Photo:Dr. ML King Jr. Nipsie Russell, Tony Bennett and Harry Belafonte at Selma-to-Montgomery March; Tony Bennett
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Tony Bennett,the legendary singer whose smooth vocals and timeless classics captured the hearts of millions, died at 96 in his hometown of New York. Although renowned for his musical achievements, his tireless work in civil rights advocacy has left an indelible mark on history. Bennett’s journey into activism began early in his life. Drafted into the Army as a teen in 1944 during World War II, he served on the front lines in Europe, witnessing the horrors of war and its devastating impact on human lives. “The first time I saw a dead German, that’s when I became a pacifist,” Bennett revealed in an earlier interview with Howard Stern. “Every war is insane, no matter where it is or what it’s about. Fighting is the lowest form of human behavior. No human being should have to go to war, especially an eighteen-year-old boy.” His time in the military exposed him to the grim reality of racial segregation within the U.S. Armed Forces. After being caught consorting with a Black soldier, Bennett was spat upon by a higher-ranking Army official, who assigned him the unenviable task of digging up the corpses of dead military members. He said the encounter motivated him to speak out for civil rights. In 1965, Bennett took part in the historic 50-mile Selma to Montgomery marches, standing alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to demand equality and justice for all. “The mood was anger,” singer and activist Harry Belafonte said in an interview he and Bennett did in 2013. “The mood was rebellious on the part of the movement, on the part of the civil rights crowd, and the question is: What do we do in the face of this kind of rage and this kind of mayhem? And there was just… the bottom line was that we will go back as often as necessary.”
To rally the crowd during the march, Bennett performed “Just In Time” on a makeshift stage constructed from dozens of empty coffins, a powerful symbol of the lives lost in the struggle for civil rights. “I didn’t want to do it, but then Harry Belafonte told me what went down,” Bennett recalled. “How some blacks were burned, had gasoline thrown on them. When I heard that, I said, ‘I’ll go with you,’” he said. Bennett remained dedicated to championing humanitarian causes and advocating for equality throughout his life. He was an outspoken ally of various social issues, using his platform to bring attention to pressing global challenges, including the plight of refugees. Bennett also refused to perform in South Africa during the Apartheid era, and later received the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Award for his unwavering commitment to humanitarian work. Additionally, his contributions to civil rights earned him a place of honor as an inductee into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. Beyond his activism, Bennett was a prolific musician with an impressive discography that spanned over 70 albums, earning him 19 performance Grammy awards. His rendition of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” became a timeless classic, earning him a legion of devoted fans, including fellow artists like Frank Sinatra and Lady Gaga. A Kennedy Center Honoree and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, Bennett is survived by his wife Susan, daughters Johanna and Antonia, sons Danny and Dae. He also had nine grandchildren.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
President Joe Biden signed a proclamation on Tuesday, July 25, establishing a national monument honoring Emmett Till, the 14-year-old Black teenager whose tragic lynching in 1955 ignited a nationwide outcry against racial injustice and discrimination. Named the “Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument,” the historic memorial will span three sites in Illinois and Mississippi, symbolizing locations that played a central role in Till’s heartbreaking story. “The new monument will protect places that tell the story of Emmett Till’s too-short life and racially motivated murder, the unjust acquittal of his murderers, and the activism of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, who courageously brought the world’s attention to the brutal injustices and racism of the time, catalyzing the civil rights movement,” White House officials explained. The three sites that will be part of the monument are the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago, where Till’s mother held an open-casket funeral to display her son’s brutalized body; Graball Landing in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, believed to be the location where Till’s body was retrieved from the Tallahatchie River; and the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi, where Till’s murderers were acquitted. Till’s tragic story unfolded in August 1955 while visiting relatives in Mississippi. Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, two white men, allegedly kidnapped, brutally beat, and lynched him for allegedly whistling at a white woman. The men’s trial, which occurred before an all-white jury, ended in their acquittal, sparking outrage and disbelief nationwide. However, in a later interview with Look Magazine, Bryant and Milam admitted their responsibility for Till’s heinous murder, revealing the justice system’s deeply flawed and biased nature during that era. As Till’s story continued to gain national attention, the brave actions of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, became a driving force behind the Civil Rights Movement. She insisted that her son’s casket remain open during the funeral, allowing the world to witness the brutality of racial violence and the stark realities of America’s rampant racism. Photographs of Till’s battered and mutilated body were published in Jet Magazine, impacting the collective consciousness, and mobilizing people across the nation to fight against racial injustice. Earlier this year, Carolyn Bryant Donham, the white woman whose false accusation against Till triggered the events leading to his lynching, died at the age of 88. Donham passed away in Westlake, Louisiana, while receiving hospice care, according to a death record from the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office. President Biden’s decision to establish the national monument is seen as crucial to acknowledging and preserving the painful history of racial violence in the United States. By commemorating Emmett Till’s life and the legacy of his courageous mother, the monument will serve as a reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those who fought for civil rights, and it will stand as a beacon of hope and a call to action against ongoing injustices. Administration officials said the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument will symbolize resilience, progress, and the enduring fight for a more equitable society.
African migrants in crowded boat July 17, 2023 (GIN) – A memorandum of understanding was signed this week between the European Union and Tunisia to combat irregular migration that has lead most recently to the deaths of 29 migrants from impoverished or war-torn countries seeking a better life in Europe.
The memorandum calls for a “strategic and comprehensive partnership” that will also boost economic ties between the bloc and the North African country, which lies on a major route for migrants and refugees travelling to Europe.
The document, signed by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on one side and Tunisian President Kais Saied on the other. It comes as the number of migrants and refugees departing from Tunisia and trying to reach Europe has significantly increased in recent months.
The Tunisian leader described “inhuman migration”, which he blamed on criminal networks.
After a visit last month by the three European leaders, a financial package was approved that includes a 10-million euro ($11 million) program to boost exchanges of students and 65 million euros ($73 million) in EU funding to modernize Tunisian schools.
Both sides also agreed to cooperate on border management. Von der Leyen pledged 100 million euros ($112 million) for those efforts – a figure she had already announced on the leaders’ previous visit.
Meanwhile, as of Friday, the Italian interior ministry counted more than 75,000 migrants who had arrived by boat on the Italian coast since the beginning of the year compared to about 31,900 in the same period last year.
Yasmine Akrimi, a researcher at the Brussels International Center, criticized the memorandum as an attempt at “reshaping African mobility”.
The EU has been trying to achieve this deal for decades, Akrimi said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “Italy wants to consider Tunisia as what they call a safe third country – meaning that everyone who passes through Tunisia can eventually be relocated back to Tunisia.”
Are migrants being used as political pawns? asked the host of the podcast Inside Story . “Kais Saied hoped to clinch a one-billion-dollar EU bailout. And in return, stem the rising migration to Europe.”
Joseph and Helen Fields, organic vegetable farmers in South Carolina
On Friday, July 7, 2023, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the application process for Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides $2.2 billion in financial assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, who have experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending programs prior to January 1, 2021. IRA Section 22007 is not a lawsuit. There is no fee to apply or to receive assistance in applying.
According to USDA, “Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination by USDA in its farm loan programs prior to January 1, 2021, and/or are currently debtors with assigned or assumed USDA farm loan debt, that were the subject of USDA discrimination that occurred prior to January 1, 2021, are eligible for this program. To apply, borrowers have the option to apply via the e-filing portal at 22007apply.gov or submit paper-based forms via mail or in-person delivery to the program’s local offices. The application process will be open from July 7, 2023, to October 31, 2023.”
Eight trusted community-based organizations are serving as cooperators with USDA and third-party administrators to implement this long-awaited financial assistance program and to assist farmers and ranchers who have faced discrimination in prior farm loan processes. Those cooperators are:
The Federation of Southern Cooperatives Land Assistance Fund (FSC/LAF); including its member state associations, like the Alabama State Association of Cooperatives Rural Coalition (RC) Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project (LLPP) Farmers Legal Action Group (FLAG) National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers) Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) National AgrAbility Project (NAP)
The cooperators will be working together to reach and help farmers and ranchers through direct technical assistance and training sessions. All technical assistance will be free, and there is no charge to file the application.
The payments for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program have not been determined yet. Secretary Vilsack said the payment “cannot fully compensate farmers for past harms but are meant as financial assistance to farmers to help in land retention and to continue farming operations.” There is no minimum payment of $50,000, as there was in prior lawsuits and administrative settlements. The payments will be based on the number of approved applications received and the severity of discrimination experienced and documented by the farmers. A maximum payment of $500,000 was fixed in the legislation that passed Congress.
Eligibility and Documentation are key to the 22007 Application Process
“We want farmers to understand the issues of eligibility,” said John Zippert, retired Director of Programs at the Federation of Southern Cooperatives, and current Rural Coalition Board Chair. “If you feel you have been discriminated against while seeking a USDA farm loan, or that you were not treated well in the servicing of your loan, you may be eligible. You must show with evidence: copies of letters from USDA loan agencies, USDA receipts for service, land deeds or leases, farm business statements, notarized declarations by neighbors, not family members, that you tried to apply or applied for a USDA Farm Service Agency loan.” The team of cooperating groups stand ready to help you review your eligibility for this process and prepare and present the evidence you will need to make the strongest possible claim.
“This is an acknowledgement by USDA of the injustice that Black, Indigenous, and other farmers of color have long suffered,” noted Savi Horne, Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project. “This process is the best we have right now, and we must make it work for the farmers who have suffered at the hands of the USDA, those whose operations have been hobbled because of a long history of racism and racial exclusion. Our goal is to give them a fighting chance to be the viable producers they are capable of becoming, if given a level playing field.”
“Farmers with disabilities are routinely assumed unable to farm, leading to discrimination at all levels of the farming industry. Loan processes are no exception,” said Bill Field of AgrAbility. “Our mission over the years has been to increase access for disabled farmers to all programs available to farmers. We know that disabled farmers and ranchers have been discriminated against, and we are committed to supporting them in making the best possible case for this financial assistance.”
“For the past 15 years the Farmer Veteran Coalition has served our national membership of 40,000 members in their transition from military service to agricultural production. Our farmers are underserved beginning producers who may be part of socially disadvantaged communities. We are honored to be asked to partner with the USDA in their effort to ensure America’s Veterans impacted by discrimination are aware of this process and will have the opportunity to submit their application for consideration,” says Executive Director of FVC Jeanette Lombardo. “While racial discrimination against Black farmers, indigenous farmers and other farmers of color are the primary issues of focus. Persons who were discriminated against because of sex, gender, religion, national origin, disability, farm size and other factors are eligible to make their case on the forty (40) page detailed application, “said Zippert. The Rural Coalition also urges eligible farmers and ranchers not to fall victim to some lawyers and other groups spreading misleading information about this process, pressuring people to sign retainer agreements that legally bind them to share a portion of any award. Filling out the 22007 application is free, and there is no charge for assistance by the Cooperators listed here. For more information, please read the USDA fact sheet about the program timeline and ways to protect against possible scams., on the Section 22007 website.
Assistance with Applying It is important that the financial assistance application submitted by farmers is properly filled out. The cooperators identified here have been designated and trained to provide farmers with technical assistance in the application process. Neither designated cooperators nor the USDA will make the decision regarding who is awarded financial assistance. The financial assistance will be decided and awarded exclusively by the designated administrators. Borrowers have the option to apply via the e-filing portal at 22007apply.gov or submit paper-based forms via mail or in-person delivery to the program’s local offices between July 7 to October 31, 2023. Applications will be reviewed in November and December, with payments reaching recipients soon thereafter. The application process is not on a first come, first served, basis. All applications received or postmarked before the October 31 deadline will be considered. Vendors, selected by USDA in a procurement process handled by career staff, are operating four regional hubs and also providing technical assistance and working closely with these and other community-based organizations to conduct outreach using digital and grassroots strategies, to ensure potential applicants are informed about the program and have the opportunity to apply. These hubs are operating a network of brick-and-mortar program offices and will conduct extensive outreach about the program. Windsor Group serves farmers in the eastern regions of the U.S. and Analytic Acquisitions serves the western regions. A national administrator, Midtown Group, is responsible for program oversight and integrity, and will lead a national call-center (1-800-721-0970), operate the application website – 22007apply.gov, which is now open – and review and process applications and payments. All vendors have experience in professional services, supporting government contracts, and complex program operations.
If you believe you may be eligible for IRA Section 22007, please reach out to any of the contacts at the bottom of this press release, for more information and assistance.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives / Land Assistance Fund: Tandelyn Daniel, tandelyndirectorcommembership@gmail.com or Dañia Davy daniadavy@federation.coop Rural Coalition: Rel Brender, rel@ruralco.org or Lorette Picciano, lpicciano@ruralco.org Intertribal Agriculture Council: Abi Fain, abi@indianag.org Farmers Legal Action Group: Stephen Carpenter, scarpenter@flag.org or Scott Carlson, scarlson@flaginc.org North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project: Savi Horne, savi@landloss.org National Young Farmers Coalition: David Howard, david@youngfarmers.org or Ebonee Stevenson, ebonee@youngfarmers.org Farmer Veteran Coalition: Jeanette Lombardo, Jeanette@farmvetco.org National AgrAbility Project: Bill Field, field@purdue.edu
July 3, 2023 (GIN) – After an absence of four years, the U.N. will return to UNESCO, a global cultural and education body that contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication and information.
As a condition of readmission, the US will repay around $619 million in unpaid dues, meet 22% of Unesco’s annual budget, and make contributions to programs supporting education access initiatives in Africa, Holocaust remembrance and journalists’ safety.
Beyond stepping up actions for Africa, Unesco said it would be able to increase its efforts toward gender equality, a strategic priority.
A rift with the U.S. began in 2011 when the organization voted to admit Palestine, which is not formally recognized by the US or Israel as a UN member state. The Obama administration cut Unesco contributions, sending the US into owing millions in arrears to the organization.
Five years later, in 2016, the Unesco World Heritage Committee adopted a decision ruling that Israeli actions related to archaeology, tourism and freedom of movement in the Old City of Jerusalem contravened cultural heritage laws and practices.
US and Israeli officials complained that not including the full Jewish history in any decision about Jerusalem was equivalent to a denial of Jewish history.
In 2017, the US blamed “mounting arrears at Unesco, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at Unesco” as reasons for its withdrawal.
The U.S. was accepted back after a two-day special session held at Unicef’s headquarters in Paris. Ten states voted against the US, including Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea and Nicaragua. China, which had become the organization’s biggest financial backer in the absence of the US, also voted against readmittance.
“I am encouraged and grateful that Unesco members have accepted the US proposal that will allow us to continue steps toward rejoining the organization,” American secretary of state Antony Blinken said in a statement.
Among Unesco’s accomplishments was the reconstruction of destroyed mausoleums of Timbuktu (Mali).
The 13th century mausoleums of Muslim saints had been demolished by extremists and some 4,200 ancient manuscripts were burned or stolen.
Timbuktu was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988 for its Outstanding Universal Value as an African intellectual and spiritual capital in the 15th and 16th centuries.
An international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by Unesco in 1972 cites for protection East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America that make up our world’s heritage.
The UN’s director for the International Crisis Group, Richard Gowan, told CBS News: “Biden’s team believes that Trump ceded a lot of ground to China with its anti-UN attitude. “The decision to rejoin Unesco is just the latest example of the US deciding it can do more to counter China by actively engaging in UN institutions than sitting on the sidelines.”
Audrey Azoulay, Unesco Director-General, added: “We need to send the message that destroying sites classified by Unesco cannot go unpunished.”
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 07: United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas poses for an official portrait at the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court building on October 7, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court has begun a new term after Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was officially added to the bench in September. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The New York Times has uncovered that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has a network of connections to wealth and opulent vacations that extend beyond his association with billionaire businessman and controversial figure Harlan Crow, known for his affinity for Nazi memorabilia. According to the report, Thomas has exploited his ties with affluent individuals he met through the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, a prestigious scholarship organization, for personal gain, benefiting himself and his wife, Virginia. Thanks to their Horatio Alger connections, the Thomases have gained exclusive invitations to extravagant vacations, lavish parties, and coveted VIP access to sporting events. Moreover, the association has facilitated encounters for Thomas with prominent figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Ed McMahon, as witnessed during a lavish three-day birthday celebration in Montana for billionaire industrialist Dennis Washington. However, Thomas’ involvement with the Horatio Alger Association extends beyond luxury trips.Notably, the contacts he made through this association, including Washington and investor David Sokol, formerly of Berkshire Hathaway, played a role in financing a documentary that portrayed him as a hero following the release of an HBO movie that depicted Anita Hill’s sexual harassment allegations during his confirmation hearings. The Sokol family further extended their generosity by hosting the Thomases at their Montana ranch and waterfront estate in Florida. The New York Times discovered that Thomas had not disclosed many of the benefits and gifts he had received from his wealthy and well-connected allies, and he declined to provide the paper with any clarification regarding this matter. Initially, at the start of his tenure on the Supreme Court, Thomas dutifully reported various personal gifts he received, such as private flights, cigars, and clothing. However, after The Los Angeles Times scrutinized his disclosures in 2004, Thomas ceased reporting certain gifts and advantages he received to the court. A recent investigation by ProPublica in 2023 exposed Thomas’ close relationship with Harlan Crow, a GOP megadonor with a disturbing collection of Nazi memorabilia and Hitler paintings. Crow had treated Thomas to trips on his private jet and yacht, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, and even purchased a residence where Thomas’ mother resided. Additionally, Crow financed the tuition of Thomas’ nephew, who was under the care of the Thomases. In response to the revelation of his relationship with Crow, Thomas defended his lack of honesty by claiming that “colleagues and others in the judiciary” had advised him that he did not need to disclose trips of a “personal hospitality” nature from friends. Thomas’ acceptance of benefits granted him access to exclusive places he might not have otherwise frequented, and he also extended unusual access to the Horatio Alger Association by hosting their induction ceremony for new members in the Supreme Court’s courtroom. The Times highlights this as an extraordinary privilege granted to an outside group. The newspaper’s examination of fundraising records revealed that the association uses this unique access to raise money for events and scholarships. In an acknowledgment of the significance of the Horatio Alger Association in his life, Thomas expressed, “The Horatio Alger Association has been a home to Virginia and me.” Upon receiving the association’s highest honor in 2010, he made these remarks, further stating that the association had enabled him to witness his dreams come true.If his dreams revolved around undisclosed extravagant vacations and exclusive privileges, then he appears to have achieved them. The Supreme Court recently updated its disclosure regulations, mandating that justices report private jet travel and complimentary stays at hotels and resorts. However, an exception exists for “personal hospitality,” encompassing food, accommodations, or entertainment unrelated to official business. As the layers of Clarence Thomas’ connections to wealth and luxury are gradually peeled back, questions arise about the integrity and transparency of one of the nation’s highest judicial authorities.
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
In a major development for the entertainment industry, BET has become Black-owned once again after 21 years, while VH1, for the first time, now boasts an African American owner. According to his longtime friend and television personality Rolanda Watts, Tyler Perry has cemented his place in history by acquiring the two major television networks, making him the first African American to do so. The acquisition follows the news that Paramount Global has sought to sell a majority stake in BET. Earlier this year, the renowned actor and filmmaker expressed optimism about purchasing BET, stating his keen interest if it were a possibility. Perry, who had already enjoyed tremendous success in collaboration with BET, partnering with his Tyler Perry Studios banner to create the popular streaming service BET+, was no stranger to the network. He acknowledged the unexpected nature of the acquisition, stating, “I’ve been there for four years now and had tremendous success… If that is possible, I’m very, very interested in taking as much of it as I can.” The exact financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but experts on this sort of transaction have placed a significant value on the acquisition of the two networks. With the purchase, Perry assumes control over BET Media Group, which includes other networks such as VH1. Since its launch, the BET+ streaming service has experienced remarkable success. In 2021 alone, BET+ was responsible for half of the subscribers and nearly all revenue growth for the channel. The platform features a wide range of original films and series from the extensive BET program library, captivating audiences with diverse and engaging content. The acquisition of BET and VH1 marks a significant milestone in the representation and ownership of the entertainment industry. Perry’s success as an African American entrepreneur and his commitment to showcasing diverse stories and voices have paved the way for increased opportunities and inclusivity in the media landscape. As the new owner of these influential networks, Perry is poised to leave an indelible mark on the future of Black-owned media and further amplify underrepresented narratives on a global scale.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with Russian President Putin
June 18, 2023 (GIN) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among a group of seven African leaders meeting on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, presented an African plan to end the ruinous war between Russia and the Ukraine. The delegation from South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Zambia and Uganda was scheduled to meet with the Ukrainian leader on Friday and the Russian leader on Saturday. Among their proposals was: that both leaders must listen to one another; that there must be a de-escalation of conflict on both sides; and, of major interest to Africans, that the movement of grains across the Black Sea must be opened up to remove blockages so that commodities can reach markets. African Union Chair and president of Comoros, Azali Assoumani, said Africa’s history had taught its leaders to always find a peaceful solution to war. But, addressing President Putin, “we are not going to teach you any new lessons because your country has gone through many painful events in the past.” The African proposals failed to dent the hardened positions of the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Nor did they impress citizens at home. South Africans writing to the local Daily Maverick news outlet were incensed that the President’s security detail of 120 had failed to obtain proper paperwork for 12 containers of arms on board the plane that President Ramaphosa, accompanied by 30 journalists, would be carrying with him to the meeting with the Ukrainine leader in Kyiv. As a consequence, Poland refused to allow South African security police to accompany the president. “Almost nothing was in place, almost nothing worked,” said reporter Pieter du Toit, one of the journalists who, along with the presidential protection unit, was held at the airport for more than 20 hours. Among the undeclared and unauthorized weapons were “long-range sniper rifles and weapons normally used in serious conflict,” according to the South African Sunday Times quoting “highly placed South African Government insiders.” Meanwhile, just as Ramaphosa was visiting the Ukraine, Russia shot off hypersonic and cruise missiles narrowly missing the high-ranking delegation of African leaders there to discuss peace options. Reuters reported seeing the African heads of state fleeing to a nearby hotel to use its air-raid shelter. “Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Members of Henrietta Lacks family stand with Congressman Kwesi Mfume (D-MD) and Attorney Benjamin Crump
Leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus, alongside the family of medical pioneer Henrietta Lacks, gathered in the nation’s capital to announce their unanimous support for the pioneer to receive the esteemed Congressional Gold Medal posthumously. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, a prominent advocate for social justice, expressed his endorsement of this significant recognition. “Today, I joined leaders from the Congressional Black Caucus and the family of medical pioneer Henrietta Lacks to announce our unanimous support for her to receive the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously,” Crump stated. “She is beyond worthy of this distinguished honor.” Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) pledged to reintroduce legislation to honor Lacks with the nation’s highest civilian award in acknowledgment of what he called her indelible contributions to modern medicine. Lacks, a Black woman from Baltimore, unknowingly propelled medical science forward when her cancer cells were used to advance breakthroughs in the polio vaccine and treatments for cancer, HIV, and Parkinson’s disease. Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, unaware of the profound impact her cells would have on future medical advancements. During her treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the medical staff utilized Lacks’ cancer cells without her knowledge or consent, to advance medical therapies. The groundbreaking HeLa cell line was created from those cells, marking the birth of the first immortal line of human cells. The push to honor Lacks comes as her family wages a legal battle against a biotech company that they accuse of selling her tissue without their consent.
In a lawsuit against Thermo Fisher Scientific, the family alleges that the company used Lacks’ living cell samples that were collected in 1951 during a medical procedure.They allege Thermo Fisher Scientific collected the samples without permission and that the company continues to unjustly profit from Lacks without compensating her estate.Christopher Seeger, one of the Lack family attorneys, vowed his team wouldn’t rest until the family has been properly compensated. He also said Lacks’ family wants to safeguard the rights of all patients.Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) acknowledged Lacks for her invaluable contributions to medical research, which he said have benefited millions of people worldwide.“The debt of gratitude we owe Henrietta Lacks can never be fully repaid for her invaluable contributions to medical research that have benefited millions of people across the world,” Van Hollen stated in a news release.“But we can work to ensure that Americans know her story and the critical impact her life-saving cells have had on global health, our quality of life, and patient rights.”The Congressional Gold Medal is a prestigious honor bestowed upon individuals whose achievements have profoundly influenced the nation.By unanimously supporting Lacks’ nomination, the Congressional Black Caucus, and its allies said they aim to celebrate her groundbreaking contributions to medical science and ensure that her legacy endures.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to disturb a federal law that governs the process for the placement of Native American children in foster or adoptive homes, rejecting constitutional challenges to the law. The court ruled 7-2 in the case known as Haaland v. Brackeen, which a birth mother, foster and adoptive parents, and the state of Texas brought. The challengers claimed the law exceeds federal authority, infringes on state sovereignty, and discriminates on the basis of race. In a majority opinion authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court turned down the challenges, a victory for the Biden administration and several Native American tribes that defended the law. “The issues are complicated,” Barrett wrote, adding that “the bottom line is that we reject all of petitioners’ challenges to the statute, some on the merits and others for lack of standing.” Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. Enacted in 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act aims to keep Native American children connected to Native families by giving preference to those families or Native institutions during foster care and adoption proceedings that involve Native children. The law defines “Indian child” as not only one who is a member of a Native American tribe but also one who is eligible for membership and the biological child of a tribal member. The dispute before the Supreme Court arose from three child custody proceedings, during which the Indian Child Welfare Act was invoked to govern the placement of Native children. The white foster and adoptive parents, joined by the state of Texas, challenged the law’s constitutionality in federal court, arguing in part that it uses racial classifications that unlawfully impede non-Native families from fostering or adopting Native children. A federal district court ruled in favor of the families. Still, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit affirmed the lower court’s decision that the law’s preferences for prioritizing “other Indian families” and “Indian foster home[s]” over non-Native families are unconstitutional. The appeals court also upheld the district court’s ruling that several of the law’s requirements violated the 10th Amendment. In a concurring opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Gorsuch praised the majority opinion upholding the law and wrote that when enacting it more than 30 years ago, Congress exercised its lawful authority to “secure the right of Indian parents to raise their families as they please; the right of Indian children to grow in their culture; and the right of Indian communities to resist fading into the twilight of history.” “In affirming the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), the Court safeguards the ability of tribal members to raise their children free from interference by state authorities and other outside parties,” he wrote. “In the process, the Court also goes a long way toward restoring the original balance between federal, state, and tribal powers the Constitution envisioned.” Thomas, in dissent, said while the Supreme Court’s precedents reference a “plenary power” that Congress has over Native American affairs, such a power does not derive from any constitutional basis. “Even taking the Court’s precedents as given, there is no reason to extend this ‘plenary power’ to the situation before us today: regulating state-court child custody proceedings of U. S. citizens, who may never have even set foot on Indian lands, merely because the child involved happens to be an Indian,” he wrote. President Biden cheered the majority’s ruling, saying he stands “alongside Tribal Nations as they celebrate today’s Supreme Court decision.” “Our Nation’s painful history looms large over today’s decision. In the not-so-distant past, Native children were stolen from the arms of the people who loved them. They were sent to boarding schools or to be raised by non-Indian families — all with the aim of erasing who they are as Native people and tribal citizens. These were acts of unspeakable cruelty that affected generations of Native children and threatened the very survival of Tribal Nations,” he said. “The Indian Child Welfare Act was our Nation’s promise: never again.”
