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Who Profits From Mandela’s Brand?
The face and name of Nelson Mandela are powerful branding tools that can help sell everything from sweatshirts to kitchen aprons. With the recent death of the former South African president and national treasure, there is a scramble as to who gets to control the Mandela brand and legacy, which are potent commercial and political…
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Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Martina Arroyo Receive Kennedy Center Honors
Herbie Hancock, who discovered jazz in high school and would later join Miles Davis’ band and single-handedly revolutionize the early hip-hop landscape, received the nation’s highest tribute for influencing American culture through arts, the Associated Press reports. Hancock joined Carlos Santana, Billy Joel, opera star Martina Arroyo and actress Shirley MacLaine in receiving the Kennedy…
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Jesse Owens’ Gold Medal Fetches Record Price
A 1936 Olympics gold medal won by Jesse Owens sold for $1,466,574 early Sunday morning, the highest price ever paid for a piece of Olympics memorabilia, ESPN reports. Owens won the gold medal at the games in Berlin and later gifted it to his good friend, entertainer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, who died in 1949. The…
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President Obama and the First Lady Will Attend Mandela’s Funeral
President Obama and the first lady will make the trip to South Africa to pay their respects to the memory of former South African President Nelson Mandela and to his family, the White House announced on Friday. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney did not say what day the Obamas planned to be in South…
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Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013: South Africa Prepares Its Goodbye
How do you say goodbye to a man whose life has had a profound impact on just about every world leader, sports hero, politician, college student, professor and Hollywood star? How do you capture the impact of that life in a ceremony? How do you memorialize a man who spent almost a third of his…
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Nelson Mandela Dead at 95
Former South African President and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, known for his relentless stance against apartheid, has died at his Johannesburg home from a prolonged lung infection. He was 95. “Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” South African President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday in a nationally televised…
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FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston Will Not Be Charged With Rape
No charges will be filed against Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who was alleged to have sexually assaulted a former student, state attorney William Meggs said Thursday at a press conference that was originally scheduled for 2 p.m. but started seven minutes earlier after ESPN scooped the press conference. Jeff Cameron of 97.9 ESPN Tallahassee…
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Is Kanye West Losing It?
The colossally egocentric self-proclaimed genius who subjects concertgoers to his “visionary stream of consciousness” rants during his performances may be wearing his audience thin. On Tuesday, Kanye West’s roadside attraction of a hip-hop concert played to fewer than 4,500 people at the Sprint Center in Kanas City, a venue that holds 19,000. It’s a paltry…
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Obama Calls Economic Inequality the ‘Defining Challenge of Our Time’
President Barack Obama called economic inequality the “defining challenge of our time,” while urging Congress to raise wages in an appeal Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. The president, who made his speech at a nonprofit community center not far from the White House, said that the current economic landscape makes it harder for a child…
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2 Men May Face Death Penalty in Beating Death of Black Teen
Two Ohio men accused of beating a 16-year-old black boy to death in an apparent drug robbery gone bad were arraigned Tuesday and could be facing the death penalty, WHIO reports. Michael A. Geldrich, 36, and Michael J. Watson, 39, were charged with aggravated robbery and murder. Judge Rupert Ruppert set the bond at $1…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
