culture
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Police Training Should Start With a History Lesson on Slavery Laws
A recent study on police interactions shows what black Americans already know: Police interact in a less respectful manner toward them than they do white Americans. Based on police-camera audio from the Oakland, Calif., Police Department, this evidence is being used to support a change in police training regarding how to teach police to show…
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Melanin Madness! Black Panther Trailer Drops and Folks Lose Their Minds
Everybody in the world was already watching Game 4 of the NBA Finals, and when the trailer for Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther dropped during a commercial break, folks lost their damn minds. And then took to Twitter to talk about it. Besides the fact that the sneak peak made clear that this would be a…
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Unique Views, Episode 46: Queen Sugar or Queen Cougar?
I’m not one to brag, but in my heyday, I was the Michael Jordan of charm. As I’ve gotten older, I’m not as sharp, and in truth, I’ve lost a step. My charm has never worked on my co-host, Danielle Young, aka Ms. Patti Patti LaDanielle, and as such, we hate each other. That’s not…
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The Official White-Tears Quiz: How a Black-Student Protest Terrified and Outraged White People
Instead of reading this as a news story, please use this article as an official measuring stick for your white-tears awareness. The answer key is at the bottom. A Washington state college was deluged with a torrential downpour of low-sodium, gluten-free white tears after butt-hurt white people freaked out when minority students asked for a…
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Watch: Michelle Wilson, a Black Woman Who Owns the Narrative on a Broadway Stage
A black woman owning the narrative on a Broadway stage is an act of power. As an actress, Michelle Wilson commands the stage. She is the co-lead of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, which focuses on racial realities and economic tough times. For her performance, Wilson has been…
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Black Music Month Playlist No. 2: Cosby Ain’t the God We Made Him
Editor’s note: Every Friday for the month of June, aka African-American Music Appreciation Month, aka Black Music Month, we’ll be creating a Spotify playlist based on the news of the week. Check out the story behind last week’s playlist here. Talk about trials and tribulations. I don’t think the country has seen this much testifying…
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Watch: It Comes at Night Cast Names America’s Apocalyptic Disease
There’s a new thriller in town! Jordan Peele’s instant classic, Get Out, set the tone for a new type of thriller and proved that there’s nothing better than a fresh perspective on making people squirm in their seats. It Comes at Night has accomplished that feat, too! This new thriller, which opens June 9 and…
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Tracing Your Roots: I Want to Post the Names of My Ancestors’ Slaves
Her ancestor’s will named 13 slaves, and she seeks help getting this information to their descendants. Dear Professor Gates: My ancestors were slave owners in Victoria County, Texas. My three-times great-grandfather John James named 13 enslaved people in his will, dated Sept. 3, 1863, in Victoria County. They included three boys, named Woodson, George and…
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Un-American Terrorists Are Planning a Major Event for This Weekend
The man who applauded the actions of the 9/11 hijackers has teamed up with white supremacist organizations across the country to hold rallies in at least 26 American cities this weekend. The Southern Poverty Law Center—the country’s leading watcher of hate groups—reports that the hate group ACT for America and terrorist sympathizer Billy Roper have…