This has been a strange week for American Urban Radio Network reporter April Ryan. Earlier this week Omarosa Manigault tried to physically intimidate her and threaten her with a dossier the Trump administration supposedly has on her. If that wasn't strange enough then Donald Trump while responding to a question from Ryan about the Congressional Black Caucus ask her is she knew them and if she could set up a meeting with the CBC. Watch that strange exchange below.
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Conflict and controversy seem to follow Omarosa Manigault, who stirred up plenty of both as a reality-TV star and a longtime associate of President Trump.
Manigault, who is now a communications official in the Trump administration, got into a heated argument with a White House reporter just steps from the Oval Office last week, according to witnesses. The reporter, April Ryan, said Manigault “physically intimidated” her in a manner that could have warranted intervention by the Secret Service.
Ryan also said Manigault made verbal threats, including the assertion that Ryan was among several journalists on whom Trump officials had collected “dossiers” of negative information.
The encounter between Manigault and Ryan took place outside White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s West Wing office late Wednesday. Among the witnesses were White House press office staffers and a Washington Post reporter, Abby Phillip.
Phillip said she didn’t hear every word of the women’s exchange but said Ryan told her afterward that she felt Manigault’s behavior was so threatening that it was “Secret Serviceable,” meaning that it rose to the level of law enforcement intervention.
Ryan, a veteran White House correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, used the same phrase repeatedly in an interview. “She stood right in my face like she was going to hit me,” Ryan said. “I said, ‘You better back up.’ . . . She thought I would be bullied. I won’t be.”
Read more: Journalist says Omarosa Manigault bullied her and mentioned a ‘dossier’ on her
Octavia Spencer has signed on to play America’s first black millionaire in a new movie.
The “Hidden Figures” star, who is up for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar later this month, is heading back to the early 1900s to play Madam C. J. Walker.
“That’s another story that’s yet to be told and she’s an icon for the African-American community as well, definitely for women in the African-American community,” Octavia tells WENN. “I think it’s time that her story gets told in a manner that I think people will enjoy.
“She was the first African-American millionaire and she was self-made, and it was all through beauty products. She was also a philanthropist and an activist in the reconstruction era.”
The bio-pic will be a limited series and as of now has no network attached. The series will be directed by Kasi Lemmons (Black Nativity, Eve's Bayou) from a script penned by Nicole Asher.
Spencer is also producing along with Zero Gravity Management (“The Accountant”).[SOURCE]
Six time Grammy winner Al Jarreau passed away today at the age of 76. The following message was posted on his official website:
Al Jarreau passed away this morning, February 12, 2017. He was in the hospital, kept comfortable by his wife, son, and a few family and close friends. He will be missed. The family asks that no flowers or gifts are sent. Instead, please consider a contribution to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music, a wonderful organization which supports music opportunities, teachers, and scholarships for students in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin. Link to the donation Page: http://foundation4schoolmusic.org/lifetime-achievement-award/al-jarreau/. Even if you do not plan to contribute, please visit that page and give yourself a minute to watch a beautiful tribute video which was produced by Wisconsin Public Television. A few days ago, I was asked to describe Al to someone who knew of his success, but did not know him as a person. I responded with this: His 2nd priority in life was music. There was no 3rd. His 1st priority, far ahead of the other, was healing or comforting anyone in need. Whether it was emotional pain, or physical discomfort, or any other cause of suffering, he needed to put our minds at ease and our hearts at rest. He needed to see a warm, affirming smile where there had not been one before. Song was just his tool for making that happen. A few things I think Al would want mentioned right now: To Al's wife, son, sister, brothers and family: You allowed Al to share himself with the world. He was grateful that you gave him that gift. He knew it was difficult, and regretted that more than he could explain. Please know that your gift was to us, too, and that we are also grateful. To everyone who attended his concerts and listened to his albums: He needed you, and you were always there for him, for more than 50 years. He was thankful for you every day and tried to show that to each of you. To his band, and to the many, many talented musicians, writers, composers, and arrangers who played and collaborated with him over the years: You enabled, supported and thrilled him. He treasured you, and considered you brilliant. He loved sharing the stage with you, and was honored that you shared it with him. To each promoter, presenter and producer: Thank you for your faith in him. Your commitment to Al was both essential and endless, and he never took you for granted. To his agents, managers, crew, counselors, publicists, and journalists who supported his work, and also to all of the airline, hotel, venue and other people who hosted him like royalty: He noticed every bit of the dedication and effort that you unselfishly provided without limits. And, he appreciated you completely. To young people everywhere, especially the musicians he was grateful to meet at school workshops, musical competitions, residencies, and at concerts: From you, Al asks a favor. Please find any artistic thing that you can do with passion, and do it. With art in your life, you will be a better family member, neighbor, friend, and citizen. Finally, to Al Jarreau, from all of us: Thank you. You completed your ministry in a gracious way. Godspeed... you've earned it.
During an appearance on ABC's 'This Week' Rep. Elijah Cummings Kelley, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee said that Kellyanne Conway's endorsement of Ivanka Trump's clothing line was 'A Textbook Case of A Violation of The Law'. He also chimed in on the Gen. Micheal Flynn controversy and Trump's accusations of voter fraud. Watch that interview below.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson blasted President Trump’s Cabinet appointees on Sunday, saying picks such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos make it "very difficult” to work with the new administration.
“It’s going to be very difficult, because Trump’s appointees are hostile to our interests,” Jackson told radio host John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York.
The civil rights activist painted Sessions as an opponent of social and racial justice, arguing he has stood at odds with the Voting Rights Act and desegregation rulings and calling his appointment “a stab in the heart of our struggle.”
Jackson also slammed DeVos, accusing her of having “bought her position in government.” Jackson argued the GOP mega-donor was unqualified to hold her position because of her lack of experience in a public school environment.
“Ms. DeVos has never ever been in the public schools,” he said. “Doesn’t have a teaching certificate, never been a principal, never been a superintendent. She just bought her position in government. Hard to discuss education with somebody with those kind of credentials.”
“It seems to me that meeting with Trump is going to be a very difficult thing to do,” he added.
The NAACP held it's 48th Annual NAACP Image Awards on Saturday Night. Here is a full list of the winners. Some expected, some not so expected.
By George L. Cook III
Senator Tim Scott was surprised that some called him an Uncle Tom after he voted to confirm Jeff Sessions. While I don't condone the use of that term, Scott shouldn't have been surprised considering that his vote will hurt African Americans. Watch the video below for more on this story.
The Army released a sweeping update to grooming and appearance regulations on Tuesday that, in addition to authorizing religious beards and head coverings, also opened the door for female soldiers to wear their hair in dreadlocks.
The services have grappled with the issue of black women's hair in recent years, as some argued that the hair regulations put an undue burden on those with thick, coarse hair, forcing many women to spend time, money and discomfort on straightening or wigs if they didn't choose to chop it all off.
The Army's compromise is now to let women wear dreadlocks along the same guidelines already allowed for braids, cornrows and twists. That is, they must be of uniform size and shape, evenly spaced, and up to 1/2 inch in width.
Read more: New Army regulations OK dreadlocks for female soldiers
Read more: Olympian from N.J. says she was detained by U.S. Customs
George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com
GOP lawmakers are planning to meet with the presidents of several HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) to discuss what these schools need and how they can help them survive. Now instead of just touting how they plan to help black students, Conservatives/Republicans have used this as an opportunity to attack President Obama in the eyes of African Americans.
They are spreading the lie that President Obama did little for HBCU's or cut funding to those schools and what's worse is that many of those spreading that lie are African Americans conservatives/pundits. Of course, they are saying/writing this to expound upon their false narrative that Obama did little to help African Americans. The sad part is that saying that Obama did little for HBCU's is a flat out lie.
Here are the FACTS
Over the course of 7 years, the Obama Administration has invested more than $4 billion in HBCUs, because these institutions are vital engines of economic growth and proven ladders of advancement for generations of African Americans.
Under the Obama Administration, 1 million more African-American and Latino students have enrolled in college. What’s more, black and Hispanic students earned more than 270,000 more undergraduate degrees in 2013-2014 than in 2008-2009. This Administration remains focused on continuing to increase the number of students who successfully complete college. To that end, the Department has worked to make new opportunities available to HBCUs.
Federal funding to HBCUs has grown each year since 2009. Through the Higher Education Act, HBCUs received a $17 million funding increase this year—the largest increase for the federal Strengthening HBCUs program in six years. And President Obama’s FY 2017 budget seeks to maintain and strengthen these opportunities for HBCUs to build their capacity. The FY 2017 budget proposes $85 million in mandatory funding to HBCUs, an increase of $5 million from FY 2016, plus an additional $244.7 million in discretionary funds for Title III.
The Administration has also fought for and won a historic commitment to fully fund Pell Grants and expand student aid for millions of low-income students. Pell Grant funding for HBCU students increased significantly between 2007 and 2014, growing from $523 million to $824 million. This year, President Obama announced a plan to make sure that Pell Grants are fully funded, including inflationary adjustments, and used strategically by students to reduce time and cost for receiving a terminal degree. The President’s 2017 budget also proposes a $30 million HBCU and Minority Serving Institution Innovation for Completion Fund, to help students from low-income backgrounds overcome challenges and persist through graduation day.
[SOURCE: US Dept. of Education]
What's also left out of the conversation is that most HBCUs are in states with Republican governors and state legislators. THEY are the ones that produce a budget and allocate where funds go not the President of the United States. So any funding cuts were done by the States, not President Obama.
So in closing, I would like to say to my conservative 'friends,' in the words of Daniel Patrick Moynihan "You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com
Read more:Black Caucus Dems take to Senate to protest Sessions
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Gwendolyn Brooks was an award winning writer who went on to become the first African American to win a certain literary award.
Learn more about Gwendolyn Brooks here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/gwendolyn-brooks
Now I don't care much for the New England Patriots (although as a NY Giants fan I probably should like them) but I'm really liking one of their tight ends, Martellus Bennet. Bennet has been outspoken on social issues of importance to African Americans such a Black Lives Matter. He has spoken in support of Colin Kaepernick's protest and against Kanye West visiting Donald Trump. But I'm really loving him for saying he won't be following tradition and going with the rest of the New England Patriots organization to receive congratulations from Trump at the White House when that visit happens.
Martellus Bennett said to reporters:
"I haven't thought about it. I am not going to go," the New England Patriots tight end said. "I can elaborate later on in life; right now I am just trying to enjoy this ... People know how I feel about it, just follow me on Twitter."
By George L. Cook III African American Reports
His this is George l. Cook III of African American Reports and I would like you to watch my short 58 second video titled why Black History Month is important to black children. Near the end of the video a box will appear in the upper left hand corner titled Black History Month. Click that box to check out a series of 35 second videos on great men and women in Black history.
The National Association of Black Journalist has released the following statement on Tamron Hall's departure for NBC:
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is saddened by Tamron Hall's departure from NBC. She broke ground as the first black female "Today Show" cohost and was enjoying ratings success alongside Al Roker during the show's third hour of programming.
NBC has been a leader for diversity in broadcasting, but recent reports that Hall and Roker will be replaced by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly are being seen by industry professionals as whitewashing.
Published reports suggest Kelly will be replacing "Today's Takes," the hour of programming led by Hall and Roker. Roker tweeted last week that the show leads the ratings in its time slot and consistently beats its competition. This achievement deserves praise, not punishment, as replacing talent often is associated with low ratings performance. Kelly has a well-documented history of offensive remarks regarding people of color. On The Kelly File, her Fox News show, the host said then-First Lady Michelle Obama's commencement address at Tuskegee University pandered to a "culture of victimization."
While NABJ wishes Hall well on her next move, NABJ requests a meeting with NBC leadership on the top-rated show's dismantling. We look forward to dialogue and resolve regarding black journalists and their continuing roles at NBC both in front and behind the camera.
About the National Association of Black Journalists:
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization for journalists of color in the nation, and provides career development as well as educational and other support to its members worldwide.
OPINION: By George L. Cook III African American Reports.
If conservatives/republicans really care about gun violence in Chicago, then what are they going to do about it? They may make some token gestures to help but they wont tackle the biggest issue.
