Home

This is What Happens When We Trash Alternative Facts

“Alternative facts” are not just Trump soundbites; they’re actual elements of American history that are produced (and reproduced) via textbooks, the erection of monuments, and the focus of television news. Revisionist history, which reinterprets the historical record, has been used to “rewrite” the history of the American confederacy, seeking to condition the American public to a prolonged narrative of white supremacy and Black subjugation. But New Orleans had had enough. Statues which sought to promote white supremacy without recognizing its terroristic realities were deemed a “public nuisance” and to date, four of them have been removed. On May 19th, 2017, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu orated one of the most infamous speeches condemning white supremacy, supporting truth-telling and promoting racial justice. The speech signaled the removal of the last of four monuments to the Lost Cause of the Confederacy: Gen. Robert E. Lee, President Jefferson Davis, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, and the memorial of the Battle of Liberty Place, a white-supremacist attempt to overthrow New Orleans’ post-civil war government. In Landrieu’s words: “To literally put the Confederacy on a pedestal in our most prominent places of honor is an inaccurate recitation of our full past. It is an affront to our present, and it is a bad prescription for our future. History cannot be changed, it cannot be moved like a statue.” “why [are there] no slave ship monuments, no prominent markers on public land to remember the lynchings or the slave blocks; nothing to remember this long chapter of our lives; the pain, the sacrifice, the shame … all of it happening on the soil of New Orleans. So for those self-appointed defenders of history and the monuments, they are eerily silent on what amounts to this historical malfeasance, a lie by omission. There is a difference between remembrance of history and reverence of it.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); While Mayor Landrieu’s actions and speech signaled notable progress after a tide of public hearings and judicial review, the work of grassroots activist groups have been largely side-stepped by mainstream media. But thanks to Clint Smith’s recent article in the New Republic, we know more about their story. Before Landrieu was even in office, New Orleans-based activists mobilized to scrub the city of its honorable mentions of the Confederacy. In the 1980s and 1990s, activists mobilized to change the name of 23 schools. And, in the aftermath of the Charleston Massacre, Take ‘Em Down NOLA helped propel an already forward-moving movement to remove enduring symbols of white supremacy. Take ‘Em Down NOLA, a prominent activist group in the area, is a “Black-led multiracial intergenerational coalition” that seeks to “remove the name of every Confederate, white supremacist, and slave-owning individual from New Orleans.” And while the removal of these four monuments constitutes more progress, the group has identified 100 other statues, 24 street names, seven schools, and two hospitals with troubling references. As Smith notes, even Tulane University was named after Paul Tulane – the largest donor to the Confederacy in New Orleans. New Orleans, LA, and Charleston, SC have taken steps to address the physical representations of revisionist history – and other cities may soon follow suit. Baltimore’s mayor is considering removing the city’s Confederate monuments, including a statue of Roger Taney, the Supreme Court chief justice who wrote the Dred Scott decision, as well as monuments of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. And, institutions like Georgetown University will rename two buildings previously bearing titles that reflected the school’s past dealings in slavery. While some will say we need these reminders so that “history won’t repeat itself,’ remembering only part of a history through a statue which dictates a single narrative is a history we should remember no more. Let’s #PushBlack and tell the whole story. All of the time. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The post This is What Happens When We Trash Alternative Facts appeared first on PushBlack.

These 10 Recipes Will Help You Outshine Your Uncle at the Cookout

Y’all know we love to fellowship. Seriously. Just get us some hot temperatures, a grill and some lawn chairs, and we will make a move out of it. But while you may have inherited Unc’s recipe for baby back ribs, and you may call your mama to get the best way to bake that mac-n-cheese, PushBlack wanted to encourage you to mix it up a bit with these remixed dishes - all by Black chefs. Check out ten books with recipes by Black chefs that’ll make you wanna slap yo’ mama! Vegan Soul Kitchen

Are you trying a new diet for the summer months? For the vegans, take a look at Vegan Soul Kitchen - a fresh and healthy approach to some of our favorite meals. Try out recipes for “Double Mustard Greens & Roasted Yam Soup,” “Black-eyed Pea Fritters” and more. Soul Food Love

Golden peanut brittle / Flickr /Janet Hudson / CC 2.0

Showing you “what a strong Black kitchen looks like in the 21st century,” Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family is the winner of a NAACP Image Award. Created by a mother-daughter duo, shares 80 recipes that tantalize your taste buds without compromising your health. Find recipes ranging from the “New School Fruit Salad” to “Honey Peanut Brittle,” and more. 8x8 Cookbook

Chicken enchiladas on a plate / Personal Creations / Flickr / CC 2.0

Are you running late to the function, or maybe you (think) you have limited talents in the kitchen? Try out Kathy Strah’s recipes for “Shortcut Chicken Enchiladas,” “Pasta Frittata,” or “Turkey-Stuffed Zucchini.” Afro-Vegan

Pomegranate Fruit Seed Food / Pixabay / dbreen / CC0

In "Afro Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed", Bryant Terry brought together the flavors of the African Diaspora in Afro-Vegan. By mixing African, Caribbean, and Southern flavors, dishes like “Pomegranate-Peace Barbecue Sauce,” and “Sweet Potato and Lima Bean Tagine.” Each recipe is paired with a song and a book, so you’re always reminded to do it #FortheCulture. The Jemima Code

Marinated chicken on a barbecue / orchidgalore / Flickr / CC 2.0

Aunt Jemima made more than just pancakes. And "The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks" synthesized the best of over 300 rare Black cookbooks, these recipes are sure to please. Pair your traditional BBQ chicken with historic flavors like potato salad, Spanish rice, and crab cakes. Rufus Estes’ Good Things to Eat

Several pieces of fried chicken / DougsTech / Wikipedia / CC 3.0

So who was the first? That would be Rufus Estes. Born into slavery in 1857, Estes would eventually work his way from a car attendant to a chef in one of the largest steel corporations in America. He authored the first ever cookbook to be written and published by a Black chef --- and his dishes signify strong ties to our history and a nod to meals past. Try out his recipe for fried chicken or ham sauce in "Rufus Estes’ Good Things to Eat - The First Cookbook by an African-American Chef." Grandbaby Cakes

Cake / Hans / Pixabay / CC0

Have a sweet tooth? The delectable twists to classic sweet favorites in "Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories" are sure to please the fam. Caribbean Potluck

Jerk Pork and Chicken Combination / Alpha / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Jerk chicken is always a favorite - whether you hail from the Caribbean or not. With over 100 recipes in all, you’re sure to find at least one mouthwatering spin on the Caribbean Potluck that the whole family is bound to enjoy. Check out "Caribbean Potluck: Modern Recipes from Our Family Kitchen." Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook

Sweet Potato Pie / sweetfixNYC / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

If you haven’t heard of Miss Robbie & Sweetie Pie’s - you might need to get hip. Her famous St. Louis based restaurant received national notoriety through the reality show, “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s,” but her recipes have been historic in the area for most of her life. Check them out in "Sweetie Pie’s Cookbook: Soulful Southern Recipes, from My Family to Yours." Desserts LaBelle

Red Velvet Cake / James Lee / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Since we’re talking about pies, you know we can’t forget about Patti Pies. Patti LaBelle has been making cookbooks for some time. One of her latest, "Desserts LaBelle: Soulful Sweets to Sing About," just might hit the sweet spot. Not only are these dishes perfect for summertime, but they will surely earn you bragging rights at the next get-together. Our people have always enjoyed fellowship around a good meal. So crack open a few of these recipe books, start stretching your legs for the electric slide, and let the good times roll.

Why Creativity Is Important To The Black Community

This article is part six of PushBlack’s seven-day Kwanzaa series. If you missed yesterday’s story, click here to check it out. Happy Kwanzaa! Today, we celebrate the sixth principle, known as Kuumba, or creativity. According to Kwanzaa creator Maulana Karenga, Kuumba calls for us “to do always as much as we can, in the way that we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it.” googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-1512094833018-0"); }); Kuumba encourages us to reflect on the fifth principle, Nia, or purpose, and develop creative ways of achieving our goals. This creativity can come in different forms. The most obvious form is artistic expression. Traditionally, we have used the arts to depict the Black experience in ways that offer new perspectives on the issues we face in society. Our community is filled with talented people who use music, visual arts, dance, and other artforms to express our range of emotion and lived experiences in ways we can connect to. This creativity often contributes to a healing process for both the artist and the audience. We must support these artists, and find ways to ensure they continue working for the best interest of the community -- instead of being diverted by the lure or materialism that comes with creating art as a commodity in American society. We’ve seen far too often how our messages can be diluted when money replaces liberation as the inspiration. Additionally, creativity does not only mean artistic creation. It can also mean determining creative solutions for the issues we face in society. Throughout history, we have found creative ways to liberate ourselves. For example, just look at the creative ways enslaved people escaped slavery; or the Montgomery, AL bus boycott (1955-1956) where the Black community rejected discrimination and stopped using public transportation, working together to create alternative methods of transportation. Even if you aren’t a traditional artist, you can still contribute creative ideas to develop solutions to many of the challenges we face. For more info about Kwanzaa, check out “The African American Holiday of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture.”

Have You Ever Showed Up On “CP Time?”

Whether it is an uncle running late to the cookout, a cousin showing up 30 minutes before the family reunion ends, or a friend missing all the previews on movie night, we all know someone that just can’t make it anywhere on time. In the Black community, saying someone is operating on CP time -- “Colored People’s Time” -- usually is a playful way to make that person aware that they are not being respectful of your time and they need to do better! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It turns out that although Black folks casually use the CP time expression amongst one another, the phrase has racist and derogatory origins. As early as 1912, the phrase showed up in print in a Chicago newspaper deriding Blacks as lazy and disregarding punctuality. Much like debates about who can use the N-word, there is no general consensus about CP time except that white people certainly should keep it out of their vocabulary. So, when NYC’s mayor Bill De Blasio joked about running on CP time, the backlash was clearly warranted. Alternatively, showing up late is not considered disrespectful in all cultures. “African time,” for example, refers to “a more relaxed attitude toward time” where people value relationships and experiences over showing up at an exact time. In this context, the phrase is not considered offensive. Historically, before modern clocks and the infusion of European concepts of time, African societies used the sun’s position in the sky to tell time and organized their day around the sun’s cycle. Following the movement of the stars is another way ancient civilizations managed their time hundreds of years before using clocks or watches. In many ways, these methods were more accurate than our modern methods. To be clear, people of all races and cultures have members who are tardy on occasion. It is safe to say, however, that CP time is one of the Black community’s many inside jokes that the rest of the world should just leave to us.

Kicking Ass and Taking Names: The Legacy of the “Harlem Hellfighters”

History is often written by the victors. But even then, some stories remain untold. When we talk about World War I, rarely is there meaningful conversation around the contributions of African-American soldiers. This paints a false narrative since we know our efforts contributed significantly to war victories. Though under the 1917 Selective Draft, nearly 400,000 African-American soldiers were drafted, only 1/10th were used as combat troops. While these men were official soldiers in the U.S. Army, it was intended for them to remain on the sidelines and assume non-combat or labor roles. The 369th Infantry of the 93rd Division was among the first American forces deployed in Europe during the Great War. Notoriously nicknamed the “Harlem Hellfighters,” this African-American troop made a name for itself by being relentless in battle and never giving up an inch of ground. Their German enemies deemed them “Hell Fighters” for preventing the capture of any of their men. Likewise, French allies called them “Men of Bronze” for remaining on the battlefield for a full 191 days – more than any other American unit. In war, it is an honor to be given nicknames by enemies and allies as these distinctions signal a nod of respect from other units. Up until the “Harlem Hellfighters” emerged, African-American soldiers were referred to as “Buffalo Soldiers.” The first “Buffalo Soldiers” originated from the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army and were given the nickname by Native Americans during the Indian Wars. These soldiers inspired Bob Marley’s song by the same name, as the soldiers represented Black men who exemplified courage, integrity, and bravery in a field predominated by whites. Despite their bravery, loyalty and camaraderie, the Harlem Hellfighters faced racial discrimination on the frontlines. Since many white American soldiers refused to fight alongside them, the Hellfighters were assigned to the French Army where racial relations were not as overly strained. However, once in Europe, the Hellfighters became famous not only for their fervor on the battlefield but also for their regimental jazz band. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Neither the French nor British had any conception of jazz music, yet the band gained instant popularity and boosted the morale of fellow soldiers. Led by James Reese Europe, the band has gone down in history as one of the most influential regimental bands of all-time. Given the racial and social climate in America during the Great War, the contributions of the Harlem Hellfighters are laudable. Their success in battle helped influence white public opinion concerning the value of African-American soldiers in the armed forces. However, these soldiers were still relegated to the sidelines, forced to wear recycled clothes from the Civil War, required to sleep outside of the standard barracks, and even trained in separate facilities. Though official members of the U.S. Army, African-Americans were still not able to become members of the Marines, Navy, or Coast Guard at the time. The Hellfighters fought for freedom abroad, but were required to don a new suit of armor once they returned “home.” Faced with race riots and lynchings as race relations between Blacks and whites grew more strained, the Hellfighters navigated defending a country that still did not accept them as whole. For all of these reasons, the Hellfighters represent a win for the integrity and dignity of African-American soldiers across generations. Moreover, they signify the humanization of the Black body so often depicted and used as merely a tool for the advancement of white efforts. In 2014, Max Brooks published a graphic novel entitled The Harlem Hellfighters, which has received critical acclaim for highlighting the bravery and bravado of the 369th Infantry. Will Smith is also set to produce a film based on the book in conjunction with Sony Pictures. These are the stories that cannot remain untold. This is American History. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The post Kicking Ass and Taking Names: The Legacy of the “Harlem Hellfighters” appeared first on PushBlack.

These Black Geniuses Received The Honor Of A Lifetime

This Prolific Black Man Was Fed Up With Whitewashed Movies

The riveting story of Oscar Micheaux’s ascent in the film industry teaches us a valuable lesson about the power of building independent businesses and taking control of our own destiny. Arguably the most prolific African-American independent filmmaker in history, Micheaux birthed an entirely new genre of films called “race films” in the early 1900s. These films starred Black actors and were intended for a Black audience. After holding several unfulfilling jobs and being displeased with what others thought of as the good life, he decided to chronicle his life experiences into novels that would eventually become the foundation for his films. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); At the time, the film industry was far from accepting of Black films so Micheaux had to get creative about getting his stories in front of the masses. Micheaux became self-sufficient and utilized his charisma and connections from previous jobs to fund and produce his own films. Although he had miserable experiences in his past jobs, those positions equipped him with the business acumen and contacts necessary for him to go into business for himself. In fact, Micheaux started his own film company after refusing to sell one of his stories to a major production firm because they would not allow him to be directly involved in its adaptation. This brave decision catalyzed all of his subsequent success and demonstrated that he knew the value of his stories and would settle for nothing less than he deserved. Micheaux’s films tackled issues of interracial romance, colorism, and white prejudice during a time when Hollywood focused narrowly on stereotyping Blacks as unsophisticated Negroes. He moved away from these images and created complex characters that more accurately depicted the realities of Black life. His philosophy was that the only way to bring African-Americans to greater heights was to elevate consciousness about racial iniquities. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Micheaux’s seminal works The Homesteader (1919) and Within Our Gates (1920) bring to light the trials and tribulations of mixed-race relationships and explore the dangers associated with them. These films questioned the value systems of both Blacks and whites and disrupted traditional narratives about race-mixing. As Black people we have a history of making a way out of no way. Micheaux had no blueprint for how to operate outside of the mainstream film industry, yet he pioneered a path and amassed immense success. His enduring legacy as the first African-American to show a film in a white theatre marks the beginning of Black people’s visibility on the big screen and a new lens to view race relations in America. He had no formal film school training or experience, just the tenacity and will to bring his vision to fruition. Click here to watch some of his films. It is always incredible to share uplifting stories of African-Americans excelling in fields that historically excluded us, but the real beauty is in the spirit of resiliency and persistence that characterize these innovators. Micheaux exemplifies the timeless quality of self-sufficiency that has been a part of the advancement of Black people for centuries. We should constantly remind ourselves of our rich cultural achievements and remember that we are a people who have and will continue to achieve no matter what obstacles we see in our way.