Maya Angelou: The definition of a phenomenal woman 0
I lost a friend and mentor today. Maya Angelou was the voice of three generations. Her poetry spanned our journey, chronicled our hearts and documented our struggles as we moved from the orations of Martin Luther King to the presidency of Barack Obama. “Dr.” Maya Angelou was a phenomenal woman. A rousing spirit, a joyful […]
Read MoreGOP to first lady: Let them eat … whatever 0
It’s been a long time. A very long time. But I cannot forget my first school lunch. Call it free or call it charity, but it was a good meal that provided me, and so many others, with sustenance that made our school days more delightful. Our meals honored the traditions of the time — […]
Read MoreTo care for those who bore the battle 0
Abraham Lincoln closed his second inaugural address with these words: “With malice toward none, with charity for all … let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” “To care […]
Read MoreGraduation speakers draw controversy 0
I teach at Georgetown University. Every May, Georgetown, like other colleges and universities across the country, has a commencement ceremony full of pomp and diplomas. And at the commencement, there’s a speaker who has been invited to bring gravitas to the event, offer insight, perhaps inspire and – if the graduates and their families are […]
Read More60 years after Brown, integration is falling apart 0
On Saturday, we will commemorate the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlawed school segregation. Across the country, people are reflecting on the current state of educational opportunities for children of color. In Milwaukee, parents, educators, students and community members are coming together to support educational opportunities […]
Read MoreLove rules: Remembering my mom on Mother’s Day 0
It’s been 25 years since I last heard my mother’s voice. Jean was home in New Orleans, fretting about the ingredients for her jambalaya, preparing a big tossed green salad. I’ll never forget her. The look she would give me simply to shut up, or how she raised her hand, signaling it was time to […]
Read More‘Don’t Worry — We’re Soldiers’ 0
The terrorist told the schoolgirls, “Don’t worry — we’re soldiers. Nothing is going to happen to you.” The man gathered the girls in the schoolyard. Then he and other “soldiers” began yelling, “God is Great!” That’s when the girls knew they were in trouble. So began The Associated Press’ chilling interview with a 16-year-old Nigerian […]
Read MoreE Pluribus Unum 0
When the Supreme Court made its historic ruling to end state-sponsored segregation in Brown v. Board of Education in May 1954, the justices were unanimous. It was a consensus not easily reached, yet it came about because the justices were of a single mind that they should be of one mind in ending segregation. This […]
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