January 16, 2022
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Vol. 26, Issue 52
Will Negroes, Colored, Blacks and African-Americans ever be respected in this country? - Roy Douglas Malonson
“Addressing Current & Historical Realties Affecting Our Community”
MLK JR. STOLEN DREAM
By: Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.
It has been 54 years since the death of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and 59 years since he
delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963. A dynamic speech
Dream cont’d page 4
SOUL OF AMERICA
By: Roy Douglas Malonson
Former FLOTUS Michelle Obama has come out swinging, joining the mission to register at least one million new voters all over the country. Obama, and her organization “When We All Vote,” are launching a national campaign to get a massive amount of unregistered citizens to the polls before the midterm elections.
“In 2020, millions made their voices heard at the polls. But now, folks who oppose that progress are making it harder to vote. That’s why I’m asking you to join When We All Vote and 30 other organizations to turn out more voters and urge Congress to pass voting rights legislation,” said Obama in a letter posted on her Twitter feed.
Besides an unprecedented amount of new registrants, the coalition, composed of 100,000 volunteers and lawyers to protect voters from unjust laws, is spearheading the fight to pass the Freedom To Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Obama revealed that part of the inspiration behind the coalition
was the Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol building in 2020. “One year ago, we witnessed an unprecedented assault on our Capitol and our democracy,” she writes in the letter. “From Georgia and Florida to Iowa and Texas, states passed laws designed to
DR. MAYA ANGELOU ON THE U.S. QUARTER
By: N. L. Preston
A new US quarter featuring the late Maya America cont’d Angelou went into page 3 circulation this week,
making the legendary poet and activist Dr. Maya Angelou cont’d page 5
2 AFRAMNEWS.COM
January 16, 2022
President/Chief Editor
Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.: Associate Editor
Tristar
Griselda Ramirez: Production
News:
We MUST Understand By Roy Douglas Malonson, Publisher
Office: (713) 692-1892 Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Black Leadership in 2022 I would like to speak to you in the beginning of the year 2022. My concern is focused on Texas restrictions on how and when voters can cast ballots. You will find in 2021 there was 52 restrictive voter laws passed in various states across the country. These laws limit options to vote and undermine local elections officials’ ability to hold elections. In our great state of Texas SB.1 would have election officials face prosecution for regulating poll watchers’ inappropriate behavior in the polling place. These laws tighten election laws and constrain local control of elections by limiting counties’ ability to expand voting options. Because of the restrictive voting legislation in states, Congress chose to introduce two voter rights bills: Freedom
to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These bills have broad support from the general public. The U.S. Constitution I read states in Article I Section 4, “The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations.” The right to vote is so important I wonder why don’t we vote? People vote for their government officials and these officials represent the concerns and ideas of the citizens in government. We love to complain, but to apply complaints through the vote, a morepowerful action. African American News and Issues has highlighted the work of many our elected officials. In a recent conversation with State Representative Senfornia Thompson, she mentioned something critical. Her research informs us that we have the ability to significantly impact elections in Harris County. She reminded me that we came within 23,000 votes of flip-
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
EDITORIAL
ping the Texas House. Only 5.2 million Democrats voted and there was over 10 million registered Democrats. Regretfully, 5.7 million Democrats did not vote. There are approximately 5.3 registered Republicans. Representative Thompson emphasized that the Democratic Party estimates 51% of the voting population of Texas are Democrats, but Republicans are more likely to vote. Again, Representative Thompson stressed that Democrats must run a superior election strategy to overcome these type results in future elections. Our education system alsi bears some responsibility. Our schools have done a poor job of building a sense of civic responsibilities in our citizens. We have lost much of the zeal we had for voting. Maybe the lack of poll taxes, the beatings of police and dogs attacking our older citizens and children have made us numb to voting to a means of change.
For more visit aframnews.com
A Revival of God
Consciousness Bobby E. Mills, PhD
Leading By Serving In the Black community at every socioeconomic institutional level, we have too many so-called leaders who desire to lead by being served, rather than serving others. Most assuredly, in the political arena this is the case to the nth degree with most Black politicians, because generally politicians desire privilege rather than community service. The political principle is if you serve me financially, and with your vote then I promise to give you whatever my office will bare; but oftentimes the promises are just promises. This is why most individuals think of politics as a “pile of s--t”. Hence, most Politicians cater to those who help finance their election campaigns; not ordinary voters. Consequently, politics becomes campaign contributions, not public service. More
often than not Black politicians are financed by White and Asian businessmen who do not reside in the districts they represent. This is why in the City of Houston small or large Black owned businesses do not receive their fair share of business contract opportunities or minority setasides from the City of Houston, and very little from the county; yet Blacks represent (23.7%) of Houston’s population. The same scenario operates at the state and federal levels. Political leadership is about two important questions: how do we live? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to live the way we say we desire to live? Hence, life is not lived in social isolationism, but community. Therefore, what life do we have if we do not have life together? Surely, we cannot live lying, cheating, stealing and killing each other, because those activities do not create human community; only chaos.
For more visit aframnews.com
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
January 16, 2022
make it harder ing rules in states where perverse for Americans discrimination is rampant. This to vote. And in other state legislatures includes protecting the right to across the nation, lawmakers have atvote for all vulnerable demographtempted to do the same.” ics including BIPOC, the elderly, This devastating rash of voter students, etc. It also restores the suppression across the country be- voter’s right to fight against unjust came a hot trend for state legislavoting laws across the country. tures in 2021, and is unfortunately The nation is stumbling through attempting to do the same in 2022. the thick of an unprecedented In the year 2021, 19 states passed attack on democracy and the 34 laws restricting voting accountless minority communities, cess which directly affects Black but especially the Black commupeople, people of color, students, nity which has historically and people with disabilities, and the continuously labored to ensure elderly. More than 440 bills in 49 voting rights for all. states have been passed with proIn his speech on Tuesday, Presivisions that restrict voting acdent Biden told Republicans to get cess. State legislators have also on the right side of history and hired partisan end this filibusactors to interter, which is an fere with elecinternational tion processes embarrassment for and reject eleca country supposYour vote and your tion results. edly known to take money are the two So far, these swift action against trends are carunjust laws. most powerful things rying into 2022 “Do you want you have. Be careful with at least 13 to be on the side pre-filed bills who you give them to. of Martin Luther that restrict voter King or George - Roy Douglas access in four Wallace? Do you states. 88 of these want to be on the Malonson bills from 2021 side of (former will continue in congressman) 2022. This trend, John Lewis or along with the continuous lie of Bull Connor? The side of Abrathe 2020 election fraud indicate ham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?” that the struggle for voting rights “Not a single Republican has is far from over. displayed the courage to stand The solution? Two proposed up to a defeated president, to bills that would protect voter’s protect America’s right to vote. rights and ward off the attack Not one,” Biden said, referring on democracy have passed the to Trump and voting rights. House of Representatives and In his speech, President Biden have yet to be put into effect due also advocated for the Senate to to a filibuster in the Senate. change rules that would eradiThese two bills are the Freedom cate the filibuster. to Vote Act, a bill that covers a The soul of America rests in broad range of topics including the hands of an idle governredistricting, campaign finance ment, split between those who reforms, election security, and wish to ensure that the white anti-partisan elections. and powerful remain in power, The John Lewis Voting Rights and that minority and historiAdvancement Act precisely targets cally persecuted communities discriminatory practices and votremain voiceless. - AANI
AFRAMNEWS.COM 3
America cont’d
Need money for a down payment to buy a home? By Arcy Muñoz, Vice President, Community Relations, Wells Fargo
G
aps in homeownership among people of color in Houston existed well before the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we know more needs to be done to create housing solutions. To help solve this problem, the NeighborhoodLIFT® program is returning to the city for a third time to provide hundreds of Houstonians with $15,000 in down payment assistance to buy a home. Why homeownership is important Homeownership is a key foundation to wellness, dignity, and economic opportunity. Yet, far too many families face uncertainty of rising rents because they struggle with overcoming the barrier of saving for a home down payment. With a commitment to create positive change, the Wells Fargo Foundation, NeighborWorks® America, and Avenue, are teaming up to provide $15,000 in down payment assistance to more than 300 eligible homebuyers in Houston. Interested homebuyers can get a home loan with any NeighborhoodLIFT-approved lender while funds are available. Who is eligible for NeighborhoodLIFT? NeighborhoodLIFT will provide $15,000 in down payment assistance to eligible homebuyers. Interested omebuyers must meet eligibility requirements including earning 80% or less of family median income in Houston, which is $63,840 as determined by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.
Need money to buy a home? The NeighborhoodLIFT® program for Houston will help 304 people buy homes with $15,000 in down payment assistance. How to prepare to apply for NeighborhoodLIFT • Complete eight hours of HUD-approved homebuyer education • Get a mortgage pre-approval from an eligible NeighborhoodLIFT lender NeighborhoodLIFT Home Ownership Counseling also available to help people prepare for homeownership. Participating NeighborhoodLIFT nonprofits and lenders are available at avenuecdc.org/lift/
Houston NeighborhoodLIFT program What is NeighborhoodLIFT? $15,000 down payment assistance to buy a home Local NeighborhoodLIFT homeowners assisted to date: 700+
LIFT program homeowners assisted in U.S.: 25,000+ since 2012
Learn more at: wellsfargo.com/lift © 2021 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801
Equal Housing Lender
4 AFRAMNEWS.COM that will always Dream cont’d resonate and be relevant to the day-to-day life we live. Dr. King had a dream for black people, but did his dream align with the American dream? What is the American dream one might ask? This idea of the “American Dream” came from a historian by the name of James Truslow Adams. He wanted to better understand the crisis of the Great Depression in 1931 and felt that America “had lost its way and placed material success above other values” (Bush Center). The American Dream was intended for everyone to be able to reach their fullest potential. Research defined it as, “the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved,” but one might rephrase this as “the ideal by which equality is available to any American, except black people. If this ideal in which equality was and is given to everyone, then Dr. King would not have had to march, protest, or even recite the “I Have a Dream”
January 16, 2022 speech. Many black people would not have had to shed blood, tears, and even die for equality. Even today, black people are still fighting for the unalienable rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Black people are still waiting for five words to be true that “all men are created equal.” Despite everything blacks went through during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King still believed in the American Dream. In his speech he stated, “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.” Dr. King believed that even though our nation was at fault in promising a dream that was not meant for black people, he had faith that one day we would get there, and America would deliver the promise. One issue that Dr. King and many black people fought for were equal voting rights. At
the founding of the nation, the constitution did not specify what voting rights were to citizens, and only white men were allowed to vote. It was not until February 3, 1870, where the 15th amendment granted all men the right to vote (National Archives). Despite this ratification, it was still not enough as blacks were still “denied the right to vote by state constitutions and laws, poll taxes, literacy tests, the “grandfather clause,” and outright intimidation” (National Archives). Dr. King put an immense amount of pressure on Congress to pass a law declaring the right to vote for all people without any limitations. Many of our people were assaulted, and some brutally attacked for these rights, specifically the march from Selma to Montgomery that was led
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION by activist John Lewis on March 7, 1965, which is also remembered as “Bloody Sunday.” This tragic event led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965. This act was a significant moment for black people as this act removed poll taxes and literacy tests that were created to disenfranchise the black vote and gave the federal government control over voter registration in places with consistent discrimination (Stanford University). It is disheartening to me when individuals do not exercise their right to vote. Every time it is time to vote, I remind myself that someone died so that I could have this right. Someone died so that my voice would too be heard.
For more visit aframnews.com
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION Dr. Maya Angelou cont’d the first Black woman ever to appear on the coin. The Maya Angelou quarter is the first in the American Women Quarters Program, which will include coins featuring prominent women in American history. The new coin still features George Washington’s visage on the “heads” side, while the “tails” side honors Angelou by evoking one of her most famous works, the autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” To be specific, the obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flannigan design. The reverse (tails) depicts Angelou with her arms uplifted. Behind her are a bird in flight and a rising sun, images inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived. Lawmakers cheered the release of the new coin and credited Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, with the achievement. Lee introduced the
Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, which passed in January last year and ultimately paved the way for the creation of these new coins...with rollouts continuing through 2025. To help decide who to feature, the bureau welcomed entries of women known for their work in civil rights, science and the arts, among other areas, with an emphasis on women from “ethnically, racially and geographically diverse backgrounds.” The agency will issue four other quarters this year, with the others honoring Sally Ride, an astronaut who was the first American woman in space; Asian American actress Anna May Wong; Cherokee Nation leader Wilma Mankiller and suffragette and politician Nina Otero-Warren. Dr. Angelou was a celebrated writer, performer, and social activist. She rose to international prominence as an author after the publication of her groundbreaking autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Angelou’s published works of verse, non-fiction, and fiction include more than 30 bestselling titles. Angelou’s remarkable career encompasses dance, theater, journalism, and social
January 16, 2022 activism. She appeared in Broadway and off-Broadway plays, including “Cabaret for Freedom,” which she wrote with Godfrey Cambridge. At the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., she served as northern coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1978, she was a National Book Award judge for biography and autobiography. Angelou read “On the Pulse of Morning” at the 1992 inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Angelou’s reading marked the first time an African American woman wrote and presented a poem at a presidential inauguration. She was also only the second poet in history to do so, following Robert Frost, who recited a poem at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. Angelou received more than 30 honorary degrees and was inducted into the Wake Forest University Hall of Fame for Writers. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was also the 2013 recipient of the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award for contributions to the literary community. - AANI
AFRAMNEWS.COM 5
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