Black In America: A Special Report

Bold and Beautiful 2006:
Jada Pinkett Smith
by ALLISON SAMUELS

Actress, wife, mother, activist, rock star.

Jada Pinkett Smith is full of surprises. On a particularly chilly Saturday afternoon in a particularly run-down part of Seattle, the petite actress, mother of two, stepmother of one, and wife of superstar Will Smith is onstage having the time of her life. No she’s not hosting another star-studded awards show à la BET as she did last year with her hubby. Nor is she acting out a character to add to her already impressive film résumé. Today Mrs. Smith is front and center at a tiny nightclub filled with about 200 people, belting out a hard-core, heavy-metal song at the top of her lungs. Yes, you read right. Hard-core, heavy-metal.

 

Class Acts | Up-and-coming African-Americans and their working-class neighbors continue to clash. Can we all just get along? read full story »
40 Acres and a Mule | How reparations activist Deadria Farmer-Paellmann turned a one-woman campaign into a triumphant national movement read full story »
Women of War | Four sisters—a worried wife, a deployed soldier, a wounded warrior and a ready recruit—share their war testimonials and explain how it changed their lives for better or worse read full story »
An American Story | CNN's Soledad O'Brien traveled across the country, attending family reunions, visiting barbershops, and even going to prisons to explore the different facets of our lives read full story »
Death Sentence | Since 1980, the suicide rate among young Black men has doubled in poor and affluent homes read full story »
Arrested Development | ESSENCE explores why so many of our young kids are being treated
like criminals read full story »
Political Movers and Shakers | Meet the African-American women who influence and shape the 2008
presidential campaign read full story »
We've Come This Far By Faith | An associate general counsel integrates a southern school in 1965 read full story »
License To Kill | Far too many Black men have become victims of gun violence read full story »
Health Care 101 | Improve your health with these helpful tips read full story »
The History of AIDS | A 25-year timeline of AIDS in our community read full story »
The 2008 Bold & Beautiful | This year's courageous women who are setting historical precedents read full story »
The 2007 Bold & Beautiful | ESSENCE salutes Maya Angelou, Holly Robinson Peete and others read full story »
The 2006 Bold & Beautiful | Meet 25 of the world's most inspiring Black women read full story »
Most Influential African Americans of 2007 | ESSENCE pays homage to our inspiring leaders read full story »
Women of Influence 2007 | Meet 11 women who are revolutionizing the world read full story »
Who Killed King? | A new CNN documentary examines King's final hours read full story »
She Dreamed A World | We say good-bye to Coretta Scott King read full story »
Preserving the Dream | Dr. King's personal papers sell for $32 million read full story »
Dreams of My Father | Bernice King, talks about her father's legacy read full story »
No More Marches | Jill Nelson on why she has hung up her marching shoes read full story »

 

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She is living the American dream and teaching her children to do the same.
4:01 PM | Anonymous
IF A PASTOR IS KNOWN BY THE COMPANY THEY KEEP!

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sex-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

Okay, so now that Bill and Hillary Clinton's pastor has been convicted of child molestation, will we see the same furor directed at Hillary that Obama has had to endure these last few weeks?

IF A CANDIDATE IS KNOWN BY THE PASTOR THEY KEEP......

Then you need to email this article to everyone you know. Here the

CLINTON'S Pastor is convicted of child molestation.

So, if Obama bears the guilt for his pastor's comments, then Hillary has to be equally tainted by this guy's crimes.

More

4:14 PM | Anonymous
She is living the Scientologist dream and brainwashing her children to do the same.
4:14 PM | Anonymous
She's a scientologist, not speaking up against the abuses in that 'church', and homeschooling her children with cult-designed programs. She's brainwashing her own kids!

She's FAR from the perfect wonder-woman she tries to present to the audience. There are MUCH better role-models out there.

5:28 PM | Just me
holy christ!!!! what a beautiful woman is all need be said.
5:29 PM | race wall
Hottie! Why does anyone care what religion anyone is BTW? The harrassment of celebrities for their religious beliefs is embarrasing for me as an American.
5:33 PM | Hottie!
scientology. so what? i know crazier christians. and what church isn't based on money anyways. i think that she is a successful women who is getting everything life has to offer. i have seen her band (not a big fan but damn she can sing!). her kids aresmart. and i commend this woman for being who she is. oh yeah shes very hot too
5:49 PM | mike
I have good news for you. All of your past sins will be forgiven if you will accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. It does not matter what you have done, Jesus paid the price with his blood on the cross. But, you must believe in your heart thathe died for your sins and confess with your lips that God raised Him from the dead three days after his death.

Find a good Bible based church that teaches the Word of God. Read your Bible every day. Pray every day.

This is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. Don't let the media tell you what's true. Ask the Holy Spirit...He will convict your heart of the truth.

5:51 PM | Dan
Are you ready for retirement? Do you have a 401k? What about your death and eternity? Have you planned for that?

Heaven and hell are real places.

Jesus said that He is the ONLY way to Heaven.

If you will not choose Jesus, then you will spend eternity in hell.

Hell is not a place where you and your buddies will party with your favorite rock stars. No, hell is a place of ENDLESS torture and regret. DON'T GO THERE!

Choose JESUS - He died for you because He loves you and He wants to save you from the awful reality of hell.

5:59 PM | Dan
If you'd like to begin a personal relationship with Jesus today, please pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I invite you into my life, I believe you died for me and Your blood pays for my sins and provides me with the Gift of eternal life. By faith I receive that Gift, and I acknowledge You as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

6:01 PM | Dan
What the hell are y'all talking about?...Hillary Clinton, or Jada Pinkett?
6:57 PM | Nathan Turner
I myself am Christian, and i still have to say, My fellow Christians need to use more wisdom. The manner in which you explain your beliefs would leave the most open-minded person to think that you are all nuts!! Feed them what the can digest and stop trying to get them to become Christians through "scare tactics". All you do is end up making the rest of us look like complete idiots. Sometimes in your attempts to help the faith, you give others cause to run as fast as they can.

Peace and Blessings

11:39 PM | Sodue
Jada Pinkett-Smith is simply the most *conscious* actresses in Hollywood. She is not only multi-talented but aware of how this world attempts to squeeze talented Black entertainers into molds that suit white audiences. She has resisted that and is truly a Renaissance Woman.

Much respect to this truly talented Sistah!

5:57 AM | Ray Winbush
Dear Sodue,

If I am "all nuts", then so are Jesus, John the Baptist, and every other Christian who dared to tell it like it is. There are far too many pastors in this country today who have allowed society to shape the beliefs of the Church. Rather, the Church should be shaping the beliefs of society - don't you agree?

NO ONE ever got saved by hearing a false or watered down Gospel. Many people think that they are saved because they said a simple prayer. Then, they live their lives exactly as they did before. There is no evidence of change in their lives. Jesus said that you must be born again if you want to enter Heaven.

You cannot be born again unless you hear the Gospel as Jesus proclaimed it. And, while we don't like to think about hell, it isa real place and Jesus said that MOST would end up there.

I'll say it again - PLEASE don't go to that awful place. Repent. Pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart. Ask Him to truly change who you are. Find a Church that

2:42 PM | Dan
Please stop promulgating the false accusations that the Clintons had anything to do with the pastor convicted of child molestation. He was from CLINTON, NY and not connected to the Clintons in any way. This began as an attention getting headline and grewlegs. Now it is again being spread around by people that know the truth and choose to pass it on anyway. Thanks.
4:51 PM | Polly Stewart