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Masters of Mischief: The Tricksters of Old-School Cartoons
When I think back on old-school cartoons, I realize they were absolutely crawling with tricksters. I loved those characters—the ones who lied, schemed, disguised themselves, broke every rule in sight, embarrassed authority figures, and somehow still had me rooting for them anyway. Some of the best trickster characters from cartoons of yesterday: What makes these…
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The Tradwife Movement: A Pretty Apron Wrapped Around an Old Idea
I’ve never understood the appeal of tradwife content. Watching a woman bake sourdough bread in a spotless farmhouse kitchen while wearing a ball gown has never been my idea of compelling entertainment. Yet it’s wildly popular, especially the content of Nara Smith. Nara Smith is a model with more than 12 million followers on TikTok.…
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Soft Sheen: The Black-Owned Company That Helped Shape More Than Our Hair
If you grew up in a Black household during the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, chances are Soft Sheen products lived somewhere in your home. Maybe it was a jar of Care Free Curl moisturizer sitting on the bathroom sink. A tub of Sportin’ Waves on your father’s dresser. A bottle of Let’s Jam keeping somebody’s…
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George E. Johnson Didn’t Just Sell Hair Products. He Sold Possibility.
A living icon has become an ancestor and his name was George R. Johnson. Every now and then, somebody leaves this earth, and you realize they weren’t just successful.They changed the damn landscape.George E. Johnson was one of those people. He didn’t build Johnson Products because it was trendy. Hell, back then Black folks weren’t…
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The Female Trickster: Outsmarting the Rules
History remembers kings, conquerors, and warriors. But tucked into the margins of myth, folklore, and history is another figure who refused to play by the rules—the female trickster. She rarely possesses armies. She seldom inherits kingdoms. She isn’t usually the strongest person in the room. So she becomes the smartest. The female trickster understands a…
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The Everleigh Club: From Silk Sheets to Section 8
Chicago has always had a talent for reinventing itself. Sometimes it builds a skyscraper. Sometimes it tears down a brothel. And sometimes it tears down a brothel…and builds public housing on top of it. You really can’t make this stuff up. If you had wandered into Chicago’s Levee District around 1900, you would have found…
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Zina Garrison: The Trailblazer Who Helped Change Tennis
When people talk about the history of Black women in tennis, the conversation often begins with Althea Gibson and then leaps straight to Venus and Serena Williams. But between those eras stood a remarkable athlete whose contributions deserve far more recognition: Zina Garrison. Born in Houston, Texas, November 16, 1963, Garrison fell in love with…
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Hoard Park: Known as the Da Park
Tourists will never find Hoard Park in a guidebook. It doesn’t have Buckingham Fountain or the grandeur of Jackson Park. It’s just a small neighborhood park tucked away on 72nd and Dobson. But for me and my childhood friends, it was our treehouse. Long before I knew anything about urban renewal or city planning, I…
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Mary Jane Richardson Jones: The First Lady of Black Chicago
Long before Chicago became known for towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, there was a woman quietly building something far more enduring—a legacy. Her name was Mary Jane Richardson Jones. If you’ve never heard of her, you’re not alone. History has a habit of overlooking Black women, even the ones who helped shape cities. But without…
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The Many Ways in Which the United States Ain’t Shit
I was sitting here thinking about America, a country that is often described as the greatest nation on Earth. It is a nation that has accomplished extraordinary things. It has sent human beings to the Moon, produced some of the world’s greatest innovations, and given birth to cultural treasures such as jazz, blues, gospel, and…
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The Potty Mouth Granny 