culture
-
LaShanda Armstrong: A Horrible Act, but Not a Horrible Person
Under an ombré sky on April 11, 2011, just before 8 p.m., LaShanda Armstrong drove her minivan into the dark, still-chilly waters of the Hudson River in New York. The decision to end her life—and the lives of her four small children in the car—seemed to be born more from consuming desperation than methodical malice.…
-
‘Regular Black’ vs. ‘Ethnic Black’: Why the Divide?
I first heard someone at a black student union party refer to herself—and to me, by extension—as a “regular black.” The music had made a quick turn from the latest rap song to a Caribbean dancehall mix. “Oh, I’m regular black; I don’t dance to this music.” Well, this “regular black” continued dancing, but I…
-
How an HBCU Prepared Me for Harvard
As a Harvard School of Education graduate, I was elated and moved to see the global conversation that the creators of the recent I, Too, Am Harvard and Being Black at the University of Michigan campaigns sparked about the experience of underrepresented groups on college campuses, including the one where I earned my master’s degree. There’s no…
-
Quilted Map Memorializes Chicago Homicide Victims
By now, the nation is familiar with the Chicago’s outsize homicide rate. But it was laid bare in startling detail on a 4-foot-by-6-foot piece of fabric as part of a project called “Untitled (Homicide Quilt),” a quilted map of Chicago with the names of each of the city’s homicide victims from last year stitched into…
-
Man in Superman Hoodie Helps Save Baby From East Dallas Fire
A man wearing a Superman hoodie helped save a baby from an East Dallas apartment fire, according to NBCDFW. Tori Phillips, a big fan of the superhero, reportedly urged a couple trapped in their apartment to toss their little one to the safety of his arms. Although hesitant at first, they eventually dropped the infant…
-
Newly Engaged Couple Among Those Killed in Bus Crash
A 29-year-old man and his fiancée were among those killed last week in a fiery bus crash on a California freeway, according to KTLA 5. The incident occurred when a bus carrying dozens of California high school seniors was struck by a FedEx tractor trailer about 100 miles north of Sacramento on Thursday night, authorities…
-
T.D. Jakes’ Daughter Talks Teen Pregnancy, Dropping Out of College and Divorce in New Book
A 13-year-old girl sits in a church pew, baby in her womb, while her father the pastor delivers a sermon about the virtues of abstinence. That’s just one of the compelling pictures that any one of Sarah Jakes’ life stories might bring to mind. That her father is T.D. Jakes—one of the nation’s most recognizable…
-
Watch: Outkast Reunion at Coachella
The hip-hop duo Outkast reunited onstage Friday after a nearly 10-year break, performing before a packed crowd at the Coachella music festival in Indio, Calif. They were joined by guests, including Janelle Monáe and Future. It was the group’s first appearance in a string of shows throughout the year. Songs included hits such as “Hey Ya!,” “Ms.…
-
Watch: John Legend’s ‘All of Me’ Helps Student to Woo Prom Date
A student from Kennedy High School in Montgomery County, Md., convinced dozens of classmates to sing John Legend’s “All of Me” to the girl he wanted to ask to the prom. The girl seemed overcome with joy, at one point weeping. It’s safe to say, she probably said yes.
-
Colin Kaepernick Denies Misconduct
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick on Friday denied via Twitter any allegations of misconduct by him this month at a South Florida hotel residence. Kaepernick, 49ers wide receiver Quinton Patton and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette have been in Miami working out at Bommarito Performance Systems since the second week of February, The…