culture
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The Friendly Cold War Between 'Regular Blacks' and 'Ethnic Blacks' at the Nation's Elite Colleges
I’ll never forget the expression on my friend’s face during one of our African-American-studies classes at Duke University, when she was asked to clarify her response—for what seemed like the umpteenth time—to the question, “Where are you from?” after having answered, “America.” “Look, I’m just regular black,” she said, with an air of frustration plainly…
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Hank Aaron’s Home Run Record Meant Everything 40 Years Ago. It Still Does
April 8 marks the 40th anniversary of Henry Aaron passing Babe Ruth as the major league’s career leader in home runs. It was one of the most significant sports feats of the 20th century, and like many others—heavyweight Joe Louis’ defeat of Max Schmeling in 1938 and Jesse Owens’ four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in…
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White Army Vet Viciously Beaten and Called a ‘N–ger Lover’
Westland, Mich., police have arrested three suspects for the assault of white Army veteran Adam Wagner, WJBK Fox 2 reports. On April 3, Wagner was outside a 7-Eleven when the group of men noticed his military ID and started making offensive comments about him and the military. “They were saying, ‘How can you be in…
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Jay Z Sparks Controversy With ‘5 Percent Nation’ Medallion
Jay Z frequents basketball games, accompanied by wife, Beyoncé, but last week the award-winning rapper drew extra attention when he wore a chain blinged out with a medallion associated with the Five Percent Nation, the New York Post reports. While at a Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclays Center in his hometown, the rapper was…
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White House May Be Done With Selfies
Thanks to Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, looks like selfies with the president may be shut down for good. During the Red Sox’s official visit to the White House the designated hitter took what appeared to be an impromptu photo with the POTUS holding up an Obama baseball jersey. Turns out that Big Papi…
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Honey Maid Sticks It to the Haters With Love
In early March, Honey Maid launched an adorable commercial celebrating “wholesome” families of every kind that included a two-dad family, a rocker family, a single-dad family, a military family and an interracial family—homage to the types of families that are usually unnoticed (or at least underappreciated) in the mainstream media. “No matter how things change,…
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Library of Congress Musical List Ignores Rap
The Library of Congress recently announced the 25 newest additions to its ever-growing vault of American musical works. There are some highly deserving entries in the collection, such as Isaac Hayes’ soundtrack to Shaft, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son and U2’s Joshua Tree, but there was one major oversight. On a list that included Buck…
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11-Year-Old West Philly Girl Killed by Gun Fired by 2-Year-Old Brother
An 11-year-old Philadelphia girl was pronounced dead after an accident in which her 2-year-old brother shot her in the arm on Sunday, NBC 10 reports. Jamara Stevens and her three siblings—a 14-year-old boy, 7-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy—had found the loaded .357-caliber handgun in their West Philadelphia home and were playing with the weapon when…
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Body Found in Lake May Be Missing Doctor Teleka Patrick
A body discovered early Sunday morning by a man fishing in a lake in Indiana is believed to be that of missing Kalamazoo doctor Teleka Patrick, MLive.com reports. Police have yet to officially identify the body, but Jim Carlin, a private investigator hired by the family to aid in the search for missing doctor, believes…
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NBA Player Dante Cunningham Arrested for 2nd Time in 3 Days
Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Dante Cunningham is again in trouble with the law. He was arrested Sunday on suspicion of making terroristic threats, his second arrest in less than a week. Cunningham, 26, was charged Thursday with felony domestic assault in an incident involving his girlfriend. The woman told police that Cunningham attacked her during…