Congress Among Wealthy 1% Hits Home

Who is the 1%? Well, about 57 members of Congress are part of that elite group. Roughly 11% of Congress have net worth of more than $9 million, according to a USA TODAY analysis of 2010 financial disclosures compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. That’s enough to put them in the top 1% of…

Mark-Viverito City Council speaker

After months of political jockeying, Manhattan Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito was elected unanimously as the next City Council speaker Wednesday, becoming the first Hispanic official to hold the city’s second-most-powerful political post.

Walter’s World: Creative Outlet (with video)

By Walter Rutledge Jamel Gaines’ Creative Outlet Dance Company is one of Brooklyn’s best-kept secrets. Founded in 1994 Creative Outlet is a dance company, which has performed nationally and internationally, a school that has an outstanding track record of developing professional artists, an Arts-in-Educations programs that has provided arts programming in over forty inner-city schools,…

Ashford And Simpson – The Real Thing

Nick Ashford spent his first few months in New York City homeless and sleeping on park benches. When he met Bronx native Valerie Simpson singing and playing piano in the choir of Harlem’s White Rock Baptist Church, his fortunes changed.

Melvin Stanton “Mel” Tapley Of The Amsterdam News

Melvin Stanton “Mel” Tapley was born in New York on May 29, 1918. In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, the Tapley family of three lived in Cortlandt, New York at 1105 Park Street. His parents were Harry, a chauffeur, and Louise, and his age was recorded as nine months, which would make his birth in…