A2
The Afro-American, April 5, 2014 - April 11, 2014
NATION & WORLD
Your History • Your Community • Your News
The Afro-American Newspapers
Baltimore Office • Corporate Headquarters 2519 N. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4602 410-554-8200 • Fax: 1-877-570-9297 www.afro.com
Double Dutch Dolls Launches Line of Books, Dolls and Accessories
Founded by John Henry Murphy Sr., August 13, 1892 Washington Publisher Emerita - Frances L. Murphy II
The growth in children of color has surpassed the majority. Still, the availability of products, specifically books and dolls targeting multicultural children is extremely limited. There are few multicultural storylines that feature tween/teen girls and a limited number of dolls available in the market that effectively capture the beauty of the multi-cultural girl. Double Dutch Dolls is a brand that blends the true beauty of today’s girl with books, dolls and accessories that are trendy, hip, and fashionable. Double Dutch Dolls is a quality, product line that fuses beauty, fashion and style with a multi-cultural flare. “The world is changing and we are now a beautiful rainbow of colors and cultures. Today’s beauty comes in all shades and the Double Dutch Dolls mission is to celebrate the multicultural girl,” K. Charles, Double Dutch Dolls founder told BlackNews. com. “We have received an amazing outpouring of support from mothers, daughters, etc. who are excited about our books and dolls. We are thrilled to know that we are touching the lives of young girls.” Meet 14-year old Kaila Bradley, the fierce fashionista and her identical twin sister Zaria, the classic, cool, braniac. Always together and always dolled up, they are known as the Double Dutch Dolls, and are the stars of a brand new multicultural book series and line of 18” fashion dolls for young girls. Along with their friends Sascha, Alainna, Trinity, and Kadence the girls navigate the ups and downs of middle school friendships, gossip, peer pressure and boys. The first book in the series, “Double Dare”, now available, introduces all 6 multicultural characters. The second book, “Double Trouble”, available April 22, continues the exciting adventures of Kaila, Zaria and their friends as they navigate the challenges of being a girl today. The line also includes 18” fashion dolls based on main characters Kaila and Zaria Bradley along with fun accessories. Double Dutch Dolls characters are AfricanAmerican, Hispanic, Biracial and Multiracial, representing today’s tween/teen girl. For more information about the Double Dutch Dolls, visit the official website at www. doubledutchdolls.com or email ... info@doubledutchdolls.com.
Chairman of the Board/Publisher - John J. Oliver, Jr. President - Benjamin M. Phillips IV Executive Assistant - Takiea Hinton - 410-554-8222 Receptionist - Wanda Pearson - 410-554-8200 Director of Advertising Lenora Howze - 410-554-8271 - lhowze@afro.com Baltimore Advertising Manager Robert Blount - 410-554-8246 - rblount@afro.com Director of Finance - Jack Leister - 410-554-8242 Archivist - Ja-Zette Marshburn - 410-554-8265 Director, Community & Public Relations Diane W. Hocker - 410-554-8243 Editorial Executive Editor - Avis Thomas-Lester Editor - Dorothy Boulware News Editor - Gregory Dale Production Department - 410-554-8288 Baltimore Circulation/Distribution Manager Sammy Graham - 410-554-8266
Washington Office 1917 Benning Road, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002-4723 202-332-0080 • Fax: 1-877-570-9297 General Manager Washington Circulation/Distribution Manager Edgar Brookins - 202-332-0080, ext. 106 Director of Advertising Lenora Howze - ext. 119 - lhowze@afro.com Business Solutions Consultant Elaine Fuller - ext. 115 - efuller@afro.com Office Administrator - Mia Hayes-Hawkins - ext. 100
Customer Service, Home Delivery and Subscriptions: 410-554-8234 • Customer Service@afro.com Billing Inquiries: 410-554-8226
Nights and Weekends: 410-554-8282 AfroAmerican_2014_Layout 1 3/5/14 6:59 PM Page 1
Dial a Downtown Doctor for your personal physician
MIT Historian Sues U.S. Intelligence Agencies over Mandela Files
Primary Care Physicians Dr. Jonathan Rich and Dr. Samrya Sealy offer a full array of Primary Care Services for adults. Conveniently located at: McAuley Professional Office Building 301 St. Paul Place Baltimore, MD 21202
Now accepting new patients. Call today for an appointment
410-332-9680
www.mdmercy.com
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) doctoral candidate Ryan Shapiro filed a lawsuit in a Washington, D.C. federal court March 25 against several U.S. intelligence agencies for their failure to cough up documents related to world-renowned anti-apartheid activist and former South African President Nelson Mandela. The National Security Agency (NSA), Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have not complied with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for records about the spy agencies’ alleged Ryan Shapiro filed a involvement in Mandela’s lawsuit against several U.S. 1962 arrest and his placement on the U.S. terror intelligence agencies. watch list until 2008, among other things, Shapiro said. “I think it will be explosive if we can get evidence that the CIA was involved in Mandela’s arrest,” the 38-year-old social rights activist said. “It is well-known that the U.S. government has a sad history of suppressing movements for social justice at home and abroad for a very long time” in the interest of “national security,” he added. “[And] this blinkered understanding of national security and the actions taken in its name have been hidden from the American public.” Shapiro, a historian who focuses on political functioning of national security and the policing of dissent, said while it is generally accepted—though unproven—that U.S. spy agencies supported the apartheid regime in Africa and, specifically, were involved in the freedom fighter’s arrest, much of that remained unreported by the press, even in the torrent of coverage following Mandela’s death in December.
Nick Cannon’s ‘Whiteface’ Album Promotion on Instagram Labeled Offensive
Nick Cannon’s use of “Whiteface” to promote his new album titled “White People Party Music” has turned cyberspace into a battle zone. On March 24, Cannon introduced Connor Smallnut, his White alter ego complete with plaid shirt, skull cap, blond hair and white skin on Instagram. “It’s official… I’m White!!! #WHITEPEOPLE PARTYMUSIC#Wppm in stores April 1st!!!!!! Dude Go Get It!!! JoinTheParty!!!!” he posted along with a photograph. The character drew criticism from many quarters, with some claiming there is a double standard when it comes to racial comedy. “OK, so someone makes a White joke and its funny, but someone makes a black joke and [it’s] like the zombie apocalypse [sic] is about to take over Nick Cannon’s use of the human race,” said one “Whiteface” to promote Instagram user. his new album has turned “Cue the backlash and cyberspace into a battle faux outrage,” said CNN zone. anchor Don Lemon in his weekly commentary segment on the “Tom Joyner Show,” mocking the irate responses. “Yes, it is a double standard, and rightly so,” he added. “Why? Very simply – because of slavery, because of Jim Crow, because of segregation. Because Blackface was created to mock a group of people who had no power and to further stereotype them as animals, as monkeys and as less than human. Blackface was used as a way for White people to get jobs by performing as offensive representations of Black people. Real Black people never got the jobs. They just hired White people in Blackface.” Political analyst Jason Johnson of Hiram College called any outrage about Cannon’s promotion move “fake,” but he also criticized Cannon’s gimmick as being based on outdated stereotypes. “The idea that club or electronic music is ‘White music’ is fairly dated as well. “It’s a very 1990s ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ kind of joke that really isn’t relevant today in a world where rap, rock and electronica audiences and acts are across the racial and cultural spectrum,” Johnson told the AFRO.