African Americans

Anthony Asadullah Samad, Ph.D.  |   OW Contributing Columnist
Apr 28 2011

Between the Lines

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is set to take a key vote this week on the long-awaited Crenshaw-LAX rail transit line. A motion proposed by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas seeks to address serious deficiencies on the Crenshaw leg of the line, deficiencies that involve economic viability and public-safety concerns in our community.

A stop in Leimert Park Village could address the economic viability concern.

Apr 26 2011

Market increased 68 percent more than non-ethnic market

SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—Toyota led all automotive brands among new vehicle purchases by African Americans in 2010, according to Polk. Total new vehicle registrations among this audience reached 641,090, an increase of 11.5 percent over 2009—and represented 7.4 percent of all new vehicle registrations in 2010. Furthermore, the African American market volume increase was 68.6 percent greater than the non-ethnic market increase of 6.8 percent.

Apr 21 2011

Urban League declares war on unemployment

Economists say the recession is over. Recent national job reports illustrate an upward climb to the recovery. Yet these accomplishments have not effectively reached the urban communities of color—neither Black nor Hispanic.

This is according to the National Urban League’s 2011 “State of Black America” (SOBA) released recently. To combat this painful State of Black America in 2011, the NUL has declared a war on unemployment.

Stanley O. Williford  |   OW Editor
Apr 21 2011

Clergy address reasons why some only attend on holiday

It’s Sunday morning and you normally sleep in, but this morning is special. Like a bear coming out of early hibernation, you rise uncharacteristically because you want to attend Easter services at your local church. In fact, many others all over the nation have the same idea. There’s something about the Easter holiday—or what many call Resurrection Day—that draws out the non-church-goer. It’s the day that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the head of the Christian church.

Apr 21 2011

African American need is critical

Patients seeking bone marrow donations to fight diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma will typically find a match within their family only 25 percent of the time; the other 75 percent of matches are made with compatible strangers.

That’s where Be the Match comes in. This national registry of 9 million donors is one way those seeking marrow can find it.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.