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(ThyBlackMan.com) When schools let out for summer break, usually between mid-May and mid-June, millions of students will be disengaged from learning and will experience significant learning loss.  In math, they may lose as many as three months’ worth of learning, which means when they come back to school in late August or early September, they are back to March in terms of their knowledge base.  Studies suggest students experience the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Wyoming is the second windiest state, after Nebraska. It’s obvious why the wind power industry is investing $10 billion there. And it’s hard to see why any state politician would oppose this. But some have. Wyoming is one of those fossil-fuel producing states in which so-called conservatives feel obligated — or are paid — to stop competition from clean energy. Texas is another. Wyoming State Sen. Larry Hicks proposed a […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The movie “The Big Short” — dramatizing the reckless behavior in the banking and mortgage industries that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis — captures much of Wall Street’s misconduct but overlooks a central player in the collapse: the federal government, specifically through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two government-created and government-sponsored enterprises encouraged lenders to issue risky home loans by effectively making taxpayers cosign the mortgages. This setup […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Sly Stone didn’t just create music—he built a whole universe out of rhythm, rebellion, and radical honesty. His songs shook up the airwaves, fused genres, and broke every rule while inviting everyone to the party. Funk, soul, rock, gospel—Sly stirred them all together and turned the result into something electric. Listening to these tracks today feels less like nostalgia and more like rediscovery. The grooves still hit hard. The […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) If you’ve ever needed a song to speak directly to your situation—like, really speak to your spirit and help you straighten your crown—then you’ve probably found your way to a Donald Lawrence track. His music doesn’t just fill the room; it fills the soul. Whether you’re knee-deep in a storm, celebrating a breakthrough, or somewhere in between, Lawrence has a way of blending sound, scripture, and soul into something […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The House of Representatives completed an overnight session on May 22 with a vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It passed by one very small margin — 215 to 214. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer immediately condemned it — and expressed anger that it would restrict federal funding of abortion. “A few hours ago, while most Americans were fast asleep, House Republicans rammed through their so-called Big […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Miki Howard doesn’t always get the flowers she deserves, but if you’ve ever spent time with her music, you know she’s one of R&B’s most emotionally honest storytellers. Her voice is velvet and vulnerability, gospel grit wrapped in jazz elegance. She’s the kind of artist who can make you feel heartache in your chest and healing in the same breath. For me, diving into Miki Howard’s catalog feels like […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Betty Wright’s voice felt like both a conversation and a sermon. She didn’t just sing—she told the truth, pulling from real life, heartache, joy, and soul-deep wisdom. Growing up hearing her on the radio or through the walls at home, it was clear she wasn’t just a singer—she was that bold, wise auntie who said what needed to be said, with both grit and grace. Whether laying down funk […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) George Benson’s music has a way of wrapping around you — like a smooth breeze on a late summer evening or the sound of someone you trust speaking truth with melody. Whether he’s lighting up a track with his masterful guitar work or easing into a lyric with that unmistakable voice, Benson doesn’t just make music — he sets a mood. For me, listening to George Benson has always […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Life has its overwhelming moments and however hard you try they will occur to you now and again, and there is no way of escaping their suffocating effect. Believers sometimes are at great loss wondering why such inundation comes their way and sometimes they are staggered by its vehemence and ferocity. It is as if, out of nowhere, they are hit by a speeding train, and the train continues […]