Message from Jessie, Aaron's Mother
My name is Jessie Cunningham and I am the mother of Aaron Hawkins. Mere words cannot begin to express our gratitude at the outpouring of love and support we have received from Aaron's Internet family. Your postings to his site and the many online memorials have been overwhelming. My hope is that Aaron knows how much he was loved and respected.
The blog will continue! We are working out the details, but rest assured it will be here.
We are planning a memorial service for Aaron at one of his favorite coffee houses, so check back for the details.
If you read Aaron often you know he had passionate opinions about many things, including politics. If you really want to honor him this year, please register and vote on November 2, 2004.
You can write me at Morning Praises to You at aol.com or keep sending messages to val at valsadie.com.
The blog will continue! We are working out the details, but rest assured it will be here.
We are planning a memorial service for Aaron at one of his favorite coffee houses, so check back for the details.
If you read Aaron often you know he had passionate opinions about many things, including politics. If you really want to honor him this year, please register and vote on November 2, 2004.
You can write me at Morning Praises to You at aol.com or keep sending messages to val at valsadie.com.
You can download an Adobe Reader PDF version of the cover of the funeral program at A Celebration of Life.
During elementary school on Chicago's south side, Aaron participated in a youth program at WBEZ, Chicago's public radio affiliate, marking the beginning of his role as a media personality. He graduated, begrudgingly, from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 1988 and from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1995 with a degree in linguistics. Aaron was in the Naval Reserves during college, and in late 1990, he was called to active duty and sent to Saudi Arabia for six months. Aaron faced his involuntary call to active duty with the same irreverence he faced everything else in his life--forced to serve in the food line, he wrote "Stop Big Daddy Bush's Oil War" on his hat.
After college, Aaron spent several years in the computer industry, eventually starting his web log--or blog--uppity-negro.com. There, Aaron built a community of people who came to appreciate and rely on his insightful commentary on everything from the second War in Iraq to drag kings.
Aaron left us way too soon on September 3.
There was a story about Aaron's passing in RedHerring.com, Bloggers mourn a lost brother.
Also, Aaron's passing is mentioned during the Blogosphere News for 09/26/2004 online radio webcast.
The Chicago Sun-Times also did a story, which appeared on page five of their September 17, 2004 edition, Fans flood Internet with grief at blogger's death, by Lucio Guerrero.