A grand jury in Mississippi has declined to indict the white woman whose accusation set off the lynching of Black teenager Emmett Till nearly 70 years ago, despite revelations about an unserved arrest warrant and an unpublished memoir by the woman, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Carolyn Bryant Donham
After hearing more than seven hours of testimony from investigators and witnesses, a Leflore County grand jury last week determined there was insufficient evidence to indict Carolyn Bryant Donham on charges of kidnapping and manslaughter.
It is now increasingly unlikely that Donham, who is now in her 80s, will ever be prosecuted for her role in the events that led to Till’s lynching.
The Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr., Emmett Till’s cousin and the last living witness to Till’s 1955 abduction, said Tuesday’s news is unfortunate, but predictable.
“The fact remains that the people who abducted, tortured, and murdered Emmett did so in plain sight, and our American justice system was and continues to be set up in such a way that they could not be brought to justice for their heinous crimes,” Parker said.
An email and voicemail seeking comment from Donham’s son Tom Bryant weren’t immediately returned Tuesday.
A group searching the basement of the Leflore County Courthouse in June discovered the unserved arrest warrant charging Donham, then-husband Roy Bryant and brother-in-law J.W. Milam in Till’s abduction in 1955. While the men were arrested and acquitted on murder charges in Till’s subsequent slaying, Donham, 21 at the time and 87 now, was never taken into custody.
In an unpublished memoir obtained last month by The Associated Press, Donham said she was unaware of what would happen to the 14-year-old Till, who lived in Chicago and was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was abducted, killed and tossed in a river. She accused him of making lewd comments and grabbing her while she worked alone at a family store in Money, Mississippi.
Emmett Till
Donham said in the manuscript that the men brought Till to her in the middle of the night for identification but that she tried to help the youth by denying it was him. Despite being abducted at gunpoint from a family home by Roy Bryant and Milam, the 14-year-old identified himself to the men, she claimed.
Till’s battered, disfigured body was found days later in a river, where it was weighted down with a heavy metal fan. The decision by his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, to open Till’s casket for his funeral in Chicago demonstrated the horror of what had happened and added fuel to the civil rights movement.
The U.S. Justice Department last year said it was ending its investigation into Till’s killing.
Lots of concern and confusion over Monkeypox. Prince George’s County Health officials are moving to educate residents about the virus by hosting a Town Hall meeting on the issue coming up this Wednesday. My guest is Sona – Associate Director Prince George’s County Health Department
Prince George’s County Health Department is having a Monkeypox Town Hall Wednesday, August 10th@ 6:30pm. For more information go here:
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said in a lengthy statement Monday that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and asserted that agents had broken open a safe. A person familiar with the matter said the action was related to a probe of whether Trump had taken classified records from his White House tenure to his Florida residence.
The action, which the FBI and Justice Department did not immediately confirm, marks a dramatic escalation in law enforcement scrutiny of Trump and comes as he has been laying the groundwork to make another bid for president. Though a search warrant does not suggest that criminal charges are near or even expected, federal officials looking to obtain one must demonstrate that they have probable cause that a crime occurred.
“After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Trump said in his statement.
He added: “These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”
Justice Department spokesperson Dena Iverson declined to comment on the search, including about whether Attorney General Merrick Garland had personally authorized the search.
A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the search happened earlier Monday and agents were also looking to see if Trump had additional presidential records or any classified documents at the estate.
The Justice Department has been investigating the presence of classified records inside 15 boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago by the National Archives and Records Administration earlier this year. The Archives then referred the matter to the Justice Department.
Federal law bars the removal of classified documents to unauthorized locations, though it is possible that Trump could try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.
There are multiple statutes governing classified information, including a law punishable by up to five years in prison that makes it a crime to remove such records and retain them at an unauthorized location. Another statute makes it a crime to mishandle classified records either intentionally or in a grossly negligent manner.
The probe is hardly the only legal headache confronting Trump. A separate investigation related to efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol has also been intensifying in Washington.
And a district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia is investigation whether Trump and his close associates sought to interfere in that state’s election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden.
Just last week, the Biden Administration declared the Monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency in the U.S. Leaders from cities big and small are calling for more vaccine to combat the growing rate of infection. We tell you what you need to know about the painful and unsightly disease. We also have information about how to protect yourself and who should be vaccinated.
Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD., Infectious Disease Expert, Founder/CEO, Grapevine Health
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — The white father and son convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal shooting after they chased the 25-year-old Black man through a Georgia neighborhood were sentenced Monday to life in prison for committing a federal hate crime.
U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood handed down the sentences against Travis McMichael, 36, and his father, Greg McMichael, 66, reiterating the gravity of the killing that shattered their Brunswick community and became part of a larger national reckoning over racial injustice.
“A young man is dead. Ahmaud Arbery will be forever 25. And what happened a jury found happened because he’s Black,” Wood said.
Greg McMichael, (L), Travis McMichael (R)
Both men were previously sentenced to life without parole in state court for Arbery’s murder and had asked the judge to divert them to a federal prison to serve their sentences, saying they were worried about their safety in the state prison system. Wood declined their request.
In February, a federal jury convicted the McMichaels and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan of violating Arbery’s civil rights, concluding they targeted him because of his race. All three were also found guilty of attempted kidnapping, and the McMichaels were convicted of using guns in the commission of a violent crime.
The McMichaels armed themselves with guns and used a pickup truck to chase Arbery after he ran past their home on Feb. 23, 2020. Bryan joined the pursuit in his own truck and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery with a shotgun. The McMichaels told police they suspected Arbery was a burglar, but investigators determined he was unarmed and had committed no crimes.
It’s all about making sure your home is energy efficient. There’s a big convention coming up in DC later this month and it’s the perfect opportunity to get the knowledge and understanding you need to make informed decisions about Solar energy. My guest is Terry Salmon – Co-Owner of Soleil (So-lay) Energy
Soliel Solar Energy event is Saturday August 20th. For more information go here:
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President Frederick talks with Lauren Bush, editor-in-chief of the Howard University Undergraduate research journal and Trisha Lal, co-founder of Howard University College of Medicine Research Digest.
In 2020, the battle against the coronavirus pandemic coincided with a reckoning of systemic racism in our country. The cries of racial injustice took hold of our society, in part, because there was data to validate them. The fight against systemic racism leans on research to identify the problems and propose forward-thinking solutions, just as our efforts to end the pandemic depended on the medical research establishment and the individual researchers. As we work to correct health care disparities, economic inequality and more, research is an essential tool that we must continue to leverage and sharpen. Howard University students, alumni and all play an important role in bettering our society by conducting research needed to diagnose problems and prescribe much-needed remedies. On today’s episode of “The Journey,” President Frederick talks with Lauren Bush, editor-in-chief of the Howard University Undergraduate Research Journal and Trisha Lal, co-founder of Howard University College of Medicine Research Digest.
You may have a badly-needed vacation on the books very soon. It’s time to kick back, relax and forget about the 9-to-5. But can you do it? So many people can’t, even while they’re supposed to take a break. Calling, emailing, texting and more. Why can’t some people give work a rest and disconnect?
Dr. Nicole Cutts, Clinical PsychologistStephanie Bolton-James, Founder, Women of Prince George’s
With the high cost of produce in the grocery store, a lot of people are thinking about growing their own at home.
But how do you start? What do you need to know to be a successful do-it-yourself home gardener. We have help for those with or without a green thumb.
(Washington, DC) — The Justice Department is filing criminal charges over the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020. The Black woman was sleeping when police raided her apartment and was fatally shot. Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters four current and former Louisville Metro Police Department officers are being charged. Garland said an affidavit used to obtain a search warrant was falsified. He noted that federal civil rights laws were violated, resulting in the young woman’s death.
BREAKING – A Russian judge has sentenced Brittney Griner to 9 years behind bars. This after a Moscow court found her guilty of an attempt to smuggle illegal narcotics into Russia. The trial has been closely watched around the world. Many experts say the verdict now puts in place the opportunity for perhaps a political swap of prisoners between the United States and Russia. The WNBA star has been in jail for six months after being arrested in February at a Russian airport on accusations that she was smuggling vape cartridges with cannabis oil. Continue reading “Brittney Griner Sentenced to 9 Years”
My guest this morning is tired of the crime and violence and wants to do more to provide unity, hope and love. They are hosting a Stop the Violence Rally coming up this weekend he’s calling on more community members to join him in becoming “HOPE DEALERS.” My guest is Aje Hill – Founder and Executive Director of I Believe In Me
The Stop the Violence Be A Hope Activist Rally is Saturday, August 6that 12pm at Baker Park Bandshell in Frederick, Maryland. For more information go here:
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We’re at the reporters’ roundtable tonight as we talk about the top stories of the week. Today was the biggest news about abortion rights since the overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier this summer. President Biden signed a new executive order and Kansans defeated a referendum that would have restricted abortion in the state. Also on deck tonight… gun violence in the DC metro continues unabated. President Biden catches a rebound case of COVID. Climate change and flooding in Kentucky and finally… filling up your gas tank is just a little less painful.
(Washington, DC) — An investigation is underway into who is responsible for slashing the tires on dozens of cars in one District neighborhood. Residents in Mount Pleasant say over the last couple of weeks dozens of cars in their community have been the target of vandals who have slashed vehicle tires. Investigators say more than two dozen vehicles have suffered damage along stretches of Kenyon and Harvard Streets. District Police say they continue to investigate the vandalism but say they have no strong leads in their probe. In 2015, the same neighborhood was targeted with dozens of car tires slashed. Police are offering a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Vision, Legacy, and Culture. That’s the theme of a big celebration marking the 130thAnniversary of the Afro American Newspapers. My guest is Lenora Howze – Executive Director of Afro News
Celebrating 130 years with Vision, Legacy and Culture. The Afro Gala is Saturday, August 13that 7:30pm at Martin’s Crosswinds – 7400 Greenway Center Drive in Greenbelt. For more information go here:
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Four black female fire-fighters with DC Fire and EMS say the department discriminates against black women. Now the four have filed a 10 million dollar lawsuit claiming that they’ve faced racial and gender discrimination in pay and promotions, and harsher discipline than their white co-workers, along with a hostile work environment. DC Fire and EMS says it cannot comment on pending lawsuits.
Bringing communities together to tackle crime and violence. Today is National Night Out and it’s your chance to take a stand to make your neighborhood safer. I have details about National Night Out festivities taking place this evening in Prince George’s County. My guest is Cynthia Miller – Mayor of District Heights
WHUR is joining with the community of District Heights to host National Night Out Tuesday, August 2nd from 5pm to 8pm at St. Paul Towne Center on Marlboro Pike. At 7pm, there will be a special live in the community edition of the Daily Drum with Harold Fisher.
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If you are pregnant or want to be, this is a Medical Monday conversation for you. Why has there been an increase in the number of cesarean section procedures in the delivery room? In a new report, the CDC says every three out of five women who have a given birth by C-section have not had one before.
This increase has been happening over the past 25 years.
Dr. Kerry Lewis, OBGYN, Director, Woman & Infant Services, University of Maryland Capital Regional Health
Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood as communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, has died at the age of 89.
Her son Kyle Johnson said Nichols died Saturday in Silver City, New Mexico.
“Last night, my mother, Nichelle Nichols, succumbed to natural causes and passed away. Her light however, like the ancient galaxies now being seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from, and draw inspiration,” Johnson wrote on her official Facebook page Sunday. “Hers was a life well lived and as such a model for us all.”
Star Trek Actress Nichelle Nichols
Her role in the 1966-69 series earned Nichols a lifelong position of honor with the series’ rabid fans, known as Trekkers and Trekkies. It also earned her accolades for breaking stereotypes that had limited Black women to acting roles as servants and included an interracial onscreen kiss with co-star William Shatner that was unheard of at the time.
Shatner tweeted Sunday: “I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nichelle. She was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world.”
George Takei, who shared the bridge of the USS Enterprise with her as Sulu in the original “Star Trek” series, called her trailblazing and incomparable. “For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among, my dearest friend,” he tweeted.
Nichols’ impact was felt far beyond her immediate co-stars, and many others in the “Star Trek” world also tweeted their condolences.
Cast of Star Trek, Actor Nichelle Nichols, (far right)
Celia Rose Gooding, who currently plays Uhura in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” tweeted that Nichols “made room for so many of us. She was the reminder that not only can we reach the stars, but our influence is essential to their survival. Forget shaking the table, she built it.”
“Star Trek: Voyager” alum Kate Mulgrew tweeted, “Nichelle Nichols was The First. She was a trailblazer who navigated a very challenging trail with grit, grace, and a gorgeous fire we are not likely to see again.”
Like other original cast members, Nichols also appeared in six big-screen spinoffs starting in 1979 with “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” and frequented “Star Trek” fan conventions. She also served for many years as a NASA recruiter, helping bring minorities and women into the astronaut corps.
The original “Star Trek” premiered on NBC on Sept. 8, 1966. Its multicultural, multiracial cast was creator Gene Roddenberry’s message to viewers that in the far-off future — the 23rd century — human diversity would be fully accepted.
She often recalled how Martin Luther King Jr. was a fan of the show and praised her role. She met him at a civil rights gathering in 1967, at a time when she had decided not to return for the show’s second season.
“When I told him I was going to miss my co-stars and I was leaving the show, he became very serious and said, ‘You cannot do that,’” she told The Tulsa (Okla.) World in a 2008 interview.
“‘You’ve changed the face of television forever, and therefore, you’ve changed the minds of people,’” she said the civil rights leader told her.
“That foresight Dr. King had was a lightning bolt in my life,” Nichols said.
During the show’s third season, Nichols’ character and Shatner’s Capt. James Kirk shared what was described as the first interracial kiss to be broadcast on a U.S. television series. In the episode, “Plato’s Stepchildren,” their characters, who always maintained a platonic relationship, were forced into the kiss by aliens who were controlling their actions.
The kiss “suggested that there was a future where these issues were not such a big deal,” Eric Deggans, a television critic for National Public Radio, told The Associated Press in 2018. “The characters themselves were not freaking out because a Black woman was kissing a white man … In this Utopian-like future, we solved this issue. We’re beyond it. That was a wonderful message to send.”
Nichols first worked professionally as a singer and dancer in Chicago at age 14, moving on to New York nightclubs and working for a time with the Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton bands before coming to Hollywood for her film debut in 1959’s “Porgy and Bess,” the first of several small film and TV roles that led up to her “Star Trek” stardom. Nichols was known as being unafraid to stand up to Shatner on the set when others complained that he was stealing scenes and camera time. They later learned she had a strong supporter in the show’s creator.
In her 1994 book, “Beyond Uhura,” she said she met Roddenberry when she guest starred on his show “The Lieutenant,” and the two had an affair a couple of years before “Star Trek” began. The two remained lifelong close friends.
Another fan of Nichols and the show was future astronaut Mae Jemison, who became the first black woman in space when she flew aboard the shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
In an AP interview before her flight, Jemison said she watched Nichols on “Star Trek” all the time, adding she loved the show. Jemison eventually got to meet Nichols.
Nichols was a regular at “Star Trek” conventions and events into her 80s, but her schedule became limited starting in 2018 when her son announced that she was suffering from advanced dementia.
This morning a chance to get in a few rounds of golf and help combat domestic violence. The Prince George’s County Family Justice Center Foundation is hosting its Annual Golf Tournament coming up this Friday. My guest is Mandrell Birks – President of the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center Foundation
The Prince George’s County Family Justice Foundation Golf Tournament is Friday, August 5that Lake Presidential Golf Club in Upper Marlboro, MD. For more information go here:
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The incomparable Melba Moore will receive presidential awards from President Joe Biden for lifetime achievement and community service. She also will receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year. On HUR@Home Inspiration she tells us about her new album “Imagine” and her brilliant career on Broadway, in Hollywood, on television, and as a hit-making recording artist.
Bill Russell, one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the sport, has died at the age of 88. The Celtics legend died “peacefully” Sunday with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, according to a statement from the family. Russell is one of the greatest athletes of all time in any sport, winning 11 championships and five MVP awards in 13 years with the Celtics from 1956-1969. He also become the first Black head coach in NBA history in 1966 as a player-coach for the Celtics, and later had coaching stints in Seattle and Sacramento. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. Details on a memorial service will be announced soon.
Biden in isolation again after testing positive a 2nd time for COVID.
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#BREAKING – In what doctors are calling a rare rebound case, President Joe Biden has tested positive again for the coronavirus. The positive result comes nearly three days after Biden was cleared to exit from his first COVID isolation. The White House says the President is feeling fine and has no symptoms. He will again isolate for five days.
A recall has been announced for glass baby bottles after they were found to contain excessive levels of lead. Although the NUK First Choice bottles were manufactured for sale in the U.K., the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports an unknown number of them have been purchased by U.S. customers through Amazon. The agency points out that lead poisoning can damage the brain and nervous system and lead to speech problems, behavioral issues and slowed development. The eight-ounce bottles are marked with white and gray stars with “NUK” printed in white letters, according to the manufacturer. They can be returned to NUK for a full refund, a company spokesman says. Should Amazon be responsible for making sure its products meet safety requirements in countries it sells products to?
Pretty soon you’re going to get to a side of Nicki Minaj that you have never seen before. Nicki gave fans a glimpse of her six-part documentary, Nicki today on Instagram. I took time to perfect this very intimate, delicate, electrifying, inspiring body of work. Nicki commented on Instagram. As I decide on a home for this project, I can’t help but reflect on what I’m including in this doc. In the trailer, Nicki has a revelation that she’s reached a level of solace by moving away from the music business. Are you wanting a new album from Nicki? What platform do you think the documentary will appear?
Beyoncé is thanking the #BeyHive today (Friday, July 29) for waiting to hear her new album “Renaissance” after it leaked early, thanks to some stores and online websites making the album available before time. “So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together. I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank you all enough for your love and protection,” wrote Beyoncé. “I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early. It means the world to me. Thank you for your unwavering support. Thank you for being patient. We are going to take our time and enjoy the music. I will do continue to give my all and do my best to give you all joy.” Beyoncé has announced “Renaissance” is Act I of three. There will be two more albums full of music made during the pandemic. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking,” Beyoncé said about the time period. What is your favorite song on the album?
The woman who shot her husband at the Mandarin Hotel in Southwest DC last week is scheduled to appear in court today. Shanteari Weems faces attempted murder charges. She says she shot her husband following allegations that he sexually abused children at her Owings Mills daycare center. James Weems is in police custody at a DC hospital. He faces child sexual assault charges in Baltimore County once released.
Home Free USA is hosting a 4-part series beginning August 18th, that could assist you with down payment and closing costs. My guest is Milan Griffin from Home Free USA.
For more information and to sign up for the series, go here: www.homefreeusa.org/hbseries
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Is it your time? There are all kinds of reasons why you would say “yes” to this. Surviving the COVID-19 pandemic and now ready to get up and get out. What about successfully raising your kids and now it time to focus on you. Where do you start? How about a bucket list? Do you have one? What’s on it? If you don’t have a bucket list, how do you fix your mind and spirit to fill it and act on it?
Mariko Bennett, CEO/Founder, COCO B. Productions, Author, “The Blueprint to Manifest Your Dreams”
Starting in August, students will begin the process of returning to school classrooms across the country. This is happening in the midst of the ever- evolving COVID-19 pandemic…which is still very much with us. Even as infections are rising again with the many variants popping up, the tools to fight infection are readily available for children of every age. The big question is… how will school systems, parents and students handle this?
Beyonce’s highly anticipated album, Renaissance, officially drops at midnight. The album leaked on Wednesday but her team was able to contain most of the damage. For those who were able to get their hands on the album we have learned that Renaissance is part one of three albums. In the album liner notes it says, this three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still but also a time I found to be most creative. What is your favorite Beyonce album?
For those looking to tie the knot, finding the perfect location can sometimes be tough. Thankfully, Men’s Journal has a list of the best places to have destination weddings.
Some of those spots include Cape Cod; Park City, Utah; Savannah, Georgia; Maine, Fiji, and Sonoma, California.
Pretty sure this was not on your 2022 Bingo Card-Patti LaBelle is the latest guest on the Drink Champs podcast. If you are unfamiliar with the podcast, their guests tend to be people like Alicia Keys, The Game, Kanye West, Chris Brown, etc. The host, NORE gets people drunk and then they spill all of their business. In the teaser Patti LaBelle asks NORE, what I gotta do, smoke reffer? She talks about her relationship with the late Aretha Franklin and gives her thoughts on Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s WAP. The episode debuts first on Revolt this Thursday and then on YouTube on the weekend. Do you think Patti LaBelle is gonna get drunk on the podcast?
This is precisely why Beyonce just pops up with an album and doesn’t give fans advanced notice. Her latest album, Renaissance, due out on Friday has leaked two days early. Many are surprised by the leak as Beyonce keeps a very tight circle. She has not announced an album release date since before 2013. It appears the album was released in Europe early and made its way here via internet uploads
Project 700 is on a mission to make sure every youth in the DMV has a new pair of sneakers to head back to school next month. I have the details on how you can help. My guest is Sherard Johnson –Founder and President of Project 700
Project 700 is seeking to collect brand new for under-served youth in the DMV just in time for the return to school. New sneakers can be dropped off thru August 10that the Spirit of Praise Church on Alabama Avenue in SE, DC. For more information go here:
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A new bill has been introduced to protect artists from the use of their lyrics against them in court. Congressmen Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Jamaal Bowman introduced the first federal measure of its sort on Wednesday (July 27). (NY-16).
The Restoring Artistic Protection Act (RAP Act) would introduce a presumption that limits the admissibility of an artist’s creative or artistic expression in court.
Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, and Rico Love, chair of the Black Music Collective, said: “Today’s introduction of the RAP Act in the House of Representatives is a crucial step forward in the ongoing battle to stop the weaponization of creative expression as a prosecution tactic.”
“The bias against rap music has been present in our judicial system for far too long, and it’s time we put an end to this unconstitutional practice.
We extend our gratitude to Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) for their leadership on this issue, and we will continue to work closely with them to advance the protections in this bill that ensure all artists can create freely without fear of their work being criminalized.”
Do you believe rap lyrics should not be allowed in court cases? Weigh in.
During a recent stand-up performance as part of his tour with Kevin Hart at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, the comedian brought up the infamous Oscars slap by Will Smith. “I’m not a victim. Yeah, that sh_t hurt, but I shook that sh_t off and went to work the next day. I don’t go to the hospital for a paper cut,” said Rock. Do you think Chris Rock and Will Smith will ever be friends?
(Upper Marlboro, MD) — Face masks are no longer required for students and staff at Prince George’s County Schools. The district made the change earlier this month. More than 80-percent of school-aged residents and adults are fully vaccinated in the county. Students return to school in Prince George’s County on August 29th.
After more than 14 years of planning, the Jackie Robinson Museum officially opened its doors this week.
The nearly 20,000-square-foot museum includes memorabilia, trophies, and other artifacts from Robinson’s life – spanning both his baseball career and tireless civil rights work.
An opening gala held Tuesday was attended by Robinson’s 100-year-old widow Rachel Robinson, as well as two of their children.
Other celebrities in attendance included Spike Lee, C.C. Sabathia, Billie Jean King, and NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
What are some great sports-related museums you’ve been to?
Erykah Badu will visit the US this summer with her “The Digging Crystals in Badubotron Tour.” The seven-date tour begins July 30 at the Blue Note Jazz Festival in Napa Valley, California, and continues to Brooklyn, Columbia, Dallas, St. Louis, and the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois. Fans also expect a DJ set from Badu as her moniker DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown at the Blue Note Jazz Festival. What is your favorite Erykah Badu song?
R.Kelly’s manager was convicted this past Friday of making a false threat about a mass shooting occurring at a Manhattan theater that was debuting, Surviving R. Kelly documentary.
A jury convicted the manager, Donnell Russell, of threatening physical harm through interstate communication.
They exonerated him on a conspiracy count.
An emergency evacuation of the theater occurred forcing the cancellation of the premiere. The three part documentary was shown on Lifetime networks.
Are you surprised at the lengths R.Kelly’s team went to cover up his acts?
Mary J. Blige recently spoke about two of the most celebrated voices in R&B today, H.E.R. and Summer Walker.
“The first time I saw H.E.R. perform was at the Black Girl’s Rock shows, and I was getting honored, and I was sitting in the front row where she came out with this guitar and all this hair,” recalled Mary J. Blige. “And I would say, ‘Who was this beautiful little girl with this bass?’ I was in love from day one.”
As for Summer Walker, MJB wants to work with her too.
Mary says, “to have my arms open and love on them because I was young and I didn’t get that kind of love from a lot of the people that came before me.”
Who else do you think MJB should collaborate with?
After rumors and speculation it is true-Sheree Whitfield has a new man!
She IS dating Martell Holt of OWN’s Love & Marriage: Huntsville.
There is a video of the couple taking cute selfies together.
Sheree was interviewed and said she met Martell through mutual friends.
She said she feels comfortable enough to introduce him to some of her friends and family members.
She said Martell is helping her build her infamous She by Sheree clothing line.
What do you think of this new couple? Do you think they will make appearances on each others show?
The jackpot for Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, which was originally reported to be $790 million, has grown again.
So many people have been buying tickets that the prize has increased to $830 million — making it the third-largest jackpot in the game’s history, lottery officials say.
But before you run out to buy a ticket, you might want to keep this in mind: The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot — for which you’d have to match all five numbers and the Mega Ball — are 302,575,350 to 1.
Although the odds of winning $1 million by matching just five numbers are better, you still have only a 1 in 12.6 million chance of doing that, according to lottery officials.
A new research project is aiming to compile the first Oxford Dictionary of African American English.
The project is a collaboration between Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research and Oxford University Press.
Linguistics professor Sonja Lanehart explained, “Finally we will have a space that recognizes our language in a way that encompasses all the people within African American language communities. It will be much more expansive and inclusive of the language as opposed to [just] some words here and there. And instead of just defining or spelling the words, the project will also provide some historical context.”
Should this dictionary be studied in schools?
Her name was given to her in a bid to continue the maternal family name.
Her mother’s name at birth was Celestine Beyoncé.
Her dance teacher discovered her singing ability after humming a song, and Beyonce finished it.
She won her first talent show at 7 years old.
Four is significant to Beyonce, it is the day that both her and Jay-Z’s birthday falls. Her wedding anniversary is on April 4th. And of course, her fourth studio album was named “4.”
She was almost cast in A Star Is Born, but Lady Gaga landed the role.
She donated her Cadillac Records salary to an addiction center after portraying troubled singer Etta James.
Beyonce holds the record for being the only solo artist to hold number one hits across four decades, in the 90s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s.
She routinely breaks the Internet and owns real beehives, which produce honey.
In DC, a search is underway following an overnight kidnapping that happened in the 2900 block of Vann Ness Street, Northwest. Police say Marquez Parker forced his girlfriend, Selita Lee, into the trunk of car by gun point around 3 am this morning. That car, a gold colored Ford Fusion with DC tags, was later found on Ames Street in Northeast DC with no one in it.
Mark your calendar for a day of celebration and great fun to commemorate the Anniversary of over 100 years of the Negro National League. A big event is coming up in next featuring a game, VIP reception, auto show, and more. My guest is Dwayne Sims – Founder of the Negro League Legends Hall of Fames
Negro League Legends Hall of Fame East vs West Vintage Baseball Game is Saturday, August 6that 11:30 at Bowie Baysox Stadium. Auto Showcase in the East Parking lot begins at 10am. For more information go here:
Tune in each morning 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 to get the latest on what’s going on around the DMV
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Where are the teachers? In the DMV alone, school districts have seen a mass exodus during the last year. All of this as school systems are hoping to hire more teachers to fill classrooms. Fairfax County wants to hire 600 teachers for the coming school year. 1,070 Teachers resigned from Montgomery County over the past year. Prince George’s County wants to hire 1,000 teachers for this year. Between January and June 372 teachers quit in DC. What’s going on? What is happening to the venerable profession of school teacher?
Jacqueline Pogue-Lyons, President, The Washington Teachers’ Union
(Baltimore, MD) — A former Baltimore police officer is accused of molesting children at his wife’s daycare center in Owings Mills. A warrant has been issued for 57-year-old James Weems Junior. Baltimore County police say he molested at least three children at the center. Weems remains hospitalized in Washington, DC after he was allegedly shot by his wife, Shanteari Weems, when she learned of the allegations. She’s due to appear in court this Friday.
