Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spectrum.10.2.08
Judson L. Jeffries
You Don’t Know Jim Brown; You Just Think You Do! Judson L. Jeffries Inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 (why that took so long is anybody’s guess) and the National Football League’s Hall of Fame in 1971, his first year of eligibility, many sports enthusiasts are familiar with Jim Brown’s gridiron exploits, but little else. When asked about The Sporting News naming him the greatest professional football player ever in 2002, he scoffed at the suggestion, replying humbly, “well, I know I didn’t play any defense for the Browns.” When Brown entered the NFL in 1957, after graduating from Syracuse University, baseball was America’s most popular sport, and although it took decades for the NFL to overtake the MLB, Brown played a big part in that, as the game’s leading ball carrier and one of its first superstars following World War II. No one had ever seen a player like Brown. In 1964, the Cleveland Browns fullback, not halfback, contrary to revisionist history, led his team to an NFL championship (later known as the Super Bowl). When he retired in 1965, he did so as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. It took nearly 20 years before that record was broken. By that time the NFL had expanded its schedule from 14 to 16 games. Brown was a unique player, meaning someone who doesn’t remind you of anyone else. When Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, he joined the club as a second lieutenant via Syracuse’s Army ROTC program and continued his military training at Fort Benning, GA. Years later Brown was honorably discharged at the rank of captain. In 2016, Brown was inducted into the U.S. Army ROTC National Hall of Fame. Not only was Brown one of the best college football players in the country he was also a two-time All-American in lacrosse. In 1983 he was the first African American inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Considered one of the sport’s all-time greats, the Premier Lacrosse League MVP Award is named in [End Page 117] Brown’s honor. Brown was an all-around athlete. In the summer of 1955, Brown placed fifth in the men’s national collegiate decathlon in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Few athletes enjoyed the level of fame and reverence as Jim Brown. But he was more than just an athlete. Back in the early 1990s, a mutual friend gave me Brown’s home phone number and encouraged me to call, as I was interested in volunteering for his Amer-I-Can program. Big Daddy Kane answered the phone, but that’s another story. Around that same time, I had the occasion to meet Governor L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the country’s first Black elected governor. During one of my visits back to the East Coast to see my parents, I mentioned to my father that I had a scheduled meeting with the governor, that I would be traveling to Richmond, Virginia, in a few days for the appointment. My father was nonplussed. When he asked what else was going on, I told him that I had spoken to Jim Brown, that I would be meeting with him once I returne
你不认识吉姆·布朗;你只是认为你有!贾德森·l·杰弗里斯(Judson L. Jeffries)于1995年入选美国国家大学橄榄球名人堂(National College Football Hall of Fame)(为什么花了这么长时间，谁也不知道)，1971年入选美国国家橄榄球联盟(National Football League)名人堂，那是他获得资格的第一年。许多体育爱好者对吉姆·布朗(Jim Brown)在橄榄球场上的成就很熟悉，但除此之外就很少了。当被问及2002年《体育新闻》评选他为有史以来最伟大的职业橄榄球运动员时，他对这个建议嗤之以鼻，谦虚地回答说:“嗯，我知道我没有为布朗队打过任何防守。”1957年，布朗从锡拉丘兹大学(Syracuse University)毕业后进入美国橄榄球联盟(NFL)，当时棒球是美国最受欢迎的运动。尽管NFL花了几十年时间才超过MLB，但布朗在这一过程中发挥了重要作用，他是该运动的主要带球者，也是二战后第一批超级明星之一。从来没有人见过像布朗这样的球员。1964年，与修正主义历史相反，克利夫兰布朗队的后卫，而不是中场后卫，带领他的球队获得了NFL冠军(后来被称为超级碗)。当他在1965年退役时，他是NFL历史上的头号冲锋。这个纪录花了将近20年才被打破。到那时，NFL已经将赛程从14场扩大到16场。布朗是一个独特的球员，意思是他不会让你想起其他人。当布朗被克利夫兰布朗队选中时，他通过锡拉丘兹的陆军后备军官训练队计划以少尉的身份加入了俱乐部，并在佐治亚州本宁堡继续他的军事训练。几年后，布朗以上尉军衔光荣退役。2016年，布朗入选美国陆军后备军官训练队国家名人堂。布朗不仅是全国最好的大学橄榄球运动员之一，他还两次入选全美曲棍球队。1983年，他成为第一位进入国家曲棍球名人堂的非裔美国人。被认为是这项运动历史上最伟大的球员之一，英超长曲棍球联盟MVP奖是以布朗的名字命名的。布朗是一名全能运动员。1955年夏天，布朗在印第安纳州克劳福德维尔举行的男子大学十项全能比赛中获得第五名。很少有运动员像吉姆·布朗那样享有如此高的声望和尊敬。但他不仅仅是一名运动员。早在20世纪90年代初，一个共同的朋友给了我布朗的家庭电话号码，并鼓励我打电话给他，因为我对他的“阿莫-我能”项目很感兴趣。凯恩老爹接了电话，但那是另一回事。大约在同一时间，我有幸见到了弗吉尼亚州州长道格拉斯·怀尔德(L. Douglas Wilder)，他是美国第一位黑人当选州长。有一次我回东海岸看望父母，我对父亲说，我和州长约好要见面，几天后我要去弗吉尼亚州的里士满。我父亲不知所措。当他问我还发生了什么事时，我告诉他我已经和吉姆·布朗谈过了，我一回到洛杉矶就会和他见面。突然，我父亲醒了过来，问道:“你是说克利夫兰布朗队的吉米·布朗吗?”我的回答是肯定的，这时他开始问我一连串的问题。“你怎么认识他的?”“你打算和他做什么?”他对我与吉姆·布朗的会面印象深刻，而不是对我被任命为这个国家第一位民选的黑人州长印象深刻。我父亲说:“我很尊敬老布朗。”我还记得我父亲说过的话，好像他没有出卖……他从不屈服……他不是为了相处而相处的……总是高高站着。布朗是为数不多的运动员之一，他在场外的活动即使不比他在场上的成功更重要，也同样重要。几十年来，布朗以前所未有的方式与洛杉矶的帮派合作。棕色（的）
{"title":"You Don’t Know Jim Brown; You Just Think You Do!","authors":"Judson L. Jeffries","doi":"10.2979/spectrum.10.2.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spectrum.10.2.08","url":null,"abstract":"You Don’t Know Jim Brown; You Just Think You Do! Judson L. Jeffries Inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 (why that took so long is anybody’s guess) and the National Football League’s Hall of Fame in 1971, his first year of eligibility, many sports enthusiasts are familiar with Jim Brown’s gridiron exploits, but little else. When asked about The Sporting News naming him the greatest professional football player ever in 2002, he scoffed at the suggestion, replying humbly, “well, I know I didn’t play any defense for the Browns.” When Brown entered the NFL in 1957, after graduating from Syracuse University, baseball was America’s most popular sport, and although it took decades for the NFL to overtake the MLB, Brown played a big part in that, as the game’s leading ball carrier and one of its first superstars following World War II. No one had ever seen a player like Brown. In 1964, the Cleveland Browns fullback, not halfback, contrary to revisionist history, led his team to an NFL championship (later known as the Super Bowl). When he retired in 1965, he did so as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. It took nearly 20 years before that record was broken. By that time the NFL had expanded its schedule from 14 to 16 games. Brown was a unique player, meaning someone who doesn’t remind you of anyone else. When Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, he joined the club as a second lieutenant via Syracuse’s Army ROTC program and continued his military training at Fort Benning, GA. Years later Brown was honorably discharged at the rank of captain. In 2016, Brown was inducted into the U.S. Army ROTC National Hall of Fame. Not only was Brown one of the best college football players in the country he was also a two-time All-American in lacrosse. In 1983 he was the first African American inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Considered one of the sport’s all-time greats, the Premier Lacrosse League MVP Award is named in [End Page 117] Brown’s honor. Brown was an all-around athlete. In the summer of 1955, Brown placed fifth in the men’s national collegiate decathlon in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Few athletes enjoyed the level of fame and reverence as Jim Brown. But he was more than just an athlete. Back in the early 1990s, a mutual friend gave me Brown’s home phone number and encouraged me to call, as I was interested in volunteering for his Amer-I-Can program. Big Daddy Kane answered the phone, but that’s another story. Around that same time, I had the occasion to meet Governor L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the country’s first Black elected governor. During one of my visits back to the East Coast to see my parents, I mentioned to my father that I had a scheduled meeting with the governor, that I would be traveling to Richmond, Virginia, in a few days for the appointment. My father was nonplussed. When he asked what else was going on, I told him that I had spoken to Jim Brown, that I would be meeting with him once I returne","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"452 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135533709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spectrum.10.2.10
Judson L. Jeffries
Reviewed by: Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith Judson L. Jeffries STEPHEN A. SMITH, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Gallery Books, 2023. vii + 276 pp. ISBN 978198215. ESPN’s dynamic and erudite host of First Take has finally penned his first book, an autobiography as it were. At more than 250 pages and 21 chapters, Straight Shooter is a page-turner. I read it in two sittings but could have done it in one. As expected, the memoir covers the range of Smith’s life, from his childhood to his rise to stardom. Smith’s book is more than the typical rags to riches story. The book is chock full of lessons from which individuals from all walks of life can benefit, especially young Black men. Careful not to go into much detail, for fear of spoiling it for the reader, I offer the following. The book is an easy read and accessible to any audience. Some topics are heavier than others and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, such as Smith’s discussion of his childhood. At times, it caused this writer to cringe. Although both Smith and I are of the same generation, he refers to his inability to advance to the next grade while in elementary school as being “left back.” I remember it quite differently. Any kid whose grades did not allow him or her to proceed to the next grade failed. Folks didn’t say left back, they said “failed,” as harsh as that may sound. Smith failed twice, making him the butt of jokes among some kids in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens. He talks about how some didn’t believe in him, including his father, who tried to convince Smith’s mother that their son just wasn’t smart. Smith, who overheard his father utter these words to his mother, was both crushed and fueled by his Dad’s assessment of him. Smith’s father was not the ideal dad: no Heathcliff Huxtable, James Evans Sr., Carl Winslow, or Philip Banks. Mostly what Smith’s father was, was absent, but even when he was present, his mind was somewhere else. Despite his father’s negligence, Smith’s life turned out just fine. Smith graduated from historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and for a time was on its basketball team, where he played for the legendary and hall of fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, a graduate of an [End Page 123] HBCU himself in Morgan State College (now University). Smith’s basketball career was cut short due to injury, but when one door closes another one opens. Were it not for Smith’s knee giving out, who is to say that Smith would have had a career in journalism, let alone become the big name in sports journalism that he is. Smith was thrust into the national spotlight as a result of being paired with Skip Bayless on First Take, but his ascension to that show was a long and arduous one. In other words, Smith was not an overnight sensation. Smith’s career started with newspapers in small town North Carolina, where he cut his teeth on, of all sports, soccer. Smit
{"title":"Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith (review)","authors":"Judson L. Jeffries","doi":"10.2979/spectrum.10.2.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spectrum.10.2.10","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith Judson L. Jeffries STEPHEN A. SMITH, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Gallery Books, 2023. vii + 276 pp. ISBN 978198215. ESPN’s dynamic and erudite host of First Take has finally penned his first book, an autobiography as it were. At more than 250 pages and 21 chapters, Straight Shooter is a page-turner. I read it in two sittings but could have done it in one. As expected, the memoir covers the range of Smith’s life, from his childhood to his rise to stardom. Smith’s book is more than the typical rags to riches story. The book is chock full of lessons from which individuals from all walks of life can benefit, especially young Black men. Careful not to go into much detail, for fear of spoiling it for the reader, I offer the following. The book is an easy read and accessible to any audience. Some topics are heavier than others and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, such as Smith’s discussion of his childhood. At times, it caused this writer to cringe. Although both Smith and I are of the same generation, he refers to his inability to advance to the next grade while in elementary school as being “left back.” I remember it quite differently. Any kid whose grades did not allow him or her to proceed to the next grade failed. Folks didn’t say left back, they said “failed,” as harsh as that may sound. Smith failed twice, making him the butt of jokes among some kids in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens. He talks about how some didn’t believe in him, including his father, who tried to convince Smith’s mother that their son just wasn’t smart. Smith, who overheard his father utter these words to his mother, was both crushed and fueled by his Dad’s assessment of him. Smith’s father was not the ideal dad: no Heathcliff Huxtable, James Evans Sr., Carl Winslow, or Philip Banks. Mostly what Smith’s father was, was absent, but even when he was present, his mind was somewhere else. Despite his father’s negligence, Smith’s life turned out just fine. Smith graduated from historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and for a time was on its basketball team, where he played for the legendary and hall of fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, a graduate of an [End Page 123] HBCU himself in Morgan State College (now University). Smith’s basketball career was cut short due to injury, but when one door closes another one opens. Were it not for Smith’s knee giving out, who is to say that Smith would have had a career in journalism, let alone become the big name in sports journalism that he is. Smith was thrust into the national spotlight as a result of being paired with Skip Bayless on First Take, but his ascension to that show was a long and arduous one. In other words, Smith was not an overnight sensation. Smith’s career started with newspapers in small town North Carolina, where he cut his teeth on, of all sports, soccer. Smit","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135533707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spe.2023.a903151
Alma Jam, Gesine K. Hearn
ABSTRACT: This study explores how young Black men talk about colorism and identity. Few studies have investigated how men of color make meaning of colorism. Providing an open-arena for dialogue about colorism, we conducted two focus groups to examine the perceptions of colorism among young African American and African-born Black males. One focus group consisted of African-born Black men, the other consisted of African American Black men. Participants were recruited from a public four-year research university in the northwestern region of the US and ranged in age from 18 to 25. Findings indicate that to this day, young African American and African-born Black males are significantly impacted by their skin tone in their pursuit of access and opportunity in society, and just like women of color, skin tone influences their relationships, identity, and social mobility.
{"title":"“You Can Put a Price Tag on Complexion”: Understanding Colorism Among African-Born and African American Black Men in America","authors":"Alma Jam, Gesine K. Hearn","doi":"10.2979/spe.2023.a903151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spe.2023.a903151","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT: This study explores how young Black men talk about colorism and identity. Few studies have investigated how men of color make meaning of colorism. Providing an open-arena for dialogue about colorism, we conducted two focus groups to examine the perceptions of colorism among young African American and African-born Black males. One focus group consisted of African-born Black men, the other consisted of African American Black men. Participants were recruited from a public four-year research university in the northwestern region of the US and ranged in age from 18 to 25. Findings indicate that to this day, young African American and African-born Black males are significantly impacted by their skin tone in their pursuit of access and opportunity in society, and just like women of color, skin tone influences their relationships, identity, and social mobility.","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"48 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135532813","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spectrum.10.2.06
Destin L. Mizelle, Chesmore S. Montique, Jasmine K. Jester, Candice N. Hargons
ABSTRACT: Few empirical studies have explored heterosexual Black men’s perceptions and experiences with marriage. This content analysis systematically reviewed the scholarship on heterosexual Black men and marriage published in five databases from 1996 to 2020 (24 years). We sought to understand (a) what methodologies were used, (b) whether the articles were strength-based, neutral, or deficit-based, (c) which topics were published most, and (d) differences in sample demographics investigated among the Black men. Using human coding and an integrative approach, we found only 15 articles that met the criteria. Sixty percent of studies took a strength-based perspective; however, two authors wrote a large portion of those articles. Forty-six (46.67%) of the articles focused on topics about Black men’s attitudes toward marriage. Qualitative methodology was the most published, and publications overlooked younger Black men’s experience and attitudes toward marriage. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
{"title":"“Meet Me at the Altar” Heterosexual Black Men and Marriage: A Content Analysis","authors":"Destin L. Mizelle, Chesmore S. Montique, Jasmine K. Jester, Candice N. Hargons","doi":"10.2979/spectrum.10.2.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spectrum.10.2.06","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT: Few empirical studies have explored heterosexual Black men’s perceptions and experiences with marriage. This content analysis systematically reviewed the scholarship on heterosexual Black men and marriage published in five databases from 1996 to 2020 (24 years). We sought to understand (a) what methodologies were used, (b) whether the articles were strength-based, neutral, or deficit-based, (c) which topics were published most, and (d) differences in sample demographics investigated among the Black men. Using human coding and an integrative approach, we found only 15 articles that met the criteria. Sixty percent of studies took a strength-based perspective; however, two authors wrote a large portion of those articles. Forty-six (46.67%) of the articles focused on topics about Black men’s attitudes toward marriage. Qualitative methodology was the most published, and publications overlooked younger Black men’s experience and attitudes toward marriage. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"22 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135533705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spectrum.10.2.01
Judson L. Jeffries
Rehiring Killer-Cops Tells Us Everything We Need to Know About the System Judson L. Jeffries Two months ago, I learned that Myles Cosgrove, the former Louisville Metro Police Officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Breonna Taylor, an emergency management technician, a few short years ago, is once again gainfully employed in law enforcement. Apparently, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, an hour outside of Louisville, had an opening to fill and deemed Cosgrove worthy of the job. “We think he will help reduce the flow of drugs in our area and reduce property crimes. We felt like he was a good candidate to help us in our county,” said a police official. News of that hiring was disappointing but not surprising. Over the past 30 years, I have had the pleasure of talking to and interacting with many fine police officers of all stripes across the country. In my many conversations with them, on- and off-the-record, one theme continued to surface and that is, some police leaders’ willingness to ignore an officer’s past discretions when filling a position. In other words, not only are those police officers who engage in extralegal force resulting in either serious injury or death often not terminated, but when they are, it is not atypical for them to find employment in nearby law enforcement agencies. Not only is it not uncommon for them to land law enforcement positions elsewhere, it is also not atypical for them to repeat the same behaviors that resulted in their termination by their previous employer. Many years ago, a retired Chicago police officer told me this under anonymity: many of the officers who engage in criminality of all kinds, not just extralegal force, are not first-time offenders. When I asked him to expound on this, he shot back, “By the time they retire, and many of them are kept on the force long enough to retire, they have a jacket/file of complaints as thick as a spiral notebook. On those rare occasions when they are terminated,” said this officer, “it’s not hard for them to find jobs in other police departments.” Another retired police officer, the first woman [End Page 1] chief of a major police department, agreed, but when I asked her why bad seeds are retained or able to find employment elsewhere after they are terminated, she said, “because some police leaders believe that officers like that serve a particular purpose.” She continued, “during my day, it was not rare for a fired police officer to find employment in another city within the same state. That was not uncommon at all.” Despite firing 16 shots into Taylor’s apartment, including the shot that killed her, Cosgrove did not face any criminal charges. He was fired instead for violating use of force procedures and failing to use a body camera during the illegal raid on Taylor’s apartment. Although I found news of Cosgrove’s hiring deflating, it was not surprising. Sadly, the same thing happens in other industries such as healthcare, the legal field, and education, to n
{"title":"Rehiring Killer-Cops Tells Us Everything We Need to Know About the System","authors":"Judson L. Jeffries","doi":"10.2979/spectrum.10.2.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spectrum.10.2.01","url":null,"abstract":"Rehiring Killer-Cops Tells Us Everything We Need to Know About the System Judson L. Jeffries Two months ago, I learned that Myles Cosgrove, the former Louisville Metro Police Officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Breonna Taylor, an emergency management technician, a few short years ago, is once again gainfully employed in law enforcement. Apparently, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, an hour outside of Louisville, had an opening to fill and deemed Cosgrove worthy of the job. “We think he will help reduce the flow of drugs in our area and reduce property crimes. We felt like he was a good candidate to help us in our county,” said a police official. News of that hiring was disappointing but not surprising. Over the past 30 years, I have had the pleasure of talking to and interacting with many fine police officers of all stripes across the country. In my many conversations with them, on- and off-the-record, one theme continued to surface and that is, some police leaders’ willingness to ignore an officer’s past discretions when filling a position. In other words, not only are those police officers who engage in extralegal force resulting in either serious injury or death often not terminated, but when they are, it is not atypical for them to find employment in nearby law enforcement agencies. Not only is it not uncommon for them to land law enforcement positions elsewhere, it is also not atypical for them to repeat the same behaviors that resulted in their termination by their previous employer. Many years ago, a retired Chicago police officer told me this under anonymity: many of the officers who engage in criminality of all kinds, not just extralegal force, are not first-time offenders. When I asked him to expound on this, he shot back, “By the time they retire, and many of them are kept on the force long enough to retire, they have a jacket/file of complaints as thick as a spiral notebook. On those rare occasions when they are terminated,” said this officer, “it’s not hard for them to find jobs in other police departments.” Another retired police officer, the first woman [End Page 1] chief of a major police department, agreed, but when I asked her why bad seeds are retained or able to find employment elsewhere after they are terminated, she said, “because some police leaders believe that officers like that serve a particular purpose.” She continued, “during my day, it was not rare for a fired police officer to find employment in another city within the same state. That was not uncommon at all.” Despite firing 16 shots into Taylor’s apartment, including the shot that killed her, Cosgrove did not face any criminal charges. He was fired instead for violating use of force procedures and failing to use a body camera during the illegal raid on Taylor’s apartment. Although I found news of Cosgrove’s hiring deflating, it was not surprising. Sadly, the same thing happens in other industries such as healthcare, the legal field, and education, to n","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135533710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spe.2023.a903148
Judson L. Jeffries
Rehiring Killer-Cops Tells Us Everything We Need to Know About the System Judson L. Jeffries Two months ago, I learned that Myles Cosgrove, the former Louisville Metro Police Officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Breonna Taylor, an emergency management technician, a few short years ago, is once again gainfully employed in law enforcement. Apparently, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, an hour outside of Louisville, had an opening to fill and deemed Cosgrove worthy of the job. “We think he will help reduce the flow of drugs in our area and reduce property crimes. We felt like he was a good candidate to help us in our county,” said a police official. News of that hiring was disappointing but not surprising. Over the past 30 years, I have had the pleasure of talking to and interacting with many fine police officers of all stripes across the country. In my many conversations with them, on- and off-the-record, one theme continued to surface and that is, some police leaders’ willingness to ignore an officer’s past discretions when filling a position. In other words, not only are those police officers who engage in extralegal force resulting in either serious injury or death often not terminated, but when they are, it is not atypical for them to find employment in nearby law enforcement agencies. Not only is it not uncommon for them to land law enforcement positions elsewhere, it is also not atypical for them to repeat the same behaviors that resulted in their termination by their previous employer. Many years ago, a retired Chicago police officer told me this under anonymity: many of the officers who engage in criminality of all kinds, not just extralegal force, are not first-time offenders. When I asked him to expound on this, he shot back, “By the time they retire, and many of them are kept on the force long enough to retire, they have a jacket/file of complaints as thick as a spiral notebook. On those rare occasions when they are terminated,” said this officer, “it’s not hard for them to find jobs in other police departments.” Another retired police officer, the first woman [End Page 1] chief of a major police department, agreed, but when I asked her why bad seeds are retained or able to find employment elsewhere after they are terminated, she said, “because some police leaders believe that officers like that serve a particular purpose.” She continued, “during my day, it was not rare for a fired police officer to find employment in another city within the same state. That was not uncommon at all.” Despite firing 16 shots into Taylor’s apartment, including the shot that killed her, Cosgrove did not face any criminal charges. He was fired instead for violating use of force procedures and failing to use a body camera during the illegal raid on Taylor’s apartment. Although I found news of Cosgrove’s hiring deflating, it was not surprising. Sadly, the same thing happens in other industries such as healthcare, the legal field, and education, to n
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Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spe.2023.a903154
Judson L. Jeffries
A Tribute to Alexander the Great, Clifford Alexander Jr. That Is! Judson L. Jeffries Despite being the country’s first African American secretary of the Army and one of Black America’s unsung heroes, news of Clifford Alexander’s passing last summer mirrored that of his life. Sure, both the Times and the Post covered his death, but not in a manner commensurate with his impact. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that unlike some public figures who seek the spotlight and crave the notoriety, Alexander was a fairly low-key figure whose persona and work were not draped in fanfare and hoopla. He flew under the radar, even when he held high-profile positions. He just went to work and got the job done, but make no mistake, Alexander was a giant in American history and a great Omega man. Because Alexander did not pen an autobiography nor has any scholar or journalist seen fit to capture his life in a book-length manuscript, few people realize the full measure of Alexander’s historical imprint. For example, few people probably realize the degree to which his behind closed-door efforts as an advisor to President Lyndon Baines Johnson on civil rights helped bring about the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965. Outspoken, but not obstinate; stern, but not irascible, Alexander was, however, an unwavering champion of diversity and an unrelenting advocate for justice and equality for all, especially on behalf of those who looked like him. As a teen attending the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, big things were expected of Alexander, and he didn’t disappoint. A native New Yorker, Alexander was the first African American elected president of the student council at Harvard College, from which he graduated with honors. Three years later he finished law school at Yale University. Immediately upon graduating, Alexander enlisted in the New York National Guard and served with the 369th Field Artillery Battalion (aka the Harlem Hellfighters) at Fort Dix, New Jersey. As a young man Alexander was industrious [End Page 113] and an indefatigable worker, whether he was serving as (a) an assistant district attorney for New York County, (b) a foreign affairs officer on the National Security Council during the Kennedy administration, (c) executive director of Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited, or (d) chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), during which his activist approach positioned the EEOC as a prominent player in combating workplace discrimination. As EEOC chairman, he doggedly investigated the hiring practices of the nation’s businesses, particularly those of the motion picture and textile industries, where he pointed out the blatant discrimination against African Americans and the Latino/a community. Individual companies and labor unions were not let off the hook either, as they too found themselves in his crosshairs. Because he believed in transparency, Alexander always aired the EEOC’s findings during public hearings. Still, it was his tenure
献给亚历山大大帝的贡品，小克利福德·亚历山大。尽管克利福德·亚历山大(Clifford Alexander)是美国第一位非洲裔陆军部长，也是美国黑人的无名英雄之一，但他去年夏天去世的消息反映了他的一生。当然，《纽约时报》和《华盛顿邮报》都报道了他的死，但与他的影响力不相称。毫无疑问，这是因为亚历山大不像一些公众人物那样追求聚光灯和名声，他是一个相当低调的人物，他的个人和工作都没有被大张旗鼓和喧嚣所笼罩。即使在身居要职时，他也很低调。他只是去工作，完成了工作，但毫无疑问，亚历山大是美国历史上的一个巨人，也是一个伟大的欧米茄人。因为亚历山大没有写过自传，也没有任何学者或记者认为适合把他的一生写成一本书那么长的手稿，很少有人意识到亚历山大的历史印记的全部程度。例如，很少有人可能意识到，作为林登·贝恩斯·约翰逊总统的民权顾问，他的闭门努力在多大程度上促成了1965年具有里程碑意义的《投票权法案》。直言不讳，但不固执;然而，亚历山大严厉但不暴躁，他坚定不移地捍卫多样性，坚持不懈地倡导所有人的正义和平等，尤其是为那些像他一样的人。作为一名在菲尔德斯顿伦理文化学校上学的青少年，亚历山大被寄予厚望，他没有让人失望。亚历山大是土生土长的纽约人，他是第一位当选哈佛大学学生会主席的非洲裔美国人，并以优异的成绩毕业。三年后，他从耶鲁大学法学院毕业。毕业后，亚历山大立即加入了纽约国民警卫队，并在新泽西州迪克斯堡的第369野战炮兵营(又名哈莱姆地狱战士)服役。亚历山大年轻时勤奋，不知疲倦，无论是担任(a)纽约县助理地区检察官，(b)肯尼迪政府期间国家安全委员会外交事务官员，(c)哈莱姆青年机会无限执行董事，还是(d)平等就业机会委员会(EEOC)主席，在此期间，他的积极态度将平等就业机会委员会定位为打击工作场所歧视的重要参与者。作为平等就业机会委员会主席，他坚持不懈地调查美国企业的招聘做法，特别是电影和纺织行业，在这些行业中，他指出了对非洲裔美国人和拉丁裔美国人的公然歧视。个别公司和工会也没有放过他，因为他们也发现自己成了他的目标。因为他相信透明度，亚历山大总是在公开听证会上公布平等就业机会委员会的调查结果。不过，他最出名的还是担任陆军部长。亚历山大被任命时43岁，身高6英尺3英寸，身材结实，是一个令人印象深刻的人物，他的举止优雅而庄重，就像一位资深政治家。朋友们认为他举止温和，然而，正如已经提到的，亚历山大不怕批评公众人物，甚至总统，理查德·尼克松和比尔·克林顿都可以证明这一点。他坚决反对军队的“不问不说”政策，签署了一份声明，要求废除该政策，以便同性恋者可以公开服役。几年前，他对尼克松政府实现种族平等的承诺提出了质疑。作为陆军部长，亚历山大的职责范围包括监督288亿美元的预算，保持陆军军事和民用单位之间的协调，住房、服装、食物，以及为100多万陆军正规军、预备役人员、国民警卫队和妇女以及近40万文职雇员提供服务。1977年情人节，亚历山大，同样是欧米茄人(Alpha Omega- spring, 1967)，在联邦法官A. Leon Higginbotham，另一个欧米茄人(Rho Sigma-Spring, 1945)的主持下宣誓就职，成为第13任陆军部长，在1947年之前被称为战争部长。学者可以…
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Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spectrum.10.2.09
Judson L. Jeffries
Jazz Man Bill Lee Judson L. Jeffries Bill Lee was more than just Spike Lee’s father, he was an accomplished musician who worked with such greats as Duke Ellington, Harry Belafonte, Simon and Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Most notably, Lee’s work on Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” is considered classic. A savant on the double bass, Lee found a home with Strata-East Records, a musician-owned label, and founded and directed the well-known New York Bass Violin Choir. He was also a poet, penned folk-jazz operas, and wrote the score for four films—She’s Gotta Have It, Do the Right Thing, School Daze, and Mo’ Better Blues. About the New York Bass Violin Choir, Lee received favorable reviews from some critics who were impressed with the ensemble’s fluidity and ability to incorporate differing sonics in performing Lee’s folk operas at such landmarks as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and Town Hall. Lee’s operas included Baby Sweets, The Depot, and One Mile East. Lee’s versatility shone through at times when he served as bassist, singer, and narrator of his operas, which drew heavily from the harsh realities for Black life in his hometown of Snow Hill, Alabama, the birthplace of two other African Americans who made a name for themselves in the arts—Waverly Turner Carmichael and Noah S. Purifoy. Lee mastered the double bass, the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, while a student at Morehouse College from which he graduated in the early 1950s. Spelman College’s proximity to Morehouse College allowed Lee to take advantage of the resources offered there as well, singing in the glee club and performing in the school’s quartet. At some point after graduating college Lee decided to move to Chicago where he honed his craft at various spots and night clubs on the city’s South Side before ultimately making his way to New York City, the Mecca of Black Culture, in the late 1950s where he forged his reputation as a musician in places like the Five Spot and performed with some of the country’s great talents. It didn’t take long before Lee secured work with John Handy on No Coast Jazz. A few years later Lee appeared on Aretha Franklin’s debut album Aretha, by 1964 he was a central part of Simon and Garfunkel’s Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., the duo’s first album. From Lee’s standpoint, there was no better place on the planet for a jazz musician than Gotham City. [End Page 121] Born just one year before the country was beset by the Great Depression, Lee was exposed to music at an early age, as his father was Florida A & M University’s band director and his mother a classical concert pianist and teacher. Not surprisingly, he tried his hand at various instruments, including the piano, drums, and flute. It was the bass, however, for which Lee would become famous. And it was the traditional bass to which he remained loyal. He scoffed at the rising new wave of electric bass guitars that emerged in t
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Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spe.2023.a903157
Judson L. Jeffries
Reviewed by: Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith Judson L. Jeffries STEPHEN A. SMITH, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Gallery Books, 2023. vii + 276 pp. ISBN 978198215. ESPN’s dynamic and erudite host of First Take has finally penned his first book, an autobiography as it were. At more than 250 pages and 21 chapters, Straight Shooter is a page-turner. I read it in two sittings but could have done it in one. As expected, the memoir covers the range of Smith’s life, from his childhood to his rise to stardom. Smith’s book is more than the typical rags to riches story. The book is chock full of lessons from which individuals from all walks of life can benefit, especially young Black men. Careful not to go into much detail, for fear of spoiling it for the reader, I offer the following. The book is an easy read and accessible to any audience. Some topics are heavier than others and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, such as Smith’s discussion of his childhood. At times, it caused this writer to cringe. Although both Smith and I are of the same generation, he refers to his inability to advance to the next grade while in elementary school as being “left back.” I remember it quite differently. Any kid whose grades did not allow him or her to proceed to the next grade failed. Folks didn’t say left back, they said “failed,” as harsh as that may sound. Smith failed twice, making him the butt of jokes among some kids in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens. He talks about how some didn’t believe in him, including his father, who tried to convince Smith’s mother that their son just wasn’t smart. Smith, who overheard his father utter these words to his mother, was both crushed and fueled by his Dad’s assessment of him. Smith’s father was not the ideal dad: no Heathcliff Huxtable, James Evans Sr., Carl Winslow, or Philip Banks. Mostly what Smith’s father was, was absent, but even when he was present, his mind was somewhere else. Despite his father’s negligence, Smith’s life turned out just fine. Smith graduated from historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and for a time was on its basketball team, where he played for the legendary and hall of fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, a graduate of an [End Page 123] HBCU himself in Morgan State College (now University). Smith’s basketball career was cut short due to injury, but when one door closes another one opens. Were it not for Smith’s knee giving out, who is to say that Smith would have had a career in journalism, let alone become the big name in sports journalism that he is. Smith was thrust into the national spotlight as a result of being paired with Skip Bayless on First Take, but his ascension to that show was a long and arduous one. In other words, Smith was not an overnight sensation. Smith’s career started with newspapers in small town North Carolina, where he cut his teeth on, of all sports, soccer. Smit
{"title":"Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith (review)","authors":"Judson L. Jeffries","doi":"10.2979/spe.2023.a903157","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spe.2023.a903157","url":null,"abstract":"Reviewed by: Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes by Stephen A. Smith Judson L. Jeffries STEPHEN A. SMITH, Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes. Gallery Books, 2023. vii + 276 pp. ISBN 978198215. ESPN’s dynamic and erudite host of First Take has finally penned his first book, an autobiography as it were. At more than 250 pages and 21 chapters, Straight Shooter is a page-turner. I read it in two sittings but could have done it in one. As expected, the memoir covers the range of Smith’s life, from his childhood to his rise to stardom. Smith’s book is more than the typical rags to riches story. The book is chock full of lessons from which individuals from all walks of life can benefit, especially young Black men. Careful not to go into much detail, for fear of spoiling it for the reader, I offer the following. The book is an easy read and accessible to any audience. Some topics are heavier than others and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, such as Smith’s discussion of his childhood. At times, it caused this writer to cringe. Although both Smith and I are of the same generation, he refers to his inability to advance to the next grade while in elementary school as being “left back.” I remember it quite differently. Any kid whose grades did not allow him or her to proceed to the next grade failed. Folks didn’t say left back, they said “failed,” as harsh as that may sound. Smith failed twice, making him the butt of jokes among some kids in the Hollis neighborhood of Queens. He talks about how some didn’t believe in him, including his father, who tried to convince Smith’s mother that their son just wasn’t smart. Smith, who overheard his father utter these words to his mother, was both crushed and fueled by his Dad’s assessment of him. Smith’s father was not the ideal dad: no Heathcliff Huxtable, James Evans Sr., Carl Winslow, or Philip Banks. Mostly what Smith’s father was, was absent, but even when he was present, his mind was somewhere else. Despite his father’s negligence, Smith’s life turned out just fine. Smith graduated from historically Black Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina and for a time was on its basketball team, where he played for the legendary and hall of fame coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines, a graduate of an [End Page 123] HBCU himself in Morgan State College (now University). Smith’s basketball career was cut short due to injury, but when one door closes another one opens. Were it not for Smith’s knee giving out, who is to say that Smith would have had a career in journalism, let alone become the big name in sports journalism that he is. Smith was thrust into the national spotlight as a result of being paired with Skip Bayless on First Take, but his ascension to that show was a long and arduous one. In other words, Smith was not an overnight sensation. Smith’s career started with newspapers in small town North Carolina, where he cut his teeth on, of all sports, soccer. Smit","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"282 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135532603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-03-01DOI: 10.2979/spe.2023.a903153
Destin L. Mizelle, Chesmore S. Montique, Jasmine K. Jester, Candice N. Hargons
ABSTRACT: Few empirical studies have explored heterosexual Black men’s perceptions and experiences with marriage. This content analysis systematically reviewed the scholarship on heterosexual Black men and marriage published in five databases from 1996 to 2020 (24 years). We sought to understand (a) what methodologies were used, (b) whether the articles were strength-based, neutral, or deficit-based, (c) which topics were published most, and (d) differences in sample demographics investigated among the Black men. Using human coding and an integrative approach, we found only 15 articles that met the criteria. Sixty percent of studies took a strength-based perspective; however, two authors wrote a large portion of those articles. Forty-six (46.67%) of the articles focused on topics about Black men’s attitudes toward marriage. Qualitative methodology was the most published, and publications overlooked younger Black men’s experience and attitudes toward marriage. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
{"title":"“Meet Me at the Altar” Heterosexual Black Men and Marriage: A Content Analysis","authors":"Destin L. Mizelle, Chesmore S. Montique, Jasmine K. Jester, Candice N. Hargons","doi":"10.2979/spe.2023.a903153","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2979/spe.2023.a903153","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT: Few empirical studies have explored heterosexual Black men’s perceptions and experiences with marriage. This content analysis systematically reviewed the scholarship on heterosexual Black men and marriage published in five databases from 1996 to 2020 (24 years). We sought to understand (a) what methodologies were used, (b) whether the articles were strength-based, neutral, or deficit-based, (c) which topics were published most, and (d) differences in sample demographics investigated among the Black men. Using human coding and an integrative approach, we found only 15 articles that met the criteria. Sixty percent of studies took a strength-based perspective; however, two authors wrote a large portion of those articles. Forty-six (46.67%) of the articles focused on topics about Black men’s attitudes toward marriage. Qualitative methodology was the most published, and publications overlooked younger Black men’s experience and attitudes toward marriage. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.","PeriodicalId":204420,"journal":{"name":"Spectrum: A Journal on Black Men","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135532810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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