Harvard Journal of African American Policy
The Harvard Journal of African American Policy was created to promote, discuss and disseminate perspectives affecting communities of color. It sought to educate and empower in order to improve the quality of public policies affecting the African American community specifically and the African diaspora at-large.
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Groundbreaking D.C. Statehood Congressional Hearing
01.21.20
For the first time in 25 years, the U.S. House of Representatives held a hearing on D.C. statehood.[1] Though over 700,000 people live in our nation’s capital, D.C. is represented by just one non-voting delegate in the House and no one in the Senate.[2][3] On September 19, 2019, months after the Democratic Party gained control […]
Policy Matters: On the Necessity for the NYC Cultural Plan to Address Equity Among City-Funded Arts Groups
01.6.17
By Nicole E. Reiner | January 2017 In Fred Wilson’s Guarded View, four black headless mannequins dressed in iconic museum guard uniforms from the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Jewish Museum provoke visitors to consider the unequal power relations and stereotypes that structure our […]
A Racial Autobiography of Race in Social Science Spaces: Reflections of My Early Understandings of Race and Racism
09.13.16
In this personal essay, Janiece Mackey discusses how she navigated the complexities of race within the educational context. Now, having progressed from student to teacher, she promotes civic engagement and intersectional empowerment among underserved youth. Janiece’s story serves as a precursory example of the Black student and educator experience, discussed in depth in our 2016 feature of “The Politics of […]
OPINION: Where Are the Brothas? How the Continued Erasure of Black Men’s Voices on the Marriage Question Perpetuates the Black Male Deficit
04.25.16
By Joy L. Hightower | April 25, 2016 In 2009, Linsey Davis, a Black female correspondent for the ABC News, wrote a feature article for Nightline. She had one question: “Why are successful Black women the least likely than any other race or gender to marry?” Her story went viral, sparking a national debate. Within […]
The Urgent Need to Address K-12 School Segregation
03.29.16
By Rae Shih | March 29, 2016 Earlier this year, President Obama’s final State of the Union address discussed early childhood education, high school graduation rates, and community college access. But President Obama skirted a larger issue: poor academic preparation at the K-12 level is a root cause of a lack of people of color […]
From the back of the bus to the back of the house
03.15.16
By Christina Fletes | March 2016 In the restaurant industry, the darker your skin, the more likely you are to be found in the “back of the house.” It’s a world in which your accent prevents you from getting server and bartender jobs, regardless of your qualifications. Unless, of course, you have a European accent. […]
Two Howard Alum Discuss the First Undocumented and Black Convening
03.2.16
By Robert Hoggard Last year, Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner in the presidential race, said that he would build a wall on the U.S.’s southern border and have Mexico pay for it. On February 9th, 2016, Donald Trump said: “The wall is probably $8 billion, which is a tiny fraction of the money that we lose […]
PRESS RELEASE: BREAKING THE SILENCE – OAKLAND
02.26.16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BREAKING THE SILENCE COMES TO OAKLAND A NATIONAL TOWN HALL ON GIRLS & WOMEN* OF COLOR *Girls and women of color from across Oakland meet to share their stories and experiences with local decision-makers. (February 15, 2016: Oakland, Calif.) On Saturday. February 27, 2016 at Impact HUB Oakland, 2323 Broadway St., Oakland, […]
A Mixtape for Change Vol. II
02.25.16
On the cusp of a media frenzy surrounding Beyonce’s formation and Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy performance, we’re here to remind you that the product of their music – the critique, the conversation, and the unabashed honesty praising all things Black – is nothing new. And it remains immensely powerful. Whether orchestrated for commercial success or as a reflection of […]
Black votes matter
02.24.16
By Sean Darling Hammond | February 24, 2016 Black, White, Republican, and Democratic voters know and care about issues affecting the Black community more than ever before. In this unique election, candidates from both parties can’t afford to ignore these issues. This election cycle is unlike any other in American history. Black people have experienced […]
How Many Februarys Will It Take for America to Believe Black Children Are the Future, Too?
02.15.16
By Ikhlas Saleem This post originally appeared at EducationPost.org. In 1986 Whitney Houston covered the George Benson hit, The Greatest Love of All, which he originally recorded for a film biography of Muhammad Ali. Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote that Houston’s cover gave the “message of self-worth an astounding resonance and conviction…a compelling assertion of black pride, family […]
A mixtape for change
02.1.16
Only days before the February 1st beginning of Black History/African-Heritage/Black Future month, the internet– or should I say black Twitter, erupted in fiery chatter when it was revealed that not all black people agree on its necessity. Why dedicate an entire month to celebrating the contributions of Africans and African-Americans to the world? Rather than entertain […]