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October 19 - 25, 2023
VOL. 72, No. 42
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Land Bank could make room for a new Shelby County entity by James Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Dissatisfied with the current setup, Shelby County Commissioners Monday (Oct. 16) took another cautious step towards creating a real estate division to oversee the sale of tax delinquent properties. The move to replace the current Shelby County Land Bank passed 6-4 in its second reading, with four members abstaining. However, to place a cornerstone on a change, a majority of seven commissioners will have to approve the resolution in its third and final reading. The Land Bank was founded in 2007. It receives properties obtained by Shelby County after a tax sale has been conducted and after the subsequent redemption period has expired. It is currently a part of the county Division of Public Works. What happens to these properties is crucial to neighborhoods fighting blight.
The key goal has been to sale the property to people or entities who/that can redevelop the property and get it back on property tax rolls. Britney The bank has Thornton faced criticism, especially for property being sold for less than the taxes owed, according to critics. “We are fundamentally not opposed to what you’re suggesting to do in your ordinance, but I just wanted to make it clear it will not come without an economic impact or a budget,” cautioned Cliff Norville, Shelby County Director of Public Works. According to a rough estimate, creating the division will run upwards of $300,000. Half of the
SEE LAND ON PAGE 2
Minimum-wage weighed for companies seeking property-tax incentives by James Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
With the rising cost of living a growing concern, Shelby County Commissioners Monday (Oct. 16) discussed a potential review of minimum hourly rates for employees of business taking advantage of EDGE board incentives. Created in 2011, through a joint resolution with the Memphis City Council, the EDGE (Shelby County Economic Development Growth Engine) provides incentives to drive economic development. These include tax breaks to reel in businesses to the area. The agency is required to submit a report every three years. To commissioners’ disappointment, EDGE Vice President of Operations Dr. Joann Massey failed to appear at the meeting. During a previous Economic & Tourism Committee meeting, members requested data on the agency’s operations. The desire for additional data extended to a resolution regarding minimum
wage requirements. “We want an annual – not every three years – report regarding wages. We did speak about the urgency of having the wages increased. After all, people are benefiting from tax abatements. They’re getting their share. “But the thing is to pass it on. Let the people who are working hourly also earn a living wage. The idea of this resolution is to raise it (wage),” said commissioner Erika Sugarmon. Massey plans on delivering the report next year –the third year. While many employers have profited from EDGE tax abatements, concerns are growing that the benefits companies derive from those breaks are not trickling down to workers. As a result, a dramatic increase in reporting from EDGE has been requested. Commissioner Henri Brooks said, “I’m concerned looking at this resolution … It talks about a living wage. They have $15.62
SEE WAGE ON PAGE 2
Mayor-elect Paul Young shared this election-night moment with his wife after it had been determined that he had emerged the winner from a 17-candidate field. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender Archives)
Mayor-elect Young touts diversity as he develops transition team TSD Newsroom Memphis mayor-elect Paul Young on Wednesday (Oct. 18) announced his transition team, which includes a former University of Memphis president, a former Memphis police director, an outgoing Memphis City Council member and a former chief people officer for FedEx. The transition team features multiple founders of non-profit organizations, private sector business owners, and community advocates.
The team will focus on community outreach, strategic planning, and potential talent identification “to support the Young administration’s priorities,” according to a news release. Young also confirmed that he and the People/Appointments co-chairs will meet with all current administration senior staff regarding the transition and his vision for their departments under his administration. Young, the current president and CEO of the Downtown Memphis Commission, out-polled 16 other
candidates to win the mayor’s seat in the Oct. 5 city elections. Mayor Jim Strickland is term limited, so there was no incumbent in the race. Young will be sworn in on Jan.1. “Diversity is a defining element of this team,” Young said when asked about the transition planning. “It was important to pull together the best and brightest people from all neighborhoods and all facets of our community. Our business sector,
SEE YOUNG ON PAGE 2
Thanks, Dr. Mitchell... The life of Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell, a longtime reporter and contributor to The New Tri-State Defender, was held last Thursday (October 12) at Brown Missionary Baptist Church, 980 Stateline Rd. in Southhaven, Miss. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)
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The New Tri-State Defender
October 19 - 25, 2023
NEWS
Community leaders featured at upcoming Fatherhood Forum Goal: promote positive fatherhood, strengthen families Local nonprofit Families Matter, Inc. is partnering with Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office to host its Each One Reach One Fatherhood Forum on Saturday (October 21). The forum is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, which is located at 620 Parkrose Ave. “Our goal of the forum is to bring the community together to promote positive fatherhood and strengthen family bonds,” said Carol Jackson, executive director of Families Matter, Inc. During the forum, there will be a leadership panel at noon to discuss the importance of the father’s role in strengthening family bonds and its impact on the community. Guided by the Rev. Melvin Watkins, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church’s pastor, the panelists include: · Earnest Brooks, Associate
LAND
CONTINUED FROM FRONT costs will go to manpower. A “back-of-the-napkin calculation” suggests three employees to perform the job. They would make around $50,000 annually. However, for one commissioner, the promise of a larger annual budget doomed the proposed institution. “I see no reason that if it can function in a transparent manner — which I believe it is — that we should negatively impact our budget,” Commissioner Brandon Morrison said. Morrison added, “Because of the budgetary impact that had been shared with us, I think this real estate…department’ is an important function of county government.” The push to replace the Land Bank is an effort to boost sales of parcels, particularly to district residents. In addition to increasing individual wealth, the proposal also will tackle blight through home ownership. An estimated 1,350 properties were sold in 2018 and 2019 through the county trustee, for a haul of $3.5 million. However, the numbers dropped when the COVID pandemic spread the following year. The revenue comes from a combination of application
Deputy District Attorney for the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office · Antonio Harvey, Memphis-Shelby County Schools Family and Community Engagement (FACE) · Rev. Kenric Conway, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church · Antwan Bohanon, Customized Veterans Group ·Tracey Driver, MAXIMUS Shelby County Child Support Services · Patrick Batson, Program Director for Families Matter’s AFIRM program Several community vendors will be on-site to provide resources for attendees. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office and Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk’s Office will provide expungement resources, the City of Memphis’ Office of Youth Services will provide information about their programs, Baptist Memorial Hos-
processing fees and proceeds beyond taxes owed. “Three out of the last five years, there’s been a negative net operation in the Land Bank,” said Norville. The ordinance’s sponsor Commissioner Britney Thornton has led the charge to revamp the Land Bank operation. She pointed out that historically marginalized neighbors, like Orange Mound in her district, are among the areas negatively affected by the current setup. “I’m a little disheartened to have to make a case that clearly there is an equity case to be made. Over half of my colleagues’ districts don’t share the burden of some of our top four districts share in having to carry the weight in the blighted properties and the amount of transactions that transpire within our districts,” said Thornton. Thornton continued, “If the burden is not yours to carry, then I would hope that you would at least be empathetic to the need of some of our colleagues to have to step up to do something. What we know is, we are having to deal with different circumstances.” Other topics discussed was the use of claw backs that can be used to reacquire a property, typically if it isn’t being used in an agreed upon manner. “We do put a reversionary
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pital will provide free health screenings, and the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center will provide financial literacy resources. In addition, there will be onthe-spot hiring, resources from the Shelby County Community Services Agency, free haircuts and free food. Representatives from Families Matter’s pilot program, A Father’s Involvement Really Matters (AFIRM), will be on hand to help attendees register for the program. Funded by the Tennessee Department of Human Services’ Tennessee Opportunity Act, AFIRM is designed to assist low-income fathers, ages 18–40 in Memphis and Shelby County, by connecting them to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or assistance with a recent child support order. Those interested in attending can register for free at bit. ly/AFIRMForum.
clause in every one of our agreements…You have about five years to do with the property what you said you were going to do with it. The county has the ability to exercise this reversionary clause if you do not,” said Norville. The clause is little more than a threat. With a shorthanded staff, follow up is scarce. Another method of distributing property is through conveyance. This is usually achieved by transfer of a deed from one entity to another. With less than a dozen in a typical year, most of the beneficiaries are nonprofits. “We really haven’t conveyed a lot of property, with the exception of 2020, and that was a very large conveyance to the Klondike/Smoky City CDC,” said Norville. Municipalities, like Memphis and Millington, occasionally receive parcels upon request too. Voting in favor of the resolution were commissioners Charlie Caswell, Erika Sugarmon, Edmund Ford Jr., Michael Whaley, Mickell Lowery, and chair Miska Clay-Bibbs. Commissioners Amber Mills, Mick Wright, Morrison, and Thornton abstained. Commissioners Shante Avant, Henri Brooks and David Bradford did not vote.
YOUNG
CONTINUED FROM FRONT civic, nonprofit, and community organizations are all represented in this team, and we look forward to adding more.” The team makeup directly aligns with Young’s goals for diversity, with a wide range of neighborhoods, generations, and backgrounds represented. Nearly 85 Memphis advocates have already agreed to represent their individual communities as part of the team, with others anticipated to join within the coming days and weeks. Here are the transition team members. People/Appointments CoChairs Emily Greer, CEO, Greer Leadership Solutions. Former chief administrative officer, ALSAC/St. Jude. David Rudd, former president, University of Memphis. Chris Winton, former chief people officer, FedEx. Public Safety Co-Chairs Jennifer Collins, president, Rhodes College. Former assistant U.S. attorney. Sandy Bromley, deputy director of Justice Programs, Shelby County Division of Community Services. Toney Armstrong,
WAGE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT and it jumps to $31.30 for one child. That’s a living wage and what does that include? What does that exclude? We need to have some more conversation around that. “Because, if we are going to make any changes, we need to make sure there are substantive changes that are going to help folks who are in need, particularly with PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes). When we are giving away money, we need to get something in return…” If the nonbinding resolution passes the commission, it still needs to be approved by the Memphis City Council and by the city and county mayors. The EDGE board too. State law
director of security, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Former MPD director. K. Durrell Cowan, director, Heal 901. Economic Co-Chairs
Development
Christina McCarter, Owner, Feast & Graze. Ted Townsend, president & CEO, Greater Memphis Chamber. Jozelle Booker, president and CEO, Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum. Strong Co-Chairs
Neighborhoods
Archie Willis, president, ComCap Partners. Janet Boscarino, executive director, Clean Memphis. Regina Blount Williams, neighborhood leader. Supporting Our Youth CoChairs Jonathan Torres, CEO, Memphis Athletic Ministries. Patrice Thomas, chief of staff, Memphis-Shelby County Schools. Sarah Lockridge Steckel, CEO, The Collective Blueprint. Thriving Arts & Culture
Co-Chairs Cara Greenstein, vice president of Public Engagement, Doug Carpenter & Associates. Craig Brewer, filmmaker. George Monger, CEO, Connect Music. Rachel Knox, senior program officer, Hyde Family Foundation. Transportation & Infrastructure Co-Chairs Anna McQuiston, executive director, Mid-South Development District. Courtney McNeal, chief of staff, Innovate Memphis. Stephen Edwards, senior engineer, TREKK Design Group. Good Chairs
Governance
Co-
Cheyenne Johnson, Memphis City Council member. Dorcas Young Griffin, director, Shelby County Community Services. Marco McClendon, mayor, City of West Memphis (For more information about joining a transition team sub-committee, email a letter of interest to youngtransitionteam@gmail.com.)
“If we are going to make any changes, we need to make sure there are substantive changes that are going to help folks who are in need, particularly with PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes). When we are giving away money, we need to get something in return…” — Commissioner Henri Brooks will also have to be examined. Paying a sliding-scale living wage by companies receiving tax breaks has been a hot topic for years among members of the City Council and County Commission members but has failed to gain approval. The Greater Memphis Chamber and EDGE have opposed it, saying it could hurt business recruitment. With the meeting lacking a
representative from EDGE, the discussion eventually fizzled. “I wish that (the EDGE’s) Massey was here. She is not. I don’t know what sponsor wants to do…send it down (to committee)? Bifurcate it?” asked Sugarmon. “There is a sense of urgency.” With more questions than answers from members, sponsor Britney Thornton opted for the former.
The New Tri-State Defender
October 19 - 25, 2023
Page 3
NEWS
“We have a new vision and a new direction for Atlanta Life that honors the guiding principles upon which it was founded while reimagining it’s future.” – Earvin “Magic” Johnson (Screen capture)
Magic Johnson in the mix as Atlanta Life Insurance Co. reemerges with new leadership and vision Atlanta Life Insurance Company, the lone remaining Black-founded and owned insurance company, is reemerging under new leadership with what is described as a fresh vision that pays homage to the brand’s rich history and legacy. For more than 100 years, Atlanta Life has provided insurance to help policyholders build wealth for their families. The company was recently acquired by Atlanta Life Holdings, a minority-owned insurance holding company that is committed to restoring the heritage of the brand, reimagining the power of its insurance business, and providing financial security and protection for underserved and underrepresented communities. Atlanta Life has also entered into an agreement with Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, a life insurance and annuities carrier with $26 billion of total assets, to broaden its offerings and reach. “The decision to extend our support and resources to Atlanta Life Insurance Company stems from my passion for championing entrepreneurship and Black businesses and my life-long investment in the Black community,” said Johnson. “We have a new vision and a new direction for Atlanta Life that honors the guiding principles upon which it was founded while reimagining it’s future.” Originally founded by Alonzo Herndon, a former enslaved man and savvy entrepreneur who became Atlan-
Atlanta Life Insurance Company founder, Alonzo Herndon and his son, Norris Herndon, who followed in his father’s footsteps. (Photo via PRNewswire)
“Like The Herndons, we believe that businesses, if run the right way, can be a transformative force for social good.” — Eric Holoman ta’s first African-American millionaire, Atlanta Life has protected many at-risk citizens while advancing social and
economic equity for all, which included holding the life insurance policy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Like The Herndons, we believe that businesses, if run the right way, can be a transformative force for social good,” said Eric Holoman, president and CEO, Atlanta Life Insurance Company. Eric Holomon, “Our aim with Atlanta Life is to president/ uphold the Herndon family values in CEO, Atlanta Life Insurance all we do, while taking the company to new heights and maximizing our Company impact in helping Black families and businesses thrive. … We aim to serve as guardians of the community’s legacy and stewards of its future.” To celebrate the new beginning, Atlanta Life is hosting “A Day of Impact”, a community event on Saturday (October 14) empower Atlanta Youth with an educational program centered on financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The community event aims to cultivate entrepreneurial spirits, foster financial literacy, and encourage collaboration within the community to invest in youth – the future leaders of business. (SOURCE: PRNewswire)
PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, October 19 - 25, 2023, Page 4
Medicare’s Open Enrollment period began Oct. 15 and extends through Dec. 7, 2023.
Medicare Advantage coverage experts say people should review their coverage each year during the open enrollment window and compare it to other options.
Medicare’s Open Enrollment period extends through Dec. 7, 2023. Take time now to do your research. The decisions you make now could end up costing or saving you thousands of dollars in the year ahead.
Medicare’s Open Enrollment is here: What you don’t know, can cost you
Open enrollment for Medicare opened Oct. 15 and seniors could have dozens of options to choose from. During the enrollment period, which ends Dec. 7, people will have the opportunity to choose between traditional Medicare and privately run Medicare Advantage plans in their area, as well as prescription drug plans. (Photo: 2024 U.S. Medicare Handbook)
Now open:
Annual window to shop for Medicare Advantage plans by Tom Murphy Associated Press
Open enrollment for Medicare opened Sunday (Oct. 15), and seniors could have dozens of options. During the enrollment period, which ends Dec. 7, people will have the opportunity to choose between traditional Medicare and privately run Medicare Advantage plans in their area, as well as prescription drug plans. But research shows that most people don’t bother shopping. The non-profit KFF analyzed a national survey of people with Medicare and found that only about a third compared their coverage options during a recent enrollment period. Medicare is the federal coverage program for those age 65 and over and some people with disabilities who are younger. Medicare Advantage plans provided
by insurers frequently offer prescription drug coverage, as well as extra benefits like dental or vision coverage not provided by traditional Medicare. A small portion of the plans provide rebates for the premium paid for Medicare’s “Part B” outpatient coverage, said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with KFF, which studies health care issues. “Part B” covers things like doctor’s officed visits, and the premium to pay for it typically comes out of Social Security checks. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently noted that the monthly premium for that coverage will climb 6 percent for next year to $174.70. That’s up from $164.90 in 2023. The federal government also has noted that millions of Social Security recipients will get a 3.2 percent increase in their benefits next year. The cost-of-living
adjustment means the average Social Security recipient will receive at least $50 more every month. Medicare Advantage coverage experts say people should review their coverage each year during the open enrollment window and compare it to other options, paying particular attention to how regular doctors or medications are covered. The average Medicare beneficiary could choose from 43 Medicare Advantage plans for this year, or more than double the choices available in 2018, according to KFF. Neuman said they don’t have a sense yet for the amount of options for 2024. After this year’s open enrollment window ends in December, people will be able to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or opt for traditional Medicare during another enrollment period from Jan. 1 to March 31.
Special to The New TriState Defender
you to see a new specialist or receive a new set of services? Is your plan continuing to meet your needs?
If you are on Medicare, fall is the time to invest in your health. The changing color of the autumn foliage is a great reminder for Medicare’s Open Enrollment and that it’s your annual opportunity to modify your healthcare options for the coming year. Medicare’s Open Enrollment period, known as the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Election, began Oct. 15 and extends through Dec. 7, 2023. If you have Medicare, it is your chance to join, switch or drop Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D drug plans. (The annual Open Enrollment period does not apply to Medigap or Medicare supplement plans.) Take time now to do your research. Check out and verify the information you receive in the mail. The decisions you make now could end up costing or saving you thousands of dollars in the year ahead.
Step 2: Assess your coverage needs
Step 1: Review your Annual Notice of Change Medicare plans change every year. Begin by reading through your plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that will arrive in the mail. It summarizes the changes in your plan’s cost and coverage in the coming year. Consider the following when reviewing your ANOC: *See if the cost or locations of services or drugs you take will change for the coming year. Are the plan’s network of providers and pharmacies conveniently located? *Assess your health care needs over the past year. Has your health status changed this year, requiring
Once you’ve reviewed your notice, then explore coverage options. *If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, check to see the providers and services you need are included. Ask about preferred doctors/specialists, treatments, and supplemental benefits. When comparing plans, be sure you understand the limitation on each benefit. *Does Medicare pay for prescriptions and drugs that you need? Take time to ask about any restrictions, such as quantity limits, or whether your drugs require prior approval from the plan. *Find out what out-of-pocket costs you will incur when you see a doctor, require a hospital stay, or pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy? Most plans have an annual out-of-pocket-maximum, but prescription drug costs are not included in that amount. Step 3: Get advice from trusted sources Your mailbox will be flooded with advertisements and flyers from healthcare companies that want your business. For help understanding your Medicare options and how to save money on costs, visit Tennessee Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at https://bit.ly/3rXNI2k. People with Medicare also can compare coverage options and shop for plans using Medicare Plan Finder or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.
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The New Tri-State Defender
October 19 - 25, 2023
Page 5
NEWS
Two women hug near a memorial at the entrance to The Covenant School, March 29, 2023, in Nashville. The Tennessee Court of Appeals heard arguments Monday (Oct. 16) on whether Tennessee law gives the parents of school shooting victims the right to have a say over which police records are released to the public. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee court to decide if school shooting families can keep police records from public release
by Travis Loller Associated Press
NASHVILLE – a A lawsuit over whether the families of school shooting victims have a right to control what the public learns about a massacre was argued inside a packed Tennessee courtroom on Monday, the latest turn in an intense public records battle. The person who killed three 9-yearold children and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville this spring left behind at least 20 journals, a suicide note and a memoir, according to court filings. The debate over those writings and other records has pitted grieving parents and traumatized children against a coalition which includes two news organizations, a state senator and a gun-rights group. That coalition requested police records on the Covenant School shooting through the Tennessee Public Records Act earlier this year. When the Metro Nashville Police Department declined their request, they sued. Metro government attorneys
have said the records can be made public, but only after the investigation is officially closed, which could take months. The groups seeking the documents say the case is essentially over since the only suspect is dead — the shooter was killed by police — so the records should be immediately released. But that argument has taken a back seat to a different question: What rights do victims have, and who is a legitimate party to a public records case? Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles ruled in May that a group of more than 100 Covenant families could intervene in the case. The families are seeking to keep the police records from ever seeing the light of day. On Monday, the state Appeals Court panel heard arguments on whether Myles acted within the law when she allowed the families — along with the Covenant School and the Covenant Presbyterian Church that share its building — to intervene. Speaking for the families, attorney Eric Osborne said the lower court was right to allow it because, “No one has greater inter-
est in this case than the Covenant School children and the parents acting on their behalf.” The families submitted declarations to the court laying out in detail what their children have gone through since the March 27 shooting, Osborne said. They also filed a report from an expert on childhood trauma from mass shootings. That evidence shows “the release of documents will only aggravate and grow their psychological harm,” he said. Attorney Paul Krog, who represents one of the news organizations seeking the records, countered that the arguments from the families, the school and the church are essentially policy arguments that should be decided by the legislature, not legal ones to be decided by the courts. The Tennessee Public Records Act allows any resident of the state to request records that are held by a state or local government agency. If there are no exceptions in the law requiring that record to be kept private, then the agency is required to release it. If the agency refuses, the requestor has a right to sue, and that right is spelled
out in state law. Nothing in the Public Records Act, however, allows for a third party to intervene in that lawsuit to try to prevent the records from being released, Krog told the court. “This isn’t a case about what public policy ought to be. It’s a case about what the statute says,” he argued. Although people have been allowed to intervene in at least two Tennessee public records cases in the past, no one ever challenged those interventions, so no state court has ever had to decide whether those interventions were proper. The Covenant case is complicated by the fact that the shooter, who police say was “assigned female at birth,” seems to have identified as a transgender man. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, of Missouri, is among those promoting a theory that the shooting was a hate crime against Christians. The refusal to release the shooter’s writings has fueled speculation — particularly in conservative circles — regarding what the they might contain and conspiracy theories about why police won’t release them.
The New Tri-State Defender, October 19 - 25, 2023, Page 6
In her 2016 book, “Schoolhouse Activists: African American Educators and the Long Birmingham Civil Rights Movement,” and in a 2023 book she co-edited, “Schooling the Movement: The Activism of Southern Black Educators from Reconstruction Through the Civil Rights Era,” Tondra Loder-Jackson details how many Black teachers organized quietly and supported the movement.
Author: Black teachers’ resistance to segregation 60 years ago holds lessons for teachers today were involved in all the civil rights organizations. It’s important for all educators to know, irrespective of race or ethnicity or nationality, the role that educators played in voting rights and in all aspects of the movement.
by Tonyaa Weathersbee Chalkbeat Tennessee
A
s a Birmingham, Ala., native, Tondra Loder-Jackson was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. She was especially inspired by the 1,000-plus Black children who walked out of What was your most surprising disschool in Birmingham on May 2, 1963, to protest Jim Crow segregation in covery? what would be known as the Children’s Crusade. I was surprised by this underground Still, one question lingered for Loder-Jackson. Where, she wondered, were the Black teachers? Now a professor of educational foundations at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Loder-Jackson sought the answer to that question — and wound up debunking a narrative that Black teachers either shied away from the movement or were hostile to it. In her 2016 book, “Schoolhouse Activists: African American Educators and the Long Birmingham Civil Rights Movement,” and in a 2023 book she co-edited, “Schooling the Movement: The Activism of Southern Black Educators from Reconstruction Through the Civil Rights Era,” Loder-Jackson details how many Black teachers, at the risk of losing their jobs and, in some cases, their lives, organized quietly and supported the movement through their scholarship and their teaching, and through associations with outside groups. Loder-Jackson recently talked to Chalkbeat about her work and the lessons teachers in states like Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and others where teaching about race is being restricted, can learn from those 1960s schoolhouse activists on how to resist new state-sanctioned attempts to whitewash Black history. (This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.) Why did you want to explore the role of Black educators in the Civil Rights Movement? This seemed to be a relatively untold story, although some scholars began to unearth some archival data and tell new
stories decades ago. But no one that I knew of in Birmingham was focused on educators, and really, on the contrary, I discovered there was a false narrative in Birmingham that Black teachers and principals were cate- Tondra LoderJackson gorically tepid about getting involved in the movement. In fact, there’s one narrative about a Black principal who stood in the schoolhouse door to prevent his students from skipping school during the Children’s Crusade in 1963. Why is it important to correct this narrative — that Black teachers weren’t involved in the movement — at this time? The false narrative that Black teachers in Birmingham, and in the southern region, were not active in the Civil Rights Movement leaves our teachers today with a lost memory of the kind of activism that teachers were involved in. There was an active network of below-the-radar teachers and administrators who contributed to the Alabama movement in various ways that were typically aligned with their professional practices. They formed Black teachers associations … . There is clear evidence, in national and local archives, that Black Alabama teachers joined ranks with the Alabama State Teachers Association. They were involved with them, they were involved in the NAACP, they were involved in the Alabama Christian Association, they
railroad of Black educators and how they came together as a collective to fight for civil rights. They were instrumental in putting together reports to document racial discrimination, they fought for voting rights, they sponsored Black history programs, and they were involved in strategizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott. They came together as a collective to fight for civil rights. It was true that some didn’t feel comfortable protesting, but many blended in with crowds during the mass meetings, which was one of the core activities of the movement. I have interviewed teachers who said they have attended every one of those meetings. Did you think that in 2023, 60 years after the Children’s Crusade, that states like Tennessee and Florida would adopt laws that make it hard for teachers to teach about that crusade and, by extension, the role that Black teachers played in it? Everything goes around in circles. We had a backlash against multiculturalism in the 1980s, but then things died down a bit. The backlash today, however, seems especially vitriolic. I have to consider the role that the first Black president elected two times, and a pandemic that opened up classrooms virtually with some students’ parents looking over their shoulders, and the George Floyd protests may have played in this. What is especially troubling about these laws and their potential consequences? The attacks on civic education are disconcerting to me. That is the space in pub-
lic schools where students learn how a democracy should work. One teacher I interviewed told me one important lesson she taught during the movement was to help students understand why they were going out to march in the streets, and she would use her civics lesson to make a connection between their actions and what they were doing. So teachers play an important role in laying the intellectual foundation for any social movement, and teachers, and Black teachers in the South particularly, played that role. What can educators in states where teaching about race is restricted learn from Black teachers in Birmingham who found ways to resist unjust laws that wouldn’t cause them to lose their jobs or lives? Today, we definitely don’t want to have situations where we have educational gaps and orders keeping teachers from teaching social studies authentically and with fidelity. So I would say that the lessons that teachers of today can learn from teachers of the past is to find ways to organize at their schools on a local, state, and even a national and international level. Beyond unions, there are a lot of professional associations and informal coalitions that are emerging. In Birmingham, I’ve become part of a group called Coalition for True History. It’s an emergent grass roots organization that is made up of educators, civic leaders, and community members. We are advocating rigorous, authentic, and critical approaches to teaching history. We’ve had the NAACP and other groups to help interpret legal leeways (around laws that restrict lessons on race). So, (teachers) are going to have to work in solidarity. Based on my scholarship and research, that is the model that we have from the past. (Bureau Chief Tonyaa Weathersbee oversees Chalkbeat Tennessee’s education coverage. Reach her at tweathersbee@ chalkbeat.org.)
The New Tri-State Defender
October 19 - 25, 2023
ENTERTAINMENT
Stone ‘Eben’ Awards build on tradition (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)
The 28th Annual Stone “Eben” Awards were presented at the Bartlett Performing Arts Theatre, 3663 Appling Road last Saturday (October 14). The awards ceremony – presented by Stanley “Cam Mtenzi” Campbell and the House of Mtenzi Museum (1289 Madison Ave.) – extends the legacy of Ma’&9 Mustard Seeds. By tradition, the red-carpet affair annually honors “the leaders, pioneers, trailblazers, heroes, sheros, inventors, government officials, businesses and organizations pro-actively paving the way throughout the community and building, stone × stone/leader by stone, a greater and stronger Mid-South and a stronger America.”
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COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, October 19 - 25, 2023, Page 8
Remembering Warren Lewis – ‘The Fire Barber’ by Florence M. Howard
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
North Memphis barber Warren Lewis’ unusual method of using flaming candle tapers to cut hair launched him into the national spotlight. Lewis demonstrated his flame technique on late night shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman. He also demonstrated it on local news shows and was featured in local newspaper stories. Lewis, known as the “Fire Barber” died Oct. 8. He was 90. He still was cutting hair until three weeks before his death. Lewis was born Nov. 12,1932 in rural Louisville, Mississippi. He was one of 17 children in the family of Lemon and Jennie Mae Lewis. He grew up during the Great Depression. He said of himself, “God prepared Warren Lewis for success by giving him a pair of gifted hands. Who would have thought this little country boy from the cotton fields of Mississippi would use the technique that his mother taught him to burn the quills from a plucked chicken – and become world-famous.” He was 19 when he left home and came to Memphis, where he walked into a barber shop in North Memphis more than 70 years ago. He began using fire to cut and shape hair after a trip to his favorite barber and beauty shop supply store, where he saw long thin, taper candles. He recalled how his mother used a flame to burn embedded quills off chickens to prepare them for cooking. Before putting his idea into action, he practiced on himself. Known worldwide as the Fire Barber from his appearances on local, national, and international TV shows, Lewis often said “Burning feathers off a chicken took me all over the world!”
A relaxed Warren Lewis taking a call in his shop. (Courtesy photo) With his close friend, the late Isaac Hayes, he founded the Black Knights, an organization that protested police brutality, Jim Crow, and housing discrimination in Memphis. Lewis also was known for his generous spirit and community activism. He was cutting hair until three weeks before his death. A musician who played drums, it was Warren’s privilege to know many local singers and performers, including The Bar-Kays, who found a warm welcome at Warren’s Original Hair Styles, then at 887 Chelsea, where they gathered after performances and jam sessions. That location was destroyed but his sign still stands proudly on the vacant lot near his most
recently shop at 621 Chelsea. He said an effort to train other Memphis barbers in his burning hair technique was not successful. “They didn’t catch on,” he lamented. Even so, he was ready to teach anyone who wanted to become a fire barber. British film makers/video producer Simon Emmett and Sam Ford both came to Memphis to film “The Fire Barber” (Youtube.com). Because of their support and interest in his fire barber technique, as well as his international trips to Canada and Japan, barbers and would-be barbers around the world are busy perfecting their own fire barbering techniques.
Interviewed by British filmmaker Emmert in 2018, Warren Lewis said “If I did my life over again, I’d be another barber. The only thing I’d have is a lunch hour and a vacation.” He continued on the video, “I’m from a large family from Mississippi. “And what we do when we kill chickens is we wrang their neck. And when you kill a chicken, we have hot water. We dip them in the water because once you pick the feathers, there be lots of fine feathers on them. That’s why you see me burning hair.” Having honed his barbering skills in his hometown, Warren Lewis became a Memphis barber by simply walking into Doyle’s Barber Shop in North Memphis and asking for a job. In 1954, he enrolled in Moler Barber College in Chicago. After he returned home, he gained experience at various barber shops in the area. He said that during his first week, he made $19. In 1960, he opened Warren’s Barber and Beauty Shop at 1208 Thomas. Later, he opened his own 16-chair shop, Warren’s Original Hair Styles at 887 Thomas. Lewis said that he bought the worst building and remodeled it for his shop. The business flourished and enabled him to buy another house and four cars. In April 1985, then-Memphis City Councilman Myron Lowery spearheaded a successful effort to honored Warren by renaming his section of Thomas St. as “Warren Lewis Street.” Lewis was the father of three children and the grandfather of five. The wake service for Mr. Lewis will be Friday (Oct. 20) from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral home at 3651 Austin Peay Highway. The Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday (Oct. 21) at 11 a.m. at Pentecostal Temple COGIC at 229 South Danny Thomas Blvd., with burial to follow in New Park Cemetery at 4536 Horn Lake Road.
Unity Day rocks at Bellevue Middle School Unity Day unfolded at Bellevue Middle School on Wednesday (Oct. 18) as students were encouraged to “support kindness, acceptance and inclusion for all students.” The day included an anti-bullying emphasis that was driven home by Tee Morant, the father of Memphis Grizzlies’ superstar Ja Morant, and former University of Memphis Tiger Trey Draper. Bellevue students let their excitement be seen and heard when Morant called his famous son on his cellphone. (Photos: Ramon Johnson)
The New Tri-State Defender
CLASSIFIEDS
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Flintco, LLC. has been selected as Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) for the following project: University of Tennessee UTHSC Nash Buildout 2 Floors SBC Project No. 540/013-10-2021 Prequalified subcontractors are invited to submit complete bids for this project. Examine documents at Construction Manager’s office. Obtain documents via distribution on Construction Manager’s FTP site and at Memphis Reprographics. Plans will be available to bidders September 4, 2023. Plan deposits are not required. All bidders, if not prequalified, must pre-qualify in accordance with Instructions to Bidders. Non-Discrimination policy applies. Bid Packages: Bid Package 06A – Millwork Bid Package 07A – Expansion Joints Bid Package 08A – Doors, Frames and Hardware Bid Package 08B – Glass and Glazing Bid Package 09A – Metal Studs and Drywall Bid Package 09B – Acoustical Ceilings Bid Package 09C – Tile Bid Package 09D – Flooring Bid Package 09E – Resinous Flooring Bid Package 09F – Painting Bid Package 10A – Specialties Bid Package 11A – Laboratory Equipment Bid Package 12A – Laboratory Casework Bid Package 12B – Window Shades Bid Package 21A – Fire Suppression Bid Package 22A – Plumbing Bid Package 23A – HVAC Bid Package 25A – Integrated Building Management System Bid Package 26A – Electrical Bid Package 28A – Security and Access Control Prebid Information: November 1st, 2023 at 1PM General Education Building (GEB) – Room A103 8 S Dunlap Street Memphis, TN 38107 Prequalification: All potential bidders must be prequalified with Flintco prior to bid submission. Interested bidders should reach out to Flintco directly about prequalification status. Bids Received At: Flintco, LLC 65 Germantown Court, Suite 101 Cordova, TN 38018 Ph. 901-372-9600 Until: 2:00PM Local Time On: Thursday, November 16, 2023 Plan Deposit: None Required Construction Manager: Flintco, LLC. 65 Germantown Court, Suite 101 Cordova, TN 38018 Contact: Blake Moyer, Estimator II blake.moyer@flintco.com, Ph. 901.612.2865 Bonding
LEGAL NOTICE Request for Bids MSCAA Project Number 191423-29-02 Terminal A Ticket Counter Replacement – Electrical/Data Construction Sealed bids for Terminal A Ticket Counter Replacement – Electrical/Data – Construction will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, 4150 Louis Carruthers Drive, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:00 PM Local Time on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Bids will not be received at any other location. Within 30 minutes thereafter, the bids will be opened and publicly read via phone/video conference (Link: https://us06web.zoom. us/j/83352843725?pwd=kvZOeuGIzeuSukXenI619mv84GIBK6.1; Phone: 1-305-224-1968, Meeting ID: 833 5284 3725, Passcode: 729900). The Bid Documents, including a description of the scope of work, the required response format, and additional instructions may be obtained on or after October 19, 2023 online
at https://flymemphis.com/rfpsrfqs/. A virtual Pre-Bid Meeting will be held Thursday October 26th at 2:00 PM local time via phone/ video conference (Link: ; https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/84363735902?pwd=VQKT3Gtqx2M7vNNnd89ypUlVDuV3rd.1 Phone: 1-646-876-9923; Meeting ID: 843 6373 5902; Passcode: 734937). Attendance at the Pre-Bid Meeting is strongly recommended. The project site will be available for inspection Thursday October 26th between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM local time. All Bidders are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda or additional information. The successful Bidder must sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding the Buy American Preference, Foreign Trade Restriction, Davis-Bacon, Affirmative Action, Debarment and Suspension, and DrugFree Workplace, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Each bid must be made by a contractor licensed in Tennessee and be accompanied by a 5% Bid Guarantee. The successful bidder must execute a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond in the amount of 100% each of the Contract Price. The bidder must be DBE, ACDBE, or SBE certified. Subcontractors and suppliers are not required to be certified. The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Bids in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this Request for Bids; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies. The Authority is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, marital status, military service, or sexual orientation in its hiring and employment practices and in the admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities. By order of: Scott A. Brockman, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
«fields Submitted, DatetoPaper, DesiredRunDate, TaxParcelIDNo, TaxSaleNo, NameofPurchaser, PriceOffered, BidOffDate, BidOffTime, CurrentURL» NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT
October 19 - 25, 2023
NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Larrina Dixon Tax Parcel #: 2602300000180 Tax Sale #: 1804 Price Offered: $2,300 Terms: Cash
«fields Submitted, DatetoPaper, DesiredRunDate, TaxParcelIDNo, TaxSaleNo, NameofPurchaser, PriceOffered, BidOffDate, BidOffTime, CurrentURL» NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Danita Farmer Tax Parcel #: 4205900000200 Tax Sale #: 1805 Price Offered: $62,000 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at «BidOffTime» on «BidOffDate», to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.
Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150
Over the last two decades, efforts to stem the tide of mass incarceration appear to have made inroads. A new report from the Sentencing Project found that the imprisonment rate for Black men was nearly cut in half since 2000. However, as the report notes, the era of mass incarceration of Black Americans is still far from behind us. Black men born in 2001 have a one in five chance of being incarcerated throughout their lifetime. Moreover, the report warns that a wave of anti-reform efforts threatens the hardwon gains from the last twenty years. The October report from the Sentencing Project, a non-profit criminal justice research and advocacy organization, examined the aftermath of the four-decades-long buildup of the U.S. prison population. The good news Incarceration rates in the United States have declined since their peaks in the early 2000s. Since 2009, the overall prison population declined by 25 percent. And the decline was even greater for Black Americans. The number of incarcerated Black Americans decreased by 39 percent since its peak in 2002. Things look even better when you dig into the imprisonment rate for both Black men and Black women. The imprisonment rate for Black women fell by 70 percent between 2000 and 2021. And the imprisonment rate for Black men fell by nearly half over the same period. The bad news The not-so-great news is that we’re still nowhere near out of the woods, and anti-reform efforts aren’t helping. As we mentioned previously, one in five Black men is likely to end up incarcerated during their lifetime, according to the Sentencing Project. That’s down from one
The cover of One in Five – Ending Racial Inequity in Incarceration. The new report from the Sentencing Project found that the imprisonment rate for Black men was nearly cut in half since 2000. However, the report notes that the era of mass incarceration of Black Americans is still far from behind us. in three Black men who were born in 1981, but it’s not exactly heartening. There also continues to be persistent racial disparities within the criminal justice system. The lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for Black men is four times higher than that of white men. It’s also worth noting that these decreases follow a massive wave of mass incarceration. Our prison population in 2021 was still six times as large as it was 50 years ago. Anti-reform efforts are also gaining momentum, says the report. In Washington, D.C., Congress rolled back criminal justice reforms voted on by the D.C.’s Democratically-elected city council. Other cities and states like New York and Florida have narrowed previous reforms.
Request for Public Input TVA seeks your input on future power generation
ANTHONY REDDICK, JR Tax Parcel #: 5905900000070 Tax Sale #: 1803 Price Offered: $4,000 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at «BidOffTime» on «BidOffDate», to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.
theroot.com
Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:
Fewer Black Americans are incarcerated than 20 years ago, but the problem isn’t behind us by Jessica Washington
Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at «BidOffTime» on «BidOffDate», to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.
Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150
NEWS
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The Tennessee Valley Authority, in partnership with your local power company, is building the energy system of the future to enable ongoing and future growth around the Valley, focusing on cleaner and more efficient energy generation while maintaining low rates and reliable power for the 10 million people we serve.
Wanna Subscribe? Scan below! (registration required)
As part of this effort, TVA is proposing the addition of six natural gas-fired aeroderivative combustion turbines to the existing Allen Combustion Turbine site near Memphis, Tennessee. These units would generate approximately 200 megawatts – enough to power up to 117,000 homes.
Request for Public Comment
This proposal would increase the flexibility and reliability of TVA’s power system by Proposed Easement on Guntersville improving transmission stability in the western Tennessee region and by providing new, Reservoir for the Alabama Department dispatchable generation to support the continued system load growth experienced over of Transportation the past few years. TVA will not makeaarequest decision without publicainput and the completion of the environmental TVA is considering to grant permanent easement over review process, which is planned to be complete Reservoir in 2025. approximately 30.49 acres on Guntersville at Tennessee
River Mile 385.0 (left bank), in Jackson County, Alabama. The Alabama Public Involvement Opportunities Department of Transportation has requested a permanent easement to increase the of thecome-and-go right of way ofopen Highway to support TVA will hostwidth an in-person, public house on35 Tuesday, October the 24, construction of 5additional lanes. TVA is seeking public prior to 2023, from 7 p.m. central at Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 620comment Parkrose Road, a final decision on38109. the easement request. Memphis, TN, TVA also invites public to attend a virtual webinar to learn the moreaction’s about the proposal and TVA is interested inthe receiving comments regarding potential comments. The will be held on Thursday, 2, 2023, to affectsubmitting the environment ormeeting historic properties, and November to identify any at 6 p.m. central. other issues associated with this request. Any comments received,
including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative Pleasewill visitbe www.tva.com/nepa for moreinspection. information. All written comments record and available for public on this proposed action must be received on or before Dec. 31, 2022. Submitting Comments Written comments may be mailed to the address below or emailed to msweda@tva.gov. TVA will accept comments on this project no later than November 13, 2023. Comments received, including names and addresses, will become part of the administrative record and will be available to the public. Mike Sweda Tennessee Valley Authority Comments Chapel may be submitted 3941 Brashers Road in-person at the public open house, online at www.tva.com/nepa, Guntersville, AL 35976 or by email to nepa@tva.gov. You may also submit written to Matthew Higdon, Tennessee Valley Authority, 400 West Summit Hill Drive, Phone: comments 800-882-5263 WT 11B, Knoxville, TN 37902. Email: msweda@tva.gov
Pub: Jackson County Sentinel Size: 5.0625” x 7.5” Insert: ????
Client: TVA Job No: TVAM-13819 Title: Public Comment Ad
SPORTS
The New Tri-State Defender, October 19 - 25, 2023, Page 10
(Photos: Terry Davis/The New Tri-State Defender)
Hardaway holds his first clinic for area coaches by Terry Davis
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
University of Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway recently held a coaches’ clinic at the Laurie-Walton center. The clinic was a part of the open practice held to show area basketball coaches how he conducts practice and to teach them various offensive and defensive plays. During the practice, told the coaches what he was doing and what he was trying to get out of plays. After the practice was done, he conducted a teaching session, drawing upon film from the practice. The coaches asked questions about the schemes with Hardaway and his Terry staff explaining in detail what was goDavis ing on. It was the coaches’ clinic for Hardaway. There were over 100 coaches in attendance for the event. During the practice, two point guards – Caleb Mills and Javhon Quinerly – were held out of the session because of nagging injuries. “I’ve always one for the area,” Hardaway said of the clinic. “This has been in the making for the last two or three years. We finally got the timing to do one.” Tracking the Tigers On Quinerly and Mills getting a grasp of his system: “They are asking more questions. They are coming along. They have made some strides. They are watching film, and they can see what is going on in practice. They are coming along great.” On the team’s development on defense: “The defense has gotten much better. They’re boxing out better and protecting the paint.” On doing the little things consistently: “That is the challenge with 13 new guys. They are trying. They are communicating and talking. They are watching film and, in the gym, trying to get better.”
There is no update on the status of DeAndre Williams’ appeal to play this season. On Mickey Williams’ status: Hardaway said had spoken to Williams and encouraged him to keep his head up. Williams is in the midst of criminal procedure. The Tigers will host two exhibition games before they open the season. The Tigers will host the Lane Dragons
coached by former Memphis player Andre Turner on Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. and Lemoyne-Owen College on November 2 at 7 p.m. Both games will be played at FedExForum. The Tigers open the season against the Jackson State UniversityTigers on November 6 at 7 p.m.