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Black Lives Matter movement marks 10 years of activism and renews its call to defund the police
Read full article: Black Lives Matter movement marks 10 years of activism and renews its call to defund the policeThe Black Lives Matter movement turns 10 years old on Thursday, marking the day in 2013 that the man who fatally shot Trayvon Martin was acquitted in his death.
Black Florida mother killed by white neighbor remembered for faith, devotion to 4 kids
Read full article: Black Florida mother killed by white neighbor remembered for faith, devotion to 4 kidsCivil rights leaders and ministers are demanding justice for a Black mother who was fatally shot in front of her son by a white neighbor firing through the door of her central Florida home.
After years of threats, a feud ends with a Black mom dead and her white neighbor arrested
Read full article: After years of threats, a feud ends with a Black mom dead and her white neighbor arrestedThe Marion County Sheriff’s Office says a white Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her Black neighbor last week has been arrested.
Protesters call for arrest of white woman who fatally shot Black neighbor
Read full article: Protesters call for arrest of white woman who fatally shot Black neighborA Florida sheriff says detectives must investigate self-defense claims before any criminal charges can be brought against a white woman who fatally shot her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud.
AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter has $42 million in assets
Read full article: AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter has $42 million in assetsA new, 63-page IRS tax filing shared exclusively with The Associated Press shows the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc. ended its last fiscal year with nearly $42 million in net assets.
The AP Interview: BLM's Patrisse Cullors denies wrongdoing
Read full article: The AP Interview: BLM's Patrisse Cullors denies wrongdoingIn an exclusive interview, Patrisse Cullors, the former leader of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, tells The Associated Press that neither she nor anyone else in leadership has misused millions of dollars in donations.
Gag order, diversity discussed at Astroworld court hearing
Read full article: Gag order, diversity discussed at Astroworld court hearingDuring a court hearing on lawsuits filed after last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival, issues related to media publicity and a gag order as well as a concern over a lack diversity among attorneys representing those killed or injured were discussed.
Trayvon Martin's mother: 'Don't give up' fight for justice
Read full article: Trayvon Martin's mother: 'Don't give up' fight for justiceThe mother of Trayvon Martin is marking the 10th anniversary of her son’s death by thanking those who sought justice for her family and urging them to continue to fight.
After Trayvon Martin, Crump became civil rights go-to lawyer
Read full article: After Trayvon Martin, Crump became civil rights go-to lawyerBefore Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and other Black people died at the hands of white police officers or self-appointed vigilantes, there was Martin Lee Anderson.
'Stand your ground' laws proliferate after Trayvon spotlight
Read full article: 'Stand your ground' laws proliferate after Trayvon spotlightTen years ago when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, Florida was one of the few states with “stand your ground” laws that eased use of deadly force in the face of danger.
Trayvon Martin, 10 years later: Teen’s death changes nation
Read full article: Trayvon Martin, 10 years later: Teen’s death changes nationThe killing of Trayvon Martin at the hands of a stranger still reverberates 10 years later -- in protest, in partisanship, in racial reckoning and reactionary response, in social justice and social media.
Florida law school creates Ben Crump social justice center
Read full article: Florida law school creates Ben Crump social justice centerA South Florida law school says it is creating a social justice center named after Ben Crump, the Black civil rights attorney who has gained national prominence representing victims of police brutality and vigilante violence.
Rittenhouse verdict comes amid a fraught gun landscape
Read full article: Rittenhouse verdict comes amid a fraught gun landscapeThe upcoming verdict in Kyle Rittenhouse’s murder trial for shooting three men during street unrest in Wisconsin comes against a backdrop of deep political divisions and expanded access to guns in the United States – factors that some fear could lead to more dangerous encounters.
Ahead of Rittenhouse trial, race seen as underlying issue
Read full article: Ahead of Rittenhouse trial, race seen as underlying issueKyle Rittenhouse, the aspiring police officer who gunned down three people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a protest last summer against racism and police brutality, is white.
Families urge legal changes to prevent more police killings
Read full article: Families urge legal changes to prevent more police killingsParents and siblings of Black men killed by police urged people during a discussion in the city where George Floyd was killed a year ago to join them in pursuing legal changes they say can make more deaths less likely in the future.
Chauvin's trial leaves many Black viewers emotionally taxed
Read full article: Chauvin's trial leaves many Black viewers emotionally taxedMany Black men and women in the U.S. are keeping tabs on what’s unfolding in the televised murder trial of white former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, taking in what they can before turning away to allow their anger and hurt to subside.
Ample opportunities for viewers to follow Chauvin trial
Read full article: Ample opportunities for viewers to follow Chauvin trialIn this image from Minneapolis city surveillance video, Minneapolis police are seen attempting to take George Floyd into custody May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minn. Floyd’s name is more widely known than Chauvin's, but calling it the “Floyd trial” would wrongly imply that the victim was the one on trial. Most called it the Chauvin trial. CourtTV called it “The Death of George Floyd Murder Trial.” ABC said it was the “Derek Chauvin Trial, 10 Months After George Floyd’s Death.”For some of the specialty networks, the trial offers a rare opportunity to increase viewership, both on the air and online. CBS' website will carry its own coverage, along with that of the network's Minneapolis affiliate, he said.
AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter opens up about its finances
Read full article: AP Exclusive: Black Lives Matter opens up about its financesThis marks the first time in the movement’s nearly eight-year history that BLM leaders have revealed a detailed look at their finances. The foundation said it committed $21.7 million in grant funding to official and unofficial BLM chapters, as well as 30 Black-led local organizations. In its report, the BLM foundation said individual donations via its main fundraising platform averaged $30.76. “Because the BLM movement was larger than life — and it is larger than life — people made very huge assumptions about what our actual finances looked like,” Cullors said. Leaders at the BLM foundation admit that they have not been clear about the movement’s finances and governance over the years.
Athletes act: Stars rise up against racial injustice in 2020
Read full article: Athletes act: Stars rise up against racial injustice in 2020The NBA painted “Black Lives Matter” on the courts inside their Orlando, Florida, “bubble" and social justice messages were emblazoned on the backs of jerseys. Paul met with NBA players, and they decided awareness wasn’t enough anymore. “Black Lives Matter” also was featured prominently on the league’s courts. Wallace, the only full-time Black driver at the NASCAR national level, first began speaking out against racial injustice in America in the spring. His car featured a “Black Lives Matter” paint scheme.
Activist, champion: Naomi Osaka is AP Female Athlete of Year
Read full article: Activist, champion: Naomi Osaka is AP Female Athlete of YearFILE - In this Sept. 12, 2020, file photo, Naomi Osaka, of Japan, holds up the championship trophy after defeating Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, in the women's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. Osaka has been selected by The Associated Press as the Female Athlete of the Year. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)With tennis, like so much of the world, shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, Naomi Osaka found herself with time to read and think. LeBron James was announced Saturday as the AP Male Athlete of the Year. I cannot be more excited.”___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich___More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Police guide that calls BLM a terrorist group draws outrage
Read full article: Police guide that calls BLM a terrorist group draws outrageFILE - In this July 11, 2020 file photo, Alycia Pascual-Pena, left, and Marley Ralph kneel while holding a Black Lives Matter banner during a protest in memory of Breonna Taylor, in Los Angeles. The document, labeled “restricted to law enforcement only,” is one of the few publicly available materials on its website. The law enforcement association, known by its nickname ILEETA, says in a mission statement that it's “committed to the reduction of law enforcement risk” and saving lives through high-quality training. The paper claims that those who participated in months of protests earlier this year in Portland and Seattle were “useful idiots” designed to give cover to the “hard-core, terrorist trained troops” that would follow. Goff, whose group works with departments to make policing “less racist and deadly,” said the document showed why it's important for critics to engage directly with local law enforcement to seek changes.
Black Lives Matter faces test of its influence in election
Read full article: Black Lives Matter faces test of its influence in election“Black Lives Matter saved us, because we had nobody,” said Jones. Now, BLM’s influence faces a test, as voters in Tuesday’s election consider candidates who endorsed or denounced the BLM movement amid a national reckoning on race. Enter Black Lives Matter. Across social media platforms, the Black Lives Matter movement boasts a following of millions. “Black Lives Matter,” as a slogan, elicited “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” responses from foes.
Black men's votes courted as some search for political home
Read full article: Black men's votes courted as some search for political homeTrump’s positions on race and Biden’s decades-old controversial record on criminal justice make neither candidate particularly attractive to Black men. “You don’t lie, you acknowledge the truth, and admit that the choices before Black people in the year 2020 are abysmal,” said Agnew, an organizer with Black Men Build, a group created to empower Black men. Iraq War veteran Leo Dunson is a 35-year-old Black conservative activist and former Democrat who feels both parties have forgotten Black men. And 39% of those votes were by Black men — a similar gender breakdown to numbers reported in the 2016 general election. Harris’s tenure as a top prosecutor in California includes the disproportionate incarceration of Black men for drug offenses.
Activist Trae Tha Truth, Mayor Turner help unveil ‘Say Their Names’ traveling memorial exhibit honoring Black lives lost
Read full article: Activist Trae Tha Truth, Mayor Turner help unveil ‘Say Their Names’ traveling memorial exhibit honoring Black lives lostHOUSTON – A traveling memorial honoring more than 200 Black Americans from Martin Luther King Jr. to George Floyd arrived in Houston on Monday. Houston rapper, activist and philanthropist Trae The Truth led the effort to bring the “Say Their Names” exhibit to his hometown, which was set up and unveiled Monday evening at Emancipation Park. “What we’re doing with things like this, we’ll be able to spark a whole new wave of helping people understand why we say their names across the world,” Trae The Truth said. The exhibition began in Portland, Oregon, on Juneteenth 2020, established by the group “Say Their Names Memorial.” The exhibit has traveled to 25 cities so far, most recently in Dallas. The memorial will be open from Tuesday through October 13, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.For more information, go to www.saytheirnamesmemorials.com.
Osaka comes back, tops Azarenka at US Open; 3rd Slam title
Read full article: Osaka comes back, tops Azarenka at US Open; 3rd Slam titleNaomi Osaka, of Japan, reacts during the women's singles final against Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, during the US Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in New York. Surprisingly off-kilter in the early going Saturday, Osaka kept missing shots and digging herself a deficit. By the end, Osaka pulled away to a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback victory for her second U.S. Open championship and third Grand Slam title overall. But Osaka regained control, breaking to start a match-ending run of three games, covering her face when the final was over. Osaka and her coach have said they think the off-court activism has helped her energy and mindset in matches.
Absent details, police shooting narratives seek to distract
Read full article: Absent details, police shooting narratives seek to distractAuthorities have been reluctant to release even the most basic information about the incident or details about the white officer who shot Blake seven times in the back. They shot my son seven times seven times, like he didnt matter, Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr., said. In 2014, for example, a union spokesman rushed to the scene where a white Chicago officer fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. As for the shooting itself, authorities, citing the need to protect the integrity of the investigation, have raised far more questions than they've answered. Instead, he said a knife was found after the shooting on the drivers side floorboard of the SUV.
Thousands gather at Lincoln Memorial to mark 57th anniversary of the March on Washington
Read full article: Thousands gather at Lincoln Memorial to mark 57th anniversary of the March on WashingtonA man stands in the Reflecting Pool as people attend the March on Washington, Friday Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. As peaceful protests turned to arson and theft, naysayers of the Black Lives Matter movement issued calls for law and order.The Rev. Theres a white system and a black system -- the black system aint doing so well.No justice, no peace! he proclaimed. Some participants headed toward Black Lives Matter Plaza, right outside of the White House, which was renamed from Pennsylvania Avenue during protests in June.
Black lawmakers reflect on civil rights then, and now
Read full article: Black lawmakers reflect on civil rights then, and nowMartin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream Speech, yet torn apart by the Black Lives Matter protests against the police shooting of another Black man, this time in Wisconsin. Friday's commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington comes as a new civil rights era is unfolding in real time in Kenosha, Wisconsin, after Sunday's shooting of Jacob Blake. REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.Maxine Waters said she started focusing on police violence in 1979 after Los Angeles police shot a Black homemaker, Eula Love, during a confrontation over an unpaid gas bill. Now the highest-ranking Black American in Congress, Clyburn was speaking Friday at a satellite rally in Columbia, South Carolina. So theres a lot of work for Black Lives Matter to do," Clyburn told AP, and I hope to live long enough to help them get it done.
Black National Convention puts spotlight on police brutality
Read full article: Black National Convention puts spotlight on police brutalityBlack Lives Matter activists are holding a virtual Black National Convention Friday, Aug. 28, to adopt a political agenda calling for slavery reparations, universal basic income, environmental justice and legislation that entirely re-imagines criminal justice reforms. Anyone who is watching, who is both enraged or looking for action, will find a space" in the Black National Convention, Byrd said. The Black National Convention was originally planned to take place in-person in Detroit, the nations Blackest major city. Fridays convention is expected to be the largest gathering of Black activists and artists, albeit virtual, since the historic 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana, which concluded with the introduction of a national Black agenda. The Black National Convention broadcast begins after the D.C. march has concluded.
'Do something:' Harris' rapid rise driven by call to action
Read full article: 'Do something:' Harris' rapid rise driven by call to actionShe faced questions familiar to women in politics, particularly women of color, about her ambition. Harris faced both the scrutiny of her personal life and the resistance to her rise as she raced past rivals from more well-connected families. Years later, when she ran for California attorney general and needed support beyond her liberal home base, Harris tempered her stance on capital punishment. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as Black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud Black women," Harris wrote of her mother. At Howard, Harris joined Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nations oldest sorority for Black women.
'Do something:' Harris' rapid rise driven by call to action
Read full article: 'Do something:' Harris' rapid rise driven by call to actionShe faced questions familiar to women in politics, particularly women of color, about her ambition. Harris faced both the scrutiny of her personal life and the resistance to her rise as she raced past rivals from more well-connected families. Years later, when she ran for California attorney general and needed support beyond her liberal home base, Harris tempered her stance on capital punishment. She knew that her adopted homeland would see Maya and me as Black girls, and she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident, proud Black women," Harris wrote of her mother. At Howard, Harris joined Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nations oldest sorority for Black women.
March on Washington reconfigured to comply with virus rules
Read full article: March on Washington reconfigured to comply with virus rulesIn late July, with local infection numbers rising, Bowser ordered that anyone traveling or returning to Washington from a virus hot spot must self-quarantine for 14 days. Bowser, when asked on July 30 about the potential conflict, said government officials had been in contact with march organizers and that Washington would not be relaxing its virus rules for participants. The NAACP, one of several partners in this year's commemoration, last week launched a website for a virtual March on Washington. The site will livestream the Washington march, in addition to other programming leading up to and after the event. The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 Black-led organizations that make up the broader Black Lives Matter movement, will hold its virtual Black National Convention later in the evening.
Prosecutor: No charges for officer in Michael Browns death
Read full article: Prosecutor: No charges for officer in Michael Browns deathA St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict Wilson in November 2014, and the U.S. Department of Justice also declined to charge him in March 2015. Civil rights leaders and Browns parents had hoped that Bell, the countys first Black prosecutor who took office in January 2019, would see things differently. The question for this office was a simple one: Could we prove beyond a reasonable doubt that when Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown he committed murder or manslaughter under Missouri law? Darryl Gray, a leading St. Louis activist, agreed that the system is at fault, not Bell's investigation. One term! Tory Russell, 36, of St. Louis, screamed at the prosecuting attorney.
Black Lives Matter network debunks Trump Twitter post
Read full article: Black Lives Matter network debunks Trump Twitter postBlack Lives Matter leader states, If U.S. doesnt give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it. Hawk Newsome has no relation to the Black Lives Matter Global Network, Scales said. Reached by phone Thursday night, Newsome said Black Lives Matter Greater New York is now under the leadership of Black women. He also said Black Lives Matter is not a movement over which anyone can claim ownership. In Washington, D.C., the mayor ordered the words Black Lives Matter painted across a street near the White House, which also has been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza.
Antebellum brings racial justice call to reopened theaters
Read full article: Antebellum brings racial justice call to reopened theatersThis image released by Lionsgate shows co-writer/directors Christopher Renz, left, and Gerard Bush on the set of "Antebellum." Filmmakers Bush and Renz planned to release their feature-length debut film, Antebellum, in the spring of 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic exploded internationally. In Antebellum, Mone gives moviegoers a modern Black heroine who takes charge of her own liberation without a male-dominated cavalry. Their path to feature-length films with a racial justice message has been a long time coming, Bush and Renz said. Even as they anticipate finding box office success with Antebellum, Bush and Renz are already at work on their second feature-length script, under a newly formed production company, Gloaming Pictures.
Black Lives Matter network establishes $12M grant fund
Read full article: Black Lives Matter network establishes $12M grant fundBlack Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the group behind the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, has established a more than $12 million fund to aid organizations fighting institutional racism in the wake of the George Floyd protests. On Wednesday, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation said it was setting aside $6 million from money it received in donations to support black-led grassroots organizing groups. Although there are many groups that use Black Lives Matter or BLM in their names, only 16 are considered affiliates of the global network. The Black Lives Matter movement emerged in 2013 amid anger over the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012. Im really proud of the work weve been able to do in the last seven years, Patrisse Cullors, co-founder and chairwoman of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, said in a statement.
Dave Chappelle speaks on George Floyd in new Netflix special
Read full article: Dave Chappelle speaks on George Floyd in new Netflix specialNEW YORK An angry and emotional Dave Chappelle spoke on the killing of George Floyd in a surprise Netflix special, saying America was being punished for its mistreatment of black men. The special was released Thursday and is streaming free on Netflixs comedy YouTube channel. It was taken from a show at an outdoor pavilion in Yellow Springs, Ohio, with about 100 attendees on June 6. Chappelle called his special 8:46 in part after the length of time the officer was on top of the handcuffed Floyd. When I watched that tape, I understood this man knew he was going to die, said the comedian.
Long seen as radical, Black Lives Matter goes mainstream
Read full article: Long seen as radical, Black Lives Matter goes mainstreamBlack Lives Matter has gone mainstream and black activists are carefully assessing how they should respond. Its very name enraged its foes, who countered with the slogans Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter." Black Lives Matter has gone mainstream and black activists are carefully assessing how they should respond. When we started Black Lives Matter, it was really to have a larger conversation around this country about its relationship to black people, said Patrisse Cullors, one of three black women who founded the Black Lives Matter Global Network, with chapters throughout the U.S. and in Britain and Canada. Last week, longtime Sacramento Kings TV broadcaster Grant Napear resigned after tweeting ALL LIVES MATTER when asked his opinion on the Black Lives Matter movement.
George Floyd, whose death energized a movement, to be buried
Read full article: George Floyd, whose death energized a movement, to be buriedMourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. George Floyd, who was 46 when he was killed, will be laid to rest next to his mother. Floyd's death sparked international protests and drew new attention to the treatment of African Americans in the U.S. by police and the criminal justice system. Four Minneapolis officers were charged in connection with Floyd's death, which was captured on video by bystanders, who begged police to stop hurting him. A Minnesota judge on Monday kept bail at $1.25 million for Derek Chauvin, the police officer charged with second-degree murder in Floyds death.
'Use our platform': NBA coaches saying change must occur
Read full article: 'Use our platform': NBA coaches saying change must occurBut two coaches said Saturday that once the league arrives at Disney, they would expect the NBAs visibility to be an asset again in the hope for actual change. Orlando coach Steve Clifford also seems convinced that the leagues players and coaches will take some sort of action when the season resumes. Well have a collective platform where everyone can collectively send a message condemning racism, racial injustice, calling for police accountability. Spoelstra has been on several calls with political leaders in South Florida in recent days for that same purpose. We all thought that that was going to move the needle and it didnt and it broke your heart, Spoelstra said.
Spike Lee on what's different about these protests
Read full article: Spike Lee on what's different about these protestsFILE - In this June 29, 2009 file photo, Spike Lee attends a special 20th anniversary screening of his film "Do the Right Thing" in New York. Do the Right Thing, about rising racial tensions on a hot summer day in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, took direct inspiration from reality. Many years later, Eric Garner, automatically I thought of Ray Raheem," said Lee. I mean, he was quoting the words of Eric Garner: I cant breathe. He was channeling Eric Garner. I haven't seen this diverse protests since when I was a kid, Lee said, citing the movements of the '60s.
Brands weigh in on national protests over police brutality
Read full article: Brands weigh in on national protests over police brutalityBlack lives matter. At the same time, companies must consider whether it makes sense for them to weigh in, especially on an issue as sensitive as race. Media giant ViacomCBS tweeted Black Lives Matter. Expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Movement is the right message, but everyone is jumping in on that bandwagon, said Allen Adamson, co-founder and managing partner of Metaforce a marketing and product consultancy. Each of these black lives matter.
George Zimmerman sues Trayvon Martin’s family, others for $100 million
Read full article: George Zimmerman sues Trayvon Martin’s family, others for $100 millionPOLK COUNTY, Fla. – George Zimmerman is suing Trayvon Martin’s family, prosecutors and others for $100 million. Zimmerman, a Sanford neighborhood watch volunteer in 2012, was acquitted of homicide in the fatal shooting of Martin, who was 17 years old. The lawsuit, filed in Polk County, where Zimmerman now lives, cites information in a documentary about the case that accuses the Martin family of engineering false testimony. The suit seeks $100 million in civil damages, alleging defamation, abuse of civil process and conspiracy. This story was originally published on our sister site at WKMG.