Category: Black in the World
-
How to Celebrate Black History Month in the UK…Even if You’re Not in the UK
October is Black History Month in the UK! That’s right, a “holiday” that originated in the United States, is now being celebrated in countries all over the world. Yes, Black History Month is officially a thing in places outside the US. While February has always been Black History Month in the United States – and…
-
Langston Hughes in Spain: Nine Things You Should Know
It’s time for another Black in Spain post. Allow me to share a bit about Langston Hughes and his experiences in Spain. Hughes not Hemingway Usually, when people are asked to name a famous American author who wrote about Spain, Ernest Hemingway is the first person to spring to mind. Langston Hughes? Not so much.…
-
Six Amazing Writing Retreats & Residencies for Black Writers
Raise your hand if the idea of writing in a beautiful setting, in community with other writers, and not having to worry about cooking or family obligations, sounds like heaven? Imagine all of that, plus the added bonus of being in a location where Black culture is abundant and honored. All of that and more…
-
Today in Black History: The New York Times Capitalized the B in Black!
Last week, a reporter from the Chronicle of Higher Education called me to get a quote for a story she was working on about why we capitalize the letter B in Black when referring to Black people. Apparently, there are some Black academics out there in the world who are fighting to keep the b…
-
Black Women Belong Anywhere They Want To Belong
April 7, 2022 will go down as a special day in American history, because it was the day the United States finally appointed its first Black woman to the Supreme Court. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed with a vote of 53 – 47 and will replace retiring justice Stephen Breyer in June. *tosses confetti*…
-
The Crown Act Gets Closer to Becoming Law: Is this Progress?
The United States is getting closer to making discrimination against natural Black hairstyles officially against the law. On March 18, 2022, the Crown Act was passed in the House of Representatives, leaving just two more steps for the Act to become federal law. It has to pass in the Senate and then officially be signed…
-
Will Smith, Chris Rock and a Black Woman’s Hair
My writing career started in the world of celebrity journalism. But it never sat well with my conscience. I always felt a sense of unease commenting on the lives of actors and entertainers, as if their actions and reactions to the mundane were somehow imbued with a significance above and beyond the rest of us…
-
Can We Be Compassionate and Angry About Anti-Black Racism in Ukraine?
I wanted to write something profound and helpful about the situation Black people are facing in Ukraine right now. I wanted to provide some context about the racism Black people are dealing with as they try to flee for their lives as Russian troops attack the country. I wanted to write something that would offer…
