Ebony articles from December 2008

Ebony archives from December 2008

Never give up on your dreams.(CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE)
December 1, 2008... A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO LINDA JOHNSON RICE There's something to be said about dreams, especially those that turn out to go far beyond what you'd hoped they would be. No matter your skepticism about them, no matter how farfetched...

Making the cover.(BEHIND THE SCENES)(Tyra Banks)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Photographing a celebrity comes with conditions. The list was long for supermodel-turned-entertainment guru Tyra Banks. TB, as her folks call her, is specific about, well, everything. That included inviting five...

Holiday gift guide.(TRENDS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Check out our annual roundup of holiday goods for the new, the surprising and the unexpected.

The world view.(POLITICS AND PERSPECTIVES)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The polls never close on ebonyjet.corn. Look to our expanded politics section for unique perspectives on the headlines that matter most.

Acoustic soul.(NEW VOICES AND CULTURE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Check out Heston, April Hill, the Jazz Liberatorz on The Turntable; Dreadrnan's cultural satire; Darryl Carter on design and Neycha's life line.

Edge, style.(BLOGS, VIDEOS, PHOTOS)(Ebonyjet TV )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ebonyjet TV is now on YouTube. Find new video features and classic clips from the Ebony/Jet Showcase vault. Plus, John Legend, Q-Tip, Patti LaBelle and DKNY in our photo galleries.

Ebonyjet radio!(MUSIC)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Voice your choice. Connect with audiophiles looking for a new groove. Record your own shoutout to listeners across the globe and around the way.

Jennifer, Latifah, Alicia.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] After reading the article, "A Moment in Time" (Nov. 2008), by Lynn Norment, I couldn't wait to sec the movie, The Secret Life of Bees. Set right after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, but before the Voting...

Tyler Perry.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... I stopped subscribing to EBONY a couple of years ago because it seemed that the magazine had lost its luster and voice. When I opened it, I no longer felt as if I was about to experience something special. Nevertheless, I picked up the October...

Fashion: Fall for Him!(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... I sprang forward out of my chair while browsing the October 2008 and saw the article, "Fashion: Fall for Him!" The men's clothing in that feature were fabulous. I love exquisitely dressed men. My focus, though, was on the "gorgeous" Brother who...

Robin Roberts.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... Thank you so much for publishing Robin Roberts' article, "My Bout With Breast Cancer" (Oct. 2008). It was amazing! When I finished reading it, I felt like giving her a standing ovation. Actually, the article moved me to send her an c-mail to...

Preterm births.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... Your article, "Preventing Preterm Births For Black Women" (Oct. 2008), was the best I've seen in a while, and certainly one of the few that targets our community. Thanks so much for sharing information about preterm births with the readers of...

Two sides.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... I, like so many other people, have been a huge dedicated fan of R. Kelly for many years ("Two Sides: After The Verdict, Should We Continue Supporting R. Kelly?" Oct. 2008). And the love, support and respect that he has gotten from his fans all...

Sisterspeak.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... Thank you, thank you, thank Y.O.U. for sharing the "Sisterspeak" column on Tasha Smith by Tasha Smith! I have been a fan of hers since the movie ATL and respect her roles in Daddy's Little Girls and Why Did I Get Married? She has such a...

A letter from Sudan.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... Radio talk host and TV commentator Joe (The Black Eagle) Madison really took us with him to witness the devastation and desecration of fellow human beings in "A Letter From Sudan" (Sept. 2008). The words and photographs present a surreal...

Genarlow Wilson.(LETTERS TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2008... After reading your article, "Dear Mama" (Aug. 2008), on Genarlow Wilson, I was moved to the point of tears. My tears were from joy! This story took place right here in my hometown of Douglasville, Ga. I too have a son who is 19 years old and...

International affairs.(EBONY ON THE SCENE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. In Gonaives, Haiti, people wade through flooded streets after Tropical Storm Hanna hit the area. Four storms killed at least 319 people in Haiti in less than a month. As Hanna moved out of the area, the fourth...

Ebony on the scene.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 The legendary Tina Turner performs in Chicago as part of her international concert tour that's scheduled to end in April in Dublin, Ireland. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. In New York City, Maxwell returns to...

At "An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Patti LaBelle".(EBONY ON THE SCENE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAPTION: [1] At "An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Patti LaBelle," a celebrity event at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Patti's contributions to the music industry were celebrated. Attendees included Nona Hendryx and...

Taraji P. Henson: versatile actress sizzles in new films.(CENTER STAGE)
December 1, 2008... It's no accident that actress Taraji P. Henson's performances arc electrically charged. She originally studied electrical engineering at North Carolina A&T, but today it's her acting career that has audiences buzzing. Henson is set to star...

Eartha Kitt: legendary Catwoman reflects on her career and her only regret.(5 Questions FOR ...)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TV viewers still love Eartha Kitt as the sexy, purring Catwoman on Batman in the '60s. Younger moviegoers fell in love with her as the cosmetics industry mogul who in 1992 seduced Eddie Murphy's character ("Marcus,...

Career spotlight: moving onward & upward.(SPEAKING OF PEOPLE)(Byron Garrett )
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BYRON GARRETT Byron Garrett is proof positive that you don't have to be married with children to dedicate your life to improving the state of education in America. Garrett, 36, is the new chief executive...

Journey to the bottom of the Earth: fearless teacher tackles the deadly cold and eternal sunlight of Antarctica.(Shakira Brown )
December 1, 2008... Pretend you've been offered an all-expense-paid trip to the bottom of the Earth. Your clothing, sleeping bag and food are provided. Your bathroom is a hole in the ice. The temperature hovers between -20 and -40 degrees Fahrenheit. But it's...

Exposing our common secret--insecurity: All My Children star tells how it manifests.(SISTERSPEAK)(Debbi Morgan )
December 1, 2008... I pay great homage to being a woman. As women, we can be creatures of habit, emotions, backstabbing, jealousy, love and honor. So it should not be surprising that in the year 2008, though we ladies feel empowered, independent and enlightened,...

Rebounding from setbacks: TV personality and author says stroke recovery is tough, but he won't give up.(FOR BROTHERS ONLY)(Mark McEwen )
December 1, 2008... I was on the CBS Early Show for more than 15 years as the weatherman, celebrity interviewer and host. I had a massive stroke in November 2005 that turned my world upside down. I nearly died, and I spent all of 2006 in physical, speech and...

Should I'm sorry be enough? Expert advice on relationships: Dr. Joyce answers your questions about marriage & dating.(EBONY ADVISOR)
December 1, 2008... Q: I have been married two years and I have four children by my husband. We were high school sweethearts. I just found out that my husband has had a two-year relationship with another woman. He says that he has ended it with her. He says that...

Eat, drink & be merry without gaining pounds.(HOUSE CALL)
December 1, 2008... It's that time of the year again, when parties, family gatherings and other celebrations highlight the holiday season. With all of that joy and the abundance of food, this is the most dangerous time of the year for gaining more weight, which is...

Happy holidays (on a budget): Being on a fixed income shouldn't turn you into a Scrooge at Christmas.(MONEY TALK)
December 1, 2008... For many senior citizens and others on a fixed income, playing Santa has never been trickier than in an economy where the price of everything, especially food and gas, has skyrocketed. "The down side of the holiday season is that many...

Home for the holidays: big, pretty gift books celebrate history, house decor & handmade styles.(BOOKSHELF)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... THE BLACK LIST (Atria Books, $29.95), by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Elvis Mitchell, offers a thought-provoking, conversational collection of 25 essays and portraits by trailblazing African-Americans from diverse professional and personal...

The Moon Over Star.(KIDS' CORNER)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE MOON OVER STAR (Dial Books for Young Readers, $17.99), by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by award-winner Jerry Pinkney, is an inspirational reminder that a whole new gem eration still can identify with the...

Jazz on a Saturday Night.(KIDS' CORNER)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JAZZ ON A SATURDAY NIGHT (The Blue Sky Press, $16.99), by Leo and Diane Dillon, celebrates the power and joy of jazz and encourages children to explore jazz and the wealth of recordings and live performances...

A Mercy.(HOT PICK)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Mercy (Alfred A. Knopf, $23.95), by Toni Morrison, the Nobel Prizewinning author, again deals with the horrors of slavery, set in the 1680s, fully two centuries earlier than her prize-winning Beloved. A Mercy takes...

Dying for Revenge.(HOT PICK)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Dying for Revenge (Dutton, $25.95) by Eric Jerome Dickey, the author is back with the follow-up to 2007's best-selling doubleheader Sleeping with Strangers and Waking with Enemies. In his third thrilling...

The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive.(HOT PICK)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (HIV) Positive (Amistad/Harper Collins, $14.95 by Marvelyn Brown with Courtney E Martin, tells the intimate journey of living with HIV/AIDS from the perspective of a 24-year-old...

Running For My Life.(HOT PICK)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Running For My Life, (HarperEntertainment, $25.95) by star NFL running back Warrick Dunn, with a foreword by Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy, Dunn tells his remarkable story off the field, including battling...

Race and Remembrance: a Memoir.(TOP SHELF)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In RACE AND REMEMBRANCE: A MEMOIR (Wayne State University Press, $24.95), by Arthur L. Johnson, the Detroit civil rights and community leader, educator and administrator gives readers an insider's view of the...

My Organic Soul: from Plato to Creflo, Emerson to MLK, Jesus to Jay-Z.(TOP SHELF)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In MY ORGANIC SOUL: FROM PLATO TO CREFLO, EMERSON TO MLK, JESUS TO JAY-Z (Broadway Books, $16), by Jacqueline Rhinehart with a foreword by Chuck D, the author offers a combination journal and great quote book for the...

Belonging: a Culture of Place.(TOP SHELF)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BELONGING: A CULTURE OF PLACE (Routledge, $19.95), by bell hooks. The noted author and critic again writes provocatively about race, gender and class, and in this book she also focuses on issues of land and land...

What's on your nightstand?(Jada Pinkett Smith on Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. BY Millard J. Erickson Religion fascinates me. I was brought up in the Ethical Society, and I learned about all different types of religions. My grandmother instilled in me a passion for religion. It keeps me very...

Kwanzaa celebrations share 'good in the world'.(TRAVEL GUIDE)(Calendar)
December 1, 2008... Forty-two years after its founding, Kwanzaa has burgeoned into a national and international celebration among African-Americans throughout the Diaspora. Kwanzaa is the African and Pan African holiday created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga....

December: what's happening where?(TRAVEL GUIDE)(Calendar)
December 1, 2008... ATLANTA * The 82nd Annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert. Dec. 5-7. * Annual monthlong Holiday Tours of Dr. Martin Luther King's birth home decorated with a 1930s-1940s Christmas theme. Martin Luther King Jr. National...

Queen of Soul's special gift: her first holiday CD.(SOUNDING OFF)(Aretha Franklin )(Interview)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aretha Franklin lets you know that Christmas "just ain't Christmas" without the Queen of Soul. On This Christmas Aretha (DMI Records), her first holiday CD, she puts her signature, soulful stamp on The O'Jays'...

Al Jarreau.(Interview)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Al Jarreau has Christmas on his mind. And this holiday season he's unwrapping a special package--his first holiday album, AI Jarreau Christmas (Rhino), for which he devotes his sophisticated vocalese to a dozen...

Brian McKnight.(ALSO NOTED)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Break out the eggnog and the mistletoe. Balladeer Brian McKnight infuses his Christmas album with his own smooth and soulful song stylings that put romance back into the holiday season. I'll Be Home For Christmas...

Rahsaan Patterson.(ALSO NOTED)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What would happen if the holiday classic "Little Drummer Boy" had been set to some joyful hand-clapping and soulful drums to offset the "pa rum pum pum pum"? With drums performed by Derrick (d*loc) Walker and Keith...

I listen to music at home, in my car, on my iPod.(PLUGGED IN)(Steve Harvey)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I listen to music at home, in my car, on my iPod. Right now I'm listening to 'Love's Holiday' by Earth Wind & Fire... I also like 'Can't Get Over You' by Frankie Beverly and Maze. It reminds me to be appreciative of...

Ear Candy new releases.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LEDISI IT'S CHRISTMAS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MANDISA It's Christmas EMI [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COKO A Coko Christmas Light Records [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPYRO GYRA A Night Before Christmas...

The buzz at the box office: Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Forest Whitaker, Bernie Mac & Samuel L. Jackson bring their 'A' game to the big screen.(ENTERTAINMENT)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The holidays are prime time for moviegoers to check out new films, and this season offers great talent-packed options. In THE SOLOIST (Dreamworks and Universal), Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx is creating...

Give smart.(BEAUTY & STYLE ESSENTIALS)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Make this holiday season a time for enjoying your family and friends--and sharing your love through great gifts. Now is the time to give smart without going into debt. We've filled this section with a virtual plunder...

Little luxuries.(ESSENTIALS FOR HER)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... These items are guaranteed to make the lad, on your list smile when she reaches into her Christmas stocking. 1. Elope Body Butter in Maul, $30, elopeislandbeauty, com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. e.l.f. The Beauty Encyclopedia, $25,...

For the fellas.(ESSENTIALS FOR HIM)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Want to surprise your guy? We've collected some fun, sexy and affordable gifts to perch above the fireplace--that are just for him! 1. Rocawear IX, $50, macys.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. King of Shaves AlphaGel Natural Shaving...

It's in Santa's bag--is it in yours?(ESSENTIALS FOR HIM)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Skip the trip home after work & spruce up for holiday party-hopping with our pick of his travel-friendly must-haves. 1. CROSS "Autocross" black leather cufflinks, $60, cross.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. Bic C2 Metal Lighter,...

All that glitters.(ESSENTIALS FOR HER)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... Get your shine on during party season! Illuminate features by sprinkling a touch of shimmer on your usual nighttime look. 1. Isa Dora Diamond Eye Shadow Palette, $21, cosmeticmall.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2. Sue Devltt Mineral...

Tyra unexpected: smart but not cheap, Tyra Banks swears she's just and ordinary lady.(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... Tyra Banks doesn't like to spend money. Or, at least, not a lot of it. Or, at least, not frivolously. There is, however, always an exception to the rule. Like that time when she bought 15 pairs of shoes at the Union Square DSW hi New...

90+ Fabulous finds.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... Holiday Gifts for $50 or less If you want to avoid the frustration of finding the perfect item for folks on your gift list, here's a little help. On these pages, we've put together a heartfelt harvest of guilt-free gifts--all for $50 or...

Adults at play: grown-up gifts for the kid in you.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... Functional gifts are great, but isn't it time to have a little fun? That's why EBONY magazine searched high and low for the best grown folks entertainment the world can (reasonably) offer for use in your own backyard, living room or basement....

Festive flutes: toast the New Year with a tasteful twist on traditional style.(AT HOME)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Sipping champagne from an elegant crystal flute is a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays. The tall, thin flutes are now preferred over the saucer-shaped champagne glasses because the elongated, narrow vessel retains the carbonation, or...

A celebration of dance: 50 years of Alvin Ailey.
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 5 DECADES OF THE AILEY WOMAN Sensual, strong and fearless, the Ailey Woman is part of a divine continuum that stretches from the founder's mother, Lula Cooper, through his childhood friend, Carmen De Lavallade,...

RSVP: Ebony Fashion Fair ignites 2008-2009 runway style.
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For Jada Collins, commentator for the Ebony Fashion Fair, traveling has become second nature. For more than 50 years, this traveling fashion show has visited venues large and small across the country, going directly...

A night out.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... Guarantee yourself some fun this holiday season. Slip into a fabulous outfit that speaks to your mood, then enjoy a spectacular night out with friends. Choose your look based on how dressy the evening plans are and how well the garment fits....

Walking with God: for nearly 180 years, Oblate Sisters in Baltimore enjoy serving inner cities in the oldest Black convent.(Organization overview)
December 1, 2008... AT FIRST, VIRGINIE FISH IGNORED HIM. Then, He spoke to her again and again and again, telling her the same thing, possibly the last thing that any 18-year-old wanted to hear. It's not that she had anything against nuns--only God's...

Africa for Africans: four African heads of state offer their vision for the continent's future and why America and African-Americans should care.(EBONY IN AFRICA: an occasional series)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... KAGAME. JOHNSON-SIRLEAF. GUEBUZA. PIRES. They are not as well known as Nelson Mandela, whose election as the first Black president of South Africa changed African history forever. But they are no less significant to the development of the...

I'm 13 and I have HIV: teens find life interrupted as they live with the disease that causes AIDS.(AIDS: A BLACK AMERICA UPDATE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ashleigh was 9 years old when she found out she had HIV. She was sitting in her Colorado hospital room reading her Berenstain Bears book as the nurse shared the news. Her mom sat nearby, crying. Neither knew...

Jealousy & paranoia: relationship killers.
December 1, 2008... It was one of the most humiliating and painful events of her life, but it wasn't the first time she was the victim of her husband's intense jealousy and paranoia. It was his family event, but because he had to work, the wife took their...

Elite opulence: Madam C.J. Walker's New York estate still a showplace of nation's first self-made female millionaire.(EBONY HOMES)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT WAS MADAM C.J. WALKER'S CROWN JEWEL, a mansion befitting the country's first self made woman millionaire. The daughter of freed slaves and one-time washer woman had made her fortune creating and selling hair...

Is Bill Cosby's personal responsibility message unfair to poor Blacks? Yes. Self-help doesn't negate society's obligation to all people.(TWO SIDES)
December 1, 2008... Let's get this out of the way from the start: Only a fool or a dishonest person would deny that everybody, including the poor, ought to be responsible for themselves and for how they act in the world. But we must not only demand responsibility...

Is Bill Cosby's personal responsibility message unfair to poor Blacks? No. Cosby is right in making us think about these things.(TWO SIDES)
December 1, 2008... Ask people who think Bill Cosby is wrong whether change in Black America has to come from within. They'll say "of course." But they're not much interested in talking about it for long. For them, the problem in inner cities is that America...

Strictly for laughs.(Cartoon)
December 1, 2008... "I'm going to need you to stand up and empty your pockets." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I'd like a second opinion if you're going to use that needle." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE "It's time to pay the piper? I...

Worth the weight: heavy lifting bolsters the benefits of any resistance-training program.(BODY TALK)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The sun has yet to rise when a dozen or so regulars file into Fitt Force workout studio at 4 a.m. Wearing dark-colored workout attire and combat boots, the group of women assume similar positions around weight...

Becoming a big brother: responding to the plight of African-American boys, real men are stepping in as mentors--and making a difference.(PARENTING)(David Banks of 100 Black Men of America, Inc.)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] David Banks, one of the founders of the Eagle Academy for boys in New York City, remembers a proud moment. It involved Jonathan Jones, a ninth-grader who had bee labeled as a special-education student before he...

Celebrate champagne: heighten the occasion with a taste of the bubbly.(A TASTE OF EBONY)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE, champagne is the traditional drink for all kinds of joyous occasions, and it's especially perfect for the holiday season. The selection is practically endless. Whether you spend a few...

Gifts from the kitchen.(DATE WITH A DISH)(Recipe)
December 1, 2008... Christmas has become so commercialized that the true meaning of the season has almost gotten lost. While it is common to give expensive, store-bought presents, gifts that you bake will not only offer the personal touch but can also save you...

'Tis the season.(FASHION FAIR)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the holidays fast approaching, a woman can't have too many partywear options. There are cocktail parties, dinners with friends and even a few formal events. This season, designers offer sparkly attire that will...

Hitsville U.S.A.(MEMORABLE PHOTO)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Berry Gordy poses in 1966 outside the building where, on December 21, 1959, he started Motown Records at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The building was proclaimed a historical monument in 1987. The classic Motown Sound, which was at the...