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Black History Month February 9, 2013

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Icons of the Movement

Landmark year for annual Black History Month observance This is the 37th year of observing February as Black History Month. It comes in a landmark year in American history. 2013 is the 150th anniversary of Emancipation Proclamation; the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington; and the second inauguration of the nation’s first AfricanAmerican president. The theme is “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.” During the four weeks of February, African-American culture, heritage and achievements will be spotlighted. While some people argue that one month a year is inad-

equate, when it was instituted in 1976 by the Washington, D.C.-based Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History Inc., the contributions of African-Americans were largely ignored in this country. Harvard-educated Carter G. Woodson, who founded the association in 1915, first initiated Negro History Week in 1926 to focus on the contributions of blacks in the development of America. At the time, the contributions of African-Americans had been largely left out of textbooks and the media. Woodson, who is called “the Father of Black History,” is the author of a number of books, including “The MisEducation of the Negro,” published in 1933.

The book outlines how poorly African-American children were being taught in the nation’s segregated school. He picked February for the observances because it is the birth month of Frederick Douglass, who fought against slavery, and President Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves. It was Woodson’s hope that with the annual Black History observances, Americans would develop Carter G. Woodson mutual respect for each other.

Black History 2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.CrossRoadsNews.com editor@CrossRoadsNews.com

This Black History Month Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., East Metro Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphics Editor Curtis Parker Reporters Jessica Smith Ken Watts

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

CrossRoadsNews

February 9, 2013

Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library acquired the SCLC archives in 2008.

“I’m pleased to report that the battle you so valiantly led in the 19th century for equal rights and dignity has yielded great results. Your sage advice to agitate at every turn continues to inspire great men and women into action, and with each passing generation the march toward freedom and equal opportunity is moving closer to full realization.” Rep. Hank Johnson, 4th Congressional District

A Letter to My Ancestor: Frederick Douglass Dear Ambassador Frederick Douglass, I write you today full of optimism that America, the nation that once enslaved our people, continues to advance toward justice, equality, freedom and fairness for all its people. I’m pleased to report that the battle you so valiantly led in the 19th century for equal rights and dignity has yielded great results. Your sage advice to agitate at every turn continues to inspire great men and women into action, and with each passing generation the march toward freedom and equal opportunity is moving closer to full realization. It has required tremendous sacrifice, but today our people have reached the pinnacle in all facets of American society – from the arts and sciences to academia, technology, business, and politics. There is no level of achievement off limits or out of reach for African-Americans in this great country we call home. I am especially proud to report that Americans have elected and re-elected the first African-American president in history – Barack Hussein Obama. Born of a marriage between a Kenyan father and a Caucasian American mother, President Obama excelled as a student, graduating near the top of his class from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. These two elite institutions – once off limits because of the color of your skin – are now open to all with brilliant intellects. With much the same sense of duty to his fellow man as you, President Obama began his legal career in service, choosing to be a community organizer instead of taking a high-paying job at a prestigious law firm. In his first term, President Obama passed

legislation helping millions of Americans get access to affordable health care. He signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which requires equal pay for women. And he is responsible for new laws that protect consumers from predatory lenders. It must cause you profound pride to know what your bravery and sacrifice paved the way and set the example for President Obama to become a great American president and leader of the free world. As a member of Congress from the Deep South, I and my other colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, along with our great president, demonstrate the great progress we’ve made. While I write today with much to celebrate, much work remains. The truth is that the ugly legacy of racism continues to impact the quality of life for all Americans, regardless of color. There are whites who feel superior to blacks, and there are blacks who feel inferior to whites, with each blaming the other for the growing difficulty that all people face in achieving the American Dream. Most people seem unaware that corporate influence and wealth has taken over public policy, such that government policy now favors the wealthy few at the expense of the people. As more government functions are privatized, we find political leaders defunding the public school system, shifting government funds to the private, for-profit school industry. And we see America’s prison population exploding, with America having a greater percentage of its people behind bars than any other nation in the world! It’s no wonder that the income of the

private for-profit prison industry is growing. I am sad to report that African-American males have disproportionately fallen victim to the voracious appetite of the prison industrial complex, from which it is nearly impossible to overcome the stigma of being an ex-offender. Just as you fought so staunchly for women’s rights, we continue the fight for women to control their own bodies, and their own health. Mr. Douglass, I’m pleased to report that your legacy and indeed your own descendants continue your work through the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation – 150 years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. I have had the pleasure of meeting your great-great-granddaughter, Nettie Washington Douglass, who chairs the foundation and continues the difficult work you started. I proudly joined with her in urging President Obama to issue you posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom. My vow is to continue raising awareness that all people are created equal, endowed by their creator with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, color, or wealth. It is my vow to fulfill the courageous legacy you advanced more than 150 years ago. Brother Douglass, thank you for your work and inspiring legacy. I will strive to be worthy of your thoughts, words and deeds. With warmest regards, I remain Hank Johnson. Hank Johnson has represented the 4th Congressional District since 2006. He lives in Lithonia.

SCLC exhibit at Emory documents ongoing struggle for equal rights Letters, documents, photographs and recordings from the storied past of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference will go on display on Feb. 21 at Emory University’s Robert W. Woodruff Library. The artifacts are part of the exhibit “And the Struggle Co n t i nu e s : T h e Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Fight for Social Change,” which documents the Atlanta-based civil rights organization’s history, progress and continuous work for equal rights. The collection of 918 boxes covers SCLC activities and business between 1968 and 2007 and includes administrative files with correspondence, reports, memos, notebooks and meeting minutes as well as photographs, fliers, and audio and video recordings. Emory’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library acquired the SCLC archives in 2008 and opened it to researchers, history buffs and the public in May 2012. This is the first exhibit from the collection. It runs through Dec. 1 in the library’s Schatten Gallery and the Jones Room, both on the third floor of the Woodruff Library. The exhibit’s opening celebration on Feb. 22 will feature remarks from U.S. Rep. John Lewis; SCLC leaders C.T. Vivian and

Photographs and fliers from the SCLC archives are among artifacts on display at Emory University’s Woodruff Library beginning Feb. 21.

Charles Steele Jr. and board President Bernard Lafayette; and Dorothy Cotton, who was the SCLC’s education director between 1960 and 1968. The exhibition and celebration, which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m., are open to the public free of charge. The SCLC was founded in Atlanta in 1957 by a group of civil rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Revs. Ralph David Abernathy and Joseph E. Lowery. Each has served as its president.

Compelling components of the archives include transcripts, audio recordings, and other materials for the radio show “Martin Luther King Speaks,” which aired from 1967 to 1979. The program aired speeches and interviews with prominent members of the civil rights movement as well as with women’s rights activists, anti-war activists, and other cultural figures. This part of the collection demonstrates SCLC’s engagement with a broad array of issues and social movements throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Also included are planning files, photos, and audio and video recordings that document other major activities such as the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968, its involvement in the Charleston hospital workers strike of 1969 and the Crisis in Health Care for Black and Poor Americans hearings in 1984, and its Gun Buyback Program in the 1990s. Woodruff Library is at 540 Asbury Circle in Atlanta. For more information, visit http:// marbl.library.emory.edu or call 404-7276887.

February 9, 2013

Black History

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“She was a powerhouse inside that was full of commitment, but very sweet and quiet.”

‘Forever’ stamp honors Rosa Parks, ‘First Lady of Civil Rights’ By Jessica Smith

Rosa Parks, whose refusal to relinquish her bus seat to a white man was a seminal moment in the civil rights movement, was honored with a “Forever” stamp on Feb. 4 – the 100th anniversary of her birth. Before an audience of Atlanta civil rights dynasty, old friends in the movement, and dancing, singing and poetry-reciting students, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a Rosa Parks stamp at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in the historic Auburn Avenue area of Atlanta. Parks, who would not relinquish her seat on the segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 1, 1955, and ignited a bus boycott that gave blacks the right to sit anywhere on a bus, is the 36th African-American so honored. The activist, called “the First Lady of Civil Rights” and “the Mother of the Freedom Movement” by Congress, was born in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1913. She was 42 when she refused to give up her seat on the city bus. That act of defiance and the bus boycott that followed propelled her into the annals of the civil rights movement. Parks was arrested for violating segregation laws and ignited a 381-day bus boycott led by a young Atlanta preacher named Martin Luther King Jr. and angry Montgomery residents. The protest crippled the transit company before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled bus segregation unconstitutional. In a 1992 interview with National Public Radio’s Lynn Neary, Parks said she refused to vacate her seat that day because she did not want to be mistreated. “I did not want to be deprived of a seat that I had paid for,” she said. “It was just time … there was opportunity for me to take a stand to express the way I felt about being treated in that manner. I had not planned to get arrested. I had plenty to do without having to end up in jail. But when I had to face that decision, I didn’t hesitate to do so because I felt that we had endured that too long. The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became.” Parks, who died at age 92 on Oct. 24, 2005, spent most of her life fighting for desegregation and voting rights. The Black Heritage Stamp Series began in 1978 with a stamp for American abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Parks’ portrait on the stamp was painted by African-American artist Thomas Black shear. The stamp is one of three that the Postal Service will release this year in recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of blacks throughout American history. The Forever stamp is part of the 2013 special civil rights set that celebrates freedom, courage and equality. Its value is always equal to the current postage rate. Pamela Wilson-Smith, the Postal Service’s Atlanta district health and resource management officer, said the stamp’s perpetuity goes further than that.

Attending the unveiling of the Rosa Parks stamp are Evelyn Lowery (from left), Bernice King, Pamela Wilson-Smith and Cathelean Steele.

“And when he saw me still sitting, and that had left the three seats vacant, except where I was, he asked me if I was going to stand up and I said, no I’m not. And he said, well, if you, if you don’t stand up, I’m going to have you, call the police and have you arrested. I said you may do that. And he did get off the bus and stayed for a few minutes and I still stayed where I was and when two policemen came on the bus, the driver pointed me out and he said that he needed the seats and other three stood, that one, he just said that one would not. And when the policeman approached me one of them spoke and asked me if the bus driver had asked me to stand and I said yes. He said, why don’t you stand up? I said, I don’t think I should have to stand up. And I asked him, why do you push us around? He said, I do not know, but the law is the law and you’re under arrest.” – Rosa Parks “It should be a Forever stamp because she should always be forever in our hearts with regard to all that she did for us,” she said. In between an afternoon of performances including the chorus of Osborne High School in Marietta and a classical ensemble led by composer Gregory McPherson, several of Parks’ sisters in the movement shared their fond memories of her. Evelyn Lowery, wife of civil rights icon Joseph Lowery and founder of the sister organization of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, knew Parks for a long time. “Have you heard the words still waters

Dillard president for Heritage Day Service Dillard University President Walter M. Kimbrough will be the featured speaker at the Columbia Drive United Methodist Church Heritage Day Service on Feb. 17. Kimbrough, who has led the historically black university in New Orleans since July, is the son of the Rev. Walter L. Kimbrough, the church’s pastor. W.M. Kimbrough The theme for the 10 a.m. service is “Our Faith: The Bridge to Our Past, Present & Future.” The church is at 2067 Columbia Drive in Decatur. For more information, call 404-284-4151.

run deep?” she asked. “She was a powerhouse inside that was full of commitment, but very sweet and quiet.” Lowery worked with Parks in the SCLC in the 1960s. “She was such a grand woman, and though we all know her to be a quiet, sweet and loving person, she had a deep strength,” she said. Other civil rights leaders and friends of Parks in attendance were Elder Bernice King, King’s only living daughter and CEO of the King Center; SCLC first lady Cathelean Steele; Janice Mathis, Rainbow/PUSH executive director; Helen Butler, People’s Agenda executive director; former state Rep. Roberta

Abdul-Salaam; and Christine King Farris, King’s sister. Brenda Davenport, founder of the Rosa Parks Centennial Tribute Committee and host of the celebration, said “everyone on the planet with a conscious mind appreciates the work of Mrs. Parks.” Karma Johnson, youth pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Alpharetta who spoke at the program, said she was proud of the stamp as a symbol of progress. “Her legacy will not only transcend our own African-American history, but will also stand to be a constant reminder to those that are not familiar with her story,” she said.

‘Miss Daisy’ at Toco Hill Library Storytelling The 1989 movie “Driving Miss Daisy,” which stars Oscar winners Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy, will be screened at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library in Decatur. The PG-rated film depicts the relationship between an elderly Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South in the 1950s. The two slowly build a relationship that transcends their differences and becomes a friendship. It is based on Alfred Uhry’s stage play set in Atlanta. Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library is at 1282 McConnell Drive. For more informa- Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy in “Driving Miss Daisy.” tion, call 404-679-4404.

at Callanwolde Kuumba Storytellers of Georgia will share historical African and AfricanAmerican tales at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on Feb. 15. The “Family Storytelling: Emerging Voices” program begins at 7 p.m. in the Sam Goldman Retreat. It is part of the center’s Black History Month program. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center is at 980 Briarcliff Road N.E. in Atlanta. For tickets and more information, visit www.callan wolde.org or call 404-872-5338.

Black History

CrossRoadsNews

February 9, 2013

“To me it was a respectful gesture because our heads were bowed in prayer and not looking at the flag.”

‘Black Power’ salute at 1968 Olympics still resonates Images of raised fists endure 45 years later

“If you’re going to do something, make sure it’s seen, make sure it’s respectful, nonviolent and has some intellectual power behind it. The socks, the fists, the way we stood, the bowed heads, the military posture, not slouching, was something people could remember.”

By Ken Watts

Olympian Tommie Smith leads a quiet but busy suburban lifestyle in his Stone Mountain neighborhood. A Ph.D. in sociology, he travels frequently, speaking to youth groups and corporations on matters of education and health. Forty-five years have elapsed since Smith, son of an East Texas sharecropper, and Harlem native John Carlos, who Tommie Smith grew up between the Savoy Ballroom and the Cotton Club, mounted the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and projected a Black Power salute, which became the most powerful image in the annals of sports or protest. Smith is a familiar figure in his Smoke Rise subdivision, but few of his neighbors have an inkling of his prominent and controversial place in Black History. That year he was a track star at San Jose State University, where 18 months earlier an activist sociology professor had mentored the introverted Smith and other athletes to take an interest in the civil rights struggle. “Dr. Harry Edwards and the rest of us thought it very necessary for young black athletes to get involved in the social movement of our country,” Smith said. San Jose State was a track powerhouse at the time and Smith was one of America’s top sprinters, setting world records in the 400 meters and 200 meters. The young athletes, Smith and teammate Carlos, agreed with Edwards that they should form the Olympic Project for Human Rights and leverage their status to call for a boycott of the Olympics unless certain conditions were met. Among other things, the athletes called on the International Olympic Committee to bar apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia from the Games. Smith said they received death threats as they traveled the country trying to build support for their efforts. The boycott effort fizzled after the IOC did indeed keep the two racially repressive countries out of the Olympics. “At the last [OPHR] meeting we had, it was decided there would be no boycott and each athlete would represent himself according to how he felt about a country that didn’t represent them,” Smith recalled last week. “And that gave the flexibility to each athlete to make his own gesture of protest. So I felt that I would do what I thought was necessary.” In Mexico City, Smith and Carlos placed first and third respectively in the Olympic 200 meters, winning the gold and bronze medals. He didn’t just win. Smith blazed across the finish line in a world record time of 19.83 seconds. That time remained a world record until 1979 and an Olympic record until 1984. But jubilation turned to shock for some fans and U.S. Olympic officials, then anger.

Tommie Smith

Tommie Smith’ and John Carlos’ Black Power Salute from the medal podium at the 1968 Olympics placed them in history for more than the medals they won.

John Carlos and Tommie Smith received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPY Awards in 2008.

years straight in basketball, football, and track and field. His college career was highlighted with many achievements. He started striving and breaking world records in track as a sophomore and did not stop until he had tied or broken 13 records. After the Games of the 19th Olympiad, Smith played professional football under the legendary Paul Brown with the Cincinnati Bengals for three years. He went on to become an assistant professor of physical education at Oberlin College in Ohio, where he taught sports sociology and physical education courses, counseled students and athletes who sought his expertise and advice, coached track and field as well as football and basketball, and served as athletic director. He was also a faculty member at Santa Monica College in California, where he taught sociology, health and physical education classes and was Tommie Smith wearing number 307 and John Carlos, number 259, won gold and the men’s cross country and track and bronze medals respectively in the 200 meters in 1968 Olympic in Mexico City. field coach. would pay the bills,” Smith said. In 1996, Smith was inducted into ‘Silent gesture’ courageous the California Black Sports Hall of Fame. In 1999, he On the victory stand at the medal awards ceremony, Profound social upheaval in 1968 received the Sportsman of the Millennium Award and was Smith and Carlos donned black gloves, and as “The StarThe personal act of protest is best viewed in the coninducted into the Bay Area Hall of Fame along with Ronny Spangled Banner was played, the men raised clenched fists text of those times. 1968 was a year of profound social Lott, Joe Montana and others. And in November that year, high above their heads in a Black Power salute. They also upheaval, when Americans were re-examining long-held he was inducted into the Lemoore Union High School wore badges that read “OPHR,” black socks to symbolize values and beliefs. Hall of Fame and the San Jose State University Sports Hall black poverty in a corrosively racist American society, and Early that year, the Tet offensive launched by commuof Fame. black scarves for black pride. nist forces against U.S. troops in Vietnam turned millions He and wife Delois have been Stone Mountain resiThe scene witnessed by a packed stadium and millions of Americans against the war as prospects for a quick end dents since 2005. of TV viewers had immediate impact and became one of to the fighting grew dim. Thousands of college students “Our daughter attended Clark Atlanta University, and the iconic images of the turbulent late 1960s. took to the streets in war protests. Riots broke out in 100 when we came here for a campus visit we fell in love with Smith believes the intent of the “silent gesture” was the cities after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King the beauty of the area and great housing values before the opposite of what many people may think. Jr. on April 4. And just eight weeks later, on June 5, Sen. bust,” Smith said. “To me it was a respectful gesture because our heads Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Last year, “Salute,” a poignant documentary on the were bowed in prayer and not looking at the flag. I President Lyndon Johnson in a televised address anthree runners and the turmoil of 1968 directed by Northought prayer was more important than standing with nounced a halt to the bombing of North Vietnam and a man’s nephew, Matt, was released in London. Norman my hand over my heart and thinking about all the money I call for peace talks, then shocked the nation by revealing died of a heart attack on Oct. 3, 2006, at age 64. Smith and was gonna make because I won the gold medal.” that he would not seek a second term as president. That Carlos were among his pallbearers. The crowd in the huge Olympic stadium booed Smith August, millions of TV viewers watched in horror as Smith, who went to London to promote the film, told and Carlos as they left the victory stand. bloody battles between police and war protesters upstaged British “Newsnight” that in 1968 he was on a world stage, The silent gesture was a courageous move that sent a the Democratic Convention in Chicago. implementing a need for human actions. powerful visual message but turned the two young athAustralian 200 silver medalist Peter Norman also wore “People were sedentary in their lives, not realizing the letes’ personal lives upside down. an OPHR badge on the podium in solidarity. need for a coalition of understanding,” he said. Avery Brundage, the American who headed the IOC at Before that international stage, Smith began running in Today, nearly five decades later, that Black Power salute the time, pressured the U.S. Olympic Committee to boot grade school in Lemoore, Calif., when as a fourth-grader stands as a seminal moment in the Olympic movement. both men from the Games. he was asked to race against the fastest runner in the Smith said it was important to make the protest count. Smith said he and Carlos received more death threats school (his sister Sally). He went on to become the only “If you’re going to do something, make sure it’s seen, after returning home and for several years the Olympic man in history of track and field to hold 11 world records make sure it’s respectful, nonviolent and has some intelheroes had trouble finding work. simultaneously. By the time he graduated from high lectual power behind it,” he said. “The socks, the fists, the “I had to take a job in a carwash and anything else that school, he had been voted “Most Valuable Athlete” three way we stood, the bowed heads, the military posture, not

February 9, 2013

CrossRoadsNews

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Macy’s Celebrates

MACY’S, THE GORDON PARKS FOUNDATION AND THE AMERICAN BLACK FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATE THE 1OOTH BIRTHDAY OF AMERICAN ICON, GORDON PARKS. MACY’S LENOX SQUARE FEBRUARY 16TH

Celebrate the life of Gordon Parks by viewing iconic images in our photographic art installation featuring some of his most beloved works, such as American Gothic, Washington D.C. 1942 during the month of February! BE HERE EARLY! LOWER LEVEL, 2PM In honor of Gordon Parks contribution to the arts, join us for a children’s “Design Your Own Book” event! Plus with $25 or more purchase made during the event, receive a special gift*

LEVEL 2, 3PM Join us in “In Conversation” with actor/director Eriq La Salle for a spirited discussion on Gordon Parks’s influence on film and the future of African-American cinema. Following the discussion, enjoy light refreshments. Plus, with any $5O or more purchase made during the event, receive a commemorative Gordon Parks journal and a copy of Eriq La Salle’s new book, Laws of Depravity.* RSVP for this event at 305-577-1818 Then boogie on down with us as we pay homage to the soul/funk 7O’s era music featured in the movie Shaft, directed by Gordon Parks. Stop by our Soul Jam style dance party! Don’t forget to pack your platforms! Plus, from February 1st through February 28th, visit macys.com/celebrate to enter for a chance to win a trip for two to The American Black Film Festival in Miami, courtesy of American Airlines, a $1OOO Macy’s shopping spree and Gordon Parks: Collected Works, a five-volume set of his photography.** The Gordon Parks Foundation permanently preserves the work of Gordon Parks, makes it available to the public and supports artistic and educational activities. The Foundation is a division of the Meserve-Kunhardt Foundation. For more information visit gordonparksfoundation.org. Diversity. It’s not what you think.

At Macy’s, it’s part of everything we do. Shown left: Kirk Buddy, Macy’s Advertising Photo of Gordon Parks courtesy of Adger Cowans.

Find us.

Events subject to change or cancellation. *While supplies last. **No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico who are at least 18 years and older. Employees of Macy’s, American Airlines and their immediate family members are not eligible. Sweepstakes void in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and where prohibited by law. For complete sweepstakes details and official rules visit macys.com/celebrate. ARV $4585.00 46575_N3010182A.indd 1

1/18/13 9:54 AM

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Black History

Parks created a body of work that documents many of the most important aspects of American culture. The Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles was at the side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968 when King was assassinated.

‘Witness’ to King’s assassination The Oscar-nominated documentary “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306” will be screened Feb. 16 at the DeKalb Alphas’ first Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia. The fund-raiser, which begins at 8:30 a.m., features a full breakfast and presentations from the 2013 Beautillion Class and leaders of the Young Men of Excellence Program in addition to the viewing of the award-winning film. The film takes viewers inside the last hours of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King was shot to death on April 4, 1968, on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. The Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, who was at King’s side on the balcony, bore witness to his assassination. The 2008 film captures

February 9, 2013

Kyles’ recollections of those fateful moments and the days leading up to them. The fund-raiser will culminate with a panel discussion. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. The Nu Mu Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. mentors middle and high school students to enhance their academic experience and prepare them for college life and manhood. The Decatur chapter also holds workshops on leadership, teamwork, communication, service and college preparation and issues thousands of dollars in scholarship for college-bound seniors. It is now recruiting junior high school students for its Junior Beaux program. The Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola Road. For more information and tickets, visit www.dekalbalphas.org.

Congressman Hank Johnson celebrates

Black History Month

Macys celebrates Gordon Parks’ rich legacy, influence Legendary photographer and cultural hero Gordon Parks and his influence on African-American cinema are the focus of national Black History Month special events and exhibits hosted by Macy’s, the American Black Film Festival, and the Gordon Parks Foundation. Parks, a humanitarian with a deep commitment to social justice, was one of the seminal figures of 20th century photography. From the early 1940s until his death in 2006, he created a body of work that documents many of the most important aspects of American culture, focusing on race relations, poverty, civil rights and urban life. During his lifetime, the celebrated composer, author and filmmaker interacted with many of the most prominent people of his era – from politicians and artists to celebrities and Iconic photographer, composer, writer and filmmaker Gordon athletes. Parks had a deep commitment to social justice. In 1969, he became the first African-American to write and direct a “In Conversation,” which starts at 3 p.m., Hollywood feature film based on his best- will feature actor and director Eriq LaSalle selling novel “The Learning Tree.” This was on a panel discussing Parks’ influence on film followed in 1971 by the hugely successful and the future of Africanmotion picture “Shaft” that starred Richard American cinema. Roundtree. LaSalle is known for Among its activities celebrating Parks, playing Dr. Peter Benton Macy’s is hosting two events – “Design Your on the NBC drama series Own Book” and “In Conversation” on Feb. 16 “ER.” at its Lenox Square store in Buckhead. The others panelists Some of Parks’ most beloved works, will be Arnika Dawkins, including “American Gothic,” “Washington owner of Arnika Dawkins D.C.” and “1942,” will be on display at the Eriq LaSalle Gallery, and Darrell Lane, store. international photographer specializing in Macy’s Lenox store is one of 14 locations “everyday people.” nationwide that will honor Parks during CBS’ “Better Mornings Atlanta” news February. anchor Tracye Hutchins will moderate the “Design Your Own Book” takes place at discussion. 2 p.m. in the store’s children’s department Funk classics from the movie “Shaft,” in honor of Parks’ acclaimed novel “The released in 1971, will get the party started Learning Tree,” which propelled Parks into after the film discussion. DJs and dancers the spotlight in 1969. will highlight the “Shaft” era in music for a The Macy’s event will highlight Parks’ new audience. literary life as children create their own For more information, visit macys.com/ unique books. celebrate.

AKA exhibit marks 20 years

“At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation, the March on Washington and President Obama's 2nd Inauguration” recognizing the invaluable contributions African Americans have made to our nation's history and identity.

www.hankjohnson.house.gov Paid for by The Committee to Re-Elect Henry "Hank" Johnson

Mem b ers of t h e Stone Mountain/Lithonia Graduate Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha are celebrating their 20th anniversary with an exhibit of artifacts and photographs at the Stonecrest Library. “Celebrating Our Sisterhood: Honoring Our Past. Embracing Our Present. Soaring Toward the Future” is on display throughout February. The chapter, which has more than 100 members, was chartered at the “Celebrating Our Sisterhood,” which marks the local chapter’s 20th Hidden Hills Country anniversary, is on display at Stonecrest Library throughout February. Club in 1993. It is part of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., seniors. established in 1908. The AKA exhibit is open during library Over the two decades, the AKAs’ com- hours. munity service projects have included health The Stonecrest Library is at 3123 Klondfairs, voter registration drives, and network- ike Road in Lithonia. ing mixers. For more information, visit www.aka It has awarded more than $110,000 in taupiomega.com, e-mail agodlydiva@aol scholarships to college-bound high school .com or call 678-525-6155.

February 9, 2013

Black History

CrossRoadsNews

The film documents how the black test subjects were allowed to die from their disease despite a cure having been developed.

Billye Aaron gets Crystal award for volunteerism, outreach By Ken Watts

Billye Aaron, ground-breaking broadcaster, fund-raiser and community activist, is the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Hotel’s 2013 Crystal Customer Award recipient. More than 500 friends, family and wellwishers turned out on Feb. 4 for the hotel’s annual Heritage Celebration honoring Aaron, wife of baseball legend Hank Aaron. Former Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and Trumpet Award founder Xernona Clayton were among the crowd honoring Aaron. She joins a select group of Crystal Customer Award recipients – Coretta Scott King, Young, former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Herman J. Russell, Thomas Dortch Jr., and Jesse Hill, Jr. After receiving the large crystal cup, Aaron said she was really thrilled to be recognized. “It is just absolutely wonderful to be joining the illustrious list of previous recipients. And it does my heart good to know that some of what I tried to do is appreciated,” she said. In 1967, the Hyatt became the first downtown Atlanta hotel to do business with blacks and has had a close relationship with

opportunity for young people.” She made her debut in 1968 on “Today in Georgia” on WSB-TV, becoming the first African-American woman in the Southeast to co-host a regularly scheduled TV talk show. For 14 years, she was one of the most successful full-time fund-raisers for the United Negro College Fund. She retired in 1994. Among her accomplishments, Aaron is the founder of the Mayor’s Masked Ball, one of the most successful fund-raisers of its kind, and the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation. Her efforts have raised more than $10 million for scholarships and given countless young people the opportunity to attend college. Her commitment to higher education began when she received her bachelor’s degree from Texas College and later her master’s degree from Atlanta University. During her graduate studies, Aaron met Billye Aaron, wife of baseball legend Hank Aaron and the first African-American woman in the and married Samuel W. Williams, a MoreSoutheast to co-host a TV talk show, received the 2013 Crystal Customer Award. house College professor of philosophy and the city’s African-American community ever way of saying thanks for the loyal support. religion. Aaron was cited for her “decades of volsince. To this day, many local and national He died in 1970, and three years later, civil rights organizations hold events at the unteerism and community outreach, much she married the reigning baseball home run Hyatt. The Heritage Celebration is the Hyatt’s of it aimed at providing scholarships and king, Hank Aaron.

THE CELEBRATION LASTS 28 DAYS; THE CONTRIBUTION, A LIFETIME. No amount of time would be sufficient to recognize all of the trailblazers who saw what no one else could, did what no one else dared and gave us all what we needed most. Georgia Power is proud to honor the achievements of African-Americans throughout Black History Month and more importantly beyond.

Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne.

‘Miss Evers’ Boys’ tells Tuskegee tale “Miss Evers’ Boys,” the made-for-TV movie that tells the true story of the U.S. government’s 1932 Tuskegee syphilis experiment on black men, will be screened Feb. 20 at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. The film, which stars Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne, documents how the black test subjects were allowed to die from their disease despite a cure having been developed. It will be screened from 6 to 8 p.m. The experiment was discontinued 40 years later when a Senate investigation was initiated. “Miss Evers’ Boys” was filmed in Atlanta, Covington and Porterdale. It won many awards, including Golden Globes and Primetime Emmys. The Black History Month event is funded by the Friends of the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road. For more information, call 404-286-6980.

Five photographers honored at Capitol The work of five renowned AfricanAmerican photographers will be featured in an exhibit at the Georgia State Capitol on Feb. 20 in honor of Black History Month. Photographers Jim Alexander, Horace Henry, Susan J. “Sue” Ross, Clyde Bradley and Arthur “Bud” Smith are being honored for their contributions to the arts and to the preservation of African-American history. House District 61 Rep. Roger Bruce (DAtlanta) is host of the exhibit, which takes place from 8 a.m. to noon in Room 216 of the Capitol, 206 Washington St. S.W. in downtown Atlanta. For more information, contact the House Democratic Caucus at 770-362-0123.

georgiapower.com

CrossRoadsNews

February 9, 2013

Winner of the 2012 MillerCoors Messenger Award and 8 Awards for Journalistic Excellence

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