NAREISSA SMITH

Each February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. Since the beginning, African Americans have worked, written, sung, struggled, marched, painted, invented, and done many other things in the hopes of making America a truly great nation for all its citizens. But despite our many contributions, most Americans know little about Black History. Sadly, the same is true for African American pioneers in the legal profession. As this blog has often mentioned, the legal profession lacks diversity. E

On Sunday, rapper, producer, and amateur fashion designer Kanye West made headlines yet again.  While West is no stranger to controversy, his latest comments seemed to set a new standard for himself. Over the weekend, West tweeted a picture of himself in a red “Make America Great Again” hat.  The photo’s caption read: “this represents good and America becoming whole again.  We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs.  We will provide jo

Owning a home has long been considered a key part of the American dream. But a home’s value can vary based on its location. As such, buyers and renters are always seeking guidance about the best places to live. To satisfy this demand, many magazines and websites rank U.S. cities using various criteria. One of the most popular rankings is U.S. News and World Report’s “125 Best Places to Live in the USA.” According to U.S. News, this year’s best cities are Austin, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorad

Oftentimes when people learn of the status of women in ancient Egyptian society they are perplexed by the amount of human rights women enjoyed in a civilization that existed so far back in history. On a reported visit to Egypt, fifth century BCE Greek historian Herodotus, surprised by the women’s position in the society, recorded. “Women attend market and are employed in trade, while men stay at home and do the weaving.” The Egyptians, he concluded, “in their manners and customs seem to have re

Black History Month is an annual opportunity to reflect on the significant contributions that people of African descent have made to American culture and history. In February, children of all races are encouraged to learn about the Black writers, musicians, inventors, entrepreneurs, and freedom fighters who toiled to make life in this nation more tolerable for their descendants. While it may seem that learning about the inventors of the gas mask or the home security system is just a way for tea

Africa: Motherland of Misconceptions Africa: Our Motherland, Our Misconceptions One three centuries removed From the scenes his fathers loved, Spicy grove, cinnamon tree, What is Africa to me Although Harlem Renaissance poet Countee Cullen wrote “Heritage” in the 1920s, the central question of the poem — “What is Africa?” — has spanned centuries. While ancient Greeks like Herodotus spoke favorably about Africans, as Dr. David Olusoga from the University of Nottingham wrote in The Guar

From the moment they walked onto the stage in Chicago’s Grant Park on November 4, 2008, as the new first family in waiting, the Obamas captivated the American imagination. Over the next eight years, President Barack Obama guided America’s economic recovery after the Great Recession. First lady Michelle Obama became an advocate for health and fitness. Precocious youngsters Malia and Sasha grew into accomplished young women before our eyes. The family also became — with two notable exceptions invo