Author Ernest J. Gaines to be honored with a U.S. postage stamp as part of the Black Heritage Series

The U.S. Postal Service has announced many of the stamps it will issue in 2023. Among those stamps will be one honoring author Ernest J. Gaines

The 46th stamp in the Black Heritage series honors Ernest J. Gaines (1933-2019). Best known for such novels as “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and “A Lesson Before Dying,” Gaines drew from his childhood as the son of sharecroppers on a Louisiana plantation to explore the untold stories of rural African Americans, adding a vital voice to American literature. The stamp features an oil painting of Gaines, based on a 2001 photograph. Mike Ryan designed the stamp with art by Robert Peterson. Greg Breeding served as art director.

Toni Morrison honored with with U.S. postage stamp

The U.S. Postal Service has announced many of the stamps it will issue in 2023. Among those stamps will be one honoring Nobel Prize winning author, Toni Morrison.

Author Toni Morrison (1931-2019) is honored in this stamp issuance. Her artfully crafted novels explored the diverse voices and multifaceted experiences of African Americans. Known for such books as “The Bluest Eye,” “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved,” Morrison was the rare author who achieved both bestseller status and critical success. In 1993, she made history as the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. The stamp features a photograph of Morrison taken in 2000. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with photography by Deborah Feingold.

Barack Obama endorses Cherri Beasley in North Carolina Senate race

In a video shared on Twitter former President Obama endorsed Democrat Cheri Beasley in North Carolina’s Senate race.

Watch the video below:

“Cheri works hard. She’s honest. And most importantly, she always puts the people first… This is going to be a close race, and we can’t afford to get it wrong.”

I’m honored to receive @BarackObama’s endorsement for U.S. Senate. Let’s do this. pic.twitter.com/CJ6hxrAZVj

— Cheri Beasley (@CheriBeasleyNC) October 25, 2022

Recent poll shows Majority of Black Georgia voters dissatisfied with Gov. Kemp

A poll released Tuesday found Black voters in Georgia are dissatisfied with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.

The survey, conducted by Black to the Future Action Fund and HIT Strategies, polled 1,200 adults in North Carolina, Georgia and California. The results found that 60 percent of Black voters in Georgia have unfavorable or very unfavorable views of Kemp.

Only 15 percent of respondents reported favorable views of Kemp, and 61 percent of Black voters in Georgia reported they are dissatisfied with the direction of the state.

“Republicans want you to think Black voters are flocking to them, but the reality is that Black voters are going to the polls with our priorities in mind – priorities that lift up our communities that the GOP doesn’t have policies for,” said Alicia Garza, principal of Black to the Future Action Fund, in a press release.

“Elected officials and candidates in these states must prioritize economic recovery, protecting voter rights and access and combating white supremacist violence to be responsive to their Black constituents,” she added.

The poll also showed Black voters’ top priorities this election cycle include inflation and cost of living, crime and gun violence.

Respondents also reported that things like white supremacy and nationalist violence, racism and discrimination and criminal justice reform, including police brutality, are getting worse around the country.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

CeCe Winans first Black female soloist to win Artist of the Year at Dove Awards

CeCe Winans, already a multi-Grammy-winning gospel singer, added a historic win at the 2022 GMA Dove Awards, the contemporary Christian music honors, becoming the first African American female solo artist to be named Artist of the Year. She also won Song of the Year for “Believe for It,” the title track of her 2021 live recording.

As the applause subsided after the announcement of Artist of the Year, Winans broke into “To God Be the Glory” as her acceptance speech during the Oct. 18 ceremony of the Gospel Music Association that aired Friday on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

“To God be the Glory for the things he has done,” she sang, and added: “God bless you. Thank you.”

Winans added in a written statement: “All I wanted for this record was for it to touch the hearts of people so they would be encouraged and filled with hope; but its success far exceeded all that I could have imagined. To God be the glory!”

Winans, 58, won Song of the Year for the track she co-wrote with Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee and Mitch Wong.

“It’s just amazing what God is doing, working with these guys, and grabbing songs that touch my heart,” she said in expressing thanks to her co-writers and producers on the album.

“I just want us to understand that the God of miracles is still working miracles. So keep believing for it.”

[SOURCE: RELIGION NEWS]