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Good Black News

Prince Puts His “Rock And Roll Love Affair” on YouTube

By goodblacknews on November 27, 2012

princeback

Is Prince coming back around to the Internet? Five years ago, he went on a crusade against YouTube, threatening lawsuits against that site and others that made his copyrighted material available without permission. In 2008, he made sure every recording of his cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” was taken down from YouTube—even afterRadiohead asked that the recordings be put back up. In 2010, he declared the Internet “completely over,” like MTV.

But now he’s got a new music video, his first in a few years, and he’s put up an official version of it—on YouTube. Whatever the man’s feelings about online communication, he sounds great. The song is called “Rock and Roll Love Affair.” No word yet on whether a new album is imminent.  Watch below:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEne4AoX_RU&w=560&h=315]

African-American Judges Head Up Oklahoma’s Two Highest Courts For First Time in History

By goodblacknews on November 26, 2012

In Oklahoma, two  judges have made history by becoming the first African-Americans to head up two of the state’s highest courts.

Tom Colbert is set to become chief justice of the nine-member Oklahoma Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Colbert’s law school classmate, David B. Lewis, is poised to become presiding judge of the five-member Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

The Tulsa World describes what both men have in common:

Both men were raised by single mothers, are former prosecutors and worked in private practice.

Both are runners – Colbert is a sprinter, while Lewis runs for distance.

And former Gov. Brad Henry appointed both as the first blacks to hold a post on their respective appeals courts.

 Colbert says he owes his success to those who came before him and paved the way for him.

The chief justice will be in charge of overseeing district courts in Oklahoma’s 77 counties. But as far as Colbert is concerned, his job doesn’t stop there. He’s looking forward to mentoring kids so that he can pass on some of what he’s learned on his road to success.

Colbert also offered a bit of advice, saying,  ”There are great opportunities out there if you believe in yourself and try to stay on the right path,” he said.  Lewis said that he happy with his achievements, but went on to say that it is important for people to understand that success doesn’t happen overnight.

article via yourblackworld.net

 

Allyson Felix and Usain Bolt Win IAAF Athlete of the Year Awards

By goodblacknews on November 25, 2012
Allyson Felix and Usain Bolt

Olympic gold medallists Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix have won the male and female athlete of the year awards.  Both athletes were honored by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) at a ceremony in Barcelona on Saturday.  Jamaican Bolt, who retained his 100m and 200m titles in the London Olympics, is the first man to win the award four times  Felix won three gold medals and claimed the award ahead of Britain’s Jessica Ennis, who was on the shortlist.

Will.i.am to Launch Line of iPhone Accessories

By goodblacknews on November 25, 2012
Will.i.am carrying the i.am+ camera for iPhone 4 at the Ekocycle brand launch in New York in October

Will.I.am is set to launch a new line of accessories, named “i.am+,” for Apple’s iPhone.  The Black Eyed Peas star, who was hired as a creative director for technology firm Intel last year, has created a collection of hardware which he insists will transform the cell phones.

The first product from his “i.am+” line is an accessory that clips onto an iPhone and transforms the eight megapixel smartphone camera into a 14 megapixel camera, which dramatically enhances the clarity and definition of the photographs. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, he says: “We have our own sensor and a better flash. You dock you phone into our device and it turns you smartphone into a genius-phone. We take over the camera.”

Joaquim Barbosa Sworn In As Brazil’s First Black Supreme Court Justice

By goodblacknews on November 25, 2012
Joaquim Barbosa
BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil’s Supreme Court is now headed by a black justice for the first time.  Joaquim Barbosa was sworn in on Thursday. He became the only black ever to serve on the court when he joined it in 2003, even though more than half of the country’s 192 million people identify themselves as having African descent.

Barbosa, 58, was elected in October to a two-year tenure as Supreme Court president. His election was a foregone conclusion since the court’s presidency always goes to the justice who has served on the bench the longest.  

Giving Back: Mike Tyson Launches Children’s Foundation

By goodblacknews on November 24, 2012

Mike Tyson

Former world heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson (pictured) has traveled quite a road from fighter, spousal abuser and convicted rapist, to ear biter, pigeon lover, actor and now, children’s philanthropist. And to prove it, Tyson has launched his very own charity, aptly named, ‘Mike Tyson Cares Foundation.’

The organization’s mission is to ‘“give kids a fighting chance” by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.  It will also provide such essentials as healthcare and school assistance, shelter, mentoring, job mentoring and any other needs that the foundation deems necessary for the child in question seeking assistance.

PBS Unveils Black Culture Connection Website

By goodblacknews on November 24, 2012

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, is expanding its digital platform. The nonprofit television network has announced the launch of Black Culture Connection, an online guide to films, stories and other resources about the black experience in the realms of history and culture. The website, currently in its beginning stages, will evolve into a larger digital resource over the course of the year:

“We’re committed to bringing you the best of PBS and helping you explore Black history and culture around the world through our award-winning programs, special online events, chats … and more!”

“We are in beta and continuing to grow, but invite you to join our journey over the next year. You will be able to connect with award-winning documentaries like Freedom Riders andThe Interrupters, new web original productions like Black Folk Don’t, live chats with your favorite filmmakers, and PBS member stations to help you explore black history and culture locally in your community.”

This is only the first phase of a larger online experience coming to PBS.org. We’ll continue to add new features over the next several months.

Read more about Black Culture Connection here.

article by Stacy-Ann Ellis via theroot.com

Happy Thanksgiving From GBN

By goodblacknews on November 22, 2012

On this day when family and friends traditionally come together to share a meal and offer gratitude for surviving life’s most humbling challenges, GBN wants to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and say “thank you” for your continued love, positivity and support.  Enjoy!

Self-Taught 15-Year-Old Sierra Leone Engineer Invited to MIT (Video)

By goodblacknews on November 21, 2012

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOLOLrUBRBY&w=560&h=315]

There are some pretty amazing kids out there doing the best they can with whatever circumstances were given to them.  In areas of the world where little to no technological advancement has occurred, ideas are being born without any mentors, tools, and/or resources.

PRODIGIES is a bi-weekly series on YouTube that showcases the youngest and brightest as they challenge themselves to reach new heights and the stories behind them.  Kelvin Doe is a 15-year-old Sierra Leone native who admittedly loves inventing.  He’s taught himself how to make things like batteries, FM radio transmitter, and a generator out of need for these things in his community.

He said that his community doesn’t have much electricity.  The lights come on at night in his area once per week and then they don’t have any lights for the rest of the month.  That led to his battery invention, so that his neighbors and family could use the battery to light their homes.

He’s known as DJ Focus because of a valuable radio program that he broadcasts on FM radio.  He was able to create his generator for his station by using scraps.  He chose that name because he said:

“If you can focus you can do invention perfectly.”

He started the station to give “voice to the youth.”

Kelvin was discovered by fellow Sierra Leone native, David Sengeh, who is a Ph.D. student at MIT.  Sengeh directs Summer Innovation Camp in Sierra Leone and that is where he discovered Kelvin and his talents.  When he saw what Kelvin was able to create simply using spare parts from trash in his community, he knew he was someone special.

Documentary “The Forgotten Cowboys” Explores Lives and History of America’s Black Cowboys

By goodblacknews on November 21, 2012
Jason Griffin (center) is one of the stars of "The Forgotten Cowboys," a documentary film by John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald which follows the lives of black cowboys in the U.S.Jason Griffin (center) is one of the stars of “The Forgotten Cowboys,” a documentary film by John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald which follows the lives of black cowboys in the U.S.

(CNN) — Jason Griffin straps his right arm in bandages, preparing himself to grip the reins a wildly bucking bronco. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a rough beard, he steps into his cowboy boots, fits a Stetson hat and heads out to meet his mount in the rodeo arena.  Griffin is a four-time world champion bareback bucking horse rider — competing in a sport that began in the 19th century heyday of the Wild West.  With each victory — he has also won three all-round rodeo championships — the Texan raises awareness of a strong tradition which is rarely seen in the many novels, films and television series dedicated to the tales of the old West: The historic story of America’s black cowboys.

On cinema screens and paperback covers, the cowboys of old were heroic, hard-bitten and — almost always — white. In reality, the American West of the 1800s was traversed by an assortment of black, white, Mexican and Native American cattle hands. Contemporary records are rare but historians now estimate that up to one in four Texan cowboys was African American, while the number of Mexican cowboys was even greater.

John Ferguson and Gregg MacDonald’s documentary film — and multimedia project — “The Forgotten Cowboys” follows Griffin and other contemporary black cowboys as they gain a following competing at rodeos and go about their working lives.

Watch online: the video trailer for the documentary “The Forgotten Cowboys”