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Vol. 37 • No. 32 • Thurs.,Aug. 23, 2018 - Wed., Aug. 29, 2018 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
Paying final R.E.S.P.E.C.T.s to the 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin, the self-taught piano prodigy, vocalist and songwriter who first conquered the charts in the late ’60s and never relinquished her throne, died Thursday, August 16, 2018 of advance pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, her publicist confirmed to PEOPLE Magazine. She was 76. “In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds,” the family said in a statement. “We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”
The Queen of Soul had struggled with her health for years. A source told PEOPLE Monday that Franklin had taken a turn for the worse and that her death was “imminent.” A musical phenomenon who crossed musical, racial and gender barriers, Franklin began her vocal career as a teenager, singing gospel hymns in her father’s Detroit church. From these humble beginnings she scaled to the very heights of stardom, scoring her first national chart-topper in 1967 with a searing version of Respect. Since then, the artist has notched 77 Hot 100 chart entries, and earned an astounding 18 Grammys out of 44 nominations. In 1987, two decades after her first No. 1, Franklin became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and was later named the Greatest Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone. A source close to the singer spoke to the Associated Press on Monday to confirm that Franklin was “seriously ill,” although they did not provide any addi-
tional details as to the severity or the cause of the singer’s illness. Showbiz 411 reporter Roger Friedman was first to report the singer was “gravely ill,” sharing that Franklin’s family were “asking for prayers and privacy.” In February of 2017, the Queen of Soul told a Detroit TV station that she was retiring from music that year. Despite her failing health in recent years, Franklin returned to the stage in August for what would be her final public performance at the Mann Center in Philadelphia, despite noticeable changes in her appearance that caused concern about her well-being. She also sang at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Continued on pg. 2
Annual Garveyfest honors the life and work of Dr. Ahmed "Baba" Mbalia
Photo by Yvonne Kemp
On Saturday, August 18, 2018, Africans on the Move presented the 29th Annual Garveyfest at Parklawn YMCA, 4340 N. 46th Street. Garveyfest is the celebration of Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican-born black nationalist and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement, which sought to unify and connect people of African descent worldwide. This year's event was very special as it celebrated the contributions of Milwaukee's own, the late Dr. Ahmed "Baba" Mbalia who had organized the event for the past twenty-seven years. This year's event featured a children's corner, live performances, food, vendors, a workout area and guest speakers; and on Sunday, August 19, 2018 there was a walk, run and ride on the Hank Aaron trail. Pictured at the event are the late Dr. Mbalia's wife, Doreatha Mbalia (right) and her family.
Milwaukee Urban League Guild collects school supplies at Old School Daze On Thursday, August 16, 2018, The Milwaukee Urban League Guild along with Bosco and the Milwaukee Boppers, Steppers and the Ballroom Community hosted an "Old School Daze" event at Mr. J's Lounge, 4610 W. Fond du Lac Ave. The event's purpose was to collect donated school supplies and backpacks to donate to Milwaukee Public School students in need. The event featured music, food and plenty of stepping and dancing. Pictured at the event are (back row, from left) Levarn Clay; Joseph Willis; Jerry Jordan; (front row, from left) Cynthia Stokes-Murray; Angela Webb; Candy Huffman; James Miller; Stanthia Grier; Lacy Walton; and Phyllis Spence.
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
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