Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Louis Vuitton Names 16-Year-Old Zimbabwean Girl As Face Of Label

 

BRITAIN- Nyasha Matonhodze, a Zimbabwean-born, British-raised 16-year-old model, has been chosen as one of the new faces of Louis Vuitton.

Maronhodze was discovered 2 years ago on the street of Northamptonshire by a modeling agency, who encouraged her to compete in the UK Elite Model Look competition, which she coincidently won.

The schoolgirl, who arrived for her first casting wearing her school uniform – experienced a meteoric rise through the echelons of the fashion industry, with an impressive debut season that saw her walking for shows including Louise Gray, Clements Ribeiro, Jonathan Saunders during London Fashion Week SS11 as well as Loewe, Emanuel Ungaro, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Read more at Dailymail.co.uk

Louis Vuitton Names 16-Year-Old Zimbabwean Girl As Face Of Label
NewsOne Staff
Tue, 31 May 2011 16:46:07 GMT

African-American - News

African-American - News May 31, 2011

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Minority hiring examined in Balto. County (North County News)
Dunbar Brooks remembers well a conversation with a former Baltimore County official more than 20 years ago about the scarcity of minorities in local government.

Patriotism runs high at African-American Memorial Day celebration
Patriotism runs high at African-American Memorial Day celebration (PennLive)
The William Howard Day Cemetery in Swatara Twp. Hosts its 26th annual Memorial Day program.

Study Finds Smiling Men are Less Attractive to Women (Psychology Today)
Are there implications for inter-racial attraction? Are people more attractive when they smile? New study suggests it depends on their gender.

Lesbian Pastor Breaks New Ground in Rochester (13WHAM)
Rochester, N.Y. - There is a new face among the African-American clergy in Rochester.

Link Between Low Vitamin D Levels And Multiple Sclerosis Risk For African Americans (MediLexicon)
In the first major study exploring the connection between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis in African Americans, a team of scientists at the University of California, San Francisco has discovered that vitamin D levels in the blood are lower in African Americans who have the disease, compared to African Americans who do not.

Buddy Check: Stepping Stone Trial
Buddy Check: Stepping Stone Trial (WUSA9 Washington, DC)
Being obese or overweight can increase a woman's chances of a recurrence, especially for African-American women, but why? Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi's Comprehensive Cancer Center are hoping to find some answers and are recruiting participants for a clinical trial.

Contestant of 'Mr. Prime Choice' Claims Racism at Leather Pageant;... (Houston Press)
Tim Angelle is not Mr. Prime Choice. Every year, Montrose leather bar The Ripcord crowns the king of all things leather: Mr.

Forest Hills student Ashli Bynum turns painful encounter into award-winning essay (MLive)
Never judge a book by its cover. As an African American albino, 18-year-old Ashli Bynum knows too many never learned that lesson, especially the elderly woman at the Knapp's Corners Meijer last summer who asked if she was "retarded" because of her light skin and blond hair.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Mellon Foundation Awards Major Grant to the Studio Museum in Harlem

Mellon Foundation Awards Major Grant to the Studio Museum in Harlem

NEW YORK, NY.- The Studio Museum in Harlem announced the creation of The Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fund. Made possible by a three-year, $1,000,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Mellon Curatorial Fund will support the Museum’s landmark curatorial program.
Studio Museum Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden says, “This grant represents an exciting new chapter at the Museum, a profound investment that will stoke the framework of our entire institutional structure. The Fund’s vital support will advance research, scholarship and publications, the three programmatic branches that form the core of the Museum’s activities. By investing in the essence of our mission—exhibiting, documenting and facilitating dialogue about art by artists of African descent, the Mellon Curatorial Fund will enrich our programming and help us better serve our diverse audience base locally, nationally and internationally. We are honored by the Mellon Foundation’s recognition and generosity.”
The establishment of The Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fund allows the Studio Museum to look anew at the historic role of its curatorial program, which includes a stellar list of exhibitions—from historical surveys to edgy contemporary shows, large group exhibitions to significant mid-career retrospectives—all of which collectively have supported generations of artists and leading scholars.

African-American - News

African-American - News May 30, 2011

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Delaware County ties to Civil War a source of pride
Delaware County ties to Civil War a source of pride (The Star Press Muncie News)
As we mark Memorial Day, the many contributions the county made to the Civil War are remembered on the 150th anniversary of that war's beginning Comments This headstone at Beech Grove Cemetery marks the grave of Daniel D.H. Lewis, a soldier who fought in the 54th Massachusetts, an all-black regiment made famous by the movie Glory.

Where Are The Statues Of Women? (The Hartford Courant)
Every state commemorates its heroes. One of the most celebrated ways is to memorialize them in the U.S. Capitol building's National Statuary Hall, where each state is allowed just two statues.

Sickle cell treatment clinic at UAMs answers need (KNOE-TV Monroe)
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is getting organized to start work to develop a clinic that would specialize in treating sickle cell disease.

Naomi Campbell's outrage as 'racist advert likens her to a chocolate bar'
Naomi Campbell's outrage as 'racist advert likens her to a chocolate bar' (Daily Mail)
Naomi Campbell is considering taking legal action against Cadbury after claiming a 'racist' advertisement compares her to a chocolate bar.

Glimpses of Black communities in pre-Civil War Canada (Happening-here?)
If you approach From Midnight to Dawn: The Last Tracks of the Underground Railroad by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Hettie Jones looking for historical understanding of mid-19th century African American communities in Canada settled by fugitive slaves and free Blacks, you might be disappointed.

Lost Haddonfield: Schools, Picnics and Veterans (Patch)
Make Patch better! Take our survey: OK Sorry, maybe next time 0 of 0 new "In 1868, the public school trustees discussed the possibility of establishing classes for black children,according to "Lost Haddonfield," by Douglas B. Rauschenberger and Katherine Mansfield Tassini.

Psychology Today Apologizes for 'Black Women Less Attractive' Post

Psychology Today Apologizes for 'Black Women Less Attractive' Post

Ujala SehgalSat May 28, 2:56 pm ET

Earlier this month, the popular magazine Psychology Today published an article by evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa titled “Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?" that was met, expectedly, with mass outrage. The article used data based on another study to make several claims such as "black women are objectively less physically attractive than other women" yet "subjectively consider themselves to be far more physically attractive than others."

After some attempted editing of the title, the magazine retracted the post from its website in its entirety. Kanazawa in turn is facing an investigation by the London School of Economics, where he is a professor, after a unanimous vote for his dismissal by the student union.

Contributing writers to Psychology Today moved quickly to do some damage control. Dr. Kaufman, in his blog for the magazine "Beautiful Minds," wrote a post re-analyzing Kanazawa's data.

We retrieved the data from Add Health on which Satoshi Kanazawa based his conclusions to see whether his results hold up to scrutiny... Kanazawa mentions several times that his data on attractiveness are scored "objectively"... [However] the low convergence of ratings finding suggests that in this very large and representative dataset, beauty is mostly in the eye of the beholder. Because raters differ strongly in terms of how they rate... this source of variation needs to be taken into account when testing for average race differences in ratings of attractiveness. Kanazawa does not indicate that he did so.

Moreover, Kaufman noted that "the majority of [Kanazawa's] data were based on the ratings of attractiveness of the participants when they were teenagers." When the data was stratified based on age, he concluded that "as adults, Black Women in North America are not rated less attractive by interviewers of the Add health study."

In another post on magazine's website, Dr. Stanton Peele leveled his criticism at the field of evolutionary psychology as a whole.

[T]he logic underlying [Kanazawa's] racism is exactly that which drives the field -- i.e., there are biological imperatives that determine social behavior, attitudes, and undeniable human reality... [But] the only inevitabilities are (a) in Kanazwa's head and (b) ev psych's fantasy version of the human species as the end result of a deterministic evolutionary process that makes people think and act in the ways they say people must  -- that is, according to their own preferred prejudices (like Kanazawa's ideal woman -- who is NOT African-American!).

However, many were still waiting for a direct response from the magazine, who, according to Stanton, "is probably the most popular PT blogger." Considering the level of outrage, the apology was some time coming. Kaja Perina, the Editor-in-Chief, issued the following statement on Friday:

Last week, a blog post about race and appearance by Satoshi Kanazawa was published--and promptly removed--from this site. We deeply apologize for the pain and offense that this post caused. Psychology Today's mission is to inform the public, not to provide a platform for inflammatory and offensive material. Psychology Today does not tolerate racism or prejudice of any sort. The post was not approved by Psychology Today, but we take full responsibility for its publication on our site. We have taken measures to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. Again, we are deeply sorry for the hurt that this post caused.

However, there was no word on whether the magazine will continue to publish articles by Kanazawa. He has not published on entry on his blog since the one removed, although there is no indication that the blog will be terminated.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

DARK GIRLS - PREVIEW

 
 
 
 
 
DARK GIRLS 

You can watch it here:
http://vimeo.com/24155797

Dark Girls: Preview

Dark Girls: Preview
http://vimeo.com/24155797

check this

About this video:
"Clips from the upcoming documentary exploring the deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color---particularly dark skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture.

This film will be released in Fall/Winter 2011. Please "Like" the Dark Girls page on Facebook, we will keep you updated with news there.

Directed by Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry
Produced by Bill Duke for Duke Media
and D. Channsin Berry for Urban Winter Entertainment
Co-Produced by Bradinn French
Line Produced by Cheryl L. Bedford
Edited by Bradinn French"

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REMEMBER

Start Your Business! Comcast To Fund Five Minority Startups

 

Your business idea might just be a little closer to reality.

The venture capital wing of the communications giant, Comcast, has just announced that it will be providing seed funding for five minority-led startups.

The Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, as it is called, is a partnership between Comcast Interactive Capital and DreamIt Ventures, and will be accepting applications through July 8. The three-month-long program will start in Philadelphia on September 9.

“Diversity is a cornerstone of Comcast’s culture and we are proud to have Comcast Interactive Capital partner with DreamIt in this first investment from our $20 million fund focused on expanding opportunities for minority entrepreneurs,” said Payne Brown, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Comcast.

The program will be helmed by William Crowder, founder of Growth Strategy Advisors and a veteran of business development at AOL. Crowder will serve as managing director.

“The challenge for many startups and their founders,” Crowder said, “particularly those from minority communities, is one of access and opportunity. MEAP responds to this need in superior fashion, and we look forward to seeing what kind of entrepreneurial magic will be created as a result.”

In order to be eligible to participate in the MEAP, your company must be at least 50% owned by members of your founding entrepreneur team who are African American, Asian American, Latino American or Native American.

For details on how to submit an application, click the link below.

Link To Application: DreamIt Ventures Comcast Minority Entrepreneur Accelerator Program

Start Your Business! Comcast To Fund Five Minority Startups
News One
Sat, 28 May 2011 04:10:27 GMT

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Gil Scott-Heron

I'm sad to report the passing of poet Gil Scott-Heron.
 
A friend and I went to see him perform at SOB's (Sounds of
Brazil) in NYC a year or two ago.
 
She had had no exposure to his work and came away wowed.
It was a thrill for me to finally see him live having been a
Fan since the 70s. He was in fine form.
 
Here's a set of videos from various points in his career.
 
Video:
 
 
Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

African-American - News

African-American - News May 28, 2011

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Mourners praise Don Barden as a pioneer
Mourners praise Don Barden as a pioneer (Detroit Free Press)
Don Barden Jr. Talks with friends Friday after the funeral for his father, businessman Don Barden, at Greater Grace Temple in Detroit.

Video Premiere: Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton are 'So in Love' (eurweb)
*Jill Scott and Anthony Hamilton's jammin' track "So in Love" from Jill's upcoming album "Light of the Sun" (June 21), now has an official video. In the vid, Jill and Anthony are having big fun hanging together, attending a wedding and then dancing together, getting their groove on at the reception. Pure joy. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

We Remember: Poet & Musician Gil Scott Heron Dies at 62 (eurweb)
*Another of the modern day greats, poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, has passed on. He died Friday afternoon in New York according to his book publisher. He was 62. As an influential poet and musician, Scott-Heron is often credited with being one of the progenitors of hip-hop, and is best known for the spoken-word piece "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." And of course when you think of Gil Scott-Heron it's impossible not to also recall his masterpiece jam, and some say, self-fulfilling prophecy, "In the Bottle." (Scroll down to watch it.)

'Dark Girls' Share Their Misery in America (eurweb)
There has always been a racial bias between dark women and light or white women. Hell, the racial playground of America has always pitted white against black. But, when it comes to the women or shall I say mothers, something totally different happens. The bias in America of course leans toward white women or what reminds America of white women … light skinned women. And if we're going to have an honest conversation about this dilemma, there is a documentary waiting for you. "Dark Girls" is directed by the legendary Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry. It touches the heart of, not just dark women, but the country that built the perception that dark African American women had (more…)

Is Cornel West a Bellwether for Obama on Liberal Support in 2012? (KSFO AM 560)
Prominent liberal activist and African-American author-professor Cornel West is not one to mince words: He thinks the country's first black president -- a man for whom he campaigned vigorously in 2008 -- is not fit for reelection in 2012.

Scandal-plagued pastors still fill pews (CNN)
We were on the front page for all of the wrong reasons. --Janet Shan, on megachurch destroyed by pastor scandals.

Exhibit celebrates Loïs Mailou Jones, who charted a path as bold as the colors she painted with (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
By Gaile Robinson Was it a racial slur or the prospect of toiling in obscurity that caused Loïs Mailou Jones to choose the artist's life?Her biography suggests that a decorator's comment -- 'How could you have designed that? You're a colored girl' -- about Jones' fabric designs caused the 23-year-old Jones to abandon plans to go to New ...

Penny Young Nance: African-Americans, Bullies and the Debate Over Same-Sex ... (Fox News)
As much as I respect Gallup and their polling prowess, I am skeptical of their recent poll which finds that for the first time a majority of Americans support legalizing same-sex "marriage." The supporters of allowing same-sex marriage are certainly loud at times but as I see it they are also most certainly in the minority.

WI Judge Strikes Down Scott Walker's Anti-Union Law (crooksandliars)
Breaking the law to get what they want is nothing new for Republicans since the ends justifies the means to them so it's fitting that the rule of law was their undoing in this last ruling by : Madison - A Dane County judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker's legislation repealing most collective bargaining for public employees. In a 33-page decision issued Thursday, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said she would freeze the legislation because GOP lawmakers on a committee broke the state's open meetings law in passing it March 9. The legislation limits collective bargaining to wages for all public employees in Wisconsin except for police and firefighters. "It's what we were looking for," said Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, a Democrat. Ozanne sued to block the law after Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) filed a complaint saying that GOP legislative leaders had not given proper notice in convening a conference committee of lawmakers from both houses to approve Walker's budget-repair bill.

New urban play holds mirror to African-American teens (FOX6Now - WITI)
The Urban play "From Kings to Thugs to Presidents" give audiences harsh images, real language and an in your face message.

Gil Scott-Heron Dies at age 62 in NYC

NEW YORK — Musician Gil Scott-Heron, who helped lay the groundwork for rap by fusing minimalistic percussion, political expression and spoken-word poetry on songs such as "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," died Friday at age 62.

A friend, Doris C. Nolan, who answered the telephone listed for his Manhattan recording company, said he died in the afternoon at St. Luke's Hospital after becoming sick upon returning from a European trip.

"We're all sort of shattered," she said.

Scott-Heron's influence on rap was such that he sometimes was referred to as the Godfather of Rap, a title he rejected.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Sharpton’s NAN Opens DC Office To Influence Legislation

 

Everyone at National Action Network’s first-ever women’s power luncheon was elated when our guest, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, said her department was issuing educational scholarships to African Americans from low-income communities who are seeking careers in the health care field.

With presentations by Sebelius and Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Barack Obama, our women’s power luncheon stressed the importance of recognizing health issues specifically impacting women of color; preventative care; and methods of eliminating the disparity in access to treatment. But perhaps most importantly, our luncheon — like all other NAN events during the 20th anniversary convention — focused on taking decisive action.

Over the past few weeks, many of us watched and listened to a national budget “debate” that somehow transitioned into an attack on women, Planned Parenthood and our health needs. But what this mainly male-dominated conversation left out was the slew of vital services, such as cancer screenings and regular gynecological exams that Planned Parenthood provides to so many disenfranchised women who would otherwise be forgotten. Although we can rejoice that Planned Parenthood is off of the negotiating table for now, it will come up for a vote again in the future — as will other gender and equity issues. This time, we must be prepared.

We at NAN recently formed our own women’s council designed to monitor gender and race relations across the board, ensure equality on the hill in D.C., and urge other young women to actively engage in the process. The day after our national convention closed, we opened an office on Capitol Hill to stay engaged in important dialogue about women’s issues. We cannot simply hear about legislation; we must read it and study it. We cannot think of governmental policy as something happening over there; we need to understand how and why it directly impacts everyone. As Supreme Court cases based on gender and equity issues arise, we must comprehend what’s at stake and what the outcomes are. NAN’s women’s council will relentlessly work to level the playing field so that every female is strengthened, educated and empowered to shatter whatever glass ceiling she desires. We will lobby and impress upon the government that that African American women are still suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, AIDS and many other diseases at higher rates than other women and therefore we need resources that will break down this disparity.

RELATED:

What Is A Strong Black Woman?

The Art World’s Most Influential Black Women

CNN Asks “Are Black Women Poorly Portrayed On TV?”

Sharpton’s NAN Opens DC Office To Influence Legislation
Tamika Mallory
Fri, 27 May 2011 16:41:20 GMT

Beekeeping with Ross Ber of Berz Beez

*Beekeeping with Ross Ber of Berz Beez*
 
*Sunday, May 29, 2011
 
1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.*
 
A beekeeper in New York City? Why not? Meet Master Beekeeper Ross Ber
And see what it takes to wrangle these valuable and fascinating
Creatures. Find out where honeybees fit in the City's ecosystems, what
Special challenges bees are facing right now. Ross will have a
Demonstration hive so participants can see live bees at work.
 
Location: Fort Tryon Park, Linden Terrace
 
Enter the park at Margaret Corbin Circle where Cabrini Boulevard and
Fort Washington Avenue converge. Walk up the Stan Michels Promenade to
Linden Terrace.
 
This program is generously supported by the Greenacre Foundation.
 
 

African-American - News

African-American - News May 27, 2011

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George Clinton Hospitalized With Staph Infection (eurweb)
*Funk legend George Clinton is in the hospital with a staph infection in his leg, TMZ is reporting. Clinton's rep tells the website that Clinton, 69, went to see his doctor for a routine check-up when the decision was made to keep him in the facility so he could receive proper treatment for a staph infection in one of his legs.

New Drugs Encouraging For African Americans With Hepatitis C (MediLexicon)
Main Category: Liver Disease / Hepatitis Also Included In: Regulatory Affairs / Drug Approvals Article Date: 26 May 2011 Two new drugs just approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat hepatitis C genotype 1 significantly improved the cure rates of patients.

HIV/AIDS Now Leading Cause Of Death For Black Women (TheBostonChannel)
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, women now account for more than 1 in 4 of all new HIV/AIDS cases in the state.

Pulpits enlisted in fight to end stroke in black communities
Pulpits enlisted in fight to end stroke in black communities (Cross Roads News)
Stroke is the No. 3 killer in Georgia and is a major cause of disability. Nearly 2.8 million Georgia adults do not know the signs of a stroke.

Parents protest NAACP's involvement in school closure lawsuit (New York Daily News)
"Charter schools are public schools, too - we need space to grow," Harlem Children's Zone founder Geoffrey Canada told the crowd.

Black Journalists Qutting Mainstream, Return To Black Press (WDBZ-AM Cincinnati)
An article in the Columbia Journalism Review discusses the increasing number of African-American journalists leaving mainstream media for Black-oriented outlets.

San Francisco School Swaps Out Name of Racist California Governor
San Francisco School Swaps Out Name of Racist California Governor (The Skanner)
For decades, a San Francisco preschool in an underserved, predominantly black neighborhood bore the name of Peter Burnett, California's first elected civilian governor.

Jewish gospel music to come to Elmira (Star-Gazette)
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today that placing an expiration date on the proposed property-tax cap is a good idea would allow the state to reevaluate its NYSUT suspends collaboration with state over evaluation system Jewish gospel music to come to Elmira Comments Yavilah McCoy will perform Jewish music in gospel style 7 p.m. June 5 at Congregation B'nai ...

Black Women 3x More Confident (KMJM - Majic 104.9)
Allure magazine polled 2,000 men and women from across the country to find out "what's beautiful now." Read some of their findings below regarding confidence, fitness, age and weight! African-American Women Have Killer Confidence African-American women were three times as likely as Caucasian women to rate themselves at the hot end of the spectrum.

Rochelle Riley: Talking, listening, trying to heal racism's wounds (Detroit Free Press)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Lorena Gonzalez sat in a circle of strangers and shared a memory.

Summer on the Hudson presents Game Days! in West Harlem Piers Park

Summer on the Hudson presents Game Days! in West Harlem Piers Park

Date: May 31, 2011

Calling all children under 12 who want something fun to do on a sunny afternoon.
Games such as giant tic tac toe, lawn bowling, hopscotch, jump rope and more will be ready for your arrival. Sign them out, enjoy your play, and then return the games so they will be there next week!

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 2:00 pm

Contact phone: 311

Location: West Harlem Piers Park

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Appeals Court Affirms New York City Shouldn't Pay NYCOTB Retirees' Health Care Premiums

 

The fight over paying health care premiums for employees of the now-defunct NYCOTB goes on, with the latest development being the (read it below) denial of a request for an injunction to keep the city funding health care for the retired OTB workers. As our Ken Lovett noted in December, "The ...

Appeals Court Affirms New York City Shouldn't Pay NYCOTB Retirees' Health Care Premiums
Thu, 26 May 2011 19:56:59 GMT

NYCLU: Livery Car Program = NYPD Harassment

 

Civil libertarians want a federal judge to prevent cops from questioning and frisking passengers who are pulled from livery cars and taxis during an NYPD program aimed at preventing robberies. Our Rocco Parascandola reports: The New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in Manhattan ...

NYCLU: Livery Car Program = NYPD Harassment
Thu, 26 May 2011 21:10:59 GMT

Two Black Men Sue Apple Store For Racial Discrimination

 

NEW YORK-Two African American males are suing an Apple Store in New York City for racial discrimination. Brian Johnston and Nile Charles claim that they were told they were told they were not welcome at the store due to their race. Apple Insider reports:

“And before you say I’m racially discriminating against you, let me stop you. I am discriminating against you,” the lawsuit claims the employee said. “I don’t want ‘your kind’ hanging out in the store.”

Johnston and Charles say they were “shocked and humiliated” by the alleged incident. They reportedly used their cell phones to record the confrontation when they say another Apple Store employee approached them.

“Now you have to go,” one of the employees is claimed in the lawsuit to have said. “If you want to know why, it’s because I said so. CONSIDER ME GOD. You have to go.”

Read The Whole Story

RELATED STORIES

NAACP Says Hallmark Card Is Racist

UPDATE: Teenager Arrested For Racist Wal-Mart Announcement

Two Black Men Sue Apple Store For Racial Discrimination
Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger
Thu, 26 May 2011 15:26:34 GMT

New Law Threatens To Undermine The Black Vote In 2012

New Law Threatens To Undermine The Black Vote In 2012

Civil rights advocates claim a recently passed law that requires voters to show photo identification threatens to stymie the African American and politically disenfranchised in the 2012 election.

The law, which requires voters to show state-issued identification may keep millions of African American who lack the time and resources needed to obtain the proper documents from the polls.

Barbara R. Arnwine, executive director for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, said:

"The time and resources needed to acquire the identification as well as lack of easy access to the needed underlying documents, such as a certified birth certificate and other forms of documentation, are particularly burdensome on minority, low-income, elderly, disabled and student voters."

Read more at The Root:

RELATED:

Voting Experts Predicts Black Vote Will Help Re-Elect Pres. Obama.

What Obama Must Do To Keep The Black Vote [VIDEO].

City Council Expected To Approve New FDNY Exam Legislation

 

New York's City Council is expected to approve legislation today that will change how fire department entrance exams work after a three-year hiring freeze, but some disagree with the proposed changes.

City Council Expected To Approve New FDNY Exam Legislation
Thu, 26 May 2011 03:59:47 GMT

Ticket-Fixing Case Tests Officers on the Stand

Ticket-Fixing Case Tests Officers on the Stand

By N. R. KLEINFIELD

In a thinly populated Bronx courtroom, a plain vanilla drunken driving case was in progress. More than four years ago, a red 1988 Oldsmobile driven by a beer-imbibing man collided with a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban on the Grand Concourse. The arresting officer was on the stand on Wednesday in State Supreme Court for defense cross-examination. But she was being asked about something quite different.

She was being asked about fixing tickets.

Did she feel it was all right that her union delegate told her that a ticket for her boyfriend's cousin would be destroyed, or another officer perhaps persuaded to falsify testimony, Adam D. Perlmutter, the defense lawyer, asked the police officer, Julissa Goris.

"Yes sir," she said.

And did she feel it was her right as an officer to get tickets fixed?

"It's a courtesy that's given from an officer to another," she replied.

So it goes as the broad shadow of a police ticket-fixing scandal begins to darken the judicial system in the Bronx.

Via Police Ticket-Fixing Scandal Infects Unrelated N.Y. Trials - NYTimes.com.

Today is Miles Davis day

 
With a legacy and influence so vast
It is difficult to even put into words.
 
So we'll let his music do the talking.
 
Today is Miles Davis day.
Enjoy!
 
Video:
 
 
- Lester Perkins
Jazz on the Tube
 

Red Poppies and Peace

Red Poppies and Peace

Since World War I, poppies have been a symbol of remembrance at Memorial Day (May 30 this year). The red poppy was used to symbolize the blood of those who died in service to their countries.

The idea started in 1918 when American Moina Michael read the poem "In Flanders Fields," written by Canadian John McCrae in 1915 during World War I. She began wearing poppies in memoriam and sold them to others, using the proceeds to help veterans.

After World War I, veterans sold artificial red poppies to help raise money for war orphans. Today, donations to veterans' groups are often marked with a token paper red poppy.

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
.

–Lt. Colonel John McCrae (18721918)

Free E-cards!


African-American - News

African-American - News May 26, 2011

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Graduating black scholars honored at Urban League of Flint tribute
Graduating black scholars honored at Urban League of Flint tribute (Flint Township/Swartz Creek Advance)
Published: Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 8:28 PM Updated: Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12:22 AM Matt Dixon The Flint Journal High School students fill the pews of the New Jerusalem Full Gospel Baptist Church during the annual Salute to Black Scholars ceremony hosted by Flint's Urban League Wednesday evening.

AIDS In America After 30 Years: Facts, Figures, Legislation (MediLexicon)
HIV/AIDS made a name for itself in the 1980's in the United States. Now 30 years later, the nation reflects this week on the history of the disease and the impact it has made on the most infected cities such as Washington D.C. And San Francisco.

Six seek Fourth Ward seat (Herald Star Online)
Four men and two women will explain next Tuesday why they should be named to fill the 4th Ward council seat vacated earlier this month when incumbent Councilman David Fortunato died unexpectedly.

Angelou: In disaster, humanity shines
Angelou: In disaster, humanity shines (CNN)
Maya Angelou celebrates her 82th birthday at her home in Winston Salem, North Carolina, in May, 2010.

More Policing of Serena Williams (womanist-musings)
From the moment the Williams sisters burst onto the professional tennis courts, Whiteness and patriarchy have attempted to silence, discipline and shame them into submission. Criticism abounds regarding the sisters and yet, as far as I can see, the most repeated issue that arises, is based solidly in the fact that they are unapologetically Black women. When the media is not attempting to turn them into loud mouth sapphires, they are slut shaming them. Who could forget the media hype over this outfit. It was hardly surprising when the following image caused a stir in the media.

Study claims to know why black men are at greater risk of prostate cancer (The Voice)
A NEW study claims to know why black men are at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer than any other race.

Jackson mayor accuses fellow council members of meeting at a private...
Jackson mayor accuses fellow council members of meeting at a private... (MLive)
Published: Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 10:19 AM Updated: Wednesday, May 25, 2011, 11:12 AM File photo Mayor Karen Dunigan Jackson Mayor Karen Dunigan has accused fellow council members of meeting at a private club that she claims does not allow women and blacks as members.

Allon: The blackout at Stuyvesant and Bronx Science (New York Daily News)
Stuyvesant High School in Lower Manhattan, one of the schools were the minority population is plummeting.

28th Avenue Connector to bridge North Nashville, West End (The Tennessean)
The bridge will be short - just one-third of a mile. But city leaders hope it will have long-lasting effects on Nashville's business community, transit options and race relations.