A South African court has ordered the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma on obstruction charges. Zuma refused an order to appear in court to discuss questions surrounding financial scandals that dogged Zuma’s presidency (2009-2018).
Five months ago, the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma, a key figure in the storied African National Congress and the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, to appear before the court to explain his involvement in the corruption scandals during his presidency.
Zuma did not appear in court to testify and also ignored the contempt order from the Constitutional Court, thus being hit with a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court.
As of this post, the former president has not been taken into custody.
This story is developing.
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual.
Chinua Achebe and three of his book covers that will be made into television series - Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God.
Reporting for Face2FaceAfrica.com, Nii Ntreh reports three best-selling books by iconic Nigerian novelist, poet, critic and activist Chinua Achebe will be making their way to the small screen as television series. One of Achebe’s most celebrated books and debut novel, Things Fall Apart, will be made into a television series. Achebe Masterworks, LLC which owns the rights to all of Achebe’s works, also announced No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God will also be adapted for the screen, replicating the trilogy of the lionized African writer’s work.
Ntreh writes, “Achebe Masterworks says ‘[T] he series will portray decades of wrenching societal change from the end of the 19th century in Things Fall Apart through the emerging 20th century in Arrow of God and the mid 20th century pre-independence period in No Longer At Ease.’”
Achebe died in 2013. The award-winning writer’s family has partnered with consultants Dayo Ogunyemi of 234 media and Joe Seldner of Seldner Media to bring the novels to the screen. No air date has been announced.
Nashville (TBW) – Like many cities in the United States, Black excellence was on full display Juneteenth weekend in Nashville, TN. Twenty-two years in the making, the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) held its grand opening, hosting industry executives, music historians, music journalists, politicians, collectors, supporters and aficionados. Presided over by President and CEO H. Beecher Hicks III, the opening honored music legends Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Chaka Khan and the Jubilee Singers during the “Celebration of Legends” Benefit Concert. There was also a “State of Black Music” panel discussion and a Juneteenth block party held at 5th and Broadway, featuring vendors, entrepreneurs and musical performers. NMAAM is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to preserving African American music traditions and celebrating the central role African Americans have played in shaping American music.
In Shelbyville, TN, author and entrepreneur Fawn Weaver presided over the grand re-opening of the Nearest Green Distillery, home to the Uncle Nearest brand of Whiskey. Weaver, CEO of Uncle Nearest, chose Juneteenth as the date for revealing phase two of the distillery to the public, which was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Weaver and the founders, self-paced tours of the 270-acre facility, tastings and music and entertainment throughout the day. A special blend of Uncle Nearest was also part of the tastings and available for purchase. Tour guides were available to answer questions about the history of the brand and the history-making event. Weaver said she chose Juneteenth as the date of the launch because of the “the story of Nearest Green and the freedom the holiday represents.” Weaver signed scores of gift boxes for attendees.
Nearest Green Distillery co-founder Fawn Weaver (r) signs bottles for grand re-opening attendees held Juneteenth 2021. (Photo: Precise Communications/Alexis Davis)
Uncle Nearest is named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved African American man who created the recipe and process for making Tennessee Whiskey, a method he taught to Jack Daniels, whose name is most associated with Tennessee Whiskey. A hidden figure, the story of Nearest Green’s role in the creation of Tennessee Whiskey surfaced after the New York Times featured a story on Green’s impact and contribution to the Jack Daniel’s brand of whiskey. Green was an enslaved man and master distiller on the property of Dan Call, where Jasper “Jack” Daniel also worked.
Weaver researched the story in great detail, eventually partnering with Jack Daniel’s descendants to create a whiskey bearing Nearest Green’s name. And the rest as they say is history with the second phase of the four-phase, $50 million Nearest Green distillery located on 270 acres of land. Weaver, co-founder of the distillery aims to create the world’s longest bar in the next two phases of the rollout.
About Juneteenth Juneteenth is an annual holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, to commemorate when slaves in Texas, learned two years following passage of the Emancipation Proclamation, they were actually free. Although African Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth since it’s inception in 1865, on Thursday, June 17, 2021, U.S. president Joe Biden signed the bill into law to make Juneteenth, the official end of slavery in the United States, a federal holiday. Juneteenth is commonly referred to as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day or Juneteenth National Independence Day by African Americans throughout the United States. In 1980, the state of Texas became the first state to declare Juneteenth a state holiday.
About the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM)
The National Museum of African American Music is based in Nashville, Tenn., and integrates history and interactive technology to honor the musical heroes of African American music of the past and the present. For more information, visit www.blackmusicmuseum.org.
About Nearest Green Distillery Nearest Green Distillery is a 270-acre four-phase, $50 million distillery and visitor center named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, the nation’s first African American master distiller on record, who created the “Lincoln County Process,” method of making whiskey. The Lincoln County method is the cornerstone of Tennessee Whiskey. A hidden figure, Green, who was an enslaved man, taught Jack Daniel of the world famous Jack Daniel’s Whiskey brand, how to make whiskey and served as Daniels’ master distiller. Located in Shelbyville, TN, the distillery is in phase two of the four-phase roll out. For more information on the Nearest Green Distillery, visit www.unclenearest.com/distillery.
This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of the award-winning news site The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual.
The episode features an audience of Black women in an in-depth conversation regarding mental health and trauma impacting the Black community. Led by media icon Oprah Winfrey, Emmy-award winning host and journalist Adrienne Bankert, and leading social impact strategist Jotaka Eaddy. The discussion will examine issues surrounding mental health & trauma in the Black community with a focus on Black women. Special guests include California Surgeon General Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Actor and Comedian Kym Whitley, and Activist, Scholar, and Educator Dr. Dena Simmons. Dr. Gail Wyatt, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center also joins the special event.
In this new one hour episode, the guests discuss childhood trauma in the Black community, how it affects mental health, and how it manifests in adulthood. This meaningful conversation, which takes place in front of an all black woman audience, will de-stigmatize mental health issues and offer suggestions of how to do the work to heal both individually and as a community, all through the lens of asking “What happened to you?” The critical question is a shift posed by Oprah’s recent New York Times best-selling book of the same name co-written with trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry. The conversation around mental health and wellness is also the topic of “The Me You Can’t See,” the documentary series from Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry which premiered May 21 on Apple TV+. Check out an excerpt of tonight’s program below:
Airing on the anniversary of George Floyd’s tragic death, “Black Women OWN The Conversation: Mental Health and Trauma” offers resources and key takeaways to start healing from trauma, particularly after a difficult year where the Black community has been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the emotional toll of the ongoing fight for racial justice and equality.
For more information on this special event or to participate in the conversation, follow OWN on social media at @OWNTV and join the conversation using #BlackWomenOWN.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, then contact National Institute of Mental Health’s Crisis Text Line. Text “HELLO” to 741741.
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter@Ntellectual.
Brothers Sheldon James (l), Shemier Anderson (c) and Stephan James (r).
Brothers Sheldon James (l), Shemier Anderson (c) and Stephan James (r). – Photo/Pinterest
Canadian Actors and brothers Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk; Free Rayshawn), Shamier Anderson (Wynonna Earp) and their youngest brother Sheldon James have launched a venture capital firm to help fund BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) entrepreneurs.
The trio named the company The Bay Mill Investments. The company will support and mentor young entrepreneurs in the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) community in building profitable businesses through its Bay Mills Diversity Fund. As of this publication, they have raised $15 million (CAD) of $25 million (CAD) in an initial round of funding in an effort to raise $100 million (CAD) to fund the diversity initiative by the end of June 2021. The company is currently seeking corporate sponsors and accredited investors.
Sheldon James will serve as Chief Executive Officer and General Partner. Melissa Allen, formerly of Google, will serve as Partner and Chief Operating Officer. The serial philanthropists previously launched The Black Academy, an organization dedicated to breaking down barriers of discrimination and combatting racism in Canadian arts.
Read more about their latest initiative at Deadline.com.
The Internet is gushing over news iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell has added a baby girl to her family. Campbell made the announcement today on her Instagram account:
Photo: Instagram/Naomi
“A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother, So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life there are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love.”
The actress home designer has been discussing her desire for motherhood in the press. “I think about having children all the time,” she told Evening Standard magazine in May 2017. “But now with the way science is, I think I can do it when I want.”
Celebrities and fans have been sending words of encouragement and praise. Actress Zoe Saldana wrote on the post, “Oh my goodness congrats lady! What a blessing!!!” Jodie Turner-Smith wrote, “…many many many congratulations to you and to your family— the village that will now rally around you and support you in cultivating that little angel!!!! what an incredible blessing!!! ???.”
Campbell has not disclosed her path to motherhood or her child’s paternity.
Executive Producer Yvette Lee Bowser and cast of STARZ 'Run the World' series.(Photo: Lionsgate/STARZ)
Executive Producer Yvette Lee Bowser ( l)and cast of STARZ ‘Run the World’ series .(Photo: Lionsgate/STARZ)
Trailblazing showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser, the woman behind the groundbreaking television series, “Living Single” and hit series “Dear Black People,” is bringing the story of four African-American women friends living what appears to be fabulous lives in Harlem to the small screen. Bowser who brought the wildly popular and cult classic Living Single to tv screens thirty years prior, broke ground with the first television sitcom featuring Black women leads. Living Single chronicled the lives and loves of four Black women friends living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Bowser and Executive producer Leigh Davenport (“Boomerang”) hope to strike “magic” again with their latest entry.
Lee Bowser, who has been quietly helping to produce hit television shows like ‘Black-ish” and “Dear White People,” gives us a contemporary show starring four Black actresses navigating the precariousness of life in your thirties in Harlem. Check out the series trailer below:
Starring Bresha Webb (Renee), Andrea Bordeaux (Ella), Corbin Reid (Sondi) and Amber Stevens West (Whitney), the series explores the lives of four girlfriends living in Harlem, NYC who are dealing with a variety of topics including partnership, falling in love, heartbreak, career successes and failures to name a few. Many issues women face in general and Black women in particular including racism, mansplaining and the struggle over gender roles are taken on in the series with humor, thoughtfulness and concern. Viewers are likely to laugh and cry within minutes of scenes that examine the complexity of being Black and a woman in America while in pursuit of happiness and all of its machinations in the 30 minute episodes.
In addition to the four lead actresses, the series cast is rounded out with actors Stephen Bishop, Jay Walker, David J. Cork, Tosin Morohunfola and Nick Sagar.
“Run the World,” is part of STARZ’s #TakeTheLead initiative, part of a push to create more content featuring women and people from underrepresented populations.
“Run the World” debuts on STARZ, May 16, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. EST. Set your DVRs and check local listings for channel updates.
This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual.
Yamiche Alcindor, left, White House correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, and Kathleen McElroy, right, director of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.(Flickr Creative Commons/LBJ Library – 04/10/2019)
The internet is buzzing about the announcement Haitian-American journalist Yamiche Alcindor has been named host of PBS’s ‘Washington Week,” a political affairs show. Alcindor, a journalist for PBS Newshour rose to fame during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration as White House correspondent when asking questions the public wanted to know despite Trump’s public verbal abuse of journalists in the White House Press Corps including Alcindor.
Alcindor was mentored by the late Haitian-American news journalist Gwen Ifill, who hosted the news show prior to her death in 2016. Ifill was a groundbreaking journalist, becoming the first Black woman to host a national political talk show on TV when she joined PBS’ ‘Washington Week In Review’ in 1999. Alcindor replaces Robert Costa who took over moderating duties following Ifill’s death from cancer in 2016.
PBS and WETA-TV, the Washington affiliate, produce the national news show.
This post was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual or @TheBurtonWire.
International news outlets are reporting that Idriss Déby, longtime president of the country of Chad has died. Jason Bourke of The Guardian reports:
“A statement from the military said the 68-year-old ruler, in power for 30 years, had been killed “on the battlefield” after being injured fighting rebels but gave no further details.
Déby last week won a sixth term in presidential elections. The poll prompted an invasion by a Libya-based rebel group called the Force for Change and Concord in Chad, which military officials had said was repulsed at the weekend.
Officials had said the veteran politician would not give a victory speech after the polls because he had travelled to the frontlines to take charge of military operations.
“He died as he lived, as a free man, with a weapon in his hand,” Abderrahman Koulamallah, a former rebel and presidential adviser, told French radio network RFI.”
Amid Déby’s death, it is being reported parliament has been dissolved and replaced by a military council led by Déby’s son General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.
Déby ruled for 30 years and was elected to six terms as president. He died at age 68.
The world is mourning the loss of platinum-selling rapper Earl “DMX” Simmons, who passed away today at age 50. The Baltimore, MD born and Yonkers, NY raised Simmons was best known for his work as a rapper, although he had successful acting career, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In May 1998, the gravely-voiced rapper burst onto the scene with his debut album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot on the Ruff Ryders label at Def Jam. The Ruff Ryders was also a rap collective featuring rap superstars Eve and Swizz Beatz and Jadakiss, Styles P and Drag-On among others. It’s Dark featured the single, “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” which was a monster hit, fueling his first major label release to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. The LP also sold 250,000 copies its first week and would go on to be certified four-times platinum (RIAA), confirming the rapper known for his signature “bark” as a bona fide rap star .
Commonly referred to as a hardcore rapper, DMX’s next LP Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, was released in December of that same year. Flesh of My Flesh debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 again and was certified four-times platinum (RIAA) again. The album also featured the hit song “Slipping” which chronicled the rapper’s struggle with addiction, success, failure and relationships. The rhythmic tune featured the sample, “Moonstreams” by jazz legend Grover Washington, Jr. and background vocals by “American Idol” favorite Tamyra Gray. The three-time Grammy nominee received two American Music Awards for favorite rap/hip-hop artist in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
While DMX was working on his next album, he was also building a career as an actor, starring in film hits like Belly (1998), Romeo Must Die (2000),Backstage(2000),Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) and Never Die Alone (2004). In 1998, DMX starred opposite rap legend Nas in the cult classic Belly, directed by legendary Hip-Hop music video director Hype Williams. The soundtrack for the film was produced by a “who’s who” of Hip-Hop producers including Sean “P Diddy” Combs, Swizz Beats, Poke and Tone, RZA and R Kelly. The Belly Soundtrack was a commercial success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard 200 and featuring the song “Grand Finale” which featured rappers DMX, Ja Rule, Method Man and Nas.
DMX appeared in Romeo Must Die with R&B singer Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash in 2001. The rapper and singer made the song, “Back in One Piece,” for the Romeo Must Die soundtrack, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 3 and was certified platinum. The soundtrack also featured a “Who’s Who” of rap and R&B producers including Irv Gotti, Timbaland, Mannie Fresh, Stanley Clarke,Joe and Barry Hankerson.
On December. 21, 1999, DMX released his third and best-selling album …And Then There Was X, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit singles, “Party Up,” which also became his first top ten hit on the R&B charts.
Over the course of his career, DMX struggled with drug addiction and was in and out of jail for drug-related offenses. In 2003, DMX released E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX
In 2007, the MTV music video. Award winner starred in and executive produced a reality television show entitled DMX: Soul of a Man, which aired on BET. The show featured he and his then-wife Tashera Simmons, with whom he shares four children. The title song, “Lord Give Me a Sign,” was featured on his 2006 album Year of the Dog…Again. In 2012, the couple divorced after multiple separations and reports of DMX fathering multiple children outside of the marriage.
A prolific rapper and actor, DMX has appeared in over30 films and television shows including “South Park” (1998), “The Chris Rock Show” (1998), “Moesha” (2000), “Eve” (2003), “Chappelle’s Show”(2004) and “Fresh Off The Boat” (2015). DMX also appeared on reality television shows “Couples Therapy” (2012), “Iyanla Fix My Life” (2013) and “Black Ink Crew” (2017). released eight studio albums,five compilation albums, one mixtape, one. EP, forty-six singles (including seventeen as a featured artist) and twenty-four music videos.
In 2016, DMX was found unresponsive in a car in a Ramada Inn parking lot and was resuscitated. He attributed the incident to an asthma attack from which he suffered since childhood.
In June 2020, DMX appeared on Versuz with Snoop Dog and only performed his solo hits.
On April 2, 2021 DMX suffered a heart attack following a drug overdose at his home. He was rushed to a hospital in White Plains, where he was placed on a respirator and had little brain activity. Hundreds of fans and staffers prayed for the rapper’s recovery during a vigil held outside of the hospital Monday, April 5. They chanted “DMX” and made the “X” sign with their arms in support of the rapper. The rapper, who openly discussed his personal demons and love of God as a Christian, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2021. He was 50.
Earl “DMX” Simmons is survived by his mother Arnett Simmons, fiancée Desiree Lindstrom and children. Rest in peace.
This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on Twitter @Ntellectual or @TheBurtonWire.
