Young, Gifted and Black: Black music icon Aretha Franklin besought ‘Jesus, Be a Fence Around’ that was answered with ‘Amazing Grace’ as a ‘natural resource’
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, at the family home on 406 Lucy Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was a Baptist circuit preacher from Shelby, Mississippi, and her mother was a pianist and gospel singer whom Mahalia Jackson once called one of the finest in the country.
Just because I’m Black: Long before Venus and Serena Williams two Black sisters won 14 US national tennis titles but were never paid a cent
Tennis in the 1940s was strictly amateur. The Peters sisters received no prize money, no sponsorships, no compensation of any kind. They paid for their own rackets, their own travel, their own entry fees. They funded a career of national championships by working as schoolteachers.
American film and television icon slain by son hours before former US President Obama and wife Michelle were to visit
The former first lady remembered the Reiner’s as “some of the most decent and courageous people.” She also made a pointed comment about the couple not being “deranged” after President Donald Trump blamed their deaths on “Trump derangement syndrome.”
Longest government shutdown in US history ends and business lumbers back to life but political divisions remain
42 million Americans will no longer have to worry whether the SNAP subsidies that help them pay for groceries will run out. A spokesperson for the Agriculture Department said most states would receive funds for full SNAP benefits within 24 hours of the government reopening.
Zohran Mamdani’s Ugandan heritage fires up New York City’s mayoral rat race
Some Ugandans who have known Mamdani over the years say that while he may not be fluent in the local Luganda dialect, he understands the language and is proud of his local background.
Michelle Obama: Barack and I are both happy about date night, we’re at home and are not getting dressed
Her journey in the global public eye is at the centre of her new coffee table book, The Look (out November 4). The title, co-written with her long-time stylist Meredith Koop, chronicles how the wife of the first Black president of the United States meticulously dressed for the job – and all the celebration and relentless scrutiny that came with that.
Kenya is hurtling towards self-destruction via toxic ethic rhetoric, law scholar PLO Lumumba warns
Speaking during the third African Youth Leadership Forum at Mount Kenya University on Sunday, Lumumba observed that the tribal discourse, coupled with the heightened political temperatures despite being two years away from the next general election, paints a grim picture of a nation trapped in toxic identity politics.
‘Behind the polished image of the Obamas lies a deeply human story of love tested by extraordinary circumstances’
The couple’s struggles sparked rumours of a split, especially when Michelle began retreating from public appearances ahead of President Trump’s inauguration. She notably skipped significant events, including the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, allegedly fuelling speculation about the state of their marriage.
Evolution of writing: Why was ‘J’ the last letter added to the alphabet?
Following Trissino’s advocacy, the use of “J” spread gradually among scholars and printers throughout Europe. By the 17th century, the letter was universally recognised in the English language and was officially documented as distinct from “I” in a publication from 1633, solidifying its place in the alphabet.
Top officials of Kenya Tea Development Agency face economic crime charges after detectives expose massive looting
KTDA is a private company collectively owned by over 600,000 smallholder tea farmers across 16 counties. These farmers are shareholders in 54 tea companies, which, together with 15 satellite factories, own KTDA Holdings and its eight subsidiaries.
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