By C. Nicole Mason
Public confidence in Obama is wavering. The honeymoon is definitely over. Even progressives are starting to look at him a little sideways. In order to recapture support and the spirit of the campaign, Obama will have to do less politicking and more change-making. He needs less charisma and more grit.

By Jackie Jones
Bad lending practices by banks are increasingly eating up disposable income, not only hurting individual consumers, but also affecting the nation’s overall economic health by diverting funds that could be spent on consumer products to servicing debt.

By Lee A. Daniels
There can be no denying that cable TV talk-show host Chris Matthews’ intent Wednesday night was to compliment President Obama on the forcefulness of his demeanor and the effectiveness of his speech during The State of the Union address.

But neither can one deny that Matthews’ choice of words not only undermined his intent, they underscored just how wrong is the notion that America has reached—or is anywhere near—a “post-racial” status.

By Ralph Richardson
Hey ya’ll, I’m back, this time with the Top Ten African-American TV Shows of All Time.

By C. Nicole Mason, PhD
The earthquakes that rocked Haiti have brought many things into focus. Chief among them are Haiti’s extremely fragile infrastructure and the complex relationship between Haiti, the U.S. and other industrialized nations.

By Manning Marable
Early on in their deliberation process, the Obama pre-campaign group recognized that most white Americans would never vote for a black Presidential candidate. However, they were convinced that most whites would embrace, and vote for, a remarkable, qualified Presidential candidate who happened to be black.

By Paula L. Woods
While the collaboration of Academy award winner Denzel Washington with Allen and Albert Hughes may seem like a case of strange bedfellows, it’s not as unusual as one might think.

By Eisa Nefertari Ulen
The controversial film Precious, released to great acclaim in November, is still making news. With Mo’Nique’s Golden Globe Awards win for Best Supporting Actress (with Oscar nods expected to follow), and eight NAACP Image Award nominations, the story of a teen abused every which way by both her mother and father provides fertile ground for introspection and discussion.

By Doug Miller
Federal officials say the Obama administration is moving to aggressively combat discriminatory lending practices that have long undermined the ability of black and Latino Americans to become homeowners.

By Jill Nelson
“No Longer Majority Black, Harlem Is in Transition,” the January 5, 2010 headline in the New York Times screamed, but not as loudly as I did at the sight of yet another article seeming to celebrate the demise of the Harlem community I know, love, and live in.