# data[].attributes.body
-Evan Lewis

The story of Lebron James is one of black excellence. An excellence lived by achieving our ancestors’ dreams for the purpose of inspiring others to achieve theirs. His story extends beyond his conquered sport, but instead resides in the hearts of those he’s touched. He has been the driving force in creating a platform and community where athletes too can be leaders for change. From missing 83 days of the 4th grade due to homelessness, he has since created his own school for at risk children in his home city. He refuses to “shut up and dribble,” but is instead the one to cry out even louder.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
LeBron James the basketball player has left Ohio. But on Monday morning, the footprint of LeBron James, the philanthropist, got even bigger in his home state.

The I Promise School, started in conjunction with James's foundation and Akron Public Schools, opened Monday for 240 third- and fourth-grade students. The school will add grade levels each academic year, and by 2022 is expected to educate children in first through eighth grades.

Much has been written about James's turbulent childhood in Akron, Ohio. In fourth grade, for example, he missed more than 16 weeks worth of school days. The LeBron James Family Foundation sought a way to help families like the one he grew up in, providing children with an education, a path to college and support services for them and their parents.

"We are going to be that groundbreaking school that will be a nationally recognized model for urban and public school excellence," I Promise principal and Akron native Brandi Davis told USA Today. "We are letting people know it is about true wrap-around support, true family integration and true compassion."

Students were selected for the inaugural class based on their academic history.

"Looking at reading data, we identified students who were a year, two years behind in reading," Keith Liechty, the Akron Public Schools' liaison to James' foundation, told the newspaper. "From that, we had more than 120 kids. We had to put a cap on it so we could fit under one roof. We did a random selection of all students who met that criteria and got to make these awesome phone calls to parents and say, 'How would you like to be part of something different, the I Promise School.'"

James moved from the hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this off-season. Still, a big chunk of his heart is in Akron. On Sunday, James, 33, tweeted this:

"The jitters before the first day of school are real right now!!! Tomorrow is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the #IPROMISE School. This skinny kid from Akron who missed 83 days of school in the 4th grade had big dreams."

The school year will run from July 30 through May 17, and then will resume for a seven-week summer school. Students will attend weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LeBron James Opens Public School in Hometown Akron (Published 2018)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
LeBron James the basketball player has left Ohio. But on Monday morning, the footprint of LeBron James, the philanthropist, got even bigger in his home state. The I Promise School, started in conjunction with James's foundation and Akron Public Schools, opened Monday for 240 third- and fourth-grade students.

# data[].attributes.body
-Max Gibbard
Contrary to popular belief, Moses Walker was the first black professional baseball player. He played in 1884, over 60 years before Jackie Robinson signed with the LA Dodgers. Walker was the first man in professional baseball to face discrimination and racism on the field. In Walker's first game in the minors the opposing team refused to play the game until Walker was taken out of the lineup. Then one of his teammates got injured so Walker was put back into the game. The other team, again, refused to play until Walker was taken out. He faced this type of racism throughout his whole career, even into the majors where the league executives almost made a rule excluding all black individuals from participating in professional baseball. There were also many accounts of Walker receiving unfair calls by the umpires and having racial slurs yelled at him during the game. Despite all this Walker always took pride in black culture and went on to have a historic career, leaving an impact on the game of baseball forever.

# data[].attributes.headline
Langston Hughes: My Soul Flows Like Rivers. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Langston Hughes: My Soul Flows Like Rivers. 

# data[].attributes.body
-Billy Wang

Composed by the iconic black poet of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes dedicated the poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” to the power of cultural perseverance and black identity. The poem recounts monumental moments of human history whereby black people of African descent had shaped and endured, stretching from the beginning of human civilization(the construction of Egyptian pyramids) to American times(the practice of slavery). Hughes celebrated the triumphs and hardships of the African race, implying that the black “soul” or cultural identity has embodied and absorbed immense historical experience, thus becoming “deep” and profound like the rivers that flow freely and timelessly.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44428/the-negro-speaks-of-rivers

# data[].attributes.body
-James Cai
Muhammad Ali is a professional boxer, a civil rights activist, and a philanthropist. He was born in 1942 in Kentucky with the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr; however, he changed his name to Muhammad Ali because he believed that Clay was a “white name” and a “slave name”.

Inside the rings, Muhammad Ali had a total of 56 wins and 37 knockouts; the most famous one among them is probably the Olympic gold medal. Outside of the ring, Ali is a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and they all promoted civil rights. He refused to be drafted during the controversial Vietnam war and brought the case to the Supreme Court and won. His words influenced many citizens to join the fight for civil rights as he later made frequent appearances on TV to advocate for equality and freedom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Muhammad Ali's biggest fights were outside the ring

# data[].attributes.body
-Robert Moran
Nearly one hundred years ago, Mark Hanna Watkins, working closely with Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a college from Nyasaland, was the first in their field to deviate from the Eurocentric view of the world and begin to study African culture instead of the traditional focus on European languages and American dialects. Upon publication of, A Grammar of Chichewa: A Bantu Language of British Central Africa, Mark Hanna Watkins became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in anthropology. Nyasaland would later gain independence and become Malawi with Hastings Kamuzu Banda as its first President.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Language, a journal of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA), has appeared continuously since 1925 (4 issues per year). It publishes scholarly articles that report on original research covering the field of linguistics broadly, thus treating topics that include, among others, linguistic theory (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics); language description; language in its social setting; the history of individual languages; language acquisition; experimentation on language perception, production, and processing; computational modeling of language; and the history of linguistics. Language also publishes research reports, discussion notes, and reviews and, beginning in 2013, has expanded to include digital content in four online-only sections: Perspectives, Phonological Analysis, Language and Public Policy, and Teaching Linguistics. Language also included the LSA Bulletin newsletter as a supplement from 1930 - 1969.

THE LINGUISTIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA (LSA) was founded in 1924 for the advancement of the scientific study of language. The Society serves its nearly 5,000 individual members, institutional subscribers and the larger linguistics community through its scholarly meetings, publications, linguistic institutes, professional development programs, and special activities designed to advance the discipline. An interest in linguistics is the only requirement for membership. The LSA works to educate and inform the broader public about the unique role of human language and the value of linguistic research in understanding that role.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Grammar of Chichewa: A Bantu Language of British Central Africa on JSTOR

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mark Hanna Watkins, A Grammar of Chichewa: A Bantu Language of British Central Africa, Language, Vol. 13, No. 2, Language Dissertation No. 24: A Grammar of Chichewa: A Bantu Language of British Central Africa (Apr. - Jun., 1937), pp. 5-7+9-158

# data[].attributes.headline
Louis Armstrong "What a Wonderful World"

# data[].attributes.subject
Louis Armstrong "What a Wonderful World"

# data[].attributes.body
“What a Wonderful World”, recorded in 1967 by Louis Armstrong, is a traditional pop/jazz ballad describing the various sources of beauty in the world. Louis Armstrong considered one of the most influential musicians of his time, faced many challenges during his life. As a child, he was sent to a juvenile detention center after growing up with very few parental figures. On top of that, he experienced much adversity due to the racism ever-present during his time. This song was recorded in 1967, at the height of the Civil Rights movement. The fact that he was able to live through numerous struggles and still see the beauty in the world speaks to a resounding amount of inner strength.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What a Wonderful World Lesson What a Wonderful World Movie What a Wonderful World Song Lyrics What a Wonderful World Song Kids What a Wonderful World 1967 Film What a Wonderful World What a Wonderful World Commercial What a Wonderful World Original Madagascar What a Wonderful World Videos of What

# data[].attributes.body
- Mateo Lopez-Castro
Jermaine Lamarr Cole, aka J.Cole, is a modern black rapper that tells stories of his life experiences through his talent of poetic lyricism and flow. On MLK Day in 2017, Cole released the song "High For Hours" in response to the continued systematic oppression of African Americans in the United States. The song is a reflection on Cole's last meeting with President Obama, but also a criticism of the hypocrisy of America's justification of death. He compares the violent acts of terrorist group ISIS to the violent acts of retaliation carried out by America and the innocent lives lost due to police brutality. He attacks the fact that the latter killing is called "murder" while the other deaths are justified, explaining that by doing so, America is only using their beliefs to justify their egotism.

# data[].attributes.body
-Erin Penders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvbSXVc451Q

Big Mama Thorton (Willie Mae Thornton) was an exquisite performer of jazz and blues music. She contributed heavily to the popularization of rock and jazz music in the 50s. She was the first one to have a recording of one of the most popular songs of her time "Hound Dog" but received little recognition for her incredible work. Elvis quickly claimed her original song as his own and gained more traction due to his privilege and access to white teenagers and media, which allowed him to gain immense recognition for his “original” song. Regardless of this Big Mama Thorton’s natural stage presence was exhibited both through the screen on her few recorded performances and her vivacious life performances that got the audience’s cheers of approval.  While she may have received little accreditation for her work in the music industry, she has anonymously shaped the music industry today.

# data[].attributes.body
-Jules Harris
Roya Marsh, a poet, performer, and activist. A person who works to dismantle white supremacy and spread Black Power. “Black Joy,” a poem of hers exclaims how Black joy and happiness must never be silenced or forgotten.  She wants the black community to know that they must never lose their joy because it is something that cannot be replaced and must be cherished. Roya explains that the Black community must be resilient and not let the white supremacists take away their joy, the Black community must fight to keep their joy because it is like a special gem or jewel. Roya is using her voice and words to spread an important message, that is Black Joy is one of a kind and should never be kept silent.

# data[].attributes.body
In his full interview with VladTV, actor Michael Jai White reflects on a number of chapters throughout his life, including his experience in martial arts where he obtained 8 black belts over his lifetime in the practice, while discussing his reasons for doing so. Additionally, prior to becoming a successful entertainer having acted in films such as "Kill Bill: Vol 2," and "The Dark Knight," he recalls being in 12 shootouts while having been shot twice during his life in the streets. Furthermore, he touches on what events directly influenced his decision to focus on education and how he came to find himself in the acting industry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Michael Jai White on Gangster Past, Spawn, Black Dynamite, Bruce Lee  (Full Interview)

# data[].attributes.body
Anna Zhang

“I changed what I could, and what I couldn’t, I endured,” Dorothy Vaughan firmly claimed in one of her interviews. In NASA in the 1940s, racial segregation was prevalent. While women were not allowed to use the same bathroom or dining facilities as their white colleagues, they usually performed the most important and complex calculations with simple slide rules and graph paper. Dorothy tried to create a welcoming workplace for black women by teaching an early programming language, FORTRAN, to her colleagues in the space program. Also, It took her two years to earn herself a position at NASA. Despite all the challenges, she became NASA’s first black manager. For what she could change, she grappled with the issues with perseverance. For what she couldn’t change, she embraced them with her greatest courage.

# data[].attributes.body
Jackie Robinson was a professional baseball player during our nation's most dark and racial times. He was the first black African American to play in Major League Baseball and he broke the color line in the sport. For years and years only white men played, a racial barrier more than a 10 feet high stood between black athletes playing in the MLB. This is an example of black excellence. Not only an icon in baseball for his talent but an icon in the march for civil rights regarding the athletic aspect, everyone watching. "I am not concerned with you liking or disliking me.. All I ask is that you respect me as human being". This is black excellence. Thanks to him we see athletes of all colors, races, religions and are able to enjoy the game while sharing our differences .

# data[].attributes.body
As one of the many African American musicians who lived at the time of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, Marvin Gaye used music to unite the country and speak for the underrepresented. "What's Going On", written in 1971, is the most representative of Gaye's music style and life ethics: hopeful resistance. The title itself is a broad question that served and still serves as a simple but critical prompt today for people to introspect themselves and the world. The song offers simple yet universal morals that people tend to forget at times of heated conflict. "War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate." Nowadays, wars exist in even more harmful and imperceptible forms than simply physical conflicts. However, this line of lyrics is timeless, and songs like this should be antidotes to violent impulse and conflict.

# data[].attributes.body
-Ronan Karp
Kylian Mbappé is a soccer player from Bondy, France, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the French National Team. Currently, Mbappé is 22 years old, and in 2018, he became the second teenager to ever score in a World Cup Final since Pelé. Mbappé thrust himself into stardom in 2018 after winning the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award for his performances in Russia, where he scored four times. Kylian Mbappé became the second most expensive transfer in history, when Paris Saint-Germain signed him from AS Monaco for around 180 million euros in 2017. To date, Mbappé has 141 goals and 77 assists in 217 appearances—making him a generational talent. In addition to his on field successes, Mbappé is also active off of the pitch. On December 8, 2020, Mbappé led his teammates to walk off of the field during their Champions League match against İstanbul Başakşehir, when the fourth official made racist comments towards an Istanbul coach. The match was resumed the next day when the referee was replaced, but Mbappé continues to be an active voice against racism in the soccer community.

# data[].attributes.body
Art is a broad medium which serves as an outlet for creativity, emotions, and culture. Aaron Douglas, often referred to as “the father of black American art,” was a pioneer and central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, a revival of African American culture from the 1920s to 1930s, a time where racism was the norm. He spearheaded the movement with his many paintings such as, Building More Stately Mansions, a piece that illustrates the labor of black men and women in the building of America. Looking at the muted color scheme of reminds me of the silent history of America, the silent truth of America. A country built on a paradox. A country that was built by the institution of slavery, but stands for equality and justice.

# data[].attributes.body
The 1980s rap collective pushed a fierce, machismo agenda of black masculinity. That is, until 85’, when the Tribe entered the New York scene, marrying the funky, relaxed beats of the West Coast to the brassy, lyrical East. A Tribe Called Quest made afrocentrism more accessible to the youths of the world. Q Tip, Phife Dog, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White proudly wore dashikis, dreads, and promoted acceptance of afrocentric living. The Tribe’s lyrics were intellectual, and their tracks have invited countless musicians of color to walk in their footsteps, obliterating the window of acceptable “blackness” in rap music.
-Daisy

# data[].attributes.body
Raphael Warnock made history on January 21st 2021 as the first African American elected to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. Prior to serving in the Senate Warnock was the pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist church, the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior and Representative John Lewis. Warnock was born on July 23 1969 in Savannah,Georgia, and raised in Kayton Homes, a public housing project. His father was a WW2 vetran and a pastor and his mother was a sharecropper. He attended Sol C. Johnson High school in Savannah and graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelors of arts in psychology. After Morehouse Warnock earned a masters in Divinity, philosophy and a doctorate in philosophy from Union Theological Cemetery. In the video below Warnock announces his miraculous historical Senate Victory and he remarks on how in 1950 his mother was picking someone else’s cotton and in 2021 she got to “pick her youngest son to be a United States Senator.”Warnock closes his remarks with a powerful call for unity and states that he will represent every Georgian in the senate no matter who they voted for.

# data[].attributes.body
Janelle Monáe is a pansexual African-American singer/songwriter, rapper, and actress. In 2015, she released a song called "Hell You Talmbout". The song echoes the names of those within the black community killed because of the ongoing issue of police brutality. Her song, yet so simplistic, powerfully advocates for the lives of those lost and for a reform amongst the American world. Walter Scott, Jerame Reid. Aiyana Jones. Some of the many names stated throughout the song followed by the words say his or her name. Janelle uses her platform to advocate for those who no longer have voice. She believes that silence is our enemy and sound is our weapon and she continues to live by these words to this day as she expresses her feelings through song. through her music, she inspires generations young and old, to use their voice in any way possible to combat the issues embedded into our broken society.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
HELL YOU TALMBOUT - Janelle Monae f. Wondaland Records (video)

# data[].attributes.body
Yaa Asantewaa was the Queen Mother of Ashanti, Ghana in the nineteenth century. The Golden Stool was and is a sacred Ashanti symbol of power . Her role was to guard the stool. In attempts to steal it, the British kidnapped many top Ashanti leaders. This started the Anglo-Ashanti war. Yaa Asantewaa said that if the male leaders weren’t going to stand up for the cause, it was time for the women to fight. She dressed as a male soldier, fighting and leading the Ashanti army. Yaa Asantewaa defied gender norms and fought to protect what she cared about. Although captured and exiled to the Seychelles where she later died, Yaa's name forever rang loud in Ghanaian history. Dolls, shows, and books were made about her to empower young girls to be courageous and confident.
-Jonell Adu-Gyamfi

# data[].attributes.body
The famous image in which she is being screamed at by a white mob has been seen in history classrooms around the United States.  Her and eight other African American students were given an opportunity to attend a white school in 1957 after the Supreme Court found segregation unconstitutional.  This result was met with extreme racists who traveled from all over the nation to protest the Little Rock school from integrating.  An average high school student may have been scared by the rioters, but Eckford kept her calm and that itself was enough to anger the racists even more.

# data[].attributes.body
Spike Lee, would grow up aware of the racial inequalities he would face being Black in America. These inequalities would push Spike to use his creative vision to produce films revolving around the struggles and hardships of being Black in America. An example of this is the movie "BlacKkKlansman" directed by Spike Lee which In 2019 won the Oscar for best adapted screen play. In his acceptance speech he took the time to address the importance of celebrating Black History Month. He did so by thanking his grandmother who was crucial to his success as a film maker, but also thanking his and other African American ancestors who were forced to come to America yet their work was crucial for the success of the country.

# data[].attributes.headline
Amanda Gorman: Changing the World One Poem at a Time

# data[].attributes.subject
Amanda Gorman: Changing the World One Poem at a Time

# data[].attributes.body
Amanda Gorman, named the first National Youth Poet Laureate at only 19, blossomed into a household name after performing “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s inauguration. Having overcome a speech impediment, Gorman strives to perform and tell her story with a developed awareness of the auditory experience. Wowing poetry and nonpoetry fans alike, she is an inspiration to young women of all backgrounds, especially those of minority groups, as she expresses in “The Hill We Climb:” “A skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president.” Gorman uses her poetry to address issues of politics, climate change, race, oppression, and feminism, making the world a better place one poem at a time.
-Ariana

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman's history making performance

# data[].attributes.body
-Ellie Schinsky

In his “Dear America” letter, Reece Whitley, a swimmer from Philadelphia, PA, says that even though he competes in a predominantly white sport and grew up in a predominantly white school, he has always been “unapologetically black”. Whitley has always been a stand-out swimmer, specializing in the breaststroke events. In this letter, he speaks about a time when he was ten years old and the parents on his team had started a rumor that he was lying about his age. It was the only way they could explain his success. He closes his letter by telling the world that “it is more important now than ever before to push forward”.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!

@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!

@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/R5uttJ7Y1d

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/R5uttJ7Y1d
— Cal Athletics (@CalAthletics) February 16, 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!

@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/R5uttJ7Y1d

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!

@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth https://t.co/R5uttJ7Y1d

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Dear America, it is more important now than ever before to push forward!

@_reecewhitley shared his story recently with @uninterrupted to help advocate for the end of racial injustice. #BlackHistoryMonth

# data[].attributes.body
-Mame Baffour-Awuah

In a world where the black woman is repeatedly neglected and forsaken by everyone including her counterpart, she never fails to emanate a light like nonother. Her words, powerful enough to begin revolutions, strong enough to uplift the spirit and restore the dignity of all. And yet, she is failed everyday by society. She is made to feel as though her love and loyalty compels her to function as both a guard and target but Nigel Birch, a black man, in this work of art, gracefully acknowledges this  pain and triumph in blackwomanhood. He describes the beautiful, complex and intricate being that the black woman is. His captivating diction affirms black women in a respectful and strong yet vulnerable manner; appreciating her resilience while proclaiming and honoring the blessing she is. - Mame Baffour-Awuah

# data[].attributes.body
-Miami Celentana

Kimberly Douglas is a self-made photographer who has a unique style that exceeds the average photograph in terms of creativity. Douglas is resourceful: working as an unemployed, unsigned artist to booking countless jobs and gaining impressive recognition. All while, she was constructing every set piece with common materials in her guest bedroom and modelling in each of her photos--each pose full of expression and purpose. Her perseverance is almost as incredible as her work. In this particular set, Douglas, known as Kihmberlie on her instagram, dives into what it means to fit the mold of “Society's Acceptable Black Woman.” The contrast of this set from her others prove that Douglas has not just stepped, but leaped away from this narrative and serves as an inspiration for young black girls to be fierce in their self-expression.

# data[].attributes.body
Katherine Johnson says she was “just doing [her] job,” but in reality she is an icon, breaking race and gender barriers and inspiring others to follow their dreams despite obstacles they may encounter. Johnson worked as a NASA mathematician but was unrecognized for the longest time as a female African-American who began her career at the time Jim Crow laws existed. With the progress she has made in the fields of math and science, she has opened numerous doors for women and people of color. Johnson definitely deserves the recognition she is finally getting now, for the excellence, resilience, and resistance she displayed throughout her lifetime.

# data[].attributes.body
Eric Thomas, known as ET,  is a motivational speaker and preacher who travels around the world pushing people to be the best they can be. As a black boy in America, ET grew up with the odds stacked against him; his speeches often target this part of his life where he was dealing heavily with systemic racism: he was kicked out of school, homeless, and was forced to take part in criminal activity due to lack of opportunity. In the attached video, ET talks about unity and commitment and how now more than ever they are both needed. The title, 381 days, represents how long the Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted; ET explains how hard it was for them and the fear that came with that boycott, but they didn’t give up, they stayed committed to the idea that change would come. He goes on to emphasize, through the word of God, that change will come through the power of commitment and unity. It takes more than one post or one protest, and we all must push convenience to the side so that one day we can see black and white children grow up in an equal system with equal opportunities waiting for them in the future.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kheris Rogers - "Flexin in My Complexion"

# data[].attributes.subject
Kheris Rogers - "Flexin in My Complexion"

# data[].attributes.body
“Dead roach.” These exact words were laughed into, at the time, six-years-old Kheris Rogers’ face. She was told by some of her white classmates that her darker complexion did not make her beautiful. After that, her focus gravitated towards making sure that other Black girls and boys would never feel the unworthiness that she felt. With resilience, she focused on empowering other Black people through her clothing line called “Flexin In My Complexion” which was walked down a New York Fashion Week runway. Rogers helps break the flawed idea that only whiteness equals beauty one shirt at a time.
- Gia Villegas

# data[].attributes.headline
Solange Ft, Sampha - "Don't Touch My Hair" 

# data[].attributes.subject
Solange Ft, Sampha - "Don't Touch My Hair" 

# data[].attributes.body
Solange Knowles's song ‘Don't touch my hair' ' is an empowering anthem reclaiming Black Autonomy. Black people are seen as a spectacle in the eyes of white supremacists society as opposed to being seen as human beings. For decades people have seen the texture of black hair and have felt it appropriate to touch and play with without permission. Don't touch my hair is a song that recognizes the frustration that the black community feels due to the ignorance of non-black people when it comes to autonomy. Hair is used as a metaphor for black essence, and the policing through history is brought to life through this track. Solange establishes a sense of magic for black hair, asking the public to respect a black woman's hair and what one's hair means to them and their essence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Solange - Don't Touch My Hair (Official Video) ft. Sampha

# data[].attributes.body
For much of modern history, there has been a reputation of poor, developing cities such as Compton (Lamar’s hometown) that only the lucky ones will “make it out.” In a world that has been conditioned for so long to work with an oppressing force and not fight against it, the influence of a city like Compton on a young, black child can be very limiting. Lamar exemplifies resistance and resilience to the limitations of being stuck in Compton by rapping on his 2012 song “Black Boy Fly” about overcoming his childhood fear of not making it out like “Afflalo” or “Jayceon” had.

# data[].attributes.body
Many have decided to call Beyonce’s “Freedom” the anthem for African American empowerment. Her and Kendrick Lamar use their poetic language to discuss the relevant issues of systematic racism and racial injustices that continue to plague our nation. These two artists make it clear that African Americans will not let the color of their skin define who they are, nor will they let their past control their future. “Freedom” is a message of hope and prosperity for all African Americans who continue to suffer in America. Beyoncé praises their heritage and raises up their hopes, helping empower them to overcome their dark times of oppression and earn the freedom they deserve.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Beyoncé - Freedom ft. Kendrick Lamar (Lyrics + Español) Video Official

# data[].attributes.body
On January 29, 2018, Black Panther was released. The film was centered around the first Black superhero to ever appear in comics. Ryan Coogler, the director of Black Panther, did an exceptional job of portraying different African tribes in cinema. The main setting of the movie, the fictional city of Wakanda, was made up of many different tribes whose appearances were based off of many real-life African Tribes. Below is a scene from Black Panther which features a majority of the tribes and their outfits. An example of this is the River Tribe’s outfit prominently features lip plates that are derived from the Ethiopian Surma and Mursi Tribes. There are many more tribes, whose clothes represent many different parts of Africa. Black Panther was one of the most popular movies of  2018, and Ryan Coogler’s film spread knowledge of African culture through a prominent medium, which gained the attention of many Americans.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Black Panther (2018) - M'Baku Introduction Scene - HD Clip (2018)

# data[].attributes.body
As someone who has been on TV programs since the age of 19, and now one of the most influential anchor worldwide, Oprah teaches the next generation with her inspiring success of the Angel Network to use the modern resources to unite. Her words are so powerful that we realize our control over massive misleading information. She illuminates the young blood of our potential to unite the world. We are in control of what may control us. It’s on us to decide if the world will remain divided or be valued as a whole. She turns her vulnerability into her weapon and passes that spirit to all. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oprah Winfrey Harvard Commencement speech | Harvard Commencement 2013

# data[].attributes.body
David Zhang

Among many black scholars during the Harlem Renaissance, George Washington Carver, an agriculture specialist, was seen as a major advocate of black education. Born into slavery and later freed by the Civil War, Carver worked diligently that he became the first black student at Iowa State University, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degree. He later joined Tuskegee Institute under Booker T. Washington and worked there for 47 years as the head of the agriculture department. His most notable contribution was discovering many new uses of peanuts and sweet potatoes, which both are crops that do not require fertile soil, so that poor people can make more money from planting these crops on their barren land. On a macro level, Carver impacted black culture profoundly. Although he was mostly out of the political sphere, he believed that education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom for black people. His discoveries targeted at ameliorating the living conditions of the poor people, which embodied his philosophy of using knowledge to help others. Carver was widely perceived as the most successful black scientist in the early 20th century.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
George Washington Carver "The Plant Doctor" Revolutionized Farming Industry | Biography

# data[].attributes.headline
The Exonerated (Central Park) Five Being Honored at the 2019 BET Awards for their Truth & Resilience

# data[].attributes.subject
The Exonerated (Central Park) Five Being Honored at the 2019 BET Awards for their Truth & Resilience

# data[].attributes.body
On April 20th, 1989, investment banker Trisha Meili’s body was found in Central Park after she was raped and beaten. Five young boys, black and latino, fell victim to fast arrests and were wrongfully convicted for the crime. These boys, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, and Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Raymond being the youngest, 14 at the time, and Korey being the oldest, 16 at the time, were aggressively interrogated and questioned for days on end before they were incarcerated. Their sentences varied from six to thirteen years. Korey was separated from his friends because of his age, and was sent straight to Rikers Island NYC Jail. These five boys went through discrimination in the courthouse and in the media. They served time for a crime they did not commit and showed resilience through it all. They were recently recognized at the 2019 BET Awards, which is the Black Entertainment Television network, for their truth and resilience. At the time of their case these boys were referred to as the Central Park 5, but now, the Exonerated 5.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Exonerated Five Are Honored For Their Truth & Resilience | BET Awards 2019

# data[].attributes.headline
Madame C.J. Walker - “People know about her as the hair person but what they usually don't know as much about is what a philanthropist she was… she used her money to make a difference in the world."

# data[].attributes.subject
Madame C.J. Walker - “People know about her as the hair person but what they usually don't know as much about is what a philanthropist she was… she used her money to make a difference in the world."

# data[].attributes.body
Madame CJ Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, is regarded as the first black woman millionaire in America. As a young adult, she developed a scalp disorder that caused hair loss, and found that because much of the hair products at the time created for black women were made by white people, nothing helped her problem. With a passion for helping others and an entrepreneurial spirit, she created her own hair care brand made for black women, by a black woman. The “Walker System,” revolutionized black women’s hair care, and she used her influence and wealth to uplift black women and communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stanley Nelson Interviews Madam C.J. Walker's Great Grand Daughter

# data[].attributes.headline
Elizabeth Taylor, Vincent Snyder & Nia Lewis - "Black History Month"

# data[].attributes.subject
Elizabeth Taylor, Vincent Snyder & Nia Lewis - "Black History Month"

# data[].attributes.body
-Brynne Taranto
If resistance is “to stand up against those who dare to limit who or what you choose to be, and to stand up for what defines the best you can be,” then "Black History Month" by Elizabeth Taylor, Vincent Snyder, & Nia Lewis is not only a spoken poetry performance of resistance, but of joy, excellence, and power (Ward 2000). The pain in their voices carry strength. The artistic body movements carry emotion. Their words carry a story of the past, present, and future. “[They] are the ones living Black history. Simply by being a filmmaker, an orphan, a dancer, [they] are Black History.” Our only job is to join them, to turn the tides, and “to realize the heart of racism is still alive and healthy” today. Black resistance is a story of the past, present, and future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elizabeth Taylor, Vincent Snyder & Nia Lewis - Black History Month

# data[].attributes.headline
Gayle King Interview on Racism in America

# data[].attributes.subject
Gayle King Interview on Racism in America

# data[].attributes.body
Gayle King, an award-winning host of CBS This Morning and one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019, utilizes her platform as a well-respected newscaster to call for change on the basis of racism in America. Through her vulnerability in describing her own experience as a black woman and mother, she pleads for all Americans to lean into the discomfort of discussing race so that together, we can press forward as one America. We need conversations. We need to stand. We need to make a change. And through Gayle King’s interview, she is leading many Americans towards doing so.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gayle King Is Ready for Tough Conversations

# data[].attributes.headline
Simone Manuel's "A Letter To My Younger Self"

# data[].attributes.subject
Simone Manuel's "A Letter To My Younger Self"

# data[].attributes.body
-Ruby Grisin

As the first African American woman to win an individual swimming gold medal for her race at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Simone Manuel demonstrated how Black resilience and excellence can often blend together beautifully. While unsure of herself during her childhood,  -- she was outside the established norm and faced many race-related obstacles -- Manuel persevered in spite of the challenges thrown her way. In her “Letter to my Younger Self,” she stresses that “representation matters” and that stretching the limits of what society binds us to can lead to new and necessary precedents. We must remember that, as Manuel puts it, “there is no limit on black excellence.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Simone Manuel: A letter to my younger self - ESPN Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Olympic gold medalist on black representation in swimming

# data[].attributes.headline
Georgia's flip to blue and the Democrats victory leads to one person: Stacey Abrams

# data[].attributes.subject
Georgia's flip to blue and the Democrats victory leads to one person: Stacey Abrams

# data[].attributes.body
-Lucy Harding

As Americans watched in awe as Georgia turned blue for the first time in 1992, many had no knowledge of the reason behind Georgia’s victory: Stacey Abrams. After losing the race in 2018 for Governor, Abrams turned her work to registering Black, Latinx, and Asian voters that accounted for President Biden’s victory in 2020. Stacey Abrams, as stated from the New York Times, is one of the most influential political figures not holding office and is truly a figure of Black Excellence. Let’s recognize the driving force behind the victory of the Democrats in 2020 and 2021.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 10-year Stacey Abrams project to flip Georgia has come to fruition. (Published 2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Politics|The 10-year Stacey Abrams project to flip Georgia has come to fruition.

# data[].attributes.body
-Ms. Cohen

If dancing is the place where a person feels most alive and in touch with their own capacity to love, then sharing that love is a blessing to both self and others.  This is how I understand Kyle Abraham's "Untitled America" and the Alvin Ailey dancers in their rehearsal about how incarceration impacts  families. Choreographer Kyle Abraham partnered with  The Marshall Project, and commissioned filmmakers to record family visits in prison. He then "studied the footage, looking for body movements that he could translate into dance."  These dancers reveal how our stories live in our bodies and how pain can be transformed into a revelatory expression of human experience.

# data[].attributes.body
former AP Lang member Corinne Coakley:

Though Black women have witnessed and experienced horrific things by the hands of those who are supposed to protect them, they somehow continue to emit this light, a light that starts revolutions and movements and provides endless hope for the future.  Monet's use of contrasts is effective because it not only celebrates women of color and their power, it also emphasizes that they are more than just their bodies - bodies that have been beaten and scarred with bullets - they are more like entities of power, strength, love, and rage. In this way, they are above their oppressors because they are almost more than human. Their power is undeniable, so as Monet says, we need to say their names. -Corinne Coakley '21