Noah Berlatsky of The Atlantic is reporting that Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, the outgoing president of Spelman College, expressed in an interview that racism is still very much alive and that Historically Black Colleges can aid in the desegregation of the country.
Dr. Tatum, author of the book, ‘Can We Talk About Race: and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, explained that Americans need to have more discussions on race, adding that the internet and social media cannot properly facilitate the conversations that should be had. Tatum told Berlatsky:
“Well, I don’t think the kind of dialogue you get on social media is the kind of dialogue I had in mind. I mean, let’s talk about tone. When you’re sitting face-to-face with someone, that doesn’t guarantee civility, but you can read body language, you can hear tone of voice, you can hear the nuance of what someone says, in a way that’s different from when you’re reading characters.
If you’re talking about conversations about race, most people have had very limited experience in having a meaningful or sustained dialogue about racially sensitive topics in a racially mixed setting. If they talk about race, they talk about it with people who share their own cultural background, more often than not.”
Tatum also explained that while the nation is changing, a fact shown by America having a black president, there is constant backlash to these changes. Adding that such large changes are “unsettling” for some Americans.
Tatum says that while she believes there is progress, it is not constant, and that it is interrupted by frequent bouts of regression.
Dr. Tatum will be retiring as president of Spelman College on June 30, 2015.
To read this interview in its entirety, visit TheAtlantic.com.
This post was written by Reginald Calhoun, editorial assistant for The Burton Wire. He is also a sophomore Mass Media Arts major at Clark Atlanta University. Follow him on Twitter @IRMarsean.
Flags of the United States and Cuba. (Google Images)
Roger Hamilton-Martin of Caribbean 360 discusses the new book, “Back Channel to Cuba,” which discusses the relationship between the United States and Cuba which was more robust than previously believed.
Hamilton-Martin writes:
“In a new book cataloging the recent history of clandestine exchanges between the U.S. and Cuba, the reliance on secret intermediaries belies the common perception that the two governments rarely communicated during the decades that followed the Cuban revolution in 1959.
Documents detail how Jimmy Carter acted as a secret intermediary for the Clinton administration during the 1994 Balseros immigration crisis and how Secretary of State Henry Kissinger ordered contingency plans drawn up to ‘clobber’ Havana in 1976 in response to Cuba’s military intervention in defence of the Angola’s MPLA government.”
Written by Peter Kornbluh, a Cuba expert at the non-governmental National Security Archive, and William LeoGrande, a veteran Cuba foreign-policy specialist at American University in Washington, DC, the book examines the secret meetings that took place between operatives in the United States and Cuba, particularly during the Clinton administration. The political influence of Cuban immigrants, many of whom did not not want the U.S. to communicate with Cuba, somewhat derailed attempts by the government to possibly reach a solution to long-term problems with the Caribbean nation.
KC Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah was penalized for praying following a touchdown. (Google Images)
Katie McDonough of Salon.com is reporting that Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on Monday night after he dropped to the ground in prayer to celebrate a touchdown. Abdullah, a practicing Muslim, was apparently penalized under the NFL’s rules on “excessive celebration.”
McDonough writes:
“The news of Abdullah’s penalty traveled fast, and fans (and non-fans) mobilized again. The NFL responded swiftly, saying the penalty was a mistake. ‘Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following his fourth quarter touchdown,’ NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ABC News in a statement.”
Fans were disturbed by the penalty which smacked of discrimination due to Abdullah’s religion. Former NFL player and devout Christian Tim Tebow, would kneel in prayer following a winning play during his college and professional career, giving birth to the term, “Tebowing” in reference to the behavior. Tebow was never penalized by the NFL for praying during a game.
Former NFL player and devout Christian Tim Tebow kneels in prayer during a football game.(Google Images)
Abdullah, a practicing Muslim, missed the 2012 season to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, along with his family.
The Grio is reporting that excerpts from Maya Angelou’s book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will be incorporated into a hip-hop album entitled Caged Bird Songs.
The songs are produced by Shawn Rivera and RoccStar. Rivera is the lead singer of the R&B group Az Yet. Roccstar is known for co-writing “Fine China” by Chris Brown.
Maya Angelou’s grandson Colin A. Johnson expressed that Angelou was in love with the concept of the album from the beginning. The author reports:
“Johnson said that the pair of musicians had started working on the project without Angelou’s knowledge. She eventually backed the project once she found out about it, even going as far as lending previously recorded vocals and using her home in North Carolina as a place to record the tracks.
He [Colin] also said that his grandmother was a fan of hip-hop, seeing the music as a way for people of this generation to communicate and convey messages. He added that she had ‘great stories about her interactions with Tupac (Shakur).”
Dr. Angelou’s poetry was previously used in the film Poetic Justice (1993), starring Janet Jackson and the late rapper Tupac Shakur. The film was directed by John Singleton. It is hoped that this project with AZ Yet will help deliver the messages of Dr. Angelou’s books to a younger audience, who may otherwise never experience Dr. Angelou’s words, particularly because many of her works have been banned from school systems.
The album will consist of thirteen songs and is set to be released November 4 of this year through Smooch Music.
Musical visionaries Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid and Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds at the ASCAP 3rd Annual Rhythm & Soul Legends Awards Dinner at the Mandarin in Atlanta. (Photo Credit: Robin Lori )
Veteran musician-turned-record label executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid strives to bring out excellence in anything and everyone with whom he comes in contact. Since the late 1980s, he and longtime collaborator, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, have been responsible for creating some of pop, R&B and soul music’s most memorable hit singles to date.
The prolific Grammy-winning duo’s groundbreaking imprint, LaFace Records, was their platform that made superstars out of chart-topping, million-selling artists like Usher, TLC, OutKast, P!nk, Ciara and Toni Braxton.
Their gold and multi-platinum hit factory was among the first African American-owned brands that solidified the city of Atlanta as an undeniable mecca for music and entertainment.
When L.A. refers to Babyface as “a visionary,” he points directly towards him. The pair took the Coming to America approach when they launched LaFace back in 1989. “He thought we should leave California,” says L.A. “We collectively looked at a map, picked Atlanta and got lucky.”
Once LaFace opened its doors for business, L.A. especially instilled values onto the staff that stressed the importance of quality control. Some of the then young executives perceived his mentorship as an invaluable asset essential to the office’s day-to-day environment.
Shanti Das, for example, was hired in 1993 fresh out of Syracuse University as LaFace’s National Director of Promotions before being promoted to Senior Director of Marketing. The passionate and relentless Atlanta native developed artist campaigns alongside L.A. and Babyface.
She traveled extensively with the company’s roster to ensure that the public and other industry professionals knew of LaFace’s brand presence.
“[L.A.] didn’t really believe in mediocrity,” says Das, “and I’ve always respected that about him. He always told me to strive to be my absolute best. I still try to do that today in everything that I do.”
Das, referring to her old boss as “powerful,” further elaborates on L.A.’s high standards. She remembers TLC having to shoot three different music videos for their chart-topper “Creep” because L.A. didn’t like the first cuts.
“It just wasn’t right,” she adds. “He didn’t want to put it out there. He really respected intellectual property and made sure the video was right before we released it.”
Indebted to the former judge on the FOX talent competition series, The X Factor for giving her an opportunity, Das believes L.A.’s ongoing mentoring provided her with a stable foundation to become a super successful, high-ranking woman executive in the music business.
“He told me that I needed a little more fight in me back in the day,” says Das, “and I didn’t really understand that. I do understand it now because sometimes women are taken for granted in the workplace. He was just trying to toughen me up a little bit.”
Like L.A., “DJ Eddie F.” Ferrell established a successful track record as a performer and producer prior to working at LaFace. The DJ for the late Heavy D served as LaFace’s Vice President of A&R.
Always one to produce work that exceeds expectations, Eddie F. remembers the LaFace office being “a real fun, creative company.”
“It was one of the few, even though it was an entertainment company, to run like a professional first-class business,” says Eddie F. “It was relaxed with a sense of excellence to everything. I always tried to do the best that I could with anything that he wanted to get done and knock it out the park.”
Day-in and day-out, Eddie F. and L.A., also the founder of Hitco Music Publishing, would chat for hours about concepts and ideas they wanted to execute alongside timelines and budgets.
The two also connected through their shared love of both music and producers.
Eddie F. feels that L.A.’s decision to embrace him defined the pinnacle of his career. He says L.A. reiterated that music was a team effort. “He used to say you don’t know if it’s the guy in sales that made the extra push or the guy in promotions that went to radio,” says Eddie F.
“You don’t really know who made your record happen.” Das, on the other hand, comments on L.A.’s manifesto for finding and signing successful recording artists. He believes those artists have “the IT factor.”
“We saw it in Usher and P!nk, who came to audition for LaFace,” adds Das. “It’s hard to put your finger on it. It’s not really tangible, but you know what artists have that confidence and that excitement about them.”
“We brought an alternative to what he was used to,” says T-Mo. “He was used to flashy things and all the good stuff. We brought that street edge to him…that ATL realest…the real Southwest…the whole Atlanta.”
A proud yet modestly dressed L.A., surrounded by a small entourage including Usher and Jermaine Dupri on opening night, attends the first two shows. He nods his head to OutKast’s live set as he walks through the massive audience.
The nod is also a nod to something the game changer said before stepping into the Mandarin Oriental’s reception area to receive his award. When asked what makes a great leader in the music business, L.A. says, “It’s about making sure that the people that follow you are well taken care of.”
Christopher A. Daniel is pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Comedienne Whoopi Goldberg performs at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
*Warning* – profanity is included in some quotes in this article.
Whoopi Goldberg keeps it real. The bold veteran of both stage and screen built her entire career around unapologetically interrogating headline news and ongoing social issues without blinking an eye.
“I wanted to be an actor,†says Goldberg. “I’m a storyteller, so I take a little more time. Comedy just gave me a chance to show people what I could do.â€
As she paces across the dark area that closely resembles her timeless Broadway backdrop, the humorist walks into a standing ovation smothered in an eruption of applause, whistles and shouts. Not a fan of flying at all, Goldberg arrives in Atlanta from New York City by tour bus precisely one hour and 15 minutes prior to showtime.
The iconic performer’s expressive Drama Desk award-winning stage presence meshes together witty, nostalgic self-reflective personal narratives, alternating irreverent monologues and soliloquys topped off with her biting grin after every joke.
Goldberg grabs a thick book and opens it midway through her 90-minute set. “I have to write shit down because I can’t remember anything,†says Goldberg.
A casually dressed Goldberg wears her thick chin-length dreadlocks pinned up. Anytime she wisecracks, the comic slowly paces across the stage in her bright pink crocs and green socks or takes a sip from her water bottle.
Having recently lost 30 lbs., Goldberg’s self-deprecating remarks on her body type segues into sharing about her knack for eccentric footwear.
“People are fit on that show for the most part. I don’t have that body,†says Goldberg.
From there, a carefree Goldberg, who proclaims her love for gadgets, critiques her ability to be in a good relationship, going so far as to jokingly compare her dissolved marriages to apps on mobile devices.
“It’s a bitch,†she says. “I’m not really good with people. I can’t do it. I tried it four or five times. You actually have to listen to the other person. That’s why I have a cat.â€
Laughter erupts and echoes throughout the hall.
Goldberg makes it perfectly clear through her cordless mic that she’s pissed off about controversial topics. She goes on to offer a disclaimer to audience members, suggesting that they exit if they deem her subject matter too offensive.
“This is me talking me and using language I love,†says Goldberg in the midst of euphoria. “I like to let people know I don’t look at it as cursing. I have very specific things that I do and talk about.â€
Goldberg literally drops the ‘f-bomb’ the entire show. The groundbreaking Mark Twain Prize recipient’s repertoire sort of resembles her day job on The View, which premiered its 18th season just four days prior to her performance.
Goldberg offers insights on domestic violence, technology, gay marriage, flatulence, legalizing marijuana, womanhood and age. Never one to subscribe to being politically correct, the straightforward human rights advocate and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador comments on society’s criticisms of President Obama.
“If you’re on TV, people run to you with shit,†she says. “People feel like they can say all kinds of stuff to you. He’s made shit a little easier for us. I have to be careful. I can’t say ‘What the fuck?’ on TV.â€
Goldberg, who admits that she tries not to be cranky, adds, “Maybe I have a skewed idea of how things should be, but shit annoys me. I’m a little bitchy. As you can see, I’m always in trouble with somebody.â€
For instance, ABC had an issue with Goldberg, who quit smoking two years ago, using her vaporizer pen. Her former singular-titled NBC sitcom bearing her first name was canceled after just one season. The subject matter is quite funny to Goldberg.
The network thought otherwise. “I got into some deep shit on that show,†says Goldberg with slight chuckling.
On the other hand, Goldberg says her monologue on the little girl who didn’t feel beautiful still resonates with many of her female fans across the globe. “It’s a woman’s piece,†says Goldberg, “and I didn’t know that I was doing that.â€
“There isn’t one place to find all of these amazing people,†says Goldberg.
Towards the end of her set, the jokester showed her appreciation to a few adoring fans. Goldberg shakes one lady’s hand. She hugs and takes selfies with a few of the elders in the audiences. An author of children’s books, Goldberg tells a few audience members with copies to wait so that she can autograph them.
Those moments and experiences allow Goldberg to maintain a sense of humility and gratitude about her success.
The show closes to thunderous applause, cheers and a unanimous standing ovation. Goldberg waves as she exits. Before she leaves, the comedienne takes another few minutes to reflect and express her gratitude.
“There are lots of talented people in the world that won’t be able to do what I do,†says Goldberg. “It’s just what I like to do. I realize that it’s luck, and you guys make me remember I’m better.â€
Christopher A. Daniel is pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Promoting voting among minority groups. ( Photo credit: Google Images.)
NewsOne.com is reporting that expected black voter turnout for the mid-term elections has the Democratic party on edge.
A weak mid-term election turnout could lead to a complete Republican take over in Congress. The author reports:
“There’s plenty of cause for concern. Voter turnout, in general, is lower for mid-terms than it is in presidential election years, but the trend is even more pronounced for minorities, who skew Democratic.”
This has caused Democrats and progressives to start a series of initiatives aimed at creating a greater voter turnout from minority populations.
The effort started Sept. 21 with “Freedom Sunday.” Freedom Sunday included 3,000 churches across the nation, who aimed to increase voter registration and education.
The nation’s First African-American U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to step down. (Google Images)
Juliet Eilperin of The Washington Post is reporting that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is resigning from his post. Eilperin reports:
“After serving for nearly six years as the head of the Justice Department, Holder is the first African American to be Attorney General of the United States and will be the fourth longest person to hold the position,” a White House official, who asked not to be identified because the announcement had not been made yet, said in an e-mail.
“Holder’s accomplishments have established a historic legacy of civil rights enforcement and restoring fairness to the criminal justice system. Holder revitalized the Department’s praised Civil Rights Division, protected the rights of the LGBT community, successfully prosecuted terrorists, and fought tirelessly for voting rights, to name a few. He will remain at the Department of Justice until his post is filled.”
Holder is the nation’s first African-American to hold the position of U.S. Attorney.
Students graduate from Fisk University. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
Cedric Thornton of Black Enterprise is reporting that ASPiRE TV has launched a partnership with the White House Initiative on HBCUs to increase awareness of the value and the legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), to expose college students to entrepreneurs and professionals in corporate and private businesses.
Thornton reports:
“ASPiRE is extremely proud to expand its commitment to improve educational opportunities for African- American youth at HBCUs by partnering with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” said Paul Butler, general manager, ASPiRE. “We are honored to further strengthen our focus on education by joining with the Billion Dollar Roundtable to advance education and opportunities for HBCU students. We recognize that HBCUs are an important part of our culture and safeguarding their legacy, along with enhancing educational, professional and entrepreneurial opportunities for the next generation of leaders, is critical to our nation’s future.
This collaboration is a part of ASPiRE’s initiative to promote excellence in education among African-American students at HBCUs and to provide those students with professional development and support.”
The White House Initiative on HBCUs is currently holding its HBCU Week Conference at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park, September 22-23. For more information visit the official website. Click here for the conference program.
Bullied 14-year-old commits suicide. (Photo Credit: Google Images)
WESH TV is reporting that hundreds gathered for the funeral of Lamar Hawkins III, a 14-year-old boy that committed suicide at Greenwood Lakes Middle School last week. Hawkins’ parents believe the boy committed suicide due due to bullying he suffered from a stunted growth disorder.
“Her 14-year-old son, who they called Shaq, had stunted growth, and his family believes that made him an easy target. She said he was pushed down the stairs, knocked out of his chair and mocked at lunch.”
Lamar’s mother, Shaniqua Hawkins, is saying that the family had voiced their concerns to the school about the bullying that had been taking place.
“I felt paralyzed by the inability to make the bullying stop at school…I watched him walk out the door of our home and knew there was a very good chance others would be cruel to him.”
