Entries by Raynard Jackson

Making History is not Enough

In many ways Obama’s presidency has been historic. On June 19, 2008, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down public financing in the general election since the system was created in 1976. On Thursday, August 28, 2008, Obama became the first Black to be nominated by a major U.S. party. On November […]

Tony Dungy Unfairly Attacked

The homosexual mafia has struck again. This time, however, they have picked the wrong target. Beloved former Tampa Bay and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy has been under a vicious assault for honestly answering a reporter’s question. In an interview with the Tampa Tribune, Dungy was asked if he would he have drafted Michael […]

Nothing Essential About Essence

I wrote a column three years ago titled, “Black Women No Longer Have Their Essence.” My point was that Essence, the pre-eminent magazine for Black women, had become irrelevant and an embarrassment to the Black community. Unfortunately, Essence has continued its decent into irrelevancy. For 20 years, Essence has sponsored an annual party during the […]

Are conservatives serious about blacks?

“Conservative” means “‘Strom Thurmond,’ ‘Jesse Helms,’ ‘racist,’” to blacks. Above: late GOP senators Helms (N.C.) and Thurmond (S.C.) at left and right, with Elizabeth and Robert Dole. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) Not long ago I had dinner with a very prominent white conservative activist who wanted to talk with me about how to get more blacks […]

GOP’s Reverse ‘Southern Strategy’

Last week’s election results infuriated me and not for the reasons you might suspect. My anger has less to do with the outcomes of the various elections, but more to do with the means of getting to the outcome. The most watched election of this year was the Mississippi Senate race between Tea Party favorite […]

Blacks Need More Racists

A few weeks ago, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) made a stunning announcement that caused a lot of consternation in the Black community. UNCF had accepted a $25 million contribution from Koch Industries and the Charles Koch Foundation. Under normal circumstances, David and Charles Koch – the brothers who control the two entities – […]

Republicans Should Learn from Cantor’s Mistake

Last week’s defeat of House Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor sent shock waves throughout D.C. like I have never seen before.  But, in Cantor’s defeat, I see great opportunity for the Republican Party to make inroads into the Black community. Cantor represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which is a suburb of Richmond.  According to the 2010 […]

Why Black Men Need More White Women

Black women constantly complain about the dearth of “eligible” Black men to date and marry. Noted sociologist William Julius Wilson has argued that “the increasing levels of non-marriage and female-headed households is a manifestation of the high levels of economic dislocation experienced by lower-class Black men in recent decades.” He further argued that, “When joblessness […]

More Self-Reliance Needed in Africa

The recent kidnapping of the Nigerian school girls has been all over the news which is a good thing. We need to take the emotion out of this issue and have a heart-to-heart talk with the leadership of Africa. I am very aware that Africa is not a country, but a continent made up of […]

Kevin Durant: ‘MVP’ Son

Donald Sterling’s racist rant about Blacks last month put a huge amount of focus on professional athletes. Many sports writers and fans have labeled today’s athletes as spoiled, ungrateful, prima donnas who have no appreciation for those who came before them. You can count me in this group. But, if what I have been seeing […]

Looking Beyond Donald Sterling

By now, everyone knows the story of Los Angeles Clipper’s owner, Donald Sterling’s banishment from the National Basketball Association (NBA) for his racist comments captured on audio tape last month. What Sterling said was totally stupid and insulting. Period! I don’t think there is any disagreement from anyone on that issue. In the past, I […]

Black Media Need Ownership—And Control

With the continued consolidation going on within the media (radio, TV, newspapers), there is never-ending debate over the issue of ownership and diversity. But how do you define ownership? Is ownership the issue or editorial control or both? As members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) like to remind me, Black media is by […]

Obama Has Destroyed Our Values

Those who read me regularly know that I have been extremely critical of the Obama presidency; but it has always been on the issues. I have never denigrated the “office of the presidency” or made personal attacks on President Obama. This has been one of my most difficult columns I have ever written. The only […]