A2 The Washington Afro-American, December 5, 2009 - December 11, 2009
AFRO National Briefs
Black Unemployment Tops Man Suspected in WA
ile
Several news reports said Black Store Owners
35% Shootings Killed by Police
the couple is hoping to land
Anticipate Days after Black
The nation’s economic
According to CNN.com, the
on, F
interviews with major TV
Friday
crisis has been tough for
suspect in a fatal Washington
ohnst
networks and publications for
As retailers across the country
millions of Americans, but
state shooting was killed Dec. 1
y J a six-figure fee. However, a
welcomed the slew of frenzied
times have been especially
in Seattle after he challenged an
ann
representative for the Salahis
officer who approached him.
shoppers on Black Friday, which
tough for young Black men, a oD
denies claims that the couple is
Maurice Clemmons had
has traditionally kicked off
BlackAmericaWeb.com report
a weapon taken from one of
hot seeking cash, according to The
the holiday shopping season,
said.
the four dead officers and still AP P
Associated Press.
some Black business owners
Black men between 16 and
suffered from a bullet wound
In an e-mail sent to
say sales following that day are
24 years old are facing a 34.5 to the abdomen during the Nov.
the Washington Examiner,
more profitable, according to a
percent unemployment rate,
29 shooting, Pierce County Mahogany Jones, a
BlackAmericaWeb.com
according to federal figures
Sheriff’s Department spokesman representative for the Virginia
report.
issued last month. These
Ed Troyer said at a news
couple, said, “We are not
“After Friday is when they
numbers mirror statistics from
conference.
making any formal comments or
Clemmons was killed around
come to see us,” Alicia Brown
the Great Depression era and
arrangements with any media at
2.45 a.m. by a seven-year
of Atlanta’s DeCosta Boutique
are three times higher than the
veteran of the Seattle police Kwendeche, architect of a project to restore the 1955
this time.”
told BlackAmericaWeb.com.
general U.S. population.
force who noticed a parked
But an AP story published
home of civil rights workers Daisy and L.C. Bates,
“People come to us when
Black women in the same
stolen car, the report said.
over the weekend quoted an
describes the house during an interview in Little Rock,
they realize the deals being
age group are also experiencing After the police officer
unnamed media executive who
offered in the malls are only
jobless rates that top the national
asked Clemmons to show his
Ark., in a Nov. 10 file photo.
said the Salahis had contacted
traffic drivers,” Brown said,
average, with 26.5 of African-
hands, the suspect refused and news networks requesting a
referring to advertised specials
American females out of work.
began to run around the car.
nine students who integrated repairs and returning the
payment in the mid-six-figure
that come with a list of
Nationally, that number is 15.4
The officer then shot Clemmons Little Rock Central High School interior, including furniture, to
range in exchange for interviews.
after recognizing him from
limitations and exceptions.
percent. Combined, the jobless
in 1957 are well documented. what it looked like in the 1950s,
At press time, no news
photographs. The unidentified
According to a survey
rate for Black Americans is 30.5
But there is another place in according to the AP.
officer was not injured.
services had agreed to interview
released Nov. 29 by the National
percent.
the community as important to But approximately $80,000
Clemmons, who lived in
the couple, as most publications
Retail Federation, 195 million
According to several
the history of desegregation as of additional funding is needed
Arkansas, had a history of
and stations do not pay for
shoppers visited stores and Web
civil rights advocacy groups
the school itself, one that locals to finish renovations, build
violence and had been arrested
interviews.
sites during the Black Friday
and economists, Black numerous times since the 1980s,
hope to turn into a museum. exhibits, and complete their
weekend, which surpassed the
unemployment has exceeded the
according to a news release
The students, dubbed the plans for a
t
previous year’s numbers by
er
national average for decades,
issued by the Pierce County
“Little Rock Nine,” often took museum which
more than 20 million. However,
but it seems many African
sheriff’s office. He has been
shelter at the former home of will offer tours
charged with aggravated robbery
average spending dropped, the
Americans are still struggling
Daisy and L.C. Bates just down and keep regular
and theft and was recently
survey said, from $372.57 to
erlad Herb
although the economy is
the street from the school. hours with a full-
convicted for third-degree
$343.31 per person this year.
experiencing an upswing.
The home has already been time staff. o/G
assault on a police officer and
Online spending also
The NAACP teamed with the
designated an historic site, but hot
second-degree child rape in increased this year during Black
National Council of La Raza and
local volunteers want to open
Pierce County.
White House
AP P
Friday weekend, according to
the AFL-CIO, urging the White Clemmons was paroled
it to the public as a museum,
Crashers
Retail Decision, a company that
House to create more initiatives
in 2000 after then-Gov. Mike
according to a report from The
Allegedly
specializes in fraud prevention.
and programs that will create
Huckabee commuted his 95-year
Associated Press.
Seek Paycheck
And with African Americans
jobs.
prison sentence for aggravated
“It was kind of like a war
Days after
adding to the growing number
“It’s time for us to really
robbery, AP reported. Huckabee room in a sense,” Little Rock
said because Clemmons was posing for
of online shoppers, they are a
stoke this issue up,” said Hilary
Nine member Carlotta Walls
only 17 years old when the
new target for online retailers
O. Shelton, the NAACP’s senior
LaNier told the AP, “It was a
photos with the
robbery took place, he should be
looking to boost sales. A recent
vice president for advocacy and
place that we gathered and got
District’s elite
cleared of the charges. report from eMarketer Digital
policy, in an interview with The
ready to go to school and where
and hobnobbing
Only one year later, Intelligence Report said, “The
New York Times. “We’re not so Clemmons was returned to jail
we would come back to. It was
with celebrity
African-American market
much trying to convince him to
after violating his parole. He
a place of nurturing and a place
figures during
should not be taken for granted
do something he doesn’t want
was released in March 2004,
of debriefing where we could at
a White House
— this audience is known for
to do, but urging him to move
according to the Arkansas
least have a laugh or two from
party they were
taking note of advertisers and
forward on an issue we have
Democrat-Gazette newspaper. that day.”
not invited to
the messages targeted to them
agreement on.”
The L.C. and Daisy Bates
attend, Michaele
Little Rock Nine Site and responding accordingly.
President Obama recently
Museum Foundation and the
and Tareq Salahi
Receives Historic The analysis estimates the
announced the White House will
Christian Ministerial Alliance
are experiencing
Designation
annual spending in 2008 at $913
host a job summit in December.
have made $75,000 in repairs
a whirlwind of
The contributions of the
Michaele and Tareq Salahi
billion.”
to the home, including roof
media backlash.
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