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Civil Rights Groups to White House: ‘We Won’t Back Down’

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Leadership Conference said that for 75 years, it has helped secure every major federal civil rights law enacted in the United States. It warned that the same government systems used to advance justice are being weaponized to suppress it.

Published

2 months ago

April 24, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights has launched “The Pact: A Civil Rights Coalition Unity Commitment,” a declaration of mutual support among dozens of major nonprofit organizations representing millions of people nationwide. The coalition said it’s responding directly to escalating threats and retaliatory actions by the White House and federal agencies targeting groups engaged in public service, advocacy, and civil rights work. The Leadership Conference said that for 75 years, it has helped secure every major federal civil rights law enacted in the United States. It warned that the same government systems used to advance justice are being weaponized to suppress it. “Today we face a campaign by the government to interrupt and intimidate the ability of those who represent the vulnerable, ensure people know their rights, have a voice to make demands of their government, organize unions and speak freely and have their rights protected,” the Pact states. “We will not be silent, divided, or stop serving the public or allow the people we serve to be harmed.”

The coalition cited specific government actions that it says are designed to dismantle public services, eliminate oversight, and undermine nonprofit organizations. These actions include the termination of grants without cause, politically motivated investigations into climate and civil rights groups, threats to tax-exempt status, and a chilling effect on pro bono legal support out of fear of retribution. “The administration has made clear it will attack organizations that speak truth to power, defend the vulnerable, petition and sue the government, preserve and share knowledge, and fight for our freedoms,” the Pact continues. “They want us to fight alone, hoping we’ll stay silent as others are targeted. Not us.” The Pact outlines a series of commitments among the signatories. If any organization is unjustly targeted, the others have pledged to stand with it. They will share knowledge and resources, refuse to censor their missions, and continue advocating for the communities they serve—regardless of political pressure.

The coalition includes organizations representing people who are Black, Latino, White, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, disabled, immigrant, working-class, and of all faiths and backgrounds. Together, they reaffirm their support for basic rights and services, including access to healthcare, quality education, legal representation, clean air and water, the right to vote, and protection from discrimination.The Leadership Conference said the government’s current actions seek to isolate and silence advocates while concentrating wealth and power in the hands of a few. “We will not be divided,” the Pact declares. “We will not be intimidated into silence or abandoning our communities.” More than 70 civil rights, labor, faith-based, and public interest organizations signed the Pact. Among them are the ACLU, National Urban League, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, UnidosUS, National Organization for Women, People for the American Way, and the League of Women Voters. “We have the right to assemble—and we will continue to do just that, and we will encourage and support people and allied organizations to do the same, uniting across communities, sectors, issue areas, and identities,” the coalition said. “We will not be silenced. We will continue to do the work that puts people over power.”

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Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Explore the Tiguan’s cutting-edge 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, voice control, and a new AI assistant. See how VW innovatively moved the gear shifter to the steering column, enhancing the center console and navigation system! #AutoNetwork #Tiguan #Infotainment #AppleCarPlay #AndroidAuto #AISystem #NavigationSystem #CarTech #TechReview #CarInnovation #Automotive

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

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IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

Sly Stone’s musical approach radically reshaped popular music. He transcended genre boundaries and empowered a new generation of artists. The band’s socially conscious message and infectious rhythms sparked a wave of influence, reaching artists as diverse as Miles Davis, George Clinton, Prince, Dr. Dre, and the Roots.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.

By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire

Sylvester “Sly” Stewart—known to the world as Sly Stone, frontman of the groundbreaking band Sly and the Family Stone—has died at the age of 82.

His family confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home surrounded by loved ones, after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health complications.

Born March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, as a child. He began recording gospel music at age 8 with his siblings in a group called the Stewart Four. By his teenage years, he had mastered multiple instruments and was already pioneering racial integration in music—an ethos that would define his career.

In 1966, Sly and his brother Freddie merged their bands to form Sly and the Family Stone, complete with a revolutionary interracial, mixed-gender lineup.

The band quickly became a commercial and cultural force with hits such as “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—all penned by Stone himself.

Their album “Stand!” (1969) and live performances—most notably at Woodstock—cemented their reputation, blending soul, funk, rock, gospel, and psychedelia to reflect the optimism and turmoil of their era.

As the 1970s progressed, Stone confronted personal demons. His desire to use music as a response to war, racism, and societal change culminated in the intense album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” (1971). But drug dependency began to undermine both his health and professional life, leading to erratic behavior and band decline through the early 1980s.

Withdrawn from the public eye for much of the 1990s and early 2000s, Stone staged occasional comebacks. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 2017, and captured public attention following the 2023 release of his memoir “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”—published under Questlove’s imprint. He also completed a biographical screenplay and was featured in Questlove’s documentary “Sly Lives!” earlier this year.

His influence endured across generations. Critics and historians repeatedly credit him with perfecting funk and creating a “progressive soul,” shaping a path for racial integration both onstage and in the broader culture.

“Rest in beats Sly Stone,” legendary Public Enemy frontman Chuck D posted on social media with an illustrative drawing of the artist. “We should thank Questlove of the Roots for keeping his fire blazing in this century.”

Emmy-winning entertainment publicist Danny Deraney also paid homage. “Rest easy Sly Stone,” Deraney posted. “You changed music (and me) forever. The time he won over Ed Sullivan’s audience in 1968. Simply magical. Freelance music publicist and Sirius XM host Eric Alper also offered a tribute.

“The funk pioneer who made the world dance, think, and get higher,” Alper wrote of Sly Stone. “His music changed everything—and it still does.”

Sly Stone is survived by three children.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

Published

3 days ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

By Congressman James E. Clyburn

WATCH HERE

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06) released the following video on X, paying tribute to the 10^th anniversary of the shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015.

“Over 6 years ago, the House first passed my Enhanced Background Checks Act to close the Charleston Loophole that allowed a white supremacist to obtain the gun he used to murder nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015.

“I’ll never stop fighting to pass this law.”