The Onyx Renaissance - Softcover

Jones, Melvin L.

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798636694014

Publisher: Independently published, 2020

Synopsis

“Excellence, with no regrets”... “Chill Will”, “Benji”, “Big Mel”, “Juice” and “Ice”... Will Appling, Owen Benjamin, Mel Jones, O.J. McDuffie and Marcus Teague. Before the Michigan “Fab Five”, there was the “Juice Crew All-Stars” of Hawken. In the Fall of 1985, five young men from the Cleveland area... two from Cleveland's Woodhill Park neighborhood, and three from Warrensville Heights, began their high school experience at Hawken School; a private school on the outskirts of Cleveland in Gates Mills. In the three years that they attended, the “Juice Crew” changed the way that people looked at the school as a whole; athletically and socially. While at the same time, these five young men saw civic, cultural and economic differences; things they never dreamed of experiencing while living around the inner city of Cleveland. In the era where social media was relegated to newspaper, radio and television, the “Juice Crew” brought notoriety to a school that widely was considered to be a, “school for bookworms”. “The Onyx Renaissance” chronicles the story of how these five young men came together and forged a brotherhood that allowed them to express themselves athletically and socially, and their acts had long-lasting effects on the school located in Gates Mills... effects that are still being felt today. In a phrase, the “Juice Crew” made Hawken... “Prime Time”.

About this title

About the Author

                           Straight outta' Westwood...
     Melvin L. Jonesis a native of Warrensville Heights, Ohio.A suburb on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio; near the inner city.  After graduating from high school at GatesMills Hawken, he attended the University of Virginia's College at Wise and theUniversity of Akron.
     Since giving uphis athletic endeavors, he returned to Warrensville Heights to be an educatorin the school system he grew up in.  Eventhough he hung up his football cleats and track shoes, he stayed connected toathletics by becoming an official to numerous interscholastic and summersports; including being an umpire at the fame Cooperstown Dreams Park 12uTournament.  An experience that inspiredhim to write his novel, "Park Dreams".
     He is the proudfather of two strong-minded young ladies and a young man who is full ofcharacter and moxie.  From his numeroustravails and life experiences, he deems that he does not write novels; instead,"I paint vivid pictures; not for you to read or see, but for you to experience...one chapter at a time."

Edition details

• Publisher: Independently published
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798636694014
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 230