White America has a Cold, Black America hasPneumonia

This evening CNN continues its documentary on Black In America. As I sit and watch the second installment of the series I feel a little on edge hoping and praying CNN and Soledad O'brien get it right this time. I say this because I, like many of my peers who felt so honored that CNN finally would devote a special on what is like to be Black in America were left confused, disappointed and angry because while the title so expressively states BLACK IN AMERICA, it felt more like “BLACK IN AMERICA….. for those that have never encountered an African American”. We were furious and immediately took to the blogs about how we felt this documentary did absolutely nothing to explain why the people interviewed were even in the situations they were in. While I am the last to wave the "woe is me" flag I do understand that as an African American growing up in a broken home, in a low income community, and attending a low income school plays a huge role in the future of African Americans. This is just a tip of the iceberg of the issues I had with the first Black In America documentary.

This year Ms.Obrien, who has absolutely no understanding or connection to the people she is documenting is attempting to revamp the once highly talked about series devoted to African Americans.

As I am writing this I am watching part two and what CNN deems the "hot topics" in the black community.

The show opens with what I believe the number one issue in the Black community and that is marriage, or lack there of. Nisa Muhammad, a counselor and motivator has devoted her life to this very cause, helping couples who are entering into marriage, currently married or on the brink of divorce. It is noted that while less African Americans are married and or stay married they also have the highest rate of children born out of wedlock. The focus couple is one that has been married for over 20 years who devotes their everything to their two very successful, smart, beautiful young women. The problem?

They are not communicating with one another and consequently are on the brink of divorce.

Now up until this point I was completely engaged. I wanted to learn more about how Nisa Muhammad was changing this epidemic occurring in the black community. I was ready to hear how single parent homes in the black community are rising every year and how this was affecting black children. I was ready to hear how the community as a whole puts very little emphasis on healthy relationships and how there are limited to any examples shown to our generation besides the Cosby’s of a functional, loving family structure. I was so ready to hear Ms. Obrien ask those hard hitting questions to Nisa Muhammad to find out how and why her methods were so successful, and finally I was ready to see single mothers, children growing up in single parent homes, the lack of counseling or even attention paid to this epidemic that is destroying our community. Yet, I was left with an empty interview about a couple that represents 10% of black marriages and two young girls that still have the luxury of mother and most importantly a devoted father.

The second story shed light on an African American young man convicted of a crime that was not disclosed who was trying to change his life. He was apart of a program that focuses on young men which attempts to assist them in re-entering society. The young man was taking college courses with a goal of obtaining a degree, he had a $10/hr full time job which he later quite because the hours were too long and the work was too hard. Unfortunately he was arrested for robbery. Now what was to be learned from this story? Again O'brien misses the mark.

Now, the series wasn’t all that bad because by the end of the show O'brien interviews two men Tyler Perry and the pioneer of the Harlem Children’s Zone. Both men who seemingly had the same humble beginings of the young brother I just mentioned took the little dream that they had for their community and transformed that very community, opening doors and smashing glass ceilings. What an inspiration! This is what Black In America ought to be about. Showing America the many road blocks that are set in place with the sole intent of creating failure and despair but despite it all there are those that succeed. And not just succeed for the sake of succeeding but who have a set goal to reshape the black community.

These stories are the only ones that took in depth look at the disparities faced by African Americans at the hands of those in power which only makes the accomplishments these two men are making the more outstanding and moving.

This entire series like the last one I will have to lacked in depth research and case studies that correlated with the topics. If a documentary is to be done on the many complexities of African Americans then an adequate amount of research must be done to back it up. Those that are watching the series are no more informed about African Americans and what it is like for us in America by this documentary and it saddens me that even after a years of preparation the same blue print was used but filled with different stories and a lack of connection between O’brien and those she was interviewing. Am I asking too much here? well maybe someone should.