[dropcap]When[/dropcap] President Donald Trump publicly used a slur to describe mostly Black NFL players who took a knee to join Colin Kaepernick in protesting the killings of African-Americans at the hands of law enforcement and the many injustices that minorities continue to face, not one of the high-profile athletes turned to the Black Press.
African-American celebrities, and other Black icons who would join them, took their message to white America through mainstream media.
Spike Lee, who’s declined numerous requests from the Black Press, instead chose CNN and Anderson Cooper to deliver his message.
LeBron James, already a legend at 33 and who famously called Trump a “bum,” also took his message elsewhere. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″]
Bobby Rush, the esteemed Illinois congressman and former Black Panther, probably put it best when speaking about the Rev. Robert Lee IV, a white man who has also taken up the cause of anti-racism and a descendant of the Confederate general.
“Do me a favor,” Rush said. “Let me take the message to my people in the Black community and you take the message to the white community and, if it works out, we’ll meet.”
A spokeswoman for the National Association of Black Journalists also noted that getting Black celebrities and movers and shakers to interview with the Black Press has been a problem.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE | WASHINGTON, DC
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become charter members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution. (Website).
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