House formally apologizes for slavery and Jim Crow

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

"Today represents a milestone in our nation's efforts to remedy the ills of our past," said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district. Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary face-off next week.

Congress has issued apologies before - to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.

Five states have issued apologies for slavery, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations - payment for damages.
The Cohen resolution does not mention reparations. It does commit the House to rectifying "the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow."

It says that Africans forced into slavery "were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage" and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws that fostered discrimination and segregation.

The House "apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow."
"Slavery and Jim Crow are stains upon what is the greatest nation on the face of the earth," Cohen said. Part of forming a more perfect union, he said, "is such a resolution as we have before us today where we face up to our mistakes and apologize as anyone should apologize for things that were done in the past that were wrong."

Cohen became the first white to represent the 60 percent black district in Memphis in more than three decades when he captured a 2006 primary where a dozen black candidates split the vote. He has sought to reach out to his black constituents, and early in his term showed interest in joining the Congressional Black Caucus until learning that was against caucus rules.
Another of his first acts as a freshman congressman in early 2007 was to introduce the slavery apology resolution. His office said that the House resolution was brought to the floor only after learning that the Senate would be unable to join in a joint resolution.

More than a dozen of the 42 Congressional Black Caucus members in the House were original co-sponsors of the measure. The caucus has not endorsed either Cohen or his chief rival, attorney Nikki Tinker, in the Memphis primary, although Cohen is backed by several senior members, including Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. Tinker is the former campaign manager of Harold Ford, Jr., who held Cohen's seat until he stepped down in an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 2006.
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The bill is H. Res. 194
On the Net:
Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov/

Life of the "Jetson's" becoming reality...

The mothership which will launch the first space tourists into the atmosphere was unveiled by Sir Richard Branson in California today.

WhiteKnightTwo (WK2), the carrier aircraft which will be used to launch SpaceShipTwo into orbit, 'will allow thousands of people to realise their dreams' and 'act as a catalyst to transform human access to space', Sir Richard said.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in the spaceship's hangar at the Mojave Air and Spaceport in California, the British billionaire, who will be among the first space tourists with his family, said the venture would help the world 'wake up' to the fragility of the planet and the importance of protecting Earth. Space is 'the final frontier that is so essential to the future of civilisation on this planet', Sir Richard said.

'The first generation of space tourists, many of whom are with us today, will be paving the way as they marvel at the beauty of our planet and experience the freedom of weightlessness and the blackness of space,' he said.

'The rollout of WhiteKnightTwo takes the Virgin Galactic vision to the next level and continues to provide tangible evidence that this most ambitious of projects is not only for real but is making tremendous progress towards our goal of safe commercial operation.'

Sir Richard said that the first tourists could be launched into space in around 18 months' time, but there is no official launch date yet - SpaceShipTwo needs to be completed before a series of test flights and safety tests are carried out.

More than 250 customers have paid 200,000 dollars (£100,000), or put down a deposit, for the chance to be one of Virgin Galactic's first space tourists.

The 140ft WK2, which was renamed Eve in honour of Sir Richard's mother who performed the opening ceremony attended by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, is the largest all-carbon composite aircraft and is capable of reaching 50,000ft.

'If our new system could carry only people into space, that would be enough for me, because of the transforming effect it will have on the thousands who will travel with us,' Sir Richard said.
'It is quite clear from every astronaut that I've ever spoken to that seeing the planet from out there, surrounded by the incredibly thin protective layer of atmosphere, helps one to wake up to the fragility of the small portion of the planet's mass that we inhabit, and to the importance of protecting the Earth.'

But he said the spaceships would also be able to launch small payloads and satellites into orbit at a relatively low cost.

'This system offers tremendous potential to researchers who will be able to fly experiments much more often than before, helping to answer key questions about Earth's climate and the mysteries of the universe,' he said.

XM - Sirius Merge...Finally

In a somewhat unsurprising move, the FCC has approved the merger of Sirius and XM after protracted -- and incredibly boring -- multi-year negotiations. The Federal Communication Commission decided tonight to allow a deal that will bring the two satellite radio providers together, creating a combined subscriber base of roughly 18 million users. The deal isn't without catches, however, with the Commission stating that the companies must cap prices for three years following the merger, allow subscriber choice on content, and lower fees for channel packages. FCC head Kevin Martin seemed pleased with the final outcome, stating, "Consumers will get to enjoy the best of the programming on both services." You know who wasn't so excited? Clear Channel.

Anyone thinking of buying now that the platforms are consolidated...

Mr. President is everday "People"...

For years People rarely put black folks on its cover unless it was a tragedy, a la Whitney Houston’s troubles or Natalie Cole’s confession involving drugs, but the weekly magazine continues to make strides in that department. The Obamas grace the cover of the latest issue and Barack and wife Michelle talk about raising two girls under the public eye.
We don’t find out anything about the daughters’, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, entertainment preferences as far as singers they listen to and preferred television shows but we are told that the family checked out Wall-Eearlier this month. Barack said, “I find actually that children’s movies are the best movies these days.” And he gives Malia a weekly allowance of $1 a week.But wait, there’s more. Read on:PEOPLE: Someone told me today that you don’t do birthday presents.
Michelle: No, because we spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday party and movie tickets and pizza and popcorn …
Barack: That sleepover is enough. We want to teach some limits to them. And their friends bring over presents.
Michelle: They get so much stuff that it just becomes numbing. Malia believes there is still a Santa Claus even though she’s a little wary because some of her friends are non-believers. But Malia says, “Ma, I know there is a Santa because there’s no way you’d buy me all that stuff.” (Laughing)
People points out the first interview was done at the family’s three-story home in Chicago in June, then again on July 4 at a park in Butte, Mont., where the family campaigned and celebrated Malia’s birthday. The daughters weren’t interviewed this time. It was after Access Hollywood’s interview with his daughters (also conducted during Fourth of July weekend) aired that Barack put them on media lock down.

Who's Really Watching "Black In America"?

Who is watching “Black in America” on CNN? I ask the question because it was raging inside of me as I listened to pundits and experts, educators and pastors, business professionals and actors—all attempting to make sense and give shape to what it means to be black in America. I asked the very same question after Tavis Smiley produced the “The Covenant with Black America” a few years ago. That book sold millions of copies, and was the topic of quite a few talk shows. And this CNN “special” will probably be one the highest rated shows on the network ever. But I again I ask who is watching? Is Shaniqua living in a tenement in Brooklyn with five babies by five different “men” watching? Is James, who stands on a corner in Baltimore selling crack cocaine to his community watching? T-Bone, a Blood from South Central and his boys and rival Crips from cross-town, are they watching? Janice, who dropped out of Somerville High School in Massachusetts, will she be tuning in? I doubt it. And here in lies the problem with shows like “Black in America,” and books like “The Covenant with Black America” they don’t reach the people who need to hear and read it most. The people who need to change, probably won’t be tuning in—which is why years after the Million Man March and years after The Covenant with Black America and years after Black in America, nothing will change. These outlets just become masturbation. A bunch of talking and pontificating and not a whole lot of what next. If you noticed, I hadn’t added Bill Cosby’s “Come on People,” in the mix with the above. Bill Cosby with all of his fame and fortune doesn’t just pay lip service to his desire to change lives. I have seen him show up to schools in Newark, NJ, with no media or handlers and talk to the kids. I have seen him perform at a club for free to help a black man open a club. I have heard stories of Mr. Cosby giving his time when no one is looking because it’s important to him. So when he writes and says the things he’s saying, he’s also someone in the trenches providing solutions. Whether you agree with him or not, you have to applaud that. A lot of these “pundits” or “experts” who have been featured on “Black in America” make their living off of black poverty and downtroddeness. It gives them a platform to be able to travel the country and demand high speaking fees and folks who don’t need to hear the message because they are taking care of their kids and doing the right things pay to hear a message of gloom and doom. Black drop out rate is X, Black out-of-wedlock pregnancy rate is Y. Blacks die at a rate z times higher than whites. And on and on.

No. 1: Those statistics become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we continue to focus on it, that’s exactly where your attentions will lead. Focusing on the negative has never been a formula for success.

No. 2: If CNN has the highest rating in its history and if Tavis Smiley was able to sell millions of books it says that the vast majority of black folks are NOT in the poor condition that they’re discussing. It says we must care about community more than the statistics are letting on.

No. 3: In the wake of the first black man running for president, a man who is not an anomaly and who has redefined what it means to be black isn’t our time better spent talking about what it means to be an American? I mean the gas prices are striking us all—black and non-black. The housing crisis is hitting us all—black and non-black. The bank crisis is affecting us all. As do the wars and rumors of war. Who’s watching “Black in America” and what are they going to do to make sure we have a better America for all of us?

- Karen Hunter is a columnist for AOL Black Voices, and the CEO of Karen Hunter Publishing.

Spelman College Alum "Barack's the Vote"!!!

Lorielle Broussard is a Spelman College Alum and designer of one of the hottest political apparel brands in the country. Its almost impossible not to have seen someone wearing one of the 20+ thousand shirts that her and her brother's (Brandon) company, Barackawear, Inc. has sold.

As CFO, Lorielle has helped guide the company from $700 dollars in start up money to over $400,000 in sales in less than a year.

Lorielle says, "It's pretty amazing to be 27 and running a company. Just a little over a year ago, I was an assistant and now I have one." Last year prior to launching Barackawear, Lori was touring the country as a stylist to pop star Ciara and prior to that was assistant to model and celebrity deejay, Sky Neller.

Lorielle's Dream: Too see Barack Obama elected president. We give back 25% of our net profit to his campaign as well as host fundraisers in his support. We would be devestated if he did not get elected.

And what about the dream for Barackawear: "Our goal is to sell over 100,000 shirits by election day and I think we'll reach it. I think if we reach a million in sales, we can attract investors to our next projects more easily."

So Whats Next: "We plan to launch our new 'Yo Town' t-shirit line as well as a line of Jeans. We are really excited about both and I think because of our experience with Barackawear, we know how to make and run a successful business. But for now we are focused on getting Barack Obama elected as thenext President of "These" United States.

For more information of to obtain your own shirt/hoodie/lapel pin please visit: www.BarackTheVote.com

DNC Prepare's to party in Denver

Denver is about to become Tinseltown - for a week.A-list Hollywood hotshots and music industry titans are set to descend on the Rocky Mountain city for next month's Democratic National Convention, where political rock star Barack Obama will officially claim the party's crown."We are expecting lots of people to be here, big names, small names and everyday American names," convention spokesman Damon Jones said.Event organizers have yet to release an official list of confirmed performers and talent, but the likely roster reads like a who's who of rap, rock and silver screen.Convention sources confirmed superstars Kanye West, N.E.R.D., Wyclef Jean and Usher are in serious talks to perform during the Aug. 25-28 party shindig.The Creative Coalition, a non-profit advocacy group that hosted parties for the Dems in 2004, has announced that the Black Eyed Peas are scheduled to perform at the DNC gala at the Fillmore Auditorium on Aug. 27. "The Black Eyed Peas represent a growing genre of music that emphasizes increased social awareness," said Robin Bronk, executive director of the Creative Coalition.Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is flying out to Denver for the Yoga Health Foundation's festival, which kicks off the night before the convention. He plans to stick around for the Democratic powwow."I'm going to the DNC to add my voice to the growing collective consciousness I believe is rising in this country," Simmons said. "I want to add my voice to this phenomenon that I believe is this country and the world's only salvation: the promotion of love over fear."Hard-core Democratic supporter Ben Affleck, who made a big showing for John Kerry during the 2004 convention in Boston, will swoop into the Mile High city. No word yet on whether he plans on cajoling his wife, actress Jennifer Garner, or other celebrity pals like Matt Damon into joining him in the Rockies.Actress Scarlett Johansson, a gushing Obama backer, is also expected to be hob-nobbing with the political elite. Her spokesman, though, said her schedule for August is "up in the air."The "Lost in Translation" star recently told The Associated Press, "My heart belongs to Barack, and that is who I am currently, finally, engaged to. Yes."Movie directors Quentin Tarantino, Barry Levinson and Spike Lee will be on hand to witness an African-American formally becoming the first major-party presidential nominee.Other boldface guests expected to fete Obama include Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Susan Sarandon, Kerry Washington, Forrest Whitaker, Josh Lucas, Rashida Jones, Tim Daly, Matthew Modine, Dana Delany, Rachel Leigh Cook and actor and aspiring director Ed Norton, who is working on a documentary about the candidate.

BY JO PIAZZA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER