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Obama on Brown v. Board: The 1st Major Step in Ending ‘Separate but Equal’
On the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, President Barack Obama described the 1954 case as the first major step in dismantling the “separate but equal” doctrine that had justified Jim Crow, according to statement released by the White House. “As we commemorate this historic anniversary, we recommit…
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NH Pols Join Push for Ouster of Racist Police Commissioner
New Hampshire political leaders have joined a widening chorus of residents calling for the resignation of a police commissioner who called President Barack Obama the n-word, the Associated Press reports. Wolfeboro, N.H., Town Manager David Owen posted a statement (pdf) Friday on the town’s website calling on Robert Copeland, 82, to resign the position to…
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Veteran’s Death in Hot Jail Cell Exposes National Problem
It was a horrifying discovery when Jerome Murdough was found dead in his Rikers Island jail cell after malfunctioning equipment caused temperatures to skyrocket to nearly 100 degrees in February. Now, officials say the death of the 56-year-old former Marine may be emblematic of a growing problem in jails across the nation as the inmate…
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Oprah’s Network to Hold Michael Sam Docuseries
Just days after announcing that Oprah Winfrey’s OWN would chronicle Michael Sam’s every move for a documentary series, officials said Friday that the project has been placed on hold indefinitely, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Last week, Sam made headlines when he became the first openly gay player to be drafted by the NFL’s St.…
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SNL Parodies Solange and Jay Z Elevator Fight
Saturday Night Live mercilessly lampooned the Solange and Jay Z elevator fight during the show’s season finale. In the comedy sketch, Solange was not attacking her brother-in-law, but trying to remove a spider off his shoulder. This was not the first time the show parodied the family, well, Beyoncé. Just weeks ago, they released a…
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Eric Holder: Systemic, Subtle Racism Far Worse Than Rants
Subtle, everyday racism, especially within the criminal justice system, is far more harmful than racist outburst, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told graduates Saturday during a commencement address at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md. He described racist outbursts, such as those by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, as…
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Watch: Jay Z and Beyonce Release Steamy Short Film
With Sunday’s unexpected release of their Bonnie and Clyde-style short film, Run, Jay Z and Beyoncé may have created enough distraction to slam shut the doors of elevator gate. Besides the Carters, the stylish, four-minute film features a blockbuster cast, including Don Cheadle, Guillermo Diaz, Emmy Rossum, Blake Lively, Rashida Jones, Kidada Jones, Sean Penn…
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Court Puts Conyers Back on Michigan Ballot
Rep. John Conyers’ reelection campaign got a boost Friday when U.S. Circuit Judge Matthew Leitman ordered Michigan officials to put his name back on the ballot, the Washington Post reports. Conyers was first elected to office 1964. The order came just hours after state election officials upheld an earlier decision to remove Conyers’ name from…
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NBA Vote on Forcing Sale of Clippers Still On
To pave the way for a sale of the Los Angeles Clippers without NBA intervention, Donald Sterling reportedly offered to step aside to allow his wife to broker the sale of the team, according to CNN. But the NBA rebuffed the offer, CNN says. The couple co-owns the team through trust, with Donald Sterling as…
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Ariz. Mom Who Left Kids in Car Is Granted Visits
A homeless woman who left her children in a car during a job interview in Scottsdale, Ariz., can now have supervised visits with them, the Arizona Republic reports. Commissioner Richard Nothwehr ruled Thursday that the woman, Shanesha Taylor, 35, of Phoenix, could have supervised visits with her 8-month-old and 2-year-old sons, the report says. She…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
