Our Mississippi

ourMississippi winter 2013

“Our State, Our Lives, Our People”

Oprah Winfrey Tops our

list of Mississippi Celebrities Chris Gardner

Pursuit of Happyness author offers inspiring message at MMBA Awards Gala

Phyliss J. Anderson

Mississippi Band of Choctaws’ first female chief $4.95

Mississippi and the Blues

Homemade Jamz, B.B. King Museum and much more

Donna Oliver

Former MVSU President reflects on her time at the university

WE ARE Pearl River Resort Vegas with Sweet Tea!

Two Exciting Casinos • Two Luxurious Hotels The Best Entertainment • Two Championship Golf Courses Eleven Great Restaurants • Spa & Salon • Retail Shops Full Convention Services • Southeast’s #1 Water Theme Park

Scan Here!

Pearl River Resort • Hwy 16W • Choctaw, MS 1.866.44PEARL (1.866.447.3275) • www.pearlriverresort.com

A development of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Trustmark Mobile Banking.

Goes where you go.

Wherever you go, you can now take Trustmark Bank with you.

With Trustmark Mobile Banking, you can use your phone or iPad® to transfer funds, check balances, make payments and more. Banking has never been more convenient.

Trustmark Mobile Banking is exclusively for Trustmark Online Banking customers. So if you’re not yet banking online with Trustmark, our Mobile Banking is a great reason to start.

To find out more, visit trustmark.com or any Trustmark office today.

People you trust.

Advice that works.

trustmark.com

Member FDIC

TNB 17568.1 MobileBanking OurMississippiFallIssue.indd 1

7/19/12 9:13 AM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY ourMississippi to Mississippi’s only state-wide, SummEr 2012

“Our STATE, Our LIvES, Our PEOPLE”

African-American magazine.

Subscribe to Our Mississippi Magazine and get two full years (8 issues) for just $35, or you can get a one-year subscription for just $20.

Just fill out the form below and send a check or money order to: Our Mississippi Magazine P.O. Box 1388 • Tupelo, MS 38802

“THE HELP” How it helped Mississippi embrace its history

Action in Jackson In the capital city, there’s no sitting still

Building on a Dream

Toni Cooley’s System Automotive Interiors becomes a Tier One supplier for Toyota

Forces of change

Evers, Hamer and Henry altered the course of our history

Stay in style

Almanett: A new boutique hotel on the Gulf Coast

Name____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Addressss_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City_________________________________________________________________________State_______Zip________________________

4

• winter 2013 •

I’m I’mready readyto to connect. connect.

We’reready readytotohelp. help.

We’re

Entergy’s Supplier Diversity Program helps company reflect diversity Entergy’s Supplier Diversity Program helps ourour company reflect thethe diversity of of our ouremployees employeesand andthe thecommunities communitieswe weserve. serve.Diverse Diverseorganizations organizationsmake makebetter betterdecisions and perform better, so it makes buildtostrong with businesses of al decisions and perform better, so it sense makestosense build relationships strong relationships with kinds. Plus, wekinds. just think to do. businesses of all Plus,it’s wethe justright thinkthing it’s the right thing to do. more information, please visit at entergy.com/supplierdiversity.

ForFor more information, please visit us us at entergy.com/supplierdiversity.

Kerry KerryJones, Jones, Customer CustomerService ServiceManager Manager

A message from Entergy Entergy Corporation Corporation©©2011 2011Entergy EntergyServices, Services,Inc. Inc.All AllRights RightsReserved.

Reserved.

ourMississippi winter 2013

Published By Legend Publishing Company Publisher Wesley Wells Photography Brinda Willis | Wesley Wells | Katie Hendricks Graphic Design Fran Sherman Advertising Sales Paisley Boston | Wesley Wells Contributing Writers Paisley Boston | James Hull | Patricia Neely-Dorsey | Diedra Jackson | Brinda Willis Consultant Samir Husni associate publisher Dave Clark

on the cover

Talk show host, Oprah Winfrey Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock.com Our Mississippi Magazine is published quarterly by Legend Publishing Company, Copyright 2012, Legend Publishing Company. Reproduction without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. OM is not responsible for unsolicited materials. We welcome your comments. Letters to the editor should be mailed to: Our Mississippi Magazine P.O. Box 1388 | Tupelo, MS 38802 Those interested in advertising can email us at: legendpublishing@comcast.net or call (662) 844-2602. www.ourmississippimag.com

Subscribe

today

Want to keep up with lifestyles in Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi? Subscribe to Our Mississippi Magazine. Get two full years (8 issues) of Our MIssissippi Magazine for just $35, or you can get a one-year subscription (4 issues) for $20.

Just fill out the form below and send your check or money order to the address above or subscribe online at: www.ourmississippimag.com Name_____________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________ City____________________________State_______Zip______________

CARLOCK KIA THE 2012 OPTIMA

Not your average midsize sedan.

CLASS-LEADING 35 MPG/HWY CLASS-LEADING 274-HP 2.0L GI TURBO SPECIAL APR FOR QUALIFIED CUSTOMER

2012 SORENTO

2012 FORTE

2012 SPORTAGE

COME SEE WHY WE ARE THE #1KIA DEALER

IN MISSISSIPPI & SURROUNDING STATES.

We offer many different programs that cater to all customers... no matter what your current credit situation is!

Kia Motors has one of the best warranties in the industry!

Find out more about Kia’s amazing warranty program!

TEMETRIC THOMAS GENERAL SALES MANAGER

CARLOCK KIA

1700 South Gloster, Tupelo, MS • 662.268.4016 • www.carlockkia.com

®

t & TM g. U.S. Pa

© EPE Re

Off.

contents Cover Story

11

winter 2013

Mississippi Corners Homegrown Celebrity Markets on numerous frontiers

36

11

49

12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 34 36 38

Mississippi Corners Homegrown Celebrity Markets on numerous frontiers oprah winfrey morgan freeman james earl jones b. b. king tavis smiley charley pride robert johnson

41 44

leontyne price the mississippi minority business alliance awards Liberty Bank Celebrates 40th Year Anniversary Phyliss J. Anderson: Choctaws’ first female chief leading with dignity, grace and true grit

Eatin’ The Blues in Mississippi

45

The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretative Center Is a Beacon to the World

49

mississippi state economic development: a story of success

52

Oliver finds satisfaction – and some regret – from time at Mississippi Valley

54

Ole Miss Crowns First AfricanAmerican Homecoming Queen

56

Blacks in Mississippi aren’t all singing ‘Dixie,’ but still love their state

robin roberts brandy norwood

The Blues Is Alright In Tupelo with Homemade Jamz

58 60 62 64

fear is not an option holiday blues make this the year to get fit! take these small steps to eat healthy

Publisher’s

Letter

Dedicated to My Mom

I

am dedicating this edition of Our Mississippi Magazine to my wonderful and loving mom, whom we lost since the printing of our last edition. She was such a wonderful influence on me and was such a wonderful person in general.

Even though she is gone from us here on earth, she is in my heart and forever will be. I love her and miss her very much. Here’s to you, my Angel.

Now on to what’s inside this edition of Our Mississippi. I had the privilege of listening to Chris Gardner speak at the annual Mississippi Minority Business Alliance Awards Gala recently. I don’t think there was anyone who left the building not being touched by his story. The triumph and success he finally achieved after such a horrific struggle is enough to bring joy the young, old, rich or poor.

I carried his story away with me and will use it every day. It was a pleasure meeting him, as I’m sure many in the packed house felt the same way.

Also in this edition, our staff selected, from numerous candidates, Mississippi’s top African-American celebrities. As you will see, Mississippi has an abundance of talented and world renowned superstars. We also feature something Mississippi is well Known for, and that is the blues. There are many other articles included that we think you will enjoy.

Thanks to our advertisers I want to thank all our advertisers. Without you, there is no Our Mississippi Magazine. I also encourage all our readers to patronize them whenever possible and call and let them know you saw their ad in our magazine.

Thank you for picking for picking up our magazine and may God Bless you all.

Wesley Wells

10

• winter 2013 •

Mississippi

celebrities

Mississippi Corners Homegrown Celebrity Markets on numerous frontiers

M

By Brinda Fuller Willis

ississippi has a rich history of world-wide celebrities. Part of that history is a host of talented African-Americans whom were either born or raised in Mississippi. Our staff chose what we thought were the 10 most famous AfricanAmericans with Mississippi Ties. They are: Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, B.B. King, Tavis Smiley, Charley Pride, Robert L. Johnson, Robin Roberts, Brandy Norwood and Leontyne Price.

ourMississippi

Of course, there were several other talented and wellknown superstars that didn’t make our top 10. Some others that were nominated and receiving votes were: Cassi Davis, David Ruffin, Thelma Houston, Toni Seawright, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, Thelma Houston, Denise LaSalle, Ray J, Bobby Rush, Otis Rush, Nate Dogg, Rufus Thomas, Beah Richards, Ike Turner and Mary Wilson.

Sports figures were not included.

11

12

• winter 2013 •

Oprah Gail Winfrey Talk Show/ Entrepreneur

(Born Jan. 29, 1954)

K

osciusko gave the world the most influential woman of the 20th century – Oprah Gail Winfrey, whose “Midas touch” has created successful enterprises in almost everything she touches.

Born to Vernita Lee, a teenage mother who worked as a maid, Winfrey was raised by her grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee, who taught her how to read at age 3. Winfrey credits her grandmother for encouraging her to speak in public and giving her “a positive sense of myself.” She was sent to Nashville to live with the man believed at the time to be her natural father, Vernon Winfrey, who insisted that she work hard to get a good education.

Oprah Winfrey’s personal life story reads like a “rags to riches” novel with its darker moments interspersed with her every-growing list of achievements starting at an early age. She revealed to her talk show audience that she had been sexually abused and that she had given birth to a child when she was a teenager. But early in life, she also earned the nickname “The Preacher” because she recited Bible verses with such bravado.

She attended Nicolet High School, where she excelled in an Upward Bound program. While at Tennessee State University, she worked at a local radio station. She later moved to Baltimore where she worked as a television co-anchor.

In 1983 she landed in Chicago, hosting “AM Chicago.” She turned it into a top-rated show in just a few months, toppling Phil Donohue as the king of the Chicago talk show scene. After signing a syndication deal with King World, she hosted the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” which became the No. 1 talk show in the nation.

Oprah would stay on as host of her own show for several years with ratings going through the roof year after year garnering her the title of “The Most Influential Woman in the World” from Life magazine. As host of the celebrated talk show, she introduced The Oprah Book Club, and the books she selected became instant best sellers, catapulting

and cementing the careers of authors to the height of the literary world.

She holds the record for the highest paid book advance fee in 2005 for a weight-loss book with her personal trainer, Bob Greene. In a 1983 interview with Michael Jackson, she made TV history with a 36.5 million viewers looking on that became the most watched event in the history of the industry.

Because of her rumored feud with David Letterman, his show drew an audience of 13.45 million when she appeared on his late-night program on CBS to promote the Broadway musical “The Color Purple,” which she produced. She starred in a 1985 film version of that production, which endeared her to millions with her portrayal of Sophia, an outspoken, take-no-crap, heavy-set housewife with a sexy persona that gave voice to many a victim of domestic violence. She starred in several other movies and TV mini-series, capturing audiences across racial lines. All the while she was hosting “The Oprah Winfrey Show” until it went off the air May 25, 2011.

Winfrey published O, At Home from 2004 to 2008.

Currently, she is the publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine, which Fortune Magazine called the most successful start-up in the industry in 2002. She now has her own television network, OWN. A millionaire at age 32, she was worth more than $2.7 billion in 2010, according to Forbes magazine.

That made her the richest self-made woman in the U.S. Some of her charitable endeavors include: • Oprah’s Angel Network • $10 Million given personally to the Katrina cause • Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (South Africa) • The Oprah Winfrey Boys & Girls Club of Attala County (Kosciusko) With her 2008 endorsement of then-candidate Barrack Obama, Winfrey is credited with helping him gain the presidency, an influence that is fittingly called “The Oprah Effect.” OM

photo courtesy Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

13

14

• winter 2013 •

Morgan Freeman

Actor/Entrepreneur/Narrator

(Born June 1, 1937)

M

emphis might be his actual birthplace, but if you ask most folks where Morgan Freeman is from, they are likely to say Clarksdale or some other place in the Delta. But in truth he was raised from infancy in Charleston, in Tallahatchie County, and attended Broad Street High School, which serves today as Threadgill Elementary School in Greenwood.

Freeman, respected worldwide for his acting, has been adopted by most Mississippians as a native because of his interest in helping the state on many levels. He returned as an adult to Charleston to live in SonEdna, the home place of his parents and grandmother, named after his mother, Mayme Edna, and his father, who was known as Son. Morgan, as he is lovingly called by most of us, has ingratiated himself into the hearts of the people of Mississippi by expressing his love of blues music and by his ownership of Ground Zero, a blues club in Clarksdale, along with a restaurant, Madidi’s, that remained open until just recently that he coowned with his friend, Bill Luckett.

He has received several Academy Award nominations for his performances in “Street Smart,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Invictus” and “The Shawshank Redemption,” finally winning the coveted award in 2005 for “Million Dollar Baby.” Additionally, he has won a Golden Globe Award and

the Screen Actors Guild Award. Most remember his impressive work in “Unforgiven,” “Seven,” “Deep Impact,” “The Sum of All Fears,” “Bruce Almighty,” “Dark Knight Trilogy” and Glory. He received a third Obie Award for his work as a chauffeur in “Driving Miss Daisy,” which was adapted for a motion picture in 1989.

Freeman has been blessed with a smoothing and provocative voice that he has used to capture audi-

Morgan has become a Hollywood icon for his work in film, and these days every motion picture in which he stars is a hit at the box office. ences over the years for numerous documentaries.

And has done voiceover work for several media projects, most notably “Vincent the Vegetable Vampire” and other PBS kids’ shows, such as “The Electric Company.” along with the narration of “War of the Worlds” and “March of the Penguins.” He first appeared in the soap opera “Another World.”

Morgan has become a Hollywood icon for his work in film, and these days every motion picture in which he stars is a hit at the box office.

Freeman was honored in 2006 at the first Mississippi’s Best Awards in Jackson with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on and off the big screen. Additionally, he received an Honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters from Delta State University in May 2006. OM

photo courtesy Debby Wong/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

15

16

• winter 2013 •

James Earl Jones Actor/Poet/Orator

(Born Jan. 17, 1931)

A

rkabutla lays claim as the hometown of actor extraordinaire James Earl Jones, known throughout the world by kids and adults as the voice of Mufasa in the 1994 Disney animated film “The Lion King” and “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride.”

It’s hard to imagine that Jones, also the voice of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, grew up with severe speaking problems. The trauma of moving from Mississippi to Michigan at 5 years old affected Jones so severely that he began to stutter and was mute until he entered high school. His teacher forced him to write and recite a poem every day to help him gain confidence; Jones credits the teacher with helping him end his silence.

Jones was educated at the Browning Boys School and graduated from Brethren High School in Michigan. Thereafter, he went into the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He eventually was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant prior to his discharge.

Later he would begin his acting career at the Ramsdell theatre in Manistee, Mich., starting out as a carpenter and stage manager and then as an actor.

Additionally, he moved to New York, studying at the American Theatre Wing and working as a janitor to support himself.

Jones has won two Tony awards for his stage work in “The Great White Hope” in 1969 and “Fences” in 1987. In 1974. Jones appeared in “Claudine,” a box office favorite that brought him home to the African American audiences across the country, in a starring role opposite Diahann Carroll

James Earl Jones has won almost every noteworthy acting award for his work on stage, movies and television, and in 2011 he was presented with an honorary Oscar for his big-screen achievements. of the long-running TV show “Julia.”

From 1989 to 1993 Jones hosted the children’s TV series “Long Ago and Far Away.” And in 1996 he guest starred in “Touched by an Angel” on CBS. Other guest appearances include “Frasier,” “Will & Grace,” “Two and a Half Men” and “Everwood.”

James Earl Jones has won almost every noteworthy acting award for his work on stage, movies and television, and in 2011 he was presented with an honorary Oscar for his big-screen achievements.OM

photo courtesy Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

17

18

• winter 2013 •

B.B. King

The King of the Blues

(Born Sept. 16, 1925)

B

erclair is truly the “Birthplace of the Blues” because it is the hometown of Riley B. King, otherwise known to the world as B.B. King, the King of the

Blues.

The 87-year-old King has sung before kings, queens, heads of state, statesmen, governors, educators, celebrities, children, old school parents, hippies, ditch diggers, cooks and waiters. And in juke joints, prisons, back alleys, cotton fields, churches, court houses, universities, bayous and the swamp. Sometimes if was for great sums of money, sometimes for pennies or no pay at all.

Born in a small community near Greenwood, King grew up doing backbreaking work on a plantation in the Mississippi Delta. He was raised by his grandmother, Elnora Farr in Kilmichael, which allowed him as a child to sing gospel music in the Elkhorn Baptist Church. He bought his first guitar when he was about 12 years old and hanging around with Bukka White, another famous bluesman who was kin to King through his grandmother.

King went with White to Memphis, and through his performances on the Sonny Boy Williams radio show on KWEM, he developed a following for his unique guitar sound. Soon Riley B. became known down on the block as the Beale Street Blues Boy, which was shortened to Blues Boy, B.B. and now as B.B. King.

While working at the famous WDIA radio station as a singer and disc jockey, he met T-Bone Walker.

King fell in love with the way T-Bone played guitar, and it made B.B. understand what it meant to play an electric guitar and what he could do with it. Later he got a 10-minute spot on WDIA that proved to be a steppingstone to an expanded time slot.

In 1949 King recorded tunes under the Bullet label out of Nashville, singing “Miss Martha King.”

As time went on he got his own band together

and started playing engagements as the B.B. King Review in small clubs and juke joints across the country. Their stops included the Chitlin’ Circuit, a string of famous clubs and juke houses in the Southern and Northern states played predominantly by African American artists. The circuit is still used by Southern soul and blues singers today.

His hit tune “The Thrill Is Gone” earned King a Grammy Award and was among Rolling Stone

B.B. King has won almost every award in the music industry and even has a museum in Indianola dedicated to him. magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. He also toured as the opening act for The Rolling Stones’ 1969 American Tour.

Other hits followed – “To Know You Is to Love You,” “Let The Good Times Roll,” and “I Like to Live the Love” – which only enhanced Delta bluesman’s worldwide popularity and connections with artists such as U2, John Mayer, Bonnie Raitt and Slash.

In 1987, King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with honors and play dates at the Chicago Blues Festival, Monterey Blues Festival, Kennedy Center and The Royal Albert Hall. This year, he played for President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in a show that included a “Sweet Home Chicago” sing-along.

King plays a Gibson guitar he calls Lucille, named after a woman who had two men fighting over her in a Twist, Ark., blues hall. The building caught fire and required King to run back inside to retrieve his guitar. Since that near-death experience, he calls all of his guitars Lucille.

B.B. King has won almost every award in the music industry and even has a museum in Indianola dedicated to him. And despite the fame and acclaim he’s accumulated in his long career, he shows no sign of quitting, with a schedule that still includes more than 300 dates a year. OM

photo courtesy TDC/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

19

20

• winter 2013 •

Tavis Smiley

Talk Show Host/Communications Guru

(Born Sept. 13, 1964)

G

ulfport lays claim to one of the state’s most celebrated native sons, Tavis Smiley, or as most known, simply “Tavis.” Sometimes noted as the “best hustler” of his own brand in the talk show business, Smiley has been fired by the best and reinvented himself, coming out on top time and again in his extraordinary career.

Networking and positioning himself into the right place to negotiate have become the trademarks of Smiley, the consummate communicator.

Raised in a crowded trailer in a mobile home park in Indiana after his family moved from Gulfport, Smiley learned early on what it takes to make it in the world by figuring out what was required to take care of himself and to make the money work, especially when he got to college. While in college, Tavis obtained an internship with Tom Bradley, then-mayor of Los Angles. Bradley persuaded Smiley to return to college when he was considering quitting. In 2003, he received his college degree from Indiana University in public affairs.

In 1996 Tavis became a frequent commentator on the popular nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” which led to the annual town hall meetings held across the country called “The State of the Black Union.” He spearheaded a campaign

that yielded the awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Additionally, he published “The Covenant with Black America,” a collection of essays written by black scholars and professionals edited by Smiley, published by The Smiley Group and Third World Press.

Smiley hosted and was the executive producer of “BET Tonight” from 1996 until 2001, when Bob Johnson terminated his contract for reportedly sell-

In 1996 Tavis became a frequent commentator on the popular nationally syndicated “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” which led to the annual town hall meetings held across the country called “The State of the Black Union.” ing an exclusive interview to ABC News without first offering the story to BET, which was owned

by Johnson. In 2005, Smile launched “The Tavis Smiley Show,” which was distributed by NPR rival Public Radio International and in 2010 he turned the second hour of the show into Smiley & West, with Dr. Cornel West, a famous Princeton University professor and prolific intellectual theorist whom he would later work with on The Poverty Tour promoting their book, “The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto.”

Currently, Tavis is the host of “Tavis Smiley” on PBS. OM

photo courtesy Albert Teich/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

21

22

• winter 2013 •

Charley Frank Pride Country Music Recording Artist

(Born March 18, 1938)

S

ledge produced one of the most iconic country music superstars in the world when Charley Pride was born in 1938. His breakthroughs in a field dominated by whites earned him a special place in the annals of country music.

Because he was an African-American, his picture was not used on his album covers early in his career for fear that it would hurt sales. But it didn’t stop his music from shaking up the charts.

In 1970, Pride became the best-selling performer to hit the airways since Elvis, garnering 39 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

He is one of only two or three African- Americans to break into the country music industry and achieve superstar status in that field. He is is only the second African-American to be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In 1967, he became the first black performer to appear at the Grand Ole Opry since DeFord Bailey, a harmonica player, in the early 1940s.

Pride is a self-taught musician, having picked up his first guitar as an afterthought because injuries and a stint in the military kept him from making it as a professional baseball player. He played in the Negro Leagues and eventually earned tryouts with the California Angels in 1961 and the New York Mets in 1962, but was not picked up by either team.

In 2008, he and his brother, Mack “The Knife” Pride, and 28 other living former Negro League players were drafted symbolically by 30 of the Major League teams in recognition of the on-field achievements and historical relevance of the mostly forgotten Negro League stars.

Best known for his crossover hit “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin,” which turned out to be a country music anthem, Pride turned the industry on its ear,

In 2008, Pride received the Mississippi Arts Commission Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts ceremonies in Jackson. rising to superstar status with a smooth country twang that few have been able to duplicate.

Later in life, Pride frequently joined the Texas Rangers for workouts during spring training and often attends their games in Dallas, where he lives.

He also sang the national anthem before Game 5 of the 2010 World Series between the Rangers and the San Francisco Giants and again before Game 2 of the 2011 American League Championship Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Rangers.

In 2008, Pride received the Mississippi Arts Commission Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts ceremonies in Jackson. OM

photo courtesy Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

23

24

• winter 2013 •

Robert L. “Bob” Johnson Business magnate

(Born April 8, 1946)

H

ickory, Mississippi…… Bob Johnson is best known as the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), the nation’s first and leading television network providing programming for the African American audience. Under his leadership, BET became the first African American-owned company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 2001, Johnson sold BET to Viacom for approximately $3 billion and remained its Chief Executive Officer through 2006. In 2001, he was hailed on Forbes list as the first African American billionaire. In July 2007, he was named by USA Today as one of the 25 most influential business leaders of the past 25 years.

Currently, Johnson is the founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, an innovative business portfolio with operations in hotel real estate investment, private equity, financial services, asset management, insurance services, automobile dealerships, sports and entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. In what has been called his Second Act, The RLJ Companies is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland with affiliate operations in Charlotte, NC; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Juan,

PR; and Monrovia, Liberia.

In 2012, Johnson launched RLJ Entertainment, Inc., a premier independent licensee and distributor of entertainment content and programming in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia with over 5,200 exclusive titles. RLJ Entertainment marked Johnson’s third publicly traded company.

His first, was in 1991 with BET; and again in 2011, with RLJ Lodging Trust, a $2 billion market cap

Currently, Johnson is the founder and chairman of The RLJ Companies, an innovative business portfolio with operations in hotel real estate investment, private equity, financial services, asset management, insurance services, automobile dealerships, sports and entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. hotel real estate investment trust (REIT) with a portfolio of 145 hotels in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

Johnson serves on the boards of KB Home, Lowe’s Companies, Strayer Education, Think Finance, and the NBA Board of Governors. He is also a member of The Business Council and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. OM

photo courtesy Melissa Golden

ourMississippi

25

26

• winter 2013 •

Robin René Roberts News Reporter/Anchor

(Born Nov. 23, 1960)

P

ass Christian produced Robin Roberts, a national television news anchor and reporter, a WNBA basketball standout player and, above all, a tenacious fighter who is willing to go to battle to hold on to her wonderful life.

Roberts continues to demonstrate to the world what all of us Mississippians already know, which is that we take the bull by the horns every chance we get just for the fun of winning. Roberts has proven time and again that not matter the task and the obstacles, she can conquer them. She is currently fighting a health battle and is winning once again because she doesn’t know how to handle her situation any other way.

You see, Roberts lives by the three D’s: • Discipline • Determination • De Lord!!!!

That, she says, it what her parents, Lucimarian Tolliver and Col. Lawrence E. Roberts, cultivated in her as a child and those D’s has never failed her.

Robin along with her siblings was raised by two loving parents on the Gulf Coast. Her father was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen and her mother was a well-respected leader in her community.

Robin Roberts has excelled in every aspect of her

Roberts has proven time and again that not matter the task and the obstacles, she can conquer them. life, and just as Pass Christian survived Hurricane Katrina, her many admirers hope that she will overcome her latest health challenge and rise like the Phoenix. OM

photo courtesy Debby Wong/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

27

28

• winter 2013 •

Brandy Rayana Norwood Recording Artist/Actress

(Born Feb. 11, 1979)

M

cComb can boast of another musical phenomenon with native Brandy Norwood. Along with bluesman Bo Diddley, the young songstress calls McComb her hometown and both have been honored with a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker noting their accomplishments in the music industry.

First known as an actress on the sitcom “Thea,” Norwood couldn’t deny her singing roots embedded into her DNA by her father, Willie Norwood, a famous gospel singer and choir director. She garnered a recording contract with Atlantic Records just as her TV show ended, which allowed her the opportunity to pursue her first love – music.

Competing with the likes of Janet Jackson and Mary J Blige was no easy task, but Norwood’s great singing voice and innocent good looks, along with the guidance of her parents as her managers, gave her the ability to withstand the rigors of the music business and rise to the top of the charts of Billboard and Rolling Stone. She eventually received Grammy Award nominations for Best New

Artist and Best Female R & B Vocal Performance along with four Soul Train Music Awards, two Billboard Awards and the New York Children’s Choice Award.

After winning her musical awards, Brandy returned to film playing parts that were widely appealing to audiences of all ages, including Disney’s “Cinderella” and “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.” Additionally, she starred in the hit show

Early on, Norwood sold more than 6 million records worldwide with her biggest hit, “I Wanna Be Down,” becoming an R & B anthem.

“Moesha,” which became a game changer for the actress who harvested the love of cross-generational fans. Currently, Brandy is living out her “Wildest Dreams,” which is the title of her latest CD. Early on, Norwood sold more than 6 million records worldwide with her biggest hit, “I Wanna Be Down,” becoming an R & B anthem. She continues to be a media favorite because of a respectful and gracious persona that is exhibited with a genuinely dazzling smile.OM

photo courtesy Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

29

30

• winter 2013 •

Leontyne Price American Soprano

(Born Feb. 10, 1927)

L

aurel holds the distinction of being the birthplace of one of the greatest opera soprano vocalists in the world – Mary Violet Leontyne Price.

Born in the Pine Belt of Mississippi where the Longleaf Pine trees are the pride of the land, Leontyne Price stands just as tall in the operatic world, having risen to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s and becoming one of the first AfricanAmericans to perform as a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.

Her singing roots reach early into her life. Price’s father, James, was a sawmill worker and her mother, Katie, who worked as a midwife, sang in the church choir. She was encouraged to pursue voice and piano by Elizabeth Chisholm, a well-to-do white woman for whom her aunt worked in Laurel. Chisholm and her husband, Alexander, along with actor Paul Robeson put on a benefit concert to help her attend the Julliard School in New York.

There she studied under Florence Page Kimball, who would be her principal teacher and advisor throughout the 1960s.

According to William Garbo Sr., a prominent landscape architect who lived down the street from the Chisholm family in Laurel in the 1920s, said, “Ms. Chisholm was (so) fascinated with little Leontyne’s voice that she encouraged her to play piano and frequently requested her to sing in her home at various social functions hosted by the Chisholm family.”

Price sang the role of Mistress Ford in the 1952 student production of Verdi’s “Falstaff,” which was her first opera performance. She also starred in Virgil Thomson’s revival of his all-black opera “Four Saints in Three Acts” on Broadway for two weeks. Then she went to Paris.

Her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City came in January 1961, when she appeared in “Il Trovatore.”

Her awards include: • Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964) • The Spingarn Medal (1965) • The Kennedy Center Honors (1980) • The National Medal of Arts (1985) • 19 Grammy Awards (13 for operatic or song recitals and five for full operas) • Lifetime Achievement Award (1989)

• 1st Opera Honors (2008 Given by the National Endowment for the Arts) Time Magazine called her voice “rich, supple and shinning capable of effortlessly soaring from a smoky mezzo to the pure soprano gold of a perfectly spun high C.” Another review noted, “Her voice was also considered to be well suited to the roles of Guiseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with a range from Aflat below middle C to the E above high C… Price said she reached F in the shower.”

In the 1950s the U.S. State Department often sponsored tours for artists such as Price that took her to Dallas, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington and Europe, notably on June 9, 1952, for a revival of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” One of her high points came on Sept.16, 1966, when she sang Cleopatra in “Antony and Cleopatra” by American composer Samuel Barber.

In the 1970s Price returned to Europe for performances in Hamburg and London’s Covent Garden, giving her first recitals in Hamburg, Vienna, Paris and the Salzburg Festival. She returned to the festival in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1984. Her most popular operatic aria collection is a self-titled project, “Leontyne Price,” referred to as the “Blue Album.” In 1971 RCA released a spiritual album, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” with Price singing with the Rust College Choir of Holley Springs.

In 2001, at age 74, she was asked to come out of retirement to sing at Carnegie Hall in a memorial for the victims of the Sept. 11 attack. She performed “This Little Light of Mine” and an a cappella version of “God Bless America.”

Price avoided the term African-American, preferring to call herself an American, even a “chauvinistic American.” She summed up her philosophy thus: “If you are going to think black, think positive about it. Don’t think down on it, or think it something in your way. And this way, when you really do want to stretch out, and express how beautiful black is, everybody will hear you.”

After retirement from the opera stage in 1985, Leontyne Price continued to star in recitals and orchestral concerts for another 12 years. OM

photo courtesy Rena Schild/Shutterstock.com

ourMississippi

31

"A full service law firm helping people since 1967!"

WE UNDERSTAND BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE FREE AND FRIENDLY CONSULTATION *Also licensed in Alabama

• PERSONAL INJURY • WORKERS COMP • CRIMINAL LAW • FAMILY LAW

Jason Lee Shelton 218 North Spring Street Tupelo, Mississippi 662-842.5051

GROW YOUR BUSINESS. ADVERTISE IN OUR MISSISSIPPI MAGAZINE! African-American buying power continues to grow and that buying power is expected to top $1.1 trillion by this year. Mississippi is a state that will account for a huge share of that total.

Mississippi ranks first among the 50 states in percentage of African-Americans in resident population. Of the nearly three million residents in Mississippi, 37% of those are African American.

Our Mississippi Magazine is designed to reach these residents with stories and features that deal with their everyday way of life.

32

• winter 2013 •

Great Locations. Friendly People. Extraordinary Food!

Tupelo 2290 West Main St Tupelo, MS 38801 Ripley 104 South Hwy 15 Ripley, MS 38663

Chicken Strips 12 for $13.49

Okolona 303 South Church St Okolona, MS 38860 Booneville 801 North 2nd St Booneville, MS 38829 Cleveland 714 North Davis Rd Cleveland, MS 38732 Leland 4267 Hwy 82 West Leland, MS 38756 Gautier 874 Hwy 90 West Gautier, MS 39553

Spicy Wings 18 for $9.85

Olive Branch 6973 Cockrum Olive Branch, MS 38654 Open 24hrs

ourMississippi

small frozen beverage

limit one per person per visit participation may vary

Expires 12/31/12

33

Mississippi

gatherings The Mississippi

Minority Business Alliance’s 12th annual awards gala was held October 5, 2012 at the Hilton Jackson Hotel.

FLAME Award (Entergy Corporation) - Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board MMBA; Cyla Clark, Entergy; Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA

AT&T Legislative Business Advocate Awardees - Senator Kenneth Wayne Jones; Mr. Mike Walker, AT&T; Senator John Horhn

Cyla Clark, MMBA Board Member (Entergy); Chris Gardner, Keynote Speaker and Author of Pursuit of Happyness; Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; DeJonnette Grantham King, MMBA Board Member (AEC)

Minority Business Champion Award (MS Power Company) - Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; Cedrick Hurd, MS Power Company; Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board MMBA

Outstanding Service Award (Betty A. Mallett, Esq.) - Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; Betty A. Mallett, Esq.; Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board MMBA

Chris Gardner, Keynote Speaker 12th Annual MMBA Awards Gala; Author, Pursuit of Happyness

Minority Business Awardee (Central Region) Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; Lee Harper (Central Regional Business Awardee Koinonia Coffee House); Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board, MMBA

photos courtesy joe worthem

34

• winter 2013 •

Minority Business Awardee (Northeastern Region) - Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; Betty Yates (Northeastern Region Business Awardee - BDC Consultants; Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board, MMBA

Gold Sponsors - Mike Walker, AT&T; Debra McGee, BankPlus

Scholarship Sponsor (Gloria Johnson, Entergy Corporation)

Gold Sponsors (Mike Walker, AT&T; Debra McGee, BankPlus; Erik Lewis, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino)

Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; Erin Pickens, Mistress of Ceremony; Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board, MMBA

Cyla Clark, MMBA Board Member(Entergy); Chris Gardner, Keynote Speaker and Author of Pursuit of Happyness; Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA; DeJonnette Grantham King, MMBA Board Member (AEC)

ourMississippi

Platinum Sponsors: JMAA; Cyla Clark, Entergy; Cedrick Hurd, MS Power Company

VIP after Dinner Reception Sponsor - (Charlotte Flowers, Community Trust Bank)

Bronze Sponsors (Dr. Henry Berry, N. MS Ctr. for Higher Educational Advancement, Inc.; Carol Harris & Derek Finley, MS Development Authority)

Chairman’s Award (Dr. Lurlene B. Irvin) - Jack Thomas, Chairman of the Board, MMBA; Dr. Lurlene B. Irvin; Shellie Michael, Executive Director, MMBA

35

Mississippi

institution

Alden McDonald, Liberty Bank’s president and CEO

Liberty Bank: 3rd Largest African-American Bank Celebrates 40th Year Anniversary

By Brinda Fuller Willis

36

• winter 2013 •

N

ew Orleans is headquarters for Liberty Bank, the third largest African-American bank in the U.S. and one that is perched to celebrate its 40-year anniversary with a grand Christmas gala in December 2012.

Alden McDonald, Liberty Bank’s president and CEO, is the longest-sitting chief executive officer in the banking industry of the modern era. Liberty Bank founder Norman Francis brought him on board in 1972. Since McDonald’s arrival, Liberty Bank has sustained forward growth for 35 of his 40 years at the helm.

In a recent interview, McDonald said he has learned how to delegate responsibility and uses a dashboard system of goals and measurements to hold employees accountable at all levels of the organization. As a result, the bank has about $560 million in assets to through small business, consumer and commercial lending with a strong alliance between the bank and members of the religious community who are frequently involved in the revitalization of their neighborhoods.

McDonald, a major owner in the bank, says 14-15 hour days are not uncommon for him to devote to his work. At 69, McDonald shows no sign of retiring but says he does have a succession-retention plan in place at all branches.

He also expects more changes in his business as the economy and technology evolve.

“There is freedom at Liberty Bank,” he says, “because you no longer have to be near a physical bank to conduct business and in the next 20 years families and individuals

ourMississippi

need to put together a financial plan and set financial goals that are attainable, especially with enhanced technology that is available now.”

Liberty Bank is located in six states and has a location site in Jackson, led by Carlton Stephen, vice president of the Mississippi region. “I regard the community and Liberty Bank as partners which is what has spearheaded our growth in this market,” Stephen says. “As in all Liberty Bank operations we exercise our commitment to the communities in which we reside by providing excellent customer service and affiliating the bank with the concerns and programs that community leaders identify as significant to the development and prosperity of the neighborhoods where we conduct our business.”

In a recent demonstration of Liberty Bank’s involvement, the bank partnered with community businesses in the Five Points area of Jackson to buy a drug enforcement K-9 to assist the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Liberty, as the special K-9 is called, had his official swearing in ceremony Nov. 29 with all the pomp and circumstance availed to a regular officer.

On Dec. 8, the Liberty Bank in New Orleans planned to host a “Liberty Bank Christmas” gala Xavier University Convention Center to kick off an annual event dedicated to the increased financial viability of community nonprofit organizations in markets served by Liberty Bank. The Louisiana Philharmonic and other local musicians were scheduled to perform. OM

37

Mississippi

profile

courtesy photos

Phyliss J. Anderson

Choctaws’ first female chief leading with dignity, grace and true grit by james hull

38

• winter 2013 •

I

n September 2011, when Phyliss Anderson made history, becoming the first female chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, a tribe of more than 10,000 members living largely in and around East Central Mississippi, very few outside the Choctaw tribe had even heard of her. In fact, more than 30 years ago, Phyllis Anderson began her rise to the top leadership position working unnoticed in her tribe’s governmental affairs.

She is a protégé of longtime Choctaw Chief Phillip Martin, who began the tribe on its unprecedented journey from poverty to prosperity. When Chief Martin assumed leadership of the tribe in 1979, unemployment was nearly 75 percent. Today, in large part due to Martin’s quest for his people’s pursuit of self-determination, it is one of Mississippi’s largest private employers. Martin’s protégé’, Phyliss Anderson, has vigilantly taken up his mantle, pursuing, now, the Choctaw’s rise to powerful leader.

When one first meets Chief Anderson, as this writer did last May when she received the Mississippi Trailblazers INSPIRE Award at a gala ceremony in Tupelo, he is immediately struck by her aura of grace, dignity and great compose.

While most of Mississippi and the Southeastern United States did not know Phyllis Anderson before her iconic commercials began to air about 3 months after her election, she clears up the writer’s suggestion that she is an over-

night success.

“That’s funny,” she responds. “It’s true that beyond the reservation, I was not well known. But in my community of Red Water, I had been serving for a number of years as the council representative. I worked very hard to provide our residents with new resources and to help them meet their needs. I’ve been working within the tribal government for more than 28 years, some of that time with Chief Martin.

Continuing, Anderson added, “I think [Chief Martin] had such a powerful persona and that’s what people identified with the tribe. No doubt, he was a very effective and great leader. But our tribe is very dynamic and we have some real talent within our membership.”

Talent which Chief Anderson undoubtedly hopes to cultivate and expand to the point that the tribe’s reputation, history and accomplishments become much more well known and appreciated by their fellow citizens. After all, she points out, Choctaws are at their heart, loyal and faithful Mississippians.

“I hope people really take an opportunity to learn more about the Mississippi Choctaws,” she says. “We are the only federally-recognized tribe in Mississippi and we are part of their [Mississippi] heritage too.”

As one might imagine, the chief’s schedule is a hectic one. Some may even call it a break neck pace. Her schedule

Chief Anderson at Thanksgiving feast with elders.

ourMississippi

39

deals with keeping tabs on two of the South’s most successful casino’s, regular trips back and forth to Washington, conferring with Bureau of Indian Affairs and other government officials, to other parts of the country negotiating contracts and agreements and, of course, across the tribes’ more than 35,000 acres of lands and communities. And in all of this, time made for family.

“My days haven’t been typical since becoming chief,” She says. “But the one thing I do not take for granted is the times I am able to see my son off to school or sit with my family for dinner.”

“My day starts off with morning briefings, then meetings all throughout the day.

I sometimes have appearances scheduled or community events I always enjoy, but truthfully, most of my days are filled with meetings with tribal constituents, tribal government matters or those involving tribal enterprises.“ The main one of which is Chahta Enterprises says Chief Anderson. Chahta is the tribe’s successful conglomeration of manufacturing companies begun by Chief Martin years before the tribe embarked on its casino operations. Chahta began modestly in 1979 when, shortly after his election, Martin signed a contact with General Motors to manufacture wiring products for automobiles.

“We operate a diversified portfolio of businesses and are in partnership with leading global industries,” Chief Anderson says.

“Our work has been studied and simulated all over the world to help others find achievement. We have people, not only in Indian Country, but from South America and Europe that come and visit our reservation to learn how we accomplished our vision.”

A vision whose gemstones are the Silver Star and Golden Moon Casinos.

“When the Tribe opened up gaming in the early 90s here on the reservation, it completely changed the economic landscape of this area,” says Chief Anderson. “And it created a whole new level of awareness on a local, state and national level about the Mississippi Choctaws. Our tribe’s economic success goes way beyond gaming though. I’m proud to be Choctaw because of this great success but also through our ability to still preserve our unique traditions and heritage while becoming this economic success story.”

Chief Anderson says she is a woman of faith and lets that lead her. So far, in her 14plus months in office, Chief Anderson has let the Lord lead her to focus on three priorities; healthcare, employment and housing.

“Those are my top priorities,” She says.

“We are working hard to create new jobs on the reservation for our tribal members and new housing options in our communities. The health center plan is well underway. I am very confident and pleased in the direction we are going.

There is a long road to travel still but by working together and keeping an optimistic spirit, we will achieve our goals and dreams.” OM

Chief Anderson in traditional dress.

40

• winter 2013 •

Mississippi

music

Homemade Jamz Blues Band is made up of siblings, Kyle, Tanya and Ryan Perry.

The Blues Is Alright In Tupelo with

Homemade Jamz

By Brinda Fuller Willis

F

or decades now, Tupelo has been synonymous with Elvis Presley and rock ‘n’ roll, but there is a blues storm rising just down the way from the Shake Rag community, Elvis’s African- American stomping grounds. That storm is coming from some of Tupelo’s hottest young guns –Homemade Jamz.

ourMississippi

Homemade Jamz, the youngest band touring on the blues circuit in the U.S. and throughout the world, earned fame after its second-place finish at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2007. “The blues is all we heard as children growing up,” said Ryan Perry, the 22-year-old lead singer and guitarist. “I started feeling the music as

41

a kid and it just stuck. This music seems to flow down in your veins and comes out with a passion that I don’t get from other types of music.

“At first I just started playing the guitar to hear the sounds it made, but as I grew a little older it gave me a feeling that I had never experienced before even though I wasn’t old enough to have experienced the pain and adult pleasures that resonate inside the blues but I always knew that there was a cultural connection that keeps me wanting to explore and investigate this music from a historical perspective and to add to it with my own youthful experiences as I evolve into manhood.”

The other members of the band are his siblings Kyle, the bass guitarist, and Tanya, 14, the drummer. All are self-taught musicians who started playing as tots and evolved under the watchful eye of their parents. Trisha Perry is their manager and Renaud Perry, until recently wrote most of their music and occasionally sits in on harmonica, but mainly is the artisan who fashions their guitars made out of car mufflers.

“I am grateful to have been able to contribute to my kids’ music especially making them unique instruments that helps to set their sound apart from other musicians,” Renaud Perry said. “I look forward to future collaboration with Ryan on songwriting insights. The guitars have a special tone and are somewhat heavier than regular guitars. Recently, we added an aesthetic affect to the guitars that allows what appears to be colored smoke to come out of the muffler pipes on the guitars as they are being played which ignites the crowd, especially earlier this year at the 2012 Chicago Blues Festival.”

Said Ryan: “I am taking on more responsibility as the songwriter for our upcoming CD that we are recording in December 2012 to be released in the late spring or summer of 2013. However, my dad has already written about four of the tunes for the new CD. I want to try my hand at finishing out the remainder of the songs. I want to take a step back to the traditional blues sound but with modern influences. I always want our fans to know that we play the blues so when they hear us there’s no mistaking our music

42

for anything but the blues.”

Kyle Perry lays down the bass and does the arrangements for the group. “I work out the beats and then we take it from there with shuffles, riffs and solos to make the Homemade Jamz sound,” he said. “Winning at the IBC was all cool; it was the best thing that could have happened for us. You see, we were the youngest band to ever place at the IBC. At the time we competed against adults as the rules allowed anyone to enter the competition but after our victory there is now a separate division for young people. The IBC win made it possible for us to get out on the circuit and to be taken seriously as musicians gaining the respect of guys that are blues icons on The Blues Cruise in 2007.”

Taya Perry looks forward to continuing her career play-

• winter 2013 •

“This music seems to flow down in your veins and comes out with a passion that I don’t get from other types of music.”

• 2009 Blues Music Award Nominees (Best New Artists) • Blues Cruise (2007, 2009, 2012) • National Media Appearances (“Tavis Smiley,” “Today,” “Sunday Morning,”

“The Mo’Nique Show”) • Chicago Blues Festival (2010, 2012) • Monterey Blues Festival • International Blues Festivals (Switzerland, France, Romania, London, Canada)

ing with her brothers and says her goal is to become a master of the drums. “I love the travelling we do. Canada and Europe are the favorite places that I’ve gone to so far. It’s an honor for to be able to go to these really cool places. I’m really interested in fashion now that I get to have a say so in what I get to wear but my mom still gets to have the final word on what I actually get to wear, especially on stage.”

The Homemade Jamz Blues Band has to its credit: • Performance at the 2012 Olympics in London

ourMississippi

The group has earned praise from some of the most prominent voices in the blues world. “Homemade Jamz is the best we have to offer to the blues world,” said Marie Dixon, widow of the great Willie Dixon. “They represent the blues music in a manner that I know Willie would have been proud of.”

Despite their grueling schedule, the Perrys haven’t ignored education. Ryan and Kyle were homeschooled from the 10th and eighth grades until graduation. Taya is being homeschooled and looking forward to possibly going on some field trips with her public school peers.

Her mother serves as her teacher. Ryan and Kyle are now taking online college classes in marketing, public relations and entertainment business practices to better understand the commercial side of the intricate music industry.

All of the band members have hobbies and interests as varied as muscle cars, travel, hanging out with friends, and arts and crafts.

Renaud Perry said, “As parents we have always been determined to provide our kids a proper education, however unorthodox with respect to their peers and friends in Tupelo. It takes discipline and hard work to stay on the road, but I feel the kids are prepared and dedicated to their music and all that it takes to make it happen at a level they can be proud of as they move from childhood to young adults.”

For more on the band, visit www.homemadejamz.com. OM

43

Mississippi

cuisine

Eatin’ The Blues

in Mississippi

As Recommended By “Ask The Twins” Advice Columnists & Life Coaches

44

1. Valley Street Fish House 1234 Valley Street Jackson, MS (601) 354-0939

7.

2.

E & L BBQ 1111 Bailey Avenue Jackson, MS (601) 355-5035

8. Frenchie’s BBQ & Soul Food 451 Hwy 12 West Kosciusko, MS (662) 289-9940

3.

Petty’s BBQ 103 Hwy 12 Starkville, MS (662) 324-2363

4.

Connie’s Kitchen 111 Hwy 82 East Leland, MS (662) 686-2255

5.

Buck’s Restaurant 152 N. Harvey Street Greenville, MS (662) 334-3301

6.

Penguin Restaurant 1100 J.R. Lynch St. Jackson, MS (769) 251-5222

9.

Williams Restaurant Hwy 84 Prentiss, MS (601) 214-9485

The Big Apple Inn 509 North Farish Street Jackson, MS (601) 354-9371

10. The Senator’s Place 1028 S. Davis Avenue Cleveland, MS (662) 846-7434 11. Weidman’s Restaurant 210 22nd Street Meridian, MS (601) 581-5770

12. Club Ebony 404 Hannah Street Indianola, MS (662) 887-2264

18. Sports 22 106 Hall Avenue Hattiesburg, MS (601) 544-3209

13. Letha’s BBQ 6374 US Hwy 98 Hattiesburg, MS (601) 271-6003

19. The Almanett Hotel & Bistro 1514 18th Avenue Gulfport, MS (228) 865-9901

14. Hooper Center 310 Silver City Road Belzoni, MS (662) 247--4772 15. Jessie B’s (TKO Wings & BBQ) 4910 Old Hwy 11 Hattiesburg, MS (601) 602-2471 16. Peaches Restaurant 327 North Farish Street Jackson, MS (601) 354-9267 17. The Lunch Basket Express 994 Bankhead Drive & Hwy 49 Belzoni, MS (662) 247-9930

20. Williams BBQ 2959 Willie Moore Road Tupelo, MS (662) 556-2090 21. Eola Hotel 110 North Pearl Street Natchez, MS (601) 445-6000 22. Sylvia’s Restaurant & Lounge 3060 Medgar Evers Blvd.

Jackson, MS (601) 366-5809

• winter 2013 •

Mississippi

tourism

The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretative Center Is a Beacon to the World

By Brinda Fuller Willis

ourMississippi

45

I

ndianola is the site of The B.B. King Museum and the Delta Interpretive Center, a tribute to one of the most accomplished musicians of our time. and to build bridges between the community and the world while preserving the rich and cultural heritage of the Mississippi Delta, according to the center’s website.

Opened in September 2008, the museum offers a peek inside the life that King lived in the Delta as a child and young adult on his way to becoming one of the most celebrated bluesmen in the world. It also showcases part of Mississippi’s rich cultural heritage that intrigues visitors from near and far.

“To understand the world,” said William Faulkner, another Mississippi native son, “you must first understand a place like Mississippi.”

And thousands of people look to The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center to find out what makes the Delta and its people so resilient.

Speaking about the museum and interpretive center, King said, “All talent comes from God as a way to express

46

beauty and human emotion, and the project is beyond my wildest imagination.” Thus the center has served as a beacon to the world, shining a light on a modest man and his birthplace.

King frequently returns to Indianola to host and take part in events and special ceremonies at the museum, such as the dedication of his own Mississippi Blues Trail Marker and the one on Hannah Street dedicated to Club Ebony, the famed juke joint just around the corner where he played as a youngster.

The B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center is located at 400 Second Street in Indianola. It serves the community through several ongoing programs such as: • Zumba Fitness Class • Stretch & Play Children’s Fun & Fitness Class • Art of Living Smart After-school Program • Tae Kwon Do Workshop To learn more about the center, visit www.bbkingmuseum.org. OM

• winter 2013 •

photos courtesy B.B. King museum

ourMississippi

47

Mississippi

education

Not a Minute to Elude I’ve only but a minute, Only sixty seconds in it.

Forced upon me, I can’t refuse it, I didn’t seek it, I didn’t choose it, But it’s up to me to use it.

I must suffer if I lose it, Give an account if I abuse it, Just a tiny little minute, But all eternity is in it.

In May, I attended Fisk University’s 2012 Commencement for my niece’s baccalaureate degree.

During that time, I had an opportunity to meet and share with Tavis Smiley, a known talk show host, who was one of the guest speakers for Fisk University’s 138th Commencement. Mr. Smiley’s message to the awaiting audience encapsulated “God’s Minute,” the poem above written by Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays who was an American minister, educator, scholar, social activist, and the president of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

“What it means to maximize your minute: to maximize your moment” was the talking point that Mr. Smiley developed from Dr. Mays’s most profound poem. Smiley stressed the importance of “seizing the moment for life is fleeting, and it goes by so fast.”

As an educator, I say to you, yes, grasp the minute; grasp the moment to seize your educational minute that defines you as a person and the rest of your life. Education defines your life and your ability to learn, earn, and understand yourself as well as others. Education is the binding material to connect you to others, to society, and to the world.

Of course, education is the catalyst that leads you to become an employable individual, but you want something more; therefore, it is education that shapes you and molds you for your life’s calling.

As a result, you learn to grasp beyond what is learned in textbooks; you become an ever evolving embodiment of enlightenment that leads you to have a more enriched life. In this enriched life, you become a valuable asset for you are now a reliable source of information, a steward of accountability, and an expert of knowing how to convey ideas and practical uses for life’s options and diverse career paths.

Education, the ability to communicate what you know to others, is a part of the social fabric. Not only is education the binding material to connect us to others, but also education is the catalyst to provide unity for all. The message today is still the same to inspire future generations just as Dr. Benjamin E. Mays “challenged and inspired the students to excellence in scholarship and in life itself.” (Benjamin E. Mays: Memorial) The eyes of the world are upon Black America, what will you do with your one minute? OM

About the Author: Regina Eichelberger Boyd, Ph.D., NBCT is an educational consultant and has consulted on local, state, and national levels. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and has served as a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards State Liaison for the state of Mississippi.

48

• winter 2013 •

BUSINESS ALLIANCE — Marcus Thompson, chief administrative officer for Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, speaks during the Mississippi Minority Business Alliance monthly meeting at the Hunter Henry Center at MSU. The university and the Office of Research and Economic Development hosted the event earlier this year.

Mississippi State Economic Development: a story of success

E

veryone loves a story with a happy ending at this time of year.

For thousands of Mississippians, happy endings are actually countless new beginnings thanks to the economic development and research activities of Mississippi State University.

“Our world-class research is a wonderful success story, and our outreach and engagement programs

ourMississippi

are making a difference here at home and around the world,” said MSU President Mark E. Keenum.

Fulfilling its mission of teaching, research and service, Mississippi State’s central economic development objective is to strengthen collaborations between the university, economic development organizations and businesses to create high-wage jobs.

49

Daniel Yohannes, left, CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corp., listens as MSU President Mark E. Keenum, discusses the university’s role in food production and security research during an international food summit hosted by MSU in September.. Photo courtesy Beth Wynn, University Relations

Nurturing an ‘innovation ecosystem’ “We have the innovation ecosystem in place that is growing MSU’s capacity and the state’s economy through increasing licensing agreements and building other profitable relationships with both existing industries and startup companies,” said David Shaw, the university’s vice president for research and economic development.

“Our research enterprise is creating jobs, enhancing quality of life and providing real world opportunities for our students, who are the next generation of innovators, inventors and leaders,” he emphasized.

In a recent study, the National Research Council found that the primary drivers of future economic growth and job creation are going to come from advances in science and engineering. Mississippi State is already contributing to the coming wave of innovation-based economic expansion via education, research and outreach.

University research has led to an average of four new spin-off companies a year, according to the university’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer.

Industries recruited to the state with MSU help include Nissan, GE-Aviation, Aurora Flight Sciences, American Eurocopter, Stark Aerospace, PACCAR, and other automotive and aerospace companies.

Recent initiatives Mississippi State faculty and staff are hard at work in all 82 of the state’s counties, and they are making a difference in communities far beyond the Mississippi state line too. A few of the university’s recent projects include: • Launching the Economic Development Assistance Net-

50

work. According to Associate Vice President for Economic Development Melvin Ray, EDAN was created as a resource for economic developers, business owners, entrepreneurs and others in business and industry. EDAN is designed to quickly connect university experts — and expertise — with the state’s business community.

• The White House announced in August that Mississippi State will receive the maximum award of $1.065 million as part of the multi-agency Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge — part of a national effort to bolster job creation in rural areas. “The focus is to create jobs in rural areas of the country, so there is a strong focus on support for entrepreneurs and growing existing small businesses,” said Clay Walden, director of MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension Office based in Canton and the university’s principal leader for the grant. He noted that the project especially will focus on increasing entrepreneurship with minority and underrepresented groups. The program targets the creation and retention of more than 500 jobs, with an accompanying economic development impact of more than $30 million including private investment, and cost savings.

• Earlier this fall, MSU hosted international experts and policymakers for a summit on world food production and security. In addition to exploring new opportunities for Mississippi agriculture, the program covered such topics as building capacity through technology and investment, global challenges and university engagement, and other issues related to the world’s growing food needs. “Mississippi agribusiness has long been a mainstay of the economy, and plays an increasing role in helping feed the world

• winter 2013 •

dr. melvin ray

dr. david shaw

“Our research enterprise is creating jobs, enhancing quality of life and providing real world opportunities for our students, who are the next generation of innovators, inventors and leaders,”

as well,” said Keenum, a former USDA under secretary.

• In December, retired Major General James O. Poss will be joining the university’s High Performance Computing Collaboratory as director of strategic initiatives. “Our state is well positioned to continue to play a significant role in unmanned aerial systems research and development, as well as manufacturing. This is one of the priority areas for research that we have established at MSU,” said Shaw.

“We are looking forward to having General Poss on the Mississippi State team. His experience and expertise in a wide range of disciplines, including unmanned aerial systems and cybersecurity, will help us deepen our capacity, as well as sharpen our focus, in a number of these high-priority research areas that are increasingly important to our state and the nation,” he added.

• In September, a standing-room-only crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of the ninth building in the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park at MSU. The 20,000-square-foot building is home to a new business incubator, as well as operations for II-VI Inc. — a Pennsylvania-based firm with manufacturing facilities, distributors and agents around the globe. The company is recognized as a leader in engineered materials and opto-

ourMississippi

electronic components. The 272acre park is home to 1,500-plus employees, and represents some $100-million-plus of investment.

Construction of a second entrance and boulevard connecting the park with Highway 182 is underway with completion expected early next year. Camgian Microsystems, HBM nCode Federal, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, High Performance Computing Collaboratory, Social Science Research Center, MSU Energy Institute, Sitel and Tennessee Valley Authority are among current residents of the park.

Add it up Considering the big picture, Mississippi State University’s research enterprise and economic development outreach programs are vital to the growth and sustainability of regional economies in our state. By working with local, state, and federal economic development officials, university centers and institutes continue to help retain, recruit and create jobs for thousands of Mississippians.

For more information about Mississippi State’s economic development efforts, please contact Dr. Melvin Ray at melvin@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-3570. OM

51

Mississippi

education

Oliver finds satisfaction – and some regret – from time at Mississippi Valley

by Paisley Boston

52

• winter 2013 •

“W

ith any new leader comes a new vision,” says Dr. Donna Oliver, the former president of Mississippi Valley State University.

Oliver, who was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Fla., became the university’s sixth president – and its first female president – in January 2009 and served until this year.

In a recent interview, Oliver said she arrived at the university with a “pure heart” and no personal agendas.

“I wanted to be a part of a team that would help move Valley to higher heights. I tried to make the university a little stronger than I found it, and I did.”

Mississippi Valley State University, located in Itta Bena, is one of the youngest schools in the state of Mississippi, and it is the only school in the state that has a bioinformatics program.

Oliver often refers to herself as a “biologist by trade” and said she found the bioinformatics program to be a potential venue for producing outstanding scholars. She also said that the entire school is a “hidden jewel” that can turn its young men and women into productive citizens.

Before her arrival, she said, she researched and learned about very exciting aspects of the university, such as its locale.

“I was very excited about going to the Delta, I considered it to be an attraction because of my upbringing in the 1950’s, during harsh segregation.”

Oliver left the position after the state college board decided not to renew her contract. She regrets not being able to take the university to the heights that she intended, but she did implement programs such as The Valley Renaissance and The MVSU Mini Medical School. Both are very successful programs that cater to non-traditional students and the community.

“I would certainly hope that my successor would continue these programs, build upon what I have done and will take them even higher.”

Oliver now lives at her home in North Carolina, where she is enjoying time with her family, and awaiting the delights of the holidays. “I have been a successful professional educator for 41 years, and now it’s time for me to get some much needed rest,” she said. “When God has put a special calling on your life, you cannot sit down and do nothing.”

She also offered some advice to her successor: “Stay focused on your vision for the university, stay focused on achieving the strategic initiative in your university’s strategic plan and have very tough skin.”OM

“I wanted to be a part of a team that would help move Valley to higher heights. I tried to make the university a little stronger than I found it, and I did.”

Mississippi

events

Ole Miss Homecoming Queen Courtney Pearson is escorted on the field by her father.

Photos courtesy University of Mississippi

Ole Miss Crowns First

African-American Homecoming Queen

by Kierra Ransey

54

• winter 2013 •

F

ifty years after James Meredith became its first African American student, The University of Mississippi crowned its first AfricanAmerican homecoming queen.

Courtney Pearson, a 21-year old English major from Memphis, became a part of history on Oct. 13 as she entered Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in a resplendent, white dress and reigned over the school’s homecoming activities.

In an interview with the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Pearson admitted that she didn’t have the looks of a “traditional” homecoming queen.

“I’m not white, I’m not 6 feet, I’m not blonde, I’m not Greek, I don’t drive a 2012 Benz,” Pearson said.

She didn’t let that stop her and instead campaigned hard and inspired people to vote for her. Her use of social networking websites such as Facebook, propelled her to a win against Ashleigh Davis. Pearson received 1,477 votes while her competitor received 1,387 votes.

Her election in late September came almost 50 years to the day of Meredith’s entrance into the school on Oct. 1, 1962.

Pearson adds the title of homecoming queen to a list of other accomplishments and activities she has done since becoming a student at the University. In addition to being an orientation leader, she has chaired the University Judicial Council. Both of her parents attended Ole Miss “Courtney Pearson has been a real asset to our student body even before this election,” Thomas “Sparky” Rheardon, the dean of students at Ole Miss, said on the university website. “She loves Ole Miss.”

Pearson joins the ranks of several other African-American women to break barriers at Ole Miss. Rose Jackson Flenorl was the first African-American elected president of the University of Mississippi Alumni Association. Kimsey O’Neal Cooper became the first African-American Miss Ole Miss in 1989 and Carissa Alana Wells was the first AfricanAmerican Miss University.

Pearson hopes that her recent election will improve the school’s image and serve as motivation for others.

“I hope that after Homecoming 2012,” she said on the Ole Miss website, “everyone gives Ole Miss the respect it deserves and that this election inspires someone else to follow their dreams.”OM

Courtney Pearson (second from right) is joined by Associate Student Body President Kimbrely Dandridge, UM Alumni Associates President Richard Noble, Sister, Whitney Pearson, Father, Cmdr. Kerry Pearson and mother, Cynthia Pearson.

ourMississippi

55

Mississippi

opinion

Blacks in Mississippi aren’t all singing ‘Dixie,’ but still love their state

By Deidra Jackson

T

he Confederate battle flag flies high above the grounds of the Mississippi State Capitol building and on masts short and tall throughout the state.

The Ole Miss marching band – affectionately referred to as “The Pride of the South” – plays a song that sounds a lot like “Dixie,” a simultaneously dreamy and and spirited familiar ode to the Deep South’s bygone era, to enthusiastic stadium fans cheering on their University of Mississippi Rebels.

Gaining favor among increasing factions in state and around the region, sobering talk of secession and states’ rights again pepper barbershop and dinner table conversations.

A large disturbance on the grounds at Ole Miss, fueled by curious growing crowds and police accounts of students shouting racial slurs, draws

56

campus and local law enforcement en masse to quell the disorder.

What many would assume is 1960s Mississippi, is not.

This is Mississippi, today.

Mississippi 2.0 Nowadays, the Stars and Bars still occupy a prominent spot in the top left-hand corner of the state flag; after prodding by school administrators, Ole Miss’s marching band now plays modified versions of “Dixie,” a freed slave’s fond recollection of the plantation of his birth; the re-election of President Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president, sparked a recent latenight protest among some Ole Miss students, who burned a campaign sign and hurled racist insults;

• winter 2013 •

and, in the aftermath of the president’s re-election, residents in all 50 states have signed petitions for their states to secede from the United States.

But for all the strides Mississippi has made – Civil Rights, political, legislative, educational, civic, economic, and more – to many in the world, Gov. Ross Barnett, who held the line on segregation in his Mississippi during 19601964, might as well still be the head of state.

And, despite well-publicized public relations campaigns to improve the state’s image, to ameliorate its marketable standing in the minds of those who could conduct business here, and with her residents, really – many across the country and around the globe still view the Magnolia State through a twitchy black-and-white tobacco-stained prism.

It’s fascinating and, at times, dizzying, the exhaustive push and pull on a state that attempts to move forward while simultaneously holding tightly onto long-gone traditions, including some that aren’t all that inclusive. While the world may never mention “progress” and “Mississippi” in the same sentence, there are black Mississippians – including those who still reside in their home state – who now see their present-day homeland much differently.

campus rich in racial history evoke bad memories of more troubling times, the questions come again.

And then we’re reminded, that those seemingly foolish anxieties are very real.

Mississippi’s symbolism, Mississippi’s traditions – what’s in it for her black sons and daughters?

Land that many still love For the black Mississippians residing in the state, and living amid the reminders of the past that still hold sway in the present, the love for their homeland is real and unwavering. It’s unnecessary to list the many prominent blacks who have contributed their talents to the nation and world; other generations of hard-working folks and their families, who call the Deep South “home,” thrive still.

After all, Mississippi to them means family, school pride, adoration of the land, a dynastic legacy of business and politics, an inimitable arts heritage, and more. It’s similar to the pride others feel in their own native homes. But historically, other states haven’t aired or had aired, their dirty laundry for the world to see.

To the friends and acquaintances who are incredulous that black folks would remain in Mississippi to work, advance, raise families, excel, and achieve, I’d urge them to look much deeper into their own states’ or adopted states’ histories. For all its problems, Mississippi doesn’t own the corner market on racism and bigotry, both past and present.

The image of the Confederate flag on a license plate or covering a truck’s entire rear window or part of the state flag? A school band’s playing of “Dixie?”

Meh. Real distress and anxiety should come when life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is impinged; there was a time in Mississippi when that was the de facto law.

But unimaginably hard work has paved the way and authentic blood has been shed to make this Mississippi for all of us.

Our Mississippi. OM

For the black Mississippians residing in the state, and living amid the reminders of the past that still hold sway in the present, the love for their homeland is real and unwavering.

Their relationship? Well, like an intimate, but troubled bond in which much time and attention has been invested, it’s complicated.

Deep South foreign “How can you still live in Mississippi?” they ask.

“You mean you go out after dark?” they wonder in disbelief.

Otherwise intelligent, degreed and savvy black folks from outside the state, bless their hearts, have been known to fret out loud about crossing into Mississippi, as if setting foot into the state were tantamount to scaling the Berlin Wall and eschewing freedom in the West for the East.

Yet, when an African-American is randomly killed because of his race, or when another governor espouses intolerant viewpoints, or when political ideologies of the past reappear in reaction to the policies ordered by the nation’s black president, or when ominous protests on a college

About the Author: Deidra Jackson is an Instructor of Journalism at the University of Mississippi Meek School of Journalism and New Media, a newspaper columnist and the mother of a 13-year-old son. This column originally ran in The Oxford Eagle on Jan. 19, 2012.

ourMississippi

57

Mississippi

opinion

Fear is Not an Option

By Tammie Tubbs

N

ovember 2004 and January 2005 my life changed dramatically. My 3-year old son, Aaron Tyler, and 4-year old, son, Terrance Terrell, passed away due to a rare genetic disorder called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is the #1 genetic killer for children under the age of 2. Although I lost my children, I gained a new revelation of who Jesus was. At that time in my life, you could say that I was a new Christian seeking direction for my purpose in life. However, I did not have a great support system because everyone around me was very negative-minded and gossipy (if there is such a word). I cannot criticize or hold grudges against them for I was once the same way. Thank God for deliverance! As a baby Christian, I knew in order for me to be healed of my grief and loss that I had to deal with the issues that I had been avoiding.

At some point in your life, you too, will have to subdue your issues before they subdue you. I cried out to God like never before. I wanted more of His peace, love, and wisdom to help me understand this season of my life and to help me move forward to the destiny that he had planned for me.

I am going to discuss three issues that can hinder you from moving forward in life.

First, let’s begin with fear. Fear is defined as being scared and terrified. To be fearful is to dread, to become timid. That was me. When you are fearful, you cannot move forward. You are literally stuck.

Your mind seems to always drift to imagining the worst. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.” So, why do we allow fear to enter into our thoughts? Instead, we should meditate on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous, and praise worthy (Philippians 4:8). Are you walking in fear? Fear will cause you to lose sight of what God has called you to do, lose sight of who you really are and leave you lonely and stagnated. It will also cause you to become a prisoner (locked away from the world).

After the death of my sons, I was walking in fear

58

concerning my 5-year-old daughter, Trinity. The enemy would tell me she would not live to see five years of age, to go ahead and plan her funeral, and that I couldn’t have any more children. For a minute, I allowed the spirit of fear to taunt me until the holy boldness within me rose up and I quickly said, -----“Devil, you are a liar. No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper. Trinity shall live and not die, and she shall proclaim the works of the Lord.” My praise and worship went to another level! I had to do whatever I needed to do to keep my mind sane. Praise was my weapon to defeat the enemy. I refused to walk in fear by allowing myself to become paranoid. You see, when the enemy comes with his lies you have to have the Word of God to instantly combat him. That’s why it is so important to have the Word in your heart for there will be times in your life when you will not have time to look through the Bible for a scripture. You must engrave the scriptures in your heart so they are readily available at all times. You have to know what to do during the trying times in life. You have to make a decision to either trust God or accept the defeat of the enemy.

Are you allowing Satan and his army to torment you with your past hurt and pain? If you are walking in fear today, seek the Lord, and He will deliver you. He is accustomed to fighting against the enemy and being victorious, every time! Instead of walking in fear of the enemy, simply live in reverent fear of the Lord. In fact, Ecclesiastes 12:13 reminds us to fear God and keep His commandments. Psalm 34:7 then tells us that when we fear God, angels encamp around us. David also tells us in Psalm 34:9-10 that there is no want to those who fear him: but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. Again, why are you walking in fear? Fear the Lord, and you shall not lack any good thing. It is obvious that we are not seeking the Lord. The light is shining brightly, and we are not seeking to find it.

I have to be honest. In the beginning, I was furi-

• winter 2013 •

ous with God for taking my children away. I was dying inside. For the longest time, I blamed myself for their deaths.

Yet, I still wanted to blame God. For that reason, I began the second process of self-inflicting pain. When you think of self-inflicted pain, imagine an attention-seeking behavior. Are you seeking the attention of others or are you seeking the Lord in prayer so that He may see and hear your cry? Self- inflicted pain can take on various forms which may include overdosing, bulimia, punching, choking, selfbiting, starvation, alcohol abuse and stabbing or poisoning yourself. All of these things are things that we consciously do to ourselves and for a number of reasons: 1. Secret shame 2. Blame, it is my fault 3. Lost/Numb 4. Lack of Knowledge/I need help

children of God, we should be obedient. Even if we do not understand it, we should do it in faith, knowing that He will honor our obedience. Instead, we take our own time doing the things He’s asked of us and sometimes nothing is ever done. Then we go in prayer seeking for directions.

He gave them to us but we did not follow the instructions given early on.

I am reminded of a story in Luke 5:1-6 where the men had been fishing all night and had not caught any fish. I can imagine that they were tired, hungry, and depressed.

However, Jesus comes to the scene to tell them to cast their nets out yet again. Like many of us, they began to complain and tell Him that they had been toiling all night and hadn’t caught anything. In verse 5, Simon, one of the fisherman, states, “nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” When they obeyed the instructions of Jesus, they had more than they ever expected.

Just as Simon Peter was in awe, God wants to “wow” us but we are too busy trying to figure out how everything is going to work out. If we could figure everything out ourselves, then we would not need Jesus at all. The reward is in our obedience.

Woman to woman, it’s time to do what God has called you to do rather it’s in politics, business, education, medicine, or ministry. What has God shown you that will win souls to Christ? The things that He has shown you are not for you but for His glory and for those who are to be blessed through your ministry gifts.

Again, I say, it’s time to be made whole. God cannot use you effectively until you deal with your issues and allow Him to make you over again. It’s time to do what God has instructed you to do. Don’t be afraid. No more delays, no more procrastination, no more ifs, ands, or buts about it.

It’s time. Somebody’s life is depending on you getting in position and doing what God has told you to do. You have been anointed for such a time as this. Walk in faith and know that God has already provided favor, increase, and provision. God has done everything He is going to do for you and now He is patiently waiting for you to get out of the boat of fear and walk on the water. Even when you feel He’s not there, He is with you all the time.

I pray you have been blessed by this article. For more inspirational moments, please visit www.tammiettubbs.com or watch The Tammie Tubbs Show MondayFriday 12 Noon on the CW Network. OM

Fear will cause you to lose sight of what God has called you to do, lose sight of who you really are and leave you lonely and stagnated.

As a people, we have a tendency of making things worse than they really are. When a child has a sore with a scab, he begins to pick it, it flares up and the sore becomes far worse than it was before. This happens in our daily lives.

Trials come to make us and instead of letting God deliver us and make us whole, we allow the enemy to continually remind us of our pain/past.

Even when we kneel to pray it hurts because before we can even begin to reference God, the pain comes to torment us again. The enemy shows us a picture of our trial far worse than it really is. We start daydreaming and concentrating our thoughts on that one image of the lie that the devil has presented to us.

Even when young children pick at their sores, they have a mind to come to Mom or Dad to get a bandage. So why have we not run into the Father’s arms to allow Him to heal us? As adults we stop, stay in the moment, and have a pity party. James 1:2 states it best, “My brethren, count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations.” Yes, it hurts but count it all joy, keep moving. When Trinity falls, she looks at my response, smiles, and moves on with the next task at hand saying, “Momma, I’m fine..” God wants to do the same with us. He wants to marvel at how we have overcome whatever trials He allows to come our way. Nothing has occurred in our lives that God did not give the devil permission to do. It was done to perfect that which is in us for His glory.

Lastly, let’s discuss obedience. To be obedient is simply to do what we have been instructed to do without hesitations. Many times we walk in fear and self-inflicted pain because we do not know who we are and where we are going in life. We don’t know our divine purpose. God has instructed us to do great things in this season but many are not obedient due to fear, lack of knowledge, devastations in life, or just rebelliousness. Whatever the reason may be, as

ourMississippi

59

Mississippi

health

Holiday Blues By gloria holland

E

benezer Scrooge is remembered for his “Bah Humbug!” lines in Charles Dickens’ 1843 classic, A Christmas Carol. In 1963, Pola and Wyle published a Christmas song titled “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” As the 2012 holiday season approaches, are we in either mindset or can we write our own happier, healthier holiday?

The Mayo Clinic Web site offers 10 tips for preventing and coping with holiday stress and depression (www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress), and

60

for an entertaining way to remember them, certain songs from http://www.links2love.com have been paired to give even more meaning.

1. Be aware of and accept your feelings. The first holiday season after a loss can be very difficult, and may be for years to come. It is normal to feel sadness and grief, and forcing ourselves to feel happy “just because it’s the holiday season” can have negative consequences. If you want to hear “Blue, Blue Christmas” and cry, go ahead. If you

• winter 2013 •

Even a 15-minute break, without distractions, may refresh and renew your energy.

have moments of peace and contentment, you may want to sing “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas!”

2. Reach out. Loneliness and isolation can worsen sadness and depression, so seek out community, religious or other social events for support and companionship. By doing so, you may find yourself going “Caroling, Caroling” or making plans by asking “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” 3. Be realistic. This seems to be the most challenging of the tips. Traditions and rituals are important, but any of us can be disappointed by unrealistic expectations. We could listen to “My Two Front Teeth” and realize that sometimes the best gifts are the simplest and not worth all the stress we create for ourselves.

4. Set aside differences. Look for ways you can accept family members and friends who are as imperfect as we are. If the relationships are too unhealthy, give yourself permission to limit time spent with those individuals.

Will we be humming “Let There Be Peace on Earth” or “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!”?

5. Stick to a budget. Think practically. Decide how much you can afford to spend and consider why you “think” you have to spend money. Seek alternatives to gift giving-donate to a charity in the recipient’s name, draw names or start a family gift exchange and limit the amount that can be spent. Otherwise, you may be singing, “We’re in the Poorhouse Now!” 6. Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for specific activities (such as shopping, cooking, visiting and hosting friends).

Keep a calendar and a checklist; don’t overbook or overextend your time. Start singing, “It’s Beginning to Look a

Lot Like Christmas” even before Halloween!

7. Learn to say no. To say yes when you really want to say no can create feelings of resentment and being overwhelmed. Consider being flexible, and prioritize what is the most meaningful and important to you. Otherwise, instead of singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” you will sing a different version, “The Twelve Pains of Christmas.” (Look this up on the links2love website.)

8. Don’t abandon healthy habits. Excessive spending, overindulging and overscheduling oneself may lead directly to the “Nightmare before Christmas.” You might want to find time to “Rock around the Christmas Tree” or you might crawl out of bed like a part of the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.”

9. Take a breather. Even a 15-minute break, without distractions, may refresh and renew your energy. Take a short walk and look at the stars. You might hum a few bars of “Stars Over Bethlehem” or any of the other wonderful music at the links2love website.

10. Seek professional help if you need it. If your best efforts still find you feeling sad or anxious, and experiencing mental, emotional or physical distress, seek an experienced mental health professional or a doctor who may be helpful to you.

In conclusion, let me “Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” “Feliz Navidad,” and as the new year approaches, “Auld Lang Syne!”om

About the Author: Gloria Holland is a licensed social worker and licensed marriage and family therapist with more than 26 years of service at North Mississippi Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Center.

ourMississippi

61

Mississippi

health

Make this the year to By philip raper

62

Get Fit!

• winter 2013 •

“M

. Thirty minutes of moderate intensity five days a week is optimal, but if you have been sedentary, a goal should be to simply start moving.

y New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and get fit.”

Sound familiar? Most resolutions come in the form of habit changes and often fail because they are based on willpower instead of strategy.

For your New Year’s resolution to work, you must develop a plan of action. Here are a few ways to set yourself up for success:

• First, contact your physician if you have any health problems.

Starting an exercise program is safe for many people, but depending on your age and risk factors, you may want to visit your physician before starting any vigorous activity. Exercise clearly benefits the body’s appearance, but talking with your doctor helps you focus on the internal benefits and how they contribute to longevity and quality of life.

• Start slowly. It takes time to build a habit. Thirty minutes of moderate intensity five days a week is optimal, but if you have been sedentary, a goal should be to simply start moving.

Remember, getting into shape is not a quick fix; it’s a lifestyle change commitment. Most external benefits take at least four to six weeks. However, internal changes will be noticed immediately, such as increased energy, less stress and anxiety, higher self esteem and an increased feeling of well-being. Going to the gym four times a week is great, but if you can’t do that, start with two times per week.

• Do something you enjoy. The best plan is one that you will follow. It could be swimming, tennis, riding a bike, walking, running, yoga, zumba and/or boot camp. If you absolutely hate exercise, I recommend stationary machines. You might also try running or walking on a treadmill while watching your favorite TV show.

• Schedule your workout into your daily routine. Don’t get so busy taking care of others that you neglect to take care of your-

self. A healthier lifestyle helps ensure you’re around to enjoy friends and family in the future. Once exercise becomes a part of your to-do list, the more likely you are to do it.

• Set goals. Plan small steps you will take to obtain your goal over the next year. If your goal is to lose 30 pounds, start with a goal of losing four pounds a month. Writing down the goal and placing it where you will see it every day will help you stick to your resolution.

• Find a partner or try group exercise. Social support is the single biggest predictor of success in making any change. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive and supportive people.

Group exercise allows an individual to get a whole workout in one class: cardiovascular, strength and flexibility with professional guidance.

• Hire a personal trainer to motivate, teach and hold you accountable for your goals. Always check the credentials of any personal trainer. Make sure the trainer at least has a certification that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which can be found on their website.

• Reward yourself for the successes you’ve obtained. If your goal is to lose weight, reward yourself with a new outfit that you can enjoy wearing because of your healthier lifestyle. Therapeutic Day Spa sessions are also a good way to reward yourself for reaching goals. Treat yourself to a pedicure or massage.

• It’s never too late to get started. An active 70-year-old is as fit as an inactive 30-year-old.

Following these simple tips will help you get on track to a healthier lifestyle. Allow yourself time to adjust to a different routine, and it will become a part of your daily life.

Good luck! om

About the Author: Philip Raper, MSHA, is Member Service/Therapeutic Day Spa Supervisor at North Mississippi Medical Center’s Wellness Center in Tupelo. Raper is a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise and a licensed massage therapist. He coordinates NMMC’s Exercise is Medicine program.

ourMississippi

63

Mississippi

health

Take these small steps to

Eat Healthy

courtesy mississippi state department of health

A healthy eating plan is one that:

64

• Highlights eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk, and milk products.

• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.

• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

• Take your time when you eat. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full.

• Try to limit your alcoholic beverage intake. If you drink alcohol, chose light beer and avoid mixed drinks.

Keep these healthy eating tips in mind: • Try not to exceed the amount of calories and fat grams that you need on a daily basis.

• Try to eat meals and snacks at regular times every day.

• Make less food look like more by serving your meals on a smaller plate.

At home: • Choose foods that are not fried. Instead of fried chicken, try it grilled or baked. Instead of greasy french fries or potato chips, slice potatoes, mix them with a little bit of oil, herbs, and pepper, and bake them in the oven.

• winter 2013 •

• Lighten your recipes by using reduced-fat (light) or fatfree versions of items such as sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheese and salad dressing.

• Use herbs and seasonings to add flavor to low-fat dishes.

Instead of salt, give foods a little kick by adding hot sauce or red pepper flakes.

• Wrap up and refrigerate leftover foods right after cooking so you’re less tempted to go back for seconds.

• Make time to cook healthy main dishes, casseroles, or soups. Freeze portions so you have healthy meals ready for days when you are too busy or too tired to cook.

• For dessert, eat a piece of fruit. Also, try fat-free or low-fat frozen yogurt or sherbet instead of ice cream. Instead of cakes or brownies, have one scoop of vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt with a tablespoon of fat-free chocolate sauce on top.

At work or on the run: • Bring your lunch to work so you can take charge of what you eat. Make a sandwich with whole grain bread and turkey or lean beef. Use mustard or a little bit of “light” mayonnaise. Pack carrots and celery sticks instead of chips. Choose low-fat/fat-free milk, water, or other drinks without added sugar.

• Pack a healthy snack in case you get hungry. Try an apple, a banana, a cup of fat-free yogurt, or reduced-fat or light string cheese sticks.

• Try to pack your lunch the night before so it’s ready to go when you are.

• Take a different route to work to avoid passing by tempting highcalorie foods at nearby restaurants, bakeries, or stores. .

When eating out: • Take time to look over the menu and make a healthy choice.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for items not on the menu or to have a meal prepared with less or no added fat.

• Ask about portion sizes and the fat and calorie content of menu items.

• Choose steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.

• Be the first to order so you are not influenced by what others are ordering.

• Always order the smallest size meal instead of the larger, super-sized versions at fast-food restaurants.

• You can eat half of what you order and take the rest home for a second meal.

• Order salad dressing, gravy, sauces, or spreads “on the side.”

• Order a salad for starters and share a main dish with a friend.

• When you crave high-calorie foods, desserts, or snacks, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s okay to have a small portion once in a while or to share a dessert with a friend.

Just keep your weight loss goal in mind.

Choose foods with fewer calories and that are lower in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium.

In-between meals: • Replace snacks high in fat with crunchy fruits, vegetables, or a tablespoon or two of unsalted nuts.

• Drink lots of water. Choose water or sugar-free soda instead of a regular 20-ounce soda or juice drink. By doing this, you can cut about 250 calories.

• Chew sugar-free gum between meals to help cut down on snacking. Reach for a piece of gum or a hard candy instead of a snack high in fat or calories.

When shopping: • Make a list of what you need ahead of time and try to stick to it.

• Avoid going shopping when you are hungry. Often, you will end up with things you really don’t want or need.

• Read and compare food labels when shopping. Choose foods with fewer calories and that are lower in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium. Check the serving size and the number of servings in the package on the label.

• Buy a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods.

Try a new fruit or vegetable each week, such as kiwi fruit or butternut squash.

• Choose reduced-fat or light versions of mayonnaise, cheese, and salad dressing. Use fat-free or 1 percent lowfat milk instead of whole milk.

• You know best what high-calorie foods tempt you the most, such as cookies, cake, ice cream and snacks. Make it easy on yourself: Don’t have them in your home, your office, or anywhere else.

ourMississippi

These healthy eating tips are examples of the small steps you can take to jumpstart your GAME PLAN. Try a few new steps each week. Once you get going, you’ll find lots of other ways to make small changes. om

65

WORKING FOR

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi State University is actively engaged with companies and communities, and working with them to increase their global competitiveness.

Mississippi State’s central economic development mission is to strengthen collaborations between the university, economic development organizations, and businesses to create high-wage jobs. The scope of work includes assisting existing businesses, recruiting technology-oriented companies, and encouraging spin-off companies from the university.

Major research universities are vital for growing the economy, building capacity, and enhancing quality of life. Mississippi State takes this responsibility seriously, and is moving our state forward through outreach, engagement, and support.

Mississippi State University is working for Mississippi — and we are ready to work with you.

waterhomelandenergy security food and fiber decisions research engineering

data

public policy

materials

www.research.msstate.edu Phone: 662-325-3570 Fax: 662-325-8028

Mississippi State is an equal opportunity institution.

Institute of Golf

believe. do.

At AT&T we believe in communities. That’s why we do what we do. Like striving to connect people with good jobs, donating our time and talent, supporting the underserved, and promoting innovative educational programs.

Because we believe the power of you creates limitless possibilities for us all.

That’s why we proudly support the African-American community here in Mississippi.

© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

You Know She’s Worth it

The South’s leader in Estate Jewelry and Diamond Solitaires Located in Historic Downtown New Albany, MS

1.866.VANATKINS vanatkins.com

Our State, Our Lives, Our People

ourMississippi

winter 2013