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Michigan Chronicle
Vol. 84 – No. 41 |
June 16-22, 2021
Powered by Real Times Media | michiganchronicle.com
Black Detroit on Juneteenth
By Sherri Kolade
It’s not lost on Michelle Sourie Robinson, president & CEO of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC), what Juneteenth is all about. Though she proudly celebrates the holiday, also known as “Freedom Day,” on June 19, she recognizes that on June 19, 1865 (Juneteenth) the commemoration of the day stems from the delay of knowledge to the enslaved African-Americans finally freed from bondage in Texas. The state (the last and most remote of the Confederate States) let them know a year and a half after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. “When I think about Juneteenth there is something about it,” she told the Michigan Chronicle recently. “I almost think there is an irony with it that it is a celebration of freedom or liberation, but when you look at the history of it … it’s not a celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation itself or even ratification of it.” Robinson, a native Oklahoman, said that with the holiday, she does her best to inform others on it, among other Black-centered historical topics. “I try my best to educate and constantly challenge myself with Juneteenth,” she said, adding non-Black people (among others who are not persons of color) should ask, “How can we do better?” Robinson, who oversees her non-profit organization (aimed to support the creation of generational wealth in communities of color through entrepreneurship) said that doing better starts with laying the proper educational roots on Black history and culture in public schools. Robinson said that Black Wall Street just commemorated 100 years in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Tulsa-Greenwood Race Massacre in 1921 was noted as a historic event that took place in the evening of May 31, 1921, and into the following day. A white mob of reportedly 5,00010,000 attacked the Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The segregated and bustling Black community of successful businesses was known as Black Wall Street. She said that she was educated in Oklahoma and didn’t learn about this tragedy in the classroom but on her own. “I think it is the same with Juneteenth -- it is to be celebrated and commemorated,” she said, adding that the next generation has to be taught. Edward Foxworth, director of External Affairs at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, agrees. He told the Michigan Chronicle that as people continue to learn how there were 250,000 enslaved people who were not informed that they were free for nearly over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the annual holiday is vital. “It is hoped that the contributions made by African Americans continues to be added into the fabric of American
See JUNETEENTH page A2
WHAT’S INSIDE
Kwame Kilpatrick PHOTO: Andre Smith
Kwame Kilpatrick: From Politics to Prison to the Pulpit
By Gatini Tinsley
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick spoke at Little Rock Baptist Church on Sunday, June 13, in his first high-profile appearance since his release from prison on January 20. Kilpatrick delivered a message of redemption that started with the importance of having faith, talking to God, and believing that God hears your prayers. “I know you think sometimes that your prayers don’t get through, but if you are righteous, if you’ve been called if you’ve been justified by faith; if you know right now, with everything in you, that you’ve already been glorified and you sent up a word for little old Kwame Kilpatrick, I’m here to tell you, they got through. Thank you, thank you, thank you, the former mayor jubilantly exclaimed. Churchgoers gave Kilpatrick numerous standing ovations during the service and routinely cheered his name. Some even expressed how thrilled they were to see the former mayor given a second chance after completing approximately seven years of his original 28year sentence.
in the first place. It’s about criminal justice reform, and not just for the former mayor, but for everyone. I’m glad to have been a part of an expungement package that provides clean slates for many citizens throughout the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan, to be exact. Michigan is leading the way; I’m glad that my bill, public act 188, is a part of that package, said Dagnogo. She continued, “Kwame is a reminder that it’s important that we lift up second chances and opportunities to allow someone to get their lives on track. I’m excited about today, the former mayor texted me around 6:30 this morning. I said I will be here, looking for God to speak through him today.”
When Dagnogo was asked by Real Times Media Digital anchor Andre Ash, what she thought of Kilpatrick taking the church route, she said, “Faith is at the epicenter of who we are, we could not have made it felt the trans-Atlantic slave trade if it were not for the faith of our forefathers. We are where you should go when facing challenging times, back to the rock, and that’s where we are today, at Little Rock Baptist Church.
Former member of Michigan House of Representatives Sherry Gay-Dagnogo claimed the day a great day of redemption.
Kilpatrick’s sermon titled “Its Not Time To Die” drew inspiration from his time in prison and the importance of remaining faithful and not giving up. Something Kilpatrick said he struggled with during his time in federal prison.
“This is a great day; this is a day of redemption; this is what it was all about
“I was in prison mad at God. But I learned that it’s alright to be honest
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Speeding Toward Education Comerica Bank Hosts Nearly 100 Students During Virtual Career Expo with Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear
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The former mayor continued, “at that time we didn’t have nothing, we got all our information from whatever we saw on TV. We wasn’t social distancing, we were all together, until the first person died, the the second person in my unit died and I’m watching them drag him out, then the sixth person. I watched 18 people in my unit go on ventilators and nine people in my prison died. I’m sitting there, and then one day it hit me, I can’t taste or smell, I’m tired, I got that thing they’re talking about, but it’s not time to die.” Kilpatrick wrapped up his sermon with cheers from the congregation after he asked parishioners to take a moment to recommit to God. He then quickly exited from the side door of the building without taking any questions from the media. Latonya Right, a Member of Little Rock Baptist Church, said, “Kwame’s sermon was inspirational, to any, really all of us who have ever needed or desired a second chance.” Former Mayor Kilpatrick served as the youngest mayor ever elected in Detroit from 2002 to 2008 before he resigned. He was found guilty in 2013 on 24 federal felony counts that include racketeering, wire fraud, perjury, obstruction of justice, and mail fraud. He was sentenced to 28 years in feder-
See KILPATRICK page A2
GM CEO Mary Barra Sets the Record Straight
By Gatini Tinsley
HOMEFRONT
with God because he knows anyway.”
General Motors (GM) CEO and Chairman Mary Barra wants to clear the air with Black media. Barra, known globally for her high-ranking position, sat down with historical Black media publication, the Michigan Chronicle, speaking candidly with moderator Dennis Archer, Jr. Thursday, June 10, during the Chronicle’s Pancakes and Politics conversation inside Real Times Media’s (RTM) Studio 1452. RTM’s National News Director Mark Hayes joined in on the long-awaited conversation and co-interviewed. The nearly hour-long discuss covered equity, inclusion and diversity at GM, workforce development, and hot-button topics like the Black media, (and the surrounding recent controversy). GM has an aggressive diversity plan of action, which includes spending more money with Black media specifically, a goal the company set after receiving a tremendous amount of backlash in recent weeks for not doing so. A full-page ad taken out by Weather
GM CEO and Chairman Mary Barra PHOTO: Monica Morgan
Channel Owner Byron Allen and Ice Cube ran in several local newspapers, which called out Barra for her refusal to meet to discuss Black ad spending, by sidestep-
ping Allen and having him meet with Chief Marketing Officer, Deborah Wahl. Allen’s ad called out Barra, “Mary, the very definition of systematic racism is when you are ignored, excluded and don’t have true economic inclusion.” After finding out GM spent reportedly less than 0.5 percent of its ad money in Black-owned media outlets, the ad continued to say that companies hide behind minority ad dollar spending because white women are technically a minority. This means a corporation can claim they are spending ad dollars on minority-owned media, without technically spending any dollars on Black-owned media since the two are lumped together. NBC News reported that GM Spokesman Pat Morrisey combated the percentage claims and said that GM spends “significantly” more that 0.5 percent with Blackowned media and the figure is around 2 percent. After the ad ran in GM’s hometown, Barra evaluated next steps and put a plan in place to commit to increasing ad spend-
See MARY
BARRA page A2