VOL IX ISSUE 14 MARCH 18, 2020
MY TRUTH Cheryl Smith Publisher
Short but STRONG I’ve often heard Min. Robert Muhammad, of Houston, preface his speeches by saying he wasn’t going to belong, but he was going to be strong! I always enjoyed hearing that declaration because guess what? He never disappointed! Which brings me to my truth! I won’t be here forever. And, while as a youngster, I wanted to
Dr. Michael J. Sorrell President, Paul Quinn College live forever; as I have matured I just hope that I am living a life where my legacy will live forever My people, my descendants, my beneficiaries — I think about them and I want them to know that I tried to do the right thing. I want for them, what I tried to be. They need to know that I voted; even when disenfranchised, tired, disappointed at who was on the ballot, sick, or even partying! Realizing the significance of being counted, every decade I participated in the Census. Even when I saw a bureaucratic nightmare of mismanagement before, during and after the process, time and time again. I tried to do as Paul Quinn College’s president, Dr. Michael J. Sorrell espoused, “Leave places better than you found them, lead from wherever you are, live a life that matters, and love something greater than yourself.” Yes, I recycled also and paid attention to the environment, which included cleaning up behind myself and encouraging others to do so also. Sadly, I was never able to figure out why so many people won’t keep where they live clean or why they equated “poor” with being “dirty.” And it was hard, but I tried to pay attention to the Hon. Min. Elijah Muhammad’s teachings in his book, How to Eat to Live, and the many messages from the wonderful Dick Gregory who stressed the importance of moderation, exercising even if it is in the form of walking, and drinking water. There are so many other lessons over the years that I incorporated into my life that I think will be appreciated, like Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune’s edict, “Lift as you Climb!” Or Chuck D. of Public Enemy’s See MY TRUTH, page 5
Catholic Diocese, Evangelical Counties Churches suspend services to actively plan for COVID-19 keep public safe By Rebecca Aguilar
disease are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill. The Diocese and other Catholics in nine North religious leaders have been Texas counties will not be working closely with Dallas able to go to public masses County officials since the at their places of worship county banned events with until March 30, 2020. more than 500 in attendance Friday, Bishop Edward in efforts to stop the spread Burns canceled Mass for of the COVID-19. Bishop more than one million Burns said it was not an easy Catholics in North Texas decision to make, but he in hopes of keeping them knew that devoted Catholics safe from the coronavirus would continue to attend Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III (COVID-19). Mass if he did not take safety “In order for all the measures. Catholic faithful to be “My goal as the Bishop at in peace and to live is to make sure the faithful without any anxiety as well are safe from the disease and as remove any conflicted that this decision gives them consciousness of whether or a sense of peace. So they can not they should attend mass be safe from all distress or these days as the Shepard anxiety regarding these days of the Diocese and out of of emergency,” he explained. affection for the faithful, I Catholic Schools in the make this decision so they Dallas Diocese will be closed can remain healthy and and moved to online or remote strong.” learning until March 27. According to city of Sunday Mass will be offered Dallas officials, COVID-19 via live video streaming. The Bishop Edward Burns is a new respiratory virus Bishop said worshippers could and early information out watch safely from home on of China, where COVID-19 first started, their computers or mobile devices. shows that older adults and people who The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung See SERVICES, page 2 Garland Journal
NBA halts season after players test positive for COVID-19 Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, said the team will continue to pay part-time American Airlines Center employees in the midst of the NBA’s season suspension due to the continuing spread of COVID-19, the Coronavirus.
Story and Photo By Dorothy J. Gentry Sports Editor
Some time during the third quarter of March 11th’s game at American Airlines Center between the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets, Mark Cuban looked down at his
phone and his jaw literally dropped leaving his mouth hanging wide open. He had just found out that – in an unprecedented move– the NBA had just suspended the remainder of its season after a player tested positive for COVID-19, the Coronavirus.
“This is crazy. It can’t be happening. I mean just stunning,” Cuban said when asked his initial thoughts. “It doesn’t seem like real life. It’s like something out of a movie.” The season suspension came down when it was
From Staff Reports Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Health and Human Services Director, Dr. Philip Huang met with members of the media Monday to discuss COVID-19. In addition to issuing directives that included the closure of several businesses, prohibition of gatherings of more than 10, Judge Jenkins also issued an amended order: WHEREAS, pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 418.108, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins issued a Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency on March 12, 2020, due to a novel coronavirus now designated SARS-CoV2 which causes the disease COVID-19; and, WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, Judge Jenkins issued an Order in furtherance of his authority to protect the safety and welfare of the public by slowing the spread of the virus; and, WHEREAS, the on-going evaluation of circumstances related to the virus and the updated recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and the Texas Department of State Health Services warrant the March 12, 2020 Order of County Judge Clay Jenkins to be amended; THEREFORE, the March 12, 2020, Order of County Judge Clay Jenkins is hereby AMENDED as follows: Summary: The virus that causes 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is easily transmitted through person to person contact, especially in group settings, and it is essential that the spread of the virus be slowed to protect the ability of public and private health care providers to handle the influx of new patients and safeguard public health and safety. Because of the risk of the rapid spread of the virus, and the need to protect the most vulnerable members of the community, this Order prohibits community gatherings, of 50 persons or more anywhere in Dallas County beginning at 11:59 p.m. on March 16, 2020, and continuing through 11:00 a.m. on March 20, 2020, as defined by Section 3 herein. For all other gatherings, the Office of the Dallas County Judge and the Health Authority strongly recommends following the social distancing protocols attached to this Order, including canceling, rescheduling, or not attending events with more than 50 persons. The Office of the Dallas County Judge and the Health Authority also strongly urges individuals to cancel, reschedule, or not attend social gatherings that will have or will likely have 10 or more people. Additionally, the Office of the Dallas County Judge and the Health Authority urges in the strongest terms possible high-risk individuals, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to cancel, reschedule, or not attend any event. UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 418.108, DALLAS COUNTY JUDGE CLAY JENKINS ORDERS:
See NBA, page 3
See COVID-19, page 8
Street Names tell rich stories I WAS JUST THINKING... By Norma Adams-Wade
From time to time it’s good to pay tribute to those who have gone before us, lest we forget what they did for us. I was just thinking about the Dallas African-American men whose lives inspired the street names between S. M. Wright Freeway and Bexar Street in the South Dallas community of Lincoln Manor, that area just before entering the much talked about Bon Ton neighborhood. Growing up in Dallas, I was very familiar with this neighborhood,
but knew nothing about its origin. I was fascinated with the people behind the street names when I finally learned the history as an adult. Interestingly, though, that all the streets I know of in this area were named for African American men. Later, however, variou s Dallas schools were named for African-American women. Here is the background on two of the various streets in the Lincoln Manor neighborhood. Maybe more in the future. Bexar Street. This main northsouth strip through the Lincoln manor community of South Dallas originally was designated as Rowan Avenue in the 1940s. The
area saw initial growth during and shortly after World War II. Then a resurgence of development over the last two decades. Black Dallas historians and descendants of early Black families say the street was named in honor of the Dock Rowen family. Dr.
Robert Prince Jr., a prominent Black Dallas physician who died Oct. 16, 2019, was a greatgrandson of the Rowen family. No records have been found to explain the spelling change from Rowen to See THINKING, page 4
