Hail to the Chief: Ebony to Release President Obama Commemorative Issue

Chicago, IL, December 18, 2016 --(PR.com)-- To mark the political ascent and enduring legacy of President Barack H. Obama, Ebony has published a special commemorative edition, “Hail to the Chief: Saluting Eight Years of Excellence.” This stylish, thought-provoking issue (83 pages; $10.99) is a unique collection of exclusive photographs, archival Ebony articles and hard-hitting analyses from leading African-American writers including award-winning poet, author and civil rights activist, Nikki Giovanni; MSNBC award-winning journalist Joy-Ann Reid; culturally astute critic Eric Deggans; pop culture pundit Touré; and New York Times best-selling author Baratunde Thurston.

“Our readers know the utter importance of simple images of Obama and the first family in a White House that had been very literal with respect to its previous inhabitants,” says Kyra Kyles, editor-in-chief of Ebony. “But our team went well beyond the aesthetics and recruited the most sought-after Black thought leaders to candidly discuss the social context around his administration, his achievements over two terms and the impact he will have as our first but hopefully not our last.”

Among the highlights:

Editor’s Letter: EIC Kyles bids adieu to President Barack Obama in this touching reflection on his absolute grace under partisan fire.

Poetic Justice: Nikki Giovanni pens an exclusive poem for Ebony capturing the essence of the first African-American president.

The Legacy: From his electrifying ascent to the legislative imprint he leaves behind, Ebony examines President Obama’s undeniable impact on health care, race relations, gay and women’s rights.

The Love: They examine the love shared by President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama and its impact on uplifting Black families.

The Look: By combining haute couture with dashes of attainable attire, the first family embraced the power of fashion.

The Laughs: He could have occasionally been dubbed “comic-in-chief.” A look at Obama’s best clapbacks.

Famous Farewells: Supporters ranging from members of Congress to well-known entertainers offer their thanks and words of encouragement to the 44th U.S. president.

Ebony’s commemorative special commemorative edition will be available December 20 for purchase on newsstands only.

Dylann Roof will not use mental health to avoid death penalty

Convicted murderer Dylann Roof will not ask jurors to take his mental health into consideration next month during the death penalty phase of his trial for killing nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina.

In a handwritten note filed in a South Carolina federal court on Friday, Roof, an avowed white supremacist, wrote, "I will not be calling mental health experts or presenting mental health evidence."

Roof was found guilty on Thursday of 33 charges of federal hate crimes after a six-day trial featuring harrowing testimony about the night of June 17, 2015, when he attended Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church before opening fire on the parishioners.

Roof's decision not to call mental health experts or present mental health evidence came after he called the field of psychology a "Jewish invention" in his journal, part of which was read aloud at his trial earlier this month.

"I am morally opposed to psychology. It is a Jewish invention that does nothing but invent diseases and tell people they have problems when they don't," Roof wrote.

The jury is scheduled to begin hearing evidence on Jan. 3 in the second phase of the trial, which will determine whether Roof faces execution.

[SOURCE:YahooNews]

Grambling wins Celebration Bowl and HBCU national championship

In a low-scoring affair, Grambling State came out on top with a 10-9 win over North Carolina Central in the 2016 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.

A sluggish first half by Grambling State gave way to a much better performance in the second half by the Tigers. The Tigers were led by Martez Carter, who got the second half started with a 32-yard touchdown run that capped off an eight-play, 70-yard drive to take a 7-3 lead.

“It is a great win for our program. It was one of those situations where we had to battle right down and play great defense and run the football." Head Coach Broderick Fobbs said. "That is what makes our football team a very dominant team. We are able to win in many different ways.”

The Tigers’ Arkez Cooper would force a fumble on N.C. Central’s next possession with a strip-sack, and the Tigers took over at N.C. Central’s 25 yard line. The Tigers would get three points off of the turnover, with a 26 yard field goal from Jonathan Wallace to give the Tigers a 10-3 lead.

N.C. Central thought that it had the game tied up late in the fourth quarter after a 39 yard touchdown pass from Malcolm Bell to Quentin Atkinson. However, a blocked extra point by Joesph McWilliams kept the Tigers’ lead, making it 10-9. That play turned out to be the deciding factor. Grambling would not let NC Central have another possession, holding on for the victory.

Grambling State’s Martez Carter was named the game’s offensive MVP, totaling 109 yards rushing on 12 carries and one touchdown. Carter also added 69 yards on returns and 23 receiving yards for 201 all-purpose yards.

“Today, we ran the football effectively, and were able to establish some drives and put what we needed to do in the end zone” Fobbs added. “ My hat goes off to North Carolina Central, they have a great program. It was definitely an even matched ball game, as you can tell by the score.”

Jameel Jackson was named Defensive MVP. Jackson recorded five solo tackles and an interception in the win.

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A Record Year for African American Rhodes Scholars

(L to R) Cameron D. Clarke, Aryn A. Frazier, Christian E. Nattiel, Olivia A. Klevorn, Aaron C. Robertson, Ahmed M. Ahmed, and Cailyn L. Moore

The Rhodes Trust does not publicize the race or ethnicity of scholarship winners. But according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education it appears that this year seven of the 32 Rhodes winners are African Americans. This is the most African American Rhodes Scholars in history.

Following are brief biographies of the African American winners.

Cameron D. Clarke is a senior at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is the fourth Howard student to win a Rhodes Scholarship. Clarke is majoring in community health education and biology. He is the news editor of the student newspaper at Howard and serves as an intern for the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology at the U.S. House of Representatives. Clarke plans to study for a master’s degree in primary health care at Oxford.

Aryn A. Frazier is a senior at the University of Virginia, where she is double majoring in politics and African American and African studies. Frazier is president of the Black Student Alliance at the university. Frazier, a resident of Laurel, Maryland, plans to study for a master’s degree in comparative politics at Oxford.

Christian E. Nattiel from Madeira Beach, Florida, is a senior at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. At West Point, Nattiel is double-majoring in mathematical sciences and philosophy and is a member of the academy’s handball team. At Oxford, Nattiel will study for master’s degrees in comparative social policy and public policy.

Olivia A. Klevorn is a senior at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. A native of Chicago, Klevorn is majoring in anthropology. At Yale, Klevorn is the director of the Heritage Theatre Ensemble and president of a student-run poetry association. She will study for a Ph.D. in socio-legal studies at Oxford.

Aaron C. Robertson of Redford, Michigan, is a senior at Princeton University in New Jersey. He is majoring in Italian and focuses his research on Afro-Italian literature. At Princeton, he is the co-editor-in-chief of the Nassau Literary Review. Robertson plans to pursue a master’s degree in modern languages at Oxford.

Ahmed M. Ahmed is a biology major at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He is a resident of Rochester, Minnesota. His research is focused on the development of new synthetic strategies for producing polymers. He is the son of immigrants from Somalia. Ahmed will study for a master’s degree in organic and medical chemistry at Oxford.

Cailyn L. Moore is a member of the football team at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. A resident of Carson, California, Moore is majoring in economics at TCU. He was raised in poverty and was homeless. His father was convicted to a life sentence for murder. Moore is the founder of an organization of student athletes who encourage children from disadvantaged groups to attend college. He will study public policy as a Rhodes Scholar.

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This New Fund Was Created To Help Black Entrepreneurs

A small business lending program has been launched to help African American and minority businesses create jobs and build community wealth. With a focus on bringing capital to underserved groups, the National Urban League’s Urban Empowerment Fund, Morgan Stanley, National Development Council, and Cuyahoga County have come together to offer the Capital Access Fund of Greater Cleveland (CAF).

CAF is a three-year program that provides minority business owners access to capital, offering 50 loans totaling $8 million, as well as pre- and post-loan counseling, to ensure the success of those small business borrowers. With a goal of creating or maintaining a minimum of 300 jobs within those three years, CAF already has completed eight loans, totaling $1.4 million and helping to create or maintain 70 local jobs.

“The level of interest we already have confirms what we already knew—there is a gap in the access to capital for minority businesses, and we should not gloss over that,” said Marc H. M.

Read more: This New Fund Was Created To Help Black Entrepreneurs