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Elena Kagan, confirmed as U.S. Supreme Court Justice

The Senate has confirmed Elena Kagan as Supreme Court justice. The fomer Harvard Law School dean is the fourth woman and 112the justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. According to the Wall Street Journal, the vote was 63-37. Click here for the Wall Street Journal article.

Obama Signs Law Narrowing Cocaine Sentencing Disparities

By Peter Baker-The New York Times -- Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., left, joined Republican and Democratic lawmakers to watch President Obama sign the legislation.President Obama signed legislation on Tuesday reducing longstanding federal sentencing disparities between those caught with crack and those arrested with powder cocaine, finalizing a bipartisan consensus addressing a racially polarizing law enforcement debate.

Mr. Obama made no comments as he signed the bill, but during his 2008 presidential campaign, he said that the old law disproportionately affected young African-American and Hispanic drug users. In a speech last week, he said the new legislation would help right a longstanding wrong and was the right thing to do.

The legislation was a compromise reached by Democrats and Republicans who agreed that the old law imposed unduly harsh sentences for crack violations, which effected minorities in particular, compared with powder cocaine violations. For the full story click here.

Bernice King breaks silence, asks SCLC to end rift

By ERRIN HAINES (AP) ATLANTA After nearly 10 months of silence, the Rev. Bernice King urged the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Tuesday to end the bitter infighting that has split the group she was elected to lead.

King said at a news conference she still plans to lead the civil rights group but declined to say when she would take the post. She has indicated she would wait out the bickering and legal wrangling.

"I believe that the time is now for us to come together in unity as one SCLC," King said. "A house divided against itself cannot stand. The SCLC family must be about the business of restoring, rebuilding and redeeming its own internal soul as we continue in our quest to redeem the soul of America."

Shortly after her election in October by a unified SCLC, the leadership of the group co-founded by her father, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., split into two factions that have since met and made decisions separately. The SCLC is awaiting a decision from a judge as to which faction controls the group. Click here for the full story.

The National Coalition's president Melanie Campbell comments on Shirley Sherrod

Washington, DC - Melanie L. Campbell, president & CEO of The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation issued the following statement regarding the resignation of Ms. Shirley Sherrod, former Georgia State Director for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

"Weve come a long way in America as it pertains to race relations. However, when an upstanding woman that has excelled throughout her long career is forced to resign before the facts are revealed, in an effort to be politically correct; its time to examine where our journey to justice and equality has lead us.

"Taking into account the fact that her father was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan, Ms. Shirley Sherrods story of her own personal growth and racial transformation epitomizes the change many of us hope for in America and have worked for over the years.

"As an African American woman in leadership, I have to wonder if a man would have been humiliated and asked to pull over to the side of the road to text a resignation without the opportunity to tell HIS side of the story.

"The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation calls on the USDA to make every effort to right this egregious wrong by offering Ms. Sherrod her job back, and making her feel secure that she will suffer no further repercussions due to their rush to judgment.

"Ms. Sherrod deserves an apology from USDA, the media, and every individual and organization that reported the story or publicly admonished her without a thorough investigation of the facts. A fast food worker would have received more respect and due diligence.

"The lesson here is that if we strive to be legally and morally correct rather than politically correct, and take the time to be right instead of first, we will not taint the reputation of a reputable woman based on comments taken out of context with the intent to incite racial discord."

Study praises Howard, other minority medical schools

By Darryl Fears,Washington Post Staff Writer

Graduates of medical schools at historically black universities such as Howard and Morehouse are the most likely to practice the kind of medicine especially needed under the health-care overhaulthan graduates of elite medical schools at universities such as John Hopkins, Northwestern and Vanderbilt in the Annals of Internal Medicine ranked medical schools based on the communities where their graduates worked and whether those doctors practiced primary care. The Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Howard University College of Medicine in the District and Meharry Medical College in Nashville ranked as the top three, in that order.

By the study's "social mission" criteria, other well-known medical schools ranked far lower. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville was last among the 141 ranked schools and Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago was 139th. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore ranked 122nd.

The United States faces a shortage of up to 100,000 primary-care doctors in 2020, six years after the health-care overhaul fully kicks in with more than 35 million newly insured Americans. Yet elite medical schools place a stronger focus on specialized medicine and research, the study said. They also lag in recruiting underrepresented minorities -- Latinos, Native Americans and African Americans -- who tend to fill the openings created by the shortage.

"It's no surprise," said Eve Higginbotham, a senior vice president and dean of health sciences at Howard University. "We've known for a long time that minority students end up working in underserved areas four to five times more than majority students." Read the full story here.

A Black Woman On The Supreme Court? The Short Run and The Long Haul - Julianne Malveaux

By Julianne Malveaux - I was among the many who were disappointed that President Barack Obama did not nominate an African American woman to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. After all, there are six white men, two women, one Latina and one white, and a nominal African American man on the Court. Why not an African American woman?

The Black Women's Roundtable, led by Melanie Campbell, was so disappointed that they shared their concerns with the President in a letter that spoke both to the contributions African American women have made and the qualifications of a few good women that President Obama should have considered before nominating Ms. Kagan to the nation's highest court.
I won't even speak on what I perceive as some of the shortcomings of the Kagan nomination. The Solicitor General has earned the support of some colleagues that I fully respect, such as Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree. At the same time, we have to pause at the fact that her definition of diversity is ideological diversity, not racial and ethnic diversity, and that she seemed to make Harvard a more welcome place for conservatives, if not for African American faculty.

The hue and cry about the absence of an African American woman nominee, however, speaks to a greater issue in the African American community and among African American leadership. African Americans are too often in the reactive, not the proactive mode. If we had been thinking long run, we might have projected that there would soon be a Supreme Court opening. Then, conversations about the possibility of an African American woman nominee might have been happening sooner, not later. Read the full column at www.juliannemalveaux.com

Marvin Isley of The Isley Brothers dies at age 56 in Chicago

Marvin is standing 2nd from the leftBy Jim Farber, DAILY NEWS MUSIC WRITER

Marvin Isley, whose muscular bass lines propelled the hits of his classic sibling band The Isley Brothers, died Monday in Chicago at age 56.

The cause of death has not yet been announced, though Isley suffered from diabetes severe enough to have caused him to leave the band in 1997. Later, his condition led to the amputation of both legs.

Isley will be remembered for the resilience and power of his bass work, which, for one thing, formed a crucial hook in the undulating '70s hit "Fight The Power." The bassist also played on the smash "Who's That Lady," as well as on prominent songs like "For The Love Of You" and "Harvest For The World."

Isley, who grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, wasn't old enough to join the first incarnation of the Isley Brothers, who have a history snaking back to the mid-50s and who scored hits in the '60s like 1966s "This Old Heart Of Mine" and the funky, 1969 track "It's Your Thing." By the late '60s, while still of high school age, Isley formed a trio with older brother Ernie and brother-in-law Chris Jasper. By the dawn of the '70s, those three pacted with the other Members of the group to create the classic "3+3" album, which went Top Ten in 1973.

Click here for the full story

There are more important things to protest than the way the Lumpkin County teaches America's ugly history

If we are looking for something to march and protest about, lets march about the 16-year-old young black boy killed trying to break up a fight. Or, lets march about the woman murdered today in Southwest Atlanta. Theres also the snatch and grab robbery that tore up an East Point business.

We could also ask why, out of 15 students there was not one black in the AP history class. That's a good question. But we need to leave the HISTORY teacher alone.

If Ms. Catherine Ariemma was a French teacher I might question her intentions, however, she sounds like a good teacher looking for unique and interesting ways to teach history. We need more teachers like her. The bottom line is that America has an ugly past and people need to know about it. Politically correct is getting out of control.

The KKK was a big part of history - especially in Georgia. This is absolutely ridiculous.

Teacher stands by lesson but would keep Klan' off campus next time - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Catherine Ariemma never intended for students to be offended by the sight of four Ku Klux Klansmen at Lumpkin County High School.

Lumpkin BOE meeting to focus on race relations

Californias Three-Strikes Prison Law May Be Reformed

Perhaps reading this New York Times story can help people who are not troubled by the harsh 3-strikes laws, understand why it's important for all US citizens to be concerned. The 3-strikes and similar laws are a big contributor to the crisis America is facing in the prison industry - overcrowding, riots, disease, and unjust sentences. I could go on.... It's about time for the law to be reformed.... Here's the NY Times piece....

From the NY Times:

One day last fall, Norman Williams sat drinking hot chocolate with his lawyer, Michael Romano, at a Peets coffee in Palo Alto, Calif. At an outdoor table, Williams began to talk about how hed gone from serving a life sentence at Folsom State Prison to sitting there in the sun....

Williams, who is 46, was a homeless drug addict in 1997 when he was convicted of petty theft, for stealing a floor jack from a tow truck. It was the last step on his path to serving life. In 1982, Williams burglarized an apartment that was being fumigated: he was hapless enough to be robbed at gunpoint on his way out, and later he helped the police recover the stolen property. In 1992, he stole two hand drills and some other tools from an art studio attached to a house; the owner confronted him, and he dropped everything and fled. Still, for the theft of the floor jack, Williams was sentenced to life in prison under Californias repeat-offender law: three strikes and youre out.

Read the story at BlackPlanet.com

Kagan Today Our Turn Tomorrow!

Is Kagan qualified? Absolutely. From the moment that President Obama was elected expectations for equity and fairness were elevated. Black women are in a difficult position. If Elana Kagan is confirmed she will be only the fourth woman. As women we must celebrate her nomination as a victory for women. It opens the door just a bit wider and strengthens the viability of a future Black woman nominee. What is difficult is finding a way to express disappointment without appearing narrow, selfish or single-minded. It is disturbing to think that there was not even one Black woman qualified to be considered for appointment. On the one hand we hate to see any accomplished candidate used to placate a constituency and on the other hand we wonder why it is always Black women that must not only wait but we must wait quietly.

Why Not A Sister?
The entire Obama Administration must share a unique and profound appreciation for the full significance -symbolic and substantive- of the election of President Obama. There is no denying the powerful impact that emanates from the fact that he is the FIRST African American elected to the presidency.

As a woman I applaud the nomination of Elana Kagan, as a Black woman my enthusiasm is tempered by impatience as I await the nomination of the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. I don't think that it is possible for any man to fully appreciate the space that Black women occupy at the intersection of race and gender in America. It always looks ugly when we assert our own interests. All women expect and enjoy our support and we are also staunch supporters of Black men, especially President Obama. Sadly our support is taken for granted and we are routinely admonished that we should not even express our disappointment.

When it comes to cabinet posts--we were excluded. This does not mean that we don't love Valerie, Lisa, Susan, and Regina, or that we missed the fact that EPA & UN were elevated. Make no mistake, we found Sonja's story compelling, we appreciate Janet, Hilda, Kathleen and many of us are long-time supporters of Hillary. We know better than anyone how difficult it would be to nominate or confirm a sister to the highest court in the land. We live the impossibility but we hope for change. We know that our assent to the highest court will bring about deep and lasting change for our nation and the world so we must strive for the day when appointments will be made based on qualifications alone. This day will only arrive AFTER the appointment of a Black woman to the nation's highest court, therefore, we are compelled to weigh in on our own behalf.

All that we ask is Why Not A Black Woman? This question should not detract from the nomination and confirmation of Elana Kagan. Black women have power and we have the right to work in our own interest. We are qualified. We have a contribution to make to the Court and hopefully the next seat on the Supreme Court will be ours.

Higher black voting rates in 2008 mostly occurred in South, report says

By Carol Morell, Washington Post - A sharp rise in African American voting rates in the 2008 presidential election was largely a Southern phenomenon, according to a Census analysis of voting patterns released Wednesday.

The South was the only region in the country where the voting rate among blacks increased sizably from the 2004 election, from 59 percent to 66 percent. The West, Northeast and Midwest had smaller increases in black voting rates, but they did not represent a significant change, the Census said.

The report, an analysis of raw data released last year, offers a more nuanced view of results from the election, in which an African American was on the ballot for president in the general election for the first time.

About 64 percent of voting-age Americans went to the polls. Nationally, 5 million more Americans voted than four years earlier, including 2 million more African Americans and 2 million more Hispanics. But the voting-age population increased by 9 million during that period, so the turnout rate remained roughly the same and the percentage of registered voters decreased slightly. Click here for the full story.

Is the Census Bureau Discriminating Against Minorities?

A lawsuit accuses the government agency of unfair hiring practices. By Nick Baumann, Mother Jones

In America, you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Tell that to some of the four million people seeking jobs with the US Census, who say they were rejected for crimes they didn't commit.

With the unemployment rate close to 10 percent, relatively high-paying census jobs are much sought after. Census-takers can earn more than $17 an hour for going door-to-door to gather data; other employees make even more. But there's a problem with the process. The Census Bureau runs every applicant's name through an FBI database. If the database shows the job seeker has ever been arrested, the application is put on hold, and the Census Bureau sends a letter giving the job seeker 30 days to prove that the arrest was no big deal.

Last month, two people sued the government after being denied census jobs when their applications were flagged for arrests. They argue that relying on a database of arrestsmany of which never led to convictionsdiscriminates against black, Latino, and Native American applicants, who are statistically more likely to be arrested. Read the full story at Mother Jones.

Honoring Dr. Dorothy Irene Height

As people convene in the nation's capitol to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Dr. Dorothy I. Height, those unable to attend Celebration of Dr. Height's life should celebrate where they are. And remember to make a donation to the NCNW to keep her legacy alive. www.ncnw.org/

My thoughts on Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, Grande Dame of the Civil Rights Movement

What a blessing it is to have had the opportunity to get to know the matriarch of the civil rights movement, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height who passed away earlier this week. Under most circumstances the death of a 98 year-old may be sad, but it's not shocking. However, even at 98-years-old Dr. Height was everywhere. She went to work in the day, she was on various conference calls giving direction on all types of issues in the evening, and even made it to the parties and had a few of her own. You always got the feeling that she would always be around. She was just at a press conference I coordinated at the US Capitol last month - and I assure you navigating through the Capitol is not easy, especially in a wheelchair.

In 2000 I was in a crowded field in South Africa running around trying to pull the US Delegation to the UN World Conference together to lead a march of over 100,000 people. It was quite hectic. I glanced at the entrance of the field and there was Dr. Height rolling up in her wheelchair.

I feel blessed that I was able to spend Election night 2008 when the first black president was elected, and Inauguration night with the legendary leader. Dr. Height was a database of quotes from leaders ranging from President Roosevelt to Mary McCloud Bethune. She was classy, charming, brilliant, and had a great sense of humor. Dr. Height will be greatly missed.

A few minutes after President Obama was elected president Dr. Height wiped the tears from her eyes and had some wise words for the crowd gathered at the NCNW headquarters once a holding space for slaves for an election watch party.

Dr. Dorothy Height Dies at age 98

Civil Rights icon Dr. Dorothy Height passed away early Tuesday morning, April 20, at the age of 98. Height died of natural causes, according to a spokesperson from Howard University Hospital.

Height served as the President of the National Council of Negro Women for four decades, stepping down from the position in 1997. She was considered one of the founding members of the Civil Rights movement. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 by President Bill Clinton. In 2004, she was also the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal.

Height fought for equal rights for both women and blacks, and was active in such causes as securing voting rights, equal employment opportunities and the desegregation of public schools.
Height marched with Dr, Martin Luther King Jr., and spoke out for womens rights during the Civil Rights struggle. She was instrumental in the fight for equal pay for women and organized numerous programs designed to help women achieve equal rights and independence. During her years as President of the National Council of Negro Women, Height was dedicated to issues that affected women, including child care for working mothers, health and nutrition and providing adequate housing for families in need. Read the full story here

Obama's census choice: simply African-American

By MARK S. SMITH (AP) WASHINGTON He may be the world's foremost mixed-race leader, but when it came to the official government head count, President Barack Obama gave only one answer to the question about his ethnic background: African-American.

The White House confirmed on Friday that Obama did not check multiple boxes on his U.S. Census form, or choose the option that allows him to elaborate on his racial heritage. He ticked the box that says "Black, African Am., or Negro."

Obama filled out the form on Monday, supplying information for himself, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha, as well as for Mrs. Obama's mother, Marian Robinson, who lives with the family in the White House.

For Obama, whose mother Ann Dunham, a white woman from Kansas, married his father, the Kenyan native Barack Obama Sr., the question of his racial identity has been a lifelong struggle. His first memoir, "Dreams From My Father," is an account of a difficult journey of discovery. Read the full story here

Obama the community activist and then politician always self-identified as African-American, and he now wears the mantle of America's first black president with pride. On a visit to Ghana last year, he took his wife and daughters to see Gold Coast Castle, the one-time slave trading depot from which thousands of Africans were sent in shackles to a life of toil in the New World. Mrs. Obama is descended from a South Carolina slave.