'Think Like A Man' and the legacy of 'Love Jones'
By Stephanie Goldberg, CNN
(CNN) - It's been 15 years since Darius and Nina fell in love after that pivotal poetry reading in Chicago, but fans of "Love Jones" are still talking about the pair's epic romance.
A highbrow, dramatic love story between two young African-Americans, "Love Jones" grossed a mere $12 million at the domestic box office in 1997, but it has an enduring cult following that can certainly be attributed to the film's authenticity.
One month after "Love Jones' " 15th anniversary, however, "Think Like A Man" earned more than $39 million domestically in its first week. Featuring a predominantly African-American ensemble cast, the film adaptation of Steve Harvey's best-selling nonfiction book, raises a frequent question: Is Hollywood finally ready to support more movies featuring African-American love?
The third man: The forgotten Black Power hero
By James Montague, CNN
(CNN) - It is perhaps the most iconic sports photograph ever taken.
Captured at the medal ceremony for the men's 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, U.S. sprinter Tommie Smith stands defiantly, head bowed, his black-gloved fist thrust into the thin air.
Behind him fellow American John Carlos joins with his own Black Power salute, an act of defiance aimed at highlighting the segregation and racism burning back in their homeland.
It was an act that scandalized the Olympics. Smith and Carlos were sent home in disgrace and banned from the Olympics for life. But they were treated as returning heroes by the black community for sacrificing their personal glory for the cause. History, too, has been kind to them.
Yet few know that the man standing in front of both of them, the Australian sprinter Peter Norman who shocked everyone by powering past Carlos and winning the silver medal, played his own, crucial role in sporting history.
Engage: Pitcher on anti-gay kiss cam practice: 'Enough with this stupid trend'
Engage with news and opinions from around the web about under-reported stories from undercovered communities.
Oakland A's pitcher calls Kiss Cam stunt 'homophobic' - The Advocate
George Zimmerman: Before the shots were fired - Reuters
Study shows discrimination towards blacks in North Carolina restaurants - The New York Daily News
The L.A. Riots through the eyes of Korean-Americans – KoreAm Magazine
The Los Angeles Riots: 20 years later
Twenty years ago Sunday, Los Angeles erupted in riots that forever changed the city. Some conditions, like the LAPD's relationship with the community have improved, while the areas blighted by the riots still struggle today. Now hear from others as they tell their stories about a time that changed the way America saw race.
1992: The day the music stopped
Lon McQ talks about the day the music stopped when KJLH, a black owned music radio station based in south Los Angeles stopped playing music when the riots began.
Protester 'needed to vent' during riots
When Mark Craig heard the verdict, he was filled with rage. He got in the car with friends from his diverse suburb north of L.A. and raced downtown, ready to express his anger.
Fireman relives day he was shot in riots
Los Angeles firefighter Scott Miller was driving his fire truck through the thick of the riot when a car turned its headlights off and pulled up on the passenger side.
L.A. riots through the eyes of a child
On April 29, 1992, Rosalina Nieves was just 9 years old. After coming home from school, she watched in horror as local TV stations broadcasted live images of mobs in South L.A.
Covering the Los Angeles riots
CNN journalists look back at their coverage of the 1992 riots that engulfed Los Angeles following the acquittals.
Opinion: Promise of the American Dream is broken
Editor's note: Tavis Smiley is the host of the late-night television talk show "Tavis Smiley" on PBS and Cornel West is a professor at Princeton. They co-host "Smiley & West" on Public Radio International, and their new book is "The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto."
By Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, Special to CNN
(CNN) - The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that the unemployment rate fell to 8.2%. That should have been a signal that jobs are coming back and that the economy is about to rebound. But, as many economists say, the numbers fell primarily because unemployed Americans have become so discouraged with trying to find a job that they've simply quit looking.
Because nearly one-third of the American middle class, mostly families with children, have fallen into poverty or are one paycheck away from poverty, it is paramount that we dissect the root causes of this mass disenfranchisement within the American workforce. This was the motivation behind "The Poverty Tour: A Call to Conscience," our 18-city bus tour that traveled across the country last year. It was designed to bring more attention to the plight of impoverished Americans.
These citizens do not fit the negative stereotypes and propaganda that we've heard during the Republican presidential primary contests. The candidates who have vowed to cut government subsidies speak of the poor as if their constituents had been exempted from the millions who, despite their middle-class identification and aspirations, now fall beneath the established poverty line.
Opinion: When Romney faces Latino voters
Editor's note: Ali Noorani is executive director of the National Immigration Forum Action Fund, an organization based in Washington that advocates for the value of immigrants and immigration to the nation. Follow him on Twitter: @anoorani.
By Ali Noorani, Special to CNN
(CNN)- A month after defending the health care law, the Obama administration again confronted the buzz saw of skeptical Supreme Court justices on Wednesday - this time on immigration. But come November, Republicans may very well be on the losing end of the argument.
As has been widely reported, oral arguments regarding Arizona's SB 1070 illegal immigration law began with an unusual interruption: Chief Justice John Roberts broke in during U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli's opening comments to ask assertively, "No part of your argument has to do with racial or ethnic profiling, does it?"
And, while it is difficult to predict how the justices will rule, Justice Sonia Sotomayor signaled the tough road ahead when she said of the administration's argument, "You can see it's not selling very well."
About In America
What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
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