Ebonopolis
Haiti’s History as First Black Republic Creates Bond With African-Americans
A terrible earthquake anywhere in the Caribbean would have hit a sympathetic nerve in most Americans. But as the first black republic of the West, born when slaves overthrew white rulers, Haiti holds a unique place in the hearts of many black Americans.
In King’s Last Years, A Broadened Vision Emerged
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. shifted his focus in the dwindling years of his life to an audacious, but achievable goal: ending poverty in the United States. As we pause to celebrate this year’s national holiday in memory of King’s 81st birthday, it’s appropriate to recall the relevance of his final struggle to the contemporary fight toward ending poverty.
No Longer Majority Black, Harlem Is In Transition
In greater Harlem, which runs river to river, and from East 96th Street and West 106th Street to West 155th Street, African American residents are no longer a majority of the population — a shift that actually occurred a decade ago.
As African Americans Advance in Politics, Some Challenges
Ten months after Democrats took over the Capitol and the first African-American president moved into the White House, black lawmakers are in control of some of the most powerful positions in Congress - and face new challenges to using their long-sought influence.
Dinkins Administration Appraised, Through the Lens of 2009
Taking office in 1990, just as a Wall Street and real estate collapse pitched the city into deep recession, Mayor David N. Dinkins, the city’s first African-American mayor, stumbled more than once. But he also registered more successes than most New Yorkers realize, and so he laid part of the foundation for today’s New York.
Obama’s Justice Department Focuses on Civil Rights
Seven months after taking office, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. is reshaping the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division by focusing on some of the most important areas of American political life, including voting rights, housing, employment, bank lending practices and redistricting after the 2010 census.
A Missing Piece of the Health Care Debate
Opponents of health care reform have not hesitated to invoke race into the discussion. But why are health care reform advocates reluctant to point out that people of color suffer the worst inequities under the current system?
Survey Finds That Many Families Don’t Borrow for College
A new study by the Gallup organization for Sallie Mae, the nation’s largest provider of student loans, found that in the 2008-2009 school year, 58 percent of families did not borrow money for college. But Hispanic and African American people surveyed were slightly more inclined to borrow than their white counterparts.
Multiracial Americans Are Fastest-Growing U.S. Demographic
Multiracial Americans have become the fastest growing demographic group, wielding an impact on minority growth that challenges traditional notions of race. The number of multiracial people rose 3.4 percent last year to about 5.2 million, according to the latest census estimates.
With Nomination of Sotomayor, Other Trailblazing Justices are Recalled
President Obama’s nomination of the first Hispanic Justice to the United States Supreme Court is only the latest in the short string of waves that seem to always be created by women and black justices.
Black and Latino Homeowners Face Foreclosure Crisis
The recession has produced a foreclosure crisis in the America that has swept through the Northeast, particularly in the New York region. But that crisis is hitting black and Latino homeowners especially hard.
Cleveland’s Urban League to Close
After 92 years of operation, The Urban League of Cleveland is becoming a victim of the recession. The non-profit agency, which provides various programs for African American workers to enter the economic mainstream, announced that it will close its doors at the end of May.
Recession is Hitting Black and Latino Americans Hard
Even though recent new accounts that point to the fact that the recession might be coming to an end, black and Latino Americans are finding themselves still in a dire economic condition, with high levels of poverty and high rates of employment.
Economy’s Woes Aren’t Letting Up Yet
While there are signs that the recession might be reaching its bottom, there is still little to celebrate. “The economy is in shambles,” Columnist Bob Herbert writes that “The unemployment rate is expected to keep on climbing, like some monster form the movies, toward double digit.”
Detroit’s New Mayor, Dave Bing, Is Sworn In
Following the tumult of the last year, Detroit’s new mayor, Dave Bing, was inaugurated as the city’s new mayor. But he has some daunting challenges before him.
New Citizens, Mostly Latino and Asian, Are Reshaping California Politics
More than 1 million immigrants – largely Latino and Asian — became American citizens in 2008, an increase of historic proportion. And with nearly a third of those being in California, many say that the influx will transform the politics of the nation’s most populous state.
Cuba’s Treatment of it’s Black Citizens Criticized
A group of prominent African Americans, traditionally sympathetic to the Cuban revolution, have for the first time condemned Cuba, demanding Havana stop its “callous disregard” for black Cubans and declaring that “racism in Cuba . . . must be confronted.”
South Africa Plans to Expand HIV Treatment for Babies
The Administration of South African President Jacob Zuma recently announced ambitious new plans for earlier and expanded treatment for HIV-positive babies and pregnant women, a change that could save hundreds of thousands of lives in the nation hardest hit by the virus that causes AIDS.
Is Liberia’s Ruling Party Vulnerable After Loss in Local Election?
In a second round of voting, Geraldine Doe-Sheriff won an upset victory Clemenceau B. Urey, the candidate representing the ruling Unity Party, the party of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. And the winner said that the victory by her party, Congress for Democratic Change’s, was a harbinger for the country’s presidential election in 2011.
New South African Anti-Harassment Bill Worries Journalists
Journalists and their publications say they are troubled by a new anti-harassment bill approved by the cabinet of South Africa recently, saying it could place media workers in danger of criminal charges or damage claims simply for doing their work.
Ethiopia Seens Aid to Feed 6.2 million
Ethiopia said Thursday that it needs emergency food aid for 6.2 million people, an appeal that comes 25 years after a devastating famine compounded by communist policies killed 1 million and prompted one of the largest charity campaigns ever.
Global Financial Flu Catches Up With Africa
Nigerian financial institutions are in the grip of their own banking crisis. And if you deposit your hard earned money in a bank rather than under your mattress, then you need to be worried too, as swine flu tends to be highly infectious.
Kenya Set for Contentious Census
Kenya is preparing to hold its first national census for 10 years, amid controversy over a question which asks people to identify the ethnic group to which they belong.
Optimism Grows in Haiti with New Role by Obama and Bill Clinton
President Obama’s interests and Bill Clinton’s new role are producing something rare in the hemisphere’s poorest nation — optimism. While Obama has made clear his interest in Latin America and the Caribbean in general, Haiti in particular seems to have grabbed his attention.
Is Senegal’s Leader Grooming His Son?
Senegal’s parliament has approved a bill to create the new post of vice-president in the West African nation. According to the bill, the position will be a presidential appointee. The legislation has prompted opposition speculation that 83-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade is grooming his son Karim as a successor.
Zimbabwe Prime Minister Feels Pressure Within His Party
In his shift from leading the opposition to President Robert Mugabe to becoming prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai is starting to feel pressure from those within his own Movement for Democratic Change over the pace of power sharing.
South Africa’s New Leaders Seek Stability
South Africa’s new president, Jacob Zuma, names his cabinet recent. And the selections seemed to indicate a desire for continuity rather than any movement to the left, as some had hope and others feared.
