Black History Month is a remembrance of important people and events in African American history . It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in the month of February. Thinking about this today on February 1st, I picked up a copy of David Levering Lewis's biography on W.E.B. Du Bois. It is the second volumn of the unprecedented 2 time pulitzer prize winning biography. I hope I finish it by the end of the month.
I have been thinking and reading a lot lately about young African American Men, who become Mayors' of Large Urban cities, like Detriot and Newark.
First lets look at Detriot, which has been all over the news this week:
A prosecutor is investigating whether the mayor and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied on the stand during a whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship. The questioning was tied to allegations that the mayor used his security guards to cover up extramarital affairs.
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said Friday he was paying his own legal fees, not the city.
In court, Kilpatrick and Beatty denied having a physical relationship, but the text messages that came to light last week reveal that they carried on a flirty, sometimes sexually explicit dialogue about where to meet and how to conceal their trysts. Kilpatrick wrote Beatty in 2002: "I've been dreaming all day about having you all to myself for 3 days. Relaxing, laughing, talking, sleeping and making love." On Monday, Beatty announced she would resign. She will not receive a severance package from the city, mayor's spokesman James Canning said Friday. "She was a great asset to our organization," Kilpatrick said Friday of his longtime friend. "She's going to be missed, terribly. At this particular time, it was obvious for her to have to make that decision, and we wish her well."
Kilpatrick made a televised speech Wednesday apologizing to family and constituents but avoiding direct mention of the allegations. His wife, Carlita, sat by his side, stated how hurt she was but also that she loved her husband. He returned to work Thursday morning after a weeklong, self-imposed exile.
Now on to Newark: The New Yorker has a lengthy article in it's Feb 4, 08 issue on Cory Booker's post-racial generation: The Color of Politics. Here is link for an abstract of the article:http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/02/04/080204fa_fact_boyer
Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is the current Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a Democratic politician and former Newark Councilman and community activist who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2002 against longtime incumbent Sharpe James. Booker ran again in 2006 and won a sweeping victory against Ronald Rice to become the 36th mayor of Newark.
I could not put the article down and I highly recommend it. Cory Booker is young and I do believe he will one day reside in Washington DC, in a seat of power.
I have been thinking and reading a lot lately about young African American Men, who become Mayors' of Large Urban cities, like Detriot and Newark.
First lets look at Detriot, which has been all over the news this week:
A prosecutor is investigating whether the mayor and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied on the stand during a whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship. The questioning was tied to allegations that the mayor used his security guards to cover up extramarital affairs.
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said Friday he was paying his own legal fees, not the city.
In court, Kilpatrick and Beatty denied having a physical relationship, but the text messages that came to light last week reveal that they carried on a flirty, sometimes sexually explicit dialogue about where to meet and how to conceal their trysts. Kilpatrick wrote Beatty in 2002: "I've been dreaming all day about having you all to myself for 3 days. Relaxing, laughing, talking, sleeping and making love." On Monday, Beatty announced she would resign. She will not receive a severance package from the city, mayor's spokesman James Canning said Friday. "She was a great asset to our organization," Kilpatrick said Friday of his longtime friend. "She's going to be missed, terribly. At this particular time, it was obvious for her to have to make that decision, and we wish her well."
Kilpatrick made a televised speech Wednesday apologizing to family and constituents but avoiding direct mention of the allegations. His wife, Carlita, sat by his side, stated how hurt she was but also that she loved her husband. He returned to work Thursday morning after a weeklong, self-imposed exile.
Now on to Newark: The New Yorker has a lengthy article in it's Feb 4, 08 issue on Cory Booker's post-racial generation: The Color of Politics. Here is link for an abstract of the article:http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/02/04/080204fa_fact_boyer
Cory Anthony Booker (born April 27, 1969) is the current Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is a Democratic politician and former Newark Councilman and community activist who ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2002 against longtime incumbent Sharpe James. Booker ran again in 2006 and won a sweeping victory against Ronald Rice to become the 36th mayor of Newark.
I could not put the article down and I highly recommend it. Cory Booker is young and I do believe he will one day reside in Washington DC, in a seat of power.
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