Black in America — CNN on Black Men, Black Women, The King Assassination and Reclaiming the Dream
CNN’s groundbreaking Black in America initiative expands this month with two in-depth documentaries and a special forum with Essence magazine. Black in America launched in April with the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The series encompasses a variety of approaches to examining how blacks have fared since King‘s death. Programming includes documentaries, news reports, an online multimedia special section showcasing video exclusives, viewer videos, and a lively 90-minute forum on what lies ahead for Blacks.
The forum was taped at the recent Essence Music Festival and features provocative discussions by some of the most influential names in Black America including Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Tom Joyner, Hill Harper and others.
CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien has spent more than a year tracking the stories of black men and women from all walks of life in this country that will be showcased in the series.
“The series has critical information for people of all races – the ‘Black in America’ experience is an American story,” said O’Brien. “This is a raw and intimate look at stories that everyone will be able to relate to. I hope this documentary will open doors to dialogue and understanding.”
“We discovered while researching these projects that there are many successes in economic achievement and careers, but there are those who are left behind, creating two black Americas,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer for CNN Productions. “We hope viewers will come away with a better understanding of who’s ‘making it’ and why.”
O’Brien and a gifted panel of thinkers and doers gathered during the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans over the 2008 July Fourth weekend. Their discussions featured Harvard University economist Roland Fryer, NPR’s Ed Gordon, actor/author Hill Harper, Dallas-based preacher and life coach Bishop T.D. Jakes, economist and Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, actor/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson, Excellence Charter School principal Jabali Sawicki, and Princeton University professor Cornell West, exploring solutions for improving the state of black families and looking at the next generation of leadership in black America.
Black in America: The Black Woman & Family explores the varied experiences of black women and families and investigates the reasons behind the disturbing statistics on single parenthood, disparities between black and white students in the classroom and the devastating toll of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in black communities. O’Brien reports on the progress of black women in the workplace and in universities and the status of the black middle class.
In Black in America: The Black Man, O’Brien examines the personal stories of members of the 1968 class of Little Rock, Ark.’s Central High School – and those of their sons and grandsons. O’Brien explores the controversial topics of black men and fatherhood; disparities between blacks and whites in educational, career and financial achievement; and factors leading to the dramatic rates of black male incarceration. Also looking closely at the achievements of black men and the importance of the positive influences of black fathers, O’Brien speaks to music executive Malcolm Gilliam, who discusses how perceptions that aiming for success in classrooms and boardrooms are sometimes equated with “acting white.” O’Brien also speaks with actor and conservative commentator Joseph C. Phillips, comedian D.L. Hughley, and hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco to dissect myths and stereotypes and discusses whether life is better for black men now than it was at the end of the Civil Rights era.
In the course of the four-hour documentaries, O’Brien speaks with music entrepreneur Russell Simmons, entertainer Whoopi Goldberg and filmmaker Spike Lee, examples of successful black Americans, who discuss black images and portrayals in media and other subjects. Also, as reported in The Black Man, nearly one-third of African-American men will have a criminal record during their lifetime. O’Brien and Georgetown Professor Michael Eric Dyson visit Dyson’s brother, Everett, in prison, where he is serving a life sentence for murder, and discuss how two brothers could have followed such divergent paths.
The series will be available on iTunes and on video on demand following the premiere.
Click here to visit the CNN’s Black in America website.
Show Schedules
Black in America: CNN & Essence, Reclaiming the Dream Panelists discuss pressing concerns for black America.
Sat 7/19, 8:00 PM
Sun 7/20, 12:00 AM
Sun 7/20, 4:00 AM
Sun 7/20, 8:00 PM
Mon 7/21, 12:00 AM
Mon 7/21, 4:00 AM
Black in America: Eyewitness to Murder: The King Assassination Historians retrace the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Earl Ray in the days leading up to King’s assassination.
Sat 7/19, 9:30 PM
Sun 7/20, 1:30 AM
Sun 7/20, 9:30 PM
Mon 7/21, 1:30 AM
Black in America: The Black Woman & Family African-American experiences; perspective on black achievement and struggles.
Wed 7/23, 9:00 PM
Thu 7/24, 12:00 AM
Thu 7/24, 3:00 AM
Sat 7/26, 8:00 PM
Sat 7/26, 11:00 PM
Sun 7/27, 2:00 AM
Black in America: The Black Man Black men and fatherhood; disparities between blacks and whites in various areas.
Thu 7/24, 9:00 PM
Fri 7/25, 12:00 AM
Fri 7/25, 3:00 AM
Sun 7/27, 8:00 PM
Sun 7/27, 11:00 PM
Mon 7/28, 2:00 AM
After watching the shows, come back and let us know what you thought in the comments section below.