LAWT 02-28-2013

W E E K E N D E R

Vol. XXX, No. 1325

www.lawattstimes.com

Thursday, February 28, 2013

L.A. Watts Times

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

HOROSCOPES

Feb. 28-Mar. 6

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RIES ~ Get in touch with those who can help you achieve your goals. Place the accent on initiative. Romance, passion and work are singing in harmony this week and tonight. Soul Affirmation: My love for myself is the most important love for me to have.

AURUS ~ Joy this week comes from love. You are especially attractive. Stage your week so that you spend time around people you want to attract. It is easy for you to bring harmony into your relationships.

Your ability to communicate is greatly enhanced. Use it to your best advantage.

Soul Affirmation: The success of others is the investment I make in myself.

EMINI ~ Are you spending money with little or nothing to show for it? This is because you’re looking for something that money can’t buy. Now is a good time to spend some of your emotional currency, and don’t be cheap. You’ll create a situation in which people will work hard to please you.

Soul Affirmation: Friendships are shock absorbers on the bumpy roads of life.

ANCER~ You may like to go to war, but avoid an argument with a friend; it will slow down all the wonderful progress you’ve been making. Your patience will be tested this week, stay on task. Soul Affirmation: I smile and trust in the powers beyond myself.

EO ~ Skip it! Don’t sweat the small stuff, it’ll only bring you down. Don’t run around inside your own head this week.

Focus your awareness outside on something beautiful. Compromise is a key idea this week. Soul Affirmation: Jewelry reflects the beauty of my feelings about myself.

IRGO ~ Someone in the family is ready to give you something. Open yourself up to it. Home improvement –mental, physical and spiritual– is this week’s best theme.

Seek the simple pleasures from a neglected hobby this week. Soul Affirmation: I love charming, positive head games.

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IBRA~ How efficient you are this week!

Your busy mind is focused on productivity and achievement. Both come easily to you, so take your advantage and press forward. Soul Affirmation: I see myself as a finisher rather than a starter this week.

CORPIO ~ Entertainment and companionship are high on your list of things to enjoy this week. Use your mental gifts to speed carefully through your work so that you’ll have more time for fun this week.

Soul Affirmation: This week silence speaks loudest and truest.

AGITTARIUS ~ Your only real caution this week is to watch your budget.

Other than that, happiness remains the focus, as relationships heat happily up.

Your family is very supportive and loving right now; let them meet your new admirer. Soul Affirmation: I speak my mind knowing that truth is my best defense this week.

APRICORN ~ Happiness with partners remains the order of the week.

Relations between partners are exceptionally harmonious right now. You are in sync with loved ones. Much is being accomplished by your attitude. Don’t overdo your physical workout. Soul Affirmation: I master fear by knowing that all is well.

QUARIUS ~ The time has come to forgive and forget. Take the first step in reconciling a friendship. You thought no one knew, but you may be romantically attracted to an old pal. Soul Affirmation: Friendships are treasures I cherish.

ISCES ~ Romantic daydreams may distract you from work this week; try to stay focused, but also enjoy your mental trips to romantic sunnier spaces. These images will inspire you to take action regarding a trip or get-together with your honey. Soul Affirmation: I let my dreams take over my mind to provide enjoyment.

Inside This Edition

Black inventors: Do you know about us?

BY KENNETH MILLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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Black History Month

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BlackFacts.com

March 4, 1869 Forty-second Congress convened (187173) with five Black congressmen: Joseph H. Rainey, Robert Carlos Delarge and Robert Brown Elliott, South Carolina; Benjamin S. Turner, Alabama; Josiah T. Walls, Florida. Walls was elected in an at-large election and was the first Black congressman to represent an entire state.

March 6, 1857 Dred Scott decision by U.S. Supreme Court opened Northern territory to slavery and denied citizenship to American Blacks.

It’s the final week of Black History Month. Allow for this month to be a reminder that everyday is a day to celebrate our history. This week we decided to look at some of our forgotten and perhaps least know African American Inventors.

Elijah McCoy’s first invention was a lubricator for steam engines, which issued on July 12, 1872. He began experimenting with a cup that would regulate the flow of oil onto moving parts of industrial machines.

His invention allowed machines to remain in motion to be oiled; his new oiling device revolutionized the industrial machine industry.

McCoy was born in Colchester, Ontario, Canada on May 2, 1844, the son of former slaves who had fled from Kentucky before the U.S. Civil War. Educated in Scotland as a mechanical engineer, McCoy returned to the United States and setElijah McCoy tled in Detroit, Michigan.

He established his own firm and was responsible for a total of 57 patents. His lubricating device became so popular that people inspecting new equipment would ask if the device contained the real McCoy. This helped popularize the American expression, meaning the real thing. His other inventions included an ironing board and lawn sprinkler.

Lewis Latimer invented a method for producing a more durable carbon filament, making incandescent lighting practical and affordable for consumers.

As a result, incandescent light bulbs became affordable to more consumers. Safer than gas lamps, and less harsh than arc lights, incandescent bulbs transformed the average American home after nightfall. Despite the societal roadblocks a Black man faced in the late nineteenth century, Latimer successfully oversaw the set up of electric lighting plants in the United States, Canada, and England. After leaving U.S. Electric Lighting, Latimer worked for Thomas Edison and became a Lewis Latimer patent investigator and expert witness for the Edison Electric Light Company.

Latimer was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the son of former slaves. He enlisted in the Union Navy during the Civil War and was a lieutenant in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. Working as a self-taught draftsman after the war, Latimer made the drawings for Alexander Graham Bell’s first patent application for the telephone. He made his most important innovation in electric light technology while working for the United States Electric.

Latimer was born September 4, 1848 and died December 11, 1928.

MODERN DAY INVENTORS Marc B. Auguste Sr, is a Haitian born inventor, who was instrumental in the development and the prototyping of a multi-purpose portable coin-organizer. He shared intellectual property rights with his eldest son Marc Jr. and his daughter-in-law Jacqueline in 2006. The coin-organizer was intended to assist those who are visually impaired persons, but is being touted as a universally convenient mechanism for all.

Lonnie G. Johnson is former Acting Chief of the Space Nuclear Power Safety Section at the Air Marc B. Auguste Sr. Force Weapons Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also was Senior Systems Engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, where he worked on the Galileo mission to Jupiter. But most people recognize the Lonnie Tuskegee University alumnus’ most popular G. Johnson invention: the Super Soaker squirt gun. Just two years after inventing the toy it reportedly generated $200 million in sales.

Johnson holds more than 80 patents, with over 20 more pending, and is the author of several publications on spacecraft power systems.

Janet Emerson Bashen founded Bashen Corporation in 1994, at her dining room table with very little capital, one client and the will to succeed. In January 2006 she not only found success, she made history. Bahsen became the first African American female to hold a patent for a software Janet invention. Bashen invented, LinkLine, which is a Emerson Bashen web-based application for EEO claims intake and See BLACK INVENTORS, page 11

Thursday, February 28, 2013

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The ‘Long Distance Revolutionary’ New film explores life of imprisoned author, journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal THANDISIZWE CHIMURENGA LAWT CONTRIBUTING WRITER Mumia Abu-Jamal is currently serving a life sentence for the alleged murder of a Philadelphia police officer in 1981.

Considered by many to be a “political prisoner,” Abu-Jamal was originally sentenced to death; his case was appealed in 2011 and his sentence was commuted to life in prison. He continues his efforts to get a new trial, arguing that his original trial was rife with judicial and prosecutorial error and miscon-

Cornel West

duct.

In December of 1981, Abu-Jamal was working as a radio journalist during the day and driving a cab at night. On the night of December 9, he witnessed Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner in an altercation with a Black motorist. Abu-Jamal recognized the motorist as his own brother and left his cab to intervene. What happened next has been disputed for the last 30 years.

The prosecution argues that Mumia Abu-Jamal, armed with a hatred of police since his days as a member of the

Angela Davis

Black Panther Party, shot Officer Faulkner several times, killing him.

Before he died, according to the prosecutor, Faulkner was able to shoot Mumia once in the stomach.

Mumia maintains that not only did he not shoot Faulkner, but that the Philadelphia police department decided to frame him for the murder as payback for his years of reporting on their brutality against Blacks in the city. No gunshot residue was found on Mumia’s hand; no search was undertaken to find the motorist (Mumia’s brother) who was involved in the altercation with Faulkner; and several witnesses who originally testified that they had seen Mumia shoot Faulkner later recanted their testimony, saying that they had been pressured by Philadelphia police to implicate Mumia.

Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal is not the first film on Abu-Jamal however, this one is different; this film does not examine his case but rather, it looks at his life as a writer and revolutionary – from joining the Black Panther Party for Self Defense as a teenager through becoming a celebrated author of eight books while on Pennsylvania’s death row.

The film, written and directed by Stephen Vittoria of Los Angeles-based Street Legal Cinema, features Cornel West, Alice Walker, Angela Davis, Rubin Hurricane Carter, Dick Gregory, Peter Coyote, Ruby Dee, M-1 from the Hip Hop group Dead Prez, and a host of others.

Mumia Abu-Jamal

Stephen Vittoria

Thandisizwe Chimurenga spoke briefly to both Mumia and Vittoria on Feb. 25, 2013.

TC: How did you come to journalism?

MAJ: I didn’t go to j-school, my experience in journalism was working on papers when I was in high school first, but when I left and dropped out of high school, I joined the Black Panther Party and I was recruited into its Ministry of Information. There I put out leaflets and bulletins and little 8 pages magazine for our local chapter in Philadelphia. I was then sent to the Bronx, NY and after that to the national headquarters [Oakland, CA] to work on

the national paper, the Black Panther.

And that was my first experience truly with journalism other than high school, and I found it very enriching… a wonderful experience where you were able to study and learn and write at your heart’s content. It was also fun for a young teenager.

TC: How old were you when you left school: MAJ: I was about 15 TC: Once the Panther Party had their “split” due to COINTELPRO [counter-intelligence program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation] in 1970, and things progressed, you See MUMIA ABU-JAMAL, page 4

CUT AND TAKE WITH YOU TO POLLS

ELECTION SLATE WEEKENDER

The right to vote is a sacred honor, right and responsibility that so many African Americans have fought and died for. We must honor the memory and remember the pain sacrifice and wisdom of their efforts. The L.A. Watts Times encourages everyone to exercise this right to vote.

We have suggested a slate of candidates who we believe will represent the best interest of the community and we urge you to support them. They represent the ideals, values and leadership that will best serve our community in achieving the quality of life that we continually strive for, not only for this generation, but also for generations to come.

E N D O R S E M E N T S JAN PERRY DENNIS ZINE CURREN PRICE

MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES CONTROLLER 9TH CITY COUNCIL SEAT

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT MIKE ENG

SEAT #2

ERNEST HENRY MORENO

SEAT #4

NANCY PEARLMAN

SEAT #6

MARCH 5, 2013

PROPOSITION A YES PROPOSITION B YES

PASADENA CITY COUNCIL JOHN KENNEDY MAYOR OF GARDENA RACHEL JOHNSON CARSON CITY COUNCIL MIKE GIPSON

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Hunter files suit against AME denomination

BY CORA JACKSON-FOSSETT CONTRIBUTING WRITER The legal saga continues for the Rev. Dr. John J. Hunter who filed yet another lawsuit on February 25 charging the African Methodist Episcopal Church with “a campaign of defamation and public humiliation” against him.

Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, the Rev.

business card bulletin board

Dr. John J. Hunter

J. Edgar Boyd, and the Board of Trustees of the denomination’s Southern California Conference are also named as defendants.

Dr. Hunter’s complaint occurred after a Los Angeles Superior Court decision issued earlier that day in the case by Pastor Boyd and First A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles charging Dr. Hunter and his wife, Denise, with breach of fiduciary duty as the church’s leaders, and financial mismanagement of FAME Corporations.

On Monday, Judge Mark Mooney granted a motion by FAME Corporations attorneys to substitute the law firm of Ivie, McNeil & Wyatt as its counsel of record instead of the Law Offices of Robert Silverman, who filed the original complaint on behalf of Pastor Boyd and FAME Church.

Judge Mooney also instructed Attorney Silverman to submit an amended complaint before the next status conference on April 25.

Both Bishop Kirkland and Pastor Boyd declined comment on Monday’s activity, however, Silverman said, “The first part of the lawsuit by the church against Rev. Hunter is not affected.

What the court wants me to do is amend the complaint.

“Instead of me representing FAME Corporations as the plaintiffs, the judge wants me to amend the complaint so that I am suing FAME Corporations and those individuals [Mrs. Hunter and the Board of Directors]. Then, I move ahead with the same case I had before.”

Attorney Victor Bullock, who represents Dr. Hunter, said, “The court’s ruling was correct. The only entity with authority to determine if the Corporation can sue anyone on its behalf is the Board of Directors and that was not done in this case.

“Silverman stated that the lawsuits were filed at the direction of J. Edgar Boyd and the court held he had no authority to direct him to do that and issue a lawsuit.”

“Once the new attorneys are brought in, the lawsuit on behalf of FAME Corporations will be dismissed,” said Bullock.

“The other complaint [against the church] is still viable for now, but that’s subject to a hearing basically on an objection to the complaint. That part of the case could be dropped.”

Still, the latest lawsuit by Dr. Hunter looms large and he is determined to press onward.

“Reverend Edgar Boyd and Bishop T. Larry Kirkland … have espoused a litany of lies, defamatory remarks and misrepresentations towards me and my wife,” he said in a statement.

“Because of the relentless campaign to discredit me and destroy my 30 years of pastoral service, I am forced to seek legal action where justice can be restored through truth and facts.”

Dr. Hunter, who is seeking $17 million in damages, maintains the defendants’ retaliated against him for filing a police report and a lawsuit against Bethel A.M.E. Church in San Francisco.

According the complaint, the A.M.E. Church’s actions toward Dr. Hunter resulted in “not less than $6 million” in economic losses and $11 million for suffering “emotional distress” and “an indelible mark on his reputation.”

Attorney Bullock said, “After his reassignment as pastor at FAME to Bethel AME Church, San Francisco, those church members and the defendants engaged in unlawful actions to physically injure Rev. Hunter by literally pushing him out of the church on Sunday morning.

“They then embarked on a campaign of defamation by asserting a series of slanderous and libelous allegations against Rev. Hunter. However, the defendants didn't stop there. They then sought to publicly embarrass Rev. Hunter by putting him through a sham trial in retaliation for his reporting of the physical assault to the local police.

“In fact, the so-called ‘charges’ against Rev. Hunter that the A.M.E. Church is now prosecuting includes the admission that Rev. Hunter's assertion of his rights is a reason for his suspension from Bethel A.M.E. Church and the basis for further discipline. Such retaliation is illegal and is one of the many reasons Rev. Hunter has filed his lawsuit.”

Attorney Silverman responded, “That case will be dismissed and thrown out by a civil court because it’s the exclusive jurisdiction of the A.M.E. Church.

“It’s a purely religious matter dealing with the employment of a pastor within the church and it’s called ministerial privilege.

“The church, not the civil courts, have exclusive jurisdiction. It’s established by every state in the union, particularly California,” he countered.

Summarizing his position, Bullock concluded, “With Monday's filing, Rev. Hunter looks forward, with eager anticipation, to the opportunity to help uncover the truth, which has been crushed under an avalanche of outrageous and malicious fabrications.

“Rev. Hunter is not asking the court to reinstate him as pastor of FAME, but rather to see that justice is done and that the truth prevails.”

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John Kennedy gets support from all over Pasadena Even his opponents are now supporting him for council LAWT NEWS SERVICE This has been a very good week for Pasadena City Council candidate John Kennedy. First he received notice that Pasadena Police Chief Philip Sanchez was supporting his candidacy for District 3, then the Police Union and Sheriff Lee Baca announced they were supporting him for the Pasadena City Council and then finally the other candidate Nicholas Benson announced last Friday that he is ending his campaign and will support former opponent John J. Kennedy in the March 5 election.

Benson’s residency in the district, had been called into question along with other details of his background, including his true name and age by a Pasadena newspaper.

Benson, released the following statement after pulling out of the council race: John J. Kennedy “As a man of faith, it is important to me that as a community we focus on issues, not engage in character assassination,” he said. “Although I may have made some unintentional mistakes along the way, I am proud that my candidacy promoted issues important to the residents of District 3.”

Benson referred questions to Okorie Ezieme, a member of the Altadena Town Council who was serving as a consultant for his campaign.

Although Benson’s name will remain on the ballot, his departure leaves the City Council District 3 contest a two-man race between Kennedy, a Los Angeles Urban League executive, who has been endorsed by the Sentinel, and local Pasadena businessman Ishmael Trone.

MUMIA ABU-JAMAL Continued from page 3 remained a journalist?

MAJ: I did, because I think some of the ‘flavor’ of those experiences remained with me, and I found that I enjoyed writing, and I enjoyed reading [aloud] what I wrote, so radio was really a kind of normal progression for me.

So I began working in some non-commercial college radio stations in Philadelphia and gradually made my way to some commercial stations, and I probably got fired from more stations than most people worked at because [laughs] my bosses didn’t really like the kind of stuff that I was doing, but I was having fun. I enjoyed it. I felt like I was doing the right thing so, what the hell.

TC: As a radio reporter, you reported for NPR? MAJ: That is true, I worked at an NPR affiliate in Philadelphia and they took several of our pieces of local stuff that was happening in the city and broadcast it over their main show back then, all things considered- morning edition, and … for a local reporter to be on the national network it was a great thrill to know that people all over the country were hearing you. That happened several times.

TC: And your reporting won an award?

MAJ: The George Polk Award [given by the University of GA’s School of Journalism] … that was for a local program we had called “91 report,” and we covered the arrival of the Pope in 1980 … the arrival of the Pope in Philadelphia and, kind of ‘disparate’ reactions. I covered north Philly, actually a part of Hispanic

Philadelphia and Black Philadelphia where there wasn’t a lot of reaction, shall we say, unlike other parts of Philadelphia that are far more catholic in their response. But the show itself and our staff got one of the highest awards in journalism for our reporting.

TC: So you’ve reported for NPR, you won one of the highest awards in journalism, and yet, all things considered, one of the shows that you reported for had been carrying your commentaries and then all of a sudden, they caved to pressure and stopped carrying them. What was that about?

MAJ: I think that, you know, we think about journalism in this country as a kind of free speech issue or even a constitutional issue in terms of freedom of communications, but, you know, there’s nothing free about it. If it’s private, it’s owned and what the owners like to get - and people on staff learn very quickly what the owners like and what the owners don’t like. If you step on the toes of the people who own that communications outlet you will be fired.

Its as real as steel, and I got used to that because one of my first commercial jobs, when I began reporting on the MOVE organization, my news director called me in the office and said he didn’t want to hear the word “MOVE” as long as I was speaking over his station’s microphone. We argued about that, I said it was news, and he went into a tirade. I kinda talked him down and said ‘what’s up’ and he said when he was a younger reporter at another station he had gotten into an argument See MUMIA ABU-JAMAL, page 11

Thursday, February 28, 2013

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Death of Black daughter Robin Kelly wins Democratic nod for ex- underscores Thurmond hypocrisy Rep. Jackson Jr.’s seat

BY ZENITHA PRINCE SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER

BY SARA BURNETT AND SOPHIA TAREEN ASSOCIATED PRESS Former Illinois legislator Robin Kelly captured the Democratic nomination Tuesday in the race to replace disgraced exU.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., after a truncated campaign season where she got a boost from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s super PAC. The nomination all but assures that Kelly will sail through the April 9 general election and head to Washington, because the Chicago-area district is overwhelmingly Democratic.

From a crowded field of Democratic contenders, Kelly emerged early as a leader on guncontrol issues — a central theme during the race — which helped her win support from Bloomberg’s super PAC, Independence USA. It poured more than $2 million into the race by airing anti-gun ads in her favor and against another Democratic front runner, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who unlike Kelly is against banning assault weapons.

“We worked really, really hard,”the former state representa- Robin Kelly AP Photo tive from Matteson, a south Chicago suburb, told The Associated voters who’ve seen two other conPress. “We were on the right side of gressmen in the office leave under an the issue and our message resonated.” ethical or legal cloud.

Jackson resigned in November, Kelly also defended the financial support from Bloomburg, saying: “No after a months-long medical leave for one complains when the NRA was treatment of bipolar disorder and other issues, then pleaded guilty earlier this spending big money.”

Halvorson conceded Tuesday month to charges that accused him of evening, saying the outside money misspending $750,000 in campaign money on lavish personal items, certainly played a roll.

“It shows, unfortunately, you can’t including a Rolex watch and fur coats.

Jackson’s exit created a rare opengo up against that big money. ...That’s the problem with super PACs,” ing in a district where he was first Halvorson, who unsuccessfully chal- elected in 1995. The primary featured lenged Jackson in a primary last year, 14 Democrats, including former U.S. told the AP. “There is nothing I could Rep. Mel Reynolds, who held the seat in the 1990s but served prison time have done differently.”

After casting her ballot earlier in after being convicted of fraud and for the day, in the snowy weather that pelt- having sex with an underage campaign ed the region Tuesday, Halvorson had volunteer. There were four Repubwarned that if the ads were successful, licans on the ballot.

Voters heading to the polls Bloomberg would try to “buy seats” Tuesday indicated that guns, ethics and across the country.

Another Democratic front runner, economic woes were on their minds.

Mary Jo Higgins of south suburban Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, also took issue with the ads, saying Steger said she voted for Halvorson people are “extremely upset” that because the former congresswoman is someone from New York is trying to “the only Democrat who believes in the tell people in Illinois how to vote and Second Amendment.”

But Country Club Hills minister predicting that there will be a “backlash.” Beale also conceded late Rosemary Gage said she voted for former state Rep. Robin Kelly because Tuesday.

Bloomberg called Kelly’s win an Kelly is “standing with (President important victory for “common sense Barack Obama) and trying to get rid of leadership” on gun violence, saying in guns.”

“It’s really bad in Chicago and a statement that voters nationwide are demanding change from their leaders. across the country,” Gage said. “Too His PAC, launched weeks before the many children have died.”

The issue of ethics was also on the November election, has spent more than $12 million backing candidates minds of voters, particularly as Jackson’s legal saga has been playing nationwide.

Guns were a leading issue at can- out in federal court. David Berchem, a didate forums and email blasts from retired painter, said he voted for candidates, even as Jackson’s legal Halvorson because he believes she saga played out in court and frustrated See ROBIN KELLY, page 11

Essie Mae Washington-Williams died this month without ever publicly being acknowledged by her father, the infamous South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond. Yet, after his death in 2003, she became the embodiment of his legacy—as one of America’s greatest political hypocrites.

That a politician who had built his career on claims of Black inferiority and the condemnation of miscegenation had fathered a daughter with his family’s 16-year-old Black servant was, for some, the ultimate irony.

“If your public face is that you believe in a racially hierarchal environment in which sexual relationships between Black men and White women are forbidden but privately sexual relationships between White men and Black women are accepted it represents a great deal of hypocrisy and psychological contradiction,” said Dianne Pinderhughes, professor of Africana studies at University of Notre Dame.

“For a lot of people outside of the South, that was a surprise and a shock,” said AFRO Publisher John J. Oliver of the revelation.

For people in Edgefield, S.C., however, it was a simple matter of fact, and Washington-Williams was, perhaps,

Essie Mae Washington-Williams one of the worst-kept secrets of Southern political folklore.

The American South was littered with children like her, which a series of AFRO articles highlighted in 1948 when it revealed Thurmond’s other Black relatives.

At the time, then Gov. Thurmond was running for president under the Dixiecrat (States’ Rights Democratic Party) banner on a segregationist platform—the party was formed by deserters of the Democratic Party, which had, under President Harry Truman, begun to advance civil rights legislation.

Thurmond represented the “mass resistance,” a powerful planter community consisting of strong advocates of White supremacy,” Pinderhughes said.

During his campaign, the candidate once declared that there were not enough troops in the Army to force White Southerners to “admit the (expletive) race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches.” But, apparently, Black women were welcome in their beds.

According to an Aug. 21, 1948 AFRO article, postal worker Robert Thurmond, of Morristown, N.J., revealed that the governor was his first cousin—his father, Thomas, was halfbrother to James Thurmond, the governor’s father—and the relationship was well-known.

“I certainly do know Strom and he knows me and he knows about our relationship because we were the only Thurmonds in Edgefield,” he said.

More relatives came forward.

In an Aug. 28 article, the Rev. James R. Thurmond recalled seeing the governor’s father visiting his grandfather, the blue-eyed Thomas Thurmond.

“They used to sit and eat, and talk for hours,” he said. “I remember asking my grandfather why that ‘White’ man always visit our home. My grandfather told me they were brothers.”

See HYPOCRISY, page 11

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F E AT U R E

Thursday, February 28, 2013

L.A. Watts Times WEEKENDER

Monumental ENDORSEMENTS Fuel Primary Campaigns of

Jan Perry, Curren Price and Dennis Zine B Y K E N N E T H M I L L E R | LAWT S TA F F W R I T E R Fueled with the support of the most powerful and influential allies in government and community leadership mayoral candidate Jan Perry, Los Angeles City Council Ninth District candidate Curren Price and city controller candidate Dennis Zine roll into the March 5 primary election with major momentum.

Three-term councilwoman, Perry stands at the ready to become the first African American woman to be elected mayor of the city of Los Angeles, veteran State Senator Price

aims to expand his brilliant leadership to the ‘New Ninth’, and longtime public servant and city councilman Zine is an ideal fit to become city controller.

Collectively the trio brings more than a half century of public leadership experience and are endorsed individually by reputable oƥcials such as Rep. Maxine Waters (Perry), Gov. Jerry Brown (Price), Mayor Antonio Villraigosa (Price and Zine) and Rep. Karen Bass (Price and Zine).

JAN PERRY for Mayor of Los Angeles Since being elected to oƥce a relative unknown in 2001,Perry captured the heart of Los Angeles voters when she was elected to succeed Rita Walters for whom she served as her Chief of Staơ.

She was subsequently reelected for City Council’s 9th District in 2005 and 2009, and now has set her sights on becoming the first African American since the late Tom Bradley and the first woman in history to serve as mayor of the city of Los Angeles.

While on the council, Perry was instrumental in enacting tough restrictions on fast food restaurants in her district.

Before First Lady Michelle Obama made it a national campaign, Perry engineered a campaign to combat high obesity rates and also funded public parks to promote outdoor activity and supported incentives to encourage more grocery stores that provided quality food and produce within her district.

The downtown region of the city was an eyesore before Perry, but is now a thriving centerpiece that has served as an economic engine for the city.

“My own story started long before — growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland in a family that was forging its way, as many in the post World War II generation did.

My parents believed in the

American dream. My mom played the organ to support my father, a veteran, in his eơort to complete law school. My dad worked hard and with a law degree in hand began the process of advocating for fair housing.

He and my mother joined the civil rights campaigns that were gaining momentum in the late 1950s. Both served at Fair Housing Inc. to establish the organization, served on the board, and hired the first director,” she explained Perry’s penchant for supporting the causes of Blacks was instilled in her before she thought of public service, way back when her father was fighting restrictive covenants for fair housing rights and worked with the family to build new housing for African Americans in the Cleveland suburbs.

That eơort back then brought them national attention.

Ironically Tom Bradley had inspired her public service life when he was mayor.

When she made the decision to run to represent the Ninth Council District she knew many of the people living and working there and believed she could initiate programs that would improve the south Los Angeles communities and the downtown area.

She did then and she will as the mayor of Los Angeles, she said.

“As mayor of Los Angeles, I am committed to bringing my passion and determination to bring greater economic investment, more job opportunities, quality housing for people of all income levels, and a commitment to sustainable growth to our city. I believe in the potential of Los Angeles and I know that I have qualifications, tenacity, and strength to continue to move our city forward.”

CURREN D. PRICE for 9th District City Council of Los Angeles Price has distinguished himself as the only contender with a solid record of achievement on one of the most pressing issues facing Los Angeles: access to quality, affordable healthcare.

His legislative record on matters of healthcare is in harmony with President Obama’s signature achievement, the Aơordable Care Act — popularly known as Obamacare. In fact, the senator recently addressed the California Health Benefits Exchange Board, speaking passionately to the newly-created state agency about the vital importance of directing Obamacare awareness eơorts at communities of color. During that appearance, state Secretary of Health and Human Services Diane S. Dooley called Price “a long and dedicated champion of universal coverage.”

As a lawmaker, Price authored landmark state legislation that mirrors a key benefit of Obamacare — re-

www.lawattstimes.com

ELECTION

Thursday, February 28, 2013

MARCH 5, 2013

forming state laws to provide working parents with the option to add dependent children up to age 26 to employer-based health plans. When fully implemented, the Aơordable Care Act could expand healthcare benefits for an estimated two million African-Americans in California.

Price has long championed expansion of Medi-Cal for low-income patients, and fought to improve reimbursement rates for doctors who treat those patients most in need.

Another piece of legislation authored by Price, which was signed into law, requires hospitals to provide the public with adequate notice before shutting down completely or eliminating services that are most needed in local communities. That law was inspired in part by the closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital. Price had been among the elected leaders who helped in the fight to reopen the South Los Angeles facility.

“Access to quality, aơordable healthcare is one of the defining issues of our time,” said Price. “The people of the 9th District — which has a shortage of facilities that can oơer these vital services to residents — need their next representative to understand this issue deeply, and arrive on the job with the experience and connections to start unraveling our healthcare crisis on day one. Bringing in and sustaining increased healthcare services is an essential part of my plan to lead in the new 9th District.”

Price’s commitment to expanding health care coverage is a key factor in the long, diverse list of endorsements his campaign has earned from African-American community leaders, labor unions and elected oƥcials.

“Our 9th District communities are uniting behind this campaign, because the people in our neighborhoods understand the urgency as it relates to matters of health and wellness — particularly for our children, young families and elderly,” said Price. “It will take proven leadership to make the kind of change we need in the 9th District, and expanding access to healthcare is central to improving the quality of life in South Los Angeles.”

DENNIS P. ZINE for Controller of the City of Los Angeles Dennis P. Zine was born and raised in Los Angeles and has dedicated his entire professional career serving the residents of this city. He spent 33 years on the front lines of the Los Angeles Police Department before being elected in 2001 to represent Los Angeles’ 3rd Council District which includes the communities of Canoga Park, Reseda, Tarzana, Winnetka and Woodland Hills.

Zine currently serves as chairman of the Los Angeles City Council’s Audits & Governmental Eƥciency Com-

mittee where he is committed to eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in city government.

His public service career began over 43 years ago with the Los Angeles Police Department. Within the LAPD, he rose to the rank of sergeant and worked a variety of assignments including patrol, motorcycle detail, detective, intelligence, administrative, and vice. He was also elected three times to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

Zine has two sons, one an LAPD oƥcer and the other a professional pilot. During his 10 years serving on the City Council, Zine has donated over $300,000 from his own salary to local charitable organizations. To prove his commitment to fixing the city’s budget troubles, Zine has voluntarily taken a 10% pay cut.

YES ON PROP. A is a YES for Our Community Last week’s edition of the Sentinel incorrectly stated No on Proposition A. The L.A. Sentinel urges you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A in the March 5 city election.

We believe that voting YES! on Proposition A is best for our community and best for the city overall. Yes! on Proposition A will maintain needed services in the city and in our community. Vote Yes! on Proposition A because when you’re in trouble and need a paramedic “Every Second Counts.”

Proposition A will prevent fire and paramedic response times from growing longer, and will maintain our parks and vital services like fixing our streets, filling our potholes, preserving afterschool programs and maintain services for our seniors Proposition A has been endorsed by an extraordinary coalition of business, labor and environmental groups that include the LA County Democratic Party, LA County Federation of Labor, LA and Crenshaw Chambers of Commerce, United Firefighters of LA, Sierra Club, LA Business Council, and League of Women Voters.

The economic recession has hit the city of Los Angeles very hard. YES! on Proposition A, on the March 5 ballot, will help the city recover from one the most devastating economic downturns in our lifetime.

To deal with the city’s lost revenue and the state taking over $1 billion dollars from the city, hiring has been frozen and over 5,000 positions have been eliminated.

The remaining workers have forgone pay increases, reduced their paid holidays, and many have been furloughed. In fact, the city now has the smallest work-

force since Tom Bradley was mayor in 1989.

The city has also partnered with the city unions in having employees to contribute more to their health care and retirement benefits. They have reduced the salaries of new police oƥcers by 20 percent, improved collection of revenue owed the city, and consolidated several city departments. No city department or oƥce has been spared from budget cuts.

These and other actions have reduced the city’s deficit from $1.1 billion down to $200 million. However, if the city is required to continue cutting, it will have a drastic impact on vital city services. According to Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr., “We have cut every department to the bone and we now need the help of the residents of Los Angeles. Voting Yes! on Proposition A is the most responsible way to ensure our city remains a safe place to live. We need to protect our children, our seniors, and our community.”

The L.A. Watts Times agrees and we urge you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A. It will have a drastic impact on vital city services.

According to Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr., “We have cut every department to the bone and we now need the help of the residents of Los Angeles. Voting Yes! on Proposition A is the most responsible way to ensure our City remains a safe place to live. We need to protect our children, our seniors, and our community.”

The L.A. Watts Times agrees and we urge you to Vote Yes! on Proposition A.

7

8

Holdsclaw indicted on aggravated assault charge ASSOCIATED PRESS Former WNBA player and Olympic gold medalist Chamique Holdsclaw is being indicted in a November 2012 shooting in Atlanta, prosecutors said Wednesday.

A six-count indictment charges Holdsclaw, 35, with aggravated assault, criminal damage and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, Fulton County District Attorney’s spokeswoman Yvette Jones said Wednesday.

Holdsclaw was arrested after an argument with Tulsa Shock Chamique Holdsclaw player Jennifer Lacy, 29, who told police she was Holdsclaw’s exgirlfriend. The two were also Atlanta Dream teammates in 2009.

Holdsclaw broke the windows to Lacy’s car and shot at it Nov. 13, 2012, police said. No one was injured.

After a late-November court appearance, one of Holdsclaw’s attorneys said he talked with Lacy and they were trying to resolve the case.

“They are still friends and we expect the alleged victim to support a proper resolution of this,” said Edward Garland, an attorney representing Holdsclaw. “In no way did she use the gun to threaten or assault the Jennifer Lacy alleged victim, or do so with a baseball bat.”

He acknowledged that Holdsclaw caused damage to Lacy’s car, but said his client never intended to hurt her.

“Sometimes charges get made that exceed the scope of the actual events,” Garland said, adding that he and his client plan to resolve the case without it going to trial.

Holdsclaw is out on $100,000 bond and a court date has not been scheduled.

Holdsclaw led the University of Tennessee to three consecutive national championships from 1996-98 before beginning a pro career that included six WNBA All-Star selections.

She also played on the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in the 2000 Games. She had 3,025 career points at Tennessee and remains the Southeastern Conference’s career scoring leader.

In September, Holdsclaw returned to her alma mater to discuss her fight with clinical depression, which included a suicide attempt during her pro career.

Holdsclaw recounted how she attempted suicide in 2006 as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks by overdosing on the medication she was taking for clinical depression. She also wouldn't leave her Washington home for a few days in 2004, two years after the death of the grandmother who raised her.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

NBA sons making their mark in college basketball

BY AARON BEARD ASSOCIATED PRESS There are some familiar NBA names lighting up college basketball courts this season.

Curry, Hardaway, Hawkins, Howard, Mason and Robinson.

Below are the sons of six former NBA players who are having strong seasons this year. And there are often shades of their fathers' games in their play, whether it's their knack for scoring in bunches, knocking down 3pointers, playing with a tough-nosed style or wearing the same jersey number.

Seth Curry, Duke – This family is known for the ability to shoot the 3, starting with Dell Curry during 16 NBA seasons starting during the late

Hawaii in January to follow in his high-scoring father’s footsteps at Bradley, where Hersey Hawkins is the school’s all-time leading scorer and ranks seventh in Division I history with 3,008 career points. In Hersey’s senior year, he averaged 36.3 points and scored 63 in a game. “One thing he always told me is be able to get into the lane and finish around the bigs,” Corey Hawkins said. “... Not being that tall, you have to find ways to finish in the paint. He helped me a lot with that.”

Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan – The 6-6 junior guard and son of the former NBA all-star has been part of

Antoine Mason, Niagara – The son of former NBA all-star Anthony Mason has been the top threat for the Purple Eagles, averaging a team-high 18.9 points while playing 36 minutes

Antoine Mason

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Seth Curry

AP Photo

1980s. Next came son Stephen’s rise from Davidson to the Golden State Warriors. Now there’s Stephen’s younger brother Seth, a 6-foot-2 senior for the Blue Devils. He has been the top outside threat to complement Mason Plumlee inside. Curry has rarely practiced this year due to persistent pain in his right shin, but he's averaging about 17 points and shooting nearly 44 percent from 3-point range entering the week. Maryland coach Mark Turgeon put it simply after Curry scored 25 against his Terrapins earlier this month: “Seth Curry is a winner and he makes big shots.”

Corey Hawkins, UC Davis – The son of former NBA guard Hersey Hawkins entered the week averaging 20.5 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Hawkins was also shooting about 47

AP Photo

the Wolverines’ 1-2 punch playing alongside sophomore guard Trey Burke. Hardaway is second on the team in scoring (15 points) and shooting about 40 percent from 3-point range. He’s also been one of Michigan’s top defenders and scored his 1,000th career point this season.

He's reached double figures in 20 of 26 games this year, highlighted by a 23-point performance with six 3pointers against Ohio State.

Juwan Howard Jr., Detroit – The 6-6 sophomore is the son of the former Michigan “Fab Five” member who played in the NBA nearly two

per game entering the week. The 6-3 redshirt sophomore recently returned from a four-game absence due to an ankle injury, but has scored in double figures in 31 straight games. Mason wears the same number (14) and carries the same nickname (“Mase”) as his father. Coach Joe Mihalich said Mason has a “fearlessness” and is “an incredible competitor.” Sound familiar? “I was sensitive to the pressures that a kid would feel when your dad’s an NBA player,” Mihalich said. “I said to his dad, ‘Listen, I’m trying hard not to compare him to you. I don’t want him to feel that pressure.’ His dad was cool. He was like, ‘Nah, go ahead, you can do that.’ And it was a good thing to do because it does help young Mase respond. It motivates him.”

Glenn Robinson III, Michigan – Hardaway isn’t the only Wolverine on

Glenn Robinson III

Juwan Howard Jr.

Corey Hawkins

AP Photo

percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. The 6-3 sophomore is an Arizona State transfer and had a school-record 40 points at

AP Photo

decades. Juwan Jr. transferred from Western Michigan and sat out the Titans’ NCAA tournament appearance last year, but he's started nearly every game and averaged about 9 points and 3.6 rebounds this season heading into Tuesday’s game against Loyola of Chicago. He’s also shooting 39 percent from 3-point range and 82 percent from the foul line in a supporting role behind high-scoring guard Ray McCallum Jr. as Detroit tries to return to the NCAAs.

AP Photo

AP Photo

the list. This 6-6 freshman forward is the son of the Purdue All-American and former NBA all-star known as “Big Dog.” Robinson is fourth on the team, averaging about 11 points on 57 percent shooting to go along with 5.5 rebounds as an every-game starter.

Robinson matched his season-high with 21 points on 6-for-6 shooting while pulling down 10 rebounds in a win against Penn State on Feb. 17. He had managed just six points in the previous two games, but said his confidence never wavered. “A lot of people know I like to cut to the basket,” Robinson said. “They kind of sag off me and those open shots weren’t there, but I’ve got to keep adjusting to that and keep working on it at practice.”

Thursday, February 28, 2013

9

Is Mary J. Blige Broke?

SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE ST. LOUIS AMERICAN First singer Mary J. Blige defaulted on $250,000 in loans earmarked for her charity, and then she was sued by Signature bank for defaulting on $2 million in personal loans followed by an identical suit from Bank of America after she defaulted on another $2 million personal loan.

Now comes news she is reportedly having trouble paying her rent.

According to The New York Post, The “No More Drama” singer’s reported money problems have gotten Mary J. Blige so bad, she was slapped with a notice on the door of her upper West Side apartment building after it was discovered that she “had a rentpaying problem” last November. The luxe building, the Ashley, boasts a basketball court, state-of-the-art gym and bowling alley “It was for not paying back rent,” a real estate source who has leased apartments at the building told the newspaper. A three-bedroom apartment at the Extell Development site, similar to the one Blige was renting, rents for $9,000 to $12,000 monthly, depending on the view and amenities. The source told the Post that the 42-year-old singer was there for a little more than a year before the note was plastered on the front door of the pad.

According to reports Mary’s finances are in a shambles because she’s being bled dry by a mountain of copyright lawsuits.

Lou Myers, Mr. Gaines on ‘A Different World,’ dies SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER Actor Lou Myers, best known for his role as ornery restaurant owner Mr. Gaines on the television series “A Different World,” has died.

Tonia McDonald of Myers’ nonprofit, Global Business Incubation Inc., said Myers died Feb. 19 at Charleston Area Medical Center in West Virginia.

She said he was 76.

McDonald said Feb. 20 that Myers had been in and out of the hospital since before Christmas and collapsed recently. An autopsy was planned.

A native of Chesapeake, W.Va., Myers had returned to the state and lived in the Charleston area.

His TV credits included “NYPD Blue,” “E.R.,” “The Cosby Show,” and “Touched by an Angel,”. He also appeared in a number of films, including “Tin Cup,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” and “Wedding Planner.”

“A Different World” ran from 1987-93 and originally starred Lisa Bonet from “Cosby” fame. Myers said he owed his introduction to Hollywood to Bill Cosby.

Myers also appeared on Broadway including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” African American Style and “Oprah

Actor Lou Myers

Courtesy Photo

Winfrey’s The Color Purple.”

In 2005, the Appalachian Education Initiative listed Myers as one of 50 “Outstanding Creative Artists” from the state of West Virginia and featured him in their coffee table book Art & Soul.

He began singing jazz and blues with the touring company of “Negro Music in Vogue,” according to a biography provided by McDonald.

His Cabaret show has been acclaimed in Berlin, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York, as well as Los Angeles at the Roosevelt Hotel.

Myers was chairman of Global Business Incubation that helps urban small businesses and chairman of the See LOU MYERS, page 11

Katherine Jackson to go ahead with lawsuit against AEG

BY BILL HETHERMAN CITY NEW SERVICE A judge this week issued a tentative ruling that Michael Jackson’s mother can move forward with her lawsuit contending that the promoters of Michael Jackson’s never-realized London concerts negligently hired Dr. Conrad Murray as the singer’s personal physician. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos said she also is leaning toward tossing aside all other claims that could hold AEG Live liable for Jackson’s death. Defense attorneys had moved for dismissal of the entire complaint, saying that two years of litigation failed to show the company or its executives did anything wrong. Palazuelos took the issues under submission and did not say when she would issue a final ruling.

The entertainer was set to perform a string of 50 shows dubbed “This Is It,” but he died on June 25, 2009, at age 50, of acute propofol intoxication at his rented home in Holmby Hills while rehearsing for the concert series.

Katherine Jackson sued in September 2010 on behalf of her son’s three children, Michael Jr., Paris-Michael Katherine and Prince Michael, claiming that the company picked Murray to be pop star’s personal physician.

Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s 2009 death and was sentenced in November 2011 to

four years in the Los Angeles County men’s jail.

AEG Live attorney Marvin Putnam maintained his clients never hired Murray and that he, in fact, had been one of many doctors who had treated the singer in the past. He said after the hearing that he was pleased with the work Palazuelos did in preparing her tentative ruling and that he was hopeful she would conclude that the negligent hiring claim also should be dismissed. Plaintiffs’ attorney Kevin Boyle declined to comment after the hearing.

He said during arguments that AEG Live, in allegedly hiring Murray, gave little consideration to red flags showing that the doctor was in debt and was not a board-certified cardiologist. Putnam said most doctors are not board-certified and that the fact that he was in debt was irrelevant. Putnam also said Jackson had a drug problem for years before he entered into any agreements to perform on behalf of AEG Live.

Palazuelos also said in her tentative ruling that she is leaning toward dismissing Timothy Leiweke, AEG Inc.'s president and chief executive officer, and that company as defendants.

Defense attorneys maintain AEG Inc. and AEG Live are two separate entities.

Boyle maintains that the two compa-

Katherine Jackson nies’ interests are intertwined.

Leiweke stated that he had preliminary talks with Jackson and his manager in the fall of 2008 about a potential tour deal. He said he did not talk with the singer about any medical treatment and that he never had any conversations with any of the entertainer’s physicians.

“I never met or communicated with Dr. Conrad Murray,” Leiweke stated.

“To my knowledge, no other AEG Inc. employee or agent every met or communicated with Dr. Murray either. Given that I never communicated with Dr. Murray in any way, I certainly had no role whatsoever hiring, training or supervising Dr. Murray.”

The tentative ruling would keep Paul Gongaware, Co-Chief Executive See KATHERINE JACKSON, page 11

10

Thursday, February 28, 2013

e v e n t LISTINGS

2-3/2013

L.A. Watts Times Calendar, Compiled by Brandon I. Brooks, Co-Managing Editor 2/28

3/1

PEPPERDINE BLACK ALUMNI COUNCIL PRESENTS: The Portrayal of African Americans in

“READ ACROSS AMERICA”: In celebration of children’s author Dr. Seuss’ birthday, local leaders, business partners, parents and District staff will read aloud to students as part of “Read Across America.” Over 1,400 Compton Unified School District (CUSD) students, grades TK thru 2, will journey through the literary worlds of beloved children’s books. WHERE: CUSD Board Room, 501 S. Santa Fe Ave. WHEN: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Attendees will be greeted by the musical talents of the Compton High School, Centennial High School, and Willowbrook Middle School marching bands. In addition to the day’s festivities, the District will receive over 500 books donated by various community members, businesses, and organizations including the Compton Chapter of the Omega Phi Si fraternity.

Community members and parents are also encouraged to attend any one of the “Read Across America” events occurring at each of the District’s 22 elementary schools. Additional information may be obtained by contacting CUSD’s Office of Communications at (310) 604-6529 or by visiting www.compton.k12.ca.us.

Film: To celebrate African American culture, the Pepperdine University Black Alumni Council is hosting a Black History Month discussion on the portrayal of African

Lou Beatty

Reginald Hudlin Americans in the motion picture industry. We will discuss the evolution of African American stereotypes from early depiction to current trends of the 21st century. Join Reginald Hudlin, former president of entertainment at BET and producer of Django Unchained; and Lou Beatty, actor on Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, for an engaging discussion about the history of African Americans in film, including the recent blockbuster Django Unchained. WHERE: Four Points by Sheraton 5990 Green Valley Circle Culver City, 90230. WHEN: 6 p.m. 9 p.m. Hosted by Pepperdine Black Alumni Council. For more information visit http://bitly.com/BACevent.

3/2 REMEMBERING JAMIEL SHAW THE 2ND!: In 2008 on March 2nd, Jamiel Shaw the 2nd was Executed by an illegal alien negligently released from jail on March 1, 2008. Jamiel’s mother was serving in Iraq at the time. She’s currently serv-

ing in Texas. If You’re In or Near Los Angeles, Join us for the 5th Candlelight Vigil in Remembrance of Jamiel (known to family as Jas).

WHEN: 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: On the Corner of 5th Avenue and 21st Street Los Angeles, CA 90018. aw Sh Jamiel For more information call (323) 275-4758.

ON GOING MONDAY

Black Blood Recipients need Black Blood Donors?

Most of us were taught in school that every human being no matter what racial or ethnic background only have three blood types A, B or O. However the reality of the situation is that those of us of African descent carry an antigen within our blood that are critical to helping those of African descent in recovery when blood transfusions are necessary.

Because of this fact, and because blood donations from African Americans and others of African descent are at a critical low the Los Angeles Sentinel,

Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation and Los Angeles Children’s Hospital are launching a blood drive at the Los Angeles Sentinel offices on Saturday, March 16, 2013 from 10am - 2pm. Sabriya’s Castle and The Los Angeles Sentinel have partnered with a number of community organizations including the Men of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, The Los Angeles Chapter of the Regalettes and The Brotherhood Crusade to recruit community conscious individuals to assist in recruiting blood donors for this worthy cause.

Patients with Sickle cell disease, require blood that comes from donors that do not have C, E, and K red cell proteins. If a donor does not have these proteins on their red blood cells, their blood is reserved for transfusions for patients with sickle cell disease. 55% of African Americans are CEK-negative, compared to less than 1% of the general population.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles designates special blood donors who are a match for a sickle cell patient as “donor buddies”. These donors are extremely important to the sickle cell disease program.

Organizations and individuals interested in supporting this worth cause should contact Pamela Bakewell at Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation here at The Sentinel Offices (323)299-3800 or email at pamela@bakewellco.com or just show up at the Sentinel offices 3800 Crenshaw Boulevard on Saturday, March 16th between the hours of 10am and 2pm.

(see full page ad about the Blood Drive on page 12)

NOW – 3/16 URBAN SCHOLAR SATURDAY ENRICHMENT ACADEMY: Urban Scholar Athletes, Inc. will conduct its Urban Scholar Saturday Enrichment Academy [Winter Term].

FREE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISING: The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is conducting free advising for business owners and new entrepreneurs. WHEN: The informational workshops are scheduled every Monday at 9AM. Some of the topics include how to start a new business, licensing and permits, the planning process, how to grow your existing business, and how to obtain a business loan. WHERE: St. Lawrence of Brindisi Church 10122 Compton Av. Los Angeles. For more information or to confirm your participation, please call Martha G. Castro (562) 212-0312 or Email: wattsadvising@gmail.com.

THURSDAY KELLY PRICE: For the Love of R&B: Join

Why

-Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday –Wednesday the exhibit will be closed.

Admission is FREE! Where: Museum of African American Art 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90008 (Located on the 3rd floor of Macy’s at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall). For more information call (323) 294-7071 or visit www.theleague90.com. For more information on the Museum of African American Art, visit www.maaala.org.

celebrity host Kelly Price as each week she will invite several of her closest friends and fellow entertainers to share the stage for impromptu performances. Kelly Price has worked with the best in the business Kelly and Price with her new reality television show “R&B Divas: L.A.” currently on air, you never know who may show up. WHERE: The Savoy Entertainment Center, located at 218 S. La Brea Avenue, in Inglewood, CA 90302. WHEN: Every Thursday doors open at 9:00 p.m. Signed and unsigned R&B artists alike were given the once in a lifetime opportunity to perform alongside Kelly and her band. The Savoy Entertainment Center has given Kelly Price and her band the stage set an encore every Thursday night. In reference to her new entertainment endeavor Kelly Price recently tweeted, “Preparing the next generation of GREAT R&B performers!

My band and singers…YOUR VOICE!” On February 28th, 2013, to kick off the series, the Savoy Entertainment Center will host a Red Carpet from 8pm to 9pm. For Celebrity RSVPs, Press, and Media inquiries please contact Jade Umbrella publicist, Erica Hill, at 818-434-3369 or Erica@jadeumbrella.com.

NOW – 3/ 7 THE LOS ANGELES URBAN LEAGUE PRESENTS: “The 90 That Built L.A.,” an exhibit at the Museum of African American Art. This multi-layered exhibit chronicles and celebrates the League’s 90 plus year milestone of serving the city of Los Angeles, in addition to honoring 90 champions for change and equality, past and present. The exhibit will include personal artifacts from honorees; a retrospect of the social, economic, political and civic challenges and triumphs for Los Angeles residents of color and the League’s leadership and unwavering commitment to the community. WHEN: Museum hours are Thursday

WHEN: Every Saturday, from January 19, 2013- March 16, 2013, from 11:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. WHERE: Darby Park Recreational Center, 3400 Arbor Vitae, Inglewood, CA 90305.

The Academy is targeted for students currently in 1st-6th grade. Certificated and experienced teachers will help students explore specialized areas of science, reading, and math in fun and engaging ways as well as prepare students for the upcoming California standardized test. Additionally, throughout the program, students will have an opportunity to earn “scholar bucks” for prize redemption, receive free books, and participate in fieldtrips and community service initiatives. Program registration is $40.00, which includes the 1st session, tshirt, and a Scholastic Weekly Reader magazine subscription. Weekly classes are $20/week, in which sibling discounts are available. For additional information about the program, contact Alexis Coleman, Program Director, at (310) 5283845/ info@urbanscholarathletes.com or visit the website at www.urbanscholarathletes.org.

NOW – 4/7 CAAM PRESENTS GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN: The California African American Museum (CAAM) presents the exhibition “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” The exhibit showcases 24 artists who examine Christianity’s role in fostering political action and social engagement. The exhibition’s curators, Nery Gabriel Lemus and Mar Hollingsworth, utilized James Baldwin’s 1953 novel of the same title, “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” as a point of departure to select a variety of pieces. The selections celebrate faith and, at times contrast, the oppositional forces within Christianity and the underlying tensions of religious control as well as human hypocrisy.

WHERE: CAAM is located at 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles. For more information visit www.caamuseum.org or call (213) 744-2024. Parking is $10 per vehicle and available on 39th and Figueroa streets.

TO MAKE A CALENDAR SUBMISSION: Include event name, date(s), time, location, contact/RSVP information and admission price, if any. Use BRIEF paragraph format (no lists, line breaks, or all caps). All calendar submissions are space-permitting and may be edited for brevity. Send submissions, along with any images, to brandon@lasentinel.net with the subject heading “LAWT Community Events.”

Please include text in the body of your email, not in an attachment.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

11

BLACK INVENTORS

MUMIA ABU-JAMAL

Continued from page 2

Continued from page 4

tracking, claims management, document management and numerous reports.

Her company remains focused on innovation and a dedication to building proactive EEO initiatives within organizations.

Dr. Patricia Bath is an internationally recogDr. Patricia nized ophthalmologist and surgeon who invented the Bath laser-powered Laserphaco Probe. The invention allows physicians to vaporize cataracts in a matter of minutes. The Harlem born pioneer has dedicated her life to the treatment and prevention of blindness in African-Americans. She’s also managed to become a trailblazer in the process. Dr. Bath was the first female ophthalmologist at UCLA’s prestigious Jules Stein Eye Institute and the first female African American surgeon at the UCLA Medical Center.

Dr. Thomas Mensah holds more than a dozen Dr. Thomas Mensah patents in the United States and abroad. One of them is for the Patriot missile guidance system. The native of Ghana is Chairman of Supercond Technology Inc. of Norcross, Georgia. His inventions cover fields including fiber optics and guided vehicle systems.

His work with SMART weapons, like the Patriot missile, was considered crucial to the success in the Gulf War. Dr. Mensah holds 7 pioneering inventions in Fiber Optics Technology and was the winner of the 2010 Percy Julian Award.

Elijah Abron had a problem to solve. He wantElijah ed to make paper fasten together without using bulky Abron binders, cumbersome paper clips or staples. Through trial and error he invented the Substrate sheets with removable strip and received a patent for the invention in May of 2006. This revolutionary product binds papers together through a simple step process.

Stack the self-binding paper, pull the strip and the papers are securely fastened. Abron continues to head his company Eli’s Papers in Shreveport, Lousiana.

Earl Bell, is known as an inventor, building designer, and architectural theorist, as well as Hip hop architect. Brooklyn born and raised, Bell’s passion for science and design began at a very young age. He presented his first invention at the age of 9.

But Bell first began to document and patent his inventions while attending Pratt Institute’s Architecture Program in 1998. Earl holds 3 US patents and 1 International Patent (South Africa). He Earl Bell is the sole inventor of Sasu Technology: liquid hydraulic electrical display for showing information, Slide Skin Technology: ergonomic chair system, Qet Ambit Technology: internal electrical mechanical mechanism for Quantification and has others that are being reviewed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

and they [MOVE members] treated him disrespectfully and he never forgot or forgave them. And I said ‘ … that’s not a reason,’ but he was inflexible on that.

So I left that station and went to another station, after I got an agreement from the news director of the station that I could report [on the MOVE organization] and I did so.

TC: You have been very prolific and productive while you’ve been on death row. Your first book was live from death row, a book of your essays.

You’ve gone from that book to now coauthoring books, you’ve co-authored a book with Marc Lamont Hill [of Columbia university] and you’re working with Stephen Vittoria [director of Long Distance Revolutionary]. Can you talk about that process?

MAJ: It is a new experience, I’ve had to get used to it. [Marc and I] literally made a book by talking to each other over the phone, he had this technological hook-up where he could record all of our conversations. I would call him every Friday night about 7 o’clock, we would talk for 15 minutes, and the last 30 seconds he’d say ‘next week let’s talk about so-and-so, what do you think about so-and-so, and we would do that for maybe 6-8 months, and before we knew it, we really did have a book. I have to say that’s the easiest book I’ve ever written.

What I’m doing with Stephen is something completely different because we actually are writing as opposed to talking to each other. We’re reading, we’re researching, we’re really carving up the world, in half, to look at imperialism. So it’s a different experience, it’s challenging, it’s interesting, and I think we’ll have something quite remarkable in a relatively short period of time.

TC: Every writer is different, but can you give me an idea of your writing process?

MAJ: I’ve never had ‘writer’s block.’ I know that may cause envy among a lot of writers and journalists but, I’ve always been stimulated by what I read, what I study, what I’ve been thinking about, really, since my late childhood. So, I read a lot and I think a lot and, for me, I write in my head before I ever pick up a typewriter or pick up an ink pen. I feel so juiced by the material that I’m able to write with a certain flow, ‘cause I’ve been doing it for so long I know where I’m going. I take extensive notes from books that I read, pages and pages of notes, and that kind of frees me up to go back and forth within various volumes. It is a work of discovery, because sometimes you’ll go places and say, ‘no, I need to change this, I need to change that,’ but , it has its challenges but it is the closest thing you can have in here to an illicit form of fun.

TC: When we think about “life on the inside,” a lot of times we think about the censorship of mail, mail being held up; what kind of access to fresh information do you have?

MAJ: I do get newspapers … USA Today … I like it ‘cause its brief and ‘bright’ in some ways. I read a lot of the radical press, foreign journals and newspapers. Le Monde Diplomatique from France, other journals from London, and I try to keep informed. I read a lot of books, and that’s been very helpful. I continue to study, and continue to learn so that I can work with some basis of information.

TC: Why did Mumia appeal to you [as a subject] and why this type of film?

SV: I had been inspired by Mumia’s writing early on with the release of

ROBIN KELLY Continued from page 5 would represent all residents of the district and was “as honest a person as you can find.”

Beale voted at a school in Chicago, while Kelly voted early.

Beale touted his record as a job creator for the South Side ward he represents in Chicago’s City Council.

That’s the reason Juanita Williams, who went to school with Beale, voted for him Tuesday, saying he helped bring a Wal-Mart to the area. The 47year-old assistant teacher also said Beale has regularly provided school supplies and Christmas gifts to needy students.

Election officials in the three counties covering the district reported no problems at the polls, even though voters and poll workers had to contend with a blustery mix of snow and sleet.

Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation deployed extra resources to keep polls accessible.

Turnout at the polls was low, and election officials said the weather might have kept some voters on the fence at home. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for much of northern Illinois and streets and sanitation workers deployed extra resources to keep roads to polls clear.

KATHERINE JACKSON Continued from page 9 Officer of Concerts West (a division of AEG Live) and AEG Live President and Chief Executive Officer Brandon Phillips in the case, which is scheduled for trial April 2. Gongaware stated in his sworn declaration that he never told Jackson or any of his doctors what medications the singer should take.

“At no point did I ever require Jackson to take propofol,” Gongaware states. “I had no idea Jackson was taking propofol until after I learned how Jackson died in press reports. I had no

suspicious whatsoever that Dr. Murray was giving Jackson propofol.”

LOU MYERS Continued from page 9 Lou Myers Scenario Motion Picture Institute/Theatre.

He won a NAACP “Best Actor” award for playing the Stool Pigeon in “King Hedley II,” a play by August Wilson.

“Live from Death Row” back in the mid 90s and I was always astounded at the level of brilliance in his writing, especially when you factor in he’s operating under such harsh and draconian conditions – he’s never been on a computer, he doesn’t have access to a library, he has truly been … from death row, I think his work has been a complete herculean task, and that always inspired me, that his spirit was able to transcend prison and I always thought that Mumia’s work and his career was so much more than what the mainstream media has made it out to be. I question greatly his guilty verdict and the more you get into the facts of the case the more you see that, there’s no doubt in my mind that they have imprisoned a completely innocent man on death row, they have stolen his life for more than 30 years, they’ve stolen his family’s life.

And I started to look into, ‘Who was this man? What made him tick?’ And I was doing another film in 2005-2006 called ‘Murder Incorporated: Empire, Genocide and Manifest Destiny,’ and Mumia had recorded 25 answers to 25 questions that I had for that film and they were some of the most brilliant pieces of writing Mumia has ever done, and based on that work, I really started to focus on the idea of turning my storytelling eye and my filmmaker’s eye on the complete arc of his career – from the time that he was a young child in Philadelphia, growing up in what is clearly one of the most racist cities in America, at the time it was an utter and complete police state in the 60s with [former police chief] Frank Rizzo and [former mayor] Ed Rendell running the city, and it was remarkable to see him rise out of that , to leave high school and join the Black Panther Party at the age of 15 and just really mature as a writer and a revolutionary, at such a young age, was really an incredible story.

“Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey With Mumia Abu Jamal” will screen for one week at the Laemmle Music Hall 3, 9036 Wilshire Blvd. (LA 90211) beginning Friday, March 1.

CITY OF LOS ANGELES $50,000 REWARD NOTICE The City of Los Angeles offers a reward payable at the discretion of the City Council to one or more persons in the sum or sums up to an aggregate maximum total sum of $50,000 for information leading to the identification and apprehension of the person or persons responsible for the act of murder against, JULIE SOUZA, in the City of Los Angeles.

On the morning of Sunday, December 12, 2010, the lifeless body of 53-year old Julie Souza was discovered covered with a blanket on the sidewalk near the corner of Olympic Boulevard, and Santee Street, in the Fashion District. Julie Souza was sodomized and brutally beaten before she was asphyxiated.

Through DNA, Anthony Bryce Jones was identified and became the sole suspect for the murder of Julie Souza. Anthony Bryce Jones is an ongoing threat to the safety of the people of Los Angeles; therefore it is appropriate for the City of Los Angeles to offer a reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of Anthony Bryce Jones, the person responsible for the death of Julie Souza. Unless withdrawn or paid by City Council action, this offer of reward shall terminate on, and have no effect after, AUGUST 22, 2013.

The provisions of payment and all other considerations shall be governed by Chapter 12 of Division 19 of the LAAC Code, as amended by Ordinance Nos. 158157 and 166666. This offer shall be given upon the condition that all claimants provide continued cooperation within the criminal justice system relative to this case and is not available to public officers or employees of the City, their families, persons in law enforcement or persons whose misconduct prompted this reward. If you have any information regarding this case, please call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAWFULL, 24 hours.

C. F. No. 12-0010-s40 2/28/13 CNS-2448615# WATTS TIMES

GOVERNMENT LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (METRO) INVITATION FOR BIDS Metro will receive bids for IFB No. C0984R Lankershim Depot Rehabilitation Phase Two, per specifications on file at the Office of Procurement & Material Mgmt, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (9th Floor).

The IFB will be available beginning Monday, February 25, 2013. All Bids must be submitted on forms furnished by Metro, and must be filed at the reception desk of the Office of Material on or before Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.Pacific Time, at which time bids will be opened and publicly read.

Bids received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the bidder unopened.

Each bid must be sealed and marked Bid No. C0984R. A Pre-Bid conference will be held on Friday, March 8, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. in the Gateway Plaza Conference Room, located on the 3rd floor at the address above.

You may obtain bid specifications, or further information, by emailing Diana Sogomonyan at sogomonyand@metro.net 2/28/13 CNS-2450348# WATTS TIMES

HYPOCRISY Continued from page 5 And there were many more Black Thurmonds littered throughout Edgefield and surrounding counties, he said, a fact well-known.

“It is an old story and ‘everybody in these parts knows it,’” the AFRO quoted Thomas Thurmond, the governor’s half-cousin, as saying.

“We wanted to highlight the hypocrisy of the Southern attitude,” said Oliver, of the newspaper’s coverage. More specifically, he added, “We wanted to highlight the inconsistency of his (Thurmond’s) political vision and his personal life… [that] this guy is a racist but he has Black relatives.”

Oliver said the article likely had some impact, particularly in the elections.

“Thurmond did not get a lot of votes because he reflected a way of life that people no longer wanted to promote,” the newspaper executive said.

Thurmond’s duplicity, as manifested by his Black daughter, was evident in other ways. Those inconsistencies—for example, his authorship of the “Southern Manifesto,” which was created to counter the Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case that banned public school segregation and, later, his sup-

port of legislation to create a holiday in Dr. Martin Luther King’s honor (Blacks are a powerful voting bloc in South Carolina)—seemed to suggest that his public positions were based on political expediency, said some critics, such as former Sen. Edward Brooke (R-Mass.), who in 1966 became the first Black senator elected since Reconstruction.

In his biography, Brooke said that in January 1967, not long after his election, he went to the Senate pool and found Thurmond and several other Jim Crow defenders already swimming laps. Brooke was expecting objections to his attempt to integrate the pool.

Instead, the Southern lawmakers invited him to join them.

“There was no hesitation or ill will that I could see. Yet these were men who consistently voted against legislation that would have provided equal opportunity to others of my race,” Brooke wrote. “I felt that if a senator truly believed in racial separatism I could live with that, but it was increasingly evident that some members of the Senate played on bigotry purely for political gain. They appealed to ignorance and prejudice to entrench themselves in office.”

12

Thursday, February 28, 2013

DEAR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND SUPPORTERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY: Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation, The Los Angeles Sentinel and The Bakewell Family Foundation are hosting a blood drive at the LA Sentinel offices on Saturday, March 16th from 10am-2pm (see below). This is an opportunity for us all to show our good will and support towards children of color suffering from leukemia, sickle cell disease and other blood disorders. Blood donations from African Americans are at a critical low, and Black Children struggling with the disease of sickle cell anemia and other blood related disorders need our donations in the worst way. Most people know of the three blood types A, B & O, but what you may or may not know is that within these blood types are specific antigens which are specific to people of African and non-African descent. Because of this fact, patients of African descent needing blood to assist in their treatment have a greater chance of success when receiving blood from a donor of African descent. That is why I am calling on every God Fearing, Law Abiding and Community Conscious and Caring Citizen of our Community to please join me as we embark on this courageous and painless mission of helping our children.

Often, we as a group or as individuals are asked to give our support through financial means; this request is not of that nature. This is a request of the heart (literally); this is a gift of your time and a little bit of you in order to save the life of another. I need your support. I am asking each of you individually to commit to participating in this endeavor and I am hoping that individually and collectively that you, your friends and your family will commit to helping recruit over 200 people (men or women, of all colors and nationalities) to come out on Saturday, March 16, 2013 and donate blood. There is a serious shortage of blood for children of color and if we all come together we can all do our part to combat this dreadful disease.

Sabriya’s Castle of Fun Foundation was named in honor of my youngest sister Sabriya Bakewell who passed away of leukemia at the age of 17. March 13th would have been Sabriya’s 37th Birthday. This blood drive is in honor of her and stands as a celebration of Sabriya’s life. Please help me by committing to come out on March 16, 2013 and give blood in order to help save a life.

This will be a fun filled day for all, with hourly raffles, music, free food and prizes for all ages.

If you have any ideas for other organizations or individuals who you believe would like to participate in this worthwhile endeavor please, don’t hesitate to let me know.

Thank you in advance for your support and I look forward to seeing you on March 16th.

God Bless You All | Danny J. Bakewell, Jr.

DONOR REQUIREMENTS - Must be at least 17 years of age - Must provide valid photo ID

- Must weigh more than 110 pounds - Should be well hydrated

(drivers’ license preferred)

SATURDAY MARCH 16 2013 10AM-2PM

Every month, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles needs to collect 1,000 units of blood products to meet the needs of its patients. Please join us at our upcoming blood drive and help with this very important cause. Each donation can help two children in need, and you can double your efforts by bringing a friend!