Julia Roberts recalls when Martin Luther King paid her parents’ hospital bill
Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts recalled how Martin Luther King Jr. paid for her family’s hospital bill after she was born. President Barack Obama’s former strategic advisor Zara Rahim shared the video on Roberts’ 55th birthday where she shared the little-known story of how the Kings and the Roberts became friends during Jim Crowism. During Roberts’ […]
A statement from NCNW on the federal indictment in the death of Breonna Taylor
The National Council for Negro Women, Inc (NCNW) is relieved to learn that Attorney General Merrick Garland, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke and the United States Department of Justice have charged four officers with federal civil rights violations in the death of Breonna Taylor. We all recall the horror we felt when Louisville Kentucky police […]
NBA players mourn the death of titan Bill Russell at age 88
Bill Russell, the colossus NBA player and civil rights advocate who arguably accomplished as much as any athlete in American history, has died at age 88. With numbers that still confound his contemporaries in the athletic world, Russell won an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 years with the Boston Celtiics in the 1960s, including the […]
NCNW CEO Janis Mathis is fighting for fellow lawyer Ketanji Jackson’s Supreme Court nod
WASHINGTON – Attorney and civil rights activist Janis Mathis feels a special kinship with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Jackson is navigating the harsh terrain — the Congressional committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol — on the path to possibly becoming a jurist with the […]
Northwestern Mutual sponsors new film highlighting the historic 1963 Ramblers
Northwestern Mutual, a leading financial services company, is sponsoring The Loyola Project, a film underscoring the 1963 Loyola University Ramblers, who broke racial barriers during the Civil Rights Movement. The documentary is slated to be shown at more than 70 college campuses across the country as part of the 63 for 63 Screening Series. Mississippi State University, where […]
10 little-known facts about Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. would be 93 years old today, had he not been assassinated on April 4, 1968. The nation has celebrated MLK’s birthday (Jan. 15, 1929) as a national holiday ever since former President Ronald Reagan signed it into law in 1983. The nation began observing the holiday in 1986. As the nation […]
National Urban League president wants you to hold corporate America accountable
Marc Morial is the current CEO and president of the National Urban League. This organization is named as the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy association. Morial is described as having both the street smarts and boardroom savvy to maintain this august organization’s strong influence. Morial is the former mayor of New Orleans […]
Martin Luther King Jr. inspired the world with this famous quote
With Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaching, it is important to celebrate his life and legacy. King used nonviolent protest to achieve equal rights for Black people, and through that, won awards such as the Nobel Peace Prize. His leadership also opened the door for better opportunities for education and employment for Black people. Throughout […]
Malcolm X’s daughter Malikah Shabazz found dead
Malikah Shabazz, one of the six daughters of legendary Black nationalist and Pan-Africanist leader Malcolm X, was found dead in her New York home. She was 56. Shabazz was reportedly found unconscious and unresponsive inside her home in Brooklyn on late Monday afternoon, Nov. 22, 2021, by her daughter, according to two senior police officials […]
‘Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation’ from the late John Lewis
A brilliant and empowering collection of final reflections and words of wisdom from venerable civil rights champion, the late Congressman John Lewis at the end of his remarkable life. Congressman John Lewis was a paragon of the Civil Rights Movement and political leadership for decades. A hero we won’t soon forget, Lewis was a beacon […]
White House alum Julie M. Wenah joins Facebook as associate general counsel for civil rights
Julie M. Wenah is a Nigerian-American lawyer, executive, filmmaker, and board member from Houston. She’s a global civil rights, privacy, and product inclusion lawyer who has successfully led teams and launched products, policies, and legislation focusing on equitable and scalable solutions for domestic and international markets. Wenah recently joined the Facebook team where she serves […]
Diversity expert Bill Hawthorne says corporations should be held accountable
In July 2020, Bill Hawthorne and team launched Inclusent, a full-service firm focusing on strategic management and diversity and inclusion consulting. Inclusent is dedicated to the mission of partnering with organizations committed to achieving optimal success in the workplace and marketplace through equity, diversity and inclusion. Rolling out took a seat at the table with […]
Jacob Blake speaks for 1st time about being gunned down by cop (video)
The shooting of Jacob Blake was as revolting as it was shocking to a nation that only recently had witnessed the killing of George Floyd in May 2020. For that reason, Blake said he walked away from police on the afternoon of Aug. 23. Some saw his actions as resisting the officers, but Blake begs […]
To secure equal justice for Black Americans, we need a new Civil Rights Act
Growing up as a White man in Georgia, I have never known what it means to fear I could lose my life, or face false accusations or the miscarriage of justice, just because of who I am. But I do know that is a daily fear for Black people across this country, and that’s why […]
Florida mom speaks out about deputy-involved killing of her son (video)
The Florida mother of a teen fatally shot by a Brevard County sheriff’s deputy was also shot during her son’s funeral. As of Wednesday, Dec. 2, Quasheda Pierce is still recovering from a gunshot wound in the leg. The shooting reportedly took place on Saturday, Nov. 28, as she mourned the loss of her son, […]
Why Chris Rock hates all civil rights movies
Chris Rock explained why he hates “all civil rights movies” during an interview on the “How I Feel” podcast with Neal Brennan. The 55-year-old comedic actor says, while he appreciates the effort that goes into making the films, he despises the fact that most of them are sanitized versions of what actually took place during […]
Why some are against renaming Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of John Lewis
Over 500,000 people have signed a petition to have Edmund Pettus Bridge renamed in honor of the late-great John Lewis. On Aug. 7, community and civil rights leaders met in Selma, Alabama to discuss the possible change of the bridge, according to WSB-TV. But while the petition reveals a call for change, some in Selma […]
President Obama eulogizes John Lewis, takes aim at voter suppression
Former President Barack Obama delivered a powerful eulogy for Congressman John Lewis. On Thursday, July 30, 2020, the 44th U.S. president shared details of Lewis’ upbringing and rise as a civil rights leader during the ceremony, which took place at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “I’ve come here today, because I, like so many […]
President Barack Obama eulogizes Congressman John Lewis (watch live)
Civil rights icon and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, is being celebrated on July 30, 2020, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Dignitaries in attendance include former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. Obama will eulogize Lewis. On Friday, July […]
Georgia state senator replacing John Lewis on November ballot is rising star
As Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi facilitated a moment of silence after the passing of legendary Congressman John Lewis, the Democratic Party announced the candidate who will appear on the 2020 general election ballot to fill his seat. Democrats selected another dynamic civil servant who also hails from rural Alabama, where […]