Palm Coast church celebrates 22nd anniversary SEE PAGE 3
EE FR
Black pollster breaks down the midterm election SEE PAGE 5
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
A SWEET VICTORY FOR B-CU VOLLEYBALL TEAM SEE PAGE 7
NOVEMBER 13 - NOVEMBER 19, 2014
YEAR 39 NO. 46
www.daytonatimes.com
Obamacare sign-up help is on the way Health insurance enrollment event to be held Sunday BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry is encouraging every uninsured resident to sign up for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act this weekend. Henry, along with the City of Daytona Beach and Halifax Medical Center, will host an enrollment event on Sunday at Halifax Medical Center on Clyde Morris Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Health care continues to be a crisis in our community and it is in the best interest of all people who are uninsured to come out
and find health care that works for them,” Henry told the Times. Enrollment counselors will be onsite to answer questions and complete the enrollment process. Those attending the event are asked to bring proper documentation including identification, Social Security numbers, proof of income and any existing health insurance information.
Educate the community Bobby Michaels, the North Florida community organizer for Enroll America, has been going to local events in an effort to educate residents on the upcoming enrollment period. Enroll America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization tasked with maximizing the number of Americans who are enrolled in and retain Please see INSURANCE, Page 2
ROBERT WILLETT/RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER/MCT
Keith Ward helps Cindy Murray navigate the Affordable Care Act and choose the right plan last year at Urban Ministries in Raleigh, N.C.
‘Fresh Prince’ star talks about color and beauty BY VALERIE WHITNEY SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Superintendent of Volusia County Schools Dr. Margaret Smith speaks to crowd of 300 at the Center for Civic Engagement at a meeting on gang awareness and prevention.
Proactive approach to gang culture Schools, law enforcement unite to educate community on local activity
around the country where the threat is so vehement or so strong that people are afraid to walk down their streets. “They are afraid to wear certain colors when they leave their homes, but we have a task here in Volusia County to stop the threat before it gets to that point. But we must do it together, as a community,’’ he remarked.
BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com
Gang activity and prevention was the topic of discussion at a workshop-style gathering held Tuesday evening in Daytona Beach. The cooperative educational effort attended by about 300 people was coordinated by Volusia County Schools, Bethune-Cookman University, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office at B-CU’s Center for Civic Engagement. Although it is a misnomer that gang activity is only prevalent in larger cities, Daytona Beach Police Chief
Sad reality hits home Caine Wilson and Caleb Titus listen to a former member of Los Angeles’ Crypt gang recount his brush with the law and death. Mike Chitwood told the Daytona Times that there are over 20 known street gangs in Daytona Beach. “Gangs provide these kids with what a lot of them don’t have,” he said. “They provide structure, advancement and friendship. Gangs provide all the things that
basic institutions break down, schools, church and family. That’s when gangs take control of our kids.”
Colors can harm The Rev. John Baldwin II, presidential policy advisor at B-CU, told the group that there are communities
Retired Judge Hubert Grimes, who has more than three decades of experience in the justice system, spoke to those gathered, recounting the recent homicide of a 22-year-old who had served two stints in prison. He was gunned down in DeLand on Nov. 9. The young man Grimes spoke of was Preston L. Reed, who died at Halifax Health Medical Center after he was shot on East New Please see GANGS, Page 2
When actress Janet Hubert first read the script for “The Fresh Prince of BelAire” it noted that the prototype for the role of Aunt Vivian was a “Denise Nicholas type,” which in industry lingo meant a fair-skinned Black woman. When Hubert showed up at the audition, Nicholas was among those there vying for the role. But in the end, it was the darkerskinned Hubert who got the job. She recalled jumping up and down on the bed in her hotel room in celebration. “It was an amazing ride,” Hubert, 58, said, about her work on the television show during a speaking engagement Nov. 6 at Bethune-Cookman University during a “My Black is Beautiful” luncheon. She was invited to tell her story as part of a women’s empowerment summit organized by a coalition comprised of campus administrators, faculty and students.
Aunt Viv replaced The show, which catapulted Will Smith to stardom, ran from 1990 to 1996. Hubert, however, appeared only three years. She was fired from the show in 1993 after failing to agree on a new contract. Actress Daphne Reid, who born a closer resemblance to Nicholas, replaced Hubert in the role. Few of the students at the B-CU luncheon were born when the show was on the air but thanks to re-runs most of them easily recognized Hubert. “We were excited that she could be here because she is amazing and extremely humble,” said Autre HowardMorgan, a member of the organizing committee. Student Jacques Carter was among the many students who lined up to take a photo with Hubert after her presentation. “My heart was shaking,” Carter said, about meeting the actress. Meanwhile, Hubert said there were a lot of people, especially Blacks, who questioned the initial decision to give her the part because her skin tone. She said she is convinced that what won over the producers were the intangible qualities that she bought to the role such as her movements and ability to communicate without speaking.
My Black is beautiful “I feel and have always felt that my darkness is part of my beauty,” she said. “I celebrate my blackness, so celebrate yours because they are going to call you what they want anyway.” Since leaving the show she said her life has been challenging, thanks in part to social media. “The Internet is a wonderful thing but it can be a Pan Please see ACTRESS, Page 3
ALSO INSIDE
COMMENTARY: RAYNARD JACKSON: REPUBLICANS CAN MAKE HEADWAY WITH BLACKS | PAGE 4 EDUCATION: JULIANNE MALVEAUX: DEMOCRATS HAVE NO CONSISTENT MESSAGE | PAGE 4
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NOVEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19, 2014
GANGS from Page 1
York Avenue. According to reports, the father of two was struck in the head by a bullet fired from another car and pronounced dead six hours later. Preston L. Grimes said Reed Reed, who had married less than a month prior on Oct. 16 had been before him on numerous occasions before age 18. “I can tell you that this young man came in front of me as a delinquent on multiple occasions during the time that I was on the bench. But yet because of the attitude that he displayed – I don’t say this being disrespectful towards the family, he was a loved one to someone’s family and someone’s child. But the conduct I witnessed, that he refused to change, caused him to lose his life,” Grimes stated. “There are a number of young people in our communities that are facing similar situations. Detention, jail, prison. That’s not even the worst situation they can encounter. This young man was shot down at the age of 22. Think about it for a moment. He won’t experience his family, children, wife, possibly grandchildren, possibly impacting others in some positive fashion. And, unfortunately, this happening one time, is one time too many.” “For a long time, many people didn’t want to acknowledge that these type of situations even existed,” Grimes continued. “For many years public officials stuck their heads in the sand and acted as if gang violence didn’t exist in our communities, ‘we are above that, that only happens in big cities. “But yet we saw so many young people that gravitate to negative conduct and often toward other young people who engage in negative conduct, out of a sense of belonging on one hand and out of a sense of desire to want to live their own way without respect for authority, parents, teachers, principals, law enforcement and even, yes, the court system. So tonight we begin to try to educate parents and young people that this type of activity is a dead end that can ultimately cost you your life.”
PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Phillip Martin stands with youth he mentors from the Daytona Beach branch of the Boys and Girls Club. now there are over 50,000 strong to my shame.”
Changed life
Clarence McCloud, a troubled youth turned successful adult, told the group that although he had a “very solid family foundation” he still made mistakes including selling weed and cocaine.
Mentors step up In an effort to help curb the appeal and prevalence of gang culture among those he mentors, Phillip Martin who works with the Daytona Beach branch of the Boys and Girls Club, brought five of the youngsters he mentors to the event. He calls his group the Torch Club. “The Torch Club is all about character building and leadership skills,” Martin shared. “We want to do positive things in the community and give them education on gang awareness.” “This is more of a preventative measure,” he continued. “We try to run a lot of prevention programs and have our own gang prevention program with the DJJ (Department of Juvenile Justice).” Dr. Earl Johnson, principal of Turie T. Small Elementary School, also was at the event. He explained that preventing gang activity was an important preventive measure for those even at such a young age. “It’s important for me to be here because we have to be proactive in dealing with these issues. We have to one, close the achievement gap and, two, im-
INSURANCE from Page 1
health coverage. “We’re letting everyone know about the next open enrollment period that begins this Saturday, Nov. 15. There are new options, new benefits and financial aid available,” Michaels told the Daytona Times. Those seeking insurance will be able to speak with specially trained assistants called navigators to complete the process either online, on the phone or in person. Michaels briefly explained the qualifying process most people can look forward to on Sunday. “The way that the qualification process works depends on how much income they have coming in,” he shared.
Speak with a navigator “What we recommend is that
the signs and symptoms are and what I need to mitigate that.”
Former gang member speaks out
Sequoia Leland listens in before heading to a youth breakout session on gang awareness. prove the social environment of the Daytona Beach area. We have to be proactive in addressing these social issues,” Johnson explained. “A lot of times we will react to situations where kids end up incarcerated and doing things that are not conducive to what society accepts. So I think that it’s important to hear all of what’s
going on here and see what I can do to improve our environment for our young people. In elementary school, we don’t see this, I don’t see a lot of this. I’m sure it exists, but I don’t see it at my school. However, what happens is the role models for my students could be a part of these gangs and that’s who they will follow. I’m here to see what
they sit down with their local assistors ( navigators), which are all across Daytona, Florida and the nation. They are trained not only by the state but the federal government. They have been trained to walk individuals through the enrollment process and take them step by step, to help them understand what they are qualified for and what financial aid they qualify for.” “The new law does state that everyone has to have insurance,” Michaels continued. “There are situations where someone may be exempt from that and we recommend that they sit down with a navigator.” “It’s all up to you as to what type of insurance you are looking for,” Michaels added, sharing that some plans offer dental, vision and health or any combination of the three.
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation found that Obamacare may be facing another challenge: awareness. The poll found that nine out of 10 uninsured Americans are unaware that open enrollment starts on Saturday. Additionally knowledge of insurance terms show that an insurance education gap is prevalent among Americans, as at least four in 10 of the uninsured can’t identify the definitions of “premiums,” “deductibles,” or “provider network.”
Lack of awareness Aside from higher penalties and potentially higher healthcare costs, a recent poll from the
Penalties rise for 2015 Not knowing won’t fend off penalties, which are growing each year. According to healthcare.gov, individuals are facing a penalty of $95 per person, or 1 percent of their income, depending on which is higher for failing to get coverage in 2014. That penalty will be taken out of their tax refund in early 2015. The penalty for going without coverage in 2015 is even harsher
Los Angeles born Pastor Monzell Ford spoke as a former gang member to the youth and adults as a member of the widely known gang the Crypts. “I was born into the gangs. Father went to the pen when I was 7 years old. I was out in the streets,” Ford explained. Ford told the audience he was shot several times by members of the rival Bloods gang. The shooting landed him in a hospital where he learned the bullet traveled less than an inch near his internal organs. Following this, a young Ford was moved to West Covina, a city in Los Angeles County, by family members and brought gang activity with him. “There are two things that can happen. You will either adapt to them or recruit,” Ford stated. “It is to my shame that I acknowledge that when I moved to West Covina there were no gangs and
for those in 2016. Skipping out on health coverage in 2015 will face a financial penalty more than triple the current amount rising to $325 per person, or 2 percent of income, whichever is higher. Children will be fined at half the adult rate, or $162.50 for those under 18 years old.
Relief for those penalized There may be relief for some who face the penalty on their 2014 tax refund however. Those who were uninsured may forgo the penalty for a number of reasons, which include: You’re uninsured for less than three months of the year; The lowest-priced coverage available to you would cost more than 8 percent of your household income; You don’t have to file a tax return because your income is too low; You’re incarcerated (either detained or jailed); You qualify for a hardship exemption.
Ford has since become a spokesperson against the gang style life and speaks to groups in the area about the importance of recognizing the signs of gang style activity. “Now I understand what it takes to reach these individuals. What I’ve learned when I mentor, talk to these young men and women you can’t go into their life and say ‘I got you’ and then just fade in and out of their life. These kids need some substance in their lives,” Ford continued. “There is hope, there is purpose but we have to look past us, past our own desires, our own interests. W have to understand these kids are entrusted to us. I don’t know what religion you serve, but one day you will stand before the one you serve and he won’t ask what you did with you, but what did you do with the ones entrusted to you,” Ford concluded. Dr. Margaret Smith, Superintendent of Volusia County Schools, urged those in attendance to “join in with our parents to do the very best that we can for each and every one of our students to support them and to help them make the best choices. Grimes added, “I trust that this is not just a one-time deal but we are going to work together in our communities to reach out to one another, to be support, I give you a commitment, on behalf of our president (B-CU’s Dr. Edison O. Jackson) that we will do everything we can to be good citizens, not just in the background but to take the lead. We can talk honestly with each other and deal with these cancerous activities before they steal another life.’’ Chitwood offered, “It’s really important that we all get together and mitigate the devastating effects that these (gangs) have on young people’s lives. They’re not thinking clearly, they’re 13, 14 years old. Next thing you know, they are arrested three or four odd times and have felonies that follow them the rest of their lives.”
March 31 deadline Hardship exemptions may include (not an exhaustive list) being homeless, filing for bankruptcy in the past six months, experiencing the death of a close family member, receiving a shutoff notice from a utility company, you had medical expenses you couldn’t pay in the last 24 months that resulted in substantial debt or you experienced a fire, flood, or other natural or human-caused disaster that caused substantial damage to your property. The deadline to purchase health insurance for 2014 to meet the bill’s mandate is March 31. Sign up for health coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week at HealthCare.gov or by calling 800318-2596. For more information on Sunday’s Get Covered event, call 855484-8848 or email info@daytonabeachgetscovered.com.
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NOVEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19, 2014 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
M A YNEWS OR
‘A long time coming’ for new Palm Coast City Hall A groundbreaking ceremony for a $6.9-million waterfront City Hall provided a unique opportunity to celebrate the construction in the City of Palm Coast. It was the recent pronouncement by Mayor Jon Netts that Phase I construction will begin this month in Central Park, north of the lake on Lake Avenue in Town Center. A crowd was estimated to be 150 people that Mayor Netts addressed, and among them, officials from the City of Palm Coast, the county, and the adjoining cities. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Netts, who, in addition, discussed the venues that have served as a City Hall since Palm Coast incorporated into a city in December 1999.
‘Symbol of friendship and diversity’ A Kmart coffee shop functioned as a City Hall during the tenure of Mayor James Canfield. The city evolved into having office space at Palm Coast Community Center and then space leased on Corporate Drive for a turnaround to the old public library. A building along Commerce Boulevard functioned as a City Hall and finally space at the present location at the City Marketplace. The ceremony exposed the new City Hall as “a symbol of friendship and diversity, connecting public servants to Palm Coast, the community that we love, the place where we always count on each other in very special ways,” said the mayor. The structure is slated to include a 33,420-square-foot office building with parking space. Property owners of Town Center are slated to pay for most of the construction. Phase I will take up to 12 months to complete. “The underground work for the future phases will be completed at that time, and at an additional cost of $500,000 for
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
Phase I. Future phases will include an 8,000-square-foot addition for community meeting rooms, including City Council chambers, a lakefront plaza, and more parking.” The architect is Orlando’s C. T. Hsu and Associates, who designed the Amway Center in Orlando. The construction manager is the Gilbane Building Company.
First Church celebrates 22nd anniversary Members and friends applauded a joyous occasion during a call to celebrate the 22nd Church & Pastor’s Anniversary of the First A.M.E. Church of Palm Coast. First A.M.E. has become known as the First Church of Palm Coast. First Church during the years has embraced the motto, “The Church Where the Spirit Flows’’ to proclaim to all the world the members’ commitment to the five purposes that Jesus established for His Church. “We will relaunch our plan for “Fellowship, Learning, Outreach, Worship and Service,’’ said the Rev. Gillard S. Glover. The anniversary drew connectedness and purpose, predicated on the testimonies attested Sunday at the Halifax Plantation Golf Club. The attendees indeed did not want to miss out on their choice of shrimp with crab and lobster stuffing, or the entre of the chicken breast.
Stirring words through songs, presentations The occasion provided the stage presence of Alvin Bell,
PHOTOS BY JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY/DAYTONA TIMES
Groundbreaking for the new City Hall took place using the officials from the City of Palm Coast and other government agencies. world-class, versatile vocalist/actor, who has appeared in “Dreamgirls” with Taraji P. Henson and other celebs. Bell will perform with the Orlando-based choir in the musical, “Georgia on My Mind.” It will be a tribute to Ray Charles at the new Dr. Phillips Center of the Performing Arts, and will star Take 6, Kirk Whalum, among other artists. Bell gave his heart to performing “I’m a Soldier in the Army of the Lord,” “Greatest Love of All,” “Wind Beneath My Wings,” and other sensations. Thought, character and identity pursued Esther Hamilton and Ernestine Logan to testify of love through their presentations of “What This Church Means To Me.” Another installment shared gratitude from First Lady Sachiko Glover, testifying of the love from the congregation, for which members did not know her until after her covenant of marriage to Pastor Glover. The First Lady again showed gratitude for support from the ministerial staff. She examined her husband’s ethics, saying, “Rev. Glover was a great attorney and businessman, but he just followed God’s calling. He did not make excuses. He is faithful to God and he has never stopped working for God’s mission.” First Lady Glover followed
John and Sybil Lucas congratulate Pastor Gillard S. Glover, right, following the anniversary at the Halifax Plantation Golf Club. through by thanking Tre’s, the pastor’s son, for his cheerful spirit. And, making other distinct presentations were the Rev. Cheryl Daniels, Dr. Lawrence Gary, Minister of Music Leonard Hunt, Sr., and retired Lt. Col. George Weaver. Putting the anniversary together were committee members Rose Luckett Williams, Karen Griffith, Ruthie Saunders
and Naomi Hargrave. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Ashley Thomas and Shaunte’ White, Nov. 14; Kyle White, Nov. 18; William Blount and Brenda Pinkelton, Nov. 19.
VALERIE WHITNEY
Actress Janet Hubert speaks to a group of women during a My Black Is Beautiful conference. Student Simonie Moore looks on.
ACTRESS from Page 1
dora’s box,” she said, noting that, among other things, she has been falsely accused of stalking Will Smith. For the past 11 years, she said, her health
has been her primary concern. She recently sued her insurance company so that she can continue treatments for neck problems. Hubert has also spoke on bone health and worked with the surgeon general office on ways to educate young girls on nutrition, on Capital Hill. She has also toured schools through-
HUNGER KEEPS UP ON CURRENT EVENTS, TOO. 1 IN 6 AMERICANS STRUGGLES WITH HUNGER.
TOGETHER WE’RE
Hunger is closer than you think. Reach out to your local food bank for ways to do your part. Visit FeedingAmerica.org today.
out New York to promote programs to stop bullying. Additionally, Hubert is starting a professional theater school in Connecticut and has produced her own woman show title “From Broadway to TV… Now Back to Me” and performed it throughout the country.
Church celebrates seniors A Golden Harvest Celebration will be held Sunday, November 16, at the 11:00 a.m. worship service at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. The celebration will honor eight members aged 73- 95. The church is located at 539 George W Engram Blvd.
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NOVEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19, 2014
Improved quality of Medicare plans, steady premiums great news as Open Enrollment begins Fall is a wonderful time of year. Changing leaves. Cooler weather. It’s also the season for people with Medicare to review their current Medicare coverage, as Medicare Open Enrollment begins. As we prepare for Medicare Open Enrollment, which began on Oct. 15 and ends on Dec. 7, Medicare wants everyone to know that quality continues to improve both in Medicare Advantage and in the Part D Prescription Drug Program. Each year, plan costs and coverage can change. During open enrollment, seniors and people with disabilities across the country have the opportunity to review their current Medicare coverage and see if they want to make any changes for the next year. It’s important for people with Medicare to take the time to make sure their current situation still meets their health care needs best.
‘Star ratings’ To help people choose a plan, Medicare calculates plan “star ratings” for Medicare health and prescription drug plans. Each plan gets a number of stars on a scale of 1 to 5 – with 5 being the best – based on quality and performance. These ratings are designed to help people with Medicare, their families, and caregivers compare plans, in addition to information on their premiums and benefits. This year, people with Medicare who choose to enroll in a Medi-
MARILYN TAVENNER MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR
plans give better customer service, with fewer complaints or long waits for care.
How to get help If you have Medicare and need assistance, you can visit Medicare. gov, call 800-MEDICARE (800633-4227), or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). You should have received the 2015 “Medicare & You” Handbook and important notices from your current plan, Medicare, or Social Security about changes to your coverage. If you’re satisfied with your current coverage, there’s nothing you need to do. Better quality in Medicare health and prescription drug plans isn’t the only good news for people with Medicare. For most seniors who have Original Medicare, the 2015 Part B premium will stay unchanged for a second consecutive year at $104.90. This means more of seniors’ retirement income and any increase in Social Security benefits will stay in their pockets. The Part B deductible will stay the same as well. Medicare is working hard to make sure this good news continues so that seniors and people with disabilities will continue to get the health care coverage they deserve.
care health or prescription drug plan will have access to more highrated, four- and five-star plans than ever before. Approximately 60 percent of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in a Medicare Advantage Plan earning four or more stars in 2015, compared to an estimated 17 percent back in 2009. Likewise, about 53 percent of Part D enrollees are currently enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans with four or more stars for 2015, compared to just 16 percent in 2009. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, enrollment in Medicare Advantage will increase to 42 percent to an alltime high of over 16 million and Medicare Advantage premiums will have decreased by 6 percent. For people with Medicare, this is good news in how they receive care. Plans that are higher rated deliver a high-level of care such as improving the coordination of care, managing diabetes or other chronic conditions more efficiently, screening for and preventing illnesses, making sure people get much-needed prescription drugs, Marilyn Tavenner is the Cenor getting appointments and care ters for Medicare & Medicaid quickly. A high rating also means these Services Administrator.
Democrats have no consistent message Pundits are likely to spend the next several weeks attempting to explain the many reasons that Republicans simply kicked the Democrats square in the hind parts to dominate both houses of Congress in ways that had not been expected. With turnout at abysmal low – 33 percent – two thirds of the electorate didn’t think this election important enough to vote. President Obama had it right when he said he heard them. Many of those who cared enough didn’t have the opportunity to vote since voter suppression laws may have reduced the number of people willing to vote by 2.4 percent. The reduction of early voting days, the requirement of additional ID (in Kansas proof of citizenship could be requested), the elimination of same-day registration were among the tools Republican state legislatures used to suppress the vote, especially the African-American vote. The tactic worked. Too many races were decided by minuscule margins, and laws that encouraged rather than discouraged voter participation might have made a difference.
Other issues DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM
Running the wrong way Too many Democratic Senators were elected on the Obama coattails in 2008, and chose to jog away from the president this election. Instead of running away from the president, Democrats needed to embrace him. The economy has improved, and President Obama’s proposal to increase the minimum wage will help millions of low-wage workers. Millions more Americans have health care since the Affordable Care Act was passed. The Obama administration hasn’t tooted its own horn enough, and the Senators who have supported his work, even tepidly, ought to have been the ones to toot it. Some, like Kay Hagan in North Carolina, ran from Obama because he wasn’t popular in their state. They lost anyway. Imagine if Democrats were as united as Republicans in putting a message out there.
Noneconomic issues, such as ISIS and the handling of the Ebola virus presence in the United States, have been among the reasons President Obama’s popularity has plummeted. The fact that Democrats have yet to promote a strong, cohesive, economic justice agenda is another. Republicans tend to be consistent with their message, even if their message is devoid of real programmatic meaning. They connected their Democratic opponents to President Obama so that those ambivalent about the president either stayed home or voted for Republican candidates. What Democrats failed to understand is that they couldn’t run away from the president and mobilize the base that supported him, and that part of their message had to be their support of successful economic programs? No message, no votes, no victory. That’s the lesson for 2016.
Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist in Washington, D.C. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.
Democrats: A party out of sync If there was one lesson to be learned on Election Day it was this: Until President Obama is gone and the Democratic Party leadership changes, Democrats will continue to lose. Under Nancy Pelosi’s leadership over the past four years House Democrats have lost 74 seats. In 2010 alone, Democrats lost 63 seats. This week they dropped another 12. For the 2014 campaign it was as if leaders of the party never talked to one another on strategy. Obviously, there was none. President Obama was out bragging about his record week after week while Democrats were campaigning against it.
Much better In a speech on Sept. 28, President Obama said, “There’s almost no economic measure by which we are not better off than when I took office. Unemployment down. Deficits down. Uninsured down. Poverty down. Energy production up. Manufacturing back.” That’s what the president was saying this campaign season. “Make no mistake: These policies are on the ballot. Every single one of them,” Obama said at Northwestern University Oct. 10. Those words were then immediately used by Republicans to beat Democrats all over the country. It’s one thing to say that Democrats should have run on the things they’ve gotten done. It’s another to pretend you don’t see that
LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE NNPA COLUMNIST
the overriding message of the 2014 campaign is an anti-Obama one. That’s what President Obama did. He pretended not to notice this entire campaign was a referendum on him. When you consider that race mixed with “stopping Obama” was a driver for some of what happened on Election Day that conclusion should have been easy to come to.
Bad strategy President Obama should have known that saying, “These policies are on the ballot” would not help Democrats at the polls and was bad strategy for this election cycle. On Oct. 20, the president said so many of the Democrats avoiding him on the campaign trail were “strong allies and supporters who “supported my agenda in Congress.” Of course, that’s true and of course that message ran counter to what 95 percent of the Democrats running were saying. Within all this you see a complete strategic disconnect between the president and his party. “What’s most important to the American people right now, the resounding message not just of
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: OBAMA ELECTION EXPRESS
this election, but basically the last several is: Get stuff done,” the president said at a news conference after election day. No, that wasn’t the message.
More Obama The message was a complete and full repudiation of President Obama. No one voting for candidates. Voters were casting a vote against the president. Yet, he still doesn’t get it. After the president ignored the Democratic National Committee and instead created Obama for America and erased Howard Dean’s 50-state strategy, there is no strategic party apparatus. Obama, as leader of the Democratic Party, has been non-existent in building party infrastructure. That will be a big part of the Obama legacy as he leaves office. That is, that the Democratic Party as a whole is much weaker now than it was in 2008. Why? Because Barack Obama is the RGIII of American politics: It’s all about him. Until the party’s leadership changes and is replaced with leaders focused on investing in state and local strategies, the same losing trends will continue.
Lauren Victoria Burke is freelance writer and creator of the blog Crewof42.com, which covers African-American members of Congress. Write your response at www.daytonatimes.com.
DAVE FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR
Republicans can make headway with Blacks Last week’s midterm elections were historic. Republicans regained control of the U.S. Senate, increased their majority in the House, and expanded their majority among governors. While these gains were historic and impressive, there was a bigger story that no one is talking about. According to early polling figures, Black participation in this year’s midterm was 12 percent, down slightly from 13 percent in 2010. Eighty-nine percent of Blacks voted for Democratic congressional candidates and 10 percent voted for Republicans. This year’s figures match the 2010 midterm figures for Democrats and represents a slight increase in support for Republicans, up from 9 percent in 2010 to 10 percent in 2014.
Court the Black vote In Illinois, incoming Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner received 6 percent of the Black vote. He actively courted the Black vote, but did it the wrong way. For example, how many people in Illinois know that Rauner has endowed a full professor’s chair at historically Black Morehouse College in Atlanta? There was no reason why he should not have earned upwards of 25 percent of the Black vote with his history in the Black community. But, as with many White Republicans, his White consultants and staff thought they knew more about the Black community than Blacks. The exit polls further noted that 11 percent of Black millennials, 12 percent of Gen Xers, and 7 percent of those ages 45-64 voted Republican. The RNC, under the leadership of Reince Priebus, is the only Republican entity that “gets it” when it comes to the Black vote. The House and Senate campaign committees and the Republican Governor’s Association (RGA) are still living in the dark ages when it comes to the Black community.
Black media input So while last week’s national elections were historic for Republicans, they were not transformative. However, what happened in Ohio was not only transformative, but it was also
RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST
a tectonic shift in the political landscape of America. Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich received 26 percent of the Black vote. He was endorsed by the Call & Post, Ohio’s leading Black newspaper. In their editorial of endorsement, they listed two specific examples of how Kasich addressed issues of concern to the Black community. Kasich expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income Ohioans and supported set-asides for minority contractors on the Opportunity Corridor construction project in Cleveland. Contrast that with Obama’s record of issuing fewer Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to Blacks than George W. Bush.
Black consultants Obviously, left to their own devices, GOP candidates can’t do this on their own. That’s why they need to look beyond the White male consultant who offer bad advice on how to reach the Black community. Republicans hire more Black Democrats to work their campaigns than they do Black Republicans. Years ago, I committed to never voting for or working with any Republican that didn’t have any Blacks on their staffs or as consultants. Republicans should make a public commitment to broaden their base to truly look like America. If Republicans transformed the way they interact with the Black community, especially by using Black Republicans and Black political operatives that indeed would be both historic and transformational.
Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes. com.
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.
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NATION MA YOR
NOVEMBERDECEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19, 2014 14 - 20, 2006
Midterm election: Black pollster breaks it down BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – Even with overwhelming support from Black voters, Democrats still lost control of the United States Senate in the midterm elections and President Barack Obama will have to compromise with the GOP-controlled Congress in order to get anything done in his last two years. “First let’s put it in context, and this is not an excuse, the Democrats got their a—- whipped, but it was predictable,” said Cornell Belcher, a Democratic strategist, pollster and president of Brilliant Corners Research & Strategies, a polling firm that works with the Democratic National Committee. Belcher, an AfricanAmerican, said that Republicans had both history and geography on their side. Many of the key races were run in the heart of Republican territory, through the heart of the South. Belcher added that the midterm electorate also tends to be older and less diverse, voters that tend not to be very favorable towards Democrats. “There was a lot of conversation going into this election about how wildly unpopular the president is and that was the narrative that the Republicans ran with and the media actually helped them run with it,” said Belcher.
White voter problem On Election Day, roughly 40 percent of Americans approved of the job the president was doing, according to a recent Gallup poll. In Iowa, Kansas and Arkansas, where Democratic candidates were soundly defeated, the pres-
Cornell Belcher is a president of Briliant Corners Researdch & Strateigies, a polling firm. ident’s approval rating was below 40 percent. “If the president’s job approval was 51, 52, 53 percent, that would mean absolutely nothing in Kentucky or a lot of these solidly red states where you’re not going to see a lot of enthusiasm for a Democratic candidate,” said Belcher. Belcher suggested that the Democrats have a White voter problem. “Democrats haven’t won White voters since [President Lyndon Johnson] signed the civil rights legislation, said Belcher. “You would think that because we’re post-racial now, we’d been winning more White voters, but the truth of the matter is we’re winning less.” Minority voting, as a pro-
portion of the electorate, actually increased during the 2014 midterm elections compared to 2010 midterms, Belcher said. Those gains were driven largely by Black voter turnout.
By the numbers According to the Pew Research Center’s Hispanic Trends Project, a group that provides public opinion surveys on Latino views on social economic and cultural issues, Hispanics accounted for 8 percent of midterm voters, the same share they garnered in 2006 and 2010. The share of Black voters has increased steadily from 10 percent in 2006 to 11 percent in 2010 and 12 percent in 2014. Meanwhile the share of White voters in the elector-
ate continues to decline, down from 79 percent in 2006 to 75 percent in 2014. The Pew Research Center found that 89 percent of Black voters supported Democratic candidates. Meanwhile, Whites voted for Republican candidates 60 percent of the time. “Democrats really pushed women’s equity issues, but [President Obama] is scary and when you tell me you’re a ‘Clinton Democrat’ and you’re parsing it up like that, we Southerners know what that means,” said Belcher. “As much as they tried to run from it, that’s what they couldn’t escape.”
‘Something to run on’ Many Democratic candidates chose to run from Obama’s record on eco-
nomic recovery, positive labor market growth, and the Affordable Care Act that has provided millions of Americans with health insurance who were previously not covered. Obama also kept his promise to bring American troops home and end decadelong wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Should Democrats have let President Obama out on the campaign trail more? Absolutely, they should have,” said Belcher. “He had something to run on.” Dianne Pinderhughes, a political science professor at the University Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., said that there’s still some portion of the population still has a great deal of difficulty dealing with the fact that there is an AfricanAmerican president. “It adds stigma to any action that he takes,” said Pinderhughes. “People can’t accept the fact that anything that he’s done has anything good associated with it.” They can’t process information, added Pinderhughes, because race blinds them. “The blame for what happened during the midterms cannot be laid at the feet of minority voters,” said Belcher.
Why votes matter Andra Gillespie agreed. Gillespie is interim chair of the Department of African American Studies at Emory University in Atlanta and co-author of a report on Black voter turnout for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a nonpartisan think tank focused on racial equity She said there were a few places where the Black voter turnout as a share of the overall electorate either de-
clined or stayed the same. “But in many places,” Gillespie said, “the Black share of the electorate increased and the White share of the electorate decreased. Democrats still lost and they didn’t lose because Blacks didn’t turn out and vote for them.” Gillespie added: “It’s just that, numerically speaking, it takes more than Black votes for Democrats to be able to win.”
Focus on 2016 As the Democrats gear up for the 2016 elections, Mary Frances Berry, a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the chair of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission under President Bill Clinton, said that the voter suppression efforts are not enough to persuade Blacks and other minorities to turn out and vote for Democratic candidates anymore. “It’s not going to be enough for Hillary run and say, ‘All the Black people should vote for me, because I’m a Democrat and because Obama’s not on the ticket now, so you should vote for me,” said Berry. “I don’t think it’s going to be enough.” Berry said that the Democrats need to act earlier and more aggressively to gain the support of young Black voters, possibly targeting the group with a jobs program. The Labor Department can set up model programs using discretionary funds and start pilot programs in certain areas targeting high unemployment areas, Berry explained. “Then [President Obama] could ask Congress for an expanded program and people would be able to talk about what the party is doing,” said Berry.
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M SPORTS AYOR
Wildcats rack up another big MEAC win play. Delicia Pierre added nine kills and seven digs for Bethune-Cookman, a seniorless team that found something to celebrate other than Senior Day in its regular season finale. “It’s sinking in, and it’s a great feeling,” said Pierre, a junior. “To see the growth and change in this team is wonderful. We can see the results.”
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Bethune-Cookman’s defense scored two fourth quarter safeties and held Norfolk State to 67 total yards as the No. 18/20 Wildcats took a 13-7 victory over the Spartans on Nov. 7 in a nationally televised ESPNU contest at William “Dick” Price Stadium. It was the 800th contest in program history, while the victory helped Bethune-Cookman (7-2 overall, 5-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) remain atop the jumbled MEAC leader board. Three other teams – Morgan State, North Carolina A&T and South Carolina State, also have one conference loss. Senior defensive tackle Rony Barrow registered both safeties for the Wildcats defense, who allowed only three Spartans first downs in a match-up of two of the nation’s top FCS defensive units. “When your defense scores, it puts you in a position to win,” said B-CU head coach Brian Jenkins. “Our defense bowed their neck and stood their ground tonight. You saw two wellcoached defensive teams. We just were able to make more plays tonight. When you only give up [67] total yards, I really don’t have to say anything. “
Not rattled For the second straight week and fourth time this season, the Wildcats won when they trailed after three quarters. “We drill our kids on not getting rattled and playing a complete game,” Jenkins said. “When we didn’t have some success on offense early, we stayed in the moment and prepared for the next moment to come. They played four quarters of football.” Barrow and Ty’re Simmons gave the Wildcats an 8-7 lead with 14:36 remaining when Barrow tackled Norfolk State running back Aaron Daniels in the end zone for a safety. Punter Jonathan Cagle set the score with a 57-yard punt that the Spartans mishandled deep in their own territory. After the free kick, Bethune-Cookman increased its lead to 11-7 on a 24-yard Ben Noboa field goal. A 29-yard Quentin Williams completion to tight end Justin on third down kept the drive alive.
Big plays at the finish Cagle and Barrow came up big again in the game’s final 90 seconds. A 37-yard Cagle punt pinned the Spartans at their own one-yard line. On the first play, Barrow and David Perry sacked Spartans quarterback Terrance Ervin for the safety with 1:21 to play. “Cagle’s a vet at this
Practiced well
KATIE CARLSON/ENVISION SPORTS MEDIA
Bethune-Cookman was scheduled to take on Hampton University Thursday night in a televised contest on ESPNU.
B-CU ROUNDUP thing,” Jenkins said. “He knows how to adjust different things – his drops and positioning the ball to get a good kick.” Bethune-Cookman recovered the ensuing onside kickoff attempt from Norfolk State (on the free kick) and ran out the clock for the victory. Williams threw for 83 yards and rushed for 44, but the Wildcats offense gave up three turnovers and failed to punch the ball in twice inside the Spartans red zone. Norfolk State (4-6, 4-2 MEAC) capitalized on the first Wildcats mistake, needing only 45 yards to drive after an interception. Ervin hit Chris Lee for a 16-yard score with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter. The Wildcats pulled to within 7-6 with 8:16 remaining in the half when Williams connected with Jhomo Gordon on a 23-yard touchdown on a fourthdown play, but the PAT went wide left.
On to Baltimore Rony Barrow helps to lead the Wildcats to a win against Norfolk State. The women’s volleyball team defeats FAMU.
Made Top 10 Plays In the third quarter, B-CU got the ball on the Spartan 5-yard line after a blocked punt, but came up empty after a missed field goal. Michael D. Jones had 50 yards for the Wildcats while Jaime Wilson had a 26-yard, one-handed catch in the fourth quarter that was trending on ESPN for a spot on SportsCenters Top 10 Plays. “Funny thing about that is that every day in practice, we’re yelling at Jaime `two hands, two hands’ and then he comes in the game and does that one-handed catch,” Jenkins said. “It shows you our guys were
Florida A&M (11-14,9-1) easily swept the Lady Cats 3-0 in the first meeting Oct. 10 in Tallahassee to extend the winning streak in the series that started when Bethune-Cookman first fielded a team in 1987. This time, BethuneCookman outhit the Rattlers .252-.161 and committed seven less errors. “We didn’t execute and were nervous up there,” said B-CU Head Coach Isaac Raphael. “We’ve been looking forward to this match all year – we planned well, practiced well and everything worked.” The Rattlers took an 11-6 lead in the third set before Bethune-Cookman managed a 13-13 tie on consecutive Hazel Ortiz-Rosado service aces and took its first lead at 14-13 on a service error. Bethune-Cookman pulled away from a 14-14 tie to lead by as many as three points. After Florida A&M closed to 19-18, the Lady Cats ran off four unanswered points to lead 23-19 and were at match point at 24-20. A Rattler service error gave the Lady Cats the victory.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF B-CU
into the game from beginning to end and wanted to make a play when they had an opportunity.” Rakeem Knight led the Wildcats defense with five tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Adding five tackles apiece for the Cats were LeBranden Richardson, Ralph Williams and Barrow. Bethune-Cookman re-
turned to Virginia this week for another ESPNU contest, this one on Nov. 13 at Hampton with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, Va.
‘A great feeling:’ Volleyball team finally beats FAMU Rakaya Neely posted 13 kills and six blocks as Bethune-Cookman’s volleyball
team snapped a 49-match losing streak to Florida A&M Sunday, downing the Rattlers for the first time ever with a 3-0 (25-20,2522,25-21) victory in Moore Gymnasium. The freshman hit .522 to help the Lady Cats (10-19 overall, 8-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference South) finish the regular season with their best record percentage-wise in league
Neely had six kills in the opening set and five in the second as Bethune-Cookman opened up four points leads in each set and kept the Rattlers at bay. Lauren Turner added seven kills and five blocks for the Lady Cats, while Normarie Rolon paced the defense with 13 digs. OrtizRosado posted 31 assists, and the two service aces boosted her MEAC-leading total to 51. Bethune-Cookman earned the South Division’s second seed for the conference tournament in Baltimore. Notes: Neely increased her block total to 98 for the season, five short of the single-season record of 103 held by Sharifa Carr … The Lady Cats finish the 2014 regular with a perfect record (5-0) at home in MEAC play and a winning record (5-4) overall … The last time Bethune-Cookman even won two sets against Florida A&M was in 1996 ... This also snapped the Rattlers’ 38-match win streak in conference play.
This roundup was courtesy of BCUathletics.com.
Harvick wins in Arizona, heads to Homestead for championship race BY JIM UTTER CHARLOTTE OBSERVER (MCT)
AVONDALE, Ariz. — And then there were four. Kevin Harvick dominated the field in Sunday’s Quicken Loans 500 at Phoenix International Raceway for his third consecutive Sprint Cup Series win at the track and raced his way into a berth in next weekend’s championship race at Homestead, Fla. Joining Harvick to race for the 2014 series title next Sunday are Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman, who passed Kyle Larson for position on the last lap to earn the title berth. Jeff Gordon finished second in the race, Matt Kenseth was third, Brad Keselowski was fourth and Hamlin was fifth. Gordon, Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Kenseth failed to advance of Round 3 of the Chase.
Hamlin, the pole-winner, took command early and led the first 24 laps. Debris on the backstretch brought out the first caution of the race on Lap 32. During a round of pit stops, Hamlin was forced to pit twice after the valve stem of his right-rear tire was knocked out during his pit stop. Logano took over the lead on the restart on Lap 36.
teams to pit for tires and fuel on Lap 125. During the stop, Logano received a penalty from NASCAR for removing equipment (his fuel can) from his pit stall. Harvick remained in the lead on the restart on Lap 128. Logano restarted in 26th. Austin Dillon hit the wall on Lap 185 to bring out the fifth caution. Harvick continued in the lead on the restart on Lap 192.
Big advantage
Three-car incident
Harvick moved into the lead on Lap 40 and moved out to a big advantage. Casey Mears wrecked on Lap 81 to bring out the second caution. After a round of pit stops, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took over the race lead on Lap 88 after taking just two new tires. Harvick restarted second and Gordon third. Harvick quickly moved into the lead on the restart. Debris in Turn 1 allowed
Debris in Turn 1 brought out another caution on Lap 201, which allowed Logano to return to the lead lap via a free pass for being the first car one lap down. Harvick led the way on the restart on Lap 206. Ty Dillon and Josh Wise triggered a wreck on Lap 206, which brought out the seventh caution of the race. Hamlin was able to return to the lead lap via the free pass. Harvick was
JEFF SINER/CHARLOTTE OBERSERVER/MCT
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick relaxes in the garage area on Feb. 22 at Daytona International Speedway. still the leader on the restart on Lap 212. A three-car incident involving Cole Whitt, Clint
Bowyer and Kyle Busch brought out the caution on Lap 212. NASCAR redflagged the race for nearly
four minutes to clean debris from the track. On the restart on Lap 221, Harvick was out front followed by Kyle Larson and Keselowski. Jimmie Johnson hit the wall on Lap 236 to bring out the ninth caution of the race. All of the lead-lap cars pit for fuel and tires with Harvick maintaining the lead on the restart on Lap 244 followed by Gordon and Kenseth. Jamie McMurray wrecked on Lap 244 to bring out the 10th caution of the day. On the restart on Lap 249, Harvick again moved out to a big lead. Debris on the frontstretch brought out another caution. On the restart, Harvick led the way again. Mike Wallace and Landon Cassill wrecked on Lap 297 to bring out a record 12th caution. Harvick restarted on Lap 301 in the lead followed by Gordon and Kenseth.
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NOVEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19, 2014
‘I am an activist who became an artist’ Harry Belafonte discusses activism, how he ended up in show business BY SUSAN KING LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)
When Harry Belafonte appeared in mob-controlled Las Vegas in the 1950s at the Thunderbird Hotel, he decided to challenge the racist system that prevented African-American performers from staying at hotels on the Strip. “I walked into the lobby, going to the desk to register,” said Belafonte, 87. “The woman looked at me like I was a Martian. She went back and got the manager. I went into his office, and he said, ‘The rules are you can’t stay here.’ I was absolutely taken aback. I said, ‘Well, I don’t think this is going to work.’” The manager turned Belafonte over to “the big boss.” “I said, ‘I’d just like to leave town quietly, and you go ahead, do what you want to do with your rules,’” Belafonte said. “He said to me, ‘The only way you are going to leave here without playing out that contract is in a box.’”
Given Hersholt award Belafonte called his uncle in Harlem, who had connections to Alex “Shondor” Birns, the Cleveland mobster. “Word came down the rules no longer applied to me by intervention of a very high authority,” Belafonte said. “So I took that moment to push: I went swimming. I did everything I was told not to. Eventually, my whole band
LIONEL HAHN/ABACA PRESS/MCT
Harry Belafonte and his daughter, Shari, attend a premiere in Los Angeles in 2006. stayed at the hotel. Things changed.” The activist-actor-singer-songwriter received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors Awards ceremony in Hollywood on Saturday. Previous winners of the Hersholt award include Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Paul Newman and Audrey Hepburn. The Hersholt award, academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said, is granted to those who are “instrumental in humanitarian causes” and who “bring a spotlight and public awareness to certain issues.” “Mr. Belafonte has been
an activist his whole life,” she said.
Activist first Belafonte fought against injustice long before he met the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1956 and became a major force in the civil rights movement. “I am not an artist who became an activist,” Belafonte said. “I am an activist who became an artist.” The artist came to fame six decades ago, making his film debut in 1953’s “Bright Road” and later starring in 1954’s “Carmen Jones” and 1959’s “Odds Against Tomorrow.” He brought Caribbean music into the mainstream in 1956 with “The Banana Boat Song.”
And he became the first African American to win an Emmy, for his 1959 CBS musical special. Belafonte’s activism, however, wasn’t always beneficial to his career. “People say, ‘You have sacrificed a lot,’” he said. “I say, hold it. Let me just paint a scenario for you.”
Started early If he hadn’t been an activist, Belafonte noted, “I never would have become so intimately involved with Nelson Mandela. I would never have been so intimately involved with a man who selected me not only to be a confidant but a close friend — Dr. King. I never would have been
embraced to the extent I was by Eleanor Roosevelt. She stepped into my life in a huge way because of our mutual sense of injustice in the world.” Belafonte’s pursuit of social change began as a youngster in Harlem watching his Caribbean family wrestling with issues of race and poverty. “There was a theme in our circle of never accepting oppression without resistance,” he said, singling out his mother, whom he described as “very feisty and very much against injustice.” After volunteering as a teenager for the U.S. Army during World War II, Belafonte and other Black veterans expected to return to a “very generous America” because they had shown “great loyalty to this country, to the values of this country.” Instead, he said, “we came back to a very rigid set of racial lines that were being drawn. The laws of segregation were being intensified.”
Robeson’s influence Belafonte’s life changed when he went to see “Home Is the Hunter,” a drama about the problems of Black veterans, at the American Negro Theater in Harlem. “It was kind of an epiphany,” he said. “I found something that so delighted me and attracted my attention. I really wanted to be a part of it. That ultimately led me to study theater.” While he was at the theater, he met the man who would be one of his greatest friends and influences: the blacklisted AfricanAmerican actor, activist and singer Paul Robeson. “We were quite overwhelmed by his presence,”
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Belafonte said. “We began to listen to his ideas and what he had to say.”
Challenged Sullivan By 1954, Belafonte found himself on the blacklist, a fact that angered Ed Sullivan, host of CBS’ popular “Ed Sullivan Show.” Belafonte had just won the Tony Award for supporting actor for the musical “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac” and was set to appear the following week on the Sullivan show. But then Sullivan got word from CBS that Belafonte was in political hot water. Sullivan summoned Belafonte to a meeting. “He was really looking for a way in which to maybe challenge the reason I was blacklisted,” Belafonte said. “He said, ‘I have a list of things that you are charged with that has caused them to believe you are very unpatriotic.’ I asked him to tell me what the list described me as being.” Sullivan read the list. “As a matter of fact, your list is way short of many of the things I have done and will continue to do,” Belafonte told Sullivan. Then Belafonte challenged Sullivan, asking the Irish American host to compare how the Irish rebellion against the British was considered “an act of nobility,” whereas the reaction to Black Americans and “our resistance to the tyranny we’ve experienced” was quite different. “I appealed to him on that basis,” Belafonte said. Belafonte left the meeting. That afternoon his agent called and said Belafonte would be on “The Ed Sullivan Show” that Sunday.