Publications-Awards-Presentations

• July 31, 2004: Foreign Policy Overview at the Hendrix College (Conway, Arkansas) Seminar West Africa in Transition. Title of the presentation: “The U.S.- Africa Connection: Relationship of Necessity, Friendship, or Convenience?”

• June 2004: Fundraiser Keynote Speaker, Grand Rapids REACH (a community outreach ministry of Messiah Missionary Baptist Church. Title of Address: “Visions and Rumors”.

• April 2004: Book Review submitted to the African American Review. Title of the book: Places of Their Own: African American Suburbanization in the Twentieth Century, by Andrew Wiese [The University of Chicago Press P, 2004. 411 pp.]

• February 23, 2004: Keynote Speaker, Grandville High School. Title of Address: “The Long Shadow of Slavery”.

• February 14, 2004: Keynote Speaker at Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois (at the invitation of Dr. Mary Bruce). Title of address: “The Long Shadow of Slavery”.

• February 10 & 11, 2004: Keynote Black History Month and Chapel Service Speaker at Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia (at the invitation of Dr. Jay D. Green, Assistant Professor of History). Title of Black History Month Address: “The New American Civil War”. Title of the Chapel Service addresses: “Jeremiah’s Gold” (taken from the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 29, verses 11-13), and “The Nobility of Dirt” (taken from the New Testament Book of Luke, Chapter 18, verses 9-14).

• January 15, 2003: Keynote Speaker, Hope College Multicultural Enrichment Series. Subject - Birth of a Nation: Setting the Trend for 20th Century America.

• November 10, 2003: Delivered a keynote address at Eastern Tennessee State University (at the invitation of Dr. Dorothy L. Drinkard-Hawkshawe).

• September 10, 2003: Delivered keynote address at the convocation ceremony for Bowie State University (alma mater) in Bowie, Maryland.

• Fall 2003/Spring 2004 Publication: “Eagle on the Continent: U.S. Foreign Policy in East Africa, 1945-Present,” in the SORAC (Society for the Research of African Culture) Journal of African Studies.

• 2003-2004 Convener/Chairperson for the Great Lakes Colleges Association ICEE (Institutional Committee for Educational Equity) committee.

• August 2, 2003: Guest of Honor at the first ever gathering of the G.R.I.T.S. (Guys & Girls Reading in the South) on-line book club in Dallas, Texas.

• May 30, 2003: Chaired ICEE Meeting and set new academic year agenda at the NCORE (National Conference on Race & Ethnicity), San Francisco, California.

• May 4, 2003: Delivered Hope College Commencement Address – “A Time for Courage”.

• May 2, 2003: Guest speaker reading from and discussing the novels Bittersweet and A Man Finds His Way at That Old Black Magic Book Store in White Plains, New York.

• April 2003: Delivered public readings from the novels Bittersweet and A Man Finds His Way at Monmouth College (on the occasion of having been invited by Dr. Mary Bruce).

• April 10-12: GLCA Black Studies Conference: Presented a chapter draft from “Eagle on the Continent: U.S. Foreign Policy in East Africa, 1945-Present,” and moderated a Panel. Made a special presentation to the ICEE committee on Derrick Bell’s The Space Traders exploring the issues of racial exclusion/rejection in America.

• March 2003: Provided “flap copy” endorsement for the novel Serpentina, by Dr. Dorothy L. Drinkard-Hawkshawe (East Tennessee State University).

• February 2003: Provided “flap copy” endorsement for the novel A Mighty Love, by Anita Doreen Diggs.

• Conducted a book tour in February 2003 subsequent to the publication and release of second novel: A Man Finds His Way.

• January 15, 2003: Chaired discussion focusing upon the sacrifices of black and white martyrs of the Civil Rights movement during the Hope College “Dialogue on Race” public address series.

• Delivered message in Chapel services November 4, 2002.

• September 26, 2002 presentation to Dr. Mary Inman’s Senior Seminar class pertaining to racism and police brutality. The presentation focused upon the incident of a beating that was received at the hands of the Prince George’s County (Maryland) police in the summer of 1974.

• September 2002: Government class guest lecturer at Hamilton High School. This resulted from an invitation extended from Hope College graduate Carrie Scott who is on the faculty at Hamilton High.

• August 2002 pre-college conference “Celebrating Scholarship” presentation: Poison in the Belly: The Ku Klux Klan in Michigan. This presentation offered a preview of a larger video documentary work being produced in collaboration with Dr. David Schock scheduled for completion near the end of 2003.

• 2002-2003 Convener/Chairperson for the Great Lakes Colleges Association ICEE (Institutional Committee for Educational Equity) committee.

• 2002-2003 Secretary, Hope College Academic Affairs Board

• ICEE representative on the Planning Committee for the 2002 GLCA Black and Latino Student Leadership Conference (being hosted by Hope College).

• August 2002: Conducted a one-day workshop on race and racism for the Grand Haven Public Schools with colleagues from the Lakeshore Ethnic Diversity Alliance.

• A Man Finds His Way, a novel, January 2003, by One World Press (a division of Random House).

• Summer 2002 presentation of: “Dangerous Distortions: African and African American Misconceptions and Assumptions”. Delivered during the “East Africa in Transition” Conference & Symposium held in Nairobi and Mombassa, Kenya.

• Summer 2002 presentation of: “Eagle on the Continent: U.S. Foreign Policy in East Africa, 1945-Present”. Delivered during the symposium portion of the “East
Africa in Transition” conference and symposium held in Nairobi and Mombassa, Kenya.

• Bittersweet, a novel, published in January 2002 by One World Press (a division of Random House). The novel’s publication was followed by a six city book tour (Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C.)

• Currently conducting research for eventual book publication of Eagle on the Continent: U.S. Foreign Policy in East Africa, 1945-Present.

• Spring 2002: Guest lecturer for Dr. Stephen Hemenway’s African American literature course, engaging in two sessions of discussion about my novel, Bittersweet.

• Spring 2002: Chaired discussion focusing upon the participation of black sailors in the Union Navy during the Civil War for the Hope College “Dialogue on Race” public address series.

• Spring 2002: Delivered keynote address “The Stars Among Us,” to celebrate the achievement of Hope College Students of Color.

• March 2002: Panel participant for the Holland, Michigan ACEH (Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony) discussion of the “The Challenges of Race and Racism in the Holland Area.”

• February 2002: Performed in Black History Performance, Canton Branch of the Akron Public Library, Canton, Ohio.

• February 2002 Black History Month keynote address: “The Historical Origins of Racism in the U.S.” Delivered at the Grand Rapids law offices of Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett.

• February 2002: Panel participant at Kalamazoo College for discussion of the “Impact of U.S. Foreign Policy in the Democratization Process in Africa.”

• February 2002: Delivered lunchtime address, “The Historical Roots of Racism in the United States: Its Legacy, Current Manifestations, and Community Response,” to the Spring Lake Rotary Club.

• February 12, 2002, performed in the play Same Game, Different Day with Daryl Brake of Because He Cares, Inc., an Akron, Ohio based Christian Drama group. The performance was held in Hope College’s Dimnent Chapel and was one of the opening events for the 2002 Summit on Racism. The February 13, issue of the Holland Sentinel featured a front page photograph of the performance as part of the article, “Racism summit: Attitude the focus.”

• February 12, 2002 served as a Hope College representative to the Summit on Racism. Also taught a morning workshop with Professor Charles Green on recognizing and combating racism.

• February 2002: Grand Rapids press publishes the article “Ebony Warriors.” The article examines the historical role of African Americans in America’s armed services.

• January 31, 2002: Panel participant at Hope College for discussion of the “Impact of Hate Crimes.”

• January 21, 2002: Delivered introduction for Civil Rights Movement Activist and Organizer Ms. Diane Nash who gave the keynote address at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., commemorative service.

• January 17-19, 2002: Attended the Midwest Faculty Seminar/Conference convened at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois to examine and discuss Hannah Arendt’s Origins of Totalitarianism.

• December 2001 presentation to Dr. Margaret Kennedy-Dygas’ FYS class concerning the origins and history of Jim Crow and racism in America.

• September 17, 2001: Guest speaker at RISE (Refuge in Spiritual Expression), addressing the topic “Encountering Racism: A Dragon in the Shadows.”

• September 2001: Delivered two presentations, “The Story of Amazing Grace,” and “The Legacy of Slavery,” during the Hope College Sankofa (“Looking Back” or “Remembrance”) Service.

• September 2001 foreign policy presentation to HASP (Hope Association of Senior Professionals): “U.S. Trade Policy: Is Globalization Inevitable?”

• Summer 2001 presentation of “The Need For Closer Ties: America and East Africa,” delivered at the “East Africa in Transition” conference and symposium in Nairobi, Kenya.

• Keynote address to the Toledo Civil War Roundtable for Black History 2001. Topic focused upon the role of black soldiers during the war.

• Doctoral dissertation is soon to be published by Northern Illinois University Press. Entitled The Tracks of War: Confederate Strategic Rail Policy and the Struggle for the Baltimore & Ohio, this work focuses upon that railroad as a case study to determine the existence and effectiveness (or lack) of a Confederate strategy against United States Railroads during the Civil War.

• Masters thesis is currently being re-written for publication by the University of Missouri Press. Entitled Mountain Warrior, this work focuses upon the political and military career of Albert Gallatin Jenkins, a plantation slave-owner and Confederate cavalry officer from West Virginia, killed at the Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain in 1864.

• February 2000: Delivered keynote address at the Wooster Branch of the Akron Public Library, Akron, Ohio.

• Delivered commencement address at the Brown Street Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, May/June 2000.

• Finalist: Fiction, Midwest Writers Conference, October 1999

• Presented the paper, “Iron Defeat: The Confederate War Against the B&O, 1861-1865” at the April 1999 annual meeting of the Ohio Academy of History at the University of Dayton.

• Finalist: Nonfiction, Fiction, and Science Fiction, Midwest Writers Conference, 1998

• Finalist: Nonfiction and Children’s Literature, Midwest Writers Conference, 1997

• WINNER: 1st place, Nonfiction, Midwest Writers Conference, 1996

• WINNER: 3rd place, Nonfiction, Midwest Writers Conference, 1995

• WINNER: 1st place, Nonfiction, Midwest Writers Conference, 1993

• WINNER: 2nd place, Poetry, Midwest Writers Conference, 1992

• October 1998 oral presentation of the paper “Rails of Dilemma: The Confederate War against the B&O and the Search for a Strategic Rail Policy” at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Ohio Valley History Conference at Eastern Kentucky University.

• Served as a Moderator for the Spring 1998 Phi Alpha Theta History conference at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio (Dr. Leonne Hudson, Conference Coordinator).

• Delivered 1998 Black History Month address at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio.

• Delivered multiple character performances at churches, schools, and prisons during 1998 Black History Month presentation of “Experience in Pride” with Because He Cares, Inc. Christian Drama Ministries, Akron, Ohio.

• Keynote speaker at the 1997 Cuyahoga Valley Civil War Roundtable annual dinner. Topic: “Guerilla Warfare in Western Virginia.”

• Oral presentation at the 1997 Midwest Writers Conference of 1996 1st place Nonfiction winner: Hangin Out in Dada Land.

• Oral presentation of “A Valiant Failure” at the 1997 Kent State University Graduate Student Senate Colloquium (The paper examined last minute peace efforts prior to the Civil War.)

• Presentation at 1996 Midwest Writers Conference of 1995 3rd place Nonfiction winner: General Jenkins.

• Keynote speaker for 1996 Black History Celebration at Mt. Cavalry Baptist Church. Topic: “Why Shouldn’t We Celebrate?”

• Oral presentation of the paper “An Unlikely, Unwanted Peace” at the Spring 1996 Phi Alpha Theta Conference.

• Oral presentation for the 1996 Heritage Day at Stow Elementary School.

• November 21, 1996: The Akron Beacon Journal publishes an article “Profile” highlighting FL Johnson, III’s accomplishments, interests and future plans.

• 1995: The poem “Final Thoughts of a Broken Heart” is published in Mists of Enchantment, a collection of poetry sponsored by the National Library of Poetry.

• 1994: Poem The Blue Blizzards is published in the Kent State University (Stark Campus) publication, Canto. The poem Arragaida appeared in the Columbus Day issue.

• Summer 1993 paper presentation at the Kent Historical Society. Paper title: “The Political & Military Career of Albert Gallatin Jenkins.” (The subject matter, derived from my MA thesis, pertains to Brigadier-General Albert G. Jenkins, an antebellum southern politician and Civil War cavalry officer).

• Summer 1993 paper presentation at the Tallmadge Historical Society. Paper title: “The Political & Military Career of Albert Gallatin Jenkins” (The subject matter and emphasis were the same as presented at the Kent Historical Society).

• 1988-1999, delivered numerous character performances during Black History Month presentation of “Experience in Pride” sponsored by Because He Cares, Inc., Christian Drama Ministries, Akron, Ohio.

• 1987-1999, performed in numerous plays as part of Because He Cares, Inc., Christian Drama Ministries, Akron, Ohio. Some of the locations where BHC has delivered performances include: churches, summer camps, Moody Bible College, maximum security prisons and juvenile detention centers, drug rehabilitation centers, schools, the Haven of Rest Rescue Mission, and the Harvest Home Women’s Shelter.