SCENE
WELLNESS
SECTION B
Clarkston will celebrate its cultural diversity at the second annual International Festival on Oct. 1 in the Plaza downtown. A7
Avoiding genetically modified corn can be difficult as it shows up in everything from grits to salad dressing to chicken nuggets. A9
The Mall at Stonecrest is celebrating its first decade with events throughout October. We help with a Special Section. INSIDE
Cultural smorgasbord
What happened to corn?
10-year anniversary
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2011 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
September 24, 2011
www.crossroadsnews.com
Volume 17, Number 21
Black buying power headed to $1.1 trillion in four years The buying power of African-Americans is expected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2015, a new report says. The Nielsen State of the African-American Consumer Report, released Sept. 22, showcases the buying and media habits and consumer trends of a diverse black demographic. It showed that with their buying power, if blacks were a country, they would be the 16th largest in the world, between Indonesia and Turkey. Cloves Campbell, chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, which partnered with Nielsen on the report, said it provides considerable insight into a significant market segment.
Cloves Campbell
“Too often companies don’t realize the inherent differences of our community, are not aware of the market size impact, and have not optimized efforts to develop messages beyond those that coincide with Black History Month,” Campbell
said. The report is the first installment in a three-year alliance between NNPA and Nielsen, a leading provider of analytics into what consumers watch and buy. NNPA, or the Black Press of America, has more than 200 black community newspapers
across the country. Campbell said he hoped the collaboration with Nielsen would help tell the story of the black consumer in a manner that businesses can understand. African-Americans make up the largest racial minority group in America with a population of close to 43 million, the report said. Susan Whiting, Nielsen vice chair, called the alliance with NNPA “an opportunity to share valuable insights, unique consumer behavior patterns and purchasing trends with the African-American community.” The report was released during the 41st Annual Legislative Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference in Washington
on Sept. 21-24. Among its findings: n The number of African-American households earning $75,000 or higher grew by almost 64 percent, a rate close to 12 percent greater than the change in the overall population’s earning between 2000 and 2009. This continued growth in affluence, social influence and household income will continue to impact the community’s economic power. n African-Americans make more shopping trips than all other groups but spend less money per trip. Blacks in higher income brackets also spend 300 percent more in Please see CONSUMER, page A3
Vigils Were Not Enough Janice Ivery of Stone Mountain, Mercedes Binnis of Marietta and Britt Schulte of Chicago were among those at a candlelight vigil for Troy Davis outside the state Board of Pardons and Paroles on Sunday.
Troy Davis executed after last-ditch efforts By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
After 20 years on death row, convicted cop killer Troy Davis was executed at 11:08 p.m. on Sept. 21. Davis’ death by lethal injection came four hours later than his scheduled 7 p.m. execution as his lawyers and supporters made a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. It declined to stay his execution. He was 42 years old. Witnesses said he died declaring his innocence and urging supporters to continue the fight against the death penalty after his death. Davis was convicted Sept. 3, 1991, for the 1989 death of Mark MacPhail, a white off-duty Savannah police officer, when he was 20 years old. MacPhail, 27, was working as a security guard when he intervened in a brawl in a Burger King parking lot in Savannah and was shot at point-blank range. There was no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime, and after several witnesses recanted their testimonies, supporters say there was too much doubt to execute. They and opponents of the death penalty called for clemency for Davis, but the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles and the state Supreme Court both upheld his sentence this week. John Evans, president of the DeKalb NAACP, said the decision to execute was wrong. “When in doubt, you don’t want to kill anyone because you can’t do anything after you have done it,” he said. Evans, who joined the vigil for clemency on Tuesday, said the Davis case highlights the need for change. “We need to take this situation and do
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
something about the death penalty. Period,” he said. “The disparity in sentencing between blacks and whites is disproportional. That’s why we can’t support the death penalty.” AJC reporter Rhonda Cook, who was one of five reporters who witnessed the execution along with MacPhail’s son and namesake; his brother, William MacPhail; and the Davis family, told CNN Wednesday night that Davis looked at the McPhails and said he was sorry for their loss. “I did not personally kill your son, father and brother,” Davis said. “I am innocent.” Cook said Davis asked his family and friends to continue to search for the truth. To
the prison officials who would pull the switch to kill him, he said, “May God have mercy on your souls. May God bless your souls.” She said he lowered his head and was dead within 14 minutes from a three-drug cocktail of pentobarbital, which induced coma; pancuronium bromide, which paralyzed him; and potassium chloride, which stopped his heart. The worldwide campaign to spare Davis’ life drew high-profile support from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI and 4th District U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson. Davis had escaped three previous dates with death before Wednesday.
Supporters began round-the-clock vigils last week and hundreds stood outside the Jackson state prison Wednesday praying for clemency. In a letter written by Davis and released by Amnesty International, Davis said the struggle for justice doesn’t end with him. By midday Thursday, the NAACP had begun organizing to work toward eliminating the death penalty. Evans said that he had received a call from NAACP state President Edward DuBose. “He said we need to get together in a few days to develop a plan of action to abolish the death penalty,” he said.