thenewjournalandguide.com

By Freddie Allen
NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA)
    After a four-hour meeting of some the best minds in civil rights, business, education and the media, dozens of Black leaders from across the nation outlined a “Black agenda” that would be presented to President Barack Obama and  Congress early next year.
    The leadership group was assembled by Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League; Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network; Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
    Morial was quick to say that the meeting did not represent the formation of another group, but a collaborative effort to send a clear message to the White House during President Obama’s second term.
    More than three dozen leaders attended, including National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) Chairman Cloves Campbell, Southern Christian Leadership President Charles Steele and grassroots activist Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century.

By Marc H. Morial
NNPA Columnist

    President Obama’s decisive victory in this year’s presidential election signaled a shift in both demographics and attitude in America. While 93 percent of African American voters supported Obama, his victory reflected a cross-section of America, including substantial numbers of Whites and a growing number of Hispanics and Asian Americans. African Americans again made the difference in a number of key swing states. In fact, in hotly contested Ohio, the African American share of the electorate rose from 11 percent four years ago to 15 percent this year, with 96 percent of African Americans voting for Obama. Clearly, the president’s small margin of victory in Ohio was determined by an increase in the Black vote.
    According to Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Senior Research Associate, David Bositis, because of similar increases among Hispanic and Asian American voters, the 2012 presidential election will be the last one where any candidate can expect to win by appealing only to White voters.

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

    Since President Obama was elected with 93% of the black vote, there is now a conversation regarding how to leverage unprecedented political support in order to receive the attention from the Obama Administration that such support deserves.  The Associated Press wrote about the matter this week, quoting Rev. Al Sharpton, NAACP President Ben Jealous and National Urban League President Marc Morial along the way.

By Rev. Al Sharpton
NNPA Columnist

    Four years ago, the nation paused as we watched historic numbers of Americans standing in line for hours to cast their vote in the presidential election. And yesterday, we witnessed another remarkable repeat of democracy in action as citizens overcame voter suppression tactics, and personal challenges to ensure that they participated in the process and let their voices be heard.
    Even as the results were being tallied and announced on air, people in many states remained in line determined to vote. It was an affirmation of the power of individuals and the direction we want this country to go. Yesterday, we re-elected an African-American president to office; we chose to move forward.
    Throughout President Obama’s four years in office, he has faced unimaginable opposition from those who were less concerned about the welfare of the nation, and instead more interested in watching our Commander-in-Chief fail. And unfortunately, during the campaign, the president endured unparalleled rancor and acrimony from others, but faced it with impeccable grace and coolness. Dealing with all kinds of innuendos, and personal insults, he never once stooped to the ugliness. Even as some questioned his citizenship, his birth rights and his legitimacy, the president demonstrated grace and leadership for the world to emulate. There’s no question that the voting public took notice.

New Journal and Guide reporter Randy Singleton and videographer Gene Ray interviewed Rev. Al Sharpton at a news conference following his speech at the Urban League rally at Grove Church in Portsmouth on Wednesday, July 18, 2012.  Although our time with the crusader for civil rights was limited by event officials, Rev. Al, as he is affectionately known in the African American community, sat down for some straight-talk with the New Journal and Guide:

New Journal and Guide Videographer Gene Ray: What is your take on [presumptive Republican Presidential] candidate [Mitt] Romney refusing to release his taxes?

By Randy Singleton

Community Affairs Correspondent

New Journal and Guide

PORTSMOUTH

     Rev. Al Sharpton was the keynote speaker at the Urban League’s Act Now Empowerment Rally at Grove Church in Portsmouth on Wednesday (July 18).  The purpose of the rally was to encourage civic engagement, develop community leadership, and to educate residents about Virginia’s new voter identification law.  

     The church was packed to capacity and some of the Hampton Roads most prominent political figures and civic leaders were in attendance, including Portsmouth Mayor Kenneth Wright, State Senators Maime Locke and Louise Lucas, and Delegate Kenneth Alexander.  The event was hosted by WAVY-TV news anchor woman Alveta Ewell.  

PORTSMOUTH

     Rev. Al Sharpton will keynote a public event sponsored by the Urban League to encourage civic engagement and community leadership. It will be held on July 18, 2012 at Grove Baptist Church in Portsmouth from 7 to 9 p.m.

Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper

     The Rev. Al Sharpton, leader of the National Action Network, will be honored with a humanitarian award at the BET annual awards show at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles July 1, the network announced.

By Randy Singleton

Community Affairs Correspondent

New Journal and Guide

RICHMOND

     Civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton was the keynote speaker at Virginia Union University’s 113th commencement on Saturday (May 12) at Hovey Field in Richmond, VA.  

   Rev. Sharpton has been leading the fight for justice in the Trevon Martin case in Florida.  Martin was a seventeen-year old student murdered by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman who claimed self-defense under Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law.  Many in the civil rights community believe that the murdered youth was a victim of racial profiling.