Bill Russell accepts Hall of Fame ring 44 years after induction

Bill Russell an 11-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champ tweeted on Friday that he was presented with his Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with friends and family that came four decades after he was first selected for the shrine in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Russell didn't attend his induction ceremony in 1975 because he didn't believe that he deserved to be the first black player inducted. He felt that Chuck Cooper, who in 1950 was the first African American player drafted by should have been in the Hall of Fame before him. Cooper was finally inducted in 2019.

Congrats to both Bill Russell and Chuck Cooper

In a private ceremony w/my wife & close friends A.Mourning @AnnMeyers @billwalton & others I accepted my #HOF ring. In ‘75 I refused being the 1st black player to go into the @Hoophall I felt others before me should have that honor. Good to see progress; ChuckCooperHOF19 @NBA pic.twitter.com/2FI5U7ThTg

— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) November 15, 2019

Deval Patrick announces 2020 presidential run

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) announced early Thursday that he will run for president, entering a crowded and fluid race for the Democratic nomination. Watch his announcement below.

Colin Kaepernick to audition for NFL teams on Saturday

Colin Kaepernick plans to audition for NFL teams on Saturday in a private workout arranged by the league to be held in Atlanta.

A person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press the league's decision to invite all 32 teams to watch Kaepernick "came out of the blue with no prior communication." The person said Kaepernick's team was given a 2-hour window to accept the invitation and was denied a request to schedule the tryout on a Tuesday or another Saturday.

Kaepernick's representatives have asked the league to provide a rolling list of teams that plan to attend the workout to ensure it's a "legitimate process," according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because details haven't been made public.

Kaepernick hasn't played since 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers.

[SOURCE: ABC NEWS]

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings will run for Elijah Cummings seat in Congress

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings announces that she will run for her late husband Elijah Cummings' 7th District Congressional seat.

Maryland Democratic Party Chairwoman Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the widow of U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, is running for her husband’s seat, arguing Monday she is the best option to carry out his legacy and continue his vision.

“I am, of course, devastated at the loss of my spouse, but his spirit is with me,” Rockeymoore Cummings, 48, said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “I’m going to run this race and I’m going to run it hard, as if he’s still right here by my side.”

Cummings, who had cancer, died Oct. 17 after serving more than two decades in Congress. He left a record of fighting for the needy and battling the administration of Republican President Donald Trump.

Rockeymoore Cummings, a public policy consultant who is founder of the Washington consulting firm Global Policy Solutions LLC and a former 2018 candidate for governor, said her husband told her months before he died he would like for her to succeed him.

“That was a discussion we had some months ago,” she said. “In the end, he was conflicted about whether he should resign or stay in office. We thought there might be a turnaround. It didn’t happen.”

Rockeymoore Cummings plans to kick off her campaign Tuesday at her home office in Baltimore’s Madison Park neighborhood. She said she will focus on issues important to the late congressman, such as battling the opioid crisis and “fighting for the soul of our democracy” against the Trump administration, but also on her areas of expertise, which include health and education policy.

Candidates must file by Nov. 20 to run in a special Feb. 4 primary for Cummings’ 7th District seat, which includes parts of the city of Baltimore and areas of Baltimore and Howard counties. The special election will be April 28, the same day as a regular primary for all of Maryland’s U.S. House seats. Candidates who want to fill Cummings’ seat through the rest of his term, until January 2021, and win the seat for the next two years after that, must run in both the special and regular elections.

[SOURCE: BALTIMORE SUN]

Ally financial donates $1 million to National Museum of African American History & Culture

Ally Financial announced a $1 million donation to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture on Wednesday, Oct. 16, with a check presentation by Ally Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey J. Brown to interim director of the museum, Spencer Crew. The museum, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is the nation's largest museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history and culture, and its impact on the world today.

This donation supports Ally's commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion through education, understanding and action.

"Championing diversity and inclusion is a cornerstone of our culture at Ally and at the foundation of what it means to do it right," said Brown. "An important part of this includes education and an understanding of the rich fabric of diversity. The National Museum of African American History and Culture tells the story of America through the lens of black history and culture, and we are proud to be able to help support them in that mission."

Brown was joined for the check presentation by 24 students from historically black colleges and universities who were invited by Ally to tour the museum. Prior to the museum tour the students participated in a learning session on the topic of design thinking that was led by Ally.

The students are in Washington, D.C. for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) 18th Annual Leadership Institute. TMCF is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the black college community. Brown has been named CEO of the Year by TMCF and will be honored at the 32nd Anniversary Awards Gala on Saturday, Oct. 19.

About Ally Financial Inc.

Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a leading digital financial-services company with $180.4 billion in assets as of June 30, 2019. As a customer-centric company with passionate customer service and innovative financial solutions, we are relentlessly focused on "Doing It Right" and being a trusted financial-services provider to our consumer, commercial, and corporate customers. We are one of the largest full-service automotive-finance operations in the country and offer a wide range of financial services and insurance products to automotive dealerships and consumers. Our award-winning online bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender) offers mortgage-lending services and a variety of deposit and other banking products, including savings, money-market, and checking accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs), and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Additionally, we offer securities-brokerage and investment-advisory services through Ally Invest. Our robust corporate finance business offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies.

ESSENCE Announces New Orleans Will Remain the Home of the ESSENCE Festival for the Next 5 Years

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, ESSENCE Communications Inc., the leading media, technology and commerce company serving Black women, announced an extended five-year partnership agreement with the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana to host its signature ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ through 2024. A platform to advance global Black culture, economic ownership and inclusion, and community development, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture has contributed more than $4 billion to the local economy since its inception. Now the world’s largest cultural, music, entertainment and empowerment experience and the global epicenter of Black culture, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture has created a home for Black communities around the world and routinely attracts more than half a million international attendees over July 4th weekend – annually contributing more than a quarter billion dollars in economic impact to the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana.

To celebrate ESSENCE’s 50th Anniversary, the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola will be extended to five days for the first time ever and will run from July 1-5. The additional days will be curated with experiences and activations throughout New Orleans and Louisiana focused on advancing economic development, education and entrepreneurship.

Our decision to remain in New Orleans, Louisiana was ultimately rooted in the landmark partnership that we have developed with the City and the State over the past 25 years and in our collective intentionality to bring even more depth to that relationship,” said Michelle Ebanks, CEO of ESSENCE Communications. “This includes working together more closely to perpetuate a stronger cycle of Community Commerce that will equip Black and women-owned businesses with the access, expertise and financial resources to transform their local communities and economies today – and elevate their global influence and opportunity tomorrow. This is the purpose and power of the nearly 50-year old ESSENCE brand and the 25-year-old ESSENCE Festival of Culture as much more than a magical moment each summer, but as a movement in continuous service to Black women and Black communities in New Orleans, in Louisiana, across the nation and around the world.”

The Festival continues to be the only-of-its-kind merging epic entertainment experiences with extensive daytime programming that intersect key cultural pillars including Arts, Entertainment, Music, Beauty, Fashion, Technology, Film, Food, Wellness, Advocacy, Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment.

“It is always great to be in the City of New Orleans with our Essence family as we cannot accomplish what we do alone, and it takes great leadership to bring about change and elevation," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "This commitment was made possible by all of our partners, and we are excited to sign our new contract for another five years. It really is a privilege to be the Mayor of the City of New Orleans. We made history with electing the first female Mayor of the City and of course marking the 25th year of the Essence Festival of Culture. It has always been a part of me as a woman, and as an African American woman, something to be particularly proud of.”

In 2019, in response to its identification of a critical void of Black professionals prepared to bid on large-scale live events and technical production, ESSENCE partnered with the City of New Orleans and the Urban League of Louisiana to launch “The Pipeline: An Economic Inclusion Initiative” in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Monroe. This ground-breaking effort – designed to increase the pool of women and Black professionals pursuing entrepreneurial business opportunities and careers in live events and technical production – will also create opportunities to connect existing production entrepreneurs to service contracts in the industry at both the corporate and governmental levels and give them access to networking, capital raising and opportunities for training and skills development. It also includes an internship program for youth seeking careers in media, live production and more.

“I am excited to welcome ESSENCE back to New Orleans through 2024 and am proud for the state of Louisiana to continue its partnership with this iconic event,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “New Orleans is a place like no other in the entire world, making it the best backdrop for the unique experience of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. This is an economic opportunity not just for the state and the city, but also for the entrepreneurs, business leaders and others who will broaden their networks and connections through the many events associated with the ESSENCE Festival of Culture.”

In 2019, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture launched several new curated daytime-and-nighttime experiences across Louisiana in more than 40 venues, including the ESSENCE Global Black Economic Forum™, ESSENCE Fashion House™, ESSENCE Wellness House™, and ESSENCE After Dark™. In addition, more than 80 artists performed at the Louisiana Superdome – headlined by Forever First Lady Michelle Obama – including Mary J. Blige, Nas, Missy Elliott, H.E.R., Big Freedia, Pharrell Williams and more.

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is supported by a host committee comprised of the City of New Orleans; New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation; New Orleans & Company; Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association; New Orleans Multi-Cultural Tourism Network, Inc.; the Mercedes-Benz Superdome; the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; and the State of Louisiana.

Sponsors for the 2020 ESSENCE Festival of Culture include Coca-Cola and State Farm. The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is produced by ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

About Essence Communications, Inc.

Essence Communications, Inc. is the number one media, technology and commerce company dedicated to Black women and inspires a global audience of more than 20 million through diverse storytelling and immersive original content. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, experiential and online, ESSENCE encompasses its signature magazine; digital, video and social platforms; television specials; books; and live events, including Black Women in Music™, Black Women in Hollywood™, Beauty Carnival™ and the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™. Essence Communications is owned by Essence Ventures, an independent Black-owned, consumer technology company merging content, community and commerce to meet the evolving cultural and lifestyle needs of people of color.

Higher Heights For America endorses Kamala Harris

Higher Heights For America PAC, a political action committee exclusively dedicated to electing more progressive Black women at the federal and statewide levels and that seeks to elevate Black women’s voices to shape and advance progressive policies and politics has endorsed Kamala Harris for President of the United States. Read their endorsement below.

History shows that when Black women gain political power we champion policies that benefit multiple communities. Higher Heights for America is thrilled to endorse Senator Kamala D. Harris, CA, for president of the United States. Kamala has spent her life fighting injustice. As president, she will fight to restore truth and justice in America and build an economy that works for everyone.

“I am incredibly proud to earn Higher Heights’ endorsement in this campaign,” said Harris. “Their leadership ensures that our power extends from the voting booth to elected office. Black women are keenly aware that justice is on the ballot in this election to tackle issues like maternal health, teacher pay and closing the gender pay and racial wealth gap. Black women are more than the backbone of the Democratic party and apparatus- they are the power brokers.”

In 2017, Kamala D. Harris was sworn in as a United States Senator to represent California, becoming both the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in U.S. history. Kamala currently serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on the Budget.

Since taking office, she has introduced and cosponsored legislation to raise wages for working people, reform our broken criminal justice system, make healthcare a right for all Americans, address the epidemic of substance abuse, support veterans and military families, and expand access to childcare for working parents.

Kamala has championed the rights of sexual assault survivors and led the charge against Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. As president, she will nominate judges who know Roe v. Wade is the law of the land, protect Planned Parenthood from Republican attempts to defund essential health services, and address racial disparities in maternal health care.

Born in Oakland, California, Kamala Harris is a graduate of Howard University, and she earned her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Growing up, Kamala had a stroller’s eye view of the Civil Rights Movement. Through the examples of courageous leaders such as Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker Motley, and Charles Hamilton Houston, she learned the kind of character required to stand up to the powerful, and she resolved to spend her life advocating for those who could not defend themselves.

Addressing the country’s long, tortured history of lynching is an issue that Senator Harris has taken on. Since 1918 Congress had tried but failed roughly 200 times to pass anti-lynching legislation. On February 14, 2019, Senator Harris introduced The Justice for Victims of Lynching Act, which would criminalize lynching for the first time in American history. She was joined by her colleagues Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina in sponsoring the bill. The motion was passed, marking a historic step towards the first federal anti-lynching law in the United States.

Kamala led the team that helped bring down California’s Proposition 8 at the U.S. Supreme Court and to fight for marriage equality nationwide.

If elected, Kamala plans to fight for working families by increasing wages, decreasing the cost of living and combating sexism, racism, and corporate favoritism in our economy, which would ensure every American receives equal treatment and a decent quality of life.

NASA 'Hidden Figures' to be awarded Congressional gold medals

Four African American women known as the "Hidden Figures" who worked at NASA during the Space Race are being awarded Congressional Gold Medals, the highest civilian award in the US.

Engineers Christine Darden and Mary Jackson, as well as mathematician Katherine Johnson and computer programmer Dorothy Vaughan were awarded Congressional Gold Medals.

Vaughan and Jackson, who passed away, were both awarded posthumously.

A fifth gold medal was granted in honor of all women who contributed to NASA during the Space Race.

Democratic Senator Kamala Harris from California, one of the people who introduced the bipartisan bill, called the women "pioneers" and an inspiration to black women across the US.

"The groundbreaking accomplishments of these four women, and all of the women who contributed to the success of NASA, helped us win the space race but remained in the dark far too long," said Harris in a press release.

The four trailblazers paved the way for women of color to make history in fields including science, math, and technology.

[SOURCE: CNN]

Charniele L. Herring: First African American Majority Leader of the Virginia General Assembly

After flipping both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly, Democrats made a historic leadership selection on Saturday November 9, 2019.

Del. Charniele L. Herring (Alexandria) was selected be the new majority leader, becoming the first woman and the first African American to serve in that post.

“To me, everyone’s a leader in that room,” Herring said. “We are unified and ready to get to work.”

Maryland city elects first African American mayor

Bowie, Maryland elected its first African-American mayor, Tim Adams. He is also the first person with a physical disability to be elected a mayor.

Bowie, is situated in Prince George’s county which is known as the wealthiest Black county in the United States of America.

Adams is the city’s first new mayor in 20 years and also its first Black mayor. The new mayor has been wheelchair-bound after he was involved in accident years back.

Adams reacted to his election thus: “I think being the first Black mayor of Bowie, in particular, is something that is historic. It’s very humbling.”

Adams is a successful entrepreneur who provides support to customers of the department of defence. He has been a resident of Bowie for 25 years.

History made as Ohio city elect first African American mayor

Tuesday’s election in North College Hill, Ohio was nothing short of historic as voters elected Tracie Nichols the first African American mayor of North College Hill.

Nichols, who has served on the North College Hill board for several years, is also the third woman to hold the city’s top office.

“I’m just elated and happy that the people chose me,” Nichols said. “I’m ready to go out and do great things.”

As mayor, Nichols says she plans to make North College Hill a model for neighborhoods across Cincinnati.

“We’re a family-oriented community. We want things for our residents in our community and to bring people in and say, ‘hey they’re doing this over in North College Hill. I want to be a part of that,’” Nichols said.

[SOURCE:WCPO]

NAACP statement on COMCAST attack on the Civil Rights Act of 1866

While Trump's shenanigans continue to capture the headlines this story about an attack on the Civil Rights act of 1866 is one that we all should be paying attention to.

The NAACP has released the following statement on a very important civil rights case involving Byron Allen and Comcast case to be heard on Wednesday November 13, 2019. The statement is in reference to attempts by COMCAST to roll back protections against discrimination given by the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

In a few days the United States Supreme Court will hear one of the most important civil rights cases to come before it this term. Comcast – the second largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world – is poised to take an unprecedented step. Because of a dispute with a Black businessman, the company has urged the Supreme Court to roll back the crucial protections of one of the nation’s oldest civil rights laws, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

For more than a century, Section 1981 has been used as an important tool to combat race discrimination, particularly for employment discrimination claimants. Throughout the NAACP’s history, standard-bearers of justice like Thurgood Marshall have harnessed the power of Section 1981 to fight various forms of discrimination. Yet now, in a situation that has become all too familiar during this era, an upcoming Supreme Court decision has the potential to reject these lessons of history by rolling back the clock on basic civil rights.

Although the NAACP takes no position on the underlying dispute, we have decided to take the lead on this issue. We urge Comcast to cease its attack on Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866; a bedrock civil rights statute that has been in place for more than 150 years.

Magic Johnson company gives $2 million to Grambling State University

Grambling State announced that Magic Johnson’s SodexoMAGIC donated one of the largest unrestricted gifts in the University’s 118-year history. The $2 million contribution comes only four months into the multi-year partnership between the University and international food service and facilities management giant.

“Significant investments in student advancement are essential to our efforts to build the most vibrant academic community possible,” said Grambling State University President Rick Gallot. “I want to thank SodexoMAGIC’s leadership for their outstanding partnership and generous support of our deserving students.”

Supporting Rapid University Growth

This July, Grambling State launched a multi-year dining partnership with SodexoMAGIC that included a host of academic and community benefits for the rapidly growing university. The new agreement will deliver $6.7 million in facility renovations and add new, major-brand restaurants to campus. In addition to an enhanced food service program, the deal garners a $51 million return on investment built into the five-year renewal option.

The $2 million contribution comes at an important time in the University’s growth as a technology leader, which includes the launch of Louisiana’s only bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity and infrastructure developments like the state’s first Digital Library and Learning Commons.

“Our dining partner has made many commitments to advance some of the University’s top priorities such as educational innovation, holistic student advancement and infrastructure upgrades,” said Martin Lemelle, Executive Vice President. “Their $2 million contribution is leading the way for unprecedented growth and development.”

Investing in Education

The agreement also includes bolstering support for Grambling State’s advancing technology degree programs and forthcoming community focused STEM education program. The University is established as a tech and STEM leader in higher education, having recently been approved to propose Louisiana’s first Bachelor’s in Cloud Computing and designated for a Center of Academic Excellence in Mathematical Achievement for Science and Technology.

“Students matriculating at Grambling State will be thoroughly prepared for the most in-demand career opportunities of the 21st century,” said Provost, Dr. Connie Walton. “SodexoMAGIC’s investment provides the fuel to ensure that our degree programs and educational opportunities are aligned with the demands of the world around us.”

Enhancing Student Opportunities

SodexoMAGIC’s bequest will count toward the ongoing Bring It Home fundraising campaign spearheaded by the University’s Office of Advancement. The gift doubles the campaigns $1 million goal.

“Grambling State is growing faster than ever and our community of support is matching the pace with their donations,” said Marc Newman, Vice President of Advancement. “The outpouring of support from our partner, SodexoMAGIC, is a huge catalyst for university growth.

Proceeds from the Bring It Home campaign have historically provided thousands of students with financial aid gap funding, supplied scholarships, and other forms direct student support.

For media interviews and more information on Grambling State University, email mediarelations@gram.edu or call (318) 243-5012.

To show your support for Grambling State, visit www.gram.edu/giving.

Missing Clark Atlanta University student Alexis Crawford found dead

A missing Clark Atlanta University student has been found dead, Atlanta police said Friday.

Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields said the body of Alexis Crawford was found in a DeKalb County park in metro Atlanta.

Crawford was last seen by her family on Oct. 30.

Clark Atlanta alerted students to the news via email and social media.

“Panther Family, we are devastated by the tragic reports regarding our own Alexis Crawford. We are here for you!” the school tweeted.

Clark Atlanta students also received a letter from CAU President George French Jr. Friday evening.

“Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with her family and with everyone who knew and loved Alexis,” he said. “Investigators say this was an isolated, off-campus incident and there was never a threat to any other members of the community.”

[WRDW]

Local group working to create African-American historic district in Georgia town.

A local group is working to create an African-American historic district in North Augusta, Georgia.

It's part of an ongoing effort by the Heritage Council of North Augusta, along with local historians, to educate the community on the full history of the city.

Black News Channel to launch January 6, 2020

Tallahassee, Florida—November 6, 2019--Black News Channel (BNC) announced today that it has updated the launch of the nation’s only African American news network to January 6, 2020 in order to more than triple its viewing audience. Network executives credit advancements in new technologies and the advent of new distribution platforms as the catalysts for rethinking their launch strategy.

“The launch of BNC will be a historic event, and our highly qualified journalists are chomping at the bit to be on-air now,” says Bob Brillante, co-founder and CEO for BNC. “But if we have a chance to more than triple our viewing audience in January 2020, then this was an easy call to make.”

“Our network is about providing intelligent programming that is informative, educational, inspiring and empowering to our African American audience, so they are participants in a national conversation,” says J.C. Watts, Jr., co-founder and chairman for BNC. “If we have the opportunity to include the largest African American audience possible from day one, then that should be our top priority.”

BNC plans to release more information about how and where customers can view the network’s programming in the coming weeks

ABOUT BNC

Black News Channel is an independent network that is minority owned and operated, and it will be the nation’s only provider of 24/7 cable news programming dedicated to covering the unique perspective of African American communities. BNC is the endeavor of the network’s visionaries and co-founders, Chairman J.C. Watts, Jr. and CEO Bob Brillante. BNC will provide access to information and educational programming to meet the specific needs of this growing and dynamic community that is a major consumer of subscription television services. BNC will provide an authentic, new voice that represents African Americans in mainstream media and fosters political, economic, and social discourse; the network will be one voice representing the many voices of African Americans. BNC’s programming will illuminate truth about the unique challenges facing urban communities and help close the “image gap” that exists today between the negative black stereotypes perpetuated by mainstream media news and our enterprising African American communities.

New Book Presents Ida B. Wells as a Model for Today’s Justice Seekers

Born enslaved, Ida B. Wells was a powerful reformer and witness for justice from 1878 until her death in 1931. An investigative journalist and newspaper publisher, Wells led an anti-lynching campaign, worked for women’s suffrage, and founded organizations to improve the lives of African Americans. Wells is being rediscovered; this year the city of Chicago, where Wells lived and worked for more than three decades, renamed a major downtown thoroughfare “Ida B. Wells Drive.” Now, in their new book Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells as Prophet for Our Time (Church Publishing, $18.95 paper, September 17, 2019), African-American scholar/activist Catherine Meeks, and Anglo pastor Nibs Stroupe reclaim Wells as a guide for those seeking to respond to the current state of affairs in the U.S.

“Fearless, ferocious, formidable, and feminist,” Wells, who was “intersectional before it became cool,” dedicated her life to the idea of equity and justice for all. “She worked for the betterment of a country that saw her as a black woman and second class citizen,” the authors write. With her tenacity and courage, she modeled the fierceness and dedication required to be a voice for justice. “Wells did the work no one else would do. She kept showing up where she wasn’t wanted.”

“Her dogged adherence to the mission of anti-lynching work and fighting for women’s suffrage along with overall liberation for black people serves as an amazing model for us in the twenty-first century,” Meeks writes. “We have allowed ourselves to be kidnapped by the illusion of liberation because a few laws got overturned and we gained access to a bit of delegated white power. That illusion has caused us to allow ourselves to be less compassionate than we need to be toward others in our own communities.”

Wells defined herself not as a former slave, but as a daughter of God. This affirmation of her equal humanity made her a vocal and fierce opponent of a system that classified African Americans as less than human. “Her work against lynching angered the white population the most because she refused to allow the white narrative that blamed lynching on the behavior of black people, especially the men, to stand as the truth,” the authors write.

Meeks and Stroupe bring a unique joint perspective to this work: both grew up in segregated Arkansas. They walked a parallel path, they write, kindred souls “poised toward the search for liberation from our earliest days and while we had no way to name that quest, there was an inexplicable spirit of grace that moved us along that path.”

The book features an introduction by Wells’s great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster, who writes: “As our country experiences efforts to divide and oppress people…the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells can be a guide and inspiration for those who are committed to equality and justice.” The foreword is by Stacey Abrams, the first black female from a major party to run for governor in the history of the United States: “In Passionate for Justice, we find a compass that points us to the future, where we can each give voice and action to justice, equity, and life-giving community. Ida Wells would have had it no other way.”

BUY THE BOOK

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Kamala Harris introduces bill to lengthen the school day

U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) on Wednesday introduced the Family Friendly Schools Act, first-of-its-kind legislation to align the school day with the work day to better support working families.

“My mother raised my sister and me while working demanding, long hours,” said Senator Harris. “So, I know firsthand that, for many working parents, juggling between school schedules and work schedules is a common cause of stress and financial hardship. But, this does not have to be the case. My bill provides an innovative solution that will help reduce the burden of child care on working families. It is time we modernize the school schedule to better meet the needs of our students and their families.”

Throughout the United States, current school schedules make life harder for working families. Research shows that schools are shut down for an average of 29 days throughout the school year. With the vast majority of schools closing at or around 3 pm, two hours short of the standard full-time work day, parents are often left in a bind. Additionally, summer breaks present a challenge; in fact, three in four parents report at least some difficulty finding child care during that time period. 

The economic cost of this problem is substantial. Schools are closed for two weeks longer than the typical American with paid leave has in paid holidays and vacation. Further, 39 percent of all workers, and 80 percent of low-wage workers, lack access to any paid vacation time. This places a financial burden on parents and caregivers to either pay for additional child care or take leave without pay to care for their child. While the misalignment of school and work schedules affects all families, low-income households often shoulder the greatest burden especially those with unpredictable or inflexible work schedules.

The Family Friendly Schools Act will create a first-of-its-kind pilot program to give schools resources to stay open during the entire work day throughout the school year and to invest over $1 billion in enriching summer learning programs – all without forcing teachers to work longer hours or for less pay.

Specifically, the legislation will:

• Award five-year grants of up to $5 million total to school districts to transform elementary schools serving a high number of low-income families into Family Friendly Schools that:

• Collaborate with community partners to develop high-quality, culturally relevant, linguistically accessible, developmentally appropriate academic, athletic, or enrichment opportunities for students from at least 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday during the school year, with no closures except for Federal holidays, weekends, and emergencies;
• Do not close for parent-teacher conferences, professional development, or any other reason without offering full-day enrichment activities free of charge for students;
• Do not increase the amount of time teachers and staff have to work unless they choose to work additional hours, and are compensated fairly for the additional hours; and
• Develop and implement evidence-based policies and practices for parent and family engagement to support working families and help better align school and work schedules.

• Require the Department of Education to publish and disseminate a report on lessons learned from the pilot schools at the end of the five-year grant period, including:

• Approaches taken by Family Friendly Schools to align school and work schedules;
• Survey results on parent, teacher, student, school administrator, and community organization satisfaction with Family Friendly Schools;
• Changes in parental employment rates, student performance, and teacher retention at each Family Friendly School; and
• Best practices and recommendations for aligning school and work schedules, aligning school schedules and calendars among schools and school districts, and engaging parents and families.

• Authorize an additional $1.3 billion annually for 21st Century Community Learning Centers to allow up to 1.8 million more children to access summer programming.

The Family Friendly Schools Act received support from the following organizations: American Federation of Teachers, Center for American Progress, CLASP, EdNavigator, First Focus, Institute for Educational Leadership, Main Street Alliance, National Association of Counties, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Summer Learning Association, National Women’s Law Center, and National League of Cities.

“By investing in before, and after school programming, summer enrichment and 21st Century Community Learning Centers, this legislation addresses a chronic and long-neglected problem: too many working parents can’t access affordable care for their kids during the workday,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. “After a decade of disinvestment in public education, more than half of public elementary schools lack the funding to meet kids and families where they are, and offer care beyond traditional school hours. Roughly one million mothers of elementary school children cut their hours at work because of a lack of affordable child care. This bill would enable school districts and communities to find solutions that work for them, and would make sure teachers and paraprofessionals aren’t filling in the gaps without respect and fair compensation.”

“The misalignment between school and work schedules puts working families through unnecessary financial stress – a burden we know is disproportionately shouldered by Black and Latinx families and families with low incomes,” said Catherine Brown, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. “Senator Harris’ proposal would better support families in arranging child care and their work schedules, enabling more parents – largely mothers – to work, advancing educational equity and providing a needed boost to our economy.”

“The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is proud to support Senator’s Harris’ Family Friendly Schools Act,” said Olivia Golden, Executive Director at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). “The disconnect between school and work schedules can cause unnecessary hardship for working parents and their children. One in six workers report that their schedules vary based on the needs of their employer— and workers in low-wage jobs are disproportionately represented among those with unpredictable schedules. Given the struggle that many families face when trying to find high-quality, affordable child care, aligning the school day with the work day and expanding resources for afterschool and summer care and learning programs is a positive initial step towards improving job stability, child well-being, and economic security for families across the country. We applaud Senator Harris for introducing this innovative legislation.”

In addition to Harris, the bill is sponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Full text of the bill is available here.

Further background on the bill is available here.

Additional statements of support are available here.

Kentucky elects first African American Attorney General

Republican Daniel Cameron, a former University of Louisville football player made history in a resounding win in the race for Kentucky attorney general, becoming the first African American in state history to win the office.

Cameron defeated Democrat Greg Stumbo, who served as attorney general from 2004 to 2008 and is also a former speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives.

"Now it's time to not only to talk the talk, but walk the walk," Cameron said in his victory speech Tuesday night. "And so we have a responsibility in the coming days to work with whomever, regardless if you have a Republican designation by your name or if you have a Democrat designation by your name."

[CTPOST]

Rep. Bennie Thompson statement on the white supremacy group gathering at the Emmett Till Memorial

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS 2nd District) released a statement regarding the white supremacy group gathering at the Emmett Till Memorial.

“The fact that people are still attempting to sow division in Mississippi is sad. This the only memorial in America that has to be bulletproof. In the past, the signs have been stolen, thrown in the river. The vandalism has been targeted, and it has been persistent. The signs were placed near the spot where Till’s body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River in 1955. The 14-year-old African American was tortured and killed by two white men after false accusations that he flirted with a white woman. His death became an important catalyst in the civil rights movement. Those who continue to deface this memorial are saying to the world that Till’s death was justified. Unfortunately, being stupid and racist is not a crime. However, their symbols of hate portrayed at the Emmett Till memorial continues to put Missississippi in a bad light and is further proof that we still have a long way to go in the fight for racial justice.”

VIDEO OF WHITE SUPREMACIST GATHERING AT EMMETT TILL MEMORIAL