President Biden nominates Derek Chauvin prosecutor to the

President Biden nominated one of the attorneys who prosecuted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd as a federal judge on Wednesday.

Biden nominated Jerry Blackwell to the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The White House did not mention Blackwell’s role in the Chauvin case in the announcement of the nomination.

Blackwell is a founding partner of law firm Blackwell Burke. He received law and bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D) and Tina Smith (D) applauded Blackwell’s nomination in a joint statement, saying he was unanimously supported by a judicial selection committee they convened to make recommendations.

“With more than three decades of legal experience, Jerry Blackwell is exceptionally well-qualified to be a U.S. District Court Judge,” said Smith. “I am confident that his experience and commitment to equal justice will make him an excellent federal judge.”

Klobuchar echoed similar sentiments.

“His extensive trial experience – including the successful prosecution of the murder of George Floyd – makes him an excellent choice to be a U.S. District Court Judge,” Klobuchar said. “As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to confirm him.”

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

CNN to air Juneteenth special: 'Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom'

Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom will air live worldwide on CNN on Sunday, June 19 at 8pmET, with pre-show coverage beginning at 7pmET including CNN anchor Don Lemon to highlight African-American advocates, trailblazers and creators. It will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com and CNN OTT and mobile apps under "TV Channels" or CNNgo where available.

Concert performers will include Chaka Khan, Khalid, Yolanda Adams, Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, Billy Porter, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jhené Aiko, Killer Mike, Lucky Daye, Mary Mary, Ne-Yo, Michelle Williams, Mickey Guyton, Robert Glasper, The Roots and Bell Biv DeVoe. The Re-Collective Orchestra, a 68-piece all-Black symphony orchestra, will also perform.

The show will also include presenters such director and choreographer Debbie Allen; Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles; actors Michael Ealy, Gabourey Sidibe and Kendrick Sampson; comedians Leslie Jones and Lil Rel Howery; and stars from ABC's Black-ish stars Deon Cole, Marsai Martin and Miles Brown.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver special remarks during the televised event.

BET celebrates Juneteenth with a curated programming slate under its “Content For Change” initiative

BET will commemorate ‘Juneteenth’ with inspirational films, music videos, and a special interstitial Manifesto campaign featuring messages of hope from top Black talent, thought leaders, and change agents pledging our collective commitment to freedom, liberation, and joy starting Saturday, June 19, at Noon ET/PT

----

#JuneteenthOnBET #FreedomDayMarathon

New York, NY – June 17, 2021 – BET celebrates Juneteenth with a curated programming slate under its “Content For Change” initiative that honors the resilience of the African American spirit and the promise of powerful Black futures. Starting at Noon ET/PT, the network will showcase Black achievement across all platforms and will celebrate the national commemoration of the abolition of slavery in the United States with social justice-themed episodes of series, inspirational films and short-form content. 

BET’s Freedom Day Manifesto

Juneteenth is our day of celebration.

No matter the zip code,

No matter who we love or how we show up.

No matter our age, gender, faith…

We are one.

Today, we celebrate the collective liberation of Black People.

Our spirit has always been free,

Our perseverance remains unmatched.

Black is beautiful.

Black is brilliant.

Black is bold.

We will exercise our power.

We will dream bigger.

We honor ourselves every day…

On this Juneteenth, we show each other extra love

And celebrate the freedom, that is our birthright.

Happy Juneteenth!

From our family to yours.

We celebrate Juneteenth. This year and always.

Programming line-up celebrating the holiday includes:

On BET:

Noon* - “BLACK-ISH” (Social Justice and Family-themed episodes)

• 5 PM*- “ALI”
• 9 PM-11 PM* – “QUEEN COLLECTIVE” (More about this series below)
• 11 PM* – “PASS THE MIC”

*All Times ET/PT

About The “Queen Collective,” P&G’s signature multicultural talent development initiative in partnership with Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment, and Tribeca Studios, continues to accelerate gender and racial equality behind the camera, by opening doors to the next generation of up-and-coming Black women directors, as it returns to the Tribeca Festival for a third year.

The mentoring and talent development program is designed to give women filmmakers of color a platform to share important stories from their unique perspective with the aim of expanding the creative pipeline for Black female creators. Created by four diverse young female directors including Arielle Knight, Tina Charles, Cai Thomas, Haimy Assefa, and premiering at Tribeca on Thursday June 17th, these unique documentaries shine a light on important issues directly impacting the black community such as health care, bias and discrimination.

Tune into BET and BET Her on Saturday, June 19, 2021 to watch the full Queen Collective program at 9:00 pm ET/PT, with an encore on Sunday, June 20 at 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm ET/PT on BET Her. For more information go to BET.com/queencollectivefilms.

Watch and share the Juneteenth programming promo by clicking on the link below:

https://app.shift.io/review/60c798e11d531606b2835804

On BET Her:

9 AM* - “GIRLFRIENDS” (Family-themed episodes)

• 6 PM*- “Miss Juneteenth”
• 9 PM-11 PM* – “QUEEN COLLECTIVE” (Episodes 201-204 to simulcast with BET Her) #QueenCollective
• 11 PM* – “PASS THE MIC”

*All Times ET/PT

On BET+ :

BET+, the premium streaming service for the Black community is capturing the spirit of the holiday by showcasing Black culture through the stories that celebrate family, love, laughter and Black excellence. Some of the nostalgic, feel-good content now streaming on BET+ include:

• All the Way Black
• Always a Bridesmaid
• Bigger
• Boomerang
• Diggstown:
• First Wives Club
• The Jamie Foxx Show
• Madiba
• Martin
• Miss Juneteenth
• The New Edition Story
• Tyler Perry’s Bruh

On BET Digital:

Go to BET.com starting on Friday, June 18 for:

• Op/ED: Juneteenth Is An Opportunity To Remember The Fight Against Voter Suppression.
• Op/ED: Why Juneteenth Is More Than Just A Day Off – Provided in partnership with Color Of Change
• VIDEO: What Is Juneteenth? 5 Fascinating Facts About the Soon To Be Federal Holiday

Go to BET.com Saturday, June 19 (Juneteenth) for:

• Q&A: An interview with Pulitzer Prize winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed on her new book, “On Juneteenth”.
• Article: 5 Juneteenth festivals across the country to help you celebrate the day.
• Article: 10 Movies To Watch In Honor Of Juneteenth

NJ Senate Passes Legislation to Establish Black Heritage Trail, Cultural Commission

NJ State Senator Troy Singleton

The New Jersey State The Senate today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Troy Singleton and Senator Mike Testa that would require the New Jersey Historical Commission to identify a series of Black heritage sites to be part of a New Jersey Black Heritage Trail.

The bill, S-1805, would direct the New Jersey Historical Commission to give special consideration to Black heritage sites that are in close proximity to other sites thematically linked by surrounding arts, cultural, historical, entertainment or other interests. The Commission would also consider sites recommended by the New Jersey Black Cultural and Heritage Initiative Foundation. Online submission of recommendations for privately-owned sites to be included in the trail would be permitted.

“For nearly 400 years, Black Americans have been part of New Jersey’s history. Black heritage and history has, for far too long, gone underrepresented and untold despite our contributions to industry, culture and arts,” said Senator Singleton (D- Burlington). “The purpose of the Black Heritage Trail is to promote and honor these achievements through education, public programs, and historical markers.”

Under the bill, the commission would also be required to design, purchase and erect historical markers deemed necessary for sites or property owned by the State.

The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 38-0.

Resolution apologizing for Boston's role in slavery approved by city council

Boston’s city council unanimously approved a resolution Wednesday apologizing for the Massachusetts capital’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The resolution, which is non-binding, pledges the city will remove “prominent anti-Black symbols” and educate residents on the history of Boston’s slave trade, among other things. But it stops short of committing the city to funding any specific policies or programs to atone for slavery’s harms, such as paying reparations.

Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who proposed the resolution, said in her remarks to the council that the formal apology represents a necessary first step as the city looks to address the harms caused by slavery.

The council is currently weighing a separate proposal creating a city commission to weigh reparations and other forms of atonement for Boston’s legacy of slavery and racial inequality.

Anderson’s resolution states slavery was first legalized in Massachusetts in 1641 and that the developing Boston economy depended on slaves who “served as butlers, maids, courtiers, beer makers, drivers, cooks and producers of clothing.”

Slavery, the resolution continues, led to “present-day trauma and economic, political, social and racial disparities” such as poorer housing and public education options and income inequality.

[SOURCE: MASSLIVE]