---Martin Luther King III and Tom Brokaw---
Forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at age 39, a new History special, "KING", with newsman Tom Brokaw, takes viewers on an unprecedented journey back in time and forward to today. KING goes beyond the legend to delve into the man, the questions, the myths and, most importantly, the relevance of Dr. King's message in today's world. Nancy Dubuc, Executive Vice President and General Manager, History, announced that the two-hour special will premiere on History on Sunday, April 6 at 8pm/7C. "Dr. King led a revolution of change fighting for the most basic of human rights -- equality," said Dubuc. "As we reflect on the fortieth anniversary of his death, Tom Brokaw will bring to life King's legacy. The personal and historical revelations here are a poignant message for today's times." In a rare television interview, Dr. King's son Martin Luther King III shares his memories and thoughts about his father in the special. In an insightful conversation with Brokaw, he talks about how he carries his father's torch today by leading a new campaign against poverty called "Realizing the Dream." During the interview, he takes Brokaw into the field to show him the devastating poverty still plaguing our nation. Some of Dr. King's closest confidants draw viewers inside his mind as he led the civil rights movement; and others from public life and entertainment speak about his indelible influence on their lives. Among those interviewed in the special are Andrew Young, Former President Bill Clinton, Harry Belafonte, Chuck D, Forest Whitaker, Rep. John Lewis and many others.    "With every passing year we have a greater understanding of the magnitude of Dr. King's achievements and the historic place he occupies in the pantheon of American heroes," said Brokaw. "As a young reporter in the South I was witness to his courage and his oratorical genius in the face of often violent resistance to the idea that every American should have equal rights. Revisiting that time and his place in it has been a deeply rewarding experience."

David Paterson

Condoleezza Rice(left)

Jerome Smalls, Robert Franklin and Sean Daughtry

Ellen Shackelford

Quincy Jones

Business World Index

---David Paterson, new governor of New York---Following the resignation of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Lt. Governor David Paterson becomes the first legally blind governor in United States history, and the first African-American governor of New York. Paterson, who served on the American Foundation for the Blind's Board of Trustees from 1997-2006, is nationally recognized as a leading advocate for people with disabilities. "David Paterson has been making history since the beginning of his career, and challenging public perceptions about what it means to have a disability," said Carl R. Augusto, AFB's President and CEO. In 2002, Paterson was elected Minority Leader of the New York State Senate, the first non-white legislative leader in New York's history. In Boston in 2004, he became the first visually impaired person to address a Democratic National Convention. And on November 7, 2006, Paterson made history again by being elected New York's first African-American Lieutenant Governor.

---NACCP and mortgage crisis---
The NAACP and lead counsel Brian Kabateck filed papers Friday, March 7, that will fast track their federal class action lawsuit against Washington Mutual, Citi, GMAC and 15 other mortgage firms who systematically steered African American borrowers into predatory loans. NAACP General Counsel Angela Ciccolo said "Quickly resolving this case is essential for victims who have ruined credit and who are losing their homes. This isn't just about justice for the victims. This case is about making sure that this kind of discrimination is stamped out for good." The defendants in this case are CitiMortgage, Suntrust Mortgage, GMAC Rescap, JP Morgan, National City, First Horizon, Ameriquest Mortgage Company, Fremont Investment & Loan, Option One Mortgage Corporation, WMC Mortgage Corporation, Long Beach Mortgage Company, BNC Mortgage, Accredited Home Lenders, Bear Sterns Residential Mortgage Corporation, Encore Credit, First Franklin Financial Corporation, HSBC Finance Corporation and Washington Mutual, Inc. This suit is the first to have ever charged so many major mortgage lenders with racial discrimination.

---U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Brazil---
 While on an official visit to Brazil, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made one of her lifelong dreams come true: visiting the capital of Bahia, Salvador, one of the global centers for African culture outside of the African content. Rice stated, "Coming to Bahia was a personal desire. I had been hearing about [it] for years; Salvador is a great city and all this is due to the Afro-Brazilian community here. Of course, I am of Afro-descent and I have always believed that Brazil and the USA, in certain aspects, are more alike than any other two countries in the world. Here we find the traditions of the European, Latin and African, everybody living side by side. So I wanted to come to Bahia and I can tell I was not wrong. It is beautiful here. I only regret having taken so long to come."  Rice's trip began with a ceremonial dinner with key leaders and Brazilian officials, including the Governor of Bahia, Jacques Wagner, and the Brazilian Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Marta Suplicy. Rice's cultural tour also involved a visit to the famous Nossa Senhora do Rosario dos Pretos church which was built in 1704 and serves as an important symbol for the Afro-Brazilian community. She also visited the Afro Museum of Bahia in Terreiro de Jesus where she watched a performance by Olodum, one of the most famous Afro-Brazilian music and dance groups. Brazil's Ministry of Tourism will invest $16 million USD to promote the country and its culture to Americans in 2008.

--Boston supports Morehouse College students during its history-making MoreJazz Gala---
On March 15, The Greater Boston Morehouse College Alumni Association (GBMCAA) hosted the first-ever More Jazz Gala, a back-tie affair in accordance with the celebration of the 79th birthday of  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The GBMCAA, its chapter president Sean Daughtry, Gala chairman Jerome Smalls, Vice President and Director of Community Relations at the TJX Companies, Inc., and Morehouse College President Robert M. Franklin were joined by “Apprentice” winner Dr. Randal D. Pinkett and TV journalist Dr. Mallika Marshall  as well as a  host of sponsors and supporters. “We continually strive to link education to our community outreach objectives,” notes Smalls. “Since 1994, The TJX Companies has been a strong supporter of the GBMCCA." The net proceeds from the event will be used for both scholarships to support some of the 75+ Boston area students who attend Morehouse College and to support the efforts of the GBMCAA in the community.(Photo by Brent Clarke)

---African American company launches disability awareness training and inclusion programs---
Ellen Shackelford, President of Connections Access Consulting Services, motivational speaker and columnist, is well aware of the many challenges people with disabilities face daily. As a person who has sustained a disability in July 1983 caused by the negligence of a truck driver, Ellen Shackelford has had to adjust to life using a wheelchair for mobility. She soon learned how people with disabilities are often overlooked in social situations and activities. With encouragement and determination, she decided to play an active role in society by focusing her adversity into action moving toward positive change by the formation of her company, Connections Access Consulting Services, LLC (CACS) and pursuit of her motivational speaking. With her knowledge of disability awareness she acquired as a counselor for the Independent Living Center in Hampton Virginia, she is now using this knowledge to provide education to communities at-large regarding disability issues. As founder and president of CACS, she is dedicated to a service which will enhance the awareness and unconscious injustice of the aging population and Citizens with disabilities, so all will be included in social situations. As a motivational speaker, talks to audiences to about, “Diversity and Women Issues,”  “Disability in the Workplace,” “Inclusive Communities,” and her personal story of adversity and acceptance. Ellen also writes articles about disability awareness and conducts workshops as well. Ellen L. Shackelford may be reached at (757) 827-0783 or ln@cacsllc.info

---Honoring Quincy Jones---
Seattle’s Northwest African American Museum's (NAAM's) Grand Opening week concluded with the Quincy Jones Extravaganza event at the historic Seattle Paramount Theatre on March 16. The all-star concert features Grammy Award winners Carlos Santana, James Ingram and Ernestine Anderson, and will honor Seattle native Quincy Jones with NAAM's Board of Directors' first Lifetime Achievement Award. An impresario in the broadest and most creative sense of the word, Quincy Jones' career has encompassed the roles of composer, record-producer, artist, film producer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, TV producer, record company executive, television station owner, magazine founder, and multi-media entrepreneur.