ATLANTA—Mo’Nique takes her position as one of the limited number of Blacks to ever host a nationally televised talk show very, very seriously.

In fact, during a recent phone call from her Atlanta residence, the 2010 Academy Award winner spoke on the significance of her Oscar award in addition to her successful late-night talk show on BET.

MO’NIQUE

Although she earned the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the film, “Precious,” she downplays her acting abilities and out of respect for the acting artistry, continues to call herself a comedienne who happened to win the prestigious acting award.

“I still stand on the shoulders of pioneers like Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen,” she offered humbly, while naming Richard Pryor as her ultimate comedic hero. She didn’t provide any foresight on upcoming new movie roles. “I’ll let you know when it happens,” she said.

Robert R. Lavelle, the man who made buying a home a reality for thousands of Pittsburgh’s African-Americans when racism and red­lining made loans from traditional banks and mortgage lenders impossible, who wrote Bible verses on billing statements and who prayed for men who robbed his bank, has died. He was 94.

Lavelle passed away July 4, after having suffered a stroke on Father’s Day while giving the keynote address at Grace Mem­orial Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder, taught Sunday school and led a weekly Bible study for nearly 50 years.

ROBERT R. LAVELLE

The foun­der of La­velle Real Estate and the past president and CEO of Dwelling House Savings and Loan, Robert Lavelle was revered throughout Pittsburgh’s Black community, especially in the Hill District where he lived and ran his businesses.

Lavelle essentially rescued Dwelling House from near ruin in 1957. At that time his real estate company was seeking a mortgage on a nearby property, but was told the loan association could not comply due to withdrawals exceeding liquid assets. Open only a few days of the month, Lavelle suggested they open full time, that they share space with his firm, so they could afford to staff the then Dwelling House Building and Loan Association until it grew.

CHICAGO (AP)—Jesse Jackson criticized Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert on Sunday, saying Gilbert sees LeBron James as a “runaway slave” and that the owner’s comments after the free-agent forward decided to join the Miami Heat put the player in danger.

JESSE JACKSON

Shortly after James announced his decision last week, Gilbert fired off an incendiary letter to Cleveland’s fans, ripping the 25-year-old and promising to deliver a title before James wins one. He called James’ decision “cowardly” and later told The Associated Press he believes James quit during a handful of Cavaliers playoff games.

“He has gotten a free pass,” Gilbert told the AP in a phone interview late July 8. “People have covered up for (James) for way too long. Tonight we saw who he really is.”

With seven out of the eight murders for the month of June being Black and all 30 years old and under, enough is enough. And it’s us killing us. Now, one cannot even attend a birthday party without worrying about getting shot. It is time for action. It’s time to stop talking about it. The vigils, marches and peace talks are fine, but there is a need for us to do more. It’s time to use all the plans and ideas that have been created and put them into action. We cannot afford to lose another person.

As part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about the effects of murder in the Black community, the New Pittsburgh Courier will compile a list of homicides in the county each month. It is our hope that as the list of victims grows, so will a true understanding of how these lost lives affect the mental health, economic well-being and self-images of the region’s Black neighborhoods.