UPTOWN Magazine Celebrates Five Years of Luxury, Lifestyle & Living
July 31, 2009
Uptown Magazine celebrates its’ Fifth Anniversary with the August/September issue on newsstands August 11th. Usher is profiled in “All Grown Up,” a candid look into life as a newly single dad. Featured stories include a fashion shoot in Paris and retrospective of “Clique,” event photos from the past five years.
Uptown Magazine, the only luxury lifestyle publication for the affluent African American consumer, has experienced tremendous growth since launching Summer 2004. Uptown now publishes six times per year (up from four), reaching a circulation of 200K and readership of over 800K with each issue. Regional editions include Atlanta, Washington DC, Chicago, NYC and most recently Charlotte (February 2009).
African-American Catholic organization celebrates 100 years
July 31, 2009
The Knights of Peter Claver, the nation’s largest lay organization for African-American Catholics, will celebrate its 100th anniversary this November. The group’s national chaplain, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago, explained the significance of the Knights and their organization’s century of endurance. “Their importance stems from their origin in a different social climate, where African-Americans were not generally accepted in various clubs, organizations, or lodges of that nature,” he said.
In the early 20th century, black Catholics needed an alternative to secular fraternal organizations. Membership in some groups, such as Freemasonry, was forbidden by the Catholic Church, yet in many cases those groups were the only option available to black men in the age of segregation, Bishop Perry explained. The founders of the Knights of Peter Claver “wanted to create something for African-American men by way of spiritual direction (and) charity,” he said. Following the organizational model of the Knights of Columbus, four Josephite priests and three laymen founded the Knights of Peter Claver in Mobile, Ala., Nov. 9, 1909, with an initial membership of 40 men. They choose as their patron St. Peter Claver, a 17th-century Jesuit priest from Spain who ministered to slaves in what is now Colombia.
Pictured: Father Michael Jacques of Saint Peter Claver Church greets parishioners during the reopening of the church on Easter April 16, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The two friends have not seen each other since September of 2005. This was Saint Peter Claver Church’s first mass at the church since Hurricane Katrina. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
M.C. Hammer cousin arrested on rape suspicion
July 31, 2009
A cousin of entertainer M.C. Hammer was arrested Thursday on suspicion of raping a woman he had met via Twitter, authorities said. Marvin Turrell Grant, 33, of Manteca, also known as Bigg Marv and Lyin’ Marv, was taken into custody in rural Tracy about 2 p.m., police said. Authorities, who had issued an arrest warrant for Grant, had concluded hours earlier that he was attempting to leave the country.
Grant’s arrest stems from the accusations of a 40-year-old woman who contacted the Livermore Police Department.
According to her account, she and Grant had become acquainted days earlier when they began twittering and e-mailing each other. Grant, a regular on the “Hammertime” TV show, told the victim that he was filming in Las Vegas and just had flown into San Francisco International Airport, police said.
Recording Artist Monica Makes Her Reality Debut With New Series ‘MONICA’
July 31, 2009
On Tuesday, October 27, at 10:00 p.m.* BET premieres MONICA, a new eight-episode series that follows R&B singer Monica as she works on her fifth album, launches a new clothing line and tackles the hardest job of all – full-time mother of two young sons. After a brief hiatus from the music industry, does Monica have what it takes to handle it all? You be the judge on Tuesday, October 27.
Monica is back in the spotlight with an intimate, behind-the-scenes view into her day-to-day world. This reality show will not only chronicle her personal life, but will take viewers along her journey as she works on her highly anticipated fifth studio album, appropriately titled Still Standing. The series will also highlight her efforts as she designs a high-end line of boys’ clothing called Regions of Rock, an “urban rock” line of clothing ranging from infant sizes to boys’ size 20.
BET News To Address Issues Devastating the African American Community with ‘HEART OF THE CITY’
July 31, 2009
From gang wars to police brutality to the sexually transmitted disease epidemic facing young women, BET News goes inside America’s cities to examine the issues devastating our communities in a new one-hour documentary series, HEART OF THE CITY. Each month HEART OF THE CITY will tell the stories of those most directly affected by leading issues in the African American community, and go beyond simply reporting on the challenges to highlighting the efforts of those working tirelessly to create change with real solutions. Premiering on Saturday, September 12, at 10:00 p.m.*, HEART OF THE CITY will first travel to Detroit, the ground zero of our national education crisis, to understand why so many African Americans are failing and why the system is failing our kids.
Comedienne and Actress Mo’Nique Returns for New Late Night Show Debut, ‘THE MO’NIQUE SHOW
July 31, 2009
The sassy and sultry Queen of Comedy Mo’Nique returns to BET this fall for her highly anticipated late night show debut, THE MO’NIQUE SHOW, on Monday, October 5 (time TBD). Carving out a well-deserved spot on the night show circuit, comedienne Mo’Nique takes the show host helm, granting BET viewers VIP access to the hottest party on television.
From A-list celebrity guests to sizzling performances by the hottest musical artists in the game, Mo’Nique delivers viewers a fun-filled hour of entertainment every night. With a resident deejay to keep the studio audience on their feet and Mo’Nique bringing the funny as only she can, THE MO’NIQUE SHOW will undoubtedly force viewers to extend their bedtime an extra hour.
Candid: Jim Jones and Dame Dash
July 31, 2009
Rapper Jim Jones (L) and producer Damon Dash attend the 10th New York International Latino Film Festival screening of ‘Red Apples Falling’ at the SVA Theater July 30, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)
Alpha Kappa Alpha Members Sue Leader
July 31, 2009
Members of the nation’s oldest black sorority have accused the organization’s president of using her sorority credit card for personal items and its board of directors of spending too much on her.
The suit alleges that the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s board of directors signed off on spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on President Barbara McKinzie and commissioned an expensive wax figure of her.McKinzie denied the allegations, saying they are “without merit.”The most “outlandish representation” in the lawsuit, she said, is the allegation that the sorority spent $900,000 on a wax figure of her.
Civil Rights Activists Champion Google Book Deal
July 31, 2009
A proposed settlement allowing Google to digitize millions of books will have huge benefits for minority populations and their access to valuable information, a group of civil rights leaders and educators said Wednesday.
The Google book settlement, scheduled to be reviewed in an Oct. 7 court hearing, would allow Google to scan and make available scores of books, including millions of out-of-print titles. The digitized books will give minorities and poor people new access to titles that were formerly only available at large university libraries, supporters of the deal said during a forum at the Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. “The idea that a student in Boston at a very exclusive private school can read the same books that a student somewhere in an underfunded, urban public school, that they can have the same access to the same materials is actually just amazing,” said Professor Rhea Ballard-Thrower, law librarian at the Howard law school. “Books are the great equalizer.”
Jay-Z & Eminem ‘DJ Hero’ hardware reveal
July 31, 2009
Activision and Guitar Hero have spun out a first look at the hardware that comes with the special Jay-Z and Eminem-approved edition of DJ Hero.
The “Renegade Edition” comes with an all-black turntable controller (the standard one has a grey turntable base with grey risen dots surrounding the plate, plus grey controls; the Renegade is solid black with gold dots and gold metal controls). The carrying case converts into a performance stand to put the controller on.
The special edition also comes with an 2-disc CD of exclusive Jay-Z and Eminem music including unreleased tracks. Both musicians will have music in the standard version of the game, too.
Pictured: Rappers Jay-Z and Eminem perform together on-stage at the launch of ‘DJ Hero’ at the Wiltern Theatre on June 1, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
Film shows students battle racism for mixed prom
July 31, 2009
As Barack Obama campaigned to become the first black U.S. president, teenagers in the small Mississippi hometown of Hollywood star Morgan Freeman battled racism to hold their high school’s first integrated prom.
A new documentary, “Prom Night in Mississippi,” shows the students confronting racist attitudes in Charleston after school administrators let them decide if they wanted to accept Freeman’s offer to pay for an integrated prom — an annual dance for graduating students. Freeman’s first such offer a decade earlier had been ignored. While the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that school segregation was unconstitutional, proms could still be held separately for black and white Charleston High School students because they were organized by parents, not the school.
Jackson mother gets custody, Rowe gets visits
July 31, 2009
Michael Jackson’s mother will get custody of the late pop star’s three children after reaching a agreement with her son’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe, a lawyer for Katherine Jackson told CBS News on Thursday. Rowe will have “meaningful visitation rights” with her two biological children with Jackson — Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 — U.S. television networks CBS, ABC and NBC reported.The biological mother of Jackson’s third child, Prince Michael II, 7, also known as Blanket, has never been revealed.
Jackson’s mother, Katherine, 79, was granted temporary custody of the children after his death on June 25.
“It’s an agreement, an agreement for the best interests of the children. This is not a money deal. This is not about money,” Londell McMillan, Katherine Jackson’s attorney, said in a an interview on CBS News’ “The Early Show.”
Mary Mary Tops America’s Gospel Charts With #1 Gospel Song, & #1 Gospel Album
July 31, 2009
The Grammy Award winning duo Mary Mary holds both the nation’s #1 Gospel Song and #1 Gospel Album positions this week as “God In Me,” the latest smash single from the group’s chart-topping The Sound, rockets from #6 to #1 on the Billboard Gospel Songs chart. The Sound has occupied the #1 slot on the Billboard Gospel Album chart for more than six months since its release in October 2008 and has been #1 for 15 consecutive weeks beginning April 19. The Sound has also spent four weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Featuring Kierra “Kiki” Sheard, “God In Me,” perhaps the first gospel record to deploy an auto-tune, continues Mary Mary’s visionary blending of urban, hip-hop, soul, funk and pop elements with the power and conviction of their Christian message.
Anita Baker Gets Hip With New Album Collaborations
July 31, 2009
Revered R&B singer Anita Baker is releasing an album with some surprising guest artists next year, according to reports.
The record will feature a combination of live performances and new music Baker wrote for other singers, as well as collaborations with contemporary artists, including the unlikely pairing of eight-time Grammy winner Baker and rapper Snoop Dogg.
The Ohio-born soul singer was quick to explain that, although she’s working with rappers and more contemporary singers, the music will not be a major departure from her sound. “It will be an Anita Baker record, but it will have a lot of surprising elements in it,” Baker told Billboard. “We’ll take a lot of our contemporaries and bring them into my project where they may fit.”
Pictured: Singer Anita Baker performs on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ on September 6, 2004 at the NBC Studios, in Burbank, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Black Journalists’ Convention to Address the Nation’s Pressing Issues
July 31, 2009
The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) 2009 Annual Convention & Career Fair in Tampa will deliver hands-on multimedia training for journalists and media professionals August 5 – 9 at the Tampa Convention Center. In traditional NABJ fashion, this year’s convention also brings some of the biggest names and hottest issues in the news to special convention plenaries and news conferences.
“This NABJ Convention — more than ever before — will provide the cutting edge journalism skills that attendees need to keep their current jobs or compete for the journalism jobs of the future,” said Barbara Ciara, NABJ President. “The top notch training by organizations like the Poynter Institute, Google and the Gannett Foundation along with newsmaker plenaries, a career fair and networking opportunities make this convention a must for anyone looking to keep pace in a rapidly evolving industry.”
