Many are calling Season 3 of the hit FX series American Horror Story the best season ever. Though I enjoyed watching this season, we need to clear some things up concerning the show’s intertwining of historical events and figures associated with Black history.
Queenie’s character, played by Gabourey Sidibe, is descended from a real person named Tituba. During the Salem Witch Trials, Tituba was accused of being a witch and beaten until she confessed. However, she was never put on trial and did not face execution. There is a historical debate waging about her ethnicity. However, most historians believe she was most likely Indian or mixed-raced with African ancestry. According to historian Benjamin C. Ray, two enslaved Black women, Mary Black and Candy, were also accused of witch craft during the Salem Witch Trials. Eventually charges against Mary Black were dropped and she returned home. Candy was also found…
The Schomburg Center is proud to present “In the Tradition: An Intergenerational Dialogue on Progressive Activism and Black America,” a dialogue between actor, author, and activist Harry Belafonte and Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry, Professor of Political Science at Tulane University, MSNBC Host and author of Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America on the tradition of black activism, the role of activist intellectuals, the critical lessons of past movements and the challenges of organizing in the twenty-first century. How has the landscape for social justice become more complicated? What are the responsibilities of the black community to its advocates in times of attack?
Join us for an enlightening conversation to be moderated by Dr. Jelani Cobb.
This past weekend, I took my mentee to a chocolate festival. Yes, a chocolate festival 😉 The event was an opportunity to sample varies chocolates/buy chocolate to your heart’s content.You know I was in heaven, as I loveeeee sweets. I grubbed, then grubbed some more 🙂
I really like being a mentor. I decided to apply as a mentor as a way to give back. It’s a great way to provide hands on advice/experiences to a young person in need. I wanted to let a young black woman know that there are so many opportunities out there. The world is their playground…don’t be scurred!
Mini CupcakesSample cakesChocolate dipped strawberries
At only 7 days old, a baby was called “N–ga” for the first time. I witnessed it as I visited a friend that had just given birth. The father of the new baby boy held him in his arms, smiled and said “This is my little n—a.” In my knee jerk reaction I blurted out, “He’s only been here for a week and you’re already calling him that!” The new father then corrected himself and said, “Oh, I mean he’s my little man.”
I knew what he meant. When he said that word, he was genuinely thinking loving thoughts towards his new son. Perhaps, that’s why I was so disturbed by it. His expression of love was laced with derogatory language of habit. A father has love for his first child and he articulates it by using the word N–ga.
I can’t believe Angela Davis is turning 70 today. It’s a reminder that our great black leaders/resistance fighters are growing older and will soon pass. I have much respect for Davis and all the work she has done regarding the racist prison industrial complex. I still need to watch the new documentary about her activism/life…Happy birthday, Ms Davis 🙂
Why in the blue hell would she downgrade her look from a cute brown-skinned/naturally curly-haired quirky girl, to another cliché blonde haired/skin bleached black female singer. I find it amusing as black women celebrities are doing this, Hollywood’s current love affair is with a dark-skinned/short-haired African woman (Lupita Nyong’o). This is why women of color should never listen to the Hollywood Industrial Complex. It will have you all f*cked up.
Recently, Cameroonian/Nigerian artist Dencia, was criticized for promoting her skin bleaching line–Whitelicious:
*sigh* In an imperialist white supremacist patriarchal (thank you, bell hooks) society, there is an agenda to keep darker skinned people oppressed/and to make lighter skin people feel they have an advantage. The point is to make folks of color feel bad about ourselves so that we (1) buy products, and (2) don’t question/keep the status quo in tact. It hurts my heart that so many folks of color have fallen for the okey-doke and/or contribute to the problem.
This is not just an issue with Black American women or African women, but a global problem. All across the world, folks of color have bought into light/white is right:
It’s disturbing how pervasive this has become… It takes a lot of strength to resist this brainwashing. It’s hard for many folks of color, as they are browbeaten/bombarded 24/7 with images that light/white is better.
Here are some folks whose mission is to deconstruct the rigid beauty standards of women of color/women in general:
It’s almost that time again…In our so-called “post-racial” society folks have challenged the purpose of still having a Black History Month. Personally, I think it’s still an important and needed month. Especially, for our black youth (and hell even some adults). Yeah, yeah black history should just be considered American history. Yeah, yeah most black folks have made significant strides since the Civil Rights Movement. Yeah, yeah we have a black President, Oprah, Beyoncé etc. Black wealth/power is at a level it has never been before (too bad most of our black celebrities do absolutely nothing with it, but I digress 😦
YET, there are just as many black folks struggling. Many black folks live below the poverty line, highest rates of unemployment, targeted for the Prison Industrial Complex, shot in the back while walking from the store, etc. We still have a long way to go. It’s important we know our history, so we can’t be bamboozled into thinking we deserve our mistreatment. We don’t ever want racism/oppression to be normalized or thought of as “that’s just the way it is.” There’s a rhyme and reason for everything in our imperialist white supremacist patriarchal society (thank you, bell hooks).
Any who, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has an amazing line up of shows to celebrate Black History Month. Check ’em out, if ya can:
“ARLINGTON, VA – January 16, 2014 – In commemoration of Black History Month and as part of its year-round commitment to provide diverse programming and resources for all Americans, PBS today announced new shows and online content celebrating the African American experience past, present and future. From an AMERICAN MASTERS profile of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, to an INDEPENDENT LENS documentary about the secret spy agency created to maintain segregation in 1950’s Mississippi, Black History Month on PBS will provide programs that educate, inform and inspire viewers to learn more about the rich culture of our nation. The lineup begins on February 3 at 10:00 p.m. with “American Promise,” a powerful coming-of-age documentary from POV that follows the journey of two young African-American males from kindergarten through high school graduation as they attend a prestigious Manhattan private school. Confronting challenges from typical childhood growing pains to cultural identification within a predominantly white environment, the young men and their parents push toward success and discover their own individuality in the process.”–http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2014/black-history-month/
I was in high school when the Anita Hill vs. Clarence Thomas debates happened. I remember grown folks (who should’ve known better) calling Hill black and ugly and shiny-faced. I took offense to this, as I am also darker skinned and can get shiny-faced. White AND black folks degraded Hill because it was easier to mock a black woman than to believe she was a victim of sexual abuse/harassment. Of course, folks have come to see Thomas as the flawed person that he is…Guess who got the last laugh! I am looking forward to the new documentary on Hill’s life. The film will be released in Fall 2014:
“Titled simply Anita, the film comes from Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, writer and producer Freida Mock. Here’s how it’s described: Anita Hill, an African-American woman, charges Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas with sexual harassment in explosive Senate hearings in 1991 – bringing sexual politics into the national consciousness and fueling 20 years of international debate on the issues. The film follows “the life and times” of Anita Hill, with, of course, the above sexual harassment charge and its aftermath, in focus.”– http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/watch-1st-trailer-for-anita-hill-sundance-doc-anita-set-for-fall-release
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