WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING
WINNER: 2019 GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 3RD PLACE, COLUMN WRITING, 2ND PLACE
Insight News June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019
Vol. 46 No. 23• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
BLACK MUSIC
Flyte Tyme and friends in Halloween costumes Terry Lewis in silver with arms outstretched, Cynthia Johnson bottom center, Jellybean Johnson back right, approximately 1980. Photos courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
Page 2 • June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019 • Insight News
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Black Music Month
Clubs that shaped the ‘Minneapolis Sound’ By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com Imagine the scene. You’ve been planning all week to get together with your group of friends for a night out. Your plans have to be on point. Cell phones are not the norm; they are the rarity … if in existence at all. No, “Call me when you get there and let me know how it is.” Going live meant turning to your crew and saying, “Did you see what I just saw?” If you were a DJ and someone requested a song you had to have it … you couldn’t download it on the spot. Oh, and when you got to the club you were partying with musical royalty. You were at The Fox Trap and Prince was on the drums backing a singer, who at the time was the main attraction. You were at the Nacirema singing for the first time on stage and Prince is in the crowd. You’re at Glam Slam and Prince is right next to you … after all, it’s his club. And we can’t forget about The Riverview, The Quest (formerly Glam Slam), Escape, South Beach, Gabby’s and Arnellia’s, just to name a few. If you were out “clubbin’” in the Twin Cities in the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s this was quite possibly your reality. And if it wasn’t Prince it was the Flyte Tyme or Morris Day, or Alexander O’Neal … later the brothers of Mint Condition and Next. If reggae was your thing you were anywhere Ipso Facto was playing. For many this was the “golden era” of partying in the Twin Cities. “I started off singing at The Nacirema,” said one of the area’s most recognizable voices, Kathleen Johnson, who is still a sought-after performer. “My sisters and I sang there back in the day. It was the club
that Prince would come check us out at. Then came Vanity 6.” Johnson said her group, Myst, was a favorite of Prince, but he was looking for a different look at the time, thus Vanity 6 was signed instead of Myst. According to Johnson, the Nacirema, located at 39th Street and 4th Avenue in Minneapolis, was the place to be for Black artists and Black club goers. “For Black bands and venues (it was the spot.) We were not otherwise allowed in the white venues,” said Johnson. “Not much has changed though, except the fact that there are no Black venues (specializing in live music) after Arnellia’s.” Arnellia’s is the club in St. Paul known by its namesake, Arnellia Allen. Called the “Apollo of St. Paul,” Arnellia’s was a staple on University Avenue in St. Paul until 2017, when Allen, who owned the club since 1992, passed away. “(Nacirema) is where we met Ms. Arnellia. She was a waitress there,” said Johnson, who was a longtime friend of Allen and regular performer at her club. And there was Quest. Quest, which is now the site of Cowboy Jacks, 126 N. 5th St., Minneapolis, was originally Glam Slam … Prince’s club. Glam Slam was open from 1990-1995 before transitioning to Quest and according to many, Prince was a regular at his club. Some say he was also known to show up at North Minneapolis’ most famous club, The Riverview. “When the Nacirema closed then it was on to The Riverview,” said Johnson. Clearly, she wasn’t alone. “Riverview ... nothing like it on Friday after work,” said Laverne McCartney Knighton, area director of the Twin Cities United Negro College Fund.
Ipso Facto at the Establishment Club in Foshay Towers, Minneapolis circa 1985.
The Riverview Supper Club “(It’s) where we went to meet everybody. Great times up in that joint It was indeed ‘The View.’” Kelley Green agrees. “For me as a young 20-something in the ‘80s, going to The View was the main club stop for socializing,” said Green. “(It was) a great mix of younger and older people. Most 40-plus people (today most of those people are in their 70s and may be in their 80s) would be at The View for happy hour and when we started rolling up in there, usually after 9 p.m., they (older patrons) would start to leave. For instance, I used to see my dad, Edgar Jackson, Earl Bowman, Charlie Smith, Frank Wilderson, Cornell Moore and so many others get up and leave as soon as they saw us coming. The music
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was the best. At its heyday, you would see Kirby Puckett up in there … former Vikings, Joey Browner, Darrin Nelson and the list could go on. (It was) a great mix of people and we had a great time. I would go every Friday and Saturday.” And if it wasn’t The Riverview, according to McCartney Knighton it was Corks. “We were the new young transplants here in the Twin Cities in the late ‘70s, early ‘80s and Corks was the place to go for young professionals,” said McCartney Knighton. “All you had to do was make one phone call, ‘Where you going after work? Meet you at Corks.’ The place was small and we were thick as thieves in it, but we had a blast. (It was) the place
The Girls band members Jermaine Brooks in red, Sheila Rankin on left and Jerry Hubbard on bass, approximately 1985. to see and be seen.” For Sherilyn Thomas, here memories are more recent; as a former waitress of Escape Ultralounge in downtown Minneapolis. Escape, located in Block E, closed in the mid2000s. “My first VIP table was Michael Jordan at the Trent
Tucker party,” said Thomas. “Shook my ‘lil teenage life.” To be young again. But with these great memories of yesteryear in the Twin Cities, in many ways we shall all remain forever young … and forever grateful for the club owners, bands, DJs and promoters who paved the way.
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Insight News • June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019 • Page 3
Insight News WINNER: 2018 NNPA MERIT AWARDS: 3RD PLACE BES T COLUMN WRITING
June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019
WINNER: 2019 GENERAL EXCELLENCE, 3RD PLACE, COLUMN WRITING, 2ND PLACE
Vol. 46 No. 23• The Journal For Community News, Business & The Arts • insightnews.com
MHS
L-R: Meredith Kol-Balfour,Delaney Register-Brown, Aubree Redd, Niyana Darden, Olivia Ashley Miller, Mariam Jankeh Camara, Angel Sydnee Bellard, Sabrina Mohamed, Kennedi Chanel Roberts and Helen Mohamed
Girl researchers explore colorism “Don’t go out because you’ll get too dark” was the warning told to me every time I wanted to go outside and spend time with my friends.
The Girls Empowerment Movement (GEMS) Youth Action Research Team at Hope Community Inc.
presents their research on the impact of colorism in the lives of Black women and girls in the Twin Cities. Eleven young Black girls from high schools across the Twin Cities formed this year’s Youth Action Research Team. Led by Dr. Brittany Lewis, the program empowers young Black girls through purposeful community action informed
by research questions that are relevant to their daily lives. This year’s Youth Action Research Team chose to research the impact of colorism in the lives of Black women and girls. The youth choose this topic, because they argued that it was an understudied research area that has grave impacts on the health and well-being of Black women and girls creat-
ing long lasting impacts on self-identity. Their central research question asked; how does colorism, in and outside the Black community, impact the health and well-being of Black women and girls? To examine this question, they created a survey to understand how early experiences with colorism shaped a person’s self-identity and
relationships. They included questions about respondents’ own definitions of colorism and how they observe colorism being perpetuated in their daily lives. The team collected survey data from 69 Black women and girls. The survey responses while enlightening had a major impact on the youth action researchers as they stated that it was challenging to get some
of the respondents to open up as many of the stories told were quite personal in nature. “It was difficult to get people to express their true, deep feelings because they didn’t want to be seen as a victim. They didn’t want to criminalize their own family, like ‘Oh yeah, my family hurt me,’” responded one
COLORISM 4
Farouk Seti Olajuwon
A luta continua … The struggle continues By Mahmoud El-Kati with contributions from Denise Johnson Farouk Seti Olajuwon was a remarkable man. He was the epitome of a man that in our language we call with the sacred label of “soul brother.” He was a fellow who hailed from Clarendon, Ark. and early on was raised in Memphis, a place that is deeply rooted in the grits and gravy style of Black American culture. Olajuwon’s parents Geraldine and Floyd Yates gave him his birth name of Alonzo Benjamin Yates. He was the oldest of seven children. In junior high, he changed his name from Alonzo to Lawrence. He graduated from Frederick
Farouk Olajuwon Douglass High School in Memphis. Early in life, Olajuwon was one from among the masses of our people, who
was tied to the life of the streets. There, he earned the nickname of “Smooth Black.” Olajuwon was loyal to family and friends without judgment and forgiving. He truly believed in accepting the shortcoming of others and focused on the good in all. Like so many of our brothers and sisters, he was entangled in the maze of American madness (That is to say, white supremacy) and it transformed his life. On May 26 Olajuwon took a walk in the night and passed to that silent continent of eternity. Cancer was the culprit; undeterred by the natural/medicinal treatments Farouk engaged. Those of you who knew him joined hands in struggle with him and whom had our lives enriched by him; we will miss his person,
but not his spirit. We will not forget the essence of a man who led a committed life in our community and shared wisdom well beyond his 67 years. To all that knew him, he was generous, kind, thoughtful and loving with a terrific sense of humor with a contagious laugh. For all that hung out with him talking and watching our people gather in positive ways, excel at building our community or simply doing their thang of being and becoming, he would always say, “Now that’s a beautiful thang.” It is a truism that an individual should be measured by his good deeds and the basic content of their character. Farouk came to the Twin Cities in the early1980s to study
OLAJUWON 7
Syndicated columnist published in Insight News, 100 publications world-wide
Kam Williams, prolific film and literary critic dies Film critic and entertainment journalist, Kam Williams has died. Over the past two decades, film and literary critic Kam Williams published nearly 10,000 articles and reviews. Throughout his nearly 22-year career as a writer, he was most known for his film reviews and celebrity interviews for websites such as RottenTomatoes.com and more than 100 publications around the world, including Insight News. A prolific journalist, he also wrote countless book reviews, editorials and a novel that will be published posthumously later this year. Williams, a resident of Princeton, N.J., died May 30 from prostate cancer. He was 66 years old. Born Lloyd Joseph Williams in New York City and
Kam Williams raised in St. Albans, Queens, Williams was commonly referred to as “Kam,” a nickname short for “Kamau,” a name given to him while he was a student at Brown University, by famed Jazz musician Sun Ra. Williams’ path to a career in writing was circuitous. He was a graduate of Brooklyn
I2H
Survey looks at impact on self-identity and relationships
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Tech High School in New York City and earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in Black Literature in 1974. While receiving his master’s in English from Brown University in 1975, he first attempted a career in screenwriting at Chicago’s WTTW, a PBS affiliate TV station. However, Williams had a diverse set of interests and diverted his attention from writing for business and entertainment law, receiving his J.D. from Boston University in 1978 (along with bar membership in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey) followed by an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. Williams’ first wife, the late Kristina Barbara John-
son introduced him to art dealing and the antique business in which he subsequently deployed his corporate and legal knowledge for over a decade. Williams had a colorful personality and a commanding presence, according to friends and family. He was a tall African-American man with freckles and wore his bright-red hair in a large Afro hairstyle that was immediately noticeable in a crowd. His diverse life experiences and base of knowledge (he was a polymath who read a book a week) made him a compelling conversationalist and lead to a brief but recurring guest appearance on the radio show, The Howard Stern Show.
WILLIAMS 6
Kevin Lindsey
Minnesota Humanities Center names Kevin Lindsey new CEO Kevin Lindsey joins the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) as its new chief executive officer. “Kevin is highlyregarded in communities statewide and his exceptional combination of skills and experiences will help position MHC for even greater impact as an innovator and humanities leader,” said Bryan Ljung, MHC board chair. Lindsey led the Minnesota Department of Human Rights from 2011 to 2019. Kevin said he is excited to continue this work at MHC and serve the needs of Minnesotans through the humanities. “To build a more equitable society, we need to establish trust between communities and create space for meaningful conversations and empathy. The Minnesota Humanities Center is bringing people together through stories and dialogue in a way I’ve
long admired,” said Lindsey. Lindsey has held numerous governmental and nonprofit board roles, including board chair and interim executive director of Walker West Music Academy. He currently serves on the board of directors for Growth and Justice, an organization seeking to create inclusive employment and business practices for all in Minnesota. Lindsey received his J.D. and B.S. in Political Science from the University of Iowa, where as a student he served as editor-in-chief of the Iowa Law Review. He was honored by his alma mater with the 2017 Iowa Law Review Distinguished Alumni Award. Lindsey was also an AARP Minnesota and Pollen 2018 “50 Over 50” honoree and received the 2017 Minnesota Lawyer Diversity and Inclusion Award.
AS
News
Twin Cities Par Seekers to host area golf tournament
PAGE 6
Juneteenth commemorates end of slavery in U.S.
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Page 4 • June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019 • Insight News
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Insight 2 Health COLORISM REPORT
Survey looks at impact on self-identity and relationships
Colorism From 3 youth researcher. The survey data collected introduced the girls to different perspectives on the topic of colorism, including some that clashed with their own. “We experienced disbelief, but we had to inter-
pret them correctly,” stated one research team member. “It was a lesson in leading complex, but important conversations from a range of voices and perspectives in their community. We were surprised to hear some of the answers we got back. Maybe this is just the way they feel; there are different perspectives.” At the start of every GEMS meeting, the girls fa-
cilitate and engage in lively Black Girls debate about issues in pop culture and politics. During these conversations, they would often raise points about the role colorism has played in topics such as racial identity, codeswitching, relationships, and social media. “We experience it daily, but we don’t really talk about it. Everyone experiences it, but everyone tries to
avoid discussing it,” said one Youth Action Research team member. Another girl shared, “It’s considered a new term and the behavior/mindset finally has a name.” Nevertheless, the girls argued that colorism is still an understudied research area that has grave impacts on Black women and girls. The Youth Action Research Team revealed that most Black women and
girls they encountered navigate negative experiences of colorism in their lives and define colorism as a practice based on skin complexion used within Black communities or behavior by white people that discriminates against dark-skinned Black people and tokenizes lightskinned Black people. They hope that their research will create more awareness and motivate people, including
parents and teachers, to challenge the language they use and hear that contributes to colorism. They especially want to inspire more research conducted on colorism with more data from young people to understand how they define it. “A lot of Black girls want to be more open about advocating for themselves,” stated one research team member.
Need for organ and tissue donors greater than ever; waiting list grows By Aisling Maki, Special to The New Tri-State Defender Angela Gordon had no known health issues when she ended up in the emergency room with an unbearable headache. It was there that she discovered she had hereditary hypertension. And although she was just 19 years old, her blood pressure had reached stroke level. What shocked her most was learning that her kidneys had already developed scars and she would eventually need a kidney transplant. In 2006, she underwent a procedure at the Methodist Transplant Institute to receive the kidney of a donor who had died in a car wreck. Gordon’s body later rejected the organ and, three years ago this month, she underwent a second kidney transplant. Thanks to medical advancements in recent years, she is doing well. She is alive today because two people made the decision to donate their organs. Gordon has since become an ambassador for the Mid-South Transplant Foundation (MSTF), educating the public about her experience as a two-time organ recipient. “MSTF is wonderful because they showed me I wasn’t the only one dealing with the emotions I had around the fact that someone
had to lose their life in order to save mine,” she said. “They let me know that was the wish of the donor, to help somebody, and that there’s no need to feel guilty. It meant a lot just to have a group there who understood and to know there are a lot of other people like me.” According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, there are 113,697 on the national waiting list, and 94,913 are waiting for a kidney. More than 4,000 Mid-Southerners are awaiting organ and tissue donation, and 2,000 of them are African Americans waiting for kidneys. This is due in part to the significant prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetes in the Mid-South community. However, despite the need, many people are still not registering to become organ and tissue donors. “Even though so many of us have people in our family who have high blood pressure and diabetes and may need transplants, still, not enough of us choose to donate our organs to save lives,” Gordon said. “One person can save up to 50 lives with their tissue and organs, and many more lives because you touch the families of people’s loved ones who are waiting. We can do something about it.” According to MSTF, it’s often a lack of knowledge, lack of trust of the medi-
(Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)
Some people believe their religion doesn’t support donation, when, in fact, all major religions support organ and tissue donation and see it as a final act of love and generosity toward others by giving the ultimate gift of life.
Angela Gordon: “One person can save up to 50 lives with their tissue and organs. cal profession, and a number of common myths that prevent people from registering as organ and tissue donors. For example, some believe there are costs associated with donation, which is false. The donor’s family pays nothing for the cost of donation. All costs related to the donation of organs and tissues are paid by the recipient, usually through insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
Some people believe their religion doesn’t support donation, when, in fact, all major religions support organ and tissue donation and see it as a final act of love and generosity toward others by giving the ultimate gift of life. Another persistent myth people believe is that no one will want their organs and tissues because of their age or medical history. However, age and most medical condi-
tions do not exclude you from being a suitable organ and tissue donor. There are very few rule-outs, and due to medical advancements, those few may even change over time. Many people believe that emergency room doctors will not work as hard to save the life of an organ and tissue donor, which is also untrue. Doctors who work to save lives are not the same doctors involved with organ donation, and organ donation will be considered only after every attempt has been made to save your life. MSTF ambassadors like Gordon are working hard to educate the community
about the facts of donation and transplantation by visiting churches, colleges, high schools, civic groups, health awareness events and workplace partner events. And that education seems to be having an impact; In 2018, the number of transplants was on the rise. “I feel it’s due to increased education,” said Randa Lipman, MSTF community outreach manager. “However, the needs are still so great in our community. Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the waiting list, and 22 people die each day because the organs they need are not donated in time.”
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Two-day event takes place June 22-June 23 in Hastings
Twin Cities Par Seekers to host area golf tournament By Harry Colbert, Jr. Managing Editor harry@insightnews.com The legacy of Black golfers began long before Tiger Woods. In Minnesota, one of the Black golf pioneers was Solomon Hughes. Hughes, a resident of South Minneapolis, made history in 1952 when he and fellow African-American, Ted Rhodes, integrated the PGA St. Paul Open after being denied since 1948. According to the Minnesota Historical Society’s “Caucasians Only: Solomon Hughes, the PGA, and the 1948 St. Paul Open Golf Tournament,” in 1943 the PGA
had written into its bylaws it’s previously unwritten rule that members be of the “Caucasian race.” Hughes went on to compete in the 1953 St. Paul Open as well and shared his love of the sport with others as a renowned instructor, before his death in 1987. In sharing a passion for the sport, the Twin Cities Par Seekers is hosting its fifth annual tournament June 22 and June 23 at Emerald Greens Golf Course, 14425 Goodwin Ave., Hastings. Initially named in honor of Hughes, the flighted tournament now called Twin Cities Par Seekers Golf Tournament, will attract golf-
ers from throughout the Midwest and as far away as Las Vegas organizers say. “A lot of Black golfers would golf in regional tournaments in Chicago, Indianapolis, Waterloo, Iowa and other cities in the Midwest and we wanted to showcase golf in Minnesota,” said Dennis Blue, one of the tournament organizers. Different from a team scramble, which is a “best ball” format, a flighted tournament is an individual contest that takes a golfer’s first round score and then brackets contestants based on score for the subsequent round or rounds. Emerald Greens is two 18-hole
courses and golfers will play one course Saturday (noon start) and the other Sunday (8 a.m. start). The tournament’s entry fee is $150 with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Sanneh Foundation, an area youth development organization. For Ramona Johnson McCree, Twin Cities Par Seekers executive committee member and social coordinator, the tournament is about more than the number on the scorecard. “For me, when the kids come out to watch and see there are other African-American golfers out there besides Tiger Woods; because he’s not the only one, to see that is pow-
erful,” said Johnson McCree. “Hopefully we can inspire more to participate among our community,” said Blue, who said he began playing golf nearly 40 years ago. In addition to the golf, the group will host a Friday night party June 21 at the Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America, 3800 American Blvd, E., Bloomington. The cost of the party is included in the registration fee and for those not golfing the cost is $10. For more information or to register, contact Blue at dwb20523@q.com or (612) 889-2343.
Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament
The Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce will host its annual golf event June 18 at Edinburgh Golf Course, 8700 Edinbrook Crossing, Brooklyn Park. The best ball scramble begins at noon and is followed by a 5 p.m. dinner and awards ceremony. The cost for the tournament is $125 per person and the outing includes a $60,000 hole-in-one contest. For tickets go to www. eventbrite.com/e/minnesotablack-chamber-of-commerceannual-golf-tournament-tickets-61476093651.
America’s challenge; moving toward racial healing and transformation Commentary by Gail C. Christopher Months after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam came under fire for the racist images on his yearbook page from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1984, he remains in office, a battered and chastised, public figure. But maybe this isn’t a bad thing. A quick resignation would have elicited rhetorical condemnations, a sym-
Gail C. Christopher
INSIGHT NEWS www.insightnews.com
Insight News is published weekly, every Monday by McFarlane Media Interests. Editor-In-Chief Al McFarlane Publisher Batala-Ra McFarlane Associate Editor & Associate Publisher B.P. Ford Managing Editor Harry Colbert, Jr. Culture and Education Editor Dr. Irma McClaurin Associate Editor Afrodescendientes Carmen Robles Associate Editor Nigeria & West Africa Chief Folarin Ero-Phillips Director of Content & Production Patricia Weaver Content & Production Coordinator Sunny Thongthi Yang Distribution/Facilities Manager Jamal Mohamed Receptionist Lue B. Lampley Intern Kelvin Kuria
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bolic “washing of hands,” and sent the wrong message that everything has been resolved. It most certainly has not been. The Commonwealth of Virginia, and our nation, must address the root cause of racism 35 years ago, and today – the belief in a hierarchy of human value that poisons our society. Through centuries, America has failed to do the required work of uprooting and finally eliminating the idea and belief in a hierarchy of humanity – the empowering of one human being over another because of skin color or religion or ethnicity. It was stunning that when USA Today examined 900 yearbooks from the same era, they found more than 200 examples of racist materials, demonstrating the depth of racial bias in our society. The heart of the problem is the hierarchy of human value. This core belief is the myth that built America. Human value hierarchy fueled unfettered land confiscation from Native-Americans and unprecedented human decimation and enslavement of Africans; all of
Photography David Bradley V. Rivera Garcia Uchechukwu Iroegbu Rebecca Rabb Artist Donald Walker
which fueled a young country’s rapid economic growth and emergence as a world power. As long as the foundational myth of unequal human value is allowed to fester consciously and unconsciously, the idea can, will and indeed is being manipulated for political gain and potentially authoritarian power. Hitler perfected this art of fearmongering and emotional manipulation using the idea of a hierarchy of human worth and value. His Nuremberg laws became the basis of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. These laws were modeled after racist laws and practices here in the United States. The 2017 book, “Hitler’s American Model” by Yale legal scholar James Whitman, documents how America’s racial oppression helped inspire the Nazis’ anti-Jewish legislation. Clearly, if America only “washes our hands” after every incident of racism, we fail to enact any meaningful change. The action that is long overdue in Virginia and the whole of America is a truth and racial healing process. 3rd Annual
Hawthorne Neighborhood Council “Back to School Community Give-a-Way”
To heal is to make whole, to set right. A broken bone must be re-set in order to heal without deformity. Setting the United States right requires humanely and sincerely facing and unpacking the truths of our past; and finally burying the myth of a hierarchy of human value; replacing it with awareness and appreciation of the sacred interconnected reality of humanity. We must all realize that we are truly one human family, ultimately tracing our genomic ancestry to common ancestors on the continent of Africa. Only at this point can we begin to envision a healed and shared future together as one America – not simply as red or blue – but with a shared vision of a truly reconstructed America that values all equally. No more susceptibility to manipulation through “dog whistle politics” and social media tricksters. No more deeply held racial resentments ripe for the picking by domestic and foreign enemies. Together, we can then create a new, more complete narrative. We can construct a new story of America for our children, one honoring and embracing all of them. We can heal our perceived divides; share authentic memories and listen to one another, forging relationships of mutual un-
derstanding, trust and respect. We can leverage these new bonds to meld division and separation into the “beloved community” envisioned by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Working together, communities are capable of creating affordable housing, employing equitably, educating and caring for all. Laws and policies need to redress inequities created by centuries of adhering to a human hierarchy. A compassionate, united and thoughtful people can create an authentic and expansive form of democracy that is poised to generate a far more fair and equitable economy; rather than continuing to increase wealth and income divides. This change in our core belief and perception, in our way of seeing and willingness to relate to and with one another is America’s unfinished business. The persistence of blackface, Klansmen (with and without hoods), racial, anti-Semitic, gender and xenophobic violence are symptoms of the deeper pathology of having embraced human hierarchy as a way of life. Let us take this moment to begin the true journey of healing that our future demands. Dr. Gail Christopher is the former senior advisor and vice president of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.
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Williams From 3 It was that experience that later sparked his career in journalism when a family friend and writer at the Princeton Packet, a local newspaper in his hometown Princeton, N.J., recommended Williams write a film review of Howard Stern’s 1997 biographical film “Private Parts.” Williams’ intense work ethic and glowing journalistic reputation lead to extensive work interviewing celebrities associated with upcoming film and book releases, including Quentin Tarantino, Denzel Washington, Mel Brooks, Russell Simmons, LeBron James and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, among many others. He was also a staunch
supporter of civil rights-related causes, publishing countless op-eds on the topic and later joined the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee. Outside of his writing career, he had a deep passion for music and boasted a large collection of albums. He enjoyed long daily walks in nature, was an avid sports fan and a passionate Little League baseball coach. He was also an enthusiastic participant in weekly trivia nights with a large group of friends at a local bar in Princeton. He is survived by many friends, four siblings (Lawrence, Daryl, Teresa and Rod) and his second wife of 25 years, Susan, and stepson, Nicholas. A memorial service will be held at the Princeton Garden Theater on June 29.
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Insight News • June 10, 2019 - June 16, 2019 • Page 7
Juneteenth commemorates end of slavery in U.S. Editor’s note: Minnesota celebrates Juneteenth Saturday, June 15 11AM-6PM Phyllis Wheatley Community Center/ Bethune Park, 1304 North 10th Avenue. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19ththat the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance. Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another, is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another, is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or neither of these version could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln's authority over the rebellious states was in question For whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory. General Order Number 3 One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with: "The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between em-
Olajuwon From 3 history and business economics at the University of Minnesota. However, his studies at the U would not be purely academic. Our brother was armed with a newfound consciousness and in fact changed his name to reflect this new consciousness of Afrocentric thought and practice. Farouk, an Arabic name, meaning “one who compensates for their faults or bad aspects of himself.” Seti comes from the ancient Egyptian/Kemetic King Menmaatra Seti I, who was known to re-establish the kingdom back to its prior beauty and traditions. Olajuwon, a Yoruba name from West Africa, meaning “with honest struggle comes the exaltation of triumph, producing blessings of wealth and honor.” In following the guidance from his new name, Olajuwon immediately made his presence felt on campus and in the community as a creative and active participant in our glorious and on-going struggle for Black people’s freedom, justice and human dignity. He engaged himself in a remarkable number of actions while a student. Perhaps his most significant contribution was his almost single handedly revival of Black student activism at the University of Minnesota. The Afro-American Action Committee or the Black Student Union lay dormant after the glory days of the Morrill Hall takeover by militant Black student leaders such as Rosemary Massey, Horace Huntley and Marie Braddock Williams. It was Olajuwon who rekindled the style and spirit from those days by reawakening their moral responsibility to struggle and not allow the valiant and dangerous work of their predecessors’ die in vain. The centerpiece of his work was to revive political action among students through political education. Thus, he set out to design a program to educate Black students and
ployer and free laborer." The reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers were completely off the lips of their former 'masters' - attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the realization of freedom. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. North was a logical destination and for many it represented true freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove the some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on new realities and the challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. Recounting the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from the growing pressures encountered in their new territory. The celebration of June 19th was coined "Juneteenth" and grew with more participation from descendants. The Juneteenth celebration was a time for reassuring each other, for praying and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on this date. Juneteenth Festivities and Food A range of activities were provided to entertain the masses, many of which continue in tradition today. Rodeos, fishing, barbecuing and baseball are just a few of the typical Juneteenth activities you may witness today. Juneteenth almost always focused on education and self improvement. Thus, often guest speakers are brought in and the elders are called upon to recount the events of the past. Prayer services were also a major part of these celebrations. Certain foods became popular and subsequently synonymous with Juneteenth celebrations such as strawberry soda-pop. More traditional and just as popular was the barbecuing, through which Juneteenth participants could share in the spirit and aromas that their ancestors the newly emancipated African Americans, would have experienced during their ceremonies. the Black community at large politically and culturally in an academic and communal setting. This was a wondrous thing to see and be a part of. For almost a decade the University of Minnesota held one of the most intelligently directed, dynamic and mind lifting AfricanAmerican History programs in the country. This opinion comes from good authorities from all over the country. Scholars, artists, progressive political activists and lovers of Black people such as John Henrik Clarke, Ifé and Jacob Carruthers, Maulana Karenga, the Hon. Louis Farrakhan, Joyce Ladner, Molefi Asante, Leonard Jefferies, Steve Cokely and Khalid Muhammad were commonplace and their lectures provided intellectual challenges, healthy debate and stimulating conversations. Olajuwon was not a public leader, but a humble assertive servant leader. Yet he was the man with the plan. It was said while he was the Director of the Black Student Union he quadrupled its budget through advertisement and sponsorships from around the campus and community. He was a strategist and underground thinker. He borrowed a page from the leadership of Nelson Mandela in that he led from behind and he walked softly and carried a big stick. The work of Olajuwon on behalf of Black people didn’t stop there. He connected “the town and the gown” with his programing and work while he was at the university. He was a gifted entrepreneur. One connection he made in the community was with Beck Horton, one of the most prominent entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities who shared his success by providing jobs to Black residents, hoping to help revitalize our community. Olajuwon, with the guidance and investment from Horton, started an apparel company producing the most attention grabbing Black History Month and Afrocentric T-shirts, sweat shirts and sweat pants in the nation. His Black History Month posters were a work of phenomenal art
Juneteenth Celebration -- Collective Vision|Photoblog for photoblog.statesman.com Hence, the barbecue pit is often established as the center of attention at Juneteenth celebrations. Food was abundant because everyone prepared a special dish. Meats such as lamb, pork and beef which not available everyday were brought on this special occasion. A true Juneteenth celebrations left visitors well satisfied and with enough conversation to last until the next. Dress was also an important element in early Juneteenth customs and is often still taken seriously, particularly by the direct descendants who can make the connection to this tradition's roots. During slavery there were laws on the books in many areas that prohibited or limited the dressing of the enslaved. During the initial days of the emancipation celebrations, there are accounts of former slaves tossing their ragged garments into the creeks and rivers to adorn clothing taken from the plantations belonging to their former 'masters'. Juneteenth and Society In the early years, little interest existed outside the African American community in participation in the celebrations. In some cases, there was outwardly exhibited resistance by barring the use of public property for the
that were scattered throughout the community and nation. One of his Afrocentric shirts was displayed on national television by none other than the rapper, singer, and actress Queen Latifa. Olajuwon was an author leaving us a book of proverbs and thoughts about Black empowerment. His book, “Bootstraps and Metaphors: Black Power Economics” by Lawrence “Smooth Black” Yates was published in 2010. In this book you see the thoughts and ideas that many of us discussed with him over the decades. When reading his words, you see Olajuwon as a champion of Black people’s dreams, wishes and visions. He passionately believed in the greatness of Black people and in a prosperous Black future built by Black people. He loved applying his visionary abilities to Black problem-solving and Black nation building. Olajuwon loved to play chess and thought solving the most complex chess problems was exciting, but he found Black problem-solving to be even more exciting. His understanding of history, along with his strategic chess skills and abilities in Black problemsolving, helped him to make everything simple, practical and logical. His self-designed book cover adorns some of his hallmark artistry that was renown in his apparel and poster designs. Now let it be said on behalf on the friends, associates and fellow workers to the life, legacy and legend of Farouk Olajuwon in your name, the struggle continues. You have taught us a life lesson that must be embraced by all of us; and that is. “The chief aim of life is not simply to be happy, The chief aim of life is to be useful, To be responsible, To be compassionate, To count for something To make it matter that you lived at all. Now that’s a beautiful thang.” – Farouk Seti Olajuwon
festivities. Most of the festivities found themselves out in rural areas around rivers and creeks that could provide for additional activities such as fishing,horseback riding and barbecues. Often the church grounds was the site for such activities. Eventually, as African Americans became land owners, land was donated and dedicated for these festivities. One of the earliest documented land purchases in the name of Juneteenth was organized by Rev. Jack Yates. This fund-raising effort yielded $1000 and the purchase of Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas. In Mexia, the local Juneteenth organization purchased Booker T. Washington Park, which had become the Juneteenth celebration site in 1898. There are accounts of Juneteenth activities being interrupted and halted by white landowners demanding that their laborers return to work. However, it seems most allowed their workers the day off and some even made donations of food and money. For decades these annual celebrations flourished, growing continuously with each passing year. In Booker T. Washington Park, as many as20,000 African Americans once flowed through during
the course of a week, making the celebration one of the state’s largest. Juneteenth Celebrations Decline Economic and cultural forces provided for a decline in Juneteenth activities and participants beginning in the early 1900’s. Classroom and textbook education in lieu of traditional home and family-taught practices stifled the interest of the youth due to less emphasis and detail on the activities of former slaves. Classroom text books proclaimed Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863 as the date signaling the ending of slavery - and little or nothing on the impact of General Granger’s arrival on June 19th. The Depression forced many people off the farms and into the cities to find work. In these urban environments, employers were less eager to grant leaves to celebrate this date. Thus, unless June 19th fell on a weekend or holiday, there were very few participants available. July 4th was the already established Independence holiday and a rise in patriotism steered more toward this celebration.
Resurgence The Civil Rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s yielded both positive and negative results for the Juneteenth celebrations. While it pulled many of the African American youth away and into the struggle for racial equality, many linked these struggles to the historical struggles of their ancestors. This was evidenced by student demonstrators involved in the Atlanta civil rights campaign in the early 1960’s, whom wore Juneteenth freedom buttons. Again in 1968, Juneteenth received another strong resurgence through Poor Peoples March to Washington D.C.. Rev. Ralph Abernathy’s call for people of all races, creeds, economic levels and professions to come to Washington to show support for the poor. Many of these attendees returned home and initiated Juneteenth celebrations in areas previously absent of such activity. In fact, two of the largest Juneteenth celebrations founded after this March are now held in Milwaukee and Minneapolis. Texas Blazes the Trail On January 1, 1980, June-
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Juneteenth From 7
insightnews.com teenth became an official state holiday through the efforts of Al Edwards, an African American state legislator. The successful passage of this bill marked Juneteenth as the first emancipation
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celebration granted official state recognition. Edwards has since actively sought to spread the observance of Juneteenth all across America. Juneteenth In Modern Times Today, Juneteenth is enjoying a phenomenal growth rate within communities and organizations throughout the country. Institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Henry Ford Museum and
others have begun sponsoring Juneteenth-centered activities. In recent years, a number of local and national Juneteenthorganizations have arisen to take their place along side older organizations - all with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and culture. Article courtesy of ©JUNETEENTH.com
THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. – MARTIN LUTHER KING
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