NNPA NEWSWIRE — Carrie Meek was born in 1926, in Tallahassee. She graduated from Florida A&M College for Negroes, now known as Florida A&M University but in 1946 Blacks could not attend graduate school in Florida. Meek earned a Masters degree from in 1948 from the University of Michigan. She was then hired as a teacher at Bethune-Cookman University.
Lauren Victoria Burke
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Business, Commentary, Community, Education, Featured, HBCU, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
Ribbon Cutting for HBCU National Center Set for November
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Because of the tight economics of interning in a federal office, particularly for Black college students, some have suggested that interns should be paid. Most internships in Congress went unpaid for several decades but after a great deal of lobbying in 2018 interns on Capitol Hill now earn at least $1,800 per month.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Crime, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, Law, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
U.S. House Votes to End Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine
NNPA NEWSWIRE — In 2009, Congressman Bobby Scott led an effort in the U.S. House to eliminate the crack/cocaine disparity in the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act. That effort eventually led to the 2010 passage of the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced the crack cocaine disparity from 100:1 to 18:1.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Crime, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
Select Committee on the January 6 Committee, Led by Rep. Bennie Thompson, Sends Out Subpoenas
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The violent January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has been marginalized by the members of the Republican Party in the U.S. House. Several members have been implicated as having a connection with the planning of the attack, which happened on the day President Joseph Biden’s election was officially certified.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Community, Crime, Economy, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, Law, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
Los Angeles County to Dismiss About 60,000 Marijuana Convictions
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The latest cases were identified through a follow-up examination of county court records. The previous group of cases identified for dismissal — nearly 66,000 in February 2020 — covered only an examination of state Department of Justice data, Gascón’s office said. “Dismissing these convictions means the possibility of a better future to thousands of disenfranchised people who are receiving this long-needed relief,” said District Attorney Gascón in a September 27 statement.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Community, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics, World
Utterly Sickening: Treatment of Haitians at Mexican Border Sparks Outrage
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “This is cruelty. It’s evil… What I saw today was slave patrol — it is shameful and absolutely disgraceful,” said Patrice Lawrence, co-Director of the UndocuBlack Network, during a September 20 appearance on Roland Martin Unfiltered. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus gathered at a reception on the night of September 20 at the National Observatory to celebrate the CBC’s 50th anniversary. Though the reception took place at the Vice President’s residence there wasn’t a lengthy discussion on the crisis at the border. But members are asking for an investigation into what they saw on video.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Commentary, Community, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
COMMENTARY: Afghanistan: After 20 Years, Thousands Dead and Trillions Spent, Rep. Barbara Lee Proven Right
NNPA NEWSWIRE — In an August 30 statement on the Afghanistan withdrawal, Congresswoman Lee said: “Twenty years ago, it was clear that rushing into war without a clearly defined mission and exit strategy would risk perpetual war. The Special Inspector General of Afghanistan Reconstruction clearly illustrated in recent reports that ‘U.S. officials rarely had even a mediocre understanding of the Afghan environment, much less how it was responding to U.S. interventions,’ and that this ignorance often came from a ‘willful disregard for information that may have been available.’ In a world where the threat of terrorism cannot be ignored, hopefully we will learn the lessons from the past two decades and not repeat our mistakes.”
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Community, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, Law, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, NNPA Special - NNPA Black Voter Drive, Politics
SB1: Texas Republicans Pass Voter Suppression Law
NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Texas bill is the latest in a national GOP push to make voting less easy after President Biden defeated Donald Trump by seven million votes in November 2020. The underlying argument made by Republicans, which is part of the “big lie” messaging, is a manufactured need for “voter security.” New voting restrictions led by Republican Governors and legislatures have taken place in Georgia, Florida, and Arizona as well.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Business, Community, Entertainment, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire
Black Star Network: Roland Martin Announces New Black TV Network
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Martin announced his new network on the third anniversary of #RolandMartinUnfiltered, the first daily digital show specifically targeting African American audiences five days a week. The show has enjoyed expansive audience growth averaging 20 to 30 million views a month.
Posted in#NNPA BlackPress, Black Experience, Black History, Community, Economy, Featured, Lauren Victoria Burke, National, News, NNPA, NNPA Newswire, Politics
March on Washington 2021 Focuses on Voting Rights
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Fifty-eight years after the #MarchOnWashington, Americans are marching again today for our democracy. With state laws disenfranchising voters and making it harder to vote, we need the Senate to pass the For the People Act and the House-passed John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act!” wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on social media.
