Many of our loyal readers who visit the site like the turn it has taken, while others don’t. As our site has grown, the amount of emails with feedback we have received has increased as well. I am grateful for the feedback whether it be positive or negative because we aren’t here to just do what we’d like, but what our audience requests and needs.

Within the last year and a half, we have grown from a site that had a blog like feel, to one that is now a partner with another prominent African American news website, TheGrio; and has partnerships with some of the biggest names on the web like The Huffington Post, Newser, and The Daily Beast to name a few. We went through a site redesign, leadership changes, and built some new relationships that have and will serve us well in the future.

As of today, due to the hard work we’ve done, we’ve grown to average 1 million unique visitors a month. A great accomplishment that is double of what we averaged at this time last year. But even if the lifeblood of websites nowadays is advertising and traffic numbers, it’s not all about that for us. A topic that our readers know all too well about from some of the comments I’ve read, and from some of the content we’ve posted for those purposes only (just being honest).

In the last 4 months, NewsOne has taken a stronger look and approach towards the editorial content on the site. Not the aggregated content, but the original material. We did an expose on the history of a Harlem Sewage Plant, and corrected one of the biggest newspapers in the country, the NY Daily News, on one of the stories they wrote which contained an error.

Many websites across the Internet rely on aggregation, but we don’t want to be a website where you get updated on Black news from other entities. We want to be a site that creates that news. And while many of the budgets across the web are small as are the staffs, we will try our best to continue to provide you with original content.

We also want to make sure we stay engaged with our audience through the comments section and social media outlets like Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.

In the coming year, we will be faced with the possible re-election of President Barack Obama. While many on this site have been critical of our coverage of the president (too biased in his favor), I wanted to say that I feel we have covered him from a plethora of angles.

We do support the president in his reelection bid because we believe his policies are well intended to help the Black community. Whether they have to date or not is a different discussion. And while many will point to rising Black unemployment, foreclosure numbers, and even the Latino community can point to increased deportations, do we really think those numbers would be better under a Republican president?

In final, I want to once again thank our readers for the continued support of our website. I am looking forward to incorporating citizen journalism into the site in the coming year where we will have NewsOne readers from across the country contributing news pieces in areas the mainstream ignores.

Our mission is to not only educate and inform the Black community, but serve it as well; and we promise to continue growing at the job we’re doing in the coming year.

The Rev. Al Sharpton spoke Tuesday about the importance of Black digital media at the headquarters of the largest digital media company super-targeted to the African-American audience according to Comscore, InteractiveOne.

RELATED: Sharpton Heads Class Of Top 15 Civil Rights Leaders Of The 21st Century

Sharpton’s appearance focused on his belief that not only is Black digital media important to the re-election of President Obama, but to the African American community at a time when many traditional media sources like radio and newspapers are not being consumed as they once were.

Text continued after video…

“Most Black kids are on the Internet and don’t know what day the Black paper comes out,” said Sharpton. “Interactive One has approached the new model that will set the historical pattern for the next 100 years. The question is are we committed to making it work and are we up for the test.”

Top Quotes From Sharpton’s Talk At InteractiveOne:

Well just like [Berry] Gordy and Motown were the beginning and authors of the new era in American culture. You are a part of a new era in how we communicate to Black America, and make a profit without sacrificing authenticity.

This is not about how to do something good that has already been done. This is about how to do something that has never been done, and a 100 years from now they will study how we did it. That’s how you make the hall of fame; you make the hall of fame by changing the game. Ask Lebron. You can’t just make the playoffs, you have to win.

You’re the only entity right now that exists that can cover TV, to radio to the interactive, make it one neat package and become the model on how this is done from here on. And what you want is for people to say, “let’s study the Interactive One model.” That must be your commitment.

This business that Alfred Liggins (Founder and CEO of Radio One) has put together has been something far underestimated because other than Murdoch, who understands the combining of television and radio…Blacks are not there yet.

*Rev. Al Sharpton is a featured blogger for NewsOne.Com*

RELATED: National Action Network Celebrates 20th Anniversary

With Black educators, journalists, and pundits criticizing Obama for the lack of a “Black Agenda,” and his fall from grace with many white voters, Obama needs to shore up his Black voter base to have any chance at re-election in 2012.

Last week, Obama took the first step towards that goal by speaking at Rev. Al Sharpton’s 2011 National Action Network convention.

Director of Photography/Editor: Jon Goff

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NAN Convention stamps Sharpton as premier civil rights leader

Sharpton convention is about action, not speeches

The National Action Network’s 20th Anniversary Celebration was capped off this past weekend with a panel titled “Measuring The Movement.”

When you think of civil rights leaders since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., you can’t have a conversation without mentioning the man who many consider to be the measuring stick, Reverend Al Sharpton.

Last week, Sharpton brought together a host of luminaries which included President Obama, to discuss the issues affecting Black Americans in these trying times in which African-American unemployment (15 percent) is higher than the population itself (13 percent).

NewsOne Columnist Rev. Al Sharpton named to Top 15 Civil Rights Leaders of 21st Century

RELATED: Differing Views On Black Media Duke It Out At Sharpton Convention

While many Black educators, journalists, and politicians have been critical of Obama’s resistance to create a “Black Agenda,” Sharpton used his convention to spread the message of “personal responsibility.”

In the convention’s opening remarks, Sharpton said the four-day gathering wasn’t just to remind President Obama of the issues affecting us, but how we can help make his job easier and improve our situation at the same time.

“We are here to make changes on our own because we aren’t the National Pontification Network or the National Procrastination Network, we are the National Action Network,” said Sharpton.

Following the conference, many attendees wondered why personal responsibility was the main theme, when the issues affecting African Americans are problems the community has no political control over such as jobs, education, and violence.

Featured speakers from President Obama’s cabinet, Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, begged to disagree.

“There are still parents skipping school meetings, feeding their children unhealthy breakfasts’ and lunches, and not turning off the TV when it’s time to do homework,” said Duncan.

Attorney General Eric Holder touched on the topic of guns and violence in African American communities.

‘It’s time for us to take back our communities and push the drug dealers out, work closer with the police, and help end the violence.”

While many of these remarks were met with applause and shouts of “yes,” many in the crowd rolled their eyes.

And this was the convention.

A place where older African Americans came together to voice their complaints. A convention where republicans sat next to democrats, whites sat next to Blacks, and teenagers sat next to senior citizens for four days. While everyone may not have agreed with each other, they gained something more important – they learned from one another.

Twenty years ago, Sharpton was embroiled in the controversial Tawanna Brawley rape case. A case which damaged Sharpton’s credibility. Many thought he would never bounce back. But he kept on marching; he marched for Yusef Hawkins in 1989, marched for Abner Louima in 1997, marched for the Jena Six in 2007, and has continued to march for where he believes injustice has occurred.

But Sharpton is no longer content with leading at the front of the line. He’s learned that he’s only as powerful as the people behind him, and while he’ll continue fighting for Black causes, he also wants to inspire us to realize how much passion there is within us to improve our communities.

“We can’t always look at others to lead us,” said Sharpton. “Sometimes, we have to look at the person in the mirror and see that we’re capable of creating just as much change as that person in the Oval Office.”

Click here for the complete recap of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

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New York — When political commentator and radio show host Sean Hannity walked in to face-off against Rev. Al Sharpton in “The Great Debate” at the National Action Network’s 20th Anniversary Convention, the crowd gave him a welcome suited for a sports team on the road.

“‘I thought you guys were here to root for me and not him,” said a smiling Hannity to a chorus of boos. While he was speaking, Sharpton was introduced and stood in front of him to a standing ovation.

“Hannity, you know better than to say that. This is my turf,” said Sharpton as the crowd jumped up and down chanting his name.

But while both men stand on opposite ends of the political spectrum, Sharpton told the audience that this is an important moment in our political discourse.

“Some of you may support Hannity -  and some of you may support me – but at least we are able to sit here and discuss our differences peacefully,” said Sharpton. “This is what America is all about.”

Hannity echoed the sentiment.

“Rev. Al, over the years, you and I have had passionate debates, and we often disagree,” Hannity said. “I’m very, very honored to be back again because in spite of our disagreements, we have had a free and fair and open exchange of ideas. It’s an honor to be back.”

The crowd of close to 300 was predominantly African American and pro-Sharpton, but Hannity made sure to inform his viewers and listeners of the debate. As evident, when he began to slam President Obama.

“The country is 14 trillion in debt, but the president is too busy playing basketball, golf, and filling out college tournament brackets,” said Hannity as his mostly white supporters cheered on the Obama criticisms. “He’s created the most debt of any president in U.S. history and is mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren.”

As Sharpton looked on shaking his head to Hannity’s comments, he took on the shouts of his supporters who were saying: “Bush made this mess!”

“As far as I can remember, Obama inherited a failing Wall Street, a dead auto industry and he’s revived them all,” said Sharpton. “You want to start the economic story with Obama restoring an American house that had been leveled, rather than starting with the fact that the American house was leveled economically and he had to do things to rebuild the house that he didn’t bring down.”

Hannity quickly snapped back.

“Oh, can we stop blaming Bush already? Are the women in this crowd going to blame Bush if they magically become pregnant tomorrow? Stop taking the blame away from your so-called messiah,” said Hannity who repeatedly called Obama that throughout the debate.

Sharpton fired back.

“The problem is,” said Sharpton, “that if you’re going to have a messiah, he has to at least hang around for the resurrection.”

The quip brought Sharpton’s supporters to their feet in the loudest ovation of the debate.

While the debate continued to go back and forth and had its share of laughs, the crowd seemed to gain more than just a debate from this gathering.

“Today, I was able to sit next to someone who didn’t share my political positions at all. Someone who I thought I could never have a conversation with. But we sat next to each other and talked,” said 46-year-old teacher Margaret Smith of Cincinnati. “Too many times we break down our political ideologies through racial lines, and think we can’t be friends with others. But all it takes is a hello.”

The lady who sat next to her echoed the same sentiment with a little jab at the end.

“I thought the same. I thought this white lady was scared to sit next to me,” said 32-year-old Jericha Portraine of New Jersey. “But we sat down and had a good conversation. Too bad for her that Hannity lost the debate.”

“Obama 2012!” she yelled.

RELATED: Top Five Things To Watch For At Sharpton’s NAN Convention

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

Here are some of the stand-out quotes from Day 2 of the National Action Network Convention.

Rev. Al Sharpton Founder of National Action Network

“I didn’t know there were any black folks in Iowa,” when referring to the Dean of the University of Northern Iowa, who happens to be Black, Dr. Dwight C. Watson

“When Lehman brothers and the auto industry went down, there was 1 man in office. It was George Bush.”

“We can have different opinions Hannity, but we can’t have different facts.”

“You have been unable to coalesce a theme for the republicans.”

Sean Hannity, Fox News Host

“The country is 14 trillion in debt, but Obama’s too busy playing basketball, golf, and writing brackets.”

“Obama is robbing our children and grandchildren of the American dream.”

“Since Obama has been president, i think he has failed to create jobs, opportunities and has been irresponsible and reckless. It’s time to get on a better course.”

It’s time for Obama to man up put his pants up and take responsibility for the mess he’s made. The single most disastrous, financial policies ever created have been by Pres. Obama.”

“Obama has taken a sledgehammer to the American constitution.”

“The land of opportunity has now become the land of debt”

Lady reacts to news of Cathie Black resigning

“Hallelujah. She saw the light!?”

Zakiyah Ansari, Parent Leader, NYC Coalition for Educational Justice

“We don’t accept the label of parents of color not caring.”

Michael Mulgrew, President of United Federation of Teachers

“We need education reform and now.”

“The country’s that do the best don’t do standardized tests. They try to develop this child as a person.”

“I went to a school one day and an 18-year-old did not know who MLK was. There’s a problem in our education system.”

Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association

“We cannot wait five or 10 years to reform education, we need to do this now.”

“I already know what will happen to the graduating class of 2020 because nothing has been changed to alter the educational fates of these children.”

“I hope we all leave this conference gloriously dissatisfied with how things are so we can go change things.”

Dr. Dwight C. Watson, Dean, College of Education, University of Northern Iowa

“The hands of education are in the hands of white teachers who may not be culturally competent”

“We have too many teachers in classrooms who are scared of the kids they are teaching.”

“We need to have a triangle fortress covering our children. Our teachers, parents, and neighbors used to be the 3 points of a triangle with the child in the middle. We need to get back to that.”

“Too many white teachers say they are color blind. No, don’t tell me you’re color blind because I want you to be color conscious.”

“Who was Martin Luther King?, I once asked a young girl and she said that he freed the slaves. It’s time for us to stop depending on the teachers, and educating students ourselves.”

RELATED: Top Five Things To Watch For At Sharpton’s NAN Convention

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

“To go through what those people are going through would be a complete nightmare,” said construction worker Bernie Simmons of Brooklyn, NY.

According to Stuart Applebaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, African-Americans who are in unions are 12 percent more likely to have health insurance benefits and a pension plan than non-Black unionized workers.

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“Collective bargaining has lifted up people of color and women the most,” said Applebaum in a speech today at the 2011 National Action Network convention. “Unions continue to be a core element of improving economic equality in this country and we can’t let them take our rights away and we won’t.”

According to the Center for Economic Policy and Research, union members earn almost 30 percent more than non-union members, and women in unions earn 28 percent more than non-union women.

In New York City, the Bloomberg administration’s attempt to privatize many facets of city government isn’t going unnoticed, according to the Executive Director of District Council 37, Lillian Roberts.

“We have to fight because if we don’t it can happen here. Don’t close your eyes. It’s going on right beneath us,” said Roberts.

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

MORE: Hello Beautiful’s 25 Black Women To Know!

NEW YORK — Black attendees at the National Action Network convention celebrated raucously today when news broke of the resignation of embattled New York City public schools chancellor Cathleen P. Black, to be replaced by Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott, an African-American.

“Hallelujah,” screamed a woman who jumped out of her seat during a panel on collective bargaining, spinning and high-fiving a neighbor. “She has seen the light!”

The removal of Black was a shock to many, including those in the audience who believe she had weathered the rough waters since her hiring by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and was now safe.

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“Kathie Black got fired? I have a child in a public school in the city and for them to bring in a complete outsider was a joke. I’m glad she’s gone,” said Martha Smith of Brooklyn, NY.

The departure of the former magazine executive with no education experience comes after four months of public gaffes that destroyed her public image and tarnished Bloomberg’s reputation.  In a Quinnipiac University poll conducted last month, Black’s approval rating was a dismal 17 percent. Close to 50 percent of respondents called for her resignation.

Many feel this was impetus for Bloomberg to jettison her.

“After those numbers broke, how can you not get rid of her?” said a smiling Janice Hawkins who celebrated with a friend upon hearing the news.

Walcott will now step in to run the largest public school district in the nation with over one million students.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz released a statement praising the hiring of Walcott.

“I join all of Brooklyn and our borough’s 300,000 public school students and their families in wholeheartedly welcoming Dennis Walcott—a proud son of New York City and product of the public school system, educator and, perhaps most importantly, parent and grandparent—as New York City Schools Chancellor.”

Even before the news of Black’s resignation broke, one panelist lodged a prescient grievance against Black. Norman Seabrook, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, mentioned that Black didn’t belong in her position, and that Walcott was better suited for the job.

Close to an hour later, he broke the news of Black’s removal to the stunned, joyous crowd.

“I guess you can call me a visionary,” said a laughing Seabrook to audience applause.

According to Seabrook, a source close to Bloomberg’s office told him that the criticism of Black’s hiring was too much for the mayor to continue handling.

“Bloomberg’s office isn’t interested in dealing with this issue anymore, and have decided to replace her despite reports that she resigned,” Seabrook said.

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

MORE: Hello Beautiful’s 25 Black Women To Know!

Additional reporting by Karla Ovalle and Sheree Smith

New York — Day 1 of the National Action Network’s 20th Anniversary Celebration brought together a mix of personalities that provided not just inspiration, but laughs throughout.

Here are some of the standout quotes:

Rev. Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network:

“Please turn off your cell phones because the Lord isn’t going to call you, he will call me and i’ll let you know.”

“I know some people brought their cheerleading squads, but you don’t have to stand up and cheer every time they speak.”

“If you’re so passionate that you can’t hold it, please raise your hand and talk because no one paid their money to come and see you have a fit,” said Sharpton to laughter. “I can see when a fit is coming…I can see it in your face,” said a smiling Sharpton.

Pastor David Jefferson Sr. of Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark NJ:

“We are at a defining moment and every time we’ve had one, it’s because God has helped to set that stage for appropriate leadership. We have a confidence crisis in our country. We have lost all our confidence in our political representatives. People keep talking about issues by the water cooler, but not bringing them to the surface; to the media level where an impact can be made. We can no longer have these issues in the closet.”

“We need to help our young people because they’ve lost the worth of education system because they don’t see any jobs at the end of the tunnel when everyone else is unemployed.”

Roberto Ramirez, Founding Partner of MirRam Group:

“We need to address the wealth disparities in this country. If we can address the deficit and bailing out Wall Street, we can help our poor people in this country. We need to be just as prepared to help Blacks and Latinos whose houses are being foreclosed. It is impossible that the only job extension in this country can be unemployment extension.”

“We live in the richest city in the country; we have the richest mayor in the world; we have the largest bonuses given to Wall Street, but nine congressional districts have close to 20 percent of the people without enough money to feed themselves. We need to be just as ready to help our poor people here than we are to help people outside of our country.”

Lee A. Saunders, Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME:

“No applause, I don’t want you guys getting kicked out. You heard what Al said about clapping earlier.”

Kirsten John Foy, Director of Intergovernmental and Community Affairs for Office of NYC Public Advocate:

“The election of Pres. Obama ripped a band-aid off, but it also left a scab which is now bleeding. They are using this president as a tool to organize so they can change this country forever.”

George Gresham, President 1199 SEIU:

“We have to strengthen President Obama’s voice, but by strengthening our voice so he can take action for his base.”

“What gave me hope as a Black man was that I grew up in a segregated state and then saw my state vote for him in a primary (South Carolina).”

“Everyone knows that we wouldn’t have celebrated if Clarence Thomas was elected. It wasn’t because it was a Black man; It was the right black man. One that showed he cared about our people.”

“They aren’t attacking President Obama, they are trying to tear all of us down because he’s a symbol for working people.”

Charles Blow, NYTimes Columnist:

“Who will feel secure in this society? We want the rich and the businesses to feel secure so they will spend money.”

“The whole Tea Party movement is about fear. They’re about making poor people feel insecure.”

David Axelrod, Political Consultant:

“The future isn’t a gift, it is an achievement.”

“I wonder what it would be like to be here when things were good.”

Eric Holder, US Attorney General:

“We have not reached the promised land that Dr. King spoke of, or realized his dream.”

RELATED: President Obama To Speak At Sharpton Convention Today

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

NEW YORK — While April is fair housing month around the country, many Black Americans are struggling to find what’s fair about the foreclosure crisis – especially in Queens, New York.

Accoridng to U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, in the year 2000, Queens was the only county in the nation where the income of Black households was higher than that of white households.

RELATED: Top Five Things To Watch For At Sharpton’s NAN Convention

But by the year 2007, Black income in Queens had plummeted.

The reason, Donovan said, was the predatory lending that led to the subprime mortgage crisis. In 2007, 33 percent of the loans given out in New York City were predatory. These loans went to borrowers with credit scores that should have qualified them for conventional prevailing-rate loans.

Donovan spoke today at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention, attended by many victims of the recent housing plunge.

“I was a victim of the crisis and was able to recover – but I have many friends who are now going through it – and losing something they have worked so hard for is tough for them,” said 56-year-old Artis Lang of Forest Hills, NY.

Jane Brewer, a middle-aged woman who grew up in Jamaica, Queens, has seen the dramatic shift from filled houses to “for sale” signs.

”It’s sad to see so many people lose their homes. I just hope some of them will be able to either keep them or get them back one day.”

RELATED: President Obama To Speak At Sharpton Convention Today

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

To correct this issue, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has built a foreclosure counseling program which has helped many African Americans from East Cleveland, Ohio to Jamaica hold on to their houses.

 This program, which launched early last year, provides counseling to many who need to make their rent or mortgage payments and instructs them to be a responsible tenant or owner in other ways.

“We have pushed back against this devastating crisis and it starts with the six million families we have provided counseling to,” said Donovan. “It’s a commitment we are making to the people of this country to help them keep their homes.”

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama spread messages of personal responsibility and unity at the 20th anniversary of Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network Convention today before a host of notable figures in politics, sports, and entertainment.

“We have to work much harder as a people. We have to step up our game,” said Obama. “If we want to attract new jobs and opportunities, we have to make sure we can outcompete the rest of the world.”

The convention’s first day focused on the themes of education, violence, and unemployment with panelists from Obama’s cabinet such as Attorney General Eric Holder, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan.

Obama touched on the prevailing issue of Black unemployment which was a highly talked about topic throughout the day.

“If there is high unemployment amongst Black and Latino men, that’s an American problem because we are all one people.”

But Obama reserved most of his speech for what seems to be a big issue in his reelection campaign, education, calling it the “civil rights issue of our time.”

“When there’s an achievement gap amongst students of different races, that an American problem,” said Obama. “If there are too many kids dropping out of school that are Black, that’s an American problem.

RELATED: Sharpton: “Convention Is About Action, Not Speeches”

“And we wonder why our boys are struggling,” Duncan said. “We need more Latino and African American male teachers. We need to show these kids that they can also educate people just like them when they grow up.” Duncan used the convention to promote the federal TEACH campaign that persuades male minorities to enter education.
 The program was launched in the Fall 2010.

RELATED: Top Five Things To Watch For At Sharpton’s NAN Convention

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

Duncan recounted a story from the days after he was appointed to President Obama’s cabinet in 2008, when he sat down with Sharpton and professed that the civil rights issue of the 21st century was no longer race.

“The issue is education,” Duncan told Sharpton. “We have to do whatever it takes to educate our children and we’re currently failing,” said Duncan.

.

RELATED: President Obama To Speak At Sharpton Convention Today

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

MORE: Hello Beautiful’s 25 Black Women To Know!

“This is a working convention,” Sharpton said. “This is why it’s called the National Action Network; not the National Pontificating Network or National Procrastination Network. We have real problems, real pain, and we really need to deal with that in our community. We have no time for showboating.”

RELATED: Top Five Things To Watch For At Sharpton’s NAN Convention

The National Action Network, founded in 1991, is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the country, dedicated to the principles of non-violent direct action and civil disobedience.

“We have been fighting for a long time and will continue to do so,” Sharpton continued. “We will talk about the issues affecting our country and create a plan of action to bring these issues to the table right now.”

With the 2012 election season begun, the convention commenced with the panel “Politics 2011-2012: What are the Issues?” moderated by Sharpton and featuring panelists such as New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow, former congressman and NYU professor Harold E. Ford Jr., and others.

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

RELATED: President Obama To Speak At Sharpton Convention Today

The panel focused on issues such as collective bargaining, immigration, and poverty rates. But the center of the attention was dedicated to  unemployment.

With Black unemployment currently at 15 percent and rising, the long lines at job fairs were what affected Lee A. Saunders, treasurer of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

“It’s pretty simple – the issues are jobs and the economy, jobs and the economy, and let me re-emphasize, jobs and the economy,” Saunders said.

Other panelists like MirRam Group founder Roberto Ramirez spoke about the lack of empathy for working people.

“We need to address the wealth disparities in this country,” said Ramirez. “If we can address the deficit and bailing out Wall Street, we can help our poor people in this country. We need to be just as prepared to help Blacks and Latinos whose houses are being foreclosed as those who don’t have a problem paying their mortgage. It is unbelievable that the only job extension in this country can be unemployment extension.”

While jobs were a central issue of the conference, the issue of immigration brought strong emotion from both Ramirez and George Gresham, president of 1199 SEIU.

Said Ramirez: “We are currently under an administration which has deported more individuals than our previous administration. Which is shocking. We can’t even pass something as simple as the Dream Act. Why? Because they’ve put a million requirements to be able to qualify to stay in this country.

“I’m surprised being left-handed isn’t one,” said Ramirez to laughter and clapping.

The rest of the day’s schedule includes panels focusing on guns and violence, plenary presentations by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and a speech by President Obama.

At the end of the first panel, Sharpton announced that he will be going on a city-to-city tour with details to emerge at the end of the convention.

Keep us bookmarked for continuous coverage of Sharpton’s 2011 NAN Convention!

RELATED: President Obama To Speak At Sharpton Convention Today

Washington D.C. — President Obama on Tuesday honored Civil Rights icon John Lewis, poet and activist Maya Angelou, NBA Hall of Fame member Bill Russell and twelve others with the 2010 Medal of Freedom honor.

In a ceremony held in the White House, Obama relished the opportunity to ‘meet with and honor some of the most extraordinary people in America.’

“When you look at the men and women here today, it shows you who we are,” said Obama. “We aren’t a country just about the men and women we produce, but those men and women we also honor.”

The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is presented to those who have made important contributions in public and private endeavors for the U.S. The medal was created by President Harry S. Truman to honor civilian service in World War II.

During the ceremony, Obama revealed how his mother admired Maya Angelou so much she named his sister after her. The president also spoke about the legendary Congressman John Lewis who had a reception later that evening with the likes of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congressman James Clyburn, and Senator Harry Reid honoring him.

“Time and time again Congressman Lewis almost lost his life so we can enjoy ours today,” said Obama. “We aspire to be a more just, equal, perfect union when we give an honor like this to Congressman Lewis.”

Lewis, who was the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963 and almost lost his life battling for equal rights during the civil rights era,  spoke about what he’s witnessed in all his time serving his country.

“I am honored to be receiving this award. It’s a testament to all the work we have done and the change that we have all experienced,” said Lewis. “If you don’t believe there’s been change in this country, I invite you to walk in my shoes.”

But the Medal of Freedom ceremony also had a touch of humor as the president targeted Russell and investor Warren Buffet with one-liners.

“When Warren was a kid he lost a few bucks on his first stock and let’s just say he didn’t give up there and made a few more buys after that to some success,” said Obama to laughter from those in attendance.

As Obama prepared to honor Russell, the crowd laughed wondering how he would place the medal around his neck. Russell, who towers over the president, lowered his body to make it as easy as possible.

“Do we have a ladder?” quipped Obama. “Also, does everyone know that Bill was cut from his junior high school team?” “I guess we can say he’s done pretty good since.”

Other winners of the Medal of Freedom included former President George H.W. Bush, Hall of Fame baseball player Stan Musial, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, co-founder of NRDC John H. Adams, artist Jasper Johns, Holocaust survivor and author Gerda Weissmann Klein, humanitarian Dr. Tom Little, civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez, founder of VSA Jean Kennedy Smith, musician Yo-Yo Ma, and President Emeritus of the AFL-CIO John Sweeney.

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TV One, the six-year-old cable network owned by Radio One*, announced today their upcoming series for 2011 with their first-ever announcement event for advertisers and media.

Over 200 industry executives braved the icy, New York City streets to see network stars like Toccarra, LisaRaye, Roland Martin, Tatyana Ali, and a host of others at the world-renowned Cipriani restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

The event, hosted by Chris “Kid” Reid of Kid ‘N Play fame, was a celebration of the network’s 2010 season, their most successful ever, and previewed this year’s programming offering which begins with their Black History Month campaign, Way Black When.

The month-long series takes viewers on a journey through what many consider to be the “Golden Age” of Black culture – the 70s, 80s and 90s, with hosts such as Sinbad, Niecy Nash and Chris “Kid” Reid.

In addition, TV One’s most popular show, “LisaRaye: The Real McCoy,” returns for another season; as will Donald Trump’s dating show, “The Ultimate Merger.” Toccarra replaces last season’s star, Omarosa, as the bachelorette.

The return of these hit shows, along with the channel’s new series, have TV One President and CEO, Johnathan Rodgers, optimistic about the company’s direction.

“Our real-life and entertainment programming strategy has been a big success, and is resonating with viewers,” said Rodgers.

TV One’s season preview also featured performances from classic R&B group Mint Condition, who opened the show with their classic “Pretty Brown Eyes,” and Bell Biv Devoe, who finished the event with their songs “Poison” and “Do Me Baby.”

With additional programming starring R&B star Ginuwine (“Unsung”), “Washington Watch” host Roland Martin, and former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Tatyana Ali in her new show “Love That Girl,” Rodgers hopes to create a stronger bond with his audience.

“We are looking forward to an even better year in 2011, based on compelling entertainment programming coupled with intimate glimpses into the real lives of the entertainers who have touched our lives.”

*NewsOne is also owned by Radio One.

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The American Civil War has been retold in many ways, but none in the gripping, powerful fashion director Matthew Lopez has provided us with in “The Whipping Man.”

Lopez, who brought the play to the Manhattan Theater Club for Black History Month and beyond – takes us to a time we can only envision in history books – April 9, 1865. A landmark moment in American history when General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox. A surrender that changed the world forever;  just one week after slaves saw the chains on their wrists unlocked. A world where they were now free.

And this is where the story begins with a hobbling, young Jewish Confederate soldier, Caleb DeLeon, played by Jay Wilkison (film version of Rabbit Hole) limping into a run-down house in Richmond, Virginia. A house rotted to its core by the war and torrential rains. Caleb, soaked in rain and blood, falls to the ground alerting the only habitant of the house, Simon, a senior Black man played by two-time Emmy Award winner Andre Braugher (“Men of a Certain Age,” “Homicide”), who slowly paced to the front door with a shotgun.

“Who goes there?,” he shouted.

From here, we are introduced to another cast member, John, played by Andre Holland (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Brother/Sister Plays) whose story adds another startling dimension to this play.

The Whipping Man then continues on a path of twists and turns climaxing with a Passover Seder where secrets are untangled between the two Black Jews and the Confederate soldier.

While the plot and performances are exceptional and note-worthy, the intimacy of the theatergoers experience is what gives this play its legs. The NY City Center provides its audience with an intimacy foreign to regular theatergoers. Some audience members are as close as two steps away from the action; while the farthest one is away is 20 feet. The close proximity of the actors to the audience provide for an experience that is not only sure to keep you engaged, but entertained.

The Whipping Man is a compelling work that packs a story worthy of a movie into two hours. A story that as long ago as it may be, still holds significance today in a nation that may be much closer than back then, but is still divided through race and religion.

TICKETING INFORMATION FOR THE WHIPPING MAN:
- Tickets for THE WHIPPING MAN are available via the New York City Center Box Office (131 West 55th Street), CityTix® (212-581-1212) and www.nycitycenter.org.
- Tickets for THE WHIPPING MAN are $80.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Please note THE WHIPPING MAN is dark on Mondays:
- NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6: Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, Sunday at 7 PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM.
- MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7 – SUNDAY, MARCH 6: Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 PM.
- MONDAY, MARCH 7 – SUNDAY, MARCH 13: Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Please note there will only by seven performances on sale to the general public this week.
- MONDAY, MARCH 14 – SUNDAY, MARCH 20: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 PM, Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2 PM.

For more information on MTC, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com

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A conversation concerning the current state and future of our country will take place this week in D.C., and it won’t be held in the halls of Congress or The White House.

Tavis Smiley’s “America’s Next Chapter” will air this Thursday from 6 to 9 P.M. EST on C-Span and feature eight prominent figures of all political and racial backgrounds conversing about the problems affecting our country; and what can be done to alleviate some of the weight on the backs and shoulders of the American public.

Last week, we had the pleasure of sitting down and talking to Smiley about his panel, President Obama’s agenda, and the current state of Black America.

NewsOne: Tell me about America’s Next Chapter and what you hope to accomplish from it?

Tavis Smiley: Over the last dozen years, I’ve done a number of these bringing together influencers both inside and outside of Washington. This will be a three hour conversation two weeks before the State of the Union, the halfway point of President Obama’s first term, and the entrance of a new Congress. We also can’t forget that the current black RNC Chairman Michael Steele may be out of a job by this weekend.

I think the timing is great for us to have this discussion. According to a recent Rasmussen poll, nearly half of all Americans think our best days are behind us.

NewsOne: Do you think that poll may have skewed towards Whites more because they seem to be the ones concerned about the future of country more than Blacks?

Tavis Smiley: I’ve done some polling on my own and Blacks are definitely more hopeful than Whites. But throughout history, despite what’s happened to us, we are a hopeful people and haven’t done anything without that hope.

When you throw in that we have a Black President, you have to expect us to be more understanding of the current situation and more optimistic with the country in his hands. But, at the same time, we cannot dispute that we are catching the most hell. Unemployment is at sixteen percent. How much faith can you have when you are catching the most hell?

NewsOne: Do you think there has been enough focus on the people catching the most “hell?”

Tavis Smiley: Not at all. There has to be more of a focus on getting all people back to work; but speaking from a Black perspective, having unemployment this high is startling.

NewsOne: But don’t you agree that as President he can’t focus on one specific group’s plight especially when that plight is one that the whole country is going through?

Tavis Smiley: Our President may be accused of being tribal, but to the victors go the spoils. Over 90 percent of Blacks voted for him. We are his most loyal base and the White House and Congress have turned their backs to our community in our most pressing time. There has to be a way to sync those two things; those who vote for you deserve to be rewarded.

NewsOne: Do you think the Obama Administration focused on the right initiatives out of the gate?

Tavis Smiley: Healthcare was the major focus out of the gate for President Obama. But the main issue was unemployment at the time and things haven’t changed. It’s sort of like being rushed to the hospital and getting shot in the chest, but they look at your foot. Healthcare is a major problem in our country, but only jobs put food on the table and clothes on our backs.

NewsOne: Recently, President Obama passed the Bush Tax Cuts in an end to his year which many people saw as a great rebound from his shellacking in the Midterm Elections. What do you think of the Bush Tax Cuts?

Tavis Smiley: Well, what I think is what many top economists like Paul Krugman think; the stimulus was not big enough for the country to rebound and the Bush Tax Cuts extension is not the answer either. We also have to realize that the money that came from the stimulus went through the states and not the cities. If you want to help the people who have been hit hardest, you have to support the cities. That’s where the people are catching hell.

NewsOne: Can you point to specific examples of action your panels have produced in the past?

Tavis Smiley: These conversations always yield something. We have produced three NYTimes best-selling books: The Covenant with Black America, The Covenant in Action, and Accountable. These books went in order from the 10 most important issues to our community, to how we can gather ideas to fix these issues, and the last book detailed everything President Obama promised us during his campaign trail. These panels and books have allowed Americans to follow exactly what our current President promised and if he decides to stick to his word.

NewsOne: Have you seen any legislation passed or have any hope of things changing on an employment level?

Tavis Smiley: I sure do hope so, but I haven’t seen anything that makes me any more optimistic for the future. I understand why the American public is pessimistic about the future which is why we’re holding this panel. This can be a great start to a month where a lot can change for the American public.

The broadcast of “America’s Next Chapter” will be replayed in three parts on January 18, 19, and 20.

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New York — When Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones was five-years old, he swam to a part of the pool he wasn’t supposed to – the deep end. That day he nearly drowned and lost his life. But instead of allowing the fear to engulf him, Jones went ahead and asked his parents to teach him how to swim.

Earlier this year, six African-American teenagers in Shreveport, Louisiana weren’t as lucky. On a day that was supposed to be full of fun, dancing and barbecuing, tragedy struck when six teenagers drowned in the deep 20-30 feet waters of the Louisiana Red River.

When Cullen, who was preparing for his most important swim meet of the year heard the news, he was devastated.

“I couldn’t believe it. Just the mental picture of mothers and fathers crying as they watch their children drown really broke me down,” said Jones.

This tragedy, along with the alarming statistic that nine people drown daily in the U.S. have brought the Olympic gold medalist, U.S.A Swimming, and Conoco Phillips together to bring awareness to this epidemic with the safety campaign, “Make A Splash With Cullen Jones.”

“This is all part of an initiative to implore both children and adults to learn how to swim. It’s a life skill. If you can swim, you can not only navigate the water, but help to save lives,” said Sue Anderson, Director of Programs & Services for USA Swimming.

The campaign, in it’s second year, travels across the country to six major African-American and Latino hubs where swimming rates are low. This year, the tour made stops in Omaha, Washington D.C., Shreveport, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. According to a recent study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis, 70 percent of Black children and 58 percent of Latino children report low to no swimming ability, putting them at risk of drowning. In addition, African-American children in similar age groups are three times more likely to drown than their white counterparts.

“As an African-American, these numbers are really eye-opening. I knew many of us didn’t know how to swim, but for the numbers to be that high, I knew we had to take serious, quick action,” said Jones.

Sue Anderson, who knew Cullen before the gold medal fame, was proud of the olympian when she saw him wearing his Olympic gold medal in 2008. But her goal is to see more faces like Cullen’s not only standing on that podium, but in Olympic swimming as a whole.

“We want our sport to mirror the population of the US which is so diverse,” said Anderson.

These statistics not only caught the eye of swimming instructors across the country, but energy company Conoco Phillips which has been a partner of USA Swimming for over 30 years.

“As safety is ingrained in our company culture, we felt it was only right to be involved in this program to help protect children,” said Kristi DesJarlais Manager, Global Brand & Community Investment at ConocoPhillips.

Make A Splash has contributed swimming lessons to 563,000 kids in the last three years. Close to 22,000 of them have received free or discounted lessons. Some of those kids belong to PS 3 in New York – where Cullen made a stop last week on his tour – and spoke to the schools children; and then took a dip with five of them at the local YMCA.

“When I first met Cullen, I thought he was a basketball player. When I found out he was a swimmer and was going to teach us how to swim and won in the Olympics, I was excited because I can already play basketball,” said 10 year-old student Drew.

The children who soaked in Cullen’s every word like the swimsuits they were in, learned different swimming techniques, but still wish some of their friends knew how to swim too.

“As much as I’ve learned, I hope to see my friends learn too. Not many of them know how to swim,” said 8 year-old student Nicholas.

While many of the children who accompanied Cullen in the pool were in the middle stages of learning how to swim, many African American children have barely touched the water. When Cullen travels the country and asks children if they want to learn how to swim, many raise their hands. When he asks them if they’ve ever been in the water, the hands go down.

Cullen attributes 3 reasons to why young boys, girls and adults have not bothered.

“Fear, parents, and physical appearance,” said Jones.

“We were rejected from pools for centuries and our history with water isn’t the greatest. Secondly, many of our parents don’t know how to swim, so they don’t really care for their kids to learn either. Lastly, we all love to take care of our skin and hair, but there are things we can do/use to combat those issues. For example, hair, I understand Black women and not wanting their hair to get messed up, but let’s just get braids for a bit and learn how to swim. Then, you can spend your hard-earned money on that weave. ”

As the kids continue to learn how to swim at every tour stop, Cullen still finds his mind drifting away to those victims in Shreveport.

“It’s unfortunate that a tragedy had to occur for the community to become proactive about swimming. The goal is to never have this happen again. We want everyone to have this skill,” said Jones.

While he’s been honing the skills of children across the country, Cullen still has a career to focus on; still has to keep his skills sharp. Last year, Cullen qualified for the Olympics and broke an American record in the 50 meter freestyle. But there’s still a lot of training left for the 26-year-old Jersey product with the 2012 Olympic games approaching in London. When asked about his goal for 2012, Cullen answered quickly.

“The goal is gold,” said Jones.

Robert Reid, an African-American swimming instructor in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, counts two gold medals on Cullen’s neck and not just one.

“The work he’s done for our community and our children makes me feel like he’s going for his third gold medal, instead of his second one. This is more important than anything he can ever accomplish as a professional swimmer. He’s not only saving lives, he’s changing lives.”

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New York– First Lady Michelle Obama brought her “Let’s Move Campaign” to chilly Harlem Thursday where she broke more than a sweat with area children.

Nearly 70 students from PS 180 packed the Central Harlem Police Athletic League for their special surprise visit.

“All we know is someone from Washington is coming,” shouted some of the kids. “We think it’s President Obama.”

Though many predicted the President was paying them a visit, the kids weren’t disappointed one bit when they saw the First Lady walk out in her workout gear to hop, skip and jump with them. One of the kids even screamed out she just saw Obama on the Disney Channel.

“Oh that’s right, I was on the Disney Channel,” laughed the First Lady.

The First Lady brought her anti-obesity kids program, “Let’s Move,” to the Tri-State area this past week where she also made an appearance at a Newark school with Mayor Cory Booker. But her stop in Harlem was one that was on her radar for a long time. Close to 50 percent of children in the Central Harlem zip codes she visited are “too heavy” according to the New York City Health Office. Another startling statistic was that one in five school kids in New York City are obese.

“Too many children don’t have the resources where they can work out at a center like this, or learn about eating healthier and that’s my mission,” said the First Lady. “For example, if you guys and girls want to become a Police Officer one day like a lot of your trainers, you’ll have to exercise and eat healthy. You’ll have to turn off the video games and run up the stairs. You’ll also have to talk to your parents about what’s good for you and what isn’t.”

NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly backed her claim by eliciting a loud “wow” from the students when explaining what it takes to become a police officer.

“First you have to climb a 6-foot wall, run a mile, and beat an obstacle course,” said Kelly, to the kids’ amazement.

“You hear that? You guys have to climb 6-foot walls and run a mile. You can’t do that without exercise and eating healthy right?,” said Obama, to screams of “no” from the children. “So let’s get started now. I know you guys have already exercised, but I want to work out too.”

The First Lady then proceeded to tackle three different obstacle courses with the energetic children that left her winded. First, she did some football drills – before proceeding to hop-scotch with hula hoops – and a running suicide drill where she met her toughest challenge, nine-year-old student Alex Rodriguez.

“I was so nervous to race her. When I saw I was ahead, I started slowing up a bit,” said Rodriguez. “I can’t beat her. That wouldn’t be nice.”

Alberto Guerrero, a PAL staff member, was elated to see the look on his kids faces.

“You can tell just by looking at these kids faces how inspired and proud they were.”

Guerrero also spoke about the feedback area parents have given him about the program.

“They are elated. Many of these parents work more than one job and don’t really have the time to watch if their kids are eating healthy and exercising. To have us around educating not only their children, but have their children educating them makes everything so much easier.”

More than 50,000 kids participate in the Police Athletic League in New York City yearly. While many didn’t get the chance to meet the First Lady, she will continue to spread the message of health to all.

“When you don’t have resources, you have to come up with creative ways to help your children. PS 180 and PAL have done just that and I expect others to do so as well.”

As Obama left, the children ran after her as if she were a rock-star. But many of the kids left jealous of what their classmate Alex Rodriguez experienced when he was next to the First Lady.

“I spoke to her about my grades and exercising. What was great was that she hugged me. I got to hug The First Lady. I never thought anything like this would ever happen. I’m so happy.”

Link to video of event

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