Video- President Obama on Strengthening America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Video- Drumline in the White House: Raw Footage

Got me moving.

An 8 person drumline from Virginia State University plays in the Cross Hall of the White House before an event honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. February 26, 2010.

VIDEO: Cook defends fried chicken choice for Black History Month menu

By GottaLaff



I previously wrote a piece about a controversial menu honoring Black History Month that was posted at the NBC commissary.

There have been valid arguments for both sides of this story. However, I think Leslie Calhoun, the chef, wins the day on this one.

And now, thanks to GrrrlRomeo, we have a wonderful video that explains Ms. Calhoun's decisions, in her own words.

There's more here, follow the link:

One person who doesn't understand how offense could be taken: Chef Leslie Calhoun. It was her decision to select the menu items and create the sign. TheGrio caught up with her minutes after the tweet fiasco erupted and she seemed genuinely upset by the whole thing. Calhoun is an African-American and employee of Flick, a catering service that runs the NBC commissary. She said that for the last eight years she's been seeking approval from Flick management for a special Black History Month menu, and had finally been told that every Thursday for the month of February, she could serve whatever she chose. [...]

This isn't the first time this year that fried chicken and collard greens on a menu have created a stir. Last month, Denver Public Schools experienced a backlash after announcing they would serve fried chicken and collard greens in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It's good to have both sides aired. Fair and balanced and all that, right?

Oh no they di-in't!

By GottaLaff
UPDATE HERE. Video of the chef that clears a lot of things up.

What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by serving up a steaming plateful of stereotype?

NBCU employee Questlove is bringing it to the attention of his 1 million plus Twitter followers.

Ooops.

Questlove, the band leader and drummer for The Roots (the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) tweeted this picture from the NBC Commissary at 30 Rock, with the comment: “Hmm HR?”

Oh, but don't worry your pretty little head about it:


Apparently, not everyone was offended by it. They're just apologizing to those of us who were.

Oh sorry. Apologized for anyone who was offended. Not only are they insensitive, they're illiterate, too.

Good thing they removed it before only a million of us saw it. Whew! Close call.

Brought to you by the very same group that makes Al Franken a little jittery.

UPDATE: The apology came from someone who has a grand total of 9 followers on Twitter. I'm guessing it won't be too effective.

H/t: Misha 1234, Raine 1967

Cartoon of the Day

To celebrate the last day of Black History Month. This cartoon really got to me. Via.

Mrs Obama welcomes students to the White House

Refreshing as hell. Funny though, out of all of the write ups I found about this, only the Detroit Free Press mentioned it was a Black History Month event. Huh.

WASHINGTON -- Foot-stomping music filled the East Room of the White House today as first lady Michelle Obama hosted nearly 200 schoolchildren for a Black History Month celebration featuring Sweet Honey in the Rock, an award-winning female a cappella ensemble.

Obama seemed a bit surprised when the sixth- and seventh-graders from three local schools said yes, they knew slaves helped build the White House, that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation upstairs in a bedroom named for him, and that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders met in the building with Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson to discuss the end of segregation.

“So you guys know your history. That’s a good thing,” she said. “That means your parents and teachers are doing their jobs.”

Obama encouraged them to look beyond the names in the history books and to “think about the extraordinary people who live in your own world,” like parents, grandparents and teachers, “all those folks who play important roles in black history and American history every single day.”