A decade ago, one man made it his mission to promote images of men smiling amid political turmoil #BlackMenSmile became a hashtag with a purpose. Ten years ago, Carlton Mackey, like much of the ...

Black Men Smile asserts "They Pulled Back. We Push Forward.," in response to DEI rollbacks. Carlton Mackey of Black Men Smile is continuing the mission of uplifting while standing against DEI erasure.

A month after the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, Carlton Mackey started a movement. After generations of names in memoriam and images of dead Black bodies, he wanted to do something so that Black ...

Mackey says the question often catches men off-guard, but after a quick pause they begin riffing. Some named their loved ones or career accomplishments. Others gushed about community empowerment and ...

It was all good just a year ago. Carlton Mackey’s clothing brand was one of four businesses selected by Target to be included in the retail giant’s temporary 2024 Black History Month collection. That ...