I Messenger

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JANUARY 13, 2012

JANUARY 13, 2012

TEDDY PENDERGRASS An Exclusive

6

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

Monumental Message 8

99 and counting!

Happy Birthday PAGE 1

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Brought to you by Harwood 609 Restaurant and Jazz Club

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DELTA IMESSENGER SIGMA THETA 1/13/1913

609 North Harwood Street, Dallas, TX 214.740.0609

BRINGING ENLIGHTENING, EDUCATIONAL, EMPOWERING, INSPIRING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING INFORMATION BRINGING YOUYOU ENLIGHTENING, EDUCATIONAL, EMPOWERING, INSPIRING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING INFORMATION

NO 11 ISSUE ISSUE 18 NO 18

Mark your calendar 1/11-13 Mothers Against Teen Violence TEXAS Conference on Drug Policy at the Hall of State, culminating with the 12th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Awards 1/13 Tyler Perry's - The Haves & The Have Nots -- Opening Night, Doors Open At: 7p at Verizon Theater 1/13 HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC 1/15 HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. 1/15 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC 1/16 - 6-9 pm In the Spirit of Continuing the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., The National Black United Front (NBUF) Dallas Chapter presents‘ A Film Review & Discussion: “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975” Spring Plaza (ICDC), 4907 Spring Ave, Dallas “Erykah Badu, Four Time Grammy Award Singer Will Provide Analysis On Her Role”

Moderator: Thomas Muhammad, Chairman National Black United Front -Dallas Chapter Panel: Robert Ashley, KHVN-AM (970) Radio News Director/ Talk Show Host Carolyn R. Davis, Dallas City Council District 7 Aaron Michaels, New Black Panther Party Damarcus Offord, DISD Candidate District 9

Authors ReShonda Tate Billingsley and Victoria Christopher Murray will read from and autograph their latest book, Sinners and Saints, at 6p.m. at Jokae’s African American Bookstore 1/16 Irving-Carrollton Branch NAACP's Annual Spaghetti Luncheon at 11:30a Georgia Farrow Recreation Center 530 Davis Street - Irving, TX City of Irving's Annual Martin Luther King. Jr. Observance--Program Features: Evolution of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Monument, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Vocalist Brenda Ellis at Irving Arts Center Carpenter Hall 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. - Irving 7:00pm

1/21 4:00pm - 5:00pm Dallas Public Library.

Jamal Joseph, author of PANTHER BABY: A Life of Rebellion and Reinvention. Jamal Joseph, author of PANTHER BABY: A Life of Rebellion and Reinvention (February 2012) who, in the 1960s, exhorted students at Columbia University to burn their college to the ground. Today he's Chair of their School of the Arts film division.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson hosts Tow n Hall Meeting MOVING UP, MOVING FORWARD: Mobilizing Our Community to End Violence Against Women and Children.

9am-12pm at Methodist Dallas Medical Center Hitt Auditorium, 1441 N. Beckley Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75203

Join Cheryl, Phyllis Alphabet and Lady T • Black Economic History Fact of the Day

Tuesday, January 17

Wednesday, January 18

Thursday, January 19

Friday, January 20

J o i n C h e r y l , P h y l l i s J o i n C h e r y l , P h y l l i s J o i n C h e r y l , P h y l l i s Join Cheryl, Phyllis Alphabet Alphabet and Lady T and Lady T Alphabet and Lady T Alphabet and Lady T • Black Economic History • Black Economic History • Black Economic History • Black Economic History Fact of the Day Fact of the Day Fact of the Day Fact of the Day

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tune in to Reporters Roundtable on Soul 73 KKDA Sundays at 8a.m.

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1/26 The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture is bringing Isabel Wilkerson author of Warmth of Other Suns for their Martin Luther King Day Celebration.

Pulitzer Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson writes one of the great untold stories of history: the decades-long migration of Black folks who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970 almost six million Black families -- our cousins/ uncles/aunts/parents -- left the South, "went up North" or "out West to California" and changed the face of America. In Feb. The Third Eye will review the book.

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012 3:00pm FREE at South Dallas Cultural Center 3400 S. Fitzhugh St. South Dallas, TX

Entrepreneur Ray Orr is coming to Th3rd Thursday Champion's Luncheon on January 19th @12:00noon at Edison. Ray is the founder of the United States Christian Chamber of Commerce (USCCC). Ray will be sharing his sensational story of DESTINY.

Tune in to Cheryl’s World on Blogtalkradio.com weekdays at 9a.m.

Monday, January 16

JANUARY 13, 13,2012 2012 JANUARY 2/10 The Urban League Guild of Greater Dallas & North Central Texas in collaboration with Harwood 609 is excited to host this PreValentine's So YOU Think YOU Can SWING! Competition and Love Celebration $10 presale tickets.

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I Messenger Cheryl Smith, Publisher Established 2011 IMessenger is a tribute to Le Messager, founded by Cameroonian journalist Pius Njawe and The Messenger, an independent magazine, founded by labor activist A . Philip Randolph and economist Chandler Owen.

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SWAGGER MAGNIFIED!

NOW...

Since September 1 - I have been picking the men I think have serious swagger. These men are intelligent, strong, sharp, fierce, competitive, charismatic, spiritual, hard, caring, handsome, smooth, creative, energetic and so much more! Without any consideration or input from anyone, I am choosing the men who through personal experiences or history, I find to have so much going on. Stay tuned - I think it’s a great list! What do you think? !

Sporting News Editor-in-Chief Garry D. Howard, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist Bob Ray Sanders, Min. Robert Muhammad, NFL Great Emmitt Smith, business mogul Daymond John, noted psychologist Nai’m Akbar, publisher Danny Bakewell Sr., NBA great and business mogul Earvin “Magic” Johnson, singer Charlie Wilson, journalist George E. Curry, former NAACP head and U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, rapper, author Chuck D., Coach Doug Williams, businessman Charles O’Neal, comedian David A. Arnold, rapper Kool Moe Dee, businessman Jonathan Rodgers, Sports anchor Stephen A. Smith, basketball great Michael Jordan, Rev. Zan Wesley Holmes Jr., actor Billy Dee Williams, comedian and actor Chris Rock, FAMU President James Ammons, singer Nicholas Caldwell, actor/singer Leon, singer Morris Day, actor/ rapper Will Smith, business mogul Sean Combs, journalist Ed Gordon, comedian/activist Dick Gregory, NBA great Allen Iverson, Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan, journalist/historian Lerone Bennett, Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, Ambassador Ron Kirk, Hon. Nelson Mandela, Rap mogul Jay Z, actor James Earl Jones, actor/director Denzel Washington, NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, actor/author Don Shield, Hon. Willie Brown, Hon. Marc Morial, CEO Oscar Joyner, Journalist Acel Moore, rapper/actor Treach, journalist Dewayne Wickham, businessman Walter Williams, Sen. Royce West, media guru/activist Tavis Smiley, journalist T.J. Holmes, artist/singer Miles Jaye, journalist Roland Martin, singer Hon. Jerry Butler, actor Sidney Poitier, actor Jeffery Wright, Muhammad Ali, entertainer/activist Harry Belafonte, businessman Comer Cottrell, actor Fred Williamson, Dr. Steve Perry, actor Malik Farrakhan, Gen. Colin Powell, Hon. Dwaine Caraway actor Jim Kelly, educator Dr. Frederick Humphrey, Doug E. Fresh, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Snoop, the Rev. Joseph Lowery, the Honorable President Barack Obama, actor Samuel L. Jackson, reggae artist Alpha Blondy, businessman and publisher Earl Graves, photographer Jesse Hornbuckle, actor/philanthropist Dr. Bill Cosby, journalist Brian Custer, LL Cool J, Dr. Ben Carson, Hon. John Wiley Price, Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, actor/ author Hill Harper.. Entertainer Stevie Wonder, author/educator Dr. Cornel West, Publisher Jim Washington, comedian/actor Steve Harvey,and athlete/actor Jim Brown, actor/director Robert Townsend, District Attorney Craig Watkins, entertainer Smokey Robinson, Mayor Antonio Blue, journalist Steve Pickett, Singer Ron Isley, Journalist Bernard Shaw, Actor Director Melvin Van Peebles, Actor/rapper/philanthropist Ludacris, singer B.B. King

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JANUARY 13, 2012

THEN...

Singer Marvin Gaye, actor Calvin Lockhart, singer Teddy Pendergrass and Nat King Cole, comic/actor Bernie Mac, journalist Lawrence E. Young, entertainer Isaac Hayes, singer Gerald Levert, African activist and publisher Pius Njawe, attorney/media mogul Percy Sutton, Publisher extraordinaire John H. Johnson, atty. Johnnie Cochran, music great Curtis Mayfield, maestro Barry White, orator, writer and statesman Frederick Douglass, humanist Malcolm X, singer Johnnie Taylor, entertainer Lou Rawls, singer Rick James, Coach A.D. Jake Gaither, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Hon. Mickey Leland, entertainer Sammie Davis Jr., the Chief Rocker Frankie Crocker, Tupac Shakur, Hon. Marcus Garvey, Hon. Al Lipscomb, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, journalist Ed Bradley, Hon. Arthur E. Teele, Jr., actor/comedian Richard Pryor, singer/songwriter Nickolas Ashford. Historian Ivan Van Sertima, musician Donny Hathaway, Hon. Adam Clayton Powell, businessman Alfred Huntsberry, Ossie Davis, actor extraordinaire Paul Robeson, journalist Vernon Jarrett, NFL Great Ron Springs, journalist Gerald Boyd, educator/inventor George Washington Carver, activist Huey Newton, educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson, NBA Great Maurice Lucas, activist Stokely Carmichael, entertainer Langston Hughes, Gospel great Pop Staples, entertainer Duke Ellington, entertainer Heavy D, Hon. Kwame Nkrumah, entertainer Miles Davis, actor Adolph Caesar, Dr. Percy Julian, musician Grover Washington Jr., activist A. Philip Randolph, activist Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner, singer Tyrone Davis, writer, journalist Paul Lawrence Dunbar, actor Paul Winfield, entertainer Ray Charles, Carl Brashear, journalist Max Robinson, musician Billy Preston, entertainer Cab Calloway, artist Ernie Barnes, Iceberg Slim, businessman Reginald Lewis, businessman Don Barden, THE MAN Joseph Smith, Sam Cooke, boxing great Joe Louis, educator Dr. Asa Hilliard, singer Levi Stubbs, activist Ben Hooks, tennis great Arthur Ashe, Hon. Ron Brown, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Gil Scott Heron, Major Robert Lawrence, Godfather James Brown, activist Medgar Evers, entertainer/philanthropist Michael Jackson, educator Dr. Booker T. Washington, scholar John Henrik Clarke, and historian/activist W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays,reggae star Bob Marley, singer/producer Willie Hutch,musician Jimi Hendrix, eGn Chappie James, singer/dancer/actor Gregory Hines, Olympiad Jesse Owens, astronomer Benjamin Banneker, activist Ralph Bunche,

A riot is the language of the unheard.

Martin Luther King, Jr. !

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NABJ President discusses diversity

Gregory Lee Jr. NABJ President

Nearly 18 years ago, as an intern in the Associated Press Sports Editors' Sports Journalism Institute, I wrote a story about the lack of diversity in sports departments. I quoted Justice B. Hill, then sports editor at the News-Sentinel (Indiana), who challenged then-APSE President Dale Bye on the lack of black sports editors at

daily newspapers.

At the time there were only two, the other was Garry D. Howard of the Milwaukee Journal - who started the job about a month before I wrote my story in 1994.

In the years since, there have been a few to run sports departments at mainstream dailies. In 2012, only one - Lisa Bell Wilson of the Buffalo News carries the baton.

"I know things have changed since 18 years ago," said Hill, a longtime NABJ member who has held various sports editing positions over his 30-year career. "I never thought ... today it would be as bad as it is. Sports editors leave, but there is no one of color in the pipeline to fill those jobs. There is no pretense by editors when it comes to diversity."

Who is responsible for the dearth of diversity in this segment of the industry? The sports editors? Their bosses? Accountability on the issue has jumped around like a hot potato.

Sports journalism can hardly be singled out. A look at the journalism industry as a whole reveals a similar and troubling pattern.

Just last month, NABJ member Steven Gray announced his departure from TIME Magazine, leaving the publication with no black correspondents.

In the latest edition of Forbes Magazine, the publication released a list of 30 media members under 30 who were "changing the game." It was alarming to see no blacks.

Recently, two respected journalists, CBS' Russ Mitchell and CNN's T.J. Holmes, left their jobs for new opportunities. Though both of these talented journalists worked for major news networks regarded as destinations for many of their colleagues, these men had long toiled on weekend shifts. Their situation became so out-of-sync with their abilities that they made a decision unheard of just a decade ago: Mitchell returned to the local network level and Holmes left to go to BET. The moves were personal ones to advance their careers. I salute Mitchell and Holmes for taking a stand for their professional futures and refusing to be marginalized as "weekend warriors" in their respective newsroom.

Since becoming elected as president of the National Association of Black Journalists, I have also heard from many of you about the state of our industry. You have kept me informed on the state of black journalists in mainstream newsrooms. From members being banished to working weekends to filling nearly ten consecutive job openings with white men, NABJ will take a stand against these practices.

Many of you say you have been passed over as those less qualified received opportunities. You've also talked about seeing your newsrooms become less reflective of the readers and viewers they seek to attract. This is the trend on cable news networks, which seem to be experiencing a virtual journalism black-out.

Erin Burnett, a show booker for CNN just 10 years ago, has a primetime show on the network. Her story rings familiar for Hill, who over his career has seen

qualified black journalists passed over for jobs by less experienced people.

"It seems unfair," Hill said. "There is no 'Rooney Rule.' Diversity used to be a good word. It doesn't mean anything today."

NABJ has repeatedly called upon cable news networks to improve their lack of diversity in primetime programming. Groups like the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law have echoed the organization's urgings.

Our concerns have largely fallen on deaf ears, but NABJ will continue to hold the industry accountable.

To that end, NABJ has issued its 2011 Thumbs Down Award collectively to all cable news networks given for the absence of black journalists working on air, in prime time.

In 2011, NABJ executive board members offered solutions to CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton, who seemed receptive. Notably, NBC has made recent progress in further diversifying its non-primetime onair and management staff.

In September, NABJ released its diversity census of management-level positions at the local and network level during the Congressional Black Caucus' annual meeting.

The report highlighted some abysmal statistics, putting the spotlight on one of the industry's under-therug secrets: that diversity in the newsroom was not a priority. This report continues to gather momentum, and we aim to hold the networks accountable at the highest levels.

We also have our sights trained on the lack of diversity in the emerging and fast-developing field of new media. As 2010 NABJ Lifetime Achievement Winner Paul Delaney said in his acceptance speech: "We find ourselves fighting for our professional lives.

New media resemble old media."

Indeed, digital sites are popping out in fast numbers, yet black journalists are barely part of the explosion.

In the coming weeks, I am planning a series of advocacy visits to major media outlets, reintroducing them to NABJ and putting them on notice that they cannot afford to dismiss a diverse newsroom, not even in a poor economy that is forcing many newsrooms into survival mode.

When the economy was doing well, diversity failed to reach its full potential. Media companies who think diversity is something they cannot afford must understand that it is something they cannot afford to sacrifice. Diversity is a mindset, and it is NABJ's job to change the mentalities of these executives.

For those who suggest that they are unable to find talented black journalists, NABJ will offer its own job portal, where our organization will filter and categorize our members' resumes for companies seeking diverse talent. Their excuses will soon become extinct.

And we continue to challenge all of our media partners to join us in New Orleans at our annual convention and career fair - still the largest of its kind in the country - to not only find talented journalists to hire, but to sit, listen and learn about the challenges facing black journalists in mainstream newsrooms.

NABJ is here to help the industry reach its full potential, but it won't be easy. Nearly two decades after our first interview, Hill reminds me we are traveling a long road.

"We have taken giant steps back," he said. "We need to hold people accountable. The industry needs somebody to shape the industry to help it reflect America."

Amen, Brother Hill. The industry needs NABJ. Greg Lee is the President of the National Association of Black Journalists and the Sr. Assistant Sports Editor at the Boston Globe.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King, Jr. PAGE 4

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JANUARY 13, 2012

ReMarcus L. West Memorial Scholarship Fund receives $100,000 from anonymous donor Dallas, Texas -- The University of North Texas at Dallas has announced a $100,000 gift from an anonymous donor to establish the ReMarcus L. West Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of Texas State Senator, Royce West’s late son, Remarcus, who recently passed away after a prolonged illness.

ReMarcus West graduated from Duncanville High School in 1997 and attended the University of North Texas and Prairie View A&M University. He is remembered as a talented coalition builder among his peers. “He was a person who would often bring people with multiple, even opposing interests together,” said his father. ReMarcus had hopes to continue his education by studying photography in New York, but his illness prevented him from achieving that goal.

“He would always take one step forward with his education and then two steps back when he would get sick,” said Senator West, “He knew what it was like to have to overcome obstacles to complete his education and so creating a fund that will help others surmount barriers to their dreams is a significant way to honor him.”

“We are all very saddened to learn of ReMarcus’ passing.

My heart goes out to his family and friends,” said Dr. John Ellis Price, president of UNT at Dallas. “We are privileged to be able to create this memorial fund in ReMarcus’ name, and deeply appreciative of the anonymous donor’s generous lead gift. With the ReMarcus L. West Memorial Scholarship Fund, we can help students attain the educational goals that were a challenge for him, and continue his legacy by teaching others the art of building coalitions.”

In working jointly with state and local officials to establish UNT at Dallas, Senator West is credited with being the driving force in bringing the first and only four-year state university to the City of Dallas. Legislation was passed in 2001 which called for the creation of the new Dallas university, and the first building was completed in 2006.

“We hope that the lead gift to endow this Scholarship Fund at the University of North Texas at Dallas in memory of ReMarcus will encourage others to contribute,” said Douglas Smith, vice president for university advancement of UNT at Dallas. “Providing educational opportunities for the young people of greater Dallas, Best Southwest Cities and the North Texas region is of paramount importance to the West family, and a most fitting tribute to ReMarcus.”

Donations to the scholarship fund may be made by check and mailed to the University of North Texas at Dallas, Office of University Advancement, Attn: ReMarcus L. West Scholarship Fund, 7300 University Hills Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75241, or online at https://development.unt.edu/givenow/ dallas.htm .

If you wish to make a wire transfer, please contact Douglas Smith at Douglas.Smith@unt.edu or call (972) 780-3616.

For additional questions, contact Ana Rodriguez at Ana.Herrera@unt.edu or call (214) 536-0655.

The University of North Texas at Dallas is the first public, four-year university in the City of Dallas. It is dedicated to enhancing access to high quality education and to preparing students to become exemplary citizens who can assume leadership positions in a global environment by offering an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning, the pursuit of innovative research and technologies, and a commitment to improve the quality of life through civic engagement. UNT at Dallas offers 11 undergraduate and four graduate degrees and serves a culturally diverse population. For more information visit: http://www.unt.edu/ unt-dallas. !

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FAMU VP visit focuses on alumni concerns, recruiting, business opportunities and more When Dr. Thomas Haynes visits Texas next week, he’s on a mission.

He’ll be meeting with alumni of America’s largest HBCU, Florida A & M Un i v e r s i t y a n d h e ’ l l b e recruiting new students and offering scholarships.

Dr. Thomas J. Haynes FAMU VP of University Relations

Additionally, Dr. Haynes, who has a strong fundraising background, will be meeting with corporate executives as he attempts to enhance FAMU’s

prestigious internship program’s presence nationally and abroad.

Dr. Haynes earned his bachelor’s degree in 1976 from Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C.; his master’s degree f r o m FA M U i n 1 9 7 7 ; a n d h i s doctorate in education leadership with specialization in educational policy, planning and analysis in 1991 from Florida State University.

He held several positions at FAMU, from 1977-2003 Back on FAMU’s campus, after stints at Montclair State University (NJ) and Coppin State University (MD), Dr. Haynes said he is optimistic about FAMU’s future and hopes to strengthen ties across the country.

And he has a strong message for students and their parents as he urged students to take courses that will aid them in taking the standardized ACT a n d S AT c o l l e g e p l a c e m e n t examinations.

“If you can invest in your children taking prep courses, the benefits are significant, he said during a recent interview on KKDA-AM. According to Dr. Haynes, African Americans and Latinos seem to score higher on the ACT than the SAT. Whatever the case, a high score on one of those tests could translate into a free ride at the college of your choice.

“I have three

goals: I want to meet with alumni and have a fireside chat, reach out to students who can come and benefit from the FAMU experience and visit with corporations in Dallas and Houston to talk about opportunities for our students,” said Dr. Haynes.

“Florida A&M is where a student can come and become what they want to be,” he said. “We think FAMU has a brand that is second to none!”

FAMU alumni are strong in the D/FW area and Dr. Haynes hopes to encourage more giving.

Ron Fry “Black College alums need to support,” he implored.

“You’ve got to give back.

Alum Ron Fry, who turns 50 this month, has an annual birthday fundraiser, along with friend Devon White, that has provided thousands to the University.

This year ’s fundraiser is the Attitude Adjustment weekend 2012! in s u p p o r t o f t h e FA M U A l u m n i Scholarship Fund $25 donations Cash Bar, Food, Door prizes, DJ and great people!

The kickoff event is Thursday, January 19 at Buttons Addison. For a complete schedule, log on to http:// www.facebook.com/ron.fry1 or call 972-624-0816.

For Dr. Haynes’ D/FW schedule, tune in to Cheryl's World at http:// tobtr.com/s/2650563. #BlogTalkRadio or www.dfwfamualumni.org/

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and import ance and sh o uld be unde rt ake n w i t h painstaking excellence.

Martin Luther King, Jr. PAGE 5

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JANUARY 13, 2012

Sonya Hoskins leads DBCC 2012 Team Dallas, TX ---Within the first week of the first month of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce (DBCC) 2012 Chair of the Board’s tenure, the new leader will be working with a new executive committee and lead a search for a new DBCC President.

Attorney Sonya Hoskins, co-founder and Atty. Sonya Hoskins partner, Robinson & Hoskins L.L.P., a local law firm with national reach, was elected DBCC Chair for a one-year term that began January 1. A longtime DBCC board member, Hoskins moved up from first Vice Chair on the Chamber’s Executive Committee to assume the chair position, having served for more than seven years as an officer in several roles on DBCC’s Executive Committee.

Launching her 2012 theme: “Building on Our Legacy of Economic Empowerment”, the incoming chair has developed an aggressive work plan and has assembled a diverse leadership team to help execute her vision.

Joining Ms. Hoskins on the chamber’s executive leadership team are 1st Vice Chair Sharon King, Castle Business Solutions; 2nd Vice Chair Michael Johnson, Johnson McKibben Architects; 3 rd Vice Chair Clifford Freeney, Concept Services and 1-800 Plumbing; and 4th Vice Chair Katrina Keyes, K Strategies Group, LLC. Other members of DBCC’s 2012 Executive Committee include Board Secretary Audrey Andrews, Ph.D., HNTB Corporation; Board Treasurer Kelvin Walker, 21st Century Group, LLC; Board Parliamentarian Dr. Susan Williams McElroy, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Texas at Dallas; and DBCC Immediate Past Chair Ron Hay, All Temps 1 Personnel.

“We have a great leadership team and tremendous depth on our board,” Ms. Hoskins said, adding, “The Dallas Black Chamber has the technical qualifications and requisite capabilities to continue its legacy of providing constructive leadership to the Dallas/Fort Worth region and beyond.”

A key action step on Ms. Hoskins “to do” list is to appoint a search committee to find a new chamber president. “The Chamber has been providing constructive leadership since 1926 and we will continue that legacy,” Hoskins said. “We will have a search committee named by the end of January and conduct a thorough search to find the right skills set to manage our dayto-day operations.”

Former chamber president Charles R. O’Neal resigned in December to return to his “entrepreneurial roots”.

Mr. O’Neal said the time was right to channel his energy into a consulting business venture that will demand his full attention. !

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An Exclusive Inter view

JANUARY 13, 2012

March 26, 1950 January 13, 2010

By Cheryl Smith

Call me Teddy!

It has been two years since the death of Theodore DeReese “Teddy” Pendergrass. Remembering him B.A. (before accident) was not hard to do. His awesome presence and chart-topping solos: “Close the Door,” “Turn off the Lights,” “Love TKO,” and “Lady” were just a few of the crowd pleasers that I was familiar with, along with hits from his days with the group, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes like “Wake up Everybody,” “I Hope That We Can Be Together Soon,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and my all-time favorite, “Be For Real.”

When I talked to Mr. Pendergrass, it was 25 years after “the accident” and I was excited about the opportunity to hear from this icon -- about his career and his life.

Teddy Pendergrass was performing for packed houses across the country and around the world, with millions of satisfied fans.

He was on cloud nine. The sky was the limit. Until that fateful night when his life changed forever.

Was it really him on the other end of the phone line?

He said, “Hello Cheryl, this is Teddy Pendergrass.” Then he told me to call him “Teddy.”

I told “Teddy” about one concert I attended when I was in my early 20s.

I was the youngest of a group of female relatives, ages 20 to 66, and our group of eight fit in perfectly with the thousands of screaming women at the Florida convention

center where he brought his “for women only” show.

I had never experienced such a frenzy. Those women were in love with their “teddy bear.”

For this interview, I was prepared to talk about the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, Inc., and spinal cord injuries (SCI), avoiding areas that might be undesirable, but Mr. Pendergrass was very candid when talking about his accident and how he has dealt with life since he became confined to a wheelchair.

We didn’t spend a lot of time talking about that March 18 night when the brakes failed on his 1981 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, crashing and causing minor injuries to the

passenger but left him paralyzed from the waist down because of a spinal cord injury.

One day he was on top of the world, with hype that you could definitely believe, and then he was waking up in the hospital to hear the dreadful news--he would never walk again.

We moved from that subject to more cheerful times. I told him that he needed to come to Dallas and perform, because it had been way too long since he had made an appearance in the state.

“Sounds like a plan,” he told me, as he laughed and tried to recall the last time he performed in Dallas. “I’d love to come to Dallas.”

The thought of Teddy performing again was exciting to me.

He acknowledged that many people didn’t know that he was performing again, although not nearly as rigorous a schedule as before the accident.

He also worked with singers Whitney Houston and Miles Jaye, while also gaining more Grammy nominations and rave reviews.

He used his celebrity star power to call attention and gain support for his nonprofit organization benefiting people living with SCI. His laughter was contagious as we recalled all the media hype surrounding his back in the day Continued on next page

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

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performances and the impact his music had on women, prior to and following the accident.

He found it especially amusing and flattering that the oldest member of my group at the Florida concert had recently celebrated her 91st birthday!

Yes, he did love the attention he received.

It was attention so extreme that it was par for the course for women to toss their underwear on the stage, scream uncontrollably and profess their love for him.

Teddy was riding high. While his life changed drastically, he still had a strong fan base that supported him and especially his efforts to raise money and increase public awareness about SCI. It was a long, hard fall and a lot to swallow for the man who seemed to have everything.

He usually did what he wanted to, when, where and how he wanted to. Then things changed.

“Imagine you can’t do for yourself. It is so devastating,” said the man who began singing in the church at the age of 2 1/2. “A lot of people commit suicide. A lot of people say ‘I can’t handle this.’”

He was not immune to those same negative feelings.

“I’ve had those thoughts,” he recalled, admitting that it would have been so easy to wallow in self-pity. “I asked myself, ‘What do I do now ... I realized that I wouldn’t be going back on stage?’”

To say it was easy would be a gross understatement, he continued, saying the process was long and there were some emotional ups and downs.

Having a strong base really helped Teddy deal with his new lifestyle.

There were people around him who he said never gave up on him.

“My managers did not abandon me.

They dug in and found ways for me to continue doing many of the things I loved to do,” he said. “I’ve been able to thrive, I have a hell of a support system. I am just one who never gave up.”

When he finally accepted his condition, he said he also realized

that “life can be lived and lived well.”

And while there were some dark days ahead as he faced the reality of his condition, he also came to realize that life can be “beautiful” and that was his message to anyone living with a spinal cord injury.

Noting that over 300,000 Americans have SCI, Teddy said he applauds the efforts made to find a cure but in the meantime he wants to focus on providing a better quality of life for “people with spinal cord injuries.”

“There are things I do behind the scenes, using my life as a springboard to do something for future generations,” he said.

“Unfortunately when children play

Teddy said he was “thankful that a gentleman came to me and offered me a record deal.”

People not giving up on him enabled him to deal with a reality unlike the one he envisioned as he moved from backup singer with the Blue Notes to solo award-winning sensation.

There are a lot of lessons Teddy hoped to share with the public. The need for compassion was high on his list.

“Sooner or later we will all be disabled or know someone who will be disabled,” he warned, adding that how a disabled person is treated can have a serious effect on their recovery and ability to function. He

“When you don’t know what to say or do, or when you see someone in a wheelchair, you should smile and say hello.” sports, get hit the wrong way -therefore its important for me to make sure I sound the horn, so they can be rehabilitated.

“Many are hurt on skateboards, while swimming or they are in car accidents,” he pointed out, adding that many find themselves in nursing homes, at young ages; while some are fortunate to be “moving around in society.”

He continued. “It is so important for society to understand that they are disabled and not unable.”

Sure headlines reported of the end to his successful career.

Some asked, “who will be the next Teddy?”

Well Mr. Teddy Pendergrass didn’t take too kindly to those reports that labeled him a “has been.

said if the public treats people with disabilities based on “unsolicited misperceptions,” the outcome is usually always bad.

In order to deal with people confined to wheelchairs, like him, Teddy offered suggestions that some might consider to be common courtesies, but like common sense, common courtesies are not so common.

“Don’t talk to other people around us,” he said. “It is dehumanizing to me. I am very direct. I am a human.”

As an example, he said people would come up to him and ask the person with him if he needed something. He wasn’t invisible, deaf or blind!

It was offensive, he said, and while he could be very nice despite the

JANUARY 13, 2012

rude behavior, “I can be downright nasty.”

He also said “when you don’t know what to say or do or when you see someone in a wheelchair, you should smile and say ‘hello.’”

“It’s important that people realize that we’re still the same people, we’re just rolling.”

And rolling along at a fast pace he acknowledged, listing several projects that were in the works.

“My world is very busy,” he said.

“We released an album -- The Essential Teddy Pendergrass, there’s a play being developed of my life story, I’ve had talks about my own television show and there’s a big push for a movie.”

His life was chronicled in the popular TV One series, “Unsung,” where family members and friends discussed Teddy before and after the accident.

Despite his injuries and healthcare needs, he remained focused on helping others who are in the same situation but don’t have the name recognition or insurance to help with securing a better quality of life.

“Through it all, I’m truly blessed,” he said, adding that he wanted everyone to help him help others.

“If we persevere and have the right outlets we can do so much.”

And if anyone is worried about him, he wanted to set the record straight.

Teddy wanted his fans to know that despite the tragic accident that altered his life forever, he was doing fine. He said, “I’m ok.

Thank goodness I’m thriving.”

It was good to hear. But the good news didn’t last long.

About a year after my interview, Teddy had surgery for colon cancer.

On January 13, 2010, he died of respiratory failure. In a little over two months, he would have celebrated his 60th birthday.

If you would like to continue, or contribute to, the work that Teddy did on behalf of SCI, contact the National Spinal Cord Injury Association at 718.803.3782 or log on to www.spinalcord.org

A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.

Martin Luther King, Jr. PAGE 7

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A Monumental Message African Renaissance Monument

Photo by Cheryl Smith

I fe! in love with the African Renaissance Monument in Dakar, Senegal, "om the

Picture of the woman, taken from the window of the man’s headgear.

moment my eyes rested on the bronze statue. For me, it represented the African Family, complete with a strong father, beautiful mother and healthy child. -- it is a man, a woman and a child, arms outstretched, facing the Atlantic Ocean. I marveled at the strength that exuded "om the statue. A&er a!, African people have suffered so much, could we rea!y be as strong as the statue depicted?

Thinking back to a! the sheroes and heroes that I have learned about or known, I felt as though the Monument was the symbol of a! things great about our people. Pride and hope are two emotions I felt. I needed to feel good because the next day I would be joining the members of the American Delegation of Black Co!ege Presidents and representatives of the National Conference of Black Mayors on a trip to Goree Island to the “House of Slaves” and I had a feeling that my demeanor would be entirely different.

Dr. Gilbert Rochon, President of Tuskegee University, shares history with the guide, Ousseynou Bissichi.

Throughout the halls of the Monument, African history is on the walls.

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JANUARY 13, 2012

The symbol and message is “Africa coming out of the darkness from five centuries of slavery and two centuries of colonialism,” said the president.

A view as you approach the monument. It is described as “a powerful and robust African Giant bursting out of the Volcano in the company of his wife he is holding with one arm and lifting his son with his other arm.”

Ousseynou Bissichi was a wonderful guide. An alum of Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade said the statue symbolizes CheikhAnta Diop University and an entertainer, Mr. Bissichi was Africa, reborn and reinvigorated, after five centuries of slavery and extremely knowledgeable and engaging during his presentation as colonialism. He also said the statue did not cost the Senegalese he shared historical and statistical information about the government. monument.

“Let me say it once for all to everyone, the monument did not There was so much information to absorb. cost a penny,” he responded in writing. “Senegal did not give at any I took the elevator up to the top of the statue (inside the man’s time whatsoever one franc in exchange for the statue. We turned headgear) so that I could look out the windows. It was much in land.” smaller inside than I expected, but the view was breathtaking.

According to President Wade, “We told the Koreans that we did As I looked at the woman, I thought of the many times my not have any money but we could, against the delivery of a brother, Daryl, and friends would tease me about my forehead. completely built monument, surrender to them a land of the same If they could only see what I was looking at. Surely they would see value. We knew that the presence alone of the monument in the the beauty that I saw. area would automatically raise the price of surrounding lands.”

On my second trip to Dakar, while shopping with It is important to note that there are several countries members of our delegation and friends we met in Africa that have statues or monuments that were during our previous trip, we jokingly told people built by the same North Korean design company, that I was the model for the statue!

Mansudae Overseas Project Group of Companies, that I don’t think I have ever enjoyed having my built the African Renaissance Monument. forehead on display as much as I did that afternoon Additionally, to silence his critics who took issue with as people nodded in agreement! the female, President Wade said that prior to approving But e ver yone wa s not happy about the the design, he consulted with religious scholars to to monument and others had no reaction at all--as ensure that it was not offensive. Considering that the though the monument was not part of their reality. majority population in Dakar is Muslim, that was the Some were upset about the monument because right thing to do. poverty is definitely an issue in Senegal. I was Stressing African unity, and in celebration of the 50th asked, “How can you see the beauty of the statue anniversary of Senegal’s freedom from French rule, when you are looking into the eyes of your starving President Abdoulaye Wade President Wade said this was “a chance to usher in a family members?” new era for the country and for a unified African During my first trip in June 2011, I saw areas of extreme poverty. continent.”

There were areas where I traveled and saw what happens when Called the largest statue in the world, actually a “foot taller” than resources are scarce. I did notice, however, that in December, there the Statue of Liberty; the monument was designed by the seemed to be progress in some of the same areas, especially in president, was built by a North Korean company and is a tribute to waste management and disposal.

“Africa’s renaissance. The concept of the Monument is When I posted pictures on my FaceBook page, I heard from “authentically Senegalese” and the technical realization carried out several Senegalese “friends” who expressed displeasure over what under President Wade’s direction and control is North Korean. they called “excess.” They couldn’t fathom the utilization of money The symbol and message is “Africa coming out of the darkness to build elaborate monuments when the masses were suffering. from five centuries of slavery and two centuries of colonialism,” There were also reports that Muslims found the “scantily-clad said the president. female offensive.

I see progress in Senegal. The development of relationships with The Statue’s $27 million cost provided the most criticism and Mayors and HBCUs in America and Africa holds much promise. demonstrations were held during the unveiling in 2010. Even the And decades and centuries from now, that symbol of beauty--the $27-million price tag has been disputed, with critics doubling and African Renaissance-- will still be there too, for all to see and take tripling the cost. pride in and celebrate.

CLS

History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

Martin Luther King, Jr. PAGE 9

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in OUR library

Between the Sheets

Reviewed by Cheryl Smith cheryl@cherylsmithonline.com

A Collection of Erotic Tales Presented

by Delphine Publications

It’s Morning Torn Lovers & Their Stories

By Elaine Flowers In "It’s Morning" author Elaine Flowers brings you two novellas and a short story-- with love as the overwhelming theme.

Readers will find humor and thoughtprovoking story lines that make It s Morning a must-read.

In Never as Good as the First Time, Melinda and Germaine had a relationship.

They love one another but it takes more than love. Even when Melinda says it’s over, Germaine refuses to accept the inevitable. He’s not giving up.

What happens when you read something that is not meant for you but you think it is, until you get to the very end? What happens when you realize that what you read was not intended for you.

In The Letter, Mahogany has written a letter professing her desire to be with someone but the letter went to the wrong person. When she tries to retrieve the letter, things get testy.

Finally, there’s Daddy’s Maybe. The title alone sparks the interest of readers when you think about the numerous paternity test shows on television and the radio.

Calvin and Kendra are married and they have issues. For six years they have kept it together but things are not working out too well these days and so the relationship was ripe for intrusion. Actually Kendra has cheated before but it wasn’t a deal breaker for Calvin.

Enter Brad. They met when he came into the salon where Kendra worked and she gave him a haircut.

The conversation was good and the chemistry was there and they began spending more and more time together.

Something was bound to happen and it did! Kendra is pregnant! Ummm.

"Between the Sheets" brings tales from some of the newest authors to the veterans--telling stories of eroticism that will have readers yearning for more.

Read tales of women who profess their need to have sex and others are getting more than they can handle, but they’ll give it their best effort.

Some of the stories are humorous while others are just plain jawdropping! You’ll find women who are in control and it is refreshing to read where they are taking charge of their lives and their relationships.

Love triangles, clandestine affairs, let’s get together for a quick roll between the sheets, forbidden love and immense or more like intense desires are just some of the stories that appear in "Between the Sheets"--where any and everything goes.

Surprisingly readers will laugh at some of the tales. Laughing about sex? Yes. Laughter mixed with all the other emotions that are sure to surface makes for a real good read.

More and more authors are exploring eroticism and clearly there is an audience.

Zane doesn’t shy away from her critics and she doesn’t have to. Millions get her message and she writes about characters that the readers can identify with.

Equally endearing are the messages that she integrates into her storylines when the characters are not having sex!

In "The Hot Box," Zane tackles homelessness. With Yosef she puts a face on an issue that impacts millions in America alone. Zane shares Josef’s story and helps readers to understand misperceptions that have been previously presented about the homeless; similar to what was done with In Pursuit of Happyness.

Yosef meets Milena and an interesting relationship is born as she introduces him to her best friend Lydia and her exfiance, Jacour.

Milena needs someone to pose as her man so that Jacour will leave her alone.

Yosef is a willing participant in the charade. But how long will it last?

Readers will enjoy Lydia and her trysts with two men, each satisfying different needs.

It appears everyone has secrets in the Hot Box and eventually all secrets will be revealed.

As always Zane provides readers with an experience that will keep them returning to bookstores and keeping her on the bestseller lists.

HOODFELLAS II American Gangster

By Richard Jeanty

The Hot Box

By Zane Zane is deep and her writing is superb.

Eroticism is her expertise and she has gained an impressive following because she knows what she is doing.

Her works are empowering for women because she candidly discusses those issues that many women feel uncomfortable opening up about.

In discussing true love, Zane’s comments are profound: Things happen when they are supposed to happen.

Remember, if God doesn’t give you what you want, that’s because it’s not what you need.

While author Richard Jeanty takes you on a journey into the life of Deon, you’ll also get a history lesson and a view of life in Haiti, as well as efforts made to migrate from Haiti to America.

Deon is an American gangster who has plenty of money and resources to live the life he chooses.

Unfortunately while visiting in Haiti, he is mistakenly kidnapped and held for ransom.

Mr. Jeanty weaves a tale of intrigue, sex and violence.

HoodFellas II is filled with lies,

It’s a new year!

JANUARY 13, 2012

dishonor and a survive by any means necessary mentality.

As the guest of Jean Paul, Deon and his crew are enjoying the good life that Haiti has to offer as they prepare to expand their business ventures.

At times you don’t know who to trust because trusting the wrong person could land you in jail or worse--dead.

There is so much deception going on in Haiti that Jean Paul and Deno even begin to have doubts about one another, especially when it is revealed that there is a mole and valuable information has been leaked to some unscrupulous individuals.

The talented Mr. Jeanty is churning out books with a vengeance and each one is more exciting than the previous.

He is skilled at creating characters that readers will identify with and want to learn more about. The question is will they all survive the culture of Haiti?

"HoodFellas II" will keep you on edge until the very end.

UPTOWN

By Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant Family.

If you want all the elements of drama along with dysfunction; that’s what you’ll find when reading about two cousins--Avery and Dwight-- and their families.

Bestselling authors Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant introduce readers to an affluent family that has all the drama of two 1980s series--Dynasty and Dallas.

Fans may remember Dwight from Better Than I Know Myself.

Complete with the wheeling and dealing; it appears loyalty does not exist for some family members when it comes to landing and finalizing the ultimate deal. Set in New York Uptown p i t s Av e r y a n d Dwight in a conflict that could easily be resolved if Avery would just sign over some property that would help Dwight move forward on a luxury high-rise development project.

It appears the cousins are going to have a meeting of the minds but as is the case with most families there’s always some drama and their family is no exception.

Black Economic History

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French made easier w PJ

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Interviews

www.blogtalkradio.com 9-11a.m. weekdays

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Bringing you informative, insightful, thought-provoking discussions, guests and information!

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Praise for “Joyful Noise” Featuring a star-studded cast, “Joyful Noise” is an entertaining film about a Church’s efforts to win a national competition.

Okay, you say, you’ve seen this movie before. Well, not really!

There are some twists and turns that make for a very enjoyable movie-going experience, thanks to the headliners -- the Queens and Oscar nominees -- Latifah and Dolly Parton.

Then there’s the engagingly talented Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan, as well as the high-energy performance by gospel Singer/actor/producer Kirk Franklin visits with Ayanna Smith, following the movie. great Kirk Franklin.

Equally moving has to be the performance

by Kris Kristofferson, who is the choir director until he dies suddenly..

With all that star power, you might think that this film is more hype than anything but, add a solid performance from Courtney B. Vance and you have a formula for success.

Both Queen Latifah and the Queen of Country, Ms. Parton, get their moments to shine as their talents are showcased in solo performances.

It’s especially important to note, that while throughout the storyline, a number of issues are dealt with, there are a number of lessons for everyone involved.

During a recent screening in Arlington, TX, Mr. Franklin urged moviegoers to share their experience with friends and urge them to see the movie.

“Hollywood understands one thing, ‘caching,’” he said. “If this movie opens big next Friday, you will see more movies like it.”

IMessenger

JANUARY 13, 2012

Dallas Black Dance Theatre celebrates 35th Anniversary It was a time to celebrate at the annual Founders Luncheon for the Dallas Black Dance Theatre at the Hilton Anatole. Mark your calendar for next year’s celebration on January 4, 2013.

This year’s event was hosted by veteran journalist Clarice Tinsley of FOX 4 and the auctioneer was the effervescent Bernice J. Washington.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre Founder Ann Williams

PVAMU’s Bobbie and Jesse Fontenette

UNCF’s Diane Stephenson and American Airlines’ LaWonda Peoples

Business exec Ron Fry

American Airlines’ Machell Denson

Parliamentarian Estraordinaire Ada Williams

WFAATV’s Berna Dean Steptoe

POLICE have not apprehended Pookie the serial rapist.

If you have information, call Crime Stoppers at

877.373.8477 Also, if you want extra protection, check out Street Safe at www.streetsafe.peopleguard.com PAGE 11

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All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us f ace to f ace wi th ano the r problem.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Hosts

Town Hall Meeting MOVING UP, MOVING FORWARD: Mobilizing Our Community to End Violence Against Women and Children

Saturday, January 21, 2012 9am-12pm Methodist Dallas Medical Center Hitt Auditorium 1441 N. Beckley Avenue Dallas, Texas75203 Please enter the campus at 221 W. Colorado (at Bishop), which is the main Entrance to the hospital

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TV ONE’s “Find Our Missing” features more Blacks Silver Spring, MD –As the centerpiece of an effort to draw attention to and help find missing Black Americans, whose stories are largely ignored in national media coverage of missing persons, TV One will premiere Find Our Missing, a 10-episode, one-hour docu-drama series Wednesday, January 18 at 10pET. Additional episodes of Find Our Missing will feature: Yasmin Acree, a popular 15-yearold honor student on Chicago’s west side, who disappeared from her home in the middle of the night in 2008; Althedia Vaught, a 41year-old- grandmother-to-be in Tulsa, who was seen leaving her house late one night in January 2009 wearing her pajamas, never to be seen again; Monica Bowie, a 34-year-old Atlanta woman, who is believed to have been kidnapped in 2007 from the parking deck of her Atlanta apartment complex; Jaliek Rainwalker, a 12-year-old Greenwich, NY boy, who had been on his way to being adopted after having been in the foster care system since birth, went missing in November 2008 after a car ride with his to-be adoptive father;

Christina Voltaire, a 22-year-old college student from Winter Haven, FL, who lent a friend her car in January 2011 and was missing when the friend returned an hour later; 26-year-old Lester Jones, a Mississippi State college student, who disappeared in January 2010 while on the drive to meet some college fraternity brothers for a weekend getaway.

Also, Tionda and Diamond Bradley, 10- and 3-year-old sisters from Chicago, who disappeared in July 2001 while their single mother was away for a few hours at work; 42-year-old nursing student and aspiring minister Evelyn Shelton, who went missing in Spartanburg, SC in May 2011 after a study date; 7-year-old Alexis Patterson from Milwaukee, who disappeared in May 2002 – she was last seen in the park near her school but never made it to class that day; 3-year-old Lemoine Allen & 2-year-old Kreneice Jackson, who are unrelated, but both toddlers disappeared from the front of Jimmy Jacskson grocery store May 10, 1992 in Edgard, MS - the kids were with family that afternoon celebrating a Mother’s Day service at a nearby church;

48-year-old Hattie Brown, a Persian Gulf War veteran and the first female sergeant in her platoon, who disappeared in 2009 from her home in Halifax County, VA, after having been seen filling up at a gas station with her nephew – her car was found two months later destroyed by fire; 18-year-old Pine Bluff, AR student Cleashindra Hall, who did part-time clerical work for a local doctor in 1994- she didn’t call her mother for her usual ride home from work, and the doctor says she was picked up by someone else; 20year-old Kelly Allen of St. Louis, who went missing while she was spending a few days at a female friend’s apartment and looking for a job; 24-year-old Unique Harris of Washington, DC, who put her sons and niece to bed in October 2010, then disappeared and is believed to have been abducted from her home; 27-year-old Morgan Johnson of

Indianapolis, who disappeared in May 2011 from the hotel where he lived, shortly after the death of his grandfather, with whom he had a close relationship – he did not attend the funeral, or has not shown up since for the job he loved, and he vanished without the medication he takes to prevents seizures; and 2-year-old Teekah Lewis of Tacoma, WA, who disappeared in 1999 while playing an arcade game during a family outing at a bowling alley, with her family just feet away.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

PAGE 13

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HOW TO RECEIVE A $100,000 FINANCIAL AID GRANT Millions of families are suffering financial hardships due to a serious down-turn in the economy.

Because of this, a special grant program is now available to assist individuals and families needing financial assistance. The proceeds from the grant can be used for the following: • College funding

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Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

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In Memoriam David Alexander aka Omar Shariff March 10, 1938 January 8, 2012 Born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1938, David Alexander grew up in Marshall, Texas. His father was a pianist and his mother encouraged him to play in the church.

Alexander joined the United States Navy in 1955, moved to Oakland, California in 1957, and began a long history of working with various San Francisco Bay Area musicians.

A self-taught pianist, he played with Big Mama Thornton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Albert Collins. Later in 1968, he recorded his first songs for the World Pacific label release called Oakland Blues, a compilation album of artists from that city.

He also performed at the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival in 1970, and played at the San Francisco Blues Festival, many times from 1973 onward. He was also the warm up act at the Last Waltz at Winterland, Thanksgiving, 1974. He also performed in Europe.

Alexander recorded a pair of albums The Rattler (1972) and The Dirt on the Ground (1973), for the Arhoolie label under his given name Dave Alexander.[2] Songs include "The Hoodoo Man (The Voodoo Woman & The Witch Doctor)", "St. James Infirmary", "Blue Tumbleweed", "Sundown", "Sufferin' With The Lowdown Blues", "Strange

Woman", "Cold Feelin", "Jimmy, Is That You?", "So You Wanna Be A Man" and "The Dirt On The Ground."

In 1976, he began to perform as Omar the Magnificent having changed his name to Omar Khayam.

He was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award in 1993 which was also when small blues label Have Mercy! released Black Widow Spider, followed it up with hit Baddass in 1995, and Anatomy of a Woman in 1998.

In the 2000s Alexander lived and performed mostly in the Sacramento area, where he recorded on Have Mercy! Records. He was an articulate writer and advocate for the blues and African American music.[6] He wrote several articles for the Living Blues magazine.

On Martin Luther King Day 2011, NPR Radio All Things Considered broadcast a segment about Marshall, Texas being the birthplace of the boogie-woogie style of piano. The broadcast described how Dr. John Tennison, a San Antonio-based boogiewoogie musicologist, had shared his knowledge of the history of boogie-woogie with the citizens of Marshall, and how Tennison had located Alexander in Sacramento, California. Alexander performed in Marshall during December, 2010, to great acclaim. In February, 2011, Alexander relocated to Marshall, Texas where he lived until his death.

On January 8, 2012, Alexander was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound at his home in Marshall, Texas. He was 73 years old.

Mary Raftery 1957-2012 Ms Raftery was best known for her 'States of Fear' documentary series,

which revealed the extent of physical and sexual abuse suffered by children in Irish industrial schools and residential institutions.

It led to the creation of the Commission of Inquiry into Child Abuse.

In 2002, her 'Cardinal Secrets' programme for RTÉ's Prime Time led to the setting up of the Murphy Commission of Investigation into clerical abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese.

Ms Raftery was one of four children and her father worked in the Irish diplomatic service.

The family moved many times before settling in Ireland permanently when she was 12.

In the late 1970s, she left her Engineering course at UCD to work for In Dublin magazine as a sub-editor and a journalist.

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JANUARY 13, 2012

Between then and 1984, she went on to write for Magill, where her investigation of the background of a prominent Dublin family of professional criminals first alerted her to the effect of industrial schools on the lives of the children committed to them. In 1984, she became one of the first people without a university degree to be recruited by RTÉ as a TV producer/director. She went on to have a wide-ranging career as a programme-maker, which included the arts programme 'Black Box', a series on media called 'Slants', and the magazine programme 'Evening Extra'.

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against is really Send your notices and itphotos to cooperating with it.

cheryl@cherylsmithonline.com Martin Luther King, Jr.

Part 1: Introduction to WordPress Part 2: Setting up and customizing your blog (what is a blog?)

Part 3: Writing and publishing your posts and pages (pages vs blogs) Part 4: Advanced content options and multimedia (videos, Audio and Documents) Part 5: Managing users in your WordPress site and Email Marketing from the site Part 6: Choosing and configuring WordPress plugins Part 7: Choosing and configuring WordPress themes Part 8: How to manage WordPress websites professionally and securely (keeping spam and hackers out) Price: $25 Date: Monday, January 16, 2012 Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m Location: TEXAS LAND & CATTLE 3945 North Central Expressway PLANO TX, 75023. US-75 & Spring Creek, in front of Main Event Ph: 972 / 578-8707

In the Spirit of Continuing the Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The National Black United Front (NBUF) Dallas presents A Film Review & Discussion: “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975” Winner of the 2012 African American Film Critic Association’s Best Documentary Award 6:00-9:00 PM Monday, January 16, 2012 Spring Plaza (ICDC) 4907 Spring Avenue Dallas, Texas 75210 Produced by Actor Danny Glover and Directed by Göran Olsson, the film features Angela Davis, Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Erykah Badu and other stars. Released on DVD, it is a documentary culled from television footage shot by a group of Swedish journalist. Features a fascinating collection of powerful images and interviews of the turbulent 60s and 70s

“Erykah Badu, Four Time Grammy Award Singer Will Provide Analysis On Her Role” Program Moderator: Thomas Muhammad, Chairman National Black United Front (NBUF)-Dallas Chapter Panelist: Robert Ashley, KHVN-AM (970) Radio News Director/Talk Show Host Carolyn R. Davis, Dallas City Council District 7 Aaron Michaels, Founder New Black Panther Party Damarcus Offord, DISD Candidate District 9 Contact: Thomas Muhammad 214-460-7672 or Email tmuhammad2003@yahoo.com

ENTER TODAY!

If you know of any high school or college students interested in sharpening their communications skills or pursuing a career in journalism, there’s still time to apply for the DFW/ABJ Urban Journalism Workshop.

www.dfwabj.org

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JANUARY 13, 2012

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