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  • The Jheri Curl Turns 40: A Look at the Most Iconic, Insulted and Revered Hair Craze Ever

    The last time I saw someone wear a Jheri curl with a straight face was in the summer of 2015. In June of that year, retired NBA point guard Baron Davis appeared on ESPN’s First Take sporting a high-and-tight take on the activator swirl. His was in the big-Luther tradition of being “not quite right”;…

    By

    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • I Never Cried Until My Son Was Born (Because Patriarchy), But Now I Cry At Every Damn Thing

    Before my son was born, I did not cry much. For instance, I was able to successfully navigate the untimely demise of both Rickey and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas without so much as shedding a tear. This was partly because I was raised by single mother, so my uncles, afraid I might turn…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • I’ve Seen Betty Shelby, the Killer Cop Who Was Found Not Guilty of Killing an Unarmed Black Man

    I live in Oklahoma. I teach at a university less than an hour from Tulsa. Much of the trial happened during my finals week, so I made the trip to Tulsa so I could see Betty Shelby in person. I was able to get into the courthouse because I work in ministry in Oklahoma City,…

    By

    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • The Christian Way To Respond To The Murder Of Terence Crutcher Isn't Forgiveness. It's Fury.

    Back in September, Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man, was walking to his car with his hands up when he was shot by Tulsa police officer Betty Shelby. This incident was captured on video by both a police dash cam and an aerial video from a police helicopter wherein Shelby’s husband, a fellow officer who…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • Whiteness Matters More Than Jesus To White Evangelicals

    Two weeks into Donald Trump’s presidency, I had to turn off the news alerts on my phone. Each time I received a news alert, I would get anxious because I did not know what the hell 45 was going to do next. He had already tried to ban folks from coming into the country, and…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • Sleight Is an Imperfect Magic Trick Well Worth the Ride

    Sleight could, and maybe should, have been a disaster. It is not a “superhero film” in the vein of comic book legends Marvel and DC; yet it is also not a “magic film” like The Prestige or Now You See Me. It could have failed because subverting genre expectations is dangerous. Do it right, and…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • Let's All Remember The Time Bill O'Reilly Got His Ass Handed To Him By Cam'ron

    As Bill O’Reilly’s televised reign of lies comes to an end, I cannot help but reflect upon the fact that, 14 years ago, he unwittingly set the stage for one of the greatest and Blackest moments in the history of cable news. The Set Up Cam’ron and Dame Dash were invited to be guests on The O’Reilly…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • Bill O’Reilly’s Most Outrageous Black Moments 

    After more than 20 years, Fox News forced Bill O’Reilly out after a series of sexual harassment allegations came to light. What’s worse, after an internal investigation of O’Reilly’s behavior, the company apparently found more. It all came to a head after an April 1 New York Times article revealed that Fox News and Twenty-First…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • A Heathen’s Guide to Black Church on Easter Sunday

    Easter—or, as the “woke” Christians call it, Resurrection Sunday—is one of my favorite holidays. Not because of the deep, symbolic weight of the day, but because of the fashion. Black folks are aesthetically creative on a regular day—yet, on Easter, everyone is a black dandy. There will be pastel suits, white hats and reflective sunglasses,…

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    Lawrence Ware

    Published

  • Without Question, 1997 Was (Maybe, Possibly) the Best Year in Black Music

      1997 was the best year in black music. Let me rephrase: 1997 was probably the best year in black music. I know. You think I’m crazy. Hear me out—but first, a caveat. I admit that, as a child of the ’90s, my musical tastes are deeply influenced by my proclivity for hip-hop and ’90s…

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    Lawrence Ware

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