Books that make a great Mother’s Day gift
Mother’s Day is a day away, and you can’t go wrong with gifting a great book. Does your mom love a good story where she can escape and live the lives of others? Or does she love a candid exploration of one’s life? Check out the recommendations for both fiction and nonfiction books that would […]
10 Black poets whose work lives on
April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate and enlighten, here is a list of 10 of the best and most influential Black poets of all-time. We’ve also included the title of some of the most famous work written by each, to encourage further exploration of their work. Maya Angelou (1928-2014) […]
National Poetry Month: 5 Black poets who made American history
April is National Poetry Month, a time to acknowledge the critical role poetry has played in our culture and literature. Now is the perfect time to expand your knowledge of Black poets who shaped American history. Here are four Black poets who have initiated progress in Black American history.
1st Black woman to appear on the quarter (photo)
America is recognizing an outstanding Black woman on its coinage. Fantastic poet, author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou is now the first Black woman to appear on a U.S. coin. U.S. Mint unveiled on Jan. 10, 2022, that the late, legendary Angelou on a U.S. quarter. The first coin of the American Women Quarters™ […]
US Mint unveils Maya Angelou quarter
Acclaimed poet and author Maya Angelou and astronaut Sally Ride will be memorialized on a new set of quarters scheduled to enter circulation next January. The two trailblazing women will lead the initial rollout and appear on a series of 25-cent pieces that will be released over the next four years by the U.S. Mint. […]
5 classic books that explore race and feminism
Black women are criminally unrepresented in the publishing world. Despite this, Black women have written some of the most influential works of literature in American history. Here are five classic books by Black women that you’ve got to read or reread before the end of Black History Month.Passing by Nella Larsen Nella Larsen’s Passing follows Irene Redfield […]
Barbie unveils Maya Angelou doll
As Black History month approaches, Mattel has unveiled Maya Angelou as the newest member of its Inspiring Women Collection. Angelou is only the 10th woman in the role model line of Barbies that includes Rosa Parks, Ella Fitzgerald and Florence Nightingale. The Maya Angelou doll holds a miniature replica of her prolific autobiography, “I Know […]
Oprah Winfrey giving over a million dollars to UNCF
Much like the Tom Joyners, Taraji P. Hensons and Samuel L. Jacksons of the world, historically Black colleges and universities have a special and permanent place in Oprah Winfrey’s heart. Winfrey studied communications at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, where her legend was birthed at a local television station. Therefore, it should come as […]
Mega-entrepreneur Janice Bryant Howroyd shares down-home wisdom for success
Mega-entrepreneur Janice Bryant Howroyd provides leaders with a model for tapping into their roots to drive success. Acting Up! Winning In Business and Life Using Down-Home Wisdom is the story of her journey from growing up in a family of 11 children in the segregated South to becoming the country’s second-richest African American woman with a […]
Drexina Nelson is using her superpowers behind the shutter
There are few urban stars who haven’t been immortalized by the lens of Drexina Nelson. Sweet-natured with a camera-ready smile herself, Nelson started her career as a makeup artist on set with some of Atlanta’s most prolific photographers. She completed both her BA and MBA degree at Clark Atlanta before deciding to pursue a career […]
Terisha Lee shares what makes her innovative at her craft
Terisha Lee is a native of Kentucky and a Ph.D. candidate at St. Thomas University in Florida. As a speaker and researcher, Lee’s focus has been in the areas of faith, purpose and resiliency. She is currently conducting research on the resiliency of African American women. As a Black woman, what do you consider your […]
Poet M’Reld Green discusses powerful women and the future of poetry
National Poetry Month is in full swing and wordsmiths from around the country are celebrating. Chicago represents a hub of poetry where some of the most eloquent and prolific poets are born. We spoke with one of those amazing poets. M’Reld Green has traveled the world with her words. We were able to catch up […]
Maya Angelou’s 90th birthday: 8 ways she blessed us
Dr. Maya Angelou was a renowned poet, author and teacher who touched the hearts of her fans with her words. She is best known for her catalog of autobiographical memoirs that painted an authentic picture of life. A pragmatic leader of her people, she was the second poet in history to read a poem at […]
It’s her 90th birthday: Dr. Maya Angelou gets amazing Google Doodle
Author, poet, memoirist, and activist Dr. Maya Angelou penned a poem so impactful and empowering it was #blackgirlmagic years before it became a trending hashtag. It’s what we reference today to remind us to never give up. It’s titled “Still I Rise” and the Doodle audio is set to capture her reciting the poem, along […]
Amazon’s 12 Days of Deals that fit the millennial shopper’s budget
Amazon continues to celebrate the holidays and big savings beyond the typical Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales with its 12 Days of Deals bargains. The retail conglomerate is offering “Deals of the Day” from Dec. 3-14, on everything from electronics to home goods. To make your shopping duties even easier, we’ve picked out our […]
From prostitute to professor: Lessons from Maya Angelou’s messy life
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 us the opportunity to once again delight in her memoirs, which chronicle the eclectic, bohemian […]
7 books every mother should have in her library
“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” –Maya Angelou Mother’s Day turns 102 today, Sunday, May 8, 2016. President Woodrow Wilson officially set aside the second Sunday in May in 1914 for the holiday. It is a day filled […]
Law professor Tanya Washington says Maya Angelou inspired her career
Tanya Washington, a Georgia State University College of Law professor, comes from a long line of educators. As a fourth generation teacher, the importance and power of education were ingrained into her from the time she was a child in Washington, D.C. From there, she was driven by a passion for guiding and encouraging others, and […]
Remembering Maya Angelou’s legacy on her 87th birthday
Today, we celebrate Dr. Maya Angelou. Although the cherished poet passed away last May at the age of 86, her words and accomplishments will forever live on. A beloved author, dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist, best known for her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou has touched many lives […]
Maya Angelou to be honored with postal stamp
On Monday, Feb.23, the U.S. Postal Service announced that renowned author and poet Maya Angelou will be honored with a commemorative stamp. Shortly after Angelou’s death last spring at the age of 86, a campaign was started to create a commemorative stamp in honor of the award-winning poet. A petition was circulated that read in part “Stamps have […]