Please read review by The Luscious Librarian. Her 7 step syonpsis of what is constantly espoused by the media is hillarious…and dead on!
Step 1. Remove Black Man from Black woman by forcing him into low wage labor.
Step 2. Black woman then raises family on her own, but must supplement her income by working herself, thus neglecting the emotional and educational needs of her children.,,,
(CNN Student News) — Forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., CNN launches a sweeping on-air and digital initiative, CNN Presents: Black in America. These documentaries, “The Black Woman and Family” and “The Black Man,” focus on fresh analysis from new voices about the real lives behind the stereotypes, statistics and identity politics that frequently frame the national dialogue about Black America. Before and after viewing these programs, use the overview questions and discussion activity that follow to facilitate a discussion with your pre-teen and teenaged children.
Black in America: The Black Woman & Family
Program overview: In Black in America: The Black Woman & Family, Soledad O’Brien explores the varied experiences of black women and families and investigates the reasons behind the disturbing statistics on single parenthood, disparities between black and white students in schools, and the devastating toll of HIV/AIDS. O’Brien reports on the progress of black women in the workplace and the status of the black middle class. Black in America: The Black Woman & Family premieres in HDTV on Wednesday, July 23, 9 p.m. ET. Click here to access discussion questions for Black in America: The Black Woman & Family.
Black in America: The Black Man
Program overview: In Black in America: The Black Man, Soledad O’Brien evaluates the state of black men in America and explores the controversial topics of black men and fatherhood; disparities between blacks and whites in educational, career and financial achievement; and factors leading to the dramatic rates of black male incarceration. The documentary also examines the achievements of black men and the importance of the positive influences of black fathers. Black in America: The Black Man premieres in HDTV on Thursday, July 24, 9 p.m. ET. Click here to access discussion questions for Black in America: The Black Man.
I had to re-post this excellent review of the CNN first installment of Black in America. I am going to reserve commentary on this effort until all is said and done because of my participation in the project.
Please visit Aunt Jemima’s Revenge for full review of last nights airing.
I just finished watching Soledad O’Brien’s CNN special and I must say I was mightily disappointed. The show should have been renamed “reclaiming black men” instead of “reclaiming the dream.” The entire special reminded me of the black church, a bunch of women in the audience being lectured to by a group of black men.
(click here for entire review)
Next week on Wednesday and Thursday, July 23rd and 24th CNN Presents a landmark documentary that has been over one year in the making. An interview with producer/director Janks Morton of the film “What Black Men Think”, and a preview of the forthcoming show. S.O.S. (Support Our Soledad) remember to purchase the next day the first consumer good advertised on the program. Let’s learn how to BUYCOTT and flex our collective econmic power
(click on image below for a sneak peek of video from next week’s event)
Thank You Soledad, Ken, Vivienne and Cara for allowing me to be a part of what I am sure will be a groundbreaking effort, and give a fair and balanced (smile) representation of what the state of Black America truly is.
It seems the word is getting out about the upcoming 6 hour event, CNN Presents: Black in America. I want to keep this relatively short and sweet. We constantly complain about BET, HGM, Flavor of Love, etc,etc, etc. We protest, do on-line petitions and are negative combatant expert activists when necessary. Now on the flip side, this appears (from the multiple screenings I’ve heard feedback from across the country), to try and give a truer representation of the Black experience in America, both good and bad.
My point?
Sometimes we have been so conditioned to react to what we won’t tolerate, we forget how to support what we want. The most valuable commodity we poses is time, and what we do with our time is critical as it relates to this effort by Soledad and her team. So to disprove the all to often referred myth by advertisers that Blacks inherently do not understand the intrinsic value of commerce (i.e. 1) we won’t support the positive, and 2) our “I got the hook-up mentality will not translate in to bottom line sales numbers), I propose the following:
1) Watch or TIVO or DVR the show.
2) The first advertiser on the first day of each show buy their product - THE NEXT DAY (as long as it isn’t TOYOTA, a little pricey) Deomnstrating what Bohmani has deemed a BUYCOTT. (remember that whole Black Boycott thing a few months ago? what were the tangible and measurable results from that idiotic and 60’s throwback proposition? How you demonstrate your power and influence in the 21st century is through consorted economic acquisition)
This sends a message to CNN, the advertisers, and the Corporations that we watch, we buy, and we support things that reflect our ideals, hopes and struggles in this country,
