Daytona Army colonel named grand marshall for NASCAR race See page 2
YEAR 37 NO. 27
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #189 Daytona Beach, FL
EE FR
REV. JESSE L. JACKSON: Time for $10-an-hour minimum wage Page 4
Cultural Society honors Palm Coast graduates See page 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
www.daytonatimes.com
JULY 5 - JULY 11, 2012
Local heroes return with Congressional medals
PEOPLE SPEAK
Carter’s annual basketball camp draws international students BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com
NBA star Vince Carter will hold his annual youth basketball camp next week in Daytona Beach. The Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy will take place at the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School from July 10 to 14. Children ages 6-17 have registered to participate in the annual event. Vince In addition to Carter teaching the kids basketball skills, the camp reinforces self-esteem, determination and education to the youngsters.
Started in 1998 PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOMMY HUGER
Dr. James Huger was escorted on the trip by son Tommy, who followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Marines.
Montford Point Marines honored during ceremony last month in D.C. BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
A
group of African-American Marines from Volusia and Flagler counties who broke the color barrier during World War II were among hundreds who received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on June 27. Dr. James Huger, Eli Graham, John Steele all of Daytona Beach, along with Robert Blanks of Orange City and Wilfred Carr and James Sharpe of
Palm Coast in Flagler County served and trained at Montford Point Camp, a segregated training facility for Blacks from 1942 to 1949. Huger attended the event with Graham Jr., Carr and Sharpe. Steele and Blanks were unable to go to Washington, D.C.
‘Proud victory’ “As an elected official, one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced in all my years of service was the day that the House passed the bill I introduced (H.R. 2447) to grant a Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines,” said Congresswoman Corrine Brown in a press release. Please see HEROES, Page 6
Shown above are Montford Marine James Sharpe of Palm Coast, left, former State Sen. Tony Hill, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, along with Montford Marines the Rev. Edward Norman of Jacksonville, right, and Dr. James Huger of Daytona Beach.
Kids from all over the nation and Brazil are expected to attend. “It is great to see that these kids have such an interest in the game and that they are willing to travel so far away to learn about the game on and off the court,” Carter said. Over the years, the camp has served youth from Europe, Asia, the United States and South America. Carter has been doing the camp since he went pro back in 1998. Coaches from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut also will help run the camp in addition to past camp graduates. Carter will be working with the kids for four hours each day from 8 a.m. to noon.
A ‘favorite’ activity The Embassy of Hope, Carter’s Please see CARTER, Page 2
Filmmaker who grew up in Daytona debuts project at national festival BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
Growing up in Daytona Beach in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Salenta Baisden could not have predicted that a film she helped write and produce would be featured at the 16th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Baisden, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman with a degree in math, now lives in California.
One of seven
Former Daytona Beach resident and filmmaker Salenta Baisden says her involvement in creative writing in high school paid off.
Her film “The Dark Party,” was one of seven chosen to be shown at the festival, which took place in Miami June 2023. “My experience at ABFF was very positive,” said Baisden, whose
mother, Ophelia “Fi Fi’’ Robinson, owns a Daytona Beach hair salon with daughter Kim Moten. Baisden said her film, a light romantic comedy about a guy who never gets the girl and whose best friend always gets the girl, was well received. Seven feature finalists were chosen out of 385 submissions. “The audience response was spontaneous laughter; some audience members were very vocal, which led to more laughter and fun,” Baisden remarked.
Advice for filmmakers After her film was shown, Baisden said she was asked for advice from future filmmakers who wanted to know how to get their projects finished, financed and
Salenta Baisden said her film, “The Dark Party,’’ a light romantic comedy, was well-received at the American Black Film Festival. The national festival was held in Miami last month. supported. “The festival made me feel more resolute in my plans to bring the project to market as soon as possible. I feel confident that the public will enjoy watching what we have created,” said Baisden, who already is working
on another project to be released in 2013. Baisden was mainly responsible for getting the money to do the film and was listed on the credits as executive producer and co-writer. Please see FILM, Page 2