We went to the library the other day, and the kiddo recognized many great Americans honored in the children’s section for Black History Month.

She said, “Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington Carver, the lady that made the Underground Railroad, and my Aunt Virginia.”

Her Great Aunt Virginia is my husband’s father’s sister. She was also an award-winning author of children’s books.

Virginia Hamilton won numerous awards for literature including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her book Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush was awarded a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.

Check out this retro Snipet from fuzzymemoriestv.TV

Many of her stories went from the printed page to other media such as her novel The House of Dies Drear made into a film starring Moses Gunn, and Shavar Ross in 1984. She collaborated with James Earl Jones to narrate her book The People Could Fly on CD.

Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton tells 24 stories that kept her ancestors’ culture alive during slavery, from spirited animal trickster tales and robust tall tales to spine-chilling tales of the supernatural and moving narratives of slaves in search of freedom. Twelve of these tales are on the 78-minute CD, including the hauntingly beautiful title story, “The People Could Fly,” Booklist praised the recording as “an outstanding and most welcome production that both complements and extends the original work.”—from her official website www.virginiahamilton.com

Her stories inspire young and old to read, write and share their own stories with future generations. Virginia’s love of storytelling and the arts have been passed down to her own children. Her son Jamie Adoff is a writer, and her daughter Leigh Adoff is an opera singer.

Virginia Hamilton left this earth on February 19th, 2002 but her stories can be found in libraries, bookstores, and inside our minds and hearts, thank you Virginia.

“The past moves me and with me, although I remove myself from it. It’s light often shines on this night traveler: and when it does, I scribble it down. Whatever pleasure is in it I need pass on. That’s happiness. That is who I am.”—Virginia Hamilton

We’re not going too far with this Friday Flashback. I thought we could take a trip through the Housewife in Hollywood.com halls.

So light those candles, gut that pumpkin and enjoy some not so scary entertainment with these Halloween themed posts from last year. Flashback to October 2008 by clicking the hyperlinks below.

My Top 5 Halloween in Hollywood Favorites:

http://housewifeinhollywood.com/my-top-5-halloween-in-hollywood-favorites/

Are You Ready for a Mad Monster Party?

http://housewifeinhollywood.com/are-you-ready-for-a-mad-monster-party/

It’s time for a Friday Flashback. Let’s go back in time to 1970-1975. I was too young to appreciate The Odd Couple when it first aired on TV but I did enjoy reruns several years later. The Odd Couple starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison.

The Odd Couple started out as a play by Neil Simon and in 1968 the film  was made starring Jack Lemmon as Felix and Walter Matthau as Oscar.

Spending much of my childhood a few feet away from a TV, I tend to remember the TV series better. Quick synopsis: Felix Unger’s wife kicks him out and he has no one to turn to except his childhood friend Oscar Madison. Oscar takes him in and while their lifestyles are constantly at odds the storyline creates great conflict and laughs for a sitcom.

Not only was the storyline great but the characters are memorable and the laughs stand the test of decades. The question still remains, “Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?”

Taste of Trivia: Did you know that in 1973 Tony Randall and Jack Klugman recorded an album called “The Odd Couple Sings” for London Records? Roland Shaw and The London Festival Orchestra and Chorus provided the music and additional vocals. It didn’t hit the Billboard Charts but the fans must have got a kick out of it.

Listen to the songs on the album by clicking here.