Articles

The latest articles by Mary

When white friends don’t believe what blacks go through, they’re not friends

I still remember it perfectly, more than 10 years later. It’s terrifying to be stopped in your car and approached by first one and then two more white police officers with their hands resting on their holstered guns. I kept my hands in plain sight on the wheel while they...

Violence – and nonchalance – in shocking Ray Rice video

Ray Rice looks so casual. After he hits Janay Palmer, his then-fiancée, now wife, the Baltimore Ravens running back stands over her, and when the elevator door in the Atlantic City casino opens, he drags her limp body halfway out, walks back and forth, then stands around, even chatting with...

Rep. James Clyburn: ‘The country has topped out to the right’

If anyone can take the long view of history, it’s U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.). The assistant minority leader of the House has lived it, from his childhood in segregated Sumter, S.C., through the civil rights movement that benefited him, sometimes in unexpected ways — he met wife-to-be Emily...

Highlights & Low Blows of First Senate Debate: Hagan v. Tillis

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The first of three senate debates between candidates Senator Kay Hagan and House Speaker Thom Tillis is in the books. As with all debates, there were highlights and low blows. So, did their arguments give them enough momentum? Our WCCB Polticial Contributor Mary C. Curtis breaks down...

Preps Begin for Wednesday’s U.S. Senate Debate

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The mid-term election season is in full swing. Election Day is just over two months away. Incumbent Senator Kay Hagan is in a tight race against state House Speaker Thom Tillis. Ahead of tonight’s debate, we’re talking with WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis about what’s at stake.

...

Obama visit adds heat to contentious and crucial North Carolina Senate race

About the only thing that’s certain about North Carolina’s crucial Senate race is that it’s close. Polls show a tight contest, with Democratic incumbent Kay Hagan and her Republican opponent Thom Tillis exchanging slim leads. It’s not even clear what the November midterm will be about. Is it a nationalized...

How the President’s Visit Impacts the N.C. Senate Race

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Obama brings executive orders to Charlotte for veterans. His visit comes as a heated Senate race brews in North Carolina. Thom Tillis and Kay Hagan are wooing the state’s large veteran population. WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis looks at how closely the president’s message will...

Obama’s Reaction To Ferguson Raises Questions About President’s Role

Ferguson, Mo., has seen nearly two weeks of protests after an unarmed 18-year-old African-American man was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer. This week, a black leader stepped in to help defuse tensions. But it wasn’t a civil rights spokesman or the first African-American president. It...

Could What Happened In Ferguson, Happen In Charlotte?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The riots and protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the death over unarmed teen Michael Brown by a police officer are resonating far beyond the St. Louis suburban city. WCCB’s Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis looks at if the events in Ferguson could happen here in Charlotte.

...

So, black teens who aren’t angels deserve whatever they get?

CHARLOTTE — While playing with my 2½ -year-old great-nephew was a joyous distraction from the events of Ferguson, Mo., this past week, it was also a reminder that the shelf life for innocence is short when you are a black male — and there is no room for error. Everywhere...

Scroll to Top