New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby takes us back to the household of Rev. Curtis and Charlotte Black in her latest title A House Divided (Grand Central Publishing; $24.99). In the book, which releases May 7, the Black family prepares for the coming of a new grandbaby—a baby from their unwed son. But instead of all joy and excitement, the baby's arrival means drama for the grandmothers. And to make matters worse, the reverend is struggling with a deep secret and the anonymous person who is threatening to expose him.  Once again, Roby delves into the life of the “so-called” righteous and chaste and explores the dirty deeds that go on behind closed doors.

Behind the Scenes at Fantasia’s Upscale Photo Shoot

Fiesty and fun, Fantasia lit up the room during her cover photo shoot in Atlanta with celebrity photographer Derek Blanks for Upscale’s May issue. Check out this exclusive behind the scenes footage.

Video by: Eric Blanks Media

Andrew H. Walker BET Photographer

After collaborating with everyone from Snoop Dogg to Rick Ross, R&B newbie and Houston native Miss Mykie has landed her biggest gig to date, as the new co-host of BET’s 106&Park. The Howard University alum and AKA (she penned the unofficial, underground theme song for the sorority “Imma AKA”) dishes on her jitters about her new gig, lame pick-up lines and what’s really important in the upcoming election. –J.H.

Institutions of Excellence Award

Christina Bronner, show assistant for Bronner Bros., Sheila Bronner, Editor-in-Chief, Upscale magazine, Dr. Cheryl D. Dozier, President of Savannah State University, Sheri Scott, SSU Consultant Presidential Special Events.

Upscale is committed to excellence, and prides itself as being the magazine that successful people read. This week, our Editor-in-Chief, Sheila Bronner, arrived at Savannah State University to present the 122-year old university with the “Institutions of Excellence Award” for the Top Historically Black College/University in the country. As the oldest public HBCU in Georgia and the oldest institution of higher learning in the historic city of Savannah, SSU has served this community with distinction while meeting the educational needs of an increasingly diverse student population. SSU was selected as one of the top HBCUs based on the university’s graduation rates, enrollment, academic performance, school history and commitment to student academic achievement. The $5,000 award was presented to SSU based the upscale's readers poll. Yes, your vote made them the WINNER. Congratulation SSU!

My oldest brother, Nathaniel, had a DNA analysis from AfricanAncestry.com and discovered our mother’s roots were from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria and our father’s roots were from the Balanta tribe in Guinea-Bissau. A Bronner brothers tradition is that the brothers take a week-long trip together once a year. The choice of the trip rotates among the brothers, and this year was my year to choose the destination and the activities. I wanted to go home. When I say home, I really mean HOME.

Florida offers almost everything you can imagine from shopping to fine dining. Couple that with warm weather and you have the perfect vacation getaway. The Sunshine State represents variety, and focusing on other indulgences—like year-round adventure with a generous portion of relaxation on the side —can lead to a treasure trove of less-explored recreational opportunities.

Tubman African American Museum, Macon Georgia

Nestled in the heart of Georgia in historic downtown Macon is the largest museum in the Southeast devoted to African American art, history, and culture. Founded 30 years ago, the Tubman African American Museum (named in honor of Harriet Tubman) features rich collections of local and regional history, West African, contemporary African American, and folk and visionary art, and both permanent and changing exhibits, including “Harriet Tubman: The Moses of her People,” “Unbound Spirit: Folk Art from the Tubman Museum Collection,” “From the Minds of African Americans: Black Inventors,” “Georgia Artists,” and “From Africa to America”—the Museum’s signature mural that traces the history of African Americans in the United States from slavery to the election of the nation’s first black president.