Black Excellence
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2019 Peabody Awards: Pose and Random Acts of Flyness Among Honorees, FX to Debut Documentary TV Special on Winners
The 78th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony kicked off on Saturday, May 18 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, and the category was…representation matters! Among the Peabody’s 30 honorees were FX’s hit show Pose and HBO’s critically acclaimed Random Acts of Flyness. The winners ranged from various mediums within entertainment such as television, documentaries,…
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Congrats, Grad! Morehouse Keynote Speaker Pays Off Debt of Graduating Class
Now we know exactly what it takes to upstage Angela Bassett: Forty million dollars, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. On a hard-earned day of celebration for hundreds of families, Morehouse upped the ante on black excellence. After the casually ethereal Bassett spoke, Robert F. Smith, the billionaire tech investor and philanthropist received an honorary doctorate…
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Meet Tay Anderson, the 20-Year-Old School Board Candidate Determined to Rescue the Denver Public School System From Itself
Everything about activist Tay Anderson screams “about that action.” In 2017, a 19-year-old Anderson spearheaded a 200-person “We Don’t Drink Ink” protest after Colorado-based Ink Coffee boasted “Happily Gentrifying Since 2014″ in its promotional materials—which was pretty damn brazen considering the cafe was located in Five Points, one of Denver’s oldest, historically black neighborhoods. But…
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T.I. Awards $25,000 College Scholarship in Memory of His Sister to an HBCU Student and Single Mom
T.I. is turning his personal pain into a bit of good fortune for a deserving college student. The rapper and reality-TV personality has started a scholarship fund in the name of his sister Antoinette “Precious” Harris Chapman, who died earlier this year. “My sister Precious was a single mother who worked to make life better…
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Mom of the Year Gets a Surprise When She Skips Her Own Graduation to Attend Her Son's
Mothers far too often go unrewarded for their tremendous sacrifices. But thankfully, Central Michigan University made it their mission to ensure that Sharonda Wilson received a surprise blessing for hers. When Sharonda discovered that her college graduation fell on the same date as her son Stephan’s, the decision was obvious: there was no way she…
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Game, Blouses: Dave Chappelle to Receive Kennedy Center's 2019 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor
He ain’t just rich, bitch … He’s a winner. This year, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will be presenting its 22nd Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and the honoree is none other than: Dave Chappelle. Per the announcement press release: The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who…
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Well Done! Two Rising Black Chefs Win Big at the 2019 James Beard Awards
It’s been a thrilling few months for the culinary world since February, as the James Beard Foundation has rolled out its series of annual accolades, culminating in its highly anticipated awards gala on Monday night in the food mecca of Chicago. For Chefs Kwame Onwuachi and Mashama Bailey, May 6, 2019 will henceforth be remembered…
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Giants Cleans Up at Daytime Emmys, Takes Home Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actor
Smash hit web series Giants continued its reign on Friday, with actress Vanessa Baden Kelly and actor Terrence Terrell taking home the hardware for Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series at the 46th annual Daytime Emmy Awards. The series, which debuted on Issa Rae’s YouTube channel in 2017,…
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Houston High School Announces its First Ever Black Valedictorian: 'You Can Do Anything You Set Your Mind To'
Black excellence can never be denied. As such, St. Thomas High School senior Kellin McGowan just became the first black valedictorian in the school’s 119-year history. His otherworldly 4.57 GPA beat out his peers, who principal Aaron Dominguez takes pride in for the nurturing environment the students have fostered. “The guys here are really competitive…
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Regina King Lands First-Look Deal at Netflix, Proceeds to Sit on the Industry's Iron Throne
Regina (The) King has some prosperous news. Per an official press release from Netflix: Netflix has entered into a multi-year first look deal with director, producer, and award winning actress, Regina King. King’s production company Royal Ties is entering into the first-look deal to produce films and series for Netflix. Her sister, Reina King, will…