The behavior of the Rancho Cordova police officer who pinned an unarmed 14-year-old African American boy to the ground and punched him repeatedly for purchasing a tobacco product is disgraceful, distressing and outrageous. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. It is one of far too many videos of police using physical force on a daily basis against people of color in neighborhoods of color. Most police officers work hard to do the right thing but bad police behavior is enabled and fueled by racist policies such as the proposed ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes preferred by over 80% of African Americans who choose to smoke. ... read more »

Wendy's Window ... read more »

Lowery made great strides for equality and civil rights, which was fortified by his Christian beliefs. ... read more »

SCLC is planning a new Poor People’s Campaign focused on empowerment, education and food for those in poverty. ... read more »

In 1965, Lewis and fellow activist Hosea Williams led what was planned as a peaceful 54-mile march through Alabama from Selma to Montgomery. The march, a protest of the discriminatory practices and Jim Crow laws that prevented African Americans from voting, would be remembered in history as "Bloody Sunday," one of the most dramatic and violent incidents of the American Civil Rights Movement. ... read more »

The NAACP plans to highlight 110 years of civil rights history, and the current fight for voting rights, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity and education quality during its 110th national convention now happening in Detroit. ... read more »

The midterms revealed that the margin for victory in Georgia is within reach. Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp by about 55,000 votes out of nearly 4 million votes cast. Clearly, a surge in the size of the Black voter base could close such a gap and end a drought in state representation dating to Reconstruction.  ... read more »

This weekend the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles co-hosted #BlackSunday, an opportunity for the community to intentionally spend their dollars with Black-owned businesses, who were provided with booth space at no charge. ... read more »

The DROP Essay Contest is part of the annual 2018 Week of Positive Change, Non-Violence and Opportunities, October 13-21, 2018. In a joint statement, BW4PC National co-chairs Dr. Stephanie Myers and Daun S. Hester stated, "We must convince youth that dropping out of school is a pipeline to prison and violence. They must stay in school and earn their high school diploma or GED to prepare for success." ... read more »

The agenda extended beyond food and fellowship at the Interfaith Prayer Breakfast held at McCarty Memorial Christian Church ... read more »

At face value, the previous weeks headlines seemed disturbing: University of Southern California had referred a donation, made to the School of Social Work by LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, to federal officials for investigation. ... read more »

Cotton died Sunday afternoon at the Kendal at Ithaca retirement community in New York, said Jared Harrison, a close friend who was at her bedside. Harrison said she had battled illnesses recently but didn't specify a cause of death. ... read more »

This Week In Black History (January 4 – January 10) ... read more / view gallery »

The Long Beach Ministers Alliance will host the Cookie Johnson, “Believing In Magic” book-signing event on Saturday, December 10, at 1 p.m., at the Michelle Obama Library, ... read more »

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Southern California will honor four distinguished individuals at its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Awards & Benefit Gala on Jan. ... read more »