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Eric Holder in Pictures
Called the “people’s attorney” by President Barack Obama, Eric Holder has made a lasting legacy in Washington, D.C., and not just by being the first African-American attorney general. As he prepares to step down, here’s a look back at some of his career highlights during his time as attorney general. A Historic First Eric H.…
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Is a University Founder Linked to My Enslaved Ancestor?
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to know more about my ancestors. All I know is that my great-grandfather Alex McMillan was born a slave in 1860 and came from Robeson County, N.C. While this is vague, it is precious to me to even know that tidbit of my family history.…
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He Said I ‘Trapped’ Him With a Baby
A guy I’ve been seeing on and off for almost two years recently told me he had a dream that I got pregnant. When telling me this, he used the word “trapped.” Clearly, I was pissed. He doesn’t understand why using that particular word would imply that he thinks lowly or negatively of me. We’re…
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To the Light-Skinned Woman Who Can’t Be Friends With Darker Sisters, Skin Tone Isn’t the Problem
Years ago, a woman named Demetria sent me an email. The subject read something like, “The Other Demetria.” I did not know her, but I clicked, solely because she had my name and the narcissist in me figured she must be awesome. Turns out, she was writing to introduce herself because I had her name.…
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7 Urban Farmers You Should Know
What began with community gardens has grown into a movement. Urban farming has a positive impact in neighborhoods with limited access to produce, and it is on the rise in cities across the United States. Urban farming creates jobs, beautifies blocks, provides access to healthy food and connects the community. Here are seven (of many)…
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Urban Gardens Provide an Oasis of Hope and Health
With nearly 47 million Americans living under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, access to affordable fresh food is still a daily struggle for some, especially for those living in so-called food deserts, areas with limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables. But in cities across the country, where infrastructure is crumbling and vacant…
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Love & Basketball: 15 Years Later, the Movie Still Plays for Your Heart
Culture is the very thing that paints the fingerprints we leave upon all that we touch in the universe. As a person of African descent living in America and growing up in the ’80s, I can recall a time when films featuring predominantly black casts and helmed by black directors would bring out the community…
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The New Killing Fields: How Police Tourism Sanctions the Lethal Pursuit of Black People
The April 2 shooting death of Eric Harris by 73-year-old Tulsa, Okla., Reserve Deputy Robert Bates is more than just the latest tragedy involving a black man’s execution on film. Grisly footage from the body camera of an officer shows Harris, a black man with a criminal record, fleeing deputies who targeted him in an…
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The Real Lesson of the Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal
The Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal is almost over. A scandal that began in 2008 with reports of unusually high scores on mandatory standardized tests has come to a close with a sentencing hearing that looked more like the theater of the absurd than a meeting to determine sentences for those involved in a cheating…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
