Urban News Features

At Last: Obama Dedicates New Black History Museum on the National Mall By D. Kevin McNeir

September 27, 2016

At Last: Obama Dedicates New Black History Museum on the National Mall
By D. Kevin McNeir

President Barack Obama leads dedication of new National Museum o African American History and Culture. PHOTO: Roy Lewis/Trice Edney News Wire

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from The Washington Informer

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The idea of erecting a museum that would highlight the contributions of African-Americans first received public attention more than a century ago after Black veterans of the Civil War proposed the idea. But the real push occurred when Georgia Congressman John Lewis took up the mantle, securing the support of several of his colleagues. Finally, in 2003, then-President George W. Bush signed legislation that allowed the project to begin.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, with the ringing of a bell borrowed from the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the nation’s oldest Black churches founded in 1776, President Barack Obama officially dedicated the newest addition to the family of Smithsonian institutions located on the National Mall — the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

In his address, the president said that the museum was an essential part of America’s story.

“What we can see of this beautiful building tells us that it is truly a sight to behold. But what makes it special are the stories contained inside,” Obama said. “It is this national museum that will help tell a fuller story of who we are. The African-American story is not a sidebar or a secondary tale. No, it is central to the American story — a glorious story that illustrates how African-Americans have been able to rise again and again from tragedy to triumph.”

Still, given the recent outbursts of civil unrest that have taken place in Charlotte, N.C. and Tulsa, Okla., following the shooting deaths unarmed Black men by police officers, the president also commented on what the museum cannot do.

“This museum won’t end job discrimination, violence in our cities or so many other ills and examples of injustice that we face – those things are up to us to change – by speaking out, protesting and voting,” he said. “Hopefully it will help us begin to talk to one another, really see one another and listen to one another.”

The president’s remarks served as the finale to a program attended by several hundred guests, many of whom were donors in a remarkably long fundraising initiative, led by Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the NMAAHC.

Meanwhile, as far as the eye could see, hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children lined the grounds surrounding the museum, watching the program on Jumbotrons, periodically shouting their affirmations throughout as participants including Stevie Wonder, Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Patti LaBelle and an a capella jazz choir from Howard University mounted the stage.

President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, also joined the special guests onstage.

Bush, passionate in his remarks, shared one statement that elicited a roar of agreement from the crowd and which Obama would reiterate during his address.

“A great nation does not shy away from the truth,” Bush said, referring to the countless lessons that he believes the new museum, through its many artifacts and exhibits, could provide to all Americans.

Ken Chenault, one of the NMAAHC advisory council members and the CEO and chairman of American Express, commented on the willingness of so many to answer the clarion call to raise the millions of dollars that were needed to start the museum project.

“I look at this building with a great sense of pride,” said Chenault. “Donors came from all across the planet — large donations and small donations — because so many people believed in the importance of building this museum. It will always remind us that what brings us together is stronger than what tears us apart.”

Bunch, overwhelmed with emotion, began his remarks by saying, “Today, a dream too long deferred is a dream no longer.”

Bunch continued: “This is not just about telling the story of a people, but a nation’s story and it will forever show how the lives of all Americans have been and will continue to be enriched, because of the contributions of African-Americans.”

A Tribute to Terence Crutcher and Keith Scott By Andrew Hairston, J.D.

September 25, 2016

A Tribute to Terence Crutcher and Keith Scott
By Andrew Hairston, J.D.

Andrew Hairston, J.D., fellow and associate counsel to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - The warm rays of sun welcomed us on to I-40 just as we passed downtown Oklahoma City. My father and I found mutual excitement in the road trip that awaited us. After a summer of preparing for and taking the bar exam, I was particularly enthused about the journey that would lead to the start of my career. Like the sun, the future seemed fairly bright.

Despite these positive feelings, a sense of nervousness also registered in my mind. The primary cause of me being on edge was a reflection on the deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and Korryn Gaines over the summer. The killings of police officers in Louisiana and Texas certainly didn’t help.

Like many Americans, these losses of life weighed on me heavily. The killings that took place in Baton Rouge especially hit home because I went to law school in the city. Though I’d engaged in racial justice work before, each event added more burdens to my psyche than the last. As I drove east with my father, the thrill of an imminent career as a civil rights attorney constantly mixed with the dread of the continual loss of Black lives. It resulted in quite the paradox.

The uneasy feeling confirmed itself just a few weeks later. News of Terence Crutcher’s death manifested itself on my social media accounts, along with yet another horrifying video of the entire encounter. My mind immediately jumped back to that road trip. Though I-44 carries travelers from Oklahoma City to Tulsa, the parallel route of I-40 is close enough to put the tragic end of Mr. Crutcher’s life in context.

My father and I, two Black men, could have easily found ourselves in that position. At the young age of 40, Mr. Crutcher essentially represented the mid-way point between my age and that of my father. During our trip, Lord forbid that the rental truck we drove break down on the interstate. This sense of fear characterizes the experience of Black people in the United States, both now and historically.

All of these events make me recall the trepidation experienced by Dr. Robert Pershing Foster, one of the protagonists in Isabel Wilkerson’s masterpiece, The Warmth of Other Suns. Dr. Foster migrated from Monroe, LA to Los Angeles in the middle of the twentieth century.

During the Jim Crow era in which he found himself, Dr. Foster made his journey half-way across the country without the ability to stop at a hotel and rest when he grew tired. His trip became that much more perilous because of his dangerous level of fatigue. Though temporary accommodations are much more accessible in the twenty-first century, the fear felt by Dr. Foster, Mr. Crutcher, my father and me transcends generations. It is a fear that is as American as the national anthem.

Perhaps more unsettling than Mr. Crutcher’s death is the fact that my father and I could have been gunned down as we walked through Charlotte a few weeks ago. Reports of the killing of Keith L. Scott flashed on my phone as I rode to work. In the surreal manner that I easily placed myself in Mr. Crutcher’s shoes, I did the same thing with Mr. Scott’s story.

I went to law school and embarked on a career as a civil rights attorney in an attempt to right at least some of the societal ills that plague this country. Although I will strive to employ effective legal strategies to address issues rooted in systemic racism, I do wonder where the morality and compassion are in these situations.

Would Korryn Gaines have been slaughtered had she been viewed first as a mother? Would Terence Crutcher have bled out on that highway had he been viewed first as a brother? Would Keith Scott still be living and laughing had he been viewed first as a neighbor?

The immense amount of work that awaits our nation must be informed by these questions. If not, the blood of slain Black men and women will continue to drip from the flag that symbolizes the land of the free and the home of the brave. I will work to my dying breath to ensure that, in a few generations, the young person of color that embarks on the journey to a bright future from America’s heartland can do so without a crippling sense of dread of what is to come.

In light of the challenges ahead, I particularly urge Black lawyers to continue to lend their support to protestors and demonstrators. Effective advocacy is critical to ensuring that equal justice is administered under the law and showing the world that Black lives do matter.

Andrew Hairston, J.D., is the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s George N. Lindsay Fellow and Associate Counsel with the organization’s Educational Opportunities Project.

Winnie Mandela - Called An 'Everlasting Beauty' - Turns 80

September 25, 2016

Winnie Mandela - Called An 'Everlasting Beauty' - Turns 80

W. Mandela and C. Ramaphosa

(TriceEdneyWire.com/GIN) – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela reached octogenarian status this month and marked it at a celebratory party surrounded by top officials, musicians, and family members.

She shared her special day with well-wishers at the renowned Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town last Wednesday.

Among the guests were first lady Bongi Ngema-Zuma, Winnie’s daughter Zindzi Mandela, Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille, among others.

Graceful and dignified, in a much admired white and blue gown, the anti-apartheid activist made her entrance on the arm of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa‚ who later addressed the guests on the attributes of the former wife of statesman Nelson Mandela.

“Much as Julius Malema and I disagree on many things, we agree on Mam’uWinnie (Mrs. Mandela')s everlasting beauty‚” he said, to cheers and applause from the attendees.

“You are indeed the mother of the nation,” he said, directing his comment to her. “But you also have another attribute which is your enduring vitality.”

“Winnie Madikizela-Mandela personifies everything about the African saying, “Woman, you are a rock,” he began. Not like a simple rock but like a diamond, he said, built to last a lifetime.

(Winnie) was a symbol of strength for the many women who lost their husbands to the liberation struggle. “Enduring the worst in the times of oppression, she ensured that the people would not lose heart… Regardless of her own pain, she ensured that the children and families of liberation were clothed and fed.”

Then he quoted poet Maya Angelou, saying “And, at 80, she still rises.”

Following the Deputy President, daughter Zindzi Mandela shared some of the personal qualities and characteristics of her mother that many did not know.

“My mother is a very keen gardener. I, for example, was two hours late for my wedding because my mother had to water the garden‚” Zindzi said. “But that is my mother‚ she loves to be surrounded by beautiful things and she loves to make beautiful things grow‚ it's just her nature.”

The dinner proceedings began after 9 pm with a light starter of asparagus‚ followed by fish or meat ‚ and citrus fruits for dessert.

Later, Madikizela-Mandela took to the podium and thanked the guests. Recovering from back surgeries in March and April‚ she told the room that when she gets well‚ she plans to lead a campaign for the widows and orphans of the “Marikana massacre.”

“Amandla‚” (power) she called out‚ which was followed by an expressive “awethu” (to us!).

Madikizela-Mandela was born in the village of eMbongweni on Sept. 26‚ 1936. Both parents were teachers, and she followed their path, studying social work at the Jan Hofmeyer School. Her meeting with Nelson Mandela took place in 1957 at age 22. They were married in 1958 and were a couple until 1992.

GLOBAL INFORMATION NETWORK creates and distributes news and feature articles on current affairs in Africa to media outlets, scholars, students and activists in the U.S. and Canada. Our goal is to introduce important new voices on topics relevant to Americans, to increase the perspectives available to readers in North America and to bring into their view information about global issues that are overlooked or under-reported by mainstream media.

Sean Combs Spreads the Love with $1 Million Check to Howard University

September 26, 2016

Sean Combs Spreads the Love with $1 Million Check to Howard University

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - No matter how he’s addressed – Puff Daddy, Puffy or P. Diddy – Sean Combs still holds Howard University and Washington, D.C., close to his heart, which he demonstrated during a recent concert where the entertainment mogul donated $1 million to the school.

Combs, 46, presented a $1 million check to Howard President Wayne A.I. Frederick during a sold out Bad Boy Reunion Tour concert on Sept. 22.

According to news reports, the money will create a Sean Combs Scholarship Fund, which will award money to undergraduate business majors who show financial need. Scholarship recipients will also get the opportunity to intern with one of Combs’ companies, Bad Boy Entertainment or Revolt Media & TV, and have a mentor from Combs Enterprises.

During the concert, Combs referred to Howard and D.C. as home, crediting the school for giving him the fortitude to be the successful entrepreneur that he has become. Combs attended the school in the latter part of the 1980s before he dropped out in 1990. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the school in 2014.

Civil Rights, Legal and Consumer Groups Urge CFPB: Get Debt Collection Regulation Right by Charlene Crowell

September 26, 2016

Civil Rights, Legal and Consumer Groups Urge CFPB: Get Debt Collection Regulation Right
By Charlene Crowell

(TriceEdneyWire.com - When it comes to consumer complaints on credit and lending, debt collection generates more criticism than any other industry. This $13 billion industry makes profits by pursuing at least 77 million consumers each year. Many of the aggressive tactics used are for debts that are not owed, others that are too old to collect, or entirely owed by another consumer.

An earlier column this summer shared how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its proposed outline, an early step in the rulemaking process, intended to rein in abusive debt collection practices such as harassing phone calls made to consumers either at home or work. Now, before the first-ever debt collection regulation is adopted, a broad base of 59 civil rights, consumer and legal service advocates working at both the national and state levels are pushing to ensure that debt collection rules become all that consumers expect and need from their consumer cop-on-the-beat.

In a September 15 letter to CFPB Director Richard Cordray, the advocates urged the Bureau to include additional provisions in its proposed outline. In their alternative and collective view, it is important to require more robust documentation standards to better ensure that debt collectors can prove a given debt is actually owed.

The coalition which includes the NAACP, National Consumer Law Center, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Council of LaRaza and the Center for Responsible Lending highlighted key areas where the Bureau can more fully address common abusive practices including:

1. - Requiring debt collectors to have and review original account information at the start of collection attempts;

2. - Providing those same and additional documents to the courts when filing collection lawsuits or obtaining judgments in those cases; and

3. - Limiting the number of calls made to consumers, particularly for medical or student loan debt.

While each of these efforts are needed, one in particular has the potential to make a huge number of multiple bad practices go away. Across the country, local courts have been inundated with undocumented claims of default. Moreover, millions of affected consumers have only become aware of lawsuits until after court judgments have been ordered and frequently based on inaccurate information. Unfortunately, communities of color are among those hardest hit by debt collection and debt collection lawsuits.

People living in neighborhoods with a higher share of Black or Latino residents are more likely to have debts in collection and also a greater amount of debt in collections. Majority Black neighborhoods experience debt collection lawsuits and judgments at a rate twice that of White neighborhoods.

Last year, debt collection generated more complaints than any other industry. With both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and CFPB. Additionally, last year CFPB returned $360 million to consumers wronged by unlawful debt collection practices and levied $79 million in fines against violators. The FTC banned 30 companies and individuals from working in the industry again.

Although the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) was enacted in 1977, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act gave the first-ever regulatory authority for the debt collection industry to CFPB.

“Every consumer should be free from abusive and harassing debt collection,” said Lisa Stifler, deputy director of the Center for Responsible Lending’s state policy. “When people are being wrongly pursued for debts they do not owe, it is time for action and reforms.”

Charlene Crowell is the communications deputy director for the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..