Redskins to place Sean Taylor in Ring of Fame. The Washington Redskins player who was killed last year after a burglary to his home will be posthumously remembered by his team Nov. 30. The Ring of Fame, which recognizes Redskins greats, will add Sean Taylor’s name to its 43 other inductees. A plaque will also be presented to Taylor’s family before the 1 p.m. game versus the Giants. Taylor, 24, was an All-Pro safety who died after he was shot in a major artery when he surprised teenagers who’d entered his Miami house. Venjah Hunte, one of the five suspects, has agreed to a 29-year prison sentence in exchange for his guilty plea and help in prosecuting the remaining accused.

Spike Lee says actor would “kill” as James Brown

If he can resolve his legal issues in an appeal of this spring’s verdict convicting him of tax violations, Wesley Snipes has a big role waiting for him. Director Spike Lee wants to produce a film based on the life of music legend James Brown, and says Snipes is the man to lead it. “He’s a phenomenal actor, and I truly feel that he’ll regain that power he once had,” Lee tells King magazine. “If my James Brown picture ever gets made, he’ll be playing James, and he’d kill in that, without a doubt. He still has chops.”

Michael Jackson’s underwear up for sale

Now you can know Michael Jackson like few fans have ever known him before: On-line shoppers who visit e-Bay may come across his Calvin Klein underwear. Though reportedly unwashed, the briefs come in a freshly sealed bag: They were taken as evidence by the Santa Barbara district attorney in 2003 when the singer faced child molestation charges. New Jersey businessman Henry Vacarro bought the unmentionables in a bankruptcy-related sale. No word on whether Vacarro called Mike to be sure he owns another pair.

“Lady T” honored along with Chaka Khan, Bill Withers.

Singer Teena Marie (above), long-time collaborator with the late Rick James, has been recognized by Philadelphia’s Rhythm & Blues Foundation for her 30-year career as an artist. Marie was one of nine artists who received a Pioneer Award Tuesday, along with singers Chaka Khan and Bill Withers, plus others. Grammy-winner Marie, whose first album cover featured no photo to keep secret the fact that she is White, still credits James with much of her success. Duets between the pair include the R&B classics “Fire and Desire” and “Love Them and Leave Them.”

Memorial for late comedian scheduled at 10,000 seat venue.

Comedian Bernie Mac will be remembered at noon tomorrow during public services at the House of Hope in Chicago. The 10,000-seat location was chosen as a place for fans, family and friends of the comedian to gather following his pneumonia-related death last week. Mac, whose real name was Bernard McCullough, was 50. The stand-up comic-turned-TV-and-film star has been mourned in public statements from celebrities Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Chris Rock, D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer, among others.

Detroit’s mayor could face new felony charges after confrontation with deputy
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has potentially added new problems to his list of felony charges stemming from a perjury case: A Wayne County sheriff’s deputy says the mayor assaulted him Tuesday while the deputy and an investigator were trying to serve a warrant. More details at BET.com/News.

The Army honors wrongly convicted Black soldiers
The U.S. Army will apologize to Black soldiers who were framed in 1944 for rioting and lynching an Italian POW in Seattle. Almost 65 years ago, 28 African-American soldiers were court-martialed after being falsely accused, but an Army appeals court found last year that the process was patently unfair. This week, the grandchildren and other relatives of the wrongly accused are descending upon Seattle to participate in tributes to the men. “We’re a little nervous to see where it all began, and we’re all wondering what kind of emotions will be elicited by coming to see where it all happened,” Lashell Drake told The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The Milwaukee woman’s deceased grandfather, Booker Townsell, was among those wrongly convicted, according to the newspaper. A book by author Jack Hamann uncovered the fact that the accused men weren’t even present at the time the Italian prisoner was lynched. Sadly, Hamann learned, Army investigators discovered this truth during the largest and longest court-martial of World War II but kept that crucial information on the down-low. According to the author, White soldiers resented Italian POWs because high school girls adored them. Among the prosecutors in the infamous case was Leon Jaworski, who later became a Watergate special prosecutor, according to the Post-Intelligencer.

Urban League praises lawmakers for housing-crisis bill
Urban League President Marc Morial gave Congress props on Thursday for working to give struggling homeowners a leg up during the current severe housing crisis, which disproportionately affects Black Americans. The landmark “American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008,” is now under consideration by the House of Representatives. In particular, Morial praised the following lawmakers for their involvement on the legislation: Chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Rep. Barney Frank; chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, Rep. Maxine Waters; chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick; chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel; and the entire Congressional Black Caucus. “These congressional leaders have ensured that the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention of Act 2008 not only addresses the larger problems of industry giants like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but also specifically targets urban, low-income and minority communities and homeowners who have been affected by unscrupulous sub-prime and predatory loans.” In its 2008 State of Black America Report, the National Urban League noted that Blacks hold nearly five times more installment debt than Whites, and the median net worth for African Americans is $11,800, versus $118,300 for Whites. The National Urban League has been in the housing counseling business for more than 40 years and currently serves over 40,000 homeowners per year.