White Space/Black Space

by | Feb 3, 2010 | Racial Politics, The Mass Media, Urban Politics | 11 comments

This month The Urbanite is running an issue on “Race”. I was asked by the editor to write about the phenomenon of “self-segregation”. So rather than pen a piece about black kids deciding to sit all by themselves, I took another approach. I wrote a piece about the desirability of “black spaces”. Spaces black people can effectively “breathe” in. Of course it’s a bit more complicated than that. But I only had a couple of thousand words to work with. And on top of it I was able to take one of the worst days of 2008 (the first day of the Fall 2008 semester) and use it. Take a look and see what I mean.

11 Comments

  1. isabelwgbh
    isabelwgbh on February 4, 2010 at 2:05 pm

    If you are interested in issues affecting the African American Community, tune in:

    The Massachusetts Gubernatorial Election, Obama’s plans for small businesses and the beginning of black history month are the topics of discussion on the PBS show Basic Black, which you can watch TONIGHT at 7:30 p.m EST LIVE at http://www.basicblack.org or on channel 2 in Boston. You can also participate in a live chat at basicblack.org starting at 4 pm.

  2. FreeMan
    FreeMan on February 6, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    Great piece! I myself live in LA and people wonder why I would want to move to Atlanta. I think you hit the nail on the head that's it's not necessarily Anti-White or even Pro-Black just what's comfortable. No explanation and no challenge just what you always thought this country was about until you walked outside and found out that was a lie. At least amongst our own I'm just a Black guy pumping gas.

    • The Good Doctor
      The Good Doctor on February 21, 2010 at 8:03 pm

      that’s IT. now there’s other stuff there…it isn’t like the black space is heaven. but you don’t have to worry about the police or “police action”.

  4. wardbell
    wardbell on February 16, 2010 at 10:09 am

    Great piece, Lester! I really enjoyed reading and experiencing the piece internally.

    Have not wandered by this way for some time; glad I picked today to look you up!

    Regards,

    Ward

  5. E.C. Hopkins
    E.C. Hopkins on February 20, 2010 at 3:48 am

    A fine article Les.

    I read it. I nodded. I forwarded it.

    • The Good Doctor
      The Good Doctor on February 21, 2010 at 7:24 pm

      Ward and EC your words here mean a great deal, given that both of you are fairly harsh critics. Thank you.

  6. gazelledusahara
    gazelledusahara on March 1, 2010 at 8:49 am

    I loved this piece, and remember the soda story from Tell Me More I think.

    This always seems to come up, and it's an issue that's really difficult to explain without getting much emotional.

    There is always drama at my Alma Mater because the Black Student organization is closed (i.e. if you are not of African decent you cannot officially be on the member roster) and I think it's due in large part to black students clamoring for that black space.

    I think I'll send this to some of the people I had the arguments about the org with.

  8. corey
    corey on March 12, 2013 at 10:11 am

    what happened to this piece? just tried to send link to a friend but nothing’s there? any ideas, Les?

    • blacksmythe
      blacksmythe on March 12, 2013 at 11:06 am

      sorry. the urbanite went out of business. will put the piece up in a bit. and will send to you personally.
      lks