The family, friends and fans of the late Michael Jackson are remembering the King of Pop on the second anniversary of his death.
Jackson, who would be celebrating his 53rd birthday in August, passed away on June 25, 2009 at his Los Angeles home after authorities determined that he died of acute propofol intoxication and cardiac arrest. His physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has been accused of involuntary manslaughter and is due to stand trial in September.
At the time of his shocking death, Jackson had been preparing to launch a tour in London where ticket sales concerts had already been sold out.
Reports state that Jackson's children – Prince,14, Paris,13, and Blanket, 9, – who are living with their grandmother Katherine Jackson, are doing well. According to the Daily Mirror, they were presented with custom-made memorial motorcycles that were driven through Los Angeles' Forrest Lawn cemetery on Saturday.
Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana, also held a tribute, with the mayor saying that the beloved King of Pop will be honored every June 25.
When it comes to non-stop success, not many entertainers can compare to R&B great Charlie Wilson, also known as "Uncle Charlie. He is still reveling in the success of his latest CD, "Just Charlie," and a 2010 Grammy nomination for his hit single, "There Goes My Baby."
But Wilson, who will be performing on July 23 in D.C. at Consitution Hall, also gets kudos for being perhaps one of the few remaiing true showmen of his time -- as he is usually fully decked out -- suit and all -- dressed to kill.
"I'm putting a new face on old school R&B shows," Wilson,58, said, with a chuckle.
He said that growing up, the music of Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway and Sly and The Family Stone had a major influence on him and that he cultivated his voice in church and as a member of his school choir in Tulsa, Ok. Despite his age, Wilson still takes pride in being one of the most energetic entertainers around.
THEARC students by Steven StaufferYou’ve probably heard of The Washington Ballet. Even if you didn’t see The Nutcracker during the holiday season (and if you haven’t, you should), it’s hard to miss the buzz. This dynamic company’s performances at venues throughout the city draw crowds of balletomanes, and their nationally-renowned Wisconsin Avenue school bustles on a daily basis with over 500 young dancers-in-training. But what you might not know is that the hype continues east of the Anacostia River, where The Washington Ballet’s satellite school at THEARC is gearing up for its seventh audition season.
Owned and operated by the nonprofit organization Building Bridges Across the River (BBAR), the Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus (THEARC) first opened its doors in October 2005. Its mission is to improve the quality of life of the underserved communities of Southeast DC. To this end, eleven partner agencies offer education, arts, and recreation opportunities at drastically reduced costs.
The College Cupcake Tour participants having been promoting their treats in an effort to help with their educational expenses. (Pnoto by Jonisha M. Tyler)Four men and a busload of cupcakes just made their way to the D.C. area, en-route to New York City to continue raising money towards their college education.
Having recently arrived in Silver Spring, Md., where they set up shop for their "Cupcake Collection" at Reid Temple A.M.E. Church, the group handily enjoyed an evening service and distributed their tasty treats to the crowd.
The Cupcake Collection is a home-based cupcake business which operates in the historic Germantown neighborhood in Nashville, Tenn. The founder and owner, Mignon Francois inspired by her daughter’s love of baking, began making cupcakes as a way to generate money for the family and to reach out to her neighbors.
"We do our best to welcome all of our customers like guests," said Francois, a New Orleans native. "After all, our bakery is housed right inside the family living room."
The origin of the "Cupcake Bus" is a different story all together.
Comedic actor Tracy Morgan has apologized for his homophobic rant during a recent performance in Nashville, Tenn. During the apology, Morgan whose performance has been widely condemned, said he hadn't meant to be offensive and has used his 20-year career to heal people rather than hurt them.
"I want to apologize to my friends, and my family and my fans and everyone in every community who were offended with this," the "30 Rock" star said in an ABC News interview. "I didn't know. I didn't mean it... I don't have a hateful bone in my body."
During the June 3 rant at a comedy house, Morgan told the audience that if his son was gay he would pull out a knife and stab him to death.
Because his performance had not been recorded, the comment might have gone unnoticed had it not been for a posting on Facebook. The comments were posted by Kevin Rogers who had been in the audience – and to whom Morgan personally apologized.
"Tracy was sincere and spoke from his heart," Rogers was quoted as saying. "The best thing that has come from this is a national conversation that anti-gay violence is unacceptable and that homophobia is outdated."
Morgan has since has teamed up with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, met with homeless gay teens and agreed to participate in an anti-bullying PSA, according to the ABC report.
Clarence Clemons (left) and Bruce Springstein / Courtesy photyWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Clarence Clemons, the larger-than-life saxophone player for the E Street Band who was one of the key influences in Bruce Springsteen's life and music through four decades, has died. He was 69. Clemons was hospitalized about a week ago after suffering a stroke at his home in Singer Island, Fla. He died of complications from the stroke, spokeswoman Marilyn Laverty said Saturday.
You didn’t get Grandpa’s favorite pocketknife, either, and that little knick-knack you loved - a china reminder of childhood – went to a cousin who cherished it, too.
But that’s okay. While you never inherited tangible things from your grandparents – no favored bowl or lucky coin – they left you better legacies: strength, knowledge, and a sense of who you are.
For 50 years, Selma Needham kept a farm for her great-grandson, Rayne. She knew he would care for it, just as his great-grandad had. But in the new novel “If Sons, Then Heirs” by Lorene Cary, the passing-down may never come to pass.
To your friends, you’re supportive, funny, and solid. Your boss sees you as someone who gets the job done. Your kids think you’re authoritative, with a wallet. And your family knows the you with warts.
You’re a person with many faces; some public, some private, but never the same. In the new book “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention” by Manning Marable, you’ll get a (supposed) peek at a complex man with several personas.
Born in 1925 in Omaha, Neb., Malcolm Little was raised with the notion that blacks were “a mighty race.” Both his parents were fierce supporters of Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, whose “Pan-African perspective… would become… crucial for Malcolm later in life.”
Event slated in August at the Gaylord Resort in D.C. will honor the Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first African-American military aviators in the United States armed forces. (Courtesy Photo)
WASHINGTON, DC – The Tuskegee Airmen Inc. (TAI) will hold its 40th annual convention Aug. 3-7 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center National Harbor, Md. The convention theme "70 Years of Aviation Excellence: Then, Now, the FUTURE" will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the start of the Tuskegee Airmen Experience in 1941 and honor the men and women who carry the torch and fight today's wars. The East Coast Chapter of TAI is the host of this year's event.
The Tuskegee Airmen Inc. is a non-profit organization whose goals are to perpetuate the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen through historical research, documentations and presentations.
Another important goal of the TAI is to motivate youth toward aviation and aerospace careers and inspire them towards outstanding achievement and leadership in our democratic society. The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation and TAI chapters provide more than $100,000 in scholarship and educational assistance grants each year.
The TAI 2011 national convention will be the launch of a new initiative to develop the next generation of Tuskegee Airmen. Funds raised during the convention planning and execution will be used to expand Youth in Aviation Programs. For more information contact Clarence D. Smith Jr., Colonel, USAF (Retired), at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , cell 703-967-4463.
NEWARK, N.J. -- J. Wesley Tann spent much of his life traveling the world, gallivanting among the most fashionable sets and cavorting with the elite. He was one of the first black fashion designers to open a shop on New York City's Fashion Avenue, and he designed clothing for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Leontyne Price, the famed black opera singer.
But on a misty Saturday afternoon recently, Tann, 83, was deep in the belly of the Boyland Recreation Center in Newark's tough West Ward teaching the finer points of dining and social etiquette to the children of this hardscrabble city.
"Good living is easy," Tann proclaimed. "All it takes is practice."
Tann's students were mothers, fathers and children all taking part in a city-sponsored program that Mayor Cory A. Booker hopes will take politeness and manners from "abstract concepts" to daily essentials. The city hopes that by improving the niceties shared among Newark's residents the quality of their lives and their futures will be markedly improved -- one fine meal and one properly executed place setting at a time.
"I just feel that black and Hispanic children need to have an even playing field when it comes to the social kinds of programming that they get," said Catherine J. Lenix-Hooker, manager of the city's department of recreation and cultural affairs, "so that they are able to have the kinds of social skills that make them very productive and at ease in different kinds of social situations."
Youth from Newark often bear the heavy burden of being poor or working class, she said, or the bad reputation that can hang over even this city's most promising young people. Thus the importance of "learning the language of the silver."
"Our youth need to know how to conduct themselves in a public setting -- some of the dos and don'ts," Lenix-Hooker said. "If everything else is equal, it will help them break through these barriers."
Nathan and Noble Jolley, natives to Washington, D.C., perform twice in the Mansion at Strathmore, on March 2 and 23, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. / Courtesy PhotoNathan and Noble Jolley, natives to Washington, D.C., perform twice in the Mansion at Strathmore, on March 2 and 23, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. The jazz duo was inspired and influenced by their late father, jazz guitarist Noble Jolley, Sr. “The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play some of the District’s most original, self-assured and unpredictable bop” (Capital Bop). For more information or to purchase tickets, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org.
Nate and Noble, Jr. will team up with fellow musicians Tim Green (saxophone), Christie Dashiell, (vocals) and Eric Wheeler (bass) for their performances at Strathmore, which will feature original pieces and jazz standards. At their March 2 performance, they will celebrate the release of their new CD Memoirs Between Brothers, of which CityPaper says “Noble Jolley brings the colors of the church, while his twin brother, drummer Nate, adds a level of sharp hip-hop groove." On March 23, they will perform the world premiere of a two-movement composition, commissioned by Strathmore.
Featured Poll
ADVERTISMENT
ADVERTISMENT
ADVERTISMENT