On June 12, 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was gunned down in his family’s driveway, the same day as President John F. Kennedy’s televised Civil Rights Address. 

Evers was born July 2, 1925, to Jesse and James Evers in Decatur, Mississippi. He was one of five children by the couple. Having grown up in the deep South during the height of Jim Crow, Evers grew accustomed to the omnipresent threat of racism, which materialized at even the most innocuous moments. Nothing demonstrated this unfortunate reality more than when white supremacists lynched his family friend. The perpetrators kept the victim’s clothes strewn along a fence for over a year as a stark reminder of Black Americans’ inferiority. Evers was only 12 years old when he witnessed this.  

Evers dropped out of high school when he was 17 to join the army like his older brother. His stint in the military led him to Europe, where he fought in World War II. Evers was honorably discharged three years later. After re-enrolling in high school and receiving his diploma, Edgars attended Alcorn College in Mississippi, where he met his wife, Myrlie Beasly. After college, the couple moved to Mound Bayou, Mississippi, and Evers found work selling insurance. The widespread poverty of the city’s Black residents, inspired Evers into civil rights. 

According to the NAACP, Evers became president of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership, where he led a boycott against gas stations that prevented Black people from using their restrooms. The organization shared bumper stickers with the slogan “Don’t Buy Gas Where You Can’t Use the Bathroom,” which they distributed to thousands of people at its annual conferences between 1952 and 1953.

Soon after, Evers joined the NAACP in hopes of enacting change. Evers began organizing local NAACP chapters and planning local boycotts. His organizational skills were crucial to his leadership as he could unify isolated groups. Evers decided to go to law school after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling and applied to the University of Mississippi Law School. However, the university denied his application.

According to Biography, Evers pursued legal action against the university with assistance from the NAACP and counsel from Thurgood Marshall. Evers’ attempts were ultimately unsuccessful. However, this rejection drew the attention of the NAACP, who then hired him as the organization’s first field secretary in Mississippi. 

Later that same year, Evers and his family relocated to Jackson, Mississippi, where he built an NAACP office. During the early 1960s, Evers organized high-profile boycotts and marches. He also helped bail out arrested individuals. His wife, Myrlie, was also deeply involved with the organization. She acted as Evers’  secretary in the Jackson NAACP office, conducted research for speeches, and was a musician, chauffeur, and hostess. Evers and his family became heavily intertwined with the NAACP, but it was not without risk. 

During this time Evers regularly began receiving death threats from white supremacists. His family name was on many assassination lists. Still, his commitment to the movement remained steadfast; he often found himself with 20-hour work days. In 1963, however, the white supremacists’ vitriol grew, eventually culminating in a firebomb attack on the Evers household. While there were no fatalities, the message was clear: stop now or die. That was not an option.

Weeks later, during President Kennedy’s notable Civil Rights Address, Evers attended an NAACP function. Around midnight, Evers returned home. Upon his arrival, a sniper’s bullet struck Evers. He struggled to his front door, where he collapsed, lying in a pool of blood, and found by his wife. Fifty minutes later, Medgar Evers was dead.

His assassination remained unsolved for over 30 years. While a white supremacist named Byron de la Beckwith was suspected, two all-white jury panels failed to convict him in the mid-1960s. In 1994, a now-73-year-old Beckwith was finally found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. He died while incarcerated in 2001. 

Though Evers’ life was cut short, his actions made lasting change. The Civil Rights Act passed on July 2, 1964, on Evers’ birthday and almost exactly one year after his death. His legacy lives on through his widow and three children. He is also remembered in our everyday acts because, without his hard work, we would not be here now.

RELATED CONTENT: Medgar Evers’ Widow Keeping Husband’s Legacy Alive

Sometimes we get rid of memorable items and later wonder what in the world happened to them. Well, if Snoop Dogg ever starts reminiscing about his 1966 Cadillac DeVille lowrider, there’s a place in Texas where he can check it out.

According to TMZ Hip Hop, Snoop’s old vehicle can be seen at the Cadillac of Arlington, a new car dealership in Texas. Sadly, the car the cannabis-smoking entertainer used to own isn’t for sale, but it will be on display.

Christian Bonilla, the previous owner of the classic Cadillac, said he brokered a deal with the owners of the family-owned dealership group. Now it sits in the dealership displaying California license plates that read “Snoop 66.”

You will also notice the name on the car reads “Snoop DeVille.” The Cadillac was featured in 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P. Remix” video, which also featured the “Gin and Juice” rapper.

It’s shaping up to be quite the year for the smooth rapper. Customers at the Jack in the Box fast food chain can enjoy late-night meals in celebration of the “Deep Cover” rapper. From now until August 6, 2023 Snoop’s Munchie Meal can be purchased at any Jack in the Box location, on the company’s website, and on the Jack app.

And for those who are anxiously awaiting new music from the Doggfather and Dr. Dre, the dynamic duo is putting the finishing touches on their latest album. Although a release date hasn’t been announced, the project is anticipated to be released in 2023.

It’s been 30 years since the release of the seminal album, Doggystyle, and the pair will be doing a concert on October 20 and 21 to celebrate the anniversary.

RELATED CONTENT: Snoop Dogg Partners With Creators of Gracie’s Corner for Girls Empowerment Anthem

Dana Christian, a successful entrepreneur and business funding expert from Snellville, Georgia, has made it her mission to help African Americans access and leverage funding to create generational wealth. Through her official website, The Ladder to Passive Income, Christian has helped thousands of people obtain funding and start their own businesses.

Christian’s journey to success is nothing short of remarkable. As a teenage mother of two girls and a high school dropout, she faced many challenges early in life. However, she refused to let these obstacles define her and was determined to create a better life for herself and her family. After working at the post office for 25 years and experiencing financial hardships due to an injury, Christian realized that she needed to create an additional stream of income. She also recognized that many people were not taught how to obtain business funding options to build wealth. With this in mind, she began to research and educate herself on how to invest in real estate and create passive income.

Christian’s hard work and dedication paid off. She was able to gain access to the needed funds to invest in real estate and eventually became a millionaire. Through her own experiences, she learned the power of credit and how it can be used to create financial freedom.

With her newfound knowledge, Christian founded The Ladder to Passive Income to help others achieve the same level of success. Through her website, she offers a range of resources and services to help individuals access various funding options even with bad credit.

Christian’s expertise in funding has been recognized by many, including NBC News and Fox News. Her work has also been praised by those she has helped, with many clients expressing their gratitude for her guidance and support.

When asked about her impact on the Black community, Christian said, “Everyone needs GAS: guidance, advice, support.” This continues to reflect her commitment to helping others. She understands the importance of providing guidance and support to those who may not have access to it otherwise.

Christian’s impact on the community is immeasurable. Through her work, she has not only helped individuals achieve financial freedom, but she has also helped to empower and inspire others to pursue their dreams.

Her journey to success is a testament to the power of perseverance, hard work, and dedication. Her story is an inspiration to all those who face adversity and a reminder that with the right guidance and support, anything is possible.

To learn more about Christian’s mentorship program, visit TheLaddertoPassiveIncome.com or follow her on Instagram @IAmDanaChristian

• News

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

June 12, 2023

Sounds About White: Daniel Penny Standing His Ground In Defense Of Fatal Chokehold Against Jordan Neely

---

Daniel Penny, the man charged in the chokehold killing of Jordan Neely, is defending his actions with claims that he felt threatened by the mentally ill man, according to BET.

In a video statement released by his lawyers, the 24-year-old former Marine said Neely entered the train on May 1 and began threatening passengers.

“The man stumbled on, he appeared to be on drugs, the doors closed, and he ripped his jacket off and threw it down at the people sitting next to me at my left,” Penny said. “The three main threats he repeated over and over was ‘I’m going to kill you,’ ‘I’m prepared to go to jail for life,’ and ‘I’m willing to die.'”

Penny claimed his decision to restrain Neely in a chokehold, which resulted in his death, was one born of fear. “I was scared for myself but I looked around there was women and children, he was yelling in their faces saying these threats. I just couldn’t sit still,” he said.

According to police reports, Neely became aggressive with passengers and threw trash at several of them, which prompted Penny to subdue him, The New York Daily News reported. Penny did remain on the scene to answer questions from police but was let go soon after, sparking racially charged debates around the death of yet another unarmed Black man.

Attorney Lennon Edwards, who is representing Neely’s family, said Penny’s intentions were to fatally harm the former Michael Jackson impersonator, as made clear by his course of action.

“Daniel Penny chose, intentionally chose, a technique to use that is designed to cut off air—that’s what he chose—and he chose to continue to hold that chokehold minute after minute, second after second, until there was no life left in Jordan Neely,” he said.

Penny vehemently disagrees with claims that he intended to murder Neely, insisting that his only intent was to restrain him and that his race was not a factor, according to BET.

“Some people say this was about race, which is absolutely ridiculous. I didn’t see a Black man threatening passengers. I saw a man threatening passengers. A lot of whom were people of color,” he said in his statement.

Currently, Penny faces 5 to 15 years in prison if convicted of the second-degree manslaughter charge.

• News

by Iman Milner

June 12, 2023

‘Remembering Tyre’ California Dedicates Skate Park In Honor Of Tyre Nichols

---

California officials dedicated a skate park Sunday in honor of Tyre Nichols, the Black man who was fatally beaten by police during a traffic stop in Memphis earlier this year.

Nichols, who would have turned 30 on June 5, was a regular at the Sacramento skate park before moving to Tennessee at the start of the pandemic to be closer to his parents, according to ABC News.

City officials, along with Nichols’ family, celebrated the occasion in an emotional ribbon-cutting ceremony. Keyana Dixon, Nichols’ sister, said her brother’s untimely death didn’t allow for him to see his dreams come to fruition; however, the skate park helps to eternally illustrate his love for skateboarding.

Dixon’s hope is that Nichols will be remembered as a “fun, kind and free-spirited young man that did not deserve any of what happened,” The Sacramento Bee reported.

In February, councilwoman Lisa Kaplan announced plans for the park during a memorial for Nichols held at Sac Ramp Skate Shop. “This skate park represents the hope of a future,” Kaplan said Sunday. “We need to remember our past and make the future better. No mom should ever have to worry about losing their son or daughter over a traffic stop.”

On January 7, Memphis police pulled over the 29-year-old Nichols, who was heading home after spending his evening taking pictures of the sky. A few minutes from his parents’ house, he was accosted by five officers, causing him to be hospitalized for three days before succumbing to his injuries.

The officers, who are all Black, currently face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression, according to ABC News. All of the officers have been fired from the department. The Nichols family is seeking $500 million in damages from the Memphis Police Department.

Black Democrat and Missouri prosecutor attorney Wesley Bell wants Republican Sen. Josh Hawley’s seat.

The leader in criminal justice reform gave his reasons for wanting to be elected to the statewide office. Among them, Bell said in a campaign video, “We need leaders who try to help — unlike Josh Hawley, who’s in a rush to be famous and pretending to be tough while showing the world how weak he really is,” said the attorney, 48, referencing a viral photograph of Hawley. The Republican senator was captured on camera on the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riots raising his fist, according to NBC News. The gesture was meant to symbolize solidarity with Trump supporters at the Capitol.

The prosecutor was a key figure in the protests that followed the tragic death of Michael Brown. Bell proclaimed it was a “turning point” for him. He told the Associated Press, “When the city, the region, the country seemed like it was ready to explode, I helped calm tensions between police and protesters.” He said in his campaign video that he was raised to take responsibility for making a difference in the world. The Democrat expressed how he served on the front lines after Brown was killed. The St. Louis County native physically positioned himself between residents and police to mediate. He said, “In Ferguson, that meant trying to help calm tensions between police and protestors.”

Bell’s father was a police officer, and according to his campaign website, Bell has taken the lead to ensure law enforcement is held accountable. His efforts have included creating a violent crimes unit dedicated to domestic violence, an auto theft task force, and the North County Police Cooperative. His expansion of diversion programs for “low-level, non-violent offenders struggling with mental health issues and opioid and substance abuse disorders” succeeded at a 90% rate.

• News

by Sharelle Burt

June 12, 2023

‘Pride Strong’: GLAAD Launches Inaugural Black Queer Creative Summit For LGBTQ+ Creatives

---

GLAAD has created a new summit for the Black queer and LGBTQ+ community to express their creativity.

The first-ever Black Queer Creative Summit is an in-person event created to “educate, empower, and train emerging Black LGBTQ+ creatives across five sectors of the entertainment industry.”

Creatives that fall under the categories of executives, creators, behind-the-scenes, on-screen talent and music supervision are encouraged to apply for the summit happening September 14-17 2023 in Los Angeles.

Created by cultural curator DaShawn Usher and actor Julian Walker, the summit will spotlight, celebrate, and curate professional growth opportunities for Black LGBTQ+ creative leaders with keynote addresses, fireside chats, workshops, and mentorship opportunities.

Usher and Walker describe the event as an effort to interrupt the discriminatory legislation set across the country to erase LGBTQIA identity and African-American history. “As a creator, what’s so important is having spaces for us that are created by us, first and upfront,” Walker, who also serves as the associate director for Communities of Color at GLAAD, told Forbes.

The nonprofit will provide a “scholarship” for 150 creatives that cover registration costs, room and board, and transportation.

With more LGBTQIA representation seen on TV shows such as Starz’s P-Valley and Peacock’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Usher, GLAAD’s director of Communities of Color and Media, said the summit couldn’t have come at a better time.

“According to our recent report, while we are seeing more Black queer characters on television, we must now focus on whether that representation is equitability, and the answer is no,” Usher said.

Successful candidates should have specific qualifications: unsung heroes, Black LGBTQ+ storyline contributors, and emerging professionals looking for a network. According to Gaye Magazine, applicants will receive notification of admission no later than July 2023. Applications are now open until June 12, 2023.

“The Black Queer Creative Summit was a goal of mine that I wanted to bring to life once I started at GLAAD in 2019,” Usher told the outlet. “I knew before I could have a successful summit, I needed to have certain things in place, funding, resources, a team, and to do more work with gaining trust and visibility in the Black entertainment industry.”

• News

by Iman Milner

June 12, 2023

Wife Of Slain Man Says Police Failed To Respond When Reporting Husband’s Abduction

---

Talija Campbell is searching for answers after she said Colorado Springs Police failed to promptly respond to her 911 call that her husband had been taken captive.

According to The Washington Post, Campbell received a panicked text message on June 2 from her husband, Qualin Campbell, with a photo of a man sitting in the passenger seat of his car. “911,” he wrote. “Send help.”

Upon receiving the message, which also included his exact location, Campbell immediately called 911 and told the emergency dispatcher that she believed her husband had been abducted.

After over an hour had passed with no update, Campbell decided to drive to the location herself. Upon arrival, her fears were actualized when she saw her husband slumped inside of his work vehicle seated next to another man who appeared unconscious. The image, she says, is one she “can never get rid of.”

“I shouldn’t have been the one there, the first person to respond,” she said. “It was me who had to perform CPR on my husband in a pool of blood.”

Qualin Campbell was pronounced dead on the scene.

Harrison Daniels, the family’s attorney, says they plan to hold the Colorado Springs Police Department accountable for its lack of urgency, according to 9News.

“No excuses here can be fitting or justified for why they didn’t do their job that day,” he said. The department is investigating Qualin Campbell’s death as a homicide but very few details have been shared about the case, including information on the alleged killer, 44-year-old David Karels.

For now, the Campbell family is grieving the loss of the “gentle giant” and father of two who they believe may still be alive if law enforcement had shown up in a timely fashion. “I can’t think of anything that could take higher precedence than a hostage situation, except maybe an active shooter,” Daniels said.

Rapper Fetty Wap has recently started his prison term. Now, according to TMZ Hip Hop, he has to hand over his financial records once he is released.

The New Jersey recording artist pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was given a six-year sentence. Upon his release he must complete five years of supervision.

TMZ has obtained documents stating that the “Trap Queen” rapper will have to fully disclose his financial records as well as his yearly income tax returns to the U.S. Probation Department. He will also have to submit his DNA to officials.

He also won’t be able to open any new financial accounts without getting prior approval from the government. The condition also states that he will have to submit virtually everything he owns so that the feds can search whenever there’s a reasonable suspicion he’s violated any terms of supervised release.

In 2022 Fetty Wap, nee Willie Maxwell II, admitted in court he was involved in an interstate, multimillion-dollar drug trafficking scheme. Before pleading guilty he was facing a minimum of five years in prison for his role with the possibility of being imprisoned for a maximum of 40 years.

• News

by Sharelle Burt

June 12, 2023

Atlanta Deputy In ‘Violation Of Oath Of Office’ After Having Relationship With YSL RICO Defendant

---

The RICO case against the YSL crew keeps getting more and more bizarre, now thanks to former deputy Stanley.

Akeiba Koren Stanley, a deputy from the Fulton County’s Sheriff’s Office, has been arrested and charged after it was revealed she was having a relationship with Christian Eppinger, a defendant in the case, Complex reports.

After a search warrant granted access to the defendant’s attorney, Eric Johnson, it was found Stanley was in a relationship with Eppinger. She was charged with reckless conduct, violation of oath of office, conspiracy to commit a felony, and hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal.

Johnson is also being looked at as a co-conspirator for letting his client message people on his laptop.

The couple allegedly communicated via Instagram and cell phone where Stanley made plans to help Eppinger smuggle items. Through an investigation, it was confirmed the two were texting each other after their social media accounts were traced as well as being involved in an inappropriate relationship that included Stanley visiting the defendant in his jail cell and receiving a birthday card from the jail commissary in April. Eppinger was also allegedly involved in a fight with another officer and Stanley did nothing to break it up or detain him.

According to the warrant, Stanley rubbed Eppinger’s back after the scuffle and said, “Look at me, baby.”

Her bond was set for $1 million and she opted out of making a court appearance that was scheduled for June 3. After being fired from the sheriff’s office following her arrest, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick “Pat” Labat released a statement, calling her charges “reckless that endangered the safety of citizens, staff and employees at the Fulton County Courthouse,” according to 11 Alive.

Stanley has a history of complaints while working for law enforcement agencies. While working for the Atlanta Police Department between 2016 and 2018, three complaints against her were issued within a 30-day span, prompting investigations that led to her being fired.