G.K. BUTTERFIELD TAKES HELM OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS

On 01/06/2015 Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) was sworn in as the 24th Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) during a ceremony hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) at the U.S. Capitol. The historic ceremony marked the induction of the largest class in the CBC’s 44-year history, which includes five new members of which 20 are women.

During the event, Chairman Butterfield recognized Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, who were all in attendance, and welcomed Representatives Alma Adams (NC-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Mia Love (UT-04), and Stacey Plaskett (USVI) to the Caucus.

Over the next two years, Chairman Butterfield will lead the Caucus, also known as the “Conscience of the Congress” in carrying out its mission of empowering the African American community and addressing its legislative concerns.

In his remarks, Butterfield outlined the CBC’s focus for the 114th Congress to include:

· Criminal justice reform;

· Reducing poverty;

· Safeguarding social safety net programs;

· Creating educational opportunities;

· Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

· Restoring section 5 of the Voting Rights Act; and

· Ensuring corporate diversity.

Butterfield said, “We are ready for these fights. The fight for the future is not a black fight, a Democratic or Republican fight; it is a fight that all fair minded Americans should promote. We need to use political means, policy and legal means, to reduce racial disparities and move closer to the day when all African Americans will benefit from fairness and justice and realize the American dream.”

Bomb explodes outside NAACP building in Colorado Springs

A homemade bomb exploded outside the offices of the Colorado Springs chapter of the NAACP civil rights group on Tuesday, authorities said, but a gasoline can placed next to the device failed to detonate and no injuries were reported.

An "improvised explosive device" was set off against an exterior wall of the NAACP building, the FBI's Denver field office said in a statement.

"A gasoline can had been placed adjacent to the device, however, the contents of the can did not ignite upon explosion," the statement said.

Read more: Bomb explodes outside NAACP building in Colorado Springs

Mia Love joins Congressional Black Caucus

Rep. Mia Love (R-UT), the first black female Republican congresswoman, was officially sworn into office today and promptly joined the Congressional Black Caucus.

The Washington Post reports that Rep. Love became the sole Republican to join this group in this morning’s swearing-in ceremony, which inducted 44 members, three of them new, and one of them Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).

Few Black Candidates Enter St. Louis Elections: Have Ferguson's Lessons Gone Unnoticed?

“If Ferguson taught us anything, it is the importance of having representative government. Accountability and fairness come from that,” tweeted St. Louis Alderman Antonio French, who is black and gained a national profile by participating in protests and documenting scenes on the ground in Ferguson since the Aug. 9 shooting of Mike Brown by Police Officer Darren Wilson. "Don't feel like you're being represented? Step up. Run for office."

French could not be reached by IBTimes for further comment, but he tweeted Monday that two districts -- Ward 20 and Ward 6 -- have black majorities but no black candidates. Records from the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners from Tuesday morning showed no African-Americans had filed to run since French’s tweets.

Irl Scissors, a lobbyist and former Democratic political consultant based in St. Louis, said ineffective get-out-the-vote efforts and low black-voter registration are some of the barriers black candidates face. In Ferguson, which is 67 percent black, there is only one black city councilman. There are 17 black state legislators in Missouri out of 199 seats, or about 9 percent -- fewer than the state black population of around 12 percent.

“There are cases where predominantly African-American districts are represented by white elected officials and Ferguson is no exception,” Scissors said. “I really think it has to do with voter registration, it has to do with actual voter turnout and it has to do with real grass-roots mobilizing of the African-American community.”

Read more: Few Black Candidates Enter St. Louis Elections: Have Ferguson's Lessons Gone Unnoticed?

Edward Brooke, first black senator since Reconstruction, dies at 95

Edward Brooke -- the first African-American to be popularly elected to the U.S. Senate -- passed away Saturday, according to family spokesman Ralph Neas and the Massachusetts Republican Party. Brooke was 95.

Brooke served in the Senate from 1967-1979 and has often been heralded by both parties as a trailblazer. He is the only African-American to be elected to a second term and was the first black Republican elected to the Senate since Reconstruction.

Read more: Edward Brooke, first black senator since Reconstruction, dies at 95