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VOL IX NO 7
Judges stress importance of Census 2020
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OCTOBER 4, 2019
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COMMENTARY by Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
The Impeachment Inquiry
It is not without significance that the majority of members in the United States House of Representatives have taken the extraordinary stop of launching an impeachment inquiry into the presidency of Donald J. Trump, focusing on a phone conver-sation that he had this summer with the president of Ukraine, and the activities of those who were allegedly acting on behalf of the administration to conceal the conversation. I have joined others in asking the president turn over requested information concerning the phone call to the House Intelligence Committee where the inquiry will be held, and I am hopeful that the president and those around him will be forthcoming. If the Intelligence Committee determines that the President partici-pated in impeachable offenses, it will then forward its report to the full House where a vote will be taken on whether or not to impeach Mr. Trump. If a majority of the House members vote to impeach the matter will be sent to the U.S. Senate where a trial will be conducted. A president can be removed only if two thirds of the Senate votes to oust him or her. Only three presidents in our nation’s history have found themselves facing impeachment. It is a very serious matter. But it was placed in our Constitution by the nation’s founders as a remedy to keep our nation and its government safe.
Specifically, the Intelligence Committee will attempt to determine whether or not during conversations with foreign leaders President Trump made promises or threats that undermined the security of the United States in return for personal gain. A former official with the Central Intelligence Agency, who has sources in the White House, has alleged that during the phone conversation with the president of Ukraine President Trump used his authority to solicit information on political opponents that could be used against them in next year’s election. If the official’s complaint is accurate, the president’s conduct was unlawful. Also, the complaining official, known as a whistleblower, protected by a federal law, has stated that he was told that President Trump and his operatives sought to keep the conversation with the Ukrainian president private by having its contents placed on a separate server in the White House where it would not become public. The whistleblower’s complaint was passed on to the acting director of national intelligence who described the report as “urgent and important.� He said that the whistleblower had acted in good faith, and had followed the law. This is a sad time for our nation and our government, but we must protect our democracy. Thus, we must move forward! myimessenger.com
INSIDE
Trial Coverage
Dr. Malveaux
QUIT PLAYIN’
You’ve heard the story, hopefully, behind the Amber Guyger Murder Trial. The former Dallas Police officer could face life in prison if convicted of murder for the shooting death of Botham Jean on September 6, 2018. The 12 jurors found Ms. Guyger guilty.
The student debt crisis in our country is worsening. If nothing is done, its size threatens our nation’s future. Young people saddled with student debt often postpone adult decisions, like purchasing homes or getting married, hoping to start “real life” with a clean
“The Thrilla Fa Vanilla! The biggest heavyweight fight of this century won’t be in Manilla, in the Philippines like Ali vs. Frazier. Muhammad Ali and George Foreman had their “Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa Zaire.” But that ain’t what this is.
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MY TRUTH by Cheryl Smith, Publisher
What do you want? You’ve heard the story, hopefully, behind the Amber Guyger Murder Trial. The former Dallas Police officer could face life in prison if convicted of murder for the shooting death of Botham Jean on September 6, 2018. The 12 jurors found Ms. Guyger guilty. Mr. Jean was home in his apartment, watching television and eating ice cream when Ms. Guyger entered his apartment and shot him, right through the heart; before realizing that she had entered the wrong apartment. According to Ms. Guyger, she thought she was entering her apartment on the 3rd floor in South Side Flats Apartments but instead she entered Mr. Jean’s apartment on the 4th floor. On Saturday, after one “expert” witness, Judge Tammy Kemp sent the Jury home and court ended for the day. Talk about puzzled looks around the courtroom. One person had just sold her ticket to the Grambling versus Prairie View A&M Game. Other out of town journalists, who are in Dallas covering the trial, asked about things to do and places to go with their free time. Someone made a very valid point to me that day. Botham Jean’s family is here. But where is the village? Sure there are people offering love and support. Some are doing OCTOBER 4, 2019
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things you’ll never hear about. To them, I say thanks! But what are the masses doing? I’d venture to guess that if you, or anyone you know, including me, were in St. Lucia, dealing with anything remotely similar to what the Jean family is dealing with; there would be a groundswell of support. And they should expect no less from us! You ask, “What can I do?” Which brings me to my truth. In 1985, there was a plane crash in Dallas. The mother of some of my Florida A&M University (FAMU) classmates was in the crash and lived about two weeks. While Dr. Kathleen Cooper Wright (who was also my sorority sister) was in the hospital, I ran errands for family members, delivered food up to the hospital, and took her loved ones out to exhale from time to time. I didn’t ask for money and I didn’t have a lot, but I did what I could and guess what? They were very, very appreciative. Then too, there were times I just sat with them and talked or prayed. This is a tough time for the Jean Family and yes, it is a tough time for the Guyger family. Some might not have thought about what they could do. How about lunch at the courthouse; dinner at the hotel or one of our wonderful restaurants; or tickets to a movie or show?
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Am I asking too much? Is the situation too political? Too controversial? Will we offend some people by showing love and support to those who are grieving? Boy, I tell you, we really need to have some serious conversations about when and how we need to be addressing many of the ills confronting our people. Why should others speak up, when they see that we are silent? Interestingly funders are asking the same questions: “Why come to us asking us to support HBCUs when the alums don’t support?” “Why should we support Black businesses when Black people make a million and one excuses for why they won’t?” I could go on and on. But I want to applaud those who do support. I want to applaud those who don’t wait until they are personally impacted before they act. Now there are those who are helping and supporting, but guess what? There is so much more that could be done and should be done. I am so proud of the wonderful people who give of themselves. It is so refreshing to know that there are people who do more than live life for themselves. People like to ask, “What would Jesus do?” I ask, “What would you want someone to do for you?” myimessenger.com
Ms. Diahann Carroll July 17, 1935 - October 4, 2019
Born as Carol Diann Johnson in Harlem, NYC on July 17, 1935 Parents: John and Mabel Johnson. Diahann's parents had to leave their daughter with one of Mabel's sisters when she was just one and a half year old. She stayed there for over a year. Mr. John Johnson worked as (among other things) a subway conductor, for a while he worked at a printing company. He also rented out rooms near where they lived in Harlem. Mrs. Mabel Johnson stayed home to take care of Diahann, and later Lydia, when they were children. Diahann's parents divorced circa 1968. Diahann has a younger sister, myimessenger.com
hann! a destructive on-and-off relationship that led nowhere. Diahann was for a time engaged to David Frost (they had their engagement party in November, 1972). They split up before they ever came to marriage, but Diahann still describes Mr. Frost as one of the best things that ever happened to her. Diahann's second husband was Freddie Glusman, whom she married in 1973. Mr. Glausman owned a chain of women's shops. The marriage ended very soon and very abrupt when Diahann had to call the police because of Mr. Glausman's violent tendencies. Diahann Carroll's third husband was a Jet Magazine managing editor named Robert DeLe-
Lydia. Diahann married Monte Kay in 1956. They had first met when he worked as casting director for House of Flowers. Mr. Kay was from Brooklyn and Diahann's father had serious problems accepting his daughter wanted to marry a white man, but he soon came over it. Together Diahann and Monte had one child, a daughter they named Suzanne. She was born September 9, 1960. They divorced some time later, but remains friends until this very day. Diahann had a nine year long relationship with actor Sidney Poitier. They planned to marry several times, but it never worked out. Ms Carroll describes in her 1986 autobiography Dia-
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on. They wed in May, 1975. They were still married when he was killed in a car accident on March 31, 1977. Singer Vic Damone became Diahann's fourth husband in January of 1987. By then they had already been a couple for a few years. They divorced in 1996. Diahann Carroll was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. She underwent a lumpectomy in May of that year, and had 12 weeks of radiation treatments. She is now free of cancer, and has spent much time informing about cancer and mammography. Diahann is the proud grandmother of daughter Suzanne's two children.
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WORDZ OF WILSON BY CHELLE LUPER WILSON
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Beard is Top Lady
It was a packed ballroom for the inauguration of Sharon J. Beard as the 14th president of the Top Ladies of Distinction (TLOD) at the Dallas Hyatt Regency, last week. TLOD advocates in an exemplary manner for several national projects, including; UNCF, NAACP, Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA), the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW). With the motto of “Serving Youth and Adults,” TLOD was chartered in Texas on September 8, 1964 as a non-profit educational, humanitarian organization. A human resources exec., Ms. Beard is a graduate of NTSU (now UNT) and Amberton Univ. She’s also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and NCNW.
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Judges stress importance of Census 2020
As part of their effort to increase African American awareness and involvement in the 2020 Census in Texas, local Dallas County judges gathered recently at the African American Museum to participate in the production of public service announcements about the importance of participating in the 2020 census.
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COMMENTARY by Dr. Julianne Malveaux
High student debt The student debt crisis in our country is worsening. If nothing is done, its size threatens our nation’s future. Young people saddled with student debt often postpone adult decisions, like purchasing homes or getting married, hoping to start “real life” with a clean slate. When these folks delay buying homes, they also postpone the purchase of everything that goes with home ownership – furniture, appliances, and more. Millions boomerang home, living with their parents into their late twenties, or even longer. Some default on their loans, ruining their credit, and impeding other purchasing. How bad is it? Student debt in our country totals almost $1.6 trillion in 2018, $521 billion more than credit card debt. More than two-thirds of all students take out student loans, with an average debt of $29,800. A total of nearly 45 million Americans have student loan debt. And if it is bad for the overall population, it’s worse for African American students, who recently graduated with $37,000 in debt, more than $7,000 more than the overall average. According to Ashley Harrington, of the Center for Responsible Lending, 85 percent of all African American graduates carried student loan debt in 2016, compared to the 2016 overall average of 68 percent. “Black students take out more loans and often take longer to pay them back,” she said. The result? A decade after college graduation, African Americans who had student OCTOBER 4, 2019
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loan debt owe twice as much as their white counterparts. This is not at all surprising. African American median incomes are lower than white incomes. African American wealth is less a small fraction of white wealth. African American unemployment rates are higher than white rates, even for college graduates. On average, African Americans are stuck at the economic periphery, with every indicator showing Black folks lagging others in our economy. And while the student loan crisis hits the Black community hard, it so profoundly affects our national economy that Democratic Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are getting major traction from their plans to reduce or eliminate student loan debt. Indeed, Sanders gets more support among those in the 18-34 age group than any of his competitors (Biden gets little support from younger people, and Warren garners a healthy 25 percent from young people in recent polls), partly because he has been extraordinarily vocal in addressing student loan debt. The presidential candidates have not been the only ones, who have expressed concern about the heavy burden of student loan debt. Congress implemented the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007. After paying a percentage of their income for 120 consecutive months, public servants like teachers and firefighters, and people who work for nonprofit organizations, could qualify to have the remainder of their loan forgiven. From the legislation, the first to receive loan forgiveness would get it in 2017. By March of 2019, however,
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fewer than one thousand people (of 55,000 that applied) were granted loan forgiveness. This is mostly attributable to sloppy administration of the program by the current Department of Education. Indeed, the current administration has proposed eliminating the forgiveness program. Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott, the Virginia Democrat who chairs the House Education and Labor Committee, held hearings on this matter. Witnesses cited conflicting information that they received, payments that were not credited so that the loan relief that they expected has not been forthcoming. The heavy student loan debt that Black students carry broadens an already wide wealth gap. Besides race, it also broadens the class inequities that exist in our society. Access to affordable higher education is one of the ways to narrow gaps, but the keyword is affordability. Both the federal and state governments have decreased their investments in higher education. The maximum Pell grant amount, at $6195, does not cover the cost of tuition at a four year college, not to mention the cost of attendance (tuition, room, and board). While high student loan debt may be debilitating for the individuals who incur it, it is essential also to note that this debt has an impact on our nation’s economic futures. If we think that education is critical, then we must take steps to make it more affordable. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders get rousing cheers when they talk about forgiving student loan debt. It’s time to turn talk into action. myimessenger.com
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AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
Procedure. Let's work through this hypothetical case and see how the By Judge Brandon Birmingham law applies. Our law says that at this point, Pretend that a neighbor there are two ways the police hears screams and gunshots can collect evidence - by from my house and calls consent or by warrant. Since I the police. When the police am no longer alive to consent get there, they see that I am to a search of my house, the mortally wounded in my living police must get a warrant. If room, apparently dead from they don't? Then anything a gunshot wound. They call they collect - the bullets, the in for the ambulance and the casings, the pictures, DNA, paramedics do what they can fingerprints, a diagram to save my life. It doesn't work. showing the location of the This is now a homicide case, bodies in relation to the doors and my house turns into a and windows - can't be used crime scene. later on at trial. The law allows for the This could be a disastrous police to make sure that no mistake that could lead to a one else is in the house, that dismissal of all of the potential no one else is hurt, or that no charges. evidence is being destroyed. What about the fact that These are labeled "exigent it's a crime scene in my own circumstances." Once it is home and I am the victim of determined that no one else is the homicide - does that mean in the house and no evidence is that the police start searching being destroyed, what happens and collecting evidence? next? The police have to get No, they must have lawful out of the house, secure it, and authority to do so, and a start their investigation. search warrant is the only The integrity of the crime way to do it at this point in scene becomes the primary the hypothetical. The warrant focus of the case. The location allows the police to collect any of the body, the bullet holes, evidence of the crime itself the casings, the blood, and any or any evidence that might other item in the house that indicate who committed it. may be evidence of a crime, or Once the warrant is signed, who committed it, all need to only then the police can go in be documented and collected. and search the place described The process of the collection in the warrant - in this case my and ultimately the introduction house. of that evidence in a trial The code of criminal is a very well-regulated and procedure specifically technical exercise governed authorizes the search and by the Code of Criminal seizure of many different types
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of items - weapons, drugs, including drug paraphernalia, instruments apparently used in the commission of the crime, or any property tending to show that a particular person committed an offense. The sooner they collect evidence, the more they know about the killing, and the more leads they develop and need to chase down. The police use broad language in their warrants asking for all of the things that the law will allow. Why? Because the law recognizes that at the earliest stages of an investigation, there are many unanswered questions and unknown variables. The police have 72 hours to list the property they recovered in an "inventory" that they must file with the Court. The law says that what they file is public record. At that time, any member of the public, including the media, must receive from the Clerks a copy of the warrant, the affidavit supporting the warrant, and the inventory. I've heard references in the media and from the public that certain search warrants are, "sealed." This is not accurate - if there is a motion to seal, it only applies to those statements contained in the supporting affidavit. The sealing order does not apply to the warrant (which outlines the place to be searched) or to the inventory (the things that were recovered). Other than that, nothing else used during the investigation process is public record. Say, for example, the police learned
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during their investigation the identity of the shooter. If he voluntarily consents to the search of his home, his car, his cell phone, his business, etc., then the police can search all of those places. Anything relevant that they recover can be used at the trial. However, the public will never know that those places were even searched until a trial, or until law enforcement releases that information. Why? Search warrants are basically the only things the law makes public. In looking at my hypothetical killing, the public may see the search warrant return and think my home was the only placed the police searched. The shooter's house, car, cell phone all may have been searched, but since it was done by his consent, there aren't publicly available records, so those searches might appear to have never happened. Of course, just because evidence is collected does not mean that it is admissible at a later trial-a Judge will decide that during pre-trial hearings, or during the trial as the case unfolds. The rules say that only relevant evidence is admissible (assuming it was lawfully collected, of course). What is relevant? Anything that tends to make the existence of any fact of consequence in the trial more or less probable than it would be without the evidence.
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A Letter to President Barack Obama – We miss you Dear President Obama, By the way, the last #NNPA I checked we haven’t First, let me thank BLACKPRESS had any Mexican you for being a true statesman and such an exceptional role model. You have been an inspiration to so many people around the world. Thank you for your passion, intelligence, commitment, aptitude and swagger. You are one the coolest brothers that I have ever seen – you, Samuel L. Jackson, John Shaft, Avon Barksdale (The Wire) and Ghost (Power). You are cool as the other side of the pillow. Not only are you my favorite President of all time, you are my favorite light-skinned guy of all time. Forget Tom Joyner, Terrance Howard and Steph Curry, you have single handedly brought light skinned back. Us dark skinned brothers had taken over, but you Sir were like Luke Skywalker in “Return of the Jedi” – you brought balance to the Force. So thank you Mr. Obama for being an awesome world leader, husband and father. Thanks for leading us out of the Great Recession and helping our country and economy rebound. You were professional and committed despite some of the unprofessional politicians that you faced in Congress. Cheers, Mr. Real President for not being a sexist, bigot or an egomaniac. Thanks for showing us that you were both the ideal professional, but very human at the same time. Although your rendition of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” sucked – you got cool points for trying and the effort being funny as hell. And I just have to acknowledge the fact that you and your administration used social media responsibly, versus just tweeting or OCTOBER 4, 2019
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or Muslim mass murders in a while, but we certainly have had numerous white extremist or supremist (however you want to classify them) that have killed dozens of unsuspecting people. And Mr. Obama you are way too smart to ever think that we could make Mexico or anyone else pay for a wall. It’s hard enough to make us Americans pay for anything extra. How can I not thank you for being you without acknowledging your lovely bride. You married the best first lady ever and if she’s not the best she is at least in the top three. And I am not just saying this because of my 10-year crush on Michelle. I am saying it because she’s been transformative. We have never seen a first lady draw the types of crowds Mrs. Obama attracts for speaking engagements and book signing events? I am not sure if my grandmother will ever admit it, but I think that you have replaced me as her favorite grandson. No you may not know it, but you are Ms. Ernestine’s favorite. That might be the only issue I have with you. In fact, she’s still waiting on you to come and pick up that sweet potato pie that she baked for you last Thanksgiving. Finally Mr. President, I must end my man crush letter by again thanking you for the sacrifice and exceptional service. You and Michelle deserve to finally have some fun and actually relax. By the way, don’t forget to invite me to housing warming for that new gigantic house you are buying. Signing off from Martha’s Vineyards hanging with the Obamas (not really), Reggie Fullwood
By Reggie Fullwood
posting nonsense anytime you got in a bad mood or were craving attention. Thank you Mr. Obama for never calling someone “a dog” via Twitter and debasing the office of the President of the United States. I loved your comments last July in South Africa at a speech commemorating the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela. Obama said, “People just make stuff up. They just make stuff up. We see it in the growth of state-sponsored propaganda. We see it in internet fabrications.” He added, “We see it in the blurring of lines between news and entertainment. We see the utter loss of shame among political leaders where they’re caught in a lie and they just double down and they lie some more.” And thank you Barrack, if I can call you Barrack, for your passion for helping those Americans in great need. The My Brother’s Keeper initiative that you launched has made a difference and we thank you and Michelle for continuing to fight for youth around the country. And how can we not thank you for actually hiring well-qualified competent people to help you run the country. You know like actually hiring a Secretary of Education that has a college degree or has actually been inside of a public school. I have to give you major props for being a good human being and not stereotyping people from difference races and backgrounds. You didn’t target Mexicans and Muslims, but you attempted to create policies that dealt promoted inclusion versus exclusion.
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AKA raises $1 million for HBCUs in one day, announces collaboration with Black Press of America By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire @StacyBrownMedia
For the second year in a row, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African American collegeeducated women, raised $1 million in just 24 hours during this month’s HBCU Impact Day. The AKA Sorority, Inc. also has agreed to collaborate in the planning for the upcoming 80thanniversary celebration of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) in 2020. For her four-year tenure as president, Dr. Glenda Glover has implemented a five-point plan for AKA which includes the HBCU initiative. For her four-year tenure as president, Dr. Glenda Glover has implemented a five-point plan for AKA which includes the HBCU initiative. Dr. Glenda Glover, International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., said the sorority would work with NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards and NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., during the NNPA’s annual convention June 23-25, 2020 in New Orleans. “When you need to know the positive stories – the real stories – about African Americans, then you understand our dependence on the Black Press for our news,” said Dr. Glover, the myimessenger.com
international president of AKA and president of the historicallyBlack Tennessee State University. “It is my honor to be a part of this. Alpha Kappa Alpha has been a partner to the Black Press even right here in Nashville with the Tennessee Tribune,” she said. While the first African Americanowned newspaper was founded 192 years ago, the establishment of the NNPA took place in 1940 during a meeting For her four-year tenure as president, Dr. Glenda Glover has implemented a five-point plan for AKA which includes the HBCU in Chicago. initiative. For her part, Dr. Glover and the AKAs sustainability, and we have first option,” she said. “We try to make sure that have steadfastly continued to make sure to secure we handle certain national to promote support of the endowments of each AKA began on the and international issues,” HBCUs across the nation. university,” she said. campus of Howard Dr. Glover said. “We have Dr. Glover has led that University in Washington, a program of wellness and challenge for contributions In February, AKA gifted D.C., in 1908. Today, health. We have a breast as part of a four-year $10 $1.6 million from their nearly 300,000 members cancer mobile unit that million fundraising goal to AKA-HBCU Endowment make up the sorority travels around the country benefit HBCUs. Fund to 32 HBCUs. in approximately 1,018 giving free mammograms to “As a college president, I need to recognize the need for HBCUs. I need to recognize the operating needs, and the financial needs because we need funds to survive,” Dr. Glover said. “I asked my membership to support this initiative. We galvanized members, individuals, and corporate sponsors. We kept going back again, and again,” she said. “It’s a tremendous feat to raise $1 million in one day, but we knew HBCUs needed to have funding,
As an HBCU graduate, Glover said she has dedicated her life’s work to the HBCU community. “I understand the impact personally that establishing an endowment has on a student’s enrollment and graduation prospects,” Dr. Glover said. “The actions of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will go a long way toward ensuring that HBCUs remain open and able to encourage the best black students to choose them as a
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graduate and undergraduate chapters in the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Dubai, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
For her four-year tenure as president, Dr. Glover has implemented a five-point plan for AKA which includes the HBCU initiative. The other four plan points include a women’s healthcare and wellness plan; building your economic legacy; the Arts; and global impact. I Messenger
African American women,” she said.
“We know that breast cancer tends not to be found in black women until it reaches stage 4,” Dr. Glover said. “With all of our initiatives, we want to make sure that African Americans don’t get lost in the shuffle. That is why we have programs and services that benefit the community,” Dr. Glover said.
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Collection shines light on African American History By M. P. Stone
Wake up Texas and get your history lesson on! The Kinsey Collection has arrived and is now at the Dallas African American Museum in Fair Park. For those of you who have not heard of the "The Kinsey African American Art & History Collection," it is a groundbreaking exhibition of more than 150 artworks, photos, and rare documents celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black Americans from 1595 to present time. The collection is divided up into three parts covering the lives and artistry of African Americans before and through years of slavery and emancipation to the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil War era to the Civil Rights Movement and current times. The exhibition, consid-ered one of the most comprehensive surveys of African American history and culture outside the Smithsonian Institution, features treasures amassed by Shirley and Bernard Kinsey during their five decades of marriage. The two, both born in Florida and attended Florida A&M University, began collecting as a way to remember their travels. But their collection soon became a repository for African American intellectual, historical and artistic work. “The collection, which began some thirty plus years ago, grew in historical significance and value,” said Khalil Kinsey, General Manager, Chief Curator and son of the Kinseys. “Now this amazing collection travels the country and to cities around the world.” “It didn't start out as a collection,” said Shirley Kinsey, “but we are delighted that it did because the more we began to know and understand about our history the more we felt others needed to be touched and know about it too.” With education as the goal, The Kinseys believe their collection helps give a more well-rounded view at the African American experience and the integral roles we played in OCTOBER 4, 2019
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building this country. Bernard Kinsey said that this collection provides a new perspectives in the nation’s history. He said he believes that the prejudice and disrespect against African Americans in this country is strongly tied to the misconceptions that African Americans made no contribution
in making America what it is today. That African Americans were nothing more than criminals and uneducated dependents of this country since their “voluntary migration” to this country and deserved to be treated inhumanely. However, the Kinsey's collection proves that African Americans are woven into the fabric of America's greatness and that the enslaved race of people built this country, shedding blood, sweat and many tears. Books such as Slavery by Another Name, by
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Douglas A. Blackmon, was one Bernard Kinsey just happened to be reading while on a flight to visit his mother. There on page 8 was a copy of a letter written to then President Theodore Roose-velt by Carrie Kinsey on July 31,1903 asking the President for help in finding her 14-year-old brother, who had been taken under false pretenses a few years earlier and had not been seen again. Mr. Kinsey who noticed they had the same last name, researched and found that the writer, was in fact, his second cousin. It was there in that moment, he said that ignited the desire in him and his family to begin collecting and sharing their discoveries with the masses. “The Kinsey Collection strives to give our ancestors a voice, name and personality,” said Bernard Kinsey, “enabling the viewer to understand the challenges, obstacles, triumphs, accomplishments and extraordinary sacrifice of African Americans in this country. “The Kinsey Collection is unique in that it is where art and history intersect, telling the often-untold stories of African American's achievement and contribution through primary sources of historical objects and multi-dimensional artworks from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries,” said Dr. Harry Robinson, Curator of the African American Museum for more than 40 years. Journalist Katie Couric described the Kinsey Collection as, “one couple's devotion in finding, protecting and sharing beauty once scattered by history, now gathered in a single collection. “ The Kinsey African American Art and History Collection, sponsored by Toyota Motor North America, will be on display September 2, 2019 - March 1, 2020 at the African American Museum located at 3536 Grand Avenue in Dallas's Historic Fair Park. For more information on the exhibit, Museum hours or to purchase tickets visit kinseycollectionindallas.com or aamdallas.org or call 214.565.9026. myimessenger.com
Guilty verdict in Amber Guyger Murder Trial Former Dallas Police Officer gets 10 Years
By Jihad Hassan Muhammad The Final Call Contributing Editor @jihadhmuhammad EDITOR’s NOTE: At press time, the jury came back with a guilty verdict. After a break, the punishment phase began with Mr. Jean’s mother talking about her son. DALLAS—The murder trial of a White former police officer, Amber Guyger, caught the spotlight a little over a year after her bizarre killing of unarmed Black man, Botham Shem Jean, in his own home. She insists she mistook his apartment for her own. The onetime Dallas police officer had seemed unemotional, even apathetic during the trial. But defense attorneys said she was sorrowful for killing in self defense and in testimony Sept. 27, she cried. Prosecutors said there was no basis for self defense since Ms. Guyger’s life was never in danger. She entered Mr. Jean’s apartment while he was watching television and eating ice cream the night of September 6, 2018. The Black community and others wonder: Will the family of Mr. Jean receive justice, or will a onetime White law enforcement officer live free and unpunished after killing an unarmed and innocent Black person? Judge Tammy Kemp, the Black woman who presides over the trial, has been firm in saying myimessenger.com
she wants the jury to decide the case free of influence caused by electronic devices, nodding of heads or gestures in her courtroom. The sequestered jury consists of two Whites, one Asian, four Latinos, and five Blacks. Four jurors are men, and eight are women. There are also four alternates. The first week was an emotional one for the Jean family, many who came from the island of St. Lucia for the trial.
still can’t believe he is gone. She shared the sense of great loss her family feels because of his death. Perhaps the most emotional distress experienced by the family was a video showing emergency professionals trying with much vigor to save Mr. Jean, who was still breathing when they arrived. Some Jean family members sobbed leaving the courtroom as the video played. Cheryl Smith, a longtime
Honorable Tammy Kemp 204th Judicial District Court
Amber Guyger on witness stand
They began their time back in Dallas on Sept. 22 by attending services at Cedar Crest Church of Christ. His grandmother, Gloria Charles, told those present it was important to not let her son become demonized as has been the case with other Black men who died at the hands of police. “He was a good boy, a very loving child,” she said. Jurors heard from Mr. Jean’s sister who spoke of how she
National Association of Black Journalists board member, multi-platform journalist and newspaper owner of the Texas Metro News, Garland Journal and I Messenger Media online, was in the courtroom. “First, two officers and then paramedics worked diligently on Mr. Jean. They encouraged him as they performed CPR. You could hear the passion in their voice as they said, ‘come on chief, come on big man,’ while they tried to save his life. It was like they were praying for him to
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breathe,” Ms. Smith said. Several veteran Dallas police personnel told The Final Call that Ms. Guyger’s protocol as a police officer required that she wait and call for back up if she perceived someone was in her apartment committing a burglary. She should not have entered the dwelling by herself to take on any possible intruder, they said. Additionally, she should have been found administering CPR, to try to prevent a fatality, until paramedics arrived. According to the defense, she did administer CPR. Video captures her pacing back and forth in the hall of the Southside Flats apartments on the phone minutes after shooting Mr. Jean. Immediately after shooting him, phone records show Ms. Guyger texted her patrol partner, Sr. Corporal Martin Rivera, saying, “I f----d up!” Prosecutors wondered how sorrowful she could be without even an attempt to save the life of Botham Shem Jean. Ms. Guyger’s defense attorneys described her as being on mental auto-pilot due to a grueling schedule that left her too tired to know she was at the wrong apartment, on the wrong floor with a red doormat. Text messages the defense wanted concealed from the jury, but were allowed by Judge Kemp, showed something else. It was revealed that Ms. Guyger, who was fired by the department after the
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shooting, and partner Rivera, a married man, were involved in a sexual relationship. Ms. Guyger wanted to see Sr. Corporal Rivera later that night, texting him about such desires shortly before arriving at Mr. Jean’s apartment. The defense paints the picture of Ms. Guyger fearing for her life as she entered the apartment belonging to Mr. Jean. They contend she mistook him for an armed burglar and fired her weapon. “Apparently, they were having some issues with the door, it’s supposed to make a whirring sound to let you know, but a red light came on the door with no sound,” said Ms. Smith. “They are saying the door was not closed. She came in and the defense would have you to believe that something took place.” “But the trajectory of the bullet shows that her at 5’3 and him at 6’1 or so that the bullet was shot down. He could have conceivably been sitting down eating that bowl of ice cream as shown in the evidence when he was shot,” said Ms. Smith, adding that both the defense and prosecutors agreed there was no prior relationship between the two. Ms. Guyger testified that she wanted to be assigned in the Southeast section of Dallas, which is predominantly a Black community, because that’s where she would get the most training because of high crime. The defense attorney made a point to ask her about the neighborhood surrounding the Southside Flats, which she said was riddled with homeless people who jumped gates to sleep on patios and she did not OCTOBER 4, 2019
fully feel safe when she walked her dog. “I was scared that someone was in my apartment and was going to kill me,” she said through tears. “This is not about hate I was scared.” In her testimony Ms. Guyger said how the Dallas Police Department drilled her during
sympathy for Mr. Jean the night she killed him, the sympathy displayed during her testimony? Her response was yes. Moments later they showed her not crying as Mr. Jean’s dead body passed her as she sat in a squad car. She was seen on video cam appearing unemotional, looking at her
FACTS 1. JURY OF 12 FOUND AMBER GUYGER GUILTY OF MURDERING BOTHAM JEAN 2. JURY OF 12 IMPOSED A SENTENCE OF 10 YEARS 3. BOTHAM JEAN’S BROTHER, BRANDT, SPEAKING FROM THE WITNESS STAND AFTER THE SENTENCING HEARING, SAID HE FORGAVE AMBER GUYGER AND ASKED TO HUG HER. HE SAID HIS BROTHER WOULD HAVE WANTED THAT. 4. JUDGE TAMMY KEMP WALKED OVER TO SPEAK TO JEAN FAMILY AND THEY EMBRACED. 5. JUDGE KEMP WALKED OVER TO AMBER GUYGER, SPOKE TO HER, LEFT THE COURTROOM AND CAME BACK WITH A BIBLE. THEN SHE SHARED A MESSAGE AND THEY EMBRACED. 6. DALLAS POLICE CHIEF SAYS THERE WILL BE AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO ACTIONS IDENTIFIED DURING TRIAL. stay tuned training to always see a suspect’s hands, calling out, “Let me see your hands!” Prosecutors said Ms. Guyger gave no such commands to Mr. Jean. When prosecutors asked Ms. Guyger did she feel
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phone. During cross examination, the prosecution told the jury Ms. Guyger never said Mr. Jean put her in fear or was armed and coming at her, to her fellow officers or a 911 dispatcher.
Ms. Guyger said she performed basic life support. When asked she said, “I performed a little CPR.” There was no blood on her uniform to indicate she did. Prosecutors argued several times that Ms. Guyger put her needs and wants over a dying Mr. Jean—texting and not giving the dying man her undivided attention and walking away more than twice instead of administering life support while her first aid bag was inches away. During her testimony it was also revealed that she did not rely on her training. Ms. Guyger admitted she had not taken a position of cover and concealment or dispatch a radio call for assistance with police help two minutes away. Her general orders were left unattended and void while Mr. Jean lay dying. Ms. Guyger appeared to be caught in several lies during cross examination. She said she was tired yet was planning to go back to the gym. She said her morals stopped her from continuing a sexual relationship with her married partner yet was sexting for a meeting with her lover the night of Mr. Jean’s killing. Even her supposed fear of the surrounding community was found untrue. Prosecutors showed a text message she sent a fellow officer about how much she loved her new apartment and neighborhood. “The intent to kill, which is one of the elements of murder, was satisfied by Amber Guyger in her shooting of Jean. She did not have to kill him, she could have called for backup, but instead she decided to kill him,” said Atty. Jeryl Christmas, who has dealt with police shooting cases and is based in St. Louis. myimessenger.com
Atty. Christmassaid the self defense argument should not stand. Mr. Christmas along with his colleague, Atty. Pamela Muhammad of Houston, Texas, helped residents of Ferguson fight charges in the aftermath of protests following the 2014 killing of Mike Brown Jr. “Guyger’s defense is so ridiculous. It goes back to the old White supremacist theory that Black people don’t have rights that they are bound to even respect. The notion that this could even be presented by Guyger is totally absurd,” declared Atty. Muhammad. “Her theory is based on the idea that White people are entitled to more protection than Black people.” “The fact that she can even say that she did not have the requisite intent to kill Botham just because she shot, because she had all these things going in her head, this poor innocent and defenseless White female, etc. That defense is purely illogical for a trained police officer and full of bias that we see all the time,” added Atty. Muhammad, and Atty. Christmas agreed. Gwen L. Hodrick, Licensed
MRS. JEAN AND JUDGE KEMP EMBRACE Profes-sional Counselor, LCDC, bestselling author said a mental state tied to White supremacy in America is alive, well, and present in the Amber Guyger case. “The history of this country has Africans being brought here to work as slaves, and in doing so being painted as animals, and as a threat who needed to be handled
and shackled in order to keep us subservient to them. That still permeates with us today.” Alshaheed Muhammad, student minister of the Nation of Islam mosque in Dallas, added, “It’s the old European paradigm. In slavery the White women would accuse the Black man of raping her while she was
engaging in something unethical or unchristian like, yet the White dominant male justice structure would do whatever they wanted to the Black man and call it justice. Amber Guyger’s defense theory is no different.” Ms. Smith was not optimistic even with five Blacks on the 12-person jury. “I have seen so many times when we think we are going to get justice because there are people that look like you on the panel. That is not necessarily so,” she said. “I don’t have any hope, I want people to look at the facts in front of them and act accordingly.” No matter the trial outcome, the Nation of Islam in Dallas is prepared to help Black people move wisely, said Min. Muhammad. “If she walks, we don’t want to see our people gunned down in the streets if there is a protest. We help to make sure our people are safe and direct our minds to what the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is organizing us to do, which is to build our own community and separate from those who will not give us justice.”
Foster Kidd Foundation fulfills commitment to Paul Quinn College Members of Pro Duffers at Paul Quinn College for presentation, completing a three year, $100,000 pledge myimessenger.com
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QUIT PLAYIN
by Vincent Hall
Impeach the Maryland Farmer! QUIT PLAYIN By VINCENT L. HALL Vincent L. Hall is
an author, activist
and award-winning columnist
Abeni Jewell Haynes is a budding and promising young actress. This past Sunday morning church service wasn’t my first time hearing her recitation of Barbara Jordan’s famous 1974 speech to impeach Richard Millhouse Nixon. This was the second time in six months but this time was even more piercing than before. Ukraine maybe? In 1974, the eloquent, effusive, and intellectually inclined U.S. Representative from the State of Texas levied her charge for the rule and role of the Constitution. This is the 45th anniversary, but it sounds custom-made for this 45th President. In fact, there was less evidence on“Tricky Dick” to support impeachment proceedings than we have at this moment. Here are the most salacious and treasonous acts that should earn this and any other sitting President a disastrous comeuppance. Donald Trump has divulged classified information to foreigners, while publicly and consistently undermining the American intelligence community. He has fired members of his cabinet for being loyal to their oath, replacing them with minions whose only oath is to Trump. This Maryland Farmer has eviscerated the emoluments clause and erected a mobile billboard encouraging foreign leaders, the military and his fan base to curry his favor by their patronage. Meanwhile, he spends 70% of his days watching television or visiting one of his resorts; even the one that allegedly has bedbugs…OMG! The “Ogre in the Oval Office” attacks women and especially women of color; calls countries inhabited by Africans, shitholes; and operates concentration OCTOBER 4, 2019
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camps for brown families seeking relief and rest from terror and tyranny. Climate change, dictator dating, misuse of a selfnamed charity and sex with porn stars and their respective cover-ups using campaign funds, notwithstanding. Congresswoman Jordan prosecu-ted Trump’s case in July of 1974. “Today I am an inquisitor. An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now. My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution. It is wrong, I suggest, it is a misreading of the Constitution for any member here to assert that for a member to vote for an article of impeachment means that that member must be convinced that the President should be removed from office. The Constitution doesn’t say that. The powers relating to impeachment are an essential check in the hands of the body of the Legislature against and upon the encroachments of the Executive. The division between the two branches of the Legislature, the House and the Senate, assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other, the right to judge, the Framers of this Constitution were very astute. They did not make the accusers and the judgers -- and the judges the same person. We know the nature of impeachment. We’ve been talking about it awhile now. It is chiefly designed for the President and his high ministers to somehow be called
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into account. It is designed to ‘bridle’ the Executive if he engages in excesses. ‘It is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men.’² The Framers confided in the Congress the power if need be, to remove the President in order to strike a delicate balance between a President swollen with power and grown tyrannical, and preservation of the independence of the Executive. If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that 18th-century Constitution should be abandoned to a 20th-century paper shredder! Has the President committed offenses, and planned, and directed, and acquiesced in a course of conduct, which the Constitution will not tolerate? That’s the question. We know that. We know the question. We should now forthwith proceed to answer the question. It is reason, and not passion, which must guide our deliberations, guide our debate, and guide our decision. I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Chairman.” I could never duplicate the resonant and regal tonality of the late Barbara Charline Jordan. I no longer possess the requisite synapses or nerve cells to memorize long diatribes like Abeni Jewel. This is the adult version of a nappy-headed little colored boy from the hood…Impeach the MF now; Maryland Farmer that is! History has proved that being right on the issue “trumps” political expediency! Impeach! #Pelosi #Democrats #QuitPlayin
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JUDY
Review by Hollywood Hernandez Renée Zellweger gives one of the best performances of the year in the biopic about the last few years in Judy Garland’s life in the new movie called Judy. She transforms herself into the drug-addicted performer so convincingly you almost feel it’s Judy Garland on stage living through the pain and the joy that made up the faded stars life. The movie is based on the stage play, “End of the Rainbow”, and reveals things about the iconic star that most of us only thought we knew. During her fifteen years as a contract actor with MGM Studios, she was abused, forced to take drugs and was body shamed and told she was ugly by studio head Louis B. Mayer. (The studio denies she was mistreated in any way.) She was assigned a chaperone who gave her drugs for everything from suppressing her appetite to pills to make her fall asleep and wake up. The fifteen-year-old wasn’t even allowed one bite of a hamburger. The studio feared the Garland, who was only 4ft 11in tall myimessenger.com
would look fat on camera. So, Mayer deprived her of food and controlled her with prescription pills.
After finally not being able to keep up with the demands of the studio, she was fired and, because of bad management and the poor financial advice of her handlers, she was left broke. Unable to provide for her two children she gave up custody to her ex-husband (she was mar-
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ried four times). She set off for Europe, where she was still wildly popular, and attempted a comeback on stage in London. She had her ups and downs on stage but her severe drug addiction kept popping up whenever she was having brief periods of success. There are some tear-jerking scenes in the movie where the melancholy singing of Zellweger brings down the house, but ultimately the steady cocktail of drugs that the movie company forced on her caused her demise at the age of 47. Judy is rated PG-13 and has a run-time of 1 hour and 58 minutes. There is a quote that appears on the screen right after the movie. “The heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.” Judy Garland was loved by many. On my “Hollywood Popcorn Scale” I rate Judy a JUMBO.
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HBCU Homecoming 2019 dates: Alabama A&M University Visitor: Texas Southern University Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 2 PM Alabama State University Visitor: Prairie View A&M University ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL Date: Nov. 28, 2019 | 2 PM Albany State University Visitor: Lane College Albany State University Coliseum, Albany, GA Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM Alcorn State University Visitor: Savannah State University Spinks-Casem Stadium, Lorman, MS Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM Benedict College Visitor: Miles College Charlie W. Johnson Stadium, Columbia, SC Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM Bethune-Cookman University Visitor: South Carolina State University Municipal Stadium, Daytona Beach, FL Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 4 PM Bowie State University Visitor: Chowan University Bulldog Football Stadium, Bowie, MD Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 1 PM Central State University Visitor: Fort Valley State University McPherson Stadium, Wilberforce, OH Date: Oct 12, 2019 | 1 PM Clark Atlanta University Visitor: Savannah State University CAU Panther Stadium, Atlanta, GA Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM Delaware State University Visitor: South Carolina State University Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE Date: Oct. 10, 2019 | 1:30 PM Edward Waters College Visitor: Allen University Edward Waters College, Jacksonville, FL Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 3 PM Elizabeth City State University Visitor: Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) Roebuck Stadium, Elizabeth City, NC Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 1:30 PM
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Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM
Fayetteville State University Visitor: Livingstone College Luther Nick Jerald’s Stadium, Fayetteville, NC Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 2:00 PM
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) Visitor: Virginia Union University LU Football Stadium, Lincoln University, PA Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 1 PM
Florida A&M University Visitor: North Carolina Central University Bragg Memorial Stadium, Tallahassee, FL Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 2 PM
Livingstone College Visitor: Fayetteville State University Alumni Memorial Football Stadium, Salisbury, NC Date: Nov. 2, 2019 | 1:30 PM
Fort Valley State University Visitor: Morehouse College Wildcat Stadium, Fort Valley, GA Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM
Miles College Visitor: Clark Atlanta University Sloan-Alumni Stadium, Fairfield, AL Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 4 PM
Grambling State University Visitor: Texas Southern University Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA Date: Nov. 2, 2019 | 2 PM
Mississippi Valley State University Visitor: Virginia University of Lynchburg Rice–Totten Stadium, Itta Bena, MS Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 2 PM
Hampton University Visitor: Virginia University of Lynchburg Armstrong Stadium, Hampton, VA Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 2 PM
Theodore A. Wright Stadium, Savannah, GA Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 3 PM Shaw University Visitor: Livingstone College Durham County Stadium, Durham, NC Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 12 PM South Carolina State University Visitor: Morgan State University Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, SC Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 1:30 PM Southern University and A&M College Visitor: Alabama A&M University A.W. Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA Date: Nov. 2, 2019 | 4 PM Tennessee State University Visitor: Austin Peay State University Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 4:30 PM
Morehouse College Visitor: Benedict College B.T. Harvey Stadium, Atlanta, GA Date: Oct. 26 2019 | 2 PM
Howard University Visitor: Norfolk State University William H. Greene Stadium, Washington, DC Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 1 PM
Texas Southern University Visitor: Missouri S&T BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM
Morgan State University Visitor: Delaware State University Hughes Stadium, Baltimore, MD Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM
Jackson State University Visitor: Alabama State University Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 2 PM
Norfolk State University Visitor: Morgan State University William “Dick” Price Stadium, Norfolk, VA Date: Nov. 2, 2019 | 2 PM
Johnson C. Smith University Visitor: Shaw University Irwin Belk Complex, Charlotte, NC Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 1 PM
Tuskegee University Visitor: Miles College Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium, Tuskegee, AL Date: Nov. 9, 2019 | 1 PM University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Visitor: Lane College Golden Lion Stadium, Pine Bluff, AR Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 3 PM
North Carolina A&T State University Visitor: Howard University Aggie Stadium, Greensboro, NC Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 1 PM
Kentucky State University Visitor: Clark Atlanta University Alumni Stadium, Frankfort, KY Date: Oct. 12, 2019 | 1 PM
Virginia State University Visitor: Bowie State University Rogers Stadium, Ettrick, VA Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM
North Carolina Central University Visitor: Norfolk State University O’Kelly–Riddick Stadium, Durham, NC Date: Nov. 9, 2019 | 2 PM
Lane College Visitor: Kentucky State University Lane Field, Jackson, TN Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM
Prairie View A&M University Visitor: Virginia University of Lynchburg Panther Stadium, Prairie View, TX Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 2 PM
Langston University Visitor: Texas Wesleyan University W.E. Anderson Stadium, Langston, OK Date: Oct. 26, 2019 | 2 PM
Saint Augustine’s University Visitor: Johnson C. Smith University George Williams Athletic Complex, Raleigh, NC Date: Nov. 2, 2019 | 1 PM
Lincoln University (Missouri) Visitor: Northeastern State University Dwight T. Reed Stadium, Jefferson City, MO
Savannah State University Visitor: Albany State University
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Virginia Union University Visitor: Chowan University Location: Hovey Field, Richmond, VA Date: Oct. 19, 2019 | 1 PM West Virginia State University Visitor: West Liberty University Lakin Field at Dickerson Stadium, Institute, WV Date: Oct. 5, 2019 | 1 PM Winston Salem State University Visitor: Shaw University Bowman Gray Stadium, Winston-Salem, NC Date: Nov 2, 2019 | 1:30 PM
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ASK ALMA Ready to get married Dear Alma: I’m divorcing my husband of 24 years. (The ink is just about dry) We have been apart for the last 3 years. I’m new to dating again. I’ve been with my new guy for 2 years. We met on eHarmony. He’s amazing inside & out and I love him. I’m 47. My guy is 46. He is divorced. He has been divorced for 2.5 years. He was apart from his ex for 3 years before the divorce was final. So he’s been single for 5.5 years. I believe in marriage and I do want to get married again. How long should I date him? What’s enough time to give a man to pop the question? – Elizabeth Hi Elizabeth – You’re not quite free! Until the ink dries you’re still legally married, pretty woman. TBT you have yet to join the squad of single sisterhood and trust me when I say, there OCTOBER 4, 2019
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are huge differences between each stage of marriage, separation and divorce. All three phases has its own umbrella of uncertainties. Like me, you married young. You’ve spent a large part of your life with one fella, exercising the commonality of compromise. This explains your comfort in cohabitation, longing for togetherness, and an extended view for two. Ain’t nothing wrong with that – but wait, for goodness sake and let’s pull up for a minute to reevaluate. What if you take more time to center and focus on you? Figure out your likes and dislikes independently, without the consideration of another. Have you taken a vacation alone? Sign up for a class you’ve always wanted to try or learn a new language. Use this time to be good to yourself. Your first marriage ended in divorce, that doesn’t mean you’re lacking, 28
unlovable or incomplete. Okay, you’ve met a new guy, that’s cool. Allow him to come to the conclusion of marriage on his own, not meet a demand or ultimatum. I understand it’s been two years, but there’s no set limit to how long a great relationship should last before marriage, that’s a personal choice. You and I both know that marriage doesn’t make a relationship better nor does it complete who you are as a woman. You’ve had 25 years of practicing to be a good wife, live and love yourself unmarried for a few more years to come. You said dating’s still new to you, and if that’s the case, this isn’t the time to remarry. If and or when that time rolls around, you won’t need to Ask Alma, you and he will know, that you know that you know. And oh what a joy it will be! Alma myimessenger.com
LIFESTYLE by Valder Beebe
Ilfenesh Hadera Epix Network Academy Award®- winner Forest Whitaker, Godfather of Harlem focuses on crime boss Bumpy Johnson who, after a long prison stint, returns to find the old neighborhood controlled by the Italian mob and forms an alliance with rising political leader Malcolm X to help take it back. In the Valder Beebe Show studio actress Ilfenesh Hadera (Billions, She’s Gotta Have It, to discuss her role in the new crime drama, Godfather of Harlem. Godfather of Harlem premiered, Sunday, September 29th on EPIX. Viewers can binge watch on EPIX –Text provided by Ilfenesh Hadera’s publicist The 10 installment series reimagines the story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson (Forest Whitaker), who in the early 1960s returned from a decade in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. You may remember American Gangster premiered in New York on October 20, 2007, starring Denzel which intersects with the life of Bumpy Johnson. In 1968, Frank Lucas is the right-hand man of Harlem gangster Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson and takes over his territory when Johnson dies of a heart attack. Harlem Godfather fills in the life of Bumpy Johnson before his death. VBS: Ilfenesh Hadera welcome to the Valder Beebe Show for the first myimessenger.com
time. I’m excite to speak with you as your upcoming series Godfather of Harlem premiers on EPIX. I was reading your bio and it’s so fresh and
clean IH: Well thank you. That is the first time I have heard my bio reference fresh and clean. VBS: Yes, you have acted in high profile movies Billions, She’s Gotta Have It, Deception, yet when researching I did not see the amount
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of celebrity gossip about you or your career. Tell us about being paired with the Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker. In Godfather of Harlem, you portray his wife. IH: We see Bumpy Johnson at the end of his life in American Gangster starring Denzel Washington. Here we Bumpy Johnson life after being released from prison after 10 years. VBS: How is playing this period piece. It was not that long ago but it is a part of past. IH: My hats off to the costume designer, he got it right. I grew up in Harlem’s and Bumpy’s wife is just like the women I grew up around, just different versions. VBS: As the viewer what do you as the actor want us to get out of the Godfather of Harlem because there is a lot of violence and Bumpy Johnson was a hardened criminal. IH: You are right yet he also was an avid reader and a savvy business man. Maybe if he was born today he would be a successful entrepreneur. This show is about the American dream and ………………. complete video interview: ValderBeebeShow. ValderBeebeShow.com, 411RadioNetwork.com, Youtube.com/valderbeebeshow, 411RadioNetwork. com; Podcast audio: Soundcloud.com/valderbeebeshow, Soundcloud.com/kkvidfw, 411RadioNetwork.com, PChatman Streaming TV Network
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