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Detroit Black radio history explored in new book See page B-1.
See page B-1.
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michiganchronicle.com
Volume 78 – Number 45
Black to the future?
WHAT’S INSIDE
Boblo memories sought (Page B-2) As the SS Columbia, better known as the Boblo boat, prepares to make its farewell trek from Detroit to New York State, a group of filmmakers is seeking to preserve history, and the public is invited to be a part of the process.
President shows tougher side (Page B-4)
Boost for business in northwest Detroit (Page C-1) A program that advances small business growth in northwest Detroit’s District 1 will expand with a generous grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Black radio in Detroit explored (Page D-1) Ken Coleman, author and historian, has written a book titled “Soul on Air,” subtitled “Blacks Who Helped to Define Radio in Detroit.” Covering many decades, it examines the prominent role African Americans have played on the Detroit airwaves.
$1.00
By Keith A. Owens
W
e’re driving down the stretch of Grand River between the Motor City Casino and Rosa Parks this past Saturday afternoon, and George N’Namdi points to a particular building where it’s apparent that the windows haven’t been boarded up for very long.
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When President Barack Obama spoke before the NAACP in Philadelphia last week, the audience was surprised by how directly and forcefully he dealt with the racial inequities inherent in the criminal justice system. Some say part of the reason might the fact that he does not have to worry about re-election.
What role will artists play in Detroit’s redevelopment?
“You see that?” he asks, in his characteristically gravelly voice. “Whenever you start seeing these buildings where the windows start getting boarded up and neatly put in like that, in an area like this, you know something is about to happen.” What’s about to happen, he says, is that this section of the Grand River corridor is about to become ‘hot’, largely related to the coming construction of the brand new $650 million Joe Louis Hockey Arena (expected to open by 2017) right down the street from the casino – relatively speaking. Because no way is such a huge and significant structure about to be developed without there being plans for the surrounding area. And no way is George N’Namdi not going to be a part of what is getting ready to happen on Grand River. As a matter of fact, he actually has some plans of his own that involve creating a gallery district for local artists to display and sell their work near Rosa Parks and Grand River, but more
George R. N’Namdi
Photo Credit: Kimberly D. Willis
Congresswoman Brenda L. Lawrence has joined the lead sponsors and other members of Congress in supporting the introduction of the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act. The issue, she says, is critical.
Performance artist Monstah Black will be performing at Afrotopia’s Sigifest this weekend.
Photo Credit: Queen Makeda
EACH Woman Act introduced (Page A-3)
July 22-28, 2015
Marsha Music
Ingrid LaFleur
on that later. Suffice to say that N’Namdi believes strongly that black artists need to be in control of their own culture and their own cultural imprint, but they also need to be a physical participant in the planning, revitalization and development that is beginning to take this city by storm. In short, the artists need to start learning how to think more like business folk and elbow their way on board this train before it pulls out of the station without them. “The young people like (he names a local artist), my hat’s off to what they do. They bring a certain energy. They bring ex-
citement to it. My only thing is, and it has nothing to do with them particularly, but it’s like that age group, they really don’t spend time on sustainability and thriving. So they’re always asking people for money to do something. I didn’t do that. I was like, I’m gonna do that myself. I’ve always been like that. You need to have someone who’s gonna think strategically. How can we monetize some of these things? And monetize means how you gonna get paid, not how you’re gonna get a grant. There’s a difference. Getting a grant is temporary.
See REDEVELOPMENT page A-4
Hillary Clinton pays surprise visit to local business By Keith A. Owens
of former two-term President Bill Clinton) wanted to drop by for a visit. Like, in about an hour or so. Or less. Which, incidentally, would mean that the media knew about the visit before she did. Still, viewing the growing pack of restless and agitated journalists that had gathered across the street from her establishment, waiting for the signal to swoop down in the Name of the News, was probably a clue that something slightly different than usual was kind of up.
Cassandra Thomas was busy making sandwiches in her store, so when a representative from the Hillary Clinton campaign showed up Tuesday morning in her Brightmoor neighborhood, asking if Thomas could step outside for a minute to talk, she declined. She is, after all, the co-owner of the very popular Sweet Potato Sensations, and as the owner she has quite a few things to tend to. But then the Clinton representative, being somewhat persistent, asked again if she could come outside for a sec. But the answer was still ‘no’. Too busy. Besides, Thomas didn’t know at the time that this woman was a Clinton representative. To Thomas, she was just some woman who kept wanting her to come outside, trying to
Anyway.
Jeffery Thomas, co-owner of Sweet Potato Sensations, greets Hillary Clinton. convince Thomas that this was something she “really would not want to miss” and would she stop making those sandwiches for a minute and step outside. Please. “So I sent my daughter
out there, and then my daughter came back and whispered in my ear, and I said whaaaaaat? And then I said ‘Oh my goodness.’” The ‘Oh my goodness’ was because Thomas’
daughter had just informed her that Hillary Clinton, the former New York Senator, Secretary of State, and now frontrunner Democratic presidential candidate for 2016 (not to mention wife
“This was not planned. We knew about 15 minutes before she got here. This was a very pleasant surprise. We asked her what made her come here, and she said the flight that brought her in was late, and she asked three folks where was a good small business to visit and they all said
See CLINTON page A-4