CNN's 'Black in America' nearly Obama-less

With Sen. Barack Obama in the news, the timing appears to be perfect for CNN’s “Black In America,” its documentary series examining African American life and culture.

But Soledad O’ Brien, the project’s anchor, said not only does Obama not have a starring role in the documentary, he is barely mentioned. Executive producer Mark Nelson said that Obama is in only about 30 seconds of the documentary.

“We started doing this about 18 months ago, before Sen. Obama’s candidacy really gained traction,” O’Brien said Friday during a session for the project, which premieres July 23.

Most of the focus is on the black middle class, something often overlooked by the mainstream media, O’Brien said. One installment, “The Black Woman and Family” explores issues such as single parenthood and the AIDS epidemic in black communities, while “The Black Man,” which airs July 24, explores the controversies surrounding black men and fatherhood, and the dramatic rates of black male incarceration.

O’Brien became especially animated during the session when talking about how young black males have to deal cautiously with the police, no matter what their socioeconomic class. She and Nelson pointed out how comedian D.L. Hughley had to advise his young son how to act if confronted by law enforcement.

“It’s a conversation every black father has to have with his 11-year-old son, no matter where they come from,” O’Brien said.

-- Greg Braxton

Photo: Soledad O'Brien. Getty Images

Comments

[Sandy]

For the most part this is a headline grabbing dissapointment. Only limited references to how we were brought here, nothing showing the America that was bulit with slave labor and how that translates to economic disparity in current times. Truly a missed opportunity.

[Black Buddha]

Someone suggested that people who are black and Buddhist make their own documentary rather than complain about being left out of CNN's investigative report on black America, so I did:

http://rainbowdharma.com/festivalscreening/theater1.htm

Insightful and informative, worth a few moments to watch.

Let me know your thoughts,
Lama Rangdrol

[owen]

I wish CNN had chosen a host that could relate to the subject. Sure Soledad has black heritage but I doubt she would be profiled by the police. The best drug counselors are former users.

[edondada]

Yes, I agree with Sandy.
CNN missed it with this one.
Nothing in-depth here. Just the same ole dialogue.

[Didi]

I thought it was depressing as it focused on blacks as if we are an exhibit in a big top circus. It has the connation that our blackness is the problem when the real problem is racism and prejudice against blacks. The show focused on the effect but not the cause and therefore it was biased. I know the statistics and that does not mean that represents me as a black woman. I would not chose to date a “white” man just because there is a “shortage” of brothers. Love is love and it is colorless. It is a private and individual decision. As are the choices that individuals made in their lives that may have landed them in jail, on drugs, pregnant without a husband (several times), etc. In any regard, choices made without knowledge are still choices and the consequences are colorless too. Why would you exploit the people who have made some obvious poor choices and pass it off as a racial issue? If choices were racial then why is our race not extinct?

[Brooks]

In my opinion the show was not progressive or ultimately beneficial. The title itself serves to instantly isolate a group of humans who might consider themselves "black". You will be surprised that there are many people who are simply doing what they expect is "human" and are post-race and choose not to subscribe to... whatever it means to be "black". Just because a human looks a certain way doesn't mean that it's going to move like or with a group of people that look similar. (This is more likely those that have minds to think.) CNN's report only serves to continue to have all of those non-subscribers of race be potentially thrown into the category of "black in america". It is not fair and is not representative of a country that is built on the universal principle of individual freedom. Just because the majority is not post-race, the few who are should not be made victims of such arrogant attempts at journalism. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.