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Good Black News

Marvin Gaye-Inspired Stage Play to Hit Theaters Tonight

By goodblacknews on February 15, 2013
Marvin Gaye performing on stage (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)

Marvin Gaye performing on stage (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)

The story of the late, legendary Motown artist Marvin Gaye will be coming to a stage near you, thanks to the efforts of his sister Zeola “Sweetsie” Gaye.  My Brother Marvin is said to provide behind-the-scenes insights in the life of the “Let’s Get It On” singer.  “Through the years, I became taken aback and disappointed with everything that had been written, said and published about my family, especially my brother Marvin that wasn’t accurate,” Zeola Gaye said in a press release.  The cast for the show includes Lynn Whitfield in the role of Gaye’s mother and Keith Washington as the singer himself.
“In the play, I simply wanted to set the record straight. I wanted to leave a true account about Marvin the man and our family. People need to know what really happened and Marvin would want his fans to really know what happened. We are finally bringing the truth the world needs and must know,” Zeola added in her press release.  The show will be on tour throughout several major American cities including Houston, Baltimore and Motown’s birthplace of Detroit starting today (February 15) and concludes in the spring.  Click here to buy tickets.
article via thegrio.com

First Look: Don Cheadle in Superhero Mode for "Iron Man 3"

By goodblacknews on February 15, 2013

don-cheadle-iron-man-3

Golden Globe-winning actor Don Cheadle is ready for his close-up.  The popular House of Lies star is getting his own Marvel poster for the highly-anticipated sure-to-be summer blockbuster Iron Man 3.
Reprising his role as Capt. James Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine (which he took over from Terrence Howard in Iron Man 2) , it looks like Cheadle will be playing a prominent role in the action again in this sequel, which stars Robert Downey Jr. as the titular hero and Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce in the villainous roles.  Both Iron Man (2008) and its 2010 sequel grossed over $300 million domestically at the box office.  Iron Man 3 hits theaters on May 3.
article via thegrio.com

Serena Williams Returns to Top of Women's Tennis Rankings, Becomes Oldest Woman to Hold No. 1 Spot

By goodblacknews on February 15, 2013
Serena Williams of the U.S. returns the ball to Poland's Urszula Radwanska on the fourth day of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)

Serena Williams of the U.S. returns the ball to Poland’s Urszula Radwanska on the fourth day of the WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis tournament in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — An emotional Serena Williams returned to the top of women’s tennis, overcoming a series of potentially career-ending injuries since 2010 to become the oldest woman ever to hold the No. 1 ranking.  The 31-year-old Williams rallied from 4-1 down in the third to beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open on Friday. She needed to reach the semifinals to replace Victoria Azarenka at No. 1 when the rankings come out next week.
Williams held up one finger after clinching the match with an ace and wiped away the tears as she addressed the cheering crowd.  “I never thought I would be here again,” Williams said. “Oh my gosh, I’ve been through so much. I never thought I would be here.”
Chris Evert held the top ranking in 1985 just shy of her 31st birthday.  It has been a long journey back to the top for Williams.

Obama Bestows Presidential Citizens Medals

By goodblacknews on February 15, 2013
U.S. President Barack Obama presents Youth Becoming Healthy founder Pamela Green Jackson with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. 'Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country,' Obama said about this year's recepients. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
U.S. President Barack Obama presents Youth Becoming Healthy founder Pamela Green Jackson with the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, in the East Room of the White House February 15, 2013 in Washington, DC. ‘Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country,’ Obama said about this year’s recepients. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal on the six adults killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting in December.
Obama presented the medal to family members of the six educators from Sandy Hook Elementary School in a White House ceremony. He read their names one by one, saying they gave their lives to protect the children in their care.
Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, a renowned pediatrician who developed a leading behavioral test for newborns, was also honored, as was former Pennsylvania Sen. Harris Wofford and a handful of others who were recognized for contributions to public service.
Obama says citizenship binds the nation together and captures Americans’ belief in something bigger than themselves.
article by Josh Lederman, Associated Press via thegrio.com

African-American Civil War Soldiers Finally Recognized at Cleveland Site

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2013
Photo caption: Image - Mortar Practice Grouping - of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Cleveland’s Public

Photo caption: Image – Mortar Practice Grouping – of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Cleveland’s Public

It was in 2010 that researchers verified the service of around 140 black soldiers from the area who fought in the Civil War but were omitted from the tablets. The commission overseeing the monument said it will honor these men, mostly like by inscribing their names on the tablets, and others they uncover through additional research.

LeBron James on a Roll Unlike Any in NBA History

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2013
Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) drives around Portland Trail Blazers' Sasha Pavlovic (3) during an NBA basketball game in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Miami Heat’s LeBron James (6) drives around Portland Trail Blazers’ Sasha Pavlovic (3) during an NBA basketball game in Miami, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
MIAMI (AP) — When LeBron James first heard about this streak of games with at least 30 points and 60 percent shooting, he did not immediately think about who was on the list.  He thought about who wasn’t.
Wilt Chamberlain? Not there. Michael Jordan? Not there. Shaquille O’Neal? Not there, either. In NBA history, only Adrian Dantley and Moses Malone had put together five straight 30-point, 60-percent efforts — that is, until James joined their super-exclusive club.
And now, he stands alone.  James scored 30 points on 11 for 15 shooting to get into the NBA record books, Chris Bosh scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Miami Heat wound up beating the Portland Trail Blazers 117-104 in a wild, momentum-swinging game Tuesday night.
“It kind of blew my mind,” James said. “To see how small the list was and for me to even be a part of the list, to start off, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
“Wow” doesn’t even come close to summing up how he’s been in the last six games. He’s shot 66 for 92 — and take away a “slow” 6-for-12 start at Toronto on Feb. 3, he’s made 60 of his last 80 field-goal tries, a ridiculous 75 percent success rate. He’s scored either 30, 31 or 32 points in all six of these games.

Black Teen's Awesomely Smart "Jeopardy" Answer

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2013

A Teen Jeopardy contestant by the name of Leonard wasn’t sure of the answer to the game’s final question, but he knew one thing: He was a winner. He got a chuckle out of the host and a bunch of fans on Twitter when he revealed this response:  “Who is … some guy in Normandy. But I just won $75,000!” Nice. We like the confidence.  Uproxx explains why Leonard was so confident that he would come out ahead.
Watch the video here:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvU_uJkOHH0&w=560&h=315]
article by Jenée Desmond-Harris via theroot.com

Fashion Week: Meet Models Committed to Making a Difference

By goodblacknews on February 13, 2013
Liya Kebede's Liya Kebede Foundation engages in a range of charitable projects that help improve maternal healthcare in her native Ethiopia. (Photo: Getty Images)

Liya Kebede’s Liya Kebede Foundation engages in a range of charitable projects that help improve maternal healthcare in her native Ethiopia. (Photo: Getty Images)

Fashion Week isn’t only about glitzy runway shows and star-studded front rows; nor is the industry solely about dreamy designer pieces most of us can’t afford and rich, skinny models. Some of those beautiful mannequins and marquee names are as much about substance as style.

As New York Fashion Week entered its fifth day on Monday, supermodel Liya Kebede explained to theGrio how she used her fame gained walking runways to raising awareness about maternal health. At an intimate gathering in the rooftop bar at Manhattan’s SoHo House, hosted by La Phête, a new online destination focused on spotlighting fashion’s philanthropic stars, Kebede shared her journey.

102 Year-Old Woman Who Stood in Line for Hours to be Presidential Guest at State of the Union

By goodblacknews on February 12, 2013
Desiline Victor (center), a 102-year-old Florida voter, poses with election protection workers in Florida. (Photo courtesy of The Advancement Project.)
Desiline Victor (center), a 102-year-old Florida voter, poses with election protection workers in Florida. (Photo courtesy of The Advancement Project.)
A 102-year-old Florida woman who stood in line for three hours to vote this past November will sit in a place of honor at tonight’s State of the Union address.  Desiline Victor will be among four African-American guests of the First Lady at the annual presidential address to Congress.  In addition to Victor, the parents of slain Chicago teen Hadiya Pendleton: Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton and Nathaniel A. Pendleton Sr., of Chicago; and 12-year-old Arizona youth activist Haile Thomas, a Youth Advisory Board member with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Co-Founder/Director of the HAPPY Organization, which focuses on improving children’s lives through service, education and healthy active lifestyles, will sit with Michelle Obama for the speech. Other guests of Michelle Obama include Apple CEO Tim Cook and Medal of Honor recipient Clinton Romesha.

Victor, a retired farm worker originally from Haiti, was born in 1910, arriving in the United States in 1989. She is reportedly the oldest person ever invited to attend a State of the Union address.  

New Comic Book Based on Eartha Kitt Celebrates Her Iconic Character

By goodblacknews on February 12, 2013

Eartha Kitt Femme FataleEartha Kitt was once referred to as “the most exciting woman in the world” by Orson Welles. From her vast singing and acting career and for being outspoken in the world of politics and publicly ostracized for her anti-war remarks that derailed her career, Kitt’s life was definitely one of intrigue.  Now she’s being immortalized via a comic book. “Eartha Kitt: Femme Fatale“, written by New York Times Bestselling Author Marc Shapiro, who also penned the Julie Newmar series, was released last week.  “This series has been have been so much fun to do,” said Shapiro. “And it is an homage to the kinds of stories that first appeared in the mid-60′s”.

According to the press release:

Eartha Kitt is on holiday, searching for the purrfect wave. When suddenly??? Well, we won’t spoil the surprise. But in the tradition of DC Nation and all good things for all ages comes “Eartha Meets The Gorgon,” the first in a series of adventures. “Eartha Meets The Gorgon” is the long anticipated return to good clean fun.

The print version of the comic is only available at the Comic Book Flea Market and can be ordered directly through this link: http://bit.ly/Y6oDHl. To find out more about the legendary Eartha Kitt please go to her website: http://www.earthakitt.com
It will also be available digitally at locations such as these:  Wowio, ComiXology, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, My Digital Comics, Overdrive, Iverse, iTunes, Kindle, Wowio, Nook, Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold.
article by Yesha Callahan via clutchmagonline.com