Politics. On Point.

Members of civil rights groups met with Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice Tuesday with a list of concerns they say were meant to put Sessions “on notice.” "The meeting was two-fold", said Wade Henderson,  president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights .  We met with Sessions "to present the agenda of national civil rights organizations and to discuss with the AG our expectations for his responsibility to the American people to address issues of national concern regarding civil and human rights", he said. Civil rights groups met with the press after meeting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions Tuesday at the Department of Justice. Pictured are: Marc Morial, National Urban League. From left to right:  Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network; Wade Henderson,  Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund (hidden);   Kristen Clarke, president & exec...

President Obama met with Faith and Civil Rights leaders Thursday at the White House where the group discussed issues important to the African American community. Attendees included Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Attorney Benjamin Crump of the National Bar Association and members of Black Lives Matter. Representative John Lewis and civil rights activist C.T. Vivian, who received a  Presidential Medal of Freedom  from President Obama in 2013, also attended the meeting. The president said the group discussed criminal justice reform, the work of grassroots organizations like Black Lives Matter, and creating a schools-to-college-to-jobs-pipeline in an effort to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline. (Today, the administration launched two campaigns, in partnership with MBK , to address and eliminate chronic student absenteeism).   After their meeting with the president a few attendees met with reporters along the White House driveway. Reverend Al Sharpton of The...

Civil rights activist Julian Bond died Saturday in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Reports indicate that Bond died from vascular disease. Julian Bond.   Getty photo. Bond was Chairman Emeritus of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).    “From his days as a young activist to his years as both an elder statesman and NAACP Chairman Emeritus, Julian Bond inspired a generation of civil rights leaders", wrote  current NAACP chairman  Roslyn M. Brock  in a statement Sunday.  “From my days as a youth board member of the NAACP to my present tenure as NAACP Chairman, like so many of my generation and before, I am yet inspired by the depth and breadth of Chairman Emeritus Bond’s exemplary service: activist, writer, historian, professor, public intellectual, public servant and an unrelentingly eloquent voice for the voiceless. The grateful citizen heirs of the civil and human rights legacy of Julian Bond can neither be co...

Former secretary of state and retired Gen. Colin Powell received the President's Award at the 42nd annual NAACP Image Awards. The prestigious award was presented by NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous in recognition of Powell's special achievements and distinguished public service. "General Colin Powell has led an extraordinary life of public service," said Jealous in a statement. "As the first African American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and later the first to serve as Secretary of State, General Powell holds a unique place in American history. He is a man of conscience and conviction, who uses his vast influence to promote education and self esteem to our country's youth. Although his position on the Iraq War was controversial, he was often the voice of reason in the prosecution of that war. He rose from humble roots as the son of Jamaican immigrants to become a distinguished military leader, a statesman, a humanitarian...

Call Shirley Sherrod Firing A Mistake. When the viral video of Shirley Sherrod hit the Internet earlier this week, people called Sherrod, a Black woman - accused of not helping a white farmer lose his farm -  a racist.  Tea Party member Andrew Breitbart . Video editor and fire starter . As we now know, the video didn't show the entire story.  The story that Sherrod, a product of the racist, segregated Georgia South, has been a crusader championing the cause for equal rights her whole adult life. Sherrod was fired from her job as an official with the US Department of Agriculture, and received from the agency's Tom Vilsack  scathing remarks.  ( He has since retracted them). Said Vilsack,  "This is a good woman." She has been put through hell. I could have done and should have done a better job." But Vilsack wasn't the only person in this firestorm of attacks on Sherrod.  The NAACP, once they saw the video, also acted in...

Let me just say that we continue to be in awe of our First Lady, Michelle Obama who, I might add is not letting any grass (White House garden or other) grow under her feet.  She continues to stay busy and we love what she is doing with young people. The First Lady was scheduled to have another Youth Series at the White House yesterday where she planned to host young people to engage in a youth fitness tennis clinic with the 2010 Wimbledon Champion, Serena Williams .   As you know, Williams cut her foot and was unable to attend.  Then, it rained yesterday and the entire event was postponed (we're disappointed), only to be rescheduled at a later date. But, First Lady Michelle doesn't let rain (or anything else) stop her as her week has already been full of activity with events that included a visit to Panama to take on BP's oil spill ( looking great doing so), speaking at the NAACP's 101st Anniversary , hosting a live chat announcing the relaunch of her Let'...