News

African-American lawmakers co-sponsor new Foreign Aid Reform Bill

Tuesday, 21 July 2009 14:20

Washington, DC, July 20, 2009 -Rev. David Beckmann, president, Bread for the World, is pleased to see a growing list of co-sponsors for the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 2139). Presently, the bill has 81 congressional co-sponsors, including 14 African American members.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport launches re-designed web site

Monday, 20 July 2009 16:07

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL – The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is pleased to announce the launch of its re-designed web site at www.mspairport.com. The new site features a fresh, friendly design, new airport terminal and campus maps, a flight information look-up function, and a more intuitive navigation scheme.

President Obama addresses NAACP Convention: Well-received speech stresses education and no excuses

Friday, 17 July 2009 13:45 Kam Williams

The NAACP’s Annual Convention, which convened at the Hilton Hotel in New York July 11-16, was marked by many inspirational and uplifting speeches delivered by left-leaning luminaries like Speaker of the House US Rep. Nancy Pelosi; New York Gov. David Patterson; New Your city Mayor Michael Bloomberg;Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel; former Congressman Kweisi Mfume; New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine; US Reps. Gregory Meeks (NY) and John Conyers (MI), Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade; and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack. Yes, there was even a token Republican in attendance, Party Chairman Michael Steele, who joked with the crowd that he had only been invited “to protect your tax-exempt status.”

NAACP overwhelmingly supports civil rights for musicians in H.R. 848

Friday, 17 July 2009 12:55

NEW YORK, 2009 — The National Association for the Advanced of Colored People (NAACP) passed a resolution at their centennial convention on July 14 saluting Rep. John Conyers and supporting performance royalties for musicians that would be provided under the Performance Rights Act, H.R. 848—a civil rights bill for musicians.

Ellison secures $150,000 for Northside Economic Opportunity Network

Thursday, 16 July 2009 15:53

WASHINGTON, D.C. – US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) secured a $150,000 appropriation for the Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON). These funds will be used to promote invaluable small business development in North Minneapolis.

NAACP’s Ben Jealous issues ‘New Call for a New Century’

Thursday, 16 July 2009 15:27 Hazel Trice Edney, NNPA Editor-in-Chief

(NNPA) - In a grand centennial meeting that drew thousands to New York City – the founding place of the NAACP, President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous proclaimed that the next move of the civil rights organization against new “layers of racism” will be to strengthen its inner ranks by becoming a majority through coalitions.

APIAVote announces new Interim Executive Director

Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:36

APIAVote this week announced that Vida Benavides, who assumed the position of the Interim Executive Director in February 2008 is no longer serving in this role as of May 2009. The organization said it thanked Benavides for her contributions to the organization during an important election year.

EBONY Magazine to release commemorative book about Michael Jackson

Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:24

Ebony Magazine has announced it will release a 100-page commemorative book on the life of the late Michael Jackson, featuring 100 pages of never-before-seen photographs, tributes from celebrities and previously unpublished remarks by the late singer.

Jackson, who died June 25 of cardiac arrest, has been honored in tributes at the BET Awards Show, at various memorials around the world and an official memorial service in Los Angeles on Tuesday, attended by 20,000 people.

Campbell Soup Company charged with discrimination against African American employees in nationwide class action suit

Friday, 10 July 2009 16:10

Camden, NJ (BlackNews.com) - A nationwide class action lawsuit has been filed against Campbell Soup Company, charging that African American employees are denied professional development opportunities. The lawsuit has been filed in Camden, New Jersey, home of Campbell's headquarters.
Filing on behalf of the Plaintiff Chester Hicks and the proposed Class are the Houston, Texas based firm, Nelkin, Nelkin & Krock, P.C., and Sidney L. Gold & Associates, based in Philadelphia.

Black graduation rates in Minnesota are the lowest in the country

Friday, 10 July 2009 15:31

African American children are at historic lows in their academic failures within the Minneapolis Public Schools. Black graduation rates in Minnesota are the lowest in the country at 38% while their white counterparts’ graduation rates soar to 83%, which is amongst the highest in the country. As a result of these contradictions, the African American Mobilization for Education (AAME), made up of community activists, organizations and educators, created a Covenant that was approved by the Minneapolis Public School board in June, 2008, to develop specific strategies that would assure academic excellence for all African American children in the Minneapolis Public Schools.

HUD provides 2,500 housing vouchers to keep families together

Friday, 10 July 2009 12:00

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it is awarding 2,500 rental assistance vouchers to 37 public housing authorities across the U.S. to reunite more than 7,500 children with their parents. The children are currently in foster care.