Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad, PhD

Black History Month is time when Black America reminds the rest of the world of the significant contributions African Americans have made to the advancement of society. Bombarded with negative images the other months of the year (twelve when you acknowledge that negative imagery doesn’t take a break even in February), Black America—in the collective—finds…

The Virginia Legislature issued a statement of “profound regret” last week over the state’s involvement in slavery, as the state prepares to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown—the first “official” colonial settlement in what eventually became British America, and subsequently the United States of America. While also condemning the “egregious wrongs” Virginia…

The California Legislative Black Caucus released its commissioned study on the state of Black Californians last week. The brainchild of Caucus Vice Chair, Assembly Majority Leader, Karen Bass, the study is an expansion on the state of Black Los Angeles report released by the Urban League and United Way in 2005. I swear, black people…

The same week the threat of a massive protest caused the cancellation of a white (gay) male’s “blackface” routine in West Hollywood, that same protest threat failed to save nine of ten black youth on trial for what was deemed a racial attack in Long Beach. I’ve been preaching for some time that “Colorblindness is…

The Los Angeles City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee On Gang Violence and Youth Development got a chance to hear a gang study last week, that finally undressed “the Emperor.” But those of us in the streets of Los Angeles have known, for some time, that the Emperor was butt-naked. The city’s gang intervention efforts have…

The celebration of the federal King holiday brings about a whole host of conflicts and convolutions. This year was no different. The only man to have a federal holiday named in his honor in the 20th holiday (that wasn’t a President), the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lost his life in a perpetual struggle…

California rolled out its new governor last week. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, gimp and all, was inaugurated to his first full term (after serving the balance of his recalled predecessor’s term) and he had a brand new look. No, not the crutches. Schwarzenegger wore his new “centrist” jacket to his two million dollar “all frills” inauguration…

A recent commentary by a fellow editorialist, querying who speaks for the black community (and in which order), raises a recurring question that has plagued every black community throughout the nation. This twenty-something year old commentator, as bold as she is, works for an 80 year old elected official (who recently announced that he was…

A national furor has been set off by conservative talk show host, Dennis Prager, because Minnesota Democrat, Keith Ellison, the nation’s first African American Muslim elected to Congress has elected to take his oath of office on his book of faith, the Holy Quran. In one of the most dramatic “much ados about nothing,” Prager…