Ferguson Missouri is still recovering from last year's riots over the death of Michael Brown. Along West Florissant Ave., there are some empty lots where once thriving businesses were located. Several building in the business districts were destroyed, nearly all have been demolished and most are being rebuilt. Listen to this story below.
A federal appeals court Wednesday struck down a voter ID law in Texas, saying it violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act. A 5th Circuit three-judge panel ruled unanimously that the law does not equate to a "poll tax" but does discriminate against minority voters.
The 2011 law, considered one of the toughest in the country, was in effect during the midterm elections last year. It was one of a handful of voter ID laws enacted in Republican-governed states. The Texas law required voters to provide certain forms of identification before they could cast a ballot.
Read more: Federal Appeals Court Tosses Out Texas Voter ID Law
A majority of blacks in the United States -- more than 3 out of 5 -- say they or a family member have personal experience with being treated unfairly by the police, and their race is the reason.
Half of African-American respondents, including 6 in 10 black men, said they personally had been treated unfairly by police because of their race, compared with 3 percent of whites. Another 15 percent said they knew of a family member who had been treated unfairly by the police because of their race.
This information, from a survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, comes as the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, approaches its first anniversary and the nation continues to grapple with police-related deaths of black Americans.
Read more: Half of blacks say police have treated them unfairly
Sony Pictures released a schedule of upcoming releases and that schedule includes two new Bad Boys sequels.
“Bad Boys 3″ is set for Feb. 17, 2017, with “Bad Boys 4″ slated to bow July 3, 2019. The first two pics starred Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, though it’s unknown whether those two actors are on board for the next two movies.
The Camden County (NJ) Police Department is looking for a missing 16-year-old from Centerville.
Shaynia Wilkerson was reported missing today from the 600 block of Woodland Avenue. She is described as a black female, 5’2”, 125 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing black tights, sandals and a black jacket with lace. She has been reported missing previously and was last seen on the 1800 block of E. Allegheny Avenue in Philadelphia.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the CCPD tip line at (856) 757-7042.
One of the two other University of Cincinnati officers that responded to the Sam DuBose shooting is clearly heard on a body cam video saying that he saw shooter Ray Tensing being dragged. While he said that at the scene, it's not the story he or the other cop told in their official statements or during interviews with the Cincinnati Police Department.
[SOURCE] County Prosecutor Joe Deters says Kidd and Lindenschmidt arrived as Tensing reached into DuBose's car. Their official statements about what happened matched what was shown on Tensing's body camera, and neither officer said in official interviews that he saw Tensing being dragged, according to Deters.
Both officers made comments at the scene but later were interviewed in depth by Cincinnati police about what they had witnessed, according to Deters.
"These officers have been truthful and honest about what happened and no charges are warranted," Deters said.
DuBose's family had asked prosecutors to investigate the other officers. The family's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said in email Friday that they are "still concerned with the initial rendition of facts given by the officers," but he said the family respects the grand jury's decision.
Camden County Police are searching for a missing 15-year-old girl from North Camden who was reported missing late Wednesday night.
Christine Dallas was last seen at her home on Elm Street with a maroon book bag and New Balance sneakers.
Police describe Dallas as 5 foot 5 inches, weighing 120 pounds, and has brown eyes and black hair.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is requested to immediately call the Camden County Police Department tip line at 856-757-7042.
A mid-level appeals court has upheld a decision to withhold the grand jury minutes in the case against a cop initially charged in Eric Garner’s chokehold death.
The NAACP, New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Aid Society and Public Advocate Letitia James — which appealed an earlier Supreme Court decision to keep the records secret — failed to prove there was a “compelling and particularized need for disclosure,” the four Second Department judges wrote in court papers.
“The Supreme Court properly determined that the public interest in disclosure was outweighed by the dangers inherent in violating the secrecy of the grand jury proceeding,” the appellate judges wrote.
Read more: Eric Garner grand jury records kept secret by appeals court
UC police officer Ray Tensing's body camera video clearly shows that he committed "murder" when he shot and killed an unarmed black motorist at a traffic stop, prosecutor Joe Deters said Wednesday.
The shocking video shows Tensing grab the outside door latch on 43-year-old Sam DuBose's car after DuBose couldn't produce a driver's license.
The police killings of unarmed black men like Eric Garner, Michael Brown and, most recently, Sam Dubose at a July 19 traffic stop at the University of Cincinnati, have enraged many and baffled more. Why did Cleveland police shoot and kill 12-year-old Tamir Rice last year? How did self-styled block watch patrolman George Zimmerman decide to shoot and kill teenager Trayvon Martin, who was armed with nothing but a bag of candy on that night in 2012? These outrages have caused demonstrations, urban unrest, more violence and a larger sense that something has gone wrong in the nation’s race relations.
Besides outright racism, what motivates the overreaction of law-enforcement and vigilantes who have left these men dead?
A social psychologist at Wellesley College who studies diversity and friendship, Angela Bahns, has recently completed research that helps to explain part of the puzzle: It shows that people can imagine a sense of threat — a threat serious enough to justify violence — even with no real evidence besides their own stereotypes. And the stereotypes, the research suggests, are the root causes of the violence.
Prejudice makes us see innocent people as threats, study says
Georgia pastor E. Dewey Smith said that religious people who are critical of the LGBT community and the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage are "hypocritical" in a videotaped sermon that was posted Thursday. Watch his statement below.
Watch the First national Movement for Black Lives Convention taking place in Cleveland, OH. July 24-26, 2015.
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
More than 1,000 civil rights activists from across the country are expected to gather in Cleveland this weekend for the first ever Movement for Black Lives Convening.
The conference, which takes place from Friday to Sunday at Cleveland State University, will bring together leaders from Million Hoodies Movement for Justice, Ferguson Action and Cleveland Action to discuss next steps in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Read more: Hundreds of Activists Travel to Cleveland for Black Lives Matter Convention
WWE Superstar Mark Henry has issued a statement regarding the racist comments made by Hulk Hogan that were posted online on Friday morning:
"Unfortunately, I'm getting hounded today by media regarding my thoughts and experiences with Hulk Hogan. I'd prefer not to be thrust into this, but as the requests have been significant I feel I have a responsibility to make a statement of some sort. At a minimum to ease my personal burden regarding this topic.
We all know that we have history as it relates to the company, me and this unfortunate subject matter of racial slurs and prejudices. I don't want to and will not re-hash that, but I do want people to know that I do not condone racist behavior or speech of any manner. Again, I do not plan to speak on what happened in the past, but I would like to offer this statement about the current situation and events that hit the news today.
I'm disappointed in the comments made by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan). I've known Terry a very long time as both a work colleague and as someone I consider a friend. I'm hurt and offended that he expressed his feelings in the manner and tone that was presented on the tape. I am however, pleased that WWE took swift action in response to his comments and I support the position the organization is taking on this matter: a no tolerance approach to racism."
Andre Anderson says his main task will be to restore trust between Ferguson's predominantly black populace and the Missouri city's mostly white police force.
Anderson, the city's first African-American head of police, believes he's the right man for the job.
Ferguson officials on Wednesday introduced Anderson as the city's latest interim police chief. He will take at least a six-month leave of absence from his commander post with police in Glendale, Arizona, to tackle a department put in the national spotlight by last August's shooting of teenager Michael Brown.
Anderson told reporters his first priority would be "simply to build trust" and enhance the city's recent efforts to get officers to develop positive relationships with people in the areas they patrol.
Read more: Ferguson hires black interim police chief
Before her death in a Texas jail under mysterious circumstances, Sandra Bland made a video discussing Black Lives Matter. Check out her thoughts on Black Lives Matter below.
When Paulette Still left a career in banking to open Posy Flower Design and Event Decor, she expected to sacrifice a steady and hefty paycheck for the chance to be her own boss. She didn't expect the number of people who would challenge her entrepreneurship based strictly on her race.
After the doors of her storefront opened in 2010, a doctor buying flowers for his wife informed her that she couldn't be the owner because black people in Pittsburgh “owned wig stores and cleaning businesses.” When she switched to appointment-only hours, customers would book appointments based on the strength of her work featured online only to “turn on their heels” after seeing her in person.
“I had someone say, ‘You should have your picture on the website,'” she said. “I showed you my flowers and my work and you were excited but you met me and you weren't excited anymore.”
According to 2006 Census figures, black-owned businesses nationally have average annual sales of $74,018, compared to $439,579 in sales for white-owned firms. Black-owned businesses received 1.7 percent of $23.09 billion in Small Business Administration loans in the 2013 fiscal year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Read more; Racism stings at black-owned businesses
President Obama honored a very special veteran Friday: 110-year-old Emma Didlake.
A resident of Detroit, Didlake is believed to be the nation's oldest veteran.
"We are so grateful that she is here with us today," Obama during a brief Oval Office photo opportunity.
He added: "And it's a great reminder of not only the sacrifices that the Greatest Generation made on our behalf, but also the kind of trailblazing that our women veterans made, (and) African American veterans who helped to integrate our Armed Services."
Didlake "was a Private during the course of her service and her decorations include the Women's Army Corps Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal," the White House said in a statement.
"It's a great honor to have her here," the president said.
Read more: Obama honors nation's oldest veteran
A trooper who pulled over and later arrested a woman found dead in her jail cell was put on desk duty Friday for violating procedures, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
Sandra Bland, 28, was arrested July 10, and after spending the weekend in the Waller County jail, she was found hanged in her cell Monday. Harris County's medical examiner said the death was a suicide, but Bland's family disputes the finding.
The FBI has joined the Texas Rangers in investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. The state Public Safety Department and Waller County district attorney have requested that the FBI conduct a forensic analysis on video footage from the incident.
In arresting Bland, the trooper "violated the department's procedures regarding traffic stops and the department's courtesy policy," state public safety officials said Friday without specifying what procedures the trooper, whose name has not been released, had violated.
Read more: Texas: Trooper in traffic stop violated policy
5 time Wimbledon champ Serena Williams is taking some time off due to an elbow injury. She released the following statement on her Facebook Page.
As much fun as we have been having the past 8 or so weeks I have to take some time to let my elbow heal. I am confident...
Posted by Serena Williams on Saturday, July 18, 2015
