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Political News
Should H&M Clothing Store Get Another Dollar From Black People Because Of This Online Item?
The NAACP issued the fol- lowing statement regarding Swedish clothing store H&M’s recent online adver-
tisement:
The NAACP condemns the
recent advertisement by H&M, which pictured a young Black child wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the label, “the coolest monkey in the jungle,” as an unaccept- able racist and derogatory action.
Derrick Johnson,
NAACP President and CEO said, “H&M’s decision to use this ad is appalling and evi- dence of a lack of racial sen- sitivity within their corporate culture. We asked the ad be removed immedi- ately.”
Worldwide apparel re- tailer H&M issued an apol- ogy and vowed to review their internal policies on di- versity and inclusion after social media erupted over the page on its online site promoting the hoodie.
The page has since been changed.
The Black child with the slogan across his chest struck many as redolent of racist imagery dating back more than a century in which dark-skinned people were likened to, or repre- sented as, apes and mon- keys.
The insulting characteri- zation has persisted over time; notably President Barack Obama was often the target of such racist im- agery during his term of of- fice.
The outcry on social media was swift. Models of Diversity, an organization devoted to promoting equal- ity and diversity in the fash- ion, beauty, and media industries, condemned the promotion in a tweet.
Stars Cut Ties With Clothing Store
Global pop star, The Weeknd cut ties with H&M and so did rapper, G-Eazy. They both ended their part- nership with the clothing company after social media went berserk after the on- line ad broke with the racist product.
G-Eazy’s clothing line with H&M was expected to launch March 1, Bill- board reports. “Unfortu- nately, after seeing the
“COOLEST MONKEY IN THE JUNGLE” Hoodie For sale On H&M Clothing Store Online ad
The Weekend and G Eazy
disturbing image, my excite- ment over our global cam- paign quickly evaporated,
and I've decided at this time our partnership needs to end.”
Kamala Harris and Cory Booker Become First Black Members Of the Senate Judiciary Committee This Century
U.S. Senators Cory Booker And Kamila Harris have made history.
In a stunning Black History moment, U. S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and U. S. Sen- ator Kamala Harris (D- Calif.) have both been ap- pointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The two are the second and third African Americans ever to serve on the committee in its 200-year history. And, they will be the first African American duo to serve at the same time. When Sen. Al Franken (D- Minn.) announced his resigna- tion in December amid allegations of groping women, his exit didn’t just vacate a Sen- ate seat; it opened up a spot on the high-profile Senate Judici- ary Committee.
The Congressional Black Cau- cus, chaired by Louisiana Con- gressman Cedric Richmond, jumped on the opportunity, urg-
ing Sen. Chuck Schumer (D- N.Y.), the minority leader, to fill the spot with either Cory Booker (D-N.J.) or Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who are both attorneys. On Tuesday, Democ- rats met the CBC’s demand and then some, naming—in a some- what surprising move—both lawmakers to the committee.
(The second appointment was made possible by the elec- tion of Sen. Doug Jones (D- Ala.) in December, which narrowed the Republican ad- vantage on the Judicial and Fi- nance Committees.)
“Thrilled to share that I’ve been appointed to the Senate Judiciary Committee,” Harris, a first-term senator elected in 2016, tweeted Tuesday. “You have my commitment that I will fight for justice on behalf of Cal- ifornians and all Americans.”
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