Jet articles from July 2004

Jet archives from July 2004

Friends, fans and family bid farewell to Ray Charles in Los Angeles ceremonies.(Census)
July 5, 2004... An overflow crowd of more than 1,500 at Los Angeles' First AME Church, that city's oldest Black church, laughed, cried and sang as they said goodbye to "Brother Ray" Charles. The music legend recently died at the age of 73 following a...

Dating 101: how to spot a cheater.(Lifestyles)
July 5, 2004... Think back on all the red flags. The late night calls from his "mother. The guy she swore was "just a friend" who took her on a cruise. The late nights at work, the telephone number mysteriously found in the pocket/purse, the poorly justified...

This week in black history.
July 5, 2004... July 2, 1964-- President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a legislative landmark, into law on this day. The House acted by a 289-126 vote in approving the measure. Passage of the Act was not easy. House opposition...

Ten-year-old becomes a high school sophomore at Elite Institution.(Education)
July 5, 2004... Jake Harris is different from most children his age. At 10 years old the Harvey, IL, resident has excelled so in his young academic career that he has skipped the first, fourth, sixth and most recently the ninth grades. This August, young...

Promise-keeper.(Education)(real estate agent Oral Lee Brown)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Oral Lee Brown, a real-estate agent who promised a class of first-graders in 1987 she would send them to college, hugs one of the students, Michael Tatmon, during his graduation ceremony at Chabot College in Hayward, CA. Seventeen years ago,...

Creighton University honors black astronaut.(Education)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Creighton University President the Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J., salutes the dedication of a 7-foot bronze bust of Lt. Col. Michael P. Anderson, the late astronaut and Creighton alumnus killed in the Columbia space shuttle accident on Feb. 1,...

Fruition.(Society World)(William Weaver to marry Chante Offord)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... William Weaver pledged his lifelong devotion to the former Chante Offord during a double-ring ceremony at the new Martinique Banquet Hall in Chicago. The bride is a dental assistant who plans to become a dental hygienist. The bridegroom is a...

Meant to be.(Society World)(LaToya Antoinette Brown to marry James Antoine Russell)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... LaToya Antoinette Brown became the wife of James Antoine Russell at First Baptist Church of East Elmhurst, NY. The couple attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The bride is a supervisor at Orthonet LLC. The groom, also a...

Toast to happiness.(Society World)(Quentin Ramon Wade to marry Bobbi Tanise Boatwright)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Quentin Ramon Wade wed Bobbi Tanise Boatwright at St. Mark Church of Christ in Goldsboro, NC. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and East Carolina University, the bride is a third-grade teacher at Eastern Wayne...

Paradise on earth.(Society World)(Amber Harolern Boykins to marry Shaun Armando Simms)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... The Honorable Amber Harolern Boykins united in holy matrimony with Shaun Armando Simms during an enchanted ceremony at New Sunny Mount Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. The happy bride is a state representative and graduate of Columbia...

Swept away.(Society World)(marriage between Darrell Scott Medley and Tanya Arlene Tatum)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Darrell Scott Medley and Tanya Arlene Tatum married at Morning Star Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. The bride, a graduate of James Madison University, is an actress, singer and playwright. The groom, a graduate of the University of Virginia and...

Infinite love.(Society World)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Mr. and Mrs. Levester C. Tatum of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, celebrated 50 years of love and happiness with family and friends in Winston-Salem, NC. Mrs. Opal Tatum is a retired educator who taught in Chicago, Gary, IN, and Milwaukee. Her dedicated...

Music Divas Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston honored in Germany.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Singer Dionne Warwick is presented the first World Women's Award for Lifetime Achievement by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev as her fellow recipient and cousin Whitney Houston looks on during the first-ever World Women's Award...

TLC member T-Boz files for divorce from rapper husband Mack 10.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... T-Boz, a member of the Grammy Award-winning girl group TLC, recently filed for divorce from her rapper husband Mack 10, saying he committed adultery and threatened to kill her. T-Boz, 34, whose real name is Tionne Tenese Watkins, also...

White House portraits of President Clinton and First Lady by Simmie Knox unveiled; first painted by a black artist.(Newsmakers)
July 5, 2004... Portraitist Simmie Knox has painted himself onto the pages of American history books with the recent unveiling of the official White House portraits of former president Bill Clinton and former first lady, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton....

Joy Cunningham named Chicago Bar Association's 1st Black Female Pres.(Newsmakers)
July 5, 2004... Joy V. Cunningham, a former Cook County Circuit Court judge, made Windy City history when she recently became the first Black woman to head the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), one of the oldest bar associations in the country. Cunningham,...

Gospel fest tribute.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... The Rev. Willie T. Barrow (c), chairman emerita of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and minister of justice at the Vernon Park Church of God in Chicago, is congratulated on her outstanding leadership in gospel and the civil rights arenas by gospel singer...

Denzel Washington saluted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington was recently honored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for his years of support of the youth organization. Washington was presented the Herbert Hoover Humanitarian Award, the highest...

Air-Born Baby.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... AIR-BORN BABY: Abimbola Eduwa introduces her baby daughter Virginia to Virgin Atlantic boss Sir Richard Branson. In March Virginia became the first child to be born on one of Branson's airline flights. The Nigerian baby arrived mid-air on a...

Getting better with age.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... GETTING BETTER WITH AGE: Mrs. Lucille Marie Staley Griffith recently celebrated 106 years of life with family and close friends during a birthday dinner at the Wellesley Inn in White Plains, NY. Mrs. Griffith, a native of Orangeburg, SC, and...

A knockout.(the week's best photos)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... A KNOCKOUT: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali gives actor Denzel Washington a playful punch at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's annual President's Dinner that honored Washington at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City (see page 38).

Beauty of the week.
July 5, 2004... SANDRA ST. CYR (36-24-35) is from Chicago. Her interests are computers, acting and bike-riding.

For the pistons.(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... FOR THE PISTONS: Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin sings the national anthem before the start of Game 5 of the NBA Championship Finals between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers at the Palace in Auburn Hills, MI. Franklin, who lives...

Dancing with the dogg.
July 5, 2004... DANCING WITH THE DOGG: Superstar rapper Snoop Dogg hoists famed singer Britney Spears during the taping of her video Outrageous in Queens, NY. Snoop is slated to appear in the sizzling video.

Steps to building good credit.(Finance)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Many experts say that having no credit can be just as bad as having bad credit, because there is no history to say if you are a good or bad risk when requesting loans. Building a good credit record is no easy task. It may be frustrating...

Burrell founder Tom Burrell steps aside; names new leadership team.(Business)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Thirty-three years after he founded what would become one of the nation's leading Black-owned, full-service communications agencies, Burrell Chairman and CEO Tom Burrell has announced that he is stepping aside to "allow a team of passionate...

History-making victory.(Sports)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... USA men sabre team members (l-r) Ivan Lee, Tim Morehouse, Jason Rogers and Keeth Smart celebrate their recent win during the Grand Prix of Fencing World Cup sabre competition in New York City. This was the team's first gold-medal win during...

Pele's emotional moment.(Sports)(Brief Article)
July 5, 2004... Brazil's legendary soccer star Pele cries as he carries the Olympic Torch in Rio de Janeiro. The Olympic flame was in South America for the first time ever as it makes its way around the world en route to the Athens Olympics. The 63-year-old...

Motown celebrates NBA championship title.(Sports)
July 5, 2004... The new NBA champion Detroit Pistons are still basking in the glory after humiliating the mighty Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win the series 4-1 and gain the coveted championship rings. Motown celebrated its new champs...

Regina King.(Cover Story)
July 5, 2004... Popular Actress Tells * Why Childhood Fame Didn't Ruin Her * How Refusing Certain Roles Works To Her Advantage * How Hollywood Still Isn't Showing Black Actresses The Money By the time Regina King was 6, she knew that she...

Brooke gets Medal of Freedom.(National Report; Sen. Edward W. Brooke )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... BROOKE GETS MEDAL OF FREEDOM: Former Sen. Edward W. Brooke is congratulated by President Bush who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's top civilian honor for accomplishments in culture, politics, science, sports and...

Reviewing criminal sentences.(National Report)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... REVIEWING CRIMINAL SENTENCES: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and American Bar Association (ABA) President Dennis Archer attend a news conference in Washington, D.C., on ABA's recent proposals to ease sentencing. Kennedy accepted the...

Celebrating World Refugee Day.(National Report)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... CELEBRATING WORLD REFUGEE DAY: Secretary of State Colin Powell and actress Angelina Jolie, goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), take part in the official launching of World Refugee Day 2004 at the...

100 Black Men of America conference.(National Report)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... 100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA CONFERENCE: Honorees and participants at the 18th Annual National Conference of 100 Black Men Of America, Inc. (OBMA) gather during the conference's Chairman's Award Luncheon at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami....

At this summer's political conventions, Black speakers will be crucial in stirring excitement for the national audiences.(Confidential)
July 12, 2004... At this summer's political conventions, Black speakers will be crucial in stirring excitement for the national audiences. At the Boston Democratic gathering, Reps. Harold Ford, Eddie Bernice Johnson and Charles Rangel along with Atlanta's Rev....

Once again in the limelight is Virginia's ex-Governor L. Douglas Wilder, who will try to become the first elected mayor of Richmond after citizens disposed of having the council select the mayor.(Confidential)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Once again in the limelight is Virginia's ex-Governor L. Douglas Wilder, who will try to become the first elected mayor of Richmond after citizens disposed of having the council select the mayor. Wilder will face incumbent Mayor Rudolph...

Baltimore's Coppin State University President Stanley F. Battle hopes to show his students how to improve inner-city neighborhoods.(Confidential)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Baltimore's Coppin State University President Stanley F. Battle hopes to show his students how to improve inner-city neighborhoods. With $210,000 in funding, the educator drafted a program to meet with parents in an immediate 20-block area and...

Honors arrive for former NAACP lawyers.(Confidential; Judge Robert L. Carter and Judge Nathaniel Jones)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Honors arrive for former NAACP lawyers: Judge Robert L. Carter received the 2004 Spingarn Medal while Judge Nathaniel Jones, a former counsel, had the U.S. courthouse in Youngstown, OH, named for him...

Constance Newman.(Confidential; confirmed as assistant secretary of state for Africa )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Longtime diplomat Constance Newman was confirmed as assistant secretary of state for Africa...

The Wall Street Journal ranks Morehouse College No. 29.(Confidential)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... The Wall Street Journal ranks Morehouse College No. 29 (and the only Black institution in its rating) of the 50 top schools to promote its grads to the nation's most prestigious programs...

John W. Marshall, Virginia's secretary of public safety and son of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.(Confidential)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... John W. Marshall, Virginia's secretary of public safety and son of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall, is considering running for the state's lieutenant governor seat in his initial bid for public office.

Forty-four years after their expulsion from Southern University for sit-in protests in Baton Rouge, the 12 students returned to the campus this year to receive honorary undergraduate degrees.(National Headliners)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Forty-four years after their expulsion from Southern University for sit-in protests in Baton Rouge, the 12 students returned to the campus this year to receive honorary undergraduate degrees. President Donald C. Wade welcomed the group which...

President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor James A. Garner of Hempstead, NY.(National Headliners)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor James A. Garner of Hempstead, NY, directed sessions of the 72nd annual meeting in Boston...

Former L.A. police chief and now a city councilman, Bernard C. Parks announced that he will run for the mayor's post.(National Headliners)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Former L.A. police chief and now a city councilman, Bernard C. Parks announced that he will run for the mayor's post held by James K. Hahn.

Three slain civil rights workers remembered on 40th anniversary of their deaths.(National Report)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... About 1,500 people gathered to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the slayings of three civil rights workers and support the re-opening of an investigation into their deaths. The memorial service honored James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and...

Launa T. Thompson, distinguished Chicago radio executive, succumbs.(Census)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
July 12, 2004... Funeral services recently were held for Launa T. Thompson, the esteemed radio executive who managed three Chicago stations, at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago. She died after a brief illness in Chicago. She was 52. Thompson, noted...

Died.(Census)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
July 12, 2004... Died: Lon Dyson, 65, pioneering Chicago deejay (he was the youngest, at 15, in the city's history), of lung cancer in the hospice of Mercy Hospital in Chicago... Louise King Quarles Lawson, 87, the first Black woman to be president of a U.S....

So in love.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... So In Love: Derek A. Burke united in holy matrimony with Kimberly A. Chavis at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Lafayette, LA. The bride, a graduate of the University of Southwest Louisiana and Xavier University, is a certified registered...

Just one touch.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... Just One Touch: Marcus Johnson married Irene Slaughter at the Long Reach Church of God in Columbia, MD. The bride is a graduate of Tuskegee University. She is an accountant with Aegon Direct Marketing Services. The bridegroom also is a graduate...

Fifty blessed years.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... Fifty Blessed Years: Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hart renewed their vows after 50 years of marriage and celebrated the blessed event at the Beverly Woods in Chicago. Mrs. Maxine Hart retired from the National Opinion Research Center in 1993 after 30...

My all is yours.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... My All Is Yours: Marcia Charise Reeves became the wife of' Shawn Anthony Wooden at the Douglas Entrance Historical Ballroom in Coral Gables, FL. The bride, who attends Florida International University, is the owner of On Pointe Dance Studio....

Prescription for love.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... Prescription For Love: Steven Freeman-Muhammad and the former Maisha Kelly wed at Southern City AME Zion Tabernacle Church in East Spencer, NC. The bride, an assistant professor and a drag information specialist, is a grad of Winston-Salem...

Sensational sixty years.(Society World)
July 12, 2004... Sensational Sixty Years: Bishop Emeritus Lee A. Tolbert and his wife, Lorene, of Kansas City, MO, commemorated 60 years of marriage with a small family gathering. Bishop Tolbert is the former pastor, and his with the first lady, of Christ...

Wonder, Al Green and songwriters Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield honored by Songwriters Hall of Fame.(Music)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Superstar singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder was among the honorees at the recent 35th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards ceremony in New York City. Wonder was a special award recipient and was presented with the Johnny Mercer Award in...

Doubly great day for Donna.(Music; Donna Summer promotes new book, Ordinary Girl)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... DOUBLY GREAT DAY FOR DONNA: Famed singer Donna Summer enjoys a playful moment before a signing session for her new book, Ordinary Girl, and CD of her greatest hits, The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer, at a Central London music store....

Canadian jazz legend honored.(Music; Oscar Peterson)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... CANADIAN JAZZ LEGEND HONORED: Oscar Peterson, famed Canadian jazz pianist whose career has spanned more than five decades, smiles as he attends the dedication of Oscar Peterson Place in the heart of the financial district in Toronto. The...

Small steps that can lead to big health gains.(Health)
July 12, 2004... At the beginning of every year, countless numbers of people make a resolution to start taking better care of themselves. With a goal set on becoming fit and trim by the summer, they open a new gym membership or start yet another trendy diet....

Clinton's life story.(Celebrities; Bill Clinton )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... CLINTON'S LIFE STORY: Former President Bill Clinton reads an excerpt from his new book, My Life, to talk show host Oprah Winfrey during taping of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The much-anticipated 957-page book was recently published, with advance...

The men in white.(Celebrities; new film from Wayans brothers)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... THE MEN IN WHITE: The Wayans brothers, dubbed "the First Family of Comedy" (l-r), Marlon, Shawn, Damon and Keenen Ivory, attend a screening of the comedy White Chicks at Mann Village in Westwood, CA. Shawn and Marlon transform themselves to...

Sci-lestial event.(Celebrities; "Star Trek" exhibit at Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... SCI-LESTIAL EVENT: Original TV series "Star Trek" cast mates Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura) and George Takei (Mr. Sulu) view the "Star Trek" exhibit at the new Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle. Among the exhibits: Captain Kirk's...

Marla Gibbs joins 'Passions'.(Celebrities)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... MARLA GIBBS JOINS 'PASSIONS': Actress Marla Gibbs, who starred on the sitcom "227," is a new cast member of the NBC daytime soap, "Passions." Relaxing here with Amelia Marshall, who plays Liz Sanbourne, Gibbs stars as Irma Johnson, the aunt of...

Hugh Masekela tells all in new book, 'Still Grazing'.(Celebrities)
July 12, 2004... South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, known worldwide for his signature hit Grazing in the Grass, says there's one gift that he will never forget--a trumpet from the legendary Louis Armstrong. Masekela was 17 years old and living in a...

This week in Black history.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... July 5, 1975-- Arthur Ashe, tennis great and humanitarian, won the men's single title at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in England on this day. He was the first Black to win this prestigious tournament title. Ashe, who at 31 had never...

Hugs and hurrahs!(Education; Elaine Farris first Black superintendent of a public school system in Kentucky)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... * HUGS AND HURRAHS!: Longtime educator Elaine Farris (r) gets a hug from Kymberly Rice, principal of Shelby County West Middle School in Shelbyville, KY, after Farris was elected as the state's first Black superintendent of a public school...

Perseverance pays off.(Education; Vaddrick Parker earns law degree)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF: Vaddrick Parker, 25, of North Carolina, who was featured in the August 19, 1996 issue of JET Magazine when he was honored as a teen for attending school for 13 years without missing a day, shows off his new law degree. He...

Flying eagle.(the week's best photos)
July 12, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: FLYING EAGLE: Shayna Javornicky spreads her wings during the ball portion of the 2004 Rhythmic & Trampoline U.S. Olympic Team Trials at San Jose State University Events Center in California.

Beauty of the week.
July 12, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: BROOKE BENNETT of Chicago is a student majoring in communications. She enjoys traveling, modern dance, outdoor aerobics and reading.

Like father, like son.(the week's best photos)
July 12, 2004... LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Eddie Levert (l) of the legendary O'Jays and son, soul crooner Gerald Levert, have a lot to smile about. The two are preparing to "bring it home" when they hit the road for their father-son tour, which begins in...

Early starter.(the week's best photos)
July 12, 2004... EARLY STARTER: St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Reggie Sanders pinch-hits for 3-month-old daughter Cooper during the annual Father's Day game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Win A Date With An Ebony Bachelor 2004.(Lifestyles)
July 12, 2004... Lucky winners in select cities were wined and dined by some of the country's most sexy and successful bachelors as part of the "Win A Date With An EBONY Bachelor" contest. EBONY partnered with radio stations in Detroit. Chicago. New York,...

Marion Jones wants public hearing in attempt to clear name tied to drug allegations.(Sports)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Olympic champion Marion Jones is tired of seeing her name linked to steroid allegations and recently issued a plea for a public hearing that she hopes will clear her name and allow her to compete in the Athens Games. The track star is one...

2004 NBA draft touts potential; record number of high school players go in first round.(Sports)
July 12, 2004... Budding high school seniors were a hotter commodity than the experienced college players in this year's NBA draft, which featured a record eight high school players chosen in the first round. High schooler Dwight Howard was chosen No. 1 by...

NBA lottery picks.(Sports)
July 12, 2004... Ben Gordon #3 Chicago Bulls Junior/ Connecticut Shaun Livingston #4 L.A. Clippers Peoria Central H.S. (Peoria, IL) Devin Harrison #5 Washington (traded to Dallas) Junior/ Wisconsin Josh Childress #6 Atlanta Hawks Junior/ Stanford...

Iginla honored.(Sports; Jarome Iginla awarded Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... IGINLA HONORED: Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla is all smiles after he was awarded the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's goal-scoring leader and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and humanitarian contributions to...

Top 20 albums.(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... 1. CONFESSIONS Usher (LaFace) 2. LIVING LEGENDS 8Ball & MJG (Bad Boy) 3. BEGINNING OF THE END Juvenile, Wacko, Skip (Rap-A-Lot) 4. TICAL O.: THE PREQUEL Method Man (Def Jam) 5. D 12 WORLD D 12 (Shady) 6. MUSICOLOGY Prince...

TV's hottest moms.(Interview)(Cover Story)
July 12, 2004... Talented actresses are putting a new spin on motherhood. They are showing that the mothers of this millennium can be sassy and hip, career-minded and aggressive, bold and free-spirited, but always loving. They also show viewers that they can...

Dance legend Katherine Dunham celebrates 95th birthday.(Newsmakers)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Dance pioneer Katherine Dunham recently returned to her hometown of East St. Louis, IL, to celebrate her 95th birthday in a weeklong series of tributes. Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, a longtime admirer and friend of the...

Rev. Ike & Rev. Run honored.(Newsmakers; Rev. Frederick Eikerenkoetter )(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... REV. IKE & REV. RUN HONORED: Rev. Ike (Rev. Frederick Eikerenkoetter) (2nd, l) is joined by (l-r) Rev Run, Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, founder of Zoe Ministries in New York City and the Rev. Al Sharpton, outside the exclusive Plaza Hotel in New...

'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'.(television)(Brief Article)
July 12, 2004... Ice-T stars as Det. Odafan "Fin" Tutuola and Tamara Tunie stars as medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner on the hard-hitting and emotional series that chronicles the life and crimes of the elite Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police...

Phillip West sworn in as first Black Natchez, MS, mayor.(National Report)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... At least 650 people were on hand for the recent swearing-in ceremony of Natchez, Mississippi's first Black mayor since Reconstruction. Phillip West, former state representative, county supervisor and civil rights activist, beat seven other...

Black Mayors conference.(National Report; National Conference of Black Mayors held in Philadelphia )(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... BLACK MAYORS CONFERENCE: The National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM) recently held its 30th annual convention in Philadelphia with more than 200 of the nation's 532 Black mayors in attendance. A highlight of the convention was the...

Daughter of late Sen. Strom Thurmond to join Confederacy group.(National Report; Essie Mae Washington-Williams)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... Essie Mae Washington-Williams, daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-SC), plans to apply for membership in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group open to descendants of soldiers who fought for the South in the Civil War,...

Historic Miss Georgia crowning.(National Report; Danica Tisdale first Black to wear the crown)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... HISTORIC MISS GEORGIA CROWNING: Danica Tisdale, Miss Atlanta, is crowned Miss Georgia 2004 by Andrea Bailey, Miss Georgia 2003, at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus, GA. Tisdale's win made her the first Black to wear the crown...

Lezli Baskerville is first woman named to head Black colleges group, NAFEO.(National Report; National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education)(Brief Article)
July 19, 2004... After serving two months as the interim president, Atty. Lezli Baskerville did so well that the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) board of directors named her as the first woman president of the organization...