The New Tri-State Defender (December 10-16, 2020)

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December 10 - 16, 2020

VOL. 69, No. 50

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COVID-19 vaccine concerns equal skepticism for many

by Najee El-Amin

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Terri Lee Freeman, president of the National Civil Rights Museum, announces the 2018 Freedom Award honorees at a press conference on Aug. 22, 2018. (Photo: Lee Eric Smith/TSD Archives)

‘It’s time to go back home,’ NCRM’s Terri Freeman says

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Forget what you’ve heard. Ignore speculation about a disgruntled board of directors or a director’s failure to garner a renewed contract.

The National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM) is losing its chief executive officer Terri Lee Freeman because, she said, “It’s time to go back home.”

Freeman offered a candid look Monday inside her recently announced resignation from the museum. Her exemplary performance at the helm was crowned by “MLK50,” the golden anniversary commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel, which is part of the museum.

“I’m headed back home to Maryland.

What was not really known is that I have been commuting for six years. As I reflect on

2020, and the kind of year it has been for me, I know that it’s time to go back home.”

Sure, 2020 has been a horrendous year for the nation and the world because of the COVID-19 virus, which has killed nearly 300,000 people in the United States, including 705 in Memphis/Shelby and more than 5,000 in Tennessee, as of Tuesday (Dec. 8.)

The sweep of coronavirus across the globe has left families everywhere bereaved of their loved ones.

For the Freeman family, the toll has been

SEE NCRM ON PAGE 2 Throughout her tenure, Freeman was forthright in positioning the museum to be a point for exploration of relevant – and often difficult to discuss – issues unfolding locally and beyond.

Nor was she shy about taking a personal stance. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)

LEGACY: George Hunt painted to let others see what he saw

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

George Hunt poured out the pathos and the passion of Memphis blues on canvas and so it is altogether fitting and proper for residents in his beloved city to respond so deeply to his death last Friday (Dec. 4).

According to family members, Hunt had suffered with poor health over the past two years and died at Baptist Memorial Hospital. He was 87.

Hunt was the official artist for Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival for 27 years, creating original art for the festival. A motorcade salute to him rolled down Beale Street on Tuesday (Dec. 8) afternoon.

Hunt was born in rural Louisiana, near Lake Charles. His grandmother noted that when he was a young child, she recognized that her grandson had the ability to “see things.”

Hunt’s “America Cares/Little Rock Nine” image was featured on a U.S. postage stamp issued in 2005 as part of the diversity series, “To Form a More Perfect Nation.”

Set up downtown on the mall on Main Street (Feb. 2016), George Hunt paused to talk briefly with inquiring photographers, allowing one to capture that moment. (Photo: Shirley Jackson) The guttural, indigenous blues music of Louisianans living way back in the country inundated his life and

experiences growing up.

With his later childhood spent in Texas and Hot Springs, Arkansas,

Hunt attended the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on a football scholarship after high school. He studied art in undergraduate school, continuing post-graduate studies at the University of Memphis and New

SEE HUNT ON PAGE 3

As the U.S. government prepares to launch a major COVID-19 vaccine distribution, it faces two seemly daunting issues — how to speedily get the approved vaccines to the most at risk populations and how to get skeptical Americans, especially African Americans, to get vaccinated.

African Americans are nearly three times more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to white Americans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates.

There is concern, however, that minorities will be unwilling to be vaccinated because of trust issues having to do with this country’s history of such medical efforts not being conducive to their wellbeing.

The Tuskegee experiment that began in 1932 often is cited as an example. The U.S. Public Health Service purposely gave Black men syphilis without their knowledge, so doctors could study it to better protect white patients.

Legislators and medical professionals are studying ways to gain the trust of minorities, along with the general public, to get vaccinated.

State Rep. Antonio Parkinson Antonio (D-Memphis) Parkinson is aware of the concern over the vaccine in the African-American community.

“There’s a lot of mistrust out there … and understandably so,” said Parkinson, who is chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation and former chair of the Tennessee House of Representatives Democratic Caucus.

“There was a time when black people were used as experiments for testing vaccines,” he said.

Parkinson also understands how the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines increases many people’s skepticism.

“When you look at how fast this vaccine was created, there’s a lot of people who feel like there wasn’t enough testing and they don’t know what the outcomes will be in the future as it relates to those who have received the vaccine,” he said.

The New Tri-State Defender recently conducted a survey on its social media pages (@tsdmemphis on

SEE VACCINE ON PAGE 2

The New Tri-State Defender

December 10 - 16, 2020

Page 2

NEWS

National Civil Rights Museum President Terri Lee Freeman offers remarks at a Memphis Grizzlies MLK Symposium before tipoff of the MLK game. (Warren Roseborough/TSD Archives)

NCRM

CONTINUED FROM FRONT severe and exacting.

The new year started off with a bang, with a car crash that left Freeman incapacitated. She was unable to walk or function normally in daily living.

“When I told mother I was going to Memphis, she packed up and came with me,” said Freeman. “My husband is a pastor. He tried to get a church here, but it just didn’t happen.

So, he came here to get me to my doctor’s appointments, and my mother was here helping to take care of me.”

Freeman’s mother, Mrs. Barbara Lee Chaney, had been diagnosed with lung cancer prior to 2020. She endured rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments to combat the disease. Despite her own health being compromised, Chaney took care of her daughter.

Chaney volunteered three days a week at the museum, working in the gift shop. She also taught tap dance to the Orange Mound Energizers, a senior dance group from the Orange Mound Senior Center.

“Generally, if you saw me,

VACCINE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Twitter and Facebook and thenewtsd on Instagram), where readers were asked if they would be willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine?

Out of 159 respondents, 108 people said they would be unwilling to take the vaccine.

A follow-up question asked the reason for the lack of confidence towards the vaccines?

All 104 responders to that question said they do not trust the vaccine and its effects.

For the vaccines to be effective in drastically stopping the spread of the virus, 75 percent of Americans need to get vaccinated, according to health

you saw my mother,” said Freeman. “People always liked her better. Those dancers she taught won awards three years in a row. There was some kind of annual competition at the Agricenter. She was very proud of that.”

When lockdowns were implemented to mitigate COVID-19, Freeman’s husband, Dr. Bowyer G. Freeman, moved to Memphis to aid in her recovery.

“Everything closed down, but mother had developed a persistent cough at the end of 2019,” Freeman said. “In April, the girls (her three daughters) came to stay in Memphis with us after their grandmother (Freeman’s mother) tested positive for COVID-19.”

Freeman’s daughters were with Chaney when she died in August.

The accident, the subsequent intense and excruciating therapy, learning to walk and function normally again, losing her mother, all pointed to home for the Freeman family.

Still, the stars aligned right for Freeman to continued work directing a museum.

“I will be leading the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American

Terri Lee Freeman and her family (l-r) – Dr. Bowyer G. Freeman, Mrs. Barbara Chaney and Carmen Freeman – with then-Vice President Joe Biden, a 2018 Freedom Award honoree, at the National Civil Rights in June 2018.

(Courtesy photo) History and Culture,” Freeman said. “It’s a museum started by Mr. Lewis, who gave an endowment to get it started.

He wrote a book titled, “Why should white guys have all the fun?’””

According to online biographical information, Lewis was “one of the richest African-Americans in the 1980s, and the first African American to build a billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc.” The Lewis Museum, a Smithsonian Institute affiliate, is in the heart of downtown Baltimore. Freeman will continue her professional pursuits and the Freeman family will be altogether again.

Returning home holds bright prospects for the Free-

“When you look at how fast this vaccine was created, there’s a lot of people who feel like there wasn’t enough testing and they don’t know what the outcomes will be in the future as it relates to those who have received the vaccine.”

— State Rep. Antonio Parkinson officials.

“It’s (taking the vaccine) scary at the least, but part of it is going to be us practicing personal responsibility and us removing the selfishness and looking out for our fellow African Americans.

“We have to look out for our neighbors and the people we come in contact with to en-

sure that were not sending this virus back with them to infect someone that has a pre-existing condition or to infect and elderly person and those that are most vulnerable to this virus,” said Parkinson.

(Follow State Representative Antonio Parkinson on Twitter @TNRepParkinson.)

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mans. They celebrated this year 35 years of marriage. Life in Baltimore next year promises to be better than normal.

“I love the civil rights museum,” said Freeman. “I loved my job. The work was important and good and enjoyable. But people will come and go. Institutions will last forever. The museum is in a good place. It’s a good time to leave.”

NCRM was the first museum that Freeman led. She grew up “loving museums”

because her mother volunteered at the Detroit Museum of Arts and the Smithsonian Institute of African-American History. Freeman came from directorships in philanthropy and communications.

“A museum is a living, breathing space, a collection of thoughts and ideas through public programs,” said Freeman. “It is an institution which should be a safe space for a variety of viewpoints. Stakeholders and patrons will shape my vision for the Lewis Mu-

seum, but I take so much from Memphis.”

Freeman says she has made “life-long friends” and is an “adopted child of the city.”

And she takes with her one more important thing.

“The level of pride of Memphians in their community is magical,” said Freeman.

“What the city is, who they are — I will never forget all the wonderful people who make Memphis, Memphis.”

The New Tri-State Defender

December 10 - 16, 2020

Page 3

NEWS

Biden hails historic Pentagon pick, but some Dems in a bind

George Hunt autographs the 2018 Beale Street Music Festival poster that reflects his talent and creativity.

(Photo: Warren Roseborough/TSD Archives)

HUNT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT York University.

For 30 years, Hunt taught art education at George Washington Carver High School in Memphis before plunging into a stellar, full-time painting career.

In 1997, Hunt was commissioned to create an image reflecting the desegregation of Little Rock’s Central High School by nine Black students 40 years earlier. Titled “America Cares/Little Rock Nine,” it later became an image on a U.S. postage stamp issued during the 2005 celebration of diversity series, “To Form a More Perfect Nation.”

The painting hung in the White House during the administration of President Bill Clinton, a former Arkansas governor, who favored the work. First Lady Hillary Clinton sent a personal note to Hunt, expressing gratitude for White House visitors and staff having such a powerful

image of hope and freedom to greet, inspire and inform them.

His distinctive style reflected the disjointed, cobbled-together portraiture of African-American life and famous local bluesmen. Hunt’s use of fabric, vivid color and pieces of jewelry depicted a body of work inspired by legendary Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.

One of Hunt’s most memorable art exhibits was a body of work created in 2003, which was declared “Year of the Blues” by Congress, and Hunt was named “official artist” for the “Year of the Blues.”

The resulting national tour was comprised of 26 large paintings that depicted the history of the blues.

Hunt’s voice was an intricate part of the 13-part, “Year of the Blues” radio series produced by the Public Broadcasting System. Later, in 2003, the Blues Foundation bestowed a “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award on Hunt, an extraordinary honor for an artist who was not a musician.

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) – President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday introduced his choice for secretary of defense, calling retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin the right man for a potentially volatile moment in global security while hailing the prospect of the first African American to lead the Pentagon.

But the nomination is putting some congressional Democrats in a political bind.

In the past, they’ve opposed naming recently retired military officers to a post typically occupied by civilians, yet they don’t want to defy their party’s incoming president nor be seen as blocking history.

“He is the right person for this job at the right moment,” Biden said at a Delaware event with Austin, adding, “He’s loved by the men and women of the armed forces, feared by our adversaries, known and respected by our allies.”

The choice has both won applause and provoked consternation on Capitol Hill.

Three years ago, Congress waived a law prohibiting the appointment as defense secretary of military officers who have been retired fewer than seven years. That allowed confirmation of President Donald Trump’s choice for the post, retired U.S. Marine Gen. Jim Mattis.

That came, however, over the objections of some Democrats, who may now have to reverse themselves to back

Austin, who served 41 years in the Army and retired in 2016. Biden said his pick understands the need to keep a clear distance between military and civilian rule, but he added, “Just as they did for Jim Mattis, I am asking Congress to grant a waiver.”

“There’s a good reason for this law that I fully understand and respect,” said the president-elect, whose son Beau, the former Delaware attorney general who died of brain cancer in 2015, served as an attorney on Austin’s military staff in Iraq. “I would not be asking for this exception if I did not believe this moment doesn’t call for it.”

Austin said he comes to “this new role as a civilian leader, with military experience to be sure, but also with a deep appreciation and reverence for the prevailing wisdom of civilian control of our military.”

“I recognize that being a member of the president’s Cabinet requires a different perspective and unique responsibility from a career in uniform,” Austin said. “And I intend to keep this at the forefront of my mind.”

Austin’s nomination as the first Black leader of the Pentagon could have even more resonance at a time of extraordinary racial tension in the country. Before announcing that he’d settled on Austin, Biden was facing pressure

from activists over a lack of diversity in some of the key posts of the Cabinet he was building.

Before Mattis, the last time Congress approved a waiver was in 1950, for retired Gen. George Marshall. The waiver would have to be approved by both congressional chambers, giving the House a rare say over a nomination that otherwise would require only Senate confirmation.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has followed Biden’s lead, announcing her support and calling Austin “particularly well-positioned to lead during this precarious moment.”

The Senate could prove more precarious, though.

Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York struck a cautious tone Wednesday when asked about a wavier for Austin, saying, “I’m gonna have to study that.”

“Bottom line is that Austin’s a very good nominee,” Schumer said.

Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at the time of the Mattis confirmation, “Waiving the law should happen no more than once in a generation. ... Therefore, I will not support a waiver for future nominees.”

Now Reed is suggesting he’d be open to the possibility for Austin. “I feel, in all fairness, you have to give the

opportunity to the nomLloyd Austin inee to explain himself or herself,” he said Tuesday.

Similarly, Illinois Sen Dick Durbin opposed the waiver for Mattis but now says of Biden’s nominee, “I was so impressed with his performance that I would consider a waiver for Austin, once I get to know him.”

Civilian control of the military has long been rooted in Americans’ wariness of large standing armies with the power to overthrow the government they are intended to serve. That is why the president is the civilian commander in chief, and it is the rationale behind the prohibition against a recently retired military officer serving as defense secretary.

Some Democrats who agreed to the 2017 waiver saw Mattis as tempering Trump’s impulsive nature and offsetting his lack of national security experience. Now the Mattis period at the Pentagon is viewed by some as an argument against waiving the rule again.

(By Will Weissert, Robert Burns, Jonathan Lemire and Lisa Mascaro. Weissert, Burns and Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Daly and Zeke Miller contributed to this report.)

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, December 10 - 16, 2020, Page 4

In a Dec. 1 social media post, former state Rep. John DeBerry Jr. shared this: “I want to thank Governor Lee for this opportunity to continue to serve the great state of Tennessee.” (Photo: tn.gov)

DeBerry’s transition:

From Democratic Party lawmaker to senior advisor to GOP governor

by John Semien

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Former state Rep. John DeBerry Jr., who said he was defeated in the Dist. 90 race because he was forced to run as an independent in this year’s election, has accepted an appointment as senior advisor to Gov. Bill Lee. In a telephone interview with The New Tri-State Defender, DeBerry said he doesn’t understand why the Democratic Executive Committee banned him from running as a Democrat because his views have not changed in the 26 years he served Dist. 90.

The socially conservative legislator and clergyman has sided with the Republicans on several hot-button issues over his career. His stances resulted in the Democratic Party removing him from the primary ballot in April.

DeBerry then ran as an independent, losing overwhelmingly to Democrat Torrey Harris.

DeBerry accepted his appointment to the $165,000 job and said he is looking forward to working with everyone in the General Assembly on some of the governor’s initiatives.

He said he wants to solve whatever conflicts his former fellow legislators have with him and to work together on the best solutions for the state of Tennessee.

TSD: Congratulations on your new position Mr. DeBerry. Can you tell me about what you will be doing as a senior advisor to the governor?

DeBerry: “My appointed position is senior advisor and cabinet member for Gov. Bill Lee and I am a member of his cabinet. Basically, from my talks with the governor and with other members of the cabinet, I will be doing almost exactly what my position says.

“Because of my experience in the legislature, dealing with my colleagues on both sides of the isle, in writing and passing major legislation over the last 26 years, the governor considers that valuable in his cabinet to help him with his legislative agenda and to help him deal with other legislators and other departments when it comes to legislative issues…this is what I bring to the table for him.”

TSD: You served the voters in Dist. 90 for 26 years, right?

DeBerry: “Yes, I was elected 13 times as a Democrat and was in very good standing with the people in Dist. 90 and, most probably, would have won another term had I been on the ballot in August of 2020.”

TSD: Let’s talk about the situation that led to you being

banned from running as a Democrat this last time.

DeBerry: “I was removed from the ballot by the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party. If you went to my door on the fifth floor of the legislative building, you would have seen Minority Leader Pro Tem on the door.

“That’s a position I was elected to twice, in 2018 and in 2020, by my Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives. I was elected as a Democrat in a Democratic district and to the leadership delegation by my Democratic colleagues, and served as a Democrat.

“The Executive Committee of the Democratic Party decided that because of my background, and in my background I have always been against the process of abortion, I have always stood for school choice, we integrated the schools in the 1960s.

“My parents, my mother especially, was very vocal against abortion in the late 1960s. She died in 1970 and she did not get a chance to see abortion legalized by the Supreme Court and so I’ve always known the history of abortion ... “So, they decided that because I voted for the Heartbeat Bill and had the audacity to say that if it has a heartbeat it’s alive, and I voted for school choice, so that parents, many of whom are suffering now with their children falling further and further behind, could use a little of their tax payer money to put their children in better schools, they decided I wasn’t a Democrat.

“What they also say is I have voted with Republicans 90 percent of the time. Well, the fact of the matter is there are 25 Democrats out of in the House of Representatives, a very super minority. So, to say I vote 90 percent of the time with the Republicans is a misnomer because every Democrat votes 90 percent of the time with the Republicans because they are the ones who are bringing the bills and passing the bills...

“You can’t pass a bill unless you have worked with the Republicans. So, to say we are never supposed to deal with the Republicans, that’s just ridiculous. It’s standard procedure...”

TSD: When we spoke before the election you said there is a fair amount of bitterness among your colleagues about the positions you have supported. Can you talk about that?

DeBerry: Well, the fact of the matter is I do not understand why there is so much division. We don’t have the numbers to fight among ourselves.

“Plus, we claim to be the party of inclusion. If we’re the party of inclusion there should be room for one Democrat who doesn’t believe in abortion. There ought to be room for one Democrat to vote yes on vouchers, on educational scholarships and parental choice.

“The Democratic Executive Committee, many of whom have never set foot in Dist. 90, made the choice as to who was going to be the Democratic nominee to represent Dist.

90. To deny the people of that district the right to decide, to me, was a disgrace.”

TSD: What about now. Are you still a Democrat?

DeBerry: “I have never changed any affiliation. I have never made an announcement that I was a Republican.

Gov. Lee chose me on skill, aptitude and fitness.

“He looked at my record, my record of working both sides of the isle, working with Democrats and Republicans, black folks and white folks, rural and urban, and decided that I was the type of individual who would fit well within his cabinet to help him with his agenda and all of the wonderful things he wants to do for the people of the state of Tennessee...The governor didn’t ask me about my party affiliation.

“The only people who have made any reference whatsoever to my party affiliation are the folks whose party I’ve been in since 1968. I consider myself a Democrat, but here’s thing. “How can I consider myself a Democrat if I’m told that what I stand for is no longer part of the Democratic platform? If I’m told that my faith, that my beliefs are not welcome in the Democratic party, that makes it extremely difficult if one is trying to judge that type of affiliation.

“I’ve gotten calls and letters from all over the country from people who are saying, ‘I didn’t change, the party changed’…

“It’s bigger than the Democratic or the Republican parties. I am going to do everything I can for the will and the good of the people and that’s to work with everybody.”

TSD: So, what is that going to look like in your mind’s eye?

DeBerry: “Well, the governor has given me a broad range of responsibility. He’s given me a wide range of autonomy and creativity. He is the type of man who wants to do some good while he is in office.

“He realizes that God has blessed him to be in that position and he wants someone in my position who may be able to see some of the things he can’t see.

“From my perspective as a black man and from my perspective growing up in Memphis, he wants me to be frank and open about the things that I see and the things that I know and the things that I perceive, (things) maybe he doesn’t see it the same way... I’m going to do everything I can to see to it that what helps the people of Memphis is before him, what works for African Americans all over the state of Tennessee...”

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The New Tri-State Defender

December 10 - 16, 2020

Page 5

RELIGION PREVIEW

Among Frances Miller Harris’ favorite scripture was, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV) (Courtesy photo)

LEGACY: Frances Miller Harris TSD Newsroom

No book cover has even been released for “The Black Church,” which debuts Feb. 16, 2021. We do know the book is a companion to a 2021 PBS series. (Screen capture)

Gates poised to deliver – again – with ‘The Black Church’

TSD Newsroom For best-selling author Henry Louis Gates Jr., the next couple of months is set to yield something he is accustomed to: widespread anticipation of another of his literary works. This time it’s for “The Black Church: “This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song.”

No title cover has even been released for “The Black Church,” which debuts Feb. 16, 2021. We do know that book is a companion to a 2021 PBS series.

On one of his social media platforms, Gates, who is renowned as one of the most important voices on the African-American experience, has posted this: “I am thrilled to share the title of my next documentary — The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song. The two-part series will examine the deep history of the Black church and culture of African American faith communities.

Coming to PBS in 2021. #BlackChurchPBS #PressTourPBS.” Eager readers can pre-order the companion book at https://bit.ly/3gyhlym.

Notables such as historian Cornell West have gotten a sneak peek at what is to come.

Writes West, “Henry Louis Gates, Jr., has once again delved deep into the doings and sufferings of Black people in the USA! This time he gives us a rich story and riveting song of the profound forms of spirituality and musicality that sustained Black sanity and dignity.”

According to West, although Gates “rightly highlights the centrality of the ambiguous legacy of the Black Church, he also explores the crucial realities of Islam and other non-Christian religious practices. And the last powerful and playful chapter on his personal dance

AT A GLANCE

“The Black Church: “This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song”

By Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Hardcover | $30.00 Published by Penguin Press Feb 16, 2021 304 Pages ISBN 9781984880338 Pre-order: https://bit.ly/3gyhlym

Henry Louis Gates Jr. (Facebook photo courtesy of Ark Media.) with an elusive Holy Ghost lays bare his own signifying genius grounded in a genuine love of Black people and culture!”

A reminder, you can pre-order.

A release about the upcoming work notes that a young Gates grew up in a small, segregated West Virginia town, where the church was his family and his community’s true center of gravity.

“Within those walls, voices were lifted up in song to call forth the best in each other, and to comfort each other when times were at their worst. In this book, his tender and magisterial reckoning with the meaning of the Black church in American history, Gates takes us from his own experience onto a journey across more than four hundred years and spanning the entire country.”

The road’s end, the release asserts, leads to “a new understanding of the centrality of the Black church to the American story – as a cultural and political force, as the center of resistance to slavery and white supremacy, as an unparal-

leled incubator of talent, and as a crucible for working through the community’s most important issues, down to today.”

“Begin Again” author Eddie S. Glaude Jr. also has seen what Gates is bringing next.

“Absolutely brilliant – a book that should spark a very rich conversation within the field and echo far beyond it.

Its reckoning with the Holy Ghost in the context of Gates’s own childhood is extraordinary,” he writes.

“More than a wonderful synthesis of a deep literature about Black Christendom, it is a necessary reminder of where the Black community has found its strength to persevere, and to fight, and where it must find it still. Not least, Gates shows us that sacred music has never just been music; it is a taproot and a through-line across all of American history. A necessary and moving work.”

Dr. Marla Frederick, Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Religion and Culture, Emory University, Candler School of Theology, puts it succinctly: “If you want to understand the long arc of black struggle, hope and resilience, read Gates’ ‘The Black Church.’ It is a concise and compelling history of the significance of black churches in American society.”

Best known as the 2nd National President of the Business and Professional Women’s Federation (B&PWF) Church of God in Christ, former Memphian Frances Miller Harris died in California on Nov. 22.

She was 82.

Born Frances Hazel Peterson on November 11, 1938 to the union of Russell Peterson and Kizzie Bell Willett, she grew up in Memphis, where she met and married Gene “Bowlegs” Miller, and where she raised their son, Christopher Daniel Miller.

Family and friends knew her as “Fran.” Fran and Bowlegs were married 31 years until his death on Christmas day, 1987.

In the early ’60s, “Fran” became the first Black store manager on Main Street in Downtown Memphis. Later, she managed an Atlanta-owned wig store, The WigWam. For 30 years, she owned and operated two retail stores: Frangenechislyn, Inc. and Fran’s Designer Fashions.

While in Memphis, Fran served her community 35 years through coordinating fashion shows and contributing to charitable, religious and civic organizations. She was one of the event coordinators of the 1st Miss Black Memphis Pageant.

After her marriage to James Harris, Fran moved to Richmond, California. She owned Harris and Harris Designer Fashions for 12 years and worked as an event planner, workshop coordinator and speaker.

She was appointed B&PWF national president on November 11, 1999 by General Supervisor Emeritus Mother Willie Mae Rivers, serving 18 years. Her favorite act of service was hosting the “Annual Women of the Year Awards Luncheon,” which enabled the organization to donate thousands of dollars to needy non-profit organizations in the city where the Church of God in Christ Annual Women’s International Convention was held.

In December 2017, she retired as B&PWF National President. In 2018, General Supervisor Dr. Barbara McCoo Lewis appointed her as advisor to the current B&PWF National President Mother Bonnie Jean McPeak.

A member of West Angeles Church of God in Christ, where COGIC Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. is pastor, her service in ministry was extensive and deeply rooted.

Fran also was a published songwriter by Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), and a member of Bridgeport Music, Inc. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers: Edward Eugene Works, Russell Peterson Jr. and Lindsey Earl Peterson Sr. She leaves her son Christopher and his wife Lanis; grandsons Shun, Christopher II, Benjamin, Nicholas and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Ralph (Beverly) Peterson (Cleveland, Ohio), Dr. Freda Williams and Levern Garner, both of Memphis, and Regenia Blackmon (Midland, Texas).

The New Tri-State Defender, December 10 - 16, 2020, Page 6

Slim & Husky’s

bakes its way to the 901

by Brianna A. Smith-Herman Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Popular North Nashville pizzeria Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria has anchored at 634 Union Ave. in the Edge District and is scheduled to open Dec. 16.

Slim & Husky’s is a fast casual and gourmet pizza spot, serving up artisan pizzas, salads and unique flavored cinnamon rolls.

The hip-hop-inspired pizzeria is owned by childhood friends and Tennessee State University alumni Clinton “Clint” Gray III, Derrick “Mo” Moore and Emmanuel “EJ” Reed.

“Memphis was the most obvious Brianna city for expansion,” said Gray.

Smith-Herman “We had so many friends from the Memphis area and we annually played in the Southern Heritage Classic,” he said. “We truly feel like the people of Memphis will receive Slim & Husky’s in a positive way.”

The trio aims to contribute to the revival of less-developed areas of the community through employment opportunities and accessible dining experiences, including locally brewed craft beer and innovative pizza and cinnamon roll creations.

I recently visited one of Slim & Husky’s Nashville locations and thought, “What an innovative and creative way to bring pizza, Black art and music together.”

It was stimulating to know that we would soon have a Slim & Husky’s in Memphis because food and music is one of the things Memphis does best.

The atmosphere was fun and chill. As a Black millennial, I felt the place was created with my likes in mind.

“Growing up in Nashville, we were heavily influenced by artists from the Memphis area, from Three 6 Mafia to Yo Gotti,” Gray said. “We love music and we embody and bring those vibes to our restaurant. ...When you come to Slim + Husky’s you can be sure you will hear hip hop and R&B music.”

The pizza, as well as the hot cinnamon rolls, were delicious. My favorite offerings were the array of house-made “drizzles.”

Slim & Husky’s co-founders (l-r) Clint Gray, Derrick Moore and Emanuel Reed, all Nashville natives and Tennessee State University graduates. (Photo: Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria)

Trust me, this ain’t just ranch dressing. I was hooked on the tangy sweet balsamic molasses and cannot wait to try it again.

As for pizza, Slim & Husky’s offers two options: select one of their signature pizzas or build your own.

Pizzas come in two sizes, slim (10”) and husky (16”).

All pizza dough and sauces are made daily from scratch in the restaurant.

Their pizzas are oblong-shaped flatbreads and they offer a variety of toppings. As part of the Slim & Husky’s experience, your pizza is built right in front of you. After selecting all of your toppings, your pizza is placed in the oven to be baked to perfection.

Signature pizzas are named after some of the founders’ favorite artists and songs. You’ll find the Cee No Green, Got 5 On It, The Smokin’ Herb and the Red Light Special on the menu. And look out for their Signature Vegan Pizza, Nothin But A “V” Thing!

The restaurant will highlight work from Tennessee artists, such as Toonky Berry, Payne, Alexis Miche’ and Jamond Bullock. Plans reportedly are underway to open the restaurant’s upper level as an art gallery and event space in 2021.

Slim and Husky’s has restaurants located in Nashville, Atlanta and Sacramento. In Memphis, the hours of operation will be noon to 9 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

Safety protocols, including wearing masks, will be standard for staff and customers.

All in all, the pizza+art+music restaurant concept is one I believe Memphis will relate too.

The HistoryMakers drives online push to stem the loss of Black history Special to The New TriState Defender The nation’s largest African American video oral history archive is hosting a virtual convening to address the “crisis” of key public figures passing away without having their stories documented and preserved for the benefit of succeeding generations.

In what is described as “a race against time,” The HistoryMakers assembled some of the nation’s “top African American thought leadership” to increase public understanding and awareness. Hosted on YouTube and Facebook, “The HistoryMakers 20@2020: 20 Days and 20 Nights” began Dec. 1 and runs through Dec. 20.

“The challenges facing our country at this moment reinforce the need to preserve and elevate the truth about the African American experience,” said Julieanna Richardson, founder and President of The HistoryMakers.

“We must work together to massively digitize the personal collec-

tions of our HistoryMakers and other African American leaders.

Otherwise, the continued distortion of the truth of African American Julieanna contributions Richardson to our culture and democracy will continue. Our need is urgent, especially as the next generation of storytellers, changemakers, and stewards of our legacy are now taking the lead.”

For The HistoryMakers, 2020 is its 20th anniversary year. The Chicago-based nonprofit – with education as its mission – boasts a one-of-akind collection housed at the Library of Congress. The collection provides an online record of African-American lives, accomplishments and contributions through first-person testimony.

It features nearly 3,400 video oral history interviews (11,000 hours) recorded in 413 cities and towns, Mex-

ico, the Caribbean, and Norway.

Participants in “The HistoryMakers 20@2020: 20 Days and 20 Nights” include: * Business leaders Ken Chenault, Ken Frazier and Clarence Otis; * Entrepreneur Daymond John; * Actor Danny Glover; * Poets Sonia Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni; * Activist Angela Davis; * Music legends Dionne Warwick and Denyce Graves; * Radio hosts Rickey Smiley and Karen Hunter; * Lawyers Eric Holder, Anita Hill and Sherrilyn Ifill * Civic leaders and educators Johnnetta B. Cole and Ruth Simmons; and * Political leaders Valerie Jarrett, U.S. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters of California.

The online presentation provides the first, behind-the-scenes view of The HistoryMakers organization, its digital archive and educational initiatives and its now iconic “An Evening With…” PBS-TV programs.

HistoryMaker Howard Dodson,

director-emeritus of Howard University Libraries and the former director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in NYC, said, “… mainstream institutions have not approached preservation work equitably to be inclusive of the African American experience creating a heritage gap that is contributing to the divisions in America we are experi-

encing today.

“But even more important, there is also a funding gap to support and uplift this work. And that needs to change.”

(To learn more about 20@2020 and The HistoryMakers, visit https://www.thehistorymakers. org/20at2020-events.)

The New Tri-State Defender

December 10 - 16, 2020

Page 7

ENTERTAINMENT

Memphis Music Initiative to host virtual fundraiser TSD Newsroom With an eye toward the future of Memphis music, the Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) will host its first virtual music and arts showcase on Thursday (Dec. 10), drawing upon the support of a blues legend committed to the musical legacy of his grandfather.

Dubbed “MMIxTape Live: Songs for the Future of Memphis Music,” the online fundraising event will feature musical performances from youth in MMI’s in-schools and works programs and teaching artist fellows.

Renowned bluesman Cedric Burnside, the grandson of legendary Delta blues guitarist R.L. Burnside, will perform as the headliner for the showcase, which is set to begin at 7 p.m.

The showcase is crafted to “highlight the youth and music professionals who are the stewards of Memphis’ musical legacy, and to support MMI’s work in building a strong local arts ecosystem.”

MMI leverages targeted philanthropic investments, programmatic offerings and strategic capacity building to strengthen youth, community arts and music engagement activities primarily for Black and Latino youth across Memphis and the MidSouth.

MMI invests in two ways: through direct programs that connect youth to in-school, after-school and summertime opportunities; and by providing funding and resources to advance organizations working with young people.

The backdrop for the fundraising event

is that Memphis’ youth-serving nonprofit organizations have struggled to maintain daily operations and to continue offering programming and youth engagement opportunities in the months following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to showcase presenters.

“Memphis’ arts community has likewise suffered, with local musicians facing loss of income due to cancelled shows, lessons, recurring gigs, and more,” they said in a

media release pitching the event. “Nevertheless, Memphis artists have continued creating, performing, and inspiring our community even, and especially, through this difficult time.”

MMI’s mission involves “supporting the ecosystem of community organizations that work to extend music and arts engagement opportunities for black and brown youth.”

Tickets for the “MMIxTape Live: Songs

for the Future of Memphis Music” main event are pay-what-you-will, with a suggested donation of $15+. VIP tickets, which include access to a virtual pre-event listening party with Memphis youth, are $50. To purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite.

(For more information, visit website at http://memphismusicinitiative.org/ or social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @mmusinitiative.)

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, December 10 - 16, 2020, Page 8

County commissioners adopt pair of COVID-19 resolutions

By Jim Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its late-season rampage unabated, the Shelby County Commission Monday (Dec. 7) adopted a pair of resolutions, asking Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to provide relief to a beleaguered food-service industry and to issue a statewide mask mandate to stem the spread of the virus.

“This is a request to Gov. Lee to create or at least research the possibility of a state-funded bailout program for the food service industry. Not just for business owners, but also for employees who are severely impacted,” said Commissioner Tami Sawyer.

She added, “I think putting a Shelby County seal on a request for the state government is important at this time.”

Restaurants have been particularly hard-hit during the pandemic. Indoor dining has been cut by mandates and fear. Obtrusive mask-wearing measures haven’t helped whet appetites either. As a result, many establish-

ments are on the brink of ruin. Some already have met their demise.

“As we know the restaurant and food service industry is crippled right now. They are struggling to keep the lights on and they are struggling to pay their employees. This is affecting tens of thousands of homes in our county. People are asking for help in lots of places,” Sawyer said.

An amendment was proposed to change the language of the request from a “bailout” to a less pejorative alternative, to prevent semantics from proving a stumbling block.

“There is some negative connotation in terms of a bailout. I wonder if there would be any interest in renaming that a relief fund or relief program instead? I think this is something we could all get behind. I just wouldn’t want it to have any negative connotation possibly with it...,” said Commissioner Michael Whaley, who was added as a co-sponsor.

The measure drew broad support. Commissioners Edmond Ford Jr., Mickell M. Lowry and Willie F. Brooks also asked to be added as co-sponsors.

However, the comity was short lived.

“Everyone who signs on as a sponsor, maybe give consideration to hearing from the restaurant association.

They may have some tactics and some things that we’re missing,” offered Commissioner Mark Billingsley.

The suggestion ripped the bandages from the still-fresh wounds of the Nov. 23 meeting, where, during public comments, decorum and COVID-19 safety measures were widely disregarded.

Tape markings meant to provide social distance were removed from chairs in the gallery. Some citizens didn’t want to wear masks. Hostile language was used by frustrated business owners and workers.

Sawyer accused members of the Memphis Restaurant Association of walking out during the meeting. She noted an email apology from the organization followed.

So has anonymous online abuse, including alleged racist and misogynistic comments. As a result, others in the industry were consulted on the resolution.

Orange Mound-Harlem connection has growing intensions for single moms

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Juice Orange Mound’s Britney Thornton sees a wealth of possibility in the blight and ruin. (Courtesy photo) py. Single mothers got a chance to unpack all their negative experiences by telling their stories. Shame is always at the root. So, the discovery becomes, ‘Oh, so I am depressed,’ or ‘Oh, so I do have those issues around money.’”

The four Harlem women also tackled financial literacy. The next move will involve developing financial independence through entrepreneurship or securing employment upon which the family can thrive.

Gordon will consult with Thornton and JOM participants to provide both mental wellness and financial independence to the JBI. Thornton, will in turn, share resources and expertise to women in The Current Project, to advance entrepreneurship and independence.

Beyond the six-week initiative, Thornton hopes that other business sponsors will invest in extending the program beyond Orange Mound.

Harlem program director Alisha Gordon (Photo: Ashli Clark) Single mothers in Orange Mound who are interested in the program may call: (901) 300-6621, for additional information.

health mandates were being violated.

He had earlier noted the volatility of the prior meeting.

“What I will not do is put employees in this building in jeopardy when you come into these chambers. We will adhere to the rule of law that we expect every single citizen to do,” said Jones.

He then asked to be made a co-sponsor. The resolution passed 12-0.

The commission then quickly voted 7-3 to adopt the suggested statewide mask resolution to the governor.

One vote abstained.

It was sponsored by Sawyer, and Whaley, Brooks, Jones and Ford co-sponsored the gesture.

“This resolution joins the Memphis City Council, which passed very similar language last week,” said Sawyer.

During its Dec. 1 meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to send a similar request to the governor.

The vote was notable for drawing converts to mask-wearing guidance, who had previously given a thumbs down to a proposed mask-mandate during the summer.

TSU to lead development of national platform for remote high school learners Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

An Orange Mound community initiative plans to take 15 single mothers from poverty to savvy business women next year.

Juice Orange Mound will kick off the innovative project in the new year with some help from a women’s program in New York’s historic Harlem.

“We started our program in May, right in the middle of the pandemic,” said Alisha Gordon, consultant and proprietor of The Current Project in Harlem. “Our focus was on the mental wellness of four single women in Harlem. We will partner with Juice Orange Mound (JOM) to focus on entrepreneurship in this next phase.”

Britney Thornton, founder of JOM, said the joint project will explore how ecommerce and running an online business, can create wealth and independence for single mothers who also head households during the Juice Business Incubator (JBI) project.

“The six-week program is going to be all-electronic,” said Thornton.

“The idea is to establish a business incubator to provide mentorship and resources for women in various stages of business development.”

Tier I subjects are ready to test the waters. Tier II entrepreneurs have already begun to engage the market and Tier III women run a brick-andmortar business that presently is unprofitable.

Juice Orange Mound has the Verizon Foundation to thank for the $40,000 grant fueling the initiative.

The Orange Mound-Harlem joint venture will not only draw two historic African-American communities together, while taking on the digital divide that has left so many behind.

According to the U.S. Census, some 45 percent of the households in the Census tracts that include Orange Mound are headed by women.

“I brought four women together to actualize their dreams and visions,” said Gordon. “The Current Project was born out of my own experiences as a single mother and my struggle to attain a social and economic benefit for my family.

“The first phase dealt with mental health and wellness,” said Gordon.

“Our approach is a narrative thera-

“I stand behind the resolution. It wasn’t just drawn up out of thin air. But I spoke to people who have respect for me and respect for others, and don’t speak to us with the type of language that we heard online and in person the last few weeks,” said Sawyer.

Billingsley and Chairman Eddie Jones excused the walkout. There was an overflow crowd waiting to speak. Those, who had finished, were asked to leave by security personnel.

Billingsley also said there had been “no ill will” from members of the group.

“I just want to be clear that I don’t just pull this (expletive) out of my hat. I want to be very clear about that.

Excuse my language,” said Sawyer.

“I apologize, but I am extremely tired of when there is a public record of people saying things to me. That they were not saying to twelve other people. I am extremely tired that I then have to come back ... that you will defend someone else before you will stand up for your colleague.”

After issuing a warning about foul language, Jones said he asked for people to be removed when he saw

NASHVILLE – Tennessee State University has received a $1 million federal grant to lead development of a national platform that allows high school agricultural courses to be taught remotely because of the pandemic.

The two-year grant and work, which will target underserved communities, are supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative/Education and Workforce Development Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Officials in TSU’s College of Agriculture say current resources being used for remote learning because of COVID-19 do not include the critical STEM topics of food and agriculture. But they plan to change that by helping to develop eight standards-based courses in agriculture, food and natural resources for high school students needing online/digital learning options.

The project will also establish dual credit options for completers of the courses through a university or college-level faculty-course review and sharing platform.

Dr. John Ricketts, professor of agricultural education at TSU, is leading a team of content experts from the university, as well as individuals from several other institutions, including Auburn University, Mississippi State University and the University of Georgia.

“Dr. Ricketts has put together an expert team that will address the concerns of teachers, students, and parents everywhere and help students complete their high school education and progress to colleges in a timely manner,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of TSU’s College of Agriculture.

Ricketts will recruit the high school teachers who will work with instructional designers and micro-adaptive course developers to roll out the courses. Faculty mentors will assist with content contribution and vet the courses for use at the college level, ensuring they can

help students achieve academically at the high school and college level. The eight courses will be loaded onto a national course sharing platform so that students can use them at any institution where agreements have been reached to use the platform, according to officials.

“The courses to be developed will help high school students, who have been sent home because of the coronavirus, to graduate on time,” said Ricketts. “The expert vetting of courses developed for dual enrollment will help those same students stay on track in college.”

Dr. Tom Byl, a TSU Ag professor, is on Ricketts’ team. He is pleased the project is aimed at underserved communities because less than two percent of current natural-resource scientists are African American.

“I think TSU is well suited to lead the effort and address this lack of diversity in STEM disciplines,” said Byl, who is also a research scientist with the US Geological Survey.

“I am proud to be part of that effort and look forward to working with this exceptional team of educators, leaders and scientists.”

TSU senior Waymon McNeal, an Ag major with a concentration in environmental sciences, said he wishes such courses were available when he was in high school.

“I believe the platform will have a positive impact on those participating,” said McNeal, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “I also think it’s a great way to recruit students” to TSU. Senior Kalie Ellis of Ashland City, Tennessee, agreed. She’s also majoring in Ag at TSU, with a concentration in education.

“Think about all the high school students who don’t know about TSU,” said Ellis. “This platform allows them to see that TSU has an amazing Ag program. And since they’re already taking high school Ag courses, and have a relationship with TSU professors, then why not go there.”

(Source:TSU media relations. To learn more about TSU’s College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.)

The New Tri-State Defender

December 10 - 16, 2020

Page 9

COMMUNITY

Tennessee House Democrats elect leadership team NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee’s House Democratic members on Monday unanimously voted to reelect Rep. Karen Camper as minority leader.

Camper, who is from Memphis, has overseen the House Democratic caucus since 2018.

Camper said in a statement that she’s “excited about the mix of veteran knowledge and new ideas in the Democratic leadership team.”

Meanwhile, the 26-member Democratic caucus also elected Nashville Rep. Vincent Dixie as caucus chair-

man. Dixie replaces Nashville Rep. Mike Stewart, who announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection for the legislative leadership position.

“I am honored by the trust shown in me by the Caucus. Now it’s time to get to work and that work begins today,” Dixie added in a statement.

Republicans maintained a supermajority in the Legislature during the November elections.

The next legislative session begins in January.

Parents charged after boy, 13, shoots, kills younger cousin

Helping out, again...

Customers picked up layaway items on Wednesday after Memphis philanthropist Avron Fogelman paid the balances at Burlington’s Eastgate Shopping Center location, 5048 Park Ave. Keshia Goss, store manager, said about 175 families received support – the fourth time Fogelman has done so.

(Courtesy photos)

(AP) – The parents of a 13-yearold boy who fatally shot his younger cousin while playing with a gun have been charged in the 9-year-old’s death, authorities in Tennessee said Wednesday.

Latria Johnson, 28, and her boyfriend Lindsey Williams, 27, have been indicted on criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment charges, the Shelby County district attorney’s office said in a news release.

Investigators said the two boys were left alone in an apartment in the Memphis suburb of Cordova on March 13, while their mothers went shopping.

The older boy, who was not named, picked up his father’s loaded .40 caliber handgun in the master bedroom and accidentally pulled the trigger, investigators said. Xavier Jackson

was killed when a bullet struck him in the face, authorities said.

The gun had been left unsecured where the children had access to it, authorities said. Williams told police he routinely kept the loaded gun near a window sill and his son knew where he stored it, a police affidavit said.

Williams also was charged with resisting official detention after he tried to push his way past police and into the house.

The couple are out of jail on their own recognizance. Their lawyer, John Keith Perry, said the boys’ mothers left the children alone in the apartment for less than an hour as they went to go buy lunch.

“It’s a horrible accident that can happen even with the best intended people,” Perry said in a phone interview.

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SPORTS

The New Tri-State Defender, December 10 - 16, 2020, Page 10

GritGrindGriz

Pandemic, social justice issues still loom over new NBA season

by Lee Eric Smith

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

In a usual NBA season – y’know, like last year around this time – the winter months of December and January are the “dog days” of the season, filled with games that often don’t become meaningful until Spring. That’s when playoff hopefuls and their fanbases are watching the standings, trying to see how that unexpected December loss to an awful team will impact their chances.

Of course, last year’s “usual” season became the most unique in NBA history. A four-month hiatus, during which George Floyd was killed on camera, sparking a movement that aligned the players and league behind Black Lives Matter. A 22-team “bubble” in Orlando that was nearly derailed by another police shooting in Wisconsin, and the impromptu player protest by the Milwaukee Bucks.

A “play-in” tournament. The NBA Finals in October instead of June.

And after a whirlwind draft and free agency period, here we are again at the start of another unprecedented NBA season.

Last season, the Grizzlies prepped to celebrate back-to-back milestones.

Last season commemorated the franchise’s 25th anniversary dating back to Vancouver in 1995. This season is the team’s 20th playing in Memphis, and a four-game preseason starts Saturday in Minneapolis with backto-back games against the Timberwolves. Likewise, the Grizz will host the Atlanta Hawks for two games on Dec. 17 and 19. The regular season tips off Dec. 23 against the San Antonio Spurs in front of a COVID-limited crowd at FedExForum.

Here are some storylines to watch – both for the Grizzlies and the NBA. The elephant in the room The NBA’s Orlando bubble was a spectacular success, with a few technology flourishes that largely made fans forget that their teams were playing in mostly empty arenas. And, of course, there was nary a case of COVID. I don’t expect the NBA to lower its game when it comes to safety precautions; if anything, the league will continue to rise to the occasion and set the standard.

But . . .

There’s no denying that COVID cases are skyrocketing as the weather gets colder and as the need for human contact collides with get-together holiday season. Teams have already taken a financial beating with their arenas completely closed.

They HAVE to have arena revenue to remain viable, in a time when a “packed house” will now mean 4,000 fans scattered across thousands of otherwise empty seats — if they’re allowed in arenas at all.

In Memphis, the Grizzlies have announced their COVID policy updates for FedExForum. Face masks will be required, except when eating and ticketed fans will be seated at least 6 feet apart, and cashless transactions and prepackaged snacks will be the new norm. These are reasonable precautions and if more are needed, I’m sure they’ll come.

But sheer probability suggests that it’s just a matter of time before a player is diagnosed with COVID (I’m not wishing it on anybody, I’m just saying . . . ). That would certainly set off a chain of tests and quarantines that will either mean postponed games or weird lineups as players sit out. It will be interesting to see when NBA players and personnel will receive a COVID vaccine.

The NBA is also thinking of the worst-case scenarios by only an-

nouncing the first half of an already shortened 72-game season.

That means that despite all of the precautions, the league knows itself that another COVID-shortLee Eric ened season is a Smith distinct possibility.

My advice?

If you’re an NBA fan, savor every game.

The Rhinocerous in the room Never heard of this before, so I’ll take credit for inventing the term.

Rarely is there another large and imposing issue in the room, but in this case there is. The “rhinocerous” is the movement for social justice.

Black Lives Matter loomed large in the bubble, with players wearing statements on their jerseys, and the court emblazoned with Black Lives Matter. Largely, the NBA and the Players Union have put forth a unified front, not just paying lip service and publicity, but in efforts to use the league’s influence to effect actual change.

One such effort to watch this season will be the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition. A group of owners, players and coaches will try to build on how the NBA can support voting efforts, empowerment in the black community and more. And in early August, the NBA Board of Governors donated $300 million as an initial contribution the first-ever NBA Foundation charged with creating greater economic empowerment in the Black community.

In Memphis, the Grizzlies offered to make FedExForum a polling station way back in June. That didn’t happen, but FedExForum was indeed where bipartisan poll workers tabulated absentee ballots for the Nov. 2 election. The Grizzlies have a long record of achievement when it comes to community engagement and I don’t expect that to change unless it’s for the better.

But even that brings us back to the elephant. In a usual season, players make appearances at community events, basketball camps and the like. That’s where you get all those cute pics of grinning players and children in face paint. But with a pandemic raging and a vaccine still months away from mass use, it’s hard to imagine the team letting fans get up-close and personal with players, at least for the foreseeable future.

The Grizzlies have been ahead of game in discussing the topic of race, with its MLK holiday events and activities. As it stands now, the annual Martin Luther King Day game against the Phoenix Suns is still set for Jan. 18 at 4 p.m. But there’s no word yet on the symposium, Sports Legacy Awards or other activities.

Given that those events have been live-streamed and/or broadcast for years, the events will likely be all virtual this season.

There’s only so much an NBA franchise can or should do when it comes to social justice. I don’t want my NBA team writing legislation. At best, I think the Grizzlies can inspire, facilitate conversations and use its platform to influence change. Given the Grizzlies track record on those things, it’s hard to imagine them doing much more than they are, but I’d love to be proven wrong.

And somewhere under the shadow of an elephant and a rhinocerous, there’s actual basketball to be played.

More insight on the actual on-court stuff in my next column!

During his post-game interview, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway said he and MVSU coach Lindsey Hunter go way back and that he has much respect for him.

(Screen capture)

Coaches in limelight as Memphis cruises past Mississippi Valley State

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The Memphis Tigers hosted the Mississippi Valley State University Devils for the first time in each program’s history. The final score of the game was never in doubt with Memphis winning 94-57 to improve to (4-2) on the season.

The game was a matchup between the head coach of Penny Hardaway and Lindsey Hunter.

Both were drafted in the NBA in the 1993 draft.

Hunter went to Detroit drafted with the tenth pick and Penny went to Orlando with the third pick via Golden State. The two played against one another in college when Hunter when to Jackson State University December 12, 1992.

Memphis had to hold off a hot Hunter to win that game 81-78.

Both Hardaway and Hunter played in the Magic Johnson All-Star Game that was held at the Pyramid and in Jackson, MS after both had declared for the NBA draft. To bring it in a complete circle both coach’s sons started against one another tonight Jayden Hardaway and Caleb Hunter.

Memphis dominated the smaller and less deep Delta Devils. The pressure of the Tigers’ defense did not allow MVSU to get into any type of rhythm. Memphis went into the halftime with a 55-29 lead. Memphis had 8 blocks as a team.

“It was a good game understanding it was going to be more about us than them,” Hardaway said, “We wanted to see where the team’s focus was going to be in first and second half. We did better in the first half than the second half. It is something we have to continue to grow from.”

The Tigers first half scoring was balanced. DJ Jeffries led the way with 13 points and Boogie Ellis and Lester Quinones each had 12 points.

The Tigers got a scare with Landers Nolley III took a big fall under the basket. It appeared that he landed on his shooting hand.

Nolley went to back to get medical attention from the team’s doctor. He would return for the first half but did not return for the second half.

Alex Lomax started the second half. Nolley would finish the game with 3 points and 2 rebounds. Further examination will be needed to determine when Nolley would return to action.

MVSU head coach Lindsey Hunter focused on the job against Penny Hardaway and the Tigers. (Photo: Terry Davis) Jayden Hardaway got his first career start. He took the place of Damian Baugh who set out the to rest his back. He should be back in the lineup for the next game.

The Tigers had five players in double figures in scoring lead by Jeffries with 21 points and 9 rebounds, Ellis finished with 18 points, Moussa Cisse with 14 points and 13 rebounds, Quinones with 14 points, 7 assists and 11 rebounds, and Malcolm Dandridge with 10 points.

Alex Lomax had his game of the season dishing out a season high 11 assists. The reason for his bad play was all mental. Lomax said, “Tonight was an eye opener for me. I am getting my head in the right place. I am better in a mental space. I am getting more comfortable, because I am free mentally.”

Leaving the tournament in South Dakota Hardaway had some harsh words for this team.

The players had a players’ only meeting to iron out some of the issues. The team has gotten better since then. “We are growing in the right direction. Before we went to South Dakota there were a lot of question marks and we did not have an identity. We know have an identity. We are going to get after people, we are going to play hard and get after people.”

Memphis will hit the road again to play a neutral site game against the Auburn Tigers (2-2) in Atlanta, Ga on Saturday December 12 at 4 pm central. The game will be shown on the SEC Network. This will be the Tigers’ final game out of conference.

Boogie Ellis passed to Alex Lomax, who had his best game of the season with 11 assists. (Photo: Terry Davis)

December 10 - 16, 2020

The New Tri-State Defender

Page 11

SPORTS

PLAY IT BACK: Tulane handles Memphis in New Orleans

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“The Big Easy” used to be a city where the Memphis Tigers could visit and confidently contemplate leaving New Orleans with a football victory over the Tulane Green Wave.

After losses in their last two trips to New Orleans to play Tulane, the key phrase has become “used to be.” Witness Tulane’s 35-21 handling of the Tigers last Saturday.

In a season made so unpredictable by the COVID-19 pandemic, Memphis (6-3, 4-3 American Athletic Conference) has one game remaining on its schedule – a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against (3-3, 3-2). The two teams were set to play in September, but that game was rescheduled by the AAC twice due to positive COVID-19 cases.

The Tigers have won the last four meetings with the Cougars and are 13-15 in the all-time series. Memphis won 45-27 last season in Houston. The Cougars have not played since a Nov. 14 win over USF. For the first time since 2016, Memphis will not be in the AAC Championship game and the Tigers will await to see if they are invited to a bowl game.

After the Tulane setback, first-year, head coach Ryan Silverfield delivered this locker-room message to his team: “We can do this one way or the other, but there is only one response. We can sit here and point blame at the offense, defense or special teams. We can blame each other; that is what losers do. The only response we are going to have is to get off the mat and keep swinging.”

In the loss, quarterback Brady White moved

closer to becoming the all-time Memphis passing leader with 255 passing yards and two touchdowns. He is only 48 yards short of eclipsing the record.

Calvin Austin III got back on track in receiving yards with 110 yards and a touchdown.

This year’s running game, however, continues to disappoint, racking only 45 yards against the Green Wave.

Memphis has 13 players from Louisiana, including several from New Orleans. Quindell Johnson, who is playing defense in his first season for the Tigers, picked off his second pass of the year.

“It was exciting to play in front my family, because they don’t always get to see me play in person,” Johnson said. “Playing in front of them and inviting some of my old friends to come see me is amazing and a blessing.”

Pandemic safety protocols did not allow for visits.

Some questionable calls notwithstanding, Memphis had plenty of opportunities to take control of the game.

“It was a disappointing loss. We did not find a way to execute on all three levels in all three phases,” Silverfield said. “We did not play a complete game and it continues to haunt us.

Now we are playing like an average football team.”

The Memphis defense that had been so improved over the last few games took a big hit, with starting lineman O’Bryan Goodson out due to an injury and fellow lineman Joseph Dorceus forced out early by an ankle injury.

Saturday’s Memphis-Houston match-up was moved from its earlier 11 a.m. slot and can been seen on ESPN+.

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A Tulane defender gets a grip on Memphis receiver Calvin Austin III. (Courtesy photo)

December 10 - 16, 2020

The New Tri-State Defender

SPORTS

CLASSIFIEDS

Coaching running backs well brings Memphis’ Anthony Jones future-leader status

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The American Football Coaches Association has selected Memphis running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr. as a participant in the 2021 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

The leadership institute is a prestigious program that identifies and develops premier future leaders among football coaches from across the country.

Selected participants are invited to attend the one-day institute, which features interactive lectures that emphasize leadership in coaching, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progress and family balance.

This year’s group of 35 was chosen from a field of more than 150 applicants.

Jones is a Memphis native in his third full season coaching running backs for the Tigers. He has coached former Tiger standouts and current NFL running backs Darrell Henderson, Tony Pollard, Patrick Taylor Jr. and Antonio Gibson.

Kenneth Gainwell, who is likely to be in the NFL next season, led all FBS freshmen with 2,069 all-purpose yards last season under Jones’ guidance.

A 2004 Westwood High School graduate, Jones left the Bluff City to attend the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, playing wide receiver for the Mocs from 2004-07.

Page 12

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Now in his third full season coaching running backs for the Tigers, Anthony Jones already has helped four Memphis standouts secure active roles as NFL running backs. (Photo: Terry Davis) After his playing career at Chattanooga, the 2006 All-Southern Conference (SoCon) first team honoree spent 2007 as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, before returning to Westwood as an assistant coach.

He served in that role at Westwood from 2007-10 and took over as the program as head coach in 2010 As the head coach at Westwood, he guided the Longhorns to their first winning season in 18 years. That marked the first of three-straight conference and regional championships (2010, 2011, 2012) for Westwood.

In 2013, Jones left to take over the program at Cordova High School.

His first season at Cordova saw the program post its first winning season in nine years.

Three years later, his 2016

Wolves registered the most wins in school history (12-2 record) and advanced to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Division I Class 6A state playoffs semifinal round, falling to the eventual state champs.

In 2017, Jones led Cordova to an 8-3 record and a TSSAA Division I Class 6A playoffs appearance.

In six seasons at the high school level, 75 Jones-coached players signed football scholarships.

In Jones’ first two seasons at the U of M, the Tigers’ rushing attack piled up 6,533 yards and scored 78 touchdowns. The 6,533 yards are the most over a two-season span (2018-19) in program history, and the 78 touchdowns via the ground are second in school history to only the 79 scored in 2017-18.

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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: Alton Edward, Jr. Tax Parcel #: 06015000000030 Tax Sale #: 1602 Price Offered: $425.00 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 1:30 p.m. on February 24, 2021, 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.

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