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Showing posts from May, 2012

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell joins NAACP and announces support of President Obama's endorsement of same sex marriage, but Powell stops short of endorsing Obama for president

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Colin Powell (left) and President Barack Obama By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) Colin Powell, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State under former president George W. Bush, and the first Black in those roles, last week announced his support of Democratic President Barack Obama's endorsement of same sex marriage, a rare position taken by a prominent Republican operative such as Powell, who had previously opposed same sex marriage. But Powell would not endorse the president as he did as a Republican in 2008, raising questions on whether he will or will not do so prior to the November 6 presidential election when Obama will square off with Mitt Romney, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party and the former governor of Mass., the first state to hand out licenses to people marrying partners of

First Lady Michelle Obama visits Cleveland to thank campaign volunteers and hold Obama campaign fundraiser at Progressive Field, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, State Sen Shirley Smith, retired judge and former county recorder Lillian Greene, Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGraph, Cleveland Councilman Jeff Johnson, others attend fundraiser

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First Lady Michelle Obama Below, the first lady walks the Terrace Room at Progressive Field in Cleveland on May 21 to thank volunteers for the Obama for America campaign before attending an afternoon fundraiser . (Photo by Johnette Jernigan) By Johnette Jernigan, Cleveland Urban News.Com  Staff Reporter ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) CLEVELAND, Ohio-Slim and poised, First Lady Michelle Obama, the most photographed first lady in American and world history, thanked a group of approximately 150 Obama campaign committee volunteers from Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs before attending an intimate fundraiser of roughly 250 supporters at Progressive Field on Mon. afternoon in Cleveland.   (Editor's note: Read First Lady Michelle Obama's comments midway through this article).      Campaign organizers said that the volunteers, who were invited as special guests to meet  the first lady,  have  made tons of phone calls and knocked on more

Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver Wins ABC's Dancing With The Stars, is second Black to win, watch the video of his electrifying and winning performance with pro partner Peta Murgatroy

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Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Donald Driver and his pro partner Peta Murgatroy. Driver won Dancing With the Stars Tues. night, the second Black to take home the coveted mirrorball trophy By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) LOS ANGELES, CA-Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver won ABC'S Dancing With The Stars 14th season mirrorball trophy last night, the second Black man to take home the coveted prize next to NFL player Emmett Smith.  Driver's limber pro partner Peta Murgatroy, who is White, was just as talented as the duo performed a free style country kickin dance during this week's finale that rocked the house and sealed their victory.  Driver, 37,  beat out his fellow finalists, Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins and Cuban actor William Levy.   Watch the video below of  Driver's electrifying and finale

Ohio lawmakers remove amendment to budget bill that required that Ohioans on food stamps be drug tested, Cleveland NAACP officials, Black Cleveland lawmakers like State Sen. Shirley Smith suggest that the bill is racist, sexist, elitist and unconstitutional, State Sen. Nina Turner had threatened a bill for Ohio lawmakers to be drug tested in response to requiring it only for poor people on food stamps and other welfare

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   Ohio State Sen.  Nina Turner, left (D-Cleveland) Ohio State Sen. Shirley Smith, right (D-Cleveland) By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) COLUMBUS, Ohio- The Ohio State Legislature last week removed an amendment added a day earlier to the budget bill that required that Ohioans on food stamps and other welfare be drug tested for potential illegal drugs in order to get or to continue getting federally allocated public assistance, a proposed state law pushed mainly by Republicans that some Ohio lawmakers and community activists say is racist, sexist, elitist, and an unconstitutional stretch that goes too far. "It's unconstitutional and targets Blacks, women, poor people and other minorities," said Dr. Eugene Jordan, an East Cleveland dentist, community activist and second vice president of the Cleveland NAACP. &quo

National NAACP passes resolution supporting President Obama's endorsement of same sex marriage, citing the equal protection clause of the14th Amendment, polls show Americans closely divided, most Blacks still oppose it, 31 states ban it, six states and the District of Columbia allow it

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By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) MIAMI, Florida-The national NAACP at its meeting yesterday passed a resolution backing President Obama's recent endorsement of gay marriage, saying that it is a Civil Right protected under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, though the equal protection clause, while recognizing people because of race, age, religion, national origin and gender as members of a protected class that can seek court redress for discrimination because of it, does not on its face pertain to sexual orientation. “The mission of the NAACP has always been to ensure the political, social and economic equality of all people,” said Roslyn M. Brock, chairman of the board of directors of the NAACP, in a press release. “We have and will oppose efforts to codify discrimination into law.” Benjamin Jealous, the

Black on Black Crime, Oppressed People's Nation, Carl Stokes Brigade, other activist groups to picket on Sat, May 19, 1pm at Cleveland Clinic's Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center in E. Cleveland,13944 Euclid Ave, over death of innocent Black woman shot looking at gunfight who died after the ambulance road pass Cleveland Clinic to take her further away to Metro-Health Hospital

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By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio-Community activists groups including Black on Black Crime Inc, the Oppressed People's Nation, Survivors/Victims of Tragedy, the Cleveland Chapter of the New Black Panther Party and the Carl Stokes Brigade will picket at 1 pm tomorrow, May 19, in East Cleveland in front of the Cleveland Clinic's Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center,13944  Euclid Ave, over a 44 year-old innocent bystander killed by a bullet to the hip when she was looking out the window at a  gunfight on E. 95th St in Cleveland two months ago. The contacts for the rally are Community Activist Art McKoy at 216-253-4070 and  Community Activist Judy Martin at 216-990-0679. Elissa "Goldie" Hereford was taken to Metro-Health Hospital and later died, and activists say that the ambulance road right by Cl

Cleveland community activist and Imperial Women Coalition member stabbed and seriously injured, she fought around the Imperial Ave Murders, the Trayvon Martin case, and against the theft of new born Black babies by Cuyahoga County officials to hand to affluent Whites, Cleveland, CMHA police ignored cries for help from stabbed woman and from community activists prior to the stabbing, activists want negligent policemen fired

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By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) CLEVELAND,Ohio-A community activist and member of the Imperial Women who fought for changes in public policy around the Imperial Ave Murders and attended rallies on that and other community issues such as the Trayvon Martin case was stabbed in the back and seriously injured last week allegedly by a teen whose mother was arguing with her over an ongoing feud between that teen and one of the stabbed woman's teen daughters. Angelique Cunningham, 39, was taken to University Hospitals Friday night and then flown by helicopter to the trauma unit at Metro- Health Hospital in Cleveland, a family spokesperson said. After nearly a week in intensive care with possible bleeding from her liver, she was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. The teen accused of the stabbing was arrested, taken

Updated Breaking News: First Lady Michelle Obama to visit Cleveland on Monday, May 21, event is sold out

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First Lady Michelle Obama By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com )   CLEVELAND, Ohio-First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Cleveland on Mon, May 21 for an 1:00 pm fundraiser reception at Progressive Field at 2401 Ontario St  in Cleveland, the Obama for America campaign announced last week. Progressive Field is the Cleveland Indians sports stadium, though no ball game is in session for that day. Tickets  for the event begin at $100 and it is sold out, Obama for America campaign officials said Sun. The telephone number to the Obama for America campaign headquarters in Shaker Square in Cleveland is 216-41 6-2017. Reach Cleveland Urban News. Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by telephone at 216-932-3114.

A one-on-one interview with CNN contributor and TV-One commentator Roland Martin on President Obama, Romney, and whether First Lady Michelle Obama is 'too Black,' latest CBS poll has Obama and Romney in statistical tie

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Roland Martin By Johnnette Jernigan Cleveland, Ohio-This is a one-on-one interview with CNN  contributor  and TV-One commentator Roland Martin, a nationally known Black political analyst. In this short but engaged interview Martin gives his views on the Democratic and Republican campaigns for President of the United States of America. He also discusses his take on the suggestion by some right wing conservatives that First Lady Michelle Obama is "too Black." President Barack Obama, a Democrat, will face former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party, for the upcoming November election for president. The below interview was undertaken during the heat of the fight for the Republican nomination for president and before Romney became the presumptive  nominee. It is  printed  here because it still has  significance  as America's Black community and others prepare for a showdown as to a tight race for the White Hous

Cleveland NAACP in quandry since former president George Forbe's resignation on whether to postpone June 23 annual freedom fund dinner

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By Kathy Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) CLEVELAND, Ohio-After accepting the resignation of former Cleveland NAACP President George Forbes two weeks ago amid controversy over whether he had resigned by letter last year or not, organization officials are now seemingly confused over whether the annual freedom fund dinner will go forward as previously planned for June 23 at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland. According to a story that ran earlier this month at Newsnet 5.Com, James Hardiman, a Cleveland attorney who by the group’s by-laws went from first vice president to president when Forbe’s resignation was ultimately acknowledged via a unanimous vote of the executive board, said that the freedom fund dinner has been postponed until an unknown date in Sept. But a woman that answered the telephone at the Cleveland NAACP offices on Stokes Blv

Political pundits, gay, lesbian rights activists in Ohio, Cleveland City Council members, community activists, Civil Rights leaders, Black community members react to President Obama's announcement to support same sex marriage

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United States President Barack Obama By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com ( http://www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com/ ) and ( http://www.clevelandurbannews.com/ )   WASHINGTON D.C.-   President Barack Obama publicly announced his support of same   sex marriage last weekend, causing a furor of debate over the controversial issue   and gaining accolades from gay and lesbian rights groups, Civil Rights activists such as former National NAACP Chairman Julian  Bond and political pundits like CNN Political Contributor Donna Brazile, who called the announcement “a historical decision for justice and equality for civil and human rights." And Cleveland area affiliates,  from Cleveland City Council members to community activists, spoke out, with many supporting the president, though Black preachers collectively remain homophobic. "He’s out of town but I can tell you that he does not support it,&