supreme court

Jun 9 2011

Panel speakers at Urban Issues Forum

In 1961 the Freedom Riders were young, unafraid and bold enough to believe they could make a difference and combat Jim Crow segregation and bigotry in the Deep South.

The four courageous California college students—Edward Johnson, Robert Farrell, and Helen and Robert Singleton—participated in the rides, seeking to improve the lives of their southern brothers and sisters while clearly endangering their own.

Apr 7 2011

Urges Supreme Court to uphold women’s rights

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) strongly supports the class-action lawsuit brought by female Wal-Mart employees. This case represents the largest such gender lawsuit in history and highlights Wal-Mart’s systemic discriminatory practices.

Feb 24 2011

Activist

Before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus in Montgomery, Ala., 15-year-old Claudette Colvin had refused to yield her seat to a White passenger on March 2, 1955, and was arrested.

Parks’ similar act followed on December 1 of the same year.

Born Sept. 5, 1939, Colvin understood early what injustice was.

According to one report, she had been inspired by her ancestors who endured and fought the institution of slavery.

Cynthia E. Griffin-  |   OW Managing Editor
Jan 6 2011

She’ll push being ‘smart on crime’

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Continuing to push her theme “getting smart on crime” Kamala Harris was sworn in as the 32nd California attorney general and simultaneously became the first woman, African American and South Asian American to serve in the post.

With nearly 20 years of courtroom experience as a prosecutor, Harris is a litigator who takes a hard line against violent crime, especially victimization of children, but also understands that getting tough on crime and filling up prisons is not the only answer.

Sep 29 2010

Elephant exhibit

LOS ANGELES - A judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing any new elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo until a hearing is held next month, according to a lawyer for the man who filed the taxpayer lawsuit.

Attorney David Casselman, who represents Aaron Leider, said the directive handed down by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge John Shepard Wiley is good through Oct. 25, when he and Leider will ask that no additional elephants be brought to the zoo until after a Nov. 2 trial is completed.

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.