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The First African American to Earn a Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh

In more amazing graduation news, Adrienne Washington is the very first African-American to receive a doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Linguistics. She earned her Ph.D from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences on May 1, says the Atlanta Star

“I took my first linguistics class after reading the course syllabus and learning that one of the topics on the curriculum would be the Gullah language variety spoken in the Lowcountry,” the Virgina native told Atlanta Black Star. “

“My maternal family is Gullah, so I felt an intrinsic connection to the content of that course and decided to enroll. Ultimately, it was a large part of what motivated me to pursue graduate studies in linguistics,” she added. 

Prior to her entering the Ph.D program, she achieved bachelor’s in Spanish from Hampton University. 

Dr. Washington told the Journal Black Higher Education, “My plan is to continue developing my research on Yoruba language practices in northeastern Brazil as well as explore other interdisciplinary topics in sociolinguistics. Currently, I am focused on writing manuscripts and applying for jobs in academia, where I see myself best contributing to society.”

Congrats Adrienne!

Lifetime To Air Dramedy This Month With Emmy Winners Cicely Tyson and Uzo Aduba, ‘Showing Roots’

Fresh off the film festival circuit, the 1970s dramedy Showing Roots has been sold to Lifetime and will air on Thursday, May 26, Entertainment Weekly reported.

Starring iconic actress Cicely Tyson and Orange Is The New Black Emmy winner Uzo Aduba, the film centers on two Mississippi hairdressers, one Black and one white who are inspired by the debut of Roots. While watching the miniseries about slavery, the women try to unite their racially segregated town. Showing Roots also stars, Maggie Grace, Adam Brody and Elizabeth McGovern and is by Michael Wilson directed from a script by One Life To Live’s Susan Batten.

The film will on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET. Ironically, a few days before The History Channel airs its own remake of the classic miniseries Roots.

Man Allegedly Shoots And Kills 8-Month-Old While Fighting With Baby’s Mother

A Missouri man shot and killed his 8-month-old son during an argument with his wife, then later fled with two of his other sons in a rental car, said the St. Louis Police. Authorities found the children at a relative’s house while Diata R. Crockett, 34, was still missing, CNN reported.

But according to the St. Louis American, Crockett turned himself into the police on Wednesday morning.

According to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Sam Dotson, the incident started as an argument in which Crockett’s wife felt forced to get into the car with three of their six children. Holding her baby, Casetta Crockett tried run away and her husband shot in her direction, killing their 8-month-old, Reign Crockett.

As Mrs. Crockett ran to the street, she was picked up by a motorist to rush her bleeding baby to the hospital, Mr. Crockett tried running the car off the road.

“I really have to question the humanity of this individual,” Dotson told reporters during a press conference.

However, his wife may believe otherwise. She sent this message before he turned himself into the police.

“You have to set the record straight. We know you love your kids and you would never hurt them, so we know this was a horrible accident. You have to come in, if nothing else, you have to come in for your other kids,” she said. 

Two Officers in Freddie Gray Case Sue State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby for Defamation

Marilyn Mosby

Source: Andrew Burton / Getty

In the wake of Baltimore police officer Edward Nero being acquitted for the 2015 death of Freddie Graytwo other officers (Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter) have filed a lawsuit against Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, 92 Q Jams

Mosby is being sued by the officers for “defamation and invasion of privacy, court records show” and for allegedly making false statements about them in press conferences last year. 

“These among other statements were made not for the purpose of prosecuting crimes that had allegedly been committed by White and Porter, but rather for purposes of quelling the riots in Baltimore,” the suit alleges.

According to the Baltimore Sun, the officers wanted for the lawsuit to be sealed, but a local judge denied them stating they “failed to provide a special and compelling reason to preclude or limit inspection of the case record sufficient to overcome the presumption of openness” under Maryland law.

The grand return of the Melanin Awards amplifies and honors the finest Black-owned beauty brands with honest reviews, and discusses the evolution of beauty in Hip-Hop culture.