Charles Patrick, a black man, a resident of Birmingham was downtown to buy his adopted son a Boy Scout uniform.  He had been searching for a parking space for a while and just as he went past one he saw a man about to pull out. Mr. Patrick stopped and waited for the man to pull out so that he could back into that space.  The man pulled out and immediately a white woman pulled into that very space.  Mr. Patrick got out of his car walked over to the woman’s car and the two had this interaction.

    “’Ma’am, I was waiting.  The man was pulling out and I was backing in.’ [Mr. Patrick] said the woman yelled back, ‘I’m getting this spot.  My husband is a police officer.’’…He doesn’t own the streets of Birmingham,’ [Mr. Patrick] recalled telling her.”

    Mr. Patrick returned to his car, drove off, found a parking space, conducted his business downtown and then went home.  That evening two policemen came to his house and arrested him. That evening, while in jail, two other policemen, both white, one of whom was the husband of the white woman in the car, came in and beat Mr. Patrick with their fists and when he fell to the floor kicked him over and over again.

    From there the story takes unexpected turns.  Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950s, a black man was beaten by the police.  No surprise.  But that black man goes to court to press charges and to tell of being beaten… huh?  There was court hearing and lots of news coverage because what was happening was unusual.

    At the hearing, the judge ruled to suspend the two police officers. Days later, city commissioners met to render judgment about what to do about all this and ruled to reinstate the two police officers.  That decision brought outraged response from the white community in the form of letters to the editor of the “white” newspapers. 

    What year you ask?  1954.  Where again?  Birmingham, Alabama.  Really, you wonder.

     That is what makes this story important.  The writer is the journalist daughter of Charles Patrick. Ms. Dorsey has tracked down every news article, editorial and letter to the editor written about this event in her father’s life and in the history of the civil rights movement. Yes, she is telling this story because it happened to her father, but also because what she found surprised her:

    “The editorials and letters I read in support of my father changed my views about Birmingham.  Growing up in Los Angeles… I had… adopted beliefs that white Americans in the South would forever harbor animus toward African Americans, that white citizens applauded and embraced violence against blacks, and that white citizens in the South would never change.  But after reading the letters written in response to my father’s case, I realized that Birmingham was a mixture of nobility and treachery like any other city.”

Click to Read Full Review on MakingGumbo.com 

Purchase the Book by clicking http://www.mignettepatrickdorsey.com/ 

Hello Fear, the brand new release from Kirk Franklin, celebrates its second week atop the Billboard Top Gospel Charts, selling over 46,000 units in its second week. The album also sits at #5 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Charts and #9 on the Billboard Top 200 Charts. Mary Mary‘s latest release Something Big debuts at the #2 position with over 42,000 units sold. The album also sits at #6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Charts and #10 on the Billboard Top 200 Charts. The WOW Gospel 2011 compliation moves to the #3 spot, while Smokie Norful‘s latest How I Got Over…Songs That Carried Us debuts at #4. Church on the Moon from Deitrick Haddon rounds out the week’s top five albums. In other chart news, Love God. Love People: The London Sessions from Israel Houghton jumps twelve spots to #6. 

In the world of radio, “I Give Myself Away” from William McDowell returns to the top of the radio charts. “I Smile” from Kirk Franklin moves to the #2 spot while “Walking” from Mary Mary jumps to the #3 position. Vashawn Mitchell‘s “Nobody Greater” takes the #4 spot while “My Heart Says Yes” from Troy Sneed rounds out the week’s top five songs.

Roland Martin talks with Janell Snowden, Kevin Frazier and Jawn Murray about the lack of African-American representation at this years Oscars, supporting Black filmmakers and the backlash against Tyler Perry.

Roland Martin States, “Tyler Perry is doing exactly what we say we want Black folks in Hollywood to do: owning his own product, controlling his own product, producing television shows, owning his own studio and providing opportunities. Why all the hate?”

Mary Mary has got “Something Big.” Their latest album debuted at #10 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart with 42,390 units sold.  Additionally, Kirk Franklin’s second week on the charts found him at #9 after his first week debut at #5.

The sisters’ fourth studio album received rave reviews from USA Today and New York Times.

Mary Mary performed an outstanding show at the 42nd annual NAACP Image awards as well as on CBS’s “The Talk. The duo also celebrated their release week with a performance of their unforgettable anthem “Never Wave My Flag” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In addition to judging the fourth season of BET’s “Sunday Best” this spring, Mary Mary are slated to perform on “The Mo’Nique Show” April 20 and the Dove Awards on Easter Sunday, April 24.

Committed to a non-stop work ethic and desire to push boundaries and make a difference, Erica and Tina recently announced their “Do Something Big” campaign with the launch of the ‘Fly Away with Mary Mary’ contest, an opportunity for fans to win a free trip to meet Mary Mary and attend a tour concert.

In the Facebook-based campaign, fans are asked to participate in a 5-week call-to-action to “Do Something Big” for others, with each week focusing on a different segment of those in need– the elderly, the homeless, local schools, local neighborhoods and world hunger.

(PATH MEGAzine) Sometimes it’s unfair what the larger televangelist ministries have to go through.  Sure they fall, but many operate in good faith and excellence.  It’s unfortunate that any window to sue them is explored, and any method to involve them is sought.  The following has stayed true to form in a murder case involving a former body-guard for Joyce Meyer Ministries.  The following report is a Christian Post.com write-up on the issue now facing Joyce Meyer’s Ministry.

Christian Post Report: 

Televangelist Joyce Meyer taped her trial testimony in cooperation with prosecutors preparing to try Meyer’s former bodyguard, Christopher Coleman, for the murder of his wife and two sons.

Meyer and her son, Dan, answered lawyers’ questions on Wednesday in a taped evidentiary deposition at the Monroe County Courthouse in Illinois. The head of Joyce Meyer Ministries participated in the hearing because she would not be available to testify in person at the April 25 trial. Her ministry website reveals that she is scheduled to appear in a conference tour though Texas and Virginia this entire month.

The deposition was closed to the public; but she offered some words to the media. Meyer spoke briefly with The Associated Press about her hearing. “The state’s attorney asked me to testify and I just did,” she said. “I answered the questions honestly and truthfully and I’ve cooperation fully all the way through.”

Myer also said she is praying for Coleman.

Coleman, 34, is currently being jailed without bond on first-degree murder charges in the 2009 strangulation deaths of his wife, Sheri Coleman, and their two sons, Gavin , 9, and Garrett, 11. Authorities believe that he was trying to escape his marriage so he could be with his Florida girlfriend, Tara Lintz. Coleman was reportedly earning six figures to travel around the country as Meyer’s security chief. The ministry’s no-divorce policy meant that Coleman would lose his job if he divorced his wife.

Prosecutors allege that he staged the crime scene to appear as if the killings were the work of a deranged enemy of Meyer’s ministry. Investigators accuse Coleman of writing and sending himself threatening letters and emails to support his story. They also allege he spray-painted the messages “punished” and “I saw you leave, (obscenity) you, I am always watching” onto the walls of his home after the murder.

The family of the slain mother of two filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Coleman and Joyce Meyer Ministries as a “respondent in discovery,” alleging that the slayings would not have occurred if the ministry had followed its own policy and taken action. They also asserted that Meyer’s son, the ministry’s chief executive in the U.S., traveled with Coleman and his mistress Lintz, and knew of the affair.

Family attorney Jack Carey said the lawsuit has been temporarily dropped until Coleman’s murder trial is completed. He said he plans to name Joyce Meyer Ministries as a co-defendant in the future case.

At the time of the May 5, 2009, slayings, Meyer was there to comfort Coleman and his remaining family. Since Coleman’s affair and potential involvement in murder deaths have come to light, Joyce Meyer Ministries has tried to cooperate. The ministry turned over 400 pages of documents related to the case.

“We have nothing to hide,” said Michael King, the attorney for the Illinois-based ministry.

King also responded to the wrongful death lawsuit saying, “Joyce Meyer Ministries had no knowledge prior to these tragic deaths of an extramarital affair involving Chris Coleman. Neither did the ministry have prior knowledge that Chris Coleman allegedly was the source of threats against his family.”

Meyer’s taped testimony will be played for jurors during the murder trial.

The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the body for awarding the coveted Grammy Awards, announced it will be eliminating over 30 categories.  Men and women will now compete head-to-head, however some of the more exotic awards like best Native American album and best spoken-word children’s record have been eliminated, and the number of categories has been reduced by more than 30 in the biggest overhaul in the 53-year history of the Grammys.

While no musical genres will be excluded from Grammy contention, the changes will make the awards a lot more competitive.  

In addition to eliminating the distinction between “male” and “female” awardees in some categories, several genre-based categories were eliminated.  Gospel music will now go head to head with contemporary Christian Music.  The Gospel Rap category was fused into Best Gospel Song. 

Take a look at the categories from last year (on the left) as compared to what will be the categories next year (on the right)…

For a comparative list of how the rest of the categories changed from this year to the coming year, click here.

It’s going to be pretty tough for artists to win Grammy’s in the future.  Is the stiff competition a good thing? 

At first I thought Marvin Sapp’s brother Dr. Hen Sapp was just playing, but after a couple minutes of watching the video I realized this was a well written intentional song targeting youth who sag their pants, and who wear gold teeth.  

I’m not sure what the songs impact will be, but hopefully it will help someone. Sagging your pants really isn’t cute.  It comes with a bunch of stereotypes and many organizations, city governments, and even the church are starting to crack down on it. 

Malls in Dallas, Texas issue citations and can even band you from returning to the mall.  What do you’ll think about the song and pants sagging?  Is it really that big of an issue? 

Gospel music great Fred Hammond recently announced he is pursuing a Jazz career.  In the audio clip below Fred Hammond tells CeCe McGhee of Praise Philly.com that he is thinking about doing a double CD one disk with jazz and the other Gospel to make everyone happy.  He also explains his labels reaction to the news that he was putting Gospel on hold.  

Hammond, broke the news to entertainment reporter Jawn Murray that he’s recording a full jazz project.  Hammond will be recording a love-style jazz project.  Hammond said the jazz album will bring him back to his musical beginnings as a bass player.

Fred Hammond announced the news while on-board the Tom Joyner Cruise playing Jazz music LIVE and ministering along-side Dr. Bobby Jones during morning worship sessions.  

Take a listen to the interview with CeCe on Praise Philly.com.  Do you think a double disk will work?  Or should Fred just release one jazz and another Gospel?  

On the day that Mandisa released her new single, Stronger, she stepped on her scales and learned she had lost her 100th pound. That moment marked a milestone for her: Not only had 100 pounds been a personal goal for the former American Idol finalist, but it was a long, long way from where she was when Simon Cowell told her, “We’re going to have to get a bigger stage for you.” She’s also got a brand-new album called “What if We Were Real,” out today.

Mandisa is returning to the Women of Faith Tour. She says. “I have learned so much being a part of this organization and look forward to so much more! Oh! And I can’t wait to sing some of my new songs too!”

Veteran rapper Play of Kid ‘n Play is set to host the 11th annual Holy Hip Hop Awards.

Play, whose real name is Christopher Martin will co-host with radio personality Minister Eddie Velez aka Da Prechin Puerto Rican, with music provided by DJ Dex, DJ Radikal and Higher Ground Record Pool.

The Holy Hip Hop Awards happen on April 17 at the North Event Venue and Lounge in downtown Atlanta, Ga.

Martin also teaches a bi-weekly class called Hip-Hop Seminar at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Fla. He has been serving as professional-in-residence with the school’s newly minted Institute for Hip Hop and Music Industry Studies since January.