Dr. Boyce Watkins

New Orleans based entertainer Lil Wayne has become the latest rapper to grovel at the the feet of his corporate sponsors in hopes of not getting kicked off the plantation, and in the words of the Emmett Till family — he fell “short.” Mountain Dew, a PepsiCo company, has dropped Lil Wayne as a sponsor […]

In a recent article in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Professor Cornel West “went HAM” on Tulane University Professor Melissa Harris-Perry. SEE ALSO: Black Farmer Wrests Billion-Dollar Settlement From U.S. In what might be his strongest public comments yet, West referred to Harris-Perry as a “fake” and a “fraud” for allowing herself to be used […]

Controversial television personality  and journalist Toure sat down with Dr. Boyce Watkins on CNN to debate the impact of director Tyler Perry’s movies on Black America, days after Perry was named Forbes magazine’s highest paid man in Hollywood. Dr. Watkins was casual with his examination, while Toure went in, telling CNN that Perry’s movies amount […]

This week, a judge in Chicago gave NBA star Dwayne Wade sole custody of his two sons. The decision was made after a prolonged legal battle between Wade and his ex-wife, Siohvaughn. The boys are currently 8 and 3 years old. Wade has argued that his ex-wife has become violent toward him and falsely accused […]

I was driving out of Atlanta the other day, speaking to my baby sister.  She listens to me ramble, and that’s why I love her.  Our topic for the day was black men and sports.  I mentioned how I turned on ESPN in my hotel room (all 10 million channels) and saw nothing but brothers […]

This week, I got together with a coalition of other concerned citizens and met at the steps of the county courthouse. We then marched around the jail to fight for the rights of two people of color, Chuniece Patterson and Raul Pinet, both of whom recently died while in police custody. The march and the […]

There was a time when anyone caught paying slaves for their labor; or even arguing that they should be paid; would face significant penalties for speaking out against a seriously corrupt system. Today, we have a world where agents are vilified for paying athletes, even though everyone knows that athletes are bringing in massive revenue […]

Dr. Boyce Watkins analyzes the sexual abuses allegations against Bishop Eddie Long

The late Dorothy Height was a giant, an absolute beast in the world of civil rights.  By saying she was a “beast,” I am giving you my raw perception of the depth of her impact and the power of her presence in the African American community.  

I just returned from the “Measuring the Movement” forum, hosted by The Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network.  The event was off the chain, with an amazing crowd and an outstanding panel of guests.  We were joined by Rev. Al Sharpton, Ben Jealous, Marc Morial, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rep. Charles Rangel, Democratic Whip James […]