NAACP seeks federal probe after noose put on black student

The president of the Mississippi NAACP is demanding a federal hate crime investigation after the parents of a black high school student said as many as four white students put a noose around their son's neck at school.

Jay Z to Stage Hillary Clinton Concert in Swing State Ohio

Jay Z will stage a concert in support of Hillary Clinton in the swing state of Ohio before Election Day, according to Buzzfeed. Details of the concert were not formally announced.

The Cleveland concert will focus on mobilizing black voters ahead of the November 8th presidential election; while Clinton currently holds a narrow lead against Donald Trump in most polls in the crucial swing state, a huge turnout by the African-American community would make it difficult for Trump to capture the Buckeye State, Buzzfeed reports.

Both Jay Z and Beyoncé have been staunch supporters of Hillary Clinton, participating in fundraisers for the candidate. The couple even hung out with former president Bill Clinton during the Made in America festival in Philadelphia.

[SOURCE]

Special honor: Stretch of Indiana Highway renamed to recognize Tuskegee Airmen

Those who drive on Interstate 65 through Jackson County (Indiana) will be reminded that America’s first African-American aviators and their support staff prepared for war here, while fighting for equality at home.

Beginning Friday, highway signs designated the stretch of the interstate from Seymour to the Bartholomew County/Johnson County line as the Tuskegee Airmen Highway in honor of the aviators, some who trained during World War II at Freeman Field in Seymour and Atterbury Air Force Base in Columbus.

Read more: Special honor: Stretch of I-65 renamed to recognize Tuskegee Airmen

Singer kneels while singing national anthem before NBA game

Denasia Lawrence performed the national anthem before an NBA preseason game between the 76ers and Heat on Friday night while kneeling at midcourt. She then opened her jacket to show a shirt bearing the phrase "Black Lives Matter." Lawrence explained her actions in a Facebook post:

When I took the opportunity to sing the national anthem at the Heat game, it was bigger than me. Right now, we’re seeing a war on Black & Brown bodies— we’re being unjustly killed and overly criminalized. I took the opportunity to sing AND kneel; to show that we belong in this country AND that we have the right to respectfully protest injustices against us. I took the opportunity to sing AND kneel to show that, I too, am America. As a social worker, I’ve worked with youth, families and veterans, and everyday they all teach me the value of fighting against injustice— that all are treated equally no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, or physical abilities.

I didn’t get paid to sing the national anthem; nor was this moment about any sort of fame. Black Lives Matter is far larger than a hashtag, it’s a rallying cry. And until our cry is rightfully heard, protests will still happen and demands will still be made!

Watch her performance below.

Donald Glover cast as young Lando Calrissian

Lucasfilm announced today that Donald Glover, an acclaimed actor, award-winning writer, and Grammy-nominated artist, will be playing the part of Lando Calrissian in the still-untitled Han Solo Star Wars film, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Glover will join Alden Ehrenreich — previously cast as Han Solo — in bringing two iconic Star Wars characters back to the big screen, but at a time in their lives previously unexplored. This new film depicts Lando in his formative years as a scoundrel on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld — years before the events involving Han, Leia, and Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back and his rise to Rebel hero in Return of the Jedi.

“We’re so lucky to have an artist as talented as Donald join us,” said Lord and Miller. “These are big shoes to fill, and an even bigger cape, and this one fits him perfectly, which will save us money on alterations. Also, we’d like to publicly apologize to Donald for ruining Comic-Con for him forever.”

Glover is best known for creating and starring in the critically acclaimed FX series Atlanta (which had the highest premiere numbers for any basic cable comedy show since 2013), as well as for starring in four seasons of the show Community, and for his Grammy-nominated album Because the Internet, performed under the name Childish Gambino. In addition, Glover appeared in the Academy Award-nominated The Martian, and will be seen in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming.

The untitled Han Solo movie is set for release in 2018.

[SOURCE]