The New Bill Cosby And No More Pound Cake

887 words | 3 mins 32 secs read time

Before we knew that Bill Cosby was a sexual predator, his story was considered the pinnacle example of a black rags-to-riches story. So it was no surprise that he was tapped to deliver the keynote address for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's award ceremony in 2004.

Cosby's speech, known colloquially as the "Pound Cake Speech," came under sharp criticism because it condemned the Black community in the United States.

He attributed societal ills to factors like single-parent households and alleged negligence in parenting. Cosby criticized cultural elements like naming conventions and the use of ebonics. He also complained about a perceived emphasis on frivolous and conspicuous consumption at the expense of necessities and taking care of responsibilities.

Finally, Cosby summed things up by saying that African Americans should no longer blame discrimi…