FL A S H THE BLUE & WHITE
The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi
www.thejsuflash.com
INSIDE
Vol. 79 / No. 16 OPINION
Black Wall Street page 3
NEWS
Hometown Hero page 4
February 21, 2019
VA R I E T Y
Gucci Blackface backlash page 6
S P O RT S
Tigers fall to Prairie View page 8
File Photo
Original photo of Ayer Hall.
Ayer Hall exhibits providing black history year round
Cianna Reeves Managing Editor
It is a brown-bricked building oftentimes overlooked as students trod to their destinations. It serves as the oldest site on the campus of Jackson State University. Does that ring a bell? Constructed in 1903, as JSU’s first structure on campus after relocating from Natchez, Miss., Ayer Hall was created as the center for student engagement, a residence hall for women, and lecture classrooms. Named after JSU’s first president, Charles Ayer, Ayer Hall is a facility that has undergone renovation three times. In 1930, a fire destroyed the fourth floor and it remained a three-story building until 2004 when it was fully restored. This alteration would soon become an exhibit and archive site that highlights African-American culture and history. Today, Ayer Hall functions as a prestigious site housing the Margaret Walker Center, named after Margaret Walker Alexander, a trailblazing JSU professor, writer and poet that
received notable recognition for her highly acclaimed novel “Jubilee” (1966) and poem “For My People” (1937). Walker’s passion for writing was inspired by her parents whom she inherited a strong sense of family and her desire to learn, write and educate. This foundation caused her to pursue a literary arts degree at JSU and eventually, she decided to jumpstart a new generation—her family. Founded as the Institute for Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People in 1968 by Walker, the Center was established to honor her artistic and academic legacy through expanding and promoting her works, interpreting African-American history and culture, coordinating public programs on campus and within the community, and preserving historic structures. Along with the array of exhibits regarding the prolific life of Walker, the Center also honors former JSU interim president Rod Paige, who was appointed by President George W. Bush as the 7th United States Secretary of Education. Located on the third floor,
the former politician’s gallery is filled with a brief timeline of his life as a college student and his career. Prestigious accolades rest in a clear concealed glass chest, framed photographs of children he taught nailed on the wall, a distinguished image of Bush signing the No Child Left Behind Act into effect, and a chair that reads “U.S. Secretary of Education”. This chair was given as a prize possession to the university years after collaborating with Bush and implementing the notable act that shifted the culture of education. The No Child Left Behind Act focused on education reform and transformed how teachers and students receive adequate schooling across all states. Four pillars were implemented within the bill: accountability, flexibility, research-based education and parent options. The law was a force initiated by Paige and continues to be abided today. The floor also holds an African Art Collections collected by travelers who donated wooden art for the Study of the African-American Experience at JSU and eventually
donated more pieces that reflected the culture from nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, South Africa and more. On the fourth floor awaits the first residential hallway that housed young women attending the university. Resembling an outdated living space, this attraction reflected the times of the early 1940s. Bunk beds stationed along the wall in knitted comforter sets, a traditional style desk and lamp planted adjacent from the beds and an air conditioning unit nailed below the window were all materials inside the room to demonstrate the conventional living to current students. A gift shop, art pieces by JSU alum and short summaries of Walker’s life are located on the second level, while the old student center is now turned into an office space. While this museum may sound fascinating with its historical elements and paintings, Archivist Angela Stewart said it is missing its greatest addition—the students. Stewart blames the disinterest of history on social me-
YES, WE’RE SOCIAL!
dia and the lack of attention parents place on the subject matter. “A lot of people are learning from distorted and misleading information from media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat. There is a lot of competition out there grasping the notice of students—and sadly not just college students,” said Stewart. She continued, “I have realized that if students aren’t exposed to it, then they don’t even know that they are missing it. Oftentimes, I believe parents preempt the idea that history is boring by not exposing their kids and we have to do a better job at that.” In order to shift the misconception that learning history is not fun, the expert archivist said it starts with one’s mentality. “[People] make education sound like it’s no fun because it’s a duty or an obligation. No, it is supposed to be fun. Learning should be exciting,” chuckled Stewart. The Margaret Walker Center is open every week day @8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Make sure to visit to learn more about black history.
@JSU_StudentPub
Tiger Events
Page 2 - February 21, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
The Blue & White Flash Jackson State University
P.O. Box 18449 Jackson, Mississippi 39217 Phone: 601.979.2167 / Fax: 601.979.2876 E-Mail: theflash@jsums.edu
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The Blue & White Flash Staff SHANNON D. TATUM Publications Manager CLEMENT GIBSON Editor- in-Chief DEJA DAVIS Managing Editor
CIANNA REEVES Managing Editor
DARRIUS BARRON Sports Editor
KALIN NORMAN Photography Editor
Wakil Atig Zahriah Balentine Kambui Bomani Halle Coleman Anyaah Copeland Nicholas Fisher Joseph Gordon
K’Shatriyah Humphrey Zipporah Jones Christopher Lane Ivory Lowe Luis Montgomery Sunshine Noel Landrie Tchakoua
Letters To The Editor
Letters to the editor are welcome. Editors reserve the right to print or reject for publication any letters received. Letters must include the author’s name(s), address, and phone number; phone number will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for space and libel consideration. Materials must be submitted by Monday at 5 p.m. for publication on Thursday.
Editorial Staff
The Blue & White Flash is open to contributions from all Jackson State University students. We encourage all students, regardless of major and/or classification, to participate in the production of their newspaper. For information concerning your contribution to “The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University,” call 601-979-2167 or visit room 211 in the Blackburn Language Arts Building.
Publication/Distribution Information
The Blue & White Flash is a weekly newspaper written and edited by the students with the counsel of the adviser. Editorials and letters to the editor represent the views of the writer(s). Views expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty/staff, the administration, the student body, or the Board of Trustees. The editors determine the time of the publication and the ethical qualities of all articles. Articles and other materials in The Flash cannot be republished without the expressed written permissions of the editor, adviser and the Student Publications Board at Jackson State University. The Flash is published during the fall and spring semesters, but not during university-recognized holidays, mid-semester and final examinations. The Flash is distributed at various locations around the Jackson State University campus, free of charge to students, staff and faculty. Additional copies may be obtained from the Office of Student Publications.
Awards & Honors The Blue & White Flash has received numerous awards and honors from the Mississippi Press Association, Black College Communications Association and the Southern Regional Press Institute. The Flash proudly hosted the 2003 and 2010 HBCU Newspaper Conference and Job Fair at Jackson State University.
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Opinion
Page 3 - February 21, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
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Black Wall Street showed us that black businesses can prosper COMMENTARY
Clement Gibson Editor-in-Chief
A wise man once told me, “One cannot know where they are going if they do not know where they are from.” So, in order to know what to do in the future, you have to know about your past. Tulsa, Okla., 1921. Thirtyfive city blocks filled with black owned banks, pharmacies, doctor’s office, movie theaters
and all kinds of businesses. This was black wall street, and it was thriving. Segregation in full effect, yet black people were making good money. Most importantly, it was on their own. After an altercation with Dick Rowland and Sarah Paige, whites flooded black wall street killing over 300 people and burning down the economy African-Americans worked so hard to build. Prior to black wall street, African-Americans were occupationally segregated. Those who ran the country saw Jim Crowism as a “Southern Negro problem.” The government gave the sign and seal of approval to the segregated south. It was not law, but was an unwritten rule that blacks did not supervise whites, or work on the same lines and places with whites. A portion of the population to which they were restricted was so poor, AfricanAmerican entrepreneurs and professionals in the Jim Crow era could expect little financial gain or profits. This created an atmosphere
in which most AfricanAmericans lacked confidence in the professions of their own race. Although the south still needed African-American teachers, preachers and businessmen to survive for their educational, spiritual and material needs for their race. The economic system and inequality in the south, became too much to bare and forced many to migrate to the north to create a better life. Tulsa, Okla. was still segregated, but gave AfricanAmericans enough freedom to create their own society. Much like the hospitals, funeral homes, cemeteries and housing that AfricanAmericans once hoped would reflect the new economic state and the black banks started in Vicksburg, Mount Bayou, Jackson, Natchez and throughout the south, their goal was to provide for the needs of the community Sayings like, “White ice is colder” was common, but not true. White ice is not colder; distributors were to blame for inferior products in black stores.
Part of the problem with blacks was not patronizing black businesses. It was the simple fact that distributors or suppliers brought their more inferior products to a black grocery store. So, in reality, the greens at the white store was greener than the ones at the black store thanks to the whites in charge of delivery and distribution. Same applies to the doctors and the kind of health care they provided. Their office spaces were much smaller. They could not afford to pay their nurses that much, so they did not get the assistance and professional help they needed; resulting in the care not being that good. Even with law, the black lawyer might be as good, but the white lawyer is friends with the judge, so you don’t get the same quality of justice as you should if you were a black lawyer. And you have to take less money to represent a black client, but work twice is hard because you’re black as well. Black businesses and professionals were working
at odds against the system. So, the service was of a lesser quality, but it was not due to any inability. Instead, the way the system was setup. This way blacks would not succeed as whites in similar categories or fields. I say all of this to explain the importance of supporting black businesses. We’ve come a long way on our quest to getting back to where we once were on black wall street. As we continue this quest, do not forget all what our people have gone through to get here. Do not forget the fact that every insurance claim from the Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa was denied after the city was burned down. Do not forget the unpaid financial claims that surpassed $2.76 million dollars. Do not forget that we did bounce back, but most of all, do not forget to support black owned businesses. We need us. The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.
“Do you think it is important to support black businesses? Why or Why not?” Compiled by Ke’Aria Frelix
Denia K. Webb, Senior Accounting Chicago, Ill.
Savannah Washington Junior Communicative Disorders Raymond, Miss.
De’Michael McGriggs Freshman Music Education Jackson, Miss.
Paige Harris Freshman Political Science Chicago, Ill.
“Yes, it is important to support black businesses because it’s good to invest in our culture. Also, it’s good to see us win and be successful.”
“I believe it is important to support black business because there is value in generating wealth within and for our community.
Clevin Hill, Freshman Meteorology Jackson, Tenn.
“Yes, it is important to support black businesses because If we don’t support ourselves, who else will?”
“Yes, I think that we should support black businesses. We don’t support our own as much as we support others.”
“Yes, I do believe we should support black businesses because that can help us in the future as black people. We can support each other and hopefully have better things in life than what we do now.”
Jakira Smith Freshman Biology Pre-Physical Therapy Natchez, Miss. “Yes, I think we should support businesses because not too many black businesses get enough of recognition like any other businesses and it’s like our brothers and sisters. So, we should.”
Jessica Verdell Senior Biology Columbus, Miss.
Raven Williams Junior Social Work Greenville, Miss.
Coryona Greer, Sophomore Biology Pre-medicine Kosciusko, Miss.
Brandon N. Franklin Sophomore Therapeutic Rec. Shreveport, La.
Shamar Almon, Sophomore Computer Science Chicago, Ill.
Kenneth Allen Junior Computer engineer Atlanta, Ga.
“I think we should support local black businesses because in order for us to grow as a people we have to help our people get there so that’s all a part of the growth process.”
“Instead of supporting people who don’t care or want us to wear their clothes, we should support someone who understands what we go through and understands who we are.”
“Yes, because I feel like black businesses are the future and that’s it.”
“Yes, because just like major businesses we know today, small local businesses have to start somewhere. We should all be supportive of the steady growth of our culture. There’s nothing like supporting your own.”
“Yes, it is actually good to support black businesses because it shows that we can do anything without any hesitation and that we can become successful at any moment.”
“We live in a time and community that wants to keep our people on the oppressed side of things. The only way to change that is to place our trust and support in our own people.”
News
Page 4 - February 21, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
JSU alum Seamel Mims helps youth achieve full potential
Darrius Barron Sports Editor
The African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” says very little, but carries so much meaning. In this face paced society, it may seem as if good people are hard to come by or just downright nonexistent. But Seamel Mims is dispelling that belief. Mims is alumnus of Jackson State University and a Jacksonian who has taken the extra step to help his community by serving as mentor and basketball coach for disadvantaged youth in Jackson. Mims is leading by example and providing a positive male role model for the group of boys he mentors. In 2006, during his freshman year at Jackson State, Mims crafted the idea of a male mentoring program called Changing Lives And Invigorating Minds that would later be known as C.L.A.I.M mentoring. Mims allowed his love for the institution to influence the title of his mentoring program. “As you can see, that’s part of Jackson State as well. I loved the school so much that I took part of the slogan and just put it into my own words,” said Mims. With the Jackson State motto at that time being “Challenging minds, Changing Lives,” it is apparent that the school’s faculty
and staff impacted Mims in a way that inspired him to live up to the standards of the university. The moment that Mims decided to build that metaphorical village in Jackson is the moment he became a hometown hero. Mims is devoted to being the change he would like to see in the world. Through his mentoring, he has showed his group of boys what it is to be productive citizens, and has made it a goal for all of them to graduate from college. “What we want to make sure, first and foremost, that they are productive citizens. So, all of our boys are going to go to college, and all of our boys are going to graduate from college because we are bringing in mentors that are either college grads, or looking to go back to college,” said Mims. In an effort to raise awareness to the sacrifices of veterans, Mims led his group of mentees to different nursing homes so that they could sit and talk to veterans. The trip not only raised awareness, but also gave the group of children an opportunity to thank the veterans for their service and sacrifices. Mims also led a community project with his mentees to clean up and rehabilitate an area in Jackson known as Country Club Place, located near Capitol street. Mims rented equipment to turn the area which had grown wild with weeds and trash into a landscape suitable
Coach Seamel Sims coaching the Youngstarz to a tournament win.
to start a garden. Another branch of CLAIM mentoring that Mims has made quite successful is the Young Starz basketball team. Because basketball is an outlet that several young men gravitate to, Mims uses the sport as a way for the boys to have fun, to teach discipline, and as an aid for them to learn brotherhood. The boys in his program give Mims credit for helping them with various parts of their basketball technique. Taylor Milton, the 10-yearold small forward for the Young
Starz says that his favorite part of the game is playing defense and shooting. Milton also says that Mims is helping him prepare for a future in the NBA. “Coach Mims is helping me get better so that I can play for the Chicago Bulls, and get my education,” said Milton. Some of the boys are looking to take the place of the players they love today, and to continue the legacy of their favorite team. Maddox Singletary, the nineyear-old point guard for the Young Starz has plans to succeed Stephen Curry as the Golden State War-
Photo by: Darrius Barron
riors’ star point guard. “I want to be an NBA All Star. I would like to play for the Warriors because Stephen Curry plays for them,” said Singletary. After witnessing first-hand how tough growing up in Jackson can be, Mims decided not to add to the problem, but to be part of the solution. Seamel Mims, coach and mentor, is a prominent example of a hometown hero that The Blue & White Flash honors in this FlashBlack spotlight. Not all heroes wear capes, and no good deed goes unnoticed.
The Blue & White Flash recognizes little known black history figures
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Compiled by Cianna Hope Reeves
Do you know him? Born in Chicago, he was raised in Seattle’s Central District.
Activist and organizer Aaron Dixon found himself on the front lines just over 50 years ago when he was named Captain of the first Black Panther Party branch in California after the assassination of Bobby
Hutton. Growing up, his parents instilled in him and his brother the importance of fighting for social justice. As a college student he formed Black Student Union, and the Seattle Chapter of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) along with his friends. Later, he spent four years as captain and was promoted to party national headquarters in Oakland. After years of advocating for the rights of blacks, Dixon published a memoir of his life entitled “My People Are Rising: Memoirs Of A Black Panther Party Captain” (2012) which shared details of his time with the Black Panthers. http://depts.washington.edu/ civilr/aaron_dixon.htm Do you know her? Born on Dec. 12, 1903 in Norfolk, Va. and raised in Littleton, N.C, her childhood was filled with social justice movements. Ella Baker attended Shaw University, graduating as its valedictorian in 1927 before moving to New York. While at Shaw, Baker challenged school policies which served as a precursor for the rest of her life and career. Baker worked for over five decades as a civil rights activist and organizer, inspiring and guiding emerging leaders. Labeled as one of the most important women figures of the Civil
Rights Movement, Baker was a brilliant influential speaker and sparked change. https://ellabakercenter.org/ about/who-was-ella-baker Do you know him? The late Charles “Chuck” Harrison is one of the most important industrial designers of his time, and items that he’s either invented or designed have been impacting lives for over 60 years. Charles Harrison Jr. was born Sept. 23, 1931 in Shreveport, La. Harrison worked for Sears for 32 years, designing hundreds of items including sewing machines, toasters, lawn mowers and several household items. According to reports, he is also the first black executive for Sears. Harrison retired in 1993 but went on to teach part-time at several universities across Chicago. https://www.britannica.com/ biography/Charles-Harrison Do you know her? Dr. Olivia J. Hooker, who saw 103 years of age, made military history. She became the first AfricanAmerican woman to join the United States Coast Guard after being rejected by the United States Navy. Hooker was born Feb. 12, 1915 in Muskogee, Okla. At the age of six, Hooker witnessed the Ku Klux Klan ransack her home during the violent
Tulsa Massacre of Black Wall Street and was one of the few, if not the only, survivors of that moment in history. The family relocated to Columbus, Ohio, and Hooker graduated from Ohio State University in 1937. The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. woman attempted to enter the Navy and was denied due to her race. She was eventually allowed to join the Navy after contesting the denial, but Hooker elected to join the Coast Guard instead in February of 1945. Hooker was part of the SPAR (Semper Paratus Always Ready) division, a section of the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve. This unit was eventually disbanded in 1946. The following year, Hooker obtained her master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University and worked with women in an upstate New York prison. In 1961, Hooker earned her Ph.D. from the University of Rochester and in 1963, she joined the faculty of Fordham University, teaching until 1985. She retired two years later, and at the age of 95, she joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the civilian reserve of the branch. Hooker passed of natural causes on Nov. 21, 2018 at her White Plains, N.Y. home,” according to blackamericaweb.com h t t p s : / / b l a c k d o c t o r. org/512294/dr-olivia-j-hookerlast-survivor-of-black-wall-street/
Obama’s First in the World program recruiting student scholars Clement Gibson
Editor-in-Chief
Sophomores at Jackson State are eligible to join First in the World (FITW) every Wednesday at 4 p.m. in John A. Peoples, room 204. The purpose of the program is to find solutions and evidence for what works in post-secondary education. FITW is looking for JSU sophomores from all academic majors to participate in the last year of the program. Students will be a part of a multidisciplinary team project that includes faculty and staff for the academic school year. Teams will be solving realworld problems while competing and preparing posters to present at research conferences and seminars. Community service hours, awards and recognition as a First in the World scholar is available to all sophomores who apply. Sophomores in good standing with a 2.0 or higher GPA are eligible to apply online at, “www. jsums.edu/fitwp.” The program focuses on sophomores because most student begin to figure out
college, life, interests, dislikes and more after their first year. This allows the second-year students to work with faculty, staff and colleagues for a year before interning and beginning to prepare for life after graduation. Charity Greenfield, a senior computer engineering major from Jackson, Miss., was a part of the program as a sophomore. She spoke about what she learned and credits Mrs. Constance Martin for playing an important role in her experience with FITW. “I learned information across various topics pertaining to financial management, biological sciences, health and wellness and much more…Mrs. Martin played a significant role in my success in the program because she would always remind me about the sessions and she was always very supportive,” said Greenfield. Although sophomores across all academic majors are welcome to apply, the former FITW scholar urges STEM students to be a part of the program. She continued, “I would recommend this program to all sophomore STEM students because it allows them to get acquainted with a range of subjects that may not be taught
From left to right: Pablo Williams Information and Data Manager, Constance Martin Program Coordinator, Dr. Paul Tchounwou CSET Associate Dean and Program Director, Kyle Young MDT student from Spring 2018 and Dr. Wilbur Walters, Interim Dean, CSET.
to them on an extensive level and promotes collaborative skills amongst students. It also provides incentives such as food every session.” Assistant professor Deidre L. Wheaton, Ph.D., leads the campus meetings along with assistant professor, Frances C. Dancer, Ph.D., and associate professor, Jacqueline Jackson, Ph.D. “First in the World offers a chance to investigate a very real social problem— food deserts, food insecurity, and the
resulting health challenges that emerge because of limited and inequitable access to health food options,” said Wheaton. It was former President, Barack Obama and the Obama Administration’s agenda to support FITW to increase postsecondary access and completion. According to “Ed.gov,” nearly 500 applications across 17 states, 19 public, private and nonprofit 4-year institutions and five public and private two-year institutions were submitted for
the FITW grant competition. The U.S. Department of Education awarded $75 million in grants to 24 minority-serving colleges and Universities in 2014. Of those 24 colleges, JSU was selected and received funds for the program over the last five years— now in the final year. For more information, contact program coordinator, Constance Martin— constance.n.martin@ jsums.edu, or information and data manager, Pablo F. Williams— pablo.williams@jsums.edu.
The Blue & White Flash
Page 5 - February 21, 2019
Prism Concert
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Photos 1-9 Kalin Norman
1-9) Jackson State University’s Department of Music holds third anmual Prism Concert.
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Variety
Page 6 - February 21, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
Top movies to watch during Black History Month Sunshine Noel
Staff Writer
In honor of Black History Month and in celebration of history, creativity and excellence, some movies deserve special recognition during this special month. So hit the couch with some of your favorite people, or alone if you prefer and tune in to some of these oldies that are goodies. Keep in mind, these are in no particular order. All of these movies are equally worth seeing. Hidden Figures The movie tells the story of three African-American women who played crucial roles in NASA’s space race during the 1960’s. Yes, you read that right. NASA, in the 1960’s! A time where both the rights of black people and women were not completely equal. The main characters include Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae. I encourage everyone to see this. Malcolm X This movie tells the story of the legendary black activist and leader and how his life led up to him becoming a strong center of self-determination and racial pride for African-American communities. Denzel Washington plays the role of Malcolm X, so you know it’s worth seeing!
Selma This powerful picture is about the fight against racial inequality for African-Americans in the south, even after laws were passed to desegregate. Although legally the south had been desegregated, it didn’t stop discrimination and people making it harder for AfricanAmericans to register to vote. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., hundreds marched from Selma, Ala. to Montgomery, Ala. hoping for a change. This movie chronicles this hard, dangerous journey. Fruitvale Station Based on the true story of a man who once made mistakes but got onto a path of trying to do the right thing, Michael B. Jordan takes on the role of Oscar Grant. The movie is graphic and hard to see for some but is the harsh reality of the society we live in. Grant, after spending the day with his family and friends watching fireworks on New Year’s Eve, is swept into an altercation with police on his way home that ultimately ends in tragedy. 12 Years a Slave A powerful story about Solomon Northup, a free African-American man from upstate New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery for 12 years in the south. The story was created from the memoirs of Solomon Northup himself.
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Get Out This thriller makes the list of must-see movies during Black History Month for its creative way of expressing a serious message. Directed by Jordan Peele, it tells the story of a black man dating a white woman and them choosing to take things a step further. When the main character, Chris is introduced to his girlfriend Rose’s family, he first reads their over-accommodating behavior as them just trying to make a good impression. He soon finds out, there is a lot more going on than what meets the eye.
13th This movie si for the documentary lovers out there. It explores how slavery has still been systematically placed into everyday life through prison systems and focuses on how prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans in the United States. Directed by Ava DuVernay, you can find “13th” on Netflix. The Color of Friendship If you are looking for a movie that is kid-friendly, but also powerful, this movie is one of many.
It tells the story of a South African girl, Mahree Bok, who comes from a wealthy family— and also, happens to be white, coming to America to study abroad. When she arrives at her expected family’s house, it is a shock to all of them. Piper Dellums, a young black girl excited about meeting someone from the motherland does not know how to deal with the shock in the beginning. Both girls go through the experience of eliminating the assumptions they may have had about each other’s culture, and ultimately become great friends.
Gucci blackface fashion causes uproar and boyc o t t s Deja Davis
Managing Editor The controversy over Gucci’s wool sweater that resembles blackface has made a huge uproar on social media for the past week. The $890 balaclava jumper, which is a part of the Italian brand’s Autumn Winter 2018 collection, features an abnormally long black turtle neck that covers the lower half of the face with a red mouth slit. Blackface is a form of dark make-up that was used predominantly by non-black performers to represent an imitation of a black person. It was used in shows, movies, and other forms of entertainment to dehumanize African-Americans and exclude them from the entertainment industry. Many social media users were offended and called the brand out for racism, as well as the celebrities who were willing to start boycotting Gucci. Director Spike Lee expressed that he will no longer wear Gucci until the brands hire some black designers following a pair of blackface fashion fails from the
major Italian fashion lines. Lee posted an Instagram photo of both brands’ logos, along with a message that read in part: “It’s Obvious To Da Peoples That They Don’t Have A Clue When It Comes To Racist, Blackface Hateful Imagery. WAKE UP.” Rapper T.I. also expressed on social media that the “apology is not accepted” and wants to boycott instead. “If we stop buying ANYTHING they MUST correct any and ALL of our concerns,” he continued. “That’s THE ONLY WAY we can get some RESPECT PUT ON OUR NAME!!!!” Even rapper Soulja Boy, who loved the Gucci logo so much he tattooed it on his forehead, has announced that he is having the ink removed. In a Twitter post, the Italian brand apologized for the chaos the sweater caused. “Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper,” it reads. “We can confirm that the item has been immediately removed from our online store and all physical stores. We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at
the forefront of every decision we make. “We are fully committed to increasing diversity throughout our organization and turning this incident into a powerful learning moment for the Gucci team and beyond.” Also on Wednesday, rapper and producer 50-Cent uploaded a video of himself burning his Gucci logo shirt to Instagram. The 43-year-old captioned the video, which has been viewed more than three million times: “I gotta get rid of all the Gucci I have at home. I’m not supporting that brand anymore.” This is not the first time a fashion brand has been accused of using such imagery. Last year, Prada withdrew items over concerns it had depicted the blackface image. The label pulled products from a line of goods called “Pradamalia” which appeared to resemble black monkeys with large red lips. A Prada spokesperson said the items were not meant to mimic blackface caricatures and that they were removed from the designer’s collection. In addition to Gucci being
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under fire at the moment, the company has also announced a major push on Feb. 15. to step up diversity hiring as part of a long-term plan to build cultural awareness at the luxury fashion company. Gucci also stated that it will hire a global director for diversity and inclusion, a newly
created role that will be based in New York, plus five new designers from around the world for its Rome office. It also will launch some multi-cultural scholarship programs in 10 cities around the world with the goal of building a “more diverse and inclusive workplace on an ongoing basis.”
Happy Death Day 2U earns big at the box office during week one Clement Gibson
Editor-in-Chief
Universal’s latest release, “Happy Death Day 2U,” appeared in theaters on Feb. 13, 2019. The sequel to 2017’s “Happy Death Day,” brought a mixture of comedy and thrill to the big screen. The movie stars Jessica Rothe as Tree Gelbman, a college girl who continues to wake up in a parallel universe. Israel Broussard stars as Carter, Tree’s boyfriend but is in a relationship with her best friend and sorority sister, Danielle, played by Rachel Matthews, in this new universe. Tree finds out that Carter’s roommate, Ryan is the reason for her continuous and unwanted time travel and wants to put an immediate stop to it. However, Tree and her new group of friends are targets of a masked killer and every time she dies, she wakes up right back where she started. This cycle happens several times before she realizes that she must die to save everyone; forcing her to choose between her mother and her boyfriend. Categorized as a mystery/
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slasher, the film seems more like comedy/action. Nonetheless, the $9 million budget turned into $27 million in the first week according to “Forbes.com.” Even with a big profit margin, movie critics like “IMDb,” “Rotten Tomatoes” and “Metacritic” rated the movie below average. IMDb gave the film a 6.7 out of 10, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic respectively rated the
movie 67 and 56 percent. Nonetheless, others were pleased with what they saw. David Edelstein of “Vulture. com” called it a just-as-fun sequel. “Stalk-and-kill movies bear some resemblance to classic farces, but no horror movies have taken the similarities as far as Happy Death Day and its busier, just-as-fun sequel, Happy Death 2U,” said
Edelstein. Sandy Schaefer of “Screenrant.com” complimented the genre twist in the sequel saying it made the film more entertaining. She stated, “Happy Death Day 2U adds a genre twist to the series’ formula, delivering a sequel that’s funnier, sillier, and more entertaining than the first movie.” A free screening was
held at Cinemark (formerly Tinseltown) in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday, February 12, and sold out nearly an hour before showtime. Darius Johnson, a senior biology pre-medicine major from Hattiesburg, Miss., says he was disappointed because the movie was not scary. “The movie was really repetitive. She died over and over again. When I saw the trailer, I thought it would be scary so that’s why I decided to go. It was not scary at all. I did not jump once,” said Johnson. Tatiana Evans, a freshman social work major from Santa Cruz, Calif., thinks the first movie was better than the sequel. Evans stated, “I liked the first movie better than this one because it was more original, but then again, it’s basically the same thing as the 2017 movie. They only made this one because the last one made so much money.” News of a third movie has already begun although the 2019 film has only been in theaters for a week. According to “Screenrant. com,” the third movie could conceivably hit theaters in late 2020 or early 2021.
The Blue & White Flash
Page 7 - February 21, 2019
Field to Factory Series, Part 2
Clement Gibson
Editor-in-Chief
“There were two kinds of share croppers. Those who owned nothing, and they made an agreement with the landowner to work the land in harvest and the profits from that would be shared fifty-fifty with the land owner. However, one of the constant problems was that all the expenses were taken out of the share croppers half of the money that was made. As a result, share croppers ended up not making money, but in debt. Therefore, he remained on the land for another year to work out of the debt. This was reinforced by the local sheriff departments to make sure these people could not leave the land even if they wanted to go to another plantation,” said Phillips. He continued, “The second category of people who were much more fortunate. They were renters. They paid the land owner a certain amount of money to rent a certain amount of land then they raised the crops and they harvested it. Whatever money was made was their profit.” Every morning at 5 a.m., share croppers had to report at “the lot,” a place where they stand in line and get their mule and orders for where they would be working for that day. Regardless if you were a renter of share cropper, the odds were always in favor of the land owner. Many farmers would sit down at night and look at the percentage they were being charged in comparison with the amount of production they had. They knew exactly what they should have gotten but said nothing. The U.S. Supreme Court, Congress and Executive Branch of government had all seemingly turned their back on what they saw as the south’s Negro problems. Jim Crow became the law of the U.S. south land. Meanwhile the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the side of segregationist and gave the sign and seal of approval to the increasingly, re-segregated south. As a result, African-Americans were occupationally segregated. Former dean of the school of business at JSU, David Swinton, says there were separate pay scales for blacks and whites. Swinton stated, “What you have to look at is Jim Crowism. It was not an explicit law that said you could not hire blacks, but it was a part of the tradition that all lines of social interaction were segregated. Blacks did not supervise whites, did not work on the same lines or places with whites. All of these practices that we collectively called Jim Crowism is what restricted rights.” Oddly, the migration that took place— largely because of the lack of economic opportunities for African-Americans in the south, marginally improved the prospects of those who did not leave. Former professor of journalism at JSU Doris Saunders, spoke about the need for African-Americans in the south.
Saunders said, “The south still needed African-American teachers and preachers and businessmen to survive for their educational, spiritual and material needs for their race. There was a need to be filled. Hospitals, funeral homes, cemeteries, housing and banks all reflected the new economic state. Whenever it was possible, black businesses and professionals attempted to provide for the needs of the community. Black banks were started in Mississippi. Vicksburg, Mount Bayou, Jackson, Natchez and throughout the south. Undertakers to bury the dead African-Americans and newly created cemeteries were there. Hospitals, physicians, pharmacists were all there to aid the ill. AfricanAmerican teachers would teach the schools and were members of the segregated economic community, which had been created to serve their own race.” If segregation in its perverse way guaranteed AfricanAmericans a small quota of jobs and profits, it was nothing for which they had any reason to be grateful. A portion of the population to which they were restricted was so poor, African-American entrepreneurs and professionals in the Jim Crow era could expect little financial gain or profits. If segregation provided a crime of opportunity for a small number, it also created an atmosphere in which most African-Americans lacked confidence in the professions of their own race. Saying like, “white ice is colder” was common. Phillips says distributors were to blame for inferior products in black stores. “Part of the problem in blacks not patronizing black businesses was the simple fact that often, the distributors or suppliers brought their more inferior products to a black grocery store. So, in a real sense, the greens at the white store was greener than the ones at the black store. But that was delivered by the distributors,” said Phillips. He continued, “Same applies to the doctors and the kind of health care they provided. Their office spaces were much smaller. They could not afford to pay their nurses that much, so they did not get the assistance and professional help they needed; resulting in the care not being that good. “Even with law, the black lawyer might be as good, but the white lawyer is friends with the judge, so you don’t get the same quality of justice as you should if you were a black lawyer. Black businesses and professionals were working at odds against the system. So, the service was of a lesser quality, but it was not due to any inability. Instead, the way the system was setup. This way blacks would not succeed as whites in similar categories or fields,” Phillips finished. The segregated AfricanAmerican middle class were better off in a material sense than the bulk of the south’s AfricanAmerican population. However, it fell far below the economic level of middle-classed whites.
In virtually every southern and border state, black teachers were paid by a different salary schedule or scale than whites. That lasted until the early 1960’s. One of the excuses was that the black teachers did not have as much training. In some cases, it was true, but in others it was not. On the other hand, if you turn to look at black ministers, their congregation could not afford to pay them the same contributions a white minister received. During the late 20’s and early 30’s, African-Americans; particularly in the rural south, were already in a semi depression. Those who stayed in the south were used to hard economic times. The depression was not nearly as devastating for the AfricanAmericans in the rural south as it was for the white population. The continuity of racism in American life in the early 30’s overshadowed any hope of change. The plight of African-Americans however did change for the worst. The depression served as a staggering blow to blacks. It magnified all their economical liabilities and created newer and harsher ones. Despite the discrimination and the absence of new employment opportunities, southern AfricanAmericans migrated north. About 400 thousand AfricanAmericans left the south in the 30’s— half of the number that migrated in the preceding decade, but still a large enough influx to increase the black population of the north— approximately 25 percent. Only one northern city had a black population of more than 100 thousand by 1930. By 1935 there were 11. Yet the number of jobs in the north declined. African-American maids, cooks and house keepers were the hardest hit by white displacement constituted nearly half of the employed in the south, but no job was safe for African-Americans. White girls replaced black men as restaurant, hotel employees and elevator operators. The more the depression worsened, the more whites demanded that blacks be dismissed. Desperate whites in Atlanta organized the black shirts in 1930 around the slogan, “No jobs for niggers, until every white man has a job.” Similar organizations in other cities chanted “Back to the cottonfield. City jobs are for white folks.” In Mississippi, white railroad men who desired the jobs of black fire fighters unleased a reign of terror and violence. Religious and charity organizations refused to serve Negros in their soup kitchen or extend any other aid to the black needy. Inevitably, public relief became the major instrument of the African-American struggle for survival. The final part of the Field to Factory series will be airing on WJSU’s “Cool and Current” on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Variety
Sports
Page 8 - February 21, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
JSU falls to Prairie View A&M in conference play
Wakil Atig
Sports Writer On Saturday, Feb. 16, the Tigers of Jackson State University hosted the Panthers of Prairie View A&M University in a conference matchup. The Tigers are coming off a tough loss to Southern University and looked to redeem themselves. At the start of the first half, JSU got off to a terrific start. Everything from ball movement, rebounding, and controlling the tempo of the game. Freshman forward, Jayveous Mckinnis’ first half rim rattling slam dunk got the crowd hyped as it seemed JSU was taking control of the game. As the first half continued, Prairie View began to pick up their pace on both sides of the court. On defense, the Panthers began applying full-court pressure to JSU causing them to turn the ball over and barely get past halfcourt. This defensive approach made it difficult for JSU to get in any rhythm offensively. On offense, Prairie View just simply rained threepointers all over JSU. Making a total of eleven for the game. Their three-point shooting and relentless defensive approach, allowed them to lead by as many as 21 points in the first half. Despite struggling in the first half, JSU made some offensive runs to show they still were alive in the game. Freshman guard, Lemmie Howard, who led all scorers for JSU with 17 points, kept JSU afloat with his offensive rebounding and put backs.
In the second half, Prairie View continued to dominate the game on both ends. Their full-court press and traps on defense made life hard for JSU. JSU didn’t give up as they made a late 10-0 run to cut the game to eleven. They flipped the script on Prairie View and began pressing them full-court, forcing them to turn the ball over. Despite their assertiveness late in the second half, JSU never fully took control of the game. Junior guard, Venjie Wallis finished the game with a solid 16 points. Senior guard, Chris Howell finished with 12 points and grabbed 11 boards; and freshman forward, Jayveous McKinnis finished with 10 points. In the end, JSU just could not figure out Prairie View’s puzzle on either side of the court. Prairie View defeated Jackson State, 7966 in Southwestern Athletic Conference action. The Lady Tigers of Jackson State also battled Saturday night against Prairie View A&M University. This was an intense matchup and proved the competitiveness of the SWAC conference. The first half was an allout battle. Both teams traded baskets and traded leads. It was never apparently clear who had the momentum in the first half as both teams wouldn’t let up. As the second half ended, Prairie View simply dominated the paint. Their offensive attack to the basket was a problem for the Lady Tigers initially, but it wouldn’t last as JSU quickly responded making jump shots. The first half was a true battle and the score was 40-40.
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In the second half, the Lady Tigers annihilated Prairie View on both sides of the ball. Within the first two minutes of the third quarter, the Lady Tigers went on a 6-0 run and their defense forced three steals. Prairie View started the second half off very sloppy as they turned the ball over four times and went 0-4 on shooting before their first basket. Despite a slow start in the third quarter, Prairie View somehow managed to keep the game close heading into the fourth quarter. As the fourth quarter began, Prairie View came out with a completely different attitude. Their defensive
intensity and offensive assertiveness shocked the Lady Tigers as they had no answer. The Lady Panthers of Prairie View played a totally different game in the fourth quarter. JSU seemed to have lost their rhythm offensively in the fourth quarter despite a great start in the third. Junior Marneisha Hamer had an outstanding game finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Senior, Christina Ellis went 9-14 from the floor scoring 23 points; and junior, Sumer Williams added 13 points with 6 rebounds for the Lady Tigers.
Despite a close game, the Lady Panthers defeated the Lady Tigers 89-80 in Saturday night’s conference play. Taronta Gines, a junior biology major said, “The Tigers have really improved this season since my first semester. Jackson State games are so live. It’s like I’m at a family gathering or something.” Deja Conway, a junior special education major hopes the Tigers continue to improve. “The boys and the girls did a good job, but I feel the defense should’ve been more aggressive in order for us to win,” said Conway.
Team Lebron defeats Team Giannis in 2019 All Star game
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Kambui Bomani
Sports Writer
The 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend presented a various compilation of celebrities, young basketball phenomes, and current basketball superstars showcasing their worth in one of the biggest allstar spectacles in American sports. With the event being held in Charlotte, N.C., around the same time of the Charlotte Hornets’ basketball 0wner Michael Jordan’s birthday, the NBA was given a unique opportunity to celebrate one of their game’s all-time greats while also showcasing their current, rising athletes. The opening ceremonies began on the night of Friday, Feb. 15, with the Celebrity All-Star Game featuring a matchup between the Home and Away team. The Home
team built an 18-point lead with 8 minutes to go, only to allow the Away team to etch out a two-point victory by the score of 82-80. Migos Rapper Quavo, who was the 2018 Celebrity All-Star Game MVP, finished with a game-high 27 points. The Away team was led by Instagram basketball comedian, Famous Los, who scored 22 points to help lead his team victory. Famous Los’ performance helped him earn MVP honors in the process. The Mountain Dew Rising Stars Challenge featured the top rookie and sophomore players of the NBA matching up against each other in a USA vs. World basketball game. Rookie and second year NBA players from the USA were able to showcase their talents against the top first and second year NBA players born and raised outside of the U.S.
Having dominated this newly created Rising Stars format the last two years, team World relinquished their historical threshold as victors to the USA on Friday Night. Led by 35 points from Los Angeles Laker Kyle Kuzma and 30 points from Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum, Team USA beat Team World 161144. Due to Kuzma’s large point output, he racked home the Rising Stars MVP award. All-Star Saturday night presented various competitors in the Skills Challenge, Three Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest. In the Skills Challenge, the final round came down to a split decision made by Jayson Tatum when he launched a half court three that banked in to beat Atlanta Hawks’ Point Guard Trae Young for the Championship. The event helped complete a wildly successful All-Star
weekend for Tatum who hopes to be an All-Star representative in the near future. The Three Point Contest pitted the best threepoint shooters this season, percentage wise against each other to decide who the best of them all was. The leagues’ best shooter, Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, was in attendance to represent for his hometown of Charlotte, but failed to come out victorious like he was predicted to by so many analysts. Instead, unheralded threepoint marksman Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets delivered with a strong showing and was the victor over Stephen Curry and Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield. Harris tallied a total of 26 points against Stephen Curry’s 24 and Hield’s 19. The Slam Dunk Contest was probably the most underwhelming out of all three contests on Saturday
night to the familiar charring of NBA fans. There were missed dunks, various failed second and third chance dunk attempts, and props gone badly wrong which really took some of the excitement and suspense from the competition as a whole. Nonetheless, Oklahoma City Thunder Hamadou Diallo executed all four of his dunks en-route to a Slam Dunk Championship over New York Knick Dennis Smith Jr. The victory had Diallo lauding for a potential title defense next year against current Duke Freshman Phenome Zion Williamson who’s presumed to be the number one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft this summer. Sunday presented the weekend’s closing ceremony known as the NBA All-Star Game featuring Team LeBron vs Team Giannis. The teams were decided through a draft where the top vote getters from the Eastern and Western Conference selected who would play for them on their All-Star team. With Team LeBron containing Three league MVP’s, five Finals MVP’s, and five All-Star Game MVP’s in their starting lineup, it was easy to assume that his teammates would run away with the win. That was the case albeit only in the last five minutes of the matchup. Team LeBron went on a 2311 run during the last media timeout to beat Team Giannis 178-164 and win their secondstraight All-Star Game. Kevin Durant won his second AllStar Game MVP with 31 points and Damian Lillard added 19 while providing a huge boost off the bench that help cut a 20-point deficit to two in the waning moments of the third. Team Giannis was led by a 38 point and 11 rebound performance from their captain Giannis Antetokoumpo but struggled to buy a basket down the stretch to help stem the rallying onslaught of Team LeBron