This image released by MSNBC shows Correspondent Shaquille Brewster, right, on location covering the the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minn., on Wednesday April 7, 2021. Chauvin is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd during an arrest last May in Minneapolis. (MSNBC via AP) By DAVID BAUDER, […]
Category: National News
Posted inNEWS
St. Louis elects Tishaura Jones as city’s first Black woman mayor
Tishaura O. Jones’ victory arrives on the heels of Kim Janey’s ascension to mayor in Boston, another major U.S. city that never had a Black woman chief executive officer. (Photo courtesy NNPA) NNPA NEWSWIRE — At her victory speech, Jones pledged to continue working hard for equality. “It’s time for St. Louis to thrive,” she […]
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Fulton Commissioner backs voter-suppression boycott against major companies
“At Fulton County, we have a whole floor full of lawyers, who work for the people and take direction from me and six other commissioners,” Khadijah said. “Trust me, we are going to put them to work to make sure Fulton County and its citizens are not injured by this Jim-Crow-racist law.” (Photo courtesy NNPA) […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
CEOs gather to speak out against voting law changes
In this Jan. 5, 2021, file photo, voters wait in line to cast their ballots in Georgia’s Senate runoff election in Atlanta. A number of top executives and corporate leaders gathered online this weekend to discuss what to do in response to changes to some state voting laws, according to multiple news reports, Sunday, April […]
Posted inNational News, NEWS
SCLC wants President Joe Biden to use executive order to restore the gutted 1965 Voting Rights Act with expansion
Last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law legislation that provides greater voting oversight and restriction, such as requiring ID for absentee voting, earlier deadlines for absentee ballots and limited drop boxes for absentee ballots where law enforcement authorities are seated next to the drop boxes. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of SCLC via NNPA) THE […]
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53 Years After MLK’s assassination, children of civil rights icons fight voter suppression
Bernice A. King joined the children of late civil rights champions the Rev. C.T. Vivian, and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, in blasting voter suppression laws that have cropped up since the 2020 election. (Photo: Bernice A. King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and the CEO of the King Center introduces civil rights leaders Julian […]
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TBE#14 – HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge: A “seasoned, experienced and knowledgeable leader” who will put racial equity at the forefront of the nation’s housing policies
National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) To Be Equal #14 April 8, 2021 HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge: A “Seasoned, Experienced And Knowledgeable Leader” Who Will Put Racial Equity At The Forefront Of The Nation’s Housing Policies Marc H. Morial President and CEO National Urban League “We need to make the […]
Posted inNational News
Biden nominates five Blacks to serve in judicial seats on the federal court
Ketanji Brown Jackson, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, Lydia Griggsby, Tiffany Cunningham, and Julien Neals THE CHICAGO CRUSADER — In a statement, Biden emphasized diversity in his nominations for lifetime appointments. “This trailblazing slate of nominees draws from the very best and brightest minds of the American legal profession. Each is deeply qualified and prepared to deliver justice […]
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Democrats pressure Biden to address student loan debt crisis
Democratic leaders, such as Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts), are encouraging President Joe Biden to address the serious student loan debt crisis, which some argue widens the racial and gender wage gaps. (Courtesy Photo) By Laina S. Miller Capital News Service Washington Bureau Democrats in the House and the Senate have introduced bills calling upon President […]
Posted inCoronavirus
FEMA offers assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses
By Daryl Moore Special to the AFRO Starting April 12, 2021, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses through its dedicated call center. To be eligible, the funeral expenses must have been incurred after Jan. 20, 2020 and must meet certain other requirements outlined on the website. Welcome news to be sure. Victor […]
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The American Jobs Plan
Congressman Kweisi Mfume (Official Photo) By Congressman Kweisi Mfume Last week President Joe Biden unveiled the “American Jobs Plan,” a $2.3 trillion infrastructure investment plan to revitalize America over eight years. The Jobs Plan proposes crucial investments in long-neglected parts of our economy. It is designed to give people the tools and resources needed to […]
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President Biden nominates three Black women for Federal Court of Appeals
For his first three federal Court of Appeals nominations, President Biden named three Black women— Tiffany Cunningham, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi. NNPA NEWSWIRE — Remember these names: Ketanji Brown Jackson, Tiffany Cunningham, and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi. These are President Joseph Biden’s first three nominations for the federal Court of Appeals. By Lauren Victoria Burke, […]