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The Blue & White Flash Jackson State University

P.O. Box 18449 Jackson, Mississippi 39217

Phone: 601.979.2082

E-Mail: theflash@jsums.edu

Editorial Staff

The Blue & White Flash is open to contributions from all Jackson State University students. We encourage all students, regardless of major and/or classification, to participate in the production of their newspaper. For information concerning your contribution to “The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University,” call 601-979-2082 or visit room 111 in the Rose E. McCoy Building.

Publication/Distribution Information

The Blue & White Flash is a weekly newspaper written and edited by the students with the counsel of the adviser. Editorials and letters to the editor represent the views of the writer(s). Views expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty/staff, the administration, the student body, or the Board of Trustees. The editors determine the time of the publication and the ethical qualities of all articles. Articles and other materials in The Flash cannot be republished without the expressed written permissions of the editor, adviser and the Student Publications Board at Jackson State University. The Flash is published during the fall and spring semesters, but not during university-recognized holidays, mid-semester and final examinations. The Flash is distributed at various locations around the Jackson State University campus, free of charge to students, staff and faculty. Additional copies may be obtained from the Office of Student Publications.

Commentary

and led the congregation 1954 to 1960. Ten years after King’s assassination in 1978, the church was renamed the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church to honor the former pastor and civil rights activist.

Every year during Black History Month, schools citywide would visit Dexter Avenue Baptist Church on a field trip.

I remember each year at every MLK assembly when all the students would be seated in the cafeteria to listen to one of our fellow classmates recite King’s

“I Have a Dream” speech in its entirety.

Tatyana Ross

Editor-in-Chief

The impact of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s fight against the oppression of our race as AfricanAmerican’s is undeniable. His contribution to the Civil Rights Movement is unmatched.

I am from Montgomery, Ala. so growing up we learned a lot about King’s life, leadership role in the Civil Rights Movement and his time as pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where King became the twentieth pastor

It felt boring back then but as an adult still living under the conditions of oppression, I think I understand exactly what King was talking about. In his famous

“I Have a Dream” speech he said:

“But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.”

We fought for desegregation but it didn’t stop the tension of on-going racism that some white people had against our race as a whole. In 2023, we still face racism in our communities and the rise of police brutality against African-Americans continues to stifle growth and progress made over the years.

NBC reported in March 2022 that according to The Washington Post, police shot and killed at least 1,055 people nationwide in 2021. African-Americans accounted for 13 percent of the population in the U.S at the time but accounted for 27 percent of the people fatally shot and killed by police in 2021.

According to the Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative, there are four ways to categorize racism.

1. Interpersonal racism - Prejudgment, bias or discrimination by a white individual toward a person of color.

2. Institutional RacismPolicies, practices, procedures and culture of an institution or system that work better for white people and cause harm to people of color, often unintentionally

3. Structural Racism - The history, culture and current reality of racism across institutions; when the institutional racism of multiple institutions overlaps to form a web of racism impacting people and communities of color.

4. Internalized Racism -

The internalization of the racist stereotypes, values, images and ideologies perpetuated by the white dominant society about oneʼs racial group I don’t think this is the outcome of the dream King wanted to see in our community. Recently I started doing research on topics about racism that most people shy away from like “sundown towns”.

According to the website Black Past, Sundown Towns are all-white communities, neighborhoods, or counties that exclude blacks and other minorities through the use of discriminatory laws, harassment, and threats or use of violence.

In the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, sundown towns were at their peaks in the 1970s when many of the towns or even entire counties marked their city limits with racist signs. The most famous sign was from Alix, an Arkansas town in Franklin County reading, “Nigger, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On You In Alix”.

Knowing that there are towns still active with such a highly offensive nature makes me feel vulnerable. Especially when further research shows that sundown towns are not endemic to one region or state. According to the Charlotte Observer, the Midwest region has the highest concentration of sundown towns recorded in historical records. the holiday?”

Personally, I feel that people are afraid to expose the truth about places like these. But, silence = violence, in order to make a change, there needs to be full awareness, not just across the U.S. but across the globe, to shed light on the unfair treatment of other human beings because of race.

In 2023, King’s dream is still alive because it hasn’t been fulfilled and I think the only way to achieve it is to revamp it. Racism still exists and if we don’t keep fighting for our own rights then it will continue.

I won’t remain in the shadows and stay quiet any longer and I hope you don’t either. It’s time to speak up for ourselves, our beliefs, and our basic human rights.

The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.

Compiled by: Amaya Baker

Arnisha Baker Junior Journalism&MediaStudies Chicago, Ill.

“I love giving back to my people through community service as well so this MLK Day, that is what I’ll be doing.” ”

Miah Ford Junior Social Work Racine, Wis.

“I honor MLK Day by trying to help the less fortunate as much as possible.”

Jason Johnson Junior Electrical Engineering Belleville, Mich.

“As the Vice President for the JSU NAACP, I organize marches or voter registration drives to continue having an impact on campus.”

Darren Smith. Junior Biology/Pre-Med Natchez, Miss.

“I honor MLK by chasing my dreams and making them into reality.”

Imani Major Senior Art Vicksburg, Miss.

“I educate myself by talking to the older generations about the real history because academic history classes almost never gave us the entire truth.”

Ezra Snell II

Junior Sociology Clinton, Miss.

“I honor MLK through committing myself as well as my actions to the same principles that he championed so fervently.”

Jeremiah Friday Senior Electrical Engineering Madison, Miss.

“I honor MLK by spreading the peace and supporting non-violent conflicts.”

Jamarcus Davis Junior Civil Engineering Cleveland, Miss.

“I honor MLK by supporting black owned businesses and volunteering my services when I can.”

Airin Beals Junior Chemistry/Pharmacy Chicago, Ill.

“I honor Martin Luther King by remembering all of the sacrifices made in order for future generations to thrive in a racist economy.”

Michael Brooks Sophomore Computer Engineering

“I honor MLK for his righteousness. He inspires me today for his understanding of others and also his love for others.

Antionee Sellers Sophomore Psychology Forest, Miss.

“I honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by having a great lunch with other friends.”