Sarah Palin Says that North Korea is Our Ally

That's the question being debated afterSarah Palin said in an interview withGlenn Beck Wednesday that North Koreawas a U.S. ally.

When asked by Beck how she would handle a situation like the one that was developing in North Korea, Palin responded: "This is stemming from, I think, a greater problem when we're all sitting around asking, 'Oh no, what are we going to do,' and we're not having a lot of faith that the White House is going to come out with a strong enough policy to sanction what it is that North Korea is going to do."

It is unclear whether Palin is talking about sanctions against North Korea, or U.S. sanctioning -- i.e. approving or supporting -- its actions.

Palin continued: "Obviously, we gotta stand with our North Korean allies," when Beck interrupted and corrected her to say "South Korea."

Click to read.

 

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Julianne Malveaux Talks About Her New Book, “Surviving and Thriving”

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Dr. Julianne Malveaux is second-to-none. One of the most respected and prolific scholars in the history of black America, she is truly an intellectual soldier. With a PhD in Economics from MIT, Dr. Malveaux has produced scholarly work that serves as nothing less than a guide book for overcoming the prodigious number of problems being faced by black America today. She is also a champion for women's rights and issues that uniquely impact African American women.
AOL Black Voices had the chance to catch up with Dr. Malveaux to discuss the release of her new book, "Surviving and Thriving: 365 Facts in Black Economic History," and she had this to say:

1) What is your name and what do you do?
I am Dr. Julianne Malveaux, an economist, author and President of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina.
2) What motivated you to write your book, and what can people learn from it?
When people think of the economy, they rarely think of African American people as important contributors, as thivers instead of simply survivors. There is such inspiration in our economic history and I was passionate about lifting it up.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce: President Obama Has Granted Zero Pardons Since His Election

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

This week, the president made me laugh. That was saying a lot at the time, given that I was exhausted from traveling across the country for Thanksgiving. The source of my entertainment was the president's annual turkey pardon, in which he pardoned four turkeys, thus saving them from the fate that typically befalls turkeys at this time of the year. Being endangered and running from extinction, I figured that this is one thing that turkeys and black men have in common.

One of the things that got my attention was a very telling statistic about our president. After being in office for 22 months, the president has not granted or denied a single pardon. The only other president in recent history to have granted such a small number of pardons this deep into his presidency was Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

Click to read.

CBC Picks Up Power After the Mid-terms: What will they do with it?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

While the mid-term elections were a blood bath for the Democrats, one group that came out surprisingly unscathed was the Congressional Black Caucus. Members of the CBC and the Hispanic Caucus will hold roughly one-third of all Democratic seats in Congress (61 out of 190), increasing their power within government. They also plan to use this influence to focus on job creation.
The Democrats who took the greatest drubbing during mid-terms tended to be the centrists of the party. The Black and Hispanic caucuses, however, only lost four out of 60 bids for re-election. Silvestre Reyes of Texas, a member of the Hispanic caucus is now the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, and Maxine Waters will be the second leading Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. Their increases in power came largely because of the defeats of other Democrats.

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Al Sharpton Discuss Charlie Rangel, Feminism and More

Dr. Boyce Watkins and Rev. Al Sharpton Discuss Black Women and Feminism

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Bush Tax Cuts on CNBC

Dr. Boyce Video: Terrie Williams, Depression and the Black Community

Dr. Boyce Watkins: It’s Time to Confront Deadbeat Parents….All of Us

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

My entire life, I've seen the costs and consequences of parents who don't want to pay to take care of their own kids. My father abandoned me when I was child, and to my knowledge, paid zero or close to no child support. Over the years, I had two relationships with women who had children with men who'd had forgotten that their kids existed. That led to me paying child support for my own child, in addition to the children of other people who were ignoring their responsibility. In fact, to this day, most of my "adopted children" need money from me every other week to pay for things that their parents should be paying for. I admit that sometimes, it's draining.
I'm not the only one who goes through the challenge of paying for deadbeat parents. All across America, quite a few people have either been abandoned by deadbeat parents, paid the price for deadbeat parents or become a deadbeat parent themselves (you know who you are). It occurs in every community, so we cannot pretend that black people are the only ones who do this. But for some reason, there is a code of silence when this kind of behavior occurs in the black community, especially when the father is the perpetrator of this heinous crime. I say it's time for this to stop.

 

Click to read.

Black Scholar News: Schomburg Center Chooses Elijah Muhammad’s Great Grandson to Lead

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Khalil Gibran Muhammad appears to be a great choice to head the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. A 38-year old assistant professor of African American History at Indiana University, Dr. Muhammad has already achieved a great deal in the world of black scholarship. His book, "The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America," has done quite well, and he is respected by quite a few black scholars across the nation.
Muhammad also has pedigree: He is the great grandson of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, legendary leader of the Nation of Islam. Therefore, his scholarly work with a predominantly white institution (Indiana University, which is no stranger to racial problems, I went to graduate school there) is supplemented by his connection and deep commitment to issues that affect real people in his community.

 

Click to read.

Why Would He Accuse Obama of Having Only One Testicle?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University –Scholarship in Action 

Political analyst James Carville, known for being a man who doesn't hold back on his words, made a comment about President Barack Obama that was heard around the world (well, at least they heard it on CNN). At a breakfast event recently, Carville said, "If Hillary (Clinton) gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he'd have two."
Of course Carville was asked if he would apologize for his remarks, which he may or may not have expected to end up on national news. Instead, he refused, saying that his comment was a joke and that there was no need for further analysis. He didn't seem willing to elaborate on what he meant when disrespecting the president's manhood, but his decision not to back off sends a signal that he's not always happy with the president's policies.
Carville, an Obama supporter (well sort of), is a highly progressive and well-respected political consultant. He has helped to anchor the success of campaigns in all areas of politics, going back to the 1986 gubernatorial win of Roberty Casey. He achieved national prominence after helping Bill Clinton become President of the United States in 1992.

 

Click to read.

Study: College Basketball Players Have Lower Graduation Rates than other Students

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

A new study by The College Sport Research Institute at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has revealed disturbing information about the academic hurdles of college basketball players. According to the study, the graduation rates for NCAA Division I men's basketball players is 20 percentage points less than the average for full-time male students.
The study goes on to show that the gap grows even further in top-ranking conferences. The authors present evidence that there is a 30.8 percent graduation gap when leading conferences are considered separately.
Women are better off than men in the study. Female basketball players find that their graduation rates are still worse than their peers, but the gap is not as great as it is for the men. For women, there is a 6.2 percent differential overall and a 14.6 percentage point differential in top conferences.

Click to read.

Jack Johnson, DC County Exec and Wife Arrested for Corruption: What Can We Learn from This?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I was saddened to hear about the recent arrest of Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and his wife Leslie. Both Jack and his wife are well-respected in the DC area. Both have served their communities for decades, and both of them represent the essence of Prince George's County, the most affluent county in the United States with an African-American majority population.
Johnson was once an important ethical and legal protector of the county, serving as its lead Prosecutor. His wife has served the community for over 30 years in numerous capacities. He was also the first African American to become County Executive in the DC area. So, why are Johnson and his wife facing up to 20 years in prison for evidence tampering and destruction of evidence, among other charges? In fact, the story is quite bizarre, with reports of the FBI allegedly recording Johnson telling his wife to put nearly $80,000 in her underwear.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Does Obama Have Bragging Rights with GM IPO?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

President Barack Obama gained some bragging rights this week. The emergence of General Motors by way of a$20.1 billion dollar initial public offering (IPO) was a shot heard around the world. The IPO is the largest in American history, and largely unexpected by most of the financial community.

Just a year ago, General Motors found itself suffocating under the stigma of receiving a government bailout, and the Obama administration was heavily criticized for providing $36 billion in taxpayer funds to keep the company afloat. The argument by Obama was that allowing GM to fail would cause the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs, something that the president wasn't willing to tolerate. In an uncomfortable spurt of patriotism, the president's camp took the bold step of bailing out the company that many thought should be allowed to fail.

President Obama certainly has both the right and need to brag about the rise of GM. In the same way Republicans were quick to blame him for allegedly worsening the economic downturn, they must also allow him to soak up the credit when good things happen. Whether we are faced with good or bad economic times, the president is usually given more responsibility than he deserves. Such is the nature of politics.

Click to read.

Dead NFL player Leaves Family Financial Turmoil

‘

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

A judge in Pennsylvania recently ruled that former NFL running back Tom Sullivan's death benefits should not go to the wife he was allegedly married to after his death. Instead, the benefits should go to a woman he married years earlier, but never divorced.
Tom Sullivan's ex-wife Barbara Sullivan has two daughters with the player from their 16-year marriage. Since Tom's death in 2002, Barbara and their two daughters were receiving $2,700 per month under the NFL's spousal benefit policy. Under South Carolina's bigamy law, the benefits do not legally belong to her and were stopped immediately.

Click to read.

The Shooting of Three Football Players Speaks to The Choices We Must Make

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

This weekend there was a fight in a bar in Hattiesburg, MS. Three football players from Southern Mississippi University were involved in the fight, and all three were shot. The three players are in fair condition at a local hospital.
Martez Smith, Tim Green and Deddrick Jones were shot shortly after 3 a.m. There have been no arrests and police say that the shootings may have been gang related.

Allen Murray, spokesperson for the Hattiesburg police, said that the fight started inside the club and spilled out into the street. That's where the players were shot. The incident occurred a few hours after the team defeated Central Florida.

 

Click to read.

Kanye West Should Never Have Apologized to Bush

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

One of the proudest moments in my life as a political observer was when Kanye West did something that almost no other artist or entertainer would be astute or courageous enough to do.  In 2005, as people were dying in the streets of New Orleans, West used the powerful platform provided to him during a Hurricane Katrina telethon to make the statement heard around the world:  ”George Bush does not care about black people.”

Click to read.

Black Coaches Make Hiring Strides in the NCAA….Sort of

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

A new report released by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at The University of Central Florida presents a mixed bag of evidence when it comes to the progress of people of color within college football. The report found that 15 college football head coaches of FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools are African American (out of 120), but that there is still a great deal of room for improvement in other important positions within athletic departments. To date, 100 percent of conference commissioners, 93 percent of college presidents and 88 percent of athletic directors are white. Also, quite a few universities that earn millions from black athletes are reluctant to hire or tenure African American professors, especially in business and the sciences.
From 1979 - 2002, a total of 19 full-time head coaches were hired in college football. But in the last two years, 10 have been hired. This shows that there are some campuses making some effort to hire more black coaches. The numbers represent progress in the NCAA, a league that is less interested in hiring African Americans than it is in exploiting them. As it stands, most of the thousands of black athletes in college football are never going be head coaches. Also, the vast majority of those athletes will never reach the NFL. Therefore, the greatest crime of collegiate athletics is that most of these universities are not educating the players properly.

Click to read.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY?

In theory, the death penalty for capital crimes should work.

An accused killer takes the life of an innocent and is put to death to protect the rest of society.

The only problem is that theory has little to do with real life.

Prejudicial prosecution; coerced confessions; corrupted informants; botched lawyering; and, yes, even racism, have turned the death penalty, as it is now applied in the United States, into a very dirty, inaccurate business.

Let's cross our fingers and pray that with a little luck, a death knell for the death penalty will soon be sounded, especially in light of the sad case of Romell Broom, who would have been executed in Ohio's death chamber on Sept. 15 but for his weak veins.

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Technorati Tags: death penalty,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

HONOR STUDENT BEATEN TO DEATH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The video of 16-year-old Derrion Albert being beaten to death is hard enough to watch. The audio makes it almost unbearable.
When Albert is struck in the head with a board we hear the crackling of the wood colliding with his skull. As he falls to the ground we hear the slapping sound as another boy punches the honor student in the side of the head.

There are more noises as various kids rush in and kick him while he's on the ground."Damn, put the n****a to sleep," somebody yells. "Damn, they knocked him out," someone else screams out.

read more click here 

Technorati Tags: chicago,fights,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

Political Scientist Wilmer Leon discusses the NCAA Lawsuit

 

Dr. Boyce Watkins of Syracuse University and Dr. Wilmer Leon of Howard University speak about the NCAA class action lawsuit.  The NCAA is being sued for illegal use of player images. What do you think? Should the NCAA start paying players?

Click here to listen!

Your News: Al Sharpton Speaks with Boyce Watkins

Dr Boyce Watkins of Syracuse university will be appearing with Rev. Al Sharpton on “Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton” from 2 – 3 pm EST on Tuesday 8/18/09.  They will discuss Obama’s educational plans, Michael Vick and Healthcare reform.   Dr. watkins and Rev. Sharpton have appeared together on several other shows, including “Keep Hope Alive with Rev. Jesse Jackson”, “The Wendy Williams Experience”, “The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch” and more.

Commentary from TheGrio – 8/15/09

• 

  Lola Adesioye

  Deputy Editor

  Is Clinton's Africa visit about power or partnership?

  9:27 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION - As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wraps up her tour of Africa, many in Africa are wondering about the real reason behind her visit... ...

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• 

  Courtney Young

  Writer

  Why do we need white faces to sell black books?

  8:01 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION -- Controversy has erupted this week due to the cover image of Liar, a novel written by Australian author Justine Larbalestier. A piece of young adult fiction...

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• 

  Lenny McAllister

  Author of “Diary of a Mad Black PYC (Proud Young Conservative)"

  Liberal hypocrites should remember their own rage

  7:26 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION - Protests by conservatives are just as ferocious as the ones liberals put up against the Bush White House for 'treasonous' activities. These 'acts against the country' included......

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• 

  Dr. Boyce Watkins

  Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University

  The return of the prodigal quarterback

  6:40 AM on 08/14/2009

  OPINION -- I was as shocked as the rest of America to hear that Michael Vick has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. Although I've always supported Vick's human right to fairness......

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• 

  Roland Laird

  Author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans"

  Congressional Black Caucus needs a new media face-lift

  8:05 AM on 08/13/2009

  As the Congressional Black Caucus holds its annual policy meeting this week, the group will undoubtedly face the question......

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• 

  Cheo Tyehimba

  Author & Activist

  Townhall SmackDown!

  10:10 AM on 08/12/2009

  OPINION - What do well-intentioned town hall meetings on health care reform and the WWE's "Friday Night SmackDown" have in common? Sadly, more than you might think....

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• 

  Milton Kent

  Reporter & Commentator

  Black men can coach

  9:08 AM on 08/12/2009

  OPINION - Right about now, Mike Locksley and DeWayne Walker are handing out the helmets, dusting off the whistles......

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• 

  Dr Pamela D. Reed

  Assistant Professor of English composition & African-American literature at Virginia State University

  A better look at the rift between black Americans and Africans

  7:55 AM on 08/12/2009

  ...her sister "hated" African American women because they try to take their men. I was stunned....

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• 

  Dr. Rebecca Lee

  Director of the Texas Obesity Research Center

  Where you live can affect what you weigh

  3:00 PM on 08/10/2009

  No two communities are alike and it is unreasonable to approach the obesity epidemic with a one-size-fits all model focused entirely on personal dietary habits......

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Black News: Man with Gun Gets into Obama Event

Earlier today MSNBC aired a segment showing a man with a loaded gun waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive at a town hall on health care reform at a high school in Portsmouth, N.H., and reportedly the local chief of police had no problem with it.

The man is carrying a sign that says, "It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty." That's a reference to a Thomas Jefferson quote: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." It was a favorite slogan of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who was wearing a T-shirt when he was arrested with a picture of Lincoln on the front and a tree dripping with blood on the back.

Click to read more.

Your Black News: Hunger Starts to Hit Detroit

On a side street in an old industrial neighborhood, a delivery man stacks a dolly of goods outside a store. Ten feet away stands another man clad in military fatigues, combat boots and what appears to be a flak jacket. He looks straight out of Baghdad. But this isn't Iraq. It's southeast Detroit, and he's there to guard the groceries.

"No pictures, put the camera down," he yells. My companion and I, on a tour of how people in this city are using urban farms to grow their own food, speed off.

In this recession-racked town, the lack of food is a serious problem. It's a theme that comes up again and again in conversations in Detroit. There isn't a single major chain supermarket in the city, forcing residents to buy food from corner stores. Often less healthy and more expensive food.

As the area's economy worsens --unemployment was over 16% in July -- food stamp applications and pantry visits have surged.

 

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News: Michael Vick Gives Speeches for the Humane Society

Michael Vick returned to the area that once celebrated his brilliant play on the football field, this time for the first of what he vows will be dozens of appearances around the country to urge low-income youths to avoid the tragic trail left by dogfighting.

Few got to hear Saturday's message, however.

Vick's visit to a suburban Atlanta community center was largely off limits to the very neighborhood it was supposed to be helping. In an agreement between Vick's handlers and the Humane Society of the United States, only 55 people and one media crew were allowed inside. AnAssociated Pressreporter, videographer and photographer were among the media banished from the property by police.

Most people who live in the largely black neighborhood southeast of Atlanta were unaware of Vick's appearance. Several showed up after the former Falcons quarterback had already left in a black limousine.

Read more.

Politics: Sotomayor Confirmed

Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession, made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice.

Sonia Sotomayor, 55, will be the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor was easily confirmed in a 68-31 vote. Nine Republicans joined a unanimous Democratic caucus in supporting her nomination.

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, supported Sotomayor but was not present for the vote because of illness.

Sotomayor, a 55-year-old federal appeals court judge, will be the 111th person to sit on the high court and the third female justice.

She will be sworn in at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday.

President Obama, who selected Sotomayor on May 26, said he was "deeply gratified" by the Senate vote.

"This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family, but I also think it's a wonderful day for America," Obama said at the White House. Watch Obama's remarks »

Click to read.

Woman Suspended from Work Without Pay for not Speaking to Mayor

JEFF BURNSIDE

If you see the mayor of Deerfield Beach, Florida out on the street, you better say hello.

City maintenance worker Cassandra Moye was suspended for two days without pay for failing to greet Mayor Peggy Noland while at work earlier this week.

Moye has the unenviable job of cleaning up trash and restrooms for $12.33 a hour, a job she was suspended from for failure to pay homage to the mayor while she spoke with Moye's boss.

"I didn't speak to the mayor and so my supervisor suspended me for two days," Moye said. "She is the Mayor, but I don't know her personally and I didn't think it was right for me to interrupt them, so I just kept about my work."

Moye's supervisor, George Edmunds issued Moye a memo stating Moye was being suspended because "the disrespectful attitude you displayed to the Mayor was unacceptable."

Moye said she was also threatened with termination.

Click here to watch the video

News: President Barack Obama’s Approval Rating Drops

President Barack Obama’s approval rating is falling on concern unemployment is rising and the budget deficit will grow, a Quinnipiac University poll shows.

Exactly half of the registered voters surveyed from July 27 to Aug. 3 by Quinnipiac said they approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 42 percent who disapprove. That’s down from 57 percent approval and 33 percent disapproval in a poll taken in late June, according to results released today.

Americans are upset about rising unemployment and worried that health-care plans making their way through Congress will add to the U.S. budget deficit, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Hamden, Connecticut-based polling institute. The combination has helped drive down the president’s ratings.

 

Click to read.

Black News: “Jungle Monkey” Cop Sues Boston

A Boston police officer is suing the city after he was suspended for referring to a black Harvard professor as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" in an e-mail.

Boston police Officer Justin Barrett apologized for his e-mail about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

"If I'm charged with a crime I want a chance to answer. I want the chance for a fair hearing," Officer Justin Barrett told CNN on Tuesday.

Barrett has apologized and denied he is a racist.

His lawsuit claims his civil rights have been violated; Barrett's lawyer said the words referring to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. were misinterpreted.

"The choice of words were poor; but they weren't meant to characterize professor Gates as a banana-eating jungle monkey," attorney Peter Marano said. "They were meant in a response to behavior and characterizing the behavior. Not the person as a whole."

Marano said the city had effectively fired Barrett, though he is officially suspended with pay.

He said it was fair to hold Barrett to a higher standard than the general public because he is a police officer, but that he was still entitled to express his opinions.

"Being held to a higher standard shouldn't eradicate his right under the First Amendment for free speech. That is part and parcel of the lawsuit," the lawyer said.

Gates was arrested at his house last month when a neighbor called police after she thought she saw a man trying to break into Gates' home. The man turned out to be Gates himself, who was attempting to free a jammed door.

Click to read.

Football Star Plaxico Burress Indicted On Weapons Charges

 

 

Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on weapons charges stemming from an incident last November in which Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh at a New York nightclub, prosecutors announced Monday.

Burress, 31, was indicted on two felony counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment, according to the announcement by the Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.

New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, Burress' former teammate who was with him at the club and drove him to the hospital, was not indicted for his role in the incident, according to the prosecutor's announcement.

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Klansman Seale Might Walk Away From Kidnap and Murder Charges

 

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court should decide whether a reputed Ku Klux Klansman should have been tried on a kidnapping charge 43 years after two black men were abducted and slain in rural Mississippi, a federal appeals court said Thursday.

A majority of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said other Civil Rights Era cold cases could be affected by a Supreme Court ruling on whether time had run out for prosecutors to charge James Ford Seale.

Seale, now 73, was convicted in 2007 of abducting two 19-year-old friends who authorities said were beaten, weighted down and thrown, possibly still alive, into a Mississippi River backwater in 1964.

Since the conviction, Seale's case has worked its way through the 5th Circuit, including an acquittal that was overturned.

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Harvard Professor Gates Plans To Meet With Officer Again Over Beers

 

 

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The officer who arrested a top African-American professor said talks over beers Thursday evening at the White House were productive and the two men plan to meet again.

Sgt. James Crowley and Henry Louis Gates Jr. sat around a patio table with President Obama and Vice President Biden, drank beer, munched on snacks and talked about the arrest that has sparked debate about racial profiling and police procedures.

"It was a private discussion. It was a frank discussion," Crowley said of the meeting, but would not divulge specifics except to say that no one apologized.

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Black News, Black America – 8/1/09

Madea goes to Disney World with Philly pool kids

By theGrio

3:05 PM on 07/31/2009

A group of kids from Philadelphia who said they experienced prejudice firsthand arrived in Orlando, Florida on Friday for an all-expense paid trip courtesy of actor Tyler Perry...

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Donated animals bring wealth to Africans

By theGrio

1:57 PM on 07/31/2009

Beatrice Biira fosters educational partnerships between the US and Africa. The Ugandan is currently studying at the Clinton School of Public Services in Arkansas, and it all began with the gift from Heifer International.

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NFL player battling leukemia halts comeback

By theGrio via AP

1:07 PM on 07/31/2009

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) -- Kenechi Udeze's comeback from leukemia served as an inspiration to his Minnesota Vikings teammates. The announcement of his retirement will not diminish that.

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Boston cop says he's "not a racist" for Gates slur

By theGrio via AP

12:47 PM on 07/31/2009

BOSTON (AP) -- A Boston police officer who was suspended for using a racial slur to describe black Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. apologized for his comments and declared he is not a racist.

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Reverend Ike dies at 74

By theGrio via AP

12:46 PM on 07/31/2009

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, who preached the gospel of material prosperity to millions nationwide as Reverend Ike, died Tuesday. He was 74.

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87-year-old woman lives in leaky shack, prays for help

By theGrio

9:21 AM on 07/31/2009

An 87-year-old woman, living alone, in a 160-year-old shack about three miles south of Lena, Mississippi says she has no one to help her get out of the deplorable conditions. Every room in her shack leaks, except for the living...

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Black cop at Gates arrest: I'm not an Uncle Tom

By theGrio via AP

8:11 AM on 07/31/2009

A black sergeant who was at the home of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. when he was arrested says he's been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of the white arresting officer.

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