The City Of Baltimore Honors Thurgood Marshall on July 2, Thurgood Marshall Day
by Christian Spencer

July 2, 2021

The City Of Baltimore Honors Thurgood Marshall on July 2, Thurgood Marshall Day

July 2, 2021, marks Thurgood Marshall’s 113th birthday, and it also marks the first proclamation for Thurgood Marshall Day in Maryland.

The Baltimore native – the first Black Justice in the Supreme Court appointed under the President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration – is the city’s most highly regarded man to have been born there. But the introduction of a dedicated day in his honor is the icing on the birthday cake, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Related stories: BOEING PARTNERS WITH THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND TO INVEST $6 MILLION IN HBCUS 

“Thurgood Marshall was a formidable and transformational figure in the history of this country,” Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals Robert M. Bell said during a news conference. “Thurgood Marshall moved this country closer to the more perfect union which the Founding Fathers envisioned.”

The first official Thurgood Marshall was celebrated with community members gathering outside of the elementary school Marshall attended, P.S. 103, or better known today as Henry Highland Garnet School.

Marshall is well known for representing clients for the NAACP who were the catalyst for ending segregation in public schools in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, making it unconstitutional to separate children from receiving the same education at the same school based on race.

Graduates of P.S. 103 attended the event to give their solemn words about the occasion.

Public School 103 graduate Larry S. Gibson, who went on to write Young Thurgood: The Making of a Supreme Court Justice –a story about Marshall’s children and what led him to become the civil right lawyer he is today – was there.

Cynthia Shaw, class of 1956, was not classmates with Marshall who attended P.S. 103 from 1st through 8th grade, from 1914 to 1921, but she also did not know about him in general.

“When we attended, we didn’t know anything about Thurgood Marshall,” Shaw told The Sun.

The school is scheduled to be redeveloped and reopen as a community center, receiving $8.2 million, according to the senior pastor of Union Baptist Church,  Rev. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr., and president of Beloved Community Services Corp., the nonprofit leading the renovation, on West Baltimore.

It will be a place for legal resources and gun violence prevention and community outreach programs.

Marshall resign as Justice in 1991, and two years later passed away (July 2, 1908 to Jan. 24, 1993).

by Andrea Blackstone

July 2, 2021

LL Cool J Partners With Leading Salon Suite to Develop Nationwide Boutiques

The iconic rapper, actor and entrepreneur, LL COOL J (James Todd Smith) is joining forces with Phenix Salon Suites’ to give franchisees an opportunity to own a beauty boutique of their own.

The deal will allow the rapping icon to develop the salon suite opportunity “throughout the East Coast, including Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, in addition to expanding the Los Angeles market,” according to a release.

Beauty expert Gina Rivera founded Phenix Salon Suites in 2007, which is a “suite franchise” rental opportunity to enable salon professionals “to have their own salon” suites.

“I love the fact that Gina is not only the founder but also an active stylist with over 42,000 hours behind a chair servicing clients. She truly understands what it takes to make a difference in the lives of cosmetologists and estheticians. Together, we are helping them realize their dreams of owning and operating their very own businesses. With Phenix, lifestyle professionals have the opportunity to flourish creatively, financially, and professionally. I’m excited to be a part of such a winning organization,” LL Cool J said in Phenix Salon Suite’s announcement.

Rivera also shared news of the business deal on her Facebook page.

“LL Cool J⁣ is in the house! 🔥 I am so proud to announce this exciting news for my company Phenix Salon Suites! LL COOL J is partnering with our largest franchisee, Kevin Davis, to own and operate Phenix locations throughout the East Coast and Los Angeles Market! I am so grateful to have built this community and watching it grow will never cease to amaze me!! ⁣ Welcome to the family LL COOL J🙏”  Rivera said on Facebook.

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LL Cool J’s been making other recent business moves, too.  According to MSN,  L Cool J’s Rock The Bells business venture—which is described in the article as a site which “includes a carefully curated marketplace”—  was launched during COVID-19.  “The website is an extension of the Rock The Bells station on SiriusXM that LL Cool J launched in 2018,” MSN also reported. A trip to rock The Bells’ online home reveals that it “is a modern media company focused on Content, Commerce, and Experiences that honor the culture and the core elements of Hip-Hop through a modern lens.”

But LL Cool J also mentioned the importance of integrating faith and gut instincts, when it comes to pursuing business ventures.

“And if something is gnawing at you, don’t ignore that voice inside of you. Don’t ignore that small, still voice,” LL Cool J in the interview. “You have to do something that you’re not only passionate about, and that you can be the best at, but then you have to have the people around you that have the skill set to operationalize what it is you’re trying to do. You know, Rock the Bells is not just about LL COOL J and my knowledge of classic hip hop. I’ve put people in positions who really understand the fundamentals of how to take this business from A to Z.”

U.S. Adds More Than 800,000 Jobs, But Unemployment Rises For Minorities
by Derek Major

July 2, 2021

U.S. Adds More Than 800,000 Jobs, But Unemployment Rises For Minorities

Unemployment fell significantly in June as businesses try to keep up with an economy getting back to normal in the U.S. as the country added 850,000 jobs according to the Labor Department.

According to CNBC, nonfarm payrolls beat the Dow Jones estimate of 706,000, however the unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.9%, also beating expectations which had the rate at 5.6%. The jobless rate also dropped despite the labor force participation rate, which accounts for discouraged workers and those holding part-time jobs, remaining unchanged at 61.6%.

The hospitality industry continues to be the fastest growing sector as Americans are running out to enjoy the summer and restaurants, bars and hotels are luring workers, with higher wages and even crypto bonuses.

June’s job growth means 15.6 million of the more than 22 million jobs lost during the height of the pandemic have been added since states and cities began reopening. The total employment level is still more than seven million jobs below pre-pandemic levels.

Despite the overall job growth, unemployment for Black Americans and other minorities increased in June.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Black Americans increased in the month of June to 9.2%. Additionally, the unemployment rate for Latinos and Asian Americans also increased.

Paris Dennard, the director of Black media affairs for the Republican National Convention, said in a statement the high rate of black unemployment combined with rising inflation in a variety of industries is a sign President Joe Biden’s economy is still struggling.

“The reality for many Black Americans living in Joe Biden’s economy is that times are still hard.  The unemployment rate increased again in June, which is on top of rising gas prices and inflation driving up the prices on just about everything we need to survive. The root cause of the squandered economic gains from the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans is found in the bad policies of the Democrats and this Biden-Harris Administration.”

Some of the minority unemployment can be attributed to minorities still dealing with childcare issues as children are off from school for the summer. It’s no secret White parents are better able to afford childcare more than minority parents. Additionally, summer programs and camps may be running at smaller levels than during pre-pandemic times, meaning parents can’t afford to return to work. Also, many parents are still concerned about the virus as the Delta variant continues to rise in the U.S.

Randy Moore Named First Black Chief Of U.S. Forest Service In Agency’s 116-Year History
by Derek Major

July 2, 2021

Randy Moore Named First Black Chief Of U.S. Forest Service In Agency’s 116-Year History

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed Randy Moore as the new chief of the U.S. Forest Service making him the first Black man to lead the agency in its history.

Moore, who has served as a regional forester in the Pacific Southwest Region of California since 2007, will take over the agency as it gets set for the 2021 wildfire season, which could be longer and more intense due to record high temperatures and a severe drought. Last year alone, California experienced 9,917 fires, which burned 4.3 million acres. This year weather experts, are expecting both the number of fires and the acreage burned to break records

Vilsack praised Moore in a statement, calling him a valued asset in the fight against climate change.

“Moore has been a conservation leader on the forefront of climate change, most notably leading the Region’s response to the dramatic increase in catastrophic wildfires in California over the last decade,” Vilsack said in a statement. “His proven track record of supporting and developing employees and putting communities at the center of the Forest Service’s work positions him well to lead the agency into the future at this critical time in our country.”

Vilsack hopes Moore’s appointment will bring stability to a position that has dealt with changes over the past few years. In 2018, Vicki Christiansen took over the position after then Chief Tony Tooke resigned after the agency began looking into misconduct allegations. Christiansen announced her retirement and will leave the position later this month but “will continue to collaborate on an intentional leadership transition between now and then as the Forest Service gears up for a tough summer of predicted elevated fire activity across the Western United States.”

Before serving as a regional forester in Southwestern California, Moore held the same position, located in Milwaukee. In his new position, Moore will oversee the 30,000 employees and 18 national forests in California and Hawaii.

Howard University Students, Alumni Call For Phylicia Rashad’s Firing For Supporting Accused Rapist, Bill Cosby
by Christian Spencer

July 2, 2021

Howard University Students, Alumni Call For Phylicia Rashad’s Firing For Supporting Accused Rapist, Bill Cosby

“Bye, Phylicia,” has a new interpretation.

Students and alumni want the newly hired College of Arts dean at Howard University, Phylicia Rashad, fired after she tweeted, and later deleted, a message supporting recently freed former TV husband Bill Cosby, according to The Los Angeles Times.

“FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted—a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” the original tweet from Rashad, who played Claire Huxtable, the TV wife of Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable on NBC’s Cosby Show, read.

Cosby was released from prison because the Philadelphia Supreme Court overturned Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction, citing a previous agreement that prevented him from being charged in the first place.

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, the online controversy prompted the HBCU to make a counter-response, saying, “We will continue to advocate for survivors fully and support their right to be heard. Howard will stand with survivors and challenge systems that would deny them justice. We have full confidence that our faculty and school leadership will live up to this sacred commitment.” 

Although Rashad has acknowledged survivors of sexual assault in a follow-up tweet, it seems students and alumni want Rashad gone from the university.

Related stories: HOWARD UNIVERSITY DISAVOWS PHYLICIA RASHAD’S SYMPATHETIC TWEET ON BILL COSBY 

“I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing,” Rashad wrote.

Student Katherine Gilyard was so excited that Rashad was hired at Howard that she changed her major from School of Communications to the College of Fine Arts to have the opportunity to learn from the Tony Award-winning actress.

Now, Gilyard is not interested in walking past the College of Fine Arts building.

“To see how happy she was, rejoicing and thrilled that it’s been overturned … I feel disgusted. That was like a very visceral reaction. My stomach kind of turned, like this is disgusting and not something you expect from someone like that. Yes, they should fire her, but knowing Howard, I don’t think they will,” Gilyard told LA Times.

Alumna Nylah Burton voiced her opinion under Rashad’s follow-up tweet, saying Howard or public relations firm instructed her into making a non-apology tweet.

“Howard should absolutely fire her,” Burton, a 26-year-old who dropped out of Howard because she was sexually assaulted, told the LA Times, “because she’s not fit to be a dean of students. For someone like that, when they have such passionate support of a rapist, the fear is not just that you will be ignored or dismissed. The fear is that you’ll be retaliated against, that you’ll be attacked, and you’ll be punished for speaking out.”

Burton started a campaign for survivors in the Howard community on GoFundMe called the Black Survivors Healing Fund, which has raised more than $43,000 of its goal of $50,000.

Cosby was two years into a three-to-10-year prison term for indecent assault against Andrea Constand in 2004 prior to Wednesday’s ruling, which bars a retrial after Cosby was released on a technicality.

“I think that this situation is definitely cause for termination,” a female graduate who wants to be anonymous said, “Just because she’s a dean and so many girls are just not going to feel comfortable going to the dean. [For] survivors, it’s already hard to feel like you can speak about what happened to you. A lot of women don’t feel safe speaking to just anyone about it, usually just their circle of friends or maybe family.”

Black Women-Led Leaders Pushing to Get the CROWN Act Bill Passed Nationwide
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 2, 2021

Black Women-Led Leaders Pushing to Get the CROWN Act Bill Passed Nationwide

As we gear up to celebrate the second annual National CROWN Day in California July 3, community leaders are coming together to push for a federal bill to be passed.

CROWN is an acronym for Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair. The bill prohibits discrimination based on hairstyle and hair texture under the FEHA and the California Education Code.

The Black women who have been championing the CROWN Act movement since the beginning now look at the day as Black Hair Independence Day. The CROWN Act bill was passed in California in 2019, but it’s still not recognized on a federal level. The women behind the movement continue to work together to get the bill passed in the U.S. House and Senate. The bill currently has passed legislation in 13 states, up from seven last year.

The official campaign pushing the bill to be passed is led by the CROWN Coalition, which was founded by Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change, and Western Center on Law & Poverty. The Black women who started the initiative include Esi Eggleston Bracey, Chief Operating Officer, executive vice president, beauty & personal care at Unilever North America, Kelli Richardson Lawson; Orlena Nwokah Blanchard of JOY Collective; Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, and social impact and legislative strategist Adjoa B. Asamoah.

Late last year the federal CROWN Act bill was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and was re-introduced earlier this year in both the House and Senate. Currently, 30 municipalities across the country have passed legislation against hair discrimination and eight additional states are considering passing their own anti-hair discrimination bills.

Legislation like the Crown Act bill is even more critically important in light of a recent debacle involving the Olympics. The creators of a swimming cap made for natural hair was banned by FINA (the federation for international competitions in water sports) because the official body says elite athletes “don’t require caps of such size.” Natural hair for many African Americans is kinky, coily and bulkier than their white counterparts.

“13 down, 37 to go,” the CROWN Act website says.

It shows a map of the country that shows the states that have passed the bill, are in the process of passing a form of anti-hair discrimination legislation, have passed legislation inspired by the bill, or are still stalling on tackling the often overlooked issue.

“With the help of a diverse array of organizations in the social justice, business, legal, and education sectors, the CROWN Coalition has had tremendous success elevating the public narrative around this important issue and inspiring a movement to end hair bias and discrimination,” the CROWN Coalition says.

The organization is currently asking for support by signing a petition and/or calling your local senator to push for passage in more states across the county. The push for the CROWN Act comes amid criticism over the recent ban of the afro swimming cap–which particularly targets Black athletes, BBC reported.

 

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 2, 2021

Black Twitter Speaks Out Against Sha’Carri Richardson’s Suspension for Smoking Weed

Black Twitter has been going off after word got out on Sha’Carri Richardson’s 30-day suspension for smoking marijuana.

Richardson has been receiving praise for her standout performance that secured her a spot on Team USA ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. But on Friday, dreams were crushed after it was revealed the star athlete faced a one-month suspension and would miss the 100m race during the games in Tokyo, the NY Times reports.

Richardson appeared on the “Today Show” on Friday where she addressed the news head-on.

“I know what I did. I know what I’m supposed to do … I still made that decision,” Richardson said, as noted by NY Post. “I want to take responsibility for my actions. I’m not looking for an excuse.”

Richardson had previously opened up about losing her biological mother. It turns out, that’s what led to her consuming the substance. She admitted that she was “blinded by emotion blinded by bad news, blinded by just hurting, hiding hurt honestly… I was just trying to hide my pain.”

But after news of her suspension was made public, Black Twitter took to their timelines to let America know how they feel about it.

If you’re afraid of Sha’Carri smoking the brakes off y’all, just say that but suspending people for using marijuana — a billion-dollar industry at this point — is ridiculous,” said journalist Evette Dionne. “I see people attempting to turn this into a ‘Black Americans vs. everybody’ issue. Let’s not. Sha’Carri deserves to run, no matter what country she represents.”

“Angry at a system that uses weed to punish black folks while rewarding and enriching white folks,” another Twitter user said.

Another Twitter user blasted the media outlets who only included one-liners from Richardson’s interview.

“She found out her mom died from a REPORTER before her races,” they said. “She went into emotional panic and smoked weed which is legal in Oregon but illegal in this sport. She takes full responsibility for her actions.”

In wake of her suspension, a number of athletes and celebrities have spoken out in support of Richardson including Odell Beckham Jr., Dwyane Wade, Emmanuel Acho and more. Nike also released a statement saying that they would continue to endorse Richardson despite her suspension, The Spun reports.

A Family Is Suing St. Louis Police For Killing Of A Grandfather While Serving No-Knock Warrant
by Derek Major

July 2, 2021

A Family Is Suing St. Louis Police For Killing Of A Grandfather While Serving No-Knock Warrant

A family is suing the city of St. Louis and more than 20 of its police officers for the 2017 killing of a grandfather while executing a no-knock warrant.

Lawyers for the Arch City Defenders, a St. Louis-based civil rights organization, filed the suit in federal court on behalf of Don Clark Sr.’s children. Clark, a 63-year-old grandfather and Army veteran, was killed by police at his home on Feb. 21, 2017.

According to lawyers for the Clark family, police officer Thomas Strode used lies and manipulated information to obtain the warrant for Clark’s home. The attorneys added Strode requested 27 no-knock warrants in the year before the shooting. They’re now working on getting local judges to review the warrants for similarities.

Fox2Now reported St. Louis police officers were executing a no-knock warrant on three locations on Clark’s block in connection with a drug investigation. Officers claimed no one answered the door after police identified themselves, so they used a battering ram on the door. Former Police Chief Sam Dotson said a man in the house fired a shot at police.

The cops responded by tossing a flash-bang grenade into the home, but another shot was fired toward police. Officer Nicholas Manasco responded by firing into the home and killing the man, who was later identified as Clark.

“Having to just deal with figuring out what had transpired just made me angry, and I’ve been angry ever since. I just feel robbed. My family was robbed,” Ashley Boureima Mourou, one of Clark’s children, said Wednesday at a news conference according to the St. Louis Dispatch.

The suit names Strode, Manasco, and several other officers. It’s seeking compensation for several claims, including an unlawful search and excessive force.

Lawyers for Clark’s family say the father of seven used a cane, was diabetic, and suffered from poor hearing and vision. They believe the cops raided the wrong home. St. Louis police say the shooting was justified as the warrants said the people named could be armed and dangerous. Police added they found two handguns and drugs at the scene, and Clark had a long list of arrests.

Clark’s family and the Arch City Defenders say Clark had no criminal record and acted in self-defense.

“It is completely impossible to believe” that Clark would have been involved in those kinds of activities, Emanuel Powell, an ArchCity Defenders attorney representing Clark’s family, said at a press conference Wednesday. Powell added Clark “was afraid of the crime that was happening in his neighborhood.”

A no-knock warrant was also used in the death of Breonna Taylor, which has led several cities and states to ban the practice.

 

 

College World Series Fans Shout Racial Slurs, N-Word, During First Matchup
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

July 2, 2021

College World Series Fans Shout Racial Slurs, N-Word, During First Matchup

The first game of the current College World Series was plagued by fans in the stands who shouted out racial epithets during the game.

During the game on Monday, attendees heard racial epithets being used by spectators who appeared to be Mississippi State fans, 3 News Now reports.

One sportswriter shared an eyewitness account admitting that racial slurs were being tossed out toward the players on the Vanderbilt team.

“Vandy parents at the stadium tonight were subjected to racial slurs during the game and no one was hurt but the incident was obviously unacceptable and inappropriate,” sportswriter, Clinton Yates said on Twitter.

Kristyna Engdahl, Director of Communications for the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority in Omaha released a statement denouncing the racist behavior that took place at the game.

“We understand there was an interaction between fans on Monday night that involved use of racial slurs. We absolutely denounce this behavior and are saddened to learn that it took place in TD Ameritrade Park Omaha,” the statement said.

Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs and Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee released a statement saying how “saddened” they were by the behavior.

“I am deeply troubled that some of our student-athlete parents were subjected to racist slurs during last night’s game. This is absolutely unacceptable and disgraceful behavior, and such hateful language has no place anywhere in our society,” Lee wrote.

ESPN reporter Clinton Yates appeared on The Paul Finebaum Show on Tuesday and recalled the racist treatment Vanderbilt baseball players’ and parents received during the game.

“Basically what occurred was, as soon as the game got out of hand, the entire level of the discourse went up tremendously in terms of the chirping, in terms of the such-and-such,” Yates said, as noted by The Tennessean. “And when it got to the level of what we’ll just call: the word you’re not supposed to say. And that happened on multiple occasions is when, finally, they had to decide that police needed to get involved.”

Cop Plays Taylor Swift Song So Black Protesters Can’t Post Video Recording to YouTube
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 2, 2021

Cop Plays Taylor Swift Song So Black Protesters Can’t Post Video Recording to YouTube

There are always stories surrounding the misconduct of police officers, specifically when it comes to the way they deal with people of color and/or people who are considered poor.

Yet, even with the documentation of the misdeeds of police officers, they routinely get away with it. Now, with police officers realizing that their actions can now be recorded by civilians, one cop found a creative way to prevent a protester from recording him and placing it on social media.

According to Gizmodo, earlier this week, a group of protesters gathered at the Alameda Courthouse in Oakland, California, to attend the pre-trial hearing for Jason Fletcher, a police officer charged with manslaughter for shooting and killing a Black man, Steven Taylor, inside of a Walmart department store last year. As the protestors joined with Taylor’s family, advocates for justice gathered around to listen to the hearing broadcast on the courthouse steps.

Anti-Police Terror Project’s Policy Director James Burch is seen speaking to a police officer on the steps of the courthouse. During the conversation, someone is recording a video of the confrontation. However, the sheriff’s deputy confronting Burch is seen on video taking out his mobile phone and he cranks up a tune loud enough to be heard and picked up on the bystander’s video—a tactic to keep the video of the confrontation from being uploaded on YouTube since the channel would strike it down for copyright violation.

Burch is seemingly in disbelief looking at the officer playing Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” on his mobile phone’s speaker, then places it onto his shirt.

“You can record all you want,” he tells the person who is recording the video, “I just know it just can’t be posted on YouTube,” the officer admits.

The officer then turns toward the camera to reveal the name on his uniform—David Shelby.

The approach that is being utilized by Shelby is a known police tactic. Police officers are using YouTube’s copyright flagging system against public citizens in order to have videos taken down.

According to Vice, earlier this year, a Beverly Hills officer chose to use a Sublime song as the background for the conversation he was having with a man who came to dispute a ticket. (The video can be seen on Instagram.)

The song would most likely trigger YouTube’s automated content ID system, which would flag Swift’s copyrighted song and issue a block on the entire video. It also raises the chances that a record label would explicitly request the video to be removed.

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