Latest news with #MarchonWashington
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oh Good, Cory Booker Has Turned His Historic Senate Speech Into … a Book Deal!
Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. When New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker delivered the longest speech in Senate history in April, to protest the cuts to public services enacted by Donald Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency group, people were inspired. Across the United States, at water coolers and in the bars that are somehow occupied during weekday daylight hours by a diverse crowd of patrons watching a single television, citizens asked themselves: Is this the turning point, the moment when the wave begins to recede? When a party—and a country—finally begins to Stand Up for Itself? Well, the answer to that was no. Since his speech, Booker has voted with Republicans to confirm one of the most comprehensively corrupt individuals in American public life to an ambassadorship and to pass a cryptocurrency bill that will give a major boost to Donald Trump's personal crypto business while leaving the industry as a whole dangerously underregulated and liable to cause a systemic crash. (The latter link goes to an analysis issued by the Democratic Party's own Banking Committee staff.) The DOGE and DOGE-adjacent dismantling of services related to vaccines, disaster relief, scientific research, and the U.S.'s general preeminence as a center of global innovation and prosperity have continued. The air traffic control system at Newark airport, in Booker's own state, is evidently running on two tin cans and a piece of string that broke in 1993. Democrats lost a vote in the narrowly divided House after a 74-year-old member died of the cancer he had already been diagnosed with when the party named him ranking member of the Oversight Committee in January. The congressional resistance to Trump is doing whatever the opposite of firing on all cylinders is. It is … failing on all cylinders? Freezing on all canisters? However! Cory Booker is turning his speech into a book! Congratulations to him; it will be released in November. 'This book is about the virtues vital to our success as a nation and lessons we can draw from generations of Americans who fought for them,' Booker says in a statement. Its cover appears to depict the massive crowd surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during the 1963 March on Washington, an event at which Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for the passage of legislation supported by cryptocurrency lobbyists. In publishing a call-to-arms-type book about politics this year, Booker joins House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both of whom also held their positions of caucus leadership during the period in which Democrats failed to bring Trump to trial for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection and greased the rails for the renomination of Joe Biden, who, it now turns out, was probably experiencing cognitive decline to an extent that was evident for years to all the people who were interacting with him privately. To be fair, the Democrats in Congress have very little leverage, and if getting things done from the minority were easy, they would have done it by now. On the other hand, taking time off from 'the fight' to promote a low-effort inspirational book about successful fights that occurred in the past is, ironically, not how most successful fights are conducted, at least according to my understanding of the historic achievements discussed in a notable recent Senate speech that is being turned into a book.
CBS News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Denver civil rights leader James Peters, friend of Martin Luther King Jr., dies at 92
A Denver pastor who helped Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights movement passed away this week. DENVER,CO--DECEMBER 17TH 2006- Left: the Rev. Richard Battles, Martin Luther King Jr., Gayle Stockham (in glasses) and James D. Peters, in a 1964 photo. THE DENVER POST/ ANDY CROSS (Photo By Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images) Andy Cross Peters was born on Jan. 16, 1933, and began preaching at the age of 19. He said his mother, Edna J. Belton, instilled a love of poetry and speechmaking in him. He was one of the founding members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in the 1950s and 1960s and a friend of King's. At the age of 30, Peters helped organize three train cars to travel from Bridgeport to Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington. It's there that King delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream Speech." UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1963: Crowds of people on The Mall, starting at the Lincoln Memorial, going around the Reflecting Pool, and continuing to the Washington Monument / Getty Images On the 60th anniversary of the march, he shared his memories of the event with CBS Colorado. "We were up by the Lincoln Memorial, thousands and thousands, you've never seen so many people," Peters said. "A lot of people had to bring their children because they said, 'This is history,' it was. A lot of tears were shed. Mine and the others because we had fought for this for so long." Before moving to Colorado, Peters served as a pastor at a church in Bridgeport, Connecticut. There, King presented him with a plaque in front of his congregation. Peters went on to chair the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and served as the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church for 28 years before his retirement in 2007. OCT 11 1987, JUN 30 1989, JUL 2 1989, JUL 24 1989, OCT 19 1990, JUN 23 1991 Rev James Peters new chairman of the State Civil rights Commission. Credit: The Denver Post (Denver Post via Getty Images) Denver Post In an Instagram post, Peters's son Jasper announced his father passed away on May 10 "surrounded by love and prayer, in the presence of his family." Peters was 92 years old. Former state senator Rhonda Fields shared a tribute to Peters on X, stating, "I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Rev. Dr. James D. Peters, Jr., a pillar of faith and wisdom at New Hope Baptist Church & beyond. His legacy leaves a lasting impression on the hearts of many. Rest in eternal peace, Dr. Peters." Friends and family will gather for a funeral service at New Hope Baptist Church this weekend to celebrate his life.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump celebrates with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to announce the 2027 NFL draft in DC
President Donald Trump hosted National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris in the Oval Office on Monday to announce that the nation's capital will host the 2027 NFL draft on the National Mall. Trump appeared with Goodell, Harris and Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser to reveal the location for the annual event, during which the league's 32 teams select from the nation's top collegiate players to augment their rosters for the coming year. The president said the draft, which can draw hundreds of thousands of spectators each year, would be 'beautiful' when it takes place on the historic area once used for the 1963 March on Washington and other major rallies and protests, as well as presidential inaugurations going back to the beginning of the 19th century. 'It's going to be something that nobody else will ever be able to duplicate,' he said. 'The draft is a celebration of one of our country's most cherished cultural institutions, and the annual highlights for football fans everywhere, everyone in the world is going to be watching. We look forward to welcoming people from across the nation, from all over the world.' Trump also noted that the Washington Commanders — the capital's long-suffering NFL franchise — had reached an agreement with the District of Columbia government to build a new stadium on the site of Robert Francis Kennedy Stadium, the disused and abandoned structure that was home to the then-Washington Redskins during the team's most successful period in the latter decades of the 20th century. The former real estate developer praised the site, which lays within sight of the U.S. Capitol, and said the new stadium plans and the draft announcement both 'advance the mission of making Washington, D.C. safe and clean and beautiful.' Goodell, the longtime NFL commissioner, thanked Trump and Bowser for supporting the stadium deal, which was made possible by a last-minute piece of legislation signed into law by former president Joe Biden during the waning days of his term. 'We think it's going to be great for our fans here, and it's great to come back home, and so we're very excited about that,' he said. He added that the draft has 'really become one of the great entertainment and sports events' and pointed out that the event drew more than 600,000 people to Green Bay, Wisconsin last week and 800,000 the year before when it took place in Detroit. Trump's embrace of the NFL represents a reversal from his attitude towards the country's most popular sports league, which he made into a political target during his first term in the White House after players such as former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick engaged in protest against police violence by kneeling respectfully during the playing of the national anthem before games. His attacks on the NFL were part of a long-running feud he has had with the league dating back to the 1980s, when he made numerous attempts to purchase one of the league's 32 teams. In 1981, he attempted to buy the Baltimore Colts from then-owner Robert Irsay, and he did so once more two years later even though Irsay told him it would be 'a waste of time' for him to try, according to the late owner's testimony during a 1986 court case. He also tried to purchase the Dallas Cowboys franchise around the same time but reportedly declined just before he purchased a New Jersey-based franchise in the league's short-lived spring rival, the United States Football League. That effort spectacularly failed when the league collapsed after just three seasons.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
Fire destroys famed Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis: 'This really hurts'
Fire destroys famed Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis: 'This really hurts' Show Caption Hide Caption MLK Jr.'s daughter remembers his 'I have a dream' speech 60 years after the March on Washington, Martin Luther King Jr.'s daughter Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King reflects on his iconic 'I have a dream' speech. MEMPHIS, TN — Large portions of the historic Clayborn Temple in downtown Memphis, a key meeting spot for the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the city, burned to the ground on April 28. In a post to X, the Memphis Fire Fighters Association said the call about the fire came in around 1:30 a.m. Memphis Fire Department firefighters were able to put out most of the fire within an hour of arriving on the scene. By 7:30 a.m., firefighters were still putting water on hot spots, and most of the structure had been destroyed. Investigators were on scene to try to determine the cause of the blaze. No one was injured in the fire. Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said she instructed firefighters to do the least possible damage to what remained of the structure as they battled the blaze. The fire department is working with the Memphis Police Department to investigate. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also on the scene, and additional investigators are heading to Memphis to help, officials confirmed. 'A piece of civil rights history': Tragic Clayborn Temple fire a 'devastating blow' to Memphis and civil rights history 'This is a big blow' Memphis Mayor Paul Young said the historic monument is a jewel to Memphis and to the world. He added that it is "heartbreaking" for the community to see the loss. "This is a big blow. This really hurts. There's a lot of people, including myself, that have been working on this project for many, many years, like I told them, about this, the work is bigger than a building," Young said. "And we can replace structures. We can design around the elements of the structure that will remain, but the work must continue, and I think that is the important point." Anasa Troutman, the founder and executive director of Historic Clayborn Team, said in a statement that the church "suffered a devastating loss due to a fire." "Clayborn's true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us. Even as we mourn, we must remember: resilience is our birthright, but so is the space to grieve," Troutman said. "Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same." Troutman also said she is still committed to the restoration of Clayborn Temple. "For now, we ask for your prayers, your support, and your belief in the enduring power of this place. This is not the end, but a call to remember who we are, and to build again with faith, courage, and abundant love," Troutman said. "If you can support, please visit and give if you can." 'Transformative': Looking forward and back as the Civil Rights Act turns 60 Historic structure had been undergoing renovations The site had been undergoing years of renovations to preserve the iconic structure, but had struggled to get all the funding for needed repairs. In late 2023, a $6 million second phase of restoration to the structure was completed. The phase included preserving stained glass windows and reinforcing the attic, according to previous reporting from The Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The third phase of renovations was expected to cost about $25 million. During the Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968, civil rights and labor activists gathered at and organized out of Clayborn Temple. Carrie Louise Pinson, who marched with King, said she drove from Cordova — a community east of Memphis — when she saw the news of the structure burning. Pinson said her early days of activism started at the Clayborn Temple. "It's as if somebody has taken the air out of my body, where I started at 18 years old, fighting for justice. It just makes me tearful. It makes me cry," Pinson said. The National Civil Rights Museum said in a statement from President Dr. Russ Wigginton that the fire is a "devastating blow" to Memphis and the broader community. The church was the "nerve center" of the Civil Rights movement, he said in the statement, and "was a beating heart of a community that chose unity over division, progress over fear, and community over chaos." "Its destruction by fire is another somber chapter in a long story of devastated sacred spaces. But if history teaches us anything, it's this: Clayborn Temple will rise again, because its foundation was never merely physical," Wigginton said. "It was spiritual. It was communal. And that foundation cannot be burned." He also called for coordinated financial recovery efforts, rebuilding the structure, and preserving what is left. "Clayborn Temple was, and will continue to be, a house not just of gathering, but of movement, resilience, and rebirth. Fire can take down walls, but it cannot destroy the spirit that built them," Wigginton said.
Newsweek
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
David Hogg Tears Into DNC: '2 BILLION Dollars and Still Lost'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg criticized the DNC after Chairman Ken Martin proposed that all DNC officers stay neutral in Democratic primaries. Writing on X, Hogg, a progressive activist who had announced plans to primary certain Democrats through a PAC he runs, said it was important to "fight back" against President Donald Trump and called out the DNC for failing to win elections. Why It Matters The conflict between Hogg and Martin escalates tensions in the DNC. Since losing the 2024 elections, there has been internal infighting in the Democratic Party between progressives and moderates and a lack of clarity about who might emerge as the next party leader. What To Know In a call with reporters on Thursday, Martin said that DNC officers can't "be both the referee and also the player at the same time" in response to Hogg announcing plans to spend $20 million to primary "out-of-touch" and "ineffective" Democrats through his grassroots group, Leaders We Deserve. Hogg did not specify which incumbent Democrats he wants to challenge. "You have to make a decision," Martin said. David Hogg in Washington, D.C., following his speech at the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington on August 26, 2023. David Hogg in Washington, D.C., following his speech at the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington on August 26, 2023. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik In response, Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, said on X that the DNC was trying to change the rules because he was "not currently breaking them." "The fact that we spent 2 BILLION dollars and still lost an election to a convicted felon who literally attempted to overthrow our government must be a cause for serious reflection and a prime example of why change is so needed," he wrote. He said in another X post: "This moment requires us to have the strongest opposition party possible to stop Trump from destroying people's retirement savings, disappearing people, plunging our economy into oblivion—and to provide a real alternative to the Republican Party for voters that we simply do not have right now." Speaking to CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Thursday, Hogg said he wanted to primary candidates because some Congress leaders "are failing to meet the moment right now." "I understand what the chair is saying," Hogg said, "However, there have been vice chairs previously who have been involved in is happening here is they are attempting to change the rules." What People Are Saying Jane Kleeb, the Nebraska Democratic Party chair and president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, said on the press call: "We hope that he [Hogg] realizes that he got elected to be an officer of the DNC, which means that we remain neutral." "Voters get to decide who our candidates are, not party officials," she said. Democratic strategist Matt Bennett wrote on X: "When @davidhogg111 became Vice-Chair, I was quoted worrying he would not make the switch from activist to his new role. And he didn't. This is insane behavior from a DNC official, especially as Trump takes a chainsaw to our democracy." Adam Green, the co-founder of Progressive Change Campaign Committee, supported Hogg in a statement: "Anybody who believes our country is in an existential moment, and who sees the sole opposition party at a record low approval with the public, should want to both change the face of our party in primaries and fix the party from the inside." What Happens Next DNC members have to approve the resolution. That vote will take place at the party's August meeting. If approved, Hogg may have to choose between remaining as the DNC's vice-chair or staying on as president of Leaders We Deserve. However, he has indicated to Semafor that he would not leave either role.
