In 2014 following the guilty verdict of Michael Dunn in the murder of Jordan Davis, I wrote the essay “There is no white boogeyman.” In it, I chided Black intellectuals on their paranoia: “Writers are now expressing the kind of
Five law enforcement officers were killed and six officers and one civilian wounded when snipers opened gunfire on police at a Dallas protest, according to the Dallas Morning News. The demonstration was organized in the wake of the police killings
Philando Castile is the latest victim to have been killed by a police officer who overreacted to a Black man carrying a gun. A day earlier, Alton Sterling was killed in a similar incident. The two men were separated by
Louisiana’s criminal justice system has a terrible history that includes incompetence, corruption and lynchings. Alton Sterling is only the latest victim of this atrocious system. Rolling out reported the self-employed father of three would sell bootleg music outside Triple St.
Protests are underway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following the killing of Alton Sterling, a Black man who was selling CDs in front of a friend’s store. Video captured by a witness shows Sterling being pushed against a car, pinned to the
Give or take a few pounds, this has been my body since I was 14. It is an archetypal Black woman’s body, which until recently, I viewed with indifference or self-consciousness. Now 47, I am confident and proud in my
Protesters, celebrities and civil rights leaders are gathering on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Flag Day, Tuesday June 14 to demand the removal of the Confederate battle emblem from Mississippi’s state flag. Congressman Bennie Thompson will speak at the
This week marks the second anniversary of Dr. Maya Angelou’s death on May 28, 2014. At the time of her passing, I was feeling particularly hopeless, but reflecting on the life of this amazing woman inspired me. Dr. Angelou’s death provided
Since the first time I saw the Apple Music commercial featuring Kerry Washington, Taraji P. Henson, and Mary J. Blige, I’ve not stopped thinking about the power and magic of female friendships. I’ve also been reflecting on the wonderful girlfriends
Last night the crowd at the Grammys got a taste of what Black Lives Matter protesters have been feeling all year. Kendrick Lamar performed a transcendent rendition of “Alright,” which has become this generation’s protest anthem. From the days of
