny was born, raised, and still resides in the city of New Orleans, and is the product of the Orleans Parish Public Schools. Cyril has lived his entire life in the oldest settlement of free people of color in the country – the Treme. He received a political science degree from Xavier University.

While in high school, Cyril became active in the award-winning New Orleans NAACP Youth Council and subsequently became its president. He went on to the New Orleans Branch NAACP, the oldest continuously operating branch south of the Mason Dixon line, and eventually became its president.

Cyril has dedicated his life to making a significant and positive impact, however, he insists on addressing the disparities that exist between African-Americans and other disadvantaged groups.

He is an advocate for people in the city that he loves so dearly – the “Queen City of the South” – but his focus is on a global solution.

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