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The Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s Daughter Convicted of Money Laundering
A federal jury on Friday convicted the daughter of President Obama’s former pastor of laundering thousands of dollars from a $1.25 million state grant for a Chicago-based job-training program, the Chicago Tribune reports. Jeri L. Wright, the 48-year-old daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, told the Tribune Friday as she left a Springfield, Ill., courtroom…
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Michigan Doctor Teleka Patrick: Few Clues to Disappearance 3 Months Later
This week marked three months since 30-year-old Michigan doctor Teleka Patrick vanished without a trace after work one day. Patrick, who was in the midst of a psychiatric residency at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Mich., was last seen on Dec. 5 as she tried to book a room downtown at a Radisson Plaza Hotel &…
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Mom Charged With Attempted 1st-Degree Murder After Driving Kids Into the Ocean
Thirty-two-year-old Ebony Wilkerson’s three children were reportedly screaming for their lives when she drove a minivan into the ocean surf off of Florida, the Associated Press reports. The children, ages 3, 9 and 10, were rescued Tuesday by bystanders and officers as the minivan was almost submerged off a coast in Daytona Beach, Fla. Wilkerson,…
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‘Gladiator School’: FBI Investigates Idaho Private Prison for Abuse
The FBI has opened an investigation into one of the largest private-prison operators over its management of an Idaho prison with a reputation for violence, which inmates call “gladiator school,” according the Associated Press. Corrections Corporation of America, based in Nashville, Tenn., which has operated Idaho’s largest private prison for more than a decade, has…
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17 Black Women in Science and Tech You Should Know
In honor of Women’s History Month, The Root pays tribute to African-American women working in the fastest growing field around the globe. While their numbers may be relatively few (pdf), they are making great strides, using their science, math and engineering degrees to amass impressive digital portfolios. Jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)…
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Academy Awards 2014: Most Black Presenters Ever
In a year when movies like 12 Years a Slave have captivated audiences around the globe, the Academy Awards tonight will have 10 prominent black entertainers as presenters—the most ever in its 86-year history. The star-studded list includes Viola Davis, nominated for Doubt and The Help; Jamie Foxx, who won best actor for Ray; Whoopi…
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Texas Cops Arrest Black Student Filming ‘Speed Traps,’ Hurl Epithet
A 25-year-old student at the University of Texas at San Antonio was simply filming officers as they pulled over cars along a highway and posting the videos to Facebook. She wrote: “This is where our funding is going, straight into hard police work,” according to KENS 5. The next thing Abie Kyle Ikhinmwin knew, she was…
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Vandals Hit Spike Lee’s Old Block After Gentrification Rant
Director Spike Lee isn’t the only one who’s angry. CNN reports that just days after the filmmaker’s expletive-filled rail against gentrification in his old neighborhood, vandals hit his father’s home and shattered the front door of the neighbor’s home on Washington Park in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, N.Y. “Do the Right Thing,” the…
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Watch: Philadelphia 76ers Retire Allen Iverson’s No. 3
Retired NBA player Allen Iverson took to the court Saturday to bid farewell to fans, friends and colleagues as the Philadelphia 76ers held a ceremony to retire his No. 3, ESPN reports. He reportedly cupped his hand to his left ear in a request to hear his favorite tune for the last time. And on cue, an…
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12 Years a Slave Sweeps 2014 Spirit Awards
On the eve of the Academy Awards, 12 Years a Slave scored big Saturday at the 2014 Spirit Awards, winning in several categories, including best feature, the Huffington Post reports. Additionally, Steve McQueen won for best director, Lupita Nyong’o for best supporting actress, John Ridley for best screenplay and Sean Bobbitt for cinematography. The awards…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
