Prince Georges Afro American Newspaper February 21 2015

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 123 No. 29

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FEBRUARY 21, 2015 - FEBRUARY 27, 2015

Carmen Johnson on Trial in Prince George’s County

GOP Honors Black Lawmakers

By James Wright Special to the AFRO Three Black members of the Congress were honored recently by the Republican National Committee as it

“America is strongest when both parties fight to earn every vote.”

– Reince Priebus

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), the late Sen. Edward Brooke (R-Mass.) and U.S. Reps. Mia Love (R-Utah) and Will Hurd (R-Texas) were celebrated for their groundbreaking political careers at the Third Annual Black Republican Trailblazers Awards luncheon on Feb. 11 at the Howard Theatre.

Dozens of GOP activists and politicians such as Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and District Heights Mayor James Walls attended the event that was co-hosted by television journalists Roland Martin and Tara Setmayer Love.

“We began the tradition of hosting an annual Trailblazers luncheon in 2013, and I made a promise then that as long as I’m chairman, the Black Republican Trailblazers luncheon will be one of Continued on A4

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By James Wright Special to the AFRO Prince George’s County, Md. leaders are concerned about the fraud trial of an NAACP housing committee leader -- in terms of its perception as a scandal-ridden jurisdiction.

Carmen Johnson, former head of the Prince George’s County NAACP branch’s housing committee and founder of the Katie Able Foundation, an organization that provides mentoring support to more than 866 youth and 5,000 adults and families, has been charged by federal prosecutors with 21-counts of mortgage and wire fraud that took place from March 2007 to

“No one is above the law.”

–Belinda Queen Howard

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Carmen Johnson has been charged by federal prosecutors with 21-counts of mortgage and wire fraud.

November 2008.

Johnson, whose trial started on Feb. 10, could face up to 30-years in prison and up to $1 million in fines if convicted.

Johnson, on a CTV broadcast on Feb. 11, aired on YouTube, said that she is innocent of the charges.

She said she was a victim of real estate agents and other professionals and that she got caught in the middle of the crimes committed. She said she is a victim of legal abuse and is a double victim in this series of events.

“I will be vindicated,” Johnson told CTV. The AFRO called Johnson’s offices on Feb. 16, but she did not call back before this story went to publication.

Bob Ross, president of the Prince George’s County NAACP, said he was aware of Johnson’s legal troubles.

“It is my understanding that this alleged crime took place during 2007 and 2008,” Ross said. “She was not a member of the branch at that time though she may have had some affiliation with the NAACP.” Ross said that Johnson joined the chapter earlier this decade and served one year as the youth adviser. He said that she was appointed as the chair of the housing committee for the county and eventually the state chapter.

James Dula, former president of the Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce and a social and community activist, Continued on A5

Best-Selling Author Visits Books-A-Million in Hanover

By Natascha F. Saunders Special to the AFRO

Courtesy Photo

U.S. Rep. Mia Love is the only Black Republican in the Congressional Black Caucus and the first Black elected to Congress from Utah.

Acclaimed author Carl Weber, president of Urban Books LLC, held a book signing to share insights on his upcoming film projects and give back to the fans that have supported him over the years.

Fans gathered at Books-AMillion in Hanover, Md. on Feb. 3 to get signed autograph copies of one of Weber’s 21 books, 14 of which were New York Times bestselling novels.

“I can’t explain to you how much going back to say thank you to people for spending their hard earned

money on something that I wrote means to me. The ultimate give back is to go to a book signing and let my fans understand how much I appreciate them,” Weber said.

Some of the books Weber is known for include the Family Business series, Choir Director, The Man in 3B, Married Men, The First Lady, Up to No Good and Something on the Side, among others. This book signing was just one step in his successes.

Weber is now making a big splash on the film screen.

Screen writing has now become part of Weber’s repertoire. He is currently

carlweber.net

Acclaimed author Carl Weber visited Hanover, Md. recently.

Continued on A4

Caucus Foundation Forum Addresses Preserving Black Male Lives in America

By James Wright Special to the AFRO

AFRO’s Electrifying ‘Black Lives Matter’ Town Hall Meeting Photo by Rob Roberts

Panelists Dante Barry, Seema Sadanandan, Jeff Johnson, Dr. E. Faye Williams, and Allyson Carpenter at the AFRO Newspaper’s “Black Lives Matter” Town Hall meeting at the Howard Theatre.

By Linda Poulson Special to the AFRO In its first Black History Month event, the Afro-American Newspapers hosted a community discussion on the commonly referenced epithet, “Black Lives Matter.” The town hall meeting took place on Feb. 10 at The Howard Theatre in Northwest D.C. “I can’t tell you how I felt,”

said panelist Jeff Johnson, an award-winning journalist and communications specialist. “It wasn’t like a date to remember like JFK’s assassination or the Challenger . . . there’s an inhumanity of Black lives by certain groups in this country.”

Other panelists included Allyson Carpenter, advisory neighborhood commissioner for Ward 1 and Howard University student; Dr. E. Faye Williams, president and CEO for the National Congress

“It’s worse when you bury a child just because of the color of their skin.”

– Olubunmi Comfort Oludipe

Copyright © 2014 by the Afro-American Company

Continued on A5

Members of the Obama administration and Congress met to discuss issues and challenges faced by young Black males during a forum on Feb. 11. Organized by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Ron W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center at Howard University, the Howard University Student Government Association, the Howard chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and others, the forum, “The State of the African-American Male: A Dream Deferred?” took place at the Howard Continued on A7

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

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NATION & WORLD Republicans Try to Ban Angela Davis from Speaking at Texas Tech

Republicans at Texas Tech University are trying to block Black civil rights activist Angela Davis from speaking on their campus as part of a Black History Month lecture series.

A polarizing figure, Davis was considered a radical activist and counter-culture philosopher as a prominent member of the Black Panther Party during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s. After an unsuccessful attempt to free fellow activist George Jackson—of Soledad Brother fame—from a courtroom in Marin County, Calif., on Aug. 7, 1970, Davis was arrested as a suspected conspirator since the guns were registered in her name. On the run from arrest, Davis was briefly on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list and later spent some time in jail.

Eventually, she was acquitted of all charges.

“I would rather hear from someone who has respect among the community,” Carl Tepper, chairman of the Lubbock County Republican Party, told the local FOX News affiliate. “Why wouldn’t we at every opportunity inject positive role models Wikimedia Commons into our young people, Texas Tech Republicans are rather than someone attempting to stop activist Angela who’s so angry all the Davis from speaking at Black time and has nothing History Month event. but consternation against the American Dream?”

Davis does have gravitas within the African-American community, however, particularly because of her critiques of the prison-industrial complex and her advocacy on prison reform.

And that’s the basis of Texas Tech’s invitation—to let Davis, a professor emerita at the University of California-Santa Cruz, discuss mass incarceration in the United States.

“Texas Tech continues to serve as a national model for inclusive excellence,” said Juan Muñoz, senior vice president for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement and vice provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs, in a statement. “The caliber of speakers who will be part of our

African-American Lecture Series further affirms our commitment to diversity and the profound contributions of African-Americans to our campus, state and country.”

But the institution’s student Republicans group has filed an online petition to stop the university from paying the reported fee of $12,000 for Davis’ speech.

So far, the petition has garnered a little over 500 signatures.

But a counter-petition has been filed by those who say the Republicans are trying to stifle free speech by a worthy Black authority figure.

Black Ex-Soap Opera Star Sues CBS with Retaliation Charge

NEW YORK (AP) —Former soap opera actress Victoria Rowell has sued CBS and producers, saying they have kept her off the air as retaliation for advocating the casting of more black people.

The 55-year-old Rowell, who’s Black, is best known as a star of “The Young and the Restless” for 17 years. She played Drucilla Winters, an illiterate thief and prostitute, who, at Rowell’s urging, “transformed herself through an adult literacy program into a positive figure,” according to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan.

The lawsuit alleges that though more Black characters were added to the show over the years, the producers “treated them, including Ms. Rowell, as second-class citizens.”

CBS officials didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.

Rowell says she clashed with the producers in 2005 over their refusal to let her write and direct episodes of the show. Two years later, she decided to leave the show after the producers created a story line in which her Wikimedia Commons character went insane.

“Ms. Rowell was placed Victoria Rowell as Drucilla in a straight jacket on camera Barber in ‘The Young and and dragged to an asylum,” the the Restless.’ lawsuit says.

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February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

HEALTH Living with Heart Sarcoidosis

By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO

M

any fans of the late comedian Bernie Mac recognize sarcoidosis as the inflammatory disease of the lungs that took his life. Believed to be caused by a bacterial or viral infection that produces restrictive granules or nodules, sarcoidosis travels from one organ to others, destroying tissue wherever it lands. With heart sarcoidosis, nodules develop in the heart, interfering with its electrical conduction system and causing an abnormal heart beat.

Denise Duncan, who shared her story of living with sarcoidosis with the American Heart Association said her condition actually began with a diagnosis of congestive heart failure. “I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis in my lungs in 2001 and was in bad shape and a bad stage. I still get choked up thinking back. I had close friends at a local funeral home who had heard about this sickness, and they did some checking along with the doctor. I was told that sarcoidosis moves around and about three years ago it attacked my heart on the left bottom side. Anything this sickness touches, it hardens and can leave my heart and travel to another part of my body. My heart, however, is messed up forever,� Duncan said.

The exact cause of sarcoidosis is not known; however, it does appear in some families and may be linked to a genetic susceptibility. Other research suggests that its prevalence among African Americans and Western Europeans (Scandinavian, German, and Irish) points to its origin as a mixture of genetic predisposition and environmental cues.

Because sarcoidosis can escape diagnosis or be mistaken for several other diseases, we can only guess at how many people are affected. Sarcoidosis mainly affects people between 20 to 40 years of age. White women are just as likely as White men to get sarcoidosis, but the African-American female gets sarcoidosis twice as often as African-American males.

A review of African-American sarcoidosis patients by the American Lung Association found that 90 percent had at least one other disease, including: high blood pressure or hypertension (39 percent), diabetes mellitus (19 percent),

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Prevention and Treatment of Heart Sarcoidosis Symptoms

Cardiac sarcoidosis affects the heart in five to 25 percent of all sarcoidosis cases, prompting a range of symptoms from none at all to an irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, leg swelling or, in rare cases, chest pain. Because all these symptoms are indicative of many different conditions, physicians suspecting cardiac sarcoidosis typically run a battery of tests that first exclude other diseases. anemia (19 percent), asthma (15 percent), gastro-esophageal reflux disease, (15 percent), depression (13 percent) and heart failure (10 percent).

Cardiac sarcoidosis may also cause the heart to become enlarged, a condition known as cor pulmonale that can lead to heart failure if left untreated. A complete heart blockage or a heart rate below 40 beats per minute, palpitation, irregular heart rhythm, and dizziness are some of the major symptoms, but many sarcoidosis patients with heart involvement are symptom free.

The prognosis for surviving sarcoidosis is primarily dependent upon the degree of lung and cardiac involvement, and the prognosis changes substantially in patients with symptomatic cardiac sarcoidosis. Cardiac involvement is the second leading cause of death and accounts for up to 25 percent of disease-associated mortality, due primarily to progressive heart failure.

Sarcoidosis affects about 135,000 Americans, occurring nearly 10 times as frequently in Blacks as in Whites.

Diagnosis

A cardiac biopsy is one of the few ways to confirm the diagnosis, although a cardiac MRI can sometimes detect the granular cells, which resemble clumps of sand or salt grains and eventually influence organ function. About one-third of the patients with cardiac sarcoidosis have detectable abnormalities visible in an echocardiogram. Other diagnostic tests include nuclear imaging and cardiac positron emission tomographic scans, also known as PET scans.

Although sarcoidosis can wax and wane, cycling through active and inactive phases, it usually occurs in more than one organ at a time. Effects on the heart can range from undetectable to severe. Potential problems include abnormal heart rhythm, blood flow blockages, heart failure and valve malfunctions.

Treatment

The cause of the heart failure will dictate the treatment. The primary difference when treating patients with cardiac sarcoidosis compared to most other cardiac conditions is that immunosuppressive therapy is often required in addition to standard medical and device therapy. The cornerstone for immunosuppressive therapy is corticosteroid treatment; however, steroid-sparing agents are also commonly co-administered to reduce side-effects.

Cardiac device therapy has evolved over time such that many more patients are now receiving pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators for primary prevention of sudden death. Steroids are used to help reduce inflammation. Prednisolone is usually used and generally needed for a course of six to 24 months.

For more information, contact the American Heart Association at www.heart.org

OWNERBOX Info Box 2 x 2.5

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

Move Over SNL, BIG Turns 40, Too! Everybody loves a birthday or anniversary celebration, right? So, guess who is turning 40 years old in 2015? Blacks In Government (BIG) is! Yes, BIG was established in 1975 (incorporated in 1976) by a small group of Black federal employees at the Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) Department in Rockville, Md., to address a wide range of racially motivated issues faced on the job. And, just as Saturday Night Live (SNL) took a look back this weekend celebrating its 40 years, let me take you back to 1975 for a look at the United States from sports to music to politics to civil rights, and to the issues that precipitated BIG’s founding.

Since we love our sports in this area, let us start there. In 1975, Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the Thriller in Manila. Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon.

The Baltimore football team won the division title as the Baltimore Colts not the Baltimore Ravens. But, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers who would defeat the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. And, that likely came as no surprise with a roster like Terry Bradshaw (QB), Franco Harris (RB), Lynn Swann (WR), and Mean Joe Greene (DT). There was also the first nationally televised women’s college basketball game with the University of Maryland women’s team being defeated 80-48 by Immaculata University. Last but not least, the 1975 NBA Championship featured the Golden State Warriors and the Washington Bullets (not yet Wizards). The series was notable as the first championship game or series in any of the major professional sports leagues to feature two African-American head coaches, with Al Attles coaching the Warriors and K.C. Jones coaching the Bullets. Bring out the brooms because the Warriors swept the Bullets.

From D.C. hand dancers to line dancers to free stylers, we love our music and 1975 did not disappoint. The Queen of Disco Donna Summers had the hot hit “Love to Love You, Baby.” The Isley Brothers were singing “Summer Breeze.” Bob Marley was singing “Stir It Up.” K.C. and the Sunshine Band sang “Get Down Tonight.” That was also the first year that we heard Smokey Robinson singing “Quiet Storm.” And Saturday Night Live premiered for the first time with George Carlin as the host and Billy Preston as the first musical guest singing his hit “Nothing

Shirley A. Jones

from Nothing leaves Nothing.”

Of course, we cannot paint a full picture without talking about U.S. politics. In 1975, Marion Barry was serving his first term on the D.C. City Council after having served on the D.C. School Board and, of course, after having been the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) where he played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement of the ‘60s. That same year, Ella Grasso of Connecticut became the first female governor who didn’t simply succeed her husband into the position. Harold Ford Sr. became the first African American to represent Tennessee in the U.S. Congress. Anwar Sadat was the first Egyptian president to visit the U.S. There was some memorable stuff going on in 1975. But, it was not all good.

The Vietnam war ended in 1975 and the country was in a recession. The overall unemployment rate was 9.2 percent with stagnant job growth and advancement.

Some states were still resisting effective implementation of major civil rights laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Although it is a little known fact, it was not until 1972 that Title VII of the 1964 Act, which we use to fight employment discrimination, became applicable to government agencies.

So, let us not be idealistic in thinking that our federal government was a model employer back then welcoming women and African Americans and giving them equal pay in 1975. It was against this backdrop that BIG was founded in1975, a time when no one thought we lived in a post-racial climate.

Thankfully, the world has changed a lot since 1975. However, it is imperative that we do not forget when and why we were founded. No, the fight isn’t exactly the same but there’s still a fight to ensure a level playing field for all government employees such that they all receive the training, quality assignments, promotions, bonuses, awards, and ascension into the senior executive service that their hard work deserves. That is what BIG was founded for and why BIG is still relevant 40 years later.

“From D.C. hand dancers to line dancers to free stylers, we love our music…”

Shirley A. Jones is president of Blacks In Government’s Region XI Council.

GOP

Continued from A1 our many substantial and ongoing efforts to recognize our leaders and activists, while building new relationships and strengthening old ones,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in his address.

Priebus said that he understands that diversity is the key to the survival of the GOP. “As I have said many times, we have to be a party that listens to everyone and fights for everyone,” he said. “America is strongest when both parties fight to earn every vote. No voter should be taken for granted; no voter should be overlooked.”

Brooke, who died earlier this year, is a District native elected by the voters of Massachusetts as the nation’s first Black state attorney general in 1962 and the first Black popularly elected senator in 1966. He was re-elected in 1972 and in the Senate, he supported civil and voting rights legislation, fought White racist governments in then Rhodesia and South Africa and was mentioned as a possible Supreme

Court associate justice prospect and a vice presidential candidate on a GOP ticket.

Harry Johnson, a former national president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, accepted Brooke’s award and spoke on behalf of the senator’s family. Johnson pointed out that Brooke staunchly supported the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall and said that King and Brooke regularly conversed on issues regarding the country and the fraternity.

Scott was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and picked as a senator by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) in 2013. In 2014, Scott won a special election to become the first Black elected to the Senate from the South.

Scott said serving in the Senate has made him more committed to helping others. “I am truly honored to walk in the footsteps of giants who came before me and to honor their memory by continuing my efforts to unleash opportunity and success in communities around the nation,” he said.

Love is the only Republican member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She accepted her award and blasted the “new slavery” in America. Hurd also spoke of a newly formed slavery in America.

“We need to remove ourselves from a different slavery, the slavery that comes from being dependent on people in power,” Love, the first Black elected to the Congress from Utah, said.

Hurd is the first Black Republican representing Congress from Texas. Hurd, a former CIA professional, said that America is a force for good in the world and he will work to see that continues as such.

“When I ran for Congress, the people in the 23rd congressional district of Texas told me they wanted someone to come up here and fight hard to protect our values, our border, and our nation,” Hurd said. “My background as an undercover CIA operative and cybersecurity expert has prepared me to do just that. I take the trust they’ve placed in me very seriously.”

Best Selling Author

Continued from A1

producing screenplays for three of his bestselling novels: The Preacher’s Son, The Choir Director and recently the film adaptation of The Man in 3B, premiered as the closing film at the Pan African Film Festival on Feb. 16 in Los Angeles and it stared Billy Dee Williams, DB Woodside (Fox TV’s “24”), Lamman Rucker from Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “Why Did I Get Married” and Jackée Harry from “227”).

“Change in Hollywood is coming and I am slowly and maturely letting people know that I am not going away and I am making films. At some point they will understand,” Weber said.

Weber frames his success candidly as an author, screenwriter, and entrepreneur.

When asked about any regrets on his

journey to success he shares some lessons learned. “A smart business person knows when to fold them. A smart business person knows when to take a different direction, and understands that failure grows character” Weber said.

“So many people lose everything because they are stubborn and don’t

Amazon Market Place,” he continued.

Weber credits his successes, lessons learned and future aspirations in film and television to some of his greatest influences including his dad; John Johnson, founder of Ebony; Michael Baisden, author and former radio personality; and Shona Rhimes, writer and producer of Scandal and other television dramas.

Weber is hopeful of being a show runner one day. He said the black men who paved the way before him, – Carl Weber as writers, have shown him anything is possible. Weber’s future hopes are to master the craft of film and television want to give in. For example, people are writing. buying books on kindle. We can either provide books on kindle or not. So we For more information about Carl started selling books on Kindle and in the Weber, log onto CarlWeber.net.

“The ultimate give back is to … let my fans understand how much I appreciate them.”

MARCH 9-14, 2015

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February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

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Schott Foundation Report: High School Graduation Gap Expanding between Black and White Males

By Shantella Y. Sherman Special to the AFRO The recently released, Black Lives Matter: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males, details graduation rates of Black males.

It also documents a systemic lack of equity in the quality of educational supports and resources for Black and Latino students. The resulting “opportunity gap,” according to the study’s findings creates barriers to academic success, social progress, and feeds high incarceration rates.

In the foreword to the report, Michelle Alexander, associate professor of law at Ohio State University and author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, said that in asking how to fix the system, Schott reinforces that Black lives do matter.

“I am pleased to say that Schott is asking and answering the right questions. In Black Lives Matter: Schott’s 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males, Schott declines to wonder aloud what might be wrong

education and employment opportunities. It with the least advantaged in our communities, matters that we give our young people good and instead asks the deeper, more profound reason to dream. If we truly believe that Black question, ‘What is wrong with the system?” lives matter we must prove it, by accepting the Alexander said.

District of Columbia Public Schools placed challenge offered by this report and getting to work building a country that affords dignity among the lowest ranked for Black males, with a 56.3 percent graduation rate, 7.4 percent and opportunity to us all.”

The report, released pass rate on the Grade 8 by the Schott Foundation National Assessment of for Public Education also Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading found Black students are proficiency, and a consistently disciplined 14.3 percent rate of at a higher rate than their suspension in 2012.

White peers, despite no This data, when evidence of higher rates assessed against of school misbehavior. neighboring Maryland, Dr. Pedro Noguera, the shows a 66.3 percent Peter L. Agnew Professor – Michelle Alexander of Education at New rate of graduation just across the state line, a York University and the 17.8 percent pass rate lead researcher on the of the Grade 8 NAEP report, said, “Systemic Reading proficiency, and an 8.35 percent reforms must be made at all levels to address suspension rate. educational disparities that are consigning many Black and Latino males to lives of “Because Black lives matter, what we poverty and perpetuating an inequality of choose to do about educational inequity, economic and social status – something that matters. It matters that we provide quality

“Because Black lives matter, what we choose to do about educational inequity, matters…”

both weakens our country and threatens our democracy.”

Proposed action steps and outlines include: student-centered educational programs that align academic, social, and health support systems; a moratorium on out-of-school suspensions, which disproportionately target Black and Latino students; and private sector programs and community networks that provide role models and supports to help young people in low-income communities prepare for professional success.

“On the heels of several recent tragedies and acts of violence that have brought increased attention to the alarming racial divide in our nation, [this] report reveals a quieter destructive force related to racial injustice: educational inequality,” said Schott Foundation President and CEO John H. Jackson. “Investing in young Black males produces results that are an asset to our society. There are currently over 2 million Black males who are college graduates and over 1 million enrolled in college. Positioning young people to graduate from high school with a solid foundation creates a pathway out of poverty and toward social mobility.”

Carmen Johnson

Continued from A1

said that Johnson’s trial may be a problem for the county now.

“The county unfortunately is not a shining star and this trail can be considered a black eye on how the county operates,” Dula said. “This is not the way we want to portray the county in

the public eye now.”

Belinda Queen-Howard, a well-known political activist in the county, said that Johnson, if proven guilty, should serve as an example that everyone in the county should be held

accountable for their actions.

“There are some people who want to make money too fast,” Queen-Howard said. “No matter what their title is they must obey the law. No one is above the law.”

Town Hall Meeting

Continued from A1

Barry told Perry that it was probably too difficult for youth his age to understand what actually happened and the events that took place about Martin. “Just remember, your life matters,” Barry told him.

LaTrina Antoine, Washington D.C. Editor contributed to this story.

The town hall meeting was wellattended.

Photo by Rob Roberts

of Black Women; Dante Barry, executive director for Million Hoodies Movement for Justice; and Seema Sadanandan, program director for the American Civil Liberties Union. April Yvonne Garrett, AYG List speaker and facilitator moderated the event, and Radio One News and Community Affairs Director Ebony McMorris was the emcee.

Johnson said body cameras were not enough to correct the situation. Previous records should be investigated on negative recycled officers, and those hired as policemen coming from recent wars need to be checked in order to prevent these types of shootings, he said.

Williams emphasized that the youth should be told that conditions that plague today’s society are not their fault. “Teach them the difference between riot and revolution,” she said. “Teach young men to respect young women.”

Carpenter said she and others went to Ferguson, Mo. because of the killings. While there, she recalled meeting a group called “Lost Voices,” pegged as rioters. “We need an elevator; not criticism.

Someone who is willing to invest in us,” she said.

Amongst typical addresses of frustration and anger from the audience, a solemn testament was given by a Maryland resident who lost her son, Emmanuel Okutuga, when he was fatally shot by a Montgomery County policeman outside a Silver Spring mall in 2011.

“When I heard it [about Michael Brown], it brought back bad memories. I found it difficult to swallow,” Olubunmi Comfort Oludipe said, holding a poster of her deceased son.

“My case was thrown out due to lack of evidence,” she said. “I feel for this mother. It’s worse when you bury a child just because of the color of their skin.”

Other issues discussed were police attitudes toward the Black community, community policing, youth involvement, shifts in leadership, local elections, and intergenerational relations. The imbalance in the criminal justice system was mentioned. According to recent data on African Americans in the District, there were 45,000 arrests made with 96 percent of them classified as nonviolent.

According to an audience member, “We need cop watchers. We have had them in New York. It is important to train community members.”

There were also implications that, although Whites use top-tier drugs such as cocaine more, 91 percent of drug arrests were of Blacks.

Sadanandan said traffic stops, stop and frisk, and jump outs were common in the area. “There is a pattern of over-policing in D.C.,” she said.

The audience asked questions on how the media’s language equates negative behavior on Blacks, methods needed for youth in dealing with police, and communicating with elders in centralized situations for intergenerational partnerships. But the last question by 13-year-old Joshua Perry of Buck Lodge Middle School in Adelphi, Md. may have had the most impact. “How do you talk to your fellow peers who are ignorant and they want to make jokes about it?” he asked.

Perry shared an incident from school, when his teacher told a student wearing a hoodie to take it off. The boy ignored the teacher, jumped up and ran around the classroom yelling repeatedly, “I am Trayvon Martin! I am Trayvon Martin!”

Perry said the student was asked what he knew about Martin, but he could not give an answer.

THE

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1 9 6 4 A LONG STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the act, highlights legal and legislative victories, and sheds light on individuals who shaped the civil rights movement.

A Library of Congress Exhibition SEPTEMBER 10, 2014—JANUARY 2, 2016 Thomas Jefferson Building 10 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20540 HOURS:

Monday – Saturday 8:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.

www.loc.gov

The exhibition is made possible by a generous grant from Newman’s Own Foundation and with additional support from HISTORY ®.

A6

The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

COMMUNITY CONNECTION Singer Amel Larrieux Performs at Howard Theatre As part of its Black History of Music Month concert series, The Howard Theatre, located at 620 T St. N.W. will feature singer Amel Larrieux on Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. For more information call 800-7453000 or purchase tickets at ticketmaster.

District Heights, Md. Saving Our Sons Town Hall

The First Baptist Church of District Heights, located at 7234 Lansdale St., will is host a “Saving Our Sons” Town Hall on Feb. 21 at noon to provide a platform for young men ages 13Amel Larrieux 35 to voice their concerns on matters of police interactions and overcoming issues, such as poverty, race, and class, often found in urban communities.

Admission for the event is free. For more information, visit www.fbcdh.org.

Arlington, Va.

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Hosts Black History Month Dinner

The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH) Gospel Service will host its Annual Black History Month Keeper of the Community Awards and Dinner on Feb 21 at 1 p.m. at the Memorial Chapel, located at 101 McNair Road. The program will include Bishop Glen Staples, as a guest speaker. Special music will be performed by Gospel Recording Artist Phillip Carter and the Largo High School Gospel Chorale along with the Gospel Service Praise and Worship Team. A highlight of the program will be the presentation of the Keeper of the Community awards to the honorees including , Lt. Gen. Robert Ferrell, Army chief information officer; Lt. Col. David Everly, USMC junior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense; Janice Chance, a gold star mother and Allyson Carpenter, ANC commissioner for Ward 1 and student at Howard University. A fellowship dinner will follow the program. All are welcome. For more information, contact Edgar Brookins, 202-320-0939.

D.C.

Metropolitan AME Hosts An ‘Evening of Jazz’

The Daniel Payne Community Development Corporation and the Metropolitan AME Church will host an Evening of Jazz on Feb. 27 in recognition of the presence and culture of music in Black history. The event will be held at the church, located at 1518 M Street N.W. The event will include Jazz performers Christie Dashiell, George V. Johnson Jr. and the N Tyme Jazz Ensemble. Admission and parking are free. For more information call 202-331-1426.

Glen Echo, Md.

Swing with The Tom Cunningham Orchestra

On Feb. 28 at 9 p.m., the Tom Cunningham Orchestra will be performing a three hour set of early Swing music, 1930-36, including selections from Benny Goodman, The Dorsey Brothers, Jimmie Lunceford, the Boswell Sisters, and others. The location is the Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Boulevard. Adult admission is $18. For more information, contact tom@tomcunningham.com or call 571-572-3356.

Rape’s Other Victims

By Jazelle Hunt NNPA Washington Correspondent

Unresolved trauma

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The first time Tiffany Perry learned about her conception, she was too innocent to fully understand the gentle explanation her mother was offering, too young to process such a heavy and complicated behavior.

What she distinctly remembers is watching “Oprah” with her mom a few years later, as a 10-year-old. It was the television episode in which Oprah revealed to the world that she was a rape survivor.

“When [Oprah] said herself, and started crying…my mom just fell apart,” the 39-year-old Jersey City, N.J. native recounted. “I tried to console her, but she was inconsolable. It was just so intense.”

At 15 years old, Perry’s mother was raped by her foster mother’s 21-year-old married son.

His wife had invited Perry’s mother into their home to babysit their child and to escape her foster mother’s wrath.

Her foster brother raped her repeatedly for two weeks, sometimes at knifepoint. Despite having been a virgin at the time and under the care of the state, few people bothered to inquire about the details of the pregnancy. Plus, the fact that he had threatened to kill her, kept Perry’s mother silent.

“Maybe, as a Black person, they just saw this as another teenage pregnancy, and nobody really asked any questions,” Perry said, trying to explain the unexplainable. “I can’t say with certainty…but I’m thinking that if she was White in a foster home and her belly started to grow, then maybe a flag would’ve went up somewhere and somebody would’ve investigated more as to why this foster child is pregnant.”

In subsequent years, freed by the Oprah episode, Perry’s mother became more forthcoming.

“As I grew up, she told me more details of the attack. It was like she had been carrying this around the whole time.”

But opening that door triggered another set of emotions in Perry.

“I went through different feelings of inadequacy, feeling like I had to overcompensate because I was a child of a rape. Even now, when I say the word ‘inadequate,’ I get choked up,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

“My mom was awesome, she never talked down to me….my mom always praised me, always gave me love,” Perry said. “But I felt like…I owed it to her to be perfect so she doesn’t feel like keeping me was a mistake.”

And there was the question of what she would say when asked about her father. Perry chose to say that he was dead, that he had left, or that she didn’t know him, depending on the questioner. But even while denying his existence, there was also a deep craving to know about this man, wherever he was.

New York-based author, activist, and scholar Ewuare Osayande wasn’t born of this violence, but also grew up in its shadow.

His mother spent her childhood at the mercy of a sexually abusive stepfather.

The oldest of eight children, she was the only one who was not his blood-relative.

The abuse was the family’s open secret. She grew up to date, marry, and divorce abusive men.

Justice Department data show that Black women are more likely than their White counterparts to be assaulted, (Photo by Tiffany Perry) sexually and otherwise by Tiffany Perry, a child of rape, says that there are no strangers and by family services targeted to people conceived through sexual members. assault.

“It was never the case where my mother cowered in the face of her abuse. She didn’t hold her tongue, she always spoke her mind,” Osayande said.

Today, Osayande is the creator of Project ONUS: Redefining Black Manhood, a series of anti-sexist workshops for Black men. It took time and life experiences before he was able to connect the dots and realize how his mother’s abuse – some he had witnessed, some he had not – had affected his own development.

“That processing has been life long,” he explained. “I’m a divorcée. In that relationship, I found myself becoming like the men I swore for years I would never be. It never got to the point where I became physically abusive, but certainly emotionally abusive.”

As the son of a rape and abuse survivor, and as a formerly abusive person, he also realized he had to address his own internal conflicts and beliefs.

“It’s been a very real, clear determination on my part to make sense of the life I’ve experienced as a Black man, in a gendered way,” he explained. “It’s been my desire to become an effective ally in that struggle, in that engagement in the world in which Black women exist, and experience.”

Wanted to know her roots

Secondary survivors need help

SECOND IN A SERIES

More than anything else, she did not want her mother to feel badly.

“I didn’t rape her, but when I was younger, I used to feel like it was my fault,” she recalled.

“The dreams that she probably could have fulfilled – if she had stayed that innocent virgin who wanted to be a lawyer – she wasn’t going to be able to fulfill those because I was here.”

Instead of pursuing her dreams, Perry’s mother had to shift her focus, looking after the needs of an infant rather than looking forward to a career as an attorney.

“Sometimes she was a little more paranoid than I would think is regular,” Perry said.

“When I was growing up my mom was so strict, or smothering, when it came down to me, particularly.”

Once, her mother sent her to the corner store for a few items. There, she ran into a family friend, an older man. He offered to buy her something – she chose cookies – and they parted ways.

She thought nothing of it – until her mother went into a rage.

“She flew off the handle. She beat me with an extension cord. And she told me, ‘Don’t ever accept anything from a man, they can’t be trusted, you don’t know their intentions.’ I’m six. I don’t have a clue what she is talking about.

“She cried. When I got older and reminded her about the incident, she explained to me that she didn’t trust anybody, she didn’t trust any man. And she wanted me to be extra careful. She wanted to put that fear in me.”

It instilled both fear and confusion, blurring the lines of what was acceptable with the boys and men in her world.

“It’s just assumed whenever a woman gets raped, she never gets pregnant, or if she does get pregnant, the child is automatically aborted or adopted,” she said. “There’s this group of people who’ve been conceived by rape and nobody ever discusses us. I want to talk about it because we exist. I exist.”

In the sea of services for survivors, most resources geared toward family and friends coach them on how to best support the survivor in their life. Although crisis centers and hotlines are equipped to aid and counsel family and friends of survivors, few resources address the challenges these relatives face.

The book, I Will Survive: The African American Guide to Healing from Sexual Assault and Abuse, cites a study that draws parallels between the emotions of boyfriends and husbands of women who have been sexually assaulted, and the wives and girlfriends of war veterans.

“Not surprisingly, past or recent sexual trauma can present unique challenges for the survivor’s partner,” writes Lori Robinson, author of the book. “You are a victim too. Some experts call you the secondary victim. After all you are experiencing many of the same emotions sexual assault victims feel.”

Tiffany Perry’s breaking point came about 20 years ago. A probation officer contacted her out of the blue, looking for her father. He had given her name and birth date as his next-of-kin.

She learned that not only did he know about her, but he knew where she lived. To this day, the two live less than an hour apart. She has never contacted him, but has learned a bit about his life via a cousin and aunt on Facebook.

Perry’s mother remains her primary source of support.

“When I went to go look for support groups for children of rape victims or children conceived out of rape, they’re pretty much nonexistent,” Perry says. “[Rape] is so common we don’t even cringe when we hear about it. Rape is inhumane, and people are not treating it like it’s inhumane. They just treat it like ‘Well, it happens.’”

(The project was made possible by a grant from the National Health Journalism Fellowship, a program of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.)

February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

Business Profile Avery’s Experience on H Street

By Christina Sturdivant Special to the AFRO When Avery’s Bar and Lounge opened in 2013, owner Avery Leakes could be found at the top of the secondstory entrance greeting guests with a smile. Customers would then sit at the bar and order hand-crafted drinks.

Today, Avery’s is known for bringing a full experience to the H Street Corridor that strays from the night club feel. “It’s more geared to people who don’t want to go to the club, but still want to come out and have a quality time,�

Leakes told the AFRO Feb. 11.

A DJ sets the music atmosphere in the lounge,

while Leakes continues to cater to customers with photographs, shout-outs and other perks, especially for special occasions. “I just love creating,

bar and nightlife culture,� he says. “I love what I do.�

As a 30-year-old entrepreneur in the up-andcoming corridor, launching Avery’s wasn’t easy.

“I would tell anybody if they want to do this business, before you can make any money, you have to love it.� – Avery Leakes whether we’re handcrafting a cocktail or bringing something that people never really expected to the whole

Avery, who had made several mistakes in the real estate market and was a novice in the restaurant

industry, said a bank loan was hard to come by. “Banks don’t like giving loans to young entrepreneurs or people in the bar nightlife industry unless you have multiple businesses,� says Leakes, who after getting turned down for loans decided to invest his life savings from working nine years for the U.S. Capitol Police. “Everything with Avery’s is paid for from me and my wife,� he says.

Leakes is also one of the only African American businesses owners on the strip. “It wasn’t until I got here that I realized all the accomplishments that come with being a black owned business. There are only nine Black liquor licenses in the city, period,� he says. “It feels great because a lot of people tell me that they look up to me, they want to start their dreams and do a lot of things.

A lot of customers [also] tell me that they’re happy for me and they don’t want me to go

A7

Photo courtesy of Avery Leakes

Avery’s Bar and Lounge rooftop. anywhere.�

Avery will use the Caribbean carryout he had acquired underneath the nightspot to expand to four levels in the Spring. He says he will add a kitchen to the place. “I didn’t know anything about food. I just had an attitude like we’re going to figure it out and build as we grow,� he says.

Now, Leakes has hired a chef and a plan to develop

food options is underway.

As the H Street corridor continues to gain on U Street and K Street, Leakes plans to peak with it. “I’m not in this to make a ton of money. I love what I do,� he says. “I get up everyday and I’m active – I don’t give up. I would tell anybody if they want to do this business, before you can make any money, you have to love it.�

Caucus Foundation

Continued from A1

University School of Business Auditorium.

Former Florida Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), a visiting scholar at the Ron Walters Center, said it is critical that America talks seriously about the problems of Black males. “When you talk about African-American males, you are talking about Americans who have made contributions to our country,� Meek said.

The forum was divided into panels that dealt with education, the criminal justice system, finance and young males.

Ivory Toldson, deputy director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, participated in the education panel. Toldson said stories about Black females outnumbering Black males in higher education institutions at ratios as high as 20-1 are not all true. “The real ratio for Black females to Black males on college campuses is 1.54 to 1,�

Toldson said. “Coppin State University has the highest ratio of three females to one male. Black males are definitely represented in higher education.�

Toldson said most Black males in higher education attend community colleges, online or distance learning institutions, and for-profit colleges instead of the traditional four-year schools.

Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Emmanuel Cleaver II (DMo.) and D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) talked about the criminal justice system. Davis said the U.S. has the biggest incarcerated population in the world and that Blacks are a large part of it. “Black people make up about 14 percent of this country’s population and yet 51 percent of people in the criminal justice system are Black,� Davis said. “In order for Black males to deal with the criminal justice system, there must be reform of the system to make it fairer to poor people and people of color, and [to] educate African-American males on how it works.�

Norton said she started the District’s Commission on Men and Boys several years ago even though she is a “card-carrying feminist.�

She said Black males, with the support of Black females, must come together to solve their own problems for the good of the community.

Courtesy Photo

U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) has been active on Black male issues on Capitol Hill.

Cleaver said Black males are under attack in America but must continue

to persevere and not give into hopelessness.

Kelvin Boston, a financial journalist, and retired Fannie Mae Chairman Franklin Raines said in order to thrive in America, Black males must become more responsible in their personal finances. “Black must have economic independence and not be dependent on others for their livelihoods,� Boston said. “During the Great Recession, which took place from September 2008 to the end of 2009, Whites had some financial challenges but Blacks were economically in a depression. Blacks lost 50 percent of our net worth during the Great Recession.�

Boston said that presently Blacks are 40 percent unemployed or underemployed and to fight that, they must have a life plan, financial plan, and a business plan or a second income

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Raines said that with financial discipline, young Blacks who attend Howard University now, can save

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it can be done,â&#x20AC;? Raines said.

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

Rediscovering the Past: A Dialogue with Char McCargo Bah

By Ariel Medley Special to the AFRO Genealogist Char McCargo Bah digs deep into history, finding lost or unknown ancestry, and connecting families with their relatives of the past.

For nearly three decades, Bah has assisted over 100 individuals in finding their lost lineage. She rigorously combs through ancient archives and historical state and county records.

Bah’s work has help countless men and women trace their family’s roots back to Africa, locate living relatives, and fill in the gaps to stories past down from generation to generation.

“It’s like working a puzzle”, said Bah. “You have to search every piece, every record, and every corner to find the connections.”

Inspired by Alex Haley’s 1976 novel, Roots, Bah realized

“It’s like working a puzzle.”

– Char McCargo Bah

early on that her future was in genealogy. She took courses at Georgetown University, studied aboard in Sierra Leon, and earned her degree in Urban Studies and African American History at the University of the District of Columbia.

Upon hearing about genealogy classes at the Washington D.C. Genealogical Society in 1981, she signed up for membership and served on the organization’s board for 23 years. In 1990 she began taking on clients and soon gained a reputation as being one of the best in her field.

From 2008 to 2009, she was hired as the Official Genealogist for the Office of Historic Alexandria and assisted the county in uncovering the names, lives, and histories of those buried at Contrabands and Freedman Cemetery in Alexandria, Va. Bah has appeared as a key speaker in numerous television series and documentaries including an interview with Fox 5 News in Washington D.C., BBC Radio, and PBS’ History Detectives. With such an enduring passion for retracing the past and connecting people with their past ancestry, Bah even took on pro-bono jobs, dedicating well over 2,800 hours a year to help individuals find their long lost loved ones.

“It was important to tell their stories,” Bah said. “Many times my research would lead me to different states, different counties and unexpected directions. [Research] can be costly, and I have accrued expenses during my research, but the emotions from the people, the clients – their reactions to finding relatives they never thought they would find – it’s all worth it.”

Bah said she experienced an emotional and personal journey while assisting an elderly German man in finding his African-American father. “My client was of German and African-American decent, born in 1947 a few years after [World War II], and left by his mother in an orphanage,” Bah said. “ All I knew going into this research was that I was looking for his father, a man named James Clark, who lived on Early Street in Lynchburg, Virginia. I had only a name, his occupation – military – and the street he used to live on.”

At first, she was reluctant to take on the case, assuming that the search for a name as common as ‘James Clark’ Bah assisted the county would be similar to finding in uncovering the names, a needle in a haystack. lives, and histories of those However, Bah never gave buried at Contrabands and up. After rummaging through Freedman Cemetery in hundreds of census records, Alexandria, Va. city directories, court and military records, Bah discovered something truly amazing. “Not only were our families from the same region in Lynchburg, but we were related. His father, James Clark was my great uncle.” James Clark had since passed, but Bah’s client gained far more than he ever expected – a biological cousin and the long lost family connection he sought.

Bah will be teaching genealogy classes at the Alexandria

Genealogist Char McCargo Bah

Black History Museum located at 902 Wythe St. this April.

She has already begun conducting a series of genealogical lectures. Her next lecture is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 28.

“For anyone who wants to start their own genealogical research, I say, take it like you would a college degree. Make sure your foundation is good. You cannot skip any process and you cannot assume anything you see online is completely genuine. You need Bah will be teaching genealogy to do fieldwork; classes at the Alexandria Black visit courthouses, History Museum. cemeteries, search tax records, church records, census records, photo registrations and voting records,” Bah said.

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VALID 2/20 ’TIL 2PM OR 2/21/15 ’TIL 2PM. LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER. Also excludes: Everyday Values (EDV), specials, super buys, furniture, mattresses, floor coverings, rugs, electrics/electronics, cosmetics/ fragrances, athletic apparel, shoes and accessories; Dallas Cowboys merchandise, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, New Era, Nike on Field, previous purchases, special orders, selected licensed depts., special purchases, services, macys.com. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $25 or more, exclusive of tax and delivery fees.

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VALID 2/20 ’TIL 2PM OR 2/21/15 ’TIL 2PM. LIMIT ONE PER CUSTOMER. Also excludes: Everyday Values (EDV), specials, super buys, furniture, mattresses, floor coverings, rugs, electrics/electronics, cosmetics/ fragrances, athletic apparel, shoes and accessories; Dallas Cowboys merchandise, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, New Era, Nike on Field, previous purchases, special orders, selected licensed depts., special purchases, services, macys.com. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $50 or more, exclusive of tax and delivery fees.

ONE DAY SALE PRICES IN EFFECT 2/20 & 2/21/2015.

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February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015 The Afro-American

COMMENTARY

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More Evidence of Obama’s Hostility Toward HBCUs As if we needed any more evidence, President Obama’s recent meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus revealed a deep-seated hostility toward the plight of struggling Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

According to Lauren Victoria Burke’s Black Caucus blog, CrewOf42.com, “President Obama was critical of Historically Black Colleges and Universities during a meeting with members of the George E. Curry Congressional Black Caucus this week according to several in attendance. The February 10 meeting was the first group gathering with the Black Caucus and the President since June 2013.”

It continued, “Several who attended the meeting indicated that President Obama felt that the focus of HBCU’s needs to be on the schools changing their ways of doing business rather [than] on changes in federal policy. Those who attended said he was specifically critical of graduation rates and loan policies. The President also spoke to CBC members on his free community college plan which some HBCU advocates believe will hurt HBCUs.” Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, told Burke, “He [Obama] said there were some HBCUs that were not good at graduating students and if they did not improve they’d have to go by the wayside. In other words he didn’t show much empathy for struggling HBCUs. It was like show me the numbers and if the numbers aren’t where they need to be, that’s it. It was a somewhat callous view of the unique niche HBCUs fill.”

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) said, “I was concerned about what the President said because it feeds into a narrative about the value of these institutions and whether they are [equipped] to educate our students and what the cost is for doing so.

“Many of these institutions have not had a maintenance of effort on the part of states or the federal government and over time that wears on their ability to maintain standards or even advance beyond a certain level. It was very clear that he doesn’t have the same level of appreciation for what these institutions have done and could do in the future given the right support systems.”

The blog quoted Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), a graduate of South

Carolina State University: “it’s for-profit schools where the graduation rate problem is – not HBCUs, the Parent PLUS loan stuff has to do with new rules on credit worthiness and I just think that in the discussion he mangled it.”

Rep. Bennie Thompson, a product of two HBCUs – Tougaloo College and Jackson State University – was quoted: “What we ought to be talking about is: If there are weaknesses at certain HBCUs what do we do to strengthen those institutions?”

Meanwhile, Hampton University President William R. Harvey, who has been chair of the White House Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 2010, was highly critical of Obama’s approach to HBCUs. In a speech at a meeting at NASA headquarters in Washington D.C. on Feb. 4, Harvey said, “I have to say that one of my biggest concerns or regrets is that we are not being used as the advisory board we are supposed to be. All this expertise – more than 150 years at the helm of HBCUs, decades as the heads of major philanthropic organizations, expertise in business, in fundraising and in public relations, connections on Wall Street, in the Ivy League and everywhere else. Yet, we are not consulted when it comes to policy changes and decisions impacting – in a major way – the institutions on whose behalf we are to advocate.

“It happened with Pell. It happened with Parent Plus. And, now it is happening with the new community college initiative.”

Harvey was also critical of Obama’s proposed college rating system and his plan to fund the first two years of education at community colleges.

“Many of my colleagues have called me to say that the ‘free tuition for public community college’ initiative could also be a death knell for many of our institutions…” Harvey said.

Judging by Harvey’s comments, many of the debacles could have

Airing Republicans’ ‘Dirty Laundry’ Blacks in America tend to reject Republicans; now Blacks in that party are rebuffing each other.

Raynard Jackson recently publicly aired grievances with the Republican National Committee (RNC), its outreach staff and their methods and practices. A Black Republican, Jackson has “had it” with certain factions in his party and will be “staying away” from this year’s Republicans’ Black History Month Honors, an awards program he started. The well-respected Black Press contributor says Blacks on Reince Priebus’ RNC staff “hijacked” a luncheon to recognize and pay homage to African-American Republicans of iconic status to a lightweight affair with little substance that will have little reverberation in Black communities.

Some Blacks may decry Jackson for airing the party’s dirty laundry, but it’s time that party examines its recent relationships with Blacks. The Republican Party once enjoyed nearly unanimous William Reed support among African-American voters; today, it barely maintains a foothold among Blacks. A long-time Washington insider, Jackson presents a Republican face and guise the RNC sorely needs to institute, substantive and race-conscious messaging that convinces Black Americans there are benefits that can accrue through joining their party.

The leadership of the RNC has a long-standing lack of acquaintanceship with Blacks. Jackson is one of a few Republicans engaging in programs that show Black Americans how to benefit by being in their party and pursuing their policies.

No matter how poorly Democrats serve Blacks in politics and/or economics, Republicans make no headway among them. Many Blacks call Republicans “racist;” could it be that both White and Black Republicans suffer from a cultural bias and viewpoint with a preference for one culture that produces political ideology and notions regarding race, power and inequality? “Black Outreach” is not a new experience to the GOP; supposedly they’d been doing it for decades. As they experience loss after loss at the polls, the RNC persistently uses the same political retreads to position the party among African-

been avoided if the White House had sought the advice of HBCU experts it had recruited as advisers.

An even stronger indictment was Harvey’s summary of what has happened to HBCUs under the nation’s first Black president.

He stated. “While we don’t know a lot, because a lot is not shared, we do know that federal support for HBCUs is showing an alarming downward trend. Over the last several years, all of the major Title IV programs had modifications and adjustments which make it much harder for HBCUs to get funding. We all know of the Parent PLUS debacle. These loans to our students are down. Pell grants to students at HBCUs are down. Direct loans to our students are down. Graduate subsidies have been eliminated. In addition to student support, overall support to Black colleges is down.”

That’s not a compliment for a president who says he wants to increase educational opportunities for all Americans.

George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA), and can be reached at georgecurry.com, on Twitter and Facebook.

Americans.

But, the Republicans have yet to clearly define their brand and “what it is” and “what it stands for.”

Black voters share far more values with the Republican Party than they realize, and are on the same page on abortion, gay marriage, Christian values and supporting entrepreneurs. Republican Party people have to start working with Black Americans and using conservative principles to address issues impacting them nationally, and at local levels. Republicans should help in our cities and tackle issues among Blacks that the Democrats have avoided and ignored for decades. Republicans should think in terms of how to help Blacks. Republicans at national and local levels should introduce legislation advocating minority business development and resources to implement inner-city enterprise zones.

Priebus needs people like Jackson to help Republicans “grow and expand with different communities and groups.” To remain relevant in politics Republicans have to discard old practices and start making solid and lasting political inroads among African Americans. If they are going to target African Americans, they should speak out via Black Pages. To do that will require the RNC to provide “a clear positive message for people of color” with conviction. The Republicans need to expand who they are talking to in communities of color and eliminate “elitist” protocols and self-reinforcing image problems that make them, and their party, inhospitable to people of color. Jackson’s “honors” event was substantive for people who did things for, and within, Black communities. The RNC has to learn how to use the right people to communicate in the right way. To this point, the RNC has ignored Black newspapers in getting their message out. Priebus would do well reviving relationships with Jackson, as well as starting conversations with Black publishers to really reach Black voters.

It’s a shame Priebus & Company can’t see the subtle and substantive differences in Jackson’s program designs and those that the RNC has used over the decades. When it comes to Black outreach, RNC leadership continues doing what they’ve been doing among African Americans to get the results they’ve been getting. White or Black, the Republicans don’t go out, or know how, to compete for AfricanAmerican votes.

William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America.”

A Different Standard for Black Girls Nearly 40 years ago, a metaphor or fable, if you will, about “upstream-downstream” was created by healthcare practitioners to better explain and argue for the value of preventative health care measures. The fable describes a group of community members standing near a river who witness someone drowning. Some of the community members jump into the water and pull the person to the shore. As soon as they do so, they try to resuscitate her.

Then, another drowning person floats down the river; and as the community recruits more lifesavers, still more drowning people float past them. Eventually, someone thinks to go upstream to find out what was causing so many people to be pulled into the river. More recently this fable has been used as a metaphor for those lost in the midst of a failing educational system in an effort to get Americans to look upstream to see the sources of the problem; and to query why so many LeConté J. Dill of the failing students are people of color.

If we think of those upstream determinants as structural barriers, what happens when girls of color are pushed out of educational systems that are supposed to support them? How can a path be cleared for them that serves as a bridge to economic stability, and optimal life outcomes? In a new report, Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Over-policed and Under-protected the African American Policy Forum examines these concerns in New York City and Boston. The report breaks down data by race and gender, and its findings are disturbing. In New York, for instance, in the 2011-2012 school year, Black girls were disciplined 10 times more often than White girls. In fact, in some settings Black girls were found to face a greater racialized risk of unjust punishment than Black boys.

Girls of color are often more harshly punished for non-violent offenses that educators have coded as “disruptive” and “disrespectful.” They are sometimes punished for behavior that would be viewed as innocuous for boys. For instance, one girl interviewed for the report explained: “Some of the girls did

have this sense of frustration, that there is a different standard for girls’ behavior versus boys. So boys seem to just get more looking the other way, or more tolerance of even the exact same behavior.”

Girls of color are also experiencing multiple forms of violence before they even walk through the school doors. They are ingesting trauma for breakfast. It’s embedded in the pressures of serving as quasimothers for younger family members, enduring physical, sexual, mental, and emotional abuse at home, and leaving their homes with no safe route to school in neighborhoods that have literally been disinvested in by city and corporate officials.

Once they reach their schools, they often find the buildings and classrooms to be unsafe. Many schools that serve low-income youth and students of color have permanent metal detectors. These schools are coded as “dropout factories,” known for graduating less than 60 percent of the 9th graders who attend them. In Black Girls Matter, the authors found that girls of color reported facing discriminatory and abusive comments from school security officers, and intrusive body searches as they entered the school and in the hallways. Rather than fostering a safe space these conditions at times made some girls avoid school altogether. Simply put, school push-out for girls of color can result in a kind of slow-death, and the absence of a genuine opportunity to succeed. Rather than serving to prevent failure down the road it is more likely to produce failure.

So, as we travel back upstream to see what is going on in our public schools, let’s do so armed with more data – both qualitative and quantitative – so that we can gain a better understanding of the roots of the problems that girls of color face. Let’s call for public policies and innovative programs tailored to their needs; and let’s acknowledge that when girls are pushed out of school lasting effects spill over into every aspect of their lives. Let’s lend a hand before the girls are forced to fend for themselves in treacherous waters.

LeConte Dill is an assistant professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate School of Public Health, teaching and conducting community-engaged research related to urban health, positive youth development and qualitative methods.

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

Dhani Jones Sports Honoree (not shown)

Iyanla Vanzant Inspirational Honoree

Kevin Liles Entertainment Honoree Henry Coaxum McDonald’s Owner/Operator Honoree

Al Sharpton Humanitarian Honoree

Will Packer Arts & Entertainment Honoree

Gabrielle Williams Community Choice Youth Honoree

Skyler Grey Community Choice Youth Honoree

LOVIN’ BY EXAMPLE. Here’s to the leaders that don’t talk about dedication, they show it. To the people who constantly perform selfless acts as they reach out, reach back and bring others along. We show our gratitude during Black History Month, but we applaud you everyday.

Let’s all be inspired to stay deeply rooted in spreading the love, 365 days a year.

Find your motivation at 365Black.com.

©2015 McDonald’s

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February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

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Woodson Set Out to Re-Educate the Mis-Educated Negro on the “defects” of Western education, which was used as a tool to maintain the status quo.

“He believed that the negative ideas (Black) people had internalized about themselves were because of their ignorance about their own history,” said Professor Kendi.

Western education, from the elementary through the tertiary levels, had “mis-educated” many a Negro with propaganda and “heresy” about their socalled inferiority and lack of worth, Woodson posited.

Even Harvard University, supposedly a bastion of first-tier scholarship, progressive thought and enlightenment, had “ruined more Negro minds than bad whiskey,” Woodson is quoted as saying.

The Black scholar elaborated on his theory in the seminal tome, The MisEducation of the Negro.

“The so-called modern education, with all its defects… does others so much more good than it does the Negro, because it has been worked out in conformity to the needs of those who have enslaved and oppressed weaker peoples,” the book’s preface reads. “For example, the philosophy and ethics resulting from our educational system have justified slavery, peonage, segregation and lynching....

Negroes daily educated in the tenets of such a religion of the strong have accepted the status of the weak as divinely ordained, and during the last three generations of their nominal freedom they have done practically nothing to change it.”

Woodson goes on to explain, “No systematic effort toward change has been possible, for, taught the same economics, history, philosophy, literature and religion which have established the present code of morals, the Negro’s mind has been brought under the control of his oppressor.

By Zenitha Prince Senior AFRO Correspondent

S

ocrates, the renowned Greek philosopher and sage, once urged his followers to “Know thyself.”

Thousands of years later, that advice continued to resonate, becoming the underpinnings of Carter G. Woodson’s theories about the study of Black history.

“Carter G. Woodson was a visionary,” said Ibram Kendi, assistant professor of Africana Studies at the University of Albany. “He essentially sought to build within the Black community a greater consciousness of their history—the successes, failures, triumphs—all the complexities of AfricanAmerican history.”

By all accounts, a young Woodson grew up poor in physical assets but rich in knowledge and wisdom. At his father’s knee, he learned about self- and racepride…, that going through someone’s back door—a sign of inferiority—was never an option, no matter the cost. And from the Civil War veterans like his father, he also learned the lessons of self-determination and the value of Black contributions to the past and ongoing American story.

But, as Woodson looked within his community he noted those values of selflove, pride, self-knowledge, self-determination and self-worth were missing from too many. And, he placed the blame squarely

Carter G. Woodson and the then-Association for the Study of Negro Life and History launched Negro History Week in February 1926.

AFRO Archives

“He essentially sought to build within the Black community a greater consciousness of their history—the successes, failures, triumphs—all the complexities of African-American history.”

Jas. E. Taylor/Library of Congress

The Misses Cooke’s school room, Freedman’s Bureau, Richmond, Va., illustrated in Frank Leslie’s illustrated newspaper. Carter G. Woodson said the mis-education of Blacks regarding their history had been used as a tool of control.

The problem of holding the Negro down, therefore, is easily solved. When you control a man’s thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand or go yonder. He will find his ‘proper place’ and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.”

Black elevation and empowerment—in fact the very survival of the race—therefore, began with a sound education that included the teaching of true Black history, Woodson said.

“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile Continued on B5

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

Edgar Brookins, General Manager; Ben Phillips, AFRO President; Jake Oliver, AFRO Publisher/CEO and Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Kenisha Salvary

Lenora Howze, AFRO Advertising Manager and George Lambert, President/ CEO, Greater Washington Urban League

More than 150 people attended the Afro-American Newspaper’s first “Back Lives Matter” Town Hall Meeting and Community Discussion on Feb. 10 at The

Markus Gaines, Rohulamin Quander and Reginald Parker

An attendee asking a question.

Capital Press Club President Hazel Trice Edney, Town Hall Moderator April Yvonne Garrett and AFRO Director Diane Hocker

Howard Theater in Northwest D.C. Panelists included Allyson Carpenter, Dr. E. Faye Williams, Jeff Johnson, Seema Sadanandan and Dante Berry. Ebony McMorris, from Radio One, emceed the event and April Yvonne Garrett was the moderator. Community partners included IMPACT, NAACPDC, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Greater Washington Urban League and The Howard Theatre.

Photos by Rob Roberts

Miss Black Maryland, Ebony Andrews

Joshua Terry

Oludipe Comfort

Louis Hicks; ASALH Ebony McMorris , Jake Oliver, Dr. E. Faye Williams, Seema Sadanandan, Dante Barry, Jeff Johnson, Allyson Carpenter and April Yvonne Garrett

Commissioner Sheryl Morrow, AFRO CEO Jake Oliver and Deputy Commissioner Wanda Rogers

Some of the young guests who attended

Officer Gary Cyrus, EEO Branch, Deputy Commissioner Marty Greiner and Jamal McCrea

Deanna Stewart

Presentation of Colors by the Defense Information School Joint Service Color Guard

Lula and Jesse King

Audrey and Krystal Adkins

David Lebryk (standing), Margaret Marquette, Mike Collatta, and April Battle; Mckayla Braden (seated), Joyce Harris, Cindy Springs and Paul Wolfteich

The Department of Treasury hosted its annual “A Gathering of People” breakfast in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 22 at Martin’s Camelot in Upper Marlboro, Md. The celebratory program featured musical presentations by the Largo High School Chorale; violinist Chelsey Green; songtress Deanna Stewart and a dance performance by Kymani Gilmer. John J. Oliver, CEO and chairman of the board for the Afro American Newspaper was the guest speaker.

SGM(Ret.) Lonnie Pierce and Thomas Butler received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award. Jamal McCrea served as the Master of ceremonies.

The AFRO team

Kymani Gilmer

Chelsey Green

Joe Simms (standing), Keesha Jordan, Byron Preston and Thomas Butler; Kim Huskins (seated), Alesha Credle, Deanna Stewart and Tony E. Morris

The Largo High School Chorale Photos by Rob Roberts

February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

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ARTS & CULTURE Oscar Predictions 2015 The Envelope Please: Who Will Win, Who Deserves to Win, Who Was Snubbed

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO While Selma’s Academy Awards stock plummeted in the wake of allegations of historical inaccuracies, that of American Sniper simultaneously skyrocketed, thanks to both booming box-office returns and very positive word of mouth. However, Sniper probably had too much ground to make up to catch Birdman, the Selma early favorite in the Best Picture sweepstakes.

I see Birdman garnering 4 awards overall, followed by The Grand Budapest Hotel, with 3.

The only other multiple winners will likely be Boyhood, Whiplash and The Theory of Everything, at 2 each.

Faithful readers will remember that a year ago, yours truly accurately predicted the results in 21 of 21 categories (I skipped the short films), so anyone who used my picks in their office pool fared pretty well. However, past performance is no guarantee Boyhood of future results.

Best Picture

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Will Win: Birdman Deserves to Win: Selma Overlooked: Nightcrawler

Will Win: Graham Moore (The Imitation Game) Deserves to Win: Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) Overlooked: Peter Landesman, Gary Webb and Nick Schou

Best Director

Will Win: Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman) Deserves to Win: Ava Duvernay Nightcrawler (Selma) Overlooked: Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)

Predictions for Secondary Categories

Best Actor

Will Win: Eddie Redmayne Whiplash (The Theory of Everything) Deserves to Win: Michael Keaton (Birdman) Overlooked: Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler)

Best Actress

(Kill the Messenger)

Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN ADMIT 2 PASS TO SEE

Will Win: Julianne Moore (Still Alice) Deserves to Win: Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night) Overlooked: Jennifer Aniston (Cake)

Best Supporting Actor Will Win: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) Deserves to Win: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) Overlooked: Rick Garcia (Nightcrawler)

Best Supporting Actress

Will Win: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) Deserves to Win: Emma Stone (Birdman) Overlooked: Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 - 7:30 P.M.

Best Original Screenplay:

Will Win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo (Birdman) Deserves to Win: Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler) Overlooked: Paul Webb (Selma)

PLEASE VISIT WWW.GOFOBO.COM/RSVP AND ENTER THE CODE VqCiu60530 TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PASSES! THIS FILM IS RATED R FOR LANGUAGE, SOME SEXUAL CONTENT AND BRIEF VIOLENCE. Please note: Passes are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. No phone calls, please. Limit one pass per person. Each pass admits two. Seating is not guaranteed. Arrive early. Theater is not responsible for overbooking. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio or video recording device into the theater (audio recording devices for credentialed press excepted) and consent to a physical search of your belongings and person. Any attempted use of recording devices will result in immediate removal from the theater, forfeiture, and may subject you to criminal and civil liability. Please allow additional time for heightened security. You can assist us by leaving all nonessential bags at home or in your vehicle.

IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 27 FOCUSMOVIE.COM

#FOCUS

Besides forecasting the winners below, I also suggest which nominees are the most deserving. Furthermore, because some great performances are invariably overlooked by the Academy entirely, I also point out those who should’ve been nominated.

Birdman All images rottentomatoes.com

The 87th Academy Awards will air live on ABC this Sunday, February 22nd at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT, and will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Foreign Language Film: Ida Documentary Feature: Citizenfour Cinematography: Birdman Costume Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel Production Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel Film Editing: Boyhood Makeup and Hairstyling: The Grand Budapest Hotel Original Score: The Theory of Everything Best Song: Glory (Selma) Sound Editing: American Sniper Sound Mixing: Whiplash Visual Effects: Interstellar

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The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

SPORTS

2015 NBA All-Star Basketball Game

Westbrook Drops 41 to Lead West over East in NBA All-Star Battle

By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 41 points to lead the Western Conference to a 163-158 win over the Eastern Conference in the NBA AllStar Game on Feb. 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The West led most of the game and maintained a doubledigit lead throughout nearly AP Photo the entire first half. The East West Team’s Russell Westbrook, of the Oklahoma City fell behind by 20 points at Thunder, holds the MVP trophy after the NBA All-Star one point during the second basketball game. quarter, courtesy of a hot shooting spree by Westbrook of the West. The explosive guard came off the bench to score 27 points in the first half alone.

But the East eventually picked up its effort on defense and cut their rivals’ lead to just one point at the halftime break. It was a close game from there on with the lead exchanging from East to West, but the West was able to make more shots down the stretch to win the game.

Howard Above .500 after Win over Coppin State

By Perry Green AFRO Sports Editor Howard advanced to an above .500 record after taking out the Coppin State Eagles, 77-60, on Feb. 14 in Baltimore, Md. The win pushed the Bison to a 1312 overall record, 7-4 against the MidEastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), currently good enough for third place in the MEAC standings. Meanwhile, Coppin State lingers near the bottom of the conference standings with a 5-20 overall record, 4-8 against the MEAC. Coppin State made the game interesting early on, despite the loss. The Eagles were hot from the three-point line, making 7-of-13 three-point attempts in the first half. The lead exchanged 14 times within the first 20 minutes of the game, but Howard eventually began to pull away with a 7-0 scoring run right before halftime.

Howard’s senior forward James Carlton ignored Coppin’s defense, scoring at will inside the paint and finishing with a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds. Carlton was followed by sophomore guard James Daniel, who scored 18 points.

Coppin State’s senior guard Taariq Cephas led his team with 18 points, and junior guard Sterling Smith added 17 points.

Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver displayed his sharp-shooting skills, making 7-of-12 threepoint attempts for the East. He finished with 21 points, the second-highest score for the East behind LeBron James’ 30 points. Washington Wizards guard John Wall added 19 points with seven assists and two steals for the Eastern Conference. Houston Rockets guard James Harden had a strong performance for the West, scoring 29 points with eight rebounds and eight assists.

Portland Trailblazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Golden State guard Steph Curry scored 18 points and 15 points, respectively.

Westbrook was named All-Star MVP; he made 16-of-28 shot attempts to earn his 41 points.

LeBron James Elected Vice President of NBA Player’s Union

By Tom Withers AP Sports Writer (NEW YORK (AP) — Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has been elected first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, giving the game’s top player a leadership role in the union.

James was elected unanimously on Friday during the union’s annual meeting as part of All-Star weekend. A person familiar with James’ election said Clippers All-Star guard Chris Paul, the union’s president, had urged the four-time MVP to take an active role within the union.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity before union executive director Michele Roberts announced the election, said James wanted to be deeply involved in future collective bargaining with the league.

LeBron James James has been outspoken on several player-related issues already, but he’ll now have a formal seat at the bargaining table. Players or owners can opt out of the current CBA following the 2016-17 season. The sides appear to be headed toward a showdown over revenue, which will grow exponentially with a new television deal set to kick in after the 2015-16 season.

Roberts said the union rejected a proposal from the league about raising the salary cap incrementally.

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The Afro-American, February 14, 2015 - February 14, 2015

February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

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The Mis-Educated Negro tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated,” Woodson said in one of his articles. “The American Indian left no continuous record. He did not appreciate the value of tradition; and where is he today?

The Hebrew keenly appreciated the value of tradition, as is attested by the Bible itself. In spite of worldwide persecution, therefore, he is a great factor in our civilization.”

Woodson began his quest to chronicle Black history and to legitimize scholarship in that field throughout his college years, but was often ridiculed and dissuaded by his professors and others. But in 1915, Woodson defies his critics—those leaders of Western academia and politics and a leery public who had long insisted Blacks had no history—by publishing his first text on African-American history, The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861. He takes it even further, later that year, when he also establishes the Association for the Study of Negro of Life and History (which later becomes the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.) Often going without a salary, Woodson led the organization’s efforts to research, uncover and publish their findings about Black life and history in the Journal of Negro History, a quarterly academic journal launched in 1916.

In 1926, Woodson and the ASNLH sponsored the first Negro History Week in February, which was meant to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, both venerated figures in the Black community.

As with his earlier efforts to promote Black history, the observance initially was not widely received.

“There was a push in America at the time, particularly within academia, to unify all history as one—to create just one American story of the past, and usually that did not include Black history. When people did speak about Black history back then it was denigrated,” said Kendi, the Albany university professor. “For him to say we should appreciate it and celebrate it was revolutionary.”

Woodson’s vision of the Negro History Week went beyond his goal of educating African Americans about themselves—though that was part of his aim; it was also about educating others about the value of Blacks’ contributions to America and the world.

According to a Jan. 23, 1932 AFRO article, Woodson explained that the celebration of Negro History Week would be for nought if Black, White and all children were not given a chance to learn about all aspects of Black history in their schools.

“Unless Negro History Week can be used to accomplish such a purpose, the mere celebration would be meaningless. To have numerous essays and speeches on what we have done while failing to do this thing which is necessary for our present good will mean absolute failure so far as this observance is concerned,” he is quoted as saying in the article.

“The watchword throughout this season, therefore, should be to uproot propaganda in the minds of students and place in their hands certain works to inform them as to the contributions of all races. Interracial goodwill will be thereby stimulated, that this country may become a land of happiness and prosperity.”

With the passage of time, Negro History Week caught on, according to an essay by Daryl Michael Scott, president of ASALH: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils;

AFRO Archives

Continued from B1

Carter G. Woodson institutionalized Black history as a legitimate area of scholarship.

accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Though Black History Month has since become a national fixture, there are some who question whether the observance is still necessary or even beneficial in what some have claimed as a post-racial society.

Experts say that is not surprising as it mirrors what some Woodson detractors have said from the beginning.

“If you look back now at his lifetime, most people assume his movement was widely embraced when it was not,” Kendi said. “He received a huge amount of resistance both within the Black community and outside.”

For example, among assimilationists, anything that played up racial differences was a no-no.

“There have always been Black people who view Black progress as Black people assimilating with Whiteness,” Kendi added.

In the presence of such self-effacing thought, persistent socioeconomic disparities and racism, Woodson would have likely argued that Black History Month, and its spotlighting of Black history and achievement, is very much an ongoing necessity, Kendi said.

“Carter G. Woodson would have looked at the persistent disparities and said that clearly we are not an inclusive society [and that] so long as we have White Americans, Black Americans and those of other races who see Black people as inferior there is still a need for multiculturalism and the study of Black history.”

The

“He believed that the negative ideas (Black) people had internalized about themselves were because of their ignorance about their own history.”

dream

is real.

Thanks to the AFRO American for more than 120 years of inspired

and progressive Whites, not simply White scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort.

The “Black Awakening” and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s further amplified the importance of and interest in the historic contributions of African Americans. And, in 1976, the celebration was expanded to a month through a proclamation by President Gerald Ford, who urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected

reporting and for showing all of us the power and the promise of equality.

In recognition of Black History Month, Baltimore invites visitors to discover the city’s deep-rooted African-American story on the Legends & Legacies Heritage Bus Tour. Visit the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum, and the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Museum. Enjoy a personal tour guide, appearances by period actors, a special “shoe box lunch,” giveaways and more.

To reserve your space on Baltimore’s Legends & Legacies Heritage Bus Tour call 410-244-8861 or visit baltimore.org.

BGE.COM FEBRUARY 21 & 28, 2015 | Tickets: $25/per person Reserve your space today, call 410-244-8861 or visit baltimore.org.

B6

The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

Craig Robinson: The “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” Interview

Review: ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

By LaTrina Antoine Washington D.C. Editor

Back with the Boys, Back in the Tub, and Backwards in Time Again

By Kam Williams Special to the AFRO Craig Robinson is arguably best known for his role as acerbic Dunder-Mifflin employee Darryl Philbin on NBC’s Emmy-winning The Office. Regardless of what role you know him from, he is definitely a world away from his original career intentions.

Before deciding to pursue his comedy career full time, Craig was a K-8 teacher in the Chicago Public School System. He earned his undergraduate degree from Illinois State University and his Masters of Education from St. Xavier University.

It was while he was studying Education that he also discovered his love of acting and comedy when he joined the famed Second City Theatre.

As a stand-up comic, Craig first made a splash at the 1998 “Just for Laughs” Festival in Montreal. That year, he also won the Miller Genuine Draft Comedy Search.

He soon went on to perform on The Jimmy Kimmel Show and on Real Time with Bill Maher. Now, headlining venues and festivals across the country, he does both solo acts as well as sets with his seven-piece band, The Nasty Delicious, thereby tying together his lyrical comedy with his finesse at the piano.

Success on The Office and his stand-up prowess quickly brought Craig to the attention of Judd Apatow who cast him as the sensitive bouncer in Knocked Up. He subsequently kept audiences glued to their seats as one of the henchman hunting Seth Rogen and James Franco’s bumbling stoner characters in Pineapple Express, and made fans squirm when he costarred with Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

More recently, Craig has starred in Escape from Planet Earth, Peeples and This Is the End. And later this year, look for the premiere of Mr. Robinson, a TV show loosely based on his life as a teacher in Chicago.

Here, he talks about reprising the role of Nick in Hot Tub Time Machine 2, a sci-fi comedy co-starring Rob Corddry, Clark Duke and Adam Scott.

Wikimedia Commons

Craig Robinson co-stars in Hot Tub Time Machine 2.

Kam Williams: Hey Craig, thanks for another interview.

Craig Robinson: My pleasure, Kam. How’re you doing?

KW: I’m doing great. How about yourself?

CR: I’m good. Thanks for getting the word out.

KW: Of course. As usual, I’ll be mixing in my questions with some from readers. Let me start with: What was the primary challenge you faced in getting back into the hot tub?

CR: With the addition of Adam Scott to the principal cast, the primary challenge was whether there would be chemistry. But that worry quickly changed to “Oh, it’s on!” So, the initial concern

CR: That’s a great question, Sangeetha. We definitely tip our hat to the original, but we also break new ground. It’s a marvelous mixture!

KW: Harriet PakulaTeweles asks: Did you worry about running the risk of being typecast by agreeing to do the sequel?

CR: Not at all. I’ve been typecast already. [Chuckles] I was first typecast after playing a bouncer in Knocked Up. Right away, I had four or five offers to play another bouncer. People kept saying, “Hey man, I got this role for you as a bouncer.” But in my mind, I was thinking, “Well, I’ve done that.” Then, when I was playing Darryl on The Office, some people started

As an erotic romance novel turned blockbuster movie, Fifty Shades of Grey was not what I expected.

It was actually a bit disappointing, especially given all of the hype.

Maybe the disappointment came from a lacking connection, romantic or otherwise, from main characters Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson)?

Throughout the movie, I couldn’t really grasp why Steele was intimidated by Grey. I got it, she was shy. I understood she was serious about academics and a little naive. But, none of that really helped to show why she found Grey intimidating when she first met him. Usually there are skewed camera angles to help the viewer see what Steele saw, but the viewer never gets that. Steele didn’t even look nervous when she met Grey.

The movie did a fairly good job of showing her naiveté, but I felt that went out the door after he took her virginity, which, happened a little too easily.

I have heard various people comment that the looks weren’t there. I have to agree. Neither actor had that flawlessly perfect body. Steele was plain and she maybe wears an “A” cup. Grey was not ripped enough, especially for this movie. His body

“As an erotic romance novel turned blockbuster movie, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ was not what I expected.”

rottentomatoes.com

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades of Grey reminded me more of the kid I’d date in high school as opposed to this guy I’d carry on a sexual relationship with, not necessarily because I like him, but because of his body.

Maybe I was disappointed because this movie, based on an outrageously erotic novel, was more like “soft porn.”

What was up with those sex scenes?

I mean it started out pretty good, got a little racy with the toys and then stopped. I totally get the not having sex on camera, but, the point of this movie, I have to believe

that they did. I think I may have spent the entire movie waiting for that one titillating, but uncomfortably erotic scene -- that one scene where the viewer (me) felt so guilty for watching. I mean, isn’t that why we go to movies like this?

Either way, it didn’t happen.

Maybe I expected too much.

However, I think the biggest disappointment came at the end.

It was abrupt, unexpected and vague. I get there’s another movie coming, but there could have been a much better ending.

rottentomatoes.com

Clark Duke, Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson in Hot Tub Time Machine 2 was about what was going to happen. Besides that, the heat was an issue at times, since we shot in New Orleans for a couple months.

KW: What was it like getting back together with director Steve Pink and your co-stars Rob and Clark?

CR: There’s nothing but love and trust there, so it was great. It was like being with friends, with people you already know. So, you have a sense of what makes each other tick and what makes each other laugh. Plus you bring along what you’ve learned since last time. The familiarity was wonderful!

KW: Sangeetha Subramanian says: Craig, sequels can be great for reviving themes and running jokes from an original movie.

Was that the case with ‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2,’ or does the sequel focus more on breaking new ground?

hating on me, saying I was best in small doses after a publication announced that I had landed a lead in a movie.

So, I’m not going to worry about being typecast, I’m just going to continue doing what I do.

KW: You made a pilot for a TV series called Mr. Robinson. When’s the show coming on?

CR: We don’t have an air date yet, but we’ve already taped the premiere and the second episode in front of a live studio audience. We’re having a blast! It’s about me as a substitute music teacher whose first love is playing with my band. We use my actual band, The Nasty Delicious. And you get introduced to my childhood sweetheart from many, many, many years ago. She’s now a teacher at our old high school.

I start subbing there just to be near her, but I fall in love with the school and I’m so good with the kids that I’m offered a permanent position. I take the job, and hijinks ensue.

KW: Sounds good!

CR: Speaking of good, Meagan Good’s my co-star.

We’re very excited about that.

KW: Thanks again for the time, Craig, and best of luck with the film.

CR: Hey, I appreciate it, Kam, and we’ll be in touch, man.

The explosive legacy of the blues is told through the eyes and lens of Bessie Smith (Bernardine Mitchell), the “Empress of the Blues”. Performances for Bessie’s Blues, a musical odyssey of African American people in the 20th century, will show on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. from Jan. 22 to Mar. 15. Tickets are $55-60 with student and active military discounts available. For ticket reservations call 800 494-8497 or 703-5489044 or go online to www.metrostage.org. For information and group sales call 703-548-9044. MetroStage is located at 1201 North Royal St. in North Old Town Alexandria, Va. There is a free parking lot and fine dining nearby. The theatre is handicap accessible.

February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

B7

‘Reach’ and ‘Soar’ Books that Inspire

By Herb Boyd New York Amsterdam News Now that my book tree has reached Redwood proportions, it’s time to do a little trimming before the stacks completely block the sunlight through my office window. It’s always a challenge as to which books to select, because many of them are very compelling and warrant further exposure. But two recent arrivals were chosen because of the urgency of now and the risks facing our young Black males in light of the killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.

“Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading, and Succeeding” (Atria, 2015), edited by Ben Jealous and Trabian Shorters, is a primer of success stories from Black men, some of them prominent public figures such the Rev. Al Sharpton, John Legend, Bill T. Jones and Louis Gossett Jr. But it’s the uplifting, heart-warming accounts from the need-to-be-known that are equally inspiring.

I was particularly gratified to learn that several of the young men are based in Detroit. Shaka Senghor is typical of the young men who have turned their lives around after serving half his life in prison. “I can survive prison,” Senghor relates in a book packed with hope and possibility. “That’s not the scary world to me ... I refuse to allow that to define me for the rest of my life. I just refuse to allow that to dictate what I can and cannot do.”

And prison hasn’t and with the help of BMe Community, an organization that is cited throughout the book, Senghor has torn down a few of the barriers hampering his development, blocking his dreams.

As Jealous states in the introduction, “This is a book of everyday heroes,” he wrote with the hope that the book will empower readers, and it should.

“Reach” is also like a sequel or companion to “Soar: How Boys Learn, Succeed, and Develop Character” by David C. Banks with G.F. Lichtenberg (Atria, 2015), and it’s probably not coincidental that they are both published by Atria. “Soar” is basically the story of the Eagle

Academy and the amazing success it has had since its inception in 2004, putting young men at risk on the right path.

At a recent Black History Month event sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women, Banks, the founding principal of Eagle Academy, disclosed some anecdotes from the book, none more revealing than those about the challenges his brother, Philip, had in school.

“He had trouble seeing the purpose in the distant end results of education,” Banks wrote in the book, parts of which he discussed with the audience. Some of Philip’s problems stemmed from David’s accomplishments in the classroom.

But Philip overcame these early obstacles and rose through the ranks of the NYPD to become a ranking officer before retiring. His story sets the stage for understanding the blueprint and teaching strategy at the Eagle Academy that is distilled by Banks in easy-toread chunks.

“There are seven areas in a young man’s life that will make the difference,” he wrote. They need safe passage; positive peer influence; security; high expectations; love; teachers ready to teach; mentors to guide the journey; discipline that is teaching, not punishment; and a head start on the future.

All of these precepts are given clear elaboration and exemplary models of achievement. There is no better example of the program’s success than to read last year’s convocation speech delivered by one of the students, Tykenji Abernathy, who concluded by stating: “I am standing here with a senior tie on, getting ready to graduate on time in four years, with my class of 2014. It’s never too late to get on the right path. It’s only a matter of when you figure out that you are the only one that can hold you back. And the only person that can really do any damage to you is you.”

The combined information and guidance contained in “Reach” and “Soar” is a sustained wallop, a one-two punch of inspiration and enlightenment.

The Business of Disease

Alternative Medicine Documentary Extols the Virtues of Holistic Healing Film Review by Kam Williams The healthcare industrial complex spends billions of dollars on packaging and branding to brainwash us into believing that there are no viable alternatives to Western medicine’s approach to curing this or that illness. In fact, doctors and pharmaceuticals have been so successful in this endeavor that it is now mandatory that every citizen purchase insurance to cover conventional types of medical treatment.

But it is the contention of advocates of holistic healing that we’re being manipulated to resort reflexively to drugs and/ or surgery when a less drastic or invasive path to wellness might be readily available. As Dr. Bradley Nelson, author and chiropractor, asserts, “Most people have no idea how to be healthy, or what the underlying cause of a symptom is.” Nevertheless, like lemmings, most of us simply follow whatever regimen a physician prescribes for the condition we’re presenting.

If you are concerned about your health and are at all inclined to question authority, you might want to check out The Business of Disease, a damning documentary written, directed, produced and narrated by Sonia Barrett. With the assistance of a number of New Age luminaries, Ms. Barrett makes the case for naturopathic medicine.

Among the experts she interviewed for this project, is Dr. Jacob Liberman, who claims that the medical profession is based on a very limited model in terms of remedies. “The misperception that most people have is that there’s a drug that can help them,” he says. “And if a drug can’t help them, then maybe surgery can.”

Also weighing in is Dr. John Virapen, a pharmaceutical executive-turned-whistleblower. He believes if there were truth in advertising, “Life Insurance” would be called “Death Insurance” and “Health Care” would be referred to as “Disease Care.”

The Business of Disease doesn’t just criticize The Establishment, but suggests that such offbeat therapies as yoga, music, art and even light might be all you need to reverse a malady. Low production values aside, this iconoclastic expose’ has a wealth of information to offer the very open-minded.

Excellent HHHH Unrated Running time: 88 minutes Distributor: Dreamspell Productions To see a trailer for The Business of Disease, visit: http:// www.thebusinessofdisease.com/index.php?option=com_k2&vie w=item&layout=item&id=51&Itemid=176

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SUPERIOR COURT OF Superior Court of THE DISTRICT OF the District of COLUMBIA District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 20001-2131 Foreign No. Administration No. 2015FEP4 2014ADM625 Date of Death Grant B. Easterling January 15, 1994 Decedent Margaret Mundell Joseph L. Gibson, Jr Townsend Antoine Jones Decedent Suite 381 NOTICE OF Largo, Maryland 20774 APPOINTMENT Attorney OF FOREIGN NOTICE OF PERSONAL APPOINTMENT, REPRESENTATIVE NOTICE TO AND CREDITORS NOTICE TO AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS UNKNOWN HEIRS A l y c e J E a s t e r l i n g , Paul J. Townsend, III whose address is 2818 whose address is 414 Rittenhouse Street, NW, Derek Road, Alexandria Washington, DC 20011 VA 22306 was appointed was appointed personal personal representative representative of the of the estate of Margaret estate of Grant B Eas- Mundell Townsend, deterling , who died on ceased, by the Orphan’s January 24, 2014 without Court for Prince Georges a will, and will serve with- C o u n t y, S t a t e o f out Court supervision. All Maryland. on October unknown heirs and heirs 28, 2014, whose whereabouts are Service of process may unknown shall enter their be made upon D. Greer 1350 Leegate Road, NW, appearance in this proceeding. Objections Washington, DC 20012 to such appointment (or whose designation as to the probate of de- District of Columbia cedent´s will) shall be agent has been filed with filed with the Register of the Register of Wills, D.C. Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor The decedent owned the following District of Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

20001, on or before Au- Colombia real property: gust 13, 2015. Claims 1809 6th Street, NW, TYPESET: Tue Feb 03 14:25:38 EST 2015 against the decedent Washington, DC 20001. shall be presented to the Claims against the deundersigned with a copy cedent may be preLegal Advertising Rates Superior Court of to the Register of Wills or sented to the undertheEffective District of October 1, 2008 filed with the Register of signed and filed with the District of Columbia Wills with a copy to the Register of Wills for the PROBATE DIVISION undersigned, on or be- District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. fore August 13, 2015, or Building A, 515 5th PROBATE DIVISION 20001-2131 be forever barred. Per- S t r e e t , N W, 3 r d F l .

Administration No. (Estates) sons believed to be heirs Washington, DC 20001 2014ADM729 or legatees of the de- within 6 months from the 202-332-0080 Maudery Louise Standate of first publication of cedent who do not reley ceive a copy of this notice this notice.

PROBATE NOTICES Decedent by mail within 25 days of Lawrence N Cooper Paul J. Townsend III its first publication shall Esq Personal so inform the Register of a. Order Nisi 60 per insertion $180.00 per 3 weeks 1029 Vermont $ Ave., Representative(s) Wills, including name, NW, 3rd Fl TRUE TEST COPY b.

Small Estates (single publication $ 60 per insertion address and relationDC 20005 REGISTER OF WILLS ship. c. Notice to Creditors Washington, Attorney Date of first publication: Date of Publication: 15:07:58per EST 2015 NOTICE OF$ 60 perTYPESET: 1. Domestic insertion Tue Feb 10$180.00 3 weeks February 6, 2015 February 13, 2015 APPOINTMENT, Name of newspapers Name of newspaper: 2.

Foreign $ 60 per insertion $180.00 per 3 weeks NOTICE TO and/or periodical: TRUE TEST COPY Afro-American Superior Court of $360.00 per 6 weeks d. Escheated Estates CREDITORS$ 60 per insertion The Daily Washington REGISTER OF WILLS Washington the District of AND NOTICE TO Law Reporter Law Reporter TYPESET: Tue Feb 10 15:06:56 EST 2015 e.

Standard Probates District of Columbia $125.00 UNKNOWN HEIRS 02/06, 02/13, 02/20/15 Alyce J. Easterling The Afro-American PROBATE DIVISION Gloria D. McFariane, Personal Washington, D.C. whose address is 5413 02/13,Tue 02/20/15 TYPESET: Feb 03 14:26:16 EST 2015 Representative 02/06, CIVIL NOTICES Superior Court of 20001-2131 7th Street, NW, Washingthe District of Administration No. $ 80.00 ton DC 20011 was apTRUE TEST COPY a. Name Changes 202-879-1133 District of Columbia 2014ADM1164 pointed personal repreREGISTER OF WILLS Superior Court of PROBATE DIVISION b. Real Property sentative of the estate of Thorald A. Johns, Sr. $ 200.00 the District of TYPESET: Tue Feb 03 14:25:57 EST 2015 TYPESET: Tue Feb 10 15:08:20 Washington, D.C. Decedent Maudery Louise Stanley 02/13, 02/20, 02/27/15 District of Columbia 20001-2131 NOTICE OF , who died on December PROBATE DIVISION Administration No. APPOINTMENT, 5, 2013 with FAMILY a will, and COURT Washington, D.C. Superior Court of 2015ADM77 SUPERIOR COURT OF NOTICE TO will serve without Court 20001-2131 the District of Kenneth Jerome 202-879-1212 THE DISTRICT OF CREDITORS supervision. All unknown Administration No. District of Columbia Somerville COLUMBIA AND NOTICE TO heirs and heirs whose RELATIONS 2015ADM29 DOMESTIC PROBATE DIVISION Decedent PROBATE DIVISION UNKNOWN HEIRS whereabouts are unMichelle Wakefield Washington, D.C. NOTICE OF Washington, D.C. known shall enter their Lydia W. Johns, whose 202-879-0157 Decedent 20001-2131 APPOINTMENT, 20001-2131 address is 2416 17th appearance in this NOTICE OF Administration No. NOTICE TO Administration No. proceeding. Objections Place, SE, Washington, APPOINTMENT, 2015ADM87 CREDITORS 2015ADM117 to such appointment (or DC 20020 was appointed$ 150.00 NOTICE TO a. Absent Defendant Richard Mundell AND NOTICE TO to the probate of de- personal representative Estate of CREDITORS Decedent UNKNOWN HEIRS Ethel Y. Ross of the estate of Thorald cedent´s will) shall be b.

Absolute Divorce $ 150.00 AND NOTICE TO K e n n e t h J e r o m e D. Greer filed with the Register of A. Johns, Sr, who died on Deceased UNKNOWN HEIRS 1350 Leegate Road NW, c.

Custody Divorce $150.00 NOTICE OF Somerville and Kennia August 5, 2014 with, a Wills, D.C., 515 5th Scott Smith , whose adSTANDARD Jermayne Somerville, Washington, DC 20012 dress is 1511 Montana Street, N.W., 3rd Floor will and will serve without Attorney PROBATE whose addresses are Court supervision. All unWa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

Ave. NE Washington, DC NOTICE OF Notice is hereby 6712 Homestake Dr. known heirs and heirs To place your ad, call 1-800-237-6892, 262, Public Notices $50.00 & up given 20001, on or before Au- ext.

20018 , was appointed APPOINTMENT, Bowie MD, 20720 & gust 6, 2015. Claims whose whereabouts are that a petition has been personal representative NOTICE TO depending on size, Baltimore Legal Notices are $24.84 per inch.

307A Delancey St. against the decedent unknown shall enter their filed in this Court by Wesof the estate of Michelle CREDITORS ley L. Clarke for standard arance in this Philadelphia, PA 19106 shall be presented the a p p e892 1-800to(AFRO) Wakefield, who died on AND NOTICE TO were appointed personal undersigned with a copy proceeding. Objections probate, including the February 23, 2014 with a UNKNOWN HEIRS of one or For Proof of Publication, please call 1-800-237-6892, ext.

244 representative of the to the Register of Wills or to such appointment (or appoint-ment will, and will serve withe s t a t e o f K e n n e t h Paul J. Townsend III, out Court supervision.All filed with the Register of to the probate of de- more personal reprewhose address is 2818 Jerome Somerville Sr., Wills with a copy to the cedent´s will) shall be sentative. Unless a comunknown heirs and heirs who died on November Derek Road, Alexandria whose whereabouts are undersigned, on or be- filed with the Register of plaint or an objection in VA 22306, was, apaccordance with Super11, 2014 without a will, fore August 6, 2015, or Wills, D.C., 515 5th pointed personal repre- unknown shall enter their be forever barred. Per- Street, N.W., 3rd Floor ior Court Probate Diand will serve without sentative of the estate of a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s vision Rule 407 is filed in sons believed to be heirs W a s h i n g t o n , D . C .

Court supervision. All unRichard Mundell, who proceeding. Objections or legatees of the de- 20001, on or before Au- this Court within 30 days known heirs and heirs died on June 4, 2011 to such appointment (or cedent who do not re- gust 13, 2015. Claims from the date of first pubwhose whereabouts are without a will, and will to the probate of deLEGAL against the decedent lication of this notice, the ESTof2015 ceive a copy this noticeNOTICES unknown shall enter their serve without Court su- cedent´s will) shall be TYPESET: Tue Feb 03 14:25:38 by mail within 25 days of shall be presented to the Court may take the aca p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s pervision. All unknown filed with the Register of its first publication shall undersigned with a copy tion hereinafter set forth. proceeding. Objections heirs and heirs whose Wills, D.C., 515 5th 0 In the absence of a will so inform the Register of to the Register of Wills or to such appointment whereabouts are un- Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Superior Court of Wills, including name, filed with the Register of or proof satisfactory to shall be filed with the known shall enter their W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . the District of address and relation- Wills with a copy to the the Court of due execuRegister of Wills, D.C., a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s 20001, on or before AuDistrict of Columbia undersigned, on or be- tion, enter an order detership.

515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd proceeding. Objections gust 6, 2015. Claims PROBATE DIVISION fore August 13, 2015 or mining that the decenDate of Publication: Floor Washington, D.C. to such appointment against the decedent Washington, D.C. be forever barred. Per- dent died intestate February 6, 2015 20001, on or before Au- shall be filed with the shall be presented to the 20001-2131 sons believed to be heirs 0 appoint an unsuName of newspaper: Administration No. gust 13, 2015. Claims Register of Wills, D.C., undersigned with a copy or legatees of the de- pervised personal repreAfro-American 2014ADM729 against the decedent 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd to the Register of Wills or cedent who do not re- sentative Washington shall be presented to the Floor Washington, D.C. filed with the Register of Maudery Louise StanRegister of Wills ceive a copy of this notice Law Reporter undersigned with a copy 20001, on or before Au- Wills with a copy to the ley Clerk of the Lawrene N Cooper Esq by mail within 25 days of to the Register of Wills or gust 6, 2015. Claims undersigned, on or be- Decedent Probate Division Personal its first publication shall filed with the Register of against the decedent fore August 6, 2015, or Lawrence N Cooper so inform the Register of Representative Wills with a copy to the shall be presented to the be forever barred. Per- Esq Wills, including name, Date of First Publication undersigned, on or be- undersigned with a copy sons believed to be heirs 1029 Vermont Ave., address and relation- February 13, 2015 TRUE TEST COPY fore August 13, 2015, or to the Register of Wills or or legatees of the de- NW, 3rd Fl Names of Newspapers: ship.

REGISTER OF WILLS be forever barred. Per- filed with the Register of cedent who do not re- Washington, DC 20005 Washington Date of Publication: sons believed to be heirs Wills with a copy to the ceive a copy of this notice Attorney TYPESET: Tue Feb 10 15:07:58 EST 2015 Law Reporter February 13, 2015 02/06, 02/13, 2/20/15 NOTICE OF or legatees of the de- undersigned, on or be- by mail within 25 days of Washington Name of newspaper: APPOINTMENT, cedent who do not re- fore August 6, 2015, or its first publication shall AFRO-AMERICAN Afro-American NOTICE TO ceive a copy of this notice be forever barred. Per- so inform the Register of Superior Court of Wesley L. Clarke Washington CREDITORS by mail within 25 days of sons believed to be heirs Wills, including name, the District of 1629 K Street Ste 300 Law Reporter AND NOTICE TO its first publication shall or legatees of the de- address and relationDistrict of Columbia Lydia W. Johns Washington , DC 20006 UNKNOWN HEIRS so inform the Register of cedent who do not re- ship.

PROBATE DIVISION Signature of Personal Gloria D. McFariane, Wills, including name, ceive a copy of this notice Date of Publication: Washington, D.C. Representative Petitioners/Attorney whose address is 5413 address and relation- by mail within 25 days of February 6, 2015 20001-2131 7th Street, NW, Washingship. its first publication shall Name of newspaper: Administration No. 02/13, 02/20/15 TRUE TEST COPY ton DC 20011 was apDate of Publication: so inform the Register of Afro-American 2014ADM1164 REGISTER OF WILLS pointed personal repre- Thorald A. Johns, Sr. February 13, 2015 Wills, including name, Washington sentative of the estate of Decedent Name of newspaper: address and relation- Law Reporter 02/13, 02/20,Tue 02/27/15 TYPESET: Feb 10 15:08:20 EST 2015 Scott Smith Maudery Louise Stanley Afro-American ship.

NOTICE OF Personal , who died on December Washington Date of Publication: APPOINTMENT, Representative 5, 2013 with a will, and Law Reporter February 6, 2015 NOTICE TO SUPERIOR COURT OF will serve without Court Kenneth J Somerville Name of newspaper: CREDITORS THE DISTRICT OF supervision.

All unknown TRUE TEST COPY Kennia J Somerville Afro-American AND NOTICE TO COLUMBIA heirs and heirs whose REGISTER OF WILLS Personal Washington UNKNOWN HEIRS PROBATE DIVISION whereabouts are un- Lydia W. Johns, whose Representative Law Reporter Washington, D.C. known shall enter their address is 2416 17th Paul J. Townsend, III 02/06, 02/13, 2/20/15 20001-2131 appearance in this TRUE TEST COPY Personal Place, SE, Washington, Administration No. proceeding.

Objections REGISTER OF WILLS Representative DC 20020 was appointed 2015ADM117 to such appointment (or personal representative to the probate of de- of the estate of Thorald Estate of 02/13, 02/20, 02/27/15 TRUE TEST COPY cedent´s will) shall be A. Johns, Sr, who died on Ethel Y. Ross REGISTER OF WILLS filed with the Register of August 5, 2014 with, a Deceased NOTICE OF Wills, D.C., 515 5th 02/06, 02/13, 02/20/15 will and will serve without STANDARD Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Court supervision. All unPROBATE Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C . known heirs and heirs 20001, on or before Au- whose whereabouts are Notice is hereby given that a petition has been gust 6, 2015. Claims unknown shall enter their filed in this Court by Wesagainst the decedent a p p e a r a n c e i n t h i s shall be presented to the proceeding. Objections ley L. Clarke for standard undersigned with a copy to such appointment (or probate, including the to the Register of Wills or to the probate of de- appoint-ment of one or filed with the Register of cedent´s will) shall be more personal repreWills with a copy to the filed with the Register of sentative. Unless a complaint or an objection in undersigned, on or be- Wills, D.C., 515 5th fore August 6, 2015, or Street, N.W., 3rd Floor accordance with Superior Court Probate Dibe forever barred. Per- W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . sons believed to be heirs 20001, on or before Au- vision Rule 407 is filed in or legatees of the de- gust 13, 2015. Claims this Court within 30 days cedent who do not re- against the decedent from the date of first pubceive a copy of this notice shall be presented to the lication of this notice, the by mail within 25 days of undersigned with a copy Court may take the acits first publication shall to the Register of Wills or tion hereinafter set forth. so inform the Register of filed with the Register of 0 In the absence of a will Wills, including name, Wills with a copy to the or proof satisfactory to address and relation- undersigned, on or be- the Court of due execution, enter an order detership. fore August 13, 2015 or mining that the decenDate of Publication: Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1387 Ernest Twyman Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Audrey Boyd, whose address is 1528 Heather Hollow Circle, Silver Spring, MD was appointed personal representative of the estate of Ernest Twyman, who died on November 16, 2014 without and without a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose where-abouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 6, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 6, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of Publication: February 6, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Ernest Twyman Personal Representative

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Payment Policy for legal notice advertisements. Effective immediately, The Afro American Newspapers will require prepayment for publication of all legal notices. Payment will be accepted in the form of checks, credit card or money order. Any returned checks will be subject to a $25.00 processing fee and may result in the suspension of any future advertising at our discretion.

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B8 The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015

TYPESET: Tue Feb 10 LEGAL NOTICES Superior Court of the District of District of Columbia PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2014ADM1046 Anne Dillingham Williams Decedent Joseph D Gallagher 98 Church Street Rockville, MD 20850 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS John B. Williams, whose address is 8210 Osage Lane, Bethesda MD 20817, was appointed personal representative of the estate of Anne Dillingham Williams, who died on September 14, 2014 with a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

20001, on or before August 13, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 13, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of Publication: February 13, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter John B. Williams Personal Representative

APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Rebat Halder, whose address is 2101 11th Street NW PH#1, Washington, DC 20001, was ap15:07:35 EST 2015reprepointed personal LEGAL NOTICES sentative of the estate of Frederick Jack, who died on August 4, 2014 with a will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent´s will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

20001, on or before August 20, 2015. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 20, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of Publication: February 20, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Rebat Halder Personal Representative

undersigned, on or before August 20, 2015, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of LEGAL NOTICES Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of Publication: February 20, 2015 Name of newspaper: Afro-American Washington Law Reporter Valorie Zanders Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY REGISTER OF WILLS

TYPESET: Mon Feb 16 17:21:26 EST 2015

February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015, The Afro-American

B9

LEGAL NOTICES

Skanska is accepting pre-qualifications for bidders on the following: University of Virginia, University Hospital Expansion Project Design Assist for core scopes related to the Hospital Expansion up to 400,000 sf new construction, 50,000 sf + renovation: Bidding Feb/March 2015.

MRI Phase 2 bid date TBD, level 1 imaging 6,000 sf up fit targeted bid summer 2015.

Enabling projects phased sequence bidding summer/fall 2015.

Hospital Expansion Project bids anticipated early 2016.

Please contact Robin Robinson for pre-qualification questions: robin.robinson@skanska.com tel: 434.270.3644

TYPESET: Feb 16 17:21:44 EST 2015 02/20, 02/27,Mon 03/06/15 Please contact Jean Landis for pre-qualification questions:

jean.landis@skanska.com We also welcome and invite all certified SWaM firms to pre-qualify and participate.

SUPERIOR COURT OF To find out more information about project opportunities for 1st and 2nd tiers, THE DISTRICT OF please contact our SWaM Coordinators: Johnny Ortiz: johnny.ortiz@skanska.com tel: 919.941.7915 COLUMBIA Renee Jones: renee.jones@skanska.com tel: 919.941.7928 PROBATE DIVISION Washington, D.C. Skanska USA Building is an Equal Opportunity Employer 20001-2131 Foreign No. 2015FEP8 Date of Death March 18, 2014 Bernard A LeBeau Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF FOREIGN PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS Jennifer M LeBeau whose address is 264 Amherst Road, Pelham, MA 01002-9714 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Bernard A LeBeau , deceased by the Probate and Family Court for TRUE TEST COPY Hampshire County, State REGISTER OF WILLS of Massachusetts, on April 3, 2014.

TYPESET: Mon Feb 16 17:20:37 EST 2015 2/20, 2/27, 03/06/2015 Service of process may be made upon David Booths Beers, Goodwin Superior Court of Procter LLP , 901 NY the District of Avenue NW, Ste 9E, District of Columbia Washington, DC 20001 PROBATE DIVISION whose designation as Washington, D.C. District of Columbia 20001-2131 agent has been filed with Administration No. the Register of Wills, 2015ADM131 D.C. Sheba B. Smith Claims against the deAKA cedent may be preSheba Beatrice Smith sented to the underDecedent signed and filed with the NOTICE OF Register of Wills for the APPOINTMENT, District of Columbia, NOTICE TO Building A, 515 5th CREDITORS Street, NW, 3rd Floor, AND NOTICE TO Washington, DC 20001 UNKNOWN HEIRS Calvin T. Norman, whose within 6 months from the date of first publication of address is 12405 Lampton Lane, Fort this notice.

Washington, MD 20744 Jennifer M LeBeau was appointed personal Personal representative of the Representative(s) estate of Sheba B. Smith TRUE TEST COPY TRUE TEST COPY AKA Sheba Beatrice REGISTER OF WILLS REGISTER OF WILLS Smith, who died on AuDate of first publication: gust 9, 2014 a will, TYPESET: Mon Feb 16 17:19:41 ESTwith 2015 02/13, 02/20, 02/27/15 and will serve without February 20, 2015 Court supervision. All un- Name of newspapers known heirs and heirs and/or periodical: Superior Court of whose where-abouts are The Daily Washington the District of unknown shall enter their Law Reporter District of Columbia The Afro-American appearance in this PROBATE DIVISION 02/27, 3/6/15 proceeding. Objections 02/20, TYPESET: Wed Feb 18 11:36:10 EST 2015 Washington, D.C. to such appointment (or 20001-2131 to the probate of deAdministration No. cedent´s will) shall be 2015ADM122 Superior Court of filed with the Register of Rudolph A. Taylor the District of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Decedent District of Columbia Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Wesley L. Clarke PROBATE DIVISION 1629 K Street NW Ste W a s h i n g t o n , D . C .

Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before Au300 20001-2131 gust 20,2015. Claims Washington, DC 20006 Administration No. against the decedent Attorney 2013ADM1213 shall be presented to the NOTICE OF Romes Thomas undersigned with a copy APPOINTMENT, Calhoun Jr to the Register of Wills or Decedent NOTICE TO filed with the Register of CREDITORS Bradley A. Thomas, Wills with a copy to the Esq AND NOTICE TO undersigned, on or be- 1629 K Street, NW, UNKNOWN HEIRS Damian Taylor , whose fore August 20, 2015, or Suite 300 address is 1207 Fair- be forever barred. Per- W a s h i n g t o n , D C m o n t S t r e e t , N W , sons believed to be heirs 20006-1631 Washington, DC 20009, or legatees of the de- Attorney was appointed personal cedent who do not reNOTICE OF representative of the ceive a copy of this notice AFTER DISCOVERED estate of Rudolph A. by mail within 25 days of WILL AND NOTICE Taylor, who died on its first publication shall OF APPOINTMENT December 16, 2014 with- so inform the Register of Deborah L. Guy, whose Wills, including name, out a will, and will serve address is 1165 St Matwithout Court supervi- address and relation- thew Drive, Florissant, sion. All unknown heirs ship.

MO 63031 was apa n d h e i r s w h o s e Date of Publication: pointed personal repreFebruary 20, 2015 whereabouts are unsentative of the estate of Name of newspaper: known shall enter their Romes Thomas Calhoun Afro-American appearance in this Jr., who died on August proceeding. Objections Washington 7, 2013 with a Will. to such appointment Law Reporter Objections to such February 20, 2015 appointment or to the shall be filed with the Personal Register of Wills, D.C., probate of decedent’s Representative Will shall be filed with the 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor Washington, D.C. Register of Wills, District 20001, on or before Au- TRUE TEST COPY of Columbia, 515 5th gust 20, 2015. Claims REGISTER OF WILLS Street, NW 3rd Floor, against the decedent Washington DC 20001, 02/20, 02/27, 03/06/15 EST shall be presented to the TYPESET: Mon Feb 16 17:21:01 on or before July2015 9, 2015. undersigned with a copy Date of Publication: to the Register of Wills or January 9, 2015 filed with the Register of Superior Court of Name of newspaper: Wills with a copy to the the District of Afro-American undersigned, on or beDistrict of Columbia Washington Law fore August 20, 2015, or PROBATE DIVISION Reporter be forever barred. PerWashington, D.C. Deborah L. Guy sons believed to be heirs 20001-2131 Personal or legatees of the deAdministration No. Representative cedent who do not re2015ADM48 202-289-6440 ceive a copy of this notice Misha McLamb TRUE TEST COPY by mail within 25 days of Decedent REGISTER OF WILLS its first publication shall NOTICE OF so inform the Register of APPOINTMENT, 01/09, 01/16, 01/23/15 Wills, including name, NOTICE TO address and relationCREDITORS ship.

AND NOTICE TO Date of Publication: UNKNOWN HEIRS February 20, 2015 Valorie Zanders, whose Name of newspaper: address is 5755 Rhode Afro-American Island Drive, WoodWashington bridge, VA 22193, was Law Reporter appointed personal reDamian Taylor presentative of the estate Personal of Misha McLamb, who Representative died on January 12, 2015 without a will, and will TRUE TEST COPY serve without Court suREGISTER OF WILLS pervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose TYPESET: Feb 16 17:20:18 EST 2015 02/20, 02/27,Mon 03/6/2015 where-abouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this Superior Court of proceeding. Objections the District of to such appointment (or District of Columbia to the probate of dePROBATE DIVISION cedent´s will) shall be Washington, D.C. filed with the Register of 20001-2131 Wills, D.C., 515 5th Administration No. Street, N.W., 3rd Floor 2015ADM137 Wa s h i n g t o n , D . C .

Frederick Jack 20001, on or before AuDecedent gust 20, 2015. Claims Clarissa T. Edwards against the decedent 2402 L’enfant Square shall be presented to the SE undersigned with a copy Washington, DC 20020 to the Register of Wills or Attorney filed with the Register of NOTICE OF Wills with a copy to the APPOINTMENT, undersigned, on or beNOTICE TO fore August 20, 2015, or CREDITORS be forever barred. PerAND NOTICE TO sons believed to be heirs UNKNOWN HEIRS or legatees of the deRebat Halder, whose ad- cedent who do not redress is 2101 11th Street ceive a copy of this notice NW PH#1, Washington, by mail within 25 days of DC 20001, was apits first publication shall pointed personal repre- so inform the Register of sentative of the estate of Wills, including name, Frederick Jack, who died address and relationon August 4, 2014 with a ship. will, and will serve with- Date of Publication: out Court supervision. All February 20, 2015 unknown heirs and heirs Name of newspaper: CPPrescriptForHealth5.75x10.5b&w1 1 whose whereabouts are Afro-American

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B10

The Afro-American, February 21, 2015 - February 27, 2015