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Posts published by “goodblacknews”

R.I.P. Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion Ken Norton

By goodblacknews on September 19, 2013
Ken Norton connects with a left to the head of Muhammad Ali during a bout in Inglewood, Calif., in 1973.

Ken Norton, who had three memorable fights with Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali’s jaw in winning their first bout, then losing twice, and who went on to become the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, died Wednesday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, Nevada. He was 70.

His death was confirmed by his son Ken Jr., an assistant coach with the Seattle Seahawks of the N.F.L. and a pro linebacker for 13 seasons, The Associated Press said. Norton had been in poor health for several years after sustaining a series of strokes, The A.P. reported.

Norton defeated Ali on a 12-round split decision in 1973 to capture the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title. Norton was an exceptionally muscular 6 feet 2 inches and 220 pounds, but he was a decided underdog in the first Ali fight.

“Ali thought it would be an easy fight,” Norton’s former manager, Gene Kilroy, was quoted by The A.P. as saying. “But Norton was unorthodox. Instead of jabbing from above like most fighters, he would put his hand down and jab up at Ali.”  Kilroy said that after the fight, Norton visited Ali at the hospital where he was getting his broken jaw wired, and Ali told him he never wanted to fight him again.

Mayweather-Canelo Fight Sets Pay-Per-View Record

By goodblacknews on September 19, 2013
Mayweather-Canelo Fight Sets Pay-Per-View Record

 
Floyd Mayweather wasn’t the only one raking in the dough Saturday night. The Mayweather-Canelo boxing match, broadcast on Showtime Pay-Per-View, snagged nearly $150 million, making it the highest-grossing pay-per-view of all time. The fight’s PPV gross topped 2007′s Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather bout, which drew $136 million. Preliminary reports show the Mayweather-Canelo fight — titled “The One” — at roughly 2.2 million PPV buys.
The existing records for PPV buys is 2.48 million for the De La Hoya-Mayweather match, though Showtime notes that Saturday night’s fight may break that record, as well.“The One,” held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, sold out within 24 hours of going on sale and broke a live gate revenue with $20 million.  Mayweather Promotions and Goldenboy Promotions promoted the boxing event.
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article by AJ Marechal via Variety.com

Queen Latifah’s Talk Show Scores Highest Daytime TV Premiere Of The Year

By goodblacknews on September 18, 2013
queen-latifah
Queen Latifah’s return to daytime TV kicked off with a bang on Monday.  According to reports, the premiere episode of “The Queen Latifah Show” delivered the biggest debut of the season with a 1.7 rating among households.  “‘Latifah’ pulled at 0.9/5 in the key daytime demo of women 25-54, which marked an 80% spike over its time period averages in that demo last year,” Variety reports, making it “the highest-rated daytime syndie talker premiere since “Dr. Oz” in 2009.”
“It’s incredibly exciting to see such a positive response to the show we’ve been crafting for the past year,” executive producer Corin Nelson said in a press release. “And it’s just the beginning of how we plan to showcase all of Latifah’s talents and the quality of guests and entertainment this show will give viewers every day.”  During a previous interview with the Associated Press, Queen Latifah said she’s more concerned about her show’s content than its ratings.
“I’m not trying to throw myself out there to get ratings,” she said. “I’m really more interested in building something that’s entertaining to people.”  “I learned I really have to be true to myself,” she added. “I want to go out there and do something that feels like me every day and is something I’m comfortable with and excited about.”
The  season premiere  of ”The Queen Latifah Show” featured an appearance by John Travolta and performance by Willow Smith. Jamie Foxx, Sharon Stone, Will Smith and Jake Gyllenhaal are scheduled to appear on upcoming episodes.
article by Myeisha Essex via hellobeautiful.com

NYFW Recap: Best Spring 2014 Looks by Black Designers

By goodblacknews on September 17, 2013
Kithe Brewster
Kithe Brewster has styled a who’s who of fashion icons from Halle Berry to Eve to Julianne Moore to Heidi Klum, not to mention Andre 3000. He’s lent his expert sartorial spin to clients including Puma, Revlon, and Flaunt Magazine. Now, the talent has turned his fashion focus on designing bait for Best Dressed Lists. This canary yellow number from his Spring 2014 collection has Zoe Saldana’s name all over it. (Getty Images)

From established names like Tracy Reese to emerging designers like Azede Jean-Pierre, black designers were behind some of the hottest looks on the New York Fashion Week runways.  Taking luxe liberties with classic sportswear shapes, presenting fresh takes on color blocking, and daring us all to flash flesh via sexy slashes and airy panels in many of their designs, these ateliers made a strong case for commandeering extra room in our closets in the coming months.

Black designers made quite an impact with strong representation, if not in the main tents of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Many independent shows and group showcases brought their looks to the forefront.
New black talent, center stage
The Spring 2014 season was a particularly strong one for new talent. Designer competition shows like Harlem’s Fashion Row, Elle Fashion Next, and, of course, Project Runway, introduced unknown designers to insiders and influencers while fresh faces enjoyed the crucial support of industry authorities.  Charles Elliot Harbison, for example, formerly a senior designer at Billy Reid and LUCA LUCA, burst onto the scene with nods from The New York Times and WWD.com, while being featured in Vogue’s September issue.  Shayne Oliver’s sport couture brand Hood by Air was praised across the blogosphere in addition to receiving coverage on GQ.com, Vogue.com, and WWD.com.
Breaking through to the mainstream
Likewise, many designers who have heretofore enjoyed a following limited to their niches, have broken through to the mainstream. On the heels of receiving the coveted CFDA Swarovski Award for Menswear in June, Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow’s haute sportswear label Public Schoolreceived widespread coverage for their Spring 2014 offering.
The new attention on these strong black talents of high fashion is long overdue, but welcome all the same. The talent has clearly always been there — but now more customers will know about it.
For more great upcoming names in fashion, click through our slideshow above for future pieces, or fashion inspiration.
article by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond via thegrio.com

2013 Soul Train Awards: Kendrick Lamar Leads Nominations

By goodblacknews on September 17, 2013
2013 Soul Train Awards
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 31: Kendrick Lamar performs on stage during the Bumbershoot Music Festival at Seattle Center on August 31, 2013 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK — Kendrick Lamar is the top nominee for the Soul Train Awards.  The rapper is up for six awards, including album of the year for “good kid, m.A.A.d city” and song and video of the year for “Poetic Justice.” R&B singers Justin Timberlake, Miguel, Robin Thicke, Chris Brown and Tamar Braxton follow with five nominations each.  See a full list of nominees here.
The latest albums from Lamar, Timberlake and Miguel will battle efforts from Jay-Z, Rihanna and Fantasia for album of the year. Lamar’s other nominations include best new artist, hip-hop song of the year and collaboration.
The Soul Train Awards will be presented Nov. 8 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The awards will air Dec. 1 on BET and Centric.
Actor-comedian Anthony Anderson will host the show.
article via huffingtonpost.com
 

Lifetime Greenlights Gabby Douglas Biopic, Regina King, S. Epatha Merkerson to Star

By goodblacknews on September 16, 2013


Lifetime has greenlit a biopic on the life of two-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, tentatively titled The Gabby Douglas Story.  The movie will follow Douglas from childhood, when she began formal gymnastics as a 6-year-old, to the present; and so 2 actresses will play her – Sydney Mikayla will be Gabby Douglas as a child, and Imani Hakim will be Gabby Douglas in her teens, eventually becoming a member of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won gold medals in both the individual and team all-around competitions.
Regina King will play her mother, and S. Epatha Merkerson will be her grandmother.  Douglas will also appear in the film herself, which is produced by Sony Pictures TV.
From the press release description:

A prodigy from a very young age, Gabby Douglas originally made her mark on the world of competitive gymnastics at age eight. She won numerous state championship titles in her age group throughout her early competitive career. While her star was fast rising in the arena, Gabby and her family faced economic challenges at home and she made the difficult decision to leave her mother Natalie (King), three siblings and grandmother (Merkerson) in Virginia Beach and move to Des Moines, Iowa, to train with renowned coach Liang Chow (Brian Tee, The Wolvernine) to pursue her dream of Olympic glory. Buoyed by her early success, dedication and unyielding love from her family, Gabby made it onto the 2012 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team, with whom she faced intense competition in the London Games. Her sacrifice and perseverance were triumphantly rewarded with Team Competition and Individual All-round gold medals, placing Gabby and her teammates – known as “The Fierce Five” — among the world’s all-time greats in gymnastics.

The telepic will be directed by Gregg Champion (Lifetime’s Amish Grace) from a script written by Maria Nation(Lifetime’s The Two Mr. Kissels).  Zev Braun and Philip Krupp (also Lifetime project alums) will serve as executive producers, with David Rosemont producing.  The Gabby Douglas Story will film in Manitoba, Canada, and debut in 2014. 
article by Tambay A. Obenson via ShadowAndAct

Education Department, Alabama District To Promote Advanced Placement Classes To Black Students

By goodblacknews on September 16, 2013

Lee County Schools Al

This week, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR)  made a announcement that it has reached an agreement with the state of Alabama that will aid all students, particularly African-American ones, in accessing advanced placement classes. The Lee County School District entered in to the historic first-time agreement, which aims to bolster higher-level learning and increase college opportunities for students.
The plan has a few key points that Lee District intends to roll out immediately, including addressing the dearth of Black students in advanced or AP classes and higher-level courses, finding out why Black students are faced with barriers, introducing dual-enrollment courses with the local community college at the predominantly Black high school, and offering transportation between buildings.
Lastly, material will be produced to encourage students of all levels and backgrounds to embrace AP courses, pursue higher-level courses, and consider going to college. The OCR will be deeply involved in helping Lee County get the program rolling.
From the OCR’s assistant secretary Catherine E. Lhamon:

We look forward to working with the Lee County School District administrators to ensure that all students have equal access to a quality education and are pleased that the district has taken positive steps to increase college-ready access through raising the enrollment of Black students in AP and other higher level courses. The Lee County School District has been a partner throughout this process and I applaud the steps the District is taking to help ensure their compliance with our civil rights laws to serve all students.

To learn more about the Lee County School District plans, click here.
article by D. L. Chandler via newsone.com

"Lee Daniels' The Butler" Crosses $100 Million Mark at Box Office

By goodblacknews on September 16, 2013
Oprah Winfrey with (L-R) Lee Daniels, Forest Whitaker and David OyelowoPhoto Credit: © 2013 Harpo Studios, Inc.
Oprah Winfrey with (L-R) Lee Daniels, Forest Whitaker and David Oyelowo Photo Credit: © 2013 Harpo Studios, Inc.

Although it’s been in theaters for more than a month, Lee Daniels’ The Butler continued its strong box-office performance with a fourth-place finish that saw North American ticket sales cross the $100 million mark.  With a production budget of approximately $30 million, in limited release internationally and awards season still ahead, The Butler is in strong contention for becoming one of the most profitable movies of 2013.
The top movie this weekend was horror film Insidious: Chapter 2, which debuted in first place with $41 million, more than tripling the opening take of the 2010 original.  Another newcomer, Relativity Media’s Robert De Niro-Michelle Pfeiffer crime caper The Family, opened in second place with $14.5 million. That bumped last week’s champ, the Vin Diesel starrer Riddick, to third.  Jennifer Aniston vehicle We’re The Millers rounded out the top five.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson
 

Mothers of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis to Testify at Senate ‘Stand Your Ground’ Hearing

By goodblacknews on September 16, 2013
Trayvon Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton speaks during a rally honoring Trayvon Martin organized by the National Action Network outside One Police Plaza in Manhattan on July 20, 2013 in New York City. Demonstrators have gathered in various cities across the country to protest the acquittal of neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman and press for his federal prosecution in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)
Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton speaks during a rally honoring Trayvon Martin organized by the National Action Network outside One Police Plaza in Manhattan on July 20, 2013 in New York City. Demonstrators have gathered in various cities across the country to protest the acquittal of neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman and press for his federal prosecution in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin. (Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

NEW YORK – On Tuesday, the mothers of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis will testify on Capitol Hill. The topic: “Stand Your Ground” laws.  Sybrina Fulton and Lucia McBath will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. The hearing, according to a notice on the Senate Judiciary Committee website is entitled “‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws: Civil Rights and Public Safety Implications of the Expanded Use of Deadly Force.”
Tallahassee, Florida-based state attorney William Meggs, and Harvard Law School professor and director of the Criminal Justice Institute Ronald S. Sullivan, Jr. are also expected to testify, along with a senior fellow from the Libertarian Cato Institute and John R. Lott, Jr., Ph.D., President of the Crime Prevention Research Center in Swarthmore, PA.
Fulton is the mother of Trayvon Martin, whose shooting death and the acquittal of his killer, George Zimmerman, on second degree murder and manslaughter charges touched off more than a year of controversy regarding Florida’s “stand your ground” laws and similar laws across the country. (Zimmerman didn’t use “Stand Your Ground” as his defense, but it was referenced by one of the jurors in the case in interviews after the verdict, and it altered Florida’s jury instructions in cases like Zimmerman’s.)
A foundation founded by Fulton and Trayvon Martin’s father, Tracy Martin, is working to amend “Stand Your Ground” laws in Florida and in the more than 20 other states with similar laws.  George Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense.
McBath’s son, Jordan Davis, was shot to death on November 23, 2012 at a Jacksonville gas station as he sat in a car with three friends. Michael Dunn is expected to use the “Stand Your Ground” self defense law in his upcoming trial for Davis’ killing. Dunn is expected to go to trial in January.

Phylicia Rashad Takes on Directing Role to Mark 50th Anniversary of Alabama Church Bombing

By goodblacknews on September 15, 2013

thWASHINGTON – Phylicia Rashad is best known for starring roles on stage and television, but as a director she decided to commemorate a historic moment that helped spur the civil rights movement.
The Tony Award-winning actress directed a reading of the play “Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963” at the Kennedy Center Sunday to mark the 50th anniversary of the bombing at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Four girls were killed in the explosion, which was set by white supremacists and helped spur passage of landmark civil rights legislation.
Rashad, who is recognized for her portrayal as the matriarch on “The Cosby Show” TV series and Broadway’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” said she wanted the reading to emphasize the “sanctity of joy, human existence and the value of all life.”
The play, written by Christina Ham, starred students from Howard University and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C.
Rashad, an alumna of Howard University, said acting and directing are both challenging and rewarding. In her role as director, Rashad said she works to keep the creative energy in line with the writer’s vision, “while leaving room for people to add to the vision in a collaborative effort.”
article by Stacy A. Anderson, AP via ca.yahoo.news.com