Baltimore Mayor Fires Police Commissioner Amid Spike in Homicides

I normally support Baltimore Mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake but I think throwing the police commissioner under the bus for trying to carry out her vision is her just trying to appease the masses and draw attention away from her office. Whatever policies Commissioner Anthony Batts tried to implement and carry out had to have had the mayor's stamp of approval. George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake replaced the city's police commissioner on Wednesday, saying the city needed to be more focused on suppressing a spike in violence in the months since the death of a man in police custody.

Rawlings-Blake said the police department under Commissioner Anthony Batts had become too preoccupied with internal politics and not enough with stemming a surge in shootings and killings.

"This was not an easy decision, but it is one that is in the best interest of Baltimore," the mayor said in a late afternoon news conference. "The people of Baltimore deserve better. The brave men and women of our department who put their lives on the line to make our cities deserve better."

Read more: Baltimore Mayor Fires Police Commissioner Amid Spike in Homicide Rate

Smithsonian stands by Cosby art exhibition

[SOURCE] The Smithsonian Institution is standing behind a museum exhibition that relies in part on the art collection of Bill Cosby and his wife.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art opened the exhibition of African and African-American artwork in November. On Monday, The Associated Press revealed Cosby admitted in 2005 that he obtained quaaludes with the intent of giving them to women with whom he wanted to have sex.

On Tuesday, the museum issued a statement saying it's "aware of the recent revelations about Bill Cosby's behavior." The museum says it "in no way condones this behavior."

But the museum says the exhibition is fundamentally about the artworks and the artists who created them, not about the owners of the collections.

President Obama to address 2015 NAACP Convention

President Barack Obama will address the 106th NAACP Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

“We are honored to welcome President Obama back to our NAACP national convention,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “Our members are looking forward to President Obama delivering a powerful message that reinforces our commitment to being champions for civil and human rights in the 21st century.”

This is the second time Mr. Obama will address the NAACP's National Convention as President of the United States. The NAACP values the opportunity to hear from elected officials, government leaders and candidates for public office.

“President Barack Obama, having spoken eloquently of grace to a grieving nation in a moment of crisis in Charleston, will now address the social and economic challenges of our time in the hometown of American freedom – Philadelphia, stated NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks. Thousands of NAACP leaders, delegates, activists, youths, and supporters will welcome him to the 106th Convention of the NAACP in a moment in which his voice and our voices so desperately need to be heard. President Obama has been on the forefront of transformative change from civil rights to human rights over his term and in recent days. We in the nation eagerly anticipate his vision and plans for the difficult work ahead.”

NAACP Announces March From Selma to Washington, DC

On June 15, 2015 NAACP President/CEO, Cornell William Brooks announced America's Journey for Justice on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. In case you missed it, you can watch the announcement below.

Led by NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks, America’s Journey for Justice – a historic 860-mile march from Selma, Alabama to Washington, DC – will mobilize activists and advance a focused national policy agenda that protects the right of every American to a fair criminal justice system, uncorrupted and unfettered access to the ballot box, sustainable jobs with a living wage, and equitable public education. America’s Journey for Justice will unite partners from the social justice, youth activism, civil rights, democracy reform, religious, not-for-profit, labor, corporate, and environmental communities to call for justice for all Americans under the unifying theme “Our Lives, Our Votes, Our Jobs, Our Schools Matter.”

Dustin Brown defeats Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon

Wimbledon 2015 had its first casualty on Thursday as World No. 10 and 2-time champion Rafael Nadal crashed out in the second round, losing 5-7 6-3 4-6 4-6 to World No. 102 Dustin Brown of Germany.

Read more: Rafael Nadal exits Wimbledon 2015, loses to Dustin Brown in second round