Will Smith is ‘Still Remorseful’ About Slapping Chris Rock, ‘Tried Unsuccessfully to Make Amends’
If you saw Chris Rock’s live comedy special on Netflix over the weekend, it was clear the comedian is still not on good terms with Will and Jada Pinkett Smith after being slapped at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Rock used the last minutes of his Chris Rock: Selective Outrage special to tear into Will and Jada, in response to last year’s infamous Oscars slap. The Top Five star said he is “not a victim,” while accusing Will of showing “selective outrage” when he attacked the comedian live on stage, while seemingly ignoring the many others who made negative comments about the Smiths as well as Jada’s embarrassing confession of an “entanglement” with singer August Alsina.
“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Rock said in his stand-up routine.
“Everybody that really knows knows I had nothing to do with that s—. I didn’t have any ‘entanglements.'”
Chris rock is not holding back about Will Smith and Jada . This is just too much. https://t.co/RTxjIsflgq
The comedian’s take on the Smiths in the wake of the Oscars slap showed that the fallout between the Hollywood stars remains ongoing and might’ve even gotten worse. But according to insiders, Will “felt terrible for so long” about smacking Rock at the Oscars, Peoplereported.
“He’s tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris,” a source said.
“But beyond that, family is important to him and [Smith] leaned on them” while dealing with the aftermath of the incident, the source said. “It all has helped him look inside and mature. He is better but still remorseful.”
The Emancipation star sought out advice and mentorship from his close circle, and reportedly believes he has grown from the situation.
“Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels that he has become a better person,” the insider explained.
Meanwhile, Rock obliterated Will during his set, claiming “everybody in the world” called Will a “bitch” after the “entanglement” news.
“Everybody. And who’s he hit? Me, a n—- he knows he can beat. That is some bitch-ass s—,” Rock quipped.
B.E. Exclusive: New Black Exelon CEO Reveals Vision for Diversity-Influenced Future
With affordability among its top challenges, Exelon Corp., in 2022 alone, connected customers with more than $589 million in energy assistance to help pay their bills. The aid went to low-to-moderate-income residents in large cities, including Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
At the same time, the nation’s largest utilities holding company provided Black entrepreneurs with much-needed financing—a $36 million racial equity capital fund to help minority-owned firms nationwide expand operations and create jobs. In 2021, Exelon spent $2.9 billion with diversity-certified suppliers, including over $260 million with Tier 1 African American vendors.
Those initiatives represent some of the recent actions Calvin G. Butler Jr., Exelon’s new president and CEO, shared in an exclusive interview with BLACK ENTERPRISE. Butler controls a sprawling operation: The Chicago-based firm operates six gas and electric utilities with over 10 million customers in Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
An Exelon board member, Butler emphasized that his firm produced annual revenue of nearly $20 billion in 2022 and is more than just an energy company when it comes to serving communities where it operates.
With this current role, Butler is among only seven Black Fortune 500 CEOs to achieve that status if more Black executives are not appointed to such top positions by May. That is a significant development given that the number of Black CEOs has reportedly declined from nearly 20 in recent years, and pressure remains on corporate America to boost the number of Blacks in C-suite roles.
According to Exelon, Butler was named president and COO in October 2022 and joined Exelon in 2008. He has been cited by many organizations for his leadership and community commitment. He was named among BLACK ENTERPRISE’s “300 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America” in 2017.
For the first time under Butler’s watch, Exelon disclosed its most recent earnings for 2022, covering the fourth quarter and full year.
In a sweeping conversation, Butler touched on several topics, including Exelon’s future growth plans, how the firm serves its diverse customer base, and the status of Black corporate board representation.
As Exelon’s new CEO and president, what are your top two to three strategic plans to boost revenues this year and in upcoming years?
It’s truly an honor to lead a company like Exelon. That is significant, and I don’t take that lightly. The fundamentals of our business are solid. We will continue to operate one of the safest and most reliable utilities in the country. But as excited as I am about where we are, I’m more excited about our future. Our growth will come organically. We have a plan over the next four years to invest $31.3 billion in capital. And when you invest that amount of capital with our growth rate of 7.9%, that gives you organic growth in those four years alone of over $17 billion compounded. So that is the size of adding a utility like ComEd in Chicago, our largest utility. So, what we must continue to focus on is executing the plan, as I know we’re capable of doing, and that is our plan in the near term. We will continue to invest in our communities and ensure this energy transformation is an equitable one.
Some corporate executives have expressed concerns about forces such as continued high inflation levels and fears of a recession that could hinder their growth prospects for 2023. What are your biggest challenges for Exelon this year, and how do you plan to overcome them?
Affordability is one of our No. 1 concerns, meaning the ability of customers to pay their gas or electric bills. We have some of the most diverse jurisdictions in the country. I also know that a $1 increase in our rates for some of our customers is also a dollar too much. So, we focus on the affordability issue every day by keeping our operating maintenance budget flat or below the rate of inflation. We have done a wonderful job in connecting our customers with energy assistance. What’s amazing is there are still billions of dollars left unused, but we know there are still people out there who need help.
As of this coming May, you will be among one of seven Black Fortune 500 CEOs if none are named to that role by then. Given the decline in Black CEOs of the nation’s largest publicly traded companies in recent years, why is being on that roster vital to you?
I bring a perspective to the C-suite that some of my colleagues may not, and I prioritize different things because of my experiences and what’s important to me. And therefore, Exelon will prioritize some of those same items. [Diversity, equity, and inclusion] is foundational to what Exelon is. It’s one thing to say it and another thing to reflect it in your leadership and numbers. Our corporation is roughly 52% diverse, including over 39% for people of color and over 27% for women. On the vice president and above level, we have over 60% diverse, including [people of color] representing over 31% and women almost 42%. When you come in, and we hire you, you see yourself in the C-suite. You see yourself as being able to achieve a level of success within our company, and you don’t have to go somewhere else to be promoted and to achieve.
In your position as CEO, what role will you play in influencing and increasing the number of Blacks at the highest levels of corporate America regarding corporate directors, C-suite executives, and CEOs?
I have never told any of my leadership team, ‘You need to hire a Black person or a woman.’ What I have said to them is we will approach it this way. We have a diverse hiring panel, and all our slates for jobs will be diverse, and I tell them to hire the best person. As a result of that, our numbers reflect more women and Blacks. When you give individuals opportunities, the cream rises to the top. And that is how we’ve done it, and that is what I will continue to do by pushing for transparency and opportunity. It’s no longer for someone to say, “I’m looking for an engineer, but I can’t find a Black person.” What we say is, “Are you going to the HBCUs and outside your normal recruiting processes? because we know they are out there.” As a result, our pool of candidates has expanded threefold over the past decade.
Robert Townsend Reveals Cardi B And Megan Thee Stallion’s Hopes to Star In ‘B.A.P.S.’ Sequel
Robert Townsend has several films fans would love to see a sequel for, including his 1997 comedy B.A.P.S., which Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion made special requests to star in.
The Robert Townsend-directed film tells the story of Georgia waitresses Nisi (Halle Berry) and Mickey (Natalie Desselle), who are hungry for an investment for their dream project — a hair salon/soul food restaurant. The two friends fly to Los Angeles to audition for a music video and earn money for their salon eatery.
They end up on the estate of wealthy Mr. Blakemore (Martin Landau), where they form a special bond with the rich elderly man and end up as the recipients of the millionaire’s fortune. The film doesn’t receive as many mentions as the more mainstream female buddy comedies of the time, like Clueless or Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, as noted by Slash Film.
But B.A.P.S. is a cult classic in the Black community that has been referenced in urban and hip-hop culture countless times. Its most recent reference came in 2020 in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s chart-topping single, WAP.
The Grammy Award-winning rappers replicated B.A.P.S. via their fashion and hairstyles seen throughout the visuals. According to the film’s director, the project even sparked their interest in starring in a possible sequel.
“It’s so funny because people want a sequel to that,” Townsend told the outlet, noting how “everybody from Megan Thee Stallion to Cardi B” has asked him for a follow-up to the 1997 film.
But following the passing of Natalie Desselle in 2020 from colon cancer, Townsend lost his desire to revisit the film. However, a complete remake of the original movie is still possible.
If that were to happen, two superstar rappers anxiously await a chance to snag the lead roles.
Baltimore’s Downtown BOOST Program Is Providing Black Entrepreneurs With Storefronts And More
A new effort is underway in Baltimore to provide Black entrepreneurs with downtown storefronts that became vacant during the COVID-19 pandemic, financial assistance, and a sense of community.
The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) has created the Black-Owned & Occupied Storefront Tenancy (BOOST) Program to support budding Black entrepreneurs and reignite Baltimore’s urban core.
The BOOST program aims to strengthen and revitalize the Central Business District of Baltimore by supporting small, creative Black-owned retail businesses and arming them with expert financial and business resources to set them up for success. BOOST is symbiotic in that it benefits the new businesses it funds and fills retail space vacancies in Downtown Baltimore.
The program is being led by Morgan State University alum and DPOB President Shelonda Stokes, who noticed Baltimore’s downtown area did not reflect the city’s demographics.
“We knew we were looking at a downtown that didn’t feel representative of the demographics of Baltimore, so you talk about a city that is predominantly African-American, but when you looked at the makeup of our downtown, it didn’t feel like that, and part of what different groups have been saying is they did not feel welcome, and that’s not the Baltimore anybody wanted,” Stokes told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
The program was launched in 2021 and is sponsored by Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, and Fearless, a Baltimore-based digital services company that joined as a sponsor for the program’s second cohort.
The application period for the second cohort opened on Feb. 6, 2023, and will run through March 31.
LaTonya Turnage, the owner of Elite Secrets Bridal, located in downtown Baltimore’s Mount Vernon fashion boutique district, was part of the first cohort of businesses. Turnage told Black Enterprise she couldn’t believe how much the program has helped her and her business.
“Everything that they were offering in the program I could just not believe; there were five different spaces in the downtown area at the Charles Street Corridor where you actually got to pick from,” says Turnage. “There were landlords that were part of the program where they would help you put together the right lease and help with leasing negotiations; they had accountants, coaches, and a five-week boot camp where we met once a week. We had the full support of the downtown partnership, and we still have that support.”
“For them to invest and just think of everything you would need to start a business is so exciting,” I learned so much to help me in my current business and open the design house, which I think is incredible. We all became family— the first five—we’re there for each other, and we support each other through this entire process. Some of the other boosters have opened their businesses, so they’re thriving as well, and we’re excited to see them thrive.”
According to Stokes, her team will use the experiences and knowledge gained from the program’s first cohort to make changes and improvements for the second cohort. Furthermore, the program is bringing in additional experts.
One of the changes that could be made is to cluster the cohorts to build a sense of community within each group. According to Stokes, the businesses in the first cohort still contact each other regularly for advice, assistance, and more.
The program is also considering increasing the amount of money each business in the cohort receives to help their operations.
“There is a benefit to creating this sort of ecosystem that people can just come to, and now you’re expanding the base of people who would need it,” Stokes told Black Enterprise. “So that’s another area where we see an opportunity to do some shifts and make the program even better.”
Tyler Perry May Be in Talks to Acquire Majority Stake in BET from Paramount
There may be a deal brewing to sell a majority stake in Black Entertainment Television.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, there is a possibility that the parent company of BET Networks, Paramount, is considering selling a majority stake in the company. A source told the media outlet that the company, which includes BET, VH1, and the BET+ streaming service, could be sold to Black studio executive and owner, Tyler Perry.
Perry, who already has a working relationship with BET, has a current deal with Paramount that has been going on since 2017. His deal with the company is reportedly coming to an end, and it could lead to a new deal where Perry could become a majority owner of BET.
Although the talks are in the early stages, there is no guarantee that a deal will take place. If one is done, Paramount is still looking to be involved as a minority owner of the property. They will also continue with the commercial agreements they have with BET for content across its platforms.
If a deal is done, it will most likely include BET Studios, which launched in 2021. The partners involved in BET Studios include partners Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones, and Aaron Rashon Thomas. VH1 was shifted under the BET umbrella last year.
BET was started as a Black-owned entity in 1980 by Robert L. Johnson (who currently owns The RLJ Companies) and his wife Sheila Johnson, until he sold the network to Viacom in 2000 for $2.3 billion, making him the first Black billionaire. BET was the first cable network to specifically cater to Black audiences.
In October 2019, Perry opened Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. The successful filmmaker, actor, director, and producer turned a former army base into a brand new 330-acre studio, making him the first African American to own a major film production studio.
Mike Tyson Offers Advice to Blueface and Chrisean Rock, ‘Once We Stopped Drinking, We Stopped Fighting’
Mike Tyson had Blueface and Chrisean Rock on his Hotboxin podcast, where he grilled the couple about their domestic violence encounters that often end up going viral on social media.
The boxing legend was happy to have the “interesting” pair on the Friday episode of his show, where nothing was off-limits. After getting some backstory on how Blue and Rock met each other, Tyson wasted no time asking Blueface if he enjoys it when Rock “beats on you,” Vibereported.
“What sets you guys off to fight? And why are you guys willing to fight anybody? Is it love that makes you feel this?” Tyson asked the rapper.
“Do you like when she beats on you?”
Blueface showed no discomfort during the interview and answered Tyson’s hard-hitting questions with ease.
“Nah. It’s kinda weird, honestly,” the rapper said. “It’s like a weird situation to be in, it’s like you wanna fight, but it’s like … I don’t know. It’s never worth it.”
Rock chimed in saying “If it was a sport, it’d be cool.”
Tyson, who faced rape and domestic violence allegations in the past, opened up to Blueface and Chrisean about the violent encounters he used to have with his wife.
“Me and my wife used to fight, but we stopped fighting,” he shared. “Once we stopped drinking, we stopped fighting.”
The “Thotiana” rapper noted how the fights “just don’t be worth it,” before asking Tyson why he and his wife would get into physical altercations.
“Jealousy,” Tyson responded, and called himself an “idiot” for reacting violently when his insecurities were tested.
“I don’t want nobody to look at her,” Tyson said of what would spark his jealousy. “I’m a idiot.”
Elsewhere during the interview, Chrisean confirmed her pregnancy with Blueface’s child and shared her plans to name the baby after the rapper if it’s a boy.
Building a Bigger Table: CEO Dia Simms Invites Black Enterprise to the Lobos 1707 Den
Tucked in the heart of NYC’s Lower East Side, the Lobos 1707 Den was my escape from the chilly city. Days have gone by and I am still intrigued by the Den’s cozy aroma of award-winning tequila and artistry.
For this premium tequila brand, the eclectic Lower East Side is just the place to house its swanky haven for creative nourishment and realtime cultural engagement. “Protect The Pack, Enjoy Responsibly” is the motto. Whether you’re looking for an intimate getaway to cheers, convene, or create, no matter the season, the esteemed Lobos pack has got you covered.
During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting an alpha of the Lobos pack, Dia Simms, a proud Elmhurst, Queens native who brings her winning spirit to the growing table of wealth within the spirits industry.
While embracing the Den’s cabin-feel amenities, Simms filled me in on the intricately designed vibe. From the chic bar and plush performance stage to the vibrant seating and wooden tables, I could imagine the flowing of Lobos-infused cocktails like The Exciting Eclipse or the original 1707 on a Friday night.
Images Credit: Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
“When you think about a sensory immersion into any new project or new product, you want to have a cool space, a beautiful space, great things inside, and your ears popping, and we wanted to build a space that has that vibe and reflected what it means to be a pack,” Simms told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
With enthusiasm, Simms extended me an invite, with possibilities of using the space, as she would any creator. She gave props to her team of two young ladies, Brittany Fox and Jeralyn Thrower, who both beam with ambition. The pair welcomed me with warm hospitality and a Lobos bottle with my name engraved on it.
Then my wandering eye caught the bar standing in plain sight. Shelves were adorned with bottles of the internationally renowned tequila and mezcal, designed with the mesmerizing Osorio coat of arms composed of wolves, the escutcheon animal. Between the smoky smooth mezcal and the aged joven, the potency of the brand’s Spanish and Mexican heritage couldn’t be overlooked.
Images Credit: Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
“We just want things to be performed at the highest degree of excellence, and I think if you can hit your mark to the best of your ability, in some ways, opportunities show up on your doorstep,” said Simms.
As chief executive officer of Lobos 1707 Mezcal & Tequila, Simms takes pride in what she offers to an industry that has been historically stacked against Black owners. She has a brand-building superpower that amplifies her fearless spirit to motivate among the Lobos pack.
“We are the sum of our parts. And there is always room at our table. Pull up a seat and take a moment to get to know us” ~ The Lobos 1707 Pack.
When we talked about her work, Simms expressed to me how grateful she is to be in the room, despite how small she may feel. It was instilled in her early on that she was the spirit and race to be excellent in every moment she was in, so she remained above the misconceptions of her caliber.
“The bridge between good to great was relatively small, but the return was actually quite significant, so I definitely grew up in a, “If you can get a B, get an A,” right? So anything worth doing is worth doing the hell out of,” Simms explained.
Teamed up with founder and chief creative officer of Lobos 1707, Diego Osorio, and shareholder, LeBron James, Simms took flight in an unfamiliar territory where she recognized the gap between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs.
Journey through our conversation as we lean into the experiences that have molded her leadership style.
Images Credit: Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
A business icon among the pack
Simms is a true New Yorker. She acknowledges where she comes from and how it shaped her mindset about wealth, not just Black wealth.
In a historical, thriving city for Blacks, the people of East Elmhurst were a demonstration of the different methodologies of collecting wealth, for Simms. She grew up witnessing global phenomenons unfold right before her eyes. And the rest is history.
Images Credit: Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
In 2017, Simms took her training in high value negotiations and went on to serve as President of Combs Enterprises, making her the first president in the company’s thirty-year history, other than Sean Combs himself. She oversaw multi-billion-dollar brands under the Combs empire, including CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka, Blue Flame Agency, AQUAhydrate, Bad Boy Entertainment, Sean John, and Revolt TV.
Thanks to the power of connections and positive rapport, Simms and Osorio were connected. She not only fell in admiration with Osorio’s family history, but she couldn’t deny the extraordinary Lobos 1707 liquids.
“If I’m going to do this right again, I have to believe in it,” Simms said. “if we’re going to invite people to be a part of this Lobos movement, when they get there, I want them to be blown away, and that liquid just blew me away.”
In joining the movement, Simms is paying it forward by making a bigger table for the Lobos team and beyond. She said, “We have to really respect what each other person brings to the table. I know you might not see it, because she’s in Kansas and you’re in Vermont, but the way he’s weaponizing those numbers, the way you have the sexy brand campaign, it all works together for the benefit of the brand and it’s important to give the team or the pack, Lobos wolf pack, the chance to shine for one another and have opportunities to learn from one another.”
Building a bigger table
As CEO, Simms is an advocate for creating more opportunities for women and people of color. She is not in the business of doing anything small or halfway.
‘I think my legacy would be that we’re chipping away at the concept that diversity is some not-for-profit, it’s something to do in your spare time, right? My legacy, I hope, is the proven commercial case for diversity,” Simms said.
Images Credit: Lobos 1707 Tequila & Mezcal
Pronghorn, named after the fastest land mammal in America, was born. Simms co-founded the 10-year initiative to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion in the spirits industry. These efforts include its commitment to generating $2.4 billion in economic value for the Black community by 2030 by providing funding resources to black-owned brands, as well as work with the Black community to develop a pipeline of talent that will fill over 1,800 roles within the industry.
Simms hones in on on her prowess in executive function to help Black American owners “put together an incredible action plan to say, ‘You have a cool idea of a great liquid, but you’re giving too much to your distributor. We’re going to help you negotiate your points,’ or ‘Your bottle is bomb, but we can help you drop a dollar off of every glass, and then you can make more profit.'”
“If I’m the first of anything, I really want to do whatever I can do to show I’m not the last of anything,” Simms said.”I hire hard, manage light. I want to hire people who make us better, who are smarter, who I could learn something from.”
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s ‘The Wash’ Movie to Be Turned into TV Series
Fans of the Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre comedy film The Wash might see a reboot on the horizon, according to the movie’s writer and director.
Rapper DJ Pooh, who penned and directed the 2001 comedy flick, has been using social media to get the word out about a television series version of The Wash he claims is coming out “soon.”
“It all comes out in “The Wash” Series coming!” Pooh tweeted on Friday.
The tweet included a photo of a bucket and a car air freshener that contained “The Wash” logo.
The tweet came exactly three months after DJ Pooh posted a still from the movie on Instagram teasing the television show version that would be “coming soon.”
“Mr Washington, Face & Slim – #TheWash 🧼 The Wash Series Coming Soon!” he captioned the post.
Fans of the cult classic have been applauding the reports of a TV reboot.
“I love this movie 🎥. I can watch this over & over again.., 😂😂😂😂😂.” one fan wrote.
“I’m hella pumped for this,” added someone else.
One fan even requested for Eminem to “reprise” his role of the disgruntled former car wash employee who tormented the business with crazy phone calls and impromptu visits.
The Wash hit theaters in 2001 with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre in starring roles. The rappers played car wash employees and roommates who were on the quest for enough money to avoid being evicted from their apartment.
The film was a remake of the 1976 original “Car Wash,” starring Richard Pryor, Franklyn Ajaye, and Bill Duke. The 2001 version boasted a star-studded cast, including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, DJ Pooh, Eminem, Ludacris, Xzibit, Kurupt, George Wallace, Bruce Bruce, Tommy Lister Jr., and Shaquille O’Neal.
Snoop has been teasing the return of his musical collaborations with hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre in honor of the 30th anniversary of his classic 1993 album Doggystyle.
Matthew Lawrence Shares Plans to Have Children with Chilli from TLC, ‘My Life Is in a Complete Bloom’
Chilli and Matthew Lawrence appear to be the real deal, as the new couple teased their plans to start a family together.
Lawrence is opening up about his budding relationship with the TLC group member after the pair went Instagram official in December. The Brotherly Love star gushed about his R&B star girlfriend and how organically they made a connection.
“My life is in a complete bloom right now,” Lawrence toldEntertainment Tonight. “I get to spend time with an amazing woman like Chilli.”
Lawrence, who divorced from Dancing With the Stars pro, Cheryl Burke, last year, believes his romance with Chilli (real name Rozanda Thomas) is like nothing he’s experienced before.
“I’ve never gotten to be able to experience that kind of relationship before, so it’s quite special,” he said. “She’s a really, really special human being.”
Chilli, 52, shares her 25-year-old son, Tron, with ex, Dallas Austin. But Lawrence, 43, has yet to welcome children of his own. However, it’s something he’s hoping to change with Chilli by his side.
“I hope. That’s the game plan. That’s what we’re trying to do,” he shared.
Lawrence said the relationship had a gradual start, after he ended up on the same plane as the “Waterfalls” singer.
“We were working. We just said hello in passing and probably nothing would’ve come of that, but there was this big snowstorm,” Lawrence recalled. “The only flight I could get was a connecting flight through Atlanta. She lives in Atlanta so, she was flying on that flight.”
The Boy Meets World star noted how spontaneous the connection was after he almost ended up taking another flight.
“Really it was the flight, talking and then afterwards saying, ‘Hey, let’s keep in contact.’ That’s really what made it, and it almost did not happen,” he said. “I mean, literally, an hour before the flight took off they were like, ‘OK, we got you on this flight.'”
On Valentine’s Day, Chilli helped promote Lawrence’s upcoming podcast alongside his brothers Joseph and Andrew.
“Come on vocals!!! Can’t wait for this podcast!” she captioned the post.
An Antique Mall in Milwaukee is Profiting from Selling Racist Dolls
A Milwaukee woman said that an antique mall is racking up profits off racist dolls and posters. According to Fox 6, Chloe Longmire was walking through Antiques on Pierce when she saw a vendor that had “very concerning art, memorabilia and keepsakes.”
Longmire was with her 7-year-old daughter when she saw the images and it was painful having to explain them
“It’s actually called Sambo art. The history of these images was to demean, degrade and dehumanize Black people,” Longmire said. There are figurines of Black people – very dark-skinned Black people – eating watermelon.”
Nothing one item that had a sticker for $895, Longmire said, “That’s the price of Black pain and suffering.”
Longmire added: “I’m not sure why others would want to profit off of trauma and pain and history that has brought so many people – it’s re-traumatizing to see those things, and to see people making money from it – from other people’s pain.”
Historically, according to the Jim Crow Museum, the coon differed from the Sambo in minor ways. Sambo is seen as a child incapable of independence. The coon was an adult who acted childish. Sambo was seen as a loyal servant, while the coon was not happy with his stature in life, the Jim Crow Museum writes.
Antiques on Pierce owner, Brian Belli, spoke with Fox 6 off-camera. Belli said vendors must follow established content guidelines, but would not provide a copy of what those guidelines are.
