January 14, 2024
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
Vol. 28, Issue 52
FREE
We the People In 2024 we need to stay focused and be proactive instead of reative. - Roy Douglas Malonson
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS By Jazz Paz
It is no coincidence that the month of new HARRIET TUBMAN year’s resolutions is the month of mental health especially for Black and brown COMMEMORATIVE COINS awareness, people. Sixty-seven per cent of Texans declared The eagerly awaited redesign of the $20 bill, featuring the iconic Harriet Tubman, may still be years away. To bridge the gap, the U.S. Mint has taken a remarkable step by unveiling three commemorative coins in honor of Tubman this year. These coins not only mark the bicentennial celebration of Tubman’s birth but also pay tribute to her extraordinary life as a dedicated abolitionist. Harriet Tubman, born into slavery in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, made a daring escape to freedom in
1849 by following the North Star. Her courage extended beyond her personal emancipation as she risked her life to guide numerous African Americans to liberty. Tubman’s return to the South to assist others in their pursuit of freedom showcased her unwavering commitment to the abolitionist cause. As visitors today trace the footsteps of this famed abolitionist along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, they encounter numerous sites in Maryland, with additional stops in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Coins on pg. 3
themselves to be African American or brown in the 2020 national census. In these communities self-care is often seen as self-indulgence rather than urgently necessary. When expressions of emotional distress are taboo, they become difficult to recognize and admit to. Too many individuals experience a mental health diagnosis as a label that implies a weakness. Being a “strong people” encourages victory in athletics and other physical successes, but not in activities that promote emotional or mental growth, especially for men. Mental Health on pg. 3
2 AFRAMNEWS.COM
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Contributing Writers Dr. Bobby Mills Rachel Thompson Jazz Pazz Asia Williams William Monroe Trotter Jr. Shelley McKinley Tristar Web Graphics - Layout Design/Print Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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January 14, 2024
ONCE FORBIDDEN HISTORY OFFERS HOPE
By: Ben Jealous
Even Ron DeSantis had to admit, when pressed at a CNN townhall, January 6 was a bad day for America. Invariably, following this past week’s anniversary of the insurrection, we’re forced to ask ourselves: Will we ever be able to pull this country back together again? It’s a reasonable question. The fissures run deep. For the answer to that big, terrible question, I turn to the history books. And to the history of our country that was long kept out of those books. In the wake of the Civil War, America was still a tinder keg. In 1867, two years after the Civil War had ended and nine years before another almost erupted, Frederick Douglass laid out the argument for why, as Americans, we should remain optimistic about our future and our ability to come together. In “Our Composite Nation,” Douglass explained, a nation’s character is defined by that nation at its best, not its worst. And America’s character (at our best), our geography, and our already diverse population “all conspire to one grand
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
EDITORIAL
end” … to make us the most “perfect national illustration of the unity and dignity of the human family, that the world has ever seen.” It seemed a tall order in those tough times, as it does now. And yet close to 15 years after he gave that speech, a new movement erupted in Petersburg, Virginia that swept across the old Commonwealth uniting freedmen and former Confederate soldiers in a shared quest to save the public schools. The Readjusters Party emerged amid an attempt by the old plantation owner oligarchs to reassert their influence, following the HayesTilden Compromise. The Compromise – which both prevented the possible outbreak of a second civil war and unleashed the terror of the Ku Klux Klan – resolved a bitter dispute over the election of 1876 and re-enfranchised former Confederates. With the Confederates’ votes restored, the old oligarchs presumed their political power was assured. But they made a fatal mistake. They tried to dissolve the free public schools created by Black-led Reconstruction governments, claiming war debt made them unafFor more visit fordable. aframnews.com
And all that Jazz Esperanza Jazz Paz
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MLK Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. His day is observed as a national holiday celebrating the inoffensive, neutered hero of sweet peace and love on the third Monday of January each year. But that Disneyfied legacy that has been highjacked to promote Donald Trump’s declaration to the country that he shares in “King’s dream of equality, freedom, justice, and peace,” and MLK Day sales of Ram trucks and mattresses. However, this sanitized, tied up with a bow image is not the one recognized by Americans alive when King was. Dr. King was feared and reviled by the establishment during his lifetime. His home was bombed. There were two other attempts to murder him, twenty-five years apart. He was jailed on mendacious charges twenty-nine times. When the FBI declared him a communist, and “the most dangerous Negro of the future of this Nation” they wiretapped his home
and office. Nationally and locally Black pastors vociferously repudiated him from their pulpits. When President Kennedy became aware of the plans for the March on Washington, he tried to abort it. When that failed, he attempted to control it by positioning an administration official to the right of the Lincoln Memorial with an automatic cut-off switch in case King uttered an objectionable word. Fifteen years dead, 22 United States senators voted against an official holiday honoring him after North Carolina senator Jesse Helms commandeered a 16-day filibuster against it. King stood for patience, middle-class respectability, and social justice especially for Blacks, which was intolerable to white Christian Americans. Alternatively, youthful Black urban radicals urgently demanded defiance and instantaneous relief. They charged the suit-wearing, calm-spoken civil rights leader as being irresponsibly passive and archaic in his attitude. Malcolm X called King’s campaigns “criminal” for not teaching his followers to defend themselves when they experienced brutal police attacks.
For more visit aframnews.com
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION Coins Cont. The historical significance of these locations serves as a testament to Tubman’s bravery and the Underground Railroad’s pivotal role in emancipating enslaved individuals. The decision to feature Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill has been in the federal authorities’ contemplation since 2016. This initiative aims to replace President Andrew Jackson, a slaveholder responsible for the forced expulsion of thousands of Native Americans from their land. The historical representation on U.S. paper money has predominantly featured portraits of white men, and Tubman’s proposed redesign is expected to bring a much-needed shift in this narrative. However, the wait for this significant change is anticipated to extend until 2030. In the interim, the U.S. Mint has introduced a series of commemorative coins, including a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin, and a half-dollar clad coin, each highlighting distinct chapters
of Harriet Tubman’s remarkable life. The
front of the silver dollar captures Tubman in a statuesque pose, extending her hand, while the reverse side depicts silhouettes crossing a bridge formed by clasping hands beneath the Little Dipper constellation. This artistic representation symbolizes Tubman’s
reliance on the North Star during her escape to freedom and her subsequent role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. The half-dollar coin delves into Tubman’s involvement in the Civil War, portraying her as a scout and spy for the Union Army. On one side, she is depicted holding a spyglass, emphasizing her crucial role in
January 14, 2024 gathering intelligence. The other side commemorates the Combahee River Raid, a historic event where Tubman led an expedition that successfully rescued more than 700 enslaved individuals. The portrayal of Tubman at the forefront of two boats on this coin serves as a poignant reminder of her groundbreaking leadership during this critical moment in history. The gold coin, representing Tubman’s life after the Civil War, features her face on the front. The reverse side showcases two weathered hands grasping each other, symbolizing Tubman’s enduring altruism. This poignant imagery pays tribute to her post-war efforts in advocating for civil rights and humanitarian causes. Beyond their symbolic significance, the sale of these commemorative coins is expected to contribute to meaningful causes.
Mental Health Cont. According to the National Institute of Health, Black and brown people are twice as prone to depression. anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder than whites, and that racism, discrimination, and poverty all contribute to psychological disorders. These burdens foster the temptation to unwisely hide our mental struggles to defend against further bigotry, especially since the media (like, Silence of The Lambs or The Joker), flaunt mental impairment through characters that are dangerous, crazy, murderers. An exacerbating contributor to mental stress is that helpful resources can be difficult to obtain when people lack health insurance, work irregular schedules, or are without reliable
AFRAMNEWS.COM 3 transportation, but relief exists for those who suffer. The Hope Line (832-831-7337) at the Hope and Healing Center offers free 30-minute peer counseling over the phone as well as free support for adults (https://hopeandhealingcenter.org/). The Harris Center for Mental Health (24/7 crisis line 713970-7000; toll-free 866-970-4770) serves those with or without legal status, in English and in Spanish, and can provide transportation (https:// www.theharriscenter. org/). If you need immediate suicide or mental health support or are worried about someone else, call or text 988. If you are called upon to assist a friend or family member besieged by distress,
recommend that they get or continue seeing a professional advocate as well as: • Listen to them. Empathize. Avoid judgement, just be a safe understanding hearer. • Remind the person of their inherent worth and of their specific value to you. • Ask how you can help. Depressed people might need reminders to take their medication, eat healthfully, or to keep their appointments. • Suggest that they embrace their faith if that is part of their life. For many people, faith is important to recovery whether taking part in a religious community or personal spiritual beliefs and practices.
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January 14, 2024
NATIONAL
DR. KING’S “THE THREE EVILS OF SOCIETY”
By: Mohammed Khaku Allentown
The weapon of neo-imperialism is “dollarism.” The Zionists have mastered the science of dollarism: Every year in the month of January we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s (MLK) day without pondering or contemplating the true message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We engage in empty or futile rituals of song, dance, and flowery speeches in his memory over the years. We have built statues, monuments, and named streets in his honor while erasing the immense gravity of his message. If you ask ten youths to name the best speech of Dr. MLK one will respond, “I have a dream” speech. However, Dr. King’s legacy is immeasurable and yet not many youths know about MLK. He wrote five books. He gave as many as 450 speeches, but many of his dreams and hopes for our country don’t get the attention they deserve.
Today, there are governors and school board members who are restricting education of slavery, the civil rights movement, Jim Crow, and teaching of Dr. MLK history in schools. Since January 2021, researcher Jeffrey Sachs says, 35 states have introduced 137 bills limiting what schools can teach with regard to race, American history, and politics. MLK’s speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” was the last sermon of Dr. MLK before his assassination delivered on April 3, 1968, at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. This speech is so relevant as it was some 56 years ago to our present-day genocide in the holy land of Palestine. However, Malcom X was extremely forthright about Zionism. Read the article in The Egyptian Gazette, Sept. 17, 1964, title Zionist Logic:
The weapon of
neo-imperialism is “dollarism.” The Zionists have mastered the science of dollarism: https://www. marxists.org/history/ etol/newspape/ socialist-viewpointus/mayjun_05/ mayjun_05_21.htm Dr. King spoke beyond the subject of the injustices felt by city sanitation workers who were on strike and demonstrating. His sermon was meant to inspire the sanitary workers in spite of the immediate threat of death and prosecution. One can see that today where anyone demonstrating or boycotting against Zionist regime and there is fear of being fired from their job or prosecuted for antiSemitic. The “mountaintop”
speech was a symbol used by Dr. King of four civic virtues of struggle, hope, patience, and submission to the will of God. For more visit aframnews.com
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
LOCAL
EIGHTYEAR-OLD SONGWRITER Anastasia PatokaSmith, a young singer/songwriter from Houston, has recently released a captivating new song titled ‘Ode To My Afro’. This empowering track celebrates the beauty of natural hair and promotes selfconfidence in young girls. Anastasia, with her remarkable talent and creativity, wrote this inspiring song at the tender age of eight. ‘Ode To My Afro’ captures the essence of wearing natural afro hair, symbolizing a new global standard of beauty. It encourages individuals to rock
their natural hair with pride and confidence, breaking stereotypes and embracing their roots. With catchy pop and funk elements, ‘Ode To My Afro’ has received an overwhelmingly positive response from both kids and adults. The song’s fusion of genres appeals to a wide audience, it is available on popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and more. Anastasia PatokaSmith’s talent and passion for music shine through in every note of ‘Ode To My Afro’. She proudly represents her African
American and Ukrainian heritage, making music that is straight from her roots. She loves music from the 70s and 80s, inspired by legendary songs from the past. Her goal is to represent global beauty, expending
musical boundaries.
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January 14, 2024
AFRAMNEWS.COM 5
NATIONAL
OPTIONS FOR PROPERTY TAXES Houston —Texas homeowners may postpone paying the currently delinquent property taxes due on the appreciating value of their homes by taking advantage of a payment option called “residence homestead tax deferral” and filing a tax deferral affidavit at the Harris Central Appraisal District. This tax relief allows homeowners to pay the property taxes
on 105 percent of the preceding year’s appraised value of their homestead, plus the taxes on any new improvements to the homestead. The remaining taxes are postponed – but not cancelled – with interest accruing at 8 percent per year. Once the homeowner files the tax deferral affidavit with the appraisal district, no taxing unit can start or continue a lawsuit
for the deferred taxes as long as that person owns and lives in the home. When the homeowner no longer owns and lives in the home, the deferred taxes and interest become due. If the taxes are not paid, taxing units can then sue to collect the deferred taxes and interest. Additional penalties are possible. If you have a mortgage, most mortgage companies require tax
payments to be current so it is important to check with the mortgage company to make sure deferring taxes does not violate the terms of the deed of trust. “Homeowners should be sure they have applied for and received their homestead exemption. This easily can be done without cost through the Harris Central Appraisal District’s website or mobile
app,” said Chief Appraiser Roland Altinger. Exemption forms and applications can be found on the appraisal district’s website, www.hcad.org, under the Forms tab on the top tool bar. A homestead exemption can provide a tax savings for the property owner and will reduce future tax burdens. For more information about deferring taxes on the ap-
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preciating value of your home, contact the Harris Central Appraisal District’s information center at 713.957.7800 or email help@hcad. org . Information is also available on the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division’s website at www. window. state.tx.us/ taxinfo/ proptax/.
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OBITUARY
REP. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON DIES AT 89 Retired U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson has died, her family said Sunday on social media. She was 89. A towering Dallas political figure — once a nurse, state legislator and congresswoman — Johnson was the dean of the Texas Congressional delegation before retiring from office in 2022. She proved effective at her work due to her long tenure serving in the U.S. House — nearly 30 years at the time of her passing — and a pragmatist streak that made her open to working with Republicans. “I am heartbroken to share the news that my mother, Eddie Bernice Johnson, has passed away,” Johnson’s son, Kirk Johnson, wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. “She was a remarkable and loving mother, motherin-law, grandmother and great grandmother, as well as a trailblazer and public servant. While we mourn the loss of an extraordinary woman, we celebrate her life and legacy.” Born in Waco on Dec. 3, 1934, Johnson became one of the most powerful Texas Democrats in recent memory to serve on Capitol Hill. She was the lone Texas-based committee chair in either chamber when she
became the chair of the
House Science, Space and Technology Committee. She broke many glass ceilings: she was the first Black woman elected to any seat in Dallas, she was the first nurse and Black Dallasite to serve in Congress, and she was only the third Texas woman — behind Lera Thomas and Barbara Jordan, both from Houston — to represent the state in the U.S. House. “I am stunned and saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote on X Sunday morning. “Congresswoman Johnson was a groundbreaking leader for this country and for our state and city, and there really are no words to express my profound sense of grief and loss at the passing of this legendary American.” Johnson will lie in state at the Hall of State in Dallas’ Fair Park on Monday, Jan 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a wake service will follow at Concord Church from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Johnson’s funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Concord Church. A graveside service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Jan. 10 at Texas State Cemetery in Austin before Johnson is
laid to rest. Johnson’s ascent Johnson said her first introduction to a career in fighting racial injustice came when she was in elementary school. That’s when she met Doris “Dorie” Miller, a Black Navy man who was relegated to mess duties due to segregation policies while stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. During the Dec. 7 attack, he joined the combat to shoot down Japanese planes with no munitions training, becoming a heralded war hero. Get our biggest scoops and breaking stories, delivered to your inbox “I met Mr. Miller when I was in the first grade. I shook his hand and I just knew that I wanted to do something to thank him for his service in the military,” she told KXAS in 2020. “I
collected money in my neighborhood to buy him something nice for his return, but he never made it back.” Miller died when a torpedo struck his ship in the Pacific theater in 1943. Decades later, Johnson helped get a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier named after Miller, which was the
first to be
named after a Black man. After graduating from A.J. Moore High School in 1952, Johnson sought to work in the medical field. Segregated Texas had no nursing program she could attend, so she went to St. Mary’s College at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where she received a nursing certificate in 1955. She received a bachelor’s of science from Texas Christian University in 1967, followed by a master’s of public administration from Southern Methodist University in 1976.
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