Jackie Robinson and the Press

Christopher Lamb Professor of Journalism, University of Indiana-Indianapolis When Jackie Robinson took the field for the first time in a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, he shattered baseball’s color barrier. But more than that, he confronted racial discrimination in America, giving millions of blacks hope for equality not only in sports but in jobs, housing and education. …

Laylah Ali’s Greenheads Are More Than They Seem (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Laylah Ali creates images which are as simple as comic books and as complex and hieroglyphics. Their flat, cartoonish aesthetic sharply contrasts their aggressive and ambiguous subject matter, creating an ambiguously violent viewing experience. Ali creates both intuitive drawings, made in a process she likens to notetaking, and far more meticulous gauche-on-paper paintings, which can …

Devin Troy Strother Talks Beyonce, Punk Music And The Expectations Of Making ‘Heavy Black’ Art (PHOTOS, INTERVIEW)

  The Huffington Post  |  By Priscilla Frank Editor’s Note: The following interview contains explicit language that some readers might find offensive. “Sometimes I’ll have dinner with the collector and well talk about the work,” Devin Troy Strother says in a phone interview with The Huffington Post. “If there is ‘nigga please’ or ‘bitch’ in …

Renaissance Portraits Remixed: Artist Mark Abouzeid Poses Modern Immigrants As Masterpiece Stars (PHOTOS)

Italian photographer Mark Abouzeidremixes all your favorite Renaissance-era portraits in his new series, “The New New World.” Recasting modern day immigrants as the stars of famous masterpieces, he recreates paintings of Amerigo Vespucci and Catherine de’ Medici with their best 21st century dopplegangers. Abouzeid explains to The Daily Mail his collaboration with some of Florence’s …

Molly Crabapple’s ‘Shell Game’ Paintings Depict A Year In Crisis From Occupy Wall Street To Anonymous Hacks

By Leigh Silver Follow: Health Care Crisis, Molly Crabapple, Tunisian Revolutions, Anonymous, Greek Protests, m15 Movement, Molly-Crabapple, Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Wall Street Art, Paintings, Political Art, Arts News Activist artist Molly Crabapple’s new series of paintings titled “Shell Game” at Smart Clothes Gallery in New York portray a darkly humorous year in cartoonish figures. …

Beyonce Rocks Braids And Bold Printed Outfits During Anniversary Trip To Cuba (PHOTO)

The Huffington Post  |  By Julee Wilson Bold printed ensembles and a head full of box braids have become one of Solange Knowles’ signature looks. However, it was big sister Beyoncé who was spotted rocking the dynamic style while in Cuba on a wedding anniversary trip with hubby Jay-Z. On Wednesday Bey dined in a …

Afros On Our Minds, A Homage To The Au Naturale Hairstyle (PHOTO)

The Huffington Post  |  By Julee Wilson Whether being praised or despised, black women and our hair is a hot topic. And the latest headline-making story comes courtesy of the creative ambassador for Barneys New York, Simon Doonan, who recently penned a story for Slate calling for the resurgence of “the freak ‘fo.” Our response, …

Toni Morrison – Mini Bio

Born Chloe Anthony Wofford, in 1931 in Lorain (Ohio), the second of four children in a black working-class family. Displayed an early interest in literature. Studied humanities at Howard and Cornell Universities, followed by an academic career at Texas Southern University, Howard University, Yale, and since 1989, a chair at Princeton University. She has also …

The Misguided Campaign to ‘Bring Back the Afro’

Dodai Stewart When is a compliment not really a compliment? When is praise not really praise? Here’s a hint: When you’re a white man reminiscing about the good old days, when black people wore Afros. Yeah…no. Talk about reducing something complex to something simple. Yesterday on Slate, Simon Doonan posted a piece titled “Bring Back …

Louvre Gets New Leader, Jean-Luc Martinez, A Greek Antiquities Expert

PARIS — France’s Louvre museum is getting a new director – the man who is leading the restoration of its most famous Greek sculpture and has his hands in some of the institutions latest efforts to expand its reach. Jean-Luc Martinez, a French specialist in Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities who has worked at the …

Santigold ‘Disparate Youth’ Off ‘Master Of My Make Believe’ (VIDEO)

Most of the world knows Santi White by the name Santigold, her stage name, and the title of the 2008 debut album that got everyone talking. Now it’s the Philly-born singer’s upcoming album that’s making headlines. Coinciding with the NYT premiere of the cover art for the May 1 album Master Of My Make Believe, …

Leslie Cheung Exhibit Pays Tribute To Memory Of Hong Kong Singer-Actor On 10th Anniversary Of Death

Origami cranes, folded by fans are displayed at an exhibition for paying tribute to Leslie Cheung at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Saturday, March 30, 2013. The exhibition is held to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Hong Kong screen and singing legend Leslie Cheung. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) HONG KONG — Almost …