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January 18 - 24, 2024
VOL. 73, No. 3
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Wintry Weather drives King Day Celebration online
TSD Newsroom With snow on the ground and icy temperatures in the air, the National Civil Rights Museum went virtual for its annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s 95th Birthday, marking the occasion with reflections on his life, legacy, and the ongoing fight for civil rights. Russ Wigginton, President of the Museum, opened the event, encouraging viewers to reflect the way King challenged the status quo and his unwavering pursuit of equality and justice. “We want you to be reminded of his courage, his conviction, and his love for this country and for all people,” Wigginton said. “Think about the Dr. King whose relentlessness for human rights and social justice catapulted us into an era that we can all believe deeply that we’re all equal, we all deserve better, we all should live in the spirit of love, and we all matter.” The event included musical tributes and powerful speeches, underscoring King’s significant influence as a civil rights leader and his philosophy of nonviolent protest. The celebration also highlighted King’s evolution as an activist. “Too often we freeze him on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the march on Washington as though
‘We have created in King this sort of comfortable character that makes us want to pretend as though we have gotten a lot further in this journey towards a fair and equitable society than we actually have.’ Featured presenter Hasan Jeffries, Ph.D. Associate Professor of History Ohio State University,
that was his first thought and his last thought. No, that was just a thought in this much longer journey and philosophical evolution,” said Dr. Hasan Jeffries, an associate professor of history at Ohio State University. “It’s important that we recognize and acknowledge that King is an evolving thinker,” he continued. Jeffries provided context of the 1960s – the Vietnam War and his fateful choice to support the garbage strike in Memphis.
“The last three to five years of King’s life are critical, and it’s important that we take time to study and review them because in those five years is when we see that final blueprint for building a fair and just society,” he added. Volunteers and museum staff shared personal stories and experiences, showcasing the impact of King’s teachings on their lives and the importance of continuing his work.
“(In past Days of Service,) it was just amazing to see the amount of people that lined up to come in to see the museum,” said Demetrius Moore, an International Paper employee who volunteered for King Days of Service. “We still were able to put on a great show, the show went on, and people loved it.” For Hortensia Dean, a FedEx employee, volunteering was a way to connect with her daughter and to connect her daughter to Dr. King’s work.
“I started out volunteering at the Museum... so that [my daughter] could get that opportunity and that experience to know what it was to give back in the community,” she said. “And that’s what we’ve been doing ever since then – volunteering at the National Civil Rights Museum.” The event also touched on the challenges of maintaining King’s legacy in contemporary America, acknowledging the complexities of his portrayal in the public consciousness. “We have created in King this sort of comfortable character,” Jeffries said. “(It) makes us want to pretend as though we have gotten a lot further in this journey towards a fair and equitable society than we actually have.” The celebration concluded with a call to action, urging viewers to engage with King’s vision for a fair and just society and to participate in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and social justice. The National Civil Rights Museum continues to serve as a hub for education and action, resonating with current events and preserving the memory of civil rights pioneers like Dr. King. If you’d like to view the whole celebration, visit civilrightsmuseum. org or you can watch a recording on tri-statedefender.com.
Planning an event? Add it to our calendar! TSD Newsroom Are you planning an event in the Mid-South? Look no further than the Tri-State Defender’s Events Calendar, the go-to hub for what’s going on in Memphis and the Mid-South’s African American community! In a region bustling with cultural, educational, and recreational activities, standing out can be a challenge. That’s where we step in, offering a Scan the code to share unique platform to showcase your your upcoming event event. Whether it’s a local concert, today! an educational workshop, a neighborhood festival, or a corporate seminar, our calendar is designed to bring your event the visibility it deserves. Posting your event is easy and accessible. Simply scan the code or visit tri-statedefender.com and click on “Post Your Event Here!” Then follow the straightforward process. Our user-friendly interface ensures that your event goes live with just a few clicks, reaching a broad and engaged audience eager to participate in local activities. It’s not just about listing your event; it’s about becoming part of a dynamic community. Our calendar is a curated collection of the most vibrant and significant happenings in our area. By featuring your event, you’re not only gaining exposure but also joining a network of event organizers and attendees passionate about enriching our community’s social fabric. Furthermore, our Events Calendar is more than just a listing service. It’s a gateway for locals and visitors alike to discover the pulse of the Mid-South. From arts and entertainment to business networking, our calendar is a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to engage with the community. Don’t let your event go unnoticed. Our Events Calendar is your ally in bringing your event the attention it deserves. Join us in our mission to connect, inform, and inspire our community. Post your event today and be a part of the Mid-South’s vibrant event landscape!
Collette V. Smith, a trailblazer in the world of American football, made history in 2017 as the first African American woman to coach in the NFL. And recently, the pioneer stopped by LeMoyne-Owen College to talk with students about her journey. Smith, played with the New York Sharks in the Independent Women’s Football League, before joining the New York Jets as a defensive backs coach in 2017. She has been an inspiring figure, paving the way for future generations of women in professional football. (Photos: facebook.com/ LeMoyneOwenCollegeOfficial/
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PERSPECTIVE The Tri-State Defender, January 18 - 24, 2024, Page 2
Civil Rights Icon Andrew Young Reflects on MLK’s Legacy One of the last surviving members of King’s inner circle, Young, sat down for an exclusive interview on PBS-TV’s The Chavis Chronicles with National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., where he shared valuable insights into his historical journey as a leader of the civil rights movement and his own enduring legacy.
by Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
As the nation commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, civil rights icon, diplomat, and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young reflected on King’s legacy and progress in America since the 1960s. One of the last surviving members of King’s inner circle, Young, sat down for an exclusive interview on PBS-TV’s The Chavis Chronicles with National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., where he shared valuable insights into his historical journey as a leader of the civil rights movement and his own enduring legacy. “I do this,” Young said, reflecting on challenging injustices like the false arrest and imprisonment of the Wilmington Ten in the 1970s, “because it’s the right thing to do. I wasn’t being militant or outspoken I was trying to get people to see just what it is.” From his beginnings in segregated schools in New Orleans to his early graduation from Howard University and later studies at Hartford Theological Seminary, Young’s commitment to justice emerged during his time as a pastor in southern Georgia. Organizing voter registration drives in the face of death threats, he played a crucial role in the campaigns leading to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Photo: Library of Congress)
“I do this because it’s the right thing to do. I wasn’t being militant or outspoken I was trying to get people to see just what it is.” — Andrew Young Elected to congress in 1972, Young became the first African American representative from the Deep South since Reconstruction. His legislative efforts included establishing the U.S. Institute for Peace, The African Development Bank, and the Chattahoochee River National Park. He left an indelible mark on the city by negotiating federal funds for vital infrastructure projects in Atlanta. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young as the first African American Ambassador to the United Nations, where he played a crucial role in shaping U.S.-Africa policy based on human rights. His efforts contributed to ending white-minority rule in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Reflecting on his experiences, Young shares poignant moments during the interview, including facing violence during the Civil Rights movement. He recalls, “When the Klan came marching down in the community, they wanted to provoke a fight. They had guns under their sheets in Lincolnville, Florida,” he noted. “The same Black folks who got beat up with me said they had the love of Jesus in their hearts; that spiritual witness of nonviolence and forgiveness moved the Congress, and
Andrew Young was among Dr. King’s closest associates during the Civil Rights Movement. Pictured here, left to right: Bayard Rustin, Young, Rep. William Fitts Ryan, James Farmer and John Lewis. (Photo by Stanley Wolfson/World Telegram & Sun/Library of Congress) the next week they passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act.” Assessing the progress in civil rights, Young emphasizes the strides made, saying, “If anybody says things are no better now than they were then, they don’t understand how well we have it now.” He acknowledges the challenges but underscores
the opportunities for education and progress. As Young reflects on Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, he interprets it as a call for equal opportunity. “We are no longer slaves; we have equal opportunity to make this a great nation if we are able to work hard. The educational opportunities are opening
up,” says Young. He acknowledges the partnership with white folks that contributed to Atlanta’s success. Young said he remains optimistic about the nation’s future, echoing Dr. King’s words: “It’s inevitable to me that this nation, as Martin Luther King said, will live out, one day, the true meaning of its creed.”
Civil Rights Leaders 2024 Insights on Martin Luther King’s Courage He also never lost sight of the fact that civil rights — addressing racial and economic injustice — were inextricable from liberation, freedom, equality, and world peace.
by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
During his short life, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped on all kinds of powerful toes in his fight for civil rights, and he was a courageous and determined leader who refused to let prison or violence sway his end mission. He also never lost sight of the fact that civil rights—addressing racial and economic injustice—were inextricable from liberation, freedom, equality, and world peace. As the founding leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Dr. King led a nonviolent movement to abolish the triple evils crippling American society: racism, poverty, and militarism. Associates said he believed those forces were contrary to God’s will for hu-
manity and that they could only be effectively opposed by a interfaith-inspired nonviolent, multiracial social change movement. On April 4, 1967, King spoke publicly and eloquently against the tragedies of the U.S.-led war in Vietnam. Today, as the nation observes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, civil rights leaders, including those who knew the slain leader, offered their thoughts on what his position might be on conflicts in the Middle East and Russia and on the twice-impeached and four-times indicted former President Donald Trump. “At the March on Washington in 1964, Dr. King talked about Alabama Gov. George Wallace having his lips dripping with interposition and nullification,” said the Rev. Peter Johnson, who began working for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in Plaquemine, La., and later was recruited by
Andrew Young to work for King in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta. “What’s the difference between George Wallace and Donald Trump? You’re not going to hear Trump publicly say the n-word, that’s the only difference,” Johnson remarked. “King would easily have seen that Trump is a bigot in the true sense of the word who actually believes he is superior to people of color.” Johnson, Rev. Dr. Jesse Jackson Sr, Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr, and others said that the wars between Israel and Hamas and Russia and Ukraine would have stirred Dr. King courageously to declare in King’s own words that “An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Dr. King would again say, “Peace is not just the absence of war; it is the presence of peace.” Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that King spoke of a deeper malady in American
society. His view was that presidential administrations have been embroiling themselves in conflicts across the globe for the wrong reasons. “Dr. King was outspokenly anti-war and anti-racism,” said Rev. Mark Thompson, a civil rights leader who recently joined the National Newspaper Publishers Association as the trade association’s global digital transformation director. “There’s no question King would oppose the war in Ukraine and seek diplomatic solutions. I believe he would also call for a ceasefire in Gaza.” “I believe his posture on Congress’s dysfunction would be consistent with the words he used to describe segregationist intransigence in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech—interposition and nullification,” Thompson declared. NNPA President and CEO Rev. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., also an SCLC youth coordinator alum back in the 1960s, concurred. “Dr. King was a nonviolent freedom fighter who believed that we all members of one hu-
manity. His concept of the ‘beloved community’ was all-inclusive and not discriminatory to anyone,” Chavis insisted. “Today’s world realities of racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, oppression, war, hatred, and bigotry are void of love for one another. We need Dr. King’s wisdom, inclusive theology, and leadership courage today more than ever before.” Johnson said there’s little doubt about where King would stand on today’s issues because the icon never wavered. “I don’t think he would have changed his position fundamentally,” Johnson determined. “The Black Press of America, through the NNPA, salutes and pays an eternal salute to the wisdom, vision, and courage of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Chavis declared. “May the 2024 Martin Luther King National Holiday be a day of reflection, action, freedom movement building, and constructive social change for all people in America and throughout the world.”
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SPORTS The Tri-State Defender, January 18 - 24, 2024, Page 3
With stars injured, Grizz cubs are taking advantage of playing time When the NBA scheduled the Grizzlies’ annual Martin Luther King Day game, the expectation was a star-studded showdown featuring Grizzlies’ superstar Ja Morant vs. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Except for the injuries. Less than a week after Morant was ruled out for a torn labrum, emerging star Desmond Bane severely sprained his ankle and is likely out until March. And then there’s Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Derrick Rose, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Santi Aldama . . .
Thus, it was Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson II – two “veterans” from the Memphis Hustle – who led Memphis to a 116-107 win over the Warriors. Williams, who recently inked a multiyear deal with the Grizzlies, led the team with 24 points, followed by a career high 23-point night from GG Jackson. Along with Ziaire Williams and Jacob Gilyard, the G-Leaguers are showing that they’re ready for the big leagues. Check out these images!
Grizzlies rookie GG Jackson II is having a breakout season, contributing 23 points in the Grizzlies MLK Game win over the Golden State Warriors, 116-107. The game was also the return of Warriors forward Draymond Green, who had been suspended for 11 games. (Photo: Terry Davis/The Tri-State Defender)
Grizzlies fans will go several more weeks without seeking the hard-charging game of Desmond Bane, who suffered a severe ankle sprain in the Grizzlies’ 128-119 loss to the L.A. Clippers. (Photo: William Weeks/The Tri-State Defender)
With so many players out with injuries, the additional playing time should give Grizz forward Ziaire Williams a chance to reassert himself as a key player for Memphis. (Photo: Terry Davis/The TriState Defender)
Vince Williams Jr., who recently signed a multiyear contract with the Grizzlies, has earned a reputation a stout defender – which puts him face-to-face with Clippers guard James Harden and other elite perimeter players from across the NBA. (Photo: William Weeks/The Tri-State Defender)
Jaren Jackson Jr. and L.A. Clipper Paul George scramble for a loose ball. (Photo: William Weeks/ The Tri-State Defender)
GG Jackson gets to the rim against the New York Knicks in the Grizzlies 106-94 loss at FedExForum. (Photo: William Weeks/The Tri-State Defender)
The Tri-State Defender
January 18 - 24, 2024
Page 4
SPORTS
Memphis Tigers outlast UTSA Roadrunners in OT thriller, 107-101 by Terry Davis
The Tri-State Defender
When you’re a nationally-ranked team, opponents often come in with extra motivation, seeing it as an opportunity to make headlines by defeating a higher-ranked team. Wednesday night, it was the scrappy UTSA Roadrunners in the underdog role, seeking to knock off the 13th-ranked Memphis Tigers. And while it took an overtime period to pull it off, Memphis pulled out a 107-101 win over the Roadrunners in their first meeting as fellow members of the American Athletic Conference. It’s the Tigers’ ninth straight win, improving their record to 14-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference. “I am happy to get the win. We scored 107 points but gave up 101,” said Tigers Coach Penny Hardaway. “We are winning while learning. I’ll take it.” The Roadrunners initially led the Tigers, showcasing impressive shooting prowess, especially from beyond the arc. “We are not guarding,” Hardaway said of his team’s firsthalf defensive struggles. “When you don’t guard, you are going to have an opportunity to lose every game. We guarded the non-conference (teams) better than we are the conference teams.” However, the Tigers rallied in the second half, overcoming a tie at the first TV timeout to eventually gain a lead. The game remained tightly contested, with UTSA tying the game with seconds left in regulation. However, in overtime, the Tigers pulled ahead, largely thanks to a four-point play by Jahvon Quinerly.
UTSA had six players scoring in double digits, led by Jordan Ivy-Curry with 28 points. Despite their Terry efforts, the Davis Tigers’ freethrow shooting and rebounding edge proved decisive. Hardaway acknowledged UTSA’s three-point shooting, noting that while some were due to miscommunication, others were simply good shots. “They were getting the open looks and hitting them. It doesn’t look like it, but we went into the game to take the three-pointers away,” Hardaway said. “We should have lost this game the way they shot the basketball, but we got to the line and won it.” Quinerly had 25 points, David Jones had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Jourdain had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Jaykwon Walton had 13 points and Malcolm Dandridge had 10 points. The Tigers connected on 30 of 43 free throws and outrebounded the Roadrunners 43-34. Hardaway praised Walton’s scoring ability and Jourdain’s versatility on the court. “Jaykwon is a proven scorer in this league,” Hardaway said. “He is still trying to find his way around. He is still trying to figure it out. With Caleb out, I think he feels like he can get some more shots up. He is playing better with more minutes.” “It has been up and down, but that is life,” Walton said. “I am
Memphis Tigers Malcolm Dandridge and David Jones swarm UTSA’s Jordan Ivy-Curry during a nailbiter of a victory on Jan. 14 at FedExForum. (Photos: William Weeks/The TriState Defender) getting back to myself.” Meanwhile, Jourdain emphasized the need for the team to work on defensive rotations and communication. “Some of the things we did offensively were good,” he said. “We have a lot to work on, rotation-wise, communication-wise and knowing the personnel. As a team, we must be accountable.” Jahvon Quinerly has been “The Closer” for the Memphis Tigers during the winning streak, knocking down a game-deciding three-pointers in back-to-back games – first his buzzer beater against Tulsa on Jan. 4, followed by a game-clinching three pointer against SMU on Jan. 7. His performance earned him American Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors.