Category: National News

The feud between two factions of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference came to a head during the week of May 17 over an alleged break-in at the group’s Atlanta headquarters. The Rev. Markel Hutchins, who claims he was named interim president, CEO and CFO of the group, welded shut the back doors of the headquarters […]

WASHINGTON — An ongoing investigation into the Justice Department’s handling of a voter intimidation case involving a Black militant group is less a quest for justice and more a “witch hunt,” said one official. “It’s all about people trying to continue the lie that there’s a double standard for Whites and Blacks under an Obama […]

The American Civil Liberties Union and a collection of other civil rights organizations on May 17 filed a class action lawsuit that counters Arizona’s imminent law targeting illegal immigration. The National Immigration Law Center, The National Day Laborer Organizing Network and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are among the many groups […]

The NAACP voted to unanimously endorse Elena Kagan, President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court, at its quarterly meeting on May 15. “After a careful and thorough review of Elena Kagan’s record, we have unanimously voted to endorse her nomination,” NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous said in a press release. “Elena Kagan has […]

The Philadelphia-area swim club which 56 Black and Latino children were barred from attending last year was sold at a bankruptcy auction on May 13 to a nearby synagogue, after legal bills racked up in its defense of the incident left it broke. The Huntingdon Valley Swimming Club was sold for $1.46 million to Congregation […]

President Obama on May 11 outlined a broad initiative to reduce drug abuse in the U.S. over five years which focuses on treating the problem as a public health issue rather than a criminal-justice problem. The National Drug Control Strategy, developed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, addresses drug prevention, treatment, enforcement, and […]

Lena Horne harbored a tempestuous relationship with her own striking beauty. Her appearance provided a gilded pathway to prominence, but also constructed the glass ceiling that stymied her career during the early 20th century. Yet, Horne’s beauty did not eclipse her talents and innate showmanship, although she was initially a reluctant entertainer. “I didn’t want […]

After weeks of speculation, President Obama on May 10 nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to succeed retiring Associate Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court. “While we can’t presume to replace Justice Stevens’ wisdom or experience, I have selected a nominee who I believe embodies that same excellence, independence, integrity, and passion for […]

There aren’t too many health initiatives that provide free surgery, so Maryland orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rinelda Horton is trying something new. Horton’s group, Women Orthopedist Global Outreach (WOGO), is a not-for-profit volunteer medical service organization and the newest member of Operation Walk. Operation Walk is the 16-year-old non-profit volunteer medical service group that provides free […]

Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) will not seek endorsements from his state’s major Black political groups in his quest to become governor of Alabama. Davis has decided not to go through a traditional candidates screening process with the Alabama New South Coalition, the Alabama Democratic Congress and the Jefferson County Citizens Coalition. Davis told the Montgomery […]

Citing the lingering, widespread joblessness among Black youth, members of the Congressional Black Caucus gathered during the week of May 3 on Capitol Hill to urge the Senate to pass a bill aimed at putting more of those youth to work this summer. The 42-member caucus had been in line to receive $1.5 billion for the […]

Several officials from President Obama’s administration are scheduled to give commencement addresses at historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, across the country. In all, 11 commencement addresses are scheduled to be given by White House officials, continuing the commitment Obama has shown to HBCUs. “We’re not only doing this because these schools are a […]