PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION
Volume 122 No. 1
The AFRO Celebrates 121 Years
AUGUST 10, 2013 - AUGUST 16, 2013
Texas Leads U.S. in Execution of African Americans By Yanick Rice Lamb Special to the AFRO
Texas isn’t just big in size and population. It’s also big on the death penalty. When it comes to executions, Texas is the battleground state and has been No. 1 since 1976. The Lone Star State reached a milestone this summer when Kimberly McCarthy became the 500th person executed in Texas since the death penalty was reinstated there in 1974 and modern-day executions resumed in 1982 with the nation’s first lethal injection. The problem, death penalty opponents say, is that eight of the last 11 people
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Washington View Alexandria’s Mandela
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Jazz Keyboardist George Duke Dies at 67
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Aisha N. Braveboy
Maryland Del. Aisha Braveboy Set to Launch AG Campaign
By Krishana Davis Special to the AFRO
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Modern-day executions resumed in 1982, in Texas, with the nation’s first lethal injection. executed in Texas have been African Americans, who also account for 40 percent of those on the state’s death
row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. “The racism and the Continued on A3
Maryland Del. Aisha N. Braveboy (D-District 25) said she is ready to throw her hat in the ring by mid-September as a candidate for the next attorney general of Maryland. If she wins, the Prince George’s County-based delegate would be the state’s first African American woman attorney general. A native of Washington, D.C., Braveboy said an undergraduate class at the University of Maryland College Park taught by Donna Brazile, an adjunct professor and vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, propelled her into a career in law.
“I took a class on the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” said Braveboy. “We looked at the laws predating the act and the impact of Jim Crow laws. I knew then that I wanted a career where I could push for equality for all people.” Braveboy said since the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act she will work to ensure Maryland residents are not disenfranchised by gerrymandering and redistricting. The attorney general advises the legislature on drawing the district maps based on the 10-year federal census. “As attorney general, I would make sure the diversity of our state is taken into account in this redistricting,” said Braveboy. “Redistricting will become a more and Continued on A5
Black Unemployment Thousands Flock to National Rate Lowest Since 2009 Night Out in Prince George’s By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer
By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The unemployment rate for Blacks fell from 13.7 percent in June to 12.6 percent in July, the lowest jobless rate for Blacks since January 2009, according to the latest jobs report from the Labor Department. Although economists warn against being too optimistic about one month’s jobs numbers, some economists found it unusual for the Black unemployment rate to fall more than a percentage point from The unemployment rate for June to July, as Blacks fell from 13.7 percent in June to 12.6 percent in July. Continued on A4
Prince George’s residents from Beltsville to Brandywine were out in force Aug. 6 to celebrate the 30th annual National Night Out. Events were held at more than 80 locations around the county. The city of Glenarden sponsored a family-oriented celebration at city hall where many residents were introduced to the new mayor, Dennis Smith, while children enjoyed snacks and games. WKYS provided music. More than 200 residents attended. “This is an event held across the United States to show criminals that the police and the citizens are united together in order to reduce crime and put criminals in jail,” Glenarden Police Chief Philip O’Donnell told the AFRO. “We have an excellent turnout tonight and Glenarden is an excellent community. The police department has an excellent relationship with the people in the community.” In Suitland, Prince George’s County
Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) and Police Chief Mark Magaw chatted up citizens. Baker, whose children attended Suitland High School, posed for pictures and accepted hugs while he updated residents about county initiatives and coming events. “National Night Out is an important annual event where neighbors can spend time with people in their towns and communities to promote crime prevention and build partnerships with public safety departments,” Baker said in a statement. “Additionally, National Night Out provides a great opportunity in a casual and fun setting for residents to meet or become better acquainted with our incredible public safety employees.” National Night Out was introduced in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). The event is always held on the first Tuesday in August. The event has grown from 2.5 million Americans participating the first year in 400 communities in 23 states into a Continued on A3
Sister Constance Murphy, Legendary Nun, Dies at 109 By Alexis Taylor AFRO Staff Writer Nine years into her life as a centenarian, Sister Constance Murphy took her last breath at peace, though a long way from her Baltimore roots. An acclaimed author, the former Canadian headmistress and life-long student would have been 110 years old on Feb. 2, 2014. She was the longest surviving nun of the Toronto, Ont.-based St. John the Divine convent. And while she spent her last years visiting homes for the elderly, using every bit of the masters in gerontology she earned at age 73 from the University of Michigan, the well-respected nun remained humble and true until the end, according to friends and family. “Savera, my wife, and I had visited Sister Constance last Saturday on the advice of the sisters,” said nephew Carlo Dade in an email sent out to family members on Aug. 5. “She had been bed ridden for the past two years
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and in and out of consciousness.” Before she took to her bed, his email said, “She was sitting up in a chair next to the bed and was able to carry on an extended conversation and attend prayer services with the sisters.” Born in Baltimore in 1904, the University of Pennsylvania graduate made an art of teaching and guiding others. She was a young woman when a stay in Europe exposed her to a theatrical performance detailing the crucifixion of Christ. This would further solidify her eventual calling. She joined the St. John the Divine convent. According to longtime friend, Sister Elizabeth Ann Eckert, Sister Constance’s work with girls will impact many generations to come. “She was a teacher at the Qu’Appelle Diocesan School in Regina, a province of Saskatchewan, and then she Continued on A5
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Sister Constance Murphy AFRO File Photo
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