Tag: Politics

Trumped: One Black Man’s Response To America

Ican’t seem to get the song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” out of my head. That song played over and over in my mind as weeks became the days leading up to January 20th, 2017. It’s been fitting. I’ll miss the elegance and class President Obama and his extraordinary wife Michelle brought forth as… Continue reading Trumped: One Black Man’s Response To America

Yes We Did: Assessing Black Progress During the Obama Era

In 2008 candidate Barack Obama campaigned with the slogan “Yes We Can!” When he became president in 2009, many thought he would be a transformational president. Soon however, it became apparent that Obama would face recalcitrant and racist opposition from both the GOP and the insurgent Tea Party in 2010. Looking back over the past… Continue reading Yes We Did: Assessing Black Progress During the Obama Era

On Critique and Praise of President Obama

As of January 20, 2017, the United States Presidency as we know it will be no longer. Barack, Michelle, Sasha, and Malia will cease occupation of the White House and enter American society as citizens, albeit as the former First Family. President Obama’s staff has minimized, his cabinet members have removed the last items from… Continue reading On Critique and Praise of President Obama

Why John Lewis’ decision to boycott the inauguration is a mistake, and why we shouldn’t follow his lead

Representative John Lewis has declined to attend the inauguration out of a belief that Russian interference in the election delegitimizes Trump’s presidency. Other lawmakers are following suit after Trump insulted Lewis for his decision. Here are four reasons why you should go anyway: Safety in numbers. A brown face automatically amounts to protest in many… Continue reading Why John Lewis’ decision to boycott the inauguration is a mistake, and why we shouldn’t follow his lead

Obama, Thank You

President Barack Obama is loved and hated for different reasons by whites and blacks. For many rural whites and bigoted racists, Obama is seen as a foreigner who epitomizes the dismantling of white supremacy. Blacks vary in their love-hate relationship with Obama. Some see him as a mixed black man who did not push the… Continue reading Obama, Thank You

What Donald Trump Can Learn from Spike Lee

“I pledge that I will be the president for all Americans… Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation.” —President-elect Donald Trump, November 9, 2016 This fall semester I am teaching a new course called HIST 289: Spike Lee’s America. The course uses Spike Lee’s filmography to engage students in discussion… Continue reading What Donald Trump Can Learn from Spike Lee

Earning the Black Vote

Realistically, the African American community contributes in the neighborhood of only ten million votes in a national election. It takes sixty million to win. The assumed novelty of the African American vote is that African Americans vote in a condensed group. This is what the Democratic party has been exploiting since the 1960s. Again, don’t… Continue reading Earning the Black Vote

The Fierce Urgency Of Now

America: we need to have a heart-to-heart. I don’t want to sit here and repeat the liberal or conservative talking points; there’s enough blame to go around. Nay, instead, I think we need to talk about some of the core problems that have been hitting the mainstream in recent years. On Partisanship As a country,… Continue reading The Fierce Urgency Of Now