South Carolina

Nov 15 2012

John Edward Smith is the latest in a long line of prisoners released by the Innocence Network

A grateful John Edward Smith happily joined a small group of family and friends at his exoneration party Saturday, where he was welcomed with applause, cheers, and tears of relief. Smith was exonerated on Sept. 24 after spending 19 years in state prisons, most recently at Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County for a crime he did not commit.

“Thank you everyone for getting me back to my grandmother,” said the 37-year-old man. “She was the source of my faith and strength.”

Mar 1 2012

Set for March 4-9

With a potential 5 million voters being affected by prospective new laws in 34 states, the Rev. Al Sharpton said his Selma to Montgomery march, to be held March 4-9, aims to expose what appears to be a goal of disenfranchisement in the Nov. 6 election.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Jan 5 2012

Now it’s on to New Hampshire, South Carolina

Although the Iowa caucuses are the first in the nation, and do not necessarily predict who will win the presidential nomination, they do tend to act as a sieve, sifting the field, and that is exactly what is happening in the wake of Tuesday’s balloting.

Top vote-getter Mitt Romney squeezed past the second-place finisher Rick Santorum by a mere eight votes while Ron Paul collected 21 percent of ballots cast.

Dec 23 2010

"Death Trap"

It was 1857 when John Brown, a White abolitionist, devised a plan to wage war against slavery with an army of enslaved African Americans and abolitionist supporters. His goal was to seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. But his plan of insurrection was put on hold after a disciple of Brown's turned on him and revealed the conspiracy to authorities.

Oct 14 2010

Predicts Democrats will do better than expected

James Clyburn, house majority whip, assured a crowded room of supporters that Democrats are in great shape and will retain a majority and possibly gain a few seats in congress after the midterm elections. The top-ranking house Democrat was in California campaigning and trying to energize supporters to get out to vote.

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.