Momentum Continues To Surge As Harris Energizes Democrats
By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter Emeritus New Journal and Guide
Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan is the fi rst Black woman to represent Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“There is an enthusiasm I haven’t seen since at least 2008, and I think it may even be bigger than that,” McClellan said during a TV interview.
“I was on a call with over 40,000 Black women ... that raised over a million dollars (initially),” McClellan said, adding many people are reaching out asking how they can get involved with the Harris campaign.
“There is excitement, a real shot in the arm, and we will ride that wave to victory in November.”
VP Kamala Harris
A Proud Reflection
NORFOLK
VP’s
Pick: He’s A Governor, Veteran, Ex-Coach & Teacher
By Stacy M. Brown
Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
NEWSWIRE
NNPA
“The only person best situated to build on Biden’s record and defeat Trump is our Vice President Kamala Harris.
see Harris, page 2A
On Sunday, July 21, President Joseph R. Biden “passed on the torch” to Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the Democratic party in its fi ght to defeat Donald Trump in this year’s General Election. If she wins, Harris will be the first woman and first female of African, Asian, and Indian descent to be elected President of the United States. Before becoming Vice President, Harris, a graduate of Howard University, was a Prosecuting Attorney in San Francisco, California Attorney General, and U.S. Senator from that state. She was then selected by Biden to be his Vice President.
After much speculation and a whirlwind of lastminute vetting and interviewing candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 60, on Monday, Aug. 4. as her running mate. As of early Monday, reports suggested that Harris had narrowed her choices to Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Other considered candidates included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.
Dr. Phil Nelson stands in front of a board highlighting the Hampton Roads Black Radio Announcers, an association preserving the legacy of the Black Radio Industry in Hampton Roads. He and Rev. Dr,. Glenda P. Murray Kelly are the cofounders, and they hosted the opening of an HRBRAA Photo Exhibit and a Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday at the Slover Library in Norfolk. see page 2B
Phil
see Walz, page 3A
Walz provides the ticket with a diverse and extensive background. His career spans over two decades in the Army National Guard, including deployment overseas after the 9/11 attacks and a dedicated period as an educator and coach.
REMEMBERING ROD SUITER: AN ETERNAL LIGHT ONSTAGE
By Terrance Afer-Anderson Special to
the New Journal and Guide
Legendary actor-director Michael Chekhov once opined, “An actor has to burn inside with an outer ease.”
To the astute observer, late local actor-director Rodney Suiter was blessed with an abundance of such exquisite, creative, St. Elmo’s Fire; touching fellow thespians and audiences alike with a blazing creative spirit that engulfed but yet burned.
Rod left us on July 27, 2024, leaving an immediately discernible gap in the local theatre community. His departure left a host of actors, directors, producers, and playwrights stunned and grieving. He was truly a giant on area stages.
I wanted to share how his brilliant career left so many illuminated, having borne witness to an unforgettable talent.
His uncle, former Norfolk City Councilman Paul Riddick, recalls a very special moment in his nephew’s professional career.
“Rodney was a big fan of
Rod left us on July 27, 2024, leaving an immediately discernible gap in the local theatre community. His departure left a host of actors, directors, producers, and playwrights stunned and grieving. He was truly a giant on area stages.
August Wilson,” he said, “and he got a role in Fences at the Wells Theater.” He added, “It was one of the most exciting roles in his life.”
Rod had portrayed “Bono” in Fences and appeared in several other productions at the Virginia Stage Company’s Wells Theater. VSC
Producing Artistic Director Tom Quaintance notes, “I was deeply saddened to learn
of Rodney Suiter’s passing. His last performance on the Wells Theatre stage was “Constable Warren” in Our Town. Playing the part of a man whose life is dedicated to serving his community, who knows everyone and is a vital part of the fabric that knits the community together, came easy to Rodney. He will be dearly missed.”
see Suiter, page 8A
ARE TRUMP AND J.D. VANCE SIMILAR TO GEORGE WALLACE?
By Rosaland Tyler Associate Editor New Journal and Guide
Alabama Gov. George Wallace’s famous 1963 inauguration speech in Montgomery sounds eerily similar to some of former President Donald Trump’s recent campaign speeches, as well as comments that Trump’s vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance penned in “Hillbilly Elegy.” Wallace, who was famously known for saying “Segregation now, segregation forever,” served four terms as Alabama governor, from the 1960s through the 1980s. During his 1963 inaugural speech, Wallace continued to push for segregation, although federal lawmakers would approve the 1965 Civil Rights Act two years later.
“We invite the negro citizens of Alabama to work with us from his separate racial station ... as we will work with him,” Wallace said in his 1963 speech. “We want jobs and a good future for BOTH races,” he told the crowd, but added, “Southerners played a most magnificent part in erecting this great divinely inspired system of freedom ... and as God is our witness, Southerners will save it.”
God has placed us here in this crisis ... let us not fail in this ... our most historical moment.”
– Gov, George Wallace on defeating racial integration
Wallace also told his inaugural crowd more than six decades ago, “Let us, as Alabamians, grasp the hand of destiny and walk out of the shadow of fear ... and fill our divine destination. Let us not simply defend ... but let us assume the leadership of the fight and carry our leadership across this nation. God has placed us here in this crisis ... let us not fail in this ... our most historical moment.”
Although a new CBS poll shows presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris, is leading Trump by 1 point nationally, and also leading
Trump 50 to 49 percent nationally in a head-tohead race, it is important to remember that Wallace’s 1963 inaugural speech was delivered when Black folks couldn’t legally try on shoes and dresses in downtown stores, order hamburgers and fries at a lunch counter, or sit in the front of a public bus, due to Jim Crow laws.
It may explain why Black voters, (74 percent) recently told CBS pollsters that they would “definitely” vote compared to 58 percent when Biden was the nominee. see Wallace, page 2A
Voter Registration Increases 35% In Virginia,
Across Nation
By Rosaland Tyler Associate Editor New Journal and Guide
After the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris announced her candidacy on July 21, voter registration not only increased by 35 percent in the state of Virginia, it also increased in Hampton Roads and across the nation.
Virginia Department of Elections records show that on Monday and Tuesday (7/22 and 7/23), the first two full days of Harris’ campaign, 4,899 Virginians registered to vote, which represented a 38.5 percent increase over the same time the week before.
Records show that on the first two full days of Harris’ campaign, 4,899 Virginians registered to vote.
Meanwhile, in Portsmouth, Director of Elections Alexandra Abell said that since the June 18 election, 200 more people have registered. Nationwide, Vote.org, a non-profit group that works to increase voter turnout, reported a 700 percent increase in the number of people registering to vote nationwide.
By Stacy M. Brown Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
NNPA NEWSWIRE
This week marks a monumental victory for Black farmers as they begin receiving payments from the $2.2 billion Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP). After decades of advocacy and struggle, John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), declared the day “a huge win.”
Nearly two years ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Section 22007, authorizing compensation for farmers who faced racial discrimination in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) farm lending practices before 2021. This week, around 43,000 farmers will receive payments of up to $500,000, with the average award being $82,000.
Reflecting on this long-
Political analyst Rich Meagher said, “These could be Democrats fired up about Kamala Harris’ candidacy and joining in to vote for their chosen candidates. see Voters, page 3A
Many Black farmers have died waiting for justice, but today’s announcement brings some closure.
awaited achievement, Boyd recounted his journey, which began almost 40 years ago when he first experienced these injustices. “No matter how it is sliced, the $2.2 billion in payouts is historic,” he said. This follows previous settlements, including a $1 billion payout in 1999 and a $1.25 billion settlement in 2013. The NBFA’s relentless efforts have also paved the way for similar settlements with Hispanic and women farmers ($1.3 billion). see Farmers, page 3A
Rod Suiter
Photo: Courtesy
Dr.
Nelson at the opening of the HRBRAA Photo Exhibit and Hall of Fame ceremony at the Slover Library in Norfolk.
Photo: PublicDomain Gov. George Wallace
Gov. Tim Walz
Continued from page 1A
Harris now has 81 percent support among Black voters, compared to 73 percent support for Biden.
In battleground states, Harris and Trump are tied in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona, according to the new CBS poll. Trump has a 1-point lead in Wisconsin and a 3-point lead in Georgia and North Carolina, while Harris has a 2-point lead in Nevada.
The problem is Vance, who was born in 1984, was not even born when Wallace delivered his famous 1963 inaugural speech in Montgomery. Still, their logic sounds remarkably similar.
“It’s not your fault that you’re a loser; it’s the government’s fault,” J.D. Vance wrote in “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.”
Vance also wrote in his 2016 best-seller, “Whenever people ask me what I’d most like to change about the white working class, I say, ‘The feeling that our choices don’t matter.’”
Vance added, “There is a cultural movement in the white working class to blame problems on society or the government, and that movement gains adherents by the day.”
Surely you see a pattern, as you compare Wallace’s and Vance’s thoughts. If not, listen to a recent speech Trump delivered in Georgia.
Trump called Harris a “really low-IQ individual,” in his 90-minute speech, at an Aug. 3, rally held at the Georgia State Convocation Center, held just days after Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign event in the same venue.
Trump not only blamed Harris for the death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was killed by an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, (Jose Antonio Ibarra), Trump also said, “Kamala Harris should not be asking for your vote, she should be begging Laken Riley’s family for forgiveness,” he added.
“I’m the one who’s saving democracy,” Trump said at his recent rally in Georgia.
“They don’t want the vote to be honest. In my opinion, they want us to lose,” Trump said, depicting himself as a victim, like Wallace, whose public service began in 1946 as assistant state’s attorney. Wallace was later elected to two terms in the state legislature. He was elected a judge of the Third Judicial Circuit of Alabama in 1953, and in 1958 he ran unsuccessfully for the governorship but lost although he had been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan, according to Brittanica.
“Wallace won the governorship of Alabama
in 1962 on a platform emphasizing segregation and economic issues. Within his first year in office he kept his pledge ‘to stand in the schoolhouse door’ by blocking the enrollment of Black students at the University of Alabama in June 1963.”
“And we can’t let that happen,” Trump added at his recent rally in Georgia. “If we lose Georgia, we lose the whole thing, and our country goes to hell.”
The point is Wallace, the son of a farmer, also depicted himself as a type of saviour when he led the South’s fight against federally ordered racial integration in the 1960s. But Wallace was actually a populist, who won office by seizing on issues that appealed to many Southern whites, according to numerous historians.
Wallace’s mother, Mozelle Smith Wallace, was abandoned by her mother and raised in an orphanage in Mobile as a young girl. As a teen, Wallace won two Golden Gloves state titles.
August 5, 1944
Edition of the Guide
Negro Soldiers See Varied Combat Action In France
By Rudolph Dunbar
WITH ALLIED FORCES IN FRANCE
The assignment of American Negroes in the Army is varied and interesting. I visited a signal corps unit which is the first of its kind in the Army and I can state it is a unique combination with an unsurpassed record. The outfit was activated at Camp Gordon and took part in maneuvers all over the country from New York to California.
It took them eight days only to install telephone and telegraph wires from Bayeux to Valorness and Montabaur to Cherbourg, a distance of 62 miles. During that time they were constantly shelled from the enemy.
Frank Mack and John C, Mitchell from New York City narrowly escaped death when a bridge was blown up. They are referred to as “snipers’ bait” on account of the easy prey they furnish for the enemy when they are on telegraph poles constructing communications wires.
M/SGT. R. J. Ridgway is the “line chief” in the constructing battalion. Sgt. Ridgway hails from New Orleans.
August 7, 1954
Edition of the Guide
He enrolled in the military, served as a legislative page at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery and graduated from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1942. So did his humble beginnings influence his largely divisive political platform?
The point is Wallace’s largely divisive views mirror Trump’s because there is still a market for grievance-focused political leaders. For example, Trump seemed like he was channeling Wallace, when he said at his recent Georgia rally, “We have to work hard to define her (Kamala Harris)… “I just want to say who she is. She’s a horror show,” he added. “She’ll destroy our country.”
But many political leaders are rejecting divisive political platforms including Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R), who recently described the former president’s Georgia speech as “unhinged” and “angry.”
“If you were able to see through Donald
Trump’s incoherence and vindictiveness tonight, you saw a Donald Trump who does not care about uniting this country or speaking to the voters who will decide this election,” Duncan said in a recent statement on behalf of the Harris campaign.
“Millions of Americans are fed up with his grievancefilled campaign focused only on himself. Tonight we heard a particularly unhinged, angry version of the same Donald Trump that Georgia rejected in 2020.”
Meanwhile more than two dozen Republicans recently launched “Republicans for Harris,” a group that aims to woo GOP voters who reject Donald Trump.
To spot other similarities between Wallace and Trump, you will have to wait until the November elections. In the end, Wallace won only 46 electoral votes when he ran for president in 1968, according to The National Archives. Wallace, who ran for president in 1968, 1972 and 1976, died at age 79 in 1998.
Harris Continued from page 1A
She is ready to serve and will make a great president. Let’s get to work!” said Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott hours after Biden withdrew from the race.
“I believe Vice President Harris has the experience, energy, and resolve to lead our nation and defeat Donald Trump and his backward agenda,” wrote Virginia’s Senior Senator Mark Warner in a fundraising email for Vice President Harris.
“I will do everything in my power to deliver Virginia for Vice President Harris,” state House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said in a statement. “Just as we did last year when we flipped the House of Delegates, we will also reject the MAGA extremist Project 2025 agenda. We will win Virginia again, and elect the first woman President in the history of the United States.”
In chorus with conservative media, Trump and his VicePresidential running mate, JD Vance have been referring to the Vice President as a “lying, radical lunatic, who destroys everything she touches and who would ruin America.”
Commentators on Fox News have referred to her as the “DEI” (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion) candidate. Republicans have been seeking to demonize the DEI as a hiring token and unqualified Black or female
From The Guide’s Archives
She is ready to serve and will make a great president. Let’s get to work!”
Congressman Bobby Scott
–
employees at the expense of white men.
Dr. Eric W. Claville is director of the Center for African-American Public Policy (CAAmPP) at Norfolk State University (NSU) and host of the “State of the Water” radio show on the school’s station, WNSBFM.
“I am not surprised Biden dropped out,” he said. “Twenty-five big donors said ‘no more dough ... until no more Joe.’ He was not going anywhere. His own campaign people were saying there was no path to victory for him.”
Gaylene Kanoyton, a party activist who participated in the historic Zoom meeting organized by WinWithBlackWomen, is a participant in the August 7 virtual meeting of DNC delegates representing the Commonwealth.
“The party is excited, and we have a new start, she said. “But we know it was bitter-sweet for the President (Biden), who prioritized country over party. The energy is amazing. Not only Black, but white women, Black and white men, LGBT, Hispanic and even Republicans are supporting her.” see Harris, page 6A
Archives taken from the pages of the (New) Journal and Guide
the country.
The three Virginia banks are: The Consolidated Bank and Trust Co., Richmond; The Crown Savings Bank, Newport News; and the First State Bank, Danville. These three banks have combined assets of $8,422.000 and bank deposits of $7,7000, 000 which exceed those of any other state.
The eleven other banks are distributed in nine states. There are two in Georgia, two in Tennessee, and one each in North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
The largest of these banks is the Industrial Bank of Washington, D.C.
July 29 - August 4, 1992
Edition of the Guide
TLEOA President Said Newspaper Unfairly Represented Norfolk Minority Police Officers
By Leonard E. Colvin NORFOLK
A story that ran in the Virginian Pilot/Ledger Star regarding the city’s recent police promotion exam unfairly represented minority officers, according to the head of the group representing them.
“The reporter talked to me extensively but failed to quote me or relay any of my ideas on the current promotion system,” said Banks.
“It did more harm than good because it only heightened the racial tensions centered on the issue. It had best not been written at all.”
The subject of the Norfolk Police Department’s promotion policies is a sore spot among the peace officers’ community. Presently no woman, Black or White, holds the ranks above sergeant. There are only two Black Lieutenants (Banks is one of them in the Vice and Narcotics Division) and only one Black Major. The force has about 70 American officers.
The idea that the department may promote African-American men and women and White women at the expense of White males has caused the sore to swell and fester, according to one African-American police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing raising racial tension.
Test questions were removed by designers of the test Burgaff-Cogswell Associates, Inc. of Bristol, Conn. and not by personnel within the Norfolk Police or Human Resources Departments.
Dr. King remains unfulfilled.
These days, the torch of leadership for the fundraising drive is in the hands of businesswoman Rosa Alexander. She took over that post in September 1989 at the request of Judge Jordan who had estimated the cost of the structure to cost some $250,000 upon completion.
Currently Alexander said she has some $100,000 in hand for the project.
Funds are being collected under the Judge Joe Jordan Foundation. A Norfolk lawyer was paid for a 5013c nonprofit tax exemption for the MLK monument but nothing materialized, according to Alexander.
The Jordan Foundation is tax exempt, thus allowing for donations to be tax deductible for income purposes.
Alexander is the fifth area citizen to head the monument fundraising effort: the initial one was Judge Jordan and chaired by Evelyn Butts. Then there was Bishop Levi Willis, who was relieved by Rev. I Joseph Williams.
Record-keeping of the amount of donations received and expended over the years are scanty. Alexander said she has no clear record of past fiscal activities and the one which she recovered from Rev. I. Joseph Williams amounts to “Garbage.”
to say about the moderate Republican and middleclass messengers of the New South led by Democratic party double-Bubba ticket Bill Clinton and Al Gore.
“The Platform that the Democratic party endorsed puts new conservative words to an old liberal tune,” The Times said.
ASSOCIATE
Three of The Nation’s 14 Race Banks In Virginia NEWPORT NEWS
In an article in the early edition of the Journal and Guide, dated July 14, Virginia was inadvertently credited with having only one Negro-owned and operated bank. The mistake was corrected during the press run.
Information received from M.C. Martin, President of the First State Bank, Danville, Virginia and head of the National Bankers Association, it is noted that Virginia has three Negro banks one of them being the oldest and fourth largest in
The article quoted sources, some anonymous, who charged that the Norfolk Police Department’s recent promotion exam was tainted to favor African-American men and women and White female officers. No rebuttal was afforded by the offended parties, as is customary in newspaper reports when charges are issued.
When the article “Norfolk Police Promotional Test Angers Officers” appeared in the local section of the daily newspaper, Gregory Banks, the President of the Tidewater Law Enforcement Officers Association (TLEOA), was incensed. Banks’ group is comprised primarily of African-American officers and addresses issues related to all minorities, including White women.
He was angry that “the article did not tell both sides to the story.”
Martin Luther King Memorial In Norfolk Still A Dream
By Leonard E. Colvin
NORFOLK
It has been over 24 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot to death on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Tenn.
It has been over 22 years since then Councilman Joseph Jordan proposed that a standing memorial for the slain civil rights leader be constructed in Norfolk. His proposal was denounced by the Mayor, Claude Staylor, who had no love for Dr. King nor his civil rights movement, Jordan said. Today, after thousands of pleas for funding and thousands of dollars in donations, Jordan’s, and the community’s, quest to build a commemorative memorial to
“The donations keep trickling in at a small rate,” Alexander said. “It is a very slow process but I am hoping that we will be able to generate the money we need to build the monument.”
Editorial Page Democrats to Blacks: “Get Out”
By Tony Brown
I know a Republican when I see one because I am a Republican and I know a Republican platform when I read one because I know the guiding principles of the Republican party of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
That is why I know the 1992 Democratic convention formally evicted Blacks and adopted a Republican platform. Listen for examples to what The New York Times had
The Democrats and Clinton are eager to shed the party’s image as favoring a tax and spend irresponsibility and the platform stresses virtues like personal responsibility, strengthening the family and market forces. Restrictions on welfare are advocated, and the need for military might is stressed. The Democrats have adopted issues with a GOP tinge such as law-andorder and workfare. In addition to throwing a lot of poor Blacks off welfare, Clinton plans to eliminate 100,000 government jobs. This is aimed at the middle management where middleclass Blacks are ensconced. The blue-collar Bubbas got the message and Clinton’s ranking in the polls skyrocketed by 12 points to 42 percent opening up a massive lead over President George W. Bush (30%) and faltering Ross Perot (20%). As I have continually written, there is now one Republican Party with two wings both wooing the White vote that resents the limited gains of Blacks due to preference programs that come at the expense of Whites.
Getting 90 percent of the Black vote has cost the Democrats more White votes than it could afford to lose, and still win the White House. Clinton saw Jesse Jackson as a power broker and irritant which drove Whites to the Republicans by millions in 1984 and 1988 and believes that Michael Dukakis’ defeat was due to his association with Jackson. Clinton’s 1992 strategy is to hold Blacks at a distance even seeking to offend them in order to prove to White southerners that he will not give too much to Blacks.
Wallace standing against desegregation while being confronted by U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach at the University of Alabama in 1963.
Photo: PublicDomain
Walz
Continued from page 1A
His political journey began with a surprising victory over a six-term Republican incumbent in 2006, during a Democratic wave year. Walz maintained his seat in a typically red district until he ran for governor in 2018, after which the seat reverted to GOP control.
During his tenure as governor, Walz has faced significant challenges and navigated a series of political and social upheavals, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, which sparked global antiracist protests. Despite criticisms and complaints,
Voters
Continued from page 1A
It also could be Republicans garnered by Kamala Harris and what is happening in the Democratic party.”
Walz’s leadership led to a Democratic trifecta in Minnesota by early 2023. Forbes Magazine highlighted Walz’s appeal as a moderate Democrat with a working-class background and rural roots, making him an attractive option for independents and moderate Democrats.
Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp praised Walz for his relatable life experiences, which align with many rural Americans.
Walz’s political career began with a stint on former Massachusetts Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. His transition from teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where he met his wife, Gwen, to teaching in China and later at a high school in Mankato, Minnesota, set the stage for his political aspirations.
As governor, Walz’s accomplishments include ensuring tuition-free meals at state universities, enshrining abortion rights into state law, banning conversion therapy, and protecting gender-affirming healthcare. Recently, he defended those measures against right-wing criticism, emphasizing the importance of accessible healthcare and education.
In May, Walz expanded voting rights in Minnesota for an estimated 55,000 formerly incarcerated residents.
“We know the hard work required to secure a victory in November, and we are committed to seeing it through,” Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, declared after a record-breaking fundraising month. “When we fight together, we win.”
the nomination.
Farmers
Continued from page 1A
Also, Native-American farmers ($800 million), and the Cobell case settlement ($3.4 billion).
victory. Boyd acknowledged that issues such as banks denying operating funds or farm ownership loans persist, as do recent allegations of racial discrimination against companies like John Deere.
Meagher added, “New registrations reflect either people who felt left out of the process and are now either excited to vote for or against Harris or they are younger voters who maybe were sitting out or didn’t see a reason to join in because Joe Biden was running and now they are excited because there of this new person, this new face in the race.”
Harris announced her candidacy on July 21, 2024, after President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for reelection and endorsed her earlier the same day. According to news reports, Harris easily secured the support of enough delegates to win
The New York Times noted in a July 26 report, “Harris has drawn support from all corners of her party, including former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, top congressional and party leaders and every Democratic governor in the country.
The Associated Press said late Monday that Ms. Harris had secured the backing of more than the 1,976 delegates needed to capture the nomination in the first round of voting.”
Boyd’s dedication to justice has been challenging. He faced hateful phone calls, mail, and even death threats. Despite these obstacles, he remained steadfast in his fight. “Total restoration is impossible, but for me, the fight was about justice,” Boyd emphasized.
Midtown Group, an unbiased third-party administrator, oversaw the DFAP’s administration to ensure a fair adjudication procedure for each farmer’s case. Although the 40-page application process and long wait times added to the farmers’ pain, the payments represent a bittersweet
For those denied assistance through the DFAP, there is no appeal or review process, a reality Boyd profoundly regrets. Many Black farmers have died waiting for justice, but today’s announcement brings some closure. Boyd reflected on his tireless efforts, from lobbying Congress to protesting with his mules “Struggle” and “Forty Acres,” and riding his tractor, “Justice,” to Washington. Listening to Senior White House Advisor Stephen Benjamin detail the award notifications and check disbursement made it all worthwhile. “Today is a huge win for the NBFA,” he declared.
In October 2022, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced a class action
suit against the United States government on behalf of the NBFA. The lawsuit came after findings that Black farmers lost approximately $326 billion of land due to discrimination during the 20th century. Crump and the farmers argued that the federal government breached its contract with socially disadvantaged farmers under the American Rescue Plan Act.
Despite these challenges, President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to addressing inequities in farming. “Farmers and ranchers work around the clock to put food on our tables and steward our Nation’s land. But for too long, many farmers and ranchers experienced discrimination in farm loan programs and have not had the same access to federal resources and support. I promised to address this inequity when I became President. Today that promise has become a reality,” Biden stated.
At left, John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), with Attorney Ben Crump, second from left.
Photo: Courtesy
PROFESSOR
EMERITUS OF SOCIOLOGY
VIRGINIA TECH
THE SUPREME COURT TO THE RESCUE
By Wornie Reed, Ph.D.
The period between the Brown v. Board of Education case and the end of the 1960s has been called the Second Reconstruction. Some people claim a Third Reconstruction, starting with Obama’s election in 2009 and teetering towards its end nowadays.
If so, it is being aided and abetted – like the First Reconstruction – by the United States Supreme Court.
The First Reconstruction started right after the Civil War and ended in 1877. During this period, there was a movement toward a multiracial democracy. Notably, the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments were passed.
African-Americans were involved at all levels of government in the South. Sixteen served in the U.S. Congress, more than 600 were elected to state legislatures, and hundreds more held local offices across the South.
In various states, these multi-racial state governments enfranchised poor whites, abolished property qualifications for jury service, abolished property qualifications for voting, and created state public school systems.
During this period, the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed. Martin Luther King often said this Act was more robust than the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The First Reconstruction ended with the Hayes-Tilden Compromise in 1877, an informal agreement that resolved the disputed 1876 U.S. presidential election between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. The Democrats agreed to accept Hayes as the President if he would remove the federal troops
from the South. The troops had protected AfricanAmericans from the Ku Klux Klan and other racial terrorists. Their removal enhanced a reign of terror against Blacks.
The period of Southern Redemption, roughly between 1877, the end of Reconstruction, and 1900, the beginning of the new century, saw the South, with plenty of help from the North, regaining its footing and its ability to manage its affairs, which often meant exploiting their former slaves.
Then, the U.S. Supreme Court chipped in – in a major way. First were the Slaughterhouse Cases (1873), which limited the 14th Amendment. Then came the overturning of the 1866 and 1875 Civil Rights laws (1883), and the knockout punch was the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling in 1896, which installed segregation as constitutionally legal and ushered in 58 years of segregation.
Relying on the constitutional foundation supplied by the U.S. Supreme Court, these states began instituting the era of Jim Crow. The Court provided the ex-Confederate states with the constitutional backing they needed to construct a completely segregated society.
The Second Reconstruction brought about the Brown v. Board ruling, the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The Voting Rights Act was considered the most important, as it ushered in an era of increased political participation by AfricanAmericans.
Of course, things stopped after Martin Luther King’s assassination. That is why some people consider the
… the U.S. Supreme Court is reverting to its traditional anti-civil rights stance.
Third Revolution as starting with Obama’s election. The immediate appearance of the Tea Party foreshadowed the oncoming racial backlash.
Then, the Supreme Court played its usual role – holding back the tide of racial progress.
The 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Shelby v Holder, gutted the Voting Rights Act. With permission granted by this decision, States began to make it harder for African-Americans and other minorities to vote –closing thousands of polling places in African-American communities, purging voter rolls, and enacting strict voter ID laws.
While the Supreme Court was busy propping up Donald Trump, they continued their attack on civil rights. Last year, the Supreme Court decimated affirmative action in colleges and universities. Last June, the Court overturned the Chevron Rule. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights issued a statement saying, “Communities across the country depend on federal agencies to interpret and enforce civil rights laws and protections effectively, and today’s ruling gravely hinders their ability to do so. This devastating decision could have drastic implications for the government’s ability to deliver on civil rights for the American people and for our democracy.”
However, the U.S. Supreme Court is reverting to its traditional anti-civil rights stance.
Real Climate Solutions Demand A Strong Democracy
By Ben Jealous (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)
As we celebrate the 59th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) this month, it is important we remember: the only way to tackle the complex challenges of our time is with a democracy that is responsive to the people it represents. From racial justice to economic opportunity, gun violence to health care, education to reproductive freedom, there is no issue that stands out as an exception to this rule. Certainly, our ability to tackle the climate crisis – one of our most urgent challenges, and the most existential for our planet –depends on the strength of our democracy.
The Biden-Harris administration has made historic progress on climate action. The Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are but two examples of the policies keeping America and humanity in the fight against fossil fuel-driven climate change. And there are dozens more examples of executive orders and agency rulemakings from the administration that represent bold climate action. To continue and expand on this progress, our democracy must be built to ensure it is serving the interests of the many, not just the few.
The fight against climate change is not just a scientific or environmental issue, but
CARRTOON By Walt Carr
By E. Faye Williams (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)
Being a Black woman, I tend to have an interest in what some people say about Black women. Check Simone Biles at the Olympics! Wow! Skip to the orange man at the National Association of Black Journalists. He appeared out of place from the time he was asked the first question. He went on the attack instead of being grateful that he was even invited to be in the presence of Black women journalists. I can’t imagine any one of the journalists having the slightest personal interest in him. They were there for business. They were giving him an opportunity that many were not rushing to invite him on their programs or to speak at their conventions. Unfortunately, orange man has a habit of attacking anybody who tries to get a straight answer from him. The journalists took their precious time to allow him to explain himself. While many of us were not happy that he was given precious time but wanted to be “fair” and at least present him with an opportunity to allow the crowd to hear him and ask for the support of Black people.
Instead, he questioned the intelligence of Black women – including the brilliant
also a deeply political and democratic one. The climate crisis is a global emergency that demands immediate attention and action, and it is the people who have the power to drive and influence our leaders and policymakers to prioritize that action.
But the reality is that the fossil fuel industry, with its immense wealth, has been able to shape and influence our democracy to serve its interests, rather than those of the people. That is why we need to strengthen our democracy to better protect voting rights, make it easier to vote, curtail partisan gerrymandering, and reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics. The power in a democracy should rest with people, and the voice of the voter, not a small handful of executives and investors getting rich from one planet-killing industry.
Transitioning to a clean energy economy is not just a moral imperative, it is an investment in America in
so many ways. It reduces pollution, making the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil where our food grows cleaner, safer, and healthier. And it is better for consumers and ratepayers too. Renewable energy like solar and wind are already more affordable and resilient than fossil fuels and that gap is widening every day. The same goes for electric vehicles.
Speeding up the transition will continue to create jobs, ensure American competitiveness in the next economy, and grow and strengthen our economy. We have already seen more than 300,000 jobs created by the Biden-Harris administration’s investments in clean energy.
Someone who understood this was my friend, the late Congressman John Lewis. Rep. Lewis was one of our greatest champions for strengthening American democracy and protecting the rights and power of voters. In his final years, he said: see Climate, page 5A
By Dr. Julianne Malveaux (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)
Vice President Kamala Harris has a political career that is classic textbook. She leveraged her legal training at the University of California into a position in the District Attorney’s office. Then she ran for San Francisco District Attorney, beating the incumbent in a runoff election. She came out on top of a crowded Democratic primary for California Attorney General, and narrowly defeated her Republican opponent for the office in 2010.
She overwhelmingly beat her Republican opponent when she ran for re-election in 2014. When she ran for the United States Senate in 2016, she garnered twice as many votes as the next-highest vote getter, and in the final election earned mor than 60 percent of the vote.
The Vice-President’s electoral history is wellknown, and I recount it for a reason. Kamala Harris earned increasing responsibility by running for office and winning. There is no diversity, equity and inclusion in electoral politics. The only way you move up is to get more votes than your opponent. If there is any DEI in the Harris record, it’s Definitely
Black woman who is now the candidate giving him a run for his money. He had the nerve to accuse VicePresident Kamala Harris not to acknowledge her Blackness! He was reminded that Vice-President Harris attended Howard University (Historically Black University), joined a Black women’s sorority, has lived her life as a Black woman and has never denied being Black!
He just accepted the (NABJ) invitation to show us how he really feels about us.
I know so many extremely qualified by education, experience and common sense who would run circles around the orange man who tried to compete with them. They don’t sit around arguing with childlike behavior, wrong information and stupid arguments. He makes no sense in his arguments. Now that he finds himself thinking he might have to debate his presidential opponent, it’s obvious he is scared to death. It’s ironic that Kamala is the prosecutor, and her opponent has 34 criminal convictions already! All of his bluster and insults about women he finds himself in a situation in which he is not in charge. His opponent is a brilliant Black woman, who has her facts, talent, accomplishments, and issues together. She knows how to do research to get the right information and she knows what to do with it. He just grabs anything he hears somebody say or he just makes up something that sounds good to him, but is abhorrent to everyone else. I cannot believe a man who grew up with every advantage in life had to steal his family’s money – even his nephew’s share who suffered a debilitating disease – and tell his relative “Let him die, and move down to Florida.” Shocking! Even poor people do what they can to assist a helpless relative.
Earned It.
Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett made headlines by describing our VicePresident as a “DEI hire,” describing her as “checking all the boxes.” Her electoral record refutes that fact. The Vice President didn’t just drop out of a coconut tree, to paraphrase her. She has worked for every office she has earned. To be sure, she was selected to serve as President Biden’s running mate. But she would not have been selected had she not been elected so many times. If the rabid Republicans stuck to describing our Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as DEI, that would be an ill-placed slur. But former President Trump and his equally woman hating Vice President have stooped even lower, describing our Vice President as “garbage,”
see Women, page 5A
Vice President Harris is not a gut punch, she is a knockout punch.
‘bum” and “crazy.” Throw a little “San ‘Francisco liberal” in there to complete the predictable cocktail of slurs and attacks. No one is surprised by the Trump slurs, as the former President is amazingly consistent in his approach to his opponents. Indeed, the inarticulate nature of his slurs leads one to question his mental competency and suggest that he be tested for his comprehension. One wonders how his verbal vomit will survive any international negotiations. Trump’s Vice presidential nominee JD Vance has the same relationship with truth as his boss, Mr. Trump, does. In making his case against “childless cat ladies,” he accuses Democrats, including Vice President Harris, of being “antifamily,” but it is Democrats that have advocated profamily policies, including the child tax credit that would lift millions of children out of poverty. Like Trump, Vance does not mind telling outright lies.
see DEI, page 5A
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. (Ret.)
Ben Jealous
Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Women
Continued from page 4A
After attending a convention where one would think he’d be happy to be given an opportunity to put his best foot forward, I’m sure he didn’t give anyone a reason to vote for him! He
DEI
Continued from page 4A
Kamala Harris is used to the lies, the slurs, the white male disdain. She’s had to deal with that through much of her career, as most women in power have. Trump is an expert at disparaging women, attacking their looks (Carly Fiorina, E. Jean Carroll), their clothing (Nicky Haley), their mental acuity (Nancy
Climate
Continued from page 4A
“I do not agree with the dark vision of America’s future [then-President Trump] described that pits accepting responsibility for our environmental impact against the economic stability and vitality of our country … The rest of the world has seen the economic and environmental benefit of clean energy, and they will leave us behind.”
As we remember Rep. Lewis’s legacy this summer – between last month’s anniversary of his passing and the anniversary of the VRA this month – let us remember those words as a call to action. And let us also remember that although there is no conflict between economic prosperity and doing all we can to fight the climate crisis, the climate
just accepted the invitation to show us how he really feels about us. He always thinks he’s the smartest person in the room, when in fact, he’s fooling himself. He was rude to the journalists who were gracious enough to allow him to be on the stage with them. I worked on the Shirley Chisholm team when she ran for President, and I know what a challenging time she
Pelosi) and more. All I say to these rabid Republicans is, ”bring it.” Vice President Kamala Devi Harris is time enough for you. Mr. Vance has described the Harris candidacy as a “gut punch” to the Trump-Vance ticket. Instead of campaigning against a Biden they’d described as “old” and feeble, they’ve got an opponent who is young, energetic and vital. Instead of debating the Biden who failed to challenge Trump on his incessant lies in the late June debate, he will
fight is indeed a conflict. It is a conflict between the infinitesimal number of extremely wealthy and powerful people who benefit from the fossil fuel status quo and the rest of humanity.
By protecting and expanding voting rights – with bills like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act – we can ensure that all voices are heard and that climate policies are developed with equity and justice in mind. When marginalized communities, including communities of color, lowincome communities, and indigenous communities, have a seat at the table and a voice in the democratic process, they are more likely to push for climate policies that prioritize their needs and interests. Moreover, the same systems and structures that perpetuate the climate crisis also undermine democracy and the rule of law. So, it is not just that democracy is
had. She didn’t give up, and while she didn’t win that race by the number of votes, she won the hearts of so many. She serves as a role model for all women. We tend to use our education, talent and opportunities to help others and bring them along. It’s in our nature!
Dr. E. Faye Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society.
be debating the prosecutor who sliced and diced Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
Vice President Harris is not a gut punch, she is a knockout punch. She has definitely earned the nomination of her party, and indeed the presidency.
DEI, indeed! Definitely earned it!
Dr. Julianne Malveaux, a D.C. based economist and author, is a columnist for the Trice Edney News Wire. Juliannemalveaux.com
a climate issue. Climate is a democracy issue as well.
By addressing the climate crisis, we can also address the underlying democratic deficits that perpetuate inequality and injustice.
Climate justice requires a democratic system that is accountable, transparent, and responsive to the needs and demands of all people, particularly those most affected by climate change.
By strengthening democracy, we can ensure that climate policies are developed with the participation and consent of all affected communities.
Let us work together to build a democracy that serves the people, not just the powerful. Let us prioritize voting rights, climate action, and environmental justice. The future of our planet depends on it.
Ben Jealous is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania
By Marc H. Morial CEO, National Urban League (TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM)
“I am a benefactor of the hills and valleys, the broken bodies and broken hearts, the loss of life of many who have gone on before me.”
– U.S.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
The so-called “anti-woke” movement in the United States is determined to obscure the nation’s ugly history of slavery, segregation, and discrimination.
But Sheila Jackson Lee saw the beauty in that history.
“The Constitution did not grant us citizenship or even status as one human being, but we survived,” she said.
“We had the Harriet Tubman of the world, the Sojourner Truth of the world. We had the Frederick Douglass of the world. That is the beauty of America. We were resilient, we should tell that story. Brutality comes with survival and success.”
Lee, who passed away July 19, inspired a generation of public servants and activists with her fearlessness and indomitable spirit. She fought tirelessly for racial justice and equal opportunity, speaking up for those who too often go unheard.
She was a longtime friend of the Urban League movement.
The National Urban League was proud to honor her with our Living Legend Award during our Conference in Houston last year.
As Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Coronavirus Task Force, she was part of a dynamic panel of experts who participated in the virtual release event for the 2020 State of Black America report, “Unmasked.”
… the real issue is whether and how this nation can come to grips with the legacy of slavery that still infects current society.”
She also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Area Urban League.
Lee didn’t plan on a career in public service when she was growing up in Queens, New York City. That all changed when Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. If King had died trying to create better opportunities for people like her, she had an obligation to make the most of those opportunities.
One immediate opportunity was a scholarship for Black students to attend New York University, which led her to Yale where she was among the first graduating class to include women. She was among a handful of Black students in her class at University of Virginia School of Law. A classmate described her as “a hard worker who loved to grapple with the issues in the hypothetical cases that we were required to analyze.”
She continued to grapple with difficult issues
throughout her career. She was the author and lead sponsor of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which established the first new federal holiday in 38 years, and the lead sponsor of H.R.40, the Commission to Study Slavery and Develop Reparation Proposals.
“Though some have tried to deflect the importance of these conversations by focusing on individual monetary compensation, the real issue is whether and how this nation can come to grips with the legacy of slavery that still infects current society,” she said. “With the over criminalization and policing of Black bodies, a reoccurring issue in African-American communities, I believe this conversation is both relevant and crucial to restoring trust in governmental institutions in many communities.
“A federal commission can help us reach into this dark past and bring us into a brighter future.”
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
The “For The People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act” secures the right to vote for all Americans, prevent racist gerrymandering and move America closer to equal representation for all.
But it faced the filibuster –a Jim Crow relic that enables a minority of Senators, who represent as little as 34 percent of voters, to block legislation favored by the majority.
The bills now are called “The Freedom to Vote Act.”
It is a historic legislation that would be the most consequential voting rights and anti-corruption bill passed in more than half a century. It tackles the biggest problems currently facing our democracy by setting national standards to protect access to the vote, ending
partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, beginning to overhaul our broken campaign finance system, and creating new safeguards against subversion of the electoral process.
We are facing a multifaceted crisis in our democracy.
There is a concerted and highly successful push across the country to restrict access to voting, primarily
targeting voters of color. We are starting a redistricting process that is going to once again be distorted by extreme partisan gerrymandering, much of which also targets communities of color. Our campaign finance system is now increasingly dominated by a small group of mega-donors who are calling the shots and overshadowing ordinary citizens. And we have a new push to empower partisan legislators to take over the machinery of elections or the vote counting process, coupled with attacks on election workers, threatening the integrity of our elections.
This all needs to be addressed immediately.
MR. ROY L. PERRY-BEY DIRECTOR UNITED FRONT FOR JUSTICE ufj2020@gmail.com
JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS: – UNDER FIRE AGAIN
By Stacy M. Brown Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
NNPA NEWSWIRE
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is under fire again. This time, it was because of the failure to disclose more private jet travel funded by Harlan Crow, a wealthy conservative donor, according to a letter from Senator Ron Wyden, a top Democratic senator. Customs and Border Protection records indicate that Thomas and his wife, Virginia Thomas, flew between Hawaii and New Zealand in November 2010 on Crow’s private jet. In his letter to the donor’s lawyer, Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, demanded more information about the financial relationship
between Thomas and Crow. The New York Times reported that the inquiry is part of a more extensive investigation by Wyden, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, into the ties between Crow and Thomas. The scrutiny comes amid calls from top Democrats for significant Supreme Court reforms, including establishing an enforceable code of conduct. “I am deeply concerned that Crow may have been showering a public official with extravagant gifts, then writing off those gifts to lower his tax bill,” Wyden wrote in his letter. He highlighted the potential conflict of interest and stressed the need for transparency and accountability. In response, Michael Zona,
a spokesman for Crow, stated that Crow’s legal team had already addressed Wyden’s inquiries, which they deemed legally unfounded and politically motivated. “We consider this matter settled and refer Senator Wyden to our previous correspondence,” the statement read. Zona also insisted that Crow had always adhered to applicable tax laws. Thomas has previously argued that he did not need to disclose personal hospitality gifts from friends who had no pending cases before the Supreme Court. By law, Supreme Court justices are required to fill out an annual financial disclosure form listing outside income sources and gifts. However, Thomas’s form for 2010 does not mention any flights on Crow’s jet.
Marc H. Morial The Late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Roy Perry-Bey
– The Late Congresswoman Jackson-Lee
“This reminds me of when President Obama ran,” Kanoytan continued.
“People had doubts, I remember. When we went to the convention, it was close between him and Hillary, but people felt there was something new about him the party needed.”
One of the longestserving members of the Virginia Legislature, State Senator Mamie Locke of Hampton, Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, said she was anxious leading up to Biden’s departure and the Vice President’s ascension.
“I had concerns about Biden’s inner circle and the party’s top leadership,” she said. “They kept talking about Biden leaving, but they have yet to say who they wanted to replace him. We did not hear her (Harris’) name from their mouths. We do now ... loud.
I am proud of Biden for doing this for the country and not thinking of self ... unlike Trump.”
Locke recalls that only twice in recent times has the Democratic party’s nominating process been so chaotic.
Elected in 1964 after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), exited the race in February of 1968. LBJ engineered the passage of civil rights and voting rights legislation, supporting the Civil Rights Movement. But his presidency was crippled by the Vietnam War.
In June, Robert F. Kennedy was running for the nomination until he was killed.
LBJ’s Vice President Hubert Humprey, who did not run in the primary, ran and lost to
Republican Richard M. Nixon. Alabama’s prosegregationist governor, George C. Wallace, ran in that race.
“I think Kamala will go into the DNC in a stronger position. She has Black women; I hope all women and the party are behind her. All Trump has is lies and hate. It won’t work.”
Former State Senator Lionell Spruill lost his reelection bid last year.
Spruill said the Trump camp assumed President Biden would not step aside using his age and his record against him.
“Biden waited until after the Republican convention, I believe, to step down,” said Spruill. “Republicans threw every negative they could find against him. It will be harder against Harris. She can win if white women do not stand against her.”
“She has to define herself,” Spruill continued, “and tell the voters about the policies Democrats support that benefit them.”
Andre Boykin, 26, who supervises a team of lawn care workers in Chesapeake and Norfolk, describes himself as a Black middleclass male with a wife and two children. He told the GUIDE he was still determining how to vote in November. However, Harris’s candidacy may have changed his mind after he had heard of the policies she supported. “A lot of Black men I know were thinking about
Andre Boykin, 26, who supervises a team of lawn care workers in Chesapeake and Norfolk, describes himself as a Black middle-class male with a wife and two children. He told the GUIDE he was still determining how to vote in November. However, Harris’s candidacy may have changed his mind after he had heard of the policies she supported.
staying at home,” he said. “Biden was too old, and Trump is Trump. But I think Sister (Harris) has moved my spirit some to support her because she talks about healthcare and education.”
Krista Erin is in a mixed marriage. She is a registered Democrat and her husband is a Republican. He is torn between voting for Trump or staying home in November.
“I am with Kamala,” said Erin, a 51-year-old Licensed Practical Nurse.
“I can’t pronounce her name right, but I have been listening to her and reading about her history. They should stop lying about her. She got my vote because of her stand on abortion which is critical for my daughter who is 25, and healthcare for me.”
Harriett E. Barnes, 30, a housewife who homeschools her children,
said, “I am concerned about not being able to make decisions about my body, if I can afford health care and protection of civil and voting rights. Trump is not the one for anyone who looks like me and my spouse. I supported the President. But I am sure now with Mrs. Harris. She speaks to me as a Black woman on a lot of issues, especially healthcare.”
Born on August 16, Ray Kwan Butler, 17, will cast his first vote in November.
“I was not for Trump or Biden. I was going to sit this one out. I did not know if he (Biden) was going to make it to November,” said Butler, who has enlisted in the Navy. She (Harris) supports Gay rights, the protection of women, and healthcare. Trump is trying to scare us. She reminds us of what we would lose if he is elected.”
REGISTER BY OCT. 15, 2024 FOR THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION
Gaylene Kanoytan
Fed. Judge Dismisses Trump’s Claims of Political Targeting
By Stacy M. Brown Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
NNPA NEWSWIRE
Shutting down the destructive rhetoric of the 34-times convicted and twiceimpeached former President Donald Trump’s legal defense, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the GOP presidential nominee presented “no meaningful evidence” of political targeting by the Biden administration. Chutkan dismissed Trump’s allegations that the White House or the Justice Department pursued him out of political animus or his refusal to accept the 2020 election results as “baseless.”
In her comprehensive 16-page opinion, Judge Chutkan dismantled Trump’s attempt to dismiss his Washington, D.C., criminal case, which charges him with orchestrating conspiracies to subvert the 2020 election. Chutkan asserted that Trump’s claims of political pressure from President Joe Biden were “unsubstantiated” and relied on flimsy, inaccurately described evidence.
“The charges describe a sweeping attempt to manipulate and deceive government authorities to undermine the lawful 2020 election results,” Chutkan wrote. She further determined that, based on anonymously sourced articles, Trump’s assertions failed to demonstrate any directive from Biden or the White House influencing the prosecution.
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung responded defiantly, stating, “The Crazy Kamala Harris – Crooked Joe Biden Witch Hunts against President Trump have
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan
imploded just like their failed campaign.” Cheung said that Trump’s team would continue to combat the charges vigorously.
The ruling marks Chutkan’s first major decision since the case resumed in her courtroom following an eight-month hiatus to address disputes over presidential immunity. The judge has set deadlines for court filings next week and a hearing on August 16 to discuss the case’s timeline.
Additionally, Chutkan rejected Trump’s argument that the prosecution in the election case was retaliatory after his notguilty plea in a separate classified information case. She clarified that accepting such a claim would create a loophole for defendants to derail cases against them by merely pleading not guilty and publicly criticizing the prosecution.
The ruling emerges amid the broader political context of the 2024 presidential race, where the Supreme Court has become a focal issue. Vice
President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic nominee, has emphasized the conservative court’s impact on issues such as abortion and affirmative action.
PASSES: REV. ANNE BARNES, 84
NOTED NORFOLK BUSINESSWOMAN,
NORFOLK
Rev. Anne T. Barnes, a long-time resident of Norfolk, VA, passed peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at the age of 84.
Rev. Barnes was wellknown as a professional cosmetologist and an accomplished businesswoman in Hampton Roads, who later was called into the ministry at Garrett Community Church.
She was the owner and president of Anne’s Beauty Academy, For Curls and More, True Dreams, Headline Creations, and True Dreams located in Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach.
She received degrees from Norfolk Division of Virginia State College, Institute of Cosmetology, National Beauty Culturist, and Gulf Coast Seminary. Additionally, she received certificates in Teaching Methods from Old Dominion University and Thomas Nelson
Community College. She was extremely active in the Hampton Roads community where she served on several boards: Tidewater Television Advisory Council, National Teachers Educational Council, National Culturist League, National Beauty Culturist League, Church Street Merchants Association, Coalition of One Hundred Black Women, Southern Opportunity Program (STOP), United Christian Front for Brotherhood, Hal Jackson Talented Teens,
and Black International Artist Team. Additionally, she received many achievements, honors, and awards: namely Teacher Emerita, Omni Curl (New York), Who’s Who in Black America, Teacher of the Year (Virginia Association of Private Career Schools, Philadelphia, PA), Outstanding Citizens Award presented by Iota Phi Lambda Society, Outstanding Business Person of the Year (WRAP Radio Station, 1984), Special Merit Minority Business Development Agency, Hairdresser of the Year (Southern Tidewater Area), and Black Business Woman of the Year (Journal Guide Newspaper, 1984).
After a successful business career, she was called to the ministry and became a member of Garret Community Church where she was ordained and later was appointed Assistant Pastor. Later she pastored Grace Temple Community Church in Norfolk.
Rev. Barnes was born on March 9, 1940, to the late Moses Columbus and Bertha Andrews Taylor in Pitt County, North Carolina. She attended public schools in Norfolk, VA and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School at the age of 17. Rev. Barnes is survived by her devoted and loving son, Darryl M. Barnes of Roselle, NJ and devoted and loving daughter Anita Barnes-Jackson of Philadelphia, PA. Also, brothers: McKinley Barnes (Florence), Wenonah, NJ; Donnie Taylor (Maxine), Norfolk; and Dr. Alton Taylor (Leah), Silver Springs, MD; sisters: Dr. Bertha T. Escoffery, Suffolk, VA, and Yvonne T. Bly, Portsmouth, VA; sister-in-law Daphene Taylor, Sumter, South Carolina, and sister-inlaw Ruth Barnes Nixon, Bowie, MD. Additionally, she is survived by many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
THOUSANDS ATTEND FUNERAL OF LATE REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE
By Rosaland Tyler Associate Editor New Journal and Guide
About six candidates are now running for the vacant seat of Texas Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee, whose coffin was surrounded by about two dozen high-profile leaders when she was eulogized at Houston’s Fallbrook Church, at 11 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2024. The list of attendees included former President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., and presumptive
U.S. President Nominee Kamala Harris. Jackson Lee died on July 19, at age 74, from pancreatic cancer after serving in Congress for nearly three decades.
Harris told mourners that JacksonLee was “one of the smartest and most strategic legislators in Washington, D.C. She was also one of the most unrelenting.”
During Lee’s funeral, U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said, according to the Grio, “You always knew that you could count on Sheila. She was a very effective legislator and a very smart and compassionate public servant.”
Jackson Lee is survived by her husband, Elwyn Lee, and her two children, Jason and Erica. According to news reports, possible replacements for Lee’s seat include Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner (D), state Rep. Jarvis Johnson (D) and Houston Council member Letitia Plummer (D).
But mourners laughed when Harris added, “There were times … if I saw her walking down the hall, I would almost want to hide.” Harris added, “Because I knew,” she continued, “whatever else may be on my mind, Sheila Jackson Lee would require a very serious and specific conversation with you about what she had on her mind.”
Rev. Anne Barnes
VWU OFFERS “NEARLY FREE” DEGREE PROGRAM
VIRGINIA BEACH
The deadline for applications is fast approaching, and there are only 10 spots remaining for the upcoming semester in Virginia Wesleyan University’s Coastal Advantage Program, which offers prospective students a tremendous opportunity to attend college for next to nothing. Those interested are encouraged to act swiftly to seize this chance to earn a degree from Coastal Virginia’s premier university of the liberal arts and sciences.
Launched last year, the Coastal Advantage Program has made waves for its groundbreaking approach to addressing college affordability. The program virtually eliminates tuition for qualified commuter students from families
Suiter
Continued from page 1A
Debra Burrell, Arts Manager, Norfolk Commission on the Arts and Humanities, adds, “He was so knowledgeable and caring. He ended up serving on the arts and humanities commission for two extra years past his term, and never wavered in the work, even through being a caregiver to his partner, and then his mother. It was an honor and pleasure to work with him.” Those who shared the stage with Rod Suiter offer particularly moving recollections. Many performed with “On Cue” Productions, a dynamic non-profit, 501(c)(3) theatre company a small group of us created.
Gifted actress Chantee Joy, now of Chicago but once an “On Cue” staple, recalls, “Rodney always made me laugh. Whenever we played husband and wife in a show, he’d notice that I was nervous at times. And he would say something crazy that had nothing to do with the part or the show. I’d turn to him as to say, ‘What are you talking about?’ And his expression would make me laugh so hard. The funny thing about it is that he’d do that right before the curtain went up and I’d have to try extra hard to stay serious. He was such a natural talent. Unmatched. I hate that we lost such a wonderful person in film and on stage.”
Actor Rodney Williams shares a momentous reflection. “I remember when Rodney directed me in Seven Guitars,” he said, “how understanding and gracious he was. Before I accepted the part in the play, I had informed him that I was up to shoot a pilot for TV but I did not know when it would be. He said that was OK and we would deal with that when and if the time came. Well, it did and I had to go to Richmond to shoot this one scene, which I thought and hoped it would not take long because it was a short scene and I could make it back before curtain. I informed Rodney and he told me to go. Well, the short scene turned into a longer scene and I did not make it back until the last part of the first act and Rodney was on
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For more information about the Coastal Advantage Program and to apply, visit VWU’s website. Prospective students can also contact the VWU Admissions Office at (757) 455-3208 or email admissions@vwu.edu for personalized assistance and inquiries.
Rod’s departure left a host of actors, directors, producers, and playwrights stunned and grieving. He was truly a giant on area stages.
stage, book in hand, doing my part. I felt awful that I had let him down. I did the second act and went to apologize to him and the cast, but Rodney stopped me and let me know in the kindest, sincerest way that it was OK. He never mentioned it again. Grace and understanding. God bless you, Rodney.” John Sullivan, another “On Cue” staple, recalls, “I knew Rodney for more than 35 years and acted with him on a number of occasions. He was always the consummate professional. I fondly recall an instance in the early 90s, when, during a stage play, and only our characters were interacting on stage, I realized I had forgotten my lines. I gave him the ‘I forgot my lines’ look. He paused for a few seconds, then improvised a few lines and deftly led us back to our scripted dialogue, without missing a beat. No one was the wiser! Aside from his immense talent as an actor, I will always remember him as a well-liked, kind, and thoughtful person.”
Actress Pinkie Spencer Chappell also shared a special memory. “’Rod Rod,” as I affectionately called him, was one of the best directors I ever had the opportunity to work with. When we performed Seven Guitars by August Wilson, he patiently and professionally guided me into the role of “Vera.” He was a consummate friend and talented actor. My skills were perfectly honed as a result of his tutelage. I’m missing you alongside Pedro Abad.”
In addition to the late Pedro, Rod has now joined several other “On Cue”
stalwarts who have passed on, Donald Brown, Ph.D., Phil Lucas, Ph.D., and Toni McCoy. Rod appeared in “On Cue” productions of The Elephant Man, Victory Manor, Escape, For the Love of Jazz, The Island, and Sizwe Banis Is Dead.
Rod’s film and television credits include Psycho Kickboxer, Traxx, Heartless, Red Band, Mother’s Day, Blind Vision, America’s Most Wanted, The New Detectives, Ghost Stories, Clubhouse Kids, and The Lighthouse.
Personally, I last shared the stage with Rod Suiter in my own work The Tribesman. He portrayed my analyst. As a dear friend and brother, we often reciprocated playing such roles for one another in real life. His office in that capacity is empty now and I am the worst for having lost such treasured counsel.
Theatre luminary Konstantin Stanislavski advised the actor to “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.”
A common bond that Rod and I shared was the blessing to recognize that God Almighty had created an artist in each of us, instilling a precious creative light. Though his office might now be empty, Rod’s divine light, his spiritual St. Elmo’s Fire, now burns at full incandescence and all I need do is reflect on such sweet luminescence to enjoy creative counsel beyond compare.
Terrance Afer-Anderson is a writer, actor, director and producer. He is also President/CEO, TerraVizion Entertainment Network.
(L-R) Terrance Afer-Anderson and Rodney Suiter
Photo: Courtesy
NAT’L BUS TOUR TO ENERGIZE YOUNG VOTERS MAKES STOP IN VA. BEACH
VIRGINIA BEACH
A bus load of nationally recognized Generation Z activists stopped in Virginia Beach on Tuesday August 6 as part of the Tour To Save Democracy.
The nationwide tour is an unprecedented action led and organized by Generation Z activists focused on swing districts. The goal is to drive change forward on issues such as gun control, reproductive rights, healthcare, and climate change. They also hope to inspire young people to vote and actively participate in the democratic process leading up to the 2024 election.
The stop locally featured several speakers highlighting important local and national issues, information booths, and voter registration.
“Our reason for embarking on this journey
is simple: Our generation has to deal with the detrimental impact of the climate crisis, daily mass shootings, and a national abortion ban, all while our democracy is on life support,” said Sam Schwartz, Founder & Executive Director of Tour To Save Democracy. “More than anything, we want progress on solving these issues.”
Sarah Fishkind, Director of Operations for Tour To Save Democracy, added, “Our generation has hidden under our desks and run for our lives. We’ve lost friends, family, and rights, but we have not lost hope.
“This summer, we’re bringing together a community of young voters and inspiring them to create a Congress that puts people first, by passing significant gun safety, abortion rights, and climate bills.”
Another tour leader, Emma Levine, Creative Director of Tour To Save Democracy, explained, “As young people, our activism is born out of the inaction of the past, yet rooted in the present. The only thing we stand to gain is a better future, and our only agenda is to pass laws and save lives.”
In all, the group plans to visit at least 15 locations in 10 states to connect with young voters in local communities.
Several Gen-Z politicians were invited to speak to include Congressional Candidate Missy Cotter Smasal and Virginia House Delegate Alex Askew.
2,000 Norfolk Students To Benefit From BackTo-School Celebration
NORFOLK
Norfolk Public Schools (NPS), the City of Norfolk, and other partners in education will host the Second Annual Unity in the Community, Back 2 School Celebration on August 10, 2024, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Norfolk Scope. This free back-toschool event will provide backpacks, school supplies, immunizations and health screenings, preschool and kindergarten registration information, community resources, raf fl es, and more for NPS students and families. The goal is to give upwards of 2,000 students the tools and inspiration they need to be ready when school starts on
August 19. The Second Annual Unity in the Community, Back 2 School Celebration is open to all NPS students and families. Bus transportation will be available to and from the Scope on event day. All students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to ride the bus to and from the event. A school supply drive to support the event was held through August 5. Parking at the Norfolk Scope will be free of charge. For full event details, including supply lists and drop-off locations, bus schedule information, and to register students for vaccinations, please visit: www.npsk12.com/ back2school.
HAMPTON ROADS BLACK RADIO ANNOUNCERS’ HISTORIC PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENS AT NORFOLK’S SLOVER LIBRARY
Special to the New Journal and Guide
On Saturday, August 3, 2024, the Hampton Roads Black Radio Announcers (HRBRAA) hosted their first soft opening of the organization’s historical Black Radio Announcers Exhibit. The event was hosted at the Slover Library in Norfolk.
The occasion also provided an opportunity for the co-founders of HRBRAA, Dr. Phil Nelson and Rev. Dr. Glenda Murray-Kelly, to induct several new persons affiliated with the Black Radio Industry in Hampton Roads into HRBRAA’s Hall of Fame and to present them with Gold Jackets. Others were inducted earlier in the year and plans are to induct additional persons later this year.
The Black Radio Announcers Exhibit compiled by HRBRAA is located on the fourth floor of the Slover Library and displays an exceptional collection of photos of local, state and national dignitaries. Some of the honorees – living and deceased – were chosen and deemed worthy to be showcased by HRBRAA for their contributions to the advancement of civil rights for African-Americans, in general; others were chosen because of their direct affiliation with the appearance, growth and presence of the Black Radio Industry in Hampton Roads since 1947.
The concept for the collection began in November 2023, when Dr. Murray-Kelly was conducting research on the Radio Industry. She discovered a dissertation that was written in 2002 by a doctoral student of ODU.
The dissertation excluded Black Radio. Dr. MurrayKelly immediately called the Office of the President of ODU to inquire about the content of the dissertation.
The subject matter was Urban Radio in the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area. She then realized that there was much work to be done to preserve the legacy of Black Radio in the Hampton Roads area. She was told that she should conduct her own research. Dr. MurrayKelly did just that to not only include the Radio Jocks of Hampton Roads but to expand the humble beginning of Black Radio across the United States. For example, in comparison, she related Jack L. Cooper, the first radio announcer who came out of Chicago, to the 1st Black President of the United States Barack Obama. Saturday’s event showcased more than 100 persons within the glass case at the Slover Library.
Those in the Black Radio Industry in Hampton Roads whose photos are shown are the Rollins Brothers, who owned WRAP; the Late Dr. Jack Holmes and Leola Dyson; Bishop L.E. Willis, the first Black Radio owner in the state of Virginia.
Other influential persons who are included in the Exhibit are Hampton Roads Mayors, Kenneth Alexander, Shannon Glover, Phillip Jones and the Late William Ward. Also, Senator L. Louise Lucas, The Late Senator Yvonne Miller, Congressman Bobby Scott, Rev. Jesse Jackson, New Journal and Guide
Publisher Brenda H. Andrews, The Late Dr. Martin Luther King, and Governor L. Douglas Wilder.
Further, the display gives reflection of Presidents Barack Obama, Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, all who shared common interest in the Civil Rights Movement.
HRBRAA plans to deliver Gold Jackets to persons showcased, signifying them as Honorary members of the Association who assisted and advocated for the work of the late Bishop L.E. Willis, Sr. in his desire to own and to lead Black Radio in the State of Virginia.
The event was hosted as the 50th Anniversary of Black Radio of Hampton Roads. This is the first time that the Hampton Roads area has welcomed the Exhibit of Black Radio’s humble beginning.
A letter from the office of the Governor of the State of Virginia was received to congratulate the Founders for a job well done.
We often use the term, “A Picture is Worth a 1,000 words.” The Exhibit has more than 107 photos of great leaders and
2024. The HRBRAA cofounders expressed their
and
Hello and welcome to The Bridge Corner. Developing a side suit.
1) South opens the bidding with 1 Heart. South is the describer and North is the responder and the captain.
2) North, the responder, has a hand valued at 14 points – 13 High Card Points and 1 point for the doubleton Spade suit. Responder first bids 2 Diamonds. This bid is forcing, meaning the opener is forced to bid again because responder is not a passed hand and responder changed the suit from Hearts to Diamonds.
Opener would show support by bidding 3 Diamonds. 3) The final contract would be 4 Hearts because
responder, North, puts the contract back into Hearts after opener bids 3 Diamonds.
4) West makes the opening lead with the K Spades.
5) Declarer needs ten tricks but only has nine sure tricks. Declarer’s best chance for developing the extra trick is in the Diamond suit. 6) Declarer should draw the trumps (Hearts) after winning the
Game fee is $6 (paid BEFORE the game thru our voucher system. Contact L. Owes at email below). Light snacks and water provided; bring your lunch. Any questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to contact Lawrence Owes, President Tidewater
Public Servants. To the community, the Exhibit will be up until August 31,
gratitude to Troy Volas
Lisa Robinson of the Slover Library who administered and assisted in allowing the Showcase to exist.
Saturday’s Honorees, HRBRAA Members and Guests
(L-R) Willie Brown, Rosa Holmes Turner, Brenda H. Andrews, Dr. April Ridley-Cutts, Terry Tabb, Councilman Gregory McLamore, Founder Phil Nelson, Tonya Riddick, Henderson Vaughan, Ed Joyner, Troy Volas, Clarence Neely, Lynette Rochelle, B. McNair, Front row: Jamil Nelson, Rev. Felita Boykins, Founder Rev. Dr. Glenda P. Murray-Kelly, Apostle Zeda Gardner and Emanual Yancey (Honorees not pictured: Ernest Lowery, Ike Owens, Chester Benton, DJ Heart Attack)
Photo: Courtesy
Historic Photo Exhibit can be viewed until August 31, 2024
Photo: ErnestLowery
(L-R) Phil Nelson and Brenda H. Andrews
Photo: ErnestLowery (L-R) Dr. Phil Nelson, Ernest Lowery, Rev. Dr. Glenda Murray-Kelly
Photo: Courtesy
AARP Va. Cautions On Disaster Scams
RICHMOND
In 2023, post-disaster fraud cost Americans over $9.3 billion, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). With hurricane and wildfire season in full swing, it’s important to remind ourselves that when the clouds roll out and the smoke clears, criminal scammers tend to move in.
Following extreme weather events, criminals impersonate government, utility, and insurance workers. They may show up at your door or call with promises of federal grants, priority repairs, or faster claim processing in exchange for a fee or up-front deposit.
While actual Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) agents may
visit your home to assist, they will never ask for payment and will carry a governmentissued laminated photo badge. A FEMA shirt or jacket is NOT proof of identity.
Be cautious of door-to-door insurance and utility solicitations promising special or expedited assistance. Even if the offer appears genuine, ask for more information, and never give money on the spot. You should also contact your insurance or utility company through pre-established channels to confirm that an offer is legitimate.
Learn how to proactively spot scams or get guidance if you’ve been targeted. Visit aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call our dedicated helpline to speak to a fraud specialist at (877) 908-3360.
VSU Awarded $150,000 To Preserve Alumni House
ETTRICK, VA
Thanks to a recent $150,000 grant, Virginia State University will preserve Azurest South, also known as the Alumni House, which was built in 1939. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, which provides funds to preserve and protect African-American historic sites and cultural landmarks, recently awarded the grant to Virginia State.
Built in 1939 by alumna Amaza Lee Meredith, Azurest South
was considered one of the most advanced residential designs of its time. Meredith, one of the first documented female African-American architects, also established VSU’s Fine Arts Department and lived in the home she designed until her passing in 1984.
Laurie Carpenter, national president of the Virginia State University Alumni Association, said in a recent statement on the school’s website, “We are extremely grateful to receive this grant from the African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to preserve our
beloved Alumni House. It is a significant building representing the hard work and dedication of Ms. Meredith, who laid the groundwork for AfricanAmericans in architecture. Her home is a priceless possession within the VSU community, and this ensures it will stand for many years to come.”
Launched in 2017, the fund has raised more than $91 million. It has invested a total of $27 million since 2018, into the preservation of Black heritage sites. To date, the fund has supported 304 preservation projects nationwide, according to its website.
HEAT INDEX EXHAUSTION STROKE
By Sean C. Bowers
On a bike ride we had done hundreds of times before, the heat proved too much and almost got the BEST of us. When smaller individuals are out in the heat, they cook faster, fry hotter, and have much less body fat and therefore, margin for error. This is why small children and frail elders are most at risk.
We were incredibly lucky on several levels. We stopped and dismounted our bikes. When I felt my wife’s body go limp in my arms on Atlantic Avenue, I rushed her into the air conditioning of North End Pizza. She became nauseous a second time, briefly. She rehydrated, cooling her core temperature with ICE and eventually regained her full consciousness, came to her senses and again had all her faculties. This all occurred almost immediately with what on the inside felt like heartstopping moments.
A Virginia Beach policeman happened to be standing just inside the front door and he called the EMTs who were there within a few moments. A half hour later we were on our way home for a good night’s rest, and a full recovery
Re-living this scary episode while it is fresh in my mind, I offer it that others may take heed and learn from our close call.
The heat index makes a 94-degree day feel like a full ten degrees hotter 104-degrees. My wife had just ridden one-way up the VB boardwalk, with good hydration and NO alcohol involved. In hindsight, many telltale signs of approaching heat stroke were there.
She had a past history of overheating on a RIDE, a few years ago, when there was a similar heat index day.
The shade of the hotels in the afternoon provided a false sense of security. The Southernly breeze blew strongly behind us as we glided effortlessly, northbound from 1st street to 40th street. The wind was so strong we barely needed to pedal. This meant NO PERCEPTIBLE BREEZE, which seemed to equal no way to dispel sweat or the perception of sweating.
She rode well on her new bike, but began to say nonsensical things that were kind of jumbled.
Sean C. Bowers
There were small signs at first. We wet her visor, she hydrated and we stopped and sat in the shade. On the way back when she began to slur her words and said she was beginning to lose her balance, we STOPPED immediately. As she dismounted safely with my help, she said she felt sick and became nauseous. All of this happened in a matter of seconds.
That was when I instantly scooped her up in my arms and carried her into the air conditioning to get her ICED DOWN and bring down her core temperature as fast as possible.
We were so lucky that day, but as a result we made some new exercise decisions going forward for her maximin safety. NO workouts over 90 degrees – “Black Flag” conditions. We‘ll do our workouts in the cooler morning temperatures from now on. We will always have ICE, water and her inhaler with us. Our rides will be shorter and “revolve around” possible cooling AC points – always keeping the distance to the AC extremely short and manageable. The combination of the breeze, shade, and bike exercise all formed a perfect solar kind of “undertow” a lifethreatening- overheated (ALMOST) RIP current! Here are some important things to remember in extreme heat: Never ignore strange speech, slurred, or not making sense speaking chatter. Hot, cold sweating, and feeling sick should be taken seriously. Don’t ever to ever try to push through. Losing one’s balance is also right up there with feeling light-headed. Don’t be tough or “old school” and have a “rub-somedirt-on-it,” or “walk-it-off mentality.” No work out is worth OVER-pushing through.
My wife and I regularly ride 3-4 times per week for 4-14 miles per ride. She
Here are some important things to remember in extreme heat: Never ignore strange speech, slurred, or not making sense speaking chatter.
regularly walks, so her cardio is great, AT LOWER TEMPERATURES. We were only 2-3 miles into our ride when the heat stroke occurred. It happens that quickly! One moment you’re both laughing together; the next, you and your beloved are in the heat exhaustive throes, fighting for survival.
Please take PRECAUTIONS: implement the use of ice, ice packs, ice lined bags. Stand under showers, go inside AC to lower your body core temperatures on all work outs. Most importantly, find a workout friend, partner, buddy, or group. Like a spotter, they can help if needed, and spot symptoms for one another “the buddy system” style. This gut-wrenching experience was and totally preventable. It gave clues, however, I was not up to the task of deciphering my wife’s health code. It was so scary that I am writing to warn others how insidious it can be. ERR, on the side of caution. This heat is no joke. It’s nothing to play with and will kill you in a HOT second! I thought back to some of my own overheated workouts of the past. We will continue our joy bringing workouts, waking, biking, and swimming. We will dial back our work outs of those hot, hot “pressure cooker” days. We won’t get nearly as (OVER) heated, ever again. Sean C. Bowers writes 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 at V1ZUAL1ZE@ aol.com NNPA 2019 Publisher of the Year, Brenda H. Andrews (NJ&G 37 years) has always been his publisher.
VSU Alumni House
By Rev. Dr. Archie L. Edwards, Sr.
THE WORTHLESSNESS OF WORLDLY WEALTH MOMENTS of MEDITATION
Psalm 49
Psalm 49 and the Book of James have at least two things in common: they are both examples of Hebrew “wisdom literature,” and they both have important things to say about the proper place of material goods in our lives. The problem that troubled the writer of Psalm 49 was the continuing prosperity of the wicked, in contrast with his own sometimes difficult circumstances. If God is just and fair, why do those who have little or no regard for spiritual values so often prosper?
LISTEN TO MY WORDS OF WISDOM.
The psalmist intends (vv. 1-2) that what he says should be heard and heeded universally. He has been meditating on life and experiences and has arrived at an understanding of God’s ways, which he proposes to communicate to his hearers (vv. 3-4).
SHOULD I ENVY THE RICH? The writer
describes an ancient and enduring dilemma (vv. 5-6). How can a person who trusts God rather than material things find peace and satisfaction in the midst of people who look to riches and wealth for security? This question is still current today. The dilemma becomes particularly difficult when a believer encounters adversity (v. 5a). This word may refer to any sort of calamity or distress, but in the context of this psalm it seems to mean any economic setback or disadvantage that is not being experienced by others. The “foes” of the psalmist are characterized by iniquity (v. 5b) – yet they prosper. RICHES CANNOT REDEEM. The writer’s first observation (vv. 7-9) is that riches cannot redeem anyone from death. It matters not whether we are thinking of a poor man who wants to avoid a pauper’s grave or a rich man who is able and willing to pay a large
ransom to escape death’s summons. The grave cannot be “bought off.” Since redemption cannot be purchased at any price by any human being, whether for himself or for another, the rich are no better off than the poor. The apparent advantage of the rich is only temporary, so there is no reason to envy them.
MEMORIALS WILL BE FORGOTTEN. Death comes to all, irrespective of economic standing or intellectual achievement. The wise, the stupid and the senseless will perish (v. 10). Whatever they have accumulated they leave behind when they die. Some of the rich thought that, by building great houses and acquiring large estates to which they gave their names, they could escape the oblivion of death (v. 11). This, of course, was a delusion. Whatever memories of them may remain in the mind of their descendants, they themselves will not endure. The outlook for the earthly survival of the rich is the same as that of the poor – there is none. Verse 12 states the psalmist’s conclusion that despite man’s pomp – his position in life, his wealth and honors – he will perish as do the beasts of the field and forest. Up to this point, the outlook of the psalm is consistently bleak. But in the second part of the psalm, the
writer makes one of the strongest statements about the way of eternal redemption to be found in the Old Testament.
GOD CAN AND WILL REDEEM. In verse 13, the psalmist underscores what he has said thus far. Both the foolish (i.e., those who trust in wealth rather than God) and those who approve of this philosophy are destined for the grave. Those scholars are uncertain as to the precise significance of the “Selah” in the psalms, it seems likely that they were meant to emphasize, through music or meditation, something that had just been said. One commentator suggests that “think about that!” be understood wherever a “Selah” appears. Certainly this makes sense here, since the word appears after the solemn statement of verse 13 and again after the reassuring assertion of verse 15. Foolish people are like sheep who need a shepherd. But instead of allowing the Lord to be their shepherd (23:12), they will have death as their shepherd and the grave as their destination (49:14).
But there is, at last, a brighter side to the story. Here we see that, even in Old Testament times, Godfearing people realized that He had instituted a redemptive program for those who trust Him (v.
15). In terms as positive as can be found anywhere in scripture, Old or New Testament, the psalmist expresses his certainty that God will redeem him from the grave and receive him into His presence (see 16:10-11).
WITHOUT WISDOM
THE WEALTHY WILL PERISH. The upshot of all this and the answer to the question, “Why should I fear?” (vv. 5-6) is given in these verses (vv. 1620). Riches, fames, and fortune which seem to be so solid and important are no cause for envy by those who do not share in them.
The reason for this, stated before and now restated to make it unforgettably clear is that death cancels out both wealth and glory.
During his life, a rich man garners the admiration of people whose values are built on material things.
As long as he has wealth, he retains his friends. But even if he dies with his wealth intact, he cannot take it, or them with him. His fate will be the same as that of his unbelieving forefathers who entered the dark realm of death and the grave where there has been and never will be any light.
In the last verse, the psalmist repeats the sad refrain that ended the first section, “man in his pomp … is like the beasts that perish” (v. 12).
Significantly, however, this time he adds the
phrase, “yet without understanding.” What was fundamentally wrong with this rich person was not that he was rich or that he was praised by his peers. The trouble was that he lacked understanding. He did not discern between what is important and what is unimportant in life. True wisdom is the same in any era. What the psalmist said to his contemporaries could just as well be said to modern materialists: “The bank accounts, the real estate holdings, the family fortunes, the stocks and bonds, the jewels and paintings, the fine automobiles and beautiful mansions – all the things you are counting on –cannot last beyond this life. Be wise and learn to value those things that will endure, ‘for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal’” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Psalm 49 bears witness to the helplessness of man to do anything to gain his own redemption. This provision, foreshadowed in the Old Testament, was consummated in Jesus Christ, the God/Man. Through His death and resurrection, everyone who trusts God rather than himself or his possessions has assurance of eternal redemption “in the morning.”
CHURCH ADs & DIRECTORY ADs
BOOKWORM REVIEW
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
KID OLYMPIANS: SUMMER
You can kick a ball harder than any kid you know.
You just haul your leg back, point your toe, and let go! You’re also good at smashing a ball, swimming, running, jumping, it’s all fun. Like you, lots of kids love sports, including the Olympics. And guess what? As in the book “Kid Olympians: Summer” by Robin Stevenson, illustrated by Allison Steinfeld, those Olympians were once kids, too.
Take, for instance, the famous athlete Jesse Owens, who was born at a time when Black people had very few rights. When he was 15 years old, a track coach spotted Owens’ talent because young Jesse ran almost as fast as an adult could run!
Track and field star Wilma Rudolph had polio when she was young, and had to re-learn how to walk. Little Usain Bolt was such an active kid that his parents were concerned but when he was just chilling, Bolt only wanted to play arcade games.
Paralympic wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden was born with spina bifida,
by Allison Steinfeld ©2024, Quirk Books $14.99, 240 pages
which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Because of that, her first years were spent in an orphanage, where she didn’t even have clothes of her own. She was five years old when she was adopted and brought to America.
Gymnast Nadia Com ǎ neci once tried to climb a Christmas tree, and her mother knew little Nadia needed an “outlet for her energy” so she took Nadia to the gymnasium.
Swimmer Michael Phelps
likewise “simply could never sit still.” Megan Rapinoe was an athletic kid who learned soccer by copying her soccer-playing older brother. And little Simone Biles? Early in life, she spent time in a foster care home where there was a trampoline to play on. When her grandparents adopted her, she was excited to find a trampoline there, too. She “twirled and flipped and somersaulted” for hours before becoming the G.O.A.T of all G.O.A.Ts. Your child is riveted to the television this summer, cheering on their favorite athletes half a world away.
Wouldn’t your young fan love to know more about their favorite athletes? Sure they would, and “Kid Olympians: Summer” is the perfect companion for this years’ games. This is the book for kids who run, jump, tumble, slide, whack, leap, and twirl, because author Robin Stevenson lets children know that their heroes were once active kids, too, and that their needs to go-gogo sometimes got-got-got them into trouble. Some of the stories are funny, but most are inspiring for a variety of reasons, and will teach kids about overcoming bad situations; that there’s some history to be had isn’t a bad thing, either. Add in the fun illustrations by Alison Steinfeld, and you’ve got a book that will thrill your future Olympian long after the games are over. Get this book for your 9-to-12-year-old, but don’t feel ashamed if you find yourself paging through it quick when you have the chance. “Kid Olympians: Summer” will be fun for you, and your future Olympian will get a kick out of it, too.
FUN PUZZLE FOR YOUR LEISURE
ORGANIST NEEDED
Flames of Fire Church in Norfolk, VA is seeking an organist. $300 per Sunday. For more information, call (757) 455-6460
INVITATION FOR BIDS # CRHA
24-B-004
Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority is soliciting Bids from qualified and licensed companies to provide Waste Removal Service for CRHA Communities in Chesapeake, VA. IFB document PickUp and Submittal Return: Central Office, 1468 South Military Highway, Chesapeake, VA 23320. Solicitation may also be downloaded from the CRHA website under the Procurement Section at crhava.org IFB documents will be ready for pick up Friday, August 9, 2024. The bid submittal must be received in-hand and time-stamped in the CRHA Central Office no later than Friday September 20, 2024, by 2 p.m. prevailing local time. CRHA contact person: Art Harbin, Procurement Officer, (757) 233-6412 fax: (757) 523-1601. Minority and/or women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit bids.
NOTICE TO HAMPTON CITIZENS
The Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority (HRHA) completed an update to its Public Housing Agency Plan (PHA Plan) for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025, and Family SelfSufficiency (FSS) Action Plan. The PHA Plan includes an Annual Plan that provides information about HRHAʼs current policies, operations, programs, and services. The Annual Plan provides information about HRHA s current policies, operations, programs, and services. The PHA Plan Update for 2024 and the FSS Action Plan are available for review at the following locations during our regular business hours of 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday: the Assisted Housing Office located at 1 South Armistead Avenue, Hampton, VA; Langley Village Management Office, located at 100 Langley Avenue, Hampton, VA; North Phoebus Townhouses Management Office, located at 723 Old Point Avenue, Hampton, VA; the plan may also be viewed on the HRHA website at www.hamptonrha.com.
The Housing Authority will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the PHA Plan Update on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 , at 8:30 a.m. in the EDA Conference Room, 6th Floor, Ruppert Sargent Building, 1 Franklin Street, Hampton, VA 23669. All interested agencies, groups, and persons wishing to comment may also submit written comments to HRHA at either location by Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Questions regarding the PHA Plan may be directed to the Executive Director of the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority at (757) 727-6337 or by email at contact3@hrha.org. If you are hearing impaired, you may dial Virginia Relay 7-1-1.
The Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority does not discriminate against any faith-based organization nor any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, marital status, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic or factor.
“Kid Olympians: Summer” by Robin Stevenson, illustrated
Robin Stevenson
Photo: StephanieHull, CentricPhotography
is
It
expected that Vice President Kamala Harris will be the Democratic nominee, with Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
