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Elwood Watson

Dr. Elwood Watson is a professor of history, African American Studies, and Gender Studies at East Tennessee State University. He is the author of several books and articles. His latest work Performing American Masculinities: The 21st Century Man in Popular Culture published by Indiana University Press.

Tiger’s Ongoing Saga

This most recent Thanksgiving holiday, while reading about the more serious news that has impacted our current society, I was also reminded about the supposedly ongoing “problems” of golfer Tiger Woods. Over the past week, from online bloggers, columnists, sports analysts, public relations executives and opinion makers and pundits, there has been no shortage of […]

December 8, 2010

Running In The Family

The old saying “like father, like son” may ring more true than many of us have been led to believe. Last month, a former student of mine came by my office to visit me. We talked about his new job, the economy, the weather, etc. He said he had been suffering from a mild degree […]

October 31, 2010

Sex Scandals, Self-Righteousness and Sordid Revelations

Recently, Black America has been engulfed in a steady stream of riveting news. From Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s (D-Ill.) involvement in a scandal involving potential financial improprieties and a “social acquaintance,” to allegations of sexual misconduct levied against Atlanta megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long by several young men, the Black blogosphere has been in overdrive. […]

October 3, 2010

The Season of Racial Discontent

For anyone who thought the election of Barack Obama ushered in an era of post-racial harmony, several events that have transpired over the past few months should assuage any doubts of such a notion. Here are a few of the incidents: Shirley Sherrod, a 62-year-old Black woman with a long history of civil rights activism, […]

September 9, 2010

Ongoing Debates Continue to Plague Black Studies

A recent article written by Howard University student Aleesa Mann that appeared on the website The Root looked at the dilemmas facing Black studies programs and departments at historically Black colleges and universities. The perennial issues, such as reluctant institutional commitment, chronic lack of funding, apprehensive students and perceptions of unhinged radicalism among faculty and […]

August 12, 2010

Nation’s Woes Spur More Americans to Embrace Religion

A few weeks ago, I was baptized. The fact that I did not get baptized until my fourth decade of life may surprise some people. I have always considered myself a spiritual person but I cannot say I was the sort of person who attended church on a regular basis. However, I have been actively […]

July 14, 2010

The Multi-Faceted Dimensions of Bullying

Aggressive behavior is a problem that spans across all ages, socioeconomic and racial groups. I remember a story that a colleague told me several years ago about two little girls who kicked sand in his daughter’s face. At the time, his daughter was in pre-school. Understandably, the incident disturbed both him and his wife. In […]

June 17, 2010

Whose Adoption Is It Anyway?

What do Sandra Bullock, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer and Angelina Jolie have in common? If you are one of those Americans whose pulse is tuned in to the ever-transforming world of American popular culture, then you are well aware of the fact that each of these celebrities has adopted African-American children or children of African descent. […]

May 19, 2010

Ugly Resistance Against the President Continues

Read the following examples: On April 15 (income tax day), more than 10,000 members of the recently formed tea party group converged on the nation’s capital to voice their resentment and erratic anger at government and at President Obama in particular. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell initially announced that the state had proclaimed April as confederate […]

April 28, 2010

The Racial Politics of Miss America

I remember the date, September 17, 1983. I was in high school. I had just gotten off work at the local grocery store in my hometown. Many teenagers had weekend jobs during these years. I was no exception. It was almost midnight. I had just gotten home and turned on the television. My parents were […]

March 18, 2010

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