RushmoreDrive.com, a search engine for the Black community and TheLoop21.com, a web site that provides in-depth analysis of economics and politics, have joined together to bring news and commentary from a Black perspective to their users.

Launched in April 2008, RushmoreDrive is a first-of-its-kind search engine for the Black community that delivers a blend of mainstream search results plus a layer of more relevant search results influenced by the Black community. It has developed several community and content partnerships in order to better serve its growing population of users known as RushmoreDrivers. While search is RushmoreDrive.com’s core offering, RushmoreDrivers also get news, Black opinions and an opportunity to search for jobs with companies that value diversity, all at the same web destination.

“We are extremely proud to be partnering with TheLoop21.com. Their in-depth analysis of economics and politics will enhance the editorial product for our users. The articles found on TheLoop21.com fit in nicely with our current editorial direction, which is to bring voices from the margins to the center on the web in spaces that are often overlooked as it relates to Black populations. TheLoop21.com will add value to our site because of the insightful, critical and provocative nature of their articles,” says RushmoreDrive.com Vice President Products & Content Kevin McFall.

TheLoop21.com’s Senior Editor Rachael Leone adds: “The entire staff at The Loop21 is delighted to be working with RushmoreDrive.com. We each believe very strongly in the need to inform in a way that is interesting and compelling. I am most excited for our respective Web communities, which benefit from even greater quality and variety of content.”

RushmoreDrive.com is the starting point and the destination for its users to find what is most relevant to the Black community. Like content partners North Star News and Global Grind, TheLoop21.com will bring a unique perspective to ongoing news that is important to the Black community.

“RushmoreDrive.com is a search-engine first and foremost, so it is always our goal to make sure that we seek partnerships that further develop additional components of the site. TheLoop21.com compliments the search function of our site by providing content that will help to enlighten and educate our users, subsequently inspiring them to search for more information on RushmoreDrive.com,” says Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO at RushmoreDrive.com.

Led by Publisher Darrell Williams, Ph.D., TheLoop21.com offers credible sources for understanding how economic events affect the daily lives of ordinary, working people. It is their mission to fill in the gaps where mainstream media has ignored or misunderstood the minority perspective, even when news events directly affected this specific population. Dr. Williams states: “I am very excited about this partnership because these two websites are equally committed to using technology to empower our communities. There is a need for relevant and informative content in our community beyond the stereotypes portrayed in mainstream media. The Loop 21 is all about providing informative, up-to-date, thought-provoking content to people of color. We are proud to join forces with RushmoreDrive.com, the premier search-engine for discovering relevant African-American content, in our effort to explain and clarify the complex events taking place today.”

The content partnership between RushmoreDrive and The Loop 21 will launch on Thursday, February 5th, 2009 and is designed to impact the community’s quest for Black History Month related information and beyond.

Source: RushmoreDrive.com