639 – Black Commentator

Color of Law

The Black Vote: Who Deserves It? Hillary, Bernie or Someone Else? And Why Is Azealia Banks Weighing In?

By David A. Love, JD Executive Editor

On the one hand we have Hillary Clinton, who is the clear favorite among African-Americans. As a number of commentators have noted, this would appear to be a paradox, given the Clintons’ rise to power was based on throwing Black folks under the bus.

With the Iowa Caucus behind us, Hillary Clinton won a marginal victory, which means she will share Iowa’s delegates in a virtual tie with Bernie Sanders,…

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View from the Battlefield

Genocide in Flint – The water disaster will impact generations to come

By Jamala Rogers Editorial Board

The Flint water crises was born out of government/corporate decisions that believe black and poor people are collateral damage in the financial strategy to make the state of Michigan solvent. African Americans are about 60 per cent of the population; nearly 42 per cent of Flint residents are below the poverty line.

In spite of his poignant and insightful documentaries, I never saw independent filmmaker Michael Moore as a radical or revolutionary. I saw a progressive with a…

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Commentary

Standing On Sacred Ground – Black History Month

By Dr. Julianne Malveaux, PhD Editorial Board

This year the association for the study of African American life and history (ASALH) has chosen Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories as their Black History Month Theme.

Three unarmed black men encountered a group of white men walking down a dirt road in Slocum, Texas on July 29, 1910. Without warning, and with…

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Guest Commentary

Trumbo – Hollywood’s Anti-communist Tribute to Itself

By Eric Mann Guest Commentator

A film showing how the so called “bi-partisan” anti-communist alliance in the United States organized the Cold War and the Hollywood Black list is badly needed.

“Why does the film make no mention of lynching, poll taxes or trace that racism to the Democratic Party as Trumbo and Fast did? Why not…

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Commentary

Connecting the Dots: Cartel Privatization Strategies and the Continuing Fallout for Rahm Emanuel et. al., Part X

By Dr. Walter C. Farrell, Jr., PhD, M.S.P.H. Columnist

Black and Hispanic families and children are the primary victims of Emanuel’s privatization of public education, and hundreds of groups advocating against police brutality, school closings, corporate charters, and city corruption are coalescing around their issues with the goal of removing him from office.

Requiring new hires to pick up their entire share of pension costs right away. (In other words, veteran teachers would be required to cannibalize new hires…

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Commentary

The Underground Railroad – Black History Month – A Poem about Harriet Tubman

By Langston Hughes

Who is the engineer on the Freedom Train? Can a coal-black man drive the Freedom Train? Or am I still a porter on the Freedom Train? Is there ballot boxes on the Freedom Train? Do colored folks vote on the Freedom Train? When it stops in Mississippi, will it be made plain Everybody's got a right to board the Freedom Train?

Note: This is a poem Langston Hughes wrote about the Underground Railroad which Harriet Tubman conducted. Who is the engineer on the Freedom Train? Can a…

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Cartoon

Saudi Arabia – Iran, Sunni – Shia Middle East

By Carlos Latuff

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Guest Commentary

Black History Month – Honoring a First in African American History: William Cooper Nell and The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution

By Dr. Marion Kilson, PhD Guest Commentator

Nell made the case that civil equality was due to African Americans, because of their significant contributions to the founding of the nation.

William Cooper Nell, however, was not simply a creator of and participant in significant events in black Boston during the antebellum decades, he also recorded them.…

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Commentary

Why Homophobic Harlem Church Building Should Become LGBT Homeless Youth Shelter

By The Reverend Irene Monroe Editorial Board

The prevailing thought today in the area of urban development and city planning is that if you want to revitalize a decaying city and get rid of its urban plight you create gayborhoods. And new studies reveals that these enclaves have overall positive economic and cultural effects.

Gentrification of neighborhoods always disrupts existing communities within them. In the past several years, Harlem’s empty lots and burned-out buildings have sprung up luxury condos, upscale…

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Commentary

Education For What?

By Dr. Conrad W. Worrill, PhD Columnist

we are still challenged today to create an education climate that inspires African youth in America to understand that the purpose of education is to develop the skills and historical understanding of the past as it relates to the present and future in preparation for working for self and the liberation of African people.

Throughout most of our lives, African people in America have been told if you get a good education you can get a good job. African people…

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Issue: 639