By Marian Wright Edelman NNPA Columnist Why is the National Rifle Association so afraid of the truth? There are many misconceptions about guns and gun violence swirling around in Americans’ minds—and in many cases, this misinformation is no accident. For years the NRA has blocked the truth and actively fought against and prevented research in the causes and costs of gun violence because they don’t want Amer ...

30th Anniversary Harold Washington Tribute Committee launches effort to immortalize legacy of the man who transformed Chicago politics. (Chicago, April 2, 2013) The charismatic late Mayor Harold Washington is noted for transforming Chicago’s political environment and creating an open all-inclusive government that represents Chicago’s rich diversity.   Citizens, civic, faith, and political leaders are launch ...

One of the worst ironies of the nagging economic recession is that consumers with the fewest financial resources have lost the most. Now, a new report finds that payday loans not only strip much-needed income from low-income families, but harms the economic viability of the communities where they operate, draining nearly $1 billion a year. Written by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development (In ...

By Cherry Bañez Special to the NNPA from The Philadelphia Tribune Kenya Moore’s dramatic, yet hilarious, antics on the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” have made her a household name. The former Miss USA has criticized for practically begging her then boyfriend, Walter Jackson, to marry her. It was later reported that she had recruited him to pretend to be her boyfriend on the show. She also verbally assaulted ...

by Howie Evans Special to the NNPA from the New York Amsterdam News Serena Williams and Tiger Woods are back in a place familiar to them. Both Williams and Woods have reclaimed their status in their respective worlds of tennis and golf. Both athletes have reclaimed their No. 1 global rankings in their sports. For Woods, it’s been an uphill battle for the past few years, as he’s had to carry the weight of do ...

Sean “Diddy” Combs ranks No. 1 on this year’s Forbes Five, the magazine’s list of hip-hop’s wealthiest artists, with an estimated net worth of $580 million. The bulk of the Bad Boy Records founder’s wealth comes from non-musical ventures, namely his deal with Diageo’s Ciroc. The agreement entitles him to eight-figure annual payouts and a nine-figure windfall if the brand is ever sold—and Ciroc’s value has n ...

Special to the NNPA from the New Pittsburgh Courier (YourBlackWorld.com)–Just a few days ago, it was announced by Michael Baisden that he was leaving his popular radio show.  The announcement stunned observers, since the show was doing so well.  It also appeared that Baisden was leaving on his own accord, and that he would have a few days to say goodbye to listeners before heading off the air. But these rep ...

By Raynard Jackson NNPA Columnist Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, released his long awaited report last week called the Growth and Opportunity Project.  It is basically a post mortem of last November’s election results and lessons learned. The report stated the obvious: The Republican Party had problems with key demographic groups such as Blacks and Hispanics. To address this ...

By Charlene Muhammad Special to the NNPA from The Final Call Baby Jonylah Watkins Is it finally enough? While some wonder if, and others pray that, the recent shooting death of six-month-old Jonylah Watkins in Chicago brings enough shock, sadness, pain and outrage to reverse violent trends in inner cities, anti-violence experts and advocates say change nor a healing will come until America confronts and cor ...

By Marian Wright Edelman NNPA Columnist In an act of civil disobedience, more than 120 members of the protest organizing unions UNITE HERE Local 1, SEIU Local 1, the Grassroots Education Movement and the CTU staged a sit-in in the southbound lanes of LaSalle Street outside of City Hall during Thrusday’s rally and march. Among those led away by police and issued citations for “pedestrian failure to exercise ...