by Daniel Johnson

November 16, 2023

Ice Cube Gets Award Named After Him By Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame

The honor is due in part to what Ice Cube has been able to accomplish through his BIG3 basketball league

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced an award named after rapper turned actor/director Ice Cube on Nov. 13, due in part to what he has been able to accomplish through his BIG3 three-on-three basketball league. According to The Source, the inaugural Ice Cube Impact Award will be awarded to its namesake on Jan. 15, 2024. The award will recognize Ice Cube’s journey and impact on the basketball community.

Ice Cube’s BIG3 league has provided a place for Hall of Famers, former world champions, and former All-Stars, among others, to play and coach. These developments have helped to revitalize the careers of players and coaches, providing a spark to their playing or coaching prospects. Lisa Leslie, a WNBA Hall of Famer who otherwise might not have gotten a chance to coach elsewhere has not only won titles in the BIG3, but has also been awarded its Coach of the Year award.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, Massachusetts, is both an American history museum and a hall of fame. Its primary mission is to serve as basketball’s premier library of the sport while also championing the preservation and promotion of basketball’s rich history.

“Ice Cube’s unquestionable passion for the game and his desire to see it utilized as a catalyst for positive impact on communities are unwavering,” Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s President and CEO John L. Doleva said in a statement, “His sphere of influence in both the entertainment industry and in the professional sports arena brings remarkable authenticity and value to this award. We are delighted to join hands with Ice Cube as he leverages his love of the game to inspire others. The Ice Cube Impact Award will stand as a testament to the power of basketball and the profound impact it can have on communities worldwide.

Ice Cube, who is a lifelong Lakers fan, shared comments regarding his honor, “The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Award named in my honor is truly remarkable, and words alone can’t express my gratitude for this recognition from such a prestigious organization. Having an award bearing my name only intensifies my commitment to advancing inclusivity and equal opportunity in sports, alongside my unwavering dedication to community activism.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 16, 2023

Bill Cosby In ‘Financial Turmoil’ From Sexual Assault Lawsuits

Bill and Camille Cosby are reportedly in "financial turmoil" due to all the civil lawsuits the disgraced comedian faces.

Bill and Camille Cosby are reportedly in “financial turmoil” and liquidating their assets to deal with all the civil lawsuits the disgraced comedian is still facing.

Cosby was released from prison in 2021 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction for sexual assault. But his legal troubles are far from over, considering the long list of women who have accused him of sexual assault.

As a result, Cosby, 86, is living in ‘financial ruin’ with his wife, who has remained by his side through it all. Insiders say the Cosbys are “taking out second mortgages” and “selling off their artwork” due to their money woes, Radar Online reports.

The Cosbys are in a “bad situation financially” due to all of the civil lawsuits “The Cosby Show” star keeps getting hit with. The money woes are causing “major issues” for the couple, with Camille reportedly being unwilling to make lifestyle changes to help their situation.

“It’s never going to end,” one source says of Cosby’s multiple lawsuits in various states.

In addition to the lawsuits, Cosby reportedly owes back taxes totaling $650K for the 2019 and 2020 tax years. The “I Spy” star has been hit with two tax liens, one for $88,566.88 and the other for $559,573.77, according to the outlet.

Last year, Cosby was ordered to pay $500K in damages to Judy Huth after a California civil jury found him guilty of assaulting her at the Playboy Mansion in 1975 when she was just 16. In June, Cosby was sued by nine more women in the state of Nevada who all accused him of sexual assault, NBC News reports.

The suit accuses Cosby of using his “enormous power, fame, and prestige” to isolate and sexually assault the nine women named in the suit. Among the plaintiffs include veteran model Janice Dickinson, Lise-Lotte Lublin, Janice Baker Kinney, Lili Bernard, Heidi Thomas, Linda Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Cooper, Pam Joy Abeyta, and Angela Leslie.

The disgraced comedian has been publicly accused of sexual assault and misconduct by more than 60 women. Many of the allegations are decades old but have been revived as states change statutes around sexual misconduct cases.

13-Year-Old Black Teen Solves 34 Math Problems In 172 Seconds, Earns Full Scholarship

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 16, 2023

13-Year-Old Black Teen Solves 34 Math Problems In 172 Seconds, Earns Full Scholarship

Nasara James Dabo, a 13-year-old girl from Nigeria who has caught attention with her incredible feat.

*Originally Reported by Blacknews

Nationwide — Meet Nasara James Dabo, a 13-year-old girl from Nigeria who has caught attention with her incredible feat. At the International Mathematical Olympiad, she solved 34 math problems in just 172 seconds, winning a gold medal in the junior category.

Nasara, who is a student at Ideal College International in Kaduna, outshone 150 competitors worldwide, securing a total score of 145. Along with the gold medal, Nasara earned the Olympiad champion title in the prestigious competition that gathers participants from over 100 countries.

Shortly after her IMO victory, Nasara took the Mensa IQ test and aced it under strict supervision. Her IQ score of 150 puts her in the top 1% globally among Mensa applicants.

What’s more, Nasara recently bagged a LIMCA Award for memorizing a whopping 673 binary numbers in less than 9 minutes at the Memory Championship by Mind Sports Olympiad.

After bringing great honor to her community, Nasara, who dreams of becoming a doctor, has been offered a scholarship by the Kaduna State government to cover her secondary and university education expenses.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 16, 2023

Kevin Hart Announced As The 25th Recipient Of The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize

He is the sixth Black comedian to receive the award; gala takes place on March 24, 2024.

Comedian and entrepreneur Kevin Hart has just been announced as the 25th recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will honor the Philadelphia comedian at a gala that will take place on March 24, 2024.

“To be honored in this commemorative year feels surreal,” Hart said in a written statement. “Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life—I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture. I can’t wait to celebrate!”

The honor is given to artists who have impacted American society, like the 19th-century novelist Mark Twain.

“For over three decades, Kevin Hart has been a source of laughter across America and throughout the world with his iconic characters, inimitable physical comedy, and relatable narratives. An accomplished writer, producer, actor, and comedian, he has made lasting contributions to the comedic landscape and represents our celebration of American humor at the Kennedy Center,” said Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter. “We express our gratitude to Kevin for enriching American culture and look forward to celebrating his exceptional career.”

Hart will add his name to other esteemed performers who have been recognized by the Kennedy Center. Those include Richard Pryor (1998), Whoopi Goldberg (2001), Bill Cosby (2009; rescinded in 2018), Eddie Murphy (2015), and Dave Chappelle (2019) among many others.

Hart’s business endeavors have been doing well as of late. In September, Gran Coramino Tequila was named the official luxury tequila of the Philadelphia Eagles. It was also announced last month that the brand secured a similar deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

Gran Coramino Tequila supports Black and Latinx businesses as well. The teaquila brand partnered with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Global Brand Equities, to launch The Coramino Fund. The fund is an initiative to help uplift and support small, Black- and Latinx-owned businesses; specifically, those who have been marginalized and prevented from gaining access to necessary capital and resources to help with their business growth.

The Coramino Fund gave Black and Latinx entrepreneurs and businesses a $10,000 grant to facilitate in providing the tools to help bolster their businesses. This year, the Coramino Fund has already awarded half a million dollars to 50 entrepreneurs across the country.

by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

November 15, 2023

Award-Winning Group Take 6 and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Partner to Impact Children and Families

St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital announced the addition of 10-time Grammy-winning group TAKE 6 to its "Music Gives to St. Jude's Kids" program.

St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital announced the addition of 10x Grammy-winning group TAKE 6 to its ‘Music Gives to St. Jude‘s Kids,’ program. This initiative provides a platform for music lovers to connect their passion for music to the mission of St. Jude’s to continue to lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

The partnership between TAKE 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea, and Khristian Dentley) and St. Jude’s includes the incorporation of St. Jude and its mission in their shows and events and encouraging their fans and supporters to contribute to the life-changing and life-saving work of St. Jude’s, with a percentage of the proceeds of their tour dates donated to St. Jude’s. TAKE 6 will be featured on radio-thon events and participate in the St. Jude Celebration of Hope in January 2024, an inspiring and educational seminar.

Content creators, corporate partners, religious leaders, and members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council also enjoy the weekend, which culminates with an unforgettable dinner and concert. As parents themselves, TAKE 6 greatly appreciates and admires the work of St. Jude’s. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food so they can focus on their children’s fight to live. Treatments developed through research at St. Jude’s have helped to push the childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since its founding.

The partnership officially kicks off on November 4 with TAKE 6’s performance at the Duncan-Williams Performance Hall of the Germantown Performing Arts Center in Germantown, TN. For tickets, visit www.gpacweb.com or call 901-751-7500.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures.

This news was first reported by blacknews.com.

Harvard Report Shows Significant Drop In Black Student Enrollment

by Atiya Jordan

November 15, 2023

Harvard Report Shows Significant Drop In Black Student Enrollment

The report showed that the number of Black or African American students at the school dropped from 68 in 2021 to 31 this year.

The Harvard Kennedy School has witnessed a significant drop in enrollment rates for Black students in 2023 compared to the 2021 academic year.

On Nov. 14, the school released an annual diversity report to “understand demographic diversity at the Kennedy School and see where we need to improve,” according to Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf. In doing so, he pledged to create a diversity task force of faculty, staff, and students to increase the demographic diversity of the student body.

The report revealed that the number of Black students at the school dropped from 68 in 2021 to 31 this year. Since affirmative action was eliminated from college admissions, the school has also seen a drop in the percentage of enrolled African-American students.

To support students, the Kennedy School plans to address students’ concerns about the lack of need-based application fee waivers and emergency financial aid. In fact, the school is the only Harvard school besides the extension school that did not provide need-based application fee waivers. So, in February, First-Generation and Low-Income Caucus students penned a letter to Elmendorf suggesting that many other students “probably did not apply” because of the fee application.

Applicants are required to pay a $100 fee.

“If HKS truly cares about diversifying its class, the very least it can do is implement a clear, streamlined process for getting fee waivers, if not waiving them for low-income and FLI students altogether as other universities have done,” the letter reads.

Furthermore, the school intends to mandate “implicit bias training for degree program admissions.” Harvard is no stranger to being under investigation for its imperfect admissions processes. In 2019, a judge recommended that “Harvard provide admissions officers with implicit bias training, keep clear guidelines on the consideration of race in the admissions process, and monitor statistics for potential racial disparities.”

In the case brought against Harvard and the University of North Carolina by Students for Fair Admissions, judges ruled that Harvard’s information about the “legacy status, athletic status, financial aid eligibility and race is disclosed to the admissions committee at the last stage of the decision-making process,” The Washington Post reported.

But the tradition of “legacy” college admissions came under increased scrutiny after the Supreme Court affirmative action ruling. In July, the United States Department of Education opened a civil rights investigation into legacy admissions at Harvard University, which sparked debate over the long-standing practice, BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported. The federal government wanted to examine if legal admissions created an unfair playing field for prospective students. Since then, Harvard has taken critical measures to its admissions policies.

According to University President Claudine Gay, the call to end the use of legacy and donor preference is on the table.

“There’s no birthright to Harvard. As the Supreme Court recently noted, ‘eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.’ There should be no way to identify who your parents are in the college application process,” Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, previously said in a statement.

Chaka Khan The ‘Fragrance Freak’ Finally Releases Her Own Perfume

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

November 15, 2023

Chaka Khan The ‘Fragrance Freak’ Finally Releases Her Own Perfume

Chaka Khan has been busy captivating audiences with her soulful voice for so long that she made little time for entrepreneurial endeavors. But all that’s changing as the self-described “fragrance freak” releases her first perfume, Essence reports.

The 10-time Grammy recipient is proud to announce Chaka by Chaka Khan, her first official fragrance, released in partnership with HSN, today. “Designed to elevate your spirit and bring out the best within you, this scent captures the essence of Chaka’s soulful energy and magnetic presence,” HSN said of the new scent.

It’s been a long time coming for Chaka, 70, as she’s always toyed around with scents to craft her own signature aromas.

“I’ve always been a fragrance freak, too,” she told Essence. “I don’t know why I haven’t done this sooner. I’ve been making body sprays and fragrances for people for years.”

Composed of a combination of oils Chaka has been wearing for years, the new fragrance includes hints of patchouli and lemongrass. Other fragrance notes include cinnamon, bergamot, pink pepper, violet, ylang-ylang, musk blossom, vanilla, and New Caledonia sandalwood. It’s a “life scent” that she feels reflects her own lifestyle.

“I’m a fan of men’s colognes, so I was most inspired by those fragrances and earthy tones. I’m not a fan of floral scents,” she shared. “Now, whenever I wear it, people always stop and ask me what I have on. They tell me they have to have some. It’s definitely reflective of me – it’s my life’s scent.”

The “Ain’t Nobody” singer also designed the perfume’s sleek microphone-inspired packaging that she says “came naturally” to her.

Now, with one fragrance under her belt, Chaka is ready to release new scents for different demographics. She has plans for “something for young girls,” and “I also want to make something really healthy for getting good sleep.”

Chaka by Chaka Khan is available on HSN for $90.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

November 15, 2023

Kodak Black Wants Drug Case Dismissed, Claims Pills In His Possession Were Tylenol, Not Oxycodone

The rapper is also accusing police officers of a cover up

Hip-hop recording artist Kodak Black was arrested in July 2022 after being pulled over in a traffic stop by the Florida Highway Patrol. His attorney is requesting that the drug possession and trafficking case be dismissed because the pills he was accused of having in his possession were actually Tylenol.

According to TMZ, the rapper’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, also accused the police officers of a cover-up in the motion. Kodak was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of trafficking oxycodone when he was taken in last July. Cohen states that the pills confiscated by police officers were allegedly tested, and the results show that they were over-the-counter medication. He also said that the pills were destroyed in the process, and police officials never provided a report, according to TMZ.

Cohen also accuses the Broward Sheriff’s Office of a massive cover-up. He alleges that FBI Special Agent James Mitchell is biased against Kodak. He claims that the prosecutors have tried to withhold police body cam footage of a police officer surveilling Kodak. In the clip, he says the officer said he is “always ready,” as the camera showed it was focused on the officer’s weapon. Because of these factors, the attorney requests the case be thrown out as it appears to be a “coordinated takedown” of Kodak.

The rapper was arrested after police officers stopped his vehicle for having an expired registration tag and tinted windows that “appeared darker than the legal limit,” said Lt. Alex Camacho.

Florida police officers said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana from inside the vehicle. After they made him pull him over, they discovered a small clear bag that allegedly contained 31 tablets of oxycodone and a total of $74,960 in cash. Kodak was then held at Broward County Jail for possessing a controlled substance without a prescription and trafficking oxycodone of fewer than 25 grams, the outlet reports.

Before President Trump left office, he granted Kodak a pardon. The rapper was serving a sentence of 46 months in prison because of federal weapons charges he received in 2019 after he admitted that he falsified information on federal forms to buy four firearms.

Remembering The Day In 1979 When Anna Diggs Taylor Made History In Law

by Stacy Jackson

November 15, 2023

Remembering The Day In 1979 When Anna Diggs Taylor Made History In Law

In 1996, Judge Taylor became the first Black woman chief judge for Michigan's Eastern District following her 1979 appointment.

In 1979, the late Anna Diggs Taylor became the first Black woman judge to be appointed to the United States District Court as a federal judge for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The Michigan Advance reported that the Detroit attorney was sworn in on Nov. 15, 1979. Democratic President Jimmy Carter appointed the 46-year-old Washington, D.C., native to serve the post where she represented civil rights advocates and later presided over a portfolio of high-profile cases. The graduate of Barnard College and Yale Law School worked as a staff attorney for the city during the 1970s.

The judge sentenced Ronald Ebens in 1984 for his fatal beating of 27-year-old Chinese American Vincent Chin. In 2006, Taylor ordered a halt to the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping after the September 11 attacks.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel remembered the Black woman pioneer who approached another historic moment in 1996 after she was appointed as the first Black woman chief judge for Michigan’s Eastern District.

“She paved the way for many others behind her,” Nessel wrote in a Feb. 13 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In 1979, Anna Diggs Taylor became the first black woman judge to be appointed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. In 1996, she became the first black woman Chief Judge for that circuit. She paved the way for many others behind her! pic.twitter.com/9cihFquPae
— Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (@MIAttyGen) February 13, 2023

The Eastern District of Michigan saluted Taylor for her work in defending civil rights workers who were jailed for registering Blacks to vote. The 1964 mission led her and her team to face angry racists.

“We were afraid we were going to be killed,” Taylor said about the confrontation.

The Eastern District of Michigan released a statement on Nov. 17, 2017, the day Taylor died in Grosse Pointe Woods. Court employees remembered the retired 84-year-old for her service in the judicial system.

“She was an all-around beautiful person,” said one judge. “She was gracious and kind, but not in a way that allowed herself to be diminished by people because she was a woman or a minority.”

Judge Taylor’s service to several organizations included the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Receiving Hospital, the Henry Ford Hospital System, the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, and Community Foundation of Michigan. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Marygrove College in 2001 and recognized with the Wolverine Bar Association’s Bench-Bar Award of 1990, the Sojourner Truth Award of the National Negro Business and Professional Women of 1986, and the 1981 National Bar Association Women Lawyer’s Division Award.

Taylor married Michigan congressman Charles Diggs Jr. in 1960, and had two children with him before they separated in the 1970s.

by Sharelle Burt

November 15, 2023

Blackface or Simply Paint? California Student Banned From Sports Over Blackface Incident; Family Claims Innocence

The student and his family maintain that he didn't know it was offensive.

A middle school student from California is sparking a conversation over what is deemed blackface or face paint.

The unidentified student, from Muirlands Middle School in San Diego, was recently suspended and banned from sports after being accused of sporting blackface during a football game. The incident occurred on Oct. 13, when the student was seen wearing black face paint on his cheeks, chin, and under his eyes. Muirlands accused the minor of mimicking blackface, defined as the painting of a person’s face in dark, exaggerated makeup to mock or ridicule Black people.

While the school noted the suspension as an “offensive comment [or] intent to harm,” the student’s family argues he only painted his face after seeing his friends do it when he got to the game, and that there was no racial bias behind it. In the sports world, it’s common for football players to wear dark face paint to protect themselves from the glare of the bright lights. Spectators and fans tend to do the same in support of their team.

Concerned about how the suspension would affect the student’s academic record, the family appealed to the San Diego Unified School District but was denied.

The student’s family then hired the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech advocacy group based in Philadelphia. In a statement, FIRE defended the minor, saying he was doing what his friends were doing. FIRE’s director of public advocacy, Aaron Terr, said the appeal decision was handed down the same day the group sent a letter outlining its legal opinion that the student was exercising free speech protected by the First Amendment.

“My understanding is a lot of people were wearing face paint, and he wanted to join in on the fun,” Terr said. “We’re hoping … the district will reconsider the request for the suspension appeal.”

FIRE cited the ruling in the case of Tinker v. De Moines that the Supreme Court defined the First Amendment rights of students in U.S. public schools.

“In the seminal student speech case Tinker v. Des Moines, the Supreme Court held the First Amendment protected public school students’ right to wear black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War,” the group argued. “The Court made clear school officials cannot restrict student speech based on speculative, ‘undifferentiated fear’ that it will cause disruption or feelings of unpleasantness or discomfort among the student body.”