Black officer sues Harvard police, claims bias

Black officer sues Harvard police, claims bias

By Associated Press  |   Thursday, April 21, 2011  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage

The Harvard University Police Department passed over a black officer for a number of promotions and superiors routinely made racist remarks about blacks and Latinos, according to a federal lawsuit.

The complaint by Officer George Pierce, a veteran patrolman who is black, said he applied for open sergeant positions a number of times only to be passed over for less-qualified, non-black employees. The reason Pierce didn’t get promoted was his race, the lawsuit alleged, citing various instances when Pierce sought a sergeant spot but was turned down.

"Throughout Pierce’s employment at Harvard, Harvard and the department have created and maintained a pervasive racially-biased environment within the department," the lawsuit said.

The complaint also alleges that Pierce had to endure supervisory officers making racial comments about blacks dominating sports and a derogatory slur describing a Latino police officer.

The suit, which was filed late last month in U.S. District Court in Boston, seeks unspecified damages.

Kevin Galvin, a Harvard spokesman, said the school doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

Pierce has worked as a Harvard patrol officer since 2002 and is a former police officer in the town of Arlington.

Ellen Messing, Pierce’s attorney, said her client has about 30 years of experience in law enforcement and just wants a promotion he feels he’s earned. "He believes that he can contribute and he can do a good job but he’s been denied the opportunity because of his race," Messing said.

The lawsuit comes two years after a panel was asked to look at allegations of campus police racial profiling and recommended better training and outreach to students and faculty.

The six-member committee, headed by Boston attorney Ralph Martin, an African-American and former Suffolk County district attorney, was created amid concerns Harvard police officers had unfairly stopped black students because of their race.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1332178

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Victim's mother confronts defendant in Harvard dorm murder case

Victim's mother confronts defendant in Harvard dorm murder case

Justin Cosby
Posted by Martin Finucane March 24, 2011 01:38 PM
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

WOBURN – For the first time since her only son was shot inside a Harvard University dorm, Denise Cosby today spoke directly to one of the men allegedly responsible for ending the life of her youngest child.

Denise Cosby was the mother of Justin D. Cosby, a Cambridge man who authorities have said was a drug dealer with customers on the Cambridge campus of the world-famous college.
“Today I sit here and look into the face of what is supposed to be a man,’’ Cosby said in a stern voice. “You are a fool.’’

Cosby directed her cold anger and sharp words towards Jason Aquino, one of three New York City men who came to Cambridge on May 18, 2009, intent on robbing Justin Cosby of marijuana and cash.

Instead, Cosby was shot while all four men were inside the J entry of Harvard’s Kirkland House residential building.

FULL STORY HERE
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/03/victims_mother.html?p1=Local_Links

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RUSSELL SIMMONS TO SPEAK AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL TODAY!

The Harvard Black Law Students Association & The Hip Hop Entertainment Law Project proudly present, ‘Be the ULTIMATE BALLER: How to be Your Best Self’ with business and entertainment mogul, Russell Simmons and LaRonn Harris Sr. Saturday March 5, 2011 2 pm – 4 pm Harvard Law School Pound Hall – 1563 Massachusetts Ave.  Cambridge, MA

Russell Simmons was recently named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People of the Past 25 Years” by USA Today and heralded as the “original and eternal Hip-Hop Mogul” by the New York Times.  One of the biggest names in entertainment and fashion, Russell created the pioneering Def Jam Recordings in 1984 and launched Phat Farm Clothing as part of his Rush Communications empire.  Russell has had a lifelong dedication to giving back; he leads the non profit division of his empire, Rush Community Affairs, which works to empower at risk youth, and serves as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.  He is also the author of two major books, Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success! and SUPER RICH: A Guide to Having It All.

LaRonn Harris, Sr. is a Regional Promotion Manager for Atlantic Records. He has played an integral role in the promotion of TI’s singles “Whatever you Like” and “Live Your Life” as well as Trey Songz’s multiple #1 records “Can’t Help But Wait” and “Say Aah”, Flo Rida’s “Low”, Estelle’s “American Boy” and Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” feat Alicia Keys.   LaRonn also serves as the CEO of World Famous Media Enterprise, a marketing and promotions consulting firm, and co-founded Change Movement Incorporate, a non-profit community service based organization.

Russell Simmons will also be autographing copies of his new book, SUPER RICH:  A Guide to Having It All.  Additionally, please join us for an empowerment workshop, Empowerment in Practice: Building Leadership Skills to Spark Social Change, following the event. This will be a remarkable event you don’t want to miss!

The annual HBLSA Spring Conference unites Harvard students, alumni, professors, legal practitioners, and the community at-large to engage in a dialogue about relevant issues in the local, national, and international Black communities. The HLS BLSA chapter is the largest BLSA Chapter in the nation. It exists for the support, guidance and direction of Black students in academic, professional and social endeavors. The HHELP was created to combat the devastating effects the School to Prison Pipeline has on inner-city youth. It uses the music industry and hip-hop music to motivate students in school. The HHELP also strives to give law students the opportunity to pursue careers in the music industry.

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Boston club fined, apologizes for discriminating against black Harvard students

Boston club fined, apologizes for discriminating against black Harvard students

Posted by Milton Valencia February 25, 2011 11:56 AM
By Milton J. Valencia and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff



FULL STORY HERE
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/02/boston_nightclu.html?p1=News_links

BLACKSTONIAN EDITOR'S NOTE:

Read the full story for the blow-by-blow including statements from City Councillor Ayanna Pressley as well as the actual Apology that is now public.

We pulled a few tasty tidbits here from the article to emphasize what we believe is the underlying and true feeling on the subject matter which is unapologetic and unbridled racism.

excerpted from Globe article:
Last fall, speaking on behalf of the nightclub, George K. Regan Jr. told the Globe "there were a lot of people in line known to police and police and security circles as bad people, OK? They probably couldn't spell the word `Harvard."....



.... In a telephone interview today, Regan bristled at being blamed for the comments he made at the request of the club’s owners last fall when the issue gained media attention and the attention of Boston City At-Large Councilor Ayanna Pressley.

“I apologize for nothing,’’ Regan said. “I personally don’t happen to frequent the Cure Lounge. The facts that were related to the media I was told by the owners, who happened to be there.’’
Regan added, “they’re obviously under a lot of pressure from the attorney general’s office. They have a (nightclub) license to protect. Good luck to them. I did nothing but repeat what I was told by the owners.’’

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The velvet rope of prejudice?

The velvet rope of prejudice?

Race relations

By G. VALENTINO BALL  |  December 8, 2010

This week, the Attorney General's civil-rights division is investigating whether a Boston club engaged in discrimination when it shut down a private Ivy League party last month. This follows a request by City Councilor Ayanna Pressley for the city's licensing board to look into the incident, which has reopened long-simmering tensions between nightclub owners and black patrons.

The story broke along predictable lines. A spokesman for the club, Cure, says the shut-down came after bouncers spotted "bad guys" in line for the party for black Harvard and Yale alumni. But the party's organizer, Michael Beal, saw something more sinister.

"We were perceived as a threat because of our skin color," he said, in a widely-distributed email to attendees of the party. He added that in talking to the club's owner, "I do not believe him to be a racist; which only adds to my consternation around what this event says about race relations in our country."

To many, the incident appeared to be just another episode of ongoing racism in the nightclub scene. "It didn't shock me at all," says George "Chip" Greenidge, executive director of the National Black College Alliance. Far from being an exception, Greenidge says the incident at Cure "is a textbook example of how African Americans are treated when it comes to trying to enjoy life downtown."

There have long been allegations in Boston that nightclubs hold different standards for different audiences — but those allegations can be difficult to document. And promoters have little incentive to blow the whistle in a highly competitive business that's built on personal relationships.

Liz Miranda, head of DSTination Lifestyle Group, an event planning company, says that she has good relations with club owners after a decade on the Boston scene. Even so, she says, she's seen evidence of discrimination.

She explains: "A friend of mine, a white promoter, and I went to get a party at the same venue. I was charged a $4500 bar guarantee. He was charged $2000. And once I got the party, the venue even charged everyone that bought a drink an 18 percent [gratuity] on their cards, under the notion that they wanted to make sure the staff was taken care of. And this was a non-negotiable situation. It doesn't always apply to who is in the building. Many times there has to be a dress code. But they had a party the night before where all the gentlemen in the room wore jeans and sneakers. Why do we have to have slacks and shoes the next day?"

The Cure incident couldn't have come at a more critical time. In 2011, after years of behind-the-scenes work, two major African-American conventions will arrive in Boston. And what they see may determine whether Boston can continue to attract convention and tourism business when some still associate the city with the busing wars of the 1970s.

In an effort "to discuss how Boston can attract and retain the skilled labor workforce that will enable our city to compete in the 21st century," Citizens' Committee on Boston's Future, a fact-finding committee led by City Council President Michael Ross, was scheduled to meet around the issues of nightlife. These latest allegations are sure to weigh heavily on everyone's minds.

"People have worked for decades to advance this city," says Pressley, "and I won't have that progress compromised. Not only because we don't want to move back, but also because this is bad for Boston's brand. And there is an economic impact to that."



Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/112637-velvet-rope-of-prejudice/#ixzz17dhvNIU8

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Ex-Sec. of State Rice to speak at Harvard

Ex-Sec. of State Rice to speak at Harvard

By Associated Press  |   Sunday, November 28, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage

CAMBRIDGE — Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is scheduled to give a series of lectures at Harvard University.

Rice is slated Tuesday to give her first talk on American foreign policy and the black experience. She’s also scheduled to give foreign policy lectures Wednesday and Thursday at Harvard.

The lectures are part of the school’s W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research, Kennedy School of Government, Institute of Politics and JFK Jr. Forum.

Recently, the former Bush aide has been promoting her new book, "Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary Family and Me."

Rice was secretary of state from 2005 to 2009.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1299405

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Probe sought in racial bias claim at Boston club

Probe sought in racial bias claim at Boston club

By Associated Press  |   Saturday, November 27, 2010  |  http://www.bostonherald.com  |  Local Coverage
BOSTON — A Boston city councilor is calling for an investigation after a group of Harvard and Yale black students and alumni were denied entry to a downtown club over concerns they would attract criminals.

City Councilor Ayanna Pressley said she was contacted by Harvard students who told her they had been denied entry to the Cure Lounge.

According to an e-mail from a Harvard Business School student, the group was turned away after he said club managers complained that a large group of young black men and women in line would attract "local gang bangers."

George Regan, the chairman of a public relations firm who is a spokesman for the club, said the Cure Lounge’s management did nothing wrong. He said some people in line were known to police as "bad people" and probably couldn’t spell Harvard.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1299212

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TONITE!! An Evening with the Cast of The Wire 6PM

Hey Folks,

The cast of the WIRE will be at Harvard Law School on Monday, November 8th, 2010 at 6pm. As many of you know our work with GREATEST MINDS has looked at urban poverty and ways that we as citizens can help address it by utilizing our networks and resources to solve those issues.

I hope that you can join Prof. Charles Ogletree and the cast on Monday - as we examine the root causes and develop strategies we can put together to help our communities foster and grow.  I will definitely be there. See you Monday.

Sincerely,

George "Chip" Greenidge
National Black College Alliance / Greatest MINDS

Upcoming Event

An Evening with the Cast of The Wire
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 6:00pm

Langdell Hall North
Harvard Law School
1545 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA

Prelude to the HLS course on The Wire!
Join Professor Charles Ogletree and actors from the award winning HBO series. Professor Ogletree will be teaching a course on The Wire next spring and many criminal justice experts and Wire actors will be attending the class and special public sessions.

Featuring:
Michael K. Williams (Omar Little)
Jamie Hector (Marlo Stanfield)
Donnie Andrews (real-life inspiration for Omar character)
Sonja Sohn (Kima Greggs) invited
Co-sponsored by the Harvard University Institute of Politics

RSVP Here
RSVP does not guarantee a seat.
Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

For More Information
Visit http://charleshamiltonhouston.org
Email: houstoninst@law.harvard.edu
Phone: 617-495-8285
Find us on Facebook

Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability requesting a reasonable accommodation in order to attend a Houston Institute event, please contact us two weeks in advance.
About the Houston Institute

Established in the fall of 2005 at Harvard Law School by Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice (CHHIRJ) seeks to honor the extraordinary contributions of one of the great lawyers of the twentieth century. Charles Hamilton Houston dedicated his life to using the law as a tool to reverse the unjust consequences of racial discrimination. CHHIRJ is committed to marshalling the resources of Harvard and beyond to continue his unfinished work.




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