By Jazelle Hunt, NNPA Washington Correspondent   WASHINGTON (NNPA) — Though the nation increasingly recognizes the importance of early childhood education, young African Americans and other children of color continue to trail their White counterparts on key measurements, according  to a report by  the Center for American Progress (CAP), an independent nonpartisan educational institute dedicated […]

By Freddie Allen, NNPA Washington Correspondent  WASHINGTON — Civil rights advocates praised the updated guidelines for addressing racial disparities in American public schools recently issued by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Education and recommended additional measures to close the Black-White achievement gap. “The Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces […]

By Jazelle Hunt, NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) — As the National Football League continues to grapple with its policies on domestic violence and sexual assault, Black women have stepped forward to ensure the NFL gets it right this time. Since footage surfaced of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking his wife unconscious, […]

By Jim Lobe WASHINGTON (IPS) — Hopes that the strategy announced by President Barack Obama a month ago against the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant (ISIL) might yield a relatively quick victory have disappeared amidst growing fears that the U.S.-led air campaign has at most only slowed the radical group’s advance. While air […]

By Lekan Oguntoyinbo, NNPA Columnist This ought to be a season of hope for Liberia and Sierra Leone, two of the West African countries that have been battered by the Ebola epidemic. Following a brutal dictatorship and a horrific civil war that lasted more than a quarter of a century, Liberia, a tiny republic founded […]

By Jazelle Hunt, NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) — While Black girls possess high levels of leadership qualities, they receive the least opportunity to fill these roles throughout their lives, a new report finds. The study, titled, “Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call to Educational Equity,” was co-authored by the NAACP Legal Defense […]

By Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON  (IPS) – A year after a U.S. company was accused of engaging in the systematic importing of flooring made from illegally harvested timber, pressure is mounting on federal agencies currently investigating the allegations. In September 2013, federal authorities executed search warrants of two of the offices of Lumber Liquidators, the […]

By Jazelle Hunt, NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) — As the NFL’s 2014 season warms up, Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, prepares to face charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child. A week prior, news surfaced that he had spanked his 4-year-old son with a switch, resulting in major bruises and lacerations […]

By Carey L. Biron WASHINGTON  (IPS) — The United States will begin developing a national action plan on responsible business practices, following on several years of related advocacy from civil society. The plan will detail how the United States will implement landmark U.N. guidelines outlining the responsibility of multinational businesses to respect human rights. While […]

By Freddie Allen, NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) —The Black-White income gap narrowed in 2013 with Black men who worked full-time, year-round experiencing the greatest gain in earnings among all adult workers, according to the current population reports on income and poverty released by the Census Bureau. The median income for Blacks rose $793, an […]