By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia Legendary actor Sidney Poitier, who broke barriers and stood for justice and Black lives during the most tumultuous times of the civil rights movement, has died. Poitier, whose iconic 71-year career, included starring roles in “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Uptown Saturday Night,” was 94. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed. In an exclusive phone call with the Black Press of America, Bill Cosby said he will miss his long-time friend and co-star. “He was honored by AFI. And, along with many stars…
Author: Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “She began as a pioneer in the industry, and she’s been speaking the truth no matter what,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper stated. “That’s why, 30 years later, her words speak to our conscious. She advocates passionately for the future of our city, for affordable housing, for HBCUs, for our communities, and for us to have a better city.” By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent For 30 years, The Tennessee Tribune and its publisher, Rosetta Miller-Perry, have set the standard for news covering Nashville and beyond. During a sold-out celebration on Sunday, December 5, Miller-Perry, the…
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia Systemic racism, sexism, and sexual harassment are staples in Washington D.C.’sMetropolitan Police Department while the mayor, city council, and police chief sit silentlybehind a blue wall colored in shame. All of that and so much more are alleged in explosive claims made by 10 African AmericanMPD officers. According to Civil Rights Lawyer Pamela Keith, at least 20 officers have comeforward since the first action in October. Before all filings conclude, Keith said there mightbe hundreds more to join. While MPD terminated some of the officers, some remained on the job.Two additional lawsuits…
Lee Elder, a golfing pioneer, and the first Black player to compete in the Masters has died at 87. “It’s remarkable to look back on Lee’s life and career and realize the hardships he endured and the sacrifices he made to reach golf’s highest level,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “To have the success he had while paving the way for others to dream big and achieve is a testament to the type of man he was and how much talent he possessed. The TOUR is profoundly grateful for the career of Lee Elder, and we extend our sincere…
By Stacy M. Brown After nearly two years of pain, suffering, and wondering if the men who killed Ahmaud Arbery would pay for their heinous crime, the 25-year-old’s family finally received justice. A Glynn County, Georgia, convicted Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan of felony murder. “Guilty. Guilty. Guilty,” civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump exclaimed. “Nothing will bring back Ahmaud, but his family will have some peace knowing the men who killed him will remain behind bars and can never inflict their brand of evil on another innocent soul,” Crump continued.` NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson called the…
by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia Call her Madam President. Vice President Kamala Harris was sworn in on Friday to occupy the role of commander-in-chief while President Joe Biden underwent a colonoscopy. Because the procedure requires anesthesia, the temporary transfer of powers was deemed necessary. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki remarked that the president underwent the procedure at Walter Reed Medical Center as part of his yearly health checkup. She said the transfer of power isn’t unusual nor unprecedented. “As was the case when President George W. Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007,…
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent It’s well-documented that the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in communities everywhere, but African Americans mainly have borne the brunt of the disease’s impact. Now, a new study published by the University of Michigan delves further into yet another systemic problem. Findings from the study show that Black patients experienced the lowest physician follow-up post-discharge and the most protracted delays (35.5 days) in returning to work. More than half of hospital readmissions within the 60 days following discharge were among non-White patients (55%), and the majority of post-discharge deaths were among White patients…
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia During the first three months of the pandemic, approximately 442,000 – or 41 percent – of Black businesses shuttered. As COVID continues to hamper progress, the overall decline of small and minority-owned firms remains striking. Data culled from multiple studies revealed that Latinx business owners fell by 32 percent and Asian business owners dropped by 26 percent. Meanwhile, the number of White business owners fell by 17 percent.https://servedbyadbutler.com/adserve/;ID=168170;size=728×90;setID=329915;type=iframe;click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER While the current climate has exacerbated the wealth gap and unveiled the unimagined financial straits of Black and other minority companies, studies also…
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent WASHINGTON, DC — This year’s theme highlighted how significant the Black Press remains, its vitality in the many communities it serves, and the transformative vision that has helped keep the millions of subscribers informed. President Joe Biden helped to kick off the National Newspaper Publishers Association annual summer convention with a ringing endorsement of the Black Press of America. The President, who campaigned on the promise of equity and inclusion and whose appointments, hires and policy have targeted uplifting Black and minority communities, extolled the virtues of Black-owned newspapers and media…
By Stacy M Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has overturned comedian Bill Cosby’s 2018 sexual assault conviction. The state Supreme Court ruled that Cosby’s deal with former prosecutor Bruce Castor should have been honored. In a phone call with Cosby attorney Jennifer Bonjean, she states, “I am thrilled! I haven’t made my way through the entire opinion yet, but it seems that the court agrees with what we knew all along, that Mr. Cosby never should have been prosecuted in the first place. If a prosecutor’s word is not his bond, then we as…