James Blake, former tennis star, slammed to ground and handcuffed by NYPD cops

Former tennis great James Blake was slammed to the ground, handcuffed and detained by five plainclothes city cops Wednesday outside his midtown hotel before heading out to the U.S. Open, Blake told the Daily News.

UPDATE: James Blake speaks to local TV station:

The officers, who were all white, mistook Blake for a suspect in an identity theft ring operating around the midtown hotel.

The incident occurred around noon in front of the Grand Hyatt on East 42 St., as Blake, a 35-year-old African-American who attended Harvard before going on tour, was waiting for a car to take him to Flushing Meadows, where he was making corporate appearances for Time-Warner Cable.

"It was definitely scary and definitely crazy," said Blake, who was once ranked No. 4 in the world and was among the most popular U.S. players of his generation. He suffered a cut to his left elbow and bruises to his left leg.

Blake said several other officers rushed up to join the first officer, eventually five cops in all surrounding him. He said he was told he had been identified by two people as someone who had been involved in an identity-theft ring operating in the area for the last week.

After being handcuffed for about 15 minutes, Blake said the last of the five officers realized they had the wrong person and apologized. The first officer who tackled and cuffed him never said anything.

Read more: James Blake, former tennis star, slammed to ground and handcuffed NYPD cops

Colin Powell shows support for #BlackLivesMatter

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Sunday morning that he doesn’t mind the #BlackLivesMatter movement or its slogan, adding that the U.S. has made substantial progress on race issues but still has a long way to go. While showing support for #BlackLivesMatter he also mentioned black on black crime. Watch more of that interview below:

Baltimore reaches $6.4 million settlement with Freddie Gray family

Baltimore officials have reached a $6.4 million wrongful death settlement with the family of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old man who died in April from a neck injury he suffered in police custody, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement.

Baltimore officials could announce details of the proposed settlement as early as Tuesday. Such a deal however, would have to be approved by the city’s Board of Estimates, the governing body that oversees the city’s spending. That group, which includes Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (D), is expected to meet Wednesday.

Read more: Baltimore reaches $6.4 million settlement with Freddie Gray family

Tuskegee airman, WWII hero from N.J., dies at 90

Calvin Spann, a New Jersey native and one of the original Tuskegee airmen, died Sunday at his home in Texas. He was 90.

Spann, who was born Nov. 28, 1924, and grew up in Rutherford, volunteered for the Army Air Corps and was sent to Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1943 to start aviation cadet training. He was sent to Italy as a replacement combat pilot after completing his training.

Lt. Spann flew 26 combat missions over Nazi Germany.

As a fighter pilot, he participated in the longest bomber escort mission in 15th Air Force history: a 1,600-mile, round-trip mission, from Ramitelli, Italy, to Berlin.

Read more: Tuskegee Airman, NJ Native, Dies

Minority winemakers look to change industry's stereotypes

Bertony Faustin didn't set out to be Oregon's first black winemaker. He just wanted to make good wine. But the disbelief that often comes when customers realize a black man owns the winery has worn on him. "People are always surprised. Everybody assumes that ... I am not the winemaker," said the 43-year-old, who four years ago opened Abbey Creek Winery about 20 miles northwest of Portland. "The image of the winemaker is an old white guy. To see that it's a black man, it takes people aback."

The industry's stereotype, Faustin said, is one of status and racial homogeneity — photographs in wine publications feature manicured homes, expensive tasting rooms and white families touting well-bred pedigrees. Yet, more African-Americans and other minorities are increasingly making and drinking fine wine and wine-tasting clubs for African -Americans have proliferated. The shift, many experts say, is making the industry less elitist and attracting a diversity of customers, but comes with its own challenges.

Read more: Minority winemakers look to change industry's stereotypes

POLL: Would you vote for Ben Carson?

While Donald Trump is busy sucking most of the oxygen out of the republican primary race another candidate has quietly came up on his heels. That would be the soft spoken Dr. Ben Carson who has no actual qualifications to be president of ANYTHING, let alone President of the United States.

Some republicans/conservatives feel that Carson can attract a sizable amount of the black vote that other candidates can't. What this is based on other than Carson's race is unknown to me. I guess they feel because they like him black voters should like him not because of his views but because of his inspiring life story and his work as a renowned neurosurgeon. But people are smart enough to separate the gifted doctor from the bumbling candidate. Right now Clarence Thomas might be more popular in the black community than Carson especially after Carson's ridiculous comments comparing Obamacare to slavery. I wont even mention his stupid comments about blacks waiting to get a pat on the head from democratic leaders.

But I do wonder if a sizable number of black voters (meaning more than 3%) may still vote for him. Now why the audience here is diverse it is still mostly African American and votes Democrat so your opinion is important here. So let's tale political affiliation out of it. I would like to know if everything were equal could you under any circumstances vote for Ben Carson to be president of these United States?

Maya Angelou's art collection is headed to NY auction

The art collection of celebrated writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou is heading to a New York City auction this month.

Among the highlights of the Sept. 15 Swann Galleries sale is a painted story quilt that hung in Angelou's Harlem home.

It's a work by African-American artist Faith Ringgold titled "Maya's Quilt of Life." It was commissioned by Oprah Winfrey for Angelou's 69th birthday in 1989.

It depicts Angelou surrounded by flowers and excerpts from some of her writings. It's an acrylic on canvas with pieced fabric border that's expected to bring $150,000 to $250,000.

The nearly 50 works are being offered for sale by Angelou's estate. They're expected to fetch $400,000 to $640,000.

[SOURCE]

Why Fox News must destroy #BlackLivesMatter

Fox News has launched an all out propaganda war against the #BlackLivesMatter Movement. The network is trying to blame the recent deaths of police officers on the movement, and trying to make a case that #BlackLivesMatter is putting officers lives at risk by changing the atmosphere in which cops must now work. Somehow speaking out against BAD cops who kill people is spewing hate against all police officers. Fox News has blamed #BlackLivesMatter for starting a war on cops. There is no proof that is so and even a police chief who made such a statement admitted as much when pressed.

Fox News is spewing this propaganda and trying to make it seem like there is an epidemic of attacks on police although police deaths are down by 13% as compared to last year. US News & World Reports reports:

Shooting deaths of officers are actually down 13 percent compared with the same January-to-September period in 2014. There were 30 shootings last year and 26 this year. Those figures include state and local officers, as well as federal agents. The figures also include two accidental shootings. Suicides are not included.

Fox News has suggested that #BlackLivesMatter is a "murder movement". Network host such as Elisabeth Hasselback have asked why Black Lives Matter is not classified as a hate group. Bill (facts be damned) O'Reilly has said that #BlackLivesMatter is a hate group and declared that he was “going to put them out of business.”

But why has #BlackLivesMatter become such a huge issue for Fox News?

They would have you believe it's because the network is pro-police. That would be bullsh*t. The truth is #BlackLivesMatter is an Achilles heel for republican/conservative candidates that none of them have any answer for. Worse yet for republicans #BlackLivesMatter is making sure that it will be part of the national agenda for the 2016 election season. Any credible candidate will have to dedicate part of their platform to police reforms and that's the last thing conservatives want. If you think Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders had trouble with #BlackLivesMatter just imagine the issues a conservative/republican candidate would have addressing them. Fox News has falsely demonized #BlackLivesMatter to the point where no conservative candidate can be seen as pandering to the movement for fear of upsetting the "base".

But not being able to address police reform issues will hurt the already low percentage of black voters a republican candidate can expect to get. So what's the solution? Send in the Fox News attack dogs and try to misrepresent, demonize, demean, and belittle #BlackLivesMatter to viewers who don't know in and some cases don't care to know any better. This is being done to try to keep #BlackLivesMatter from setting any part of a national platform for the eventual 2016 candidates.

Simply put Fox News attacks on #BlackLivesMatter are purely political and must be fought back against. Fox News can have their own opinions, but they can't have their own facts.

George Cook AfricanAmericanReports georgelcookiii@gmail.com

Democratic National Committee passes resolution supporting Black Lives Matter

The DNC passes a resolution supporting Black Lives Matter at the party's summer meeting. The resolution reads:

“[T]he DNC joins with Americans across the country in affirming ‘Black lives matter’ and the ‘say her name’ efforts to make visible the pain of our fellow and sister Americans as they condemn extrajudicial killings of unarmed African American men, women and children,”

University of Texas Removes Jefferson Davis Statue

A statue of Jefferson Davis was removed from its pedestal Sunday on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, days after a court rejected an appeal from a Confederate heritage group.

Crews were seen removing the statue of the Confederate president from its place near the university's iconic clock tower.

Davis' statue will eventually be displayed in the Briscoe Center history museum on campus, which university officials said is a more appropriate place for it. The Briscoe Center has one of the nation's largest archives on slavery.

Read more: University of Texas Removes Jefferson Davis Statue

Serena chases calendar Slam, history at US Open

World number one Serena Williams feels the pressure of chasing history at the US Open, but she accepts the intensity as the price for dominating a generation of women's tennis.

The 33-year-old American, who captured her first Grand Slam title at the 1999 US Open at age 17, is a huge favorite as she tries to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 by winning her 22nd career major title starting Monday on the New York hardcourts.

"I decided I prefer to have that pressure than the pressure of not winning," Williams said. "Not everyone can handle that pressure, but I'm OK with it. I would rather be in this position than another one."

Read more: Serena chases calendar Slam, history at US Open

Black Catholics look forward to pope, have own issues

Black people have been part of what became the Catholic Church since Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry the cross toward Calvary, but Sheena Turner, 22, says she still gets the question:

"You're Catholic?"

Msgr. Federico A. Britto, pastor of St. Cyprian Church in West Philadelphia, says he gets a different query:

"You're black and a priest?"

What is to some the confounding juxtaposition of black and Catholic represents a persistent image of the Catholic Church as a white institution, and the assumption that if you're black, you're Protestant, said Deacon William Bradley, director of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Black Catholics.

But when Pope Francis visits next month, the region's black Catholics will be among the welcoming faithful, while hoping for more representation, recognition, and greater numbers in a church that has been a spiritual home for centuries.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150829_Black_Catholics_look_forward_to_pope__have_own_issues.html#eYYbRIsTERpMfQQA.99

Donald Trump polling poorly with African American voters.

A delusional Donald Trump believes that African American support him above all other candidates running for president. I guess he thinks everyone has forgotten his part in the racist birther nonsense.

A Quinnipiac poll shows that black voters don't care much for The Donald.

Quinnipiac University released a national poll Thursday showing that while Trump is leading the Republican Party nationally, he is polling poorly with black Americans in the general election.

The poll found:

When asked "Would you say that Donald Trump cares about the needs and problems of people like you or not?" 92% of black people said no.

52% of black people said Trump does not have strong leadership qualities.

73% of black people said Trump is not strong or trustworthy.

79% of black people said they have an unfavorable view of Trump.

Read more: Poll disputes Donald Trump claim on black voter support

Petition: Issue a Commemorative Stamp picturing the NBA Pioneer Earl F. Lloyd

An effort is under way to put Earl F. Lloyd, the NBA's first African-American player, on a U.S. stamp.

The Earl F. Lloyd Foundation started a Change.org petition on Aug. 25 to bring attention to the cause, which was launched about six months after Lloyd died on Feb. 26, 2015.

The petition reads as follows:

On October 31, 1950, Earl Francis Lloyd became the first African-American to play in a NBA basketball game. In 1955 Mr. Lloyd would become the first African-American to win a NBA World Championship. Earl Lloyd would later become the first NBA scout and assistant coach in 1960; and then the first full time NBA bench coach in 1972 with The Detroit Pistons. Earl Lloyd's groundbreaking achievements helped to pave the way for people of color and all minorities, not only in the world of sports but in all aspects of American life!

We are requesting the United States Postal Service, Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to issue a Commemorative Stamp in honor of the late great Earl Francis Lloyd.

The petitioners are looking to get 500 signatures. At the time of this posting there are 352 signatures, I think we can do a lot better than 500 signatures. Click here to support the cause: U.S. Postal Service: Issue a Commemorative Stamp picturing the NBA Pioneer Earl F. Lloyd

MSNBC moves Al Sharpton's Politics Nation to Sunday.

[SOURCE] Reverend Al Sharpton, who has hosted an early-evening program on MSNBC for four years, is moving to a once-a-week perch at the NBCUniversal-owned cable-news network as it seeks to focus more intently on breaking-news coverage and less on partisan viewpoint and opinion.

The last edition of Sharpton’s weekday program, “PoliticsNation,” will air Friday, September 4, according to a memo sent Wednesday evening to MSNBC staffers by network president Phil Griffin. The program will now air on Sundays at 8 a.m., Griffin said.

“I want to congratulate Al and his team. For four years they have done a terrific job bringing his voice and a big spotlight to issues of justice, civil rights and equality,” Griffin said in the memo. “And as many of you know, The Rev never missed a show. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do with a Sunday morning newsmaker program.”

In a tweet Wednesday morning, Sharpton said he was happy to move the program to Sundays. “I am honored with now being a Sunday Morning TV host. Great!!”

PRESIDENT OBAMA TALKS WDBJ SHOOTING

During an interview with a local Philadelphia TV Station, WPVI President Obama discussed the shooting deaths of two news staffers live on air in Virginia.

President Obama: Statement on the Passing of Amelia Boynton Robinson

Amelia Boynton Robinson was a dedicated and courageous leader in the fight for civil rights. For most of her 104 years, Amelia committed herself to a simple, American principle: that everybody deserves the right to vote. Fifty years ago, she marched in Selma, and the quiet heroism of those marchers helped pave the way for the landmark Voting Rights Act. But for the rest of her life, she kept marching – to make sure the law was upheld, and barriers to the polls torn down. And America is so fortunate she did. To honor the legacy of an American hero like Amelia Boynton requires only that we follow her example – that all of us fight to protect everyone’s right to vote. Earlier this year, in Selma, Michelle and I had the honor to walk with Amelia and other foot soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement. She was as strong, as hopeful, and as indomitable of spirit – as quintessentially American – as I’m sure she was that day 50 years ago. And we offer our thoughts, our prayers, and our enduring gratitude to everyone who loved her.

Congressional Black Caucus statement on the passing of Amelia Boynton Robinson

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Aug 26, 2015 — Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) said on the passing of 104-year-old civil rights icon Amelia Boynton Robinson, "Today we mourn the passing of a remarkable citizen, Mrs. Amelia Boynton Robinson, a civil rights activist and one of the leaders of the 1965 Bloody Sunday march of 1965. Often referred to as the matriarch of our country's Civil Rights Movement, Mrs. Boynton Robinson worked tirelessly on the behalf of those who were discriminated against and disenfranchised, and she stood courageously in the fight to ensure voting rights for every citizen in this nation. Mrs. Boynton Robinson was committed to equality until her death and was a champion for African Americans when our voices were not yet heard. Fifty years ago, Mrs. Boynton Robinson walked bravely across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to ensure that all African Americans had equal opportunity and the right to vote. Her walk was not in vain, and we remain forever grateful for her contributions and dedicated service to civil rights in America."

Napa Valley wine train ‘100 percent wrong’ in ejecting black women, says CEO

The chief executive of the Napa Valley wine train has apologized for his staff's 'insensitive' actions after their decision to eject 11 African American women for laughing too loud spurred a wave of criticism on social media.

‘The Napa Valley wine train was 100 percent wrong in its handling of this issue,’ said wine train chief executive Anthony ‘Tony’ Giaccio. The organisation hired crisis management pr consultant Sam Singer to handle the situation

‘We accept full responsibility for our failures and for the chain of events that led to this regrettable treatment of our guests,’ said Giacco, who said he apologised in person to Lisa Johnson, leader of the book club.

The wine train did not comment specifically on accusations of racism. But, Giacco promised that staff would receive diversity training.

Giacco said in a letter to book club members, ‘We were insensitive when we asked you to depart our train by marching you down the aisle past all the other passengers.

‘While that was the safest route for disembarking, it showed a lack of sensitivity on our part that I did not fully conceive of until you explained the humiliation of the experience.’

Read more at Napa Valley wine train ‘100 percent wrong’, says CEO

Scott Walker's policies 'tightening the noose' on black people, Gwen Moore says

[SOURCE] Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore says that Republican Gov. Scott Walker's policies are "tightening the noose, literally, around African-Americans."

Moore made the comment during a conference call Monday to discuss Walker's campaigning for president in South Carolina.

Moore is black and represents Milwaukee in Congress. She says Walker's opposition to raising the minimum wage, requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls, and requiring drug testing for public aid recipients disproportionately hurt African-Americans.

Moore also said Walker's rejection of a high-speed train line between Milwaukee and Madison took away jobs from inner city Milwaukee.

She calls Walker a "stereotypical politician" who will say anything to get elected.

Walker's campaign spokeswoman AshLee Strong had no comment.