Comments on: Baraka Shabazz: Black Queen of Chess http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:00:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: abdul shakoor http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14856 abdul shakoor Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:23:48 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14856 Peace Brother Shabazz, This story on Baraka Shabazz is wonderful; how can we purchase a copy of the DVD to view and/or save in our chess archives! How old is Ms. Shabazz; has any heard from her recently. Thanks for doing a wonderful job with the Chess Drum; Diamond and I are looking forward to meeting you someday in the future; lord willing! Peace, The Shakoor Family Peace Brother Shabazz,

This story on Baraka Shabazz is wonderful; how can we purchase a copy of the DVD to view and/or save in our chess archives! How old is Ms. Shabazz; has any heard from her recently. Thanks for doing a wonderful job with the Chess Drum; Diamond and I are looking forward to meeting you someday in the future; lord willing!

Peace,
The Shakoor Family

]]> By: Daaim Shabazz http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14852 Daaim Shabazz Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:59:22 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14852 Just got a piece of footage of 15-year old <strong>Baraka Shabazz</strong> from an interview back in 1981. I have the DVD on loan from Vanderbilt University TV News Archive for $37.00... and I have to return it!! All I can say is that it is classic! All the young female players would love this video... especially <strong>Darrian Robinson</strong>, <strong>Rochelle Ballantyne</strong> and <strong>Diamond Abdus-Shakoor</strong>. It was a ABC news brief about Baraka June 9, 1981. To watch the video of her is priceless... seemed like yesterday! <center><em><font size=3>Still photos from ABC Nightly News (June 9, 1981)</font></em> <img src="http://www.thechessdrum.net/drummajors/BarakaShabazz2(ABC).jpg" border=1 alt="Baraka Shabazz" /> <em><strong>Baraka Shabazz's </strong>charm and angelic face belied her ferocity over the board.</em> <img src="http://www.thechessdrum.net/drummajors/BarakaShabazz1(ABC).jpg" border=1 alt="Baraka Shabazz" /> <em>A promising 15-year old named Baraka!</em> <img src="http://www.thechessdrum.net/drummajors/KennethClayton2(ABC).jpg" border=1 alt="Kenneth Clayton" /> <em>National Master <strong>Kenneth Clayton</strong></em> <img src="http://www.thechessdrum.net/drummajors/KennethClayton1(ABC).jpg" border=1 alt="Kenneth Clayton" /> <p align=justify><em>Clayton analyzing with Baraka Shabazz. He was the 3rd Black player to earn the U.S. National Master title.</em> </center> Just got a piece of footage of 15-year old Baraka Shabazz from an interview back in 1981. I have the DVD on loan from Vanderbilt University TV News Archive for $37.00… and I have to return it!!

All I can say is that it is classic! All the young female players would love this video… especially Darrian Robinson, Rochelle Ballantyne and Diamond Abdus-Shakoor. It was a ABC news brief about Baraka June 9, 1981. To watch the video of her is priceless… seemed like yesterday!

Still photos from ABC Nightly News (June 9, 1981)

Baraka Shabazz

Baraka Shabazz’s charm and angelic face belied her ferocity over the board.

Baraka Shabazz

A promising 15-year old named Baraka!

Kenneth Clayton

National Master Kenneth Clayton

Kenneth Clayton

Clayton analyzing with Baraka Shabazz. He was the 3rd Black player to earn the U.S. National Master title.

]]> By: Daaim Shabazz http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14785 Daaim Shabazz Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:58:10 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14785 Glenn, You reminded me... I need to do another Black History quiz at some point. OK... I think you understand. That's why I have always been careful not to label this as an "African-American" site because that would confine it only to this country. Some think it is an "African-American" site, but as you know, I cover the entire Diaspora (Pan-African) and other international news. I love putting up positive stories about people of African descent because I realize it would hardly appear in other places. It shows the universality of chess and makes it more marketable to the world. Glenn,

You reminded me… I need to do another Black History quiz at some point.

OK… I think you understand. That’s why I have always been careful not to label this as an “African-American” site because that would confine it only to this country. Some think it is an “African-American” site, but as you know, I cover the entire Diaspora (Pan-African) and other international news. I love putting up positive stories about people of African descent because I realize it would hardly appear in other places. It shows the universality of chess and makes it more marketable to the world.

]]> By: Glenn Bady http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14783 Glenn Bady Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:36:56 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14783 Daaim, I didn't fall into the nationality trap. We are Africans..... I am on your site for about 4 hours now stealing information about Black history(: I'll of course give you credit. Writing an article about Black history for my contact list. Daaim,
I didn’t fall into the nationality trap. We are Africans….. I am on your site for about 4 hours now stealing information about Black history(: I’ll of course give you credit. Writing an article about Black history for my contact list.

]]> By: Daaim Shabazz http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14781 Daaim Shabazz Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:39:06 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14781 Glenn, In my opinion, I believe what matters most is where you learned chess. Maurice was born in Jamaica, but was 100% chess trained in the U.S. Let's not fall into the "nationality trap". I even heard a Jamaican say that they produced one Grandmaster until another Jamaican corrected him. Jerald has been very successful including his work at the Harlem Educational Activity Fund (HEAF) and I featured a brief story on the simul along with Rochelle's game which was featured in the New York Times. <em><strong>Link: </strong><a href="http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2008/09/20/kasparov-coming-to-harlem/" rel="nofollow">http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2008/09/20/kasparov-coming-to-harlem/</a></em> Glenn,

In my opinion, I believe what matters most is where you learned chess. Maurice was born in Jamaica, but was 100% chess trained in the U.S. Let’s not fall into the “nationality trap”. I even heard a Jamaican say that they produced one Grandmaster until another Jamaican corrected him.

Jerald has been very successful including his work at the Harlem Educational Activity Fund (HEAF) and I featured a brief story on the simul along with Rochelle’s game which was featured in the New York Times.

Link: http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2008/09/20/kasparov-coming-to-harlem/

]]> By: Glenn Bady http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14780 Glenn Bady Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:31:47 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14780 Jerald, Thanks for the historical data. I didn't know that your program was so successful. Keep up the good work, young Black men need you as a role model. Because you understand their struggle, and as a Black man can give them direction, not only in chess. So, the next question will must be: who will be the first Black grandmaster born in the U.S? GM Ashley wasn't born in the U.S. Nevertheless, he is the first African American Grand Master. Jerald,
Thanks for the historical data. I didn’t know that your program was so successful. Keep up the good work, young Black men need you as a role model. Because you understand their struggle, and as a Black man can give them direction, not only in chess. So, the next question will must be: who will be the first Black grandmaster born in the U.S? GM Ashley wasn’t born in the U.S. Nevertheless, he is the first African American Grand Master.

]]> By: Daaim Shabazz http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14770 Daaim Shabazz Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:01:03 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14770 Gilbert, The ending is unfinished because there is limited information on her. What you've read is what I have access to, but I'm looking for more. I do not know anyone who has reliable information on her today. Where would one find it? I had talked to Colette McGruder about her some time ago and she did not know of her whereabouts. Jeremy Silman did not know either. The only way one can know is that the information is made public. Do you know anything about her? You mentioned that she may be a school teacher or programmer... were you merely speculating or had you heard of something to that effect? Gilbert,

The ending is unfinished because there is limited information on her. What you’ve read is what I have access to, but I’m looking for more. I do not know anyone who has reliable information on her today. Where would one find it? I had talked to Colette McGruder about her some time ago and she did not know of her whereabouts. Jeremy Silman did not know either.

The only way one can know is that the information is made public. Do you know anything about her? You mentioned that she may be a school teacher or programmer… were you merely speculating or had you heard of something to that effect?

]]> By: Gilbert http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14768 Gilbert Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:40:01 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14768 I saw this link from chesscafe.com and was surprised at its unfinished ending, rather than finding that she is now a schoolteacher or computer programmer and either teaches chess or wants nothing to do with it and changed her name. Good luck in finding that ending. I started playing chess in my teens and played a couple of USCF tournaments in the late 70's in N. California so I had seen the name before without knowing much about her (she was probably playing Open and me Reserve so I didn't even recall what she looked like) or following her later career. I saw this link from chesscafe.com and was surprised at its unfinished ending, rather than finding that she is now a schoolteacher or computer programmer and either teaches chess or wants nothing to do with it and changed her name. Good luck in finding that ending.
I started playing chess in my teens and played a couple of USCF tournaments in the late 70′s in N. California so I had seen the name before without knowing much about her (she was probably playing Open and me Reserve so I didn’t even recall what she looked like) or following her later career.

]]> By: Daaim Shabazz http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14752 Daaim Shabazz Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:12:21 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14752 Yes sir! I'm definitely watching our young sisters. I hope that Medina, Darrian and Rochelle have it in their hearts to make a breakthrough. It won't be easy, but they will have fewer barriers than what Baraka had to face. Baraka may have had well-meaning parents, but I believe they may not have understood the climate for chess development and were not able to mount a coherent strategy for Baraka. Many parents have the same issue... chess can actually be expensive if you desire to become more than a casual player. Let's hope we can help inspire them to make history and become an example for following generations. Yes sir!

I’m definitely watching our young sisters. I hope that Medina, Darrian and Rochelle have it in their hearts to make a breakthrough. It won’t be easy, but they will have fewer barriers than what Baraka had to face. Baraka may have had well-meaning parents, but I believe they may not have understood the climate for chess development and were not able to mount a coherent strategy for Baraka. Many parents have the same issue… chess can actually be expensive if you desire to become more than a casual player. Let’s hope we can help inspire them to make history and become an example for following generations.

]]> By: Jerald Times http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/2010/02/19/baraka-shabazz-black-queen-of-chess/comment-page-1/#comment-14751 Jerald Times Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:51:00 +0000 http://www.thechessdrum.net/blog/?p=4706#comment-14751 Dear Daaim: Baraka Shabazz is a metaphor for so many African American talents whose dreams were deferred. Presently, we don't have any African American Grandmasters or African American women who have reached the master level born in the United States. The USCF records me winning 7 National Championships but the last one was the All Girls National Championships in Dallas Texas where 3 girls won the under/12 Championships. Their sponsors were the Harlem Children's Zone whose chess program I direct could boast that the top girls under the age of 12 in the nation live in Harlem. Derrick Bryant the assistant to the program invited Medina Parilla to compete with us and she won the whole tournament and received a $50,000 scholarship to the University of Texas. In 2008 the Harlem Children's Zone held the biggest Chess festival in Harlem history and invited Garry Kasparov to play a simul and the last one standing was an 8th-grade African American girl by the name of Rochelle Ballantyne whose rating is over 1900. I interviewed Kasparov after the simul and he said Rochelle was his toughest and not just longest game. Prominent African American female talent such as Darrian Miles, Rochelle Ballantyne and Medina Parilla will know of Baraka Shabazz a trailblazer who came before them. Chess Director Jerald Times HCZ Dear Daaim:
Baraka Shabazz is a metaphor for so many African American talents whose dreams were deferred. Presently, we don’t have any African American Grandmasters or African American women who have reached the master level born in the United States. The USCF records me winning 7 National Championships but the last one was the All Girls National Championships in Dallas Texas where 3 girls won the under/12 Championships. Their sponsors were the Harlem Children’s Zone whose chess program I direct could boast that the top girls under the age of 12 in the nation live in Harlem. Derrick Bryant the assistant to the program invited Medina Parilla to compete with us and she won the whole tournament and received a $50,000 scholarship to the University of Texas. In 2008 the Harlem Children’s Zone held the biggest Chess festival in Harlem history and invited Garry Kasparov to play a simul and the last one standing was an 8th-grade African American girl by the name of Rochelle Ballantyne whose rating is over 1900. I interviewed Kasparov after the simul and he said Rochelle was his toughest and not just longest game. Prominent African American female talent such as Darrian Miles, Rochelle Ballantyne and Medina Parilla will know of Baraka Shabazz a trailblazer who came before them.

Chess Director
Jerald Times
HCZ

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