I wasn't all too impressed (but what can you really expect from CNN).

Let's recap shall we...

A black woman and a white woman hugged on camera (and this was apparently the ultimate display of progress)

Urban black children are being paid to learn so that they can see the relevance in education (Did they mention anything about "culturally relevant" curriculum).

Blacks may be genetically predisposed to a laundry list of diseases (Grrreat!).

Single parent households are struggling to make ends meet but a few successful black families are sending their children to college and finding success.

Successful black women can't find suitable black men to date so they have become dating "outside their race".

Did I miss anything?

In all fairness (or in an attempt to be slightly fair) the documentary probably skated near some interesting topics but I blinked a few times and may have missed them. Na, but seriously, it’s gotta be next to impossible to cram the black experience into a two hour show and not catch at least a little criticism. Good thing they have two more fun-filled hours tonight!

When I first heard about the upcoming "Black in America" special presentation, I was excited. And I think it could not be better timed -- especially given Bill Cosby's controversial comments about our community, the "Abolish the N-Word" movement, the NAACP's mock funeral for the "N-word," and the way that race has been forced into the political debate.

I thought the opening was refreshing. The openness displayed in two polarities (the black and white branches of a family tree) coming together in family reunion was moving. Many families -- including my own are a product of miscegenation -- with links to white, native-american, and maybe other ethnicities. It shows just how absurd it is for us to discriminate, mistreat people based on race/ethnicity ... because we just MAY be a part of the very group we are trying to hate. I thought the spoken-word poetic interludes between segments was a nice touch. And, as a documentary, the use of statistics was effective -- organically woven into the narrative.

This first installment felt like a gentle overview/survey piece that presented some of the stresses, challenges, obstacles,and frustrations of black life -- designed to NOT disturb or offend the mainstream audience. Although there was great breadth, I was disappointed, though, in its lack of depth. I had the expectation that it would be a little more hard-hitting, edgy. I thought there would be more diverse voices and views that explored the lesser-known challenges of African-American life -- some of those INTRA-racial tensions and conflicts -- like what Jesse Jackson's disgraceful remarks about Obama betray. Few of us blacks talk about these for fear of "airing dirty laundry."

Several years ago, I read a poem by African-American poet Langston Hughes entitled "My People." Like many of his works, this poem evokes a deep sense of pride in being black. It prompted me to examine my own identity and cultural pride. Reared in the South, I have, of course, heard my share of negative racial remarks/stereotypes. Most disturbing to me, however, was the realization that I'd heard them more often from other blacks than from outside the race.

Mr. Hughes' poem also brought to mind conversations I've had over the years with other black men and women (from different regions of the country and of varying ages and educational backgrounds) -- in which we would playfully exchange self-mocking and disowning remarks. These remarks usually contained the expression "... your people..." and were most often used when referring to negative or embarrassing behavior/attitudes of our brothers and sisters. Whether these remarks were playful or serious, they often left me wondering:

* Does this type of self-mockery have a long-term negative impact?
* If so, should we do something about it?
* Is there anything that CAN be done about it?

Actually, last year, I took the leap and dared to tread into those INTRA-racial waters. Mr. Hughes' poem and my concern for the unity and well-being of the African-American community prompted me to make a short film -- "Trouble in the Water." I wanted to shed some light on what might be one of the more subtle, insidious threats to that unity and well-being. The film tackles the issue of racial alienation within the African-American community. It explores a young man's struggle to reconcile conflicting messages of black pride and black mockery and portrays some of the pain/confusion of a young African-American boy coming to grips with his own parents referring to members of their community with the "N-word."

In order to move closer to the vision of our community (as described in Hughes' poetry), I believe -- as African-Americans -- we must be willing to ask tough, challenging questions of ourselves, such as:

* Have I ever thought twice about patronizing a black business, physician or financial planner? Did my distrust/reluctance have anything to do with race?
* Have I ever withheld, distorted or been reluctant to share job leads, economic/financial information with another black? Why?
* Have I ever used the "N-word" to insult another African-American? Why?

"Trouble in the Water" is meant to be a media tool -- supporting the work of grassroots community organizations, educational institutions, early childhood development professionals, churches, and individuals that are working with youth and are addressing racial identity, positive self-image, black family empowerment as well as related issues raised in the "Black in America" program. Through this grassroots outreach -- and via community-based screenings of the program (using the "town-meeting" model), my partner and I want (1) to raise awareness and stimulate engaging dialogue; (2) to prompt African-Americans to consider the sobering and enormous impact of demeaning/racist language on their psychological development, families, community and businesses; and (2) to urge them to be more responsible with the messages they give their children.

To learn more about this film, it's message, and outreach goals, check out http://www.troubleinthewater.com/.

The documentary was shameful. If I lived in another country, I would think that all black men are stupid, violent, lazy and indifferent to their illegitimate children. This was not grounbreaking at all!!!!

The documentary was shameful. If I lived in another country, I would think that all black men are stupid, violent, lazy and indifferent to their illegitimate children. This was not helpful at all!!!!

IT was a big, “feel sorry for black people” festival. I need to write someone a letter!!!!

How can you talk about being black and not talk about slavery or the Freakin Terrorist Klan (hooded or unhooded), migration, the 60’s and how that lead us to where we are now. How come they did not talk about my Father getting spit on by white adults when he was a child trying to go to survive in rural Arkansas and had to compose himself, not make eye contact or he would be dead right now! As hard as it is to believe, he actually has a job and took care of his kids! Is he bitter? NO! Is he ever been to jail? NO!, Is he on drugs? NO! … Don’t get me started!! They showed no responsibility for what role AMERICA has had on the Black Plight, today. I am sick of the same old story about us being in jail, disease ridden, lazy, ignorant fools that "they" have to keep picking up out of the dregs in order for us to have any hope because we are obviously incapable of helping ourselves!! I am VERY disappointed and irritated!!!

I don't know. Maybe I'm too close to the Black Experience; however I just did not see anything ground breaking or enlightning about the series. If I truly had to depend on this series to get an understanding of the African-American condition, I would come away thinking, "Oh well, they made their bed so let them lay in it." The series did not do enough to explain why (in many cases) our plight is what it is.

Soledad is one of my favorite reporters and continutes to be so. It was clear to me that a lot of effort was put into producing this; however I think some aspects of it should have been thought through more carefully.

CNN, thank you for viewing black community problems. The question that I would like to have answered is: Why America can send 12 billion dollars a month overseas to fund a losing war and can't fund school books for a poor black community school and teachers.

Prejudice have always exists, it's no surprise. The difference is society is more sneakier with it because there are some laws to protect, but when the poor can't pay to defend themselves and they are pre-judged by the darkness of their skin and what they are wearing, there is no justice. Remember, " Don't judge a book by it's cover "! African American are not given the same raises as those who are white and the promotions are not soon enough; it's like slavery, but with a new modern spin to it.

I thought the documentary was awful. It was simply stereotypes on parade, no matter how accurate the data or the bald facts. There was no context and absolutely no attempt to challenge any images we've long seen but never questioned. There was no challenge in this piece at all. All in all, it was an irresponsible piece of journalism.

As a white woman, married for almost 40 years to black man and having a black son and daughter, we were very interested in viewing your show. Interesting but too many negative images - the images are true but the 'bad' images were way too numerous compared to the positive images. A couple of signifcant gaps in the report - no depiction of areas like Baldwin Hills and Ladera Heights in the Los Angeles area - these are middle class and professional class Black Neighborhoods and these neighborhoods provide an important option when leaving problematic areas but families don't have to go to white suburbs. Additionally, how could you do a report on Black in America and not include a significant piece about Black sororities and fraternities - that's where historically and often presently, the role models come from and what about including the importance of Historically Black Colleges? You really decided to omit a big part of the educated, middle class experiences.

As a senior white of the virtuous left, I saw most of this program and was deeply impressed with how truly incompetent, superficial and totally self-serving it was. This was about CNN ratings and Soledad (aside from Harvard and a very high salary, what qualified her for this program - frequent lunches, visits and coffees with hard working, two-job, 80-hour-a-week parents over many years?) Of course anything is better than that disaster of a program on black/white relations hosted by Paula Zahn a year or so ago! So how could CNN put this half-baked stuff on air, again? Just awful - how dumb to get that young man at his home - whose idea what that? Obviously it was for the benefit of Ms O'Brien, and no help at all for this young fellow. To begin with, how about getting well-informed, feet on the ground BLACK reporters and activists, like Suzanne Malvaux, Roland Martin, or dozens of others who are in and of the black community, who have sat down with people whose parents have a HS degree and a 7th grade education, whose grandparents left school in the 8th grade with a fourth grade education, and whose great grandparents may have left school in or by the third grade? History matters, and hard work is not a virtue or a worthy goal if there is no evidence that it will pay off. So why not look at these factors and then spend more, maybe most, time on what can be done to develop pathways, through meaningful, hands-on education, that will lead to meaningful work. And, of course, right wing America should be taken to task for pushing anti-black red meat propaganda to the racist sector of its voting block, the crybaby victims who need some one to blame for being losers. Finally, we need to define the problems faced by the poorest sector of the black population, perhaps after reading off the stats on the millions and millions of successful entrepreneur millionaires, CEOs, MDs, DDSs, lawyers and rafts of solid middle class black Americans in all walks of life - even sports and music!

Black in America,

As a young journalist who grew up in a middle class neighborhood, I am a bit taken aback by this series. YES i do commend CNN for putting on the documentary, but at the same time, if you are going to do something, do it RIGHT. Groundbreaking research? NEWS FLASH this is NOT news! In fact, countless people already knew that the black community lacked many good fathers, that successful black women find it hard to get a successful black man, and that getting a job is TWICE as hard than it is for a white person to get one.

Although i have barely reached 20, this summer i interned in a newsroom with a newspaper, where i was blatantly discriminated! I am angered to have gone through this experience, and then watch a show that just told me things i already knew. Why not try offering solutions to my community, instead of pinpointing our problems?!

Also, why in the documentary only the poor or the rich were shown? That was NOT a good representation of MYSELF or my FAMILY. If you are going to touch on a topic, cover all your basis. I honestly expected more from this series, but like a previous comment said, "it's a start."

In my opinion the show was not progressive or ultimately beneficial. The title itself serves to instantly isolate a group of humans who might consider themselves "black". You will be surprised that there are many people who are simply doing what they expect is "human" and are post-race and choose not to subscribe to whatever it means to be black. Just because a human looks a certain way doesn't mean that it's going to move like or with a group of people that look similar. (This is more likely those that have minds to think.) CNN's report only serves to continue to have all of those non-subscribers of race be potentially thrown into the category of "black in america". It is not fair and is not representative of a country that is built on the universal principle of individual freedom. Just because the majority is not post-race, the few who are should not be made victims of such arrogant attempts at journalism. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Yeah, I'll co-sign on the lack of ANY middle-class on the program. The mentioning from a previous poster on that Paula Zahn program a year ago reignited my memory on why I felt that the program was sort of shortsighted.

I was very disappointed. Most of what was shown was about Blacks who were, "baby daddies", infected with HIV, in prison, and uneducated. I have for all of my life been a "proud" member of the southern black middle class. My history and identity are both rooted in the struggle, survivorship and victory of those who have gone before me. I represent the generation of those of us who have benefited from that struggle. I own several properties, have a PhD, well traveled (domestically and abroad) and well read.....and all of my friends (some gay, some straight, but all black men, can say the same).

There are several points about Soledad and the documentary that saddened, and even angered me. I will list just a few with some respect to brevity of my points.

1. How can you depict the black middle class and only talk about traditionally white colleges (i.e. Syracuse, SMU, Arkansas, Juliard), and not mention the institutions that created the black middle class in America (i.e. Morehouse, Howard, Fisk, Tuskegee)?
2. When you did show what you called a "black middle class" family, why did the two children (sons) who were married, were married to white women?
3. When you mentioned the AIDS epidemic in the Black community, your statistics were "cherry picked". Why did you not mention that the highest incidence (new cases) of HIV in the black community is amongst young, black men who have sex with men (CDC, 2008)?
4. In your depiction of the black middle class, you showed families who had moved to neighborhoods that were predominantly white. Why not show the many black middle class neighborhoods in Atlanta and PG County Maryland?

I was very upset that what was shown as Black in America could be seen in Anytown, USA on the nightly news (violence, AIDS, and unhealthy relationships). Soledad did NOTHING to tell the positive, historical, triumph of Black America. Instead she played to over stated stereotypes that further exacerbate the problems of racism and hate we suffer in this country already.

Diane B. writes,
"Additionally, how could you do a report on Black in America and not include a significant piece about Black sororities and fraternities - that's where historically and often presently, the role models come from and what about including the importance of Historically Black Colleges?"
*************

Diane B. really articulated the truth of Soledad's omission of the "real" Black middle class. Sad, but true...How could you tell the black middle class story without mentioning historically black colleges, fraternities and sororities?

Answer: YOU CANNOT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!

I didn't even watch the entire program because after a while, I started to realize that it was going to "one of those" reports again that basically relay to Blacks...or whatever you consider yourself...what we already know and make us look pitiful to those that don't understand us and how the history of this nation, as well as the present, got us in the circumstance we are now in...can anyone say stockholm syndrome. I agree with the writer that spoke on how America's responsibility for how we've turned out as a race was not portrayed and that is a MAJOR part, although ofcourse we bear some responsibility as well...how does this report help black people to better understand themselves or allow other races to see that our situation is not completely our fault if they ignore the history.