Florida Courier - January 16, 2015

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MLK speeches, facts, trivia: See Pages A5, B1, B3, B6

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JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

VOLUME 23 NO. 3

STILL STRUGGLING

Five years after a devastating earthquake, political and economic uncertainty in Haiti still remains.

Major toll

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD /TNS

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – On Monday, President Michel Martelly used his nation’s most solemn anniversary – Jan. 12, 2010 – to issue an appeal for calm and unity, asking Haitians to remember the victims of the country’s devastating earthquake five years ago by putting Haiti first.

“Haiti needs peace,” he said, attending an official ceremony at the site of the mass graves near Titanyen, where many of the more than 300,000 victims are buried.

During the solemn commemoration of the disaster, which was more low-key than in previous years, Martelly reminded Haitians that in the first hours and days after the unimaginable tragedy, they came together to help each other. Sometimes using nothing but their bare hands, Haitians dug through the rubble of collapsed schools and homes to “help a neighbor, a colleague, someone whom we had never met before.”

“Every life that was saved, was a victory,” he said, “every child who came out from underneath the rubble – joy.”

In addition to those who died, there were 300,000 injured and 1.5 million left homeless.

The number of earthquake dead has long been debated and Monday was no exception. Every speaker had a figure different from the 316,000 that former Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, who was in office at the time, announced.

Among those dead was the top brass of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission, which was meeting when the earthquake hit at 4:53 p.m.

Last week, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon unveiled a memorial for all of the U.N.’s personnel who died that day.

Clinton absent Former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy Bill Clinton did not attend the commemoration, unlike previous years. He said, “We should be thankful for the progress made and strong in our commitment

PATRICK FARRELL/MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Workers off the beach in the village of Basse-Terre in the northwest region of See HAITI, Page A2 Haiti attempt to fix a damaged boat.

Military dismisses Boko Haram killings

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., 1929-1968

‘A stone of hope’

Social media says Nigeria ‘ massacre’ ignored COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

KANO, NIGERIA – Hundreds of people have been killed in northeastern Nigeria in terror attacks in the last week, local officials say, as Boko Haram militants took control of 16 towns in a new humiliation for the country’s struggling armed forces.

Nigeria’s military has disputed reports that as many as 2,000 people were killed in a recent assault by militants on a town in the country’s northeast, putting the dead at 150, including many of the attackers.

The military, under fire for losing large swaths of the northeast to militants from the group Boko Haram, dismissed reports of the high death toll in the town of Baga, saying it based its lower estimate on investigation and surveillance.

“From all available evidences, the number of people who lost their lives during the attack has so far not exceeded about 150 in the interim,” the Defense Ministry said on Twitter. It said the military had not “given up” on Baga or any part of the country.

See KILLINGS, Page A2 ANDRE CHUNG/MCT

Rita Mistry takes a photo of her family in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, a four-acre monument of stone, trees and located along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D. C. Read the full text of “I Have A Dream” on Page A5.

Deep South HIV/AIDS patients die sooner than rest of nation FROM WIRE SERVICES

DURHAM, N.C. – The southern U.S. had the nation’s lowest five-year survival rate among those diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in 2003-2004, according to new Duke University research.

Fifteen percent of people diagnosed with HIV and 27 percent of those diagnosed with AIDS in that year had died within five

ALSO INSIDE

years of diagnosis.

Nine southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas) are hit disproportionately hard by HIV/AIDS. Patients in this region tend to be younger, more rural, African-American and female. They are also more likely to attribute their HIV infection to heterosexual sex.

‘Dire consequences’ “This research documents the dire consequences that having an HIV diagnosis in the Deep South region has for too many individuals,” said Duke University law professor Carolyn McAllaster, who directs the Southern HIV/AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI) and the law school’s AIDS/HIV and Cancer Legal Project.

The research team included the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research at the Duke Global Health Institute, SASI, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of North Carolina School of Public Health. Their findings appear in the December 2014 edition of the Journal of Community Health.

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

More female drama for Zimmerman NATION | A6

Congress leader: Black America is in a state of emergency

ENTERTAINMENT | B5

Dick Gregory finally getting Hollywood star

See HIV/AIDS, Page A2

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: JULIANNE MALVEAUX: EDUCATION, ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND THE KING MANDATE | A4

FOCUS

A2

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

‘Je Suis Lucius Gantt’ (I am Lucius Gantt) The Gantt Report stands with the people of France and goodthinking people around the world protesting the brutal murders of French journalists that were killed in a recent terrorist attacks on their media offices in the European nation.

More than a million people joined more than 40 presidents and prime ministers on the streets of Paris earlier this month in the most striking show of solidarity in the West against the threat of Islamic extremism since the Sept. 11 attacks.

No true freedom fighter will murder innocent women, children and others in the name of religion. So-called religious leaders that encourage the killings of innocents must be discredited and opposed!

I’ve been targeted Now, the French employees killed while working at a magazine office are not the only jour-

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

nalists that fear death and destruction. At least two or three times a year, I get death threats from people that hate the messages written in The Gantt Report.

A few years ago, North Florida law enforcers looked into threats made against my person. They discovered that North Florida Klansmen and Nazi sympathizers had discussed doing things to silence me. No one ever confronted me, but calls were made to my Caucasian clients and friends and suggestions were made that I should be terminated literally and figuratively.

My clients were asked if they

knew the contents of my editorial writing. My clients responded yes they did. In fact, they told the closet Klansmen they have been reading The Gantt Report for more than two decades!

pervisors, directors, managers and producers. The people that sign the timesheets and write the paychecks will always make more money than the hired media help!

and broadcasters that you like.

Every now and then, tell them you enjoy their writings and broadcasts.

Truth is dangerous

Expiration date

Anyway, telling, writing or broadcasting the truth is far more dangerous than you might think.

I’ve seen journalists get shot at, hit with bricks and bottles, bumrushed and ganged up upon because of what they reported or wrote or were about to write.

Yes, good journalists are a rare and dying breed. No one that wants to get rich should seek a career in media.

Journalists never make much money. More often than not, journalists get paid with prestige!

They get recognition. They get admiration.

But even the radio show hosts and TV show hosts you love don’t earn as much money as their su-

Reality TV shows are permeated with former media professionals, rap stars, and movie stars that are now broke “has-beens.”

Journalists all have an expiration date! You get a media job and stick around for a few years.

But when your salary and benefits get higher and higher, they thank you for the memories and hire another journalist that is younger and cheaper!

So, with a somewhat short career time, good journalists that tell you the truth about issues they cover should be honored and praised, instead of being shot and killed!

Show your appreciation to the newspaper and magazine writers

There are fake religious leaders sending out hit men to kill the people’s reporters. There are governments spending money to silence outspoken journalist.

There are beast bankers trying to squeeze the lifeblood out of Black media companies that hire Black media professionals.

Don’t ever be scared to stand up, to speak out or to write about the world in a truthful manner.

But always watch your back and protect yourself at all times!

Under attack

Find books by Gantt online and contact Lucius at www. allworldconsultants.net. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

KILLINGS

techniques if Nigeria supplied the equipment.

U.S. Ambassador James Entwhistle told Nigerian television over the weekend that the U.S. flew trainers into Nigeria last year but equipment wasn’t available and the Nigerian government canceled the training agreement.

from A1

In recent days, local officials in Baga also said the toll had been exaggerated.

Angry social media Many Black Facebook and Twitter users complained that the Boko Haram massacre of thousands of Africans was ignored, while the world rallied after a dozen French journalists and four French Jews were murdered.

Gruesome images sprung up on Twitter, including ones showing hundreds of badly burned corpses laid out on a village square. One shocking image showed a woman and her baby, both burned to death. Images are accompanied by the hashtag BokoHaramKilled2000People.

But, according to an African fact-checking agency, the picture of the corpses was taken after a fuel tanker explosion several years ago in the Republic of Congo. And the burned baby photo has been circulating since 2011, according to security analyst Yan St-Pierre.

Access to Nigeria’s troubled northeast region is difficult for security reasons, and those displaced by fighting tend to flee in different directions, making it impossible to confirm how many died in the recent attacks.

Murder, kidnapping Boko Haram, which has long terrorized northern

HAITI from A1

to support Haitians as they continue their march toward a more prosperous future.

“The efforts of the Haitian people and their partners in the international community are yielding promising results, including four consecutive years of positive GDP growth, rising apparel and agricultural exports, and increasing tourist numbers,” he said.

“But there is still much more to be done to widen the circle of opportunity and create the capacity for long-term development that relies less on foreign aid and more on the talent, enterprise, and resilience of the Haitian people.”

Mixed legacy During a protest Sunday, anti-government demonstrators passed around copies of a photo of Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying they aren’t welcomed in Haiti. The anger stems from support for Martelly, whom some are asking to resign, and dissatisfaction with the slow progress, which Clinton oversaw for 18 months as co-chair of the Interim

Neighboring country attacked

IKECHUKWU IBE/XINHUA/ZUMA PRESS/MCT

Boko Haram, an Al Qaeda affiliate, has launched a series of attacks in Nigeria including a June 2014 shopping mall bomb in Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

Nigeria, kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in the northeastern town of Chibok in April 2014. Hundreds more women and girls have been kidnapped, and thousands – mainly men and boys – have been killed.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), which tracks security in Nigeria based on media reports, says that more than 16,000 people have been killed by Boko Haram since 2011, though it cautions that accounts are often sketchy.

The CFR said there has been a major increase in Boko Haram killings this past year, with about 11,000 Boko Haram killings in 2014, of the more than

16,000 killed by the group since 2011.

Haitian Recovery Commission, which his wife pushed as secretary of state.

The commission’s job was to help the international community better coordinate more than $12 billion in promised aid, and had promised to help Haiti “build back better” after the tragedy. While there has been progress over the last four years, it has been slow and many of the promises, such as jobs and the construction of tens of thousands of homes, have not been realized.

As Martelly spoke, members of the diplomatic corps looked on. Most were dressed in black or white, traditional mourning colors in Haiti. The government ministers wore longsleeve white shirts, with blue trimmings that are known as pepe bayard, a Haitian version of the Cuban guayabera shirt.

The event began with a children’s choir and brief speeches by members of the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Vodou faiths.

Haiti’s Culture Ministry has started working to turn the mass gravesite into a memorial.

Erol Josue, a member of the Vodou religion and culture, told Haitians that the fifth anniversary was a day for all to reflect on the country, and its history.

Recalling how Vodou was

blamed for the earthquake because it was a Vodou ceremony that set in motion the events of the Haitian Revolution, Josue said Haitians have to respect one another.

“Give Haiti a chance, put side all of your personal problems,” he said. “We lost a lot of people, even people who came to visit us … we lost hope.”

Serious defeat The Baga defeat was a serious blow for regional efforts to contain Boko Haram. Nigerian troops resisted the attack for several hours before running out of ammunition and fleeing, according to agency reports.

Abdullahi Bawa Wase, security analyst, said the loss of Baga was a devastating blow to Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram.

“The capture of Baga is of enormous significance,” he said in an interview. “It has put a lie to the Nigerian government claim that it is

Appeal for unity “This is a sad day, a day of mourning, a day where a lot of people remember what happened,” Martelly said in his speech that touched on the reality of the event, and that of the day – the ongoing political crisis.

Turning to his supporters and detractors, he appealed for calm, telling Haitians that it’s not in “burning tires on the roads, demanding change,” that Haiti will change.

“The country has enough problems already,” he said. “This is too much.

Let’s give the country a chance in the name of all these victims.”

Elections delayed The appeal for country and unity came as Haitians began the day in political uncertainty.

A last-minute effort Sunday to approve a tentative political agreement be-

on top of the situation.

“Baga was the last town in the hands of the Nigerian government in the region and now with the seizure of Baga the whole northern Borno is now under the control of Boko Haram. Their next move is predictable, which is expanding their territory southwards.”

He said Baga is an important regional economic center.

“Baga as an agricultural and fishing center will provide huge economic benefits to Boko Haram, who will no doubt exploit its rich potentials for restocking and arming its fighters for its operations.”

tween Martelly and opposition parties that would have scheduled long overdue legislative and local elections ended without a vote by parliament because the Senate failed to get the necessary 16 members needed for a quorum.

On radio and on the streets, Haitians debated whether the terms of the entire 99-member Chamber of Deputies and a second-tier of the 30-member Senate had indeed expired, and whether Martelly was now ruling by decree.

On Tuesday, a new prime minister took office following the dissolution of parliament. Prime Minister Evans Paul was nominated

by Martelly, but was not confirmed by the Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

The terms of all lawmakers expired, as opponents of Martelly blocked legislation authorizing elections.

Martelly can now rule by decree under the constitution and Paul automatically assumed the prime minister’s post.

Paul told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he is organizing the government and is trying to carry on amid the uncertainty. He said a new electoral council will be appointed within weeks and the legislative elections will be held this year.

Asking for help The Boko Haram crisis has strained relations between Nigeria and the United States, with the former accusing American officials of refusing to supply arms and equipment to help it defeat the militant group.

Nigeria canceled a military training deal last year with the U.S. in response to Washington’s policy of not supplying military equipment to Nigerian forces because of their poor record of human rights.

The U.S. refused to sell Cobra military helicopters to Nigeria, but offered to train a battalion of its soldiers in counterterrorism

HIV/AIDS from A1

Differences between U.S. regions in demographic characteristics and transmission risk did not explain the higher death rate among persons living with HIV in the targeted Southern states, indicating that other factors contribute to this disparity.

Numerous factors Lead author Susan Reif of the Duke Glob-

Boko Haram fighters attacked a military base in Kolofata, Cameroon, on Monday, but Cameroonian government officials said Tuesday that the nation’s military had driven back the insurgents and killed 143 of them.

Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary said several hundred insurgents attacked the base, and fighting continued for five hours before Cameroonian forces repelled the attack.

Election uncertainty With Nigeria facing elections next month, the poor security situation in many parts of northeast Nigeria means many citizens will probably be unable to vote.

A low turnout in the northeast would probably help incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, since northern elders have indicated they supported his opponent, 72-year-old former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari.

Robyn Dixon of the Los Angeles Times / TNS and special correspondent Aminu Abubakar contributed to this report.

al Health Institute said a number of factors likely contribute to the differences in outcomes seen among individuals living with HIV in the Deep South, including poverty, lower levels of education and insurance coverage, social stigma associated with the disease, and racism.

“These differences are crucial to consider when creating strategies to address HIV/AIDS in this region,” Reif said. “Clearly greater investment and focus are required to address the unique nature of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the South.”

ASTRID RIECKEN/MCT

AIDS drugs fill a pharmacy at a Washington, D.C.based community health center.

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

FLORIDA

A3

Police release arrest report on Zimmerman’s latest incident

BY RENE STUTZMAN ORLANDO SENTINEL (TNS)

George Zimmerman threw a wine bottle at a woman who had just dumped him and threw her phone to the ground in a dispute that led to his arrest the night of Jan. 9, according to a police report.

He was jailed on an aggravated assault charge but is free on $5,000 bond.

Lake Mary police on Monday released more details about what led to the arrest.

Zimmerman told police that he did nothing wrong, according to an incident report, and was trying to keep the woman, whose name has not been released, from coming inside his home.

Police found the broken bottle in the driveway.

Zimmerman told them that she threw it at his garage because he refused to let her inside. The phone, he said, was broken long before by her 5-year-old son.

The couple had lived together two to three months, according to the report. She told police they had met at work eight or nine months ago, that she needed a place to live and that he had let her move in.

Started days earlier Police got involved about 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, according to department paperwork, when an officer heard breaking glass, then observed the girlfriend drive away from Zimmerman’s house without turning on her headlights.

When they pulled her over, she was extremely upset, according to the report, and her backseat was full of her clothes and other household belongings.

Zimmerman had thrown a wine bottle at her, she said, but had missed, and had broken her cellphone by throwing it to the ground, the report said.

The woman said they had argued over several things. She wanted to break up, she said, and he wanted her to return a painting.

Zimmerman, she told police, is a “psychopath,” according to an incident report.

Kept officers waiting There was a five-day gap between the incident and Zimmerman’s arrest, accord-

STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

George Zimmerman, right, sits with attorney Don West during a first appearance at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford on Jan. 10. ing to the police department, because officers tried repeatedly to reach Zimmerman by phone and at his house but could not.

That ended last Friday night when they found him at home. Even then he did not surrender for nearly two hours, keeping officers locked out. They knocked several times, phoned him several times and talked to his lawyer by phone before Zimmerman agreed to open his door, according to an incident report.

The woman told police the night of the incident that she did not want to prosecute, but officers arrested him anyway, in part, because “there is a possibility of further acts of violence,” wrote Sgt. Steven Towler.

At Zimmerman’s initial court appearance Saturday, Circuit Judge John Galluzzo banned him from possessing guns and ordered him to turn over any he owned to a family member or friend.

Other incidents Zimmerman, 31, is the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who was acquitted of second-degree murder in 2013 after shooting Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black 17-year-old whom he spotted walking through his Sanford apartment complex.

This is the third time since then that Zimmerman has been involved in a domestic violence incident that resulted in police intervention.

In 2013, he was accused of pointing a shotgun at his then-girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, but she later recanted, and prosecutors dropped the charge.

A few months earlier, Lake Mary police briefly handcuffed him after his estranged wife, Shellie Zimmerman, accused him of threatening her and her father with a gun.

COURTESY OF OFFICE OF GOV. RICK SCOTT

Gov. Rick Scott visited the Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology in Naples on Jan. 9 to highlight his proposed $20 million in tech center funding as part of his “Keep Florida Working’’ budget.

Scott proposes ‘historic’ school budget increase

BY BRANDON LARRABEE THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

FROM MICHAEL MANN DIRECTOR OF HEAT, COLLATERAL AND THE INSIDER

LEGENDARY PICTURES AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENT A LEGENDARY PICTURES/FORWARD PASS PRODUCTION A MICHAEL MANN FILM CHRIS HEMSWORTH “BLACKHAT” TANG WEI VIOLAEXECUTIVEDAVIS RITCHIE COSTER HOLT MPRODUCED CCALLANY YORICK VAN WAGENINGEN AND WANG LEEHOM MUSIC

BY THOMAS TULL p.g.a. MICHAEL MANN p.g.a. JON JASHNI p.g.a.

BY HARRY GREGSON-WILLIAMS ATTICUS ROSS PRODUCERS ERIC MCLEOD ALEX GARCIA WRITTEN DIRECTED

BY MORGAN DAVIS FOEHL

BY MICHAEL MANN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE

and helping all of the students who attend them.”

Compliment from union

Dems not impressed

The proposal would mark an increase of roughly $261 from the current budget year, which ends June 30. But it still has to survive a legislative process in which lawmakers will be eager to fulfill their own priorities.

So far, legislative leaders have been noncommittal when asked specifically about meeting Scott’s targets for education funding and a portion of the $1 billion in tax cuts he promised over two years.

The school funding proposal won Scott a rare compliment from the state’s largest teachers union.

“FEA applauds the governor for keeping his campaign promise and increasing the state’s budget allotment for public school students,” Florida Education Association President Andy Ford said.

“We look forward to working with the governor and the Legislature to continue to invest to improve our local public schools

Overall, funding for public schools would rise by $842.5 million, to almost $19.8 billion. The state’s share would increase to a shade over $11 billion, meaning about $400 million of the new funding would come from the state. Local taxpayers would pick up the rest.

Democrats have signaled that they’re not impressed by Scott’s pitch.

After the governor’s inaugural address last week, Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, said the proposed boost in education spending isn’t enough.

“We need to do a whole lot more than that, because coming to Florida to live is more than about lower taxes and warm weather,” she said. “It’s about the quality of life that you will have and the type jobs that we will offer these people.”

Scott is expected to release a full budget proposal in the next few weeks.

State GOP nears $113 million in two years FRI 1/16 3 col (4.93”)” x 10” ALL.BLH.0116.FCemail

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© 2014 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

TALLAHASSEE – Making good on a campaign promise, Gov. Rick Scott announced Monday he will ask lawmakers to provide the highest per-student funding for education in state history during the legislative session that begins in March.

Scott said his “Keep Florida Working” budget would include $7,176 per student, about $50 above the previous high in the 2007-08 budget year. That spending plan was approved before the financial crisis that caused the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

“Our historic funding proposal of $7,176 per student will provide our schools the resources for our students to have the very best opportunity to succeed because we know the workers and leaders of tomorrow are in our classrooms today,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “ ...

These record investments will continue to equip our students for the jobs of tomorrow and help us on

our path to be the number one destination for jobs.”

FLORIDA COURIER

THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 16

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

The Republican Party of Florida collected about $112.8 million in contributions during the past two years, as it backed campaigns that re-elected Gov. Rick Scott and three Cabinet members and widened an already-large majority in the state House.

A campaign-finance document filed Monday showed the party raised $1,964,295 from Oct. 31 through Dec. 31, with part of those contributions going to Scott’s inauguration activities.

Along with raising about $112.8 million during 2013 and 2014, filings with the state Division of Elections indicate

the party spent about $112.3 million.

$51.2 mil for Dems The Florida Democratic Party collected nearly $51.2 million to fuel its efforts during the 2014 election cycle – with more than half of that amount coming from a political committee closely tied to gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, according to a newly filed finance report.

The total includes money raised from Jan. 1, 2013, to Jan. 2, 2015. During that time, the party also reported spending slightly more than $48 million. A committee known as “Charlie Crist for Florida” funneled about $28.5 million to the party during the period, according to reports on the state Division of Elections website.

In sending money to the party, the Crist committee could help boost funding for such things as get-out-the-vote efforts. Various types of candidates and political organizations were required to file updated campaign-finance reports Monday.

EDITORIAL

A4

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

Education, economic justice and the King mandate As he labored for social, civil and economic justice, Dr. King was extremely concerned both about the educational inequities that were a function of segregation, and about the purpose and quality of education. As early as 1947, as a Morehouse College student, he wrote an article, “The Purpose of Education” for the Maroon Tiger, the college newspaper. His article is as relevant today as it was then.

Today much of the focus of education is on passing standardized tests; and while educational measurement is important – Dr. King suggests that these measures are insufficient. In his article in the Maroon Tiger, he pondered the meaning and purpose of education. He wrote that “Education must enable a (person) to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.”

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

More than a commentary Dr. King was critical of the results of specific aspects of education when he wrote, “education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think, incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of halftruths, prejudices, and propaganda. A great majority of the socalled educated people does not think logically and scientifically.

Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in

many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths.”

True in 1947, but even more so today with three-minute commentary passing for news, and some classrooms the site of propaganda delivery. Some Southerners still believe that the South won the Civil War, and they fly the confederate flags to honor it, and teach this falsity in their classrooms. A friend who lives in Georgia said nearly half of her junior high school-age daughter’s U.S. history curriculum covered aspects of the Civil War. From that perspective, he was quite critical of segregationist, their intelligence, ad their prejudice. “The late Eugene Talmadge, in my opinion, possessed one of the better minds in Georgia, or even America. Moreover, he wore the Phi Beta Kappa key. By all measuring rods, Mr. Talmadge could think critically and inten-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

DARYL CAGLE, CAGLECARTOONS.COM

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 241 Nigeria and France – We are now in a battle against the freedom to think, and a war of ideology against Islamic radical fundamentalism.

I’m a Black journalist and media owner. If Al Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL, Boko Haram, or any terror group can shut down a ‘disrespectful,’ occasionally racist French magazine, every type of media unacceptable to them is a target.

America and its allies readily produce and deploy high-tech killing machines and techniques. Terrorist organizations and their leadership, soldiers and radicalized ‘lone wolves’ should be located and captured or killed whenever possible and necessary. But that’s not enough.

I’ve written before that America, and now the world, is in the middle of a regional civil war between various factions of Sunni and Shia Muslims, a war that has ebbed and flowed for more than 1,300 YEARS. (America itself isn’t even 300 years old.) The immediate challenge is that there must be an Islamic counternarrative against the largely Sunni jihadist interpretation of the Quran that is being used effectively by Muslim fanatics to digitally radicalize frustrated and alienated Muslim youth all over the world.

Radical jihadist Islam will finally be de-

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

feated when the basic human rights such as freedom of speech and of the press enshrined in the UN Declaration of Human Rights are generally accepted and practiced worldwide. That’s decades in the making.

In the interim, Muslims around the world must get on the digital battlefield of ideas and fight the homicidal and suicidal theological rigidity of radical Islamists to beat back this madness.

And it’s time for America – which created Al Qaeda, the Frankenstein monster that is the foundation of radical Islamic terrorism – to wash the blood off its hands. Is cheap Arab oil and unconditional support of Israel worth a possible world war?

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.

Click on this story at www.flcourier. 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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sively yet he contends that I am an inferior being. Are these the types of men we call educated?”

‘Intelligence is not enough’ Dr. King said that intelligence is not enough, “Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education.” We must develop and support young people who are educated in the King tradition – young people with character and discernment. We cannot do this work without a consciousness of people who are committed to breaking down educational barriers, closing the achievement gap, improving the quality of schools and access to education. But while other countries are increasing their commitment to education, the United States is cutting back.

Said King, “The most dangerous criminal may be the man

(person) gifted with reason, but no morals.” How moral is it to consign millions to low wages, refusing, even, to increase the minimum wage. How moral is it to cut food stamps and jobs programs are in the name of economic growth, although many are still suffering. The art and science of politics is about compromise, but how do we compromise with people’s lives and well-being?

Wages, health career, education, and access to housing should not be bargained over, but given. Too many of our legislators are educated, but lack morals. It is shameful to watch them celebrate the shredding of the safety net.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist based in Washington, D.C. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Working together to make the next generation prosper Whenever there’s a problem with our youth engaging in destructive behaviors, it’s very popular among those in the church to say, ‘we need to pray for our youth.’ Without a doubt, prayer does work and is able to change people, things, and situations. Seeing so many of our youth fall prey to street crime which eventually leads them to spending their life behind bars, something must be done by those who want to see the next generation prosper.

Unlike so many who have given up hope on our youth, I still believe that we can make a difference. One thing for sure – that difference has to be a collective effort.

We cannot wait for the government to do it. In addition to that, we cannot wait for those in political power to make our youth their top priority.

Welcomed programs With so many organizations making a difference and positioning themselves in communities to provide alternative measures to street crime, I can’t help but applaud the work of two brothers - Chris Nelson, a disabled Army veteran who is the Executive Director of Citizens Going Forward in Elizabeth, New Jersey and Demetrius Howard, the Founder of the Champions Academy in Atlanta, Ga. Through their vision, these two brothers are making our youth aware of the various traps and temptations set out for them to act up and act.

Here’s what you need to know - Citizens Going Forward is committed to bringing awareness and direction to those in the community who are at risk. Champions Academy develops top elite students (Black Boys) who excel via academia and leadership. Programs such as these encourage our youth to prosper.

Let’s face it - working with youth is never easy. It doesn’t matter if your organization is for-profit or non-profit, there are so many obstacles to overcome. In a real sense, obstacles from the judicial and legislative can pose significant problems. Obstacles with getting into schools to provide adequate programs and/services can be a dilemma. And obstacles in getting support from local businesses within the community can be an issue.

DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

No easy fix I wish there was an easy solution to fix the problem. As one who worked in a Rites of Passage Program as well as mentoring children of incarcerated parents, I can’t begin to tell you the struggles faced on a daily basis. Dealing with so many hurtles internally (inside the organization) and externally (within the community), we learned how to navigate through it and make a difference. I’m not saying this to boast – what I am saying is that we (as a people) must be concerned about our youth to never get discouraged or frustrated.

Here are some ways in which we can begin making a huge difference in the lives of our youth.

Financially support organizations that are impacting our community for change.

It’s through financial giving that programs and/or services can begin and/or continue Get involved. Commit at least 1 to 2 hours per week giving back. When our youth see that we care about them, they will begin to see that we care about their future Engage the business community is providing internships. When businesses invest in our youth, they are helping to shape the economic and social landscape of our community Ask churches to adopt local schools to work with. Through this program, the church as well as its members are stepping outside of the four-walls to becoming committed advocates for the youth.

Dr. Sinclair Grey III is an activist, speaker, writer, author, life coach, and host of The Sinclair Grey Show heard on Mondays at 2 p.m. on WAEC Love 860am (iHeart Radio and Tune In).

Contact him at drgrey@sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @drsinclairgray. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

‘Selma’: You’ve got to see it!

Whenever someone tells you how terrible a movie is—especially one about Black people or Civil Rights/Human Rights, one by a Black writer or director – you need to go to see it! It almost always means that it’s worth seeing; that’s my rule! It means that the film struck a nerve with someone who professes, “I’m not a racist” even as that person reacts as one!

Such is the case with “Selma” - a film whose central character is not President Lyndon Johnson, but which has been harshly critiqued as being unfairly critical of the legacy of LBJ. The film is not about LBJ and, unfortunately, most who would critique “Selma” in that manner are likely those unwilling to look realistically and objectively at the raw savagery reigned upon people who were only seeking the justice inherent in their citizenship.

The right thing Unquestionably, good White people participated in the Civil Rights Movement and no one can dispute the transformational legislation signed by President Johnson in 1964 and 1965. As a Black person, I am grateful for that, but I am far more grateful to the human beings who put their lives on the line—some making the ultimate sacrifice—to demonstrate the need for the laws than I am to the President who finally did the right thing.

To more honestly critique “Selma”, one must answer the questions, “Why did Johnson have to be asked to push a Voting Rights law?” “Why did he tolerate so much death and destruction before he did the right thing?”

While understanding the gravity of John-

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICE EDNEY WIRE

son’s actions, his decisions were made and his actions were taken in the sanctuary of his Oval Office. The only threat faced by LBJ was political. Unlike Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Viola Liuzzo, Pastor James Reeb, John Lewis, Jimmy Lee Jackson, Medgar Evers, Diane Nash, Fannie Lou Hamer and others, President Johnson did not have to weigh the threats against his life to the potential good which would be realized by their sacrifice.

Discussion about the film I encourage everyone to see “Selma” and, after you’ve seen it, I ask you to share this powerful film with your family and friends. When you’ve seen it, have a serious discussion with your children and grandchildren about what yesterday’s leaders endured to give us the rights we enjoy today.

I applaud Ava DuVernay for making this movie and I challenge its critics to honestly assess how many filmmakers have produced honest depictions of the struggles and accomplishments of African-Americans.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is president of the National Congress of Black Women.

202/678-6788. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

A5

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ ”

‘I HAVE A DREAM’ Here is the entire text of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

America’s promissory note In a sense, we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check.

When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, – yes, Black men as well as White men – would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check – a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.

We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

Now is the time We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of ‘Now.’ This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.

Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

No bitterness But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst

NATIONAL ARCHIVES/MCT

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his famous speak during the Civil Rights March on Washington, Aug. 28, 1963. for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all White people, for many of our White brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?"

We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.

We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by a sign stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has

nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

Go back I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.

You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities – knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification” – one day right there in Alabama, little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little White boys and White girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together." This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day – this

will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that – Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, Black men and White men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Source: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ mlkihaveadream.htm

NATION

TOJ A6

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

‘Black America is in a state of emergency’ the Voting Rights Act and state and local governments around the country that are “stacking and bleaching legislative and congressional districts, diluting the effectiveness of Black representation and participation.”

But Butterfield, who has a storied civil rights past, is no stranger to such challenges.

“He has lived much of America’s history,” Clyburn said, and “has learned its lessons.”

The new chairman says his leadership of the caucus will be influenced by his experiences growing up in the segregated South of Wilson, N.C., where “colored people” as Blacks were called back then, were treated like second-class citizens.

Young activist

COURTESY OF HOUSE.GOV

U. S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), the new CBC chair, is shown at his swearing in ceremony on Jan. 9.

New Congressional Black Caucus chair vows to continue to fight for criminal justice reforms

is still far to go.

“Black America is in a state of emergency today as it was at the turn of the century,” Butterfield declared in remarks delivered at the CBC’s Jan. 9 ceremonial swearing-in, where the theme was “Learn from our past, but boldly confront an uncertain future.”

BY JOYCE JONES TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (DN.C.), the 24th chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, is taking the reins of the CBC at a pivotal moment in Black history.

Despite all of the progress that African-Americans have made since the group was founded in 1971, arguably the most significant of which has been the election of the nation’s first Black president, Butterfield says there

‘Fight harder’ As the North Carolina Democrat noted, 25 percent of Black households today live below the poverty line and one in three Black children are living in poverty. The African-American unemployment rate has for a half century been twice as high as White unemployment, which only exacerbates persistent income and wealth gaps.

“America is not working for

many African-Americans and the Congressional Black Caucus has an obligation to fight harder and smarter in the next Congress to help repair the damage,” said Butterfield, 68.

With both chambers now entirely controlled by a Republican Party that has repeatedly turned a cold shoulder on increasing minimum wage, extending longterm unemployment insurance and other proposals to keep the social safety net intact, it won’t be easy.

Storied civil rights past In addition, said Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn, who also spoke at the event, African-Americans must deal with the repercussions of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned a key section of

When Butterfield, was a boy, his parents, a teacher and a dentist, were considered middle class. But truth be told, they were just two weeks away from poverty instead of one day like others, and if either parent were to become seriously ill, their family of three would have been financially devastated just like everyone else’s.

As a teenager, Butterfield founded a junior NAACP chapter and helped lead hundreds of other youths in weekly demonstrations to protest segregated public facilities. During his freshman year of college, he took on voting rights, an issue he continues to fight for today.

“Those experiences have helped mold my perspective and make me determined to fight every day to expose and defeat racism and discrimination wherever it may exist,” Butterfield said.

“So if anyone has doubts that this chairman and this Congressional Black Caucus will have any reluctance to fight for our communities – you are mistaken.”

Issues of concern Butterfield succeeds Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge,

who led the Caucus with a keen focus on decreasing the jobless rate in the Black community and against poverty.

In the next two years, the caucus will focus on reducing poverty; creating educational opportunities and strengthening HBCUs; restoring Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act; and ensuring corporate diversity.

In addition to working with allies in Congress and in state and local government, the CBC will join forces with national Black organizations and the faith community to promote its agenda.

Butterfield hopes that poverty is an issue on which Democrats and Republicans can find common ground because GOP lawmakers represent the majority of constituents who’ve lived below the poverty line for the past 30 years.

Ready to fight The centerpiece of the group’s agenda, however, will be criminal justice reform and reversing a “terrible trend” that has resulted in unarmed Black men dying at the hand of law enforcement, Butterfield said.

He said that the CBC will pursue legislation to deal with racial profiling and excessive police force, but also work to address “outdated sentencing laws, unethical prosecutors and communicate the importance of criminal defendants having competent counsel.

“We are ready for these fights.

The fight for the future is not a Black fight, a Democratic or Republican fight; it is a fight that all fair-minded Americans should promote,” the CBC chairman said.

“We need to use political means, policy and legal means to reduce racial disparities and move closer to the day when all African-Americans will benefit from fairness and justice and realize the American dream.”

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JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

Remembering gospel legend Andraé Crouch See page B2

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

A Golden Globe for ‘Selma’ song See page B5

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA

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“Let us be dissatisfied until from every city hall, justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream….’’

SECTION

B

S

“And so we still have a long, long way to go before we reach the promised land of freedom.’’

–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Editor’s note: The question Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. posed decades ago still resonates in 2015.

Here is an edited excerpt of the annual report he delivered at the 11th convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Aug. 16, 1967 in Atlanta.

power, and White Americans to seek their goals through power devoid of love and conscience. It is leading a few extremists today to advocate for Negroes the same destructive and conscienceless power that they have justly abhorred in Whites. It is precisely this collision of immoral power with powerless morality which constitutes the major crisis of our times.

In spite of a decade of significant progress, the Negro still lives in the basement of the Great Society.

He is still at the bottom, despite the few who have penetrated to slightly higher levels. Even where the door has been forced partially open, mobility for the Negro is still sharply restricted. There is often no bottom at which to start, and when there is there’s almost no room at the top. In consequence, Negroes are still impoverished aliens in an affluent society. They are too poor even to rise with the society, too impoverished by the ages to be able to ascend by using their own resources.

Employment or income

Left behind And the Negro did not do this himself; it was done to him. For more than half of his American history, he was enslaved. Yet, he built the spanning bridges and the grand mansions, the sturdy docks and stout factories of the South. His unpaid labor made cotton “King” and established America as a significant nation in international commerce.

Even after his release from chattel slavery, the nation grew over him, submerging him. It became the richest, most powerful society in the history of man, but it left the Negro far behind.

And so we still have a long, long way to go before we reach the promised land of freedom.

Yes, we have left the dusty soils of Egypt, and we have crossed a Red Sea that had for years been hardened by a long and piercing winter of massive resistance, but before we reach the majestic shores of the promised land, there will still be gigantic mountains of opposition ahead and prodigious hilltops of injustice.

We still need some Paul Revere of conscience to alert every hamlet and every village of America that revolution is still at hand. We need some North Star to guide us into a future shrouded with impenetrable uncertainties.

In order to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?,” we must first honestly recognize where we are now.

Not a whole person When the Constitution was written, a strange formula to determine taxes and representation declared that the Negro was sixty percent of a person. Today another curious formula seems to declare he is fifty percent of a person.

Of the good things in life, the Negro has approximately one half those of Whites. Of the bad things of life, he has twice those of Whites. Thus, half of all Negroes live in substandard housing. And Negroes have half the income of Whites.

When we turn to the negative experiences of life, the Negro has a double share: There are twice as many unemployed; the rate of infant mortality among Negroes is double that of Whites; and there are twice as many Negroes dying in Vietnam as Whites in proportion to their size in the population.

OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS

Still marching. Thousands of Americans rally at a national march against police violence on Dec. 13, 2014 in D.C. The families of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Akai Gurley’s domestic partner marched alongside protesters. .

In other spheres, the figures are equally alarming. In elementary schools, Negroes lag one to three years behind Whites, and their segregated schools receive substantially less money per student than the White schools.

One-twentieth as many Negroes as Whites attend college. Of employed Negroes, seventy-five percent hold menial jobs.

What should we do?

First, we must massively assert our dignity and worth. We must no longer be ashamed of being Black. The job of arousing manhood within a people that have been taught for so many centuries that they are nobody is not easy.

In Roget’s Thesaurus there are some 120 synonyms for blackness and at least sixty of them are offensive, such words as blot, soot, grim, devil, and foul. And there are some 134 synonyms for whiteness and all are favorable, expressed in such words as purity, cleanliness, chastity, and innocence. A white lie is better than a black lie. The most degenerate member of a family is the “black sheep.”

Ossie Davis has suggested that maybe the English language should be reconstructed so that teachers will not be forced to teach the Negro child sixty ways to despise himself, and thereby perpetuate his false sense of inferiority, and the White child 134 ways to adore himself, and thereby perpetuate his false sense of superiority.

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Still dissatisfied. Black Floridians join the national protest against police violence against unarmed Black men. About 300 people participated in the Brown Boys Matter Rally on Dec. 18, 2014 in Orlando organized by Vince Taylor and Keisha Robinson. must boldly throw off the manacles of self-abnegation and say to himself and to the world, “I am somebody. I am a person. I am a man with dignity and honor. I have a rich and noble history, however painful and exploited that history has been. Yes, I was a slave through my foreparents and now I’m not ashamed of that. I’m ashamed of the people who were so sinful to make me a slave.”

Yes, yes, we must stand up and say, “I’m Black but I’m Black and beautiful.” This self-affirmation is the Black man’s need, made compelling by the White man’s crimes against him.

Free your mind

Economics, politics

As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. Psychological freedom, a firm sense of self-esteem, is the most powerful weapon against the long night of physical slavery. No Lincolnian Emancipation Proclamation, no Johnsonian civil rights bill can totally bring this kind of freedom.

And with a spirit straining toward true self-esteem, the Negro

Now another basic challenge is to discover how to organize our strength in to economic and political power.

The plantation and the ghetto were created by those who had power, both to confine those who had no power and to perpetuate their powerlessness.

Now the problem of transforming the ghetto, therefore, is a problem of power, a confronta-

tion between the forces of power demanding change and the forces of power dedicated to the preserving of the status quo.

Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose. It is the strength required to bring about social, political, and economic change…Now a lot of us are preachers, and all of us have our moral convictions and concerns, and so often we have problems with power. But there is nothing wrong with power if power is used correctly.

‘Anemic’ love What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.

Now what has happened is that we’ve had it wrong and mixed up in our country, and this has led Negro Americans in the past to seek their goals through love and moral suasion devoid of

Now we must develop a program that will drive the nation to a guaranteed annual income.

We realize that dislocations in the market operation of our economy and the prevalence of discrimination thrust people into idleness and bind them in constant or frequent unemployment against their will. The poor are less often dismissed, I hope, from our conscience today by being branded as inferior and incompetent.

Our emphasis must be twofold: We must create full employment, or we must create incomes. People must be made consumers by one method or the other. Once they are placed in this position, we need to be concerned that the potential of the individual is not wasted.

New forms of work that enhance the social good will have to be devised for those for whom traditional jobs are not available.

Work of this sort could be enormously increased, and we are likely to find that the problem of housing, education, instead of preceding the elimination of poverty, will themselves be affected if poverty is first abolished. The poor, transformed into purchasers, will do a great deal on their own to alter housing decay. Negroes, who have a double disability, will have a greater effect on discrimination when they have the additional weapon of cash to use in their struggle.

The dignity of the individual will flourish when the decisions concerning his life are in his own hands, when he has the assurance that his income is stable and certain, and when he knows that he has the means to seek self-improvement. Personal conflicts between husband, wife, and children will diminish when the unjust measurement of human worth on a scale of dollars is eliminated.

Stay committed to nonviolence We must reaffirm our commitment to nonviolence. One sees screaming youngsters and angry adults fighting hopelessly and aimlessly against impossible odds. And deep down within them, you perceive a desire for self-destruction, a kind of suicidal longing.

Occasionally, Negroes contend that the 1965 Watts riot and the other riots in various cities represented effective civil rights action. At best, the riots have produced a little additional anti-poverty money allotted by frightened government officials and a few water sprinklers to cool the children of the ghettos. It is something like improving the food in the prison while the people remain securely incarcerated behind bars. Nowhere have the riots won any concrete improvement such as have the organized protest demonstrations.

See MLK, Page B2

CALENDAR & OBITUARY

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Gospel legend AndraĂŠ Crouch dies at 72

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tampa: Talk-show host Joe Madison will be the keynote speaker at the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs’ 35th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Breakfast. It will be held at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Tampa at 6:45 a.m. Tickets: tobanetwork.org.

St. Petersburg: “The Eve of Jackie,� a musical look at the R&B legend starring Broadway star Chester Gregory, takes place Jan. 19 at The Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College.

Miami: The 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project will host its 22nd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Scholarship Breakfast on Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m. at the Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail. Judge Glenda Hatchett will be the speaker. More information: 305-995-2454.

Tampa: “An Evening with Soledad O’Brien: Igniting Hope’’ is Jan. 20 at the University of South Florida.

The University Lecture Series presentation by the journalist will be in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom, 4103 USF Cedar Circle, Tampa. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Tampa: The Black and Brown Comedy Get Down featuring Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps and Eddie Griffin is Jan. 23 at the Amalie Arena and

MLK

from Page 1 And when one tries to pin down advocates of violence as to what acts would be effective, the answers are blatantly illogical. Sometimes they talk of overthrowing racist state and local governments and they talk about guerrilla warfare. They fail to see that no internal revolution has ever succeeded in overthrowing a government by violence unless the government had already lost the allegiance and effective control of its armed forces.

Violent U.S. revolution impossible Anyone in his right mind knows that this will not happen in the United States. In a violent racial situation, the power structure has the local police, the state troopers, the National Guard, and finally, the Army to call on, all of which are predominantly White.

Furthermore, few, if any, violent revolutions have been successful unless the violent minority had the sympathy and support of the non-resisting majority. It is perfectly clear that a violent revolution on the part of American Blacks would find no sympathy and support from the White population and very little from the majority of the Negroes themselves.

Change the structure We must honestly face the fact that the movement must address itself to the question of restructuring the whole of American society. We must ask the question, “Why are there forty million poor people in America?� You are raising a question about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth.

But one day we must come to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. It means that questions must be raised. You begin to ask the question(s), “Who owns the oil?� Who owns the iron ore? Why is it that people have to pay water bills in a world that’s twothirds water?�

When I say questioning

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

BY STEVE CHAWKINS LOS ANGELES TIMES (TNS)

WATOTO CHILDREN’S CHOIR

The Watoto Children’s Choir from Africa is touring cities in Florida this month. The choir will be in Lutz near Tampa Jan. 17-18. View the complete schedule at www. watoto.com/the-choir/see-the-choir. at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on Jan. 24.

Miami: The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County will present a program of culture, dance, drumming and more

by DeLou Africa on Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m.

Tampa: The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival takes place through Jan. 25. The events include Atlantic Starr on Jan. 17 and Ledisi on Jan. 18 in downtown Tampa. Details: www.tampablackheritage.org.

Sunrise: The Between the Sheets Tour with Chris Brown, Trey Songz and Tyga takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.

Tampa: Candy Lowe hosts Tea & Conversation every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3911 N. 34th St., Suite B. Details: 813-394-6363.

Fort Lauderdale: Aaron Neville is scheduled for an 8 p.m. show Feb. 12 at the Parker Playhouse.

Jacksonville: Jazz vocalist Diane Schuur will perform Jan. 17 at the Ritz Theatre & Museum. The show begins at 8 p.m.. More information: www.ritzjacksonville.com.

Tampa: Hip-hop stars Soulja Boy and Migos will be joining Rich Homie Quan, Birdman and Young Thug as part of the Rich Gang Tour at the USF Sun Dome on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. Visit www.SunDomeArena.com for details.

Orlando: The 24th Annual Arthur “Pappy� Kennedy Prayer Breakfast takes place at 7:45 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Orlando, 3000 South John Young Parkway. More MLK events: www.cityoforlando. net.

Eatonville: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly returns to the Zora Neale Hurston  Festival of Arts and Humanities on Jan. 31. Saxophonist Najee will entertain the crowd on Feb. 1. Visit zorafestival.org for festival details.

the whole society, it means ultimately coming to see that the problem(s) of racism, of economic exploitation, and of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated.

Let us be dissatisfied until men and women, however Black they may be, will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not on the basis of the color of their skin; until every state capitol will be housed by a governor who will do justly, who will love mercy, and who will walk humbly with his God. Let us be dissatisfied until from every city hall, justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream; until that day when the lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and every man will sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid, and men will recognize that out of one blood, God made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth.

Let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody will shout, “White Power!� when nobody will shout, “Black Power!� but everybody will talk about God’s power and human power.

‘Born again’ One night, (someone) came to Jesus and he wanted to know what he could do to be saved. Jesus didn’t say, “Now Nicodemus, you must stop lying. You must not commit adultery. You must stop cheating if you are doing that.� Jesus realized something basic – that if a man will lie, he will steal. And if a man will steal, he will kill. So instead of just getting bogged down on one thing, Jesus looked at him and said, “Nicodemus, you must be born again.� In other words, “Your whole structure must be changed.�

A nation that will keep people in slavery for 244 years will “thingify� them and make them things.

And therefore, they will exploit them and poor people generally economically. And a nation that will exploit economically will have to have foreign investments and everything else, and it will have to use its military might to protect them. All of these problems are tied together.

What I’m saying today is that we must go from this convention and say, “America, you must be born again!�

‘Be dissatisfied’ Let us go out with a divine dissatisfaction until America will no longer have a high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds; until the tragic walls that separate the outer city of wealth and comfort from the inner city of poverty and despair shall be crushed by the battering rams of the forces of justice; until those who live on the outskirts of hope are brought into the metropolis of daily security.

Let us be dissatisfied until slums are cast into the junk heaps of history and every family will live in a decent, sanitary home; until the dark yesterdays of segregated schools will be transformed into bright tomorrows of quality integrated education; until integration is not seen as a problem but as an opportunity to participate in the beauty of diversity.

AndraĂŠ Edward Crouch, a Grammywinning gospel singer and composer who started his career at 14, helped Michael Jackson arrange “Man in the Mirrorâ€? and became a pastor of the church his father founded, died on Jan. 8. He was 72.

Crouch, a resident of Los Angeles’ Pacoima section who had a history of diabetes and cancer, died at Northridge Hospital Medical Center after suffering a heart attack on Jan. 3, said his publicist, Brian Mayes.

Last month he was hospitalized with pneumonia and congestive heart disease.

A dyslexic who in childhood had a bad stutter, Crouch was known for pioneering a gospel sound with a contemporary feel — sometimes to the dismay of critics who felt his work was too secular.

But he and his group the Disciples received multiAndraĂŠ ple Grammys for their efCrouch forts. In 2004, Crouch became only the third gospel artist to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Trademark songs Crouch’s trademark songs included “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory),� “Soon and Very Soon� and his first, “The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power.�

When he wrote it as a teenager, he crumpled it up and threw it away. His sister, a fellow Grammy winner and his copastor at Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in San Fernando, retrieved it from the wastebasket. “Andrae, that’s a good song,� she told him.

Born in Los Angeles on July 1, 1942, he was the son of preacher Benjamin Crouch and his wife, Catherine. The couple owned and managed a couple of drycleaning stores.

Benjamin became a full-time pastor only after promising God he would do so if his son were given a talent for music.

The boy liked to sing but his only experience playing an instrument was through tapping his fingers on a cardboard piano keyboard his mother had bought for him.

When he was 11, AndraĂŠ was invited

STOJ

by his father, then a lay preacher on parttime assignments, to play the piano for a church choir performing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.�

His performance was flawless. Within weeks, Benjamin Crouch was well on the way toward a full-time pastorate.

First Grammy in 1978 AndraĂŠ Crouch attended what is now Los Angeles Valley College and Life Bible Institute in Los Angeles.

Although he had studied elementary education and worked as a counselor for recovering drug abusers, he was driven to a musical career. He formed the Disciples in the mid-1960s and released his first album, “Take the Message Everywhere,� in 1971.

In 1972, he launched his solo career with “Just AndraĂŠâ€? while continuing to tour with the Disciples, including sold-out concerts at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1975 and 1979. Crouch and the Disciples won their first Grammy Award in 1978.

From musician to pastor Crouch enthusiastically veered from the traditional, and many stars took note.

Elvis Presley recorded Crouch’s “I’ve Got Confidence� in 1972, and Paul Simon did “Jesus Is the Answer� for a 1974 album.

Crouch arranged Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror� in 1987. He received an Academy Award nomination for arranged music for “The Color Purple� (1985). He also arranged Disney’s “The Lion King� (1994).

Crouch’s father founded his Pentecostal church in the San Fernando Valley in 1951. When he died in 1993, Crouch’s brother Benjamin Jr. took over. When he too died of cancer, in 1995, Crouch took the pulpit himself.

In 1998, he defied his denomination’s policy against ordained female pastors by making Sandra co-pastor of the 800-member church. “I feel we have the freedom to do new things without always having to refer to what my father did,� he told the Times.

Crouch, who had been ordained since about 1980, started a drug recovery program and an outreach ministry for gang members. He pointed to his sister’s ordination as an example of divine intention.

His sister, Sandra of California, is his only survivor.

New Christ Memorial Church will honor Crouch with public memorial services, including a viewing on Tuesday, Jan. 20, a tribute that evening, another viewing on Wednesday, Jan. 21, as well as a four-hour celebration of his life.

Times staff writers Elaine Woo and David Colker contributed to this report.

‘Walk on’ The road ahead will not always be smooth. There will still be rocky places of frustration and meandering points of bewilderment. And there will be those moments when the buoyancy of hope will be transformed into the fatigue of despair. Our dreams will sometimes be shattered and our ethereal hopes blasted. We may again, with tear-drenched eyes, have to stand before the bier of some courageous civil rights worker whose life will be snuffed out by the dastardly acts of bloodthirsty mobs.

But difficult and painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future.

When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way, and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.

This is our hope for the future, and with this faith we will be able to sing in some not too distant tomorrow, with a cosmic past tense, “We have overcome! We have overcome!

Deep in my heart, I did believe we would overcome.�

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS A BLUMHOUSE/SMART ENTERTAINMENT/NUYORICMUSICAN PRODUCTION A FILM BY ROB COHEN JENNIFEREXECUTIVELOPEZ “THE BOY NEXT DOOR�

RYAN GUZMAN JOHN CORBETT IAN NELSONPRODUCEDAND KRISTIN CHENOWETH BY RANDY EDELMAN NATHAN BARR PRODUCERS COUPER SAMUELSON BLUM p.g.a. JOHN JACOBS p.g.a. ELAINE GOLDSMITH-THOMAS BENNY MEDINA JENNIFER LOPEZ JEANETTE VOLTURNO-BRILL ZAC UNTERMAN BY JASON WRITTEN DIRECTED

BY BARBARA CURRY BY ROB COHEN A UNIVERSAL RELEASE Â? <50=,9:(3 :;<+06:

STARTS FRIDAY, JANUARY 23

CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

S

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JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

A LIFE REMEMBERED Celebrating the legacy of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

BY STACEY HOLLENBECK McClatchy-Tribune

T

he Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his mark on history during the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Motivated by his faith, King fought against the oppression of his fellow African-Americans by protesting segregation.

His efforts to combat the injustices were met with hostility and hatred, and eventually led to his early death. But King’s drive to achieve harmony among the races led to the desegregation of the country and set America on the path toward racial equality.

TONY SPINA/DETROIT FREE PRESS

On June 23, 1963, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. led more than 125,000 people on the “Walk to Freedom” down Woodward Avenue in Detroit.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT DR. KING? How well do you know Martin Luther King Jr.? Test your knowledge about the civil rights leader whose legacy is celebrated every year.

1. How many children did King have?

A. 1 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5 2. How old was King when he was assassinated?

A. 35 B. 39 C. 42 D. 50

History of the day

3. King gave his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech Aug. 28, 1963, in front of what landmark in Washington, D.C.?

A. The Washington Monument B. The White House C. The Jefferson Memorial D. The Lincoln Memorial 4. King was named president of what influential civil rights group in 1957?

A. Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee B. Southern Christian Leadership Conference C. Congress of Racial Equality D. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 5. Which president signed the bill establishing the third Monday of every January as the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday?

A. Ronald Reagan B. Lyndon B. Johnson C. John F. Kennedy D. George H.W. Bush

Answers: 1-C; 2-B; 3-D; 4-B; 5-A.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

www.excellencewithoutexcuse.com Download immediately as an eBook or a pdf Order softcover online, from Amazon, or your local bookstore ISBN#978-1-56385-500-9 Published by International Scholastic Press, LLC Contact Charles at ccherry2@gmail.com

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

for info on speeches, workshops, seminars, book signings, panel discussions.

Twitter @ccherry2

Timeline Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life and career to protesting injustice. The following timeline identifies the times and places in King’s short life where he significantly influenced the civil rights movement and the NIKKI KAHN/MCT future of America.

Coretta Scott King, pic• Jan. 15, 1929: Martin Luther King Jr. was born tured here in 2003. to the Rev. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Sr. • July 27, 1962: King in Atlanta, Ga. was again arrested in • 1947: King became Albany, Ga., after taking licensed to preach. part in a prayer vigil. He • June 18, 1953: King was charged with failure married Coretta Scott to obey a police officer, in Marion, Ala. Coretta obstructing the sidewalk Scott King continued and disorderly conduct. her husband’s legacy • April 16, 1963: as a civil rights activist After being arrested in until her death on Jan. Birmingham, Ala., for 30, 2006. participating in a sit• June 5, 1955: King in, King wrote “Letter received a Ph.D. in SysFrom Birmingham Jail.” tematic Theology from The letter is now one Boston University. of King’s most famous • Feb. 21, 1956: King statements about injusand other demonstrators tice. were arrested for par• Aug. 28, 1963: King ticipating in the Montdelivered his “I Have gomery Bus Boycott. In A Dream” speech in December of that same front of the thousands year, the federal governwho gathered for The ment ordered MontgomMarch on Washington. ery buses to integrate.

Afterward, he and other • Feb. 18, 1957: Civil Rights leaders met Martin Luther King Jr. with President John F. appeared on the cover of Kennedy in the White Time magazine.

House.

• February 1959: King • Dec. 10, 1964: King and his wife spent a received the Nobel month in India studyPeace Prize. ing Mahatma Gandhi’s • Aug. 5, 1966: King technique of nonviowas stoned in Chicago as lence. King was an avid he led a march through fan of nonviolence, a crowds of angry Whites. strategy where demon• April 4, 1968: King strators, instead of using was shot while on the violence, protest peacebalcony of his secondfully. floor motel room in • Oct. 19, 1960: King Memphis, Tenn. He later was arrested for tresdied from a gunshot passing while taking wound to the neck. A part in a sit-in demday earlier, King gave his onstration at a lunch final speech, “I’ve Been counter in Atlanta, Ga. to the Mountain Top.” Sit-ins were nonviolent • March 9, 1969: anti-segregation protests James Earl Ray plead where Black demonstraguilty to killing King tors refused to leave and was sentenced to 99 restaurants and public years in the Tennessee places that were desigState Penitentiary. nated as White-only.

• Jan. 20, 1986: The • Dec. 16, 1961: While first national King holiprotesting segregation day was observed. in Albany, Ga., King was arrested.

In 1986, nearly 18 years after his assassination, Americans celebrated the first Martin Luther King Day, a holiday established to pay homage to the preacher and inspirational leader. By this time, 17 states already had established holidays to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Coretta Scott King, his widow, worked hard to make the national holiday a reality.

In 2003, the theme of Martin Luther King Day became, “Remember!

Celebrate! Act! A day on, not a day off.” Although some professionals and students see the third Monday in January as a day off from work or school, others see it as an opportunity to volunteer their time. By working to improve their communities and help those in need, these Americans are acting on behalf of King’s generous spirit.

Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the audience at the official ceremony of the MLK memorial at the the National Mall in Washington in October 2011.

Famous quotes

Through his eloquent speeches, sermons and writings, Martin Luther King Jr. inspired a nation.

Here are a few of his most memorable and moving quotations: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

— “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963 “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

— King’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Dec. 10, 1964

“Like anybody, I would like to live a long life — longevity has its place.

But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will.

And he’s allowed me to go up to the mountain.

And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.”

— King’s “I’ve Been to The Mountaintop” speech, April 3, 1968

FOOD

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JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

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“I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. ... I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.”

DETROIT FREE PRESS/MCT

Detroit residents display recipes included in Joyce White’s soul food book. Left to right: Delores Brandon with her baked chicken, Nora Hudson shows her ‘’junk muffins,’’ Rev. Jim Holley presents his chicken ‘n’ dumplings, and Dr. Francis Jackson displays her dinner rolls. They were at Oak Grove AME Church.

A DINNER FIT

FOR A KING Editor’s note: Every year before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday observance, New Yorkbased author and soul food expert Joyce White graciously shares her recipes with the Florida Courier.

BY JOYCE WHITE

I

always celebrate the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with a symbolic meal that I think he would have enjoyed although Dr. King blessed all settings with his gracious manners and class act. But I know that he reveled in the camaraderie of the table, and I made this discovery a decade or so ago when I was doing research for my first cookbook, “Soul Food,” which is a collection of recipes from Black churches across county.

Several sisters at Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta, Dr. King’s family church contributed both recipes and memories to “Soul Food,” and I can still hear

BUTTERMILK GINGER CAKE This light but aromatic cake is fragrant with nutmeg and fresh ginger. A dab of vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit or berry sauce turns it into a delight.

2 cups all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons ground or grated nutmeg 3 inch-size piece fresh ginger, to make 1/4 cup 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter (3/4 cup), softened 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup buttermilk, about room temperature Butter generously a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan, or 7-cup fluted pan, or an 8 1/2 by 21/2-inch springform pan. Dust the pan with flour and shake out excess flour.

SOUL IN THE KITCHEN the hope and levity in their voices when they talked about our beloved Prince of Peace.

And in my mind’s eye I can see him chuckling over my Spirit Braised Chicken, which is simmered with a little brandy or rum, mushrooms and onions, a dish that adds a jazzy edge to our down-home Sunday Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg.

Peel the ginger and chop rather coarsely. Then add tablespoons of the sugar, and chop very finely with a large knife or pulverize in a coffee grinder or food processor.

Combine the ginger, remaining sugar, and softened butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Cream the mixture at medium-high or creaming speed until pale and fluffy, for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula two or three times.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat 30 seconds after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Reduce the mixer to low speed.

Add the flour and spices, alternately with the buttermilk, mixing only for a few seconds until blended.

After the last addition, beat the batter on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed.

If the batter is a little thick, add a little more buttermilk and stir to

smothered chicken. Apple cider can replace the brandy or rum, if desired.

As always, my menu features both old favorites and new inspiration. For example, Mama’s cheese straws are dusted with ground coriander seeds for a lovely citrus like flavor. Fresh greens such as watercress or arugula add a tangy bite to shrimp salad, and the spirited braised chicken is a bracing delight.

Dessert is a delectable ginger cake served topped with a fruit sauce, either mango or papaya for a Caribbean note, or berries of choice, our improvisation always on the table.

And as we honor our incomparable Prince of Peace, I always strive to keep an eye on the past while looking keenly to the future, his legacy our just reward.

Joyce White can be reached at Jwhitesoul@aol.com. mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread the top evenly with a spatula. Shake the pan gently to settle the batter.

Place the cake on the lower oven rack and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven, place on a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a metal spatula around the inside edge of the pan, invert the pan onto the rack, tap gently, and remove the pan.

Place the cake top side up on the rack and cool completely. If using a springform pan, unfasten the sides of the pan and remove.

Carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack. Run the tip of a metal spatula between the bottom of the pan and the cake. When loosen, lift off the bottom of the pan.

Place the cake top side up on the wire rack and cool completely.

Serve with Caribbean Fresh Fruit Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

SPIRIT BRAISED CHICKEN 12 small white onions or two large white onions cut into wedges 1 cup water 1 bay leaf 3 1/2 pounds frying chicken pieces (your choice) 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste Freshly ground black pepper 3 or 4 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, divided 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy, dark rum, dry vermouth or apple cider 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme, fined chopped 2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoons tomato paste 3 cups chicken broth, about Rinse and peel the onions. Pour 1 cup water into a small saucepan and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and drop in the onions and boil or blanch for just 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and drain the onions, saving the bay leaf. Set aside.

Trim away and discard any excess fat and skin from the chicken pieces. Rinse the chicken well under cold running water and pat very dry with paper toweling.

Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and black pepper. Pour 2 or 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet or heavy pot that has a lid or cover and heat until quite hot.

Add several pieces of the chicken at a time and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly.

Don’t crowd the pan.

Remove the chicken to a platter or dish when nicely browned and brown the remaining pieces the same way. When all the chicken is browned and on a platter, pour over the Cognac, brandy or rum or vermouth and set aside.

Meanwhile, add a little more oil to the pan if needed, and stir in the mushrooms, garlic, thyme, and the reserved onions and bay leaf. Sauté the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring a couple times.

Then sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and cook over low heat stirring for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato paste, and mix well.

Pour in the chicken broth, stirring until the sauce is well blended. Return the chicken with its drippings to the skillet or pot, stirring well, and bring the gravy to a gentle boil, turning over the chicken several times.

As soon as the gravy is bubbling, cover the skillet or pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pieces are fork tender and the juices run golden when pierced with a fork, turning over occasionally.

At serving, place the chicken in a warm serving dish and set aside. Bring the sauce to a boil again, and cook for a few minutes, stirring until the gravy is the consistency of heavy cream. Pour the spirited sauce over the chicken and serve immediately. Makes six servings.

CORIANDER CHEESE STRAWS 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander seeds 8 tablespoons 1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled 3 cups finely grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 6 to 8 tablespoons buttermilk or whole milk Lightly beaten egg white Coarsely crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle or whirl in a coffee grinder for a few seconds. Then, scatter the seeds in a small heavy skillet and set on low and heat, stirring for 4 or 5 minutes, just until the seeds are warm and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Cut the butter into inch-size pieces and combine in a large bowl with the cheese.

Mix until well blended.

Sift into the bowl the flour, salt and cayenne, and stir in about half of the coriander seeds. Using fingers or two knives, cut in the flour with the cheese and butter until the mixture resembles tiny peas or very coarse cornmeal.

Sprinkle the milk over the flour mixture a tablespoon at a time, using a fork

to lift up the dough so all portions are moistened. Quickly form the dough into a ball, squeezing firmly to make it hold a shape.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly butter a flat-side cookie sheet and set aside. Scatter the work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough into 4 pieces.

Roll out 1 piece of dough at a time into about a 5 by 10-inch rectangle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1/2 -inch wide strips.

Twist the strips like a candy stick and place on the baking sheets, at least an inch apart. Brush the tops lightly with the egg white, and sprinkle lightly with the remaining seeds.

Set the pan on the lower shelf of the hot oven and bake the cheese straws 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, turning over with a metal spatula at least once.

Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let cool a few minutes, and then remove the straws from the pan with a thin metal spatula.

Roll out and bake the remaining dough in the same way. If not serving immediately, reheat in a hot 350-degree oven for a few minutes before serving.

Makes about four dozen straws.

SHRIMP COCKTAIL WITH ARUGULA OR WATERCRESS 2 cups arugula or watercress 2 large red or yellow bell peppers (or 1 of each) Boiling water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 small dice null pepper, such as jalapeño or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 11/2 lb. shrimp, shelled and null 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil 2 or 3 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 tsp. dried dill, finely crumbled 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard Black pepper, if desired Lemon wedges Rinse the arugula or watercress, drain and pat dry. Wrap the greens in a towel and chill until ready to serve. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove the core, and cut into thin strips. Rinse the peppers well and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Stir in the salt, null pepper or red pepper flakes. Drop in the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and are tender, stirring a time or two with a large spoon.

Using a strainer or large slotted spoon, immediately remove the shrimp from the water and set aside, saving the cooking water.

Bring the cooking water to a boil again.

Stir the bell pepper strips into the water and cook for about 2 minutes.

Immediately pour the peppers into a strainer, flood with cold water and ice cubes and then drain well.

In a large bowl combine the shrimp, peppers, sliced onions and arugula or watercress.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, dill, mustard and black pepper in a small bowl, beating briskly with a fork. Pour about half of the salad dressing over the shrimp and vegetables. Cover the bowl and chill the shrimp and vegetables for about 1 hour, or longer if desired.

To serve, arrange the shrimp cocktail on a platter with lemon wedges and drizzle over a little more salad dressing, if desired.

Serves 6 or more as a first course.

CARIBBEAN FRUIT SAUCE 2 mangoes or papayas to make about 3 cups diced fruit 2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, or a mix 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/3 cup sugar or plain honey or to taste 1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons dark rum or brandy If using whole fruits, rinse, drain, peel and cut into 1/2inch size pieces. Discard pits.

If using berries, rinse and remove stems.

Combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the mixture thickens slightly, for about 3 minutes. Add the fruit, reduce the heat to low, and cook uncovered about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

“Soul Food: Recipes and Reflections from African-American Churches,” by Joyce White.

Stir in the vanilla extract and liqueur if desired, remove from heat and cool the sauce completely before serving with the cake.

STOJ

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

B5

Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest?

E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier. com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/ glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.

Thousands of crusers join nationally syndicated radio talk-show host Tom Joyner annually on the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage. The Florida Courier has been on board most of the cruises. The Courier spotlights some of the people on board.

Giselle, a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, has been on multiple Joyner voyages.

Andre of Atlanta was on his second Joyner cruise when spotted in 2012.

DELROY COLE / FLORIDA COURIER

andre

giselle Gregory to receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star tion in the CIA and other government agencies; he has fought for Native American fishing rights in Canada and the United States and sought to change the name of Washington, D.C.’s football team.

“I have seen him stand out in the cold to explain why the name ‘Redskins’ is dehumanizing to Native Americans,” Williams said, later adding, “Wherever he feels he’s needed, he’s there.”

Process for the star

CHUCK MYERS/TNS

Dick Gregory – activist, author, comedian – speaks at the D.C. Full Democracy Freedom Rally and March in Washington on Oct. 15, 2011.

TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Comedian and international human and civil rights activist Dick Gregory will achieve Hollywood immortality on Feb. 2 when his star is etched into the Walk of Fame.

Gregory’s career, which began in the mid-1950s while he was in the Army, has stood the test of time. By 1962, Gregory was a nationally known headline performer, selling out nightclubs, making numerous national television appearances, and recording popular comedy albums.

Known as the first AfricanAmerican satirist, Gregory, now 82, broke away from the minstrel tradition and opened the doorways for Black comedians such as Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy and, most importantly, Richard Pryor.

“Dick Gregory is the godfather of comedy” and a “groundbreaking entertainer,” said activist and radio host Joe Madison.

Long overdue Madison, who led the ef-

fort to secure Gregory’s spot on the Walk of Fame along with E. Faye Williams, national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, and others, said the recognition was long overdue.

“If anybody deserves a star on the Walk of Fame it is Dick Gregory,” the SiriusXM host said. “He should have had a star on the Walk of Fame decades ago.”

Even more than his star power, Gregory’s social conscience and continued connection to everyday people is what qualifies him for this recognition, Williams told the Afro American Newspaper.

“He’s not like other celebrities who shun people when they become a star,” she said. “He’s always willing to listen to you, spend time with you or share his knowledge.”

Leading activist Also, unlike some stars, Gregory was never afraid to use his celebrity to advance social causes he believed in. Over the years, he frequently put his comedic ca-

reer aside to focus on his activism.

“Dick Gregory has been at the forefront of every major social movement in this country,” Madison said.

During the Civil Rights Movement, for example, Gregory joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and others to fight segregation and disenfranchisement in the South. He joined the SNCC in its voter registration efforts, marched, participated in sit-ins and was even jailed.

According to his biography, when local Mississippi governments stopped distributing federal food surpluses to poor Blacks in retaliation against SNCC’s voter registration efforts, Gregory chartered a plane to bring in several tons of food.

Over the decades, the comedian-activist has supported a range of causes including healthy living, opposition to the Vietnam War, world hunger, drug abuse, crime and suspected corrup-

Gregory’s dedication to service made the process for obtaining the Hollywood star — which took about a year — easy, Williams said.

A large part of the process involved waiting for the next class of star recipients to be accepted.

His supporters also had to pay a $30,000 application fee, which they raised without Mr. Gregory’s involvement, she said.

“Within 10 days to two weeks, fans of Mr. Gregory from across the country had donated the money,” she said. “We heard from doctors, lawyers and normal people from across the country, who all had stories about how Mr. Gregory had helped them. It was a real compliment to Mr. Gregory that is was so easy to do this.”

One Golden Globe for ‘Selma,’ $11.2 million box office debut FROM WIRE REPORTS

Common and John Legend won a Golden Globe Sunday night for best original song “Glory,” the theme song of “Selma.’’ They were presented the award by Prince, a surprise guest.

There were no other wins for the film, directed by Ava DuVernay about the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery that ended in bloodshed.

In one of the evening’s most hotly contested categories, best actor in a drama, Eddie Redmayne won over Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”), Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”), David Oyelowo (“Selma”) and Jake Gyllenhaal (“Nightcrawler”) for his performance as Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything.”

In the weekend box office race, Taken 3,” Liam Neeson’s third go-round as action hero Bryan Mills, opened as the top-grossing film in U.S. and Canadian theaters with sales of $40.4 million. “Selma’’ was second and brought in $11.2 million.

Newly formed foundation With the Hollywood star in the bag, Williams and others are focusing their efforts on the newly formed Dick Gregory Foundation.

“The foundation will carry on the work of Dr. Gregory, fighting for those things he continues to fight for — equality and equal opportunity for all people regardless of creed, race and nationality,” she said.

Madison said he is happy Gregory is alive to receive the honor and to see his work being continued.

“My motivation was to get him this star while he is still alive so he can appreciate the fact that we appreciate him.”

This story is special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper.

LAWRENCE K. HO/ LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

John Legend and Common, right, are shown backstage at the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 11. They won a Globe for best original song, the “Selma’’ theme song “Glory.’’

B6

JANUARY 16 – JANUARY 22, 2015

STOJ

Decades later, the 1963 March on Washington resonates in the American psyche now as it did then

THE MARCH THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

BY GREGORY CLAY McClatchy-Tribune News Service

In the 1960s, iconic UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, the master of the national championship and the maxim, offered this inspirational message: “Make each day your masterpiece.”

The date Aug. 28, 1963, was Martin Luther King Jr.’s masterpiece. Speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a massive sea of humanity on the National Mall, that was the day the world knew King had a dream. At least 250,000 people attended the seminal March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, undoubtedly the most noteworthy gathering of concerned citizens, ministers, farmers, bishops, politicians, college presidents, professionals, athletes, rabbis, entertainers and common folk in the history of the United States.

Black and White; rich and poor; the religious and not; old and young.

The cause was civil and economic rights as part of the antisegregation and pro-vote movement that was sweeping the country. Many Black citizens in many parts of the United States were denied basic public accommodations as well as the right to vote — especially in the South. So those who cared marched on.

Marlon Brando was there.

Sidney Poitier was there.

Charlton Heston was there.

Lena Horne was there.

Joan Baez was there.

Bill Russell was there.

Bob Dylan was there.

Harry Belafonte was there.

William Duvall was there.

Duvall was still living in down-

town Washington in 2013. He was 33 years old when he and his wife went to the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 on that hot and humid August day. Remember this was a time of drum-tight segregation in the nation’s capital when many who made the trek were denied hotel accommodations beWilliam cause of race.

Duvall “People slept on the ground at the Mall by the thousands,’’ Duvall said, recalling the vivid memory.

“We got there at 7:30 or 8 o’clock in the morning. We left around 4 o’clock. After Dr. King spoke last, people were crying.”

Now, why was there a March in the first place? The genesis was Birmingham, Ala., and television. In May of 1963, peaceful civil rights demonstrators suddenly became the targets of angry police batons. High-pressure firefighter water hoses repelled many protesters, rolling some down the streets and sidewalks like human bowling balls. The national media converged on the area with television cameras running on overtime.

One of the most salient scenes was a Black male marcher’s shirt being ripped off by the clenched teeth of a German shepherd police dog.

Those horrific images circulated on national news telecasts.

A stunned nation was repulsed.

King’s camp and Robert F. Kennedy, then this country’s Attorney General, implored his reluctant older brother, President John F. Kennedy, to act.

WILLIAM J. SCOTT JR./MCT

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., during the March on Washington. Other notables in the photo include Sen. William Proxmire (directly below King on steps); Bayard Rustin, with glasses, on King’s right.

And there was something else — an issue not often discussed: communism and the Cold War. “Remember also that China and the Soviet Union were attacking the United States, calling it a racist country. The country’s foreign policy also was being affected,” said Robert Dallek, a presidential historian at Stanford University’s Washington program.

Think about it. The United States couldn’t very well espouse human rights abroad when the civil rights of many of its own citizens were being repressed at home.

So on June 11, 1963, President Kennedy asked the national TV networks for air time. Speaking from the Oval Office, he announced, “… I am, therefore, asking the Congress to enact legislation giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public — hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores and similar establishments.

“This seems to me to be an elementary right. Its denial is an arbitrary indignity that no American in 1963 should have to endure, but many do.”

King and his aides rejoiced at Kennedy’s address. It also was the impetus for action. To buttress support for Kennedy’s civil rights bill, they brainstormed. Then they gave the marching orders. Except there were two concerns: Apathy and violence.

Would people nationwide make the journey to Washington? And if they did, would there be riots, as the Kennedy administration and

King’s inner circle feared?

The answers, respectively, were “yes” and “no.”

With city police and fire departments, the National Guard and U.S. Army details at the ready just in case, the marchers traveled to Washington by bus, locomotive, car, airplane, foot and bicycle. And as Duvall explained, “People came by mule trains, too.”

On Aug. 28, opera star Camilla Williams was asked to sing the national anthem because, ironically, the more-famous Marian Anderson was entangled in a traffic jam.

After Archbishop Patrick O’Boyle delivered the invocation, the father/coordinator of the March, A. Philip Randolph, issued opening remarks. Then Rev. Eugene Carson Blake spoke, followed by Rabbi Uri Miller, who led the gathered masses in prayer.

That’s when a cavalcade of 10 main speakers approached the lectern, led by John Lewis, then chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and the only surviving speaker to this day. But most of the attendees were awaiting the main event — King.

King’s speech was about more than “I Have a Dream.” He also spoke of conciliation, civility and contemplation, and not painting certain groups with a broad brush.

On Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. But his civil rights bill ultimately was passed when his successor, a persistent deal-making President Lyndon Johnson, rammed it through Congress as the landmark Civil Rights

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King was assassinated on April 4, 1968. But his memory and spirit live on as Washington pays homage to him in multiple ways.

The King Memorial on the Mall, in short walking distance from the Lincoln Memorial, was dedicated on Oct. 16, 2011. King’s last Sunday sermon was March 31, 1968, at the Washington National Cathedral. If you stroll down the left side of the main hall of the cathedral, you’ll find a mini-sculpture of a replica pulpit emblazoned into an arch with the inscription: “I Have a Dream.”

Four million people visit the Lincoln Memorial every year, according to a D.C. Mall park ranger.

It is by far the most visited monument or memorial in the nation’s capital. Walk up 68 steps from the base of the Reflecting Pool to the platform area comprised of Massachusetts granite.

A rectangular inscription on one of those granite blocks reads: “I Have a Dream, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963.”

That’s where King stood, 50 years ago, as a non-violent, nonpartisan, non-denominational, all inclusive movement gained unstoppable momentum.

Remember this closing maxim from coach Wooden: “It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.”