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Documentary on Floyd Norman, 1st Black Animator at Disney, Now on Netflix

By goodblacknews on November 22, 2016


article via shadowandact.com
After a theatrical run in USA theaters that kicked off in late August, the documentary “Floyd Norman – An Animated Life” – an intimate journey through the celebrated life and career of the legendary animator Floyd Norman, the first African American animator at Disney – is now streaming on Netflix.
Directed by Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey, the crowd-pleaser recently won the award for Best documentary at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con. Born in 1935 in Santa Barbara, Norman’s love of animation first came when his mother took him to see Disney’s “Bambi” and “Dumbo.”  By the time he was a high schooler, he knew his goal was to be an animator at Disney Studios. After graduation, with the help of a friend, Norman got an appointment at Disney and he walked into Disney Studios, portfolio in hand, for an interview. But instead of getting a job, he was told to go to school, which Norman said later was the best advice anyone had ever given him. He entered the Art Center College of Design and two years later, got a call to go work for Disney. He dropped out of school and started working at the studio the following Monday.
https://youtu.be/eHONDbMyhcc
He worked on various features including “Sleeping Beauty,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “The Jungle Book,” and several short subjects. He left Disney after Walt Disney died in 1966, and, with Ron Sullivan, formed AfroKids Animation Studio. Among the other properties they created was the first “Fat Albert” television special which aired in 1969 on NBC (the later more well-known Fat Albert TV series was made by Filmation Associates, not AfroKids). But starting in the early 1970s, Norman returned to Disney to work on projects like “Robin Hood.”
To read more, go to: Award-Winning New Doc on Floyd Norman, 1st Black Animator to Work for Disney, Now Streaming on Netflix – Shadow and Act

Magic Johnson Pledges $250,000 to Aid Flint, MI Schools, Inspires Kids at Local Holiday Event (VIDEO)

Magic Johnson Pledges $250,000 to Aid Flint, MI Schools, Inspires Kids at Local Holiday Event (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on November 21, 2016

Magic Johnson took part Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in the Holiday Hope event at Flint Northwestern High School. The Lansing native spoke with children about the importance of education and chasing their dreams before helping to give out food, clothing, and toys to families as part of a partnership between the Magic Johnson Foundation and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. (Photo via Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com)
Magic Johnson took part Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in the Holiday Hope event at Flint Northwestern High School. The Lansing native spoke with children about the importance of education and chasing their dreams before helping to give out food, clothing, and toys to families as part of a partnership between the Magic Johnson Foundation and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. (Photo via Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com)

article by Roberto Acosta via mlive.com
FLINT, MI — Earvin “Magic” Johnson helped load up meals in the back of vehicles lined up outside Flint Northwestern High School on a snow Saturday morning, but he also delivered an assist to Flint children ahead of the giveaway.
In the Vehicle City for the Holiday Hope Flint event that provided meals, clothes, and toys to families, the NBA Hall-of-Famer told kids seated in the gymnasium to chase their dreams.
“We want you to understand dream big. Get your education and you’ll be able to do anything in life you want to do,” he said. “I was once just like you. A little kid from Lansing, Michigan right down the street. I grew up poor, but I didn’t have poor dreams.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ozLwX4rW4?rel=0&autoplay=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlive.com&widgetid=1]

Johnson stressed to children “Nobody defines who you are going to be but you, but you must get a good education so it starts in school.”
He pledged $250,000 toward Flint Community schools during a September visit that will be used to establish three walk-in clinics within the district and athletic facility improvements and told people he would return to the community.

The NBA Hall of Famer returned to the Flint-area on Friday night for a fundraising event titled “An Evening with Magic Johnson” at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre.

SodexoMagic, Johnson’s food service company, was approved for a $3.36 million contract with the school district in June. The company also holds a contract with the Saginaw School District.
 To read more, go to: http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/11/magic_johnson_tells_flint_chil.html

WATCH: Dave Chapelle's "SNL" Monologue Astutely Addresses Election of Trump

By goodblacknews on November 13, 2016

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–IS0XiNdpk&w=560&h=315]

#IWalkWithNatasha: 300 Students Escort Young Woman  to Class After She Reports Racial Harassment on Baylor Univ. Campus 

By goodblacknews on November 12, 2016

(photo via twitter.com)

Natasha Nkhama, a Baylor University student, was attacked by a student and called the N-word while walking around campus earlier this week.
She described the incident in a video posted to Twitter by her friend, Jaileene Maite.
“On my way to class, this guy went out of his way to bump into me and … shove me off the sidewalk,” she said. “He said ‘no n*ggers allowed on the sidewalk’.”
“And I was just shocked,” she added. “Like, I had no words.”
Nkhama also said that when confronted by a nearby student, her attacker replied “Like what … I’m just trying to make America great again.”
“So if you voted for Donald Trump, I hope you realize what that means from someone else’s point of view,” Nkhama said.
As word of the incident spread throughout campus, students arranged a plan to escort Nkhama to her Friday morning class using the hashtag #IWalkWithNatasha.
Hundreds of people showed up — including some whose professors let them leave class early to help out.
https://twitter.com/SmithCassie/status/797108555014934529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
To read more, go to: #IWalkWithNatasha: 300 Students Escort a Girl to Class After She Reports Racial Harassment on Campus [Video] – B. Scott | lovebscott.com

Official Prince Tribute and Lineup Set for October 13 in Minnesota (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on September 17, 2016

Billed as Prince: The Official Prince Tribute — A Celebration of Life and Music, the event is organized by the late musician’s family and estate, and will take place Oct. 13 at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center in his hometown.


The lineup also includes Christina Aguilera, John Mayer, Tori Kelly, Luke James, Bilal, Mint Condition, Morris Day & the Time, Judith Hill and Liv Warfield, the New Power Generation featuring Morris Hayes plus members of 3RDEYEGIRL.
The concert is expected to bring in more than $1 million to Prince’s estate, according to The Star Tribune.

Simone Biles, Allyson Felix and Serena Williams are Among Olympians Who Slay in Nike "Unlimited" Campaign

By goodblacknews on August 29, 2016
Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles in “Unlimited” Nike campaign (screenshot via youtube.com)

article by Sally Holmes via harpersbazaar.com

Nike just unveiled the newest installment in its “Unlimited” campaign, “Unlimited Pursuit,” starring some of our favorite female athletes and celebrating power, beauty, and pursuit of athletic perfection.

“Recovering from setbacks, losses and injury, rising from obscurity and destroying obstacles to claim victory, they command the spotlight and inspire Nike to innovate to match their strength and their dreams,” Nike says of the women it highlights in the video. Women like Gabby Douglas, Serena Williams, Scout Bassett, Elena Delle Donne, Allyson Felix, and, of course, Simone Biles, who closes out the video with the kind of stupendous gymnastics move we’ve gotten used to seeing after witnessing her earn five Olympic medals in Rio.

Check it out below:

https://youtu.be/SmLpiHDuLSE

Official Trailer for "Hidden Figures" Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae Debuts During Olympics

By goodblacknews on August 15, 2016


article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (follow @lakinhutcherson)
The trailer for “Hidden Figures”, the Fox 2000 drama starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and Jim Parsons, directed by Theodore Melfi, with original music from Pharrell Williams, debuted last night on NBC during the women’s gymnastics individual event finals at the Rio Olympics.  In case you missed it – watch it here and mark your calendars – the movie will go into wide release on January 13, 2017.
The film, based on the upcoming book by Margot Lee Shetterly, is the true story of the black female mathematicians who worked at NASA in the 1960s and helped put John Glenn into orbit.  To learn more about the movie and the history, click here.

Dining Hall at Yale’s Calhoun Residential College Renamed to Honor former Yale Student Roosevelt L. Thompson

Dining Hall at Yale’s Calhoun Residential College Renamed to Honor former Yale Student Roosevelt L. Thompson

By goodblacknews on August 10, 2016

Roosevelt Thompson (photo via arktimes.com)
Roosevelt Thompson (photo via arktimes.com)

article via jbhe.com
Calhoun Residential College at Yale University has been in the news a great deal lately.  The college was established in 1932 in honor of John C. Calhoun, who graduated from Yale University in 1804. He went on to become vice president of the United States, serving under both John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.  A native of South Carolina, Calhoun was a major defender of the institution of slavery.
In February 2016, Yale University announced that it was removing a portrait of Calhoun that was displayed over the fireplace in the dining hall in the residential college.  In June, a worker used a broom handle to break a stained-glass window in the dining hall of the college that depicted slaves carrying cotton on their heads.
Now the university has announced that the dining hall at Calhoun Residential College will be renamed to honor Roosevelt L. Thompson. A resident of Calhoun College, Thompson was killed in an automobile accident during his senior year at Yale, after he had been selected as a Rhodes Scholar to study at Oxford University.
A documentary film on Roosevelt Thompson was produced by PBS.  A trailer for that documentary can be viewed below:

"The Story of God With Morgan Freeman" Gets 2nd Season on National Geographic Channel

By goodblacknews on July 22, 2016
'The Story of God with Morgan
Morgan Freeman (JONATHAN HORDLE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK)

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)
According to Variety.com, the Emmy-nominated series “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” will get a second season and another three episodes on the National Geographic Channel, premiering in early 2017.  Topics like “Is there a Chosen One?” will be covered, as well as whether it’s possible to find proof of a singular deity.
“I had quite a journey last season, but not just in miles covered,” said Freeman, who serves as both host and executive producer. “I met incredible people who opened my eyes and my mind to new ideas and new ways of thinking about faith, the world and all of humanity. I barely scratched the surface of what we can learn, and I’m looking forward to continuing this search for the meaning of life and religion and everything in between.”
Originally billed as an “event series,” “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman” quickly became National Geographic Channel’s most-watched series over its six-episode first season.  Watch a clip from the first season of the series below:
Watch Inspiring Mash-Up of Janet Jackson's "Can't Be Stopped" with Jesse Williams' BET Awards Speech (VIDEO)

Watch Inspiring Mash-Up of Janet Jackson's "Can't Be Stopped" with Jesse Williams' BET Awards Speech (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on July 11, 2016


My fellow GBN Editor Lesa Lakin just e-mailed me this mash-up of Janet Jackson‘s “Can’t Be Stopped” with #BlackLivesMatter footage and Jesse Williams‘ now-classic speech from the 2016 BET Awards .  Not sure who made it and posted it on Vimeo five days ago, but thank you – great message and inspiration!  Keep protesting, speaking out, being creative and rising up!
–Lori Lakin Hutcherson, GBN Editor-in-Chief