black – Page 2

It’s No Laughing Matter For Millions Of Black American Women – But What Is Alopecia?

12Dec

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SKIN CARE

It’s No Laughing Matter For Millions Of Black American Women – But What Is Alopecia?

The Oscar slap that overshadowed the Academy Awards ceremony was sparked by a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s lack of hair – with husband Will Smith objecting violently to comedian Chris Rock mocking the actress’s shaved head. Away from the recriminations over what could be perceived as a mean-spirited jibe and a disproportionate response, many people will sympathize with Pinkett Smith. As millions of women in the U.S. will attest, hair loss is no laughing matter. The Conversation asked dermatologist Danita Peoples of Wayne State University’s School of Medicine about alopecia and why certain forms of it can disproportionately affect Black women. 1. What is alopecia? Alopecia is a medical word that refers to hair loss generally. And there are descriptors added which can refer to where the...

In 19th-century America A Black Writer Used Humor To Combat White Supremacy

9Dec

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AMPLIFYING DIVERSE VOICES

In 19th-century America A Black Writer Used Humor To Combat White Supremacy

Any writer has to struggle with the dilemma of staying true to their vision or giving editors and readers what they want. A number of factors might influence the latter: the market, trends and sensibilities. But in the decades after the Civil War, Black writers looking to faithfully depict the horrors of slavery had to contend with readers whose worldviews were colored by racism, as well as an entire swath of the country eager to paper over the past. Charles Chesnutt was one of those writers. Forced to work with skeptical editors and within the confines of popular forms, Chesnutt nonetheless worked to shine a light on the legacy of slavery. His 1899 collection of stories, “The Conjure Woman,” took place on a Southern plantation and sold well. At first glance, the stories seemed to mimic...

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Goes Down In History As The First Black Woman Nominated To The Supreme Court

9Dec

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Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Goes Down In History As The First Black Woman Nominated To The Supreme Court

President Joe Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, a historic choice that could fundamentally change who helps to protect and interpret the Constitution and ensure equal justice under the law. If confirmed, Jackson will be the first Black woman — and the first former federal public defender — on the nation’s highest court in its 232-year history. While she would not shift the Supreme Court’s ideological makeup, she brings a distinct life experience and professional background to the court that serves as the final arbiter of law. Of the 120 justices who have served in its history, 115 have been men, and 117 have been White. Now, with Justice Stephen Breyer set to retire at the end of the court’s term in early summer, Jackson will have the opportunity to make h...

Black History Month: Past Movements For Civil Rights – What America’s Voting Rights Activists Can Learn

14Nov

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Black History Month: Past Movements For Civil Rights – What America’s Voting Rights Activists Can Learn

With Congress failing to pass new voting rights legislation, it’s worth remembering that throughout U.S. history, new civil rights laws designed to end racial inequities across American life have been met by stubborn resistance. Senate Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona joined Senate Republicans in blocking both the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These bills would have combated voter suppression by creating a national automatic voter registration system, and they also would have banned partisan gerrymandering. In the wake of the vote, President Joe Biden said he was “profoundly disappointed that the United States Senate has failed to stand up for democracy.” These setbacks in Congress come on the heels of millions ...

A Visual Timeline Of Black Life In America From The Mighty To The Mundane

14Dec

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A Visual Timeline Of Black Life In America From The Mighty To The Mundane

For nearly a century, Black History Month has been a time to celebrate the achievements of groundbreaking people who have shaped our country’s history. Much of this focus is on trailblazers like Kamala Harris, civil rights pioneers, advocates, politicians, policymakers and entertainers from Beyoncé to Cardi B. But as those leaders spoke to crowds and infiltrated halls of power, millions of Black people lived their lives and made their own history. Often those contributions were more humble. Even simply celebrating the things and people closest to them in ways that might not have been accessible to previous generations — from birthday and retirement parties to navigating grief or simply having a picnic at a park — served as markers of progress. This Black History Month, in addition to hig...

14Dec

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The Black People

Black American's are American's mostly or partly of African descent. More than 28 million blacks live in the United States. They account for 12 percent of the nation's total population and make up the largest minority group. About half of all black Americans live in the Southern States. Most of the rest live in large cities in the east, Midwest, and West. Black people belong to the African geographical race. This race consists of dark-skinned peoples who live or whose ancestors lived south of the Sahara, the vast desert that stretches across northern Africa. In addition to dark brown skin, most members of this race have brown eyes, dark wooly or curly hair, and thick lips. Most black American's have used five terms to refer themselves. The term Negro (which means black in Spanish and Port...

14Dec

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Growing Up Black In America

I grew up in a home with both parents having a heritage rooted in black America. My father was born in Mississippi to parents who operated a farm their entire lives. He had 2 sisters and a brother. Once he was grown he moved to Illinois, took a job, married and raised a family. My mother was born in Louisiana to a father who was of direct African descent and a mother who was of direct native Indian. They moved to California and made a home having just one daughter and many sons. Her brothers ended up joining the military and made a career serving and protecting our country. As a child we never had a lot of money but my family still managed to purchase a home, my father always keep a nice car and he worked every day to support his family. I learned from my father the importance of a great...

African Americans Have Long Celebrated Black Culture In Public Spaces Defying White Supremacy

9Dec

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African Americans Have Long Celebrated Black Culture In Public Spaces Defying White Supremacy

From Richmond to New York City to Seattle, anti-racist activists are getting results as Confederate monuments are coming down by the dozens. In Richmond, Virginia, protesters have changed the story of Lee Circle, home to a 130-year-old monument to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. It’s now a new community space where graffiti, music and projected images turn the statue of Lee from a monument to white supremacy into a backdrop proclaiming that Black Lives Matter. This isn’t a new phenomenon. I’m a historian of celebrations and protests after the Civil War. And in my research, I have found that long before Confederate monuments occupied city squares, African Americans used those same public spaces to celebrate their history. But those African American memorial cultures have often been o...

The Uproar Over The First Black Woman Supreme Court Nominee

2Apr

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VIDEO REELS

The Uproar Over The First Black Woman Supreme Court Nominee

Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer announced his retirement in late January, after months of pressure from progressives. At 83, Breyer is the oldest member of the nation’s highest court and is one of three liberal justices remaining on the nine-member body. Now, Democrats, who retain the slimmest of majorities in the U.S. Senate, have a chance to replace Breyer with a younger liberal justice. President Joe Biden, in keeping with his campaign promise to name a Black woman to the court, announced in January, “The person I will nominate will be someone with extraordinary qualifications, character, experience, and integrity. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.” Republicans and conservatives immediately protested the announcement,...

Black History Month: To Fully Appreciate Black History, The US Must Let Go Of Lingering Confederate Nostalgia

9Dec

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Black History Month: To Fully Appreciate Black History, The US Must Let Go Of Lingering Confederate Nostalgia

As a nation, the U.S. is debating the meaning of Confederate symbolism and history. That debate is closely tied to how the U.S. commemorates, or fails to commemorate, the full spectrum of African-American history. In my research I explore why people choose to remember some parts of the past and not others. I have also studied how communities choose to forget portions of the past in order to overcome longstanding conflicts. Based on this work, I would argue that nostalgic versions of Confederate history inhibit our ability to memorialize African-American historical experiences and achievements as centerpieces of U.S. history. Forgetting and forging ahead A commitment to starting over and creating a new future is a deep-seated part of the U.S. experience. Thomas Paine published “Common Se...