NAACP statement on passing of Professor Charles J. Ogletree Jr.

Following the passing of Plrofessor Charles J. Ogletree Jr., NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson released the following statement:

"Throughout his career, Professor Ogletree played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the NAACP's mission. Through mentorship, he provided invaluable guidance on a wide array of issues from reparations for the Tulsa Race Massacre to The Association's national convention planning. As we bid farewell to this extraordinary civil rights champion, let us honor his legacy by committing a renewed determination and dedication to the continued fight for racial justice. The NAACP stands as a testament to the enduring impact of his life's work, and we pledge to continue the fight for justice, equality, and human rights in his honor. His leadership empowered a new generation of civil rights leaders, inspiring them to carry the torch forward in the fight for justice and progress."

We extend our deepest condolences to Professor Ogletree's family, friends, colleagues, and all whose lives he touched. May his memory serve as a guiding light towards a more just and equitable society for all.

Rest in power.

Professor: Florida's African American studies rules will confuse students

Florida teachers will be teaching new African American history standards. They are standards that have drawn criticism from across the country for whitewashing history.

History professor Dr. Michael Butler at Flagler College says if students are taught the news standards in primary school, he expects a lot of confusion and necessary reteaching once they get to his classes and other college courses.

Three white men charged with assault in Montgomery riverfront brawl

Three Alabama men are facing misdemeanor assault charges after a group of white men attacked a Black dockworker on Saturday during a brawl involving multiple people along the Montgomery Riverfront.

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert announced assault charges against Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25. At a news conference Tuesday, Albert said one of the men is in custody and the other two other were expected to turn themselves in to police Tuesday afternoon. [SOURCE: NBCNews]

Sen. Tim Scott criticizes Gov. DeSantis’s new Black history curriculum

U.S. Senator Tim Scott, the highest-profile Black candidate in the 2024 Republican presidential race, has blasted his rival Ron DeSantis, Florida's governor, over the state's newly adopted Black history curriculum, saying "there's no silver lining" in slavery.

Asked about the curriculum at a campaign stop in Iowa on Thursday, Scott told reporters, "Any benefits that people suggest you had during slavery, you would have had as a free person," according to video posted on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

"What slavery was really about was separating families, about mutilating humans and even raping their wives. It was just devastating," Scott said.

Without naming DeSantis, Scott said he hoped that every candidate in the Republican field "would appreciate that."

Scott's remarks came after another prominent Black Republican, U.S. Representative Byron Donalds of Florida, also criticized the new standards. That triggered outraged pushback from DeSantis' campaign online, which suggested Donalds was a supporter of Democrat Kamala Harris, the first Black vice president.

[SOURCE RUETERS]

Watch Vice President Harris in a Conversation at the NAACP Annual Convention

Watch the full remarks by Vice President Harris during a moderated conversation at the NAACP 114th annual convention. A conversation in which she urges Black Americans to vote and cast Republicans as extremists on everything from abortion, voting rights and gun reform.