Skip Navigation
Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

You know your president is black when...

By Ta-Nehisi Coates
Nov 14 2008, 12:25 PM ET Comment

...he paraphrases Sam Cooke in his acceptance speech, has an office of urban policy, and gives Ebony the first photo shoot.

I'm sure it also has something to do with the fact that Johnson publications, Ebony's parent, has deep ties in black Chicago. You know all them bougie South Side Negroes run together!

UPDATE: J Starr points us to this dope, dope cover from Ebony

barack-obama-ebony.jpg



Presented by

More at The Atlantic

The Proposed Auction of Ronald Reagan's Blood Isn't Surprising The Proposed Auction of Ronald Reagan's Blood Isn't Surprising
In Praise of ProPublica In Praise of ProPublica
It's Not Just Porn: Why Ultra-Orthodox Jews Fear the Internet Why America's Ultra-Orthodox Jews Fear the Internet
The Revenge of the Rust Belt: How the Midwest Got Its Groove Back The Revenge of the Rust Belt
Why Israeli Settlers Shot an Unarmed Palestinian Why Israeli Settlers Shot an Unarmed Palestinian

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register.
blog comments powered by Disqus
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

One Year Since the Joplin Tornado

May 23, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

Ta-Nehisi Coates
from the Magazine

Why Do So Few Blacks Study the Civil War?

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an Atlantic senior editor.

Fade to White

A filmmaker maps Austin’s shifting ethnic landscape.

The Legacy of Malcolm X

Why his vision lives on in Barack Obama