Renny Roker to speak at showing of ‘Johnny Tough’ SEE PAGE 3
EE FR
WALTER FIELDS: Black girls matter in the United States too SEE PAGE 4
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
AUTHORS HELP ASPIRING WRITERS TURN DREAMS INTO BOOKS SEE PAGE 3
MARCH 19 - MARCH 25, 2015
YEAR 40 NO. 12
www.daytonatimes.com
YSG welcomes community partnerships BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
The coordinator of Daytona Beach’s premier cultural and educational center is seeking individuals and businesses who are interested in offering programs to area residents. Terry Johnson, recreation coordinator for the Yvonne Scarlett-Golden Cultural and Educational Center along with his
assistant Katherine Moore, are urging community members to stop by the center to see all that is offered and perhaps sign up to teach a class themselves. The facility, which opened in June 2013, sits just east of Derbyshire Park at 1000 Vine St. “I feel that we are growing a lot,” Johnson exclaimed. “Along with my assistant Ms. Katherine, we really want the citizens to utilize the facility. We also want to find new programs and add new
programs, to offer something for everyone.” Johnson is a Seabreeze High School graduate and played basketball for Fisk University. He finished his Bachelor of Science degree at Bethune-Cookman University and has been with the city for 17 years. He also worked with the city part-time as a lifeguard during his college years.
Opportunities abound The facility was built at a total
cost of approximately $2.5 million and was funded through the city, Volusia’s ECHO Grant Program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational Facilities District. The one-story building features a library, gym, theater, and studios for photography, computer animation and painting, spaces for art and dance classes, after-school programs, homework assistance and a court-
A LAST LOOK AT ACTION ON THE BOULEVARD
yard in the center showcasing an open-air amphitheater. Most recently, an art showcase featuring local artists’ interpretations of Maya Angelou was held at the center. The artwork is still on display in the hallways of the center’s permanent art exhibit through mid-April. “We really want to get the word out that we are here and available to the community,” Moore explained. Please see YSG, Page 2
Shepherd to take seat among flock BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church members will receive the final message from Dr. L. Ronald Durham as their pastor on April 5, Easter Sunday. “I have come to that point in the ministry where I feel like I have accomplished a great deal in the city of Daytona Beach in a short time,” Durham, whose 65th birthday is in August, said. “After much prayer and consultation of my family and the recent arrival of my mother from North Carolina to Florida, all of those factors combined, I realized this was the time to retire.” Durham also voiced concerns about his mother’s health.
Community activist
PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Side by side two-seaters are becoming more and more common at Bike Week. BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Bike Week has come and gone in Daytona Beach and though official numbers haven’t been released, 500,000 is the number most officials report as the amount of visitors who flooded into town on Harleys, Kawasakis and Suzukis, riding cruisers, sports bikes, scooters and three-wheeled trikes. Motorcycle clubs and enthusiasts trekked from as close as Orlando and as far as Nigeria to attend the annual affair. As the rubber cools, eyes now look forward to the next big local biker event, Biketoberfest slated for Oct. 15-18. The event is Bike Week’s much smaller sibling bringing in less than half of the estimated half million of Bike Week at only 150,000 out-of-towners. The Daytona Times was in on the action along Beach Street, Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, Walnut Street and International Speedway over the past week. See photos from this week on page 7.
Since coming to Daytona Beach, Dr. Durham spearheaded the creation of the Daytona Beach Black Clergy Alliance, of which he served two terms as its president. In 2007, he became the first African-American to give the opening prayer at the Daytona 500 and Winn-Dixie races, and led his church in the construction of a 8,000 square ft. multi-million dollar state-ofthe-art childcare learning center (Friendship Academy), which opened in April of 2008, and has an enrollment in excess of 100 students. In 2011, marking the church’s 111th anniversary, Durham led the congregation in the complete refurbishing of the lobby and sanctuary at a cost of $111,000. He is a visionary who takes his calling seriously and solemnly. “I will remain active in the community and remain a member of Greater Friendship,” Durham relayed. Minister Karen Peoples, director of the youth and children’s choir at Greater Friendship, shared her sentiments on DurPlease see DURHAM, Page 2
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd. is the best site to watch Bike Week action.
Beirut Memorial at the State Capitol charges through first committee STAFF REPORTS
Florida State Representative Dwayne L. Taylor passed HB 801- The Beirut Memorial, out of Veteran & Military Affairs Subcommittee, the first of three committee stops on March 12. The Beirut Memorial will honor the lives of 241 US Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers who lost their lives in the barracks car bombing of October 23, 1983. The First Battalion, 8th Marines Headquarters building was destroyed due to this attack. The memorial will be placed at the Florida Capitol Complex.
ALSO INSIDE
Twenty three of these Marines were from the State of Florida. The motivating and heartfelt legislation was encouraged by Daytona resident Stephan Jenkins, who wanted to honor the 241 Marines including his brother Lance Corporal Nathaniel Nathaniel Jenkins, who was one of the Jenkins Marines who lost his life during that tragic attack. Being that Representative Taylor represents Daytona Beach HB 801 really hit home.
“As a young man I remember seeing Nathaniel’s mom raise the flag during my walk to school in remembrance of her son, this is a great step in the right direction to honoring our fallen heroes,” said Representative Taylor. The bill must pass through two more committees, Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee and State Affairs Committee to be voted upon on the House Floor. HB 801 must pass in the Senate as well and be signed by Governor Rick Scott before becoming law. The family of LC Jenkins was not reachable for comment.
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./ HARNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Dr. L. Ronald Durham is escorted into Greater Friendship by Agnes Tinsley at his 10th pastoral anniversary in 2013.
COMMENTARY: GEORGE CURRY: BELOW-THE-BELT ATTACKS ON THE OBAMAS | PAGE 4 HISTORY: MIAMI COMMUNITY UNITES TO SAVE CEMETERY OF BLACK ELITE | PAGE 8
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7 FOCUS
MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015
LEGISLATIVE BRIEFS
Guns on campus measure one vote away from House floor Legislation that would allow Floridians with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns at state colleges and universities is one step away from the House floor after gaining bipartisan approval Wednesday from the Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee on an 11-2 vote. The measure (HB 4005), which is opposed by higher education leaders and many student government associations but is backed by gun-rights advocates and some students, has spurred a heated battle during the 2015 legislative session. The subcommittee debate once again featured impassioned testimony on both sides. “If the presidents say no, if the police chiefs say no, and if the students have said in these resolutions that the (student) senates have passed across the state, why are we still discussing this bill?” asked Brandon Johnson, a freshman at Florida A&M University. But Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, supported the legislation by recalling her own experience using a gun to defend herself from an attempted rape while she was in college. “I would vote for every woman to be able to have that tool, if they so desired, to have it as a strategy of their self-defense,” said Rehwinkel Vasilinda, one of two Democrats to join the committee’s nine Republicans in voting for the measure. The bill now goes to the Judiciary Committee.
House passes secret recording bill The Florida House on Wednesday approved a bill that would allow the secret recording of conversations if they involve discussions of sexual assaults or other illegal acts of physical force or violence. The bill (HB 7001), which passed in a 115-1 vote, stems from a Flori-
BRENDAN SONNONE/ ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
Florida State University students gathered for a prayer service on Nov. 20, 2014 after FSU graduate Myron May opened fire at the campus library in Tallahassee. May was subsequently killed by police. da Supreme Court decision last year that ordered a new trial for a man sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing his stepdaughter. The court said recordings made by Richard R. McDade’s stepdaughter should not have been allowed into his Lee County trial. State law generally bars recording of conversations unless all parties agree, and it also prevents such recordings from being used as evidence in court. Lawmakers have rushed to create an exemption to the prohibition on secret recordings. The House bill says such recordings would be allowed when a person “has reasonable grounds to believe that the recording will capture a statement by another party to the communication that the other party intends to commit, is committing, or has committed an unlawful sexual act or an unlawful act of physical force or violence against the person.” The only dissenting vote Wednesday came from Rep. Joe Geller, DAventura. A similar proposal (SB 542) has been approved by one Senate committee.
School choice bill passes Senate panel A sweeping education bill that would allow parents to send their children to schools in other counties and demand their children get new teachers in some situations was approved on a party-line vote Wednesday by a key Senate panel. The 62-page measure (SB 1552) would, among other provisions, give parents the right to have their children attend any school in the state that hasn’t reached capacity. And if a student is being taught by a teacher that is out of his or her field, a parent could demand that the student be moved to another classroom. The bill also would make a slew of changes to charter school laws. Over the objections of Democrats, the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee voted 7-4 to approve the bill. Supporters say the legislation would help parents whose children might otherwise be trapped in classrooms or schools that don’t work for them. “I think school choice in
traditional public schools is very important, because no child should be limited to the school that they can attend simply based on their ZIP code,” said Jason Fischer, a Duval County School Board member. “ZIP codes should not be barriers to a better life.” But critics questioned the changes. Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat who doubles as chief executive officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, said the part of the bill allowing students to transfer to schools in other districts might not work out the same for all families. The legislation still has two more committee stops before it could go to the full Senate.
Senate backs down on cuts to housing funds A f f o rd a b l e - h o u s i n g programs won’t take a hit to boost funding for the environment, under a change Wednesday to the Senate’s approach to meeting the demands of a new land-and-water constitutional amendment. The Senate Appropria-
tions Committee unanimously removed a controversial reduction in money for housing programs that had been included in a series of bills revamping trust funds to handle the voter-approved initiative known as Amendment 1. “It was a just a choice we made to move on that issue,” Sen. Charlie Dean, an Inverness Republican who is the author of the Senate trust-fund measures, said after the committee meeting. The change restores the current percentage of money that goes into a trust fund for affordable housing from real-estate taxes known as documentary-stamp taxes. The Senate trust-fund approach continues to include a number of differences from the House’s plan for dealing with trust funds. The largest remaining difference is a Senate proposal that would lead to a more than $100 million reduction in documentary-stamp money for transportation. The affordable housing fund received about $266 million this year from the “doc stamps.” Dean’s initial proposal would have cut about $112 million from the housing money starting with the fiscal year that begins July 1. Instead, that amount will come from a percentage of money that usually goes from the “doc stamps” into the state’s general revenue fund. The approved change was welcomed by business, veteran and homeless advocates. The trust-fund measures are just one of the approaches lawmakers are taking to carry out Amendment 1, which was supported by 75 percent of voters and sets up a 20-year funding pool for land-and-water conservation and management from revenue generated by the real-estate taxes. Both chambers have advanced separate water policies tied to Amendment 1, which is expected to provide about $741 million for land and water projects in the fiscal year that starts July 1, up from about $470 million in the current budget year.
From the News Service of Florida
YSG
Golden Oasis
The 70/30 partnership Johnson says that the YSG Center is working to bring in other options for
from Page 1
ham’s departure. “I am going to miss him so much, but I know that he will be in the city so I can cope with being able to text him or Sister Mo (Wife, Maureen Durham).” “Pastor has really supported my calling as a minister and I feel protected in my gift. He’s real and not fake, and that I am gonna miss.” Peoples also shared that she will be hosting a ‘Roast and Toast’ for Durham on the March 29 at 4 p.m. at the church to bring some joy and laughter to his retirement. She will emcee as Moms Mabley. Durham will also remain the community relations coordinator for Halifax Health Hospice. When asked if the special message could be shared in advance on his final sermon as pastor, he replied with a laugh, “They are going to have to be there.” “It is Easter Sunday so the message will certainly revolve around the holiest day of the year and how significant that day is to the church and the community at large,” he concluded. Durham was called to the ministry at the age of sixteen and sought his higher education at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. on full scholarship, received his Doctor of Pastoral Studies from Evangel Christian University in Monroe, LA., his Doctor of Sacred Divinity from American Bible Institute, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach. Durham sits on the Halifax Hospital Board of Associates, is chairman of economic development for the Daytona Beach Black Clergy Alliance, serves as chairman of the Martin Luther King Celebration for Florida, Inc., is a member of the NAACP, and a former trustee of BethuneCookman University.
would like to see are more community members expressing what they would like to see at the center. “It’s the people’s job to tell us what they want,” he explained. “We can put programs in there, because we think we know what people need, but there are other areas where cities put in programs they think people want and then they are unused.”
from Page 1 The center has something for everyone including for those 55 and above but young at heart: “Golden Oasis.” “We have a robust group that meets every Thursday,” facilitator of the group, Sandra Strapp explained. The group enjoyed a movie last week and also plays Bingo, bid whist, dominoes and takes out-of-town overnight trips. “Oh, we have fun!” Strapp exclaimed. “I listen to what the group’s needs are,” she continued, adding the group also has a speaker who comes in monthly to talk on various topics. “We have enjoyed every speaker we’ve had. We’ve had someone come in to talk about income taxes and dieting; it’s geared around the season as well.” The Golden Oasis group meets from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. weekly on Thursdays. Additionally the city offers similar programs that meet on alternate days at the Midtown Cultural and Education and Dickerson Centers.
DURHAM
Community outreach
ASHLEY D. THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES
Essie Smith (center) is part of the Golden Oasis group that meets at the YSG Center on Thursdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. area residents through the use of the city’s 70/30 partnership. A business owner has use of the facility and keeps 70 percent of the proceeds from that use. The other 30 percent goes to the city. An application, screening process and business license are all required for the partnership.
“We partner with businesspeople to work with the city to provide them with a safe haven at our facility,” Johnson added. Daytona Beach Leisure Services Director Percy Williamson, Sr. explained the 70/30 program when the facility first opened. “We moved a little more heavily on our 70/30 pro-
gram because we do not have the expertise … so we’ve reached out to people. The 70/30 is a financial split between the people providing the expertise and we provide the building,” Williamson said. “Our purpose is to have a seasoned expert providing these programs while not having to actually pay, so
the city benefits financially and it doesn’t cost a lot of money.” “The 70/30 is a good program,” added Patrick Henry, the city’s Zone 5 commissioner who represents the area where the center is located. “It’s a win-win situation for the business owner and the city.” Henry says what he
Henry says that perhaps a survey sent out along with city water bills could be used for suggestions on what else to offer at the center. “Last summer, the YSG was the most used out of all the centers,” he added. Said Johnson: “After 3 p.m., we are always full. We have adults that come in to use the gym in the mornings also.” Currently about 150 young people visit the center daily. “We have many programs and classes,” Moore added. “Hip-hop, dance, Zumba, open gym. We have more programs that are on the way and would like them to have a good following.” The center will have an open house to introduce and reintroduce the programs offered in June. “We are here for the community. Anyone that wants to come in they are welcome,” Johnson acknowledged. “Come in and talk to us.”
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MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
Seminar helps aspiring writers turn words into chapters “The Writer 2 Author Seminar” offered the perfect words to birth the books waiting inside the aspiring writers. The free seminar was held recently at the Palm Coast Days Inn. Newly published author Orjanette Bryant and her sponsors shared information from experts. The seminar steered writers in the right direction to having their literary works published. It also was a marketplace for authors to sell their books. Bryant’s friends talked her into writing a book because of her expertise in natural hair care. Bryant is a speaker for natural hair events. “It wasn’t easy, and the reason why it wasn’t easy is because I did not connect with my resources prior to my publishing my book. Had I known that my resources were here, I would have probably had a better experience. I wanted to make sure that these resources were here for you,” said Bryant during the seminar. “Nubia’s Guide to Going Natural” is the title of Bryant’s book. I believe that everything you go through is not wasted so there is something inside of you that needs to come out, and people are looking to hear your stories,” said life coach/author/seminar emcee Martha Cooper Hudson, who’s also a TV host from St. Helena Island, S.C. The resources that Bryant was talking about are copyright attorney Heather Vargas, marketing expert/vocalist Mahagonee, author/publisher Michael Pyle, author/book festival director Donna Banks, author/publisher Michael Ray King, and author/publisher Dr. Evelyn Bethune.
‘A huge success’ Here’s what Bryant shared in her press release: ‘”The Writer 2 Author Seminar’ was a huge success on March 7! “I don’t understand why there wasn’t any coverage on a free event to the community to educate people on the publication process. More people traveled great distances to learn how to get published. Even with mini-
Easter Seals plans Autism Resource Fair on April 2 Easter Seals of Volusia and Flagler Counties is hosting an Autism Resource Fair in recognition of World Autism Day on April 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. The event will offer activities, learning opportunities and refreshments. It will be held at 1219 Dunn Ave., Daytona Beach, At the event, guests can test their knowledge of autism, create awareness art, and learn more about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – a serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact. All guests are invited to join staff and volunteers in wearing blue in support of World Autism Day. Easter Seals experts will be available at the event to answer questions about autism. According to AutismSpeaks.org – the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization – an estimated on out of 42 boys and one in 189 girls have been diagnosed with autism in the United States. Easter Seals of Volusia and Flagler Counties annually serves more than 500 children who have been diagnosed with ASD and operates the Autism Center of Excellence – a one-stop center for diagnosis, interventions and case management for children who were referred by their physician for evaluation of ASD. To learn more about Easter Seals’ autism services, visit http:// www.easterseals.com/fl-vf/ourprograms/autism-asd-services. For more information about the Autism Resource Fair, call Dorothy Lefford, occupational therapist and clinical director of pediatric therapy at Easter Seals, at 386-944-7856 or email dlefford@ esvf.org.
Church to host ‘Afternoon of Music’ on April 12 The Fellowship Hospitality Committee of United Presbyterian Church will host its fourth annual “Afternoon of Music with Casey & Friends & Family on April 12 at 4 p.m., 730 Beville Road, Daytona Beach. The afternoon will feature an array of talented performers
PHOTOS BY JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY/DAYTONA TIMES
Dr. Evelyn Bethune, Mahoganee, Michael Ray King, Donna Banks, attorney Michael Pyle and Orjanette Bryant, who organized the seminar, show aspiring writers how to get published.
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
mal media announcements and support, over 100 people and 12 authors, two attorneys, three book publishers, literary groups, a TV host, and a singer/song writer attended this seminar to share the experiences in the publishing world. “I recently published my first book, and in an effort to help individuals avoid the multiple problems - knowing their rights, manuscript preparation, book reviews, finding a publishing company, funding, and finding the right kind of editor - I decided to host an event to connect authors with the best resources and information in their backyard. Five people traveled from outside of our area because they really wanted to get published soon. “Twelve authors and our educational panel included: copyright attorney Heather Vargas, attorney/author Michael Pyle, marketing consultant/attorney Tony Jackson, who’s my co-organizer/mentor; award-winning singer/songwriter/branding coach Mahoganee, motivation-
from around the city who will sing, play, dance, offering something for everyone who attends. This afternoon concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken since the event is a fundraiser for the church. Dr. Robert Anderson is pastor. For further information, call 386-253-2324 or contact Casey Baker at 386-257-2480. Email: pianocasey7575@att.net.
Cultural Council to meet March 27 The Cultural Council of Volusia County will meet at 9 a.m. March 27 at the Art League of Daytona Beach, 433 S. Palmetto Ave., Daytona Beach. Members will discuss the council’s ongoing programs and upcoming activities. The public is invited to attend and participate in the meeting. The Cultural Council advises the Volusia County Council on matters relating to cultural arts and is the state-designated local arts agency for the county. For more information, contact Cultural Coordinator Mike Fincher at 386-736-5963, ext. 15872, or mfincher@volusia.org.
AKAs to feature men who cook The Gamma Mu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will present its Third Annual Male Cook-Off event at the Daytona Beach Resort and Conference Center, 2700 N. Atlantic Ave. The culinary competition takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. The cook-off will feature appetizers, entrees and desserts prepared by men of the community who range from culinary hobbyists to professionals. Proceeds from the event will go toward scholarships for Volusia County students who desire to attend college. The event will also feature music, door prizes and a silent auction. For ticket information, contact Patricia James at 386-299-8331 or pjames21578@bellsouth.net.
al speaker/author Martha Cooper Hudson, a TV host of her own show, “The Women of Greatness;” journalist/freelance editor Ashley Thomas; lovely author Donna Banks, who’s director of the F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival and the radio show host of “Sweet Tea With a Chaser;” author/CEO of ‘The Inspired Mic’ and founder of the ClearView Press, Michael Ray King; author Dr. Evelyn Bethune, CEO of Bethune Publishing Company and the radio show host of “Sweet Tea With a Chaser;” as well as the combined authors: Marjorie Phoenix, Sandra “Felecia” Shank, Michael Ray King, Donna Banks, Dr. Evelyn Bethune, Ronald Adams, Robert Clements, Martha Cooper Hudson, Orjanette Bryant, Barbara Solomon, Michael Pyle, Yvonne Rice, and more. “We had plenty giveaways from the community: Planet Fitness, Richard’s Whole Food Emporium, the Olive Garden, Giabella’s, Zaxby’s; book giveaways from the authors, in addition to meals provided, live entertainment, books for sale, and so much fun! “The event was diverse and so unique that the authors came to share hope for someone wanting to be published.” ••• Linda Sharpe Haywood, serving her third term as president, will give the “State of the Branch
Life coach/author/seminar emcee Martha Cooper Hudson is the host of a TV show. Address” for the Flagler NAACP. The community is invited to the meeting, March 24, 5 p.m., at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 North U.S.1, Palm Coast. Haywood will report on the affairs, including the branch’s activities and events. For further details, contact the NAACP at 386-446-7822. •••
As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Reggie Pincham, March 19; Christopher Robinson, March 21; Master Mason Sword, Rory Ragoonan, Arthur Pete, March 22; and Evangelist Robin Darling Campos, March 24.
Festival to showcase two Black films The Friends of the Daytona Beach Library and Cinematique will present a two-day film festival featuring African-American productions. The films will be shown at the Cinematique Theater, 242 S. Beach St., Daytona Beach. They are: • “Johnny Tough”: 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28. This 1974 “blaxploitation” film focuses on a young African-American boy who continually rebels against the White establishment, as represented by his teacher. His attitude is not supported by his parents, so Renny he feels that a show of force is his Roker only option. “Johnny Tough” was the first African-American production to reach No. 1 in Daily Variety. Renny Roker, who produced the film and played the boy’s father, will lead a discussion after the screening. • “Get on the Bus”: 4 p.m. Sunday, March 29. This Spike Lee production follows a group of African-American men taking a cross-country bus trip to the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, D.C. Daytona Beach resident Percy Williamson, who attended the march, will lead a discussion after the film. There is no charge for the movies, but tickets are required. To obtain tickets, contact Deborah Shafer at dshafer@volusia.org or 386-257-6036, ext. 16264.
Neuropsychologist to discuss Parkinson’s, Lewy body disease Dr. Tanis Ferman will compare Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body disease during a free program from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, at the Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island, 105 E. Magnolia Ave. The Mayo Clinic neuropsychologist will describe the types of dementia seen in each disease and how they interfere with day-today functioning. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition characterized by motor problems including slowness of movement, rigidity and tremor. The lesserknown Lewy body disease is the second-most common cause of dementia following Alzheimer’s disease; it causes cognitive problems similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease and motor problems like those in Parkinson’s. The free program is sponsored by the Parkinson Association of
Above is a movie poster for the 1974 film “Johnny Tough.’’ It will be shown on March 28 in Daytona.
Greater Daytona Beach and the Friends of the Daytona Beach Library. Reservations are required. Call 386-676-6375 by noon March 20.
City of Deltona hosting egg hunt on March 28 Bring your baskets and join Mr. Bunny for West Volusia’s Eggstravaganza 2015. The annual egg hunt begins promptly at 10 a.m. March 28 at the Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex. The egg hunt is for children ages 2 to10. “Hunters” will be divided into three age categories and should bring their own baskets for gathering eggs. Eggs will be loaded with candy, small toys and some will include mini tickets good for additional prizes. The event also features a magic show at 10:30 a.m., bounce houses, games, face painting, a bike give-away, and a chance to hop on board a City of Deltona fire truck. More information: 386-8788900.
Palm Coast’s egg hunt is April 4 An Egg’ Stravaganza egg hunt is Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Central Park in Town Center, 975 Central Ave., Palm Coast. Children ages 2-12 will search for over 10,000 candy- and toyfilled eggs. The free event will include magic shows, balloon art, food, refreshments and pictures with the Easter Bunny, presented by Palm Coast Parks & Recreation. More details: 386-986-2323.
Student exhibit still open at Ormond museum “Volusia Students Create,’’ an exhibit of artwork from students throughout Volusia County, will be open through April 16 at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum, 78 East Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. The presentation is funded in part by the City of Ormond Beach and Volusia County Government. More information: Call Kathy Kelly at 386-676-3347.
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7 EDITORIAL
MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015
Below-the-belt attacks on the Obamas No United States president has been more disrespected than Barack Obama – and his family. The hatred for the nation’s first African-American president is so deep that all but seven Republicans in the U.S. Senate were willing to write a letter to Iran that amounted to treason on a grand scale. In an effort to derail talks that would limit Iran’s nuclear weapons, 47 Republican senators signed an “open letter” to Iran’s leaders claiming any deal they reach with the administration won’t last after Obama leaves office.
Mass betrayals In an issue that caused the Republican senators to be labeled traitors in a New York Daily News headline. An editorial: said, “Regardless of President Obama’s fecklessness in negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran, 47 Republican U.S. senators engaged in treachery by sending a letter to the mullahs aimed at cutting the legs out from under America’s commander-in-chief. We join GOP signatories in opposing the pact as outlined, but we strenuously condemn their betrayal of the U.S. constitutional system.” It wasn’t all that long ago that Democrats and Republicans observed the rule that while we might have our internal debates, when it comes for foreign policy, we speak with one voice – that of the president.
GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA COLUMNIST
jamin Netanyahu to address Congress, knowing he would be critical of ongoing negotiations by the U.S. and its allies to freeze Iran’s nuclear weapons. The White House was not consulted on the invitation, a sharp departure from established protocol. The disrespect for Obama and the presidency itself has reached such a low point that a headline in the Washington Post summed it up this way: “Republicans are beginning to act as though Barack Obama isn’t even the president.” The story explained, “It’s safe to say that no president in modern times has had his legitimacy questioned by the opposition party as much as Barack Obama. But as his term in office enters its final phase, Republicans are embarking on an entirely new enterprise: They have decided that as long as he holds the office of the presidency, it’s no longer necessary to respect the office itself.” The attacks on Obama began when he first ran for president, with some conservatives openly questioning whether he was a U.S. citizen.
Blatant disrespect
Marilyn Davenport, a member of the Orange County RepubliCritical Netanyahu can Party in California, e-mailed House Republicans ignored a cartoon in 2010 with the face of that long-standing custom by in- President Obama superimposed viting Israeli Prime Minister Ben- on a chimpanzee. Also pictured
were two older chimpanzees described as “parents.” The inscription on the cartoon read: “Now you know why – No birth certificate.” The New York Post went well over the line of respectability by publishing a cartoon in 2009, in the wake of Connecticut police shooting a pet chimpanzee, depicting the authors of the stimulus bill as a dead chimpanzee. And who could forget Rep. Joe Wilson [R-S.C.], interrupting a 2009 presidential address on health care to Congress in by shouting, “You, lie!” The personal attacks have not been limited to President Obama – his entire family has been attacked. Last week, Emmy-winning Univision host Rodner Figueroa was fired for saying, “Michelle Obama looks like she’s part of the cast of Planet of the Apes.” Michael O’Neal, Speaker of the Kansas House, circulated an email referring to the first lady as “Mrs. Yo’ Mama.” Even Sasha and Malia have been targets of conservatives. They have been upbraided from everything from taking their spring break in the Bahamas to the clothes they wore when their father pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey.
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. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
Continuing the Selma-to-Montgomery March Fifty years ago I traveled from Mississippi to Selma, Ala. on March 21, 1965 to join Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of fellow citizens marching the 54 miles to the steps of the state’s capitol in Montgomery. Millions of Americans now know about this march thanks to the movie “Selma” and the recent 50th anniversary celebration. Selma was the site of a courageous voting rights campaign by Black citizens that was met by brutal Southern Jim Crow law enforcement and citizen violence. The nation was shocked two weeks earlier when John Lewis and Hosea Williams set out on a nonviolent march with a group of 600 people toward Montgomery to demand their right to vote and were brutally attacked by lawless state and local law enforcement officials at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN NNPA COLUMNIST
including Congressman Lewis whose skull was fractured – were a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and in America’s struggle to become America. It provoked the thousands of us (ultimately about 25,000) who came together later to finish the march, safer thanks to U.S. District Court Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr.’s order that we had a right to peaceful protest and with federalized Alabama National Guard protection. And we were buoyed by President Johnson’s March 15, 1965 address calling on Congress to pass what became the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In that speech – “The American Promise” – President John‘The American Promise’ son said: “This was the first naThe televised images of tion in the history of the world to “Bloody Sunday” and the sav- be founded with a purpose. The age beatings of the marchers – great phrases of that purpose still
sound in every American heart, North and South: ‘All men are created equal’—‘government by consent of the governed’—‘give me liberty or give me death.’” President Johnson also said: “Should we defeat every enemy, should we double our wealth and conquer the stars, and still be unequal to this issue, then we will have failed as a people and as a nation.”
Same sentiments Fifty years later, speaking at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, President Obama echoed the same themes: “[Selma is] the manifestation of a creed written into our founding documents… These are not just words. They’re a living thing, a call to action, a roadmap for citizenship and an insistence in the capacity of free men and women to shape our own destiny.”
Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
188 years of Black press excellence in USA In recognition of the 75th Anniversary of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), I believe it is important to emphasize both the historical and contemporary mission, value and success of the Black Press in America. For the past 188 years Black Americans have labored diligently and responsibly to publish and distribute Black-owned newspapers in the interests of millions of Black Americans and others who cry out for freedom, justice, equality and empowerment. What the first Black American publishers and editors of Freedom’s Journal, Samuel Cornish and John Brown Russwurm, worked hard to accomplish began a long and vibrant legacy that still continues today across the United States by publishers who are members of the NNPA. In the first edition of Freedom’s Journal published on March 16, 1827 in New York City, Cornish and Russwurm clearly stated, “We wish to plead our own cause…Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations, in things which concern us dearly.”
Empowerment of Blacks Freedom’s Journal was widely read in the northeast of the U.S. and secretly read and admired throughout the South among those who were fighting the op-
of The North Star. The first edition of The North Star was published DR. on December 3, 1847 in Rochester, New York. Douglass believed that BENJAMIN F. “owning” The North Star gave him CHAVIS, JR. a strategic advantage to effectively NNPA COLUMNIST articulate in the interests of Black American liberation from slavery pression and brutality of the slav- and poverty. ery of African people in America. Thereafter over the next 188 Liberty, humanity, years wherever Black Americans progress were concentrated across the naConcerning The North Star tion, the emergence of the Blackowned newspapers came forward Douglass emphatically stated, with a firm commitment to excel- “We are now about to assume the lence in journalism and the em- management of the editorial depowerment of the Black American partment of a newspaper, devoted to the cause of liberty, humanity community. From the very beginning of the and progress. The position is one Black Press in America, publish- which, with the purest motives, ers and editors asserted their Con- we have long desired to occupy. stitutional rights of freedom of It has long been our anxious wish speech and freedom of the press, to see, in this slave-holding, slaveas well as the fundamental hu- trading, and Negro-hating land, man right of self-determination. a printing-press and paper, per“Pleading our own cause” and manently established, under the speaking for the rights, news, aspi- complete control and direction of rations and dreams of Black Amer- the immediate victims of slavery ica all continue today to be the un- and oppression.” This quote from dergirding foundation of the Black Frederick Douglass certainly apPress. plies to some of the challenges that Frederick Douglass was one our Black Americans still face in 2015. greatest orators and leaders who Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. exemplified the audacity and genius to challenge all who would is the President and CEO of the seek to oppress and deny freedom National Newspaper Publishers and equality. Yet Frederick Dou- Association. Click on this article glass was also a freedom-fighting at www.daytonatimes.com to newspaper owner and publisher write your own response.
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: FLORIDA SUNSHINE WEEK
BILL DAY, CAGLE CARTOONS
#BlackGirlsMatter right here in America Every morning, when I fix my teenage daughter breakfast and drop her off to school, she reminds me that #BlackGirlsMatter. Her journey has not been easy; made all the more difficult by an experience, beginning in middle school and persisting to high school, that threatened to crush her dreams by denying her access to classes education professionals deem critical to demonstrate college readiness. Had it not been for the advocacy of her parents, and the threat of litigation, my daughter would have been cast aside and surrendered to a curriculum that was not simply less challenging, but inadequate by the standards of competitive colleges and an increasingly analytical and technical workforce. Today, in her junior year, she remains one of only a handful of Black girls enrolled in advanced honors and advanced placement classes in her public high school, Columbia Senior High School in suburban Maplewood, N.J.
Dilemma of Black girls My daughter’s story is neither unique or an aberration. It is the reality facing Black girls in America. This is what the recently released report Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected confirms. The Center for Intersectional and Social Policy Studies at Columbia University and the AfricanAmerican Policy Forum, authors of the report, have provided the nation with a powerful narrative of the dilemma of Black girls in our country. The report describes the disproportionate punishment meted out to Black girls in school, with data showing they are suspended six times the rate of White girls as ‘zero tolerance’ policies hit with racial precision. Black girls also receive more severe sentences than other girls when they enter the juvenile justice system and are the fastest growing population in the criminal justice system. They are also victims of bullying, sexual harassment and violence in school. Our girls are being pushed out but there is little public alarm, policy focus or media attention to their marginalization. Unlike our understandable focus on
WALTER FIELDS NNPA COLUMNIST
Black boys, as seen in President Obama’s ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ initiative, our girls are being left to fend for themselves. And we are losing them.
Take care of home Making matters worse is a nation that hides the suffering of Black girls from public view. Perhaps that is why I find President Obama’s recently announced ‘Let the Girls Learn’ initiative so disappointing. The White House looked beyond the shores of this nation to launch a global offensive for girls when if they simply Googled a zip code in Washington D.C., they would find Black girls deserving of its attention and policy focus. This might simply be the result of an African-American father who has not had to wrestle with his daughters feeling inadequate or experienced seeing pained expressions of silent suffering given that his children have been fortunate to be shielded by much, given the President’s privilege and position. It is, however, a glaring omission by the Obama administration that defies what we know to be the experiences of Black girls in America. We need not search the world for girls in need when our children stand before us broken, rejected and yearning for recognition. What I desire for our community of Black girls is what I wish for my daughter. I want us to embrace their individuality and celebrate their expressiveness and cultural dynamism. We must recognize their intelligence and support their intellectual curiosity while also encouraging their socializing and affirming their right to be different from boys, yet equal in standing.
Walter Fields is a father, husband and executive editor of NorthStarNews.com. Click on this article at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
THE CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
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Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources Cassandra Cherry Kittles, Willie R. Kittles, Circulation Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Ashley Thomas, Staff Writer Delroy Cole, Kim Gibson, Photojournalists MEMBER National Newspaper Publishers Association Society of Professional Journalists Florida Press Association Associated Press National Newspaper Association
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MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015 NATION DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M&AWORLD YOR
Record number of jobless without benefits Blacks less likely to receive unemployment benefits even when compared to workers with similar characteristics, report shows BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – With no federal unemployment insurance and rapidly disappearing state coverage, the percentage of people benefiting from unemployment insurance is at its lowest level in more than three decades, according to a report by According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a Washington, D.C.based think tank focused on lowand middle-income families. EPI said the unemployment insurance recipiency rate tumbled to 23.1 percent in December 2014, beating the previous record low of 25 percent set in September 1984. State lawmakers continue to slash jobless benefits, enacting policies that make it harder for the programs to work effectively. The policies have a disproportionate impact on unemployed Blacks who often face greater challenges than Whites, as they struggle to stay connected to the labor market and make ends meet while they search for jobs. “Many critics of UI programs wrongly assume that the lion’s share of jobless workers get benefits,” stated the report. “This is plainly wrong over the history of UI and especially in the more restrictive states. The U.S. shortterm recipiency rate was 34.7 percent in 2014, meaning that over 65 percent of short-term jobless workers did not get state UI benefits.”
More hardship The report continued: “Some of the difference may be due to workers’ choices or preferences, but some may reflect discrimination in hiring and the reported reasons for separation from those jobs, both of which can affect eligibility.” Even though unemployment rates are higher for Blacks than Whites, Blacks are less likely to receive unemployment benefits even when compared to workers with similar characteristics. “One in four unemployed nonHispanic White workers with less than a high school education receive UI, while one in eight unemployed non-Hispanic Black workers with less than a high school education receive UI,” the Urban Institute report explained. “This means many low-wage unemployed African-American workers are likely suffering more economic hardship than their White counterparts—an especially adverse outcome given that African-Americans likely have fewer assets to fall back on.”
ERIKA SCHULTZ/SEATTLE TIMES/TNS
Malcolm Cooper-Suggs is looking forward to April 1 when his minimum-wage pay rises at his downtown Seattle job. “With this wage increase, and having roommates, I’d have money on the side. It would take a lot of stress off my shoulders,” he said.
Less protection In a press release about the report, Rick McHugh, an attorney and policy advocate who works on UI issues, said that a smaller percentage of jobless workers is receiving unemployment benefits than ever before. “Because there were no federal benefit extensions in 2014, workers who exhausted state benefits had less protection from the harm caused by unemployment than any similar cohort of jobless workers since the late 1950s — when Congress first began benefit extensions,” said McHugh. And according to a 2012 report by the Urban Institute, an independent public policy and research group, “Black unemployed workers have the lowest receipt of unemployment insurance, 23.8 percent compared to Whites’ 33.2 percent.”
ers did not get UI benefits in 2014,” stated the EPI report. The report said that jobless workers in Louisiana (32.4 percent Black population), Georgia (31.4 percent) South Carolina (27.9 percent ) and Florida (16.7 percent) had some of the lowest short-term UI recipiency rates in the country. The highest short-term UI recipiency rate in the country was 65.7 percent in New Jersey (14.7 percent Black) and the lowest was South Carolina at 14.8 percent. When lawmakers in North Carolina (22 percent Black) cut the duration for UI and the dollar amount for weekly benefits, “recipiency rate fell by 16.3 percentage points, 8.6 times more than the overall national decline, since the cuts went into effect,” the report said.
Southern discomfort
Black jobless rate
Since 2011, the states that cut how long workers could receive unemployment benefits were primarily in the South where most Blacks live. Excluding Oklahoma, Arizona and South Dakota, seven out of 10 states with the lowest short-term UI recipiency rates in 2014 have higher percentages of Black residents than the national average. “In 21 states, 70 percent or more of short-term jobless work-
Researchers suggested that throwing more federal money at states that want to keep UI programs “as small and stingy as possible” won’t fix the problem. They said that UI advocates should focus on setting federal standards for benefits and financing. “The point of unemployment insurance is to help workers who are out of work through no fault of their own, and give them a
chance to support themselves and their families while they look for another job.” said Will Kimball, a research assistant at EPI, that specializes in wages, labor markets, macroeconomics, international trade, and health insurance. “When states cut the generosity and length that benefits were available, they failed the workers who need help the most.” Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that the Black unemployment rate increased from 10.3 percent in January to 10.4 percent in February and the labor force participation rate, the share of workers that are employed or looking for jobs, also increased from 61 percent to 61.2 percent over the same period. Even as the economy continues to grow, the Black unemployment rate is still more than double the White unemployment rate, which fell from 4.9 percent in January to 4.7 percent in February. Employers added 295,000 to the economy in February and the national unemployment rate ticked down to 5.5 percent.
Stagnant wages But for those lucky enough to have jobs, wages largely remain stagnant. In a blog post on wage growth, Elise Gould, a senior economist and director of health policy re-
search at EPI, said that, because corporate profits are near alltime highs, employers can pay their workers more without having to raise prices. “They might even find that workers who are paid more have more company loyalty, leading to better recruitment and retention, and higher productivity,” wrote Gould. “It’s a reminder that the path we’ve chosen – one where economic gains are disproportionately enjoyed by those at the top – is a choice.” Gould said that increases in the minimum wage across the country (18 states in 2014) show that the right policies can help turn things around. “And this change made a difference: while real hourly wages fell or stagnated across the board last month, low wage workers actually saw a modest wage increase,” said Gould. That modest increase is good for Black workers who disproportionately earn low wages. “We’re still far enough away from full employment that additional fiscal stimulus would pay big dividends. This is unfortunately not on the table, politically speaking, though economically it would be relatively easy,” said Gould. “But it’s important that policymakers – particularly those at the Federal Reserve – not put the brakes on the recovery prematurely.”
There’s no backing down on reparations demands BY BERT WILKINSON NNPA NEWS SERVICE
Caribbean governments restated their intention to pursue Britain and other European nations that participated in the brutal trans-Atlantic slave trade for reparations. Likewise, they want those nations to know that they should negotiate with the region in good faith. Freundel Stuart, the prime minister of Barbados and the trade bloc head of government leading preparations for the case against Europe, recently Freundal told reporters that Stuart governments and the umbrella reparations commission preparing the case prefer the issue not be handled not on a basis of “a diplomacy of protest.” “There is going to be no retreat on the issue of reparations,” he said. “It is an issue to which the entire region is irrevocably committed, and we cannot turn our backs on our history and the legacy which has been bequeathed to us as a result of slavery and native genocide.” The region has been leading the way among Blacks around
the world in the fight to receive remunerations from Britain, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France and others for making millions of Blacks work on sugar and other plantations without paying them a cent in compensation, as well as for the millions who died during the horrible trans-Atlantic journey from Africa’s West Coast to the Caribbean.
Lingering impact Professor Hilary Beckles, the regional academic leading preparatory work on the issue, made it clear to the British Parliament in a well-received address last year that slavery and its lingering effects are most likely to be blamed for some of the social and health problems Caribbean citizens are forced to live with today, including a greater proportion of people living with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. These he linked to prolonged high levels of stress and an extremely poor diet dating back to plantations. “We are pursuing the issue of reparations on the basis of a diplomacy of engagement. And that is very important because all of us have today civilized diplomatic relations with former slave trading nations, and we’re
University of the West Indies Professor Hilary Beckles chairs the Caribbean Reparations Commission. not about to undermine, depreciate or destroy those relations. We contemplate therefore, as a first measure, having a discussion with designated countries, former slave trading countries, to see what areas of agreement exist and whether there can be an amicable and civilized resolution to our differences,” he said.
Disturbing legacy Stuart said leaders had discussed the issue at length at their mid-year meeting in the Bahamas late last month. The region has already been assured by the
British law firm it has hired to make the case in Europe that it is based on good legal, moral and historical foundation and should be won on a trot. That same firm was a shoo-in among leaders because it had made Britain pay millions in reparations for genocide committed against Kenyan Mau Mau freedom fighters in the colonial era. Stuart said the preparatory work is continuing apace. “There is a legacy with which we are dealing, and what we are trying to sensitize former slave trading nations to the existence
of that legacy and the connection between that legacy and their actions in the 17th and 18th and part of the 19th century as well. “Having done that, we look at our areas of continuing deficit — social deficit, economic deficit and sometimes political deficit … and try to see what developmental initiatives we can initiate as a result of our discussions to redress some of these hideous imbalances. So that is the course we are intending to pursue.”
This story is special to the NNPA from the New York Amsterdam News.
7 CLASSIFIEDS
R6
MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015
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MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015 DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006 COMMUNITY
NEWS MAY OR
Members of the Set It Off Motorcycle Club from Beaufort, S.C., was among hundreds of other clubs visiting Daytona Beach during the recent Bike Week.
BIKE WEEK 2015
A roaring good time on the boulevards Flashy bikes, great music and food. Thousands descended again on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune boulevards over the past weekend. Duane C. Fernandez Sr. of Hardnotts Photography was on the scene and captured the weekend’s action.
Above: Officials estimate about 500,000 people attended Bike Week 2015. Two members of the Tuskegee Airmen Motorcycle Club of Richmond, Va. stop for a picture.
Left: Riding in style, bikers washed, shined and accessorized their rides before heading to Daytona Beach.
Sitting outside local shops along Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard is a popular spot for those with and without bikes. These bikers from the Ghost Riders Motorcycle from Duval County enjoyed the scenes on March 13. A junior rider makes her way down the Boulevard with family members in tow.
Daytona Beach locals show off their wares.
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7COMMUNITY NEWS
MARCH 19 – MARCH 25, 2015
Community unites to save cemetery Miami’s first Black millionaire among elite buried at Lincoln Memorial
and removed the remains, according to an incident report from the Miami-Dade police.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, Daytona State College’s Center for Women and Men Advisory Board of Directors will celebrate the work and achievements of women during its annual luncheon on Tuesday, March 31, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Hosseini Center on the Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. This year’s event is sponsored by Daytona International Auto Mall and the Simpkins Family Foundation. The luncheon will Dr. Oledia feature a key- Bell note address by the Rev. Dr. Oledia F. Bell, founder and president/CEO of A Fresh Start-Veteran Women “4” Veteran Women.
Upgrades needed
26-year veteran
In addition to trash and debris, the cemetery needs extensive landscaping and modern upgrades. Many of the graves need new nameplates. There is no computerized database to document the cemetery’s burials so Williams uses old binders containing handwritten documents to help visitors find their loved ones. Williams said her aunt, Elyn Johnson, was given ownership to Lincoln Cemetery from her godfather, Kelsey Pharr, Miami’s first Black funeral director and embalmer, who is buried there. Williams said maintaining and protecting the property eventually was too much for Johnson, who had managed the cemetery since the 1950s.
The organization provides transitional services for veteran women and their families. Bell formed the organization upon her retirement from a distinguished 26-year career as a chaplain and lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force. She believes women possess exceptional strengths and societies become stronger when women are empowered to contribute. National Women’s History Month is celebrating its 35th anniversary with this year’s theme, “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” The luncheon is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased online through March 22 at www.DaytonaState.edu/ dass/wcluncheon.edu. For more information, call 386-506-3471 or email CenterforWomenandMen@DaytonaState.edu.
BY ERICK JOHSON NNPA NEWS SERVICE
The remains of D.A. Dorsey, Miami’s first Black millionaire, lie in Brownsville’s Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in a dirty mausoleum, where squatters broke the glass windows on the doors and left their tattered clothes on the floor. Located at 3001 NW 46th St., the cemetery has hundreds of deteriorating above-ground vaults that are packed next to each other in tight rows. Bottles, cans and debris litter the spaces narrow walkways where relatives are unable to find their loved ones. Overgrown weeds have nearly eclipsed the many weathered rectangular concrete boxes. It’s so bad that Theresa Brown, 64, a Liberty City resident has not seen the graves of her brother and stepfather since 2006. Tall weeds, vines and uncut bushes keep her from getting close to her relatives. “This is terrible,” said Brown. “It gets worse every year.”
Built in 1924 But after public appeals, the cemetery’s new manager, Jessica Williams, and the community are coming together with plans to clean up the property, where Miami’s Black elite are buried. The plans come as the county sues the cemetery to collect thousands of dollars in fines for code violations. The outpouring of support has moved Brown and other residents who have grown weary from watching the 91-year-old cemetery deteriorate from years of neglect to rally behind Williams as she prepares to have the cemetery designated as a historic site. Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, which sits on about 20 acres, was built in 1924 and was once called one of “the South’s most beautiful Negro-owned cemeteries” with its towering evergreen trees and coral rock front entrance.
ERICK JOHNSON/MIAMI TIMES
Jessica Williams, left, the new manager and owner of Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, helps relatives finds the graves of their loved ones. Cemeteries Lincoln, Evergreen Memorial Park in Brownsville and Charlotte Jane in Coconut Grove are where many Blacks were buried during segregation and the Jim Crow era. These cemeteries have above-ground vaults because of the high water table in the area. Lincoln Memorial Cemetery stopped accepting burials two years ago.
Burial site of Reeves With just more than 1,000 graves, Lincoln is the smallest and is the resting place of many pioneers whose names grace buildings, schools and parks in MiamiDade County. They include Gwen Cherry, the state’s first Black legislator and the first Black female in the county to be admitted to the Florida Bar; Henry S. Reeves, founder of The Miami Times; and Father John Culmer, whose efforts to address quality housing in Overtown led to the creation of the Liberty Square housing projects in 1937, according to the South Florida Black Archives. But with little funds and con-
A program from a bicentennial service at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in 1976 referred to the property as the “South most beautiful owned cemetery.” stant care, the cemetery has deteriorated over the years. In 2012, seven graves were desecrated after vandals broke into the vaults
Veteran to speak at Daytona State luncheon
This story is special to the NNPA from The Miami Times.