SHANEEN KNOWS

  Fans of the iconic Lena Horne will soon be able to see her face on postage stamps everywhere. In 2018, the United States Postal Service will honor the legendary singer, actress, and civil rights activist with her very own postage stamp in the Black Heritage Series.   The USPS Black Heritage series started in 1978 to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans and their vital role in U.S. history. The first stamp in the Black Heritage series featured Harriet Tubman (1820 - 1913) and next year, Lena Horne (1917 - 2010) will mark the 41st issuance of the Black Heritage series stamp. Other notable Black history makers who have been featured on the Black Heritage series stamp include Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 -1968), Malcolm X (1925 - 1965), John H. Johnson (1918 - 2005), Shirley Chisholm (1924 - 2005), Jean Baptiste Pointe Du Sable (1745 - 1818), and last year's honoree Dorothy Height (1912 - 2010). I remember one of my favorite artists, Mr. Chuck D of Publ

What's up World!   So, by now I know everyone is fully aware of #OscarsSoWhite and all the hoopla that went on over the Oscars and the lack of diversity, not one Black actor was nominated for an Academy Award for the second year in a row. Many celebs spoke out and chose to boycott the awards ceremony like Jada Pinkett-Smith and Spike Lee. I noticed a lot of my peers on Facebook also made the decision to boycott by not watching the show. Honestly, I didn't see how my not watching would make a difference in Hollywood. I didn't think Jada or Spike would notice if I tuned in to the Oscars or not. Now don't get me wrong, I certainly applaud them for speaking up on behalf of all Black actors and actresses. I believe it is important that we stand up for what we believe in. Jada's voice was heard by everyone and her words lit a fire and put pressure on some folks, even if only for that moment... Although, some think her words were a reaction to her man Will Smith being