Racial Discrimination at the FDNY?

original story posted July 23, 2009

Ruled Wednesday by a New York judge, the city has been informally charged with discriminating against minorities when it comes to hiring firefighters. As it stands now, the department's work force is comprised of a mere 10% of Blacks and Hispanics.

There was an agreement across the board between U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis and the Department of Justice citing that these minority workers were unjustly blackballed during firefighter recruitment exams. The delegation was also joined by a group of Black firefighters that felt a sense of inequality during these exams in 1999 and 2002.

Garaufis stated that the exams were used by the city in order to

Black Man Dressed In KKK Outfit At City Council Meeting

Original story posted July 17, 2009

A man entered a City Council meeting dressed in a white robe and hood which resembled the suit of a Ku Klux Klan member on Wednesday. Upon request he refused to remove his attire before stepping up to speak.

The person behind the mask was African American male Michael Hunt and this would mark the second day that he arrived to the meeting in the apparel. Hunt had submitted a card in order to speak during the standard public comment period and was called to the podium by the presiding officer, Dennis Zine.

Zine asked Hunt to remove the hood before speaking and told him that he could not be heard by the council, but he refused and stated that his First Amendment rights allowed him to

Charles Bolden New Head Of NASA

original story posted July 17, 2009

Retired astronaut and Marines general Charles Bolden, 62, was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday as the administrator of NASA as the space agency celebrates the anniversary of when man first stepped on the moon. This will also mark the first time that an African American was chief of the U.S. space agency.

He will be the 12th NASA administrator since the agency was initially established in 1958 and will take the position that was held by engineer and scientist Michael Griffin prior to Bolden.

Veteran aerospace businesswoman Lori Garver will assume the role as deputy administrator. Garver, 48, was the lead civil space policy advisor to President Obama's presidential campaign. Prior to this she served as associate administrator from 1998 to 2001.

News of the confirmation of Bolden was announced shortly after the launch of

Kodak Settles Suit With Black Workers

original story posted July 20, 2009

To settle lawsuits made by African American workers, Eastman Kodak Co. has agreed to pay $21.4 million. The two suits stem from allegations of race discrimination as it pertained to pay and promotion.

Currently the settlement must be given the final approval by a judge to end the pending lawsuits against the company. Although the settlement was made, Kodak still holds that the company has committed nothing wrong.

Kodak spokesman Christopher has stated that the company has reached an agreement with the workers to not publicly discuss the settlement awaiting approval and it is a representation of a resolution of mutual interest.

The first suit stretches back to

Former Denver Bronco Sentenced In Drug Ring Conspiracy

original story posted July 20, 2009

Former NFL player Travis Henry was sentences to three years in prison last Wednesday on charges of financing a drug ring that circulated cocaine between Colorado and Montana. Henry formerly played as a running back for the Denver Broncos.

His initial sentencing could have seen Henry behind bars for 10 years to life as well as having to forfeit $4 million in fines. The fine was waived by the judge because Henry would not be able to afford the proposed amount.

Last October Henry was arrested by federal drug agents and he pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to

J. Cole Speaks on Debut Album

original story posted October 22, 2009

“The stuff I'm doing makes the mixtapes sound wack.”

J. Cole's rise in the Hip-Hop industry has been chronicled through his mixtape series.  With “The Come Up,” the North Carolina native put his foot in the door and threw his voice in the air to see if it would carry and it must have worked as he caught the attention of Jay-Z.

Most recently he dropped “The Warm Up” which showcased a glimpse of things to come now that he was back behind Roc Nation.  The tape also sparked one of his favorite verses to date on the track “The Badness.”

Before stepping up to the stage in Seattle, Cole was able to have a sit down during an interview and speak more about having the dream fulfilled when he joined forces with Hov.

“I think every up and coming rapper is usually like

Black-Owned Newspaper Fighting Recession

original story posted July 21, 2009

The Bay State Banner, Boston, Massachusetts' only Black-owned newspaper, will be taking necessary measures to ensure that the weekly publication does not suffer the fate of many other print businesses that have been shut down.

This publication has served as a vital source for news for the African American community that resides in Boston as its contents are generally geared towards the interest of that particular group. The focus provides coverage on the social, political and economic condition of African American people. It is an independent newspaper that initially surfaced in 1965 by Melvin B. Miller.

According to a recent audit, The Banner has a print circulation of nearly 34,000 and has a readership close to 150,000.

The recession has continued to rear its ugly head and took its toll on The Bay State Banner. As advertising revenue was starting