Late last month, a few associates on my Facebook page got on me for daring to state in my column about a rash of music studio murders in Georgia's hip-hop music industry that the African-American community has a problem with black-on-black crime. And, on Friday, WAOK-AM 1380 radio personality Derrick Boazman, a man I admire for telling "too much truth," condemned the six adult males charged with the murder of 15-year-old Nicholas Jackson in his Norcross home last week, but he argued that these were just bad men and that this was not reflective of some sort of "black-on-black" crime problem…

Fifty-three years ago Jan 22, the city of Atlanta desegregated public transportation, according to a tweet this morning from The Atlanta History Center (@ATLHistCenter) linking tweeple back to their "On This Day" page. The page does not go into detail about this bit of pre-MARTA Atlanta history, but The Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education's comprehensive "Atlanta in the Civil Rights Movement" website—to which The Atlanta History Center provides resources and information—offers this background: "The fight to desegregate public transportation in Atlanta met with less overt hostility …

  During a speech at a fundraising event in New York on th eve of Thursday, Jan. 20, 2012, President Barack Obama sang while thanking Al Green, who performed earlier at the same event. Cascade Patch had to share this moment. Guess what? Our president can hold a note!

Veteran Atlanta journalist Stan Washington posted a special page on Facebook about Tuesday night's documentary about the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta. To contact WPBA Channel 30 about the documentary and review future programming, visit the Public Broadcasting Atlanta website. Here is the main text of his message: A 30-minute documentary about the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta will air Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 10:30 p.m. on WPBA Ch. 30. Atlanta hasn't always been this so-called "Black Mecca". A great many people had to put their lives on the line to change Atlanta into what it is today. The…

O.K. Cascade Patch family. This one is only for laughs. We are certain, greater southwest Atlanta has quite a few Harry Belafonte fans; possibly more than any other region in Georgia! So, we could not pass this funny YouTube clip by. Enjoy!

O.K. Cascade Patchers. It's Friday, so please indulge me, if you will. Cascade Patch is approaching 1k "Likes" on Facebook. Usually, when on Facebook, I just post the top southwest Atlanta news, chat about it and check what everyone else is posting but last night, well, last night I got on my knees. Yeah, I started beggin' like Keith Sweat (poor Keith Sweat, beggin' is now his legacy!) Anyway, I actually lured two fans—I'm assuming they were fans; most of the people who click "Like" already like us but just haven't got around to clicking the "Like" button yet—by sharing classic Chris Tucker, …

"A victory has been won BUT there are more battles ahead and this time we're all fighting together for the common cause of empowering our youth, our teachers, our schools with the support of our parents & the community. The time is now to get involved in the local school's PTSA, volunteer, give back & reach out. The youth are holding us accountable." —a Facebook post on Byron Amos' page this morning around 9:30 a.m.

The column "Real Housewives of Atlanta: Not Real Black Atlanta Wealth!" appears to have hit a nerve in comments section and on Facebook. One specific question on the table on Facebook is the idea that so many African-Americans lease and make big payments on big cars. Do you think you can "afford" a car just because a car dealer and bank are willing to set up a payment plan for you? Do you believe someone is wealthy when you see them in a late-model European car? Is the African-American community any different from others in the United States when it comes to conspicuous consumption? Be honest…

Dwight "Heavy D" Myers died at age 44 on Nov. 8, 2011. According to a report on HuffingtonPost.com, Lt. Mark Rosen of the Beverly Hills police told the Associated Press that Heavy D died in a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday after collapsing at his condominium building. Rosen said Beverly Hills police officers were dispatched to Heavy D's condominium building Tuesday morning after receiving a report of an unconscious person laying on the walkway of a building. They found Heavy D was conscious and communicative but had difficulty breathing and was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where …

Southwest Atlanta's own Cee Lo Green (Thomas Callaway), who attended Benjamin E. Mays High School in the late 1980s and was a member of the "Goodie Mob," was the subject of a funny bit on Saturday Night Live this weekend. Green's popularity is growing fast! This year, he's a featured personality in the New York Thanksgiving Macy's Day Parade. Go, Cee Lo!

Southwest Atlantans who love gossip have been posting and tweeting the news this afternoon that Kim Kardashian plans to file for divorce from her husband of 72 days, Kris Humphries. At 12:04 p.m. @RyanSeacrest confirmed the rumor with this tweet: "Yes @kimkardashian is filing for divorce this morning. I touched base with her, getting a statement in just a few mins." According to a report on HuffingtonPost.com, it's also rumored that Kardashian had lunch with ex-boyfriend Reggie Bush over the weekend, which just add fuel to the fire. Heard any other juicy Hollywood gossip? Share it with us in …

In the wake of the execution of Troy Davis last month at the Jackson prison about a mile south of this community, some activists are seeking to clear the name of the youngest person ever to receive the death penalty in the United States: George Stinney, Jr. On June 16, 1944, Stinney, 14, was executed in South Carolina in connection with the brutal murders if two white girls, eight and 11, who disappeared after going out to pick flowers in Alcolu, S.C. According to a story on the National Public Radio website, a search party was set up, and their bodies were then found. They'd been brutally …

The Aaron's Freedom Riders have begun Day 4 after a tough climb and a couple of spills, according to their Facebook page where the cyclists are providing frequent updates. "Day 4: today the freedom riders ride 55 miles to Boone. Very steep climbs ahead," the group posted at 8 a.m. "Day 4 for the freedom riders. Total of 300 miles in 3 days. Today is going to be a little shorter with a big climb. The team looks great and everyone is pushing hard," was the group's post around 6:15 a.m. Monday. After a big sendoff at Buckhead's Terminus building Friday morning, the Freedom Riders paraded into …

Legions of Cascade residents pass the Sickle Cell Foundation office on Benjamin E. Mays near Beecher every day. Earlier this week, John Williams of J. Entertainment ATL, surprised Sickle Cell Foundation COO Jean Brannan and presented her with a $100 check that rounds up the amount raised for the non-profit by ATL CEO Mixer to $1,000. Here's a video, posted on YouTube and circulating this week on Facebook, about the visit.

They say we are living in The Technology Age. Based on chatter last night and this morning on Facebook, I guess it must be true. Or, maybe, it's just that social media users are extra techie. Whatever the case, southwest Atlantans are definitely talking about Steve Jobs' resignation yesterday and what is means for Apple. To that end, I thought I might share a classic 1997 Apple Computers commercial posted by Cascade Patch friend and reader, Ed Taylor. The one-minute commercial featured black and white video footage of significant historical people of the past, including Atlantans Ted Turner …

Social media never ceases to amaze me. On Monday, I mentioned an upcoming column this week, "10 reasons why I am a never-married, childless black woman in America," and, already, men and women are talking about it. The candid comments are compelling, so I will share a bit here: D: "There are many of us..and I am curious as to how and why it happened. I certainly didn't choose this life for myself. I am trying to accept it." N: I accept it and am enjoying it. Halleluia! D: Let me rephrase that. I decided early on to NOT have kids out of wedlock. And because I never married, I choose not to …

As WAOK 1380-AM radio personality Derrick Boazman has us chanting, "I am APS!" Well, O.K., half of me. I attended West Manor Elementary School from kindergarten through 7th grade (then went on to Woodward Academy where I graduate with honors in 1981; West Manor prepared me well!) In the wake of the school system cheating scandal and news that "heads will start rolling" today, I'd like to encourage Cascade Patch readers who came through the Atlanta school system to share their memory photos. I had wonderful teachers, role models, who helped prepare me for a rigorous college prep program, a …

The following letter from Dr. Beverly Hall was posted Friday on the Atlanta Education Fund Facebook Fan Page: "I am shocked and saddened by the facts uncovered by the Investigators. The instances of cheating they have documented are serious and cannot be ignored. I am particularly concerned for those students who have been affected by misconduct and whose education has fallen short as a result.  I am also disturbed by the repeated references to statements by teachers and other professionals declaring that they cheated or chose not to reveal cheating because of a perceived atmosphere of …

Derrick Boazman, host of WAOK 1380-AM's “Too Much Truth," is giving Atlanta Public Schools students and graduates a reason to feel proud with his "I Am APS" campaign. On his afternoon drive-time show Thursday, Boazman said he plans to organize a rally in support of students.  Meanwhile, on his personal Facebook page, Boazman asked APS graduates to give the year and school from which they graduated.As of 4:40 a.m. Friday, he had 118 posted. Boazman also posted this comment on Facebook: "The APS cheating scandal has painted with a broad brush ALL students, parents, teachers, administrators as …

While many Americans, no matter their racial or ethnic background, see July 4th as a patriotic time of fireworks and barbecues, some in the African-American community do not believe in celebrating the holiday. This is because the Fourth of July commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence—on July 4, 1776—and many people of African descent were slaves during that time. On one Facebook page of The Black Report, a conversation has continued for more than a year on the question of black Americans celebrating the 4th. "As long as you claim to be an american citizen, african or …