United States

Across Black America
May 31 2012

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

California
African American young men from the San Francisco Bay Area who are graduating from high school and heading to college will take center stage June 3 at a unique graduation ceremony aimed at celebrating and amplifying their achievements. The event is part of the Mitchell Kapor Foundation’s College Bound Brotherhood, a college readiness program that aims to expand the number of young Black men in the San Francisco Bay Area who are prepared for college. Youth participating in the event will be eligible for a $100 stipend to defray the cost of college books. Across the nation and locally, African American young men are graduating from high school at alarmingly low rates, and even fewer are ready for a college education. Since the launch of the College Bound Brotherhood in 2008, the Kapor Foundation has distributed more than $1 million in grants to organizations that support young Black men through college readiness workshops, college tours, academic coaching and mentoring.

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are partners in owning a racehorse—a 4-year-old gelding named Siempre Mo—which made its first start at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday. The horse was entered in the sixth race, and was ridden by Joy Scott. The teammates purchased 25 percent of the gelding at a team charity auction in April. Part of their deal is that neither Bryant nor Gasol pay any expenses in the horse’s care and training. Santa Anita CEO Mark Verge and Chris Quinn, also an executive at Santa Anita, are the horse’s other owners. Siempre Mo won a $25,000 claiming race in his last start. He’s trained by Doug O’Neill, whose coltse I’ll Have Another, won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and will try to win the Triple Crown when he runs in the Belmont Stakes on June 9. Bryant and Gasol’s horse will carry the Lakers gold and purple colors.

District of Columbia
Nearly 300 people attended the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s 15th annual Spirit of Democracy Awards Gala in Washington, D.C., last week. As the night was dedicated to “Celebrating Our Brothers,” six men doing constructive work to empower the African American community were honored. There was also a special Servant Leadership and Community Service Award established in memory of the former manager of the annual Spirit Awards, Ruby Campbell Pulliam. “It was important to take a moment to lift up and celebrate what the brothers are doing in our communities across the country,” said president and CEO of the Coalition, Melanie L. Campbell. “The men who dedicate their lives to mentoring, social justice, training and creating opportunities for our youth—especially those running Black male initiatives—are truly the fabric of our community.”

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

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In love with the land
Stanley O. Williford  |   OW Editor
May 24 2012

A couple discovers the beauty of America

Black Americans considering vacations have long overlooked one of the world’s greatest bargains right under their collective noses.

At the same time, they have also overlooked a treasured area of Black American history—the United States National Park System.

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Across Black America
Apr 19 2012

 

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

 


Colorado
The Denver Urban Spectrum, an award-winning monthly publication will celebrate its 25th anniversary, with a four-day slate of community events, culminating with a black-tie awards dinner honoring 25 “Timeless Legends”—women who hail from Denver—many who are internationally known. The recipients include Grammy award-winning singer Dianne Reeves, the Little Rock Nine’s Carlotta LaNier, former Denver City Councilwoman and 2008 DNC Chair Elbra Wedgeworth, internationally known choreographer Cleo Parker Robinson, and former Denver first lady Wilma Webb. The gala will be Saturday, April 28, from 6 to 11 p.m., at the Renaissance Hotel, 3801 Quebec St., in Denver. Former Colorado Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll will serve as master of ceremonies and the Honorable Mayor Michael Hancock and first lady Mary Louise Lee are the honorary chairs. Entertainment will be provided by The Julius Show. Sculptor Ed Dwight has been commissioned to design the Timeless Legends awards.


Connecticut
The NAACP released the following statement regarding the passage of legislation in the Connecticut House to repeal the death penalty. “Tonight, Connecticut’s Legislature voted to abolish capital punishment for all the right reasons: the death penalty discriminates against people of color and poor people of all colors, and it is a profound waste of scarce law-enforcement resources,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “By abolishing the death penalty, Connecticut will have more dollars to hire detectives to solve unsolved homicides and hire counselors to help murder victims’ family members. The death penalty is a stain on the moral fabric of our nation. When Connecticut’s governor signs this bill into law, he will not only move his state forward, he will move our nation forward. We will have just nine states left until we can take the matter to the Supreme Court and abolish [it] completely. That is our hope for eventually abolishing [the death penalty] in states like Georgia and Texas. That is our hope for ensuring there will never be another Troy Davis or Todd Willingham.”

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

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Across Black America
Mar 1 2012

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


California
Prolific writer-director, Don B. Welch will return to the Los Angeles main stage with his latest piece “My Brother’s Keeper” live at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, March 30-31. The all-star cast is led by Emmy Award winner and five-time NAACP Image Award winner, Loretta Devine, as well as Vanessa Bell Calloway, Vanessa Williams, Flex Alexander, Shanice Wilson and a number of other stars. The story surrounds two brothers who own and operate the Legends nightclub, their family business in L.A. Recent events and unforeseen circumstances pit brother against brother in what may be the battle of their lives.

Georgia
The Tavis Smiley Foundation hosted the second of its national series of parent education seminars in Atlanta to give parents tools and information on how they can ensure their child’s success in learning. The “Too Important to Fail Parent Education Summit” was held at Spelman College and, in addition to the workshops, the program featured a presentation by James Shelton, the assistant deputy secretary for innovation and improvement for the U.S. Department of Education. The Tavis Smiley Foundation and Hyundai Motor America also announced a $5,000 grant to a local nonprofit organization that provides parent workshops on education issues.

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

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Across Black America
Feb 16 2012

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


Arizona
The Desert Caballeros Western Museum will hold a special exhibit in honor of Black History Month with a Buffalo Soldiers display in the Artist at Work Masterworks by Kenneth M. Freeman. Freeman (1935-2008), who was called the Rembrandt of the Rodeo, was a Jewish artist who painted depictions of the Buffalo Soldiers and served as a captain in the 9th Memorial Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. On Saturday, Feb. 18, members of the Calvary will be at the museum to meet and greet visitors and answer questions about this important part of Arizona history. In addition, Bonnie Adams Freeman, curator of the Legacy Collection, will also attend as a lady of the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers. There will be photo opportunities with all of the members.
 

California
In celebration of Black History Month, Union Bank has partnered with KCET to honor two extraordinary African Americans as part of the Local Heroes program. The program recognizes and pays tribute to exemplary leaders who are making a difference and enriching the lives of others by improving their work place, profession, neighborhood, community, region and the world. The 2012 Black History Month honorees are Shirlee Smith and Samella Lewis. In addition to Black History Month local heroes, honorees will also be identified during Women’s History Month (March); Jewish American Heritage Month (April/May); Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May); Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month (June) and Hispanic Heritage Month (September). The yearlong program will culminate in October 2012 where honorees will be formally recognized as part of the annual Local Heroes Awards.

 

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

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Across Black America

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

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.

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This Week in LA

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