UP NEXT AT GEOFFREY'S INNER CIRCLE
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Sunday Live Jazz Featuring Rhonda Benin 8/14/2022
Free HOUSE drink with each pre purchased ticket!! $15.00 Soul Food Dinner Full Bar and Lounge Jam Session/Open Mic Immediately Following the Show Purchase Now w/ free drink HERE -
Napata Mero 7/31/22
Sunday Jazz at Geoffrey's Inner Circle 1(one) FREE HOUSE DRINK with each PRE-PURCHASED TICKET PURCHASE NOW https://www.eventbrite.com/.../live-jazz-at-geoffreys... Like Comment Share -
DARIA NILE & DARRYL ROWE ~ 7/24/22
1 (one) FREE HOUSE DRINK w/ EACH PRE-PURCHASED TICKET Pre-Purchase NOW! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE W/ FREE DRINK 07/24/2022 Sunday Live Jazz at Geoffrey's Inner Circle featuring DARIA NILE ...
COMING UP AT GEOFFREY'S INNER CIRCLE
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SUNDAY LIVE JAZZ FEATURING Parris Lane 8/21/2022
Free HOUSE drink with each pre purchased ticket!! $15.00 Soul Food Dinner Full Bar and Lounge Jam Session/Open Mic Immediately Following the Show Purchase Now w/ free drink HERE -
Yancie Taylor & Ann Mack
Free HOUSE drink with each pre purchased ticket!!$15.00 Soul Food DinnerFull Bar and LoungeJam Session/Open Mic Immediately Following the Show PURCHASE NOW https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-jazz-at-geoffreys-inner-circle-8722-yancie-taylor-ann-mack-tickets-392825009177 -
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‘The Dynamic Miss’ Faye Carol celebrates Black history, with friends at geoffrey's inner circle
Posted February 9, 2022 from Oaklandside — Faye Carol knows there’s no respite from the storm, but singing has always provided a safe harbor amidst even the fiercest tribulations. An ... -
The Dynamic Miss Faye Carrol Still Earns Her Laurels From Every Set
Posted January 11, 2022 from San Francisco Classical Voice — By Lou Fancher — Having provided sublime and sizzling performances to audiences in the Bay Area and beyond for six ...
Around The Town
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New Events Around Town Coming Soon
Look for announcements here
Announcements
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Join The Hidden Genius Project's 2022 Intensive Immersion Program
We're actively encouraging Black male youth who are rising 9th - 11th graders (current 8th - 10th graders) to apply to our Intensive Immersion Program for our Oakland, Richmond, and Los Angeles cohorts, ... -
As We Re-open from the pandemic, thanking you for your support
This is a shout out and a big thank you to all of our many friends who have come out to support the Inner Circle for our return to live ... -
Join the Friends of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in preserving this Oakland cultural treasure!
Hello, Geoffrey's Inner Circle family! PLEASE NOTE: We have raised more than $45,000 of our $250,000 Go Fund Me goal in only a few weeks!! For those who have already ...
News Of The Day
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Rest In Peace Jesse Douglas Allen-Taylor
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Journalist, political columnist, and activist Jesse Douglas Allen-Taylor. He leaves behind a legacy of storytelling & influential political analysis that will ... -
France announces troops to leave Mali after nine years
Posted February 22, 222 from BBC News — France and its allies in a European force will withdraw their troops from Mali after almost a decade, President Emmanuel Macron has ... -
Berkeley’s affordable housing talks will include plans to retain artists, ‘cultural workers’
Posted February 21, 2022 from Berkeleyside — By Supriya Yelimeli — Berkeley’s ongoing discussion to create 9,000 homes over the next decade will include plans to accommodate artists with affordable ... -
Viola Davis Shares Fierce First Look From Her African Historical Warrior Film 'The Woman King'
Posted February 21, 2022 from Shadow And Act — By Jamil David — Viola Davis has shared a fierce first look from The Woman King, the upcoming film based on ... -
S.F. school board recall: Alison Collins, Gabriela López and Faauuga Moliga ousted
Posted February 20, 2022 from The Chronicle — San Francisco voters overwhelmingly supported the ouster of three school board members Tuesday in the city’s first recall election in nearly 40 ... -
Swahili's bid to become a language for all of Africa
Posted February 19, 2022 from BBC News — With more than 200 million speakers, Swahili, which originated in East Africa, is one of the world's 10 most widely spoken languages ... -
NFL Hires Black Former U.S. Attorney General To Defend It In Race Discrimination Case
Posted February 19, 2022 from Huffington Post — The NFL has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to defend it in a bombshell racial discrimination lawsuit filed earlier this ... -
Black Rookie Officer Charged In George Floyd Killing Says He Deferred To Derek Chauvin
Posted February 19, 2022 from Huffington Post — A former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s killing testified Wednesday that he deferred to Derek Chauvin because he was his ... -
House GOP Targets D.C. Home Rule Amid Statehood Push
Posted February 19, 2022 from Huffington Post — The 2022 midterm elections present a serious threat to the freedom and autonomy of Washington, D.C., as House Republicans want to limit ... -
'Bel-Air' Team And Cast 'Taking Risks To Be Authentic, Modern And Transparent'
Posted February 18, 2022 from Shadow And Act — Almost three years after Morgan Cooper's viral trailer took the internet by storm, Bel-Air, the drama series reimagining of The Fresh ...
Videos Of The Day
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The Day A Black Man Slapped A Southern White Man In The Face on film
"In The Heat Of The Night": The slap seen and heard around the world in the difficult days of American racial strife of 1967. One of the reasons actor Sidney ... -
2022: The Banned Book Reading Challenge With LeVar Burton
With all these book bans, Levar Burton's life as a beloved reader to children just got a lot more difficult. -
Paul Robeson sings to Scottish miners
Extract from Mining Review 2nd Year No. 11 (1949) The highlight of this 1949 issue is the visit of American actor and singer Paul Robeson to Woolmet Colliery near Edinburgh. ...
Geoffrey Pete And Geoffrey's Inner Circle In The News
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After a rough year, Geoffrey’s Inner Circle to relaunch Sunday night jazz sessions
Posted July 30, 2021 from Oaklandside — Geoffrey Pete was reluctant to ask for help. The namesake proprietor of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle has weathered many a storm since he opened ... -
Oakland Entertainment Veterans Emerge From COVID-19 With New Mission
Posted June 27, 2021 from the Post News Group — By Tony Spires — Oakland, like many major U.S. cities, has been severely impacted by recent unprecedented events. The COVID-19 ... -
Geoffrey’s Inner Circle Not included in City of Oakland Funding Support
Posted June 8, 2021 from the Post News Group — By Geoffrey Pete — Paul Mooney appeared at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle some 30 or more times over the years. His ... -
Live show venues in Oakland—like Geoffrey's—can now apply for emergency funding
Posted April 13, 2021 from Oaklandside — A new federal assistance program will provide over $16 billion in grants to entertainment venues that lost revenue during the pandemic — By ...
Worthwhile Causes That Deserve Your Support
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Forbes: Black-Owned Businesses To Support Part One
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ... -
Support Black Businesses: 10 Black-Owned Businesses Highlighted By Forbes Magazine
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ... -
Forbes: Black-Owned Businesses To Support Part Two
Voting with your pocketbook is one of the best ways to effect change in a capitalist society. The U.S. is home to roughly 2.5 million black-owned businesses, according to the ...
Snapshots
Celebrating Good Times At Geoffrey's Inner Circle
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Feeding Our Friends And Family On Thanksgiving
Annual Complimentary Thanksgiving Feast at Geoffrey's Inner Circle 2018 Version Sponsored this year by Oakland and NBA basketball stars Antonio Davis and Aaron Gordon Click on images to enlarge -
Jazz @ Geoffrey's Inner Circle
With Rhonda Benin November 5, 2013 -
Sunday Night Jazz Jam
November 10, 2013 Geoffrey's Inner Circle -
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A History Of Geoffrey's Inner Circle
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2018 Jefferson Award Winner Owns Geoffrey's Inner Circle
Oakland Nightclub Owner Hosts Community Members For Free Meals -
A History Of Geoffrey's Inner Circle: The Athenian Nile Club, Part 1
By Joan Tarika Lewis Copyright 1999 To understand the significance of Geoffrey's Inner Circle is to examine, Africa’s story, our-story and history. Why is this important and what does this have to ...
Herman And Dorothy Reid Pete
Honoring The Parents Of Inner Circle Owner Geoffrey Pete
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Dorothy Pete: Her Life In Her Own Words
African American Museum & Library at Oakland oral history interview with Dorothy Reid Pete discussing her family’s history in the Bay Area and her integration of the Oakland YWCA. Dorothy ... -
DOROTHY PETE AT 90
MATRIARCH OF BLACK BERKELEY FAMILY MARKS 90TH BIRTHDAY — From the Berkeley Daily Planet Newspaper, March 9, 2004 — One of the great modern California folk myths is that African-Americans ... -
Herman Rideaux Pete: Outstanding Athlete And Proud Race Man
Herman Pete was a star student athlete in the 1930's, first at Alameda High School and then later at Marin Junior College, excelling in both football and baseball. Pete attended ...
Paul Mooney — August 14, 1941 - May 19, 2021
He Always Left Us Laughing And Then, Laughing, He Left Us
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Video: Paul Mooney - Dropping Knowledge
More from Reelblack's 2010 interview with MR. PAUL MOONEY. In this clip, he talks about the difference between being half-African and half-Black, DNA, his Rip Van Winkle screenplay, Willie Lynch ... -
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Video: Paul Mooney unfiltered comedy
Paul Mooney is the black, white and brown citizens go to for comic relief with his no holds barred style of comedy, in this video clip watch as Mooney dissect ... -
Paul Mooney was an elusive figure, but his influence was far-reaching
From The Undefeated — He wrote for some of the greatest Black comedians of our time while making people uncomfortable with his takes on race and culture — By Ashley ... -
Steve Harvey, Chris Tucker and more gather for Paul Mooney memorial service in LA
Posted June 28, 2021 from The Grio — Mooney was memorialized during a service at The Hollywood Roosevelt that included a mixture of recorded messages and in-person appearances by Hollywood ... -
Paul Mooney, Oakland-based Comedian and comedy Writer, Dies at 79
Posted May 19, 2021 from Variety — Paul Mooney, the comedian, actor and writer for Richard Pryor, died on Wednesday morning, his representative Cassandra Williams confirmed to Variety. He was 79. ... -
Video: The Paul Mooney Awards (2004)
Legendary writer/comedian Paul Mooney took over the 2004 BET Comedy Awards in the way only he can. -
Frank Robinson - August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019
He Stood Out In A City Full Of Outstanding Athletes
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Remembering Frank Robinson's Legendary Career
A video tribute. -
Major League Baseball's Tribute To Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson, a trailblazing figure who was Major League Baseball's first African-American manager and one of its greatest players during a career that spanned 21 seasons, died Thursday after a ... -
Frank Robinson, MVP, first black manager, McClymonds great, dies at 83
Posted February 7, 2019 from ESPN — Frank Robinson, the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball and the only player to win MVP in both leagues, has died at ... -
McClymond's Coach Powles’s Athletes—Frank Robinson and others—Found Success
Coach George Powles speaks with McClymonds High School basketball players Frank Robinson and Brady Hord. January 8, 1953. Legendary McClymonds High School coach George Powles provided some last minute tips ...
In Sadness And Respect
Ronald V. Dellums November 24, 1935 – July 30, 2018
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Ron Dellums, In His Own Words
Memorial video first presented May 9, 2019 at memorial services for Congressmember Ron Dellums at the Metropolitan African American Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. -
Ron Dellums, 82, Dies; Unrelenting in Congress, He Upheld Left’s Ideals
Posted August 3, 2018 from The New York Times Ron Dellums, the son of a longshoreman who became one of America’s best-known black congressmen, a California Democrat with a left-wing ... -
These Were The Times
Ron Dellums, Congressman/Mayor, West Oakland Elder/Pioneer, and my childhood friend Ed Howard the Producer/Director Filming RonDellums in 1971 in his first campaign to be a congressman and at DeFremery Park. ... -
Bidding You Good-bye, And Good Rest
Ron Dellums at Geoffrey's Inner Circle on the night Barack Obama was elected -
Gene Hazzard Remembers Ron Dellums
Photos by Oakland photographer Gene Hazzard Click on images to enlarge
Memories Of The Barbecue King Sisters
Beloved founders and owners of Everett & Jones Barbecue, one of Oakland's finest and most famous eating spots
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'The restaurant was her life': mary everett, Owner of Berkeley Everett & Jones, has died
Posted November 21, 2021 from The Chronicle — Mary Everett, who owned and operated the Everett & Jones barbecue restaurant in Berkeley, has passed away following complications due to COVID-19. ... -
Celebrating The Wonderful Life of Dorothy King
Funeral Services for Mrs. Dorothy King Jernegan, Owner of Everett & Jones BBQ Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA. Streamed live on Mar 31, 2021. -
Memories Of Dorothy King
The beloved founder and owner of Everett & Jones Barbecue, one of Oakland's finest eating spots
Honoring Our Freedom Fighters
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50th Black Panther Party Anniversary Celebration At Geoffrey's Inner Circle
Sports Movement icon John Carlos (who raised our consciousness along with his fist on the victory podium at the 1968 Olympics), Black Panther Party alumnus Tarika Lewis (the first woman ... -
Attorney John Burris Mentors Youth
Oakland Civil Rights Attorney John Burris is known for his high profile courtroom battles but another passion is mentoring youth. Originally aired February 14, 2018 on KTVU Click here to ... -
Dennis Pete, Black Prince And Panther
Dennis Pete is one of the older brothers of Inner Circle owner Geoffrey Pete. During the late 1960's, when the Black Panther Party was forming and recruiting young militant Black ... -
The Black Panthers: Black Power In Its Glory
Oakland native Dennis Pete pictured at right in Los Angeles Times article during demonstration on the steps of the Alameda County Courthouse in Oakland. -
John Burris, The Defender-Lion Of The Courthouse
John Burris casts a long shadow both in person and in civil rights law. In 2005 and 2009 he was named one of Californias leading 100 attorneys by the Los ...
Acknowledging Those Who Wove The Fabric Of Our Community
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Reid's Records: 65 Years Of Family-Owned Gospel
Reid's Records of Berkeley and Oakland is one of the founding institutions of the Oaktown Sound October 6, 2010 NPR Music "I learned to read record labels before I learned ... -
Making Moments Count: The Many Lives of 98-Year-Old Betty Reid Soskin
Posted September 8, 2020 from In The Balance — Susan Lambert talks with Betty Reid Soskin about fighting injustice, following your truth and making every moment count in this beautiful ... -
Slim Jenkins Supper Club And Market
Posted from "A Bit Of History" website Harold “Slim” Jenkins was an African American entrepreneur and owner of the renowned Slim Jenkins Supper Club on 7th Street in West Oakland. He saw the ... -
Scenes From The 2017 Charlie Reid Christmas Party
Held Sunday, December 17 at the Richmond Police Athletic League hall. -
Betty Reid Soskin reflects on her life and career as a singer, activist and ranger
Posted August 2, 2020 from USA Today — By Autumn Schoolman — Betty Reid Soskin has lived an extraordinary life. At 98 years old, she is the oldest Ranger with the National ... -
Oldest park ranger in the U.S. turns 100
Posted September 23, 2021 from ABC News — Betty Reid Soskin of Richmond, California, celebrated her 100th birthday on Sept. 22. She is a national park ranger and said she’s ...
Important Figures In And From Our Community
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CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MORRIE TURNER ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF WEE PALS
Posted March 4, 2019 from the newsletter of the African American Library & Museum of Oakland — By Marco Frazier The end of February, beginning of March marks the anniversary of ... -
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Dave ‘Davey D’ Cook passes the baton to a new generation
Posted April 26, 2021 from Berkeleyside — Davey D will appear live May 2 in a free Bay Area Book Festival conversation with Jeff Chang about their co-authored YA version ... -
In all things film, it's Ryan Coogler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oakland native Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is an American film director and screenwriter. His first feature film, Fruitvale Station (2013), won the top ... -
Rep. Barbara Lee: on 40 Years of Seeking Justice
Posted January 14, 2021 from Outrider — From her first days in Washington, her policy outlook stemmed from Black revolutionary ideas and street activism, something you’ll almost never find in ...
Black History All Year Round
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This Woman is Believed to be America's Last Slave
Aunt Sally Smith, also known as Redoshi, was kidnapped as a child from her hometown of Benin, Africa. -
Former Enslaved Talk About Slavery
Recorded in the 1940's. -
Conversation with a Native Son: Maya Angelou and James Baldwin
Novelist, essayist and outspoken black rights advocate James Baldwin talked about his career with Maya Angelou. -
A Brief History of The Minstrel Show
Minstrel Shows were a form of entertainment that included white actors in "blackface". These actors were portraying African-Americans and used stereotypes to label them as unintelligent and not to be ... -
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Pullman Porters - Ordinary Men, Extraordinary History
They made beds and cleaned toilets. They shined shoes, dusted jackets, cooked meals and washed dishes. Yet the Pullman porters created history in the face of adversity and racial prejudice. ... -
Baldwin-Buckley race debate still resonates 55 years on
It has been 55 years since civil-rights activist, James Baldwin, and founder of the conservative National Review, William F. Buckley, Jr., met for a debate on race in America. That ... -
"Camptown Races" sung by Al Jolson
"Minstrel" was America's original entertainment form, and arguably its most racist. In its beginnings in the 19th century, white groups put on elaborate shows supposedly modeled after Black speech and ... -
Hall Of Musical Giants
Those Notable Music Artists Geoffrey's Inner Circle Admires The Most
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“It Takes a While to Perfect Your Soul”: A Conversation With Sonny Rollins
Posted September 7, 2020 from Tidal — By Lee Mergner — There’s a young man, Aidan Levy, who is writing a biography on you. How are you going to feel ... -
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF THE GREAT JAZZ TRUMPETER LEE MORGAN
Posted February 9, 2020 from The New Yorker — By Richard Brody Some of the best offerings in 2016 New York Film Festival were documentaries. The festival opened with Ava DuVernay’s ...
The Oaktown Sound
The Groups And Individuals Who Shaped The Music Of Our Times
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Ise Lyfe, Oakland's Philosopher Warrior
Ise Lyfe (pronounced "Ice Life"), born Isaac Patrick-Francis Brown, is a spoken word and hip-hop artist as well as an educator, community organizer, and activist in his native Oakland, California. He won ... -
Lenny Williams, The Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh-Oakland Soul Singer
Ultimate soul crooner and Oakland native, Lenny Williams, possesses one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. With his rich, passionate vocal style, he is rightfully regarded as one ... -
Bonnie Pointer: Dead At 69
Posted June 9, 2020 from TMZ — Bonnie Pointer of Oakland's The Pointer Sisters has died ... TMZ has learned. The Grammy-winning Motown artist, who was originally part of the ... -
Larry Graham: A One In A Million Oakland Entertainer
Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny Graham Central Station was a showcase for the revolutionary pop-and-slap bass guitar of Larry Graham, an alumnus of Sly & the Family Stone largely responsible for originating the percussive groove ... -
Hand Jive - The Johnny Otis Show
Johnny Otis was the child of Greek immigrants who grew up among Black People in Berkeley, identifying with Black People and Black music for the rest of his life. As ... -
Oakland's The Natural Four
The Natural Four Artist Biography by Andrew Hamilton From allmusic.com The Natural Four began their quest for stardom in Oakland, CA, in the mid-'60s, landing their first deal with a local outfit ... -
Oakland's Own Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters began their formal vocal training in their father's church, The Church of God in West Oakland, California. They went on to achieve worldwide ... -
MASTERPLAN- CLINTON PARK, oakland, CA
Clinton Park is an Oakland neighborhood in the flatlands just east of Lake Merritt. In 1955, Clinton was home to one of the first federal urban renewal projects in the ...
Our Great Legacy Of Sports Stars
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Don Barksdale: Ground-Breaking Basketball Player
Don Barksdale was the first African American to play on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Unfortunately, the pro's did not allow black players at that time so he had to ... -
How Damian Lillard remains loyal to the soil he was raised on
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has two careers, and both are defined by his hometown neighborhood of Brookfield Village in Oakland, California. In this installment of ESPN Cover Story, ... -
Brian Shaw: The Shaw'Nuff B-Ball Truth From Oakland
Wikipedia Brian Keith Shaw (born March 22, 1966) is an American retired professional basketball player and former head coach for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He ... -
VADA PINSON – UNDERRATED AND OVERSHADOWED
By Bill Gutman “Vada never got the recognition; he never got any recognition at all. But not one time did I ever hear Vada badmouth anybody about it, never said a ... -
Jason Kidd: Homegrown Hero
Posted from The Gold Nugget — Jason Kidd was one of the most decorated recruiting prospects to come out of the Bay Area in the 1990’s. Despite receiving a vast ... -
Jim Hines—One-Time World's Fastest Human
Jim Hines, born in Dumas, Desha County, Arkansas, raised in Oakland, California, where he excelled in athletics at McClymonds High School, is an Olympic track and field star who won ... -
Curt Flood: The Oakland-Raised Ballplayer Who Fought for Free Agency
Posted August 30, 2021 from The Nation — For his talents on the diamond and his determination off of it, Curt Flood deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. ... -
Damian Lillard—Oakland Star Still Rising
Oakland native Damian Lamonte Ollie Lillard (born July 15, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college ... -
Damian Lillard out to show Lakers that 'running from the grind' is for chumps
Posted August 20, 2020 from CBS Sports — By Bill Reiter — The most telling sign of what Damian Lillard had in store to close the NBA bubble seeding games ...
