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Sunday, July 27, 2025
Saturday, July 26, 2025
And Still We Rise
An excerpt from Level.com
Why They’re Scared of Black People
From Ghana to George Floyd: the tale of Black resilience
By Jeffrey Kass
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| Photo Credit: Author |
As I walked barefoot along the same dirt path that once led kidnapped Africans to the Assin Manso River in Ghana, I felt the weight of history in every step.
When I finally placed my feet in the cool, flowing water — where European traders forced enslaved Africans to bathe before sale — I began to understand something that had long hovered just outside my comprehension.
The world’s fear of Black people isn’t just about skin color. It’s about strength. It’s about resilience.
That fear goes back centuries.
After enduring long, punishing treks — sometimes as far as 1,000 miles from inland villages across West Africa — captives were brought to this river. Shackled and exhausted, they were made to wash in the Assin Manso. Not out of care or dignity. But because slave traders didn’t want them to appear as “damaged goods.” They were prepared for market.
Once cleansed, their skin was rubbed with shea butter to shine — literally — to look appealing to buyers. Then, they were forced to march another 20 to 40 miles to slave castles along the coast. Places like Elmina and Cape Coast, where they were held in dark, airless dungeons for weeks or months until European ships arrived to carry them across the Atlantic.
I stood in these musty dungeons on the same floors where Africans were forced to sleep on top of each other in their own feces and blood. Most people wouldn’t last a day.
~~~~~~~~~~
Slavery in the United States wasn’t just about labor. It was about the complete dehumanization of a people — systematic violence, forced illiteracy, broken families, and stolen futures. And even when the Civil War ended slavery in 1865, freedom didn’t follow.
Instead, it gave way to nearly a century of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. These were not simply “segregation” laws. They were legal frameworks built to criminalize Black existence, to re-enslave Black people through prison labor, and to suppress every attempt at political or economic empowerment.
There was also the era of racial terror — lynchings, white supremacist massacres like Tulsa (1921), Rosewood (1923), and Wilmington (1898) — when Black communities that dared to thrive were burned to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~
And yet — in spite of all this — Black people rose.
Black people built businesses. Composed symphonies. Wrote novels. Led freedom marches. Won Nobel Prizes. Became mayors, governors, senators, and yes — a President.
How Basketball Rules Impacted Chamberlain & Jordan
An excerpt from FadeAwayWorld.net
Wilt Chamberlain Once Told Michael Jordan: They Changed The Rules To Stop Me... They Changed Them To Help You
Wilt Chamberlain reminded Michael Jordan: NBA rules were changed to stop me.
By Vishwesha Kumar
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| Credit: Fadeaway World - Michael Jordan & Wilt Chamberlain |
During the 1997 NBA All-Star Game luncheon, a legendary moment unfolded between two of the greatest basketball players ever: Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan. According to numerous reports, Wilt leaned in and said something to MJ that struck like a thunderbolt of historical truth.
"Just remember, Michael, when you played, they changed the rules of basketball to make it easier for you to dominate. When I played, they changed the rules to make it harder for me."
That wasn't just a bold claim, it was a fact rooted in decades of basketball history.
Wilt Chamberlain, one of the most physically dominant athletes the sport has ever seen, faced an NBA that scrambled to level the playing field during his reign. In contrast, Michael Jordan played in an era where several rules were adjusted in ways that coincidentally or not enhanced perimeter scoring and protected stars like him from physical punishment.
Let’s start with Wilt. The NBA literally altered the rules because of his dominance. First, the lane was widened from 12 feet to 16 feet in 1964, the infamous “paint” to push Wilt further from the basket. It was informally called the "Wilt Rule." Before that, he would simply park himself near the rim and score at will.
Second, offensive goaltending was strictly enforced to prevent him from tipping shots off the rim, something he excelled at.
Third, the league revised the inbounding rule: when the ball was being thrown in from the baseline, Wilt was banned from leaping over defenders to grab it mid-air and dunk it. And finally, they even created rules preventing free-throw shooters like Wilt from leaping over the line, since he used to take a step and dunk the free throw. These rules didn’t just slow Wilt, they rewrote the geometry of the game to limit his impact.
Now contrast that with the Jordan era. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the NBA began enforcing hand-checking rules more strictly, particularly on the perimeter. This gave guards like Jordan more space to operate and less physical resistance from defenders.
By the mid-90s . . .
How HOAs Continue Racist Acts
An excerpt from Level.com
The Loud Racism of Gated Communities and HOAs
Under the facade of race-neutral suburbia, racism persists
Dr. Allison Wiltz
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| Photo by Radu Prodan / Unsplash |
Consider, for instance, an advertisement for Lexington Real Estate in 1908, for a 5-room "brand new residence," № 640 on Euclid Avenue. Among other amenities, such as "hot and cold water, gas," was a statement, that read — "No Negros can buy property in this subdivision." This wasn't an off-the-cuff account made through casual observation, but a verifiable fact. You see, their claim referenced the community's racially restrictive covenant that prohibited Black people from buying or inhabiting homes in that area. This was one of the many strategies employed to maintain racially segregated communities.
While racial redlining controlled which areas Black people could inhabit, racial covenants further exacerbated the problem. The Prairie Village Homeowners Association in Kansas once had a "covenant [that] applied to all 1,700 homes." One restriction found in a St. Louis home built in 1906, five years after its construction, prohibited the property from being sold or inhabited "by people of the Negro or Mongolian Race." One home in San Diego built from 1950–51 included a covenant that prohibited anyone "other than the Caucasian race" from living there or occupying the property except "in the capacity of servants or employees." This language, as it was placed in deeds, sought to maintain the racial hierarchy. Racial covenants can be found in the deeds of homes in almost every state in the country. And while they are no longer legally enforceable, they serve as a pungent reminder of the nation's racist past.
Homeowners Associations of today are often accused of discriminating against Black people and other racial minorities. Many gated communities are located on the outskirts of cities, designed to separate themselves from those who live outside the subdivision. They’re typically more expensive, predominantly White, insular neighborhoods. Segregationists, such as Kansas City developer Jesse Clyde Nichols, helped “standardize the form of homeowner’s association in which deed restrictions ran with the land, and all common property and amenities fell under the governance of mandatory membership." This meant anyone who bought a home in that area was subjected not just to the federal, state, and city laws, but also to the policies implemented by the homeowners’ association. This enabled neighbors to police others’ lives and property. Nichols has also been credited with standardizing the use of racially restrictive covenants to control the racial makeup of communities.
"By tying property values and covenant enforcement to racially exclusive resident-governed communities on the fringe of cities," Nichols helped to exacerbate racial segregation and discrimination in this country. Many White homeowners bought into the false notion that they needed to keep Black people out of their communities to remain safe. And this became their go-to excuse to maintain racial segregation. In 1945, the Civil Liberties Committee reported that "some 80 per cent of Chicago is covered with anti-Negro housing restrictions." The Central Young Men’s Christian Association, which led an "anti-Negro crusade," crammed in 400,000 people into "the most crowded slum in the world, Chicago’s Black Belt." In this way, racial segregation maintained poverty for Black people. Racial redlining policies and covenants prevented them from living anywhere else.
While we often talk about America as a nation that has racially progressed, the truth is that there have always been two concurrent movements, one advancing civil rights and liberties, and the other seeking to diminish them. It’s not a coincidence that HOAs grew in popularity after Shelly v. Kraemer (1948), which "declared enforcement of racially restrictive covenants," unconstitutional. As so many times throughout the nation’s history, Black people’s progress was followed by White people finding a way to undermine their gains. Making these covenants illegal didn’t mean White people would abandon their racist beliefs about Black people. As we’ve seen, they found other methods of racial exclusion. Today, systemic racism does not need to be loud, as it is quietly effective. Case in point, Black Americans are less likely to own a home than in 1968 — this is the case without explicitly racist policies.
https://www.levelman.com/the-loud-racism-of-gated-communities-and-hoas/
Ed Sullivan: TV's Unexpected Civil Rights Pioneer
An excerpt from EurWeb.com
Netflix Just Dropped the SHOCKING Truth About Ed Sullivan—And It’s Not What You Learned in School!
'Sunday Best' Explores How Ed Sullivan Broke TV’s Color Barrier
By Fisher Jack
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| Ed Sullivan and Jackson and Diana Ross – via Netflix |
“Sunday Best” Documentary Streams July 21 on Netflix
*Starting Monday, July 21, Netflix will debut “Sunday Best,” a powerful new documentary about Ed Sullivan. The film reveals how Sullivan used his hit TV show to spotlight Black artists and push for racial integration.
Directed by the late Sacha Jenkins (who died in May, ’25), the film offers a soulful look at how one man used his platform to create change.
This is not just a music documentary. “Sunday Best” is a heartfelt tribute to Sullivan’s courage, vision, and belief in equality. With performances by legends like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and The Supremes, it’s a family-friendly history lesson that every generation should see.
Ed Sullivan: TV’s Unexpected Civil Rights Pioneer
Best known for introducing America to Elvis and The Beatles, Ed Sullivan did much more than launch careers. He welcomed Black artists to his stage when segregation was still the law in many states. This move was bold—and radical—for the time.
Sullivan broke industry rules, giving stars like Nat King Cole and The Jackson 5 national exposure. His decisions helped shift how America viewed race, especially in households where Black performers were rarely seen on screen.
He Raised Them From the Brink of Bankruptcy
An excerpt from the Independent.co.uk -
Red Lobster’s new CEO brought seafood chain back from brink of bankruptcy. He did it by reading customers’ comments
Red Lobster is back from the brink of bankruptcy with its Crabfest menu, including popular seafood boils
By Rachel Dobkin
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| Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster’s 36-year-old CEO, used customer comments to help turn the chain around (Red Lobster/PR Newswire) |
Red Lobster’s new CEO brought the seafood chain back from the brink of bankruptcy and he did it by reading customers’ comments.
Last month, Red Lobster launched its comeback menu with new crab-themed dishes, including table-side seafood boils, and it seems to be working.
Until September 14, seafood lovers may choose between the Mariner’s Boil, which features a Maine lobster tail, and the Sailor’s Boil, which features smoked sausage.
These boils can be enjoyed with a choice of three different seasonings, including Garlic Butter, Cajun Butter and Old Bay. The waiter shakes up the seasoning with the seafood in a bag right in front of the customers.
Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster’s 36-year-old CEO, told ABC News’ Good Morning America Thursday, “We read the comments to see what people are saying. We try to react quickly to deliver what they want.”
"There was a group of people saying, 'We want more heat, more spice, more flavor options.' And within a week, we turned it around and added a spicy option, an extra spicy option, a new flavor, Old Bay and Parmesan, and Cajun sausage. And we did that within a week," the executive added.
Under the leadership of Adamolekun, Red Lobster has been successfully restructured following the company's bankruptcy filing in May 2024.
Monday, July 21, 2025
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
"Stand Up, Believe, & Keep Going"
VIOLA DAVIS on Instagram: "Posted @withregram • @mae_meite “You’re too athletic and not artistic enough. The only thing she knew what to do is jump.” For the longest time I believed those lies. Until I started to explore and embrace my unique artistry. I spent years analyzing and understanding what details I should work on, in order to become the artist I knew I could be on ice. A Final Capstone Choreography that is very personal ✨ I wanted to share a part of my story through that choreo. A story of pain, resilience and determination, to keep on going despite the hardships. Despite the loud silences of those who slowly stopped believing because the dream seemed impossible to reach. Despite it all, I still carry the light of hope that it will be all worth it, because the purpose is way bigger than myself. You just need to stand up, believe and keep on going. The past 12 weeks were the biggest blessing I could have asked for. Forever thankful to you @mcswain_kate & @gar
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL_xBJkMyqa/?igsh=NDJwazByZDdlcWFy
Faith, Family, Culture, Careers
𝐃𝐫. 𝐈𝐠𝐠𝐲, 𝐌𝐃 on Instagram: "Faith family, culture, careers…in that order. #whitecoatenergy @dr._bestman x @doc.iggy In this podcast we talk about how our African roots influenced our careers in medicine as Nigerian and Liberian surgeons. If you want to become a doctor, I just launched a site with @iamlindaayoade! Sign up for my upcoming mentorship academy and other free resources there! 𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗜𝗴𝗴𝘆𝗠𝗗.𝗰𝗼𝗺 #premedmotivation #medhumor #encouragement #christiandoctors #blackdoctors #blackexcellence"
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJ9RdS-xrTv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Real Life Great Debaters!
NationalBlackGuide.com on Instagram: "Via marlo_world: Lets celebrate these young black Kings and Queens We are told … for the 6th (maybe 7th!) year in a row, a group of Black high school students from Atlanta went undefeated at Harvard’s summer debate residency — going head-to-head with top students from across the U.S. and the world 🌍👏🏾 They’re part of the Harvard Debate Council Diversity Project, proving excellence has no limits. #BlackExcellence #HarvardDebate #YoungGiftedAndBlack #HDCDP #veritas #veritas2025 #harvard #harvarduniversity #debate #trending #explore #viral #trendingreels #exploremore #trendingnow"
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMIW4tMgiqE/?igsh=NnQxNTljZHdzMGl4
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