Madame Noire | Black Women's Lifestyle Guide | Black Hair | Black Love

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After 15 hours of deliberation, it appears that justice has been served. William Balfour, Jennifer Hudson’s ex brother-in-law, was found guilty yesterday in a Chicago court in the murders of Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew.  He was also convicted of all other counts which include home invasion, armed robbery and kidnapping and could face up to life in prison.

The jury was originally split in their decision but commented during their post-trial interview that three of the jurors just needed more information and to “see the picture a little clearer.”  After retrieving more information about Balfour’s whereabouts and using his cell phone to help it make more sense, they went back into deliberations and came up with a unanimous decision in under three hours.

For her part, Jennifer attended the trial everyday and gave her testimony when called onto the witness stand. Jurors mentioned that while they were aware of her fame, it did not sway them because the trial was not about her. One juror, Tracie Austin, said Jennifer didn’t say anything that was crucial to the case.  Balfour’s attorney, Amy Thompson, even agreed that she didn’t think Jennifer’s celebrity mattered and that the jury was paying attention to what was happening in the actual trial, not the comings and goings of what else was surrounding them.

Jennifer and her sister Julia, who is Balfour’s ex, released a statement thanking everyone for their support:

“We have felt the love and support of from people all over the world and we’re very grateful. We want to extend a prayer from the Hudson family to the Balfour family. We have all suffered terrible loss in this tragedy.  It is our prayer that the Lord will forgive Mr. Balfour f these heinous acts and bring his heart into repentance someday.”

The Chicago Tribune has lots more information regarding the case.

We know that not even a guilty verdict can heal the hurt but hopefully, it brings the family some sense of peace.

Source: flavorwire.com

Uh, where would we be without Steve Urkel? We wouldn’t know the “Urkel dance,” be able to say, “Did I do that!?” and wouldn’t think suspenders were maaaad cool. But the whole show that was “Family Matters” was pretty landmark, and who doesn’t miss the days of scripted shows where the black family was shown in a positive light (and they tackled tough issues!)? Time to see what this cast is up to nowadays. Be ready to click…

Source: idiotsonmyfloor.com

Reginald VelJohnson

As Carl Winlsow, the head of the Winslow family (aka, the “Big Kahuna”), he was like many fathers on television: a little uptight, but very funny. When he wasn’t spending time letting Steve Urkel get him enraged, he was working for the Chicago Police department, going up the ranks from officer to sergeant, to lieutenant, and finally captain. In real life, after “Family Matters,” VelJohnson guest starred on “The Parkers, “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and most recently, he guest starred on the popular CBS show “Mike & Molly.” He did have a role on the CW show “Hart of Dixie” before it was canceled, and he has been in the movies Like Mike and Couples Retreat.

Source: allmovie.com

Source: Thefabempire.com

I think we all gave Brian McKnight the side-eye for his attempt at showing us how our p***y works (watch the video if you need a good laugh this morning), but Tank straight clowned the R&B singer during an appearance on Chicago’s The Morning Riot. When the hosts asked him what he thought about Brian’s latest musical attempt, Tank couldn’t even get past his hair.

“First of all, he’s got a Mohawk. Let’s start there. He’s 57 years old with a Mohawk. I don’t condone anybody over seven at this point with a Mohawk. The Mohawks have now become cute. [Background: It's for Willow Smith] And then, I don’t condone the switch between Harvard and then a a bad version of a hood singer.”

Tank then went on to mimic Brian’s “soft” voice and then they remixed the song all at 57-year-old, mohawk-wearing Brian McKnight’s expense for the next four minutes. Had Brian not clowned himself so bad with the song I think we’d just assume Tank was hating but this segment was great.

Check out the clip below and tell us what you think. Is Tank right?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Last Thursday, 24-year-old Tonishia Allen and her 1-year-old daughter, Jaliyah, were wounded in a shooting while they slept in a home in the West Pullam neighborhood of Chicago. While the mother was treated and released from the hospital following her injuries, her daughter remains in critical condition after surgery, and still authorities have not given them answers on what happened.

We don’t do nothing to nobody; we didn’t deserve it,” Tonishia told ABC News. “I just want justice for me and my baby.”

Tonishia and her daughter were sleeping at her mother’s home when shots were fired through the wall of the house. The mother says she fell out of bed and because her daughter wasn’t crying, she didn’t think she was hit—until she noticed blood.

“She got hit in the top of the head – it went thru the brain and came out her left jaw, and that’s the same bullet that hit me,” Tonishia said.

While Tonishia was only shot in the leg and is expected to make a full recovery, her daughter has had problems with her heart rate since her surgery and remains in intensive care. Though Tonishia is confident her daughter will pull through, the baby’s grandfather, Omiah Newman said it’s been difficult to remain optimistic.

“It’s just not the same; I’m used to seeing my grandbaby running around the house, and that’s been taken away from us. Hopefully it’s momentary.”

Five days later, police still have not placed anyone in custody in connection with the shooting, which coincidentally—or not—occurred four years after Tonishia’s sister was shot to death.

“They haven’t even found out what happened to her – who did it; so [we're] back at square one again, and it’s really senseless how these young folks have these guns out here,” Jaliyah’s grandmother, Tina Cornell, said.

So far, all police have said is that the shooting may be gang related. Hopefully little Jaliyah will pull through.

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Source: valdefierro.com

If there’s anything I learned from watching Good Times, it’s that even when you think you’ve got it bad, you could have it worse–like the Evans family. I’m just saying, these people went through every bad thing you could think of in their housing project in Chicago (allegedly Cabrini-Green). From JJ getting shot, to James Evans dying and Penny getting abused and burned with an iron by her mother, “Good Times” gave it to you REAL. Realer than reality TV, and that’s probably why so many people adored the show, and almost 40 years after its first airing, still do. The show ran from 1974-1979, but if you were wondering what the cast is up to now (and not the 8 million people who guest starred), we’ve got you covered. As usual, be prepared to click.

Source: urbanbushbabes.com

Ja’net DuBois

Talk about being the coolest neighbor ever! The character of Willona Woods was sassy, smart, beautiful and had a joke for anybody who thought they were going to play her (that goes for you Bookman!). But aside from being funny and cool, she clearly had a big heart, taking in Janet Jackson’s character of Penny after finding out she was abused, and always being there for her girl Florida. After the show ended, DuBois (who sang and co-wrote the theme song for “The Jeffersons”) went on to do films like I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and have recurring roles on shows like “The Wayans Bros.,” did voice work for the show “The PJ’s,” (she won two Emmy’s for her work) and most recently did work for the TV series, “G.I. Joe: Renegades.”

Source: johnnybmoore.wordpress.com

Source: Zur1.com

With so much attention being paid to the murder of Trayvon Martin, the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Rekia Boyd has largely flown under the national radar, but Chicagoans are keeping the memory of the local native and the fight for justice in her case alive.

On Tuesday, 200 or so protestors rallied outside the home of the officer who shot and killed Rekia last Wednesday. The shooting occurred around 1 am when the off-duty Chicago detective stopped to look into a “disturbance” that reportedly involved a group of people gathering near Douglas Park. Police say after the detective stopped and announced his office, a man named Antonio Cross allegedly advanced toward his car with a gun in hand. The officer opened fire from his car, which struck Antonio in the hand but hit Rekia, who was standing nearby, in the head.

Rekia was transported to the hospital in critical condition and died the next day. Meanwhile, Antonio Cross was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault since no weapon was recovered from the scene of the incident. Still, police maintain that he was armed and say the shooting was justified, admitting that Rekia was an innocent bystander in the situation. Family members told NBC Chicago  no one pulled a gun on the officer and that Antonio was holding a cell phone. He told ABC news the same:

“I want people to know I didn’t have no gun. She didn’t have no gun. I want people to know that girl was killed for nothing.”

The officer, who lives on the same block where the shooting occurred, has not commented on the incident or Tuesday’s protest. The Independent Police Review Authority is currently investigating the killing but Ald. Michael Chandler says investigators aren’t doing enough, including ignoring eye witnesses who reportedly overheard the officer tell a crowd “What do I have to do around here to get some peace, quiet and respect? Shoot someone?” Michael Chandler told WBEZ:

“A young person’s life [has been] taken away and there is not one person that has been out on these streets to canvass the area to talk to any of these witnesses.”

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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The late comedian's wife and daughter holding signs for the street. Source: chicagotribune.com

When comedian Bernie Mac passed away in 2008 at the age of 50 from pneumonia complications after suffering from the disease sarcoidosis, I’m pretty sure everyone was shocked at a passing that seemed so unexpected. He made people laugh both on the comedy stage and on television with the hilarious program, The Bernie Mac Show, and somebody recognized all of his contributions, because now the late comic has his own street on the South Side of Chicago. You can find Bernie Mac Street on West 69th and South Sangamon street in the Englewood neighborhood, which is not too far from where he grew up. The idea came from his publicist last year, and as of yesterday, her idea for her late client and friend finally came to fruition. According to The Chicago Tribune, Mac’s daughter hopes that naming the street after her father will encourage those in the community to know they can do bigger and better things: “I hope this street naming is a beacon of light in this community,” Mac’s daughter said. “It should remind people that they can do whatever they want to do in life.” Let’s hope so!

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ebony.com

In honor of Black History– The 2012 black heritage stamp from the U.S. Postal Service will be the deceased founder of Ebony/Jet – John H. Johnson who died in 2005.

The Johnson stamp joins the ranks of other honorees like U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordon, singer Ella Fitzgerald, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, poet Langston Hughes and baseball player Jackie Robinson.

Read more here..

Source: madamenoire.com

It seems like everyone likes to blame the fact that women are single on women. Of course, the media would lead you to believe that  women are single because of  personal character flaws, negative behavior or just not being able to make it work, but sometimes  the reasons have nothing to do with them and everything to do with the extenuating circumstances.

Here are some reasons why a woman may be single beyond her control….

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Janelle Monae recently performed at a recent campaign event for President Obama in Chicago. You know she rocked the house. Check out what she had to say about being invited to perform for the president.

“I was deeply honored to be invited by the President to perform at the rally in Chicago at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was an amazing feeling to be amongst so many people, young and old, black, white, red, disabled, all united, eager to help support a man who has ended the war in Iraq, gotten rid of “don’t ask don’t tell”- allowing anyone to serve this country regardless of who you love, made sure women were not paid less than men merely because they are women, doubled pell grants, given 2.5 million young people health insurance, and has created a law that recognizes that crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race or disability aren’t just any crime- they’re hate crimes that deserve justice. These are all things he said he’d do before he was elected and did them. There are more important accomplishments that can be added to this list.  I strongly believe our nation should continue upon this path, bringing justice to all and change where needed.  President Obama remains the candidate of hope and change, and he will continue to move our country forward, bringing even more change if re-elected.” – Janelle Monàe

True story. President Obama has a lot more work to do; but don’t let anyone tell you the man hasn’t accomplished anything.

See what President Obama had to say about Janelle’s performance here.

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