Voices In Color

Today's Black Fact

On this day in 1899, W.F. Burr patents railway switching device.

Obama's MTV/MySpace Forum

On the day a new poll showed him in a statistical dead heat with rival Senator Hillary Clinton among Democratic caucus voters in Iowa, Illinois Senator Barack Obama brought his message to the young voters at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Monday, where MTV/MySpace's second presidential dialogue took place.

Among the points in that message: He's in it to win it, and one of his first priorities when elected president will be to undo many of the policies of the Bush administration.

"If I didn't think I was the best president for the job, I wouldn't be running," said Obama, wearing his traditional dark suit and white shirt with no tie.

Facing a range of questions on issues large — gay marriage, tensions with Iran, immigration, religion — and a bit more obscure — the exportation of computer waste to foreign countries and Net neutrality — Obama answered the questions in a measured tone, while displaying a bit more of the aggressiveness he's promised to bring to the race. He even gamely answered a student who asked who might play him in a movie adaptation of his life story.

During the dialogue, Obama pointedly mentioned twice that he opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, drawing a sharp distinction between himself and Clinton — and he let loose on President Bush, decrying the failure of the No Child Left Behind education-reform program and promising as president to take a hard look at civil-liberties questions.

Answering a question about what kind of Supreme Court justices he might nominate, Obama — who noted that he taught constitutional law for 10 years at the University of Chicago — said, "Your next president will believe in the Constitution, which you can't say about your current president." He said he doesn't believe in allowing the Supreme Court to give a "blank check" to the president to engage in whatever "power grab" he or she wishes, and that one of his first priorities as president would be to review every executive order issued by Bush on issues such as warrantless wiretapping and overturn them if they are found to be unconstitutional.

Source: mtv.com

Today's Black Fact

On this day in 1966, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, students at a California college, create the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.

More African American Women Affected By Depression Than White Women

Mental health advocates are calling on the business community to confront depression among employees; not just in a bid to improve employees' lives but as a way to improve the business' bottom line. Unfortunately, depression disproportionately affects black women. According to DepressionIsReal.org, depression among black women is almost 50% higher than it is among white women. And of black women suffering from depression, only 7% receive treatment. This is compared to 20% of white women.

These statistics have community leaders urging African Americans who think they are depressed to seek help by contacting a mental health professional. Last month, a panel discussion sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus and the Depression is Real Coalition, an alliance of mental health advocates, highlighted the impact of depression on African American women.

Source: blackenterprise.com

Love Her Style – Sanaa Lathan

Click image for a close up.

Today's Black Fact

On this day in 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court said school systems must end segregation "at once" and "operate now and hereafter only unitary schools."

Slave Girl's Bravery Remembered

The true account of a young slave girl's life of torture and degradation galvanized Britain's abolitionist movement when it was first published in 1831.

Now, more than 200 years after she was born into a Bermudian slave family, Mary Prince's unique contribution to ending slavery is being recognized with a plaque in her honor.

The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave, her autobiographical story of savage beatings, servitude and being left for dead, created a sensation when it was released.

Unrelenting in its brutality, it was the first published account of slavery by a black woman.

"To strip me naked, to hang me up by the wrists and lay my flesh open with the cow skin, was an ordinary punishment for even a slight offence," she wrote of her routine whippings at the age of 12 by her mistress in Bermuda.

"And there was scarcely any punishment more dreadful than the blows received on my face and head from her hard heavy fist," she said.

The beatings left her entire body scarred.

Source: BBC News

Barbados

I’ve never been to Barbados but often hear of its beauty. The beaches, excellent surfing, and local entertainment are just a few reasons to visit. And don’t forget that rum was invented in Barbados…

American visitors to Barbados needn't worry about the weak dollar: the Barbadian dollar is pegged to it ($1 is worth two Barbadian dollars). Holding onto your cash, however, is another matter. The resort-packed Gold Coast — or, as some call it, the Platinum Coast — more than lives up to its name. But if you head off to the rugged, less-populated east coast of this pear-shaped island, and choose carefully in the overdeveloped south, you can see a more authentic side of Barbados and still have a few bucks left over for a bottle of rum.

Source: New York Times
Photo : Dan Schofield for the New York Times

(Idiot) White Supremacy Group Plans Jena Rally On Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Disgusting, but not surprising that these people would crawl out from under their rock - on Martin Luther King Jr. Day no less.

The Nationalist Movement, which describes itself as "pro-majority," will hold a rally in Jena, La., on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the group announced.

The organization issued a statement this week saying "Jena Justice Day to Empower the Majority" would be held on Jan. 21, 2008, the day set aside to celebrate the birthday of the slain American civil rights leader.
The statement said the Nationalist were "bringing their tools for empowerment to Louisiana to defeat the demands of Al Sharpton." The events planned include a two-mile parade, speeches, ceremonies and petitions "as a centerpiece to abolish King Day."

Source: journalgazette.net

Today's Black Fact

On this day in 1911, gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson was born.