Golden Ax by Rio Cortez · Google Books Audiobook preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhX1dBh4W4k&t=8s

Much like the way Afrofuturism seeks to envision a future for Black people at the intersection of imagination and science fiction, a future that also seeks to remember the Black past, in many ways Golden Ax hopes to find its place and definition as a work of “Afropioneerism” or “Afrofrontierism”—terms that describe and inform my family ancestry and experience. This work is autobiographical, but it is also a work of imagined history. These terms approach my experience of girlhood in Utah, wondering how we came to be there, feeling singular in a place where I knew we had been for generations.

Continuing to ask myself, “How does a story begin?,” the question became an obsession. This is a question so many ask, whose histories are cut short by the design of transatlantic slavery. I no longer wondered to myself whether aliens possibly put me on Earth, smack-dab in the Wasatch Mountains, or other systems of sci-fi that I transposed onto myself as a child. Eventually, the question became an urge to mine the hidden history of the Black West, and to tell the story of how we came to settle that frontier, both physically and spiritually. The poems in Golden Ax reflect the outward and earthly landscapes of the Afrofrontier, and the inner, cosmic imagination of the Afropioneer.

NOTE: Rio Cortez, Penguin Books and LitHub have validated the word Afrofrontier to be one word without a hyphen; according to Dr. Nelson, it was discussed at length amongst his dissertation committee; it didn’t exist at the time so the hyphen was required.

Links to other articles:

https://www.globeslcc.com/2023/04/24/rio-cortez-golden-ax-poetry-reading-taylorsville-campus/

https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a41002124/rio-cortez-golden-ax/

https://the1a.org/segments/poet-rio-cortez-on-afropioneerism-and-black-settlers-out-west/

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet-books/reviews/158301/golden-ax

NATIONAL NEWS - month long calendar of special events

by Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer February 9, 2023

Notice the hesitation to use Afro-Frontier; booming “African American frontier in New Mexico.”

There are two interviews. One with Dr. Nelson (youtube) and one with Nikesha Breeze (link to Spotify).

**On February 9, 2022, Taos Center for the Arts appropriately and ethicalLY corrected their acknowledgment.

The interview with Dr. Nelson was used to provide the needed historical context for the Nikesha Breeze interview.

Check out the fine print beneath each block.

Key players to get “Four Sites of Return: Ritual, Remembrance, Reparation, and Reclamation” out into the public; Jon Eddy of Form & Concept in Santa Fe, Marisa Sage, Earthseed Black Arts Alliance (Vital Spaces fiscal agent), Meow Wolf and Hakim Bellamy (project manager and Black Education Act council member), Taos Center for the Arts, KNCE 93.5 FM, the National Endowment for the Humanities and NMSU Art Museum.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our organization has been forced to infer about the continual lack of inclusion, misuse, plagarism and infringement of Dr. Nelson’s work. The Toas, Santa Fe and Albuquerque “Black” community have not been transparent or willing to have an open discussion about the matter nor have they been willing to opening critique his work. Dr. Nelson attempted to have that conversation with Vickie Bannerman (she took over the agenda of my call of an in-person outdoor lunch), and Hakim Bellamy (he was willing to meet even on a Sunday) in the early part of 2022 prior. That is when Dr. Nelson decided it was time to resign otherwise he would be consenting to his work being misused, underrepresented or not being acknowledged at all.

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Chelsea Reidy of Taos Center for the Arts contacted Dr. Nelson in early December to obtain an interview. Dr. Nelson’s team was aware of the NMSU Art Museum installation featuring Nikesha Breeze approaching January 21, 2022, so the questions were asked; What is the intention of obtaining both interviews prior to this installation? Would they be aired consecutively? It was made clear Dr. Nelson was not giving his permission to mix his interview and work with Nikesha’s. (Nikesha Breeze has not ever made a respectful attempt to connect with Dr. Nelson.)

Chelsea mentioned at minimum she hoped for 40 minutes of a conversation; at this point there was NO intended airdate, therefore, Dr. Nelson asked for an early January date due to his hectic schedule. Dr. Nelson requested the questions be sent to him in advance. A later date was not considered, and Dr. Nelson felt moved to proceed because the questions were excellent. Dr. Nelson was interviewed on December 13, 2021, during CSU Stanislaus finals week where he was teaching full-time (6) classes.

The interview was a total of 20 minutes** (“Where We Meet conversations from New Mexico and Beyond”). Our conclusion: the interviewer was assigned to get answers or found herself ill equipped to have an exchange with Dr. Nelson. Now it appears the interview was scheduled to obtain information. TCA had enough time to edit and mix into Nikesha’s interview that aired on January 10th. And Nikesa was prepared for the January opening to talk about Blackdom Oil Co. which has been surfaced by Dr. Nelson’s research and dissertation.

TCA did an excellent job using Dr. Nelson’s interview and dissertation to contextualize the history of Blackdom for Nikesha’s interview ‘intended’ to promote her NMSU Art Museum installation. Initially TCA only acknowledged the use of Dr. Nelson’s dissertation. Marissa Roybal asked two times for an edit. The request was rejected until a third email was sent that included the only PhD Board member and a threat to contact NEH. In the end, their interview with Dr. Nelson was finally acknowledged and punched into their audio and the update was published on February 9, 2022.

(Click on image to listen to Chelsea Reidy interview with Nikesha.). **At the end of the interview, the initial acknowledgement was: “Thank you to Dr. Timothy Nelson whose dissertation helped inform the story of Blackdom mentioned in this episode.” NOTE: Initially, there was no mention of the Jacqueline Page interview with Dr. Nelson. But they did say she was responsible for the research and writing.

** On December 20, 2021, an email was received informing us Dr. Nelson’s interview “has been tabled” - “not enough content.” (Our third indirect and strange experience with Nikesha and her projects.)

[Lesson: Do not give an interview without a committed air date.]

**Initially the Executive Director of TCA was NOT going to edit the acknowledgement. After sharing the situation with their only PhD Board Member, the Executive Director agreed to punch in an edit acknowledging the interview. Both interviews are here for you to take a listen. ENJOY!.** (Listen to Dr. Nelson’s interview via youtube link above and left.)

The talented and prolific, Nikesha Breeze, was interviewed by Chelsea Reidy to promote her art, ancestral discovery, experience to dance on the land of Blackdom for her well-funded and NMSU supported project. NMSU Art Museum installation opens on January 21, 2022. Nikesha has another installation “Indigo” at the Albuquerque Museum opening January 8, 2022.

Where We Meet is funded by NEH and the New Mexico fiscal agent can be identified with a bit of research.

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Black Education Advisory Council

First BEA Advisory committee meeting on 12/04/2021- is NOT LISTed ON BEA website

New Mexico PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NEWS

Anti-racism training for educators, a culturally inclusive curriculum, and a hotline for reporting school-based incidents of racial bias are among the strategies to be implemented in the coming school year to meet requirements of the New Mexico Black Education Act, which takes effect July 1.

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New Mexico PED BEA Publicity

The New Mexico Legislature is considering a bill that would support African American education

New culturally inclusive strategies will be implemented in New Mexico schools

PED Establishes Black Education Advisory Council

HB43-924 Jan 26, 2021 Legislative Session

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our organization has been forced to infer about the continual lack of inclusion, misuse, and infringement of Dr. Nelson’s work. The Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque “Black” community have not been transparent or willing to have an open discussion about the matter nor has there been willingness to openly critique his work. *Dr. Nelson has tried to collaborate with Vickie Bannerman, Hakim Bellamy, Rita Powdrell, Nikesha Breeze and Gregory Waits. In 2019, he asked Rita, Nikesha, and Gregory to join his 2020 Western History Conference Panel. Rita Powdrell declined, Nikesha claims she never got the 2-3 emails, and Gregory Waits canceled yet he had Austin Miller included Gregory’s in his presentation.

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Nikesha Breeze contacted Dr. Nelson via Facebook messenger Thursday prior to dancing on Blackdom land: he asked her contact me, Marissa Roybal, his business partner to coordinate a scheduled call - that never happened. The NMSU Art Museum exhibit, website mis-used Dr. Nelson’s work; cited him incorrectly, Dr. Nelson’s website was connected to Nikesha’s website without permission (see above statement) to NMSU Art Museum website (nothing said publicly). NMSU’s Marisa Sage allowed Nikesha and her cohort to contextualize and use his work inadequately and without his knowledge (funded by National Endowment for Humanties). The negligence was much worse on social media. The map image above with his Raxia watermarked logo above) was used by Earthseed Black Arts Alliance on social media and NMSU Art Museum proceeded to share - none of these entities credited or acknowledged him or tagged him on social which would have been an opportunity to lift Dr. Nelson and his work. Nikesha spoke about Blackdom Oil on the NMSU opening night, again didn’t credit Dr. Nelson. The Blackdom Panel that included Gregory Waits, Rita Powdrell and others was an opportunity to invite Dr. Nelson to the table. Nikesha states she is grateful for his contribution (2nd photo above), however, she never asked permission, never invited him to the conversation. She and Gregory have initiated a concerted effort going back to the SW Contemporary Article published 2019 prior to Dr. Nelson’s CCA event.

We contacted NMSU to address the issues, they made some corrections; NMSU had Nikesha deleted this website from hers which was connected to theirs, fixed Dr. Nelson’s name, there were two Instragram posts they agreed to credit Dr. Nelson, they chose to delete instead; the map above, and the use of “Black Kingdom” which Dr. Nelson was quoted in the Jan. 2020 SFNM article by Robert Nnott which was referenced as if their own. During an Instagram LIVE event of Nikesha spoke about Blackdom Oil (one of Dr. Nelson’s contributions to the history) and she chose again NOT to credit or acknowledge him. A Taos artist called us to point out the disturbing signifier in the photo above: Nikesha is wearing the Blackdom Illuminated T-shirt we gifted her in 2019 (photo above) or she’s wearing one that looks like it.

The Taos Center for the Arts interview with Dr. Nelson that was tabled. We suspect the recording was shared with Nikesha to prepare for the January 21, 2022 NMSU Art Museum opening. (See this link: Taos Center for the Arts Tabled Interview with Dr. Nelson). #UnintendedConsequences #DialogueSickness

Albuquerque Museum exhibit 2022: Hakim Bellamy and Rita Powdrell never attempted to contact Dr. Nelson to offer a seat at the table for either of these installations. It is our understanding Bellamy was the project manager for both of these installations. Hakim Bellamy (BEA Council member), chose not to acknowledge Dr. Nelson’s contributions to New Mexico Black Homestead history, however, they decided to acknowledge Austin Miller’s master’s thesis [Dr. Nelson cited].

To address the issue Andrew Connors at Albuquerque Museum offered an event once Dr. Nelson’s book publishes by Texas Tech University Press Spring or Summer 2023. We reached out Summer of 2023, we emailed him Fall 2023, have not heard back from his as of yet.

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BEA Advisory Council Members that have been in our circles of influence: Timothy Nelson, Los Alamos; Hakim Bellamy, Albuquerque; Nancy Lopez, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; Patricia Trujillo, deputy cabinet Secretary, NM Higher Education Department; Vernon Oliver, Rio Rancho; Arlen Nelson, Kimberly York, Las Cruces; Nicole Bedford, Albuquerque; Sheryl F. Means, Albuquerque.

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Check out State Historian of New Mexico, Rob Martinez on his YouTube channel!

New Mexico State Historian Rob Martinez mentions Blackdom at 07:00:00 Published August 16, 2021

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WE ARE SHARING THIS ARTICLE AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW DR. NELSON’S WORK HAS HAD AN INFLUENCE ON SHAPING A NEW NARRATIVE OF NEW MEXICO BLACK HISTORY. [Frank Siekyi is an African Scholar]

“Closest articulation of Dr. Nelson's work yet.” ~M. Roybal

by Frank Siekyi - August 5, 2021

BLACK OIL COMPANY: Blackdom Oil Organization began in 1919 during the Red Summer which denoted a time of cross country savagery against Individuals of color. That year Blackdom, New Mexico’s just all-dark town, gone into contracts with Public Investigation Organization and Mescalero Oil Organization. Oil was first found in southeastern New Mexico in 1907, acquiring the district the epithet “Little Texas,” however the main fruitful business wells started creating in 1922.

In 1919, “Blackdomites” [Dr. Nelson’s coined term] profited with the hypothesis bubble that happened before the principal all around was bored when a portion of its residents fused the Blackdom Oil Organization. Conspicuous families locally including the Boyer, Ragsdale, Eubank, Entryways, and Collins families consented to store their territory with the Roswell Picacho Venture Organization to open it to oil investigation.

Blackdom started in September of 1903 when 13 African American men, driven by Isaac Jones and Blunt Boyer consolidated the townsite organization. The early years were tormented with dry spells in a dry-cultivating farming society. By 1918, for those delayed to demonstrate upland, possibilities for an oil blast in the area expanded their desperation to demonstrate up (acquire power) over their homesteaded lands.

Two ladies were noticeable in these endeavors in 1919. Ella Boyer was quick to exploit the hypothesis, finishing her patent on 160 sections of land neighboring Blackdom’s 40-section of land townsite (land prior licensed by her significant other Straightforward). Sometime thereafter Mittie Moore Wilson [Dr. Nelson’s research and work] homesteaded a square mile of land three miles south of Blackdom. Moore was a peddler who ran a place of prostitution twenty miles north of the town and was one of the space’s most affluent residents.

In January of 1920, Blackdomites reported in the Roswell Every day [Daily] Record, “Will Bore at Blackdom,” welcoming wildcatters and other oil examiners to take part in the blast that guaranteed wealth for Blackdomites who had lands made accessible for oil penetrating.

The whirlwind of promotions for Blackdom Oil [Dr. Nelson’s research and work] topped in the late spring that year as nearby occupants marked agreements with oil investigation organizations from New York to California. On September 1, 1920, The Roswell Day by day Record detailed that an unidentified California organization had “Made Area at Black dom.” The number of wells and barrels were created by Blackdom’s venture is at present lost to history.

During the 1920s, the actual town shriveled even as Blackdomites in the locale accumulated oil sovereignties. Eustace and Francis Boyer Jr., of the Boyer family, were a piece of The Second Great War partner of returning troopers who demonstrated up residences for the oil blast. Their dad Forthcoming Boyer, nonetheless, left Chaves Province where Blackdom was found and resettled in Vado, Doña Ana District, New Mexico in 1920. The Ragsdale family, in any case, remained and benefitted from the windmills they built on close-by properties and the oil income they acquired from the well on their property.

By 1930—and the beginning of the Economic crisis of the early 20s—Blackdom stopped to exist. Blackdom Oil, be that as it may, kept on creating sovereignties for conspicuous dark families nearby. Nearby papers detailed in 1930 that the Blackdom Oil Organization bored investigation wells no less than 1,600 feet down. Forthcoming Boyer, in a 1947 meeting, said that sovereignty installments to Blackdomites streamed all the way into the post-The Second Great Wartime.