NJG | Vol. 123, No. 23 - June 8, 2023

Groundbreaking: Oxford Dictionary To Highlight “African-American English”

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

In an exciting announcement, Oxford University Press revealed its forthcoming publication of the groundbreaking “Oxford Dictionary of AfricanAmerican English.”

During a recent online

presentation, those involved in the project shared that they had already handpicked 100 words for the dictionary, with a target publication date set for March 2025. Presented below are ten definitions and etymologies that eager readers can expect to find in this soonto-be-released dictionary:

1. Bussin (adjective and

participle): Primarily used to describe food, referring to something as tasty or delicious. It can also be used more broadly to describe something impressive or excellent. Additionally, it can describe a party, event, or gathering as busy, crowded, or lively. Variant forms include “bussing” and “bussin.’”

2. Grill (noun): A dental

overlay, either removable or permanent, often made of silver, gold, or other metals and sometimes adorned with gemstones, worn as a form of jewelry.

3. Promised Land (noun): A place believed to offer refuge and freedom, historically associated with enslaved individuals and later with African-Americans as a whole. This term draws inspiration from the biblical narrative of the Jewish people seeking liberation from Egyptian bondage.

PRIMARY RACE FOR SENATE DISTRICT 21

Angelia WilliamsGraves Says Record As Delegate Shows Her Competency

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter New Journal and Guide

Thanks to the redistricting which created the new Senate District 21, Norfolk Democrats have two women candidates in the June 20 Primary for State Senate who live in the city.

Norfolk Senate Representatives have lived in Virginia Beach, the Isle of Wight, and currently Lionell Spruill in the old Senate District 5, which covered Norfolk and Chesapeake. The late Sen. Yvonne Miller was Virginia’s first African-American woman State Senator from Norfolk.

Come June 20, current 90th District House Delegate

Angelia Williams Graves and Super Ward 6 Norfolk Council Andria McClellan are in the Democratic primary for the new Senate District 21.

According to the last census, the new Senate District 21 covers 93 percent of Norfolk, leans Blue, and is 42 percent African-American, a cluster of several other minority racial designations, and 40 percent white.

Graves sat on the Norfolk city council from 2010 until

Del. Angelia Williams-Graves

she ascended to the House of Delegates in 2021. She also was Vice Mayor for two years.

Since mid-year 2022, the two candidates have been campaigning citywide to cultivate their voter support, not taking for granted any political alliances built during their time on the city council and for Williams Graves, in the legislature.

Williams-Graves believes her tenure in the legislature and on the council give her an advantage. She said because she is already a member of the House, if she wins the primary, she can start drafting legislation for the 2024 session on June 21 and not have to wait until after the November election.

see Graves, page 5A

Juneteenth In Richmond

see Dictionary, page 6A

Andria McClellan Cites Vast Experience As Norfolk City Public Servant

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter

New Journal and Guide

Norfolk Councilperson

Andria McClellan hopes the voters of Norfolk will help her add another entry into her resume of contributions to the city and Hampton Roads.

Now instead of representing the western half of her city, if she wins in the new state District 21, she will cover 93 percent of Norfolk from a seat in Richmond.

McClellan is running against her former colleague on council Angelia Williams Graves who ascended to the House of Delegates after a decade representing Norfolk’s Super Ward 7, the other half–eastern portion of the city.

Now both are cultivating support and votes over all of the city instead of the East and West side political power centers.

McClellan said her experiences as a businesswomen and serving the city in various capacities have prepared her for the upper chamber of the Virginia State Senate.

This is not her first attempt at pursuing a political job in

Richmond. She ran an unsuccessful bid at winning the Democratic primary for Lt. Governor in 2021. Hala Ayala was the eventual nominee losing to Winsome Sears, a Conservative Republican.

Since then, McClellan has been busy preparing for this run for the State Senate.

McClellan grew up in Hampton Roads with a single mother in Virginia Beach. She said the teachers in the Virginia Beach public schools prepared her academically to earn her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. After college, she worked on the sales and marketing teams of two Fortune 500 companies. see McClellan, page 8A

KIDNEY DISEASE KILLED TINA, BARRY & OTHER BLACK STARS

By Rosaland Tyler

Editor

Associate

New Journal and Guide

Tina Turner was not the first famous African-American to die from kidney disease.

Barry White died from kidney disease at age 58 in 2003 while waiting for a kidney transplant. Natalie Cole died of heart failure at age 65 in 2015 on New Year’s Eve at a hospital in Los Angeles after undergoing a successful kidney transplant operation in 2009.

Madame C.J. Walker died in 1919 at age 51 of kidney failure and hypertension complications. Former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry suffered from kidney disease before he died from an accidental drug overdose at age 78 in 2014 after surviving prostate cancer and undergoing minor surgery for urinary tract infection in 2011.

“I didn’t know,” Ron Minor said in his 44-minute documentary that aired on public TV several years ago in the Washington, D.C. area. You can also watch his documentary “I Didn’t Know”

on YouTube.

Minor, who used his retirement fund to pay for the $100,000-plus project, said chronic kidney disease is an epidemic. “I

just want to get the word out.”

Although Blacks are two times more likely than Whites to receive a kidney disease diagnosis, a 2014 report by Stanford University and Sackler School of Medicine in Israel published online in Cell Reports showed the kidneys regenerate and repair themselves throughout life. Kidneys constantly grow and have the surprising ability to regenerate.

“This research tells us that the kidney is in no way a static organ,” said Benjamin Dekel, MD, PhD, a senior author of

RICHMOND

The Elegba Folklore Society presents Juneteenth 2023, A Freedom Celebration in Richmond, Virginia this Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11. Saturday’s program presents The Torch Lit Night Walk Along the Trail of Enslaved Africans. It begins at the Manchester Dock, 1308 Brander St., at 7 p.m. The Torch Lit Walk is free to attend; donations appreciated. Sunday’s program features Dancing With the Ancestors at the African Burial Ground, 1540 East Broad Street, beginning at 4 p.m. with the Get Woke Youth Summit. It continues fully at 5 p.m., and the program concludes at 9 p.m. General Admission is $5 and children under 12 may attend for free. Sunday’s attendees are asked to wear white, and they may bring ancestral offerings such as flowers, fruit, sweets, libations or other gifts of personal significance.

Cong. Scott Explains His “No” Vote On Critical Debt Bill

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter New Journal and Guide

Third District U.S.

Congressman Robert Scott and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Second District, have polar opposite political stands.

Scott is a Liberal Democrat, and Kiggans is a moderately Conservative Republican.

But when the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Bill raising the Debt Ceiling, the lawmakers voted differently than predicted.

Congresswoman Kiggans said in a statement that she voted in favor of the agreement.

Meanwhile Scott, one of the longest-serving members of the Virginia delegation to the House, also released a statement saying he voted against the agreement. He is the only member of Congress representing the Hampton Roads area to vote no on the agreement that was signed into law in Saturday June 2 by President Biden.

“I voted against this agreement because we were faced with a false choice: destroy the economy or accept unknown spending cuts and turn the clock back on environmental progress. The fact is that we can avoid economic default without attacks on the environment and then begin to focus on reasonably addressing the budget.”

His statement continued, “The United States has never defaulted on our debt, yet it became very clear over the last few months that Republicans were perfectly willing to provoke a global economic calamity that would trigger a jobkilling recession and raise

Tina Turner

“Shove-Off Day” Makes Debut

The first “Shove Off Day” in Hopewell, Va., highlights the role of Black troops in 1865 in the foundation of what we know today as Juneteenth.

costs on working families, simply because Republicans believe it would help them politically. The chairwoman of the Republican National Committee herself said that economic default ‘bodes very well for the Republican field in 2024.’”

Scott praised Biden for being able to reject extreme Republican demands to cut all domestic funding by 22 percent.

But the compromise, he said, would “only cut the deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. see Scott, page 6A

INSIDE:

45 Words:

A new study of routine police traffic stops shows the officer’s first 45 words may foretell how the encounter will unfold. see page 7A

Blacks are two times more likely than Whites to receive a kidney disease diagnosis.

The fact is that we can avoid economic default without attacks on the environment and then begin to focus on reasonably addressing the budget.”

– Congressman Bobby Scott

Cong. Bobby Scott

Photo: ElegbaFolkloreSociety

Andria McClellan

Andrew Young Explains What Went Wrong With Voting & Civil Rights

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

The failure of lawmakers to get a current civil rights bill – the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act – and an unbiased voting measure through Congress can be traced back to the obvious – the power grab made by Conservatives –and the not-so-obvious – the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, a civil rights icon and two-term Atlanta Mayor, said Republicans stacking the courts and appointing GOP-friendly federal judges have cut into the progress he and others made during the civil rights era. Along with King, the late Rep. John Lewis, and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Young was an unquestioned leader in the American Civil Rights Movement.

Young’s career in civil rights began in 1954 with voting registration drives despite numerous threats to his life.

He worked with the National Council of Churches before leading the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Citizenship Schools where he and King taught nonviolent strategies to push the civil rights movement forward.

Most have pointed to Young’s strategic negotiation skills that led to President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

In an exclusive interview with the Black Press at his illustrious office in Atlanta, the 91-year-old icon said he also believes some of the damage done by the modern Republican Party, particularly to AfricanAmericans, are a result of individuals seeking their own advantage.

“We got to 1969, after Dr. King’s death, where everybody wanted to run for president. Shirley Chisholm, Dick Gregory, and Eldridge Cleaver,” Young recalled.

“There must have been 20 Black folks running for president, not that they didn’t have the right to do so,” he said.

Nearly 40 years before Barack Obama became the first Black U.S. President, Young said he realized an African-American couldn’t win a presidential election.

“I wasn’t sure you could get elected to Congress,” Young noted.

In Atlanta, however, the

Ambassador Andrew Young

In an exclusive interview with the Black Press, the 91-year-old icon said he also believes some of the damage done by the modern Republican Party, particularly to African-Americans, are a result of individuals seeking their own advantage.

landscape differed from what was occurring nationally.

In 1963, prominent civil rights advisor Leroy Johnson became the first Black person elected to the Georgia General Assembly since Reconstruction ended.

More than 10 years later, Maynard Jackson won the race for mayor of Atlanta, where he would serve three terms – his third term came after Young had held the office for two terms.

Jackson’s vision turned the city’s airport into one of the biggest in the world, made Atlanta a global destination, and paved the way for the 1996 Olympic Games to take place in the city.

“We took over Atlanta little by little. Finally, Maynard took over and ran

for mayor, and when he came, he could do things like build the world’s busiest airports – or at least get the process started,” Young told NNPA Newswire.

“We knew that after Dr. King died, there were too many people with too much ambition and too little humility.

“So, from 1968 when Dr. King was killed, and Bobby Kennedy was killed and, before them, Malcolm X was killed, people were getting killed, and people felt they had to do something to get out. People wanted to get killed.

“It wasn’t rational. It disrupted us from a tactical plan that was all we had.”

That plan included ensuring fair-minded judges

were seated on federal benches and on the Supreme Court.

“When I came to Georgia in 1954, I voted Republican,” Young recalled.

“Maynard Jackson’s grandfather (John Wesley Dobbs) told me if you vote for Democrats, and I liked [Adlai] Stevenson, but [Dobbs] told me that Stevenson is a Democrat and if he’s nominated then [Sens.] Richard Russell and Theodore Bilbo would get to name the judges.

“However, if [Dwight] Eisenhower is elected president, they won’t have any white Republicans down there, which would force them to come to us and ask, who are the white people you trust and respect that should be nominated for judge?

“We would tell them who we trusted and respected, and that’s who they’d pick, and that’s why we achieved in the South more than they did in the North.”

Offering proof of why that strategy worked, Young said at the time that a Republican, Eisenhower, appointed all the judges.

“Because someone Black recommended the judge, every single case in the 1960s, and you can’t find a case solved in a courtroom where a Democrat had appointed a judge, we won,” he said.

“Those little things were important to the progress, and it made a big difference.

“Today, we’ve lost the right to appoint justices because we lost presidential elections. Walter Mondale (1984) and Michael Dukakis (1988) lost important presidential elections. As a result, Regan got to appoint four judges to the U.S. Supreme Court, and George H.W. Bush appointed Clarence Thomas.”

Brenda H. Andrews

CHIEF REPORTER:

Leonard E. Colvin

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER:

Desmond Perkins ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Rosaland Tyler

PRODUCTION: Tony Holobyte

Millionaire Claims Wife Colored; Seeks Freedom NEW YORK

A marital tangle parallel to the Kip and Alice Rhinelander case which attracted so much attention several years, ago. Kip, son of a rich white family, sought divorce from his wife who turned out to be the daughter of a colored coachman unfolded here last week.

The case this time involves a millionaire manufacturer, Joseph M. Perkins, and his estranged wife Ella Jones Perkins, who for more than a decade, passed for white and lived together for five years before their separation.

Perkins, head of the J.M. Perkins and Co., Inc., charges in his suit that his wife, who now lives in downtown Manhattan “falsely represented that she belongs in the white race” when they applied for marriage license.

The couple married in Jersey City, N.J. on May 7, 1927, and lived together until December 5, 1932. Since their separation he has been paying her $125 per month under a separation agreement, it said. Perkins now asks that the separation agreement be voided.

The case came up before Judge Lloyd Church after Perkins discovered last April that his wife was colored. Mrs. Perkins’s attorney appeared in court and demanded that all references to the agreement be stricken out. Judge Church reserved decisions in the case pending further study of it.

“People’s Party”

Activist Dr. Cornell West Enters Presidential Race Under

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Renowned scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential race under the banner of the People’s Party, as announced on Monday, June 5. In a compelling video shared on Twitter, West expressed his intention to run for the pursuit of truth and justice, emphasizing that the presidency serves as a means to achieve these noble ideals.

With a strong academic background, including positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and Princeton University, West is recognized for his intellectual activism.

In his Twitter video, West articulated his decision to run as a third-party candidate, citing the reluctance of the established political parties to address critical issues concerning Wall Street, Ukraine, the Pentagon, and Big Tech. He referred to former President Donald Trump, a leading contender for the Republican nomination, as a “neo-fascist” and labeled President Biden as a “milquetoast neoliberal.”

West’s educational journey has taken him through esteemed universities such as Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, and he presently holds a professorship in philosophy at Union Theological Seminary.

Throughout his career, he has been known for his progressive activism and his outspoken critique of former President Barack Obama.

Fair wages, affordable housing, abortion rights,

From The Guide’s Archives

West referred to former

universal healthcare, the urgent need to address climate change, and preserving American democracy were some of the significant issues West highlighted in his campaign video.

The platform through which West intends to pursue his presidential aspirations is the People’s Party, which Nick Brana founded after previously working on Bernie Sanders’s campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.

While the party attempted to recruit Sanders after his 2016 campaign, the senator declined involvement and subsequently sought the Democratic nomination once again in 2020.

“Will we succeed? Only time will tell. But some of us are ready to fight until the end,” declared West in his announcement video, leaning towards the camera, his words resonating with determination.

“We will fight passionately, with style, and with a smile.”

Archives taken from the pages of the (New) Journal and Guide

A search of records in the state house at Trenton, N.J. revealed that Mrs. Perkins, who gave her age in 1927 as 35, said she was white and had been married and divorced in Baltimore on April 30, 1925. She said she was the daughter of Mary Short and Johnson Lewis and was born in Hurts, Va.

H. Collins Ousted from Virginia Elks Presidency

HAMPTON

The election of W. H. Crocker, prominent Suffolk business and civic leader, to succeed Attorney Alfred H. Collins of Alexandria as state president; a vigorous denial by Finley Wilson, grand exalted ruler, that the national convention would be held in Atlantic City, N.J. instead of St. Louis; and selection of Petersburg for the 1941 meeting climaxed the 18th annual session of the Virginia State Association of Elks in Anderson here Thursday, May 23.

“Scottsboro Boy”

Hoax Revealed. Youth Poses As Minister; Leaves Jersey In A Hurry

PASSAGE, N.J.

The mysterious “Rev. Willie Wright,” who police in at least two cities charge has been posing as a “Scottsboro” boy at the various churches throughout the Eastern states, succeeded once again to evade the forces of law May 22 when he was scheduled to make his second night at the Bethel AME Church here.

Wright disappeared just a few minutes prior to

the arrival of the Rev. S. Thomas Harten of Brooklyn who was accompanied by the Passaic police and Bertha Baskerville of 14 Patman Street, Brooklyn. She is charged with assisting Wright on the previous night because she “thought” she was dealing with the right party.

After one appearance recently “Rev. Wright” returned the following evening but was questioned by a group of persons at the church as to his identity. He informed them that a rumor was being circulated that he was not the real “Scottsboro Boy” and that the police were interested.

Anxious to clarify himself, Wright is said to have told the group that he was going down to the police station himself and “straighten this matter out.” He has not been seen since.

June 7, 1957

Edition of the Guide

Southerners Can’t Hope

To Be President

SEA ISLAND, GA

Dixiecrats heard the sad and bitter truth here Saturday night.

In essence, Senator George A. Smathers of Florida, said, “Dixiecrats can’t be President of the United States.”

He did not put it quite that bluntly but everyone present to hear him speak at the South Carolina Textile Association meeting at Sea Island, GA knew what he meant when he said that because of the civil rights issue, “This area which in the past provoked many in the South, can no longer have its sons considered for the Presidency.” Senator Smathers told

Negro Congress Nonsense

By Williams Pickens

The best move that A. Phillip Randolph of the Pullman porters ever made with respect to the “National Negro Congress” was made when he got out of it. Randolph like the writer of this article has a generous fondness for non-conformists, but Randolph is not a fool. He has no low instincts of venality, treachery, and disloyalty toward the people, of any all races, among whom he lives. He knows that the United States of America is his country and is the only place on earth that can be his country.

But the National Negro Congress organized a few years ago by community money and still perhaps dominated and largely paid for by the lunatic fringe of Whites and Blacks among us is reported to have passed one perfectly fool resolution: that should their country, the USA, become involved in a war with the Soviet Union, Russia they (the nuts) of this Congress would not support not fi ght for this country.

Such a pronouncement is real treason and the only reason why these fellows could voice such treason and still live is because this country America, is so much better in its laws and life than is the country (Russia) of their foolish dreams.

Such a pronouncement by anybody in Russia would have gotten all the Congress and every one of the leaders shot immediately and every member of this Congress sent to a cold comfortless place in Siberia.

Dixiecrats they “face a great challenge in the South because it is undergoing a change.”

“The South today is no longer sectional except in the midst of some people outside the South. While the South is in ferment undergoing political change, unfortunately, its political thinking is not changing in too many areas outside the South.”

He declared that recent elections and the political conventions of the South “demonstrated it was thrown off the last vestiges of prejudices and resentment but unfortunately, the prejudices still exist in too many areas toward the men of the South.”

Exhaustion Caused

Attack on the Pulpit NEW YORK

Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., who collapsed while delivering a sermon at his church Sunday was reported “doing well” at New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center. The bulletin added only that the 48-year-old congressman’s conditions are “satisfactory.”

Powell when stricken left the pulpit of the Abyssinian Baptist Church under his own power and was driven immediately to the hospital. The cause of his collapse was given as “exhaustion” and a possible heart attack.

President Donald Trump, a leading contender for the Republican nomination, as a “neo-fascist” and labeled President Biden as a “milquetoast neoliberal.”

Lawsuit Charges Fla. Discriminates In State Budget Funding For FAMU

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

A class-action lawsuit accusing the state of Florida of discriminating against a historically Black university while favoring its predominantly white counterpart has been allowed to proceed by Judge Robert L. Hinkle of the Northern District of Florida.

The lawsuit, filed in September, marks the first court test in this case, and although the judge dismissed the state’s request to dismiss the suit, he did request revisions.

Six Florida A&M University (FAMU) students filed the lawsuit, alleging that the University of Florida receives a higher state appropriation per student than FAMU.

For 33 years, from 1987 to 2020, this discrepancy amounted to approximately $1.3 billion, according to the complaint. Despite both universities being the only public land-grant colleges in the state, FAMU claims that it has been unfairly disadvantaged.

According to a 2022 study by Forbes, FAMU received $2,600 less in funding per student in 2020 than the

University of Florida, which supports FAMU’s claim.

Additionally, Forbes highlighted that FAMU relies more heavily on state funding than its white counterpart.

Last year, The New York Times reported on the challenges faced by FAMU’s football players, including inadequate practice equipment and understaffed support for students.

One of the accusations made in the lawsuit is that the state allows Florida State University, also located in Tallahassee, to duplicate over 40 programs offered by FAMU.

This duplication makes it difficult for FAMU to attract prospective students interested in their fields of study.

Civil rights attorney Josh Dubin, representing the plaintiffs, emphasized the failure to provide FAMU with equitable funding in proportion to traditionally white institutions. He argued that this lack of support hampers FAMU’s ability to establish its identity and maintain its facilities adequately.

The plaintiffs demand that the state commit to equity in its support of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and seek injunctive relief under various laws,

including Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in federally funded programs.

While not dismissing the case, Judge Hinkle has requested attorneys to amend the lawsuit for clarity.

The defendants named in the lawsuit are the state of Florida, the board of governors and chancellor of the State University System Ray Rodrigues, the State Board of Education and its commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., and Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

Spokespeople for the Board of Governors and the State Board of Education have declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

Historically Black colleges and universities were established to provide Black students with opportunities for higher education and upward mobility during segregation. However, these institutions have faced numerous challenges, including decades of underfunding, and housing issues, contributing to their current crises and resource limitations.

FORMER MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT TO TEACH AT HARVARD

CHICAGO

Lori Lightfoot, age 60, made history when she became Chicago’s first Black female and first openly gay mayor in 2019; but she was not re-elected to a second term when voters went to the polls during the city’s Feb. 28 election.

This fall, Lightfoot will teach a course in Harvard’s Health, Policy, and Management Department tentatively called “Health Policy and

Leadership,” according to news reports.

“I’ve always loved teaching, and the opportunity to get back to it is something I am excited about,” Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, said in a recent Twitter post. “Looking forward to sharing the experiences and perceptions I learned governing through one of the most challenging times in American history.”

In a statement, Michelle Williams,

dean of the school of public health, said she was “delighted” to welcome Lightfoot. “As mayor, she showed strong leadership in advocating for health, equity, and dignity for every resident of Chicago, from her successful drive to raise the minimum wage to her declaration of structural racism as a public health crisis to her innovative initiative to bring mental health services to libraries and shelters.”

FAMU Law School

Six Florida A&M University (FAMU) students filed the lawsuit, alleging that the University of Florida receives a higher state appropriation per student than FAMU.

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS STILL THREATEN AMERICANS’ HEALTH

PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF SOCIOLOGY VIRGINIA TECH

JIM BROWN –ATHLETIC MARVEL

By Wornie Reed, Ph.D.

In 1999 an Associated Press panel voted Jim Brown the greatest football player of the 20th century. But he was more than that. For example, he is also considered the greatest-ever lacrosse player. Further, he is a strong candidate for the title of America’s bestever all-around athlete. Brown attended Syracuse University (1953-57), where he was the most outstanding all-around athlete in its history. At Syracuse, he starred in four sports (basketball, football, lacrosse, and track).

First-year students did not play varsity sports in the 1950s when Brown was in college. Consequently, he played sports in his sophomore, junior, and senior years.

In basketball, where he was considered the team’s best athlete, he refused to play his senior year because he was not permitted to be a starter.

An unwritten rule at Syracuse prohibited the team from starting three Black players in basketball. The two they started were Vinnie Cohen, the leading scorer, and Manny Breland, the first Black scholarship basketball player. Cohen would later say that had Jim Brown played, their team would have won the NCAA championship in 1957. Without Brown, they lost in the elite eight.

In a football game against Colgate in 1956, Brown ran for 196 yards, scored six touchdowns,

He participated in five sports in high school (football, basketball, lacrosse, track and baseball), setting a Long Island record of 38 points per game in basketball.

and kicked seven extra points for 43 points, an NCAA record for over 40 years.

He was such a dominant lacrosse player that the sport’s rules had to be changed, making it more difficult for players to cradle the ball tightly to their bodies. Through the years, Brown stayed connected to the sport.

He was an advisor to the Premier Lacrosse League, which named its MVP Trophy after him.

When time and his schedule permitted, Brown participated in track. He finished a highly credible fifth in the 1956 Olympic trials in the most demanding of track and field sports, the decathlon. His decathlon result was remarkable for a 20-year-old man who did not specialize in track and field.

He once competed in two varsity sports on the same day. One day in May 1957, he wore his track suit, won the high jump and javelin, placed second in the discus, and helped Syracuse beat Colgate in a dual meet. Then he put on his lacrosse uniform and led the way to an 8-6 win over Army, securing the undefeated season.

Brown grew up on Long Island, Manhasset, New York, where he started his phenomenal athletic

career. He participated in five sports in high school (football, basketball, lacrosse, track, and baseball), setting a Long Island record of 38 points per game in basketball. Brown was also a baseball star in high school, where he pitched two no-hitters and received a contract offer from the New York Yankees.

Brown was one of the NFL’s first superstars. Playing only nine seasons, Brown held every meaningful rushing record at the time of his retirement. He was named to the Pro Bowl all nine years he played in the NFL, and he never missed a play in football due to an injury. He was the NFL’s MVP four times and led the NFL in rushing in eight of the nine seasons he played.

Brown retired from football at 30 as the highest-paid, mosthonored NFL player of his time and moved to Hollywood, where he starred in dozens of films.

For 20th Century Fox, Brown starred in 100 Rifles in 1969. He was billed over co-stars Raquel Welch and Burt Reynolds and had a love scene with Welch, one of the first interracial love scenes and the first in a major Hollywood movie.

TO PROTECT & SERVE OUR TEACHERS

By David W. Marshall

(TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

Teacher’s Appreciation

Week is recognized each year during the first full week in May. Teachers have always held the distinct honor of molding a child’s mind and character in preparation for becoming our nation’s future workforce and leaders. Behind every great inventor, businessperson, and historical inspiration lies a devoted teacher.

For a student to have a teacher who believes in them when they don’t believe in themselves is why the teaching profession is one of respect. Any successful person can name that one teacher who significantly impacted their life through examples of caring, encouragement, compassion, and mentoring. Sometimes, the impact is not always fully realized until years later when the person is deep into adulthood.

While I can name several teachers from my high school years who stood out, my thirdgrade teacher exemplified the respect a child should have for their teacher. As a third grader in Norfolk, Virginia, my classmates and I were deeply affected by the assassination of Martin Luther King. The day after Dr. King was killed, we went to school.

I will never forget how our teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was so overwhelmed with grief and emotion that she sat at her desk in front of the class and cried the entire day. Instead of talking, laughing, or running

around the class, her pain affected all of us even though we didn’t fully understand it. Out of total respect for our teacher, every student sat silently, watching as Mrs. Johnson dealt with her grief— unable to speak, let alone teach the class. As she grieved the whole day, her students grieved with her. Sadly, most teachers today do not receive that degree of respect and personal connection in the classroom.

In contrast, today’s teachers are too often the targets of violent outbursts, false accusations, and verbal abuse by their students. The incidents of students attacking teachers will get worse with long-term consequences. As students become more aggressive and uncaring, violent assaults and threats harm the teacher, who is the target, the student offender, and the students who witness the attack or abuse.

In Flagler County, Florida, 17-year-old Brendan Depa is now facing felony assault charges as an adult after a surveillance video shows the high school student attacking

By Ben Jealous (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

Tatum is an East Texas town of about 1,300 people, closer to Shreveport than Dallas. It’s on the north shore of Martin Lake. Across the water sits a coal-fired power plant named after the lake that happens to be the single largest sulfur dioxide polluter in the United States.

Paulette Goree, who has lived in the area her entire life, gets a daily reminder of the Martin Lake Power Plant. “I use a personal air monitor every day to figure out if I should spend much time outdoors.”

She thinks the air pollution contributed to the deaths of family members and the respiratory problems she and her husband have. A Sierra Club report estimated that, in the two counties surrounding Tatum, coal plant pollution contributes to two premature deaths every year. That’s a fraction of the 154 people who die annually in part due to what’s spewed out of Martin Lake’s smokestacks, according to Clean Air Task Force.

It’s why Paulette and other volunteers across the United States are fighting for the federal government to enforce clean air standards already on the books and to strengthen those requirements to reflect what technology can do now to make the air breathable again.

“It just isn’t right, and the EPA needs to do better,” she said. “It’s too late for me and my generation, but we need to improve the air for our younger generations.”

It’s a fight I’ve been part of for more than a decade,

one that led me to launch the Climate Justice Program at the NAACP. It’s still true that these coal powered killers and other industrial polluters more often than not sit in communities of color and where residents have the least economic power. Thankfully, we’ve been able to get hundreds of those power plants retired. The unmistakable injustice is that nearly two thirds of the remaining coalfired power plants in this country could and would have to address their deadly pollution if we were enforcing and strengthening the Clean Air Act, as the Sierra Club’s report showed. Effective pollution control technology exists. But instead of taking on the expense of controlling their damage, plants are forcing Americans to bear higher healthcare costs from coal pollution. We should no longer subsidize coal generation, and the electric bills of some Americans, with the lungs of Americans who live in Tatum or Cheshire, Ohio, or New Madrid, Missouri – anywhere the remaining 158 coal plants operate.

And we don’t have to. The cost of coal power generation is rising while the cost of

electricity from renewable solar and wind farms is falling steadily. Only one coal plant nationally operates for less than a clean energy alternative that could replace it. It’s one reason why the historic clean economy funding that President Biden and Congress approved in 2021 and 2022 is vital. We have the money to put an end to coal power once and for all.

There are 154 people who live downwind of Martin Lake who can’t afford a delay of another year. And 154 the year after that. For them it’s a matter of life and death. We have proven ways to make the air cleaner and we have a law that demands that. We need to act now.

Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club, the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. He is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free,” published in January.

Targeted Treatment

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.) (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

The following information is found on the cancer. net website:

What is Targeted Therapy?

“Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment. It uses drugs to target specific genes and proteins that help cancer cells survive and grow. Targeted therapy can affect the tissue environment that cancer cells grow in or it can target cells related to cancer growth, like blood vessel cells.”

How does targeted therapy work to treat cancer?

Florida schools.

The NAACP (of which I am a Life Member) asserts: “We won’t stand for this kind of hate-inspired leadership.”

DeSantism.

a teacher’s aide. The Daytona News-Journal reported, “The student stated he was upset because the victim took his Nintendo Switch away from him during class,” according to a charging affidavit.

During the Feb. 21 attack, the video shows the teen rushing toward Joan Naydich and pushing her to the ground. Naydich goes limp and loses consciousness. Depa is then seen kicking Naydich while she is on the ground and punching her more than a dozen times. It took four school staff members to pull the student away from Naydich, who was hospitalized for her injuries.

The threat of violence is now overshadowing the rewards of teaching. School districts are having a hard time retaining and attracting quality educators as staff members are becoming more fearful for their safety. Teachers are stressed out and becoming more afraid of having to say no to a student or correct them. see Teachers, page 5A

“To develop targeted therapies, researchers work to identify the specific genetic changes that help a tumor grow and change. This is called the drug’s “target.” An ideal target for this kind of therapy would be a protein that is present in cancer cells but not in healthy cells. Once researchers have identified a target, they develop a drug treatment that attacks it.

“Like other treatments, targeted therapies can cause side effects, so it is important that your doctor matches your tumor to the best possible treatment and dose.”

As I evaluate the diseases of Trumpism and its malignant mutation DeSantism, I look for the answer to an ultimate cure. Sadly, like their progenitors, Racism, Insecurity, Fear, and Jealousy, there have been inroads to their elimination, but no final and ultimate cure. Taking a page from medical science, it may be a great time to employ a targeted treatment.

Last week, the NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida in response to DeSantis’ aggressive attempts to erase Black history and restrict Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in

They continue: “This is a state that so clearly devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced, by Black Americans and other marginalized groups. Gov. DeSantis’ decisions to ban an AP course on African American Studies and to sign a bill defunding DEI programs were deliberate attempts at erasing Black history, culture, and identity from Florida’s education system ... policies like these that perpetuate the systemic disregard of the contributions made by Black Americans and other people of color in the United States.”

I applaud the NAACP’s travel advisory. Rather than the well-used boycott of an entire entity, the advisory provides the opportunity for a targeted treatment of those entities founded upon principles and philosophies rooted in hatred, while protecting the interests of the ‘innocent.’

The travel advisory that we must undertake is one of intelligent research and uncompromising principles. Our first consideration must be how and where we spend our money. At what hotel will we stay? At which restaurant will we eat? What entertainment venues will we visit? Our choices will determine whether our dollars support our interests or the interests of Trumpism/

Regardless of the circumstance or condition, we must make the conscious choice to spend our dollars where they do us no harm. Past patronage is meaningless. A business can make/serve/have the best {fill in the blank} ever made, but if, as you enter the business, you see a symbol such as a pro-Trump or pro-DeSantis poster/banner you MUST turn around and leave as though the poster read: KLAN RALLY AHEAD – ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

If there are no symbols or if no business position on the Trump/DeSantis policies has been officially established – ASK! This might make you uncomfortable, but the discomfort is temporary while the result of inaction might be discomfort for your children or grandchildren. Local organizations can simplify this process by identifying local businesses which support or reject the principles of discrimination. No such initiative can be comfortable, painless, or immediately resolve the challenge. There are no guarantees that it can be accomplished without casualties. The only certainty is that it cannot be accomplished without commitment!

Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society (http:// thedickgregorysociety.org) and President Emerita of the National Congress of Black Women)

David W. Marshall

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Ben Jealous

School districts are having a hard time retaining and attracting quality educators as staff members are becoming more fearful for their safety.

Regardless of the circumstance or condition, we must make the conscious choice to spend our dollars where they do us no harm.

… instead of taking on the expense of controlling their damage, (coal powered) plants are forcing Americans to bear higher healthcare costs from coal pollution.

CITY OF OAKLAND NAMES STREET AFTER TUPAC SHAKUR

OAKLAND, CA Oakland City Council members recently voted to rename a street after Tupac Shakur, who was born in New York City but spent several years in Oakland and the Bay Area. His name will grace a stretch of MacArthur Boulevard located between Grand and Van Buren, where the rapper once lived. Oakland City council members recently voted unanimously to rename the stretch of highway, “Tupac Shakur Way.”

Teachers

Continued from page 4A

Some educators note that managing student behavior is becoming more difficult because students often do not face sufficient consequences after physically assaulting or threatening a staff member. Taking a student’s cell phone when they are not supposed to have it can easily get out of control and result in a teacher being attacked or suffering other means of retaliation and disrespect. The unknown of what will happen when redirecting student behavior adds to the stress a teacher carries daily in the classroom. More teachers are refusing to put themselves in unpredictable situations by allowing students to do what they want if they are not too noisy or disruptive. The risk of going to the hospital is not worth it.

A deep respect for teachers existed in the classroom once; now, it has been replaced with a sense of entitlement. Too many students believe it is within their rights to do

Graves

Continued from page 1A

The rapper sold over 75 million records before he was fatally shot to death on Sept. 13, 1996 in Las Vegas. His 1996 album, “All Eyez on Me” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and sold more than five million copies within its first year of release.

“Give all my Grammys to Oakland,’ he said in a 1993 interview. ‘When I got to Oakland, that’s where I learned the game. So that’s why I give all my love to Oakland. If I’ma claim a city, I’ma claim Oakland.”

whatever they want to do whenever they want. They don’t want anyone telling them any different. Studentshavebeenemboldened to torment their teachers and classmates when consequences for disruptive behavior are taken away, and the student is fully aware that nothing will happen to them. Teachers risk losing credibility as authority figures when students get away with too much and the conducive learning environment of the classroom is destroyed.

Mental health is not a topic people typically like to discuss openly, particularly in the workplace, which includes our schools. An unhealthy work environment is perpetuated in situations where there are ineffective school policies regarding discipline and not removing disruptive and dangerous students from the classroom. The physical and mental well-being of teachers deserve better protection.

David W. Marshall is the founder of the faithbased organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. He can be reached at www. davidwmarshallauthor.com.

Graves, who owns the “Homes by Angelia” Realty Company, is quick to point out her legislative achievements during her tenure in the House.

Graves moved a Bill through the Legislature (HB2326) which allows localities to license and regulate the Daycare Centers with less than nine children. She said the death of two toddlers at an unregulated Norfolk in-home daycare during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted her to craft this bill.

She sponsored the House version of a Bill (HB2317) which raised the daily pay for jury duty from $30 to $50. Virginia’s daily rate would be the second highest in the nation.

She co-sponsored the House version of a Bill (HB1840) to further the ODU/EVMS Merger to create the Eastern Virginia Health Sciences Center.

Once completed will make Norfolk a medical training powerhouse.

Graves sponsored a Bill (HB2343) that prohibits the spouse of a deceased patient from being liable for the cost of medical debt they leave behind.

She was one of 15 House sponsors of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (HB2441); the termination of multiple month-tomonth rental agreements by landlords.

She supported a nonrefundable income tax credit for taxable years 2023 through 2027 for purchasing one or more firearm safety devices (HB2387).

She was the Chief cosponsor of legislation to expand Sunday voting

(HB1968) and she said that she will support legislation to fund any flood mitigation programs already underway in Norfolk.

A bill (HB2272) permitting NSU to charge in-state tuition to any non-Virginia student who has completed at least 30 credit hours, in specific fields, is also on her list of accomplishments.

Graves said crime, especially gun violence, and protecting a woman’s right to choose are high on her priority list. She also cited protecting the restoration of voting rights, affordable housing, and funding public education as key priorities.

Graves said she supports allocating money for grants to nonprofit community action agencies to provide mentoring and other mental health resources for youth and adults experiencing trauma.

Graves said a multipronged strategy must be applied to address gun violence without weakening Second Amendment rights but making people more accountable for their violent actions with guns. She believes there should be proactive measures in place that keep guns out of the hands of children and young people. She also said that gun safety training should be required for anyone purchasing a gun.

“We don’t let people drive a car without taking classes and getting a license, so we shouldn’t allow people to buy guns without the proper safety training,” she said.

“Before being elected, I worked for the City of Norfolk, then represented the people at the local level on the City Council, and now in the House of Delegates” said Graves during a

Graves said crime, especially gun violence, and protecting a woman’s right to choose are high on her priority list. She also cited protecting the restoration of voting rights, affordable housing, and funding public education as key priorities.

recent interview with the GUIDE.

“I love this city; I was born and raised here. I love the people here. I know the needs of this city and I know how to introduce and pass legislation that is impactful to the quality of life of the citizens. I have built the foundation

of experience necessary to be ready on day one in the Senate to go to work for the city I love.”

Delegate Williams Graves ended with “I have been your councilwoman; I am your Delegate; and it would be my honor to be your Senator from Norfolk.”

Photo: Courtesy

Photo: Courtesy

Dictionary

Continued from page 1A

4. Chitterlings (plural noun): A dish made from pig intestines, commonly prepared by boiling, frying, or stuffing them with other ingredients. It can also refer to the pig intestines themselves used as an ingredient. Variant forms include “chitlins,” “chittlins,” “chitlings,” and “chitterlins.”

5. Kitchen (noun): refers to the hair at the back of the neck, which is typically shorter,

curlier, and considered more challenging to style.

6. Cakewalk (noun): In its first sense, it denotes a contest

where Black individuals would perform a stylized walk in pairs, often judged by plantation owners, with the winner receiving a cake as a prize. In a broader context, it can signify something easily accomplished or achieved, as in the phrase, “This job is a cakewalk.”

7. Old school (adjective): Characteristic of early hiphop or rap music originating from New York City between the late 1970s and mid-1980s. This style often incorporates couplets, funk and disco samples, and playful lyrics. It can also describe the music and artists associated with that era. A variant form is “old skool.”

8. Pat (verb): As a transitive verb, it refers to tapping the foot in rhythm with music, sometimes signifying participation in religious worship.

As an intransitive verb, it describes the act of tapping the foot in rhythm with music, often to demonstrate engagement in religious worship.

KRISTEN WELKER TAPPED AS

‘MEET THE PRESS’ MODERATOR

By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

NBC’s long-standing political panel show, “Meet the Press,” will experience a history-making change as Chuck Todd, the current moderator, announces his departure after nearly a decade.

Stepping into his shoes will be Kristen Welker, the first Black host of the renowned program.

During his announcement, Todd, 51, stated that he wanted to put his family first and avoid letting work consume him, citing examples of friends and family who regretted not doing the same.

While the exact date of his final show remains uncertain, Todd assured viewers that this summer would mark his departure.

Reflecting on his tenure, he expressed concern about the current historical moment but took pride in the high standards maintained by the show. He emphasized their refusal to entertain propagandists, reiterating that the network and program would continue to uphold these principles.

Welker, a former chief White House correspondent, has been with NBC News in Washington since 2011.

Welker, a former chief White House correspondent, has been with NBC News in Washington since 2011.

Sunday mornings.

(noun): A collective term for Black people, possibly derived from the biblical figure of Hagar, who, along with her son Ishmael, was cast out by Sarah and Abraham. Within certain Black communities, Hagar symbolizes the mother figure for all Africans, AfricanAmericans, and Black womanhood.

10. Ring shout (noun): A spiritual ritual that involves a circular dance formation where participants shuffle their feet, clap their hands, and chant and sing together. The intensity of the dancing and chanting gradually escalates, often culminating in a state of spiritual ecstasy for the participants.

To ensure the inclusivity and representation of African-American English, Henry Louis Gates Jr., a literary critic and AfricanAmerican history professor at Harvard University, serves as the editor of this significant project.

Researchers and editors from Oxford Languages and the Harvard University Hutchins Center for African and African-American Research also contribute to the collaboration.

Gates emphasized the crucial need for selfexpression, telling the New York Times, “Everybody has an urgent need for self-

Scott

Continued from page 1A

Since 2020, she has served as Todd’s primary substitute. Also, her performance as the moderator for Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s final debate during the 2020 presidential campaign garnered widespread praise. Media experts have hailed Welker’s skillful and incisive questioning of lawmakers during political interviews as a masterclass in the field.

In a memo announcing her promotion, Rebecca Blumenstein, NBC News President of Editorial, praised Welker’s abilities. Welker, 46, will now assume the significant responsibility of leading the program during what promises to be another contentious presidential election cycle.

Since 1947, when Martha Rountree hosted the program, “Meet the Press” has remained a mainstay on

The program experienced peak years during Tim Russert’s tenure from 1991 until his untimely passing in 2008. Subsequently, Tom Brokaw temporarily filled in before David Gregory assumed the role until Todd’s appointment.

With Welker’s ascension to the moderator position, she becomes the first Black host in the show’s history and the first woman since Rountree’s departure in 1953.

Industry officials said the milestone marks a significant step forward in diversifying “Meet the Press” and underscores the importance of representation in the media. With Welker’s appointment, NBC News pledged a fresh perspective and renewed energy as the program hopes to continue its legacy of providing insightful political analysis and interviews with key figures.

AARP VIRGINIA FRAUD ALERT: DON’T BE SCAMMED BY “AI”

RICHMOND

Scammers are adept at manipulating the latest technological advances to commit their crimes. These days it’s happening in the world of artificial intelligence – commonly known as AI.

AI voice cloning is already bringing a new twist to scams that have been around forever. For instance, the grandparent scam calls now can feature the actual voice of the loved one the criminal is impersonating. These tactics are startling, but the ways we protect ourselves haven’t changed.

The first sign of any fraud attempt is when an unexpected contact causes an immediate emotional reaction – often fear, panic, or excitement. Maybe training our brains to disengage when we feel that emotional surge could be the best way to disrupt the criminal act.

Otherwise, stay updated on the latest

fraud tactics by bookmarking www.aarp. org/fraudwatchnetwork. And know that anytime you are asked to address some urgent financial matter with a gift card, cryptocurrency or peer-to-peer payment app, it’s a scam.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877908-3360.

With about 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50-plus and their families in the Commonwealth.

To learn more about how AARP Virginia is working in your community, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva.

2 MEAC FOOTBALL GAMES TO BE AIRED ON ESPNU

NORFOLK

ESPN recently announced its slate of college football games to be aired live on ESPNU during the 2023 season, and two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) contests were among those listed. Both games feature defending Cricket Celebration Bowl champion North Carolina Central.

In addition, ESPN announced that this year’s Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff between South Carolina State and Jackson State on Saturday, Aug. 26, in Atlanta, Ga. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and air live on ABC for the fi rst time.

Thursday, Oct. 19, will see the Eagles

hit the road to square off against Morgan State. The following Thursday, Oct. 26, North Carolina Central will be back home to take on South Carolina State.

Both games will air live on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Cricket Celebration Bowl will be Saturday, Dec. 16 at 12 p.m., at MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., aired live on ABC – meaning the bookends of the Div. I HBCU football season will air on network television.

The rest of the MEAC’s 2023 ESPN football slate will be announced at a later date, in anticipation of MEAC Football Media Day, presented by Wells Fargo, on Friday, July 21.

Interestingly, that is roughly the same size as the Trump era tax cut where over 80 percent of the benefits were scheduled to go to the top 1 percent and corporations, so it begs the question of whether Republicans were finally paying for the Trump tax cuts they should have paid for when originally enacted.”

Scott said he also

– Oxford Dictionary of African-American English

expression ... You need to be able to communicate what you feel and what you think to other people in your speech community. That is why we refashioned the English language.”

Further, Gates revealed words included would also integrate into the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary.

He described this decision as the “best of both worlds,”

voted no because he had “significant concerns with the provisions that would allow the Mountain Valley Pipeline to move forward with almost no environmental or judicial oversight, and weaken the National Environmental Policy Act.” He sad the pipeline should not have been included in the compromise because it had nothing to do with the debt ceiling.

“Greenlighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline by sidestepping regulatory agencies and the courts undermines environmental safety. That is why I joined

highlighting the desire to demonstrate how Black English is an integral part of the global English language family. With the release of the “Oxford Dictionary of African-American English,” scheduled for 2025, officials said the public could contribute relevant words to enrich this comprehensive linguistic resource further.

my Virginia Democratic colleagues in offering an amendment in the Rules Committee to strip this provision. Disappointingly, the Rules Committee rejected our amendment.”

Scott said he also had some concerns about SNAP benefits, and was relieved “that the analysis by the Congressional Budget Office found that the expansion of these benefits for other vulnerable groups indicates that more Americans will actually be able to benefit from these programs than those who will lose benefits.”

Kristen Welker

9. Aunt Hagar’s children

Photo:Wikipedia Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Aunt Hagar’s children (noun): A collective term for Black people, possibly derived from the biblical figure of Hagar, who, along with her son Ishmael, was cast out by Sarah and Abraham. Within certain Black communities, Hagar symbolizes the mother figure for all Africans, AfricanAmericans, and Black womanhood.”

Kitchen (noun): refers to the hair at the back of the neck, which is typically shorter, curlier, and considered more challenging to style.”

– Oxford Dictionary of African-American English

VMI’S DIVERSITY CHIEF RESIGNS FROM POST

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter New Journal and Guide

The State NAACP and other civil rights group have expressed concern about the recent resignation of Virginia Military Institute’s (VMI’s) first chief diversity officer, Jamica Love.

Love, 49, resigned last week nearly two years after she was hired. She will be leaving at the end of June.

When she was hired, there was a state-ordered investigation into racism at the state-supported school.

She was the highestranking Black woman at the nation’s oldest statesupported military college.

VMI superintendent, retired Army Maj. General Cedric T. Wins, announced Love’s resignation on June

1. He is the school’s first African-American male leader in its 183-year history. In an email to the school community, he said Love served “with distinction.”

Love and Wins faced intense backlash from some alumni and cadets as soon as her hiring was announced in May 2021.

Wins, a graduate of VMI, was hired during the administration of Governor Ralph Northam.

“She has been singularly focused on preparing our cadets for the world which they will enter after graduation and making VMI an inclusive institution for any interested and qualified prospective cadet, faculty, or staff member,” he wrote, adding that she “has been an exemplar of professionalism and her expertise and positive attitude will be greatly missed.”

She was hired just days before an independent investigation, ordered by Northam, revealed

Jamica Love Outgoing Diversity Chief

conclusions about the college’s culture and racial climate.

Among the probe’s findings: “institutional racism and sexism are present, tolerated, and left unaddressed at VMI.”

The school, located in Lexington will receive $29 million in state funding for the 2023-24 academic year. It didn’t admit Black men until 1968 or women until 1997.

Its 1,500 cadets remain mostly white and male, and efforts to make the school more welcoming to minorities and women reportedly have been met with fierce resistance. Wins said VMI “remains committed” to three principles that the school’s Board of Visitors established right after the investigation was completed: “1. To create and foster a more diverse VMI. 2. To create and foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for all on the post. 3. To assure that we maintain a safe, rigorous process for escalating issues which have even the potential to violate the Code of a Cadet.”

After Love leaves VMI, her deputy, Briana Williams, will become interim chief diversity officer.

State NAACP President, Robert Barnette said his organization was investigating Love’s departure to determine a

Those Important First 45 Words In Police Encounter

response to the news.

“VMI still has a lot of problems,” said Barnette. “These resignations may hinder the ability to resolve them. They had a plan and people were buying into it. This may undermine the DEI effort.”

Barnette said that there are DEI officials at statesupported schools who are now “looking over their shoulder asking, will I be next?”

Bill Wyatt, a spokesman for VMI, told the media the school’s diversity office “isn’t going away” and that the school will continue conducting and developing diversity training sessions in collaboration with the cadets and the Board of Visitors.

Currently, DEI is increasingly being maligned by conservatives around the nation.

At VMI, the biggest opposition to DEI comes from a political action committee (PAC) called The Spirit of VMI.

The group’s chairman Matt Daniel has denounced “equity” for its “Marxist philosophies” and wrote on the PAC’s website in February that DEI “promotes racial division, encourages victimhood, and engages in shaming or protecting individuals based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or religious or moral beliefs.”

VMI renamed Love’s office, removing the word “Equity” and instead calling it “Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion.”

This matches the title Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin now uses for the office in Richmond.

In April, Youngkin’s chief diversity officer Martin Brown visited VMI’s campus to conduct mandatory staff and faculty training. At that time, Brown declared emphatically that “DEI is dead.”

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter New Journal and Guide

When a police officer stops a Black driver, the first 45 words uttered by the officer may determine how the level of tension will escalate between the officer and the driver, especially Black males.

This, according to a new study in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” which examined police bodycamera footage of 577 routine car stops involving Black drivers in an undisclosed city.

According to the report, 81 of these stops ultimately involved searches, handcuffing, or arrests.

But the chance of escalating tensions, handcuffing, arrests, or violence was reduced when a police officer’s first words provided a reason for the stop.

Conversely, escalating tension is nearly three times more likely to start when the first words are commands, such as “Keep your hands on the wheel” or “Turn the car off.”

“The first 45 words, which is less than 30 seconds on average, spoken by a law enforcement officer during a car stop to a Black driver can be quite telling about how the stop will end,” said Eugenia Rho, a member of the research team at Virginia Tech during an interview on the National Public Radio (NPR) news show Morning Edition recently.

Amid the recent highprofile killing of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died after several Memphis police officers punched, kicked and pepper sprayed him following a traffic stop on January 7, as well as other Black motorists after traffic stops, the findings offer a grim sketch of how

a police stop can escalate and how Black men can recognize the warning signs.

Tyre Nichols died of blunt force injuries to the head from his beating, autopsy shows.

The New York Times analysis of the videos reveals the four officers who encountered Nichols directed a barrage of 71 commands in 13 minutes at him that were confusing, conflicting, sometimes simultaneous, and impossible to obey.

When Nichols could not comply – and even when he managed to – the officers responded with escalating force.

All of this took place even before reported to the dispatcher that Nichols was in custody.

Rho and her colleagues focused on Black drivers because this group is stopped by the police at higher rates and is more likely to be handcuffed, searched, and arrested than any other racial group.

“The car stop is by far the most common way people come into contact with the police,” says Jennifer Eberhardt, a social psychologist at Stanford University.

“With the spread of body-worn cameras, we now have access to how these interactions unfold in real-time.” All of the stops in this study occurred in a racially diverse, medium-sized U.S. city over the course of one

month; the researchers did not identify the city for privacy reasons.

“The vast majority of the stops that we’re looking at are stops for routine traffic violations, not for other things that are more serious,” says Eberhardt. The researchers controlled for factors such as the officer’s gender and race, as well as the neighborhood crime rate. About 200 officers were involved in these stops.

“It’s not really a function of a few officers driving this pattern,” says Rho.

The words or actions of the person behind the wheel of the car didn’t seem to contribute to escalation.

“The drivers are just answering the officers’ questions and explaining what’s going on,” says Eberhardt. “They’re cooperative.”

To understand how Black men perceive the initial language used by police officers during a car stop, the researchers asked 188 Black men to listen to recordings of the opening moments of car stops.

It turns out, perhaps not surprisingly, those Black men were highly attuned to the implications of a police officer starting an interaction with a command.

“When officers began with orders without reasons, Black male participants predicted that the stop would escalate in over 84 percent of those cases,” says Rho.

None of the stops cited in this part of the study resulted in the use of force.

But the participants said they worried about the possibility of force 80 percent of the time when they heard a recording of a law enforcement officer’s voice issuing a command without offering a reason.

“In this country, we know much more about fearing Black people than the fears of Black people,” says Eberhardt. “Many Black people fear the police, even in routine car stops. That fear is a fear that could be stoked or set at ease with the first words that an officer speaks.”

During the NPR report, Yale Law professor, Tracey Meares, also a founding director of the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School, reviewed the study.

She found it gratifying to see this kind of social dynamic measured with such precision.

“There are stark racial differences in who is stopped and who’s not,” says Meares, who points out that in the one-month period covered by this study, the city’s police officers did 588 stops of Black drivers and only 262 stops of White drivers.

The report noted that over 15 percent of Black drivers experienced an escalated outcome such as a search, handcuffing, or arrest, while less than 1 percent of White drivers experienced one of those outcomes.

Rho says in planning this study, they had initially set out to look at patterns related to traffic stop escalation for White drivers too but realized that it happened so infrequently for White drivers that there just weren’t sufficient numbers to even include them in the analysis.

The first 45 words, which is less than 30 seconds on average, spoken by a law enforcement officer during a car stop to a Black driver can be quite telling about how the stop will end.”

– Eugenia Rho, Researcher

Continued from page 1A

He also serves as head of the Pediatric Stem Cell Research Institute at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel. “The kidney, incredibly, rejuvenates itself and continues to generate specialized kidney cells all the time,” he said.

Dekel said, “It’s like a tree with branches in which each branch takes care of its own growth instead of being dependent on the trunk.”

McClellan

Continued from page 1A

She attended and graduated from the Wharton Management Program and then ran two small businesses, which had mixed success. She admits her tech venture failed “but it gave me great insight into the challenges of running a small business.”

After that time, she was appointed in 2003 by Governor Mark Warner to the Virginia Small Business Advisory Board, and she currently serves on the boards of 757 Angels and 757 Accelerate.

She and her husband Michael have three sons who were educated in the Norfolk public school system.

McClellan said that funding education and supporting teachers is important to prepare children for college and adulthood.

But she and a growing number of local and state leaders believe that not all of high school graduates should be funneled into the increasingly expensive college portal.

Community colleges notably should provide more skilled trades in home construction, HVAC, and automotive repair and maintenance, which pay high wages, she said.

These skilled men and women could be vital in helping Norfolk and other communities address the critical shortage of affordable housing.

She said Norfolk has many old houses which could be remodeled and made more energy efficient, for individuals, or couples starting families.

McClellan said that current public-school students, new

and old homeowners, and businesses all need powerful tools such as access to highspeed broadband which is critical to job access, job creation, and educational opportunity, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

McClellan said the pandemic showed us that access to affordable and reliable high-speed broadband is critical for education, jobs, healthcare and more.

McClellan was part of the organization to create a five- city 110-mile broadband regional fiber ring, and currently serves as the Chair of the Southside Network Authority which manages this “internet highway.” Its goal is to provide affordable ultra-high speed Internet connectivity throughout the region, ensuring Norfolk and the area can be at the forefront of high-tech economic development.

McClellan said that she applauds the fact that the city has a new Internet provider, Metronet, which will offer internet competition to residents who have long sought an alternative.

But the city’s future is threatened by the effects of global warming and flooding. McClellan has over a decade of experience focusing on environmental issues, including writing Norfolk’s Climate Action Plan. She has been focused on combating the effects of global warming, its threat to locales in the form of flooding, rising seas and increased precipitation,

which is overwhelming the city’s aging stormwater infrastructure.

Norfolk is at the forefront of protecting its shores with its proposed $2.6 billion plan that will add storm-surge barriers, nearly eight miles of floodwalls, nearly one mile of levees, 11 tide gates, and 10 pump stations around the city.

The city will receive some $1.7 billion of the costs from federal coffers and, $931 million must come from “non-federal” resources, which can include the city and the state. Thus far, the state has not come forward to be the 50/50 partner the city seeks.

“This is one of my priorities in the State Senate, as we need strong leadership in the General Assembly to secure the resources necessary for this transformational, critical project for Norfolk,” she said. “We need to address this lest we suffer the fate of Hurricane Katrina.”

She said her positions on the council and other panels have allowed her to focus on the policy and operational features of the issue.

In 2020 McClellan was appointed to the statewide Joint Subcommittee on Coastal Flooding, chairs the Coastal Resilience Subcommittee of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and received a gubernatorial appointment to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Local Government Advisory. She is also a member of the American Flood Coalition.

The research, which was done with mice, also shows how the kidney regenerates itself. Instead of a single type of kidney stem cell that can replace any lost or damaged kidney tissue, slightly more specialized stem cells that reside in different segments of the kidney give rise to new cells within each type of kidney tissue.

So the good news is certain interventions may help kidneys self-repair. These interventions include regular follow-up visits to the doctor, as well as extensive lifestyle changes such as exercise, tobacco cessation, diet, and the right combo of supplements, such as vitamin supplements for iron, calcium, anemia, and vitamin D pills.

Experts suggest that you eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Some physicians also recommend supplements that contain B vitamins, iron, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin D. Talk to your doctor to find the treatment that is best for you. Pay attention to foamy urine. Normal urine is clear, with a yellowish hue, with no blood or foam. But foam is different from bubbles. Everyone will have bubbles in the toilet after urinating. Foam, on the other hand, is white, and it stays in the toilet after you flush.

Foamy urine is a sign of protein in the urine, which is not normal. Kidneys filter the protein, but should keep it in the body. If kidneys are releasing protein into the urine, they are not working properly.

Kidney disease’s warning signs include dizziness, nausea, chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, erratic heartbeats, and unexplained weight loss.

Chronic kidney disease cannot be cured, although you can control it. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) develops when your kidneys lose their ability to filter blood. High blood pressure and diabetes are two of the most common causes of CKD.

VIRGINIA BEACH TO OBSERVE MUSIC MONTH & JUNETEENTH

VIRGINIA BEACH

On Saturday, June 18 from 3-5 p.m. African-American Music Month and Juneteenth will be observed at the Renaissance Academy.

This is free event and registration is not required.

Performing will be The Fuzz Band which will take the stage outside of the Princess Anne County

Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum for a soulful celebration of music and history!

Attendees also may view new and refreshed exhibits in the museum, as well as the unveiling of the original 1937 Princess Anne County Training School property deed.

Seating opens at 2:30 p.m.; event starts at 3 p.m. in the parking lot

outside of the Renaissance Academy. You are encouraged to bring your own lawn chair or beach towel to sit on, and make sure to wear comfortable dance shoes. All ages are welcome.

The Renaissance Academies located at 5100 Cleveland Street, Virginia Beach.)

For more information, EMAIL VBHISTORY@VBGOV.COM

McClellan said her positions on the council and other panels have allowed her to focus on the flooding policy and operational features of the issue.

Photo: Courtesy

Vietnam Vets, Activists, Family, Refugees Sought To Participate In New Exhibition

RICHMOND

As veterans and families across the Commonwealth observed Memorial Day by remembering the sacrifices of those who have served for all, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture is calling on Virginians with personal connections to the Vietnam War to help honor their legacies through a new exhibition.

Virginia and the Vietnam War is a temporary exhibition that will invite guests to immerse themselves in the choices, perspectives, and experiences of Virginians during the Vietnam War era.

The VMHC is seeking individuals to interview for inclusion in the exhibition and welcomes any Virginian

who experienced the war – veterans, pro and anti-war activists, Vietnamese American refugees, military family members – to participate. The recorded interviews and transcriptions will be added to the VMHC’s oral history collection which is available to students, scholars, and the general public.

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture aims to restore Virginians’ connection with this pivotal moment in our history while honoring those who felt the impact of the war long after it ended. The exhibition will explore the long-term impacts of the war on Virginia’s people, politics, and culture

and facilitate a greater understanding of this tumultuous time in American history.

Virginia and the Vietnam War will open to the public on November 23, 2024, and remain on view through April 27, 2025. Individuals interested in participating can learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/VAVietnam.

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is located at 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond’s Museum District.

For more information call (804) 340-1800, visit VirginiaHistory.org, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

12th Annual Day of Remembrance Returns To Fort Monroe, June 10

HAMPTON

The Sankofa Project will host its 12th Annual Day of Remembrance ceremony on Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Fort Monroe’s Outlook Beach. This event is free and open to the public and registration is required.

To register, send an email to thesankofaprojects@gmail. com with the names and email addresses of attendees. Onsite registration will also be available

This spiritual ceremony honors the millions of African men, women, and children who perished during the Middle Passage of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. According to the United Nations, the Transatlantic Slave Trade is considered to be “the largest forced migration in history and undeniably one of the most inhumane.”

In 2012, The Sankofa Project’s Founder and Executive Director Chadra

Pittman brought Day of Remembrance to Hampton, a tradition initiated in 1989 by activist and scholar Toni Cade Bambara.

This year’s event will feature traditional African cultural elements of song and dance, an ancestral drum call, educational presentations, tributes dedicated to Native Americans/Indigenous peoples and Bay Shore Beach, a ceremonial walk around the “Tree of Remembrance,”

poetry, and more. Traditional African attire and/or white clothing is encouraged. Please bring beach chairs as well as fresh flowers for the ancestral offering.

Additionally, guests are asked to please remember to respect the sacredness of the ceremony. To register send an email to thesankofaprojects@ gmail.com, on-site registration will also be available.

1st “Shove Off Day” Honors Journey of U.S. Colored Troops From Virginia To Juneteenth

PETERSBURG, VA

Petersburg National Battlefield (PETE) in partnership with the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF) hosted a free event on Thursday, May 25, 2023, in observance of Juneteenth.

The first “Shove Off Day” featured a Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony performed by United States Colored Troops (USCT) reenactors. On hand were guest speakers highlighting the USCT’s role in 1865, as part of the U.S. Army expedition starting at City

Point (present day Hopewell), setting sail for Texas at the end of the Civil War to enforce the freedom of those still enslaved in the remote areas of the Confederacy. Several USCT regiments left City Point, Virginia by ship on May 25, 1865, which ran into a storm in the Gulf of Mexico and were forced to land at Galveston, TX on June 19, 1865. More than 4,000 USCT soldiers were on the island that day and brought the news of freedom to those still enslaved, while General Order #3 was posted on the

door of the Colored church (presentday Reedy Chapel) informing all of their “Absolute Equality.” This led to the observance named Juneteenth which is today a federal holiday.

The program also featured a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, 13th Amendment, and General Order #3.

Following the program, National Park Service staff offered tours of City Point and the Appomattox Plantation buildings.

AllphotosbyErnestLowery

Parishioners Celebrate Pastor’s Anniversary

NORFOLK

Parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception recently celebrated Father Jim Curran’s 23rd anniversary as pastor of the historic church. Congratulating him after the Saturday Mass are Patsy Chavis, competition cheerleading judge and former coach, Father Jim Curran and Alveta Greene, former City-Councilwoman and School Board member. The historic St. Mary’s is the only African-American basilica in the United States.

THE NORFOLK STREET CHOIR SPRING SING AT FREEMASON CHURCH

New Journal and Guide Staff

NORFOLK

It’s a new day in Norfolk!

The attendees felt and moved to that theme of the Wiz’s “Brand New Day” at the Norfolk Street Choir Spring Sing.

The Norfolk Street Choir is composed of people who are experiencing homelessness. Their voices still inspire. For their recent performance at Freemason Baptist Church, Robert Shoup, Virginia Symphony Chorus master, rehearsed weekly every

Dr. Ross-Hammond Receives Darden Award For Outstanding Public Service

VIRGINIA BEACH

City Councilwoman Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond was presented the 2023 Christine Mann Darden Award in council chambers on June 6. The award was sponsored by the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration and recognizes outstanding persons in public service. This is the first year this award has been given.

In making the announcement, Celeste Murphy Greene, Ph.D., MPA, Executive Director, Center for Environmental Justice and Resilience, said, “We believe your strong record of public service to Hampton Roads in many different capacities proves

Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond

you are well deserving of this award.”

The Dr. Christine Mann Darden Outstanding Public Employee in Hampton Roads is awarded to a minority Hampton Roads public sector employee. The award honors Dr.

June 16 - Aug. 5

NORFOLK

Believe in Learning Norfolk is a city-wide lifelong learning initiative in partnership with the City of Norfolk and more than 100 community, business, and service partners. The partnership offers seven weeks of free, engaging learning opportunities for all ages from June 16 to Aug. 5.

Summer of Learning starts with a kickoff celebration weekend June 16-18, and includes the official launch party on Saturday, June 17, at Jordan-Newby Anchor Branch at Broad Creek Library (1425 Norchester Ave.). This event features

fun activities for all ages and is completely free.

Leaning activities are coordinated by the partners at Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk Parks and Recreation, Governor’s School for the Arts, Norfolk Master Gardeners, Virginia Zoo, PrimePlus Senior Centers and many more, Norfolk residents of all ages can really dive into an entire summer of learning.

View a complete list of Summer of Learning programs and events at www.norfolk.gov/ summeroflearning and make sure to connect on Facebook and Instagram @BelieveInLearningNFK.

Christine Mann Darden, who is recognized for her groundbreaking achievement as the first African-American woman at NASA Langley to be appointed to the top management rank of Senior Executive Service. Dr. Darden is internationally known for her research into supersonic aircraft noise, especially sonic boom reduction. She is equally known for her efforts to inspire and educate generations of aerospace scientists and engineers. The award is named for her to highlight those who have continuing excellence in the performance of their duties, a demonstrated record of dedicated efforts to their

work, and maintained quality services to the community. Dr. Ross-Hamond, in addition to serving as a member of the Virginia Beach City Council, is the founder and chairman of the board of the Virginia AfricanAmerican Cultural Center (VAACC), a non-profit organization in partnership with the city of Virginia Beach which is building a multi-million dollar educational center focused on highlighting Virginia’s Black history. VAACC has awarded a number of grants to organizations in the Hampton Roads area to support Black historyrelated projects. She is a retired Norfolk State University professor.

Tuesday. “These are people who are living a life any of us could have encountered at some point in our lives,” remarked Becky Livas, a board of directors member, during a performance break.

“It (performing) allows them to maintain their hope and maintain their faith.”

Appropriately, the conductor closed with “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. It was like church for everyone without the usual tapestry, a spirit-filled sound, and performance.

Portsmouth’s Former Chief of Police Will Head D.C. Public Libraries Security

WASHINGTON, D.C.

On June 5, former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman became the new director of safety and security at the District of Columbia Public Library.

She oversees security and safety at 26 individual District of Columbia libraries including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Chapman previously served as the chief of police and city manager of Portsmouth, which has a population of more than 95,000 people and is about 53 percent Black. She held previous law enforcement posts in Arlington and Richmond.

“We are excited to have Tonya join us,” Richard ReyesGavilan, executive director of D.C. Public Library, said

Tonya Chapman

in a recent statement. “She has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the law enforcement field and has proven that she is an innovative leader and understands the vital role that safety plays in supporting the use of our buildings.”

USCT Reenactors display the USCT flagUSCT Reenactors display Juneteenth flag

Entrance to the park

“Believe In Learning Norfolk” Launches

‘Summer of Learning,’

Photo: NewJournalandGuideStaffPhoto

NEW BLACK BRAND PROGRAM SUPPORTS BLACK ENTREPRENEURS

NORFOLK

Hampton Roads’ Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, Black BRAND, is adding another new program to help Black entrepreneurship.

On June 2. Black BRAND launched its SURGE program in Newport News aimed at helping to start new businesses, create jobs, and raise household income.

“There is no shortage of entrepreneurship in Hampton Roads. And just because the entrepreneur is not highly visible through creating a tech asset, does not mean they do not deserve access to resources that enable

growth and feed their families. That’s what the SURGE Community Business Academy is all about,” says Blair Durham, Black BRAND’s co-founder and president. “Entrepreneurship changes individuals, and it changes communities.”

On Friday, June 2, Black BRAND hosted its stakeholders at the Brooks Crossing Innovation and Opportunity Center to learn more about the program, while announcing an exciting new partnership with the City of Newport News. At that time, Black BRAND also will be presented with a $75,000 check from Bank of America in support of

JUNETEENTH: A Time To Celebrate; Lessons To Learn

the SURGE initiative. Last month, Black BRAND was awarded $300,000 from LISC Hampton Roads, which also will support, in part, the SURGE program.

Eighteen months ago, Black BRAND introduced its B-Force Accelerator program to help existing Black businesses grow and scale with a focus on financial planning, and accessing capital, Black BRAND is Hampton Roads’ Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, founded in 2016 and headquartered in downtown Norfolk. It promotes group economics through professional development and community empowerment.

By John L. Horton

Being an AfricanAmerican male of 82 years, I look forward to celebrating and observing the 158th anniversary of Juneteenth.

I can imagine the joy and jubilation in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 when the Union Major General Gordon Granger read the proclamation that all slaves were free, an order that included the words: “This involves an absolute equality of personal and property rights between masters and slaves.”

This momentous occasion has become known as “Juneteenth,” from the compression of Junenineteenth. Juneteenth,

John L. Horton

which originated in 1865, is the oldest celebration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It marks the day that Union soldiers delivered the news to slaves in Texas that they were free – more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect.

Slaves in Texas, who were not under the control of the Union army, did not learn about Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863 because slave masters had conspired to prevent them from finding out that they were free.

Juneteenth is now celebrated all over the United States, including some states as a “recognized” holiday. However, we must never forget the reasons and realities for its existence. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would say: “Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” What a day Juneteenth must have been!

Accordingly, there are reasons to celebrate and lessons to be learned from Juneteenth. We must understand and sustain the notion that we are somebody special. We must project that we love and respect ourselves, individually and as a people. This empowerment process recognizes that history, heritage, culture and values determine one’s attitude and eventual outcome in life.

By understanding and fulfilling the true essence of Juneteenth, AfricanAmericans will be able to better resolve the challenges and obstacles that lie before us as a people 158 years later.

Notwithstanding our uniqueness in American history, it is now time for us to transform ourselves from

the weak and pitiful into the strong and powerful. It can be done. All we need to do is work “harder and smarter” at it. In effect, most of us are capable of giving a lot more than we do to our common cause. All of us can give something. All of us can serve for a “better cause.”

I call upon all of us, especially our men, to step forward and do more for our children and our communities. Simply put, we must be at the forefront of resolving those familial and social ills that af fl ict our children and communities. As Marcus Garvey so eloquently stated: “Black men, you have been great before ... and you will be great again ... ” I fi nd it most signi fi cant that “Father’s Day” and “Juneteenth” are observed and celebrated, on consecutive days this particular year (June 18 and June 19).

As men and fathers, we need to become “farmers.” We need to plant the crops – our children and communities – and we need to nourish them to fruition. Collectively, we are the patriarchs, providers and protectors for our children, families and communities. They need us, and we need them. And, that is as it should be.

These are the reasons to celebrate and the lessons to be learned from Juneteenth. Otherwise, we will be guilty of not remembering our special past and unique history. To rightly commemorate the joy and jubilation of June 19, 1865, we must continue to move forward and at a rapid pace. We owe this much to our ancestors and to our future.

All in all, what a grand and glorious way to celebrate our 158th Juneteenth. This historical day of liberation should have everlasting meaning to us as a people.

Let us celebrate its essence and substance. And, let us pass on the joy and jubilation of our forebears in Galveston, Texas on that fateful day.

Long live Juneteenth and all that it stands for!

John L. Horton is a resident of Norfolk and a frequent contributor to this newspaper.

JUNETEENTH PARADE IN BERKLEY, JUNE 17

NORFOLK A “Celebration of Freedom” Juneteenth Parade will be held June 17 starting at 10:25 a.m. in the Berkley section of Norfolk. It is being sponsored by the STOP the Violence Team, Inc., and the Norfolk Public Library.

The parade will

assemble at the Diggs Town Rental Office at 1918 Vernon Avenue, proceed through that community, down Berkley Avenue, and end at the Richard A. Tucker Memorial Library at 2350 Berkley Avenue. For more information, call (757) 309-0911 or (757) 823-4200.

The Jews in Jesus’ time were very concerned about Sabbath rules; therefore, the Pharisees investigated this healing. First, they did not believe that this was the same man who was blind from birth. Jesus’ disciples were also curious and wanted to know if sin had caused the blindness. Jesus emphatically told them that neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

What is God’s rule about work? “As long as it is day (our lifetime), we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” Having uttered these words, Jesus proceeded to heal the blind man. First, Jesus spat on

the ground; second, He made some mud with saliva and put it on the man’s eyes; and third, He told the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam. After following Jesus’ instructions, the man washed and went home seeing!

According to the Jews, what sin had been committed by Jesus? Of course it was healing on the Sabbath. They did not know that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath! Read Mark 2:27-28 to learn more about the use of the Sabbath day. According to the English Standard Bible, Jesus emphasizes that man is not to be confused by the Sabbath, but rather that the Sabbath is given as a gift to man for spiritual and physical

refreshment (rest). Again

Jesus demonstrates His authority as the Son of Man who is Lord over mankind and Lord of the Sabbath.

The Jews still did not believe the man who was born blind and was miraculously healed. The Pharisees were still investigating at that time and were not satisfied. This man was summoned, questioned and told to glorify God by telling the truth. Jesus had been accused of being a sinner because he healed on the Sabbath. John 9:8-12 allow us to get another view of the man who was blind from birth and his interaction with Jesus.

With God everything is possible. He is Lord of everyday and all that happens to us. If any of us were blind spiritually and had no knowledge at all about God through Jesus our healer, the battles of life might be overwhelming. Like the man born blind, can all of our healing miracles be understood? We must continue not to be sidetracked by the doubts of unbelievers. God is able to do much more than we ask of Him. Let us continue to trust and glorify Him in all situations!

Mrs. Gladys McElmore was born in Essex County, Va. She was the founder of the Kathryn Bibbins Memorial Bible Study group.

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN

Jesus came the first time as the suffering Savior to redeem mankind from sin and to restore our right to the tree of life. Jesus is not coming this second time being rejected,scorn of men and killed. This time around Jesus will come as, the Conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This time Jesus is coming in the clouds of Glory with Heaven’s power and great might to judge the nations and to wage war.

Consider: “And I saw Heaven opened,and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in Righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame· of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a Name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called The Word of God ... and He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a Name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:1116) KJV Scofield There are thee events for the church to know and understand in Jesus’ Second Coming.

1. The Rapture of the Church ( First Thessalonians 4: 13-18)

2. The Judge of Nations: Separation of Sheep from Goats (Matthew 25-33)

3. And The Regathering of Israel “His· Elect” (Mt. 24-31) (Mark 13:27) KJV Certainly there is much more

prophecy in The Revelation.

At His Second Coming, Jesus, saints of all ages and Heaven’s Armies will depart from Heaven. Paul tells us in The Rapture, not to worry for we will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. The dead will rise first, then we who are alive Will rise with them to meet the Lord in the air. Paul also writes in First Corinthians 15:51-58 that all Believers will not die. “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed ... “ So whether dead or alive we shall be caught up with the Lord Jesus in the air. Jesus doesn’t touch down on the earth yet. The Rapture is the First Resurrection. If we are part of the First Resurrection, The second death will have no Power on us. Amen, Praise The Lord, Hallelujah, Thank You

Jesus! (The word Rapture does not appear in scripture, but its dictionary meaning is “caught up”)

Now we will be in Jesus, up in the air looking down on the terrible Desolation and Abomination on the earth called The Great -Tribulation. The Rapture precedes or comes before the Great Tribulation. Some teach post Tribulation. But that is not scripturally true. Christians are safe in the arms of Jesus. Jesus wouldn’t let us be tormented in that hell on earth. For further readings on The Great Tribulation, read (MT 24:15-22) (Mk 13:14-20) (LK 21:20-36) KJV

Now, “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (MT 24:29), Jesus will touch down on the earth and stand on the Mount of Olives. Zechariah prophecies in the OT “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives ...” (Zechariah 14:4). Jesus’ feet will split Mt. Olives when He stands upon it. “The Mount shall cleave (split) forming a great valley.” Here Jesus will set up court for the second event of His Return: The Judge of Nations in the separation of the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left. (MT 25:34-46) This answers to the church and society’s care of the “least of these” –feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and dying, prison ministries, and evangelism.

see Rivka, page 6B

REBECCA’S WELL BY REV. DR. REBECCA R. RIVKA

Rev. Dr. Rebecca R. Rivka

NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK TEACHES YOUNG ONES ABOUT JUNETEENTH

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Lavaille Lavette, a New York Times best-selling author, said her greatest satisfaction is telling stories about people, places, things, and events that everyone should remember.

“Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise,” her most recent work, is a gorgeously illustrated “Little Golden Book” about a little boy’s first Juneteenth celebration.

The book aims to teach young readers about Juneteenth, a national holiday honoring the abolition of slavery in the United States.

“I wrote this book in the way that I imagine learning about Juneteenth for the first time as a child growing up in Louisiana,” Lavette stated in a news release.

“It is important to keep the story of Juneteenth alive because it helps us remember the past while improving the present we live in as we build the future we seek.

Lavette, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and accounting and a master’s degree in education management, has worked as both a teacher and a school administrator.

She has worked as a special advisor to the United States Secretary of Education and the president, publisher, and managing partner of One Street Books, Lavette Books, and Ebony Media Publishing LLC.

Lavette said an early pandemic conversation with

her mother inspired Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise.

“My mom told me that she grew up celebrating Juneteenth. Juneteenth was a big deal, doing her childhood, with fanfare that included zydeco music, two-step dancing, all types of food and treats, and fellowship with friends and family,” Lavette recalled.

“The tradition was spearheaded by my mother’s father, and when he died the tradition ended. I must admit that during my childhood, we did not talk about Juneteenth.

I knew very little about it growing up.”

She stated that she didn’t realize the Juneteenth celebrations and traditions until she went to Houston as an adult and elementary school teacher.

In Texas, elected leaders celebrated Juneteenth in schools and churches, and many African-American business owners observed the day by closing their doors.

“Now, that was something special,” Lavette recalled.

She has pledged some of the proceeds from Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise sales to

the National Urban League’s youth programs.

Lavette characterized herself as an enthusiastic supporter of the National Urban League and its goals and expressed her desire to assist the organization in continuing to inspire young minds and effect lasting change.

Jayylen.com offers a free “Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise” Teacher’s Resource Guide and Parent Guide to supplement the educational experience.

“Children’s books are not just for children,” stressed Lavelle.

“I’m very intentional in introducing Jayylen as a Little Golden Book because Little Golden Books they’re 24 pages, usually between 700 and 1,000 words.

Rivka

Continued from page 4B

“That means you have to be very concise. You have to get a lot of information without a lot of words. So, you have to be very descriptive in how you present the stories. It makes it very entertaining and interesting for kids, but also for adults.”

Lavelle said she’d had a lot of positive feedback on her Juneteenth book and other children’s biographies.

“Because a 1- or 2-yearold is not reading, that means the parent is going to read the book to the child,” Lavette concluded.

“So, the parent is going to learn something, as well. And that age group, I love that (age) 0 to 6 because it allows me to disseminate information, not only to the kid but also to the parent.”

CLASSIFIEDS

HOUSING

HOUSING APPLICATIONS

The Portsmouth Redevelopment and Housing Authority will be accepting housing applications online only for Phoebus Square Apartments,(1 bedrooms) 62 and older, Dale I & II Apartments (1-, 2-, 3-, & 4-bedroom units) and Lexington Place Apartments (2 bedrooms) beginning Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 9:00 AM and closing on Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 4:00 PM. F or additional information, please visit www.prha.org (Opening of the Waitlist) or contact Ms. De’Lis Marshall at (757) 391-2902.

FUN PUZZLE FOR YOUR LEISURE

The third and final phrase of Jesus’ Return will regather Israel, “His Elect.” (Mt. 24:31)(Mk. 13:27).

So, don’t you send one cent to TV folk asking for $600 to send aged Jews back to Jerusalem the Homeland. Who will take care of them when they get there? If you need someone to send your money to, “here am I.” The Bible states clearly that Jesus will take of regathering Israel upon His Return. This is not man’s job. Further order of events

upon Jesus’ Return include: (Rev. 19:17-21) (Rev. 20:415). Earth’s Warning; Jesus Is Coming Again Are You Ready? “But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.” ( Mt. 24:43-44) (Lk. 12:39-40) KJV

Jesus Is Coming Again Are You Ready? “Better Be Ready To Try On Your Long White Robe.” Amen. Blessings and Shalom Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

CRHA 23-RQ-002

The Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority is soliciting qualifications proposals from qualified and licensed firms to provide Professional Services for Mixed Finance Development Partner Services for the Peaceful Village and MacDonald Manor Community Redevelopment in Chesapeake, VA. RFQ document download and Submittal Return: may be downloaded from the CRHA website under the Procurement Section at crhava. org. RFQ documents will be ready for download Friday, May 26, 2023, at 8:00 am local prevailing time. The qualifications proposal submittal must be received in-hand and time-stamped in the CRHA Central Office, 1468 South Military Highway, Chesapeake, VA 23320. Solicitation no later than Friday, June 30, 2023, bu 4:00 p.m. prevailing local time. CRHA contact person: Art Harbin, Procurement Officer, 757-233-6412 fax: 757-523-1601, art_harbin@ crhava.org. Minority and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals.

LEGAL NOTICE

The 2020-2025 RSWMP