Dallas County’s First African-American District Attorney, Craig Watkins, Named Texan of the Year

Jan.1, 2007, the day Craig Watkins was sworn in as Dallas’ first African-American district attorney, marked a seismic shift in local politics. Perhaps even more significant than the election of Ron Kirk, our first black mayor, Mr. Watkins’ first two years in office illustrate a commitment to just and effective enforcement of the law; citizens expect as much and rightly so.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Warns Inmates of `Jail Hotels’

The Rev. Jesse Jackson has warned against prisons becoming “jail hotels” during his annual Christmas visit to the Cook County, Ill., jail.

Rick Warren to Speak at MLK Memorial Day Before Inauguration

Just one day before giving the invocation at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration, a local pastor will be the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Commemorative Service, officials at Saddleback Church said.

Advisor to Martin Luther King Dies: Incest Charge Marred Legacy of Rev. James Bevel

The Rev. James L. Bevel, a prominent figure in the civil rights movement whose legacy was clouded by an incest conviction has died, a relative said. He was 72.

Some See God’s Will in Obama Win

The day after Barack Obama was elected president, Larry Younginer knelt in front of the congregants at his suburban Atlanta church and offered a prayer of thanks. “Lord, we have again come to you in prayer, and you have heard our cries from heaven, and you have sent us again from the state called Illinois, a man called Barack to heal our land,” said Younginer, a 62-year-old retired information systems worker at Coca Cola in Atlanta. 

Barbara Lee Named New Chairwoman of Congressional Black Caucus

Rep. Barbara Lee was named chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday, giving the Oakland Democrat a high-profile platform to push her priorities, from increasing funding for HIV/AIDS to pushing for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Black Church Destroyed By Fire the Morning After Obama’s Election

As Election Night made way for a new day, a pastor named Bryant
Robinson Jr. clicked off his television to accept a sleep of sweet
promise. His mostly black congregation now had two blessings awaiting
it in 2009: the inauguration of the first African-American president
and the finished construction of a new church.

Black Caucus Says No Special Relationship to Obama

The Congressional Black Caucus announced its new leaders Wednesday without mentioning President-elect Barack Obama until asked. Members disputed the notion that his historic presidency would affect their profile or their role.

Protesters Rally Near Texas Court in African-American Dragging Case

Protesters galvanized by a dragging death that has stirred memories of
the notorious James Byrd case rallied twice outside an eastern Texas
courthouse to speak out against a judicial system they consider racist.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Family Seeks to Cash In on MLK-Obama Items

Zealous guardians of his words and his likeness, the family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is demanding a share of the proceeds from the sudden wave of T-shirts, posters and other merchandise depicting the civil rights leader alongside Barack Obama.

Baptist Leader says Noose Hanging at Baylor Must Spark Honesty about Racism

The Baptist approach to racism is best described as “resolutionary,” at least within the dominant white community, according to a white Baptist leader who grew up in Nigeria.

Congregants at Predominantly Black Churches Celebrate Obama’s Victory

Congregants at predominantly black churches blew horns, waved American flags and raised their hands from Raleigh to Los Angeles to the Atlanta church where the dream was born on the Sunday after Barack Obama was elected president.

Arkansas Blacks Can’t Break State, Congress Racial Barrier

Arkansas remains
the only state from the former Confederacy not to elect an
African-American to Congress or any statewide office since
Reconstruction — and last week it soundly rejected the man set to
become the nation’s first black president.

Study Shows 8,000 African-Americans Die Due to Blood Pressure Gap

The lives of nearly 8,000 black Americans could be saved each year if
doctors could figure out a way to bring their average blood pressure
down to the average level of whites, a surprising new study found.

NAACP Image Awards to Announce Nominees in January 2009

The 40th NAACP Image Awards will broadcast live from Los Angeles’
historic Shrine Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 12 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
ET/PT) on Fox.