To Be a Guest on the Podcast Email:

Contact: educationsocialscience@gmail.com

Mr. Tiger Jack Rosenbloom was a pillar of St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood—a man who arrived in Minnesota in 1936 with just ten dollars and a boxer’s resolve. Known for his fierce independence and deep respect for God, family, and hard work, he built a small business from the ground up that operated for over 57 years. His nickname “Tiger” came from a moment in the ring when he responded to a racial slur with knockout force, earning the title from his trainer. Through decades of racial injustice and the destruction of Rondo by freeway construction, Tiger Jack’s store stood firm as one of the last surviving Black-owned businesses in the area. His legacy was rooted in self-reliance, dignity, and a refusal to accept handouts—values he lived, not just preached.

Mrs. Nurceal Dillon Rosenbloom, known as Mrs. Tiger, was equally formidable in spirit. Originally from Osaka, Mississippi, she endured the harsh realities of Jim Crow before moving north and working 37 years at United Hospital. After long shifts, she returned home to help run the store and raise eight children, embodying quiet strength and unwavering love. Her presence became a source of inspiration for young Black girls in Rondo, a living example of grace under pressure. After Tiger’s passing, she lived to see the street where they built their legacy renamed Mr. and Mrs. Tiger Jack Street. Their store was later preserved by the Minnesota Historical Society, and their story continues to be honored as a testament to Black resilience, entrepreneurship, and community leadership.

Mr. Positive

Positive People Being Lifelong Learners

"This episode documents an education earned through personal discipline, financial sacrifice, and rigorous study—without reliance on artificial intelligence or academic shortcuts. It stands as factual testimony to the value of preparation, persistence, and self-driven excellence, especially during moments of global disruption and cultural shift." Mr. Positive.

“My Education Without Artificial Intelligence” – Legacy Passage (Thesis Included)

Thesis: This body of work documents an education earned through personal discipline, financial sacrifice, and rigorous study—without reliance on artificial intelligence or academic shortcuts. It stands as factual testimony to the value of preparation, persistence, and self-driven excellence, especially during moments of global disruption and cultural shift.

I didn’t borrow brilliance—I built it.

Several degrees. Every class paid for out of pocket. Every paper written by hand, every thesis shaped by sweat and solitude.

While others outsourced their thinking, I was up before dawn, reading chapters before the syllabus caught up, crafting index cards like sacred texts, walking into classrooms with prepared questions professors hadn’t yet asked.

I didn’t party—I prepared. I didn’t coast—I climbed.

I earned a master’s degree during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the world shut down, I stayed focused. No AI, no plugins, no digital crutches—just me, my mind, and the grind.

I studied harder, not because I was naturally gifted, but because I refused to quit.

I earned honor society recognition multiple times—not through shortcuts, but through consistency, discipline, and old-fashioned research.

This isn’t just my education. It’s my protest.

Against the myth of effortless genius. Against the erasure of effort.

I am not the product of AI.

I am the proof that earned success still matters.

Teaching the Sound of Freedom

🧭 Learning Objectives

1. Students will analyze how specific Civil Rights-era songs functioned as emotional and political tools of resistance.
2. Students will connect the lyrical content and historical context of these songs to ongoing struggles for justice in 2025.

🛠️ Activities

1. Lyric & Context Analysis: Students work in pairs to dissect one assigned song from the playlist, identifying contradictions, emotional tone, and historical relevance.
2. Ensemble Response: Students create a short spoken-word or dramatic piece that layers the song’s message with a modern contradiction (e.g., immigration hypocrisy, racial double standards).

🎯 Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate understanding of the historical and emotional power embedded in Civil Rights-era music.
2. Students will produce original ensemble work that honors the legacy of the music while confronting present-day injustice.

Email: educatorsocialscience@gmail.com