Civil rights organization celebrates 100 years ...more

November 5, 2009

I am confused. Since President Obama started his campaign and ultimately became president, he is being called "the first black president." Why am I confused? From all that I have read, his father was black but his mother was white. Anyway, I look at it like this. He is 50 percent white and 50 percent black, so why is he called black when he should be called the first white and black president? ...more

April 28, 2009

Republicans on Wednesday said a Homeland Security Department intelligence assessment unfairly characterizes military veterans as right-wing extremists. ...more

April 15, 2009

Bill Cosby will be awarded the nation's top comedy prize from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for his groundbreaking career. ...more

April 1, 2009

President Barack Obama's longtime minister, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, gave an assessment Thursday of his former congregant's short time in the White House: Obama is just like any other president. ...more

March 6, 2009

To a nation reeling from recession and facing long-festering problems, President Barack Obama has a simple reminder: "We are not quitters." ...more

February 25, 2009

Summoning the pride of a nation, President Barack Obama paid fond tribute Thursday to Abraham Lincoln by challenging people to embrace his vision of a collective union and reject a "knee-jerk disdain for government." ...more

February 12, 2009

Perhaps it was all the hoopla about the historic nature of Barack Obama's presidency. Maybe the hype of election night and all that talk about wishing our first black president well actually made us all believe, for just a fleeting moment in time, that things would not be as bad as we feared they would be. ...more

February 12, 2009

Local resident Tonya "Cookie" Wideman has created a statue for President Barack Obama that she plans to send to the White House. Wideman worked locally on the Obama campaign and promised to make the statue if Obama was elected. Inspired by his promises for change, Wideman created a two-story wood structure that features photographs of Obama's family and has symbols of his promises and interests. She said the piece of art is symbolic of the importance of family. She didn't include reference to him being the first black president because she didn't want to link his character or competence to the color of his skin. She said she hopes people take a united stand for change and that young people view him as a role model. ...more

January 28, 2009

The "I Have a Dream" speech delivered by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial more than 45 years ago continues to inspire people throughout the nation and the world. ...more

January 28, 2009