Brother of Stephon Clark shuts down council meeting on police shooting

Stephon Clark’s brother, Stevante, burst into the meeting chanting his brother’s name. pic.twitter.com/8HSYgNtLDa

— Nicole Santa Cruz (@nicolesantacruz) March 28, 2018

Stevante Clark, the brother of Stephon Clarkan unarmed black man who was shot and killed by police temporarily shut down a Sacramento city council meeting about the shooting.

Stevante Clarke walked into the Sacramento City Council meeting Tuesday night chanting his late brother’s name.

He led a group of protestors into the meeting chambers in city hall, all chanting Stephon Clark’s name.

The interruption caused the meeting to temporarily shut down.

Hundreds of protesters also gathered at the meeting, chanting and holding signs.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Stephon Clark's grandmother: 'I just want justice for my grandson'

An emotional Sequita Thompson speaks out at a news conference, asking for justice in the police shooting death of her grandson Stephon Clark.

Linda Brown, woman at center of Brown v. Board case, dies

Linda Brown, who as a little girl was at the center of the Brown v. Board of Education US Supreme Court case that ended segregation in schools, has died, a funeral home spokesman said.

Brown died Sunday afternoon in Topeka, Kansas, Peaceful Rest Funeral Chapel spokesman Tyson Williams said. She was 75 years old.

Brown was 9 years old when her father, Oliver Brown, tried to enroll her at Sumner Elementary School, then an all-white school in Topeka, Kansas.

When the school blocked her enrollment her father sued the Topeka Board of Education. Four similar cases were combined with Brown’s complaint and presented to the Supreme Court as Oliver L. Brown et al v. Board of Education of Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas, et al.

The court’s landmark ruling in May 1954 — that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” — led to the desegregation of the US education system. Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP’s special counsel and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, argued the case before the Supreme Court.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer acknowledged Brown’s contribution to American history.

“Sixty-four years ago a young girl from Topeka brought a case that ended segregation in public schools in America. Linda Brown’s life reminds us that sometimes the most unlikely people can have an incredible impact and that by serving our community we can truly change the world.” [SOURCE: WTKR]

Black Panther now #1 superhero movie of all time domestically

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

All hail the king of Wakanda.

Marvel's The Black Panther is now the #1 superhero movie of all time at the domestic box office. Panther grossed another $17 million pushing its gross to $631 million putting it ahead of Marvel's The Avengers which grossed $623 million in 2012.

The Black Panther is also the #5 domestic grossing movie of all time has passed both The Avengers and The Last Jedi this weekend.

There's still the possibility it gets to #4 all time during it's run if it can catch Jurassic World's $652 million.

But you may want to write all of this records in pencil as Avengers: Infinity War opens April 27, 2018, and will be a legit challenger to many of Black Panther's box office records. Although I don't think that it will pass Black Panther's domestic grosses with films like Solo: A Star Wars Story and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom opening over the summer months taking screens from Infinity War.

We shall see, but for now, Black Panther is not only the king of Wakanda but the king of all superhero movies. All hail the king!

On April 4th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s entire family to honor 50th anniversary of his death

ATLANTA- Bells will toll 39 times around the world on April 4, 2018 at 6:01 p.m. CT in remembrance of the life taken 50 years earlier by a gun shot that shook America and the world to the core. At the same time, the surviving children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King will be joined by members of the King family to toll a bell and lay a wreath on the crypts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King on the campus of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center stated, "Today, we remember my father's death, but most importantly, we must remember the purpose and power of his life. Although this day is challenging for our family and for many around the world, I encourage you to hope today and to hope always. As my father expressed in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, I still have 'an audacious faith in the future of mankind.' Our family encourages you to not be angered by my father's death; be bolstered by his teachings and awakened by his work. 50 years later, let us remember him by embracing the truth that Together We Win with Love for Humanity."

At 10:30 a.m. on April 4th, The Center will present its highest award in the Yolanda D. King Theatre of The Performing Arts. This year the Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Prize recipients are: Mr. Benjamin Ferencz for his courageous work as a prosecutor for the Nuremburg, Germany Nazi Leadership trials; and Mr. Bryan Stevenson for his fearless advocacy work in the legal field such as the winning of the historic ruling making mandatory life-without-parole sentences for all children 17 or younger unconstitutional and as well, the founding of The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. The award ceremony will be followed by a reception for the honorees. A Q&A moderated by Monica Pearson will provide an opportunity for them to dialogue with guests.

Dr. Bernice A. King states, "Our hope and prayer is that all people who want to honor and who love my father will join us in remembering him in any one, or in all of these special moments. Not only will we be honoring him, but we will be committing our energy and efforts to building the Beloved Community. I am certain that he would be profoundly grateful that we are gathered to grow together and help move humanity forward!" The Center will continue commemorative events from April 4th through 9th. For more details of the events and how you can register to participate, please log onto http://www.mlk50forward.org or http://www.thekingcenter.org.

MLK’s granddaughter: ‘I have a dream that enough is enough’

Martin Luther King’s granddaughter Yolanda Renee King participates in the March for Our Lives rally against gun violence in Washington, D.C. and let's it be known that she has a dream too.

NBA star DeMarcus Cousins offers to pay for funeral of Stephon Clark

Former Sacramento Kings players DeMarcus Cousins has reached out to the family of Stephon Clark to cover the cost of the funeral.

Clark, 22, was shot and killed by Sacramento police on Sunday while holding a cellphone in his grandmother's backyard. The death of Clark, who was unarmed and African American, sparked protests Thursday.

Cousins, an All-Star center who spent the first six years of his NBA career in Sacramento, was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Barnes, a former area prep star at Del Campo High School, was waived by the Kings after Cousins was traded. He announced his retirement from the NBA this season.

Cousins has a history of outreach in the Sacramento community.

He paid for the funeral of Grant High School football player Jaulon "JJ" Clavo, who was shot before a playoff game in 2015. He held free basketball camps at Sacramento High School and bought a new scoreboard for the school's basketball gym.

Cousins was a regular at high school games and enjoyed being accessible to students, especially at inner-city schools that high-profile athletes might not want to visit.

Cousins participated in forums with police in his hometown of Mobile, Ala., and in Sacramento, and has spoken candidly about the issues and concerns from both sides.

The NBA recognized Cousins' work away from the court last October, awarding him the inaugural Offseason NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his work in Alabama, New Orleans, Sacramento and South Africa.

When Cousins was traded to New Orleans last February, he said he would always consider Sacramento home and that his ties to the community would remain.

Film shows black women as hidden figures in pro wrestling

A new film explores the role of black women recruited as professional wrestlers in the 1950s and 1960s.

Lady Wrestler: The Amazing, Untold Story of African-American Women in the Ring is a 90-minute documentary that chronicles the stories of Babs Wingo, Ethel Johnson, Marva Scott, Ramona Isbell and dozens of other African-American women who braved racism and sexism in the 1950s, '60s and '70s to succeed in the male-dominated world of professional wrestling. These courageous women raised families while blazing a trail for female athletes long before many of the breakthroughs of the civil rights and feminist movements.

The documentary debuts Thursday at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts.

Filmmaker Chris Bournea said people like these female grapplers wrestled not only before women were deemed capable of athletic accomplishments but before blacks had civil rights in many places.
They also didn’t talk a lot about what they did, perhaps concerned about others’ reactions. And when they were finished, they wanted to move on with their lives.

Bournea, who is black, grew up in Columbus without ever hearing the stories. After he learned of them as a journalist about a decade ago, he knew he had to do something.

“Awareness needed to be brought to these women’s accomplishments,” Bournea said.

Bournea said he has planned screenings in other cities with large professional wrestling fan bases and will then release the film on Amazon.

Lean more about the movie here https://www.ladywrestlermovie.com/ and watch the trailer below:

Protesters throughout Sacramento after Stephon Clark shooting

Protests erupted in Sacramento four days after Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man was shot by police in his grandmother's backyard. Demonstrators delayed the start of an NBA game as well as blocked entrance to an interstate highway.

Protesters block NBA arena over fatal Sacramento police shooting.

Demonstrators blocked the entrance to an arena where an NBA game was scheduled Thursday, chanting "Black Lives Matter" and the name of the 22-year-old who was killed.

Most ticketholders weren't able to get inside, and the Sacramento Police said via Twitter that "no one else will be admitted to the #SacKings game."

Outside the arena, protesters linked arms and chanted at fans, "Join us or go home!"

The NBA and the Kings made the decision to close the doors, Sgt. Vance Chandler of the Sacramento Police Department told CNN. The game started with a delay and the team said it would refund the tickets.

Protesters began to disperse at night, and police made no arrests.

[SOURCE]

Protesters of police shooting shut down I-5 and block entry to Sacramento Kings game.

A dramatic day of protest Thursday over the shooting of Stephon Clark a young unarmed black man began at Sacramento City Hall, shut down Interstate 5 during rush hour.

The protest snarled traffic around central city freeways, with cars backed up nearly a mile south on I-5 toward Sutterville Road and on the westbound W/X freeway.

Around 5:30 p.m., southbound lanes reopened. It took another 30-plus minutes for protesters to leave northbound lanes. [SOURCE]

Demonstrators gather at Sacramento City Hall to protest fatal shooting of unarmed man.

Demonstrators in Sacramento, California, gathered Thursday evening to protest the death of 22-year-old Stephon Clark, who was killed in his grandmother's backyard over the weekend after two police officers fired 20 shots at him.

A crowd of people went to Sacramento's City Hall, chanting phrases like "Stand up, fight back" and "No justice, no peace."

Black Lives Matter Sacramento is hosting the demonstration, according to the Facebook event titled "Turn Up - for [Stephon] Clark!"

"We are tired of Sacramento law enforcement killing us!" the event description reads. "We are tired of talking and meeting and sitting trying to convince our elected officials that there needs to be change!"[SOURCE]

Smithsonian moves Michelle Obama portrait due to 'high volume of visitors'

Michelle Obama was so popular she needed more space.

The distinctive Amy Sherald painting of the former first lady, unveiled at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery last month, has relocated to a different part of the museum due to demand.

"We're always changing things up here. Due to the high volume of visitors, we've relocated Michelle Obama's portrait to the 3rd floor in our 20th-Century Americans galleries for a more spacious viewing experience," the National Portrait Gallery tweeted.

The museum has been inundated with visitors since the portraits of the Obamas were unveiled; 176,700 people visited the gallery in February 2018, its biggest month in three years, per Smithsonian Institution data. Last weekend, nearly 45,000 visitors stopped by from Thursday to Sunday.

[SOURCE: CNN]

Austin Texas bombing suspect dead

This is a breaking story, details may change as more information comes in.

A man whom authorities were attempting to arrest early Wednesday in a string of bombing attacks that originally focused on minorities in Austin killed himself with an explosive device as authorities closed in, a high-ranking law enforcement official told the American-Statesman early today.

The official said authorities identified a suspect in the past 24 hours based largely on information gained after police said the suspect shipped an explosive device from a FedEx store in Southwest Austin. That evidence included security video.

Authorities also relied upon store receipts showing suspicious transactions from the person and obtained a search warrant for his Google search history that showed him conducting searches they considered suspicious, the official said.

Authorities relied upon cell phone technology to trace the suspect to a hotel in Williamson County, the official said.

Ben Carson throws his wife under the bus over $31,000 dining room set

While testifying before the House Appropriations Committee about the infamous $31,000 dining room set, Secretary of HUD Ben Carson stayed awake long enough to blame the entire fiasco on his wife. Wow, I wonder what he would blame her for if he didn't love her? George L. Cook III African American Reports.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson pointed to his wife when pressed about the purchase of a $31,000 dining set with taxpayer money, despite internal HUD emails claiming he also had a part in selecting the furniture. Carson, testifying before the House Appropriations Committee, said he left decisions with his wife, Candy Carson, and was shocked to hear how much it cost.

The purchase of an elaborate furniture set has cast Carson in an unwelcome spotlight in recent weeks. A spokesman for HUD initially said Carson had nothing to do with the purchase of the furniture, despite emails obtained by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight claiming Carson and his wife made the selection.

"I asked my wife also to help me with that, they showed us some catalogues, the prices were beyond what I wanted to pay, I made it clear that that just didn't seem right to me, and I left it with my wife," Carson said of the furniture selections. "I said, 'Help choose something,' but I said the money that is going to be used -- 'we need to take care of the deputy secretary's office, and you know whatever is left over I'll take care of the dining room furniture.' It was very important to do that, and I realize that, but I had some many other things to do at that point. You know, I had no assistant secretary, no deputy secretary. I was running from place to place dealing with a lot of important issues, so I really wasn't that concerned about furniture. The next thing that I quite frankly heard about it, was this $31,000 thousand dollar table had been bought. I said, 'What the heck is that all about?'"

HUD has canceled the order.

This isn't the first time Carson's wife has been blamed in relation to this matter. An Aug. 29, 2017 email from HUD chief of staff Sheila Greenwood to HUD administrative officer Aida Rodriguez and executive assistant to the secretary Allison Mills reads, "I believe Allison has print outs of the furniture the secretary and Mrs. Carson picked."

But when CBS News asked HUD spokesman Raffi Williams about the claims of Carson's involvement, he simply said, "When presented with options by professional staff, Mrs. Carson participated in the selection of specific styles."

The internal HUD emails show finding new furniture for Carson was a high priority at HUD, for at least six months. The emails also reveal HUD staffers were pressured to find a workaround for the $5,000 legal limit for federal executives to redecorate their offices.

[SOURCE: CBS NEWS]

Mark Henry to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018

Mark Henry took pride in giving countless Superstars a vicious induction into his Hall of Pain. During WrestleMania 34 Week, The World’s Strongest Man will enter a completely different hall.

As first reported by USA Today, Henry will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2018. He joins Goldberg, The Dudley Boyz, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett, Hillbilly Jim, Kid Rock and Warrior Award recipient Jarrius “JJ” Robertson as those being honored during the 2018 Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 6, during WrestleMania 34 Week in New Orleans.

Henry’s journey in professional sports began in the world of powerlifting. After becoming a prodigy in the weight room as a high-schooler, Henry broke out at the 1992 Summer Olympics. One year later, he won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 1993 Pan-American Games. His unbelievable power caught the eye of WWE officials, who signed him to become a Superstar in 1996. Shortly after competing in the 1996 Summer Olympics, Henry made his in-ring debut at In Your House: Mind Games, defeating fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler.

Henry excelled inside the squared circle as a member of The Nation of Domination alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and also became the notorious ladies’ man known as “Sexual Chocolate” during WWE’s over-the-top Attitude Era. While with WWE, Henry would foray into strongman competition and find great success, winning the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic. Back in WWE, The World’s Strongest Man would use the power that won him that contest, pulling off incredible feats of strength for his fellow Superstars and the WWE Universe.

Soon, though, Henry would discover a mean streak like no other and unleash his rage on the WWE roster. Henry carved a path of destruction through Superstars like The Undertaker, Kurt Angle and Rey Mysterio before making his way to ECW and capturing the brand’s top championship in his first match, defeating Kane and Big Show in the process. After returning to SmackDown, Henry’s penchant for punishment was given a name – his opponents weren’t just being beaten down; they were being inducted into The Hall of Pain.

Henry’s appetite for destruction brought him one of sports-entertainment’s top prizes – the World Heavyweight Championship, which he won by defeating Randy Orton at Night of Champions 2011. As The World’s Strongest Man’s career approached the two-decade mark, rumors of Henry’s retirement began to travel through the WWE Universe. Henry even played into the rumors, appearing on Monday Night Raw in June 2013 for what appeared to be a tearful retirement speech as John Cena watched on, though he shocked everyone by nearly driving Cena through the mat with his World’s Strongest Slam, boldly declaring “I’ve got a lot left in the tank!”

Henry continued competing with WWE through WrestleMania 33, while also taking on a new role as a talent scout and mentor, helping to prepare competitors like Braun Strowman, Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews and Bianca Belair for the rigors of the squared circle.

For the devastation he caused inside the ring, as well as the work he does to help the next generation of Superstars, there is no bigger honor for Mark Henry than to become The World’s Strongest Hall of Famer.

The 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Friday, April 6, in New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center during WrestleMania 34 Week.

[SOURCE: WWE]

Smithsonian Appoints Curator and Archivist for African-American Art

Erin J. Gilbert

The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art has named two new appointees to positions related to African-American art: Erin J. Gilbert as curator of African-American manuscripts and Rayna Andrews as archivist for the institution’s African American Collecting Initiative.

Gilbert, an independent curator with experience in various departments of Chicago’s Kruger Gallery and the Art Institute of Chicago as well as the Studio Museum in Harlem in New York, will be charged with developing “a strategy for substantially increasing the collections of papers of and about African-American artists and will travel nationally to acquire collections,” according to an announcement.

Andrews, previously an archivist at the University of Pennsylvania and Bryn Mawr College, will catalogue the collection and new acquisitions. Together, work by

Rayna Andrews

Gilbert and Andrews “will result in the creation of online finding aids for scores of the Archives’ collections on African American art,” the Smithsonian’s statement said. “These finding aids will greatly increase access and usability of the collections and will serve as critical resources for those performing research in the field.”

The three-year African American Collecting Initiative was launched last year with a $575,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to “build upon the Archives’ existing collections by and about African American artists.”

Both positions add to an Archives of American Art initiative that was founded in 1954.

[SOURCE: ARTNEWS]

BLACK PANTHER’S DORA MILAJE GET SPINOFF COMIC

As anyone who has seen Black Panther can tell you, the Dora Milaje are a force to be reckoned with. The devoted female warriors sworn to protect Wakanda’s throne are an essential part of the boundary-breaking blockbuster—so it should come as little surprise that Marvel’s latest release takes their story far beyond their service to their king, T’Challa. In Wakanda Forever: The Amazing Spider-Man, the Dora Milaje are finally getting their own arc, with Okoye, Ayo, and Aneka headed to New York to investigate a threat to national security, and connecting with Peter Parker in the process. Written by acclaimed sci-fi and fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor, with illustrations by Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque and Terry Dodson, the three-part comic will shed new light on the heroes who have become fan favorites. If the film whet viewers’ appetite for more adventures featuring the near invincible trio, the new series promises to deliver all that and then some. “Typically when you see them, they’re with T’Challa, representing and protecting him,” Okorafor told Vogue. “Now you’re going to see the Dora Miljae for the first time as an independent entity; they’re not under the shadow of the throne.”

Okorafor has already won Hugo and Nebula awards for her game-changing fiction, which explores themes of Afro-futurism and fantastical mythology inspired by Nigerian folklore, but she’s found stepping into the world of comics no less gratifying. “It’s been amazing, and I’ve learned so much along the way,” says Okorafor, whose first book for Marvel, Black Panther: Long Live the King, debuted last year. Presenting a vision of the African continent through the sci-fi lens felt completely natural. “I like to write the future; the Africa I feel can be and the Africa that will be, that has always been my vision,” she says. “With Wakanda, a place set in the present but with a futuristic outlook, it wasn’t a hard transition—it made a lot of sense.”

Read more: BLACK PANTHER’S DORA MILAJE GET SPINOFF COMIC

Nearly $900k Raised for HBCUs at 2018 UNCF National Gala

Close to $900,000 was raised at the recent UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala honoring game-changing HBCU alumnus and White House correspondent April Ryan, Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon and UNCF campaign contributor Oracle Corporation. More than 900 business, civic and education leaders attending the March 8 event. UNCF member-institution presidents, along with UNCF president and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax also attended. HBCU alum (Howard University) and “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent, A.J. Calloway served as master of ceremonies.

“HBCUs continue to produce leaders across all professions, including honorees April     Ryan, graduate of Morgan State; and Kenny Leon, graduate of Clark Atlanta,” said Lomax. “These honorees and our students attending HBCUs across the nation help change the narrative about HBCUs and address misperceptions and myths about them.”

The 2018 UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala continued its tradition of honoring trailblazers for their game-changing education advocacy through partnerships with UNCF and through their own work. This year’s honorees, who through their sacrifices and determination, have led the charge in championing for a quality education for all, include White House correspondent April Ryan, who received the Shirley Chisholm Award for community service. Both Kenny Leon and the Oracle Corporation accepted the UNCF President’s Award.

“We could not be prouder of our partnership with UNCF, which spans more than 20 years,” said Hamidou Dia, senior vice president, Oracle. “During that period of time, we’ve donated over $13 million, sponsored countless interns, hired many students and have supported UNCF’s HBCU Innovation Summit. The foundation that you’ve laid since 1944 is remarkable. I’m sure that I speak for my colleagues at Oracle and beyond in saying that we’ve been the proud recipients of your graduates. They come to the table with new ideas, the courage to speak up, the skills to deliver, the fire to make a difference, and the commitment to reach back and help others. Simply put, you make our organizations and our country better.”

With the support of platinum sponsors Wells Fargo and Delta Air Lines, funds from the event help support UNCF programs and our 37 member institutions— 
colleges and universities that contribute to the regions and communities HBCUS have served for more than 100 years. And in the recent landmark study, HBCUs Make America Strong: The Positive Economic Impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities--commissioned by UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute--UNCF shows the nation’s HBCUs generate $1.8 billion in economic impact annually; equivalent to a ranking in the top 200 on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations.

These institutions generate more than134,000 jobs for their local and regional economies—equal to the number of jobs provided by president’s awardee Oracle, one of the nation’s largest private employers.

To view images from the 2018 UNCF “A Mind Is…” Gala, visit: https://www.uncf.org/NewYork 

To stay connected to UNCF throughout the year, please visit: UNCF.org

Follow us on social media @UNCF #UNCF

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 nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually 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 motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF. #AMIGala

Hampton votes to name neighborhood center after NASA trailblazer, Mary Jackson

Dozens packed the Hampton City Council chambers Wednesday for the renaming of a $3.5 million Olde Hampton neighborhood center in honor of Mary Jackson, a city native, and among the first African-American women to serve as a human computer at what is now NASA Langley.

Many of those in attendance included members of Jackson’s sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha to pay tribute to the pioneering engineer, whose story was featured in the book by Hampton native Margot Lee Shetterly and movie “Hidden Figures.”

Last July, members of Local 8888 of the United Steelworkers lobbied the City Council to have a public place named for Jackson. Jackson, who died in 2005, grew up in Olde Hampton and was a science education advocate.

The city is working with local neighborhood citizen groups to finalize the types of programs that will be featured at the center, City Manager Mary Bunting said. The city is also seeking to hire a firm for the building design.

Vice Mayor Linda Curtis said there is not a set location for the new Mary Jackson Neighborhood Center.

[SOURCE: DAILY PRESS]

Package bombings targeting African Americans in Austin Texas

Package bombs that killed a teenager and wounded two women Monday in Austin are probably linked to a similar bombing that killed a man in the city earlier this month, authorities said, and investigators are considering whether race was a factor because all of the victims were minorities.

The first of Monday’s attacks killed a 17-year-old boy and wounded a 40-year-old woman, both whom were black. As police Chief Brian Manley held a news conference to discuss that blast, officers were called to the scene of another explosion that badly injured a 75-year-old Hispanic woman. She was taken to a hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.

Authorities suspect that both of Monday’s blasts are linked to a March 2 attack that killed a 39-year-old black man, and they urged the public to call police if they receive any unexpected packages.

The three explosions occurred in different parts of Austin. Monday’s first explosion happened at a home near the city’s Windsor Park neighborhood and about 12 miles from the home where the March 2 package bomb killed 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House. His death was initially investigated as suspicious, but is now viewed as a homicide.

Monday’s second explosion happened in the Montopolis neighborhood, near the airport and about five miles south of the day’s first blast.

In at least the first two blasts, the packages were left overnight on the victims’ doorsteps and were not mailed or sent by a delivery service. He said neither the U.S. Postal Service nor private carriers such as UPS or FedEx have any record of delivering the package to the home, where Monday’s explosion occurred.

“There are similarities that we cannot rule out that these two items are, in fact, related,” Manley said.

Investigators have not determined a motive for the attacks, but it is possible that the victims could have been targeted because of their race, he said.

“We don’t know what the motive behind these may be,” Manley said. “We do know that both of the homes that were the recipients of these packages belong to African-Americans, so we cannot rule out that hate crime is at the core of this.”

Special Agent Michelle Lee, a San Antonio-based spokesman for the FBI, said the agency responded to both events and was assisting Austin police, who were leading the local investigation. She said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was leading the federal investigation.

[SOURCE: KOCO NEWS]

Baltimore park space where Confederate statue once stood rededicated to Harriet Tubman

More than 200 local residents and elected leaders gathered in a tree-lined corner of a Baltimore park Saturday to rededicate the space, which had long venerated two Confederate generals, to the famed abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman.

“We stand on the shoulders of this great woman,” said Ernestine Jones-Williams, 71, a Baltimore County resident and a Tubman family descendant who spoke on behalf of the family. “We are overwhelmed. Overwhelmed. Thank you, and God bless you.”

The ceremony in Wyman Park Dell, on the 105th anniversary of Tubman’s death, took place feet from the now-empty pedestal of a large, bronze, double-equestrian statue of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, and officially renamed the space Harriet Tubman Grove.

At the event Saturday, city officials and local residents cited the events in Charleston and Charlottesville, but largely focused on more local efforts to have Baltimore’s statues removed, including a grass-roots petition drive.

They said the removal of the statues has imbued the spaces where they once stood, such as the Harriet Tubman Grove, with their own symbolic power.

“Since the removal of the Lee-Jackson statue, this park has become a gathering place for city residents of all backgrounds to meet, talk and enjoy the location as a space that symbolizes hope and positive change,” said Ciara Harris, chief of staff to Baltimore Recreation and Parks Director Reginald Moore. “Harriet Tubman Grove will provide the city an opportunity to correct historic injustice to a Maryland native. Our city is properly recognizing an African-American hero.”

Read more: Baltimore park space where Confederate statue once stood is rededicated to Harriet Tubman

Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirms 'Black Panther 2,' considering spinoffs

Wakanda forever! The blockbuster, record-breaking "Black Panther" will be getting a sequel, surprising nobody and delighting us all.

Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed the studio has already begun planning a follow-up film. As he told Entertainment Weekly, "We absolutely will do that."

He added, "One of the favorite pastimes at Marvel Studios is sitting around on a Part One and talking and dreaming about what we would do in a Part Two. There have been plenty of those conversations as we were putting together the first 'Black Panther.' We have ideas and a pretty solid direction on where we want to head with the second one.'

Feige didn't allude to possible storylines, though the end of the first movie left things wide open — literally, since T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) was starting to open the doors of Wakanda to the rest of the world.

And what about the very loud demands for spinoffs featuring the badass female characters of "Black Panther," like tech wizard Shuri (Letitia Wright), warrior Okoye (Danai Gurira), and spy Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o)?

"I think there's lots of potential. It's a balance between leaving people wanting more and then giving them too much, but I would watch a movie about any of those characters you just named," Feige said.

"I think Shuri's astounding, and you'll see much more of her in our universe. Okoye, I think I'd watch three action films just Okoye. I'm not saying we're doing that, but I'm saying that we're intrigued by them. Frankly, as I've said before, finishing these first 22 movies is really all we're thinking about at this point."

[SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS]