Black America Today

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“A Lion used to prowl about a field in which Four Oxen used to dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near, they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At last, however, they fell a-quarrelling among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in a separate corner of the field. Then the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four.” (The Four Oxen and The Lion - Fables of Aesop)

A former student shared with me a report that [1] described race-related disparities in wealth, home ownership, health, college loan use, business ownership, etc. but, nevertheless [2] considered the profound possibility of “Black America (being) A Nation Within a Nation.”  The report’s executive summary stated, in part, “with 49.2 million people, Black America is not a subgroup — it is a civilization-scale population. If it were a sovereign nation, it would rank as the 27th most populous country on earth, larger than Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and every nation in Scandinavia combined. Its consumer economy, valued at approximately $1.8 trillion in 2024, would rank among the top 10 economies in the Western Hemisphere and exceed the GDP of most European nations…”  (Black America, A Nation within a Nation, March 2026).

Reports such as the foregoing raise the fundamental question regarding why Black Americans have not more quickly realized our collective economic, political, social, and, in general human potential.  Of course, an immediate factor that takes up much of the variance is the historical and current systemic racism in America.  Nevertheless, it is held herein that greater progress could be obtained by acting on several critical points made by Malcolm X in his Message to the Grassroots.  One relevant point to the discussion herein is the following:

“What you and I need to do is learn to forget our differences. When we come together, we don’t come together as Baptists or Methodists. You don’t catch hell because you’re a Baptist, and you don’t catch hell because you’re a Methodist. You don’t catch hell because you’re a Methodist or Baptist, you don’t catch hell because you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you don’t catch hell because you’re a Mason or an Elk, and you sure don’t catch hell because you’re an American; because if you were an American, you wouldn’t catch hell. You catch hell because you’re a black man. You catch hell, all of us catch hell, for the same reason…”  

Until the foregoing message is fully “digested,” Black America cannot become “a nation within a nation.” 

A second relevant point made by Malcolm X focused on the differential reactions by Blacks in response to the racism they experienced on plantations.  More specifically, he stated:

“…If you came to the house Negro and said, ‘Let's run away. Let's escape. Let's separate,’ the house Negro would look at you and say, ‘Man, you crazy. What you mean, separate? Where is there a better house than this? Where can I wear better clothes than this? Where can I eat better food than this?’ …This modern house Negro loves his master. He wants to live near him. He'll pay three times as much as the house is worth just to live near his master, and then brag about ‘I'm the only Negro out here.’ ‘I'm the only one on my job.’ ‘I'm the only one in this school. …you'd say the same thing that the house Negro said on the plantation, ‘What you mean, separate? From America? This good white man? Where you going to get a better job than you get here?’  I mean, this is what you say. ‘I ain't left nothing in Africa…’ That's what you say. Why, you left your mind in Africa…”

“…On that same plantation, there was the field Negro. The field Negro — those were the masses. …The Negro in the field caught hell. He ate leftovers. In the house they ate high up on the hog. The Negro in the field didn’t get nothing but what was left of the insides of the hog. They call ’em “chitt’lin’” nowadays. In those days they called them what they were: guts. …And some of you all still gut-eaters.  The field Negro was beaten from morning to night. He lived in a shack, in a hut; He wore old, castoff clothes. He hated his master. I say he hated his master. He was intelligent. That house Negro loved his master. But that field Negro — remember, they were in the majority, and they hated the master. When the house caught on fire, he didn’t try and put it out; that field Negro prayed for a wind, for a breeze. When the master got sick, the field Negro prayed that he’d die. If someone come [sic] to the field Negro and said, ‘Let’s separate, let’s run,’ he didn’t say ‘Where we going?’ He’d say, ‘Any place is better than here.’”

Before going further, herein it is held that the current lack of greater collective Black progress is  not, at root, a “house Negro” versus “field Negro” problem. Rather, the concepts of “house” and “field” Negro underscore the impact of diverse racist socialization patterns as well as different individual responses to the same racism, resulting in many intersections of what it is to be Black.  Stated differently, Black is made complex by differences in religious beliefs and related practices; educational levels; sexual orientations;  residence; and other socio-economic, cultural factors.  Hence, to underscore our differences, there exists the often-heard quote, “All Black folk ain’t kinfolk.”  Yet, if there ever will be a time that Blacks will have some semblance of “a nation within a nation,” then it is essential that we transcend the differences that exist among us.    

Given the reality of living with the rules of a Constitution; federal, state, and local laws; a national language; a capitalist economic system; etc., no racial group can literally become a “nation within a nation.”  However, Black folk can better harness their economic, social, political potential if we set aside our differences and coalesce to do things such as [1] elect Black officials at all levels, particularly where we have significant numbers of eligible voters; [2] focus Black spending on businesses owned and operated by Blacks; [3] develop exponentially the number of Black entrepreneurs; [4] support Historically Black Colleges and Universities as well as programmatic Black initiatives on Historically White Campuses; [5] eliminate patriarchy, sexism, and homophobia within the Black community; and [6] develop long-range educational initiatives to produce Blacks with credentials for jobs where the Black Community and the larger society have the greatest needs for educated professionals, e.g., scientific and quantitative-based fields.  In addition, we would do well to recall a lesson from Pennsylvania’s former Black Speaker of the House, the Honorable K. Leroy Irvis.

During my “activist” days at the University of Pittsburgh, I and others often met privately with Speaker Irvis. One day, we asked him to comment on his effectiveness as a Black legislator in an overwhelmingly White legislative body.  He said, essentially that he listened to other people to gain an appreciation for their concerns; shared his concerns with them; and, in turn, built coalitions with them.  As such, Speaker Irvis underscored the fact that “…collective action is far more durable and effective when it transcends racial, class, age, and gender boundaries. From the Mississippi Freedom Movement to various Rainbow Coalitions, collaboration and coalition-building across social positions—despite the challenges and potential for tension—attract participants with a wider toolkit of resources, opportunities, and tactics.” (See, https://time.com/7307042/history-coalition-building/).  Accordingly, in 2026 and beyond, coalitions will be needed to make America what it ought to be in terms of its constitutional aspirations.  

Finally, if there is to be an approximation of Blacks being a nation within a nation, there must be a “shared cultural currency,” i.e., a set of values, beliefs, practices, rituals, and goals that are shared among the various groupings of Blacks.  For that, we would do well to practice the following 7 principles of Kwanzaa:

• 1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. 
• 2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
• 3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together.
• 4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• 5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• 6. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• 7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. (See, The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa | National Museum of African American History and Culture)

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

April 29, 2026

As is well-known, [1] Jackie Robinson “broke the color barrier” when he became “the first Black” to play in Major League Baseball; [2] Barak Obama and Michelle Obama did so when they became the first Black President and First Lady of the United States; [3] Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black Woman to join the Supreme Court; and [4] Victor Glover was the first Black man to go around the moon and return to earth.  Thus, it came as no surprise when some made much ado about Victor Glover being the first Black Man to do so.  What did surprise many was Glover’s response to being a first Black man, i.e., he said, “I also hope…that one day we don’t have to talk about these ‘firsts’ ...It’s the story of humanity, not black history, not women’s  history…”  Glover’s responses also redirected attention to the professional qualifications of people  --much like  Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. urging us to judge people by the content of their character as opposed to the color of their skin.  

The implications of the above remarks by Glover can be explored by considering, for example, the case of President Obama.  Instead of focusing on President Obama being a “first Black male,” what if, without reference to his race and sex,  President Obama was  noted for things such as the following:

1.  Passed Health Care Reform

2.  Rescued the Economy

3.  Passed Wall Street Reform

4.  Negotiated a Deal to Block a Nuclear Iran

5.  Secured U.S. Commitment to a Global Agreement on Climate Change

6.  Turned Around the U.S. Auto Industry

7.  Repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

8.  Supported Federal Recognition of Same-Sex Marriages

9.  Normalized Relations with Cuba

10.  Put Medicare on Sounder Financial Footing

(See https://washingtonmonthly.com/2017/01/03/obamas-top-50-accomplishments-revisited/)

Moreover, imagine an emphasis on the fact that President Obama achieved spectacularly notwithstanding the fact that, regarding President Obama’s agenda,  former Speaker of the House John Boehner declared “We’re going to do everything — and I mean everything we can do — to kill it, stop it, slow it down, whatever we can.”  Not to be outdone as an obstructionist, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel stated, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”  (https://www.politico.com/story/2010/10/the-gops-no-compromise-pledge-044311)

Ideally, Glover’s and King’s above sentiments are what we should seek.  Unfortunately, America remains a systemic, racist, caste-like, White patriarchal, homophobic, xenophobic  society and, after centuries of legal and de facto oppression, that is the primary reason why we should acknowledge “first Blacks” who “break various color barriers,”  who achieve monumentally despite efforts to tear them asunder.  It is exponentially worthy of more than a gold medal to [1] “come up from nowhere;” [2] make a successful journey from “the wrong side of the mountain;” or [3] climb out of a “valley where you couldn’t hear nobody pray” --all within an ecosystem designed to, at a minimum, hold you down;  make you have to run faster than others to achieve the same result; be twice as good;  threaten your life, and indeed kill you for nothing more than registering to vote or fleeing from a police officer having committed no crime and with your hands held over your head.  

To appreciate what often must be overcome enroute to becoming the “first Black” to break various color barriers, consider the following: 

[1] Oprah Windfrey, Tyler Perry, Halle Berry, Lil Kim, Tupac Shakur, and Steve Harvey experienced homelessness  (See, https://aspire.tv/tribe-talk/9-black-public-figures-who-overcame-homelessness/.).

[2] The great scientist George Washington Carver was born into slavery and Madam C.J. Walker was a child of slaves.  

[3] President Obama was raised by his single parent mother and grandparents; 

[4] Vice President Kamala Harris was raised by a single parent mother. 

[5] Regarding Malcolm X, “ When Malcolm was six years old, his father, the Rev. Earl Little, a Baptist minister and former supporter of the early Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, died after being hit by a streetcar, quite possibly the victim of murder by whites. The surviving family was so poor that Malcolm’s mother, Louise Little, resorted to cooking dandelion greens from the street to feed her children. After she was committed to an insane asylum in 1939, Malcolm and his siblings were sent to foster homes or to live with family members.” (See, Malcolm X | Biography, Nation of Islam, As  assassination, & Facts | Britannica) 

[6] Viola Davis grew up in poverty, with rats in her home (See, https://www.nickiswift.com/1454743/viola-davis-childhood-devastating-details/).

It is with the foregoing understanding of the resilience required to overcome significant societal obstacles and, in turn, break color barriers that  Langston Hughes wrote, 

“Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

It’s had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,

And reachin’ landin’s,

And turnin’ corners,

And sometimes goin’ in the dark

Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down on the steps

’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.

Don’t you fall now—

For I’se still goin’, honey,

I’se still climbin’,

And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”

Finally, on a personal note, my four grandparents were born one generation out of slavery, and they never attended public school.  My parents grew up on subsistence living farms in segregated Goochland County Virginia.  Racial segregation limited them to grade school educations.  Throughout my grade school years, we lived in public housing. Yet, my ancestors’  and others’ foundational work enabled me to become a first-generation college student who earned a baccalaureate, masters, and  doctoral degree; marry a woman who earned a doctoral degree; raise two children both of whom earned doctoral degrees; and live to see our four grandchildren all earn college degrees, two, of them having earned graduate degrees—one from the University of Michigan and the other from Harvard University.  Many more “first Blacks” will “break barriers” when equity and social justice become normative.

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

April 21, 2026

Victor J. Glover, Jr. is a NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy Captain, and test pilot who made history as the first Black astronaut to complete a long-duration mission on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2021. He is further set to become the first Black person to travel to the Moon as the pilot of the Artemis II mission.

Key Achievements and Career:

• SpaceX Crew-1 (2020-2021): Served as pilot on the first crewed operational flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, spending 168 days in space, conducting four spacewalks, and serving as a flight engineer.
• Artemis II Pilot: Selected as pilot for the 2026 lunar flyby mission, which will be the first crewed trip beyond low Earth orbit since 1972.
• Background: Born April 30, 1976, in Pomona, California, Glover is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University and a Navy test pilot with over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft.
• Accomplishments: He was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and is a recipient of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. 

Glover is known for his work in both scientific research aboard the ISS and as a test pilot contributing to future deep-space exploration.

Background and Qualifications

• Education: He holds a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from Cal Poly and three Master’s degrees in Flight Test Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Military Operational Art and Science.
• Military Service: A career Naval Aviator and test pilot, Glover has accumulated over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft and completed 24 combat missions.
• NASA Selection: He was chosen as part of the 21st NASA astronaut class in 2013 from a pool of over 6,100 applicants. 

Artemis II CrewGlover will fly alongside a historic crew:

• Reid Wiseman: Commander (NASA)
• Christina Koch: Mission Specialist (NASA) – first woman on a lunar mission.
• Jeremy Hansen: Mission Specialist (CSA) – first Canadian on a lunar mission. 

The mission is designed as a 10-day lunar flyby to test the systems of the Orion spacecraft before future landing missions. 

Community leaders across Pennsylvania are expressing a mixture of reflection, resolve, and renewed commitment following the decision to reinstall a slavery-focused historical exhibit that had previously been removed.

The exhibit — which documents the realities of enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and Pennsylvania’s complex role in America’s early history — has once again opened its doors to the public. Its return has sparked conversation across civic, educational, and faith communities.

Several elected officials and community advocates emphasized that confronting difficult history is essential to building a stronger future.

“This is not about politics,” one regional leader said. “It’s about truth. If we want healing, we have to acknowledge the full story — even the painful chapters.”

Pennsylvania holds a unique place in the nation’s history. While known for its role in founding American democracy and as a critical hub in the Underground Railroad, the state was also economically and socially tied to systems of enslavement in its early years.

“The exhibit reminds us that freedom in America did not begin equally for everyone,” a local historian noted. “Understanding that context matters.”

Clergy members from across the state have also weighed in, describing the exhibit’s return as an opportunity for education and moral reflection.

One pastor described the restoration as “a necessary step toward honest dialogue,” adding that faith communities have a responsibility to support truth-telling and reconciliation.

The language of hope and justice echoed sentiments long championed by civil rights advocates, including figures like the Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose message of confronting injustice while “keeping hope alive” continues to resonate in moments like this.

Teachers and education leaders say the exhibit provides critical context for students navigating today’s conversations about race, equity, and identity.

“When students see accurate history presented thoughtfully, it builds understanding rather than division,” said one school administrator. “Silence creates confusion. Education creates clarity.”

While some debate remains about how history should be presented in public spaces, many leaders agree that removing or minimizing difficult truths does not serve future generations.

The exhibit’s reinstatement signals what many describe as a recommitment to historical integrity.

“We can’t move forward if we erase where we’ve been,” one community advocate said. “This is about remembrance, respect, and responsibility.”

As visitors begin returning to the exhibit, conversations are expected to continue — not just about the past, but about how communities across Pennsylvania move toward a more inclusive future.

Leaders across Pennsylvania are responding to the decision to restore a slavery-focused historical exhibit, describing it as an important step toward preserving truth and fostering meaningful dialogue.

In a statement addressing the exhibit’s reinstatement, Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the importance of confronting history in its entirety, noting that honest education strengthens democracy and civic understanding.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton highlighted the role of public institutions in ensuring that historical narratives reflect both the achievements and the injustices that shaped the Commonwealth. She underscored that education about slavery and its lasting impact remains critical to policy conversations today.

In Western Pennsylvania, Ed Gainey described the exhibit’s return as an opportunity for continued reflection and learning. He has consistently spoken about equity, inclusion, and ensuring that historical truths are not minimized.

Leadership from the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch also supported the exhibit’s restoration, calling it an essential reminder of the systemic foundations that continue to influence disparities in housing, education, and economic opportunity.

In Eastern Pennsylvania, Cherelle Parker acknowledged the importance of public history in shaping civic identity. Philadelphia’s deep historical ties to the nation’s founding make conversations about slavery and freedom especially complex and necessary, she noted in remarks supporting comprehensive historical representation.

While discussions continue around how history should be presented in public spaces, leaders across the Commonwealth appear aligned on one point: confronting difficult chapters of history is necessary for progress.

The exhibit’s return has reignited conversations statewide — not only about the past, but about how Pennsylvania continues working toward equity and inclusion.

On February 6, 2026, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro strongly condemned 

 a video shared on Truth Social by President Donald Trump that depicted former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes.

“I actually agree with Senator Tim Scott that it’s racist,” said the governor. “The idea that anyone would post a video like that, let alone the President of the United States, someone who’s supposed to find ways to bring us together, someone who’s supposed to appeal to our better angels. 

“This guy seems to always find a lower and lower common denominator,” he continued. “Here in Pennsylvania, we respect all people, no matter what they look like, where they come from, who they love, who they pray to or who they choose not to pray to. We don’t scapegoat others, and we certainly don’t peddle in racist videos and other racist statements like this President has made. He needs to do better.” Governor Shapiro vowed that Pennsylvanians would not get "sucked down into the depths that this President seems to reach for every day". 

The White House initially defended the post as a "Lion King" meme but deleted it several hours later, attributing the post to a staffer's error.

President Trump sparked national condemnation after sharing a video on Truth Social that contained a racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. 

The imagery, appearing at the end of a 62-second video promoting 2020 election conspiracy theories, showed the Obamas' faces superimposed onto the bodies of apes. The clip was set to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed the backlash as "fake outrage," describing the video as an internet meme portraying Trump as the "King of the Jungle. Following widespread bipartisan criticism—including from Republican Senator Tim Scott, who called it "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House"—the post was deleted roughly 12 hours later. A White House official later claimed a staffer had "erroneously" shared it.

 The incident occurred during Black History Month, intensifying the backlash from organizations like the NAACP, which called the imagery a "stark reminder" of underlying biases.

After nearly 30 years at Walmart, Latriece Watkins will take over as CEO of Sam’s Club. 

Watkins, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart U.S., is being named President and CEO of Sam’s Club U.S. Watkins started her career with Walmart as an intern in 1997. Among her many successes, she reshaped the Walmart U.S. assortment strategy, drove operational excellence, and ensured a consistent, trusted shopping experience. Watkins has held a wide range of leadership roles across Sam’s Club, Walmart U.S. merchandising, People and U.S. store operations.

Watkins has spent her entire professional career within Walmart Inc., rising through various leadership levels. 

• Early Career: She joined Walmart in 1997 as a real estate intern. Over the next two decades, she held numerous roles across merchandising, human resources, and U.S. store operations.
• Senior Leadership: Before becoming CEO of Sam's Club, she served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart U.S., a position she held starting in 2023.
• Key Contributions: She is credited with transforming Walmart’s assortment strategy to appeal to a broader demographic, including higher-income shoppers. She also led the company's Shared Value Network team, which focuses on increasing racial equity in the criminal justice system.

As CEO, Watkins is tasked with leading a division that currently generates over $90 billion in annual sales across nearly 600 locations. Her immediate goals include: 

• Competing with Costco: Strengthening Sam's Club's value proposition to more directly challenge its main rival in the warehouse club sector.
• Private Label Growth: Expanding and improving the Member’s Mark brand, which currently accounts for roughly one-third of the club's revenue.
• Tech-Driven Growth: Aligning with Walmart’s "People Led, Tech-Powered" initiative to enhance the omnichannel and digital shopping experience. 

Following her appointment as President and CEO of Sam's Club U.S. in January 2026, Latriece Watkins shared her vision for the role, emphasizing a focus on culture, membership growth, and the integration of technology in retail. 

In a LinkedIn post, Watkins expressed her honor in leading the "next chapter" of Sam's Club, focusing on "protecting and amplifying our culture, fully leveraging the power of our company, and winning omnichannel retail together and with intention". She highlighted the unique aspects of the brand, noting the pride associates take in serving members, the focus on value and quality, and teamwork. Watkins, who started as a Walmart intern in 1997, views her career success as "personal" and attributes it to "consistency, humility, and the willingness to do the hard work when no one is watching". 

Drawing from her experience as Walmart's Chief Merchant, Watkins plans to bring a customer-first philosophy to Sam's Club. She emphasizes starting conversations with the customer to understand their needs and how to serve them. Watkins also describes Walmart Inc. as an "'and' company," balancing being "people-led and tech-powered" with "execution and innovation".

Watkins holds degrees from Spelman College (B.A. in Political Science) and the University of Arkansas School of Law (Juris Doctorate). She serves on the board of directors for Live Nation Entertainment and is involved with local organizations like the Thaden School and the Mercy Health Foundation of Northwest Arkansas. 

The plethora of quotes regarding foundations testify to their importance.  Some of the foundation quotes are as follows:   

• “The tallest towers begin with a single brick laid with care.”
• “Strength is not born overnight; it is forged in the foundations we lay daily.”
• “Secure foundations are silent victories that sustain us through life's loudest battles.”
• “Underneath every success story is a map of hard work and foundational resilience.”
• “A solid foundation is the compass that steers dreams to reality.”
• “Foundations are the ink in the pen writing your destiny.”
• “The foundational steps are the soul of every achievement.”
• “The purpose of a foundation is not seen, but its power is felt.”

(See, https://aigift.alibaba.com/quotes/strong-foundation-quotes)   

When it comes to Black women becoming physicians, strong foundations constitute a sine que non because Black women continue to be significantly underrepresented among physicians. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, they make up 2.8% of doctors in the U.S. This percentage is significantly lower than Black women’s representation within the total female population in society at 13%. (Forbes, May 19, 2025).  Dr. Alexandria Echols-Simpson is not only among that 2.8% but she is also a Black woman who “is doing it all,” i.e., married, mother of 4 children, co-parent of a stepson during his early childhood years, successful medical practice, and public servant.  She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.  In 1999, she graduated from Case Western Reserve University as a Doctor of Medicine.   

Regarding her medical practice, Dr Echols-Simpson is a board-certified family physician and has been in practice since 1999.  During the early years she did obstetrical care along with primary care.  As her family grew, she moved away from obstetrics and continued to provide care ranging from newborns to geriatric patients, focusing on women’s care and primary prevention of chronic medical problems.  She has practiced in an inner city, a suburb of a large metropolis, and, currently provides care in the rural Midwest.    

During a recent visit with Dr. Echols-Simpson, I asked her what contributed to the tremendous academic, athletic, and professional success throughout her extended family.  Without hesitating, she pointed to a picture of two women on the wall and said, “Those  women right there.  My maternal and paternal grandmothers provided a tremendous foundation for my parents which flowed down to my siblings and me.    

My paternal grandmother gave birth to five boys and three girls.  My father was the youngest.  My paternal grandfather died when my father was 2 years old, leaving my grandmother to raise the 8 children on her own.  She was big on education.  She instilled respect, discipline, kindness and love for one another.  She instilled a Christian foundation.  

My maternal grandmother, who was a few inches shy of 5 feet, raised 3 girls and 1 boy.  The boy grew to nearly 6’5”.  She was small but mighty.  She also was big on education and instilled the same Christian values as my paternal grandmother.  She commanded respect from her children and expected them to extend that same respect to others.  She also ingrained discipline, kindness and love for all.   

The foregoing values grew in my parents, became second nature to them, and were passed down to my siblings and me.  My parents also were involved and supportive, in everything, all the time, but not in a hovering way.  We went to church as a family, attended Sunday School and Bible study. They talked to us, asked about our day, and how school was.  They went to parent teacher conferences, and were involved in the PTA.  They supported us by being active in the boys and girl scouts.  They helped with coaching and cheered for us when we participated in various sports.  When we were right, they advocated for us.  When we were wrong, we were told we were wrong and we were appropriately corrected.  Their discipline was effective, seldom did we repeat the wrong.   

My parents knew who our friends were, they knew the parents of those friends. We had rules when we were out “socializing”.  Don’t go into anybody’s house, don’t go across “such-and-such” street.  Be in the house before the streetlights came on.  If a rule was broken, we faced the consequences.  And again, seldom did we repeat the wrong.  This is just part of the foundation that got me to where I am now.  I hope I am living up to the standards set forth by my parents and grandparents.  I hope my husband and I are instilling these values, not only in our children but also being an example for our community.”   

Dr. Echols-Simpson’s emphasis on foundational values and behavior led me to ask her, “When it comes to parenting during the 21st Century AI Universe, what advice would you give to parents of preschool children?”  She responded as follows, “Regarding AI being incorporated into our families, homes and communities, especially those families with preschool children, parents should remember that they are “the parents”, not Alexa, Siri or Curio (an AI toy for tots).   

Parents, humans, should be the main primary caregivers tending, teaching, guiding, hugging, playing, talking, tucking in, comforting, and giving advice to the children, not a computer.  This is especially true for preschoolers who are very moldable. I believe children love and appreciate when their parents have “hands on” interactions, especially when the interactions are done in a loving manner.   

AI can be helpful when needing an answer to something you typically would have to “look up” or “Google”. It also can be helpful for educational support when teaching colors, numbers, ABCs, etc.  However, it cannot offer human-to-human contact, the parent to child interaction that builds trust, socialization skills, and the strong foundation that will help the child become successful in all aspects of their lives. It is recommended that children should not have more than 2 hours of screen time daily. It is likely that, soon, there will be recommendations regarding limits on AI interaction, too. AI should not be used as a baby-sitter or friend for children. Parents need to parent.”   In sum, modifying one of this article’s initial quotes, ““Strength is not born overnight; it is forged in the foundations we lay daily, starting with parents being parents.”

Dr. Alexandria Echols-Simpson has demonstrated the value of phenomenal Black women doing so over decades.   

Jack L. Daniel 

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society 

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media 

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black 

January 12, 2026     

The statue of Barbara Rose Johns, an African American civil rights leader who led a student strike at her segregated Virginia high school in 1951, now stands in the U.S. Capitol. It replaces a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and honors her fight for equal education and lasting impact on American history.

According to CBS News, the unveiling in Emancipation Hall drew Virginia officials, members of Congress, and more than 200 of Johns’ relatives. The Eastern Senior High School choir performed songs like “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ’Round,” setting a celebratory tone for the historic moment.

At just 16, Johns led hundreds of her classmates at R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia, in a protest against poor school conditions. Their strike attracted NAACP lawyers, contributing to the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended school segregation in 1954.

The bronze statue shows Johns holding a worn book above her head beside a lectern. Its pedestal reads, “Are we going to just accept these conditions, or are we going to do something about it?” and includes the Biblical line, “And a little child shall lead them.” It symbolizes her courage and leadership at a young age.

The statue replaces the Robert E. Lee figure, which stood for 111 years before being removed in 2020 amid renewed attention to Confederate monuments. Virginia leaders said the change honors a true patriot who fought for justice rather than a figure tied to slavery.

Sculpted by Steven Weitzman, the statue now joins the National Statuary Hall Collection in the Capitol’s Crypt, representing Virginia alongside George Washington. Visitors can see it as part of a larger display of 35 statues across the Capitol, celebrating influential Americans.

After her activism, Johns became a librarian, raised five children, and continued to make a quiet impact until her death at 56. Her story is remembered at the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, and her former high school is now a museum and National Historic Landmark.

Source: BlackNews

“Racism. The belief in the inherent superiority of one race over all others and thereby the right to dominance, manifest and implied. …My response to racism is anger. I have lived with that anger, ignoring it, feeding upon it, learning to use it before it laid my visions to waste, for most of my life. …My fear of anger taught me nothing. ...Women responding to racism means women responding to anger; Anger of exclusion, of  unquestioned privilege, of racial distortions, of silence, ill-use, stereotyping, defensiveness, misnaming, betrayal, and co-optation…”  (Audre Lorde, 1981, “The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism”)

The effective pursuit of social justice requires that ongoing attention be paid to the systems, structures, strategies, and tactics that uphold a given oppressive system.  Accordingly, Women’s History Month is a good time to review the Angry Black Woman(ABW) stereotype which was created by racists to control the narrative related to and, in turn, the behavior of Black American women!  

The insidious ABW stereotype’s behavior controlling dynamic is as follows:  If Black women do not comply with a submissive persona, then they are deemed to be angry, castrating, intransient, hostile, overbearing, militant, and everything else but civil. Indeed, the ABW stereotype is sadistic in that its perpetrators’ pleasure is derived from Black women enduringthe pain inflicted by realties such as [1] employmentdiscrimination, [2] overrepresentation as victims of violent crimes, [3] the lack of high quality and accessible maternal health care, and, in general [4] being the “mules” of American society! At her best racist and sexist-derived adult persona, the Black woman would be an ingenue awaiting the guidance of her male patriarch.

Resisting the ABW stereotype in 1981, Audre Lorde explained as follows:  “…Black women are expected to use our anger only in the service of other people’s salvation or learning. But that time is over. …For it is not the anger of Black women which is dripping down over this globe like a diseased liquid. It is not my anger that launches rockets, spends over sixty thousand dollars a second on missiles and other agents of war and death, slaughters children in cities, stockpiles nerve gas and chemical bombs, sodomizes our daughters and our earth. It is not the anger of Black women which corrodes into blind, dehumanizing power, bent upon the annihilation of us all unless we meet it with what we have, our power to examine and to redefine the terms upon which we will live and work; our power to envision and to reconstruct, anger by painful anger, stone upon heavy stone, a future of pollinating difference and the earth to support our choices.”

When one has been hurt systemically as long as Black American women have, then their personal and collective freedom demand that they not accede to the ABW stereotype. As Maya Angelou stated, “You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So, use that anger. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.” 

Seemingly, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman was tuned into Angelou’s advice during the following exchange.

“She’s just a poet. That was the moment the studio changed.

During a live panel discussion, Karoline Leavitt dismissed Amanda Gorman’s comments about the growing disconnect between political messaging and everyday communities, waving her off with a familiar refrain: stick to poetry. The room expected Amanda to offer a polite smile, soften the tension, and retreat into metaphor. She didn’t.

She leaned forward, calm and composed.

‘I may write poems,” she said evenly, but don’t confuse art with naivety. You may see this country through briefing rooms and polling data. I see it through classrooms, communities, and conversations with young people who are shaping its future.’

The atmosphere shifted instantly. Smiles faded. The studio fell quiet.

‘Poetry is built on truth,  …On listening closely enough to hear what others overlook. And right now, many Americans feel like their realities are being translated into slogans instead of being understood.’

For a brief moment, there was no response.

No interruption.

No comeback.

Not because the exchange was dramatic—but because it resonated.

Amanda Gorman didn’t argue legislation.

She simply refused to let her art be mistaken for silence.”

FULL STORY: https://verixo.blog/posts/just-hk-khuyen123-team-tien-tntg

In 2026, those who are deemed to be angry Black women should know that they are in great history-making company, e.g., Amanda Gorman, Angel Reese, Lena Horne, Shirey Chisholm, Michele Obama, Maxine Waters, Serena Williams, Anita Hill, Meghan Markle, Alice Walker, Simone Biles, Toni Morrison, Coco Gauff, Shonda Rhimes, and Kamala Harris as well as the multitude of Black women who demand high quality and equal treatment in classrooms, meeting rooms, medical rooms, or simply while using public transportation on a given day after being overworked and underpaid as in the case of Ms. Rosa Parks who was sick and tired of being sick and tired of dealing with the injustices faced by Black people. 

I benefitted from a Black woman whom White public-schoolofficials deemed an ABW every time she “showed up and showed out” on my behalf.  One notable instance was when, without my or my parents’ inputs, a school official placed me in Industrial Arts instead of the College Curriculum.  Unannounced, my Mama went to the school and refused to leave the building until I was signed up for Algebra I, College English, Biology, and the rest of the courses designed for students interested in going on to college.  Thanks, Mama, for harnessing your anger and, in turn, launching me on a more than half century career in higher education.

Parenthetically, it would be a significant lacuna if it were not acknowledged herein that all too many Black men have used the ABW stereotype.  Some of them have done so to justify things such as [1] their individual abuse of Black women; [2] their romantic relations with women of other races; and [3] their assignment of Black women to secondary leadership roles in Black churches and political organizations.  

An especially egregious act by some Black men is the fact that a significant number of them voted for Trump, notwithstanding the fact that “…During an interview …with Fox Business network anchor Maria Bartiromo, Trump launched into a bevy of attacks on women he's deemed his top 2020 targets of the election season. …his distaste for Harris, who identifies as Black and Indian American, stood out as he took most of his time to assail the senator's character.  ‘And now, you have - a sort of - a mad woman, I call her, because she was so angry and - such hatred with Justice Kavanaugh,’ Trump told Bartiromo. ‘I mean, I've never seen anything like it. She was the angriest of the group and they were all angry. ... These are seriously ill people.’ …Trump called Harris a ‘nasty’ woman and said she was ‘probably nastier than even Pocahontas to Joe Biden’ during the Democratic debates, referring to Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts…” (See, Trump deploys the 'angry Black woman' trope against Kamala Harris | Congresswoman Frederica Wilson).

Notwithstanding the foregoing dynamics, Maya Angeou’s words still ring true.

“You may write me down in history

With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust, I'll rise.

…Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still, I'll rise.

…You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air, I’ll rise…”

Jack L. Daniel, Co-founder Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

March 1, 2026