2 Ferguson: The Product of Deferred Dreams

By: Marvin DeBose Since last summer, I've begun to realize that American history often repeats itself. In the past few days since the decision regarding Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson to not be indicted for the death of Mike Brown, I've realized that many of us live in different versions of the United States of America. More importantly, the past few days have shown me that, its that there are still a lot of us who don't understand that the American experience is very different for different people. And history shows that a great deal of people's experiences in this country are dictated based on race, class and gender. But depending...

0 "It's Not About Race"

By: Marvin DeBose For all of the people who are on the whole "it’s not about race" and "Well, looting is wrong too" campaign in regards to the death of Mike Brown, I'm going to challenge you. I challenge you to look at things from outside of your own perspective. Maybe to you this isn't about race because you've never really HAD to analyze racism... Or maybe you didn't WANT to. Yet, for Black people in America, especially those from lower-income areas such as Ferguson, Mo. and parts of the St. Louis area, racism is omnipresent. It's in the schools, in the courtrooms, in housing and and even jobs. So when people talk about...

1 Maya Angelou: The World's Griot

Photo credit: Biography.com Maya Angelou 1928-2014 By: Marvin DeBose In West African culture, the griots, storytellers who often employed the use of poetry and music, have historically been seen as some of the most highly valued members of society. These people were seen as walking history books, full of lessons to impart upon a village. Maya Angelou was a product of this rich tradition.  For most people, simply hearing that name, “Maya Angelou”, brings words to mind such as, “Wisdom” and “understanding”. Her presence was associated with poise, and grace, and her words were filled with truth and love. Although many people...

0 Dick Gregory: A Living Legend

By: Marvin DeBose Before Dave Chappelle, before Chris Rock, and even before Richard Pryor, there was Dick Gregory. Comedic legends like Rock, Chappelle and Pryor are well-known for their ability to make audiences laugh while creating a dialogue on sensitive social issues from an honest, African-American perspective. Their ability to combine wit, a humorous sense of irreverence along with storytelling to discuss these issues in front of a mainstream audience is often seen as something fairly new. Yet Dick Gregory was touching on these issues long before Pryor became a star and before Rock and Chappelle were even born. Dick Gregory He was...