Black women who boosted Obama are sticking with Clinton

From the pulpit of an African-American church in Detroit not long ago, Bishop Corletta Vaughn offered a rousing endorsement of Hillary Clinton that went far beyond politics.

With a smiling Clinton sitting a few feet away in the purple-walled Holy Ghost Cathedral, Vaughn said she had seen Clinton "take a licking and keep on ticking." Alluding to Bill Clinton's past infidelity, she added: "I'm not talking about politically. I'm talking about as a wife and a mother. That's when I said: I love that woman. She taught so many of us as women how to stand in the face of adversity."

During a primary season in which she has faced surprisingly strong competition and been bombarded with criticism of her trustworthiness, Clinton has maintained a strong bond with one significant bloc of Democratic Party voters. Black women, part of President Barack Obama's winning coalition in 2008 and 2012, have locked arms behind Clinton, hailing her as a Democratic standard-bearer, survivor and friend.

Black women who boosted Obama are sticking with Clinton

House ethics panel opens probe into Fla. Rep. Corrine Brown

The House Ethics Committee has officially opened an investigation into Florida Democrat Corrine Brown over a number of allegations, including "fraudulent activity" with an unnamed organization.

The committee will defer to the Justice Department and not actively pursue the probe because of the federal investigation.

The panel also is aware of allegations that Brown may have improperly solicited charitable donations, used campaign money for personal use, and failed to comply with tax laws.

Read more: House ethics panel opens probe into Fla. Rep. Corrine Brown

Nate Parker Creates Film and Drama School at HBCU

On Sunday (March 20), Parker announced the Nate Parker School of Film and Drama, which will launch this fall at Wiley College, an historically Black college or university (HBCU).

“If I can create a pipeline toward filmmaking physically through developing the college, having filmmakers be nurtured and cultivated here, and then having somewhere for them to go with respect for them actually being able to engage in filmmaking here in East Texas, then it kind of serves multiple purposes,” Parker told local station KLTV. “You control the moving picture, you control the masses. So really getting them rallied around the idea of reclaiming the narrative of America, specifically through the eyes of people of color.”

Though classes won’t officially start until this fall, the school will host a nine-day summer institute with about 30 high school and college students. Parker has also joined the college’s board of trustees, and local station KLTV reports that he even used the Marshall, Texas, institution’s a capella choir on the soundtrack for his Sundance recordbreaking film “The Birth of a Nation.”

[SOURCE]

DA recomends house arrest for Peter Liang in Akai Gurley death

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson is recommending no jail time and six months house arrest for former NYPD officer Peter Liang in the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley.

Task Force: Michigan state officials accountable in Flint water crisis

A task force appointed by Michigan’s governor said on Wednesday state officials showed stubbornness, lack of preparation, delay and inaction in failing to prevent a health crisis in the city of Flint caused by lead contamination in the drinking water.

There were failures on all levels of government, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a report from the task force said. However, the report highlighted failures of state agencies, especially the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and said the state was "fundamentally accountable" for what happened.

"It was a mixture of ignorance, incompetence and arrogance by many decision makers that created the toxic and tragic situation," Chris Kolb, task force co-chair and president of the Michigan Environmental Council, a coalition of non-profit groups, said at a press conference in Flint.

Read more: Michigan state officials accountable in Flint water crisis: inquiry

Black Congresswomen form Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls.

Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ)

Today, Congresswomen Robin Kelly (IL-02), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), announced the creation of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, the first caucus devoted to public policy that eliminates the significant barriers and disparities experienced by Black women.

Despite more than 430 registered congressional caucuses and Member organizations, no group on Capitol Hill has sought to make Black women and girls a priority in the policy debates that occur here. The Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls will fill that gap, and provide the same attention for women that President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative has given to Black men and boys.

Read more: Reps. Kelly, Watson Coleman, Clarke Announce Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls

Tips on Identifying Suicide Risk In Black Youth

Suicide is a serious mental health concern. It often occurs along with symptoms of depression which can be treated with therapy. However, many are reluctant to seek professional help for mental health issues, especially in the Black community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is the third leading cause of death among Black youth. Therefore, it is important that we identify risk early to prevent actual suicide attempts.

Read more: Tips on Identifying Suicide Risk In Black Youth

Black artist, Norman Lewis and his work finally getting their due

35 years after his death the work of Norman Lewis, an African American artist is enjoying a critical reappraisal after racism cost him the recognition he should have received. His works which may have sold for $20,000 when he was alive are now going for anywhere between $250,000 and $800,000. Learn more about the man and his art below.

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Check out NJ Senator Cory Booker's new book, UNITED

In United, Cory Booker draws on personal experience to issue a stirring call to reorient our nation and our politics around the principles of compassion and solidarity. He speaks of rising above despair to engage with hope, pursuing our shared mission, and embracing our common destiny.

Here is his account of his own political education, the moments—some entertaining, some heartbreaking, all of them enlightening—that have shaped his civic vision. Here are the lessons Booker learned from the remarkable people who inspired him to serve, men and women whose example fueled his desire to create opportunities for others. Here also are his observations on the issues he cares about most deeply, from race and crime and the crisis of mass incarceration to economic and environmental justice.

Hardcover_---------- Kindle Edition

Luke Cage teaser trailer.

Check out this teaser trailer for the upcoming Netflix/Marvel series, Luke cage. The series stars Mike Colter as the titular character and is set to premier on September 30, 2016.

VIDEO: Congressional hearings on Flint water Crisis

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder called the water crisis in Flint a "failure of government at all levels" during his testimony at a hearing before Congress on Thursday. The people of Flint, including more than 8,000 children, were exposed to lead for more than a year before the tap water contamination was uncovered by citizen activists. Watch the full hearing with Gov. Snyder below.

Deputies suspended for 'failures to act' at Trump rally where protester punched

Five sheriff's deputies in North Carolina have been suspended without pay following a Donald Trump rally where an African American protester was sucker-punched as he was being escorted out, the Cumberland County Sheriff said Wednesday.

The March 9 rally in Fayetteville, N.C., was caught on videos that showed a Trump supporter assaulting an anti-Trump protester, who was then detained by numerous uniformed men.

"The actions of the deputies and their failures to act in situations such as that which occurred during the Trump rally at the Crown Coliseum have never been and will not ever be tolerated under the policies of this office," Sheriff Earl Butler said in a statement.

Read more: Deputies suspended for 'failures to act' at Trump rally where protester punched

Black women's groups feel jilted by Obama with Supreme Court pick

Black women's groups said Wednesday they feel President Barack Obama jilted them by choosing someone other than a black woman as his newest nominee for the Supreme Court.

Obama chose federal appeals court Chief Judge Merrick Garland, a white man, to replace deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Garland is the third Supreme Court nominee of Obama's presidency.

"The fact that he would once again look over black women for this specific appointment is an absolute slap in the face to his top supporters," said Avis A. Jones-DeWeever, founder of the Exceptional Leadership Institute for Women.

Minority voters have been the most devoted supporters of Obama's two presidential campaigns. Black women, in particular, had the highest turnout among all racial and ethnic groups in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, and they had hoped Obama would nominate a black woman to the high court.

Besides Garland, Obama's short list included federal appeals court judges Paul Watford, who is black, and Sri Srinivasan, who would have been the court's first Asian-American and the first Hindu.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama selected Garland "for one reason and one reason only, and that is simply that he believes that Chief Judge Garland is the best person in America to do that job."

But many may be disappointed Obama did not choose a "judge who can add to diversity on a court that still fails to represent the richness we see in our communities," said Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center.

Read more: Black women feel jilted by Obama with Supreme Court pick 

Bernie Sanders supporters and the "Snakes on a Plane" fanboy comparison

Right now some of you are wondering what a movie titled Snakes on a Plane has to do with Bernie Sanders and his campaign. Well the comparison between Sanders' supporters and Snakes on a Plane fanboys is not as crazy as you think. Listen to me explain below. George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com.

Bernie Sanders supporters and the "Snakes on a Plane" fanboy comparisonRight now some of you are wondering what a...

Posted by George L. Cook III on Wednesday, March 16, 2016

East Orange NJ principal works 43 years at the same school.

Henry Hamilton had a pretty good idea of what the answer would be when he drove to the pension office in Trenton three years ago.

He could earn more money if he retired, but Hamilton had a greater reason to keep working than collecting a sweet benefit package.

Nothing could make him trade in his love for teaching children or being a principal for 43 years at an East Orange middle school.

"They (pension office workers) were looking at me like I was crazy,'' Hamilton said

He didn't flinch then, and he's not budging now. Hamilton just keeps moving the the retirement needle forward as he continues leading Whitney E. Houston Academy, a top kindergarten-through-eighth-grade school in the district.

Talk about finding your passion. He's 77 years old and could have hung up his school bell at 62.  But money isn't everything for this principal. His students and staff are.

Read more: East Orange principal chooses students over retirement

Melissa Harris-Perry on Leaving Her MSNBC Show

Many of us may have read Melissa Harris Perry's statement as to why she left her MSNBC show. Now watch her discuss what happened publicly for the first time on ABC's The View.

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Surprise, black voters not voting for Trump

Before the Republican presidential primaries began, Donald Trump insisted that “I am going to do great with the African Americans…. The African Americans love me.”

Now that we are in Mid-March of 2016, there have been multiple states holding “open primaries” — primaries in which a person of any party may choose in which primary they will participate: Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia.

This means that, if Donald Trump is right when he says “The African Americans love me,” black Americans will have departed the Democratic Party in droves in each state with open primaries to vote for the man they love so much: Donald Trump.

Did they? Let’s check American Community Survey and CNN exit poll data to find out.

Read more: In Open Primary After Open Primary, the Supposed Wave of Black Support for Donald Trump Fails to Appear

Two girls make history on Detroit high school's debate team

Tamara Morrison and Tiera Colvin are members of the debate team at University Preparatory Academy in Detroit. They are the first team of women from Detroit to receive a bid to the Tournament of Champions. It's basically the Super Bowl of the high school debate world. Watch their inspiring story below.

Southern wins SWAC championship: Advances to NCAA Tournament

The Southern Jaguars defeated the Jackson State Tigers 54-53 in a thrilling finish to win the SWAC championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament. The coach's son, Trelun Banks, scored a game-high 19 points for the Jaguars.

Hampton headed back to NCAA Tournament.

Led by Brain Darden's with 22 points, and Reginald Johnson Jr's 21 points, the Hampton pirates defeated South Carolina State and is the MEAC champion once again. . The Hampton Pirates are now headed to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Congrats to the Hampton Pirates on their tournament berth, and to South Carolina State Bulldogs for a great season.