VOL. 62, No. 34
www.tsdmemphis.com
August 22 - 28, 2013
75 Cents
‘Actions speak’ for Tina L. Birchett kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com
by Karanja A. Ajanaku
Dr. Lemoyne Robinson (left) is on point as the panel of educators, including Dr. Ernest L. Gibson III and Interim Supt. Dorsey Hopson (right) field questions. Tomeka Hart was the moderator. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)
Focus: African-American males
Talent Dividend panel doles out achievement gap ‘reality’ Kajanaku@tri-statedefender.com.
by Karanja A. Ajanaku Three “leading local educators”– including Interim Shelby County Schools Supt. Dorsey Hopson – on Tuesday helped participants and supporters of the Memphis Talent Dividend:
- INSIDE • Breaking into retail: The Candle Bakery. See Business, page 5. • At Ford Road, ‘No Excuses’ powers academic gains. See Education, page 12.
College Attainment Initiative with a starting point for dealing with the higher education achievement gap among African-American males. Hopson shared the spotlight with Dr. Lemoyne Robinson, who oversees several area charter schools as chancellor of Influence One Foundation, and Dr. Ernest L. Gib-
son III, a Rhodes College assistant professor of English. The session unfolded at the Leadership Memphis Gallery downtown, with the moderating duties in the hands of Tomeka Hart, Teach for America’s vice president for SEE MALES ON PAGE 12
The man black history erased CNN
• Chef Coolio? It could happen. See Entertainment, page 7.
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY
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H- 8 9o - L - 7 0o P a r tl y C l ou dy
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REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
Friday H-92 L-71 H-88 L-68 H-92 L-70
Saturday H-90 L-71 H-88 L-68 H-90 L-70
Sunday H-90 L-71 H-88 L-69 H-88 L-69
Kevin Woods
New District 4 School Board race ordered
by LZ Granderson Coolio
SEE BIRCHETT ON PAGE 2
Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr.
ʻIntoleranceʼ claims chief organizer of 1963 March on Washington
On August 13, 1963, in a last ditch effort to derail the pending March on Washington, Strom Thurmond took the Senate floor and hurled a series of vicious, personal attacks against the man organizing the largest protest in U.S. history. Thurmond called him a Communist and a draft dodger. He brought up a previous arrest and accused him of being immoral and a pervert. The man Thurmond was attacking was not Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In fact Thurmond used King’s own words – secretly recorded by J. Edgar Hoover – in his attacks against the march’s deputy director. “I hope Bayard don’t take a drink before the march,” Clarence Jones, King’s lawyer and close friend, said in the recording. “Yes,” King replied. “And grab one little brother. ‘Cause he will grab one when he has a drink.” “Bayard” would be Bayard Rustin, the most important leader of the civil rights movement you probably have never heard of. Rustin was imprisoned for challenging racial segregation in the South before the phrase “Freedom Rider” was ever said. He taught a 25-
A memorial service on Saturday (Aug. 24) will celebrate the life of Grace Magazine publisher and Sisterhood Showcase founder Tina Louise Birchett. Ms. Birchett passed away on Sunday (Aug. 18) after a valiant battle with cancer. She was 53. The memorial service is set to begin at 9:30 a.m. at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, 70 N. Bellevue Blvd., where she was a member. The numbing Tina L. news of Ms. Birchett Birchett’s passing spread quickly through the wide network of people touched by her directly and indirectly. She was the CEO and publisher of Birchett & Associates, comprised of the Sisterhood Outreach Summit & Showcase and GRACE® Magazine. “Some 16 years ago, Tina Birchett became one of 30 founding pioneers who contributed to the birth of the Memphis Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO),” said Elaine Sanford, founding president of NAWBO. “She was gritty, tenacious and a nononsense woman who enjoyed being called an entrepreneur,” said Sanford, founder of HER Faith Ministries, Inc. and Young-Sanford Marketing and Media Services. “Tina was fearless and always pushed past mediocrity to climb beyond so many of the issues that women entrepreneurs face in the busi-
At the 1963 March on Washington, actor and activist Ossie Davis introduced Bayard Rustin (left) “as the man who organized this whole thing.” Rustin, the March deputy director, is pictured here with Cleveland Robinson, chairman of the Administrative Committee. (Photo: Orlando Fernandez/Library of Congress)
• Why we’re still marching? See Opinion page 4 • ‘We Were There: The March on Washington.’ See Entertainment page 9.
year-old King the true meaning of nonviolent civil disobedience while the great dreamer was still being flanked by armed bodyguards. And before addressing the crowd of 250,000 that gathered at the National Mall nearly five decades ago, famed
actor and activist Ossie Davis introduced him “as the man who organized this whole thing.” No, the reason why you probably have not heard of Bayard Rustin has nothing to do with the significance of his contributions to the March on Washington or the civil rights movement in general. His absence is epitomized by the sentiment woven between the lines of that joke between Jones and Rustin’s protege. You see, the organizer of the great march, the man who held a SEE RUSTIN ON PAGE 2
A new election has been ordered in the School Board District 4 race, upholding a challenge to the Aug. 2, 2012 contest by longtime School board Commissioner Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr. Kevin Woods was declared the winner in the race by virtue of a 106-vote margin of victory. Whalum challenged the results. Whalum based his challenge on the assertion that the Election Commission erroneously assigned voters who lived in District 4 to other district races and also assigned voters to District 4 who did not live in the district. Chancellor Kenny Armstrong ruled that no fraud had been committed, but said fraud was not a necessary element to invalidate the election. “The combination of illegal votes cast that cannot be assigned and legal votes excluded creates clear uncertainty about the election outcome in the District 4 race if the election had been conducted properly,” Armstrong concluded. Although the mistakes were “honest” and “not intentional,” Armstrong opined, “they cannot be simply ignored. …” Without a new election, there always would be “legitimate questions” about the winner, Armstrong said in his ruling. The bottom line? The Court was left with “no alternative except to order a new election in the race.”
NEWS
Page 2
Hundreds of interns have filed lawsuits or raised complaints over working long hours for free. But one group of former interns is sidestepping the courtroom and going straight to the White House to fight for fair compensation (White House photo: Pete Souza)
Should Obama pay interns? Cost: $7.3 million CNNMoney
by Emily Jane Fox
NEW YORK – The White House may not be able to afford to pay its interns. While pressure has been mounting for President Obama to pay his interns, there could be a reason why the White House hasn’t ponied up: It would cost more than $7.3 million a year. That’s double what the White House paid to give tours of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., which were infamously halted in March due to forced spending cuts. It’s also slightly more than the $6 million that Vice President Joe Biden gets paid for carrying out his White House responsibilities and taking care of his official residence, according White House budget estimates for 2013. The $7.3 million figure assumes Obama would pay his interns $9, the number he suggested the minimum wage should be raised to during his State of the Union address in January. The White House has said it
employs more than 300 interns each year, with 150 this summer alone.And each one is expected to work 45 hours per week. The figure can be taken two ways. On the one hand, it means the White House is getting $7.3 million of free work each year. On the other, it is a relatively large amount of money to shell out at a time when the White House is being forced to cut back on many expenses. That may give pause to the interns who are calling on Obama to set an example by paying them. The Fair Pay Campaign, a grassroots lobby set to launch around Labor Day, has said that not paying interns creates a situation where only a privileged few can afford to work there – it can cost several thousands of dollars to cover rent and other living expenses while not getting paid. “If you want to break into these industries, you have to work for free,” said Mikey Franklin, the leader of Fair Pay’s charge. “That’s not a reality for a lot of people who aren’t upper middle class.” The White House was not immediately available for comment.
BIRCHETT
“Tina’s death leaves a real void and is a tremendous CONTINUED FROM FRONT loss to us.” Shelley Baur ness arena. … Her attitude
was, ‘Let my actions speak.’” NAWBO Memphis’ founders shared a vision of equal opportunity for all women business owners. “Tina was part of that vision and her encouragement and her success will continue to inspire us all,” said Deborah Turner Brasfield, founder of On The Square Gallery and Gifts, LLC in Bolivar. “Tina’s death leaves a real void and is a tremendous loss to us,” said Shelley Baur, founder of One Source Associates and NAWBO Memphis Past President. Alandas Dobbins, Ms. Birchett’s long-time friend and colleague and a past NAWBO Memphis President, said, “The class and taste in which she created Grace Magazine and the Sisterhood Showcase really focused on women of color. …There will be a void in these areas which she championed.” A University of Memphis graduate, Ms. Birchett established her marketing and consulting firm after spending 21 years in marketing and advertising. The Sisterhood Showcase, which has blossomed into a widely-embraced vehicle to help women connect mentally, spiritually and physically, observed its 18th anniversary in June at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. GRACE® Magazine,
Tri-State Defender
August 22 - 28, 2013
now in its second decade, is a bi-monthly publication for women of color with a readership of over 133,000. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Ms. Birchett was a Leadership Memphis graduate (Class of ’99). In 2011, she received the Distinguished Community Leadership Award from the YWCA of Greater Memphis. Among Memphis Magazine’s Who’s Who in Memphis (2004), she was also honored with the BBA’s 2006 Outstanding Business of the Year Award and the Memphis & Shelby County Health Department’s 2004 Light of Hope Award. In 2009, she was one of The Tri-State Defender’s Women of Excellence. DIVINE Magazine Owner/Publisher Megan Mottley recalled on Facebook that Ms. Birchett’s Grace Magazine was the first magazine to publish her work, providing an early platform for her writing career. It was, said Motley, “a huge opportunity that changed my life forever.” In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to Dress for Success Memphis or mailed to Dress for Success, 2730 Colony Park Dr. Memphis, TN. E. H. Ford Mortuary (901345-9558) has charge.
Civil rights leaders meet with President John F. Kennedy in the oval office of the White House after the March on Washington, D.C. Pictured (l-r): Willard Wirtz (Secretary of Labor); Floyd McKissick (CORE); Mathew Ahmann (National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice); Whitney Young (National Urban League); Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.(SCLC); John Lewis (SNCC); Rabbi Joachim Prinz (American Jewish Congress); A. Philip Randolph, with the Rev. Eugene Carson Blake partially visible behind him; President John F. Kennedy; Walter Reuther (labor leader), with Vice President Lyndon Johnson partially visible behind him; and Roy Wilkins (NAACP). (Photo: Warren K. Leffler/Library of Congress)
RUSTIN
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
fundraiser at Madison Square Garden to help fund the bus boycott in Montgomery, the intellectual behind the founding of the Southern Christian Leadership Council was also unabashedly gay. And it was the discomfort some had with his sexuality that led to his disappearance in our history books. “We must look back with sadness at the barriers of bigotry built around his sexuality,” wrote NAACP chairman emeritus Julian Bond in “I Must Resist,” a collection of Rustin letters. “We are the poorer for it.” As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of arguably the single most important event of the 20th century – as well as the speech that defined it – there is a natural inclination to evaluate how close we are to achieving Dr. King’s famed dream. With President Obama in office, it is silly to suggest no progress has been made. But considering that the wealth gap between black and white families has nearly tripled over the past 25 years or that a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 40 percent of white Americans don’t have a friend outside of their race, who can view the election of one man as King’s dream being ful-
filled? Yes, the residue of the Jim Crow era still poisons the air like mold spores after a flood, manifesting in unjust laws such as Stop and Frisk and clusters of failing schools in poor black neighborhoods. But after recently reading the full text of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, it occurred to me that perhaps the reason why we’re still divided as a nation is because we
“We must look back with sadness at the barriers of bigotry built around his (Bayard Rustin) sexuality.” Julian Bond
haven’t figured out what is keeping us apart. Despite being a leading voice for racial equality since the 1940s, Rustin’s marginalization is a direct reflection of oppression of a different sort. Thurmond used it as a weapon to attack the March on Washington. Adam Clayton Powell, a black congressman from Harlem, used it to gain power. Other black leaders, like Stokely Carmichael, used it to question his place in the movement. You see as big and as looming and as destructive as racism has been and continues to be in society, we must re-
member it is only a branch. The root of the problem, the reason why we continue to struggle with equality, is our pathological intolerance, an intolerance no collective group of people has proven to be immune to. “I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today, and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” Dr. King’s dream has not been fulfilled because we began betraying the integrity of his dream the moment we started scrubbing Rustin’s life out of Black History Month lessons and civil rights movies. We betray that dream each time a black person claims offense to the notion that gay rights are civil rights, as if the black community is the only community capable of being oppressed. We betray King’s dream each time a white elected official is allowed to say things about the gay community in ways that would never be tolerated if directed at the black community. I don’t say these things be-
cause I view the history and plight of these two minority groups as being exactly the same – they are not. I say these things because racism and homophobia – like anti-Semitism, sexism and xenophobia – all have the same mother. And as long as concessions are made for one, we will never be free from the clutches of the others. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian award. It was established by President Kennedy 50 years ago. Considering the anniversary of the march, it is fitting that Rustin is among the 16 being honored with it in November. But like King, he was more than August 28, 1963. He was a giant. And so while the medal is special, the best way to honor him is to talk about him, all of him, both now and in the many years to come. Bayard Rustin spent his life fighting for peace and equality and he did so unashamed of who he was. It’s about time history, and the people he helped most, stop being ashamed of him. (LZ Granderson is a CNN contributor who writes a weekly column for CNN.com. He is also a senior writer for ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @locs_n_laughs.)
Tri-State Defender
August 22 - 28, 2013
NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR OFFICE OF TENNESSEE STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 91 REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY – OCTOBER 8, 2013 GENERAL ELECTION – NOVEMBER 21, 2013
Pursuant to Section 2-14-105 (a), Tennessee Code Annotated, the Shelby County Election Commission hereby gives notice of Special Elections to be held in all wards and precincts in Tennessee House of Representative, District 91 to fill a vacancy. The Republican and Democratic Primary Elections will be held on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, and the General Election will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2013. The qualifying deadline for candidates for the office above is Thursday, August 29, 2013, by 12:00 Noon at the Shelby County Election Commission office, 150 Washington Ave., Suite 205, Memphis, Tennessee or Election Operations Center, 980 Nixon Drive, Memphis, Tennessee. The withdrawal deadline is Tuesday, September 3, 2013, by 12:00 Noon. NOTE: The Shelby County Election Commission Offices will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2013 for observance of the Labor Day Holiday.
NEW PHOTO ID LAW Federal or Tennessee government issued photo ID is now required to vote in person, unless an exception applies. College student IDs will not be accepted. City or County employees Ids (Including library cards) are explicitly excluded and will not be accepted. To learn more about the new law and its exceptions, please call (901) 222-1200 or visit GoVoteTN.com.
Any of the following IDs may be used, even if expired: • Tennessee driverʼs license with your photo • United States Passport • Photo ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security • Photo ID issued by the federal or Tennessee State government • United States Military photo ID, including a Veteran Identification Card • Tennessee-issued handgun carry permit with your photo SHELBY COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION Robert D. Meyers, Chairman Norma Lester, Secretary Dee Nollner, Member Steve Stamson, Member Anthony Tate, Member
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John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
OPINION
Tri-State Defender
August 22 - 28, 2013
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
In 2012, the black unemployment rate –14 percent – was 2.1 times the white unemployment rate (6.6 percent).
Why we’re still marching
For a while, it looked like the 50th anniversary observance of the March on Washington would expose a sharp split in the Civil Rights Movement. Al Sharpton jumped ahead of his colleagues by cornering Martin Luther King III and the two of them announced a March on Washington for Saturday, August 24. Other civil rights leaders were planning events around that time and complained privately that Sharpton and Martin III had locked up key funding from major labor groups, a primary source of funding for the movement. A series of high-profile events – the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder gutting the heart of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, remanding a University of Texas affirmative action case back to the appellate level for stricter scrutiny and George Zimmerman being found not guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 17-year-old unarmed Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. – left African-Americans and their supporters clamoring for an outlet to express their disgust. Suddenly, the march organized by Sharpton became the focal point. With Sharpton still working on other leaders in the background, urging them to come aboard, the pieces began to quickly fall in place. At this point, it looks like all of the major civil rights leaders – including Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National League; Charles Steele, CEO of Dr. King’s old organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); Jesse Jackson, founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Ben Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, among others – will join Sharpton and King as headliners of the Aug. 24 march. Of course, there are the usual detractors who argue, as conservative talk show host Armstrong Williams does, that we’ve been marching so long that we should have reached wherever we were marching to by now. The reality is that we haven’t reached our destination. Black unemployment has been twice that of whites for the past five decades. The progress made by expanding the black middle class has been eroded by the Great Recession and blacks are profiled while walking the streets of New York City or Sanford, Fla. At a panel at the recent National Urban League convention assessing the progress made since the original March on Washington, Sharpton said, “You say why march about voting? Well, that’s how we got it the first time. We did not get voting rights at a cocktail sip, trying to have racial harmony sessions. We got it by organizing and galvanizing and the only way we are going to make changes is by organizing and galvanizing.” Let’s not forget that Trayvon Martin’s name became a household word only after marches led by Sharpton, college students and activists around
the nation, insisting that George Zimmerman be brought to trial for murder. It’s the combination of marching and a specific agenda that leads to change. And while we’re on the subject of George marches, not E. Curry e v e r y o n e marched in the demonstrations of the 1960s. There was not unity among civil rights leaders – Roy Wilkins, for example, was intensely jealous of Dr. King – and many people did not jump on the King bandwagon until after he was assassinated in Memphis and lived thereafter through his “I Have a Dream” speech and on U.S. postage stamps. Unfortunately, there will be two observations of the 1963 March. One on Aug. 24 co-chaired by Sharpton and Martin, III and another one, more of a celebration of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, on Aug. 28, the actual date of the original March. President Obama, who has had difficulty in the past uttering Dr. King’s name in public, will speak at the second event organized by Bernice King, the sole surviving daughter of the slain civil rights leader. To those who question the need for another march, they should examine a graphic created by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) that compares goals of the 1963 March with today’s reality:
Goal: We demand an end to ghettos. Reality: We still live in ghettos. Forty-five percent of poor black children but only 12 percent of poor white children live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty. Goal: We demand an end to school segregation. Reality: Seventy-four percent of black children attend schools that are 50-100 percent non-white, resulting in fewer resources than majority white schools.
Goal: We march for jobs for all. Reality: In 2012, the black unemployment rate –14 percent – was 2.1 times the white unemployment rate (6.6 percent). Goal: We march for a living wage. Reality: The minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, well below the $11.06 an hour a full-time worker needed in 2011 to keep a family of four out of poverty (36 percent of black workers make poverty-level wages). That’s why we’re still marching.
(George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He can be reached via www.georgecurry.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.)
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Tri-State Defender Platform
1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed. 2. Racially unrestricted membership in all jobs, public and private. 3. Equal employment opportunities on all jobs, public and private. 4. True representation in all U.S. police forces. 5. Complete cessation of all school segregation. 6. Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where civil rights compliance at the state level breaks down
DISTRIBUTION: Tri-State Defender is available at newsstands, street sales, store vendors, mail subscription and honor boxes throughout the Greater Memphis area. No person may, without prior written permission of the Tri-State Defender, reprint any part of or duplicate by electronic device any portion without written permission. Copyright 2013 by Tri-State Defender Publishing, Inc. Permission to Publisher, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Back copies can be obtained by calling the Tri-State Defender at (901) 523-1818, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Memphis Branch NAACP takes on toxic waste fight
In African-American communities across the United States, young men are besieged by violence and their families struggle to overcome economic deprivation, which threatens their way of life. In those depressed enclaves, African Americans are often relegated to poor housing conditions, and escaping such conditions has been fruitless in some cases. But there is another threat to the African-American community that looms overhead, and in the ground water, like a modern-day plague: residue from chemical and coal burning plants. That’s because African-American neighborhoods are often located in close proximity to these “killing” plants. It’s happening across the United States and it’s happening in Memphis and Shelby County. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has consistently been concerned about the quality of air and water in the United States on a daily basis. Our poor African-American communities are routinely oppressed with the deadly residue from coal burning plants that is emitted in the air and found in the water supply. Memphis is not immune to this plague. Here’s an example: There are 45,000 Memphians located within three to six miles of the Allen Fossil Plant in parts of zip code 38109. The plant is located at 2574 Plant Rd., not far from Mitchell High School, Ford Road Elementary School and White’s Chapel Elementary School. The residents, schools and other facilities in the area have been subjected to this form of pollution for well over 50 years.
The Allen Fossil Plant consumes about 7,200 tons of coal a day, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority, which owns and operates the coal-fired plant. In 2009 the Madeleine plant was Taylor ranked 67th by Sue Sturgis of the Institute of Southern Studies as one of the most polluted power plants in the country, “with 416,705 pounds of coal combustion waste released to surface impoundments in 2006.” According to a July 2011 story in FairWarning, a news organ on the web reporting on environmental safety, health and corporate conduct, an inspector general reported that TVA, for more than 10 years, had “found indications that toxic metals could be leaking from a coal ash pond at the authority’s Allen plant.” Although I’m not surprised, arsenic was also found above currently allowable levels in a monitoring well that supplies drinking water to Memphis and nearby areas. This revelation is enough to scare the wits out of each resident in the area and out of Memphians in general. This is an injustice that wouldn’t be tolerated in any other community. African Americans, more than other groups, have suffered far too long the indignation of social and economic injustices. However, the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, is tirelessly at
work trying to eradicate any vestiges of racial hatred and discrimination and to create safe havens for African Americans who are subjected to corporate malfeasance. We have to eliminate plants such as the Allen Fossil Plant that continue to spew harmful soot and toxic waste into the air and water. There are long-term health effects when toxic waste is left behind after coal is burned. The Memphis Branch of the NAACP will not stand idly by while African Americans, or anyone for that matter, suffer needlessly at the hands of corporate officials for the sake of progress. There cannot be any progress when one’s health is at stake and when there is a propensity for danger. Now is the time to discuss refitting the Allen Fossil Plant or rebuilding a new clean energy plant that would serve the needs of this community with safeguards in place. We want healthy and affordable sources of energy that protect our local and global communities. The residents in zip code 38109 are predominantly African American. The median household income is $28,368, which is significantly lower than the national average of $56,604. While this area has its share of crime, the continued emission of soot and toxic waste will no doubt threaten the very existence of all residents within close proximity to the Allen Fossil Plant. If the plant is allowed to operate with few restraints, if any at all, the residents in the area won’t have to worry about crime.
(Madeleine Taylor is executive director of the Memphis Branch NAACP)
For Republicans, ‘brand’ problem is not brand new
During the past year, we have watched monumental change take place all over the world; not just in terms of democracy, but in terms of culture, law, and politics, etc. Our major institutions have not been immune from this change that is sweeping across the globe. There has been a major push to redefine what a family is; we have redefined marriage; we have redefined sexuality—no longer is there male or female, now there is other; there are now gay Christians; we now have Christian gangsta rappers, etc. Everything seems to be changing other than the Republicans approach to engaging the black community. My readers know, that I think the Republican National Committee, under chairman Reince Priebus, seems to be the only one that has had a substantive approach to dealing with this issue. He has hired black staffers, he has gone into the black community, and he actually listens to blacks who bring ideas to him that make sense. Now juxtapose that with our members of the House, Senate, and our 30 governors. In June, there were two major decisions issued by the Supreme Court – voting rights and affirmative action. Neither the house or senate leadership had any coordinated response that would speak directly to the vlack community. Even more problematic is the fact that the leadership in the Congress has no black Republicans that they seek out for advice and guidance. You have white members and their staffs who think they know more about
the black community than a black person. You have absolutely no engagement with the black media from these members. The Democrats constantly parade black liberal all over variRaynard ous news outlets. Jackson They constantly brand the Republican Party as racist, bigoted, and non-caring about the poor. And what is our party’s response? Total silence. In PR, a brand that is allowed to be denigrated beyond a certain point with no one to defend it; sooner or later becomes damaged beyond repair. So, it is no wonder that when blacks are asked their thoughts about the Republican Party, you hear words like: racist, against Obama, don’t like poor people, homophobic, voter suppression, etc. We must fight this onslaught in the media, but Republicans have very few Blacks with credibility to utilize in this capacity. With the winds of change blowing all around, the Republican Party’s leadership seems to be stuck in the past. If they continue to surround themselves with the same white staffers, white consultants, and white media advisers, guess what – let me paint the picture for you. There will be no more marriage (as we know it), there will be open borders, taxes will be north of 90 percent, and Republicans will be true
minority party (as in numerically). Republican governors are passing ID laws loaded with things that undercut their whole message. North Carolina is a perfect example. I am a huge supporter of voter ID, but it is insane not to allow a student to use their college ID as valid identification. This indeed does open the door for the liberals to use the race card. We must be smart with our legislative agenda, not just be right. What is ironic about North Carolina is that the governor’s chief of staff is black. But this fact proves my point. Just because a person is black, does not mean he understands PR or media strategies. North Carolina presents an opportunity to study, in real time, the impact that a negative brand can have on actual elections. On paper, we should be able to pick up the senate seat there next year; but my greatest fear is that our brand will be so bad as a result of the recently passed voter ID law, that we will lose an easy pickup. Being right is not enough. We Republicans are very good at utilizing our majorities to force our political agenda into law; but we are horrible in explaining to those outside of the party why and how our actions will benefit them. Unfortunately, this is not a brand new problem; but rather a brand problem.
(Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & D.C.based public relations/government affairs firm. Reach him via www.raynardjackson.com. Follow him on Twitter at raynard1223.)
BUSINESS
Tri-State Defender
Breaking into retail
Page 5
August 22 - 28, 2013
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Black Enterprise out with 2013 ‘Top 100’
The Candle Bakery Breaking into retail is never easy, which is why Tiffany Greenlee tapped into her creativity and obtained a kiosk in the Wolfchase Galleria to give herself a leg up. Rather than wait for her candles to be in every retail store, Greenlee decided to create her own retail opportunity and now envisions a chain of kiosks across the region.
Carlee McCullough: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Tiffany Greenlee: I wear many hats! I am a mother of three boys, one of whom has autism. I am a wife, a published author and a nurse by profession. I am an advocate for autism and currently sit on the board of The Autism Lives Foundation. I am a very humble God-fearing woman. CM: How and when did you begin your career in the candle making industry? TG: I love burning candles and I would purchase them all the time. After spending so much money on them I began to research and see if I could make them myself, and I did. That is when I started making candles as a hobby. Once I became good at it, I began giving them as gifts to see what type of feedback I would receive. When my husband and I heard about a flea market that was coming to Memphis, we seized the opportunity and jumped straight on it. That is when we set up a permanent space to sell our products. CM: Did you create a business plan before starting out? TG: Before I began selling them for profit…no. However, once I saw that I could create a full business around my hobby that is when I created a full detailed business plan and a marketing plan as well.
CM: What has been your greatest challenge? TG: Finding a permanent central retail location for our customers. CM: Tell me about your decision to
move into a retail store. TG: We needed a space for our customers to touch and smell on the spot.
Carlee McCullough
CM: Where are you located and how is it going? TG: We are currently opening in the Wolfchase Galleria Mall on August 24th.
CM: Are you in any other retail stores and what has been your experience with retail? TG: We have been featured in local shops and boutiques and the Tiffany support and love Greenlee we have received from the owners and their customers has been very rewarding.
CM: What is the greatest reward in being an entrepreneur? TG: Being in control of my own destiny, managing my own time and being my own boss.
CM: What has been your experience with handmade candles in the local market vs. the nationally? TG: I have found that many consumers appreciate handcrafted products. CM: Do you notice any new trends in the marketplace? If so, what are they? TG: Yes, the trend has been bakery scented candles and cupcake candles.
CM: Of the candles that you create, which is your favorite and which is your best seller/most popular product? TG: I have many favorites; howev-
er, I enjoy our bakery collection the most. Our most popular candles are our cupcake candles! CM: How can people purchase your candles? TG: Through our website, fundraisers, home parties and at our new kiosk located inside Wolfchase Mall. CM: What types of marketing do you employ? TG: Direct mail, social media, the Internet, word of mouth
CM: What are some daily habits that made you successful? TG: Before starting my day, my family and I say a daily prayer, meditate and create a positive atmosphere around us. CM: What books or resources would you recommend for individuals starting out? TG: “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki, “The E Myth” by Michael E. Gerber, “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David J. Schwartz and any self-help resources or books that are available.
CM: Any advice for aspiring candle makers? TG: Learn the candle making industry before getting started to ensure you are making quality safe candles. CM: What’s the next step for you as a candle manufacturer and as a candle retailer? TG: To have a full functioning warehouse to create some jobs and begin a chain of kiosksthroughout the southern region.
CM: Any closing remarks? TG: Always give your customer quality products and outstanding customer service. Don’t be afraid to take risk. When you see opportunity, examine it carefully and GO FOR IT!!! And as I tell myself and others daily….Keep God first and watch him work!
MONEY MATTERS
Tax-conscious investing Because of tax changes that take effect in 2013, some upper-income households are facing the prospect of higher tax rates on investment earnings. The potential for taxes to claim a larger share of investment earnings means that many people might take advantage of opportunities to invest in tax-deferred retirement plans such as 401(k)s and IRAs. Of course, many factors other than taxes should influence investing decisions, including your investment goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The following rate increases explain why you might consider the tax implications of investment decisions.
Top brackets targeted
For taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes (AGIs) above $400,000 ($450,000 for married joint filers), the maximum tax rate for qualified dividends and long-term capital gains increased from 15 percent to 20 percent in 2013. Investors in tax brackets below that threshold will continue to pay the 15 percent rate. A
zero percent tax rate still applies for households with lower incomes (AGIs up to $36,250 for single filers and $72,500 for married joint filers). On top of these rates, investors with AGIs exCharles ceeding $200,000 Sims Jr., CFP (single filers) or $250,000 (married joint filers) may be subject to the new 3.8 percent Medicare tax on net investment income, which includes dividends and capital gains.
Watch for distributions
Mutual funds must distribute capital gains that are not offset by losses to shareholders on an annual basis. Any interest or dividend income generated by a fund is also passed along to shareholders. When a distribution occurs, each investor receives a payment equal to the per-share dis-
Cupcake candle are customer favorites.
tribution amount multiplied by the number of shares he or she owns, and the fund’s daily price (or net asset value) is reduced by the same amount. When mutual funds are held in taxable accounts, distributions are taxable to shareholders (as long-term and/or short-term capital gains, dividends, or interest) for the year in which they are received, even if the distribution is reinvested in new shares. Before purchasing mutual fund shares, you may want to check the timing and amount of upcoming distributions so you don’t incur unnecessary taxes on gains that you didn’t participate in. Of course, investors may also incur taxes when they sell fund shares for a profit. The return and principal value of mutual funds fluctuate with changes in market conditions. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Mutual funds are sold by prospectus. Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the investment company, can be obtained from your financial professional. Be sure to
For Tiffany Greenlee business is burning bright. (For more information: Call Tiffany Greenlee, 901-690-3140; email – customerservice@thecandlebakery.com or thecandlebakeryco@yahoo.com; www.facebook.com/thecandlebakery.) (Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)
read the prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest.
Focus on tax efficiency
Certain strategies and types of mutual fund holdings tend to run up larger tax bills. For example, some actively managed funds may turn over securities more frequently and trigger more taxes than do funds with passive investment styles. And investments that generate interest or produce short-term capital gains on the sale of assets held less than one year are taxed as ordinary income at higher rates than long-term capital gains and qualified dividends. Dividing investments strategically between taxable and tax-deferred accounts may help reduce the effect of taxes on your overall portfolio. Keep in mind that the maximum tax rates for long-term capital gains and qualified dividends, as well as the tax treatment of investment losses, could make the return on a taxable account more favorable than a tax-deferred account. (Charles Sims Jr. is president/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup.com.)
The top 100 African-American industrial/service companies – the core of Black Enterprise’s 2013 report – collectively grossed more than $19.1 billion in 2012, a 2 percent increase over the previous year. The BE 100s industrial/service companies employed 53,866 people in 2012, a 3 percent reduction from 2011. The 60 largest black-owned auto dealers generated an additional $7.2 billion in revenues and employed 8,415 people in 2012. Despite the rebound of the domestic auto industry, the number of blackowned auto dealerships has yet to return to the levels prior to the beginning of the 2008 recession, when Black Enterprise ranked the top 100 largest dealerships. “The comeback of the American auto industry is a healthy and welcome development for our nation’s economy,” said BE Chairman and Publisher Earl Graves Sr. “However, until the way is made clear for more African Americans to own dealerships, at least in proportion to their representation before the recession, the recovery of the auto industry is far from complete.” This is the 41st year that the multimedia giant Black Enterprise has listed America’s largest black companies. The 2013 BE 100s Report: Accelerate Your Business consists of rankings of America’s 100 largest black-owned industrial/service companies, 60 automobile dealers, as well as listings of the top advertising agencies, banks, asset managers, investment banks and private equity firms. When Black Enterprise first compiled its “Top 100” in 1973, combined sales for the 100 component companies totaled $473 million. The 2013 is published in Black Magazine (currently on newsstands) as well as online at BlackEnterprise.com at http://www.blackenterprise.c om/lists/be-100s-2013/. In addition to the BE 100s listings, the magazine also features profiles of Magic Johnson Enterprises CEO Earvin “Magic” Johnson, RLJ Companies Chairman and 2013 A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree Robert L. Johnson and the chief executives of the 2013 Black Enterprise Companies of the Year: Industrial/Service Company of the Year: Hightowers Petroleum, Middletown, Ohio; CEO, Stephen L. Hightower. Business: Petroleum Products Distribution; Auto Dealer of theYear: March Hodge Automotive Group, Tampa, Fla.; CEOs, Anthony March, Ernest Hodge. Business: Retail sales for automakers including Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Jaguar, Volvo, Volkswagen, Nissan, Infinity, Land Rover; Financial Services Company of the Year: Vista Equity Partners, San Francisco, CA; CEO, Robert F. Smith. Business: Private Equity (focus on technology); Advertising Agency of the Year: Walton Isaacson, Los Angeles; CEOs, Aaron Walton/Cory; Source: PRNewswire
RELIGION
Page 6
Tri-State Defender
August 22 - 28, 2013
LEGACY: Rev. Eddie Albert Brown Jr. An Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Eddie Albert Brown Jr. – who served the AME Western Tennessee Conference for 40-plus years – died Aug. 5 at Methodist University Hospital. Rev. Brown, who answered the call to preach at an early age, was led to the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Bishop Bettye J. Alston. Through her guidance, he became an ordained Elder. He developed an unwavering passion for justice and equality and was an outspoken sup-
porter and defender of the rights of women in ministry. The turbulent 60s were in full effect when Rev. Brown began his ministry. Although a youth at the time, he was mentored by civil rights icons Dr. H. Ralph Jackson, the Rev. James L. Gleese, and Dr. Henry Logan Starks. Under their leadership, Rev. he gained experience as a civil rights activist and found a niche garnering youth support of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike. Rev. Brown’s dedication to the spiritual development of young peo-
ple was acknowledged when The Young People’s Division of the West Tennessee Conference named him “Pastor of the Year.” Known for his fiery commitment to faithful service, Rev. Brown had more than eight pastoral appointments, including: Ward Chapel (Memphis) Quinn Chapel (Paris), Salter’s Chapel (Dyersburg), Historic Clayborn-Ball Temple (Memphis), Providence (Memphis), Williams Chapel (Millington) and St. Paul (Fulton). Additionally, he served on the Board of Examiners, Finance
Committee and as Trustee. Born in 1947, Rev. Brown was raised by his paternal grandparents, the late Parker and Alice Brown. He graduated from Douglass High School in 1965 and attended the University of Memphis and Memphis Theological Seminary. Rev. Brown died following a stroke that he suffered on July 19. For many who knew him, his ministry can be summarized as one of “zeal, enthusiasm and encouragement.” He leaves two daughters, Wyndie “Oh!” Henry and Angela Oliver; three
RELIGION BRIEFS
No weaves in church, pastor tells women
Artist lineup set for Stone Soul Picnic
Radio station WLOK (AM 1340) has announced its 2013 artist line-up for the 39th Annual WLOK Stone Soul Picnic, which will unfold from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Tom Lee Park on Aug. 31. This year’s event adds a variety of attractions, including an expanded Children’s Area with dental screenings from Colgate, Kiddie Rides, a special tribute to STAX Records, a commemorative “Children’s March”, and a Motor-Sports Showcase featuring Lady Bikers. The 2013 WLOK Stone Soul Picnic Artist line-up: Vincent Tharpe & Kenosis, Men of Vision, The Bell Singers, Temple of Deliverance Women’s Choir, Memphis Baptist Ministerial Chorus, Supreme Harmonettes, Spiritual Excitement, Echoaires, A Special Tribute to STAX Records, Mighty Kings of Harmony, Salem Harmonizers, Melodic Truth, The Brown Singers, Kevin Davidson & the Voices, The Whitehaven District Choir, Billy Rivers & the Angelic Voices of Faith, Tan & the Violinettes, O’Landa Draper’s Associates, Darrel Petties & Strength in Praise. The WLOK Stone Soul Picnic is free. Families are encouraged to bring blankets, picnic baskets and lawn chairs to enjoy the largest, and longest running Gospel music festival in the region. For more information, log on to wlok.com, or call 901-527-9565.
The Root
by John Daniels Although many say the Bible’s message is “come as you are,” one pastor in Texas is taking the adage to a whole new level. A.J. Aamir, of Resurrecting Faith in Waco, recently told the women on the church’s leadership staff not to wear weaves, reports Clutch magazine. His reason? He believes that women who wear weaves present a false representation of themselves and could be thought to have low self-esteem. Although Aamir can’t legally ban weaves in his church, he does say that he plans on counseling the women in his congregation against it.
Hear me now…
From Clutch:
Supt. Linwood Dillard, COGICʼs International AIM chairman, amplified the “preached word” during the Pastor and Wife Anniversary service (Aug. 11) for Pentecostal Temple COGIC Pastor Charles H. Mason Patterson Sr. and his wife, Missionary LaShaundra C. Patterson. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Princeton Ave. Baptist celebrates new pastor
Princeton Ave. Baptist Church, 468 Scott St., will hold pre-installation and installation services for its newly elected pastor, Bishop Roy Davis, through Friday (Aug. 23). The services, which began Wednesday, are set for 7 p.m. The guest speakers are: Apostle Lee André Taber and Greater Adelaide Ministries; Pastor Dennis Westbrook and Greater Deliverance Tabernacle Holiness; and Bishop Gregory L. Brown and New Mt. Pleasant Christian Worship Center. On Sunday (Aug. 25) at 3 p.m., Dr. Edward Parker Jr. and Berean Baptist Church will be the guests. The public is invited. For more information, call 901324-8097.
sons, Eddie Albert Brown III, Patrick J o n a t h a n (Michelle) and the Rev. Patsy T. Brown; six grandchildren, Sydney, Imani, Kylan, Kayla, Elijah and Wesley; a sister, Betty GrayStreeter; a devoted Rev. Eddie niece, Dominique Albert Chambers; a lovBrown Jr. ing aunt, Zelda E. Webb; an adoptive mother, Leola Hines; his best friend, Bishop C.W. Fugh, and numerous other relatives and friends.
“While many Black women frequently experiment with their hair, at times choosing to cut it, braid it, twist it, or color it, Pastor Aamir thinks weaves are an indication of low self-esteem. He told AmericanPreachers.com, ‘Our black women are getting weaves trying to be something and someone they are not. Be real with yourself.’ “Pastor Aamir, who was raised Muslim, admits that he is quite conservative, but while many see hair extensions as just another style, the 39-year-old minister says he’s sick of seeing his parishioners rocking phony ponies, especially if they can’t actually afford the expense.” (Read the entire Clutch magazine piece at http://bit.ly/151kFa2)
Time well spent…
DEADLINE
Minister Jacaquline B. Turner delivers one of eight sermonettes during commencement exercises (Aug. 11) for the Brewster Theological Clinic and School of Religion, Inc. at St. John Baptist Church, 1656 Pendleton Ave. Dr. Samuel Turner Jr., president, conferred the degrees. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
PRAISE CONNECT
Deadline for all religion articles is Monday, 5 p.m. Send items to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Suite 200; Memphis, TN 38103, Email items to editorial@tristatedefender.com. Call (901) 523-1818 for details.
-A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
901-946-4095 fax 948-8311
Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am
WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm
Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
— Proverbs 1:7
—Ecclesiastes 9:11
ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH 867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106
(901) 948-3441
Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!” AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM
TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry & Clothes Closet Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM
Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Pastor
“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, August 22 - 28, 2013, Page 7
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
Chef Coolio? It could happen
In the grand scheme of music, it’s pretty safe to say that the average rapper has the career span of a housefly. That’s not very long by the way. Musical history screams out that anyone lookMyron ing to get into the Mays game of music in general should have a “Plan B” to fall back on. Those who are looking to get into the rap game should already be involved in their Plan B before they even get started. While some have a Plan B already in effect, others have sort of discovered their back-up plan in the process of carving out a career. And then there are those for whom it takes a little longer to bounce back. Rapper Coolio has decided to take a different career route these days. He has chosen to auction off of the royalties of his music catalog to fund his new career. He released a cookbook in 2009 called “Cookin’ With Coolio” and was featured on the Food Network series “Celebrity Chefs.” It seems that Coolio has decided to press the metal down in pursuit of his dream of being a chef and author. He’s investing the funds from his music catalog sale to expand his cookbook series and his online cooking show of the same name. Not your traditional Plan B for a rapper, but not a bad idea for a guy who had crossover appeal. This all might work to his advantage. Could you imagine “Chef Coolio?” Diddy, formerly known as P. Diddy, Puffy and Puff Daddy, has pretty much reinvented himself time and time again, not only with his name but with his various ventures as well. His latest is Revolt, his television network. Having a deep root in the music culture has given him the background to produce television shows for other networks. Now he has the opportunity to create programming for his own network. Revolt, a channel that projects offering the best of the music culture, is being crafted as an alternative to MTV. Who better to roll out a project like this other than this guy? I remember listening to NWA back as a teen and really thinking that Ice Cube was a gangster for real. Little did I know that the guy was actually a marketing genius waiting to happen. Some 20 years later, Ice Cube is more known for movies instead of music, with some 36 films as an actor and nine as a writer and director. Not only would that be good advice to today’s up-and-coming rappers, but those aspiring to get into the game as well. It takes one road to get to the next one. And it might not be a bad idea to plan your route.
Here’s what’s happening:
If you haven’t gotten out with the family in a while here’s your chance to turn that around! It’s BIG family fun under the big top as the UniverSoul Circus returns Memphis, next Tuesday (Aug. 27) through Monday (Sept. 2) at the Hickory Ridge Mall. If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out this circus, you have missed a really fun experience. Put it on your calendar and make plans to take the family. Tickets are available through all Ticketmaster outlets and online at Ticketmaster.com. Family fun continues with the Delta Fair Friday Aug. 30 through Sept. 8. Fun games, rides and a lot of fair food, that’s always good, right? They even have special discount rates for students as well as wristbands. It’s taking place at the Agricenter located at 7777 Walnut Grove. For more information, visit www.deltafest.com. WLOK continues its “Family Tradition” with the 39th Annual Stone Soul Picnic on Aug. 31st at Tom Lee Park. This year’s event includes an expanded Children’s Area, with dental screenings from Colgate and a variety of kid’s rides. There will be plenty of musical performances featuring The Brown Singers, O’Landa Drapers Associates and more. There will also be a special tribute to STAX Records. So, go grab the family, get out and go do something. I’ll see you out there. Until, that’s what’s happening.
(Got an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com)
Theodis Ealey uses his hat to signal his appreciation to blues lovers at the 11th Annual MemphisTri-State Blues Festival. (Photos: Warren Roseborough)
The blues is alright – still!
Memphis Tri-State Blues Festival was a winner
WDIA radio personality Bev Johnson dances to TK Soulʼs “Zydeco Bounce.”
by Warren Roseborough
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
For concertgoers who like their blues with a splash of R&B, the 11th Annual Memphis Tri-State Blues Festival went down smooth and easy at the Landers Center in Southaven, Miss. last Saturday (Aug. 17.) Sponsored by Julius Lewis of Heritage Entertainment, the show had that just-right feel, beginning with a mini tribute by Otis Clay to the late-great Bobby Blue Bland, who passed away in June.
Run of the show
Ms. Jody got the crowd excited, and if you’ve seen her, you know what I am talking about. She leaves nothing to the imagination in her imagination or moves. Next up was Theodis Ealey, who mostly is known for his classic hit, “Stand Up In It.” He gave the crowd ample evidence that he is a very good guitar player who can thump a nice show. TK Soul brought energy to burn, driving the crowd to the floor with his line-dance song, “Zydeco Bounce.” People kept movin’ as he kept grooving’. At 79, blues legend Bobby Rush may be the new 50. The term “relentless energy” might as well mean Bobby Rush. With his signature female dancers in full effect, Rush went to work, spicing his performance with Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonation and a spectacular harmonica solo.
Bobby Rush tosses a hat during his performance. Willie Clayton sings to Bobby Blue Blandʼs widow, Willie Mae Bland.
Respect
The highlight of the show had to be the Bobby Blue Bland tribute segment, which featured a bio, photos and clips of the blues great. It was accented by performances from Rush, Gerald Alston of the Manhattans, Willie Clayton, Sheba Potts and Sweet Angel. Bland’s widow, Willie Mae Bland, was clearly touched by the remembrance.
On with the show
Sir Charles Jones, a favorite of the ladies, came out singing his hits, grabbing attention from the get-go. At the end, the ladies
still were asking for more. Willie Clayton – smooth voice and all – took his show to the crowd, moving throughout the arena performing all of his hits. The Manhattans, who have been performing for over 51 years, are legends and performed just that way. Lead singer Gerald Alton still has that velvety voice, which applied to hit after hit: “Shining Star,” “It Feels So Good To Be Loved,” “I Kinda Miss You” and “Let’s Kiss and Say Goodby.” At the end of this blues-filled night, nobody wanted to say goodby.
Is the crowd alright? Yes sir!
ENTERTAINMENT
Page 8
August 22 - 28, 2013
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Muhammad Ali walks through the streets of New York City with members of the Black Panther Party in September 1970. (Photo: David Fenton/ Archive Photos/Getty Images) Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening Aug. 23, 2013
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” (PG-13 for intense violence and suggestive content) Lily Collins stars in this adaptation of the Cassandra Clare fantasy novel of the same name about a Brooklyn teenager who discovers that she’s descended from a long line of half-angels locked for generations in battle with a host of demonic creatures. Cast includes Lena Headey, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Jamie Campbell Bower.
“The World’s End” (R for sexual references and Pervasive profanity) Sci-fi comedy, set in England, about five friends (Simon Pegg, Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Nick Frost) who unwittingly reunite for drinks for the first time in decades during an invasion of the planet by alien robots. With Bill Night, Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike.
“You’re Next” (R for profanity, sexuality, nudity and graphic violence) Horror thriller about a festive family reunion at a remote, rural retreat ruined by the arrival of a gang of axwielding maniacs. Stars Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Joe Swanberg and Amy Seimetz.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“Drinking Buddies” (R for pervasive profanity) Joe Swanberg directs this romantic
comedy, set in Chicago, about a couple of flirtatious co-workers (Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson) already in committed relationships who come to question their commitments when they unexpectedly end up alone together for a whole weekend. With Ron Livingston, Ti West and Jake M. Johnson.
“The Frozen Ground” (R for violence, sexuality, nudity, profanity and drug use) Fact-based crime thriller about an Alaska state trooper (Nicolas Cage) who tracks down a serial killer (John Cusack) with the help of a woman (Vanessa Hudgens) who barely escaped the bloodthirsty psychopath’s clutches. Support cast includes 50 Cent, Radha Mitchell and Dean Norris.
“The Grandmaster” (PG-13 for violence, profanity, smoking and brief drug use) Historical biopic chronicling the life and times of sensei Yip Man (Tony Leung), founder of the karate school attended by the legendary Bruce Lee. With Ziyi Zhang, Hye-kyo Song and Chen Chang.
“Paradise: Faith” (Unrated) Second installment in the Ulrich Seidl trilogy revolves around a born-again, door-to-door Christian missionary (Maria Hofstatter) whose life is turned upside-down when her long-lost Muslim husband (Nabil Saleh) returns to Austria from Egypt after a long absence. Featuring Natalya Baranova, Rene Rupnik and Daniel Hoesl.
“Savannah” (PG-13 for brief sexuality) Jim Caviezel stars in this true tale, unfolding in the post-bellum South, about the son of a plantation owner who forfeited his inheritance in order to live close to nature down by the
riverside. With Chiwetel Ejiofor, Bradley Whitford and Jaimie Alexander.
“Scenic Route” (R for profanity, violence and a scene of sexuality) Survival road saga about two buddies (Josh Duhamel and Dan Fogler) whose lifelong friendship is tested when their dilapidated pickup truck breaks down in the desert. With Miracle Laurie, Christie Burson and Peter Michael Goetz.
“Short Term 12” (R for profanity and brief sexuality) Character-driven drama about a social worker (Brie Larson) who, with the help of her co-worker boyfriend (John Gallagher, Jr.), does her best to help at-risk teens assigned to the foster care facility she supervises. Cast includes Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek and Keith Stanfield. “Therese” (Unrated) Audrey Tautou plays the title character in this costume drama, set in the Roaring Twenties, about a miserably-married socialite’s desperate attempt to escape her gilded cage. With Gilles Lellouche, Anais Demoustier and Catherine Arditi. (In French with subtitles)
“The Trials of Muhammad Ali” (Unrated) Conscientious objector documentary revisiting disgraced Heavyweight Champ Muhammad Ali’s legal battle to overturn his five-year sentence for refusing to serve in Vietnam because “Ain’t no Viet Cong ever call me [N-word].” “Una Noche” (Unrated) American Dream drama, set in Havana, about a fugitive from justice (Dariel Arrechaga) who makes a break for Florida by boat with the help of his best friend (Javier Nunez Florian). With Anailin de la Rua de la Torre, Katia Caso and Greisy del Valle. (In Spanish with subtitles)
Tri-State Defender
HOROSCOPES
Aug. 22-28, 2013
ARIES Relax the grip you have on your attitudes this week, and just go with the flow. Ease up in full knowledge that goodness is being perfectly fulfilled. Let go of any feelings of insecurity or loss and bless the perfect moment. TAURUS Exhilaration is high and your mental abilities are amazing. Use your intuition to brainstorm your way to a highly creative idea that could change the way you make your living. GEMINI What you say and what you do are in harmony this week. The importance of your idea(s) comes through very clearly to others. They can see that you walk what you talk. Communicate your ideas through your values. CANCER You are the best person that you can be. Evaluate your strengths and celebrate them . So often when self-evaluating we concentrate on weaknesses well this week weaknesses don’t count. You are wonderful and you are becoming better everyday. LEO Lots of communicating going on early in the week. You may even hear from someone you haven’t seen in ages. The long-distance will certainly make your heart grow fonder. You’ll want to catch up with someone you haven’t heard from. Seek this person out via email. VIRGO Confusion exists over some question, and every time you think you’ve got the answer, circumstances will change and new information will come to your attention. Don’t worry, things are going to clear up and work out. Worry will create the exact problem that you’re worrying about how to avoid. LIBRA Cool jazz! Fly dark glasses! Give yourself a chance to show off. It’s good. Let others know how much you like yourself, and how many ways you can present yourself. All the ways are real. SCORPIO Surprises are in order this week. Keep yourself open and alert for the unexpected. Put yourself in the presence of people whose spirits are akin to yours. The surprise is likely to be a spiritual one, an awakening, a realization. SAGITTARIUS You need to be with someone this week who does not place too many demands on you, and who is creative, intelligent, a good conversationalist, and highly spiritual. Perhaps you should be out looking for that person now with eyes wide open! You know what you need. CAPRICORN Work calls and you’re not completely happy with current divisions of labor. Do more than your part as a member of the team and you’ll be glad that you did. Your reward will come from someone who also did more than their part. AQUARIUS Business looks good this week as you discover a new way of increasing exposure to your product. Even if the product is you. Let hope and optimism lead you into new beginnings and fresh starts. All vibes are good, Go! PISCES Everybody should be in a good mood, and you’ll want to join friends or family in sharing food and feelings. You may be asked to change your opinion about something you believe in. Make the change. It will enhance your spiritual growth. Source: NNPA News Service
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 9
August 22 - 28, 2013
‘We Were There: The March on Washington’ CNNʼs Don Lemon gets his wish
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
Born in Baton Rouge, La. on March 1, 1966, Don Lemon anchors CNN Newsroom during weekend prime-time and serves as a correspondent across CNN/U.S. programming. Based out of the network’s New York bureau, Lemon joined CNN in September 2006. An Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award winner, Lemon recently caught a lot of flak from a number of AfricanAmerican pundits for agreeing with Bill O’Reilly’s criticisms of the African-American community, especially since he even suggested that the conservative talk show host hadn’t gone far enough. Here he talks about “We Were There: The March on Washington – An Oral History,” which debuts on CNN on Friday, Aug. 23. The special is set to debut on CNN on Friday, Aug. 23.
Kam Williams: What interested you in doing a special about The March on Washington? Don Lewis: We had been talking about it for awhile as the 50th anniversary approached, and I kept indicating that I would love to be a part of it. Somewhere, somehow, somebody heard that, Kam, and they said, “Don really wants to do this. Let’s have him do it.”
KW: Does the documentary have a theme? DL: There are, for me, a few different themes. People like John Lewis and A. Philip Randolph put their lives on the line to participate. So, the first theme that stands out to me is courage. The second theme was the hope they exhibited in “the teeth of the most terrifying odds,” as James Baldwin said. Thirdly, Bayard Rustin, who many call “The Architect of the Civil Rights Movement,” finally gets his due. I think that’s a fair characterization to some degree. He’s the silent, strong man who made The March happen. But because he was gay and people tried to use that against him is probably why we don’t hear so much about him.
KW: I remember feeling admiration as a child for the folks from my neighborhood who were going down to The March on Washington, because of everyone’s palpable sense of concern for their safety. DL: I think admiration is a good way of putting it. Whenever I see John Lewis, I invariably say, “Thank you.” And I will never stop. I don’t know how he’s still standing, because what he endured took courage and strength that I don’t know that I have.
KW: I interviewed Ellen DeGeneres the day after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election. She felt his victory had been bittersweet because Proposition 8 had passed in California, banning gay marriage. The measure had succeeded with the help of the black community. I asked her whether she thought African Americans would feel differently about homosexuality, if a famous black icon came out of the closet. How do you feel about that, as probably the most prominent black celebrity to come out? DL: I don’t consider myself a celebrity. I’m just a journalist. Frank Ocean is a celebrity. Yeah, I was in the forefront, and took a lot of heat for it. I think the Presi-
Congressman John Lewis (pictured), as well as Harry Belafonte, U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton and others who attended the 1963 March on Washington are featured in the CNN special hosted by Don Lemon.
dent’s evolution in terms of gay marriage has helped change many people’s minds. I think it’s empowering for a person to live an authentic life. It can only help when prominent and successful people of color come out and live authentically, because younger people, who are being bullied and might be questioning whether they should continue to live, might have second thoughts about taking their own lives. So, yeah, I think any celebrity who comes out can only help a young person struggling with the stigma. KW: Do you think your coming out started a snowball among black gays? DL: I don’t know. But I do think it helps the next person, because I get positive feedback every day from someone who has read my book.
KW: See, you’re not just a journalist. Plus look at all the blowback from your recent remarks agreeing with Bill O’Reilly about the black community. DL: I don’t feel any blowback, but I will say this, whether you agree with whatever I said or not, at least I got a conversation started. That was my goal, and I think I accomplished it. I think if you’ve watched or read my work over the years, you know that I’m pretty much at the top in terms of taking on issues that have to do with African Americans and profiling, and with race and racism. What I love about CNN is that, yes, we believe in diversity of bodies, but we also believe in a diversity of opinion. So, whether my bosses agree with what I said or not, it doesn’t matter. We’re in the business of journalism here. Journalism is about having a diversity of opinion. And just because I’m African American does not mean I have to feel a certain way because I’m black. You don’t have true freedom until you allow a diversity of opinion and a diversity of voices. KW: I always feel that I’m black, so whatever my opinion on an issue happens to be is a black opinion.
ʻIʼm not a race protector, Iʼm a truth protector. The truth is the truth is the truth. And as long as you tell the truth, youʼll be OK in the end.ʼ – Don Lemon
DL: That’s a good way of putting it. (Laughs)
KW: But do you fear being pigeonholed as a buddy of O’Reilly? DL: There are many things that Bill O’Reilly and I disagree about. I just happen to agree with some of what he had to say on this issue, but not all of it. Does that mean I co-signed his whole being and existence? No?
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would? DL: Yes, what do you get from icons like Dr. King, Malcolm X and John Lewis? What I get from them is personal empowerment, personal responsibility, and that the only thing you truly own is your mind. And once you truly own your mind, you’re free. You can decide for yourself what is the best way to respond in the face of discrimination. How to carry yourself with dignity. What matters is how you think of yourself, and having presence of mind. Once you get that right, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of you, because you know how to carry yourself in the world. …
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? DL: Besides all the flaws, I see the kid that I once was. (Chuckles) Seriously, what stares back at me is someone who lives in a constant state of gratitude, regardless of what’s going on in my life. Just this morning, when I woke up, I walked into the bathroom, looked in the mirror and said, “Look how far you’ve come. I’m grateful for this day. And for those fat cheeks. And for the boldness that you have. And for the stances that you take. And I know that you’re going to be okay. And I want the next person who looks like you whether they’re 1 day old or 15 years old to be better than you and to have a better life.” I swear to God I just said that this morning in the mirror. So, it’s funny that
you asked that question. …
KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for? DL: That we would not be so enamored with the slavery of equality, and be more enamored with the freedom of independence. …
KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: “What excites you?” DL: Babies and puppies, because they’re so innocent, and they have their lives ahead of them. KW: Makes me think of the saying: Youth is wasted on the young. DL: To get back to O’Reilly and the whole saggy pants thing, it’s almost like, “Just take my advice, I’m an old guy. That’s probably not a good look. You might want to rethink that.” And then, invariably, something will happen to them in their career, and I hate to say, “I told you so, but…” I suppose people just have to go through things. …
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps? DL: I think it’s great, if you want to follow in my footsteps, but I want you to be better than me, and you have to do it because you are passionately motivated by journalism and by a quest for the truth, not by a desire to be a celebrity. That’s not what this is all about. And you have to be thick-skinned, since you’re going to receive a lot of criticism, and that’s part of what being a journalist is. I feel really strongly about the oath that I’ve taken to inform and to tell the truth. I’m not a race protector, I’m a truth protector. The truth is the truth is the truth. And as long as you tell the truth, you’ll be OK in the end. A lot of people didn’t like Dr. King, either, especially the black establishment. So, you may not be liked, but you’ll be respected.