Who’s Driving the Car?

Driving under the influence has been illegal since 1910. New York was the first state to pass such laws, and California was soon to follow. According to U.S. statistics, there are approximately 32 fatalities per day due to drunk-driving accidents, with 920 resulting injuries. In August of 1619, a ship named the White Lion docked at a port in Point Comfort (currenttly Hampton), Virginia, carrying a cargo of 20-30 human beings originating from Angola on the west coast of Africa. It was the first arrival of human cargo to what was deemed the “New World.”  They had been captured during … Continue reading Who’s Driving the Car?

Separate and Unequal: How the Kerner Commission’s Warnings Come True Today

“Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal” (Kerner, 1968, p. 1). As a Black woman who has studied racial disparities in America extensively, these dire words of the 1968 Kerner Commission report have always … Continue reading Separate and Unequal: How the Kerner Commission’s Warnings Come True Today

Charles S. Johnson: A Visionary of Black Intellectual and Artistic Excellence for Change

Charles Spurgeon Johnson was a visionary who championed Black talent, intellect, and artistic excellence. As a sociologist, editor, and later president of historically Black Fisk University, Johnson understood the power of art and education in reshaping the social landscape of … Continue reading Charles S. Johnson: A Visionary of Black Intellectual and Artistic Excellence for Change