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Learn How to Feel Black With The Poet of the Black Revolution

“We write because we believe the human spirit cannot be tamed and should not be trained.” - Nikki Giovanni She’s been dubbed the “Poet of the Black Revolution.” Nikki Giovanni is a poet, civil rights activist, and television personality who rose to fame in the 1970s but holds immense relevance today. As a major pillar in the Black Arts Movement, Giovanni’s writings and speaking conveyed the Black lived experience with both eloquence and critique. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Though born Yolande Cornelia Giovanni in 1943 in Knoxville, TN, Giovanni grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio - where she would later establish the city’s first Black Arts Festival in 1967. As a student at Fisk University, Giovanni rose to leadership roles, reestablished the campus chapter of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), and edited the student literary journal. She also attended the First Writers Conference at Fisk where she would meet LeRoi Jones, later known as Amirki Baraka - a prominent founder of the Black Arts Movement. Only a year after graduating with honors from Fisk University, Giovanni would publish her first book of poems - Black Feeling, Black Talk (Harper Perennial) in 1968. Giovanni would later attend graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. Giovanni has authored numerous children’s books and poetry collections including Black Judgement (Broadside Press, 1969), Love Poems (William Morrow, 1997), Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea: Poems and Not-Quite Poems (William Morrow, 2002), and Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid (William Morrow, 2013). As a survivor of lung cancer, Giovanni also contributed to Inspirational Stories of Black Cancer Survivors (Hilton Publishing, 2005). Black Feeling Black Talk (1968), Black Judgment (1968) and Re: Creation (1970) are some of her most famous and socially critical works. Giovanni’s works critique gender binaries, explored Black rage, showcased the beauty of family and friendship, and uncover themes of beauty and self-identity. Here is one of her works entitled “Woman:” She wanted to be a blade Of grass amid the fields But he wouldn’t agree To be the dandelion She wanted to be a robin singing Through the leaves But he refused to be Her tree She spun herself into a web And looking for a place to rest Turned to him But he stood straight Declining to be her corner She tried to be a book But he wouldn’t read She turned herself into a bulb But he wouldn’t let her grow She decided to become A woman And though he still refused To be a man She decided it was all Right (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); She has been recognized with numerous accolades: three NAACP Image Awards for Literature in 1998, the Langston Hughes Award for Distinguished Contributions to Arts and Letters in 1996, and over twenty honorary degrees from institutions across the United States. Giovanni is currently a distinguished professor at Virginia Tech. Giovanni represents a unification of Black identities that operates to provide social critique while celebrating Black beauty. Her work has been honored across the globe and she remains a scholar, writer and teacher to this very day. Want to know more? Pick up a copy of one of her most powerful collections, "Black Feeling, Black Talk, Black Judgement," along with more here. Check out this interview between Nikki Giovanni and Sway where she discusses her “Thug Life” tattoo and book, Chasing Utopia.

Introducing the Greatest Olympic Runner of All Time

The idea that Blacks are inherently stronger, faster and feel less pain than people of other races was used to justify slavery, ill-treatment and even unethical medical practices for hundreds of years. Though disproved by countless medical studies, the notion of Black “beastality” or other mischaracterizations are now used to undermine the hard work of Black athletes – claiming their success is based solely on “natural ability,” rather than the hard work, practice, and dedication required to achieve such success. Although these viewpoints do not definitively capture the whole truth behind why African Americans have excelled in sports, they do highlight stereotypes that Black athletes have battled on their journeys toward greatness. Despite these obstacles, African-Americans have dominated track and field for nearly a century. During the 1930s, Ralph Metcalfe who was deemed the “world’s fastest human,” and Jesse Owens, who garnered four Olympic Gold medals, set the bar extremely high for track athletes who followed. A decade later, Alice Coachman became the first Black woman to win an Olympic Gold medal. In 1961, a new star was born — and his name was Carl Lewis. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Carl Lewis is one of the most decorated track athletes of all time. With 9 Olympic Gold medals, 1 Silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, his presence in Olympic history is unparalleled. Growing up in New Jersey, Carl Lewis had the proper support he needed to prepare for his outstanding career in track and field. Both Carl and his sister, Carol, benefited from use of their parent’s local athletic club. Carol went on to compete in the 1984 Olympics and won Bronze at the 1983 World Championships in the long jump. As for Carl Lewis, he was recruited by colleges and universities from around the country. Ultimately, he settled on the University of Houston as his first choice. At Houston, he honed his skills as a long jumper and sprinter – – quickly rising through the ranks and becoming one of the nation’s top talents. As a sophomore, Lewis won NCAA championships in both the 100m dash and long jump. Jesse Owens was the only other person in NCAA history to accomplish that feat up until that point. Lewis later competed in four Olympic Games and set multiple Olympic and world records in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m, and long jump before retiring in 1997. Four years after his retirement, Lewis was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame. Recently, Carl Lewis preserved his legacy by donating several personal items to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Among them include nine Gold Medals, a jersey worn in the 1984 Olympics, two Olympic torches carried by Lewis, a pair of track shoes, and several photographs. Lewis completely embodied Black excellence in sports. Countless hours of practice, encouraging parents, and dedicated coaches cultivated Lewis into the sensational athlete he became — not simply his genetics. Thus, for his perseverance and uncanny work ethic, he will be remembered as the greatest Olympic runner of all-time. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The post Introducing the Greatest Olympic Runner of All Time appeared first on PushBlack.

What Happened to these Wealthy Black Communities?

New York City’s Wall Street is well-known for its towering skyscrapers and dapper stockbrokers, but how much do you know about “Black Wall Street”? “Black Wall Street” is a moniker given to several predominantly Black neighborhoods throughout the country where African-Americans built flourishing local economies. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-1512094833018-0"); }); These robust communities were mainstays for African Americans following the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. Each neighborhood prided itself on self-reliance and maintained its own Black-run banks, schools, libraries, and grocery stores. The Greenwood district in Tulsa, Oklahoma is the most famous Black Wall Street neighborhood. Greenwood was a bustling metropolis filled with Black doctors, lawyers, and business owners who lived in breathtaking houses and supported their own. Home to nearly 10,000 Black residents, the dollar circulated between 36 and 100 times within this community – remaining in Black hands for as long as a year. This camaraderie encouraged folks to support one another and look no further than their own neighborhood to provide the resources needed to navigate work and family life. Unfortunately, Greenwood’s fame did not originate from its success as a center of Black wealth. Instead, its fame came after its destruction. In 1921, the KKK led one of the most brutal attacks ever recorded in history leaving 300 dead and over 9,000 Greenwood residents homeless. After the town was violently ransacked by mobs of irate and envious whites, Black bodies were stacked in the streets like wood and never properly buried. In addition to the body count, 1,256 residences and 150 thriving businesses were burned down including 21 restaurants, 30 grocery stores, two movie theatres and a hospital. Greenwood would never fully rebuild. Richmond, Virginia’s Jackson Ward neighborhood is the second most well-known Black Wall Street community. Considered “the birthplace of Black capitalism,” Jackson Ward centered on Black commerce and an enticing entertainment scene. The local theatre was frequented by the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, James Brown, and many others indicating the town’s prominence and national reputation. Of particular importance, Jackson Ward was home to the first bank chartered by an African-American woman in the United States. Unlike Greenwood, Jackson Ward was not destroyed; however, many residents eventually abandoned the area leading to a swift financial decline. A third Black Wall Street neighborhood was located on Parrish Street in Durham, North Carolina. This community was led by two prominent Black businessmen named John Merrick and Charles Spalding. Unlike other Black Wall Streets, the Parrish Street district benefitted from a cooperative relationship with whites. White elites from the Duke Family invested in the local economy, demonstrating a level of racial tolerance absent from other thriving Black communities in the South. By 1910, the North Carolina Mutual Bank on Parrish Street was considered the world’s largest Negro business and became a staple for both Blacks and whites alike. Regrettably, however, the majority of Black residents integrated into white neighborhoods following desegregation efforts, leaving Parrish Street to face a similar fate as Jackson Ward. With the erosion of these historic Black neighborhoods, we lost a vibrant part of Black history. The tenacity and resilience required to create hubs of Black wealth exemplify what is possible in America, but their downfalls also show us the fragility of economic advancement in a racialized society. It is difficult to imagine the impact these communities would have today had they survived. Do you think we need to revive the idea of these self-sufficient Black communities? Let us know!

Dashcam Reveals Heartbreaking Truth Behind Philando Castile’s Murder

On Tuesday evening, Ramsey County, MN released dashcam footage of the police-led shooting death of our brother Philando Castile. This heartbreaking imagery adds an exclamation point to the end of this year-long sentence. A sentence that began on July 6, 2016 as Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, live-streamed the gut wrenching scene of officer Jeronimo Yanez killing Castile as she and her daughter sat defenseless and terrified in the car. This image will haunt them forever. Castile followed the officer’s orders. He pulled his car over. He was respectful. He informed the officer that he had a license to carry a firearm. He reached for his driver’s license as requested by the officer. After all of this, within only 74 seconds, Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer frightened by nothing more than the sight of Black skin. Respectability did not save our brother’s life. Yanez lied to Castile about the reason for being pulled over. He claimed it was for a broken tail light. However, the dashcam footage reveals he thought Castile and his girlfriend fit the description of robbery suspects – primarily because of Castile’s “wide-set nose.” Castile, fed a lie by the officer, had no reason to see the interaction as anything other than a routine traffic stop. No reason to assume the officer was approaching him with aggression fueled by bias. Raise your hand if you have a “wide-set nose.” Damn near any one of us could have ended up like Castile on that evening. Castile was not involved in any robbery. In fact, he held a critical role in his community by working daily to add value to the lives of youth as a supervisor for the St. Paul Public Schools Nutrition Services Department. He was loved by the people he served. And, he loved the people dearly. When asked by his friend and coworker John Thompson why he worked extra shifts in the summer, Castile simply responded, “I’m working this summer because I love the kids…man, I love everybody.” Those were the last words Thompson heard from Castile. Officer Yanez has been on paid leave for the past year. He was likely able to spend quality time with his wife from the comfort of their suburban home and be present for his infant daughter’s first milestones. Castile, on the other hand, was robbed of the chance to help his girlfriend raise her then-4-year-old daughter and to continue enhancing the lives of the school children he served. As the verdict came in to clear Yanez of all charges, the police department announced they were firing the officer but are now negotiating a “separation agreement” to help him transition to a new career. Yes, NEGOTIATING. Yanez can request a package he deems appropriate. This situation we are in is like a terrible movie playing on a non-stop loop. As Black bodies continue falling in the streets at the hands of the State, the officers involved are rarely held accountable for their actions. In a sense, they are actually rewarded. Although the jury has made their decision, the battle is not yet over. Join us in signing the Color of Change petition to demand that Yanez does not receive severance pay. Demand that police officers are not allowed to profit from the theft of Black lives and the destruction of Black families. Click here to sign the petition. The post Dashcam Reveals Heartbreaking Truth Behind Philando Castile’s Murder appeared first on PushBlack.

A Day without Black People: How Black Inventions Have Revolutionized Life As We Know It

For the Love of Money, NYC Stole from Black Folks

New York’s Central Park is one of the city’s most precious gems, attracting visitors year-round from all over the world. What both visitors and residents often do not realize, however, is that their stroll in the park is actually walk on sacred ground. The land atop which Central Park now rests has a unique story — with particular significance to the African-American community. From 1825 to 1857, Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners inhabited some of the very land that Central Park stands on today. The community bore the name, Seneca Village, and was located between 82nd and 89th Streets at Seventh and Eighth Avenues. While many white New York landowners refused to sell to African-Americans even after emancipation, John and Elizabeth Whitehead were an exception to the rule. Though the land was a far walk from the city’s metropolitan area, it allowed buyers to build their own houses in a safe area and escape the overcrowded and crime-ridden slums that most African-Americans were relegated to at the time. The first purchasers of the Whitehead’s property were members of the New York African Society for Mutual Relief, a society with a shared mission to build Black communities. A young boot-polisher, Andrew Williams, was the first to purchase three lots of land for $125, making him the first official resident of Seneca Village. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); According to the 1855 census, Seneca Village was comprised of 264 residents and was home to three churches, two schools, and three cemeteries. Though the majority of the town’s inhabitants were laborers, they were considered a rising middle-class based on their levels of education and homeowner status. The cost of land in Seneca Village was relatively inexpensive at the time, and African-Americans were nearly five times more likely to be property owners there than in other parts of the city. By owning property, African-Americans could then participate in civic life: any man who owned at least $250 in property was permitted to vote. The downfall of Seneca Village came in the summer of 1856 when residents were given their final warning to evacuate their home to make way for park construction. Through eminent domain, the New York government took authority over private lands to eradicate Seneca Village’s residents. While landowners were compensated, their entire way of life, homes, and right to vote were stripped away. The newspapers praised the destruction of what they called “N—-er Village” — referring to its residents as “squatters” and “insects” living in “shanties.” The history of Seneca Village is not widely discussed. With the exception of a memorial plaque that wasn’t erected until 2001, little has been done to preserve the legacy of this legendary community. The names and faces of those displaced do not appear anywhere in a museum or history book — they have simply been erased. And while many people could not imagine New York City without Central Park, we must not forget the price paid by those who were forced out of their homes to make way for its development. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The post For the Love of Money, NYC Stole from Black Folks appeared first on PushBlack.

The Revealing Conflict between Baldwin and Wright

The legendary James Baldwin and Richard Wright notoriously never saw eye-to-eye on what it means to be Black in America. These two authors have fostered some of our most memorable, nostalgic, and liberating moments by telling stories that we emotionally connect to, however, they fundamentally disagreed on how to talk about the Black experience. Baldwin and Wright are both world-renowned best-selling authors who articulated the plight of African-Americans in their work. Each writer’s unique perspective has contributed to the diversity of voices represented within Black literature. However, these two had serious “beef.” Baldwin despised how Wright characterized the Black community in his famous novel “Native Son” so much so that he wrote an entire book of criticism called “Notes of a Native Son” detesting Wright’s work. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Baldwin’s main critique of “Native Son” was that it reinforced dangerous racial stereotypes about Black people. He argued that Wright used these disgusting depictions of Blacks to appease his white audience and sell more books. In essence, Wright “sold out” his own community by giving his characters stereotypical traits to make them palatable for whites in hopes to elicit their sympathy. Bigger Thomas, the story’s protagonist, was a murderer and rapist motivated by animal-like impulses while his supporting characters were petty criminals, mammies, and Negroes satisfied with an average life in the ghetto. According to Baldwin, “Native Son” stripped Black people of our humanity in a time when we needed to be affirming our humanity the most. Baldwin even compared the damage done by “Native Son” to Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” which famously degraded Blacks and made us appear subservient to whites. The difference being Wright is a Black writer perpetuating these negative images, which arguably is even more problematic. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Representation matters in more than just novels, and that is why Baldwin took the time to address Wright. He understood that these were more than mere words on a page; these words carried consequences. If Blacks are perpetually portrayed as urban, criminal, lazy, and aggressive, people may truly believe that all Blacks fit those descriptions. This leads to a public that devalues the lives of Blacks and sees us as expendable. And ultimately, Baldwin believed Wright contributed to these destructive narratives. Who was right – Baldwin or Wright? Were Baldwin’s criticisms warranted? Was Wright simply reflecting his authentic experiences? What we know for certain is Black people have a collective image that nobody is going to protect but us. Although this image is highly influenced by books, music, movies, and even popular culture, we as individuals each have the power to contribute to ensuring it remains positive. Our words and actions can either uplift or tear down barriers created by racial stereotypes so we must choose them wisely. The post The Revealing Conflict between Baldwin and Wright appeared first on PushBlack.