Haiti will rename an airport in the north, currently known as Cap-Haitien International Airport, to Hugo Chavez International Airport in honor of the late leader of Venezuela. (Google Images)
Caribbean 360 is reporting that Haiti will rename Cap-Haitien International Airport in the north to Hugo Chavez International Airport after the late leader of Venezuela, one of Haiti’s prominent supporters. This airport in particular received a loan from Venezuela in October to repave its 17,500-foot runway.
Caribbean 360 writes:
Following the earthquake that killed an estimated 300,000 people and left more than a million others homeless, Caracas pledged US$1.2 billion in aid to Haiti.
President Michel Martelly left here on Thursday to attend the inauguration of Venezuelan President-elect Nicolas Maduro, who was handpicked by Chavez to be his successor.
“I would hurl words into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if an echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for life that gnaws in us all.” — Black Boy
Richard Wright
On April 29, 1945,Richard Wright’s Black Boy reached first place on the National Best Seller Book List.
Richard Nathaniel Wright (September 4, 1908 – November 28, 1960) was an African-American author of sometimes controversial novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction. Much of his literature concerns racial themes, especially those involving the plight of African Americans during the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. His work helped the change of race relations in the United States in the mid-20th century.
The Akosua Report: Facts on The African Diaspora, is written by Akosua Lowery. Follow her on Twitter @AkosuaLowery.
“Politics with me is a full- time business, it is not a hobby to be worked on in leisure hours, it’s a job – a full-time job that pays off only if a man is willing to apply the energy, start from scratch and profit from his experience.”
William Dawson
William Levi Dawson was born on this date in 1886 in Albany, Georgia. He was the first African American to chair a regular House of Representatives committee. Three years after he graduated magna cum laude from Fisk University in Tennessee (1912), Dawson moved to Chicago to study law at Northwestern University; once finished, he entered into local politics.
In 1942, after serving as alderman on the Chicago City Council, Dawson successfully ran for Congress, holding his seat until retiring in 1970.
The Akosua Report: Facts on The African Diaspora, is written by Akosua Lowery. Follow her on Twitter @AkosuaLowery.
Somalis mourned the death of journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Rageh, the fourth journalist to be killed in the country this year. (Google Images)
Reuters is reporting that Somali journalist Mohamed Ibrahim Rageh was shot and killed outside his home in Mogadishu on Sunday. The fourth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year, Rageh was a reporter for the state broadcaster Somali National Television and Radio Mogadishu.
According to Reuters:
[Rageh] was killed by unknown assailants as he returned home after work, according to Abdirahim Isse Addow, director of Radio Mogadishu, who was quoted by the National Union of Somali Journalists.
Rageh’s murder came a week after at least 30 people were killed by a car bomb, suicide bombers and gunmen at Mogadishu’s law courts and a car bomb explosion near the airport.
Keith Pough, offensive line backer for the Howard University Bison is a contender in the 2013 NFL Draft. (Google Images)
UPDATE (April 26, 2013): Florida A&M’s defensive tackle Ellie Hyppolite has been named to the 2013 NFL Draft, making him the 8th player from an HBCU to earn the honor this year. According to Shaun DePasquale of the NFL Draft Zone: “Standing 6’4 and weighing around 275 pounds, Hyppolite flashes strength and the ability to flow through traffic and find the ball-carrier. Ellie could find himself in a variety of roles at the next level, and has big potential. As a senior, Ellie tied Brandon Hepburn for the team-lead in sacks with 5.5 and added 9 tackles for loss.”
(Initially posted April 24, 2013) Seven hopefuls from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have been named going into the NFL draft, which takes place from April 25 to April 27.
The athletes look for a spot in the NFL on the heels of a poor showing for HBCUs at last year’s draft. In 2012, just one player, South Carolina State safety Christian Thompson, was selected. He ended up with the Baltimore Ravens, the Superbowl XLVII Champions.
This illustrates a marked decline in drafted players from HBCUs. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (JBHE) reports, “in recent years, players from HBCUs have been largely ignored in the NFL draft of college players.”
In fact, in 1994, the NFL drafted 17 players, while 13 made the cut in 2000. The articles states, “Every year since then there has been less than 10.”
Published on May 26, 2012, the JHBE piece cites a lack of television and media coverage of HBCU players, “low regard for HBCU football by NFL scouts, and the unproven ability of HBCU athletes to perform on ‘the big stage’” as reasons for the decline.
In 2013, the selection of seven players going into the draft aligns with the figures cited by the JBHE.
A search of the NFL draft website by colleges resulted in the following HBCU players named to the 2013 draft and up for selection by grade:
Terron Armstead – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Grade: 84
As per the NFL website analysis, Armstead “has been a fast riser in the postseason process. He’s got an intriguing athletic skill set. Despite facing sub-par competition in season, he’s shown the ability to be a good pass protector, and contribute as a run blocker.” The analysis continued, “He could find himself as a Day 2 pick before all is said and done.”
For more information about Armstead, check out his full profile here.
Keith Pough – Howard University
Grade: 70.5
An analysis of Pough states that he is a “tackles-for-loss machine, using his length and speed to chase ballcarriers from behind, as well as attitude to attack them in the hole. His tall, lean build and movement skills could make him a mid-round pick for teams looking for a coverage ‘backer or potential blitzing threat on the weak or strong sides of the formation.”
For more information about Johnson-Webb, check out his full profile here.
Rogers Gaines – Tennessee State University
Grade: 60.9
Standing at 6’6”, Gaines is lauded for his athleticism and size, according to the NFL, which continues, “This tall, athletic left tackle dominates many of the players he faces at the FCS level with his pure size and athleticism. Gaines also shows a bit of a nasty streak at times. While he is a project, a team will likely give him a shot late in the draft based on his upside.”
For more information about Gaines, check out his full profile here.
Kejuan Riley – Alabama State University
Grade: 54.3
The NFL reports, “He finished fifth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award for the division’s top defender in 2011, and put himself on NFL scouts’ radar as a legitimate late-round prospect as a reserve free safety with special teams potential.”
For more information about Riley, check out his full profile here.
Jamaal Johnson-Webb – Alabama A&M University
Grade: 54
According to an overview of his athletic ability, the NFL writes “Johnson-Webb has the distinct honor of being the first ever Alabama A&M player ever invited to the NFL Combine. Johnson-Webb wasn’t highly recruited out of high school, as he only played football in his senior season.”
For more information about Johnson-Webb, check out his full profile here.
Brandon Hepburn – Florida A&M University
Grade: 51
Interestingly, along with highlighting his football-related accolades, Hepburn’s NFL profile highlights his academic ability in science. According to the NFL, “During a summer internship, he successfully found a way to kill certain cancer cells in rats using copper-loaded nano particles. Hepburn dreams of owning a biochemical company so he can lead research that will eradicate deadly diseases.”
For more information about Hepburn, check out his full profile here.
Trabis Ward – Tennessee State University
Grade: N/A
No more information was available on the NFL website, but if you are after NFL fantasy news, check out FanDuel.com. You can also check out his full profile on the Tennessee State Tigers Athletics website here.
Venus Williams clinched the Fed Cup World Group Playoff against Sweden by defeating Johanna Larsson 6-3, 7-5 in Delray Beach, Florida. (Google Images)
In a boost for United States women’s tennis, Venus Williams clinched the Fed Cup World Group Playoff against Sweden by defeating Johanna Larsson 6-3, 7-5 in Delray Beach, Florida on Sunday, April 21. By winning her match, the elder Williams sister gave the U.S. a 3-1 lead over Sweden in the international, team competition.
To claim the win, the 21st ranked Venus needed eight match points in the final game and on her serve, which has long been lauded as one of the most effective on the WTA tour.
ESPN reports, “The victory guarantees the U.S. a spot in the coveted 2014 Fed Cup World Group, while Sweden will play 2014 World Group II action.”
According to Tennis.com, Venus’ win marked the first time that the former World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion has clinched a Fed Cup tie in favor of the United States. Moreover, the victory vaulted her overall singles record in Fed Cup play to 15-2.
The report continued that the decision to play Williams in the singles match was largely due to the champion’s insistence, explained Captain Mary Joe Fernandez. In the end, she switched out 2013 Australian Open semifinalist and the No. 16 Sloane Stephens for Venus.
Said Venus, “To be honest, I wanted to be out there. I told Mary Joe yesterday I feel good, I feel positive.”
“I pumped myself up and I wanted to be there for the team,” she continued.
Fernandez told reporters, “The hardest thing was trying to decide when to play which one. At the end of the day, experience just goes a long way. Venus has been there so many times before.”
She continued, “To have her in that clinching match for me was really important.”
Earlier in the day, No. 1 Serena defeated Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-1 to give the United States a 2-1 lead in the tie.
Serena is now 10-0 in Fed Cup singles matches.
For highlights of the match against Larsson, click here or watch below.
For more information on Fed Cup, see the official website here.
Benjamin Snyder is a sports contributor to The Burton Wire. You can follow him on Twitter @WriterSnyder.
Tom Cole of NPR’s blog The Record is reporting that folk singer Richie Havens has died of a heart attack today at the age of 72. Havens, who opened the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969, was known for his song “Freedom,” which was adapted from his performance at Woodstock and later used in a documentary about the festival.
Cole writes:
As a black performer, he was a rarity in the folk-dominated Greenwich Village scene. His sandpaper soft voice and percussive guitar playing caught the ear of folk impresario Albert Grossman, who first signed Bob Dylan and helped create Peter, Paul and Mary. Havens released his breakout album, Mixed Bag, in 1967.
Watch Havens perform “Freedom” at Woodstock above.
Emmanuel Ohuabunwa broke a Johns Hopkins University academic record when he graduated with a 3.98 GPA last year. (Google Images)
Channels TV is reporting that Nigerian Emmanuel Ohuabunwa graduated last year from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland with a 3.98 GPA, breaking a university record. Aged 22 at the time, Ohuabunwa received his degree in Neuroscience and now attends Yale University for his medical degree.
Channels writes:
Speaking about how he moved to the US, Ohuabunwa said “my parents moved the whole family when I was 13 years old. I was about to begin SS1 at Air Force, Ibadan. When I got to the US, I was enrolled with my age mates, which meant at 13, I was in middle school.
…
“My experience during that year gave me a thick skin. I learned to stand for what I thought was right even when the opposition seemed insurmountable. I also learned to look at the positive in all situations. Even though these kids were bullying me, I was still gaining an opportunity to school in America and nothing would stop me from making the best of this opportunity.
“I knew I wanted to go to the best school in the US. I had heard that Johns Hopkins Hospital had been ranked the number one hospital in the US for the past 21 years and I wanted to be in that environment.’’
“I say, let my children have music. For God’s sake, rid this society of some of the noise so that those who have ears will be able to use them someplace listening to good music.”
Charles Mingus
This date marks the birth of Charles Mingus in 1922. He was an African-American bassist, composer and band leader. After moving to New York in 1951, he gigged with the jazz giants of the day, including Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker, as well as such young upstarts as Miles Davis and Max Roach. With the latter, Mingus formed his own record company called Debut in 1952, and later co-founded the Jazz Composers’ Workshop, which evolved into Mingus’ musical think tank, the Jazz Workshop. The contradictory volatile-erratic, sensitive-ecstatic Mingus was a phenomenal composer and recording artist.
The Akosua Report: Facts on The African Diaspora, is written by Akosua Lowery. Follow her on Twitter @AkosuaLowery.
The US Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Nigerians would not be allowed to sue foreign oil companies for human rights abuses under US law. (Google Images)
Adam Liptak of the New York Times is reporting that the United States Supreme Court ruled that Nigerians would not be able to sue foreign oil companies for human rights abuses under U.S. law. The justices voted unanimously that a 1789 law addressing human rights abuses abroad could not be applied in this situation, causing human rights groups to call the decision a dangerous new precedent.
Liptak writes:
“This decision so severely limited a law that has for decades been a beacon of hope for victims of gross human rights violations,” said Elisa Massimino, president of Human Rights First. “This decision cuts a hole into the web of accountability. Human rights abusers may be rejoicing today, but this is a major setback for their victims.”
Business groups said the ruling would help put an end to baseless lawsuits.
“The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision today ensures that trial lawyers cannot continue to use the American judicial system to expose global businesses to frivolous and costly lawsuits,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., writing for the majority, said a general presumption against the extraterritorial application of American law barred the suit.
“I would hurl words into this darkness and wait for an echo, and if an echo sounded, no matter how faintly, I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of hunger for life that gnaws in us all.” — Black Boy 
“Politics with me is a full- time business, it is not a hobby to be worked on in leisure hours, it’s a job – a full-time job that pays off only if a man is willing to apply the energy, start from scratch and profit from his experience.”
“I say, let my children have music. For God’s sake, rid this society of some of the noise so that those who have ears will be able to use them someplace listening to good music.”
