A controversial new rule by the National Collegiate Athletic Association went into effect this month, requiring all Division I athletes to be screened for a genetic sickle cell trait.

It cannot be denied that African-Americans have made tremendous progress — and one of the most significant factors that contributed to black success and survival has been our faith in God.

African Americans are leading in the race to our graves. Although African Americans make up only about 12% of the population of the United States, they account for up to 32% of renal disease victims. Of all ethnicities, African Americans are the most likely to develop renal disease and they acquire the illness at an earlier age.

Shirley Sherrod was pushed out and then invited back, as the administration realized that the right-wing attack on her was totally unfounded. But even the offer of a job gets it wrong. Shirley Sherrod is a freedom fighter. She’s not looking for a job, she cares about justice.

Seeing 1,500 orange-jumpsuit-clad inmates doing a perfectly-choreographed Zombie Dance brings back such happy memories. It makes you want to watch the original video, complete with the undead doing dance-steps you once copied.

New York Gov. David Paterson, recalling the principles upon which the historic Black Press was founded, welcomed the National Newspaper Publishers Association upon its 70th anniversary celebration in New York June 16-19.

A new study released today by the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy looks at how broadband pricing plans that recover a greater share of costs from the heaviest users, including high-bandwidth consuming content providers, would help the United States achieve universal broadband adoption sooner and accelerate the end of a digital divide across income, racial and ethnic lines.

The BP oil spill is eight weeks in the making, and still no one has a true sense of where things lie. The Obama administration has most recently shifted from its observational stance to getting some skin in the game and as a result having a significant ownership stake in the recovery from this disaster. Weeks earlier, conservative pundits and certain members of the press sought to draw inferences to a not too far gone disaster in the gulf, postulating that the BP oil spill represented Obama’s Katrina.

“Percy Creuzot was a business pioneer in Houston, a community leader and a community steward. Through his restaurants and generous financial support of community needs (continued by his children), Percy Creuzot touched the lives of so many people in his community,” said Representative Coleman.

This July will see the return of singer/producer and actress Mary J. Blige to the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, set for July 2, 3 and 4 in New Orleans. Not only will the Queen of Hip-Hop soul and nine-time Grammy winner serve as one of the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL’s headliners, this year she has also taken on the role as the festival’s official spokesperson in the months leading up to the annual weekend of entertainment and empowerment. Blige has performed eight times at ESSENCE (last in 2008), where she’ll be part of a line-up featuring some of the biggest names in entertainment and the nation’s most influential speakers, artists, authors and leaders.

The nomination of Elena Kagan to fill the seat of a retiring Supreme Court justice has caused quite a stir on the political left and right, as operatives on both sides try to ascertain exactly where she stands on a variety of issues.

Even if you do not have a college-aged child at home, please share this with someone who does, pass this scholarship information on to anyone and everyone that comes to mind. Though there are a number of companies and organizations that have donated moneys for scholarship use to African Americans, a great deal of the money is being returned because of a lack of interest.

The recent barrages of accusations directed at the Republican National Committee have led to RNC Chairman Michael Steele being forced into a corner on an issue he has often spoken up against. When asked in early April whether he felt he was being held to a higher standard because he is an African American, he responded “yes” and immediately cited the fact that President Barack Obama has a slimmer margin of error being the United States’ first black president.

You read about a young black man, killed by another young black man over tennis shoes. On TV is a silky-haired sistah shaking her stuff at a hate-spouting rapper. Click, and see a fight over baby daddies. Click again, and there’s a sitcom with a black man acting the fool.

Thurgood Marshall, Hattie McDaniel, the Tuskeggee Airmen and Walter Morris — all African-Americans who made history breaking the color barrier.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s® 2010 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, African-Americans are two times more likely than their white counterparts to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Hispanics are one and one-half times more likely than whites to have Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

I don’t care what political party you’re affiliated with, nor do I care about the self anointing labels of liberals, moderates, or conservatives mental renderings of political positions based purely on their personal experiences, cultures, and beliefs about other people. Textbooks should reflect accurate information regarding the human experience thus leaving out the personal philosophy, or ideology of the group of people responsible for the content of textbooks.

During the recent Congressional hearing to discuss what many contends is an insufficiently funded Black advertising campaign of Census 2010; the U. S. Census Bureau’s media-buying agencies were blistered by a charge that they allegedly played unfair politics with Black newspaper publishers.

While economists declare the recovery at hand, more Americans than ever are losing their homes. The financial bailout rescued the banks, but it has done precious little for homeowners faced with collapsing home values, ballooning mortgages and increasingly lost jobs.

This February, in celebration of the remarkable contributions made by African-Americans, Macy’s commemorates Black History Month with special events that celebrate you. In honor of African-Americans past and present who have made an impact in their communities and have inspired others to be their best selves, Macy’s “Celebrates You” events will help individuals to discover their own “brand” – their unique voice, style and personality that will empower them to advance and achieve success, like the trailblazers before them.