Dr. Boyce: 5 Questions (Black) People are Asking about the Michael Jordan Engagement
by Dr. Boyce Watkins After NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan was engaged to long-time girlfriend Yvette Prieto this week, a lot of folks in the black community looked at their computer screens with a crooked neck. Not that anyone is particularly interested in the personal life of Jordan, but some were trying to make sense [...]
Four Women Bodies Found In Detroit Car Trunks Linked To Online Dating Ads
Detroit police are investigating the death of two women whose bodies, burned beyond recognition, were found in the trunk of a car on fire early Christmas Day. Less than a week earlier, the bodies of another two women were found in the trunk of a car parked at a vacant dwelling, Detroit police [...]
Donald Trump For President ‘I Would Do Great With African American’ Voters’
Donald Trump, everyone’s favorite reality television star except for the young woman who defecated on Flavor Flav’s floor during Flavor of Love, called in to On The Record to let host Greta Van Susteren know that he’s the best, basically. Trump told Van Susteren that he believes a third party candidate could beat [...]
Why Aren’t More Black Voters Supporting Ron Paul?
While African Americans’ relationship with Democrats has become a highly publicized marriage, a rising chorus of African American liberals and independents are quick to highlight Democrats’ exploitation of the Black voter, campaigning to the concerns of the community only to forsake the things that matter to African Americans once they are in office. [...]
Are Black Women Killing Their Exotic Beauty?
The other day, I overheard a Black man say, “African American women aren’t exotic”. I was taken aback a bit by his statement but I began to think about the times I have heard other men refer to women as being exotic; not in one instance did they mention a Black woman. Most of the [...]
Homeless Children Are Victims of the Recession
On Tuesday, the National Center on Family Homelessness issued a ranked state-by-state report on child homelessness. The report, entitled “America’s Youngest Outcasts”, says that one in every 45 children in the United States is homeless.”Our purpose in crafting this report…is to make these invisible children visible to the country,” said John Kellogg, Vice [...]
MTV’S “TRUE LIFE” CASTING WOMEN GOING NATURAL
The producers of the documentary series True Life are looking for African American women who are ready to do the big chop. (For those of you who may be new to natural hair lingo, the big chop is the process of cutting one’s relaxed hair off and leaving only the natural kinky curly hair to [...]
Why No Barbie Dolls with Natural Hair? A Woman Helps Break the Mold
In 1959, Mattel, Inc. launched a fashion doll that is now famously known as Barbie. It is one of the most successful toy lines ever but the plastic doll has also faced a great deal of scrutiny. The main complaint is that Barbie promotes a standard of beauty that most females do not fit into; especially African American girls. Many [...]
Mama’s Baby; Daddy’s Maybe: Survey Says Black Mothers Get Little Help, Services & Support While Giving Birth
A groundbreaking survey of African American mothers on their pregnancy and birth experiences reveals that black moms have little support before, during and after birth—a void that may explain why African American babies are disproportionately underweight and suffer high infant mortality. The first-of-its-kind survey of 245 Black women in Oregon was conducted by [...]
Study Says: Black-Americans Prefer To Be Called Black Rather Than African-American
Unbeknownst to many, Blacks in America struggle to “gain footing” and adopt a solid identity in America. The reference to Blacks in America as African-American can be misleading and further disassociate them from America and American culture. Black Americans argue that when a White-African immigrates to America, they are not referred to as being [...]
Red Cross Offends Black Student Donors in New Jersey School
Parents of students at a New Jersey high school are demanding answers from the American Red Cross after their children said a worker told them they could give two pints of blood if they wanted to because they were African American and their blood could be given to “the little black kids in [...]
NY Jet’s Marcus Dixon Long And Rocky Journey To The NFL
The wooden steps in the unfinished stairwell lead to a bedroom that doubles as a live-in shrine to Jets defensive end Marcus Dixon on the second floor of the two-story house at 1340 Harmony Rd. Nails, insulation and wires are exposed beneath a light fixture; the walls are painted a dark olive green. [...]
Was J. Edgar Hoover a Black Man Passing For White?
Clint Eastwood in his new movie J. Edgar artfully surfaced a well- guarded secret that the FBI czar who reigned over the bureau for 47 years was gay and involved in a long-term relationship with an aide. Nevertheless there is yet another skeleton pounding on the closet to be let out. Could J. Edgar Hoover [...]
African Americans & Latinos Twice as Likely to Foreclosure as Whites
The Center for Responsible Lending released a study today that documents a trend in American foreclosures that is startling, yet not surprising. The study, “Lost Ground, 2011: Disparities in Mortgage Lending and Foreclosures,” co-authored with the Center for Community Capital at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, presents data in support of the claim [...]
Penn State Also Covered Up Death Threats Against Black Students
It appears that in addition to the recent s****l abuse allegations against former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, the university has also been responsible for covering up death threats to African American students. TheLoop21 wrote a blog post about the cover-ups, which make the university’s public image even more tarnished than it was [...]