“It is confidence in the men and women who administer the judicial system that is the true backbone of the rule of law.” — Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, 531 U.S. 98, Bush v. Gore [Dissent], December 12, 2000 ... read more »

If you could choose one artist to embody the African American experience of the 20th century, it would have to be the incomparable Miss Aretha Franklin. ... read more »

A few years ago, his Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, studied school discipline data and came to a troubling conclusion: African American students in the 2011-12 school year had been suspended or expelled at a rate three times higher than White students. ... read more »

The original goal of "net neutrality" was that internet service providers and governments would treat all data on the internet equally and not discriminate or charge differently based on the user, services, website, application, or device – in other words, it would provide an open internet. ... read more »

Let’s stop spending volumes of money on prisons ... read more »

Barack Obama’s presidency will be documented ad infinitum. However, Los Angeles is fortunate to have Erin Aubry Kaplan’s new book, I Heart Obama, a solid jumpstart on what is certain to be a mammoth field of chroniclers. ... read more »

President Obama might be better advised to improve his legacy by taking bold actions in these last days of his presidency ... read more »

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF) recently announced that President Barack Obama will deliver his seventh and final keynote address at its 46th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) Phoenix Awards Dinner. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The evening’s co-emcees will be Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, and actress Sanaa Lathan, who has a new show premiering this fall on FOX. Honorary co-chairs of this year’s conference are U.S. Representatives Karen Bass of California and Lacy Clay of Missouri. ... read more »

She was the first woman to lead U.S. troops in wartime ... read more »

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock recently announced the fifth annual International Jazz Day, which will be celebrated around the world on April 30. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host the 5th anniversary International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert at the White House on April 29 and the event will be broadcast on International Jazz Day as a one-hour primetime ABC television special, “Jazz at the White House,” on Saturday evening, and streamed on the United Nations, UNESCO, U.S. State Department and White House websites. ... read more »

Throughout history, women have driven humanity forward on the path to a more equal and just society, contributing in innumerable ways to our character and progress as a people. In the face of discrimination and undue hardship, they have never given up on the promise of America: that with hard work and determination, nothing is out of reach. ... read more »

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reinforcing the Republican political agenda to disrupt governmental functions when the circumstances do not line up with their philosophy. It is imperative that we have nine members of the United States Supreme Court deciding constitutional issues that are important to the American people. It is absurd to suggest that President Obama should be denied the opportunity to nominate a qualified jurist to replace Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court. The American people should clearly understand that Senate Republicans have a political agenda to pack the Court with conservative justices who would reverse years of progressive jurisprudence. ... read more »

Maurice White, prolific songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, leader, and co-founder of one of most the successful bands in the world died on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at his home in Los Angeles. The cause of his death is unknown but it is known that White had battled Parkinson disease for two decades. He was 74. ... read more »

The United States on Sunday imposed sanctions over Iran's ballistic missile testing even as President Barack Obama hailed the release of five Americans from Tehran's custody and the implementation of a nuclear deal he hopes will stand among his lasting foreign policy achievements. ... read more »

President Obama did his thing when he delivered the State of the Union address (SOTU) on Tuesday night. There was confidence in his speech, some off-the-cuff humor and a little swagger when he rattled off his accomplishments and asserted that the SOU is “strong.” While I disagree with parts of the address, especially around economic issues, I was delighted with the President’s forceful tone, and with his insistence of speaking both of issues and of our toxic political climate. ... read more »