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BLACKER THE BERRY NEWS
NATION BUILDING 8th Edition / With an emphasis on Education
“A person without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Marcus Garvey
THE LEADER WITHIN
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Black people are at a time right now when we need REAL Black leaders. We don't need show offs and false politicians and preachers lying to the Black community just to get our money and our vote. We have so many attention seekers but no one really doing anything about the issues we face as a Black community. The truth is, they wont. These so called Black leaders are not interested in actually changing our conditions as a people but are focused solely on financial gain and popularity. Many of these so called Black business owners, preachers, politicians and fake activists are playing games with the Black community. If we had so many Black people who really cared about improving the conditions of Black people then we wouldn’t be in this miserable condition we are in today! It it time for Black people to become leaders themselves. We cannot afford to sit around and wait for any community leader to do something for us because if they haven’t helped us by now, they never will. The first step to becoming a leader is knowledge of self. One way to gain knowledge of self is by studying black
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history. In our first and second edition, we put together a book list for people to gain a basic knowledge of Black history and learn the truth about our greatness as people . After conversing with people in the community through selling newspapers, what is evident to me is that some Black people simply don’t have the time to read these books. When poor Black people get off from work, they are worn out! Because we understand the pressures of this world and the lack of time people actually get to study and read books, we have created an activist organization that will teach the fundamentals of reading, writing and black history to poor Black people for FREE. We do not look down upon our brothers and sisters because they haven’t been given the opportunity to learn but we will reach back and help those who want to be helped with NO cost! We don't care what level of education you are at, we will help you if you want it! At Blacker The Berry Entertainment we not only talk the talk but we also walk the walk. We have put out conscious material for three years for little to nothing and as you can see, this newspaper only cost you one dollar! We do not have the funds as some other newspapers and big companies because we do not depend upon big corporations for money, we are funded by the Black community and we wont shuckle and jive for any amount of money or recognition!
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
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“The same educational process which inspires and stimulates the oppressor with the thought that he is everything and had accomplished everything worth while, depresses and crushes at the same time the spark of genius in the Negro by making him feel that his race does not amount to much and never will measure up the standards of other peoples.� Carter G. Woodson (Mis-education Of The Negro)
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THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AND THE ONGOING MENTAL GENOCIDE AGAINST BLACK STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS !!!!!! In 1954, the supreme court ruled in favor of Brown vs Board of Education that separate schools are inherently unequal. In 1957, 9 Black high school students integrated into an all white school in Little Rock Arkansas. These Black students were cursed at, spat on, threatened and blocked out by National Guards due to an order made by Governor Faubus. In 2015, this racist behavior has never changed in the classroom and black students are still subjected to separate and unequal treatment in the public education system. Extreme racism and lack of resources in minority schools calls for an immediate withdrawal of black
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students in the public education system and an increase in independent owned Black schools and homeschooling. Black parents just like any other race of people want their children to get the best education they can and to be properly educated with knowledge they will need to get them through college and eventually pursue whatever their goal in life may be. Sadly, in 2015, Black people have been let down once again by the failing education system in America and 61 years later, Black schools are still separate and unequal. Racism in Black schools is evident. First, the education that black students receive does not give them a knowledge of self but knowledge of the white man’s history and Black people have been literally written out of the history books. The only thing Black people are taught is that their history began with slavery. Black people never hear about their history before slavery and the greatness of Africa nor do Black students hear about the amazing accomplishments of the so called Black slaves in North and South America. Black people are taught from a European’s perspective of history and not an African one; “School curricula continue to promote a worldview developed by Western civilization. This wholesale Eurocentric orientation of most schools curricula, in a society that, ironically, is becoming increasingly brown, speaks volumes about a pervasive European ethnocentrism-that is, the notion that every one in the world thinks and does or should think and
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do like Europeans.”1 The education non-white students receive in school teaches them about white culture and expects black students to accept it with no negative outcomes. Not only is the curriculum geared towards white supremacy but many white teachers practice racism sometimes without even being conscious of their white supremacist behavior. According to the Washington Post, “...the attitudes and actions of white teachers (who make up 85 percent of all public school teachers) were questioned by many of the African-American parents with whom I spoke. They consistently portrayed white teachers as overly critical, unresponsive, unqualified, insensitive, offensive, mean, hypocritical, and using double standards. Indeed, many white teachers seem to bring into the schools the many racist stereotypes and attitudes that have been ingrained in them, in particular the notions that blacks lack in intelligence, or are notoriously lazy and bent on criminality.” 2 Because of white racism in the classroom, Black parents are distrustful of the education that their child will receive in school. This false labeling by racist white teachers in the school system affects Black students and makes them insecure about succeeding in school and many black students give up and https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/10/racism-in-schoolsis-pus 1
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/04/10/racism-in-schoolsis-pus 2
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end up in jail or prison which is mostly black and brown people. Because of their lack of esteem in succeeding in school, only 54 percent of Black students graduate from high school compared to more than 75 percent of Asian and White students. The numbers are staggering and even more shocking is that the average black student in the twelfth grade reads on the same level as a white eighth grader. Also only 14 percent of black students in the eight grade is reading above or at the right grade level. Because black students are subjected to extreme racism in the school curriculum and have to also learn under white racist school teachers, they cannot live up to their full potential in the education system. Lack of resources in black schools have remained an issue for 61 years. When one thinks of the thriving white schools in America, it is heartbreaking to compare them to schools where more black and brown students attend. According to the Huffington Post, “...minorities students have less access to experienced teachers. Most minority students and English language learners are stuck in school with new teachers. Seven percent of black students attend schools where as many as 20 percent of teachers fail to meet license and certification requirement.”3 The schools that black students go to don’t even have enough qualified teachers to teach them. Black students will not receive a quality education in America if they tried their hardest. Furthermore, teachers who teach in less diverse schools, which means schools with 3
http://huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/21/schools-discrimination_n_500295.html
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a higher enrollment of white students, get paid more money; “And one in four school districts pay teachers in less-diverse high schools $5,000 more than teachers in schools with higher black and Latino student enrollment.” 4 Even school districts supports institutionalized racism against schools with more Black and Latino students by paying teachers that teach in white schools thousands of dollars more than teachers who teach in more diverse schools that is majority Black and Latino. Looking at the effects racism has upon Black and Latino students, it is clear that Black parents must begin to look at some healthier alternatives to make sure their children are treated like human beings and are properly educated. Black parents should take their child out of this racist institution and home school their children. If they cannot teach their children themselves for whatever reason they can hire a qualified Black teacher to educate their child. Black parents should begin searching for independent Black schools so that their child won’t be stripped of a decent education and robbed of a knowledge of self. Black people have been fighting for equality in the classroom since Brown vs. Board of education and yet today, the educational system sets Black students up for failure. There is nothing these politicians will do about the dehumanization of Black students in the education system in Black schools because they are comfortable with the status quo. Black parents can either let their children be subjected to extreme racism and tortured in 4
http://huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/21/schools-discrimination_n_500295.html
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school or they can choose a healthy alternative for their child.
END POLICE TERRORISM NOW!!!!!
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“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a period of moral crisis maintain their neutrality. There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal.” -Dr. Martin Luther King WHEN: SEPT. 11 2015 at 7pm WHERE: 2327 SAN JACINTO ADMISSION: $5 FREE FOOD AND DRINKS FURTHER INQUIRIES CALL: (713) 305-3811
FREE ADVERTISING!!!!! So far we have collected 25 Black Businesses in Houston, TX that we will advertise at our next event. If you are a black business owner or know a black person with their own business who would like FREE ADVERTISING, we would love to promote your business!!!! You can have a small business or a well established business in the community, ALL we want to do is promote YOU!!!! To advertise with us EMAIL: Blackertheberry7@yahoo.com PLEASE INCLUDE: NAME OF BUSINESS TYPE OF BUSINESS
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SLOGAN (IF YOU HAVE ONE) & CONTACT INFORMATION
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!! A Brief How To When Dealing With The Police
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To serve and protect is the duty of every police officer.When they are sworn in they say the words “On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always uphold the constitution my community and the agency I serve.� According to the International Association of the Chiefs of Police website, Betrayal is breaking faith with the public trust. With the number of deaths at the hands of officers in cases of unarmed men, women and children being gunned down reaching close to 400 in the United States, it is safe to say that the public does not trust the police as the once had, With these cases of unarmed individuals being shot and killed on the rise it is more important than ever to know your rights if you are in a situation that involves the police. The following is not to replace legal advice. Use your best judgment for your situation and seek an attorney if you are in need of assistance. 1. Stay calm, polite and keep your answers short and to the point 2. You do NOT have to talk to the police officer other than to identify yourself. Tell the officer you will not speak with them other than to identify yourself. 3. If you are in a state that allows you to record your interaction with the police it is highly suggested that you do so. Be sure to check your local state laws or the states you will be in if traveling. Many individuals have
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gone as far as to instill their own front and rear DASH CAMS into their vehicles for such cases. 4. You have the right to refuse a search of your car or person. If an officer claims he has probable cause such as they “smell marijuana� you are in a tough spot. Many courts have ruled that if the officer has reasonable suspicion then they can search without a warrant. 5. If officers say you are under arrest, keep calm and ask for an attorney. DO NOT answer any police questions. Any information you provide them can be used against you. Police must give statements of all their
interactions
and
the
inconsistency
of
their
documentation and statements have come increasingly under fire. 6. DO NOT sign anything the officer gives you! If you are taken in, they make promises in exchange for a guilty plea. Let all of these interactions be taken care of by your attorney. 7. Police misconduct can only be addressed after the fact. Write down everything you remember and file formal complaints in writing. These points may be helpful but are not the only advice for how to interact with officers. Please make sure to do your own research and apply your concerns to your situation. Sites hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union and flexyourrights.org are good sources for anyone who wants additional advice.
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The United States is a free country for its citizens but the abuses of police officials is not going unnoticed. With individuals from every background dealing with abuse it is important to remember that you can influence the outcome of any of these interactions. If you are one of the unlucky few who find themselves with a situation where the officer has lost control and continues
to
escalate,
for
your
own
safety
it is
important to co-operate. Remember that individuals such as Eric Garner, and Sandra Bland nothing to provoke the officers in their situation and both still faced horrifying outcomes. - Chad Mossman
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GENTRIFICATION: THE INCOMING DESTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL AND CUTLURAL PRIDE IN HOUSTON Ever wondered why when you drive through some Black neighborhoods you can see run down homes and shacks on one street and you go to the next street over and you see big beautiful homes owned by white people? The word for that is gentrification. According to the PBS article, “gentrification is a general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the district’s character and culture. The term is often used negatively, suggesting the displacement of poor communities by rich outsiders.”5 This means that wealthy, mostly whites are coming into poor Black neighborhoods and buying property that will raise the taxes on black homes and make it unaffordable for long time poor residents to continue living in the area. According to Governing Data, “Gentrification greatly accelerated in several cities. Nearly 20 percent of neighborhoods with lower incomes and home values have experienced gentrification since 2000, compared to only 9 percent during the 1990s.” 6 This means that more and more poor people are being forcibily moved out of their homes. This is a criminal agenda by big corporations to take as much as they can 5
http://www.pbs.org/pov/flagwars/special_gentrification.php
6
www.governing.com/gov-data/gentrification-in-cities-governing-report.html
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from Black and Brown people and give to the rich wealthy elite which are mainly white. Gentrification has had a big effect upon Houston in recent years, taking its toll on all six wards. According to the Houston Chronicle, “One part of the Fifth Ward, the Near Northside initially drew people of Italian and German descent during the era when most of the homes there were built. For seven decades now, the populist has been predominantly Hispanic.�7 Hispanics have lived in this part of the fifth ward for 70 years plus but are now victims to the evils of gentrification. Burmendez, a long time resident said that the Hispanic neighborhood has begin to change in recent years. He said that younger couples are moving in and are building nice expensive homes and have very fancy and expensive cars. The city is planning on building more bars and restaurants in the area and the recent music hall venue that have already sparked a fear in many residents. Pretty soon Glen Park, which is Nothside Houston, will be flooded with tourists while the long time residents will be kicked off of their land and forced to move out of their historic community. Black residents in Houston are also being effected by gentrification. Just like the long time Hispanic community, the Black community have a rich history in Houston as well. In fact, Blacks have a very historical legacy in the city of Houston. According to the Houston Chronicle, “In 1872, four influential African-American http://houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/Bracing-for-change-on-theNorthside 7
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ministers and businessmen pooled $800 to buy acres of land along Dowling street. That was the birth of Emancipation Park, a safe place to celebrate Juneteenth and freedom from slavery,”8 The third ward was bought by these Black businessmen and ministers so Black people could have their own thriving economy separate from racial oppression. In fact, Texas Southern University is home to the third ward area and has a rich historical legacy in education. Another historical area for activism in the third ward was the grocery story and luncheonette that was place of Houston’s first sit-in is now gone and has been replaced by a post office. The historical Black legacy in Houston is being wiped out by these corporate monsters who have no respect for Black people’s plight here in America. Reverend Lawson, who is the founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church said that he is worried about gentrification and high property taxes and he says that long-time residents have been forced out of the neighborhood.
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/article/Third-Ward-The-epicenter-of-Houston-sfigh... 8