Palm Coast youth present ‘The Melting Pot’ See page 3
YEAR 37 NO. 39
E
Daytona
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #189 Daytona Beach, FL
E FR
HARRY C. ALFORD: Diversity has replaced Jim Crow around the world Page 4
A ROUNDUP OF LOCAL SPORTS See page 7
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
www.daytonatimes.com
SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 3, 2012
More progress on B-CU campus
PEOPLE SPEAK
University officially opens state-of-the art athletic training center BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com
ANDREAS BUTLER/DAYTONA TIMES
Bethune-Cookman family members and friends attend the dedication of the Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center.
More than 100 Bethune-Cookman University administrators, staffers, coaches, athletes, students, community residents, local political leaders witnessed history on Sept. 21 as the school dedicated its Larry R. Handfield Athletic Training Center.
‘Somebody ought to say something’ NAACP leader challenges state members, residents during talk about attack on voters’ rights
Promoting president Russell was referring to elected officials who have passed laws in their states the NAACP believes are aimed at suppressing the Black vote in the upcoming general election. Nelson picked right up where Russell left off. “This is not about voter fraud. They don’t want folks who voted the last time (for President Barack Obama) to vote this time. I’m not going to let you lie about it and say it
PHOTOS BY JAMES HARPER/DAYTONA TIMES
“Injustice must be dealt with and addressed by the church,” the Rev. Nelson B. Rivers said last week at a Florida NAACP session at Allen Chapel AME Church in Daytona Beach. was fraud,” Rivers said, directing his comments to anyone listening whom he thought was working to suppress votes. Rivers said God put someone who “looks like me’’ in the most powerful job in the world. “I get mad for him. The angrier I get, the cooler he gets,” Rivers said, adding that he met has met the president on several occasions and that his daughter is currently working for him at the White House. “I heard him (Obama) pray. He does know something. He has a relationship with somebody,” he continued. Rivers said he really gets agitated when he hears Republicans talking about taking their country back. “Take back the country from whom. How do you take something back you stole,” Rivers inquired, saying Europeans took the land from Native Americans.
‘Been there. Done this’ Rivers argued that Republicans are now trying to take
Sheriff’s Office to host five sites for drug take-back day SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office will establish five drop-off points this Saturday as part of a
Please see MARCH, Page 2
Author: Men should follow sisters to the polls BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
“Somebody ought to say something” was repeated over and over again by the Rev. Nelson B. Rivers during a public meeting on Sept. 20 during the state convention of the Florida NAACP. Rivers was the main speaker at the opening night session for the Florida State Conference of the NAACP held at Allen Chapel AME Church in Daytona Beach. Rivers, pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church, in North Charleston, S.C., also serves on the NAACP’s national board as the vice president of Stakeholder Relations. He was introduced by Leon Russell, vice chair of the national NAACP’s board of directors. “My task is to introduce my friend. He found the Lord and the NAACP. I don’t know which came first. If you are in the NAACP, you will find the Lord,” Russell said to laughter. “We are not going to let anyone turn us around,” Russell added.
The new state-of-the-art facility is located on campus at the corner of International Speedway Boulevard and Lincoln Street across from the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center. “It’s a great day and I am excited. We are marching forward to excellence providing world-class athletes who will graduate and go and proceed with the best,” said B-CU Interim President Dr. Edison Jackson. The purpose of the building is to upgrade the school’s athletic facilities. “This is a historic occasion. We
national effort to help residents dispose of unwanted, unused and expired prescription drugs. The five drop-off sites, at Sheriff’s district offices in DeLand, Delto-
Though the room was filled with mostly women, Black men were urged at the Florida State NAACP convention to “follow our women into the voting booth.” Michael Eric Dyson, the author of “Why I Love Black Women’’ and 17 other books is a Georgetown College professor and MSNBC pundit. He spoke to hundreds of NAACP members at their state convention Michael Eric Saturday in Dayto- Dyson na Beach. “The key to our community is to treat our women right,” said Dyson, adding, “Where would we be today without them? Real men aren’t scared of real women.” The room was filled with mostly women who welcomed his comments with applause and were energized not only by his comments, but by the words of encouragement from dozens of speakers during the three-day event at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort.
Remembering state’s dark past
At right is Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida NAACP. She is seated next to Cynthia Slater, president of the Volusia County-Daytona Beach branch of the NAACP. something from Blacks and Hispanics. “Stealing the right to vote in broad daylight and bragging while you did it. Somebody ought to say something,” declared Rivers. “We knew it (struggle) would never be easy. Did not know
we would have to dig the same well, fighting for voting rights,” he said. “Everytime we have been on the verge of great change, somebody’s always trying to push us back. Been there, done this. Justice will prevail. We are
na, DeBary, Holly Hill and New Smyrna Beach, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday’s program is part of a national Prescription Drug Take-Back Day being coordinated across the country by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to provide a safe method for residents to dispose of unwanted drugs. It’s in response to studies that
Please see NAACP, Page 2
Lizzie Robinson Jenkins, founder and CEO of The Real Rosewood Foundation, and a member of the NAACP, said she felt an obligation to be at this year’s convention. “I’m a member to continue the legacy of the civil rights movement, and I’m here so we can go into our communities and continue educating people on the importance of voting,” said Jenkins. The purpose of Jenkins’ Real Rosewood Foundations is to tell the story of a majority Black community in Levy County. Between January 1 and 8 in 1923, the town of Rosewood was invaded by a White posse and burned to the ground.
show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet. More than 550,000 pounds of unwanted or expired medications were turned in during the last national take-back event in April when a total of 5,659 take-back sites were established across the country. Saturday’s event is free and
Please see AUTHOR, Page 6
anonymous. The Sheriff’s Office’s drop-off sites will be at the following locations: • 1706 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand • 1691 Providence Blvd., Deltona • 94 S. U.S. Highway 17-92, DeBary • 999 Third St., Holly Hill • 101 E. Canal St., New Smyrna Beach