As he evolved away from his past as Detroit Red, he transformed himself first, into a loyal protégé of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, then, into a world renowned human rights activist. He never hid behind his legend to avoid speaking of his time as a petty criminal, instead using his story to bolster the confidence of everyday men facing his same struggles. He let them know, in no uncertain terms, that they didn’t have to have a pristine past to make a difference in the present and the future.

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The seismic shift that occurred in our culture, politics and philosophy as Black Americans in the ’50s and ’60s will forever be linked to brother Malcolm and his strength in the face of adversity, his unwillingness to bow to the hypocrisy that he had grown to see within the Nation of Islam, and his refusal to dilute his power for a country that feared his influence.

RELATED:

Malcolm Shabazz, Grandson Of Malcolm X, Dead At 28

Top 5 Malcolm X Speeches

When looking back at the often tumultuous days of Malcolm’s life, one can not help but wonder what was on his mind. As he began to separate from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the man he credited with saving his life, as he broke ranks with the Nation of Islam, the brothers he had molded into the image of Black manhood that was deemed necessary for the separation of Black and White Americans to be successful, as his philosophy began to shift away from merging race and religion, to his belief that matters of human rights can not be confined by such a flimsy institution, as he begin to realize that he was living a lie and all White Americans were no more our enemies than all Black Americans were our friends, what was on his mind?

Many of us forget that he was only 39-years-old when he was gunned down in the Audubon Ballroom just north of Harlem, New York on February 21, 1965. In his short life he went through three pivotal transformations that culminated with the founding of Organization of Afro-America Unity and Muslim Mosque, Inc. Though the two convergent movements never gained the traction and power of the NOI, it spoke to Malcolm’s influence that he was able to step out on purpose and take people with him that were ready to die for him.

Where are those leaders today?

As we celebrate the birth of Malcolm, I’m reminded of the day that I had the honor of meeting his eldest daughter, Ambassador Attallah Shabazz in Los Angeles. I was able to look into her eyes and see her father’s spirit, intelligence, resilience and passion — and to also tell her that he shaped my philosophy on religion, politics and race. I shared with her that he gave me strength to stand on principal when it seemed that no one was standing by my side. She smiled when I told her that when I was first introduced to his focus on human rights, rather than civil rights — because how can we expect civility until we are first considered human? — it changed my life.

In a poem I penned in 2011, I recount how I was also able to share my unyielding love and respect for the great El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz with my now 8-year-old son:

Today  my son went to school like any other day
He took his shower, brushed his hair, ate his breakfast and
Kissed me goodbye
But not before I told him about a man
Not before I explained to him that, though this man’s time was brief
His impact on the world is one that shook the buildings in Washington
And the hoods from Detroit to Harlem
Not before I told him that here stood a Prince who stood for something
A King who struggled in the trenches each and every day
To shed light in darkness
To weld the power burning in our collective psyches
Into Weapons of Mass Instruction
Not before I told him that because of one Warrior
Freedom will forever be a word in his mother’s vocabulary

Because I’m ready to die for it

Not before I told him that there once was a man
Whose body was defiled by bullets and lies
His death certificate signed by traitors and bureaucrats
A man who could not contain brilliance so bright it lit minds
From the ghettos of this stolen nation to the deserts of Africa
Reminding us that the shackles of slavery have been broken
Yet we still have to escape the plantation
I told him about a Soldier who refused to withdraw from a battle with a country
That refused to define him as man and in that defiance of oppression
Taught an entire generation that equality  — on our terms — will be had

By Any Means Necessary

Before my son walked out of the door
I told him about his brother, his teacher, his elder, his ancestor
Who refused to live a lie even if it assured his death
Who refused to kowtow or step and fetch it
Or be a diluted version of the man he was destined to be
Just so he could later be deemed acceptable enough
To warrant a holiday on the day of his birth
Yes, my son went to school today…

But not before I told him about brother Malcolm.

Today, I hope we all take a moment to honor the life of a man who died for us all — and continue to walk in his legacy.

Happy Birthday, brother Malcolm.

SEE ALSO:

Official Family Statement On Death Of Malcolm Shabazz

Where Have All The Leaders Gone? New Poll Suggests Black America No Longer Looking For Heroes

In the overly dramatic story entitled “An Onset of Woes Raises Questions on Obama Vision,” the New York Times reports that President Barack Obama has privately expressed his desire of “going Bulworth,” a reference to the political comedy movie of the same name starring Warren Beatty. If you don’t remember the movie, just know that it was one of many bad choices Halle Berry has made in her career — and she had really, really terrible hair in the film. Oh, and the soundtrack was full of rap songs.

Watch a clip of “Bulworth” here:

That said, the reference speaks to Obama’s yearning to drop his lingering damns in a box and get all the way blunt with his political adversaries and pundits alike. Longtime adviser David Axelrod, whose heard the reference himself, says, “Probably every president says that from time to time. It’s probably cathartic just to say it. But the reality is that while you want to be truthful, you want to be straightforward, you also want to be practical about whatever you’re saying.”

Yeah, but that’s not fun.

What if President Obama could get a break and say exactly what’s on his mind? Here, I put together a number of responses I think the President would offer if he could.

On the Justice Department’s seizure of Associated Press reporters’ phone records: “I didn’t have anything to do with it. And really, why would I go out of my way to piss off people who already get on my nerves?”

On the IRS playing politics: “Listen, haven’t y’all read my book? I barely talk to my own uncle, let alone Uncle Sam. The acting director is gone. Damn, are you happy now, Gina?”

On the 37th try to repeal Obamacare: “F**k the GOP’s thoughts and feelings.”

On his failure to force Congress to pass even a modest gun-control bill: “If I could pistol whip those cowardly Democrats and good-for-nothing Republicans in to voting for background checks, I would’ve asked Michelle for her old piece already.”

On being asked about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s trip to Cuba: “That’s exactly why TMZ and Buzzfeed are going to put those other media companies out of business.”

On calls for impeachment over the Benghazi scandal: “You’ve got two options: Kiss my natural Black ass or choke on the ashes of my Newports.”

On keeping our embassies safe: “If you’re not giving the State Department the money to prevent security breaches, shut your happy *sses the hell up.”

On arriving to press conferences late: “I don’t love them hoes.”

On immigration reform: “Try me if you want to about not passing reform. I’ll be leading the wobble at Hillary Clinton‘s inauguration. Both times.”

On Elizabeth Warren taking the Obama administration to task over not taking the banks to court: “I’m having trouble answering this question because Elizabeth just rightfully caused my jaw to fall to the floor.”

On his next Supreme Court appointment: ”It’s not right to wish for people to die, but let’s just say I wouldn’t be mad if it were Scalia and Clarence Thomas won the raffle for a first class ticket to the crossroads.”

A man can dream anyway.

SEE ALSO: Julian Bond Defends IRS Targeting Of Tea Party Groups, Says They’re ‘Racist’

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

Nicknamed “Mister Show Business,” Sammy Davis Jr. (pictured throughout) occupies a significant portion of African-American experience in entertainment. Although the singer, dancer, and Rat Pack member was seen by many as an assimilating “uncle Tom,” Davis lived a complex life full of triumphs, failures, and everything in between before his passing in 1990 on this day. NewsOne takes a look back on the life of Sammy Davis Jr.

SEE ALSO: Henry L. Johnson Fends Off German Captors During World War I On This Day In 1918

Born Samuel George Davis on December 8, 1925, in Harlem, parents Samuel Sr. and his Cuban-American Mother Elvera Sanchez were both entertainers. Davis began his career early, performing in a vaudeville troop with his father at the age of 3. In 1933, Davis began his film career, starring in the satirical and often-criticized musical short “Rufus Jones for President.”

Watch Part 1 of “Rufus Jones for President” here:

Davis’ career took a turn during the inception of World War II, when he served in the United States Army. Largely protected from racism by his father and uncle, Will Mastin, Davis experienced prejudice in an extreme fashion for the first time during his time in service. The Army was aware of Davis’ prodigious singing and dancing abilities, so they assigned him to an integrated entertainment unit.

It was under those circumstances that Davis learned to cope with racism.

“My talent was the weapon, the power, the way for me to fight. It was the one way I might hope to affect a man’s thinking,” wrote Davis in one of his autobiographies.  After being discharged from the service, Davis went full speed with his career, recording several albums, touring with his family and landing on Broadway in 1956 with the play “Mr. Wonderful.”

In this file photo, actors, from left to right, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Frank Sinatra are shown in the 1960 movie, “Ocean’s Eleven.”

Three years later, Davis joined the Rat Pack, a legendary crew of entertainers and friends that included Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. The Rat Pack made splashes in Hollywood and abroad, most notably with the 1960 film “Ocean’s 11” (pictured above) and 1964’s “Robin and the Seven Hoods.” The troupe also performed stage shows together in various venues, catapulting their fame to high heights.

Davis supported the Civil Rights Movement in a variety of ways, although he was often criticized for hobnobbing with White Hollywood while seemingly snubbing other Black entertainers in favor of his Rat Pack friends. There were also rumblings going around that Davis fronted money for the Italian Mob all while becoming an international celebrity.  In 1972, Davis’ support of then-Republican President Richard Nixon was seen as a slight to the Black community.

Davis married Altovise Gore (pictured below) in 1970, and the ceremony was presided over by Rev. Jesse Jackson. Although the pair remained married until his passing, it was a troubled union sparked by Davis’ personal demons of drug addiction, poor spending habits, and a propensity to focus only on his career and not his family’s needs.

Considering that Davis remained somewhat popular throughout the 1970s, he never regained the star power and faded in to poverty, depression, and basic obscurity.

Davis succumbed to throat cancer in Beverly Hills; this after a delayed surgical procedure was performed to save his life. Davis was resistant to the surgery, as he didn’t want to lose part of his legendary voice. After his death, the Las Vegas Strip, in the city where he often performed for thousands, darkened its lights in tribute to Davis. He is buried next to his father and uncle in Glendale, Calif.

Davis was a polarizing figure indeed.

Although he seemed to take on mannerisms employed by White stars of his day, he couldn’t disguise the fact he was still a Black man. Even his conversion to Judaism was perceived as a ploy to shed his African-American roots, but that only raised intrigue in the man that much more. No matter what has been publicly said about Davis, there is no denying that Sammy Davis, Jr. deserves respect for his talents despite the murkiness of his private life and politics.

Watch Davis perform “The Candy Man” here:

Rest In Powerful Peace, Sammy Davis, Jr.

SEE ALSO: Robert Smalls, Family Escape To Freedom On This Day In 1862

United States Army soldier Henry L. Johnson (pictured), also known as “Black Death,” earned his fearsome nickname in France during World War I. After being ambushed by German forces and taken captive, Johnson freed himself and other soldiers using just a rifle and a knife. His heroic act was rewarded by France officials and has been awarded posthumously several times over. NewsOne takes a look back at the riveting tale of Johnson’s run-in with the Germans as he fought his way to freedom and future glory.

SEE ALSO: Robert Smalls, Family Escape To Freedom On This Day In 1862

Details of Johnson’s early life are scattered, with some historians saying he was born in Alexandria, Va., and others stating North Carolina was his place of birth. What is agreed upon, however, is that he moved to Albany, N.Y., as a teenager and took on a series of odd jobs, including working as a porter at Albany’s Union Station train stop.

While in Albany, Johnson married and had three children but still decided there were adventures to be had outside of upstate New York. Johnson joined the Army in June of 1917 in Brooklyn — just two months after the United States declared war on Germany. Johnson was initially part of a National Guard unit, which was later absorbed by the 369^th Infantry – a mostly African-American group combined with the Ninety-third Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).

Not surprisingly, the U.S. Army used the AEF as laborers and ship workers. Nearly three-thirds of the 200,000 troops worked in this capacity, and only saw the frontlines within the ranks of the French Army after their forces were heavily depleted. AEF forces also contended with fellow White soldiers, who went as far as slandering their names with a pamphlet warning French civilians about them and citing their “inferior nature.”

Johnson and 17-year-old Needham Roberts were on night watch duty while stationed in France. A German sniper fired off a round at Johnson’s post, and the soldier wisely prepared by grabbing a box of grenades. After the enemy cut wire surrounding his post, Johnson tossed grenades toward the Germans and surprised them. Numbering about 20 deep, the enemy troops returned fire and grenades. Roberts was injured by a German grenade, but he was able to toss Johnson weapons during his defense.

According to Johnson’s personal account, the Germans attempted to take Roberts prisoner, but he was able to fend them off. Surrounded and stuck with a jammed rifle, Johnson took a bolo knife and began slashing at the Germans. They stabbed and beat him, but he did enough damage to save him and his comrade’s life and was assisted by fellow soldiers who came to their aid an hour after the melee began.

Johnson and Roberts suffered several wounds; Johnson had 21 wounds and fainted from his injuries en route to a French hospital. Army officials inspected the site of the clash the next morning and found four German soldiers dead and a large cache of weapons. It was said that there may have been more dead soldiers there, and it appeared that many as 32 Germans stormed the post’s fences.

Johnson was a short, slight man of five feet, four inches, weighing 130 pounds. With a humility that matched his diminutive stature, Johnson did not chase accolades or approval. “There wasn’t anything so fine about it,” he said later. “Just fought for my life. A rabbit would have done that.”

Johnson’s fame and notoriety grew and his troop was dubbed “the Harlem Hell-Fighters” by the French press. France also awarded Johnson with its highest military honor, the Croix de Guerre for his efforts. Although the 369th was met with a parade February 1919 in celebration of their bravery, Johnson was largely unrecognized. Long after his passing in 1929, Johnson’s son, Herman, led an effort to see his father be awarded with the Medal Of Honor.

The Army used Johnson’s image and story to recruit young Black men to its ranks but never rewarded Johnson or his family in any other way.

Herman Johnson finally got part of his wish, though, in 1996, Johnson received the Purple Heart award, and in February 2003, after his father was posthumously awarded with the Distinguished Service Cross in a lavish ceremony in Albany.

An interesting bit of trivia is that Herman Johnson followed in his father’s footsteps and was a World War II pilot as part of the Tuskegee Airmen squad.

There are efforts still by members of Congress and the Johnson family to have the Medal of Honor, the United States military’s most-prestigious award, pinned to the late soldier’s lapel. It would be a shame if this were not to pass, considering Johnson exemplified the true spirit of wartime with his tremendous fighting spirit. Yet, what cannot be removed from the annals of history is the fact a young man made history simply trying to survive.

SEE ALSO: Williams Wells Brown Becomes 1st African-American Published Playwright On This Day In 1858

A Bronx judge threw out the manslaughter indictment against NYPD police officer Richard Haste, who fatally shot 18-year-old Ramarley Graham last year, over an error in court proceedings, according to ABC News.

RELATED: Parents Keep Fighting For Slain Son On One Year Anniversary [VIDEO]

In the days before his decision, Supreme Court Justice Steven L. Barrett reportedly went on record to say that he was considering throwing out the indictment because prosecutors may have acted improperly by advising jurors that they did not have to consider what other police officers told Haste before the fatal shooting.

And on Wednesday morning, Judge Barrett followed through with his decision.

According to Barrett’s line of thinking, the grand jury that decided to indict Haste in Graham’s death, may have come to a different decision if they fully considered that his peers reportedly informed him that Graham was armed.

Stuart London, Haste’s attorney, explains further, “The whole case centers around justification and the reasonableness of his actions. Officer Haste’s mindset was formed by fellow officers from his team. The grand jury may well have made a different decision.”

This sole detail derailed the prosecutor’s case, solidifying Barrett’s midweek decision.

But the Justice’s decision reportedly brought Graham’s mother, Constance Malcolm, to tears in the courtroom as justice for her son seemed cruelly elusive.

In response, Rev. Al Sharpton released the following statement:

This is an outrageous miscarriage of justice and an insult to the family and supporters of Ramarley Graham. We demand that a new Grand Jury is convened immediately and that the case is re-presented. We will be rallying and planning direct action at National Action Network’s Saturday action rally. The family will be present.

RELATED: Ramarley Graham Update: Cop Who Killed Teen Turns Himself In

Obviously, the case isn’t over.

Even before Judge Barrett officially threw out the indictment, he reportedly said that he would allow  prosecutors to present the case again to the grand jury.

Either way, Malcolm told the press in the face of the case dismissal earlier this month, “We will continue to fight because we will get justice.”

Graham was shot and killed in his bathroom by Officer Haste on February 2, 2012, after he was pursued by Haste and his narcotics unit.

Haste and his fellow officers were reportedly monitoring a local bodega for drug activity, when they allegedly spotted Graham in a drug deal.

Police claim that Graham gave chase once he saw police officers and then refused to put his hands up when commanded to, causing Haste to pull the trigger and end the teen’s life. Graham was allegedly attempting to flush the small purchase of marijuana down the toilet.

But what can be clearly seen on a surveillance tape tells a different story.

If Graham was indeed running from a drug deal gone bad, why is he seen on video calmly entering his home? And while officers are seen running up to the residence and immediately kicking the door down, why did they refuse to follow protocol and announce themselves and then enter Graham’s residence WITHOUT  a search warrant?

Watch the surveillance video here:

Another major issue is the shooting of an UNARMED teen. Police contend that they told Haste the teen was armed, supposedly justifying Haste’s extreme use of force. Will anyone be held accountable for this call and why is it when it comes to our Black males, police officers can never seem to ascertain whether they are armed?

Think I’m overreacting?

Just ask 16-year-old Kimani Gray, 19-year-old Kendrec McDade, and 68-year-old former Marine Kenneth Chamberlain who were all unarmed Black males who were fatally shot by the police in the last year or so.

Yes, the judge’s decision to throw out this case is an initial hurdle wrapped in technicalities, but given the track record of this country to convict the boys in blue when they improperly cut down Black boys and men, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Graham’s murder was legally justified as well.

NewsOne will continue to keep you updated on the proceedings of this murder case.

UPDATE 05-15-13 — 2:30 PM EST:

After this Op-Ed was published, Uni-ball reached out to me and apologized. They have pulled the ad and claim to be “working to rectify” the situation.

@KWestSavali …with but we are working to rectify.—
uni-ball (@UniBall_USA) May 15, 2013

@KWestSavali we are sincerely sorry & were as shocked by this as u. We have had the ad removed & working to ensure this doesnot happen again—
uni-ball (@UniBall_USA) May 15, 2013

@KWestSavali we were not involved w/ this ad but apologize for the insensitivity & hope to regain your loyalty & trust moving forward.—
uni-ball (@UniBall_USA) May 15, 2013

—————————————————————————————————-

With pen-maker Uni-ball’s release of an ad featuring what amounts to a  racist white fantasy on Black manhood in America, they have displayed the level of cultural insensitivity, sheer ignorance and blatant bigotry typically reserved for Ku Klux Klan meetings and Tea Party rallies.

The ad opens with a overly muscular Black man — presumably from prison yard weight sessions — sitting on a cot in his cell reading a letter from one of the “homies” typed in Edwardian Script and recited in an elite British accent, instead of written in his own “voice” with a Uni-ball pen:

What up, homie. It’s wack that 5-0 bust you shifting bricks of da funky buddha. And I ain’t just spitting, yo. Everyday we be respecting wit a 40 on da floor for our peeps in lockdown. But word up, me and my homie T-Bone, we got a hood snitch up in the pen. We gon’ cut you loose like a noose, my dukes. And you be chillin’ in the crib knocking boots with some hoodrats. Gotta bounce, dawg.

Respect,

Big G

Video Credit: RealityWives.net

Credits:
Creative Ad Agency: TBWA
Client: Uniball Pens
Executive Creative Directors: Matthew Brink, Adam Livesey
Art Director: Jade Manning, Sacha Traest
Copywriter: Vincent Osmond
Production: Sandra Gomes
Account Manager: Morgan Wanckel, Niki Cinnamon, Claire Peters
Production Company: Frieze Films
Director: Rob Malpage
DOP: Rob Malpage
Sound: Sterling Sound, RobRoy Music.

***

Clearly, the Grand Wizards and Dragons over at Uni-ball labor under the misconception that Black people neither read, write nor have the gifts of sight and hearing, because this ad is not marketed to us. Its target must be the caliber of privileged neo-Nazi who finds laughing at systemic and systematic racism a jolly old good time.

Though the burly, Black actor who decided to literally sell-out should not be allowed to dodge accountability, there is something sinister about a corporation that would purposely capitalize on the degradation, marginalization and oppression tactics used to destabilize Black communities in America.

In a real life scenario, “the homie’s” father was killed by police, he started “shifting bricks of da funky buddha” after his Chicago public school was shut down and his mother, unable to afford insurance, became too ill to work. Because of the War on Drugs, which disproportionately affects Black men, “the homie” has spent the last 10 years behind bars on a first offense.

Those “hood-rats” are more likely to be raped by the age of 18 and less likely to report it because of societal stigmas and cultural pressure.

And those nooses?

Weapons of mass destruction used to decimate entire generations, while some in White America step over the graves and pretend that the wage, education and occupation gaps are the result of hard work and not outright generational theft.

Bottom line: The product doesn’t matter. There will always be certain corporations — whether peddling reality television, gangsta rap, soda or pens — that are dedicated to perpetuating the image of Black men as criminal, hyper-sexed, uneducated and sub-human. And if we remain silent, we are complicit in allowing a caricature of our culture to become a minstrel show — with no ticket needed for admission.

With this in mind, I’ve taken the liberty of writing my own letter:

Dear Uni-ball:

There is nothing clever, original or creative about this ad. In fact, it’s about as crude and obvious as a “Whites-Only” sign in Jim Crow Mississippi.

It is a desperate last-gasp attempt to pitch a product that is swiftly being rendered useless — and it shows.

Clearly, you wanted the attention. You took note of the media that Mountain Dew received for racism allegations and figured, “Why not? We’ll insult Black people, spark controversy, generate revenue, apologize profusely and pull the ad all before the next news cycle.”

You’re pathetic, but ambitious. I respect ambition, so I decided to offer a humble suggestion.

If you really want to be risque, while avoiding bottom-feeding, racially inflammatory tactics, I can help you with that. Next time, show a white, Wall Street banker in a Brooks Brothers suit who’s been caught lying to and stealing billions from trusting investors and faces a prison bid. It won’t be as long as “the homie’s,” but long enough; and you get to embed an authentic, cutting-edge criminal element. Seriously, anyone can do lazy, overdone stereotypical depictions of black men, but white-collar crime? Now that takes guts.

The banker should be writing a suicide note — bonus: you also get to keep your noose.

The camera should zoom in to the note written in bold script, which reads:

‘My last words had to be written with a Uni-ball.’

That scenario is a lot closer to the truth. Plus, you get to avoid being a racist corporation willing to exchange dignity for dollars. And it’s a sly nod to acknowledge that you’re fully aware that your mediocre product is on the verge of extinction.

Confident, cutting-edge, bold.

You’re welcome.

Written in my own voice,

Kirsten West Savali

Weigh in!

After an IRS official acknowledged that the agency flagged some 75 conservative groups for additional reviews due to their names including the words “tea party” or “patriot,” Tea Partiers and the people that suck up to them lost their collective minds.

SEE ALSO: BlackStartup: The African American Solution To Crowdfunding

Tea Party lovechild Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) demanded the IRS commissioner’s resignation. Congresswoman and all around crazy lady Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) claimed the acknowledgments undermines the “credibility” of the 2012 presidential election.

How exactly?

And fellow loonboon Donald Trump is making the same argument, alleging this shows President Barack Obama might’ve actually lost last year’s election.

Meanwhile, Julian Bond, chairman emeritus of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), offered an alternatively refreshing view about the IRS targeting of Tea Party-affiliated groups earlier Tuesday morning on MSNBC.

Bond said he didn’t think the federal government is wrong for signaling out the conservative groups for extensive reviews given that they are “overly racist.”

Back in 2006, the NAACP was the subject of its own controversial review from the Internal Revenue Service, after they criticized then-President George W. Bush during the 2004 presidential campaign. Ultimately, the IRS ruled that the nation’s oldest civil rights organization “continued to qualify” as tax-exempt. In an interview with The Washington Post, Bond said of the investigation: “It was an enormous threat” and noted that had the IRS revoked its tax exempt status it “would have reduced our income remarkably.”

Bond went further, suggesting that the investigation was politically motivated and the end result ”meant that they thought they had harassed us enough and they could stop.”

So is there a double standard in Bond giving the IRS free reign to target groups whose views oppose his?

Bond told MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, “I don’t think there’s a double standard at all. I think it’s entirely legitimate to look at the Tea Party.

“I mean, here are a group of people who are admittedly racist, who are overtly political, who tried as best they can to harm President Obama in every way they can,” Bond explained.

“[The Tea Party] is the Taliban wing of American politics and we all ought to be a little worried about them.”

When asked if he thought that his comments were “a little harsh,” Bond quipped, “The truth hurts.”

Watch Bond’s comments here:

On one end, I actually agree with Bond’s assessment that the Tea Party represents an extremity in American politics. Though not all members of the fold may be racists, the movement itself has exploited White resentment toward the nation’s first Black president in order to move its agenda forward. Moreover, it’s been widely reported that many of these groups are funded by corporatists looking to move their agendas forward in the guise of a grassroots movement.

The Tea Party’s vitriol and methodology do not mirror that of the NAACP and their criticism of President Obama is far more hostile than anything the NAACP has said of President Bush in the past.

In addition, many Tea Party groups play in to libertarian ideology — some of which includes the abolishment of the IRS — from the likes of the Koch brothers. It’s not a surprise that a few in the IRS might see them as a threat, but that doesn’t make it okay.

That said, between the IRS targeting conservative groups for their political point of view as well as the Justice Department reportedly secretly collecting phone records from several Associated Press reporters last year, I’m weary of giving the government a free pass to two-step over the line when it comes to intrusion.

There is absolutely a valid reason for the IRS to review 501c organizations, but simply doing so if they have “tea party” and “patriot” in their names is profiling.

Even if some of those jackasses wouldn’t defend my right to live profile-free, I’m willing to defend theirs. So if you want to catch those who abuse their tax-exempt status, by all means do so…but fairly.

Sound off!

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

In the past five years, crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have revolutionized the way entrepreneurs go about raising capital for new business ventures. Although these sites have helped turn countless of startup pipe-dreams into a reality, a significant number of entrepreneurs, Blacks in particular, aren’t necessarily feeling the same love…until now.

BlackStartup recently made its debut with a crowdfunding platform that focuses on funding projects and ideas benefiting African Americans.

SEE ALSO: N.C. Protests On Voter Rights, Health Care, Student Aid Goes On The Road

Founders Nathan Bennett-Fleming, Olugbolahan Adewumi, Aaron O. Brien, Kyle Yeldell, and Christopher Hollins are determined to close the “Black startup gap,” as they call it, by attempting to fix the root cause: lack of capital.

“I think it is important that we encourage non-profits and social enterprises to raise resources on our platform to address social problems facing the African-American community,” BlackStartup CEO Nathan Bennett-Fleming told NewsOne.

BlackStartup takes a standard approach to crowdfunding: Each project featured on the platform is accompanied with  a project description, specific goals, and a background on the founders. And similar to other sites, participants only receive the money if they reach their complete goal. ”There is no specific type of businesses that we are attempting to promote. We want to support projects, ideas, and causes that are broadly connected to the African-American community,” said Bennett-Fleming.

The site’s Monday launch premiered with seven projects, including a math curriculum taught through playing the piano, a family business that makes homemade hair products, and a website featuring social commentary on daily news.

The Washington, D.C.-based company has had no problem gaining praise and capital, with the site snagging the coveted Yale Entrepreneur Institute’s Fellowship, which doles out $20,000 in capital seed money, an elite mentor, and a 10-week boot camp in New Haven, Ct.

While BlackStartup focuses primarily on supporting Black causes through funding, Bennett-Fleming says he and the founders have the ultimate goal of expanding to help other marginalized groups. ”We are considering broadening our approach to include other minority groups on our platform,” he said. ”We want to use these new technologies to address the Black entrepreneurial gap, the Black opportunity gap, and other economic challenges facing the Black community as well as other marginalized communities.”

NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation and TV One to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans.

To be a part of the solution, NewsOne will profile a missing person weekly and provide tips about how to keep your loved ones safe and what to do if someone goes missing, while TV One‘s newest show, “Find Our Missing,” hosted by award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson, tells these stories in visual form.

                                                                                                —————————————

Evelyn Gunter

Case Type: Endangered
Date of Birth: January 1, 1966
Missing Date: March 10, 2013
Age Now: 47
Missing City: Detroit
Missing State: Michigan
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Complexion: Medium
Height: 5’7″
Weight: 170
Hair Color: Brown
Hair Length: Short
Eye Color: Brown
Wear Glasses or Contacts: No

Location Last Seen: Evelyn Gunter was last seen at her residence by her grandson at approximately 6 p.m.

SEE ALSO: Ct. University Student Who Planned to Pursue Doctorate In Psychology Still Missing

Circumstances of Disappearance: Gunter had just come home from running errands and was dressed to go out.

She left the home and never returned.

Gunter’s adult children say she would never leave for a significant period of time without informing her family. In addition, Gunter had recently welcomed a new grandchild who was just 4 days old at the time of her disappearance.

Adding further to the family’s concerns is that Gunter’s bank account was flush with cash after receiving a 401K deposit and paycheck from General Motors. And then Gunter’s daughter received an odd text from her mother a couple of days later. According to the text, Gunter told her family she was visiting friends in Chicago.

“I know that wasn’t her texting me. Things weren’t spelled right and she doesn’t have any friends in Chicago,” Gunter’s daughter told WXYZ.com News.

Gunter’s car was found outside of a Detroit bar called “Club Celebrity.” There are also unconfirmed reports that a credit card was found near Gunter’s car. Money may have also been taken from Gunter’s account.

The Gunter family believes something terrible may have happened to their matriarch because she was a reliable and steady employee at GM and close with her children and grandchildren.

The family is pleading for the public to provide any detail they can think might help in the case.

Last Seen Wearing: Unknown.

Identifying Marks or Characteristics: Scar by right eye; C-section scar.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Evelyn Gunter should call Detroit Police at (313) 267-4600 or contact the Black and Missing Foundation’s confidential Tip Line.

SEE ALSO: Police Search For Missing Las Vegas Man, Truck Discovered Abandoned

The life of escaped slave, ship captain, and Republican congressman Robert Smalls (pictured) is an amazing story worthy of the Hollywood treatment. Born in to slavery, Smalls rose from his meager beginnings as a dock worker to planning a daring escape using a Confederate boat he piloted. On this day in 1862, Smalls, 23-years-old at the time, liberated himself and his family in the wee hours of the night.

SEE ALSO: Williams Wells Brown Becomes 1st African-American Published Playwright On This Day In 1858

Smalls was born April 5, 1839, in the small town of Beaufort in South Carolina. His mother was held as a slave by Henry McKee, and she was a descendant of the Lowcountry Gullah people of the coastal Sea Islands. As a preteen, Smalls was leased out in the town of Charleston as a street worker and hotel employee. His desire to be near the sea, however, led him to working on the docks.  As a dockworker, Smalls learned the trade swiftly and eventually became a wheelman (another name for pilot, although the White sailors were reluctant to give Blacks the title) for the “CSS Planter” ship.

Smalls knew the Charleston Harbor region well, and he eventually married hotel maid Hannah Jones. A proud man who desired freedom, he asked their owners to allow them to live with each other in Charleston.

Although he would receive his wish to live in the same house as his wife and children, Smalls contended with the fact that he was still a slave.

Smalls attempted to buy his family’s freedom, but it would cost him $800 to do so and he only had $100 to his name.

It was then when he began to plot the grand escape.

Watch Robert Smalls’ story here:

In the early morning hours of May 13th and with the Civil War taking place around them, Smalls and a crew of fellow enslaved ship workers decided to make a run for the Union’s blockade in hopes of securing freedom from Confederate rule. After the ship’s White crew members stayed ashore to rest, Smalls assumed the guise of the ship’s captain by wearing a similar outfit as to not alert Confederate troops.

Smalls commanded the “Planter” past Confederate gun batteries and gave proper signals for safe passage, riding the current of the Charleston Harbor out toward Union ships. The Union ships formed a blockade as forces moved in for attack, with Smalls stopping at one point at a wharf to pick up his family and members of the crew members’ families as well.

Wisely, Smalls flew a White flag for the Union forces, who had begun drills to fire on the ship, to see. Smalls encountered the Union and handed over the ship and its weapons to the United States Navy and requested to fly the Union’s flag.

Because of his knowledge of Confederate war tactics, the Union Navy put Smalls in their employ.

News of his escape reached papers in the North, making him a famous name. His actions led him to have an audience with President Abraham Lincoln who signed a Congress bill that gave Smalls a $1,500 reward for the capture of the “USS Planter.”

Smalls’ feat led to discussions with President Lincoln to allow African Americans to fight in the armed forces.

In December of 1863, Smalls would become the first Black captain of a vessel in service of the United States.

After the Civil War, Smalls returned to Beaufort and purchased his former master’s home. In a moment of grace, he allowed his former master’s wife to live in the home as well. Smalls went in to business in the town, opening a store for fellow freedmen. Later, as a Republican Party member, he was elected in both the House of Representatives and Senate on separate occasions.

Smalls has been honored time and again in Beaufort, where his home is now a national landmark. In 2004, the Army named one of its ships after him, making it the first vessel to bear an African-American’s name in that branch of the Armed Forces.

Smalls and his escape to freedom and rise to relevancy in the political landscape is an enthralling moment of Black history that deserves to be retold for generations to come.

SEE ALSO: Kentucky Derby Hopeful Plans On Winning, Making History!

It seems the Republican lawmakers behind North Carolina’s conservative statehouse agenda should get used to seeing the faces of protestors both at work at the statehouse and in their home districts. Leaders of the progressive protest movement in North Carolina announced they will step up their recent campaign of civil disobedience and arrests with “Moral Monday” protests at the statehouse through to the conclusion of the legislative session.

RELATED: ‘Raging Grannies’ Turn Up the Heat On Conservative N.C. Proposals

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber (pictured), leader of the North Carolina NAACP, announced that protests will also go on the road to 25 counties around the state to the districts of Republican lawmakers who are supporting new laws to weaken voting rights, cut the payroll tax credit for workers, and cut funding to state universities.

“These lawmakers are willing to meet with corporation leaders, they are willing to meet with Tea Party representatives, but they won’t meet with people who are losing their health insurance,” Barber said. “We want them to look in to the eyes of the people who are having their benefits cut and explain to them how this is good public policy.”

Barber told NewsOne the first “Moral Monday” protest was actually earlier this month when 30 people – including an 83-year-old grandmother – were arrested at the statehouse after planned acts of civil disobedience.

RELATED: N.C. NAACP Fights Conservative Agenda To Weaken Voter Rights And Cut Health Care, Student Aid

Barber said Monday was selected as the day of protest because that is the day the legislature unveils proposed legislation. And of late, many working class and poor people haven’t liked what they have been seeing.

“It seems that every Monday we are seeing something more and more extreme from the General Assembly. Now they want to raise sales taxes on food. It is an abuse of power.”

Al McSurely, a longtime civil rights lawyer and organizer of the protest movement, said current action mirrors what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attempted to build on with his “poor people’s campaign” that stretched across racial, ethnic, and religious lines.

“The right wing is trying to say this is a Black movement, but when you see who is willing to get arrested for this cause, it’s White, Black, Latino, young and old,” McSurely said. “We can create a whole new South with this movement.”

Barber said the protests will rely not only on acts of civil disobedience and arrests but legal challenges to the lawmakers, spreading word of progress in the social media and grassroots organizing through the state.

The impacts of the protests, however, could be felt far beyond North Carolina’s borders.

“The statehouses in the South are where the most conservative legislative proposals are being developed so what they are trying to do in North Carolina has national implications,” Barber said. “They ran on an agenda of creating jobs but once they get in office, it all changes.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, left, and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., right, sit in the audience of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s hearing on Benghazi on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday.

Dear Republicans:

I know that in your mind, Benghazi is all the rage out here on these streets, or at the very least, ought to be. However, I need to inform y’all (for the umpteenth time) that Benghazi is not going to be the big Democratic-hurting scandal you want it to be. No matter how hard you try, the give-a-damn quotient has been reached by the public at large and there is no reset button.

Yes, we mourn the loss of those who were killed in the attack, and of course, if there’s any connection to terrorist organizations, as hinted by some, that information should be released. But as far as this angle to smear members of the Obama administration — okay, Hillary Clinton — goes, it’s never going to be as big a deal as desired.

So tell folks like Mike Huckabee to be quiet. The sooner the better. According to Huckabee, while he has no idea how damning information about a secret conspiracy surrounding Benghazi will come about, once it does, “This President will not serve out his full term.”

This sounds like the political equivalent of thinking Jay-Z has to sacrifice seven souls each Saturday to Satan in order to maintain pop cultural supremacy.

At the very least, though, Mike Huckabee is nothing more than an out-of-power politician playing crazy games to maintain cred among conservative media.

He is not in charge of anything, but unfortunately, people with some actual clout are acting just as stupidly.

On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee held a daylong hearing starring three State Department officials that were personally invited by Republicans. What did they find? That security was handled poorly in the Libyan city and that members of the Obama administration tried to conceal what exactly what happened.

In related news, the sky is blue, water is wet, and Mitt Romney will never be president.

And yet, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who chairs the House Oversight Committee, says, ”This hearing is now over, but this investigation is not.” He went on to encourage “whistle-blowers” and “witnesses who have been afraid to come forward” to step up and “tell us your story, and we will make sure it gets public.”

Here’s a thought: They don’t exist. If memory serves, there was a major independent inquiry that largely absolved Clinton of fault.

All this nonsense does is tickle the fancy of your right-wing milita head cases who think their WalMart-purchased glock can take down the government and its drones, military, and nuclear arsenal if need be.

Stop it.

This is not going to help you defeat Hillary Clinton in 2016. If anything, you’re already guaranteeing that she’s going to have one hell of a chance at winning her second term. Moreover, none of these hearings will help defeat Democrats in next year’s midterm elections. Besides, your gerrymandering has already done wonders in the way of helping you keep the House in 2014.

If you want to look appealing to voters: Embrace marriage equality; crawl out of women’s vaginas; pass a job’s bill; support a raise in minimum wage; stop trying to stop Blacks from voting; embrace immigration reform.

And for the record, if the GOP couldn’t conjure this much energy in to President Bush’s ignorance, which led to the worst terrorist attack in American history — and a war under false pretenses — no one is going to take you seriously now when all you have is a bunch of hearsay pulled from where you sit…and other hypotheticals.

Again, shut up, and find some other way to campaign against Hillary Clinton for the next three years. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bill Clinton is somewhere already planning to turn the traditional (and trite) First Lady Cookie Contest into a jazz BBQ on the front lawn of the White House. The way y’all are behaving, who could blame the guy?

SEE ALSO: Despite Scandal, Ex-SC Gov. Mark Sanford Back In Office

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation and TV One to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans.

To be a part of the solution, NewsOne will profile a missing person weekly and provide tips about how to keep your loved ones safe and what to do if someone goes missing, while TV One‘s newest show, “Find Our Missing,” hosted by award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson, tells these stories in visual form.

                                                                                                                         —————————————

Alyssiah Marie Wiley

Case Type: Endangered
Date of Birth: January 1, 1993
Missing Date: April 20, 2013
Age Now: 20
Missing City: Willimantic
Missing State: Connecticut
Gender: Female
Race: Black
Complexion: Medium
Height: 5’6″
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Hair Length: Shoulder Length
Eye Color: Brown
Wear Glasses or Contacts: Yes

Location Last Seen: Wiley was last seen on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus.

SEE ALSO: Foundation That Has Helped Locate 113 Missing To Host Fund-Raiser

Circumstances of Disappearance: According to reports, Wiley was last seen near a Dairy Queen on the university’s campus. According to Wiley’s mother, Corrina Martin, her daughter was a sophomore Psychology major who had plans to pursue her doctorate in the field.

Martin described her daughter as a “brilliantly bright young woman who has her whole life ahead of her” who would not want to “put her family through this much grief.”

“She has her family who wants her home. She has friends who wants her home,” Martin told News 8. “We need your help. We need for anybody who knows something, and I know there’s someone out there who does, to come forward.”

Police do have some leads in the case, including locating the car, a 2009 Nissan Altima, four-door sedan with tinted windows and Connecticut license plate number 297-ZOY, linked to the investigation.

But authorities still need more help to find Wiley.

There has been no activity on her cell phone or credit cards.

“We do have some information, but we are missing that one piece,” Lt. Paul Vance said at a press conference. “No matter how small you might think your information is, that little piece may help us move the investigation to the next level.”

Martin reiterated the plea on her daughter’s behalf.

“Please find it in your heart to open up your mouth and speak. Anything is better than nothing. Please help us bring our loved one, our baby home,” said Martin.

Last Seen Wearing: Unknown.

Identifying Marks or Characteristics: Unknown.

If you have information regarding the whereabouts of Alyssiah Marie Wiley call the Missing Person Clearinghouse at (860) 685-8190 or by texting it to CRIMES (274-637) with the heading TIP711 plus a message. You may also contact the Black and Missing Foundation’s confidential Tip Line.

A Facebook page has also been set up for Wiley.

SEE ALSO: Police Search For Missing Las Vegas Man, Truck Discovered Abandoned

There are clearly people in this country who have an issue with Black man as hero.

RELATED: 3 Ohio Girls Missing For A Decade Found Alive, Man Arrested [VIDEO]

According to the website:

Ramsey’s first domestic violence charge came in February 1997. He entered a no contest plea a year later and was found guilty of the count by a Cleveland Municipal Court judge. While waiting to be sentenced, Ramsey was again arrested for domestic violence.

At the time of Ramsey’s second collar, in July 1998, he was already the subject of an arrest warrant issued in connection with his failure to appear for a court hearing in the first domestic violence case. As a result, Ramsey was jailed for violating terms of his release on bond. Ramsey subsequently entered a no contest plea to the second case and was, again, found guilty by a Cleveland judge.

The domestic violence cases apparently were consolidated for sentencing in August 1998, when Ramsey was ordered to serve six months in jail, placed on five years probation, and directed to attend a domestic violence counseling program.

Following his release from custody, Ramsey violated probation terms, according to an April 1999 court docket entry. While an arrest warrant was issued for Ramsey, it is unclear from court records whether it was executed before both misdemeanor cases were formally closed several years later.

Ramsey was again busted for domestic abuse in January 2003. He was subsequently indicted for felony “domestic violence with prior conviction,” a reference to his previous abuse cases.

And a decade later, he was in the right place, at the right time to save 3 women and a child from years of captivity and sexual violence.

RELATED: McDonald’s Hails Cleveland Hero Charles Ramsey On Twitter [VIDEO]

Scholar and prison reform activist, Dr. Artemesia Stanberry, like many of us, is not at all surprised that the re-branding of Ramsey so swiftly took a negative turn:

Well, you knew a story like this would surface. But what this says to people living in communities where there may be a high level of crime: that if you act to help someone, you will either be a suspect or your life will be scrutinized if it is a high profile case. By the time it is over, if Ramsey internalize the negatives, he will probably think that he just should have stayed on his porch, ate his McDonald’s and just forgot what he heard and saw. Ramsey strikes me as being someone who is comfortable with what he did to help Amanda Berry and others, regardless of the extra scrutiny he will get. I hope he is because he acted in a way that we would want others to act.

While The Smoking Gun presents Ramsey’s record as a “gotcha” story, the man of the hour himself publicly shared his past in a national interview before this story broke:

As previously reported by NewsOne, Ramsey mentioned his domestic violence past, saying that his father would have judged him for not helping the women in light of his checkered history:

“There was a woman in distress, why turn your back on that? My father would have whooped the hell out of me if he had found out I would coward out. You tough in these bars, and you beat a woman, but you won’t help one out? … I’m the definition of a man.”

See WKYC-TV interview below:

Charles Ramsey has paid his debt to society, if not to his ex-wife. That is supposed to be the purpose of our system — to rehabilitate people so that they re-enter society better than they left it. Racist attempts to shift the narrative to deflect from his heroic deeds should not be tolerated — especially from Black media outlets whose purpose is to maintain balance in the face of racist stereotypes that persist in the mainstream.

RELATED: Charles Ramsey: ‘I Don’t Want’ Media Attention, I’m Just An ‘American’ And A ‘Human Being’

Domestic violence is an unconscionable crime that should be called out for the evil it is, and so to should the meme of Black man as violent, hilarious minstrel show.

Ramsey did horrible things 10 years ago. He was a hero on May 6, 2013.

He served time for the former; he should be allowed to serve time as the latter.

Like a motorist swerving to avoid an accident, lawmakers in North Carolina have pulled the state to the far right, proposing a series of laws that seem intended to weaken voting rights, environmental protections, and protections for the poor.

But over the past two weeks,  college students have been trying to bring the state back to the center with acts of civil disobedience and planned arrests designed to draw attention to the state’s conservative policies.

Now it looks like veteran reinforcements are on the way.

Call them the “Raging Grannies.”

RELATED: Civil Disobedience Arrests Mount In N.C. In Protest Of Conservative Agenda

A group of activist grandmothers, “Raging Grannies” joined a protest “pray-in” that included students, civil rights advocates, and clergy from around the state. About 30 people were arrested at the statehouse in the demonstration designed to force the state legislature to reconsider some of the bills that would reduce funding for preschool education, reduce aid to the state university system, and ease restrictions on gun purchasing.

“One of our sayings is ‘Stay in Trouble’ and that’s what we intend to do because we have to fight against anything that threatens the future of our grandchildren,” said Vicki Ryder, 71, one of three grannies who was arrested at the protest.

Ryder said the Grannies group has been around since 1987 and has chapters around the world. The goal of the group is to seek out injustice and raise its voice in protest, Ryder said.

“I didn’t take getting arrested lightly,” Ryder said. “You never know how you will be treated by the system and there is a fear of the unknown, but we have to say something against the legislation that is coming out of the North Carolina statehouse.”

Watch Ryder talk about her activism here:

Thus far, state officials have said little publicly about the protests. The Republican-controlled legislature probably would like to see the protestors tire and move on to another topic, but if the activists can broaden the scope and membership of the effort, they might be able to bring national attention to their cause.

And that may be happening now.

While 17 people were arrested at the initial protest, 30 were arrested Monday.

“North Carolinians have decided they will not sit idly by and watch the leadership of the N.C. General Assembly take our state backwards to a time of greater inequality, intolerance, and human indignity,” said North Carolina NAACP President, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.

And along with the “Grannies,” the Monday night protest was joined by  Dr. Charles Van Der Horst, an AIDS researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and historians Dr. William Chafe and Professor Jacqueline Dowd-Hall.

If other members of North Carolina society who have some clout join the ranks of the protests, progressives might be able to soften the blow of the proposed legislation that would, among other things, shorten early voting provisions and eliminate Sunday voting and same-day registration and ease restrictions on the controversial practice of fracking for oil reserves – a method some scientists say harms drinking water supplies.

Ryder said she was held by authorities for seven hours and while the accommodations were sparse, she and other protesters were treated civilly.

Her only complaint is that as a condition of her release, Ryder is not permitted on the grounds of the statehouse until the case is officially closed. And that process might drag deep into the summer months, she said.

“I feel that is unjust because I haven’t been found guilty of anything,” Ryder said.

It should come as no surprise that Ryder plans to challenge her statehouse ban in court.

Playwright, lecturer, and author Williams Wells Brown (pictured) is recognized for two historic feats in the literary world: He was the first African American to publish a novel in 1853, although “Our Nig” author Harriet Wilson was the first to do so in North America. Wells Brown’s other achievement came when he became the first published African-American playwright with his play, “The Escape: Or, a Leap for Freedom,” which was released on this day in 1858.

SEE ALSO: Inventor And Engineer Elijah McCoy Born On This Day In 1844

Wells Brown was born in to slavery  in Lexington, Ky., in 1814. In an odd twist of fate, Wells Brown’s White father was the cousin of his mother’s owner, who promised not to sell him.

The promise was broken, and Wells Brown was sold several times before the age of 20.

After an earlier attempt to escape from Louisiana, Wells Brown finally slipped away from his captors in 1834, after leaving a steamboat docked in Cincinnati.

Since Ohio was a free state, Wells Brown had some protection.

With the help of a Quaker (from which he took the Wells Brown name), the newly freed steamboat worker would leave his old life behind. Rising swiftly in society, Wells Brown moved to Buffalo, N.Y., working on steamboats while secretly freeing slaves. He would join the abolitionist movement in Buffalo as well as several other groups.

As a lecturer and powerful anti-slavery speaker, Wells Brown became known in the movement. Already a well-known writer from his 1947 memoir “Narrative of William W. Brown, a Fugitive Slave, Written by Himself,” Frederick Douglass was his closest contemporary and reportedly a rival.  Moving to Britain in 1849, Wells Brown published the novel “Clotel” or “The President’s Daughter,” which made him the first African American to do so.

His return to the States came after the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was lifted; Wells Brown rightfully  feared being recaptured as a high-profile speaker. Writing two plays, the later “The Escape: Or, a Leap for Freedom” (pictured at right) was published. Wells Brown was said to use the play as a talking point at abolitionist meetings.

The play was somewhat autobiographical, with Wells Brown focusing on the rampant sexual abuse and violation of Black slaves by White owners.

Wells Brown released several other works, and even backed away from his former nonviolent stances within the abolitionist movement. With his many writings, lectures, and visibility, Wells Brown became one of the most prolific writers of the 19th century.

After settling for many years in the Boston area, Wells Brown would pass away at age 70 on his birthday in 1844.

William Wells Brown may not have the name recognition that some of his peers enjoyed, but his contribution to the arts and the anti-slavery movement are cemented firmly in his words and work.

SEE ALSO: Inventor And Engineer Elijah McCoy Born On This Day In 1844

Assistant State Attorney Tammy Glotfelty, who advised Officer Gregory Rhoden to charge 16-year-old Kiera Wilmot with a felony, has some explaining to do. Just days after doling out a stiff charge for Kiera, Glotfelty decided not to bring any charges against White 13-year-old Taylor Richardson, who mistakenly killed his younger brother with a BB gun, because she deemed his case was a “tragic accident.”

RELATED: High School Student Charged With Felony Over Science Experiment?

When it broke last week that Kiera would be expelled from Bartow High School and tried as an adult for experimenting with toilet bowl cleaner, aluminum, and an 8-ounce water bottle, Kiera’s plight immediately gripped the nation.

Watch Kiera’s case here:

In addition, the fact that her own principal and peers could vouch for her character as a good-natured honors student, made the authorities’ decision to mete out the harsh punishment even more heartless.

But the latest discovery in the Kiera’s case revives — in real time — just how dangerous racism is in the criminal justice system.

Case in point, consider the deliberations and actions of Assistant Attorney Glotfelty.

When Officer Rhoden called Glotfelty to advise him on how he should charge Wilmot in the botched science experiment case, according to the police report, Rhoden noted:

I THEN CONTACTED ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY TAMMY GLOTFELTY VIA TELEPHONE. I ADVISED A.S.A GLOTFELTY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND SHE ADVISED THIS OFFICER TO FILE THE CHARGES OF, POSSESSING OR DISCHARGING WEAPONS OR FIREARMS AT A SCHOOL SPONSORED EVENT OR ON SCHOOL PROPERTY F.S.S. 790.115 (1) AND MAKING, POSSESSING, THROWING, PROJECTING, PLACING, OR DISCHARGING ANY DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE F.S.S. 790.161 (A).

Indeed, Wilmot would be arrested at the school and charged with the aforementioned charges. Then to add insult to injury, the teen was reportedly expelled from Bartow High; she is currently completing her education through an “expulsion program.”

Now let’s consider the very sad case of Richardson.

On March 13th, Richardson and his fourth-grade brother, Skyler (pictured), were reportedly playing with BB  guns, when Taylor’s BB gun went off.

The BB reportedly entered Skyler’s head just above his right ear and traveled across his skull to the left side.

 Even though Skyler would be flown to Tampa’s Joseph’s Hospital, he would die a week later.

Attorney Glotfelty would reportedly deliberate for a month, finally concluding:

Our office has considered this case, keeping in mind that (Taylor) is 13 years of age and is a student at Roosevelt Academy.

After a thorough review of the facts, available to our office at this time, it is our opinion that this case can only be seen as a tragic accident.

Now, let’s reconsider the Wilmot case.

WTSP reports:

[Kiera] is accused of mixing household chemicals in a tiny 8-ounce water bottle, causing the top to pop off, followed by billowing smoke in an small explosion.

The disturbance prompted Assistant Principal Dan Durham to alert authorities. Soon after, both Principal Ron Pritchard and Kiera’s peers went on record to say that Wilmot made a mistake and did not intend to harm anyone. According to Pritchard, “She has never been in trouble before. Ever.”

Wilmot’s experiment DID NOT hurt anyone nor did it damage school property.

In order to gain further insight in to Glotfelty’s seemingly unequal treatment of both Richardson’s and Wilmot’s cases, NewsOne reached out to the attorney’s office for comment. Her spokesman, Chief Assistant State Attorney Brian Haas, responded, via phone, with the following:

“Our office has not made any filing decisions on that case yet, so there have not been any charges brought yet in that case, it’s still under review.

“She’s not been charged.

“Just because someone, just because there’s a police report done on someone, that doesn’t mean that they are charged officially in court of any crime.

“There’s a different standard between what is done in the police report and what will be done in court.”

Even though NewsOne made it clear that we fully understand that there is a difference between what charges are brought in the police report and what official charges are actually brought in court, Haas would not answer our questions as to why Glotfelty’s initial determination was to drop Richardson’s charges because that instance was deemed a “tragic accident” yet she determined that Kiera should be charged with what amounts to a felony.

When NewsOne asked if Haas was discounting the validity of the police report, which specifically states that Glotfelty advised that the aforementioned charges be brought against Kiera, he conceded that he was not discounting it and that he had no further comment, ending with, “This case has not been determined to be prosecuted at this point. It’s under review in our office. There hasn’t been not any adult charges in adult court readied. It’s being reviewed by our juvenile division and we hope to have a decision very soon on the resolution of this case.

Unsatisfied, NewsOne asked Managing Attorney of Guster Law Firm Eric L. Welch Guster to provide his professional insight on the issue:

“From the information presented, I do not see how the District Attorney can justify the charge against Kiera when compared to the case of the 13 year old who shot his brother with a BB gun,” Attorney Guster said. “Looking at the case with the BB gun death, the District Attorney’s office stated, ‘It is our opinion that this case can only be seen as a tragic accident.”

“Mind you, he was playing with a gun that shoots projectiles. The same seems true for Kiera and her science experiment. That experiment was an accident.

“The 13-year-old brother killed someone, who happened to be his brother. Kiera did not kill nor harm anyone when she was experimenting with her project. Although she should not have mixed the chemicals, it was an accident WITHOUT TRAGEDY and she is being charged with felonies.”

When asked how these charges will affect Kiera’s life, Attorney Guster said:

“As a criminal defense lawyer, I have seen many cases where Black children have been arrested in the same situation where White children would not be arrested and have their parents called to pick them up and take them home. This incident is very similar.

“At the most severe point, Kiera could have been made to go to detention if she did something wrong but definitely not arrested for a science experiment.

“However, she was arrested and charged with adult felonies, which means the arrest will follow her for the remainder of her life.

“Even if the case is dismissed, background checks will still see the arrest, which could prevent this stellar student from attending the college of her choice, living in the apartment complex that she chooses, or getting the job she is qualified for.”

According to Haas, they are still determining whether to go forward in Kiera’s case or drop the charges as they did in the Richardson case. If you are moved by Kiera’s case and would like to put pressure on the Assistant State attorney’s office to do the right thing, send Glotfelty’s office a message here, call (863) 534-4800, or send her a letter at 255 N Broadway Ave. Bartow, FL 33830.

SEE ALSO: UPDATE: Stay Of Execution Granted For Miss. Death Row Inmate

Sound off!

Although many networks continue to pretend that people on both sides of the political aisle are equally nasty toward each other in the name of patronization balance, leave it to the National Rifle Association to blow such silly folklore to smithereens. This week, the Rev. Al Sharpton (pictured) took shots at what he dubbed “The Right-Wing Horror Picture Show” on MSNBC’s “Politics Nation.” The segment focused on Buzzfeed’s report about the NRA asking a vendor at its convention to remove a life-size zombie target, which bleeds when shot and resembles President Barack Obama (pictured below).

Watch Sharpton’s discussion here:

SEE ALSO: Zimmerman’s Legal Team Attempts To Undercut 911 Call Evidence, Call Could Sink Defense’s Case

When Buzzfeed spoke to a Zombie Industries booth worker at the convention in Houston, he admitted there was a striking resemblance to the President and that it appeared to be intentional, quipping, ”Let’s just say I gave my Republican father one for Christmas.”

Now, imagine the reaction a Black man would get saying, “Yeah, I bought my pops a life-size image of President [Ronald] Reagan. He just loves to shoot him in the head.” I’m pretty sure these folks wouldn’t find that nearly as amusing; they would probably cry for charges of treason.

Another reporter said of the NRA’s request to have the target removed from sight, ”They are just scared some liberal reporter will come by and start b*tching. I’m not so much a reporter, but even still here I am…reporting for duty. Feel free to pitch in after, y’all.”

As “admirable” as it is for someone at the NRA to say, “Yeah, can we Not have a zombified version of the President to shoot at during our convention in plain sight?” the item is still for sale on the organization’s website.

Way to show you care about respecting the commander-in-chief, NRA.

Then again, as stupid and hateful as this vendor’s Obama zombie depiction is, they’re only taking cues from an organization that has long made its lack of respect for the President clear.

Remember this ad targeting the President’s daughters in order to score cheap political points?

Then there is the matter of the NRA’s new president, attorney Jim Porter. Hailing from Birmingham, Ala., Porter has a clear affinity for all things southern, thinly veiled racist and anti-Yankee. On the Civil War, Porter infamously asserted, “Y’all might call it the Civil War, but we call it ‘the war of northern aggression’ down South.”

Who do you think has this man’s heart more: Jesus or Robert E. Lee?

Isn’t he a charmer?

Meanwhile, Porter is none too fond of President Obama, once bashing him as the “fake president.” He’s also claimed, “His [the President's] entire administration is anti-gun, anti-freedom, anti-second amendment.” Well, that sure beats sounding like a paranoid idiot.

If that’s not enough, Buzzfeed notes that while the zombie has been removed from the convention, “There is an Obama vampire with a stake in his heart that can be seen at the Conan Inc. booth. There is also a familiar likeness at the OPSGEAR booth.“

Mind you, these are the very people whining that President Obama is the one dividing the country.

I’m sure some critics would argue that there have been despicable depictions of former President George W. Bush too.

Fair enough, and I might I add, it’s all wrong.

However, the extent to which these cashew and almond mix for brains lunatics loathe President Obama is far, far worse. To them, Obama is a Muslim Monday through Tuesday, a Marxist on Wednesday, an evil dictator on Thursday, and because liberals purportedly want it all, he’s all of the above plus a fascist on the weekend. And apparently on top of that, he’s not even a legitimate president. You know, given he was born in a Kenya to Satan’s mistress.

There may be crazy on both sides, but it’s pretty apparent the gun-clutching, sex-hating, Jesus-jocking fringe of the right have the higher quotient. And who could blame them when they’re enabled by groups like the NRA.

The proof is in the zombies and the vampires.

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

SEE ALSO: How To Weaken A President

Jim Shelton, the Department’s assistant deputy secretary for Innovation and Improvement, and David J. Johns, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, will host the Hangout. Titled “Celebrating African-American Teachers in Our Classrooms,” the gentlemen will be joined by educators from around the country as they discuss the critical need to place competent teachers in schools where they’re most needed.

NBC News’ Tamron Hall (pictured) will serve as a moderator, and the chat takes place on the historic grounds of Howard University in Washington, D.C. Some of the topics to be discussed include class size, preparing students for college, and focusing on the needs of urban communities. This is the first of several events the Education Department will host in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, which starts Monday.

From a press release for today’s event:

Nationwide, more than 35 percent of public school students are African American or Hispanic, but less than 15 percent of teachers are Black or Latino, and less than 2 percent of our nation’s teachers are African-American males. The Obama Administration is committed to narrowing the achievement gap by ensuring that minority and low-income students are able to learn from a highly effective teacher. As part of the Race to the Top challenge, 17 states changed their laws to better support and prepare effective teachers. These new standards institute new methods of evaluation and compensation in an effort to improve teacher training and preparation.

To watch today’s Hangout live, tune in at 4:00 p.m. ET here.

You can watch the event at a later time after today’s live showing, here.

Self-described neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman‘s (picture) legal team filed a motion to have the processes of the voice recognition experts challenged in regards to the 911 call, according to the Orlando Sentinel. During the 911 call, a voice is heard repeatedly calling for help, but is then dramatically silenced with a gunshot. To date, both Zimmerman and slain teen Trayvon Martin‘s family have attempted to claim the screams, which is sure to give either side an upperhand during the trial.

RELATED: NewsOne’s Trayvon Martin Coverage

On Friday, Zimmerman’s defense attorney Mark O’Mara reportedly asked the judge overseeing the case to specifically review the “scientific validity” of the voice recognition experts.

Why?

Because O’Mara and his team believe that the experts are using “phony science” in their conclusions. Zimmerman’s motion was publicly released on Monday.

A few months after Trayvon was killed, the associated 911 call was released. From the beginning, Zimmerman has maintained that the screams heard in the phone call belong to him.

But Martin’s family insists that the screams belong to their murdered son, although Trayvon’s father, Tracy, initially said that the screams weren’t Trayvon’s.

By April of last year, experts reviewed the phone call and determined that the screams DO NOT belong to Zimmerman.

Listen to both the experts and the 911 call here:

In fact, Tom Owen, of Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, went on record with MSNBC, saying, “The tests concluded that it’s not the voice of Mr. Zimmerman.”

NewsOne spoke with Managing Attorney of Guster Law Firm Eric L. Welch Guster about Zimmerman’s motion and asked him what strategy it appears that Zimmerman is using in advance of his second-degree murder case. Guster said:

“The defense wants to show that the expert is wrong, therefore allowing the defense to say or assert what they need in order to prove their case. In order to show that the expert is wrong, they have to attack the method that the expert used in order to come to their conclusion. If they can prove that the expert was incorrect in using certain technology and methods to come to the conclusion, they can argue that the conclusion is wrong.

“The defense team is trying to eliminate Zimmerman’s culpability in this case. Due to the prosecution’s burden of proof, they want to make it harder for them to prove  it was Trayvon screaming for help before the gunshots. If they are successful, they may be able to claim it was Zimmerman screaming for help before the gunshots, thus helping their theory of self defense.”

To Guster, expert testimony will be key in Zimmerman’s case, “Expert testimony will be very important in this trial.  If it is determined that Trayvon was screaming for help before he was shot, it would make the defense’s case much more difficult and the self-defense claim harder to prove.”

As NewsOne reported earlier, four witnesses in Zimmerman’s defense have changed their accounts, with Witness 12 radically challenging Zimmerman’s claim that he was on top:

With Witness 12, who reportedly lives in the same neighborhood as the fatal incident, she said she witnessed two people on the ground but wasn’t sure if Trayvon or Zimmerman was on top, ‘I don’t know which one. … All I saw when they were on the ground was dark colors,’ she said.

In her subsequent interview, though, she identified Zimmerman as the aggressor, after being able to observe both of their sizes, ‘I know after seeing the TV of what’s happening, comparing their sizes, I think Zimmerman was definitely on top because of his size.’

Even though Zimmerman’s trial isn’t scheduled to begin until June 10th, Zimmerman has constantly been in the news, attempting to sway the public to his side.

But Zimmerman’s apparent desperation is only working to further paint him into a murderer of a defenseless young Black teen. For if he is truly innocent, as he claims, won’t the evidence clearly illustrate that rather than his website, interviews, and motions?

But with changing witness testimony and damaging expert assertions, I guess Zimmerman can’t afford to let the actual evidence tell the story of exactly what happened on February 26, 2012.

Let’s hope — in spite of Zimmerman’s dubious efforts — that truth prevails.

SEE ALSO: Miss. Refuses Death Row Inmate DNA Test That Could Prove Innocence

UPDATED 5/7/13, 3:58 p.m.: The Supreme Court of Mississippi has stayed the execution of Willie Jerome Manning. While the Court stated that it has responded to numerous motions filed by the defense, it is not exactly clear what the next steps will be.

Robert Mink, one of Manning’s attorney’s, told NewsOne that they do not know how long the stay will last, what they will be allow to do, or ordered to do during the stay period.

A lone justice, Michael K. Randolph, wrote a dissenting letter, arguing that the arguments presented in recent motions have been presented before the court before. Moreover, he expressed concern that the language used  in the Justice Department’s letters suggest too cozy a relationship with the Innocence Project.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

UPDATED 5/7/13, 2:35 p.m.: The Department of Justice (DOJ) sent three letters to District Attorney Deforest Allgood over the past four days saying it considers testimony from its examiners during Willie Jerome Manning’s murder 1994 trial to be “invalid.” The letters were based on a review of microscopic hair comparisons and testimony presented by the FBI Laboratory before 2000, after mitochondrial DNA testing became available.

During the trial, an FBI examiner implied that a general hair sample could be associated with a particular individual and exclude others. The Justice Department said in a May 2 letter to Allgood that such testimony “exceeded science” and was therefore “invalid.” In a May 4 letter, the DOJ mentioned an additional error in the examiner’s testimony: “an examiner cannot testify with a statement of probability the questioned hairs were from an individual of a particular racial group, but can testify that a hair exhibits traits associated with a particular group.”

A May 6 letter from the DOJ also states that testimony from an FBI ballistics expert used by the prosecution also contained errors.n The FBI has offered to test the evidence from the case, given that testimony from its department contained numerous errors.

All three letters are below.

NewsOne spoke with one of Manning’s lawyer’s, Robert Mink, to ask how his client was doing in light of the recent developments. Mink says the May 2 letter “brought tears to (Manning’s) eyes” when he last spoke to him Thursday. “He remains hopeful,” Mink said of Manning. “He is confident. Surprisingly upbeat.”

Mink added that Manning told him that his approaching execution no longer worries him like it used to. Manning did not elaborate. He is scheduled to be put to death today at 6 p.m. CST.

NewsOne reached out to District Attorney Allgood for comment, but he was unavailable.

Mink said he and his co-counsel has filed additional motions with the Mississippi Supreme Court, hoping the Court will consider the letters and stay the execution so that new DNA testing can help determine whether or not Manning did kill Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller.

Justice Department Letter (May 6): Firearms Expert Testimony ‘Invalid”

Justice Department Letter (May 4): Hair Testimony “Invalid”

Justice Department Letter (May 2): Hair Testimony “Invalid”

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Test the evidence.

That’s what Willie Jerome Manning (pictured) and his legal team have been asking the state of Mississippi to do for the past 10 years, since being sentenced to death in 1994 for killing two White Mississippi State University students.

RELATED: George Stinney: The Youngest Person Ever Executed In The U.S.

Jon Steckler‘s and Tiffany Miller‘s bodies were found in Oktibbeha County Dec. 11, 1992.

Both were shot to death.

Miller’s car was missing but was located the next day. Manning was arrested after allegedly trying to sell the victims’ items. The evidence used to convict him was incriminating but not exact.

While hairs from an African-American male were found in Miller’s vehicle, DNA analysis was not sophisticated enough at that time to determine if they actually belonged to Manning.

It didn’t matter.

Manning was convicted for both murders and sentenced to death, even though he maintained his innocence throughout the case.

And after nearly 20 years, Manning is set to be executed on May 7th even with new testing technology that could exonerate him and point to the real killer if he is indeed innocent as he claims.

Unfortunately, Manning’s case is tragic but not uncommon.

Amnesty International reports that since 1977, the overwhelming majority of death row inmates have been executed for killing Whites, even though Blacks make up about half of homicide victims. Diann Rust-Tierney, executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish The Death Penalty, told NewsOne that Manning and other people of color are at an extreme disadvantage when they are accused of killing Whites.

RELATED: The Top 5 Most Wrongful Executions Of All-Time

“You can have a case where there is circumstantial evidence,” Rust-Tierney said. “There’s evidence that hasn’t been tested and you can still get a conviction. So I think one of the things we see is that the death penalty and the way it operates actually increases the risk that the wrong person will be subjected to the death penalty by the very nature of the process.”

Over the years, Manning’s legal team has filed countless motions citing faults with the process used to convict their client. One is of a jailhouse witness who claims Manning confessed to the murders but later admitted that he lied. Perhaps the most disturbing complaint was with the approach the prosecution used to select jurors. Some Blacks were reportedly disqualified from sitting on the jury because they read Black magazines.

RELATED: Supreme Court Halts Texas Execution Due To Racist Testimony

Unfortunately, each time Manning has presented the aforementioned arguments, among others, judges have sided with the defense.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Manning’s case as well.

But there was a glimmer of hope that their losing streak would end two weeks ago, when the the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on whether to allow evidence from the murder case to be tested. The court narrowly ruled 5-4 in favor of the defense. In the majority opinion, Associate Justice Michael Randolph said Manning’s conviction was based on more than what his defense was challenging.

“The absence of Manning’s DNA does not preclude his participation in the crimes charged,” Randolph said. “Manning fails to demonstrate a reasonable probability that he would not have been convicted or would have received a lesser sentence if favorable results had been obtained through such forensic DNA testing at the time of the original prosecution.”

In a dissenting opinion, however, Associate Justice Leslie King found fault with the prosecution’s handling of the hairs.

“Should a DNA test demonstrate that the African-American hairs found in Miller’s cart did not belong to Manning, then the infirmity in the prosecution’s emphasis on the importance of the evidence would be exposed. And it would certainly raise reasonable questions regarding Manning’s guilt,” King said.

With less than one day left until Manning’s execution, his legal team has run out of options.

Robert Mink, one of Manning’s attorneys, told NewsOne that they’ve taken their case to Gov. Phil Bryant, hoping Mississippi’s top executive will do what the courts so far have refused to do.

“We’re hoping that the governor will stay the execution long enough to allow the DNA testing to occur,” Mink said. “It won’t take long. We’re talking about something that can be accomplished in 30 days. We see no good reason not to do the testing when there is evidence that could be highly probative. It could identify the real perpetrator.”

According to the Innocence Project, 306 people have been exonerated post-conviction after DNA testing proved their innocence; 190 of those exonerated were African American. The true perpetrators or suspects were identified in 148 of the 306 exonerations.

Supporters have set up a website, “Justice4Willie,” with a Change.org petition asking Gov. Bryant to stay Manning’s execution. So far it has 984 signatures as of press time. In a recent interview with the Natchez Democrat newspaper, Steckler’s sister, Suzanne, said Manning’s death will not help her feel any better.

“This is just my personal opinion, and I won’t speak for the rest of the family, but it doesn’t bring our brother back,” she said. “Because of that, we don’t wish that ill will on anyone else’s family. I don’t believe [Manning's] death helps us in one way or another.”

The progressive pushback continues against a series of proposed laws in the North Carolina legislature that seem designed to weaken voter rights, environmental laws, and health care for the poor: On Monday, a group of 17 ministers, civil rights advocates, and students got themselves arrested in pre-planned acts of civil disobedience outside the state General Assembly. On Wednesday, another five college students were arrested, after protesting outside the General Assembly. The students, who identify themselves as members of the NC Student Power Union, were all released on bond.

RELATED: N.C. NAACP Fights Conservative Agenda To Weaken Voter Rights And Cut Health Care, Student Aid

In a statement released to the press and in video clips the N.C. Student Power Union has uploaded onto Youtube, the students say they see the laws proposed by the Republican-led legislature as casting a direct and threatening cloud over their futures.

“My family struggles with finances and we have a hard time making ends meet so the last thing we need is for a millionaire sitting in the North Carolina General Assembly to take my financial aid away,”said Dhruv Pathak, a student at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

A proposal before the General Assembly would cut nearly $200 million to the state university system.

Other proposals would hit at voting rights by shortening early voting provisions and eliminating Sunday voting and same-day registration entirely.

Another new law would weaken environmental law by easing restrictions on the controversial practice of fracking for oil reserves – a method some scientists say fouls drinking water supplies.

One change that has already been signed in to law by Gov. Pat McCrory cuts benefits for the unemployed.

“In the past few months, I’ve watched as opportunities for social uplift and living a quality life have been snatched away from people in our state,” said Zaina Alsous, a University of North Caroilina-Charlotte student who was also arrested. “Health care, rights in the workplace and even the right to vote have all been attacked and our futures are being stolen away to serve the interests of the corporations and the mega wealthy.”

As the protests mount, the Republican-led sponsors of the conservative agenda have been strangely silent. It probably serves their interests best to lie low and wait for the little dustup of a few ministers and students to blow over.

But if by some chance, the student protests grow and even get the backing of some grown, established folk, Republicans might have to start answering some tough questions, such as why has the state government decided to make such a dramatic and sudden shift to the right and whose interests is it serving?

SEE ALSO: Kentucky Derby Hopeful Plans On Winning, Making History!

How could it have been avoided?

That is the question that lingers nearly five months after NFL player Jovan Belcher (pictured left) shot and killed Kassandra Perkins (pictured right), his longtime girlfriend and Mother of his infant daughter (pictured).

The Kansas City Chiefs linebacker then left the home the couple shared and drove to Arrowhead Stadium, where he killed himself in front of coaches and the team’s general manager.

On its face, the horrific case of domestic violence appears to be a crime of passion, but beneath it runs an undercurrent of unchecked mental health issues for Belcher, who had been drinking heavily before the murder-suicide.

RELATED: Why Black America’s Battle With Mental Health Is Failing

Watch Belcher’s sad case here:

Truth is, no one can really say just how the tragedy unfolded and exactly how it could have been avoided. We do know that there had been signs of trouble and that the team provided the couple with counseling. Belcher’s mother, Cheryl Shepherd, had been living with them for about two weeks. Word was, Perkins was preparing to take their 3-month-old daughter, Zoey, and leave.

We also know that Belcher was suffering from depression, according to interviews with friends, teammates, and NFL officials. Early treatment for any number of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder, can help improve the quality of life for those who are suffering.

And since May is Mental Health Month, experts are using the moment to shine the spotlight on the burgeoning health issue. Black mental health experts urge African Americans to pay attention because the community has long been known to turn a blind eye to the illness.

“African-Americans are more at risk for diminished mental health more so than Whites because of challenges, such as poverty, which is a hardship that can cause depression and anxiety,” Dr. Jeff Gardere, a mental health expert and Wellness Director at Philip Stein, told NewsOne.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 10 adults report that they suffer from some form of depression, and Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic people of other races are most likely to report experiencing some form of the illness.

Depression can be costly and debilitating, the report shows. It can also adversely affect the course and outcome of common chronic conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, the CDC says. Depression also can result in increased work absenteeism, short-term disability, and decreased productivity.

RELATED: 7 Surprising Habits That Cause Depression

The CDC says a person may be diagnosed with major depression if, for “more than half the days,” they reported meeting at least five of the eight criteria, including at least one of the following: 1) “little interest or pleasure in doing things”; 2) “feeling down, depressed, or hopeless”; 3) “trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or sleeping too much”; 4) “feeling tired or having little energy”; 5) “poor appetite or overeating”; 6) feeling bad about yourself or that you were a failure or let yourself or your family down”; 7) “trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television”; and 8) “moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed…or the opposite: being so fidgety or restless that you were moving around a lot more than usual.”

Tackling mental health issues early on can be vital, according to advocates like Terrie Williams, a clinical social worker, anti-violence expert, founder of her own public relations firm, and author of “Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting.”

After the Belcher incident, Williams told NewsOne:

“All emotional problems stem from childhood. Let me be clear, unless one gets help, these problems can be passed on to adulthood. But without treating the parties involved, I can’t say exactly what went on with them, but it’s all about mental health, proper treatment, and breaking the cycle of violence. I’ve heard and read the reports about a possible concussion, which would exacerbate any emotional problems that he may have had, but at this point, we have to wait for all of the information to come out. It’s all very disconcerting and sad. I feel for both of their families and their child.”

Dr. Jeff Gardere says there are many strategies and techniques people can use to help them manage stress before it manages them:

• Acknowledge the negative role stress plays in your life. By identifying your stressors and even resultant health related symptoms, you no longer have to be a victim to “unseen” forces and can instead be empowered to actively address that stress and work towards mental wellness.

• Learn better time management and organizational skills. You will soon find a better balance in all aspects of your life as well as being less rushed, overwhelmed, and then of course less stressed emotionally.

• Maintain a strong network of supportive family and friends. Relationships, social interaction, and support are the emotional vitamins for a strong mind.

• Maintain a lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, spirituality through prayer, mediation or yoga, and of course, a good nights sleep. Don’t forget that exercise releases endorphins, which makes you feel good.

• Do things or expose yourself to situations that make you laugh. Laughter provides emotional healing and also releases endorphins that make you feel good.

“Maintaining and checking your mental health is vital,” Dr. Gardere said. “It’s like going to see your dentist. If you don’t have any real dental issues, you should still go in and get your teeth checked. We say the same thing about mental health. Some people may not know they are experiencing a problem and this month is important because it raises awareness about the importance of mental health treatment.”

 RELATED: 6 Best Foods For Better Mental Health

How can we let something like death, the end of life, become so regular and so normal to these kids? What are we doing? 

RELATED: Alphonza Bryant: Bronx Teen Shot, Killed While Hanging With Friends

Why isn’t there enough attention being paid to the deaths of young Blacks and Latinos? In Newtown and Aurora there was a sense of urgency as there still is today. And there should be!

But what about our youth and our communities?

During a speech at NYPD headquarters this week, New York city Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, “A Bronx resident named Alphonza Bryant (pictured) was shot and killed while standing with friends near his home. He was 17.  Like most murder victims in our city, he was a minority. As I said earlier, about 90 percent of all murder victims in our city are Black and Latino. Do you think that if a White, 17-year-old prep student from Manhattan had been murdered, the Times (NY Times) would have ignored it?”

What Mayor Bloomberg stated is what we at National Action Network and others have been saying for years.

Do we really think that if kids in Beverly Hills, the nice suburbs of Chicago or the Upper East Side were shot and killed on a daily basis like those in Brooklyn, the South Side of Chicago, or Compton, there wouldn’t be more outrage?  Do we really think the mainstream media would be so silent in covering this epidemic? Do we really think so many of our politicians would ignore their deaths as if their lives don’t matter?

I don’t think so, and I’m sure you don’t either.

The Labor Department released its April jobs report Friday morning (May 3), highlighting a slight drop in the overall unemployment rate. With the rate dropping to 7.5 percent from 7.6 percent in March, jobless numbers for the African-American community remain at a sobering 13.2 percent.

RELATED: Expert: Black Unemployment Compounded By White Favoritism During Hiring

In April, 165,000 jobs were added to the economy, a small improvement over the 138,000 jobs added a month prior. While this figure shattered economic predictions, hiring only seems to be happening for just one segment of the overall population: Women workers, with their unemployment rate at 6.7 percent, were the largest number of job seekers to become employed in April.

Yet, Black job seekers aren’t the only group to feel the unemployment crunch.

Adult men (7.1 percent), teenagers (24.1 percent), Whites (6.7 percent), Hispanics (9.0 percent), and Asians (5.1 percent) all saw little change in their numbers when compared with the Labor Department’s past statistics. The largest boon to the workforce happened in restaurants and bars, which added 38,000 jobs and retailers, which had the next highest number of hires with 29,000.

Sequestration also played a factor in this most-recent jobs report, with 11,000 federal, state, and local government workers losing their jobs due to budget constraints and other factors.

In all, 11.7 million people are out of work, a staggering rate when compared to the unemployment rate sitting at 4.5 percent before the recession shattered the economy.

Out of necessity, part-time work is the only part of the workforce showing the strongest improvement, with many workers forced to take piecemeal jobs to make ends meet.

The report reveals that Blacks and Hispanics are hardest hit by joblessness, signaling a fact well-known in those communities that jobs for those groups are harder to come by.

Although this disparity has been documented in detail over the years, little has been done to address the wide gap between Whites and people of color in today’s job market.

Read the details of the Labor Department’s jobs report here.

Sound off!

RELATED: State Of Black America 2013: Unemployment Continues To Prevent Full Empowerment

The popular phrase “the real McCoy” has been tied to Canadian-American inventor and engineer Elijah McCoy and one of his many innovative inventions in the steam engine industry. While the expression has been debated endlessly by scholars, what remains is McCoy’s amazing path to prominence — all sparked by a risky sacrifice made by his parents during slavery times. NewsOne celebrates the life of Elijah McCoy, who was born on this day in 1844.

SEE ALSO: Writer, Activist Eldridge Cleaver Died On This Day In 1998

McCoy was born free in Ontario, Canada, to parents George and Mildred, slaves who escaped Kentucky and fled to the Far North by way of the Underground Railroad. One of 12 children, McCoy’s family settled back in the States in 1847 in Michigan. As a teenager, McCoy was trained in Scotland as an apprentice engineer but was unable to land coveted jobs due to racism. Out of necessity, McCoy worked for the Michigan Central Railroad as an oiler and fireman.

McCoy’s time on the railroad gave him the inspiration for his earlier inventions.

After observing how train axles were oiled, he invented a lubricating cup that distributed oil more efficiently and allowed trains to run longer without manual assistance. Gaining the first of his 57 patents for the cup, McCoy tweaked and worked on lubricating systems almost exclusively. He also branched out with designs for ironing boards, lawn sprinklers, and other machines.

Without the financial backing to produce his inventions, McCoy sold or assigned his patent rights to others. Lubricators bearing McCoy’s name would appear until 1920, toward the end of his fantastic career.

McCoy would create the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company to produce his lubricating machines and operated the company until his passing.

Historians often ignore McCoy’s significant contributions, saying that self-lubricating machines such as his inventions were already in place. While that fact has been proven accurate, there is no discounting the fact McCoy’s cup was an improvement upon the older designs.

And based on his high number of patents — 50 focused on lubrication — he was one of the most-prolific Black inventors of the early 20th Century.

Booker T. Washington recognized McCoy’s achievements in the book “Story Of The Negro” in 1909.

The phrase “the Real McCoy” is largely credited to the inventor, based on railroad workers wanting to use an authentic McCoy oil-cup distributor and asking for it by name.

It’s been said that the origin of the phrase is found in a Canadian novel titled “The Rise And Fall Of The Union” club, which printed in 1881. To this day, this has been accepted as the first occurrence of the expression and is used mostly as an idiom these days.

McCoy married twice, surviving both his wives. His second wife, Mary, died in 1922 after a car accident, where McCoy was severely injured. He would pass away in 1929 in the Eloise Infirmary in Detroit, Mich., on October 10th.

McCoy’s desire to use his training in an industry that saw him as a non-factor and his determination despite the barriers he’s faced is truly inspirational. McCoy earned the respect of his peers and he willed himself into a success story in a time when African Americans were still reeling from the insidious stranglehold of slavery.

McCoy’s legacy lives on in Detroit, with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office naming their first satellite location after the inventor in one of the country’s classiest moves last summer.

Happy Birthday and Rest In Powerful Peace, Elijah McCoy!

SEE ALSO: Rodney King Riots In Los Angeles Began On This Day In 1992

It honestly sounds like a scene from of one of those child-centered sitcoms on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. So why is Kiera being treated like a criminal from “The First 48″?

RELATED: High School Student Charged With Felony Over Science Experiment?

Keira’s friends maintain that her experiment was simply ”a science project gone bad” and “that she never meant to hurt anyone.” Even Kiera’s principal acknowledges that “she made a bad choice. Honestly, I don’t think she meant to ever hurt anyone. She wanted to see what would happen [when the chemicals mixed] and was shocked by what it did. Her mother is shocked too.”

Not only that, but Kiera didn’t duck responsibility for her actions. ”She told us everything and was very honest. She didn’t run or try to hide the truth. We had a long conversation with her,” Principal Ron Pritchard explained to Tampa Bay’s 10 News.

And yet, despite these acknowledgments plus a clean school record, Kiera has been expelled, faces adult felony charges, and will have to obtain her diploma via an expulsion program. Such is the reality of school districts and their zero-tolerance policies. The same can be said of our collective ever-increasing paranoia about terrorism.

Sadly, it’s not lost on me and others are outraged that these zero-tolerance policies tend to hurt Black students more than others. Last year, new data from the Department of Education confirmed the disparities.

The New York Times reports:

Although Black students made up only 18 percent of those enrolled in the schools sampled, they accounted for 35 percent of those suspended once, 46 percent of those suspended more than once, and 39 percent of all expulsions, according to the Civil Rights Data Collection’s 2009-10 statistics from 72,000 schools in 7,000 districts, serving about 85 percent of the nation’s students. The data covered students from kindergarten age through high school.

Now Kiera faces the prospects of being another statistic in ongoing inherent bias.

This could’ve been a teachable moment, though. Not for Kiera, but for the useless school board members who create these asinine policies but don’t bother to foster the kind of learning environments that would do more to derail disciplinary problems.

As biologist D.N. Lee writes for Scientific American:

I can’t name a single scientist or engineer, who hadn’t blown up, ripped apart, disassembled something at home or otherwise cause a big ruckus at school all in the name of curiosity, myself included. Science is not clean. It is very messy and it is riddled with mistakes and mishaps.

Kiera’s expulsion all but discourages curiosity and learning overall.

Why not mentor Kiera instead of perpetuating more needless fear mongering? No, Kiera shouldn’t have done this on school grounds, but why hit her with adult felony charges when she’s never had any disciplinary problems prior to this accident? Why treat her the way you would some sort of terrorist with malicious intent?

How a*s backwards can the school board and law enforcement be in this matter?

A curious Black girl should not be condemned for the rest of her life. Period. So if you’d like to vent your frustrations directly, you can contact Bartow High School here, the school distract here, and the Bartow police department here.

Sound off!

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

With all the talk about obesity and chronic disease in the African-American community, the surgeon general is out to educate Moms about an early preventive measure: breastfeeding.

“By raising awareness, the success rate among Mothers who want to breastfeed can be greatly improved through active support from their families, their friends, and the community,” Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin, M.D said in a news release that announces the launch of “It’s Only Natural,” a public education campaign designed to raise awareness among African-American women about the importance and benefits associated with breastfeeding. It also provides helpful tips.

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The campaign is a good thing, Steven Pratt, M.D., told NewsOne. The author of the soon-to-be-released “SuperfoodsRx Plan for Pregnancy: The Right Choice for a Healthy, Smart, Super Baby” and the New York Times bestseller “SuperfoodsRx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life” says breastfeeding helps fight obesity and chronic disease.

“In my new book, I stress breastfeeding even if you have to use a breast pump,” Pratt told NewsOne. “By six to 12 months after birth, a Mother sets the course for chronic disease prevention by providing important nutritional benefits, such as antibodies and reduced risk for developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and many cancers for Mother and child.”

There are disturbing rates of obesity among children and women in the African-American community. Both groups have the highest rates of being overweight or obese compared to other groups in the United States.

About four out of five African-American women are overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Childhood obesity rates in America have tripled over the past three decades, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The statistics are even higher in Black and Hispanic communities, where nearly 40 percent of the children are overweight or obese.

And the leading cause of death among African Americans, according to the CDC, are chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes, which could be treated if caught early.

Breastfeeding is one way to help steel Mother and child against some of those diseases, Pratt says.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 80 percent of all U.S. women — regardless of status, race, or income — start out breastfeeding, the rate among African-American women was almost 55 percent. That is a major increase from 35 percent in the 1970s, but it is still well below that of other ethnicities in the United States, particularly among those living in the South.

The gap may indicate that African-American mothers face barriers to meeting breastfeeding goals and need additional support to start, which sparked the campaign that is designed to provide materials that reflect the experience of African-American Moms.

“Breastfeeding not only ensures that children will have a healthy life, it is also the easiest way for women to lose weight after a pregnancy,” Pratt said. “I urge pregnant women to eat smart and remind them that they are not eating for two; they are eating for one adult and a seven pounder. Besides providing important nutrients for their child, breastfeeding cuts the risk of postpartum obesity and cuts the risk of breast cancer.”

Pratt also explained that it cuts breast cancer risk because women who are breastfeeding are not producing as much estrogen, which fuels 80 percent of breast cancers.

Breastfeeding also helps women avoid the metabolic syndrome, or excess body fat around the waist, because the woman’s body is working to provide important nutrients to the child and burning calories.

Pratt says if Mothers have to use a breast pump, they should use the milk within the hour because the hormones and nutrients change. The closer a Mother feeds the baby to the time the milk was pumped, the better it will be because the nutrients and hormones are preprogrammed to have maximum impact on the child and the milk profile changes with each hour.

Pratt said he applauds the surgeon general’s efforts because “breastfeeding Mothers are programming their children for a lifetime. It helps Mothers so they can be healthy later in life.”

Sound off!

A “crackerjack team” of journalists at an NBC affiliate wrongly identified Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly as they reported his passing, according to UPROXX, but this latest faux pas is just one of many when it comes to the media properly identifying Blacks.

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On Wednesday night, An NBC affiliate broadcast the news that Kelly  was found unresponsive at his Atlanta home and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

When it was time to run the image of Kelly, they instead ran a photo of record producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri (pictured above). Even more ridiculous was their sourcing of “Google.com” for the image, suggesting that they could have easily googled Kelly to see what he actually looked like.

Dupri discovered Kelly and Chris Smith at an Atlanta mall in the early nineties. Soon after, Dupri produced the duo’s first album and introduced the then-tweens to the music world in 1992. The album’s first single, “Jump,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks, with Kelly and Smith even making a fashion splash by wearing their clothing backward.

Kelly and Smith eventually went their separate ways after their third album in 1996 but reunited this year for the So So Def’s 20th anniversary concert.

Unfortunately, “news organizations” often “mix up” the identities of African Americans.

Only last year, Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ Channel 2 apologized for using a picture of the singer Seal (pictured above) to announce the death of actor Michael Clarke Duncan who passed away last September.  The station posted their “sorry” on Facebook:

Yep; our bad; we own it.  A careless editing error at the end of the Michael Clarke Duncan story in our 11pm news.  Two entertainment stories accidentally merged into one video clip.  Sincere apologies.

Then in January, fashion bible Elle Magazine mistook reality star, Nene Leakes (pictured left) of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” fame for actress Danai Gurira (pictured), who co-stars on the zombie show “Walking Dead.”

Obviously, the women look nothing alike!

And at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, NBA icon Bill Russell (pictured left) was mistaken for actor Morgan Freeman (pictured right) by ABC news journalist George Stephanopoulos, who clearly should have known better!

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Who Is Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly 

NewsOne has partnered with the Black and Missing Foundation and TV One to focus on the crisis of missing African Americans.

To be a part of the solution, NewsOne will profile a missing person weekly and provide tips about how to keep your loved ones safe and what to do if someone goes missing, while TV One‘s newest show, “Find Our Missing,” hosted by award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson, tells these stories in visual form.

                                                                                                                                      —————————————

Kael Johnson

Case Type: Endangered, Other
Date of Birth: February 1, 1977
Missing Date: February 15, 2013
Age Now: 36
Missing City: Las Vegas
Missing State: Nevada
Gender: Male
Race: Black
Complexion: Medium
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 240
Hair Color: Black
Hair Length: Short
Eye Color: Brown
Wear Glasses or Contacts: No

Location Last Seen: Johnson was last seen on February 15th at approximately 11 p.m. driving a silver 2004 Dodge Ram truck bearing the North Carolina tags AAX2312.

Circumstances of Disappearance: Unknown. Johnson’s truck (pictured below) was recovered on February 28th at Wetlands Park, 7050 Wetlands Park Nature Preserve.

Last Seen Wearing: Unknown.

Identifying Marks or Characteristics: Unknown.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Kael Johnson is aksed to call Las Vegas Police at (702) 828-3111 or Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555. You may also contact the Black and Missing Foundation’s confidential Tip Line.