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FEBRUARY 18 - 24, 2016 VOL. 5 NO. 21
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Augusta parting ways with private probation firm Augusta attorney Jack Long must be credited for raising awareness of abuses by private probation companies. Photo by Brant Sanderlin, AJC. By Frederick Benjamin UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA The days of for-profit misdemeanor probation are numbered in AugustaRichmond County. Despite, renewing a contract with Sentinel Offender Services through March 2017, the county is busy erecting the infrastructure to bring the probation supervision program back in-house.
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According to a presentation made by State Court Judge Richard Slaby to the commissioners on Tuesday, they figure that by Feb. 28, 2017, everything should be in place. In the wake of the well-documented abuse to which the citizens of Richmond County and throughout the state have subjected for over a decade, it is puzzling why this move had not been made at least 12 months ago.
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One can’t help but wonder at the motives Judge Slaby and the other judges who apparently endorse the move. Is it money, is it control? Certainly, it couldn’t be their sudden compassion for the poor citizens who have had to wade through the maze of fees and penalties manufactured by Sentinel and other “for-profit probation companies. To have been complicit in this abuse does not bode well for the
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county but, it is to be commended for not willing to continue the abuse. Congratulations to all of those journalists, attorneys, and activist law organizations that have uncovered the abuses of Sentinel in Richmond County. Attorney Jack Long is to be commended along with Superior Court Judge Daniel Craig for their part of trying to mitigate the damage done by abuses of private probation companies.
Contributors VINCENT HOBBS Photography & New Media KEN MAKIN contributing columnist
UrbanProWeekly - FEBRUARY 18 - 24, 2016
COMMENTARY
NEWS
UrbanProWeekly - FEBRUARY 18 - 24, 2016
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BLACK HISTORY
FILM REVIEW
The Black Panthers
Vanguard of the Revolution
The BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION is the first feature length documentary to explore the Black Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. Master documentarian Stanley Nelson goes straight to the source, weaving a treasure trove of rare archival footage with the voices of the people who were there: police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters and detractors. The film was first released 5 months ago at the Sundance Film Festival. It aired this week on PBS. By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer
T
Change was coming to America and the fault lines could no longer be ignored— cities were burning, Vietnam was exploding, and disputes raged over equality and civil rights. A new revolutionary culture was emerging and it sought to drastically transform the system. The Black Panther Party for SelfDefense would, for a short time, put itself at the vanguard of that change. Kathleen Cleaver, Oakland, 1968. Cleaver was the former Communications Secretary of the Black Panther Party. Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Blankfort.
he civil unrest that played out in the streets of America in the late 1960s was part of a vast intellectual, social, cultural and artistic movement fed by the talent, idealism, commitment and energy of a generation of African American youth. With his film The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, director Stanley Nelson offers an important window into that slice of civil unrest that sometimes goes by the name — the black liberation movement. He has assembled a collection of interviews by the actual participants of pivotal moments in the Black Panther Party’s meteoric rise in the consciousness of black youth. Although the film is nearly two hours long, it omits volumes of material vital to a true understanding of the various militant factions that called America home during the most turbulent years of the civil rights movement. Some might argue that the civil rights era and the black liberation struggle were just the flip sides of the same coin. This is apparent as so many who began in the civil rights movement rotated into the black liberation struggle. The film hardly mentions the roles of Panthers like George Jackson and the Soledad 7; no mention of Angela Davis; no mention of the celebrated feuds between the murderous feud involving the Black Panthers and black nationalist groups like Ron Karenga’s US organization. It glosses over the ideological underpinnings of the organization (Marxist-Leninist), although it does show Panthers quoting Mao Tse Tung. Of the many black groups that endorsed armed revolution ala the Panthers, some hated all
white people, some hated just certain white people and some didn’t hate any white people at all. The Panthers fell into the last category. In 1966, there was no way you could call the Panthers a hate group. This is a fact that is perhaps most likely missed by those who have no understanding of the movement. In fact, the Panthers took a lot of heat for their willingness to work in concert with white radicals. The Black Panthers hated oppression and they made no bones about the fact that the black communities bore the brunt of that oppression. Whether coming from the police, the politicians, the unscrupulous landlords, corporate bankers or the U.S. government, oppression was the enemy. Amazingly, the film glosses over the brief but significant alliance that the Panthers made with SNCC (The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), one of the most respected civil rights student organization. However, what the film does do, it does well; and even those who participated in or who researched the civil unrest in America during this period will walk away having learned something valuable after more than 50 years. For instance, the film takes you back to the first shootout between police and Panthers that resulted in the death of Little Bobby Hutton and the wounding of Eldridge Cleaver. In another episode, members of the Black Panther Party who survived the police SWAT assault on their headquarters in Oakland, California talk about what was going through their minds as they defended themselves. Fred Hampton, the Chicago Panther leader, who was allegedly assassinated by the FBI for his Continued on next page
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The art of revolution by Emory Douglas Emory Douglas was the Black Panther Party’s Minister of Culture and chief art director for the party’s important newspaper for twelve years. In these roles, he gave visual dimension to the party’s revolutionary message and mission, broadening the party’s impact within a larger cultural framework. Douglas attended City College of San Francisco where he majored in commercial art. He was politically involved as Revolutionary Artist and then Minister of Culture for the Black Panther party from February 1967 until the Early 1980’s. Douglas’s art and design concepts were always seen on the front and back pages of the Black Panther Newspaper, reflecting the politics of the Black Panther Party and the concerns of the community. Offering a retrospective look at artwork created in the Black Panther Party, Douglas’s work has been displayed all over the world. Published In 2007, Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas provides a comprehensive collection of Douglas’swork.
The Black Panthers from page 4 role as J. Edgar Hoover’s feared “black messiah,” emerges as a larger than life personality. Hampton’s “neutralization” at the hands of Chicago police has always been portrayed by movement historians as a police murder. The film implicates the U.S. government and the F.B.I. The feud between Cleaver and Black Panther Party founder, Huey Newton, is presented in stark relief as you overhear a tape of the the two conversing after Newton had been freed from jail and Cleaver was in self-imposed exile in Algeria. Another aspect of that period which has been well documented in the film was the success of the government’s Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) in finally neutralizing the organization. The film shows footage of government agents discussing how they infiltrated the organization and also touched on the government’s efforts to arrest, harrass or kill Black Panther Party members, their friends and families.
In the film, the viewer gets a hint at the importance of the Black Panther Newspaper. It was through the pages of The Black Panther, that young blacks and white radicals became aware of the revolutionary art of Emory Douglas. One thing that is crystal clear in the film. The Black Panthers were very much anti-police. They made boasted about it. The Panthers first gained national attention for their celebrated antagonism of the Oakland Police which they constantly berated as oppressors of the community. Not unlike the Black Lives Matters movement of the current day, the perception of young blacks of that era was that any encounter with the police could very well cost you your life. In 1966, that was not paranoia. The Black Panther newspaper popularized the depiction of the police in the black community as “pigs.” In the film, this is very explicit. Reference to the police as “pigs’ is constant and one of the most popular refrains of the era, as demonstrated in the film, was “Off the Pig.” Another highlight of the film is its brief coverage of the trial of 21 Panther Party members in New York City who were the victims of a police frame-up.
One underappreciated fact in the public’s perception of the Black Panthers was the participation and support by black girls and women. The film suggests that the Panthers were the victims of their own success. The graphic images of black bereted young black men and women with huge “fros”, leather jackets and shotguns was hard to resist. When the media got wind of what they were doing and how they were doing it, the Party leaders became
instant celebrities, not just nationally, but internationally as well. The irresistible image of young blacks, especially women, unafraid of the political consequences of armed conflict caused the groups membership to swell out of control and made it easy pickings for infiltration by government agencies.
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SPORTS Laney H.S.
Laney’s Aubriana Bonner concentrates for a free throw during the Region 3AAA championship game. (February 13, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Laney head girls basketball coach Otis Smart celebrates as he holds the Region 3AAA girls championship basketball trophy after the Lady Wildcats crushed the Washington County Lady Golden Hawks 62-34. (February 13, 2016 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Laney’s De’Sha Benjamin (R) shoots the ball as Washington County tries to defend during the Region 3AAA championship game held at Westside High School. (February 13, 2016 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Augusta U.
Augusta University homecoming queen Kara Walker (R) poses for photos with AU president Dr. Brooks Keel (L) and his wife Dr. Tammie Schalue (center) after being crowned at halftime during the men’s game against USC Aiken at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Sunny Devarapalli was crowned homecoming king (not pictured).The Jaguars defeated the Pacers 82-66 and the Lady Jaguars triumphed over the Lady Pacers 67-64. (February 13, 2016 Augusta, GA) Photo by Vincent Hobbs
(Below) Augusta University men's head basketball coach Dip Metress reacts to a referee call during a homecoming game against USC Aiken at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Jaguars defeated the Pacers 82-66. (February 13, 2016 Augusta, GA) - Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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SPORTS
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MAKIN’ A DIFFERENCE COMMENTARY by Ken Makin BLACK PEOPLE AND THE CHURCH OF CLINTON
A history lesson on punked pols & fooled June 3, 1992. It was the night the Clintons set up residence in Black folks’ homes. Many supporters of Bill (and Hillary) Clinton remember it fondly. “Slick Willie” played his saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show and made out like a political pied piper. From that point, the Clintons not only had the Black vote, they had our hearts. Before President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, Bill was commonly recognized as the “first Black president.” This commentary was a part of a Black lexicon of entertainment and phenomenon such as “The Kings of Comedy.” Almost a quarter of a century later, the Clintons’ masterful deception still has a hold on us. In the face of new information and new revelation, though, it is time for Black politicians and the Black community to wean ourselves off of the Clinton influence. “What have the Clintons done to earn such devotion? Did they take extreme political risks to defend the rights of African Americans? Did they courageously stand up to right-wing demagoguery about black communities? Did they help usher in a new era of hope and prosperity for neighbor-
Hillary Clinton: Is the trust she enjoys in the Black community misplaced? hoods devastated by deindustrialization, globalization, and the disappearance of work? No. Quite the opposite.” – Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow I am currently reading The New Jim Crow, and for anyone with serious concerns about mass incarceration and the plight of people of color in this country, it is mandatory reading.
In this book, as well as a column entitled “Why Hillary Clinton Doesn’t Deserve The Black Vote,” Alexander provided in-depth detail on Clintonbacked policies that shook the Black community to its core. The federal “three strikes” law? A Clinton-approved measure. Sentencing disparities for crack versus powder cocaine? Slick Willie again. And Hillary isn’t exempt, particularly when she backed her husband’s 1994 crime bill with racial code words in reference to Black children. “They are not just gangs of kids anymore,” she said. “They are often the kinds of kids that are called ‘super-predators.’” The sad thing about all of this is that you probably won’t hear this commentary from your local pastor or your local politician. Why? Because they’re trying to get in the good graces of the Clintons! As a matter of fact, the Congressional Black Caucus’ Political Action Committee recently endorsed Hillary – in spite of the facts I just shared with you. The misplaced loyalty toward the Clintons runs so deeply that civil rights champion Rep. John Lewis made disparaging comments about Hillary’s opponent Bernie Sanders and his role in the
movement. He later clarified his comments, but his voice and choice was clear. This is, quite simply, a failure of community leaders and elected officials to recognize their constituents’ best interests. While Hillary has employed her husband’s political celebrity model to woo voters, Sanders has talked about Black unemployment and the Black Lives Matter movement. In my mind, it comes down to one fundamental idea – the Clintons’ sense of entitlement. They believe they can shake hands with Black representatives, smile in our faces and secure our vote without any accountability for their hurtful policies. As election season approaches, I hope I am proven wrong. Yet looking at the trail of fooled folks and punked politicians, I sadly have my doubts. Ken J. Makin is the host of “Makin’ A Difference,” an online radio program available on iTunes and Soundcloud (soundcloud.com/makinadifference). Updates on the show are available atfacebook.com/makinadifferenceshow. You can also reach Ken by email at makinadifferenceshow@gmail.com, or via Twitter @differencemakin.
March is Women’s History Month and in honor of it, Nicholson Revell LLP Attorneys at Law and Cher’s Sister’s Only Club in partnership with WKSP-96.3 Kiss FM will present the 10th annual Shero Awards luncheon, Saturday March 26th, 2pm at the Legends Club. This annual luncheon seeks to honor women throughout the community who are impacting the lives of others in the area of Arts, Business,
The Me I Like
Mini Theatre production set for February 20 and 21 Honoring the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Augusta Mini Theatre’s drama students will continue the play, The Me I Like, for Black History Month, February 20th and 21st at 3:00 p.m. It will be held at the Judith Simon Drama Studio (Blackbox) located on the campus of Augusta Mini Theatre. The play and lyrics were written by Tyrone J. Butler, and music by Claude “Deuce” Harris. Tickets are $15.00 (adults) and $10.00 (students - ages 2-18). Admission for youth and senior citizen (65 & up) groups of ten or more, in the each group, is $8.50 per participant. Tickets are on sale now at augustaminitheatre.com; 706-722-0598; and at the Mini Theatre, 2548 Deans Bridge Road.
Elim Baptist Church to celebrate 45th Annual Paine College Day Elim Baptist Church will celebrate the 45th Annual Paine College Day on Sunday, February 28th at 11: 00 AM. Paine College Day at Elim is a special occasion where the church provides spiritual and financial support for the College. This year’s theme is “The Ties That Bind: Elim and Paine in Christian Fellowship and Service”. The speaker for the service is Reverend Toney R. Cross, Minister of Men at Tabernacle Baptist Church of Augusta, GA. Please join Elim as they worship God for the continued relationship between Elim and Paine. Many guests from Paine and the community will join Elim in this momentous occasion. Elim Baptist Church is located on 2359 Mount Auburn Street in the Sand Hills Community. The Pastor/Teacher is Rev. George C. Miller, III.
Community Service, Faith & Spirituality, Health & Social Services, Law & Government, Young Shero (high-school senior girl who is impacting the community), and the Military. Special presentations include the President’s Awards, The Quincy Murphy Vision Award and the Nicholson Revell Woman of the Year. The speaker for the 2016 Shero Awards 10th year Anniversary Luncheon will be Dr. Angela Pringle,
Superintendent of the Richmond County School System. Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2016 Shero Awards now through Feb. 19th. Nomination forms are available at Acura of Augusta (Gordon Hwy), the IheartMedia-Augusta office (2743 Perimeter Parkway) online at www.963kissfm.com, www.power107.net or www.sistersonlyclub.com.
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Shero Awards celebrates decade of honoring women
UrbanProWeekly - FEBRUARY 18 - 24, 2016
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Black History Month Events Feb. 18, Thurs. - “Restoring Brightness: Recalling the Life and Work of African-American Community Builders of the Early 20th Century.” 6:30 pm. Augusta Main Library, Meeting Room A. Historians and historic preservation advocates Travis Holloway, Elizabeth Laney, Joyce Law, and Corey Rogers will present brief sketches on selected leaders such as Rev. Silas X. Floyd, entrepreneur Dennis Wigfall, artisan Willie McNatt, and educator Amelia Sullivan. In honor of the 2016 Black History Month National Theme “Hallowed Ground”, selected historic sites will also be highlighted. Alysha Griffin of Paine College’s Department of Humanities will serve as moderator. Call 706826-1511 for details. Feb. 19 Fri. - “Lunch and Learn: Black History Trolley
Tour” sponsored by the Lucy Craft Laney Museum and SouthStar. Pick up location at noon will be at the AU Health Sciences campus in front of the Kelly Administration Building. If you wish to attend, please reserve a space by e-mailing shtutt@gru.edu Feb. 24 Wed. - Book Club “Ta-Neshi Coates: Between the World and Me” will be hosted by Dr. Lorraine Evans and Dr. Lindsay West. AU Summerville campus in the JSAC Hardy Rm. 232 and AU Health Sciences campus in the Allied Health Building EC2209, noon - 1 p.m. Feb. 25 Thurs. - Student paper panel - “History in the Making” hosted by Dr. John Hayes. AU Summerville campus JSAC Butler Rm. 227, noon to 1 p.m.
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