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The University of Illinois has elected its first African American student body pPresident in the whole 146 years of the position’s existence. The worthy new president is 21 year old agricultural and consumer economics major Damani Bolden.

University officials released a statement that Bolden beat out three other candidates for the top spot with 59 percent of the vote. This is at a school with only a five percent African American student population among over 42,000 students. Even Mr. Obama had more black votes to work with than that!

The young man recognizes his accomplishment and said, “In 146 years of our university’s history, I am the first African American. That is a fact.” However, just like our US President, he doesn’t want to focus on his race, but rather on his agenda to put the students at the university first.

Graduating from a Chicago South Side high school, he is now making his mark at the collegiate level. “I hope it’s a footnote. I hope I’m remembered for the things I can do and the things I have accomplished for the student body of the University of Illinois,” Bolden said. He promises we haven’t heard the last from him. One day, he hopes to ask for “all” of our votes when he runs for public office.

Danny Clifford/WENN

Friends, family and supporters of Nelson Mandela are surely breathing a sigh of relief.

The former South African president has been discharged from the hospital after a bout with pneumonia. He had been in a hospital in Pretoria since March 27th.  The Telegraph posted a video of Mandela being returned to his Johannesburg home in an ambulance.

A spokesperson for the 94 year old Mandela said that he will now have home based high care after the doctors confirmed his condition had improved.

His spokesperson also thanked the hospital and team for taking care of Mandela while he was being treated.

This is the third time since December that Mandela has been in the hospital in Pretoria for health issues.  His last visit included surgery and recovery from a lung infection.

As we know Mandela is beloved around the world so hopefully, he will continue to get better and fully recover from pneumonia.  We’d love it if he didn’t return to Pretoria again – at least not for a hospital stay – but we know this must all be taken one day at a time.

Our prayers and well wishes go out to Nelson Mandela!

Source: AP

From BlackVoices

The 2016 election may still be several years away, but some democrats are already getting excited about a political match that they say is made in heaven: Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama on the presidential ticket.

“All due respect for President Obama and Vice President Biden, but that would truly be a dream team for America,” Karen Finney, a former spokesperson for the Democratic Party and Clinton, told the Washington Examiner. “Both women are proven effective leaders who’ve raise children, so dealing with Congress would be a snap.”

Democratic strategist Chris Lehane, who worked closely with the Clinton White House, told the paper that all this talk of a Clinton-Obama partnership ”reflects the growing awareness that it is time for the glass ceiling of the last old boys club to be firmly shattered.”

Read more on BlackVoices.com.

Source: WENN

From The Grio

Rapper Waka Flocka Flame has decided to extend his reach beyond music and hopes to have a bigger impact on the nation by running for the 2016 presidential election — or so he says on Twitter.

“Running for the next presidential elections #InCaseYouDidntKnowAlready,” tweeted Wakayesterday. He also asked his followers: “Who finna [sic] be my VP?”

Although the rapper has yet to receive support from any politicians or parties, he has been showered with tweets from fans who support the rapper in his new venture.

See why this could never happen on TheGrio.com.

Source: WENN

You’re likely still on your high from watching last night’s episode of “Scandal,” and though I think we’ve all come to adore Oliva and Fitz’s relationship — his marriage aside — have you ever thought about what that romance would look like if the president was black?

Kerry Washington has, and in fact, she said that if the president’s character in the ABC drama was African American she wouldn’t have done the show. Surprised? Check out her explanation in the latest issue of Ebony:

“I was a little concerned because [the character has] a scandalous relationship with the [occupant of the] White House,” she told the magazine. “I thought, ‘If the president on the show is Black, I will not do the show.’ Because to me, it was too important a moment. I didn’t want to do anything that compromised my relationship with the [President] or that made it seem like I had an insider view on the Obama presidency. I thought that would be so disrespectful and so against all the work that I had done.”

Before you jump on the “Kerry just wanted to get her swirl on, on screen,” bandwagon, I think that actually would have been a good call. Rarely, if ever, can I recall seeing a Black man playing the part of a president in a blockbuster movie or prominent television drama. With all the dirt people continuously try to uncover on the Obamas — to no avail — because they’re still not comfortable seeing a sensible African American family with so much power, I can only imagine the increased speculation that would follow them were there a scandalous portrayal of a Black president on TV as well. And I think I speak for all “Scandal” fans when I say thank God Fitzgerald Grant isn’t Black, otherwise we wouldn’t get to witness Kerry Washington’s fierceness every week.

What do you think about Kerry’s stance on wanting Fitz to not be Black?

Larry Downing-Pool/Getty Images

And so, it begins.

This morning, Barack Obama was sworn in to his second term as President of the United States of America as he took the Presidential Oath. He was joined by wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha in the Blue Room at the White House for the private ceremony.  Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts presided over the quick swearing in.

After the ceremony, President Obama was overheard thanking his family and turned to reporters to say, “I did it!”

Vice President Joe Biden took his oath much earlier Sunday morning at the Naval Observatory.

The private ceremony is actually written into the Constitution and must take place on January 20th.  The public ceremony – the big “shindig” we’re all anticipating – will be held Monday and, according to People, should attract more than 800,000 people.

Both President Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr’s bibles will be used during Monday’s public Inauguration.  Singer Beyonce will be singing the National Anthem.

The weekend’s festivities have been bursting at the seams. It appears everyone is having a “ball,” including the Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball which will take place Sunday night.  On Saturday night, First Lady Obama and the girls hung out at the Kids Inaugural Concert, where there were performances by Katy Perry, and Usher. Finally, the now infamous “Grits and Biscuits” party took place on Friday evening to blowout and, as usual, sellout numbers.

We look forward to hearing more about Monday’s festivities…and seeing all the photos!

Will you be attending any Inauguration 2013 functions?

President Obama during today’s press conference, the last one of his first term. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

At the beginning of a brand new year, we have much to celebrate and anticipate, from New Year’s resolutions to gearing up for another year of great change in your professional and personal life. This January, we have one additional reason to celebrate: on Monday, January 21st, President Barack Obama will be sworn into his second term as the President of the United States in the nation’s capital.

Although you might not need any other reason to celebrate this historical event, MN Biz will sum up a few political, personal, and even entertaining reasons to continue the celebration of President Obama’s second inauguration into the next four years!

All political candidates need enthusiastic supports and endorsers who are ready and willing to push for their candidate to be elected as the next president. This year’s election has been no different. In fact, there are dozens of celebrities who have gone out of their way to really get involved in the 2012 election in one way or another (for better and worse). Here are 15 celebs who have been active in the 2012 election.

twitter.com/BarackObama

Beyoncé & Jay-Z

Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and the entire Obama family have a great relationship. Recently the couple hosted a $40,000-a-plate dinner to show their support and to raise money for the Obama campaign. They came out of their party with a cool $4 million to give to the President’s re-election campaign.

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

From StyleBlazer

We’re about a month away from the anniversary of the day that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama began their journey in the White House. But today marks the anniversary of a journey that began 20 years ago for the power couple: their wedding anniversary! As we have grown to love the happy couple, the two have grown to love each other more and more right before our eyes — in style at that!

Read more at StyleBlazer

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Source: MSNBC

We know how much the president loves basketball, so it’s only right that he and the first lady took in the USA-Brazil game at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, last night. It’s also only right that the couple share a smooch on the infamous ‘kiss cam” when it landed on them, and they did—at least the second time around.

Source: MSNBC

During the first half, the pair was apparently so wrapped up in the game—or just wasn’t interested in PDA—that they didn’t kiss during the first half when the camera focused on them. According to the Associated Press, that sparked a few boos and roars from the crowd that I’m guessing made the couple reconsider later in the fourth quarter. This time when the “kiss cam” landed on Mr. and Mrs. Obama, the Al Green singing, silky smooth commander-in-chief of the United States of America put his arm around Michelle and planted a big one right on her which brought on a drove of cheers from the crowd. Looks like it was a good one! Check out the footage.

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.

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