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National
‘Goin’ Back To T-Town Airs On PBS February 8th
Trump's Last-Minute Pardons Include Bannon, Lil Wayne, Kodak Black
2021 Marks Centennial of the 1921 Racially-Moti- vated Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Boston, MA — Goin’ Back to T-Town, produced by Sam Pollard and Joyce Vaughn, tells the story of Greenwood, an extraordinary Black com- munity in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that prospered during the 1920s and 30s despite ram- pant and hostile segregation.
Torn apart in 1921 by one of the worst racially-motivated massacres in the nation’s his- tory, the neighborhood rose from the ashes, and by 1936 boasted the largest concentra- tion of Black-owned busi-
nesses in the U. S., known as “Black Wall Street.” Ironically, it could not survive the pro- gressive policies of integration and urban renewal of the 1960s.
Told through the memories of those who lived through the events, the film is a bittersweet celebration of small-town life and the resilience of a commu- nity’s spirit. Narrated by Ossie Davis, Goin’ Back to T- Town, first broadcast in 1993, will have an encore broadcast on AMERICAN EXPERIENCE Monday, February 8, 2021, 9- 10 p. m. ET (check local list- ings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.
President Donald Trump issued a raft of 11th- hour pardons and commuta- tions early Wednesday that included his onetime political strategist, a former top fundraiser and two well-known rappers but not himself or his family.
The batch of 73 pardons and 70 commutations issued in the final hours of his presidency was expected, and is in keeping with a long-standing presidential tra- dition of exercising clemency powers at the last minute.
The list reflected a President keen on awarding pardons to his stalwart allies, an unusual num- ber of whom have been swept up in corruption or lying charges.
The vast majority of the pardons and commutations on Trump's list were doled out to individuals whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates, in- cluding people serving lengthy sentences for low-level offenses.
But several controversial names do appear, including Steve Bannon, who has pleaded not guilty to charges he defrauded donors in a "We Build the Wall" online fundraising campaign.
Other names included Tuesday were Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for Trump's campaign who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy relating to a secret lobbying campaign to influence the Trump administration on behalf of a foreign billionaire in ex- change for millions of dollars.
DONALD TRUMP AND LIL WAYNE
And Scores Of Others
don after pleading guilty to a gun possession charge in Miami. Another rapper, Kodak Black, received a commutation after he pleaded guilty to a weapons charge.
Trump also offered clemency to Paul Erickson, the conservative political opera- tive and ex-boyfiend of alleged Russian spy Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges; Robin Hayes, a North Car- olina political donor convicted of trying to bribe officials; For- mer Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, convicted of fed- eral charges including racket- eering, extortion and the filing of false tax returns; William Walters, a professional sports gambler convicted of insider trading; and Aviem Sella, an Israeli air force officer who the U. S. accused of being a spy.
Bob Zangrillo, the Miami developer and venture capitalist charged in the Varsity Blues col- lege admission scandal, also re-
ceived a pardon. None of the other parents caught up in the probe were pardoned.
Though neither Trump or members of his family were in- cluded on his list, Trump had until noon on Wednesday to issue any final pardons before leaving office.
The January 6 riots that led to Trump's second impeach- ment have complicated his de- sire to pardon himself, his kids and personal lawyer Rudy Giu- liani, and a source close to the process said those are no longer expected.
After the riot, advisers en- couraged Trump to forgo a self- pardon because it would appear like he was guilty of something, according to one person familiar with the conversations. Several of Trump's closest advisers have also urged him not to grant clemency to anyone involved in the siege on the U. S. Capitol, despite Trump's initial stance that those involved had done nothing wrong.
Lil Wayne received a par-
Diddy Invests In Thirteen Lune, A Digital Platform That
Celebrates Black And Brown Owned Beauty Brands
Sean “Diddy” Combs,
along with a host of others, has invested in a growing beauty platform that specializes in of- fering the discovery of beauty brands created by Black and Brown founders that resonate with people of all colors. Ac- cording to WWD, Thirteen Lune has recently raised $1 million.
According to a recent press release, Thirteen Lune was co- founded by Nyakio Grieco, founder of nyakioTM Beauty which is based on her family’s African culture and traditions, and Patrick Herning, founder, and CEO of e-com- merce platform, 11 Honoré. Thirteen Lune is a vehicle for
DIDDY AND THIRTEEN LUNE WEBSITE (INSET)
change and a space for authen- tic allyship. The team behind Thirteen Lune has committed itself to work toward progress
and to create financial parity for beauty and wellness brands serving the Black and Brown community.
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