Loretta Lynch comments on Terence Crutcher, Keith Lamont Scott shootings

A the International Bar Association’s 2016 Annual Conference on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch commented on the police-shooting deaths of two black men in Tulsa, Okla., and Charlotte, N.C., according to a Department of Justice press release. She made the following comments:

“On Monday the Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into the death of Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” she said. “As always, the Justice Department will be thorough, impartial and exhaustive in reaching a determination about this incident.”

“The Department of Justice is aware of, and we are assessing, the incident that led to the death of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte. We are in regular contact with local authorities as their investigation into the shooting begins to unfold,” Lynch added.

“These tragic incidents have once again left Americans with feelings of sorrow, anger and uncertainty,” Lynch said. “They have once again highlighted—in the most vivid and painful terms—the real divisions that still persist in this nation between law enforcement and communities of color.”

“Protest is protected by our Constitution and is a vital instrument for raising issues and creating change,” she said. “But when it turns violent, it undermines the very justice that it seeks to achieve, and I urge those demonstrating in Charlotte to remain peaceful in their expressions of protest and concern.”

[SOURCE]

Protests erupt after black man killed in officer-involved shooting in Charlotte

Police say a person was shot and killed in northeast Charlotte on Tuesday by a police officer, sparking protests, CBS affiliate WBTV reported.

Following the shooting, a large crowd has gathered near the scene in protest.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. at an apartment complex. Officers said they were searching for a person with an outstanding warrant when they saw a person get out of a vehicle with a firearm. The man has since been identified as 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott.

When the person got back into the vehicle, the officers approached. The report states that the person then got back out of the vehicle “armed with a firearm and posed an imminent deadly threat to the officers who subsequently fired their weapon striking the subject.”

The officers said they immediately requested MEDIC and began performing CPR, WBTV reported. The person was pronounced dead at the hospital.

WBTV reported that by 9 p.m., large crowds had gathered in the area of the shooting. Some were shouting at police, some held signs that read “Black Lives Matter” and “It Was A Book.” It appeared at one point the crowds were blocking patrol cars from moving in the street, and even climbing on top of them, according to WBTV.

At 11 p.m. large clouds of what appeared to be tear gas could be seen coming from the crowds of protesters after officers in riot gear were seen putting on gas masks.

Read more: Protests erupt after man killed in officer-involved shooting in Charlotte

Colin Kaepernick has received death threats

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick says he has had his life threatened as a response to his protest of racial oppression and inequality in the United States by kneeling during the national anthem.

Kaepernick said Tuesday that he has received threats via "a couple of different avenues," in addition to social media. He seemed mostly nonplussed by the threats, saying that he hasn't reported any of them to the 49ers security team.

"To me, if something like that were to happen, you've proved my point and it will be loud and clear for everyone why it happened and that would move this movement forward at a greater speed than what it is even now," Kaepernick said. "Granted, I don't want that to happen but that's the realization of what could happen and I knew there were other things that came along with this when I first stood up and spoke about it. That's not something I haven't thought about."

Read more: Colin Kaepernick says if he is killed for protests it will have 'proved point'

I'm tired of having to say most cops are good cops

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.com EMAIL

I'm upset about the death of Terence Crutcher, I'm tired of seeing innocent black men gunned down by police officers and I'm tired of saying that most cops are good cops before discussing a police shooting of an unarmed black man. I know they exist but where are they at? Listen to more of my thought's below.

US Navy ship to be named after Sojourner Truth

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus announced Sept. 19, that the next ships of the next generation of fleet replenishment oilers will be named USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) and USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210).

Both T-AO 209 and T-AO 210 are part of the John Lewis-class of ships named in honor of U.S. civil and human rights heroes.

"It is important to recognize and honor those who have strived to fulfill the promise laid out in our Constitution - 'to form a more perfect union," said Mabus, "those who fought--in a different way--for the ideals we cherish as a nation: justice, equality and freedom. Both Lucy Stone and Sojourner Truth fought relentlessly for all human rights."

Lucy Stone, a native of West Brookfield, Massachusetts, was a prominent 19th-century abolitionist, suffragist and a vocal advocate for women's rights.

Stone convened the first National Women's Rights Convention and assisted in establishing the Woman's National Loyal League to help pass the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery, after which she helped form the American Woman Suffrage Association, an organization dedicated to winning women the right to vote.

Sojourner Truth was an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, she escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826.

Born Isabella Baumfree, she gave herself the name Sojourner Truth in 1843.

Widely recognized as a great orator and advocate of civil rights and equality for all, Truth died in 1883 at the age of 86.

The future USNS Lucy Stone and USNS Sojourner Truth will be operated by Military Sealift Command and provide underway replenishment of fuel and stores to U.S. Navy ships at sea and jet fuel for aircraft assigned to aircraft carriers. Construction is expected to begin on the Lucy Stone in 2021 and on the Sojourner Truth in 2022.

NASCAR sued for racial discrimination against black owned teams/drivers

Black-owned teams and drivers say they’ve been blocked from competing.

NASCAR was hit with a $500 million lawsuit accusing the auto racing body of racial discrimination for preventing black-owned teams and drivers from competing, including in the Sprint Cup Series.

Terrance Cox and his company, Diversity Motorsports Racing, filed a lawsuit late on Friday in U.S. district court in Manhattan against NASCAR, its parent company, International Speedway Corp, and 18 teams, according to court records.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an injunction requiring the defendants to “fully integrate the African-American community.”

In a statement, NASCAR said the lawsuit has no merit.

“Diversity both on and off the track continues to be a top priority for NASCAR and its stakeholders,” the organization said. “We stand behind our actions, and will not let a publicity-seeking legal action deter us from our mission.”

Read more: Auto Racing's NASCAR Accused of Racial Discrimination in Lawsuit

Hillary Clinton discusses plan to help black colleges (HBCUs)

During an interview on The Tom Joyner Morning Show, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton discussed her plan to help HBCU's. In response to a question from Roland Martin she made the following comments.

So what I’m focusing on is more good-paying jobs, I want to make college affordable and that is a plan that I’ve been talking about and working toward since I got into this campaign. I also want to help everybody with student debt and that’s a very high proportion of African-American young people with a B.A., that come out with student debt. We’re going to really help that get paid down and paid off so people can get on with their life.

I’m committed to helping historically Black colleges and universities – in fact, I have a specific fund of $25 billion dollars that will really upgrade and support and provide financial assistance for young people, because I think the HBCU’s are incredibly important in providing a pathway into the future.

Black doctors urge President Obama to ban menthol cigarettes

African-American doctors are calling on President Barack Obama to ban sales of menthol-flavored cigarettes, which government data show are heavily preferred among black smokers.

The African-American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, a nonprofit anti-smoking advocacy group, launched a public campaign this week asking Obama to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove all so-called mentholated tobacco products from the marketplace.

The FDA found in 2013 that menthol cigarettes likely pose a greater public health risk than regular cigarettes, especially among African-Americans, but it stopped short of recommending a ban.

Read more: Black Doctors Call on Obama to Ban Menthol Tobacco Products

American Uprising: The Untold Story of America's Largest Slave Revolt

With the upcoming release of "Birth of a Nation" a movie about a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner you may be interested to know about the largest slave rebellion that took place in the United States. A revolt that took place in New Orleans by 500 organized slaves.

In January 1811, five hundred slaves, dressed in military uniforms and armed with guns, cane knives, and axes, rose up from the plantations around New Orleans and set out to conquer the city. Ethnically diverse, politically astute, and highly organized, this self-made army challenged not only the economic system of plantation agriculture but also American expansion. Their march represented the largest act of armed resistance against slavery in the history of the United States.

Historian Daniel Rasmussen reveals the long-forgotten history of America’s largest slave uprising, the New Orleans slave revolt of 1811. In an epic, illuminating narrative, Rasmussen offers new insight into American expansionism, the path to Civil War, and the earliest grassroots push to overcome slavery.

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President Obama: Full 2016 Congressional Black Caucus Speech

President Obama's complete speech at the 2016 Congressional Black Caucus in which the President reflects on his eight years in the Oval Office and urges Americans to defend the legacy he has built by voting for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Watch his speech below.

Video: Phil Heath wins 6th consecutive Mr. Olympia

Sorry Phil Heath haters but the champ is still here!

Phil Heath fended off a group of great challengers to claim his sixth consecutive Mr. Olympia contest. In my opinion Heath came in in better shape than both 2014 and 2015, and maybe his best shape ever. The champ needed to be dialed in as competitors such as Shawn Rhoden and Dexter Jackson came in fully ready to challenge the champ.

Heath is now tied with Dorian Yates after winning his sixth Sandow.

Here are the top five finishers

5th William Bonac

4th Mamdouh Elssbiay (Big Ramy)

3rd Dexter Jackson

2nd Shawn Rhoden

1st Phil Heath - 2016 6X Mr. Olympia

Sen. Cory Booker speaks on Colin Kaepernick protest.

New Jersey senator Cory Booker spoke with HuffPost to talk about Colin Kaepernick's recent protest during the national anthem. While not agreeing with Kaepernick's form of protest Booker makes it clear that we should be discussing the reasons for the protest. Watch that video below.

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Full Speech: Clinton speaks at Black Women’s Agenda Symposium in Washington D.C.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke at the Black Women’s Agenda Symposium in Washington D.C. on 09/16/2016, an event which Donald Trump declined to speak at (so much for that black voter outreach). Clinton addressed creating jobs and criminal justice reform among other topics. Watch her speech below.

* The Black Women's Agenda, Inc. is comprised of 21 national collaborating women's organizations, sororities, civic, service, and faith-based – representing millions of women worldwide.

Full Speech: Michelle Obama campaigns for Hillary Clinton at George Mason University

The beautiful, intelligent, funny, and energetic First Lady Michelle Obama took to the campaign trail at George Mason University in support of Hillary Clinton. Watch her amazing speech below.

Congressional Black Caucus Slams Trump's 'Birther' Response

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC were less than happy with Donald Trump's admission that Pres. Obama was indeed born a United States citizen. After 5 years of questioning the legitimacy of the nation's first black president, Trump took about 30 seconds addressing the issue. CBC members such as Hakeem Jefferies and Sheila Jackson-Lee took a lot longer in their fiery responses such as the . Watch the CBC members respond below.

UNCF, National Urban League, and Education Post Release Joint Report on Black Education Efforts

UNCF, the National Urban League, and Education Post today released “Building Better Narratives in Black Education,”a joint report published by UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, providing tangible approaches to shift the narrative concerning Black educational reform. The findings of the report aim to better engage communities around K-12 education and drive substantive policy changes for Black students. The three organizations will gather national and local education advocates, policy-makers, and community leaders today for a public launch event and reception at UNCF’s headquarters, featuring special guests Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO, and Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. The launch event also includes a panel of education leaders who will discuss accountability, improving educational outcomes, and improving college completion for African American students.

“Building a better narrative means privileging African American voices and perspectives as central drivers of successful urban school reform, as these conversations have largely excluded communities of color,” said Dr. Lomax. “We’re excited about engaging with our partners in this important work, which we believe will encourage substantive dialogue and drive meaningful changes to the way Black education reform is viewed, promoting an ‘urgency of now’ in ed reform.”

“At a time when only seven percent of Black 12th graders are performing at ‘proficient’ or above on national math assessments, compared with 32 percent of white students, we know we’ve got lots of work to do,” said Morial. “As education is the pathway to economic prosperity, we’re glad to work together with UNCF and Education Post to engage local communities in taking critical steps to address education achievement gaps.”

WHAT: “Building Better Narratives in Black Education” report release, panel discussion, and reception 
WHEN: 4:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. EST Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016 
WHERE: UNCF, 1805 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20001, located at Shaw-Howard Metro station 
WHO: 

•     Jonathan Atkins, Community Engagement Manager, K-12 Advocacy, UNCF
•     Dr. Meredith B. L. Anderson, Senior Research Associate (Patterson and K-12 Advocacy), UNCF
•     Sekou Biddle, Vice President, K-12 Advocacy, UNCF
•     Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO, UNCF
•     Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League
•     Eugene Pinkard, Deputy Chief of School Turnaround and Performance, DC Public Schools
•     Susie Saavedra, Senior Director for Policy and Legislative Affairs, National Urban League Washington Bureau
•     Naomi Shelton, Director, K-12 Advocacy, UNCF
•     Hal Smith, Vice President, Education, Youth Development and Health, National Urban League
•     Christopher Stewart, Director of Outreach and External Affairs, Education Post
•     Shantelle Wright, Founder and CEO, Achievement Prep

WATCH: Live Stream begins at 5 p.m. EST on UNCF’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/uncf

Follow the discussion on Twitter: @uncf @Edu_Post @NatUrbanLeague #BBNBlackEd

About UNCF 
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community, and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF annually awards $100 million in scholarships and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.®” Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

About Education Post 
Education Post is a non-partisan communications organization dedicated to building support for student-focused improvements in public education from preschool to high school graduation. The organization advocates world-class schools that support children to love learning, to be challenged and supported in the classroom, to have access to a range of enrichment activities, to be socially and emotionally strong and healthy, and to graduate from high school with everything they need to pursue the future they see for themselves. Learn more at educationpost.org.

About The National Urban League 
The National Urban League is a historic civil rights and advocacy organization dedicated to economic empowerment in African American and other underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League impacts and improves the lives of more than 2 million young people and adults annually through direct service programs, which are implemented locally by 94 Urban League affiliates, serving 300 communities in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Learn more at nul.iamempowered.com.

Sandra Bland's Family Reaches Tentative $1.9M Settlement in Lawsuit

The family of Sandra Bland, an African-American woman who was found dead in a Texas jail cell after her arrest following a traffic stop, has reached a tentative settlement of its wrongful death lawsuit, according to the family's attorney and officials in Waller County, Texas.

Cannon Lambert, the lawyer representing Bland’s family, told ABC-owned station WLS in Chicago today that a $1.9 million settlement was reached in the family's civil suit against the Texas Department of Public Safety; Waller County, Texas; and some county employees including two former jailers.

Waller County released a statement by its attorney Larry Simmons that a potential settlement agreement has been reached but that a few details remain to be worked out and the final deal must be approved by the county commissioners. "The Waller County defendants ... emphasize they vigorously deny any fault or wrongdoing," the county's attorney said.

Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, said the most important part of the tentative settlement is the changes that Waller County would make to its jailhouse procedures.

“Obviously, it will never bring Sandy back,” Reed-Veal said in an interview with WLS. But, she added, “I feel so excited that now we have real change that’s about to happen right there in Waller County. I believe it will affect many, many other places across the country. It’s a victory for mothers.”

Lambert said that under the settlement Waller County must provide emergency nurses during all shifts at the jail; use automated electronic sensors to ensure accurate and timely checks on all occupied jail cells; and actively seek passage of state legislation that would provide greater funding for the intake and screening of county jail inmates and for other supports for local jails.

Of the $1.9 million agreed to in the settlement, Waller County will be responsible for the bulk of it, $1.8 million, Lambert told WLS. The Texas Department of Public Safety is limited by state statutes to paying no more than $100,000 under such lawsuits, he said.

[SOURCE]

Trump in Flint: Black pastor shuts Trump down when his speech gets political

Donald Trump sure does seem to be having a lot of trouble with black women in Flint Michigan. First Mayor Karen Weaver let him know that he was less than welcome and then another black woman had to put him in his place when he gave a speech that got to political in a black church. George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

During his extended photo op in Flint Michigan Donald Trump took the time to visit and speak at a black church, Bethel United Methodist. During his speech he made the mistake of getting political and the church's pastor, Rev. Faith Green Timmons shut him down quick by reminding him that he there to address the Flint water crises. Watch that moment below.

Flint Michigan mayor not enthusiastic about Donald Trump's visit to the city

Upon hearing the news that Trump will visit her city, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, who has endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, issued a statement, saying "Flint is focused on fixing the problems caused by lead contamination of our drinking water, not photo ops."

More from the statement issued by Mayor Weaver's office:

Mayor Weaver went on to point out that neither Donald Trump nor any staff members from the Trump campaign have ever reached out to her since the Flint water crisis was officially recognized as an emergency in December 2015, and he never let her know that he was coming to the city this week.

The statement said workers at the Flint water treatment plant "cannot afford the disruption of a last-minute visit,".

[SOURCE]

School Bus Driver Lauded for Saving 20 Children From Burning Bus

Renita Smith, a Maryland bus driver is being hailed today as a hero after she helped 20 elementary school students off a bus and to safety as a fire quickly enveloped their school bus in just seconds. Watch the story of her heroism below: