This month, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed, the largest bank collapse since 2008, as a result of investing short-term deposits into long-term bonds. When interest rates rose, the value of the bonds fell, wiping out the equity of the bank. Yet somehow, non-white men are to blame. According to Andy Kessler for the Wall Street Journal, SVB’s collapse might have to do more with a focus on meeting equity demands with respect to its leadership. A quote from Kessler’s piece was shared on Twi

Free school breakfast has been in the news recently, with the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, signing a bill to provide meals to all students, and the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, announcing, “we’re going to provide universal free breakfast in our schools.” In a chapter of my new book, I tell the story of the breakfast program’s beginnings. Participation in the federally funded School Breakfast Program has slowly but steadily grown over the years: 1970: 0.5 million children; 1980:

Slavery and Rebellion in Eighteenth-Century New Jersey Chattel enslavement was introduced into the colony of New Jersey in the seventeenth century, shortly after the Dutch first settled in the colony. While a port existed in Camden to the southwest, Perth Amboy was the major port of entry for trafficking enslaved persons in the state due to its close proximity to New York City. From 1737 up until 1800, the slave population went from just under 4,000 to well over 12,000, with the highest concentration

History is a complex bag full of triumphs and tragedies. History teachers are charged with breaking down intricate details in a way in which students understand the pathways to success and to sin. This is all done in an attempt to learn from the past so that society can strategically chart toward the future. This requires students to be open to learning, teachers to be brave in order to confront hard truths, and communities to be willing to trust teachers to teach and students to learn.

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 23, 2023, in Philadelphia. Read more In 2018, I saw Ja Morant play for the first time when he was a student at Murray State. What I remember most was the high-flying dunks that were forceful yet graceful. More than just a dunker, Morant was the unquestioned leader and chief facilitator of his team, guiding them to the NCAA tournament round of 32. Now the Memphis Gri

When I was in grad school, made the mistake of calling a white professor I was reaching out to for advisement “Doc.” He was less than happy. He said that my “tone” was unprofessional and not the way a student should refer to a professor… and I was wrong… wrong for assuming this white man was familiar with Black governance speak, where referencing one as “Doc” was a compliment—particularly for those without a doctoral degree of some sort. … Because Black folks understand, historically speaking,

Football Coach Deion Sanders departed Jackson State University (JSU) for “greener” pastures at the University of Colorado (UC). It was his right and prerogative to make that career decision. With him came the players and coaches of his choosing. While coaches can come and go as they please with respect to employment, the players came to UC by way of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) transfer portal, whether from JSU or any other school. The transfer portal is a compliance tool

If Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis knew history, he’d realize that his crusade against teaching Black history in schools won’t work. However, since he is ignorant of it, he’ll continue working to fight against Black humanity. Failure to learn Black history has DeSantis unaware of the reality that where there is oppression, there is resistance. And where white supremacy abounds, Black resistance abounds much more. Historian Dr. Herbert Aptheker, in his research, speaks of eight forms of Black resistance

After Florida's decision to block the APAAS course, the College Board announced the removal of several topics from the curriculum, including the Black Lives Matter movement, intersectionality, and Black feminist thought. The board has maintained that the changes were part of an internal revision process that had started before the Florida dispute and were not related. What's clear is that, despite the political noise, equity-oriented educators must take determined steps to emphasize the education

“We need a seat at the table” is a phrase commonly used to indicate how best to eradicate racial injustice. In other words, we need to be in positions of power and influence when decision-making conversations impacting Black people happen. That sounds like a reasonable strategy. Representation matters … to an extent. But those tables don’t belong to us … those tables belong to the white power structure. Those tables are institutional white spaces, meaning the formations, maintenance and promotion

Challenges to the teaching profession right now are numerous. Teachers are coping with the educational and psychological fallout from a pandemic that grinds on. At the same time, state legislatures around the country have restricted what teachers can say in the classroom about important contemporary issues, such as racism, sexual orientation, and gender identity. For Black teachers , though, those challenges are compounded. In addition to all the duties and concerns that come with any teaching

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address was like any other. He spoke of his accomplishments and pressed the opposition party to meet his mandates for votes. This year, however, felt a bit more confrontational than usual. Biden goaded conservatives into heckling him with boos and jeers. It almost felt like a comedy club on Capitol Hill. Let Republicans tell it, and the heckling was due to Biden lumping in all Republicans with those who want to do away with Medicare and Social Security.

Educators hear a lot of misinformation from students. Thus, one of the powers of teaching is found in the opportunities to enlighten. Black History Month provides teachers with such an opportunity to both enlighten students as well as themselves. An example is the common misnomer that Black History Month is in February because it is the shortest month of the year. Over the years, I’ve heard students say that as evidence of racism. I’ve even heard adults say this, as recent as 2023. Sadly, I use to think the same thing.

Rann Miller poses for a photograph in his office at Camden Promise Charter School in Camden on Oct. 27, 2021. Read more Tyre Nichols is another Black man murdered at the hands of law enforcement. Sadly, I suspect he won’t be the last. But what makes this case notably different from the murders of George Floyd, Philando Castile, or Walter Wallace Jr., for example, is that the police officers who killed Nichols were all Black. As a result, Memphis, Tenn., police chief Cerelyn Davis, a Black woman

There is a lot we can say about Michael Jordan as a philanthropist and capitalist. As for Michael Jordan, the Hall of Fame basketball player, he remains the most iconic figure in all of professional sports. Jordan’s greatness on the court is unparalleled—particularly in his position. He is the standard by which all great NBA players who’ve come after him are measured. We, Joe Public, associate ourselves with such greatness by purchasing and wearing Jordan’s signature sneakers. It is a status s

The NFL playoffs is always an exciting time. When the Eagles make the cut, the postseason has the potential to be euphoric — like in 2017-2018, when we won it all. However, after the life-threatening injury to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin earlier this month, it’s been a bit harder for me to enjoy football. I know that injuries are part of the game, and this rationale has desensitized many of us to the violence of those injuries. It’s so that we can remain entertained

The King’s Speech: What Kids Should Know About MLK’s “Dream” In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and work, Philly Mag suggests you share this article with a young person you love. It forms a chapter in author Rann Miller’s new book, Resistance Stories from Black History for Kids (Ulysses Press), currently available for presale online and available locally at Harriett’s Bookshop and other retailers on March 7th. Miller is director of anti-bias and DEI initiatives and a social studies for a charter school district in Camden, New Jersey. A freelance writer, he founded Urban Education Mixtape, supporting urban educators and parents of students in urban schools.

Donald Trump’s presidency was marked by racism, from calling Haiti and countries in Africa s***holes to telling “The Squad” to go back to where they came from. Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency was marked by denying the existence of racism in Brazil and failing to adequately protect Brazil’s rich Black and African history. Trump and Bolsonaro are two-of-a-kind — the racist kind. Both men also have insurrections in common — Jan. 6, 2021, in the U.S. and Jan. 9, 2023, in Brazil.

As we come to the close of another year, now is the time individuals reflect on the triumphs and tragedies of the year and how to make the next year their best year. Millions of folks worldwide will figuratively or literally draft new year’s resolutions that they may or may not keep. I’d like to submit a resolution myself for the coming year as a call to Black people: stop with the “inviting white people to the cookout” nonsense. In case someone is unaware, the proverbial cookout isn’t actuall

I teach an AP course in United States history (APUSH). My goal, of course, is to teach U.S. history to my students, but I desire to do so in intellectually rigorous and thought-provoking ways. My students have “learned” this history before, but it’s my task to engage them with history so that they can better understand the world and their place in it. No shade to my K–12 education, but when I entered college, I had to be trained to think through information as opposed to memorizing information.