Category Archives: Blog

One of the darkest days in our history? Not even close.

In President-Elect Joe Biden's speech to the nation, following the insurrection, and attempted coup d' etat of the government, he described the event as "one of the darkest days in the history of our nation". Well, I'm not sure whether or not he is suffering from selective memory or implicit bias, but either way, he…
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Netflix; A Tale of Two Black Celebrities

Dave Chappelle made headlines once again, recently, when he posted a clip from his "Unforgiven" stand up special to his instagram. In it, he is seen explaining how he was wronged by the "Chappelle Show" contract which he himself signed, and that the show as it now streams on various platforms is tantamount to a…
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Crossroads; Cultural Appropriation vs Hijacking Intellectual Property

Once again, and all too familiar type of conversation emerged online, the debate of a Black actor or actress assuming the role of a well established White fictional character. For example, Idris Elba was suggested as a potential successor to the James Bond franchise a couple of years ago, Michael B. Jordan was suggested as…
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The New 007 Superspy is a Black Woman, get over it.

When British journalist Ian Fleming wrote the first novel featuring Agent 007, famously known as James Bond, in 1952, the character was born as a composite based on a number of operators that Fleming had known during his service with the Naval Intelligence Division during the second world war. Taken in context, a British Intelligence…
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Jodie Turner-Smith; From ‘Queen & Slim’ to Queen of England

Nothing sets the twittersphere buzzing quite like announcements of film or television projects involving stories ripe with cultural appropriation or the contemporary imagining of famous historical figures. Such was the case with the announcement that British-born Jamaican actress and model Jodie Turner-Smith has been tapped to portray Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King…
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