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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PUBLISHER

Like all of the Black newspapers before us that are rooted in the “true” spirit of advocacy: “we will not be moved.” From the first issue of The Freedom’s Journal started by John B. Russwurm and Samuel Cornish on March 16, 1827 in New York City, to a newspaper born from the son of a slave in Liberty County, Florida, Riley Moore’s The Colored Bulletin (1938) was the first Black newspaper in Broward County, Florida, in the succession of “Soldiers Without a Sword”, engrained with the life blood for freedom the Black Press lives. What was started by Levi Henry, Jr. and his late wife, Yvonne in February of 1971, the Westside Gazette continues to be a Standard Bearer for truth, justice and a voice for its readers. And the soldiers march on!

Happy 47th Birthday to the Westside Gazette!

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On the Scene with Crystal Chanel

The BOMA Media Symposium exposes advertsiing disparities

Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry, Sr. (r) talks with Jose Dans of WOW Marketing. First and foremost, I would like to send a huge congratulation to Dexter Bridgeman, the President BOMA, the Black Owned Media Alliance and all of the BOMA members, on a job well done with their third Annual Get to Know Black Media Symposium. The symposium featured five panel sessions led by BOMA members and a keynote address from Real Time Media CEO Hiram E. Jackson. The half day event highlighted advertising strategies, the role of Black media and the importance of using technology to stay relevant. I must admit, it was disappointing to see the Adrienne Arsht Center Theater half-filled considering the symposium was rich with critically valuable content. At moments like this, I was reminded of the power of my skin-folk; how we pack out concerts and sneakers stores, how we support reality TV like no other and how we create social trends that have global

reach without giving it a second thought. We consume to the tune of Trillions of Dollars annually, yet we own far less. While I do think BOMA could have invested more energy into promotional efforts for the symposium, it’s still disheartening when we neglect to rise to the occasion to gain much needed insight re-garding Black media and how to market in the 21st century. In 2016, the Nytimes.com published an article entitled, “Pillars of Black Media, Once Vibrant, Now Fighting for Survival” detailing how the impact of Black media on Black culture is and has been “bleak and dying…”. Bridgeman, how-ever, pointed out disparity in advertising dollars being spent as a huge part of the issue. It was definitely an eye opener to realize that we rarely see ads for luxury cars and clothing brands in our media, yet we consume anyway. We have to ask ourselves, if they do not support

our Black, why they should get our green. In that same nytimes.com article, Leonard Burnett Jr., Hype Hair magazine owner, said his print business had been challenging largely because advertisers, particularly luxury brands, would rather connect with African American consumers “by speaking broadly.” Burnette continued with “I think at times there’s a feeling that they do not want to directly speak to that audience because there’s a fear of bringing down their brand perception.” Well, while at the symposium, Bobby Henry went head to head with panelist Marcelo Salup of Left Brain Iffective Marketing from his seat in the audience. Salup used a formula to matter of fact explain why luxury brands were not spending any money with Black owned media. In their gentleman exchange, Mr. Henry’s questions and Mr. Salup’s responses made it obvious to everyone in

the room that luxury brands were not at all concerned with asking for the Black Dollar as we tend to hand over our dollars freely without anyone even asking for it. Nonetheless, Mr. Henry’s diplomacy was on full display as he asked the tough questions. No doubt, it would have been beneficial for our community (especially younger Black men) to see him lead not just in print but in person, front and center. Mr. Henry represented The Westside Gazette, Broward’s oldest and longest running publication well, by remaining unapologetically Black both on and off stage. It is one of those events that should NEVER be missed. Small business owners, marketers, and community influencers should mark their calendars from now as there is no way I could begin to recap the Black excellence exhibited during the symposium. Nonetheless, I will say this; Hiram E. Jackson delivered one of the best keynotes of the season with golden nuggets of information that still resonate with me weeks later. Jackson urged Black media to “Break the Rules. Be Bold.” He said we had to use technology and events to remain culturally relevant while delivering an impactful message. In 2018, “engagement is the buzzword”, so therefore there can no longer be a distinction between print and digital. We must endeavor to get engage readers whether we find them online or they find us in church pews and office lobbies. It’s fair to say that it was largely unanimous that very person in attendance gained better insight on the importance of email campaigns, how to

BOMA President Dexter Bridgeman presents a plaque of appreciation to Keynote Speaker Hiram E. Jackson. create content, and how to use social media to tell stories that attract customers and advertisers. But the most important lesson of the day was Blacks being intentional in forming alliances and collaborations to produce content that leads to wins prevalence and impact.

Once again Kudos to BOMA, the Black owned media Alliance. Crystal Chanel Press Release Marketing, LLC Event Hosting - Marketing Public Relations www.justpressrelease.com @PressReleaseLLC on Instagram

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George Benson Jazz Legend comes to Miami! By Don Valentine Sevventy-four year-old Jazz icon George Benson will be performing at the Arscht Center in Miami on Friday the 16th of February. This is a do not miss event to witness Jazz history. Most likely his last tour and your last time to experience the man once called the Nat King Cole of Jazz guitarist. As you know he is a 10 time Grammy award winner and N.E.A. Jazz Master. He made the transformative move to merge. Jazz into the pop world with his vocals on his signature song “This Masquerade”. That song launched his marquee album “Breezin” to be the 1st ever Jazz album to go platinum. Most critics laud one of his attributes to be his creative improvisation. Be it on the guitar or in vocal “Scatting”. In a recent interview with the Westside Gazette, Mr. Benson said this about his improvisation style : “I learned it from Jack McDuff. He told me, “George ...they don’t know if your making a mistake or not” so I ran out of ideas one day. I couldn’t think of nothing slick to play, so I played the sound of a chicken on the guitar. The crowd went crazy!” Improvisation, interestingly enough, is how Mr. Benson’s musical career began at the tender age of 7. As he tells the story, “I was sitting on the stoop of our house in Pittsburgh, you know serenading my little girlfriends on my ukulele when I remembered it was time to go out and sell my newspapers. Man I had a bad day I only sold 1 paper that day. I went into the neighborhood drug store to get some candy with the 5 cents I earned from the paper. One of the customers said to me “Georgie” play me a tune. I started playing away and man before I knew it I had a bunch of people listening to me. My cousin who had come with me to the store pulled off his baseball hat and started taking tips. I made almost $20 that day. Which was a hell of a lot more than the five cents I made from selling the paper!” That serendipitous after noon launched what would be the musical career of the world renowned George Benson. He has gone on to perform with the likes of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Womack, Benny Goodman, Hubert Laws, Carlos Santana, Phil Upchurch, Jonathan Butler, Stanley Turrentine and Quincy Jones to name a few. His first national tour began at the age of 22 leaving Pittsburgh to head to the Big Apple. Mr. Benson tells the story “When I put together my first band – I was 22-years-old – the man we now call Dr., Lon-nie Smith, was a new organist from Buffalo, New York, I went and picked him up and put the organ in a trailer on the back of my car and we went off to New York City, the Big Apple.” Mr. Benson’s first hit was “On Broadway” . When he heard the old Drifter’s tune he knew he could turn it into a hit.

“Well, we recorded at the Roxy in L.A. I remember it because my grandfather was there, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Kahn, plus a lot of movie stars and producers. It was the second show and we had played it on the first show but it was too slow. You’ll notice on the record it starts off real fast, and I said that’s too fast and watching the audience they gave me the vibe for the right tempo. Spontaneity and improvisation are the linchpin for Mr. Benson’s career. He first met Whitney Houston by chance when she was a young teenager in New York. “I bumped into her at the Empire State Building in New York. I used to take my kids down to get haircuts, and she was getting her hair done or something. She saw me on the sidewalk and grabbed her mouth. I said, “Uhoh, here we go.” “George Benson! My favorite artist!” I liked hearing that, you know. “My favorite artist and my favorite song is “The Greatest Love of All”!” And I’m saying

to myself, “Why?” And then she told me, “I’m gonna record that song.” And when I heard it on the radio, I said, “I wonder if that’s the same kid, you know, I was talking to on the street corner?” Michael Masser called me and said, “George, I found the greatest singer in the world.” I said, “You say that about everybody And when I heard that, I said, “I know that’s the girl. I know that’s her” and she tore it up. First album, 14 million copies. And I found out I knew her folks, you know. Her mother was Cissy Houston and everybody knows her and loved her in New York. So it was a nice hookup and I’m glad that she was the one to benefit and she was everything they touted her out to be. Mr. Benson’s break out hit “Breezin” started out as a fluke. The writers thought they had a bad record. Then because of the genius improvisation of Mr. Benson… “ Gabor Szabo had recorded it with Bobby Womack. They wrote it together, actually.

And Gabor didn’t think it was gonna be no hit. He was like me. So he never asked for his part of the writing. If he had, he would have made a lot of money. Bobby cleaned up. You know something, though? I think that was my friend, Phil Upchurch, that played that first lick on the song because Bobby Womack introduced it. But they erased Bobby’s part because he was slightly out of tune when he came to the studio and my producer was a perfectionist. So he had Phil Upchurch replay that lick, but that became the song. It’s an incredible story, you know. I didn’t like that song. It’s like a scale. Do-re-me-faso-la-ti-do. Come on, man, I’m better than that. I’m gonna get tarred! But then I remembered it was a hit twice by Bobby Womack and then a hit by a group called The Hip-Hoppers. I said, “Well, people like it, so maybe I better try this out. Let me do something different. Can you get Bobby to come down to the

BENSON studio?” And the only difference between his version and mine was my guitar play. He said that what’s he always wanted to do with the song, but he never got a chance to do it. So I said,

“Man, that’s slick. Let’s do it” and now that is the song. When people hear that, they know it’s “Breezin’.” For more great highlights of this brilliant career read the book “Benson-The Autobiography.

PAGE 20 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

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Black History and the Transportation Industry The lobby of the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) Gilchrist Building displays some of the first electric traffic signals used in the United States. That equipment, which evolved from a number of even more creative manual devices, has a rich and telling history. Part of it we owe

to one of the country’s first Black inventors, Garrett Morgan, who some in the transportation business refer to as “The Father of Transportation Technology.” The son of slaves, Morgan had only an elementary education. He left Kentucky in 1895 as a teenager searching

for opportunity. He settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and soon became well-known for his talent as a sewing machine repairman, eventually starting his own tailor shop. In fact, much of the sewing in his 32-employee operation was done on machines he built. Morgan is also re-

cognized as the inventor of a version of the gas mask eventually modified and used by the U.S. Army in World War I. He established a successful newspaper, and over his lifetime held patents on a variety of personal grooming products. It was his experiences driv-

Smithsoniani Channel(TM) examines the life and death of the iconic Civil Rights activist in THE L OST T APES: MAL CO LM X LOST TAPES: MALCO COLM Critically acclaimed series returns with Black History Month Special Malcolm’s story as it unfolded. Tensions between Malcolm and the Nation of Islam eventually came to a head after John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. Malcolm violated Muhammad’s orders to stay quiet about the assassination and was banned from public speaking for 90 days, a turning point for both Malcolm and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was forced out of the organization in February 1964, and within months of leaving he revealed to the media inappropriate behavior by his former leader. Asked if he feared repercussions, he

BLACK HISTORY FACTS

MALCOLM X NEW YORK -- A historic voice in the 1960s civil rights movement, Malcolm X was and continues to be a fascinating yet controversial figure. During his life, he gave voice to the anger and frustration that African Americans experienced during the tumultuous 1950s and 60s in the United States, gaining a reputation for his fiery rhetoric and spellbinding speeches. THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X relives the pivotal years of this trailblazing activist using rarely seen footage and audio tapes, including never-before-seen footage of Nation of Islam rallies and recordings made at the Audubon Ballroom on the day of his assassination. THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X premieres Monday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel. Malcolm X gained notoriety as a minister and spokesperson for the Nation of Islam and as a

student of Elijah Muhammad, lobbying for the separation of African Americans from white society. His ideas were a departure from the teachings of other notable civil rights figures of the time, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As Elijah Muhammad began to distance the Nation of Islam from the civil rights struggle in the mid1960s, Malcolm X grew frustrated and disillusioned with his teacher. Using never-beforeseen footage of Malcolm at Nation of Islam events standing side-by-side with Elijah Muhammad, THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X highlights some of his most famous and controversial moments. Like other episodes in this critically acclaimed series, the program relies solely on media reports from the time – no interviews or re-enactments – allowing viewers to relive the power of

1896 The Supreme Court rules on Plessy v. Ferguson, upholding the constitutionality of “separate but equal” facilities for different races in private facilities – especially rail cars. 1925 The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters is founded, with A. Philip Randolph as its president, becoming the first African-American labor union to sign a collective bargaining agreement with a major U.S. corporation 1944 Irene Morgan is arrested in Virginia for refusing to give up her seat on an interstate Greyhound bus. 1954 The Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declares state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional 1955 In December, Rosa Parks is arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing a bus driver’s request to give up her seat to a white person. The Montgomery Bus Boycott begins 1964 President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law. Construction on the Bay Area Rapid Transit System begins. 1966 The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act is passed by the Georgia state legislature, officially creating MARTA 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King is assassinated 1998 In June, President Clinton signs into law the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which adds civil rights requirements to transportation funding

said: “I probably am a dead man already.” After one failed attempt on his life, Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 by three gunmen who rushed the stage at the Audubon Theatre and Ballroom in Harlem, where he was preparing a speech before an audience of several hundred. THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X features rarely heard recordings taken amid the chaos in the aftermath of the shooting. At his funeral, Malcolm was eulogized by actor Ossie Davis, who said: “Malcolm was our manhood, our living Black manhood. ... In honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves.” THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X documents Malcolm’s changing philosophy during his tumultuous final years, and the moments that helped shape his legacy as one of the most important figures in American history.

Morgan (1877-1963) was an African American inventor who patented a type of traffic light signal. ing on the streets of Cleveland, however, that prompted Morgan to enter the transportation arena. Early 20th-century vehicle crashes were frequent, and after witnessing the death of a young girl in a collision between an automobile and a horse-drawn carriage, he crafted a T-shaped pole unit that featured three positions: Stop, Go and an all-directional stop position that halted traffic in all directions to allow pedestrians to cross streets more safely. In his 1923 U.S. patent for the manual traffic signal, Garrett Morgan stated “This invention relates to traffic signals,

Morgan first tested his traffic light in Cleveland in 1922. and particularly to those which are adapted to be positioned adjacent the intersection of two or more streets and are manually operable for directing the flow of traffic…In addition, my invention contemplates the provision of a signal which may be readily and cheaply manufactured.” Morgan’s hand-cranked semaphore traffic management device was in use throughout North America until all manual traffic signals were replaced by early models of the automatic red-, yellow- and green-light traffic signals currently used around the world. Shortly before his death in 1963, the United States Government awarded Morgan a commendation for his traffic signal.

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New Book Breaks Down the History of African American and Latinx people joining forces to fight racism By Catherine Lizette Gonzalez In “An African American and Latinx History of the United States,” historian Paul Ortiz illuminates how Black and Brown people built crossborder, multi-ethnic solidarity movements to resist imperialism, achieve civil rights and ultimately shape the course of history. Dominant narratives about United States’ history will usually wax nostalgic for the patriots who fought for liberty and egalitarianism during the American Revolution. But, arguably, those liberal ideals were never really meant to serve anyone but White settlers. Even today, ideas of American exceptionalism—like

President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda— are largely weaponized against communities of color. In his new book, “An African American and Latinx History of the United States,” historian Paul Ortiz challenges these dominant narratives by placing African Americans and Latinx people at the center of U.S. history. Ortiz illuminates how Black and Brown people built multiracial movements through the 1700s to the 21st Century to achieve civil and democratic rights. In the book, the author and professor of history at the University of Florida, argues that African American and Latinx activists were inspired by what he’s coined as ”eman-

cipatory internationalism” or the longstanding rejection of Eurocentric philosophies of liberty in exchange for the freedom struggles of the Global South. And in the author’s note, he emphasizes the significance of archiving this expansive history for future generations: “I want to ensure that no Latinx or Black children ever again have to be ashamed of who they are and of where they come from. Collectively speaking, African Americans and Latinx people have nothing to apologize for. Every democratic right we enjoy is an achievement that our ancestors fought, suffered and died for.” Here are just a few ways that African American and Latinx

NNP A F oundation Chair T outs NNPA Foundation Touts the V irtues of the Black Press Virtues NNPA Foundation Chair and Sun-Reporter Publisher Amelia Ashley-Ward Talks about London Breed and the Black Press A single mother, Ashley- her to apply for a job at the San Ward raised her son, Evan, alone since he was seven yearsold. His father died when Evan was 15, but Ashley-Ward’s relentless push to keep her son from being just another statistic has helped him to become an Emmy Award-winning television news writer. Born in Magnolia, Mississippi, Ashley-Ward and her family moved to San Francisco, where her mother encouraged

Amelia Ashley-Ward, the chair of the NNPA Foundation, says that the Black Press tells the stories that don’t get told anywhere else. (Amelia Ashley-Ward/SunReporter) By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor) The irony of a recent San Francisco Board of Supervisors decision to appoint Mark Farrell, a White venture capitalist, as acting mayor, and how it played out, still rubs Amelia AshleyWard the wrong way. The board’s decision resulted in the removal of London Breed from that position, who was the first African American woman to serve in that post. “Here we are in a city that’s supposed to be so progressive and then you watch about 50 White progressives tell this young, Black woman that they don’t want her, because she’d have too much power and she’d have the advantage of running for mayor; that’s B.S.,” said Ashley-Ward, the new NNPA Foundation chair and publisher and owner of the San Francisco Sun-Reporter. “When did a Black woman raised in public housing get an advantage over anyone? London Breed isn’t begging for hand-me-downs, but this is another reason that the Black Press will live forever, because of injustices like this and my newspaper will keep this on the front page and we are going to call it like we see and no one else will do that.”

Francisco Sun-Reporter; that’s where she met the legendary Dr. Carlton Goodlett, who owned the newspaper. “At that time, we were about bringing something back to the community and my mother used to always read the Sun-Reporter, so she said told me to go and I went,” Ashley-Ward said. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Educator Dr. Rosemary Jackson, wife of Television Executive Don Jackson, passes at 71 (Black PR Wire) CHICAGO — The family of Dr. Rosemary Robinson Jackson, Ph.D., Chicago educator, business woman and community leader, announced (Feb. 12) that she died Wednesday at the age of 71, succumbing to cancer. Services will be held in Chicago at Christ Universal Temple, 11901 S. Ashland Ave., on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at 11 a.m. Born December 22, 1946 on Chicago’s West Side, Dr. Jackson’s first love and lifelong passion was education. She received her Ph. D from Loyola University and M.A. degrees from both National College of Education and DePaul University. She touched countless lives, beginning her career as an English teacher at her alma mater, John Marshall High School. She went on to teach at Hyde Park High School, Kennedy King College, and DePaul University. Dr. Jackson served as vice president, Educational Media and Distance Learning at the City Colleges of Chicago, Kennedy-King from 2007 to 2010. Her dissertation, “The Social Construction of Linguistic Reality: A Case Study Exploring the Relationships among Poverty, Race, and Remediation in an Urban Community College,” was formulated from

Dr. Jackson with husband Don. her life’s work helping young students in Chicago explore their educational possibilities. Dr. Jackson was the vicechairman and chief administrative officer at Chicago-based Central City Productions, the business she helped develop with her lifelong partner and husband Don Jackson, company founder, chairman and CEO. Central City Productions is best known for producing the Stellar Awards. She leveraged her passion for education through her involvement as Research Director and Associate Producer of Black College Quiz and Hispanic College Quiz – two nationally-syndicated television programs developed by Central City Productions. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

The Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. on August 29, 1963. The event focused on civil rights abuses against African Americans, Latinx people, and other disenfranchised groups and support for the Civil Rights Act. people fought for self-determination. The Underground Railroad to Mexico Before Congress passed the 13th Amendment in 1865 formally abolishing slavery, Mexico had already ended it 34 years earlier. Under José María Morelos and Vicente Guerrero—two Afro-Latinx leaders in Mexico’s independence movement—enslaved Black people from as far away as Florida sought sanctuary south of the border. But their exodus prompted slavery’s American proponents to invade Mexico, as White settlers attempted to spread slavery and other racist policies to the far reaches of the North American West. Tejanos, or Texans of Mexican descent, supported Black refugees who fled from enslavement, providing them with shelter and guiding them to safe routes across the Rio Grande Valley. Black Seminoles also moved south, and many became border guards against Texas authorities and vigilantes. Until the United States abolished slavery,

the Underground Railroad expanded into Canada, as well as Latin American and Caribbean countries—including Mexico City, Haiti and the Bahamas— and created a global resistance movement against slavery. Cuban Solidarity in the late 1800s During the Reconstruction Era Black abolitionists in the United States turned their attention to antislavery and liberation struggles in the Global South. In 1872, New York City became an epicenter for the Cuban solidarity movement, where Black organizers held the first Cuban Anti-Slavery Committee convention. The Rev. Henry Highland Garnet delivered the keynote speech, calling on attendees to unite in the international movement for Cuban independence. Spanish envoys were sent to the convening to disrupt the address but were instantly shut down by participants. A year later, organizing centers emerged in cities across the United States. In Baltimore, African Americans and Cubans met at the city’s ports to update one ano-

ther. Also in 1873, The National Civil Rights Convention held in Washington, D.C., passed resolutions in support of Cuban independence. Leaders of the Cuban Anti-Slavery committee continued to meet with Cuban insurgents to organize and they staged petition drives, ultimately gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures from African American voters. The Act of Chapultepec Forges a Pathway to the Modern Civil Rights Movement. In the winter of 1945, towards the end of World War II, leaders from nations in the Americas and the Caribbean convened in Chapultepec, Mexico, for the Inter-American Conference on War and Peace to discuss sovereignty and unity in the Western Hemisphere. While U.S. delegates focused on trade and security, Haiti presented a resolution declaring that democracy would never be achieved unless every country abolished policies that promoted racial discrimination. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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Why Dw yane Wade is embracing bench role. And could that role change? Dwyane I’m handling it, if I’m coming off the bench and I’m at the two, whatever the case may be, you never know what it is. “It really doesn’t matter to me. I’m not concerned with any of that. I’m just concerned with helping this team be a better team, get wins. I’m trying to get familiar with everything, trying to get in better shape with this team and with the stuff that they run. So I’m not really con-

TORONTO – Before this season, Dwyane Wade had come off the bench only 11 times in 915 regular-season NBA games. That changed when he went to the bench, by request, early this season in Cleveland and continues now in his second Heat tour. Erik Spoelstra made clear Tuesday that while he hasn’t ruled out anything, starting

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLICATION OF BID SOLICITATIONS Broward County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting bids for a variety of goods and services, construction and architectural/engineering services. Interested bidders are requested to view and download the notifications of bid documents via the Broward County Purchasing website at: www.broward.org/purchasing. February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2018

Wade is not a consideration at this time. “Not right now; I’m not thinking of that,� Spoelstra said after the team’s shootaround at Air Canada Centre, before Tuesday’s game against the Raptors. “But I’m always open to anything, wherever the course of this season goes.� Spoelstra said “there’s a lot to like� about Wade coming off the bench behind Tyler Johnson, with Wade able to assume backup point guard duties in that role. “You’re bringing a Hall of Fame talent off the bench that really helps your depth and your dynamic,� Spoelstra said. “He brings a standard of excellence, a standard of success. It brings confidence out of everybody.� Wade has embraced the role but said it requires more ability to adjust than starting, with Wade of the mindset to offer whatever is needed that particular game. “Starting you got to know this is what they expect of me,� he said. “Coming off the bench it definitely varies. Depending on if I’m coming off the bench and

PUBLIC NOTICE City of Fort Lauderdale to Chlorinate Water System PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 13 - MARCH 20, 2018 The City of Fort Lauderdale will temporarily return to using free chlorine in its drinking water system. This preventive maintenance procedure will begin at 9 a.m., Tuesday, February 13 and will end at 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2018. Free chlorination is a common practice for water systems using combined chlorine disinfection. Flushing ďŹ re hydrants is a routine part of The chlorination period is the free chlorination process. anticipated to be transparent to water customers; however, some may notice a slight change in the taste or smell of their tap water. This procedure will affect the City of Fort Lauderdale, as well as Lauderdaleby-the-Sea, Port Everglades, Village of Sea Ranch Lakes, Wilton Manors, and sections of the Town of Davie, Oakland Park, and Tamarac (east of State Road 7/441).

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LIBRA-You may feel an extra burst of energy this week. This is a good time for you wrap up any miscellaneous details on a project that you’ve been working on. Your vibrations are very conducive towards generosity and general wellbeing that you’ll want to extend to friends and family. Communication is a skeleton key that fits many doors. 5, 7, 10

ARIES-Things speed up again this week and you are in a highly creative mood. An outspoken female in your circle may illuminate a thorny question for you. You’ll be surprised and pleased by what you hear. Take her aside and thank her. I keep myself free of all resentment.3, 40, 51 TAURUS-Hello home life. After a busy next few weeks all you want to do is savor the feelings of domesticity at home. Or perhaps go shopping to spruce up your living space. Whatever you decide do it with a close friend. You’ll both enjoy the week more if you are together. The grandeur of my presence reflects the sunshine of my soul. 11, 14, 17

SCORPIO Start setting goals. Do a periodic cleaning of your home and get rid of the junk that has been cluttering your life! Start saving your money for a big vacation that you and that special someone have been planning! Do something extravagant. Clinging to the old will inhibit my growth this week. 2, 39, 45

GEMINI-One of your most unique gifts is the power to change your mind. You know how to change the way you think, and it gives you great versatility. This week you may be called upon to change the way you think about someone you love. Be kind! I am on the watch for those who need me. 32, 36, 45

SAGITTARIUS-Flexibility is needed to deal with a work issue. You’re sure you’re right but compromise will be necessary to overcome someone’s objections. Don’t think they are being spiteful. They simply see things differently than you do. Your insights this week are special and specialized. Don’t expect agreement. Slow and easy is the best way for me to travel this week. 7, 8, 10

CANCER-Focus intently on the personal this week. Others may seem scattered or impersonal, but that’s not for you. Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself until others are more receptive to your steady vibrations. Money and happiness are closely related this week. 20, 30, 50

CAPRICORN-If you need a good week to put away the memorabilia of a past love; this week’s that week. Tuck away his or her photograph. If it’s over and now it’s time to move on, don’t stall your love life dwelling on what was. Get ready for what can be. I slow down and take the feelings of others in consideration. 1, 26, 33

LEO-A personal decision is made, and you are happy for the person who makes it. This person may be younger than you, but you’ve got a karmic bond between you. Enjoy the excitement of shared moments. 9, 44, 52

AQUARIUS-Your harmony with your business or domestic partner should improve as you take steps to strengthen communication. Slow down and give everyone a chance to get on the same page. Plan well before you act. Enjoy hanging loose. I trust my gut instincts concerning all matters. 2, 39, 40

VIRGO-A relationship may be heating up this week. Make sure you know what you want, then go ahead. Minor challenges on the home front are easily dealt with if you keep your sense of humor. Secrets are important. Keep them. My goodwill is my best weapon. 3, 30, 31

PISCES-A little child will lead them is certainly something you should keep in mind this week. Wisdom from a little person, a son, daughter, younger brother or sister can be very helpful to you. Lighten up on yourself. Self-criticism is not a good idea this week. I loosen up and enjoy my life without worry. 24, 25, 26

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Fort Lauderdale utility customers may contact the 24-hour Neighbor Call Center at (954) 828-8000 or online at www.fortlauderdale.gov/customerservice. Customers who receive a utility bill from other municipalities or entities should call their respective water provider’s customer service phone number for more information.

bayo and Wade anchoring that group and Justise Winslow and Rodney McGruder soon joining that group if Kelly Olynyk returns to the starting lineup after the All-Star break. “Outside of everything that supposedly went wrong, we had a great bench in Cleveland,� Wade said. “I thought we had a good unit that can come in and change the game. And the same thing here. We have a great unit that can come

MIAMI RED

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade looks on during Friday’s game against Milwaukee, his first game back in a Heat uniform. By Barry Jackson

cerned with night to night what it would be.� Wade talked about his shooting and his leadership role in the Heat locker room on Monday after his first full workout since coming back to Miami. Andre Fernandez afernandez@miamiherald.com Wade believes the Heat’s bench could essentially become as good as another starting group, with James Johnson, Wayne Ellington, Bam Ade-

in and change the ballgame and still be, in a sense, another starting five. “So, it’s good, especially when you get to this time of year and it gets late in the year and you get to the playoffs, coach wants to look down that bench and know he can go 10 deep if he wants to and to know he’s got guys that know how to play together, that can play together for long stretches and not just here and there. I definitely embraced that role

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The Westside Gazette Proudly celebrates Black History Month

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Black History in Bike History

25th Infantry Bicycle Corps By Louise McGrody Published February 10, 2014 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps February is Black History Month and I have been searching for a story about African American contributions to bicycling. I found the story in my bike love: bicycle travel. In my mind,

the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps are trailblazers of bike touring. In 1866, Congress created the first peacetime all-Black Army regiments—the Buffalo Soldiers. There were four regiments in all and members of the 25th Infantry stationed at Fort Missoula became the Bicycle Corps.

Bicycling caught the eye of the US military in the late 1800s. In 1896, Fort Missoula’s Lieutenant James Moss, a white officer (African American regiments were historically commanded by white officers), was granted permission to establish a Bicycle Corps with soldiers from the 25th Infantry. Their job was to test the bicycle for possible military applications. What resulted was a journey of epic proportions. After shakedown rides to Lake McDonald (126 miles) and Yellowstone National Park (800 miles) in 1896, the men rolled out of Fort Missoula on June 14, 1897 at 5:30 in the morning. Forty-one days and 1900 miles later, they pedaled into their destination, St. Louis.

FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 17

The Iron Riders — as they were dubbed — tackled the mountains, the plains and racism, in every kind of weather, without the benefit of paved roads (or any trails at all sometimes), modern route finding or the latest bicycle touring equipment and gear. Each member of the Bicycle Corps was outfitted with a Spalding military bike, knapsack, bedroll, tent, a leather case to carry food and personal effects, a rifle and 50 rounds of ammunition. Fully loaded, each rig weighed about 76 pounds! Although the Bicycle Corps never gained military prominence and was eventually eliminated, bicycle travel remains popular today and we should recognize them as our early pioneers. In 1974, two Black Studies professors from the University of Montana and eight of their students were inspired to honor the Iron Riders by

Four African American in ventor s tr ansf or med inv entors transf ansfor ormed transporation Every time you travel down a clean street, take a breath of fresh air, or use public transportation, you should thank an inventor. While you’ve probably grown so accustomed to these luxuries, transportation wouldn’t be the same without the following African American inventors and their research. In honor of Black History Month, learn more about these four important inventions that transformed the transportation industry as we know it! Elbert R. Robinson refined the electric railway trolley. In 1839, Elbert Robinson, a resident of Nashville, TN, received a patent for improvements in trolleys for electric railways. His invention focused primarily on the trolley wheels, implementing a new design to secure wheels to the wire when the trolley rounded curves or went down hills. Charles Brooks invented the first self-propelled street sweepers. In the days of Charles Brooks, the main method of transportation resulted in piles of horse manure along the street. As you can imagine, it was not a pleasant-smelling situation. While the horsedrawn street sweeper had already been invented, Brooks wanted to improve upon it. His design utilized a truck-like frame with revolving brushes that pushed waste into a bin, and he received a patent for his invention in 1896, reports WorldSweeper.com. Frederick McKinley Jones developed air conditioning for truck and railroad transportation of food. After running away at the age of 11 to live on his own, Frederick Jones used his spare time between odd jobs to teach himself mechanical and electrical engineering, which would lead him to a life of profitable inventions. In the 1930s, he

Jerry M. Certain’s parcel carriers.

Robinson designed air conditioning for vehicles carrying perishable foods, writes Biography.com. So you can thank him next time you purchase a frozen pizza or a pint of ice cream at your grocery store! Meredith Gourdine developed the exhaust purification system. When Meredith Gourdine’s father told him that an education could spare him from a life of manual labor, he changed the course of his son’s life. After graduating from Cornell and opening his own research laboratory, Gourdine went on to

develop an exhaust purification system for cars in 1967. His invention is now referred to as the catalytic converter and it helps to reduce harmful e-missions into the environment, minimizing the pollution caused by our vehicles. African American inventors have made huge contributions to the world of yesterday and today, from the automotive industry to the transportation industry as a whole. During Black History Month, it’s important to honor their influence and

Florida Department of Health in Broward County (Cont'd from page 5) If you’ve never run before, here’s how to work up into 5K readiness in nine weeks, courtesy of the British National Health Service. (Consult your doctor first, of course.) You can repeat a week until you feel physically ready to move on to the next. There are many apps and websites to help with this project. You’ll do three walk/runs each week. Start each one with a brisk 5 minute walk. After your walk: Week one Do blocks of 1 minute of running and 1.5 minutes of walking. Total: 20 minutes each time. Week two Do blocks of 1.5 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking. Total: 20 minutes each time. Week three Two repetitions of 1.5 minutes of running and 1.5 minutes of walking, then 3 minutes of running and 3 minutes of walking. Total: 23 minutes each time.

Week four 3 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking, 5 minutes of running, 2.5 minutes of walking, 3 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of running. Total: 26.5 minutes each time. Week 5 Run one: Two repetitions of 5 minutes of running and 3 minutes of walking, then 5 minutes of running. Total: 26 minutes. Run two: 8 minutes of running, 5 minutes of walking and 8 minutes of running. Total: 26 minutes. Run three: 20 minutes of running. Total 25 minutes. Week six Run one: 5 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking, 8 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of running. Total: 29 minutes. Run two: 10 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking and 10 minutes of running. Total: 28 minutes. Run three: 25 minutes of running. Total: 30 minutes. Week seven

25 minutes of running. Total: 30 minutes each time. Week eight 28 minutes of running. Total: 33 minutes each time. Week nine 30 minutes of running. Total: 35 minutes each time. You are there! The program is designed for beginners to gradually build up to run 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) without stopping. Structure greatly helps motivation, so choose certain days of the week for runs and stick to them. Be sure to have a rest day between each run to reduce your chance of injury. On the off days, you could do strength and flexibility exercises. Some new runners may experience sore calves or shins, often caused by running on hard surfaces or wearing shoes without enough support. Don’t worry if some runs don’t go well. Just move on to the next one. Even a bad run is good for you. Find a 5K: www.runsignup.com or

contributions. At Direct Auto & Life Insurance, we’re more than a car insurance company. We’re members of your community.

retracing their historical journey on bikes. Interest in bicycling and bicycle travel continued to grow and I’m sure it was in part to the media attention the Bicycle Corps garnered from their amazing ride. In 1899, an African American inventor by the name of Isaac Johnson filed a patent for a unique bike frame. Johnson’s frame was designed to be folded compactly for storage or transport—a bike you could take with you on a vacation! 1899 was a good year for bike-related inventions. Jerry M. Certain filed a patent for “parcel carriers for bicycles” intended to be attached to the frame to carry items. Today we refer to those carriers as pan-

niers, a necessity for bicycle travelers. And yes, Jerry Certain was an African American. There are many intersections between Black History and bike history. Another interesting one for the bicycle tourist is the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. Developed through a partnership between Adventure Cycling Association and the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Minority Health, the UGRR memorializes the network of clandestine routes used by African Americans as trails to freedom before and during the Civil War. Bicycle travelers are natural explorers and there is much to explore in Black History.

PAGE 16 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

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Norton Presents Black History Family Day to Highlight African American Artists T he free, daylong celebration is in conjunction with theater,, Black History Month and also includes live music, theater art tours, and art-making activities By Scott Benarde

AT&T Pioneer and employee Daphne Dilbert, front row, along with Robert Bobby White, VFW, William Frazier, VFW, Dr. Glenn Bowen, Barry University’s Center for Community Service Initiatives, Arthur Wells, VFW, and Anthony Grisby, liaison to the City of Hollywood’s African American Advisory Counil, is honored with a proclamation of appreciation from the City of Hollywood. Pictured in the back row, from left to right, are Commissioner Debra Case, Commissioner Peter Hernandez, Commissioner Traci Callari, Mayor Josh Levy, Commissioner Richard Blattner, Commissioner Kevin Biederman, and Commissioner Linda Sherwood.

“The Colored Museum” comes to Pompano Beach Cultural Center TheatreSouth Atlanta (TSA), Inc. dba Herman LeVern Jones’ TheatreSouth is thrilled to announce its performances of “The Colored Museum” written by Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe this February 2018 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, 50 W Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach, Fla. 33060. “The Colored Museum” presents 11 hilarious “exhibits” of African American culture — from the depths of the Celebrity Slave ship to the spinning heights of Harlem. George C. Wolfe’s groundbreaking satire comedy has electrified, discomforted, and delighted audiences of all colors, skewering stereotypes and redefining what it means to be black in contemporary America. “We are excited to present “The Colored Museum” for the second time in South Florida! We produced the play at the Deering Estate in Cutler Bay February 2015 and audiences loved it! I think Pompano Beach will enjoy it too.” – Artistic Director Herman LeVern Jones “The Colored Museum” premiered at the Crossroad Theater Company of New Jersey in 1986. Within six months, the play found a new home at the Public Theater in New York City. “The Colored Museum” was later performed at the Royal Court Theater in London, England, beginning July 29, 1987 and in a production by Talawa Theatre Company October 15-23, 2011. “The Colored Museum” will make you laugh, cry, think and contemplate what it means to be Black in the United States. TheatreSouth Atlanta, Inc. dba Herman LeVern Jones’ TheatreSouth (TSA or TheatreSouth) was founded in 2007 as a Georgia non-profit in Atlanta, Ga. TSA’s mission is to

educate, enlighten, strengthen, and enhance the local talents through theatre arts. The company’s motto is “Healthy theatre for your heart and soul!” Morning performances are designed as field trips for school students and afternoon performances are tailored to seniors. However, the general public is more than welcome to attend any performance of their choosing! Performances: Thursday, Feb. 22; 10 a.m. (school students), 1 p.m. (seniors), 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23; 10 a.m. (school students), 1 p.m. (seniors), 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24; 2 p.m. (seniors), 7 p.m. and Sunday Feb. 25; 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets: $16.50/students; $21.50/ seniors and $25.50/general. To purchase a ticket: visit ccpompano.org or call (954) 545-7800. For questions about the production and performance times: email info@theatre.net and call (305) 924-3003. TheatreSouth Atlanta permanently relocated to South Florida in 2014 and has since cultivated a variety of projects in partnership with Brigitte Keane and Jeff Tucker of EarthSave Miami, Inc. such as the I Have A Dream Musical on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. starring Broadway’s Jahi Kearse (Florida International University, South Miami Dade Cultural Arts Center, the Coral Springs Center for the Arts and the Phichol Williams Center), The Eve of Jackie starring Broadway’s Chester Gregory (Adrienne Arsht Center), The Colored Museum written by renowned playwright George C Wolfe (The Deering Estate), and The Phantom of the Old Opera House written by Joseph George Caruso (Phichol Williams Center).

All of our projects are family oriented and for all ages of men, women, and children who look to be entertained and educated through the arts. As we continue to build a stronger brand in our community, we also hope to build a community brand that illustrates to the world, art lives in South Florida! For more information, visit www.theatresouth.net. About the Cultural Alliance The Cultural Alliance is comprised of highly regarded performing arts organizations based in South Florida. The 11 resident companies of the Pompano Beach Cultural Center offer exciting individual performances, while also collaborating on special events and education programming. For more information, www.ccpompano.org. The production will be directed by Herman LeVern Jones, a 45-year theatre veteran, who has started theatre companies all over the United States, toured internationally and received a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. The cast: The performances will feature performers from South Florida such as LaCora Funches, Samantha Davis, Jacovia Farrington, Dwayne Stephenson, Imami Obong, Nadine Boyd, Vernal Broom, and Debbie Goins.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL —- In conjunction with Black History Month, the Norton Museum of Art is hosting its first Black History Family Day, highlighting art by African American artists, telling their stories, inspiring visitors to make art, and featuring music and theater by African American performers. The event, sponsored by PNC Arts Alive, is free and runs from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. The day’s highlights begin at 12:30 p.m. with a presentation by Everee Jimerson Clarke, author of Pleasant City, West Palm Beach. She will discuss the history of the community and sign copies of her book. Ellen Roberts, the Norton’s Harold and Anne Berkley Smith Curator of American Art speak on From Bannister to Bearden: African American Art at the Norton Museum of Art. The talk highlights artworks by sculptor Augusta Savage, who spent her youth in West Palm Beach before becoming a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance; Beulah Ecton Woodard, a contemporary of Savage’s, as well as artist Romare Bearden and 19th-century painter Edward Bannister.

On Such a Night as This (1975) Bearden’s extraordinary collage, On Such a Night as This (1975) will be on view. Other contemporary artists on view, including Mickalene Thomas and Hank Willis Thomas (no relation), will be the subject of gallery conversations led by members of the Norton’s Teen Advisory Squad (TASQ) A focus exhibition of paintings and drawings by Jean-Michel Basquiat, who introduced graffiti to the art world in the 1980s, will also highlight this special event, and will be on view through March 18. Families also can participate in hands-on art-making activities led by local artists, including Lupe Lawrence. Fiber artist

Biography comic books debut for Black History Month

TidalWave Comics celebrates Black History month by re-releasing some of its most popular nonfiction comic books featuring iconic Black Americans in an exciting new print format. Since 1976, every United States President has recognized February as Black History Month in order to recognize the pivotal role African-Americans have played in our history. Noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent Americans left an indelible mark, creating a celebration and exploration of culture spanning Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. To celebrate, TidalWave is re-releasing over thirty titles exploring the lives of influential African Americans who shaped our culture, influenced our politics, and fought for equality and social justice. The comic books will have a spine, a

card-stock cover, and feature the high-quality printing one would associate with a coffee table book rather than a flimsy “floppy” comic book found on the stands. TidalWave formed a recent partnership with Ingram to print high-quality books on demand while assisting with eBook distribution and more. Ingram works across the full publishing spectrum, providing assistance to some of the largest names in the business to local indie authors. The comic books will spotlight the lives of Barack and Michelle Obama, Whitney Houston, Condoleeza Rice, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Prince Rogers Nelson, and many others. Known for fiction titles such as “10th Muse,” “The Legend of Isis,” “Vincent Price Presents,” and partnerships with Steve Harvey and other celebrity writers, the independent publisher made a mark in comic book fandom. In 2008, TidalWave’s first foray into nonfiction told the backstories of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, delving into a corner of the sequential art and storytelling market that was largely untapped. The biography comic form allows TidalWave’s talented writers to delve into the history of newsworthy figures and explore the events that shaped them. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Kianga Jinaki will host a workshop exploring African and African American textile traditions; painter Khaulah Naima Nuruddin leads a work-shop where guests can create art mash- ups of words and images, inspired by works in the Basquiat exhibition. An outdoor stage at the Museum entrance will feature a variety of performers, including hip-hop artist Eric Biddines. Wayne Perry, a.k.a. Mr. Trombone, will perform his brand of soulful jazz and serve as MC for the afternoon. Spoken word artist Abasi Hanif, accompanied by two drummers, will lead a public drum circle (and provide some additional drums for those who want to participate). Student ensembles from area schools will also be featured on stage. The afternoon will be capped by a performance of The Core Ensemble’s Ain’t I a Woman! For years, the Core Ensemble has created “Chamber Music Theater” highlighting remarkable historical figures. This performance features actress Deltoiya Goodman celebrating four significant African American women: ex-slave and fiery abolitionist Sojourner Truth, novelist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, folk artist Clementine Hunter, and civil rights worker Fannie Lou Hamer. The accompanying music, Core Ensemble members explain, is inspired by “spirituals of the Deep South, the urban exuberance of the Jazz Age, and concert music by African American composers... “Free, general admission tickets to the performance will be available at the Museum’s Visitor Services desk on a first-come, firstserved basis on the afternoon of the performance. The performance is recommended for ages 12 and older. Jean-Michel Basquiat: Drawing into Painting Feb. 8 – March 18, 2018 Organized by the Norton Mu seum of Art On loan from private collec-tions, the Norton showcases the celebrated art of Jean-Michel Basquiat featuring Dogman, a classic painting from 1986, along with four revealing drawings. Together they provide insight into the artist’s stylistic development and his integration of symbolic, cultural, and historical references to create his powerful art.

Folks have strong reactions to Barack and Michelle Obama’s portraits (Cont'd from page 12) Barack Obama’s choice of Wiley makes him the first African-American artist to execute an official presidential portrait for the National Portrait Gallery. Wiley sampled thousands of photographs of Obama to create the portrait, a process different than the typical “sittings” required for most pictures. Wiley’s background choice was also indicative of Obama’s background. Wiley said he was “charting his path on Earth.” “I was always struck when I saw his portraits…more especially the degree to which they challenged our ideas of power and privilege,” Obama said. Obama also pointed out his connection to Wiley, saying that they shared similar familial experiences that shaped their futures. “We had certain things in common. For instance, both of us had American mothers who

raised us with extraordinary love and support. Furthermore, both of us had African fathers who had been absent from our lives, and our journeys involved searching for them. Because I cannot paint, I ended up writing about that journey and channeling it into the work,” he said. She said she “was a little overwhelmed” after her portrait was unveiled. “Let’s just start by saying, ‘Wow,’ again,” she said. For her portrait, Michelle Obama chose Baltimore-based artist Amy Sherald, an AfricanAmerican artist known for her unique style, and her portraits also tend to underscore themes of social justice. She often paints black skin tones in gray as a way to take away the assigned “color” of her subjects. Sherald’s work is less about realism in composition and more about shape and color; like Wiley, the choice of Sherald ushers in a new era of the presidential portrait.

Sherald’s painting of Michelle Obama shows her in a flowing, patterned dress with a thoughtful expression, her chin resting on her hand. Mrs. Obama said she was thinking about the impact Sherald’s work will have on “girls and girls of color.” “I know the kind of impression that this portrait will have on their lives because I was one of those girls,” she said. “The ladies will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the walls of this great American institution.” Many celebrities shared their thoughts too. Actor and comedian Chris Rock called Barack Obama the “real Black Panther,” while musician Common called the former first couple’s portrait “beautiful.” Director Ava DuVernay said the portraits reminded her to hope while model Chrissy Teigen asked that Barack “come back” and pleaded for Michelle to “help us.”

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FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 15

Florida P anthers to hold Black Heritage Night as a P ar ey Panthers Par artt of ‘Hock ‘Hockey is for Ever yone’ Night Everyone’ By Jameson Olive FloridaPanthers.com SUNRISE, FL -- The Florida Panthers are proudly spreading a message of diversity and inclusion throughout the month of February as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s lea-

gue-wide Hockey Is For Everyone initiative. Hockey Is For Everyone, which was designed to promote diversity and inclusion among those of all sexual orientations, genders, ethnicities, abilities and socioeconomic statuses, was created as a way to bring people

together on the ice, in the locker room and in the stands. All 31 NHL teams are currently celebrating Hockey Is For Everyone month through their own unique programming, partnerships, ceremonies, observances and community activations. For the Panthers, the month has included a special Pride Night on Friday, Feb. 9 and has continued with a variety of special youth hockey

‘Blac k P ant her s and cr eat or s rref ef lect ‘Black Pant anther her’’ ssttar ars creat eator ors eflect on its arrival By Ronda Racha Penrice Fans, who bought a recordsetting number of advance tickets, weren’t the only ones anticipating the Feb. 16 opening of “Black Panther,” Marvel’s historic first Black superhero film. “I’ve been waiting a long time. I was just so, so excited because this was a movie [where] we all felt a lot of ownership, that we thoroughly enjoyed making,” said Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o during the film’s January 30 press conference at the Montage Beverly Hills the morning after its glitzy purple carpet premiere. Nyong’o plays Nakia, T’Challa/Black Panther’s love interest. Although T’Challa/Black Panther, whose superpowers include speed, strength, night vision, claws and more aided by his country’s powerful metal, vibranium, was first introduced in the “Fantastic Four” comic book series in 1966, months before the founding of the iconic freedom-fighting Black Panther Party, “Black Panther” is the character’s first-ever live action film. Reportedly Jack Kirby, who created T’Challa/ Black Panther with Stan Lee, took the name from the all-black U.S. Army 761st Tank Battalion of World War II dubbed “the Black Panthers.” Chadwick Boseman, well-known for his roles as such real-life heroes as Jackie Robinson and James Brown, is the first to ever play

T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) Fight as the Dora Milaje look on. (Photo credit: Matt Kennedy..©Marvel Studios 2018) him on film, appearing in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War” to great enthusiasm. He returns in “Avengers: Infinity War” May 4. “Black Panther” follows T’Challa/Black Panther’s journey, in the aftermath of his father’s death, to lead his technologically advanced nation, Wakanda, which the world believes is impoverished. Featuring Black actors from the United States, England and various parts of Africa, “Black Panther” is the first Marvel film set in a Black-ruled nation. As such, the film challenges the negative stereotypes in which the world typically views African nations. It also raises larger questions about what a successful never colonialized Afri-

can country might look like and what role it would play in today’s global landscape. The film’s larger significance was clearly important to Nyong’o and her fellow cast members – who included Boseman, Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Forest Whitaker (Zuri), Angela Bassett (T’Challa/Black Panther’s stepmother Ramonda), “Get Out” Oscar nominee Daniel Kaluuya (W’Kabi) and more – during the Hollywood press conference where Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and Ryan Coogler, the film’s co-writer and director, were also present. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

clinics for disabled, distressed and autistic children. On Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018 the Panthers will host Black Heritage Night. “We’ve been proud to echo the league’s ‘Hockey is For Everyone’ message this February in a variety of ways,” said President & CEO Matthew Caldwell. “From our Owner Vin-cent J. Viola, on down through our organization, we’d love to invite you to our Black Heritage Night on Feb. 22 as we celebrate the contributions of Willie O’Ree and many others to the sport of hockey.” While almost everybody knows about Jackie Robinson and the role he played integrating Major League Baseball, less is known about hockeyplaying counterpart Willie O’Ree, who broke the NHL’s color barrier on Jan. 18, 1958. At 22, O’Ree made his debut for the Boston Bruins during a 3-0 victory against the Canadiens at the Forum in Montreal. A native of Canada, O’Ree, who turned 82 in October, had four goals and 10 assists in 45 games over parts of two NHL seasons. As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of those historic first

steps onto the ice, the memories of those goals and assists is all but forgotten, but the bravery and perseverance O’Ree showed in paving the way for future NHL players of color like Peter Worrell remains. At Black Heritage Night, local Boys & Girls Clubs members will attend a special “chalk talk” with Worrell, who gained a reputation as one of the NHL’s all-time great enforcers during his tenure with the Panthers from 1997-2003. Additionally, “Soul On Ice,” a documentary by Kwame Mason detailing the history of black hockey players, will be shown. In addition to Worrell, other role models of color will also be in attendance to share their stories of determination, including Captain Barrington Irving, who is the youngest person to pilot a plane around the world solo, and Carlan Ivey, a scholar-athlete at West Point Cadet who won the 2016 NCAA Boxing Championship and last year’s Technical Challenge Competition for the National Society of Black Engineers.

Prior to Florida’s game against Washington, the Broward Black Elected Officials will be hosting a networking event. Panthers owner Vinnie Viola will be in attendance and give opening remarks. Jordan, who plays the main villain Erik Killmonger that challenges T’Challa/Black Panther’s ascension as Wakanda’s king, said he only truly grasped the film’s importance after seeing it for the first time at the premiere. “I couldn’t describe that feeling before actually sitting down and watching that film and seeing yourself on screen, not just me personally, but people that look like me in power and having those socially relevant themes but in a movie that you want to sit down and watch and enjoy,” Jordan said. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

PAGE 14 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

Black Excellence

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Base, one of only four Black employees. It was here where she collected location data from orbiting machines and input the data into giant supercomputers, while using early computer software to analyze surface evaluations. She also recorded satellite locations and complex calculations. She was recognized for her hard work by her supervisor, who recommended her for a commendation in 1979. With a team of engineers,West helped developed the GPS. Now this is an example of Black intelligence. History like this should not be hidden, but out in the open. Gwen James of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority told the story of this innovator to the Associated Press, and now it’s no longer hidden. With such important facts being known, a thank you goes out to Gwen for not keeping this information hidden. Although Black History Month is in February, let’s not forget about Black History, after this month. It’s a part of history that shouldn’t just be recognized one month out of the year. Research your history and constantly learn about greatness. “The Black skin is not a badge of shame, but rather a glorious symbol of national greatness.” – Marcus Garvey.

By Byler E. Henry The month of February is known as Black History Month, a time to celebrate Black excellence and marks left in history. There are many prominent figures that will be forever remembered, and there are those that are hidden and should be brought to the light. Not just February but January – December, Black excellence and achievements should be celebrated. Research the information on your own because the schools are not going to teach you everything. With today’s smartphones the information is right at your fingertips, but you may still use the library if you choose. There are many inventions we use everyday that Blacks either had a hand in or completely invented. One useful invention is the GPS (Global Positioning System). We use this every day and Gladys West deserves a big thank you. She began working as a math teacher in Sussex County, Virginia for two years after graduating from Virginia State University where she studied mathematics. In 1956, she became the second Black woman to join the Dahlgren, Virginia Naval

Philanthropist and Florida Lottery Winner Honored by Broward County Commission Submitted by Kimberly Maroe BROWARD COUNTY, FL -Coral Springs resident and Florida lottery winner Miguel Pilgram garnered quite a bit of media attention this week when he was recognized by the Broward County Commission for his philanthropy and ongoing efforts to improve local neighborhoods. "Giving to the community, learning from the community, using your resources, not just financial resources, your experience as well. That’s how you give back to the community: service to others, because you’re also serving yourself,” said Pilgram. Pilgram picked the winning numbers in the Florida Lottery in April 2010 and chose a one-time, lump sum payment for his winnings in the amount of $29 million. He routinely volunteers at local organizations including the Boys & Girls Club, United Way and the Pace Center for Girls. He’s also invested in efforts to improve the Sistrunk Boulevard Corridor, which runs east and west

Friends and family join Broward Commissioners to celebrate Miguel Pilgram DayFebruary 8, 2018 . through some poorer communities earmarked for economic development. Commissioners presented Pilgram with a proclamation declaring Tuesday, February

6th as “Miguel Pilgram Day” in Broward County. ”It always amazes me to get an award or a proclamation for doing what I think you’re supposed to do,” Pilgram said.

Pilgram is a military veteran who served in the United States Navy during Operation Desert Storm. He later founded the Pilgram Group specializing in the renovation of commercial,

residential and maritime properties in Broward County. For more information on the Broward County Commission follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 13

PAGE 12• FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

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African American Transportation History: Mary 'Stagecoach' Fields Mary Fields (c.18321914) made transportation history as the first African American woman to deliver the U.S. mail. Fields was born a slave in Tennessee, and she achieved her freedom in 1865

when slavery was abolished in the United States. By the mid1880s, Fields had moved to the Montana Territory. (This territory became a state in 1889.) For several years, Fields worked in the region in such positions

as the forewoman at a school for girls and the owner of a restaurant. In 1895 – when she was more than 60-years-old – she began a career that involved delivering mail. Fields did not

become an employee of the U.S. Post Office Department, but was instead awarded a contract to transport mail for the agency on what was called a star route. Postal officials had established these routes in 1845 to help

Folks have strong reactions to Barack and Michelle Obama’s portraits

By Susan Johnes On Monday, the former president and his first lady reemerged on the public stage in Washington, only this time for an event that is not political. Barrack and Michelle Obama’s official portraits were unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, a routine practice for most former presidents, all of whom have their portraits hanging in the museum.

Without any doubts, these were the most anticipated presidential portrait unveilings to date. Mr. Obama chose Kehinde Wiley for his portrait because the Yale University-trained painter is famous for his depiction of African-Americans posed in the style of Old Master paintings, formal and filled with pops of color. The portrait depicts the 44th president sitting against a backdrop of green foliage. While on

the podium, Obama said he tried to negotiate with Wiley about his look for the painting. “I tried to negotiate less gray hair, and Kehinde’s artistic integrity would not allow him to do what I asked. I tried to negotiate smaller ears, struck out on that as well,” joked Obama from the podium.

Obama also asked Wiley if he could adjust his looks to suit him. “I had to explain that I’ve got enough political problems without you making me look like Napoleon. . . And that’s what he did,” the former president said. (Cont'd on Page 16)

expand the reach of the nation’s mail delivery service. In general, star routes were not for the faint of heart. A number of them were located in far-flung and often rough-and-tumble regions, and those delivering mail along these routes had to be tough, independent, and resourceful. Fields, who received a star route contract in large part because she hitched a team of six horses more quickly than any other applicant, was definitely up to the challenges of her new position. The six-foot-tall Fields was known as someone who never shrank away from a fight (legend has it that she once fended off a pack of wolves throughout an entire night)

and she also carried both a rifle and revolver for protection. For several years after receiving the star route contract, Fields diligently transported the mail in the vicinity of Cascade, Montana, in the central section of the state. Her unmatched reliability and determination earned her the nickname “Stagecoach Mary,” even though her usual means of transportation was a horse-pulled wagon. Whenever the snow became too deep for her vehicle, Fields would travel the route on snowshoes to complete her rounds. Fields retired in 1903, leaving a notable legacy not only as a mail carrier but also an African American pioneer.

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'F air Pla y Char ter' Aimed a ooting Out Bias in the Ad Industr y 'Fair Play Charter' att R Rooting Industry Ad Agency Group 4A’s Issues “Fair Play Charter” to Members in Response to Alleged “No Hispanic/No Urban” Requests

Louis Jones said that a collaboration between the 4A’s and the NNPA could lead to any number of business opportunities. (4A’s) By Freddie Allen (Editor-InChief, NNPA Newswire) — “Fair Play Charter” seeks to address perceived bias against Black and Hispanic media owners in the advertising industry. —Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., president and CEO of the NNPA, praised the 4A’s renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion. —The 4A’s requested that all of their members add the charter to their policies and procedures handbooks. The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) recently issued a “Fair Play Charter” to its members, in an effort to “to recommit to fair and equitable treatment of minority media owners,” according to a statement by the organization. The Fair Play Charter was issued in response to perceived “no Hispanic” “no urban” directives in the media-buying process, which “describe a practice in which agencies and the

brands they represent make media-buying decisions that are non-inclusive of media owned by or targeted to African Americans or Latinos,” the statement said. Louis Jones, the executive vice president of Media & Data for the 4A’s, said that Sherman Kizart, the managing director of Kizart Media Partners, and other industry insiders raised 4A’s awareness about the lack of clarity around some of the decision-making practices in the media buying process. Jones said that, as head of a media a-

gency and as a member of the Media Leadership Council in 2011, he was familiar with the undercurrent of “no urban” dictates. Jones said that these situations happen from time to time and that it was important for the 4A’s and its members to recommit to fairness in their business practices. “It is important that we remain cognizant of unfair treatment and not let it affect industry practices or societal perception,” Jones said in a statement about the charter. “This is

a great step toward raising the bar in the media community.” Founded in 1917, the 4A’s is the leading authority representing the marketing communications agency business, according to the group’s website, and “it serves 740 member agencies across 1,400 offices that control more than 85 percent of the total U.S. advertising spend.” In the statement about the charter, Kizart said that it was a privilege to work with the 4A’s executive leadership team and their Media Leadership

The First African American Pilo or Eas n Air lines Pilott ffor Eastter ern Airlines Let Les Morris get in the left seat for nine more years and he will have logged a half century of Flying, a rarity amongst African American pilots. Currently working on his 42nd year in the aviation business, Morris started out flying Piper Cub in 1954. Three years later he, like many others before and after him, Les joined the Air Force as an Air National Guard pilot.But, unlike other Black commercial airline pilots, Morris went to work with the Federal Aviation Administration first before becoming a commercial pilot. He first became an Air Traffic Controller and then a Radar Controller and Crew Instructor.He left the FAA in 1965 and was hired as the first African American pilot for Eastern Airlines in November of the same year. During his 26-year service to the “Wings of Man” as the air carrier’s slogan went, he flew various aircraft including the Lockheed 1049, DC-8. Boeing 727, L1011 and Boeing 757. Thirteen years after joining Eastern, he was named captain on a 727. Six months later he was approved as a Check Pilot by the FAA and became a Manager of Flying. Morris retired from Eastern in 1991 and became the Chief Pilot for the Pan Am Shuttle. Morns later signed on with Flight Safety Inc. as a flight instructor on the Falcon 900. He currently works part-time with a New York company flying the same model plane. Morris is a former President of the Negro Airmen International.

Council to develop the Fair Play Charter and work toward creating equal opportunity access and equal consideration for all media. “It’s an important step toward helping to create a level playing field in the trillion-dollar media landscape,” said Kizart. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, said that the NNPA welcomed the announcement about the charter and 4A’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the advertising industry. “We believe that this can be a game changer for increasing awareness about the importance of fairness and equity in how advertising agencies conduct business,” said Chavis. “African American media companies play a major role in raising public awareness not only on the issues that affect the African American community, but also on those companies and products that affect the quality of life of 47 million African Americans.” The NNPA is the oldest and largest trade group representing more than 200 African American-owned media companies that reach more than 20 million readers in print and online every week.

Sherman Kizart, the managing director at Kizart Media Partners, said that the Fair Play Charter is an important step toward helping to create a level playing field in the trillion-dollar media landscape. (Kizart Media Partners) Jones said that a collaboration between 4A’s and the NNPA could lead to any number of business opportunities and added that engagement between 4A members and African American owners of media companies could be a great thing. Chavis agreed. “The NNPA is looking forward to the engagement that will be a fulfillment of the commitment announced by the 4As in the ‘Fair Play Charter,’” Chavis said.

PAGE 10 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

BUSINESS

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UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

OFFICE: (954) 733-7700 ext. 111 CELL: (754) 234-4485 4360 W. Oakland Park Boulevard Lauderdale Lakes, Florida 33313 ken@acclaimcares.com

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Johnnie Smith, Jr Jr.. Enrolled Agent Tax Professional F ranchise T ax P rofessional *T ax P reparation *Accounting *P ayroll *Tax Preparation *Payroll 3007 W W.. Commercial Blvd., Suite 204 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Tel. (954) 730-2226 - Fax: (954) 730-2036 Cell (954) 303-5779 johnnie.smith@hrblock.com www .hrblock.com www.hrblock.com

STS TAX SERVICES INC. in association with

I DON'T FLIP-FLOP GREEN BOIL PEANUTS BAGS $3.00 PAPER AND SOFT SHELL PECANS $4.00 GET ALL YOUR NUTS FROM CALL FORD (954) 557-1203

The History of the Red School House

Freeman - R.L. Macon Funeral Home "AN INSTITUTION

WITH A

SOUL"

RICHARD L. MACON LICENSED FUNERAL DIRECTOR NOTARY OWNER 738 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD. POMPANO BEACH, FL 33060 (954) 946-5525

First it was a vision, next it was a conversation, then it became a plan and in 1968 with only 25 children, it became a reality.... That vision was to provide a safe, caring and learning environment for children while their parents were working. Through lots of hard work, patience, and perseverance, my mother, Mrs. Julia Shaw, opened the doors of The Red School House with only 25 students in September of 1968. Mrs. Shaw was employed as a Bus Driver for the School Board of Broward County. My father, Mr. Harvey Shaw, was employed as a Longshoreman for Port Everglades. At that time, they had 5 children and 2 of them were born in the house that now stands as a legacy. In 1966 they (Mr. & Mrs. Shaw) built their dream home (2140 N. W. 30th Way), and did not want to leave a vacant house vacant. So….she (Mrs. Shaw) wanted to give back to the community in which she lived for so long. Therefore, in 1968, The Red School became a reality, located on the corner of 4th Street and 12th Avenue.

The early years of Red School were built on the shoulders of her family. My grandmother, Mrs. Julia Killens, owned the land (and later sold the land to my parents) that the Red School currently exists on. Although the whole family worked at the school at one time or another, the school was mainly run by the women of my family: Mrs. Jewel Ryan (The first Director and Red School’s Curriculum Specialist), Mrs. Florie Styles, Ms. Deloris Shaw, Mrs. Marie Ross, Ms. Sarah Strong, Mrs. Josephine Dudley…to name a few. Many of our former employees (family & friends) are deceased. After the untimely death of my aunt in 1983, Mrs. Styles, I was asked by my mother to come home in 1984. During that time I was living in Chicago, IL. where I worked for Jet Magazine (Marketing) and Motorola Corporation (Accounting Dept.). My mother needed me to become the Director of Red School. In 1986 we were blessed to renovate the school, which previously oper(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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Family That Together, Together AF amily T hat Prays T ogether, Stays T ogether

Church Directory

This Worship T his and Every Sunday at the Church of Your Choice

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church 2211 N.W. 7th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33061 Church: (954) 583-9368 Email: bethelmbchurchfl@att.net

Reverend Jimmy L. English PASTOR WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship ............................................................. 8 a.m. & 11 a.m. Sunday School ........................................................................... 9:30 a.m. Wednesday (Prayer Service & Bible Study) ............................... 7:30 a.m. Saturday (Women Bible Study) ............................................................ 8 a.m. "Baptized Believers working together to do the will of God"

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Honor your loved ones in the Westside Gazette Newspaper Call -- (954) 525-1489

New Birth Baptist Church The Cathedral of Faith International Bishop Victor T. Curry, M.Min., D.Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher 2300 N.W. 135th Street Miami, Florida 33167

ORDER OF SERVICES Sunday Worship ........................................................ 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. Sunday School ....................................................................................................... 9:30 a.m. Tuesday (Bible Study) ......................................................................................... 6:45 p.m. Wednesday (Bible Study) ............................................................................... 10:45 a.m.

1-800-254-NBBC * (305) 685-3700 (o) *(305) 685-0705 (f) www.newbirthbaptistmiami.org

New Mount Olive Baptist Church 400 N.W. 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale 33311 (954) 463-5126 ● Fax: (954) 525-9454 CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 8:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, Senior Pastor WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY Sunday .................................................... 7:15 a.m. 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Sunday School ............................................................................ 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Noonday Service .................................. 12:00-12:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ............................................ 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................... 7:00 p.m. Where the kingdom of God is increased through Fellowship. Leadership, Ownership and Worship F.L.O.W. To Greatness!

E-MAIL:stanley.melek@flumc.org 2351 N.W. 26th Street Oakland Park, Florida 33311 Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520

SERVICES Sunday Worship ................................................. 7:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Sunday School .............................................................................. 9:00 a.m. Wednesday (Bible Study) ........................................... 11a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Williams Memorial CME “PRAYER IS THE ANSWER” 644-646 NW 13th Terrace Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 (954) 462-5711(Ministry Office Line) (954) 462-8222(Pastor’s Direct Line) Email: wm_cme@bellsouth.net (Church} pastorCal50@yahoo.com (Pastor)

Rev. Cal Hopkins. M.Div) Senior Pastor/Teacher

The WITNESS of “The WILL” Sunday Worship Experiences ................................................................ 7:45 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday School ................................................................................................................. 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Night Triumph {Prayer, Praise and Power} Prayer Meeting ................................................................................................................ 7:00 p.m. Bible Study ........................................................................................................................ 7:30 p.m. We STRIVE to PROVIDE Ministries that matter TODAY to Whole Body of Christ, not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”! “Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR! Come to the WILL ... We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ!”

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Keep Their Memory alive with a Guestbook on www.thewestsidegazette.com share pictures, stories, even videos. The perfect tribute for someone speical.

Obituaries Bell's Funeral Services PAYNE Funeral services for the late Deron Dante Payne – 29 were held Feb. 3 at Merrell United Methodist Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Fla.

James C. Boyd Funeral Home

SPICY Funeral services for the late Baby Girl K e ’ O r i a Dior Spicy – 16 days-old were held Feb. 310 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Dr. James Whorley officiating.

McWhite's Funeral Home FONTUS Funeral services for the late Carmele M. Fontus - 49 were held Feb. 10 at Worldwide Christian Center with Rev. Dr. O’Neal Dozier officiating Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Mount Calvary Baptist Church 800 N.W. 8th Avenue Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 Church Telephone: (954) 943-2422 Church Fax: (954) 943-2186 E-mail Address: Mtcalvarypompano@bellsouth.net

* In Memoriam * Happy Birthday Remembrance * Death Notice * Obituaires * Cards Of Thanks

JAMERSON Funeral services for the late Mother June Ella Jamerson – 67 were held Feb. 10 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Apostle Mishel Clair officiating. Interment: South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Fla.

Harris Chapel United Methodist Church Rev. Stanley Melek, M.Div

FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 9

Religion and the Struggle for Racial Justice: Black History Month

SUNDAY

New Member Orientation ........................... 9:30 a.m. Sunday School ................................................ 9:30 a.m. Worship Service ........................................ 11:00 a.m. WEDNESDAY Prayer Meeting ............................................... 6:00 p.m. Bible Study ..................................................... 7:00 p.m.

IRVIN Funeral services for the late Doris Ross-Irvin – 59 were held Feb. 10 at Right Way Ministries with Ambassador Angela Mathis officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

"Doing God's Business God's Way, With a Spirit of Excellence"

MERISSAINT Funeral services for the late Nelda Merissaint – 28 were held Feb. 10 at Victory Of Grace

Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church Rev Henry E. Green, Jr. PASTOR 401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Phone: (954) 463-6309 - FAX 954 522-4113 Office Hours: Tues. - Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Email: infor@mthermonftl.com

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1161 NW 29th Terr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33311 (954) 581-0455 ● Fax: (954) 581-4350 www.mtzionmbc1161.com

Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher WORSHIP SERVICES Worship Service ............................................................................................................ 10:15 a.m. Sunday School ................................................................................................................ 9:00 a.m. Communion Service (1st Sunday) ........................................................................... 10:15 a.m. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ........................................................................... 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................................................... 7:00 p.m. Saturday (2nd & 4th) Christian Growth & Orientation ................................... 8:30 a.m. But be doers of the Word - James 1:22 nkjv - “A Safe Haven, and you can get to Heaven from here”

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Oakland Park "The Miracle On 33rd Street" 420 N.E. 33rd Street Oakland Park, Florida 33334 Church: (954) 563-3060 Email: mtzion420@gmail.com

Rev. George A. Hardy, Pastor SERVICES Sunday Church School ................................................................... 8:45 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship ........................................................... 10:00 a.m. Tuesday Night (Family Prayer & Bible Study) ........................... 7:00 p.m. Wednesday (Prayer Conference Line) ................................................ 8:00 p.m. (Dail (786) 233-6715 - Acess Code 703513) Oakland Park CDC (Senior Activity Center) Daily ............10 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

MOSELY Funeral services for the late Ruby Mosely – 80 were held Feb. 10 at First Baptist Church Piney Grove with Rev. Dr. Derrick J. Hughes officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens. ORTIZ Funeral services for the late Robert J. Ortiz were held Feb. 8 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Fla. SAPP Funeral services for the late James Sapp were held Feb. 8 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel. VINES Funeral services for the late Johnny V. Vines, Sr. – 81 were held Feb. 7 ay McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Fla.

Roy Mizell & Kurtz Funeral Home PHILLIPS Funeral services for the late Steven Decarlos Phillips - 51 were held Feb. 10 at Roy Mizell & Kurtz Worship Center with Rev. James B. Darling, Jr. officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens-Central. WALDO Funeral services for the late Alice Waldo – 85 were held Feb. 10 at Restoring Grace Community Church with Dr. Jerome A Symonette officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens – Central. WILLIAMS Funeral services for the late Pauline T. Williams - 81 were held Feb. 10 at Roy Mizell & Kurtz Worship Center with Dr. James B. Darling Sr. officiating.

Reflections on Black History Month

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES Worship Service ................................................................................... 10 a.m. Church School ..................................................................................... 9:15 a.m. BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday ................................................................... 10 a.m. Gems & Jewels Ministry Senior Wednesday Wednesday (Bible Study) ............................................... 12 Noon & 7- 8 p.m. Daily Prayer Line ...................................................................................... 6 a.m. (712) 432-1500- Access Code296233#

Church with Pastor Jean Keda Maurancy officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens

Photo Credit: commons.wikipedia.org In the era of slavery, some voices used the Bible to justify the capture and sale of human beings, arguing that “God set different Orders and Degrees of Men in the World … some to be High and Honourable,…some to be born Slave, and so to remain during their lives.” But others, like former slave Harriet Jacobs, drew upon their religious faith in proclaiming this idea “a libel upon the heavenly Father, who ‘made of one blood all nations of men!’” In the era of segregation, some voices justified Jim Crow laws as the embodiment of God’s will, agreeing with a preacher who said, ”When God has drawn a line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line.” But countless others were inspired by their faith to join the Civil Rights Movement and pray, sing, march and demonstrate for racial unity. As Dr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. described it, their ultimate goal was reconciliation, redemption, and “the creation of the beloved community.” Today, we can still find people who use religion to defend the indefensible—but we can also still find those who are compelled by religious conviction to fight injustice and strive for “the beloved community.” In recent months we have seen people of faith assume leadership positions in the protests against police abuse that have taken place in Ferguson and other cities across the country. These leaders have been credited with preventing violence and providing opportunities for healing while reminding the nation that “Black Lives Matter.” This Black History Month teach your students about the role religious belief has played in America’s struggle for racial justice.

By Zaid Shakir Black History Month should be of interest to every Muslim, especially in America. It is estimated that upwards to 20 percent of the Africans enslaved in the Americas were Muslim. In some areas, such as the coast of the Carolinas, Georgia, and parts of Virginia, the percentages of Muslims in the slave population may have approached 40 percent. The fact that the search of a random African American, Alex Haley, for his roots led him to a Muslim village in West Africa is indicative of the widespread Muslim presence among the enslaved population here in the Americas. At this critical time in the history of our country, it is important for Muslims, whose

legitimate existence in this country is being challenged in some quarters, to connect to our American Muslim roots. As Muslims, our story in this country did not begin with the coming of Syrians, Lebanese, Albanians, or Yemenis at the turn of the 20th Century and later. It began with the lives of those courageous African Muslim slaves whose blood, sweat, and tears were instrumental in building this country. Their struggle is our struggle, and our struggle should be viewed as a continuation of theirs. In identifying with those African Muslims, we must not allow ourselves to forget that they were part of a greater community, a community (Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

PAGE 8 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRARY 21, 2018

Opinion

The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves the right to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers that may not necessarily reflect those of the Staff and Management of The Westside Gazette Newspaper and are solely the product of the responsible individual(s) who submits comments published in this newspaper.

It takes an activist

By Audrye S. Arbe I walk the Earth in the disguise of what’s been described as a petite white woman. This has afforded me the opportunity to hear what some other white people say, think, do. It’s been amazing to me to find so many people of this hue antagonistic to folks of Black, brown, beige, golden hue. The level of denial can be staggering. What I, as a young girl, I found fascinating and interesting, some others found scary. Why? From years back, some white people were conditioned to see themselves as the template for what’s human and good. What does that make anyone else? Hmmm. Did it matter whether these white populations were Christian, Jewish, Buddhist? Sometimes. Was there bigotry here? Yes, indeed. White people are not the arbiter of anything other than what any of them may feel, whether enlightened or stunted. The same is true of my Black-brown-beige family and friends. Do most people of any background truly probe their thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, genetic karmic patterning? Do most people want to tune into what’s actually going on inside them? Are we different? Yes. No. GREAT! Let’s learn from one another.

Radio Host Thinks Misbehavior same as Slavery Kevin Palmer Augusta, Georgia radio host, Austin Rhodes, is against renaming the John C. Calhoun expressway. During his February 7, 2018 radio show, Rhodes suggested John C. Calhoun, a slave owner and staunch defender of slavery, is no worse than James Brown because of his well publicized misbehavior. He concluded if the Calhoun expressway is renamed, then, the James Brown Boulevard and the James Brown Arena should be renamed. Therefore, Rhodes believes a crime against humanity which lasted over 300 years is equivalent to the

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misbehavior of a Black entertainer. Augusta Commissioner Bill Fennoy would disagree. The attitude of Bill Fennoy and Austin Rhodes can be understood by a Frederick Douglass quote. Douglass said, “I am one of those who thinks the best friend of a nation [or city] is he who most faithfully rebukes her for her sins – and he, her worst enemy, who, under the specious and popular garb of patriotism, seeks to excuse, palliate, and defend them.” On this issue, Augusta’s best friend is Fennoy who rebukes the city for the sin of naming an expressway to honor a defender of slavery while Rhodes seeks to defend and excuse the transgression. Clearly, Rhodes does not understand the adverse impact slavery had on Black people in America. Perhaps, he should embrace the words of historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke. In his work, Slave Trade and Slavery, he wrote, “In the United States, in the fight to destroy every element of culture of the slaves, the system was cruel. No other system did so much to

demean the personality of the slave or so ruthlessly sell family members away from each other.” Moreover, Dr. Clarke wrote, “Another neglected aspect of the African in the New World is the role of the African women. Few white women were brought to the New World during the first hundred years. Many families of the New World originated from cohabitation between white slave master and the African woman. Later this same slave master made and supported laws forbidding his own child to have an education.” As a slave owner, Calhoun tacitly approved of the molestation and mistreatment of female African slaves. Furthermore, Dr. Clarke wrote, “It has been estimated that during the African slave trade, Africa lost 60 to 100 million people. This was the greatest single crime ever committed against a people in world history.” Clearly, Austin Rhodes is on the wrong side.

‘The Chi’

that violence is a language in which they have to be fluent. Yet like children everywhere they laugh, make fun of the world and each other, go to school and dream of life being easier than it is. There are adult role models. A father who lived vicariously through the athletic accomplishments of his murdered son, mothers who work tirelessly to provide for their children; a teen father who is raising his son without help of the mother, while working and hustling on the side; men who find life bearable only if it can be viewed through the lens of eyes that are glassed over with a narcotic patina. Life for these men most times is a shadow. Still, there is a vibrancy in “The Chi” that is undeniable; there is a drumbeat underneath all that is being presented of hope and love. Multiply those conditions of drugs, violence, despair and diminishing life choices for children by a thousand because all over America, in cities north, south, east and west, we will find what we see in Chicago. We can find them in Fort Lauderdale, in Miami and in Palm Beach and in our cities things are getting worse. So how do we make things better for our children and ourselves? First of all, we stop looking for help from those who could help us because they’re not; next, we stop believing that because someone looks like us and is in a position to assist our children they will. Then we start demanding accountability from those we give our votes to. Voting is transactional and most times, we aren’t getting anything back. That thought falls in line with we need to get away from political labels and parties. We need to support those who will support us or we need to start a new political party. You think that cannot be done? They said the same thing about Tea Party and later about the Presidential candidacy of a man named Donald Trump.

By Pastor Rasheed Z. Baaith “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.” (Psalms 127:3) The greatest danger from the Trump Presidency and those he has chosen to help him put his vision of America in place is its ability to impact people is some many different ways. Including those who work for him. When Gen. Kelly came to the White House, he brought with him a sterling reputation. Known as a man who was hard but fair, he has, under the influence of the President, devolved into a vulgar, pretentious, untruthful individual who, like the President, has decided that truth is whatever he says it is. And he can now name call with the best of them. And while we watch the chaos in the White House, there are children in America who are on a road to destruction , and very few of them will be able to get off without the kind of help this government will never give. One of the places we can see these children and this road each week is on television. They appear in a searing, brilliant, painful program entitled “The Chi” on SHOWTIME. Here we watch African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Arab Americans children and young people try to navigate the dangerous waters of life on the south side of Chicago. Everywhere they turn from the moment they leave home and sometimes at home, they are surrounded by death, violence, guns and street kings, corrupt police, and street kings. They see unconcerned politicians, teachers dedicated but over whelmed; police who want to help them but cannot because no one trusts them enough to believe their concern is real. . There are children who curse as easily as they breathe. There are young girls who learn the power of their bodies before they become fully adolescent, young boys who are taught

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed. -- Booker T. Washington

‘Why the resistance to police body cams & dash cams’? By Glenn Again, Miramar’s “Management” team resists the request by its residents to install police dashcams and equip our officers with body cams. I have “friended/consulted” individuals of national prominence Chief Delrish Moss of Ferguson, Baltimore Councilman Brandon Scott, author/ activist Patrisse Khan-Collurs who has all been thrown into the national conversation of the need for police oversight and they all advocate for the necessity of these cameras on the body and in the car. A population of over 140,000 people that is majority Black/Caribbean residents with a very popular “scandalous” free Mayor who has successfully & positively propelled the city in to the national spotlight needs to get the cities’ police chief in line with the times for it is that police chief who says “We don’t need cameras, we don’t have those kind of problems here” is indicating time has passed the long time law enforcer by. Understandably some of our law enforcement officers will be offended at the demand for transparency and accountability & claim this is all about “us against them” -it’s not, but that’s why “they” pay their lobbyists the big bucks Now comes the latest argument/ spin from the “white” side posing now as “civil rights concerned caring activists (to cloud the issue) that the use of body cams by police officers will be an intrusion of the civil rights of the individual being videoed?? If only Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Eric Garner or Tamir Rice could speak. This is not a new topic for Miramar leaders. Four years ago, former Commissioner Alexandra Davis attempted to push body cams & dash cams through but was unable to get “management support”. Black History month seems to be the appropriate time to revisit this nationwide initiative locally to lobby our leaders to make it a priority to install police dashcams and equip our officers with body cams for everyone’s protection and safety. So again Ms. Davis, a resident and an activist, has taken to the streets & businesses with her pen and paper, seeking resident support this time in hopes that Miramar leaders encourage “management” to adapt to the changing times and abide by the communities wishes.

Black History Month a Sham By Kevin Palmer For many, Black History Month is nothing but tokenism, a sham, and a reminder of Black inferiority. From the time of slavery, to 1976 when President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, until the present day, Blacks in America have been at the bottom when it comes to net worth. According to a September 2017, FederalReserve.gov website article, Recent Trends in Wealth-Holding by Race and Ethnicity: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances, “In 2016 White families had the highest median net worth at $171,000 while Black families median net worth was $17,000. Hispanic families had a median net worth of $20,000.” Furthermore, the survey stated “all other groups have a lower net worth than whites, but higher net worth than Black families.” In America, this has been the trend since no other race has been enslaved, robbed, and mistreated for hundreds of years. For this reason, whites should acknowledge Black history is the story of how abusive treatment of Blacks contributed to their success and survival. Moreover, Whites should acknowledge Black history is the story of how free slave labor was the bridge over troubled waters which made it easier for Whites to survive, accumulate wealth, and achieve the American dream. Therefore, Black History Month should be a time for Blacks to receive reparations and for Whites to confess and apologize for their historical mistreatment of Blacks.

Rob Porter Working Gantt ReportA forThe Trump without Security Clearance By Roger Caldwell Vetting staff is not important to Trump, because he only cares about their loyalty to him. In fact, loyalty is not enough for Trump because one has to be willing to lie for his policies and his statements. Many of Trump’s personal appointees will call his disregard for laws, and bending the rules, stretching the truth, but many legal minds identify his actions as perjury and obstruction of justice. The fundamental problem with our president is that he refuses to read, and he prefers looking at Fox News and playing golf at his resorts. When the president of the United States doesn’t know what he’s talking about and refuses to educate himself, Americans should not be surprised that the White House is dysfunctional, and the members don’t have any idea what they are doing. Initially John Kelly, White House Chief of Staff, issued a statement at the beginning of last week that the administration was supportive of Rob Porter, after a news report broke detailing the domestic violence allegations he was accused of. But once photos were published in the Daily Mail, Kelly issued a contradictory statement taking a firm stance against domestic violence. On Wednesday of last week, White House senior aid, Rob Porter, announced his resignation. Many reporters believe that President Trump and many of his high level aide that Rob Porter could not get a security clearance because of domestic violence claims. His son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is also working without a permanent security clearance. Even though these two individuals are working without a permanent federal security clearance, the president can supply them with an interim-security clearance, but the question is raised: how long will they continue to wait for a security clearance? When the White House has been waiting over a year for a security clearance, there appears to be a problem in the applicant’s background investigation. According to Joe DePaolo of Mediaite, Rob Porter’s official title was White House staff secretary and assistant to the president for policy coordination. Multiple reports peg Porter as (Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Trump’s Parade Plan a Waste of Money Why President Donald Trump Really Wants a Parade Julianne Malveaux says that President Donald Trump is a show-off, a blowhard, and an Electoral College-selected buffoon. By Julianne Malveaux (NNPA Newswire Columnist) Now “45” wants a parade. He wants it in November, probably before the mid-term elections. Some see it as move to mobilize his base and stroke his own ego; others actually believe that he wants to celebrate and honor members of the military. It’s been reported that he wants the parade, because he saw a parade in Paris on Bastille Day. If he went to the zoo, would he want zebras and tigers roaming the lawn at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next? The last parade we had in Washington was in 1991, when we “won” the Gulf War. That parade cost $14 million ($21 million in today’s dollars), and drew 800,000 people. Given 45’s propensity for wanting the biggest and “the huuuugest,” he’d probably want to spend twice what George H.W. Bush spent in 1991. That $42 million represents less than a millionth of one percent of the nearly $500 billion federal budget increase that the Senate proposed in bipartisan legislation on February 7. I am among the many that will look askance at the possible cost of a parade. There are lots of things we could do with $42 million, like job creation, small Pell grant increases, or even more amenities for our armed forces. But in the scheme of things, some will argue that $42 mil(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 7

Local Events In The Community Publix is Proud to Support Community News WHERE SHOPPING IS A PLEASURE

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Brunch

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Walk

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Hidden Figures Block Party on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., celebrate Black History Month with an afternoon of music, games, bounce houses, arts/crafts, prizes, face painting, book giveaways, food and more! Experience urban line dancing with the Body and Soul Theatre dancers and enter free raffles with tickets to the new "Black Panther" movie and to the Museum of Discovery and Science. There will also be a Greek step show featuring the chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity from Nova Southeastern University.

ALMAH International, Inc., South FLORIDA Gospel & Jazz Brunch on Sunday, Feb 18 from 1 to 5 p.m., at First Baptist, 301 E. Broward Blvd.. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For additional info call (954) 641-2339 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Concert

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Free Black History Month Concert on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 4 to 5 p.m., at Ethel M. Gordon Oakland Park Library, 1298 N.E. 37 St., Oakland Pk., Fla.

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Awareness Day

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Join Councilwoman Lille Q. Odom, God’s Amazing Grace Outreach Ministries, the Florida Department of Health and Miami Dade County for National Black HIV/AIDs Awareness Day on Thursday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex, 3000 N.W. 199 St., Miami Gardens, Fla. Free and open to the public.

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The City of Miami Gardens and Vice Mayor Erhabor Ighnodaro present Black History Honors and Rites Of Passage on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m., at North Dade Regional Library, 2455 N.W. 183 St., Miami Gardens, Fla. For more info call (305) 622-8000 ext. 2708 or contact proper@miamigardens-fl.gov

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Pompano Beach CRA events: · Pompano Beach 2018 Tiger Trail Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Annie Gills Park, 601 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., Pompano Beach, Fla. · Sign up to become a Pompano Beach Neighborhood Ambassador to be in the know and learn how to become a VIP (Volunteer in Pompano). Kickoff Orientation for VIPs and participating businesses is at the Marriott Pompano Beach Resort and Spa on Wednesday Feb. 28. For more info email pompanointheknow@copbfl.com

Sistrunk Festival and Parade Applications for participation are now available at sistrunjkfestival.org The parade and festival will be held on the Sistrunk corridor on February 24th, 2018 from 9:00-8:00. Parade monitors are needed. If you are able to volunteer, please call (954) 779-4376. The 4th Annual Black Empowerment Summit will be at Dillard High School, 2501 Panther Lane, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For time and additional info call (754) 484-4229

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Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce Event · Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 9 to 10 a.m. – Maximize Your Membership/Orientation at MPPRCC, 9001-B Pembroke Rd., Pembroke Pines, Fla. Free and open the public. For additional info call (954) 432-9809. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Festival

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Celebrate Black History Month with City of Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert and County Commissioner Barbara Jordon at the Fifth Annual Black Heritage Festival on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 12 to 4 p.m., a Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex, 3000 N.W. 199 St., Miami Gardens, Fla. For info or to be a vendor call (305) 474-3011 and for sponsorship opportunities at call (305) 914-9070. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Class of 1971 meeting on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 4:30 p.m., at Black Firefighter Hall, 1612 Sistrunk Blvd., (NW Sixth St). Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (65th Birthday Committee should plan to arrive by 3:30 p.m. to review locations and dates for this event. For more info call Betty Davis at (954) 629-7907. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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The Annual Pastor Emeritus and Scholarship Day in memory of the late Rev. Dr. Moses E. Monroe, Sr. will be held on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 at 3 p.m. introducing of the Rev. Dr. M. E. Monroe, Sr. Scholarship Fund at Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, 2251 Rev. Dr. M. E. Monroe, Sr. St. (N.W. 22 St.), Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Celebration

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The Lake Park Harbor Marina will host its monthly Sunset Celebration on Friday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m., with Happy Hour until 6 p.m., at 105 Lake Shore Dr., Lake Park, Fla. For more info call (561) 840-0160 or visit www.lakeparkmarina.com

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Senior 1K “Walk 2 Wellness” on Thursday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Preserve Park, Town of Pembroke Park, 3150 S.W. 52 Ave., Pembroke Park, Fla. Community Event of the South Central/Southeast Focal Point Administered by the City of Miramar. For additional info call (954) 602-3145. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates a decade at Adrienne Arsht Center thru Feb. 22-25. Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. – Mass, Ella/members Don’t Get Weary/Revelations Friday, Feb. 23 at 11 a.m. – Stack-Up (excerpt) Revelations Friday, Feb. 23 at 8 a.m. – Stack-Up /Victoria/Revelations Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. – Family Matinee (followed by free post-performance Q&A with Ailey dancers) Mass, Ella/ Members Don’t Get Weary/Revelations Saturday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. – Stack-Up/ Shelter, The Hunt / Revelations Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. – Stack-Up/ Shelter, The Hunt/Revelations For cost and additional info contact Daisy Cabrera at (305) 868-1213. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Early Learning Coalition (ELC’s) of Miami-Dade/Monroe will honor Black History Month on Thursday, Feb. 22 at David Lawrence Jr., Community Meeting Room Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/ Monroe, 2555 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 500, Coral Gables, Fla. For time and additional info call (305) 646-72220 ext. 2265. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Deliver the Dream, special event to benefit Deliver the Dream’s 2018 Autism Retreat, a South Florida-based nonprofit organization that organizes retreats for families experiencing a serious illness of crisis, is turning-up the heat at its Seventh Annual Red Hot White Party on Friday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m., at FAT Village, 521 N.W. First Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more info contact Robyn Harper at (954) 5643512.

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." -- Marcus Garvey

TherapistKeachia M. Bowers-Smith,CEO of Movements for Change Thursday, Feb. 15 - Self-Sustainability People will be encouraged to start looking toward a different, brighter future. With over 45% of today’s labor industry projected to be gone in 20 years’ Black communities must begin to prepare for the things of the future, renewable energy, technology, and sustainable lifestyles. However, the most important element of self-sustainability is knowing how to heal, balance, and sustain ‘the self’. Our featured speaker, Keachia Bowers-Smith of Movements for Change LLC has traveled the world and carries a message of radical self-love. After her recent trip to Africa, her message of giving yourself permission and managing energy leeches is more informational than ever. The topics of self-sustainability will also cover mental health and trauma, nutrition, alternative medicine, and fitness. *************************************************** Author of Power Nomics Dr. Claud Anderson CEO of Harvest Institute Thursday, Feb. 22 - Self-Reliance Tackling small business development and support of Black business. Keynote speaker Dr. Claud Anderson, author of several books including PowerNomics (the title of which Lauryn Hill and Nas borrowed for their 2017 tour) will round out the summit by speaking on history and what needs to be done now! The focus areas are economics, media, and returning the control of local politics to the people.

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Programs

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West Regional Library Children’s Programs - Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10:30 a.m. – Computer Coding: Plantation Dojo: Free computer coding for children, meets every other Saturday sign-up using the following link http:// www.eventbrite.com/o/ plantationgojo for ages 8-18. - BookChat (High School) Book Club, for ages 14-18 or in High School, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call the Library for exact dates. For more info call (954) 765-1560. - Monday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. – Citizen: An Open Community Discussion at West Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Fla. Featured Panelists: Rasheed Baaith, Community Outreach Coordinator, Lauderhill Police Department; Gordon Weekes Chief Assistant Public Defender, Broward County; Jabrina Thompson, community organizer, motivational speaker, and President/Founder of Jabrina Speaks. -Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. – Gold Coast Jazz Society at West Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Fla. For more info call (954) 524-0805. - Friday, Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. – West Regional Book Club at West Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Fla. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Brunch

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The Miami-Dade Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals is proud to announce its Inaugural Black History Gospel Music Brunch, on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 9:30 a.m., at Bethel Apostolic Temple, 1855 N.W. 119 St., Miami, Fla. For donations and additional info call (786) 832-2362.

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Events

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Stephens Creates Black History Month Events · Thursday, Feb. 22 – MiamiDade County Small Business Development Division Vendor Outreach Event from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, at Florida Memorial University-Smith Conference Center, 15800 N.W. 42 Ave., Miami, Fla. For more info call (305) 375-3155. · Thursday, Feb. 22 – Black Affairs Advisory Board’s Annual Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Career Fair, from 1 to 7 p.m., at Florida Memorial University-Smith Conference Center, 15800 N.W. 42 Ave., Miami, Fla. For more info call (305) 375-4606. · Friday, Feb. 23 – Black History Month Closeout Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Northwest Second Ave. & N.W. Third St. to NW Sixth St. For more info call (305) 3754606. · Saturday, Feb. 24 – Macy’s & Miami-Dade Black Affairs Advisory Board Black History Month Celebration at 2 p.m., at Macy’s Aventura Store, 19535 Biscayne Blvd., Second Floor. For more info call (305) 3754606. · Sunday. Feb. 25 – South Dade Gospel Fest featuring “The Jones Family Singers” and the South Florida Ministers of Music at 5 p.m., at South MiamiDade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 S.W. 21 St., Cutler Bay, Fla. For ticket info call (786) 573-5300. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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The community is invited to attend a Black History Month function honoring heirs of Arthur & Polly Mays and Roby George, on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10:30 a.m., at New Bethel AME Church, 11695 S.W. 220 St., Goulds, Fla. For cost and additional info call (305) 254-3434. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Cotillion ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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Workshop

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Miami-Dade School Board Member Dr. Dorothy BendrossMindingall (D-2) 18th Annual No More Broken Hearts” Domestic Violence Workshop on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.., Charles R. Drew K8 Center, 1801 N.W. 60 St., Miami, Fla. For more individuals interested in attending the free community conference are encouraged to pre-register online at http:// District2.dadschools.net.

The Delta Eta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., hosts its annual Debutante Cotillion and Master's Ball on Saturday, March 24. All interested young ladies who are currently in 12th grade are encouraged to apply. Practices are held on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Inquire at www.zetadovecotillion@gmail.com or contact (954) 303-1051 or (754) 422-8084.

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. -- Maya Angelou

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A Proud Paper For A Proud People

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A Proud Paper For A Proud People Jan Ernst Matzeliger (Sept. 15, 1852 – Aug. 24, 1889) was a revolutionary in the shoe industry with the invention of the lasting machine. Matzeliger was born on a coffee plantation in Dutch Guiana, now Suriname. His father, Ernst Matzeliger, was a third generation Dutchman of German descent living in the Dutch Guiana capital city of Paramaribo. He owned and operated the Colonial Shipworks that had been in his family for three generations. His mother was a house slave of African descent; she lived on the plantation of which his father was the owner for a time. At the age of ten, Jan Matzeliger was apprenticed in the Colonial Ship Works in Paramaribo, where he demonstrated a natural aptitude for machinery and mechanics. He left Dutch Guiana at age 19, and worked as a mechanic on a Dutch East Indies merchant ship for several years before settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he first learned the shoe trade. By 1877, he spoke adequate English (Dutch was his native tongue) and moved to Massachusetts to pursue his interest in the shoe industry. After five years of work, Matzeliger obtained a patent for his invention in 1883. His machine could produce between 150 and 700 pairs of shoes a day, cutting shoe prices across the nation in half. He sacrificed his health working exhausting hours on his invention and not eating over long periods of time. He caught a cold which quickly developed into tuberculosis. His early death in Lynn, Massachusetts from tuberculosis meant he never saw the full profit of his invention. He died on August 24, 1889, three weeks shy of his 37th birthday. Jan Ernst Matzeliger’s invention was perhaps “the most important invention for New England.” His invention was “the greatest forward step in the shoe industry,” according to the church bulletin of The First Church of Christ (the same church that took him in as a member) as part of a commemoration held in 1967 in his honor. Yet, because of the color of his skin, he was not mentioned in the history books until recently.

GENDER AND HIV: MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE By Tamara E. Holmes A lot of headway has been made in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Yet gender based bias and its relationship to race and class can negatively affect the care that people receive. A Brown Bag Lunch Webinar hosted by the Black AIDS Institute in January 2018 shed light on the influence of some of these factors and provided strategies for combating them. There are a number of ways that gender identity can impact HIV prevention and care. For one, gender based bias can create an environment where the HIV epidemic can thrive. “If we let biases get in the way of our work, there can be pockets of populations and communities that never hear the information that we have,” said Marie-Fatima Hyacinthe, a mobilization coordinator for the Black AIDS Institute and leader of the webinar. In some cases, those who don’t fit into the traditional gender identities of male and female can be subject to further discrimination. In other cases, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategies can ignore

the experiences and needs of transgender individuals. For example, a lack of data about the transgender community leads to a lack of resources to help those individuals fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Gender can also play a role in the care that people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receive. For example, implicit biases or stereotypes related to gender can erode the trust between a patient and provider. Misconceptions about gender identity can also cause providers to provide inaccurate information and care to patients. The Intersection of Race and Class Gender doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Intersectionality refers to the experience of being affected by more than one social classification, such as race or gender, at the same time. In other words, one’s experience can be impacted by one’s gender as well as by other classifications, such as race and socioeconomic class, at the same time. In order for HIV prevention and treatment strategies to work, people who advocate for PLWHA must be aware of this intersectionality and listen to

FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 5

Matthew “Bud” Waters of Bud’s Shoe Repair Shop in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. where everyone gathered to eat roasted peanuts and to talk about last Sunday's sermon or the morning newspapers. Walters moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1939 from Aiken, South Carolina where he was born in 1918. He learned the business of shoe repair in Atlanta at a vocational school. He owned and operated his shop for 40 years on Northwest Seventh Avenue Even after Mr. Walters death in 1991, the shop still had his old shoe stitcher with the same horse hair brush his tins of polish and bottles of dye were still left inside on the wooden table. (Photo courtesy of the Walters family collection)

Florida Department of Health in Broward County

and honor the unique experiences that patients bring to the table. “HIV is an intersectional issue, so our programs have to be intersectional,” Hyacinthe said. The webinar provided four strategies for creating intersectional programs: Strategy 1: Practice cultural humility. “Cultural humility is about creating relationships with communities and clients that allow them to lead in their own care and in their own advo-

cacy,” said Hyacinthe. That means letting people tell you what is important to them and what they need in order to feel respected and valued. When organizations practice cultural humility, they create a welcoming environment for each individual who comes through their doors. Strategy 2: Empower clients and communities with information. (Read full on story at: www.thewestsidegazette.com)

By Bob LaMendola Walking is a great way to get the 150 minutes of moderate exercise we all need every week

for good health, but if you want to raise the bar, consider jogging. Yes, you can. (Cont'd on Page 17)

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A Proud Paper For A Proud People

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Proudly Serving The People of Florida's 20th Congressional District “During the month of February, we commemorate the incredible history of African American tradition and culture. There is no American history without African American history, and this month, we take time to reflect on the sacrifices of past generations. I am proud to continue this effort, and join with my colleagues in Congress and communities across the country in marking this month in the spirit of celebration and resolve. “Our hard-won achievements are always at risk. Indeed, over the past year, President Donald John Trump’s Administration has pursued dangerous policies, many of which disproportionately affect communities of color. From healthcare to employment, education, or housing, communities of color are still vastly underrepresented and systemically disadvantaged. This Black History Month, I pledge to continue to champion equality for all.” Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation. PAID BY HASTINGS FOR CONGRESS

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FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018 • PAGE 3

Black TTaxi axi Cab

BOARD A BOAT AND SHUTTLE -- There was no road to the new segregated beach; Black citizens had to board a boat and shuttle from the mainland across the Intracoastal Waterway to the isolated and undeveloped barrier island south of the Port Everglades inlet which is now called the Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson State Park. Some traveled by doom buggy, a trip that could take hours. (Photo courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society Gene Hyde Collection) Bennie Slater Thomas, Sr., (top photo) worked as a boat pilot on the Chattanooga River before moving to Fort Lauderdale in 1924 with his wife, Flossie Sweet Thomas (bottom). They own and operated the first Black taxi service and were members of Mount Hermon AME Church. The couple had five children. Their son, Bernie Jr., drew the first Black panther logo for Dillard High School‘s football team. Photo courtesy of the Old Dillard Museum.

Big Bertha, Dillard High Schools sole means of transportation for athletes and students. Teacher Cato Roach drove Big Bertha from Key West to Tallahassee, ferrying athletes to sporting events. (Photo courtesy of the Old Dillard Museum.)

“When I came here, Black people couldn’t go across the river road tracks after 8 p.m. People were not allowed out on the beach unless they had an ID card saying they worked on the beach. Black people were not allowed in restaurants and hotels. We had one bus station that all of the Black people had one little cubbyhole that they were crowded into to wait. When the bus came they would put all the Black people to the extreme back of the bus. And if you were sitting and a white person came, you had to get up.” —Eula Johnson

A model T Ford was used to ferry white children to Broward County schools. Black Students walked from Oakland Park to Dania to get to the Colored School in Fort Lauderdale. “There was a great deal of bussing for white students, but it was all walking for the Black children,“ Louis Benton recalled. “The white children would laugh and jeer at the Black children as they passed them on the roads walking to school“ (Photo courtesy of the Old Dillard Museum)

PAGE 2 • FEBRUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 21, 2018

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Women in transportation histor y – Kittie Knox African American cyclist history During the late 19th century, Katherine T. “Kittie” Knox was a transportation pioneer who bravely confronted the era’s gender and racial barriers. Knox, who was born in 1874 to a white mother and African American father, earned a living as a seamstress but found her passion in bicycling. Knox became a member of the Riverside Cycling Club, one of the first groups of its kind for African Africans, in her hometown of Boston. She established herself as an accomplished bi-

cyclist, participating in a number of races and often finishing ahead of many of her male competitors. Knox’s reputation went well beyond her native Massachusetts. An 1893 article in the Indiana based African American newspaper Indianapolis Freemen, for example, reported on her “graceful” cycling during an event on Martha’s Vineyard. It was during the same year that Knox, very much involved and invested in the bicycling craze of the time, joined the overwhelmingly male

League of American Wheelmen (LAW). Knox also gained attention in other unconventional ways while riding a bicycle. Among other things, she insisted on using a bicycle marketed for men only. In addition, she pedaled around wearing baggy trousers of her own design instead of the long skirts that women were expected to wear for this means of transportation. In 1894, a key threat to Knox’s standing in the bicycling community took place when

Carmen TTurner urner oman to run urner,, First African American W Woman a TTransit ransit Agency 1983, Carmen E. Turner made history as the first African American woman to lead a transit agency when she became general manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Her appointment to this position also reflected the overall strides being made by women at the time when it came to assuming key leadership roles in U.S. transportation. Turner was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, but grew up in the nation’s capital. She began her government career in administrative support positions for various federal agencies. In 1974, she started working for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Urban Mass Transportation Administration (the present-day Federal Transit Administration). Turner worked as a civil rights officer at UMTA until 1976, when U.S. Transportation Secretary William T. Coleman named her acting director of USDOT’s Office of Civil Rights. The following year, Turner left USDOT to work at WMATA as its chief of administration. With her promotion to general manager six years later, she found herself running one of the nation’s largest transit sy-

stems. Turner earned widespread praise for her management of WMATA during a crucial time for the relatively young agency. Her accomplishments included overseeing a 40 percent expansion of the agency’s Metrorail service from 42 miles and 47 stations to 73 miles and 63 stations. Daily ridership likewise mushroomed in size. In 1988, the American Public Transit Association (now the American Public Transportation Association) officially recognized WMATA as the nation’s best rail and bus transit system. APTA named Turner as transit manager of the year in 1989.

Another highlight of Turner’s tenure as general manager took place in 1990 when Congress authorized $1.3 billion to complete all 103 miles of the planned Metrorail service. In what she called a “heartwrenching” decision, Turner left WMATA at the end of the year to become undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution. “Metro’s been my baby,” she said. “It has a good, solid work force.” Turner died of cancer at the age of 61 in 1992. WMATA’s maintenance and training facility in Hyattsville, Maryland, was named after Turner in 2003 in recognition of her contributions while leading the agency.

LAW barred African Americans from belonging to the organization. Knox, rather than passively accepting this newly imposed restriction; decided to challenge it head-on at LAW’s 1895 annual meeting in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Knox showed up at the event and, after being told to leave, presented certification con-

firming that she had joined LAW prior to the implementation of the whites-only policy. While a number of attendees came to Knox’s defense, many others expressed strong objections to her presence, and ultimately she was expelled from the meeting. While unable to change LAW’s discriminatory treat-

ment against her and other African American bicyclists, Knox at least was able to generate a public debate over the segregationist policy. She died of kidney disease in 1900, leaving a substantial legacy as not just a skillful bicyclist but also someone who shed needed light on the obstacles facing African Americans and women.

African American Transportation Willa Brown In 1937, Willa Brown became the first African American woman to earn an airplane pilot’s license in the United States. (Bessie Coleman, who had become the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1921, had to go to France to train for and obtain her license.) Brown, who was born in Kentucky in 1906, was also an aviation pioneer in several other key respects. She first worked as a high school teacher in Gary, Indiana, and then a social worker in Chicago, Illinois, before deciding to expand her horizons even further and pursue a career in flight. In 1934, Brown began taking flying lessons at one of Chicago’s racially segregated airports. One of her flight instructors was Cornelius Coffey. In 1939 – two years after she earned her history-making private pilot’s license – Brown married Coffey. Both of them subsequently established the Cornelius Coffey School of Aeronautics. The school, which was based in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, trained African American pilots and aviation mechanics. It was the nation’s first flight school to be owned and operated by African Americans. Brown also strongly pushed for the integration of African Americans into both the Civilian Pilot Training Program, an effort sponsored by the U.S. government to increase the number of civilian pilots for national emergencies, and the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1941, Brown was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Civil Air Patrol; this made her the first African American officer to serve in this group. During World War II, a number of the men who had trained under Brown at the Coffey School became members of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen – African American aviators who distinguished themselves by their skill and bravery in battle. It was also during the war that Brown became the first African American woman to earn her commercial pilot’s license. In the decades after the war, Brown continued to promote racial integration. She also served on the Women’s Advisory Board of the Federal Aviation Administration. Brown died in Chicago in 1992 at the age of 86.

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