VOL. 52, NO. 17 • FEBRUARY 9 - 15, 2017
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Focuses on Testing, Treatment - Hot Topics / Page 4
Immigration, Religious Freedom Part of Executive Orders
Trayvon Martin – Five Years after His Death Parents Tracy Martin, Sybrina Fulton Look Back and to the Future
By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer A federal appeals court heard oral arguments late Tuesday to determine whether to lift a nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump's travel ban against citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. The hearing, conducted by telephone, contained high drama, as one of Trump's signature policies is challenged by two states and backed by numerous advocacy groups. Trump has also repeatedly attacked the federal judge who blocked the ruling last Friday, CNN reported. The Trump administration says the courts have improperly inserted itself into the national security sphere. "This is a traditional national security judgment that is assigned to the political branches and the president," August Flentje, special counsel to the assistant attorney general at the Justice Department, told the panel. Flentje faced skeptical questioning from the judges, who pressed the DOJ lawyer about what evidence the government is presenting that the travel ban is necessary. Judge Michelle T. Friedland immediately asked if the government could point to any evidence "connecting these countries with terrorism." And Judge Richard R. Clifton seemed sympathetic to the fact that the states have the standing, or ability, to bring the suit against the administration. Clifton called the government's argument "abstract," noting there are existing procedures to vet individuals for visas. The court is expected to issue a de-
IMMIGRATION Page 38
Black History Month Section Pages 26-30
By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor
5 Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Northwest between the White House and Capitol against President Trump's Muslim immigration ban on January 29, 2017. / Photo by Mark Mahoney
Richmond Brings Bold New Leadership to CBC
Chair Vows to Include Black Press, Preserve Rights of African Americans By Danny J. Bakewell, Jr., Executive Editor, Los Angeles Sentinal Rep. Cedric Richmond has been a congressman in New Orleans for the past six years. During his tenure, he has experienced some of the best and worst times in the country, and has had a front-row seat for all of the action. Now the 43-year-old congressman has taken on a new challenge as the recently elected chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus,
one of the most powerful coalitions in the nation. Asked why he decided to take on this role, Richmond explained, "I have always been interested in serving as chair of the Caucus, but over the Thanksgiving holiday, I began to contemplate what life was going to look like in the new environment of the Trump administration and realized that the CBC was going to have to take the lead role in ensuring African-Americans have a loud and active voice."
RICHMOND Page 11
Trayvon Martin has become a familiar name in the U.S., his murder at the hands of George Zimmerman and the trial that followed have become fodder for legal eagles while the “not guilty” decision of the jury has been instrumental in the formation of a new protest initiative “Black Lives Matter.” But how have the parents of the 17-year-old youth, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, weathered the storm since their youngest son tragically and senseless lost his life – a young Black male described by activists and attorneys as a “victim of racial profiling?”
MARTIN Page 12
THE POWER OF OBAMA’S WORDS:
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History hosted a reception, film premiere and roundtable discussion for the new Smithsonian Channel documentary “The Obama Years: The Power ofWords” on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in Northwest. During the evening, participants had the opportunity to consider the defining moments of Obama’s political career and to take a closer look at the words he chose, why he chose them and their lasting effect on America and the world. The film will be available to the public later this month.
Celebrating 52 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area