Are You What You See or Are You What You Want To Be? Blackface minstrelsy was the first distinctly American theatrical form. It began more than 300 years ago with whites in blackface doing exaggerated depictions of enslaved Africans. In time Blacks began playing themselves, deriding their own personas. This spawned vaudeville which morphed [...]
Singer Pharrell Williams said that there is now a New Black, and he is one of them, thus generating a storm of controversy over the notion that we can, should, or have moved beyond the historic struggles of our past to a new, free, fresh and empowering identity. This debate over who we are, [...]
Here is an excerpt from the comments of President Obama on the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case which was decided on 7/13/13. My comments are in boldface. (After a few introductory remarks and recognition of the parents of Trayvon Martin and what they are going through. The president continued thusly.) The second thing I want to say is to reiterate [...]
Keep your eye on the ball. As they say, always keep your eye on the ball. Note the spectacular media uproar, and lightning swift retaliation, to the intemperate words of Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers. And now we can all go back to playing the game. Yes, that is the message. But there’s more [...]
In Avatar the hero steps into a strange New World and, Tarzan-like, becomes not only a fully accepted member of the group, but he actually understands the natural world they have lived in for countless generations better than they do, and goes on to lead them in a titanic struggle for survival. It just [...]
Have you ever wondered how jazz, and then later rock ‘n’ roll, developed out of the blues? How Black music came to be America’s music? Whether or not people who are not Black can really play Black music? Amiri Baraka speaks on this in his 1963 classic, Blues People. “There was a body music [...]
(by Nisa Islam Muhammad) WILL THE REAL Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. please stand up? Don't give me the "dreamer" King that America force-feeds us. I want the militant, warrior King who was gunned down for his political views. Give me the freedom-fighter King who railed against the Vietnam War and provided inspiration to [...]
Fox News Megyn Kelly vehemently insisted that Santa Claus was white and so was Jesus and that both are recognized, established historical figures, their race is known with certainty. Is there any truth to her claims? None whatsoever. Santa Claus is a mythical figure. Various cultures claim that various historical figures were the basis of the [...]
Even if you have seen it before, watch the original The Best Man movie again, before viewing the sequel. The Best Man Holiday picks up where the original left off, albeit some 14 years later. All the plot lines, intrigues and romances continue and develop in solid fashion. In the original, four young, up [...]
We get no respect from the justice system. A Black life is worth far less than others to police and to the courts. But we can sure spend money to make ourselves feel good. Our hard earned dollars are a vastly disproportionate share of total consumer spending especially at Christmas time, and most especially on [...]