Skip to content

Month: January 2015

Personal Response: 7 Biggest Risks of Raising Black Children in a White Environment

My homies and I. Circa 1979.
My homies Joe, David, Patrick, Greg, Geoff, Grant, and I. Circa 1979.

This interesting article “7 Biggest Risks of Raising Black Children in a White Environment” was published on Atlanta Black Star January 19. My hometown, Marshalltown, Iowa (population about 24,000 back then), was 95-plus percent white when I was born and raised (1970s, 1980s, early 1990s). The Des Moines schools I went to after my parents were divorced around 1987 were at least 60/40 white/black, give or take. I was shuffled back-and-forth between the two towns after 7th grade, thus I have a really unique perspective. read more

3 Comments

Joseph Philippe Laroche And Juliette Lafargue: The Real Rose And Jack In Titanic

January 19, 2015 (updated December 6, 2018)

Mr. Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche (R) with his wife Juliette Lafargue and their two daughters Simonne and Louise.
Mr. Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche (R), with his wife Juliette Lafargue and their two daughters, Simone and Louise.

The fictionalized story of poor vagabond Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and 17-year-old aristocrat Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) falling in love on the Titanic won James Cameron a Golden Globe for Best Director. The film also won Best Motion Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song. Titanic was also nominated for 14 Academy Awards, winning 11. The original film and the 3D version released on April 4, 2012 to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of RMS Titanic sinking, grossed over $2 billion globally. That is the 2nd highest total ever for a film, second only to Cameron’s other blockbuster, Avatar. read more

2 Comments