(Akiit.com) Washington D.C.-based Black Television News Channel (BTNC) announced Tuesday it has reached a multi-year carriage agreement with Comcast Cable for distribution in several of the MSO’s urban-based systems beginning in 2009.

The network, created by former U.S. congressman J.C. Watts Jr., will launch in 2009 and will provide original news programming with a distinctively African-American perspective, according to a network press release.

The network would be the first cable service to offer 24-hour news targeted to African-Americans. Prior attempts to launch a full-time news channel have failed, mostly due to the high cost of developing news. Neither African-American targeted Black Entertainment Television nor TV One offer daily news shows, instead relying on short news briefs throughout the day.

“Our unique and vast content partnerships with African American newsmakers will provide our viewers live access to the stories and people in whom our viewers have a special interest,” said Watts in a statement. “With this agreement, Comcast continues to demonstrate its commitment to working with independent programmers with diverse points of view.”

Written By R. Thomas Umstead

(Akiit.com) PublishAmerica is proud to present Songs of the Ghosts by Michael K-Poh.

Songs of the Ghosts is the story of a reluctant witch, Frema Asante, a thirteen-year-old girl whose life is thrown into turmoil after Bonse, her dead grandmother, visits her. Entrusted with a great family secret, Frema must protect it and provide answers to mysterious illnesses and events involving family members and close friends. Bonse dramatically takes over Frema’s shadow and through it gives her clues and information to solve strange problems. Songs of the Ghosts is a story of a young girl who is suddenly thrust into a mysterious, magical world. She must get used to her new role as a benevolent witch and contend with her father’s worries and suspicions. It is a never-ending journey full of twists and turns, amazing plots, colorful individuals and a blending of West African and American cultural influences.

Songs of the Ghosts is the first published book by Michael K-Poh. Originally from Ghana in West Africa, Michael lives in Frederick, Maryland. From the age of twelve, Michael has been creating characters and stories. Michael is an avid sports fan. He enjoys tennis, basketball, soccer and American football. He also has a passion for news and is fascinated by Asian culture.

Contact Info;
Michael K-Poh
kpoh5@hotmail.com

Book;
http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Ghosts-Michael-K-Poh/dp/1424191696/

(Akiit.com) Frederick, MD Feb 11, 2008 — PublishAmerica is proud to present Fruits of Our Labor: America’s Prosperity on the Backs of Blacks by Fayton L. Washington of Damascus, Maryland.

The trend in America since the birth of this nation has been its unforgiving obsession with segregation, prejudice, and inequality. This book will bring into existence the context of racism and its effects on an African-American. It questions the prevailing enigma through the years of triumph, accomplishments, and contribution to the stronghold and growth of black America by asking those who impose their hatred and negativity this one question: Am I still a nigger? For the record, we are not niggers. That title does not belong to us and we do not take ownership. Being a nigger is inclusive of all races and exclusive just the same.

Fruits of Our Labor is a motivational tool dedicated to inspiring African-Americans through empowerment, realization, and self-gratification of the achievement of their ancestors. It deals with the trials and tribulations of being black in America, being poor in America, and being American in America. It also takes the reader through different significant issues that have split the foundation of America or challenged our beliefs.

Fayton L. Washington is a young writer born to a single mother in the poverty-stricken home front of Salters, SC. His writing is influenced by great African American writers and intellectuals such as Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and Frederick Douglass to name a few. Similar to these individuals, Fayton believes that African Americans can to achieve all they aspire to be. At the age of 24, he has graduated from the University of South Carolina, is currently employed as a manager at a leading insurance firm in Rockville, MD, has obtained his MBA, and married his inspiration as well as the love of his life. Never give up.

Contact Info:
Contact: Shawn Street – Public Relations
pr@publishamerica.om - www.publishamerica.com
Official Website: http://www.faytonwashington.com
MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/faytonwashington

(Akiit.com) The history of blacks in business is an inspiring story of ingenuity and invention in the face of adversity… And our youth should know that long before slavery ended, black Americans were engaged in businesses of their own.

Camden, New Jersey, Feb 3, 2008– Entrepreneurship is a concept that African Americans have embraced for centuries. Our youth should know as much about Anthony Johnson and Thomas Jennings as they do about Oprah and P Diddy. Ex-slave Anthony Johnson became one of Virginia’s wealthy landowners in 1651. African American Thomas Jennings was issued a patent in 1821 for his invention that revolutionized the dry cleaning process for clothes.

Why entrepreneurship education? Nationwide, more than 65 percent of high school students say they want to start their own businesses, and 85 percent want to learn about starting businesses while they are still in school. Likewise, educators and policymakers are now recognizing the importance of making entrepreneurship education and training a lifelong process. Because entrepreneurship education links classroom education with real-world experience, more and more schools and youth organizations are teaching business development and entrepreneurship related skills as part of their educational strategies.

Despite gains, the nation’s middle and high school-aged minority populations still lag behind in educational attainment, self-esteem and motivation. The well-documented disparities between black and white school-aged young people are especially telling. And if the small business owners of tomorrow are indeed in our schools today, we clearly have to do more to make education more relevant to young African Americans.
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(Akiit.com) The Karibu Books chain, based in the Washington, D.C., area and one of the few remaining retailers to specialize in black books, is closing after 15 years.

“We sincerely thank each and every one of you for your patronage and support,” Karibu CEO Simba Sana wrote in an e-mail to customers. “We are optimistic that our mission to empower and educate through a comprehensive selection of books by and about people of African descent will continue to resonate within the communities we proudly served.”

Karibu has five stores, one of which has already closed. All will be shut down by Feb. 10.

Like other specialty retailers, including gay and feminist bookstores, black bookstores have suffered in the past 10 years, partly because of the rise of superstore chains and Internet sales, but also because of the growing popularity of black authors. With superstores and online retailers now offering large selections of black books, at lower prices, black stores have had a hard time competing and many have closed.
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