It has been called Issue #1 It is on the front page of major newspapers across the country, as President Bush seeks passage of a $700 billion bailout plan for financial firms

It is no secret that high incarceration rates are an epidemic in the Black community Many of today’s biggest celebrities, from sports to music, are survivors of this epidemic

Throughout the historic 2008 presidential campaign, much attention has been given to the personalities of the candidates Many know that John McCain survived a horrific ordeal as a POW in Vietnam

During the 2004 presidential campaign, the Iraq War was the hot-button issue separating John Kerry supporters and George W Bush supporters

Whether Barack Obama becomes the next president of the United States, he and his Republican counterpart, John McCain, have turned the 2008 showdown into must-see television The suspense leading up to the selection of Joe Biden as Obama’s running mate created the kind of debate usually reserved for March Madness, with fans arguing why certain candidates would survive to the next round and others would fall by the wayside

With the success of Barack Obama’s presidential bid, many critics of preferential programs for minorities and women have argued that it is time to dismantle all affirmative action policies in the workplace and institutions of higher learning Recently, John McCain brought attention to the issue by stating that he supports a constitutional amendment in Arizona that would outlaw all affirmative action programs in his home state

If you were a hip-hop head in the late 1980s, chances are you grew up listening to the music of pioneering “gangsta” rap group NW

When hip-hop legend, Nas, began promoting the title of his latest CD, I was one of the many that thought that hip-hop had finally taken it too far I believed Nas was using the N-word as the CD title as a mere publicity stunt to gain more attention for the project

Charles Dickens once wrote in his classic novel, A Tale of Two Cities that, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…” Barack Obama’s historic journey to become the presumptive Democratic nominee for the upcoming presidential election is the culmination of those who struggled throughout slavery and the Civil Rights movement

“What happens to a dream deferred Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun,” asked Langston Hughes in his classic poem “A Dream Deferred

The Black family structure is under attack From teenage pregnancies to dead-beat dads, what was once the strength of the Black community is now a glaring weakness

Now that the dust has settled on Barack Obama's historic nomination as the Democratic candidate for the presidency, an equally important challenge presents itself Who should Obama choose as his running mate for the November election

The recent acquittals of the police officers charged with the murder of Sean Bell on the day of his wedding and the uproar that has erupted over the incendiary remarks by Rev Jeremiah Wright are clear indications that race still matters in America

Many in the Black community have joked for years that when a news reporter interviews a person of color they usually opt for the most inarticulate and uneducated minority they could find The stereotypical images of African Americans that many see is usually atypical of the Black professionals that I come across on a daily basis

For decades, Hollywood has portrayed African American men in a negative light From pimps, and drug dealers to thugs and womanizers, the portrayal of Black men in the media have led to numerous stereotypes that have ultimately determined how many view an entire group of people

It has been extremely difficult to watch the news over the past year and not form an opinion of the numerous protests of the proposed immigration laws Students from across the country have skipped class on a daily basis to argue against laws that would make it a felony to be an illegal immigrant or to assist illegal immigrants in the United States

It was the spring of 1931 A freight train bound for Memphis carried a group of young African Americans in search of a better life

Richard Johnson and Dee Spiller had everything They were star defensive backs for Eisenhower High School in Houston and on their way to play collegiate football at Baylor University

Many cringe when scientists victimize animals for medical experiments However, many African American men from Tuskegee, Ala

There was a time when the family was the backbone of the Black community The single parent household was unheard of, and Black men cherished their women as if she was a queen

Throughout the Democratic primaries, Senator Barack Obama has dedicated his entire campaign to change Change from the usual divisive politics and mudslinging that have characterized many presidential elections by putting more emphasis on the issues that are important to voters such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy

During Super Bowl Weekend, the media gave much attention to two African Americans making coaching history Unfortunately, many barriers, such as the lack of graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the National Football League, are still present as African Americans fight for a level playing field in the front office of professional sports

Take yourself back to April 1974, 10 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and exactly six years after the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

If you were to take a trip across the landscape of college athletics, you would find many sports dominated by people of color From basketball and football to track, many African Americans have become standout athletes in their respective sports

It is the dream of almost every child in this great nation It is the dream of seeing one’s name in bright lights