Jilly from Philly is back for round five! The “Fool’s Gold” songstress just announced the release of WOMAN, her fifth album that is set to drop July 24. The album will accompany her nationwide tour, which kicks off on July 9 in St. Louis. We are so here for that. [Billboard]
Making her first public appearance, Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP president who has been passing as a Black woman for years, appeared on The Today Show this morning, where she told Matt Lauer that she has identified as Black from a young age. “[When I was 5] I was drawing self-portraits with the brown crayon instead of the peach crayon and black curly hair,” she said.
Dolezal opposed critics who said that her dark makeup was akin to her donning blackface, claiming that her darkening her skin ton was not “some freak ‘Birth of a Nation’ mockery,” but rather something on a “very real, connected level.” [The Today Show]
Six months after Chris Rock announced that he was filing for divorce, court papers reveal that Malaak Compton-Rock, his wife of 19 years, is seeking a large chunk of his $70 million fortune. Because the couple’s prenup has already expired, Compton-Rock is demanding a settlement “commensurate with the marital standard of living.” We hope everything works out for the two. [Page Six]
There’s a new baby in the Howard household! Terrence Howard’s wife, Mira, gave birth to Qirin Love Howard in May, the Empire star’s fourth son, he confirmed to Access Hollywood. The unique name stems from the qilin, which is a mythical Asian creature that signifies the birth of a ruler. Congrats to the happy parents! [People]
It’s official: President Obama is the coolest president in our nation’s history. White House officials confirmed that the Obamas hosted a private Prince and Stevie Wonder concert over the weekend for 500 guests. The ultra-private event was not listed on the White House calendar, and all reporters were reportedly sent home early that day. All we have to say about this is why weren’t we invited? [USA TODAY]
How many times do we have to say it? Don’t touch a Black woman’s hair! Ava DuVernay clapped back at a man who touched her hair without permission while standing at a train station. “When I asked what in all the hells he thought he was doing replied ‘Is this racial?'” the Selma director tweeted after the incident. She went on to say that when other women came to her defense, the guy began screaming, attracting the attention of police officers. “Moral: DON’T TOUCH anyone uninvited, ESPECIALLY not this black woman’s hair,” she tweeted. What a mess. And to top it all off, she missed her train. [The Huffington Post]
Good things are coming to Arianna Alexander! The Chicago high school senior was accepted into an incredible 26 colleges (six of which are Ivy Leagues!), and she has been offered a total of $3 million in scholarships. The 18-year-old just graduated as valedictorian of Kenwood Academy High School, where she boasted a mind-boggling 5.1 grade point average. You go, girl! [ABC News]
Some very special London schoolgirls got a very special visit from a very special First Lady. During Michelle Obama’s European trip, she stopped by the Mulberry School for Girls in east London yesterday to inspire some of the brightest minds in Tower Hamlets, one of the nation’s poorest areas. She encouraged the young women not to let their economic circumstances discourage them from achieving greatness. “The world needs more girls like you to lead our parliaments, our boardrooms and our universities,” she told them. “We need you for tackling the problems of climate change, poverty and disadvantage.” [The Guardian]
