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The Diplomatic Corps in Ghana has expressed its admiration for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 elections, lauding his statesmanship and exemplary concession following the election results. In a move that took both the nation and the international community by surprise, Dr. Bawumia promptly conceded and congratulated President-elect John Dramani Mahama within hours of the polls closing, well before the official collation of results by the Electoral Commission. Dr. Bawumia’s swift and graceful concession has earned widespread praise both locally and internationally for demonstrating respect for democratic principles and contributing to the peaceful transition of power. In a formal letter to Dr. Bawumia, the Diplomatic Corps commended his actions, noting that his concession underscores his commitment to democratic values and his deep love for Ghana. “On behalf of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana, it is my great honour to commend a man whose actions continue to highlight the strength of Ghana’s democratic principles,” the statement, signed by Dean Maher Kheir, read. “Your unwavering commitment to the values of democracy, especially through your honourable concession in the recent elections, stands as a testament to your statesmanship and love for this nation. In moments of political transition, it is the strength of character and respect for the democratic process that define a leader.” The statement further praised Dr. Bawumia’s conduct, calling his graceful acceptance of the election outcome a significant contribution to Ghana’s standing as a beacon of democracy on the continent. “Your grace in accepting the outcome is not only a reflection of your integrity but also a profound contribution to Ghana’s enviable democratic credentials, which serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration across the continent,” the Diplomatic Corps noted. Highlighting the maturity of Ghana’s democracy, the Diplomatic Corps acknowledged Dr. Bawumia’s peaceful and dignified approach, underscoring the collective responsibility of all political leaders to uphold peace, unity, and progress. “The peaceful and dignified manner in which you have conducted yourself underscores the maturity of Ghana’s democracy and the shared responsibility of all leaders to uphold the ideals of peace, unity and progress for the nation,” the statement added. The Diplomatic Corps concluded by reaffirming the confidence of the international community in Ghana as a model for democratic governance. “Your actions reaffirm the confidence and trust the international community has in Ghana as a model for democratic governance. As the Diplomatic Corps, we applaud your example and encourage all stakeholders to continue strengthening this legacy.” The statement concluded with well-wishes for Dr. Bawumia, expressing gratitude for his leadership and contributions to Ghana’s continued development. “Let us celebrate Ghana’s democracy not just as a system but as a shared commitment to values that uplift its people and inspire others. We thank you for your exemplary leadership and wish you continued success as you contribute to the development of this great nation.”

Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next2024 Year In Review COMMENTARY BY DOPPER0189, BLACK KOS MANAGING EDITOR We’ve nearly reached the end of another long year. December is when we the editors at Black Kos enjoy looking back at the highlights of our writing throughout the year. We covered a lot of ground on Black Kos in 2024, from criminal justice to protest, crushing election and court losses, history and law, local politics and international events, from prose to poetry, as well as great black scientists and vile right-wing racists. But we have now come to the time of the year, when we the Black Kos editors take our annual holiday break. We will not be returning until Friday January 10th, 2025 . But before we go, I would like to once again thank everyone who reads and participates in Black Kos for continuing to support us. Putting these diaries together is both a group effort and a lot of individual work. I have always viewed it as a blessing that our diaries are so well received. But as for 2024, let’s look back at this year. One of the things I have always enjoyed is to spend a little time each year looking back at the great work this team has put together. Here are some of the highlights from this year’s edition of Black Kos. So on behalf of Deoliver47, Justice Putnam, JoanMar, Chitown Kev and myself, I would like to say thank you to all our readers. Have a safe holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you again in the new year. By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor Black people more than any other group in American history (with the exception of Native Peoples) have seen what are the consequences of the denial of democratic rule and the rule of law. Through out most of our history in the New World this was our norm not the exception. The US billed itself as a beacon freedom, liberty, and a government ruled by the will of it citizens. But from its founding in 1776 through two hundred years of slavery and then Jim Crow, the US denied some of it’s citizens the ability to exercise their fundamental rights. When I see scenes like this: My mind runs to the history of violence to deny the right to vote in our past. Scenes like this: Black Americans have seen and felt the consequences of the use of mob violence to distort and destroy democracy. As a student of history I also am aware of the 50th anniversary rule. When an event happens the 50th anniversary marks the turning point where more people alive where were not alive during that event than were alive. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Who asked Nikki Haley if America was a racist country? Nobody. She was questioned not about America’s racism but about whether her gawdawful party embraced it. A question she ignored, choosing instead to indulge in another act of sycophantic compliance. “See, MAGA universe, I am one of you! You are safe with me!” The Republican Party of the 21st century has become a profoundly unserious entity with sickeningly unserious, anti-intellectual leaders. Haley’s appearance on Fox (yet again), the adroitness with which she sidestepped the question she was asked so as to virtue signal to racists, all serve to remind us of the decaying mess that is today’s GOP. James Baldwin: “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Racism runs in the very bloodstream of this country, hence, we are talking today about “Nikki” and not “Nimarata” (a beautiful name, btw). Can someone ask her to explain why “Nikki” is more appealing than “Nimarata,” and to whom was she catering when she decided on the name change? The Comfort Zone Commentary by Chitown Kev Every once in a great while, my cousin likes to post various pictures of our family reunions followed by a question to those who read him: Can you identify the white people in this picture? Most (older) Black people instantly sense the purpose of the assignment and get the correct answer. Some Black people don’t and white people rarely get it. The correct answer is always... none . My family is simply a rainbow of beautiful people that range widely in skin tone. Now a little bit paternal side of my heritage. The earliest description of my now deceased father to my pre-teen friends was simply that he looked “like a white man only with nappy hair. ” (Probably this is because one of the only pictures that I have seen of him over the decades is a picture of him and my Mom , back when they were married, with the both of them wearing afros. I have extremely vague memories of my father’s father, my grandfather, and I probably remember my Granddad more for the whooping that he gave me because I would eat the black-eyed peas that Grandma fixed. But my mother has said that, even more than my father, my grandfather could have passed for white. I have talked about the day that I was in the main public library in Cambridge, MA when I went through their census files and found the census account of my grandfather on the 1910 census with my great-grandparents listed as “black” but my grandfather listed as “mulatto.” Which brings us to yesterday’s Twitter discussion of former Miss America and undisputed Diva, Miss Vanessa Williams. Commentary: African American Scientists and Inventors By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor On December 10, 1878, 16-year-old Osbourn Dorsey invented the doorknob and doorstop forever changing the way people around the world open and closed their doors. Details of when Dorsey was born remain scanty but historians who have been researching into his early life say he may have been born around September 19, 1862. His mother was Christina Dorsey and he had two siblings — Mary and Levi. His birth was listed in the Washington DC slave emancipation records from April 1862. Dorsey is listed in the records as “Osbourn Dorsey- son of Christina- Aged about eight months- ordinary size- dark complexion.” Records of Dorsey’s father’s early life are unknown. But what is known is that the former owner of the Dorseys, Mary Peter, asked for compensation after they were freed. Historians suggest that the Dorseys probably were the only slaves that Mary Peter had. They were initially the property of a family with the last name Washington. Mary Peter purchased the Dorseys in April 1861, before Dorsey was born. Mary Peter demanded $1,350 in compensation for the freedom of her four slave. Details from the 1880 census indicate that when Osbourn Dorsey was 18 years old, he resided with his parents, siblings and brother-in-law, Isaac Williams. His father and brother-in-law worked as butchers. His sister, Mary was six years older than him and was described as ordinary sized while his brother Levi was four years old and described as huge in stature. Dorsey was a self-taught inventor. He began his career as a blacksmith, but he soon turned his attention to inventing. Before Dorsey invented the door knob, people relied on some type of latch to close their doors, with others using leather straps as handles. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez In the month we celebrate the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on January 15, 1929, we also must honor and celebrate the lives of both his wife, and son who have joined the ancestors; Coretta Scott on January 30, 2006, and their son Dexter who passed last week, on January 22, 2024. The famous African-Americans website, has Mrs. Kings extensive bio : Born and raised on a farm in Perry County, Alabama, Coretta Scott (1927-2006) was introduced to the segregated society at an early age and lived a discriminated life for many years. Even though she attended a one-room school for low-income blacks in her neighbourhood, Scott excelled in her studies, especially music, and rose as a singer. Graduating from Lincoln High School, Scott was chosen as its valedictorian in 1945 followed by a scholarship from Antioch College, Ohio. Graduating as a Bachelor of Arts with a degree in music and education, Scott proceeded to her next institute, New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with a fellowship awarded to her name. In the early 1950s, the talented individual earned her second collegiate degree in voice and violin. Moving to Montgomery in 1953 with her husband who she met in her former institute, Scott began to get involved in the Civil Rights Movement while simultaneously working alongside her husband in the Baptist Church throughout the 1950s and 1960s. As an active member, Scott took part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, attended Ghana’s Independence Day in 1957 and traveled on a pilgrimage to India in 1959. She was also one of the civil rights workers to contribute towards the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Here’s a seven minute video version of her life story: x YouTube Video . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Let me confess up front that Taylor Swift is not on any of my playlists. None. Further, if I had the discretionary income, I’d have definitely gone to see Queen Bey’s summer concert; it would not have even entered my mind to go see Taylor. I’m outside her sphere of influence. But everything I’ve seen, heard, or read about her tells me that she’s beautiful, intelligent, kind, and compassionate—everything the MAGA universe is not. I have to admit that I got to exhale a little this week. I go on Twitter and there are no Black women trending in my home timeline. Glory be! A Black woman trending usually means that the hate brigade is out in full force. It really does take a toll on a body having to deal with the bile & vomitus of racists on the regular. It will be a short reprieve, I know, but for now, the haters are preoccupied with a white woman. For now, at least, Taylor Swift will be the most hated woman on their radar. The hate campaign against her will intensify in the next few weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, and then they’ll go back to doing what they love doing most: attacking Black women. Michelle Obama and Serena Williams will be masculinized & dehumanized. Meghan Markle and Kamala Harris will be called every sexist term their limited vocabulary can conjure up, while Letticia James and Fani Willis will have them frothing at the mouth for having the temerity to prosecute their dear leader. Colin Cowherd had an insightful video on this whole anti-Taylor Swift mania and it’s worth a listen. x WOW...thought I’d never be typing this out in my life but here we are....Colin Cowherd is out here dropping truth bombs about Taylor Swift and calling out her haters in a very worthwhile 4 minute segment on @TheHerd today 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rEFafzBSA6 — Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) January 30, 2024 I have one point of disagreement with what he said: “Judge people sometimes on the silly stuff that bothers them. It will tell you a lot about them.” To the people who are triggered and moved to commit stochastic terrorism by the sight of this particular white woman loving on her white boyfriend, this is not trivial. This is about their whole universe. These are the same people who hated Kaepernick for bringing attention to police violence and over-policing; they hate the singing of the Black National Anthem at the games, and they really, really hate anything deemed “woke.” It may sound counterintuitive, but the people who hate Taylor Swift are racists. The Wall Calendar Commentary by Chitown Kev One of the two essays that I have the pleasure and privilege of writing for Black History Month here at Black Kos usually has to do not with a historical event or with a person but the actual process of writing history, of historia in the original sense of the word as set down and orated by the “Father of History,” Herodotus of Halicarnassus; a set of known facts weaved into a narrative that may require investigation, a finding out, a witnessing, a knowing. Throughout my childhood, we would get monthly visits from our life insurance salesman, Mr. S. who, like my family, was born and raised in Alabama and migrated to Detroit at some point. His visits would usually last longer than it took to simply collect the money and, at some point, would include a nugget or two of facts or opinion or perhaps even myth about the history of our people, either before or after The Great Migration. For the New Year, we were always given a wall calendar by Mr. S. as a customer appreciation. Before placing the calendar on the wall, I would look through the calendar trying to remember as many of the President’s birthdays as I could but, really, I took an inordinate sense of pride that I was born exactly 200 years after John Quincy Adams, the 6th President of the United States. I noticed, at an early age, that the date June 3 was marked off with the name and minuscule portrait of a “Jefferson Davis”. I had memorized most of the presidents by that time through a reading of that calendar or by reading books or watching Schoolhouse Rock or something. I had no idea who this Jefferson Davis was or why his birthday was marked off on our wall calendars. I don’t think that I asked my Mom or Stepdad at the time because I already knew that their answer would be the exact one that I would receive when I came across a word that I didn’t know: Look it up for yourself. Commentary: Black Scientists and Inventors By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor Edmond Berger is believed to originally be from what is now Togo, West Africa, the date of his birth is unknown. Berger lived as a slave in the city of CumGyauy, Bolivia. Bolivia officially abolished slavery in 1825, when it gained independence from Spain. At some point after Bolivia gained independence Berger left the country. However, slavery in Bolivia continued until 1851. When the first internal combustion engines began to show up in the late 1700s, sparks began to fly, quite literally. The development of this type of engine became a primary focus for many interested in engineering. By the early 19th century, a variety of ignition systems had been developed, but hardly any found commercial success due to poor reliability issues. Edmond Berger, then living in France, is credited with conceiving and then inventing the first spark plug in 1839. Unfortunately, Berger never patented his inventio Before that, spark ignition engines typically used a moving switch (a fixed contact and a moving contact) inside the cylinder to produce a tiny low voltage spark. The Wright Brothers 1903 first flight engine used this method. Such a low voltage device does not work at high compression ratios. Higher compressions need a much greater voltage to jump the gap when a lot of air molecules (higher compression) are squeezed into the gap. Voices and Soul by Justice Putnam, Black Kos Poetry Editor I purchased and built my first crystal radio with an ear-set with funds gifted to me on my birthday in March of 1963. I was eight years old. It took a couple of weeks before the components arrived in the mail, and I set out to put the thing together. The radio was small and fit in the pocket of my coveralls, while a thin cord snaked its way to my left ear. We lived on the farm in Philomouth outside of Corvallis and I had many chores to do before the bus picked me up for school. That radio kept me linked to the world while I milked the farm's only cow, slopped slop for the pigs, fed the geese and chickens, collected eggs and churned butter from the cream of that only cow. The strongest frequency the radio picked up during those early morning duties was a station that broadcast local news, early morning weather and farm reports; and the conservative, baritone intonations of Paul Harvey ( "... this is Paul Harvey... good day!" ). I attended Saint Mary's Catholic School in Corvallis and like many Catholics of the day ( and even now, not so surprisingly), photographs of JFK were prominent at home and school. There was something about Harvey that bugged me as an eight year old. His halting, yet dulcet vocal delivery were pleasant enough, but the content of his broadcasts grated. Later that year, after the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, that killed four young school girls. Harvey attempted to diminish the tragedy by explaining that no matter how brutal the murders were, they were to be expected. Murdering four black school girls was an expectation in America? Even as an eight year old, I knew that wasn't and shouldn't be correct. A year later, a Great Uncle helped install the antennae for the short wave radio he gave me. I could now listen to the BBC, music from Paris and New York and I discovered Studs Terkel in Chicago. Though both Terkel and Harvey broadcast from Chicago, they were worlds apart. Terkel's interviews with Bob Dylan and Mahalia Jackson still resonate in a deep seated radio tape loop in the middle of my cerebelum. We never owned a television in Oregon, reception being poor or non-existent where we lived. When we moved to Southern California in the summer of 1965, when my father began a 35 year professorship at Cal State Fullerton, we purchased a television shortly after settling in. Later, we purchased one of the first generations of color televisions. I would match the news from the three broadcast networks with that of the BBC, that I listened to on the short wave radio, (it was a big argument about dismantling and moving the antennae from Oregon to California, but my dad prevailed on my mom that it was a good idea). I began to triangulate information before I even knew the word. It just seemed the prudent thing to do. As a child, I couldn't get enough information. It remains the same today. With each new technological advancement, the ability to gather info increases and I anticipate it strongly. “Black History is American History” Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez As we approach the end of the shortest month of the year, and corporations and organizations say goodbye to “Black History Month” till 2025, I’d like to point out that while the struggle to expand what was initially “Negro History Week” into *gasp* an entire month was successful, it is imperative that we fight to include our history into what is being taught to children, teens, and adults as well — all year round . This has been and will continue to be one of the goals of Black Kos. See this 2022 story: We cover Black history all year round, not just for Black History Month Also, last year I wrote this mini-rant and have not changed how I feel: Black Kos: You don't have to be Black to learn, teach, and honor Black History/American History None of us — should be ignoring what is happening not only in Florida, but in all the parts of the U.S. that house people who embrace and tout MAGA, KKK, and Nazi terrorist ideologies. If you are not-Black, you have even more responsibility to fiercely fight back along with us who are, since we.did.not.make.this.shit and we are not gonna be able to fix it and steer a path to sanity alone. Ultimately, unless you take on the battle as yours, you will eventually be harmed even more than we are. One of the beautiful things about Black Kos, is the bridges that are built here each week, between some of the Black members we have at Daily Kos and those committed folks who are majority not-Black, who come here and engage in the comments section. Thank you, you know who you are. Here’s hoping more readers will de-lurk, and introduce themselves. I realize that Carter G. Woodson is still not a household name for many readers, though I grew up with a framed picture of him in my home. I thought that today would be a great time to talk about him again — and honor him as the founder of this month. Commentary by BlackKos editor JoanMar While I was never a fan of Wendy Williams, I was aware of her and the place she’d carved out for herself in popular culture. She hosted a prominent radio show in the New York City/Tri-State market and then made a successful transition to television with the Wendy Williams Show. She was a force to be reckoned with. I thought of her as someone who was certainly bright and engaging, someone who was outspoken and not afraid to take up space, and that she seemed to be the type of woman who’d have her stuff together. I also found her to be mean, judgmental, and inconsiderate. As a rule, I don’t like gratuitously mean people. For example, I had an intense dislike for Joan Rivers. To this day, I blame her [Rivers] for the vicious misgendering abuse heaped on Michelle Obama every time her name is mentioned on Twitter. Wendy was nowhere as nasty as Rivers, but she did trade in meanness and became even more so as her show gained popularity. Wendy was at the top of her game, and then it seemed that everything came tumbling down. There was a public scandal surrounding her husband, there were rumors—and confirmation—of addiction battles, and other health concerns. Some people openly celebrated her humiliating fall from grace and viewed her problems as just desserts for her years of condemnation and criticism of celebrities fighting battles of their own. We learned that Wendy recently lost her mother, with whom it’s reported that she was very close. We also learned that she’s suffering from alcoholism, Graves Disease, lymphedema, aphasia, and dementia. At first, I was horrified at the idea that Lifetime may be exploiting this woman at her most vulnerable. The documentary was not flattering. She didn’t look good, and that’s putting it mildly. It’s not raining for her, it’s pouring. And Lifetime may not be the only one exploiting this woman. In addition to all of the aforementioned challenges, Wendy also has major money worries. Her bank froze her accounts, and she was placed under conservatorship or guardianship—not quite sure which, as they seem to be using the terms interchangeably. Something is not quite right with what’s happening with her money, but that’s not the focus of this diary. Your friendly neighborhood PSA: Be on the lookout for election disinformation Commentary by Chitown Kev Today is March 5, 2024, Super Tuesday, the day where elections will be held in 15 states in contests ranging from presidential primaries to statewide and municipal elections to ballot initiatives and probably, quite literally, to dogcatcher. Today is the culmination of a lot of GOTV efforts and also to misinformation and disinformation campaigns. So here is a friendly neighborhood reminder that Black people are the specific targets of disinformation campaigns. Marianna Spring /BBC Panorama and Americast The fake images of black Trump supporters, generated by artificial intelligence (AI), are one of the emerging disinformation trends ahead of the US presidential election in November. Unlike in 2016, when there was evidence of foreign influence campaigns, the AI-generated images found by the BBC appear to have been made and shared by US voters themselves. One of them was Mark Kaye and his team at a conservative radio show in Florida. They created an image of Mr Trump smiling with his arms around a group of black women at a party and shared it on Facebook, where Mr Kaye has more than one million followers. Unlike Ms. Spring, I have no doubt that there are yet-to-be revealed foreign influence campaigns attempting to dissuade Black voters that are in operation in places like St. Petersburg, Russia or Macedonia as well as home-grown efforts spearheaded by MAGA and even within Black communities Voices & Soul by Justice Putnam, Black Kos Poetry Editor She is a spectre, a ghostly presence that we can ignore until we can't. She is pushing a ragged shopping cart, she is stumbling with a cane, she is walking in the slow elegance of the elderly matron. Yet we don't see her, even though we move out of her way. She lives next door, down the street, across the river and under a freeway overpass. She is our mother, sister, cousin, aunt and grandmother. She might have been great once, but we don't see her, we don't hear her. We ignore her, until we can't. No one ever heard a small voice shout from the mountain top. It takes a large, resonant exuberance to shout a Story to the valley below. But before a Story is shouted, a Story must be learned so that the voice of the Ancestors can be heard in the laughs and shouts of the children as they dance in the sun. So that the confident shout can be heard far and wide, and deep in the Soul. This is not a small voice from a river deep and a mountain high. This is the voice of the first primordial suns exhaling universes full of plasma beats. This is the voice of cosmic waves in rhythm with crashing worlds in an endless void of time. This is not a small voice. . . . Dawn Staley is the ruling Queen of women’s college basketball Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez It’s Black Women’s history month in my book, and I decided to pay tribute today to a phenomenal Black woman in the world of my favorite sport — women’s college basketball. I’m a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) fan as well, and South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley has been part of both. I was delighted to see this tweet from our MVP Kamala Harris acknowledging Staley’s being named SEC Couch of the year, for the third time in a row: x Congratulations to @GamecockWBB 's Coach Dawn Staley on being named SEC Coach of the Year for the third consecutive time. You are a fierce competitor, a decorated champion, and an inspiration to so many across our nation. pic.twitter.com/AC4dLJ0230 — Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) March 6, 2024 For those of you who don’t follow sports, or perhaps not basketball, or women’s basketball, here’s her bio from the Pennsylvania Center for the Book Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar New York is a blue state. True, they’ve had Republican governors and mayors, but there are more than twice as many registered Democrats in the state as there are any other political party. In the last general election, Joe Biden beat the Cretin with over 60% of the votes. New York is definitely not trump’s country. How then do we come to have both New York’s Finest (cops) and New York’s Bravest (firefighters) be such ardent and vociferous supporters of the con artist from Queens? How does it happen that professional bodies, whose salaries are paid by taxpayers, do not reflect the opinions of the majority of the citizens of that state? Letitia James, in her capacity as New York’s Attorney General, attended a NYFD ceremony to honor that body’s first Black female chaplain and this happened: New York Attorney General Letitia James was booed and drowned out by chants of "Trump" on Thursday while delivering a speech at the New York Fire Department promotion ceremony. While speaking at the ceremony, James is heard thanking FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh just before numerous people in the crowd are heard chanting former President Donald Trump 's name. I have no problem with them booing an elected official. They are allowed to show their displeasure. I even understand their anger. Imagine this Black Woman having the audacity to take on their dear white leader and to actually emerge victorious against him! That’s just too much to swallow! I get it. What I had a huge problem with was the prolonged chants for the former racist-in-chief. It wasn’t just one or two people shouting out the name of the maladjusted buffoon; this was several minutes of sustained chanting. How can any member of a marginalized community in New York trust any firefighter after witnessing their public show of support for an avowed racist and xenophobe? Commentary by Black Kos Editor, Denise Oliver Velez You don’t have to live in Maryland to help focus attention on a key primary race for a U. S. Senate seat. The state of Maryland has a Democratic senatorial primary coming up, and the two top candidates at the moment are Angela Alsobrooks and her opponent, millionaire Congressman David Trone . The primary winner will probably face Republican former governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, who leads in current polling according to the Washington Post — since not enough voters know about Alsobrooks. We cannot afford to lose control of the Senate. You can help ensure that. The U.S. Senate currently has one Black woman sitting in a Senate seat, Laphonza Butler , who was appointed to “fill-in” Dianne Feinstein’s seat by California Governor Gavin Newsom. We are all aware, or should be aware that Black women are the backbone of the Democratic Party, and yet we have only had two Black women elected to the Senate in its long history. In 1993 Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois became the first, and the second was Kamala Harris, now our VP, who represented California in the Senate from 2017 to 2021. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Racists, especially emboldened MAGA racists, will never pass up on an opportunity to show and share their racism. It’s just what they do and who they are. Tuesday morning, we woke up to the news that the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland had collapsed overnight after it was hit by a container ship. While transportation officers were able to close the bridge before the impact, and thus save lives, workers on site were not that lucky. Six of them died that early morning. As often happens when tragedy strikes, the officials of federal, state, and local governments will hold press conferences and do their part to calm, reassure, and inform the public. And so it was that the country at large was introduced to the mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Maurice Scott. The 39-year-old mayor was elected in 2020 during the height of the COVID pandemic. Brandon Maurice Scott is an American politician serving as the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, since 2020. The city of Baltimore uses a strong mayor-council structure for their government, meaning Scott holds strong mayoral powers. He is the former president of the Baltimore City Council and was a candidate for lieutenant governor of Maryland in 2018, as well as a representative for Baltimore's second district. [3] On May 6, 2019, Scott was elected to replace Jack Young as council president after Young succeeded Mayor Catherine Pugh . [4] In September 2019, Scott announced his candidacy for mayor [5] and won the June 2020 Democratic primary. [6] Scott won the November 3 general election and took office on December 8, 2020... ... as expected, he won the November 3, 2020, general election in a landslide, with a nearly 3-to-1 margin over his nearest opponent He has drawn some high praise for his command of the issues and the masterful way he’s handled the reporters at the press conferences: Commentary: Black Scientists and Inventors By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor Anna M. Mangin made a major contribution to household needs in the 19th century. with her invention of the pastry fork. Anna was born Anna Matilda Barker in October 1844 in the state of Louisiana. On her 1877 marriage application, she listed her parents as Jacob Barker and one P. [Polly?] Shelton. Jacob Barker was a prosperous planter, merchant and politician who was in his late sixties at the time of Annie's birth. It is of note that Barker, a native of Maine, worked closely with Rhode Island merchant Rowland G. Hazard who, using Louisiana state laws, was able to free over one hundred Northern-born African-Americans who had been enslaved. It is possible that Annie arrived in Nantucket, Massachusetts through the ministrations of Barker, Hazard, and African-American minister, activist, orator and Underground Railroad conductor Charles Bennett Ray; it is known that Annie was taken in by Ray's sister, seamstress and business woman Elizabeth S. Ray and her husband, shoemaker and merchant Abraham M. Nahar, a native of Surinam. Annie was adopted by the childless couple and was known as Annie Mattie Nahar. In 1870, Annie returned to New Orleans, where she took on the position of principal of the Coliseum School. By 1873, she had moved to lodgings at the corner of Napoleon avenue and Dryades street. By 1877 Annie was the "principal of one of the McDonogh Schools that had been established from a bequest by a wealthy slave owner who left his estate for the support of free schools for children regardless of color" when she met Andrew Fitch Mangin, a thirty-four-year-old African-American native of Monroe, New York who was employed at various times as a coachman and a teamster. He was described as a man with "more than average natural shrewdness and intelligence." On August 17, 1877, Andrew and Annie married in New Orleans and moved to New York City where Annie embarked on a new career as a cook and as a caterer while Andrew went into business with his brothers and operated a hauling and moving business from a yard on Gold Street in Manhattan On January 7, 1879, Annie gave birth to their only surviving child, a son she named for his father. Beyoncé sings Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” and draws attention to civil rights history Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez It’s been crazy enough in this country with certain white folks going into major freakout mode over Beyoncé Knowles Carter, known to the world as simply Beyoncé, for daring to release a country music album. This outrage happened, completely ignoring the fact that Beyoncé is from Houston, Texas and grew up with the genre, which I addressed here in a recent story about zydeco . Now there is now yet another offense being laid on her Black feet and vocal chords. She’s singing “Blackbird” written by former Beatle Paul McCartney, and taking the song back to its inspirational roots in the civil rights movement — specifically the history of “The Little Rock Nine.” CBS News reported : Beatles legend Paul McCartney's praised Beyoncé's cover of the band's song "Blackbird," saying that it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired him in the first place. Last week, Beyoncé released "Cowboy Carter ," a 27-track country album that bends the genre. In it she included "Blackbird," which was originally written by McCartney in 1969 and included in the band's double album "The Beatles." "I think she does a magnificent version of it and it reinforces the civil rights message that inspired me to write the song in the first place," McCartney said in an Instagram post, on Thursday. "I think Beyoncé has done a fab version and would urge anyone who has not heard it yet to check it out. You are going to love it!" The 81-year-old rocker went on to say that he spoke with Beyoncé, who thanked him for writing the song and letting her do it. "I told her the pleasure was all mine and I thought she had done a killer version of the song," he added. Some folks on social media can’t leave well enough alone, and out themselves with max caucacity. Rather than being annoyed, there are times I love seeing trollish comments, simply because I get to be there there for the ratio. In this case, a person decided to “explain” Blackbird to Paul McCartney. x Someone just explained Blackbird to Paul McCartney 👍 pic.twitter.com/0wvyVD4vti — Chris Taylor (@christaylor_nyc) April 5, 2024 The theories, realities, and vibes of Blackness Review by Chitown Kev Reviewed: The Black Box: Writing the Race by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Penguin Press, 266 pp., $30.00 I know one thing: I have gotten sick and tired of (usually) young Black Twitterati making loud, bold and uninformed pronouncements that, ultimately, narrow the scope of the Black experience . The annoying thing is that they act as if they are posing original and even revolutionary arguments but as Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. points out in his latest collection, The Black Box: Writing the Race, Black people have been having these discussions amongst ourselves and with others (read: white people) since before the founding of the American Republic and Black people will, undoubtedly, continue to have these discussions. Dr. Gates “jumping off point” for this essay collection is the birth of his granddaughter, Ellie, who “will test about 87.5 percent European when she spits in the test tube” yet his son-in law accedes to Gates’ request to check the “Black” box on the required form certifying Ellie’s birth. Gates runs with the “black box” metaphor and extends it from its common usage of flight recorders that “preserve the record of truth amid disastrous circumstances” to Oxford English Dictionary usages to metaphors of how (mostly) African Americans have defined themselves to themselves and others. Over the course of these essays, which originated in Dr. Gates’s lectures in his Intro to African American Studies courses that he has taught at Harvard for many years, we run into well known literary pioneers like Phillis Wheatley, Benjamin Banneker, David Walker, Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, and Zora Neale Hurston, unknowns (at least to me) of the Enlightenment like the German Anton Wilhelm Ano, Francis Williams and even white people like David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Thomas Jefferson and the composer Antonin Dvořák. Gates first essay, “Race, Reason, and Writing,” deals with Phillis Wheatley and the (white) reaction to the publication of her book of poems, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. While receiving overall good reviews at that time as evidence that Black people could be every bit as intelligent as white people given the chance, the achievements and obvious intelligence of Wheatley and even older Black thinkers were dismissed by the likes of Enlightenment luminaries like philosopher David Hume, in spite of Hume knowing that “Black people could read and write” and “were intelligent, articulate, sophisticated, and aristocratic” or by Thomas Jefferson’s dismissals of Wheatley and any other abilities of African-descended peoples (other than...you guessed it, musical ability). It was from white criticisms and denial of the intellectual abilities of Black people that people like Benjamin Banneker, David Walker and Alexander Crummell saw development of a FUBU literature in response. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar I thought of Barack Obama as a once-in-a-generation politician. He epitomized everything I wanted to see in someone who’d seek public office. His speeches often moved me to tears; he was/is that inspiring. But yet, I’ve turned off the TV in disgust during certain of his speeches — like that first time he addressed AIPAC, or the time he used his speech to the NAACP to lecture Black men about fatherhood, and still another was when he addressed African leaders in what I thought was a particularly condescending fashion. Despite those disappointments, my support for him remained unwavering. He will forever be one of my all-time favorite politicians... one of my all-time favorite people. When Obama had to make the crucial decision of choosing a running mate, he aced it. Biden was a loyal and effective VP and did not at any time try to overshadow his president (unlike Hillary Clinton who as Secretary of State often used “I” when she should have used “President Obama,” or “The President and I.” What can I tell you, I notice small things.) By any objective measure, Biden has been a phenomenal president. He’s gotten things done, he’s carried himself with quiet dignity, he’s honored his campaign promise to nominate Black individuals to prominent positions, and more than anything else, he’s restored honor to the office he now holds and which was so defiled by its former occupant. And then the Middle East erupted and his response to it left me feeling betrayed. I was actually shook to my core by one particular response to a shouted question from a reporter. I could not believe his response. It was so cold, so utterly devoid of empathy, and so unbelievably callous that I was momentarily stunned. I refused to believe what my ears were transmitting to my brain. I could not reconcile that response with the man I believed him to be. So, where do I go from here? I asked myself. It was, ultimately, an easy answer. At his worst, Biden is a million times better than the stinky traitor on the other side. It is a stark binary choice. Case closed. Some tips for Black undergraduates nowadays Commentary by Chitown Kev I live roughly a mile from one of the student encampments protesting Gaza and I am about a ten minute el ride from the student encampment at my alma mater. I thought to do my journalistic duty and go check out at least one and, perhaps both encampments. Alas, the encampment nearest to me is now over . I’m frantically looking for updates about the encampment my alma mater but from what I’ve been reading at my old haunt, the Loyola Phoenix , the year is winding down and the has been no update for four days now (FWIW, I wouldn’t have covered any events like the political protest for the Phoenix , I covered the theatre beat). I have a grand niece, K., in her first year at university in Los Angeles, attending the school that has had one of the more raucous protests. I’ve resisted the urge to call her to hear what’s going down. Overall, I think that I’m more delighted to see these protests in support of the Palestinians than not. Considering that these students are now of eligible voting age (unlike most students in the 1960’s but very much like those students of the anti-apartheid protests of the 1980’s), if one feels so passionate about an issue that they want to see and affect change, go for it. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar One hundred years ago, some wise man wrote, “Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.” Whatever the legal complexities, the notion of someone facing 40 years in federal prison for “lying on a mortgage application,” especially as it has to do with accessing one’s own funds, seems far from just in my humble opinion. In November 2023, a jury found Mosby guilty on both counts of perjury. A jury returned a split verdict in February, finding Mosby guilty of one count of mortgage fraud. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 23, at which time, she could face up to 40 years in federal prison . The case: In their sentencing memorandum, prosecutors argued that Mosby’s actions were particularly egregious because she took advantage of the health crisis to withdraw money from her retirement account and buy properties when interest rates were low. Marilyn Mosby stepped on the national stage in the wake of the murder of Freddie Gray. Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury on April 12 when he was tossed around the back of a police van. He was shackled by his hands and feet but unrestrained by a seatbelt, which meant he couldn't protect himself from the impact as he crashed into the interior of the vehicle. An autopsy report, which was obtained by the Baltimore Sun's Justin Fenton , found Gray likely received the injury when the van suddenly decelerated. He died a week later, on April 19. After the malicious killing of Freddie Gray and the subsequent protests, the Justice Department conducted a year-long investigation into the Baltimore Police Department and the findings were downright horrifying . Still mad about it Commentary by Chitown Kev Sooooooooooo....because of a stay in the hospital, I had to chuck my Black Kos entry for today (but never fear... two weeks from today !). I’m OK, although I do have to watch myself. On extended hospital stays, I tend to choose certain TV obsessions. Last year it was Law and Order reruns. This past weekend, my obsessions were more divided between The Food Network, British mysteries on PBS, and, of course, the criminal trial of the shoe salesman in lower Manhattan. One of the major reasons that I voted for Joe Biden is that I hoped that I wouldn’t have to hear from the orange shoe salesman mofo again other than watching him and his crime family get perp-walked behind bars. There’s a very very slim chance that I may see the perp walk behind bars, still. But really, I’m just sick and tired of hearing about him. He dominates the airwaves as much as he ever has. He won’t stop criming! And there just may be enough people in the right places in this country to elect him POTUS yet again. All based on a platform of supremacy. White. Male. Faux Christian. I could add to the list but those are the major supremacies, I guess. When I think of these so-called “supremacies,” there’s another thought that occurs to me and has occurred to me ever since he rode down that escalator in 2015. The MOVE organization is often labeled as a black liberation group or a black power group, but it’s a bit more complex than that. The group's name, MOVE was not an acronym. The group was originally called the Christian Movement for Life when it was founded in 1972 by John Africa . After a protracted, contentious relationship with Philadelphia police, MOVE’s communal home was bombed in 1985, killing most of the inhabitants including children. 39 years ago this week, on May 13th 1985, Philadelphia police dropped an FBI supplied explosive device from a helicopter to try to gain entry to the MOVE group’s compound. The fire resulting from this explosion destroy 65 homes across 3 blocks. F irefighters, who had earlier water cannoned the MOVE members in an attempt to evict them from the building, stood by as the fire caused by the bomb engulfed the first house and spread to others, after being given orders to let the fire burn. B y the time the fire was extinguished, some four hours later, 11 people (including five children aged 7 to 13) died, with more than 250 people in the neighborhood left homeless. I first heard of this incident while researching police violence against African Americans for a college project. I remember being shocked at the time that this incident that had happened just 8 years earlier at the time, was widely erased from the public knowledge. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez While Donnie Dump’s trial in Manhattan has sucked up all the mainstream media coverage, let us not forget that Fulton County DA Fani Willis is still living with right-wing threats of violence, and is running for re-election — primary voting is today, in Georgia. In case you missed it, she did a one-on-one interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, in which she talked frankly about her situation, and her determination to keep on keepin’ on — as DA, and to continue to bring the former President to justice. x YouTube Video The Daily Beast reported on the interview: Fani Willis Tells Maddow: ‘Should Feel Sorry’ for Those Attacking Her Amid death threats and Republicans at the state and federal level throwing sand in the gears of her Trump prosecution, the Fulton County DA said she would not be deterred. Foxy and Fabulous Review by Chitown Kev Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema by Odie Henderson Amber Press, 292 pp., $27.00 Boston Globe film critic Odie Henderson ’s Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema sent this reader on a bit of a nostalgic trip, reminding me of why it is a great thing to be a Generation X denizen born in the late 1960’s. True enough, I consider 1980s culture to be the culture that my generation had the largest role in forming; indeed, it was the 1980’s that gave Generation X its name. But I remember most of the 1970’s even if I was, for the most part, a very young observer. I have no memory of the assassinations of 1968 and civil unrest. I grew up with an innate sense that “Black is Beautiful” (even if I didn’t think that I was beautiful, I knew that we were) and we looked even more fabulous in our bell bottoms, platform shoes and Empire State Building-high Afros (some of those Afros were wigs, y’all). I vaguely remember the conversion of the Motown sound into the grittiest of what I know to be soul music. In 1974, I saw Diana Ross get butt-naked in Mahogany on the drive-in movie screen. On that same drive-in movie screen, I watched and remember quite a few of the larger than life Black folks in the “Blaxploitation” movies that Mr. Henderson discusses. Mr. Henderson begins his discussion of blaxploitation films by identifying the first movie in the genre. He considers films such Mario Van Peebles’ Watermelon Man , the little-known (and unreleased) Stop! by Bill Gunn before naming the Ossie Davis-directed take on the Chester Himes novel Cotton Comes to Harlem. x YouTube Video It was the release of Shaft in 1971 that “provided the blueprint for many Blaxploitation movies to follow.” Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Oppressors have consistently relied on members of the oppressed class to promote and legitimize their repressive policies. History is replete with examples of those who were only too willing to dog out their communities for 30 pieces of silver or less. "There are Negroes who will never fight for freedom. There are Negroes who will seek profit for themselves alone from the struggle. There are even some Negroes who will cooperate with the oppressors.... Byron Donalds is one such Negro. The man has big dreams. Talk on the streets is that The Convicted Felon is dangling the role of VP in front of him, so of course he’s gonna be tap dancing fast and furiously for his puppeteers . He can’t allow uncle Tim to have all the fun now, can he? “You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together,” Mr. Donalds said. “During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative — because Black people have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively.” CNN’s Abby Phillips, a highly intelligent woman stuck in a dull and predictable show format, interviewed the wannabe sociologist, and it was hilarious. I was among the few thousand viewers she had who lingered to watch the spectacle. When confronted with his own words, the tool responded by accusing Democrats of gaslighting and deliberately misrepresenting his carefully crafted words. Said he, “I am, obviously, one of the better communicators in the Republican Party. I know how to put words together. I do it very, very often.” Haha! I hope the Convict saw that. But seriously, we are seriously screwed if he is one of the “better communicators” in one of the two major political parties in the land. To be fair, his was a difficult task: see, he had to deny that he said what he’d said, while simultaneously maintaining that Black people were indeed better off in the 19th century. His masters would be very unhappy were he to deviate from the core message. Caught between Scylla and Charybdis, he did what bullshitting politicians always do: bloviated his way through the interview. The politics of race and gender are part and parcel of women’s basketball Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez Longtime fans of women’s sports, women’s college basketball and professional ( WNBA ) play, are very familiar with A’ja Wilson , whose statue in South Carolina is depicted above. Wilson, who was born in SC on August 8, 1996, played for the 2017 women’s college championship team, the South Carolina Gamecocks and won the most outstanding player award that year. She was considered to be the best player in women’s college basketball in 2018, winning multiple awards, and was the number one WNBA draft pick, selected by the Las Vegas Aces , who with her teammates won the WNBA championship back to back in 2022, and 2023. Folks who know, love and follow women’s basketball consider Wilson to be the best player in the league. Here are her recent highlights, where she became the only player in WNBA league history to score 36 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 steals in a game. x YouTube Video Beyond basketball, Wilson is also the author of a new book, “ Dear Black Girls, How to Be True to You ” which she talked about on this episode of The View: Great scientist and inventors - dopper0189,Black Kos Managing Editor Benjamin Banneker (1731 – 1806) was an African-American naturalist, mathematician, astronomer, almanac author, landowner, surveyor, and farmer. Banneker had little or no formal education and was largely self-taught. He became known for assisting Major Andrew Ellicott in a survey that established the original borders of the District of Columbia. Banneker's used his self taught knowledge of astronomy to author a commercially successful series of almanacs. He corresponded with Thomas Jefferson on the topics of slavery and racial equality. Abolitionists and advocates of racial equality promoted and praised Banneker's works. Banneker became a folk-hero after his death. Although a fire on the day of Banneker's funeral destroyed many of his papers and belongings, one of his journals and several of his remaining artifacts survived. The names of parks, schools and streets commemorate him and his works, as do other tributes. Banneker was born on November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland, to Mary Banneky, a free black woman, and Robert, a freed slave from Guinea who died in 1759. However there are two conflicting accounts of Banneker's family history. Banneker himself and his earliest biographers described him as having only African ancestry and none of Banneker's surviving papers describe a white ancestor or identify the name of his grandmother. However, later biographers have contended that Banneker's mother was the child of Molly Welsh, a former white indentured servant, and an African slave named Banneka. The first published description of Molly Welsh was based on interviews with her descendants that took place in 1836, long after the deaths of both Molly and Benjamin. According to that story, Molly purchased Banneka to help establish a farm located near the future site of Ellicott's Mills, Maryland, west of Baltimore. Banneka may have been a member of the Dogon people , who several anthropologists have claimed had an early knowledge of astronomy (see Dogon astronomical beliefs ). The name "Bannaker" may have had the same origin as that of Banaka , a small village in the present-day northwestern Liberia that had once participated in the Transatlantic slave trade. Voices & Soul by Justice Putnam, Black Kos Editor The Song which is America is harmonized by many diverse voices. Some of those voices sing America from an unbridled joy deep within them, while others sing America from the constant anguish brought by generation after generation suffering under the manacle and the lash, a sad refrain sung from that inner pain brought from the loss of ancestry and Home. The melodies of both interweave and play a coda on the landscape and the Soul of America. It is on that landscape that the first faint strains of the Song that is America became the forceful tacet of an American Exceptionalism. A certainty of purpose, a zeal, an almost religious devotion to save those not touched by the benevolence of an American God on high, transubstantiated through an imperial noblesse oblige and granted by the chosen ones to those lucky enough to be caught up in the net and displayed on the auction block. It is the Greek chorus weaving among Georgian colonnades singing that they must be saved and it's for their own good. And God knows, it’s for their own good. Even if they don’t know how good they got it, or how good it’s going to get. Good God knows they must be saved from themselves, and Good God knows just the right, prayerful people to do the saving. Good God Almighty knows. Just ask them. They’ll tell you. Congrats David Lammy! Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver Velez Was delighted to see that in the Labour sweep of elections in the UK, that one of the results is that David Lammy is now the new Foreign Secretary, From Lammy’s bio: David was born in Tottenham on 19th July, 1972, one of five children raised by a single mother. At eleven years of age, David won a scholarship as a chorister to attend a state choral school at The Kings School in Peterborough. He came back to London in 1990 to study law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Law School. Admitted to the Bar of England and Wales in 1994, David became the first Black Briton to study a Masters in Law at the Harvard Law School in 1997. David returned to England and stood as a Labour candidate for the newly created Greater London Assembly, securing a position as the GLA member with a portfolio for Culture and Arts. Following the sad death of Tottenham’s longstanding MP Bernie Grant, David was elected as Labour MP for Tottenham at the age of 27 in June 2000. Jenny Gross just wrote for The New York Times: Who Is David Lammy, Britain’s New Foreign Secretary? Mr. Lammy has deep ties to the United States and campaigned for former President Barack Obama. Do you have that "fire in my belly?" Commentary by Chitown Kev I arrived in Baltimore late Thursday morning, July 11, as my transportation woes continued. I missed my early morning volunteer stint at Netroots Nation. I did my afternoon volunteer shift but was still a little po’d that I missed my mid-morning shift even though I was able to reschedule that volunteer shift for Saturday afternoon. And while I hoped to see one particular keynote speech, I could not remember when that keynote was supposed to take place. After my afternoon volunteer shift, I decided to wind down; I don’t remember if I went and got a bite to eat and I really did not feel like going to the keynote speech for the night but, as there was a opening night reception (free food!!!!!), I decided that I may as well go to the keynote speech as I was waiting for the reception. And the free food. As soon as I walked into the room, they announced the keynote speaker. It was the one speaker that I wanted to hear at Netroots more than anyone else. New York Attorney General Letitia James. x YouTube Video What a welcome and surprise birthday present! My anger and anxieties about all of my transportation drama melted away. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Don’t you just know it? A Black man, totally unconnected to the attempted assassination, ended up paying with his life for the actions of the white perpetrator. Samuel Sharpe Jr. may or may not have been in the throes of a mental episode, his actions are not my primary concern. Out-of-town cops, with guns drawn yelling at someone to “drop the knife” must know that there’s no guarantee that their commands will be obeyed. Especially if mental illness is involved. Why were they screaming? Why was their first instinct to use deadly force? What about stun guns? Did they consider the possibility of hitting the other combatant? Witnesses told WISN 12 News two homeless men were fighting in King Park, and one of them pulled a knife out. The witnesses said the men were startled when so many officers responded. Witnesses say the man with the knife was fired on by numerous officers. The cops who killed Samuel Sharpe were from Columbus, Ohio and sent to Milwaukee to beef up security for the MAGA-Klan convention in wake of the attempted assassination. What could go wrong? A Milwaukee police officer “would have known, no, no, no this is King Park, this is a known area for homeless to camp out, lots of folks with mental disabilities in here, tread carefully, de-escalate,” said Milwaukee Alderman Robert Bauman, who represents the district where the shooting happened. Don’t sleep on the power of the Divine 9. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver Velez A few years ago, I realized that something I took for granted wasn’t understood by most of my white friends. They didn’t know much, or anything at all about “The Divine 9” and the role Black sororities and fraternities play in my community. They tend to think of frats and sororities as something out of the film “Animal House.” My mom was a member of Delta Sigma Theta, my dad of Kappa Alpha Psi, my mom’s older sister was an Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) and her husband was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. In 2019 I wrote a story, FYI Democrats: 'The Divine Nine'—black sororities and fraternities 101 which detailed the history of Black “Greek” organizations and their role in our communities. Howard University women who founded the first black sorority For more on the history, I encourage you to visit the Smithsonian’s website documenting The Historical Legacy of the Divine Nine. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors the giants who came before us. By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor Shirley Anita Chisholm ( November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional district , a district centered in Bedford–Stuyvesant , Brooklyn for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. Her motto and title of her autobiography— Unbought and Unbossed —illustrates her outspoken advocacy for women and minorities during her seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1972, she became the first black candidate for a major-party nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Throughout her career, she was known for taking "a resolute stand against economic, social, and political injustices," as well as being a strong supporter of black civil rights and women's rights.” With Kamala Harris’ historic candidacy, I thought it would be an opportune time to look at the shoulders of a historic giant that VP Kamala’s candidacy is standing on. Without Chisholm’s historic candidacy, Harris’ campaign would have been different without this historic trailblazer setting the path. Chisholm set the stage for future Black women to hold public office. In 2020, Kamala Harris became the first African American woman to be nominated as the Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate of the United States. In speeches, Harris credited Chisholm as a motivating force for her political success. While Chisholm did not win the nomination she set the stage for African American women in politics. You know what’s weird? Commentary by Chitown Kev OK, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I don’t have all that much in the tank today to review.a book or to do a well-researched piece. Well, I am researching a piece and I can show you the photographs of a page and a half of the Oxford English Dictionary to prove it. Anyway, the MAGA folks— the “Fu*k Your Feelings” crowd— are really angry and so so highly offended that they’re being called “weird” by a coalition of people of color, some artsy types, dirty fu*king hippies, and others? Really ? I would guess that I have been called a “weirdo” for over 50 years now. (And I am still in my 50’s.) For various reasons, I would guess, and by nearly everyone: family members, fellow students, my peers as an adult. It used to hurt my feelings quite a bit but at some point in my 20’s, I figured that I wasn’t getting any less weird and I had no designs to hurt anyone or anything...so I decided to let things be, stop trying to “be normal” and live. And that took unlearning a lot of things. As a result, I embrace the label “weirdo,” nowadays. Commentary by Black Kos Editor, Justice Putnam I think often of Landscape. I think of the Landscape observed from a 60th floor penthouse suite overlooking Central Park, and I think of the Landscape observed from the upstairs window of a childhood home along the Berkeley/Oakland border. It is said all life is suffering, but it is an "exceptional" kind of Suffering found peculiarly within the borders of an expanding American exaltation that would claim a suite on the 60th floor of a Central Park-view suite is the life of agony and an excuse for grievance. Because I think of a little girl feeling Joy from the sting of an icy winter blowing across the crowded hilly streets and the lonely flatlands to the Bay of this Suffering Life. I think of the small and great slights she learned and how she navigated the systemic racism and misogyny that apparently does not exist. Ask any racist and misogynist, they’ll tell you, It did not defeat her or bend her to the false idol of capitulation. She simply remains joyful. And they hate her for it, but it is the reason we love her. We are allowed to be joyful, we are allowed to call the weird for what it is. And we don’t have to take their pearl-clutching criticisms and let it paralyze us. No matter how they couch them. Enough is enough Commentary by Chitown Kev At some point in the middle of the night as I was preparing today’s Abbreviated Pundit Roundup, I ran across this X/Twitter post. “We Charge Genocide?” So original . I generally try to steer clear of the Israel/Palestinian/Gaza/Hamas conflict in my work. I have linked to many stories about Israel’s war with Hamas since October 7, 2023 when Hamas massacred ~1,100 people of Israeli and other national origins in a number of kibbutzim along Israel’s border with Gaza and the Nova Music Festival. Israel has a right to defend itself, yes, but I also think that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the IDF, and his far-right acolytes have gone far far far overboard in seeking retribution for that most heinous of crimes, killing tens of thousands of innocent Gazans and even not an insignificant number of Palestinians that live in the West Bank. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez Given the mainstream media bias and disinformation we have seen levied against Democrats; POTUS Biden and VP Kamala Harris in particular, it has been clear that one of the major groups of people who have been pushing back against the lies, fabrications, bots and trolls, have been online social media creators and influencers, many of whom are Black, who have followings on platforms like Twitter (now X), TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Initially, the group we have come to know as “KHive” was doing much of the heavy lifting, but they have been joined by many others. For first time in our political history, the Democratic Party has opened its convention to facilitating social media content creators announcing : As Americans continue to consume information and content in new and changing ways, the convention team is committed to offering a dynamic, inclusive experience that will reach Americans within and beyond the United Center. Content creators can apply to receive media credentials that will provide access to key spaces across the United Center throughout the four days of the convention. Similar to traditional media, the DNCC will provide credentialed creators with logistical assistance tailored to their needs, allowing them to cover the convention, connect with surrogates and VIPs, and share the convention experience with their audiences in a way that suits their media consumption and sharing styles. The DNCC will also provide access to convention video clips and content to creators and traditional media alike who will cover the event remotely Democratic National Convention to Credential 200 Content Creators in Chicago Commentary by Black Kos Editor JoanMar I must admit that I wasn’t totally sold on Michelle Obama’s famous call to action, “When they go low, we go high.” While I love the idea of restoring decency to our politics, I have also felt that, especially given the character of the malignant orange traitor on the other side of the partisan divide, when he goes low we go even lower and kick him even harder — particularly when our counterattack is rooted in truth. “His limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard-working, highly educated, successful people who happened to be Black.” In fairness to our former FLOTUS, I know that the Obamas didn’t just talk the talk; they actually practiced what they preached. I remember Democrats begging nominee Obama to hit back in kind and go even harder at his opponents as they flung the worst their fetid imagination could conjure up at him. Remember his, “Don’t boo, vote!” admonition? We couldn’t even gotdamn boo, for goodness sake! Because the vast majority of us do not want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided. We want something better. We want to be better. And the joy and the excitement that we’re seeing around this campaign tells us we’re not alone ... But constantly going low is exhausting work. It saps the energy and alters the character of those who aren’t natural born deplorables. Worst of all, it remakes us in their image, leaving us soulless, hateful and devoid of joy. Dred Scott? Really? Commentary by Chitown Kev Perhaps I’m neither shocked nor surprised that a group called the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) would cite the infamous 1857 U.S. Supreme Court decision Dred Scott v. Sandford in its bid to deny Vice President Kamala Harris the eligibility to run for President of the United States. But I should be. We all should be. Allison Gaines /Level Man For those unfamiliar with the case, Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, sued for their freedom in the St. Louis Circuit Court in the spring of 1846. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court halted their efforts. Since “his ancestors were imported from Africa and sold as slaves, he is not a citizen of the State of Missouri,” and as such, “not entitled to sue,” justices argued. Their decision extended to “any free Negro of the African race, whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as slaves.” While some enslaved people successfully sued for their freedom, such as Elizabeth Key Grinstead in 1656 and Elizabeth Freeman in 1781, the Dred Scott v. Sandford case was a brutal legal attack on the abolition movement, a setback that meant courts would not consider Black people citizens. Despite the first Africans arriving in the Spanish colony of Florida in 1513 and the British colony of Virginia in 1619, their enslaved status initially excluded the group from citizenship. However, the interpretation shared in Dred v. Stanford broadened that exclusionary interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, suggesting that neither one’s freedom nor birthplace made someone a citizen, especially when the status of one’s parents was concerned. Simply by virtue of having enslaved African ancestors was sufficient to deprive someone of citizenship, according to Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. In the case of Kamala Harris, some Republicans believe she’s ineligible because of her parents’ status. Of course, Taney’s exclusionary citizenship ended generations ago with the passage of the 14th Amendment. This Reconstruction Era legislation declared that “all persons born or naturalized in the United States” are “citizens of the United States and the State wherein they reside, making Black people, even those with enslaved African ancestors’ full-fledged citizens. To the ire of some, this legal status also extends to the children of immigrants. Celebrating Soul Food BY DOPPER0189, BLACK KOS MANAGING EDITOR Soul Food is a term used for an ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States. Many of the various dishes and ingredients included in "soul food" are also regional meals and comprise a part of other traditional Southern US cooking. The style of now known as soul food originated during the times of American slavery. African slaves were given only the "leftover" and "undesirable" cuts of meat from their masters (while the white slave owners got the meatiest cuts of ham, roasts, etc.). Finding tasty but creative uses of this food, combined with traditional methods they brought with them from the African continent gave birth to this cuisine. Soul food is common in areas with a history of slave-based plantations and has maintained popularity among the Black American and American Deep-South "cotton state" communities for centuries; it is now the most common regional cuisine in southern cities such as Charleston, South Carolina, New Orleans, Houston, Charlotte North Carolina, Birmingham, and Atlanta. Traditional soul food influences can be commonly found as far north as Richmond Virginia, as far east as Jacksonville Florida, and as far west as Houston. During slavery, besides the "leftover" meat cuts, slaves on American plantations only had vegetables they could grown for themselves in small gardens. After emancipation, most newly free African Americans, being poor, could only afford “off-cuts” of meat, along with offal. Farming, hunting and fishing provided fresh vegetables, fish and wild game, such as possum, rabbit, squirrel and sometimes waterfowl. The intersectionality of African food preparations preserved by being passed on from generation to generation, Jim Crow laws that prevented equal access, and an innate innovative survival culture, all shaped the development of soul food. Africans living in America at the time (and since) more than made do with the food choices they had to work with. The discussion of Trump and sundown towns should include how segregated we still are. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez There have been several stories posted here in the last few days, addressing the whole issue of where Donald Trump has been campaigning, and whether or not his campaign stops have been in “sundown towns”: Trump is visiting a succession of 'Sundown Towns' Trump's "Sundown Town" habit, may not be what it appears The issue has erupted on social media as a response to a TiKTok reel, from speakthetruth101 , which former Daily Kos community member Propane Jane responded to, on Twitter: As Propane Jane points out, there were many responses from people who were not familiar with the “sundown town” term, which held true in many of the comments made here on Daily Kos. So here’s a brief explainer and a link to the data: Dedicated to James W. Loewen (1942-2021), author of Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism , this Historical Database of Sundown Towns is an eyeopener for many folks. Farewell to The Voice Commentary by Chitown Kev James Earl Jones, who passed yesterday at the age of 93 , was one of the most famous voices in the entire entertainment industry. Certainly, his is the best remembered voice in what some have said is the most famous scene in movie history. x YouTube Video To this day, I still remember stunned, shuffling, mumbling voices in the movie theater when Vader announced that he was the father of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars . My favorite scene of the voice of James Earl Jones as Vader is actually in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi . x YouTube Video I didn’t realize it at the time but Anakin Skywalker reappeared the moment his son called him “Father.” You can hear it in The Voice (and in the moves of David Prowse). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Black Kos, Week In Review: The attack on Haitians is an attack on ALL Black & Brown people — Friday September 20 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar I’d love to see a journalist challenge the lowlife conman from Queens to explain the Louisiana Purchase. I’m willing to bet my dinner money that he knows nothing about the single greatest U.S. acquisition and even less of the events that led to it. What does that have to do with Haiti or Haitians, you may ask? Well, were it not for the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of Black Haitians, the United States would be half its current size, and many of those boasting about being Americans today would be French. The Louisiana Purchase was one of history’s greatest bargains, a chance for the United States to buy what promised to be one of France’s largest and wealthiest territories and eliminate a European threat in the process. But the purchase was also fueled by a slave revolt in Haiti—and tragically, it ended up expanding slavery in the United States . It would have seemed unthinkable for France to cede any of its colonial territories before 1791. The superpower had built a vast network of colonies in the Americas, capitalizing on European tastes for coffee, indigo and other commodities.None of these held a candle, though, to sugar, which dominated French colonial holdings. And St. Domingue, which is now known as Haiti, was one of the great sugar capitals of the world. A full 40 percent of Britain and France’s sugar, and 60 percent of its coffee, was produced in Haiti, and the lucrative market lent itself to a particularly brutal slave trade. Nowadays, Haiti is known as the poorest country in the Americas, which racists gleefully point to as evidence of Black people’s inability to govern and, even more damning, as proof of intellectual inferiority. How Haiti came to be in this position is as a direct result of the need to make that country and its people pay for daring to defeat one of the mightiest armies of all time — the French army under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Historians describe Bonaparte as “a military genius and one of the finest commanders in history.” Yep, Haiti was not always poor. Indeed, it was “known as the Pearl of the Antilles” and “the greatest jewel in imperial France’s crown.” Haiti, or Saint-Domingue as it was known then, was a global leader in the production of sugar, coffee, and other crops which made the island one of the most lucrative colonies in history. A “shithole country” it was not. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Black Kos Tuesday, I know the type. VERY well. - Tuesday, September 24 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I know the type. VERY well. Commentary by Chitown Kev I’ve known a few of the Mark Robinsons nearly all of my life. Men (mostly Black and some white) with the veneer of being “deeply religious.” Men that hold the most reactionary opinions which they have no problem voicing in the church or the barber shop or (in Mr. Robinson’s specific case, apparently) a pornographic message board. The laudatory comments about Hitler sound familiar. Decrying anything that sounds or acts in the least bit gay (forget about the LGBTQ, it’s all gay to this type) . Whether they are with a group of their homies or by themselves in public spaces, they say all sorts of hateful things about others without fear or shame. I’ve also known a few of them because I’ve been to bed with them or had anonymous sex with them in the outdoors. I’ve occasionally acknowledged their knocks in the booths of certain adult bookstores and welcomed them in for two minutes (and sometimes it doesn’t even take that long!). I’m always amazed when they tell me not to “tell anyone about what we did” as if we share similar social circles or something. Or as if the deed that was done was something to write home about. (TMI, I know...but necessary to fill out the profile.) Over time, I’ve learned that what the Mark Robinson-types of the world hate the most is to be ignored. It’s all about being the “shock jock” or, as Atlantic writer David Graham called this type, a poster . A troll. A hypocrite. Let Rev. Barber fire you up to get out the vote! Commentary from Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez I happened to see this tweet from the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II , which reminded me of the powerful sermon he delivered after Mitt Romney spoke ( and was booed ) at the NAACP Convention in Houston, TX in 2012. x We need a remix of this for 2024 b/c if we ever needed to vote, we sure do need to now! https://t.co/2ROvJWGZSt — Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (@RevDrBarber) September 29, 2024 Rev. Barber suggests a re-mix, however since one is not available, I decided to go back and re-listen to the original, which we have covered here in the past . We were blessed at the time, that Sister TrueBlueMajority sat up all night after she heard it and transcribed it . She posted it again , in its entirety in 2014. As we draw closer and closer to election day, if you need a little extra “firing up” I suggest you play this: x YouTube Video From Black Kos editor JoanMar Keith Olbermann is one of my all-time favorite media personalities. I very rarely disagree with him. I love his passion, I love his righteous indignation, and I love his total disdain for the two-bit conman from Queens. Over the years, his incisive “Special Comments” have moved me to tears more than once. I consider him an honorable and decent man... even despite his many missteps. (Like his recent disclosure that at age 55 he was living with Olivia Nuzzi who would’ve been 16 when he was 50. I mean, his personal business is none of mine, right? Men.) However, despite his unquestionable loyalty as an ally, Olbermann’s understanding of racial issues will always be filtered through and confined by his own lived experience as a white man and all that entails. He will never ever truly understand what it feels like for Black people to see the league that Black women built being weaponized against them. I remember the founding mothers of the Women’s National Basketball Association. I remember Cynthia Cooper — the first WNBA player inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame — who was nicknamed the Michael Jordan of women’s basketball. Or should she have been the Stephen Curry of the WNBA? Or maybe just the phenomenal Cynthia Cooper? I remember Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, Tina Thompson, and Chamique Holdsclaw. Caitlin Clarke is very good, but I’ve seen much better. Women basketball players have always been tough. They are real, honest-to-goodness competitors, and no, they don’t play like the proverbial damsel waiting on Prince Charming to come charging in on his white steed to rescue them. They play rough. Just like their men counterparts. And it was never a problem before this year, and it still wouldn’t be — unless it has to do with The Great White Hope. " Hanging in Egypt with Breyten Breytenbach" commentary by Justice Putnam, Black Kos Editor The anti-apartheid, white South African poet, writer and painter, Breyten Breytenbach, was exiled after marrying a French national of Vietnamese descent while studying in Paris in the early '60's. The Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act of 1949 and The Immorality Act of 1950 made it a criminal offense for a white person to have sexual relations with a person of a different race. He made a trip to South Africa in 1975, was discovered in the country, (it has been reported that the ANC betrayed him to the government because they didn't trust him), arrested and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for High Treason. Massive international intervention ultimately secured his release in 1982, he returned to Paris and obtained French citizenship. Nigerian poet, novelist and musician, Chris Abani has a prescience that is almost uncanny. His first novel, Masters of the Board , about a neo-Nazi takeover of Nigeria earned him praise as "... (A)frica's answer to Frederick Forsyth." The government, though, believed the book to be a blueprint for an actual coup and sent the 18 year old Abani to prison in 1985. After serving six months, he was released, but he went on to perform in a guerrilla theatre group which led to his arrest and imprisonment at the notorious Kiri Kiri prison. He was released again, but after writing his play Song of a Broken Flute , was arrested a third time, sentenced to death and sent to the Kalakuta Prison where he was jailed with other political prisoners on death row. Languishing most of the time in solitary confinement, Abani was finally and fortunately released in 1991. He lived in exile in London until 1999, when he emigrated to the United States. Formerly a professor of creative writing at UC Riverside in California, Abani is currently a Board of Trustees Professor of English and Comparative Literary Studies, as well as the Director of the Program of African Studies at Northwestern University. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar Given the current media frenzy, one might be led to believe that Black men constitute the most powerful voting bloc in the nation. In reality, Black men represent a mere 5-6% of the U.S. electorate and despite the hoopla, they remain—second only to Black women—the most reliable Democratic voters. So what gives with this outsized focus on Black men? On Wednesday morning, I watched Kate Bolduan of CNN relentlessly grill the hell outa MVP’s communication director about Black men “defecting from the Democratic nominee.” She just wouldn’t let it go, treating the issue like a three-alarm fire. I wondered if her intensity stemmed from fear on behalf of the Democratic nominee, or something deeper at play. The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Eighty-eight to 90% of Black men are doing something, and people are still spending this much time on the 8 to 10% that aren't," said Robinson. "What are you asking of Black men that you're not asking anybody else?" What I didn’t hear her discuss was the more significant voting patterns of white voters. In case we have forgotten, white men and white women are overwhelmingly the ones standing in the way of good governance of this country. If, heaven forbid, the two-bit grifter from Queens ends up in the White House for a second time, it will not be because some idiotic Black men voted for him and against their own best interest. It will be because the majority community put him there. The problem I don’t write about and why Commentary by Chitown Kev I’ll be frank with you. I should be covering the issue of houselessness a lot more than I do here at Daily Kos. I don’t cover it because it would require more of a public (which is to say written) account into my personal history. I know the circumstances that led to my first bout with homelessness in 1986 in New York City. (Then, and only then, did substance abuse issues enter the picture for me.) Since then, I’ve slept in shelters, on train cars, one time in a bank vestibule, in other people’s cars, on other people’s couches for a night (and only a night!). Even today, I am one paycheck away from being houseless even though I’ve had a roof over my head continually for over eleven years now. I have Adam Mahoney of Capital B News to thank for the splash of water on my face reminding me of how much worse things could be thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision, Grants Pass v. Johnson , stating that municipalities can enforces civil and criminal penalties against homeless encampments without running afoul of the Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishments. Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar New Yorkers know how much the Orange Mussolini craved the love and validation of high society. How he wormed his way into the company of the rich and famous, both Black and white. And so, imagine how it must have stung the stuffing outta him to see all of society’s big names rushing to endorse Madam Vice President instead of him. Oh, it must burn. It must be gnawing at him, lodged in his craw like an undigested McDonald’s Quarter Pounder slathered in ketchup. The crème de la crème — undeniable, acknowledged cultural superstars like Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Beyonce, LeBron James, Taylor Swift, Oprah, Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, to name a few. And who does he have? A ragtag collection of has-beens, never-were’s, wannabes, and lazy “comedians” whose only claim to fame is their ability to regurgitate and paraphrase all the hate they’ve imbibed over the years. Who’s gonna pay money to see Hulk Hogan, Apartheid Clyde, and DEI hire Dr. Phil? x What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!! pic.twitter.com/tYYlTmQS6e — LeBron James (@KingJames) October 31, 2024 Faced with the reality of his inability to attract genuine star power, he conceived, what was for him, a brilliant idea. Something along the line of, “If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.” Some weeks ago, he had that disastrous Coachella-like, or Coachella-lite, event. That didn’t go too well, but the second time will be the charm. This time, they’d drag their stink to one of the nation’s most iconic venues — Madison Square Garden. Perhaps 19,000 devoted Red Hats chanting his name in a space renowned for hosting some of the most memorable sporting and cultural events of recent memory could fill the aching void in a narcissist’s heart? Commentary: A profound sadness By dopper0189, Black Kos Managing Editor This a painful commentary as this is not the news any of reading this wanted to read. The polls were close, but I thought Vice President Kamala Harris had a solid lead and if she lost it would be a razor thin loss, but in the end that is not the choice the American people made. Words alone can’t express the sadness I feel over the choice the American people made. There are a lot of postmortems being written about the campaign that Vice President Kamala Harris ran. I think she ran a great campaign, and I say that as someone who has been a volunteer or staff on many campaigns over the last three decades. Could she have done thing different or better or different, yes. Was she also done in by sexism, misogyny, an unserious political media, and a host of other factors outside her control, yes. Beyond anything Vice President Kamala Harris did or didn’t do, I think Democrats missed two issues driving American anger, one a federal issue and one a local issue. I think not having actions on grocery prices included in the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) was a major issue, that’s not discussed enough on liberal media. The majority of Latino that I know (anecdotal) that which votes mentioned this. It was a major miss on our side. Having temporary expiring measures, maybe a mix of increased food aid and producer’s subsidies should have been there. The other issues, which are a longer-term issues for Democrats, is rent and housing prices. Blue state housing policy has been bad for a long time. There is just too much resistance at the local level to building in blue areas. It’s driving young people out of blue states or to the right at a level not discussed enough. When I was younger it was quite common for “average” young people to roommate together, but housing prices is forcing far too many families to roommate together. I think the YIMBY (yes in my back yard) need to win more battles against the NIMBY (not in my back yard) to restore balance. This is a fight much more slain at the local level, and something I think we need to guide “younger leftist protesters” to focus their action on. To white women who voted for Kamala who think “blue bracelets” are an answer to Black women. Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez I’ve held off on doing any ranting about the results of the election. Have spent a lot of my time talking with friends and family, and trying to provide a bit of comfort and resolve to younger folks in my circle who haven’t been through this before. I’m continuing to fight back on social media to the best of my ability — juggling 3 platforms atm. However, I am gonna talk about this newest wrinkle that popped up no sooner than the election results were posted, and if this mini-rant is gonna hurt your fee-fees, I suggest you scroll past what I have to say today. I don’t want to hear “I’m sorry” from anyone. Don’t apologize to Black women for a failure to organize white people, especially the white female vote. We did our Black job, as did Jewish women (and men). To now virtue signal to us, that you are a “safe space” (when most of you more than likely don’t even have Black friends, or live in our neighborhoods) is frankly — from my pov, insulting. I’m not alone in that. Just want to post a few samples of responses here today. x Take off that fuck ass blue bracelet and get to work in your inner circle . Fight the racism, sexism, homophobia, &transphobia with your family & friends. Do the work that matters. Until then we don't gaf that you didn't vote for him. You having cocktails with those who did — That mf is NOT real (@Denita_fit) November 8, 2024 I’m not active on TikTok, so am posting some of the retweets found on Twitter Commentary by Black Kos editor JoanMar CNN’s Brianna Keilar was moderating one of those all-too-common panel discussions that media houses are fond of offering their audiences — those superficial chatter with pundits working overtime to paraphrase and repackage what they’ve been hearing and repeating for days on end. The type of discussions which more than anything else shows that the media is woefully, almost criminally unprepared to meet the moment. Said Ms. Keilar in her most authoritative voice, “I mean, they voted for him because of the economy, right? It was an economic message. They were telling him that they are concerned about the price of milk and eggs, right?” Eh? Only white people eat eggs? I mean, over 80% of Black folks must not be concerned about the cost of eggs. Every 3 weeks or so I do buy a carton of some brown oval thingies that they tell me come from chickens. I eat them scrambled, I boil them, sometimes I use them to make delicious sardine omelettes (yes, sardines! And don’t think I can’t hear that eewwww over there!). I thought those were eggs, no? But CNN’s journalists are not alone in providing cover for racists and their mendacious propaganda. They weren’t the only ones framing the election results in a way most favorable to one of the most morally bankrupt figures in recent history. A day after the elections, Senator Bernie Sanders looked at the results and issued his considered opinion: “Here is the reality, the working class of this country is angry, and they have reason to be angry,” he said. “We are living in an economy today where people on top are doing phenomenally well while 60 percent of our people are living paycheck to paycheck... “It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them...” Good ol’ Bernie forgetting about all the melanated folks again. I for one thought that the overwhelmingly majority of Black folks were considered working class. What am I missing? But even if for one moment I was to buy into this economic argument, why should the working class be angry at the Democrats? How has the Democratic Party abandoned the working class? As I recall, it was the Democratic Party that gave us Obamacare, the American Rescue Plan, the Child’s Tax Credit, Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and would have done so much more had the Republicans been even half way decent. Voices & Soul by Justice Putnam, Black Kos Editor I always wanted to believe in a Loving God, to be enveloped in the warm embrace of a mysterious knowing and rest free knowing Love would Conquer All. And then I took a walk in the desert to a Utah Mountain Meadows, and I took a stroll across the Great Plains to a bored walk Eastern Seaboard. I scuffled along a Southern land of burning crosses and I kicked up sand on the sands of a Western beach populated with surf nazis and crabby homophobes. I slipped slightly on the icy streets under the icy glare of a quiet Northern bigotry and a hard wind scoured the crisp winter grasses. I tiptoed over child factory workers in fitful naps during their midnight lunch time and I padded slowly past on old woman asleep in the rain. And when I had enough, I brazenly entered cathedrals and genuflected to that Loving God, whose warm embrace and mysterious knowing enveloped a wanting world wanting Love to Conquer All who they hate. So I lit impious votives in rebellion, and I prayed silent prayers in an ancient language to those conquered by the adherents of a Loving God who has loved them to death, and who will love them to death, forever and ever. Amen. Help the CBC combat the kakistocracy Commentary by Black Kos Editor Denise Oliver-Velez Given the results of the 2024 election, and the racist assault by the President-elect and his current crop of prospective cabinet and administration members on all the progress we have made since the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, it is difficult to find joy these days. However, there is some good news on the horizon. CBS news reports: Congress will have a record-setting number of Black members in its ranks next year The Congressional Black Caucus, with 62 Democratic members, plans to act as a counterweight to the Trump administration, says Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York. The Congressional Black Caucus will boast a record 62 members for the next session of Congress, contributing toward the highest number of Black federal lawmakers in history, according to a post-election report by the organization shared with NBC News. In all, 67 Black people will serve in Congress. Five Republican members are not listed as members of the CBC. While the caucus's members had planned to uphold a policy agenda for Black and marginalized people under a Kamala Harris administration, instead Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said the CBC's role will be to hold President-elect Donald Trump and his congressional supporters accountable. “We’ve always been the conscience of the Congress, and that’s no matter who’s in charge,” Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told NBC News. “We always try to work with folks where we can. But we call them out also. And now we have more of these leaders to call truth to power, to make sure that the voices of the voiceless are heard.” The Congressional Black Caucus, established in 1971, is not tied to a political party, though all members are Democrats. Its mission has been to represent Black and marginalized groups through voter enfranchisement, health care access, broader educational opportunities, jobs, reform of the criminal justice system and foreign relations with predominantly Black nations around the world. According to its website , members of the CBC currently represent 120 million people in the U.S. and 41% of Black Americans. It should be obvious that we need voices raised from the floor of both the House and the Senate, to challenge the kakistocracy we will be subjected to. It has to be done A comment by Chitown Kev Look, I still haven’t watched any of the cable news shows (or any other news) since the Wednesday after the election. And I read as little of the news as possible; granted, I have to read some news in order to be able to work. I don’t feel as if I need to keep up a blow-by-blow description of the shoe salesman’s cabinet picks, his statements, the treachery of certain members of the news media, etc. I can keep up a blow-by-blow description and at some point in the not-so-distant future, I will have to but for right now I will allow myself the time and the space to enjoy my true crime podcasts, the end of the college football season, and everything else because I will need that reservoir of good and thoughtful times for the road ahead. Have a happy Holiday season everyone, have a Happy New Year, and last but definitely not least...Go Blue! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. From personalized recommendations on streaming platforms to autonomous vehicles on our roads, AI continues to push boundaries and open new possibilities. One area where AI is making a significant impact is in the realm of creativity and innovation. Now, the first-ever MarsCode AI Programming Challenge aims to harness the power of AI to inspire and elevate creativity in programming.

Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens nextAs many had been fearing and our team had been writing this week, today’s softer-than-expected European PMI numbers have proved the catalyst for a downside breakout in the euro. The numbers feed into the narrative that European business confidence is crumbling – or at least sees no way out of stagnation – in an environment of looming trade wars and political gridlock in Europe. Our team have been saying it for a while now, but it looks like European Central Bank rate cuts will have to do the heavy lifting again when it comes to supporting the eurozone economy. Today’s data triggered an 8-10bp drop in short-dated eurozone swap rates, pushing the ‘Atlantic’ rate differential to the widest levels of the year. The market is now starting to lean towards our house view of a 50bp ECB rate cut in December and bake in a sub-neutral 1.75% ECB policy rate for next summer. When we lowered our EUR/USD forecasts earlier this month, this was largely on the view that US:eurozone rate spreads would widen and a risk premium from trade wars would be built in later in 2025. Actually, we’re having an internal debate as to whether that risk premium should be built in earlier. At the same time, the escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war this week has added to euro downside. The understandable fear now is that this crisis escalates into year-end as both sides try to secure the best possible positioning ahead of potential Trump-led ceasefire discussions in January. Unlike in 2022, energy prices have been remarkably subdued, although we are starting to see European natural gas prices creep higher again – a clear negative for European currencies. The two main arguments against much further EUR/USD downside are that EUR/USD has come a long way already and that the dollar normally weakens in December. On the former, the near 7% drop in just two months is exceptional. Could this fire up the ECB hawks who might be worried about imported inflation, or least prompt some kind of comments from ECB officials about a speed of adjustment that has been too quick for European businesses? We would not rule it out, but at most such comments should slow not reverse the current EUR/USD drop. How far could EUR/USD fall? As Francesco Pesole wrote yesterday, EUR/USD is now a little undervalued based on our medium-term BEER model – but that doesn’t preclude a move to parity. Now that the 2023 1.0448 EUR/USD low has been broken, we certainly see scope to the next support zone down at 1.0190/0200. And in terms of positioning, our colleagues in the FX Options team suggest that investors might not be as short EUR/USD as much as they had hoped after downside barriers have been triggered today – these barriers having been used to cheapen downside FX options structures but, by being triggered, have now cancelled those downside EUR/USD structures altogether. The narrow EUR/USD ranges of the last two years have been the exception rather than the rule. And it is tempting to say that the advent of Trump 2.0 – or Trump unleashed, as many commentators are calling it – can usher in a period of higher volatility. Certainly the EUR/USD FX options market is taking note and has pushed one year EUR/USD traded volatility up to the highest levels since October. What holds us back from concluding that yes, we expect structurally higher levels of FX volatility in 2025, is that the peak Trump trade wars of 2018-2019 saw EUR/USD traded volatility actually decline. Here, it seems investors got used to Trump protectionism back in 2018/19. The difference in 2025, however, is that we could be talking a global trade war and not just protectionism against China, which was the case in 2018-19. We also note in the chart above that EUR/USD is breaking to the downside from a historically low volatility environment – a warning of a volatility regime change. Given the heavy macro/geopolitical factors favouring the downside and the fact that EUR/USD is not particularly undervalued based on our medium term models, we certainly do not want to stand in the way of a EUR/USD move to parity nor fight the rise in higher traded volatility levels. Source: ING

Former Halifax mayor Mike Savage installed as Nova Scotia's lieutenant-governor

As the gaming landscape continues to evolve and diversify, the inclusion of bold artistic choices like blue skin in "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla" serves as a reminder of the power of creativity and innovation in shaping immersive and memorable gaming experiences. Whether it's met with applause or criticism, the blue skin in the game stands as a testament to the ever-evolving nature of video game storytelling and the boundless possibilities of artistic expression in the digital realm.

Burton, Muntu score 18 as Western Michigan defeats Youngstown State 73-62Red Bird, known for its luxurious designs and extravagant shows, has long been a staple of Milan Fashion Week. With a loyal following of fashionistas and celebrities alike, the brand has carved out a niche for itself in the competitive fashion industry. However, the recent allegations of improper financial dealings have cast a shadow over its reputation, tarnishing its image as a symbol of style and sophistication.Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

Minor league pitchers Luis Moreno, Alejandro Crisostomo suspended after positive drug tests

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s GOP-dominated legislature passed tax cuts on personal and corporate income on Friday in exchange for a statewide sales tax increase, a mixed bag of success for Gov. Jeff Landry, whose original tax revision plans faced from lawmakers and lobbyists amid . The final passage of the bulk of Landry's proposed measures winds down a special legislative session called Nov. 6 by the governor and his allies. They said their purpose was to make the state’s tax code more business friendly, bring jobs and reverse trends of outward migration from the state. It was the called by Landry, a Republican, since he assumed office in January. The package of legislation includes a permanent $2,000 raise for teachers and doubles standard deductions for residents aged 65 and older. It raises the state sales tax to 5%, while granting Landry’s wish for lower personal and corporate income tax rates. It repeals the 0.275% corporate franchise tax, a levy on businesses operating on the state worth more than $500 million in annual revenue. The state's new corporate income tax rate will be a flat 5.5%, reducing the highest tier from 7.5%. Landry had wanted a 3.5% flat rate. Lawmakers approved a flat 3% individual income tax rate and nearly tripled the standard deduction for individuals. Previously, the personal income tax rate had stood at 4.25% for individuals earning $50,000 or more. “What I’m very confident in is that everyone’s going to have more money in their pocket at the end of the day with the personal income tax reductions,” said Republican Rep. Julie Emerson, who spearheaded legislation to flatten the income tax rate. With the personal income tax reductions reducing annual revenue by $1.3 billion, Landry’s original plan had called for applying sales taxes to dozens of services like car-washing, dog-grooming and lobbying. He also sought to eliminate large tax incentives for the restoration of historic buildings and the film industry. Those proposals were defeated, leading to a bigger sales tax hike than Landry initially proposed. Louisiana already had the highest combined state and average local sales tax in the country at 9.56%, according to the Tax Foundation, a think tank favored by conservatives. Associated Press writer Kevin McGill contributed to this report. _____ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96NoneIn a statement addressing the incident, Alibaba emphasized that the safety and well-being of their employees and partners are of paramount importance. The company expressed gratitude for the timely response of emergency services and the professionalism displayed in managing the situation effectively.

Tables quickly turned against Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs) during his fight against Oleksandr Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs). In a few days, ‘The Gypsy King’ will face the ‘The Cat’ once again for a highly anticipated rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Their first fight saw Fury suffer the first loss of his professional career. However, Fury feels he had the upper hand for most of the fight. The recently released Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2: Witnessing Greatness preview documentary saw the former champ delve into the nuances of the fight. And the areas where he let his confidence get the best of him. “85 percent of the fight, it was one way. It was more like me punching around the body and around the head at will. And having me way, quite comfortable ,” he said. This, however, instilled in him a heightened sense of confidence. And, as the cameras stood witness, Usyk started showboating, being the “jolly giant” that he is. While it went well for him initially, things quickly took a turn for the worse. “I didn’t feel like I was in a position of danger. One of the commentators picked it up and said, ‘Has anyone seen Tyson Fury clown this much?’ in a fight, even at the lower level. And no one did because it was the most I was playing games. And I ended up paying the price for it later on in the fight,” h e said. Fury seemed the most comfortable between rounds 3 and 6, and it seemed like victory was just a timely knockout away. However, he was not ready for the punishment that Usyk dished out during the ninth round, which turned out to be pivotal for the fight. The following rounds were no different, which, in turn, made Usyk the winner by decision. “Tyson’s Mindset Has Changed” Many members of the fraternity have voiced their concerns about a shift in Fury’s mindset during the first fight. In fact, Joseph Parker feels that Fury will only have a chance at winning the fight against Usyk if he changes his mindset. “I feel like the first fight was very back and forth. I think Tyson’s mindset has changed coming into this fight,” he said. “I feel that if you have a different mindset, that can bring a lot of changes. I believe Tyson can beat Usyk on a points decision, but it’s a tough one. I’m siding with Tyson, but I think it’s a points decision.” This article first appeared on Fights Around The World and was syndicated with permission.