Author: UNR Staff

Original articles written by UNR contributors, staff reporters and editors are always available in hard copy. For more information on obtaining a hard copy of an editorial article seen on UNR, contact the Urban Newsroom.

The University of Florida has issued an apology after several Black students were seen getting manhandled for celebrating on stage during their graduation ceremony this weekend. UF Twitter 🗣🗣 Somebody please find out this employee’s name!! Every time a Black student took more than TWO seconds, he aggressively pushed them. Watch it for yourself. #ItsGreatUF pic.twitter.com/zMee1nMbUZ — Chris (@ChicoFreedom) May 5, 2018 via NYDN: School president W. Kent Fuchs lamented the “inappropriately aggressive” behavior toward the grads at the Saturday event, images of which circulated around social media. “I personally apologize, and am reaching out to the students involved,” he said…

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Camille Cosby has spoken publicly for the first time since her husband Bill Cosby was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in a Philadelphia suburb in 2004  – calling it “mob justice”. Camille Cosby, who has been married to The Cosby Show star since 1964, has gone after the Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, the media and Cosby’s accusers in a statement that alludes to racial injustice.“The overall media, with their frenzied, relentless demonization of him and unquestioning acceptance of accusers’ allegations without any attendant proof, have superseded the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which guarantee due process and equal protection, and…

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Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela-Mandela‚ a stalwart in the fight against apartheid‚ has died at the age of 81. Her PA‚ Zodwa Zwane‚ confirmed the struggle veteran’s death on Monday afternoon. “It is with profound sadness that we inform the public that Mrs Winnie Madikizela-Mandela passed away at the Netcare Milpark Hospital‚ Johannesburg‚ South Africa on Monday April 2‚ 2018. She died after a long illness‚ for which she had been in and out of hospital since the start of the year. She succumbed peacefully in the early hours of Monday afternoon surrounded by her family and loved ones,” the family said…

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Note: For the safety of student whistleblower, he will be referred to as “Chase” throughout this article. Administrators who provided information in the spirit of transparency while risking their jobs will also be unnamed. *See Editorial Note at the end of this article. Records obtained by a Howard University financial aid administrator show that former financial aid officials received nearly $1 Million in financial aid funds between 2013 and 2017 in an office-wide scandal that involved at least four other senior financial aid administrators. Accounts given by current and former employees and students familiar with the embezzlement scandal suggest that Howard…

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Today, Feb. 5, would have been Trayvon Martin‘s 23rd birthday. Nearly six years ago, the unarmed 17-year-old was tragically gunned down by neighborhood watch George Zimmerman. His murder set off a wave of national protests against racial bias and an unjust criminal justice system, and inspired the early workings of Black Lives Matter. On his birthday, Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, took to Twitter to pay tribute to her fallen son, whose life inspired a new generation to rise up against racial injustice. “Happy Heavenly ’23’ Birthday Trayvon you will forever be my Son/Sun !!” tweeted Fulton, who has turned her pain into passionate advocacy…

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CBS has just ordered a slew of pilots for this development cycle. Of Shadow and Act’s stated interested, we’re noting that the drama series based on the life of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has received an official pilot order, as well as a drama from Ava DuVernay and Greg Berlanti. The potential series, written by Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, “explores what happens after a white cop in Chicago mistakenly shoots and kills a black doctor.” It will follow “three different families that all have connections with the case as the story is told from each perspective.” DuVernay executive produces with Greg Berlanti…

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After ending the year firing network star Matt Lauer for “inappropriate sexual behavior,” NBC News’ first move of 2018 is a make-good. On Jan. 2, the division named Hoda Kotb Lauer’s permanent replacement as co-anchor of Today’s first two hours, a move co-anchor Savannah Guthrie called “the most popular decision NBC News has ever made.” “Broadcast executives sometimes do the smart thing, and they sometimes do the right thing. In this case, they did both,” notes journalism professor Barbara Cochran, a former NBC News and CBS News executive, echoing raves from present and former Today colleagues, including Tamron Hall. Kotb, 53, who will…

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PBS has suspended late-night talk show “Tavis Smiley” amid misconduct allegations against its host and namesake. “Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of ‘Tavis Smiley,’ produced by TS Media, an independent production company,” the public broadcaster said. “PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision.” Sources close to the production told Variety that…

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Dear Black Alabama Voters, Thank you, as usual. Despite all the terrible legislation that was specifically created to prevent you from voting, you still went out to vote AND you voted like you should in the Alabama election for the vacant U.S. Senate seat. As any intelligent, rational adult would do, you resoundingly voted for the person who was not the gun-toting guy with an affinity for under aged teenage girls and who would like to get rid of Constitutional amendments after 10 (effectively undoing abolition of slavery, the woman’s right to vote and black folks’ right to vote among other important milestones). To…

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Same-sex marriage will become legal in Australia after a historic bill was passed in the House of Representatives. An overwhelming majority of MPs voted to change the Marriage Act, eight days after a similarly decisive result in the Senate. The vote set off immediate celebrations in parliament, prompting cheers, applause and even a song. The result brings an end to more than a decade of robust and often bitter debate on the issue. “What a day for love, for equality, for respect,” said Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. “Australia has done it.” The legislation sailed through parliament without amendments after Australians overwhelmingly…

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