President To Consider Black Woman For High Court

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN IS UNDER CONSIDERATION AS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA’S NOMINEE TO REPLACE JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS ON THE SUPREME COURT. A WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL CONFIRMS THAT JUDGE ANN WILLIAMS OF THE U-S COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE 7TH CIRCUIT IS AMONG ABOUT 10 PEOPLE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THE HIGH COURT. A NATIVE OF DETROIT, WILLIAMS SERVED AS A FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS FROM 1985 UNTIL 1999. SHE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN APPOINTED TO THE 7TH CIRCUIT.

Mourners Pay Respects To Hooks

THOUSANDS OF FAMILY, FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS TURNED OUT IN MEMPHIS FOR THE FUNERAL OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER BENJAMIN HOOKS. AMONG THE MOURNERS WAS CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS AND BENJAMIN JEALOUS, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE NATIONAL N-DOUBLE-A-C-P. JEALOUS SAID THEY WERE ALL THERE TO HONOR THE “GODFATHER OF THE N-DOUBLE-A-C-P AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.” HOOKS, WHO WAS 85, DIED AT HIS MEMPHIS HOME LAST WEEK.

Black Farmers Seek Settlement

AFRICAN AMERICAN FARMERS HOPING FOR GOVERNMENT SETTLEMENT MONEY IN A RACIAL BIAS CASE ARE CALLING ON CONGRESS TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO FUND THE 1-BILLION DOLLAR DEAL. A MARCH DEADLINE TO APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS HAS PASSED, AND NOW FARMERS MAY WITHDRAW FROM THE SETTLEMENT AND PURSUE INDEPENDENT LITIGATION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. CONGRESS NOW HAS A TARGET DATE OF THE END OF MAY TO COME UP WITH A PLAN.

Nation Mocks Arizona

SOME ARIZONA LAWMAKERS ARE EXPRESSING EMBARRASSMENT THAT SOME OF THEIR COLLEAGUES WANT PRESIDENT OBAMA TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTS PROVING HIS CITIZENSHIP TO GET ON THE STATE’S 2012 BALLOT. THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL, REPUBLICAN JUDY BURGES, SAYS SHE ISN’T SURE MR. OBAMA COULD PROVE HIS LEGIBILITY. HAWAIIAN AUTHORITIES, HOWEVER, HAVE REPEATEDLY CONFIRMED MR. OBAMA’S CITIZENSHIP.