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The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius: Selections Annotated and Explained Russell McNeil, PhD Editor, Malaspina Great Books In 1862 the English literary critic and poet Matthew Arnold described Marcus Aurelius as "the most beautiful figure in history." The Stoicism of Aurelius is grounded in rationality and rests solidly on an ethical approach rooted in nature. Stoicism promises real happiness and joy in this life and a serenity that can never be soured by personal misfortune. This philosophy has universal appeal with practical implications on problems ranging from climate change and terrorism to the personal management of sickness, aging, depression and addiction. I truly believe that the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius has much to offer us now...(Click on book cover for more)

Category:	Jazz
Name:	Ma Rainey - GLBT Series
Birth Year:	1886
Death Year:	1939
Representative Image:
Biography, Lectures, and Research Links:	Biography - GLBT Series Blog Ma Rainey Artist Song Name Composer Composition Instrument Gertrude Pridgett was born on April 26, 1886 in Columbus, Georgia. Her parents, Thomas and Ella Pridgett, had both performed in minstrel shows and are credited with inspiring Gertrude's interest in the field of entertainment. Her stage career got its start with a song and dance troupe when she was only 14. In 1902, she heard her first blues song at a theater in St. Louis. She adopted the blues style for her shows, and quickly made it her own. Pridgett married traveling entertainer Will "Pa" Rainey in 1904. Together they toured throughout the southern United States as "Ma & Pa Rainey and Assassinators of the Blues." Ma would later become a solo act with a number of addenda to her name, such as "Paramount Wildcat" and "Gold Necklace Woman of the Blues." From humble beginnings, she went on to become the top recording artist for Paramount Records, and is generally credited with the rise in popularity of blues music in America at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Ma Rainey is known as the "Mother of the Blues." Also known, though less discussed, is that she was bisexual. Rainey never shied away from her feelings in her music. Ma Rainey Liked Her Women "Went out last night with a crowd of my friends, They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men. Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man 'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me." "Prove It On Me" - Recorded by Ma Rainey in 1928 The newspaper ad that promoted the release of Prove It On Me featured Ma Rainey dressed in a man's suit flirting with two other women. Rainey was also outspoken on women's issues and was seen as a role model for future women entertainers who took control of their own careers. Ma Rainey was arrested in Chicago in 1925 when police responded to a noise complaint and found a room full of naked women in "intimate" situations. Rainey spent the night in jail for hosting an "indecent party" and was bailed out the following morning by her friend and fellow blues singer Bessie Smith. Some accounts link Smith and Rainey romantically, but no one is sure. But it is clear that Ma Rainey made no secret of her bisexuality. Ma Rainey - True To Her Roots The period of history in which Ma Rainey lived did not provide many opportunities for success for an African American woman living in the Southern United States. Rainey didn't sign a recording contract until 1923, after 25 years of performing for her loyal fans. She released over 100 songs during a six year recording career including: C.C. Rider (or See See Rider), Jelly Bean Blues, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom , and Bo Weevil Blues. In a few short years, Rainey led the transformation of Paramount Records from a subsidiary of a furniture company into a major record label. Ma Rainey continued performing for another seven years after her last recording in 1928. Quite often her audiences were racially segregated, or exclusive. Her performance attire was extravagantly accessorized with sequins, diamonds and her trademark necklace made of gold coins. She performed with Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Thomas Dorsey. Despite all of the trappings of fame, Rainey remained loyal to her southern, rural roots and to her audience. Ma Rainey: Hall of Famer and ... Housekeeper? The popularity of the classic women blues singers declined in the 1930's. Rainey retired to her home town of Columbus after her mother and sister died in 1935. There she managed two theaters that she had purchased with her earnings. She became active in the "Congregation of Friendship" Baptist Church where her brother was a deacon. When Ma Rainey died on December 22, 1939 from heart disease, the obituary in the local paper listed her as a housekeeper by profession. However, her contribution to American culture and music has been honored by time. Rainey was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as an "early influence." Ma Rainey, "Mother of the Blues." was honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 1994. [Adapted from The Home of Tom and T.J.] The Great Books: Ma Rainey Please browse our Amazon list of titles about Ma Rainey. For rare and hard to find works we recommend our Alibris list of titles about Ma Rainey. Post Comments, Questions or Suggestions! This database is maintained by Malaspina Great Books.
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Records from Related Period and Category:	Modern Music

About this Database:

This web page is part of a biographical database on Great Ideas. These are living ideas that have shaped, defined and directed world culture for over 2,500 years. By definition the Great Ideas are radical. As such they are sometimes misread, or distorted by popular simplifications. Understanding a Great Idea demands personal engagement. Our selection of Great Ideas is drawn from literature and philosophy, science, art, music, theatre, and cinema. We also include biographies of pivotal historical and religious figures, as well as contributions from women and other historically under-represented minorities. The result is an integrated multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary database built upon the framework of the always controversial Great Books Core List published in 1940 by the late Great Books Pioneer Mortimer Adler (1902-2001). Most of the works on that list are available in the 60 volume Great Books of the Western World.