November 30, 2013 - November 30, 2013, www.afro.com
Volume 122 No. 17
The Afro-American A1 $1.00
NOVEMBER 30, 2013 - DECEMBER 6, 2013
Black Participation Low in Clinical Trials By Zenitha Prince AFRO Correspondent Despite many breakthroughs in medicine, health outcomes for African Americans continue to be disproportionately bleak. Blacks experience higher incidences of certain diseases such as diabetes and hypertension and have higher mortality rates from stroke, heart attack, breast cancer and some other maladies, data shows. The lack of AfricanAmerican participation in clinical trials, where valuable research is conducted that can cut down on the incidences of certain diseases and save lives, may be contributing to the higher mortality rate,
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experts said. “In the United States, we are the world leaders in understanding the mechanisms of diseases and understanding how to prevent diseases before they start,” said Dr. Stephen Thomas, director of the University of Maryland Center for Health
“…While the overall life span of Americans has improved over time, that improvement has not applied to everyone. Blacks and Latinos have been left out.” Equity and one of the nation’s leading scholars in the effort to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. “But, while the overall life span of Americans has improved over time, that improvement has not applied to everyone. Blacks and Latinos have been left out.” A big part of the problem is the paucity of minority participation in clinical trials and research, health advocates said. “Clinical trials are important because that’s where we collect information and knowledge and test treatments for diseases that trouble us,” said Dr. Celia J. Maxwell, associate professor of medicine and associate dean for research at Howard University College of Medicine. Studies on many drugs have not involved minorities, Continued on A8
Joseph Paul Franklin’s Murder Victims Included Blacks, Jews and Interracial couples By Zachary Lester and Ron Taylor AFRO Staff Writers
In this June 2, 1981, file photo, Joseph Paul Franklin is shown following his conviction on two counts of first degree murder in Salt Lake City.
AP File Photo
Joseph Paul Franklin, who told authorities that a crime spree that left at least seven people dead was motivated by his dislike for Blacks, interracial couples and Jews, was executed by lethal injection Nov. 20 in Missouri. Franklin, 63, was granted a stay of execution on Nov. 19, but was executed about 6 a.m. the next day after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene on his behalf. The death sentence took place at a Missouri prison complex in Bonne Terre. There were no witnesses to the execution because it followed an hours-long vigil when it was unclear that the execution would be carried out that day. According to news reports, Franklin had no last words and refused a last meal. Among a long list of violent crimes, Franklin was convicted of eight murders, many involving assaults on interracial couples or people who engaged in what he described as race mixing. Franklin also shot Black civil rights leader and attorney Vernon Jordan in 1980. Jordan survived the attack. On Aug. 7, 1977 Franklin fatally shot African-American Alphonse Manning Jr., 23, and Toni Schwenn, 23, a White Continued on A3
Local Group Serves Pre-Thanksgiving Day Dinner By Blair Adams AFRO Staff Writer Some were homeless, some were needy, but all of them were hungry a week before Thanksgiving. So a Baltimore-based non-profit arranged a pre-Thanksgiving feast five days early. Thanks to the Village Sports and Bar Grill and Belvedere Assisted Living/Belvedere Homes, 200 people were fed a traditional, calorie-laden Turkey Day dinner. “This is just something small that we can do to give back and help out,” Christina Flowers, president of Belvedere Assisted Living told the AFRO. “The main ingredient is to continue to do things like this to help.” The four-hour dinner drew community leaders, residents and
volunteers who all share a common goal—to feed those in need. Donoven Brooks, who is running for Baltimore City’s sheriff post, came
with his campaign staff to deliver supplies and drinks and to just help out. “With the current state of our
economy and with the holiday season— there are just simply people who, for different reasons, are in need of assistance,” he said. Brooks told the AFRO it’s the humanitarian thing to do to help people out. “I think it is extremely important for basic human needs to be meet, we celebrated on that day, but it’s important to recognize that people need support all year round,” he said. Volunteers and those who just wanted to give back and help those in need purchased the food—which included a traditional Thanksgiving Day menu: turkey, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, rolls, greens and an array of desserts. Flowers said there are a lot of people in our communities that are
Continued on A3
HPV Vaccines Less Effective Despite Ford’s Antics, Toronto’s Murder Rate Well for Black Women Below Charm City’s
highest, after Latinas and it is still 39 percent higher than their White counterparts. Although Black women are Black women have been twice as likely as White women to significantly more likely than any die from cervical cancer, the human other group to die from cervical papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination cancer. may not prevent cervical cancer in The study examined 280 Black African American women, according women and 292 White women, all to a new study from carrying varying HPV the Duke University strains. Some had no School of Medicine. signs of cancer, some The available showed mild signs vaccines only protect of pre-cancer and against four strains of a small percentage HPV, which, according had advanced to the study African precancerous The HPV vaccination American women are abnormalities. In the half as likely as White may not prevent cervical group with the most cancer in African American advanced signs of women to carry. women, according to a The American pre-cancer, White new study from the Duke Cancer Society participants carried University School of expects more than strains 16, 18, 33, 39, Medicine. 12,000 women to and 59, whereas Black be diagnosed with participants carried cervical cancer this year alone. strains 31, 35, 45, 56, 58, 66, and 68. Incidence rates have been falling for Currently, two vaccines on the all women as screenings have become market target four HPV strains more routine. The rate of infection for considered most troublesome. Black women, however, is the second Continued on A8 By Jazelle Hunt NNPA Washington Correspondent
By Sean Yoes AFRO Contributing Writer
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Racist Who Shot Vernon Jordan, Larry Flynt and Killed Others, Executed in Missouri
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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has become an enduring punch line over the last month thanks to a pattern of erratic behavior, including the acknowledgment that he smoked crack cocaine about a year ago and a series of press conferences laden with outrageous outbursts. But amid Ford’s monthlong personal train wreck, Baltimore has seen a spike in murders that has widened the gap in the murder rate between Charm City, with a population of 660,000 and the Canadian metropolis of more than 2.7 million people. The shooting death of 22-year-old Kennard Buckner on the morning of Nov. 17 marked the 29th homicide in Baltimore in the previous
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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford might have 99 problems, but a rising homicide rate isn’t one. 30 days and the 210th murder of the year for the city, according to the Baltimore Sun—and a 211th would be added just days later. The city appears to be on track for a third year of increased murders, after seeing 217 in 2012
Continued on A3
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