June 17, 2015. Though it wasn’t that long ago, far too many Americans only dimly recall what happened on that date, when a racist murderer sat down to pray with parishioners at the historically Black Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., then pulled out a .45-caliber handgun and started shooting. He killed nine people […]
The dangers of a short memory in recognizing — and fighting — hate Read More »
Even as the U.S. will likely have a federal holiday to mark June 19th or Juneteenth — an important date not a part of many history books — battles over teaching race continue. After the murder of George Floyd, many sought to learn lessons that were absent in the traditional white-washed version of American history
Who is afraid of critical race theory? Read More »
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – How race and history are taught in schools is the latest flashpoint in the ongoing “culture wars.” It comes as states, including North Carolina, consider laws limiting the use of “critical race theory” in education. Our political contributor, Mary C. Curtis, gives us her take in the video above.
The White House issued a proclamation last week, of the sort that most presidents have issued about historical events that deserve commemorating, but that were missing, for the most part, during the Trump reign. This one marked the 60th anniversary of the first Freedom Rides, on May 4, 1961, when traveling on a bus meant risking your life,
Sorry, but ‘Gone With the Wind’ is not a history book Read More »
CHARLOTTE, NC — The ticket is set. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has picked Sen. Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate. Harris is the first Black and Asian-American woman to be on a major party’s presidential ticket. WCCB Political contributor Mary C. Curtis gives her expert analysis on the decision.
Mary C. Curtis: Biden Picks Kamala Harris as Running Mate Read More »
“Any Person May Kill and Destroy Said Slaves,” reads an arrest proclamation from 1798. Issued for “Jem” and “Mat” by Warren County, N.C., it may as well have been a death sentence. Even if Jem and Mat, two escaped slaves, were able to get to the North to a state that had abolished slavery, they
American history X: How Kinsey exhibit at Gantt Center fights the ‘myth of absence’ Read More »
The discussion didn’t start with “Dark Girls,” which recently aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). But the documentary has brought talk about “colorism,” discrimination on the basis of skin color, into the open, something that co-director-producer Bill Duke noted in an interview Thursday morning. He remembered an African American woman in New York, who
Shades of prejudice hurt — but can’t stop — ‘Dark Girls’ Read More »
George W. Bush used to joke about it, his mediocre record at Yale, his less-than-diligent efforts throughout his educational career. So many laughed along at every bit of the persona he played into – the incurious certainty, the attempts to pronounce “nuclear” and the confident attitude throughout it all. But few questioned his right to
How America’s original affirmative action is still going strong Read More »
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More people are using their spare time to trace their family lineage. The Harvey B. Gantt Center is helping people in Charlotte do the same. Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates is the inaugural speaker for the 2013 Gantt Symposium. The event is Thursday, June 27th surrounding Dr. Gates’ “Finding Your Roots”. The discussion
Keeping it Positive: Find Your Roots Read More »
It was a funny though welcome text message, congratulating me on “my” new pope. From 3,000 miles away, my friend knows how much my Catholic faith means to me and wanted to share the good news. Though she was raised Baptist and doesn’t really practice any religion now, she understood. What did I think of
Authentically black and Catholic – with something to say about Pope Francis Read More »
