Funeral

Jul 17 2009

Gerald Wiggins mourned

Jazz pianist and organist, Gerald Wiggins, was born on May 12, 1922 in New York. He began classical piano lessons at the age of four and toured with Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Lou Rawls, Eartha Kitt and more. In the 1940s he made Los Angeles his permanent home. He died Sunday morning at Encino-Tarzana Medical Center. Services are pending.

Apr 3 2009

R&B artist, son of Eddie, brother of Gerald

Sean Levert, 39, one of the three members of the R&B trio LeVert, died late Sunday night at Lutheran Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

Levert fell ill while serving a prison sentence for non-payment of approximately $89,000 in child support. At the time of his illness, he was being held at the Cuyahoga County Jail, while waiting to be transported to state prison to begin serving a 22 month sentence.

Mar 13 2009

Obituary excerpts by CSUDH colleague, Dr. Musashe Furusa

Dr. William A. Little was born on February 13, 1941, in Elizabeth City County, Virginia and made his transition on March 1, 2008 at USC University Hospital in Los Angeles.

Feb 28 2009

Maurice Holton mourned

Maurice Holton was born on May 22, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois to the union of the late Raymond and Dolly Holton. He was the sixth of eight children.

Maurice was educated in Chicago and, while attending Calumet High School, he was active in the arts and drama department, which ultimately led to his relocation to Los Angeles.

After a brief stay at home and a lengthy stay at Brotman Hospital, Maurice departed this life on Sunday, February 17 at 9:40 p.m.

Feb 21 2009

Theora Groves Granville mourned

Theora Groves Granville was born on April 17, 1922 in Edwardsville, Kansas. She was baptized at the age of 12 and was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. She graduated from Edwardsville High School and attended Summer Junior College in Kansas City, Kansas. After moving to Los Angeles, she attended state college, specializing in the financial field.

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.