UFC Champion Conor McGregor’s Family Denies His Mother Wore Blackface for Halloween
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

UFC Champion Conor McGregor’s Family Denies His Mother Wore Blackface for Halloween

Halloween just passed, so, of course, some people are facing backlash for seemingly resorting to blackface as part of their costumes. But no one expected mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor to make the list.

The UFC star is standing by his mom after facing public scrutiny for her ghoul costume, which included black face paint. McGregor and family came under fire on Monday after the Irish mixed martial arts fighter shared photos of his family’s Halloween costumes in a since-deleted post, Daily Mail reports.

While McGregor opted to dress as Frank Abagnale from the film Catch Me If You Can, his mom, Margaret, 63, sparked controversy after being accused of wearing blackface for her costume. The family was attending a party at The Black Forge Inn in Dublin, where Margaret could be seen with black paint smeared across her face.

McGregor’s sister, Erin, shared a video to her Instagram Story that showed Margaret posing in her costume with the caption:

“Mad Magzer loving the Halloween vibe,” along with two laughing emojis.

McGregor immediately came under fire when his followers reminded the Irish athlete about the racist history behind wearing blackface.

“Come on bruh we still doing blackface in 2022,” one viewer wrote.

“Nobody else seeing the black face paint on the lady at the end? Wtf?” said someone else.

“Is that….blackface? What is going on with that?” another user wrote.

“Whoever in the red costume is racist,” quipped another.

But McGregor insisted that his mother wasn’t donning blackface but instead had black spiders painted on her face to go along with the red dress and necklace with three skulls she sported for her ghoul costume.

“The McGregor family loves Halloween,” a spokesperson told The Sun.

“Mrs McGregor had spiders painted on her face since her costume was a ghoul risen from the grave.”

“Any other interpretation was just wrong and truly unfortunate,” they added.

DC’s ‘Hat Lady’ Dies at 103 After Half a Decade Designing Radiant Hats for Maya Angelou and Others
by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2022

DC’s ‘Hat Lady’ Dies at 103 After Half a Decade Designing Radiant Hats for Maya Angelou and Others

From working as an elevator operator in a hat store to later crafting some of the most sought-after designs, the owner of Washington’s most acclaimed hat and bridal shop has passed away.

Vanilla Beane, also known as “D.C.’s Hat Lady,” reportedly died Sunday, Oct. 23, in a hospital in Washington.

According to The Washington Post, Beane was 103 years old, and her grandson, Craig Seymour, shared that complications following an aortic tear were the cause.

Beane was known for the radiant hats she designed and fabricated at the Bené Millinery and Bridal Supplies shop on Third Street, NW. Her creations drew the attention of African American women who wanted to purchase hats for special occasions like church, weddings, and funerals. Each design was one of a kind and offered a selection of hats that included tams, turbans, Panamas, sailors, and cloches.

“Nobody wants to walk into a church and see someone else wearing their hat,” she once said, according to The Washington Post.

Writer and poet Maya Angelou and Dorothy I. Height, founding matriarch of the U.S. civil rights movement, were some of the notable African American women to wear Beane’s fashions.

The outlet reported that Beane made her hats the old-fashioned way. Her technique included wetting a stiff cotton, called buckram, molding it, and decorating it with different fabrics.

“Some people like real fussy hats,” she told The Washington Post in 2009.

“Others like sophisticated hats, and a lot of people like simple hats. I try to please people regardless of their race or background.”

Reportedly, D.C.’s “Hat Lady” worked six days a week for half a century, including her 100th year, turning her fingers rough and stiff.

“The hat tradition grew out of the idea that you were expressing how God has blessed you,” Craig Marberry, co-author of Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, said in a 2019 story about Beane in The Washington Post.

“The more flamboyant a hat, the more God has blessed you.”

Some of Beane’s hats are reportedly displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, including a green velveteen design and a red, felt bicorn style.

Meet the 78-Year-Old Veteran, Black Explorer Who Has Traveled Across More Than 50 Countries in 5 Decades
by Derek Major

November 2, 2022

Meet the 78-Year-Old Veteran, Black Explorer Who Has Traveled Across More Than 50 Countries in 5 Decades

Veteran and Black explorer J.R. Harris spent the last half-century trekking across the world, visiting more than 50 countries, and is still hungry for more.

Harris, 78, has visited every continent except Antarctica, including the Australian outback and Patagonia. The Louisiana-born explorer grew up in Queens, N.Y., and got his first taste of the wilderness as a child when his parents sent him to a Boy Scout camp in the Catskill Mountains.

Initially, Harris wasn’t a fan of the idea, telling CNN Travel that he went to the camp kicking and screaming, but said the experience changed his life.

“I basically learned how to live outdoors,” Harris said.

“And the idea that I could just live with whatever I was carrying in my pack was such a different concept from the life I had back in New York City. It fascinated me.”

The explorer spent his youth traveling the country in the 1950s. His dad was a long-distance train waiter, allowing his family to travel at reduced rates. Harris’ first adventure alone didn’t come until after he graduated in 1966 when he discovered the furthest north he could drive was Circle, Alaska. That led the explorer to pack up his car and set off on the journey, which took about two weeks.

The scenic views made him realize that he wanted to be an explorer. Harris vowed to return home, get some trekking equipment, and spend as much time as possible exploring remote locations.

Harris has traveled all over planet Earth in the years since, including France, Spain, New Zealand, the Rocky Mountains of Canada, The Andes, and the European Alps. Harris found the people living in remote areas fascinating. He said he learns as much as he can about their history, traditions, and way of life to figure out how to reach them, and in his words, “just show up.”

“People can’t believe that somebody would come all the way from New York City alone, for no other reason than because they were curious about their culture and wanted to see it firsthand,” the explorer told CNN Travel.

Harris, who has documented his travels on social media and wrote a book, makes it a point to take one long trip each year. He has traveled to all types of climates, including Greenland, Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, the Glacier National Park in Montana, California’s Death Valley, and the Sahara Desert in Africa.

The explorer says it’s much easier to travel today than it was in past years due to technology, adding that in the past, he’s traveled for weeks at a time by himself.

“Nowadays we have GPS and devices where you can contact people,” Harris told CNN.

“But for most of my life in my career, I was going out before there was an internet, before there were satellite phones, and I’d be gone for weeks at a time with absolutely no way of contacting anybody.”

Late Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s Family Battling Ex-Girlfriend Over Custody of Daughter
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

Late Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s Family Battling Ex-Girlfriend Over Custody of Daughter

The battle for custody of Nipsey Hussle‘s 13-year-old daughter, Emani Dior Asghedom, continues between the late rapper’s family and ex-girlfriend, Tanisha Foster.

Newly obtained court documents revealed a recent filing that Hussle’s brother, Sam Asghedom, made to finalize custody proceedings for Emani. Sam filed a third status report as part of his brother’s probate case, Radar Online reports.

Sam was appointed by the court to be the administrator of Nipsey’s estate in the wake of the rapper’s 2019 murder. Since then, Hussle’s brother has reportedly handled matters, including paying off debts, distributing funds, and approving deals.

According to Sam, the only thing still pending is the custody of Emani. Nipsey’s family went to court to get full guardianship of Emani after the rapper’s death. They allegedly accused Foster of being an unfit parent.

Emani is one of Nipsey’s two beneficiaries, including his son Kross, whom he shared with his girlfriend, Lauren London. Reportedly Sam says there has been mediation, but no solution has been reached.

The family accused Foster of abusing substances, getting into physical fights in front of her child, and living in homes where strangers are present. According to a 2019 filing, Foster was “engaging in harmful behaviors including drug and alcohol use,” The Shade Room reports.

Earlier this year, Foster reportedly went to court to get the guardianship amended, claiming she only made the custody agreement in the wake of Nipsey’s death because of her “own financial limitations; her desire to maintain the standard of living and family contact the minor had experienced with the paternal family prior to her father’s death; and upon the verbal assurances that each of them would act in the best interests of Emani.”

Foster reportedly claimed shortly after the agreement that Nipsey’s family started “using their financial position and influence to disregard their priorities by controlling the desires of Emani and Tanisha by withholding financial assistance and reducing visitation.”

Foster is requesting a “neutral experience financial planner” to be hired to manage Emani’s inheritance.

“There are no circumstances or events in my life that would disqualify me for regaining my exclusive role as Emani’s parent. There is no longer any need for guardianship,” she wrote.

“Emani routinely asks me when are she and I going to be able to live together.”

“She longs to be with me as her mother. I am begging the court to terminate the existing guardianship.”

‘I’m not gonna be racist, OK’: White Woman Goes Viral for Awkward Racially-Charged Wedding Speech
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

‘I’m not gonna be racist, OK’: White Woman Goes Viral for Awkward Racially-Charged Wedding Speech

A white woman who tried to give a heartfelt speech at her friend’s wedding went viral after her awkwardness turned racist.

A TikTok user received over one million views for a video posted last week showing the seemingly racist speech at an interracial wedding. The TikTok user gave a “CRINGE WARNING” while explaining the video.

“So my brother got married this past weekend and this was one of the speeches from friends…,” she captioned the post. “Think miss girl was nervous, but wheeww had a few of us like.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@browneyed_beautee/video/7158590504697875755?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&refer=embed

The video shows the white woman, identified as Shannon, standing before wedding guests, informing them that she doesn’t know the Black groom but is willing to welcome him as “part of the family.” Then things got racially awkward.

The woman warned the groom that he “better take care of her girl” because she “knows where he lives.” The speech continued to worsen.

“You’re a part of the family, I swear to God,” she quipped.

“Like, I’m not going to be racist, you guys, I’m just saying.”

Murmurings could be heard from the audience of wedding guests who were taken aback by the speech.

“I’m not gonna be racist, OK,” she said before telling the guests she was joking while flipping her hair.

Shannon applauded the newlyweds for “outstepping the stereotype” and noted how much she “loves Black people.”

Viewers had questions for the TikTok user who posted the video, including if the bride “had any other friends” who didn’t give such racially charged speeches.

“But what kind of a person even has a friend like this?” one user asked.

“Now I’m questioning the bride. And because I question the bride, I question the groom too.”

The TikTok user insisted the wedding was beautiful, and outside of the racist speech, everyone had a great time.

First Black Woman On New York Stock Exchange to Share Her Experience on Wall Street at Penn State
by Stacy Jackson

November 2, 2022

First Black Woman On New York Stock Exchange to Share Her Experience on Wall Street at Penn State

She set the tone as one of the only three Black women to ever work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Pennsylvania State University (PSU) announced that its Behrend Speaker Series will continue on Nov. 10 and will feature Martina Edwards, the first Black woman with a seat at the 1,366-member NYSE. According to the university, as Edwards prepares to discuss topics like the racial wealth gap, attendees will also learn about her work on Wall Street.

The finance graduate from Tuskegee University took her place as a member of the NYSE as a trader for Merrill Lynch, an investment management division of Bank of America.

“It was a whirlwind for me working in a dynamic, fast-paced, male-dominated environment with high stakes trading activity, a steep learning curve, and little to no room for error,” she said on her website.

PSU revealed that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks occurred when Edwards began her first week at the Exchange.

“What I am most proud of during my time at the NYSE was advocating for a mock trading night for about 70 Scholars from SEO,” Edwards said in the university release.

“Access, exposure, and mentorship are factors when considering the dearth of underrepresented talent on Wall Street. I believe firmly that talent is broadly distributed, but not always evenly developed,” she said.

In addition to her role at the NYSE, Edwards provides capital, coaching, and connections to underserved entrepreneurs as the chief of strategic partnerships for Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a Georgia nonprofit where she reportedly raised $25 million to fund underserved businesses.

“My professional journey has taken me to many places from Merrill Lynch, to business school, to US Trust,” Edwards shared on her website.

“One of the most fulfilling roles I have ever served in was as SEO’s Senior Director, Alternative Investments Program, hosting conferences in NYC with allocators of capital for emerging managers and managing an Alternative Investment Fellows program designed to help underrepresented first and second-year investment banking analysts more effectively compete for roles in private equity,” she added.

Her talk will commence at 7:30 p.m. in McGarvey Commons, in the Reed Union Building, and is open to the public.

‘You Kind of Ripe’: Actor Michael Ealy Reveals Actress Taraji P. Henson Said He Smelled on Set of ‘Think Like a Man Too’
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 2, 2022

‘You Kind of Ripe’: Actor Michael Ealy Reveals Actress Taraji P. Henson Said He Smelled on Set of ‘Think Like a Man Too’

Imagine shooting a scene with Taraji P. Henson, only for the Oscar-nominated actress to tell you that you stink—literally!

That’s what happened when actor Michael Ealy cozied up with Henson to capture a romantic scene for the 2014 film Think Like A Man Too. Ealy recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, where the star opened up about the embarrassing moment.

“So Taraji, who I love immensely; we’re from the same hometown,” Ealy shared.

“One of the coolest people you ever meet and the most talented people you will ever meet—we are doing a scene in Think Like a Man Too, and I [had] just had a kid. I didn’t get a chance to really, like, work out or prepare for this role and stuff.”

Being the committed actor he is, Ealy decided to do a round of pushups to buff up his physique ahead of the shirtless scene.

“Right before this scene where I’m like shirtless in the bed with her and stuff like that, I did about 250 pushups right, not in a row…in about 20 to 25 minutes while they are setting up the shot,” he explained.

“Like I said, I was just working my ass off to try and to pump up the muscles, get the blood flow going. That’s a trick. That’s what everybody does.”

But leave it to Henson to be completely honest with Ealy about what was going through her mind.

“I was glistening and I’m laying down with her and we were in between takes, and she’s like kind of like in here, because I’m kind of on top of her,” Ealy continued.

“We’re just sitting there in between the take, and she says to me, she goes, ‘Hmmm, you kind of ripe.'”

The actor recalled trying to defend himself against Henson’s brutally honest response.

“She was like, ‘Michael Ealy is not perfect.’ And I was like, ‘Taraji, you saw me doing the pushups,'” he jokingly shared. “Come on. You know what I’m going through.”

Since making the reveal, many on Black Twitter have been roasting the actor for the awkward moment with Henson.

Some fans are still loyal to the actor.

17 Unmarked Graves Found During Search for Tulsa Race Massacre Victims
by Derek Major

November 2, 2022

17 Unmarked Graves Found During Search for Tulsa Race Massacre Victims

An additional 17 unmarked adult gravesites were found at the Oaklawn Cemetery as the city continues its search for the unidentified victims of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

NBC News reports archaeologists discovered 11 fully exposed graves and one partially exposed grave west of two headstones belonging to Reuben Everett and Eddie Lockard, the only two known graves in the cemetery.

Oklahoma State Archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck told NBC Monday that the researchers also found another five graves at the Tulsa cemetery and that hand excavation work is being conducted to determine if any of the burials are candidates for exhumation.

The site is reportedly littered with archaeologists, forensic scientists, and multiple experts assisting in collecting DNA samples from the remains.

“Much like last year, we’re trying to do every step of this process as respectfully as possible,” Stackelbeck told NBC.

The excavation, which started in late October, is the second excavation conducted by the city of Tulsa as part of a multiyear investigation into the 1921 massacre in the Greenwood District. The area was once an affluent Black community known as Black Wall Street, full of Black-owned businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and doctor’s offices.

Details of how the incident started vary, but according to the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum, it allegedly involved a Black teenager, Dick Rowland, who was riding an elevator operated by a young white woman named Sarah Page.

Accounts of the incident spread by word of mouth and an alleged article in the May 31, 1921, edition of the Tulsa Tribune spurred a confrontation between armed Black and white groups outside the courthouse where Rowland was held.

Shots were fired, and Black men and women retreated to the Greenwood District. The next day white rioters reportedly burned 35 city blocks to the ground, more than 300 people were killed, and more than 800 people were treated for injuries.

The charges against Rowland were later dismissed, and none of the rioters were prosecuted or punished. Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum launched the investigation into the graves after reports that there were mass graves in the city.

Last year, an excavation effort at the Oaklawn Cemetery uncovered the human remains of 19 people. The remains were taken to a lab for DNA analysis and then reburied.

The recent excavation is expected to be completed later this month.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 2, 2022

Autopsy Reports Reveal Master P’s Daughter Tytyana Miller Died From Accidental Fentanyl Intoxication

Earlier this year, Tytyana Miller, the daughter of hip-hop mogul Master P, died under the suspicion of a possible drug overdose. Details have now been released that reveal her cause of death.

According to The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, the 25-year-old Miller passed away from accidental fentanyl intoxication. The report states that she died at a private residence and lists no other cause of death.

The 52-year-old entrepreneur posted a message announcing that his family was dealing with the death of Tytyana on May 29 via his Instagram account.

“Our family is dealing with an overwhelming grief for the loss of my daughter Tytyana. We respectfully request some privacy so that our family can grieve. We appreciate all of the prayers love and support. Mental illness & substance abuse is a real issue that we can’t be afraid to talk about. With God, we will get through this. #MyAngel”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Master P (@masterp)

The following month, according to Complex, the father was no longer grieving but, instead, celebrating his daughter.

“We ain’t gonna grieve no more; we’re going to celebrate because now I’m going to be able to take care of millions of kids and save millions of lives,” Master P said while onstage. “I’m going to get out here and play my part… Mental illness and substance abuse is a serious thing.”

In July, the “No Limit” soldier sat down with Gayle King to talk about the loss of his daughter, who shared her struggle with addiction through appearances on Growing Up Hip Hop.

He opened up about his thoughts regarding what he and his family went through dealing with her death.

“I love her and think about her every day, and it took me and my family to go through something that I just can’t stop thinking about, but I realize that I have to get out here and help and save other kids.”

Black Nonprofits Supporting Black Businesses Among Recipients Gaining $1 Million In Grants
by Jeffrey McKinney

November 2, 2022

Black Nonprofits Supporting Black Businesses Among Recipients Gaining $1 Million In Grants

Three Black nonprofits supporting Black businesses were among recipients that recently gained a combined $1 million in grants.

They were winners of the inaugural Truist Foundation Inspire Awards. Nonprofits supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and women-owned small businesses nationwide were invited to offer ways to help those firms better deal with complex challenges, based on a news release.

Black-owned Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) won first place for helping address the city’s racial wealth divide by bolstering Black businesses via research and data, growth and scale, workforce development, retention, and anti-displacement. The Atlanta-based startup landed $250,000 for its project.

“It’s an honor to accept the inaugural Truist Foundation Inspire Award on behalf of the entire Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative community,” said Jason Hudgins, director of strategic programs for AWBI.

“This initiative is not just about business solutions. It really is about looking down the street and seeing Black business owners—and the children they are raising—and understanding how one investment changes that family, the next generation, and a community for generations to come.”

Truist Foundation President Lynette Bell said, “Our first Inspire Awards has been an intensive but incredibly rewarding experience. Reviewing submissions from over 127 nonprofits has shown us the breadth of good being done by organizations to address the key issue of systemic barriers facing small business owners.”

Other recipients included Beautiful Ventures, a Black-owned nonprofit that accelerates the entrepreneurial success of Black, story-driven, creative businesses for lasting wealth creation, business sustainability, and narrative influence. As well as Black Wall Street AVL, a Black-owned nonprofit that prepares women of color to start, grow, and scale businesses in marginalized communities.

Both organizations gained $25,000 each in grants as runners-up in the awards contest.

Some $1 million was presented to all recipients, including an audience favorite, runner-ups, and eight semifinalists. Grants were also awarded in other areas, including to finalists in leadership and development workshops and group forums.

Truist Foundation teamed with Solve, an effort by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to help identify nonprofits and work with small businesses in underserved communities.

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