Photo de Jour: Same ish, different year

This photo of a Black man was taken in 1935 but it could have been taken today as the unemployment rate for African Americans remains at twice that of the general population.

Some things just never change.

Photo(s) de Jour: Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988) was an American artist and the first artist of African descent to become an international art star. His career in art began as a graffiti artist in New York City, and in the 1980s produced Neo-expressionist painting. Basquiat died due to a heroin overdose on August 12, 1988, at the age of 27. - Wikipedia

I feel as though Basquiat challenged us to understand his art.

Photo de Jour: Nice Shoes!

I found these shoes over at one of my favorite fashion blogs, "Allergic To Vanilla". I love them! They are by JC Cheetah.

Photo de Jour: I love these shoes!

I found this photo at one of my favorite blogs, Allergic to Vanilla. The blogger is posting pics from her European vacation and posted pics of herself on a stop in Spain wearing these amazing shoes. They are by J. Simpson Dany. I love them!

Photo de Jour: The Twin Towers

Growing up in N.Y.C. I remember that my friends and I never referred to the World Trade Center buildings in any other way than calling them the Twin Towers.

They are building a new building on the site called One World Trade Center.

I wish the City had decided to rebuild the Twin Towers exactly as they were. I miss them.

Photo de Jour: Cutie pie Alicia

These are photos of Alicia in New York City recently

Despite my having been disappointed by the circumstance surrounding Alicia's pregnancy, there is no denying that she really looks beautiful. Pregnancy definitely looks good on her.

Photo de Jour: Remembering Katrina five years later

This is a shot taken of the outer band of Hurricane Katrina as it neared the Gulf Coast five years ago today.

Photo de Jour: The real March on Washington - August 28, 1963

"In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds'." - Martin Luther King, Jr. from his "I Have A Dream" speech delivered on this day in 1963 in Washington, D.C.

Photo(s) de Jour: Sasha makes the shot!

The Obama's spent some time playing putt-putt golf while visiting the Gulf Coast this past weekend.

Photo de Jour: TV

This photo is saying a lot of things.

Photo(s) de Jour: Alicia's wedding

Alicia Keys had her wedding ceremony yesterday in Italy. According to reports Alicia and her music producer boyfriend were officially married in New York last week.

I'm not sure who the guy is escorting Alicia. Her father maybe? And that's her mom in the red.

Alicia looks stunning as always. All I can do at this point is hope that Alicia is happy and will have a healthy baby and a successful marriage.

Good luck 'licia.

The lyrics to this song seem so appropriate

Photo(s) de Jour: Ageless beauty

Debbi Morgan in her 20's

Debbi Morgan in her 40's

Stacey Dash in her 20's

Stacey Dash in her 40's (no kidding)

Photo de Jour: Angela Simmons and some has-been rapper

Angela Simmons has always been cute but in these photos she looks stunning!

Cutie de Jour: Keri Hilson

Keri Hilson at the Essence Music Festival last weekend

Like her music or not there's no debating that Keri is a beautiful woman.

Photo de Jour: Pam covers Jet

And speaking of Jet Magazine; it has gotten really boring of late. I know a lot of people have been complaining about Jet for a while but it used to be moderately entertaining. Recently though they made some changes, such as hiring a new editor. Her name is Mira Lowe.

Anyway, Jet doesn't have any personality. As someone who collects vintage Jet mags my advice would be for Mira to check out Jet from decades past for some direction. I bought the issue above and it's just so bland.

Also they have apparently dropped the requirement that couples listed on the "Jet Love" marriage announcements page have a college degree. Why? That's one thing I really liked. Reading about educated African Americans marrying each other.

Maybe they need to hire a few bloggers to run it. I'm sure it would be a lot more interesting if they did.

Photos de Jour: Keri Hilson then and now

Then at 17


and now at 27


Keri @ Wikipedia

Photo de Jour: Solange

In a perfect world Solange would be the most famous sister.

Photo de Jour: Chicago

The iconic photo of Chicago used to be a picture of the 110 story Sears Tower (now called the Willis Tower) but maybe that's changed and the new iconic photo for Chicago should be of a handgun. This past weekend 54 people were shot in Chicago. Ten died. One infant was shot as well.

And even more amazing is that 54 people being shot in a 48 hour period didn't even make the front page in the Chicago newspapers. I'm not sure if that speaks to newspapers being seriously out of touch or that the city is just numb to the violence. As well there was barely a mention of this in the mainstream media. But most of the people shot were poor and Black so that's par for the MSM's course.

Video de Jour: Police being police

Photo de Jour

The Williams sisters won their second French Open doubles title in Paris Friday. This is their twelfth doubles title overall and forth consecutive doubles Grand Slam win. They last won the French Open doubles title in 1999. They are only the third women's doubles pair to win four Grand Slam titles in a row. The previous pairs are Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver who did it in 1983-84, and Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva did it in 1992-93.