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City of Boston to Remove “Emancipation Group” Statue Depicting Formerly Enslaved Man Kneeling Before President Lincoln

City of Boston to Remove “Emancipation Group” Statue Depicting Formerly Enslaved Man Kneeling Before President Lincoln

By goodblacknews on July 5, 2020

According to cnn.com, a statue depicting a formerly enslaved man kneeling before President Abraham Lincoln in a park in Boston, MA, will be removed.

To quote cnn.com:

After two public hearings, the Boston Art Commission voted to remove the Emancipation Group, a statue installed in 1879 in Boston’s Park Square, according to a statement announcing the removal.

The statue is a replica of one in Washington DC, and has been controversial since its installation for the depiction of the freed slave.

The statue features Archer Alexander, a Black man who “assisted the Union Army, escaped slavery, and was recaptured under the Fugitive Slave Act,” the statement says.

The vote follows a nationwide movement calling for the removal of monuments that celebrate the Confederacy or viewed as racist.

“For generations, Bostonians have called for its removal due to its racist depiction of a Black person. Many also feel it implies that one person ended slavery and misrepresents the complexity of United States history,” the statement said.

The statue has always been criticized, but a petition started in early June renewed interest in its removal.

Tory Bullock, a Boston area actor and activist, launched the petition with the intention of getting 1,000 signatures, but quickly surpassed that goal. Currently, the petition has over 12,000 signatures.

Bullock was inspired by the social and cultural moment that Black Lives Matter protests created and felt this was a good time to reintroduce the issue.

MUSIC: July 4th Celebration of ’70s “Slow Jams” (LISTEN)

MUSIC: July 4th Celebration of ’70s “Slow Jams” (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on July 4, 2020

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

No matter what your take on “Independence Day,” July 4th weekend usually provides an opportunity for Americans to get together around good food and good music.

This year however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve got to find other ways to stay connected to community and family. So although Good Black News can’t serve good food, we can serve good music!

Today we’ve got the perfect musical background for your entire weekend, as we journey back in time to offer up a massive mega-playlist of exclusively ’70s slow jams from artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Stylistics, Norman Connors, The Spinners, Shalamar, Phyllis Hyman and Rose Royce that lasts even longer than a D-Nice DJ set on Instagram.

Just set it and forget it – whether you are cooking on the BBQ, laying by the pool, reading in the shade, social distance drinking from red Solo cups in the backyard, watching the kids squirt the hose at each other, or just cleaning up the house by yourself with the windows open and the ceiling fans spinning.  Crank it up and enjoy!

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1QeF6xFDI5kJiee98DPUu7″/]

Nolan Davis, 8, Organizes Black Lives Matter March for Kids in Missouri

By goodblacknews on July 2, 2020
Children’s BLM protest organizer Nolan Davis (photo: Bailey Elizabeth Rogers)

“We are the children, the mighty mighty children. Here to tell you, Black lives matter!” hundreds of children chanted as they marched down sidewalks in Kirkwood, MO with their parents on Saturday, according to cnn.com.

Nolan Davis, 8, decided to organize the Black Lives Matter march for children in his hometown after attending a few other protests in the area with his mother Kristin Davis.

To quote cnn.com:

“Right after that, he asked me if he could have his own march so that he could let other people’s voices be heard,” his mother, Kristin Davis, told CNN.

So the two created a flyer for their “Children’s Black Lives Matter March” and shared it to Facebook, asking families to meet at Kirkwood Park.

“We thought that maybe 50 people would be there,” Nolan Davis said. “But there were like 700 people.”

Children of different races covered the sidewalks in chalk with phrases such as “Stop Racism” and “Be Kind to Everyone.” They marched with posters in their hands that read among other things “Black Children’s Futures Matter.”

Nolan Davis led the way with his poster that read, “Kids can make a change.”

Despite being a child in elementary school, Nolan Davis has already been taught the ways he needs to act differently in society compared to his White friends, such as playing with water guns only in the backyard “because you don’t want it to get mistaken for something else” or keeping the hood of his hoodie down, according to Kristin Davis.

As his White, adoptive mother, Kristin Davis acknowledged that she would never understand the fear that her Black son and daughter, five-year-old Caroline, would feel as they grow up. But she said she knew these talks were necessary to keep them safe.

“We’re preparing them for when they’re older and taller and bigger. When they’re not going to be perceived as cute little kids anymore,” she said.

Nolan Davis doesn’t like that there are different rules in society based on one’s skin color, which is why he organized the march.

He’s hoping he’ll inspire other children to use their voices and coe together to do the same.

Netflix Moves $100 Million to Black-Led Banks to Help Build Economic Opportunity in Black Communities

Netflix Moves $100 Million to Black-Led Banks to Help Build Economic Opportunity in Black Communities

By goodblacknews on June 30, 2020

Netflix announced today it is shifting $100 million of its cash to financial institutions that serve the Black community to draw attention to the racial wealth gap in America.

The streaming giant has $5.1 billion in cash assets, and 2% of that will be moved to Black-led banks.

In its public statement, the company said it will first inject $25 million into a fund managed by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a nonprofit that develops underinvested communities. Another $10 million will go to Hope Credit Union, which provides capital for the nation’s most impoverished regions in the Deep South.

To quote from Netflix’s statement:

At Netflix, we know great stories can create empathy and understanding. Stories like Ava DuVernay’s 13TH and Explained’s Racial Wealth Gap show how systemic racism in America has sustained a centuries-long financial gap between Black and White families. As part of our commitment to racial equity, we are turning understanding into action. Going forward, Netflix is going to allocate two percent of our cash holdings – initially up to $100 million – into financial institutions and organizations that directly support Black communities in the U.S.

According to the FDIC, banks that are Black-owned or led represent a mere one percent of America’s commercial banking assets. This is one factor contributing to 19 percent of Black families having either negative wealth or no assets at all – more than double the rate of White households – according to the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Black banks have been fighting to better their communities for decades but they’re disadvantaged by their lack of access to capital. The major banks, where big multinational companies including ours keep most of their money, are also focusing more on improving equity, but not at the grassroots level these Black-led institutions can and do. So we wanted to redirect some of our cash specifically toward these communities, and hope to inspire other large companies to do the same with their cash deposits.

We plan to redirect even more of our cash to Black-led and focused institutions as we grow, and we hope others will do the same. For example, if every company in the S&P 500 allocated a modest amount of their cash holdings into efforts like the Black Economic Development Initiative, each one percent of their cash would represent $20-$30 billion of new capital. And that would help build stronger communities, offering more Black families pathways to prosperity and a more equitable future.

Aaron Mitchell, Director, Talent Acquisition

Shannon Alwyn, Director, Treasury

The news was welcomed by billionaire Robert F. Smith, who made headlines last year when he offered to pay off the debts of Morehouse College‘s graduating class. He recently expanded on that pledge by creating the Student Freedom Initiative to help students at HBCUs get affordable, low-interest loans for to fund higher learning.

“This is how we turn outrage into action,” Smith tweeted Tuesday. “$100m into Black-owned banks is a giant step forward. If major U.S. companies invest 2% of profits in left-behind communities, we can close the racial wealth gap in 10 years.”

Recently, Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin personally pledged to donate $120 Million to HBCUs.

Beyoncé Film “Black Is King” to Debut on Disney+ on July 31 (WATCH TRAILER)

Beyoncé Film “Black Is King” to Debut on Disney+ on July 31 (WATCH TRAILER)

By goodblacknews on June 29, 2020
Queen Bey’s “Black Parade” continues. And heading into July, she brings us the King.

Black Is King, written, directed and executive produced by 24-time Grammy® Award-winner Beyoncé, will premiere globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020 and will arrive on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the release of Disney’s global phenomenon The Lion King.

This visual album from Beyoncé reimagines the lessons of  The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns. The film was in production for one year with a cast and crew that represent diversity and connectivity.

The film is based on the music of “The Lion King: The Gift,” released last year in conjunction with the Disney pic, and stars the album’s featured artists and some special guest appearances.

The  album features Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, 070 Shake, Tierra Whack, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter and Jessie Reyez, as well as African artists including Wizkid, Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Tiwa Savage, Tekno, Yemi Alade, Busiswa and Salatiel.

(Photo credit: Travis Matthews)
#AAMAM: “Black Parade” – Celebrating African-American Women Vocalists (LISTEN)

#AAMAM: “Black Parade” – Celebrating African-American Women Vocalists (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on June 29, 2020

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

This is the last week of African-American Music Appreciation Month. And what a month it has been. 2020 is shaping up to be Black History Year.

I am honored to offer one more playlist for this final week of June. I hope you enjoy this freewheeling and eclectic collection of Black woman vocalists.

Here is almost a century of recordings spanning Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Soul, and Hip-Hop. Yes. You’ll find Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Mahaila Jackson, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu, Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Brittany Howard and more all on this playlist.

Coming in at over 9 hours, it is barely the tip of the iceberg of the musical offering and impact of African-American women.

We’ve been keeping it American musicians here in June, though next week I plan to sling some reggae music. Sistas and brothas from Jamaica, UK, and Africa have had a thing or two to say about protest and conscious music as well.

Until next time! Stay safe, sane, and kind.

#blacklivesmatter #goodblacknews #musicheals

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:04eowPiAmwUKenL7IaW5cx”/]

Marlon West (photo courtesy Marlon West)
#AAMAM: “Black and Proud” – Celebrating Black LGBT Musical Pioneers (LISTEN)

#AAMAM: “Black and Proud” – Celebrating Black LGBT Musical Pioneers (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on June 28, 2020

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

As June is both African-American Music Appreciation Month and Pride Month, and today is the anniversary of the beginning of the landmark Stonewall Riots marking the unofficial launch of the gay rights movement, Good Black News today brings you a musical playlist celebrating some of the Black LGBT musical pioneers of the contemporary music era.

Just last year, rapper Lil Nas X made history in multiple ways when his genre-bending country/rap tune, the infectious ‘Old Town Road’ (which, in remixed form, included country star Billy Ray Cyrus), launched on TikTok and headed straight to #1, where it stayed for 19 weeks.

In the process, the 1:53 minute song (which was the shortest song to hit #1 since the mid-1960s), literally became the longest running #1 in chart history, outlasting the 16 week #1 runs of  Mariah  Carey & Boyz II Men’s ‘One Sweet Day’ and Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee/Justin Bieber’s ‘Despacito’.

One year ago during Pride Month, in the middle of the song’s #1 run on the charts, Lil Nas X revealed himself to be gay and joined what has become a burgeoning scene of LGBTQ artists among the Gen Z crowd, many of them African-American. Frank Ocean, Kehlani, Brittany Howard, Azealia Banks, Janelle Monae, and Big Freedia are just some of the other artists that have broken through the pack in recent years, publicly claiming their respective LGBTQ identities even as their careers were still on the rise. 

And musically-talented TV personalities such as one-time reality star Todrick Hall, the now notorious, but nevertheless pioneering ‘Empire’ star Jussie Smollett, ‘Glee’ co-star Alex Newell and ‘The Flash’ co-star Keiynan Lonsdale have also helped pave the way, bringing Black, openly LGBT faces into millions of homes.  

Hopping around Spotify in the search for Black LGBT artists now leads to not just these artists, but dozens of other openly LGBT independent artists making it happen in rap, dance, soul, and pop.

It wasn’t always this way, however. So in today’s playlist, we are celebrating 15 significant, pioneering LGBT artists who got their starts between the late 1950s (when the contemporary pop/rock music era began) and the end of the 20th century. The truth is that we’ve always been watching and listening to LGBT artists – the general public just may not have known it at the time.

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:4yKQ0sDG4PrmMLcjYVDPl6″/]

Some of these artists we’re celebrating in our list were loud and proud right from the start. With others, we didn’t publicly know they were part of the LGBT community until after they passed away.  

The goal with this list is not to stir up controversy, but rather celebration and re-interpretation – so we’re steering away from the numerous popular artists about whom there are simply rumors.  Perhaps time and the history books will reveal more about the stories of many other artists from an era of music in which most prominent artists remained in the closet.  

For now, it’s interesting to look back at these 15 Black artists and see the array of musical and personal journeys, and examine them anew. We present the artists in roughly chronological order of their career prominence, and feature five songs from each – trying to include early work, a big hit or two and something recent if they are still making music.  

We hope this playlist will both introduce you to some talented but unheralded artists, and help you re-evaluate some artists you may already know and love – and can now see in a new light.  

Mississippi’s State Legislature Passes Bill to Remove Confederate Emblem from Flag

Mississippi’s State Legislature Passes Bill to Remove Confederate Emblem from Flag

By goodblacknews on June 28, 2020

The Mississippi state legislature — both House and Senate — passed a bill today to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag.

According to cnn.com, the bill will now go to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, who has said he would sign legislation that state lawmakers send him to remove the Confederate insignia.

To quote the cnn.com article:

“The legislation — which cleared the state House in a 91-23 vote and the state Senate with a 37-14 vote — comes as Mississippi lawmakers in recent weeks have been weighing a change to their flag amid the continued racial justice protests across the country.

Mississippi is the last state in the country whose flag features the Confederate emblem. The flag, first adopted in 1894, has red, white and blue stripes with the Confederate battle emblem in the corner.

The bill establishes a commission to develop a new flag design without the Confederate emblem that includes the phrase “In God, We Trust.” Mississippi state voters would then vote on the new design this November.”

NASA’s Headquarters to be Renamed in Honor of its 1st Black Woman Engineer, “Hidden Figure” Mary W. Jackson

NASA’s Headquarters to be Renamed in Honor of its 1st Black Woman Engineer, “Hidden Figure” Mary W. Jackson

By goodblacknews on June 24, 2020

NASA announced Wednesday the agency’s headquarters building in Washington, D.C., will be named after Mary W. Jackson, the first African American female engineer at NASA.

Jackson started her NASA career in the segregated West Area Computing Unit of the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Jackson, a mathematician and aerospace engineer, went on to lead programs influencing the hiring and promotion of women in NASA’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. In 2019, she was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

“Mary W. Jackson was part of a group of very important women who helped NASA succeed in getting American astronauts into space. Mary never accepted the status quo, she helped break barriers and open opportunities for African Americans and women in the field of engineering and technology,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

“Today, we proudly announce the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building. It appropriately sits on ‘Hidden Figures Way,’ a reminder that Mary is one of many incredible and talented professionals in NASA’s history who contributed to this agency’s success. Hidden no more, we will continue to recognize the contributions of women, African Americans, and people of all backgrounds who have made NASA’s successful history of exploration possible.”

Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, D.C (Credit: NASA)

The work of the West Area Computing Unit caught widespread national attention in the 2016 Margot Lee Shetterly book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. The book was made into a popular movie that same year and Jackson’s character was played by award-winning actress Janelle Monáe.

“We are honored that NASA continues to celebrate the legacy of our mother and grandmother Mary W. Jackson,” said, Carolyn Lewis, Mary’s daughter. “She was a scientist, humanitarian, wife, mother, and trailblazer who paved the way for thousands of others to succeed, not only at NASA, but throughout this nation.”

Billionaire Robert F. Smith Launches Student Freedom Initiative to Ease Student Debt at Historically Black Colleges

Billionaire Robert F. Smith Launches Student Freedom Initiative to Ease Student Debt at Historically Black Colleges

By goodblacknews on June 24, 2020

Robert F. Smith—the billionaire who pledged during a commencement speech last year to pay off the student debt of the Morehouse College class of 2019—is, according to time.com, launching a new initiative to help ease the burden of student loans at all HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).

The Student Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit organization, will launch in 2021 at up to 11 HBCUS and will offer juniors and seniors who are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors a flexible, lower-risk alternative to high-interest private student loans.

The list of HBCUs participating in the initial rollout has not been finalized. SFI will target the disproportionate loan burden on Black students while creating more choices for students whose career options or further educational opportunities might be limited by heavy student debt.

The aims of the Initiative is to help 5,000 new students each year via a $50 million grant from Fund II Foundation, a charitable organization of which Smith is founding director and president.

Fund II has set a goal of raising at least $500 million by October to make the program “self-sustaining” through investments and graduates’ income-based repayments. Fund II will partner with Michael Lomax, CEO of the United Negro College Fund; Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the Hutchins Center for African and African-American Research at Harvard; the Jain Family Institute and the Education Finance Institute.

To quote from Time:

“You think about these students graduating and then plowing so much of their wealth opportunity into supporting this student debt, that’s a travesty in and of itself,” Smith, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, said Tuesday during a TIME100 Talks discussion with Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal.

[To see Robert Smith speak on the need for this initiative, watch here]

Smith—the wealthiest Black man in the United States, according to Forbes—donated $34 million last year that covered the student debt of about 400 Morehouse graduates, including the educational debt incurred by their families. He says his new initiative is an effort to create a more sustainable model for thousands more students.

“I think it’s important that we do these things at scale and en masse because that’s how you lift up entire communities,” he says. “Of course, we all like the great one story, but I want thousands of these stories. And I want thousands of Robert Smiths out there who are actually looking to do some things in fields that are exciting to them and are giving back.”

Read more: https://time.com/5857186/robert-f-smith-historically-black-colleges/