12/17 News: Black America

Nation Of Islam Wrongly Targeted By Government

Hat tip to reader P. for this one. Newly released government papers show homeland security officials improperly gathered intelligence on the Nation of Islam, the black Muslim sect run by Min. Louis Farrakhan here in Chicago. The 2007 report -- titled "Nation of Islam: Uncertain Leadership Succession Poses Risks" -- was created by an intelligence group within the Bush administration's Department of Homeland Security. Hours after the report was issued in 2007, officials recalled it, deciding it violated intelligence rules against collecting or disseminating information on U.S. citizens.

According to the documents, while government rules were "unintentionally and inadvertently violated," only publicly available information was collected. One official wrote that "the organization despite its highly volatile and extreme rhetoric has neither advocated violence nor engaged in violence" and should not have been the subject of intelligence gathering.

African-American Publishers Ask Bailed-Out Companies For Reciprocity

Danny Bakewell, newly-elected chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association which represents 200 black community newspapers, today announced that his organization would be addressing the disparities between the revenue large corporations generate from black consumers - who represent a buying power of $913 billion annually - compared to the advertising invested in black-owned media. NNPA is particularly interested in corporations such as General Motors, who received $50 billion dollars in federal bailout money this year.

In October, the National Alliance of Market Developers and Target Market News produced a study for the NNPA that showed black consumers will spend $2.8 billion on new GM cars in this year alone, representing nearly 25 percent of GM’s market shares. GM is one of the world's top five advertisers yet the corporation spent only $29.9 million on advertising in Black media in 2008. This figure represents 2.4 percent of GM’s $3 billion advertising and marketing budget. NNPA is also focused on Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

“This is not only unjust; this is tantamount to a crime. Companies are happily taking money out of the black community but not investing back,” says Mr. Bakewell. “African-American media companies are small businesses and declining advertising revenue has forced many to lay off employees and, in some cases, close their doors. And we know how desperate our community is for jobs.” He added, "Even if we have to take our 200-plus publishers to the board meetings of every corporation who is guilty, we will. This is an unethical and immoral public issue.”

Winfrey Donates $1.5 Million To Atlanta Private School

A private middle school in inner-city Atlanta has received $1.5 million from Oprah Winfrey. The Ron Clark Academy announced the donation today. The innovative school has struggled to raise money this year amid the sagging economy to pay for its $2.8 million operating budget, which is bankrolled almost entirely by donors. The school in one of the Atlanta's poorest neighborhoods is hoping to expand its campus by building a cafeteria, gymnasium and theater. Ms. Winfrey, who has had school founder Ron Clark on her show twice, donated $365,000 to the school last December. Mr. Clark wrote the best-selling teaching book The Essential 55.