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Volume 122 No. 45
June 14, 2014 - June 14, 2014, The Afro-American A1 $1.00
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JUNE 14, 2014 -JUNE 20, 2014
Black Unemployment Morgan’s Publicist Confirms Stable Condition Rate Continues to Fall and Canceled Shows While he Recovers
By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent
For the second month in a row, the Black unemployment rate decreased, and the
Black Children Have Highest Abuse Rates
Story on A3
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economy added more than 200,000 jobs, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate for Blacks decreased slightly
“Black women continued to make modest gains in the job market this year.” from 11.6 percent in April to 11.5 percent in May and was two percentage points lower than the 13.5 percent rate recorded a year ago. Meanwhile, the jobless rate for Whites barely rose from 5.3 percent in April to 5.4 percent in May. While the jobless rate for Black men over 20 years old increased from 10.8 percent to 11.5 percent in May, the unemployment rate for White men decreased from 5.1 percent to 5.0 percent. Black women continued to make modest gains in the job market this year. The unemployment rate
Continued on A3
By Maria Adebola AFRO Staff Writer Just days after a multi-car crash on the New Jersey Turnpike that left actor and comedian Tracy Morgan seriously injured, Morgan’s spokesman, Lewis Kay, confirmed he was more responsive after having surgery on his broken leg. According to Kay, Morgan is expected to remain in the hospital for several weeks. Morgan is reported to have suffered a broken nose, broken femur and several broken ribs as a result of the wreck which occurred about 1 a.m. on June 7 when the limo bus Morgan was in was hit by a tractor-trailer. Authorities say the truck driver had failed to slow for traffic ahead then swerved to avoid a crash. According to FoxNews, Morgan, 45, was returning from a standup performance at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Delaware when the crash occurred. The collision killed comedian James McNair, who performed under the name “Jimmy Mack.” In addition, comedians Ardie Fuqua and Harris Stanton were among the injured, including Morgan’s assistant Jeffrey Millea. Walmart truck driver, Kevin Roper, 35, has been charged with death by auto including four counts of assault by auto in New Jersey. Roper, who turned himself in to the police has been released on a $50,000 bail and faces a court hearing June 11. According to the criminal complaint report, Roper had been awake for more than 24 hours before the incident. Morgan, a former “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” cast member has already canceled his “Turn it Funny” comedy tour, including his June 19 show in D.C at Warner Theatre. The D.C. Warner Theatre confirmed in a tweet that, “due to unforeseen circumstances, our Tracy Morgan show schedules for 6/19 has been canceled. Refunds available at point of purchase.” FoxNews reported that Wal-Mart President Bill Simon said the Bentonville, Ark.-based company “will take full responsibility” if authorities determine its truck caused the accident. – madebola@afro.com
Pratt Library System Serves as Personal, Community Development Resource in Baltimore City of the health of our public libraries. Carla Hayden, CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system, said one of the ways in which the Pratt libraries serve as a personal and community development resource is by assisting Baltimore residents in the search for employment, especially for the 30 percent of Baltimore residents who she says are without regular Internet access.
By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Our nation’s public libraries have always served as resources to the communities in which they are located. In Baltimore City, where many do not have access to broadband Internet or the economic resources necessary to pursue all their goals, the Enoch Pratt Free Library helps fill the void by providing programs that facilitate everything from home ownership to entrepreneurship, underscoring the importance
“We have a job and career center at the central library and then we have special sections in each of the branches devoted to job and career activities,” said Hayden in an interview with the AFRO. “So we have workshops on how to do a résumé, how to interview for a job, we have materials on career planning and looking at—just every aspect of getting a job. We also provide Continued on A4
Photo: Pratt Library
The Baltimore Orioles Bird surprises children at the Pratt Library’s Govans Branch.
Summer Music Tour Seeks to Help Kids Avoid Trouble, Violence By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Clarence “Sorcez Dieniro” Thomas is a West Baltimore native who has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry as an artist, Grammy Award-winning producer, and Emmy Award-winning actor. This summer, he will put on his third Keep It
Continued on A4
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From left to right, Clarence Thomas, Willie ‘Bone Capone’ Neat, Tia Hamilton, and Robert Baker outside the AFRO offices Photo by Roberto Alejandro
Second Attorney General Debate:
Cardin, Frosh Squabble, Braveboy Focuses on Issues Special to the AFRO The acrimony between Del. Jon Cardin, D-District 11, and Sen. Brian Frosh, D-District 16, escalated during the June 9 attorney general’s debate at the University of Baltimore, while Del. Aisha Braveboy, D-District 25, mostly stayed above the fray and focused on the issues. From the opening moments of the forum at the school’s John and Frances Angelos Law Center, Frosh went in on Cardin about the widely reported assertion that the delegate missed 75 percent of his committee votes during the most recent legislative session. “I will show up to work hard for you every day,” Frosh Continued on A4