Los Angeles

Aug 26 2010

Katherine Johnson

On Aug. 26,1918, a legend was born in White Sulphur Springs, W.A. to Joshua, a farmer who worked extra jobs as a janitor, and Joylette, who was a teacher. Early in her life math genius, physicist, and space pioneer Katherine Johnson showed her love of numbers. She said in an interview that she counted everything including the stairs in the house, the plates she washed, and the steps from home to church.

Aug 26 2010

Accepts award from President Barack Obama

Myrtle Faye Rumph, co-founder of the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center in South Los Angeles, accepts her Citizens Medal award, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, from President Barack Obama.

Rumph and her husband Harris created the youth center in 1989 following the drive-by shooting death of her son in 1989. The Inglewood couple sold their home to finance the after-school program and study center, which provides a safe haven and intervention programs for South Central Los Angeles youth.

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
Aug 26 2010

White music ain’t so bad, literally.

If you go to most parties in the ‘hood, or clubs and venues that are mostly frequented by African Americans, chances are you are not going to hear too much Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jesse McCartney, Paramore, or Justin Beiber, even though all of these artists are frequent chart-toppers, and popular club-bangers. The reason that we don’t hear them too often is we categorize their music as “White music” and many Black folks don’t find their particular brand of music–typically Pop–to our liking.

Aug 26 2010

Joy

(Dedicated to Kathy and Rhea Stepter)

If I had to describe you I'd choose all the right words
Something out the blue, things you've never heard
Simple ones like: Extraordinary, elegant, Goddess
I can't forget loving, caring, and modest
You know the right things to say
You know how to make me smile
You may not be the Queen of England
But you are the Queen of the Nile
I love you so much,
I can't express it enough
You've always made everything okay
Especially when the edges were rough

Brittney M. Walker  |   OW Staff Writer
Aug 26 2010

UCF pastor wants to empower world

A Palmdale pastor is making headway, introducing a radical theology and changing the lives.

Bishop Edwin J. Derensbourg, Ph.D., founder of United Christian Fellowship Church has recently written a book entitled, “Creating Your Own Reality” and the inspirational literature introduces a brand new message to some and an affirming nod to others.

Derensbourg wants readers to understand that their reality is only what they create for themselves. 

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.