American Airlines CEO Condemns Employees Who Removed Black Passengers From Flight
CEO Robert Isom said the behavior is not in line with the airline's values.
The CEO of American Airlines has condemned the employees responsible for removing several Black passengers from its plane over alleged complaints about their body odor. In a note to staff obtained June 20 by the Associated Press, Robert Isom called the incident unacceptable by their guidelines.
“I am incredibly disappointed by what happened on that flight and the breakdown of our procedures,” Isom wrote. “It contradicts our values. We fell short of our commitments and failed our customers in this incident.”
The incident that Isom referenced in his note occurred in January and resulted in three Black male passengers suing the airline last month. The passengers claim they were removed from the flight due to clear racial discrimination. The lawsuit stated that a white male flight attendant began complaining about an “unidentified passenger’s body odor.”
The men who were removed from the flight were not seated together and did not know each other before the incident. As they were waiting for their flight to New York to depart, eight total black passengers were told to get off the plane.
When the removed passengers confronted the American Airlines employees about their removal, they were told that they were ejected due to the complaint about body odor. However, an employee at the jet bridge was seen on camera during a recorded video of the incident seeming to agree that the men were discriminated against because of their race.
According to their lawsuit, the men were allowed back onto the plane after an hour’s delay.
The number of suspended employees has not been disclosed.
Isom announced American Airlines is putting together an “advisory group” to focus on improving the flight experience for customers of color. The group would handle reports of discrimination allegations and also focus on improving diversity training for employees to better “focus on real-world situations to help recognize and address bias and discrimination.”
Last year, Tennessee State University became the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to welcome men’s ice hockey as one of its athletic programs.
On June 21, the coach of the newly formed team revealed the player’s official home jerseys.
According to NHL.com, the royal blue jersey made its debut at the 67th annual Tennessee State University National Alumni Association Convention at the Nashville campus when Coach Duante’ Abercrombie unveiled it for the crowd.
Head Coach Duante’ Abercrombie @blkhky unveiled our 2025-26 home jerseys during the Roar City panel at the 67th TSUNAA Convention on campus. pic.twitter.com/mxk2MzDJCg
— Tennessee State Hockey (@TSUTigersHockey) June 21, 2024
Last June, before the 2023 NHL Draft, it was announced that Tennessee State would have a hockey team. Earlier this year, the school got its first commitment: transfer student Xavier Abel from from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, where he played for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II team.
He told The Tennessean that he always wanted to play for an HBCU.
“The community and the culture at an HBCU is everlasting,” he told the newspaper. “The friends that you make here come with a lifetime bond, and that is what attracted me. It was an experience that I just wanted to go through, and now, not only do I get to go through it, but I get to do something historic while I’m at it.”
NHL.com reported that Abercrombie was named head coach in April. Abercrombie previously coached Stevenson University, an NCAA Division III school near Baltimore, and the Washington Little Capitals. He was also a coaching development associate or guest coach for the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Arizona Coyotes—all NHL franchises.
Christina Peterson was arrested in Atlanta after allegedly striking an officer in the head.
A controversial Douglas County, Georgia, probate court judge faces a myriad of charges, including felony obstruction of a police officer by using threats or violence and simple battery against a police officer.
Judge Christina Peterson was arrested June 20.
According to FOX 5, which obtained an Atlanta Police report, an officer was allegedly assaulted while working at the Peachtree Road Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge.
The report stated that the officer went to speak with Peterson, who looked to be upset and crying in the valet area of the restaurant and lounge in the early morning hours. However, after the Atlanta officer approached Peterson, he said he was reportedly struck in the head by her.
Peterson “appeared to be under the influence” and repeatedly refused to identify herself to the arresting officer, according to court records. Even after she was brought into jail, Peterson didn’t tell officers her name. She only revealed her identity after telling the arresting officers to notify a different officer to come and receive her statement.
Peterson also waived her first appearance in front of the Fulton County Magistrate Court on June 20.
This is not the first time Peterson has found herself in hot water. In April, Peterson was investigated and subsequently found guilty of “systemic incompetence” by a Judicial Qualifications Commission panel, which recommended she be removed from office.
After facing 30 separate counts of misconduct, the panel determined Peterson consistently ignored the rules of the courthouse and “abused courthouse personnel, made inappropriate posts on social media and, in repeated cases, failed to do her job.”
Before her Judicial Qualifications Commission panel investigation, Peterson was additionally the “subject of several FOX 5 I-Team investigations” after she took her position in late 2020.
2Pac’s Accused Killer Keefe D Secures $750,000 Bond, Hearing Set For For Possible Release
Keefe D is seeking to be placed on house arrest.
In January, a Las Vegas judge set a bail amount of $750,000 for Duane “Keefe D” Davis, a former Los Angeles-area gang leader accused of killing hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur in 1996. The attorney for Keefe D has filed paperwork asking the judge for permission to post a $750,000 bond to free his client so he can be placed on house arrest with electronic monitoring.
According to The Associated Press, Keefe D’s defense attorney, Carl Arnold, filed documents on June 20 as the judge scheduled a hearing for June 25. Arnold will ask the judge to allow the suspect to be on house arrest as he prepares for his trial scheduled to take place on Nov. 4. If convicted, Keefe D faces life in prison for his alleged involvement in helping orchestrate Tupac’s killing on Sept. 7, 1996, in Las Vegas.
The former gang member has been in jail at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas since he was arrested last Sept. 29. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
The bond was secured by Crum & Forster Insurance and North River Insurance Co. and prosecutors have asked Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny to have a “source hearing” to show how Davis was able to obtain the necessary money to secure the bond legally.
Prosecutors say they have strong evidence that Keefe D incriminated himself in a book he released in 2019, as well as during police and media interviews since 2008.
Tupac was shot in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas after attending a Mike Tyson fight on Sept. 7, 1996. The controversial rapper died six days later on Sept. 13. Keefe D, who wrote the book Compton Street Legend and did many interviews over the years, initially said that the killing of the “Me Against the World” lyricist was done by his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was killed two years later. Anderson was seen on surveillance video having an altercation with the entertainer before the “All Eyez On Me” emcee died.
Reggie Jackson Discusses Racist Treatment Received During Playing Days In Alabama
During a televised interview, the Yankee great talked about the racism he faced in his early playing days.
Major League Baseball celebrated Juneteenth by having a game on June 19 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. During an interview with former baseball player Alex Rodriguez on the Fox Network, Yankee great Reggie Jackson was asked about his playing days at the ballpark and gave an emotional recollection about dealing with racism during that time.
The famed baseball field was home to the Negro League where many players, including Hall of Famers, Willie Mays, who was born in Birmingham, and Mobile’s own Hank Aaron starred before making it to the Major Leagues. Jackson stated that returning to Rickwood Field brought back memories of the type of racism that plagued the country in the 1960s.
“Coming back here is not easy. The racism that I (faced) here when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places that we traveled,” Jackson said. “Fortunately, I had a manager, and I had players on the team that helped me get through it. But I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. People said to me today and I spoke on it ‘Do you think you’re a better person, do you think you won, when you played here…’ And I said, you know, I would never want to do it again.”
He goes on to speak on some of the issues he had to deal with regarding racists targeting him whenever he was out in public — being called the N-word and having people refusing him service just because he was Black. He expressed some of the things he experienced during that time.
He also stated that if it wasn’t for his white friends, he would not have made it. He felt if he had succumbed to his emotions, he would have been killed.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. At the same time, had it not been for my white friends, had it not been for a white manager and Rudi, Fingers and Duncan, and Lee Meyers, I would never have made it. I was too physically violent. I was ready to physically fight some — I would have got killed here because I would have beat someone’s ass, and you would have saw me in an oak tree somewhere.”
“Coming back here is not easy… I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”
Powerful words from Reggie Jackson on the racism he went through at Rickwood Field.
University North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University’s Chancellor-Elect Vows To Exceed Expectations Amid Concerns Over HBCU Experience
James R. Martin II will lead the nation’s largest HBCU.
A civil engineer from a rural southern town has been tapped to lead the nation’s largest historically Black college and university (HBCU). James R. Martin II has been named the 13th Chancellor of North Carolina Agriculture & Technical State University (A&T) in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The University of North Carolina (UNC) System Board of Governors’ Committee on Personnel made the announcement June 21 at a press conference, noting that Martin is an “accomplished academic, administrator and civil engineer” who has served at three large public research institutions: Clemson University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Pittsburgh, where he is currently vice chancellor of STEM Innovation and Research.
“I’m thrilled to be here. It is certainly my purpose to exceed these expectations that have been set,” Martin said during the press conference.
There appears to be concern, however, from “three search committee members,” according to The Assembly, that the Chancellor-elect will lead the nation’s largest HBCU “despite never having attended, taught at, or led an HBCU.”
According to The Assembly, “There were candidates who had that experience, of the culture of the HBCU, who were products of the HBCU,” one search committee member said. “I would not say it is disqualifying if that’s not the case. But we have had a lot of success with leaders who come from A&T and who come from the world and the culture of HBCUs.”
Meanwhile, Search Advisory Committee Chair Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, who is former chair of the A&T Board of Trustees, stated: “From the beginning, Dr. Martin emerged as a leading candidate in his background, preparation and the vision he articulated for A&T. He will be an outstanding leader for our university.”
Martin earned his B.S. in civil engineering from The Citadel and his master’s and Ph.D. in civil engineering are from Virginia Tech. As a dean at Pittsburgh, Martin oversaw an engineering program with 2,900 undergraduates, 850 graduate students and 200 faculty, according to his profile. There, he raised research dollars by 50%, built strategic partnerships with industry and government, and increased diversity, enrollment and graduation rates. Previously, he chaired the civil engineering department at Clemson and was founding executive director of Clemson’s Risk Engineering and Systems Analytics Institute (RESA).
A scholar in disaster risk engineering and earthquake science, Martin has conducted global research in earthquake zones, leading to stronger building codes in the United States. He has provided international engineering consulting for nearly 100 firms and government agencies.
He will now lead A&T, a land grant, doctoral research university with a national reputation in STEM education, which has more than 13,500 students and 70,000-plus alumni.
According to a statement from the UNC System, Martin’s “numerous national, state and university awards for research, teaching, scholarship, and service include the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Norman Medal, the highest honor for published work in his field. He was also inducted into the Virginia Tech Department of Civil Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2015.”
Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. — no relation to James Martin II — announced in September 2023 that he would retire at the end of the current academic year, departing after 15 years as the longest-serving Chancellor of the UNC system. A national search was then launched, where members of the A&T Search Advisory Committee were announced Oct. 4 by UNC System President Peter Hans. A series of listening sessions with internal and external constituents in January complemented an online public input survey, also launched in October.
According to the university, A&T’s Board of Trustees recommended three unranked candidates to Hans, who nominated a single candidate at the June 21 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the press conference, James Martin II spoke of his childhood, growing up near Union, a small, rural South Carolina town, driving a tractor to see how it led from Upstate, South Carolina into North Carolina; and proverbially, how the path of higher education has been transformative.
“What motivates me is that higher education serves as the platform for upward social mobility,” Martin said during the press conference. “Getting a degree in engineering, for me, allowed me to transform not only my life, but I was able to transform the life of my entire family, and neighborhoods; the folks I interact with. If you really want to change a life, if you want to change a household, if you want to change a community, change the relationship with learning.”
Martin’s appointment as Chancellor will begin on Aug. 15.
Central State University Grads Win Big at SAMPE Competition for Groundbreaking EV Research
Three Central State University graduates win big at Midwest SAMPE competition for their innovative research on the implications of electric vehicles.
The future is here through three recent historically Black college and university (HBCU) graduates whose innovative research landed them in first place at the Midwest Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Student Competition.
Central State University graduates Myesha Burnette, Shawntae Thompson, and Baijing Zinnerman walked away with the highest honor in the competition after their groundbreaking research in material and process engineering led them to produce a 12-page, peer-reviewed paper that “explores the team’s investigation into carbon fiber-reinforced polymer-metal bonding and hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer-metal bonding to aluminum.”
Per the SAMPE website, the organization “provides growth and educational opportunities via conferences, exhibitions, technical forums, and publications. As the only technical society encompassing all fields of endeavor in materials and processes, SAMPE provides a unique and valuable forum for scientists, engineers, and academicians.”
— Central State University (@CentralState87) June 17, 2024
The students’ research also focused on a “pivotal aspect of polymer composite bonding to metal, to achieve a bond that is both lightweight and durable.”
For two years, Thompson and Burnette conducted research led by Alessandro Rengan, Ph.D., an associate professor of Manufacturing Engineering at Central State University. Additionally, Zinnerman made significant contributions to the team, especially during the final two months of their research. With electric vehicles taking the industry by storm, their findings could not have come at a better time.
In April 2024, Thompson and Burnett walked away with a $100 check award and a free annual membership to SAMPE in exchange for the extensive research they conducted for two years.
According to a report by Edmunds, released in March 2024, during the fourth quarter of 2023, an estimated 3.3 million electric vehicles (EVs) were currently on the road in the United States, accounting for roughly 1% of all cars, up significantly from the previous year. In 2022, there were 2.4 million EVs registered.
Will.i.am Showcases AI-Generated Host At Cannes Festival
'When it comes to AI, you’re gonna have super corporate librarians. And so that when people aren’t going to engage with those agents that come from communities that I come from, now they have to change how they speak.'
With artificial intelligence (AI) showing up in the film, social media, and music, The Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am has introduced an AI-generated Black woman host named Felicia for his SiriusXM show.
The music producer spoke about using the technology to create a host while talking to a journalist at Journal House during The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Will.i.am told the audience the importance of diversifying the voices that occupy the AI space these days.
Felicia also “spoke” to the audience.
“Now, when we talk about AI, it’s crucial that we dive into the real deal. Representation, empowerment, and breaking those barriers in tech. Because let’s face it, you ain’t going to see much of our faces if we don’t get involved and steer that ship,” Felicia commented.
Will.i.am stressed the importance of the technology not sounding as robotic, and that it needs to expand to represent the various cultures, nationalities, and other foreign countries when the AI technology is being used.
“When it comes to AI, you’re gonna have super corporate librarians. And so that when people aren’t going to engage with those agents that come from communities that I come from, now they have to change how they speak. AI is now going to sound, once again, like a different colonial interpretation, that intelligence does not sound like someone from the Bronx (NY) or sound like somebody from Atlanta (GA) and think like someone from the favelas in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) or Columbia or Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. Why can’t they sound and vibe and understand our trials and tribulations? And who is going to program that data? Who’s programming it to make sure that it understands us?”
Will.i.am also discussed how he’d like to incorporate AI more into his music. He stated that he is not focused on working with artists but on creating them. He wants to work with AI programmers to produce music for an AI-generated artist.
Family Sues Legoland Alleging Racial Discrimination By Characters Toward Children In 2022
After a 2022 visit to Legoland Theme Park in New York, a family is suing the company for alleged discrimination by characters toward their two small children.
Sesame Place was not the only children-centric theme park accused of discrimination against Black children in 2022. A new report alleges that a similar incident occurred at Legoland during the same time. Still, unlike the latter, the company has reportedly yet to make amends with the family to make things right.
During a visit to Legoland Theme Park in New York with their children in June 2022, Breana Ramsay and her sister-in-law, Shaquana Williams, allege that they experienced racial discrimination after costumed characters reportedly avoided Ramsey’s 2-year-old daughter and 4-year-old nephew.
In a newly filed lawsuit, they seek $1 million in damages after the attorney responsible for representing both parties, Darnell Crosland, shared that the company ignored their initial request for a meeting to discuss what happened and a full refund for their time at the park.
“We sent them a letter in August of 2022 and said this was unacceptable, demanding a refund and a meeting about what happened, and they ignored us like they ignored the kids,” said Crosland.
Additionally, Crosland conducted his own research to determine if Legoland had a history of ignoring Black and other minority children and only dancing and interacting with white kids visiting the park.
“We’ve collected data upon data of different incidents that I’ve paid for from my office to see if this is real, and it continues to happen,” he shared.
Ramsay also claims that no one from the Legoland team has reached out to issue an apology. “Here we are two years later, and nothing has been done to my knowledge,” she said.
Coincidentally, a similar incident happened during the same year at Sesame Street Place. The company was under scrutiny after a clip from a parade showed characters ignoring two small Black girls as they waved and cheered them on from the sidelines.
In the following weeks, as other people came forward with claims of racial discrimination and an outpour of disdain across social media, the theme park issued an apology. It enforced a policy requiring all employees and personnel to participate in mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training.
At this time, Legoland issued a written statement to News 8 regarding the allegations.
“We are committed to fostering an open, inclusive, and safe environment where all our guests feel valued,” said a company representative. “As this matter is currently under litigation, we are unable to provide further details and will respect the legal process.”
Swizz Beatz And Timbaland Face Backlash To Juneteenth Announcement Of New Verzuz Deal With Elon Musk
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland are under fire after announcing the return of Verzuz via a new deal with X owner Elon Musk.
Swizz Beatz and Timbaland are under fire after announcing Verzuz’s return via a new deal with X owner Elon Musk.
The hip-hop producers and Verzuz co-founders took to social media on June 19 to announce the comeback of Verzuz after a two-year hiatus.
“LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!!! IT’S OFFICIAL, VERZUZ IS BACK AND 100% BLACK OWNED AGAIN,” Swizz and Timbaland captioned the post. “LET’S GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT’S BEEN MISSING !!! WE WILL ALSO BE BUILDING NEW ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESSES ON THE X PLATFORM !!”
“WHO SHOULD BE THE 1St KICK OFF SHOW? LETS GO!!! VERZUZ ON X 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 Full story link in bio. NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS OR YOUR COMPANY 🤲🏾Happy Juneteenth 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤,” they added.
While most rejoiced over the news, Verzuz’s new partnership with X, formerly known as Twitter, rubbed many the wrong way. The photo announcement shows Swizz and TImbaland with big smiles while toasting drinks on a yacht with Musk. With the news coming on Juneteenth and involving the controversial businessman, Swizz and Timbaland have faced a fierce backlash from many of their followers.
“Posting with Elon Musk on Juneteenth is wild,” one critic wrote.
“The moment I really understand that our “favs” are nothing more than tools of capitalism chosen to sell us sh*t. Their wealth is theirs. They are in that class now with those people. They are not like us guys. Seriously. Happy Juneteenth? TFOH bro,” another user quipped.
A tweet shared more details about the business deal, which was first announced at the Cannes Lions conference in France on Wednesday. Now, Verzuz will roll out new entertainment-based businesses with X and announce the next matchup soon.
As part of the new agreement, Swizz and Timbaland retain full ownership and creative control of the Verzuz platform, while X secures exclusive distribution rights. With X distribution, Verzuz will reach an audience of over 550 million active users and allow viewers to watch exclusively on X for free.
“We are beyond thrilled to have found the best partner for Verzuz. Not only are we excited to have Verzuz on X, but we’re excited to help X build the biggest entertainment company in the world. I would like to thank Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Brett Weitz, Mitchell Smith, and the entire X team for believing in the Verzuz vision,” Swizz said. “We can’t wait to get to work.”
“We are thrilled to partner with X, the most innovative platform globally. Our goal has always been to bring Verzuz to the world, which we can now do bigger than ever,” Timbaland added.
