March 28, 2015 - March 28, 2015, The Afro-American
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Volume 123 No. 34
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Community’s Mixed Response to Bill Cosby’s Upcoming Baltimore Performance Some Residents Vow to Boycott Performance By Lisa Snowden-McCray Special to the AFRO Baltimore — Comedian and television star Bill Cosby is coming to the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric in Baltimore March 27 for the latest stop of his tour across the country. While some Charm City residents are welcoming the 77-yearold comic legend with open arms, others believe his recent sexual assault allegations are no laughing matter. In recent months, over two dozen women have come forward and said that the Cosby Show star allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted them in the past.
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He has since denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any crime. The mounting accusations have forced many people to take sides about whether he is guilty or innocent. “No, I will not be going to the show. Not because of what he allegedly has done. If what is said is true about what he did, who am I to condemn him?” said Catonsville resident Denise McCray. “We all have skeletons in our closet and most of us hope that no one finds the key.” Annapolis resident Curtin Gardner said he wouldn’t be seeing Cosby either, but not because of the accusations. “My feelings about him haven’t changed since the ‘80s. I thought he was a good man then and I think he is a good man now. Unless it
becomes proof positive that the allegations against him are true, that will not change.” Owings Mills resident Inca Nixon said she would not be seeing Cosby, despite the fact that she usually enjoys standup comedy. “I’m actually a standup fanatic,” she said. “There would be nothing funny about what he has to say right now.” Nixon said she would not be able to stand to listen to anything Cosby might say about the women. She also said she believes he is guilty of the accusations. “Two dozen people did not make this up.” Stephanie MaddinSmith of Baltimore said she still sees value in Cosby’s accomplishments, but doesn’t think she can continue to be a Continued on A3
Mayor Calls Summit to Halt Black Homicides
Photo by Roberto Alejandro
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called for continued conversation and stressed that collaboration was key to addressing the violence that affects Baltimore City. By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake stressed the need for collaboration and continued conversation at the first forum on the mayor’s call to action to end African-American homicides.
Held at the Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant’s Empowerment Temple on March 24, the forum consisted of a panel featuring representatives from law enforcement, city government, mentoring and community organizations, as well as public educators. The discussion focused predominantly on what can be done Continued on A3
Supreme Court Case
Confederate Flag License: A Symbol of Terrorism Vs. Free Speech By Gloria Browne-Marshall AANIC Supreme Court Correspondent The Confederate flag represents racial oppression to many. Yet, it is a mere relic of Southern history to some. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments to decide if this symbol of the Confederacy should be allowed on official Texas license plates. On March 23, the Court heard the case of Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans. These motorists pay an extra $30 for the specialty plate. Texas rejected the request of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to have an official license plate bearing the
Confederate flag. Even Gov. Rick Perry believed the flag symbol was divisive. “We don’t need to be scraping old wounds,” he said. However, the Sons of Confederate Veterans appealed the decision denying them a place on a Texas plate. The American Civil Liberties Union joined their fight against what they allege to be censorship. Nadine Strossen, New York Law professor, advocated on behalf of the Confederate flag while admitting it is
Baltimore City Delegates Mobilize to Defeat Increased Drug Penalties Bill By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Baltimore City lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee have successfully mobilized their colleagues to defeat a bill that would have increased criminal penalties for distributing heroin in cases where it contributed to the death of a user. House Bill 222, sponsored by Del. Kathleen Dumais (D-Montgomery County), vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee, would have made anyone who distributed heroin or fentanyl (a synthetic opiate prescription drug) liable for up to 30 years in prison if the drug contributed to the death of a user. Delegates Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore City) and Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City), concerned the bill represented another misplaced attempt to address the problem of drugs through criminal sanctions that are often enforced only on people of color, maneuvered to kill the bill
after it received a favorable report from the House Judiciary Committee in a 12 to 9 vote on March 18 (the Judiciary Committee requires 11 votes for a proposed bill to receive a favorable report, after which it then reaches the House floor for a vote from the entire House of Delegates). According to Dumais, she introduced the bill at the behest of Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, who wanted a state law modeled on a similar existing federal law (the federal law includes all drugs and imposes up to a life sentence, says Dumais). Because federal resources are limited, House Bill 222 would make it possible to pursue an enhanced sentence at the state level for people accused of distributing heroin or fentanyl if its use resulted in the death of the user. The increase in heroin related deaths across the state was what ultimately led to the proposed bill,
offensive to many people, especially African-Americans. “It is fully within its rights to exclude swastikas, sacrilege and overt racism from state-issued license plates that bear the state’s name and
imprimatur,” a Texas brief said. “States that issue ‘Fight Terrorism’ specialty plates are not required to offer specialty plates with messages that praise terrorism.” Drivers can use bumper stickers, Texas argued. But, the state has the power to decide whether language or symbols are offensive and what can be placed on official state platforms such as a license plate, argued Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller. License plates are miniContinued on A3
Morgan State Flexes Research Muscles for Innovation Day in Annapolis By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Morgan State University researchers are producing innovations that will greatly benefit our state and nation – not to mention, that have strong entrepreneurial potential. That was the message to Annapolis lawmakers at the fifth annual Morgan Innovation Day, held in the state’s capital on March 19. Faculty and students from the university presented work with implications for predicting rain fall, measuring climate change,
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oyster farming, military technology, biofuels, and public health. “This was really an opportunity for us to showcase the research prowess of our faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Victor McCrary, vice president for research and economic development at Morgan State University. The annual Innovation Day was the brain child of Morgan State President Dr. David Wilson, says McCrary, who wanted to make sure the state’s lawmakers were aware of Continued on A6
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Bodyviz.com rep. explains its software that enhances medical visualization.
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Missouri Man’s Plan to Assassinate Obama Foiled
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Cameron James Stout, 24, was charged in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., March 17 and remains in federal custody.
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A Missouri man was charged in federal court after threatening to assassinate President Obama during several conversations with an informant and an undercover FBI agent posing as a White supremacist, prosecutors said. Cameron James Stout, 24, was charged in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City, Mo., March 17 and remains in federal custody. The confidential informant, a former Aryan Nation member, informed a Morgan County, Missouri sheriff’s deputy that Stout had solicited him on March 12 for a rifle and assistance in his plan to shoot the president in the next few weeks, according to an affidavit attached to the criminal complaint. Stout had drawn diagrams of Washington, D.C., including possible shooting locations from which he could take out the president at the White House or at a church the Obamas visit, according to the affidavit. He had done the research on his home computer, he said. The would-be assassin later told the informant that he had recouped a .270-caliber Weatherby rifle with a high-powered scope that he had loaned to another person and it would be the weapon used for his intended crime. On the morning of March 17, Stout again met with the informant and with an undercover law enforcement officer purporting to be the confidential informant’s superior in the Aryan Nation—someone Stout believed would facilitate his plans. This time, he told the pair, he intended to kill the president during his next visit to Kansas City. Stout allegedly stated that he was a competent shot up to 200 yards. A detention hearing for the Dover, Mo., man was set for March 19.
“My Sister’s Keeper” Launched at Howard University & Spelman College
Black Women’s Health Imperative, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit has launched the first chapter of the “My Sister’s Keeper”
initiative at Howard University and Spelman College. The program is intended to provide information on a variety of topics including sexual violence, reproductive health, and sexually transmitted diseases, geared towards African American women. “It’s important that we give young women the tools needed to protect themselves and their sisters, and that they understand that they must be invested in good decision-making—their own, that of their partners, and that of policy makers—around their sexual health and rights,” Linda Goler Blount, president and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, said in a statement. “We also want young women to know that their sexual health and rights intersect with the reproductive justice movement, started by Black women in 1994, that melds health justice to justice in education, housing and transportation, among many other factors.” According to the organization, sexual violence, unintended pregnancy and risky sexual activities are among the leading causes of college dropout among women. Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, the Anna Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies at Spelman College, said she believes that the partnership will highlight the importance of addressing the particular needs of African-American women.
“The Women’s Research & Resource Center at Spelman College has had a long connection with the Black Women’s Health Imperative, which began in 1983 at their first national Black women’s health conference, during which 2,000 women traveled to the Spelman campus for a historic gathering,” she said. “We are thrilled to host on campus the launching of their equally historic My Sister’s Keeper initiative which promises to be as transformative in the lives of Black women.” “It is fitting for the launch to occur at Spelman, the oldest college for women of African descent in the world,” she added. “For over a century and a half, Spelman has played a significant role as our sister’s keeper locally, nationally, and globally.” Black Women’s Health Imperative is a nationally-recognized organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of African American women and girls physically, emotionally and financially.
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - March 28, 2015
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
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Half-Black Woman Named Miss Japan—Stirs Reaction By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent Apparently Black is also beautiful in Japan, despite the nation’s reputation for a lack of diversity. Ariana Miyamoto, daughter of a Japanese mother and African-American father, recently became the first multiracial contestant to be crowned Miss Universe Japan, according to
But there have been mixed reactions to a “hāfu,” the Japanese word used to refer to halfJapanese individuals, representing the country. “The selection of Ariana Miyamoto as this year’s Miss Universe Japan is a huge step forward in expanding the definition of what it means to be Japanese,” Megumi Nishikura, filmmaker and co-director of the film “Hafu: The Mixed-Race Experience in Japan,” told NBC News. “The controversy that has erupted over her selection is a great opportunity for us Japanese to examine how far we have come from our – Kyle Cleveland self-perpetuated myth of homogeneity while at the same time it shows us how much further we have to go.” The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has reported that one in 49 babies born in Japan today are born into families with one non-Japanese parent, according to “Hafu.” While the nation remains a center of global tourism and trade, it remains skeptical
“Japan is a globalized society, but sometimes, it’s “very tone deaf.” news reports. The former Miss Nagasaki will represent Japan in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant. Local media describe the 20-year-old as a “saishoku kenbi,” a woman blessed with both intelligence and beauty. She holds a fifth-degree mastery of Japanese calligraphy, according to JapanToday.com.
Ariana Miyamoto, recently became the first multiracial contestant to be crowned Miss Universe Japan.
of diversity and actually prides itself on its homogeneity—more than 98 percent of the population comprise Japanese nationals, according to Vox.com. As such, it has a long and complicated history of racism. For example, the Vox article cited Japanese entertainers’ donning of “blackface,” theatrical makeup traditionally used in entertainment to perpetuate negative stereotypes about African Americans. “The blackface thing is emblematic of a larger problem of Japanese politics and civil society in which diversity is not recognized, or cultivated, or respected,” said Kyle Cleveland, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University’s Tokyo campus who lectures on race. For example, artists who wear “blackface” and other appropriations, say they are signs of their appreciation for other cultures, but rather, they are signs of cultural ignorance and insensitivity that can be addressed through education, Cleveland said. “Japan is a globalized society,” he said, but sometimes, it’s “very tone deaf.”
Summit
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for youth, as most of the panel consisted of youth advocates and educators, while the questions posed by community members raised the issue of the need to provide services for adults that could ripple into improved well-being for the city’s youth. “We know that none of us has all the answers,” said Rawlings-Blake as she opened the forum, “but I firmly believe that by working together we can make a real difference in our community.” The mayor stressed that it was the first in a continuing discussion about how to reduce homicides in Baltimore City, the overwhelming majority (90 percent) of which claim Black lives. “It truly, truly devastates me, when I think about the violence in our city, that it continues to disproportionately impact our African American men,” said Rawlings-Blake. Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott spoke about the need for Black people to combat the media images which send a message to too many young men that violence is an inherent part of their identity. “I know that most Black men don’t live that life,” said Scott of the media portrayal of Black men as thugs and criminals, “but these children that I talk to every day, every day, they think that I am the exception to the rule. They think that everyone that looks like them has to be violent, has to sell drugs, has
to play basketball—and we all know Councilman Scott loves sports, but what we have to do is realize that that is an issue that we don’t talk about: who is in control of these images.” Munir Bahar, a health advocate who works with young people through his COR Health Institute and engages the problem of street violence through his 300 Men March Movement (co-founded with Scott), challenged the idea that new or different ideas are needed to combat the violence that afflicts Baltimore. “We keep [asking] how is this [call to action] different? Nothing is different. We don’t need anything different. We need consistency . . . we need dedication. Our young people need dedicated warriors,” said Bahar, who added that he just wanted “an end to the genocide, I just want to be a part of [the solution].” During the questions and comments from community members, one man asked what services there were for parents who wanted to read with their kids, but themselves lacked the requisite educational background to be more engaged in their children’s education. Deputy chief academic officer for the Baltimore City Public School System Dr. Theodore Thompson spoke about the wrap-around adult education pathways and services the school system has worked to provide students who have aged out of the public schools, some of whom are parents themselves.
Baltimore has many resources, said Thompson, but better coordination between the different service providers and the school system is needed to take full advantage of this critical infrastructure. Joe Jones, founder of the Center for Urban Families, a nonprofit that seeks to connect families with work and support men in their role as fathers, said that his organization also provides support for parents, particularly in the arena of adult literacy. This back and forth on services for adults that can have a ripple effect on the lives of youth was a theme that emerged from the public discussion at the forum, with one man standing up and saying, “I would like to challenge the panel: start doing more for the convicted felons because these kids . . . they’re listening to them.” “I’m a convicted felon,” he continued, “I once lived that reckless life. I received a 25 year sentence for a homicide. I just received my bachelor’s degree. . . . We have to reach out and help [former felons] because they’re able to slow some of this stuff down that goes on in the street, because they’re the pillars.” In her concluding remarks, Rawlings-Blake again stressed that the night’s forum was a beginning of the conversation. The next forum will be held, 11 a.m., April 24, at the St. Paul Baptist Church. ralejandro@afro.com
Delegates Continued from A1
according to Dumais, who said it was “only one piece of working on the heroin epidemic. “We have to have public education and awareness, we have to have the treatment options, and making the Narcan (a drug that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose) available for our first responders. This is a law enforcement piece, but there are so many other pieces.” But the experience of the 40 year War on Drugs tells us that increasing penalties has little deterrent effect, says Anderson. “Increasing the penalty is a cheap way of making yourself feel good, like you did something. Actually trying to help these people who are addicted
to drugs (through treatment and prevention) would probably be a more appropriate way to solve the problem,” said Anderson. He added that there is no data suggesting increased penalties could effectively address the spike in heroin deaths seen recently in the state, but there is ample evidence that the law would be enforced largely on the backs of African Americans. Anderson and Carter took their concerns to the Legislative Black Caucus in the House of Delegates, who agreed to take a strong stance against it, putting pressure on House Speaker Michael Busch (D-Anne Arundel County) to not bring the bill to a vote on the House floor, where
he would then have to deal with a publicly divided Democratic Caucus. The Legislative Latino Caucus, also concerned about the bill’s impact on communities of color according to Carter, joined the Black Caucus in opposing the measure. According to Carter, this resulted in Busch having the Judiciary Committee recommit the bill (take the bill back essentially) on March 23 and send it to Gov. Larry Hogan’s task force on heroin for consideration, rather than presiding over a big split among members of his own party on the House floor. Both Anderson and Carter noted that no one was seeking these sorts of increased penalties specifically
Cosby
Confederate Flag
fan. “When I watch his old work, I don’t have the knowledge of what I know now attached to it.” Maddin-Smith is not going to the show, but said if she were given tickets she would probably give them away. She said she does not feel the same way about Cosby as she used to. “I don’t feel comfortable with how he has conducted himself. He’s acting as if nothing happened. That’s his choice, but it makes me uncomfortable patronizing and supporting him.” Tickets are still on sale for his show at the Lyric and run from $50-85. Following this event, Cosby is set to perform in Atlanta, Ga., Providence, R.I. and Toms River, N.J.
billboards, he claimed. An official state license plate is expressing the views of the individual as well as Texas, he said. Nine other states have confederate flag options for drivers - Maryland, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina. In South Carolina, the Confederate flag flies above the capitol. It is part of the state flag. Texas complains that if it cannot control its specialty plates then license plates could contain racial slurs, Jihad, or other words that incite violence. Ben Jones, a national spokesperson for the 30,000 member Sons of Confederate Veterans, calls Texas’ stance hypocritical. Texas has placed the Confederate flag on dozens of statesanctioned tourist items and miniature flags can be bought in the Texas capitol gift shop, the Confederate brief states. Texas also holds a Confederate Heroes Day celebration. Jones, who played Cooter Davenport on the Dukes of Hazzard television show, refutes any notion that his Confederate organization is racist. But, Jones said that there are “Black members, Hispanic members, Jewish members and Native
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for heroin-related deaths when that issue was viewed as a Baltimore City problem. “All of a sudden, because [heroin] is hitting White people, now it’s an epidemic. It has been an epidemic in Baltimore for 30 years, but no one ever threw up their hands and said, ‘Oh, we’ve got to do something, because it was affecting poor and minority people,” Anderson said. Carter noted that an effort to increase heroin-related penalties coming from Montgomery County, where those affected by overdoses are more likely to be White, stands in stark contrast to the way much of the Judiciary Committee has treated a matter more closely related to Black
members” in the Sons of the Confederate Veterans. During his argument on behalf of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, R. James George, Jr. argued that the First Amendment required approval of all
lives. “They refused to address the issue of policing, changing the culture of policing, that has resulted in 109 deaths in Maryland over the last four years,” said Carter, citing a briefing paper by the ACLU of Maryland documenting police-involved killings in the state between 2010 and 2014. “What’s very disheartening . . . is that while there’s this push to get this (heroin issue) addressed, there’s this summary denial of the legitimate claims of all those hundreds of people that came here to talk about deaths at the hands of law enforcement. . . . We turned a blind eye to those people.” ralejandro@afro.com
War were protected under the First Amendment, as well, according to the 1969 Supreme Court decision, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. So, speech need not be spoken or written to be protected. Nor must speech be popular. Although the Confederate flag remains a symbol of racial division and terrorism, the Court seemed unsure as to how to – Nadine Strossen balance the history with the current developments in communication. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagen both remarked, “this is a new world” for free speech.
“States that issue ‘Fight Terrorism’ specialty plates are not required to offer specialty plates with messages that praise terrorism.” messages no matter how offensive to some. He then raised the fact that Texas endorses a commemoration in June for the abolition of slavery called Juneteenth. Free speech takes many forms. A man who burned the American flag was expressing his political beliefs and the Court protected it as freedom of expression in the 1989 Supreme Court decision Texas v. Johnson. Iowa high school students who wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, an Associate Professor of Constitutional Law at John Jay College (CUNY), is a writer, and the U.S. Supreme Court correspondent for AANIC (AfricanAmerican News & Information Consortium).
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
March 28, 2015 - March 28, 2015, The Afro-American
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New Director Discusses Ways to Increase Employment in Baltimore By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO Connecting city residents to jobs is the straightforward mission of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, and that means cultivating various paths to the skills needed for sustainable employment, says its new director, Jason PerkinsCohen. Perkins-Cohen took over the office earlier this month, having previously served as the executive director for the Job Opportunities Task Force, a workforce development advocacy organization. “What we generally want to do is to get our residents prepared, and help them to obtain as many credentials as possible so that they have the skills that they need and the qualification they need to get a whole host of opportunities,” said Perkins-Cohen in an interview with the AFRO. The idea that we can improve workforce participation by ensuring residents have skills related to openings in a particular field or industry is something of a false promise, says the director, since no one industry has enough jobs for everyone that needs one. This is why it is important to make sure our
residents are able to obtain skills and credentials that open up various opportunities, not simply ones related to jobs du jour. “When you’re talking about a city like Baltimore, the most obvious place to start is to make sure that as many people have a high school diploma or a GED [as possible], and then once they have that, then there’s either occupational credentials . . . or you help them advance to postsecondary education . . . where they’re focused on specific jobs or career pathways. It has to be about career pathways,” said PerkinsCohen. And focusing our job preparedness efforts on career pathways means not relying solely on the promise of four-year college degrees to deliver middle-class or better employment. “College is a great avenue for lots of people and we don’t want to discourage people from obtaining an advanced degree, but there are an awful lot of jobs out there where four years of college is not a requirement, and some of these jobs provide a really strong wage and residents can move into those career pathways relatively quickly without having to take four years or the cost that they would incur (for a four year
Photo by Roberto Alejandro
New director of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development Jason PerkinsCohen. degree),” said Perkins-Cohen. Many people need a job now, and many employers also need workers now. Increasingly, says PerkinsCohen, employers are coming to the realization that four year degrees do not always endow people with
Morgan
Maryland Innovation Initiative, which seeks to make academic research commercially viable, and is genetically modifying algae, which normally grows in fresh water, in order to allow it to grow in salt water. Because most of the water on Earth is salt water, this innovation could allow scientists or companies to grow algae in our vast salt water oceans, which can then be used to create oil and biofuels. “We’re not doing research for the sake of research,” said McCrary. “We’re doing research that will have impact and lead to greater health, wellness, and economic development not only for Baltimore but for the state of Maryland and the nation as a whole.” Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford attended the event and praised Morgan for its involvement with the Maryland Innovation Initiative, and for pursuing research that can also serve as an engine for economic development said McCrary. “We are very active in taking our research
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the innovations being produced at Morgan and the economic potential of those innovations for the state. For example, the university’s environmental laboratory on the Patuxent River, the Patuxent Environmental and Aquatic Research Laboratory, is developing sustainable ways for the area’s oyster farmers to grow oysters. “In the past, they dredged the oysters,” said McCrary, “and what happens is, that’s not a sustainable method, versus, we can teach them how to actually grow and harvest their oysters in shallow water.” The university is also conducting research in conjunction with the U.S. Navy to develop a new way to ignite airplane ejector seats using an electronic-based charge rather than the current chemical-based charge. This could help save crucial moments for an ejecting pilot and lead to even more lives saved than the current method. Morgan has also partnered with the
the specialized skills related to their employment needs, and so alternative paths to skill and job development must be cultivated. “That’s why apprenticeship models and the interest in apprenticeships has really taken off (nationally) in the last couple of years, because employers obviously want a skilled workforce and four years of college provide a wellrounded education, but not always the skills that employers are looking for. And so the apprenticeship model has become—where it was thought of in more of a hands-on sector, previously, and it still is, but now it’s being expanded to sectors like healthcare where apprenticeship wasn’t discussed as much until more recently,” said Perkins-Cohen. The working while learning model embodied by apprenticeships is a faster route to skill development for certain kinds of jobs, says Perkins-Cohen, which helps residents enter careers sooner as well as providing employers with the skilled workers they need in less time. And because connecting residents to efficient career pathways is the basic mission of the Office of Employment Development, Perkins-Cohen also emphasizes the
Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford listens to an environmental presentation.
importance of connecting youth to early employment opportunities through the city’s Hire 1 Youth initiative, part of the city’s broader youth employment programming under the banner of Youth Works. Last summer, the city’s efforts led to around 5,000 youths obtaining jobs, an accomplishment Perkins-Cohen wants to see repeated this year. “It is absolutely critical that we create these pathways, and create these opportunities for our youth. . . . [Summer employment] does three things that are incredibly important. One is it provides an income for six weeks in the summer, which is important, but it also teaches the value of work, and it creates an understanding, and an opportunity for a lot of young people to get their foot in the door for a career.” While 5,000 youth jobs is certainly something to be proud of, the city has 14,000 young people in need of employment, and PerkinsCohen wants to impress upon employers the impact hiring a young person can have by helping to set them on an actual career pathway. “We’ve got 14,000 kids that want to work, which is tremendous, and now we have to come through with the opportunities.” ralejandro@afro.com
to the point where start-up companies will be formed,” said McCrary, who added that Morgan produced its first start-up in the last month. Nationwide, says McCrary, universities are changing their patent and intellectual property policies to make it easier for their researchers to take ideas developed under the auspices of the university to the marketplace. Morgan is also in the process of aligning its policies with best practices in order to incentivize its researchers to turn their projects into companies. “Morgan is looking forward to continuing to be Maryland’s premier urban research university,” says McCrary, “and part of that is creating the ecosystem so that folks will come to Morgan not only for our academic curriculum but for the opportunity to start their own company.” ralejandro@afro.com
Business Profile The Nesting Bowl: Waverly Pet Shop Specializes in Pigeons and Pleasing Kids By Roberto Alejandro Special to the AFRO
Photos courtesy of Morgan State University
Morgan president Dr. Wilson initiated this day to showcase the research being done by Morgan’s faculty and students.
Water dragons, bearded dragons, iguanas, corn snakes, cane snakes, pythons, spiders, chinchillas, cockatoos, rabbits, and of course, puppies. It may not be your usual shopping list, but if any of these items are on yours, The Nesting Bowl, a pet shop in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood, features all of the above and more. “We specialize in pigeons,” said owner John Johnson, who began raising pigeons when he was six years old, and who has raced pigeons competitively for 11 years. “Racing pigeons, tippler pigeons, fancy pigeons, we deal with a lot ofdifferent aspects of the pigeon world, the club world, racing and everything and so forth.” Johnson is the president of the Maryland Tippler Flying Club, and said Baltimore’s racing scene is surprisingly competitive. While The Nesting Bowl is a one-stop shop for all things bird racing—they will even match novices with more experienced mentors who will help build and inspect their pigeon lofts—it is ultimately a place where city kids can come and learn about different kinds of animals. “We basically aim the shop to please the kids and to really attract the kids and give them a new experience,” said Johnson. “A lot of children in the urban life don’t get a chance to be exposed to these certain things, and so we try to bring it to them and give them a different experience.” Johnson notes that many people have had
bad experiences with animals, and the shop is a chance to expose them to animals in a different way, educating them not only about the different species but about quality pet care as well. “We specialize in pet care…any type of grooming items—shampoos, conditioners, stuff to make the animals smell good,” he said. “We’re really into the organic stuff, we try to keep the chemicals off the animals…
and just educate the community on different animal care [aspects].” Recently, the shop teamed up with Johns Hopkins for a “Bunnies on the Beach” event, part of The Nesting Bowl’s mission to expose Baltimoreans to a broader world of animals, and educate folks about proper care. “You really have to start with the (animal care) basics,” Johnson said. “A lot of Black children are not exposed to these different types of animals and the proper care of them, so we really start with the basics. Even from the children to the adults.” The Nesting Bowl is located at 3040 Greenmount Ave. in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood. ralejandro@afro.com
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
TECHNOLOGY
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What’s the What By Kamau High
Hey. I am Kamau High and I am your new technology columnist. Think of me as your grandson who is good with computers that you secretly think plays too many video games. While it is true that I love video games, I also love, and fear, technology. Technology can be great. I have 500 pictures of my family on the same device that lets me read newspapers from around the world and watch select cable channels. That same device can also access some of the vilest gatherings of racists, beheading videos by fanatics, and fights in the ‘hood. All of these things are out there whether you are clicking on them or not. For example, the Southern Poverty Law Center recently published a report called Black Hole [http://www.splcenter.org/Black-Hole]. In it, the Center details how Reddit, one of the most popular sites on the internet, hosts an ugly collection of racists sections alongside non-racists sections. Advance Publications, that also publishes The New Yorker and Vanity Fair owns Reddit. People form different communities, known as sub-reddits, based on shared interests and it is possible to use the site without ever being aware of the hate groups. But the hate groups are becoming more popular and the site gives them wide leeway to operate. What does it mean when a site can host vile racists and communities wholly opposed to them? Technology is so omnipresent that sometimes it is hard to remember things weren’t always this way. My 7-year-old daughter laughs when I try to explain to her what life was like before the Internet, cell phones, and ubiquitous GPS. Her laugh gives me the same feeling I imagine my late grandmother had when she would tell me about the days when bread was a nickel, telegraphs were a
common form of communication, and party lines were a thing. What I hope to cover in the coming weeks and months are the ways technology is, and is not, changing us, and I’d like your help. Is there an app you cannot live without? A new device that makes you wonder how people managed to live their lives before it was invented? Heard about some new gizmo that will revolutionize how humans live? Send them to me at kamauhigh@yahoo.com. I will look and see what’s the what with it. I cannot promise I will write about everything you send in but I will take each suggestion seriously. Some of the things already on my radar include: virtual reality, tele-medicine, smart boards in schools, wearable computers, and controlling your home heating, lighting, music and lighting with an app. I would also like this to be place to talk trends not only in the industry but also in how people actually use technology, even if it is in ways the maker did not originally intend such as burner phones for nefarious activities and bullying people via social media. What I do not want this column to be is a list of the five best apps or 10 web sites you should see before you die. The world has enough of those. (Although, have you ever used the Pulse app? It is great. I can read 40-50 publications in about half an hour with it.) What the world does not have is a place to talk about the changes technology is causing, for both good and bad, in a fun and interesting way. Let us try to change that. Together. Kamau High is a journalist living in Baltimore. He has written for publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Billboard and The Baltimore Sun. He can be reached at kamauhigh@yahoo.com.
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
Regular Testing is Key to Managing Diabetic Retinopathy By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and the leading cause of blindness in adults 20 to 74 years of age. So why do so few African Americans know they are at risk for developing it and losing their sight? According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), more than 800,000 African Americans have diabetic retinopathy. And while fear of physicians, an “I’d rather not know” mentality, and a lack of access to resources, have all been blamed for its prevalence, those impacted by diabetic retinopathy is projected to increase to approximately 1.2 million people by 2030. According to Dr. Frank Spellman, M.D., retina specialist with The Retina Group of Washington, who has been treating diabetic retinopathy for thirty years, awareness of the degenerative nature of the disease is key to stemming its progression. “We cannot allow patients to be in denial about the impact of these kinds of diseases. We understand that people are busy and they are working to support their children and raise their families. You add to that a person with diabetes, who has an entire complex of other health concerns that can range from heart to vascular and kidney disease, and they simply do not have their eyes checked,” Spellman said. Several eye diseases plague diabetics, including cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, which is caused by changes in the
HEALTH
By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO Diabetic retinopathy and macular edema can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam that includes: a visual acuity test, a dilated eye exam, the use of a tonometry -- an instrument that measures the pressure inside the eye. With these tests, physicians are able to check for leaking blood vessels, retinal swelling (macular edema), pale, fatty deposits on the retina–signs of leaking blood vessels, damaged nerve tissue, and any changes to the blood vessels. Because macular edema can develop without symptoms, it is imperative that persons with diabetes (or those who suspect they may be diabetic) have regular eye examinations.
blood vessels of the retina. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid; while in others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. Blood vessels damaged from diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss when damaged blood vessels leak blood into the center of the eye, blurring vision. Fluid
Photos by Shantella Y. Sherman
Dr. Frank Spellman describes the technological advances of laser equipment used to treat diabetic retinopathy.
can also leak into the center of the macula, the part of the eye where sharp, straightahead vision occurs, causing the macula to swell and blur vision. Known as macular edema, this can occur at any stage of diabetic retinopathy. Spellman points to a set of twins, both with type 1 diabetes whom he treated several years ago. In what he documented as “A Tale of Two Sisters,” Spellman said that one was extremely compliant and went to her doctors’ visits and managed her diet; the other not. “Her identical twin had a pathological fear of physicians and was to an extent was in denial about
Treating Diabetic Retinopathy
the potential ramifications of the disease she had. That sister died within several years of our first meeting. The identical twin, to my knowledge, is doing fine and seeing well, and under the care of one of my colleagues in Greenbelt. She is here functioning as a member of society and her sister is just a memory,” Spellman said. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that better control of blood sugar levels slows the onset and progression of retinopathy. The people with diabetes who kept their blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible also had much less kidney and nerve disease. Better control also
reduces the need for sightsaving laser surgery. With advances in technology, Spellman believes more African Americans could potentially save their vision, if they managed their diabetes and ensured their eye health. “We can help a much wider range of patients. We owe it to our community to give them the very best. We want people to protect their vision so that they are able to live productive and rewarding lives,” Spellman said.
“Because macular edema can develop without symptoms, it is imperative that persons with diabetes…have regular eye examinations.” To prevent the progression of diabetic retinopathy, Dr. Frank Spellman of The Retina Group of Washington advises people with diabetes manage their levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. Proliferative retinopathy is treated most often using a procedure called scatter laser treatment, which helps shrink abnormal blood vessels. Scatter laser treatment works better before the fragile, new blood vessels begin bleeding. If bleeding is severe, physicians may suggest a vitrectomy procedure, during which blood is removed from the center of your eye. Whether or not you have symptoms, early detection and timely treatment can prevent vision loss. The Retina Group of Washington from any offers the vast experience and sub-specialty expertise of retinal physicians and surgeons who are both local and national leaders in treating vitreoretinal diseases. For more information about Dr. Frank Spellman and The Retina Group of Washington, visit their website at www.rgw.com
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015 The Afro-American
COMMENTARY
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Equal Pay For Equal Work – It’s Not That Complicated Despite being unfair and against the law, far too many women are paid less than men are paid for doing essentially the same jobs for the same employers. It is reasonable to ask how our laws could allow these inequalities in pay. After all, pay discrimination violates the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and our civil rights laws. The short answer is clear. Elijah Cummings Due to loopholes and probusiness judicial rulings, achieving legal relief within the fair pay laws that currently are on the books is extraordinarily difficult for the women and their families who are being harmed — even when they have the courage and determination to take their complaints to court. Democrats have been fighting for this civil rights reform for years. President Obama reiterated his firm belief that “all women deserve equal pay for equal work,” in his 2015 Proclamation for Women’s History Month. He is doing everything within his power to address this injustice — signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, creating an Equal Pay Task Force within the Executive Branch, and pushing for fair pay for women within the government and government contracting. In the Congress, Democratic women (including, most notably, Senators Barbara Mikulski and Elizabeth Warren and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Rosa DeLauro) have led the legislative efforts on multiple occasions during the last six years to pass a Paycheck Fairness Act. This reform would give working women a more effective and less burdensome legal forum for demanding fair and equal pay for their work. I have been proud to add my voice as a leading co-sponsor on each occasion, but our Republican colleagues have blocked these efforts every time. Yet, this should not be a partisan issue. Working families, Republican and Democrats alike, are suffering from the disparities in women’s pay. In light of Republican control of the Congress and the past Republican opposition to paycheck fairness, it is unlikely that this Congress will adopt meaningful reforms without a national demand by Republicans and Democrats alike. To achieve this goal, we must make our case to the American people. Here are some of the key facts.
As the White House has repeatedly pointed out, on average, full-time working women earn only about 77 percent of their male counterparts’ earnings overall. Racial and ethnic disparities in compensation are even more glaring. When compared to each dollar earned by Caucasian men doing the same job with the same qualifications, African-American women earn only 64 cents and Latina women earn only 56 cents. This is not to say that women of color have been making no progress in pay equity over time. However, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that inflation-adjusted earnings for Caucasian women increased by 31 percent between 1979 and 2012 — while the earnings for Black and Latina women rose during that period by only 20 and 13 percent, respectively. Conservatives may argue with the details of these federal statistics. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor’s wage data for last year suggests that, over all, America’s working women earned 82 cents for every dollar that our men earned. Yet, the extent to which these recent figures demonstrate significant progress for working women during our economic recovery — or, in the alternative, reflect greater difficulty for working men —remains unclear. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research has found, for example, that during the last 30 years, men’s real earnings have remained essentially the same while women’s have grown – especially in the 1980s and 1990s. Since the early 2000s, however, both women’s earnings and men’s have stagnated. As I have previously reported, Sen. Warren and I are working together on a “Middle Class Prosperity Project” in which we have enlisted the expertise of world-class economic experts to examine the suppression of American wages - for women and men alike. Overall, worker productivity has increased to historic levels while wages have remained flat, corporate profits have skyrocketed, and our entire economy (driven by lowered consumer demand) has suffered
as a result. Gender-based wage discrimination may not be the dominant force driving this overall wage stagnation. Yet, there are good reasons to believe that pay inequity is a significant negative factor. Women, after all, are now one-half of our national labor force — and, increasingly, they are the primary bread winners for their families. This is why everyone (women and men, the struggling and affluent alike) has a personal interest in forging a more sustainable national economy in which gender-based pay discrimination is ended — now, not in the distant future. I am convinced that our nation has the capability to move toward a better, more equitable economy for everyone. Despite the past resistance of our Republican colleagues, I remain confident that an educated American public will see the wisdom of our reforms and help us succeed. There is a better way — a more American way. As President Obama observed during his Women’s History 2015 Proclamation: “Equal pay for equal work — it’s not that complicated.” Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
The Hypocrisy of Black College Hatred During the month of February, the C-SPAN bus traveled to eight historically Black college campuses to provide viewers with insight on these institutions. Since these are my colleagues, I made sure I watched each as this was great exposure not only for their campuses, but for all historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). As the phone lines were opened, a pattern generally emerged. At least one caller each day raised some form of question about the need, relevance or role of historically Black colleges and universities in the 21st century. All of us in the HBCU community are used to these questions; we get them all the time from reporters, funders, politicians, you name it. So the questions were not unexpected and my colleagues were able to handle them easily, although I am sure the callers completely dismissed their answers. But this series gave me a new insight into the questioners. The host of the show, most often Pedro Echevarria, welcomed the callers, giving their first name and from where they called. This demographic data revealed a great deal about the callers, a group of men who are fixated on schools that use the term “Black” and charging them with segregation, while also completely ignoring their current realities. Robert called from New Baltimore, Michigan, asking if a school had White students and, if not, why not? Fair question. I wonder why Robert, who lives in a town of 12,000 people that is 94 percent White, doesn’t live in a town with more Black residents. He’s only 35 miles from Detroit, and may even work there, but he chooses to live where there are virtually no Black people. Choice works for Robert, but not for Black students who want an HBCU experience. Shawn from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, called twice that week. The first time he told the college president, “I don’t appreciate what you do.” The second time he said HBCUs perpetuate racial differences and then went off on a tangent about President Obama and ended his call dropping the F-bomb, on live TV. Shrewsbury: 35,000 residents, 89 percent White and 0.12 percent Black. Again, Shawn has intentionally limited interactions with Black people but feels the need to offer an opinion on HBCUs. The most fascinating comment came from Thomas in Cincinnati. I completed graduate school at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, 35 miles from Cincinnati. Thomas asked if it was acceptable to have
Walter M. Kimbrough
Black colleges in the 21st century, that it seems like reverse segregation. He wanted to know why this was acceptable. He lives in Cincinnati, the city listed by the Mixed Metro Project as one of the most segregated cities in the country. CensusScope.org listed Cincinnati as the eighth-most segregated urban area in 2011. In a Salon.com article, University of Cincinnati historian David Stradling says, “There are so many places where whites will try to flee the problems of the city, including the problem of diversity. Obviously the No. 1 cause of this is, of course, simply racism.” Thomas lives in the city that was featured in a 2014 Education Week story called “Still Segregated After 50 Years.” Consider the demographic data for the high schools of the Cincinnati Public Schools: Western Hills, 82 percent Black. Withrow University High, 88 percent Black. Aiken, 92 percent Black. Hughes STEM, 93 percent Black. Taft, 98 percent Black. The city is 45 percent Black, but Hamilton County is only 26 percent Black. Thomas pays taxes to fund segregated schools, yet wants to talk about the evils of reverse racism. His lived experience is one of hypocrisy. Thomas, along with Shawn, Robert and Jeff, represent a segment of America that loves to attack HBCUs for no reason other than they say they’re historically Black. Each willfully lives in segregation, an indication that they aren’t interested in integration or developing meaningful cross-cultural relationships. They simply want Blackness to go away, and they have done well to isolate themselves from Black people. So we find ourselves in this conundrum. If we stop identifying ourselves as historically Black, and remove all semblance of HBCU programs, events, awards, etc. maybe this vitriol would die down. But if we stop simply to appease some loud critics, do we not only lose our history, but ultimately, lose an opportunity to continue to address real issues? For now, I’ll stick with historically Black until the hypocrites can explain to me why HBCUs are bad, yet the overwhelmingly Black Benjamin Mays High, Booker T. Washington Middle and Rosa Parks Elementary schools are just fine. Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough is the president of Dillard University. He can be reached at wkimbrough@ dillard.edu. (Reprinted with permission from Diverse Issues in Higher Education)
U.S. Criminal Justice System Needs Urgent Reform
I know from firsthand experience that the criminal justice system today in the United States is in serious and urgent need of reform, repair and restructuring. Millions of families have been devastated by the overcriminalization of people in America. Black American families in particular have suffered and continue to suffer disproportionately as a result of an unjust system of justice. When I was unjustly incarcerated in the 1970s as member of the famed Wilmington Ten civil rights case, I personally witnessed how the massive warehousing of prison inmates in overcrowded prison cells led to unspeakable dehumanization and self-destruction. In fact, the inhumanity and senselessness of the prison system itself directly contributed to the increased in violence and prison recidivism. Forty-five years ago, the myriad of problems concerning the Benjamin F. nation’s courts and prison systems was not seen as a national priority. Chavis Jr. Today, however, the dysfunction of the criminal justice system is not only a matter of national and global disgrace; it has also now become a multi-billion dollar counterproductive albatross around the neck of the nation. According to a fact sheet by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), during the last four decades the prison population in the U.S. “quadrupled from roughly 500,000 to 2.3 million people.” There are nearly a million Black Americans in jails and prisons across the country. The NAACP has identified the following other racial disparities in U.S. incarceration: • African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of Whites; • Together, African American and Hispanics comprised 58 percent of all prisoners in 2008, even though African Americans and Hispanics make up approximately one quarter of the U.S. population; • According to a November 2007 report titled, “Unlocking America,” if African American and Hispanics were incarcerated at the same rates of Whites, today’s prison and jail populations would decline by approximately 50 percent; • One in six Black men had been incarcerated as of 2001. If current trends continue, one in three Black males born today can expect to spend time in prison during his lifetime
• 1 in 100 African American women are in prison • Nationwide, African-Americans represent 26 percent of juvenile arrests, 44 percent of youth who are detained, 46 percent of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court, and 58 percent of the youth admitted to state prisons (Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice). The recent public outcries about allegations of police brutality, prosecutorial misconduct, and unfair targeting of judicial sanctions based on race and socioeconomic status are all symptoms of a much border and larger systemic problem. The problems of inequalities within the criminal justice system are structural and institutional. While the U.S. is only 5 percent of the world’s population, 25 percent of the world’s prisoners are being held in the U.S. Yet, the calls for reform of the criminal justice system are not revolutionary or misplaced. Both conservatives and liberals seem to agree that some fundamental changes need to be put in place when it comes to the nation’s courts, sentencing, jails and prisons. What is missing is a sense of urgency to get reform actions and policies established. Every day and every hour Black America is negatively impacted by the criminal justice system. The Pew Charitable Trust has a study that documents the correlation between mass incarceration and the persistence of poverty in the U.S. There is no question that in the Black American community the lingering negative effects of imprisonment and poverty are closely related. Similarly a revealing Villanova University study on poverty and criminal justice found that “had mass incarceration not occurred, poverty would have decreased by more than 20 percent….. several million fewer people would have been in poverty in recent years.” We all should find ways and means to tackle the reformation of the criminal justice system as a top priority. It is urgent and it is long overdue. So many lives and so many families are at risk. If we do not assert the responsibility to demand change and reform of a system that continues to brutalize and harm our families and communities, then we will not be our sisters and brothers keepers as we should. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached for national advertisement sales and partnership proposals at: dr.bchavis@ nnpa.org; and for lectures and other professional consultations at: http://drbenjaminfchavisjr.wix.com/ drbfc
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
The Readers’ Corner
10 Blessings of Betrayal: A Spiritual Journey of Rebuilding through Tragedy Author: Natasha T. Brown Release Date: February 14
Natasha T. Brown is an author, activist and award-winning communicator, who resides in the Washington, D.C. area. She is the founder of Think Brown INK, a social responsibility branding agency. Natasha is a 2015 Forty Under 40 Honoree in Prince George’s County, Maryland and has received numerous awards for community outreach, communications and journalism. Natasha graduated from Morgan State University in 2003, with an undergraduate degree in Communications and received a master’s degree in Professional Writing from Towson University in 2008. Natasha released her Amazon Best Seller 10 Blessings of Betrayal: A Spiritual Journey of Rebuilding through Tragedy on Valentine’s Day, and it has since ranked on three Amazon Best Seller lists, and been featured in Black Enterprise, the Gazette and by Radio One stations. 1. What was the impetus for writing this book? After being wrongfully accused of trying to kill someone I loved very dearly and fighting those legal battles, as well as personal demons of depression; a violent, co-dependent relationship and social anxiety for nearly a year, I wanted to release the negative energy. So I sat down and began writing. I wanted to complain, but God wouldn’t let me. He revealed my journey, the betrayal and heartache in the form of blessings. 2. What’s the overall theme? The theme of 10 Blessings of Betrayal is that God always has a purpose for our pain and there are lifelong lessons to
learn, even from the deepest betrayals. If we stop looking at things from the standpoint of what was taken away, and focus our energy on what God is trying to do through and to us and rebuild, we can process the pain better.
myself and be transparent about my own flaws, mistakes and self betrayals. Once I let go of trying to protect an image and the people who had harmed me, I was able to re-write the book in a transparent way. This took me nearly four months.
3. For what audience is your book written? The book is great for anyone who has ever experienced pain, hurt, betrayal and tragedy. It’s also especially relevant for people who are trying to heal and rebuild their lives after misfortunate events. I speak about relationships and domestic violence and it also has a deep spiritual element. Anyone who deals with real world problems, including young adults, can relate to this book.
6. What’s next on the horizon for you? I’m currently working to get 10 Blessings of Betrayal in hands of as many church groups, young adult mentoring programs, schools and domestic violence organizations as possible. I want to use this book, as well as future publications, as an advocacy tool and way to help people heal, build and restore the various aspects of their lives.
4. What one thing do you most want the reader to learn? The biggest takeaway is to simply shift your mindset on things above — God, and his promises, glory and ability to restore the ugliest situations.
7. List other books you’ve written. I wrote and published The Build Up Branding BluePRint: 7 Step Guide to Launch and Sustain Impact Brands, in January under my company, Think Brown INK’s learning division. This book can be found at thebuilduplab.org/publications.
5. What did you learn during the writing process? I learned the importance of being honest with myself before trying to be honest with readers. My first draft was very dense and guarded. I was still very afraid to search within
‘10 Blessings of Betrayal: A Spiritual Journey of Rebuilding through Tragedy’ can be found at natashatbrown. com. The digital version is also on Amazon.com.
COMMUNITY CONNECTION Calling all Volunteers
Dreams Girls Mentoring Program is recruiting for their fundraising, events, outreach, and program development committees. Volunteers may come 9:30 a.m. to noon, March 28 at the Towson Library, 320 York Road, to join the team. For more information, email dreamgirls@gmail.com.
Blessing of the City
The historical churches of Lafayette Square and political leaders of Baltimore will host the 12th Annual Blessing of the City, 9:30 a.m., March 29. The event will include prayers from the young people of the churches: Enon Baptist Church, Greater Hope Church of God in Christ, Macedonia Baptist Church, Metropolitan United Methodist Church, St. James’ Episcopal and St. John’s A.M.E. Church. Contact Allison Robinson at (443) 250-4250 for more information.
Lead me to Calvary
A free Palm Sunday Concert, “Lead Me To Calvary,” will be given, 4 p.m., March 29, by the Community Concert Choir of Baltimore, hosted by Perkins Square Baptist Church, 2500 Edmondson Avenue (at Warwick Avenue) in Baltimore. Dr. Marco Merrick is director of the choir. The Rev. Cleveland T.A. Mason is pastor of Perkins Square.
Historic Landmark Dedication
The State of Maryland has officially named Trinity A.M.E. Church an historical landmark. The dedication service is 3 p.m., March 29. Bishop William P. DeVeaux, presiding prelate of the 2nd Episcopal district of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, is the guest preacher. Trinity A.M.E. is located at 2140 E. Hoffman Street, Baltimore, MD 21213.
‘Pure Hospitality’
Join the Baltimore Area Hospitality Association for their next Industry Mixer, 5 to 8 p.m., March 30 at Azumi. ‘Who’s Who’ of the Baltimore hospitality scene will be in attendance. Please respond by March 25 at bahamaryland@yahoo.com.
Malcolm X Talks
Malcolm X Talks is a monthly series of seminars and workshops that center on teaching the Baltimore community about the Black experience and using it as a resource for nation building in the 21st century. The next seminar is 7 p.m., March 30 at 231 Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Happy 100th Birthday
Baltimore is gearing up to celebrate what would have been Billie Holiday’s 100th birthday.
The festivities will include many local and national artists performing their favorite blues and other tributes to the music icon. On April 4, the gentlemen of the historic Arch Social Club in Baltimore are celebrating the history and blues of Billie Holiday. Denyse Pearson will perform as “Lady Day” and Phil Butt’s Big Band Orchestra will be featured. The tickets are $20 for the 2.p.m. matinee and $25 at the 7 p.m. performance. The Leonard E. Hicks Multipurpose Community Center located at 2718 West North Avenue in Baltimore will highlight the life and work of the jazz legend on April 7 at 5:30 p.m. The Renaissance Production and Tours and the Greater Baltimore Urban League are hosting ‘God Bless the Child, Commemorating the 100th Birthday of Billie Holiday’ with musical tributes by Baltimore’s top vocalists, 7 p.m., April 7 at the Orchard Street Church, 512 Orchard Street, in Baltimore. The cost for VIP is $50 and general admission is $25.
Support South Baltimore Learning Center
B
y the order of the Queen of Hearts You are hereby summoned
STILL SEPARATE STILL UNEQUAL
To a land of wonders wild and new Where learning dreams come true And all that is found will amaze and astound!
Greater Baltimore Urban League
2015 Whitney M. Young Jr.
Honorees: Jonathan Melnick and Sonia Socha
THE 58TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION
Live & silent auction extravaganza Enchanted sounds of Fifth Avenue
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Spirits and delectable delights from Baltimore’s best restaurants
MONTGOMERY PARK BUSINESS CENTER
6:30 to 11:30 p.m. www.southbaltimorelearns.org 410-625-4215 Presented by
SBLC programs are partially supported by grant funding from Maryland Literacy Works & U.S. Department of Education
HILTON BALTIMORE HOTEL 401 West Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Friday, April 17, 2015 6pm-9pm Tables are $1250 Individual tickets are $125
Keynote Speaker; Author Activist & Host of CNN’s CROSSFIRE Van Jones GET YOUR TICKETS AT WWW.GBUL.ORG
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
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Black Women Led the Fight for Voting Rights ‘Ain’t I a Woman?’
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This is the fourth and final in a series of articles about laws that have significantly impacted Black women in America.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
or Black women in America, political empowerment, including the right to vote, has been a Holy Grail of quests—something much desired but very difficult to obtain. “Multiple forms of oppression, primarily slavery and later poverty, restricted many Black women’s efforts to gain women’s right to vote in governmentsponsored elections,” said former Morgan State University historian Rosalyn Terborg-Penn in her book African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920. And they had to fight the battle on multiple fronts, she later added. “Black women, in their struggle for the right to vote, fought racism and sexism simultaneously.” But like the knights of old, who pursued the Holy Grail with relentless zeal, so too did African-American women dedicate their very lives to their cause despite the significant risks. “We have been trailblazers when it comes to moving Black political empowerment in this country,” said Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, in an interview with the AFRO. In fact, political activism and agitation seemed bred into the bones of African-American women, beginning as early as slavery. “African American enslaved women took leading roles in organizing their community in order to lessen the hostile impact of the slave system on individual and family life. They engaged in physical retaliatory violence on an individual and group basis, systematically refused to carry unwanted children to term and helped others who were so inclined, became runaways whose acumen and skill were cited as unique and superior to that of males, organized and participated in outright Sojourner Truth slave revolts, and became organizers and operatives—like Harriet Tubman—in the Underground Railroad,” wrote Jewel L. Prestage in the article “In Quest of African American Political Woman,” which was published in Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. So it was no surprise that Black women brought that fighting spirit and efficacy to the women’s suffrage movement. Throughout the 70-year span of the crusade, Black women evolved from enslaved to emancipated, illiterate to educated, unskilled to skilled and professional workers. However, at the movement’s naissance – officially at a July 1948 women’s convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. – there were only a sprinkling of Black women and men Ida B. Wells among the suffragists, who hailed, primarily, from affluent, educated White abolitionist circles in the northeast. From the beginning, the alliance between Black and White abolitionists-turned-suffragists was a tenuous one because of conflicting underlying motivations. “For Whites…abolitionist activism was primarily a means of releasing their suppressed political energies—energies they directed toward the goal not of Black liberation, but of their own,” asserted historian Paula Giddings in When and Where I Enter: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex in America. Therefore, some were abolitionists in name only or, even if they were actively involved in the anti-slavery movement, they would shove that affiliation aside if it endangered their feminist goals. For example, at a women’s convention in Akron, Ohio, May 28-29, 1851, White suffragists tried to block Sojourner Truth, the first known African-American woman suffragist, from speaking, fearing affiliation with “abolitionists and niggers” would sour the cause, Giddings recalled. The illiterate former slave and itinerant reformer prevailed, however, making a poignant, persuasive speech that stymied the dissenters—including a minister−won over skeptics and brought thunderous cheers and grateful tears from the other women who had sought to shut her up. In a speech later titled, “Ain’t I a Woman,” Truth challenged assertions that women are not equal to men, but also highlighted the acute experiences of White and Black women in their struggle for equal rights. “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” she asked rhetorically. “Look
at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me…. I could work as much and eat as much as a man when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman?... “Then that little man in black (minister) there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ‘cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him,” Truth added. Equally effectual in speech was activist Maria Stewart, a free-born AfricanAmerican woman who during the 1830s became the first American-born woman of any color to deliver a series of public lectures. She spoke on a whole range of topics of vital importance to the Black community, including abolition, women’s rights, equal rights, colonization, educational opportunities, and racial pride and unity. By 1854, Black women’s participation in the cause became more evident. African-American sisters, writer Harriet Forten Purvis and educator Margaretta Forten, of a prominent and wealthy Philadelphia abolitionist family, took the lead in organizing the Fifth National Woman’s Rights Convention in Philadelphia in 1854. And, former slave Nancy Prince addressed the audience on the degradation of women in slavery. The Remond family of Massachusetts, a large group of entrepreneurs, was also known for its activism in abolitionist and later suffrage circles. In 1858, Sarah Remond and her brother Charles spoke on the issue of women’s suffrage at the women’s national convention at the Mozart Hall in New York City. Mary Ann Shadd Cary was also a well-known Black suffragist of the time. The first Black woman to publish a newspaper – her Provincial Freeman focused on abolition and women’s rights – the emigrationist joined the movement when she returned to the United States from Canada to raise money for her newspaper. For at least 25 years after, Terborg-Penn said, she attended women’s conventions and campaigned on behalf of women’s rights. For example, in 1871, while living in Washington, D.C., and attending Howard University, she became one of the few women to register to vote during this time. During the 1840s and ‘50s, both race and feminist issues began Library of Congress Prints to intensify and Photographs Division leading to what Giddings saw as an inevitable parting of ways between Black and White abolitionists and feminists. “The parting was due not only to White racism, but also to the primacy of race or sex as issues in their respective struggles,” the historian said. “All Black women abolitionists (and most of the leading Black male abolitionists) were feminists. But when it came to a question of priorities, race, for most of them, came first.” The issue led to a split in the American Equal Rights Association, an organization founded in 1866 by White abolitionists-slash-feminists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and the renowned Black abolitionist Frederick Douglass to bring together abolitionists and feminists to agitate for Black and woman suffrage. As Congress debated suffrage bills and it became clear that either, but not both, would be enfranchised, the AERA forums became more heated than ever. During a contentious 1869 AERA meeting, for example, Douglass accused Stanton of “advancing the cause of women’s rights on the backs of defenseless slave women.” The group then divided into the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). The latter drew more Black women since it supported enfranchisement of Black men via the 15th Amendment. “The support of the Fifteenth Amendment by Black women did not mean that they had less interest in their suffrage, economic independence, education, or any other issue that pertained to them. And their support certainly didn’t mean a collective willingness to be oppressed by men, Black or White,” Giddings argued. “But
“In fact, political activism and agitation seemed bred into the bones of African-American women, beginning as early as slavery.”
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent
Mary Church Terrell
Continued on B4
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
The Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter Choir thrilled the audience with inspirational songs
Deltas Sherri Small, Valarie Smith, Jennell Rogers, June James, Deniece McClure
Benita Parham, Wanda Smith, Michele Gardner
Naya Frazier
The theme, “Uncompromising Commitment to Communities: Service, Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority were recognized by their peers for outstanding Dr. Thelma T.Daley, 16th accomplishment and dedication to the Baltimore National President, Delta metropolitan area. Sigma Theta Sorority, Dr. Thelma T.Daley, 16th National President of Delta receives a gift from Sigma Theta Sorority, presented a tribute to the founders and charter Joann Oatis, president, members were recognized by Doris Jackson. Baltimore Metropolitan The keynote address was given by the Honorable Marilyn Mosby, Alumnae Baltimore City State’s Attorney who was presented the Verda Freeman Welcome Chapter Legislative Award by the late Senator’s daughter, Mary Sue Welcome. The Honorable Patricia C. Jessamy, the former Baltimore City State’s Attorney was also the recipient of the Verda F. Welcome Legislative Award and the Hortense Golden Canady Torchbearer Award. The Baltimore Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was chartered on March 1, 1987 by 36 illustrious women to support the The Honorable Patricia Jessamy Marilyn public service activities received the Hortense Golden Mosby of sorority nationally, Canady Torchbearer Award regionally and locally.
Cynthia Horton, Justine Johnson, Kimberly Lyles
Deltas Kimberly Robinson, Laura Phillips Byrd, Cimmon Byrd Burris
Sharon Shay Webb received the Soror of the Year Award from Lynn Knight Middleton, past Soror of the Year recipient.
Bowie student Alexis Barnes received the Academic Excellence Award.
Cherimonda Arrington, Deborah Wainwright Outstanding Chair Award winner and Tary Scroggins, 3rd Vice President, BMAC
Stephanie V. Lee received the Barbara McGregor Murphy Award
Deltas Carolyn Chissell and Mary Sue Welcome
Glynis Sampson, Brenda Barksdale, Brenda Hubbard
Debbie Tijani, MD state coordinator; Monica Watkins, president, Baltimore Alumnae Chapter; Doris Jackson, BMAC, Keitha Robinson
Morgan student Sarah Nwagbaraocha received the Academic Excellence Award
Photos by Dr. A. Lois De Laine
Ambassador Amina Salum Ali (keynote)
Closing prayer
Victory Ensemble Shiloh AME Church
Baba Africa and the drummers
Dr. Salima Marriott
Tshepho Mahlangu
Dr. Michele Rigaud, Rev. Charlotte Clemons and Rev. Dr. Mankekolo Mahlangu-Ngcobo
Eleanor Simms
Abu Jibril “the flute maker”
Rev. Sindile Dlamini
Bro. Charles Dugger
Ntokozo Ngcobo, Rev. Dr. Mankekolo Mahlangu-Ngcobo, Ambassador Amina Salum Ali and Rev. Sindile Dlamini Life Restoration Ministry celebrated its 5th anniversary and International Women’s Day, March 8 at Payne Memorial AME Church. ‘Make it Happen, Restoring Africa by Empowering Women!’ was this year’s theme. Ambassador Amina Ali, African Union Permanent Representative to the U.S.A., was the guest speaker. Over 150 women came out dressed to represent their country. There were women in attendance from Bukina Faso, Cameroon, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, South Africa and the United States.
Ntokozo Ngcobo
Rev. Shelton Sullivan
Min. Vincent Green
Photos by Anderson Ward
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
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ARTS & CULTURE
Making a Way With the Singing Sensations Youth Choir By Jannette J. Witmyer Special to the AFRO On the second Saturday of each month, the warm and embracing sound of a choir rehearsing rises from the basement of the Journey of Faith Church on Liberty Road. The voices are so rich, polished and laden with soulful expression the immediate assumption is that an adult choir is singing. However, what you will find are young people, the abundantly talented Singing Sensations Youth Choir. Nearly 11 years ago, while teaching music at Furman L. Templeton Elementary School, Dr. Hollie Hood-Mincey decided she wanted her students to have the opportunity to travel with their music as her own kids were doing through dance. Mincey’s three children were members of a dance troupe that traveled internationally, and she went with them. “I traveled with them to England, Paris, and all these wonderful places, and I started asking myself, Courtesy Photo ‘How can I do this for Baltimore City Dr. Hollie Hood-Mincey children?’� she explains. Mincey prayed about it, asking God how she could make it happen for kids with no money, and it wasn’t long before she got a vision for a touring choir, the Singing Sensations. She took the idea to her principal. “I want to take these kids on tour for 10 days,� she said. “They’re going to wear tuxedos at the spring concert. They’re going to
wear gowns.� She said her principal replied, “That’s not going to happen. You’ve got to raise money.� The determined music teacher says her response was, “Okay. And, then we did it.� “We got started in the community at Furman L. Templeton Elementary School. This is our 10th year, We’ve been to Canada, Trinidad, Africa . . . and we continue. And, God keeps opening up doors. We don’t have any foundation that’s backing us. We kind of raise money selling candy bars and cinnamon buns.� That is one reason that the choir’s upcoming Black History Month Concert, “I, Too, Sing America,� is so important. The concert 5 p.m. March 22 in the Gilliam Concert Hall is presented by Morgan State University’s Fine and Performing Arts Department. It will feature the Community Concert Choir of Baltimore and New Town High School Choir, and is a major fundraiser for the youth choir that has provided scholarships and life-altering experiences for its members. Atiya Jacobs started with the choir when it began, and she was in the first grade. Now, an 18-year-old senior in high school, she says belonging to the choir is a blessing that opened up a world of experiences she never thought possible. She said the choir’s trip to South Africa, about 18 months ago, was her most meaningful experience, so far. “It honestly changed me. I have become more humble from it,� she said. “I know it would have never happened if I wasn’t in the choir.� While travel is one thing that the group’s fundraising efforts support, raising scholarship
Kay Jon Photography
funds is of importance to Mincey. “Our whole push is that every kid that participates goes to college,� she explains. “So, we try to raise money just to make sure there is no reason they cannot go.� Last year, four choir members graduated from high school, and each received a $2,000 scholarship. Mincey is hoping to give as much or more, when three members graduate this year. This time of year, the choir goes into high gear for travel and fundraising with its Spring Break Tour, and annual Spring Break occurrence for the past 10 years. Things will be a little different this year, however, because parents have been invited to join them, keepng families together for Easter. The group, 90 strong, will travel to churches, schools, and nursing homes in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, sharing their joy for music. Then, June 23, the young singers who are often complimented as much for their model behavior as they are for their singing, will
travel to Dallas, Texas to perform at Bishop T. D. Jakes’ Potter’s House, followed by a 10-day tour in the Bahamas, July 17-27. While Dr. Mincey has enjoyed great success touring the choir and providing scholarships for her students, her goal of having the Singing Sensations Youth Choir perform for President Barack Obama at the White House remains unfulfilled. “My kids have sung with Donnie McClurkin, Karen Clark Sheard ... and for Congressman Elijah Cummings. My hope and dream is to take the choir to the White House. We wrote a song for Obama. My kids are clearly good enough to be there. We want to sing for President Obama,� she says in a tone that indicates determination, which will not be denied. For additional information about the Singing Sensations Youth Choir and its upcoming concert, visit http://www. sensationalsingers.org/, or call 443-622-4994 or 443-929-2603. Information is also available at www.morgan.edu.
Get Hard Film Review
Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart Co-Star in Unlikely-Buddies Comedy By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO Thanks to a flourishing career as a hedge fund manager, James King (Will Ferrell) is living
crossed-paths with Darnell. Nevertheless, he mistakes him for a mugger the day he’s surprised to see a black man approach him in the office parking lot. To add insult to injury,
rottentomatoes.com
Ferrell and Hart in Get Hard in the lap of luxury in a sprawling, Bel Air mansion. Furthermore, the pampered multimillionaire’s stock seems about to skyrocket, given his promotion to partner and his impending marriage to the boss’ (Craig T. Nelson) daughter, Alissa (Alison Brie). By contrast, working man Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart) is stuck on the other side of the proverbial tracks in South Central L.A. where he has to worry on a daily basis about the welfare of his wife (Edwina Findley) and young daughter (Ariana Neal). He’s eager to move them out of the ‘hood, but first needs to save $30,000 to secure the mortgage on their dream house. As a regular patron of a valet car washing service, James has regularly
instead of apologizing for the hurtful faux pas, tone deaf James insensitively claims �I would’ve reacted the same, if you were white.� Then, he rubs salt in cashstrapped Darnell’s wounds by suggesting that, “I got to where I am by hard work,� before smugly adding, “Success is a mindset.� However, the two’s roles are reversed when James is convicted of securities fraud, and sentenced to ten years in San Quentin. With just a month before he has to report to prison, he asks Darnell to prepare him for life behind bars, based on another unfounded assumption, namely, that he’s an ex-con. Darnell agrees, charging precisely the $30,000 he needs as a down payment on his ticket out of the ghetto.
However, the jokes are all on James, since the supposed “incarceration expert� he’s just hired has never even seen the inside of a jail. Thus unfolds Get Hard, an unlikely-buddies comedy co-starring Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell. The movie marks the noteworthy directorial debut of Etan Cohen, whose successful mix of over-thetop slapstick and subtle social satire yields a cinematic experience as silly as it is thought-provoking. So, one moment, we might witness goofy, gratuitous nudity courtesy of exhibitionistic Ferrell who has never been shy about prancing around in his birthday suit, his Rubenesque physique notwithstanding. The next, we’re treated to relativelysophisticated humor such as the musings of a spoiled rich kid boasting about how he built his company with his own two hands, before also admitting that he had actually relied upon an $8,000,000 loan from his father as seed money. Provided you’re open to politically-incorrect fare ranging from racist to misogynistic to homophobic, you’re likely to enjoy this inspired pairing of the relentlessly absurd Ferrell and the motor-mouthed Hart at the top of their games. Very Good (3 stars) Rated R for full-frontal male nudity, drug use, ethnic slurs, and pervasive profanity, sexuality and crude humor Running time: 100 minutes Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures
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STARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 3
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
March 21, 2015 - March 27, 2015, The Afro-American
B5
Continued from B1 [Black activist and feminist Frances Ellen] Harper and others understood that the rights of Black men had to be secured before Black women could assert theirs. If the race had no rights, the women’s struggle was meaningless.” White feminist leaders, however, seemed to view passage of the 15th Amendment in February 1870 as a betrayal and began to show their true colors. For example, White feminist leaders Anthony and Stanton used their bully pulpit to suggest Black male enfranchisement would lead not only to the degradation of Black women—as their husbands attempted to assert the dominance lost during slavery—but also the rape of White women. “Black women…may have had their complaints against Black men, but they must have looked down on White women using them as fodder to further their own selfish ends,” Giddings wrote. That this was Anthony and Stanton’s strategy became clear, she added, by the sentiments expressed in their feminist newspaper, Revolution. “Within its pages was venom of the worst kind,” Giddings said, citing Anthony as writing, “‘While the dominant party have with one hand lifted up TWO MILLION BLACK MEN and crowned them with the honor and dignity of citizenship,’ wrote Anthony, ‘with the other they have dethroned FIFTEEN MILLION WHITE WOMEN—their own mothers and sisters, their own wives and daughters—and cast them under the heel Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper/Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division of the lowest orders of manhood.’” The Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives receiving a deputation of female suffragists, Jan. 11, 1871. Anthony further railed, “The Republican cry of ‘Manhood Suffragist Victoria Woodhull is seen reading her argument in favor of woman’s voting, on the basis of the Fourteenth Suffrage’ creates an antagonism between black men and all and Fifteenth Constitutional Amendments. women that will culminate in fearful outrages [read ‘rape’] on womanhood, especially in the The end of Reconstruction, saw the growth of the club movement, as Black women southern states.” began to create organizations that reflected their feminist concerns, institutionalizing During Reconstruction, their demands for social, economic and political equality, Giddings said. Mary Ann Black efforts to obtain voting Shadd Cary, the newspaper pioneer, led the way in 1880, organizing the Colored rights for women continued. In Women’s Progressive Association. South Carolina, for example, The new focus was accompanied by increasing achievement among Black women, almost all of the Black male who continued to make unprecedented gains in education and the professions into lawmakers introduced bills the turn of the century. The expanding educational and other achievements of Black and otherwise advocated for women and their encompassing social concerns precipitated the founding of the largest women’s suffrage. Three sororities: Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta in 1908 and 1913, respectively. especially prominent Black Terborg-Penn, the Black women’s historian, said it was during this time that the sisters, Frances, Louisa, and argument for woman suffrage went beyond the universal rights concept to address the Lottie Rollin, were involved specific needs of Black women, which prompted a more broadly-based involvement of in the suffrage movement African-American women in the suffragist struggle. in that state. In 1870, Lottie All of that happened against a backdrop of the mainstream suffragist movement chaired the founding meeting marginalizing and outright excluding Black women from the cause, for fear of of the South Carolina alienating White suffragists in the South, who had undertaken an anti-suffrage Women’s Rights Association campaign against Black women. in Columbia. Her address For example, Frances E. Willard, national president of the Woman’s Christian there was apparently the Temperance Union and an important voice in the broader women’s suffrage movement, first Black woman-suffrage was considered a friend of the Black community—her parents were abolitionists and argument (apart from those some of her WCTU chapters had accepted Black women. But in an 1890 interview of Sojourner Truth) to be with the New York Voice, Willard demonstrated her willingness to throw Blacks under published. She said: “It had the bus to court White Southern women. been so universally the custom The local tavern “is the Negro’s center of power,” Willard reportedly said. “‘Better to treat the idea of woman whiskey and more of it’ is the rallying cry of great, dark-faced mobs…. The safety of suffrage with ridicule and [white] women, of childhood, of the home, is menaced in a thousand localities.” merriment…. [But] we ask She added in a later interview, “It is not fair that a plantation Negro who can neither suffrage not as a favor, nor Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division read [nor] write should be entrusted with the ballot.” as a privilege, but as a right This cartoon shows White suffragist Susan B. Anthony Ida B. Wells, a pioneering journalist, suffragist and civil rights activist, was incensed by based on the ground that we chasing after President Grover Cleveland in her fight Willard’s racist sentiments, especially in light of the proliferation of Black lynchings that had are human beings and as such, for women’s right to vote as Uncle Sam laughs in become a scourge throughout the South. entitled to all human rights.” background. The WCTU president “unhesitatingly slandered the entire Negro race in order to gain favor with those who are hanging, shooting and burning Negroes alive,” Wells said in her autobiography, Crusade for Justice. Influential educator and activist, Mary Church Terrell joined Wells in decrying lynching and the discrimination within the suffragist ranks, and in 1896, she helped engineer the merger of Black women’s clubs to form the National Association of Colored Women (NACW). Resistance to the continuing segregation among suffragists was exemplified in the March 3, 1913, Washington Suffrage Procession. The march was organized by the National American Woman Suffrage Association (a merger of the AWSA and the NWSA) a day before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson in an attempt to gain his support for women’s enfranchisement According to an article on the Library of Congress’ website, event organizer Alice Paul, in an interview 61 years after the event, said the “greatest hurdle” in planning the parade came when Terrell wanted to bring a group from the National Association of Colored Women. “Members from the South said they wouldn’t march” if Blacks were included, Paul recalled. And a compromise was struck to relegate the Black women to the last section in the parade. The Crisis magazine, the NAACP journal, painted another picture, however. After initial difficulties and attempts to segregate the African American women, “telegrams and protests poured in and eventually the colored women marched according to their State and occupation without let or hindrance,” the journal asserted. Wells was among those who objected strongly to a segregated parade; she walked with the Illinois delegation. On Aug. 18, 1920, after 70 years of struggle, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote. Yet, for African-American women, who had made significant contributions to the cause, the victory was “shallow” and an “anti-climax,” especially for those in the South, Terborg-Penn said. “As Black women became voters, they lobbied for political candidates, several of whom were women. In addition, African American women organized voter education groups in their communities, ran for a variety of offices, and fought attempts by southern racists to keep them from the polls,” the historian said “In spite of efforts to implement their political rights, however, Black women in the South were disfranchised in less than a decade after the Nineteenth Amendment enfranchised them.” It would take decades of struggle through the harrowing and tumultuous years of Jim Crow segregation and the Civil Rights Movement before Black women were assured access to the ballot box via the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And they have not squandered that hard-fought right, experts said. “When it comes to the Black vote, the Black women’s vote is key,” Campbell, the civic engagement advocate, said. But there are more strides to be made in the political empowerment of Black women, she added. “[The elections of] President Obama is an example of the power of the Black female vote. We broke records in 2008 and 2012,” she said. “We harnessed the vote then, but we need to harness it at the state and local level so we can strengthen our economic standing and [otherwise] advocate for the things we deserve in this country.”
“We have been trailblazers when it comes to moving Black political empowerment in this country.”
March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
B5
SENIOR LIVING
Take Being ‘Heart Healthy’ to Heart Jannette J. Witmyer Special to The Afro
A
s springtime blossoms into longer and warmer days, it’s the perfect time to tweak or add some heart healthy behaviors to your daily routine. The fact that the American Heart Association (AHA) ranks heart disease and stroke as the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers should be motivation enough. But, since it’s such an easy thing to do, there really is no excuse. Addressing ways that families can stay heart healthy, family practice physician Martina P. Callum, M.D. says, “Really, it starts
with lifestyle changes and looking at their diet.” She adds, with a sigh, “I’m not talking quantity.” In other words, Callum is talking about the quality of foods eaten and says that consuming foods that are fatty and/or high in cholesterol is directly related to heart disease. She says that people’s diets need more fruits, green leafy vegetables and root vegetables that have been properly prepared. And, eating properly prepared foods in moderation includes limiting salt intake. Apparently, the AHA is in agreement with her assessment, and is making it easy for individuals and groups to learn how to prepare heart
I Had a Heart Attack By George E. Curry NNPA Columnist Nothing was more startling than when a cardiologist looked me directly in the eyes and said matter-of-factly: “It looks like you had a heart attack.” I was dumbfounded. When? Where? How much damage was done? Why didn’t I know it? It certainly didn’t feel like I had suffered a heart attack. I had just covered and
participated in the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Ala. The ceremonies had special significance to me because as a senior at Druid High School in Tuscaloosa, I had participated in the last day of the march in Montgomery, where I saw James Baldwin and Harry Belafonte for the first time. Ann and I arrived a day early, had dinner with Susan Gandy, the youngest of my three sisters, who had driven
over to Montgomery from Tuskegee with her husband, Iverson Jr., and my niece, Rachel. In addition to covering the President’s speech, March 14, I had received a Freedom Flame Award that night and on March 15, was one of the speakers at the Martin and Coretta King Unity Breakfast. I walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday and completed my writing and editing for the NNPA News
Anytime Smoothie
A Food Prescription for All Day Long By Dr. Ro NNPA Columnist Whether you vowed to lose the weight – for the very last time, get your dream job, or harder yet, rear perfect, angelic geniuses – this year you’ll need energy to achieve all of your heart’s desires (and promises) and I’ve got a deliciously, smooth remedy to help. You may have tried these “meal in a cup” beverages lauded for their “instant” weight-loss power. The truth is meal replacements can be nutritious additions to a balanced diet of vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and sprouted whole grains. But you get more bang for your nutritional buck when you control the ingredients that go in to your smoothie choices. Let’s face it, some of the options you buy at the mall, airport, and other such places – can contain a whopping 25-40 grams of sugar, having little nutritional benefit at all. Yikes! Since food is medicine, it’s a good idea to opt for your own personal arsenal of top shelf DIY smoothies – not those found in a can or bottle – in order to control the sugar, calories, and nutritional content therein. Now comes the time for you to dust-off your Vitamix, Ninja, or any high-powered blender or bullet; try these recipes to soothe your sniffles, detox your body, replace heavy, hi-fat meals, lose weight, get youthful-dewy skin, or all of the above. These are dairy-free, vegan recipes that double as gluten-free options. Each smoothie batch has 21 grams of protein (provided by Hemp protein concentrate). Here is a go-to smoothie and the reasons it is such a big part of my family’s (and my patient’s) diets:
My Pick-Me-Up Green Smoothie
I love this one because the green veggies and fruits in this smoothie have natural antiinflammatory antioxidants and chlorophyll, which reduce inflammation in the body that leads to joint and muscle pain (think arthritis) and that feed destructive free radicals that lead to chronic diseases of the heart, and more. This smoothie also boosts energy and metabolism, found in the matcha green tea powder and fresh ginger it contains. For an extra power-packing energy boost and anti-inflammatory alkaline boost, I add 1 scoop of organic, whole leaf wheat grass powder, which also boosts immunity. Here’s your Food Rx: 2 handfuls washed, fresh spinach 2 handfuls washed, fresh collards and/or kale 4-5 spears fresh pineapple 1/2 cucumber 1 peeled kiwi fruit 1/2 banana 1 small orange, peeled 1 small granny smith or fuji apple, quartered 1-thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled (more if you like spicier flavor) 1 scoop Hemp Protein concentrate 1 tsp. matcha green tea powder 1 scoop Organic whole leaf, wheat grass powder 1 cup pure coconut water Blend to all ingredients to desired consistency Serve Cold poured over ice cubes or for extra energy boost poor over Wheat Grass ice cubes (found in frozen foods section of Whole Foods, Publix, or local grocery store) Makes four, 6-ounce servings. Enjoy and be well!
Rovenia Brock, Ph.D. is a medical advisory board member and contributor to the “Dr. Oz Show,” where she helped more than a half-million Americans lose more than 5 million pounds. She is the author of “Dr. Ro’s Ten Secrets To Livin’ Healthy (Bantam). For more health, nutrition, and fitness tips, join Dr. Ro and her social media community and get a FREE Download of her new eBook of super-easy tips, “You Healthy and Happy” at www. everythingro.com
healthy meals in Baltimore. The organization is celebrating its oneyear anniversary of offering a variety of cooking classes at its Simple Cooking with Heart Kitchen, located downtown at Stratford University. For a nominal fee, participants learn to cook a meal for four, which they carry home, once prepared. So, for those with cooking limitations, make it easy on yourself, and visit www. heart.org/baltimorekitchen. While modifying one’s diet will help, adding physical activity to the equation will increase the benefits. Everyone, including First Lady Michelle Obama, is encouraging people of all ages to get moving and involved in some kind of physical
Service on Monday. We stopped in Buford, Ga., March 17, en route back to Washington, D.C. to visit Ann’s son, Derek Ragland; his wife, April, and our grandkids, Austin, 5, and Autumn 1. On Wednesday night, I felt a slight pain in my chest, but dismissed it as indigestion. It continued Thursday night. When the pain persisted Friday night, Ann insisted on taking me to the hospital and I acquiesced. We ended up at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. To Ann’s disbelief, I grabbed my iPad mini, a book, my charger, and a notebook as we headed out of the door. I know how long the wait can be in emergency rooms and did not want to be without reading material if I became trapped in the waiting lounge. But once my symptoms were shared with the intake nurses, I was whizzed through the paperwork and placed in a room to wait for a doctor, to be administered an EKG and, of course, give blood. “We’re going to keep you overnight to see what’s happening,” the attending physician told me. From the way he said “keep me,” I deduced that they were not keeping me around just to get to know me better. Something was amiss and I wasn’t sure what it was. I was wheeled into a private room in the Intensive Care Unit, where I was closely monitored around the clock, had blood extracted – usually at ungodly hours – and hooked up to a series of instruments. A hospital is not a place to get sleep; it’s the only place in the world where they wake you up to give you a sleeping pill.
activity. It’s not always necessary to go work out at the gym. Family walks can be great exercise and lots of fun. And, April 1 is AHA’s National Walking Day, perfect timing to bring the family together for a trek. Now that you’re eating and exercising properly, managing your weight and stress will become a little easier. Callum explains that people with bad eating and exercise habits, generally, don’t feel well and often suffer with joint pain, heartburn and other discomforts, which is stressful. “Physically, when you are feeling good, you can handle stress, better,” she says.
I was told around midnight that at 7 a.m., March 21, a stent would be inserted into my heart to unblock a clogged artery. At the age of 50, I had a triple bypass. I had played quarterback at Druid High and Knoxville College and neither drank – not even wine – smoked nor used illicit drugs. Yet, an athletic past and clean living were not sufficient. I was the son of the South and I had grown up in a family where our grease was cooked in grease.
George E. Curry Now, 18 years later, I was told that of the three bypassed arteries, one was completely blocked, one was 97 percent blocked, and one was functioning fine. The surgery itself was not as dramatic as the bypass, which required the heart to be stopped temporarily. This time, the cardiologist made an incision in my groin, placed a stent over a balloon catheter and slid it into the heart muscle to improve blood flow. I was awake, but did not feel any pain. From there, the ICU nurses took fantastic care of me. They could not have provided better care, even if that meant waking me constantly. I had a follow-up visit
and a stress test with Dr. Jigishu Dhabuwala at the North Atlanta Heart and Vascular Clinic before being released to the care of Dr. Boisey O. Barnes, my regular cardiologist in Washington. I spoke with Dr. Barnes during this period and before I returned home, he had already discussed getting me into a heart rehabilitation program and enrolling me in a Harvard study to prevent second heart attacks. After writing about my bypass 18 years ago, Bill Pickard, a Detroit businessman, said I had probably saved his life because he took some immediate steps to improve his health after reading about my challenge in Emerge magazine. At the urging of “Uncle Mike” Fauvelle of Setauket, N.Y., I am writing about my second close call with death, hoping that it, too, will prompt you to not only pay closer attention to your health, but be aware of the small signs of trouble and do something about it immediately if you sense something is awry. George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA) and BlackPressUSA.com. He is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. Curry can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook. See previous columns at http:// www.georgecurry.com/ columns.
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The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
SPORTS
Despite Injury, Will the Wizards Pursue Kevin Durant in 2016? AFRO Sports Desk Faceoff
Durant. If I’m Washington, I’m going for the power forward or center position in free agency and letting Otto Porter, the third overall pick of the 2013 draft, develop into a serviceable small forward.
By Stephen D. Riley and Perry Green AFRO Sports Desk With Kevin Durant potentially sidelined for the remainder of the season with persistent soreness in his right foot—the same he broke earlier in the season—there is a fear his injury could affect his career. The injury comes at a horrible time for the Washington Wizards, who are rumored to be in the running to land Durant when he becomes a free agent in 2016 amid an exploding league salary cap. Durant’s pending free agent status spurred numerous rumors around Washington, D.C., and his potential loss has become a thorn in the side for the Oklahoma City Thunder. A foot injury for a 6-foot, 9-inch forward typically spells disaster for most NBA players; will it derail a possible move by the Wizards to acquire Durant in 2016? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk debate the question. Riley: If you’re the Washington Wizards, you still have to make the attempt to sign Durant whether he’s fully healthy or not. He’ll be the marquee name that’s available next summer, and there aren’t too many injuries in sports that can’t be helped with modern medicine and rehab. Durant will play again—but I always thought it was risky trying to rush back your Kevin Durant is potentially sidelined for the remainder of the season. superstar from a foot injury. At least we know now that he’ll get his proper recovery time and, barring a headlines the 2016 free agent list, but it’s a group that’s pretty setback, should be totally healthy by the summer of deep. Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Dwight Howard, DeMar 2016. His injury could actually turn into a blessing in disguise DeRozan, Lance Stephenson and even LeBron James and Chris for the Wizards, as it may persuade the Thunder to rethink Paul could all be available if things swing right. In an ideal offering Durant a mega contract while Washington waits with world, Durant would be injury-free and ready and willing to open arms. sign a contract with the Wizards. But grabbing a Horford or a DeRozan in the prime of their careers could be a big coup. Green: I’m not going to say that Durant shouldn’t be in Washington needs impact in the front court if they want to play, but Washington needs to be careful if it’s thinking about make some noise in the playoffs, regardless of whether they get placing all of its eggs into the slender forward’s basket. Durant
Riley: A big man would be nice for the Wizards, but you can never go wrong with a big-time scorer with deep range. A player who’s liable to put up 40 points or more on a hot night is invaluable across the Association. A plodding big man who can score in the paint consistently is a solid rock for your team’s foundation, but an All-Star swingman who can score from anywhere is a priceless gem. If Washington wants to compete with LeBron while he resides in the East, they’re going to need some firepower. Durant brings that and more. He’s a matchup nightmare for any defender in the league, and the impact of his return to the D.C. area would do amazing things for a city in transition. It would be huge just from a marketing standpoint, as Durant comes fully equipped with an MVP trophy and a Finals appearance. He’s the move for the Wizards, healthy or not. Green: There is no “healthy or not” because an injured Durant would cripple Washington’s salary cap and their chances of a title. Ernie Grunfield has gotten it wrong on plenty of occasions and lived to fight another day, but he can’t get this one wrong. The last thing this franchise needs is a situation similar to what the Orlando Magic went through with Grant Hill 15 years ago. The difference this time around is that the NBA is littered with blossoming talent and the abundance of quality players should keep Grunfield from pushing all his chips in on one player. Surfing the free agency pool and maximizing the salary cap with multiple additions would be the perfect way to build the Wizards into a true contender. Risking it all on a player coming off a foot ailment just doesn’t sound like a wise investment—but it’s one that Grunfield will likely attempt nonetheless.
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March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American
B7
“To dream the impossible dream to fight the unbeatable foe to bear with unbearable sorrow to run where the brave dare not go; to right the unrightable wrong to love pure and chaste from afar to try when your arms are too weary to reach the unreachable star. This is my quest to follow that star no matter how hopeless no matter how far. To fight for the right without question or pause; to be willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause; and I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest that my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest; and the world will be better for this that one man (woman), scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable star.” Man from LaMancha
“It’s your birthday, we gon’ party like it’s yo’ birthday we gon’ sip Bacardi like it’s your birthday” 50 Cent
“We are braver and wiser because they existed, those strong women…” Maya Angelou
“Come to the Cabaret” with Just for Fun members Tippy Fortune, Reggie Gee, Tom Goggin, LaJoie Grimes, James Quick, and Joe Smith on April 3, call 410-6550152 for tickets.
Women’s History Month recognizes women and acknowledges their contributions as trailblazers in their chosen field. The glass ceiling is no more; women have broken the glass ceiling and have reached the Unreachable Star. “I am grateful to be a woman. I must have done something great in another life.” Maya Angelou Living for the weekend continues to recognize glass ceiling breakers Clara Harris, Ellen Malcolm, Oprah, B. Smith, Sylvia Woods, Moms Mabley, Ursula Burns, Laurie Ann Goldman, Indra Nooyi, Ma Rainey, Vashti Turley Murphy, Elizabeth Hooton, Olga James, Bessie Smith, Hillary Clinton, Muriel Siebert, Betty Moss, Ida Peters, Mary McLeod Bethune, Pauline Wilkins, Jacqueline McLean, Barbara Mikulski, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Juanita, Jackson Mitchell, Shirley Chisholm, Carolyn Mosely Braun, Sarah Jane Woodson Early, Isabel Wilkinson, Debbie Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, Bonnie Parker,Barbara Ross Lee, Anita Hill, Florence Ellinwood Allen, Antonia Novello, Serena Williams, Jocelyn Elders and Michele Obama. “Wherever you go, whatever you do oh please, remember that I’ll always be there for you you don’t have to call, you don’t have to say just think about me and I’ll be on my way” Prince Rosemary “Duchess” Atkinson invited 25 women to her Mohawk Avenue home for cocktails in celebration of her 75th birthday. Unbeknown to her, daughter Tobi Pulley and sister Sara Smalley had arranged a party bus to take the guests to Proud Mary Waterfront Bar and Restaurant in Ft. Washington for jazz and dinner. I go wherever the wind blows…and wherever the whiskey shots are half price.” Nicki Elson, Happy Hour will never be the same at Langerman’s in Canton where “Just Us” celebrated Debbie Taylor’s birthday sipping martinis, cosmos and wine while dining on ribs, Asian shrimp quesadillas, hot biscuits and more. The next day “Just Us” joined Aldonna Wylie at the Johns Hopkins Club for cocktails and dinner in the private dining room decorated with party hats and favors. The menu Hopkins Caesar salad, Greek salad, stuffed flounder with crab meat, petit filet mignon with red wine pearl onion sauce with mashed potatoes and asparagus cake and ice cream. The four course meal included a sorbet to clear the palate between meals. In attendance at Langerman and the Hopkins Club were Deborah Hawkins, Chandra Jackson, Susan Ellison, LaVerne Naesea, Dorothy Douglas, Rhonda Bartee, Charlotte Bullock, Beatrice Williams, Jackie Brown, Edith Jones from New Orleans and the birthday girls Debbie and Aldonna.
Happy Birthday Diane Hocker, Mildred Harris, Brenda Blount, Edith Green, Frankie Wilson, Goldie Wood, Roslyn Smith, Evon Jackson, Angela Gibson, Audrey Freeman, Larry Gibson, Kevin Parson, Sherita Harris, LaTonya Cobb Queen and Margaret Lee. “I’m always making a comeback but nobody ever tells me where I’ve been.” Billie Holiday
“Spring in the air filled with love there’s magic everywhere when you’re young and in love” Marvelettes Happy anniversary to William “Billy Bones”, Shirley Andrews, Jaki, and Ken Ulman on their anniversary “People see God every day, they just don’t recognize him.” Pearl Bailey Sending love and get-well wishes to Tim Wilson and Elvard Cooper as they continue on the road to recovery. “There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.” Rachel Carson Adrienne Davis wants to thank everyone for the overwhelming outpouring of love shown to her and the family during the death of her husband Benjamin Eggie Davis. The cards, phone calls, prayers and other gestures of love have assisted in easing their loss knowing others cared. “If your neighbor looks at you like they don’t enjoy the key you’re singing in, look right back, bless them, and keep on singing.” Odetta Join Phil Butt’s 17 piece band and vocalists, Sheila Ford, Marlene Ross, Larzene, Kermit Golden, and more as they celebrate the 100th birthday of Baltimore’s Eleanor Fagan and the worlds’ Billie Holiday April 7, sponsored by Renaissance Productions and The Greater Baltimore Urban League call Thom Saunders 410-728-3837 or Renaissance2222@cs.com “People get ready” for The Holman Group’s annual trip, June 27, to the Crab Claw in St. Michaels, enjoy steamed crabs, shrimp and other summer delights then head to Dover Downs Casino call Mattie & Teddy at 410-655-9830 for tickets. Congratulations to Deborah Owens, Patricia Tunstall, Mary Slicher and Dr.Terri Hill on being honored at Iota Phi Lambda Sorority at the Women in Business Breakfast April 4, 2015. For tickets call Betty Wilson-Jones 410-984-0457. “Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.” Doug Larson Valerie and the Friday Night Bunch
INVITES YOU AND A GUEST TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING OF
Salutes The Baltimore (MD) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated and its work with Coppin and Morgan State Universities.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum 830 E. Pratt St. • Baltimore, MD
April 14, 2015 • 7:00 – 9:00 P.M. Tickets: $25 VIP Networking Reception 6:00 – 7:00 P.M. VIP Tickets: $75 Contact Diane W. Hocker for more information • 410-554-8243
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Become a Foster Parent! Treatment Foster Parents work from home, receive a tax-free stipend and professional 24 hour on-call support for providing shelter for a young person who has suffered abuse or neglect. For more information, call the CHOSEN Treatment Foster Care Program at 1-800-621-8834.
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LEGAL NOTICES
CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE OF ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for Sanitary Contract No. 918-Improvements to the Headworks and Wet Weather Flow Equalization at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon. No time extension will be allowed on this project. The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at the Department of Public Works in Room 6 located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of Friday, March 27, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $2,000.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call 410-396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is E13003Water and/or Sewer Treatment Plants & Pumping Stations. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $250,000,000.01 to $325,000,000.00 A Mandatory A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at The Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant Administration Building, 8201 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21214 on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. The deadline for Bidder questions is at 4:30 P.M. on April 24, 2015. Any questions received after this date will not be reviewed and addressed. Principal Items of work for this project are: *Influent Pumping Station *Fine Screen Facility *Grit Removal Facility *Equalization Pumping Station *Equalization Storage Tanks *Emergency Power Generation Facility *Associated Electrical and Control Systems and Associated Site Improvements *Associated Flow Distribution Structures *Modifications to existing Facilities *Soils Surcharge and Soils Disposal *Odor Control Facilities This project is a recipient of the State Revolving Loan The MBE goal is 17% The WBE goal is 16% SANITARY CONTRACT NO. 918 APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor Clerk, Board of Estimates
April 1, 2015 *LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR PLANTS FOR THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER B50003826 *UNIDIRECTIONAL FLUSHING OF VARIOUS WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM B50003917 *WELDING EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES B50003997 April 8, 2015 *PNEUMATIC TIRE FORKLIFT B50003996 *CREW CAB TRUCK WITH A STAKE BODY AND LIFT GATE B50004004 THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT CAN BE VIEWED AND DOWN LOADED BY VISITING THE CITY’S WEB SITE: www.baltimorecitibuy.org TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:25:00 EDT 2015 MBE/WBE/DBE Subcontractors and Suppliers Ulliman Schutte Construction, LLC, Roanoke, VA is interested in receiving quotes from qualified MBE/WBE/DBE subcontractors and suppliers for the New Greensboro Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Greensboro MD, bidding on April 09, 2015. Opportunities are available for Specifications Divisions 2 thru 17. Contract Documents can be viewed at www.ullimanschutte.com. Please fax quotes to 540-342-5111 no later than Tuesday, April 7, 2015. Contact telephone # is 540-342-2112. Ulliman Schutte Construction, LLC 306 6th Street SW Roanoke VA 24016 www.ullimanschutte.com Equal Opportunity Employer
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Join the Bureau of the Budget and Management Research for the City´s first-ever Budget Pop-Up. Engage with staff to learn how the budget for each of the City´s priority outcomes invests in a better Baltimore in Fiscal 2016. This event will be followed by the Taxpayer Night Hearing, where citizens are encouraged to share their views on the budget with the Baltimore City Board of Estimates.
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TYPESET: Wed Mar 18 13:18:57 2015 LEGALEDT NOTICES CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC NOTICECOMMUNITY MEETING The Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT) is attending a meeting with the Lakeland Coalition to discuss the Complete Streets plan being created in the Casino Master Plan Area. This plan will help DOT continuously improve the transportation infrastructure for this area. In an effort to educate the community about the project, a community meeting will be held. Tuesday, April 28, 2015 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Lakeland Recreation Center 2921 Stranden Road Baltimore, Md. 21230 If you have any questions, comments or need special accommodations please contact: Ms. Sandra Matier Southwest Transportation Liaison 443-984-4095 or at sandra.matier@baltimorecity.gov Receive regular updates via Facebook At Baltimore City, Department of Transportation Or on Twitter at Baltimore City, Department of Transportation WILLIAM JOHNSON, DIRECTOR
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B8 The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
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March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015, The Afro-American LEGALEDT NOTICES TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:23:37 2015
LEGALEDT NOTICES TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:24:18 2015
CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for FAP NO. HP-NHPP-0468(7)E; SHA NO. BC 440003; BALTIMORE CITY NO.TR08308;RECONSTRUCT EAST NORTH AVE.: AISQUITH ST. TO WASHINGTON ST. will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. April 15, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon. The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at the Department of Public Works Service Center located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of March 20, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $150.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prerequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, 1st Floor, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is A02602 Bituminous Concrete Paving & D02620 Curbs, Gutters & Sidewalks. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $5,000,000.00 to $10,000,000.00 A ”MANDATORY PRE-BIDDING INFORMATION” session will be conducted at 10:00 A.M. on April 2, 2015 at 417 E. Fayette Street, Charles L Benton Building, 7th Floor Richard K. Chen Conference Room. Principal Items of work for this project are Portland Cement Concrete Repairs Type II - 8,000 S.Y.; 8” Ductile Iron Pipe - 6,480 L.F. & 5”Concrete Sidewalk, Mix No. 3 - 62,850 S.F. The DBE goal is 25% APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor, Clerk TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:22:50 EDT 2015 Board of Estimates
CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for BALTIMORE CITY NO.TR15014; RESURFACING HIGHWAYS SOUTHEAST SECTOR IV will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M April 22, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon. The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at the Department of Public Works Service Center located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of March 27, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $75.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396-6883 or contact the Committee at Room 634, Charles L. Benton Bldg., 417 E. Fayette St., Baltimore, Maryland 21202. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is A02602 Bituminous Concrete Paving and D02620 Curbs, Gutters, & Sidewalks. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $1,000,000.00 to $3,000,000.00. A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at 10:00 A.M. onApril 10, 2015 at 417 East Fayette Street, Room 724, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Principal Items of work for this project are Removal of HMA 0-3” 54,360 SY and Hot Mix Asphalt Superpave Surface Various Types 7,900 TON. The MBE goal is 21%; WBE goal is 7% APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor, Clerk Board of Estimates TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:34:12 EDT 2015
CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE OF ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for Sanitary Contract No. 939-Maiden’s Choice Pressure Sewer Condition Assessment and Uplands Sewer Replacement will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 22, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon.The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at the Department of Public Works in Room 6 located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of Friday, March 27, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $100.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call 410-396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is B02552Sewer Construction Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $1,000,000.01 to $2,000,000.00 A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at 300 Abel Wolman Municipal Building, Large Conference Room on April 2, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. Principal Items of work for this project are: *Sewer cleaning and closed circuit television (CCTV) inspection *Stream restoration *Sewer replacement This project is a recipient of the State Revolving Loan The MBE goal is 17% The WBE goal is 16% SANITARY CONTRACT NO. 939 APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor Clerk, Board of Estimates APPROVED: Rudolph S. Chow, P.E. TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:23:14 EDT 2015 Director of Public Works CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for GS 13812Appellate Judges’ Chambers at Courthouse East will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204, City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon.The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, in Room 6 located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of Friday, March 27, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a non-refundable cost of $50.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call 410-396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is E13004Rehabilitation of Structures Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $100,000.01 to $500,000.00 A ”Pre-Bidding Information” session will be conducted at The Site: 111 N. Calvert Street, 6th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. Principal Items of work for this project are: 1. Selected Interior Demolition 2. Interior Finishes 3. HVAC and Plumbing The MBE goal is 27% The WBE goal is 10% CONTRACT NO. GS 13812 APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor Clerk, Board of Estimates APPROVED: Steve Sharkey Director, Department of General Services TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:23:58 EDT 2015 CITY OF BALTIMORE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOTICE OF LETTING Sealed Bids or Proposals, in duplicate addressed to the Board of Estimates of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and marked for BALTIMORE CITY NO.TR15013; RESURFACING HIGHWAYS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS SOUTHWEST SECTOR III will be received at the Office of the Comptroller, Room 204 City Hall, Baltimore, Maryland until 11:00 A.M. April 15, 2015. Positively no bids will be received after 11:00 A.M. Bids will be publicly opened by the Board of Estimates in Room 215, City Hall at Noon. The Contract Documents may be examined, without charge, at the Department of Public Works Service Center located on the first floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, 200 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 as of March 20, 2015 and copies may be purchased for a nonrefundable cost of $75.00. Conditions and requirements of the Bid are found in the bid package. All contractors bidding on this Contract must first be prequalified by the City of Baltimore Contractors Qualification Committee. Interested parties should call (410) 396-6883 or contact the Committee at 3000 Druid Park Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21215. If a bid is submitted by a joint venture (”JV”), then in that event, the document that established the JV shall be submitted with the bid for verification purposes. The Prequalification Category required for bidding on this project is A02602 - Bituminous Concrete Paving and D02620 Curbs, Gutters & Sidewalk. Cost Qualification Range for this work shall be $1,000,000.00 to $3,000,000.00. A ?Pre-Bidding Information? session will be conducted at 10:00 A.M. on April 1, 2015 at 417 East Fayette Street, Room 724, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. Principal Items of work for this project are -HMA Superpave 12.5 mm PG64S-22 for Surface Level-2 5,970 TON and Paving Removal - Bituminous Material 0” to 3” depth 40,957 S.Y. The MBE goal is 20%; WBE goal is 7% APPROVED: Bernice H. Taylor, Clerk Board of Estimates
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF BALTIMORE CITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS GREAT PLAINS SOFTWARE UPGRADE RFP NUMBER: B-1789-15 The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (”HABC”) will issue a Request for Proposals (”RFP”) for interested and qualified Microsoft Gold Partners or Silver Enterprise Resource Planning firms to submit proposals to upgrade HABC’s existing Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains from version 2010 to 2015. PROPOSALS WILL BE DUE no later than 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, May 1, 2015. A non-mandatory pre-proposals conference will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., at 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 416, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202. HABC has established a minimum goal of twenty percent (20%) of the total dollar amount of the proposed contract for Minority Business Enterprise (”MBE”) utilization, applicable to all minority and non-minority businesses proposing to provide the requested services as the prime contractor. No goal has been established for participation of Women-owned businesses (”WBEs”), however, HABC strongly encourages and affirmatively promotes the use of WBEs in all HABC contracts. Responders shall also comply with all applicable requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. Section 1701u. The RFP may be obtained on or after Monday, April 6, 2015, at the following location: Housing Authority of Baltimore City Division of Fiscal Operations, Purchasing Department 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 414 Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Attention: John Airey, Chief of Contracting Services Tel: (410) 396-3261 Fax: (410) 962-1586 Questions regarding the RFP should be directed in writing to the address and individual indicated above, and must include the reference: HABC RFP Number B-1789-15.
B9
CAREER CORNER
TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:21:31 EDT 2015
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Correctional Records Clerk Latent Print Examiner II, Police Visit our website at www.aacounty.org for additional information and to apply on-line. You may use the Internet at any Anne Arundel County library, or visit our office at 2660 Riva Road in Annapolis. Deadlines to apply posted on website. AEO/DF/SFE
TYPESET: Wed Mar 25 13:21:09 EDT 2015
EDUCATION -
EDUCATION FACULTY Carroll Community College seeks a full-time, 10 month Education faculty member for the Fall 2015 semester. Additional information may be obtained at www.carrollcc.edu.
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B10
The Afro-American, March 28, 2015 - April 3, 2015
Rethinking the Recognition of ‘Dorie’ Miller By MarshaRose Joyner Special to the AFRO First of a four-part series. Doris “Dorie” Miller, and hundreds of other messmen who were serving breakfast that morning, never dreamed that day in 1941, was the time for them to be heroes. That point is not to be questioned. When the office of Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) contacted me about their desire to have Dorie Miller awarded the Medal of Honor, I was excited. Since 1942 there have been thousands of people attempting to have his Navy Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In the last several sessions, Rep. Johnson, with the support of the Congressional Black Caucus and members of both parties in Congress, has filed legislation to waive the statute of limitations so that Miller could receive the Medal of Honor. “The Navy has concluded that the Navy Cross, the highest award that can be approved and awarded by the Secretary of the Navy, appropriately recognizes Petty Officer Miller’s heroic actions,” said Navy spokesman, Lt. Mike Kafka, who added that those seeking to upgrade Miller’s award can offer new evidence or ask the Navy to look at the case anew, a request Johnson may make.
long lasting legacy. I believe that we must look at Miller in a new light. The history of wars is generally written about battles as if there were no people. And when people are mentioned, it is the generals, admirals and presidents. Miller was not even a sailor; he was a messman second class, the very bottom of the Navy’s tight knit social thread. To shine a real light on World War II, we must see with today’s eyes the “little people,” the mess attendants of the world. Filipinos and Guamanians who chose to come to America following a dream; after a period of untold harassment and brutality, enlisted in the Navy only to become messmen. Servants! Carlos Bulosan wrote “I feel like a criminal running away from a crime I did not commit. And this crime is that I am a Filipino in America.” That day, the “day that will live in infamy” was for heroes. Thousands of them! Most of whom we will never know. That day was a day for every man and woman to Carlos Bulosan step out of their comfort zone and loc.gov be counted. In America, that day was to question what people take for granted, what people hold to be true about “colored men.” For Miller that day was to break through the hypnosis of social conditioning; to take a stand at any cost; to be courageous and noble in their actions and in deeds. That December day was to be that moment.
Beginning of WWII
Officers’ Mess on a Cruiser during WWII First let me say, Lt. Kafka apparently did not do any research. In 1941 no Black messman was a petty officer. At the time of Miller’s actions the Navy was totally segregated. How could the Navy not recognize that racism was the underlying theme? Absolutely we must ask again! However this may not be new evidence, since racism is the birth defect of this country. What is new is the evidence of his
“Even as Hitler espoused the theory of the “Superior Aryan Race,” the U.S. military practiced the theory of “African-American mental inferiority.” The Army War College study of 1940 described the African American as having ‘less developed mental capacities.” The Navy was accepting African Americans on a limited basis as messmen/stewards. The Marines were accepting no African Americans. According to historian Duane B. Bradford; “during the first six months of 1940, the Army admitted 30 African Americans total into all of its schools.” World War II African-American sailors were stripped of their dignity, their “somebodyness.” Regardless of their education they were expected to be messmen, stewards and cabin boys, not trained for combat. They did not even wear the traditional Naval Anchor on their uniforms. Secretary of the Navy (Colonel) Frank Knox, (former publisher of the Chicago Daily News and the 1936 G.O.P. vice-presidential nominee) wrote “the policy of not enlisting men of the colored races for any branch of the naval service but the messmen branch was adopted to meet the best interests of general ship efficiency.” However, there is so much misinformation about Miller,
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Doris “Dorie” Miller with his Navy Cross Wikimedia Commons
his actions that day and even the ship he served on, no wonder he has not been awarded the Medal of Honor. Having had the rare opportunity of knowing men who served with him on the West Virginia as well as other survivors of the attack on the Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, I decided to revisit the mounds of articles, books and films about Miller. Much to my horror the vast majority of it was incorrect. My friend, Ray Emory, a Pearl Harbor survivor and historian was gracious enough to spend the day with me and another friend as we combed through his records and files of Dec. 7. So much so that I now feel I have to rethink the recognition of Miller. Some of the misinformation was trivial, but none the less it is out there. The biggest misinformation and most often repeated stated that Miller served on the USS Arizona. That was not correct. All of the messmen who served on the Arizona went down with the ship. One article claimed he was on board the USS Missouri. That ship was not at Pearl Harbor the day of the attack. She was the last battleship commissioned by the U.S. Navy in June 1944. His rate or rank has always been at question. In the Navy a person’s “rate” is the same as “rank” in the other branches of the military. At the time of the attack Miller was a messman attendant second class, a rate created for men of color only. I have read in several articles that he was a seaman. At the time of the Dec. 7 attack, there were no Black seamen. The Messman Branch, responsible for servicing officers only, was a racially segregated part of the U.S. Navy. White sailors could not serve in the Messman Branch, which was composed almost exclusively of African Americans, Guamanians, Chinese and Filipinos. Dorie Miller’s very public presence as a messman attracted criticism from civil rights leaders during the war, and the Roosevelt administration was under some pressure to address this inequality. Some steps were taken throughout the war, but the navy’s leadership proved resistant to major change. In February 1943 the name of the branch was changed to Steward Branch, the word “officer” was dropped from rate titles, and “mess attendant” became “steward’s mate.” The new rating of “cook” should not be confused with “ship’s cook,” which was part of the Commissary Branch. In June 1944, cooks and stewards were authorized to wear petty officer-style rating badges. Despite the change in insignia, however, stewards and cooks were not petty officers and ranked below the most junior petty officer grade. Petty officer status was not extended to stewards until 1950. Some articles have Miller as a cook. That is somewhat correct. At the time of the attack on Dec. 7 Miller was a messman. As the war raged on, men of color were promoted to the rate of cook, because they needed them to do more than wait on the officers. At the time of his death Miller had been promoted to cook third class. In April 1942 changes were announced to allow African Americans to serve in other capacities. Even so African Americans selected for ratings other than messman were to be segregated and commanded by White officers and chief petty officers. The movie Pearl Harbor was probably the worst offender of the portrayal of Doris Miller. Several people say it is only a movie. And that is true. However, a majority of people get all they know about history from movies. Lt. Frederick White, who served on the USS West Virginia, wrote that Miller was called up to the deck to move the ship’s captain because he had been mortally wounded because he (Miller) was the biggest man on the ship. In the movie it is apparent to all watching that Cuba Gooding Jr. was not the biggest man on the ship. Advertiser: BGE At the time of the filming at Pearl Harbor, I complained about Cuba Gooding Jr. being Afro portrayed as Dorie Miller because he Publication: American was not big enough. I was told by one of the historians, “at least the character in the film.” What else could I say? InsertionisDate: March 28, 2015 Director of the movie Pearl Harbor Michael Bay acknowledges commentary Ad Size: on his DVD 7.28” x 10” track that Miller’s actions were altered slightly simply for the sake of the narrative; it was more dramatic to have comfort the dying Title: Mosthim Important/Blue Skycaptain and then deliver his final order. And so have the movie portrays on Dec.material 7, 1941 in a If you received thisMiller publication uniform with a cook’s second class rate. As we have said before in error, or have any questions about it please the cook’s rate did not exist in 1941. This error is difficult to contact the traffic dept. at Weber Shandwick attribute to anything other than a lack of adequate research. at (410) 558 2100. The National Parks Service and the U.S. Navy are credited as consultants on the film.