Pastor calls for National Anti-Payday Lending Campaign
More than one million Blacks sinking under debt
2012-01-21
By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist
An activist New Jersey pastor is launching a national effort against one of the most predatory lending products: payday loans.
Read the complete article
Bernie Foster's Speech at the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
The Skanner Foundation Event
2012-01-16
Bernie Foster
Bernie Foster's Speech at the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast Read the complete article
The Nonsense That Is Mainstream News
As endless election game and celeb gossip clog airwaves, nation must strengthen alternative options
2012-01-12
Bill Fletcher, Jr. NNPA Columnist
I grew up listening to the news on radio, watching it on TV, and reading it in the paper (and in magazines). I have found myself increasingly weary of mainstream news, however. It is an odd feeling. My political beliefs have always led me to question the mainstream news sources but I would still make a point of watching network news programs. Over time something happened. Read the complete article
LSU’s Potential “Honey Bear” Profits Are Far From Sweet
School that lost championship game is primed to win big revenue off nickname—but doing so without paying player himself is unfair
2012-01-10
Roger M. Graves, Florida Coastal School of Law
Near the end of the Alabama- LSU National Championship game, I looked at All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu sitting forlornly and lonely on the bench, and wondered whether he knew that his “Honey Badger” nickname was a specialty drink - a Jack Daniels honey brew reportedly infused into a new beer product. At that moment, it was quite likely being slurped in both LSU’s home town of Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the site of the game. Read the complete article
Black Unemployment Rate Worsens While Others' Rates Gain
Black women, it turns out, are losing more than most
2012-01-09
Dr. Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist
The unemployment rate is falling for the third month in a row, and in December about 200,000 private sector jobs were created. The monthly unemployment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that unemployment has declined by six tenths of a percentage point since August. Already, some economists are saying we can expect another decline next month. Read the complete article
At Last: A 'Top Cop' Arrives to Police Financial Affairs
With a director in place, CFPB can now take on oversight of payday lenders, mortgage companies and credit bureaus
2012-01-09
Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist
With a director in place, CFPB can now take on oversight of payday lenders, mortgage companies and credit bureaus, writes rules for the non-banking industry, and becomes the consumer’s voice in financial services regulation. Last year in late July, CFPB began ongoing monitoring and regulating of large depository banks. Read the complete article
Iowa GOP Win: Rick Santorum’s Race Bating
Some are calling it a cheap attempt at racial coding that worked
2012-01-09
Charles D. Ellison Special to the NNPA from the Philadelphia Tribune
It’s a pickle the former underperforming Pennsylvania Senator has been in before. Perhaps afraid of repeating past electoral mistakes (flashbacking in cold sweats to his 18 point loss in 2006 to current Sen. Bob Casey), Rick Santorum appears to fall back on race as a way to gain tactical advantage in the Republican presidential primaries. Read the complete article
Your Congressional Reps Are Back Home; Go Pester Them
Elected officials want to rebuild the faith of their constituencies, and it’s up to us to let them know unemployment and poverty are the key issues
2012-01-05
Dr. Julianne Malveaux, NNPA Columnist
Most Americans have been enjoying the holiday haze since House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) folded and allowed the two-month extension of unemployment insurance and the Social Security tax cut, and other key matters. Indeed, if the French take the month of August off by law, we almost do the same in the period between Christmas and New Year. Except for retail establishments that support the great American pastime – shopping – few businesses got substantive work done in the last week. Read the complete article
A New Year's Resolution for Consumers: Say ‘No’ to High-Cost Lending
For example, if your bank has begun to charge service fees for checking accounts, review the fine print that announced those changes
2012-01-03
Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist
When it comes to financial matters, now is a perfect time to also assess lending habits and ways to develop greater financial security. Read the complete article
How Symbol Replaced Substance in the Black Community
It’s time to return to values surrounding Michael Jordan’s work ethic and reject those surrounding his shoes
2012-01-03
Michael Jordan is a man who went out, worked hard, sacrificed, stayed dedicated and reaped the results of those actions. But what about us? Do we care about hard work? Do we respect dedication? Do we even understand what sacrifice is anymore? Read the complete article