JFK Museum releases condolence mail 50 years later

 
BOSTON (AP) - A series of condolence messages sent after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated 50 years ago was released Tuesday from the personal papers of his widow, including a letter from the mother of one of four girls killed in the bombing of a Baptist church in Alabama during the civil rights movement.

The mail released by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston comes from the personal papers of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The series contains approximately 22,000 letters, telegrams and cards from people around the world.

One of the letters was sent by Maxine McNair, the mother of Denise McNair, who was 11 when she was killed in the September 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing of the 16th Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. The bombing occurred as Birmingham's schools were being racially integrated for the first time and came to symbolize the depth of racial hatred in the South. The event was later seen as helping to spur the passage of civil rights laws.

In her letter, Maxine McNair likens her shock when she heard about the president's assassination with the shock she felt when her daughter was killed.

"When the tragic news came across the air waves, again my heart said, 'It isn't true, It didn't happen,'" Maxine McNair wrote to Mrs. Kennedy in the letter, sent five months after her daughter was killed.

She tells Mrs. Kennedy that she and her husband are praying for her and her children.

"Isn't it strange how people with so much to give to the world are taken? That's God's will however, and not for us to questions," she wrote.

Unlike the condolence mail in the library's John F. Kennedy papers, the newly released documents were managed by Mrs. Kennedy's personal secretaries because they required special handling or included requests for charity, Mass cards, photographs or other wishes.

Each piece includes an outgoing response from Mrs. Kennedy's office.

The collection also includes a photograph of a young boy named Kennedy in Nigeria holding a picture of the president and a letter form a French teacher describing memorial tributes made by her students.

A 10-year-old girl from Louisiana wrote Mrs. Kennedy and invited her to visit.

"I think your (sic) the nicest lady in the whole world," she wrote. "I mean it, too."

The collection is only accessible by visiting the library, and is not available online.

The personal papers of Mrs. Kennedy were donated to the library by Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr.

Why Didn't Willow Smith Want to Star in Her Dad's Production of 'Annie'?

Quvenzhane Wallis will star as the lead in the upcoming Annie remake, which is co-produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith.

Surprisingly, though, Will's own daughter Willow Smith passed on playing the main part.

"I just wanted to chill, and be at home, and decompress, and just find out what I wanna do and where I stand on this planet, with the little tiny place we have," Willow said in an interview with V magazine, obtained exclusively by E! News.

"I'm enjoying just being independent and doing my own thing," she explained.

Both Willow and her brother Jaden Smith have already starred in feature films with their famous father, so maybe Willow wants to show the world that she's more than just "Will Smith's daughter."

Either way, it sounds like this 13-year-old is already doing some serious soul-searching. With the level of maturity she's exhibiting, maybe she could star in a remake of 13 Going on 30 instead!

Student of New Mexico shooting: 'Blood everywhere'

ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) - It was supposed to be like any other day.
Students escaping New Mexico's chilly temperatures congregated in the Berrendo Middle School gym before class started. Then, 13-year-old students Evan James and Kayla Koren, standing on opposite sides of the gym, heard a loud pop.
When they looked up, they saw blood and a fellow student on the floor, the victim of a gunshot wound to the face. A 12-year-old classmate holding a 22-gauge sawed-off shotgun stood nearby.
"I just saw blood everywhere," Essance Sosa, 12, said Tuesday. "Everyone started screaming and running."
Witnesses say that for the next 10 seconds or so, panic engulfed the gym and, eventually, the entire Roswell school Tuesday. Word began to spread that a student had opened fire, injuring a male and female student. Those who could, quickly texted parents and friends, and worried family members began frantically calling the school.
An 11-year-old boy was critically injured and a 13-year-old girl was in stable condition.
Officials credit John Masterson, an eighth-grade social studies teacher, with saving lives as he immediately stepped in and talked the boy into dropping his weapon. Masterson then held him until authorities arrived.
"He stood there and allowed the gun to be pointed right at him," Gov. Susana Martinez told a packed room of 1,500 or so people at a prayer vigil late Tuesday, "so there would be no more young kids hurt."
Officials also credit previous "active shooter" drills by Roswell Independent School District for preparing teachers and students, who say they were ready for what happened Tuesday morning. Students say they even thought the shooting was a surprise drill at first.
"I thought it was a drill. I really did," James said. "Then, I realized it wasn't."
Investigators still aren't sure why the boy, who has not been named by authorities or formally charged, opened fire. Authorities said the boy sneaked the shotgun onto campus through a bag or musical instrument case.
State Police Chief Pete Kassetas disputed a report from a hospital spokesman who said nurses treating the boy indicated he was the shooter's target. He said a motive still is not known.
"We just don't have a lot of information," Kassetas told reporters late Tuesday.
The suspected shooter was transferred to an Albuquerque psychiatric hospital following a hearing Tuesday, according to attorney Robert Gorence, who is representing his family. Gorence said the family would release a statement Wednesday.
Kassetas said authorities have issued search warrants for the boy's locker, his bag and his parents' home. He said he did not know what had been found by late Tuesday. They're not yet sure where the boy got the gun.
Officials at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, said an 11-year-old boy was flown there in critical condition and a 13-year-old girl arrived in serious condition.
The governor said late Tuesday that the boy underwent a second surgery. She identified the girl as Kendal Sanders, 13, and said her condition was upgraded to stable.
Martinez said the family of the injured boy has asked that his name not be released while he recovers.
During a prayer vigil at the Roswell Convention Center hours after the shooting, an emotional crowd gathered to sing and hug as pastors spoke of healing and forgiveness. Pastors urged residents to pray for the suspected shooter.
"No superintendent ever wants to go through something like this," Roswell Superintendent Tom Burris said. "If you ever do, you want to have a strong community like here in Roswell," which is a center for ranching and farming and has a population of about 50,000.
Before the vigil, an emotional Martinez spoke to students who witnessed the shooting and urged them to talk to counselors and "let it out."
That's what she told James, who listened and nodded.
"We're all in shock," Koren said. "I'm never going to forget what I saw."
___
Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque. Associated Press writer Betsy Blaney in Lubbock, Texas, contributed to this report.

Tamera Mowry Recalls Shocking Comments About Her Interracial Marriage

"White man's whore." "Back in the day, you cost $300, but now, you're giving it away for free." These are the hateful comments 35-year-old Tamera Mowry, one of the identical twin stars of the '90s television sitcom "Sister, Sister," says she received after she married Fox News Channel correspondent Adam Housley in 2011. In the above clip from "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" she opens up about the intense hatred she experienced on social media for marrying outside her race.
"See, this is where I get emotional, because it's hurtful," Mowry says. "Because when my husband and I are so openly -- and we're fine with showing -- is love. Love. But people choose to look past love and spew hate. That's what hurts me, because I've never experienced so much hate ever in my life, ever."
Growing up in a biracial family, Mowry says she couldn't even fathom the hateful words she's heard about her marriage. "My mom is a beautiful black woman and my dad is an amazing white man, and I grew up seeing a family," she says.
An especially hurtful comment she's heard involves her twin sister, who is married to actor Cory Hardrict. "They say, 'Oh, Tia's a true black woman because she married a black man,'" Tamera says. "Oh – I'm less of a black person because I married white?"
Though the words are painful, Mowry says she knows what she has. "I love my husband so much, I love our family, I love our dynamic. I'm proud to be in the relationship that I am because it's based on love," Mowry says. "Pure love."
"Oprah: Where Are They Now?" airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on OWN.

Target CEO 'Still Shaken' by Data Breach, Vows to 'Make It Right'

For Target Chairman and CEO Gregg Steinhafel, Dec. 15 started out as a normal Sunday. He was at home, having coffee with his wife. That's when he got the first call about the cyber security breach at the retailer, which would to date put the personal information of as many as 110 million customers at risk.

"My heart sunk," Steinhafel reflected, describing his initial reaction to word of the attack, which had hit Target at the worst time with the busy holiday shopping season in full-swing and Christmas just 10 days away.

"It's hard for me to describe the feeling that came over me," he revealed in a CNBC interview -- his first since Target acknowledged the attack -- four days after Steinhafel was initially informed.

While it's been about a month since Steinhafel learned of the breach, he said he's "still shaken by it." He said he's had many "sleepless nights" already, but expects many more because "we are not going to sleep until we get it right and we regain the trust of our guest. And we're gonna be better as a result of this."

He knows his customers are still frustrated, and said that "they have every right to be."
On Dec. 19, Target (TGT) first disclosed that as many 40 million credit and debit cards were compromised between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 by malware installed on the company's point of sale registers.

Steinhafel said Target's first priority was to remove the malware, which was accomplished by that Sunday evening.

"We were very confident that coming into Monday [Dec. 16], guests could come to Target and shop with confidence with no risk."

But this past Friday, Target said its investigation found that at least 70 million customers' personal information was stolen from its database -- including names, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses. Some victims didn't shop at Target during the time of the breach, said the retailer, which expects some overlap in the two data sets but doesn't have the exact numbers yet.

Steinhafel said he's aware of the anger felt by his customers because he's been getting an unvarnished view of the outcry. "No one screens my email. So I have read every single email that has come to me."

He said the emails "run the gamut of emotions" from support of the way the retailer has handled the situation, to what he described as some "fairly poorly chosen words to describe Target and myself."

Target also announced Friday that it lowered its fourth-quarter profit forecast, in part due to weaker-than-expected sales since reports of the cyber-attack emerged. Steinhafel said that shopping trends as of Friday were nearly back to normal.

"We have to do everything possible to make it right by every guest and earn that trust back," Steinhafel vowed.

---

Golden Globes 2014: All the big winners

Jon Voight - Best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or tv movie

Jon Voight poses in the press room with the award for best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or tv movie for "Ray Donovan" at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Sunday night's Golden Globes brought the laughs, the tears and even some surprises. From Jennifer Lawrence shaking while accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, Musical or Comedy to Jacqueline Bisset's very unusual speech, it was a show to remember. Check out the full list of winners below.

Best motion picture, Drama

"12 Years a Slave" -- WINNER
"Captain Phillips"
"Gravity"
"Philomena"
"Rush"

Best Actress in a motion picture, Drama

Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine" -- WINNER
Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
Judi Dench, "Philomena"
Emma Thompson, "Saving Mr. Banks"
Kate Winslet, "Labor Day"

Best Actor in a motion picture, Drama

Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Idris Elba, "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
Tom Hanks, "Captain Phillips"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club" -- WINNER
Robert Redford, "All is Lost"

Best motion picture, musical or comedy

"American Hustle" -- WINNER
"Her"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Nebraska"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"

Best Actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy

Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Wolf of Wall Street" -- WINNER
Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Her"

Best Actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy

Amy Adams, "American Hustle" -- WINNER
Julie Delpy, "Before Midnight"
Greta Gerwig, "Frances Ha"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Enough Said"
Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Sally Hawkins for "Blue Jasmine"
Jennifer Lawrence for "American Hustle" -- WINNER
Lupita Nyong'o for "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts for "August: Osage County "
June Squibb for "Nebraska"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Barkhad Abdi for "Captain Phillips"
Bradley Cooper for "American Hustle"
Michael Fassbender for "12 Years a Slave"
Jared Leto for "Dallas Buyers Club" -- WINNER
Daniel Brühl for "Rush"

Best foreign language film

"Blue is the Warmest Color"
"The Great Beauty" -- WINNER
"The Hunt"
"The Past"
"The Wind Rises"

Best director

Alfonso Cuarón for "Gravity" -- WINNER
Steve McQueen for "12 Years a Slave"
David O. Russell for "American Hustle"
Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips"
Alexander Payne for "Nebraska"

Best Animated Feature Film

"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Frozen" -- WINNER

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

"Atlas," "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire"
"Let It Go," "Frozen"
"Ordinary Love," "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" -- WINNER
"Please Mr. Kennedy," "Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Sweeter Than Fiction," "One Chance"

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

"All Is Lost" -- WINNER
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
"Gravity"
"The Book Thief"
"12 Years a Slave"

Best Screenplay

Spike Jonze, "Her -- WINNER
Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, "Philomena"
John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave"
David O. Russell and Eric Singer Warren, "American Hustle"

Best TV series, Drama

"Breaking Bad" -- WINNER
"Downton Abbey"
"The Goodwife"
"House of Cards"
"Masters of Sex"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

Robin Wright for "House of Cards" -- WINNER
Julianna Margulies for "The Good Wife"
Kerry Washington for "Scandal"
Tatiana Maslany for "Orphan Black"
Taylor Schilling for "Orange Is the New Black"

Best Actor in a TV series, drama

Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" -- WINNER
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Michael Sheen, "Masters of Sex"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
James Spader, "The Blacklist"

Best TV movie or mini-series

"American Horror Story: Coven"
"Behind the Candelabra" -- WINNER
"Dancing on the Edge"
"Top of the Lake"
"The White Queen"

Best Actor in a mini-series or TV movie

Matt Damon, "Behind the Candelabra"
Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra" -- WINNER
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "Dancing on the Edge"
Idris Elba, "Luther"
Al Pacino, "Phil Spector"

Best Actress in a mini-series or TV movie

Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake" -- WINNER
Helena Bonham Carter, "Burton & Taylor as Elizabeth Taylor"
Rebecca Ferguson, "The White Queen as Elizabeth Woodville"
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Coven as Fiona Goode"
Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector as Linda Kenney Baden"

Best TV Series, Comedy

"The Big Bang Theory"
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" -- WINNER
"Girls"
"Modern Family"
"Parks and Recreation"

Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy

Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
Michael J. Fox, "The Michael J. Fox Show"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Andy Samberg, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" -- WINNER

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy

Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Lena Dunham, "Girls"
Julia Louis Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation" -- WINNER

Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series, or TV movie

Jacqueline Bisset, "Dancing on the Edge" -- WINNER
Janet McTeer, "The White Queen"
Hayden Panattiere, "Nashville"
Monica Potter, "Parenthood"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"

Best Supporting Actor in a series, mini-series or TV movie

Josh Charles, "The Good Wife"
Rob Lowe, "Behind the Candelabra"
Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"
Corey Stoll, "House of Cards"
Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan" --WINNER

Jon Voight - Best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or tv movie

Jon Voight poses in the press room with the award for best supporting actor in a series, miniseries or tv movie for "Ray Donovan" at the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Sunday night's Golden Globes brought the laughs, the tears and even some surprises. From Jennifer Lawrence shaking while accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, Musical or Comedy to Jacqueline Bisset's very unusual speech, it was a show to remember. Check out the full list of winners below.

The best and worst dressed stars at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards brought out the previous year's biggest stars in film and TV. While we couldn't wait to see who took home the globes, the most important part of the night was obviously the red carpet.

To see who made our list of best and worst dressed at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards, click through the gallery above.

 http://www.stylelist.com/view/the-best-and-worst-dressed-stars-at-the-2014-golden-globe-awards/?ncid=webmail1

Oops! The best celebrity wardrobe malfunctions