May/June 2007

CONTENTS

ISSUES & VIEWS
— Black Power in Congress
Five African Americans are chairing powerful committees in the 110th Congress. These leaders, however, are still in the minority on Capitol Hill and may have very little impact
By Julianne Malveaux

FEATURES
— Women Warriors
Marine Capt. Vernice Armour, the nation's fist Black woman combat pilot, is one of more than 160,000 women who have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait
By Lucas Johnson II

— Labor Leader
At age 79, Lillian Roberts heads the nation's largest labor union, fighting for the most underserved workers to be treated with dignity and respect.
By Audrey Edwards

—Attorney at Law
St. Louis lawyer Margaret Bush Wilson is nearly 90 years old. Her struggle for justice during the turbulent Civil Rights Movement continues today
By Fern Gillespie

—Screen Gem
For more than six decades, activist and actress Ruby Dee has fought for civil rights on the stage and in the streets and at age 82, she shows no signs of stopping
Reported by Lindsay Patterson, Curtis Stephen, Natalie Y. Moore and Kelley Carter


Cover: Welton Doby III for The Crisis

DEPARTMENTS
- Editor's Note

- Letters

- Up Front: Family of police shooting victim Sean Bell seeks justice. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick leads Congressional Black Caucus; Visually impaired journalist achieves dream of being a reporter; New Harvard scholarship for the financially disadvantaged; New Jersey panel recommends eliminating death penalty; Couple opens first theater for Black independent films
Questions: Dr. Wayne J. Riley talks about his new role as president of Meharry Medical College
- Crisis Forum
* Gallery: E&S ARt Gallery in Louisville, Ky., features the work of new and established African American artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence
* Books:
A conversation with poet, author and educator Mari Evans, who talks about her motivation, role models, hip-hop and the challenges of being a Black writer

- The NAACP Today
A recap of the 38th NAACP Image Awards; Brooklyn, N.Y., Branch thrives; A celebration of women in NAACP; The Washington Bureau's Legislative Report Card grades Congress

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Women Warriors
Female Combatants Sacrifice Lives for Country