Bringing Black August to a Close
Thanks to historian Ray Winbush, a poignant reminder of the assaults on Black People/Panthers/Community/Culture/Souls/Etc. “Late on the night of August 30, Frank Rizzo, Police Commissioner of Philadelphia and his aides were preparing to strike directly against the Black Panthers. By 2 a.m., the department was assembling 100 men, all of them experienced marksmen, to be […]
The ghosts of Katrina-past and present
Eights years later, many of us are still haunted–even traumatized–by Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. I’m not talking about the Gulf residents; I’m talking about those of us who watched the tragic disaster unfold on the television. The world watched in horror as dead bodies floated in contaminated waters running through streets and desperate victims […]
Why we remember Emmett Till
Fifty years ago today, 14 year old Emmett Till was savagely lynched by racist whites in Mississippi. He was Mamie Till’s only son. When Mamie heard about her son’s vicious murder, she made an incredulous decision. Instead of grieving privately or “giving it to God” she allowed the battered and beaten body of Emmett to […]