James Shaw Jr. honored by Nashville Predators

Although the current President of the United States could apparently care less about the heroic actions of an African American hero, the Nashville Predators took time to recognize and honor the bravery of James Shaw Jr. before Sunday's National Hockey League Game 2 against the Winnipeg Jets.

From CBS Sports:

Last week, Shaw helped bring a deadly shooting at a Nashville Waffle House to an end when he was able to wrestle the gun away from the shooter. Four people died in the shooting, but police said that if it weren't for Shaw's actions -- he grabbed the hot barrel of the shooter's AR-15 and took it away -- the bloodshed could have been much more severe.

On Sunday night at Bridgestone Arena, Shaw was in attendance and received a hero's welcome. He participated in some pregame festivities outside the arena, including hammering the "Smash Car," which has become a "Smash Plane" for this series against the Jets.

Shaw was seen in a shirt that read "Spread Love" in the style of Waffle House lettering prior to the game, but inside the building he was presented with a customized jersey by Predators coach Peter Laviolette. That jersey had Shaw's name on the back, and a captain's 'C' on the front.

During the game, Shaw was recognized and welcomed with a standing ovation by the home crowd. Multiple first responders who assisted in the aftermath of the tragedy also received a similar welcome.

[SOURCE: CBSSPORTS]

Althea Gibson to be honored with a statue at U.S. Open Site

The United States Tennis Association has announced that Althea Gibson, the first African American tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title, will be memorialized with a statue in her honor on the grounds where the U.S. Open is played.

Gibson, an inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971 who died in 2003, won the 1956 French Open to make history and the next year she won the women's singles titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals, the precursor to the U.S. Open. She repeated the Wimbledon-U.S. double in 1958. Overall, she won a combined 11 Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles during her illustrious career.

“It’s simple. She’s the Jackie Robinson of tennis; she deserves it,” USTA chair and president Katrina Adams said in a statement. “By breaking the color barrier, she made it possible for every person of color after her to have a chance to achieve their goals in the sport.”

The Gibson statue will be the second to commemorate a groundbreaking tennis icon and the third to honor an American tennis legend at the home of the U.S. Open in Flushing, N.Y., joining Arthur Ashe, whose statue was unveiled in 2000 and anchors the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and King, for whom the tennis center was renamed in 2006.

“Althea Gibson is an American treasure and one of my most important heroes, and I am thrilled she will finally be honored at the National Tennis Center. … Our sport owes a great deal to Althea,” King said.

[SOURCE: Sporting News]

Joy Reid denies hateful blog posts, apologizes for old tweets

MSNBC anchor Joy Reid used her appearance Saturday on the network to deny making hateful blog post on her former blog, while also apologizing for tweets which she admits were wrong and insensitive.

Temple University rescinds Cosby's honorary degree

Temple University, where Bill Cosby long served as a leading public face and key fundraiser, said Friday it will rescind the honorary doctorate it awarded to the comedian in 1991 because he was convicted of sexually assaulting a former employee.

The Philadelphia university said its board of trustees accepted a recommendation Friday to rescind the degree, citing Thursday's jury verdict finding him guilty of drugging and molesting a woman who managed the school's women's basketball team in 2004.

Cosby received a bachelor's from Temple, which was among few that waited to pull honors from Cosby until after the verdict.

Cosby served on the board for decades before resigning in 2014.

[SOURCE: CNBC]

Confederate leaders' names to be removed from Texas roads & replaced with names of African Americans

AUSTIN TX: The Austin City Council has voted to remove the names of Confederate leaders from two roads.

The City Council voted Thursday to change the names of Robert E. Lee Road and Jeff Davis Avenue.

Robert E. Lee Road will be named for Azie Taylor Morton, the country's first black U.S. treasurer, who grew up and went to college in Austin. Its official designation will be Azie Morton Road.

Jeff Davis Avenue will be named for William Holland, an African-American Travis County commissioner who served in the state Legislature.

While most of the residents who responded to surveys from the city objected to the proposed name changes, most of speakers at City Hall on Thursday were in favor of the revisions.

The city estimates the renaming will cost $2,900.

[SOURCE: Tyler Morning Telegraph]