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Barack Obama. The Dream Come True
The Civil Rights
Presidential Inaugural Gala - "The Dream Come True"
Washington, DC (BlackNews.com 1/8/09) - Forty five years ago, SCLC founder Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, had a dream. He foresaw the day in which the greatness of America would be realized...a day where Americans would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.
Together with the NAACP, CORE, A. Phillip Randolph Institute, labor unions, and the SCLC, Dr. King marched on Washington and elsewhere to make the dream a reality. "The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President is a historic milestone in the realization of this dream" says National President and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
In celebration, SCLC will host "The Civil Rights Presidential Inaugural Ball" on the evening of January 20, 2009 featuring some of the nation's civil rights pioneers who helped pave the way for this remarkable day. The Black Tie GALA will take place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 from 7:30 pm to 1:00 am at the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024.
The host committee which includes; Southern Christian Leadership Conference, A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), MLK National Memorial Project Foundation, Inc., National Action Network, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW), Rainbow Push Coalition and other leaders of justice invites you to celebrate this magical day with a spiritual retrospective look at its long and windy road and join them for this once-in-a-lifetime gala.
Tickets for the Gala are $175.00 each and are tax deductible; the price includes cost for Live Entertainment and Hors d'oeuvres. For more information call 404-522-1420 or log online at www.thedreamcometrue2008.com
The SCLC Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Prayer Breakfast will take place on Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:30 am at the same location. The MLK Unity Prayer Breakfast will serve as an historic prelude to the first African-American President Barack Obama being sworn into the office as the 44th President of the United States. This event will also serve as a platform to recognize and pay tribute to many of the organizations and individuals that participated in the 1963 March on Washington. Ironically, this event will be held on the same day that our nation honors and recognize Martin L. King, Jr.
Invited guests includes many of those on the front line during the civil rights struggle as well as those who have continued the battle, they include; Martin L. King, III, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharton, Eric Holder, Bill Lucy, Ms. Dorothy Height, Rev. Walter Fauntroy, Ms. Cleola Brown, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Congressman John Lewis, Juanita Abernathy, Amelia Boyton Robinson and others.
The MLK Unity Breakfast will honor and pay tribute to the NAACP, CORE, A. Phillip Randolph Institute, AFL-CIO, and the National Council of Negro Women. "SCLC must mark this moment with great pride, honor and justice. For today, we stand on the shoulders of so many who bled and died for this moment of witness of which we consecrate with joy and commitment," adds Steele.
Tickets for the MLK Unity Breakfast are $25.00 (Limited Seating) and $250.00 per table. Contemporary gospel artist Tonex will perform live at the breakfast. For ticket information call 404-522-1420 or log online at www.thedreamcometrue2008.com
HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
The Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs will
host the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration from noon to
1:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg,
in advance of the holiday's actual observance on Jan. 19.
The event will include a musical program and the
interpretation of quotes from the slain civil rights leader.
Students from Central Dauphin East High School, Harrisburg High
School, Susquehanna High School, Sci-Tech High School and ACTS
Program at William Penn High School will participate.
For more information about the event or the
Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, call
717-772-5085 or visit www.africanam.state.pa.us.
EVENT: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration DATE: Friday, Jan. 16 TIME: Noon - 1:30 p.m. LOCATION: Main Rotunda Capitol Building Harrisburg CONTACT: Jennifer Kyung 717-772-5085
Source: Pennsylvania Department of African American Affairs
Web Site: http://www.africanam.state.pa.us/
Rev. Clenard H. Childress, Jr.
Rev.
Clenard H. Childress, Jr.
Where do we go from here?
(Black News.com 11/8/08) This is probably the most asked question presently in America since the end of the Civil War, but I am wondering: who is asking it more? Due to the historical implications and the political climate throughout the world, the Global spotlight is clearly on the United States. The world wants to see how Barack Obama will navigate the tumultuous course ahead of him. In his Election Night Acceptance Speech he references Dr. Martin Luther King's famous and prophetic speech, "I've been to the mountain top." Barack Obama said, "We may not get there in one year or four years." It was at that point there seemed to be a degree of uncertainty and this is totally understandable when one considers the state of economic and social affairs of our country and global unrest. I would personally encourage and insist the nation ask another question along with the previous inquiry: 'where do we go from here and what will it look like when we get there?'
In Dr. Martin Luther King's last and most radical presidential address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he entitled his message just what we find ourselves asking at the moment: "Where Do We Go From Here?" Martin said, "First we must massively assert our dignity and worth, we must stand up amidst a system that will oppress us and develop an unassailable and majestic sense of values." Martin Luther King then says that the priority in getting to your destination, are your values, not economy. If that's what's needed then the journey must be delayed indefinitely until we gain those unassailable, unmovable, indestructible values that are divine, lofty and exalted.
But where do we go from here? We can go nowhere until this nation recognizes all of its citizens, especially our most vulnerable, many whose 'unalienable Rights' are presently denied. Until our national values reflect the Giver of our rights - "endowed by their Creator" ? as the Declaration of Independence describes to us, there will be no 'there' there when we arrive. In so saying, as Martin Luther King was speaking at a church conference in Nashville Tennessee, he spoke across the decades these profoundly portentous words:
"There must be the recognition of the sacredness of human personality. Deeply rooted in our political and religious heritage is the conviction that every man is an heir to a legacy of dignity and worth. Our Hebraic Christian tradition refers to this inherent dignity of man in the biblical term the image of God. This innate worth referred to in the phrase the image of God is universal, shared in equal portions by all men. There is no graded scale (not pay scale) of essential worth; there is no divine right of one race that differs from the divine right of another. Every human has etched in his personality the indelible stamp of the creator. The idea of dignity and worth of human personality is expressed eloquently and unequivocally in the Declaration of Independence."
Allan Guttmacher reveals that the most dangerous place for an African-American to be is in the womb of their African-American mother. When the Man on the Mountain, Barack Obama, says one of the first things he is going to do is to get the Freedom of Choice Act passed, FOAC would eliminate all state prohibitions and restrictions on abortion, the leading cause of death of African-Americans; I do not want to go to that land. When King went up, he said, "I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you but we as a people will one day get to the promise land." And what land is this? A land with unassailable and majestic values; a land where America lives out its creed; a land where the endowed rights of the Creator are given to all of its citizens, even the unborn!
Ironically, when Dr. Martin Luther King gave this address, he was deeply concerned with the rate of infant mortality. Dr. King said, "The rate of infant mortality among Negroes is double that of whites and there are twice as many Negroes dying in Vietnam as whites in proportion to their size in the population." In Iraq, 6% of the deaths are African-Americans yet African-Americans make up 12% of the population. When compared to the war against children in the womb, 37% of all abortions are African-Americans or more than 3 times the percentage of representation. 52% of all African-American pregnancies are ended tragically through abortion. When I read of Martin's deep concerns over the infant mortality rate in the 60s, what would Dr. King say if he could have lived in a nation where 16 million African American infants were victims of the abortion industry? Even if you take into consideration AIDs, violent crimes, accidents, cancer and heart disease, this number would not account for half the amount of infants killed in the womb by abortion. What would Martin Luther King say to a nation where an African-American baby is 5 times more likely to be killed in the womb than a Caucasian baby? Where do we go from here, and what will it look like when we get there if Obama's agenda comes to fruition?
Interestingly, one day a newsman came to Martin Luther King and said, "Dr. King, don't you think you're going to have to stop now opposing the war and be more in line with the administration's policy. As I understand it, it has hurt the budget of your organization and people who once respected you, have lost respect for you. Don't you feel you really have to change your position?"
Dr. King answered, "Sir, I'm sorry you don't know me. I'm not a consensus leader. I do not determine what is right and wrong by looking at the budget of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. I've not taken a Gallup Poll of the majority opinion. Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher of consensus, but a molder of consensus. On some positions, cowardice ask the question, is it expedient? And then, expedience comes along and asks the questions, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right?"
I absolutely concur!
Crossroad Of Dreams
Poster
Buy at AllPosters.com
MONDAY, JANUARY 19 - 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Cramton Auditorium, Howard University
PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepsi is
partnering with Spike Lee and Howard University for the "Refresh the
World" Symposium to address issues ranging from the economy to Black
America and more. Leading experts on education, economy, gender, hip
hop and Black America will help mark the start of the new Presidency
by raising their voices to "Refresh the World."
Limited free tickets are available for D.C. area
university students (e.g., Georgetown, GW, American, Gallaudet,
Catholic), and on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Howard
University box office.
Pepsi's support of this event is part of its brand
re-launch around the ideas of hope, positive change and active
participation, through forums, out-of-home communications,
television and digital communications. Please let us know if you
would like additional details about the event.
WHEN: MONDAY, JANUARY 19
8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. with five individual sessions, one
hour and 30 minutes each, as follows:
8:30 a.m. - Prologue: Introductions by D.C. Mayor Adrian
Fenty, Spike Lee, Howard University President and Frank
Cooper III from Pepsi
9:00 a.m. - Refresh Education: Moderated by Prof. Charles
Ogletree with D.C., New Orleans, New York City and
Philadelphia Public School Superintendents
11:00 a.m. - Refresh the Economy: Moderated by ABC's
Mellody Hobson with John Fund of WSJ, Washington Post
columnist Michelle Singletary and the former Chairman of
the Federal Reserve, Dr. Andrew F. Brimmer
1:00 p.m. - Refresh Gender: Moderated by MSNBC's Michelle
Bernard with Arianna Huffington, Former US Treasurer Bay
Buchanan and senior leadership of NOW
3:00 p.m. - Refresh Hip-Hop: Moderated by Barry Michael
Cooper with Sean Combs, Queen Latifah and Chris Lighty
5:00 p.m. - Refresh Black America: Moderated by Roland
Martin with Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Cornel West, and
Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
OPEN CALL: PRESS MUST CHECK IN 30 MINUTES PRIOR to each session -
Proper ID required
Live and/or taped interviews available with select
panelists after each session
WHERE: Cramton Auditorium, Howard University,
2455 Sixth Street, NW, Washington D.C.
Source: Pepsi-Cola
Web Site: http://www.pepsi.com/
DALLAS, HOUSTON, and AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 40 years after his death, the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. continues to resonate with the youth of today. Inspired by his legacy, elementary school students in three Texas cities competed this week in the annual Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competitions.
Dalton Sherman, 9, of the Charles Rice Learning Center in Dallas emphasizes a point during his speech in the 16th Annual Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition. Sherman placed first out of eight finalists in the Jan. 16 competition sponsored by the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP (PRNewsFoto/Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP) DALLAS, TX UNITED STATES 01/18/2008
More than 280 students, representing a total of 20 schools in Dallas, Austin and Houston, competed in preliminary contests over the past month for the right to represent their schools. The annual events are hosted by the law firm of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP.
Kendal Travis, 11, a fifth grader at Austin's Campbell Elementary School reacts to the announcement that he won the Third Annual Gardere Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition, while the second place finalist, Courtney Taylor, also of Campbell, looks on. The competition is presented by the law firm Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP and is held in partnership with the Austin Area Heritage Council. (PRNewsFoto/Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP) AUSTIN, TX UNITED STATES 01/18/2008
"During Dr. King's life, the cultural and educational landscapes were far different from any that these students will ever have to know," says Steve Good, Gardere's managing partner. "He dedicated, and ultimately sacrificed, his life to assure better lives for future generations. Through events such as this, Gardere is proud to help make sure Dr. King's efforts are never forgotten, and at the same time place a spotlight on some of the brightest, most talented elementary school students in Texas."
On Jan. 16, Dalton Sherman, a fourth grader at Charles Rice Learning Center, took top honors in the 16th annual Dallas competition. Drawing from Dr. King's "Drum Major Instinct" speech, the 9-year-old stirred the crowd, speaking of the need for not only strong leaders, but also for the community to pull together: "We have to all do this together. Because a drum major with no band is just a fool dancing on a football field."
The winner of the 3rd annual Austin competition, also held Jan. 16, was Kendal Travis, a fifth grader at Campbell Elementary School. The 11-year-old spoke confidently about how Dr. King has inspired him to want to go to college and be a professional football player. "I want to be a running back for the Dallas Cowboys and my two heroes are Dr. King and Earl Campbell," he said.
At the 12th annual Houston event on Jan. 18, Perri Jones, a fourth grader from Julius Dodson Elementary School, dazzled the audience with a speech that had her hosting her own talk show. Her "guest" was a girl whose forefathers were slaves, but was spared from sitting in the back of the bus and drinking only from specific water fountains thanks to Dr. King's efforts. She proclaimed to the cheering audience that she can "rise" to be anything -- "Secretary of State, President of the USA or even a talk show host like Oprah."
"Gardere celebrates Dr. King's legacy in a unique way," says Claude Treece, Houston event coordinator and partner at Gardere. "Our goal is to promote diversity and inspire students to share their dreams with fellow students, as well as the community."
Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students from participating schools presented personally written speeches commemorating Dr. King's vision of peace and unity. The young speakers were judged on the content of their speech, memorization and overall performance. All finalists receive savings bonds and other prizes.
Gardere introduced the competition 16 years ago in Dallas to celebrate the city's diversity and promote awareness and understanding of different cultures. The event's success led to the establishment of the competition in Houston in 1997 and Austin in 2006. The oratory competition, which is held in conjunction with the national holiday recognizing the late civil rights leader, encourages the local community to remember and pay tribute to Dr. King's leadership and legacy.
Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an AmLaw 200 firm, was founded in 1909 and is one of the Southwest's largest full-service law firms. With offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Mexico City, Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of energy, litigation, corporate, tax, environmental, labor and employment, intellectual property and financial services.
Source: Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP
Web site: http://www.gardere.com/
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Constitution
Center in Philadelphia will host the world debut of America I AM:
The African American Imprint, a new exhibition celebrating nearly
500 years of African American contributions to our country. The
touring exhibition will open at the Center on Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.'s birth date on January 15, 2009, and run through May 3,
2009, before continuing its 10-city, four-year tour.
Covering more than 13,000 square feet at the Center, the
exhibition will present a historical continuum of pivotal moments in
courage, conviction, and creativity that solidifies the undeniable
imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world.
The more than 200 artifacts and information within the exhibition
will provide context to how African Americans have contributed to
and shaped American culture across four core areas: economic,
socio-political, cultural, and spiritual, up to present-day events,
including the inauguration of the first African American president.
America I AM: The African American Imprint is developed in
partnership with Tavis Smiley, and is organized by Cincinnati Museum
Center and Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI), which also
organized the King Tut exhibition that was the most attended touring
exhibition in the world in 2007.
"America I AM: The African American Imprint encourages all people
to connect in a meaningful way with the foundations of democracy,
cultural diversity, exploration, and free enterprise, which began
when the first Africans arrived in Jamestown," said broadcaster
Tavis Smiley, who is presenting the exhibition. "By telling the
stories of the events of the past, we can help the leaders of the
future set the stage for active participation in the democratic
process for years to come."
"The National Constitution Center is proud and honored to be the
premiere venue for this groundbreaking exhibition," said National
Constitution Center president and CEO Joseph M. Torsella. "The
Center is dedicated to telling the story of 'We the People' in ways
that inspire visitors to become active citizens. This exhibition
conveys the struggles, contributions, and triumphs of African
Americans in a way that will inspire all Americans to engage in an
important cultural and historical dialogue."
Visitors will experience shared U.S. culture and history through
an unprecedented collection of rare historical objects, documents,
religion, music, narration, photos, and media that tell this
uniquely American story. An interactive area will allow visitors to
leave their own video "imprints," and this collection will grow
throughout the life of the exhibition with the potential to become
the largest recorded oral history project in U.S. history.
Through more than 200 artifacts culled from every period of U.S.
history and 12 exhibition galleries, America I AM will convey a
journey from struggle to triumph to celebration. Among the poignant
pieces in the exhibition will be:
-- "The Doors of No Return" from the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana, which
enslaved Africans passed through to board ships to the "New World"
-- The typewriter Alex Haley used to write the groundbreaking book, Roots
-- Objects representing the African American troops that fought and
impacted the outcome of major U.S. wars
-- Malcolm X's diary and personal Koran
-- The door key and stool from the Birmingham jail cell that held Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. when he authored "Letter from a Birmingham
Jail"
-- Frederick Douglass' clothing and letter from President Lincoln that
enabled him to move among Union lines recruiting black soldiers
-- The robe that Muhammad Ali wore during the "Rumble in the Jungle,"
where he defeated world heavyweight champion George Foreman
-- And many other important items from the beginnings of our nation
through contemporary popular culture
Exhibition organizers have worked with some of the most notable
scholars in the field to develop this exhibition, one of the
broadest on this subject ever mounted. John Fleming, president of
the Association for the Study of African American Life and History
and director emeritus of museums at the Cincinnati Museum Center,
serves as executive producer.
In addition, the National Constitution Center has created a local
advisory panel with the goal of highlighting the wealth of African
American history found in Philadelphia. These representatives from
other museums, arts organizations, and community groups that tell
stories like those found in America I AM are working to identify and
develop collaborative programming to supplement the exhibition and
carry the experience outside of the Center's walls.
To further augment the exhibition, the Center's education and
public programming staff in the Annenberg Center for Education and
Outreach has developed a variety of resource materials, special
programs, and family activities. Also in keeping with the Center's
mission to foster discussion and citizen engagement, a variety of
evening programs discussing historical and contemporary themes
related to the exhibition are planned.
"We are proud to premiere this exhibition about the history of a
people at the National Constitution Center, a museum that tells the
story of 'We the People' every day in an inspirational way," said
John Norman, president of AEI. "Our hope is that visitors will leave
uplifted and informed, with a richer understanding of the culture
and history of this country, and those who have affected its
course."
America I AM is made possible by Walmart Stores, Inc., which
serves as its presenting sponsor. The exhibition is sponsored by
Northern Trust and is presented locally by Coca-Cola. CBS 3 is the
official media partner for the Center's showing of America I AM.
Microsoft is the technology partner for the tour.
"All of us at Walmart are proud to be a part of America I AM,"
said Hank Mullany, SVP & President for the Northeast Division of
Walmart Stores, Inc. "Our support is an extension of our commitment
to honoring the contributions that African Americans have made to
our great nation. These words, sounds, images, and artifacts bring
to life 400 years of the African American experience. We are excited
to play a role in presenting history to our Philadelphia area
associates, customers, and partners, who will be among the first to
experience this extraordinary exhibition."
"On behalf of Northern Trust, I am thrilled to help celebrate the
vital contributions African Americans have made to our society,"
said Rick Waddell, president and chief executive officer of Northern
Trust. "In supporting initiatives like America I AM, Northern Trust
strives to further cultural education and awareness. We hope this
exhibit inspires viewers here in Philadelphia and around the world
to cherish the diversity and heritage of all our communities."
Admission to America I AM is $17.50 for adults, $15.50 for
seniors ages 65 and up, and $9 for children ages 4-12. A voucher for
a $2.50 discount off two adult tickets is available at
www.walmart.com/ourvoice. Group rates are also available. Admission
to the Center's main exhibition, The Story of We the People,
including the award-winning theater production "Freedom Rising," is
included. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under
are free. There is no upcharge for school groups to tour America I
AM. iPod audio tours are also available and cost $2 for members and
$3 for non-members. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or
visit www.constitutioncenter.org. More details about the exhibition,
including a gallery walkthrough moderated by Tavis Smiley, are
available at www.AmericaIAM.org.
ABOUT The Smiley Group, Inc.
Founded in 1998 and based in Los Angeles, The Smiley Group, Inc.,
(TSG) is a communications corporation dedicated to supporting human
rights and related empowerment issues. The mission of TSG is to
achieve positive results through advocacy and education on issues of
concern to African Americans and other people without substantial
economic or social standing. TSG is the holding company for Tavis
Smiley Presents, Smiley Radio Properties, High Quality Speakers
Bureau, TS Media, and SmileyBooks. The Tavis Smiley Foundation is a
nonprofit organization that provides
leadership development training for youth. Tavis Smiley is the
host of Tavis Smiley on PBS and The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI and
the author/editor of 11 books including the New York Times best
sellers Covenant with Black America, What I Know for Sure: My Story
of Growing up in America, and THE COVENANT In Action. For more
information, visit www.tavistalks.com.
ABOUT Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI)
Founded in 2003 by president John Norman and international vice
president Andres Numhauser, AEI produces the award-winning
exhibition "Diana: A Celebration" in association with the Althorp
Estate in the United Kingdom, two touring exhibitions dedicated to
the treasures of King Tutankhamun and "Real Pirates: The Untold
Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship." Norman and
Numhauser have nearly 40 years combined experience in the
entertainment and exhibition business, working over the years on
such projects as "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit" and "Saint Peter
and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes." The company has
relationships with the most important museums in the world and has
presented traveling exhibitions on four continents. AEI is part of
AEG Exhibitions, an affiliate division of AEG LIVE. AEG LIVE is a
collection of companies dedicated to all aspects of live
contemporary music performance and the live-entertainment division
of Los Angeles-based AEG, one of the leading sports and
entertainment presenters in the world. For more information, log
onto www.artsandexhibitions.com.
ABOUT the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on
Philadelphia's Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding
of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The
Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for
debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the
story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present
through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film,
photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful,
award-winning theatrical performance, "Freedom Rising." The Center
also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which
serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a
nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents
- without endorsement - programs that contain diverse viewpoints on
a broad range of issues. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or
visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
ABOUT Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is home to the
Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum
of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family
OMNIMAX(R) Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Archives &
Library. It is a nationally recognized educational and research
resource and one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest.
With more than one million visitors each year, Museum Center is the
top cultural attraction in Cincinnati and the most visited museum
complex in the State of Ohio. Originally built in 1933 as the Union
Terminal train station, the building is a national historic landmark
and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990.
For information, call 513-287-7000 or 1-800-733-2077 or visit
www.cincymuseum.org.
ABOUT Walmart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart Stores,
Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across
America or log on to its online store at www.wal-mart.com. The
company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving
back locally. Walmart (NYSE:WMT)
is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and
associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more
than $270 million to communities in the United States. To learn
more, visit www.walmartfacts.com, www.walmartstores.com, or
www.walmartfoundation.org.
ABOUT Northern Trust
Northern Trust Corporation is a leading provider of investment
management, asset and fund administration, fiduciary and banking
solutions for corporations, institutions and affluent individuals
worldwide. Northern Trust, a financial holding company based in
Chicago, has a growing network of 85 offices in 18 U.S. states and
has international offices in 15 locations in North America, Europe,
the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of September 30,
2008, Northern Trust had assets under custody of US$3.5 trillion,
and assets under investment management of US$652.4 billion. Northern
Trust, founded in 1889, has earned distinction as an industry leader
in combining exceptional service and expertise with innovative
products and technology. For more information, visit
http://www.northerntrust.com/.
ABOUT Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)
is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that
help people and businesses realize their full potential.
ABOUT CBS 3
CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS
Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.
Source: AEI
Web Site:
http://www.americaiam.org/
http://www.artsandexhibitions.com/
http://www.cincymuseum.org/
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/
http://www.walmart.com/
http://www.wal-mart.com/
http://www.walmartfoundation.org/
http://www.walmartstores.com/
http://www.northerntrust.com
SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, January 21, TV One commemorates the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the network's fourth birthday with the world premiere of the TV One original hour-long special, MLK: A Dream Deferred at 8 PM followed by the TV One premiere of MLK: The Making of a Holiday from 9-10 (all times ET).
MLK: A Dream Deferred. compares the state of race relations in America forty years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. against the words and dreams that the legendary civil rights leader wrote and spoke many years ago.
Every year America commemorates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with community parades and television news footage showing Dr. King fighting segregation in the South and reciting his dream of racial harmony on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. But how have the lives of black Americans changed in the aftermath of Dr. King?
Hosted and narrated by award-winning actor Isaiah Washington, MLK: A Dream Deferred explores the issues of race, education, and poverty through the lives and stories of individuals that move beyond the biographical stories about Dr. King, and into the microcosm of ordinary human relations today, where the film discovers Dr. King's heroic spirit often endures.
Noted celebrities, including Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry, Sanaa Lathan, Regina King and Hill Harper speak excerpts from Dr. King's most famous speeches throughout the special. MLK: A Dream Deferred repeats at 11 PM.
At 9 PM, TV One airs the documentary MLK: The Making of a Holiday, which chronicles the life and accomplishments of Dr. King and the quest by many politicians and celebrities to honor his birthday as a national holiday, which became a reality in 1985. Hosted by actor LeVar Burton, the program features the key leaders in the holiday movement including Coretta Scott King, Stevie Wonder and prominent members of Congress. Also featured in the program is the music of Stevie Wonder and other musical artists. An encore play is scheduled for midnight.
Earlier in the holiday weekend, TV One gives viewers one last chance to see the complete Roots series on TV One on Sunday, January 20 beginning at 2 PM and concluding on Monday, January 21 at 4 PM, Closing out the 30th anniversary celebration, this special 26-hour marathon event, which airs the same week in January that the original mini-series premiered in 1977, includes both the initial groundbreaking mini-series Roots and its highly successful sequel mini-series Roots: The Next Generations shown back to back in their entirety.
Launched on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday holiday in January 2004, TV One (www.tvoneonline.com) serves nearly 43 million households (Nielsen Jan. 2008 estimate), offering a broad range of lifestyle and entertainment-oriented original programming, classic series, movies, fashion and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult African American viewers. TV One's investors include Radio One (Nasdaq: ROIA and ROIAK; www.radio-one.com), the largest radio company that primarily targets African American and urban listeners; Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA and CMCSK; www.comcast.com), the leading cable television company in the country; The DirecTV Group; Constellation Ventures; Syndicated Communications; and Opportunity Capital Partners.
Source: TV One
Web site: http://www.tvoneonline.com/
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Good morning and thank you for inviting me to be with you. It's a privilege to be here at the historic Shiloh Baptist Church, and to celebrate the important work done by those like Reverend Smith and the volunteers at the Male Youth Enhancement Project. And it's a particular honor to share the podium today with Ted Shaw of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
We're here today, like people all across our nation this weekend, to honor the life and the vision of a great American: the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This Monday marks the twenty-second year that we will pay formal tribute to Dr. King and his legacy -- and the second time we do so since mourning the loss of Coretta Scott King, whose role we are also justly honoring today. Martin Luther King Day has become an annual occasion when we, as a nation, are made to pause and take stock of how far we have come in fulfilling Dr. King's dream of equal rights and freedom for all; and of how much further we have to travel.
As we take stock this year, there is some cause for optimism and celebration. The progress our country has made since Dr. King's untimely and tragic death forty years ago this April has been in some ways monumental, even if at times halting and imperfect. We can measure that progress not just by the list of distinguished African Americans who have served at all levels and in all branches of our local, state, and national governments, or even by the number of schools that have been opened and improved, but also by the number of students taking advantage of the rights he fought so hard to secure. Not just by the improved access for all Americans to the right to vote, but also by the number of ballots cast.
But, however much progress we have made, however far we have come, there is still a distance to go. We all recall Dr. King's famous statement that, in his words, "[a]n injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." And there, most certainly, is still injustice in this great country.
Although Jim Crow laws and "Whites Only" signs thankfully no longer exist, racism and discrimination no doubt remain, as horrid symbols like nooses, cross burnings, and swastikas vividly remind us. Although American citizens are no longer routinely denied entrance to the polling booth based on the color of their skin, subtler forms of voter discrimination persist, and require appropriate action.
Moreover, as Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King both recognized, the goal of equal rights and freedom for all also calls for attention to ills like crime and, in Dr. King's words, "debilitating and grinding poverty." Dr. King eloquently called on us to remain, as he put it, "dissatisfied until those that live on the outskirts of hope are brought into the metropolis of daily security." And although many more today than in Dr. King's time live in that "metropolis of daily security," we must remain, as he put it, "dissatisfied."
The need for programs like the one here at Shiloh shows that too many of our nation's citizens live in fear of violence, whether from gangs or other violent crime. Too many of our nation's youth lack the educational opportunities that are a key to hope.
As I said earlier, the annual tribute to Dr. King calls upon each of us to take stock of what work remains to be done. That call has taken on greater significance for me personally this year. Last Martin Luther King Day, I was a private citizen in New York City -- a lawyer in a city with no shortage of lawyers. Today, I am a lawyer in another city that also has no shortage of lawyers, but I am no longer a private citizen. I have an extraordinary opportunity and a daunting task: to lead the Department of Justice.
The Department of Justice occupies a special place in the fight to make Martin Luther King's dream a reality. Justice is not merely the Department's name -- it is its mission. And central to that mission is the vigorous enforcement of our nation's civil rights laws.
A half century ago, the Department formed a Division devoted to the cause of civil rights. Thanks in large part to Dr. Martin Luther King and the heirs of his legacy, including Coretta Scott King whom we also celebrate at this breakfast, it seems impossible today to imagine the Justice Department without the Civil Rights Division. In many ways, in just 50 years -- that is, within my lifetime -- the work of the Civil Rights Division has come to symbolize what the Department of Justice is all about. Through the Civil Rights Division, the Department of Justice has given real substance to Thomas Jefferson's declaration, which was shamefully disregarded in Dr. King's time, that we are all created equal.
The early days of the Civil Rights Division were a turbulent and violent time in our nation's history, a time when Martin Luther King's optimism in America and his commitment to non-violent social change were all the more remarkable. When James Meredith became the first African-American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962, the Civil Rights Division was there. John Doar, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, confronted Mississippi's Governor when the Governor resisted attempts to desegregate the University. After riots broke out on the campus, wounding 160 United States Marshals, Doar literally lived with James Meredith to ensure his safety.
Today's confrontations may be less dramatic. But, as in John Doar's time, those in the Department of Justice are vigilant in doing what law and justice require. Under the leadership of men and women like Grace Chung Becker, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and nominee for that position who is here with her family today, the Civil Rights Division remains at the forefront of the fight for equal rights and freedom for all.
The Division touches nearly every facet of American life, from education to employment, from housing to religious liberties, and from public accommodations to voting. This fall, for example, the Civil Rights Division will play a crucial role through monitors and other means in assuring that the laws are scrupulously observed as our nation chooses a new President. And the Division vigorously prosecutes bias-related violence and racially motivated official misconduct.
The Division not only deals with the injustices of the present; it also does not forget the injustices of the past. For example, last year, it secured the conviction of James Seale, a former Ku Klux Klan member, for two brutal killings in 1964. Such cases vividly illustrate Dr. King's observation that, as he eloquently put it, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
That the Civil Rights Division can continue to function as it does, pursuing the many cases it brings, in large measure gives testimony to the genius of Dr. King, who saw the law as the best instrument for beating back the evils of racial strife and group discord. When we think of what we have seen, and what we continue to see, in the history and experience of racial and religious discord in other countries that were not so fortunate as to have a Dr. Martin Luther King, we realize what horrors we were spared, and how blessed we were by his life.
Our progress has been slow, even fitful at times, even painful at times, and it came even at the cost of lives, including Dr. King's own, but the progress has been overwhelmingly peaceful, and by and large steady.
In the brief time that I have to serve as Attorney General, I intend to do what I can to continue, and to speed, this progress. In my first month on the job, I hosted a group of our nation's civil rights leaders, including Ted Shaw, whose career is itself a continuation on the path marked by Dr. King. I pledged to them, as I do now to you, that the vigorous, fair, and impartial enforcement of the civil rights laws is among my top priorities as Attorney General.
There will, of course, be moments of disagreement, as there have been. But I hope and assume that those disagreements will be rare. And it is important to recognize that any such disagreements are about means, not ends. Like Dr. King, we all share the goal of equal rights and freedom for all -- of fulfilling what Dr. King called America's "sacred obligation" and securing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as he put it, for all "God's children."
A little more than two months ago, when I took the oath as Attorney General, I declared that what the Department of Justice does is law. That may sound prosaic or limited, or ordinary, but it is better than the alternative, where the results depend on the opinion of one person or group of people as to what they feel is right. We don't do simply what seems fair and right according to our own tastes, standards, or political opinions. In each case, however large or small, we do what the facts and the law require, and the result is justice.
That is true for all of what the Department of Justice does -- but especially true in the area of civil rights. Civil rights is not, and must not become, an issue of black or white; Muslim or Christian; Republican or Democrat. The enforcement of the civil rights laws is, as Dr. King made plain, a universal moral command, a choice between justice and injustice.
In accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, Dr. King spoke of what he called "an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind." I share that faith. Not only because of the tremendous progress that our nation has made since Dr. King's day, when many Americans toiled under what he described accurately and eloquently "the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination." But also because there are too many good people like those who serve in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and those like Reverend Smith and the volunteers behind the Shiloh Male Youth Enhancement Project.
But Dr. King's legacy mandates more than just faith; it requires vigilance and action in the face of injustice. As Coretta Scott King reminded us, as she put it, "we were not put here in this greatest of nations to dream small dreams and perform insignificant deeds." I have committed myself to such vigilance and such action, and I ask for your partnership and your support in doing so. I think we owe nothing less to Dr. and Mrs. King.
And I thank you very much.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/
WINCHESTER, Va., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Shenandoah University will screen "Wit, Will and Walls: The Betty Kilby Fisher Story," a documentary based on a book, by Shenandoah alumna Betty Kilby, that describes her experiences as a 13-year-old plaintiff in the 1958 case to desegregate Warren County (Va.) Public Schools.
Kilby's case triggered massive resistance in Virginia when the governor closed the public schools rather than integrate them.
Her father, James William Kilby, was the driving force behind Betty Ann Kilby vs. Warren County Board of Education. A farmer and laborer and the grandson of slaves, he believed education was the key to a more prosperous life for his children.
Betty Kilby, representing black children across the country, was trained to walk straight and articulate in the courts her desire for an equal education.
The activism that her family embraced and the subsequent violence they endured for their beliefs shaped Kilby's life and the lives of those around her.
With the case won, Kilby recalled her first day at the school, "walking through a crowd of angry white folk, yelling racial and threatening remarks and aggressive reporters while the National Guard held back the crowd."
"I was a scared little girl," she remembered.
Kilby was banned from sports, other extracurricular activities and the prom. Teachers turned their heads when students harassed her. Law enforcement did the same when someone shot at the Kilby home, burned a cross on the family's lawn and mutilated their cattle.
The most traumatic event, one Kilby kept secret for several years, was her rape by male students at the school.
The girl once pictured in Life Magazine said she graduated from high school dispirited by poor grades and with a lack of confidence that she could pursue a higher education.
When her husband was wounded in Vietnam, she went to work, earning $2.10 an hour as a sewing machine operator. She then proposed a productivity method that earned her a promotion to analyst.
At her next job at Rubbermaid Commercial Products, she worked her way up to become the company's then-highest ranking black manager.
At Shenandoah University, where she earned a bachelor's in business administration, Dr. Warren Hofstra, professor of history, encouraged her to write about her role in history.
Kilby said, "It was the first time I realized I might have a story to tell."
She tried, cried and told her professor it was too painful.
Hofstra told her, "You must. You are a first-hand source."
With her master's degree, Kilby entered the airline industry and subsequently became a real estate principle with American Airlines, a job eliminated by 9/11.
"It became obvious then God had a plan for me to share my lessons," Kilby said.
Kilby established her corporation, Cultural Innovations, a diversity training company, and spoke about her life experiences.
"I was ready to share the trauma and the healing and write 'Wit, Will and Walls'," she said.
SU Television Director and Producer Paulette Moore was captured by Kilby's account.
"The way we see, relate and report to each other about race is still not working," Moore said. "Five decades ago the country settled its racial struggles through a series of legal battles. I believe that was just the first phase. Perhaps the unease we are experiencing now around race is telling us it is time to address these issues on another, more emotional or personal level. Storytelling is a way to do that."
The documentary features commentary by national scholars as well as original poetry by Ray Crawford, a poet and doctoral candidate at Howard University.
The university will also present a companion piece, "In My Grandmother's Footsteps," at the events. Produced by SU student filmmakers, the work features 16-year-old Tanesia Fisher, Kilby's granddaughter, who portrays her grandmother as a teenager.
Betty Kilby and her family, filmmaker Paulette Moore and SU student filmmakers will be at the screenings at three locations for discussion and interviews.
The dates and times of the screenings, free and open to the public, are in Virginia and Washington, D.C. on:
-- Monday, Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Josephine School Community Museum, 303 Josephine Street, Berryville, Va. (sponsored by The Barns of Rose Hill)
-- Wednesday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m., American University, Mary Graydon Center, Wechsler Theater, third floor, 4400 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, D.C. (sponsored by AU's Center for Social Media)
-- Thursday, Jan. 24 , 8:40 a.m. and 10 a.m., Johnson Williams Middle School, 200 Swan Avenue, Berryville, Va. (sponsored by The Barns of Rose Hill).
The project was funded by a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.
Please note evening and weekend phone number for Donna Hart to coordinate interviews with Kilby and Moore now and during Black History and Women's History months. Photos of Kilby and Moore are available.
Shenandoah University is a comprehensive Level VI private university with an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students in six schools: College of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, the School of Health Professions (Athletic Training, Nursing and Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies and Physical Therapy) and the School of Education & Human Development. The university offers more than 80 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. For further information, contact the Public Relations Office at (540) 665-4510 or visit http://www.su.edu/.
Source: Shenandoah University
Web Site: http://www.su.edu/
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