News

700 Black mayors mean emerging political clout

Friday, 07 June 2013 09:20 George E. Curry, NNPA Editor-in-Chief

ATLANTA (NNPA) – Sacramento, Calif. Mayor Kevin Johnson, the newly-elected president of the National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM), told his colleagues that if they don’t improve the lives of their constituents, they don’t deserve to remain in office.

Juneteenth kicks off Twin Cities summer

Friday, 07 June 2013 09:00

The 25th annual Twin Cities' Juneteenth celebration takes place Saturday, June 15 at the North Mississippi Regional Park, 5114 North Mississippi Dr., Minneapolis.

The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Organizers say as one of the nation's largest cultural celebrations, the area Juneteenth celebration boasts an estimated attendance of more than 25,000 Minnesotans. This year's theme is Remembering the Past, to Heal the Present to Succeed in the Future.

Black students flocking to STEM fields, yet businesses pushing for more temporary workers

Thursday, 06 June 2013 09:56 William Spriggs

Over last weekend, young people watched or read about President Obama speaking at Morehouse College and first lady Michelle Obama addressing the graduates of Bowie State University. Hopefully they were inspired by seeing so many young and gifted people finishing the course they chose to follow. Well, here is a little known set of facts.

Zimmerman's team will seek to discredit Trayvon Martin

Monday, 03 June 2013 00:00 George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Whether George Zimmerman goes on trial as scheduled June 10 for killing Trayvon Martin or he gets the 6-week delay requested by his lawyer, it is clear from court filings that part of the defense strategy involves depicting the 17-year-old dead Black youth as a troublemaker and pot head.

Addressing educational hurdles first step to eradicating poverty

Thursday, 30 May 2013 00:00 Harry Colbert, Jr.

According to the Greater Twin Cities United Way, more than 600,000 people in this region are living in poverty.

Duncan: Prevent student loan interest rates from doubling July 1

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 14:13

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says Congress should extend current student loan interests rates beyond the July 1 scheduled rate hike and work to find solution shields students from the burden of deficit reduction.

Black teen birth rate falls 60 percent in 10 years

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 14:03 Maya Rhodan NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – A new report by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows that the teen birth rate for African Americans has declined by 60 percent between 1991 and 2011 – a rate 10 percent greater than the overall dip in teen birth rates.

Church asks Christians to get rid of their guns

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 13:45

Washington DC - The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a faith-based coalition of 34,000 churches comprised of 15 denominations and 15.7 million African Americans churchgoers, calls on its membership to get rid of any weapons in their homes. The black church believes that having a weapon is a sin; as Christians we are asked to put their faith in God. God says that He will protect us even until the ends of the Earth. So if God is going to protect you, why would you need a gun?

With middle class tax reform, budget ends era of "Robin Hood in reverse" and invests in Minnesota's future

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 13:43

Minnesota's middle class beats out big business as the winner of the 2013 legislative session for the first time in 10 years

The State of Equality and Justice in America: The presumption of guilt

Friday, 24 May 2013 14:38 Congressman John Lewis and Bryan Stevenson

After serving 42 years in an Arizona prison for a crime he didn't commit, a 58-year-old man was finally released this April. When Louis Taylor was just 16, he ventured out of his comfort zone to try a happy hour advertised by an upscale Tucson hotel, a typical foray for an adventurous teenage boy. Unfortunately, that night a fire broke out that ultimately claimed 29 lives. In that moment, Taylor stopped being typical and became extraordinary. He did not run from the danger as most people would. Instead he took responsibility. He was spotted during the crisis busily helping people escape the flames, escorting guests to safety and assisting people on stretchers.

Zimbabwe on path to regain international acceptance

Friday, 24 May 2013 14:29 George E. Curry, NNPA Editor-in-Chief

HARARE, Zimbabwe (NNPA) – With several low-key, but unmistakable gestures, the United States has signaled that it is moving toward normalizing relations with Zimbabwe, the former White minority-rule nation once known as Rhodesia.