by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
Donald Trump and Barack Obama will be in the same room tonight. The White House Correspondents dinner has Trump on the guest list, with President Obama delivering a stand up routine that pokes fun at himself and his presidency. While almost no topics are off limits during the dinner, Trump doesn’t expect the president to talk about him.
"I wouldn't think [Obama] would address me" during his speech, Trump said to ABC News.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
Roman Caple is a senior at St. Augustine’s College. He was set to graduate this weekend until he was informed by the school that he wouldn’t be allowed to walk with his classmates. Caple says that his punishment was due to a Facebook post that allegedly "jeopardized the integrity of the college."
Caple argues that the reaction of school administrators came as a result of his posts following a tornado that hit Raleigh, NC two weeks ago. But he says that most of his comments were meant to be uplifting. One of his posts said the following:
"We all need to set our differences aside and help one another. Falcons we will continue to fly high because that's what we do. Help your neighbor, if need be, Falcons are one."
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
If there were a royal wedding being held in Africa, would CNN spend an entire week covering it? If not, what does that say about race, if anything at all?
I couldn’t help but feel entirely disconnected from the ceremony that was being shown all over our television sets at the same time hundreds of people were being killed in an Alabama tornado. I kept wondering if the fantasy of the British fairytale had more relevance to news producers than the reality of death and devastation.
BOSTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's father was forced to leave Harvard University before completing his Ph.D. in economics because the school was concerned about his personal life and finances, according to newly public immigration records.
Harvard had asked the Immigration and Naturalization Service to delay a request by Barack Hussein Obama Sr. to extend his stay in the U.S., "until they decided what action they could take in order to get rid of him," immigration official M.F. McKeon wrote in a June 1964 memo.
Roland Martin has begun calling out Donald Trump on his Twitter page. This is what Martin had to say:
"Do not support Trump's #CelebrityApprentice. He's a travesty. I refuse to stay at Trump hotels; will NOT watch #CelebrityApprentice or buy products that continue to advertise on his show. He's pathetic."
Donald Trump Then Replied:
“I am the least racist person on the planet. I have a great record on that, especially in terms of my friendships. And I have never heard of Roland Martin.”
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Like nearly every other black man in America, I’ve been taken aback by the manner through which Donald Trump has used racist code language to undermine the presidency of Barack Obama. After first wondering if he was born in the United States, Trump has made reference to Obama playing too much basketball to pay attention to the price of gas and even questioned whether or not he truly earned the grades necessary to get into the Harvard Law School.
“The President invited the living participants in the Memphis Sanitation Strike to honor their courage, and their fight on behalf of all workers for safe conditions, respect in the workplace and a better life for themselves and their families. As workers across the country continue to face challenges to their rights, the issues for which these men fought continue to be relevant and the President remains committed to the causes for which they marched.” – from the White House
by TEWire
Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspapers
Originally posted 4/27/2011
Only two out of every 10 African-Americans are on a path to achieve their retirement goals, according to a six-month-old survey of Blacks conducted by a major wealth manager.
Watch the video below to understand the nature of Fox News Racism. There’s a historical context to all of this, whether we’re talking about the Birther Movement, the Tea Party or any of the other activity coming from the Right Wing. Check it out below or click here to watch.
From the Voice of Detroit
DETROIT – In an interview with VOD, Ashley Matthews, 17, described the heroic student-led occupation of her school, Catherine Ferguson Academy on April 15. She spoke of the wholehearted support the young mothers received from the community, as well as the vicious physical and verbal brutality police visited on them during their arrests.
She said two toddlers, there with their mothers, watched the events.
Twelve people were charged today in two separate drug smuggling schemes involving baggage handlers at Detroit Metro Airport who allegedly helped sneak in suitcases filled with marijuana and cocaine from Jamaica and Houston.
According to two criminal complaints unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit, six individuals were charged with running a drug smuggling scheme between Jamaica and Detroit by using baggage employee codes and insider knowledge to get drugs past security.
The complaint alleges that Northwest/Delta Airlines baggage handlers at Detroit Metro Airport were in cahoots with airport employees in Jamaica who helped sneak the suitcases full of marijuana and cocaine into Detroit. The scheme was discovered on Jan. 23, 2010, when a federal agent learned about a drug seizure by Jamaican Customs involving roughly 53 pounds of marijuana. The drugs were in a suitcase headed for Detroit, which triggered an investigation that revealed an inside job.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Auburn University’s Cam Newton capped off his stunning win of the Heisman Trophy by being the #1 draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in this year’s NFL draft.
I’d like to make some quick recommendations for Cam as he begins his life of fame and fortune:
1) Save your money: Most of your fellow NFL players were sweating out the lockout because they weren’t able to make payments on all the cars and houses that they can’t afford. Get a good financial manager you can trust, learn to start your own business, and make sure you’re educated enough to understand what other people are doing with your money. If you lose everything, no one is going to care.
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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action
Republican State Rep from Oklahoma Sally Kern seems to think that black people don’t work as hard as whites and that we are more likely to go to prison because we think the government will take care of us.
“We have a high percentage of blacks in prison, and that's tragic, but are they in prison just because they are black or because they don't want to study as hard in school? I've taught school, and I saw a lot of people of color who didn't study hard because they said the government would take care of them."
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth allegedly slid his credit card into the bra of a waitress and then touched her breast, according to court papers filed Wednesday offering Haynesworth a plea deal in the sexual abuse case.
Haynesworth's lawyer, however, said the deal was not one he'd take and that his client would fight the charge. Prosecutors filed paperwork in Superior Court in Washington saying that if Haynesworth agrees to plead guilty to simple assault they would drop the misdemeanor sexual abuse charge. Both charges carry the same maximum penalty, however, up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
If there were ever a human being who best embodied the words “What would Jesus do?” it would be Father Michael Pfleger out of Chicago. Father Pfleger has put it on the line for 30 years as the head of the St. Sabina Roman Catholic Church in the south side of Chicago. The church is predominantly black, but Father Pfleger connects with his parishioners as if they were his family.
Your Black World Reports
It looks like the phrase “Too legit to quit” doesn’t quite apply to Luther Campbell. The former leader of “2 Live Crew” has raised a reported $250 for his campaign to run for Mayor of Miami. Campbell was hoping that a recent fundraiser would bring him $5,000 to $10,000, but he was wrong. Campbell is now $150,000 behind the fourth-highest fundraiser, Jose "Pepe" Cancio.
In the episode below, Your Black World Coalition founder, Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network discuss the Birther Movement and whether or not it’s racist. They also discuss the case of Tonya McDowell, the homeless mother who was arrested for sending her child to the wrong school.
From the Associated Press
Rapper Jim Jones has made a return to a venue he'd rather avoid: a New York City courthouse.
"I'm trying to stay out of this place!" the hip-hop artist said with a smile as he left court after his arraignment Tuesday on charges of driving with a suspended license. In 2009, he pleaded guilty in the same courthouse to a misdemeanor assault charge for a punching a friend of R&B star Ne-Yo in a Louis Vuitton store.
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama will name CIA Director Leon Panetta as his nominee to succeed Robert Gates as defense secretary, a senior defense official and another U.S. official said Wednesday.
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, will be named to replace Panetta as CIA director, a senior defense official said.
Your Black World reports
Have you ever tried to get a loan, and felt that you weren’t being treated the same as if you were white? What about watching that promotion at work being given to the white guy down the hall when you were the one slaving night and day for 20 years? Well, this feeling is not uncommon. A recent survey at YourBlackWorld.com showed that nearly 90% of African Americans feel that they’ve experienced some kind of discrimination in the workplace. In spite of our having a black president and attorney general, new laws have not been introduced to help people of color fight discrimination in the workplace.
Another prominent type of discrimination is the racial bias in other kinds of financial decisions. Millions of black people were victims of predatory lending during the recent financial crisis, leading to a massive decline in black family wealth over the last decade. Additionally, the ability to build a business, get government contracts or do other things to create financial security for your family can be impacted by the color of your skin. Prof. Stephanie Yates Rauterkus at The University of Alabama Birmingham speaks on the topic in the video below.
Click here to watch the video
NORWALK, Conn. -- A homeless single mother arrested for allegedly enrolling her son in the wrong school district is set to make her first court appearance Wednesday morning in Norwalk Superior Court.
Prosecutors say Tonya McDowell, 33, stole more than $15,000 worth of education by using her babysitter's Norwalk address to enroll her 6-year-old at Brookside Elementary School.
McDowell told police she was living in her van and sleeping at a Norwalk shelter, or staying at a friend's Bridgeport apartment when she enrolled her son in Norwalk last September.
To support Tonya McDowell’s case, please visit the YBW Virtual Command Center at EqualEducationNow.com
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
I just spoke with Kelley Williams-Bolar, the mother in Ohio who’d been arrested for sending her child to a school outside her district. Her goal had been to go to Connecticut this week to support Tonya McDowell, the second black mother in months to be prosecuted for the same offense. To our surprise, the judge in Kelley’s case, Patricia Cosgrove, denied Kelley the right to travel across state lines.
I find it interesting that this law-abiding mother, who simply wanted a better life for her children, finds herself forced to go through life with a probation hanging over her head, having her freedom restricted by judges and prosecutors who are determined to perpetuate the nightmare for Kelley and her family.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com
Let’s hope that the Birther Movement is on its way out the door. If it isn’t completely out the door, it’s on its death bed. CNN has engaged in an all-out assault on the Birther Movement by doing a detailed investigation on whether or not President Barack Obama was born in the United States.
In the video below, the network goes to the extreme to settle the question once and for all. Personally, I found the investigation to be quite compelling. There are others, however, including Donald Trump, who’ve spent all of their time engaging in their own investigations and coming to “very interesting” conclusions.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
It appears that Donald Trump just won’t give up. In an interview this week with the Associated Press, “The Donald” said that President Obama was a poor student who didn’t deserve to be admitted to Harvard University. Trump doesn’t actually have proof of his assertions, but that’s never stopped him before.
"I heard he was a terrible student, terrible. How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard?" Trump said to the Associated Press. "I'm thinking about it, I'm certainly looking into it. Let him show his records."
by Graham Cluley on October 11, 2010 | Comments (3)
FILED UNDER: Social networks, Spam
Earlier this year I blogged about how scammers were abusing Facebook users' curiousity about who might be viewing their profile. Surprise surprise, they're at it again.
Right now we're seeing messages spreading across Facebook claiming to have found a way to allow you to sneakily tell who has been looking at your profile. And it's no shock to see that many people are intrigued as to who might be checking them out online (maybe it's a secret admirer? or an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend? or a prospective employer?), and clicking on the link.
The Obamas celebrate Easter Sunday at the historic Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
Listen to Your Black World’s Diamond Breland give her take on the battle between film icons Tyler Perry and Spike Lee. The video is below!
Growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lynn Whitfield first watched the likes of Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"and Bette Davis in "All About Eve" from her grandmother's lap. She loved classic movies and with child-like confidence, she could see no reason she could not become an actress and some day play those same types of roles. Over the course of nearly three decades, the talent of the little girl who dreamed of being on the silver screen has taken her to the heights of the acting profession and earned the respect of the public and her peers.
After gaining attention on the stage as one of the young women of color in Ntozake Shange's poetic panorama of the black female experience, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf", Whitfield began appearing in supporting roles in such films as "Doctor Detroit" (1982) and "Silverado" (1985) but did not achieve real success until starring in television films ("The George McKenna Story", "Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI", both CBS 1986) and miniseries (the acclaimed "The Women of Brewster Place" ABC 1989).
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
It appears that Jalen Rose of ESPN (and the Fab Five at Michigan) wasn’t aware that he was being arrested when he was stopped for DUI. Here is a transcript of Jalen’s interaction with the police officer in the back of a squad car on the night he was arrested for drunk driving:
Jalen: "So what are we doing right now?"
Cop: "We're gonna go to the police station right now."
Jalen: "To do what?"
Cop: "You're under arrest."
Jalen: "For what, sir?"
Cop: "For drunk driving."
Jalen: "But I wasn't really drinking."
Cop: "Um, okay."
From Dr. Boyce Watkins
I just spoke this morning with Richelle Carey from CNN HLN. Richelle mentioned that she has a strong interest in the Tonya McDowell situation and wants to remain updated. I appreciate Richelle, for she has always been conscientious in her desire to keep the world aware of critical issues that face black people across the country.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
The story of Rasul "Rocky" Clark is a cautionary tale to all the mothers who send their sons to the football field on Saturday afternoon. Ten years ago, Clark was living the dream of many African American males: he was one of the stars of his high school football team, playing the game as running back.
Rocky's dream came to an end with one hit too many. The player was paralyzed from the neck down, rendering him unable to move, walk, stand up, or use his arms for the rest of his life. He will never run down the field, experience sex, wash himself or even breath properly again. He has one lung, and his life expectancy dropped dramatically on the day of his horrible injury. In fact, part of the reason his family is now broke is because medical experts and insurance companies didn't expect him to last for even a decade.
Rocky just found out that his $5 million dollar insurance policy has reached the lifetime maximum, meaning that his insurer is not going to pay anymore of his expenses.
Your Black World Reports
In the following video (below), Oprah Winfrey explains to her audience why she can’t take on the soap operas that are being taken off the air by ABC. In her typically honest way, Winfrey explains why soaps are being removed from major networks. She argues that soaps are disappearing primarily because they haven’t been able to maintain the audiences that they once had in the past.
"I will not be taking on the responsibility of trying to revive the soaps,” said Winfrey. “Thank you for believing that I could save them, but I really can't."
Winfrey’s words came after the shocking announcement that ABC was going to cancel “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” two soap operas with long and storied histories.
"While we are excited about our new shows and the shift in our business, I can't help but recognize how bittersweet the change is," Brian Frons, ABC's daytime department president , said in a statement. "We are taking this bold step to expand our business because viewers are looking for different types of programming these days. They are telling us there is room for informative, authentic and fun shows that are relatable, offer a wide variety of opinions and focus on 'real life' takeaways."
Join the Your Black World Coalition by visiting YourBlackWorld.com
WHITE CENTER, Wash. -- The lunch hour is over and Evergreen High School custodian Tyrone Curry gets out his broom for a quick sweep up.
"I try to make sure it's spotless and it's ready for the kids," he said.
After cleaning, he's off to his second passion: coaching the track and field team.
"I just like staying busy," Curry said with a laugh.
But in reality, he doesn't have to work. He's a millionaire.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Below you can watch the video of Allen West, a black Republican, engaging in a highly-disrespectful attack on President Barack Obama. West seems to swim like a happy little pig in the attention he is receiving from Fox News for his willingness to undermine the credibility of another black man in ways that would be maligned if he were white. Because he’s black, it’s hard to accuse West of racism. But he can certainly be accused of being a tool for racists to promote an agenda built on sloppy, malicious rhetoric feeding on white American fears of black men in true positions of power.
Alabama — The problem with being a viral star is that everyone knows when you get in trouble, too.
Antoine Dodson, the viral sensation who shot to fame when he jumped in on a local news report and screamed “Hide ya kids, hide ya wife!” was arrested early Saturday morning in Huntsville, Alabama on a charge of misdemeanor marijuana possession. He was also hit with a number of other charges, including speeding and failing to show up to court for a previous traffic violation.
Dodson was soon released.
Your Black World reports
It appears that Malcolm X’s daughter did not take well to piercing questions from Michel Martin on a recent NPR segment. Ilyasah Shabazz walked off the interview after being asked one too many questions related to the release of a new book about her father’s life. The interview transcript is below:
MICHEL MARTIN, host:
You might have heard about a controversial new biography of Malcolm X, "Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention" was written by prominent African-American scholar, Manning Marable, who died on April 1st just days before the book was released. The book has gotten a lot of attention, in part, because of that unfortunate circumstance. But also because the book makes some provocative assertions about the activist's life and death, including some assertions about his early years, speculations about his personal relationships and the circumstances of his murder.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World – Scholarship in Action
Recy Taylor, a 91-year old woman in Alabama, has received an official apology from the state of Alabama for a rape that occurred nearly 70 years ago. Ms. Taylor was raped on her way home from church by seven white men. The men were never prosecuted for their crime and allowed to live the rest of their lives without punishment.
Gov. Robert Bentley said that he plans to sign the resolution, which was passed by the state legislature. Ms. Taylor was also grateful.
ATLANTA — Each of the 90 federal historic sites in the United States has its appeal. But for all their cultural value, the sites don’t change much. A studious tour given by a park ranger. A plaque to read. Another note in a travel journal.
The doors to the church opened Friday after $8 million of detailed work to make it look exactly as it did during the 1960s.
But this week, one of the sites held the sort of electric charge usually not found among dusty period chairs and explanatory dioramas.
Your Black World Reports
Most of us know about the case of LaShanda Armstrong, the mother who killed three of her children by driving them into the Hudson River. Controversy erupted when the childrens’ father announced that LaShanda would not be buried along with her children. This leads us to openly question whether a parent who kills their kids has the right to be buried with them.
It turns out that Oprah Winfrey is partnering with CharityBuzz to auction off her quality time. The expected running price is going to be $50,000. Would you pay that much to meet with Oprah if you had the money?
The money is being raised for human rights and Oprah is auctioning off four tickets to her show in Chicago and the chance to meet her backstage. Perhaps since it’s for charity, it all makes sense.
BOSTON — The Harvard University Police Department passed over a black officer for a number of promotions and superiors routinely made racist remarks about blacks and Latinos, according to a federal lawsuit.
The complaint by Officer George Pierce, a veteran patrolman who is black, said he applied for open sergeant positions a number of times only to be passed over for less-qualified, non-black employees. The reason Pierce didn’t get promoted was his race, the lawsuit alleged, citing various instances when Pierce sought a sergeant spot but was turned down.
“Throughout Pierce’s employment at Harvard, Harvard and the department have created and maintained a pervasive racially-biased environment within the department,” the lawsuit said.
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Given the importance of the critical theme of black relationships (which we’re hitting from various angles this week on YBW), I had to get another perspective on some of the things that folks are quoting from the bible as it pertains to how black relationships need to be structured. What does it mean for a black man to “lead” in his relationship? What does it mean for a woman to “submit?” One thing that many of us can agree on is the fact that black relationships have been falling apart for a very long time. The majority of our homes are being run by a single parent, and far too many children are growing up without their fathers in shouting distance. What some don’t acknowledge is that there is a direct correlation between the break down of the black family and the growth of the prison industrial complex. Locking up men for decades for the sale of drugs that were brought into our communities has devastated many of us, and urban decay in the 1980s led to job losses with few viable alternatives to illegal activity. A recent study in The Economist showed that a one percentage point increase in the incarceration rate leads to a 2.4 percent decline in the percentage of black women who eventually get married.
From MTV.com
It's almost a given. An artist scores a major hit that sells millions of records and a short time later is sued by someone either claiming he or she actually wrote the song or worked on it and didn't get a fair slice of the pie.
Cue the lawsuit from the producer Darius Harrison (a.k.a. Deezle), who has filed a court action against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records, claiming that he has not gotten his paper from the sales of Lil Wayne's smash hit "Lollipop" and the album it was featured on, Tha Carter III.
