White Scripts and Black Supermen: Black Masculinities In American Comic Books A Documentary Film by Jonathan Gayles

WHOOOOOA, BABY! WOW!!! 

I LOVE comic books and this is just rich!! I DEFINITELY WANNA SEE THIS FILM...

Official Website: BlackSuperMen.com

Jonathan Gayles, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of African-American Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a graduate of Morehouse College (B.A., Psychology), Winthrop University (M.S., School Psychology) and the University of South Florida (Ph.D., applied anthropology). His primary areas of interest include the anthropology of education, educational policy, Black masculinity, race and ethnicity as well as critical media studies.

An avid comic book reader as an adolescent, he was often frustrated by the general absence of African-American superheroes. He identified with the few African-American superheroes that he did discover primarily because they too were African-American men. As an adult and with a growing interest in the critical engagement of Black masculinity, his retrospective consideration of these characters has greatly diminished his fondness for the characters. With adult eyes, he was shocked by much of what he read in the comic books that he so loved as a child. In preparing a paper on the subject for an academic conference, he encountered a growing body of scholarship on race and representation in comic books. Furthermore, he was introduced to communities of scholars and artists that critique representations of African-Americans in comic books and create their own representations of African-Americans in the genre. After deciding to produce a documentary, he bought a Canon XHA1S, attended an intensive summer documentary film institute offered by Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and began shooting during the fall of 2009.

New African-American U.S. Postal Stamps Released - New KWANZAA Stamp and A Set of Romare Bearden Stamps

The United States Postal Service has just released some new African-American stamps...

First, the Romare Bearden 4-design collection came out September 28th, 2011. Romare Bearden (1911-1988) was one of the 20th century's most distinguished American artists. His art has been praised for depicting the complexities of African-American experience while addressing universal themes, and is in the permanent collections of major museums across the nation. Though he created works in many media, he is particularly celebrated for his groundbreaking approach to collage. Using various materials, including cut papers, foil, and fabrics, he transformed collage into a forceful means of expression with mainstream appeal. Four collages by Bearden, described in order from left to right below, appear on the Romare Bearden (Forever) stamp sheet.

Second, we have the latest iteration of the KWANZAA stamp for 2011 which was released October 14th. The stamp art, a highly symbolic design, depicts a family celebrating KWANZAA. The prominent colors in the artwork represent the colors of the KWANZAA flag — green for growth, red for blood, and black for the African people. Artist Daniel Minter created the stamp design.

KWANZAA, the African-American cultural holiday conceived and developed by Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga, was first celebrated on December 26th, 1966. Kwanzaa is traditionally celebrated from December 26 through January 1, with each day focused on Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles. Derived from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits", KWANZAA is rooted in the first harvest celebrations practiced in various cultures in Africa. KWANZAA seeks to enforce a connectedness to African cultural identity, provide a focal point for the gathering of African peoples, and to reflect upon the Nguzo Saba, or the seven principles, that have sustained Africans. Though KWANZAA is NOT a religious observance, but a cultural affirmation and celebration, Africans and African-Americans of all religious faiths and backgrounds practice KWANZAA.