Troy

What does "ED" stand for? The rest of us pay for uninsured sick people. While the unemployed, HIV infected, uninsured, drug addicts may not pay, someone pays for the services rendered. Besdies how many people are we talking about here--especially in a world with Obama Care?

I agree with most of what you wrote. I don't put "Meet the Press" in the same category as 60 minutes because 60 has a much larger audience, than Meet The Press, by an order of magnitude. Besides your typical Trump voter is definitely not watching Meet the Press, They are probably pulling double shift at Walmart, still at church, or running negroes out of their neighborhoods. Most people don't read newspapers and fewer watch meet the press. Increasingly, younger folks get their news from social media. Honestly I don't think Trump will get the Republican nomination, but if it happens I would not be surprised. By the same token. I don't think Hillary will get the nomination either. The media is biased against her for some reason. This email issue just will not go away. In this case I don't think it is drawing out a scandal for mere ratings, because the general public doesn't even care about it. This email issue will probably will be her undoing...

Man I understand exactly what you are saying. It is good to read you articulate it, because I don't think it is a sentiment many Black people can appreciate, because they are not in the situation to encounter the dilemma. The overall problem is that people, Black people, view anything Black as inferior. Now if white people cosign on a Black thing--then whatever that Black thing is, Black people will support it. It could be a restaurant, a musician, an actor, a writer, or even our activists. This has not always been true, but it is absolutely true today. We, of course, have the capability to elevate our own; we simply will not do it. This is why AaFFRM would drop the "African-American" from their name and primary focus. If you depend upon Black folks for your survival, you are in for a world of hurt. WNDB will always get far more support than an AALBC.com, as an advocate for Black books, because I only advocate solely for Black books. Of course there are exceptions. Indeed, I'm literally banking that I can connect and serve the minority of Black folks who appreciate what I'm trying to do and don't view Black business or unworthy of supporting. Those folk can keep me in business. Who knows, one day I might even score the golden ring of the cherished, but elusive white cosign, and perhaps enjoy some financial success from my efforts.

"Trump is a political maverick and his potential lies in the fact that he is already ruthless and greedy." "Crusaders and idealists don't fare well in business or politic." Cynique I could not agree more with those statements. This is why I would not "sleep" on Trump. Folks don't think he will win, because they overestimate the public. Also Bernie has not been on 60 minutes, neither has the majority of the other candidates. Bernice gets a lot less coverage than Trump, simply because Trump drives ratings. Just to clarify, I consider journalism to be quite distinct from editorial. In journalism, the opinion of the writer should not be obvious to the reader. Journalists are not Vulcans, so it takes a skilled one to do this. We have few skilled journalist. (think: the opposite of Don Lemon or the entire on Fox "News" Station) Today the overriding factor in "journalism" is how much revenue can be generated. Media properties are getting desperate. Chris talks about attracting readers with "Click Bait" and it is rampant, especially among the top Black owned websites, check out the website Madameoire they are riddled with advertising, little of the content is original (seemingly all the big sites just recirculate the same stuff), you have to scroll through 10 pages to read an article, hunt of video that started playing as soon as you load the page, etc. News sites are headed down this path. The business models have collapsed. I just read even Bloomberg is laying off journalists... Chris, you should have told the musician what you thought, but I'm sure the musician like many folks are literally addicted to social media. This is not just an analogy. Much in the same way a crackhead will destroy everything around themselves for another fix. Writers, musicians, whoever will watch all of the platforms that supported them die, rather than get get butts off Facebook. Cynique, sure the media is not perfect, but the alternative is not no media. The alternative is for is to figure out a way to make it work better in today's world. I guess that starts with us supporting those platforms.

Cynique yea I miss the good old days too I hold out hope that things will come back around again, but social media seems to have a stranglehold on our community; as a result independent, black owned, platforms, may become a thing of the past--with the exception of reckless and foolhardy folks like myself. I'm glad you followed the link Cynique (try to find something posted on Facebook even 7 months ago, let alone 7 years ago). Yes, Cynique, people should go through life, suspicious about everything; because we are being constantly lied to. Donald Trump was on 60 Minutes last Sunday--the media indeed takes him VERY seriously; as a result the masses do too. That broadcast itself was an example of media propaganda. How many other presidential candidates have been on 60 minutes? Bernie Sanders seems to think he can be effective where Obama failed. Bernie is definitely speaking in a manner that I have never heard Obama speak; in fact, Bernie is sounding a lot like Cornel West. Chris your ability to make money IS a political issue. So while I agree we have no impact on what our legislators; what they impact our ability to make money and even our ability to mobilize at a grassroots level. Pride in Obama is nice, but I would have rather see some positive change for our Brothers out here, and would take anyone, over Pres. Obama, who could have make that happen. I appreciate that human may not even exist. I agree the media will not do their job... no they WILL do their do their job, which is to maximize shareholder wealth-- i.e. make rich people rich people richer. You know Chris I'm tired of people complaining on Facebook about a problem they helping to create. (I used to be one of them) That musician, and all the others, need to get their butts off Facebook and interact on the websites that publish music journalists. People will follow them there --if that is the ONLY place where one can engage with them.

Yeah that is generally what happens Chris. Black folks, especially men, get kicked to the curb. Here is another example; there is an outfit called We Need Diverse Books (WNDB). Their mission is stated as: We Need Diverse Books™ is a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people. They define diversity as follows: We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. This is an honorable mission. However, the problem for Black folks, and this is not WNDB fault, is that as far as mainstream media is concerned, if they cover WNDB, they have covered Black books, or at least books from people of "color" (a term even more nebulous than "Black"). As a result, the mainstream media coverage of Black books is far less as they focus on the efforts of WNDB. Black owned media's coverage of Black children's books is miniscule because of the overall weakness of our platforms. I saw the difference in the level of coverage of our respective efforts at Book Expo America/Book Con in 2015 and 2014. WNDB got all the shine, and virtually no one covered us, save me and another Brother, Clyde Davis, who posted a YouTube video (shown below). This is actually why I've decided to focus more in Black children's books; as there is virtually no coverage anywhere else but there is demand for it.

The Journal of Blacks in Technology (JOBIT) For the past 20 years there has been a growing digital divide that created a competitive disadvantage in the technology industry for blacks. We can no longer ignore the fact that black technology entrepreneurs have a mere 1% success rate for obtaining venture capital. It is time we take real action to increase the presence of black technology professionals who represent only 1% of the workforce at tech giants like Google, Yahoo and many others. It is our responsibility to address the issue of black technology service providers who are missing out on billions of dollars in government or corporate supplier contracts and strategic partnerships. It is our duty to sufficiently prepare and train black students to fill the high-skilled, well-paying technology jobs of the future. And this, my friends, is why I am excited to introduce the Journal of Blacks in Technology. The Journal of Blacks in Technology (JOBIT) is poised to be the leading authority addressing the growing digital divide that has created a competitive disadvantage for blacks in the technology industry. The inspiration behind JOBIT occurred at FraserNet's Power Networking Conference when a panel discussion sparked an idea, that idea sparked an action and that action began growing into a movement. JOBIT publisher, Louis McNeil; FraserNet founder, George Fraser; and CEO Space International Founder, Berny Dohrmann collaborated to create what will undoubtedly be a focal point in this complex digital era. JOBIT is not reinventing the wheel, this is not another association to belong to or another place to simply talk about the issues-JOBIT is an authority to help blacks in technology navigate the industry and compete in their field with adequate preparation and a strong network. Black History Month 2016 will mark an exciting time for blacks in technology. Learn more and become a Founding Member of the Journal of Blacks in Technology by pre-ordering your copy TODAY to play a key role in bringing this historic publication to life! http://blacksintechnologymagazine.com/#pre-order HOW TO SUPPORT JOBIT AND GET YOUR COPY FOR FREE! 1. PRE-ORDER FOUNDING MEMBER ISSUE- Visit JOBIT pre-order page to purchase the founding member issue. You will receive a Referral Link in the confirmation email. 2. SHARE REFERRAL LINK WITH SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS - Share your referral link with your social media networks to receive $1.00 refund for every referral up to $25.00. 3. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND LINKED IN - Like and follow us on our social media pages to stay connected as we bring this historic and important journal to life. http://blacksintechnologymagazine.com/#pre-order

Kmill thanks for choosing AALBC.com to promote your book!

LOL, is has been a minute since I've laughed out loud from something someone wrote here. Thanks Cynique. I don't know what's wrong with me I'll quote TaNehisi next time I'm not sure how you could say I was "luke warm." You should follow the link, read what I wrote, and see if you come to the same conclusion Sure prejudice existed before the media, but the media has the impact of heightening the impact. People's prejudiced are exaggerated, reinforced, and augmented. That is not news that is propaganda. The media should behave like proper journalists. I don't care if it is TV, the Web, print or radio. There should be an unbiased commitment to the truth. The media should not be used a tool of corporations to generate revenue by manipulating us and capitalizing on our ignorance and stupidity.

Cynique I know it was 8 years ago, but I was quite high ("high" for me as someone whose range of emotions is narrower than most). I attended one of his political rallys (and I never do that type of thing) Looking back at the video now (see below), I see that it was nothing more than a hype rally featuring gospel singers, comedians, celebrities, and dancing elephants. Almost a year before I shot this video, I expressed by unrestricted support for Obama. Cynique don't you remember how I teased you and others, who did not have the same level of support for Obama as being, dare I say it, "self-hating negroes." The next time I recall Obama being in Harlem, he was charging 36K a plate. But by that point I was in Dr. West's camp, wonder WTF?! Well in 8 years my perspective on these matters has changed. Sure Cynique you and I are saying the presidential race is a farce, but the media is behaving as if we should be taking this all this bullshit seriously. People are prejudiced, because they are ignorant, they are working with the information that they have. If the media did a better job, reporting on reality, we would be less prejudiced. When it comes to the Black race, we may be doomed as your suggest, but one of the reasons I sit behind this computer everyday is to try change that. While it has been an uphill battle, there are glimmers of hope. It is a good thing I like a challenge, because from a business perspective I should have given up years ago. Robert Reich, author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few, seems to believe there is hope for America. Historically when other countries head in the direction America is they become fascist states (think a Trump presidency, with control of both houses and the Supreme court). Reich believes America has always reinvented itself. But he is a white man, so I can see why he has such an optimistic perspective...

Hue-Man Bookstore October Events October 8 6-8PM Chinelo Okparanta's CUNY'S BLACK STUDIES DEPARTMENT "Under the Udala Tree could easily be th front runner for the most important novel of 2015." Narrated by Ijeoma, a mid-century child coming of age in the wake of Nigeria's civil war, the voice finds power in its restraint. With steadfast contemplation, Okparanta reveals the ugliness and far-reaching damage of a society that criminalizes love, damage that rivals the carnage of war. Cinelo Okparanta is the author of Happiness, Like Water. Her honors include an O. Henry Prize, a Lambda Award, and finalist selections for the Young Lions, the Caine Prize, and the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. WHEN: OCT 8 TIME 6-8 PM WHERE: SHEPHARD HALL AT CUNY #95 October 15th-7-9 PM Michael Strahan "MEET NFL MICHAEL STRAHAN AT HIS BOOK SIGNING IN HARLEM!" Join Hue-Man Books as we host NFL legend and Live! With Kelly & Michael Michael Strahan, author of his new book Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life! The event will kick off with Michael Strahan in conversation with Eyewitness News ABC 7 Anchor Sade Baderinwa, followed by a book signing. The event will be held at MIST Harlem (46 W 116th St, NY NY) on October 15, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. Space is limited, so we encourage you to purchase tickets now, which includes a copy of the book. The free ticket option is now sold-out. Attendees may wait in stand-by to gain admittance into the event; however, we do not guarantee any seating availability and patrons will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, as space allows. About Michael Strahan: NFL legend Michael Strahan made his name on the football field, setting the record for single season sacks in 2001 and being inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, but his star has shined brighter and for longer than his 216 history-making games with the New York Giants, which included a win at Super Bowl XLII. In 2008, he joined the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show as a commentator, and in 2012, he beat a competitive roster of candidates to replace Regis Philbin as co-host of the wildly popular Live! with Kelly & Michael. In April 2014, he joined Good Morning America as a special cohost, and Barbara Walters selected him as one of her 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014. About Sade Baderinwa: Sade Baderinwa is an anchor of WABC-TV's top-rated Eyewitness News at 5:00 and 11:00. She joined the Eyewitness News team in 2003 as a reporter and anchor of Eyewitness News at Noon. WHEN Thursday, October 15, 2015 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM WHERE MIST Harlem - 46 W 116th St New York, NY 10026 Sign up now October 27th-6-8 PM CUNY Black Studies Program Graham Hodges Graham Hodges was the Distinguished Fulbright Professor of History at Beijing University in 2006-2007 and the George Dorland Langdon Jr. Professor of History and Africana & Latin American Studies at Colgate University. He has written many books, including TAXI! A Social History of the New York City Cabdriver. He received a BA in 1973 and an MA in 1974 from City College of the City University of New York and a Ph.D. in early American history from New York University in 1982. WHEN: Oct 27, 6-8 PM WHERE:Shepard Hall RM# 95, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031 TIME: 6-8PM OCTOBER 28 7-9 PM Kareem Abdul Jabbar MIST Harlem Written by NBA superstar Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and screenwriter Anna Waterhouse, Mycroft Holmes reveals the untold story of Sherlock's older brother. This harrowing adventure changed his life, and set the stage for the man Mycroft would become: founder of the famous Diogenes Club and the hidden power behind the British government. Free and open to the public. Please sign up however. WHEN:October 28th WHERE: MIST Harlem, 46 W 116th Street TIME: 7-9PM sign up now ________________________________ SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OPEN LENS ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF AND THEN I DANCED: Travelling the Road to LGBT Equality by Mark Segal On October 6th. Mark Segal has established a reputation as the dean of American gay journalism over the past five decades. From the Stonewall demonstrations in 1969 to founding the Philadelphia Gay News in 1975, along with his more recent forays into TV and politics, his proven commitment as a tireless LGBT advocate has made him a force to be reckoned with. Respected by his peers for pioneering the idea of local LGBT newspapers, he is one of the founders and former president of both the National Gay Press Association and the National Gay Newspaper Guild. Segal was recently inducted into the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association's Hall of Fame and was appointed a member of the Comcast/NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Board, where he advises the entertainment giant on LGBT issues. He is also president of the dmhFund, though which he builds affordable LGBT-friendly housing for seniors. He lives in Philadelphia. About the Book As partner with Marie Brown and Regina Brooks in Open Lens, an imprint of Akashic Books, we are very excited to announce our newest release, And Then I Danced by Mark Segal. This important book is American History. Here's what readers are saying. Fast moving, insightful, historical, personal, political. What a life - it is remarkable how one human being can accomplish so much for so many in a relatively short period of time. Mr. Segal was brilliant working the system and getting to the point for it to work for his community. From humble beginnings he made his mark and the LGBT community has gained the recognition and reception they, like every other minority, is entitled. --Jerusalem Gal "And Then I Danced is a fascinating page-turner that prompted my tears, laughter, envy, and astonishment--but most of all left me feeling very proud of what our community has accomplished and grateful to Mark for sharing his intimate memoir. While there are many who have witnessed the extraordinary history of the LGBT community, few have played as major a role in creating it as has Mark. It is no exaggeration to say that there is no person alive today who has been a more central participant in as much of the contemporary LGBT rights struggle than Mark Segal." --Sean Strub, author of Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival _____________________________________________________________ Coming in November November 12 Renewal A transformative, groundbreaking One-Day Business Summit that will gather business leaders, business executives, business owners, educators, social entrepreneurs, the curious, and everyone interested in making businesses work better -- to discover the new leadership tools, ideas and systems that can truly transform, business, society, and self. The summit features 20+ speakers from some of the worlds leading thinkers from Google, McKinsey, Time Warner, New York Times, ABC News, New York University, KRW International and NBBJ. *Lunch & Cocktail Reception included. Find out More November 16 7-9PM MIST Harlem Kevin Powell in Conversation with Jacque Reid "I cried reading the new memoir The Education of Kevin Powell, written by the best-selling author and journalist. I cried so much, you'd think I dropped the book in the damn bathtub. Powell, who is perhaps best known as an original "cast-mate" from MTV's The Real World Season One, or in the 1990s as Vibe's chronicler of Death Row Records, Tupac Shakur, and Biggie Smalls, has written a devastating memoir. It's tangentially about a man's life, but at its core, this is a book that explores poverty, pain, and the redemptive power of the written word." ---David Zirin NOVEMBER 20TH 3-8PM LANGSTON HUGHES AWARD CUNY AARON DAVIS HLLA Marvaisms It's Autumn. Fall in America. Where has the year gone? Fall used to be a time when we begin preparing for the hibernation of Winter by gathering the harvest from the years fruitful labor. Fall is still my favorite season. I always assess "the harvest" I have gathered all year in terms of experiences, knowledge, opportunities and challenges to overcome. 2015 has been a generous year. Intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. This year I walked across the stage at Lincoln Center in regalia as a professor at Touro Graduate School of Business. It was cool because as many times as I've graduated, I've never walked. This year too, I spent time in the Phoenician city, Beirut where it is said the Jesus walked and where the modern alphabet was created. In between two fighting countries Syria and Israel, Lebanon bears the scars of war, yet the people are so spiritually grounded. Their outlook on life seeped into me...live everyday to the fullest. And there is no question, I felt at peace...an all knowing peace in this 7,000 year old country. I also faced some sadness this year. I lost a brilliant young cousin. For her funeral, I went back to the place of my own beginnings, Jamaica. No matter how many years I have lived abroad in various countries, I realize there that I am 100 percent Jamaican. It was great to be reminded where my grounding is from. This year too, I am enormously proud that as a Partner in the Open Lens, our imprint is releasing, in just a few days, Oct 6th, a book I am most proud to have had the honor to do. And Then I Danced: Travelling the Road to LGBT Equality by Mark Segal. The book has been getting enormous buzz. So much so, that Mark has his own billboard in Philly!! Ever had an author on a billboard? Thanks to a good harvest, this year I was in a great position be able to give back to the causes that matter to me most...literacy and poverty. I hope you will join me for Asia Initiatives,a most impressive organization, 15th year Gala. To find out more about the great work they do and our Gala with Kerry Kennedy as special guest...click here Finally this year I planted the seed for several exciting projects that I hope to harvest in 2016. So, for the rest of the year, I will be hibernating so that I can be fully focused on my dreams and goals that needs birthing in the Spring. _____________________________________________________________ Around Town October 3, 1-5PM Ethical Culture Academi of Life Writing Workshop Everything in your life, from the mundane to the extraordinary, is a story waiting to be told. Many of us want to leave behind a record of our lives that we were here. Yes, our footprint. In this workshop, you will discover your own unique and powerful story. We will use the memoir form of writing to encourage you to live out loud and to help you comprehend the value of your life. "If you are not afraid of the voices in you, you will not fear the critics outside you," so says Natalie Goldberg. Writing can let you hear your voice above the critics. Did you know that there were health benefits to writing? There is recent evidence to support the claim that increased intellectual activity and brain stimulation i.e. recording one's memories can lower the individual risk of dementia and Alzheimer's. Through fun exercises, practical techniques and group discussion, this insightful, fun and practical workshop, will help you uncover the writer hiding in you. Find out more SIGN UP NOW October 20th 6-8 PM A Conversation with Lupita Nyong'0 at MIST Harlem Making her New York stage debut, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o will play "The Girl" in this powerful story of survival and resilience, ECLIPSED directed by Obie Award winner Liesl Tommy comes at The Public Theater. She will be in conversation at MIST Harlem on Oct 20th. More to come. Check the www.mistharlem.com for more details. THEATER | 12 Angry Men: A World Premiere Theater Presentation Launching the 2015-2016 Billie Holiday Theatre Season Thu, Oct 15 at 8PM | Fri, Oct 16 at 8PM | Sat, Oct 17 at 2PM and 8 PM | Sun, Oct 18 at 2PM The Kumble Theater, 1 University Place, Brooklyn, NY The World Premiere of 12 Angry Men directed by Tony Award-winner George Faison and arranged for theatrical presentation from the book 12 Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today, edited by Gregory S. Parks and Matthew W. Hughey and published by The New Press. In an era of contentious debate about controversial police practices and, more broadly, the significance of implications of race throughout American life, this theatrical presentation reveals some pointed truths about our nation, as a collective of African-American actors, represent a dozen African-American men from across the United States and their personal stories of being racially profiled. BUY NOW

With more than two million books in print, the Founders of Brown Girls Books created Writer’s Pro Workshops — a series of digital workshops to encourage, motivate, inspire, and teach aspiring, new, and veteran authors. With nearly 20 years in the literary industry, Victoria Christopher Murray and ReShonda Tate Billingsley each bring a wealth of experience to these workshops. Both maintain a commitment to the craft of writing and remain viable forces in the publishing industry. ReShonda Tate Billingsley is the national bestselling author of more than 35 books, including Let the Church Say Amen, which was made into a movie and premiered on BET in August, 2015. The movie was directed by Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah. Two more of her books will appear as movies on TV One in 2016. ReShonda won the NAACP Image Award in 2012 for her novel, Say Amen Again. She was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her novel, The Secret She Kept. An accomplished television and newspaper journalist, ReShonda has won numerous literary awards since self-publishing her debut novel in 2000, and her books remain staples on various Bestseller’s lists. The mother of three and proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. has also been inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. The author of both adult and teen novels, her latest novel, Mama’s Boy, was released in July 2015. With an MBA from New York University, Victoria Christopher Murray is an entrepreneur-turned-author and one of the country’s top African-American contemporary novelists. Victoria has more than two dozen titles, is a three- time NAACP Image Award nominee, the recipient of the Phyllis Wheatley Award and nine African American Literary Awards. Victoria’s wildly popular novel, The Deal, The Dance, The Devil is currently being made into a movie. She is a much sought-after ghost writer, editor, and she has conducted numerous writing workshops. Her newest novel, Stand Your Ground, was released in June 2015. Victoria is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

I did not watch the debates because, issues are never discussed. Debates are a festival of who can get the best sound bite in, they are broadcast to drive ratings (generate revenue) through entertainment. No one truly comes away informed about a candidate's ability to govern, just who is the most glib and entertaining. The polls are just as useless. What good it is to query an uninformed, non-voting public about how they feel ('cause they don't know) about a candidate's position. Besides, what difference does it make what the public thinks? Politicians do what the ultra rich and corporations say do. People have zero impact on what politicians do, nor do labor unions. Fact checkers don't matter. People are moved by their emotions, not facts. Donald Trump has been lying his ass off on things that are easily verified, but none of it matters, because he is going to get rid of 11 million Mexicans, and build a "beautiful" wall that the Mexicans will pay for. For some reason I don't think my grandchildren will care if I saw the Pope. Indeed, if they knew I waited on the street overnight to catch a glimpse of him, I'd hope they'd think I was stupid, or perhaps a product of my time. I've come to the conclusion the it really does not matter who wins the office of the president, because whoever is in office will do what the plutocrats say. Until this changes, and I see nothing to indicate that it will, we are going to see the rich continue to get richer and the poor get poorer. I was naive enough to think Obama would make a difference. I was dumb enough to think Occupy was the beginning of actual positive change. The Million Man March is next Saturday and you barely hear anything about it. Not that it matters because not only did things not improve for Black men, in the 20 years since the first march, they got worse. The twitter account for the MMM has less that 2,800 followers (The Nation being on Twitter seems oxymoronic to me anyway). So I'm sure you'll understand why I'm under no illusions that the Pope's presence here will not amount to a hill or beans.

Well, what, other than the fund raising, have they done since the announcement?

In Black Hollywood Unchained, Ishmael Reed gathers an impressive group of scholars, critics, intellectuals, and artist to examine and respond to the contemporary portrayals of Blacks in films. Using the 2012 release of the film Django Unchained as the focal point of much of the discussion, these essays and reviews provide a critical perspective on the challenges facing filmmakers and actors when confronted with issues on race and the historical portrayal of African American characters. Reed also addresses the black community’s perceptiveness as discerning and responsible consumers of film, theatre, art, and music. Twenty-eight contributors including this book’s editor, Ishmael Reed, offer insightful, informed and provocative points of view on the ever changing, yet unchanged, landscape of Hollywood and film production in America. While the 2012 release of Django Unchained was the film that generated nation-wide conversations and many of the essays in this collection, this book intentionally extends that dialogue about race, history, entertainment and the image of Blacks on the screen to include an examination of the culture of contemporary films and television. Black Hollywood Unchained is critical of the roles of actor, film-maker and viewer as it asks questions that redirect our thinking about the multi-billion dollar industry we call “the movies.” Contributors J. Douglas Allen-Taylor, Houston A. Baker Jr., Amiri Baraka, Playthell G. Benjamin, Herb Boyd, Cecil Brown, Ruth Elizabeth Burks, Art T. Burton, Stanley Crouch, Justin Desmangles, Lawrence DiStasi, Jack Foley, David Henderson, Geary Hobson, Joyce A. Joyce, Haki R. Madhubuti, C. Liegh McInnis, Tony Medina, Alejandro Murguía, Jill Nelson, Halifu Osumare, Heather D. Russell, Hariette Surovell, Kathryn Waddell Takara, Jerry W. Ward Jr., Marvin X, Al Young

Chris did you notice how long ago the rebranding took place? Somehow I missed that. Two of the films are on Netflix. Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Nailah Jefferson's Vanishing Pearls chronicles the untold story of personal and professional devastation in Pointe à la Hache, a close-knit fishing village on the Gulf coast, following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This 2014 Slamdance Film Festival Official Selection delves into the worst environmental disaster in American history just as news cameras leave the scene of the crime. While 49 million barrels of oil settle in the once vibrant coastal waters, a generations-old community of black fishermen pledge to fight for justice, accountability and their way of life. Mississippi Damned is based on a true story, a family in rural Mississippi faces tragedy and triumph against the cycles of abuse, addiction and violence that haunt them all. Starring Tessa Thompson (Dear White People), this searing drama from writer/director Tina Mabry chronicles each family member's struggle to escape their circumstances and decide whether to confront or succumb to a crippling fate.

Fournoy's novel, The Turner House is a Power List Bestselling Book

Congratulations to this year's 5 Under 35 Honorees! The National Book Foundation is proud to announce its 2015 5 Under 35 Honorees: Colin Barrett, Angela Flournoy, Megan Kruse, Tracy O'Neill, and Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi. Supported by a generous grant from Amazon Literary Partnerships, for the past ten years the 5 Under 35 program has recognized five promising young writers annually, each poised to make a tremendous impact on the literary landscape. Discover these five remarkable writers. LeVar Burton to host the 2015 5 Under 35 Ceremony The host of this year's 5 Under 35 ceremony is LeVar Burton, Curator-in-Chief & Host of Reading Rainbow. The Foundation is grateful to work with Burton, recognizing him as devoted activist for reading and literature. The ceremony will be held in Brooklyn on November 16 to kick-off National Book Awards week. Ben Greenman and Rosie Schaap will return as emcee and guest bartender respectively. Learn more about LeVar Burton here. BuzzFeed Books celebrates the 2015 5 Under 35 Honorees For the second year in a row, the National Book Foundation has partnered with BuzzFeed Books to announce the 5 Under 35 Honorees. And for the second year running, BuzzFeed has created trading cards to recognize these talented writers. Read their coverage here. Previous 5 Under 35 Honorees make this year's selections In recognition of the program’s 10 years of honoring promising young writers, we invited five writers previously chosen as 5 Under 35 Honorees to make this year’s selections. Find out more about this year's selectors.

Ta-Nehisi was just awarded a Genius Grant! The MacArthur Fellows Program awards (‘Genius Grant’) unrestricted fellowships to talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction. There is some serious paper attached to this award. I hope Dr. West does not blow a gasket. Photo Credit: Credit: John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

My opinion on this subject is not as absolute as indicated by the title, but it is pretty close. I've been advocating for Black folks for a long time. While I'm not the Brother that you will see in the street carrying a sign; I make my contribution to the fight in my own way. Obviously, a lot of what I do has to do with books, education, and our presence on the web. Today I discovered that AFFRM, the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement has rebranded itself as ARRAY. The differences in the mission are described below I was disappointed by the news, because whenever I see a change like this, usually, the Black part usually gets marginalized. If you include "people of color" and all women, you really are talking about the majority of the population. My unbridled support of AFFRM was due to the fact that Independent Black filmmakers need support--desperately. It seems to me that there is already a pretty rich history of film featuring and made by white women. I image a good reason to make this type of move is; that by including white women into the mix you now open yourself up to a much larger audience, which results in the ability to raise more money and gain greater exposure which would benefit the Black films more. Sometimes this is couched under the term "diversity." Again, the focus on Black issues are often marginalized when the term diversity is part of the mix. What does "diversity" mean? Diversity, depending upon who you ask, includes; women of all colors; all non heterosexuals (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, transgender, queer, etc); all so called "minorities" (Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians. Blacks, etc), poor people, non-Christians, "mixed race" people, the handicapped, etc. you see the point. Diversity is such a loose term it could include everyone and therein lies the problem. If a wealthy white men, who happen to be gay, and all white women can fit under the "diversity" umbrella, what really is the point? I've seen many corporations and schools that claim to be diverse, but you might not find a single African-American male. In fact, mainstream publishing is one of those "diverse" environments where heterosexual African-American males are virtually absent. This absence can be seen in revenue generating positions in Wall Street firms, and even in the student body of our nation's top universities. Well I'll probably still support ARRAY's efforts, at least as they work to support the indie Black films.

You have a point Cynique; it is impossible to fight against an inherently racist system, when you are an outsized beneficiary of that very same system. I guess the "reconciliation" can be seen by how Ta-Nehisi uses his prestige, wealth and influence to benefit the rest of us.

He Named Me Malala Film Review by Kam Williams Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements involving disturbing images and threats) Genre: Documentary Directed and Written by: Davis Guggenheim In Theaters: Oct 2, 2015 Limited Runtime: 2 hr. Malala Yousafzai was named after a girl who spoke out and was killed for speaking out. That folk hero was a flag-bearing teenager who perished in 1880 while rallying fellow Pashtun resistance fighters to an unlikely victory over British invaders in a pivotal battle of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. After settling on the very meaningful moniker, Malala's father inscribed it into his genealogy because no females were mentioned in his family tree stretching back several centuries. Furthermore, Ziauddin Yousafzai resolved to raise his daughter to see herself as the equal of any boy. While such an approach might be unremarkable in the West, it was downright heretical in the Swat District of Pakistan, a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism in the late 20th Century. For, over the course of Malala's formative years, much of the country was being terrorized by the Taliban which had taken to blowing up any schools which had the temerity to admit girls. In defiance of their militant mullah's absolute mandate against any female education, Mr. Yousafzai not only allowed his daughter to matriculate, but even spurred her to speak out online as an equal rights advocate blogger. This only served to infuriate Mullah Fazlullah who issued a fatwa against her over the radio, which led to an assassination attempt on a school bus by one of his followers. Malala, who was just 15 at the time, was lucky to survive the bullet to the brain. While she languished in the hospital unresponsive and attached to tubes, her worried folks had no idea whether their daughter would ever even be able to walk or talk again. She did eventually emerge from the coma, though deaf in one ear and in need of months and months of rehabilitation just to master simple bodily functions most people take for granted. Initially, she blamed her dad for her plight, since he was the one who'd cultivated her activist streak. "I am a child," she said, "You are my father. You should have stopped me. What happened to me is because of you." But eventually her health was substantially restored, and she became a stoic and serene symbol of resistance to radical Islam. With continued death threats hanging over their heads, the Yousafzai family (including Malalal's mom and two younger brothers) was forced to resettle in England where she would become a champion of oppressed females all over the planet. Directed by Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim.(for An Inconvenient Truth), He Named Me Malala is an emotionally-engaging biopic chronicling the close father-daughter relationship which enabled Malala to flourish in the midst of sheer intolerance. Their tender interplay is intermittently enhanced by animated interludes which further intensifies the sincere sentiment displayed on screen. The picture makes an inexorable march to Malala's emergence as an international icon, culminating in her becoming the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Pack the Kleenex for this powerful portrait ably illustrating the indomitability of the human spirit. Easily, the best film of 2015 thus far!

Anytime data is involved, people will game the system. I remember at least two different editors from "big 5" publishing houses saying that they consider how many Twitter followers someone when deciding whether they will publish them. One even mentioned a threshold, saying they look for 10k followers minimum. I thought that was the silliest criteria for determining whether an author would get published that I ever heard. They reasoned that having 10K followers means you have a platform. I always thought this was just another hoop they made Black authors jump through. In fact, I wrote an article saying writers don't need Twitter, based on the simple premise that the highest paid authors were not on the platform, and those that were, were not very active--like most people on Twitter. At the time, I knew authors who were buying followers. The idea that companies are buying traffic is bad enough, but the fact they are so easily getting away with it is worse. Worse because you can determine when it is happening. At the end of the day robot traffic never buys anything. Facebook was shown to be delivering fake likes for its advertisers. Again, fake likes never convert into customers, so abysmal conversion rates are a dead giveaway. Or would be if advertisers did not assume that they were doing something wrong and double down on their advertising spend. I have never done anything to artificially hype AALBC.com's traffic. Maybe that is my problem--just kidding, sort of...

We’ve Just Added an Additional Category to Our Popular Best Sellers List—Children’s Books! Over the years, there has always been a great deal of demand for more information about children’s books, and we are very pleased and excited to share it with you. We also plan to provide additional articles and information related to children’s literature. (read more).

JOURNALIST ROLAND MARTIN, MODEL BEVERLY JOHNSON AND NY TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR LALITA TADEMY HEADLINE 2015 NATIONAL BLACK BOOK FESTIVAL HOUSTON, TX -- Journalist Roland Martin, nationally-renowned model Beverly Johnson and New York Times best-selling author Lalita Tademy will headline the 2015 National Black Book Festival (NBBF), held Oct. 22-24, 2015 at Fallbrook Church (Gymnasium), 12512 Walters Rd., in Houston, TX. Martin is author of three books and anchors the daily TVOne program, NewsOneNow. Johnson is an American model, actress and businesswoman, and she released her memoir, The Face That Changed It All, at the end of August. Tademy is the New York Times best-selling author of three historical novels, including Cane River, which was an Oprah Book Pick in 2001. Other featured authors for 2015 NBBF include: · ReShonda Tate Billingsley - Author of 30+ Christian fiction novels and teen novels, whose book, Let the Church Say Amen, has been adopted for a BET feature film and aired earlier this month · Victoria Christopher Murray - Author of 20+ Christian fiction novels and teen novels · K'Wan - Author of 12+ works of urban fiction, including Animal, Animal II, Animal III and the soon-to-be-released Animal IV · Mary Monroe - Author of 12+ works of contemporary fiction, including the "God Don't Like Ugly" series · Dwayne Alexander Smith, author of best-selling novel Forty Acres, and winner of the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Best Debut Author The National Black Book Festival is sponsored by a Houston-based company, Cushcity.com, an online retail and marketing firm. General admission is FREE to the public and includes all author exhibits, featured author sessions, workshops/seminars and entertainment. Special events (reception, breakfast and/or lunch) where food is served require a ticket purchase. For more information, visit the Festival web site: www.nationalblackbookfestival.com or call the National Black Book Festival headquarters at 1-800-340-5454.