Black Excellence
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In Yo’ Face Like a Can of Mace: Kehinde Wiley Unveils Black Male Monument in Times Square
Finally, something we can look up to—literally. A powerful image of a black man has been immortalized as a monument—in New York City’s Times Square, of all places. Acclaimed artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled his biggest work to date on Friday night, a massive bronze statue of a young black man in urban regalia sitting astride…
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Black Genius, Recognized: Meet the 2019 Class of Black MacArthur Fellows
Saidiya Hartman was sitting in a bar in Durban, South Africa when she got the news: she had just been awarded a $625,000 MacArthur Fellowship. Accompanied by one of her best friends, Hartman—a literary scholar and cultural historian—was in town to help plan a meeting for a black studies mobile academy. “I was in disbelief…
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Flawless: Beyoncé Finally Gets the Wax Figure She Deserves—and Miss Tina Approves!
Madame Tussauds hasn’t always been on the mark when it comes to paying tribute to perhaps the most famous figure in music. When a figure of Beyoncé was unveiled in 2017, immediate backlash forced the famed wax emporium to “adjust” the poorly rendered likeness before ultimately opting to remove it altogether. It was just that…
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Google Celebrates Late, Great Blues Legend B.B. King on 94th Birthday
Never ever forget the great ones who came before you. We give props to the folks at Google for keeping some of our historical events and figures at the forefront through its remarkable Google Doodle initiative, which dates back to 1998 and aims to “enliven the Google homepage and bring smiles to the faces of…
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The Liberator Unearths the Forgotten Triumphs and Chronicles of Early Black Los Angeles
For 14 years, Jefferson Lewis Edmonds helmed one of the first black newspapers in Los Angeles. Introduced in 1900, the Liberator touted the importance of black ownership, challenged political candidates to prioritize the needs of their black constituency and implored other black aspirants to defy the status quo. With limited options for early black Angelenos…
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Toni Morrison's Hometown to Recognize Her Birthday as 'Toni Morrison Day'
Toni Morrison’s hometown of Lorain, Ohio, passed a resolution this week declaring her birthday, Feb. 18, as Toni Morrison Day. As the Morning Journal reports, the Lorain City Council passed the resolution on Tuesday honoring the author, who passed away in August. “Her books told powerful stories of black lives in America, from the time of…
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Monica Shares the Importance of Friendship at the VMAs
We all know at least one person who is able to be friends with everyone they come in contact with. If there’s a major life event, then this person is readily available to attend and, if they can’t make it, they’ll show their support in some other way. These people usually possess a magnetic personality…
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Citing a Shortage of Black Doctors, Career Mechanic Becomes One at Age 47: 'You Can Do it, This is Totally Possible'
Representation matters. It’s much more than a mere catchphrase devised to disrupt the status quo, it’s a rallying cry in our quest to survive in a world constructed to malign and subjugate us. It’s also a reminder that manifests every time a black child believes they don’t belong, or that their aspirations are unrealistic, as…
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Jaden Smith Really Is an Icon Living: Debuts Free Vegan Food Truck for the Homeless in Los Angeles
While Jaden Smith has enjoyed plenty of box office and Billboard success, it’s his benevolence and giving heart that his fans truly adore. According to the Hollywood Reporter, on Monday, the “Icon” rapper unveiled I Love You Restaurant, a vegan food truck that will provide free meals to the homeless of downtown Los Angeles. The…