Volume 27 Issue 11

April 3, 2022

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

African-American News&Issues

“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”

Vol. 27, Issue 11 Your vote and your money are the two most powerful things you have.

Be careful who you give them to.

- Roy Douglas Malonson

Debra Blacklock-Sloan

A love For History Cont. on Pg. 3

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April 3, 2022

President/Chief Editor

Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.: Associate Editor

Tristar

Griselda Ramirez: Production

News:

A Revival of God

Consciousness Bobby E. Mills, PhD

Office: (713) 692-1892 Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Is Professional Football A Prison System?

The Deshaun Watson story is a classic example of spiritual freedom versus mental enslavement for money.

BOB McNair the owner of the Texans Football Team openly declared concerning player protests that; “We can’t have inmates running the PRISON”. The history of the NFL is the history of rich White males who possessed hard-nosed business attributes and attitudes: all is fair in business.

These businessmen where not the most sophisticated individuals intellectually, because business is about money, not morality: do them before they do it to me. Most football franchises are passed from generation to generation that is they are very seldom sold outside of family heritage.

Black players make-up 73% of the NFL, and there are no Black owners. What A Coincidence? That’s just the way it tis in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Hence, the NFL is a good ole boy rich club with a Dixiecrat mentality. Sadly, NFL owners do not intend to change.

Professional Baseball and Basketball did not want

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

EDITORIAL the change, but nevertheless they did change for the better. Unfortunately, professional football is the last vestige in professional team sports of the old Southern plantation mentality.

Initially, Watson through his agent asked to be traded, because the Texans were not interested in winning; only making money which had been proven time and time again, e.g., Coach Bill O’Brien. The prison system owner gave Watson a lucrative hushmouth-contract thinking that this would satisfy him and shut his mouth; but Watson desired to win a Super Bowl for the team, city/fans, state and himself.

Immediately, the defaming and assassination of Watson’s character began.

No doubt about it, prisoners cannot tell the prison owner NO! Consequently, Watson said he was surprised by the charges: “I know that these charges are serious, and I never assaulted any woman. I never disrespected any woman.”

After the criminal charges were dismissed against Watson in Harris County on March 18th, 2022, the Cleveland Browns introduced Watson as their starting quarterback for (5) years contractually at a total guaranteed salary of 230 million dollars.

For more visit aframnews.com

The Overflow By: Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.

The Importance of History History is important.

Black history is important!

We live in a world that is constantly trying to find ways to erase black history.

Without our history, we are lost. If we are lost, then the generations behind us are lost. History helps define who we are, and where we come from.

History also holds lessons that we can take and pass them on to the generations that come behind us so that we can continue to progress as a race.

Let’s take Acres Home (also known as the “44”) for example. For starters, the original name of the community was “Acreage Home.” Not much is mentioned on the origin of the community except that it was developed during World War I (19141918), and the land was sold by the acre and not the lot, which is how it received the name Acreage Home. There were some early developments in the early 1900s that used “Acre Homes.” These subdivisions included “Roslyn Heights Acre Homes” and “Highland Acre Homes.”

Depending on who you ask, they may say the com-

munity’s name differently because of how they were raised, or even the time they were born.

Research notes that in the “official record,” that the name is fluid. There are several entities that use the name differently including the Acres Homes MultiService Center, Harris County’s Acres Home Health Center, the Shepard-Acres Homes Neighborhood Library, and the Acres Home Chamber for Business and Development.

Some have included an “s” at the end of homes, and others have left the “s” off.

There is a lot of rich history in the Acreage Home Community, and many organizations have been established which shows the growth and progression of the community. The “Acres Homes Transit Company was formed in the 1950’s, the Acres Homes Volunteer Firefighters Department was active in the 1960’s, The Acres Homes Beautification Organization was created by Edna Washington in 1981, and The Acres Homes War on Drugs Committee received federal recognition from former President George Bush. In his remarks at the Acres Homes War on Drugs Rally in Houston, he referred to the community as “Acres Homes.”

For more visit aframnews.com

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

April 3, 2022

A LOVE FOR HISTORY

Written By: Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.

A sixth generation Texan, Debra Blacklock-Sloan was born in the historic community Fifth Ward.

She recalled how growing up in her community was “one of the best times” of her life. She attended Phyllis Wheatley High School and was a graduate of the proud class of 1974.

After high school, she attended the University of Houston for a little bit, worked a few different jobs before she landed in the Aldine Independent School District (AISD) as a Librarian Assistant in 1995. She loved this job as she had

the chance to interact and work with students. She also enjoyed seeing them graduate, move on and go do great things. “It was one of the greatest jobs I had,” she stated.

She stayed in AISD for ten years before she received an offer to do historical research with Rutherford B H Yates Museum (RBHY) in Freedman’s Town. “Of course, I jumped right on it. I didn’t want to leave because I loved working for the district, but once I got hired, I knew that this is what I’m supposed to do.” She further stated, “It’s true what they say, if you love what you do and you’re passionate about it, it’s not work, and it’s never felt like work to me.”

Blacklock-Sloan has always had a passion for reading and a love for history. Even in elementary school, she recalled how the librarians would always get her to be their helpers. As a child, she also saw her father with a little paperback book in the back of

Debra Blacklock-Sloan

his pocket, and when he put it down, she would read it and look up any words she did not know.

“He instilled my love for reading and didn’t even know it.”

In addition to doing historical research, Blacklock-Sloan is a family genealogist. The RBHY Museum owns several historic homes and Blacklock-Sloan was able to research who lived there, how long they lived there, and what they did for a living. “I found out that most of those folks did some pretty wonderful things.

Most of them had been enslaved and for the accomplishments that they did, it’s a story of persistence and determination.” She further mentioned how a lot of the things she’s been learning at the museum were not in her textbooks when she was in school stating, “When I got hired on at the museum, I got to see the history of Houston and see the African American footprint in Houston… none of that was in the books at all.”

It has been 20 years for Blacklock-Sloan, and she is still learning more and more things about Freedmen’s town and about the history of Houston. “Theres always some fascinating facet about the African American footprint.

What those people did once they were emancipated, how they came to Houston and how they wanted to assimilate in white America.

It did not happen right away, but the fact that they were able to maintain and do the things they did, that’s a great story and it is so relevant when I think about it, “she expressed.

When reflecting on African American history, she mentioned how it has been “omitted, diminished, For more visit and stolen.” aframnews.com

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April 3, 2022

COMMUNITY Foundation Seeks To Impact A Unique Sport

By: Courtney Riley, M.A.

“Thunk,” a sound often heard when an arrow hits the coveted bullseye in the sport of archery. A sound often heard by John Henry Smith. A sound that is now creating a legacy which develops a love for archery and education to youth in the Acres Home and Houston community. Archery is the practice of using a bow to shoot arrows at an inanimate target or when hunting. John Henry Smith has set out to leave a captivating imprint on the world, one person, one mark, one arrow at a time.

John Henry Smith was raised in the Acres Home area and attended Houston ISD schools including P. H. Holden and Booker T. Washington Junior and Senior High School. Smith committed his life to serving the Greater Houston area as a Senior Law Enforcement Officer for 29 years. Smith was an alumnus that created a strong legacy from his involvement in P. H. Holden

and Booker T. Washington Junior and Senior High School’s rich history. Smith’s daughter, Lauren Smith Harris, eagerly described her father’s life as “exemplary and remarkable, in the sense that, his story was unique, richly filled with purpose all throughout. A legacy in the making, some may say.”

Harris made sure the world knew her father’s legacy would continue by creating the John Henry Smith Foundation.

The John Henry Smith Foundation (JHSF) was started to honor John Henry Smith and his passion for education, archery and shooting sports. The foundation is committed to empowering the next generation of minority youth towards greatness through archery, education, and shooting sports.

L to R-Gaylyn Smith, Lauren Smith Harris, Edward Pollard

For more visit aframnews.com

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

POLITICS

PUMP THE BRAKES NO RUSSIAN MULES

By: Black Pepper

It is worthy to note that the SPEC’s empire of 200 stores in Texas has answered the call by POTUS Joe Biden and the American people to assist in ending the war in Ukraine and stop the dictator Putin.

On Saturday, March 26 SPECs joined with a solidarity effort at its flagship Louisiana store to promote the cause of freedom and independence for Ukraine.

Now that a near genocide is being perpetrated against the Ukranian people, it is time to pump the brakes on the Stoli. Vodka is often mixed with ginger beer, lime and cranberry juice.

As some of our Black celebrities promote Russian vodka, pregnant women and children are being maimed and killed in Ukraine by the dictator Putin.

Our Congress and the President have put a boa constrictor vise grip on the Russian gas station economy that has nuclear weapons through powerful sanctions that threaten to cancel their economy. Vodka and other spirits are being put into inventory at Spec’s. According to owners, Ms. Rydman and her husband they decided to do the right thing event if the right thing subtracted from their balance sheet Ms. Rydman said that the husband wife titans were proud to support

these measures.

Adding Pan-African support to the SPEC’s direct action peaceful instore demonstration was a Nigerian woman. Ms. Layo Emmanuel has lived in Ukraine for eleven years and completed her medical school studies. She is on a path to become a physician in the United States. Along with Ms. Emmanuel was her talented 11-year-old daughter that speaks fluent Ukrainian.

Her daughter, Sophia is focused on becoming a gymnast in the Simone Biles tradition. Ms. Emmanuel said that there might be some issues of color in Ukraine, however during her 11-year tenure she was treated well and did not detect racial bias.

We have flexed Black sanction muscles before to end governments that devour people. During American styled apartheid, Rosa Parks, Claudette Colvin and Black people broke the back of the color sick Montgomery Alabama Bus System by refusing to ride in favor of barefooting and carpooling.

After the unjust system collapsed, many of the obsolete buses were sold to a fledging transportation system in the fair city of Houston, Texas.

For more visit aframnews.com

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

April 3, 2022

She means business.

And we’re here to help.

Women-owned businesses power the American economy, employing more than 9 million people and creating revenue at nearly 5 times the average.* We’re proud to help them go even further by: •

Committing more than $300 million to provide capital to diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners, including women

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Doubling the number of women able to attend the free Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell to 100,000

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Providing the financial tools, expertise and personal attention to help them start, run and grow their businesses

“I’m also proud that Bank of America walks the walk when it comes to hiring, supporting and promoting women within our walls.

Our board of directors is 50% diverse, including 6 female directors. Our workforce is half women, just like Houston. And our management team is more than half diverse, including 7 female leaders.”

Hong Ogle President, Bank of America Houston

What would you like the power to do?® Learn more at bankofamerica.com/houston *Source: The State of Women-Owned Businesses Report: Summary of Key Trends, American Express, 2019.

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender © 2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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April 3, 2022

SPORTS

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Protect Alivia Black Hadnot Women

athlete spotlight

By: Chelsea Davis-Bibb, Ed.D.

By: Laisha Harris

School: Bleyl Middle School Grade: 7th Sport: Basketball Position: Center/Post

and insensitive conversations. The Sunday night, America sat and public made fun of Blue Ivy’s hair, watched in disbelief as a Black prompting Beyonce’s line “I love woman was protected by her my baby hair with baby hair and husband on an international afro’s.” Lizzo, a Black entertainer broadcast of the Oscars. Chris who embraces her beauty and size, Rock, in poor taste, made a “G.I. ended up in tears on Instagram Jada joke,” which prompted over the constant body-shaming Academy Award nominee Will and racist comments she Smith to rise from his seat, walk receives on her pictures. Megan on stage, and slap the comedian.

Thee Stallion, rapper and In that moment, Smith was TSU graduate, not thinking about his received jokes 36-year career as an and accusations actor; he was not of lying after thinking about the being shot award for Best by rapper Actor, nor was Tory he thinking Lanez. about the Simone possibility Biles, of legal Olympic consequences Simone Biles, Jada Pinket gold medalist, for assaulting had to defend a fellow Smith, Lizzo herself online comedian on national regarding her hair and television. He was thinking not the history she was making by about his wife, and her struggle placing first in the 2012 Olympics. with a medical condition called We can usually handle our own “Alopecia.” with the “clap-backs that silence All I could think about are the haters” such as Beyonce’s the abundance of jokes that are “Formation,” Lizzo and Cardi B, made at the expense of black “Rumors,” or Megan’s “Tuned In,” women. Houston is the home but this trend tends to beg the of many wonderfully talented question – who and Black women: Beyonce, Solange, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, what can we count on to protect us?

Lizzo, Simone Biles, Megan thee Black women have Stallion, and Normani. While always been the wealth and fame are something glue that holds they have in common, they’ve the family also found themselves to be the For more visit center of some of the most hateful together. aframnews.com

What do you like about playing sports?

I like that you can learn something new about a sport and find something new about a sport and find something that really interests you. You can also make new friends.

What are your favorite subjects in school?

My favorite subjects are Texas history and science because my teachers come up with great things to help us understand the learning material.

Who do you look up to the most?

I look up to my mom because she’s a very hard worker and helps a lot with things I may need, or others may need.

What do you want to be when you get older?

When I grow up, I want to be an orthodontist. I want to put people’s braces in and remove them as well as crowns, and a lot of other cool things.

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

April 3, 2022

AFRAMNEWS.COM 7

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