Afro e-Edition 02-16-2024

Volume 132 No. 29

THE BLACK MEDIA AUTHORITY AFRO.COM

$2.00

FEBRUARY 17, 2024 - FEBRUARY 23, 2024

We’re Still Here

Celebrating Black Excellence

afro.com

Scan to subscribe to e-edition

09

7

47105 21847

The AFRO celebrates Black history all the time, but in February we celebrate “first timers” in all decades. This week, read about the likes of Dr. Stephen Williams, the first Black person to lead the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and Gov. Wes Moore, the first Black man to lead the state of Maryland. Take a journey through time as we honor the great “firsts,” such as Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to launch into space, Hattie McDaniel, the first Black person to win an Oscar and more.

2

Copyright @ 2024 by the Afro-American Company

A2 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Comprehensive women’s health care in Prince George’s County.

University of Maryland Capital Region Health delivers high-quality, specialized care for women.

From pelvic to urinary issues to routine wellness exams to helping you live your best life.

Our specialists understand your health is personal. With five convenient locations across Prince George’s County, we offer personalized care to fit your busy lifestyle whenever and wherever you need it.

Visit umcapitalregion.org/wm7 to learn more.

U M C A P I TA L R E G I O N H E A LT H

A better state of care.

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American A3

A little celebrated first: Dr. Francis Marion Wood

By Frances M. Draper AFRO CEO and Publisher

T

all. Dark. Handsome.

Family man. No nonsense, but fair. Philanthropist.

Ph.D. Farm owner. Founder of a camp for children. Community leader. Beloved by students and teachers alike. These are just some of the words and phrases I’ve heard to describe my paternal grandfather, Francis Marion Wood. My mother once said that he was to education in Baltimore what Jackie Robinson was to baseball, an extraordinary “first.” Although he died before I was born, I have read several articles chronicling the positive impact he had on public education in Baltimore and beyond. He was a humble man, who rarely touted his accomplishments, preferring to applaud those he worked with, especially teachers and principals.

Grandfather Wood was born in Photo Courtesy of Kentucky State University Barren County, Ky. in 1878, the son of Fannie Myers Wood and William In 1927, Dr. Francis M. Wood became the first African-American to hold the position as Director of H. Wood. He was graduated from Baltimore City Colored Schools.

Glasgow High School and the State Normal School (now known as Kentucky State University). and served as principal of Western High According to the Notable Kentucky African School in Paris, KY for 12 years (he lived at Americans Database, made public by the 401 Lillleston Avenue in Paris). He was also University of Kentucky, Dr. Wood “taught in president of the Kentucky Negro Educational various African American schools in Kentucky Association (KNEA) for 10 years and of the Kentucky Negro Industrial Institute (now Kentucky State University) from May 1923 to June 1924. In 1925 Your History • Your Community • Your News

The Afro-American Newspapers

Baltimore Office • Corporate Headquarters 233 E. Redwood Street 6th Floor, Suite 600G Baltimore, Maryland 21202 410-554-8200 • Fax: 410-554-8213 afro.com

he became supervisor and later director of the Baltimore Colored Schools.”

In 1925, Dr. Wood was recruited by Baltimore City to become its Supervisor of Colored Schools at an annual salary of $4,200.

He and his wife Nellie Virgie Hughes Wood made the trip from Kentucky to Baltimore with four young children, all under the age of 10. Three of his four children followed in their dad’s footsteps: John Wood was an educator like his father; his daughter, Iona Wood Collins owned and operated The Little School (the first African-American owned nursery school in Baltimore City); son, Albert Wood was a Baltimore City high school teacher; and, my dad, the youngest, James (Biddy) Wood was an entrepreneur and manager of several musical acts, including The Four Tops and his wife, Damita Jo. According to a July 2, 1927 AFRO article, the Baltimore City School Board promoted Dr. Wood to be Director of Colored Schools in June of that year, making him the first African American to hold that post. Francis Marion Wood was a visionary and an expansionist.

He is credited with doubling Black student enrollment in the Baltimore City Schools and pushing for schools to be named for prominent African and White Americans rather than just being known by their number i.e. Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harvey Johnson. Although Dr. Wood was widely respected, numerous proposals for his promotion to assistant superintendent were denied by Baltimore’s all White school board.

The Maryland State Archives (MSA) reveals that one of Dr. Wood’s greatest accomplishments was the organization of the Baltimore City Teachers’ Association “and the stimulation of the extension courses for

From the AFRO Archives

The reinvention of John H. Murphy Sr.: From slave to soldier to publisher

Founded by John Henry Murphy Sr., August 13, 1892 Chairman of the Board/Publisher - Frances Murphy Draper (Publisher Emeritus - John J. Oliver Jr.) President - Benjamin Murphy Phillips IV VP of Marketing and Technology - Kevin E. Peck Director Digital Solutions - Dana Peck Receptionist - Wanda Pearson - 410-554-8200, ext. 246 Director of Operations

Andrè Draper - 410-554-8200

Director of Finance

Bonnie Deanes - 410-554-8242

Executive Director/Director of Advertising

AFRO File Photo

Director of Community & Public Relations

John H. Murphy Sr. (pictured front, center with his sons), widely credited as the founder of the AFRO, is celebrated for his groundbreaking audacity to take over a newspaper that has survived for 130 years.

Lenora Howze - 410-554-8271 - lhowze@afro.com Diane W. Hocker - 410-554-8243

Editorial

Managing Editor - Alexis Taylor - 410-554-8257 Special Projects Editor - Dorothy Boulware - 410-554-8231 Contributing Editor - Deborah Bailey - 202-332-0080, ext. 1119 Assistant Editor - Ashleigh Fields - 410-554-8200

Archivist - Savannah Wood- 410-554-8277 Baltimore Circulation/Distribution Manager Andrè Draper - 410-554-8200 Production Department - 410-554-8200

Washington Office 1140 3rd Street, N.E., 2nd Floor Washington, D.C. 20002-6723 202-332-0080 • Fax: 410-554-8213

(Washington Publisher Emerita - Frances L. Murphy II) Director of Operations - Andrè Draper - 410-554-8200 Customer Service, Home Delivery and Subscriptions: 410-554-8200

Identification Statement

THE AFRO AMERICAN – (USPS 040-800) is published weekly by The Afro American Company, 233 E. Redwood Street, 6th Fl., Ste. 600G, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Subscription Rate: 1 Year - $100.00 Print & Digital ($40 Digital Only) (Price includes tax). Checks for subscriptions should be made payable to: The Afro American Company, 233 E. Redwood Street, 6th Fl., Ste. 600G, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Periodicals postage paid at Baltimore, MD and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes to: THE AFRO AMERICAN, 233 E. Redwood Street, 6th Fl., Ste. 600G, Baltimore, MD 21202.

principals and supervisors under the auspices of Columbia University and the courses for teachers given by Morgan College and the University of Maryland.” MSA also notes that “in the midst of his life in the educational field, Dr. Wood finds time for church and community activities. He is superintendent of Union Baptist Church’s Sunday School, a member of the executive board of the YMCA, Association for the handicapped and the Urban League. He is also a Mason, K. of P., and Elk and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

A now-defunct summer camp for Baltimore City youth from low-income families was named for him, as well as several schools including the Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood High School in Baltimore City.

Francis Marion Wood died in 1943 and all city schools observed a five-minute moment of silence on the day of his funeral. Elmer A. Henderson, who was the principal of Booker T. Washington Junior High School at the time, succeeded him as director and was named assistant superintendent two years later.

This edition features those who are the first and/or the few to do what they do. They are pioneers. They are scientists. They are creators. They are educators. Most of all, they are men and women who pushed through whatever fear they encountered to become and to do that which makes a tremendous difference in our world.

From the members who sell the ads to those who manage the classifieds, to those who pay the bills; the writers and the graphic designers, this is the “We’re Still Here” publication that celebrates Black History Month and it is the creation of the entire AFRO team, and for each of them, we are grateful.

By Micha Green D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com

A

ccording to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), in 1890, 56.8 of Black or Colored Americans were illiterate, with the definition of literacy at that time referring to solely basic reading and writing skills. In 1892, the AFRO came to be.

With the audacity to hope that the small percentage of Black Baltimoreans would read his work, AFRO Publisher John H. Murphy Sr., widely credited for founding the almost 130 year organization, dared to dream. Born into slavery and becoming a soldier, later in life Murphy started a legacy of unapologetically relaying news critical to Black history, communities and current culture.

“The things that I find to be most remarkable about his story is that he was born

enslaved, that he literally fought for his freedom in the Civil War and that he started this business when he was older, as an older man,” said AFRO Archivist and AFRO Charities Director Savannah Wood, who shared Murphy’s life and history as it related to AFRO and racist world to which he was born.

“Essentially the generation coming out of slavery had to reinvent themselves completely. And it didn’t stop. We have this conception that people find their passion and life’s goal at an early age, and then do it, and that might’ve been the case for the second generation, but for him, he really had to reinvent himself from being a slave, to then being a soldier, to then a publisher of this paper,” Wood emphasized.

Though founded in 1892, Murphy initially worked for the paper’s printing press and didn’t officially take over the AFRO until five years later.

“There is some discrepancy about the founding,” Wood explained. “My understanding is that he was involved since 1892, but didn’t own it until 1897. In terms of firsts, he’s the first Murphy that is now six generations deep in leadership.”

The AFRO’s current publisher is the Rev. Dr. Frances “Toni” Murphy Draper, Murphy’s greatgranddaughter, and filled with his descendants serving as staff and on the Board, such as Wood, who is a fifth generation Murphy.

With low literacy rates among African Americans in the 1890s, Murphy ventured into the world of the Black Press and publishing.

“I’m thinking about the audacity of it. And of course the Black Press existed before the AFRO existed, so there’s precedent for him to do it, it’s not like he’s coming up with this idea on his own. But there had been other Black newspapers in Baltimore that had failed, in fact, the AFRO was a failing newspaper when he took it over. That’s why it was available, because it had failed, essentially, and was for sale,” Wood explained.

The multifaceted archivist and AFRO Charities director said that in researching the Black Press, she contends Murphy likely decided to take over the AFRO in order to ensure the truth about Black life was revealed to AfricanAmerican communities not only then, but for future generations like now, who can use the news then as a blueprint and insight on happenings today.

“The Black press was

founded exclusively to represent Black people and never have the fallacy of objectivity as its goal, but rather was meant specifically to tell the truth about Black people and for Black people and to advocate on our behalf,” Wood said passionately.

Wood also emphasized that Murphy could not have taken over the AFRO in 1897 had it not been for the financial and loving support of his wife, Martha Howard Murphy.

“Don’t forget about Martha,” Wood said.

“That’s my side passion project: to make sure she’s always brought up when he’s mentioned, because it wouldn’t have been possible without her.”

Legend has it that Martha Murphy loaned her husband the $200 necessary for him to purchase the AFRO. “I think about, not only the $200, but she birthed all of the children that would become the workforce and they had a house to live in because her father bought them a house. So she came with the resources, basically, to be able to support her husband’s dream essentially.

The Murphys’ original contributions to journalism in the late nineteenth century continue to live on today, not only through the AFRO’s 130 year legacy, but through the maintained necessity of the Black Press as well as the constant push for African American reporters and storytellers represented in mainstream media.

In 2008, John H. Murphy Sr. was added to the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. (MDDC) Press Association Hall of Fame.

A4 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

COMMENTARY

This Black History Month fight for the freedom to learn

By Svante Myrick A little over a year ago, the College Board unveiled its long-awaited draft AP African American Studies curriculum.

What happened next was sad — and all too predictable.

Florida officials, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), howled.

They claimed the course “lacks educational value” and violated state laws against teaching about race and racism. The College Board initially caved to Florida’s demands and said the course would be heavily redacted, then said it wouldn’t.

At the end of 2023, it released the final version of the course, and it’s…better. But it’s still missing some important concepts. The new course omits any discussion of “structural racism” and makes studying the Black Lives Matter movement — modern Black history by any measure — optional.

That pretty much sums up the state of the fight against censorship and book-banning in this Black History Month: better, but still problematic.

On the plus side, the last few months have brought some very good news.

School board candidates endorsed by the pro-censorship group Moms for Liberty went down to resounding defeats last fall. After Illinois became the first state to prohibit book bans, several states — including Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey,

New Mexico, Washington and Virginia — introduced their own anti-ban bills.

In December, two Black lawmakers, Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Maxwell Frost (D-FL), introduced bills in Congress aimed at fighting book bans. And a federal judge ruled that parts of an Iowa book ban were unenforceable.

But the censorship movement isn’t going away.

Moms for Liberty plans to start its own charter school in South Carolina. In other words, if you won’t let them ban books in your school, they’ll just start their own school, with your taxpayer money.

Meanwhile, librarians nationwide are being targeted by threats and harassment. And the propaganda outfit PragerU continues to pump out the offensive, woefully inaccurate junk it calls “edutainment” for public schools that will buy it.

There’s still work to do.

Fortunately, the public is overwhelmingly on the right side of this issue. Poll after poll shows that Americans don’t support censorship and book bans in schools. Those of us who want children to have the freedom to learn are the majority.

We understand that kids are better prepared for life — and our country is better prepared to compete globally — when education is historically accurate and reflective of the diversity of our culture. We understand that

Courtesy photo

Svante Myrick serves as president and CEO of People For the American Way. Myrick garnered national media attention as the youngest-ever mayor of Ithaca, New York. book banning is un-American and censorship is a tool of dictators.

This majority needs to mobilize and be heard at the ballot box. The defeat of pro-censorship school board candidates in 2023 was a great start. Now we have to take that momentum into the local, state, and national elections this fall.

In the meantime, we also know that public pressure works. A public outcry got the College Board to change its plans for the African American Studies course. And when publisher Scholastic said it would segregate books about the Black and LGBTQ communities at its school book fairs, the

public was outraged — and Scholastic reversed course.

Together, we have the power to stop the censors who want to whitewash our history and deprive kids of facts and stories that help them to understand our world. That applies to the Black experience in America,

but also the experiences of LGBTQ people, Indigenous peoples, people of diverse faiths, immigrants, people with disabilities and more.

Civil rights activists have pushed for decades for book publishers and educators to acknowledge and teach our

full history, and to awaken our consciousness as a nation. We refuse to go backwards.

Black History Month is a great time for us to commit to using the power that we have to protect the freedom to learn.

Our kids, and our country, will be better for it.

Setting the record straight on an important piece of Black history

By Ben Jealous With the start of Black History Month, I brace myself for the mis-telling of Black History yet again.

In schoolhouses and everywhere the stories are told, a persistent myth shows its ugly head: the ridiculous notion that great Black leaders are not just exceptional but exceptions.

It is an idea rooted in the ahistorical and unnatural misperception that the most notable Black Americans were superhumans that sprung forth from collective misery. It discounts the many, many Black leaders who were – and are – the children and grandchildren of courageous leaders in their own right.

Paul Robeson was a phenomenal actor, orator, singer, athlete and activist. The family that produced him might be even more impressive. His father escaped enslavement to earn two college degrees and become a prominent minister.

His mother was part of the Bustill family, who were famous abolitionists and included Grace

Bustill Douglass, the crusading abolitionist and feminist.

Kamala Harris’s path to the vice presidency began as a transformative district attorney.

She refused to pursue the death penalty, and shifted her department’s punitive focus away from sex workers and squarely into sex buyers and traffickers. She both provided a model for the movement to elect more Black and progressive district attorneys and spawned the national training institute for female candidates known as Emerge America. Vice President Harris would readily admit there is no explaining her uncommon courage without accounting for her civil rights activist parents and her education at the very university that produced Thurgood Marshall.

Martin Luther King is perhaps Black America’s best-known leader. His grandfather was himself a crusading Black Baptist preacher and the first president of the Atlanta branch of the NAACP. Whitney Houston became an iconic star of televsion, radio and the silver screen. Her first cousin

was Dionne Warwick. Through Warwick, Houston had close, life-shaping relationships with other celebrated female singers and actors like her “honorary aunt” Aretha Franklin, godmother Darlene Love and close friend Cicely Tyson.

Malcolm X is America’s most famous Black nationalist. Before him, his father Earl Little was a Black nationalist Baptist preacher who organized for Marcus Garvey. Harassment by the Ku Klux Klan forced the Littles to relocate from Omaha, Neb. to Lansing, Mich., where Earl was murdered by a Klan-like White supremacist group.

Stacey Abrams rose to become the first woman leader of a party in Georgia’s legislature and the most impactful voting rights activist of the 21st century.

Her parents were courageous civil rights activists and her father was among the youngest leaders of the Hattiesburg boycott in Mississippi.

Middle Tennessee claims a famous political father-son pair in former Congressman and Senator Albert Gore, Sr. and former Senator and Vice President Al

Gore. But western Tennessee saw its own confrontational and crusading former Congressman Harold Ford, Sr. followed by the diplomatic, incisive and consensus-building former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. From the time he started preaching at the age of four, Rev. Al Sharpton’s early years were shaped by the mentorship of Black leaders like Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., James Brown and the incomparable Jesse Jackson.

But it was his mother Ada Sharpton’s work that inspired her son’s founding of the National Action Network. Mrs. Sharpton rose from poverty to power as a prominent civil rights activist in New York City’s outer boroughs and became president of Mothers in Action.

Fifteen years ago, I was named the youngest national president in the history of the NAACP. My grandmother Mamie Bland Todd trained future U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (DMd.) as a social worker early in her career. In researching my latest book, I followed my own ancestry back to my grandmother’s grandfather. In

the late 1800s, Edward David Bland led Black Republicans into coalition with former White Confederate soldiers to form a third party that took over the Virginia state government.

Known as the Readjusters, the bipartisan political movement won all statewide elected offices and controlled the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1881-85.

In that time, they abolished the poll tax and the whipping post; radically expanded Virginia Tech and created Virginia State University; and readjusted the terms of the Civil War debt to save the free public schools and take the state from a financial deficit into a surplus.

Parentage and family connection are not and never should be a prerequisite for leadership in our country. But we can still recognize that one of the greatest traditions in Black leadership is Black leaders who raise Black leaders.

Some of those leaders inspire with their art; others with their activism; many with both. The historical arc they help form – which sometimes wavers but

ultimately bends towards justice – would not be possible without that tradition.

See more on afro.com

Courtesy photo

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free” and “Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading, and Succeeding.”

The beauty of being unapologetically Black

By S.A. Miller The term ”unapologetically Black” has been used by a lot of people for a lot of years.

The meaning is often based in the context in which it is being used. For some, it connotes boldness and a “take no prisoners” attitude. For others, the term suggests that, as a Black American, there is no requirement to answer to anyone for how you act, think or feel.

For the purpose of this essay I will define “Unapologetically Black” as having the mindset that respects, appreciates and cultivates the culture that is unique to African descendants born and reared in the United

States over the last 400 years.

African culture arrived on the eastern shores of North America in the 1600s with Africans captured and sold as slaves. In the land that would become the United States of America, the enslaved women and men brought with them a culture based in respect, pride, honor, faith, love, tradition, strength and perseverance.

Slave owners forced the slaves to assimilate into European culture which meant that many aspects of African culture could not be openly practiced in the presence of the slave master. Nonetheless, African slaves never abandoned their culture, and remained prideful and faithful even in the face of

inhumane brutality.

By the time slavery was outlawed in the U.S., the enslaved Africans and their offspring had lived in this land for over 240 years, and anyone born during that time could be characterized as African American. When African Americans left the plantations and began developing their own communities in towns and cities across America, African culture was still a guiding force. What emerged was the “Black experience in America”, a sense of shared experience fortified by the culture of the Elders.

Over the last 160 years, Blacks have persevered in a land that never respected

the “Black experience in America.” The European power structure, to this day, does not regard Blacks as equals. Little recognition is given by the majority culture to the accomplishments and contributions Blacks have made to the growth and development of the United States of America.

Thus, it has become incumbent upon Blacks to constantly and continually recognize, publicize and celebrate their accomplishments in the wake of unprecedented efforts by the majority culture to return to a time when Blacks were relegated to second-class citizenship. Simply put, Blacks have fought too hard and too long to regress, and will never

relinquish the gains made over the last 160 years.

So what does it mean to be “unapologetically Black?”

It means appreciating and elevating the culture that has been infused into the souls of Black Americans by the ancestors. It means being absolutely proud of the accomplishments that Blacks have achieved in the face of blatant bias, bigotry and racism. It means being grateful to all who work every day to make sure Blacks are not only seen, but listened to, as well.

If a remix of James Brown’s anthem was done today, the title would be changed to, “Say it loud– I’m unapologetically Black– and I’m proud.”

Photo courtesy of S.A. Miller

S. A. Miller is a movie producer, author and educator who has been writing commentary on social, economic, educational and political topics for over forty years.

The opinions on this page are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American ∙ 233 E. Redwood Street, Suite 600G Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American

A5

Meet Dr. Steven Williams, the first Black president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

By Mekhi Abbott Special to the AFRO mabbott@afro.com

Hawa Ba, a registered travel nurse, when asked about

In the waning months of 2023, Dr. Stephen Williams became the first Black person named president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Williams has served as the president of ASPS since Oct. 30, 2023. According to Tri Valley Plastic Surgery, an organization and practice that Williams founded, the new ASPS president aims to make the organization more agile and responsive. Williams is looking to implement technology initiatives to further enhance resources available to member surgeons and broaden the reach of ASPS to sister organizations.

He also will work to improve the society’s accessibility and responsiveness to a more diverse population.

“By leading ASPS, Dr. Williams is exhibiting the possibilities and opportunities that Black people and other minorities can achieve in healthcare and [he] will create a lasting impact on emphasizing quality patientcentered care for diverse patient backgrounds,” said

“Having Black medical professionals in high positions is essential to creating safe environments where patients are accurately advocated for…” the impact of having Dr. Williams as president of ASPS. Williams did his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College and received his medical degreee from Yale University. He was the first Black graduate of Yale’s plastic surgery program. Prior to being promoted to president of ASPS, he was an active member of ASPS for

15 years. In the past he served as vice president of membership, diversity committee chair and vice president of aesthetic surgery.

“Presidency of ASPS is a pinnacle career achievement,” said Williams on Tri Valley Plastic Surgery’s website about his historic promotion.

“For me personally, it’s an achievement to be the first African American person to be president at ASPS. It’s an incredible sense of honor, duty and pride. I’m really standing on the shoulders of people who came before me.”

ASPS is the largest organization of boardcertified plastic surgeons in the world with over 11,000 physician members. In the United States specifically, ASPS comprises more than 92 percent of all boardcertified plastic surgeons.

Ba said that “having Black medical professionals in high positions is essential to creating safe environments where patients are accurately advocated for,” and because they are able to do the work of “addressing racial disparities among minority groups to prevent adverse outcomes in healthcare.”

Photo courtesy of Tri Valley Plastic Surgery

Dr. Stephen Williams is the first Black person to lead the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) as president.

We are proud to present a reprint of the AFRO book “This is Our War,” from seven AFRO war correspondents!

The war continued for Black soldiers when they returned home from WWII, and this war still rages today. “This is Our War” not only preserves our history but lives on as a testament to the ongoing pursuit of justice.

Care for wherever you find yourself.

Everyone’s needs are different.

That’s why we bring you a full range of care options that work with your life—from anywhere.

Learn more at carefirst.com/ourpromise.

$30/copy includes s/h Scan above or call 410-554-8200 for your copy today

A6 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

AFRO inside look at Wally Amos: Founder of Famous Amos, the first ever cookie-only retail store

By Helen Bezuneh Special to the AFRO At the age of 12, Wally Amos moved to Harlem, New York City to live with his Aunt Della, who never failed to fill their home with the sweet aroma of her special chocolate chip cookie recipe –– a recipe that would eventually drive Amos to make his own cookies, along with the country’s first ever cookie-only retail store in Hollywood in 1975.

Within a year, the Famous Amos

Historic Preserve, told the AFRO. “There’s a different feeling to fooda different taste to food- when it comes from generations of struggle versus just trying to eat some food and it tastes good. When you add struggle and power, when you add those dynamics to the history of food and creating recipes and creating art, you’re going to get something that’s just mind boggling.”

Prior to establishing the store, Amos worked as a talent agent for William Morris Agency, where he would share his homemade cookies with clients during meetings. As clients developed a love for Amos’ cookies, the baker decided that he wanted to establish his own store.

In fact, it was with the financial support of celebrities like Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy that Amos was able to open his business.

By 1982, the Famous Amos Cookie Company was making $12 million in revenue.

Amos would also distribute his products at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s locations to elevate the brand’s status and recognition.

He would eventually make guest appearances on renowned television shows like “Taxi” and “The Office,” elevating the brand’s visibility.

“There’s a different feeling to food- a different taste to food- when it comes from generations of struggle versus just trying to eat some food and it tastes good.” store would sell $300,000 worth of cookies, continuing a long legacy of African-American baking traditions that have been around since the dawn of enslavement.

“There’s a different feeling to food when it’s cooked with love versus just throwing it together,” Kelley Fanto Deetz, vice president of collections and public engagement at Stratford Hall

AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni

Wally Amos with his famous cookies.

Despite the brand’s initial success, Famous Amos began to face competition from rising cookie brands, causing Amos’ business to decline in 1985. Multiple investors attempted to sustain the company – however, the sheer number of investors led Amos to lose his equity stake in the business.

In 1988, the Shansby Group purchased the company for three million dollars and made Amos a paid spokesperson for the business.

A year later, Amos walked away from the company altogether.

The President Baking Company bought Famous Amos for $61 million in 1992, more than 55 times what Amos had sold his controlling

stake for a few years prior.

“A few months ago, I remember reading an article in Forbes about the gentrification of Black businesses, where Black businesses find themselves struggling financially, and the only path they see forward is to sell their company, or divest a major portion of their company to White-owned or White-operated businesses,” Tiffiany Howard, associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told the AFRO. “Although this trend may make financial sense at the time, and to some extent, the alternative is that it may be initially better that the Black business survives in some capacity,

rather than to lose that business entirely,” she continued. “But in the long-term this hurts everyone because it deprives society and the consumer of the contribution Black owned businesses make culturally.

While Amos ultimately relinquished his stake in Famous Amos, his establishment of the brand speaks to a longer history of baking’s pivotal role in AfricanAmerican communities. Even in the era of enslavement, enslaved Africans and African Americans ingeniously utilized limited tools to produce baked goods that would endure through generations.

“In the quarters, they didn’t have a proper bake oven,” said Deetz.

“They had to make something out of nothing. They were making hoecakes– they were making anything they could with one pot, like cobblers. If they could get their hands on something, they would make it.”

“I think one of the most amazing and powerful things– looking at the history of enslaved Africans and African Americans in the colonies– is that they were able to make something out of nothing repeatedly for generations,” she continued.

“Their overseer would give them a little bit of corn and some pork and they would end up coming together and making gumbo. They had ways of bringing beauty out of pain.”

Though baking powder was not Continued on B5

Breaking down barriers for young men of color in Baltimore LEARN MORE

uwcm.org/YMU

YOUNG MEN

UNITED

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American A7

Sponsored Content

Inclusive Hospice Care: Gilchrist’s Efforts to Ensure Equal End-of-Life Care Access

In healthcare, equitable access to hospice care remains a pressing concern, particularly within minority communities. Despite concerted efforts to address disparities, Black Americans continue to be underrepresented in hospice and palliative care services, a trend Gilchrist, a leading provider of end-of-life care for 30 years, is actively working to change.

“We’re creating a paradigm shift around how hospitals communicate with communities of color. We’re going into communities and humbly asking what we can do to better serve their needs,” Wayman Scott, Associate Director of DEI and Community Relations, said.

According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, a staggering 82% of Medicare beneficiaries who elected hospice care in 2018 were white, while only about 1% were Black. And locally, a study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and collaborating institutions, revealed only 34.9% of Black participants utilized hospice services compared to 46.2% of white participants.

Recognizing the critical need for equitable hospice care, Gilchrist seeks to understand and address the root causes of disparities in hospice utilization through community listening sessions and focus groups.

“Gilchrist is doing what we can to reduce barriers and the disparities due to a lack of trust caused by systemic and historic injustice in the healthcare system,” Scott said.

Presence is key. At the heart of Gilchrist’s commitment to serving Black communities in Baltimore lies the William L. and Victorine Q. Adams Gilchrist Center Baltimore.

Named after two African American pillars of the local community, this state-of-the-art facility situated at Stadium Place on East 33rd Street serves as a beacon of hope for residents of Baltimore City and their families.

“We’re creating more accessibility for people in the city. We want to be where the people are and we want to reduce barriers,” Scott said.

Gilchrist Center Baltimore focuses on meeting the diverse needs of the city’s population with a range of services and programs including underserved populations, homeless individuals and veterans.

Through initiatives such as the “We Honor Veterans” program, Gilchrist honors veterans’ service through special ceremonies, storytelling sessions, and companionship programs.

One of the hallmark events is the annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration, scheduled for April 7. This event, open to all veterans and their loved

ones free of charge, serves as a poignant tribute to veterans and their families, providing a platform to commemorate their service and sacrifices.

“The most important thing is to have veterans come together to socialize and share stories, memories, and just have camaraderie with each other,” William “Bill” Hill, a retired US Army sergeant and Gilchrist volunteer,

said. “A lot of veterans, especially during the Vietnam War, who came home really did not receive the welcome that they deserved by serving our country. It’s a way that all veterans are honored and to say thank you for your service.”

Gilchrist’s dedication to equitable hospice care and veteran support exemplifies its commitment to addressing healthcare disparities and honoring the contributions of

underserved communities. Through collaborative efforts and community engagement, Gilchrist continues to make strides in ensuring access to dignified end-of-life care and support for all, regardless of race or background.

To learn more about Gilchrist or to register for the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day Celebration, visit, https://gilchristcares.org/ events/

HEALTHCARE MADE EASY.

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GBMC Health Partners Primary Care — Jonestown 1017 E. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21202 | 410-826-0170 Transportation available!

IN YOUR HOME Gilchrist Elder Medical Care 888-823-8880

Learn more by visiting GBMC.ORG/BALTIMORECITY This program is funded in part by the Maryland General Assembly as part of the Maryland Health Equity Resource Act. Grant funding is administered by the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission. For more information, please visit: https://health.maryland.gov/mchrc/Pages/herc.aspx.

The views presented here are those of the grantee organization and not necessarily those of the Commission, its Commissioners, or its staff. This publication is graciously brought to you in part by The Merrell Langdon Stout Memorial Lectureship in Human Communications.

A8 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Gov. Wes Moore speaks on the authors and mentors that shaped him

By Tashi McQueen AFRO Political Writer tmcqueen@afro.com

“I’m a Black governor. I was Black before I was governor. I’m not going to stop being who I am.”

And

By Megan Sayles AFRO Business Writer msayles@afro.com

In celebration of Black History Month, the AFRO sat down with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the first Black man to lead the great state of because I know who’s protecting me.

Maryland.

There’s a real power.

Moore became the 63rd governor of the state on Jan. 18, 2023, in a historic Q: What are the Black novels that ceremony outside of the Maryland State inspired you?

House with star guests, such as actress, author and producer Oprah Winfrey.

A: “The Fire Next Time.” I’m a big Before becoming the executive leader he James Baldwin fan. I think it’s difficult was a businessman, author and military to think about my favorite Baldwin work. man.

If you gave me a second choice, I would He served as a U.S. Army captain with say “Beloved,” [by Toni Morrison]. the 82nd Airborne Division and produced several books addressing racial plights Photo courtesy of the Executive Office of the Governor Q: What are your favorite Black films? and inequities including “Five Days,” a Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the first Black governor of Maryland, speaks on the book about Baltimore in the days after A: “I’m Not Your Negro” was Black authors and mentors who have inspired his path. the death of Freddie Gray in 2015. Now, fantastic.

Moore is doing the work of creating I think [James Baldwin] was brilliant. with colorblind policies –we didn’t get here because equity in Maryland by closing the racial He was so unapologetic about who he was and I of colorblind policies. The policies that got us here in wealth gap in the state, raising the minimum wage and love that. He lived and he led with such a sense of the first place were very color tinted. I think we have requiring that minority business enterprise goals be metfearlessness. He knew in almost every classification of to have a measure of intentionality if you actually want not just considered. who he was he was heard. He lived in a way that he was This week, Moore dished on the Black men that paved to increase economic growth that is going to, in turn, never going to be uncomfortable in your space because benefit the whole state. the way for him, the strength of being “unapologetically he was always going to be comfortable with himself.

Black” and the ancestors who have guided his path.

I don’t lack a sense of comfort anywhere that I am Q: Can you name a Black mentor that made a because there is nothing nor anybody that ever makes me difference in your life and speak on the importance of Q: Is it a challenge to advocate for Black flinch. I think we’re just built differently.

Black youth having strong Black mentors?

Marylanders as governor, in this current political I see who i’m surrounded by–I know who paved all climate? these steps that we walk on and so I never ever feel a A: Kurt Schmoke. He’s just someone who has always measure of intimidation or insufficiency. I just know that been a North Star for me and has always given me clear, A: I’m a Black governor. I was Black before I was everything I do– it’s because there were people who were cogent and thoughtful, nonjudgmental advice. governor. I’m not going to stop being who I am. I think willing to sacrifice in a way that is incomprehensible but We unfortunately live in a society where people will the challenge is me trying to not do it– [advocate for they did it for the hope of me and all of us. almost force you to consistently justify your existence Black Marylanders]. I am unapologetic about the fact Love and basketball is another one. and your participation. that we are going to close this racial wealth gap. If The beauty of my Black male role models: I never had people say to me, ‘Isn’t that focusing on a group?’ No. This article has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Over the past two decades, the racial wealth gap has cost to justify who I was to them, because they saw me before Tashi McQueen and Megan Sayles are Report For this country $16 trillion in gross domestic product (GDP I walked in the room. There’s power that comes with America corps members. that and there’s empowerment from that. I feel protected We are never going to be able to address these issues Sponsored Content

Building a more inclusive economy: Q&A with JPMorgan Chase’s Thelma Ferguson Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

3) How is JPMorgan Chase working to advance a more inclusive economy?

All communities should have the resources they need to strengthen their economic futures. This Black History Month, JPMorgan Chase is affirming their commitment to breaking down barriers -- including the racial wealth gap -- and promoting opportunity for all.

In recognition of Black History Month, we connected with Thelma Ferguson, Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Vice Chair, Commercial Banking at JPMorgan Chase, to get her insights on how she’s celebrating Black History Month, how JPMorgan Chase is advancing equity and inclusion and what she hopes to achieve in the year ahead.

We believe that we are only as strong as the communities we serve and the economies they support. We also understand that our company can play a role in helping communities grow, driving local economies, and helping people build their prosperity.

We’re helping to power economic growth by breaking down barriers and creating opportunities in communities across the globe. We do that through a focus on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our own workforce, as well as through business and community investments and policy advocacy.

1) Tell us a little about yourself and your role at JPMorgan Chase?

The majority of my 25-year tenure at JPMorgan Chase has been in Commercial Banking, providing clients with the financial solutions they need to grow their businesses.

Yet, no matter what my role was, I have always been focused on driving inclusion and equity.

Today, as the Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I’m proud to look after our leading strategies to uplift employees, clients and the communities we serve as the bank for all. I also continue to serve as Vice Chair for Commercial Banking, building and managing key client relationships from coast to coast.

2) What does Black History Month mean to you and how are you celebrating?

Black History Month is an important

Thelma Ferguson, Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Vice Chair opportunity to reflect on the achievements and struggles of our Black communities. To me, this means honoring the immense reach, depth and richness of Black communities’ global history, in addition to its connection and intersection with other communities At JPMorgan Chase, we organize events and activities to honor the designation, highlight Black history and culture, and enable impactful conversations and opportunities to continue our commitment to help create more equitable pathways for all.

4) How has your company’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy evolved over the past couple of years as the spotlight has been put on the country’s lingering racial inequality and social injustice issues?

We’re working to address inequities, including the racial wealth gap, in a meaningful way. Our efforts to support inclusive growth dates back decades. One more recent example is our $30 billion, fiveyear Racial Equity Commitment (REC) focused on advancing sustainable homeownership, driving small business growth, bolstering financial health and expanding access to banking. Through this commitment, we’re helping to create greater access to affordable home loans, low-cost checking accounts and financial health education workshops in the communities we serve and particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods. Our

goal is to help close the racial wealth gap and ensure all members of communities – including our own employees – can access the resources they need to strengthen their economic futures.

5) How should other companies and individuals be thinking about diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to the growth of their business?

Inequity stifles economic growth. If you start with that fact, it becomes clear how engaging more communities and helping to create more equitable opportunities is just smart business. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are not buzzwords. Their tenets should be core ingredients in the design and execution of your business strategies and run with the same commitment and rigor as other parts of your business.

6) What are your goals for this year and what are you looking forward to in 2024?

This year, my goals include deepening our culture of inclusion for our 300,000 employees, across all backgrounds and geographies and perspectives. I’m also focused on further embedding inclusive practices and solutions within JPMorgan Chase to inform our business, gain efficiencies and deepen impact. I am optimistic about the road ahead and continued progress in helping to lift all.

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American

A9

An AFRO salute to Larry Gibson: Celebrating 50 years at UM Law

By Sean Yoes Special to the AFRO

During the course of a half-century of instruction at the University of Maryland’s School of Law, Larry Gibson’s influence upon the school’s Black students may be unparalleled. This week, the AFRO will begin a twopart series honoring Larry Gibson, a man who has truly shaped generations with his dedication and hard work.

Last September hundreds of Black lawyers–all products of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Francis King Carey School of Law– gathered for the fifth Black Law Alumni Reunion. The members of the school’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA), moved through the first floor greeting each other with handshakes, broad grins and hugs. Others sat in the atrium or took to connecting and reconnecting as they dined on the scrumptious cuisine of Class Act Catering, prepared by the masterful Jimmy Britton.

Suddenly, Larry S. Gibson, professor of law at University of Maryland, marched through the courtyard banging on a saucepan pilfered from the caterer. It was Gibson’s playful and raucous way of letting the BLSA members know it was time to move on to the evening’s other activities.

Gibson, who taught the majority of men and women assembled, has been an advisor to BLSA (established in 1968), since his arrival at the school in 1974. He says this will be the last alumni weekend that he organizes.

After 50 years as a law professor at UM his complete body of work at the school has arguably been historic.

Photo courtesy of Larry Gibson

Larry Gibson’s incredible dedication to his students was undoubtedly encouraged by his partnership with his wife Diana. The couple was married for 50 years until her death in March of 2023. Shown here, the Gibsons on the first day they met in 1970.

Specifically, his presence in the lives and careers of the Black students has been ubiquitous whether they have been in his classroom or not.

Kay Harding, associate judge with the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore City since 2022, weighed in on Gibson’s ability to connect with students– even if they weren’t on his official class roster.

“My first semester was awful. I did not know if I would be able to make it through. I had never seen the grades I got the first year. I was on the honor roll, the dean’s list in undergrad. Law school was hard,” Harding reflected.

“I believe [Gibson] might have been the only Black professor. If he wasn’t the only Black professor he was someone that you could go and talk to and feel comfortable. So, I made an appointment to see him– [he] always had an open door policy.

Harding recalls showing Gibson the terrible grades and seeking advice.

“He gave me the strategy. He told me what classes to take and it changed my life,” Harding said. “After that, I started getting better grades and I am so forever grateful for him. Had I not had the courage to talk to him and to be vulnerable, I promise you I would not be where I am today.”

Harding’s powerful testimony is a recurring theme when you talk to other UM law school alums.

“I wasn’t part of BLSA when I was in law school. And I never took one of Gibson’s courses but he knew about

Photo courtesy of Larry Gibson

This year marks Larry Gibson’s fiftieth year as professor of law at the University of Maryland. His influence over the state’s legal minds over the decades may be unparalleled.

me. He knew what I was doing…and I never told him, but he kept tabs,” said Michael Studdard, associate Judge District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City since 2016.

“That’s who he is. He knows all the students–and if you never reach out to him he still knows what’s going on in your life,” added Studdard, who graduated from UM law in 1994. “That’s the best thing about him. You don’t know what he’s doing behind the scenes because he doesn’t want the credit, he doesn’t want anything. He just wants you to succeed. And that’s why I’m forever grateful.”

Beverly Carter, a retired Maryland attorney and UM law alum, sits on the boards of various civil, philanthropic and professional organizations. She has known Gibson since the two were undergraduates at Howard University in the 1960’s.

“He’s always been helpful in counseling people on the best things to do and the best way to market yourself to be acceptable and be accepted into the university,” Carter said. “He starts out even before you get here and he’s everybody’s friend, he’s everybody’s mentor by the time [they] get here,” she added.

Gibson’s ability to embrace scores of law students over the decades was greatly enhanced by the dedication of his beloved, late wife Diana, who helped support the students her husband taught and mentored. Diana Gibson died in 2023, after the couple celebrated 50 years of marriage.

“We had a 50-year love affair,” said Gibson, in the days following his wife’s transition in March 2023. For 50 years the Gibsons provided a loving sanctuary and support for his law students.

“He knows all of these people,” said Carter, gazing around the atrium at the reunion as Gibson greeted people by name.“He would have you to the house, he would always make sure you were okay. Diana always made sure that the BLSA students always had the little extra something. If they needed a book, if they needed a way home– it was really like having a family here.”

In addition to his indefatigable devotion to his law students, Gibson is a proud and highly respected member of Baltimore’s fraternity of Black lawyers. It’s a legendary phalanx that includes the city’s first elected Black mayor, Kurt Schmoke.

“He has had a huge impact on both the legal profession in the state and the state of Maryland in general,” said Schmoke, of Gibson.

Schmoke told the AFRO it was Gibson who orchestrated the former mayor’s historic campaign to

lead Baltimore City, as well as his election victory as Baltimore City State’s Attorney.

“Black, White Asian– regardless of race–a huge number of the judges in this state have been students of Larry Gibson,” said Schmoke, who serves as the current president of the University of Baltimore.

“He’s been an inspiration to African-American lawyers for decades. Not only in his teaching, but in his scholarship– especially research and writing regarding Justice Thurgood Marshall,” Schmoke added.

“It really is not an exaggeration to say that he’s been involved in changing the political landscape in this state…He helped organize some of the first elections of [Black] judges in the state and he’s been recognized nationally as an advisor to presidential campaigns. In addition to being a smart lawyer, he’s a savvy politician and political advisor.”

Perhaps, the most formidable Baltimore attorney over the last few decades is William “Billy” Murphy Jr., of the 1968 UM law class. Murphy is founder of the BLSA chapter at UM and another longtime friend of Gibson.

“Billy Murphy is probably the most well-known lawyer in Baltimore. As I travel around the country, if people know of one Baltimore lawyer they know of Billy Murphy,” Gibson said of his old friend.

Murphy said his recollection of how the two met included the Joe Howard campaign.

“We may have met a little earlier than that. But, that’s when I think we really started having a relationship because we ran the Joe Howard campaign together. And

“A huge number of the judges in this state have been students of Larry Gibson. He teaches one of the most important courses for any of the first or second year law students.”

Joe got elected as the first Black judge to be the sitting Circuit Court judge and Joe went on to a spectacular career,” said Murphy.

“I had gotten a job over in Washington, D.C. for the summer in law school, working for Al Figinski,” Murphy told the AFRO. “Joe Tydings was the committee chairman of that judiciary subcommittee. Al was the guy who made things happen. One day I get a visit from a group of Black leaders in Baltimore. And they’re saying, ‘look you’ve got to quit your job and work in this campaign. This campaign is real important,” remembered Murphy. “I was in shock, because I had already planned out my summer.

Well, I did it and that’s how Larry and I got to know each other. Larry is a tremendous organizer and he knew how to touch everybody– and keep them.”

Over the decades Gibson and Murphy have often joined forces in political and legal arenas, and occasionally they were opponents. But, their friendship has endured, rooted in deep mutual admiration.

“How many people has Larry touched: several thousand. I’m talking about having a tremendous core influence. He’s amazing, there’s only one Larry Gibson.

They don’t make em’ like that anymore,” Murphy said.

“As I look back on Larry’s career, I am so proud of Larry. How can you not be?”

“That’s the remarkable thing about Larry Gibson– everything that he has done is to advance the Black community–everything,” continued Murphy. “He radiates it. You can’t be in a room with him and not understand that’s where his heart is: us. We are his heart.”

Photo courtesy of Larry Gibson

Larry Gibson teaches the next generation of lawyers from his classroom on the campus of the University of Maryland.

A10 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

From the AFRO Archives

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity: An AFRO salute to the first Black Greek letter organization

L

By AFRO Staff ooking through the AFRO Archives the indelible impact of Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs) cannot be downplayed or overlooked. Movers and shakers of every industry routinely also show

up in the record books as members of Black fraternities and sororities.

As the AFRO High Tea on April 20th will honor all nine organizations, each week we will take a look at the men and women who have pushed the race forward while also

moving the dial on human rights all along the way. The organizations will be honored in the order of their founding: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, founded Dec. 4, 1906; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, founded Jan. 15, 1908; Kappa Alpha Psi, founded Jan. 5, 1911; Omega Psi

Dec. 1929

Phi Fraternity, founded Nov. 17, 1911; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority founded Jan. 13, 1913; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, founded Jan. 9, 1914; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, founded Jan. 16, 1920; Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, founded Nov. 12, 1922, and Iota Phi Theta, founded Sep. 19, 1963.

AFRO Archives via Poole Studio

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Founded on the campus of Cornell University in 1906, according to information released by the organization, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity “initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell.”

According to the Smithsonian National Museum of African Alphas do honor to 7 founders

American History and Culture, “their founding principles encompassed personal excellence, kinship, racial uplift via community service, civic engagement and philanthropy.

Operating without precedent for Black students on campus, they forged an organization using secret societies as a support framework.”

The AFRO Archives contain thousands of documents related to the organization and its members, who went on to

become giants in their respective communities and endeavors– including the likes of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity co-founder Eugene Kinckle Jones and Thurgood Marshall. Jones served as the National Urban League’s first executive secretary, and Marshall went on to be the Balt first African American to serve on imore Boy Fini Afro-American (1893-); shes Law the U.S. Supreme Court as pg. a 9justice. Jun 17, 1933; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Black

Newspaper C

CM Afro-American (1893-); Jan 2, 1960; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Black Newspaper Collection pg. 16

Jan. 1960

Nov. 1964 June 1933

NYC and Africa: Alphas at confabs

Afro-American (1893-); Jul 31, 1976; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Black Newspaper Collection pg. 12

July 1976

Reproduced with perm

Study shows positive role of Alpha Phi Alpha

ission of the copyright

Special to AFRO Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Afro-American (1893-); Aug 20, 1977; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Black Newspaper Collection pg. 12

owner. Further reproducti

Aug. 1977

Aug. 1944

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

Shown arriving at Montclair High School on Sunday are Dr. Lawrence Brown, Paul Robeson’s associate and accompanist; Robeson, principal speaker at an interracial meeting under the auspices of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity; Dr. Clarence Janifer of Newark; Dr. F. D. Williams of Montclair and Dr. A. C. Thornhill, Montclair.

on prohibited without p

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American A11

A12 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

WiFi that goes where the sun don’t shine.

Get a powerful connection that works all over your home. That’s Wall-to-Wall WiFi from Xfinity. Fast, reliable coverage that extends from room to room to even that room you thought you’d never get a signal in. On all of your devices, even when everyone is online. Only on the next generation Xfinity 10G Network.

Xfinity Internet 200 Mbps

$25

a month for 12 months

no annual contract

Requires paperless billing and autopay with stored bank account.

Equipment, taxes and other charges extra and subject to change.

See details below.

1-800-xfinity

xfinity.com/freecamera

Limited-time offer

Get a FREE indoor camera Learn more at xfinity.com/freecamera

Visit a store today

Restrictions apply. Offer ends 3/4/24. Not available in all areas. New Xfinity Internet residential customers only. Offer requires enrollment in both paperless billing and automatic payments with stored bank account.

Without enrollment, the monthly service charge automatically increases by $10 (or $5 if enrolling with credit or debit card information). The discount will appear on your bill within 45 days of enrolling in automatic payments and paperless billing. If either automatic payments or paperless billing are subsequently canceled, the $10 monthly discount will be removed automatically. Limited to Connect More 200 Mbps internet. All other installation, equipment, taxes & fees extra, and subject to change during and after promo. After 12 months, or if any service is canceled or downgraded, regular charges apply to internet service. Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. WiFi Boost Pods sold separately. Internet: Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Call for restrictions and complete details, or visit xfinity.com. All devices must be returned when service ends. Free Camera: Ends 3/4/24 or once supplies have been exhausted. Offer limited to new residential customers subscribing to Xfinity post-pay Internet (Connect More tier and above) who lease a compatible Xfinity Gateway. Must first activate service by 4/1, then enroll in the Xfinity Rewards program and redeem the free camera reward within 30 days of service activation date. Limited to one camera per eligible Xfinity Rewards account/household. Device credits applied monthly to your account over 24 months. If service is canceled, voluntarily or involuntarily or device payments are accelerated, balance of credits associated with device payment are forfeited. Comcast reserves the right to modify or cancel offer at any time. May not be assigned or transferred. All redemptions are final. May not be combined with other offers. To be eligible to enroll in the Xfinity Rewards Program you must be a current Xfinity post-pay TV or Internet, or Wireline Voice residential customer with a current and active Xfinity account in good-standing. Comcast employees who receive Xfinity courtesy services are not eligible to participate in the Program with respect to the address at which they receive Xfinity courtesy services. Visit Xfinity.com/rewards for more information. Xfinity 10G Network brings faster, more secure internet with improved reliability and latency. Order the Xfinity Gig-Pro 10 Gbps tier nationwide, with new customer installations subject to local permitting and construction requirements. NPA400505-0012 NED-WHWFreeCamera-V4

1002914_NPA400505-0012 NED Free Camera 11x20 V4.indd 1

2/2/24 2:44 PM

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American

B1

Top seven new Black History Month traditions to start this year masters a listen. If it wasn’t for them, the folk you’re jamming today wouldn’t exist. And today’s artists who are really doing something, have one thing in common – an unabashed respect and appreciation for those artists of the past.

By Aswad Walker The Defender Network

This Black History Month, let’s invest energy into some new acts that we can grow into traditions that can uplift us both individually and collectively. Here they are:

Unsplash/Kasturi Laxmi Mohit More and more Black people are reaching back to learn more and connect with their ancestors. This Black History Month, plant a tree in honor of a family member or friend that has already passed on.

we do to honor our ancestors is a much-needed blessing for us and the planet. Imagine if a global Nappy.co/Nappy Stock cadre of Blackfolk did this one simple act at least This Black History Month discover or revisit the work once a year! of a famous author or poet such as Langton Hughes or Octavia Butler.

Read a Black classic Howard University professor and all-around Africana Studies powerhouse Dr. Greg Carr often laments the current fascination with thinking that everything needed to be known exists somewhere online. It doesn’t. There are worlds, universes, galaxies of knowledge and information not online, but readily accessible via an ancient technology known as books.

And taking the time to read, turn pages and, if you’re like me, write notes in the margins, you’re giving yourself time to contemplate, wrestle with and sit with what you’ve read. Carr reminds anyone who will listen that our ancestors in Kemet believed that time spent sitting with and contemplating what you just read was an invaluable part of the learning and knowing process.

And what better way to take this practice to the next level than to read a Black classic? From “The Fire This Time” and the “Parable of the Sower” to “Up From Slavery,” “Precolonial Black Africa,” “The Philadelphia Negro” and “Song of Solomon,” the list goes on. Even the most well-read soul hasn’t read every Black classic. So, chances are, you have a gazillion choices at your disposal.

Pick one, and watch a whole new world open up for you.

Nappy.co/Pixabay Unsplash/Brad Neathery While the evolution of technology continues, February is the perfect time of year to sit down, take out a pen and write a letter to an elder in the community.

Write a physical letter to someone…and mail it On those rare occasions when I receive a physical, hand-written, old-school USPS-delivered letter, I pause and take the time to read that cherished surprise gift on the spot. There’s something to be said for that intimate, personal touch. Take the time to brighten up someone’s day by sending a heartfelt message to a loved one.

Believe me, they hit “way different” than texts.

Unsplash/Phillip Goldsberry There’s still time to begin a new tradition. This year, celebrate Black culture by watching a classic Black film.

Spike Lee’s “Crooklyn” or Leslie Harris’ “Just Another Girl from the IRT.”

Watch a Black classic Every generation, young folk look cross-eyed at “old” movies and TV shows. And every generation, as those young folk mature a little, some of them take the time to check out some of those past TV and or cinematic gems. And just like reading a classic, watching one enriches us in ways we often can’t even fully recognize or appreciate immediately.

Take your pick of past decades. Each one is overloaded with movies (and TV shows) that will enliven and enlighten you. The original “Sparkle,” “Cooley High,” “Carmen Jones,” “Car Wash,” “Deep Cover,” “School Daze,” “She’s Gotta Have It,” “The World, the Flesh and the Devil,” “The Brother From Another Planet,” “A Different World” and anything starring Pam Grier will be more than worth your time.

Plant a tree for an ancestor Anything we do to uplift the environment is a much-needed blessing for us and the planet. Anything

As February is also a month of love, make sure you practice self-care and do something to improve your physical and mental health.

Engage in radical self care The late, great Audre Lorde said it best: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare.” We’ve been conditioned to believe what we do (i.e., our job) defines us and our worth. For that and other reasons, we often end up working ourselves to death — not taking the time to care of ourselves. As folk say, we spend our time making a living but not a life. But you are worth it. You are worth an investment in your own well-being. So, invest in yourself by prioritizing rest and relaxation, meditation, daily/weekly walks in nature, gardening or any other activities or “inactivities” that allow your mind, body and spirit to recharge.

Nappy.co/Darren This month make sure to give a classic Black record or speech a few spins- even in 2024, every stream counts!

Give old, old school music a listen I love me some music, so I can’t say music here or I’ll ramble on forever. But one of my pet peeves is radio stations that play the same songs over and over, when we have decades, generations worth of insanely incredible, groundbreaking music from which to choose – and form every genre imaginable. There’s no excuse why we’re not being serenaded daily by songs from the 70s, 60s, 50s, 40s and beyond. One of the things I appreciate most about growing up in CW and Norma Jean Walker’s household was the constant exposure to music that I otherwise would not have heard. They played their favorite tunes from what they considered back in the day. And in the moment, I wasn’t feeling most of it. But some of it, I did. And the rest of it, I later learned to appreciate. There’s something about music that can connect generations.

We’re losing that opportunity as each individual is now a walking, personal playlist shared with no one but themselves.

Take the time to reach back and give those past

Unsplash/Cate Bligh Black people wake up each day with a host of challenges facing them. This month, take time to speak life into yourself each morning before you take on the world.

Speak life to yourself We humans are a funny lot. We often speak to ourselves in a negative, brutal and harmful way that we would not accept from someone else. That voice in our heads is often the biggest hater we face, always doubting your abilities, always telling you what you can’t do. Why not tell that voice to talk to the hand?

And the only way you can really do that is to speak life to yourself loudly, proudly and consistently.

Positive affirmations are considered both a spiritual technology and a scientifically proven way to bring about positive change in your well-being. Let’s use our Black History Month energy to speak life to ourselves!

B2 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

An AFRO salute to Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman astronaut to travel to space serving for two years in the Peace Corps as a medical officer in Africa.

Additionally, she speaks Russian, Japanese and Swahili.

Since her historic moment in space, Jemison has been lauded with many honors, including being named to the Women’s Hall of Fame, the Johnson Publishing TrailBlazer Award, and People

By Tawanda W. Johnson Special to the AFRO Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman astronaut to travel to space, has always pushed the boundaries of what some people thought possible for her.

In her book, “Find Where the Wind Goes,” Jemison, 67, tells the story of how, during the early 1960s, she declared her desire to become a scientist to her elementary school class on the southside of Chicago. Jemison’s teacher asks her if she meant to say “nurse” instead of “scientist.” To make her position abundantly clear, Jemison says that, with her hands on her hips, stated: “No, I mean a scientist!”

She would go on to face other doubters throughout her life. But Jemison didn’t let the naysayers keep her from achieving her goal.

On Sept. 12, 1992, she made history, traveling with six other astronauts to space on the shuttle Endeavor, where they spent eight days before returning to Earth.

Jemison worked as a science mission specialist, conducting experiments on the crew that involved motion sickness and bone cells. The historic moment wasn’t lost on Jemison who writes in her book, “Looking down and all around me, seeing the Earth, the moon and the stars, I just felt like I

that merged social issues with technological design. Through her new venture, she developed The Earth We Share, an international science camp for students. She also taught environmental studies at Dartmouth College. In 2012, she began the 100-Year Starship, an initiative funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects

“Looking down and all around me, seeing the Earth, the moon and the stars, I just felt like I belonged right there.”

AP Photo/ Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African-American woman to launch into space as an astronaut, is a proud member of the National Academy of Medicine, an educator, an entrepreneur and a multilingual former member of the Peace Corps. belonged right there.”

Before achieving her goal of becoming an astronaut, it was clear that Jemison was destined for greatness. At age 16, she graduated from high school with honors. In

1977, she earned bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering and African and African American studies from Stanford University. In 1981, she received a medical degree at age 25 from Cornell University before

Magazine’s “Fifty Most Beautiful People in the World.” Additionally, she is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

In 1993, Jemison was the first astronaut to appear on the science fiction series, “Star Trek.” A longtime fan of the show, she was impressed with the diversity of characters featured on the series, including Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed Lt. Uhura, an African communications officer.

That same year, Jemison retired from NASA and started a technology consulting company

Agency to make human interstellar travel a reality within the next 100 years.

Jemison who now boasts titles of physician, engineer, educator, social scientist, entrepreneur and former NASA astronaut, resides in Houston with her pet cats. She continues to encourage a new generation of space explorers through various projects and is widely known for the inspirational quote: “Never be limited by other people’s imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”

arrive. connect. discover.

Vacation Any Time of Year With Our Cruise Partners

Why not move to Maryland’s #1 CCRC as awarded by Newsweek!

SCAN HERE Use your phone to scan here to see pricing, floor plans, and to access our free cost analysis tool

cruisemaryland.com

1.866.427.8963 For a personal tour call 667-206-5588 or visit RolandParkPlace.org

Governor Wes Moore MDOT Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld MDOT MPA Executive Director Jonathan Daniels

Ad with Destinations '23 (5.4 w x 10 h).indd 1

2/6/2024 5:13:08 PM

| 830 West 40th Street, Baltimore, MD 21211

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American B3

Coppin State University adds Joe Gans, legendary boxer, to mural of great Blacks in history

By Karyn Cook Special to the AFRO Take a drive headed west on North Avenue and you can’t help but notice the Wisdom Wall, a mural honoring great Black figures in history near Coppin State University.

Frederick Douglass, Fanny Jackson Coppin and William S. Baer are just a few of the Baltimore natives depicted in the colorful mural, located on North Avenue between Wheeler and North Warwick Avenue.

Now, a new face looks upon all those who travel past the historically Black college’s campus along the busy North Avenue corridor. Joe Gans, lightweight champion and the first African-American boxing champion, was added to the mural in late 2023.

Gans is buried in Mt. Auburn, a historic African-American cemetery in Baltimore– the oldest of its kind in the city.

The Wisdom Wall is an art initiative produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) in collaboration with the Episcopal Housing Corporation; the Robert W. Coleman Communication Association; support from former Baltimore City Mayor Catherine E.

Courtesy Photo / Iandry Randriamandroso

Joe Gans is buried in the historically Black Mount Auburn cemetery, located in Baltimore. In late 2023, the famed boxer was added to the Coppin State University mural of great Black figures in history.

Pugh; the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Maryland State Arts Council.

The project commenced in 2016, with the intention to make an impactful piece of public art. The idea started after Robert W. Coleman Communication Association inquired about the blank wall to the owner of the St. Stephens Court apartments.

Phase one of the project included paintings of Matthew A. Henson and Elizabeth Ann Seton, with phase two featuring Thurgood Marshall and

Harriet Tubman. The most recent installment, painted in November 2023 featured not only boxer Joe Gans, but Reginald F. Lewis and Billie Holiday.

Who is Joe Gans?

Long before Muhammad Ali shook up the world, Joe Gans was born in Baltimore in 1874. Viewed as an underdog due to his short size and body, Gans was often thrown into “battle royals,” an inhuman, brutal brawl, where several young

Black men would be blindfolded and pushed into the ring at the same time, no rules– only a winner. Gans eventually held his first real battle in 1893 and after 11 years of fighting, he won the lightweight title by knocking out Frank Erne in one round at Fort Erie, Ontario, on May 12, 1902.

Artist Iandry Randriamandroso was chosen to paint the mural, with the help of volunteers and Coppin State students.

“The goal was to paint different individuals who made an impact

in Baltimore. I chose multiple individuals on the wall to present,” said Randriamandroso.

To inspire and educate people about great Black figures and what they’ve done, Randriamandroso chose Gans due to his achievements in the sports field.

“I picked him because his story is amazing, he’s the first Black boxer who was champion, lightweight. He’s from Baltimore of course and represents sports. We chose doctors, teachers, judges and singers. He represents sports, and I found his story amazing,” said Randriamandroso.

Cemetery board member and research coordinator Jesse Bennett says Gans is one of the many important Black Marylanders buried in Mt. Auburn.

“His gravesite is prominent at the entrance; you can’t miss it. He’s located near other important people like founders of Omega Psi Phi and Delta Sigma Theta.

“The cemetery is 150 years old, we have 34 acres of Baltimore history,” said Bennet, who hopes more recognition is brought to the cemetery, to give notice to the many important people buried there.

AFRO rewind: A look at Black achievements in the game of golf

By Michael Dean NNPA Newswire Dr. Carter G. Woodson conceived the idea of “Negro History Week” in 1926 and worked long and hard over the years to see that the week be extended. The week-long event officially became Black History Month in 1976 when U.S. President Gerald Ford extended the recognition to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States every February since. In the game of golf there is also a history timeline filled with events that were chronicled and have a place in history. Here are a few:

1. In 1896, John Shippen became the first Black golfer to

play in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills where he worked as a caddie at the age of 17. He tied for sixth place and won $10. Shippen is the first Black golf professional.

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

2. In 1899, Dr. George Grant, a dentist, invented the modern

Lee Elder holds the distinction of being the first Black golfer to be invited and attend the U.S. Masters in 1975.

wooden golf tee.

3. In 1922, Joseph Bartholomew began his career as a golf

course architect by creating a new course at Metairie GC in his native New Orleans. Because of the color of his skin, Bartholomew was never allowed to play the course because of racist practices.

4. In 1926, the same year that Black History Week was

established, Robert Hawkins held his first tournament for Black golfers and in 1928 he created the United Golf Association which provided a place for golfers who were excluded from PGA events because of the color of their skin.

Photo courtesy of National Links Trust

This Black history month, take a look at the progression of African Americans in the world of golf, thanks to the work of pioneers like John Shippen, who became the first Black golfer to play in the U.S. Open in 1902.

5. In 1939, Clyde Martin was named head pro at Langston, a segregated golf course, in Washington, D.C.

6. In 1946, William Powell, with aid from two Black doctors and his brother, began building

Clearview GC in East Canton, Ohio. The nine-hole course was opened in 1948 and Powell became the first Black to build, own and operate a golf course. Another nine holes were added to the site in 1978.

7. In 1948, Bill Spiller began his fight against racist practices by the PGA Tour that wouldn’t allow Black golfers to participate. That same year, Teddy Rhodes became the second Black golfer to compete in the U.S. Open Championship that was held at Riviera CC in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

8. In 1956, Ann Gregory became the first Black female to enter the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

9. In 1957, Charlie Sifford won the Long Beach Open, an event co-sponsored by the PGA

and in 1961 became the first Black player to earn a PGA TOUR card after the “Caucasian Only” clause was struck from the bylaws. He went on to win the 1967 Greater Hartford Open and the 1969 LA Open, both PGA TOUR events. Sifford became the first Black golfer inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004 and in 2009 the Northern Trust Open created the “Charlie Sifford Exemption” specifically to increase diversity in the game. Today the event is the Genesis Open, hosted by Tiger Woods.

10. In 1963, Althea Gibson became the first Black to compete on the LPGA Tour.

11. In 1964, Pete Brown became the first Black golfer to win a PGA-sanctioned event, the Waco-Turner Open. In 1970 he went to the winner’s circle after winning the Andy Williams Open in San Diego.

12. In 1967, Lee Elder earned his PGA Tour card after finishing ninth out of a class of 122

golfers. He began playing the tour in 1968 and in 1974 won his first tour event, the Monsanto

Courtesy of National Links Trust

Ann Gregory stands next to her numerous trophies for her excellence in the sport of golf. In 1956, Ann Gregory became the first Black female to enter the U.S. Women’s Amateur.

Open. After the win Elder received and accepted an invitation to play in the 1975 Masters. He was the first Black golfer to be invited. In 1979, Elder was a Ryder Cup participant, another first for the storied golfer.

13. In 1975, Calvin Peete joined the PGA Tour and distinguished himself by becoming one of the most consistent golfers ever. Peete had 12 tour wins in his career and led in driving accuracy for ten straight years, 1981-90. His greatest accomplishment was winning the PLAYERS Championship in 1985. Peete was the second Black golfer to participate on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team in 1983 and 1985.

14. In 1986, Harold Dunovant established the National Black Golfer’s Hall of Fame. That

same year, the Minority Collegiate Golf Championship was established to elevate the game for primarily minority colleges and universities because the schools were denied opportunities to compete in NCAA collegiate events.

This article was originally published by NNPA Newswire.

B4 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Ethel Waters: From brutal beginnings to Broadway

By Princess Tatsi Special to the AFRO In the extensive history of Broadway, Ethel Waters shines as a pioneering beacon, not only as the first Black woman to integrate its stages but as a symbol of resilience and tenacity. Her undeniable talent left an indelible mark on the world of theater and beyond.

Born on Oct. 31, 1896, in Chester, Pa., Waters grew up in poverty and faced a myriad of hardships from a young age. She was born to Louise Anderson, who had been raped at the age of 13. Waters often described her own birth as the result of her mother’s trauma, highlighting the violence and vulnerability that marked her entry into the world.

Before her Broadway debut, Waters had already made a name for herself in the world of vaudeville, blues and jazz, captivating audiences with her powerful voice and emotive performances.

It was her success in these arenas that paved the way for her transition to Broadway after her move to New York in 1919.

Upon her arrival in New York, Waters quickly immersed herself in the lively entertainment scene of Harlem, which was undergoing a cultural renaissance that would later be known as the Harlem Renaissance, a period of vibrant artistic and intellectual activity among African Americans. She began performing in local clubs and cabarets such as the Lincoln Theatre and the Lafayette Theatre, where her unique singing style and powerful voice garnered attention.

Waters’ career on Broadway was marked by groundbreaking performances that showcased her exceptional talent and versatility. She made her Broadway debut in the all-Black cast of “Africana,” which garnered praise for her authentic performance coupled with her unique stage presence in 1927.

However, years later, it was her portrayal of Petunia in “Cabin in the Sky” (1940) that truly solidified her status as a Broadway sensation. Waters’ performance was a critical component of the show’s success, and her rendition of songs like, “Taking a Chance on Love” and “Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe” became instant classics, further cementing her status as a leading performer of

AP Photo

Georgette Harvey (left), Ethel Waters and Fredi Washington appear in “Mamba’s Daughters” (1939). her time.

As a Black woman in the early 20th century, Waters navigated a segregated society that limited opportunities for Black performers to mainstream stages and roles. Waters broke through these barriers with her talent, and in 1950 she became the

highest-paid actress on Broadway with her role in the play, “The Member of the Wedding,” which earned her a New York Drama Critics Circle Award.

Waters’ film debut came with a role in, “On with the Show” (1929), where she continued to work in film throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Her projects earned critical acclaim for her performances starting with “Cabin the Sky.” Her role in “Pinky” (1949), where she played the grandmother of a light-skinned African American woman who passes for white, helped her garner an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.

Eventually these roles propelled her into the spotlight on, “The Ethel Waters Show,” a one-time special on NBC on June 14, 1939. Although it did not become a recurring series, it was a groundbreaking broadcast that made Water’ the first African American to star on her or his own show. It showcased Waters’ immense talent and versatility as a performer. By featuring her in various performances, the show highlighted her skills as a singer, actress, and entertainer.

In 1964, she appeared as a guest star for an episode of the television series “Route 66,” titled “Goodnight, Sweet Blues.”

In this episode, Waters played the role of Jenny Henderson, a dying blues singer, reuniting with her old band members for one last performance. This performance earned her an Emmy nomination for best actress, marking one of the rare instances at the time when an African American actress was recognized by the television industry for excellence in performance.

Ethel Waters’ remarkable journey from the hardships of a difficult childhood to the heights of Broadway and Hollywood stardom through her groundbreaking roles on stage, in film and on television paved the way for future generations of African American performers. Her achievement underscores her role as a trailblazer in an era marked by segregation and limited opportunities for Black artists.

As we reflect on Ethel Waters’ life and career, we are reminded of the power in perseverance, the importance of representation and the enduring impact one individual can have on society and culture.

Hattie McDaniel: Trailblazing as the first Black Oscar winner

By Helen Bezuneh Special to the AFRO At the Oscars ceremony in 1940, African-American actress Hattie McDaniel was seated at a segregated table on the far side of the room at the Ambassador Hotel. A great distance from the table where her fellow “Gone With the Wind” cast members sat together.

The host hotel had a firm no-Blacks policy and David O. Selznick, producer of her featured film, had to make a special call to even let McDaniel enter the building.

Still, McDaniel sat poised in a turquoise gown adorned in sparkling rhinestones, her hair ornamented with white gardenias, when the announcer for the Best Supporting Actress award approached the stage and finally revealed the winner, McDaniel. In one fell swoop, she officially became the first African American to win an Oscar for her role as “Mammy,” a house slave for a wealthy White family, in “Gone With the Wind.”

“Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, fellow members of the motion picture industry and honored guests, this is one of the happiest moments of my life,” a teary-eyed McDaniel said during her acceptance speech. “I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel.”

As a daughter to formerly enslaved parents, McDaniel had an intimate understanding of the hardships faced by African Americans at the time. For her, the Oscar was not merely a personal achievement –– she saw it as a significant victory for the Black American community as a whole.

Her role in “Gone With the Wind,” however, was not without controversy. NAACP executive secretary Walter White and other civil rights leaders condemned McDaniel for taking on a role that reinforced stereotypes of African Americans as subservient and White-appeasing. McDaniel, however, held a different viewpoint, considering the inclusion of Black performers in major films a victory in itself.

“She ends up defending herself for taking that role, which many Black critics felt was disparaging – and it is,” Jill Watts, author of “Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood” told the AFRO. “But she defends herself not by saying ‘I read the book and turned the Mammy figure into this beautiful portrait.’ What she says is, ‘when I played it, I thought of people like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman and my grandmother.’ She bases that role on the Black experience – at least that’s what she says.”

Though White held a different perspective, Watts argues that McDaniel was an activist in her own way.

“She was the one that had the most abhorrent racial slur that we can think of removed from the script,” said Watts. “She refused to say that. It was in the script until the day she shot that scene – then it was gone after she appeared in the scene. So you see her kind of really constrained, but you also see her behind the scenes pushing here and pushing there.”

Born in Kansas in 1893, McDaniel was the thirteenth child of her parents, her father being a Civil War veteran and her mother a domestic worker. The family eventually moved to Denver, Colo., where McDaniel was one of only two black students in her elementary school class.

McDaniel’s mother would bring her along to work in white homes, where the eventual Oscar winner would witness her mother toil for measly earnings. It was during these experiences that McDaniel realized that she wanted to carve out a different future for herself.

In high school, she started singing, dancing and performing skits with her siblings in minstrel shows. She would eventually get a role in a road tour of the musical Show Boat, jumpstarting her professional acting career.

According to Watts, McDaniel was a longshot for the role of

AP Photo

Actress Hattie McDaniel (left) and Fay Bainter celebrate Hattie’s groundbreaking Oscar win in 1940, which marked her as the first Black person to ever receive this prestigious award.

Mammy in “Gone With the Wind.” Numerous Black actresses at the time, including Louise Beavers, vied for the coveted role, intensifying the competition.

“The dominant feeling was that Hattie McDaniel wasn’t serious enough to play that role,” said Watts. “There was a lot of

“When she won the Oscar, I’m sure a lot of people were shocked- Black, White or whatever. She looked at it as a prideful thing, as an accomplishment, something that had never been done at that point.” resistance within the studio heads to cast her in that role because her performances were so bold. She’s so assertive in those roles and she makes those roles her own. She’s read by Hollywood as a comedic actress that you couldn’t possibly take seriously – a strong Black woman. If you think about that, ‘she’s too strong for the role’ is what they’re basically saying.”

With Selznick ultimately deciding to go with McDaniel, the actress suddenly had to face the difficult reality of navigating Hollywood’s motion picture industry. McDaniel, however, knew what to expect –– segregated dressing rooms, casual racism from the production team and cast and an overall rough time.

Though the multiple Black performers in the movie knew they could not do much about this reality, they came together to protest the studio’s segregated bathrooms and successfully got them desegregated.

McDaniel’s Oscar win was a momentous development in her personal life and the broader African American experience.

“It’s monumental because at the time, the Academy Awards had been going on for 11 years and no Black person had ever been nominated, yet alone won,” Reshonda Tate, writer, journalist and author of upcoming book “The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel,” told the AFRO. “Nor had any Black person been allowed in the ceremony.”

“She opened doors,” Tate continued. “Hattie McDaniel believed

in fighting from the inside – she had a seat at the table. We’re used to those activists who are vocal, but she was a quiet activist who had a seat at the table and tried to make change that way while doing what she loved.”

Tate decided to write the novel after learning about McDaniel’s remarkable life –– however, as a child, even Tate experienced a distaste for the role of Mammy.

“My grandmother was a fan of ‘Gone With the Wind,’ and I remember the first time watching it, she loved it and I was mortified,” said Tate. “I was just disgusted with the character of Mammy. I didn’t like the way she overacted, I didn’t like the fact that she was a maid.”

“My grandmother asked why I was so disgusted, and I told her that,” she continued. “She said, ‘well, I’m a maid. Are you disgusted with me?’ And I said, ‘well, no.’ She went on to explain to me that Hattie McDaniel was playing the only role she was allowed.

My grandmother said, ‘I get paid to be a maid, Hattie McDaniel gets paid to play a maid.’ It was then that I opened my eyes.”

Kevin John Goff, Hattie McDaniel’s great-grandnephew, spoke with the AFRO about the significance of McDaniel’s historic win and her life after the Oscar.

“She had seen a lot of heartache, a lot of death, a lot of discrimination, so she wasn’t operating on a level playing field, but she was courageous and hardworking. Her parents were hardworking, so she got that from them,” said Goff. “When she won the Oscar, I’m sure a lot of people were shocked- Black, White or whatever. She looked at it as a prideful thing, as an accomplishment, something that had never been done at that point.”

“She was hoping it was going to open up doors for her in huge ways, and it did a little bit, but her career didn’t go upward,” he continued. “But she knew that it would probably help other Black performers down the road, and that was her biggest hope.”

While McDaniel secured a role for “In This Our Life” shortly after her Oscar win, she found herself once again cast as a maid.

“In some ways it’s a classical Hollywood story,” said Watts.

“There’s the Oscar curse where after you win the Oscar, it’s really hard to regain that momentum and continue some kind of climb in your career. You can imagine she’s dealing with that reality on top of being a Black woman in Hollywood.”

With McDaniel being able to make money on “Gone With the Wind” and command more pay for her future roles, she purchased a house in an area of Los Angeles called the West Adams district.

“She’s part of this movement of Black performers buying these really beautiful, old money mansions, and they’re integrating this neighborhood,” said Watts. “She does that and she faces pushback from the White residents who actually take her to court to try and push her out of her home because they want West Adams to remain White. She makes that fight against that residential segregation in Los Angeles.”

“In the end, the lawsuit that she fights is decided in her favor, and that sets a precedent for a Supreme Court decision later on to outlaw restricted covenants in residential segregation in the United States,” she continued. “Nobody gives her credit for that.”

As time carries McDaniel into the pages of history, Goff is working hard to ensure that people remember his distinguished great-grandaunt.

“My father, who Hattie used to babysit, this was originally his journey,” Goff told the AFRO. “When I got off the plane when I decided to move back to California, I believe I was around 23-years-old, the first thing my father said to me was, ‘do you want to have the responsibility of carrying on the family legacy one day?’

And I said absolutely. When he passed away in 2012, that’s when I knew I was going to honor that question that he asked me years before about taking on that responsibility.

Goff is currently working on his book “Hattie McDaniel: A

Continued on B7

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American B5

Famous Amos Continued from A6

invented until the 1850s, enslaved peoples exhibited remarkable creativity in making sophisticated baked goods using meager ingredients. They would gather berries from the surrounding woods, procure eggs from the chickens roaming the property and harvest flour from the wheat they tirelessly cultivated themselves. Those that worked in the big house kitchen had proper bake ovens, allowing them to create advanced goods.

Once emancipation arrived and African Americans sought to get paid for their baking skills, those kinds of ingredients continued to be fairly inexpensive. After all, making a pie was much cheaper than making an entire dinner. As free people, AfricanAmerican bakers were finally able to become professional bakers, effectively sustaining themselves and their families.

Amos drawing inspiration from his aunt for his cookie company is a familiar tradition in African-American communities. The intergenerational transmission of family recipes has played a crucial role in AfricanAmerican culture for centuries.

“Talking about your ancestors was something that had been around for millennia in West Africa,” said Deetz. “You’ve got this tradition of passing down everything – stories, your history, recipes, cooking style, genealogy – all through word of mouth. Once enslavement hit and they were captured and sent over to the colonies, that tradition didn’t end.”

“Those that went across the Middle Passage, they remembered those dishes, they remembered what went in them, they remembered their history and then they came together in places like Virgina, South Carolina, Brazil [and] the Caribbean,” she continued.

As the Great Migration took over the nation during the early to mid twentieth century, approximately six million African

Courtesy of the National Black Chamber of Commerce

The original brick and mortar building where Wally Amos sold his cookies.

Americans fled the South and moved to places like Chicago, New York, D.C. and California to seek a better life –– with them, they brought their cherished family recipes and spread their culinary traditions from sea to shining sea.

For Carla Briggs, African-American founder of Viola’s Heritage Breads in New Orleans, family was also a key starting point for her baking journey.

“I grew up around a lot of great women who cooked and provided food for the family,” Briggs told the AFRO. “My grandmother was an amazing cook and my paternal great-grandmother was an amazing baker.

Remembering the times that I spent with them fostered me wanting to go to culinary school and develop the craft that I learned at home, but adding my own authentic way of doing it based on the women.”

“Being able to hone in and appreciate and value the experience of sitting at my grandmother’s table and watching her measure a pinch of this, and having a recipe card and knowing the perfect way to do something to

BELONGING IS EVERYTHING.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO FAR TO FIND GREAT FRIENDS Warm, accepting people who make you feel so comfortable, it’s like you’ve known them forever. They’re at the heart of anywhere you’d call home. So it’s no surprise they’re here, ready to join you in exploring a wide range of interests and social opportunities. Discover our diverse community in the natural setting of Hunt Valley — punctuated by homes thoughtfully designed to adapt to your changing needs, and fully supported by a continuum of care for every age and ability.

Answering every challenge.

Today, new generations of dream seekers are being inspired by the contributions and accomplishments of great African Americans who came before them. BGE celebrates Black History Month, our strong African American heritage, and the promise of those who strive to break boundaries every single day.

yield the same outcome that people love all the time,” she continued. “Though it isn’t as technical and scientific as some of the things I learned in culinary school, it’s so important to also value the different ways that recipes and culture have been passed down in families through food experiences that are unique and authentic to us.”

Over the years, Amos continued to establish multiple snack brands, but none of them quite reached the success of Famous Amos. Today, Amos serves as a motivational speaker and advocate for educational literacy. He has authored ten books, including “The Cookie Never Crumbles: Inspirational Recipes for Everyday Living” and “The Power In You: Ten Secret Ingredients for Inner Strength.”

“I think we are the foundations of flavor,” Briggs said, in reference to African-American communities. “How rich the culture is and how it’s translated to other spaces is a reminder of how much impact we have on so many things.”

information@broadmead.org (443) 578-8008

B6 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

The Four Step Brothers: Tapping into greatness through dance later, in 1988, The Four Step Brothers were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Although the group stayed together for almost 40 years, the brothers that made up the group did change a few times. Edward Bozeman was one of the more notable additions to the group.

He had danced professionally previously and went by the nickname “Prince.”

By Mekhi Abbott Special to the AFRO mabbott@afro.com Originally beginning as a trio in 1925, The Four Step Brothers formed a legendary tap dancing group that is still revered almost a century later.

Maceo Anderson, the founder of the group, always took a liking to dance. As a young boy living in Los Angeles, he used to sneak into the Lafayette Theatre to watch and mimic dance routines alongside his friends.

At the ripe age of 15 years old, Anderson recruited Al Williams and Red Walker to form what was originally known as The Step Brothers. To avoid confusion with another young, high-profile tap dancing crew with the same name, they changed their name to “The Three Step Brothers.” When Sherman Robinson was added to the team, they adopted the name “The Four Step Brothers.”

The quartet began their journey traveling with worldrenowned musician Duke Ellington. The group would regularly show off their talents performing at the prestigious Cotton Club in Harlem, N.Y. in their early years. The Four Step Brothers are credited with being the first Black act to perform at Radio City Music Hall, something they did perennially for a whole decade. However, their performances wouldn’t be confined solely to New York. As a matter of fact, they

Photo courtesy of University of Nevada, Las Vegas Archives

The Four Step Brothers perform in 1964 with a live band. “tapped” their way across the globe a reported four times.

“I learned about The Four Step Brothers a few years back in my high school dance history class. The Four Step Brothers for many years broke barriers in dance and they’re a part of Black history. The Four Step Brothers are known for their integration of dance moves,” said former dancer Joslyn Smith, a student of University of Maryland, College Park.

The Four Step Brothers were revered for their complex dance moves in which they incorporated rhythm tap, straight acrobatics, blues dancing and the camel walk, which was a move heavily used by singer and songwriter

James Brown when he would perform. One of the signature parts of their performances were when they would do “challenge dances.” The Four Step Brothers would each do a solo while the other three would stand back and make a beat themselves by stomping their feet and clapping their hands.

Each dancer’s goal was to outdo the other three.

The Four Step Brothers would go on to perform for former presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

They also had an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The “Brothers” ended up being one of the longest-lasting dance groups in history as they would perform together for more than

four decades, when founder Anderson was in his 50s.

“Being a part of art during the period of the Harlem Renaissance spoke volumes.

[It] put them in places like the Cotton Club and allowed them to perform in a series of movies,” said Smith. “Using those skills really set them apart, increased their business as a dance team and gave them the opportunity to appear in more movies and music.”

The Four Step Brothers received two Lifetime Achievement Awards on behalf of the Dance Masters of America. They received their first in 1960 and then the latter in 1985 for breaking the color barrier in dance. Three years

“The Four Step Brothers are known for their integration of dance moves.”

Bozeman would typically dance last and was particularly known for his acrobatics and flips. One of the great things about The Four Step Brothers is that they would always allow each other to do in their own style. Bozeman, likely due to his energy and athleticism, remembers other members thinking he was a kid when in all actuality he was 35 years old when he joined the group.

In 1968, the final addition to the group was a then 10-yearold kid who was only in the fourth grade when he got recruited to join the crew. Terry Criner, who was also known as “Little Terry,” had a dance

style that was very similar to Bozeman’s, but Criner came with even more energy and more advanced tricks such as no-hand head flips. Criner would even incorporate break dancing moves like head spins. Criner was taken under Anderson’s wing as the founder of The Four Step Brothers and Anderson would assist in refining Criners tap dancing so it could be up to par with his acrobatics.

After some convincing from Anderson, Criner decided to continue to carry the baton and created a new dance group called Third Generation Steps.

The group was made up of Criner, Cindy Notz and Ivery Wheeler. Third Generation Steps would see 11 years of success in the show business, but at the young age of 21, Criner decided to retire and with him went the Third Generation Step crew.

Some of Anderson’s relatives decided to walk in the footsteps of his legacy and also pursue a career in dance. Robert L. Reed, who is the grandson of Anderson, actually became a dance professor and did a little bit of live performance himself.

He went on to establish his own dancing school called Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Institute, which is located in St. Louis.

He founded the St. Louis Tap festival in 1992 and on July 30, 2005, St. Louis mayor Francis Slay declared that day to be “Robert L. Reed Tap Heritage Day.”

HAVE A MAJOR PURCHASE ON YOUR MIND? From home renovations to dream vacations, a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) from United Bank can help make it happen. Discover your home’s untapped potential and take advantage of your home’s equity!

ADVERTISING NOTICE – NOT A COMMITMENT TO LEND – SUBJECT TO PROGRAM AVAILABILITY. All loan applications are subject to credit and property approval.

Other closing costs may be necessary. Flood and/or property hazard insurance may be required. To be eligible, buyer must meet underwriting and program guidelines.

NMLS ID #522399

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American

B7

Hattie McDaniel Continued from B4

Reflective Life,” which will explore McDaniel’s personal experiences.

“Some people know some of the parts of her story and her life, but they don’t really know her as a woman, as a person,” said Goff. “The object of the book is to show more of the human side away from the screen, her thoughts, what she

thought about life, what she thought about Hollywood. In some of her quotes you can see where her mind is.”

“Then I share some of my perspectives on her and the family – photos and different things of that nature,” he continued. “I share things that are still happening today and have been happening for the

past few years because her talent was so huge, although she didn’t get to use it to its fullest.

It’s an added layer to show, look, this was a real person, she had feelings, she had thoughts, she had her moral ground, she had compassion and those kinds of things. I want to paint a wider picture of her.”

With her upcoming novel,

Please help us get to

20K

FOLLOWERS

@afronews

Tate also hopes to illuminate the commonly misunderstood parts of McDaniel’s life –– especially considering the attack on “Gone With the Wind” in 2020, when HBO Max temporarily removed the film from its streaming service after receiving complaints of its racial stereotypes.

“That was disheartening to me because her legacy was that she hoped to always be a credit to her race,” said Tate.

“Part of what I’m doing with this book is I’m hoping to shed

a new light on Hattie McDaniel to see that she was indeed a credit to our race. There are so many other areas that she made a difference in that people don’t even know about. I’m excited to bring those to the forefront as well.”

As of this year, only ten Black women have secured an Oscar, with nine of them triumphing in the Best Supporting Actress category, and Halle Berry standing as the sole Black woman to have ever won the Best Actress accolade.

“In light of the Oscar nominations that recently came out, I’m excited for Danielle Brooks and Da’Vine Joy, who happen to be nominated in the same category,” said Tate. “But at the same time, it is sad that here we are, ninety-plus years later after the first Academy Awards, and we’re only at nine Black women who have won Best Supporting Actress. That tells you that while we have made some progress, there is so much more progress that needs to be made.”

B8 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

Commentary

James P. Beckwourth: Rediscovering a Black pioneer’s overlooked legacy

By Roger House Word in Black James Pierson Beckwourth is a pioneer of the American West largely erased from history lessons. Recovering his story, however, can help us to better understand current debates over historical revision versus woke education — which is to say that, if he had been White, people likely would have learned about him in school.

Beckwourth was an American original, at times a slave, miner, fur trapper, leader of the Crow Indians, Army scout and guide to the California gold mines in the 1800s. He opened a vital trading post and hotel in the Sierra Nevada mountains that became Beckwourth, Calif.

Historians have enshrined White “mountain men” like Kit Carson, Thomas Fitzpatrick and William Sublette in American folklore, but not so Beckwourth. Because of racism,

writers disparaged his feats and ridiculed his name. However, his keen observations of frontier life could spark discussions on colonial ideologies of ethnic displacement like manifest destiny, slavery and miscegenation, White settler violence against Indigenous people, and commercial exploitation of the land.

His controversial exploits were investigated by historian Elinor Wilson in 1976 in “Jim Beckwourth: Mountain Man and War Chief of the Crows.”

She argued that he “was a figure suited to the making of Western legend” had it not been for his race. She found that “racial prejudice inspired much of what early writers said about his life,” and that he was branded a “gaudy liar” — even in a culture that valued the tall tale — an unfair indictment that has been recycled in contemporary times.

His accomplishments were preserved in a memoir, as well as physical landmarks, on

Courtesy photo

Roger House speaks on the life and legacy of James P. Beckwourth. websites, and in documentary treatments. Central is his colorful autobiography, but unlike the frontiersman Davy

Crockett, students don’t learn about the “Black King of the Wild Frontier.”

Yet, his story would seem appropriate for educators today.

For example, it fits with several of the topic sections in the revamped AP African American history framework issued by the College Board. The “Unit 2” sections on Black identity, freedom, autonomy and living in Indigenous territory would seem particularly relevant.

And the Beckwourth story could be a vehicle for an action movie or television treatment. In fact, his name is used teasingly for a character in the 2021 Netflix Western, “The Harder They Fall.” And there is a documentary, “Jim Beckwourth: War Chief of the Crow,”in the 2022 Apple TV series, “Into the Wild Frontier.”

Surely, his story could be relevant to controversies over racial representation in Hollywood.

The violence shaped his racial identity in conflicting and accommodating ways. His pioneer outlook was fueled by the opportunities of the Louisiana Purchase. About 1805, his master took him to work at a St. Louis fur trading post; he was later hired out for a lead-mining expedition to Illinois on the Mississippi River.

With money earned from the mines, he returned to St. Louis to buy his freedom. His story from that point sheds light on the incorporation of the wild frontier into Western capitalism.

His work as a trapper in the dangerous but lucrative fur trade is a window into the diverse people, places and cultures of the old west, and the systems of colonization and slavery that made America an economic power.

For instance, he was hired

Witness to continental expansion Beckwourth was a rare Black witness to the Seminole Nation and runaway slaves in Florida. He participated in the second of three wars from 1835 to 1842. During the conflicts, he served as a messenger delivering instructions between army forts. He observed the deadly Battle of Okeechobee on Christmas Day 1837, involving about 800 troops under the command of Col. Zachary Taylor.

Though Taylor, who later became president, proclaimed the battle a victory, many historians tend to agree with Beckwourth’s assessment that the Seminoles got the better of the fight. He recounted: “I could not see that Ok-ke-cho-be was much of a victory; indeed,

Beckwourth’s wild frontier Born into slavery in about 1798 in Fredericks County, Va., Beckwourth was a product of rape and the legal property of a tobacco plantation owner.

Black History Month

Call 410-554-8200 or scan for the special pricing

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION SPECIALS

+ $80 Print & Digital $30 Digital only AFRO.COM BHM SPECIAL VALID FEBRUARY 1 -FEBRUARY 29, 2024 - SUBSCRIPTIONS RENEWAT $100 & $40

Photo courtesy of Utah.gov

James P. Beckwourth is largely erased from history lessons, but students should learn about the “Black King of the Wild Frontier.” by the Rocky Mountain Fur Company to supply animal pelts for fashionable wear. At the same time, as he trekked about the frontier, his freedom was subject to challenge under the fugitive slave laws of 1793 and 1850. Like other free Black people, he lived at risk of kidnapping and enslavement; his former master testified to his legal emancipation in courts several times.

Over the years, Beckwourth gained a reputation as a skilled hunter, fur trapper and courageous mountaineer.

His assignments took him to Iowa, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. He witnessed — and participated in — skirmishes among Indigenous nations and with White settlers. About 1828, he was captured by warriors of the Crow Nation in Montana.

Tribal leaders evidently saw value in his understanding of White culture, fluency in English, and bravery in combat.

In the tribe, he rose to the position of a war chief. Today, his observations of their way of life before displacement by White settlers are valued as precious anthropology.

I shrewdly suspected that the enemy had the advantage; but it was called a victory by the soldier, and they were the best qualified to decide.”

Beckwourth also provided insights into the opening of California during the gold rush. In 1850, he located a passage through the Sierra Nevada mountains known as Beckwourth Pass. Then, he organized a team to prepare a road for wagon trains between Reno and northern California, known as the Beckwourth Trail, which enabled thousands of settlers to reach the fertile central valley in safety — and allowed Beckwourth to achieve a measure of commercial success.

This fascinating pioneer lived to see the end of slavery; he died around 1866, shortly after the Civil War. But he never enjoyed the rights of citizenship, even though he as an authentic product of the American experience.As such, the rediscovery of his story can provide an engaging springboard for re-envisioning the wild frontier.

This article was originally published by Word In Black.

The opinions in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO. Send letters to The Afro-American ∙ 233 E. Redwood Street, Suite 600G Baltimore, MD 21202 or fax to 1-877-570-9297 or e-mail to editor@afro.com

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American B9

For More Information Please call the number above LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000030 REGINA D. OWENS Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs MATTHEW OWENS, whose address is 1913 TRENTON PL SE WASHINGTON DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of REGINA D. OWENS, who died on MARCH 27, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 2, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 2, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 2, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM49 GEORGE A. LEWIS Name of Decedent FRAZER WALTON, JR. 1913 D STREET, N.E. WASHINGTON, DC 20002 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs GWENDOLYN HUNNICUTT, whose address is 433 20TH STREET, N.E, WASHINGTON, DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GEORGE A. LEWIS, who died on DECEMBER 22, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2023ADM001305 THEODORE CONTOUR HARE Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs JASMINE A. MUSCHETTE & THERESA HARE, whose addresses are 6319 9th ST., NW WASH DC 20011, 3750 JAMISON ST., NE APT. 216 WASH DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of THEODORE CONTOUR HARE, who died on APRIL 18, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

MATTHEW OWENS Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/02, 2/09, 2/16/24

GWENDOLYN HUNNICUTT Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000060 DEBRA JANICE MOORE Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs RACHELLE MELBA MOORE, whose address is 2567 COLEBROOKE DR, TEMPLE HILLS,MD 20748, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DEBRA JANICE MOORE, who died on JUNE 4, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers RACHELLE MELBA MOORE Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000082 EARL THOMAS EASTER JR Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs CHANTIL THOMAS, whose address is 2812 SHERMAN AVE NW, WASHINGTON DC 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of EARL THOMAS EASTER JR, who died on DECEMBER 13, 2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers CHANTIL THOMAS Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000058 GENEVA WINSLOW AKA GENEVA M WINSLOW Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs ARVETTE WINSLOW, whose address is 4923 4TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GENEVA WINSLOW AKA GENEVA M. WINSLOW, who died on OCTOBER 23, 2023 with a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers ARVETTE WINSLOW Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000097 SANDRA ETA CRAFT Name of Decedent HORACE BRADSHAW 1644 6TH STREET NW WASHINGTON DC, 20001 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs ARTHUR ROGIERS, whose address is 1333 E ST. NE, WASHINGTON DC, 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of SANDRA ETA CRAFT, who died on NOVEMBER 3, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers ARTHUR ROGIERS Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

JASMINE A. MUSCHETTE THERESA HARE Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2023ADM001089 VERNICE SHEARARD AKA VERNICE DELORES SHEARARD AKA VERNICE D. SHEARARD Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs RAINYA P. MILLER, whose address is 2609 LACROSSE PL, WALDORF MD 20603, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of VERNICE SHEARARD AKA VERNICE DELORES SHEARARD AKA VERNICE D. SHEARARD, who died on OCTOBER 10, 2020 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 9, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 9, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers RAINYA P. MILLER Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/09, 2/16, 2/23/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000067 DENISE ALEXANDER GREEN Name of Decedent ERICA F. GLOGER GRIFFIN & GRIFFIN LLP 1320 19TH STREET NW #800 WASHINGTON DC 20036 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs TAHIRAH ALEXANDER GREEN, whose address is 4224 8TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON DC 20011, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DENISE ALEXANDER GREEN who died on AUGUST 22, 2022 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers TAHIRAH ALEXANDER GREEN Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM00084 DELORES C. GRIFFIN Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs PATRICIA D. GRIFFIN, whose address is 10911 MARLBORO CROSSING CT CHELTENHAM MD 20623, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DELORES C. GRIFFIN who died on JULY 17, 2012 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers PATRICIA D. GRIFFIN Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2024FEP10 MAY 21, 2020 Date of Death FLORENCE N. STEWART AKA FLORENCE NAOMI STEWART Name of Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS VERNELL P. FERGUSSON whose address is P.O. BOX 60271, HARRISBURG, PA 17106 was appointecd representative of the estate of FLORENCE N. STEWART AKA FLORENCE NAOMI STEWART, deceased, by the ORPHAN’S Court for PRINCE GEORGE’S County, State of MARYLAND, on APRIL 12, 2023.

Service of process may be made upon SAMANTHA B. SANDERS, 1804 8TH STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20001 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C. The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 2107 SUITLAND TERRACE, SE UNIT #201, WASHINGTON DC 20020. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001 within 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper, and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter AFRO-American

afro.com

LEGAL NOTICES

•Your History •Your Community •Your News

Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements.

Effective immediately, The Afro AmericanNewspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices. Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

VERNELL P. FERGUSSON Personal Reperesenative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/01/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2017ADM000017 GLADYS WIGGINS AKA GLADYS L. WIGGINS Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs DELORES M. GREEN, whose address is 229 S STREET NE, WASH. DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GLADYS WIGGINS AKA GLADYS L. WIGGINS who died on APRIL 25, 2023 with a Will and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers DELORES M. GREEN Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

Washington Classified

Continued on B10

Scan for info on AFRO events

B10 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024

For More Information

Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements.

Effective immediately, The Afro American Newspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

Please call the number above

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

City of Baltimore Department of Finance Bureau of Procurement

Contractor / Builder Request for Proposals

CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

The Laurel Cemetery Memorial Project, Inc., invites interested and qualified firms to submit proposals for contracting services associated with the construction/replacement of a retaining wall and the installation of steps and a walkway along the green space of 2401 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21213.

SPECIAL NOTICE

Sealed proposals addressed to the Board of Estimates of Baltimore will be Received until, but not later than 11:00 am local time on the following dates for the stated requirements.

February 21, 2024 * MEDIUM and HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS RFQ-000431 March 6, 2024 * PUMP MAINTENANCE REPAIR and INSTALLATION SERVICES RFQ-000455 * SUPPLY & DELIVERY of ALUMINUM SHEETS METAL RFQ-000448 * YOUNG TREE CARE SERVICES RFQ-000512 * FORENSIC LAB SERVICES RFQ-000491 April 17, 2024 * HISTORIC PLASTER MAINTENANCE and REPAIRS RFQ-000494 ENTIRE SOLICITATION CAN BE VIEWED AND DOWNLOADED BY VISITING THE WEBSITE: https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/supplier/baltimorecity/SupplierSite”

Project is partly funded by the MD Historical Trust. All work must comply with the Standards and Guidelines for Archeological Investigations in Maryland (Shaffer and Cole, 1994), all State regs., incl. EEO.

GS16810RRR – Mitchell Courthouse Roof Replacement CORRECTION: The Pre-Bid Meeting for this project has been rescheduled. It is now: “A “Pre-Bidding information” session will be conducted at the site: 100 N. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, Room 509 Mitchell on TUESDAY, February 20, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.”

Mandatory Pre-proposal site inspection days will be available on March 1 and/or March 8, 2024, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, at 2401 Belair Road, Baltimore, MD 21213. Contact Isaac Shearn (Isaacshearn@gmail.com) for complete RFP/proposal paperwork.

Submit all proposal materials to: Isaac Shearn (Isaacshearn@gmail.com) and John Carter (jhcarter-design@comcast.net by end of business, April 1, 2024.

Contract awarded to lowest proposal from a qualified firm conforming to project schedule.

Washington Classified Continued from B9

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000109 JAMES TELFAIR ROBINSON III Name of Decedent NATHAN A NEAL ESQ. LAW OFFICES OF NEAL AND HANEY, PLLC 209 KENNEDY STREET NW WASHINGTON DC 20011-5214 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs RUTH ROBINSON, whose address is 1788 SYCAMORE STREET NW WASHINGTON DC 20012, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JAMES TELFAIR ROBINSON III who died on OCTOBER 29, 2023 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 19, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 19, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2023ADM001512 LILLIE M BEDNEY HATCHETT AKA LILLIE MAE BEDNEY HATCHETT Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs TERRY ALEXANDER HATCHETT III, whose address is 1730 H STREET NE, WASHINGTON DC, 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of LILLIE M BEDNEY HATCHETT AKA LILLIE MAE BEDNEY HATCHETT who died on NOVEMBER 30, 2022 with a Will and will serve with Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers

RUTH ROBINSON Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION ADMINISTRATION NO. 2024ADM000099 MARVIN BUTLER Name of Decedent KELLY A. BURGY COUNCIL BARADEL KOSMERL & NOLAN P.A 125 WEST STREET, 4TH FLOOR ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND 21401 Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs TANGI YVETTE BUTLER, whose address is 1226 I STREET, NE WASHINGTON DC 20002, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of MARVIN BUTLER who died on SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 without a Will and will serve without Court supervision.

All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance In this proceeding. Objections to such, appointment shall be filed With the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before AUGUST 16, 2024 or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: FEBRUARY 16, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Washington Law Reporter AFRO American Newspapers TANGI YVETTE BUTLER Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

TERRY ALEXANDERHATCHETT III Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS 2/16, 2/23, 3/1/24

Reach out to a friend about their mental health.

Find more ways to help at SeizeTheAwkward.org

Need to know what’s going on this weekend?

We aggregate all of the events in your area from more than 500 categories, so you don’t have to look anywhere else!

Add your own event for FREE and upgrade for greater reach!

Visit afro.com click EVENTS 410-554-8200

February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024 The Afro-American B11

Rev. Barber’s bold vision: A revolutionary election year, powered by low-income voters

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Word in Black Imagine working 64 hours a week and being unable to cover basic needs like food, shelter and utilities. Imagine working that many hours at more than one job and still not having adequate health coverage for yourself or your family.

Millions of people in the United States live like this. In 2022, 17.1 percent of Black folks lived in poverty, twice the rate of White people, according to U.S. Census Bureau data — and elected officials often ignore their voices. But the Poor People’s Campaign has a master plan — a 40-week blitz to mobilize the political might of 15

“Poor and low-wage brothers and sisters have the power to determine and decide the 2024 elections and elections beyond.” million low-income voters in 30 states in time for the Nov. 5 presidential election.

“For far too long, extremists have blamed poor people and low-wage people for their plight, while moderates too often have ignored poor people, appealing instead to the so-called ‘middle class,’” said campaign co-founder, activist and pastor Bishop William Barber II, while announcing the effort on Feb. 4 at the Press Club in Washington, D.C. “Meanwhile, poor and low-income, low-wage people have become nearly half of this country. And we are here today to make one thing clear: Poor and low-wage brothers and sisters have the power to determine and decide the 2024 elections and elections beyond,” he said.

Barber made the announcement with his fellow campaign leaders and several folks who will be putting boots on the ground — self-characterized poor people.

Together, they’re kicking off the campaign with a bold statement on March 2, orchestrating major actions at 30 statehouses across the United States. And they’re inviting hundreds of thousands of

Courtesy of the Economic Policy Institute

Bishop William Barber II is mobilizing the political might of 15 million lowincome folks in 30 states so they can vote with a collective purpose on Nov. 5. “poor” people, people of faith and activists to show up at their respective statehouses to raise hell and demand to be seen.

And they’re not stopping there. On June 15, these same people– and probably many more– plan to show up at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to sound the same alarm at Congress’s door. The message? Working folks in the United States shouldn’t be living worse than folks in countries we call “underdeveloped.”

And they have the goods: votes. This campaign could deliver millions of votes from poor people and low-wage workers who haven’t previously voted, although they’re eligible to do so.

According to the Pew Research Center, in the 2020 election, about 158.4 million

people headed to the polls, but that was only 62.8 percent of people of voting age.

Get those 87 million eligible voters to cast a ballot, and that’s an election game changer.

“It is time for a resurrection and not an insurrection,” Barber said.

During the event, Shailly Gupta Brown, national policy director for the campaign, said there are 39,000 eligible non-voters in Georgia alone, nearly four times greater than the 10,000-vote margin of victory in the last election.

This is another move in what Barber has coined the “Third Reconstruction: Fully Addressing Poverty and Low Wages From the Bottom Up.” “Poverty is claiming 800 lives a day

in this country. It’s time to build a 3rd Reconstruction and abolish poverty as the 4th leading cause of death,” according to the Poor People’s Campaign website.

Barber and his team met with Reps.

Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) to secure a resolution of the same name and intention: to ensure a livable wage, expanded Medicaid, fully funded public education, and an expanded childcare tax.

Indeed, the campaign’s website details that they’re seeking “a revival of our constitutional commitment to establish justice, provide for the general welfare, end decades of austerity, and recognize that policies that center the 140 million poor and low-income people in the country are also good economic policies that can heal and transform the nation.”

Barber’s faith team, determined to restore that hope, includes leaders of all faiths, ordained and lay leaders committed to organizing and mobilizing.

It also includes workers with stories of homelessness, sickness, trying, and rarely succeeding because the system works against them. Beth Shafer said, “I’m exhausted,” and she should be– working 64 hours every week.

Liz Theoharis, director of the campaign partner, the Kairos Center — a national anti-poverty organization housed at Union Theological Seminary — spoke against a political system that could end poverty tomorrow if it chose to. Instead, decisions to end pandemic relief policies will ensure 700,000 people will have lost Medicaid by March.

“But we’re mobilizing, organizing, educating and motivating. More than a thousand voter suppression bills have been passed since the last election, and poverty is on the rise since the pandemic policies have lifted,” Theoharis said.

Poverty is the fourth leading cause of death in this country, according to Rev. A. Kazimir Brown, executive director of Repairers of the Breach, who added the fact that “46 million people still don’t have safe drinking water.”

Barber said, “We won’t be silent anymore. If we have to make Election Day a labor strike day, we will.”

This article was originally published by Word in Black.

Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi elects its first woman and first Black person as bishop

By The Associated Press The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi recently chose Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells as its new bishop, making her the first woman and first Black person elected to lead the church.

Wells was selected from a field of five candidates by delegates from 87 congregations. She will replace Brian Seage, who was elected in 2014 as the diocese’s 10th bishop. Seage said the historic vote reflected positive changes within the church.

“This is a historic moment and this marks a new chapter in our history,” Seage told the Clarion Ledger. “It’s the first time we have elected a woman and the first time we have elected an African American as the bishop of the diocese. I think this speaks dramatically for this movement within

“It’s the first time we have elected a woman and the first time we have elected an African American as the bishop of the diocese. I think this speaks dramatically for this movement within our church.”

our church.”

Wells ascends to the position after serving as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, Tenn., where she was also the chaplain of the church’s preschool. A native of Mobile, Ala., Wells graduated from Rhodes College in Memphis with a degree in vocal performance. She also holds graduate degrees in law and divinity.

Wells will be ordained on July 20.

After the vote, she told the Ledger she will be focused on public service amid reports of declining church attendance.

“I am truly humbled by the confidence that the council has placed in me, and I am so looking forward to working with the good people of the Diocese of Mississippi,” Wells said.

This article was originally published by The Associated Press.

Photo courtesy of Facebook / The Episcopal Diocese of MS Bishop Search

Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells is now the first woman and the first African American to ever lead the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi.

B12 The Afro-American February 17, 2024 - February 23, 2024