6 points Stephen A. Smith should keep in mind when discussing blacks voting republican.

Stephen A. Smith made news for his receding hairline, naw just joking. Mr. Smith made news for his suggestion that in one election African American should vote republican. He believes and probably correctly so that the democrats take the black vote for granted, and they should be made to earn the black vote. No argument with him there. But from I heard Mr. Smith said he was asking African Americans to vote for people that they don't know.

Mr. Smith also stated that, “A vast majority of black Americans look at the Republican Party as the enemy.” He says that democrats have successfully painted republicans as such. That may be true, but I have a few points that Mr. Smith might want to keep in mind.

* If black voters did vote republican the republicans would repay them by enacting policies on education, housing, and healthcare that would be detrimental to many African Americans.

* As an elected official at the local level, I know there is one thing you MUST do if you want someone's vote. ASK FOR IT. Republicans don't come to black communities to ask, so why would anyone vote for them.

* For some reason, republicans still regard outreach to African Americans as "catering to a specific group", although when it comes to Hispanics they think differently.

* Democrats may have painted republicans as the "enemy", but that's the republicans fault for letting someone else paint their narrative and CHOOSING not to be there to refute that narrative.

* Optics. The republicans constantly do things that infuriate African Americans such as with the Loretta Lynch situation, always choosing the police side in the shootings of young black men, voter suppresion, finding new and inventive ways to attack the President of the United States, etc.

* It's not the job of black voters to for even just one election to reach out to the Republican Party, it should be the other way around.

I understand the intended point behind Mr. Smith's suggestion and thinks he has good intentions but I just don't think it's necessary to vote republican to get democrats to step up their game. Maybe African Americans just need to flirt with republicans (yes, I know that means we have to find one in our neighborhoods first but work with me here) I also don't think that Mr. Smith looked at the ramifications of such a vote. Of course that's just my humble opinion.

George L. Cook III, AfricanAmericanReports.com Email Mr. Cook

Read the 2015 State of Black America Report.

CLICK HERE TOREAD THE 2022 STATE OF BLACK AMERICA REPORT

March 19, 2015 (New York, NY) Today, the National Urban League releases its 39th edition of the State of Black America® – “Save Our Cities: Education, Jobs + Justice,” which underscores the urgency of each of these areas in America’s quest for full equality. The world watched throughout 2014 as justice was challenged on every front – from the accountability of law enforcement for misconduct and the continual assault on voting rights, to widening economic gaps and partisan education debates more rooted in political agendas than in putting our children first. Simply put, the state of Black America is in crisis, and the State of Black America® report findings provide a sobering, but necessary, look at critical issues that need to be addressed – now.

As the National Urban League continues to press the case for closing growing divides in economic and education opportunity, this year’s State of Black America® presents the 2015 Equality Index™, one of the most critical and respected quantitative tools for tracking racial equality in America – now in its 11th edition for the Black-White Index and its sixth year for the Hispanic-White Index. For the first time, the Equality Index™ includes a special feature on state-level K-12 education, documenting the extent of Black-White and Hispanic-White achievement gaps in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The State Education Equality Index™ also includes supporting data on factors that contribute to narrowing or widening these gaps, including teacher quality, pre-school and course enrollment, and student status and risk factors such as poverty. For the second year, the Equality Index™ also features rankings of U.S. cities from most-to-least equal via the Black-White Index (70 cities) and Hispanic-White Index (72 cities) – again providing a revealing look at local dynamics beneath national trends.

“The 2015 State of Black America® – ‘Save Our Cities: Education, Jobs + Justice’ – and its corresponding Equality Index™ findings are a clarion call that a more comprehensive, inclusive and on-the-ground recovery is necessary to ensure a healthy future for our nation and that we cannot expect to successfully move forward when we are leaving so many behind,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “Few times in a nation’s history is its collective conscience shocked and awakened across racial, economic, generational and even ideological lines as ours has been over the past year. We are in that moment, and as long as justice is challenged on any front, we will keep pushing on every front.”

Through thought-provoking articles from Morial and a stellar line-up of contributors, the 2015 State of Black America® offers insightful solutions across critical areas including job creation, transportation, education, city revitalization, criminal justice, entrepreneurship and media images. Contributing authors include: Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; Film/Television Producer Debra Martin Chase; Attorney Benjamin Crump; U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx; Gary, IN Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson; NEA President Lily Eskelsen García; Radio One, Inc. President and CEO/TV One Chairman and CEO Alfred Liggins; Sacramento, CA Mayor/U.S. Conference of Mayors President Mayor Kevin Johnson; W.K. Kellogg Foundation President and CEO La June Montgomery Tabron; and “The Three Doctors” (Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. Rameck Hunt and Dr. George Jenkins).

For the first time in its history, the State of Black America® is being presented in an all-digital edition that will offer a multimedia and social experience providing more interaction with readers, enhanced searchability, and year-round updates. The full suite of 2015 State of Black America® offerings includes an e-book, featuring full data sets and analysis for each Equality Index™, full ranking lists, and complete articles; a seven-part Web Series, sponsored by AT&T, that gathers some of the nation’s leading influencers for discussions around the State of Black America® theme, topics and report content; and a new website – www.stateofblackamerica.org – which will serve as the digital hub for visitors to access select data and report findings, the Web Series, press materials, infographics and charts, e-book purchase information, and year-round updates featuring new contributors.

READ THE 2015 STATE OF BLACK AMERICA REPORT-PDF.

Georgia State coach takes funny shot at President Obama after winning NCAA Tournament game

Yesterday Cinderella had her moment when underdog and 14th seeded Georgia State (I'm assuming it's in the state of Georgia, the US one not the Russian one) beat 3rd seeded Baylor 57-56. During the locker room celebration Georgia State coach, Ron Hunter got at President Obama for doing what everyone except maybe Georgia State players and coaches did. That would be picking Baylor to win the game. Check out his funny comments below:

Shouldn't police officers live in the communities they police?

Let me preface this by stating that this not an anti-cop piece and that I believe that by and large most cops are decent people. That being said an article in a local. paper stoked my interest today. The article was about the city of Newark NJ wanting rookie cops to live in the city during the first five years of their employment. The city believes that this would lead to better policing as the cops would better know the community and vice versa. I don't see how it could hurt as far as community relations go.

Newark's police director Eugene Venable made the following statement.

"If they live in the city, they now belong to that neighborhood and are part of the city. They are not just coming in from other towns," he said. "There's an allegiance to the community they serve which involves more than just collecting a paycheck."

The police union is of course against this proposed change. Many simply don't want to live in Newark. Now if I were cynical I would worry about a police force that doesn't want to live in a town/city they police if they are, as they claim doing a good job cleaning up crime. I expected the usual argument about how such a policy would effect recruitment but one argument against such a policy surprised me.

In the article Fraternal Order Police president James Stewart made the following statement as a reason why such a policy should not be established.

"You talk about the community. Right now the community hates us. Everything you see on social media. Everything you see in the media. The community hates the police," Stewart told the state Assembly Judiciary Committee. "And you want to put us right in the middle of that with our families? I think it's outrageous."

Now there may be good reasons to be against a residency requirement but I don't think that is one. I wish someone could have questioned Stewart as to why the community hates them so much and what the police are doing about that, but it was not the time or place for that. I was just wondering what cops are doing to people that they would be scared to live around those same people?

Now I think cops should live in the communities they police so they have more skin in the game. What do you think?

Does Fox's 'Empire' Break Or Bolster Black Stereotypes?

As its freshman season ends Wednesday night, Fox's hip-hop family drama Empire has emerged as that rarest of birds in the broadcast TV industry: a show where the viewership is always going up.

When the series debuted Jan. 7, it drew a respectable 9.8 million viewers, according to the Nielsen company. But then the show about a family-run music empire achieved something few others have ever managed: It increased its audience every week, growing to 14.9 million viewers on March 4.

Anchored by powerful performances from Oscar nominees Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, Empire features unapologetically black characters operating in a mostly black world. So it shouldn't be surprising that, among the show's average 11.6 million viewers per week, Nielsen says 7.5 million of them are African-American.

But that's where the other controversy about Empire emerges. Because some critics say the show has earned its success by trafficking in "badly written dialogue and ham-fisted stereotypes."

Pundit Boyce Watkins denounced the "ghetto-fied hood drama" as "coonery" he refused to support. One commentary on GlobalSocial Media News Service asked, "Do we need to go back to the times when 'pimps, whores, drug dealers and gangsters' were glorified?"

Still, much as I like to call out stereotyping in media, I think these critics are off base. Empire is much more than a collection of horrifying black stereotypes, and it moves further away from such narrow characterizations with every episode.

To understand why this is so, you have to look at how stereotypes are typically deployed in today's TV shows and how Empire plays with them — along with other nonwhite-centered series such as ABC's Fresh Off the Boat and Black-ish.

The biggest backlash centers on Henson's character, Cookie Lyon, an in-your-face matriarch who spent 17 years in prison. She took the rap for a drug deal gone bad so that her husband, Howard's drug dealer-turned-hip-hop mogul named Lucious Lyon, could build his career and their company, Empire Entertainment.

For some, Cookie is the embodiment of all the stereotypes black women face on TV. Dressed flamboyantly with floor-length furs, color-coded nails and eyelashes big as manhole covers, she's quick to anger and ready to throw down at a moment's notice — beating her youngest adult son with a broom when he disrespects her, while lovingly using the three-letter F-word to refer to her gay son.

Read more here: Does Fox's 'Empire' Break Or Bolster Black Stereotypes?

Hampton beats Manhattan to win opening round NCAA Tournament game.

16th seeded MEAC champion Hampton and 16th seeded MAAC champions Manhattan played in the first game of the NCAA Tournament (the play-in game or a First Four game if you prefer) with Hampton coming out on top 74-64.

The Hampton Pirates were led by senior Quinton Chievous who scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Junior Reginald Johnson chipped in with 15 points.

With the win Hampton moves to 17-17 and gets to play the #1 overall seeded Kentucky Wildcats March 19 in the next round. This is Hampton's second ever win in the NCAA Tournament. They had better enjoy it because they want be getting that third win against Kentucky.

Some black leaders say Lynch's race playing role in nomination delay

Loretta Lynch's nearly stalled attorney general nomination is becoming rallying cry for liberals who say Republicans are purposefully delaying a vote.

Some black leaders suggested Tuesday Lynch's race could be playing a role in the delay of her confirmation.

President Barack Obama nominated Lynch, who would be the first African-American woman to lead the Justice Department, in November.

"Never ever did we expect that it would take four months in order to get this done. So then one must wonder, what are the reasons? I think race certainly can be considered as a major factor in the reason for this delay, but it's also the irrationality of the new Republicans," said Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-North Carolina, head of the Congressional Black Caucus, on a conference call Tuesday. Butterfield said the GOP has been influenced by its "extreme Tea Party right wing."

Read more: Some black leaders say Lynch's race playing role in delay

Parents’ racism keeps little girl from birthday party

Racism wont die because of parents like this. A young white girl wrote her friend a letter explaining her parents wouldn't let her go to her friends birthday party because she’s black. Because of this a little child was put in the position of actually having to write in that same letter that she is not racist. The sad part is that her parents are probably always crying about African Americans playing the race card and also denying that racism even exist. SMH.

50 years later, Selma has yet to overcome

50 years ago a march in Selma, Ala. changed the course of history.

But since then the people of Selma have been forgotten.

60 percent of the children in Selma live under the poverty line. That figure is 20 percent in La Crosse.

The unemployment rate is double the national average at 13.8 percent, more than double La Crosse's unemployment rate.

The public high school is 99 percent African American while the private K-12 school, Morgan Academy is almost entirely white.

Just under 20,000 live in Selma, yet the murder rate is 5 times the national average.

Read more: 50 years later, Selma has yet to overcome

Suspect Arrested in Connection with Ferguson Cop Shooting

[SOURCE] Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting of two officers in Ferguson last week, St. Louis County Police announced Sunday afternoon. The suspect’s name is Jeffrey Williams, 20. Williams has admitted to firing the shots that struck the police officers, though authorities said it was unclear whether he was aiming for the officers. Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said that Williams had fired from a car, possibly as part of a dispute with other people, though he said that there was as of yet no confirmation of the existence of the separate dispute. Williams’ weapon was recovered and matched the shell casings found at the scene.

Sen. McConnell holding vote on Loretta Lynch confirmation hostage.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on CNN's State of the Union that he would put off any consideration of Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch to force a vote on a human trafficking bill that Democrats will likely reject over an abortion provision. In essence he is holding voting on her confirmation hostage until Democrats meet his demands. Watch his comments below:

Philadelphia police renaming valor medal for slain officer, Robert Wilson III

In his final, courageous moments, Officer Robert Wilson III took on two armed robbers and gave his life to save those around him — an act so noble that Philadelphia's police department will rename its valor medal in his honor, police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said Saturday.

Ramsey recounted Wilson's heroism during the slain officer's funeral, telling thousands of mourners it was the greatest act of bravery he has seen in his 46-year law enforcement career.

"Robert redefined what valor means, in my mind," Ramsey said.

Read more: Philadelphia police renaming valor medal for slain officer

The Texas Southern Tigers are going to the NCAA Tournament!

The Texas Southern Tigers had locked up the SWAC Tournament title and are headed to the NCAA Tournament. Although they won the championship game over Southern University 62-58 they were already champions once they made the championship game, since Southern was ineligible for the NCAA's for academic reasons.

Texas Southern was led by Malcolm Riley who scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds. Madarious Gibbs added 12 points.

This makes back to back NCAA tournaments for the Tigers. Congratulations to TSU and good lick in the NCAA Tournament.

The Hampton Pirates are going to the Big Dance!

The 16-17 Hampton Pirates completed an improbable tournament run as a 6 seed to the MEAC title by defeating Delaware State 82-61 in the MEAC Championship Game. With the victory Hampton earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The Pirates were led by Junior guard Deron Powers and guard Brian Darden who scored 20 points apiece. Deron Powers was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

This is Hampton's fifth MEAC Tournament title. Congratulations Pirates and good luck in the NCAA Tournament.

Please Give & Help: The Love for Ashley Surgery Fund

A little girl Ashley is suffering from a Pseudomonas infection. Pseudomonas infections can make one very sick if they spread through the bloodstream. A serious infection can cause symptoms of high fever, chills, confusion, and shock. Unfortunately as in Ashley's case it can spread throughout the body. She is receiving treatment, but mounting medical expenses are draining the family financially. the family is trying to raise $6,000 to cover medical cost is is just about $1,500 away from that goal. Please help them reach it! George Cook African American Reports.

GIVE HERE: http://www.gofundme.com/mt6j10

This is a story about my dear friend Louner and his precious daughter Ashley.

On October 21, 2009 a perfect little girl was born. With ten little fingers, ten little toes, and her health in hand, Ashley’s parents were proud of God’s gift. But, 4 months later a “pimple” developed on Ashley’s nose. Her parents took Ashley to the hospital and were given the heart breaking news that the “pimple” on her nose was Pseudomonas.

Pseudomonas is a bacteria that can be found soil, water, and plants. Usually, the bacteria do not cause infection in healthy people. However, this organism will cause a disease when a person’s immune system is already impaired. Pseudomonas infections can make one very sick if they spread through the bloodstream. A serious infection can cause symptoms of high fever, chills, confusion, and shock. For patients who are already very ill, they can die from the Pseudomonas infection.

Antibiotics are currently being used to treat the Ashley’s symptoms to stop the spread of infections to other parts of her body, but are becoming too expensive for her family. Her parents are doing the best they can as they are struggling financially to afford Ashley’s care. Moreover, because of Ashley’s condition, surgery is needed to remove the infected tissue and stop the spread of the bacteria to other parts of her face and body.

Please help support Ashely so she her family can afford the surgery she desperately needs and give Ashley a chance to live her life dreams.

Together, through prayers and donations we can help change Ashley’s future. As a giving community “We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.” Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

***ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE HOSPITAL THAT IS PROVIDING ASHLEY'S CARE****

GIVE HERE: http://www.gofundme.com/mt6j10

B. Smith Alzheimer's PSA

Iconic model, restaurateur and effervescent host of the popular TV show "B. Smith with Style" B Smith is currently fighting Alzheimer's, but has still taken the time to do a PSA to warn others about the disease.

Her mission is to get more people, especially minorities, to help with research and to sign up for clinical trials. She's taped a public service announcement with the Brain Health Registry, urging people to go to its website to take cognitive tests and maybe sign up for a clinical trial.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

NYPD edits Wikapedia pages dealing with NY police killings of black men.

Revisions to Wikipedia entries about black men killed by New York City police officials came from computers in the department's headquarters, a new report reveals.

Users at 1 Police Plaza edited articles on Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, and other police controversies in what appears to be an attempt to downplay police accountability in each incident, according to Capital New York.

Capital traced the edits using Internet Protocol addresses, or IP addresses, linked to 1 Police Plaza, the NYPD's headquarters.

Some of the changes made in the case of the Eric Garner page were:

● “Garner raised both his arms in the air” was changed to “Garner flailed his arms about as he spoke.”

● “[P]ush Garner's face into the sidewalk” was changed to “push Garner's head down into the sidewalk.”

● “Use of the chokehold has been prohibited” was changed to “Use of the chokehold is legal, but has been prohibited.”

● The sentence, “Garner, who was considerably larger than any of the officers, continued to struggle with them,” was added to the description of the incident.

● Instances of the word “chokehold” were replaced twice, once to “chokehold or headlock,” and once to “respiratory distress.”

Read more: Wikipedia Edits To Pages On New York Police Killings Traced To NYPD Headquarters: Report

Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading, and Succeeding

Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading, and Succeeding
Ben Jealous (Editor), Trabian Shorters (Editor), Russell Simmons (Foreword)

In this timely and important collection of personal essays, black men from all walks of life share their inspiring stories and ultimately how each, in his own way, became a source of hope for his community and country.

Reach includes forty first-person accounts from well-known men like the Rev. Al Sharpton, John Legend, Isiah Thomas, Bill T. Jones, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Talib Kweli, alongside influential community organizers, businessmen, religious leaders, philanthropists, and educators. These remarkable individuals are living proof that black men are as committed as ever to ensuring a better world for themselves and for others.

Powerful and indispensable to our ongoing cultural dialogue, Reach explodes myths about black men by providing rare, candid, and deeply personal insights into their lives. It’s a blueprint for better community engagement. It’s an essential resource for communities everywhere.

Proceeds from the sale of Reach will go to BMe Community, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building caring and prosperous communities inspired by black men. Reach is also a Project of the Kapor Center for Social Impact, one of the founding supporters of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative.

BUY THE BOOK

Paperback--------------------Kindle

Attorney General Holder Statement on the Overnight Shooting of Two Officers in Ferguson, Missouri

Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement Thursday on the overnight shooting of two officers in Ferguson, Missouri:

“This heinous assault on two brave law enforcement officers was inexcusable and repugnant. I condemn violence against any public safety officials in the strongest terms, and the Department of Justice will never accept any threats or violence directed at those who serve and protect our communities—from this cowardly action, to the killing of an officer in Philadelphia last week while he was buying a game for his son, to the tragic loss of a Deputy U.S. Marshal in the line of duty in Louisiana earlier this week. Such senseless acts of violence threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months. We wish these injured officers a full and speedy recovery. We stand ready to offer any possible aid to an investigation into this incident, including the department's full range of investigative resources. And we will continue to stand unequivocally against all acts of violence against cops whenever and wherever they occur.”

Historically black schools say Obama’s policies have fallen short

The country’s first African American president is finding himself increasingly at odds with a cornerstone of the African American community: historically black colleges and universities.

Leaders at these schools and some black lawmakers say the Obama administration has been pushing policies for years that hurt students at a time when historically black colleges are already cash-strapped and seeing a drop in enrollment.

Tensions spilled over after a recent Congressional Black Caucus meeting with Obama and Vice President Biden in which the president said that historically black schools, also known as HBCUs, needed to do a better job graduating students and not saddling them with debt, according to several people at the meeting. Some Black Caucus members bristled at those remarks since they say the president didn’t acknowledge that his own administration was also pursuing policies that advocates say are hurting the schools.

“The president thinks that HBCUs — and there may in fact be some — are failing our students,” said Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio), who was in attendance. “But there needs to be an open dialogue about higher education and why HBCUs have historically gotten short shrift when it comes to resources and recognition.”

Read more: Historically black schools say Obama’s policies have fallen short