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Vol. 37 • No.17 • Thurs., May 03, 2018 - Wed., May 09, 2018 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
Milwaukee Times Founder Nathan Conyers passes away at 72 By: Jacquelyn D. Heath Nathan Conyers, whose keen news sense, Christian spirit, and community concern lead to the founding of The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper, died Friday, April 27, 2018, after a long illness. He was 72. Mr. Conyers has been a familiar face and voice on Milwaukee’s general community scene, and in particular, through media promoting the city’s African American community since 1977. He not only carved out a niche for himself as a media professional, but through The Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper and its parent company, NCON Publishing and Printing Company, has been a prolific creator of jobs within Milwaukee’s central city for more than three decades. A native of rural South Carolina, Mr. Conyers was the youngest of seven children, which included four girls and three boys. He attended public school in Paxville, SC in Clarendon County. The Conyers family would later move to Sumter, SC, where Nathan attended Lincoln High School, graduating in 1964.
Milwaukee Times founder Nathan Conyers In 1967, Conyers enlisted in the U.S. Army. After completing basic and advanced training in communications, he was sent to Germany, where he served for the duration of his military career; he received an honorable discharge in June, 1971. Upon returning to his mother’s South Carolina home, he informed her that he would be leaving again – this time for Atlanta, GA,
where he had been accepted at Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University). At the time, he didn’t know anyone in Atlanta; but he took a ‘crash course’ on the city by reading the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, especially the classifieds, and looked for work. He ended up following up on a job lead for a Telex operator with Time Magazine’s Atlanta bureau, interviewed for the job and
was hired. This turned out to be the ideal opportunity for Conyers, as it allowed him to attend classes at Clark in the morning, work in the afternoon, and still have time to study at night. Conyers earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Clark in 1971. He held onto the job at Time through 1977, when he relocated to Milwaukee. He soon found work with The Milwaukee
Community Journal and was hired as a writer and reporter by publishers Robert Thomas and Patricia Thomas Pattillo, and editor Mikel Holt. While at the Community Journal, Conyers met Monroe Swan, who was running for the Wisconsin State Senate 6th district. Swan was elected in 1972 and hired Conyers as a legislative aide, impressed by the combination of journalism skills and political acumen Conyers brought to the position. Conyers served as a political aide to Swan for the duration of his term in office which ended in 1981. Conyers was then tapped by community activist and retired nurse Louvenia Johnson, who was then executive director of the intergenerational social services organization Project Focal Point, to be her administrative assistant. The two shared a strong interest in politics, community affairs, and issues of faith. He met Lynda Jackson, a young Milwaukee native who had just launched her career as an educator; they married in 1983. In 1981, Conyers joined forces with Mrs. Johnson; and local realtor (Continued on pg. 2)
Mt. Vernon Baptist Church hosts Women's Fellowship Breakfast
Photo by Yvonne Kemp
On Saturday, April 28, 2018, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church hosted their annual Women's Fellowship Breakfast at their church, 2345 N. 18th St. The attendees enjoyed devotional songs and scripture, breakfast and activities. The theme for the breakfast was, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." The keynote speaker for the www.milwaukeetimesnews.com
event was Minister Phyllis Todd of Ephesian Missionary Baptist Church (front row, left). The Women's Fellowship Breakfast was hosted by First Lady Joyce Jackson (front row, center left). The pastor for Mt. Vernon Baptist Church is Rev. Willie Jackson. An NCON Communications Publication