Joanne Shenandoah, celebrated Native American singer, dies

international pageant that defied politics and the coronavirus pandemic.The 21-year-old titleholder said she was feeling “overwhelmed because it’s been 21 years since India got Miss Universe crown — and it’s happening right now.”Miss Universe 2021 Andrea Meza of Mexico crowned her successor in the contest set in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat. The event took place the middle of the night — wrapping up at 5 a.m.

SEATTLE -- Two artists are facing federal charges that they faked Native American heritage to sell works at downtown Seattle galleries.Lewis Anthony Rath, 52, of Maple Falls, and Jerry Chris Van Dyke, 67, also known as Jerry Witten, of Seattle, have been charged separately with violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which prohibits misrepresentation in marketing American Indian or Alaska Native arts and crafts.The U.S.

Sarah Paulson is responding honestly to criticism of her career choices.

EXCLUSIVE: Brendan Moriarty (Road to Freedom) is gearing up to direct In the Night, a human trafficking thriller starring Gary Cairns, Jay Giannone, Vincent De Paul, Clayton T. Smith and Aizhan Lighg, which is inspired by real accounts from CIA agents.

African American Film Critics Association‘s annual list of the top 10 films of the year, the AAFCA announced on Wednesday.

EXCLUSIVE: Sobini Films has tapped Bobby Smith Jr. (Jason’s Lyric) to write Voluptuous, a one-hour series based on the books Bare Essentials and Bound by Desire by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Jackson.

EXCLUSIVE: Basketball legend and activist Jaci McCormack has teamed up with award-winning writer Erica Tremblay (Little Chief, Yellow Bird) of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation to pen Rise Above, a feature film about the challenges and triumph and how her love of basketball protected and elevated her through it all. 

dubbed the “wokest” ever. The 23-year-old beat 50 other contestants at the event Monday night at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Elle Smith was crowned 2021 Miss USA at Monday night’s pageant.Smith won the competition at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The University of Kentucky graduate will now represent the USA in the Miss Universe pageant on December 12 in Eilat, Israel.The university congratulated Smith on Twitter.Smith, who majored in journalism, is a reporter for WHAS11 News. Smith’s colleagues also congratulated her on the winning the Miss USA 2021 title.

Elle Smith aka Miss Kentucky is officially the 2021 Miss USA! The 23-year-old beauty was crowned the winner during the live television event at the Paradise Cove Theater of River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, OK on Nov. 29, and appeared to be thrilled about her new title.

Lee Elder, who broke down racial barriers as the first Black golfer to play in the Masters and paved the way for Tiger Woods and others to follow, has died at the age of 87.

Joanne Shenandoah was a singer and songwriter celebrated as “Native America’s musical matriarch.”Shenandoah was a member of the Oneida Indian Nation and grew up on the Oneida Reservation in New York. She was a direct descendant of the 18th-century tribal chief Skenandoa.

Stephen Sondheim, the songwriter who reshaped the American musical theatre in the second half of the 20th century with his intelligent, intricately rhymed lyrics, his use of evocative melodies and his willingness to tackle unusual subjects, has died. He was 91.

Bob Bondurant, a racecar driver-turned-instructor who taught and guided such actors as Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Christian Bale and Nicolas Cage for racing movies and other fast-car films, died on Nov. 12 at an assisted living facility in Paradise Valley, Ariz. He was 88.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorThere is a Native film from 1989 about a road trip called “Powwow Highway” starring Gary Farmer and A Martinez. It’s a wonderful film that I enjoyed, and I highly recommend it to people who haven’t seen it.