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Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, has endorsed Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking African American in the House Democratic leadership, stating that he should be the party’s second in command in the next Congress. The Washington Post reports that Lee stated, “Jim has spent a lifetime working to bridge what…

MSNBC is reporting that a mother’s decision to allow her 5-year-old son to dress up as a female cartoon character for a preschool Halloween party has lit up the blogosphere. Her account of the negative reaction and disapproving looks she received from some parents so far has generated more than 3 million page views and…

Excerpt (Spoiler Alert) Can anyone name a movie that came out recently starring a black man who wasn’t a sociopath? Someone who had a terrific screen presence, like a young Paul Robeson? And he portrayed a character who was complex and fully drawn? Did he respect black women, too?Anybody see that movie? I didn’t. But…

MSNBC is reporting that banks are not living up to their part of the deal when modifying loans for consumers. The article highlights the plight of William and Esperanza Casco, who were making enough money to stay current on their mortgage. JPMorgan Chase & Co. offered a plan that reduced their payments, and they figured…

There has been mad drama over Michael Jackson’s posthumous single “Breaking News,” which the Jackson family initially stated was fake to such an extent that the singer’s mother released “Opis None,” supposedly from Jackson’s personal music vault. Mrs. Jackson’s business partner Howard Mann subsequently issued a statement suggesting that “Opis None” may not be “authentic,”…

Toni Morrison is “beloved” in France, said the country’s culture minister as he inducted the celebrated U.S. novelist into the elite Legion of Honor. In a ceremony held in a gilded hall in the ministry, Frederic Mitterrand pinned a red-and-gold medal onto the celebrated author’s jacket. Mitterrand called Morrison — a Nobel laureate and winner…

East Africans dominated this year’s ING New York City Marathon. Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia won the men’s title at the New York City Marathon in his debut for the race, with an unofficial time of 2:08:14. Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat won the women’s race today at 2:28:20. It was her first major marathon championship. World-record holder…

The main message from The Grace of Silence, the new memoir from Michele Norris of NPR, is that all of us can be black historians — and that we need to hop to it with all deliberate speed. The takeaway points in the book are memorable in themselves — but even more interesting in where…