Whitney Houston & Notorious B.I.G nominated to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Sixteen musical artists have the chance to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2020. Among those 16 artist are the late Whitney Houston and the late Notorious B.I.G.

Fans can now vote for their top five favorite artists on the list here: Rock & Roll Hall Of fame Voting

The official inductee ceremony will take place May 2, 2020, at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. An "induction week" to celebrate the hall of fame newbies will precede the grand ceremony.

The nominees are selected by a nominating committee and sent to "1,000 historians, members of the music industry and artists—including every living Rock Hall inductee—and the five performers receiving the most votes become that year's induction class."

Rep. Maxine Waters Statement on the Death of Rep. Elijah Cummings

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement on the death of Congressman Elijah Cummings (MD-7), Chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee:

“There are no words that are sufficient in describing the immense sorrow I feel following the passing of my dear colleague and friend, Chairman Elijah Cummings.

“I have known Chairman Cummings for more than two decades. He considered me a mentor since his time as a freshman member, and I considered him a brother and cherished friend. While there are so many fond memories that I have of Chairman Cummings, what I loved and admired most about him was his dignified and courageous leadership, and his fierce and unflinching advocacy for justice, civil rights, and equality. He loved his family, his community, and this nation deeply, and fought with ‘every breath in his body’ to protect them — no matter the cost.

“Chairman Cummings was the son of sharecroppers, and rose from humble beginnings to unprecedented heights in his 68 years of life. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Howard University, and earned a juris doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. He was the first African American to serve as the Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, where he served for 14 years. In the U.S. Congress, he has provided strong leadership of the Oversight and Reform Committee, and has absolutely sacrificed in order to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

“Elijah Cummings fought the good fight, and his legacy represents an unwavering love for his community and a tireless commitment to public service. He was and always will be remembered as a beacon of truth and light in the face of unprecedented lies and corruption.

“There is perhaps no other Member of Congress who is so respected, admired, and loved by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle as the one and only Elijah Cummings. He was a true patriot and a giant among men. His absence leaves a gaping hole in our hearts and the halls of Congress. I love him, I will miss him, and my deepest condolences and prayers are with his loving wife, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, his family, his beloved hometown of Baltimore, and all those who loved him.”

Barack Obama statement on the passing of Elijah Cummings.

Former U.S. President, Barack Obama released the following statement via Twitter on the passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings:

Rep. Elijah Cummings dead at 68

The office of Elijah Cummings has released a statement on the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings.

Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the wife of Elijah Cummings has released the following statement on the death of her husband:

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE ACQUIRES ITEMS FROM THE AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL

On Friday, Oct. 11, ABFF Ventures, LLC., announced that objects, photographs, documents and other memorabilia from The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) archives have been acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The items will join the museums’ permanent collection and commemorate the ABFF’s rich 24-year history.

The American Black Film Festival (formerly Acapulco Black Film Festival), was first held in June 1997 by its originalfounders, Jeff Friday, Byron E. Lewis and Warrington Hudlin. In 2002, the Festival moved stateside to continue its commitment to community, providing a platform for up-and-coming filmmakers of color and bringing together creatives in appreciation of one another’s work, to challenge, encourage and uplift each other.  ABFF is dedicated to recognizing black talent and showcasing quality film and television content by and about people of African descent, and continues to be a vehicle to strengthen the black entertainment community by fostering resource sharing, education and artistic collaboration.

Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”), Stephen Caple, Jr. (“Creed II”), Will Packer (“Girls Trip”), Issa Rae (“Insecure”), Omari Hardwick (“Power”) and Kevin Hart (“Night School”), are among the beneficiaries of ABFF’s unique and prestigious talent pipeline programs designed to identify, introduce and showcase artists — including directors, actors, writers and other content creators — to the industry at large.

The museum has selected 10 American Black Film Festival artifacts to join its historical collection:

• Awards: ABFF Wood Trophy/Award designed by fine artist and sculptor Cheryl R. Riley, presented to Bill Duke in 1997 for Distinguished Career Achievement as a Filmmaker

• Documents:  1997 ABFF Program Guide, 1997 ABFF All Access Pass and VIP Pass, “Hav Plenty” VHS video tape (1997)

• Photographs:  A collection of six (6) photographs of celebrity attendees by photographer Karl Crutchfield. Celebrities include Bill Duke, Halle Berry and Denzel Washington.

• Objects: Watch, Sterling Silver Necklace, Sterling Silver Bracelet. Items given to VIP attendees at the 1997 Festival. Recipients included: Debbie Allen, Morgan Freemen, Halle Berry and more.

These items were donated by Nicole and Jeff Friday.

“Recognizing the cultural significance and historical import of the long-standing American Black Film Festival, it is thrilling to have objects from ABFF join the museum’s permanent collection. For nearly a quarter century, ABFF has been at the forefront of celebrating the history and cultural value of African American storytelling and image-making, so receiving objects that highlight the vision and creative spirit of ABFF was deeply important,” said Rhea Combs, Supervisory Museum Curator of Photography & Film, Smithsonian, National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“Being a part of the NMAAHC’s prestigious collection of historical artifacts is an amazing honor and significant milestone for the ABFF.  It brings a great sense of pride and excitement that ABFF’s legacy is recognized as an important piece of African American history and culture,” said Jeff Friday, ABFF Ventures CEO.

The American Black Film Festival has been helmed a “top Festival” by reputable media outlets, including One of the Coolest Festivals in the World by MovieMake Magazine; 10 Best Film Festivals by USA Today; Top 100 Events in Miami by BizBash Magazine and One of the Best Events Around the World by PROHBTD.

ABFF Ventures continues to expand the Festival programming initiatives and will grow its brand year-round to include the About Women Conference, ABFF Global Series (ABFF London debuted September 2019), ABFF Fit (Health and Wellness series) and ABFF Honors (annual awards show honoring Hollywood creatives).