Los Angeles

Apr 24 2009

Mary Ida Vandross, mother of the late R&B legend Luther Vandross, died last week of natural causes

Mary Ida Vandross, mother of the late R&B legend Luther Vandross, died last week of natural causes, the industry has learned and reported by Urban Network. She was 82.

Mary Ida outlived all four of her children, as well as her only grandchild. She was prominently featured in the promotional campaign for Luther’s posthumous music releases and on-hand to accept the numerous awards, namely for his Grammy-winning project Dance with My Father.

Apr 24 2009

Al Wilson, an R&B singer died Monday of kidney failure at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fontana, Calif.

Al Wilson, an R&B singer died Monday of kidney failure at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fontana, Calif.

Wilson began as a spiritual singer at the age of 12. He moved into R&B in the late ‘60s. His hit, “Show and Tell” was a No. 1 Billboard hit in 1973.

The smooth-voiced Wilson began as a spiritual singer and had R&B hits in 1968 with The Snake and Do What You Gotta Do.

Wilson was born June 19, 1939, in Meridian, Miss.. His family moved to San Bernadino in 1958,

Apr 23 2009

Farmers Insurance and Black Educational Events plan Black college tribute in September

 Irving, TX -- Black Educational Events, LLC (BEE), a privately owned events and publishing company located in Irving, Texas, announced Monday that it will focus its efforts over the next 18 months on an expanded program for the 2010 Farmers Insurance Group Angel City Classic (ACC). The company also announced plans to produce an event celebrating the mission of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) this September in Los Angeles, the site of the annual ACC.

Apr 23 2009

Three-day event lauds gospel legends

 Los Angeles, CA -- Edna Tatum, radio announcer extraordinaire, will receive the 2009 Black Business Expo (BBX) Mahalia Jackson Gospel Legends Award during the West Coast GospeLive concert on Sunday, May 3, 4 p.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center’s Tom Bradley Hall.

The awards ceremony will be held during the 20th Reunion celebration of BBX. Tatum will be presented the award by Harold Hambrick, BBX president and John Phillips, radio announcer and previous honoree.

Apr 23 2009

Family distraught over disappearance

 Los Angeles, CA -- The family of Channa Kingcade are distraught over the disappearance of the 41-year old woman who has been missing for over two weeks. Her family is asking for the public’s help in locating the mother, who has a 14-year-old daughter.

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.