District Chronicles V14 Issue 22 by District Chronicles

PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHORLARSHIP DEADLINE NEARS 4

Ralph Abernathy, the often overlooked Civil Rights icon and King confidant Page 8

Anthony Quintano/Creative Commons

January 22 - January 28, 2015

Kamala Harris poised for Senate bid Page 7 www.districtchronicles.com

Volume 14 Issue 22

Medicare covers revolutionary new device that gives seniors freedom from lower back pain Easy-to-use high-tech back brace is now covered by Medicare. Specialists are manning the phones for the next 48 hours to assist seniors in qualifying to get the new Verta Loc back brace and regain their youth. The revolutionary new Verta Loc Back Brace is helping seniors everywhere re-discover an active and pain-free lifestyle. But even better news is that recently approved Medicare coverage means that most seniors with lower back pain can get the amazing Verta Loc – and much-needed relief – at little or no cost. Qualifying is fast and easy with a free phone call within the next 48 hours to the trained Medicare specialists at The Back Pain Resource Center. Comfortable, custom fit provides immediate pain relief If you are reading this, you know that lower back pain can be excruciating and debilitating. Even mild, low-grade back pain, whether chronic or recurring, robs seniors of their golden years and takes the fun out of life. The Verta Loc was designed by medical technology experts to reverse that situation, instantly. It fits all waist sizes and has no small pieces to fumble with. Your Verta Loc will arrive fully assembled and could not be easier to adjust for a perfectly custom-tailored fit and immediate relief. Verta Loc’s unique two-strap system gives you complete control over the compression you need to feel relief, offering maximum comfort and protection with just the right amount of support.

one at little to no cost out-of-pocket. The specialists handle all the paperwork in a matter of minutes. Pain relief and financial relief too Many people find themselves wearing their Verta Loc for only part of the day to experience relief. Plus, when the pain subsides, many are able to reduce or even eliminate their use of pain medications, which not only eliminates unwanted side effects but also saves money. Recommended by doctors and back pain specialists Physicians agree that using a high-quality back brace like Verta Loc helps encourage safe movement, teaches good body mechanics, and restricts the motions that cause pain in the first place. Patients are able to maintain their daily activities and learn better back health practices. Medicare coverage specialists are available by phone for the next 48 hours only. Call today! Since Medicare is now covering the Verta Loc, the phone lines are expected to be flooded, but if lines are busy, callers are encouraged to keep trying. For the next 48 hours, the goal of the Back Pain Resource Center is to make sure every senior is able to experience the relief and freedom provided by having their own Verta Loc.

Not avail able through retailers or over the Internet To keep costs down and to streamline and speed up the Medicare qualification process, the Verta Loc Back Brace cannot be purchased online or in stores. It is only available with a free call to The Back Pain Resource Center, and will be shipped directly to your home by our trusted supplier of quality durable medical equipment. The Center’s specialists are trained in Medicare and make it very easy for virtually all seniors with lower back pain to qualify for the new Verta Loc and obtain

To get your Verta Loc please find your time zone on this map and begin calling at the time indicated.

CALL 800-943-5991 Results not typical and may vary. Not all patients qualify. Product covered in full with payment by primary and secondary insurance. Warranty and restrictions apply.

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2 | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | District Chronicles

King focused ‘dream’ speech on children for a reason By Lee A. Daniels NNPA Columnist “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!” A suggestion for these days of special attention to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Whenever people cite this sentence from his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech, ask them if they know the rest of the speech. I’ve long suspected that people who cite that sentence as proof we today should stop taking race into account in the necessary reordering of American society haven’t bothered to understand – or, most likely, even read – the rest of the speech. I think that’s because they’ve adopted the let’s-pretendrace-has-no-meaning stance conservatives have been pushing for the last 30 years – ever since losing their all-out effort to defeat the movement for the King national holiday. So when people refer to that sentence, ask them to explain King’s also saying to the throng, “I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality.” Or, ask them to explain his reminding America “of the fierce urgency of Now … It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. … The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” Those are just two of the extraordinary passages in what is a wonderfully complex sermon, full of hidden-in-plain-sight demands and warnings along with its call to our better selves. They and other passages illuminate the true meaning of its most famous sentence – a meaning underscored by the three “dreams” that immediately precede it and the one immediately after it.

Before mentioning his children, King declares that “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” And then, after he speaks of his children, he says, “I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of ‘interposition’ and ‘nullification’ – one day right there in Alabama little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little White boys and White girls as sisters and brothers.” In other words, King places his dream for all children squarely within the necessity of reforming three states with long histories of horrific state-sponsored and stateaided-and-abetted murders, beatings and other forms of violence that targeted Black children as well as adults. He uses children as the focus of his dreams not only because children are born without prejudice and fear, but also because their being “able to join hands” at “the table of brotherhood” could only occur with their parents’ acceptance of racial equality. Here, King

was speaking directly to ordinary White southerners. Come, he said, for our children’s sake, let us recognize our common humanity. The White South of 1963 answered two weeks later. On September 15, 1963, members of the Birmingham KKK cell dynamited the Sixteenth Baptist Church just after its Sunday School services had ended, killing four girls – Addie Mae Collins, 14, Denise McNair, 11, Carole Robertson, 14, and Cynthia Wesley, 14 – and wounding 20 others. In the maelstrom that enveloped the city that day, two Black teenaged boys who were not members of the church were shot to death. Virgil Ware, 13 was killed by two White male teenagers. Johnny Robinson, 16, was shot in the back of the head by a state police officer. The Black freedom struggle in the South went on. So, this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, when people only reference the Dream Speech’s “the content of their character” line and let it go at that, you’ll know they’re just whistling “Dixie.” Lee A. Daniels’ new collection of columns, Race Forward: Facing America’s Racial Divide in 2014, is available here on Amazon.com.

5 financial fitness habits to begin in the new year

Finance

Financial fitness starts with establishing a budget.

(BPT) - While many people focus on personal health goals in the new year, the beginning of the year is also a great time to check your financial fitness. So how can you whip your finances into shape? South University College of Business, Virginia Beach faculty member Dr. Alan Harper says everyone should adopt these five financial habits in 2015: Establish a budget Harper says the first step in taking control of your finances is to establish a budget. “It is extremely important to know how much money is coming in, where it’s going, and allocating it appropriately,” he says. “Having a budget allows you to gain a broader understanding of your spending habits.” Make sure your budget includes allowances for food, clothing, gas, and even entertainment, Harper advises. Start saving Your budget should also include money set aside for emergencies. Harper says the old rule-of-thumb that three month’s salary is enough to have in your bank account no longer applies in our current economy. “We found in the last recession that people who lost their jobs tended to stay out of work much longer than three months,” he says. “You should have six months to a year’s worth of income in savings, just in case.”

Harper says you should also try to put away 15 percent of your takehome income toward your retirement. Many retirement savings options are available, including 401(k) s, Roth IRAs and individual retirement accounts. It is important to do your homework before deciding on a long-term investment strategy so that you are aware of terms, conditions and any fees associated with your options. Manage your credit The beginning of the year is a perfect time to check your credit history, and to look for any mistakes on your credit report, Harper advises. Mistakes on your credit report can cost you large sums of money in interest rates, or even keep you from being approved for a loan. “The law requires the three major credit reporting agencies to provide you with one free credit report a year,” Harper says. “Pull those reports and look for discrepancies. If you find one, file a dispute with the credit reporting agency and they will remove the item if it is incorrect.” Harper also says to check your FICO score on the report, make sure you have an understanding of what the score means, and how to improve it if the score is low. Shop smart Make it a priority to save money while you shop, Harper says. He encourages clipping coupons, and says purchasing membership cards

to discount stores like Sam’s Club and Costco can help you save money over time. “Those stores will save you money in the long run on purchases like food, gas, and even personal care items.” Check your insurance Setting aside time at the beginning of the year to check your insurance policies can also save you money. Harper advises that you should review your auto, home and life insurance to make sure you have the proper coverage. “You want to make sure you aren’t paying for coverage that you may no longer need, but you also want to make sure you have adequate coverage in case there is an accident or you need to make a claim,” he says. Many companies also offer discounted rates if you hold multiple policies with them. So, if your auto, home and life insurance policies are with different companies, you may want to explore the benefits of choosing just one company. “It’s also important to make sure your life insurance policies are sufficient to protect your family from a financial crisis in the event that something happens to you,” Harper notes. “Establishing a budget, saving, staying on top of credit and insurance, and shopping smart all take some work,” Harper points out. “But the rewards to your personal and household bottom line are well worth the effort.”

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Call 202-806-9401 to advertise in the districtchronicles.com District Chronicles. District Chronicles | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | 3

Neighborhood

Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington

District of Columbia Jan. 31 D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program deadline looms

anuary is the last month to apply for a K-12 private school scholarship with the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). The OSP awards K-12 scholarships to D.C. families interested in enrolling their child in a D.C. private school. Currently 51 D.C. private schools and over 1,400 D.C. students participate in

Montgomery County Free resource fair, forum on low-income Maryland residents

4 | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | District Chronicles

The public is invited to a free forum and resource fair to learn about issues facing low-income community residents Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Ave., in Gaithersburg. The “Raise Your Voice! Poverty in Montgomery County” forum is sponsored by the county’s Community Action Board in partnership with the City of Gaithersburg.

the program. There are three ways to apply < Online: www.dcscholarships. org < At an event* < In the office: 1400 16th Street, NW Ste. 500 The last day to apply is Saturday, January 31st at THEARC Boys and Girl Club – Gym (1901 Mississippi Ave, SE), from 11am to 2pm. The event will feature food, activities, prizes, and scholarship applications. Families will have the opportunity to learn more about the OSP, and work one-on-one with an OSP representative to fill out an application. Attendees will share their experiences and recommendations about issues such as child care, transportation, jobs and housing in small focus group sessions. The resource fair will include information and resources from local service providers. Free child care and food will be provided. Bilingual Spanishspeaking volunteers will be on site. Requests for interpretation in other languages should be made at least three business days before the event. The Community Action Board is the county’s federally mandated anti-poverty group. The board serves in an advisory role to the County Executive and the County

*EVENT INFORMATION Thursday, January 22nd (9:30am-1:30pm) ESA-Anacostia Service Center 1st Floor (2100 MLK Jr. Ave. SE) Celebrate National School Choice Week! Saturday, January 31st (11:00am - 2:00pm) THEARC Boys and Girls Club (1901 Mississippi Ave, SE) http://p2a.co/iysUist

Council, and as an advocate for low-income residents. The board provides governance to the county’s Department of Health and Human Services’ Community Action Agency programs, including Head Start. The public may register for the forum online by going to www.eventbrite.com and searching for “community action forum raise your voice,” or by calling the Community Action Agency at 240.777.1697. Those requiring special aids or services to participate in this event should call 240.777.1697 or 301.251.4850 or Maryland Relay at 711 with at least three business days advance notice.

Divine Intervention Supreme Court to decide fate of gay marriages AMG | PHOTOGRAPHY We photograph concerts, birthdays, weddings, sporting events, portraits and more. E-mail amgunited@ymail.com to receive a free quote on your next event. Messiah and Friends at G2 Lounge 10-21-11. See more photos at flickr.com/amgunited.

The Supreme Court set to rule on the constitutionality of same sex marriages in America.

By Richard Wolf USA Today

WASHINGTON (RNS) – The U.S. Supreme Court agreed last Friday to resolve the national debate over same-sex marriage once and for all. The justices agreed to consider four cases from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. They will be consolidated and heard together. That sets up a schedule under which the court likely will hear oral arguments in April and issue a ruling before its current term ends in late June. The justices’ hands were forced by a split among federal appellate courts after the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld marriage bans in those four states last November. While gays and lesbians can marry in 36 states, most recently including Florida, the practice is banned in those four states, along with 10 others. The court had sidestepped the issue in October, when it let stand appeals court rulings striking down gay marriage bans in Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Utah. Those rulings and a later appeals court decision affecting Idaho and Nevada drew in neighboring states as well. As a result, more than 70 percent of Americans live in states where gay marriages are legal, and thousands of couples have tied the knot. The high court’s long-awaited decision to intervene pleases both

sides in the debate. National gayrights groups have been pressing for a 50-state solution. The National Organization for Marriage, which opposes gay and lesbian unions, also wanted the court to step in. The new challenge is destined to become even more of a landmark case than those decided by the court in 2013 – United States v. Windsor, which forced the federal government to recognize gay marriages, and Hollingsworth v. Perry, which made California the 13th state to allow them. Those rulings, while historic, did not resolve the threshold questions in the debate: whether gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, or whether states have the right to ban the practice. Justice Remain Divided

Since the gay marriage movement gained steam in the 1990s from Hawaii to Vermont, 30 states have passed constitutional bans. Eleven states and the District of Columbia legalized same-sex marriage by legislative action or voter initiatives. In 33 more states, judges have made the same call, though some of those decisions were delayed or overruled. Most of the progress by gayrights groups has come in the last two years: The number of states where gays and lesbians can marry has nearly doubled since October alone, and tripled since the court’s 2013 rulings. The justices appear as split last week as they were

then, when Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the 5-4 decision striking down a key part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. In dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia seethed that it would lead to exactly what has happened since – a flurry of court rulings using the high court’s equal protection reasoning to strike down state bans. But while divided, the justices have made a series of procedural moves that allowed same-sex marriage to proliferate, particularly by refusing to hear five states’ appeals in October. They even refused to halt gay and lesbian marriages in Idaho while the state challenges the verdict of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals – something they had done last year in Utah and Virginia. The swing vote remains Kennedy, who has authored the last three major rulings advancing the cause of gay rights. On one hand, he has defended voter-approved constitutional amendments, most recently in a Michigan case last year that upheld the state’s ban` against racial preferences in university admissions. But he struck down the federal same-sex marriage ban as an affront to the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians. Other states were same-sex marriage remains illegal include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas. Richard Wolf writes for USA Today.

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District Chronicles | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | 5

Cover Residents, tourists flock to King Day events By Tonesha Townsel and Rachel Kersey Howard University News Service

tional Cathedral for music, dance, and spoken-word performances by the African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, The Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys Chorus, soloist Francese Books and dancer Mahkai Carroll, the Washington Performing Arts’ Children of the Gospel Choir, poet Tika Wallace and the Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University. King loved music, so say his friends and biographers, and at times King reflected on its magic “God has wrought many things out of oppression,” King said in his 1964 opening address at the Berlin Jazz Festival. “He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create, and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations.” King delivered his final Sunday sermon from the cathedral’s Canterbury Pulpit on March 31, 1968, just days before his April 4, assassination in Memphis, Tennessee. The cathedral has made it its mission to proclaim and achieve King’s vision. “The work’s not done,” said the Rev. Canon Jan Cope, who serves

Adam Fagen/Creative Commons

WASHINGTON – The wind whistled loudly on a brisk Monday morning, as people flocked to the Martin Luther King Monument erected in 2011 to pay their respects to the late revolutionary. Harry Lewis, 57, a Washingtonian who lived through King’s time, stood alone, gazing up at the monument as he as he thought about King’s legacy and his most momentous visit to the District. “I was born and raised here in the District and it wasn’t too far from here where they had the resurrection seed,” said Lewis, referring to the famous 1964 March on Washington, where King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. “Quite naturally, he was incidental with the march; that was enormous for the District of Columbia at that time. “They were scared, the police on standby. They had the National Guard, groups along the river at Fort Meyer. He had 250,000 Black people. They knew something was going to happen, but Dr. King had them under control. Nothing hap-

pened, not a thing. The speech was across the street at the Lincoln Memorial.” Kendrick Peters, a Ph.D. student at Howard University, roamed the memorial site with his grandmother. “For me, his work has impacted me by inspiring me to consider social justice beyond mentoring and pursuing higher education,” said Peters. “I’ve learned to be intentional about each of my social justice activities … We don’t have that voice anymore, that voice to listen to and respect as they had then.” A contingent from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, King’s fraternity, arrived from Morehouse College, King’s alma mater, after a 10-hourplus bus ride from Atlanta. They gathered around the memorial, linked together and sang Morehouse’s school song. Upon their departure, men of the Fraternity made their calls of brotherhood and, as did so many others, took photographs at the site. Fleming Benjamin Berning, an employee at a state mental health hospital in Ohio, was among the photographers taking pictures. Later Monday morning, people flocked to the Washington Na-

Many flocked from near and far to celebrate King’s memory in the District.

as the cathedral’s vicar. “We feel his legacy and work very strongly and passionately here, and it’s a house of prayer for all people. We feel that it’s our great privilege to open our doors and continue to tell the story because the work’s not done.” Open to the public, the world’s sixth largest cathedral and its seats were filled from front to back with people of all walks of life. “If you looked across the sanctuary, you didn’t just see Black people,” said Brandon Cox, vice president of the Howard Gospel Choir. “You didn’t just see White people. You saw Hispanics, you saw Indians, you saw all these other ethnicities come together as one to honor

and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King. Bené Durant, 70, attended the service. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, she remembers the signs separating Whites from coloreds. She recalled how she sat in the balcony when she went to the theater. Due to efforts by King and others, as well as her own hard work, Durant said In August 1967, she became the first Black librarian in Arlington. “I think people need to value education more,” she said. “I don’t think there’s that emphasis on education and trying to be the best you can. A lot of people want something for nothing.”

Black leaders chide Scalise for past White supremacists association By Hazel Trice Edney (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Leaders of two Black civil rights organizations have chided and requested a meeting with House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), recently accused of having spoken before a White supremacist group. With Republicans now controlling both Houses of Congress, the four-page letter from Wade Henderson, president/CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) and Marc Morial, president/CEO of the National Urban League (NUL), indicates a growing concern about a worsening of an already conservative agenda. “We write to express our deep concern regarding your acknowledged 2002 speech before the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), a [W]hite supremacist, anti-Semitic, and neoNazi organization classified by the Anti-Defamation League and the

Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group,” the letter states. “Participation in the 2002 EURO conference by any member of Congress would be troubling. However, it is of particular concern to us that a member chosen to be part of the Majority’s leadership team in the House of Representatives, whose responsibilities include protecting the interests of all Americans, would legitimize the existence of such a group.” Scalise has said in widespread reports that he “reject that kind of hateful bigotry” and had no idea the group was associated with White supremacy. At the time, he said he was disparate and was willing to speak to anyone that would hear him. Short staffed, he said the group, also associated with former Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon David Duke, had not been thoroughly vetted. But, the Henderson-Morial letter issues a subtle rebuke, clearly expressing disbelief that Scalise is

6 | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | District Chronicles

being totally forthcoming about his knowledge of the organization’s connection to Duke, a Republican who served one term as a Louisiana state representative. Duke also ran twice for president, once for the Louisiana State Senate, the U. S. Senate, the U. S. House and governor of Louisiana – all unsuccessfully. “It seems implausible to us that, as a state representative with national aspirations at the time, you would not have heard about the Louisiana-based EURO, which was already a well-known hate group led by America’s most famous white supremacist, former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke. While you indicated that, had you known of the affiliation, you never would have accepted an invitation to speak to a David Duke-sponsored group, you have also stated that the invitation to speak came from Kenny Knight, a long-time associate of David Duke and one of your neighbors. As you might imagine, it is

difficult to fathom how you would accept an invitation from a Duke associate to speak to a group that you do not know, and yet, ask no questions about the engagement.” Both the LCCHR and the NUL represent a vast number of organizational associates that deal directly with national race-related issues. Therefore, they apparently need reassurance. LCCHR is a coalition of more than 200 national organizations and the NUL, founded in 1910, has 95 affiliates that advocate for economic empowerment of tens of millions of underserved people in 36 states. Pointing to these constituencies as their backup, the men are pushing for a Capitol Hill meeting to start the new Congress with has much influence as they can muster. They say they wish to discuss key issues with Scalise, including his position on efforts to repair the Voting Rights Act, which 50th anniversary will be celebrated this year even after its “pre-clearance clause”

was gutted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder in 2013. They also listed as discussion items, his views on legal efforts to overturn President Obama’s executive action on immigration reform and congressional efforts for job creation by investments in public transportation systems, reconstruction of roads, bridges and public facilities. “We are writing to request the opportunity to meet with you to discuss ways to work together for the good of all of the Americans that you represent, regardless of race or religion, in order to help move forward after the serious and legitimate concerns that your participation in this event has raised,” the letter states. Attempts to reach Scalise’s office to ask whether he would meet with Henderson and Morial were unsuccessful. A recording picking up his Capitol Hill office phone repeatedly said his voice mail was full.

Politics

Lonnie Tague

Kamala Harris: Are we looking at the next U.S. Senator

California’s attorney general Kamala Harris is making a bid for Senator in 2016.

By Charles D. Ellison

ou might be dreading 2016 because it will be the last year of the first Black president. But all is not lost, fam. Chances are you’ll get your first AfricanAmerican female senator in over 15 years. With Sen. Barbara Boxer (DCalif.) retiring, history is about to make another run. The Golden State’s attorney general, Kamala Harris, a Democrat, is announcing her bid for the seat. Going in quick and early, less than a full week after Boxer’s retirement news, signals shrewd mastery of the political calendar. That potentially clears a crowded field. Potential rival Northern California golden boy Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom already pulled his name from contention and instead put first dibs on the governor’s mansion for 2018. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve pulled in several brothers, for better or for worse, to serve as U.S. senators, and one even made it to the White House. But we’ve had only one African-American woman in the Senate: Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.), a once-promising Chicago pol whose career ended on a flat, fourth-place run for Windy City mayor. Don’t let the palm trees and idyllic Pacific surf fool you, though. West Coast politics is a dirty business in the nation’s largest state. Still, when the dust settles and it’s all said and done, here are five reasons Harris could be a U.S. senator:

She’s won statewide, already – twice. And she can do it again. Harris already has a reliable campaign infrastructure in place to simply plug into the Senate race. With Newsom out, she can also tap into his network of campaign flacks, fundraisers and other consultants who’ll be looking for work. But as a Black female candidate running statewide, Harris has proved herself a political force of nature. She won all 2010 and 2014 primaries and general elections for attorney general, meaning –technically – she’s run four times throughout the state. In 2010, she won 33 percent of the vote out of a packed seven-candidate Democratic primary, then beat the Republican opponent in the general by 1 point with 46 percent. By 2014, she was soundly beating the competition with more than 53 percent of the vote in a blanket multiparty primary and a very solid 57.5 percent in the general. President Barack Obama’s got an interest in the race. It’s no secret that Harris is an Obama favorite – he even weathered public shade for calling her “the best-looking attorney general” back in 2013. But the president has long had a close political relationship with Harris as one of his superstar protégées. He put resources behind her 2010 and 2014 runs, and it’s expected he’ll do it again in 2016. Hence, a Harris win would not only make history but would also reflect just how much political clout the president has in his final two years.

She’ll raise lots of money. We’re expecting a $100 million-plus race. Conventional wisdom might give liberal hedge fund billionaire Tom Steyer – who also announced a bid for Boxer’s seat – the edge simply because he’s got bottomless loot packs: He spent $74 million of his own money to push climate change in 2014. But Californians don’t respond particularly well to megarich retirees running for office. Just ask eBay founder Meg Whitman, who ran as a Republican in the 2010 California gubernatorial race. She spent $140 million of her own money but ended up with less than 41 percent of the vote against the Democratic, and much poorer, Jerry Brown. Harris kicks off with $3 million in the campaign bank. She’ll most certainly tap into President Obama’s vast and limitless fundraising network, including Hollywood entertainers and überwealthy Silicon Valley tech heads who know her by first name. She may even get a boost from the Indian diaspora, since she’s half-Indian. Boxer wants a woman – and the dudes have issues. Observers note that Boxer and a number of powerful women’s groups, such as EMILY’s List, quietly prefer a female replacement – not a hedge fund manager and probably not former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, even though the latter could make history as California’s first Latino senator.

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Arts and Entertainment

Ralph Abernathy: MLK’s overlooked “civil rights twin”

By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

n a scene in the movie “Selma,” Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sits in a jail cell wondering where the civil rights movement is headed. His cellmate, Rev. Ralph Abernathy Sr., responds with a lesson from the Gospel of Matthew about the futility of worrying. In real life, the two men were inseparable. One man is honored with a national holiday that was celebrated at the start of the week, while the other is frequently overlooked, even as he continued King’s plans for decades after King’s 1968 assassination. “Ralph is the best friend that I have in the world,” said King when his colleague introduced him for what would be his last sermon, in Memphis, Tennessee. But Abernathy, who died in 1990 at age 64, was harshly criticized for writing in his autobiography, “And the Walls Came Tumbling Down,” about King’s marital infidelity. Abernathy’s family members believe that criticism contributed to efforts to “erase” him from the annals of civil rights history. His widow and son say the new movie does not fully depict the close partnership he had with King. “It has some positive aspects,” said Juanita Abernathy, who married her husband in 1952. “But the portrayal of my husband, no, it is not correct and that is one of the

tragedies of ‘Selma.’” Asked for a comment about the family’s reaction, director Ava DuVernay said Abernathy’s widow was “nothing but complimentary” at a screening she attended, and her son requested that his daughter get a role as an extra. His request was granted. “Martin didn’t do anything that Ralph David Abernathy didn’t do except he took a bullet,” recalled Juanita Abernathy in an interview. “Martin never made a decision that Ralph Abernathy was not a part of. And it trickled down from the two of them to everybody else.” She said historic photos prove her point: many show the two men together at significant moments, marching arm in arm or meeting with other figures of the 1960s, including Malcolm X. Ralph Abernathy grew up in Linden, Alabama and served in the segregated Army in World War II before starting his life as a pastor in his home state. He was the leader of First Baptist Church of Montgomery and a member of the local NAACP chapter. When Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to yield her seat on the bus to a white man, he got the call from the chapter president and suggested involving a new local pastor, King, in the steps that led to their joint work on the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s. Later, both men co-founded of the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil

Abernathy (left) and King were tight as twins during the Civil Rights movement.

rights organization that Abernathy led after King’s death. Abernathy was one of the last people to speak with King. In a 1986 interview in the Syracuse Herald-American, he recalled that King stepped onto their motel balcony in Memphis while Abernathy went to put on some Aramis cologne. Then a shot was fired. “I had lost my best friend,” said Abernathy. “The Aramis saved my life.” After the assassination, Abernathy marched in Washington to fulfill King’s plans for the Poor People’s Campaign and later worked

to get Black politicians elected. Controversially, he endorsed Republican Ronald Reagan, who later signed the law marking the King national holiday. Abernathy’s son, the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy III, has spearheaded an initiative to get his father’s Atlanta church, West Hunter Street Baptist, to receive a National Park Service designation. Last month, President Obama signed legislation that calls for the site to undergo a special NPS study. Those who worked with Abernathy said his association with

‘Mayor for Life’ book nominated Submit for NAACP Image Award

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – The autobiography of Marion Barry, a New York Times Bestseller, has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award, the annual awards celebrating contributions by African Americans. The 46th annual event takes place Friday, February 6, and will air live on TV One. Barry’s book nomination falls under the category, “Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography.” Released on June 18, 2014, the book fulfills the dream of Barry to make the New York Times Bestseller List. He died on November 23, while

still serving as a member of the D.C. City Council. Now listed on the “Bestseller List,” “Mayor for Life: The Incredible Story of Marion Barry, Jr.,” can be found under the category: “Race and Civil Rights”. Barry traveled throughout country and the D.C. Metropolitan area, making appearances and promoting his book at numerous book signings and events, including the 50th anniversary of the Washington Informer newspaper. “Mayor for Life” chronicles Barry’s 52+ year journey as a public servant and civil rights activist.

8 | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | District Chronicles

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King was closer than most people realize. “They used to call them the civil rights twins,” recalled Terrie Randolph, who was Abernathy’s secretary when he became president of SCLC after King’s death. The younger Abernathy compared his “Uncle Martin” and his father to the biblical description of Jesus’ sending out the disciples “two by two.” “You give Ed McMahon to Johnny Carson. You can even give Bobby Kennedy to John. Black men came together that were not brothers, but were brothers in spirit.”

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In the Neighborhood

Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington Montgomery County 2015 Women’s Legislative Briefing to be held on Sunday, January 25

ontgomery County Commission for Women hosts 25th annual Women’s Legislative Briefing On Sunday, January 25 the Montgomery County Commission for Women will host the 2015 Women’s Legislative Briefing. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Universities at Shady Grove, Building II, 9630 Gudelsky Dr. in Rockville, MD. Ann F. Lewis, senior White House staffer from 1997 to 2000 will be the keynote

District of Columbia New Republican Congress launches first attack on D.C. Home rule Following this week’s State of the Union, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) is doing all that is necessary to keep a bill reintroduced by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) that attacks the District of Columbia’s local labor laws from moving forward, as she did last Congress. “D.C.’s labor laws have been thrown into a national anti-labor bill in a way that Sen. Vitter could not do with local or state labor laws anywhere else,” said Norton. The bill continues House and Senate Republican efforts from last Congress to undermine collective bargaining rights nationally and uniquely target D.C. bargaining rights. “One reason our unions favor statehood is that they understand that the District has been subjected to politically motivated efforts to restrict labor and organizing rights that will uniquely hurt our local workers,” said Norton. “This latest attempt to target the District goes after labor, but Sen. Vitter apparently does not see the contradiction with widespread Republican support for

speaker. The 35th annual Women’s Legislative Briefing is co-sponsored by more than 60 women’s and community organizations, with support from major sponsors Kaiser Permanente and AARP. The conference will open with remarks by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner, Senator Ben Cardin, Congressmen Chris Van Hollen and John Sarbanes and Congresswoman Donna Edwards. This year’s briefing will include two special workshops for teenage girls focusing on leadership, community engagement and advocacy. It will also offer seminars featuring members of the Maryland General Assembly and many of the most prominent women’s organizations within the state and nation. A vari-

ety of topics will be covered, including:

local control over local affairs.” The bill, the so-called Freedom From Union Violence Act of 2015 (S. 62), would make it a special federal crime to engage in violence during a labor dispute in connection with interstate commerce and commerce solely within the District, but not solely within states.

back in the Senate, and the president issued a veto threat on the bill because of those provisions. “This bill is threatened by its anti-immigration amendments, which should not and will not be signed into law by the president,” said Norton. “However, I believe the funding for St. Elizabeths will survive in the end. The General Services Administration (GSA) committed to Congress that it would update its St. Elizabeths Master Plan, and now the House, which has been hesitant in funding the consolidation at St. Elizabeths, has included funding that is essential for the consolidation. With the DHS secretary, top officials, and another 700 DHS employees moving to the St. Elizabeths campus in Ward 8, I am more confident than ever that the slow construction of the DHS complex will not keep it from being completed.” The first building, the Coast Guard headquarters, was completed on time and on budget because Norton was able to get nearly $1.4 billion for that building upfront as a part of stimulus funding. Since then, however, with sequestration and other budget cuts, annual appropriations bills have been slow to provide the amounts needed to complete the complex on time, leading to steeply increased construction costs. In September, the GSA named the contractors for the Center Building.

Home Security Dept. complex in Ward 8 gets additional funding The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reported that an additional $48.6 million for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consolidation at St. Elizabeths in Ward 8 was included in the fiscal year 2015 DHS Appropriations bill, which passed the House last week. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Omnibus), which was enacted into law in December, provided $188 million for DHS consolidation at St. Elizabeths and the surrounding infrastructure improvements. This funding ensures the completion of structures around the center building complex, which will house the DHS secretary and top DHS officials. The St. Elizabeths funding is not controversial in the FY15 DHS appropriations bill, but anti-immigration amendments added to the bill may encounter significant push

< Advocacy: The Pitch for Your Legislators < Economic Empowerment for Women < Health and Safety for Women and Girls < Immigrant Women < Senior Women in Long-Term Care < Women in Leadership The program will conclude with a reception with County and State elected officials. Admission, which includes refreshments, is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. To pre-register, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ cfw.

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District Chronicles | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | 11

In the Neighborhood Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington District of Columbia Statehood bill gets record number of cosponsors

he office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the District of Columbia statehood bill’s 93 original cosponsors, a record number of members who co-

sponsored the bill before its introduction, ranks in the top 1 percent of the 662 bills introduced thus far in the 114th Congress. The previous record of original cosponsors for the New Columbia Admission Act was at the beginning of the 100th Congress, in 1987, when 69 members, all Democrats, cosponsored, representing 26.7 percent of House Democrats. That record was shattered in the Congress last week by the 93 original cosponsors, who represent

over 49.5 percent of House Democrats, nearly double the proportion of the previous record. “Today’s Republican House and Senate are no bar to the work that needs to be done to obtain D.C. statehood,” said Norton. “We intend to keep doing all that we can in Congress to promote D.C. statehood and to educate members of the House and Senate about the reasons the bill is essential. The basic work, however, still has to be done

in the city and the nation before even a Democratic House and Senate will move D.C. statehood, as we already have seen. We will continue to add to the Congressional base of support, which we see is there in the House, but members of the House and Senate vote based largely on how their own constituents feel. Our statehood movement is carrying this difficult burden and many more of us need to join them.” Norton, who expects the bill to

be introduced in the Senate soon, said that the bill’s large number of original cosponsors is designed to keep building the congressional base for D.C. statehood and to maintain and build on the start the bill got in the 113th Congress from the first-ever Senate hearing on statehood, attended by more residents than any D.C. hearing in memory, and from the President’s announced support for D.C. statehood.

D.C. celebrates MLK day with volunteering, service

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

12 | Jan. 22 - Jan. 28, 2015 | District Chronicles

Clockwise from top-left: On Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day, folks across the District volunteered and participated in service to honor the Civil Rights hero. Hundreds of students at George Washington University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Leadership program created cards for sick children and prepared literary activities for pre-school children. Former councilwoman Charlene Drew Jarvis and representative Eleanor Holmes Norton were key note speakers at the event. Across town on MLK avenue, We Feed Our People handed out food, shoes and clothes to those in need for their annual day of service event (Photo Credit: Robert Eubanks).