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VIDEO: “Michelle Obama’s Closing Argument” on Why It’s So Critical to Vote (A MUST WATCH)

VIDEO: “Michelle Obama’s Closing Argument” on Why It’s So Critical to Vote (A MUST WATCH)

By goodblacknews on October 6, 2020

“The one thing this President is really, really good at is using fear and confusion and  spreading lies to win.”

Released today, in a blistering, no-nonsense, direct video to the American people, former First Lady Michelle Obama spends 24 minutes and 12 records clearly, concisely and directly laying out why it’s so important to vote in the November election.

While Obama offers empathy for those suffering from Covid-19, including those in the White House, she also points out how “the President” has provided little to know direction or leadership during the crisis and how he continues to downplay the severity of the issue.

She also offers real talk to voters on the racial divisiveness afoot from the top:

You’ve worked hard all your life and for too long you’ve watched the rich get richer. You’ve lost your farm and your livelihoods to corporate greed. You’ve seen your beloved towns shattered by joblessness. You’ve watched families destroyed by drug addiction and mental health challenges – all of this long before this virus hit. And it is frustrating to hear some folks say that you’ve been the beneficiary of white privilege, that the color of your skin gives you a head start. That is the reality for far too many hardworking, decent Americans.

But right now, the President and his allies are trying to tap into that frustration and distract from his breathtaking failures by giving folks someone to blame other than them. They’re stoking fears about Black and brown Americans, lying about how minorities will destroy the suburbs, whipping up violence and intimidation. And they’re pinning it all on what’s been an overwhelmingly peaceful movement for racial solidarity. It’s true. Research backs it up. Only a tiny fraction of demonstrations have had any violence at all. So what the President is doing once again is patently false. It’s morally wrong and yes, it is racist.”

Obama also offers words of support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and then breaks it down even further:

As a Black woman who has — like the overwhelming majority of people of color in this nation — done everything in my power to live a life of dignity, and service, and honesty, the knowledge that any of my fellow Americans is more afraid of me than the chaos we are living through right now, well, that hurts. It hurts us all…  So I want to appeal for some empathy here, too. I want everyone who is still undecided to think about all those folks like me and my ancestors…

The millions of folks who look like me and fought and died and toiled as slaves and soldiers and laborers to help build this country. Put yourselves in our shoes for just a moment. Imagine how it feels to wake up every day and do your very best to uphold the values that this country claims to holds dear — truth, honor, decency — only to have those efforts met by scorn, not just by your fellow citizens, but by a sitting president.”

Obama continues to lay out the way racism is being used to destroy the nation and appeals to everyone, conservative and liberal alike to search their hearts and figure out what they truly value.  Then go to iwillvote.com to save democracy and “get the job done.”

Watch every minute and share. The message is worth it.

Justice Martin Jenkins to Become 1st Openly Gay Man to Serve on CA Supreme Court

Justice Martin Jenkins to Become 1st Openly Gay Man to Serve on CA Supreme Court

By goodblacknews on October 5, 2020

[Justice Martin Jenkins. Photo Credit: Jason Doiy / ALM]

According to latimes.com, California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Martin Jenkins to the State Supreme Court.

Currently serving as Newsom’s Judicial Appointments secretary, Jenkins, 66 would become the first openly gay man on the California Supreme Court, and only the third Black man ever to serve on the state’s highest court.

To quote the Los Angeles Times:

“Justice Jenkins is widely respected among lawyers and jurists, active in his Oakland community and his faith, and is a decent man to his core,” Newsom said in a statement. “As a critical member of my senior leadership team, I’ve seen firsthand that Justice Jenkins possesses brilliance and humility in equal measure. The people of California could not ask for a better jurist or kinder person to take on this important responsibility.”

Jenkins was leading the search to fill a vacancy on the court left by the Aug. 31 retirement of Justice Ming W. Chin, a Republican appointee who was the court’s most conservative member.

Jenkins is viewed as generally less liberal than the four justices Brown appointed to the court. From Alameda County prosecutor, to federal judge to the San Francisco-based Court of Appeals, Jenkins did not publicly discuss his sexual orientation.

After his confirmation, the court will have two Black justices, two Asian Americans, one Latino, one white woman and one white man.

“I am truly humbled and honored to be asked by the governor to continue serving the people of California on the Supreme Court,” Jenkins said in a statement. “If confirmed, I will serve with the highest ethical standards that have guided me throughout my career, informed by the law and what I understand to be fair and just.”

A San Francisco native, Jenkins earned his undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University and at one point had a contract to play NFL football for the Seattle Seahawks, but chose instead to become an attorney and got his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.

To read more, click here.

MUSIC MONDAY: “Knock Me A Kiss” – A Tribute to Louis Jordan (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: “Knock Me A Kiss” – A Tribute to Louis Jordan (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on October 5, 2020

[Photo: Louis Jordan at the Paramount Theater in 1946. By William P. Gottlieb]

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Since the 1960s, especially when it came to emerging British rockers, the roots of Rock ’n Roll were a direct line to “authentic” Blues players. (Mainly men, but that’s the subject for another playlist.)

It’s mainly true, but it leaves out Country music, and in what Bullseye with Jesse Thorn host Jesse Thorn called “the race to find the most hard-scrabble weathered bluesman from the fields of Alabama or Mississippi or wherever” also ignores Jazz dance music.

Hugely popular in its day, it followed the big band era and was the springboard for Rhythm & Blues. Particularly the genre of “Jam Blues” and its trail-blazing, funny, and brash master of the game: Louis Jordan.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1OmQoK2SWucRZXrOWQzjPC”/]

When it became too expensive for big bands to tour in the 1940s, Jordan led a revolution by cutting his band in half. The Tympany Five was a horn section, drums, guitar, bass, and piano. Jordan played saxophone and sang lead vocals himself, which was a rare move at the time.

The NAACP and LeBron James’s “More Than A Vote” Initiative Attracts 10,000 Volunteer Poll Workers

The NAACP and LeBron James’s “More Than A Vote” Initiative Attracts 10,000 Volunteer Poll Workers

By goodblacknews on October 2, 2020

According to nytimes.com, the collective of athletes headlined by NBA superstar LeBron James called More Than a Vote, announced Wednesday that its mission to increase the number of poll workers in Black electoral districts has already amassed 10,000 volunteers.

To quote the New York Times:

The effort, which is called “We Got Next” and is a collaboration with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, will be highlighted during the first game of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers, the team featuring Mr. James.

During the game, first-time poll workers will be among the virtual fans, seated alongside basketball legends including Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal and Julius Erving.

In a release provided to The New York Times, More Than a Vote and the Legal Defense Fund said the second phase of their push would be more targeted, aimed at 11 cities “where significant poll worker shortages remain,” the release said.

Those cities include Black voter hubs in the South, like Birmingham, Jackson, Houston, San Antonio and Montgomery, as well as cities with significant Black populations in critical battleground states: Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Flint, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

There has been a shortage of volunteer poll workers for in-person voting sites across the nation, due to COVID-19 and other factors. The dearth is particularly felt in Black communities, which have historically experienced longer wait times and have had fewer polling locations than many white communities.

To read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/us/elections/lebron-james-more-than-a-vote-poll-workers.html

MUSIC: “Someday We’ll All Be Free” – 75-Song Tribute to Late Soul Legend Donny Hathaway on His 75th (LISTEN)

MUSIC: “Someday We’ll All Be Free” – 75-Song Tribute to Late Soul Legend Donny Hathaway on His 75th (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on October 1, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

Today is the 75th birthday of the late Donny Hathaway, who we are honoring here at Good Black News with our 75-song Spotify salute – “Someday We’ll All Be Free – The Donny Hathaway Master Collection”.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:72jzhrNwu6HSQEpHMtsrAq”/]

In this chaotic time, is there a more prescient song/collective societal wish than Donny’s iconic composition, “Someday We’ll All Be Free”?

California Becomes 1st U.S. State to Create Proposals for Reparations to Descendants of Enslaved People

California Becomes 1st U.S. State to Create Proposals for Reparations to Descendants of Enslaved People

By goodblacknews on September 30, 2020

[Photo: Reparations bill author and CA Assembly member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego)]

According to latimes.com, California Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Assembly Bill 3121, which makes the Golden State the first in the U.S. to formally adopt a law to study and develop proposals for potential reparations to descendants of enslaved people and those impacted by slavery.

Newsom said the new law, authored by CA Assembly member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), and  the bipartisan support for its passage are proving “a paradigm that we hope will be resonant all across the United States.”

To quote the Los Angeles Times:

In a year of national protests against racial injustice, state lawmakers approved Assembly Bill 3121 to force the state to begin to confront its racist history and systemic disparities that persist today.

Although California entered the Union as a “free state” in 1850, slavery continued there after the state Constitution outlawed it the previous year. Slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865.

The new law creates a task force to recommend appropriate remedies to the state Legislature and determine who should be eligible to receive compensation, which advocates hope will become a model in a country where movements to make amends for centuries of slavery have failed to gain traction at the federal level.

“California has come to terms with many of its issues, but it has yet to come to terms with its role in slavery,” said Weber. “We’re talking about really addressing the issues of justice and fairness in this country that we have to address.”

Issa Rae Joins Sienna Naturals Hair Care Company as Co-Owner and Spokesperson

Issa Rae Joins Sienna Naturals Hair Care Company as Co-Owner and Spokesperson

By goodblacknews on September 29, 2020

According to harpersbazaar.com, Insecure creator and star Issa Rae will serve as the face of the Sienna Naturals and join founder Hannah Diop as co-owner of the brand.

Rae, who showcases the versatility of natural hair in her award-winning HBO series, is a friend of Diop’s and respects Diop for creating and promoting a clean beauty brand for Black women.

To quote harpersbazaar.com:

“I’ve known Hannah for a long time, and I got to see the brand evolve from her home. It’s expanded so much beyond that. The care and the research that has gone into this natural, safe, healthy brand, I knew that I wanted to be involved,” [Rae] explained in a statement. “We get coerced into manipulating our hair into styles not right for us, or using damaging products. I have an opportunity to make hair care digestible via my sense of humor, my openness to my own hair struggle.”

Sienna Naturals, the eco-conscious natural hair brand beloved for its toxic-free hair care products is returning with larger product sizes, accessible price points, and updated packaging. What’s more, the brand will also introduce Salon in a Box, which is packed with everything you need to make your wash day as seamless as possible.

You can sign up for the pre-launch waitlist and updates on future Sienna Natural launches here.

Read more: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/hair/a34151971/issa-rae-co-owner-sienna-naturals-hannah-diop/

Michael Kiwanuka Wins 2020 Mercury Prize For Best British Album

Michael Kiwanuka Wins 2020 Mercury Prize For Best British Album

By goodblacknews on September 28, 2020

According to theguardian.com, The 2020 Mercury Prize for the year’s best British album has gone to Michael Kiwanuka for his self-titled album, Kiwanuka.

The son of Ugandan immigrants to the U.K, Kiwanuka won this third time after having been nominated twice before for previous albums: Home Again (2012) and Love & Hate (2016).

To quote from The Guardian:

“I’m over the moon, so so excited,” he said on receiving the prize. “This [prize] is for art, for music, for albums – it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do, so to win a Mercury is a dream come true… It’s blown my mind.” He wins £25,000.

His album, released in November 2019, draws equally from folk and soul as the songwriter sings of freedom, love, and struggles both personal and collective; one track samples protests during the 1960s US civil rights movement. It was described in a Guardian review as a “bold, expansive, heartfelt, sublime album. He’s snuck in at the final whistle, but surely this is among the decade’s best.” It reached No 2 on release, and spent 18 weeks in the UK charts.

He thanked his producers, Inflo and Danger Mouse, “some of the best musicians, artists, creatives around, they’ve really helped me grow.” Asked why he given the album his name, he said he had experienced “imposter syndrome … it was taking things away from the experience of doing my dream job. So I made a decision when I was making this album that I wanted to be myself, enjoy it, and not hold back, and show myself as clear as I can be.”

Kiwanuka said an additional reason why his 2019 release title was eponymous was to honor his African heritage.

MUSIC MONDAY: Playlist Celebrating the Detroit Roots of Techno (LISTEN)

MUSIC MONDAY: Playlist Celebrating the Detroit Roots of Techno (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on September 28, 2020

(Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May and Juan Atkins in Detroit / Photo credit: Unknown)

Techno has come to be associated with European club culture, but it was born from the Black community in Detroit. It was originally revolutionary protest music. Techno was born of African-American struggle.

Detroit DJs Robert Hood, Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May are known as the originators of techno. They fused funk, disco, and gospel beyond recognition in the ‘80s.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:3LxvGmBPiWvr8N7H2xxSJf”/]

To quote Robert Hood: “Techno is the struggle of black artists that came from nothing, had nothing—[I was] blessed to share this music.”

This collection celebrates the originators as well as current Black women and nonbinary DJs and producers, like Tati au Miel and Nonku Phiri, that have had to carve out space in the scene too.

Enjoy! And as always stay safe, sane, and kind.

And vote!!

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)

(FB: marlon.west1 Twitter: @marlonw IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

“Surprise! We’re Still Making Great Music!” – Playlist of New Songs to Savor from 30 R&B/Soul Favorites (LISTEN)

“Surprise! We’re Still Making Great Music!” – Playlist of New Songs to Savor from 30 R&B/Soul Favorites (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on September 26, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

Many of our Spotify playlists on Good Black News celebrate the songs of years past – but today we’re going to twist it up a little.

With our “Surprise! We’re Still Making Great Music“ playlist, we’re going to spotlight 30 favorite artists from throughout the years who you maybe didn’t know had something new to offer.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:0X0ZZTJ6z2yxX5Uu7R7j3G”/]

With major record companies so focused on the youth/hip hop market, it’s often just part of the accepted path of a musician that after the hit-making years are over, an artist’s career shifts – sometimes concerts/touring, sometimes acting/performing in musicals, sometimes just retiring or changing careers.

But as the technology for recording gets less expensive, and the ability to distribute music electronically becomes simpler – more and more favorite acts are deciding to record new music.  However, just because they’ve made new music, doesn’t mean its been easy for us to find out about it.  Not many radio stations play new soul from veteran artists, and on the streaming services, these tracks are often not well-promoted – even to their likely audiences.

So we started exploring, and we’ve stumbled across dozens of fresh recordings from artists that we haven’t checked out in awhile, often in decades! Some artists have been recording all along – and we didn’t realize it. Some seem to be testing the waters – can they reignite their fanbase? And, this year in particular, with musicians stuck at home – and with news events and protests inspiring the artistic desire to say something, many are using their art to address the politics of today.

So, here are 30 favorite artists (+ one bonus artist) – a mixture of men, women, and groups with recent music from the last couple years you can check out now electronically.  Let us know in the comments who you are happy to see back in action behind the mic: