By Soulbrother v.2 When sometime last month Tyler Perry got his hands on the rights to that classic of African American theater, Ntozake Shange’s 1975 playFor Colored Girls who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, an abrupt, audible, collective gasp could be heard throughout the African American community. At the time I intended to pen a few lines in response, but by the time I finished, the moment had passed. However, on Sunday evening following Tyler Perry’s interview on 60 Minutes, I watched in bemusement and surprise as fierce and impassioned internecine rhetorical skirmishes...

By Raw Dawg Buffalo It is apparent for me that we have some serious problems in our community. I mean serious, for any time a young man walking home from school can be beaten to death, in day light, while folks watch and think nothing of it, and even video it without considering that said person may need help, or what they are watching is not right, is a true indication that something is amiss in our beliefs and world view. I have noticed that there is a difference in general behavior when I look and my parents, myself and the present generation. As a father with a 17 year old son, I am proud to...

By Tamara Madden When I was growing up, I was constantly told how ugly I was. My mother was stunning and always had men running behind her, but I never thought that I would look like her and never wanted to, surprisingly. I would look in the mirror at my dark skin and big forehead and wonder why people judged me. I always felt like I was a nice person, but nothing seemed to matter more than my outward appearance. My mother was light and I was dark and I often wondered if her complexion and the length of her hair made her more attractive to people.  In high school many girl’s got their self-esteem...

by Maxwell Reddick My wife is a very intelligent, very well-educated person with impeccable, refined taste. Usually she acts as my cultural compass in matters such as the proper televisions shows and movies to watch. Left to my own devices, I would watch a bunch of corny b-movies and old blaxploitation flicks. I’m well-rounded that way. So, that is why I find it so curious that she actually watches and enjoys the Real House Wives of Atlanta. Before this season, the only television she watched was the Sunday night HBO line-up which was cool because I enjoyed that too, but this whole stop everything...

By Raw Dog Buffalo Ok, we just did a first as far as I can recall, count down the first 100 days of a standing president in office in the form of a formal press conference. The last time I saw count downs like this were for a space shuttle flight. Now Hats off to the President, from where I stand he has received a range of grades personally from an A+ to peace relations with the Muslim world and Health Care to a D- with respect to the economy and Pakistan. With that said, I want to add how I am some what disturbed by the blind allegiance people give to anyone. In the African American community...

By Scottie Lowe Photography courtesy of Afroerotik For all too long Black sexuality has been defined by extremes. We have been defined as hypersexual, untamed savages who are ruled by our lust and far too many of us have embraced that misrepresentation without the presence of a healthier alternative example to model. Others of us have adopted a role of sexual conservatism in order to conform to a standard that tells us that the only sex that isn’t dirty . . . is boring. Somewhere between the freak and the frigid lies AfroerotiK sexuality. Where do intelligent, middle class Black people turn...