NATIONAL BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CONFERENCE CONVENES IN ATLANTA - JULY 24-27 2019

The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) convenes in Atlanta, Georgia July 24-27, 2019. The theme: Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurial Pursuits demonstrates the importance of entrepreneurship in economic parity. The conference kicks off with a reception at Hotel Indigo at the Atlanta Airport in College Park with Trav Wright and the All Stars.

On July 25-26 of the conference the group meets at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture & History. The attendees are comprised of entrepreneurs and dignitaries from the United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Ghana and Senegal.

A highlight of the conference is the Women Empowerment panel comprised of 8 successful women of various industries.

One such panelist,Tammeisha Smith currently serves as the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Dunbar Center, Inc. The Dunbar Center, Inc. is a community health & wellness facility, which was selected as an anchor project for the City of Newark’s Model Neighborhood Initiative under the administration of Mayor Ras Baraka.

Attorney Kimberly K. Haynes, another esteemed panelist, is among Atlanta and Baton Rouge's elite civically engaged leaders within the professional community. A graduate of Spelman College and Tulane University School of Law, Haynes is Founder and CEO of OMBI Group LLC, a premier sports and entertainment firm that specializes in the representation of sports and entertainment professionals and executives.

Ms. Courtney Reynolds, Chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce and moderator of the Women’s Empowerment panel, says “I am extremely proud of the power these panelists wield, of their community involvement and their unique perspectives of inclusion. I believe this is the most important panel of the conference.”

There are many, many panel topics including: Modern Medicine, Inclusion & Diversity, Opportunity Zones, Cannabis, Privacy, Capital Access, Ports & Trade, Artificial Intelligence, Infrastructure, Diaspora Trade, Film making and The Business of Fashion.

The conference is open to everyone and registration can be completed here: http://bit.ly/NBCC2019. To make reservations at the Hotel Indigo – Atlanta Airport go here: http://bit.lyNBCCINDIGO.

Barack & Michelle Obama Congratulates US Woman's Team on World Cup victory

Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama took to Twitter to congratulate the United States Women's National Team on their World Cup Victory over the Netherlands:

Yes! Fourth star. Back to back. Congrats to the record breakers on the @USWNT, an incredible team that’s always pushing themselves—and the rest of us—to be even better. Love this team. #OneNationOneTeam

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 7, 2019

So proud of you, Team USA—you inspire us all! #OneNationOneTeam https://t.co/YEHzyqOwZa

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) July 7, 2019

Cory Booker on Biden for Apologizing for Segregationist Remarks

Sen. Cory Booker says he appreciated Joe Biden apologizing for his comments praising his work with segregationists. Read Sen. Booker's remarks below:

SEN. CORY BOOKER: I’m frustrated that it took so long. But I’m grateful for him doing and we should all, I mean, we can’t have a culture where we can't have a leader that can’t stand up and say I’ve been imperfect and I made mistakes and I apologize...

I’m sorry we had to go through all of this, I’m sorry he tried to shift blame to me. But I’m grateful. I want to say thank you. We need to extend grace to each other. I’m never going to not accept somebody I respect and admire that has come to terms with this and apologized.

I was very hurt by what he said and even more hurt that he would try to, I almost felt attacked when he said that I should be apologizing to him.

Kamala Harris Essence Fest speech

On Saturday morning, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris spoke to an enthusiastic crowd at the 2019 Essence Festival in New Orleans. Harris discussed a variety of issues affecting African Americans, including a $100 billion home ownership plan as way to close the racial wealth gap.

Watch her full speech below.

Dr. Spencer Crew named Interim Director of the National Museum of African American History & Culture

Spencer Crew is serving as the Interim Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). He is also the Clarence J. Robinson Professor of American, African American and Public History at George Mason University. 

Spencer has worked in public history institutions for more than twenty-five years.  He served as president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for six years and worked at the National Museum of American History (NMAH), Smithsonian Institution for twenty years.  Nine of those years, he served as the director of NMAH.  At each of those institutions, he sought to make history accessible to the public through innovative and inclusive exhibitions and public programs. 

His most important exhibition was the ground breaking “Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration 1915 – 1940” which generated a national discussion about migration, race, and creating historical exhibitions.    He also co-curated “The American Presidency A Glorious Burden” which is one of the Smithsonian’s most popular exhibitions. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center has attracted worldwide attention because of the quality of its presentations and focus on race, interracial cooperation, and issues of contemporary slavery.

Crew has published extensively in the areas of African American and Public History.  Among his publications are Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration 1915 - 1940 (1987), and Black Life in Secondary Cities: A Comparative Analysis of the Black Communities of Camden and Elizabeth, N.J. 1860 - 1920 (1993). He co-authored The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden (2002), Unchained Memories: Readings From The Slave Narratives (2002), Slave Culture: A Documentary Collection of the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project (2014), and Memories of the Enslaved: Voices from the Slave Narratives (2015).

Crew is an active member of the academic and cultural communities, serving on many boards that work to generate enthusiasm for history among the public. He is the Past Chair of the National Council for History Education, Trustee Emeritus of the Board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and served on the Nominating Board of the Organization of American Historians and the Board of the American Association of Museums.   

He is a graduate of Brown University and holds a master's degree and a doctorate from Rutgers University. He is a member of the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni.