Michelle Obama is now my new role model. Not because she is the United States first African-American First Lady, but because she has achieved so much as an African-American woman. Being that she’s ivy-league educated and raised from a two parent home, she breaks the stereotype of how society views African-American lives. Her intelligence and achievements aren’t the exception to the rule, but the actuality that is being forced on to every ney-sayer who believes that people of color cannot achieve the same lifestyle as white Americans. She’s a phenomenal woman.

If you don’t know, The Black List is a great documentary that features men and women of African descent, who talk about their experience as an African-American. The Black List Vol.2 features SNL’s Maya Rudolph (i.e. she’s half African-American and half Jewish, her mom is the late R&B songstress Minnie Ripperton), artists Kara Walker, actor Laurence Fishbourne, activist Angela Davis, actor/director Melvin Van Peebles, fashion designer Patrick Robinson, amongst an A-List of others selected for this documentary. If you have HBO, you should check it out.

Photo Credit: http://www.mobipocket.com/eBooks/cover_remote/ID2097/9781436287456_9781436287456.jpg

Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair,Hips,Lips and Other Parts, by far, is the best book I have ever read to date. I’m a fan of Chicken Soup of The Soul, and just books in general that feature women who talk about their life experiences. Naked features countless stories by African-American women that vary from sexuality,bulimia,AIDS,body image etc. Its edited by two prominent black women in the journalism industry: Ayana Byrd, current Features Editor at Glamour Magazine and co-author (with Lori Tharps) of the book, Hair Story: Untangling The Roots of Black Hair in America and Akiba Solomon, who has held editorial positions at Vibe Vixen Magazine, Essence Magazine and The Source. Read snippets of the book by clicking here and check out Ayana & Akiba’s blog: Small.Medium.Large

Freedom- Various Artists including Vanessa Williams, SWV, Aaliyah, TLC, Miss Jones, Mary J. Blige, etc.

Freedom- Various Female Rappers including Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Salt-n-Pepa, Left-Eye, etc.

Photo Credit: The Nation Magazine

The February 2, 2009 issue of the political magazine, The Nation, should be a must have cover for collecting Black History Month memorabilia. I don’t read The Nation, but I was fascinated by all the different figures in African-American history that were featured on the cover. Of course Barack & Michelle Obama are present as well as Dr. Martin Luther King, Ida B. Wells, Thurgood Marshall, but the Little Rock 9, Emmet Till and Addie Mae Collins, Carol Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair- a.k.a.-the four girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing, are featured too.