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New Martin Luther King, Jr. Audio Found

By goodblacknews on August 22, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — A U.S. man says he has discovered the audio tape of a forgotten interview with civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that was never published.
Stephon Tull says he recently found the nearly pristine reel-to-reel recording in his father’s attic in Tennessee. His father interviewed King in 1960 for a never-written memoir.
The tape captures King talking about the civil rights movement and relations with Africa. New York collector Keya Morgan authenticated the tape and is arranging a private sale.
Raymond Winbush of the Institute for Urban Research says there are few recordings of King speaking about the civil rights movement’s global impact.
On tape, King says of the struggle, “… historians will have to record this movement as one of the greatest epics of our heritage.”
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
via New Martin Luther King Jr audio found | theGrio.

GBN Quote Of The Day

By goodblacknews on August 21, 2012

 “Give your brain as much attention as you do your hair and you’ll be a thousand times better off.”
— Malcolm X, activist, minister, civil rights leader

Reflections in Black: Celebrating African Americans in Photography

By goodblacknews on August 21, 2012


Augustus Washington (1820–1875)
Unidentified woman, probably a member of the Urias McGill family, daguerreotype, sixth plate, 1855, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress, LZ-USZC4-3937.
article via blog.charlesguice.com
Twelve years ago, Reflections in Black became the largest exhibition ever conceived to explore the breadth and history of work by black photographers.
It is unlikely that many people would be familiar with the name Jules Lion. A free man of color, Lion established the first daguerrean studio in New Orleans and, in doing so, became somewhat of a local celebrity. Alone, his accomplishments might have been of little interest. But the fact that he did this in the early spring of 1840, soon after the announcement of the daguerreotype process, is worthy of special attention. Moreover, there is evidence that Lion may have immigrated from France with knowledge of the process. For historian Deborah Willis, Lion’s achievements mark not only the beginning of photography in the U.S., but the pioneering involvement of blacks in the medium. As a result, Lion is included in the landmark exhibition,Reflections in Black: Smithsonian African American Photography.

Solange Makes Debut As Face For Madewell Fashion Line

By goodblacknews on August 21, 2012

Solange Knowles is known as the funkier sister, compared to her glamazon sibling Beyoncé. From her DJing to her dazzling ensembles, her bohemian style has been praised by both fans and fashion industry insiders alike. Now, Solange is parlaying her unique image into her first gig headlining a fashion campaign.
Already a face for the beauty and hair care company Carol’s Daughter, Solange Knowles is now a muse for Madewell, with whom she secured her very first fashion contract. A company owned by J. Crew, Madewell is known for its more youthful approach to the colorful classics that make J.Crew a favorite brand of first lady Michelle Obama.
“Images from the 26-year-old’s first major contract with a fashion label have been released, showing the photogenic singer-songwriter in a series of rainbow-colored looks,” reports the Daily Mail about the newly released photos. Unafraid of color, Knowles also parades in contrasting patterns, an overall approach that matches her signature tastes.
Celebrity style watchers have praised the company’s selection of Solange, as a DJ and eclectic dresser, to head the campaign titled “Mix Well.” The mixing and matching of stylish combinations to produce cute outfits is seen by many as the perfect metaphor for both Madewell’s brand, and the multi-faceted “It Girl” aura Solange has cultivated.
“In what’s possibly the most appropriate slogan ever, Madewell’s newest campaign, ‘Mix Well,’ features DJ/style star/under-30 influencer Solange Knowles. (Mix. DJ. Get it?),” explains the leading fashion web site, Refinery 29. “As the face of the Madewell fall ’12 campaign, Knowles is officially the perfect choice for a collection that has already inspired us to get creative with the way we style ourselves.”
While Solange has made a unique place for herself in New York City’s style scene, this is her first attempt to capitalize on her individual fashion sense in a national campaign. Do you think her unusual image will inspire shoppers to adopt her mix-and-sometimes-mismatch approach to fashion?
by Alexis Garrett Stodghill via Solange makes debut as the face for Madewell fashion line | theGrio.

Viviette Applewhite, 93-year-old Plaintiff In Pa. Voter ID Case, Gets Card Amid Appeal

By goodblacknews on August 18, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to overturn Pennsylvania’s tough new voter identification law has received the state-issued photo ID card necessary to vote, despite saying she’d been rejected for years because she lacked appropriate documentation to receive the card.

Viviette Applewhite, who recalled marching for voting rights in 1960 with Martin Luther King Jr., was issued the temporary card on Thursday, the same day lawyers for her and others opposing the law appealed a judge’s refusal to halt the law from taking effect in the Nov. 6 presidential election.

GBN Quote Of The Day

By goodblacknews on August 16, 2012

“Life has two rules: Number 1, never quit! Number 2, always remember rule number 1.”
–Duke Ellington, legendary jazz pianist, composer and bandleader

Jay-Z’s Influence On The Nets Eclipses His Ownership Stake – NYTimes.com

By goodblacknews on August 16, 2012

When the developer Bruce Ratner set out to buy the New Jersey Nets and build an arena for them in Brooklyn, he recruited Jay-Z, the hip-hop superstar who grew up in public housing a couple of miles from the site, to join his group of investors.
Mr. Ratner may have thought he was getting little more than a limited partner with a boldface name and a youthful following that could prove useful someday. But Jay-Z’s contributions have dwarfed the $1 million he invested nine years ago. His influence on the project has been wildly disproportionate to his ownership stake — a scant one-fifteenth of one percent of the team. And so is the money he stands to make from it.

GBN Quote Of The Day

By goodblacknews on August 15, 2012

 “Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can anyone deny themselves the pleasure of my company?”
–Zora Neale Hurston, anthropologist and author of “Their Eyes Are Watching God”

Ugandans Celebrate First Olympic Gold Medal In 40 Years

By goodblacknews on August 15, 2012

Ugandan Olympic Gold medallist marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, holding the Ugandan flag centre accompanied by Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo, centre left, inspect a guard of honor, at Entebbe International Airport 42 kms from the capital Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday Aug. 15, 2012. Kiprotich’s win has been deeply felt in Uganda, which had not won gold since the Munich Games in 1972. Lawmakers are considering a motion that declares Kiprotich a national hero, his employer has promised to promote him at work. (AP Photo/ Stephen Wandera)
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s only medal winner at the London Olympics cried tears of joy as hundreds of people welcomed him home on Wednesday with celebrations of music and dance in honor of the African nation’s first gold since the 1972 games in Munich.

Janelle Monáe Named The New Face Of Cover Girl

By goodblacknews on August 15, 2012

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2ZjVDMyfv4]
Singer Janelle Monáe is the latest addition to the gorgeous legacy of Cover Girl spokeswomen. She is joining fellow music artists Pink, Queen Latifah, and Taylor Swift to become the new face of the cosmetic line. Her first Cover Girl campaign is set to launch in next month’s Vogue.
Monáe has a unique hip-hop and soul sound. The Bad Boy artist, known for wearing only black and white, was nominated for a Grammy for her debut EP. Monae is more than a singer and songwriter, she is on a unique mission to encourage women to use all their artistic powers to play, change, and transform. Her website reports that she is excited to open up a new platform to inspire women.
via Janelle Monáe named the new face of Cover Girl | theGrio.