Archive
Sean Kingston is Breathing and Walking on his Own
YourBlackWorld reports.
Singer Sean Kingston is still hospitalized after his May 29 watercraft accident, but he is currently breathing and walking on his own.
USC Stripped of 2004 Title Due to Reggie Bush Scandal
YourBlackWorld reports.
The University of Southern California (USC) was stripped of its 2004 title yesterday after an investigation revealed that NFL star Reggie Bush had received improper benefits, and therefore was ineligible when he played.
Baseball Great Hank Aaron Receives Honorary Degree from Princeton
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
In addition to being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and receiving numerous awards for his achievements in baseball, Hank Aaron, can now add Princeton graduate to his list of accomplishments.
Is FEMA Going to Take Money from Katrina Victims?
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
Last time I checked the purpose of FEMA was to assist disaster victims, but it seems as if this hardly ever happens without there being some form of controversy.
It has nearly been six years since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans. From the beginning New Orleans residents have had a love hate (sometimes it seems like more of a hate) relationship with the agency, and for just reasons.
Obama Declares June African American Music Appreciation Month
Source: The Washington Post
President Obama announced yesterday that June will be African-American Music Appreciation Month. In Tuesday’s proclamation he wrote, “The music of our Nation has always spoken to the condition of our people and reflected the diversity of our Union. African-American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters have made enormous contributions to our culture by capturing the hardships and aspirations of a community and reminding us of our shared values.” Read the entire proclamation after the jump.
Some Positivity: African Americans Utilize Social Media for a Common Good
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
According to a recent study at Northwestern University African American college students spend more time on Twitter than their collegiate counterparts. The study also claims that African Americans spend the majority of their time on Twitter and other social media outlets researching entertainment news instead of more serious issues such as politics and social issues, but this may not necessarily be true.
Mitt Romney Calls Obama “ineffective”
Source: Associated Press
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is calling Barack Obama “one of the most ineffective presidents” he’s ever seen, and says he can beat him next year.
What’s Going On?: Shooting Spree Leaves One Dead and Seven Injured in Miami
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
Miami is a popular vacation spot every Memorial Day weekend, and this year it was no different. Sadly, the holiday weekend ended on a sour note when a police chase ended in a shootout.
Where are the Black Professors?
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
There are 14,385 professors at universities in the U.K., but according to data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency only 50 of these professors are black, and only 10 of these are women. This means only 0.4% of British professors are black.
Was the Haiti quake death toll exaggerated?
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld
According to the Associated Press far less people were killed and left homeless from the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti last January. A report by the U.S. government, which has not yet been released, concluded Haitian leaders exaggerated the death toll and the damage.
Supreme Court Rules Police Can Break In To a Home if They SMELL Weed
Source: NewsOne
The Supreme Court ruled against a Kentucky man who was arrested after police burst into his apartment without a search warrant because they smelled marijuana and feared he was trying to get rid of incriminating evidence.
Oprah Honored by Morehouse Scholars
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
The second part of Oprah’s “Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular” event was filled with high-profile singers, actors, and journalist, but surprisingly they were not the stars of yesterdays show. There is no doubt that the spotlight moment of the show was when Oprah was honored by a group of scholars from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Update: Noah Fined $50,000 for Saying Antigay Slur
Source: The New York Times
MIAMI — Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday was the second most-watched N.B.A. game in the history of cable television. Presumably, a majority of the nearly 11 million total viewers watched a public service announcement that was shown twice during TNT’s broadcast between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls. In it, Grant Hill and Jared Dudley treaded on largely unfamiliar territory for athletes, asking people to refrain from using antigay slurs.
Will the cop who killed Oscar Grant be released after serving less than a year???
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
Less than a year into his sentence, Johannes Mehserle, the BART police officer who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 killing of Oscar grant and sentenced to two years in prison, may soon be a free man. If this is not bad enough, Mehserle, has been serving his time in the county jail and not in prison.
Hopkins Becomes Oldest Boxing Champ
Source: TheGrio.com
Bernard Hopkins became the oldest fighter to win a major world championship, taking the WBC light heavyweight title Saturday night from Jean Pascal at the age of 46.
Study Shows College Majors are Segregated by Race
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
According to a new study by Georgetown University in Washington D.C. college graduates will make 84 percent more in their lifetime than those with only high school diplomas. The study also shows different majors can lead to significantly different median wages, and that majors are highly segregated by race and gender.
NFL Rookie J.T. Thomas’ Good Deed
From ChicagoTribune.com
A mother’s instinct knew best when J.T. Thomas, the linebacker the Bears drafted in the sixth round from West Virginia last month, visited with a young Bears fan on a school bus.
Thomas helps his brother Jared, 7, get home from school every day in Morgantown, W.Va. Jared is autistic and rides a bus for children with special needs. Thomas likes interacting with Jared, and he also takes his 4-year-old brother, A.J., to preschool. With a 2-year-old sister, Racquel, Thomas gives his father, J.T., and stepmother, Rochelle, plenty of help.
Donald Trump Does NOT Think GOP Candidates are Competition for Obama
From HuffingtonPost.com
Donald Trump signaled he could reverse his decision to forgo a presidential run in the next election cycle during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" on Monday morning.
"I can’t rule out anything," he said, adding that it’s "vital" for Republicans to select the right person to go up against President Barack Obama in 2012. "I don’t see that person."
Trump questioned whether he made the right choice in signaling he would not pursue a bid for the White House several weeks ago. His remarks come on the heels of the season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice."
President Obama Visits His Roots
From CNN.com
Thousands of jubilant Irishmen and women gave U.S. President Barack Obama a virtual hero’s welcome Monday, embracing him as one of their own in a visit that included a campaign-style speech in downtown Dublin and a stop at the president’s ancestral home.
Bulls Player Shouts Gay Slur at Fan
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah’s temper got the best of him during last nights game between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls. After being called for his second foul during the first quarter of the game a upset Noah told a fan “F**k you faggot”.
Wheelchair-Bound Man Gets in Scuffle with D.C. Police Officers
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
Washington D.C. officials are investigating a situation that involves two D.C. police officers in what appears to be them tackling a wheelchair bound man onto the pavement, which resulted in him busting his head.
Tornado Kills 89 in Joplin, Missouri
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
At least 89 people were killed yesterday in Joplin, Missouri when a massive tornado cut a path nearly 6 miles long and more than a half-mile wide through the center of town.
Former Wake Forest Basketball Player Accused of Sexual assault
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
Maggie Hurt, a former Wake Forest student, appeared on the Today Show yesterday as part of a segment on colleges allegedly turning a blind eye to sexual assault on their campuses. On the show Hurt discussed an incident she claims happened on March 21, 2009, hours after Wake Forest was eliminated from the 2009 NCAA tournament in Miami. She alleges that she was coerced into a room by former Wake Forest basketball player Gary Clark and forced to perform oral sex in a hotel bathroom, while former Wake Forest basketball player Jeff Teague guarded the door.
Former NBA Player Living Homeless on the Streets of Los Angeles
Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
This is not the first time, and I am sure this will not be the last time I hear about a former NBA player’s misfortunes. Once the head star for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Lewis Brown, is now homeless and living on the streets of Los Angeles.
Community Center Opens in Honor of Sean Bell
Your Black World Reports.
Opening a community center bearing their son’s name in Jamaica won’t bring Sean Bell back. But his parents are hoping it will keep his memory alive.
They plan to march Friday from the spot now named Sean Bell Way, where Bell was killed nearly five years ago in a hail of police gunfire, to the opening of the Sean Elijah Bell Community Center at 107-52 Sutphin Blvd.
513 Migrant workers Packed into two US Bound Semis
by Nyshia Taylor, YourBlackWorld.com
An X-Ray machine in Chiapas, Mexico busted two trucks en route from Guatemala to the United States carrying a total of 513 migrant workers.
5-Year-old Prodigy speaks 6 languages, Plays 7 instruments
Your Black World reports.
Spending $1,500 a week on tutoring and lessons for a child may seem absurd to some, but for Mabou Loiseau the results are substantial.
Artists Lash Out about BET Award nominations on Twitter
Your Black World reports.
Yesterday BET announced the award nominees for the 2011 BET Awards. Chris Brown leads the pack with six nominations and Lil’ Wayne is behind him with five, but everyone is not happy with the selection of nominees.
Update: Psychologist’s Explanation for why Black women are less attractive
Your Black World reports.
A couple of days ago Satoshi Kanazawa, a blogger for Psychology Today, created a controversy when he released a post that claimed black women are less physically attractive than other women.
The article entitled, "A Look at the Hard Truths About Human Nature" , has since been taken down, but not before we got a hold of Kanazawa’s wacky explanation.
Update: Identity of woman Arnold Schwarzenegger had love child with revealed
Your Black World reports.
The mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s love child has been identified as Mildred Baena.
Oprah’s star filled farewell
Your Black World reports.
In case you have been living under a rock and did not know the final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show will air on May 25th.
Sugar ray leonard reveals he was sexually abused as a teen
Your Black World reports.
Former world-renowned boxer Sugar Ray Leonard revealed in a new autobiography that he was sexually abused in his past.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s secret love child
Your Black World reports.
According to the LA Times Arnold Schwarzenegger has admitted to fathering a child with a former member of his household staff more than 10 years ago. This news comes a week after him and his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, announced they were "amicably separating.”
Toddler Found Buried Under Concrete
South Carolina toddler Rodricus Williams was found dead when his body was discovered in a trash can buried under 400 pounds of concrete. As if this is not horrific enough the boys father Roger Williams and his girlfriend Grace Nichole Trotman are suspected to be his killers, both have been charged with homicide by child abuse.
Williams Sisters Considering Buying a Share of Miami Dolphins
Serena Williams and her sister Venus are in preliminary talks to become part-owners of the NFL‘s Miami Dolphins, the 11-time grand slam winner confirmed on Wednesday.
"There have been preliminary talks and hopefully it will work out," Serena Williams told reporters after her second round win over Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova at the Toronto Cup. "That would be a great opportunity for both of us.
"We’ll see what happens, you never know."
If they did acquire a stake in the Dolphins, the Williams sisters would join musicians Jimmy Buffet and Gloria and Emilio Estefan, who became minority partners in the team earlier this year.
Buffett, owner of Margaritaville Enterprises, signed a deal in May, which includes the team’s stadium being renamed after his LandShark Lager beer for the 2009 season.
The Williams, who live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, are not described as big NFL fans but view the Dolphins as a vehicle to promote themselves.
"Venus and I are always trying to expand our brand," said Williams. "If the opportunity presents itself we would love to see where it can take us.
"Hopefully we’ll be able to expand our brand."
Oprah’s Highly Anticipated Season Premiere
This fall will be Oprah’s 24th season of her talk show “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, and she is claiming that the season premiere will be one of the most anticipated shows of this decade. So what is going to make this episode so spectacular you may ask, well “O” will be interviewing Whitney Houston. This will be Whitney’s first interview in almost seven years so this definitely should be interesting. The premiere will air Monday September 14, and make sure you watch it.
Falsely Accused Texans Await Reparations
By theGrio
About 40 former Texas inmates cleared by DNA evidence are looking forward to a big payday on September 1st.
Texas leads the nation in DNA exonerations. According to The Innocence Project – a legal organization that handles these cases – 241 prisoners have been cleared nationwide in the past 20 years. Thirty-eight were convicted in Texas. Now, the state is trying to make up for their lost time.
The last time Jerry Evans was in a courtroom was 23 years ago when a jury sentenced him to life in prison for sexual assault. But this summer DNA evidence cleared him.
"Had these test results been available at the time of the trial, you would not have been convicted in this case," the judge said at his exoneration hearing.
Evans walked out of prison a free man – cleared of any wrongdoing.
"Now that I look back at it," said Evans, "I wonder now how in the hell I did 23 years in prison."
Click here to read the rest
Is the Worst Behind Us?
BEN FELLER
President Barack Obama on Friday welcomed a dip in unemployment as evidence "the worst may be behind us" with the recession well into its second year.
Earlier, however, the White House said that the president still expects unemployment to hit 10 percent sometime later this year.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the two positions don’t contradict each other.
"I would describe the report that came out today as the least bad report that we’ve had in a year," Gibbs said. "But we still have a long way to go."
The new Labor Department numbers show that employers cut 247,000 jobs in July, another job loss but also the smallest reduction of any month this year. The unemployment rate dropped marginally from 9.5 percent to 9.4 percent, although one of the reasons for that change is that hundreds of thousands of people left the labor force.
"Today, we’re pointed in the right direction," Obama said in brief remarks in the Rose Garden hours after the report was released. "While we’ve rescued our economy from catastrophe, we’ve also begun to build a new foundation for growth."
Even so, Obama said: "We have a lot further to go. As far as I’m concerned, we will not have a true recovery until we stop losing jobs." He also said he won’t rest until "every American that is looking for a job can find one."
The president used the new jobs figures not only to pitch the benefits of the already passed stimulus package but also to press for policy changes on health care, education and energy that he seeks.
Let Vick Play and Stop Praising Him
By Glenn Minnis
Like most fair-minded and even moderately temperate souls, I am of the unwavering belief that Mike Vick has now paid his debt to society, served his time, and should again be free to live his life in the most upwardly mobile fashion he’s blessed enough to navigate.
Being convicted of a crime, in and of itself, should in no way result in an automatic death sentence. Some of those who’ve sought to bury Vick by mercilessly stripping him of his already earned riches and NFL livelihood struck me as hypocrites of the highest degree in their straying beyond the law by insisting that Vick’s transgressions not only be punished by the legal system but that his world forever be left in ruins.
That doesn’t strike me as justice, but rather overkill. And yet, I couldn’t help but feel as if the Vick Express on the road to redemption veered recklessly off course this week when he was to be honored in his Virginia hometown as something just short of a demigod.
‘Celebration for Mike Vick’ event organizer and Southern Christian Leadership Conference chapter president Andrew Shannon intimated that hundreds of youths were expected to be on hand to cheer Vick on and hear him speak before an unforeseen scheduling snafu caused the entire event to be scraped.
I’ll call it divine intervention.
Admit it, in a world where black and minority men make up far to high of a percentage of those incarcerated, the image and implications born of Vick being paraded as some sort of cause célèbre of indisputable virtuosity before so many impressionable minds could be more than just a bit dysfunctional for its audience. Idolatry, you see, can be a form of imprisonment of its own.
Joe Budden Gets Jumped by Wu Tang
Members of the Wu Tang Clan have been beefin’ with Joe Budden ever since Joe claimed that he is a better rapper than Wu Tang member Method Man, but recently things went a little too far. While Joe was recording his online show this weekend Raekwon, who is also a member of Wu Tang, confronted him which lead to Joe getting jumped by other members of the rap group. As if all of this wasn’t bad enough the fight was recorded and they made Joe apologize. Click here to watch Joe speak about the incident.
Sherri Shepherd Shows off Her Body
Sherri Shehperd showed off her new body yesterday on The View. Overall, she lost ten inches over a period of several months. CONGRATS to her!!!
Jay- Z and Beyonce Receive Death Threat Letter
Leon Desmond Barrett of Detroit has been charged for sending celebrities Beyonce, Jay-Z, and NFL Hall of Famer Roger Goodell death letters. Barrett first began sending the letters to Goodell in 2006 and in the most recent letter is when he threatened Jay-Z and Beyonce. Barrett has been ordered by a judge to not possess guns or other dangerous weapons and to not communicate with his potential victims.
How to Successfully Raise a Black Male
David Miller is a man on a mission. Simply put, he wants single mothers who are raising sons to know they’re not alone.
So the former public school teacher – a co-founder of the youth-focused Urban Leadership Institute in Baltimore – has developed an ambitious national campaign called "Raising Him Alone." It’s designed to help single mothers and their sons by providing a network of resources, advocacy and access to community-based services.
Since launching the initiative back in April, Miller has reached out to predominately African American audiences across the country, via workshops, seminars, online initiatives and more. Several celebrity moms have joined the crusade, including Dr. Mahalia Hines, a Chicago educator whose son is the rapper/actor, Common; and Sheron Smith, mother of entertainer, Mos Def.
"We have been to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other places, meeting both single mothers and grandmothers, because a lot of women are raising their grandchildren," said Miller, 41, a married father of three, with one son. "The experience has been fulfilling, but extremely alarming … An inordinate number of women are raising boys alone. Their sons have no contact with their fathers, or the contact is sporadic or minimal at best."
According to Miller, the mothers he’s met hail from a myriad social and economic backgrounds, and don’t fit easy stereotypes. Some are have always been single, others are separated or divorced. A good many are educated, professional women, he notes, who have found themselves without the partners they believed would be around to co-parent their sons.
"Some of these sisters thought they would be married or with someone for the rest of their lives," he said. "Most never dreamed that they would be raising their children alone."
"Raising Him Alone" is funded by the Open Society Institute and its Campaign for Black Male Achievement. The organization has earmarked $12 million dollars over the next several years to address issues related to black boys and men.
Florida Woman Suspended from Work for not Speaking to Mayor
JEFF BURNSIDE
If you see the mayor of Deerfield Beach, Florida out on the street, you better say hello.
City maintenance worker Cassandra Moye was suspended for two days without pay for failing to greet Mayor Peggy Noland while at work earlier this week.
Moye has the unenviable job of cleaning up trash and restrooms for $12.33 a hour, a job she was suspended from for failure to pay homage to the mayor while she spoke with Moye’s boss.
"I didn’t speak to the mayor and so my supervisor suspended me for two days," Moye said. "She is the Mayor, but I don’t know her personally and I didn’t think it was right for me to interrupt them, so I just kept about my work."
Moye’s supervisor, George Edmunds issued Moye a memo stating Moye was being suspended because "the disrespectful attitude you displayed to the Mayor was unacceptable."
Moye said she was also threatened with termination.
Black Ice Cream Truck Driver Beaten by Three White Men
By theGrio via AP
Three white men have been jailed on a hate crime charge in the beating of a black suburban ice cream vendor.
Victor McDonald, 44, said the July 22 beating left him with facial fractures and blurred vision. He told the Houston Chronicle for a story in Wednesday editions that he has forgiven his assailants but can’t understand why he was attacked.
"For God’s sake, I sell ice cream," McDonald said. "What threat did I pose to them?"
Dale Howell, 36, Troy Elledge, 42, and Christopher Elledge, 20, are charged with aggravated assault with a hate crime enhancement. Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but the enhancement raises the maximum penalty to life imprisonment.
It is the first time the enhancement has been used for a second-degree felony in Harris County since Texas’ hate crime law took effect in 2001, said Donna Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney’s office.
All three suspects were being held in the Harris County Jail. Bond was set at $30,000 apiece for the Elledges, whose relationship was not clear, and at $40,000 for Howell. None has attorneys yet, court spokeswoman Mary Leal said.
The suspects blocked McDonald’s ice cream truck and beat him while shouting racial epithets on a northwest Harris County street, police said.
The blows broke McDonald’s nose and bones around his left eye. He said his vision remains blurry, but he is hopeful it will improve as his skull heals.
McDonald, who has been selling ice cream since June when he was laid off from a job selling wireless service, said he won’t return to driving the ice cream truck.
"These people have friends and family members. I’m a marked man," he said.
Click here to watch the news story
Suspected Killer of Vernon Forrest goes to Court
By theGrio
As his grandmother sat nearby weeping, a 20-year-old man charged with killing ex-boxing champion Vernon Forrest had his first appearance in court Wednesday morning.
Demario Ware, who turned himself in to authorities Tuesday night, is charged with murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
He appeared at a jailhouse hearing in front of Fulton County Magistrate Sylvia McCoy, who read him the charges. Wearing a navy blue jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, Ware said nothing other than "yes, ma’am" and kept his eyes on the floor. He is being held without bond.
Ware’s grandmother, Rose Thomas, sat in the courtroom crying.
"He wasn’t raised up to do the thing he done," she said after the hearing. "I’m sorry to the gentleman that got killed and his family. I know if I’m hurting like I am, then I know they’re hurting."
Police say Forrest, 38, was shot to death July 25 after he chased a man who robbed him of his championship ring and Rolex watch. No other arrests have been made in the case, but police do not believe Ware is the person who shot Forrest.
The investigation continues into the shooting.
Rihanna’s Mom Speaks on Her Relationship with Chris
The picture above is of Chris Brown as he left the court house yesterday where he was suppose to be given his community service time, but that court date has been changed to another date. In other Chrianna (haven’t seen that in a while) news Rihanna’s mom has spoke with Star Magazine about her concerns of Rihanna still wanting to be around Chris.
I’m devastated, but what can I do? We love her but can’t stand to see her play Russian roulette with her life. Chris has a bizarre power over her. She still loves him and he knows it. In her eyes, he’s a god. Even after what he did, it’s not diminished.
Think Tank Reaches Out to Black Males
Call for Solutions
The Think Tank for African American Progress – to be held in Memphis from October 14 to October 16, 2009 – seeks solutions to challenges confronting Black boys and young men. We are inviting scholars, activists, and advocates to join us for the 2009 Think Tank with the theme “What is the Future of Black Boys?”. Practitioners, community activists, and researchers whose efforts are related to the following thematic areas are invited to submit a solutions proposal in relevance to one of the 4 thematic areas: (1) Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (S.T.E.M); (2) Education/Youth Development; (3) Community/Economic Development, and (4) Health.
The Think Tank will feature opportunities for practitioners, researchers, policy makers, and, Black youth themselves to: (a) dialogue about solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing our communities; (b) think about strategies to resolve these challenges; and (c) design methodologies by which to implement solutions. We will consider formal, applied program evaluations as well as papers that integrate theoretical perspectives to better inform local, state, or federal policies.
Those wishing to participate in the Think Tank should submit a 750 – 1000 word proposal summary detailing a specific challenge facing Black boys and young men, along with an outline of suggested solutions. The summary should outline specific solutions or strategies for an issue in one of the previously mentioned areas. It should also include a rationale for the proposed solution(s), and strategies that a target audience (i.e., practitioners, parents, educators, and policy makers) could feasibly implement. In addition, applicants should identify what resources are needed in the implementation of the proposed solutions. First authors of accepted proposals will receive free registration to the Think Tank to present their paper in a poster presentation. In addition, there will be publication and collaboration opportunities (e.g., special issues in peer-reviewed journals and funded workgroups) from the Think Tank.
Potential Topics
Wilmer Leon Talks About the Health Care Crisis
In this interview Wilmer Leon speaks with Dr. Brenda Griton-Mitchell and Anastassia Zinke about the health care issue in the United States. They discuss the problems with the health care system and what can be done to improve it. Click the above image to hear the interview.
Anti-Gay Violence higher in African-American Communities
The recent shootings in a Tel-Aviv LGBT center that left 2 dead and 15 injured understandably shocked the world. Though incidents in the black community usually receive little or no attention, we have our own problems with homophobic violence here in the U.S.
On July 26th in New Orleans, a 21 year-old born with the name Eric Lee, who dressed in women’s clothing and went by the name "Beyonce" was found dead of multiple stab wounds in his apartment. According to The Advocate.com, Lee had been arguing with the three young women who were later arrested and charged with his murder.
With the exception of the accused being women, this story is all too familiar. According to the most recent report for the Anti-Violence Project, while bias violence against LGBT people increased only 2% from 2007-2008, the number of murders jumped 28% over the same period and were at their highest level since 1999.
Of all reported bias violence, 20% were people of African descent. According to the Gay & Lesbian Straight Education Network report one-third of all African-American LGBT students surveyed experienced some form of physical violence in school due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and were the among the least likely of all students of color to report incidents to parents or other school authorities.
Black LGBT children also learn at an early age that to be queer can be mean violence, even if you have a supportive family, which I was lucky to have. But a protective family may not help you in the outside world.
