The exploits of African American swimmers—both in and outside the pool—have been scattered across American history. And I do mean scattered because they were not plentiful. However, the 21st century has seen a more concentrated display of black Americans in the sport of swimming. Using the Olympics as a standard I place African Americans Anthony … [Read more…]
Simone Manuel leads African American swimmers in continuing the assault on stereotypes about African Americans and Swimming. She is continuing and expanding the exploits of others. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won two gold and two silver medals: gold in the 100-meter freestyle, her signature event, and the 4 x 100-meter medley, and silver in … [Read more…]
Before the smoke settled from the Detroit Rebellion of 1967, President Lyndon Johnson established the Kerner Commission to examine the outbreaks that had occurred with increasing frequency and to answer the following questions: What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to keep it from happening again? Rather than providing the usual whitewashing … [Read more…]
This week is the 50th anniversary of the Detroit riots. At the time, the Detroit Police Department was viewed as a white occupying army. Accusations of racial profiling and police brutality were commonplace. In the early morning of July 23, 1967, Detroit police raided a blind pig, an illegal after-hours bar, and began to arrest … [Read more…]
As usual the radical right is trying to rewrite history to argue that school choice (vouchers, etc.) are a long-time part of our history. Following is a rebuke by Diane Ravitch, our most ardent opponent of this anti-democratic practice of taking public money for private purposes. “Rick Hess makes a valiant but unsuccessful effort to … [Read more…]
One of the most exciting and positive things happening in the political world is “Indivisible,” the new progressive opposition initiative. Last December, after the election of Donald Trump, four former congressional staffers put a document on-line to help mobilize citizens to resist Trump’s agenda of racism, authoritarianism, and corruption. Just as importantly the document provided … [Read more…]
The “(in)justice system murders Philandro Castile and rules itself not guilty,” says Julia Wallace of Black Lives Matter. I agree. This time a black man was shot seven times in front of his girlfriend and daughter, and once again, a police officer gets away with murder as he was ruled not guilty. What is it … [Read more…]
We Stand in Solidarity with Professor Johnny Williams. Fearing for his safety and that of his family, a friend and colleague, Professor Johnny Williams of Trinity College, has gone into hiding far from Hartford, Connecticut, where Trinity is located. He is publicly vilified. He has received several death threats, all because a conservative website, Campus … [Read more…]
Cory Booker is the first-term African-American Senator from New Jersey. He is always the fair-haired boy and often touted as a rising progressive star. A rising star, yes. A progressive, no. I just learned he joined Republicans last January to block the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. Some background: In every developed country … [Read more…]
Charter schools are problematic. They are privately owned schools that operate independently of the established public education system in which they are located, and they receive government funding that is set for public schools. One of the leading opponents of this privatization of public assets is the Network for Public Education led by Diane Ravitch. … [Read more…]