West Point graduates 34 African-American women, the most ever from one class

Thirty-four black women are expected to graduate from West Point next week.

That will be the largest class of African-American women to graduate together in the military academy's lengthy history, West Point spokesman Frank Demaro said.

"Last year's graduating class had 27," said Demaro. "And the expectation is next year's class will be even larger than this year's."

West Point's graduating class is seeing diversity in other minority groups. "Also, this year's class will have the highest number of female Hispanic graduates along with graduating our 5,000th female cadet since the first class of women to graduate in 1980," said Demaro.

Cadet Tiffany Welch-Baker, spoke to the website "Because Of Them We Can," about her feelings about being a part of this historic graduating class.

"My hope when young black girls see these photos is that they understand that regardless of what life presents you, you have the ability and fortitude to be a force to be reckoned with."

West Point created its office of diversity in 2014 to try to attract, retain and promote a "more diverse workforce" according to its website.

About 10% of undergraduate students are black and women make up about 20% of cadets, according to the school's statistics.

[SOURCE: CNN]

EMANUEL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF THE CHARLESTON CHURCH SHOOTING

Emanuel

IN THEATERS JUNE 17 & 19 ONLY

National headlines blazed the story: Churchgoers Gunned Down During Prayer Service in Charleston, South Carolina. After a 21-year-old white supremacist opened fire in the church, nine African Americans lay dead—leaving their families and the nation to grapple with this senseless act of terror.

Forty-eight hours later, in the midst of unspeakable grief and suffering, the families of the Emanuel Nine stood in court facing the killer … and offered words of forgiveness. Their demonstration of grace ushered the way for hope and healing across a city and the nation.

It’s the story that rocked a city and a nation as it happened … and in the days that followed. Marking the fourth anniversary of the event, executive producers Stephen Curry and Viola Davis, co-producer Mariska Hargitay, and director Brian Ivie (The Drop Box) present EMANUEL. The documentary powerfully weaves the history of race relations in Charleston, the significance and impact of Mother Emanuel Church, and the hope that somehow emerges in the aftermath.

Featuring intimate interviews with survivors and family members, EMANUEL is a poignant story of justice and faith, love and hate, examining the healing power of forgiveness. Marking the fourth anniversary, EMANUEL will be in movie theaters across the country for two nights only: June 17 and 19.

Find theaters and get tickets here: Emanuel In Theaters

Kamala Harris defends her truancy initiative in California

During an interview on CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) defended her implementation of the truancy initiative in California while the state's Attorney General. Watch that segment below.

New Book “Sweet Georgia Brown: Impact, Courage, Sacrifice, and Will” Is a Chronicle of the Military Achievements of Black Women During World War II

Lawrence E. Walker is a native of New Jersey, president and CEO of PureHistory.org, an online social search engine and media network focusing on American History and around the World, and recipient of the Army Person of the Year award in 1997 for his groundbreaking research on the history of black women who served during World War II. He has completed his book “Sweet Georgia Brown: Impact, Courage, Sacrifice, and Will”: an inspiring work the celebrates the lives, accomplishments, and perseverance of black American women who served their nation during the Second World War despite significant endemic racial and gender discrimination.

Walker writes, “Charity Adams Earley, commander of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion in World War II, summarized the history of women in the military when she wrote in 1989: ‘The future of women in the military seems assured... What may be lost in time is the story of how it happened. The barriers of sex and race were, and sometimes still are, very difficult to overcome, the second even more than the first. During World War II women in the service were often subject to ridicule and disrespect even as they performed satisfactorily... Each year the number of people who shared the stress of these accomplishments lessens. In another generation young black women who join the military will have scant record of their predecessors who fought on the two fronts of discrimination segregation and reluctant acceptance by males.’”

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Lawrence E. Walker’s book is a fascinating record of the intersection of African-American, women’s, and modern military history in the United States.

Readers who wish to experience this engrossing work can purchase “Sweet Georgia Brown: Impact, Courage, Sacrifice, and Will” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

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For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York-based, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not overwhelmed with logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and the like. Its roster of accomplished authors and publishing professionals allows writers to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating.

Cory Booker's honest opinion on "thoughts and prayers" after mass shootings

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said in an interview airing Saturday on CNN's The Axe Files that offering "thoughts and prayers" in response to gun violence instead of advocating for action is "bullshit." Watch more of his comments below:

"We are not going to give thoughts and prayers, which to me is just bullsh--,” 2020 candidate Sen. Cory Booker says about his gun violence prevention plan.

Watch the full interview on “The Axe Files” at 7 p.m. ET on CNN. https://t.co/kOAHPwUe8E pic.twitter.com/wry7m3bdwH

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) May 11, 2019