Biz Markie, a hip-hop staple known for his beatboxing prowess, turntable mastery and the 1989 classic “Just a Friend,” has died. He was 57. ... read more »

June 14: The famous 125th St. (at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.) in Harlem, NY was co-named Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan Way, 2019 ... read more »

The award is named after six-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has dedicated his life to the fight for equality. The recipient will have advanced Abdul-Jabbar’s mission to drive change and inspired others to reflect on injustice and take collective action in their communities over the previous year. ... read more »

May 22: Poet, essayist, and novelist Langston Hughes passed away in New York City, 1967 ... read more »

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, threatened legal action today against Fox News for a story that claimed Waters and other members of Congress were abusing a program created after 9/11 to protect the flying public by assigning air marshals to certain domestic flights. ... read more »

It was much more than a political assessment when I declared 15 months ago that “we know Joe, and most importantly, Joe knows us.” Joe Biden is succeeding because of he understands the needs and aspirations of the American people. His bold and inclusive initiatives are restoring the faith of those who have been hardest hit by the current health and economic crises and raising the hopes of those who had already been hard hit by injustices in our society long before these crises struck. ... read more »

“… if the U.S. Justice Department develops evidence that a local or state entity like a police department is failing to abide by the U.S. Constitution or other federal laws, it can go to federal court and seek an order of some kind requiring the entity to cease its illegal activity and perhaps implement some measures to prevent its recurrence,” Caitlin Kizielewicz, a spokesperson for the Crime and Justice Research Alliance, told NNPA Newswire. ... read more »

Community Against Hate, a diverse coalition of community organizations and leaders have teamed up with the national civil rights organization NAACP in a clear stance to address hate directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  In a direct response to the increased verbal and physical attacks against Asians living and born in America, the #UnityAgainstHate rally will be held on Saturday, May 15, at 11 a.m., in multiple cities across the nation. The rally will echo the voices of many who have experienced hate crimes against them based on their race, nationality and identity. ... read more »

This level of care is done to ensure effectiveness which embodies Shaun Leon Bath & Beauty’s belief that ingredients derived from nature are agents of wellness and self-care. ... read more »

Ethiopia Habtemariam was appointed president of Motown and executive vice president of Capitol Music Group in 2014. That same year, she oversaw Motown's relocation to Los Angeles from New York. ... read more »

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said the world lost an influential figure in the fight for civil rights and American politics. “An icon to the world and a lifelong friend to the NAACP, his contribution to moving our society toward justice is unparalleled,” Johnson declared. “In 2001, Jordan received the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal for a lifetime of social justice activism. His exemplary life will shine as a guiding light for all that seek truth and justice for all people.” ... read more »

The nonprofit legal organization committed to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals also noted that Black people are more likely to be wrongly convicted of murder when the victim is White. Among Black people exonerated of murder convictions, approximately 31 percent were wrongly convicted of killing White people. However, only 15 percent of homicides by Black people involve White victims, the National Registry of Exonerations reported. ... read more »

One of the best basketball players to ever live, Julius "Dr. J" Erving was born in Roosevelt, NY, 1950. ... read more »

Protests and unrest in 2020 sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, shined an even brighter spotlight on police brutality against African Americans.  ... read more »

It’s a bit jarring. A New York City middle school band is murdering the Disney song “When You Wish Upon a Star.” By the time they’re through, you’d wish a dream-fulfilling star had given you earplugs. Still, they continue, inspired by their very patient music teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx). Jazz is the reason their instructor loves music not matter how screechy the band gets. ... read more »