District Chronicles V14 Issue 48

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Volume 14 Issue 48

6

Editorial

Take economic inequality down with the flag

We should not stop at taking down the flag, we should fight to end institutional racism and economic inequality.

By Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist

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2 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles

A

fter a spirited debate and the urging of Gov. Nikki Haley, the South Carolina House and Senate voted to remove the Confederate battle flag from Statehouse grounds.

Many South Carolinians hailed its ceremonious removal as a “new day” for their state and a fitting tribute to State Senator Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine massacred at Emanuel A.M.E. Church, where he was the pastor.

Revulsion from the Bible study slaughter sparked conversations all over the country about the Confederate flag. An Iowan who sold ice to Wal-Mart with a confederate logo was told he had to change it or sell his ice elsewhere. Mississippi Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker say the Mississippi flag should be redesigned to remove the Confederate symbol.

At the same time, support for the Confederate flag is unwavering.

A poll conducted for CNN found that 66 percent of Whites consider the Confederate flag more of a symbol of Southern pride than racism, a view shared by only 17 percent of Blacks. While 72 percent of Blacks consider the flag a symbol of racism, only 25 percent of Whites agree.

Removing the flag from public places and putting it in museums is a victory for those who reject this symbol of racial subjugation. Still, every economic statistic screams racial subjugation. President Obama had it right when he said that employers are more willing to employ Johnny than Jamal. Last month, the

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Black unemployment rate was 9.5 percent, more than twice the 4.6 percent rate of Whites.

Some economists will say that African Americans are less educated than Whites, explaining part of the unemployment rate gap. Others will cite other factors, such as occupation and location. Race still plays a role in unemployment rate differentials.

If we want to remove vestiges of racial subjugation, we ought to pay attention to unemployment rate differentials and work as hard to eradicate them as we did to take down that Confederate flag in South Carolina.

How? President Obama could sign an executive order directing the Department of Labor and other federal departments to target money and programs to the inner city or, more specifically, to African Americans. In these closing months of his presidency, he has used executive orders for other purposes. Why not use one to ensure that Jamal gets treated the same way as Johnny?

And what about Tamika and Theresa? Though the unemployment rate gap is smaller between Black and White women, there are gaps in pay and working conditions. Because more than 40 percent of Black families are female-headed, low pay for Black women translate to different living conditions for Black families.

Similar differences are measured in the poverty rate, where more than a quarter of Black families live in poverty, compared to fewer than 10 percent of White families. Aver-

age pay for an African-American family is about $31,000, compared to about $52,000 for White families.

Congress has been hostile to any poverty prevention programs, fighting to reduce food stamps programs and pushing back on Obamabacked legislation to increase the minimum wage. In the midst of legislative hostility, could President Obama do anything to lower poverty and the gap in the poverty rate?

Certainly appointing a Presidential Commission to propose legislation on poverty prevention would be a first, if only symbolic.

The wealth gap is staggering.

African Americans have a scant 2.5 percent of our nation’s wealth. The median wealth for White families is $120,000, compared to $7,000 for Black families. The wealth gap is partly a function of the inability for African Americans to attain wealth, certainly during slavery, the Black Codes era and beyond. There were exceptions, of course, but the gaping wealth gap affects African Americans’ quality of life.

Taking down the Confederate flag without tearing down the walls of racial economic inequality is a partial victory.

While I am elated that Gov. Haley has expressed her opposition to the Confederate flag as a symbol of hate and White supremacy, I wonder if she will fight to end the institutional racism that results in higher unemployment rates, lower incomes, and less wealth for African Americans.

Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. She can be reached at www. juliannemalveaux.com.

Confederate flag comes down, all but Blacks financially prosper

Finance

By James Clingman

Amazon/CBS News

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Now that the confederate flag has been taken down, complete with honor guard and pomp and circumstance, what are Black folks going to do now?

Another question is, “what does the math of the aftermath look like?” Everything boils down to economics/business at some point, so let’s take a look at the past few weeks to see what has really taken place.

After all the bluster, the tears, the rallies, the sermons, the rhymes, and the confrontations between pro and anti-flag folks, the sales of confederate flags show an exponential increase. Like never before, folks are driving around with two and sometimes more flags attached to and unfurled on their vehicles.

Stores that sell the flags experienced Christmas in July when it came to their sales revenues. The flag was in high demand, and still is. Thus, the math connected to the aftermath of the flag controversy has already resulted in profits for those who sell it, Walmart and Amazon notwithstanding. Confederate flag hats, shirts, posters, underwear, etc. have suddenly experienced high demand as well.

I am not mad at those folks for profiting from the flag. It’s simply part of the “After-Math” involved in protests and other collective strivings. I can hear the storeowners now saying, “Yee-Haaaah!” as they make their way to the bank.

Now let’s look at the “AfterMath” for Black folks. First of all the discussion of the flag literally overshadowed the fact that nine Black folks had been killed by Dylann Roof. If that flag had not been in the photos of him, it would not have even come up as an issue and would probably still be flying on the state capitol grounds. It became the focus of our attention rather than the victims of that heinous crime, as if the flag made this guy go to that church and shoot these people.

Many Blacks are now left with a feeling of euphoric victory because the flag is down; they have called off a 15-year boycott of the state and the NCAA announced it

A screen shot reveals a spike in Confederate flag sales in the aftermath of Charleston shooting and calls to remove the flag from state grounds.

has lifted its ban on holding events there. Uh oh, here comes the money. What will South Carolina Black vendors and contractors get from that? Will Black folks have seats on the money train coming through the state because the flag is gone?

I had the privilege to speak to a group of Black business owners in Columbia, South Carolina, earlier this month, after which many of the attendees shared their feelings about the flag controversy. Their words were similar to Kimpson’s.

They felt the flag was a distraction, a diversion to what is really important to Black people as we try to survive and thrive in the land of plenty. They know what time is it.

I told them now’s the time to really test Gov. Nikki Haley’s compassion and empathy for Black people. I suggested they go to her and make demands for reciprocity for their tax dollars by opening up the channels for economic inclusion in government purchasing and development.

Now that the private sector has shown its willingness to capitulate to the pressure, go to them and demand they also capitulate to calls for equity in their construction,

professional services, and supplier deals. In other words, Blacks in South Carolina should do the “After-Math” of the flag brouhaha and make sure their benefit is more than just a good feeling. And what about the University of South Carolina, which makes a tremendous amount of money from the participation by Black athletes in their various programs? How many Black companies have contracts with that school?

Black folks celebrated the unveiling of the MLK statue, but a Chinese man got the $10 million to sculpt it, and used stone not from Elberton, Georgia, but from China.

Each year thousands of people go to Selma and stand on the bridge, crying and making speeches; from their vantage point they can see 40 percent poverty in the town they celebrate. What is the economic “After-Math” of 50 years of that?

The beat goes on with superfluous issues such as flags and now maybe even the carved images on Stone Mountain, but in the aftermath of these kinds of symbolic victories, Black folks must also take a very close look at the “AfterMath.”

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4 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles

aryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie RawlingsBlake and several state legislators are calling for the removal of the confederate flag on Maryland license plates and from state-issued property.

Maryland is one of four states working to remove the emblem from their specialty plates, along with Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Texas has already removed the Confederate Flag from its plates.

The racially motivated murders of nine African Americans on June 17 at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, have served as a catalyst for a nationwide conversation on racial prejudices and its symbolism.

“The Confederate Flag is a divisive symbol in our nation’s history and has no place on any official government licenses or documentation in the state of Maryland,” Prince George’s County Council Chairmen Mel Franklin said in a statement.

Additionally, Over 70 Maryland state senators and delegates have signed a document addressed to Secretary of Transportation Peter Rahn and Motor Vehicle Administrator Milton Chaffee of the Maryland Department of Transportation (DOT) asking that the flag be eliminated from license plates.

In the document, they requested that the DOT, “use [your authority to reinstate Maryland’s previous

policy of not including the Confederate battle flag in specialty license plate designs.”

All are asking the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) to again withdraw its approval for organizational plates for the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), Inc., which features the confederate flag.

In the mid-1990s the MVA recalled previously issued plates based on numerous complaints that the artwork was racist.

The SCV sued the MVA in Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Inc. v.

Glendening in 1997, and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland ruled that MVA violated the organization’s First Amendment rights.

Since 1995, Maryland has been one of nine states to offer Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc. license plates, and the only state that was not a former member of the Confederacy.

Just two decades later, history has repeated itself, this time with greater public opposition and the support of local leaders.

However, a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Walker v.

Texas, Sons of Confederate Veterans, allows the state of Texas to reject specialty license plate designs should it represent a message the state does not support.

The June 18 decision stated, “We hold that Texas’s specialty license plate designs constitute government speech and that Texas was consequently entitled to refuse to issue plates featuring the SCV’s proposed design.”

Though the 5-4 ruling coinci-

dentally came one day after the Charleston murders, the case was initially argued in March of 2015, evidence that such issues have are constantly being reevaluated.

The decision ultimately sets a legal precedent, allowing Maryland, among other states, to work within their rights and reject confederate flag design on its specialty plates if it chooses.

Maryland Sen. Jamie Raskin and Maryland Delegate David Moon have both signed off on a letter addressed to Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, in light of the recent events.

Burl Young, spokesperson for Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles, said that in April 1995 the plates began circulating. Approximately 409 plates have been issued, Young said, and currently, only 151 vehicles and 27 motorcycles are active.

In the document, they seek legal confirmation that the MVA can move forward and reject confederate flag specialty plates without legislation. The letter also points out that previous legal decisions have now, “been effectively overruled by the Supreme Court.”

According to statics from the Pew Research Center in 2011 for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, out of approximately 1,500 adults only 9 percent cited a positive reaction to a confederate flag on display. Comparatively, 39 percent of participants had negatives reactions.

HUNS reporter Sadijah Wallace contributed to this story.

Divine Intervention

Black clergy struggles with religious liberty, discrimination

By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

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(RNS) – Since the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is constitutional, the Rev. Jerry Young has been in a predicament.

As the president of the National Baptist Convention, USA, a predominantly Black denomination, he is grappling with a new reality: how to respond to the specter of discrimination against gays.

While he doesn’t support gay marriage, the refusal of some religious bakers and florists to provide services to gays prompts memories of racially segregated hotels and restaurants.

“On the one hand, you have to be sensitive to the fact that you do not want people to be victims of discrimination — that’s just an absolute fact — you just do not want that to happen,” said Young, who grew up in Mississippi in the civil rights era and is developing a position paper to guide NBCUSA congregations on these issues.

“And on the other hand, there is this tension between what, as Christians, we believe God has called us to do, and what it appears to be, in some sense, what the culture seems to be doing.”

Though some national Black Baptist denominations and the Church of God in Christ oppose same-sex marriage, a new poll from Public Religion Research Institute shows that 63 percent of non-White Protestants object to religious exemptions in nondiscrimination laws.

The Rev. Fred Davie, executive vice president of Union Theological Seminary and a gay Presbyterian Church (USA) minister, said he thinks most Black clergy share concerns about discrimination.

“Most of us know the sting of that and the scourge of that and don’t want to repeat it even though they would reserve the right to choose who to marry, who not to marry, in their churches,” said Davie, who is married to Michael Adams, his partner of 17 years.

Seventeen states have introduced legislation to create or alter state-level religious freedom restoration laws, some of which

National Baptist Convention USA President Jerry Young doesn’t support gay marriage but is wary of any discrimination against the LGBT.

could affect same-sex marriages.

Many Voices, a pro-LGBT group that works with Black churches, said it hopes to influence legislators crafting those bills.

“Voices of faith leaders will be required to hold in balance the highly valued religious liberty we enjoy along with freedoms and protections for LGBT persons and their families,” said the Rev. Cedric Harmon, co-director of Many Voices.

Not all African-American clergy oppose same-sex marriage, but many oppose laws that would allow legal discrimination against a group of people.

However, the Rev. T. DeWitt Smith Jr., an Atlanta pastor and co-chair of the National African American Clergy Network, said he doesn’t think owners of momand-pop establishments should be equated with the segregationists of the past.

While some businesses may make that choice based on religious belief, “I don’t really equate that with the denial of hotel space based on color, ethnicity,” said Smith.

Bishop Talbert W. Swan II, a Church of God in Christ pastor in Springfield, Massachusetts, agreed that the church-run bakery down the street from his congregation should have the right to

deny its services to a gay couple.

“So if someone walks into the New Hope Bakery and said, ‘We wanted you to bake a cake for a same-sex marriage ceremony,’ I think they should have every right to say `No, we won’t bake that cake,’” said Swan. “They should have every right to refuse to bake a product that’s going to be associated with something that violates their religious belief.”

But he said a for-profit corporation that serves the general public should not have an exemption.

The Rev. Terence Leathers of Clayton, North Carolina, unsuccessfully lobbied his state legislature, which passed a law allowing magistrates to refuse to perform a same-sex marriage ceremony.

He feels magistrates and bakers should not deny services to LGBT people and connects these issues to times when other discrimination was evident — like the nearby town that once had a welcome sign that read: “This is KLAN country.”

“It’s discriminatory and should not be tolerated,” said Leathers.

But he admits to feeling like he’s a lone voice among black clergy in his rural area.

“There are people who may be for me but they’re keeping it silent,” said Leathers. “They don’t want to cause any trouble.”

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District Chronicles | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | 5

Cover

Few African Americans elected state prosecutors

By Jazelle Hunt NNPA Washington Correspondent

usual position for a Black man, but one he says more people of color should consider.

“People think if you are a member of a minority group you should be a defense attorney, but as a state prosecutor I have much more power than a defense attorney,” he explained.

“I cannot charge [someone] or not pursue the death penalty, I can get drug programs started for those who need it, I can create veteran offenders programs ... A district attorney has the power and discretion to do the right thing.”

Williams is one of just 62 Black elected state prosecutors across the country, out of 2,444 total – less than 3 percent.

One of Williams’ proudest, and most controversial actions was becoming the first D.A. in the country to successfully prosecute a Catholic clergy member in connection to the sex abuse scandal. He has also prosecuted white-collar criminals, and has reduced the number of criminal charges filed in small drug-related cases. His goal is to be smart on crime, not just tough – even if it means ruffling feathers.

“I wanted to show that we’d apply the same standard of justice to everyone, regardless of your last name, who your father is, the zip code you live in, or what your race

NNPA

(NNPA) – Of the 46 states that elect prosecutors, more than half – 27 – have no known African Americans, according to a report by the Women Donors Network, an organization of progressive women philanthropists and advocates, which examined the demographics of state prosecutors who had been elected into their positions as of summer 2014.

“The whole thing honestly is so shocking,” said Brenda Choresi Carter, director of the Reflective Democracy Campaign. “Just the stunning absence of Black prosecutors even in states where we know there is a historic and well-developed Black electorate … came as a surprise.”

The study, which is part of the organization’s Reflective Democracy Campaign, was unable to verify the race and gender of 165 elected state prosecutors. White people account for 95 percent of the verified ranks (79 men, 16 percent women).

In some states, including Tennessee and Washington, there are no elected prosecutors of color.

State prosecutors’ offices investigate crimes and are the highest criminal prosecutors in their cities, counties, or other municipali-

ties. They are often the ultimate decision-makers in a wide range of criminal proceedings, from charges, to sentencing, to appeals and parole.

Compounding the problem is that the legal profession is one of the least diverse professions in the U.S. Whites are 88.1 percent of all lawyers, compared to 4.8 percent who are Black, 3.7 percent Latino and 3.4 percent Asians. Seventy percent are males. By comparison, Whites are 81 percent of architects and engineers and 72 percent of physicians and surgeons.

“The irony of the prosecutor is that in many ways they have more direct power over people’s lives than most other elected offices.

All the points along the process of pursing a [criminal] case … are subject to a prosecutor’s own individual discretion,” said Carter.

“If these [powers] are concentrated in the hands of a demographic group that does not have the experience being a person of color in America, or a woman … it’s difficult to see how they would understand the full range of the impact of their decisions.”

Nobody has to explain that to Philadelphia’s R. Seth Williams, who became the first Black elected district attorney in the state of Pennsylvania in 2009. It’s an un-

Williams became the first elected African American District Attorney in Pennsylvania in 2009. A study reveals a dearth of diversity among elected prosecutors nationwide.

is,” he said, adding that his office pursued people from all walks of life, “not just going after the corner boys for selling bags of weed.”

While most state prosecutors are hired or appointed, the Women Donors Network study focused on those elected because they theoretically represent voters. In these cases, aspiring prosecutors must run a political campaign; but the study points out that 85 percent of

incumbent prosecutors run unopposed for their reelections. Carter says a lack of financial, social, and political access perpetuate an “old boys’ club” in government.

“We need many more concerned, caring, empathetic, outstanding attorneys to become state prosecutors,” said Williams. “We also need people who better reflect the communities we serve, to become prosecutors.”

Loretta Lynch to NAACP: ‘Our work is not finished’

By Samaria Bailey Special to the NNPA from the Philadelphia Tribune

6 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles

ly minor drug crimes – a striking illustration of the unfairness in some of our sentencing laws – and I welcome his charge to reexamine the use of solitary confinement as a form of incarceration,” she said.

Prior to the event, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a separate organization, issued statements that it requested Lynch to “open an investigation of the North Charleston Police Department to uncover any pattern or practice of racially discriminatory policing” and that the Justice Department “open a criminal civil rights investigation into former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager for the April 4, 2015 shooting death of Walter Scott, an unarmed African-American man.”

However, Lynch did not mention the wave of killings of unarmed Black men by White police, this past year.

Abdul Sulayman/Philadelphia Tribune

PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch pushed the NAACP to keep fighting for equality in education, economics and the criminal justice system, in her speech at the organization’s Freedom Fund/Thalheimer Awards ceremony last week in Philadelphia.

It was another first for Lynch, who is the first African-American woman to hold the office of Attorney General, to attend a national NAACP convention.

The awards presentation was the last event of the organization’s 106th annual convention.

“Your success is legendary,” Lynch told the attendees. “[But] there is so much more to do. Our work is not finished.”

She reviewed achievements under President Barack Obama’s administration as evidence that some progress is being made.

One of those achievements was the Supreme Court’s recognition of “disparate impact” in the Federal Housing Act. With the court’s decision to uphold disparate impact, claims of racial discrimination in housing practices are not restricted to showing intent. “[This] will enable us to fight on,” said Lynch. “We know discrimination nowadays is hidden underground … in the application process.”

She also praised Obama’s position to ease mandatory sentencing for non-violent drug crimes.

“I commend the president for his action this week to commute the unduly long sentences of 46 individuals, the vast majority of whom were convicted of relative-

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks at a ceremony during the NAACP’s 106th Annual Convention in Philadelphia last week.

Instead, she stated that efforts would be made by the government to encourage “fairness” and limited her comments on policing in communities to engaging youth.

“I also look forward to working with Congress to advance a

broader reform effort on the federal level and building on the bipartisan support we’ve seen around the country for making our criminal justice system more efficient, more effective and more fair,” she said.

Politics

Brooks giddy about Obama’s call for prison reform

By Bobbi Booker Special to the NNPA from the Philadelphia Tribune

Pete Souza/White House

PHILADELPHIA – Immediately following President Barack Obama’s speech in Philadelphia this week, NAACP President Cornell W. Brooks said it’s an issue the country cannot ignore.

“Just on a heart level, I could not have been more moved by the president’s speech because many of the people that were most affected by what he said couldn’t vote for him today, because they don’t have the right to vote,” he said. “Even if they could vote for him on the outside, there are millions of them locked up on the inside, out of sight and seemingly out of mind.

But he made clear today they are not out of sight and they are not out of mind. And when he said there are a million fathers locked up, ask ourselves this: how many children does that represent?

“How much of America does that represent?” Brooks asked. “I thought it was an extraordinary address, and it moved me profoundly. I spent the better part of seven years in Newark, New Jersey, working on prison reentry; and that I have a president that says he is concerned about the issue, but not just concerned about the issue, but concerned enough to go to a prison, that’s important.

Because, heretofore, no one from the White House has been in the prison, at least not while they were serving as president. So, it is very powerful.”

Since Congress enacted mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes, the federal prison population has multiplied, from just 24,000 in the 1980s to more

than 214,000, according to Families Against Mandatory Minimums. In 2010, Obama signed the Fair Sentencing Act, cutting penalties for crack cocaine offenses. And, last year, the independent Sentencing Commission reduced guideline ranges for drug crimes and applied those retroactively.

“The president is taking a major risk here: he’s standing on the side of people who have been despised, dehumanized, locked away and cast out of society,” said Brooks. “For a president who resides in the White House to go to a prison is making a statement that his oath of office speaks to people who literally are out of sight and out of mind. It is a bold statement.

It is a bold reform plan.

“But the president understands all too well: he cannot do this alone,” he added. “Congress cannot do it alone. We have to stand with him, stand behind those in Congress who are standing for criminal justice reform, which is why we have supported America’s journey for justice in terms of talking about our lives, our votes, our jobs, our schools matter.

Our lives can’t really matter if we get profiled at will. Our lives don’t really matter if in fact we can be, as a people, sentenced under draconian drug laws. Our lives, our life as a country, matters less, if you have 2.3 million people behind bars – when African-American men are 21-times more likely to lose their lives at the hands of the police than their white counterparts. We’ve got to do something

President Barack Obama walks in the Residential Drug Abuse Prevention Unit at El Reno Prison. Obama is the first U.S. sitting president to visit a prison. He called for prison reform in a speech at the NAACP 106th National Convention.

about this.”

In places like Baltimore, New York and Ferguson tensions between law enforcement and their communities have spilled out into

civil rights organization, Brooks has pledged to continue its mission of advocacy that began over a century ago.

“I don’t think that anyone who gathered together to create the NAACP 106 years ago could have imagined a day when Brooks, NAACP we’d have the first AfricanAmerican president speak to our delegates,” said Brooks. “Who could have imagined an organization, of whom only a minority were African American, to have

He [Obama] is standing on the side of ... despised – Cornell the open, underscoring longstanding concerns among minority communities they’re treated differently in the criminal justice system. As the leader of the nation’s oldest

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created an iconic American institution, that being the NAACP. And, to have the first Black president stand before us and lay out a bold, visionary plan for reform?

“That was hard to imagine then, but I guess I believe today we’re called to exercise our moral and civic imagination to imagine a country in the future that represents the promise of the past,” he said. “The NAACP that we inherited is the NAACP that we should give to the next generation: bold, powerful, risk-taking, willing to do great things because we’re willing to be courageous. That’s who we are, that’s who we represent and that’s what we’re going to do.”

District Chronicles | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | 7

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8 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles

Joe Henson

Make the Switch to DISH Today and Save 50%

The animals look a little restless.

Maybe they’re hungry, bored or tired of being watched. They seem angry. Observing these creatures caged, it’s easy to believe that wild animals shouldn’t be locked up like this. In the new book “Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga” by Pamela Newkirk, it becomes evident that neither should humans.

When visitors arrived at the New York Zoological Gardens in the Bronx on September 6, 1906, they were probably there for more than just the warm weather. Chief curator William Temple Hornaday knew that and he stood at the gates, directing people to what he claimed was his “best attraction yet.”

At the very end of the Monkey House, past the chimps and baboons, visitors looked upon a “103-pound, four-foot eleven-inch chocolate-colored” man that Hornaday claimed was a cannibal and that he knew as Ota Benga.

What he didn’t know, exactly, was how Benga got from Africa to America.

Samuel Phillips Verner had once hoped for recognition as a scientist and explorer, first traveling to Africa as a missionary, then as a hired acquirer of artifacts.

Known as somewhat of an expert on “pygmies,” Verner had procured several young Africans and brought them to America. Rumor had it that he’d “gone insane.”

Whatever it was that drove Verner, he often created stories to fit the moment. He said that Benga asked to come to America and claimed he’d saved his life in the Congo, which is possible because of atrocities being committed on behalf of King Leopold of Belgium.

For a fee, he offered to leave Benga with Hornaday, and said he’d return shortly. Instead, Verner appeared to have dumped Benga there and fled.

Within days of Benga’s appearance in the cage, local ministers demanded his freedom and hired a lawyer.

At first despondent – his appearance at the Zoological Gar-

Pamela Newkirk’s book is loaded with early 20th century history.

dens wasn’t his first experience – Benga became combative with handlers. Hornaday was forced to turn him over to Brooklyn Howard Colored Orphanage.

For the first time in years, Benga was free.

But was he really?

Author Pamela Newkirk leaves readers hanging, not on purpose but by necessity because “ … the true story will probably never be known.”

What is true, however, is that this is one shocking account. My hand flew to my mouth in astonishment by the time I was on page eight of “Spectacle.”

While Benga is the obvious focus of the book, his story is told more through his capturers, his handlers and his helpers.

Indeed, Newkirk introduces us to shady characters, as well as many good people and she does it with a sense of the times in which things occurred. Then she’ll

squeeze your heart dry with the ending.

This book may take a little getting used to. It’s loaded with early 20th century national and world history and you’ll need to call forth everything you learned about that time – but I think it’s worth it.

Five minutes with this book and you’ll know that “Spectacle” is a well-penned work.

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District Chronicles | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | 9

Classifieds Legal Notice

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 766 Doris L. Davenport Name of decedent Carl E. Snead 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., #190316 Washington, D.C. 20004 Name and Address of Attorney Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs Celestine Smith, whose address is 1837 9th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Doris L. Davenport who died on May 15, 2015, 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 shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., Building A, 515 5th Street, N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington D.C. 20001, on or before 1.16.2016.

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 1.16.2016, 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 publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication 7.16.2015 Personal Representative Celestine Smith 202-667-2162 TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

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www.districtchronicles.com 10 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles

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In the Neighborhood

Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington Montgomery County Norton introduces bill to help OPM Data Breach victims

C

ongresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and eight National Capital Region cosponsors introduced the RECOVER Act (Reducing the Effects of the Cyberattack on OPM Victims Emergency Response Act of 2015) to provide free lifetime identity theft protection coverage to the more than 22.1 million current, former and prospective federal employees whose personnel data has been compromised by widespread Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breaches. The regional cosponsors are Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), John Delaney (D-MD), and Don Beyer (D-VA).

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) last week introduced a companion bill in the Senate. The free lifetime identity theft protection coverage includes identity theft insurance for losses up to $5 million.

What began as 4.2 million affected federal employees and retirees has now grown to more than 22 million. Apparently, OPM is not able to say that even that number is now final. Moreover, the hackers reportedly had infiltrated OPM computers at least a year before they were discovered. Yet, OPM has only guaranteed three years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection services and $1 million in loss coverage for individuals whose background check records were compromised, and only 18 months of credit monitoring and $1 million in loss coverage to individuals whose personnel records were compromised.

“The OPM data, which was not encrypted, was there for the taking despite the Inspector General’s warnings” Norton said. “OPM’s offer of limited credit monitoring and identity theft protection coverage fails to recognize that the hackers could outwait the OPM’s proposed period of credit monitoring and very

limited loss coverage. Much of the OPM data is lifetime and permanent background information that cannot be changed like a credit card number. We cannot make up for the angst this breach has caused our federal employees, but our bill shows we can and should do much better than OPM’s stingy proposal.”

“Extremely sensitive personal information of at least 22 million federal employees and their friends and relatives has been exposed to hackers who used access codes from one of OPM’s contractors in one of the largest security breaches in U.S. history,” said Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Elijah Cummings. “This bill providing lifetime credit monitoring services and identity theft insurance is the least we should do to protect these hardworking and dedicated employees.”

“Our federal workers have been subjected to a relentless assault over the past several years, from furloughs to salary cuts and, now, a massive data breach of sensitive personal data,” said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger. “The records stolen by hackers have no shelf life – so the identity theft protection offered to the victims shouldn’t, either.

I am proud to support this effort to help provide these hard-working men and women some well-deserved peace of mind.”

“OPM’s announcement that at least 22 million people have been impacted by this breach is staggering.

Many live in my district and have called my office with significant concerns,” said Congressman Van Hollen. “I’ve already urged the agency to provide free credit monitoring to those impacted and their families, and what OPM has announced so far is totally inadequate. This legislation will help the hardworking civil servants who have been affected cope with this breach, which could have potentially dangerous consequences for years to come.”

“This bill would provide millions of hardworking Americans who’ve been victimized by this unprecedented data breach with a measure of financial security and peace of mind,” said Congressman John Sarbanes. “We must do whatever

we can to support the federal and private-sector employees, retirees and their families whose personal information was compromised.”

“I remain concerned that nearly one out of every eight Americans have had their security and personal data put into jeopardy and I believe we have a responsibility to protect the families who have been at risk,” Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards said. “I will continue to work with my Congressional colleagues to ensure that the Americans serving our nation can keep their personal information safe and secure. That is why I am an original co-sponsor of the RECOVER Act, which provides much stronger and comprehensive measures to protect those whose information may have been compromised. It is the very least the federal government can and should do.”

“The devastating series of data breaches against the U.S. Office of Personnel Management represent one of the most catastrophic compromises of highly-sensitive personally identifiable information in our Nation’s history,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member of the Federal Workforce Subcommittee. “The millions of dedicated Federal workers, Federal retirees, and contract personnel that serve our country with honor and distinction are the Federal Government’s most valuable asset and the government has failed to protect them. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the RECOVER Act to provide Federal employees victimized by the breach with lifetime identify theft insurance coverage that is free, comprehensive, and effective.”

“The recent data breaches at OPM put millions of federal employees at risk and that’s unacceptable,” said Congressman John K. Delaney.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t going to be a short-term problem with shortterm risk and we have to make sure we offer long-term support to those impacted. Our government should be in the position of strengthening the security of Americans online, not exposing their personal information to attack. The RECOVER Act makes sure that the victims of the data breaches will never have to face identity fraud alone.”

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Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

“You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.”

– Joan Lunden

(800) 967-8641 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service.

We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community.

We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.

District Chronicles | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | 11

In the Neighborhood Metro Briefs: Notable news in and around Washington Montgomery County County urges residents to take precautions during excessive heat

W

ith temperatures expected to reach the near 100 today and heat indexes forecasted to exceed that, County officials are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves against heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Residents are also asked to check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbors who may be isolated to be sure they are not showing signs of heat-related illnesses. County facilities, including libraries, swimming pools, recreation and senior centers, as well as regional services

centers, will be open and may provide respite from the heat.

“Summer heat can be dangerous, especially for seniors and those with chronic illnesses,” said County Health Officer Dr. Ulder J. Tillman. “It is important for all of us to check on our friends, relatives and neighbors to make sure they are safe during extreme temperatures.

The following precautions will help residents remain safe and comfortable during excessive heat days: 1. Stay indoors, whenever possible.

Visit nearby air conditioned buildings in your community if your home is not air-conditioned. In addition to County facilities, residents can visit shopping malls, movie theaters and museums. A hyper-

thermia plan for homeless shelters has been activated and shelters that are normally closed during daytime hours will remain open so that individuals can stay indoors. Progress Place in downtown Silver Spring will remain open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for all homeless individuals.

2. Be careful to avoid strenuous activities that can result in overexposure to the sun, such as sports and gardening. If you must do a strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning before 9 a.m. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration, cramps, exhaustion or heat stroke can result from not drinking enough fluids. Water is the safest liquid to drink. Avoid drinks containing alcohol or caffeine.

3. When outdoors, wear proper protection from the sun. Light-

colored clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen protection are recommended.

4. Never leave pets or young children in a car for ANY amount of time, even if the windows are cracked open.

5. Monitor those at high risk. Those at greatest risk of heat-related illness include:

Should any of the following occur, get out of the heat, loosen any tight or heavy clothing, and drink plenty of water:

< Infants and children up to four years of age; < Individuals 65 years of age and older; < Individuals who are ill or on certain medications; and < Individuals who are overweight.

< Heat cramps: symptoms include painful muscle spasms, usually involving the abdominal muscles or legs; < Heat exhaustion: first signs are cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, dizziness, nausea, headache and weakness; and < Heat stroke: the most serious sign of overexposure. Symptoms include red, hot, dry skin, weak pulse, rapid breathing and changes in consciousness. Seek medical attention by calling 9-1-1.

Knowing the signs of heat exposure can prevent serious illness from becoming life threatening.

For general information about County programs and services, call 3-1-1.

Area residents beat the heat, cool off with water

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

Robert Eubanks/DistrictChronicles

Robert Eubanks/District Chronicles

12 | Jul. 23 - Jul. 29, 2015 | District Chronicles