federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the nation.
The House voted 415-14 Wednesday to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden's desk, and he is expected to sign it into law.
It's the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created in 1983.
The Senate unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day, a US holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.
The measure needs to pass the House and be signed by President Joe Biden to become law.
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee are among the members of Congress who led the effort to to make Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Wednesday is set to unveil a statue of George Floyd that officials say will be displayed outside City Hall for at least a year.
“The artwork honors the life of George Floyd, an African-American man who was brutally murdered by a white Minneapolis police officer,” the mayor’s office said in a statement. “Mr. Floyd’s death elevated the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement which has resulted in an international response, including protests, police reform measures, and the removal of Confederate statues from public parks and racist names from organizations.”
Baraka will join actor, director, and filmmaker Leon Pickney, who commissioned the 700-pound statue and the sculptor, Stanley Watts, among other officials at the event, according to the mayor’s office. The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. outside City Hall on Board Street and will be streamed via the city’s Facebook page.
The statue was donated to the city this week as part of an effort to develop a “world class public art program,” in Newark, the announcement said.
The New York State Assembly Wednesday voted to pass a slavery reparation bill.
The bill was spearheaded by Assemblyman Charles Barron and passed with 107 lawmakers in favor.
If it passes, the six groups will form an 11-person committee comprised of lawmakers and people in the community to decide how those reparations will be paid.
The bill moves to the Senate next, and organizations are calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign it by the end of the year.
The Senate voted Monday evening to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Joe Biden’s pick to fill a vacancy on a powerful DC-based appellate court and one of the President’s most closely watched judicial nominees.
The vote was 53-44. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted with Democrats in favor of confirmation.
The vote elevates Jackson from the US District Court for the District of Columbia to the influential US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, which is seen as a breeding ground for Supreme Court justices.
She is widely viewed as a potential Supreme Court pick if there were to be a vacancy on the high court during Biden’s time in office. Biden pledged during the campaign to name the first Black woman to the Supreme Court should a vacancy arise. Administration officials have stood by that pledge since Biden entered the White House, and Jackson has repeatedly come up as a leading candidate.
In the interview, Obama tells Strahan the following: “We’re not all going to live in a perfect kumbaya society. But we can make it better by working and by reaching out and by assuming the best in each other. And if enough of us do that, we move that boulder up the hill.”
A collaboration between ABC News and ABC Entertainment, “Juneteenth: Together We Triumph – A ‘Soul of a Nation’ Special Event,” will present an enriching evening of celebration and resilience in observance of Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating when the enslaved persons in Texas learned of their freedom. Leslie Odom Jr. will guest host two hours of intimate storytelling and powerful tributes with performances by Jimmie Allen, Chloe Bailey (of Chloe x Halle), Leon Bridges and H.E.R.
This powerful special event will include the following stories by ABC News anchors and correspondents:
This is the second consecutive year ABC News is producing a special to honor the history and significance of the Juneteenth tradition. In 2020, ABC News’ primetime special “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming” was the No. 1 program across the board in its time slot. It is currently streaming on Hulu.
“Soul of a Nation” and its respective specials on the year after George Floyd’s murder and observance of Juneteenth are the latest original programming from ABC News, which has a renewed focus on telling diverse stories across the news division. Previous programming includes the aforementioned No. 1-rated “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming”; the three-day, division-wide series “Pandemic – A Nation Divided” on the disparity in race and class amid the pandemic; “America in Pain: What Comes Next?” on the protests and outrage across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd, police brutality and systemic racism against Black Americans; the month-long reporting series “Turning Point”; and the pre-election special “America’s Future: The Power of the Latino Vote.”
Newark New Jersey's Shakur Stevenson (16-0, 8 KOs) dominated every round of his fight with Jeremiah Nakathila , cruising to a shutout unanimous decision victory to claim the WBO interim junior lightweight title.
All three judges scored the bout 120-107 in favor of Stevenson, who registered a knockdown of Nakathila (21-2, 17 KOs) in the fourth round from a short right hook.
Stevenson outlanded Nakathila 114 to 28 in total punches. Stevenson also landed 46% of punches, as compared to Nakathila's 12%. Stevenson appeared to hurt Nakathila several times in the early rounds but failed to finish him.
Stevenson is already looking ahead to his title opportunity, which should come in his next fight. He's the No.1 contender for both the WBO and WBC junior lightweight belts, and he has been the mandatory challenger for the WBO title for several months now.
Stevenson's promoter, Top Rank has paperwork already drawn up for Stevenson to return to the ring in late fall or early winter 2021 against a fellow southpaw in WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring for his title.
USA Gymnastics announced Friday that Dianne Durham, the first Black woman to win a USA Gymnastics national championship and a gymnastics instructor in Chicago, will be a member of its Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Durham, who died in February at age 52, was a pioneer in American gymnastics. Her victory in the all-around at the 1983 national championships as a teenager was the first by a Black woman.
An injury prevented her from competing in the 1984 Olympic Trials.
“I think between her and Mary Lou Retton, they felt they introduced more of a power gymnastics,” Durham’s husband, Tom Drahozal, told the Associated Press in February. “Dianne was a pioneer for Black gymnasts as well. ... She paved the way for others.”
After her career in competition ended, Durham went on to own Skyline Gymnastics in Chicago and was a gymnastics instructor at Morgan Park Academy Summer Camp.
Statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder:
One year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis. Working people throughout America—from large urban cities to small rural towns—protested peacefully, marched down streets and declared three words: Black Lives Matter. Today, we continue to demand action to root out systemic racism in all forms. On the anniversary of his murder, the labor movement joins our allies in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This bill is not only a legislative priority, it’s our nation’s moral obligation. Elected leaders should work together with all stakeholders, including America’s unions, to finally make police reform a reality.
Claressa Shields, the world champion boxer, won her MMA debut Thursday night with a third-round TKO over Brittney Elkin.
Elkin controlled most of the first two rounds, keeping Shields pinned on her back.
But in the third and final round, Shields reversed the story, got on top of Elkin and unloaded punches until the referee called the fight at 1:44 of the third round.
Fighting in the 155-pound women’s lightweight division, Shields (1-0 MMA) showed inexperience during takedowns but displayed power with punches. The punches came in a flurry in the third round when Shields got on top of Elkin and let her right hand go to work.
“I feel like I’ve been dreaming,’’ Shields said, beaming during a post-fight interview. “This is crazy.’’
Her second MMA fight is scheduled for August, and she is expected to fight twice next year and join the PFL’s regular season format in 2023. But on Thursday night, Shields was relishing the moment.
New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Maya Wiley saw a massive jump in support this week following major endorsements from progressives and scandals surrounding several of her rivals, according to a new PIX11, NewsNation, Emerson College poll released Wednesday.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Julien Neals to become a federal judge in New Jersey. Neals is a native of Newark and is currently the county counsel for Bergen County. Neals is President Joe Biden’s first judicial nominee and was initially nominated to the federal bench in 2015 by then-President Barack Obama but his nomination expired in January 2017.
Neals was confirmed 66 to 33, with only Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont not voting.
Democratic Rep. Val Demings on Wednesday officially announced she's running for US Senate in 2022 as the party looks to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Marco Rubio in a pivotal race.
Demings has long been planning this run and CNN reported in May that she was expected to announce a bid. She had spent the last few months mulling over a statewide race, ultimately deciding on a bid for the Senate over running for governor in 2022, a source close to the congresswoman previously told CNN.
In announcing her bid, Demings highlighted her career as the first female police chief of the Orlando Police Department. She had joined the police department in 1983 and became the police chief in 2007.
In a historic decision, Temple announced Tuesday that Dr. Jason Wingard, former dean and professor of the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University, will be the 12th president of the university.
Author, former nonprofit executive and combat veteran Wes Moore on Monday afternoon officially joined the field of Democratic candidates vying to become the next governor of Maryland in 2022. Watch his announcement video below:
I defied the odds to become a Rhodes Scholar, Army officer & CEO.
— Wes Moore (@iamwesmoore) June 7, 2021
Now, I'm announcing my run for Maryland Governor.
Because I believe no matter our start—we all deserve an equal opportunity to succeed.
I'd be humbled by your support→ https://t.co/rX4BO0kIyc#MooreforMaryland pic.twitter.com/CyVrwX2sfn
Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), a progressive, says that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is the "new Mitch McConnell" after the Democratic West Virginia senator declared in an op-ed that he would be voting against the House bill to expand voting rights and eliminating the filibuster.
WILLINGBORO, NJ-17 year-old Taliyah Bulluck is missing. she has been missing since 05/22/2021.
Missing ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT: Willingboro Township Police Department (New Jersey) 1-609-877-3000.
BRONX, NEW YORK: 14 year-old Tela Davis has been missing since may 21, 2021. Anyone having information should call the NYPD at 1-212-694-7781 ot the Natiional center for Misssing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
Combs Enterprises and Salesforce have teamed up to create SHOP CIRCULATE, a curated digital marketplace that allows consumers to discover and buy products exclusively created and sold by Black entrepreneurs. SHOP CIRCULATE provides Black businesses with a platform to reach global audiences and empowers consumers to shop the world's best Black-owned brands. This innovative new platform will be designed and built by Deloitte Digital, a leading Experience Consultancy and global strategic partner for Salesforce, and powered by Marketplacer's best-in-class online marketplace technology.
On the heels of the centennial anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, SHOP CIRCULATE's announcement reinforces the importance of supporting and empowering Black entrepreneurs and building wealth through "circulating" dollars within the Black community.
"Building Black wealth starts with investing in Black-owned businesses and giving entrepreneurs access to the consumers needed to build sustainable companies that can thrive," says Sean Combs, Chairman of Combs Enterprises. "I'm excited to partner with Salesforce to create a platform that will advance our collective pursuit of economic justice."
"Salesforce is honored to collaborate with Sean Combs and Combs Enterprises to help close the unjust wealth gap that prevents too many Black Americans from achieving economic equality," said Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce. "SHOP CIRCULATE will empower us all — as individuals, communities and companies — to support Black-owned businesses, amplify the talent of Black entrepreneurs and move us closer to true equality."
Combs Enterprises has united the industry's most progressive companies and innovative minds to lead the charge in elevating Black-owned entrepreneurs. SHOP CIRCULATE has acquired The Nile List, a widely respected and rapidly growing digital community that connects consumers with Black-owned brands. With the acquisition, Combs Enterprises has appointed The Nile List founder Khadijah Robinson to Head of Product, where she will oversee development and spearhead all SHOP CIRCULATE global efforts. Additionally, SHOP CIRCULATE has inked a robust partnership with Official Black Wall Street, the leading directory to discover Black-owned businesses, with its founder Mandy Bowman joining as an advisor.
SHOP CIRCULATE was developed by a dynamic and diverse team of engineers, storytellers, brand marketers and product specialists across Salesforce, Deloitte Digital and Combs Enterprises. The platform will launch later this year, featuring an expansive list of businesses across categories -- from beauty, fashion and art, to health, wellness and home.
"Deloitte's purpose is to make an impact that matters. As the largest professional services organization in the world, we have a responsibility to help level the playing field and advance opportunities for the Black community in business," says Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO. "This is one of the most effective ways for organizations like ours to do our part in ending systemic bias, racial injustice, and unequal treatment in all its forms."
"Marketplaces are a great leveler in bringing together businesses of all sizes into a single venue to drive opportunity and growth. It's our goal that our partnership with SHOP CIRCULATE will bring our powerful marketplace platform to Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs as a vehicle to drive change, growth and success," said Jason Wyatt, Executive Chairman, Marketplacer.
To receive news on SHOP CIRCULATE, please visit Shop-Circulate.com.
Kymberly Pinder has been named dean of the Yale School of Art in New Haven, Connecticut, one of the country’s top M.F.A. programmes. In the school’s 150-year history, she will be the first woman of color and the second woman to occupy the position. Pinder will take over as dean on July 1st, succeeding Marta Kuzma, who was appointed to the position in 2016.
Pinder is a Yale graduate who earned her Ph.D. in art history from the university in 1995. She was previously the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), where she is now interim president.
Pinder was previously dean of the University of New Mexico College of Fine Arts and chair of the Department of Art History, Theory, and Criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as director of the graduate programme.
Pinder is a well-known expert on muralism and public art, and her work on race and representation is well-known. Painting the Gospel: Black Public Art and Religion in Chicago, which she published in 2016, looks at how pictures of Black people made by Black artists have strengthened Chicago communities.
Race-ing Art History: Critical Readings in Race and Art History, an anthology she produced in 2002, is regarded as groundbreaking in its examination of racial representation in art history. Okwui Enwezor, Linda Nochlin, Bell Hooks, Cornel West, Rasheed Araeen, Anna C. Chave, and others contributed articles to the collection.
