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Posts published in April 2015

De La Soul's Kickstarter Campaign for New Album Surpasses Goal

By goodblacknews on April 1, 2015
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De La Soul (DE LA SOUL/KICKSTARTER)

According to theroot.com, it’s been over 10 years since the last De La Soul album was released, but thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, the trio famous for songs such as “Potholes In My Lawn,” “Me, Myself and I” and “Saturdays” will begin recording its eighth album, And the Anonymous Nobody. The group’s goal of $110,000 was met within 48 hours and has since been surpassed by $178,262 for a current grand total of $288,262.

“And the Anonymous Nobody really plays on two ideas,” the group told Rolling Stone.”No egos, no seniority, no bosses, just a group of equal ‘nobodies’ working towards one goal: making music. Second, there’s always a silent champion or brave individual—a ‘nobody’—that steps in saves the day. The person that steps in and stands for something. Something bigger than him … and makes a change. ‘Nobody can save the day!’ Well he sure can! We are those nobodies … stepping in, standing for something and hopefully making a change.”
The new album will also include guests such as David Byrne, 2 Chainz and Little Dragon. Those who helped fund the album will receive rewards ranging from exclusive album tracks to a shopping excursion with De La Soul.
There are still 30 days and several prizes left in the campaign, so if you’d like to donate, click here.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)

Pomona College English Professor Claudia Rankine Wins National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry

By goodblacknews on April 1, 2015

Professor and National Book Critics Circle Award Winner Claudia Rankine
Professor and National Book Critics Circle Award Winner Claudia Rankine (PHOTO: kcrw.com)

Claudia Rankine, the Henry G. Lee Professor of English at Pomona College in Claremont, California, won the National Book Critics Circle Award in poetry for her book Citizen: An American Lyric (Graywolf Press, 2014).
Rankine’s poetry recounts mounting racial aggressions in ongoing encounters in twenty-first-century daily life and in the media. Citizen is her fifth published poetry collection.1416441763-citizen
Earlier this year, Professor Rankine made literary history when she was the first author to have a work nominated as a finalist in two categories in the 39-year history of the National Book Critics Circle Awards.
Professor Rankine is a native of Jamaica. She is a graduate of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and holds a master of fine arts degree in poetry from Columbia University.
article via jbhe.com

National Society of Black Engineers National Advisor Dr. Gary S. May Honored by President Obama

By goodblacknews on April 1, 2015
NSBE National Advisor and Presidential Award Recipient Gary S. May, Ph.D (PHOTO: nsbe.org)

 
Gary S. May, Ph.D., national advisor, lifetime member and former national chair of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), has been honored by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Dr. May, dean of the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, received news of the award on Friday, March 27, during his attendance at NSBE’s 41st Annual Convention, in Anaheim, Calif. He will receive the award during a White House ceremony later this year.
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring is given to individuals and organizations to recognize “the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science and engineering — particularly those who belong to groups that are underrepresented in these fields,” a White House news release stated. “By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers while ensuring that tomorrow’s innovators represent a diverse pool of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent throughout the United States.”
“These educators are helping to cultivate America’s future scientists, engineers and mathematicians,” President Obama said. “They open new worlds to their students, and give them the encouragement they need to learn, discover and innovate. That’s transforming those students’ futures, and our nation’s future, too.”