Maurice Ashley: Chess' 1st African-American Grandmaster Enters Hall of Fame

Maurice Ashley started playing chess at the age of 14, and by 33, he became the first African-American to achieve the title of Grandmaster. And now – he is the first African -American to be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.

Pres. Obama & Steph Curry team up for mentoring PSA.

President Obama and NBA star Steph Curry teamed up in a new PSA encouraging others to mentor our youth. Check it out below.

#BringBackOurGirls: 219 still missing after two years in Nigeria

It’s been two years since the world was shaken by the mass-kidnapping of nearly 300 Nigerian schoolgirls by the terror group Boko Haram, taking them in as prisoners, sex slaves, and child soldiers and spawning the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. But intervention from US drones and assistance from neighboring countries in support of the Nigerian military says that only 57 have been saved. Learn more on this story below.

7 stark findings on Chicago police treatment of blacks and Latinos

The report of a Chicago task force investigation into the culture and practices Chicago Police Department contains some disturbing revelations ( these are probably not revelations to the black and brown people of Chicago though.). The report states that the Chicago Police Department's "own data gives validity to the widely held belief the police have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color."

Here are seven findings from the disturbing report:

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1. Blacks are shot at alarming rates.

2. City has a sad history of false arrests and wrongful convictions.

3. Those sworn to protect instead often mistreat.

4. Many cops view people of color as perps.

5. Combating racial bias is not a department priority.

6. There is no accountability.

7. Police stops make matters worse.

Read more about this disturbing report here: 'No regard': 7 stark findings on Chicago police treatment of blacks and Latinos

The Birth of a Nation (Nat Turner Movie): Official Trailer

Set against the antebellum South, THE BIRTH OF A NATION follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities - against himself and his fellow slaves - Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom. Birth of a Nation is directed, written, and co-produced by Nate Parker and has a release date of October 7, 2016

Essence Magazines 50 best colleges for African Americans list

Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions Black students will make in their lifetime. ESSENCE partnered with MoneyMagazine to create a definitive list of the schools that serve African Americans most. The following factors were used when making the list. Representation (African-Americans had to make up at least 5 percent of each college’s student body.)  , affordability, and Postgrad earnings.

Here are the top 50 colleges and universities in the country: 

1. Princeton University 

2. Harvard University

3. Duke University 

4. Cornell University

5. Florida A&M University 

6. Spelman College

7. University of Pennsylvania

8. Yale University

9. North Carolina A&T State University 

10. University of Maryland, College Park

11. Columbia University 

12. Georgia Institute of Technology

13. Georgetown University 

14. University of Florida

15. Hampton University 

16. Bowie State University 

17. Wellesley College

18. Berea College 

19. Amherst College

20. Virginia State University 

21. Xavier University of Louisiana 

22. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

23. Rice University 

24. Vanderbilt University 

25. Brown University

26. University of Richmond

27. Dartmouth College

28 Howard University 

29. University of Virginia 

30. Davidson College

31. The College of William and Mary 

32. Alcorn State University 

33. Williams College

34. Trinity Washington University

35. Jackson State University

36. Johns Hopkins University 

37. Elizabeth City State University 

38. Prairie View A&M University 

39. Pomona College

40. Northwestern University 

41. Binghamton University 

42. Emory University

43. North Carolina Central University 

44. Tennessee State University 

45. Towson University 

46. Stony Brook University 

47. Barnard College

48. Winston-Salem State University 

49. Talladega College

50. Rutgers University-Newark

Full Speech: Bernie Sanders National Action Network

Here is the full speech from Bernie Sanders speaking at the National Action Network's convention on 04/14/2016.

Armstrong Williams slyly plays the race card during rant at National Action Network

During a National Action Network panel conservative radio host Armstrong Williams took a shot at Bill and Hillary Clinton during a political rant. Yes, the same Williams man who is Ben Carson's business manager, a radio talk show host, a radio mogul, and a guy who was paid $241,000 by President George Bush's education department to promote No Child left Behind on air. (Thought we forgot that last one didn't you?).

While attacks on the Clintons are nothing new for conservatives he does something that conservative claim only black race baiting activist do. Watch the video below and see if you can catch it. ( Article continues after the video.)

Did you catch what Williams said there?

He slyly made a racial argument against the Clintons by reminding everyone of what Bill Clinton said in South Carolina during the 2008 Democratic Primary. Basically Williams said that black voters shouldn't support Hillary Clinton because Bill Clinton made comments many thought to be negative about a black guy, President Obama. He was trying to pander to the audience before him. It didn't work, but he tried.

Aren't conservatives supposed to be better than that?

George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com EMAIL

Full Speech: Hillary Clinton speaks to National Action Network 4/13/16

Here is Pres. Candidate Hillary Clinton full speech at the National Action Network's 25th Anniversary National Convention on 04/16/2016. She touches on racism, criminal justice reform, education, affordable housing, and more.

Bernie Sanders Supporters and the things they say/post to turn off black voters.

By George L. Cook III. EMAIL

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Hillary Clinton supporter. So now that we have that out of the way...

There's been a lot of rhetoric recently posted online and in the media from Bernie Sanders' supporters and Republicans questioning those African Americans that choose to support Hillary Clinton. Now I could care less about the Republicans because they want Bernie to win as they feel he would be easier to beat than Clinton. They will do or say anything to keep her from getting the nomination.

As for the Sanders' supporters I attribute some of the comments to many of Bernie Sanders fans being young, new to politics, being very supportive of their chosen candidate, and idealistic as we all were at one point. That being said, many mean well but there is a strain of "You don't know what's best for you." that is coming out in comments from Bernie supporters that makes many older African American voters angry/nervous.

When trying to convince others to support Sanders, his supporters say some things that maybe they don't know turn off black voters. Cause I'm a good guy here are a few things that Sanders' supporters might want to avoid saying or posting online to avoid that happening.

Don't say to them that you don't understand how black voters can support Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders.

This comment is even worse if you are not black and have not gone through what many African Americans, especially older African-Americans have experienced in their lives. You may not catch any flak at the time, but you have just turned a voter off to Sanders.

Don't constantly attack Hillary Clinton on issues pertaining to the black community or her trustworthiness either.

On black issues whether she has been right or in some cases wrong, she has the perception that she has been there with black voters since her time as First Lady.

Now, as far as attacking her trustworthiness or any other aspect of her character. Keep in mind that black voters, especially older voters are wary of someone who can tell you what they are against better than they can tell you what they are for.

Don't say "If they only read Sander's platform they would change their minds."

That's making an assumption that people haven't read it or that if they did that they would love it. Many have read it, and many regular black voters are skeptical as well as practical, they wonder how some of Sander's programs could even be implemented let alone sustained.

Many black voters wonder how someone who has held elected office since 1981 and been in congress since 1991 is somehow an "outsider".

There's concern about the Obama Legacy under a Bernie Sanders, especially when it comes to Obamacare.

Don't question someone else's blackness.

You know who you are and this one should be self explanatory!

Lastly, don't think everyone sees what you see or thinks what you think. Respect the views of others and agree to disagree.

Democracy Awakening to protest in Washington D.C. for voting rights and more

April 16-18 Democracy Awakening will mobilize in Washington, D.C. to protect voting rights, get big money out of politics and demand a fair hearing and an up or down vote on President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. Read more about Democracy Awakening here: http://democracyawakening.org/

Democracy Awakening: April 16-18

Who We Are

We’re a broad coalition of organizations representing the labor, peace, environmental, student, racial justice, civil rights and money in politics reform movements. We share a firm belief that we will not win on the full range of policy issues we all care about until we combat attacks on voting rights and the integrity of the vote by big money.

WHAT

In April 2016, more than 200 organizations representing a diverse array of movements and hundreds of thousands of people are coming together to demand a democracy that works for all of us – a nation where our votes are not denied  and money doesn’t buy access and power. Join us as we converge upon Washington, D.C. for an array of actions, including demonstrations, teach-ins, direct action trainings, music, a Rally for Democracy, and pressing for a Congress of Conscience through non-violent direct action and advocacy. Together we will build a nation that is truly of, by and for the people.

WHY

American democracy is premised on the fundamental tenet, “one person, one vote,” but since the very beginning, we’ve had to fight for every voice to be heard and every vote to be counted. 

Today, we’re fighting for change on many fronts – for action on climate change, racial justice, workers’ rights and fair pay, safe food and water, health care, peace, immigration reform and improvements in education. But an array of barriers are keeping regular Americans shut out of the political process, from restrictive voting laws suppressing the voting rights of people of color, seniors, students, and low-income Americans, to a campaign finance landscape that allows big money to increasingly shape elections and the policy-making process.

For both money in politics and voting rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has eviscerated laws that once protected the voices and votes of everyday Americans. And for both issues, Congress has solutions in front of them, but has so far failed to act. And now the Senate is blocking fair consideration of the nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, including timely hearings and a vote by the full Senate.

It’s time for us to come together and claim a democracy where every voice is heard and every vote counts equally — in other words, a democracy that works for all of us.

It’s time for a Democracy Awakening.

That’s why we are mobilizing. And that’s why we need you to join us.

Our Demands

We need a Congress that stands up for democracy rather than stands in its way. Here’s the agenda we’re calling for Congress to pass:

• Fair consideration of the nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, including timely hearings and a vote by the full Senate.
• The Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 2867, S. 1659), legislation that would restore the protections against voting discrimination that were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in itsShelby County v. Holder decision, and make additional, critical updates to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• The Voter Empowerment Act (H.R. 12), legislation to modernize voter registration, prevent deceptive practices that keep people from the ballot box and ensure equal access to voting for all.
• The Democracy For All Amendment (H.J.Res. 22, S.J.Res. 5), a constitutional amendment that would overturn U.S. Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United and allow elected representatives to set commonsense limits on money in elections.
• The Government By the People Act/Fair Elections Now Act (H.R. 20 and S. 1538), a small donor empowerment measure that would encourage and amplify small contributions from everyday Americans.

Our reform agenda is aimed at creating a democracy where every voice is heard and every vote counts equally — in other words, a democracy that works for all of us.

President Obama My Brothers Keeper Video: The Potential Of Boys Of Color

President Obama reaffirms the potential of boys of color in a My Brothers Keeper PSA that aired during the MTV Movie Awards. Watch the inspiring video below. Learn more about the My Brother's Keeper Alliance at http://www.mbkalliance.org/

Don't forget, Sanders voted for 1994 crime bill which destroyed African American communities

Don't forget, Sanders voted for 1994 crime bill which destroyed African American communities

By George L. Cook III EMAIL

In the interest of full disclosure I am a Hillary Clinton supporter. So now that we have that out of the way...

Yes, Bill Clinton's 1994 Crime Bill devastated many black families with its mandatory sentencing requirements. Yes, Hillary Clinton spoke out for the law as the First Lady. There is no disputing either point. But what also can't be disputed is that Sen. Bernie Sanders, unlike Hillary Clinton, voted for omnibus crime bill.

Listening to those pundits and Sanders supporters attacking Hillary Clinton over her use of the term "superpredator", you would never know that Sanders voted for the bill as that is often conveniently ignored. (Now to be fair Sanders himself has addressed this issue and fought to get the death penalty component changed to life imprisonment.) Sanders voted to send people to jail for unfairly long sentences whereas Hillary Clinton could not. There is a huge distinction there.

Here are various sources to prove that Sanders voted for the crime bill.

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/12/1994-crime-bill-haunts-clinton-and-sanders-as-criminal-justice-reform-rises-to-top-in-democratic-contest/

The Federalist: http://thefederalist.com/2015/11/03/bernie-sanders-voted-for-criminal-justice-measures-hes-denouncing/

And for those who may think that I am cherry picking sources to back up my writing, here is a post on Sanders own campaign website: https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-voted-for-1994-crime-bill-to-support-assault-weapons-ban-violence-against-women-provisions/

There is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the 1994 crime bill, but as one who didn't write or vote for the bill, Hillary should get the least of that blame.

BET Networks Acquires Soul Train

BET Networks, a division of Viacom (Nasdaq:VIAB, VIA), today announced it has acquired Soul Train from InterMedia Partners and The Yucaipa Companies. The acquisition, which brings together two quintessential African American brands, represents an investment in an iconic franchise that uniquely lends itself to providing fans with a wide range of experiences across multiple platforms, beyond the television programs that audiences have enjoyed for decades. The transaction serves to further strengthen BET’s investment in content and underlines the network’s leadership in music-related content.

Owning Soul Train’s intellectual property will allow BET to further build on the success of the Soul Train Awards, which BET re-launched in 2009, and strengthens the network’s commitment to original content. The assets acquired include one of the largest libraries of African American, music-oriented content in the world, including over 1,100 television episodes and 40 television specials. Beyond television, BET will grow the ways in which audiences of all ages are able to interact with this iconic brand, creating a host of ancillary revenue opportunities ranging from live events to consumer products.

“BET Networks is honored to have acquired a brand with such a rich history and unique content that is forever relevant to all segments of our audience,” commented Richard Gay, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Operations at BET Networks. “With a Broadway play and a concert tour as examples of opportunities in the works, we look forward to finding engaging and smart ways to grow the brand while preserving its heritage and legacy in music, dance and fashion.”

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

View source version on businesswire.com:http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160404006149/en/

Contact:

BET Networks
Terrece Walker, 212-205-3264

New Book: Kill 'Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul

National Book Award winner James McBride goes in search of the “real” James Brown after receiving a tip that promises to uncover the man behind the myth. His surprising journey illuminates not only our understanding of this immensely troubled, misunderstood, and complicated soul genius but the ways in which our cultural heritage has been shaped by Brown’s legacy.

Kill ’Em and Leave is more than a book about James Brown. Brown’s rough-and-tumble life, through McBride’s lens, is an unsettling metaphor for American life: the tension between North and South, black and white, rich and poor. McBride’s travels take him to forgotten corners of Brown’s never-before-revealed history: the country town where Brown’s family and thousands of others were displaced by America’s largest nuclear power bomb-making facility; a South Carolina field where a long-forgotten cousin recounts, in the dead of night, a fuller history of Brown’s sharecropping childhood, which until now has been a mystery. McBride seeks out the American expatriate in England who co-created the James Brown sound, visits the trusted right-hand manager who worked with Brown for forty-one years, and interviews Brown’s most influential nonmusical creation, his “adopted son,” the Reverend Al Sharpton. He describes the stirring visit of Michael Jackson to the Augusta, Georgia, funeral home where the King of Pop sat up all night with the body of his musical godfather, spends hours talking with Brown’s first wife, and lays bare the Dickensian legal contest over James Brown’s estate, a fight that has consumed careers; prevented any money from reaching the poor schoolchildren in Georgia and South Carolina, as instructed in his will; cost Brown’s estate millions in legal fees; and left James Brown’s body to lie for more than eight years in a gilded coffin in his daughter’s yard in South Carolina.

James McBride is one of the most distinctive and electric literary voices in America today, and part of the pleasure of his narrative is being in his presence, coming to understand Brown through McBride’s own insights as a black musician with Southern roots. Kill ’Em and Leave is a song unearthing and celebrating James Brown’s great legacy: the cultural landscape of America today.

BUY THE BOOK

My issue with the "Why don't more black kids play baseball" conversation

Baseball season has started, so that means that it's time for the "Why don't more black kids play baseball conversation". One element of this conversation always bugged me because it plays right into stereotypes about black fathers. Listen to my thoughts in the video below.

Baseball season has started, so that means that it's time for the "Why don't more black kids play baseball conversation"...

Posted by George L. Cook III on Friday, April 8, 2016

Black Lives Matter protesters and Bill Clinton repeatedly clash in Philadelphia

Bill Clinton traded verbal shots in a feisty 15-minute exchange with Black Lives Matter protesters in Philadelphia on Thursday. Bill Clinton attempted to defend his wife's use of the term super predators and his 1994 crime bill that put more non-violent offenders in prison for longer stays.Watch the video of that confrontation below.

Ted Cruz Bronx school visit canceled after students plan walkout

Malaika Mataba (l.) and Shula Selby helped draft the letter that led to Bronx Lighthouse Charter School to cancel Ted Cruz's appearance Wednesday.

Ted Cruz has gotten a lesson in "New York Values".

Ted Cruz came to New York Wednesday to talk about education. Unfortunately for the republican candidate his idea to use a charter school as a prop didn't go as planned.

Cruz was scheduled to speak at Bronx Lighthouse College Preparatory Academy until students wrote a letter to the principal asking her not to let Cruz come, prompting staffers to cancel the appearance.

Read the full text of the students' email below:


Hello Ms. Duggins,

A group of students will be leaving during 4th period, as act of civil disobedience in regards to the arrival of Ted Cruz to BLCPA. We have all considered the consequences of our actions and are willing to accept them. We respect you and all the staff at BLCPA as well as the expected guests. But we want you to understand that as passionate students, we have ideas and principles that should be heard and respected. This walk out isn't a reflection of our discontent with BLCPA but our opportunity to stand up for our community and future. This walk out is taking place because we as students all share a common idea.

The presence of Ted Cruz and the ideas he stands for are offensive. His views are against ours and are actively working to harm us, our community, and the people we love. He is misogynistic, homophobic, and racist. He has used vulgar language, gestures, and profanity directed at a scholar and staff members, along with harassing and posing threats to staff and scholars according to the Disciplinary Referral slip. This is not to be taken kiddingly or as a joke. We are students who feel the need and right to not be passive to such disrespect.

[SOURCE]

Valadictorian Accepted At All 8 Ivy League Schools

Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, a high school student from Long Island is celebrating the rare feat of being accepted to all eight Ivy League schools. Watch her story below.

Smithsonian to acknowledge Cosby allegations at new museum

The Smithsonian now plans to acknowledge the sexual-assault allegations against Bill Cosby at its new African-American history museum on the National Mall, which will display two items related to Cosby's career in television and standup comedy.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opens Sept. 24, will include the cover of a Cosby comedy album and a comic book from his pioneering TV drama "I Spy" as part of its exhibit on black entertainers and artists. Initially, the museum planned to include historical facts about the items without mentioning the allegations, drawing criticism from some Cosby accusers.

The museum's founding director, Lonnie Bunch, said in a statement Thursday that the display would address Cosby's alleged behavior, although he did not specify exactly how.

"Like all of history, our interpretation of Bill Cosby is a work in progress, something that will continue to evolve as new evidence and insights come to the fore," Bunch said. "Visitors will leave the exhibition knowing more about Mr. Cosby's impact on American entertainment, while recognizing that his legacy has been severely damaged by the recent accusations."

[SOURCE]