Editor's Note

By Karlayne Parker | UniSun Editor

August 3, 2008

This month's UniSun is full of people whom we all should know as part of the backbone of the African-American diaspora.

Writer Ericka Blount Danois tells us about people like Bob Smith, who for years have been telling stories about African-American characters, sometimes real, sometimes not, who help us understand our heritage and our culture.

These are the people who, when put center stage, transform themselves by wearing the appropriate attire to tell the story of historical figures and others. They call themselves "griots," and Baltimore is home to many who belong to the Griots Circle of Maryland, an affiliate of the National Association of Black Storytellers.

And because it's summer, barbecuing is still something to look forward to doing. So our food columnist, Sandra Pinckney, shares her family recipe for Carolina Barbecue that sounds scrumptious. She's also included various types of sauce.