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The Drinking Gourd

My Top 10 African-American TV Shows of All Time

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



The Business of You: Good Health at What Price?

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By Jackie Jones
A few extra pounds soon could cost you way more than just good health.



Reflections of a Black Pioneer: Two Cases of Integrative Leadership

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By Clifton R. Wharton, Jr.
The unprecedented election of President Barack Obama has provided a dramatic spotlight on the issues of race in America. One aspect of significance is that it represents an important step in the process of racial integration in our nation. His election was the result of the collective decisions by a multi racial and multi ethnic electorate. Both as a U.S. Senator from Illinois and as President, Obama has been what might be called an “Integrative Black Pioneer.”



Is Tiger Woods African American? Of course not.

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By Janet Singleton
In my mind Tiger Woods is a multiethnic, polysyllabic, whatjamacallit, just as he said. “A Cablinasian.” He called himself that in a 1997 appearance on Oprah and disappointed some black people. But I have no problem with that, particularly now. It’s just that the controversial Vanity Fair magazine cover posing Tiger as “thuggish” and therefore presumably blacker, we are invited to consider that issue once again.



King’s Legacy Serves as a Call to Arms on Crisis in Haiti

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By John Payton
Today provides a moment for reflection on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born 81 years ago on this day. It is also a moment of intense anguish for the survivors and those continuing to suffer in the wake of the tragic earthquake in Haiti.



“Negro Please!” Some Blacks Offended By 2010 Census Form

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By Stacey Patton
The use of an old name on the 2010 Census form, scheduled for mailing in March, has sparked some controversy over the past few days. As the U.S. Census Bureau begins the herculean task of counting more than 300 million Americans, it says it wants to heighten awareness and be more inclusive.



Percy Ellis Sutton, 1920 – 2009: “Our Counsel, Our Conscience, Our Champion”

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By The Editors
Percy Ellis Sutton, a son of Texas and of Harlem whose remarkable achievements in several different fields of endeavor helped fuel the twentieth-century progress of black Americans, was eulogized yesterday as “a role model in living color of what it means to be both great and good.



Invictus: Capturing the Unconquerable Soul of South Africa

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By Paula Woods
In presenting the true story of the 1995 South African Springbok’s underdog run at the Rugby World Cup, director Eastwood and Morgan Freeman (who stars as Nelson Mandela and served as an executive producer) aim to not only honor the spirit and achievement of Nelson Mandela but also to humanize his drive to reconcile a country torn apart by apartheid and years of violent resistance.



Blinded by ‘The Blind Side’?

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By Paula Woods
This must the year for abused black children in Hollywood movies. First there was Precious, the Lee Daniels-directed megahit, in which a 16-year old Harlem girl rises above illiteracy and multiple forms of parental abuse to reclaim her children and her future. Now there is The Blind Side, in which a 16-year old Memphis boy rises above parental neglect and a low grade point average to discover his innate athleticism and claim his future as a football star for Ole Miss and the Baltimore Ravens.



Loving and Local “Justice”

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By Olympia Duhart
Keith Bardwell, the Louisiana justice of the peace who refused to marry an interracial couple recently, is using some tired, old arguments to support his biased decision.