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VOL IX ISSUE 1 September 4, 2019
MY TRUTH
QUIT PLAYIN’
My Testimony – I Got PTSD!
Cheryl Smith Publisher
Watch your mouth It is great to be on the right side of history. Too often we go through life making decisions without wondering about the implications or ramifications; and equally important, the consequences and repercussions. This is especially the case when you consider voting. In the last presidential election votes were cast, a victor was named and then decisions were made that not only affect the voters, but voters, and non voters, for generations to come. People do things that they think only impact them, so as long as they are happy, everything is cool. Which brings me to my truth.
By Vincent L. Hall
One of the burdens of being a Black male is carrying the heavy weight of other people’s suspicions. One minute you’re going about your life, the next you could be pleading for it if you’re lucky. And far too many aren’t. – Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post writer, MSNBC Correspondent (2012)
I returned from Oklahoma City and found that two DPS officers from West Texas killed another young Black man. Schaston Theodore Lamarr Hodge was the son of a mother who has seen more than her share of tragedy. It’s official. I suffer from PTSD. I have Post Trayvon Stress Disorder. My life changed the day Trayvon Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman. I surmised that police officers would continue to kill Black men without consequence. Even
I didn’t realize the full extent of my suffering until
See QUIT PLAYIN’, page 5
WORDZ OF WILSON BY CHELLE LUPER WILSON
Dear Angela August 20, 1619. That was one of the first Black history facts my mother made me memorize. August 20, 1619, the day 20 Africans arrived on the shores of Jamestown, Virginia. It was where our recorded history began in this country. My mother was a history teacher and subscribed to the John Hope Franklin philos-
NNPA celebrates CBCF’s Annual Legislative Conference By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
Recently in a conversation with a group, my perspective on an issue was validated, even before I spoke a word. We were gathered at a social event and the discussion turned to respect and honoring our elders. In this combination of boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and E I E I Os; it was the younger men and women who spoke out against the way the media is portraying relationships between youth and their parents. I have long said that I took issue with even some of my favorite shows where children were allowed to be disrespectful to their parents. You’ve seen them: cursing, yelling and even hitting their parents. My reality, my truth, says, “not in this lifetime.” Asking a parent, “What the hell is going on,” “leave me alone,” “Get out of my room,” “I wish you were dead,” or anything like that would have landed me a few heartbeats away from flatlining.” Now there are some who probably say they can identify with the households where that behavior was run of the mill, the standard. Proudly for me, I can say that behavior was not acceptable in any of the homes that I frequented growing up in New Jersey — and they were multi-cultural. We grew up respecting adults, even if they didn’t respect us. I know that doesn’t sound proper for many today but my parents felt that they were the ones to put adults in check if they acted inappropriately, not me. What are the long-term ramifications of letting children do whatever they please and say whatever they want? It’s simple, those disrespectful children will grow up into disrespectful adults who will have children who will cause grief and have folks See MY TRUTH, page 4
The National Newspaper Publishers Association is celebrating the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) beginning Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) member and convention co-chair Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) said the relationship between the Black Press and the Foundation is vital. “Frankly, the Black Press is the
U.S. Reps. G.K. Butterfield and Frederica Wilson
only voice that we have because our mainstream news operations would never pick up on something like this,” Wilson said. North Carolina Democratic Rep. G.K. Butterfield will serve as co-chair alongside Wilson.
“We depend upon the Black Press to get the word out to the people who are interested in what Black people are up to these days,” Wilson said. “We know there is so much uncertainty. A lot of that See NNPA, page 2
Join Us September 21, 2019 Hyatt Place Garland 5101 George Bush Highway Garland, Texas 75040
The NAACP Garland Unit Presents
29th Annual
Freedom Fund Brunch and Silent Auction For more information please call the NAACP Garland Unit at (972) 381-5044, Box #5
Silent Auction 9:00 a.m.
Brunch 10:00 a.m.
Brunch Table: $500.00 (seats 10) Individual Ticket: $50.00 www.eventbrite.com
Keynote Speaker
Rev. Raliegh Jones Pastor of Christ Triumphant Church
Mistress of Ceremony
Lakisha Culpepper, M.Ed. GISD African American Community Liaison
ophy that American history could never be separated from Black history—the two are permanently intertwined. As such, her US, World, and Oklahoma history classes all included the significance of 1619. When I was about nine, my mother took me to Jamestown. She had been planning this trip for months. At that time, the town was restored to its colonial “glory.” Great attention was paid to every detail, so the experience would be to visitors as authentic as possible. The streets were cobblestone. Transportation was via horse and carriage. The tour guides were dressed in period clothing. I remember us being the only people of color on tour that day. As we proceeded throughout the tour, we learned all about Jamestown, its colonists, and what life was like for them. When August 1619 came up, there was talk about needing supplies and almost as an aside…the topic for which we had traveled all this way finally came up. It went something like this, “’twenty and odd Negroes’ were aboard the Dutch trade the White Lion. They would become the first Africans to arrive in the colonies.” Then we moved on. That was it. I remember my mother pausing and stopping to ask the tour guide if she could share anything else about those Africans who arrived here in 1619. She said, “I’ve seen pictures of some of the animals in the colony…names of dogs and cats even…I came all this way to learn more about the Africans who arrived here and you’re telling me that’s all we know. Where are their names?” The guide said, “I’m sorry we don’t have that information,” and she continued on with the tour. There were few times I remember my mother ever looking so sad. Perhaps, she shared the same thoughts as Nikole Hannah See WORDZ, page 5