Chicago has been known for many things — skyscrapers, architecture, parks, business. Now it’s violence or shootings in the Black community. Whether you turn on the television or open up a newspaper, violence is consuming the city. Even the president
The 24th annual Black Harvest Film Festival (BHFF) swings into high gear at the Gene Siskel Film Center. The month-long celebration, which began Aug. 4 and runs through Aug. 30, features the experiences of African Americans and the African diaspora
Tonysha Nelson and Patavian Lewis could be considered P-Funk royalty. The granddaughters of P-Funk superstar George Clinton are known as Kandy Apple Redd. Nelson spent her formative and teen years in the Washington, D.C.-Maryland area. Lewis was born in Los Angeles and spent her youth on
The corner of 43rd Street and Prairie Avenue has a lone structure that has been vacant for a number of years now. The site was home to two adult lounges; both failed for one reason or another. Since then, no one
Blake Martin constantly raises the bar for himself and although you might not know his name, you might be familiar with his work if you have attended one of his productions. While his career path was a bit unconventional, the
When photographer Tonika Johnson was in high school, she traveled from her South Side neighborhood of Englewood to the North Side in Chicago daily. In her travels, she noticed that streets on the North Side were strikingly different than streets with
This comment is not meant to be a generalization. However, in this writer’s humble opinion, African Americans, no matter where we are; what we are doing; or what we are saying; are some of the most expressive people alive. That
A new book was quietly released, Lifting as They Climbed, without a lot of fanfare a few months ago. It is the first guidebook that maps the homes, churches, and communities of more than 40 Black women who made their
Chicago has long been the birthplace of American music. Whether it is blues, R&B or hip-hop, Chicago has made on its mark on music. But, the way we listen to and buy music has changed so dramatically over the years,
More than a month and a half after its release, Marvel Comic’s Black Panther became the fourth largest grossing motion picture at the domestic box office. Black Panther is the first superhero of African descent in mainstream American comics, having
Enneressa Davis is the CEO and founder of Praize Productions Inc. (PPI). An accomplished writer and producer, Davis has written, produced, and choreographed six full-length productions. Her latest, Revival: The Answer will be presented this weekend at the Reva and David
While it was a particularly cool March evening outside the opening night of the 16th annual art exhibition of the Chicago Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, it was definitely hot inside Gallery DST. One of the many talented artists featured, Paul Branton’s
This writer happened upon the work of artist Deborah Roberts purely by accident while reading an article in The Cut, which is part of the New York magazine online, titled, “The Breakthrough Women Artists.” Roberts creates visually arresting collages that encourage
Writer and blogger Renée Bess along with author Lee Lynch took a detour from writing fiction in order to assemble an anthology featuring works of creative non-fiction, short fiction, and poetry from an inclusive group of LGBTQ authors. The book Our Happy
November 2017, the Chicago Urban League released a study entitled “Whitewashed: The African American Opioid Epidemic.” Both local newspapers — Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times — considered the findings worthy of print. Co-authored by Stephanie Schmitz Bechtelzer and Kathie Kane-Willis, the report
BLKS is a two-hour play that explores the ups and downs of four friends growing up and “out” in New York City. After one of the cast members receives an unpleasant scare, she decides on one last hurrah with her friends. This
The backstory: Born in New York City in 1807, Ira Aldridge moves across the Atlantic where he makes his mark as a Shakespearean actor. In 1833, at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden, Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his
T-shirt designer Edward Ark has been producing his unique brand of tee shirts in his brick-and-mortar location in Calumet City for the past three years. It’s a significant hallmark since prior to a physical location, the former gangbanger turned to making
Considered one of the most important composers and pianists in 20th-century music, Thelonious Monk is one of the most enigmatic figures of his era. Noted professor Robin D.G. Kelley will be delivering a lecture titled Thelonious Monk: An American Original
Considered the only coup d’état in United States’ history, on Nov. 10, 1898, an armed mob of Democrat-backed White supremacists opened fire on African American neighborhoods, slaughtering dozens and driving thousands out of the city for good. The result of
