VOL. 52, NO. 24 • MARCH 30 - APRIL 5, 2017
The Washington Informer Celebrates Women's History Month
Don't Miss the WI Bridge Center Section
African-American Women Help Bolster the Black Press
Baker Talks All Things Prince George's County May Decide Gubernatorial Bid Next Month By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill
and sentiments tantamount to contempt. Similar feelings dominated comments made by national civil rights leaders during a recent news briefing after their careful analysis of Gorsuch’s testimony including the perspective of Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, who testified before
Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III hopes his legacy can be summarized this way: high-quality education helped spruce economic development with low crime. Baker, who says he's "99 percent" sure he'll make a firm decision on running for governor after the Maryland General Assembly concludes next month, will lead the county until 2018 because of term limits. In the meantime, he continues to boost how the county's proposed $3.8 billion spending plan funds for educational programs, public safety and the first full year of revenues from the MGM casino and resort at National Harbor. However, he knows the county could still do better. Domestic violence remains a stigma, which experienced the most domestic-related fatalities in the state for the past two fiscal years. Although the county's median household income at nearly $77,000 ranks just above the state figure, realtytrac.com still shows the county at sixth statewide in foreclosure rates at one in every 585 units. There's still some unknowns for the county such as whether a fed-
GORSUCH Page 30
BAKER Page 13
5 Denise Rolark Barnes, publisher of The Washington Informer, also chairs the NNPA. /Photo by Shevry Lassiter By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer As much as John Russwurm and the Rev. Samuel Cornish boldly declared their mission of being the voice for the African-American community with the publication of Freedom's Journal in 1827, publishers of the Black Press have remained in the task of speaking for those without a platform, standing up for victims of injustice and championing the unsung. Dedicated, resilient and strong Black women, who make up a large portion of the 211 African-American-owned newspapers and media companies that comprise the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), stand at the forefront of that mission. As Women's History Month concludes, NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. said it's important to recognize those such
WOMEN Page 11
54 (Inset) Maritza McClendon, USA Olympian and first African-
American woman to make the US Olympic swim team, teaches water safety to D.C. area youth at Burr Gymnasium located on the campus of Howard University in Northwest on Saturday, March 25. The Make a Splash event is part of the USA Swimming Foundation's initiative on national child-focused water safety. /Photos by Lateef Mangum
Civil Rights Leaders Oppose Neil Gorsuch Nomination Some Cite ‘Stolen Seat’ as Reason for Democrats to Filibuster By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor
5 Neil Gorsuch, the President’s U.S. Supreme Court nominee, undergoing Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. /Photo courtesy of nbcnews.com
Barely seven days have passed since Judge Neil Gorsuch offered his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee as the hearing on his Supreme Court nomination kicked off. And while Republicans have, as expected, praised Gorsuch for his decency and judicial sobriety, Democratic senators have exhibited doubts, skepticism
Celebrating 52 Years of Service / Serving More Than 50,000 African American Readers Throughout The Metropolitan Area