-
Spelman College to Consider Admitting Transgender Women
Spelman College will be convening a task force to provide recommendations on whether it will be accepting transgender women, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. President Mary Schmidt Campbell included the announcement in a welcome-back letter to students at the all-women HBCU. “Ingrid Hayes, vice president for Enrollment Management will convene a task force that makes a…
-
Om Space: 1 Man’s Mission to Heal His Community Through Yoga
Imagine a small, sustainable farm in western Maryland, a safe space where black men come together to heal and connect with themselves. They are trained to become certified yoga instructors and are educated and empowered to go out and use what they have learned about the practice of yoga to change and empower their own…
-
Simone Manuel Becomes 1st African-American Female Swimmer to Win Olympic Gold in Individual Event
Black girls are truly magic. And Simone Manuel, a black American swimmer, just shattered all stereotypes and made a definitive mark in history. Manuel became the first African-American female swimmer to take home the Olympic gold in an individual event when she finished the 100-meter freestyle at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics Thursday night, with a time…
-
Outraged Mom Sues Chicago Public Schools Claiming 6-Year-Old Daughter Was Handcuffed for Taking Candy
A Chicago mother filed a lawsuit Thursday against Chicago Public Schools, claiming that her 6-year-old daughter was handcuffed at school as punishment for taking candy off a teacher’s desk, WLS reports. The alleged incident, at Fernwood Elementary, dates back to March, but Marlena Wordlow says she felt no one at CPS was giving her justice,…
-
Simone Biles Proves She's the Best, Wins Gold in Individual All-Around in Rio
Simone Biles is continuing to stun us all with her graceful performances, snatching the gold in the women’s individual all-around in the Rio de Janeiro Games Thursday, the New York Times reports. She is literally the world’s best gymnast and also literally #BlackGirlMagic. Though that may not come as a surprise to those familiar with…
-
2 Charged With Prostitution Following Human Trafficking Incident in Md.
Authorities are looking for possible human trafficking victims after two people were charged with prostitution after allegedly forcing a teenage girl to have sex with an estimated 288 people at a Silver Spring, Md., hotel, the Washington Post reports. Detectives say they are concerned that Atuan Saran Rogers, 34, and Dierra Victoria Lee Thomas, 19,…
-
Mom of Miss. Infant Who Died in Hot Car Wants Charges Against Father Dropped
The mother of a Mississippi infant who authorities say died after being left in a hot car while in the care of her father has signed an affidavit asking for all charges to be dropped, the Jackson, Miss., Clarion-Ledger reports. Shanice Caradine, the mother of 8-month-old Shania Caradine, in the affidavit making her request called…
-
Black Man Killed by L.A. Sheriff's Deputy Was Not a Suspect in Carjacking, Officials Say
At first, officials had identified 27-year-old Donnell Thompson as a suspect in a carjacking. Now the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department has released a statement acknowledging that Thompson, who was fatally shot during an encounter with police last month, was actually innocent, the Huffington Post notes. “We have determined that there is no evidence that Mr.…
-
ESPN Host John Saunders Dead at Age 61
Beloved ESPN host John Saunders has died at the age of 61, ESPN reports. Saunders covered college football, basketball and the NHL for the network and was the anchor of SportsCenter and The Sports Reporters. Saunders, who was born in Canada, was an all-star defenseman in the junior hockey leagues of Montreal and also played at Western…
-
Justice Department Releases Long-Awaited Report on Baltimore Police Department
On Wednesday morning the Department of Justice released its long-awaited report (pdf) based on its investigation of the Baltimore Police Department, concluding that “there is reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law.” Among the findings listed in the report, the DOJ concluded…