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These Black Geniuses Received The Honor Of A Lifetime

This Is What Happens When Pop Artists Comment On Black Music

“When you say ‘Black music,’ understand that you are talking about rock, jazz, R&B, reggae, funk, doo-wop, hip-hop, and Motown. Black people created it all. It’s what gives America its swag.” - Bruno Mars Well, Bruno, we agree and you are officially invited to the next cookout. It is no secret that Black innovators pioneered every major shift in American music, and drew influences from African rhythms, drum patterns, and melodies. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Prior to the transatlantic slave trade, most African countries participated in cultural and religious traditions that included communal songs and elaborate dances. Once Europeans witnessed our power to rally our people together with music, they banned Africans from using drums or horns because they feared the music would lead to rebellions. Ironically, the same music they feared became a major source of entertainment in early minstrel shows. Although minstrel shows parodied Black people, they relied entirely on Black speech, songs, and dances to capture the audience’s attention. Fast-forward to today, and music still reflects the footprint of early styles created by Black people. Take country music for example, without Black country artist DeFord Bailey, there would be no Rascal Flatts or Garth Brooks. Don’t get it twisted, white people learned this music thing from us. Even down to the instrumentation, our influence is clear -- enslaved Southern Blacks invented the banjo and fiddle, as early as 1690. These instruments were essential for early forms of blues, R&B, and country. When times got hard, Black people sang hymns to uplift one another, giving birth to gospel music. Not only have Black artists made popular music, but they developed an entire subgenre around hope and progress in the midst of struggle that has found its way into Black and white churches, cars, and homes all across the country. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It goes without saying that jazz music completely changed the game, too, and is as American as apple pie. Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and many more brought nightclubs to their knees with sultry and sweet sounds that inspired generations of hip-hop, rock, and R&B artists. For example, the way that jazz musicians “scat” on records helped vocalists and rappers understand nuanced cadences and experiment with harmonies and melodies unlike ever before. Not surprisingly, three Black DJs also invented techno music while simply playing around with new computer technology. The techno industry is now worth over $7 billion and it all started by blending afro-futuristic sounds with funk, electronic, and jazz elements. So when Bruno Mars said, “they [Black Americans] were the superstars that set the bar for me and showed me what it takes to sing a song that can get the whole world dancing, or give a performance that people will talk about forever,” he was speaking to a long history of Black contributions to the music and entertainment industry. The bottom line is that when white artists try to make “Black music,” there is a thin line between appropriation and appreciation. While imitation is a major form of flattery, these folks could easily let us shine and continue to do what we do best.

MJ Didn’t Moonwalk First, But He Did It Best

You Can Thank These Black Women For Your Favorite Movies

We all have films that we love in the Black community, but how often do we pay attention to exactly who brought those movies to life for us? While we all may be able to recognize a Spike Lee joint, there are countless Black directors whose contributions to the film industry go unrecognized. This is especially true when it comes to Black female directors, so PushBlack has decided to highlight five of our favorite Black female filmmakers. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("div-gpt-ad-1512094833018-0"); }); Although underrepresented in the film industry overall, Black women are responsible for some of our most iconic and cherished movies. Black female filmmakers have demonstrated their ability to combine personal stories and history to unearth truths about relationships, families, sexuality, social justice issues, cycles of oppression and much more. These women have often made a point to use their work as a space to combat existing inequalities, provide alternative narratives and simply be visible. Ava DuVernay Ava DuVernay is one of the most talented directors and screenwriters of the 21st Century. She continues to defy odds and redefine what it looks like to be a thriving filmmaker in Hollywood. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she did not attend film school and primarily learned how to direct films from observing on sets. Though her growing body of work is not extensive, each of her films has received critical acclaim. For Selma (2014), she became the first Black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe award and the first Black female director nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. In 2017, her documentary film 13th (2016) also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary feature. Recently, it was announced that DuVernay’s next film, A Wrinkle in Time, will have a budget topping $100 million, which makes her the first Black woman to ever direct a film with a budget that substantial. Click here to buy Ava DuVernay’s films. Gina Prince-Bythewood Gina Prince-Bythewood is most well-known for directing the incredible film Love and Basketball (2000). As her directorial debut, the film truly resonated with the Black community and has become a staple in our homes. As a graduate of the prestigious UCLA film school, Gina started her exciting career as a writer for the popular show A Different World before moving into directing. Since 2000, Gina has directed two important films: The Secret Life of Bees (2008) and Beyond the Lights (2014). Both movies center on stories of Black women navigating complex familial and romantic relationships. Currently, Gina is focused on an upcoming movie for Marvel called Silver and Black after the recent success of her own show Shots Fired on Fox. Click here to buy Gina Prince-Bythewood’s films. Kasi Lemmons Kasi Lemmons is the woman responsible for bringing us the classic Eve’s Bayou (1997) starring Samuel L. Jackson and Lynn Whitfield. This was her first film as a director after a promising acting career. Voted one of Time’s Most Influential Films on Race, Eve’s Bayou tackles the realities of Black wealth, coming-of-age, infidelity, and family. Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert praised it as the best film of 1997. Lemmons is also known for dynamic and powerful casts in her films and has worked with Sidney Portier, Don Cheadle, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Hudson and Angela Bassett just to name a few. Her other films include The Caveman’s Valentine (2001), Talk to Me (2007), and Black Nativity (2013). Click here to buy Kasi Lemmons’ films. Julie Dash Julie Dash makes the list because she is a pioneer in African-American cinema. She is the first Black woman in history to receive a general theatrical release and distribution for a film in the United States. Her movie, Daughters of the Dust (1991), broke the mainstream and told the story of three generations of Gullah women. In 2004, the film was selected to be preserved in the U.S. Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its significant cultural and historical impact. She has gone on to create and direct several TV movies including the notable The Rosa Parks Story (2002) starring Angela Bassett and Cicely Tyson Dee Rees Dee Rees made her debut on the film scene with the groundbreaking movie Pariah (2011), which told the story of a Black teenage girl coming to terms with her identity as a lesbian. Though she had directed short films and documentaries in the past, Pariah was her first major release. The film raked in far too many accolades to list. Those include 7 NAACP Image Award nominations and The Sundance Festival’s Excellence in Cinematography award. Dee followed up with the hit TV movie Bessie (2015) starring Queen Latifah and brought home four Emmy Awards for her work. Currently, she is co-writing and directing a movie for FX with the amazing Shonda Rhimes. This list is in no way exhaustive and cannot possibly capture the full breadth of Black women’s contributions to the film industry. Though we focus primarily on Black female directors, Black women have a long tradition of accomplishment as screenwriters and producers as well. If you are interested in learning more about Black women filmmakers, check out Sisters in Cinema. This documentary pays homage to Black women’s achievements in film and illuminates a rich history that has remained hidden for far too long. The post You Can Thank These Black Women For Your Favorite Movies appeared first on PushBlack.

The Interesting Story of Black Stuntmen

In the 1960s, rarely were Black actors cast for major Hollywood roles. But what about those Black actors behind-the-scenes, the stuntmen (and women?) who performed their action-packed and highly-dangerous stunts on set? Unfortunately, their fate fared no different. Willie Harris and Alex Brown, two of Hollywood’s first Black stuntmen began to break into the industry when white actors painted in blackface handled the stunts for Black actors. In response to these “paint downs,” Harris “wanted to prove that Black guys [could] do stunts.” But first, he had to find a trainer and, unsurprisingly, no one wanted to train Black men who thought they could be Hollywood stuntmen. So, Harris and Brown did as we always do – they got resourceful and figured it out on their own. Training in outdoor space and balancing day jobs with training schedules, the men eventually worked their way into Hollywood and joined the Black Stuntmen’s Association. Founded in 1967 by Ernie Robinson, the Black Stuntmen’s Association (BSA) was founded in response to racial discrimination in the film and television industry. The Association used legal remedies and philanthropic support to secure jobs for Black stuntmen and promote both equal opportunity and equal pay for women and minorities across Hollywood. According to the Black Stuntmen Association’s website, the BSA has produced both stunt performers and 2nd unit directors – all Black – and all whose names should be known. Henry Kingi, Tory Brubaker, Richard Washington, Calvin Brown (stunt double for Bill Cosby), Jophrey Brown (stunt double for Morgan Freeman), and Greg Elam – just to name a few. So, when you think about the success of some of your favorite actors like Will Smith, Don Cheadle, Wesley Snipes, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Denzel Washington – think about the Black men behind and to the side of them: the ones who stand in for the dangerous, awe-inspiring, and action-packed stunts that keep us coming back to the theaters. The post The Interesting Story of Black Stuntmen appeared first on PushBlack.

Why Did Black Voters Flee The Republican Party In The 1960s?

It is not uncommon to hear pundits talk about Black voters’ unfaltering loyalty to the Democratic party, regarding the Black vote for Democrats as an inevitability. Indeed, for the past few presidential races, 90% of Black voters have chosen the Democratic candidate. However, 100 years ago Black voters had this same loyalty for the the Republican Party. Even as recent as the 1960’s, only two-thirds of Black voters identified as Democrats. So why did this party shift occur? According to some political scientists, Barry Goldwater happened. Goldwater, the Republican nominee in the 1964 presidential race, is considered the forefather of the Tea Party movement. Goldwater opposed the passage of the Civil Rights Act, which appealed to Southern White segregationists, and ushered in a conservative movement that overtook the Republican party. Black voters, in turn, realizing the Party of Lincoln had become hostile to them, did not take long to switch parties.E Even today, Black Americans have switched towards the Republican party for various reasons. Just last year, two students relaunched Howard University’s student Republican Chapter. And, the infamous Ben Carson was once a Democrat, back in the day. While jobs, the economy, education reform and criminal justice policy remain hot topics on the political debate floor, upcoming state elections over the next two years could have an impact on the temperature of our Congress. Let’s know the facts and vote in favor of policies most beneficial to our community, taken at more than just face value. PushBlack fam, it is important that we keep this in mind in our fight to hold our politicians accountable and ensure that our votes are not taken for granted. Party lines do not necessarily determine community support. And while tradition may call for support, present records should be the ultimate, defining factor. Via NPR.org Will you share this story with your friends? The post Why Did Black Voters Flee The Republican Party In The 1960s? appeared first on PushBlack.

Want to Help Increase Black Wealth?

It comes as no surprise that Black buying power is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2017. Since 2000, our buying power has increased 86%, fueled in part by the growth of Black-owned businesses and levels of education among the African American population. But who manages these Black-owned businesses, advocating for their existence and growth through federal and state legislation, while also building a sense of community and network to sustain our future? Insert the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC). Historically, Black chambers of commerce have existed on a state level to advocate and support Black-owned businesses within specific localities (e.g. the Heartland Black Chamber or Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce). The Greater Houston Black Chamber, founded in 1935, is the second oldest Black Chamber of Commerce in the Nation. Originally organized as the Houston Negro Chamber of Commerce (HNCC), the collective was founded to “promote the civic, economic, industrial agricultural and social welfare of Houston residents; encourage a larger patronage of Black enterprises and practical education in the trades and arts to stimulate better businesses; and develop a more amicable relationship between racial groups.” Not only were businesses provided with direct support, the group also encouraged voter registration, promoted fair housing and employment practices, and held events. In times of crisis, such as WWII, the chamber’s office served as a headquarter of rations. Additionally, women were actively involved in Chamber operations – holding offices as early as 1957 and appointing the first female Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2014. But Black collective associations and thriving business economies existed even before the formation of local chambers. In the 1920s, Black Wall Street thrived in an oil booming area of Tulsa, Oklahoma. With hostile segregation separating the Black and White sides of town, African Americans turned inward to build their own thriving economies. In the Greenwood community, more commonly known as “Black Wall Street,” these thriving enterprises included banks, hotels, cafes, clothing stores, movie theaters and groceries. The community was completely self-sustainable and served as an immense source of pride. Not to mention, “Greenwood residents enjoyed many luxuries that their White neighbors did not, including indoor plumbing and a remarkable school system that superiorly educated Black children.” But from May 31 – June 1, 1921, Black Wall Street was destroyed when deputized whites killed more than 300 African Americans, burned 40 blocks of 1,265 African American homes, and destroyed what we had collectively built: schools, hospitals, churches and, of course, 150 businesses. In the aftermath, 9,000 African Americans were left homeless and Greenwood struggled to regain its economic footing. Sparked by the accusation that a white woman was sexually assaulted by a Greenwood Black man, a white lynch mob entered the town with guns in tow and in partnership with some members of local law enforcement. Though charges were neither pressed nor filed, the accusation made newspaper headlines and traveled via word-of-mouth – fueling angry white mobs with a call for hate-induced revenge. What ensued next was “one of the most devastating riots in American history. An event that can only be characterized as terrorism.” It’s with this history that Black chambers of commerce exist and must continue to thrive. The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. unifies these local operations into a national advocacy infrastructure, promoting a burgeoning voice of Black-owned businesses through unique programming and advocacy strategies on Capitol Hill. As an association of over 100 self-sustaining, viable Black Chambers and small business associations, USBC uses collaboration with strategic partnerships to increase leverage, visibility, and impact on policies and programs in support of Black-owned businesses. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In the words of USBC President and CEO, Ron Busby, Sr.: “The challenges that Black businesses face – any business regardless of race for that matter -is location and access to capital. [But] when small, Black businesses obtain capital through loans, they either have a high-interest rate or borrowers never receive as much as needed.” Black businesses need access to capital – but also access to information on available opportunities providing that capital. Cue the 2017 School of Chamber and Business Management. On June 14-16, 2017, the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. will host its annual conference in Washington, DC. For three days, USBC will convene successful business owners, chamber leaders, corporate partners, government agencies and national policymakers for an intense series of workshops, panels and networking sessions dedicated to growing Black-owned businesses. With three conference tracks, (1) Chamber of Commerce Executives, (2) Established Business Owners, and (3) Millennial Entrepreneurs, the conference aims to provide resources and connections to entrepreneurs at all stages of development. With speakers including Michelle Ebanks, President of Essence Communications, Inc., Eugene Cornelius, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of International Trade with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and Angel Rich, founder of The Wealth Factory that’s been deemed “the next Steve Jobs,” just to name a few, the conference is sure to be a great resource for minority entrepreneurs. Want to learn more about how you can register for free sessions? Sign-up here. 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