NJG | Vol. 124, No. 13 March 28, 2024

NEWJOURNAL & GUIDE NEW JOURNAL & GUIDE

BALTIMORE BRIDGE: A CITY’S HEARTBREAK, A NATION’S ALARM

By Stacy M. Brown

Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia

Publisher’s Note: N’dia Webb of Howard University News Service contributed to this article.

NNPA NEWSWIRE

One of the victims emerged unscathed, while the other fought for life in the clutches of critical injuries.

In one of the ultimate nightmares, the Francis Scott Key Bridge, an iconic lifeline for Baltimore’s bustling metropolis, was ripped apart in a thunderous clash with a colossal container ship, unleashing chaos in and around Charm City and tragedy for at least seven families. The oncesturdy structure crumbled like paper beneath the vessel’s onslaught, sending vehicles plummeting into the icy depths of the Patapsco River below around 1:30 a.m. EST on Tuesday, March 26. Officials immediately declared that they didn’t suspect terrorism or any sabotage. Emergency crews raced against time, battling the elements to rescue survivors trapped in the wreckage.

A Hampton Roads Welcome

NORFOLK

Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes was in Hampton Roads last week where he spoke on the campuses of Norfolk State and Hampton University before leading a two-night revival at Shiloh Baptist Church in Norfolk. He is senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, with more than 13,000 members, and also the newly installed President and CEO of the Rainbow PUSH

see page 3A

At 8:30 a.m., two individuals were reportedly rescued while the search intensified.

One of the victims emerged unscathed, while the other fought for life in the clutches of critical injuries.

“We’re facing an unprecedented crisis,” declared Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace, his voice heavy with emotion. “Our priority

remains the search and rescue efforts to locate those still missing.”

Gov. Wes Moore wasted no time declaring a state of emergency and mobilizing resources and support from across the nation. “We stand united in the face of tragedy,” he proclaimed, rallying a city reeling from the catastrophe.

The collision, captured in chilling detail on video, sent shockwaves nationwide, prompting an outpouring of support and solidarity. Helicopters buzzed overhead, casting their searchlights upon the river’s surface as rescuers scoured the waters for signs of life.

As the day wore on, questions

swirled amidst the debris. What caused this cataclysmic collision? Was it a tragic accident or something more sinister? Authorities moved swiftly to quell speculation, assuring the public that there was no evidence of foul play.

Yet, as investigators combed through the wreckage, unease lingered.

In the heart of the chaos, families clung to hope, their prayers echoing across the cityscape. At a nearby convenience store, relatives of the missing gathered in anguished vigil, their eyes filled with tears, their hearts heavy with fear.

By Melissa Spellman Staff Reporter New Journal and Guide

The grand opening of the Mustard Seed Place at 340 High Street in Portsmouth, Virgnia on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, launched the brain child of entrepreneur, philanthropist, and leader Dr. Angela Reddix. As we enter the final week of March Woman’s History Month, we highlight Dr. Angela Reddix. She is a leader in the healthcare industry, an inspiration to young girls and women, and an advocate for the advancement of women in entrepreneurship.

Dr. Angela Reddix

The Mustard Seed Place was formerly the Tidewater Community College Visual Arts Center. Reddix purchased the 33,000 square foot facility in April 2023 for $1.9 million. The ribbon-cutting ceremony held on March 27 opened the doors of the Mustard Seed Place as a hub for

see Bridge, page 3A

HU Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

HAMPTON

One of the highlights of Hampton University’s 42nd Annual Conference on the Black Family was a Lifetime Achievement Award for 98-year-old Dr. Andrew Billingsley, Hampton Institute Class of 1951. Billingsley, a renowned sociologist and pioneer scholar on the Black Family, served as the 8th President of Morgan State University. This year’s Conference was held March 20-22. see page 3A

The ribbon-cutting ceremony held on March 27 opened the doors of the Mustard Seed Place as a hub for women entrepreneurs.

women entrepreneurs.

Reddix describes the facility, “The Mustard Seed Place is a haven for women. It is envisioned by a woman with all women investors. So, there’s no bank financing on this building and all women business owners within the building.” The Mustard Seed Place is coined by the phrase “Where Small Dreams Grow Big. Their slogan is “Cultivating an environment where woman can T.H.R.I.V.E.” Each

letter in T.H.R.I.V.E. has its own significance: Tribe, Harmony, Resilience, Innovation, Vision, and Elevate.

Another part of this grand opening is a new program called The Womanhood Initiative. “The womanhood initiative is a membership base where women will get the coaching and training for life skills, business skills, and the ability to create their own path,” said Reddix. see Reddix, page 6A

LORRAINE GRAVES: 1957-2024 NORFOLK’S BALLERINA BELONGED TO THE WORLD

By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter Emeritus New Journal and Guide

Lorraine Graves, 66, who made her mark as an international professional dancer, notably with the Dance Theater of Harlem (DTH), died on March 21. A native of Norfolk, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Mildred Graves, founders of the Graves Funeral Home. She began her classical ballet training at 8 1/2 under the direction of the late Gene Hammett at the Academy of the Norfolk Ballet, where she was the first African-American student to be accepted into that school. Three years later, she is

pictured in a July 6, 1968 edition of the GUIDE with six other students from the Academy and members of the Norfolk Civic Ballet, who would perform in the Norfolk Arts Festival July 5-7.

In a May 1, 2002 edition of the GUIDE written by this Reporter, Graves said the Board of the Norfolk Civic Ballet said she

She began at the Academy of the Norfolk Ballet, where she was the first African-American student to be accepted into that school.

could not perform with the white girls in her first recital at one point in the late 1960s. She recalled that Mr. Hammett rebelled against the Board’s orders,

and she was allowed to perform.

At age 17 and graduating with honors in 1975 from Lake Taylor, the GUIIDE featured her

Coalition.

Rev. Dr. Frederick Haynes and NJG Publisher Brenda H. Andrews

Photos: CliffHayes

Photo: RandySingleton

BIDEN PLAN WOULD HELP 3.5M FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

By Charlene Crowell Senior Fellow Center for Responsible

Lending

The approaching spring season signals not only a change in weather; but an annual surge in homebuying. Underscoring this longstanding trend is the annual April observance of Fair Housing Month.

Enacted in 1968, the Fair Housing Act banned discrimination on the basis of race, religion, and national origin in the sale or rental of housing by banks, insurers and real estate agents.

But fair housing for whom? While homeownership has been the primary means for most American families to build and pass on inter-generational wealth, Blacks rank last in their ability to achieve the wealth-building benefits of buying a home.

According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2024 Snapshot of Race and Home Buying in America report, disparity between Black homeownership rates and those of other racial and ethnic groups has actually grown larger since 2012. Only 44.1 percent of Blacks owned homes compared to majorities of Asian-Americans (63.3 percent), and Latinos (51.1 percent).

“The connection between homeownership rates and net worth is a critical one. Net worth, or the total assets minus household liabilities, is an essential indicator of financial stability and economic well-being,” states the report.

After more than 50 years of federal laws – envisioned and enacted in hopes of helping Black America reduce lingering wealth disparities – NAR lists a litany of familiar reasons for homeownership disparities that read like a set of falling dominoes: Median household income disparities between whites and Blacks continued to grow over the past decade. In 2012, the income gap between these two groups was $21,540. In 2022, the income gap grew to $27,840.

This gap in income is a determining factor in home affordability.

In 45 of the nation’s 50 states, according to NAR, Black renters face greater affordability challenges than their white counterparts. The

Charlene Crowell

ability to save for a home down payment is seriously diminished when rental costs are already a financial stretch. Another problem for would-be homeowners is that due to lower incomes and lack of savings, many Black borrowers often have high debt-to-income ratios. Together, these two factors frequently lead to higher rates of mortgage application denials.

In 2022, the highest mortgage denial rates occurred in three Southern states: Mississippi (34 percent), followed by Arkansas and Louisiana (each at 31percent). A related and independent perspective from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) notes yet another hurdle to homeownership: closing costs.

March 28-29, 1963

Edition of the Guide

Norfolk Negro Teachers Lead Whites In Degrees

NORFOLK

Virginia teachers may have the lowest educational level among ten southern states, as indicated in a Virginia Education Association study. But Negro teachers in Norfolk and the state generally are not contributing to the problem, a check of Norfolk school administration statistics shows.

Dr. Robert F. Williams, Executive Secretary of the white VEA, presently in Virginia the number of classroom teachers, including 7,968 Negroes or 22.7 percent.

He said that 95.3 percent of the Negro teachers hold degrees while only 79.7 percent of the white teachers did.

The Norfolk report showed the city employs 2,073 teachers. Of these, 1,360 or 65.6 percent are white. Negro teachers number 713 or 34.4 percent.

Degrees are held by 84.7 percent of the white teachers and 98.5 percent of the Negro teachers.

White teachers with Bachelor’s degrees number 1,001 or 73.6 percent. Those with Master’s Degrees total 150 or 11.1 percent.

Negro teachers with only Bachelor’s degrees total 496 or 69.6 percent. Those with Master’s degrees number 206 or 28.9 percent.

Non-degree white teachers total 209, 15.6 percent, while 11 Negro teachers, or 1.5 percent, have no degrees.

Dr. Williams said in 25 counties and cities in Virginia, 1.0 percent of the Negro teachers hold degrees, while no county or city in the state has all white teachers with degrees.

Children Help Clear Father In Mom’s Death PORTSMOUTH

Leroy Drummond of 516 Henderson Street was acquitted on a charge of murder of his wife by a Portsmouth Hustings Court jury.

The wife, Juanita S. Drummond, 34, was wounded fatally when a bullet from a .22 caliber pistol punctured her right lung as she sat

Eligible consumers would receive up to $10,000 in mortgage relief credit for two years.

“While home prices and interest rates often command our attention, closing costs also contribute to borrowers’ monthly burdens. One measure of closing costs is total loan costs,” wrote Julie Margetta Morgan in a March CFPB blog. “Total loan costs include origination fees, appraisal and credit report fees, title insurance, discount points, and other fees increased by 21.8 percent – nearly $6,000 – from 2021 to 2022. From 2021 to 2022, median total loan costs rose sharply, increasing by 21.8 percent on home purchase loans.”

“Often, closing costs are simply rolled into the total loan amount, racking up interest for the life of the loan,” Morgan continued. “Borrowers who can’t bring cash to the table often have to pay more, through higher interest rates or mortgage insurance payments.”

But a new proposal by the Biden Administration has the potential to lessen the financial heft of these homebuying issues. In a March 12 speech before

the Urban Institute, a DCbased progressive thinktank, Lael Brainard, the Biden Administration’s Economic Adviser, shared the White House plan.

“In today’s market, too many households that want to buy their first home are locked-out by high costs, while many homeowners looking to right-size their housing needs are lockedin because the rate they’d get on a new mortgage is higher than the rate on their current mortgage,” said Brainard.

Central to the administration’s plan are targeted tax credits that would enable more than 3.5 million middleclass families to purchase their first home. Eligible consumers would receive up to $10,000 in mortgage relief credit for two years – the equivalent of reducing mortgage rates by 1.5 percentage points on a median home.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

More State Historical Markers Are Highlighting Black History Sites

By Rosaland Tyler Associate Editor

New Journal and Guide

In the last five years, 63 percent of all new State markers have focused on Black history, according to Jennifer Loux, the highway marker program manager for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. This means the department that first began to designate Virginia’s historic spots in 1927, shifted gears in recent years. Currently, 17 percent of all Virginia designated Black sites –or 451 – focus on Black history, according to Loux.

Only three of the 700 markers erected before 1930 directly featured Black history, and by 1941, that number had risen to a mere nine. Meanwhile, a full third of the first 700 markers revolved around Civil War history.

“Black history (was) glossed over, but so was history about women and indigenous people, said Julie Langan, director of Department of Historic Resources.

Some of the new markers in Southwest and Southside tell the story of people like Charles Spurgeon Johnson, a sociologist and civil rights leader who was born in

In the last five years, 63 percent of all new State markers have focused on Black history.

Bristol, and Samuel F. Kelso, who was born into slavery and then became one of Lynchburg’s first Black teachers after the Civil War. Other markers recognize places, like the African-American section of Maple Hill Cemetery in Bluefield.

Things changed thanks to a 2021 grant of $100,000 from the General Assembly in 2021 and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s Black History Month K-12 highway marker contest.

“There’s just been such a groundswell of interest in African-American history,” Loux said.

The markers serve as history stories. “We add context and include information that is historically significant but was overlooked or ignored at the time the original marker was erected,” Loux said. “Doing so makes the markers’ texts more accurate and complete.”

on a couch in the couple’s home on January 9. She was pronounced dead when the 35-year-old husband took her to Maryview Hospital.

The prosecution charged that Mr. Drummond came home from work and became involved in a quarrel with his wife because she objected to his bringing a friend with him.

The Drummond children, who numbered 5, told the court that Mrs. Drummond fired a rifle through the doorway as the husband left the house. They said Mr. Drummond came back inside with a pistol, which he had taken from his car. His wife gave him the rifle after he demanded it, and the pistol was fired while Mr. Drummond was holding both weapons and unloading the gun, the court was told.

Mr. Drummond maintained his innocence and insisted that the shooting was an accident.

The Negro Press: Foe of Bias For 136 Years

By Staff Writer

One-hundred thirty-six years is a long time, however, regarded, and that is precisely the span that the Negro Press in the country has existed and grown and vigorously espoused the cause of a people now comprising 18 million of the American population of 180 million.

This is Negro Press Week, and it marks the founding of the first newspaper in the New World, if not anywhere of, by and for Black people.

With brief assistance from Samuel Cornish, John Russwurm founded Freedom’s Journal in New York City on March 16, 1827. Today, dozens of Negro publications flourish in every state in the Union which have unsubstantial numbers of Negro residents.

The notes of optimism currently sounded by Negro publishers and by President John F. Kennedy in a Negro History Week Message gives the lie to the impressionistic predictions by author-lecturer Louis Lomax of the “death by 1975” of colored periodicals.

Since the end of World War II, some newspapers that seemed in deep trouble have discovered “comeback” formulas and now report revenue and readership in satisfactory-excellent condition.

Several publications report circulations at their all-time high. Others have enlarged their plants and offices, added new equipment, broadened their facilities, increased personnel for news and photographic coverage, modernized their typography, and opened one or more branch offices. At least one has recently moved into a new, modern, specially designed plant and office.

In most cities with a Negro newspaper, it employs a variety of unique abilities. The most extensive gross business has the largest payroll and puts more money into its community’s economy through payroll and other operational outlays than any other Negro business (this would be true of the Journal and Guide, for instance.)

March 26, 1966

Edition of the Guide

Court Junks Poll Tax; Virginia In Confusion

NORFOLK

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Virginia requirement that residents pay poll tax to vote in non-federal elections stirred confusion across the state. Will a ruling affect voting in upcoming municipal elections? Norfolk, for instance, has a councilmanic election on June 14. Will wholesale re-registration of voters be required? Will the state “adopt” the federal list and allow those citizens qualified to vote “in federal elections only” now to be allowed to vote in municipal and state elections?

Confronted with questions, Norfolk general registrar Leslie C. Curdts laughed good-naturedly and said, “At this point, you know just as much about it as I do.”

Curdts explained that she was told of the Supreme Court’s decision “only moments” earlier and did not know what the future policy would be

“We will await the state attorney general’s ruling,” she said. Undoubtedly, there will be an advisory.

Evelyn Butts, Rosemont section resident and prominent Norfolk Civil Rights worker, launched one of two lawsuits decided Thursday by the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down Virginia’s requirement

The Mitchell Triplets of Norfolk, all boys and as yet unnamed, are shown here with their mother, Mrs. Ella Louise Mitchell, 22, and the Norfolk Community Hospital resident physician who delivered them, Dr. C.D. Malara. At birth, the triplets had a combined weight of less than ten pounds. According to Dr. Malaria, they have added weight during the week.They take formula well and are good color.They are still confined to the incubator. Mr. and Mrs. George Lee Mitchell are parents of three other children: two daughters and a son.

that residents pay a poll tax. to vote in the state and federal elections. A group of Fairfax voters filed the other suit. Joseph A. Jordan Jr., a Norfolk lawyer acting in civil rights cases, initiated the suit for Mrs. Butts.

Carey Refuses To Quit; Leagues Backing Holley

PORTSMOUTH

Terming rumors that he intended to withdraw from the City Council race as “vicious lies,” Solomon J. Carey reaffirmed his intentions to stay in the race and lashed out with a strongly worded attack against Dr. James W. Holley III and the Central Civic Forum, of which Carey is president. This development took place at the regular Forum meeting on Tuesday night.

Dr. Holley, the target of much of Carey’s verbal attack, is the first Negro to enter a party primary in Portsmouth in modern times. The forum unanimously endorsed him as a candidate at its December meeting.

Holley was president of the forum at the time. Asserting

that a “certain group of Negroes sought to defeat the only Negro candidates (Carey) in the 1964 elections,” by describing him as “too Black, too dumb, and too poor,” Carey said that these same people are backing the Negro candidate (Holley) in the Democratic primary.”

He observed from a prepared text: “I must work for a living. I am not a member of the upper crust.”

James A. Overton, attorney and member of the Portsmouth Planning Commission, demanded “Equal time.”

“Mr. Carey has vilified both the organization of which he is President and Dr. Holley,” Overton stated. “The candidate, as well as most of us, came from poor parents. We worked, sacrificed, and took advantage of opportunities,” he continued.

“George Minor’s motion that the group reaffirmed our faith in the candidate we endorsed” was carried 30-2 with six abstaining. A collection was made, and $47 was donated to Dr. Holley’s campaign fund.

Black Family Scholar, Pioneer: HU Presents Lifetime Award To Dr. Andrew Billingsley

Special to the Guide

HAMPTON

One of the highlights of Hampton University’s 42nd Annual Conference on the Black Family was a Lifetime Achievement Award for 98-year-old Dr. Andrew Billingsley, Hampton Institute Class of 1951. Billingsley, a renowned sociologist and pioneer scholar on the Black Family, served as the 8th President of Morgan State University. He is also the father of Bonita Billingsley Harris, local journalist and Director of Media Relations at Dominion Energy.

The prestigious award was presented to Dr. Billingsley by Bishop Dr. Courtney McBath, Founding Pastor of Calvary Revival Church, and Dr. Linda Malone-Colon, Dean of HU’s School of Liberal Arts and Education.

Bridge

Continued from page 1A

Billingsley received a standing ovation. The conference, a huge success, also honored Hampton University President Darryl Williams and the First Family. It also featured local and nationally renowned leaders, including Keynote Speakers Otis Moss, III, Pastor of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ and Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes, III, Sr. Pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

The theme of the 42nd Annual Conference on the Black Family, March 20-22 was “Elevating Black Families – Actualizing the Vision of the Beloved, GlobalCommunity.”

“Dr. Billingsley wrote the groundbreaking book, Black Families in White America in 1968, one of the first books written by a Black man with an earned terminal degree that addressed the plight of Black families in White America,” shared Bishop McBath. “What a courageous step for all of us. Dr. Billingsley’s brilliance, Blackness and bold perseverance make him a man that we can look up to.“

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, once a symbol of progress and connectivity, now stands as a monument to tragedy. Built to withstand the test of time, it succumbed to forces beyond its control, leaving a city grappling with the enormity of its loss.

Around 5:45 a.m., Maryland Governor Wes Moore released a statement explaining that his office was in “close contact” with U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and the Baltimore Fire Department. All lanes are closed on the Interstate 695 southeast corridor. Maryland Transportation Authority suggests that drivers take Interstate 95 or Interstate 895 as alternative routes.

“We have to first and foremost pray for all of those who are impacted,” Scott said in a press

conference near the bridge. “We’re going to continue to work in partnership with every part of government to do everything we can to get us to the other side of this tragedy.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has also tweeted in support of Baltimore, saying that she is in contact with Scott to offer assistance when needed. The 1.6-mile, four-lane bridge was the secondlongest continuous-truss bridge span in the United States and the third in the world.

Vesselfinder.com identified the ship as the Dali, a Singapore-flagged container ship. Reuters reports that LSEG ship tracking data shows that Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner, and Synergy Marine Group, the manager, own the ship.

Maersk, a Danish shipping company, was chartering the Dali at the time of the incident and released a statement saying, “We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected.”

IN TOWN: DR. F. D. HAYNES, NEW RAINBOW PUSH CEO

HAMPTON ROADS

Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, senior pastor of FriendshipWest Baptist Church, a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, with more than 13,000 members, was in Hampton Roads last week.

During that time, Haynes, also the newly installed President and CEO of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition founded in 1996 by Rev. Jesse Jackson, made at least three official appearances where he blended messages of ministry and social activism that mesmerized his audiences.

Haynes spoke to an assembly of Norfolk State University students on Wednesday, March 20, and he spoke during the Annual

Hampton University Black Family Conference on the HU campus.

On Thursday and Friday nights, Dr Haynes conducted an old-fashioned church revival at Shiloh Baptist Church in Norfolk, hosted by Shiloh Pastor Rev. Dr. Keith Jones and the Metro Ministers Conference.

Dr. Haynes is best known as a social justice pastor and advocate for marginalized communities. He has modeled his ministry and leadership like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., focused on the intersections of faith and justice.

He teaches college courses and workshops at several institutions of higher learning, including Paul

Quinn College and serves on the Board of Trustees for Paul Quinn College as well as various other boards, particularly those in underserved and minority communities.

Rainbow Push was founded in 1996 by Rev. Jesse Jackson, who retired last year as Dr. Haynes was installed.

The new Rainbow PUSH leader has received

numerous awards and honors for his ministry and activism. In 2012, Ebony Magazine named him to its Power 100 list of

most influential AfricanAmericans. He was also inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

(L-R) Bishop Dr. Courtney McBath, Dr. Andrew Billingsley, Hampton Dean, Dr. Linda Malone-Colon

Photo: RandySingleton

Delegate Cliff Hayes presents the Commonwealth of Virginia flag to Dr. Haynes.

Photos: Courtesy

(At Left) Rev. Dr. Jones and visiting ministers.

By Wornie Reed, Ph.D.

the slaves.

First, there was the redlining. In the 1930s, the federal government created color-coded maps that assessed the creditworthiness of neighborhoods in 250 cities across the country, including Norfolk, Richmond, and Roanoke in Virginia.

Based on racist assumptions, these maps ‘redlined” (designated) many Black neighborhoods as poor risks for loans and housing assistance. Consequently, with limited residential options, Black communities became more concentrated in less desirable neighborhoods.

After WW II, the Federal Housing Administration subsidized the construction of American postwar suburbs but used racially restrictive covenants to ensure that these homes could be sold or resold only to Whites.

By the time the 1949 Housing Act became law, a half-century of deliberate racist policies had created some of the blighted conditions that were then used as the justification for slum clearance and urban renewal.

As urban renewal took place across the country, it became clear that slum clearance served as a guise to legitimize the forced removal of Black communities from urban land so that municipalities could repurpose these spaces.

In the words of African-

Gainsboro was once known as a vibrant area for African-Americans before urban renewal destroyed their homes and businesses in the 1950s.

American author and activist James Baldwin, “urban renewal” became a euphemism for “Negro removal.”

Through urban renewal, vast swaths of American cities were razed to benefit the growing white middle class with highways, sporting arenas, shopping malls, and convention centers, notably at the expense of Black communities.

At the same time, Black communities in cities across America experienced disruption, dislocation, displacement, and a vicious cycle of urban disinvestment. Urban landscapes across Virginia continue to bear the scars of this so-called urban renewal.

Between 1949 and 1973, this federal program, spearheaded by business and real estate interests, destroyed 1,600 AfricanAmerican neighborhoods in cities across the United States.

According to the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond, by the late 1960s, an estimated 432 families had been displaced by urban renewal projects in Roanoke, 100 percent of which were families of color.

The historical record is clear. “Black people who had money to buy and develop properties were prevented from doing so by redlining which prevented mortgages, bank loans, and even insurance from being utilized in Black neighborhoods across the country.

Gainsboro was once known as a vibrant area for African-Americans before urban renewal destroyed their homes and businesses in the 1950s. A feature report in the Roanoke Times on January 29, 1995, describes

how urban renewal uprooted Black Roanoke street by street, block by block.

In the 1950s, most Blacks in Roanoke lived in either Northeast or Gainsboro. With few exceptions, all 980 homes, 14 churches, two schools, and 64 small businesses had to be demolished. In 1956 and 1957, the city burned more than 100 homes. It was the cheapest way to eliminate them, two or three at a time.

And you think only an apology will suffice?

Gainsboro’s landmarks were many. It included Burrell Memorial Hospital, one of the best-known Black hospitals in the South. It was established by AfricanAmericans, because “White” hospitals would not treat Blacks. The Claytor home, a 22-room mansion and one of Virginia’s largest Black homes was in Gainsboro.

The 1950 city directory shows 900 homes and 165 small businesses in Gainsboro. There was a savings and loan, an insurance company, a cleaners, a drugstore, and several hairdressers. Urban renewal, as it was practiced from the 1950s through the 1960s, made no distinctions within a neighborhood. Northeast’s solid and dilapidated homes, neighborhood networks, and businesses were treated the same.

No. An apology will not be sufficient.

What, then, instead of an apology? The obvious answer is recompense – a program of reparations.

There has long been the question, “On what basis should African-Americans be accorded reparations?”

The sordid and welldocumented post-slavery “Negro removal” disaster is one such reason.

Walt Carr

Recognizing Two of The Best In Alabama

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

As the State of Alabama was in the news again, doing more things that are not in the best interest of women or Black Americans, it dawned on me that such actions are nothing new for some of the state’s leaders. During this Women’s History Month and the immediate past Black History Month, it’s my pleasure to honor two of Alabama’s best who are truly remarkable people!

Alabama is on the list of the Montgomery Bus Boycott case where Rosa Parks sat on the bus resisting segregation on buses. She held her seat and was arrested. That act ignited a great response in Montgomery and across the nation – earning her the names “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” and “First Lady of Civil Rights.”

Rosa is being honored during this Women’s History Month, and after Sojourner Truth’s historic placement that I led in the US Capitol, Rosa proudly stands there with a memorial in Statuary Hall. A bill has been initiated to legalize a Federal holiday honoring her.

The Alabama Supreme Court just issued a decision on another subject adding to the negative history of Alabama. One is the IVF case regarding frozen embryos granting personhood to embryos. The most recent case is regarding the governor of Alabama signing a sweeping bill into law on anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Fortunately, Alabama has a native son who continues to work to make Alabama a better place for both women and Black people to live. I had the honor of working with him in Washington, DC this past week. That honor goes to Mayor Ford who served 6 terms as Mayor, (now City Councilman) a remarkable feat for anybody anywhere –especially in Alabama.

Mayor Johnny Ford

During this Women’s History Month and the immediate past Black History Month, it’s my pleasure to honor two of Alabama’s best who are truly remarkable people!

continues to be known worldwide as Mayor Ford and he now serves as Founder and leader of the World Conference of Mayors. He is recognized and highly respected everywhere he goes. During the past week, he was in Washington, DC visiting the White House’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, USAID, Prosper Africa, AON, the U.S. Department of State’s City and State Diplomacy event by special invitation. He was welcomed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He also had an audience with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. see Alabama, page 5A

DEFENDING DEI MUST REMAIN A BALLOT ISSUE

By David W. Marshall (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

Elections will always be the ultimate battlefield where the fight for social and cultural changes will be won or lost. Through elections, candidates will place their political and cultural mandates before the voters, and those mandates are either validated or rejected, allowing voters to choose candidates most aligned with their own political and cultural preferences.

Future state legislation and laws result from the cultural mandates won on the election battlefield.

Not all political and cultural mandates are unbiased and free from hidden agendas.

A FULL COURT PRESS TO GET THE LEAD OUT APOLOGY?!

By Ben Jealous (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

There’s nothing quite like seeing a kid who was born healthy but now suffers cognitive impairment and is prone to outbursts of anger. As a volunteer restoring sixstory walk-ups in Harlem in the early 90s, I saw how lead paint chips and dust were wreaking havoc on the kids in those low-income buildings.

The kids not only lived in a cloud of despair but in a cloud of lead-infused dust. The former made achieving their dreams difficult. The latter made it impossible.

Fast forward a few decades and the threat of lead poisoning has continued

As a result, the fight on the election battlefield is not always fair. The misinformation and ulterior motives behind mandates are obvious to some voters but not all. Through a long series of voter suppression, anti-

The anti-DEI effort remains a conservative backlash to the George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movements.

CRT, and now anti-DEI laws, we have seen evidence that the original mandates were often unjust and undeserved.

be countermoves and adjustments needed from the previous election. So, as states continue to pass anti-DEI laws, what is the response from those who are the defenders of diversity, equality, and inclusion?

The anti-DEI effort remains a conservative backlash to the George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movements. State lawmakers fully understand they have the legislative means to control how individual states respond to the history of institutional racism. They know they have the authority to establish and pass laws that will make it more difficult to expose components of institutional racism and then strategically dismantle them. It is called a culture war for a reason. It is a long-term war with multiple battles, some won and some lost.

As we go from one election battle to the next, each side’s response to the last victory or loss will determine the success or failure of the next fight. There will always

Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham, Alabama, said last month on social media, “To the parents of minority athletes who are helping their children decide if they want to play sports at those institutions: Would you be cool with your child playing at schools where diversity among staff is actively discouraged? Although I’m the biggest Bama fan, I have no problem organizing Black parents and athletes to attend other institutions outside the state where diversity and inclusion are prioritized. If supporting inclusion becomes illegal in this state, hell, you might as well stand in front of the school door like Governor [George] Wallace,” a famously staunch segregationist. Now that the state’s current governor, Kate Ivey, recently signed SB 129, Alabama joins states such as Texas, Utah, and Florida, which have banned DEI efforts in higher education. Public universities such as the University of Alabama and the University of Texas depend heavily on revenue generated from student-athletes, but the landscape of collegiate athletics has changed and continues to change. see DEI, page 5A

Now, thanks to community organizers, advocacy groups, the federal government, and even some private companies, we’re seeing a major push to eliminate the lingering threat of lead.

to manifest in public health crises. It was at the heart of the well-publicized water crisis in Flint, Michigan that started in 2014 ... and the subsequent not-as-well-publicized water crises in Benton Harbor, MI and Pittsburgh, PA just a few short years later. Now, thanks to community organizers, advocacy groups, the federal government, and even some private companies, we’re seeing a major push to eliminate the lingering threat of lead. It is thanks to the hard work of activists like Gabriel Gray. Gray is an organizer with Pittsburgh United, a local advocacy group that works on clean water and housing issues. She came to this work during her own city’s water crisis. Only finding out about the crisis once there was a run on bottled water in all the local stores, Gray applied with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewage Authority (PWSA) for a lead line replacement for her

home and was denied. Then she started organizing with her neighbors. “Because of the work the Pittsburgh United Our Water Campaign did to hold PWSA accountable, it is now the only public water authority in Pennsylvania to be governed by the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC),” she said.

The increased focus on stopping lead poisoning is also thanks to tireless advocates like my friend Ruth Ann Norton, who heads the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) in Baltimore.

GHHI was recently chosen to administer $50 million in grants across the midAtlantic under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). see Lead, page 6A

“However, my neighborhood borders an area with a different water authority not governed by the PUC – the WilkinsburgPenn Joint Water Authority. We’re now working with Wilkinsburg-Penn to stress the importance of equity in its lead line replacement plans, after finding that environmental justice communities had been slower to receive replacements than other communities in that authority’s jurisdiction.”

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)

Ben Jealous

Chesapeake Residents Must Insist On Ward Voting

By Jennifer Naperala

The official seal of Chesapeake boasts six stars, one for each borough.

Pleasant Grove & Butts Road include the Great Bridge and Hickory areas of the city.

Sometimes, it feels like those boroughs’ stars shine brighter than the remaining four: Western Branch, South Norfolk, Deep Creek, and Washington.

Residents tired of city leadership know the drill: if we aren’t happy with our elected leaders, all we have to do is vote them out.

Unfortunately, voting out leaders isn’t easy, especially in Chesapeake.

Unlike most U.S. localities, Chesapeake holds at-large elections, which means all residents vote for the same leadership. A person who lives in Western Branch – or any area of the city – is often forced to vote for representatives with no real awareness of that area’s needs. That lack of proximity to city leadership plays a significant role in voter disenfranchisement.

Once we are able to vote under the more fair ward system, we will be able to elect folks from our communities. How great will it feel when we elect a homegrown young adult into a city council position in their own neighborhood? Ward voting cultivates that communityleader connection.

We can’t even elect our state and national representatives via at-large elections; because they are racially discriminatory, the fed outlawed at-large elections for state and national elections in 1967.

Racial inequality isn’t even the only reason to demand ward voting, though: development permits drop sharply after a city switches from at-large elections to ward elections. The data make sense: ward voting will allow us to elect folks whose neighbors will be personally affected by their choices.

If we want meaningful change in Chesapeake, we need to elect city council members with an iron-will; our current leadership’s actions suggest they will oppose a ward system even more vigorously than they seem to oppose fair ballot access.

Three years ago, both Mayor West and Councilperson Ritter vehemently fought moving local elections from the spring to the fall. Prior to the change, they attended state hearings and insisted they know what their constituents want, simultaneously ignoring the fact that every citizen in attendance spoke passionately in support of the switch.

Perhaps, though, the opposition to their constituents who advocated for increased voter access makes sense. What if moving local election voting day from the more expensive, lower turnout spring to the less expensive, higher turnout fall actually does confirm their claim that they are serving their constituents, though? The fact is that spring elections allow a small subset of voters to have an advantage. That subset shares many demographic traits with Mayor West and

Alabama

Continued from page 4A

During this time, he was working for the best interest not only of Alabama but for Mayors in 7 key areas: Trust, Trade, Tourism, Technology, Twin Cities, Treasury, and Training. He was seeking assistance for Mayors and other officials in Historic Black Towns and Settlements of the world –including Africa in 3 ways: To Preserve, Protect, and Promote the rich AfricanAmerican culture, and heritage. His work includes working with other organizations and leaders

Ward voting will allow us to elect folks whose neighbors will be personally affected by their choices.

Councilperson Ritter. Fortunately, reason prevailed, and all Virginians began voting for local leaders when almost everyone votes: in the fall.

Once West lost that fight, he attempted a new tactic of control: he sent a four-page letter filled with half-truths and full falsehoods to constituents prior to Chesapeake’s first fall election for local officials. In the letter, West shared the specific names of candidates he wanted elected and indicated that not voting for those candidates would lead to the degradation of American values.

This past fall, Chesapeake Mayor West & city council continued taking steps that favor certain voters. The group agreed to exclude the Cuffee Center – one of our very few primarily Black and Democratic voting blocs – from early-voting sites. Furthermore, the Cuffee Center supports an area of Chesapeake with a higher population of low-income residents, folks who already struggle to get to the polls due to work and transportation conflicts.

Obstructionists to the ballot aren’t only at the local level, either: several weeks ago, Chesapeake Del. Baxter Ennis submitted a bill to the state that would return local elections to the spring. We know who that switch will work out for.

The only way Chesapeake residents will find leaders who represent us is by defying current leadership this November and voting in huge numbers, no matter how difficult the mayor and city council make it. In fact, given the discriminatory nature of Chesapeake’s at-large voting system, we probably need to quadruple our usual turnout.

Yes, folks are tired & folks are cynical. However, folks are also practical.

This November’s Chesapeake election might be the most important election we’ve ever had the chance to vote in. If we don’t take over city council seats, the myopic mindset of “their way or the highway” will only get narrower and more strident. We must vote and help others do the same, so we can put a stop to Chesapeake’s regressing values. Our strength is all we need, and possibilities to get stronger are all around us.

Let’s get out and meet folks and connect and talk about the important stuff.

A ward election system is Chesapeake’s only path forward. Four overlooked stars aren’t all that depend on us.

Jennifer Naperala is a veteran teacher with Chesapeake Public Schools and a board member of Chesapeake Education Association & VEA PAC.

such as Dr. Kenneth Harris (President of the National Business League), Dr. Charles DeBow, Jr. (President of the National Black Chamber of Commerce), and

IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, IT’S NOT VOTER APATHY

By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, III (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)

Public Politics is the negotiating process between interested constituencies regarding the access to and distribution of limited resources and the resulting outcome or policies pertaining to those resources.

One of the popular narratives that was disseminated in mainstream America media to explain Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign loss to Donald Trump was post-Obama voter apathy in the African-American community. According to the Washington Post, “In 2016, a seven-point drop in Black voter turnout was perceived to have cost Clinton the election.

Political commentators often cite Black voters’ “enthusiasm gap” as the primary reason for low turnout. This short-sighted perspective fails to consider that Mrs. Clinton ran a terrible campaign. She took the African-American vote for granted and failed to craft a message that spoke to the needs and interests of the Community. Blaming the Community played into a stereotype that labeled African-Americans as uninformed and monolithic in thought, instead of being introspective and recognizing her own short-comings. Her campaign ignored a simple reality ... African-Americans are as “political” as the rest of the country and there are real and substantive political interests that motivate the Community.

Two substantive pieces of legislation that impacted Hilary Clinton’s campaign came out of her husband’s administration. The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The crime act, also known as “3 Strikes and are Out” contributed greatly to the mass incarceration of African-Americans. Socalled welfare reform, that Hilary Clinton encouraged her husband to sign, removed hundreds of thousands of poor people of color from the welfare safety-net and plunged them into the ranks of the desperately working poor.

Many African-Americans never forgot nor forgave her for supporting these pieces of legislation, as well as her referring to members of the Community as “superpredators” who needed to be brought “to heel.” It was not voter apathy or an “enthusiasm gap” that turned the African-American community against the Hilary Clinton campaign, it was the realpolitik of Hilary Clinton.

As America moves closer to the 2024 presidential election, the narrative of “voter apathy” and problems with the African-American voter are being promoted once again. The Guardian

International Conference, chaired by its CEO, the Rev. Queen Mother, Dr. Pam Fomunung. Mayor Ford has invited the world to join his organization in establishing The United Nations of Cities.”

reports – Black and Hispanic voters deserting Democratic party in large numbers.

The problem with this story is its failure to focus on Democratic party policy outcomes that have left many African-American voters feeling ignored and disrespected. Fox reports – Biden support from Black voters plummeting as Democrats blame ‘disinformation.’

The Democratic party elite need to realize that AfricanAmerican voters are not uninformed, simple-minded, easily swayed nor can be taken for granted. President Biden has not developed, acted upon, nor articulated a message that resonates with the Community and reflects its reality.

There is another reality that is developing that could turn the “blame AfricanAmericans for Democratic party disappointments” narrative on its head. It is an oppositional form of politics called “uncommitted” that is gaining traction in Michigan, Minnesota, and other states.

In the most recent Michigan presidential primary, the Listen to Michigan campaign which is a coalition of AfricanAmerican, Arab-American, Muslim-American, and other voters is expected to receive approximately 10,000 votes. The country was shocked to have more than 100,000 Michiganders take the time to vote for nobody instead of the incumbent president.

Michigan is a battleground state that President Biden won by fewer than 150,000 votes in 2020. The strength of that 2024 “uncommitted” protest vote sent an unambiguous message to the Democrats.

On Super Tuesday Minnesota saw nearly 19 percent of its primary voters check the “uncommitted” box – an even higher ratio of voters than in Michigan. The focus of the voter’s ire in both Michigan and Minnesota is the Biden administrations unyielding support for genocide in Gaza. The #AbandonBiden campaign has said that under no circumstances will it support Biden in November.

“Our triumph in Michigan is more than a victory; it’s a

DEI

Continued from page 4A

The Democratic Party and its presumptive nominee, President Biden are ignoring their base. This is a very dangerous tactic.

declaration of our fury and our refusal to be silenced ...”

According to a recent poll from The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 4 in 10 U.S. adults want America to broadly take a “less active” role in solving global conflicts. In a recent poll from Data for Progress roughly three in four Democrats support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. In the Data for Progress poll a total of 61 percent of Americans polled said they were in favor of a ceasefire. The Democratic Party and its presumptive nominee, President Biden are ignoring their base. This is a very dangerous tactic when a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Americans are not excited about a Trump vs. Biden rematch.

In fact, there is a growing cohort called “doublehaters,” those who are dissatisfied with Biden and Trump and do not want either candidate to win in November. Recent polls from the Marquette Law School, NYT-Siena College, and Morning Consult all reported 19 percent of those polled expressed dissatisfaction with both options. That is a large percentage of voters in a race that right now is within 1.5 percent to 2.0 percent, well within the margin of error.

Labor unions should be another area of concern for the Biden/Harris ticket. This past January, UAW President Shawn Fein announced the UAW’s endorsement of President Biden. Fain praised Biden for standing with the union during its strike against the Detroit Three automakers. The problem is the approximately 1 million rank and file membership may not follow the endorsement of UAW union leadership. Following the union endorsement, Fein explained that he expected most of the UAW membership would not vote for President Biden in November. During an interview on Fox Business Network’s Your World with Neil Cavuto, Fain stated, “Let me be clear about this. A great majority of our members will not vote for President Biden ... The majority of our members are gonna’ vote for their paychecks, they’re gonna’ vote for an economy that works for them.”

The Washington Post recently reported that The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents about 2

million health-care, property service and government workers, plans to spend $200 million to boost President Biden and Democrats in electoral battlegrounds across the country this year.

If the Democratic Party historically is the bastion of union politics and support, why is the UAW’s rankand-file “gonna vote for their paychecks” (not for Biden) and why is the SEIU planning to spend $200M to get their vote out amongst a constituency that historically votes for Democrats?

According to The National Alliance to End Homeless, homelessness is on the rise in America. In 2022, counts of individuals (421,392 people) and chronically homeless individuals (127,768) reached record highs in the history of data collection. Unsheltered rates are also trending upward, impacting most racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups. As more than half of working Americans (53 percent), according to a recent Workforce Monitor study, feel their paychecks are not keeping up with the pace of inflation, Democrats, the Biden administration, continues to find ways to send the much needed American tax dollar to war efforts in Ukraine and Gaza.

According to Stephen Semler in Jacobin, “The Biden administration has been able to maintain a low profile by spreading arms provision to Israel across more than 100 smaller munitions sales” –allowing the president to posture as a peacekeeper while US weapons wipe Gaza off the map.

Voter disinterest is not at issue; voter apathy is not the new Black. The two major American political parties are listening to their corporate benefactors, talking amongst themselves in their echo chambers and are not listening to their constituents. Maintain current the course and speed at your own peril.

Dr. Wilmer Leon is a nationally broadcast talk radio host. An adjunct professor of political science. Host of the podcast Connecting the Dots w/ Dr. Wilmer Leon. Author of Politics Another Perspective. Go to www.wilmerleon. com or email: wjl3us@ yahoo.com. www.twitter. com/drwleon and Dr. Leon’s Prescription at Facebook. com ©2024 InfoWave Communications, LLC

by Dr. Booker T. Washington. The WCM/HBSTA will also meet in Lagos, Nigeria as a co-convener

I am pleased to be the Representative/Advocate of the World Conference of Mayors/HBSTA in Washington, DC, and a member of its Board of Directors. Among other Board Officers are: Hon. Samuel Ings, Jimmie Gardner, Alberta McCrory, Ed Jones, Frank Jackson, Deborah Delgado, DeKeither Stamps, Dr. Abdoulaye Mbengue, and others.

Don’t forget to vote! (Dr. E. Faye Williams, President of The Dick Gregory Society.)

The National Basketball Association (NBA) established the “oneand-done” rule, which prohibits players from signing with the NBA until they are 19 years old or one year removed from graduation from their high school class. Since the top NBA hopefuls spend a single season with their university before leaving for the NBA draft, will they be motivated to join the fight against anti-DEI since they are one-, maybe two-year, short-timers looking for their big payday on a professional level? College athletes are getting paid now. The NCAA implemented an interim policy on name, image, and likeness (NIL), allowing studentathletes to make up to six or seven figures from their personal brand through marketing and promotional endeavors.

University of Southern

California basketball player Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James, carries an NIL valuation of $5.8 million, according to the sports news and data site On3. The same site has Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of Deion Sanders, projected to have a $4.8 million NIL valuation. NIL rules can be complex. They vary from state to state. States may or may not have regulations.

Additionally, colleges and universities often have their own unique rules for NIL. In December 2023, NCAA president Charlie Baker proposed a policy to allow Division I schools to pay athletes directly through NIL deals. If passed, it would be a massive shift to the landscape and business model of college athletics, experts say, giving schools more control and oversight over how NIL money is distributed.

Other teams on the list are Alabama (seven athletes), LSU (six), USC, and Ohio State (five each). There will always be student-athletes with the conviction to support an anti-DEI boycott. Still, the battle will always be over choosing or rejecting lawmakers committed to fighting the culture war by passing unjust laws. When it comes to future elections, the strategy, focus, and passion driving the right wing must be matched and countered by those who the primary target cultural war legislation.

David W. Marshall is the founder of the faithbased organization TRB: The Reconciled Body and author of the book “God Bless Our Divided America.”

These are the same universities Black student-athletes will be asked to target with an anti-DEI boycott. Money speaks loudly, and the schools in the “Power Five” conferences have lots of money to give. The University of Texas continues to be the premier university, with 10 athletes having NIL deals based on rankings from On3.

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon, III

Reddix

Continued from page 1A

This membership will include support to a woman’s mental health and physical health. Reddix added, “In the building we have a woman’s gynecological and breast health center. We have a mental health boutique and a spa.” Reddix shared more of the services available and partnerships in this venture. “We have a production company that’s woman-owned that will train and coach women on communicating their messaging. The YWCA of South Hampton Roads will be located there as a headquarters. We have a wealth lab which is a collaboration with the ODU’s Women’s Center,” said Reddix. She added that this facility also includes meeting space that the community and small businesses can rent as well as a nonpro fi t incubator where nonpro fi ts will work together on growing their mission in a very strategic way. Reddix is a native to Hampton Roads. She runs ARDX which is a health care management and technology fi rm based in Hampton Roads with staff throughout the United States. Her company does government contracting, primarily working with health and human services. “I am fi rst an employer and leader in the corporate sector. The company ARDX we are approaching our 18th year in business in

November,” said Reddix. The Womanhood Initiative is one of the programs under Dr. Reddix’s nonpro fi t Envision Lead Grow which will be headquartered at the Mustard Seed Place. The inception of Envision Lead Grow was based on her dissertation, thorough research, and a vision to help young girls succeed and thrive. When Reddix returned to college in an effort to grow ARDX, her studies would lead her into a higher calling.

“10 years ago I went back for my PhD to fi gure out how to establish the organizational design that will allow us to grow, to scale and to understand how to incentivize and motivate people to be the

best,” aid Reddix. She says she thought she wanted to study organizational design and organizational behavior; however, she read literature that led her in the direction of focusing on entrepreneurship and building entrepreneurs. She continued, “So, my study which is my dissertation centered around going to areas where there’s high level of poverty; in particular Title I schools.”

Reddix sought to discover a method to create a path for young girls withstanding poverty to journey toward her same level of success.

“How could I basically recreate my story because I was that girl who grew up in less than ideal

WOMEN HISTORY MONTH

ALL FEMALE JAZZ BAND: International Sweethearts of Rhythm

By Shedrick Byrd

The International Sweethearts of Rhythm (ISR) was an interracial, all-female jazz band that was active for 12 years, from 1937 to 1949. The band which began at the Piney Woods Country Life School was established in 1909 to train Black children in central Mississippi.

The original members of the Sweethearts were all African-American or mixed race students during the 1930s. They were taught by the school’s president, Lawrence Jones. The band began going out on concert tours to raise funds to support the school.

In 1943, two white women joined the ensemble, making it an interracial band performing in the deep South during the Jim Crow era. Their challenge of racial customs and laws was compounded by the fact that the mixedrace members of the band

Lead

Continued from page 4A

Norton says, “We can make homes, schools, childcare centers lead-free, as long as we have a comprehensive approach and flexible funding. And we can do this simultaneously as we address climate work, with some of the same funding. It’s an opportunity we need to seize if we’re going to end lead’s toxic legacy.”

There are additional rays of hope, thanks to healthcare providers like GHHI partner Penn Medicine’s Lancaster General Health. The Hospital put $50 million into a community health improvement initiative to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. With a “goal of identifying and remediating lead hazards in at least 2,800 Lancaster County homes,” LG Health is setting an example for the private sector. And the Biden-

Harris administration’s focus on environmental justice and access to clean and safe water is aiding the national effort. The IRA and bipartisan infrastructure law offer a treasure trove of federal funding to clean up this mess. There are billions of dollars already flowing to states to improve water infrastructure and make drinking water safer. And billions more in environmental justice and energy efficiency investments that can be put towards lead abatement as well. Ruth Ann Norton described how states could apply for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants – a $5 billion program in the IRA – to take a “whole house approach” that makes lead abatement and other key remediations part of a comprehensive approach to building maintenance and electrification. Lead is a global problem. A recent study by Lancet Planetary Health estimated “5.5 million adults worldwide died in 2019 from cardiovascular disease attributable to lead exposure – a toll more than six times

We’re now eight years in; we’ve impacted the lives of approximately 3,000 girls in 48 states.”

– Dr. Angela Reddix

circumstances, but now I’ve landed in the middle of one of the top industries which is healthcare; landed in a position where I am in fl uencing healthcare legislation, healthcare policy, where I’m an employer offering health bene fi ts, 401k, and giving people an opportunity to play roles they may not have ever heard of,” explained Reddix.

Reddix posed the question of how her position of achievement happens, given where she started.

The literature her research is based on is the concept of “deliberate practice expert performance” which is the basis of her study.

“I went to the cities with the highest level of childhood poverty and introduced them to a curriculum and intervention that I designed from my study which was very much based on my success as a corporate leader, as an employee and employer,” said Reddix. She documented it and took her study on the road to transforming communities of poverty into communities of prosperity through the promise of middle school girls. Reddix went to Baltimore,

MD, Philadelphia, PA, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Greensboro, N.C, Richmond, VA and then back home to Norfolk.

“And so in that year we worked with 419 girls and we were able to show evidence that in that week of working with them on college campuses, and these were 5th, 6th, and 7th graders that we were working with for that week, we were able to increase their self-efficacy, increase their ability to demonstrate self-control, increase their ability to have conscientiousness, and increase their knowledge and understanding of why delaying gratification was important. Those happen to be the antecedents that the research shows are characteristics that successful entrepreneurs have,” explained Reddix.

Reddix shared that at the end of the study after completing her dissertation, defending her dissertation, and walking across the stage at graduation, she realized that it wasn’t just about the study, but it was about her next chapter. Here is where she formed Envision Lead Grow which is now a non-profit that is all based on her study. “We’re now eight years

in; we’ve impacted the lives of approximately 3,000 girls in 48 states. Now we are moving towards starting in middle school and we continue with them through high school. We have a college program and now we have a womanhood initiative program” said Reddix. Reddix’s goal is to now focus on the girls and women in the seven Hampton Roads cities.

“As the girls graduate and move on in life, we decided that we will no longer recruit externally from outside the Hampton Roads area, but we will put all of our resources in building our girls in the Hampton Roads area. We have what’s called ‘A no place like home’ campaign where we’re trying to go deeper into the populations in Hampton Roads so that’s Envision Lead Grow,” said Reddix.

Reddix reflected on this accomplishment stating, “This is truly living out the faith of a mustard seed and you know the mustard seed is small but it’s also mighty. It’s one of the smallest seeds that grows into the strongest plant and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to take something small, and that’s our tagline, from a small dream grows big. This is where small dreams grow big.”

To learn more about the Mustard Seed Place events, programs, services, or membership go to their website at https:// mustardseedplace. com or email info@ mustardseedplace.com.

higher than a previous estimate.”

That year, the combined price tag of the loss in IQ in children under 5 years old and cardiovascular mortality was an estimated $6 trillion. There is no cure for lead poisoning other than prevention. The investment in future health makes good economic sense for lawmakers, government agencies, and companies alike. Most urgently, states and municipalities need to take advantage of the funds available through IRA and the bipartisan infrastructure law.

And they need to work with community organizations like GHHI and Pittsburgh United, as well as private companies where appropriate, to make sure the funds are administered correctly and equitably. If there was ever a worthy cause for an “all hands on deck” approach, wouldn’t protecting our kids and their futures be it?

Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.

(Top L-R) Ina Belle Byrd and Helen Jones

Photo: Courtesy

Mustard Seed Place Founder Dr. Angela Reddix

Photo: Courtesy

An interracial band violated both laws and customs in Mississippi and across the South. see Band, page 8A

HAMPTON ROADS DELIVERS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL UNCF MAYORS’ MASKED BALL

New Journal and Guide Staff

HAMPTON ROADS

On March 2, 2024, The United Negro Fund (UNCF) presented its highly anticipated Annual Mayors’ Masked Ball in Hampton Roads. This year’s event attracted more than 500 guests to the Virginia Beach Convention Center to include corporate and business partners and sponsors, dignitaries, civic leaders, alumni and community influencers. The annual Ball is hosted by the Mayors of the seven cities comprising Hampton Roads: cities of Virginia Beach, Mayor Bobby Dyer; Hampton, Mayor Donnie Tuck; Norfolk, Mayor Dr. Kenneth Alexander; Newport News, Mayor Phillip Jones; Portsmouth, Mayor Shannon Glover; Chesapeake, Mayor Dr. Richard West; and Suffolk, Mayor Mike Duman.

The national star-studded Black tie fundraiser began locally in 2018 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. It was cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic, and returned in-person in 2022 to the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton. It has also been held in Norfolk and Portsmouth.

Five awards were given this year during the gala: Bishop Kim Brown and Elder Valerie Brown, The Mount Global Fellowship of Churches; Dr. Scott Miller, President of Virginia Wesleyan University; Dr. Amelia RossHammond, Founder of the Virginia African-American Cultural Center and Virginia Beach City Councilwoman; and Tricia Anne Pangliman Orgilla, Community Activist.

Ball highlights included a silent auction; a Masked Reception; red carpet photo ops; elegant dining; and live entertainment.

Since 1983 when the first UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball was held in Atlanta, Ga., the UNCF’s signature fundraising event has been held annually in various cities across the nation, including Washington, D.C., Charlotte, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.

While funds raised are earmarked primarily for students attending the 37 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) served by the UNCF, students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country are eligible for financial support from UNCF. In Virginia, these include, Hampton University, Virginia University of Lynchburg, Norfolk State University, and Virginia State University

The Virginia UNCF Office is headed by Dana Brown, Area Development Director, and Dianna Ruffin, Development Associate, For more information, visit UNCF.org/ hamptonroadsmmb or contact Dana Brown at (804) 218-7495 or Dana Brown at Dana.Brown@uncf.org or Dianna Ruffin at (804) 2180729 or Dianna.Ruffin@uncf. org.

Photos Courtesy of Virginia UNCF

Band

Continued from page 6A

As a result, the members of the band faced constant harassment.

The Sweethearts graced the stage as the first racially integrated all-female jazz band to tour nationally. Women had always been recognized as singers in the African-American culture, but rarely were they recognized as instrumentalists, much less as brass aficionados.

Operating from 1937 to 1949, their growth in popularity came during World War II, when many of the male jazz artists were serving as military draftees overseas, leaving an opportunity for women to shine, displaying their talents at home. The ISR were so popular they had audiences standing in line waiting to get a chance to see them. The ISR also performed for Black GIs overseas.

The ISR became a sixteen-piece all-women Swing orchestra. The word international denoted its

The success of the sweethearts refuted the idea that women couldn’t play music with the same skill and passion as men.

diverse ethnic makeup, including African-American, Latin, Asian, Jewish, Hawaiian white and native American women. It was a formidable competitor to the all-male bands and the ISR was the most skilled of about 100 all-women orchestras of WWII.

As the orchestra matured and toured nationally the band attracted professionals. It had excellent improvising musicians executing evocative solos, precision section-work and lively arrangements. This was the band that forced skeptics to admit that women could play hard-swing jazz and hot music, just like the guys. The success of the sweethearts refuted the idea that women couldn’t play music with the same skill and passion as men. In fact, they became one of the longest lasting all-women bands of

the 1940s. By 1949 the swing era had come to an end and the sweethearts disbanded. As a young boy I knew two of the band’s charter members. They were Ina Byrd, my mother’s youngest sister, and Helen Jones, the daughter of Laurence C. Jones, the founder and president of Piney Woods School. Helen Jones was the mother of Cathy Hughes, currently a radio and television personality and business executive. Hughes is also the founder and Chairperson of Urban One, Inc. which is the largest African-American-owned and operated broadcast company in the nation.

Much of the information in this article was taken from Blackpast, Wikipedia and Smithsonian Museum of Music.

Shedrick Byrd is the author of the Mississippi Byrd, from rural to urban to suburban.

Graves

Continued from page 1A

“It all started with an eightyear-old hyperactive whose mother wanted to put all that energy to good use. The mother struck upon the idea of ballet lessons.” Graves said she recalled her mother sitting her down and “asking me if I was interested. I thought about it and then said yes. She told me it would not be something I would start today and drop tomorrow.”

After high school, she was later awarded a full scholarships to the School of American Ballet and the American Ballet Center.

She attended Indiana University, where she continued her dance training and completed a four-year program in three years, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ballet with Distinction.

Lorraine Graves began her professional career with the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). It was co-founded by the late Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook in 1968.

She rose to Principal Dancer within one year. Three years later, she was given the additional duties as Ballet Mistress and later, ‘Regisseuse’ responsible for the works of such renowned choreographers as the late Glen Tetley, Michael Smuin, and Billy Wilson, as well as Arthur Mitchell and Alonzo King, the stagings of the classics by Frederic Franklin, and the Balanchine Repertoire.

Graves’ performance credits with the Dance Theatre of Harlem include: Creole Giselle (Myrta); Firebird (The Princess of Unreal Beauty); Garth Fagan’s, (Footprints Dressed in Red); Alvin Ailey’s, (The River); among a lengthy and exalted list. She was popular among news reporters who featured her on 60 Minutes with Ed Bradley; at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los

Angeles, California; Peter Jennings Reports (A Special on the Dance Theatre of Harlem); and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).

During her career with the DTH, Graves performed for American Presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and George H. Bush.

Also, the late Michael Jackson; Prince; the late Princess Diana and Princess Margaret; the King of Norway; former Soviet leader, Mikail and Mrs. Gorbechev; Opera Divas: Leontyne Price and Jessye Norman; and the late President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

Graves appeared with major symphony orchestras around the country, and she was also an educator at schools of the arts in a number of states to include North Carolina,

Virginia, Washington, Oklahoma and New York.

In 1996, after a 17-year career with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Graves returned to Norfolk, where she joined her family’s business, Graves Funeral Home, Incorporated, now in its 71st year. Lupus impaired her health, but she continued to inspire. She continued to teach and coach as a permanent Guest Teacher with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; was an original faculty member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s/Kennedy Center’s Educational Pre-Professional Training Program for 20 years; among a score of other schools.

In 2012, Ms. Graves received the Performing Arts Award from the Historic Attucks Theatre for her contributions to the Arts in the community. In January 2016, Ms. Graves became the 5th recipient of the Virginia Symphony’s “I Have A Dreamer Award.” In April of 2017, Ms. Graves was honored by the Norfolk Education Foundation as an Alumni of the Norfolk Public Schools. These awards from her hometown were among the hundreds she received around the world during her illustrious career.

The Sweethearts Swing Band

Photo: Courtesy

Lorraine Graves 1957-2024

Lorraine Graves in performance

Photo: NJGArchives

RETIREMENT EVENTS TO HONOR CEO OF HR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

PORTSMOUTH

A new location open house, retirement reception, and portrait unveiling and wallhanging are being planned to honor the retirement of Hampton Roads Community Health Center’s longtime CEO, Barbara L. Willis.

Willis is retiring after more than 20 years of leadership at the community health center which provides primary healthcare, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, internal medicine, integrated behavioral health and comprehensive dental care.

Since Willis assumed the helm in 2003, the organization has grown from one location in Portsmouth to five locations in Portsmouth and Norfolk, a dental mobile unit, one medical/ dental mobile unit and an in-house pharmacy. HRCHC now also employs more than 100 employees including boardcertified physicians, nurse practitioners,

clinical, executive and administrative support who serve residents of the Hampton Roads region and beyond.

An Open House will take place on Thursday, April 11, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the newly-renovated Park Place Family Medical & Dental Center, 155 Kingsley Lane, Suite 320, Norfolk.

On Friday April 12, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Renaissance PortsmouthNorfolk Waterfront Hotel, a retirement party will be held. The attire is semiformal.

Finally, a portrait unveiling of Mrs.Willis will conclude the retirement celebrations on Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Barbara L. Willis Wellness Center, 1541 High St., Portsmouth. The public is welcome to attend the unveiling with light refreshments to follow.

“Barbara has built a legacy of healing and hope, as well as dedicated quality and service to the community.”

“We will sorely miss Mrs. Willis, an ardent advocate of health equity and one who embodies compassionate care and excellence,” said newlyappointed CEO Michel Bile, who recently served as the organization’s chief financial officer.

NEW NAME: 54TH HAMPTON JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL

HAMPTON

The Hampton Jazz Festival is returning this summer from June 28 to June 30 with a fresh look and a new name: The Hampton Jazz & Music Festival. Tickets for all performances are on sale now at the Hampton Coliseum Box Office or ticketmaster.com.

The 54th Annual Hampton Jazz & Music Festival, co-presented by the City of Hampton, Hampton University, and the Santangelo Group, Inc. promises “a dynamic fusion of genres, broadening

the festival’s appeal across diverse age groups.”

The annual festival has brought the best of jazz, pop, blues, soul, and R&B to the region since its first show on the campus of Hampton University in 1968 as part of a one-time celebration of the institution’s 100th birthday.

This year’s performers are KEM, Ledisi, Kingfish, Special EFX All-Stars (Friday): Boyz II Men, Coco Jones, Boney James, Kustom Made Band (Saturday); Jon Batiste, Brian Culbertson, October London, The Fuzz Band (Sunday).

SMALL BUSINESS DIRECTORY

GET NOTICED AND PLACE A SMALL BUSINESS AD IN THE GUIDE.

RATES STARTING AS LOW AS $155 PER MONTH

Barbara Willis Portrait

(Back row L to R) Elizabeth Gooden, chief operating officer; Dr. Robin Langston, chief dental officer. (Front row L to R) Dr. Vladamir Markovic, chief medical officer; Barbara L. Willis, recently retired chief executive officer; Michel Bile, interim CEO.

Photo: Courtesy

Photo: Courtesy

ECSU’S “50 IN 50” PROJECT RAISES FUNDS FOR ATHLETES

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C.

Chief among the needs of studentathletes are scholarship funding and opportunities to travel and compete nationally. That’s part of the thrust behind the Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) Department of Athletics’ inaugural “50 in 50” initiative. The goal of the fundraising project is to raise $50,000 in 50 days. The campaign ends April 17.

Viking athletes compete on 11 teams with more than 250 students. Their most recent successes include 2023 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Northern Division championships for the women’s volleyball and basketball teams.

“We desire to grow the opportunities for our student-athletes academically, athletically, and holistically in our quest to graduate champions,” said James DuBose, ECSU’s athletic director “This campaign can propel our student-athletes

to even greater success.”

At the end of the Fall 2023 semester, 119 student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or better and five earned a 4.0 GPA. Giving student-athletes a well-rounded campus and community experience is part of what creates healthy, capable athletes who can best perform and excel in the classroom and competition, athletics officials said.

“We are seeking everyone’s support, as we continue to build an experience that makes students proud to be, or have been, a student-athlete in Viking Land,” DuBose said. Donations can be made in the name of a friend, a loved one or anonymously, and the donors will receive a tax receipt. Additionally, donors are encouraged to ask whether their employer has a giftmatching program as a way to boost individual giving. Donor options are available at vikingsforward.ecsu.edu/ project/41635

April 2: NSU Fireside Chat Features

Noted Playwright, Author

NSU NEWSROOM

You are invited to experience an inspiring evening as we dive into creative arts and storytelling with the esteemed David E. Talbert, a master playwright, author, and filmmaker celebrated for his profound narratives.

This special Fireside Chat features an enriching conversation with April Woodard, the Special Assistant to the Vice President of Advancement at Norfolk State University and an Emmy-nominated TV host. Together, they will exploreTalbert’s illustrious career, offer

an insider’s look into the Hollywood film and entertainment industry, and share valuable insights on harnessing the power of storytelling for personal achievement. The discussion will take place at Norfolk State University’s L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center on April 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

David E. Talbert’s journey in filmmaking began with his directorial debut in Sony Pictures’ “First Sunday,” leading to successive hits with Searchlight’s “Baggage

Claim” and Universal’s “Almost Christmas,” each becoming the number one comedy in America upon their releases. His most significant achievement came with the musical fantasy “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey,” acclaimed by the Hollywood Reporter as one of the 50 Greatest Holiday Films of All Time.

Talbert’s current projects include writing and directing for Netflix and Universal and creating original Disney, ABC, and Legendary content. See more about David Talbert at https://www. davidetalbert.com/film.

TAM’S “STARS OF TOMORROW” MUSIC EVENT ENLISTING YOUTH

HAMPTON ROADS

The Tidewater Area Musicians, Inc. (TAM) will be presenting its special program “Stars of Tomorrow” on April 27, at 3 p.m. at The Historic Queen Street Baptist Church, 413 E. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510.

The event is an educational project to showcase and celebrate talented students who sing, dance or play an instrument, who are in the first through the twelfth grade. If you have a student who is interested in participating, please contact TAM’s chairperson, Ms. Amber Garrett @ APMusic757@ gmail.com, the deadline

for applications is April 8, 2024.

TAM is a 501 (C) (3) public charity whose membership is made up of musicians and patrons of the arts. The public is invited to the event on April 27 at 3 p.m. at Queen Street Baptist Church in Norfolk which is free and donations are accepted.

Hello and welcome to The Bridge Corner. Using the prior information on beginning bridge basics, answer the following questions as they relate to the hand below, Then, bid and play the hand:

Dealer: North

QUESTIONS:

1) Do North and South have a suit they like best?

Do East and West have a suit they like well enough to be the trump suit? If a partnership can’t find a trump suit, how do they agree on the final strain for the contract?

2) How many tricks can North calculate taking?

How many tricks can South calculate taking? What is the combined number of tricks North and South can take

3) How many tricks can East calculate taking?

How many tricks can West calculate taking? What is the combined number of tricks East and West predict winning?

4) Which partnership predicted winning the higher number of tricks? What would the contract be?

5) Which partner was the first to bid the strain of the contract? This partner will be the declarer 6) Who makes the opening lead?

7) How many tricks can East and West take as a partnership?

ANSWERS:

1) North – South do not have a suit they would like to have as trump. East –West do not have a suit they would like to have as trump. If a partnership cannot a suit they would like as trump, then the strain would be No Trump.

2) North can estimate two or three tricks. South can estimate one trick. North – South can calculate at most three or four tricks.

3) East can calculate four tricks. West can predict five tricks. East – West can estimate a combined total of nine tricks.

4) East & West predicted a higher number of tricks. The contract would be 3 N/T.

5) West would first mention the strain of the contract (No Trump). West is the declarer.

6) The player to the left of declarer will make the opening lead. North makes the opening lead. The hand of declarer’s

APRIL 13: 900 MEN STRONG BREAKFAST TO FEATURE SENATOR AARON ROUSE

HAMPTON ROADS

Virginia State Senator

Aaron Rouse will keynote the 13th Annual 900 Men Strong Scholarship and Community Service Awards Breakfast on April 13, 2024. The event will take place at 8:30 a.m. at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

Sen. Rouse, a former NFL player for the Green Bay Packers, currently represents State Senate District 7, which includes parts of the cities of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. After retiring from the National Football League, the Virginia Beach native returned home to Virginia Beach where he began his career in public service, first as a Virginia Beach City Councilman. On January 10, 2023, Rouse was elected to his Virginia State Senate seat. Each year, the breakfast has successfully galvanized more than 600 Men throughout Hampton Roads who are being role models to young men by attending the

Sen. Aaron Rouse

breakfast. This year’s event is open to both Men and Women.

During the event, seven college-bound seniors will be awarded $1,500 scholarships for their academic achievement and community service to Hampton Roads. Over the years more than $66,000 have been awarded during the breakfast to support college scholarships.

Also, each year, area men are selected and honored for unselfishly giving back to the Hampton Roads community. The 2024 honorees are Ashley Avery, President Booker T. Washinton Alumni Foundation; Darren Sanderline, Basketball Coach at Kempsville High School; Brandon Pope, Counselor Sentara Healthcare; and Don Carey, Chesapeake City Council Member. Men and Women of all ages (Fathers, Sons, Daughters, Brothers, Sisters, Grand Dads, and Grand Mothers, Uncles, Aunts, Nieces and Nephews), Law Enforcement, Churches, Non-Profits, City Wide Sports Teams, Fraternities, Sororities, Lodges, and Schools are invited to become a part of this regional wide effort to galvanize the Men and Boys of our communities to stand up to Make A Difference Through Education. For online ticket purchase and registration information visit www.900MenStrong. org or you may call (757) 627-SCBC (7222).

WOMEN

BY DELORES DUDLEY HAMPTON ROADS ʼ POET,

From the first days of time, women have been the daughters of daddies and the help mates of men.

Manʼs better half as so oftenʼs been said to stand by their men as by GOD they are led.

The bearers of children, the HOMEʼS HEAVENLY HAND who nourished those babies and helped them to understand that CHRIST is the answer to all questions in life and that CHRIST is the WAY through all of EARTHʼS stresses and strife.

Those lovely rare roses in GOD ʼ S soft, given spray, for women add beauty to every day.

And down through the ages, the woman has been MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER or sister or friend, Or sheʼs been that cousin who dried all of your tears or sheʼs been that AUNTIE who adored you throughout your teen years.

Or sheʼs been that niece that as an adult lent you care or sheʼs been that daughter who till DEATH was always there,

For from GODʼS creation, women have come forth from birth as jewels of virtue and of heartfelt, great worth, and Most are long suffering ,kind souls with patience that we can see, Being hearers and doers as CHRIST wants them to be,

And so THANKS should be given to OUR GOD up above, For WOMEN are the essence of GOD ʼ S PERFECT LOVE!

partner (East), the dummy. Is placed face up on the table. 7) East and West (with West as declarer) should end up with nine tricks.

TIDEWATER BRIDGE CLUB

The Banks at Berkley 701 South Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23523

WEDNESDAYS

10:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This is a locked building. An assigned person will be at the door to let you in until 11 a.m. Take the elevator up to the second floor Community Room. The game fee is $4 for 2 ½ or more tables. Bring your lunch. Light packaged snacks/water will be provided.

Winning Pairs from the March 20, 2024, Bridge Game

Lillye Holley – Leon Ragland

Elva Taylor –

Shirley Nottingham

Betty Warren –

Delores Burney

Barbara Whitfield –Gloria Brown

Sandra Starkey –Susie Ballard-Ware

Any question, concerns, or comments, please feel free to contact Lawrence Owes, President, Tidewater Bridge Club at l.a.owes1@gmail. com.

And now for generations women have been genius ʼ minds who helped AMERICA to rise to new levels of all kinds:

For they have been doctors and lawyers and in politics great, and they have been astronauts who challenged the amazing vast world of outer spaces of late,

and they have been athletes who are on this EARTH great and are second to none, for they have broken records, of the earlier GREATEST champion who had won,

And women have been leaders of forces in THE UNITED STATES military leading our ranks in the air, sky, and sea, so that AMERICA could be protected at all times to the highest degree.

And still while these careers they did do, women were still faithful wives and great mothers too.

And for the good of DEMOCRACY, they have shown that they will stand up and in peaceful protests they will start fights, for many women feel that every one of their bodies is private, so they should have power over their reproductive rights!

So, women for years have planted seeds of wisdom

And women now are watering those seeds it does seem So that all of the girls and the women all over the world Shall rise up gratefully and graciousy and then one day present the WORLD ʼ S ANSWER to UNITY WHICH is right now THE WORLD ʼ S ONE GLOBAL DREAM

For it has been as sure as brightly often shines the sun, If you have dreams that you want to see as reality, seek women, and they shall get the job WELL DONE!

Delores Dudley

MONA TAYLOR GUNN, GOLD STAR MOTHER, RECEIVES 2024 CRUSADER SERVICE AWARD

By Glen Mason

VIRGINIA BEACH

Catholic High School, formerly Norfolk Catholic High, recently celebrated Women’s History Month by inducting two graduates into the Catholic High Service Hall of Fame.

Mona Taylor Gunn, Class of 1969, along with Catherine Rivet Ing, Class of 1999, were honored at

an all-school assembly and Mass on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Gunn, a Norfolk native and alumna of St. Joseph’s Catholic School, St. Mary’s Academy, Norfolk Catholic, and Norfolk State University, was celebrated for her longtime dedication to public education as a Norfolk Public Schools teacher and principal and for her

Construction To Begin On Newport News’ New Huntington Middle School

By Rosaland Tyler Associate Editor New Journal and Guide

This

in Newport News are expected to haul cranes, piles of lumber and other building materials to the site that will house the new Huntington Middle School.

The new middle school will be located on the site once occupied by formerly segregated Huntington High School and old Huntington Middle. Huntington opened in 1936 and was the city’s only high school for Black students for several years. Later, the high school became the only middle school zoned for students living in southeast Newport News, according to news reports. It served about 500 students until it closed in June 2018 because it was deteriorating.

The new $132 million building project that will begin this spring, after more than a year of debate in city council chambers.

path-breaking leadership in the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., (AGSM) an organization for mothers whose sons or daughters died while in the United States Armed Forces or because of their military service.

Mrs. Gunn’s association with the group is dedicated to continuing the legacy of her son, Signalman Seaman Cherone Louis Gunn, one

of seventeen sailors killed in the attack on the USS Cole in October 2000.

Mrs. Gunn’s twenty years of membership in the organization have taken her on a physical and spiritual journey to connect with fellow Gold Star families, resulting in her 2019 election as the first AfricanAmerican president of the organization.

Mona Taylor Gunn

AARP VIRGINIA FRAUD ALERT: WATCH THOSE PAYMENT APPS

RICHMOND

Many of us have used a peer-topeer (P2P) payment app to split a bill or send money to a friend, and some people even use them for traditional shopping. However, there are inherent risks that exist on these payment apps that everyone should know about.

“To hear the city council and school board ... come together and ... commit to rebuilding that school, man, I feel like I’m floating,” Ernst Thompson, a graduate of the school, said in a 2019 WAVY TV interview, after construction plans were first announced. Construction is expected to last two years. “It may become the “center of the community again,” Newport News Mayor McKinley Price said of the old dilapidated Huntington Middle and High school buildings at a 2019 joint meeting held by City Council and the School Board at the Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center.

In 2018, Newport News School Board voted to close the 80-plus-yearold building due to its deteriorating condition. The decision forced sixth and seventh graders at Huntington to move to Heritage High, while current fifth graders in Huntington’s zone were transported to Hines and Crittenden middle schools.

On Sept 7, Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) and the City of Newport News hosted “Huntington Middle School: The Next Chapter” at the site of the future Huntington Middle School. The outdoor event commemorated the history of Huntington High School and Huntington Middle School and celebrated the launch of the next chapter, according to a news release on the city’s website.

First and foremost, because they’re as fast and convenient for criminals as they are for consumers, P2P apps – like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App – are favorite tools for modern-day scammers. It’s also important to know that, even though they may be

associated with your bank account, no fraud protections exist on P2P apps. Once you press send, it is virtually impossible to get your money back. The keys to staying safe when sending money this way is to avoid out of the blue requests for money and make sure you know the person on the other end. Think of P2P apps as cash. Before you hand over cash that you will never get back you always want to know exactly who you are giving it to, advised AARP Virginia. Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

LOCAL VOICES

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork. 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 X at www.X.com/aarpva.

When In The Course of Human Events

By Sean C. Bowers

Over many years and in the hundreds of articles published in this sacred paper I have attempted at every turn to honestly uplift and defend the honor and excellence of African Americans through the lens of my Quaker upbringing.

I have sought to celebrate Blackness in all ways and to display my many friends, teammates, their families, and those coaches over the years who adopted me as one of their own when they didn’t have to. In many cases, I was the “holdup” or thing that had to be overcome. The outstanding leadership, respectfulness, forgiveness, and redemptive examples shown me by my adopted Black family from the beautiful Black diaspora, has blessed and enriched my life.

Some of my basketball experienced stories may have been seen as “sharing too much,” personal information that could have been kept to myself quietly protecting those involved and the dead. One friend said, “Sean, it always seems to end up being about you, in the end.”

This struck me to the core like lightening, since I respect the person and their opinion. Also because since I began this writing journey 27 years

ago, I have attempted to share what I knew best, the experiences that I lived. It was never for glory or fame, rather, I wanted others to be able to hear, see, feel, read, and share the most deeply painful formative events of my life, warts-and-all – in the hope that they would never experience those traumas and dramas.

Since I graduated my fourth high school with 4D’s and a C, my life has never been one of thinking I was some ultraintelligent-being. It has been a constant struggle and dogged commitment to not remain dumb, day-by-day. The fact is, Black has set the tone of atonement, and has been the most positive driving lifeexample I attempt to honor by trying to live up to them.

Writing became cathartic: It was the way I could share my pain, and

I remain hopeful that all who read, understand, and interpret my work recognize the honest intent to help and be of service.

hopefully heal myself in the process of confessing, letting readers know this was real. Keeping them from those same pitfalls because I cared enough to be at my most vulnerable.

Should anyone have perceived my offerings as egotistical, or self-centered, that was never my intent. Many articles covered the “BEST” ways “Black” played pivotal roles in helping save this writer from himself and his race’s numerous transgressive acts. I have written what I knew best, to be true about those life-altering points. Much of what I have shared from the past, from a very young age- the systematic compartmentalization created by a five-year-old without the tools to clearly understand, or process, loss, tragedy, divorce, and the dreaded “isms.”

This in no way excuses me from others’ perceptions of me, my work, my intentions, and ultimately my writing life’s works and legacy. For those to whom I gave too much or more than they wanted or cared to know,

please be aware my offerings came from a place of grace. I remain hopeful that all who read, understand, and interpret my work recognize the honest intent to help and be of service. For those who would still say “too much,” I offer a simple question. Who dares tithing their time, life, efforts, spirit, to honor others, divulging the deepest craters of their life, that others (many of whom do not look like me) may not perish in the same eternal sufferings we all face in the course of human events?

Sean C. Bowers has written the last 27 years for The New Journal and Guide, CHAMPIONING overcoming racism, sexism, classism, and religious persecution. More of his work can found by searching “Sean C. Bowers” on the NJ&G website, on social media at Linkedin.com or by email V1ZUAL1ZE@aol. com NNPA 2019 Publisher of the Year, Brenda H. Andrews (NJ&G 37 years) has always been his publisher.

Sean C. Bowers

By Rev. Dr. Archie L. Edwards, Sr.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE MOMENTS of MEDITATION

Galatians 2:11-21. “We ... have but our faith in Christ Jesus we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

The verses that make up this week’s lesson lead into the heart of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, as he introduces the term “unjustified” – a key word in his theological vocabulary.

Paul and Peter At Antioch.

The situation that Paul describes (Galatians 2:11-13) grew out of some conduct that was inconsistent with what Peter knew to be right. Peter had learned that “God does not show favoritism” (Acts 10:34); nevertheless, feeling social pressure from the Jewish legalists, he stopped eating with Gentile believers. By doing this he influenced others, including Barnabas, to revert to this kind of legalistic separatism.

Realizing that this kind of behavior would undercut the truth of the gospel. Paul did not hesitate to confront Peter and lovingly but firmly rebuked him. Since this was a public issue, Paul felt compelled to do this “in front of them all” (Galatians 2:14).

It was important that everyone understand that the principle of liberty from

the law, which had been laid down by the Jerusalem council, was to be applied ‘across the board.” The issue over which Paul rebuked Peter was twofold, part personal and part doctrinal.

On the personal level, Peter was guilty of hypocrisy (v. 13). He himself had stopped following Jewish traditions and customs, and yet, by now refusing to eat with Gentiles, he was trying to compel them to conform to those very customs. Beyond this, there was an even more important principle at stake – the basis of salvation. Implicit in Peter’s behavior, and explicit in Paul’s further comments, is the issue of law versus grace or faith versus works.

The Nature And Result Of Justification. Paul states the principle of justification through faith alone by a threefold reiteration of the negative and positive sides of this teaching. The first statement is a general observation: “A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (v. 16a).

The second statement applies this principle personally, to himself and to Peter and to all believing Jews: “So we, too, have put our faith in Christ and not by observing the law” (v. 16b).

Finally, Paul states the principle in terms of its universal applicability: “By observing the law no one will be justified” (v. 16c). To be justified is to be declared righteous by. God, quite apart from the rightness or wrongness of our actions, on the basis of Christ’s righteousness, which is received by faith alone.

Some think these verses refer only to the immediate situation at Antioch.

According to this view, the Jewish legalists were arguing that if justification through faith in Christ leads a Jew to disregard traditional Jewish restrictions against eating with Gentiles, this makes him a ‘sinner,” since he has abandoned Jewish law.

This is what they accused Peter of doing. Paul unequivocally rejects this notion (v. 17). On the contrary, says Paul, if after entering into fellowship with believing Gentiles (thus destroying slavery to the law,), believing Jews return to their old separatist ways and rebuild the social barriers between them and the Gentiles, this would indeed be contrary to God’s will, as the discussion at the Jerusalem council had made clear. A person who did so would be a real lawbreaker (v. 18).

A second interpretation sees these verses as a preview of what Paul would write later (Romans 6-8). This view is that Paul is countering the idea that legalists have always advanced: if human beings are not restrained by law, they will run amok. To teach that justification does not require the keeping of the law will only encourage people to sin (Galatians 2:17). see Faith, page 6B

NORFOLK

On Palm Sunday, March 24, members of the Hampton Roads Community and members of the Shiloh Baptist Church where he has served for 15 years paid tribute to Pastor Keith Jones during the morning worship service. Pastor Jones will retire from the Shiloh pulpit on Easter Sunday, March 31.

Sen. Angelia WilliamsGraves presented and read a proclamation from the General Assembly saluting Rev. Jones for his community service and involvement. see Jones, page 6B Community, Shiloh Church Pay Tribute To Rev. Keith I. Jones

Trustee Davenport and Pastor Jones

Photo: CliffHayes NSU Pres. Adams-Gaston and Pastor Jones

Photo: CliffHayes

(L-R) Chloe Jones, HRCF Representative and Pastor Jones

Photo: CliffHayes

Norfolk State University Concert Choir

Photo: CliffHayes

Del. Cliff Hayes and Pastor Jones

Photo: Courtesy Sen. Angelia Williams-Graves

Photo: CliffHayes Mayor Kenneth Alexander

Photo: CliffHayes

COMMENTARY Is A Cultural Shift On The Horizon?

By Maya Mackey Inglewood Today

Almost two weeks removed from Black History Month, I find myself pondering what Black Culture is, in modern times. There’s a running joke on X/Twitter that “we are losing recipes!” whenever young Black people (Gen Z) don’t know a Black classic, like a movie, song or “rule.”

And while we mean no harm in teasing our younger kinfolk (cause you know, we’re all cousins), it does beg the question: Why are we losing recipes? And what recipes do we even want to keep?

As with all traditions in all cultures, it is up to the elders to pass down the rituals, food, language, and customs that identify a group. So, if your auntie, uncle, mom, and so on didn’t teach you how to play Spades, well, that’s a recipe lost. But outside of Spades, Uno and Dominoes, Cookouts, Collective Dancing, and asking who made the Mac n’ Cheese, what is bonding us in the present?

Every time I learn something about Black American history, the lessertold stories about pioneers of The Civil Rights Movement, I get choked up. The resilience of our people is astounding. The bravery and courage our ancestors had to muster in the face of unadulterated hatred is unmatched. But one thing about us is that we never lose our joy. As racism against African Americans soared in the 50s and 60s, alongside it, a cultural movement of pride aimed to juxtapose it.

“Black is beautiful” was a slogan, a campaign, and a mission in the 1960s and 1970s. Black people began to embrace, or rather, re-embrace their natural hair – sporting afros, braids or other nonchemically treated styles. Some even learned Swahili to connect to Africa. James Brown upped the ante with his iconic song, “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud.” The 70s brought us Soul Train, a cultural mosaic of music, fashion, and the hottest dance moves to

TV screens across America.

The 80s launched B.E.T., the first solo Black-centered channel of relevance today. Martin Luther King Jr day was established as a national holiday and Michael Jackson became a solo sensation. Oprah became an overnight sensation! The 80s gave way to Black entertainers in particular, breaking color barriers and fighting to be “legitimized” by mainstream media.

When the 90s and 2000s came around Blackness was at the height of popularity (at least on TV). The plethora of sitcoms featuring storylines of Black families and friends has never been as robust as it was during this era. From “Martin” to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Living Single.” followed “Girlfriends,” “The Parkers” and “One on One.”

Black people got to see themselves reflected on screen in diverse ways. Air Jordans became synonymous with Black Urban culture. Terms like “Ghetto Fabulous” were coined due to the styles of Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child.

Then the cultural pendulum swung back and Black people were sorely missing from programming in the first half of the 2010s. Even today, the height of Black television has not been reached since its demise around 2005.

In a post-pandemic world, where our communities have once again fallen victim to recessions, and larger family get togethers aren’t as frequent, I wonder where the pendulum of Black American culture will swing next.

Cord Jefferson, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of 2023’s American Fiction, gave rousing speeches both when he accepted his Academy Award and when he was later interviewed off-stage. He urged Hollywood to financially back more diverse, lower-budget films. It was a reasonable and much-needed ask. Yet, Black Twitter was divided today on whether Jefferson was perpetuating a culture war against “Hood Blacks” and “Suburban Blacks.”

The problem with that line of thinking

As with all traditions in all cultures, it is up to the elders to pass down the rituals, food, language, and customs that identify a group. So, if your auntie, uncle, mom, and so on didn’t

teach you how to play Spades, well, that’s a recipe lost.

and false accusation is that a.) There is a third subset of Black folk who are neither from the hood or the suburbs and b.) There are indeed Black people from the hood that have non-stereotypical interests such as anime, a love for EDM music and a passion for nature and hiking.

I was frankly annoyed that such an unproblematic request by Jefferson became obtusely misunderstood by so many people. Cast aside Cord Jefferson and the Oscars, there has still been much discourse about the normalizing of abnormal things in our community. And while we know that a racist system is to blame for a lot of the Black American plight, free will is always on the menu.

If the 60s cultural movement was about uncovering our natural beauty, the 70s and 80s were relentlessly joyful, and the 90s and 2000s were about flexing our economic come up, what will the next big be to signify Black people moving forward? As it becomes more normal to have Black people in power and more of us are living in and creating multicultural families, what of Black American life will prevail? What do we keep? What do we innovate next? I hope it’s one of living well, no matter what hood you come from.

FUN PUZZLE FOR YOUR LEISURE

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN SPORTS HISTORY

By Willie Brown Executive Publisher Inglewood Today

As we reflect on the great female athletes during Women’s History Month, we are reminded, sadly, of the gross pay inequities between men and women. While top-tier NBA players like Lebron James will reportedly earn $128M for the 20232024 season, highest paid WNBA player, Jackie Young will earn $252,450. Fortunately, women aren’t competing just for the money. They are in it for the love of the game, and the opportunity to blaze trails for women behind them.

The victories won by Serena Williams go far beyond the tennis court. She is an inspiration and an icon. From her humble beginnings in Compton until her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, the tennis legend and her sister Venus are considered pioneers of a new era in tennis – one shaped by wealth, fame, celebrity and recordbreaking wins. Danica Patrick paved the way in a sport that is hard-pressed for female representation. Danica accomplished multiple firsts for open-wheel car racing and was the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race at the 2008 Indy Japan 300. She is credited with inspiring more women to enter auto

Jones

Continued from page 4B

Del. Cliff Hayes presented the Pastor with a Commonwealth flag that has flown over the State Capitol.

Other statements and acknowledgements from the community were made by Norfolk Mayor Dr,. Kenneth Alexander, NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, and Former State Senator Lionell Spruill.

Faith

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Paul refutes this by pointing out that faith in Christ and faith in law-keeping for salvation are incompatible. Then Christ came, the old legal system as a presumed means of salvation was destroyed. For believers to attempt to rebuild it would make them breakers of God’s higher law as revealed in Christ (v. 18).

Paul maintains that being justified by faith in Christ apart from works of the law neither makes a person a sinner nor encourages sin. The law cannot save, for no one is able to keep it. The law can only condemn. But when anyone comes in faith to Christ, who died in his or her place, that person, now dead to the law, receives new life in Him (v. 19).

Verse 20 contains Paul’s personal testimony about the outcome of justification. He says that when he

Fortunately, women aren’t competing just for the money. They are in it for the love of the game, and the opportunity to blaze trails for women behind them.

racing and motorsports.

Professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, Ronda Rousey is not one to mess with. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist is the only woman to win both a UFC and WWE championship and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2018.

WNBA player Candace Parker cut her teeth as a dominant player with the Los Angeles Sparks for 13 seasons. One of the league’s most celebrated players, Parker earned the title of Rookie of the Year and WNBA MVP in 2008. She led the Sparks to a championship in 2016. At 37, she’s now a player for the Las Vegas Aces. The resilience of women in sports – or any field for that matter – is truly remarkable.

Trustee Davenport made the official acknowledgement from The Shiloh Church Family. Chloe Jones, representing the Shiloh Legacy Foundation made a surprise announcement to the Pastor who envisioned the foundation several years ago that his vision had been executed through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and had an endowment of $25,000, thanks to an early deposit of funds from him and other members of the Legacy Board.

acknowledged Jesus as Messiah and Lord, he became identified with Him in His crucifixion. This meant that Paul died to his old sinful nature, and Christ began to live His life in him. Being saved by grace, through faith, apart from the lawkeeping, did not result in added sinfulness, but in added Christlikeness.

Finally, in preparation for an in-depth exploration of the relationship between law and faith, Paul asserts that Christ’s death is worthless if righteousness (i.e. justification) can be obtained through keeping the law (v. 21). To insist, therefore, that people, whether Jews or Gentiles, must obey the law in order to be saved is to imply that God did a foolish and wasteful thing in sending Christ into the world to die for sinners. Justification, then, cannot be had through keeping the law, but only through faith in Christ. The Galatians had experienced this, and Paul is astounded that they are flirting with legalism.

Photo: iStockphoto/NNPA