Words For Warfare: The Slow Sad Death Of Essence Magazine Edition
“If there were balance in the industry, if we didn’t have a history of being ignored and disrespected…if more mainstream fashion media included people of color before the ONE magazine dedicated to black women “diversified” it would feel different.” - Michaela Angela Davis
5 comments:
Have you ever heard of the expression...every brother aint a brother cause of colour! Well every sista aint a sista due to colour and gender!
I started reading Essence in 1978, when I stumbled across a copy at friend’s house; it was periodical of sisterhood, aspiration and voice of black women for his two sisters.
From that day I was hooked, on this magazine that gave me insight into black women, and what they were thinking, and continued to read the publication through high school, and college...then something happen in the nineties, I noticed editorial inconsistencies, it was like several camps of disparate ideologies, and philosophies were battling for the soul of the magazine, and the compromised was to allow each camp to opportunity to run their agenda several times a year in magazine!
Then the bottom fell out... Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith sold out in 2000! As you stated Time Warner purchase of Essence, and Susan Taylor’s symbolic appointment, to maintain the brand! But the corporate takeover, and house n*****ss hierarchy was in place. Criticism withstanding, wherver happen to the alternate black women voices like Honey magazine, and others...the real challenge is for Black Women to create a new vehicle and voice for 21st Century!
Totally true! I am Man! That said I used to read Essence cause it had the best articles then it devolved into Cosmo, make up and fashion. Ebony Man was never an interesting mag but Essence was! Damn! Now this!
Jaycee
Professor, you on sabbitical...need your thoughts on cancellation of Undercovers, you know these are the types of shows you folks complain about not being on television, well NBC cancelled it!
One no-fail method for breaking out of blogger’s block is to pick another blog that you really like and say nice things about it.
Seriously, that’s it.
Now, you don't have to start with my blog...
www.WHATMAKESITBETTER.blogspot.com
...but I would like all you talented writers, that may have come to "writers/bloggers block" to start somewhere!
Anywhere!!!
I realized that even if you were completely stuck in the doldrums of blogger’s block, you could always pick another blog to say something nice about. It’s like an instant post formula! We sometimes need a change of pace, a refreshing alternative, new inspiration from literary exploration and admiration of great authors will do the trick!
Has your mother ever told you that if you couldn’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all? Well, this is the same idea, but flipped on its side: if you can’t say anything at all, then say something nice! Not only is this a sure-fire method to come up with an idea for a blog post, you will also make somebody’s day...I'm starting with you...
You are great and talented, i really enjoyed reading your posts. You really gave me something to think about. You have a book inside of you. I hope you can read my posts and be inspired to write, as i have become, viewing your blog. Take care of yourself, God bless you and your family.
-Clarence
This is so sad to me. Michaela Angela Davis hit the nail on the head, and for the editor to attack the few readers they had left is just an enigma to me.
Post a Comment