Little Know Black History Fact

     October 14, 1964, 35-year-old Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. His philosophy of non-violent civil disobedience was an influential part of the civil rights movement, the nation’s largest social movement of the 20th century. The movement achieved the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed racial segregation in public facilities, and racial discrimination in education and employment. The poll tax, which prevented African Americans from voting, was also abolished. “I accept the Nobel Prize for Peace at a moment when 22 million Negroes of the United States of America are engaged in a creative battle to end the long night of racial injustice. I accept this award on behalf of a civil rights movement which is moving with determination and a majestic scorn for risk and danger to establish a reign of freedom and a rule of justice.” Dr. King donated his prize money of $54,600 to the civil rights movement.

Fun Facts

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Citizen Arrest

In certain situations, private individuals have the power to make an arrest without a warrant. These types of arrests, known as citizens arrests, occur when ordinary people either detain criminals themselves or direct police officers to detain a criminal. Citizens arrests are subject to fewer constitutional requirements than an arrest by law enforcement officers, but citizens arrests still have rules that govern them. Failure to abide by these rules can result in civil and criminal liability for the arresting individual.
Felonies
A person can arrest someone that they reasonably suspect of committing a felony, even if the felony didnt occur in the presence of the individual making the arrest. As long as a felony was actually committed and the individual making the arrest knew of the crime, a reasonable suspicion about the identity of the perpetrator will justify their arrest. The felony must have actually occurred before an individual can make a citizens arrest. Even if a person reasonably believes that a felony has occurred, if the crime did not in fact happen, the person making the arrest could become civilly and criminally liable.
Breaches of the Peace
In general, people cant use citizens arrests for misdemeanors unless the misdemeanor involves a breach of the peace. Even in these circumstances, however, individuals can only make arrests when they have personally witnessed the criminal behavior and the breach has just occurred or there is a strong likelihood that the breach will continue.
Constitutionality of a Citizens Arrest
As mentioned above, a citizens arrest does not carry with it the same constitutional requirements that attach to an arrest by law enforcement officers. If, however, a person acts on the request of law enforcement, any arrest they carry out must meet the same constitutional standards as an arrest by the law enforcement officers themselves. For example, a citizens arrest upon the request of law enforcement would still have to comply with the Fourth Amendments restrictions against unreasonable searches and seizures and its warrant requirement. A citizen could also face prosecution under statutes that make it a crime to deprive someone of their constitutional rights. If a citizen acts on their own initiative in making the arrest, however, those same constitutional restrictions do not apply.
Reasonable Force
Despite the fact that citizens arrests do not carry the same constitutional requirements as a typical arrest, individuals must only use the amount of force that is reasonable and necessary to make the arrest. Just what exactly constitutes the reasonable and necessary amount of force depends on the facts surrounding each arrest. Juries will usually examine the facts surrounding a citizens arrest and make the determination of whether it involved excessive force. The use of excessive force can open up the arresting individual to civil and criminal liability, and this is especially true when individuals use deadly force to apprehend criminals. States have different rules about the use of deadly force during a citizens arrest, and failure to comply with the law in this area can result in serious consequences.
Some states prohibit the use of deadly force except in circumstances where the person making the arrest or someone else is faced with the threat of serious bodily injury or immediate use of deadly physical force. In these situations, the person making the arrest may use deadly force in order to prevent harm to themselves or others. Other states allow people making a citizens arrest to use deadly force to stop a fleeing arrestee as long as the person making the arrest used reasonable methods in order to make the arrest. Some states go further and require that the person using deadly force first attempt to restrain the subject of the arrest, and other states require pursuit and an explicitly stated intent to arrest before using deadly force.
Any use of deadly force during a citizens arrest that does not comply with the applicable state law could result in manslaughter or murder charges against the arresting individual, as well as a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of the suspected criminal.
Tort Liability
In addition to wrongful death lawsuits, a citizens arrest has the potential to expose individuals to other kinds of tort liability if the arrest was not justified. If a person does not comply with the laws requirements when making the arrest, the arrestee could allege a number of offenses in a personal injury lawsuit, including the aforementioned wrongful death, false imprisonment and assault and battery.
Conclusion
Every individual is empowered to arrest wrongdoers in certain circumstances, but individuals looking to make a citizens arrest act at their own risk. Not only is the act of apprehending a criminal inherently dangerous, but failure to meet the legal requirements for a citizens arrest could have devastating consequences for the person making the arrest.

- See more at: http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-procedure/citizen-s-arrest.html#sthash.uIj9PsMH.dpuf

Little Know Black History Fact

Gregory’s passion for social justice started early in life and influenced him as a high schooler to lead a march in St. Louis that protested against segregated schools. This passion would later become an inspiration for much of his comedic material, where he used satire to speak out about racial injustice and prejudice. In the mid- 1950’s, Gregory, who was serving in the military at the time, started doing stand-up comedy and by 1956, he relocated to Chicago to pursue his comedic aspirations full-time. Recognized as the first Black American satirist, he joined the ranks of a new generation of up and coming Black comics such as, Nipsey Russell and Godfrey Cambridge. After being inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and SNCC, Gregory became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and used his celebrity platform to fight against Black disenfranchisement and segregation. By the 1960’s, Gregory had dedicated a considerable amount of time advocating for a number of social causes. Today, he continues to be a champion for social change.

Little Known Black History Fact

Today in 1966, civil rights activists, Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton founded the Black Panther Party for Self- Defense in Oakland, CA. In the early 60’s, Seale and Newton met at Merritt Junior College and both were involved in organizations that inspired the revolutionary tactics of the Black Panther Party. The party was known for protesting against police brutality, but it also empowered the Black community by implementing social programs, such as free breakfast for children and health clinics. Later the party expanded to the East Coast, joining other African Americans in the fight for civil rights. By 1969, the Black Panthers gained about 10,000 members and became the largest Black revolutionary organization.

Serena Williams

In 1999, 17-year-old Serena became the first Black woman to win the U.S Open since tennis pioneer, Althea Gibson, in 1958. From there, Serena went on to dominate tennis courts worldwide, winning a total of 21 Grand Slam titles. Training to be the greatest since she was a toddler, Serena has soared pass adversity, including racially fueled comments from commentators and audiences, with flying colors. Her tenacity and passion for the game not only paved the way for other women tennis players, but also the next generation of Black athletes. “As a Black tennis player, I looked different. I sounded different. I dressed differently. I served differently. But when I stepped onto the court, I could compete with anyone.”

Today in Disney History

Mickey Rooney, the voice of Adult Tod in Disney's The Fox and the Hound, was born on this day in 1920. Jason Alexander! Born in 1959, he voiced Hugo in Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Did you know?

Did you know that Ethel Waters was the first African American to be nominated for an Emmy Award? In 1962, the legendary jazz and blues singer received the nomination for her performance in a "Route 66" episode, "Good Night, Sweet Blues.” Waters' nomination paved the way for women like Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Alfre Woodard, Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Regina King, and Viola Davis, now the first Black woman to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

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Dr. Suess

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born on March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He published his first children's book, And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, under the name of Dr. Seuss in 1937. Next came a string of best sellers, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham. His rhymes and characters are beloved by generations.