Prince Georges Afro-American Newspaper November 15 2014

Page 1

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION

Volume 123 No. 15

Nation’s #1 African American Newspaper 2014 Nielsen-Essence Consumer Report

NOVEMBER 15, 2014 - NOVEMBER 21, 2014

Baseball Field Renamed After First Black Athlete in Lanham Boys Club By Derek Braxton Special to the AFRO In 1959, seven-year-old Bryan Broadie insisted that his mother take him to the local baseball field where only White children played. His insistence paid off. Bryan became the first AfricanAmerican child to play for the Lanham Boys Club, now

(X-District 5), attended the event. As a Duvall High School student, Bryan was murdered at age 17 in 1970. He was survived by his mother, Ola Mae Broadie. Broadie first wrote to the department of Parks and Planning in 1987 in an effort to have the park renamed in her son’s honor. Broadie stated that

“People like Bryan help change the world, and not just for their time.”

Photo by Derek Braxton

– Anne Healey

called the Lanham Boys and Girls Club. For this act of bravery, the baseball field at Whitfield Chapel Park in Lanham, Md. was renamed “The Bryan Alonzo Broadie Field” in his honor Nov. 8. Several local politicians including Maryland Sen. Paul Pinsky, (X-District 22), Prince George’s County Del. Anne Healey, (X-District 22) and Prince George’s Council member Andrea Harrison,

Join the 369,659 Facebook fans who follow the AFRO, the Black newspaper with the largest digital reach in the country.

afro.com

Your History • Your Community • Your News

The AFROAmerican Newspaper Prince George’s County Edition is Published weekly as an E-edition. Notification is sent to you via email. You can opt-out of receiving this by selecting the unsubscribe option at the bottom of each email notice.

AP Photo

The parents of Michael Brown, Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. speak to The Associated Press during an interview in Washington Sept. 27.

although the request was initially rejected without explanation, Maryland State Sen. Leo E. Green wrote a letter to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission in support of her efforts. “I never gave up hope,” Broadie told the AFRO. “I never allowed them to forget,” she continued. Ms. Broadie remained steadfast in her efforts to have the park

Derrick Broadie, brother of Bryan Broadie, Elizabeth Hewlett, chairman of Prince George’s County Planning Board, Ola Mae Broadie, mother of Bryan Broadie and Russell Crawford, friend of family, pose with new plaque at baseball field. renamed in her son’s honor. “It has been 44 years,” she exclaimed to the attendees at the renaming ceremony. Broadie counted the years that have passed since her son’s death as a way to put the momentous occasion into perspective. Broadie recounted her son’s interest in playing ball during a time of racial inequality in America. “You will be playing with all White

Continued on A3

MGM Internship Programs Guarantee Employment at National Harbor By Derek Braxton Special to the AFRO MGM National Harbor, currently under construction in Oxon Hill, Md., will soon employ some graduates of MGM’s internship programs. According to Adam Miller, college relations manager for MGM Resorts, young people across the country are exposed to career building resources through MGM Resorts Hospitality Internship and Management Associate Programs. “This is a fast track Continued on A6

MGM employees at Morgan State University

Hundreds Celebrate Library of Congress’ The HistoryMakers Collection

facebook.com

Michael Brown’s Parents Present their Case—Has U.S. Violated the Convention Against Torture? By Saschane Stephenson Special to the AFRO “What were they thinking?!” Standing alongside their attorney, Michael Brown’s parents stood on the streets of Geneva, Switzerland, calling for peaceful protest from supporters in Ferguson, and declaring that they “want the world to know” what’s going on in Ferguson. “We need answers and we need action. And we have to bring it to the U.N. so they can expose it to the rest of the world, what’s going on in small town Ferguson.” As I took in the flaming red hair of Michael’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, I thought it appropriately reflected the tamed anger and indignation of a mother’s loss of her child. Better yet, the fiery color embodied the tensions and presently subdued rage of a community that has grown weary of the deaths of their unarmed children. I wondered if their presence in Geneva was a publicity stunt or rather some brilliant strategy that slipped by all of us who have been looking on. It is almost three months to the day of the death of their son. They, like the rest of the nation, are waiting for the grand jury decision on whether police officer Wilson will be indicted on criminal charges. McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. have literally moved from the streets to the world stage; and with a bright spotlight on the United States, they are calling for global intervention. Their petition suggests that the U.S. is a territory where human rights violations are rampant. Yes, it seems hard to believe, but the U.S. might just be put under a microscope where typically they are the ones who call out the violations of other nations. It has been reported that the parents of Michael Brown gave an emotional testimony, Nov. 11, in a closed meeting proceeding, before the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT). What is CAT, and how in the world did Michael’s parents end up in Switzerland before them? Continued on A3

AFRO Congratulates Industrial Bank on its 80th Anniversary

By AFRO Staff Hundreds celebrated the confirmation Nov. 8 of the Library of Congress as the permanent repository for The HistoryMakers’ collection, the nation’s largest collection of the archive of African American video oral history, featuring

“The HistoryMakers represents the single largest archival project of its kind.” – Julieanna Richardson

Join the AFRO on Twitter and Facebook

children,” she said to her son. At seven years old, young Bryan responded, “Mommy, if I treat them well, they will treat me well.” Broadie said that her son did not have a deep understanding of an unhealthy racial climate. He only knew that he liked playing sports. “There was a question mark on the faces of the parents during the first

Ferguson Goes to the UN in Geneva: Stunt or Clever Strategy?

2600 interviews well known and unsung African Americans that include President Barack Obama, General Colin Powell, Marion Wright Edelman and Nikki Giovanni, among others. Continued on A3

Karen Tolles, Prince George’s County Council member; Prince Georges County Executive Rushern Baker, Patricia Mitchell, Industrial Bank executive vice president and B. Doyle Mitchell, Industrial Bank president and CEO By AFRO Staff Several prominent Black businesses, figures and politicians among others

Copyright Š 2014 by the Afro-American Company

Photo by Rob Roberts

gathered Nov. 10 at the Arena Stage in Southwest D.C. to pay homage to Industrial Banks’ 80th Anniversary. Continued on A3


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.