US Aplologizes to Blacks; China notices

As BRAG was reading the world papers on Tuesday we noticed that China was running the "US Apologizes To Blacks" as its lead story. In case you were busy with putting out Fall Merchandise or Allocating Sportswear to your Jersey doors and missed the story well here it is:

Washington - The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws. "Today represents a milestone in our nation's efforts to remedy the ills of our past," said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district. Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary face-off next week.

It says that Africans forced into slavery "were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage" and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws that fostered discrimination and segregation.

The House "apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow."

"Slavery and Jim Crow are stains upon what is the greatest nation on the face of the earth," Cohen said. Part of forming a more perfect union, he said, "is such a resolution as we have before us today where we face up to our mistakes and apologize as anyone should apologize for things that were done in the past that were wrong."

WOW!! We applaud the efforts of the House, but those that know us at BRAG it's all about the action.

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BREAKING NEWS: Lord & Taylor Buys Hudson's Bay Co. of Canada

New York, NY - Hudson's Bay Co., Canada's oldest retailer, has been bought by the U.S. parent company of the distinguished Lord & Taylor chain.
The acquisition by NRDC Equity Partners of Purchase, N.Y., which unites North America's two oldest department stores under the same corporate structure, will see upscale Lord & Taylor launch 10 to 15 stores throughout Canada.
"Currently there is a gap in the Canadian retail landscape between The Bay department stores and Holt Renfrew," said a joint news release from NRDC and Hudson's Bay Co., which owns The Bay, Zellers, Home Outfitters and Fields retail chains.
"Lord & Taylor will be ideally positioned to fill this consumer demand and will be located in prime locations through existing HBC real estate properties or within existing flagship Bay stores." The value of the deal was not disclosed.
Rumours of a possible sale had been circulating since April after the death of South Carolina magnate Jerry Zucker, who bought HBC in 2006 for $1.1-billion.

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NY Times & Industry Recognizes the Plight Of Black Models

RACIAL prejudice in the fashion industry has long persisted because of tokenism and lookism. “We already have our black girl,” says a designer to a fashion-show casting agent, declining to see others. Or: “She doesn’t have the right look.” Laziness, paranoia and pedantry may also have something to do with the failure to hire black models for shows and magazine features in any meaningful number, but, hey, that’s just a guess.
A decade ago the thing to deplore was the stereotyping of black models by dressing them in African-inspired clothes (or the Asian girls in kimonos). This at least gave work to minority models, but it also encouraged a Western view of African culture of the many-bangles-many-beads variety.
O.K., so fashion ain’t deep. It looks into a mirror and sees ... itself. The irony in fashion is that it loves change but it can’t actually change anything. It can only reflect a change in the air. But what changes fashion? What would finally move American designers to include more black models on their runways? That 30 percent of the country is nonwhite? That black women spend $20 billion a year on clothes? That an African-American is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?
The answer is the individual eye.

(Cathy Horyn - NY Times)
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE

Passing Strange at The Tony Awards

When the BRAG group choose Passing Strange as the play to see for the night out on the town there was not much media buzz surrounding the play. Then the tipping point came. The night BRAG was going to see the play Charles Isherwood of the New York Times gave it a stellar review. Isherwood said it was "wonderful, and a welcome anomaly on Broadway". He also thought Passing Strange gave Broadway "vigorous new artistic blood". The BRAG group saw it that night and we knew Broadway had a hit on its hands.

Hit was an understatement. After receiving 7 Tony Nominations and giving a great performance at the Tony Awards, Stew took home the Tony for Best Book of A Musical.

CONGRATULATIONS!

PASSING STRANGE INFO

CLICK HERE TO SEE NOMINATION LIST

H.I. - HUMAN INTONATION TO LAUNCH IN JULY

Letter to BRAG Members from Verenda White

SAVE THE DATE - 2 JULY 2008!

It is amazing how much time has past and thanks to all of you for the support as I completed my MBA International Business over the last 15 months. I have returned to New York from London and have an exciting
new venture to share with you.

This summer I am pleased to announce the re-launch of my apparel brand under the new name H.I. - HUMAN INTONATION (TM). For those of you who may remember my original Katrina is Still Here: Hands On New Orleans
T-shirt Fundraiser, I am NOW moving forward with an expanded sustainable business using fashion to raise awareness as well as donations for multiple social causes and growing non-profits such as
the Darfur Peace & Development Org (http://www.dpdo.org/).

"The NEW H.I." - HUMAN INTONATION brand launch will take place on JULY 2nd 2008 in Tribeca (New York City) and will include a showcase of the new t-shirts in a high fashion show and a live music performance from the up and coming hip-hop group True2Life Music. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit non-profit Hands On New Orleans (http://www.handsonneworleans.org/)

Feel free to email me back with any questions or to forward this information, and I hope to see at this FASHIONABLY SOPHISTICATED event!
E-mailmailto:verneda@vernedaadele.com

best,
Verneda White

CNN To Talk about Being Black In America

CNN will be airing a series on Being Black In America.
In this next installment of CNN's Black in America series, Soledad O'Brien examines the successes, struggles and complex issues faced by black men, women and families -- 40 years after the death of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Watch
July 23rd & 24th


Click Here To View Video

Sean John & Ciroc Partner to Honor BRAG

Prof. Gary Lampley (BRAG President), Marti Moore (VP- Lord & Taylor) & Laticha Brown (Bloomingdales Direct)
Jeff Tweedy of Sean John
Bill Hawthorne - Macy's Inc & B. Oyama

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June (NY) - Sean John and Ciroc Vodka teamed up at the W Hotel on the East Side to celebrate the 2008 BRAG Honorees. The 2008 Dinner Gala is still 4 months away, but the night was a buzz with the excitement surrounding the honorees. It was a night that saw the likes of Audrey Smalls of the Ground Crew and Howard Watts of Fox come out to meet and mingle with the group. The night was definitely a preview of whats to come in October.