Age: 32
Occupation: Blues Singer/Songwriter, Military Veteran (2nd Lieutenant, United States' 92nd Combat Division), Civil Rights Activist/Author
Sexuality: Hetero
Nationality: African American
Birthplace: Selma, Alabama (Moved to Chicago at the age of 8)
Current Place Of Residence: Harlem, New York
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Appearance:
Theo, as he prefers to be called, is a tall, lanky son of a bitch, that stands at a height of 6' 2". His thick, wavy hair is normally slicked back and permed tight, with a park down the side for shows and gatherings, at times of leisure though, he lets it flow free in it's full splendor as a thick, nappy afro. Despite him owning perhaps the finest set of facial hair in the states, Theo's most striking feature just might be the mole right beside his left nostril. His dark brown eyes are often accompanied by a pair of stylish looking circular framed glasses. In his ears he wears two tiny black hoop earrings. A pair of black beads are always wrapped around his right wrist.
Scars from Theo's days in the war riddle is body. The most notable being a deep one along his right cheek, and two bullet holes on the right side of his chest. Though far from muscular, what muscles Theo does have on his body are well toned--he believes the body to be a temple, and is all about keeping it well maintained. However, that sentiment didn't keep him from adorning his temple with a number of tattoos. On the backside of his left forearm, done in white ink, lies a large tattoo of the symbol of his combat division in the Great War, the head of a dear, framed by a reef of blooming flowers. On the top performer's left palm is a arbor tree, . On each one of his fingers below the knuckles, lie various symbols of nature, the sun, moon, trees, waves, things such as that.
Theo has been known to sort of 'glide' when he walks. His stroll is one that exudes a sense of calm. Hands either in his pockets, or holding his guitar, he walks with a slight slouch these days, but his head remains high.
Finally, on a normal day, you can catch Theo wearing a clean suit. Always one to stand out in a crowd, these are normally very eccentric in color (think Gatsby), or adornment. And he never goes out without his signature straw hat, and a Lucky Strike cigarette behind his ear.
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Personality:
Theolonius Alain Monke is at the same time, America's perfect, prodigal son, and it's worst nightmare. A self-proclaimed 'New Negro' (a phrase coined by African-American Philosopher Alain Locke), Theo is the epitome of self-confidence. The New Negro is an African-American that has grown tired of being cast aside by society. As a result, they act under the belief that; in order for them to flourish as people, and obtain their rightful place in society, they have to 'enforce' their presence and value themselves, through their actions and demeanor.
He is an incredibly proud man, and takes extreme pride in his culture and history. This pride for his people, and a strong sense of duty instilled by his time in the service, is what pushed him to pursue his career in music after the war--with a desire to elevate his people to new heights, Theo resolved to use his talent to it's full potential. He won't give anything less than 100%, and he refuses to take a hand-out from anyone. Years of being treated as a second-class citizen have left him scarred; he has an incredibly short fuse, and won't stand for disrespect. He's been trying to work on his temper, since he's getting older now--but it's hard. He has a hell of an ego, and it's very easily bruised. Theo is as militant as they come, and while he won't go out picking fights, he'll be the first to let you know that he won't back down from one.
Theo is as warm hearted as he is proud. To those he calls his friends, Theo seeks to be a figural umbrella. Protecting and shielding them from the hardships of the world. He isn't necessarily the kind of person to put other above himself, rather, he is one to bring others up with him. He's all about growing together. His friends are his family, and his family is his heart. He's a lover deep down, despite the militancy, with a soft spot for children, and pretty women. When he's not singing the blues on stage, he likes to dance away his woes with a drink (or a lady) in tow. Theo's a big fan of parties.
Well read on political, philosophical, and poetic literature, Theo is a cunning linguist. He was taught at a young age that a sharp tongue is just as good, if not better than a loaded gun. And as a black man in this day in age, a loaded gun might be your best friend. He uses his words in a variety of ways, from getting in and out of trouble, to getting in and out of beds. He loves a good debate--but only when he wins. He's a big sore loser.
Finally, Theo's time in the 92nd Division, a combat division plagued with death has left him with terrible night terrors. As of late, this dreams have gotten so bad that he hasn't been able to sleep for more than a few hours at a time.
History:
(An Excerpt from a recent article in the New York Times)
Theolonius Alain Monke is a Negro blues singer/songwriter, and political activist. With written manifestos revolving around the "New Negro Initiative", and a European tour poised to start in Nottingham later this year, Monke is easily one of the most prolific musical acts of the modern times.
Born in 1891, to Micheal and Sandra Monke, in Selma, Alabama, Theolonius was the middle child of three. In town, the Monke's were the well known owners on the Monke's Family Grocery, a small shop that was a staple of the local black community. When Theolonius reached the age of eight, in 1899, his family woke up one morning to see their business set ablaze. His father, realizing that the family's entire livelihood was in the building, ran into the flames, attempting to salvage whatever he could. The building continued to burn, and Theolonius' father never came out. Although they were alerted at once, authorities did not arrive until hours later. It was revealed that Micheal's body was crushed under fallen debris, trapped and unable to get out. Neighborhood accounts believed the incident was arson, but authorities refused to conduct an investigation due to lack of evidence.
Realizing there was nothing left for them in town, the Monke family remains packed up, and headed up North to Chicago, where Sandra's family was from, in hopes to escape the hardships of the south. Luckily, for the Monke's life up north was a lot better than it was a down south. Better didn't mean perfect--it was the 1900s after all. It was here, in the ghettos of Chicago, Theo told us, that he found his love for music. The streets, though dilapidated and run down as they were, were filled to the brim with life. And the grandest sign of that life was the music. The young, single mother that sat outside on her porch at night, crooning to herself on his walk home. Mr. Jefferies, the middle aged man who strolled through the neighborhood playing his trumpet as if he was a member of his own marching band. And then, there was the man himself, Mr. King, the man who sat on the street corner beside his apartment, plucking away at his bass night after night, keeping everyone in time.
Mr. Huey King would go on to become Theo's mentor throughout the majority of his young life. King was both a talented musician, and a playwright. King's plays revolved around contemporary themes, mostly related to civil rights and race. King was a high profile member of an underground group of black activists and artists called Root. Theo, knowing this, longed to one day join the group himself. A desire that only grew more when King, and several other members of the group were imprisoned, in 1905 for 'disturbing the peace'.
In 1917, the representatives of the United States Army came to his neighborhood looking for volunteers for one of the first colored units. Seeing this as a chance to make a difference for his people, Theo joined up, and that summer he was headed to Fort Des Moines in Iowa. He became a member of the 92nd Combat Division, a unit who's fate was doomed for misfortune. Several months of training, and a few promotions later, Theolonius and his unit were off to war. The 92nd was stationed at the Argonne Forrest in northern France, they were to act as the crucial front line defense against the enemy along with a unit of French soldiers. The battle would turn into a blood bath. The 92nd and the French had no idea how to work together, nor did they have adequate equipment, or familiarity of the battlefield. There were a total of 462 casualties at the Battle Of Argonne, leaving only half of Theo's unit left.
Everyone present at the battle knew that this was a fated loss, however, the brass in the military blamed Theo, and the 13 other newly promoted African-American officers for the loss at Argonne. In 1918, marking their loss as a public shame for the military, the 92nd and it's members were immediately disbanded. Most of the lower ranked officers dissolved into other groups, the thirteen officers however, were discharged from the service, and forced to go back to their old lives. Betrayed by the country he had served, Theo began to foster a hatred for the system. This was the catalyst that created the Theo of today. Back in America, Theo traveled to Harlem, New York along with several other former officers in the 92nd. What he found there was a veritable utopia for people such as himself. This was the genesis of the Harlem Renaissance, and Theo was right at home. Harlem was a place where his music, and mind found a place to really grow. A place where he could really articulate his feelings and channel his pain against the state.
In the years to come, Theo gained fame for his music. Blues in it's purest form. But it was his civil rights writings that gained him the love of his people. These writings came in the form of annual Almanacks titled 'Poor Antoine's Almanack', a direct spin on Benjamin Franklin's yearly publications. The novels would contain everything from true accounts of injustice from around the nation, to comical anecdotes, to Theo's own dissertations on the situations at hand. The most recent publication in the series can be found in stores nationwide filed under...
(continued on page 7A)
