Recy Taylor, A Valiant Rape Survivor Whose Story Mobilized Black Activism During The Jim Crow Era, Dies At 97
Recy Taylor, the valiant Alabama woman whose kidnapping and rape by six white men in the Jim Crow segregated south mobilized black activists, died on Thursday (Dec. 28). She was 97.
Taylor, who would’ve celebrated her 98th birthday on Sunday (Dec. 31), passed away in her sleep at a nursing home in her native Abbeville, Ala., NBC News reports. Her story came to prominence more than 70 years ago, when she survived the brutal sexual assault.
On September 3, 1944, Taylor, her friend, Fannie Daniel, and Daniel’s teenage son, were walking home from church when a car of white men pulled up besides them and subsequently forced Taylor into the car at gunpoint. She was blindfolded and driven to a wooded area where she was forced to undress, gang raped, and left on the side of the road.
At the time, Taylor, was a 24-year-old married mother of an infant.
Daniel reported the rape to police, and despite three witnesses identifying the men, no one was arrested. One of the assailants, Hugo Wilson, was identified by Daniel as driving the vehicle and admitted to picking Taylor up, but blamed the rape on the six others: Dillard York, Billy Howerton, Herbert Lovett, Luther Lee, Joe Culpepper and Robert Gamble. Hugo was fined $250 by the town’s sheriff, and never faced charges.
Authorities’ decision to ignore Taylor’s rape, led to outrage among black residents of Abbeville, and caught the attention of NAACP chapters in Alabama. The civil rights organization dispatched Rosa Parks, who at the time was an Alabama activist against sexual assault of black women, to investigate the case.
Parks, along with the help of other black activists in the state, formed the Alabama Committee for Equal Justice for Mrs. Recy Taylor, an organization that rallied national support. In October of 1944, Taylor’s rapists finally went to trial, but a jury of white men voted to dismiss the case, after deliberating for only five minutes.
Thanks to Parks and the tireless work of other freedom fighters, Taylor’s story continued to spread among black media outlets up north, and was later reported by the New York Daily News and Pittsburgh Courier. In addition, activists wrote letters requesting that then Governor Chauncey Sparks investigate Taylor’s rape, and he “reluctantly agreed” to do so.
Four of the rapists were interviewed during Sparks’ investigation, and admitted to having sex with Taylor, but lied and said that it was consensual. However, Culpepper admitted that they were trolling for a woman to attack, and confessed to the horrid rape details that Taylor had already recounted.
Even with Culpepper’s confession, a second jury of white men refused to indict Taylor’s rapists.
Meanwhile, Taylor courageously faced the second court case amid attempts to smear her credibility by falsely accusing her of being a prostitute. She and her family were subjected to constant mistreatment and death threats from whites in the town. The family feared for their safety for decades after the failed indictment.
Taylor eventually moved to Florida before returning to Abbeville. Finally, in 2011, the Alabama Legislature formally apologized to Taylor for not prosecuting her rapists. Her story is the subject of a new documentary, The Rape of Recy Taylor, where she vividly recalls the sexual assault years later.
“I saw the car pull up behind me,” Taylor says. “They put me in the car and blindfolded me. I was begging them to leave me alone, don’t shoot me, I’ve got to go home to see about my baby. They wouldn’t let me go.”
R.I.P Warrior Queen!
#RHoA: Why do Porsha and NeNe keep having issues with one another?
Here we go AGAIN! It seems Porsha and NeNe are having issues. While Porsha has been showing hee new Christmas Blonde Bombshell hair. She spoke on her friendship with Nene Leakes that it might be on the verge of collapsing.There have been a lot of fights between Williams and Leakes on the new season of RHOA.
And Williams addressed the chaos on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. She said she was hurt by Leakes’ comments about her losing her peach and added: “Before that, I did not have any feelings about it because we had not talked in two years, but when I watched the episode from everybody sending it to me, I just thought she was vicious to me. I thought what she was saying was very vicious and trying to just damage my character that night.”
On her radio show, The Daily Dish, she went on to say that she is hoping to fix the situation.
Good Luck!
#EMPIRE: For The Thousandth Time: Taraji P. Henson Says She’s Not Quitting ‘Empire’
While promoting Proud Mary Taraji P Henson was asked about leaving ‘EMPIRE’ well the 47-year-old actress, who plays Cookie Lyons on the series, says “I don’t know what this rumor is that I’m done after episode four… I have bills to pay… I love Chanel too much to walk away from a hit show.”
She continues, “Who is spreading that Who walks away from that money?”
Taraji went on to joke that she can’t leave the show because of her obsession with Gucci shoes.
“I can’t leave the show because I bought every color, every style.”
Season 5 of ‘Empire’ begins early 2018.
#MUSICNEWS: SZA Earns First No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs Chart
R&B/Soul singer SZA is ending 2017 with another success story. The TDE signee earned her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart as her single “The Weekend” rises 3-1.
The feat marks the first by a woman in a lead role following a shutout in 2017. The last solo female artist to reach the pinnacle was Rihanna in 2016 when “Needed Me” controlled the top spot for three weeks in October 2016.
According to Billboard, the ascension of “Weekend” was boasted by its No. 10 start on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs Sales (14,000 downloads sold in the week ending Dec. 21, up 168 percent, according to Nielsen Music) and its 23-17 hike on R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs (15.7 million U.S. streams, up 16 percent). The track holds at No. 8 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (18.3 million impressions, down 6 percent, in the week ending Dec. 24).
The “Weekend” could spend multiple weeks at No. 1, especially since the Solange-directed official music video premiered on Dec. 21.
“Weekend” is nominated for best R&B performance at the 60th annual Grammy Awards (Jan. 28). SZA earned five nods, including best new artist, making her the most-nominated woman this year.
#NEWHIPHOP: Watch Jay-Z And Beyoncé’s Star-Studded ‘Family Feud’ Video
JAY-Z proves that nobody wins when the family feuds, tapping his wife Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy for a winning combination in the cinematic video for “Family Feud” off 4:44.
Directed by Ava DuVernay and featuring a score by Flying Lotus, the star-studded visual opens with a quote from James Baldwin: “The wretched of the earth do not decide to become extinct, they resolve, on the contrary, to multiply: life is their weapon against life, life all that they have.”
More of a futuristic short film than a music video, the piece features an astounding list of stars, including Michael B. Jordan, Omari Hardwick, Jessica Chastain, Thandie Newton, America Ferrera, Brie Larson, Rosario Dawson, Rashida Jones, Mindy Kaling, Constance Wu, and many more.
It begins in the year 2444, where a vicious murder takes place inside of a bedroom, but the story travels across generations, while the Constitution is revised by a group of women, including Susan Kelechi Watson, who plays an older Blue Ivy in the year 2050.
“America is a family and the whole family should be free,” says Watson. “It’s like I remember my father saying when I was a little girl: Nobody wins when the family feuds.”
Part of the visual is set inside of a church, so the stunning piece carries a spiritual tone with natural light shining into the sanctuary. In these scenes, Hov walks down a marvelous aisle with Blue Ivy, while Queen Bey looks elegant in all black at the altar.
Much like the topics explored on 4:44, the “Family Feud” visual carries a confessional theme. It is quite literal, in fact, as Jigga steps into a confessional booth with a striking ‘Yoncé sitting on the other side. “I told my wife the spiritual shit really work,” Hov raps on the track, to further enhance that motif.
The video was co-written by Shawn Carter and Ava DuVernay, and co-stars Trevante Rhodes, Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Storm Reid, Niecy Nash, Janet Mock, Hendry Sanders, and Irene Bedard.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs & Girlfriend Cassie Hold Hands at a Party in Miami
Sean “Diddy” Combs and FLOOR MAT girlfriend Cassie hold hands as they make their way out of Mr. Jones in Miami, Florida.
The 48-year-old rapper and businessman kept things cool in a black T-shirt and jeans while the 31-year-old model showed off some skin in a low cut black top and jeans as they headed home for the night.
Diddy and Cassie will be ringing in 2018 together in Miami as Diddy throws a party for all of his fans at the Story Miami Club.
Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson On Top Forbes’ Highest Grossing Actor List of 2017
Vin Diesel is the top grossing actor in the world, according to Forbes‘ annual list.
The Fate of the Furious star reportedly raked in $1.6 billion in global ticketing receipts in 2017, thanks mostly to his role in the franchise’s eighth installment.
His costar in the action flick, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, who was last year’s highest paid actor, ranked second on the list with $1.5 billion. Fate of the Furious made $1.2 billion worldwide, according to the website, which notes that Johnson’s other big film this year, Baywatch, pulled in just $178 million. The numbers do not account for his upcoming film Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
Did Mariah Carey get Snubbed by the Royals?
Insiders claim Mariah Carey is upset after the royal family ignored her concert invitations...
From Star Magazine, [January 1, 2018 Print Edition]
Despite her holiday concerts selling out in London, the diva is in a dither because every seat is filled with commoners.
"Mariah extended personal invites to all the young royals, including Duchess Kate, Princes William and Harry, and Meghan Markel," blabs a crew member. "None of them wrote back except Meghan, saying she was flattered but busy."
It was a stinging insult for the Palace-obsessed pop star, who fancies herself more famous than the Queen of England. "Mariah assumed that not only would the family come to her show, she'd also be invited for high tea at the castle."
Rob Dyrdek & Wife Briyana Welcome Baby Girl Nala Ryan
Congratulations to Rob Dyrdek and his wife, Briyana Dyrdek, on the birth of their baby girl.
The proud papa introduced Nala Ryan Dyrdek with a sweet post on his Instagram page.
She is an angel from heaven. She is absolute perfection. She is our princess. She is Nala Ryan Dyrdek.
Nala joins her big brother, Kodah, who looks like he can’t wait to get into some trouble.
Neighbors Greet Vacationing Mike Pence With ‘Make America Gay Again’ Banner
WASHINGTON — Vice President Mike Pence was welcomed to Colorado with snow-dusted pines, cool mountain air and a bright rainbow banner with the words, “Make America Gay Again.”
Neighbors who live next door to the Aspen property where Pence and his wife are staying on vacation hung the flag on a pillar fronting the two homes’ shared driveway, according to the Aspen Times.
“You couldn’t miss it,” Pitkin County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Buglione told the newspaper.
Pence is a a long-time opponent of LGBTQ rights. As a member of Congress, he supported “conversion therapy” and said gay marriage would signal “societal collapse.” And as governor or Indiana he signed a law that allowed businesses to discriminate against LGBT people, only to reverse course in the face of widespread criticism.
The LGBTQ banner was hung by the daughters of the couple who live next door, along with one of their girlfriends, according to the Aspen Times. The parents reportedly brought chili and corn muffins to officers and Secret Service agents guarding the home where the vice president is staying.
“They’ve been really nice to us,” Buglione told the publication.
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘GINGERBREAD MAN’
If you’re putting it on over your existing clothes you don’t need to use the changing room. That’s a totally accepted rule in society.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Red THICK!
Meet Red THICK! You know what to do to see them goods. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM
