Wallace Best, Ph.D.

Author, 'Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952'

Without the artistic and emotional contributions of gay people there would be no gospel music. This is the provocative and convincing claim made by Anthony Heilbut in his majestic new book, "The Fan Who Knew Too Much."

John Dear

Christian peace activist, author of 'Lazarus, Come Forth!' and 'A Persistent Peace.' www.johndear.org, blogs at www.ncronline.org

This 50th anniversary reminds me that in the David-and-Goliath-like battle that pitted Martin Luther King, Jr., school children and the best of the Civil Rights movement against the Ku Klux Klan and white racists -- active nonviolence can transform anything.

Carl Takei

Staff Attorney at the National Prison Project, ACLU

Our overincarceration epidemic has a massive and disproportionate impact on people of color. While communities of color suffer, the for-profit prison companies benefit.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Author and political analyst

Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin's repeated and dragged-out heckling of President Obama during his drone policy speech is simply the latest in a disgusting and damaging repeat act that has become almost ritual.

Bryan Cain-Jackson

Writer/Assistant Editor, Technorati

Media TakeOut is one of the most visited urban websites out there. It truly makes for a fun read about people who we love and are entertained by -- Media TakeOut shows us that just because they might be rich it doesn't mean they are above engaging in common foolery.

Sally Lee

Executive Director, Teachers Unite

As a Native New Yorker, black daughter of an interracial marriage, and a... uh ...member(?) of an interracial marriage, I like to think I will raise my sons to feel as comfortable with diversity as my husband and I do.

Elaine Vilorio

High school senior in New Jersey

I'm Black. After many years in the closet, after many years of breathing that stale air of self-denial, I can finally say this.

Kiera Wilmot

Student, Aspiring Scientist

That morning I was taking the experiment to be approved by my teacher. My friends and I were outside, and they wanted to see how it worked. It did not react the way I expected it to. The lid popped off and smoke came out. If I could go back in time, I definitely wouldn't have done it.

Danielle Moodie-Mills

Writer, Polinista, and Equality Advocate

If at 4 or 5 years old, you are getting a full weave to make you "cute," what will be your fix at 20? Nothing, it seems, is off-limits.

Dennis Van Roekel

President of the National Education Association

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to shutter 50 (yes, 50) schools won't be good for Chicago's children, especially children of color.

Theodore Johnson

Writer, 2012 White House Fellow

Certainly, the name "Talented Tenth" carries baggage that may be insurmountable. It is rather difficult to redefine an infamous concept that has existed for nearly 120 years.

Meaghan Garvey

Illustrator, writer

Kanye West is white America's worst nightmare. Because as much as one may attempt to dismiss him, you still have to turn on your regularly scheduled late night comedy program and stare him in the face. You can't avoid Kanye. He's made very sure of that.

Roderick Carey

Educational researcher, writer and teacher educator

If you see a black man smiling wider or poking out his chest more than usual this week, you can probably assume that his excitement was caused, at least in part, by the rousing address given by President Barack Obama at the Morehouse College commencement.

Charles Cole III

Bay Area Program Director, Juma Ventures

Our black males in high school are lacking proper support from parents, school, their communities and within. I've been working on those solutions. Dedicated my life to it.

Keith Rushing

Communications Director, Rights Working Group

If you're worried about the growing political strength of people of color, which is happening in large part because of a rapidly growing Latino population, then you might be motivated to do what you can to stop immigration reform.

D. R. Tucker

Freelance writer and co-host of "The Green Front" on Progressive Radio Network (thegreenfront.com)

I could not have imagined on Nov. 19, 1998, that within ten years, an African American would be elected president, and my ideological allies would respond with a rhetorical and political assault that made my own attacks on Judge Tauro look polite by comparison.

Jafari S. Allen

Associate Professor, African-American Studies and Anthropology, Yale University

For me, having taught "Genealogies of Black LGBTQ/SGL Culture and Politics," the first LGTBQ studies course at Morehouse and only the second at a historically black college, this semester, President Obama's small utterance in his commencement address is groundbreaking.