For the Week of August 13-19

August 13

1881—The first African-American nursing school opens at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.

1892—The Afro-American newspaper is founded. The first edition is published in Baltimore, Md., by John H. Murphy Sr. At its height, the newspaper chain would publish papers in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Richmond, Virginia and Newark, N.J. It continues to publish today in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

ERNEST E. JUST

1906—The “Brownsville Affair” takes place. Angry Black soldiers, who had been subjected to intense racial discrimination and insults, are accused of sneaking into Brownsville, Texas, and killing a local White bartender and wounding a police officer. Although the evidence was weak, President Theodore Roosevelt sided with Brownsville Whites and ordered 167 of the Black soldiers dishonorably discharged for a “conspiracy of silence” because they either denied involvement in the shootings or refused to say who was involved. However, 66 years later (as a result of the findings of a book) the Army opened a new investigation which cleared the accused soldiers and reversed the 1906 dishonorably discharges.

by R. Alonso-Zaldivar

WASHINGTON (AP)—A half-century after the advent of the pill, the Obama administration on Monday ushered in a change in women's health care potentially as transformative: coverage of birth control as prevention, with no copays.

Services ranging from breast pumps for new mothers to counseling on domestic violence were also included in the broad expansion of women's preventive care under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Since birth control is the most common drug prescribed to women, health plans should make sure it's readily available, said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "Not doing it would be like not covering flu shots," she said.

CLEVELAND (AP)—Cleveland's mayor and other officials say the weekend's deadly violence after a park concert won't lead the city to curtail other outdoor events.

Gunfire erupted during a fight Saturday near Luke Easter Park, where people were leaving the annual Unity in the Park festival featuring funk music artist George Clinton. A 16-year-old boy died after being shot in the head. Three other people were wounded.

Mayor Frank Jackson and City Councilman Zack Reed vowed during a Sunday news conference that other events scheduled for the park would go ahead as planned.

Officials are urging witnesses to come forward to help find the shooter. WTAM radio quotes police Commander Deon McCaulley as saying a $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Turning 50 is hard enough. But it’s got to be even harder when you’re president, because the whole world knows about it, and harder still when one of life's milestones is nearly overshadowed by a nasty tussle with Congress over money.

Well, too bad for President Barack Obama. That's exactly how the big 5-0 is shaping up for him.

THE BIG 5-0—President Barack Obama speaks from the White House briefing room in Washington, July 31, about a deal being reached to raise the debt limit. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)