The 17-year-old, Brittany Overstreet claims she was beaten by a school resource officer over a false allegation that she was carrying mace. When searching for the mace there was an altercation that left her with a broken jaw and other injuries. No mace was found and to top it off Brittany was the one charged with attacking the officer.
A tearful President Obama on Friday bid goodbye to outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, one of his closest friends in the administration.
"I'll just come out and say it — he has been one of our finest," Obama said at the Justice Department, where Holder’s official portrait was unveiled.
"Having good men in positions of power and authority, who are willing to fight for what's right, that's a rare thing, that's a powerful thing," Obama said of Holder, wiping away a tear. Holder is serving out his final days in Obama’s Cabinet, with the Senate expected to soon confirm Loretta Lynch to take his place as attorney general.
Read more: Tearful Obama bids Holder farewell
Earl Lloyd, the first black player in NBA history, died Thursday. He was 86.
[SOURCE] SIRIUSXM’s JOE MADISON achieved the historic goal of a 52-hour marathon broadcast, which raised more than $150,000 for the construction of the SMITHSONIAN’s NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, the final museum to be built on the NATIONAL MALL in WASHINGTON, D.C.
Airing as part of BLACK HISTORY MONTH, the historic broadcast -- currently under review as a new world record by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ORGANIZATION -- began on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th at 6AM (EST) and continued, un-interrupted, until this morning at 10AM (EST).
“I am exhausted but, when you do something for the right reasons and have the support of others, you really can do anything,” said MADISON. “I hope our SIRIUSXM broadcast helps cast a spotlight on the need to raise funds for the much needed NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE."
The special broadcast included guests such as ARETHA FRANKLIN, GENERAL MOTORS VP Global Design EDWARD T. WELBURN, sports journalist STEPHEN A. SMITH, actor/comedian WAYNE BRADY and soul singer BETTYE LAVETTE. Additional guests included REVEREND AL SHARPTON, LOU GOSSETT, TAVIS SMILEY, LUDACRIS, DENISE NICHOLS, MARY WILSON, DICK GREGORY, Congressman CHARLES RANGEL, DARIUS RUCKER, SPENCER HAYWOOD, ROBERT GATEWOOD and AJA BYRD, among others.
[SOURCE] President Obama on Thursday commemorated the third anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old black high school student shot dead in Florida by a neighborhood watch volunteer.
“Today on the third anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death, showing all of our kids, all of them, every single day, that their lives matter — that’s part of our task,” Obama said during a White House reception for Black History Month that was attended by Martin's parents.
“Progress in this nation happens only because seemingly ordinary people find the courage to stand up for what is right, not just when it’s easy but when it’s hard,” Obama said.
While the public waits for a Justice Department announcement over two separate investigations spurred by the summer shooting of an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, the department announced today it is closing its investigation into the killing of Trayvon Martin.
Justice Department officials met with Martin's family today, and were told that they will not be filing charges against George Zimmerman, who shot the 17-year-old after a confrontation in 2012. Thursday marks three years to the day since Martin was killed.
Federal prosecutors concluded there is not sufficient evidence to prove Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Fla., intentionally violated Martin's civil rights.
Read more: Trayvon Martin: DOJ Announces No Charges Against George Zimmerman
Boston Globe columnist, Derrick Z. Jackson wrote a great piece featuring positive statistics about young black men. Check out some of the interesting numbers below:
The Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network had their silence bought — with a hefty $3.8 million in “donations’’ — to not complain about the lack of black TV programming, according to an explosive new lawsuit filed by a national black-media group.
The Association of African-American Owned Media charges that Comcast and Time Warner carry barely a handful of channels that are completely black-owned — and Sharpton and other key African-American advocacy groups aren’t screaming about it because they were essentially paid not to.
Comcast even sweetened the deal for Sharpton by allowing him “to maintain his hosting position [on the Comcast-co-owned MSNBC] for more than three years in exchange for Sharpton’s continued public support for Comcast on issues of diversity … despite the notoriously low ratings that Sharpton’s show generates,’’ the suit says.
Sharpton blasted the suit Monday as “frivolous at best.’’
He denied to The Post that he and NAN received nearly $4 million from Comcast, insisting,“Never, did not get it.’’
The activist said that while his group has gotten some donations from the media giant, “It’s nowhere near $1 million, much less $3 million.’’
Read more: Sharpton paid to keep quiet about lack of black TV programming: suit
Black-run banks are in a fight for survival, even though many advocates argue that many African-Americans remain starved for banking services.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. counted 25 black-owned banks remaining in the country last year, down from 48 in 2001. That decrease came as the overall number of minority-owned banks increased slightly, going from 164 to 174. In addition, the majority of black-owned banks that remain open are on shaky ground and struggling to hold on in the face of the economic devastation that has ravaged many of their customers.
Black-run banks have been struggling for years, as mainstream institutions increasingly picked off their best-heeled customers. The increased competition came amid what some call a string of strategic blunders.
The banks, historically headquartered in the heart of traditional black communities such as Chicago’s South Side, New York’s Harlem and Washington’s Shaw, failed to modernize their services. Few offered the branch networks, computerized banking and other automated services that have come to dominate the business.
Taken together, black banks control $5 billion in assets, a tiny fraction of the size of the nation’s banking behemoths, such as Wells Fargo, which by itself has some $1.7 trillion in assets. Black banks tend to be small even by the standard of minority-owned banks, which as a group had some $181 billion in assets at the end of 2013, according a FDIC report.
Read more: Country's black-owned banks are in a fight for their survival
It has finally been announced that Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will finally be fighting on May 2, 2015. Many boxing fans are happy about this and can't wait for the fight. I can't wait to watch the fight either but I wont be rooting for Floyd Mayweather. I will be rooting hard for Manny Pacquiao. Why you ask?
I am not a guy that places athletes on pedestals or thinks that they are somehow supposed to be morally superior to the rest of us. I understand that there are human beings and as such have human frailties. They will make mistakes But making a mistake and beating women are two different things.
Floyd Mayweather is not a guy who can claim his beating of a woman is an isolated incident. Mayweather is a "man" that has committed seven physical assaults on five women that resulted in arrest or citation. One of those assaults was on the mother of his three children. Mayweather served two months in jail for domestic battery.
As a man that loves and respects every female in my family I can't find it in me to root for a convicted woman beater. This is a person who will only fight men in a ring but will hit a woman outside of it. There are many stories of Mayweather arguing with men, but none of him fighting or hitting another man when he is not protected by the rules of boxing. In short, Floyd Mayweather is a punk and is not a person to be idolized or respected in anyway.
It may not and probably wont happen but I would like to see Pacquiao slowly beats him down and have Mayweather guessing where the next punch will come from, just like Maywaether's victims had to endure. Again it probably wont happen but stranger things have happened in the sport of boxing.
George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com
Former NYC mayor Rudolph (I used to be relevant) Guiliani made some very negative comments about President Obama. In case you missed it his comments made at a New York fund-raising event for Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin are below.
“I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America," said Giuliani, according to news outlets that had reporters at the dinner. "He doesn’t love you. And he doesn’t love me. He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up, and I was brought up through love of this country.”
For those of you that thought that statement might have just been a temporary brain fart Guiliani followed it up the next day with this gem while trying to explain his comments to the NY Times:
“Some people thought it was racist — I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people,” Mr. Giuliani said in the interview. “This isn’t racism. This is socialism or possibly anti-colonialism.”
Now I have been waiting for republicans and especially black republicans to step forward and admonish Guiliani for his comments. I thought that the party that claims it is trying to make inroads into the black community would be all over this like white on ri.... Whoa bad analogy there, but you get my point. I expected You know somebody like a Mia Love, Tim Scott, Will Hurd, or a black conservative group to speak out say something like, "I don't agree with the President Obama's policies but Guiliani crossed the line."
Well through my crack investigative reporting I have come up with a statement by black republicans on Guiliani's ridiculous remarks and that video is posted below:
The 2010 best supporting actress winner for 'Precious' — who refused to campaign for her award — says she was told by her director Lee Daniels that the perception is she's "difficult" and "tacky," and she's lost out on several roles as a result.
At the 2010 Academy Awards, Mo'Nique wore white gardenias in her hair — just as Hattie McDaniel had in 1940 when she became the first African-American actress to win an Oscar. The Precious star later thanked McDaniel in her best supporting actress acceptance speech "for enduring all that she had to, so that I would not have to." As The Hollywood Reporter recognizes the 75th anniversary of McDaniel's historic win, we speak at length with Mo'Nique about her debt to her movie-star idol, her memories of her own Oscar night and the dramatic turn her career has taken in the five years since. As director Lee Daniels put it to her in a recent phone call, "Mo'Nique, you've been blackballed."
Read more: Mo'Nique: I Was "Blackballed" After Winning My Oscar
A recent poll shows Condelezza Rice leading a crowded field of 18 prospective candidates including popular Democrat Kamala Harris ( Harris leads among democratic candidates) for the seat that Sen. Barbara Boxer will be vacating next year. At this time though, Rice has released a statement stating that she is not running.
“Dr. Rice plans to stay at Stanford and continue life as a professor, and as such she has no plans to run for office in 2016,” Georgia Godfrey, her chief of staff, said Tuesday. And the poll shows no other potential Republican candidate coming close.
On Wednesday, Under Armour announced that it has signed a deal to make an extensive line of Ali branded and inspired products by partnering with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which bought Ali's estate and licensing rights in 2013. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
A limited edition graphic T-shirt goes on sale Wednesday to launch the partnership, with a lifestyle apparel line rolling out next month. In November, Ali's name and image will be on training apparel, footwear and accessories.
"He's an iconic hero from the past and a true innovator," said Glenn Silbert, vice president of men's, outdoors and team sports for Under Armour. "We wondered what Ali would have been like if he had a brand like ours when he was getting started and how great it could have been. That has been the mentality of our design team throughout this process."
Read more: Muhammad Ali, Under Armour join up
In light of Mississippi Republican Gene Alday lawmaker making some comments so racist that his own party quickly distanced itself from him (so you know what he said was messed up), I have taken it upon myself to help my republican friends when it comes to answering questions about African Americans.
Now, I'm not going to tell you to avoid phrases like, "them", "The blacks", "democratic plantation", or "those people". If you follow my advice you wont get into trouble for using any of those dog whistle phrases.
Now pay attention my republican friend. If a reporter ask you a question pertaining to race DO NOT under any circumstances answer it! This reporter is not your friend. He or she knows that you will give an answer based on your limited interactions with African Americans. Not only that he or she knows that most of what you will say will be based on stereotypes and false propaganda that has permeated the Republican Party for years thus setting you up for a spectacular fail.
So what's one to do?
Now if the conversation is over a cell phone make a static like noise, pretend you are losing reception, and hang up. Do not take the follow up call from that dastardly reporter!
So what do you do if confronted by a reporter in person? Don't worry I gotcha.
If a glass of water or some salt is nearby throw these items into the eyes of the reporter to give you time to run away and jump into the first moving vehicle you see. The salt will give you more time for obvious reasons. In there is nothing their to temporarily blind the reporter you can try a diversionary tactic like shouting, "Hey, isn't that Hillary Clinton?". When the reporter pees themselves and turns away you can run for it.
If none of that works then pretend to pass out and remember to keep your eyes closed until your aides and staff can whisk you safely away.
If you follow these steps you will be okay answering questions on race and not insert your foot into your mouth.
Now if you do some dumb sh*t like take your republican ass to London and answer ANY question even I can't help you...LOL.
George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com
Republican Gene Alday, a Mississippi lawmaker made some racist comments to a reporter while discussing education funding in the state.
The former mayor of Walls (population 1,248) said, "I come from a town where all the blacks are getting food stamps and what I call 'welfare crazy checks.' They don't work."
He had to go to the emergency room for pain, he said. "I liked to died. I laid in there for hours because they (blacks) were in there being treated for gunshots."
Both republicans and democrats condemned his comment.
House Democrats, including members of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, held a press conference saying they're concerned Alday's words reflect the general sentiment among GOP leadership. They're calling for a serious discussion with top elected officials to address the issues.
"Maybe it's more prevalent than we realize," said state Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez.
"The racially divisive comments by Rep Gene Alday harken us back to Mississippi of the 1960's," said state Rep. Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, and chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "I hope and pray there is a real vast divide between the way that Mississippians view one another today and the comments that appeared in this article. Other than that, to comment further is simply engaging in divisiveness that helps no one."
State Rep. Chuck Espy, D-Clarksdale, issued a statement saying the House Republican leadership "should take responsibility" for what its members say "including messages that are reprehensible and divisive."
"We should lambaste Alday, and also check those whom allow him the opportunity to speak," Espy said. "… The abhorrent rhetoric is intended to galvanize and old base. However, even those in his district are more sophisticated than to be seduced by suck obsolete vitriol."
Republicans took pains to distance themselves from Alday's remarks. Gov. Phil Bryant issued a statement saying the legislator alone is responsible for his words.
"I strongly reject his comments condemning any Mississippian because of their race," the governor said. "Those day are long past."
Speaker of the House Philip Gunn condemned the remarks and said "they do not reflect the views of the Republican party, nor of the leadership of the House of Representatives."
State Republican Party Chairman Joe Nosef on Monday said "we are very disappointed." But then he accused his Democratic counterpart of hypocrisy for not being as critical of U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson for comments he made last year on radio.
"(Alday's) statements certainly do not reflect the views of the Mississippi Republican Party, its leadership or membership and are absolutely unacceptable," Nosef said.
[SOURCE]
If you are like me you have a great respect for the Tuskegee Airmen. You can make the argument that without them there is no Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, they broke down barriers and showed the true strength and courage of black men. They valiantly fought for a country that they knew would treat them as second class citizens once the war was over, but they did it knowing what it would mean for the Black Community. Their military record and the commendations speak to the heroes that they were. But they are not the only black military heroes we should know of.
There were others such as The Harlem Hellfighters, The Montford Point Marines, Benjamin O. Davis, and The Golden 13. Learn a little more about them through test and video and get links to books about them below.
The Harlem Hellfighters
Read more on the Harlem Hellfighters: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/who-were-the-harlem-hellfighters/
With the beginning of World War II African Americans would get their chance to be in “the toughest outfit going,” the previously all-white Marine Corps. The first recruits reported to Montford Point, a small section of land on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on August 26, 1942. By October only 600 recruits had begun training although the call was for 1,000 for combat in the 51st and 52nd Composite Defense Battalions.
The men of the 51st soon distinguished themselves as the finest artillery gunners in the Marine Corps, breaking almost every accuracy record in training. Unfortunately, discrimination towards African American fighting abilities still existed and when shipped to the Pacific, the 51st and 52nd were posted to outlying islands away from the primary action. The only Montford Marines to see action, and record casualties, were the Ammunition and Depot Companies in Saipan, Guam, and Peleliu. Private Kenneth Tibbs was the first black Marine to lose his life on June 15, 1944.
Read more about the Montford Point Marines here: http://www.montfordpointmarines.com/History.html
Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. was an American United States Air Force general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. He was the first African-American general officer in the United States Air Force.
Read more about Benjamin Davis here: http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/107298/general-benjamin-oliver-davis-jr.aspx
In January 1944 sixteen black enlisted men gathered at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois to begin a cram course that would turn them into the U.S. Navy's first African-American officers on active duty. The men believed they could set back the course of racial justice if they failed and banded together so all would succeed. Despite the demanding pace, all sixteen passed the course. Twelve were commissioned as ensigns and a thirteenth was made a warrant officer. Years later these pioneers came to be known as the Golden Thirteen, but at the outset they were treated more as pariahs than pioneers. Often denied the privileges and respect routinely accorded white naval officers, they were given menial assignments unworthy of their abilities and training. Yet despite this discrimination, these inspirational young men broke new ground and opened the door for generations to come.
Read more about The Golden 13: http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/golden-thirteen-begin-training
[SOURCE] Montford Point Marine Sgt. Hiram L. Knowles was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his honorable service during the Era of World War II on Feb. 7, 2015 at the Mary Woodard Lasker Biomedical Research Building, New York City.
In 2012, Congress authorized the Congressional Gold Medal to be awarded to each of the 20,000 Montford Point Marines or to their families in recognition of the accomplishments and sacrifices made during a time of segregation.
“It’s a great honor for anyone to give their service to our country and knowing what my dad did, was a great gift,” said Jemere Smith, Knowles’ daughter.
Montford Point Marines were the first African-American Marines to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. They got the name because of their segregated training site at Montford Point, North Carolina. Along with family and loved ones in the audience, was Ambassador Theodore Britton Jr., a former Marine who served beside Knowles as a Montford Point Marine.
“We had a great time. He was a lot of fun, (but) he took care of business, and didn’t take any stuff from no one because he knew what he was doing,” said Britton, the honorary Consul General of the Republic of Albania. “I was pleased to serve with him.”
The Montford Point Marine Training Facility was shut down in 1949 after President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces.
“My time in service was very educational; it was like a college education, reading, writing, and learning,” said Britton. “I came out a very well educated person even though I didn’t formally go to school.” Between 1942 and 1949 over 20,000 African-American Marines were trained. Of those, 13,000 served overseas areas including Vietnam, Japan and Guadalcanal.
To date, at least 400 Montford Point Marines have received this honor.
[SOURCE} The Rev. Jesse Jackson once again rallied for the embattled Jackie Robinson West Little League team on Saturday, calling on the community that supported the team to pressure Little League International into returning their national title.
Little League International last week announced it would strip the South Side baseball team of the national championship because the adults running the program tried to steal territory that was home to talented players from neighboring programs by falsifying and backdating maps.
The Rev. Jackson told supporters to send letters to Little League International, and read out the organization’s address in Williamsport.
He said the city should erect a statue in JRW’s honor, and that supporters should create scholarships for the 13 players. “These children are more than champions, they’re heroes,” he said.
“Give our boys their title.”
