May 19 marks the birthday of Grace Beverly Jones, born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, in 1948. And when we talk about Grace Jones, we are not just talking about a singer. We are talking about a woman who turned her whole presence into art. Grace Jones became known as a model, singer, actress, and fas

May 19, 2021, Paul Mooney died at age 79 at his home in Oakland, California. He was a comedian, actor, writer, and cultural critic whose voice helped shape generations of comedy. Mooney is often remembered for his close creative connection to Richard Pryor. He wrote for Pryor, worked on The Rich

This is Part 3 of my series, Laws That Don’t Say Black…But Hit Black. The first two stories looked at felony disenfranchisement and voter ID laws. Now we are looking at another voting barrier that can sound boring on paper but powerful in real life: Polling place closures. A polling place

Before crack became the headline, Black urban communities were already carrying damage that America did not want to talk about. The 1970s were not some peaceful “before” period where everything was stable and then crack suddenly destroyed it all. That is too simple. Too convenient. Too clean.

On May 18, 1927, tragedy struck Bath Township, Michigan, when the Bath School Disaster became one of the deadliest school attacks in American history. Many people still do not know this story, but the children, teachers, families, and community affected by that day deserve to be remembered. Forgott

Mary McLeod Bethune was one of those women whose legacy cannot be measured by one title. She was an educator, organizer, presidential adviser, institution builder, and one of the most powerful voices for Black women and Black youth in the 20th century. Born in South Carolina in 1875 to former

On May 18, 2004, jazz lost Elvin Jones, one of the most influential drummers to ever sit behind a kit. He was best known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet, but calling him “Coltrane’s drummer” almost feels too small. Elvin Jones did not just keep rhythm. He helped reshape what rhythm c

On May 18, 2009, rapper Dolla was killed in Los Angeles at only 21 years old. His real name was Roderick Anthony Burton II. He was an Atlanta-based rapper signed through Akon’s Konvict Muzik and connected to Jive Records, and he was still in the early stage of a career many people were just begi

This is Part 2 of my series, Laws That Don’t Say Black…But Hit Black. On paper, voter ID laws sound simple. Bring identification. Prove who you are. Cast your ballot. But laws are not just about how they sound on paper. They are also about how they work in real life. Strict voter ID laws c

Something looking real weird with these numbers. I was looking at my notifications and I saw one of my posts from earlier today said Cathy and 65 others liked it. So that should mean around 66 likes, right? But when I went back to look at the post, it was showing 12 views and only 2 likes.

There was a time when people at least wanted America to look like it had dignity. That does not mean the country was perfect. It never was. America has always had serious problems, deep contradictions, and people fighting just to be treated fairly. But even with all of that, there was stil

Born on May 17, 1942, in Harlem, New York, Taj Mahal entered the world as Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr. and became one of the most adventurous voices in blues music. Taj Mahal was never the type of artist who treated the blues like something locked in the past. He honored the roots, but he als

On May 17, 2015, Queens lost a voice that many hip-hop fans believed was just getting started. Chinx, born Lionel “Chinx” Pickens, had already built a loyal following through mixtapes, street records, and his connection to French Montana’s Coke Boys movement. He was not just another rapper tryin