Iconic comedian and “America’s funniest father” Bill Cosby introduced his project Cosnarati on Ustream (go here in case you missed it) and on other social platforms. And this week also marked the launch of Harvey Knows Best, a State Farm Insurance sponsored series of online animated shorts featuring comedian, host and author Steve Harvey.

The first in a series of 48 digital shorts launched this week. Each short is a vignette of Harvey ranting, raving and pontificating on some aspect of life in his signature comedic style and wit. Anyone familiar with the JibJab “Elf Yourself” campaign for Staples will note a similar use of digital with the Harvey Knows Best series, which is being promoted by SandersWingo, State Farm’s African American agency of record. Each video can be viewed on smartphones and on MP3 players. Take a gander:

YouMedia Chicago is an innovative, 21st century learning space, housed at the Harold Washington Library, created to inspire collaboration and creativity among Chicago urban young adults as they work in groups on projects and learn vital digital media skills. I spent a brief moment in the YouMedia lab tonight, and let me tell you the design and setup of all the technology is really nice! And since Black Digerati is based in Chicago, we’re currently working on developing a relationship with the leadership at YouMedia to act as ‘technology mentors’ to some of the youth. More info on that to come, but in the meantime check out the video created by some of the youth as they tell the story of YouMedia:

World Habitat Day Presentation from YOUmedia on Vimeo.

(BlackDigerati by @BlackDigerati)

Recording giant EMI has announced a partnership with streaming music provider, Grooveshark that will allow users to access the work of thousands of artists and songwriters  licensed under the EMI and EMI Publishing umbrella. Listeners can now log on to Grooveshark and legally hear EMI artists such as, Coldplay, Letoya Luckett, Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, and many more.

The deal is a result of EMI’s lawsuit against Grooveshark earlier this year. Grooveshark did not have the rights from EMI (or any major label) for the music that they were providing and EMI was the first to intervene. Now that the two companies have agreed upon a “mutually sustainable deal” EMI will receive revenue from their music catalog available on Grooveshark.

Like many streaming music sites, Grooveshark is ad-supported but offers a $3 per month ad-free version. Grooveshark CEO Sam Tarantino said, “We will continue to deliver the best music service on the Internet to our users, and we will expand our capacity to strengthen fan-to-artist connections through our technology.”

In this short video, fellow Black Digerati and Radio-Television-Film professor S. Craig Watkins talks about his new book ‘The Young and The Digital‘, which explores digital natives dynamic engagement with social media, online games, mobile phones, and communities like Facebook and MySpace. Check out the video below:

(via Black Digerati @BlackDigerati)

Inspired by a map of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Posse on Broadway,” Tyler Gray, deputy editor at FastCompany.com decided to plot Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind.” It’s got to be one of the coolest mashups evar. And maybe the BK in me is adding to the bias, but whatevs, it’s definitely worth a peek. (Click here to see the full map and note Jay’s corresponding bars at each point on the map.)

AT&T has launched the “Spirit of UNCF” sweepstakes, an digital competition that enables visitors to either vote from their website Vote Spirit or by texting VOTE to 65579.

At stake are two incredible on-campus experiences: a campus-to-community technology education fair powered by AT&T Technology and an exclusive Hollywood-styled red carpet campus viewing party, complete with a celebrity host from the 2010 UNCF An Evening of Stars^® Tribute to Lionel Richie presented by Target. One lucky voter will also win a complete AT&T Technology makeover and VIP trip for two to the live taping of An Evening of Stars^® for next year.

The winning HBCU will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 with the individual sweepstakes winner announcement to follow. The on-campus rewards will occur on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, to coincide with the national televised airing of AEOS on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and CW affiliates and nationally on BET Networks and WGN.

Users of the site are encouraged to upload video that shares their fondest HBCU memory.

Our Markus (Robinson) will be voting for FAMU. Which HBCU is your choice? So far, Southern University is leading in the top ten.

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has consistently produced works that tell as much of the whole story as possible. (See Ken’s list of films here.) In fact, his PBS bio states that he has produced films that are “unafraid of controversy and tragedy.”

This fall, Ken Burns presents The National Parks: America’s Best Idea on PBS, which is available online to view until Friday, October 9. PBS has fully embraced the use of digital media for this project and on Wednesday, October 7 there is an accompanying webinar for teachers at 8 p.m. ET that focuses on using digital media to teach about the parks.

This is a segment on Yosemite National Park’s Buffalo Soldiers that is absolutely remarkable in content and information. And the gentleman in the photograph is Colonel Charles Young who was the leader in charge of the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite. (For more information on The National Park Service visit here. I’ve selected Washington, D.C. as a target because of the number of black-related sites and parks protected by NPS.)

The MacArthur Foundation (Digital Media and Learning) took the lead in funding scholarship, research and activities centered on digital media and youth culture. The videos of scholars Anna Everett (Professor, University of California Santa Barbara, Film & Media Studies) and Nichole Pinkard (Chief Technology Officer/Director, University of Chicago, Center for Urban School Improvement, Digital Youth Network) were uploaded in 2006, but in 2009 the conversation continues about Internet use, digital media and the divide across communities and race.

BlackWeb20.com isn’t sponsoring a “bring a buddy” bus trip to this conference and we’re not endorsing it, but have to admit that it is awfully smart. Huh? Watch the promo and take notes. This is our present and in the message conveyed in this video is our future.

Pepsi has been aggressive lately in creating interesting and engaging digital content. The Will.i.am and L.M.F.A.O. collaboration (Pepsi Taps…Digital Remix Project) is one such effort. However, the brand’s latest project gives a major nod to African American women and is inspired by the growing popularity of mommy bloggers.

PepsiWeInspire.com is an interactive website and community for African American women that celebrates the bonds between women. And they are bringing the star power to inspire the rest of us to share our stories of beauty, laughter, joy, hope, wisdom and love.

Songstress Keyshia Cole, actresses Raven-Symone and Taraji P. Henson kick off the campaign by sharing stories that tug at the heartstrings as well as provide a forum much like blogging, where any woman can share their own stories. Queen Latifah and other celebrities will be joining the forum in the near future.

Pepsi is utilizing Facebook, ads in Essence and Black Enterprise and they will run spots on BET. PepsiWeInspire.com is a part of a bigger campaign RefreshEverything.com that endeavors to reinvigorate the positive and upbeat messages associated with the cola company.

Nichelle Stephens has been selected as the site community’s editor.