Gospel

(ThyBlackMan.com) In 1903, just before Christmas in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, two brothers dove headfirst into frigid winds testing the ability of their latest invention to hover above the ground. After many failed attempts, and countless critics dismissing them as “chasing a fantasy,” the Wright Brothers recorded the first flight. It lasted a mere 12 seconds, but little did they know that just a few decades later, their drive […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Electricity is not optional. It is a bill families cannot escape. Prices are climbing, and the cause is not mysterious: When politicians replace markets with mandates, consumers pay more. President Trump has been clear about this fight. He says his administration seeks “not only American energy independence but American energy dominance.” That vision of abundance, lower costs, and national strength is being vindicated by today’s soaring power bills. The […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The time has come to praise Donald Trump. Let’s savor the moment. The president is right to challenge the tech worker visa known as H-1B. This is a temporary visa that lets American companies hire skilled foreign workers in “specialty occupations.” The visa’s fans offer a mirror image, with a twist, of the popular argument that low-skilled immigrants do jobs Americans won’t do. They say that the H-1B program […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The Emotions were never just another R&B group. Formed in Chicago by the Hutchinson sisters—Sheila, Wanda, and Jeanette—they carried the gospel fire of their upbringing straight into the world of soul, funk, and disco. Their harmonies were otherworldly, blending tight church-trained vocals with the swagger of ’70s soul and the sparkle of disco’s golden years. While many fans associate them with their undeniable classics, their catalog is deep, versatile, […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) The Gap Band, composed of brothers Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, left an indelible mark on funk, R&B, and soul. Known for their electrifying stage presence and infectious grooves, the group produced an extensive catalog that continues to inspire and entertain across generations. Their music isn’t just a soundtrack to the late ’70s and ’80s—it’s a collection of timeless records that remain relevant today. These nine songs highlight the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) “Every way that someone could come to us and get help for free and see that someone is speaking with the voice of the American people and with the government, all of that is being dismantled … when people lose that, they’re losing something fundamental to the American dream, to the economy, to their lives. And it has a real, concrete impact.” — HUD whistleblower Paul Osadebe The Trump Administration’s latest […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) As the U.S. government continues its retreat from supporting the nonprofit sector, we are fortunate to have Mackenzie Scott (among other philanthropists) step up to fill some portion of the dangerous void that remains. I say “some portion” because private philanthropy cannot replace the amount of tax dollars that support the roughly 1.9 million U.S. nonprofit organizations – to include postsecondary institutions. Scott recently donated $70 million to the […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel—giants of late-night television—now find themselves facing censorship, dismissal, or forced silence when their words cross the powerful. That should alarm us all. If media figures of their stature can be muzzled, what chance do ordinary journalists or community truth-tellers have?   I know this pain personally. Decades ago, I was among the first Black women to sit on the editorial board of a major […]

(ThyBlackMan.com) Assata Shakur’s life and death cannot be separated from the politics of America’s racial divide, the Cold War, and the enduring question of what constitutes liberation versus what constitutes terrorism. Born Joanne Deborah Chesimard in New York City, Shakur emerged from the radical movements of the late 1960s and 1970s. She aligned herself with the Black Panther Party, and later the Black Liberation Army, at a time when America […]