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After community outrage, Penn Hills fires controversial police officer Gowans Page B4
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 112 No. 20
Two Sections
MAY 19-25, 2021
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
GAINEY MAKES HISTORY Peduto concedes, as Ed Gainey wins Democratic mayoral primary; will become Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
With the Pittsburgh voters yesterday, May 18, Bill Peduto struck out, and Ed Gainey hit the grandest of home runs. Representative Gainey, by a slim 44 to 42 percent margin, defeated incumbent Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto in the Democratic mayoral primary, effectively making history as Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor. They were, literally, dancing in the streets, the supporters of Rep. Gainey, at and around his election party headquarters on Brighton Road on the
North Side, when news broke of his historic victory around 10:30 p.m. By then, Mayor Peduto had conceded the race. “Ain’t no power like the power of the people, ‘cause the power of the people don’t stop,” the crowd of hundreds there chanted, as the television cameras focused squarely on Pittsburgh’s next mayor. Moments before Rep. Gainey gave his victory speech, Rep. Summer Lee energized the crowd, giving a big “I told you so” to those who had told her there would never be a Black SEE GAINEY A2
STATE REP. ED GAINEY, with wife, Michelle, celebrates his historic Democratic mayoral primary election win on Tuesday night, May 18, on Brighton Road on the North Side. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.)
Courier’s ‘Men of Excellence’ pivots during pandemic, but show ultimately goes on by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
The New Pittsburgh Courier’s “Men of Excellence” awards celebration was put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was never “canceled.” How could an occasion that spotlights some of the most accomplished African American men in the nearly two million residents of the Pittsburgh region just...not happen? Sure, it may have been put on hold for, oh, 500 days (but who’s counting), but on April 16, the awards show that’s got the men showing up in their Sunday Best finally took place. Savoy Restaurant was the location—owned by an African American man and former Courier “Men of Excellence” honoree, Chuck Sanders—as about 13 men per hour came to the lounge to accept their award, four hours total. Everyone wore
masks, the crowd was socially distanced, and, all in all, the Courier’s first event in its history that occurred during a pandemic went off without a hitch. “To be in the number amongst this group of excellent men is something that I’m thankful for, and I’m grateful to God for any bit of recognition for the things I might do or say across the country,” voiced Marlin Woods, CPC. Woods is executive chairman of BenefitsPLUS, an advisory board of professional healthcare and benefits decision-makers which discover health and welfare benefits innovations, products and services for procurement opportunities. He also authored a book, “Courting The Employ(H) er: A Business-To-Business Romance,” and is a national public speaker on sales behavior and motivational messaging. SEE MOE A6
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MEN OF EXCELLENCE CLASS OF 2021 HONOREES ALLAN FRANCETTE AND THOMAS BURLEY, among those who received their awards at a ceremony held at Savoy Restaurant, in the Strip District, April 16. (All Men of Excellence photos by J.L. Martello)