NPR: News & Views

June 29, 2007

In Line for an iPhone

Getty Images

If you caught today's show, you heard a firsthand account from our friend and tech contributor Mario Armstrong, who is braving the elements on the frontlines of the iWar. Yes, the iWar. It's the kind of warfare that involves beach chairs, board games and endless patience.

That's because Mario is among the thousands of Americans, who have camped out in front of Apple Stores and AT&T service centers, with hopes of scoring an iPhone.

It's the most sought-after gadget of the season, and Mario -- a true techie at heart -- has somehow found a way to blog while waiting in line.

His posts tell the tale and his top five tips for getting the media's attention will come in handy the next time you find yourself waiting hours in line for, say, New Edition reunion tour tickets.

Geoffrey Bennett

June 28, 2007

Supreme Court Limits Use of Race in Schools

Getty Images

More than 50 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The decision ordered the gradual desegregation of America's public schools.

But the legacy of discrimination persists, and today the high court ruled on two modern desegregation cases.

In a controversial 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of race in public school enrollment. While the judgment spoke specifically to programs in Seattle, Wash., and Louisville, Ky., it could affect dozens of similar desegregation programs across the country.

In his must-read article for The New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin sheds light on the court's conservative ascendancy and the significance of its five to four votes.

And on today's show, guest host Tony Cox talked to the counsel of record in one of the two cases, as well as the president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Do you agree with the court's decision, or do you think it undermines the efforts made to integrate primary and secondary education?

Geoffrey Bennett

June 27, 2007

description

Starting this week, we're handing over the wheel and letting you -- our faithful readers -- write about what's on your mind in a new series called (appropriately enough) "Speak Your Mind."

Inasmuch as the Web is an open democracy, the range of topics is totally unrestricted. But remember, all submissions have to adhere to our guidelines. So help us help you "Speak Your Mind."

We start the series with Dan Tres Omi (a.k.a. "Brother Omi") of Norfolk, Va.:

Courtesy Dan Tres Omi

"My wife and I have plenty of single male and female friends. The number one complaint we hear is "there aren't any good black men/women around." Of course we find this notion to be absurd and unfounded. What disturbs me however is the sheer rudeness we display towards one another. Despite the fact that I was born and raised in New York City, I still greet people I pass on and off the street. Of course when I return to my home town, people look at me as if I just arrived from Mars.

Being stationed down south has opened my eyes to the idea that it is okay to greet people. Yet each day I notice that in the small city of Norfolk, Va., which I now call home that people are breaking the wonderful habit of greeting one another. Yet let me take it to another level. When I greet a sister with the word "peace," I am usually rebuffed by looks of disdain. When I hold the door open for a young lady, I am not even acknowledged. I am pelted with rude looks and proverbial rolling of the eyes. When I give a sister a compliment, I am treated as if I was trying to flash her. Sometimes I can hear teeth being sucked. I will admit that I am no Denzel Washington and never claimed to be. I have to point out that my flirting days are way over.

Continue reading "" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson Win Big at BET Awards

Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, of Dreamgirls fame, walked away with trophies for best new artist and best female actress at last night's BET Awards.

Beyonce won best female R&B artist and video of the year, and icon Diana Ross took home a lifetime achievement award, after rightfully chiding younger performers in her acceptance speech.

"I have tried to keep the standards high," she said. "We do not have to say the F-word, we do not have to pump and grind, we do not have to some of these things to have longevity in our career."

Awards aside, it was the show's performances that were the most memorable -- like the opening duet between Jennifer Hudson and her Dreamgirls predecessor Jennifer Holliday. Watch the clip.

BET.com has a full list of winners. And we've got photos of everything from the red carpet to the stage:

Geoffrey Bennett

Free Speech or Disorderly Conduct?

The right to free speech doesn't prevent someone from being arrested and prosecuted once that "speech" erupts into disorderly conduct, so says the three-judge Indiana Court of Appeals.

Latoya Blackman of Indianapolis began shouting profanities at police as they arrested her brother on drug charges back in May 2005.

Continue reading "Free Speech or Disorderly Conduct?" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 26, 2007

Black College Enrollment in South Rises

Enrollment for black college students in the South is up, according to a new study from the Southern Regional Education Board.

In a survey of 16 states, researchers found -- for the first time -- that the number of African Americans in or heading to college is actually on par with the region's overall population.

Continue reading "Black College Enrollment in South Rises" »

Geoffrey Bennett

New Home Sales Continue Slump

omniNate, Flickr.com

Sales of new homes logged the fourth drop in just five months, according to the Commerce Department.

The median home price was also down about one percent compared to a year ago, at just over $236,000. That may be good news for folks looking to buy a home, but not good for anyone looking to sell.

Continue reading "New Home Sales Continue Slump" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 25, 2007

All The Way Live...

Master P signs the autograph board at the NPR West studio.

Bettina Wiesenthal-Birch

Hosting a live radio show can get a little crazy sometimes, especially when it comes to staying within the format. Like today, for instance.

We continued our series on hip hop with a couple of special guests who broke down the connection to the culture of violence. William Jelani Cobb and Michael Datcher are both professors and authors, who provided a sort of insight you don't often hear.

And then, in came Master P himself, in studio, to sort of put the "been there, done that" spin on the whole thing. It was a wonderful, candid conversation, and I wish we'd had more time.
But that's the trick in live radio, deciding when to break format. We didn't this time, but if we had it to do over again...

NPR's Tony Cox (left) with HUD Sec. Alphonso Jackson

Bettina Wiesenthal-Birch

Meanwhile, there was no breaking format with Bush cabinet member Alphonso Jackson, whose story on housing woes in the U.S. airs Tuesday. A team of movie-looking Secret Service men escorted the HUD Secretary inside the NPR West building for our interview at about the same time that Master P's car was pulling out of the parking lot.

Secretary Jackson's SUV was bright red, and not because he's a Republican. Apparently all the black SUV limos in town have been snatched up for the BET Awards.

I love this job.

Tony Cox

You Tell Us: What Should We Discuss?

This week, we're wrapping up our month-long series on hip-hop with a journalists' roundtable discussion.

NPR's Tony Cox will talk to three reporters -- including Complex magazine editor Noah Callahan-Bever and Los Angeles Times writer Soren Baker -- to get the low down on some of the topics we've covered.

That's where you come in: If there's a topic you think the journalists should discuss, leave us a comment and let us know. It can be about anything: old school hip-hop, the contemporary rap scene or rap's place in the music industry at large.

If we use your idea, we'll let you know in advance so you can brag to all your friends.

Geoffrey Bennett

Bankrupt Suge Knight Unloads Malibu Home

Chad Buchanan, Getty Images for Moet USA

Rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight has put his Malibu, Calif., mansion on the auction block for a cool $6.2 million.

The sale of his seven-bedroom home comes as part of his Chapter 11 overhaul. Knight founded Death Row Records, a driving force behind rap's increasingly violent image.

But with the demise of Death Row, so too came the downfall of its creator: When filing bankruptcy papers, Knight claimed debts of more than $100 million with an estimated personal worth less than $50,000.

Geoffrey Bennett

Black Military Enlistment Takes Nosedive

soldiersmediacenter, Flickr.com

Black military enlistment has sharply declined in recent years, according to the Associated Press.

Compared to 2001, nearly 40 percent fewer African Americans signed on the dotted line last year -- that number includes both active duty and reserve recruits.

Continue reading "Black Military Enlistment Takes Nosedive" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Solving Unsolved Civil Rights Cases...A Waste of Time?

How much time, energy and money should we invest on unsolved civil rights cases?

It's an interesting question that some of you have raised whether to focus resources on "historic" unsolved murder cases or concentrate on the violent crimes that go unsolved in our current daily lives. I would guess it's even more painful for anyone who has suffered a recent loss that hasn't been investigated as thoroughly as it might be.

But there are crimes and then there are crimes. The crimes of the civil rights era that remain unsolved a half-century or longer after the fact carry additional political weight. That's because they are perhaps seen as symbols of a struggle for freedom and equality that I think are still very deeply felt by the people who lived during that time, including the relatives of the victims whose pain has lasted a lifetime.

I don't have the answer. But I remember very well how I felt a few years ago as I sat in a courtroom in Alabama. I watched as a guilty verdict was returned against one of the men responsible for the bombing of the Birmingham church where 4 little girls were killed four decades before. I felt justice had finally been served. And that was a good feeling.

Tony Cox

June 22, 2007

What's Behind the Rise in Black Entrepreneurship?

Man and woman in a boardroom

Let's say you graduate from a Harvard or Howard, do time at an investment bank for a couple years and then make the seemingly obligatory move to get your MBA. Then what? Do you devote your best years to scaling the corporate ladder, or do you try to go it alone and make good on that business plan you've been brewing?

More and more black MBAs are doing the latter, says National Black MBA Association president Barbara L. Thomas in an essay published on BusinessWeek's Website.

According to the last Census Bureau report, the number of black-owned businesses has jumped 45 percent in the last five years. Thomas says the increase shows that "African Americans too often do not receive the support they need to succeed in the corporate world."

"Many African Americans take the entrepreneurial route at least in part because, for them, the corporate ladder is missing some rungs," she says. "They may be successful on their own, and they may be happy -- but it won't be because Corporate America tried so hard to keep them."

Continue reading "What's Behind the Rise in Black Entrepreneurship?" »

Geoffrey Bennett

'Brown v. Board' School May Avoid Demolition

The school that provided the backdrop for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case got a reprieve from the Kansas State Historical Society on Thursday.

Though preserving the Sumner School is proving costly for the city, the group said it won't allow city officials to destruct the now-empty art deco building.

Continue reading "'Brown v. Board' School May Avoid Demolition" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Cherokees Could Lose Federal Funds Over "Race Purifying"

Robert Mugabe

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) introduced a bill in the House yesterday that would sever all federal ties to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

The bill comes after Cherokee leadership, she says, recently stripped 2,800 black Cherokees of their tribal citizenship. Known as Freedmen, these blacks are descended from slaves once owned by the nation.

"What they are doing is trying to purify the race," Watson told News & Notes guest host Tony Cox in an interview which aired today.

Continue reading "Cherokees Could Lose Federal Funds Over "Race Purifying" " »

Geoffrey Bennett

Political Tensions Boiling Over in Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe

Zimbabwe's government and its opposition party -- the Movement for Democratic Change -- this week held talks in South Africa to ensure fair elections.

But the official, government-run media accused the opposition of negotiating "in bad faith."

Continue reading "Political Tensions Boiling Over in Zimbabwe" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 21, 2007

Juneteenth Marred By Violence

Police and Juneteenth event organizers in Austin, Texas and Milwaukee, Wisc., are now insisting that the violence which erupted in those cities after Tuesday's celebrations were not connected to the event itself.

In Milwaukee, a mob pulled a man from his car and brutally attacked him, breaking his nose and fracturing his eye socket. Nearby, an officer was attacked by a 17-year-old girl while trying to break up a fight.

The local organizer told the Associated Press the violence was in noway related to the Juneteenth celebration:

"You just had a group of individuals that decided that they wanted to do something entirely different. It's just sad that you have a few fools that got out of hand," said McArthur Weddle.

Continue reading "Juneteenth Marred By Violence" »

Geoffrey Bennett

New Orleans Still a Flood Risk

New Orleans Levee

The Army Corps of Engineers says some New Orleans neighborhoods could still see as much as eight feet of flooding if another big storm hits. Among the hardest hit would be parts of the city's northern Gentilly and Lakeview neighborhoods.

Continue reading "New Orleans Still a Flood Risk" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Unsolved Civil Rights-Era Murders to Get Second Look

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of the deaths of three Mississippi civil rights workers. James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were released from the Neshoba county jail, where they were briefly held for speeding. They were never heard from again.

Continue reading "Unsolved Civil Rights-Era Murders to Get Second Look" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 20, 2007

Picturing Hip-Hop: "Who Shot Ya?"

Ernie Paniccioli

On today's show, photographer Ernie Paniccioli talked to Farai about his book, Who Shot Ya? Three Decades of Hiphop Photography, which captures legendary hip-hop celebrities in their element.

He talked about fighting with Salt-N-Pepa in the early days, hip-hop's "colonization" and rap music's evolution through photos.

Take a look at some of his pics with the greats:

Ernie and Latifah
Ernie with Queen Latifah

Continue reading "Picturing Hip-Hop: "Who Shot Ya?"" »

Geoffrey Bennett

South African AIDS Crisis Worsening

AIDSpatient in South Africa

According to an article in today's Washington Post, the AIDS crisis in South Africa is getting worse, despite the country distributing more antiretroviral drugs than ever before.

The problem, says the Post, is that for every patient who started taking the drugs last year, five more South Africans have gotten the disease.

Continue reading "South African AIDS Crisis Worsening" »

Geoffrey Bennett

New York City Mayor Leaves the GOP

Michael Bloomberg

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg switched his party affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated yesterday, raising suspicions that he may enter the presidential race as an independent candidate.

In 2001, the lifelong Democrat switched his party status and ran for mayor on the Republican ballot because of a then crowded Democratic field.

Continue reading "New York City Mayor Leaves the GOP" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 19, 2007

Houston to Restore Historic Juneteenth Park

Juneteenth

Happy Juneteenth! To commemorate the announcement of slavery abolition in Texas, residents want Emancipation Park restored to its former glory.

Continue reading "Houston to Restore Historic Juneteenth Park " »

Geoffrey Bennett

Ivory Coasts Seeks Compensation for Oil Dumping

Last fall we brought you the story of a tragic dumping case in Ivory Coast.

The Dutch-based oil trading company, Trafigura, had allegedly tried to sidestep environmental regulations in the in the West African nation, dumping tons of toxic sludge near the nation's commercial capital.

Continue reading "Ivory Coasts Seeks Compensation for Oil Dumping" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 18, 2007

South African Power Workers Levy Strike Threat

After South African teachers, nurses, and other civil servants walked off the job, power workers are now threatening to do the same.

So far, the strike has shut down schools and hospitals across the country and cost the economy billions in South African Rand. Workers are demanding a ten percent pay raise.

Continue reading "South African Power Workers Levy Strike Threat" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Teach for America Alumna to Head D.C. Schools

Michelle Rhee

The new chancellor for Washington, D.C.'s public school system is on her way in.

At 37, Michelle Rhee is the youngest the city has ever had, and she was tapped last week by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty.

Continue reading "Teach for America Alumna to Head D.C. Schools" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 15, 2007

Hip Hop Straight Outta Lebanon

Shereen Meraji in Lebanon

On today's show, Farai talked to Shereen Meraji, a producer for NPR's Day to Day, about hip hop in the Middle East.

Meraji traveled to Lebanon on a fellowship and reported on how last summer's conflict between Israel and Hezbollah affected the country's youth. She found that, much like in the United States, young people there were using hip hop as a primary means of expression, to convey life as they saw it.

Continue reading "Hip Hop Straight Outta Lebanon" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Send Us Your Photos

To coincide with our series on hip-hop, we thought it fitting to dust off those old photo albums and search for the "back in the day" shots we'd much rather forget -- back when everybody was rocking shell top Adidas, rope chains, Lee jeans and high-top fades.

We're extending the invitation for you to do the same. If you have photos hidden away -- no matter how embarrassing -- send it to us! If your entry is among the best, we'll post it for all to see and catapult you into "News & Views" infamy.

Here's how to do it:

Continue reading "Send Us Your Photos" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Foreclosure Rate Hits New High

The Mortgage Bankers Association released new foreclosure numbers yesterday. They show subprime foreclosures hit an all-time high for the first quarter of the year.

Nearly one in five subprime loans was either delinquent by at least a month or in foreclosure. Analysts warn we may not have seen the worst.

Continue reading "Foreclosure Rate Hits New High " »

Geoffrey Bennett

Oprah Tops Forbes Power List

Oprah Winfrey

Love her or hate her, there's no denying that Oprah's got bank. She tops the Forbes magazine "Celebrity 100 Power List," which ranks the rich on annual earnings and buzz.

The talkshow queen raked in $260 million over the last year thanks, in part, to her own show and production company (which produces "Dr. Phil" and the new "Rachael Ray Show"), her Broadway musical "The Color Purple" and her upcoming philanthropic reality series, "Oprah's Big Give."

Continue reading "Oprah Tops Forbes Power List" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Conyers Pressures White House in Justice Inquiry

John Conyers

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has called a series of hearings into the controversial firing of eight U.S. attorneys. On Wednesday, Conyers and his Committee raised the stakes by issuing subpoenas for two former White House insiders, including President Bush's former counsel, Harriet Miers.

Continue reading "Conyers Pressures White House in Justice Inquiry" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 14, 2007

For The Hip Hop Lover In You ...

Monie Love

As our second week in our month long hip hop series comes to an end, we were talking in the office today about how exciting it has been to have some of hip hop's best on the show. From Monie Love to Russell Simmons to MC Lyte... we've been pretty spoiled this week. We hope you continue to tune in because we have more great interviews on the way. In fact, just a few minutes ago, Farai wrapped up an interview with DJ Drama that we will air on the show tomorrow. In the interview he talks about everything from why he loves creating mixtapes to his recent legal troubles.

We're making it a point to maximize our time with each of these great guests. So at the end of each interview that we've done, we have been asking these hip hop artists and Dj's a few additional questions that reveal more about their connection and love for hip hop. Their answers got us to thinking about what answers we'd give... So, now it's your turn. Yes, that's right, we want your answers, too.

Here's what we want to know from you:

1) What is your favorite hip hop memory?
2) What is your first memory of hip hop?

And last but not least, this is probably the hardest question to answer for those of you who are hard core hip hop fans...

3) If you were driving cross country and could only bring one hip hop album with you, which album would you bring and why?

For those of you who are curious what answers our guests have been giving us, stay tuned. We plan to create an audio collage out of their answers that we will air on June 29th, the last day of our hip hop series.

Nicole Childers

Feedback About Our Russell Simmons Interview

Listen to Farai's Interview with Russell Simmons

Farai Chideya and Russell Simmons

So it seems folks are still talking about Farai's provocative interview with Russell Simmons last week. Even our friends at EURweb took note.

Here's a sampling of your comments:

From Albert Harum-Alvarez:

"I think Farai should have gently insisted on being treated better by this bigheaded man. That would have been the most direct way to deal with the issue of misogyny."

Continue reading "Feedback About Our Russell Simmons Interview " »

Geoffrey Bennett

Fisk Univ. Putting a Price on Prized Art

Historically black Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. is trying to bulk up its endowment. To do that, the school had hoped to sell a few paintings in its art collection, which were donated by Georgia O'Keefe, one of America's most famous modern artists.

A judge has blocked the move, saying O'Keefe gave the works from her personal collection to Fisk for art education alone.

Continue reading "Fisk Univ. Putting a Price on Prized Art" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Genarlow Wilson Faces Another Roadblock to Freedom

Genarlow Wilson

Genarlow Wilson was a 17-year-old honor student when he had consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl.

He was later arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The severity of the sentence caused a stir in and outside of Georgia. Former President Jimmy Carter even got involved. But this week a Georgia judge ordered Wilson, now 21, to be released.

Continue reading "Genarlow Wilson Faces Another Roadblock to Freedom" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Tracing Genetic History Back to a President

Pres. James Madison

Last weekend, visitors gathered in Montpelier, Va. for an unusual event -- the second Montpelier Slave Descendants Reunion. America's fourth President, James Madison, owned upwards of 100 slaves, and their distant relatives came together to swap stories ... and swab DNA samples.

For pediatrician Bettye Kearse, it's personal. She believes that her family descends not just from one of Madison's slaves but from Madison himself.

Continue reading "Tracing Genetic History Back to a President" »

Geoffrey Bennett

June 13, 2007

Challenging Stereotypes Through Photos

Watch a Montage of "Let Your Motto Be Resistance"

Jessye Norman

Today's show featured a conversation with MacArthur Fellow Deborah Willis, who is currently displaying a portrait collection of celebrated African Americans at New York's International Center of Photography.

Titled, "Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits," the exhibition of 100 photos aims to show how blacks resisted negative stereotypes in mainstream culture.

One particulary riveting photo in the display is of a young, smiling Rosa Parks.

Gordon Parks

"We hear the name Rosa Parks, and we know that she has resisted in many ways," Willis told NPR's Tony Cox. "But when she was photographed in 1955 ... she was just beginning her interest in community activism. In her eyes, there is a sense of determination."

Read more about the exhibition and check out a video montage -- produced by Roy Hurst of "News & Notes" -- which features the photo of Rosa Parks and others.

Geoffrey Bennett

Headlines: Does FEC Nominee Have Partisan Bias?

The Senate Rules Committee is considering nominations to the Federal Elections Commission today. One nominee --