Posts Tagged ‘civil rights’
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…
Read MoreTo 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…
Read MoreFlorida 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,…
Read MoreWhy 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…
Read MoreWhy 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…
Read MorePresident 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…
Read MorePresident 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…
Read MoreGeorgia 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…
Read MoreJohn Lewis’ death inspires call for Edmund Pettus Bridge to be renamed
Following the death of civil rights icon and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, many are calling for a historic landmark to be renamed in his honor. On Friday, July 17, 2020, Lewis, who represented Georgia’s 5th Congressional District for more than three decades in the U.S. House of Representatives, died after being in hospice care in…
Read MoreCivil rights hero Rep. John Lewis has died
Congressman John Lewis has died at the age of 80 of pancreatic cancer. On July 17, 2020, reports emerged that Lewis died while in hospice care in Atlanta, according to reports by The Daily Beast. Born on Feb. 21, 1940, in Troy, Alabama, Lewis was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at an early…
Read MoreBlack leaders react to the death of civil rights icon C.T. Vivian
The Rev. C.T. Vivian, a minister, civil rights icon and lieutenant of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., died Friday, July 17, 2020, at his home in Atlanta. He was 95. Born Cordy Tindell Vivian in 1924 in Howard County, Missouri, he began his career as an activist in 1947 when he participated in a…
Read MoreJuneteenth marchers brave DC rain as America enters a civil rights summer
After weeks of media coverage about rioters and looters who hijacked protests following George Floyd’s death, Washington D.C. held its breath as Juneteenth marches wound up their springs on Friday. No one needed to worry. It was festive, not angry. People sold T-shirts. One woman led hundreds down Pennsylvania Avenue while belting Beyoncé’s “Freedom” anthem…
Read MoreNetflix adds Black Lives Matter category to popular streaming platform
When all is said and done, Black Lives Matter, the movement, could stand as one of the most successful civil rights efforts in the history of the US and the world. For months, the momentum built by BLM organizers has worked to include and highlight lateral actions of allies, while simultaneously inspiring corporations, big and…
Read MoreWhy Michael B. Jordan’s film ‘Just Mercy’ is worth revisiting now amid protests
There is no better time than now to educate yourself on systematic racism. There are countless books and films available at your disposal some for free and others at a charge. Just Mercy is now one of those informative films that is now available to people for free. On Monday, June 1, Warner Bros. made…
Read MoreActivist Tamika Mallory discusses COVID-19 and injustice in the Black community
Tamika Mallory is a social justice leader, and a political activist who is leading the charge in advocating for human rights, civil rights and equality for women. The New York native tackles big issues like gun violence, criminal justice reform and police accountability. Mallory is a former executive director of the National Action Network and…
Read MoreAndrea Young of Georgia ACLU analyzes national legal issues, Ahmaud Arbery case
Andrea Young is a civil and human rights advocate and the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, which for more than 60 years has been fighting to protect and extend the civil rights and civil liberties of all people. Prior to her role at the ACLU, Young was an adjunct professor…
Read MoreJoseph Lowery, dean of the civil rights movement, dies at 98
Joseph Lowery died on March 27, 2020, at the age of 98. The civil rights legend was born on Oct. 6, 1921, in Huntsville, Alabama, and began working as a prominent voice in the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1950s. In 1957, Lowery formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) with Dr. Martin Luther King…
Read MoreBernice King discusses continuing her father’s legacy with U.S. Bank and Elavon
To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, U.S. Bank, and its subsidiary Elavon launched a new African American business resource group chapter and presented a special program to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy. The program featured a fireside conversation between chapter president and Elavon vice president of education and engagement Terra Wallace and the…
Read MoreRep. John Lewis diagnosed with cancer; Barack Obama and others pray for him
Revered Georgia congressman John Lewis stared down White supremacy and Southern segregationists during the Civil Rights era. There is no doubt, his friends say, that the legendary legislator will not flinch as he prepares to go to war with the type of cancer that has a low survival rate. Lewis, D-Georgia, told his supporters that…
Read MoreBill Cosby has no remorse and claims to have been set up by ‘imposters’
Comic legend Bill Cosby conducted a scorched-earth policy in his first interview since being imprisoned at SCI Phoenix, a maximum-security Pennsylvania penitentiary near Philadelphia. Cosby, 82, told the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s BlackPressUSA.com that he has no “remorse” and was “set up” by “imposters” in order to secure a guilty verdict. He is currently serving…
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