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March 4-March 10, 2010
The Cosmopolitan Review By YVONNE DELANEY MITCHELL March is Women’s History Month. Hip, hip hoorah! The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has a series of programs taking place so you simply must check out the schedule on their website. The Black Women’s Leadership Caucus, Inc., invites you to its annual Harriet Tubman Day of Commemoration wreath laying ceremony on Wednesday, March 10 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Swing Low Harriet Tubman Memorial, 122nd Street/Harriet Tubman Square at Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Congratulations to former Supreme Court, New York County Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam, who was recently appointed as a member of the Court at the New York State Appellate Division, First Department, and to Hon. Edwina G. Richardson-Mendelson, former administrative judge at Family Court, who is now appointed to the First Judicial District. Straight out of Brooklyn: A Jamaica-born Brooklyn College graduate who became superintendent of the 50,000-student Atlanta Public School system in 1999 has been named the 2009 National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators. The writer known simply as Sapphire is a Brooklyn College M.F.A. alumna and author of the book “Push,” which was adapted as “Precious,” the movie. “I had worked as a literacy teacher in Harlem, the South Bronx and Brooklyn...In 1993 I was ready to work on my MFA in poetry,” said the author in an interview about her novel. However, as fate would have it, Sapphire took a different turn as she envisioned “an obese Black woman as a feeling, intelligent person, as a person who dreams, as a person who wants the things that she wants. So, we brought up a stereotype, and we cracked it open and a human being comes forth.” The Museum of the City of New York on Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street hosted its annual Director’s Winter Ball to benefit the museum. Over 500 people were in attendance (no, no one that we know) and more than $400,000 was raised. I like to think that the museum is still part of Harlem, so it is always good to hear events of this nature are taking place. However, at the same time, just 27 blocks north on the very same Fifth Avenue, gunfire once again rang out on a quiet Sunday afternoon, summoning the police and causing the corner to be roped off in yellow police tape. Someone must have been seriously injured. Sigh! One Hundred Black Men, Inc. recently held its 30th annual benefit gala, “For Restoring Health & Building Bridges,” at the New York Hilton, honoring Dr. Kenneth Olden, founding dean of the School of Public Health, City University of New York, Hunter College, and Mark Wagar, president of Empire BlueCross BlueShield. Seen everywhere was Leslie Wyche, who was caught photographed with Bill Thompson, John Lui, Howard Watts, Fitzgerald Miller, Dennis Walcott and Joel Klein, just to name a few. Also in attendance were Sandra White Olden; Mayor Michael Bloomberg, seen shaking hands with the students and seemingly enjoying himself while having a delightful conversation with Melanie Collymore; Alice DeLeon; Tenisha Elie; Lauren Francis; Iris Otano; Shorami Pergash; Tony Ethan Loney and Millie Quiles; Ty Stone-Adams and Iasha Rivers, just to name a few. Then there was the “Her Name is Zelda” event celebrating Ms. Zelda Kaplan, that was billed as “A night of appreciation event for the 93-year-old philanthropist, Africa enthusiast and nightlife matriarch.” While Zelda is short in stature, she is long is spirit and style. The evening benefited Alicia Keys’ non-profit of choice, Keep A Child Alive. Keep a Child Alive provides first-class AIDS care and support for orphans and food for people affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India. There is a position open for a responsible, reliable, vibrant, enthusiastic front desk/receptionist to answer phones, complete administrative tasks and basically oversee daily operations. The position will begin immediately with an opportunity to work as the summer camp director. For further information, e-mail your resume to butterfly2dance@aol.com and call (917) 817-3419 for an interview. It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of the father of Donna S. Williams on Tuesday, February 23. Funeral services for Mr. Williams were on Saturday, February 27 at Fountain Baptist Church, 116 Glenside Avenue in Summit, N.J. Happy birthday to Calvin Bass. While the snow just won’t seem to end, there are more than a few lucky New Yorkers who have taken all that they can take and have headed south and will be MIA (missing in action) for the rest of the winter season. Oh, to live the life.
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Black History Month celebration at Gracie Mansion Retired WWII Tuskegee Airman Colonel Floyd Carter and his wife, Artherine, enjoyed a Black History Month celebration at Gracie Mansion given by NYC Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on February 17. The Tuskegee Airmen were America’s first Black fighter pilots in World War II. In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee form 1940 to 1946. About 445 were deployed overseas, and 150 Airmen lost their lives in accidents or combat. None of the WWII bombers escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen were ever lost to enemy fire. The evening keynote speaker was Congressman Charles Rangel.
Retired Colonel Floyd Carter (WWII Tuskegee Airman) with his wife, Artherine Carter (Gideon Manasseh photo)
100 Black Men of America Inc. ring the NASDAQ OMX stock market closing bell 100 Hundred Black Men of America Inc. members presided over the NASDAQ stock market closing in the daily ceremonial ringing of the bell on Thursday, 25 February in recognition of February as Black History Month. The national organization was represented by four members who serve as officers for the Long Island and New Jersey Chapters. During their visit to the NASDAQ MarketSite in New York City’s Times Square, Long Island Chapter President Phil Andrews, Long Island Chapter Publicity Chairman Warren Woodberry Jr., Long Island Chapter Board Member William B. Wise and New Jersey Chapter President Jerrid Douglas were joined by senior executives from NASDAQ OMX.
The NASDAQ stock market closing Thursday was broadcast on major business and news cable television network stations worldwide. To view the video, visit www.facebook.com/pages/NASDAQ-OMX/108167527653. “As leaders in the AfricanAmerican community, 100 Black Men of America today was honored on the world
stage of business for the work and commitment we do in improving the way of life for Blacks worldwide,” said Woodberry. “It is with great pride that our recognition this Black History Month honors the strengths and talents of our organization and community as we ring the bell at the NASDAQ stock market closing.”