Minorities At Risk For Drowning
Obama Honors Fallen Troops
Angela Bronner Helm
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By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com
CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien spent more than a year tracking the stories of black men and women from all walks of life in America for the groundbreaking documentary series 'Black In America.'
This week premieres 'Black in America: The Black Woman & Family' (Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m.) and 'Black in America: The Black Man' (Thursday, July 24 at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m.)
O'Brien speaks candidly with BlackVoices.com about the series.
I know this was probably envisioned and put together some time ago, but why now?
About 18 months ago I was brought in because [CNN] had been exploring stories on Black Americans and how to do them and it became clear that it needed to be more of a documentary, it wasn't a number of 2 or 3 minute stories, you just couldn't do it justice. And then we were looking at Martin Luther King's assassination and so when people ask, why now? Well, literally it's the 40th anniversary of the assassination. And so the real answer to why now is because our three parts were: part one, King's assassination and this is the 40th anniversary year. [Parts two and three look at being black in America since that time.]
We had no idea 18 months ago when we began, we had no idea that Barack Obama would have the prominence that he has, we had no idea that so many race issues would be capturing the nation's attention.
Continue reading Soledad O'Brien on CNN's 'Black In America'
By Angela Bronner, BlackVoices.com
On a blustery but sunny winter day, my family -- fiance, daughter, cousin and newborn son, all trekked to the Martin Luther King Center -- three days before what would have been his 79th birthday.
MLK Day 2008
- MLK Day 2008
In the Continuum
On January 11, 1990, Coretta Scott King unveiled the Behold Monument at the King Center. Sculptor Patrick Morelli was inspired by the ancient African ritual of lifting a newborn child to the heavens and reciting the words ''Behold the only thing greater than yourself.'' And so Kyle holds up son Jabril up at this historic place. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
Final Resting Place
In 1970, Dr. King's remains were taken from Southview Cemetary and moved to the King Center to be entombed. His wife, Coretta, joined him there at her death in 2006. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
The Great Soul
Ayaana, who was already familiar with Mahatma Gandhi through school, learned at the King Center that ''Mahatma'' was not Gandhi's given name but a title, meaning ''Great Soul.'' King was influenced by Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
Man of the Cloth
Dr. King's pastoral robes hang in the King Center, as does his tattered, well worn Bible (not in photo). There are also many personal photos of King and his family. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
Eyes on the Prize
Ayaana, 11, gazes at the many artifacts held in the King Center, including Dr. King's Bible, his jeans, cufflinks and bottles of his favorite cologne, Aramis. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
Ebenezer Baptist Church
The original Ebenezer Baptist Church (adjacent to the King Center) was the site of many of the Civil Rights Movement's strategy sessions and headquarters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Ebenezer was the church home of Dr. King -- where he was baptized and had his funeral. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
The Eternal Flame
Much in the same way John F. Kennedy's eternal flame burns at Arlington National Cemetary, Dr. King's eternal flame burns at the King Center, symbolizing the the continuing effort to realize Dr. King's ideals. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL - MLK Day 2008
Respect Due
Angela, Ayaana and Pam stand before the grave site of one of the greatest leaders and thinkers of our time. Courtesy Angela Bronner, AOL
By Angela Bronner, AOL Black Voices
It has been confirmed that Dr. Donda West, mother of rap superstar Kanye West, died from "complications due to plastic surgery."
As days have passed and as more and more information has emerged, Dr. West's tragic death is almost a text book case of what NOT to do when having elective surgery.
Dr. West, 58, a former college educator, was co-founder and chair of the Kanye West Foundation at the time of her death.
She had known medical issues, possibly a thyroid and/or heart condition, and was reportedly turned away by another plastic surgeon because he wanted her to get clearance from her internist, which she did not. (TMZ.com)
West instead went to Dr. Jan Adams, who briefly hosted TV show, 'The Other Half' and a Discovery Channel health program, for a tummy tuck and breast reduction. Adams paid two patients almost $500,000 to settle two malpractice suits in 2001.
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