May 9, 2021
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Vol. 26, Issue 16
“Addressing Current & Historical Realties Affecting Our Community”
BLACK ANTIQUITY By: Neveah Richardson
There are probably over a thousand reasons I chose to attend Howard University. Between the legendary alumni and prestigious name, my decision wasn’t very hard, and finding out that Howard University was the only historically Black university to offer a Classics program was the icing on the cake. So you can imagine my disappointment when Howard University’s board of trustees announced their decision to cut the classics department this fall. The classics department was established in 1867, the same year the prestigious HBCU was Surprisingly, our “Chucks and Pearls” wear- founded. The department quickly became a ing HBCU graduate Vice President Kamala mecca for learning about Black people and their Harris also panders to White America by re- contributions to antiquity, but over the last desponding that she too, does not believe that cade, the program has been dissolving. America is a racist country, but that we need Howard University stopped offering a classics to speak truth on racism. major in 2009 after a commission to review the What’s contradictory about VP Harris’ re- university’s degree programs recommended the sponse, is that in order to speak the truth on removal of the classics major. racism in America, we have to admit that While the department itself will be closed come America is racist. fall 2021, students will still be able to minor in I want to believe that there is a general dis- classics, and the antiquity courses formerly held agreement on what makes a country racist. in the classics department Senator Scott argues will be available in other de- Antiquity cont’d that American people Tim Scott cont’d page 3 partments. page 7
UNCLE TIM
By: Roy Douglas Malonson
“Hear me clearly,” says Senator Tim Scott, currently the only Black Republican senator, “America is not a racist country.” Now, my expectations for 2021 are pretty low, but I never thought I’d hear such an egregious lie being uttered from the mouth of a Black person, no matter the political party. Senator Scott’s rebuttal came in response to President Joe Biden’s address to Congress Wednesday evening. As expected, many Republicans, conservatives, rightists, whatever they call themselves, rallied behind Scott to support the notion that the United States is not a racist country.
“OUR VOTE AND OUR MONEY ARE THE TWO MOST POWERFUL THINGS WE HAVE. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GIVE THEM TO.” - ROY DOUGLAS MALONSON
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May 9, 2021
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GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Is America a Racist Country? There are some things we know about human behavior and some we don’t. The 2016, Presidential leadership mentality brought to the forefront open racist behaviors. We know that Christian Right Evangelicals, The KKK, Qanon, The Oath Keepers, The Proud Boys, The GOP, Trump Loyalists, and all other White Nationalistic Groups are exclusionary and racists. They exhibit racism and make no apologies for their desire to maintain and promote White Privilege. Unfortunately, over three-fourths of the Caucasian population is also guilty of exhibiting racist overt behaviors. Shameful. Let’s be perfectly clear, there are no constitutional laws on the ledger that promote discriminatory actions towards any American. We know mankind and nations cannot legislate or decree morality. Democratic nation states can enact laws that hold individuals account-
able for discriminatory actions and their behavior based upon skin color. Moreover, we also know that laws are not always equally enforced by police officers, judicial systems, and the sentencing guideline systems. The spiritual root-cause in our democratic legal system of justice is that the moral-conscience of individuals who are charged with the responsibility of enforcing laws and ensuring justice for all is spiritually and morally flawed. These individuals seek to restructure the laws and enforcement of laws to accommodate their own personal biases. The propensity for enacting and breaking laws is spiritually grounded in mankind’s sinful nature as human beings based upon the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The JudeoChristian tradition initially had (613) original enacted laws and individuals could not adhere to any of them. Moses had a spiritual encounter with God on Mount Sinai, and God reduced the (613) laws to the Ten Commandments. Today, as Christians, we are unable to live by the Ten Commandments. God in his infinite wisdom and mercy sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as propitia-
tion for our breaking of God’s laws, and our sins against Him and mankind. Jesus reduced the Ten Commandments to the Two Great Commandments; which all of the other (8) commandments hang upon. “The first of all the commandments is, Hear O’Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 29-31). The racial confusion and strife that is running rampant in American society is fueled primarily by Christian Right Evangelicals and their counterparts, and their refusal to act godlike and be racially and ethnically inclusive. God’s laws are not burdensome, and can be reduced to two simple spiritual commandments, and these Godly instructional principles are for all individuals to live by and create a non-racist society. The laws of God supersede the laws of mankind, because they are infinitely constant and never change. - AANI
Partin’ the Waters By Omowale Luthuli-Allen
Who is going to hold our politicians accountable? HOUSE BILL 1927 1927 leaves us apoplectic and angered by the callous and low regard for the lives of weak and vulnerable neighborhoods and families. By voting for House Bill 1927, Second Amendment ultra right radicals and ‘so-called progressives set themselves on fire and fanned the flames in communities already on fire from the contagion of escalating gun violence in our city, state and nation. And who does HB 1927 serve? By canceling concealed carry licensing and permits, this bill works against the best practices for gun violence prevention. Opposed by many, if not most law enforcement agencies, it defies common sense and opens the floodgates for heightened violence and loss of life for all citizens and especially vulnerable populations. Low income communities and communities of color are awash
in unlicensed guns and owners with no required training will predictably experience greater severity and negative impact. The Houston Violence Prevention Coalitions and Texans for Gun Safety have ben pursuing policies that lead to gun safety and injury prevention. Succinctly, saving lives and lifetimes… A local trauma surgeon made this observation in 2018, “with bullets there is a blast effect. One bullet can affect multiple organs and vessels. We don’t hear about the ones that don’t die - paralyzed, lifelong pain, ostomy and disability. Mayor Sylvester Turner has pleaded for cessation to violence in families and our neighborhoods that has skyrocketed in frequency and severity during the pandemic. In 2018, Turner was angered by the gun deaths of 11 children over the past 16 months. He vowed to aggressively work with law enforcement to pursue gun violators. The resulting spike in gun crimes, including gratuitous and random violence has led to emergency rooms filled with trauma victims and continues to cause immense grief in our city. It is important to
Politicians cont’d page 5
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION It creates long-lasting Tim cont’d TrialScott cont’d nightmares and effects people rest of can be racist, not for thethe country. their lives. For many The issue with this is that racist of those who had people in America are often pro-a front seat Floyd’s tected and rewarded bytoAmeriexecution, they can laws. had the chance to We cannot say that racism in tell their stoAmerica is limited to a minor group of people, when ries we this are currently exposing entire systems for their racist practices. Systemic or institutional racism lies in the structures that build the United States. Systemic racism is racism that is immersed in the laws and practices of a society or organization. Examples of industries that have been proven time and time again to be embedded with racism include the educational system, the health care system, the economic system, the criminal justice system, etc. According tointhe for week as the trial his Centers death began. And from a 9-year-old to a paraDisease Control and Prevention, medic, they all expressed one thing Black, American Indian, and the officersNative lacked (AIAN) - humanity. We Alaskan womask are again, where was it?times more en two to three Humanity on the sidewalks likely to diewas from pregnancyflooded with people berelated deaths thanbegging their on white half of Floyd for mercy, but evil was counterparts. holding the man on the Data from theface-down U.S. Bureau of asphalt. It was a true depiction of Labor Statistics show that Black “the devil riding your back. ” Americans are two times more Minneapolis refighter EMTinsurGenlikely to not fihave health evieve Hansen testifi ed that she was ance than white Americans. Exoff duty and on a walk when she saw perts say that unconscious and Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck. explicit discrimination in health She says she told offi thathealth Floyd care contribute tocers the needed medical attention, but police disparities as seen during COVordered her to stay back. ID-19, which disproportionately “I would have been able to proaffected Black communities. vide medical attention to the best that Black ofThe my CDC abilityalso andnotes this human was women and men live denied that right,” a tearful shorter Hansen lives than“Itheir whitereasoning, counter-I described. tried calm parts. Black men have a life was extried to be assertive, I pled and pectancy of 71.9 years, while desperate. I was desperate to give white help.” men have a life expectancy ofShe 76.4was years. Black direct and women truthful, have with aemotions life expectancy of sad 78.5to years ranging from anger compared to reprimanded the life expectancy as the judge Hansen of lies deat for white being women, combativewhich with the 81.2 years. These numbers are fense during questioning. most likely due if toyou’ve healthever dispari“I don’t know seen ties and quality of food and but resomeone die in front of you,
April 4, 2021 May 9, it’s very upsetting, shewhite said during sources in Black ”and comcross-examination. munities. InThe addition to Hansen, ve other Columbia Law fiSchool’s b y standers testifi on Center for Intersectionalityedand tSocial h e Policy Studies second day of found that C h a u v i n ’ Black students face dispropor-s trial, tionate suspensioncriminal and disciincluding pline rates for the same behav-a 9-year-old iors as white students. Data also girl, three shows that Black girls, who h i are gh the most affected by disproportionate discipline, are overshadowed by the Black boys to white boys’ disciplinary ratio. The Black community has one of the highest unemployment rates as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 17.6% of Hispanics, followed by 16.8% of Black people are unemployed compared to 12.4% of the white population. And to top it all off, a study from the University of Michigan, Rutgers University, and Washschool students and a mixed ington University reportmartial that arts fighter. Black men are 2.5 times more Theytoallbe leftkilled from by diffpolice erent homes likely than on Maymen. 25, 2020, not knowing they white While Black and would arrive at themake same up destinaHispanic people 32% tionthe to beU.S. frontpopulation, and center to one of of they the darkest days of America that the represent 56% of the U.S. inworld would population. witness - in real-time carcerated thanks to social These are notmedia. instances of racwas sad and and kind of mad,by ” the ist“I actions ideologies a 9-year-old testifi ed. “Because it felt small amount of racist American like he was stopping his breathing, people, these are systems, creand it was kind of like hurting him.” ated and protected by American Donald Wynn Williams II, an MMA laws, that negatively affect the fighter, testified that he “called the lives racial and ethnic minoripoliceofon the police” to report the ties, specifically Black people. murder in progress he was watching. While find Senator Scott’s One of Ithe teenagers who took rethe marks to be untruthful, most widely known witnessHarris video, and the Democrats Darnella Frazier, saidcannot she sawleave her this conversation unscathed. own Black father, brothers, cousins Rather thaninadmit and friends Floyd. the truth and stand by the marginalized com“I look at that and I look at how that munities could have that been have one of supported them,” she the Democratic Party, Vice said through tears. “It’s been nights President Harris decidedtoto supI’ve stayed up apologizing George Floydnonsense for not doing moreto and not port and cater white physically interacting andher nottrack savAmerica. Considering ing his life. ” the Black communirecord with high school student tyAnother as a California Senator, is said, this at one point, Chauvin got out his surprising? mace and deep starteddown shaking at byI think thatit Black standers who begged officers to get
AFRAMNEWS.COM 3
off Floyd.who supported Demopeople “I was scared of Chauvin, ” she said. crats knew that President Biden Defense attorney Eric Nelson said and Vice President Harris offered Chauvin was following his police nothing but symbolism. I think usehoped of force we thattraining a Blackand and argued Asian Floyd’s cause of death was a combiwoman Vice President who atnation of drug use and preexisting tended one of our sacred HBhealth issues. CUs one of our Theand onlyjoined “health issue” thatmost day revered sororities would was a racist cop who was hellbring bent much progress and repto kill aneeded Black man. resentation. But lately, not it seems Chauvin, 45, has pleaded guilty that representation has become to charges of second-degree uninwhite supremacy in Black face. tentional murder, third-degree murAt and the second-degree end of the day, Repubder, manslaughlicans will wave their token neter. gro’s over themurder experiences The words second-degree charge of millions Black, Indigenous, says Chauvinofintentionally assaulted People of Color (BIPOC) AmeriFloyd with his knee, which unintentionally caused Floyd’s death. The can citizens. Thousands of studthird-degree murder ies have shown thatcharge racismsays is Chauvin acted “depraved embedded in with the astructures mind, make withouttheregard for human that United States life,” and as theitsecond-degree manfunction does. America IS slaughter charge says Chauvin’s a racist country, that’s an irre“culpabletruth. negligence” caused Floyd’s futable death. P.S. White people (I’m talking to
Minnesota’s sentencing guidelines you, liberals and “allies”) should recommend about 12.5 years BIin never use racial slurs against prison for each murder charge and POC. On social media there has aboutan four years for of thewhite manslaughbeen onslaught liberter charge. To us, none of those senals calling Senator Scott “Uncle tences carries enough time to make Tim” in relation to the caricaChauvin pay for what he did. ture Uncle Tom. are many So, will there be a There day of reckoning? white liberals allies Will there be and real so-called police reform? who are accusing Black people Will the Black man now get the of not being inclusive calling targeted bullseye off his for back? Will them out on their racism. White Black people band together, rebuild celebrities like their Jimmy and help police own Kimmel commuand Joy Behar have even as nities, lifting each other upgone to keep far as to try to explain racism to the racist cops away? And at the end Tim Scott. or Left, of it all, willRight this judge andconserjury do vative liberal, Republican or the rightorthing and put this monster Democrat, will beofcalled out behind bars?you It’s all part what they choose to admit they see in the vidfor being a racist. eo,Remember or what theyour choose to ignore. motto, “with“You can eyes that it’s out fear orbelieve favor, your we declare that a homicide, attorney NEWS will”beprosecuting reported through Jerry Blackwell told the “You an analysis of what is jurors. happening canour believe your eyes.” -- AANI in communities.” Black people, FIGHT for what you BELIEVE in. JUSTICE! - AANI
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May 9, 2021
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
JUANITA CRAFT By: Neveah Richardson
Did you know that the State Fair of Texas once had a policy of admitting Blacks only on “Negro Achievement Day?” Well, they did, and this woman helped put an end to that. Learn about renowned politician and civil rights activist Juanita Craft in this week’s “Know Your History” feature. Juanita Craft was born Juanita Jewel Shanks on February 9, 1902 in Round Rock, Texas. She was the granddaughter
of former slaves, and the only child of schoolteachers David Sylvestus and Eliza Balfour Shanks. Craft was raised by her mother until she died in 1918. After her mother’s death, Craft moved to Columbus, Texas to be with her father. After graduating high school in 1919, Craft attended Prairie View A&M Craft cont’d page 6
OVERLOOKING HBCU ATHLETES? By: Neveah Richardson
After last year’s draft having only one athlete from a Historically Black College and University selected, this year’s draft brings an even more shocking disappointment; not a single player from an HBCU was selected for this year’s draft. Pro Football Hall of Famer and head coach of the Jackson State football team, Deion Sanders, expressed his disappointment with this year’s draft in an Instagram post: “We have the Audacity to Hate on one another while
our kids are being NEGLECTED & REJECTED. I witnessed a multitude of kids that we played against that were more qualified than the drafted. My prayers are that This won’t EVER happen again. Get yo knife out my back and fight with me not against me!” Normally a dozen to two dozen players from small schools are selected in the NFL draft with an adequate number of HBCUs represented. HBCU cont’d As many Black colpage 7
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION Politicians cont’d note that the Sunnyside community was cited in a Houston Chronicle article as one of the three highest “gang inspired” and one of the five most dangerous crime neighborhoods in the U.S., primarily because of gun violence. If my memory is accurate, 50 murders of young adults took place over eight years during the 2000’s. Recently, I presided at a funeral of a male relative who was a victim of senseless gun violence in Sunnyside. Concurrently, two other funerals were underway for two victims of the same gun violence event at nearby
churches. Four pillars of the community transitioned due to senseless gun violence. This is also occurring at a time when mass shootings are becoming commonplace nationally, with 147 occurring since January 2019. Gun manufacturers who initially saw a sharp decline in sales and profits, began in the early 1990’s to manufacture “urban” weapons, including .25 and .32 caliber handguns with seductive and sexy names like Viper which are sold on the streets and out of automobile trunks. And it is sadly ironic that while this debate passed the Texas House of Representatives, we suffered yet another national gun violence mass killing in Indianapolis with eight people dead from an the rampage of an 18-year-old, effectively turning a workplace into a shooting gallery. Science has definitely shown that the teenage brain is too immature to negotiate the decision-making needed for responsible conflict resolution.
May 9, 2021
AFRAMNEWS.COM 5
It is also important to note that our communities are undergoing mental health crisis that continues to grow. Perpetrators often have guns but no access to mental health care, even when it is sought. Without the licensing that HB 1927 eliminates, there will be no mental health or other screenings for those seeking access to guns. In the current atmosphere of the increase in armed militia groups in the U.S. and in Texas, an attempt to prevent access to unlicensed guns to domestic terrorists and White Supremacists as defined by Homeland Security was voted down. The Prevention Institute says that
the poor outcomes among people with lower incomes and communities of color” is not coincidental, and it is not about poor choices. “These poor health outcomes have been produced by historical and current-day policies, laws, and practices.” Our politicians, especially the Democratic politicians who supported this reckless legislation, should walk 1927 back and apologize to their communities for this flagrant lapse in judgement and accountability for the welfare of the citizens they represent. If this piece has led to a higher understanding or more empathy for the victims of random and senseless gun violence, we should demand that the architects of this lunacy walk it back. Call your SENATOR and ask them to KILL HR 1927. We hold kids accountable, who is going to hold our politicians accountable? - AANI
Because Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has more stories to tell. Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Overcoming obstacles isn’t just part of our history, it’s our heritage. It’s why the story of COVID vaccines has Black doctors and scientists at its center. And one of the reasons Dr. Gates didn’t wait to get his vaccine. Learn more at cdc.gov/coronavirus Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Craft cont’d University where she studied sewing and millinery. After two years at Prairie View, she moved back to Austin, Texas and received her teaching certificate from Samuel Huston College. (Samuel Huston College officially merged with Tillotson College to form Huston-Tillotson College, which became the sole provider of higher education for African Americans in Central Texas until the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.) By 1925, Craft was working as a maid at the Adolphus Hotel and later as a seamstress. Craft joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1935, eventually becoming the Dallas NAACP membership chairman in 1942 and the Texas NAACP field organizer in 1946. She helped to organize 182 branches of the NAACP over 11 years. In 1944, Craft became the first Black woman in Dallas County to vote in a public election. In 1955, she organized a protest of the State Fair of Texas against its policy of admitting Blacks only on
“Negro Achievement Day.” Craft also assisted in the organization of protests and pickets in segregated lunch counters, restaurants, theaters and public transportation. Following the 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education, Craft worked to integrate the University of Texas Law School and the Dallas Independent School District. She attempted to help enroll the first Black student at North Texas State College (Now the University of North Texas), a battle eventually won through litigation. She later served two terms on the Dallas City Council from 1975 and 1979. Craft became a towering historic figure in the Civil Rights Movement in Texas, and was given many awards for her efforts, including the NAACP Golden Heritage Life Membership Award in 1978 and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award in 1984. Craft was recognized by the NAACP for her 50 years of service shortly before her death at the age of 83 on August 6, 1985. - AANI
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
May 9, 2021
Antiquity cont’d “We obviously believe that the content that we offer in classics is important, but we also must contemporize that teaching with practical application,” Dr. Wutoh, provost and chief academic officer at Howard University, told the New York Times. In 2017, another review of Howard University’s academic programs based on enrollment and matriculation suggested that the university dissolve the classics department because it does not provide major courses and general courses can be taken through other
departments. According to Dr. Wutoh, limited funding, low enrollment, and low student interest were reasons for
and Sciences, while the contracts of four non-tenured faculty members will not be renewed. Dr. Prather, one of
the closing of the historic department. The board of trustees of the university have approved of the department’s four tenured faculty members to remain within the College of Arts
the non-tenured faculty members of the classics department, said in an interview that seeing the department dissolved was disheartening at a university where the study of antiquity is
HBCU cont’d
bine benefited at least two participants including North Carolina A&T defensive back Mac McCain and Fayetteville State tackle Kion Smith. Both players signed as undrafted free agents with McCain signing with the Denver Broncos and Smith signing with the Atlanta Falcons. “For a lot of these guys, the only look they got was the HBCU combine,” said Payne. “Our goal was to give them either a first look or a second look. So, we’re grateful for the chance to give them that look.” Seeing numerous players, including Smith and McCain, get signed after the draft assured the HBCU combine organizers
that they were making the right decisions regarding who they were inviting. Payne and his partners are continuing the combine next year and are encouraging even more prospects and scouts to attend. The organizers are confident that the next HBCU combine will yield even better results. While the 2021 HBCU shutout raised the fears of many about the future of HBCUs and the NFL, it is worth noting that all small schools were severely disadvantaged because of the pandemic. “I believe it’s not intentional,” Payne said of the HBCU shutout, “so we’re going to give you an opportunity to see them again.” - AANI
leges and universities shut down their football seasons due to Covid-19, many HBCU hopefuls were rendered invisible. The MEAC, CIAA, SIAC, and the debut of an NFL-organized combine for HBCUs were all canceled because of the pandemic. Milwaukee industrialist Ulice Payne Jr. and Bethune Cookman assistant coach Charles Jones arranged their own HBCU combine for April in Birmingham, Alabama. For many players, this combine served as the only way for prospects to demonstrate their skills to scouts. It seems that the com-
AFRAMNEWS.COM 7
told from a Black perspective. Dr. Prather says she focuses on “tearing down the colonization of our minds.” She takes students on a voyage through time starting with Blacks in antiquity all the way up to Black people in the present day. The journey emphasizes that slavery is only one piece of the many experiences of Black people. At Howard University, the classics department is a rebuttal to arguments that perceive the study of the ancient Greco-Roman world as an erasure of Black heritage. Students learn how common themes in antiquity are present
in the works of our most esteemed political leaders such as Huey P. Newton and Angela Davis. Abolitionist Frederick Douglass read the speakers of Cicero and many other classic texts and dialogues. What does the disbandment of the classics department mean for Howard students pursuing antiquity, better yet, what does the disbandment mean for the entire field of antiquity? The classics field is suffering from unrelentless white-washing. Howard University’s classics department plays a pivotal role in creating a pipeline of Black people in the
field of antiquity. Closing the classics department at Howard University, the only classics department at a historically Black university, is allowing the field of antiquity to continue to be told from white narratives. At a time where the contributions to society by Black people are being covered up by white experts in the field, Howard University’s goal should be to continue being the backbone of diversity in the classics field. Black people in antiquity is crucial to exposing the true history of not only Black people, but Western civilization as well. - AANI
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