www.afro.comJanuary 11, 2014 - January 11, 2014,
Volume 122 No. 23
The Afro-American A1 $1.00
JANUARY 11, 2014 - JANUARY 17, 2014
Nobel Peace Prize Vindicated Martin Luther King Jr. for Stand on Non-Violence Nation to Celebrate MLK’s 85th Birthday Jan. 20 By Zachary Lester AFRO Staff Writer When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at age 35, he was the youngest person to ever be presented the prestigious honor. He was the third Black recipient and the second African American, following Ralph Bunche, the famed political scientist and diplomat who was honored for his mediation work in Palestine. Besides the personal honor, though, historians said the award gave credence to his approach of meeting violence with peaceful resistance.
In a story that ran on the front page of the AFRO on Oct. 24, 1964, King called the award “vindication” for his work. The story was written by reporter James D. Williams after he interviewed King in an Atlanta hospital where he had checked in for a
physical and rest. “This has given me new courage to carry on and I am convinced that is more than an honor to me personally, but a great tribute to the colored people,” King told Williams.” He was 35 when he received the prize in a ceremony in December 1964 at Oslo University in Norway. According to a UPI story that ran on the front page of the AFRO on Dec. 19, 1964, he was selected “for championing the principle of non-violence in the struggle to achieve racial equality.” King was presented a diploma, a gold medal and a check for $54,600. In his acceptance speech, King called the award “profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time—the need for man to overcome oppression 12-12-64 and violence without AFRO resorting to violence and oppression.”
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Correctional Officer Sentenced in Jail Racketeering Conspiracy
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Morgan State University Winter Commencement
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Failed Miracles
African Walk on Water Failure – A Myth That Won’t Die By Zenitha Prince AFRO Senior Correspondent Heard the story about the West African pastor who drowned while trying to recreate Jesus’ miracle of walking on water before his congregation? If you haven’t, you may be the only one. Since the story of the alleged physics-defying attempt was posted Dec. 28 by MJ Celebrity Magazine it has gone viral, eliciting more than 100,000 shares, likes
Increased HBCU Funding, etc. By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent
INSIDE
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Legis. Black Caucus Agenda:
and comments across the social media spectrum. For example, according to Topsy. com, a social media analytics tool, the subject was tweeted over 600 times in the past seven days. Still, repetition cannot transform a lie into a truth, as President Roosevelt realized, and this “news story” has been uncovered as a tenacious Internet hoax, The Christian Post alleges. The details of the much Continued on A4
Bishop Douglas Miles, after a whirlwind European trip last month, is part of a fresh attack on street violence. In addition to battling for gun control laws, he wants to use 21st century technology to control guns. Through electronic devices, internet commands and even integrated chips that can be embedded into humans, Miles found in a tour of European gun makers, handguns and rifles can become as harmless as paperweights. That’s what Miles, pastor of the Koinonia Baptist Church, said he is going to tell Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
“A lot of bills will be introduced not to get them passed, but…to make a statement.”
– Paul Herrnson
looking to make statements of their own. “Because this is the last of a four-year term, a lot of people are going to be a lot bolder,” she said. “You’re going to see a lot of courage because a lot of people aren’t coming back.” In the next three months, lawmakers will draft, introduce, hold hearings on, revise and vote on hundreds of pieces of legislation. In Continued on A3
First Black Baltimore Police Commissioner Dies at 86 By AFRO Staff
Bishop Miles Wants Mayor to Help Bring ‘Smart Guns’ to Baltimore By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer
Raising Maryland’s minimum wage will headline a long list of issues to be debated during the 2014 session of the Maryland General Assembly. For 90 days, beginning Jan. 8, Maryland state lawmakers, officials, special interest groups, lobbyists and other stakeholders will gather for the annual conclave at the state capital in Annapolis “It will be very hectic,” said Maryland political expert Paul Herrnson, former director of the University of Maryland’s Center for American Politics and Citizenship. And with the midterm elections drawing near, this session’s political overtones will bear sharper edges, several political experts agreed. For example, Democratic contenders in the heated three-way tug-o-war for the governor’s seat—Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Attorney General Douglas Gansler and Del. Heather Mizeur—all plan to be heavily involved in the session, offering or supporting competing bills to advance their own agendas and raise their profiles. “The big thing here is
[that] it is an election year and members of the legislature would be looking to take popular positions to look good in front of their constituents,” Herrnson said. “A lot of bills will be introduced not to get them passed, but for political reasons,…to make a statement.” Baltimore Democrat Sen. Lisa Gladden agreed, but added that those lawmakers who are retiring will be
in a private meeting Jan. 9. Miles said that he is convinced that hardware he saw during his recent tour of European gun makers can reduce or eliminate accidental use and misuse of guns by children and teens, as well as reducing accidental discharges or the use of a gun against the owner if it is stolen or taken away. He is referring to devices such the MagnaTrigger system for K- through N-frame size Smith and Wesson revolvers that prevents the trigger from coming back far enough to fire unless a magnetic ring worn by the user repels the magnetic blocking device installed inside the grip. Another device, developed by a Mossberg
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Baltimore’s first African-American police commissioner, Bishop Robinson, died Jan. 6 at the age of 86 of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia at a hospice in Towson, Md. The downtown police headquarters building bears his name, as does the criminal justice institute at Coppin State University. Additionally, he served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and Secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice. A founding member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Robinson made his mark in law enforcement in this area and beyond even though Baltimore didn’t name a Black police chief until the mid-1980s. His promotion through the ranks came as racial barriers were tumbling in Baltimore. “This is a man whose life should be celebrated for tearing down barriers by climbing his way to the top of an organization that historically treated African-Americans with disrespect and derision,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. “But Commissioner Robinson’s palpable presence made him a force to be reckoned with. The trail he cut for so many that came after him Bishop Robinson Continued on A4
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
NATION & WORLD
Was MSNBC’s Melissa HarrisPerry’s Apology Necessary? MSNBC talk-show host Melissa V. Harris-Perry issued an
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apology on New Year’s Eve for snide comments by her and a panel of commentators Dec. 29 centering on the Black grandson of Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. A series of tweets posted the morning of Dec. 31 in which Perry was contrite about leading her panel in a mocking, teasing stream of comments about the adopted Black infant of one of Romney’s sons drew a barrage of Melissa Harris-Perry reactions in cyberspace. “I am sorry. Without reservation or qualification. I apologize to the Romney family,” Harris-Perry said in the first of a series of tweets about a segment on her show in which she invited her panelists to poke fun at a photo of the Romney clan. The photo, used in the family’s holiday greeting card, showed the former Massachusetts governor holding the baby, Kieran Romney, in the center of a family photo. “I work by guiding principle that those who offend do not have the right to tell those they hurt that they r wrong for hurting,” said the subsequent tweet. “As Black child born into large White Mormon family I feel familiarity w/ Romney family pic and never meant to suggest otherwise,” Harris-Perry said. In the offending segment Harris- Perry and her guests, including actress Pia Glenn and comedian Dean Obeidallah fired out one-liners . “One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn’t the same,” said Glenn, referring to the playful lyrics sung by characters on “Sesame Street.” Obeidallah compared the photo to traditional meetings of the Grand Ole Party, where he said Republicans “at the convention, they find the one Black person.” Harris-Perry then shared her hopes to see Kieran Romney married off to Kanye West’s daughter, North West, so the two families could become in-laws. She has since poured out apologies. Opinions about the apology varied among the African American community. Was an apology even necessary? Was it sincere-- especially when accompanied by the hashtag “#MHPapology” ? News media outlets, fans, and critics of Harris-Perry have all weighed in since the comments were made on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media websites. “I watched the show and didn’t find it in bad taste,” said Spencer Moore, on the Melissa Harris-Perry Facebook page. “Nothing offensive was said.” Still, others found the comments in bad taste, and were glad to see the apology posted. “It was wrong, she acknowledged and apologized,” said Dawn Melissa Coe, adding her comment to the apology that garnered more than 2,000 responses by late Thursday.
Harsh Ugandan Anti-Gay Law May Become Effective
Human rights organizations are watching to see what happens with a measure passed Dec. 20 in Uganda that would make conviction for engaging in some homosexual acts subject to life in prison. An initial proposal would have made some acts, such as spreading HIV/AIDS through sex, punishable by death, but it was later reduced. Human rights groups fear the law would fuel anti-gay sentiment and lead to more violence against gays, lesbians, transsexuals and bisexuals. The bill must be approved by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni within 30 days. A
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Thursday • January 23, 2014 • 6:30-9pm WRIGHT THEATER University of Baltimore Student Center, Baltimore, MD
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conservative and religious man, Museveni is expected to sign the bill into law, according to news reports. The U.S. Department of State issued a statement condemning the measure, which President Obama once called “odious.” “We are deeply concerned by the Ugandan Parliament’s passage of anti-homosexuality legislation,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said. “As Americans, we believe that people everywhere deserve to live in freedom and equality—and that no-one should face violence or discrimination for who they are or whom they love.” While gay rights efforts have been successful in some regions of the world, such is not the case in Africa. Laws against committing sodomy long have been on the books in many African nations, making homosexuality illegal. The Ugandan government, saying it was making the move to protect families, went a step farther when it increased the penalties for engaging in some homosexual acts. Gay rights supporters said they believe the law will lead to increased harassment of gays and supporters. “The witch hunt had already started, and now it has been legitimized by the parliament of Uganda, which is very scary,” Clare Byarugaba, coordinator for the Ugandan Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, told CNN. com. “We don’t know how brutal the police will be now that the bill has passed. With this legitimization, it’s going to get worse.” But Uganda Minister for Ethics and Integrity Simon Lokodo disagreed. Conservatives said they felt the need to act to protect Ugandan children and families, who they feel are in danger if homosexuality becomes acceptable. “What we are convinced and sure of is that nobody can in one’s right conscience and consciousness choose to be homosexual. This must be under pressure or conditions because we know that the natural tendency is always for a male to go for a female and viceversa,” Lokodo told CNN.com.
Federal Judge Dismisses Hurricane Katrina-Related Suits
Eight years after Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes to slam into a U.S. city, a federal judge Dec. 20 dismissed the claims filed by residents and business owners who said the U.S. government had failed to adequately protect the below-sea-level city and should compensate them for lost property and businesses. U.S. District Court Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. dismissed about a dozen lawsuits citing the difficulty to force the government to pay damages. His ruling followed a federal appeals court ruling that overturned Duval’s earlier decision that the government was liable for damages in the wake of the 2005 storm. Under federal law, the government cannot be sued over actions that were based “on considerations of public policy,” the appeals panel wrote. “The corps’ decisions regarding the shipping channel fall under that protection,” the appeals court ruled. In 2009 Duval initially ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for the flooding of the Lower Ninth Ward because the agency failed to properly maintain the channel which allowed protective marshland to wash away. Rhiana Ryals, 35, of the Carrollton area of New Orleans told the AFRO she and her family lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. “The only thing I saved was my senior yearbook from college,” said Ryals. “We walked away from it all. Our house was completely flooded, it was horrible.” Ryals said the hardest part was seeing everything her father worked so hard for—things for their family—was destroyed. Hurricane Katrina claimed the lives of nearly 1,400 Mississippi and Louisiana residents, thousands of homes were destroyed and a great portion of the city was left under water. More than 500,000 residents, business owners and governments filed lawsuits against the Corps and they wanted the agency to pay. “It’s disappointing that no one will be held liable for so many lives being lost, so many homes. Obviously there were a lot of mistakes made, but no one is being held accountable.” Ryals told the AFRO.
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 11, 2014
January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
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Primary Election Season Quickly Approaching By Alexis Taylor AFRO Staff Writer Would-be elected office holders have fewer than seven weeks to clear the necessary hurdles to get their names on the ballot for the primary elections this summer, local elections officials said recently. Feb. 25 is the deadline for submitting filing fees and petitions in time to be listed on ballots for the June 24 primary, a date that marks an off-year election change from the usual September primary. Meanwhile, local election officials said they are making sure polling equipment is functioning properly. This year, due to election cycle changes made by state lawmakers, the primary election will be held on June 24 across the state with early voting beginning on June 12 and continuing through June 19. “We have started preparation by testing, repairing, and upgrading equipment where needed,” said Armistead B. Crawley Jones Sr., current director of the Baltimore City Board of Elections. “Voter
registration, the changing of addresses and changing of names happen daily. We are also making sure all of our polling sites are still available for us in June because quite a few of them are in schools.” “A prepared voter is a good voter,” said Jones. “You have a list of candidates and you need to do your homework and be prepared to ‘pull the lever’ for the person of your choice. So far, the gubernatorial field includes Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, along with Democrats Heather Mizeur, Ralph Jaffe, Charles U. Smith, and Republican Brian Charles Vaeth. Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) will have to fend off Republican William H. Campbell to hold onto the post which he has held since 2007. So far, Judge Justin J. King is the sole candidate for the third judicial circuit. Marvin Cheatham, former president of Baltimore Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), filed his application to become a representative for the 40th legislative district on Sept. 30 of last year. Cheatham, a former election specialist said he is indifferent to the election cycle change as long as voters are able to use election day
maybe that’s a good thing: they can’t force lobbyists to give their money while they’re in session.” “The tables are kind of even. They don’t have that opportunity for 90 days to not only go to Annapolis but to strong-arm lobbyists during the session.”
Braveboy, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2007, is also looking forward to the primary election. The delegate is running for attorney general, a position she said will allow her to serve the same public from a different platform. “Every election is important but this is very critical N. Braveboy because we have so many people around our state suffering from economic injustices and we have a lot of unemployment in certain communities,” she said. “We really need to make sure that we are electing people who are understand the priorities of the people and are willing to articulate a vision that is consistent with the values of the people of this state.” Instead of holding the primary in September, voters will head to the polls in June. The hours for Sunday early voting have been extended and there are now eight early voting days, concluding on June 19, instead of just five.
“We really have to do a good job with voter education.” - State Del. Aisha
to improve their representation in Annapolis. Cheatham said he believes getting voters registered and informed about the primary is most important because this election deals with several issues key to improving Baltimore City. “It deals with unemployment, crime and violence, education, and health,” he said, adding that changes to the election cycle could possibly help non-incumbent candidates. “I like the idea that it’s in June,” said the former electoral specialist. “It shortens the amount of time the incumbent can raise money and
Regardless of when the election is, Cheatham said ultimately, the responsibility lands on the candidate and the parties to encourage voters to register and go out to polls. “We really have to do a good job with voter education,” said state Del. Aisha N. Braveboy, a supporter of the election cycle change. “This will be different for not only candidates but for voters as well.” “We’ve moved up the primary in Maryland and the impact is that candidates usually have all summer to campaign. However, we don’t want the switch to impact voter turnout.”
Nobel Peace Prize
Continued from A1
“The thousands of gallant unarmed men and women (civil rights workers) have taken our whole nation back to those great wells of Democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in the formulation of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” King said in the story that appeared in the AFRO. “One day, all of America will be proud of their achievements.” King was born in Atlanta, Georgia on Jan. 15, 1929 to a prominent family. His father, Martin Luther King, Sr. was pastor of the prestigious Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. From an early age, King demonstrated strong oratorical skills. He attended
Morehouse University and later earned a doctorate from Crozier Theological Seminary College in Boston, where he met his future wife, Coretta. King was a young preacher and father in 1955 when he became the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
was the most effective way to forge change. As the Civil Rights Movement progressed, violence against Blacks became bloody and frequent in the South. Blacks who attempted to register to vote— and those who attempted to
education and discrimination in jobs watched as police officers used attack dogs and hoses against them. As some Blacks questioned the sense of allowing racists to constantly victimize them for standing up for right, King urged them to continue to be
“His ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom’ drew hundreds of thousands in August 1963 who were motivated by his dream of freedom.” The success of the boycott, which ended with city leaders desegregating the city’s public buses after Blacks refused to ride them for a year, solidified for King that peaceful protest
help them—were beaten, jailed, threatened with violence and sometimes killed. Marchers participating in peaceful protests against segregation, unequal
peaceful. Even in bloody 1963, when, according to the Civil Rights Veterans website “white racists murder [10] people and commit at least 35
General Assembly Continued from A1
last year’s regular session, for example, legislators introduced a total of 2,610 bills and eight joint resolutions and passed 766, according to the Department of Legislative Services. This year, beyond the normal budget negotiations, raising the state’s minimum wage above the federal rate of $7.25 will top the list of concerns in the Democrat-controlled legislature. “The governor intends to focus on building consensus around raising the minimum wage,” said Nina Smith, press secretary for Gov. Martin O’Malley, about his agenda. While most Democrats—including Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch—seem to support the move, the challenge lies in agreeing on the details, such as the value of the raise. Gladden said draft legislation suggests a rate of $10.10 an hour. But another bill introduced by Del. Keith Haynes (D-Baltimore) calls for a rate of $12.50, and Gladden said an even higher rate may better serve Maryland workers. “When I was a teenager $10.10 would seem like a lot,” she said. “[But] it is not a lot of money when you have kids and have rent to pay and you have to make ends meet.” The governor and other lawmakers will also focus their immediate efforts on mitigating the impact of the troubled rollout of the state’s health insurance exchange. For the hundreds, or even thousands, of Marylanders who were blocked from securing an insurance plan through the glitch-prone exchange website, Maryland Health Connection, before the Jan. 1 deadline, the proposed emergency legislation would provide a “temporary bridge to coverage,” through the expansion of the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP), a separate state-run program, Smith said. Marijuana legalization will also be a hot-button issue. Last year, Del. Curt Anderson’s bill to legalize marijuana and regulate it like alcohol and Sen. Bobby Zirkin’s legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana both
failed in 2013. However, advocates are confident that progress will be made this year. “Support for removing any sort of marijuana prohibition has been growing rapidly,” said Mason Tvert, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. “More Americans than ever before realize prohibition has failed and are looking for a different approach.” A November 2013 poll commissioned by MPP and the ACLU of Maryland found that 72 percent of Maryland voters support legalizing marijuana for medical treatment; 68 percent support decriminalizing possession of small amounts and 53 percent favor taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol. Tvert said the benefits of lifting the ban should influence legislators’ decisions. “Regulating the sale of marijuana takes the product out of the underground market and puts it behind the counters of legitimate tax-paying businesses,” he said. “If legislators take an objective look at the evidence and choose to represent their constituents, then they will pass the legislation.” While Black lawmakers will likely be very involved in debating these marquee issues, the Legislative Black Caucus also has its own priorities, said Del. Aisha Braveboy (D-Prince George’s), the Black Caucus chair. The first is ensuring that HBCUs receive parity in investment—programs, full-time faculty, financial aid, facilities, etc.—“to ensure that HBCUs are competitive and on par with other state universities,” she said. Another involves ameliorating the disparate representation of African Americans in the Maryland State Police through targeted recruitment in minority communities through specific media outlets, like the AFRO and other approaches. The Black Caucus will also push for legislation to expunge the records of those who committed misdemeanor nonviolent offenses and have served their time. And, the Black legislators will also call for an investigation into the way banks are maintaining and marketing foreclosed property, she said. A recent study by the National Fair Housing Alliance found that some banks seem to be artificially decreasing the values of properties in certain communities due to lack of maintenance and care. Black and Hispanic communities are disproportionately impacted since they were targeted by sub-prime lenders and thus were more likely to go into foreclosure in the recent housing crisis. “It impacts not just the owner who has been foreclosed on, but the surrounding homeowners,” Braveboy said. When property values go down, she added, home equities decrease, so “what this really does is strip homeowners of their wealth.”
bombings,” King urged Blacks and their supporters to remain committed to non-violence. The year’s atrocities included the ambush attack on NAACP Mississippi field secretary Medgar Evers in the driveway of his Jackson home in June and the savage bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in September, where four little girls were killed. As the violence escalated, King stayed the course. His “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” drew hundreds of thousands in August 1963 who were motivated by his dream of freedom. His appearances at churches were filled to capacity. His message was always the same—fight hate with love, violence with peace. By the time he was assassinated in 1968, King’s place in history was solidified
ASALH
as the American who had fought hardest against oppression using no weapons. Though he was proud of the achievement of winning the Nobel, King told the AFRO in October 1964 that it signaled that there was more work to be done. “The prize makes me want to do a better job,” King said.”It leave me with a great sense of humility. It arouses in me the feeling that in spite of this type of tribute, there is much more to be done.” While he is no longer the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize, he still remains the youngest Black person to achieve the honor. In 1992, Guatemalan civil rights activist Rigoberta Menchú Tum, who was 33, was awarded the prize. She also became the first indigenous person to win the award.
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
88th Annual Black History Luncheon and Featured Authors Event 2014 National Black History Theme
Saturday, February 22, 2014 Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel 2660 Woodley Road N.W. • Washington, D.C. 20008 • 202-328-2000
Guest Speaker Freeman A. Hrabowski, III President • University of Maryland, Baltimore
Featured Authors Event 10am Doors for the Luncheon open at 12:15pm Luncheon Program: 12:30pm–3:30pm Contributions of $100 or more will be acknowledged in our program if received by January 21. For Corporate Sponsorship information, please contact ASALH at 202-238-5910 or by email at aedwards@asalh.net
Tickets Must Be Purchased By February 1, 2014 To purchase tickets contact
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2225 Georgia Ave, NW, Suite 331 • Washington, D.C. 20059 Phone: (202) 238-5910 • Fax: (202) 986-1506 Email: info@asalh.net • www.asalh.org
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
January 11, 2014 - January 11, 2014, The Afro-American
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Baltimore’s New Fire Chief Talks to the AFRO professionally.” His most recent post was city manager of Chamblee, Ga. and, four years after serving as deputy fire chief in Atlanta, was fire chief in Lincoln, Neb. from 2007 to 2011. He taught at Capella University in the school’s public safety leadership program, focusing on emergency response and management of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive incidents. “In selecting Dr. Ford, I believe we have found a dedicated public servant with a proven track record,” Rawlings-Blake said. “He has … the integrity, dedication and determination necessary to keep moving the Baltimore City Fire Department forward.” “My job is to lead the fire department for the community and that’s what I intend on doing on behalf of this mayor [who] has
By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer
Niles Ford, the new man at the helm of the Baltimore City Fire Department (BFD), is not new at public safety. The 48-year-old African American native of Dover, Del. has spent nearly half his life as a fire fighter, paramedic and a student of urban government management. Ford, who was unveiled Dec. 30 as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s choice to take over the BFD, reflected recently on a professional life spent in public service. He said he wants Baltimore residents and the city’s 1,800-member fire department to see “my passion, my confidence, my integrity, my compassion” as he takes over the BFD Jan. 22 following confirmation of the appointment by the Baltimore City Council. “These are the organizational tools I think are needed to resemble a leader,” Ford told the AFRO. Running a fire department in a major city is just one more challenge for a man who has spent a lifetime overcoming hurdles. Because of a birth defect, he said, he has had to work harder than most people all his life. “Most people have two bones in that part of the leg. I only have one,” he said. “Certain things have been a struggle,” he told the AFRO, adding, “I am humbled, because I understand preparation and I understand work.” The son of a Air Force careerist, he first considered a life in the military. But because of his physical limitations, he said, he turned to public safety as a vocation, joining Bessemer, Ala.’s fire department as a dispatcher in 1991. Ford said he had no problems with the written test but there was a tougher challenge—meeting Bessemer’s requirement of running a mile and a half in less than 12 minutes. “I practiced everyday for months before the test because I was determined,” he said. He told the AFRO at times he felt like giving up, but was motivated by Eric Jones, a friend who ran with him. He succeeded in meeting the requirement. Ford said that determination and will is
given me this amazing opportunity. I have no intention on putting her trust into any negative light,” he said. Ford said he plans to make an effort to visit every fire station. “I am excited about the opportunity,” Ford said. “I hope people will understand pretty readily that I’m there for them and that my selection was valid.” Ford said he lives by a simple thought: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” He said, “I believe that is where your integrity is tested and where you stand as a leader.” Ford is married and is the father of two daughters.
Failed Miracles
Continued from A1 reported “story” remains virtually unchanged: Pastor Franck Kabele, 35, leader of a church on the West Coast of Africa, told his congregation he could literally follow in Jesus’ footsteps by walking on water, the Glasgow Daily Record, a Scottish publication, first reported on its website in 2006. “A priest drowns in West Africa after trying to demonstrate how Jesus walked on water! Could have been even more tragic, I suppose. At least 5,000 of his mates didn’t starve to death,” a columnist for the paper, now called the Daily Record, noted in his 2006 roundup of humorous stories. Independent conservative news site World Net Daily was one of several media outlets
Niles Ford what catapulted him into his career. He said he learned about the position in Baltimore by a fellow member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Ford said the three-month application and interview process has been a “whirlwind.” “I believe we have found a dedicated public servant with a proven track record of results,” Rawlings-Blake said of Ford. “He has spent the last 20-plus years working in fire departments in multiple capacities and when he wasn’t working Dr. Ford continued to grow
T H E 2 1 st A N N U A L M A R T I N LU T H E R K I N G , J R . , CO N VO C AT I O N P R E S E N T E D B Y T H E O F F I C E O F A C A D E M I C A F FA I R S A N D D I V E R S I T Y
than the stories of his supposed demise—a telling sign that the account could be fake. But, as it was back in 2006, several media outlets and readers took the story at face value, offering strong opinions. “He had a lot of faith, but not enough,” said one person. “Did he really think he was going to get such miraculous powers to just perform such a thing in front of people for fame? Because I know he was expecting fame to come out of doing that... HA! His ass deserved that!” said another commenter. “This is sad because first off people should not be trying to do what Jesus did literally,” said another. “Christ walking on water was to demonstrate his deity not for others to walk on water as well.” This is not the first false report of a supposed miracle to come out of Africa. Another popular tale involves a selfproclaimed prophet who claimed he could walk unharmed among lions, just like the biblical prophet Daniel. According to NG Newspapers, the prophet went to Ibadan zoo in south-west Nigeria, and though warned by zookeepers, proceeded to don a long red robe and enter a cage full of lions, while a crowd looked on. Needless to say, he was immediately ripped to shreds. Some took the stories as fodder to buttress their skepticism about the veracity of the Bible. “Another example as to how religious zealotry (or religion in and of itself) can reduce the IQ to that of a crayfish,” said one commenter on YouTube. “Can’t say I feel bad for anybody that disregards common sense. Make dumb choices get dumb results.”
“Christ walking on water was to demonstrate his deity not for others to walk on water as well.” that reported on the story at the time, even including eyewitness accounts of Kabele’s attempt to reenact the miracle found in Matthew 14:22-33 at a beach in Libreville, Gabon: “He told churchgoers he’d had a revelation that if he had enough faith, he could walk on water like Jesus,” an eyewitness told the Glasgow Daily Record. “He took his congregation to the beach saying he would walk across the Komo estuary, which takes 20 minutes by boat. He walked into the water, which soon passed over his head and he never came back.” An AFRO search for more information on Kabele in cyberspace, including the name and location of his church, revealed nothing more
Robinson Continued from A1
will be one that should never be forgotten.” On his steady climb up the promotion ladder, Robinson never strayed far from his roots. A Baltimore-born product of McCulloh Homes, he graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1945 and, after graduation, entered the U.S. Army where he served as a clerk typist until his discharge in 1946. “We have lost a true pioneer in the history of the Baltimore Police Department,” Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said. “His legacy is one of service and continues to be a source of inspiration for officers today.” He joined the Baltimore Police Department in 1952 and served until 1987. He was named police commissioner in 1984. His climb through the BPD ranks coincided with academic achieving, achieving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Baltimore 1971, a master’s degree from Coppin State University in 1973 and a law degree from the University of Baltimore in 1986. “A pioneer in the field of public safety,” is
THE 21 st CENTURY CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE COLOR LINE
A DISCUSSION WITH
MR. MARC MORIAL PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
Smart Guns
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014 7 P.M. MCGUIRE HALL
Continued from A1
Free and open to the public. Tickets available now.
WWW.LOYOLA.EDU/MLKCONVOCATION
For more information, please call 410-617-5757. Persons with disabilities who may require special services should contact Disability Support Services at 410-617-2062 at least 48 hours prior to the event.
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what City Council President Bernard “Jack” Young called him. “Baltimoreans benefited from his tireless efforts to improve our city. His successes inspired countless men and women to dedicate their lives to public service.” Young said he enjoyed the privilege of working alongside Robinson and is proud of his career of service “which was showcased last February during a dedication ceremony for a public justice institute at Coppin that stands as a tribute to his enduring legacy.” City Councilman Carl Stokes, mentioning Robinson’s lengthy career as a police officer, capped by a tenure at the helm of the city’s police department, stress that, as an African American, leader “he faced many barriers, adapted and overcame.” Stokes said, “We have lost an able statesman whose wisdom, experience and proactive leadership will be dearly missed at a time when cities like ours could benefit from his wisdom and expertise.”
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Shotgun subsidiary, requires the shooter to wear a ring that, unless matched by a ring on the shotgun, prevents the weapon from discharging. Such devices can prevent accidents from happening, he said. “I am hoping for the mayor and the police commissioner to go with us back to Europe in the spring as part of a large delegation to meet with the gun manufacturers--Glock, Sig Sauer and Beretta-- to ask them to start using the safe lock mechanism with any new weapons produced. “Parents can secure their weapons so that children won’t accidentally shoot themselves and so that some of the stuff that happened in
Newtown [Conn.] would not have happened,” he said. According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, in the five years through 2010, nearly 3,800 Americans died from accidental shootings and more than a third of them— 1,300—were under the age of 25. It’s one thing to buy guns from lawful owners, he said. But it would be more effective to redesign guns so that only the lawful owner can discharge them. “Those who put money up for the gun buy back would put money up to secure the locking mechanism for the guns,” he said. “This will go a great way towards eliminating a source of illegal guns for the criminals.”
January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
HEALTH
Dr. Griffin Rodgers
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Physician Works to Educate Blacks and Others About Life-Threatening Diseases By Zenitha Prince AFRO Senior Correspondent Medicine and public service was in Dr. Griffin Rodgers’ blood long before he became a celebrated hematologist. And as the director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, he spends his days searching out cures for some of the most common, chronic and costly maladies that plague Americans and making those discoveries accessible to the public. His fervor is palpable. Hearing him talk about the social and economic toll of the diabetes epidemic—25 million Americans affected by Type II diabetes and another 79 million with prediabetes—one can easily see where he passion to educate the public comes from. Rodgers shares useful information on how to prevent and manage diseases in a daily, syndicated radio segment called “Healthy Moments,” among other campaigns. Before an interview was completed with a reporter, he had provided her with an extensive list of information about—and his assistant later e-mailed links to—several programs and toolkits to educate the AFRO’s readers about how to prevent or attain treatment for several ailments. “There’s an imperative that we have to develop better treatments and ultimately cures for some of these common and costly diseases,” he said. As the NIDDK administrator, Rodgers, 59, oversees a $2 billion annual research budget and 1,300 of the country’s most gifted researchers in the fifth-largest of the National Institutes of Health’s 27 institutes. His agency’s research seeks solutions for diseases such as diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, urologic diseases, liver disease, gall bladder disease, inflammatory bowel diseases and the like. “As a physician, principally you’re interested in healing, and one has an opportunity in this position
to have a major impact on the lives of many billions of Americans and people around the world,” he said. “That’s a satisfaction beyond belief when you can say you’ve contributed at some level to…improved therapies for these chronic and costly conditions.” It has been a long road to success from his days growing up in New Orleans, where the importance of living up to his potential was engrained in him by his parents--a high school physical education and science teacher and a public nurse, along with the priests at the prestigious all-male St. Augustine High School. His graduating class had more National Achievement finalists than the rest of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama combined, Rodgers said. “Consciously or subconsciously I was programmed for a career in medicine,” he told the AFRO. “I used to go out with my mother on the weekends to visit some of her patients that lived in the housing projects in New Orleans, as she provided them and their family members with vaccinations and other things. That kind of got me interested in the medical profession.” But his defining moment came in high school when three of his closest friends were diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and later died. At that time, the late 1960s and early ‘70s, there wasn’t much that could be done for sickle cell patients except to treat pain and administer transfusions. “That stuck with me…. They say it’s quite tragic for parents to bury their children, and I think the same is true for kids or teenagers because you feel, at that age, that you’re invincible,” Rodgers recalled. “To see a friend suffer from a chronic disease and not be able to do much but talk to them and hold their hand is tragic.” The loss guided his specialization in hematology. During his clinical rotations, Brown University’s founding chair of dermatology, Dr.
Charles McDonald proved an unlikely mentor. Dr. McDonald had developed a means of treating psoriasis with chemotherapy and Rodgers later adopted those findings to develop the first effective, FDA-approved therapy for sickle cell anemia. “It’s very exhilarating,” Rodgers said of making a discovery that has saved so many lives. “It did remind me of those three friends I had and made me think that if only I were born earlier, if I could have developed this back then, it could have been available for them.” Sickle cell anemia is just one of many diseases that seem to disproportionately impact African Americans because of genetic and environmental reasons, Rodgers said—a trend he noticed even when he tagged along behind his mother as she made her neighborhood rounds. Because of that, Rodgers ensures that NIDDK’s research includes African Americans and other vulnerable populations. “We make it a point in our studies to oversample for patients who are at risk,” he said. “So we make it a priority to make sure they are included in our trials and retained in our trials because after we get the results of the trials we want to make sure that…if they respond to interventions we can then target our educational campaigns to the specific groups that are at greatest risk.” Despite the pressures of his job—any given day he may be meeting with NIDDK researchers to develop new initiatives, evaluating the sponsorship potential of research ideas at tertiary education and other institutions, meeting with policymakers, the public and more—Rodgers said he remains excited about the career he has chosen. “The future has never looked brighter. On many of these diseases I’ve mentioned, basic science has really pointed to potential targets that may be used for better treatments and potential cures...,” he said. “We’re
seeing a confluence of these ideas that are taking us in new and exciting directions. The challenge, of course, is in order to do this research, it does take funding.” Because of the nation’s financial woes, “important decisions” have to be made by the government about which programs will receive the dollars, he said. “The major challenge in the next three to five years is making sure there is adequate funding to continue the research momentum that has already occurred,” Rodgers said. Helpful links: • National Diabetes Education Program: http:// ndep.nih.gov/. • National Kidney Disease Education Program: www.nkdep.nih.gov. • The Kidney Sundays initiative raises awareness within faith communities about the risks for kidney disease and the importance of getting tested. For a Toolkit and other information, visit: http://www.nkdep.nih. gov/get-involved/kidneyconnection/kidney-sundays. shtml. • Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better, a national program designed to
encourage Black women ages 18 and older to maintain a healthy weight: http://www. win.niddk. nih.gov/ sisters/ index.htm. • Healthy Moments: Hear it during the “Tom Joyner Morning Show” on Radio One Dr. Griffin Rodgers stations and archived episodes online WMMJby visiting http://www2.niddk. FM MAJIC 102.3 in D.C. and nih.gov/ and using key search WWIN-FM MAJIC 95.9 in words “Healthy Moments.” Baltimore; or access the latest
Affordable Healthcare for the New Year
In Maryland log onto MarylandHealthCareConnection. gov. Navigators are available at the Consumer Support Center 1-855-642-8572, with services for the deaf or hard of hearing at 1-855-642-8573. District of Columbia residents should visit DCHealthLink.com for Obamacare enrollment before the March 31 deadline. Or call 1-855-532-5465 for assistance.
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 11, 2014
Correctional Officer Sentenced in Jail Racketeering Conspiracy U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced correctional officer Adrena Rice, age 25, of Baltimore today to 42 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for racketeering conspiracy arising from the smuggling of drugs for members of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang inside the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC), according to a statement from the office of United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. According to court documents, BGF has
been the dominant gang at the BCDC, and in several connected facilities, including the Baltimore Central Booking Intake Center, the Women’s Detention Center, which houses many men, and in the Jail Industries Building, the statement said. According to her plea, Rice worked as a correctional officer at BCDC. She frequently smuggled contraband, including marijuana and prescription pills, into BCDC on behalf of BGF leader and inmate, Tavon White. Rice also helped other correctional officers, such as
When NcouragED hosted its first annual NcouragED Educator Legends’ luncheon, Sydney Twiggs was among the honorees. Twiggs, who was born in Harlem and graduated from Shaw University and Loyola University, was an educator in the Baltimore City Public School system for more than 40 years. He was known as a supportive principal who put the “pal” in the word by being a friend, mentor and motivator to his students. He enjoyed motivating and encouraging everyone who interacted with him. Twiggs first signed a contract to teach in the Baltimore City Public Schools in 1969 at Montebello Elementary. He held positions as a teacher and assistant principal at Hamilton Middle School and worked as an assistant principal at Edmondson and Carver high schools. In 2005, he was named principal of Hazelwood Elementary/Middle School where he worked until August 2012. He worked for the school system to secure contributions for the United Way until his retirement on Jan. 1, 2013. The luncheon was held Nov. 25 at the Shiloh Christian Community Church to recognize educators from the midAtlantic region who have made significant contributions during lengthy careers. The theme of the event was “The Faithful are Never Forgotten.” Twenty-five educator legends were honored. NcouragED is a network of education
scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2014. Outside supplier James Yarborough, a/k/a J.Y., age 27, of Baltimore, is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 15. The statement said the case arose from the efforts of the Maryland Prison Task Force, a group of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors that met regularly for more than two years and generated recommendations to reform prison procedures. The investigation is continuing. Rosenstein recognized the efforts of the other members of the Maryland Prison Task Force, including: Col. Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; United States Marshal Johnny Hughes; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Tom Carr, Director of the Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area; and Dave Engel, Executive Director of the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center.
White House Photo by Pete Souza
Sidney A. Twiggs Jr. Recognized as NcouragED Educator Legend
Jennifer Owens and Katera Stevenson, smuggle drugs into BCDC. Eight other correctional officers have pleaded guilty to the racketeering enterprise and await sentencing: Kimberly Dennis, age 26, of Baltimore Jasmin Jones, a/k/a/ J.J., age 24, of Baltimore; Taryn Kirkland, age 23, of Baltimore; Katrina Laprade, a/k/a Katrina Lyons, age 31; Vivian Matthews, age 26, of Essex, Md. Jennifer Owens, a/k/a/ O and J.O., age 31, of Randallstown; Katera Stevenson, a/k/a KK, age 24, of Baltimore Jasmine Thornton, a/k/a J.T., age 26, of Glen Burnie. Seven other co-defendants have also pleaded guilty: inmates Tavon White, age 36; Steven Loney, age 24; Jermaine McFadden, a/k/a Maine, age 25; and Kenneth Parham, age 24; and outside contraband suppliers Tyrone Thompson, a/k/a Henry, age 36; Tyesha Mayo, age 30 and Teshawn Pinder, age 24. Loney is
Sidney Twiggs, NcouragED honoree legends who support each other through camaraderie, and information and resource sharing. Twiggs said his best hope for education is to have educators motivate their students so they may become thirsty to learn, explore and to seek out their goals and objectives. He is an active member of the Groove Phi Groove Social Club and attends Mt. Calvary AME Church in Towson.
Happy Birthday! First Lady Michelle Obama turns 50 on Jan. 17.
January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
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OPINION
Why Americans Have Grown to Hate Congress
Congress has itself to blame for its low ratings among the American people. Policymaking is all about choices; it is the calculus of weighing costs and benefits and the distribution of those costs and benefits. In theory, there are lots of policies that can make everyone better off, but they can only be accomplished by redistributing the gains of the policy. Congress recently passed William Spriggs a budget deal that ended extended unemployment benefits for those unemployed for more than six months. Congress could choose to increase government expendituresrather than their current stance of decreasing them-as was done in all other economic recoveries. Republican members of Congress think America’s working families have forgotten that Republicans expanded real government expenditures (adjusting for inflation) in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan and 2001 under President George W. Bush by about 16 percent at this point in the business cycle. The stalemate caused by Republican refusal to increase government expenditures has resulted directly in lower public sector employment-the loss of hundreds of thousands of public school teachers across the country; and more broadly in a tepid recovery.
The argument against restoring government is that it will increase the federal deficit, leaving unpaid bills for our children to pay and put pressure on interest rates that will hurt investment and homeownership by the middle class and tie the hands of future budgets with large interest costs. Well, of course, the failure to back President Obama’s America’s Job Act back in 2011 has meant fewer teachers for our children today, rising class sizes and closed schools in many of America’s cities, meaning our children will pay with higher dropout rates, lower achievement and lower future earnings. So, that is a trade-off most people think is not sensible. Currently the Federal Reserve, understanding the dire situation of the economy, has been aggressively pursuing a
In 2013, race still mattered – especially at Fox News. According to MediaMatters, the watchdog group, last year was a banner period for racebaiting at Fox. “Viewers who spent 2013 absorbed in Fox News might be under the impression that an all-out race war has erupted across the nation this year, thanks to the network’s coverage of everything from voter fraud to Santa Claus echoing one common George E. Curry theme: white folks are being NNPA Columnist victimized in Obama’s America,” an analysis of coverage on the network concluded. The review showed that Fox, the nation’s top-rated cable network with 1.76 million daily viewers, routinely exploited racial fears to boost its ratings. “Fox became obsessed with black crime rates in the summer of 2013, when Floridian George Zimmerman went on trial for the 2012 murder of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin, whom Zimmerman shot and killed while he was walking home from a convenience store. Zimmerman, identified as white Hispanic, alleged that he shot Martin in selfdefense, and was not subsequently arrested or charged with any crime until a significant public outcry made the story national news,” MediaMatters noted. “Fox immediately began running defense for Zimmerman in
what became a red meat story for the network – an opportunity to justify right-wing gun culture and stand your ground laws, stoke fears about the dangers of black youth, and paint whiteon-black crime as exceedingly rare and usually justified while black crime is exploding.” When Fox wasn’t fear mongering about Black crime, the report stated, it was supporting voter ID laws that suppress the African-American vote. “The summer’s Shelby County decision paved the way for Republican-controlled state legislatures to continue pushing through voter ID laws, a movement purporting to fight voter fraud that in fact disenfranchises Democratic voting blocs, particularly minorities, by imposing stringent prerequisites to vote that many older and minority voters cannot easily meet. Previously, such measures – in states with a history of disenfranchising minorities – required approval from the Justice Department before being implemented.” The report noted that the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance provision had been invoked more than 700 times between 1982 and 2006 to prevent racially discriminatory voting proposals to go into effect. “Perhaps the one story that best encapsulates the way Fox News goes out of its way to paint a distorted image of the crossroads of race and crime in America, it’s the network’s coverage of the so-called ‘knockout game,’” the report explained. “The network has run numerous segments on the alleged craze, and Fox’s Greta Van Susteren has dedicated a recurring segment to the phenomenon. “The primary take-away for viewers: Be afraid of young, black men and women, and don’t let yourself be an unsuspecting victim – black people could assault you at any
“In theory, there are lots of policies that can make everyone better off, but they can only be accomplished by redistributing the gains of the policy.” policy to keep long-term interest rates down. Its efforts has moderated the loss of wealth in housing that most people experienced when the housing price collapse took away the savings America’s workers stored in their homes as equity. The Fed policy also has meant a tremendous growth in the Fed’s holding of U.S. Treasury notes. The odd thing about that
‘Race War’ at Fox News
Best of Kofi 2013
is that the Federal Reserve’s profits from receiving interest payments from holding those bonds go back to the U.S. Treasury. So, currently the structure of U.S. debt is at longterm low rates, and the net interest payments are lower because the Fed pays the interest back to the Treasury. This makes the arguments about interest rates silly. Ultimately federal debt does have to be paid. Since 2009 and the current recovery, 95 percent of income gains have gone to the top 1 percent of American incomes. In the fairness category, most people would agree that if the net result of policies has benefited the top 1 percent only, then they should be the ones paying taxes. It follows directly from a belief that everyone can be made better off, but only if the people benefiting from the economic policy share the gains with others. But, Republicans have fought hard to protect the 1% from paying their share of policy gains with others. Today they take home more than 230 times the pay of their typical worker. And, while the federal government isn’t taking advantage of low interest rates, CEOs are by using corporate borrowing to buy back the company stock and boost stock prices and CEO wealth and pay. Oddly, the research on the effect of extending unemployment benefits has pointed to this anomaly-people getting the benefit are more likely to keep looking for jobs longer rather than give up and drop out of the labor force (disappearing from the statistics). By ignoring them, Congress wishes they would go away. By ignoring the imbalances in their choices, the American people are wishing Congress would go away. William Spriggs is an economist with the AFL-CIO.
time for no reason other than the fact that you’re white.” In fact, as the report states, “A New York Times piece on the knockout game cited police officials in several cities where attacks have been reported who concluded that the game ‘amounted to little more than an urban myth, and that the attacks in question might be nothing more than the sort of random assaults that have always occurred.’” Fox even played the race card with Santa Claus. “Fox capped a year decorated with race-baiting overtones and racial dog whistles with a comparably absurd ornament for the top of their tree: New Fox megastar Megyn Kelly’s unabashed declaration (“for the kids at home”) that Santa Claus is white,” MediaMatters recounted. “’Santa just is white,’” Kelly told viewers in response to a Slate column by Aisha Harris, an African-American who noted that depictions of a Caucasian Santa Claus can have an alienating effect on minority children. Conservative media rushed to agree with Kelly’s assertion, most notably Fox racebaiter-in-chief Bill O’Reilly, who concurred that ‘Miss Kelly is correct. Santa was a white person.’” The report stated, “Sadly, the Santa story illustrated how harmful race-baiting media coverage can be. Amidst the back and forth over the race of Old St. Nick, a teacher at Cleveland High School in New Mexico reportedly told a black student that he should not be dressed up as Santa because he was the wrong skin color…” George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.)
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
COMMUNITY CONNECTION Prince George’s County
Zetas to Honor Philanthropist Karen Arrington and Host International President
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. - Tau Delta Zeta Chapter will celebrate the 94th anniversary of the sorority’s founding with a Founders’ Day Luncheon. The event, which will take place Jan. 18, at the Greenbelt Marriott Hotel. With the theme: 94 Years Strong and the Legacy Continues, the event will feature the international president of Zeta Phi Beta, Mary Breaux Wright as keynote speaker. Wright took the helm of leadership in July of 2012. Since that time, she has introduced community service initiatives that emphasize elder care, adopting schools and increasing involvement with government affairs. Additionally, philanthropist Karen Arrington will receive the Living the Legacy Award. Arrington founded the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant, the nation’s first scholarship pageant for African American Women, co-founded Diabetes Awareness Day in Gambia, West Africa and was named a goodwill ambassador in recognition for her work to support women in Africa. Implementing Zeta Phi Beta’s national service initiative, Z-HOPE (Zetas Helping Other People Excel), Tau Delta Zeta Chapter has provided a variety of services within Prince George’s County. Services include blood and bone marrow drives, sponsoring panel discussions to combat domestic violence, co-sponsoring candidates forums, sponsoring Get Out The Vote initiatives, providing school supplies to seven different schools in the County and awarding scholarships to deserving college-bound students. Tau Delta Zeta Chapter has recently adopted both a school and senior center in Prince George’s County and also sponsors a youth group called the Archonette Club that mentors teen girls and prepares them for leadership. Looking to expand its ranks, Tau Delta Zeta Chapter will hold an informational meeting, Jan. 22, at Signature Blue Events in Beltsville, Md.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Jan. 20
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts and the Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement recently announced the 14th annual Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Parade presented by Forman Mills on Jan. 20. Civic organizations and groups from around the region march to honor the legacy of the late civil rights leader. More than 50 groups traditionally participate in the parade, including high school and community bands, honor/color guards, lively dance squads and civic organizations. The parade steps off at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street, proceeds south on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and disbands at Baltimore Street. Spectators are invited to view the parade from along the route or near the reviewing stand at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Franklin Street. This year’s emcees are Konan of 92Q and Lolo of Magic 95.9. Marching groups for 2014 include Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Unit, Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts of Baltimore, City Ranch, N-Full Motion Marching Band, American Legion Federal Post 19 Color Guard, and A Can Can Make a Difference. The annual parade also features floats honoring Dr. King and Nelson Mandela. For more information on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade, call 410-752-8632 or visit www.promotionandarts.org.
Mark Thompson, Host of Make It Plain to Speak at Annual MLK Jr. Breakfast
The Kings Landing Women’s Service Club will hold its Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast, Jan. 20, at Martin’s West, 6817 Dogwood Road, Woodlawn, MD. This year’s featured speaker is the Rev. Mark A. Thompson, Host of Make It Plain, SiriusXM Radio Talk Program. Rev. Thompson has been a broadcaster for 25 years, beginning his career with Radio One, under the guidance of Cathy Hughes. His show, Make It Plain, was the first to sign on XM Satellite Radio in 2001, and the only show to have been broadcast on XM exclusively, then Sirius exclusively, and now broadcast on both. Currently, Make It Plain is a daily, afternoon-drive, political, human rights and breaking news call-in program heard on SiriusXM Left 127. He is the first and only African American talk host on SiriusXM Left and the only African American in the U.S. hosting a daily, national show on a progressive/liberal talk format, as opposed to either an urban format or a conservative format. Music for this event will be provided by the world renowned Baltimore’s own Gospel Recording Group, Serenity. The Rev. Lee Michael, Heaven 600 will be the emcee for the event. This year’s honorees are Mentoring Male Teens in the
Hood; House of New Beginnings; Northwest Neighbors Connecting; Mothers of Murdered Sons; Rob’s Barbershop Community Foundation; Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc.; Black Nurses Association of Baltimore and Miss Jewel Perry, Youth Achievement Award recipient. The Kings Landing Women’s Service Club’s celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is the oldest celebration of its kind on the east coast. Founded almost 40 years ago in Maryland, the goal of the breakfast is to bring together the community-at-large in a spirit of rededication and brotherhood. Tickets and information can be obtained by contacting (410) 663-3199 or 410-602-1841.
Anne Arundel County
Shirley Sherrod to Speak at MLK Jr. Awards Dinner
The 26th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner, presented by the Annapolis based Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, will be held 6 p.m., Jan. 17 at La Fontaine Bleue, 7514 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie. This largest King Shirley Sherrod birthday celebration in Anne Arundel County will feature Shirley Sherrod, civil rights activist, as the keynote speaker. She is best known as the African-American woman wrongly fired in 2010 by the Obama administration for allegedly making racist remarks. President Obama apologized to her and she has written about her experiences in a book (The Courage to Hope: How I Stood Up to the Politics of Fear) that she will sign at the dinner. Those to be honored for their actions to keep the legacy of Dr. King alive include; Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Gerald Stansbury of the Maryland NAACP, Larry White Sr., Marc L. Apter, Dr. Oscar Barton Jr., Antonio Downing, Sylvia Rogers Greene, Kathy Koch, Julie C. Snyder and the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County. Tickets and additional information at 410-760-4115<tel:410-760-4115> or www.mlkmd.org<http:// www.mlkmd.org>. In 1988, then Alderman Carl O. Snowden founded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner in Anne Arundel County. The dinner is designed to honor the legacy of Dr. King by honoring those who through their deeds, words and actions have helped to keep his legacy alive.
“You cannot find this education anywhere else.” We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2O14 Workshop at Macy’s! If you are a woman or person of color and own your own business, we invite you to apply for the Workshop at Macy’s! You’ll gain insight from seasoned Macy’s pros and Macy’s partners, and get the tools you need to succeed and sustain growth in the retail industry. Apply today at macysinc.com/workshop PICTURED: Amber Lee-Forrester, Kane & Couture. Past participant of The Workshop at Macy’s.
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January 11, 2014 -January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
Photos by Dr. A. Lois De Laine
Crystal Goodman, president of the Senior Class
Bachelor of Science degrees for Joseph Rankin and Darryl Morris
Bachelor of Science degrees for Travis Clement and Ashley Kelley
Master of Science degrees for Olakunle Fakiyesi, Stephanie Larkin, Jillita Bulluck
Master of Science degrees for Belle CoxDavis and Samuel Unang
Master of Science Degrees recipient are recognized for their accomplishments
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Dr. Emeka C. Anaedozie, Doctor of Philosophy Degree
ABC-TV Correspondent Byron Pitts is congratulated by the board of regents and President Wilson on receiving the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree
Master of Science degrees for Nicole Veney and Rashida K. Nesbit Bachelor’s degrees for Tawana Cook and Johnathan Miles
Dr. Meena Khorana, advisor to Dr. Anne Marie Robinson, English
Dr. Tiffany Lane, Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Bachelor of Arts degrees for Britney Mercer, Rachel Johnson, Lauren Carr
The first December Commencement exercises of Morgan State University were held in the James H. and Louise Hayley Gilliam Concert Hall in the Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center on Morgan’s Campus. The Concert Hall was filled to capacity with excited graduates, pleased parents and family members and faculty and administrators who were on hand to congratulate the new degree holders. During the two-hour-long event, 225 graduates were awarded degrees, Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The highlight of the morning The graduates are Bachelor of Science commencement exercises was the guest inducted into the degrees for Amanda Ross speaker, Byron Pitts, ABC anchor and chief National Alumni and Tiffany Foster national correspondent. Association A lively spokesperson who revealed in his memoirs, “Stepping Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges,” that he was diagnosed by educators as being retarded, and the importance of having family and his mom, a Morgan State University graduate, who refused to accept the test results and used the power of prayer to change the direction of her son’s life. Pitts’ message to the students was: “Prepare, pursue, and Dr. Cathalene Bowler, business perform, and you will succeed. administration and Dr. Clayton G. And remember, make a Thomas, electrical engineering difference in the life of the Acie Williams community Sr. receives and the undergrad provide degree for his service to son who passed others. away one week before graduation.
Dr. Marcus Anthony Allen, Doctor of Philosophy degree
Master of Science degrees for Stacy A. Johnson and Latoyia Williams Madden
Undergraduate journalism degrees for Manyi Abangma and Coniah Adams
Dr. Milford A. Jeremiah, chief faculty marshall
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
T Maria and Russell Hopewell
Tiera York Jones and Donna Wyatt
he last big fundraising event in Baltimore before the start of the new year has for more than 50 years been the annual Christmas Gala hosted by the Baltimore Chapter of the Continentals. This year’s event, held on Dec. 27 at Martin’s West, continued the tradition of raising funds to benefit students and to support underprivileged, disadvantaged and Special needs children and youth. The atmosphere was filled with positive energy and warmth as guests were greeted by the friendly smiles of the Continentals. During the short program, Matthew B. Fraling III of the Greater Loch Mary and Charles Brown Raven Recreation Council Boys Basketball Program was presented the Memorial Award for his outstanding volunteer program. Fraling serves as a coach, basketball instructor and mentor for the young men. Continentals members volunteer throughout the year at local schools where they read to students, support career day and coordinate oral dental and hygiene awareness and screening efforts for a three-day project that includes the Colgate Van. Juernene Bass, Robin Beaman, Stephanie The chapter also provides financial support to several organizations such as Mentoring Males in the Hood, Boys’ Choir of Powhatan, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, serving children with chronic health issues and St. James Academy. Lynetta Parker served as gala chair; co-chairs were Yvonne Woods-Howard and Cecilia L. King. Dr. Joann Christopher-Hicks is president of the Baltimore Chapter.
Gerald and Jane Green Stacy Fowlkes and Dolores Winston
Mike Thompson and Ledonia Kimball
Angela Gibson and Charles Thomas Ann Taylor Ross, first vice president; Gwendolyn Lindsay, second vice president
Brenda Johnson, regional director, Dr. Joann Christopher Hicks, president, Baltimore Chapter, Edna Lee Moffitt, national president, Continentals
Dr. Joann Christopher-Hicks, president of the Baltimore Chapter, Continentals, Inc. presents Memorial Award to Matthew B. Fraling III of the Greater Loch Raven Recreation Council Boys Basketball Program
Lucy Miller, Yvonne Woods-Howard, Lynetta Parker, Cecelia King
Mozelle Fisher, William Folk, Lynetta Parker, Beulah Parker Robert and Gladys Rice
Sharon and James Hopkins
Roland and Janet Merritt
Judge Miriam Hutchins and Dr. Argin Hutchins Jr.
Berniece and Argin Hutchins Sr.
January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
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ARTS & CULTURE
Chris Brown Returns to New York Critics Circle Apologizes to Steve McQueen Court in D.C. By LaTrina Antoine Special to the AFRO During a brief hearing in District Court in Washington D.C. Jan. 8, entertainer Chris Brown turned down an offer by prosecutors to plead guilty to simple assault in an Oct. 27 altercation outside the W hotel on 15th Street NW, a stone’s throw from the White House. Brown, dressed in a blue three-piece suit, stood quietly between his attorneys as they addressed the judge. Brown’s bodyguard, Chris Hollosy, who was also charged in the October incident, also refused the plea offer. The hearing was closed to the public and the entrance to the courtroom was protected by police in fatigues. Danny Onorato, a former prosecutor and part of Brown’s defense team, told Judge Patricia Wynn that his client was not guilty of assault. A Feb. 20 status hearing was set in the case. Attorneys for Brown asked that he be Chris Brown excused from attending because he is in rehab and would miss three days were he to come across country to the hearing. Brown’s lawyers and prosecutors said they are awaiting a video that contains footage of events from the Oct. 27 incident. Brown walked out of the courtroom and took a side door in an attempt to avoid the gaggle of reporters who were clamoring to interview him. He was driven away with his entourage in a large, dark SUV.
for Heckling During Awards Black Critic Allegedly Called Director “Embarrassing Doorman”
The New York Critics Circle has issued an apology to 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen in response to him allegedly being called “an embarrassing doorman and garbage man” by a Black film critic during an awards ceremony Jan. 6. McQueen attended the program to accept the award for best director. As he walked onto the stage after an introduction by actor/singer/activist Harry Belafonte, critic Armond White is said to have yelled out from the floor. McQueen, undaunted, completely ignored White’s outburst. The NYCC said it will take disciplinary action against White despite him being a member. “On behalf of the New York Film Critics Circle, I apologize sincerely for the crass bit of heckling Mr McQueen encountered,” chairman Joshua Rothkopf said in a statement released Jan. 7. “I’m mortified to learn that this was from one of our own members. We are taking disciplinary action.” White has denied heckling the Black British director, according to news accounts. “I was misquoted, lied about,” he alleged told the New York Times’ Carpetbagger blog on Jan. 7. “I didn’t yell anything. I was talking among my friends at the table. What I read on the Internet today is outrageous.” White also denied the heckling in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, telling the publication that anything he said was meant solely for the people at his table. He denied using he words attributed to him. White’s own words, though, demonstrate the disdain he had for McQueen’s breakout project. He called the film “torture porn” in his review. The film has been nominated for numerous awards.
Hey Adults and Youth!
Would you consider helping change our community values for the better? Yes! How? With a copy of my book, The Mentoring Clinic, in the hands of all our youth, we’ll see their moral values change. Our youth is our change in our community.
The Mentoring Clinic By Arthur Burrell Now Available at Amazon Books $9.95 Or call/e-mail: (410)493-1395 Arthur.burrell2@gmail.com
Anthony Brown, assistant minister for music at First Baptist Church of Glendarden, who, along with his ensemble Group TherAPy, is setting a new, tough-to-match performance curve for contemporary gospel and traditional songs of praise was nominated for another Stelllar Award Jan. 8.
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B4
The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
Book Review
The Global Obama Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century at home? The answer ostensibly lies in his being as much President of the Planet as the President of the United States. While he has caught considerable flak from Republicans for the supposedly “apologetic” speeches delivered to citizens on his tour of over 40 foreign countries and counting, truth be told, those visits have actually cultivated considerable political capital for the sage leader of the Free World. So, while his second term tanks domestically due to the dubious launch of Obamacare, our peripatetic pres is nevertheless likely to find continued approval abroad. Exploring this surprising development is the raison d’etre of The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century 4. Edited by Dinesh Sharma and Uwe P. Gielen, the enlightening opus is comprised of insightful essays on the subject by a diversity of academics, shrinks, journalists and social scientists, contributors coming from ports-of-call as far afield as Kuwait, England, Thailand, Germany, Dubai, France, Kenya, Japan, Korea, India, Canada, Malawi and, of course, the U.S. The book simultaneously serves as a logical follow-up to Obama in Hawai’i and Indonesia, a painstakingly-researched biography of the President’s formative years published in 2011 by Sharma, a Professor of Global Cultural Studies at SUNY-Binghampton. Here, the focus is on the charismatic role model’s image as perceived by folks on five continents. A seminal exploration painting a complex portrait of the President as a compassionate humanitarian, militaristic expansionist and Teflon diplomat with incomparable strategic and oratory skills.
Edited by Dinesh Sharma and Uwe P. Gielen Routledge Books Paperback, $59.95 By Kam Williams What a paradox. The first Black president, loved by people around the world, yet struggling for approval for his policies at home—whether it be the healthcare initiative, the stimulus to bail out the economy, or his ‘leading from behind’ on foreign policies. Clearly, part of Obama’s worldwide appeal is due to his international biography… Barack Hussein Obama’s rise from his early life as a multiracial and multicultural outsider in a broken family… to assuming the world’s most powerful executive position is as improbable as it is global in its trajectory and in its implications for the evolving 21st Century. -- Excerpted from the Preface Barack Obama was so uniformly admired when he became president, that he won the Nobel Peace Prize during his first year in office, even before he had a chance to prove himself on the world stage. And just last month, he received the warmest reception of any of the heads of state in attendance at the funeral of Nelson Mandela. How has Obama managed to maintain his popularity overseas despite suffering from plunging approval ratings
“A POWERHOUSE.
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Brilliantly acted and directed.”
Pete Hammond, MOVIELINE
EXTRAORDINARY “The most extraordinary war film since ‘Saving Private Ryan.’” Bill Simmons, GRANTLAND
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ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVIT Y MEDIA A CUBEVISION/RAINFOREST FILMS PRODUCTION A TIM STORY FILM “RIDE ALONG” ICE CUBE KEVIN HART JOHN LEGUIZAMO BRUCE MCGILL TIKA SUMPTER AND LAURENCE FISHBURNE MUSICBY CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
NICOLAS STERN RON MUHAMMAD CHRIS BENDER JC SPINK PRODUCEDBY WILL PACKER ICE CUBE DIRECTED MATT ALVAREZ LARRY BREZNER STORYBY GREG COOLIDGE SCREENPLAY A UNIVERSAL PICTURE BY GREG COOLIDGE AND JASON MANTZOUKAS AND PHIL HAY & MATT MANFREDI BY TIM STORY THIS FILM CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OF TOBACCO CONSUMPTION SOUNDTRACK ON BACK LOT MUSIC AND VARÈSE SARABANDE
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UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND EMMETT/FURLA FILMS PRESENT A FILM 44/EMMETT/FURLA FILMS/HERRICK ENTERTAINMENT/ ENVISION ENTERTAINMENT/SPIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT/SINGLE BERRY/CLOSEST TO THEMUSICHOLE/LEVERAGE PRODUCTION A PETER BERG FILM MARK WAHLBERG “LONE SURVIVOR” TAYLOR KITSCH EMILE HIRSCH BEN FOSTER AND ERIC BANA BY EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY STEVE JABLONSKY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS GEORGE FURLA SIMON FAWCETT BRADEN AFTERGOOD LOUIS G. FRIEDMAN STEPAN MARTIROSYAN REMINGTON CHASE ADI SHANKAR RANDALL EMMETT NORTON HERRICK SPENCER SILNA MARK DAMON BRANDT ANDERSEN JEFF RICE PRODUCEDBY PETER BERG SARAH AUBREY ON BARRY SPIKINGS AKIVA GOLDSMAN MARK WAHLBERG STEPHENWRITTENLEVINSON VITALYDIRECTED GRIGORIANTS THEBASED BOOK BY MARCUS LUTTRELL WITH PATRICK ROBINSON A UNIVERSAL RELEASE BY PETER BERG BY PETER BERG SOUNDTRACK ON METROPOLIS MOVIE MUSIC
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January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
B5
SPORTS
Would Carmelo-forBlake Trade Work? AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff By Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley AFRO Sports Desk
league. And matching him with another superstar in Clippers floor general Chris Paul, would make L.A. an instant contender for the NBA Finals. Remember, it was Melo’s idea all along to eventually team up with CP3. He wanted Paul to join him in New York to head the star-trio along with the often-injured Amare Stoudemire, but Paul was traded to the Clippers where he eventually settled in with a big contract. This move would give Melo the opportunity to finally get his wish and it would also give New York a young superstar around whom the team can fashion their rebuild. But the real winner in such a move would be the Clippers.
Rumors have been circulating since last summer about a potential Carmelo Anthonyfor-Blake Griffin trade that would swap megastars between two mega-cities. Anthony, on the last year of his deal and playing as a lame duck for the flailing New York Knicks, and Griffin, the Los Angeles Clippers super-talented 24-year-old power forward, certainly don’t lack for talent. But would it make sense for the streaking Clippers (23-13) to deal away a key figure in their resurgence for the aging Anthony and rescue him from the drowning Knicks (10-22)? Anthony, Riley: For all of Carmelo Anthony and Blake who will turn 30 years-old Anthony’s scoring talents, Griffin before the season is over, you can’t trade away a is having one of his best young power forward not seasons with averages of even in his prime for a 26 points-per-game and nearly nine rebounds volume scorer. Griffin’s been averaging nearly a night. ESPN first broke the story the first 26 points and 11 rebounds over the last few weekend of the New Year that a potential deal weeks, basically giving better numbers than was starting to make more headway behind what Anthony has done all season. But it’s the scenes but Clippers coach Doc Rivers has not just the scoring that makes Griffin so already refuted the story as “stupid.” However, dominant. He’s a legitimate superstar whose would a possible deal be “stupid” enough to commercials, dunk contest accolades and work for both teams? Stephen D. Riley and youth have made him a very important part of Perry Green of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the Clippers franchise. To trade that away for the question: a guy who has a proven failed playoff record as an underachiever just doesn’t make sense Riley: We’ve seen enough of Anthony to to me. The Carmelo Anthony brand sounds know that unless he’s going to an absolutely nice and all; but if you look past the hype, the stacked team, trying to make him the focal chinks in the armor definitely begin to show. point of your organization doesn’t work. We’ve seen Anthony in the leading role for Green: No great player has ever done several Denver and New York teams and anything without a strong supporting cast so only twice in Anthony’s 10-year career have blaming Anthony for his career playoff record we seen deep playoff runs. For Carmelo, considering some of the teams he played with just getting out of the first round would be during that stretch is a bit harsh. Pairing him considered a deep playoff run considering his with Paul would be the perfect scenario. No 23-42 career postseason record. Now, if it was one would ever be able to double Melo again possible for the Clippers to simply acquire because they’d be too worried about doubling Anthony and still keep Griffin then a potential CP3. And don’t forget the supporting cast of big three lineup of Griffin, Anthony and Chris players like the high-flying/defensive-stopper Paul changes the landscape of the NBA. But in DeAndre Jordan or explosive scorer Jamal simply swapping talents may actually weaken Crawford coming off the bench. The Clippers the Clippers considering Griffin has been would be unstoppable! playing stellar and has so much untapped As a diehard Knicks fan, I’d hate to see potential just waiting to be harvested for the Melo go but he’s already made up his mind on promising 24-year-old. leaving via free agency this summer anyway so they might as well trade him now. That way Green: Sure, Anthony has had some the team still gets something in return for his disappointments but let’s make no mistake departure. In such case Blake Griffin is not a about it: he’s still a superstar talent in this bad trade off at all.
Saints Survive Philly to Advance in Playoffs NFL Playoffs – NFC Wild Card Round By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor Veteran kicker Shayne Graham nailed a 32-yard field goal to push the No. 6 seed New Orleans Saints to a 2624 win over the No. 3 seed Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC wild card round of the NFL playoffs on Jan. 4 at Philadelphia, Pa. The Eagles came back in the third quarter after being down 20-7 and took a 24-23 lead with nearly four minutes left in the fourth quarter when secondyear quarterback Nick Foles threw a three-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Zack Ertz. But that was enough time for Saints quarterback Drew Brees to lead his team down the field into scoring range for the game-winning field goal by Graham.
It was Graham’s fourth successful field goal in the game. He had also made field goals from 36 yards, 46 yards and 35 yards out. Brees struggled early, throwing two interceptions
in the first half of the game, but eventually warmed up and completed his only touchdown pass of the game on a 24-yard strike to veteran receiver Lance Moore in the third quarter. Brees completed
20 of 30 pass attempts for 250 yards. New Orleans, however, leaned on its running game as Saints running back Mark Ingram ran for 97 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Veteran running back Darren Sproles also ran for 29 yards on four carries for the Saints. Foles was flawless in the loss. The second-year quarterback completed 23 of 33 passes for 195 yards and two touchdown passes and did not commit any turnovers. Eagles running back LeSean McCoy ran for 77 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. The loss eliminated the Eagles from the playoffs with a 10-7 record, while the Saints move up to 12-5 and will take on the No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks (13-3) on Jan. 11 at 4:35 p.m. ET.
Charlie Strong Officially Introduced as First Black Coach of Longhorns
By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor The University of Texas officially introduced former Louisville University football coach Charlie Strong as its new head football coach on Jan. 6, making him the first African-American head coach of any men’s sports team in the university’s history. Strong addressed the media for the first time as the Longhorns’ new coach along with university president Bill Powers and Texas athletics director Steve Patterson during a press conference Monday. “I’m so thrilled and fortunate to be the head football coach of the University of Texas,” Strong said during the press conference. “To continue the tradition here built by so many great coaches…I can’t wait to get started because at the University of Texas, I want to make sure we represent the tradition and the history of this great program.” The 53-year-old native of Batesville, Ark. will replace longtime Texas head coach Mack Brown, who coached the Longhorns since 1998 and led them to a national championship in 2006. Brown decided to resign after Texas had one of its worst seasons in recent years; the team was crushed, 30-7, in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30, Brown’s final game as coach. “Coach Brown left the program in great shape, so the only thing I have to do is just come and lay another brick,” Strong said during an ESPN televised interview. “I’m so happy to be following a legend but I know that there is a lot of work to be done.”
Strong has just four years of head coaching experience, leading the Louisville Cardinals football team to a 37-15 record and three bowl game victories over the last four seasons. But his coaching experience extends back to 1983 when he first joined the University of Florida as a graduate assistant coach. Strong went on to become the defensive coordinator of the University of South Carolina from 1999-2001 and then rejoined Florida under the same role from 2002 to 2009 before taking the headcoaching job with Louisville. Strong’s defensive background should be an instant boost to a Texas team that ranked 57th in the nation in points allowed per game, a huge drop off from the prime years of Brown’s tenure. Louisville was ranked 2nd in the nation with 12.2 points allowed per game under Strong this season. “It’s time to put the program back on the national stage,” Strong said at the press conference Monday. “The mentality is always going to be mental and physical toughness...We will be a hardnosed football team.” Strong, who had told the Orlando Sentinel in 2009 that he believed race played a part in the reason he wasn’t offered a headcoaching job earlier in his coaching career, acknowledged during the press conference Monday the history made by him becoming the first Black head coach of any men’s athletics team at Texas. “People look at it as me being a minority. I’m a football coach,” Strong said. “But this is a historical day. There’s always going to be a first somewhere.”
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Director of Inspections & Permits Director, Senior Center Activity Center Assistant Clerk Network Engineer/Technician Maintenance Worker I Office Support Assistant I Program Manager (ID/Evidence) Storekeeper II Utilities Support Worker II Water/Wastewater Systems Technician I Visit our website at www.aacounty.org for additional information and to apply on-line. You may use the Internet at any Anne Arundel County library, or visit our office at 2660 Riva Road in Annapolis. AEO/DF/SFE TYPESET: Wed Jan 08 16:57:10 EST 2014 NOTICE TO BID The Housing Authority of the City of Frederick (HACF) will receive sealed bids in the office located at 209 Madison Street, Frederick, MD 21701 until Thursday, February 6th, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for the purpose of replacement of roof shingles & gas flue piping and all related work at Lucas Village. A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on Thursday, January 23rd, 2014 a t 1 0 : 0 0 a . m . a t t h e H A C F O ff i c e . Specifications may be obtained Monday Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the HACF Office for bidding purposes by depositing $50.00 per set. Interested bidders may obtain further information by contacting Rick Gladhill at 301-662-8173, ext. 121 at the Housing Authority between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. We are E.O.E.
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and county government employee, you exuded an unmatched fortitude and determination to excel in all that you do. We were blessed to have been in your presence for the time we were given and we celebrate the centennial of your birth on this day. We want to wish you a Happy Birthday from your beloved daughter, Jo-Ann and your loving grandchildren, Ja-Zette and Antonio.
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January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014, The Afro-American
Remembering... Jan. 26 - Rev. Vernon Dobson’s voice was heard throughout his sphere of influence in Maryland, and especially from the pulpit of Union Baptist Church of which he was pastor for 49 years.
Jan. 28 - Del. Hattie Harrison was the longest serving member of the Maryland House of Delegates, first African-American woman to chair a legislative committee, and earned the title of “godmother” of the House.
April 26 - Isaiah “Ike” Dixon, a four-term Maryland delegate was known for his work on behalf of racial equality and specifically to make cross burning a felony.
Nov. 9 - Bishop Sarah Frances Davis was president of the Council of Bishops of the AME Church and vice president of the World Methodist Council.
Aug. 2 - Sister Constance Murphy dedicated her life of 109 years to teaching the young and ministering to and advocating for the elderly. Sister Constance, who rode her bike until she was nearly 100, fought off the aging process and encouraged others to do the same.
May 30 - Rev. Harold A. Carter Sr. served as pastor of New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore for nearly 50 years as well as to a vast congregation beyond the walls through an ongoing radio and television ministry.
July 1 - William H. Gray was the first African American in the 20th century to become majority whip of the U.S. House. He resigned to lead the United Negro College Fund all the while pastoring Bright Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia until 2007.
May 31 - Hayward Farrar, an accomplished scholar and author, wrote the book on the AFRO, its history, its familial roots and far reaching impact in Black news.
June 8 - Dr. Homer Favor, Morgan professor and innovator, was an original Goon Squad member, who made Baltimore his home and fought for equal rights as if every Baltimorean were his brother.
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The Afro-American, January 11, 2014 - January 17, 2014
HAPPY 2014! Hello and Happy New Year to you and yours. Well my dear friends, we made it to another year, God bless us. There are a few things that are ongoing for 2014 that I want to remind you about and one of them are: if you like to dance, no matter if it is ballroom dancing, hand dancing, swing dancing or jitterbug, then stop by Shirley’s Place, 2270 Park Avenue every Friday, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Shirley Duncan is the founder of Charm City Dancers and CEO of the New Baltimore Hand Dance Association. Shirley’s Place is also available for private parties, meetings, workshops, conferences, wedding receptions, etc. For more information, call410523-0575. If you are looking for a fun place to meet friends after work where there is a romantic atmosphere, good food, good drink and a staff that will bring a smile to your face, then you need to stop by Colin’s Seafood and Grill, 3653 Offut Road. It’s in a shopping center off Liberty Road. Ask for one of the owners, Candes or Dante Daniels. They will personally welcome you. The Forum Caterers is hosting a “Throwback
Rod “Bunky” Ferebee Sr. and Sharon Alford of Rokeyha Productions recently showcased their new entertainment acts at the Phaze 10 Restaurant at 885 N. Howard Street.
Lauryn Taylor Froneberger, a graduate from Western High School was awarded a scholarship from the Big Sister Club of Baltimore.
Thursdays” every third Thursday of the month. For a small cover charge you can enjoy delicious food, fun themes, a live DJ, a buffet with complimentary wine and sodas. The Forum Caterers is located at 4210 Primrose Avenue. For more information, call 410-3581101. A reminder that the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in Baltimore City will present regional marching bands, color guards, steppers, equestrian units, dance squads, civic organizations and floats on Jan. 20 at noon. The parade steps off at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and Eutaw Street. Let us not leave out the event at the Arena Players, 801 McCulloh Street. This weekend, Jan.10-12, and the following two weekends of this month will feature God’s Trombones by James Weldon Johnson. The production presents seven sermons patterned after traditional African-American religious oratory, from an invocation to the prophetic story of the Apocalypse, with gospel music. It promises to be an eventful evening of spiritual
excitement. This production is directed by D. Russel Owens and Dwight R.B. Cook. For more information, call 410-728-6500. The Rosa Pryor Music Scholarship Fund is now open for membership. We are having a membership drive for men and women in Maryland who love music and have a desire to help underprivileged children between the ages of 5 and 17 who are talented and gifted in playing an instrument or singing. They are looking for men and women who have interest in helping raising funds and have 1 hour a month to donate their time for meetings. If you are interested, please call 410-833-9474 or email: rosapryor@aol.com and go to website:www. rosapryormusic.com for more information. Rosa Pryor’s group “Signature Live” will be appearing at Lamont’s Entertainment Complex, 4400 Livingston Road in Indian Head, Md. on, Jan. 19, 6-10 p.m. There will be a cash bar and the kitchen is open. “Signature Live” is an R&B female group Walter Amprey is in the that will set your soul on hospital recuperating fire singing back-in-thefrom recent heartday songs with a seven related procedures. He piece band who will keep is being prepared for you dancing all night. a heart transplant. His For more information wife Andrea doesn’t want phone calls or & directions, call, 301visitors. Please show 283-0225. I will see you your support by sending there. cards and written expressions to Walter Alright my dear and Andrea Amprey at friends; enjoy the New 1930 Turnberry Court, Year. Be kind to each Finksburg, Md. 21048. other. Treat others as Your written expressions you wish to be treated. are needed to brighten Keep God in your heart. his days and show Remember, if you need encouragement for a me; call me at 410-833speedy recovery. Please keep Amprey and his 9474. UNTIL THE family in your daily NEXT TIME, I’M prayers. MUSICALLY YOURS.