Tag: American History
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Black History Month Lite: 5 Black Books That Aren’t About “Black Stuff”
Hello Meltingpot Readers, Here it is the last week of Black History Month and yours truly is just getting around to acknowledging it. Where are my manners? Hold on, let me get my tongue out of my cheek here. The thing is, I don’t know who Black History Month is really for and I don’t…
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In Honor of MLK: Do Something!
Hi Meltingpot Readers, Happy MLK Day! I hope those of you with the day off, enjoyed a break from your regular routine, however you spent it, even if that meant catching up on your laundry. Since I’ve been sick and missed an entire week’s worth of work, I spent the majority of my day at…
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Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: A Call to Change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Hello Meltingpot Readers, Did you ever stop to think why you get a day off for Columbus Day? What exactly is it we are celebrating? Some of us didn’t really celebrate anything at all today and reported in for work, but that’s beside the point. The real point is that celebrating the man who accidentally…
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Passing (is) Strange … And Makes for Fascinating Reading
Hello Meltingpot Readers, There’s probably nothing revolutionary or even that revelatory in a new book out on passing called, A Chosen Exile by Stanford professor of American History, Allyson Hobbs, but still, I’m dying to read it. Why, because the very concept of passing, of leaving behind a life and family, shedding one’s cultural history…
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Ms. Meltingpot is Reading: The Invention of Wings
Hi Meltingpot Readers, As one of my 2014 New Year’s Blog-o-lutions, I decided I wanted to write more about my one true love, books. From now on, or until I change my mind again, Thursday/Fridays will be dedicated to the world of books. So, guess what I’m reading now? I’m working on my next book…
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Black History Month Needs a Name Change
Hi Meltingpot Readers, It’s officially Black History Month. Back in 2010, I wrote the following post about how I think Black History Month should be celebrated. While I received a fair amount of comments and the piece was picked up by Forbes.com, my suggestions for honoring my people didn’t take off like gangbusters. And I…
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12 Years A Slave Has Me Undone
Hello Meltingpot Readers, This past weekend I went to see 12 Years A Slave with my cousin. It wasn’t a film I was excited to see, it was more of a compulsion. When Hollywood takes on the Black experience, I feel it is my duty to support the effort. I also was intrigued by the…
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Soul Food: Deconstructed & Delicious
Hi Meltingpot Readers, Sometimes I really love my job as a writer and cultural thinker. It sounds very nebulous to describe myself that way and granted, there’s not a lot of money in the business of thinking and talking, but it does provide some wonderful opportunities. Like last night. I had the honor of playing…
