Sunday, April 16, 2017

Dodgers unveil statue of Jackie Robinson at Dodger Stadium

The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled a Jackie Robinson Statue at the Left Field Reserve Plaza the first in Dodger Stadium history on the 70th anniversary of Robinson breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947 prior to a Major League baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, April 15, 2017 in Los Angeles. Take a look at a few photos of that statue below.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Man Beaten by Georgia Cops Speaks Out

Video shows Demetrius Hollins, 21, was kicked in the head by a Georgia officer during a traffic stop. He told NBC Nightly News on Friday that he also had an earlier encounter with one of the officers.

The annual conversation on the decreasing number of African Americans in Major League Baseball

Hi all, this George Cook of African American Reports. Baseball season has started and it's time for that annual conversation about the lack of black kids playing baseball and the decrease of black players in the Majors. Check out my thoughts below.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Milk River PAC Focus on Black Female Political Empowerment

On March 30 in Washington DC, Milk River PAC hosted a dialog on the Impact of Women in Politics that featured Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and political commentator Ana Navarro.

The goal of Milk River PAC is to inspire more African American women to run for Congress. Along with The Collective, Democracy in Color, and Higher Heights, Milk River PAC is another effort focused on galvanizing support behind people of color running for office.

Milk River PAC and Higher Heights are specifically focused on Black women. Black women were number one of any group on America in voting percentage for the 2008 election cycle. But exactly how to create political power at at time when Republicans control Congress and the White House was one of many challenges.

The piece of the puzzle that has yet to be perfected is the money. But with the growing influence and power base of Black women in politics may soon fix that problem.

The specific goal of Higher Heights is to “identify, educate, and engage Black women across the socio-economic spectrum to elect Black women, influence elections and move public policy.”

As these political organizations grow stronger the money is soon to follow.

[SOURCE: POLITICS 365]

'Hidden Figure' Katherine Johnson to Deliver Hampton University Commencement Address

Hampton University is pleased to announce that Katherine G. Johnson, one of the leading inspirations behind the Hollywood feature film Hidden Figures, will serve as the University’s 147th Commencement speaker on May 14, 2017. Commencement will be held at Armstrong Stadium at 10 a.m.

Considered to be one of NASA's human 'computers,' Johnson performed the complex calculations that enabled humans to successfully achieve space flight. In 1961, Johnson was tasked with plotting the path for Alan Shepard's journey to space, the first in American history. Johnson was later responsible for verifying calculations of the "machines" and giving the "go-ahead" to propel John Glenn into successful orbit in 1962.

Johnson has been honored with an array of awards for her groundbreaking work. Among them are the 1967 NASA Lunar Orbiter Spacecraft and Operations team award, and the National Technical Association’s designation as its 1997 Mathematician of the Year. On Nov. 24, 2015, Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, from President Barack Obama.

“With her razor-sharp mathematical mind, Katherine G. Johnson helped broaden the scope of space travel, charting new frontiers for humanity’s exploration of space, and creating new possibilities for all humankind," said Obama. "From sending the first American to space to the first moon landing, she played a critical role in many of NASA’s most important milestones. Katherine Johnson refused to be limited by society’s expectations of her gender and race while expanding the boundaries of humanity’s reach.”

Johnson earned a B.S. degree in mathematics and French from West Virginia State College. In 1999, that university named Johnson "Outstanding Alumnus of the Year."

Johnson had three daughters with her late husband James Goble. All of the daughters are graduates of Hampton University: Joylette Goble Hylick, '62, Constance Goble Garcia (deceased), ’73, and Katherine Goble Moore, ’70. Johnson is married to Lt. Col. USA(ret) James A. Johnson, ‘52. Johnson has six grandchildren (three of whom graduated from HU) and 11 great-grandchildren.