Jones had been accused of stealing Nike flip flops, and another assistant coach for the team watched  it all go down without doing anything to intervene.   In the fight, Jones’ prosthetic eye was damaged and his tooth was knocked out.  Fenger High School is also notorious for the beating death of 16-year old Derrion Albert in 2009.

When I read about this beating, my stomach turned.  I’m not sure if Darion stole the flip flops or not, but the idea that this kind of vigilante justice was endorsed by members of the coaching staff is beyond shameful.  The incident speaks to the fact that Fenger, as well as other schools around the country, are unable to provide adequate protection for young Black children who are regular targets of this form of bullying.

Scores of Black children die in Chicago every year, yet there is very little national discussion of these tragedies. In South Central Los Angeles, thousands of youth grow up with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after wondering if their walk to school is going to be interrupted by an AK-47.  All the while, most of the conversation about bullying tends to focus on gay kids in the suburbs.  Yes, all plights are worthy of discussion, but one has to wonder if Black youth were factored into our nation’s sudden decision to begin discussing this problem (I don’t recall seeing any Black kids on the AC360 discussion on bullying, nor have I seen the issue of urban bullying featured on any national media outlet).

It must be made clear that Darion and millions of other children in urban communities across America are regular victims of a type of bullying that is rarely seen in the suburbs.  His mother has already lost a child to gun violence, and the fact that we’ve come to accept this as a normal part of “growing up in the hood” should sadden us all.  The national discussion on bullying should bring forth specific conversations and action plans for children in urban communities, so that they can feel as safe as the middle class kids whose coaches DON’T arrange for them to be beaten in front of their moms.

The kids in the suburbs don’t have gun shops and liquor stores on every corner, conjoined with massive unemployment and low educational quality to accelerate the chances that they might find themselves being beaten or shot by a bully who’s not even in school anymore.  A well-known example might be the scene in the famous film, “Boyz in the Hood,” where one of the teen characters is murdered in an alley after getting into an altercation with a 27-year old man.  This story is played out repeatedly all over the country, yet some seem to believe that for young Black men in America, dying is simply a part of life.

Kids like Darion Jones need help.  They need our protection and they need to feel safe.  Additionally, getting rid of the guns, improving educational quality and reducing the massive Black teen unemployment rate (regularly over 40%) might be a step in the right direction.  So, not only should bullies be confronted for their behavior, we should also stop turning urban neighborhoods into “bully incubators” that create the destructive characters who end up slaughtering and traumatizing our children.

For every Darion Jones whose story makes the national news, there are a thousand other Black youth whose stories are never told.  Many of these kids are left with the difficult choice of being judged by 12 members of a jury or being carried by six pallbearers at their own funeral.  We must give good kids better options, better policies, and signals to show that their lives are just as valuable as the kids who have a little money.  Being picked on is obviously depressing, sad and hurtful, but our kids are the ones who are being regularly beaten and shot.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your BlackWorld Coalition.  To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

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Check out our list of the Top 10 monuments to African Americans. We positioned them in the order we think

Is there anyone you think is missing?

In the meantime, check out our MLK Memorial coverage

10. Tupac Shakur — Atlanta, Georgia

A statue for murdered rap star Tupac Shakur is located in Atlanta, Georgia outside the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center For The Arts. The statue was dedicated in 2005.

It was designed by sculptor Tina Allen and features Tupac holding a book of his own poetry.

Read more on Tupac Shakur here

9. Medgar Evers — Jackson, MS

A statue for slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers is standing in his adopted home of Jackson, Mississippi, outside of the University of Ole Miss, a school he helped integrate.

The statue was erected in 1992 by sculptor, Jay Warren.

Read more on Medgar Evers

8. W.E.B. Dubois — Nashville, Tennessee.

There is a statue dedicated to Black scholar and activist W.E.B. DuBois at his alma-mater, the historically Black college, Fisk University.

The statue features DuBois with a stack of papers, representing his dedication to academics.

Read more on W.E.B. Dubois here

7. Harriet Tubman — Harlem, NY

A 10-foot statue of legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman is in the center of Harlem, New York City on Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

It was created by Alison Saar and is entitled “Swing Low” after the African American slavery spiritual.

Read more on Harriet Tubman here

6. Crispus Attucks — Boston, MA

In the Boston Commons’, a monument commemorates the events of March 5, 1770, when British soldiers, later to be successfully defended by John Adams, shot down five Bostonians. Crispus Attucks is the best known of these five. He is widely hailed as a hero of the American Revolution, although little information about him can be verified. According to some reports, Attucks was of African and Native American descent and had fled to Boston after escaping his enslavers. Attucks’ grave is located in the nearby Granary Burying Ground.

At the column’s base, a bronze plaque illustrates the infamous event. Its two central figures are sculpted in high relief, meaning that parts of the figures are three-dimensional and jut out significantly from the background. You may notice that one figure’s hand is shinier than the surrounding bronze. It has been polished by visitors reaching out to touch it.

Read more on Crispus Attucks here

5. George Washington Carver — Newton County, MO

A life-size bronze of George Washington Carver by acclaimed African-American sculptor Tina Allen of California stands inside the Missouri Botanical Gardens. The six-foot statue shows a mature Carver of about 65 years old, wearing a lab jacket and a wise, gentle expression as he stands holding a small plant to the sunlight.

Read more on George Washington Carver here

4. Joe Louis — Detroit, MI

Joe Louis Barrow, aka “The Brown Bomber” is one of the all-time great boxers. The 24 x 24 x 11.5 feet Monument to Joe Louis was commissioned by Time Inc. for the City of Detroit to honor Joe Louis. It was created by sculptor Robert Graham and installed at Jefferson Avenue at Woodward, Detroit on October 16, 1986.

Read more on Joe Louis here

3. Adam Clayton Powell — Harlem, NY

This figure of Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who represented Harlem in Congress from 1945 to 1970, strides dramatically up an incline in the forlornly windswept plaza that fronts the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building in Harlem.

The statue of Powell is 12 feet high and made of bronze. It sits on a cylindrical pedestal made of stainless steel and black granite. All told, the monument is 21 feet tall. In his right hand, Powell has a copy of the Congressional Record; one could be forgiven for assuming that Powell was looking for a place to chuck that thing. Powell is depicted, like I said, moving uphill, no doubt a bit of symbolism that could serve for any black person so memorialized in New York — or for anyone who endeavors to get such a memorial built.

The piece was sculpted by Branly Cadet, a New York native. It’s named “Higher Ground.”

Read more on Adam Clayton Powell Jr., here

2. Malcolm X — Harlem, NY

There is a statue for Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan where he was killed in in 1965.

After Columbia University bought the ballroom, African American activists and Columbia students protested, resulting in the memorial.

Read more on Malcolm X here

1. Martin Luther King Memorial — Washington, D.C.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial is located in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., southwest of the National Mall. The Memorial is located at the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin near the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, on a sightline linking the Lincoln Memorial to the northwest and the Jefferson Memorial to the southeast. The official address of the monument, 1964 Independence Avenue, S.W., commemorates of the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law.

Read more on Martin Luther King Jr.

The White House didn’t state the purpose of the meeting, but I’ll make a point to reach out to Ben and Marc to see if they have anything to say.  Without knowing the purpose of the conversation, one might be able to guess which issue will be on the table first.

Black unemployment in America is at approximately the same level it was for all Americans toward the end of the Great Depression.  At that time, when one out of every six Americans was out of work, the government felt a sense of urgency and public pressure to do something to help alleviate the suffering.  In contrast, the current federal government has not (to my knowledge) mentioned any plan to engage in targeted policy to manage vast racial inequality that continues to plague our society.  If we’d had the same level of inactivity on racial inequality in the past, slavery never would have come to an end.

This lack of action has both a cause and a consequence.  One cause of the complacency is that the Obama Administration seems to believe that it has nothing to prove to African Americans.  Unlike Bill Clinton, a man who had to continuously reiterate his loyalty to African Americans via progressive action, President Obama wears his “Black Loyalty Card” on his skin.  I am not sure if any other president in recent history could get away with saying that he would not address racial inequality and instead expect that a “rising tide will lift all boats.”  In other words, the Obama Administration has been allowed to use a racialized version of trickle down economics, presuming that helping the entire economy would somehow help black people too.

The consequence of economic negligence of the black community has been staggering.  Black wealth at the start of the recession was a measly 1/10 that of white Americans.  Since that time, it has dropped to a shocking 1/50th, implying that nearly everything that black people have worked for over the last 30 years has disappeared into the wind.  Secondly, white unemployment has dropped during the recession (9.4% to 9.1%), while black unemployment has climbed dramatically (14.7% to 16.2%).  No matter what one thinks about Congress, The Obama Administration or anyone else, you can’t possibly argue that black people are better off now than they were three years ago – one must sadly say that a Republican president would have a tough time creating a worse economic situation.

President Obama can’t be blamed entirely for the political storm around him.  He must, however, be held accountable for how his administration has responded to the storm, for one must be careful about giving in to ignorance.  Fighting racial inequality requires courage and self-sacrifice, two attributes that are rarely present in the psyches of successful politicians.   At this point,  the black folks most likely to overlook the inactivity of the Obama Administration are likely the people who still have their jobs.   Of the remainder, there are those who’ve lost hope in the political process and have no interest in turning to the Republican party.  So, any resentment toward the Obama Administration is primarily a reflection of frustration with our broken political system itself – both lovers and haters of Obama are unified in their disappointment with the grim reality of elitist American politics.

I respect both Ben Jealous and Marc Morial immensely.  I sat on panels with them at the last two “Measuring the Movement” forums, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton.  While Ben and I have bumped heads over the NAACP’s decision to take money from accused predatory lender Wells Fargo, I strongly suspect that his heart is in the right place.  Morial, being a seasoned political figure, has done a wonderful job of making calculated and intelligent decisions as he learns what it means for our nation to have its first black president.  Rather than positioning himself as an unconditional Obama cheerleader (or relentless critic), he has focused his energy on courageous advocacy for working class Americans.  Rev. Jesse Jackson has also done a good job of keeping a level head (although some still criticize him for the Fox News mixup back in 2008) – personally, I believe Rev. Jackson should be invited to the White House as well, along with Al Sharpton – no one should be frozen out or tempted to jockey for power; this divide-and-conquer tactic used by Washington politicians comes at a huge price for the African American community.

As Jealous and Morial stand with another black man in the nation’s most powerful office, I fully expect that all three of these men understand the gravity of the task which lies before them.  While President Obama’s astute political gamesmanship against reckless, myopic Republicans is certainly admirable, African Americans are still waiting for his administration to help them understand why he gave them a reason to show up to the polls in 2008.  He made extraordinary promises, so he received extraordinary support.   It’s nonsense to think that we have no right to ask for his time.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition.  To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

The winner of Sunday Best will not only receive the title, they will also receive a 2011 Ford Explorer, a cash prize and a national recording contract!

Who do you think will win?

Tonight’s showcased Top 10 were:

Toneisha Jones Harris, 35

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Audition City: Atlanta, Georgia

With her trademark gospel flower corsage, Toneisha Jones Harris can brighten up any room she enters.  At 13, Harris was offered a recording contract, but her mother decided that it would be best if her daughter complete her education first.  As an adult, Harris represented the State of Maryland in Vickie Winans’ Rising Star Competition, where she placed 2nd overall.  She has also performed in several stage plays and musicals.  During the recent recession, Harris experienced some rough economic challenges and is excited about making the most of her appearance on “Sunday Best”.

Song: Here I am To Worship

What the Judges Said:

Donnie McClurkin “ You got a little lost”

Erica  I feel like it could hav been better if it was simple

Tina You should have  showed more passion

Michael Washington, 30

Hometown:  Los Angeles, California

Audition City:  Los Angeles, California

Michael Washington is a singer, arranger and producer.  Born in Covina, CA, Washington developed his talents in church where he sang in the choir.  Living in Los Angeles, he has appeared in such major projects as the “Pop Stars,” the “Wade Robinson Project”, the Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez movie, “Gigli”, and “The Fighting Temptations”.  Washington also directed the San Gabriel Valley Choir leading it to a 1st place win in the McDonald’s Gospel Fest 2001 choir competition.  Presently, Washington performs in several shows for Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

Song: Great Is Your Faithfulness

What the Judges Said:

Erica: That was good and polished

Donnie:That was good

Tina:That was good

Andrea Helms, 37

Hometown:  Dallas Texas

Audition City: Dallas, Texas

Andrea Helms is a triple threat for Jesus.  She’s a preacher’s daughter, a preacher’s wife and a pastor.  Growing up, her childhood home was filled with music and ministry, as her parents served the Lord faithfully as pastors for over 35 years.  Nicknamed “The First Lady,” Helms met her husband at the tender age of 13.  They have pastored for 13 years and are currently serving as the pastors of Friendship Church in Denton, Texas. There, Helms also serves as the Minister of Music.  She resides with her family in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas.

Song: “Because Of Who You Are”

What the Judges Said:

Erica “You were awesome. “

Tina”I believe everything you sang. You delivered.

Donnie” You were in the presence of The Lord”

Chase Stancle, 26

Hometown:  Grand Rapids, Michigan

Audition City:  Los Angeles, California

Chase Stancle wanted to make sure that his voice was heard when he traveled from Michigan to Los Angeles to audition for “Sunday Best”.  Sure, Atlanta may have been closer, but Stancle wanted to give himself multiple chances to win.  Turns out, it only took one audition for the judges to tell him yes.  This married father of three works at Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he serves as the Family Ministries Worship Arts Director.  Stancle wants to live in God’s will, whether it be singing before a small church of 50 or a stadium of thousands.

What the Judges Said:

Erica: There  was something missing

Tina: You did a pretty good job

Donnie It was missing something.

Amber Bullock, 26

Hometown:  St. Louis, Missouri

Audition City: Dallas, Texas

Before she could talk, Amber Bullock was singing. Whether it was at her native church in St. Louis or in her newly adapted home of Dallas, she always has a song in her heart.  Bullock attended Oakwood University, where she sang second alto in the school’s elite choir.  After college, Bullock landed in Dallas, TX, where she now calls home.  Being cast as a top 20 contestant couldn’t have come at a better time for Bullock because she recently totaled her car and has been sleeping on a friend’s couch. Winning the title would enable her to better provide for her two-year-old daughter.

What the Judges Said:

Erica: you were amazing and anointed.

Tina: You killed that

Donnie: Nothing seemed to stop you. I want to hear more

Carlington Roberts, 34

Hometown:  McDonough, Georgia

Audition City:  Atlanta, Georgia

A native of St. Mary’s, Jamaica, Roberts grew up in a family of singers.  He idolized his father and once he was older he decided to continue singing and being a praise leader.  Roberts hopes to repeat his Caribbean success story stateside having earned multiple Caribbean Gospel Music Award nominations and won the Top Caribbean Gospel Male Singer award in 2005.  After enduring what he calls a rough marriage, Roberts once contemplated suicide, but did not because of a voice that told him to “stand”.  He honored this voice by auditioning with Donnie McClurkin’s “Stand”.

Song: Lord I Lift Your Name On High

What the Judges Said:

Erica: I thought you were great.  I liked your energy

Tina: I loved the energy.

Donnie:  You have a distinct sound.

Shanandolan Reynolds, 22

Hometown:  Dallas, Texas

Audition City:  Dallas, Texas

Everything about Shanandolan Reynolds relates to her hometown of Dallas, Texas.  She was born and raised there and auditioned there for “Sunday Best”.  A graduate from the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Cedar Valley Community College, both in Dallas, Reynolds is currently a full-time Worship Arts student at Dallas Christian College.  Win or lose, Reynolds considers it a blessing to be able to minister to so many people through television.

Song: Joyful Joyful Joyful

What the Judges Said:

Erica: It didn’t grow.

Tina:  I think you have something.

Donnie:  It was really unique.

Michael Pugh, 35

Hometown:  Brooklyn, New York

Audition City: Atlanta, Georgia

Raised in the church, Brooklyn’s Michael Pugh has been singing his entire life.  With his grandmother and parent’s encouragement, he has developed into a gifted singer who leads his church choir on Sundays and sings professionally at weddings, birthday parties and church-related events, all in the midst of working full time as a tax preparer.  He has even opened for such artists as “Sunday Best” judge Pastor Donnie McClurkin.  Pugh auditioned for the show because his sister purchased him an airline ticket and demanded that he audition.

Song:“Thank you Lord”

What the Judges Said:

Erica: Thank you

Tina:  Yes sir.. you  came on with it amen

Donnie:  you are a gospel singer

LaTrice Smith, 35

Hometown: Macon, Georgia

Audition City: Atlanta, Georgia

Making it to the “Sunday Best” audition was a life changing moment for LaTrice Smith, having recently suffered through what she calls an abusive marriage that left her nearly penniless and homeless.  For this Buffalo, New York native, the cold winters sent her packing to Macon, Georgia, where she currently resides.  For Smith, music has always been her refuge and it remains so today.

Song:Walk With Me

What the Judges Said:

Erica:  I feel like you were trying to push. You were over doing it.

Tina:  I didn’t feel it

Donnie:  You had a couple of pitch things

Rikki Valentino LaFontaine, 47

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Audition City: Los Angeles, California

After years of singing background vocals for the likes of Enrique Iglesias, Yolanda Adams and Richard Smallwood, Rikki Valentino La Fontaine is now ready to step center stage with a solo career.   Originally from Dallas, Texas, LaFontaine made history when he was elected the first ever Mr. Prairie View A&M University.  LaFontaine currently resides in Los Angeles, California, but performs all over the world.

Song: I Need Thee

What the Judges Said:

Erica:  It was good but it wasn’t fantastic

Tina:  It didn’t feel complete

Donnie:  It made everyone think that’s it

Here is a video of Michael Pugh before Sunday’s Best:

Historically, a disproportionate number of African-Americans have been wrongly convicted of crimes due to false confessions, incriminating statements, and other dubious evidence.

Fortunately, the criminal justice system implemented DNA forensics in 1989, offering a source of irrefutable evidence in many contemporary cases.

Here’s a list of the 5 most unjust convictions of Black men that were overturned several years later, due to DNA evidence.

1. Geronimo Pratt

The late Black Panther Party member, Geronimo Pratt, was sentenced in 1970 for allegedly murdering a 27-year-old elementary school teacher. Pratt spent 27 years behind bars, and maintained his a innocence throughout the whole time. His sentence was eventually vacated on June 10, 1997, when they found out that the prosecution had concealed evidence that might have exonerated Pratt.

2. Barney Brown

Barney Brown was a 15-year old who was convicted of rape and robbery, and sentenced to life in prison.  Thirty-eight years later he was exonerated.  Brown now travels to schools to speak to students about the importance of an education, and to never give up hope.

3. Anthony Graves

Anthony Graves was convicted of murder in 1994, and spent 18 years on death row.  In 2010 he was exonerated of the charges when the court found that the prosecution withheld information from the defense and elicited false testimony. Graves was later denied compensation because the words “actual innocence” weren’t used in the ruling.

4. Raymond Towler

Raymond Towler was convicted to a life sentence for an alleged rape, kidnapping and felonious assault of two teens on September 18, 1981. Twenty-seven years later his sentence was vacated when DNA tests proved him not innocent of the alleged crimes.

5. Jimmy Bain

James “Jimmy” Bain was 19 years-old when he was convicted on charges of kidnapping, burglary and strong-arm rape. He maintained his innocence in prison, and hand wrote four motions in 2001 to have DNA testing, but they were all denied. After he filed a filed a fifth motion, he was directed to have a hearing on the case. He was then given permission to get the DNA testing, which proved he was not guilty of the crime– 35 years after his conviction.

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“Salvation Road” features Russel Hornsby as an assassin who comes to a white family after a job and paints a bleak picture of child abuse. The movie is very powerful and disturbing. Hornsby does an excellent job as the visiting assassin — who at first is seen killing his father for an unknown reason — and later comes to the rescue of an abused white child. Hornsby showcases his acting talent and director, Ka’ramuu Kush, proves himself to be a director with a great future in this dark tale of abuse and revenge. The movie was as powerful as any movie I’ve seen recently.

“Fig,” which won the ABFF award for Best Short Film at the Honors Ceremony Saturday, also highlights the relationship between parents and children. The movie tells the story of a prostitute and her daughter. In order to feed her daughter, the prostitute decides to take her to the street where she prostitutes herself, to get money for food. This movie also deals with abuse, as the prostitute is abused by her pimp, and it is implied that her young daughter was molested by him. The director, Ryan Coogler, had worked with young prostitutes and the picture he paints is both depressing and moving.

“The 36th Page,” like “Fig,” deals with a parent who makes the ultimate sacrifice for his child. In order to pay to treat his son from a disease, the main character, Roman Wilson, sells himself into indentured servitude to a shady corporation. By using an African American character as a character who sells himself into modern day slavery, it makes it easier for Americans, especially Black Americans, to identify with the struggles of the many Africans, Europeans and Asians have due to human trafficking which is like modern day slavery.

“For Flow” is the only movie that doesn’t deal with the issue of parenthood. The film deals with two rappers and comes across more like a long McDonald’s influenced hip hop commercial than a short film.

“The Turtle And The Nightingale” is another short film that focuses on parenthood, abuses and its effects. The main character, a 12-year-old boy in England, is tormented by a fellow 12-year-old who bullies kids as a reaction to the abuse he faces from his own father. The film paints a touching pictures of friendship, family and growing up.

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Fifty years ago, baseball was the sport that had the hearts of African-American children across the country.

Before Major League Baseball integrated, African-Americans created the Negro Leagues, which was a farm full of fresh Black talent that was home to the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson to name a few.

But what was once the most popular sport amongst African-Americans, has now become an afterthought in the community. And while the lack of Black baseball players is a major concern (8 percent), we can’t forget the great players who have donned uniforms for various ball clubs from the Willie Mays to present day stars like Derek Jeter.

Below is a list of the best Black baseball players of all-time. We compiled it in a starting lineup format.

Feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions.

First Basemen

“The Big Hurt” Frank Thomas leads off our list of “Best Black Baseball Players of All-Time” as one of the greatest first-basemen ever.

Thomas, who spent 15 years on the Southside of Chicago with the White Sox, hit .301 for his career, hit 521 homeruns, and drove in 1,704 runs.

Second Basemen

The man who broke the baseball color barrier in 1947, Jackie Robinson, was a six-time all-star selection.

Robinson, whose jersey has been retired by every MLB team, is most remembered for work both on and off the field in advancing the cause of Black athletes in the sport.

Third Basemen

While Derek Jeter isn’t a third basemen, we didn’t think he should be left off the list for someone like the Atlanta Braves Terry Pendleton. While Pendleton has a solid career, it wasn’t a Hall of Fame one like Jeter.

Jeter, who joined the 3,000 hit club this past weekend with a classic 5-for-5 game, has won 5 World Series titles with the Bronx Bombers.

He’s also a twelve-time all-star, and is signed with the Yankees through 2015.

Shortstop

The man known around North Chicago as “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks, signed with the Cubs in 1953 after playing for years in the Negro Leagues.

Once he joined the Cubs in 1953, he never left. He spent his next 18 years there batting .271, hitting 512 homers, and driving in 1,636 runs.

Left Field

One of the most controversial athletes of all-time, Barry Bonds takes the left field slot in our list.

Bonds, who is reviled across the country by most sports fans, is second on the all-time home run list with 762.

Bonds finished his career with the Giants batting .298 with 1,996 runs batted in.

He was convicted on an obstruction of justice charge earlier this year.

Center Field

Many consider Willie Mays to be the greatest all-around baseball player of all-time. As dazzling as he was in the batter’s box, he also shined as a fielder catching up to fly balls and line drivers unlike any player of his time. Mays won a record tying twelve Gold Gloves, won the MVP award twice, and won a World Series title in 1954.

Right Fielder

Before injuries derailed his career, many thought Ken Griffey Jr. was on his way to becoming the greatest player of all-time. He had all the tools – he could run, play defense, hit for power, hit for average, and throw. While Griffey finished his career in Cincinnati and back home in Seattle, many choose to remember his glory years. He hit .284 for his career and hit 630 home runs.

Designated Hitter

Henry “Hank” Aaron is most remembered for being the home-run king with 755 dingers. But many forget that he’s also part of the storied 3,000 hit club.

For 23 years, Aaron was one of the greatest baseball players to ever step foot on the field. He finished his career with an impressive .305 batting average, 2,297 runs batted in, and made the all-star twenty years in a row from 1955-75. He led the Atlanta Braves to a 1957 World Series title.

Catcher

Considered by many as not only the greatest catcher to ever play in the Negro Leagues, but the greatest catcher in baseball history period, Josh Gibson hit an astounding .359 for his career.

Known as the “Black Babe Ruth,” he never played in the Major Leagues because of their exclusionary rules towards Blacks.

Starting Pitcher

One of the most dominant pitchers of all-time, lifetime St. Louis Cardinal Bob Gibson struck fear in all opposing batters.

Gibson went 251-174 for the Cardinals and had a 2.91 ERA for his career.

He won the Cy Young twice, and was a two-time World Series MVP.

Closer

Lee Smith was one of the most dominant closers of all-time. He held the record for most saves for 13 years until 2006 when San Diego Padres closer, Trevor Hoffman, passed him.

Smith finished his career with 478 saves and a 3.03 ERA.

He spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Cubs.

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Black baseball players who are a part of the 3,000 hit club

“Lift Every Every Voice And Sing,” a poem written by literary pioneer James Weldon Johnson, is often dubbed “The Black National Anthem.” The poem was originally performed in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12, 1900, and was later set to music in 1905 by Johnson’s brother John Rosamond.

For many African-Americans, singing the song was their way of showing patriotism and hope for the future, considering the plight of racism they greatly faced. Deep symbolism was found in its lyrics, allowing African-Americans to subtly speak against racial bigotry. It is heavily performed at predominately African-American venues, especially in Black churches across the nation.

In 1990, singer Melba Moore released a modern rendition of the song, which she recorded along with others including recording artists Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Brown, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, Howard Hewett, BeBe & CeCe and The Clark Sisters.

Today the song is an integral piece of Black patriotism.

Below is a video of President Barack Obama, along with prominent African-American entertainers, singing “Lift Every Voice And Sing” at a White House celebration during Black History Month:

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This whole post depends on a link so I’m going to post the link naked.

If it does not appear in the trademark blue of a link that you can click your cursor on as transport, copy the link and paste it in your browser.

You MUST see this Youtube.

Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vAfXNzXueE&NR=1

Now, answer the question.

Did you laugh?

Did you laugh like a fool?

Were you waiting for the N-Word?

Were you pleasantly surprised when one didn’t arrive?

My favorite “Black” joke is

Q: What’s the new dictionary definition for “confusion”?

A: Father’s Day in Harlem.

But back to the Youtube: did the anti-Semitic joke almost kill you? Or was it that tomahawk chop?

Was this not the most blatantly brilliant display of pale-face racism ever demonstrated in one place?

And if you laughed—and I laughed like a maniac—that just proves one thing…you’re racist!

You secretly believe in some of those stereotypes.

You probably even agree with some.

And then you become, like me, a hypocrite.

You continually denounce something that you actually practice.

People mistakenly think that because you’re Black you’re naturally going to be sympathetic to anybody that’s oppressed.

Un-uh.

More likely, you’re going to be so self-obsessed that you don’t even notice anybody else getting the business, or you’re actually going to be happy to see somebody else getting the business. If only as a reminder that you are, after all, a part of the human family of sufferers.

And of course, as some old Arab once said, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” which means, don’t be surprised to see the Nation of Islam locking arms with the KKK to oppose gay marriage.

But what if you’re, you know, enlightened…like I am!

How do you reconcile hating racism with actually being a racist?

You don’t, I guess.

But if comedy=tragedy+time then at some point, shouldn’t all this BS become funny?

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