ELECTION WATCH 2015: THE SPRING ELECTION RESULTS
Bond, Harris, Moore win; Bradley retains high court seat; state votes “Yes” on Court voting for its leader
Michael Bonds One incumbent and one challenger won their seats on the Milwaukee Public School Board of Directors,
Wendell Harris and the son of U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore one a seat on the Milwaukee County Board in Tuesday
COMMUNITY
compiled by MCJ Staff
VOL. XXXIX Number 36 April 8, 2015
The Milwaukee
Supreme Moore Omokunde
Ann Walsh Bradley three seat, defeating challenger Stephany Pruitt handily. Bonds received 2,770 votes (72%) to Pruitt’s www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents
Spring elections. MPS Board President Michael Bonds won reelection to the district
1,065 votes (28%). NAACP state Vice President and activist Wendell Harris defeated incumbent Jeff Spence for the board’s district two seat. Harris, a long time proponent of public education as a member of the civil rights organization received 3,453 votes (63%) to Spence’s 2,045 votes (37%). Supreme Moore Omokunde, the son of Cong. Moore, defeated Solana Patterson-Ramos for the Milwaukee County Supervisor 10th district seat vacated by now state Legislator David Bowen. Moore collected (continued on page 6)
JOURNAL BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PERMIT NO. 4668
W I S C O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S PA P E R
A parade of Easter services at community churches
Worshippers after services leaving New Creatures in Christ Church
A family attending Easter Services at New Birth Church First family at St. Matthew CME Church after its Easter service
(Pictured above): Easter service at Holy Redeemer COGIC
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
Funeral services held for boxing champ, alderman and public servant Orville Pitts
(Pictured at right): Easter service at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: PULSE OF THE “Has the Easter holiday become a victim COMMUNITY (like Christmas) of commercialism overshadowing the true Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp
meaning of the season: The death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ?”
DR. BOBBIE LATHAN: “I think it has. Our younger generation doesn’t now the true meaning of Easter. They think Easter is a way of getting new clothes and eat a big dinner at a relative’s house, instead of celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
RHONDA GATLINHAYES: “Easter is for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians have fallen into commercialism. We, as a people, must educate our children and the next generation so that we can be healed.”
By Dr. Ramel Smith, “The Blaquesmith”
overt to covert oppression. We have moved from individual to systematic racism. We have used arbitrary residential boundary lines, socioeconomic status and educational degrees as gate keepers to continue to discreetly discriminate and maintain the status quo. We live in a society that disproportionately misplaces young Black males in special education and prison at alarming numbers. In 2015 “post-racial” America, we still have to educate the masses that Black lives matter. The centuries of oppression and pain we have experienced significantly contribute to the dysfunctional and self-destructive behav-
Orville Pitts
WALLACE HAYES: “Easter is based upon a pagan holiday held in the honor of the goddess Eastre. The current direction of Easter does not dishonor Jesus because it has nothing to do with Him. Read the Bible and read your history books to find the truth.”
PASTOR DONNIE SIMS: “I think so. We, the people, have become too humanistic. People have changed their attitudes; we have lost our family values. We need to repent and go back to God. We are not spiriturally minded as we used to be. The Church needs to get itself in order.”
Funeral services were held Saturday, April 4 for former Milwaukee Alderman and Milwaukee County Court Commissioneer Orville Pitts, who passed away at the age of 81 as a result of illness. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to space limitations in our April 1, 2015 edition, the MCJ could not include an article on his passing.) During his life, but not always at the same time, Pitts was a boxing champion, a public servant, a Democrat, a Republican, and a father. Tall for his age, Pitts began boxing as a teenager. Then, he wasn’t known as a Wisconsin phenomenon in the sport. As he continued to
ior seen within our culture. While still accepting accountability and responsibility for our actions; we must not underestimate the psychotic brilliance that helped to create the situation. The harsh honest truth is that our country is in the business of criminalizing and penalizing poverty. The draconian laws created to protect society are really another way to revictimize the victim. Family, when social scientists want to investigate a theory on the prediction of future human behavior, they conduct a study on lesser species in the animal kingdom to test their hypothesis. In 1963, John B. Calhoun completed a study with mice on crowding
and density. He created a mouse utopian society that housed 8 mice with an abundance of space and all their needed necessities. As expected, the mice were happy and healthy. They began to procreate and the society continued to grow and flourish until the space allocated for the 8 mice was now holding over 600. However, with this large number they begin to witness aberrant behavior such as; but not limited to, aggression and violence, deviant sexualized behavior, failure to care for their young, and depression. Calhoun would coin this phenomenon as The Behavioral Sink. This utopian society
slowly turned into a living hell for all the mice. Interestingly, as the numbers began to decline and more space was available, the mice never returned to their original normal behavior. The conditions created were not reversible. It was stated, the mice died twice: the sink condition was the initial death- the emotional death. If we are playing checkers and not chess, then we must understand the game is played several moves in advance. Michelle Alexander wonderfully illustrates this in her book The New Jim Crow. She states there is a cyclical racial caste that is determined to keep the Black population a permanent underclass. It was not feasible to send all de-
MEN MEN Killing Mockingbirds EMPOWERING MEN MEN and Pimpin’ Butterflies
Hurt people exhibit three different behaviors: 1) they go on to hurt other people; 2) they allow themselves to be repeatedly victimized; and/or 3) they go on to help other hurt people. Some Americans have fraudulently claimed that this country is in a post-racial era. Who will argue that significant changes have been made in the American mainstream culture as it relates to race relations; yet, sadly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. We have gone from
If there is one thing we’ve noticed about Easter Sunday, it’s the traditional bright colors and hats often associated with the “Day of Resurrection” are not as visible as it once was “back in the day.” We don’t know why. Maybe worshipper attending services at various community churches are focused on the true meaning of the season. Or maybe the cost of expensive suits, dresses, and the ubiquitous Easter hat (not to mention childrens’ Easter baskets is too much for the pocket book. We’d like to think its the aforementioned, the focus on Christ Jesus and His gift of everlasting life.
pursue fights, he became a prominent name among boxers in his home state. According to a July report by Boxing.com, the mid-weight athlete won the Wisconsin Golden Gloves Championship in 1950 and was named Outstanding Open Division boxer. He would then move on to the semi-finals in Chicago, then the Pan-American Games in Mexico City. In that 1955 tournament, he took the gold medal the middleweight event. The United States took second of seven places that year in the tournament, bested only by Argentina. In 1955, he began a college career at the University of Wisconsin that wouldn’t deter him from boxing, but bring him closer to it on a collegiate level. He boxed for the UW team and won every match. Pitts faced racial prejudice when the team took on Louisiana State University when his white opponent forfeited. In 1962, Pitts graduated from UW and moved on to law school.
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Dr. Ramel Smith
scendants of the abducted Africans back to Africa, then or now. It was not possible to kill us all off in a holocaust fashion-- or it
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The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 2
4 W
C o m m u n i t y
H a p p e n i n g s
THE PULSE
t h e
The WHO•WHAT•WHERE• WHEN of YOUR Community!
F o r m e r l y
Eric Von returned to the community airwaves Monday on his new morning talk show on radio station WNOV 860 AM. Called “The Eric Von Show,” the new show will be much like his former 1290 WMCS radio show: Talking to community and city movers and shakers in government, entertainment, health, and sports. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
Easter Dinner at VOFC
The community organization, Voice of the Fatherless Child held a Easter Dinner for its members at its headquarters at 4007 W. North Avenue. Passersby were encouraged to join VOFC members for a holiday meal. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)
More Easter Day church photos!
Christian Fellowship
St. Mark AME
Holy Redeemer
Photos by Yvonne Kemp
MISSING!
The community is asked to be on the lookout for Margaret Ellen Daniel, a 65-year-old Northside woman who has been missing for three days. Her family describes her as being basically helpless, due to her mental illnesses. She is bipolar and schizophrenic. The family says any information or help from the community would be greatly appreciated. If anyone sees her, they are asked to call the Milwaukee Police Department's non-emergency line at 414-933-4444. You can also call the Byrd family at 414-241-9814 or 262-293-3921.
PERSPECTIVES
GUEST COMMENTARY Why Rand Paul’s presidential bid should matter to Black America! By David A. Love, courtesy of Thegrio.com
It is official. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is running for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. But why should black America care? Pay close attention to his views on mass incarceration and the war on drugs, which could move the Republican Party forward on criminal justice reform and possibly attract blacks, younger voters and other Democratic base voters. But don’t lose sight of the senator’s past statements against civil rights, which sound a lot like the same ol’ GOP story. And that story, brought to you by the tea party, has not been Rand Paul very friendly to black people these days. “I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government,” Paul said on his campaign website. There is no question that the conservative libertarian has been reaching out to African-Americans with a message about the need to reform the justice system, end mass incarceration and the war on drugs, and demilitarize the police. Such an outreach strategy, to begin to make inroads among the black and Latino voters they have neglected and repudiated, is necessary for the Republicans to remain a viable national party in the long term. Senator Paul spoke at Howard University two years ago, making the case for the Republican message of economic growth before a skeptical crowd. And recently, he spoke at Bowie State University in Maryland, another historically black college, with a call for criminal justice reform, including restoring voting rights for ex-felons, ending
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 3
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “There was one of two things I had a right to: liberty or death. if I could not have one, I would take the other, for no man should take me alive. I should fight for liberty as long as my strength lasted.”--Harriet Tubman
civil asset forfeitures, and decrying the use of petty fines against poor communities in Ferguson and elsewhere. “If we’re for families with a mother and father around, we need to be for fixing the criminal justice system,” the senator said. “Criminal justice, or the lack of criminal justice, it’s not a black or white problem,” Paul added. “It’s a poverty problem.” And the presidential candidate believes there is an “undercurrent of unease” when it comes to the criminal justice system in America, also acknowledging the role of race and the persistence of segregation. “There’s a racial outcome to this. I don’t think there’s a racial intention,” he said at Bowie State. “But I tell people that I think they’re not looking if they don’t think that the incarceration problem in our country is not skewed towards one race. I don’t think it’s purposeful but I do think it is actual and it is real and we should do something about it.” To his credit, Senator Paul has worked in a bipartisan fashion on criminal justice reform legislation, including his work with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) on the REDEEM Act, which would seal nonviolent criminal records at the federal level and automatically expunge records for juveniles under the age of 15. Further, he introduced legislation to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences, a cornerstone of the war on drugs. Paul would also restore the voting rights of all nonviolent felons, eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powdered cocaine, and decriminalize possession of small amounts of controlled substances. “I think he’s been a different kind of Republican, a Jack Kemp kind of Republican in terms of growing the party,” said former Congressman J.C. Watts (R-OK), a black Republican, on MSNBC recently. “And you know I’ve had his ear for the past two, two and a half years. I encouraged him to go to Ferguson, we set up meetings for him in Detroit, in Atlanta and Chicago and other places around the country to talk about issues that I think impact different communities. And he’s done that, he’s been sincere and he’s been consistent.” The reformer image that Rand Paul has been projecting to the black community of late sounds good. And if he manages to get traction, he could influence and help transform a party that has been hostile to black people and has won elections at their expense. So what’s the problem? The problem is the side of Rand Paul that reminds us more of the Ted Cruz wing of the GOP, that unhinged, unstable, not-ready-for-primetime brand of tea party extremism. For example, Paul wanted to get rid of Medicare, though it seems he might be rethinking that. In 2011, he said that if you believe in a right to healthcare, “you believe in slavery.” The senator also compared food stamps to slavery, as if he is qualified to speak on the issue of what slaves endured. He also said no one has a right to food or water, because that would be servitude. Further, Sen. Paul would ban all abortions through his Life at Conception Act. He finds same-sex marriage offensive, and he voted against the Violence Against Women Act. And Paul would increase defense spending by making cuts to education, environmental protection and infrastructure. Most of all, although he now claims he never was against the Civil Rights Act, Rand Paul has a long track record of opposing the Civil Rights Act and sanctioning the rights of businesses to discriminate. This became an issue in 2010 when the senatorial candidate said, “I think it’s a bad business decision to exclude anybody from your restaurant — but, at the same time, I do believe in private ownership.”
The Power of Prayer!
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SIGNIFYIN’
power of prayer. There have been On the third day He rose. And so many occasions when I dialed God’s did I. number only to discover His line was Not in a biblical sense, but physibusy and the answering machine was cally. turned off. As a member of the “I On Easter Sunday, I woke up two By Mikel Kweku Osei Holt want it now” generation, the hours before sunrise in my own bed for the first time in over six months As many of you know, I have been hos- acronym P.U.S.H. (“Pray Until Something Happens”) didn’t motivate me. pitalized since October 1 of last year. For much of the first month of my hos- But this experience changed my mind and my spiritual appreciation. They say there are no atheists in foxholes. I can attest to that. But I now pitalization, I was in a coma, and there were discussions on whether or not I would see another sunset. But excellent medical care and, as I’ve come to add, “when you’re laying on your back for an extended period of time, you learn and accept, prayers from family and friends pulled me through. can’t help but look up to the heavens.’” I’ve been looking up for the better Many have called my recovery a miracle. I don’t know if that is the appro- part of a year, and needed every prayer on my behalf, and plenty that I made priate explanation, but I do believe that the scripture that says, “when many myself, to pull me through this ordeal. The month-long comma wasn’t the end of my medical sojourn. I had four call upon Him, he will answer.” In other words, the prayers were answered major setbacks, all of which resulted in my spending time in various intensive and I am living proof. As I have since learned, prayer vigils were maintained from the day I was care units. As the setbacks mounted, so did my anxiety, depression and put into a coma, until my recovery was assured. doubts. Fortunately, several key women in my life—my wife, mother, sister I guess I’m fortunate that my sister and her husband are my pastors and and the publisher of this paper—intervened, prompting me to accept the chalshepherds at House of Grace Ministries. They led the vigil along with my lenge, or ordaining that God did not let me reach that point in the journey to wife, brother and mother. The latter two are also ministers. abandon me.. Other family members and friends also took turns seeking holy intervenThe next stage of my journey (after several more months of rehab and postion. They were of several faiths, which attests to their common cause if not sibly one or two additional surgeries) will be to “finish the job” I started the validity of various religions. decades ago when I decided to champion various causes through advocacy Prayers were also offered by some who could best be described as agnos- journalism and community activism. tics, and a few folks who I assumed had never clasped their hands together A half dozen people have told me that “God has more for you to do.” I don’t know if that means a testimony, continued advocacy, or maybe a new save to applaud an entertainer or sports accomplishment. My bedside was not the only site of the collective prayers. Calls and e- mission. Or maybe all three. Whatever is required, I will do. And I will be mails from around the country confirmed the universality of this appeal to grateful for the opportunity. the All Mighty. I have no doubt that collectively, those requests saved my It’s from that perspective, that I have pity for those who never join us in life. our spiritual journey. Numbered among that group are those who never open To be honest, I spent much of my adult life harboring doubts about the (continued on page 5)
Panel questions reveal integration’s role in the destruction of Black community life
THE MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY JOURNAL Published twice weekly, Wednesday & Friday
3612 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212 Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: Editorial@communityjournal.net/Advertising@communityjournal.net MCJ STAFF: Patricia O’Flynn -Pattillo Publisher, CEO Robert J. Thomas Assoc. Publisher Todd Thomas, Vice Pres. Mikel Holt, Assoc. Publisher Thomas E. Mitchell, Jr., Editor Teretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster Billing Dept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.
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Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Letters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for content and length.
By Taki S. Raton
On Friday, April 3, 2015 in the Blackburn Auditorium on the campus of Washington, D.C.’s Howard University, an eight member panel was assembled by the Hot Black Coffee Party to address the question, “Has Integration Failed Us?” Howard’s panel was actually, as I was updated, the third such occasion to circulate around the country. The first panel exploring integration was in Lafayette, Louisiana in November of 2014. The second discussion was held this past December 28, 2014 at Elm Grove Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Co-moderated by Bro. Takuna El-Shabazz out of Lafayette and Sis. Nura Muhammad, a student at Howard University, this third scheduled panel included Dr. Ridgely Abdule-Mu’Muhammad, Sis. Loray Muhammad, Bro. Louis Ali, The Irritated Genie, Al-Malik Farrakhan, Sis. ZaZa Ali, Bro. Chinedu Nwokeafor, and Dr. Wesley Muhammad. Forum planners carefully structured multiple rounds of questions throughout the 3 hour and 50 minute exchange. The questions alone inspired a deep well of exploration on the failure of integration over these past 45 years from the 1970’s well into 2015. Sequential inquiries includ did Black people during the 1960’s march for equality or for integration? Sis. Nura Muhammad positioned that Black people marched only for “acceptance by White people under the guise of both equality and integration” as it was all about being, in this writer’s words – exclusively equal to, the same as, accepted by and included in the White world or what many of our scholars call, “The illusion of inclusion.” Have Black people become more spiritually moral under integration? What role should the
Urban Renewal is about Urban Removal The Tale of Two Cities – Part 3
The Tale of Two Cities exist in every major city - Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Los Angles, St Louis, New York, Miami, and Houston; there are definitely two Milwaukee’s. Why and what’s the common denominator? All of these cities have a majority of minorities and/or a large populations of African Americans. All of these cities suffer from some of the same inferior conditions for Black people even though Blacks are the largest voting bloc. These cities should be doing better Rahim islam for Black people, but it’s just the opposite – in many of these cities, even though Blacks have the majority numbers, Blacks don’t control the politics and where Blacks do control the politics, they’re dominated by someone else’s politics or they’re controlled by the county or the state. The Black reality in America is that wherever you see large numbers of Black people in any one area, you will find a large concentration of those living at/or near poverty - where you start matters and Black people’s start in this country must not be forgotten and overlooked. In part 2 of this article, I tried to articulate how we ultimately migrated to the Midwest, East and West Coast and now nearly 75 percent of Black people reside in 50-60 urban cities. Over the past 50 years, white flight AND Black flight has made these cities much poorer and significantly shrinking its middle class. Many of these cities have large, once prosperous, neighborhoods blighted and abandoned after years of economic dis-investment and real estate values depreciating versus appreciating. In addition, these cities are saddled with numerous economic challenges related to its shrinking tax base (revenue) and the disproportionate social issues associated with many aspects of the poor community. These challenges are real and perplexing for the political leaders of these cities, regions, and states. These cities are challenged as to how to grow their tax base to, at a minimum, keep par with the cost to maintain the services to the overall city and its disproportionate population of low-to-moderate income families. These issues are compounded by the fact that federal and state funding is shrinking and almost nonexistent coupled by failed urban policies by local politicians, civilians and business, and philanthropic leaders. No matter how you cut it or what your political ideology is, it comes down to basic math – these cities don’t have enough revenue to grow , compete, or cover the growing cost to maintain the city (i.e. safety, healthcare, streets, fire, etc.). The following are just two examples of the challenges that majority minority cities face: Example: B The education of black children is greatly underfunded because many of the neighborhoods they live in are in decline, thus these cities are unable to produce the optimal level of real estate tax revenue which funds nearly 50 percent of education in some cities. When you have a disproportionate level of people living at/or near poverty levels, not only will real estate values not appreciate, but many of the residents are unable to pay the current real estate taxes. Vacant properties, declining real estate values, and a disproportionate level of children and families re-
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Black church play in helping our people analyze the ill effects of integration on the Black family and on the Black community at large? This was a critical point as our young people should know that prior to integration, the Black community was always able to make a very clear distinction between the behavior of White people and the behavior of Black people. We were different from them and we always endeavored to maintain a level of dignity and self respect amongst ourselves above, apart, and separate from the ethno-cultural behavior, peculiarities and tendencies of other people. “Everybody to their own,” our elders taught us. Such expected behavior and expectations on our part was taught throughout our upbringing and was effectively reinforced in a variety of ways through the family, extended family, church, schools, business, employment and in civic and social organizations. Now today, noted mainstream culture imagery and behavior as reflected in such series as “Empire,” “Scandal,” popular rap song lyrics, speech, dress, and homosexuality/LGTB for example are the acceptable norm in the Black community. This behavior and imagery is not us. This is not who we are. Are Black service providers or development contractors receiving more state and federal contracts under integration? Does integration serve as an incubator for producing the current modern day “Uncle Toms” and “Aunt Tommets” who function to retard the political, economic, social, cultural, education, spiritual growth and collective progress of Black people in America? African Americans, cites the moderator, have more educated Black college graduates and professionals than at any other time in America. But are Black children today better educated under the socially engineered system of integration? If not, why not? From 1890 to 1950, note’s event descriptor documentation, Black women married at higher rates than White women, despite a shortage of Black males. In 1965, only 8 percent of childbirths in the Black community occurred out of wedlock. In 2010, that figure was 41 percent and today, out-of-wedlock childbirths in the Black community are an astonishing 72 percent if not higher. The panel was asked to, “Evaluate the status of Black marriages under integration? Are we losing the ability to bond with the opposite sex? Has the rise and acceptance of homosexuality in the Black community become the new norm? If so, what are the effects on the Black community and on our ability to restore the Black family to its original greatness?” Has the health status of Black people improved under integration? What is the connection or relationship between land ownership, farming and agriculture to Black economic independence, Black health, and true freedom and liberation for Black people in America?
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RELIGION
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 4
A visual tale of two churches celebrating Black Marriage
“Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate!”--Matthew 19:6 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR FATH-BASED COMMUNITY
Least of These Ministries to hold fundraiser banquet
Least of These Ministries will be holding a benefit banquet to help support its mission Sunday, June 28, at 4 p.m., at the Raddison Hotel, 7065 N. Port Washington Rd.The banquet will celebrate Dr. Nathaniel Stampley’s 29th trip to the Motherland. He and the ministry will be traveling to Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The focus of the mission will be spiritual, educational and economical. Dr. Stamply is the president of Least of These Ministries, a 501c(3) non-profit religious organization.ticket prices are $40 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. African attire is desired but not required. For tickets, contact Least of These International Ministries at 414-264-2727, or 414-374-5292. Or email the organization at leastofthese2003@yahoo.com
Photo collages by Yvonne Kemp and Darrin Reasby
Dr. Lisa Adams-Qualls will be traveling to Ghana with Dr. Nathaniel Stampley and The Least of These Ministries Mission Team in September. Donations are now being accepted. To send donations or to inquire about the mission of The Least of Theses Ministries, call Evangelist Margaret Adams, 414-554-3888.
In Loving Memory Quality Service... a tenured tradition sincere concern at your time of need.
Ernestine O’Bee, Founder
Offering pre-need, at need and after-care services to families in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and other communities throughout our state.
Wright, Sylvester Jr. Age 82 yrs. April 8, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 20 at 11AM at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church 3737 N. Sherman Blvd. Visitation Monday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Alderson, Betty J. Age 76 yrs. April 6, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 16 at 11AM at Metropolitan Baptist Church 1345 W. Burleigh St. Visitation Thursday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Callier, Bert G. Age 66 yrs. April 5, 2015. He was preceded in death by wife Doris Callier and Lorraine Callier. Beloved father of Lamar(Renee)Callier, Lawanda(K.C.)Edwards, Yvette(Steven)Edwards, Charles (Yvonne)Callier and Jason Callier. Also survived by a special cousin Butch Kinner and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other loving relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 13 at 1PM. Visitation Monday 12 Noon until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Meet Gospel Singer Rochelle Streeter-Jackson May 17 at Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Ave., from 1 to 3 p.m. Fans of gospel music can meet the noted local singer and purchase her new CD, “God Knows I Tried,” and have her autograph it! For more information call (414) 562-5225.
Howard, Pauline Age 92 yrs. April 4, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 10 at 11AM at Progressive Baptist Church 8324 W. Keefe Ave. Visitation Friday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Manuel, Gloria A. Age 52 yrs. April 5, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 10 at 11AM at New Holy Ghost Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church 201 W. Garfield Ave. Visitation Friday 10AM at the CHURCH until time of services.
J.C. Frazier, Funeral Director
The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Harris, Laura C. Age 87 yrs. April 2, 2015. Beloved wife of Nathaniel Harris Sr. Loving mother of Jocklyn Smith, Cynthia (Daryl)Knox and Nathaniel Harris Jr. Grandmother of Adam H. Smith, Aron M. Smith, Jocelyn E. (Kevin)Jackson, Justin A. Knox and Jessica L. Knox. Great Grandmother of Elijah A. Smith, Kaylen E. Jackson and Bailey G. Jackson. Also survived by a host of other loving relatives and friends. The family would like to give a special thank you to her caregivers, Mrs. Bernadine Sellers, Mrs. Ella Turney, Mrs. Danita Carter and the Staff at Horizon Health and Hospice. In Lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association Southeastern WI Chapter 620 S. 76th St. #160 Milwaukee, WI 53214. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 11 at 1PM at St. Phillips Lutheran Church 3012 N. Holton St. The family is served by: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Burks, Justin A. Age 21 yrs. March 30, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 10 at 11AM. Visitation Friday 10AM until time of services at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020 Mathews, Lenore M. Age 85 yrs. April 1, 2015. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 11 at 10AM at St. Mark AME Church 1616 W. Atkinson Ave. Instate Saturday 9AM at the CHURCH until time of services. Visitation Friday 3-7PM(Family will receive guests from 6-7PM) at: Northwest Funeral Chapel O'Bee, Ford & Frazier 6630 W. Hampton Ave. (414)462-6020
Families served by:
Northwest Funeral Chapel O’Bee, Ford & Frazier
Milwaukee 6630 W. Hampton Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53218 Telephone: (414) 462-6020 Fax: (414) 462-9937
Racine 800 Barker St. Racine, WI 53402 Telephone: (262) 637-6400 Fax: (262) 637-6416
Integration’s role in the destruction of Black community life (continued from page 3)
Do Black people today own more land, businesses or income producing property under integration?” What is the potential negative psychological impact on the image of Black womanhood and Black motherhood when the Black man marries outside of his race? What is the potential adverse economic impact on the Black family collectively and the black business community in general?” “Has the hypocrisy and the false premise of justice for all under integration altered the climate for the Black man in America since the days of Emmitt Till’s murder in 1955? Have the oppressors of Black people reached a boiling point of frustration with the oppressed to the degree that open war has been declared on Black males, especially the youth?” Do Black politicians respond to the needs of Black people better under integration? Supportive data released by panel organizers detail five ways that integration literally “underdeveloped” Black America. Black wealth stagnated or declined after integration. African Americans were forced under segregation to start and support their own businesses in their own communities. Such communities around the country, these respective panels are revealing, flourished and became proudly economically self-sufficient. But after segregation ended, African Americans cite the panel planners, “flocked to support businesses owned and operated by Whites and other groups causing Black restaurants, theaters, insurance companies, banks, grocery stores, cleaners, and other businesses providing jobs, goods and services to disappear. Today, Black people spend 95 percent of their income at White-owned businesses. A clip during the panel proceedings by John and Maggie Anderson from Oak Park, Illinois briefly explored their January 1, 2009 year-long pledge to, “Buy Black.” But they were hard pressed to find substantial Black owned businesses. They had to drive to a Chicago South Side location, for example, fifteen miles away, to find a Black-owned grocery store and to the West Side of Chicago to find one Black owned cleaners. “If there were more Black businesses in our community to hire Black workers, then maybe Black unemployment would not be so high,” said Mrs. Anderson.
SIGNIFYIN’
(continued from page 3) their hearts and minds to our faith, and those neo-Christians whose faith is restricted to an occasional Sunday visit to a neighborhood church, and infrequent “amens” over a drink. Bowing your head when someone says grace before dinner doesn’t make you a Christian. Among that group are those who promise to pray for someone, but never do. Also, included are those who party hardy on Saturday, break nine of 10 Commandments throughout the week and without ever confessing an acceptance of Christ, think they are going to heaven. To them I sadly say, “heaven is not going to be a crowded place!” The same can be said of those who think Easter is about the resurrection of Bugs Bunny and Christmas is about the birth of Santa Claus. And not all of those who subscribe to those asinine assumptions are children. In a growing number of cases, they were taught those television scripts by their parents, who themselves are caughtup in embryonic stages of spiritual development. To that group I can only hope they find themselves in a foxhole every soon. Prayer vigils alone will not help
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 5
Anthony Greg Muhammad in response to the Anderson clip spoke to the successful economic self sufficient Shaw U Street area in Washington prior to integration. According to Muhammad, there were two Black owned steamboat companies, a host of Black own grocery stores, funeral companies, the Adams Oil and Gas Development Company, Capital Savings Bank, two Black owned insurance companies, 11 Black owned employment agencies, Black owned newspapers, over 3000 Black families owned their own homes in the Shaw U district and students in the all-Black school scored higher than their White counterparts on city wide academic achievement test. “And this is all a result of Black businesses, Black economics and Black life in one area,” said Muhammad at the Howard gathering. “As we were denied attendance to White schools, we created an outstanding self-sufficient educational system that attracted from all over the country Black families for their children and great teachers,” he adds. He further revealed also that Howard University then became the intellectual center for Black America. The likes of Langston Hughes, Alain LeRoy Locke, and Duke Ellington, all made Shaw U Street their home. “It was a proud community. We had everything we needed and we felt good about it and we did very well,” said Muhammad. “There was no family that we didn’t know and that didn’t know you. Can we say that today?” he asked. But at the beginning of integration, as “free choice replaced a community of necessity,” he said, the area around U Street began to change. The Black residence dispersed. There was no more commitment to sustain Black businesses, no more concentration to maintain a positive and cultivated Black life. Personal individualized selections and opportunities won over the needs and welfare of the collective and there was no giving back. As a result of integration, says Muhammad, the dispersal of the Black community trickled down throughout the U Street community in every way. The Black power based moved away and the community began to decay. Poverty soon took the place of affluence and crime and drugs followed poverty. “After integration, the U Street community soon changed to a place that people were afraid to come into,” he sadly concluded. Additional supportive data on the five ways that integration underdeveloped the Black community include - but not limited to - the collapse of the Black family; the quadrupling of Black unemployment, and the propagation of the myth of a colorblind society.
them. Their fate will be determined by their faith, which is a personal decision No one can accept for them, and God knows a shammer. Speaking of shammers, I hope someone leaves some room in their urban foxhole for those Black ministers who are scamming their flocks, or otherwise misusing the Word. Sadly, there are more “insurance salesmen” out there than we admit to. They bring shame to the religion that took us through slavery, Jim Crowism and apartheid. They are a mockery to Christianity, and some of us are not fooled as to who and what they are. But enough of my preaching. In many respects, my medical sojourn has been a blessing (pun intended). It not only reawakened my faith, but brought my family together, strengthened many friendships and provided me with a road map for my senior years. It also allowed me to appreciate the many blessings I have all but ignored over the years. Yep, I’ll spread the Word to all who willingly listen (and to the deaf whose ears are full of sinful wax) that prayer works, and God does respond to the faithful and the multitudes. Don’t believe me? Well, there’s room in my foxhole (or my hospital bed) for you. Hotep.
Where once we had proud, independent, self-sufficient towns and districts, the Black community now under integration nationwide is dependent upon outside resources, jobs, education, health care and in need of support from others. Is this what we want to pass down to our children and to our future? And as one panelist said, despite the fact that around the country we had model self sufficient beautiful communities with our own department stores, hospitals, theaters, lounges, clothing stores, churches, schools, banks, businesses, restaurants, homes, clean and safe neighborhoods and more, but still for some reason, “White folk’s ice was still colder.” “The power of the weekend town hall panel proved once again that a significant amount of Black people are appalled at what the socially engineered system of integration has done and is doing to destroy Black life,” says panel member Louis Ali. He adds that Howard University students could be heard yelling in response to the question, “How much more integration can the Black community bear?” – “No more, its killing us!” We need to come together as a people on, by, and for our own to address and resolve these concerns. The next panel is scheduled for Jackson, Mississippi in July and Milwaukee and Palm Beach, Florida are on the short list for possible scheduling. These panels are a start to properly and responsibly forge a path to address said issues and regretfully we could not share many of the responses of the eight-member 3 hour, 50 minute panel to the above inquires. But for the purpose of this writing, the questions themselves are sufficient steps in the right direction. African Centered curriculum model staff development specialist Taki S. Raton is an adjunct college instructor and host of his own Thursday evening radio show, “MenThink” on Harambee Radio & TV. A writer and lecturer on African American male issues and African World Historiography, he can be reached for presentation and consulting inquiries at: blydendelany@yahoo.com.
Y&E
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 6
YOUTH&EDUCATION
Y&E Op/Ed
GE Foundation Schools are models for collaborative learning and cooperation. Several GE Foundation Schools, including Franklin Pierce Elementary, are making remarkable progress. The 5-in-1 Collaborative is a unique partnership that brings the energy of MPS together with other major partners – Northwestern Mutual, City Year, Teach for America and Schools That Can Milwaukee – to pursue academic excellence at Carver Academy, a historically underperforming school on Milwaukee’s north side. The team is working to reinforce a school culture that has become laser-focused on learning and improving attendance By Michael Bonds-President, Milwaukee and behavior. Public School Board of Directors Partners are bringing their expertise and their commitOver the past two months, there’s been a lot of attention ments to make Carver a model of success. The majority focused on Milwaukee Public Schools’ Strategic Objecof grades at the school are making significant success in tives or Eight Big Ideas. Focused around our core princiclosing the gap in both reading and math. ples of Student Achievement; Student, Family and MPS is working in partnership with United Way of Community Engagement; and Effective and Efficient OpGreater Milwaukee & Waukesha County to support a erations, these forward-thinking efforts are designed to MPS Community Schools Partnership at three schools – create both a long-term and short-term road map to imAuer Avenue School, Bradley Technology and Trade prove student achievement in MPS. Recent community High School and James Madison Academic Campus. listening sessions have provided vital feedback and are Working together, we are partnering to help fund three building community support for this work. Community School coordinators. Even while these efforts are movBased on a successful program in ing forward, considerable efforts are Cincinnati, these coordinators are taking place in our classrooms right working to bring the schools and now around key programs helping community together to develop reour students reach their fullest potensources and create opportunities to tial. improve student achievement and the While some of these initiatives are school-community climate. in their early stages, I’m pleased that Milwaukee Public Schools is this work is showing promising reworking closely with Milwaukee sults that indicate we’re headed in the Succeeds on a pilot program focused right direction. on foundational reading skills for stuI’m proud to share a few examples dents and teach coaching at Gwen T. with you of ways MPS is improving Jackson and Clarke Street elementary student outcomes now. schools. Early findings show encourMPS’ Commitment Schools Initiaaging results and promising growth tive, designed to transform underper- Michael Bonds in students participating in the proforming schools into high-performing schools, has early gram. indications of progress. Other efforts to improve student achievement include: In just the first year of the program, initial test results • Creating more high-performing schools. Examples show the schools are narrowing reading and mathematics include the expansion of Gold Meir, the district’s premier achievement gaps in most grades from kindergarten school for elementary gifted and talented students, to inthrough 8th. MPS will receive data for high school grades clude a high school, and adding additional seats to Reain the spring. gan Preparatory High School, one of the top high schools The 14 Commitment Schools are implementing rigorin Wisconsin, according to U.S. News and World Report. ous, school-specific academic and behavioral interven• Expanding successful and popular programs. Examtions with the ultimate goal of achieving greater college ples include establishing the Rufus King Middle Years and career readiness. International Baccalaureate program and moving it in fall While these 14 schools are receiving the most intensive 2016 to renovated space at the former Malcolm X Acadsupport, all of the district’s schools that received the lowemy location; creating Lloyd Barbee Montessori and est ratings on the most recent state report card are receivHoward Avenue Montessori schools to meet growing ing assistance. parental demand for Montessori programs; and designing The support of the GE Foundation, through a $20.4 a new elementary arts program at Kluge School. million grant, is creating model GE Foundation Schools MPS is dedicated to continuing to find new opportuniwhere best practices can be studied and replicated by ties to improve student outcomes and to work with variother MPS schools. ous community partners to explore ways to help all Initially focused on Common Core implementation, students achieve great things.
MPS is Improving Student Outcomes NOW!
Killing Mockingbirds and Pimpin’ Butterflies
(continued from page 1) would have happened. And, to allow us to enter into society as equals would drastically change economic and power structures. To allow the descendants of slaves to be in a place of leadership was not an option. Consider, for a brief moment after the Reconstruction era that Blacks, in pockets, were allowed to participate in American society and began to flourish: until another recreation of slavery was presented in the form of Plessey v. Ferguson. This is the judicial case that created and sustained the lie, that races could be separated, as long as everything was equal. After we struggled to fight for our emancipation, we had to fight for our civil rights. America understood the changing sentiment of the country and understood for pragmatic reasons some changes had to be created. Although a form of progress came in the form of legislation, believe before these laws were signed and legislated the next plan had already been created. The urban renewal plans of the mid-20th century created living conditions that were designed to house many people in small living quarters. This phenomenon happened through all of America from New York to California. The Robert Taylor homes and Cabrini Green projects in Chicago are mid-western examples. Though not originally created for Blacks, somehow these areas became overpopulated by the Black race. Let us consider, the known effects of crowding and density learned from the mice study (also with the understanding that Calhoun had been conducting such studies since the late 1940’s). And, if we couple this “behavioral sink” with poverty and discrimination we create a dangerous formula for chaos. When we dig deeper, it is recorded from 1910 to 1970 the prison population in America never exceeded 350,000 prisoners. In 2015, this number has skyrocketed to over 2.5 million individuals that are incarcerated in jails and prison, both state and federal. How did this surge happen within two generations? Maybe, poor living conditions, the influx of drugs in urban settings, ineffective schools, shrinking viable employment opportunities and Draconian laws (e.g., Mandatory Sentencing, Three-Strike rule, Truth in-Sentencing) set the stage to label victims as criminals and create the prison industrial complex. Yet, let us not be blinded and one-tracked by race that we miss the bigger plan and real crime. Although the US prison is disproportionately overpopulated by Black and Brown people, a lot of poor White people are caught up in the system. The real Willie Lynch syndrome is a divide and conquer strategy. For us to believe it is only to pit our race against each other, reveal we are still playing checkers. Family, America makes up less than five percent of the world’s population but over 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. Ironically, the real criminals never see the inside of the prison. Family, the fight against the “One Percent” was and is real. When one half of one percent of a country’s population controls over a third of the wealth, the real fight should be about the fraudulent democracy that has been established by the oligarchs and plutocrats that form these laws and allow these miscarriages of justice to persists. Many will counter, “Black people always trying to help everybody else, we need to help ourselves.” Beloved, that is the beauty and the magnanimous spirit of our race. Are we not all children of the same creator? Are we not one race- the human race? Even with that above truth, we cannot be ignorant to the facts of what has happened historically to our people. So, while I am a proponent of helping all, I do not apologize for taking racial pride and trying to eradicate the ills of my brothers who are tied directly with me in bonds of consanguinity. In the classic book To kill a Mockingbird, we see a Black man falsely accused of raping a White girl and being sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit. This book was written in the 1930’s but we still see similar failures in our justice system today, as we are still killing too many beautiful black mockingbirds. The mockingbirds that are not killed, are hurt and wounded. These wounded souls now go on to hurt others, because hurt people hurt other people and allow themselves to be re-victimized. These hurt mockingbirds start to pimp the innocent beautiful black butterflies around them through nefarious activities (e.g., emotional, physical and sexual assaults) and help to continue the cycle of the behavioral sink. Family, are we to continue in this sink? Family, can we stop being reactive as a people and become proactive and see what is coming down the pike 30 years from now and not 30 minutes ago? Florida, New York, Missouri, and Wisconsin have felt the sting of injustices, from far too many members, of our police for decades; but, it takes a death to enrage us to mobilize and act? Remember, hurt people also help others. It is time for our healing to begin. That healing begins with understanding the game and having the courage to go against a system that is determined to see us fail. This is ultimately a personal decision. We must ask ourselves, what we are willing to do, give and sacrifice for true change. What victories will we be celebrating and remembering 50 years from today? I conclude this week’s entry with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to marinate on: “To accept passively an unjust system is to cooperate with that system; thereby the oppressed become as evil as the oppressor.” Selah. Ashe. The BLAQUESMITH
Bond, Harris, Moore win; Bradley retains high court seat; state votes “Yes” on Court voting for its leader (continued from page 1) 1,185 votes (57%) to PattersonRamos’ 897 votes (43%). In the state Supreme Court election, incumbent Justice Ann Walsh Bradley easily won reelection to another 10 year term defeating rock County Circuit Court Judge James Daley. Bradley collected 469,972 votes (58%) to Daley’s 339,590 (42%). State voters supported a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution that would allow state court justices to vote for who will lead them as chief justice. Voters cast 431,954 “yes” votes (53%) to 382,341 “no” votes (47%). With the positive response to the proposed amendment, it is highly likely the state Legislature will move to include the amendment to state
law, thus putting in jeopardy Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson’s tenure as chief justice. The amendment is seen by many on the political left as a tool for the political right to oust Abrahamson, who is the longestserving justice in state history. According to a news report and the
National Center for State Courts, Wisconsin is one of seven states that determine who is chief justice based on seniority, while 22 others have court members choose. Source for this story: The Journal Sentinel website. Photo of Moore by Ingrid Jackson.
“State voters supported a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution that would allow state court justices to vote for who will lead them as chief justice. Voters cast 431,954 ‘yes’ votes (53%) to 382,341 ‘no’ votes (47%).”
KALEIDOSCOPE
t he M C J l i f e s t y l e & e n t er t ainment s ec t i on
SISTA SPEAK!...SPEAK LORD! RESURRECTION! Awakening
Faith Dictates Timing
New Beginning
A powerful shift is taking place in the world today. It’s been happening gradually but the pace has accelerated. You feel it and you know it, but some of us want to remain asleep and act as if we don’t know. We need to start remembering who we are and whose we are. We must now awaken and start the craft of our work, which is why we were put here in the first place. This earth and all its folly… this materialistic life… is but a blink of the eye as time holds no relativity for God. You see… a blink of His eye could be the span of seven years. Let us awaken from this deep earth sleep and rise up into our mission to educate those not enlightened to Him and the life of the hereafter. I am calling out to star children and light workers alike. The time has arrived to heal the world with our gifts. Obedience is a must for us because we know who we are. Sonya M. Bowman “It Is What It Is”
We can become blind to our purpose because we are afraid of failure. We are fearful of losing and we are uncomfortable with the emotion that defeat brings. What if I told you that the demise of your current existence today, will bring new birth tomorrow – Victory, Power and Joy? All we need to remember is His word. In Mathew 24:20 God said I am with you always! Hebrews 13:5 He declared that He will never leave you! Death could not hold Jesus down. God spoke, and his word is bond – All we have to do is believe in His word by trusting Him, knowing that He never fails, and understanding that He may not come when you what Him, but He is always right on time. Zelda Corona Vision Represents Faith!
April showers bring May flowers...this is a New Beginning
Delta Memorial Endowment Fund’s 39th Literary Luncheon to Feature Author of “What’s Done in the Dark” ReShonda Tate Billingsley
she wakes up in a hotel room after a passionate night racked with guilt to find the unthinkable has happened! Felise, who is a nurse, and a good citiReShonda Tate zen at that, leaves the hotel room Billingsley without reporting his death. Paula, her best friend, finds out about her husband’s sudden death a day late. Felise is overcome with guilt and grief. She must be there for her friend and her family, but when her husband repeatedly tries to apologize for his absentminded behavior and Paula starts investigating who Stephen was with the night he died, Felise finds it hard to hold herself together. Should she come clean
and tell everyone what she did? Or should she just let it go and move past the mistake on her own? Tate-Billingsley is the national bestselling author of 35 books. Her sophomore novel, “Let the Church Say Amen,” has been made into a movie, directed by actress Regina King and produced by Queen Latifah’s Flava Unit Productions for release in 2015. Her entire “Amen” series, as well as the novel “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” has been optioned by BET. Her book, “Say Amen Again,” received the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature. Several of her faith-based books have become a soughtafter property in Hollywood. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America, Tate-Billingsley is a former professor of Broadcast Journalism at Langston University with an extensive broadcast career.
streets; but nothing captivated his heart like graffiti art. Subsequently William’s artistic flare was born. William is a self-taught artist with work that has sold nationally. He has had the pleasure of being mentored by Eliza Beatty and Mutope Jerry Johnson. He has worked in many mediums from spray paint, acrylic, oil pastels, charcoal, collages and oil over a span of 17 years. His work has been on display locally at several Starbucks. William was a featured artist in Fellas magazine and teaches art at Clara Mohammed Schoo His New song of Moses series looks into the following: Is it okay for black people to see themselves on the pages of the Bible? Is it safe to expect that the God of Torah will deal with today’s oppressors as He dealt with them yesterday? According to the Bible Moses was instructed by God to write a song that became known as the Song of Moses. This song was song after the deliverance of the children of Israel from their wicked oppressor, Pharaoh. This song was sung again upon Jesus’ overcoming of the beast in the last day. How does these events relate to Black People in America. The aim of this series of paintings is to produce dialog over black peoples experience in America in light of the fulfillment of prophecy and how the scriptures correlate to our reality. It questions how God sees Black people in America. Does God have an interest in
seeing us go free? Does prophecy mention our 400 year enslavement and deliverance from our oppressors? If it does, then how? The New Song of Moses challenges the idea that God is deaf to the many prayers of our ancestors for freedom and independence.
The Delta Memorial Endowment Fund, the nonprofit arm of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.-Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter, presents its 39th Annual Literary Luncheon on Saturday, April 25th featuring best-selling author ReShonda Tate Billingsley. The luncheon takes place at 11:30 a.m. at the Italian Conference Center, 631 E. Chicago St. For information about tickets, call (414) 640-2654 or send an email to dmeftickets@yahoo.com. “What’s Done in the Dark” gets to the heart of friendship, loss, love, and betrayal. Felise is not the kind of woman to cheat on her husband—especially with her best friend’s man. After a perfect storm of an evening,
Spring brings the colorful rainbows in the sky…this is a New Beginning Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of God... His is a New Beginning Clearing the clutter in our lives...this is a New Beginning Believing and having faith in God...this is a New Beginning New Beginning… let's think about it. Tara R Pulley Keeping It Real
Gallery Night and Day on King Drive Exhibits Art Celebrating African and African American Culture Titled “New Song of Moses”
The Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation will host Gallery Night on King Drive, Friday, April 17, 2015, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. and on Saturday April 18, 11:30 to 2p.m., at the King Drive Commons Gallery and Studio, located at 2775 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive. The event will feature a collection of inspired artwork of William Muhammad. The exhibit is titled: New Song of Moses, utilizing various mediums in a series of paintings that produce dialog related to the experience of black people in America in light of the fulfillment of prophecy, in the manner in which the scriptures correlate to ones’ reality. In addition there will be live jazz provided by Larry Moore Jazz Trio, and a presented by Hansberry Sands Theater Company. Culinary delights are provided by B.R. catering. This event is free and open to the public, but donations are greatly appreciated. Past Gallery Nights events have drawn hundreds of people to experience these artists and join us in supporting the educational information, creativity and promotion of marvelous arts and a cultural presence in our community! For more information please contact: Artistic Director, Marquita Edwards, or Welford Sanders at (414)704-9117. William Muhammad is a Milwaukee bases artist. Born in 1980 around the time Hip Hop was raising as a new cultural force for urban youth expression. William was fascinated with rap and the B boys who would break dance in the
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 7 go to www.Mbff.org. All proceeds go to MBFF Scholarship Fund. Body and Soul Spring Market – You are invited to keep your money and support in the community by By Tony Courtney shopping at this market located in the Sherman Park Health for Life Class is 6:30PM at the Wisconsin neighborhood, bring tohosted by the Ausar Auset African American gether the talent and creativSociety – Milwaukee Hesp. Women’s Center 3020 W. ity of many Milwaukee This six week course proVliet St. artists, food artists, crafters vides an overview of health Founder’s Day Brunch and more. This event will be practices and lifestyle that hosted by the Milwaukee held at the Body and Soul will maximize your success Brotherhood of Firefighters Healing Arts Center 3617 in all your major life goals. Saturday, April 18th at N. 48th St. May 2nd from The material covered is 9:45AM at Zoofari Confer- 10:00AM to 3:00PM. rooted in the forty plus years ence Center. Tickets are Pick up a copies of “Time of experience of the Ausar $35.00 in advance. for Black People to Master Auset doctors and healers. No tickets will be sold at Money” and “Black Men At the same time, it is pre- the door. Doors open at 8:45 Stop Whining About a sented in a clear and easy to AM and event begins at Damn Job” at Coffee understand format. 10:00AM. Makes You Black 2803 N. The content focuses on Live Jazz Music by DalTeutonia Ave. Cost only two major pillars of success las-Sims Project. For tickets $5.00 for both booklets. (1) the health of the body call Tony 414-604-6233 or and spirit and (2) the health of the brain – your most valuable physical organ. The class schedule begins March 29th and ends May 3rd. Classes will be held at 4712 W. Fond du Lac Ave.(Upstairs). Donation is $5.00 per class. Community African/Afro Cuban Dance Classes with Ina Onilu is offering affordable dance classes for individuals or families interested in learning the art form of African/Afro Cuban dance. Cost is $10.00 per participant. Group and family rates are available upon request. Bring your family and learn where all these new dance moves stem from. Tuesday, April 14th at
FROM THE BLACK
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 8
Funeral services held for boxing champ, alderman and public servant Orville Pitts (continued from page 1)
By 1968, he’d been elected as a Democrat into his first public office position as a Milwaukee alderman. He was the second African American member of the Common Council. However, the city alderman made a political 360 in 1972 when he joined the Republican Party. He would later campaign for President Richard Nixon. Pitts served on the Common Council for two terms before returning to the Democratic Party. In the late 1980’s, he fell into a bout of drug use and alcoholism. Into the following decade, Pitts became familiar with the police. However, he later became a spokesperson for the community in the fight against alcohol and drug addiction. Pitt has been admired for his activism within the community, public work, and athleticism. His myriad of talents did not go unnoticed. Nor will they be forgotten. --Article courtesy of Urban Media
GUEST
COMMENTARY
(continued from page 3) Further, as a student at Baylor University in 1982, Paul wrote in a college paper editorial that while “eliminating racial and sexual prejudice” had “noble aspiration,” anti-discrimination laws are coercive. He added, “every piece of anti-discrimination legislation passed over the past few decades … ignores one of the basic, inalienable rights of man — the right to discriminate.” “He’s certainly welcome to seek our votes, but he’ll need to do a much better job if he actually expects to win them,” said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) in a commentary in The Root last year. Rep. Lee — who took issue with Paul’s claims he has the best civil rights record in Congress — noted the senator also opposes equal pay and increases in the minimum wage, economic policies that would benefit African-Americans the most. So in the end, which Rand Paul should black voters believe, the champion of civil rights or the one who talks the scary stuff black folks don’t want to hear?
“Mister Speaker, I am proud that the Milwaukee Community Journal hails from the 4th Congressional District. It has consistently informed, analysed and entertained readers for nearly 38 years. I am pleased to give praise to Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo and her staff for providing a voice to the community and providing educational opportunities to students. I wish them many more years of success.” --A segment from Cong. Gwen Moore’s remarks she made on the Congressional Record paying tribute to the Milwaukee Community Journal’s Dr. Terence N. Thomas Scholarship Annual Brunch in 2014
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 9
TheMCJSportsPagePHOTOP
BUCKS UNVEIL NEW ARENA AND MORE!
BUCKS BEAT THE BULLS AT THE BMO HARRIS BRADLEY B CENTER
A
Mike Fascitelli with a rendering of the new Sports and Entertainment Center. Mike is a member of the BUCKS OWNERSHIP GROUP.
C
D
PHOTO A: The Bucks’ Michael Carter-Williams scoring. PHOTO B: Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked by Aaron Brooks of the Bulls. PHOTO C: Michael Carter-Williams goin to the basket. PHOTO D: Jerryd Bayless of the Bucks scoring with Taj Gibson trying to contest the shot. Photos by Bill Tennessen
The Milwaukee Community Journal April 8, 2015 Page 10