Ten Keys to Raising a Son in 2014 By Vernon R. Heard I was scared to death when I found out we were expecting a child back in 2000. Not because of the added financial responsibility or for not being ready, but because I was not accustomed to having to set an example for anyone who would be watching me 24-7. I’ve always loved kids so no problem there. But the thought of that mini-me microscope on me at all times was a bit daunting. Will I have to stop smoking? Should I stop cussing? Can I keep my porn? LOL!! You get the picture. I was very excited at my son's arrival in 2001. IT'S A BOY!!! Our goal, like all parents, has been to provide a loving environment for our son with structure and boun

Brittney Reel was first introduced to Positive Black readers in the July issue. To get up to speed, you can read about Brittney Reel here. Just in time for the holidays, Britt brings a new project to the table and PBI couldn't be more excited!! Our conversation starts here... Britt!! What have you been up to? I know you've been in the lab so… spill it!! (LOL) Exactly one year after the release of my first novel, Bridgette's Redemption, I am fortunate to have completed its sequel entitled, Break Up To Make Up. Oh, so this is a follow up to the Bridgette’s Redemption story line? This novel takes place a year following the events of Bridgette’s Redemption and it shows how the main charac

Earlier today I received a text message from a friend requesting that I read an article he posted on Facebook and to give him my “view” on it once I read it. Of course my curiosity was stricken so I indulged. When I saw the title of the article I knew exactly where this was going; it was entitled “Why Black Men are NOT ATTRACTED to Nappy Haired Black Women” .The article was written by a black guy who obviously appreciates the “natural black woman”. . In this particular instance they focused on natural hair, which means without chemicals such as a relaxer to straighten the hair. He shared the dialogue between himself and a room full of other black men, some of which were unable to appreciat

Research by: Vernon R. Heard Born in 1852 in New Haven, Connecticut, Edward Alexander Bouchet graduated valedictorian from Hopkins Grammar School in 1870. That same year, he began his studies at Yale University. He completed his bachelor's degree in 1874. Bouchet made history two years later, becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate degree in the United States. After earning his doctorate in physics, he taught at the School for Colored Youth in Philadelphia for more than 25 years. He died in 1918. Edward Alexander Bouchet is best known for becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate degree in the United States (1876). His father William, a former slave, worked as a

"Words have the power to kill the soul, wound the heart and destroy relationships" -Tanya Radic If you've been following Positive Black Images issues, you already know how I feel about the current state of hip hop. The negative messages and imagery have been undermining the psychology of a generation for the past 10+ years. Always thot provoking, never thought provoking. I get it that music, like anything else, evolves and will never stay stuck in the glory days but it's past time for a new trend in hip hop. I'm personally angling for a renaissance of Black conscious rap. Not only because there was more integrity to the music then but we are experiencing a step back in time to gross soci

A Letter From the Editor: Mission: Possible Positive Black Images Magazine is presented as a platform for growth and empowerment. The intent from inception has been to present personalities from the Black community doing positive things. Period. The site was created to profile average Joes and Janes. My subjects are not necessarily saving babies from burning buildings daily but they do counteract the misinformation in the media that implies that all Black people are lazy, dumb, unfit parents, on their way to, in the process of or just finishing committing a crime. This miseducation is at the center of a seemingly deliberate campaign to devalue Black lives and culture. So PBI exists to di

A conversation with Positive Black Images founder and editor Vernon Heard Q: You’ve started something . What was your motivation for creating PBI? V: Well, there has always been a trend in the media making Black people look ignorant and uneducated; criminal and untrustworthy. I noticed that the character assassination of Blacks progressed to the extent that when a questionable killing of a Black person happened, society was\is almost of a “good riddance” mentality. I wanted to offer a counter perspective of Black culture and our community. Offer something positive as much for those in the Black community as those outside of it. One day I thought about all the Black folks in my circle, r

We Charge Genocide is a grassroots, inter-generational effort to center the voices and experiences of the young people most targeted by police violence in Chicago. The initiative is entirely volunteer-run. We are Chicago residents concerned that the epidemic of police violence continues uninterrupted in our city. On Friday, 11/28, the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) issued Concluding Observations after holding their 53rd Session in Geneva, Switzerland earlier this month, during which the U.S. was under review. From Nov. 12 to 13, We Charge Genocide (WCG) joined groups and individuals from across the country who traveled to the United Nations to expose torture in the U.S., e

Contributing Writer: Quineka Ragsdale One of the largest problems within the Black community is the breakdown of the family unit. Through enslavement, lynching and mass bombing they managed to stay together. Somewhere past the civil rights movement, welfare and President Nixon's war on drugs, the Black family was attacked, then attacked, then attacked again. Just when the family thought their attack was over, big time record executives infiltrated their music with women bashing and misogyny. The attacks were so smooth, that many of the family members, still can't put a finger on the issue. Get your family back. When you think of family, do not restrict it to the people in your home or the

iHear Voices I hear voices all the time. They tell me that I am among the fastest growing population of HIV/AIDS infection. They tell me that I am AT RISK for hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even obesity. They tell me that I, as a college-educated black woman, would more than likely NOT marry a college-educated black man, because there are more black men incarcerated than enrolled in college. These voices tell me that if I have an aspiration to be on television, I can either be the oversexed, big booty, loud mouth. Or I can be an angry, bitter, so-called strong black woman that no one likes, or gets along with. What about my voice? What about what I have to say? Is anybody r