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Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., 54 Years Later

WASHINGTON INFORMER — On the 54th anniversary of King’s death, observances took place around the nation, while those not attending specific events took to social media to commemorate the icon.
The post Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., 54 Years Later first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

April 5, 2022

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

On April 4, 1968, an assassin’s bullet ended the dynamic life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the age of 39.

King stood on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, a site that’s now a museum dedicated to the civil rights champion’s life.

James Earl Ray ultimately pleaded guilty to shooting King but later claimed he was a pawn in a more significant crime ring to kill the African American leader.

On the 54th anniversary of King’s death, observances took place around the nation, while those not attending specific events took to social media to commemorate the icon.

“We spend more time celebrating [King’s] birth than acknowledging where he was politically when he was killed – fighting alongside sanitation workers, opposing war, racism, and capitalism,” historian and author Barbara Ransby wrote on Twitter. “April 4 reminds us of the power of the radical King.”

Maya Wiley, the incoming president of The Leadership Conference, also provided remarks via social media.

“[On April 4], 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated for believing we are equal, shouldn’t be poor, and have rights,” Wiley wrote. “Today, we’re told to fear learning about race or gender identity, to permit voter suppression, and that a highly qualified Black woman isn’t Supreme Court material. We have work to do.”

One day before King’s assassination, the civil rights leader gave his last speech in which he proclaimed that he’d been to the mountaintop. In a sad prophecy, King prepared his followers for his demise.

“It really doesn’t matter what happens now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place.

“But I’m not concerned about that now,” King said. “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson, who attended King’s last speech and stood nearby at the Lorraine Motel when the assassin cut down his colleague, participated in an event at Mt. Olive CME Church in Memphis to help commemorate the 54th anniversary of that dark day.

“It’s sad for me. I was with him when the shot was fired,” Jackson said. “I can replay it back of my mind. It hurts still. I think about the progress we’ve made since that time.”

Jackson joined Bishop Henry Williamson Sr. and others in Memphis to observe the anniversary.

“The 54th-anniversary celebration of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most important dates in Tennessee and across the nation to observe,” Williamson said.

As part of the observance, Williamson, Jackson, and others visited the National Civil Rights Museum, which stands at the Lorraine Motel, and the historic Collins Chapel Connectional Hospital, the only hospital in Memphis that allowed Black people during segregation.

“Dr. King called for nonviolence to bring about change against unjust and immoral laws in situations of segregation and discrimination. We need that in today’s world,” Williamson said.

Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth agreed.

“We will never forget Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for all he did to change the course of our nation’s future for the better,” Duckworth said. “Today, it falls upon all of us to continue his legacy.”

The post Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., 54 Years Later appeared first on The Washington Informer.

The post Remembering Martin Luther King Jr., 54 Years Later first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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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

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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.”