The Passing of a Great Talent - Ernie Barnes

I was going to post something about the Edgars today. The Edgars are, after all, a very big deal in the mystery world and deserve to be celebrated and honored. So I started browsing around the internet to see what everyone else had to say and it occurred to me that I didn't have a thing to say about the Edgars that hadn't already been said. And since most of what was interesting had been said by people who were actually there, then what was the point in my adding my two cents? Especially since it would be me rehashing what already been said, and said well. And as usual - Sarah Weinman says it all best in her "Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind."

Anyone who is interested already knows who won, and if they have an opinion, they've already shared it. The list of winners can be found at the MWA Edgar webpage, and I offer each of them my sincerest congratulations. And to those names on the list who did not win the coveted award this year - I'm betting we'll see many of them back in years to come.


What I did run across during my browsing that I found to be of interest, other than the Edgar winners, also saddened me. Included in my list of favorite blogs is The Crime Sistahs. The women who make up The Crime Sistahs are Angela Henry, Patricia Sargeant, Gammy L. Singer, and Persia Walker.

I first became aware of Persia Walker at the Baltimore Bouchercon last year. I sat in on a panel session my friend Mary Jane Maffini was participating in - “Otherside: Keeping it Plausible." I wrote this in my Wednesday, October 15, 2008 blog - Bouchercon 2008 - My First B'Con -
"Another Saturday panel I attended was William Kent Krueger moderating Judy Clemens, Mary Jane Maffini, Kit Sloane, and Persia Walker on “Otherside: Keeping it Plausible” Loved this one too (why, of course), and was blown away by Ms. Persia Walker who I was not familiar with. I found this young woman to be major impressive and am quite excited about discovering this bright talent."

Since then, I have read Ms. Walker's Harlem Redux and Darkness and the Devil Behind Me. And I recommend them both quite highly. If you haven't discovered Ms. Walker yet, you're in for a treat. And if she's an indicator of the talent included in the Crime Sistahs Blogspot, then there is yet more talent for me to discover and enjoy.

But that's not what I came here to talk about today. Let me meander back to the subject at hand . . .

being sad.

What made me sad at The Crime Sistahs Blogspot was learning that Ernie Barnes had died. Immeasurably sad. I don't know if you're familiar with Ernie Barnes' art and murals - however, you might be even if you aren't aware of it.

Do you remember watching the old TV show Good Times? Do you remember that the character JJ became, as the show went on, a bit of an artist? That wonderful work shown as JJ's was, in fact, Ernie Barnes' work. And I love it. And I am saddened that there will be no more.


Enjoy these few and say a little prayer for Mr. Barnes and his lasting talent.

Sugar Shack




Solid Rock Congregation



Singin' Sistahs



Anniversary



Room Full A'Sistahs



The Maestro

Obituary here