African American news blog that features news that may get little or no coverage in the mainstream media
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Rutgers University Dedicates Plaza to Paul Robeson
Dr. Leroy Staggers named 10th President of HBCU, Morris College
(SUMTER, S.C.) –Faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of Morris College celebrated the new leadership of the college with the official Presidential Investiture of Dr. Leroy Staggers.
Dozens of supporters filled the seats of the Neal-Jones auditorium Friday to celebrate the next chapter in Morris College history, led by Dr. Leroy Stagger as the College’s tenth president.
Delegates representing higher education as well as professional and political associations welcomed the elected president with a purpose, invocation, scripture reading, musical selections, and greetings.
The ceremony began with an African Welcome by the Caroline Mack Center for the Arts and a drum performance by Ms. Natalie Williams and Mr. Jamey Johnson. The college’s choir direct, Mr. Herbert Johnson led the crowd to sing the National Negro Anthem before Dr. Mack T. Hines, Immediate Past Chairman of the Morris College Board of Trustees (BOT) gave a ceremonial welcome.
The purpose was given by the Co-Chair of the Presidential Investiture Committee, Elder J. Elbert Williams followed by the Invocation given by Dr. Jamey O. Graham, Vice President at Large of the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina, Inc.
The crowd was moved by the chilling vocals of soloist Thelma Isaac as she sang Amazing Grace following the scripture reading and The Lord’s Prayer, before the presidential response.
Many distinguished leaders gave greetings. The Honorable J. Thomas McElveen, III spoke first followed by the Hon. James. T. McCain who announced the proclamation of April 12, 2019, being named “Dr. Leroy Staggers Day” by the Sumter County Council. Mayor Hon. Joseph T. McElveen Jr. spoke on the great work Dr. Staggers has shown over the twenty-plus years the two have been working in Sumter. His long-time friend Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president of Claflin University also offered words of encouragement followed by remarks from the faculty and staff, alumni, and student government association.
Jane Luther Smith, Senior Instructor of Music at the University of South Carolina-Sumter, played a musical piece on the piano following the greetings.
The college has not had an investiture ceremony in over four-decades since Dr. Luns C. Richardson was named the college president in 1974. Dr. Richardson transitioned in 2017 following retirement.
The installation of Dr. Staggers as the tenth president called for a Presidential Charge which was given by the President and CEO or the United Negro College Fund, Dr. Michael Lomax. In the Presidential Charge, Dr. Lomax challenged the tenth president to take on a life-long commitment to remain a “student-centered and student-focused president.”
He challenged Dr. Staggers to remain a role model and continue to transform lives.
Upon receiving his robe, medallion and mace, the newly named tenth president of Morris College stood before the crowded auditorium and delivered his Presidential Response.
Dr. Staggers acknowledged the ninth president for being a great leader while he served under him for nearly two decades.
“My vision for Morris College is to build onto the great achievements of Dr. Richardson.”
“I had the blessing and good fortune to sit under Dr. Richardson as dean for 17-years,” he boasted proudly into the crowd.
He spoke on the transformations that the college has made for over a century, producing great scholars since the campus was chartered in 1911 with just two wooden buildings to house the college courses.
Dr. Staggers responded to the presidential charge with confidence and high esteem.
“Dr. Lomax, I understand the hopes, dreams, and ambitions of our students and their parents. Therefore I do accept this challenge, and I will be a student-centered and student-focused president. I will work diligently to keep students front and center, in all of my decisions. For all of the students that come through the Morris [College] gate, I will lead the faculty and the staff to ensure that students do learn and learn well and become college graduates and depart to serve. Together with the faculty, staff, and other constituents, we will motivate students, encourage them and nurture them. We will see to it that each becomes a successful college graduate. We will help students to realize their true potential and use it. Dr. Lomax, I concur wholeheartedly with you, 100 percent, about the benefits and value of a college degree. I commit today to a laser-focused purpose on this goal of creating college graduates of those students that enter our gate. “
He accepted the challenge to remain committed through all of the institution's trials and tribulations and asked for God’s guidance in getting him through all there is to come.
“I ask for God’s guidance, I pray for courage, and I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
NETFLIX ANNOUNCES FIRST ORIGINAL AFRICAN ANIMATED SERIES MAMA K'S TEAM 4
Johannesburg, ZA and Hollywood, Calif. - April 16 2019 - Netflix, the world's leading internet entertainment service, today announced its first original African animated series, Mama K’s Team 4, produced by Cape Town-based Triggerfish Animation Studios and leading London-based kids’ entertainment specialist CAKE.
Mama K’s Team 4 tells the story of four teen girls living in the neo-futuristic African city of Lusaka, Zambia who are recruited by a retired secret agent still committed to saving the world. The series joins Netflix’s growing slate of original animated programming designed for kids and families everywhere, brought to 190 countries by artists from around the world.
Mama K’s Team 4 is created by Zambian writer Malenga Mulendema, who was one of eight winners in the Triggerfish Story Lab initiative in 2015, a pan-african talent search.
Designed by Cameroonian artist Malcolm Wope, it draws visual inspiration from retro-’90s R&B and hip hop girl groups.
To join the creative team on the series, Netflix is collaborating with Triggerfish Animation studio and CAKE to launch a continent-wide search for local female writing talent.
Malenga grew up watching cartoons on TV and found herself asking why no heroes looked like her and why they didn’t live in a world that felt like her own. “In creating a superhero show set in Lusaka, I hope to introduce the world to four strong African girls who save the day in their own fun and crazy way. Most importantly, I want to illustrate that anyone from anywhere can be a superhero,” commented Malenga.
"In addition to giving African writers a global platform on which to be heard, we are excited to present this powerful and entertaining new animated series that brings Malenga's incredible and unique vision to life on Netflix," said Melissa Cobb, vice president of original animation at Netflix. "Mama K's Team 4 has the potential to give a whole new generation of African children the opportunity to see themselves on-screen in the powerful, aspirational characters they look up to.”
“After animating four multi-award-winning BBC Christmas specials set in England, including the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, Triggerfish is delighted to bring an African capital city to life on Netflix,” added Vanessa Ann Sinden, Triggerfish’s development producer. “Female writers from Africa who have had their work produced for either TV, film or theatre can find out more about the Writers Lab and how to apply from the careers page of our website, http://careers.triggerfish.com/.”
CEO & Creative Director at CAKE, Tom van Waveren concluded, “We are delighted to be partnering with Triggerfish and Netflix on Mama K’s Team 4, a uniquely empowering, but most of all fun project, which brings a fresh perspective to a classic cartoon genre."
Announcement Assets
Malenga Mulendema’s headshot can be accessed here. (Please do not post link, download only)
Friday, April 19, 2019
Chairwoman Maxine Waters Statement on the Release of the Mueller Report
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, issued the following statement on Attorney General William Barr’s release of a heavily redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report and statements made by Barr during a press conference prior to the release of the redacted report to Congress:
“I am utterly disgusted, but not surprised, by William Barr’s shameful performance this morning. He was clearly acting for an audience of one: his puppet master, Donald Trump. It should shock no one that Barr would use his office to hold a public relations event to further obscure the facts of Mueller’s report before the public and Congress had the opportunity to review it. Between his initial spin last month and today’s press conference, Barr has proven himself to be a very capable liar and fraud. Michael Cohen used to be known as Donald Trump’s fixer, but now it’s Bill Barr. Barr today again misrepresented Mueller’s findings and manufactured conclusions that were not reflected in the full report. I never had any confidence in Barr, but two things are clear after his press conference: Mueller must testify before Congress and Barr must be cast out of government along with this President and his accomplices.
“The fix was in when Barr was confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate. Do not forget, Barr has a history of acting as a political figure, more so than an impartial law enforcement official, such as when he advised President George H.W. Bush to issue six pardons just weeks before the end of his presidency, which effectively killed the Iran Contra investigations. Barr’s press conference was not a factual account about the essential questions that were raised by this investigation. This was a spin job by an Attorney General acting as a sycophant to the President rather than carrying out his duties as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
“Barr even echoed Trump’s constant refrain of ‘no collusion,’ and spoke sympathetically of the President’s frustration and anger about the investigation as if he is the President’s own attorney. This is despite the fact that, from the outset of the report, Special Counsel Mueller stated that he evaluated the President’s behavior ‘not under the rubric of collusion, but through the lens of conspiracy law.’ Simply put, Barr appears eager to excuse this President of his deeds regardless of what the facts may be. Barr is shielding him from transparency, insulating him from accountability, and protecting him from the consequences of his conduct. The report reveals that Barr has distorted the facts and lied for the President, which makes him complicit.
“I am very troubled by what has already been revealed by the report. Despite Trump and Barr’s spin, here is what we know: Mueller achieved 34 indictments of individuals, three indictments of companies, and seven convictions. The indictments include the President’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, and trusted confidant Roger Stone. The U.S. intelligence community confirmed Russians interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump win. Vladimir Putin himself confirmed Trump was his candidate of choice during his comments alongside Trump in Helsinki. Trump himself told NBC’s Lester Holt he fired the FBI Director because of the Russia investigation. According to Mueller’s report, when Trump learned about the appointment of the Special Counsel he said, ‘Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I’m f-----.’ Further, according to initial accounts, the Mueller report outlines ten instances during which Trump may have obstructed justice but left it to Congress to follow up on those investigations and legal conclusions. The Special Counsel’s report describes Trump’s repeated efforts to fire Mueller, remove former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and even tamper with witnesses by dangling pardons. At this point, Congress’ failure to impeach is complacency in the face of the erosion of our democracy and constitutional norms. Congress’ failure to impeach would set a dangerous precedent and imperil the nation as it would vest too much power in the Executive Branch and embolden future officeholders to further debase the U.S. presidency, if that’s even possible.”
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Congressional Black Caucus members respond to Mueller report
The Mueller Report has been released today and several members of the Congressional Black Caucus such as Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. Hakeem Jefferies, Rep. Barbara Lee have responded to it via Twitter. Check out their responses below:
The American people deserve the truth.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) April 18, 2019
Not spin from a Trump appointee.
Release Mueller's full report now.
This report raises more questions than answers on whether or not the President may have obstructed justice, which Congress needs to explore further.
— James E. Clyburn (@WhipClyburn) April 18, 2019
And this is why we ought to see the full report, with the underlying evidence, and hear directly from Special Counsel Mueller.
So-called Attorney General claimed Individual 1 fully cooperated with Mueller investigation.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) April 18, 2019
Wrong.
Trump may have obstructed justice at least ten times.
No one is above the law.
— Rep Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) April 18, 2019
To recap:
— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) April 18, 2019
-Mueller needs to testify.
-Barr needs to resign.
-Trump needs to be held accountable.#MuellerReport
Words to pay attention to in Attorney General Barr's statement of his thoughts on the Mueller Report. "Did not knowingly" does not mean "was not culpable." From @LIICornell's summary of the Model Penal Code.#MuellerThursday pic.twitter.com/vJZz1ZwXvg
— Rep. Donald Payne Jr (@RepDonaldPayne) April 18, 2019