Martin Luther King Jr.

Jul 21 2011

Fought opportunities

Lillian Mobley, a South Los Angeles activist who worked to keep Martin Luther King Drew Medical Center operating, died Monday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood. She was 81.

Originally from Georgia, “Mother Mobley,” as she was affectionately called, moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s, and soon became an invaluable member of the community by advocating for better lifestyles and opportunities for all, with a focus on education, healthcare and transportation.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
May 12 2011

Some think they need to retool

The belief that President Obama’s election heralded immediate change was so strong that shortly after his win, the blog Debate Link featured a Nov. 7, 2008, column entitled. “Do We Still Need Civil Rights After Obama?”

It is a penetrating question.

Marisol Aguilar  |   OW Contributor
Oct 14 2010

More than 1,500 volunteers will improve their communities during Day of Service

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

In 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the day as a holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s great acts of kindness. Since then, many people have celebrated by taking the day off work. But for the past three years, the Antelope Valley has been following his footsteps and celebrating the holiday as a day of service.

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Sep 2 2010

Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally on the anniversary of King’s “Dream” speech: More a symbol (of America’s social retreat) than substance

The conservative right continued its deafening drum beat to a return to yesterday with a rally this past weekend on the 47th anniversary of the most celebrated march of the 20th Century Civil Rights movement.

Aug 12 2010

Two African Americans among the seven

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Two African Americans are among the seven people—including healthcare and business experts and an attorney—recently approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to serve on the board of directors of the nonprofit entity being created to oversee operation of the new Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Hospital in Willowbrook. The prospective panelists last week were jointly nominated by Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer William T. Fujioka and Dr. John D.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”