CNN’s Black In America 2 Special Tonight Is Nothing Special
Soledad O’Brien returns with her series “Black In America” 2 on CNN tonight.
I find it interesting that CNN has a “mixed race woman” as the host.
Why is O”Brien the host anyway?
The CNN series is patronizing and racist it’s basically a race 101 seminar for white America.
CNN hired O’Brien because this half white woman is considered more palatable for their audience.
I prefer the host of a series about the black race to be a bit more “authentic”.
O’Brien doesn’t have the “racial experience” to understand what it means to be black anyway.
The quandary is, O’Brien is not “really” a part of “black America”, she’s on the outside “looking in”.
O’Brien is not a part of the private sphere of the black culture.
What the hell does this half white woman, know about “what” it means to be “black” anyway?
O’Brien is so pale she can almost pass for white.
I think it is interesting this “half white” woman O’Brien is the host for a program about
the black race in America.
Yes I am cognizant of the fact O”Brien’s mother is black, but she is also part white.
The CNN series treats African Americans as though there is something “pathologically” “wrong” with them.
My perspective is there is an “undertone” of “negativity” against black Americans in this CNN series.
Everyone knows there are problems in the African American community such as poverty, lower social status, crime, single parent families,
and drugs.
The documentary does focus on the “achievements” of blacks but tonight’s series could of been more cohesive.
However, what do people know about other communities in the United States?
Why doesn’t CNN report on other minority groups such as Native Americans, Muslim Americans, Asian Americans, or the white majority?
I am certain Asian Americans, white Americans, and Native Americans have their own problems within the private sphere of their
communities.
So why is CNN just focusing on blacks?
I would love to see a documentary on other communities on CNN.
The reason CNN documentary focused on “African Americans” is because blacks are considered the “ultimate other”.
Black Americans are viewed as “controversial” and “explosive”.
The documentary did highlight some important issues though, such as black youth achieving and the rising black upper class.
However, anyone that has bothered to study African American studies would know the “black elite” have existed for over a century.
The black elite are a paradox they say they “love” their ” blackness”, yet embrace “apartheid” based on class.
It’s the same tired aspect of human nature some people want to feel like they are better then someone else.
The section on “future” black leaders was the strongest and most exciting part of the program.
One young black woman Mia Jackson was very inspiring. Mia is from Atlanta, she is only 26, and she owns her own home and car.
Mia is a successful engineer, she makes over $70,000 a year but Mia wants more.
Mia got accepted to an eighteen month internship program for young minority leaders of the future.
Mia is very tenacious she wants a better future and I commend the sister for her perseverance.
It was nice to see young blacks, Hispanics, and Asians youth all striving to achieve and breakthrough the glass ceiling.
O’ Brien may be “part” black but I have a problem with CNN.
Whenever I turn on CNN there is a paucity of black journalists.
I have seen black male reporters such as TJ Holmes and Don Lemon.
Even Holmes and Lemon aren’t “dark” skinned.
However, there are only “three” “black” female reporters on CNN besides O’Brien there are Fredricka Whitfield and Suzanne Malveaux.
It is interesting that CNN is so “colour conscious” though yet claims to be “progressive”.
CNN has a predilection to hire mixed race female anchors to be on the air.
Again, where are the dark skinned black female reporters? CNN is hypocritical, they claim to be “race conscious”.
Why does CNN have a propensity to hire light skinned black female journalists?
The light skinned black women are not just hired for their “professional skills” they are hired because they have a “European appearance”.
Once again, the subliminal racist message is that in order to be palatable to the “masses” a black woman has to be “almost white” to be a TV anchorwoman.
woman. When CNN starts hiring “real” black women then they can be taken seriously. Right now CNN’s hiring standards are bullshit!!
Gayblackcanada 
They often have Donna Brazil on, but maybe there just aren’t any “dark skinned” black women applying for CNN. I am sure that if an attractive, educated, well qualified black woman applied for a slot it would be given to her, but maybe there hasn’t been one. Why do people need to jump to the conclusion that CNN is being discriminatory towards dark skinned people? They are the only network that I would say focus a great deal of time on the struggles and progress of blacks and we are grateful for that. Who is sitting around worrying about what shade of black the commentators and reporters are. Most of the time it’s non blacks who have nothing better to pick at or just want to find something to stir the pot with/complain about!
I thought the documentary was wonderful. I learned new things and was sad and proud of what I saw in this documentary and am looking foward to the other parts as well as Latin in America. I think that CNN is a wonderful network and I will always be a fan, no matter how light and bright the black people happen to look, they are doing a damn good job!
Lynne I disagree, yes on the one hand I guess one can argue CNN is being progressive. I am certain darker skinned black women apply for anchor jobs at CNN. I feel CNN is praticing skin tone racism! The issue of “skin tone” racism is well documented in the black community. It is well known the news media has a predilection for “lighter skinned” black women. Light skinned black women are considered more palatable. Darker skinned black women are consistently disrespected due to factors they cannot control. Darker skinned black women get blocked out of jobs due to the fact they are dark.
I definitely have a problem with a “mixed race” woman such as Soledad O’Brien talking about “what” it means to be black. Give me a break! Soldedad O’Brien is not even “really” black. CNN should of had a darker skinned black woman to host the series. It just is hypocritical on CNN’s part.
Hi there!
I have to say that it was a COMPLETE waste of time… what did they present that blacks don’t already know??
If Soledad is trying to create a Black People 101 seminar for white viewers then she is doing a mediocre job. If she is attempting to show her investigative reporting skills, she ought to consider being a full-time stay at home mom instead…
Seriously.
I think it is unfair to cast out fellow black people aside because they look ”white”.
Soledad identifies as black therefore she should be accepted as such.
I think you are operating under reverse colourism, Orville, by making it seem that she doesn’t have a right to speak because she isn’t black enough for you.
Aulelia, I feel Soledad O’Brien is not the right person to be delivering the message about our race. O’Brien’s program was derivative and lacking in details. The program was extremely boring. I already know about black academics, black programs, and black youth. I don’t need a “half white” journalist to tell me what it means to be “black”. It seems to me CNN made this program for white viewers.
I think that’s extremely hypocritical of CNN to talk about race issues. There is an egregious issue, CNN has a paucity of darker skinned black female television reporters on the air.
Thanks Ms. O’Brien, I am asking you to do a show on “WHITE IN AMERICA so we can have a balance in the coverage of both the White and Black races, thereby giving us a comparsion
Of course it was created from a “white” perspective, Black folks don’t own CNN.
What’s wrong with covering black america? You can’t expect someone to cover all races and all problems in one segment. And as for Muslim communities, you might want to watch a woman named Christine Amanapour. I hear she does good work.
As a black american, hearing you call out Soledad O’Brien because she “passes as white” is insulting. The whole problem with race is that it’s something that no one can help. We’re born with it. Now get over it.
Brian you should be “insulted” at the fact CNN doesn’t have any dark skinned female anchors on the air. Or did you not notice this fact? CNN is saying that mixed race women are more palatable then darker skinned black women journalists.
Darker skinned black women are always treated unfairly by the majority and also by heterosexual black men!
You should be insulted by the fact CNN has a predilection for mixed race female hosts. I do have a problem with a half white woman talking about what it “means” to be black. Why couldn’t CNN hire a darker skinned black female journalist to host the program? CNN’s hiring standards is ludicrous!
Soledad O’Brien is such a phony. In April 2008, Reverend Jeremiah Wright gave a speech in Detroit to the NAACP. One of the things that he said in this speech was that black and white children learn with different parts of their brain, and then gave an “unflattering imitation of the way white pastors speak.” Peoples comments were that he gave a racial speech. Soledad O’Brien, on CNN, was quoted as saying, in a gushing manner, that the speech was a “home run” and “really funny.” When questioned about the things he said in the speech, she would say things like, what he really meant was …..or what he wanted to say was… Once again she’s covering the truth and being racist. Just as with the Henry Gates incident. In an appearance on Anderson Cooper, the night or so before CNN’s “The Moment of Truth” she appeared enraged that it was a racial profile against Gates. She said that she got calls from her FRIENDS saying it was all about Gates being black. She went on that show with the purpose, at all costs, to destroy the credibility of the white police officer and throw him under the bus. When Cooper was talking she wanted to make the point that Gates said “Thank You” to the police officers. By mentioning that, she was purposely misrepresenting the truth by playing down Gates’ belligerence and racial remarks, which she didn’t even mention. Even Gates’ attorney and friend, said to the media that he used very strong language. Colon Powell and President Obama both said he should take blame in the incident. I have seen this in many occasions with her, where she doesn’t speak the truth and hides the true facts. Another time on Anderson Cooper, Cooper said to O’Brien that Senator John McCain hasn’t brought race into the campaign, like he said he wouldn’t. You would think her response would have been something like, that’s great because he shouldn’t. Instead she strongly insinuated that he would, even in the last week of the campaign. Also, her questioning style, in interviews is completely different with a white person than it is with a black person. Like in her interview with Henry Gates in “The Moment of Truth” She just went along with his lies. I have seen several comments on various websites about her racism. There are many other examples I could give of her racial bias, dishonesty and hypocrisy. She seems to consider herself to be black. She mentioned in an interview that her parents made it clear to her “you’re black” and that’s all there is to it.
She’s all about being #1, she wants the world to revolve around her. She comes first, before her family. She wants to be a celebrity figure and a star. In interviews she says she works 6 days a week, mostly out of town, and on some holidays. She goes to gala events, concerts, lots of entertainment events, as a single woman, leaving her husband and kids behind.
I think Soledad O’Brien is a very poor journalist. What ever happened to the days of CNN with Bernard Shaw and Judy Woodruff? They were honorable journalists. You could believe what they said. John Las Vegas
Yes, Soledad O’Brien is light skinned. Does that make her plight as an African-American any less than our darker skinned brothers and sisters? Are you saying that light skinned people aren’t really black, that they have to meet some “brown paper bag” standard to be considered black in your eyes? African-Americans, and minorities in general, have it hard enough trying to prove themselves to outsiders. They should be able to find solace in their own race, not judgment.
Also, just because she could possibly pass for some other race doesn’t mean she would if given the chance. I have seen the sister speak and she has a connection to her black, Cuban, and white sides. If anything, she probably has a harder time because she has to balance the pressures of all of those sides of her ethnicity.
Also, Latino in America was a success and shows that CNN is not only focusing on blacks “the ultimate other.” There are also talks of a Latino in America 2 and they’ve begun shooting a Gay in America. CNN is attempting to bring light to problems within communities to ignite something in people so we can make change.
Don’t put people in a box. My mother is a black woman, with fine hair, gray eyes, and fair skin, and she has never identified with anything but her black culture, as a woman who grew up in Queens, NY. Judging people by the color of their skin is something we have been trying to overcome since the beginning. We shouldn’t have to deal with it from people within our community. Take a look at the William Lynch speech/letter and see how after so many years since slavery was abolished, in 1865, this ‘slave mentality’ has a hold of your mind.
The term African American DOESN’T ditinguish race whatsoever. There are native-born caucasions from Africa. The term is way over-used! I’ so sick of all of these liberal coming up with so called “politcally-correct” names for groups of people. I suppose I am a European-American? I never had any slave and I dont’ think what happened to the blacks back in the 1800’s but damn it is 2009! Get over it!
Actually CNN did employ a very dark skinned black female reporter called Lola Ogunnaike. Admittedly she has since been fired and she was not all that good but she was definitely dark skinned and authentically black. I believe she did some of the reporting in ‘Black in America 1’
After reading all of the posts on the brink of 2010, all of you should accept that perception is reality. Fairer skinned blacks, men and women with smaller lips and an upturned, pointed or peaked nose are easier on white america’s eyes. A lighter shade of eyes is another definite winner. I keep a clean face most of the time because I have discovered greater acceptance in doing so from my white counterparts and customers. I am a totally brown skinned black man, bald and would prefer to maintain a neatly trimmed “goa-tee” but I ask myself whether or not our current president would have been elected if he wore a “goa-tee”. The answer is no! Thanks to my parents genes, I am rather handsome with or without facial hair.
I look at CNN, HLN, Fox etc. and overall, the non-whites are almost always lighter skinned blacks; the additional make up brightens them up even more. Conservatives seem to be a lot more accepting to individuals for exactly who they are. Just look in the mirror and be happy with who you are. If your nose is broader, lips are fuller, skin shade darker, normal brown eyes, love yourself and others will be drawn to your confidence.
D, your argument definitely has some veracity. In the media, lighter skinned blacks especially mixed race or fair skinned black women are preferred over darker skinned black women.