For the First Time in History, Two African Americans will Hold Top Leadership Positions in Congress

Congressional Black Caucus Member Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08) has been elected chair of the Democratic Caucus, and Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn (D-SC-06) was elected Majority Whip, making it the first time in history that two African Americans will hold top leadership positions in Congress at the same time. In response to these elections, the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02), released the following statement:

“When the Congressional Black Caucus was founded in 1971, I know our 13 founding members dreamed of the day when we would have more than one member in our ranks competing for top leadership positions in Congress. Today was that day, and I know they are proud.

“When Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries articulated to our colleagues why they were the best candidate for Democratic Caucus chair, it was one of the best displays of black brilliance that I have seen in a long time. The unfortunate part of their race against each other was that one of them had to lose.

“I congratulate Congressman Jeffries on being elected Democratic Caucus chair; he has more than demonstrated during his time in Congress that he is ready to lead in this position.

“I also congratulate Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn on being elected Majority Whip. There are few Democrats who have done more than Assistant Democratic Leader Clyburn to mentor young members of Congress and make sure that Democrats win elections.

“When former congressman George Henry White, the last African-American congressman to leave Congress before the Jim Crow Era, left office in 1901, he said in his famous farewell address, ‘This is perhaps the Negroes' temporary farewell to the American Congress, but let me say, Phoenix-like he will rise up some day and come again.’

“Next Congress, the CBC will have 55 members, including two who will be in top leadership positions and five who will chair full House committees – former congressman George Henry White was right, and the Phoenix has risen.”

Barack Obama Receives Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award

Former President Barack Obama was honored with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award at a gala in midtown Manhattan Wednesday evening.

The award celebrates leaders of the international business, entertainment, and activist communities who have demonstrated a commitment to social change and reflect Robert Kennedy’s passion for equality, justice, basic human rights, and his belief that we all must strive to "make gentle the life of this world."

"I'm not sure if you've heard, but I've been on this hope kick for a while now. Even ran a couple of campaigns on it. Thank you for officially validating my hope credentials," Obama said during his remarks.

The organization's president, Kerry Kennedy, presented the award, which celebrates leaders "who have demonstrated a commitment to social change." Past recipients include Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Bono, George Clooney and Robert De Niro.

"If we summon our best selves, we can inspire others to do the same. It's easy to succumb to cynicism, the notion that hope is a fool's game," Obama said.

"When our leaders are content on making up whatever facts they want, a lot of people have begun to doubt the notion of common ground," Obama said. "Bobby Kennedy's life reminds us to reject such cynicism."

Also honored with Ripple of Hope Awards were New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav and Humana CEO Bruce Broussard. Speakers included actors Alec Baldwin, Keegan-Michael Key, Alfre Woodard and journalist Tom Brokaw.

Kamala Harris on mortality rates of black mothers: 'We can solve' this

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said society needs to do more to curb the increasing rates of mortality among black mothers.

Harris, a rising star in the Democratic Party believed to have presidential aspirations, introduced the CARE Act in August aimed at reducing the disparity in maternal death rates between women of color and white women.

Speaking at the Center for American Progress Wednesday, Harris championed the cause in an effort to raise awareness to the problem, calling it a “truth that must be spoken.”

"Women in the healthcare system must be given dignity. They must be listened to. They must be taken seriously. They must be given respect,” Harris said. “They must be given a sense of dignity about understanding that when they tell you something, then listen. When they tell you what they need, listen. They know what they need when they tell you. Hear them."

Harris said black women are three to four times more likely to die than white women because they choose to become mothers. Additionally, infants born to African-American mothers die at twice the rate of babies born to white mothers.

“We can solve for this, because at its core, one of the biggest parts of the problem is that his is an issue that’s about race,” she said.

Harris noted that increased education and awareness is necessary to fight the growing problem. She believes government also should be doing more to help.

"I've found myself saying recently that if something is worth fighting for, it's a fight worth having. If something is worth fighting for, it's a fight worth having. And when it comes to maternal healthcare for black women in America - it's a fight worth having,” Harris said.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Michelle Obama's surprises Detroit students at Motown Museum

Michelle Obama surprised a group of Detroit college students on Tuesday afternoon, walking into the Motown Museum as the young men of color took part in a roundtable discussion on education.

The former first lady was greeted with smiles, looks of astonishment and applause after entering the second floor of the building where Berry Gordy created sonic history more than a half-century ago. She hugged her brother Craig Robinson and Keegan-Michael Key, an actor and native Detroiter who moderated the discussion that was organized by Obama’s Reach Higher initiative.

“This was supposed to be for boys only,” Robinson said after they sat down, eliciting laughter from his sister and the more than a dozen students from nearby Wayne State University.

“What’s going on,” Obama then asked, echoing the title of Marvin Gaye’s classic Motown tune.

“We’re just talking about education,” Key answered, before mock-asking if it would be OK with them if Obama sat in on their chat.

Obama listened as the students spoke about their experiences in life and school and encouraged them to practice “discomfort” and not be afraid to try new things.

Read more: Michelle Obama's surprises Detroit students at t Motown Museum

Senator Tim Scott wants his party to get smarter on race.

Sen. Tim Scott wants fellow Republicans to get smarter about judicial nominees — specifically, to stop nominating judges with questionable records on race.

The South Carolina Republican earlier this month was instrumental in blocking confirmation of a second judge in four months over concerns about how they’ve dealt with race issues in the past.

But fellow Republicans showed no immediate signs they would do anything, anytime soon, to take some of the pressure off Scott, the Senate’s only black Republican.

He is up against members of his party who don’t think any of their nominees are problematic. That includes fellow South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who is poised next month to become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which evaluates judges and recommends them for or against confirmation.

“I respect (Scott) very much. There’s nobody I respect more than Tim,” said Graham, before dismissing Scott’s concerns that Thomas Farr, a nominee for a judgeship in the Eastern District of North Carolina, might have been behind a voter suppression strategy in 1990 that involved sending purposefully misleading information to African-Americans.

“I don’t think he had a fraught record on race. I think the mail-out was disgusting in 1990, and (Farr) had nothing to do with it,” Graham insisted.

The conservative base that fuels much of the GOP’s political energy is equally dismissive. The day after Scott announced he would provide the decisive vote to kill the Farr nomination, the grassroots advocacy group FreedomWorks blasted out an email with the phone number for Scott’s office.

“Don’t let this strong conservative nominee crash and burn!” read the call to action from FreedomWorks president Adam Brandon. “Urge (Scott) to stand with President Trump and CONFIRM Thomas Farr.”

Meanwhile, Republican leaders have opted to pretend the debate never occurred, keeping Farr’s candidacy in limbo rather than formally withdrawing his nomination.

Fellow black Republicans, though, are concerned.

Read more: Tim Scott wants his party to get smarter on race. His colleagues are making it tough.

Yolanda Ford elected first African American mayor of Missouri City

Missouri City (Texas) voters Saturday elected Yolanda Ford as their next mayor, the first woman and African American ever selected for the city's highest office.

Ford narrowly defeated incumbent Allen Owen, who has been Missouri City's mayor for nearly a quarter of a century. Ford captured about 52 percent of the vote to Owen's 48 percent in Saturday's run-off election.

"I am so proud that the residents of Missouri City have elected me as their mayor," Ford said in a statement. "After having served on the city council for the past five years, and as a lifelong resident, I am deeply invested in the well-being and growth of Missouri City, and I look forward to working with citizens, the city council and others toward its betterment."

Ford, an urban planning manager, will take the oath of office Dec. 17.

[SOURCE: Chron.Com]

Cast of 'Black Panther' announces $250,000 college scholarship

Who wouldn't want to get a college scholarship from Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira?

During the Hollywood Reporter's 2018 Women in Entertainment gala on Wednesday, the three stars of the blockbuster — and now Golden Globe-nominated — film "Black Panther" took the stage to make an announcement sure to excite young fans across the country.

"In support of fostering young diverse voices in entertainment, The Walt Disney Studios is delighted to announce its own 'Black Panther Scholarship,'" said Gurira to a round of applause. "Because we all know, if we want to live in a world that looks more like Wakanda, the first step is invest in some girls and women."

The scholarship will provide a full ride, worth $250,000, for a lucky student to attend Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. Boseman thanked Disney and Marvel executives as well as "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler before opening a white envelope announcing this year's winner — Kalis Coleman.

Coleman, a 17-year-old student from Inglewood, California, was in attendance to receive the award.

When Coleman crossed the stage, Nyong'o crossed her arms over her chest, flashing the quintessential "Wakanda Forever" signal, before giving Coleman a congratulatory hug.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Coleman plans to become a pediatric dermatologist.

[SOURCE: CNBC]

Olivia Hooker first African American woman to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard laid to rest

The first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and one of the last survivors of a race riot in Oklahoma has been laid to rest with military honors.

A funeral was held Wednesday in White Plains, New York, for Olivia Hooker. She was 103 years old when she died on Nov. 21.

The Coast Guard says Hooker enlisted in the Coast Guard Women's Reserve in 1945 and rose to the rank of yeoman second class before her discharge in 1946.

Hooker also survived one of the worst race riots in U.S. history. She was 6 years old in 1921 when the late-spring riot destroyed much of a Tulsa neighborhood that had been known as "Black Wall Street."

Hooker was a psychologist and a professor of psychology at Fordham University, where she retired at age 87 in 2002.

[SOURCE: NEWS ADVANCE]

100-year-old Tuskegee Airman, Wilfred Defour found dead in Harlem home

Wilfred DeFour, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen — an all-black squadron of World War II pilots that inspired African-Americans across the country — died in his Harlem home Saturday. He was 100.

DeFour was an aircraft technician for the famed squad, which got its name from the group’s training facility in Tuskegee, Ala.

During World War II, the pilots ran missions over North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. DeFour painted the tails of the aircraft from which the squadron drew its “Red Tails” nickname.

Just last month, DeFour was honored as a post office on Macombs Place in Harlem was renamed the Tuskegee Airmen Post Office Building.

DeFour worked as a postal employee for more than 30 years after his military service.

"We didn't know we were making history at the time,” DeFour, said during the renaming ceremony. “We were just doing our job."

Counting all pilots and support staff — from the mechanics to the cooks — roughly 20,000 men were part of what is considered the “Tuskegee experience.”

As of 2015, some 600 were still alive, according to the Tuskegee Airmen National History Museum in Detroit.

[SOURCE: NY DAILY NEWS]

Black Panther, Blackkklansman, and If Beale Street Could Talk nominated for Golden Globe best picture award

By George L. Cook II AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Nominations for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced on Thursday morning show live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Three films with black directors and predominantly black cast were nominated in the Golden Globes Best Picture-Drama category. Those three films are Black Panther (directed by Ryan Coogler) , Blackkklansman (directed by Spike Lee), and If Beale Street Could Talk (directed by Barry Jenkins).

Blackkklansman received three other nominations. The film was also nominated for best director (Spike Lee) best actor (John David Washington) and best-supporting actor (Adam Driver).

If Beale Street Could Talk also had Regina King nominated in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture and Barry Jenkins for Best Screenplay-Motion Picture (“If Beale Street Could Talk”)

Marvel's Black Panther was nominated in the Best Original Score category (Ludwig Goransson), Best Original Song-Motion Picture for the Kendrick Lamar and SZA song "All the Stars."

Although Green Book was not directed by a black director its worth noting that Mahershala Ali was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting in Any Movie.

Cummings: Kemp should testify about voter suppression allegation

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who's expected to become the next chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he wants Georgia Gov.-elect Brian Kemp (R) to testify before Congress about allegations that he suppressed minority voters during his tenure as Georgia's secretary of state.

“I want to be able to bring people in, like the new governor-to-be of Georgia, to explain ... why is it fair for wanting to be secretary of state and be running [for governor],” Cummings told HuffPost in an article published Monday.

A news report a few months before Election Day found that a disproportionate number of the state's thousands of stalled voter applications were from black residents.

Cummings told HuffPost that he hopes to address the issue of voter suppression when Democrats are the majority in the 116th Congress.

“One of the things about my committee, you know, it’s called Oversight and Government Reform," he told HuffPost. “Oversight, you know, you gotta research and find out what the hell is going on and then, if it is appropriate, to do those things to reform the system.”

Cummings said he also wants to call on election officials from Kansas and North Carolina accused of suppressing Latino and African-American votes.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Frank Scott Jr: First African American elected mayor of Little Rock Arkansas

Frank Scott Jr. has been elected mayor of Little Rock.

Scott is the first African-American elected mayor by popular vote in the city's history. Little Rock has had two black mayors, but they were city directors chosen for the job by fellow board members.

He defeated Baker Kurrus in the nonpartisan runoff election Tuesday after the two received most votes of the five candidates in the general election Nov. 6.

Kurrus conceded to Scott about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday after early voting and absentee ballot numbers showed Scott had a sizable lead.

Scott succeeds Mayor Mark Stodola, who announced this year that he would not seek re-election after 12 years in office because of a family medical issue.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial results were:

Scott: 22,622 - 58 percent

Kurrus: 16,282 - 42 percent

Scott, a 35-year-old Little Rock native, is a banker and associate pastor. He was a deputy police director and director of intergovernmental affairs under former governor Mike Beebe. He has also served on the state highway commission and the board of directors for the Little Rock Port Authority and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Arkansas. Scott is graduate of the University of Arkansas. He holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

[SOURCE: KATV]

Gwen Collins-Greenup in runoff to become Louisiana Secretary of State

A runoff to become Louisiana's next Secretary of State is set for Saturday, December 8.

It's between Democratic candidate Gwen Collins-Greenup, and Republican candidate Kyle Ardoin, who's currently serving as the interim Secretary of State.

If Collins-Greenup wins, she would be the first African-American woman to be elected to statewide office in Louisiana. Watch an interview with her below:

Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T to meet in Celebration Bowl to decide HBCU Champion!

The Alcorn State Braves (9-3) defeated the Southern Jaguars on the SWAC Championship Game to advance to the Celebration Bowl to face MEAC champion North Carolina A&T (9-2) for the HBCU national championship. The game will take place Saturday, Dec. 15, at noon ET from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and aired live on ABC.

Entering its fourth year, the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl has established itself as a premier bowl game and celebrates the heritage, legacy, pageantry, and tradition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It is a championship-style game between the MEAC and SWAC champions. ESPN Events collaborates with 100 Black Men of Atlanta to organize the game’s ancillary events which include a youth symposium, robotics showcase, gospel night, fan experience and more. The MEAC leads the overall Celebration Bowl series 2-1 after three years. North Carolina A&T defeated Alcorn State 41-34 in the inaugural game in 2015. In 2016, Grambling State defeated North Carolina Central 10-9. As in previous years, last year’s Celebration Bowl was a tight battle with North Carolina A&T beating Grambling State 21-14.

Fans can purchase tickets to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl online at thecelebrationbowl.com or ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. Prices range from $15 to $155 including taxes and fees. A full list of events surrounding the game are available on the event’s website.

Congresswoman Karen Bass Elected Next Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus

Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) has been elected chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for the 116th Congress. Congresswoman Bass will be the 26th chair of the CBC, and the eighth woman to hold the position.

“From her days in the California General Assembly where she became the first African-American woman in U.S. history to lead a state legislative body, to her work in Congress to address both domestic and international issues affecting people of African descent, Congresswoman Bass has demonstrated tried and true leadership,” said outgoing CBC Chair Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02). “I commend Congresswoman Bass on becoming the new chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. There’s much work to be done next Congress to ensure equality and justice for African Americans and other marginalized communities, and I am confident Congresswoman Bass will continue to provide strong leadership in this regard.”

Also elected were: Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), 1st Vice Chair; Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI-14), 2nd Vice Chair; Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), Secretary; Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-VA-04), Whip; and Congressman-elect Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Parliamentarian.

The new CBC executive committee will assume office on the first day of the 116th Congress.

Amber Guyger Indicted for Murder in the Death of Botham Shem Jean

A grand jury indicted Amber Guyger for murder, Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson told reporters in a press conference Friday afternoon.

Prosecutors argue the defendant should be held responsible for fatally shooting the victim at his apartment on September 6. Police say Guyger entered Jean’s home at the South Side Flats after a shift, and opened fire, striking him in the torso. She allegedly claimed she mistakenly believed that his fourth floor apartment was her third floor residence. Guyger lost her job over the incident. Others wondered how this shooting could possibly have happened. They were neighbors, but apparently didn’t know each other.

At the press conference, reporters asked Johnson why the charge was bumped up to murder. She said she couldn’t discuss the evidence presented to the grand jury, but previously explained it was the Texas Rangers who pursued the manslaughter charge. The D.A.’s office was still investigating at the time, she said.

[SOURCE: LAW & CRIME]

Democrat Mike Espy files to run for Senate in 2020

Democrat Mike Espy appears to be gunning for a rematch in his bid for Senate in Mississippi.

The former agriculture secretary and congressman filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Friday declaring his intention to run for Senate in 2020.

The filing comes just three days after he was defeated by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in a heated runoff election. A spokesperson for Espy's campaign did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment.

Hyde-Smith, who was appointed earlier this year to replace former Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) in the chamber, beat Espy on Tuesday by roughly 8 points.

Because Hyde-Smith was appointed this year and elected in a special election, she will face reelection again at the end of Cochran's term in 2020 when she's expected to seek her first full term in the Senate.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Michelle Obama's "Becoming" is best selling book of 2018

Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" has become the best selling book of the year in the United States, surpassing Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury" and others.

Wolff's "Fire" was a publishing world sensation when it came out in January. To date it has sold 1,008,088 hardcover copies, according to NDP BookScan data.

All year long, it was the year's No. 1 political book. Its closest competitor was "Fear," by Bob Woodward, which came out in September and has sold 872,567 hardcover copies to date.

But "Becoming" outpaced them both in just a couple of weeks. BookScan shows 1,122,618 hardcover copies of Obama's uplifting memoir have sold since its November 13 release date.

That makes it No. 1 for the year. The year's No. 2 book in terms of hardcover sales is "Magnolia Table," a cookbook by TV star Joanna Gaines. "Fire and Fury" now ranks No. 3, followed by Rachel Hollis' self help book "Girl, Wash Your Face" at No. 4 and "Fear" at No. 5.

Obama's publisher, Penguin Random House, said Friday that "Becoming" "sold more than 2 million units in all formats and editions in the U.S. and Canada during the first 15 days of its publication."

The hardcover edition of "Becoming" is now up to six printings, meaning the publisher has had to order more and more copies to keep up with demand. By the end of the sixth printing, there will be 3.4 million copies in print in the U.S. and Canada, well-timed for the holiday book-buying season.

[SOURCE: CNN]

Barack and Michelle Obama statement on passing of George H. W. Bush

Former President Obama and his wife Michelle have issued a statement on the passing of George H.W. Bush who died at the age of 94 on Friday.

GOP Sen. Tim Scott To Oppose Trump Judicial Nominee Thomas Farr

Republican Sen. Tim Scott announced Thursday he would oppose President Donald Trump's nominee to be a US district judge in North Carolina, effectively ending the nomination that had been plagued with accusations that Thomas Farr supported measures that disenfranchised African-American voters.

"This week, a Department of Justice memo written under President George H.W. Bush was released that shed new light on Mr. Farr's activities. This, in turn, created more concerns. Weighing these important factors, this afternoon I concluded that I could not support Mr. Farr's nomination," Scott said in a statement.

Scott, who is the Senate's sole black Republican, told reporters Wednesday that he wanted to speak to the author of a 1991 memo obtained by the Washington Post, which outlines a controversial postcard campaign distributed by the 1990 campaign of Sen. Jesse Helms that the Justice Department said were used to intimidate black voters from going to the polls.

Scott's decision to oppose Farr prevented Farr from being confirmed by the Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-to-49 seat majority. Also opposing Farr was Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who has sworn off advancing Trump judicial nominees until the chamber votes on a bill to protect special counsels such as Robert Mueller. All 49 Democrats opposed the nomination.

[SOURCE: CNN]