Alabama
The movie “Selma,” which centers on a crucial part of the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is receiving rave reviews with some even pointing to it as an Oscar contender. The film opens for a limited engagement on Christmas, and then nationwide on Jan. 9. Director Ava DuVernay was the first African American woman to receive the prestigious Best Director award at Sundance Film Festival in 2012 with the film “Middle of Nowhere.” “Selma” stars David Oyelowo as Dr. King, Tom Wilkinson as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Dylan Baker as J. Edgar Hoover, Tim Roth as Alabama Gov. George Wallace and other special guest stars, such as Oprah Winfrey as a protester (she also produced the film), rapper Common as an activist and Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King. The trailer of the film is available at http://news.moviefone.com
Arizona
The woman who left her children in hot car while she went inside a building for a job interview is facing charges that could result in jail time. Shanesha Taylor of Phoenix initially attracted sympathy attention from around the world with a tear-stained mug shot and a story that people sympathized with. She received $114,000 in donations from people who felt sorry for her and her supposed plight. Prosecutors were lenient and allowed her to keep her children and not face felony charges as long as she set up a $60,000 trust fund for her kids with the donated funds. But Taylor did not keep her end of the bargain and missed a deadline to place the money in trust funds for the kids, even after the amount was reduced to $40,000. The deal has been revoked, and she is facing trial on two felony child-abuse charges; the case is set to be heard on Dec. 10. Taylor told reporters outside the courthouse last Thursday that she didn’t fund the trusts because she believes her children won’t get the money unless they attend college. Prosecutor Bill Montgomery said that Taylor has been spending the money on non-essential items and that his patience “has reached its limit.” Taylor was arrested last March after leaving her two young sons in a car for about 45 minutes while she interviewed for a job. Police said the temperature inside the car exceeded 100 degrees. A witness found the infant crying hysterically and sweating profusely. A New Jersey woman started an online fundraising campaign for Taylor.
California
Gloria F. Goldwater was honored recently honored with the 2014 Presidential Award at the National Action Network L.A. chapter’s Vanguard Awards. Rev. Al Sharpton then interviewed her on his Sirius radio show, “Keepin’ It Real With Reverend Al Sharpton,” which aired the same day. Goldwater has written a tell-all book about her challenging experiences: “SuperFly: My Untold Story of Hip Hop.” Once a New York City socialite who was married to the creator of Archie Comics, the late John Goldwater, she has stories to tell, as she secretly loved Hip Hop music. Goldwater tells the story of how she went from coordinating big Anti Defamation League events for Barbara Streisand to meeting with Senator Ted Kennedy and the Pope. She also recounts later meeting with Kool Moe Dee, Public Enemy, Chubb Rock, LL Cool J and hanging out at a party with Big Daddy Kane where Oprah Winfrey was also in attendance. SuperFly first hit the stands in February 1991 and in no time, Goldwater became a staple of the music industry, interviewing all of the Hip Hop stars, from Big Daddy Kane to Masta Ace and Queen Latifah to YoYo. In the book, she details her trials and tribulations, her good times and bad times during the era of running SuperFly. Visit www.superfly-hiphopuntoldstory.com.
Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson has struck a deal in the child abuse case filed against him in September. As part of the deal, Peterson will pay a $4,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service and be placed on deferred adjudication for two years, which means he faces a form or probation in exchange for a “no contest” plea. Peterson told the judge that he had no intention of harming his 4-year-old son when he took a switch to spank him. According to two doctors who examined the child, he had cuts, marks, and bruises to his legs, thighs, back and one of his testicles. If Peterson had been convicted of felony child abuse, he would have faced up to two years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Both his team and the NFL have suspended him from playing since the incident. The NFL may still impose its own punishment beyond the suspension. Peterson also lost his contract with Nike worth millions of dollars. A hearing to reinstate him to play again is pending.
Missouri
A U.S. district court judge sent a mixed signal to people and police involved in the continued unrest in Ferguson, as the Michael Brown shooting case continues to play out. Although the judge found that a five-second rule (saying protesters had five second to move or face arrest) imposed on protesters by the police was unconstitutional, she allowed the Ferguson Police Dept.’s contention that Ferguson protesters were routinely violent. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a lawsuit against the five-second rule on behalf of an observer who was watching the protests and handing out cards that contained information regarding “Know Your Rights.” Police approached the observer and ordered him to keep moving or face arrest. He complied. The ACLU said the five-second rule infringed on the observer’s and protesters’ First Amendment rights, which include the right to assemble. The ACLU also contended that the rule violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause because it failed to provide sufficient notice of what was legal, in addition to the fact that the rule was enforced arbitrarily. Judge Catherine Perry said the rule violates the Constitution in her ruling. However, she also said that, “Citizens who wish to gather in the wake of Michael Brown’s tragic death have a constitutional right to do so, but they do not have the right to endanger lives of police officers or other citizens.” The city remains on edge, awaiting the grand jury’s decision on what, if any, charges will be filed against the police officer that fatally shot Brown. A federal civil rights violation investigation is also underway.
Nevada
The annual Soul Train Awards held recently in Las Vegas featured a combination of contemporary and old school artists on the red carpet and in performance. Chris Brown led the nominations and treated the audience to a medley of his hits. TV
personality Wendy Williams hosted the show, which will air on Nov. 30 on BET and Centric, while the red carpet was co-hosted by Tamar Braxton and Tank. In addition to Brown, Jodeci, Nico & Vinz, and Eric Benet, several newcomers to the scene performed. The show ended with a performance tribute to Kool & the Gang by Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and Da Brat with the song “Ladies Night.” The red carpet featured performers, nominees and presenters, such as the legendary Bobby Jones, Laila Ali, MC Lyte, new group We Are Toonz (which also performed its hit “The Nae Nae”), actor Stephen Bishop, Mike Tyson, Tyrese, Judge Greg Mathis, Joe, Faith Evans, Kem and more.
New York
Jay-Z recently toasted his wife Beyoncé with champagne and renewed the couple’s wedding vows, probably with his own
brand of the bubbly. According to Daily Finance, the celebrated rapper and entrepreneur has bought the Amand de Brignac brand of champagne, which retails for about $300 a bottle. Jay-Z reportedly bought Sovereign Brands, the French company that produces the bubbly.
Out of Brooklyn, Pastor Jamaal Bernard, son of Reverend A.R. Bernard Sr., founder of Christian Cultural Center (CCC), announced that he will be the Senior Pastor of the new CCC Long Island Campus starting February 2015. Born and reared in Brooklyn, Pastor Jamaal is the founder of CCC’s youth ministry C3, and co-founder of its Young Adult Ministry. He has assisted in advancing various small groups within CCC, including the marriage ministry and has led individuals across the globe on evangelical mission trips to Mexico, Guatemala, the Philippines, Jamaica, Haiti and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, New York City for Hurricane Sandy and Galveston, Texas after Hurricane Ike. “My father taught me that no matter how good the preacher is at ministering, if he is lacking in the operations aspect of the church… the church has a high possibility to fail.” Pastor Jamaal has ministered his message to various churches and married couples and youth groups in other countries such as Singapore, Australia, Puerto Rico and Guatemala. The Christian Cultural Center began as a small parish in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn in 1978. Senior Pastor Rev. A. R. Bernard left a 10-year banking career to follow the ministry. Today Christian Cultural Center sits on an 11.5-acre campus with a registered membership of more than 37,000.
Pennsylvania
The Philadelphia woman who was kidnapped off the streets was rescued with the help of a GPS tracking device that was installed on the suspect’s car by the dealer in case the car needed to be repossessed. Technology was key to law enforcement’s rescue of 22-year-old Carlesha Freeland-Gaither and the arrest of Delvin Barnes who kidnapped her. In addition to tracking Barnes’ car with GPS, surveillance video, traffic- camera imagery and a left-behind cell phone were all also used in the recovery of the young woman. Freeland-Gaither went through a three-day ordeal that ended in Jessup, MD, on Wednesday, Nov. 5, when federal agents surrounded the car and seized the kidnapping suspect, who was lying next to her in the back seat. “My understanding is she continued to fight throughout this ordeal,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told reporters at a press conference. “She’s really a very, very strong young woman and just very, very lucky to have survived this.” The FBI filed kidnapping charges against Barnes, 37. He also faces unrelated state charges that he abducted and attempted to kill a 16-year-old Virginia girl. Police did not disclose a motive for the Philadelphia kidnapping, although Barnes has allegedly confessed and told authorities that he didn’t know his victim.
Utah
Mia Love last week became the first Black Republican woman to be elected to Congress. Love defeated Democrat Doug Owens in Utah’s 4th Congressional District. It will be interesting to see how she handles the politics of Washington, D.C., as she has very little political experience. She was elected mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah, in 2009, and before that she was a fight attendant and also had aspirations to be on Broadway.
National
With the retirement of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, President Barack Obama nominated Loretta Lynch, a federal prosecutor from New York City, to be his replacement. She will continue the office’s legacy of a “fierce commitment to equal justice,” the president said. “Loretta might be the only lawyer in America who battles mobsters and drug lords and terrorists, and still has the reputation for being a charming people person.” If confirmed, Lynch, 55, will be the first Black woman to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Lynch responded to the honor by saying that she was thrilled and humbled at the idea of heading “the only cabinet department named for an ideal.” She added, “If I have the honor of being confirmed by the Senate, I will wake up every morning with the protection of the American people as my first thought. And I will work everyday to safeguard our citizens, our liberties, our rights and this great nation which has given so much to me and my family.” The U.S. Senate is not expected to consider Lynch’s nomination until early next year. “Loretta doesn’t look to make headlines, she looks to make a difference,” the president said of his nominee to head the Justice Department. “She is not about splash; she is about substance.”
The U.S. Army has dropped the term “Negro” from important documents that said it was an acceptable alternative to Black or African American. The term was frequently used in a lengthy piece by the Army to familiarize its members with personnel standards and policies. In a statement released last week, Army officials said that they removed the term as soon as they realized it was still in the document. The release also offered an apology to those who may have been offended.
Compiled by Carol Ozemhoya.
