CNN's 'Black in America 2' review: A-

July 24, 4:44 AMBoston TV ExaminerMichael Langston Moore

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     "Black in America 2" on CNN

Thursday night concluded the two night event of Black in America 2.  Based off of last summer's disappointing and often damning series Black in America, many viewers were skeptical that CNN would be able to properly represent the rich tapestry of African-American life.

But the series, hosted by Soledad O'Brien, was indeed a success. 

We saw the uplifting story of Malaak Compton-Rock's program Journey for Change , which saw 30 at-risk youth become empowered on a trip from Brooklyn to South Africa. 

We witnessed the undying dedication of Principal Steve Perry of Connecticut's Capital Preparatory Magnet School.  Viewers saw Perry wake before dawn each morning to drive his students to school, and still maintain enough energy to root for his Capital Prep kids during a Friday night football game. 

And for the first time since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, we saw wealthy, well connected African-Americans on television.  Blacks who've come from a long generation of doctors and graduate degree professionals.  Some appeared not just wealthy but downright "bougie," participating in the exclusive Tuxedo Ball.

Thursday's program featured black couples overcoming marriage hardships, black women fighting and attempting to cure triple negative breast cancer, a program aimed at the reintegration of ex-offenders from the criminal justice system back into the Oakland, California community ("Project Choice"), a health clinic dedicated to black men's health ("Project Brotherhood"), Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children Zone, and an examination of the incredible success of media mogul Tyler Perry.

What CNN successfully did with Black in America 2, and failed to accomplish with last summer's documentary Black in America, was to turn a negative situation into an empowering inspiration.  While there are certainly many ills that afflict the black community, Black in America 2 depicted people who were headstrong and adamant about overcoming their obstacles.

It can be said that this series helped humanize African-Americans a bit more to the mainstream audience.  At a time when blackness is seemingly under fire--from the lingering questions of Barack Obama's citizenship to professor Gates' arrest for disorderly conduct to the 60-plus minority children kicked out of a pool at The Valley Swim Club, programs like CNN's Black in America are not just timely, they're significant.

The Black in America series isn't perfect.  It's not going to dramatically change race relations and is even less impactful than the symbolism of the sitcom The Cosby Show.  But Black in America 2 attempted to showcase diversity within the African-American community that blacks have long been aware of but other races have been ignorant to.  While certain segments of America always seem taken aback whenever a Cliff Huxtable or Barack Obama-type comes onto the scene, African-Americans are less impressed.  It's not that black folks don't revel in the pride of seeing Bill Cosby break the color barrier or Barack Obama shatter the glass ceiling--they absolutely do.  But for some African-Americans, Cliff and Clair Huxtable are similar to their real life parents; Barack Obama has qualities that might resemble one's own uncle or older cousin.  America at large can be slow to appreciate the positive black gems buried beneath the negative trash that's littered throughout the mainstream media.

CNN's Black in America 2 is a positive reminder for people of color that one's community isn't as bleak as some may want to suggest.  It's a series that helps to showcase to the rest of the country what African-Americans have long known--black is beautiful.  Black is diversified. 

Black in is America, too.

Michael Langston Moore is also a writer for the African-American Entertainment Examiner