Category: National News

In a landmark weekend that will pay tribute to African Americans in science, engineering, and technology at the 24th annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference ceremony will be hosted at the Baltimore Convention Center Feb. 18-20. The awards ceremony will honor Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward, the first commander […]

The NAACP will elect a new chairperson during a meeting of the Board of Directors in New York on Feb. 20. The 64-member body, which is the policymaking arm of the civil rights organization, will choose its new leader with a simple majority of votes. Hilary Shelton, vice president for advocacy and director of the […]

Before 2008, it would have been a rare occurrence to find Black families cuddling before their televisions to watch the Winter Olympics. But many tuned into the 2010 Vancouver games and mostly for one reason—Shani Davis. The 27-year-old Texas native became the first African American to win a Winter Olympic gold medal during the 2008 […]

A new public education campaign is helping homeowners find legitimate foreclosure assistance and avoid loan modification scams. At a time when many Americans are considering new resolutions and life changes, staying financially vigilant should remain a priority—especially for homeowners. During 2010, an estimated 4 million households are expected to face the risk of foreclosure. Millions […]

WASHINGTON (AP) – States are getting new leeway in tallying their prisoners in the 2010 census – a move that could reshape the American political map, increasing urban population numbers while reducing the figures for rural voting districts where inmates are incarcerated. The Census Bureau said this week it would release data on prison populations […]

The Black, single military mom who refused to deploy to Afghanistan last November will not face a court martial after the Army instead chose to demote and discharge her. Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, refused to join her unit overseas after her mother backed out of caring for the soldier’s 13-month-old son. Assigned as an army […]

Gabriel Sheffield and Jasmine Harris of Manassas Park, Va. won Essence magazine’s fourth annual “Will You Marry Me?” contest, and will have the wedding of their dreams. The result of the contest, sponsored by WE TV and Tiffany & Co., was announced on February 12 on a pre-Valentines Day edition of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” […]

Sentencing on drug and weapon charges for Grammy Award-winning rap artist Lil Wayne has been delayed until the beginning of March so the performer can undergo dental work. Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter Jr., was scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, but a Manhattan judge agreed to delay the proceeding so […]

First lady Michelle Obama joined her husband on February 9 to launch the “Let’s Move” campaign, a 90-day plan aimed at fighting the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic. “Let’s Move is a nationwide initiative that basically focuses on four key components,” the first lady said in a video comment. “First we want to improve the information […]

The nation’s attention has been drawn to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding homosexuals following President Obama’s State of the Union speech, and researchers, pundits, and politicians have questioned the policy’s fairness. But, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, the policy is particularly unfair to African-American women in same-sex relationships. […]

New York Gov. David Paterson is fighting rumors which have been widely circulated around the New York state house and national media of his involvement in sex scandals and drug abuse. A January 30 New York Post report claims Paterson was caught by state police in a utility closet in the governor’s mansion with a […]

Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder offered harsh criticism on the Obama White House during the week of February 8, saying that if the president is to fulfill his dream of effecting change for America, he has to up the ante on his leadership skills—and fire some of his key players. Wilder is a Democrat […]