Black In America is a multi-part series of documentaries hosted by reporter Soledad O'Brien on CNN. The series is about various issues regarding blacks (African-Americans) which includes panel discussions on issues facing the black community, and a look at the culture of black families in America, men and women.
It featured exclusive commentary by music mogul Russell Simmons, Grammy Award-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco, comedian D.L. Hughley, award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee, and actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg.
The program was extremely successful. CNN.com’s interactive section for "Black In America" garnered over 2.4 million page views. The "Black In America" iReport.com assignment received over 1,000 submissions. Several viewers of the first episode were so inspired by the program that they launched BlackInAmerica.com, an online community and social network for black Americans who want to address the issues and challenges of Black America.[1]
The success of the program also led to CNN producing additional episodes and making it a series. The second episode, "Black in America 2", premiered on July 22, 2009 and tells the story of "Journey For Change", a youth empowerment program funded and led by activist Mallak Compton-Rock. "Journey For Change" is a year long program that works with 30 teenagers selected from the community of Bushwick in Brooklyn, New York to be "global ambassadors" through community service and fundraising projects. The program starts off with a 2 week trip to South Africa where kids who are used to being on the receiving end of aid are exposed to an environment where they are the privileged and they are the ones who are giving to the needy.
The third episode in the series is a special co-production with Essence magazine, featuring leaders and community organizers, and will be filmed in New Orleans at the Essence Music Festival. Filming will take place in July and episode will broadcast on CNN in August.
On September 2, 2008, the "CNN Presents: Black in America" documentary was made available for sale on Amazon.com and other retailers. It is also available through iTunes for download.
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An exploration of the varied experiences of black women and families investigates the disturbing statistics of single parenthood, racial disparities between students and the devastating toll of STDs/HIV/AIDS. CNN also reports on the progress of Black women in the workplace and the status of the Black middle class.
Through the personal stories of graduates of the 1968 class of Little Rock Central High School and their sons and grandsons, CNN explores the state of Black men in America. The network dispels the myths and examines the disparities between blacks and whites in education, career, economic achievement and the devastating rates of Black male incarceration.
Black in America: Tomorrow’s Leaders Premiere airtimes: Wednesday, July 22, at 8pm & 11pm ET/PT. Total running time: 2 hours.
For the debut evening of CNN’s Black in America 2, anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien focuses on solutions aimed at developing African-American leaders of tomorrow. John Rice’s Management Leadership for Tomorrow program has been instrumental in establishing black professionals in positions of power and influence in America’s largest companies. O’Brien also reports on programs aimed at creating opportunities for the next generation of youth leadership. Malaak Compton-Rock’s Journey for Change offers teenagers from inner-city schools the opportunity to see the world and develop self-confidence; and Steve Perry, Ed.D.’s, Capital Preparatory Magnet School creates opportunities for leadership and academic excellence by preparing young, black students for college with “tough love.”
Black in America: Today’s Pioneers Premiere airtimes: Thursday, July 23, at 8pm & 11pm ET/PT. Total running time: 2 hours.
For the second evening of CNN’s Black in America 2, anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien reports on how community organizers across the country are creating progress and improvements at a local level. From a Chicago barbershop where African-American men are encouraged to seek routine medical check-ups; to Tyler Perry, an actor, director and playwright, whose life’s journey has led him from homelessness to becoming a filmmaker and television producer who is creating opportunities for others; to the Black Marriage Day project which works with couples in 300 cities to help develop strong, healthy families; these are the programs and progress of people working in ways large and small to make a difference.
Syndicated columnist Kam Williams harshly criticized the series in a widely circulated DVD review, saying that it was full of "infuriating mistakes". One part of his review read: "My biggest overall problem had to do with the program’s periodic factual inaccuracies, such as when [Soledad] O'Brien refers to the riot which erupted in L.A. after the Rodney King decision as the most deadly U.S. riot in 100 years. She conveniently ignores other more bloody incidents like the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 when over 300 blacks were slaughtered by white militiamen. What’s up with that?" [2]
Other columnists, such as Askia Muhammad from the Final Call, also criticized the series calling it "a faulty portrait". One part of his column read: "CNN was able with this report to make what many Black men had rejected as the “American Nightmare,” appear now to be the “New American Dream."[3]
On the contrary, Washington Post columnist Tom Shales, called it an "expressive portrait". He said that CNN turned ordinary stories into an "extraordinary series." His column reads: "[The series] looms as a tremendous accomplishment for O'Brien and for the many producers, editors and crew members who poured themselves into it. And if no good comes of it, it won't be their fault."[4]
Author PJ Coble, labeled the work "a, poor attempt to conceptualize in a two day documentary a history of a people and a race ".
Raymond Leon Roker, a columnist for The Huffington Post, applauded CNN for taking the chance with such a controversial program. "This is never easy, as you're bound to misfire on all sides in some ways," he says. "To its credit, the series did give airtime to topics rarely discussed outside the barber/beauty shops, campuses and black kitchen tables of America."[5]
The two-part documentary on Black men, women, and families that aired on July 23–24, 2008 became one of CNN's most watched programs - drawing an average of 2.6 million viewers and outperforming the network's year-to-date averages for 9-11 p.m. by double and triple digits.[6] The series was promoted through an extensive advertising campaign that included television, radio, print, and online promotions. A repeat airing drew 683,000 viewers (294,000 in the 35-64 demo) on 2/25/09.