Prince Georges Afro-American Newspaper May 17 2014

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PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 122 No. 41

MAY 17, 2014 - MAY 23, 2014

Texas ID Law ‘Most Restrictive in the Country’ By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent

In Texas, everything seems to be bigger— oversized hats and beltbuckles, oversized houses and landmarks, oversized personalities and now an oversized voter identification law that activists say is one of the worst cases of voter suppression in the United States. “Texas’ voter ID law in many ways is the most restrictive in the country,”

Voter registration deadline June 3 INSIDE B1–4

May 17th.

Archive pages of AFRO coverage of the Brown v Board Decision of May 17, 1954.

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said Vishal Agraharkar, counsel, Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “At the end of the day, it will prevent hundreds of thousands of Texans from being able to cast their votes…. It is disheartening to say the least.”

Wikimedia.org

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed the voter ID bill, SB 14, into law on May 27, 2011. With the cliché of voter fraud as its impetus, the bill banned all non-photographic IDs as acceptable for voting. Unlike other states, student IDs, expired IDs, government-issued mail and other previously accepted identifiers were no longer acceptable, only: a driver’s license or personal ID card issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety; a license to carry a concealed handgun; a U.S. military ID card; a U.S. citizenship certificate with photograph; or a U.S. Continued on A3

Charles H. Flowers Students Dominate Competition

knowledge as it did for me.” Northwestern High School’s Color Guard opened Students from Charles the ceremony, while Ardmore Herbert Flowers High School Elementary School teacher, owned the fourth Annual Rev. Ericka Platt sang a Scholastic Olympics at moving rendition of the the Prince National George’s Anthem. Plaza In each Community subject, Center May first place 3, taking winners took home six home $500, awards out of second place a possible 11 $300 and awards. third place A Largo $200. High School The sophomore Washington claimed Suburban — Stephen Thompson Sanitary first place in math. And Commission a homeschooler sponsored the first won first place place history in speech. prize. Oxon The Hill High School student Stephen Thompson won first Washington place in Nationals U.S. History. donated a pair Thompson told of tickets for each the AFRO the event prizewinner. Carrollton was “A friendly and fun Insurance Agency sponsored academic competition that plaques for each winner, while sponsored an appreciation of a 5 a.m. Bible Study Ministry knowledge and understanding member donated gold, silver of our nation’s history in a and bronze medals. trivial way. The tradition of Mya Alexander, the the Scholastic Olympics has gold-medal winner of the been deeply invested into local NAACP ACT-SO my academics and I hope competition, performed a that it continues to advance modern dance number. Continued on A3 students’ education and By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer

“The tradition of the Scholastic Olympics has been deeply invested into my academics and I hope that it continues to advance students’ education and knowledge as it did for me.”

#BringBackOurGirls

Courtesy photos

Alfred Street Offers Mother’s Day Prayers By AFRO Staff Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va. hosted prayer vigils, May 11, at both of their worship services in support of the 300 school girls who were kidnapped from Nigeria. Nearly 3,000 members of the historic church, the oldest and largest African-American church in Alexandria, celebrated Mother’s Day with a prayer vigil to raise awareness of the international travesty. The Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor, led the congregation in a powerful, poignant and moving prayer for the Nigerian girls and for all kidnapped and missing girls and women worldwide. Nigeria remains one of eight countries with the highest rate of human trafficking in the world. In a show of solidarity and support for the mothers of the abducted school girls in the Chibok Borno State region of Nigeria, the pastor asked everyone to hold up their ASBC “PRAY FOR OUR GIRLS” signs that were disseminated as they entered the

sanctuary. “These young innocent girls belong to all of us. They are all of our daughters,” said Rev. Dr. Wesley. “Many of us go into a panic if we look away for one moment and can’t

Continued on A3

Dr. Sean Combs: ‘You Will Change the World’ Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson was involved in the scheme.

Developer Sentenced to 2 Years in Bribery Scheme The Associated Press A real estate developer has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a bribery scheme involving former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson. Sixty-four-year-old Daniel Colton was sentenced May 13 in federal court in Greenbelt. Continued on A3

By Maria Adebola Special to the AFRO Howard University’s class of 2014 got a lot livelier and excited on May 10 when superstar music mogul and entrepreneur Sean Combs delivered the 146th commencement address. Combs, who received an honorary doctorate in humanities, shared insights about his time at Howard and moved the crowd Sean Combs is excited after being in a heartfelt awarded an honorary doctorate speech about from Howard University. the numerous Photo by Rob Roberts possibilities that await the graduates once they realize how powerful they are. “I want to ask you a quick question; do you know how powerful you are,” Combs inquired. “Our stories may be different, but I bet some of you grew up with single mothers or fathers. Continued on A3

$10 OFF ADULT TICKETS! To purchase online, select ADULT ticket type and enter the code AAN, or call the Box Office at 301.924.3400 and mention promo code AAN. Valid for all performances of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. Subject to availability. Not to be combined with other offers. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. All sales final.

NOW PLAYING! For Tickets/Info, call: 301.924.3400 PLAYWRIGHT August Wilson

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER

or visit olneytheatre.org WE’RE CLOSE BY! Just 30 mins. from DC, 15 mins. from Columbia and Rockville, and 40 mins. from Baltimore!

Copyright © 2014 by the Afro-American Company


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