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In The News

Documenting and disseminating news about black grandmothers makes me feel like God sprinkled fairy dust over my head! Truly #blackgirlmagic. Sharing their stories in their many forms (personal accounts, oral and living histories, news, and culture) reminds me that I was made for this. The timing couldn’t be better (or more divine). I can set google alerts to capture when, where, and how they are being talked about and who is doing the talking. I can also disseminate this information using a number of social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr). How are black grandmothers being cast in the public eye? Are they being politicized? For instance, Hillary Clinton recently stated, “Like every grandmother, I worry about the safety and security of my grandchildren. But my worries are not the same as black grandmothers.” Now imagine centuries of worry to this magnitude—hence the creation of RealBlackGrandmothers. Are they inspiring political action? Like Lee Daniels’ grandmother did, making him declare he would never not vote again. Or are they being revered (while at the same time fueling debate) like Simone Biles’s grandmother turned adoptive mom? RealBlackGrandmothers harnesses the power of global reach and digital media to bring representations of black grandmothers to public discourse that reflect their nuance, complexity, depth, and humanity. With gratitude, LaShawnDa

IN THE NEWS: ARETHA FRANKLIN’S GRANDDAUGHTER SHARES RARE VIDEO
5 years ago

IN THE NEWS: ARETHA FRANKLIN’S GRANDDAUGHTER SHARES RARE VIDEO

Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter Victorie Franklin shared a video of her grandmother singing Nessun Dorma, which translates as “None shall sleep.”  In 1998, at the 40th Grammys, Aretha sang this aria from the …
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IN THE NEWS: RACHEL PITTMAN FRANKLIN- ARETHA FRANKLIN’S BIG MAMA
5 years ago

IN THE NEWS: RACHEL PITTMAN FRANKLIN- ARETHA FRANKLIN’S BIG MAMA

Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942-August 16, 2018) was born to C.L. (Clarence LaVaughn) Franklin and Barbara Siggers.  C.L. and Barbara married in 1936. C.L. adopted her infant son, Vaughn …
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IN THE NEWS: ERIN GREEN
5 years ago

IN THE NEWS: ERIN GREEN

Black grandmothers are vastly underrepresented in all types of media whether in the news, social media, movies, or television shows. It is rare to hear any comments regarding the perspectives …
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IN THE ARTS: WILL SMITH
5 years ago

IN THE ARTS: WILL SMITH

In 1968, Will Smith was born into a middle-class family in Philadelphia. Starting with rapping and then quickly transitioning into acting, his career skyrocketed into his current Hollywood stardom. His …
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In the News: Dashai Morton’s 12th Birthday Wish, From Her Mouth to Grandma’s Ears
6 years ago

In the News: Dashai Morton’s 12th Birthday Wish, From Her Mouth to Grandma’s Ears

Dashai Morton, a 12-year-old from Maryland told her grandmother that what she most wanted for her birthday was to help people affected by recent hurricanes. The 6th grader celebrated her …
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In the News: OWN Brings Back 227 and Grandma Pearl Shay
6 years ago

In the News: OWN Brings Back 227 and Grandma Pearl Shay

OWN recently announced that it is bringing back 227! In the process, it is bringing back Pearl Shay (played by Helen Martin), a black grandmother raising her grandson Calvin Dobbs …
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In the News: Alice Marie Johnson Has Served 21 Years of Life Sentence for Nonviolent Drug Offense
6 years ago

In the News: Alice Marie Johnson Has Served 21 Years of Life Sentence for Nonviolent Drug Offense

“In 1996, Alice Marie Johnson was sentenced by a jury to life without parole on non-violent drug conspiracy charges. On Oct. 31, the 62-year-old great-grandmother will have served 21 years …
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IN THE NEWS: CHANCE’S GRANDMOTHER’S PRAYER FOR HIM- LORD TAKE AWAY ALL THINGS THAT ARE NOT LIKE YOU
6 years ago

IN THE NEWS: CHANCE’S GRANDMOTHER’S PRAYER FOR HIM- LORD TAKE AWAY ALL THINGS THAT ARE NOT LIKE YOU

Chance the Rapper, born Chancelor Johnathan Bennett on April 16, 1993, has emerged as one of the most permeating influential figures in hip-hop over the last few years.  Chance grew …
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IN THE NEWS: “FLINT IS FAMILY” EXAMINES IMPACT OF WATER CRISIS ON THREE GENERATIONS OF BLACK WOMEN
6 years ago

IN THE NEWS: “FLINT IS FAMILY” EXAMINES IMPACT OF WATER CRISIS ON THREE GENERATIONS OF BLACK WOMEN

In honor of the recent announcement of the 2017 MacArthur Genius Grant Awardees, we are sharing LaToya Ruby Frazier’s “Flint Is Family” project.  Flint is a visual project that explores the …
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In the News: Terrell Jermaine Starr’s illiterate grandmother raised a grandson with 3 degrees
6 years ago

In the News: Terrell Jermaine Starr’s illiterate grandmother raised a grandson with 3 degrees

Terrell Jermaine Starr is an Associate Editor at NewsOne, senior reporter at The Root, as well as a journalist for the Washington Post. He has written many influential pieces on global …
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