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Apparently the "hair police" don't realize that very few white women have hair that is naturally "platinum" or "golden blond". "Dishwater" blonds and those with mousy brown locks who want this color hair have to bleach, dye or tint their tresses . The terms "platinum" and "golden" are given to these shades to elevate these colors to the ranks of luminosity and value. A little overlooked fact about light bright hair is that it calls attention to a woman. And therein lies its secret. Black men just can't seem to accept that blond hair is about vanity and attraction. Hair dyes and tints are a billion dollar industry in this country. And black women are only a fraction of those who keep this industry afloat.

@Troy , you missed one - Lack of interest. It is telling that you say this isn't a new revelation. Bookselling isn't a nonprofit business. If there's no market or demand for middle-aged black man literary fiction why would a publishing house invest in it? Acquisition editors (even the heterosexual middle-aged black men) are probably asking like I asked "where's the conflict?" "What's the plot?" "Where's the drama?" Like I mentioned James Patterson has no problem selling his Alex Cross books - and has even franchised the character. Neil Cross got a Simon & Schuster book deal to write 3 tie-in novels for the BBC television character "Detective Chief Inspector John Luther" and it achieved critical acclaim. So actually Walter Mosley isn't a unicorn but rather a brilliant crime novelist who knows what sells and how to sell it. By the way, interesting books have longevity. It doesn't matter if the author died 10 years ago or 54 years ago. W.E. B Du Bois' Souls of Black folks is still selling well 115 years after it was first published. To recap; I've established middle-aged black men aren't invisible. You mentioned Skip Gates was a unicorn but I know of other educators that are quite vocal and sought after when it comes to commenting and having input on this country's narrative. In fact, quite a few have blue ticks on Twitter -so they're easy to find. I've established that middle-aged black men are also visible in other industries from Astrophysics (I forgot to add Neil deGrasse Tyson) to those middle-aged black American men whose wealth and/or accomplishments are without peer, period. So we know there's no nefarious plot to keep the "black man down"... but rather there are obstacles they must hurdle such as prejudice and surviving the effects of racism to achieve their goals. So you then transitioned to middle-aged black men are invisible in the literary world, save celebrities. That article you posted is beautifully written and although I've come to a different conclusion, much respect due to the writer. I agree with him on two points, one: "Yet, the trends of big publishing are not responsible for the halting of young black male literary voices." And I agree, no one is replacing literary fiction either - but Hip Hop brought oral storytelling from brink of extinction. Hip Hop is unique to the black community as is gospel singing. Young black men have found their voice in hip hop and they tell the story their way. If you read Lisa Robinson's cover story "The Gospel According to Kendrick" in Vanity Fair-it speaks to the same conclusion the Pulitzer jury came to about Hip Hop as did your writer Kevin Reeves. They, however, acknowledged that Hip Hop storytelling isn't a lesser version of literary fiction - it is literary fiction set to music and they awarded Kendrick Lamar's Damn" a Pulitzer in Music (for storytelling) . So in the same vein we can say that 4:44 by JAY Z is literary fiction with a black middle-aged man as the protagonist. Whew, I'm glad you whittled this "elephant" down to bite-size pieces. Because really, I could have continued to produce examples to the contrary every day. So now that you stated the real challenge, lets go. Note: I'm an avid reader who doesn't fit into your paradigm. So, maybe you shouldn't assume your aforementioned reasoning is why this: hasn't come to fruition. I, for one, simply have no interest in literary fiction and definitely wouldn't read it. I find it's too much like navel-gazing. Now if your middle-aged black man is a protagonist in a suspense thriller then I'm all over it and I have been for years. But then again, I'm into problem-solving. Most of my interaction with vivid, vibrant middle-aged and black men protagonists have come from white-american men writers (dean koontz, stephen king, neil gaiman, greg iles,et al); and from screenwriters. So I guess, I'm attracted to games of strategy and tactics - and I don't care who is telling the story as long as they got game. Which is why your writer provides an interesting discourse because damn, I listen to hip hop/rap all-day every day! Hip Hop represents game of life and street credz... So maybe our literary fiction doesn't look or even read like European literary fiction... Even our YA novels don't look like eurocentric YA novels - Even Kwame Alexander has hit a mark with young readers by giving them books in verse ...Dude is like a rock star with his books - I mean he is literally on tour with a tour bus and everything...AND HE IS A MIDDLE-AGED black man! So maybe that's the answer to the lack of middle-aged black male voices in literature - maybe they must find theirs.

To trust in the idea that that those in power will adhere to the truth and obey the law is no longer a valid stance! That's the bizarre crazy thing about the Trump political charade. He and his supporters have created an alternative reality. Rudy Guilliani, with a straight face, said in a interview that the truth is not the truth. Trump has told his followers to not believe what they see, to just ignore what the evil press reports. The term "Fake News" is effectively used to squelch any challenges to his lies because of the public distrust of the media. His spokespeople abound in specious arguments, offering plausible reasons for the actual reasons. They revel in deceptive semantics and engage in double-speak. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has become an expert at evading the facts. She utters nothing but empty words arranged in vacant phrases. They all operate on the principle that if they say something is true, that makes it so. Simply contradicting a fact is their way of dismissing what is so blatantly apparent. Currently Trump is introducing the idea of shutting down Mueller's probe, insisting it is nothing but a waste of time - a witch hunt with no merit. Nobody has the influence to prevent him from trying to interfere in this investigation. Discrediting witnesses who turn against him also works for him because they are all crooks like him who don't inspire trust. He turns villains into heroes and vice versa. He is co-opting the office of the presidency right before our eyes as he takes on the mantel of a dictator placing himself above the law, ready and willing to pardon his guilty cohorts. And himself. And as long as Republicans put their personal interests before the good of their country, very little can be done to put an end to Trump's disregard for the Constitution as he prepares to ram through yet another Supreme Court Justice lackey. Meanwhile, his nation-wide support remains solid in the 30 per cent range. Higher among Republicans. Elsewhere, the Democrats have no muscles to flex in this struggle. Yes, the majority of Americans disapprove of Trump, but they justifiably feel helpless inasmuch as even the ballot box is not immune to the devious dishonest tactics that fuel this presidency. And of course the booming economy works in Trump's favor as the long, drawn-out Mueller hearings are becoming bogged down with disinterest on the part of the public. Admittedly, i am a pessimist, which is why I stand by my belief that the only way Trump will leave office before 2020 is, in an attack of conscience, he steps down before his first term is over, for the good of the country. I hope i am wrong, and the only problem i will have if i am wrong, is that Pence will then be in a position to led this nation toward a theocratic oligarchy. If Trump does get kicked out of office, i do hope it will be within the next year because at my age, i could go at any time and miss this world-shattering event! 😬

How compelling are the lives of middle aged black men? They are just carbon copies of the lives of middle aged white men. They all have the same hopes and dreams, fears and insecurities. Vital young black men are very visible in this country. They will one day fade into the blur of middle age after they have had their day in the sun. That's how it goes. Why is it so necessary to elevate middle aged men of any race, especially when women are kicked to the curb as they grow older.

So, what is the point of posting this article? What are we supposed to learn from it?