Black Futurists in the Information Age: Vision of a 21st Century Technological Renaissance [Paperback]

Timothy L. Jenkins (Author), Khafra K Om-Ra-Seti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 1997

Authors Timothy Jenkins and Khafra K Om-Ra-Zeti are suggesting that many of our problems and our solutions can be found in the current Information Age Technological Revolution. As Black Futurists, they are seeking to raise our consciousness to the accelerating historic transformations that are taking place during the 1990s, in an effort to spotlight the significance of technological change as a fundamental cause for many expressions of our social pathology. In chapter and verse, the authors explain how we are confronted with the forces of technological change on an astounding level and pace, such that all previous expectations of an inclusive society may be at an end. As barrier breaking visionaries, the authors are issuing a call for a "scientific and technological revolution" in the Black world. They label that call , a simultaneous revolution of the spirit and creative mind-set of African Americans to find and redefine themselves in the midst of the broad-sweeping changes reshaping our world for the 21st Century. From their point of view, the digital revolution will not only displace millions of workers, but will ultimately render many of our organizational systems obsolete in the next century. What is radiantly clear in the thoughts of these two authors, is the message of hope and the ability of African Americans to master the science and technology of this current digital revolution. As we stand at the crossroads of time, our choice must be for greater progress and development on a level we have not previously contemplated. As such, this volume represents a first. Their message is a wake-up call and something each of us should ponder very carefully as we approach the new millennium.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Important Work, July 31, 2003 For Black Americans, Timothy Jenkins and Khafra K Omrazeti have performed a very important service. With an insightful foreword by former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, Jenkins and Omrazeti have combined their considerable talents and insights to create the case for black Americans to advance into the future using their intellect and technology to create new and untold opportunities for Black Americans. The book is well researched and draws upon the work of successful black technologists and scientists who in the past, leapt ahead of their time to make important contributions to the world at large. This book is easy to read and will serve as an excellent foundation for understanding how we arrived where we are, and more importantly it highlights some of the challenges Blacks will face in the future unless current leadership undergoes a change in consciousness. --Nat Irvin II

A heavy read, July 12, 2003 BLACK FUTURISTS IN THE INFORMATION AGE is a must read for anybody interested in communications technology. The authors give a lot of information on all the latest technological advances. Probably more than you ever want to know but all the things that you need to know. It discusses how African Americans need to get ahead of the curve and expand their information to the African Diaspora. While there are many disadvantages that African Americans must necessarily face in this country such as the assault on affirmative action, a disinterested market in terms of targeting African Americans, unemployment, redlining in housing and loans, poor schooling opportunities, there are many up-beat reasons to continue pushing forward to make sure that we are not left behind. Concrete ideas for technology savvy are given which is a major plus. Also included is an overview of the change in FCC rules and deregulations. For the technologically uninvolved it is a tough book but one that helps explain the new world in a reasonable, understandable format. Reviewed by alice Holman of the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers --The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Blueprint for a futuristic beginning: KyberGenesis, March 14, 2003 We are at a critical crossroads in the socioeconomic evolution of our society. Technological advancements are changing the way we live, work and play faster than ever before, and now--more than ever--we need someone to guide us. Authors Timothy L. Jenkins and Khafra K. Om-Ra-Seti step up to the challenge in their book Black Futurists in the Information Age....According to the authors, the key to taking advantage of this paradigm shift is KyberGenesis--the futuristic beginning of a major industry movement for scientific and technological development in the black world. --Denise Turney, author of "Portia, Love Has Many Faces"

About the Author

Timothy L. Jenkins is currently chairman of Unlimited Visions, Inc. Multi-media and the former publisher of the Smithsonian's magazine. He was the founder of the international management firms, The MATCH Institution and the Near East Division of the Development Assistance Corporation, devoted to Third World economic and management solutions. He was appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to be a Governor of the U.S. Postal Service in the 1980s, where he helped to define the national concepts of electronic mail. Jenkins served as a Trustee, Professor of Administrative Law and Outstanding Professor of Law at Howard University. He was instrumental in creating the first all-black on-line forum on Internet and currently sits on the board of directors of National Instructional Television (NITV) with an interstate network of FCC licenses. For five years he was the chief lobbyist for the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He earned his Juris Doctor Degree from Yale University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University.
Khafra K Om-Ra-Seti is the author of World Economic Collapse, a contemporary work which examines the forces of politics and trade. He is currently a professional stockbroker and institutional trader for a large international brokerage firm headquartered in northern California, and is the CEO of KMT Publications, a publishing company. He is a recognize proponent of fundamental analysis and long wave macroeconomic theory. Mr. Om-Ra-Seti's keen interest in computer technology and related issues evolves from his early work with mainframe computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Mr. Om-Ra-Seti was educated at San Francisco State University with BA and MBA degrees in finance and marketing. His Master's Thesis, Analysis of the Optical Disk Industry & Business Plan for a Start-up Company - KMT, Inc., written in 1987, was a first in predicting the revolutionary power and potentials of laser technology in PC applications and storage improvements.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: Unlimited Visions, Inc. & KMT Publications; First Edition edition (July 9, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963564560
• ISBN-13: 978-0963564566
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,927,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Important Work, July 31, 2003

By 

nat irvin, II (Winston-Salem North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Futurists in the Information Age: Vision of a 21st Century Technological Renaissance (Paperback)

For Black Americans, Timothy Jenkins and Khafra K Omrazeti have performed a very important service. With an insightful foreword by former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, Jenkins and Omrazeti have combined their considerable talents and insights to create the case for black Americans to advance into the future using their intellect and technology to create new and untold opportunities for Black Americans. The book is well researched and draws upon the work of successful black technologists and scientists who in the past, leapt ahead of their time to make important contributions to the world at large. This book is easy to read and will serve as an excellent foundation for understanding how we arrived where we are, and more importantly it highlights some of the challenges Blacks will face in the future unless current leadership undergoes a change in consciousness.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wake-up call to Black people, March 13, 2003

By 

Denise Turney, author of "Portia, Love H... (Bensalem, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Futurists in the Information Age: Vision of a 21st Century Technological Renaissance (Paperback)

Black Futurists in the Information Age is a wake-up call to Black people. It is a jolt toward the realization of the role they can play in the technological age. It is a look at past and future contributions to technology and information, and more specifically how these contributions will effect us all as we enter the 21st century.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heavy read, July 11, 2003

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Black Futurists in the Information Age: Vision of a 21st Century Technological Renaissance (Paperback)

BLACK FUTURISTS IN THE INFORMATION AGE is a must read for anybody interested in communications technology. The authors give a lot of information on all the latest technological advances. Probably more than you ever want to know but all the things that you need to know. It discusses how African Americans need to get ahead of the curve and expand their information to the African Diaspora. While there are many disadvantages that African Americans must necessarily face in this country such as the assault on affirmative action, a disinterested market in terms of targeting African Americans, unemployment, redlining in housing and loans, poor schooling opportunities, there are many up-beat reasons to continue pushing forward to make sure that we are not left behind. Concrete ideas for technology savvy are given which is a major plus. Also included is an overview of the change in FCC rules and deregulations.

For the technologically uninvolved it is a tough book but one that helps explain the new world in a reasonable, understandable format.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers