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“Precious” and the Oscars

The Editors — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:08:45 +0000

By Stacey Patton First, I’d like to thank members of the Academy for not awarding a slew of Oscars to what New York Press film critic Armond White called “the biggest con job of the year” –Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire

Will the ‘Real’ Michelle Obama Please Stand Up?

The Editors — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:50:28 +0000

By Jill Nelson One could ask that question of Michelle Obama, but without expectation of the satisfying “reveal” provided by the game show. Not only are the stakes way too high, but the object of our attention and affection is too smart, pragmatic, in control, and cognizant of history and her own recent experience to fall for the fleeting drama of full disclosure.

Father of African-American Cinema Receives Stamp of Greatness

The Editors — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:45:13 +0000

By Ralph Richardson Spike Lee and John Singleton are great—and significant—but neither blazed the trail or overcame the odds that the Father of African-American Cinema did. Indeed, they owe their careers to him, though few of the folk who go to see movies today even know who he is, or that he, a black man born less than 20 years after the Civil War, was an innovator and major influence in American cinema.

The Business of You: Fat Chance of Survival

The Editors — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:44:36 +0000

By Jackie Jones Over the past 20 years, cancer death rates for men have decreased by 21 percent for men and 15-16 percent for women, but increasing obesity rates threaten to reverse those trends, especially for African-American women, according to Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society.

What the Amy Bishop Case Says About Race and Crime

The Editors — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:15:06 +0000

By Janet Singleton Several days have passed since Maria Ragland Davis, Adriel Johnson, and Gopi Podila were murdered in a mass shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). But what could make the point blank killings of three innocent PhD scientists even more disheartening?

From Orange Mint and Honey to Sins of the Mother: The Power of Story Endures

The Editors — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:08:34 +0000

By Carleen Brice It is 2002, 2003, 2004 or 2005 and I am listening to Jill Scott’s song, Try, a lot. I’m writing my first novel while holding down a job, and editing an anthology about black women and midlife.

Cartoon: Tea Party 2010

The Editors — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:35:25 +0000

By Kevin Eason Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from NJ. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Kevin’s work features include: TVOne, NABJ, WBLS_107.5FM, EURweb and various newspapers & magazines throughout the country

Be Part of Today’s Black History

The Editors — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:21:05 +0000

By TaRessa Stovall When the numbers are counted from this year’s Census, will you be represented? Will your community receive the resources it deserves? Will your household be represented and your rights protected?

Does ‘Avatar’ Soar Past Stereotypes Or Does it Peddle Ye Olde White Savior Stuff?

The Editors — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:37:52 +0000

By Janet Singleton Is the highest-grossing film of all time racist?

The Missionary’s Position

The Editors — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:38:11 +0000

By Esther Armah Ten white faces, bewildered and confused, emerge on the small screen. They are Americans from a Baptist missionary church in Idaho, arrested and accused of illegally taking 33 children out of Haiti, across the border to the Dominican Republic. Twenty of those children, it has been revealed, are not orphans. The SOS Children’s Villages, the group now caring for them, say they have parents.

A Black Immigrant’s Experience with Coming to Terms with Race Relations in America

The Editors — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:29:46 +0000

By Nicole Y. Dennis I’ve come to believe that many black immigrants coming to the United States don’t really factor the existence of racism into their plan of achieving the American Dream. I think many immigrants overlook it, often seeking success with a tunnel vision. I speak from experience. That’s what I did.

Marooned Millions: Exploring Haiti’s Options

The Editors — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:08:19 +0000

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.

The Book of Eli: Journey from Action to Faith

The Editors — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:20:46 +0000

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.

Harlem Going, Going Gone? Or Just Invisible?

The Editors — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:11:22 +0000

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.

Allah at the Apollo: Islamic Cultural Renaissance Finds Roots at Harlem’s Apollo Theater

The Editors — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:10:27 +0000

By Grace Aneiza Ali On Saturday, January 23, an amazingly talented line-up of Muslim artists performed for a sold-out crowd at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem. Hosted by the Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN), the event, one of the first of its kind, showcased the rich cultural legacy and growing artistic renaissance among Muslims in the United States and around the world.

Helping Haiti in the Wake of the Quake

The Editors — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:20:38 +0000

By The Editors The worst earthquake in more than 200 years hit the already devastated nation of Haiti the afternoon of January 12, leveling a hospital, damaging the United Nations mission and plunging the capital of Port-au-Prince into darkness as electricity and telephone service were wiped out. The quake hit just after 5 p.m., at an estimated magnitude of 7.0., with aftershocks of 5.9.

Cartoon: January 15, 2010

The Editors — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:44:15 +0000

By Kevin Eason
Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from NJ. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Kevin’s work features include: TVOne, NABJ, WBLS_107.5FM, EURweb and various newspapers & magazines throughout the country.

Cartoon: January 11, 2010

The Editors — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:23:15 +0000

Our Perfect Kwanzaa

The Editors — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:52:23 +0000

By Dionne Ford A couple of days before Christmas last year, my daughters pleaded for a Kwanzaa celebration. (I think they were under the impression that a second holiday meant twice the gifts). Outwardly, I was excited that my oldest daughter—who describes herself as white although she is biracial—was interested in this celebration of African culture.

Racist or Revolutionary: Cuba’s Identity is at Stake

The Editors — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:19:57 +0000

By Ron Walters The recent “Statement of Conscience” declaration from 60 well-known U. S. and Latin American black activists, scholars, artists and civic leaders to the Cuban government calling for the release of an imprisoned Cuban physician and human rights activists, Dr. Darsi Ferrer, and an end to racist practices in Cuba marked the first time such concerted criticism has been leveled against the Cuban government since Fidel Castro seized power in 1959.

The Princess and the Frog: What’s Wrong with this Picture

The Editors — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:19:18 +0000

By Paula L. Woods The superficial achievement for the race and Disney marketing/merchandising tie-ins will probably be enough to spell success for the film and another bite at the animated apple in years to come. Which may be, after so many years of neglect, is as good as it gets. But next time, I hope the studios dig a little deeper culturally and think a little harder about the coherence of their story and the images they convey.

Chemical Relaxers: The Facts Might Not Be So Relaxing

The Editors — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 02:18:48 +0000

By Janet Singleton Chris Rock’s documentary Good Hair caused bad feelings last summer for many black female film-goers, who felt more betrayed than they did fairly portrayed by the film. Lost in all of the earsplitting debates and viral blog posts, was any deeper discussion of the health implications for black women and girls who use hair straightener

The Business of You: Creeping Costs Dig Deeper In Your Pockets

The Editors — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:46:34 +0000

By Jackie Jones You may not be able to get rid of all the fees, but you can make a dent in the pile and put a little more cash in your pocket or your savings account.

Home Alone: Tiger and Today’s ‘Mad Men’

The Editors — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:44:40 +0000

By Mark Lassiter In September, Forbes announced that Tiger Woods had become the first athlete to earn one billion dollars over the course of his career. Now, just two months later, and approximately forty years after the setting for Mad Men, real life advertising executives at Nike, EA Sports, Gillette, Gatorade and AT&T have been carefully monitoring the sagging ratings for the soap opera being played in the national media with their superstar pitchman, Tiger Woods, in the role of leading man.

Top 25 African-American Films of All Time

The Editors — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:13:16 +0000

By Ralph Richardson I am an NYC-based filmmaker, so I come to this Top 25 list with a wonderful joy and love for film, and since my mother took me to the movies every week since I was 3, I also have a pretty good knowledge of this grand art form