The Black Renaissance Man

What happened to the real Black Renaissance Men of the world? The supposed products of illustrious HBCUs such as Howard University and Morehouse College. What happened to the black men who referred to his female black counterparts as "sisters", are well informed about the history of his nation and have traditional views on relationships and sex? What happened to those men? Where are they hiding?

Being a sophomore at the #1 HBCU, Howard University, coined as "the real HU," I struggle with finding "REAL" black men. I understand that many of us are young and still growing in ourselves and men can easily argue that there is a lack of real black women but something's got to give! I feel as though I know a lot of people at Howard who can be rappers...and that's not ok. Rarely do I hear discussion about political views, religion, socioeconomic issues or just overall setbacks in our society. I do, however hear countless arguments about who's a better rapper, what football team is better, the discussion of lightskin vs. darkskin and other amateur topics. Brothers, I don't want to rush your growth but I do encourage your maturity. Educate yourself outside of your 16 credits. Figure out why exactly you are a student at Howard University or whatever school you attend. Talk about that. Talk about your dreams, aspirations and how you're going to get there. Those vibrations will keep our generation united, motivated and together. Have my black sisters fall in love with your DIGNITY not your DI..... Speak to people. Engage in conversation. Relay your knowledge to the streets. Open the door for ladies. Let them go on the shuttle first. Offer up your seat. Help her pick up her books. Compliment on her outfit. Say hello and good morning! If you like her, take her out somewhere...not straight to your dorm room. Go to the park, go see the monuments, walk around U Street. Don't make excuses, just do it and be efficient. Be verbose! It's time for a change...like a real one.

Amy Winehouse's Suicide Note

If you know me, you know that I am a huge Amy Winehouse fan. Her music was beyond being melodiously accorded...they were dialogue of the heart. They were sentiments translated into textual cries. Every song was a redemption song and every song relinquished some type ofbottled up unexplainable feeling that I've felt.

Her suicide note has just recently surface the internet -- about 4 months post her unexpected death and it made me really process and understand her life in a different light:

Death, a shape, a thing. Death, a sound, a movement. Death is black, death is going back to black. They use my face. They use my eyes. They sell my soul. They touch me, they molest me. They tell me to stand,

they tell me to sing. They plead with me to become.

They make me filthy, then they say they want to cleanse me. Death, the hour awaits, I have nothing, I am neither human nor a machine, stuck in between. I am neither a thing nor a feeling. I am neither alive nor dead. Death, the voice that sinks, the happiness that lingers in the flesh itself.

Death, they tell me to sing for the people. I say nothing, my words are nothing but futile distraction. I lie to humanity. I am a false icon. I am a disease, they, want me to spread. They want me to distract, they use my suffering as a tool to keep the people watching.

When will she break down? I want to break down. Death, awaits those with nothing left. Death, awaits those who betray their life for the meaningless rewards of the future. I want to die, I will die, moments,

appearances, all falsities. They want me to sing and dance, they want me to please when there is only suffering left. They want me to be genuine, when it is all process. Fame, fake happiness, pretend desires. It’s all fake, it’s all dead.

Death, it’s all really dead.

Death, I’ve died a hundred times, so what’s one more.

Amy personified death. Her soul was already dead to her. Her mind, her heart, her sense of self...it was all dead. So what's one more way to die (physically) when every other aspect of her was dead in her perspective. It's a strange way to look at life but she almost described herself as a puppet in which her fans appreciated her "dead" self. She made money off of her "dead" self.

What do you reader's think about her note in respect to her life as a musician?

Does this make you understand her music in a different way?

I want to hear your thoughts, comments and opinions!

LONG LIVE AMY

Adinkra

As Howard University students we have the luxury of eating at restaurants such as Sankofa but did you know that Sankofa is actually an adinkra symbol?

Read:http://ishangi.org/adinkra_workshop for more information about these poignant West African symbols. Which symbols will you take with you today? #ThinkAboutIt

The Damnation of Women

“I honor the women of my race. Their beauty, their dark and mysterious beauty of midnight eyes, crumpled hair, and soft, full-featured faces- is perhaps more to me than to you, because I was born to its warm and subtle spell but their worth is yours as well as mine. No other women on earth could have emerged from the hell of force and temptation which once engulfed and still surrounds black women in America with half the modesty and womanliness they still retain. I have always felt like bowing myself before them in all abasement, searching to bring some tribute to these long-suffering victims, these burdened sisters of mine, whom the world, the wise, white world, loves to affront and ridicule and wantonly insult.”

—

W.E.B. Du Bois in “The Damnation of Women” (an essay) W.E.B. Dubois is preaching in this excerpt. It's important that black men feel the duty and responsibility to protect the welfare of black women in America. We live in a society where black women degrade themselves to "succeed." When young girls aspire to be hip-hop wives, basketball wives, video vixens and XXL Models -- where did we lose our sense of respect? Our society praises "hoes" and shuns the virgins. Sex is just a pastime and no longer the intimate reality of "making love." We answer to "bitch" and struggle with accepting our beautiful shade of skin. We bleach our skin and oppress our naturally perfect curls with chemicals. We aren't sisters. We are competitors. This division from self needs to stop. Black men need to realize that the nature of a black woman is deteriorating from it's once powerful and proud state. Brothers, please love, respect, uplift and appreciate our black women!

Who Is Sara Bartmaan?

I remember first watching this clip in high school at the annual AISNE people of color conference. They featured this video in a workshop and we discussed where the image of the wanton black woman originally derived from. It was then when I learned the story of Sara Bartmaan. It's crazy how accurate the saying "history repeats itself" is...and in this case, herstory repeats itself. Bartmaan went to Europe for a lifestyle that hopefully promised better living conditions and fortune and instead she was objectified and eventually joined a circus because of her in their perspective...peculiar body. Eventually she became a prostitute and died 5 years post her arrival in Europe from disease.

This story sounds all too familiar. Historian says that Sara Bartmaan was the blueprint of a video girl and even St. Louis rapper, Nelly and creator of Apple Bottom jeans had some parallels in his campaign ( Read for more info:http://www.playahata.com/pages/papi/applebottom.htm)

Did you know about the Sara Bartmaan story? What are your thoughts and views?

Please comment and share!

The Marilyn Monroe Obession

Why is Marilyn Monroe timelessly idolized? She was an actress and a sex symbol during the 1950s and obviously beautiful to say the least but why is she still put on this pedestal more than 50 years later? What do black girls see in her that they can relate to? What are the reasons why Marilyn Monroe's picturesque face decorates so many college dorm walls? From her quotes to her movie roles, personally Marilyn Monroe was a very vapid icon. Why she is praised? I don't know. For those who do appreciate this blonde in history, I have a couple questions...

How much do you really know about her and her life story? Is it her promiscuous but yet beautiful reputation that gets your intention? Do any of you know who Dorothy Dandridge is? Why are her accomplishments overlooked by the black community?

BLACK GIRLS ROCK

We all know BLACK GIRLS ROCK...but last night, BLACK GIRLS ROCKED the runway! The 2011 Victoria Secret's Fashion Show showcased pieces from your favorite Victoria's Secret lines as well as performances by your favorite artists such as Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Jay-Z and lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine.

It's crazy how far black models have come in the fashion world. Especially when many black women tend be more curvaceous, with fuller lips or wider noses it's great to see these beautiful ladies embracing their figures and womanhood. I would love to see some of my browner skinned sisters up there, but I'm glad we are being represented one way or another.

Below are some of the beautiful ladies who graced the runway!

Chanel Iman

Liu Wen


Joan Smalls

Lais Ribeiro

Bet you wanna hit the gym now, huh!