-
My Brother’s Keeper: Stop Writing Letters, Just Do the Work
Over the past few days my Twitter feed has buzzed about the letter signed by 1,000 women and girls urging President Barack Obama to broaden his My Brother’s Keeper initiative. The letter and subsequent commentaries attack the president, accusing him of any number of sins for not including women and girls in this program. Yes,…
-
Exonerated Central Park Five Reach $40 Million Settlement
Five men, four black and one Hispanic, widely known as the Central Park Five whose charges—in the 1989 ruthless beating and sexual assault of 28-year-old investment banker Trisha Meili during her routine jog through Central Park—were later overturned, have reached a $40 million settlement with New York City, reports the New York Times. The proposed deal…
-
Man Faces Attempted-Murder Charge; Accused of Flinging Hot Grits on Neighbor
“If you’re going to arrest me, then just arrest me now, ‘cause next time I am going to kill him.” Those are reportedly the fighting words Edward Holley, 60, told police when he was arrested and taken into custody Wednesday from an Orlando, Fla., home after allegedly dousing his neighbor Darryl Blacknell with a pan…
-
‘Faith & Freedom’ Are About How We Treat Our Fellow Americans
As an ordained United Methodist Church minister myself, when I speak at home or around the country, I am exceedingly particular about the language I use to express my support for, or opposition to, political or policy positions. I am humble enough to recognize clearly that the voice of God that I hear is sometimes…
-
Think Like a Man Too? No, Thank You
It was something of a given that Think Like a Man was going to get a sequel. The film, inspired by the advice in Steve Harvey’s best-selling advice book and featuring an all-star black cast, grossed more than $33 million during its opening weekend and went on to clear nearly $96 million at the box…
-
Caregiver Indicted for Murder in Brutal Death of 4-Year-Old Boy in NYC
Four-year-old Myls Dobson lost his life in the cruelest way. His bruised, emaciated tiny body was found Jan. 8 inside the bathroom of his babysitter Kryzie King’s luxury New York City apartment. Before succumbing to “child abuse syndrome, including dehydration,” according to the autopsy report and as reported in the New York Times, the 4-year-old…
-
Holler if Ya Hear Me: How Tupac’s ‘Thug Life’ Translates to Broadway
Watching Holler if Ya Hear Me, Broadway’s ode to all things Tupac, I can’t help but wonder what it is about the Great White Way that neutralizes even the edgiest of material. Maybe it’s the live orchestra jamming away; maybe it’s the bright lights; maybe it’s all those jazz hands—or maybe it’s the effort to…
-
When Did My Ancestor Buy His Freedom?
Family legend says that my great-great-great-great-grandfather Isom Ellis was a free man of color who bought his freedom and later that of his wife, Patience Bynum. I’d love to know more about him. He was born in 1802 in Wilson County, N.C. I believe he had a son named Robert. —Kevin J. Hagan Jr. Your…
-
Stripping Teacher Protections Doesn’t Help Children
The AFL-CIO, along with the undersigned civil rights organizations, believes that every child has the right to a high-quality education. Last week the Los Angeles County Court invoked that right, under California’s Constitution, but its decision in Vergara v. California identifies classroom teachers as the one and only problem facing public schools. The ruling unfortunately targets all educators, including…
-
How Hip-Hop Has Become a Gateway to Black Poetry
Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal is joined by Elizabeth Alexander to discuss the black art aesthetic, growing recognition for black poets and whether hip-hop is poetry. Alexander—the Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African American Studies, and a professor of American studies and English, at Yale University—was chosen by President Barack Obama to compose…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
