Actor Michael Boatman and all four of his kids were in attendance for the “Sing Your Song” screening at The Apollo Theater on October 6, 2011 in New York City.
Boatman, who is most famous for his role on television show city Spin City, is also an acclaimed writer. The following is an excerpt of a humorous essay that the dad of four wrote for Black History Month. The piece is entitled “Black History Month: Michael Boatman On Being Black with A Capital B”:
“Kids… we’re black.”
At breakfast, my four children squint at me the way Thomas Edison squinted at Lewis Latimer when Latimer invented the carbon filament (without which Edison’s lightbulb would have remained a dark bulb).
“What are you talking about, daddy?” says my teenager, the future award-winning author/actress and thermonuclear supermodel.“We’re descended from proud, strong people, kids. Survivors. African-Americans. Mommy and I have been meaning to tell you, but we never got around to it.”
“Duh, daddy,” shrugs the teenager.
“Yeah,” chimes my 10-year-old daughter (future Olympic diver/mime/award-winning software developer). “That’s, so, like, ‘Duh!'”
My wife is staring at me, too. She doesn’t get it yet. She’s black too. We all are… for most of the year. But in February… we’re Black with a capital B. That’s what I’ve decided we’re going to be from now on: In February, the Boatmans are… Super Black. Read More
