NATIONAL
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
DECEMBER 7-13, 2016
A3
Many Blacks applaud Castro legacy of racial equality by Corey Williams Associated Press Writer
DETROIT (AP)—The Fidel Castro that Sam Riddle and many other African-Americans admired was not the revolutionary dictator who plunged Cuba into economic ruin and held the island nation in an iron grip. To them, he was a freedom fighter who cared about improving the lives of all Cubans, regardless of race. Castro, who died Nov. 25 at age 90, sought out Black leaders. He met with Malcolm X in 1960 in Harlem, New York’s most celebrated Black neighborhood. He also had a close relationship with South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. “It was Fidel who fought for the human rights for Black Cubans,” said Riddle, political director of the Michigan Chapter of the National Action Network. “Many Cubans are as Black as any Black who worked the fields of Mississippi or lived in Harlem. He believed in medical care and education for his people.” The dictator’s efforts to achieve racial equality mean he “will never be a monster” to his many admirers, Riddle added. “To me, he’s the essence of hu-
manity.” Castro led a rebel army to victory in 1959 over the country’s pro-U.S. Batista government. Many Cuban elites fled 90 miles north to Miami, where they spent decades in exile. After his death, many Cuban Americans in the United States celebrated. Some of those who fled to Miami “had looted Cuba ... and exploited the poor and the working class,” said Riddle, 70, who also teaches media at a Detroit community college. “Now those are the same individuals who have twisted the story to demonize Fidel Castro in death.” Under President Barack Obama, diplomatic relations with Cuba are being reopened. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized the Obama administration’s stance on Cuba and threatened Monday to “terminate” the U.S. detente with the Cuban government. After the revolution, Castro declared an end to segregation. However, the number of Afro-Cubans at the top of the country’s political and economic ladder is small. They make up a disproportionate number of the urban and rural poor.
LEADERS EMBRACE—In this Sept. 2, 2001, file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela, left, and Cuban leader Fidel Castro embrace during a visit by Castro in Johannesburg, South Africa. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia, File) Workers with lighter skin are hired more quickly for hospitality jobs tied to tourism. Castro’s actions “would appeal more to anybody of color,” said Lynn Reasonover, a Black financial executive in Chicago who visited Cuba in August as part of a vacation cruise. “I’m not so sure if White America would appreciate what he’s done.”
Reasonover, 54, walked through parts of Havana and two other cities, speaking with Cubans. What she saw resembled parts of the United States. There were areas where progress was evident and some parts of the island where poverty stood out. “I understand what he was trying to achieve,” she said of Castro. “He had a deep love for his people.
Cuba backed Angolan fighters who battled forces supported by the pro-apartheid South African government of the 1980s. Castro also granted asylum to Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted in 1977 in the death of state Trooper Werner Foerster during a 1973 gunfight on the New Jersey Turnpike. Chesimard was sentenced to life in prison but escaped and made her way to Cuba, where she has been living under the name Assata Shakur. “He was a hero in Africa, Latin America and North America for those who needed freedom from oligarchic and autocratic oppression,” Rev. Jesse Jackson said last weekend in a statement. “While Castro unfortunately denied many political freedoms, he at the same time did establish many economic freedoms— education and health care,” Jackson said. “He changed the world. While we may not agree with all of Castro’s actions, we can accept his lesson that where there is oppression there must be resistance.”
He had a great ideal, but I don’t think one size fits all, though.” In comments made six years ago, Cuba’s foreign minister said the first communist Cuban delegation to the United Nations received support from Malcolm X and other Black leaders and forged a lasting bond (Associated Press Writer Sobetween “Cuban revolutionaries and the African-Amer- phia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.) ican progressive people.”
Trump taps former campaign rival Carson as housing secretary by Julie Pace
secretary and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross to Associated Press Writer lead the Commerce DeWASHINGTON (AP)— partment. He chose Betsy President-elect Donald DeVos to be secretary of Trump, moving to complete education and Elaine Chao, formation of his Cabinet the wife of Senate Repuband decide other key posts, lican Leader Mitch McCochose former campaign rinnell, to be transportation val Ben Carson on Monday secretary. Trump also has to be secretary of the Deturned to retired Marine partment of Housing and Gen. James Mattis to be Urban Development. secretary of defense. Trump’s decision, anHe now has expanded nounced by his transition his pool of candidates for office, comes as the real secretary of state, raising estate mogul continues a a question about whether series of interviews, meetformer CIA Director David ings with aides and other Petraeus’ guilty plea for deliberations aimed at leaking classified inforforming his administration. mation disqualifies him to He announced several Cab- serve as the nation’s top inet appointees last week. diplomat. In a statement, Trump Trump’s aides had said he was “thrilled to confirmed that the presinominate” Carson, dedent-elect had settled on scribing the retired neufour finalists for the post. rosurgeon as having “a But over the weekend, brilliant mind” and saying two people close to the he “is passionate about transition told The Associstrengthening communities ated Press that Trump is and families within those moving away from two of communities.” the four: former New York Carson had been coy City Mayor Rudy Giuliani about joining the new and Mitt Romney, the 2012 administration, saying Republican presidential shortly after Trump’s elec- nominee. tion victory that he wasn’t That would leave Petraecertain he’d fit into a Cabus as a top contender, along inet-style role. The discuswith Tennessee Republican sion at that time centered Sen. Bob Corker, chairman on speculation that Carson of the Senate Foreign Relamight be selected to head tions Committee. Both peothe sprawling Department ple close to the transition of Health and Human said Trump’s prolonged Services. decision-making process “Ben shares my optimism has left the door open to about the future of our other options. Among other country,” Trump said, “and possibilities, one official is part of ensuring that says is Jon Huntsman, a this is a presidency repreformer Republican Utah senting all Americans.” governor who also served House Democratic leader as the ambassador to ChiNancy Pelosi said Carson na and speaks Mandarin. had no credentials for the The people close to the job and was a “discontransition spoke on condicerting and disturbingly tion of anonymity because unqualified choice.” She they were not authorized to said the country deserves discuss the private process someone with “relevant publicly. experience to protect the Carson has often recountrights of homeowners and ed his childhood as the renters.” son of a single mother in Carson was among the 16 inner-city Detroit in his Republican candidates who books and motivational challenged Trump for the speeches. In his 1996 autoRepublican nomination. He biography “Gifted Hands,” was a favorite of religious Carson wrote of the conservatives and a strong humiliation he felt using fundraiser, but his team food stamps from his mom burned through money to pay for bread and milk, quickly and he failed to and said how he began to win any of the early prima- excel at school only after ry contests. receiving a free pair of Trump treated Carson glasses that allowed him to harshly during the prisee the lessons written on mary, saying he had a chalk boards. “pathological temper.” Still, Carson has not said Carson quickly endorsed whether his family ever Trump after he dropped lived in federally funded out of the contest. housing or received Section As a Trump supporter, 8 subsidies to help pay Carson was both loyal and rent. But as a political figcritical. He conceded that ure he has criticized such Trump had “major defects” public assistance programs and said at one point that for creating “dependency” he would have preferred a on the government among scenario other than Trump low-income minorities. winning the Republican With the help of financial primary. aid and scholarships, CarLast week, Trump anson attended Yale Univernounced that he planned to sity and the University of nominate former Goldman Michigan Medical School Sachs executive Steven before being the first Mnuchin as his Treasury African-American named
overall direction while President Barack Obama was seated just feet away. During the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Carson’s inspirational life story, Christian faith and anti-establishment message briefly catapulted him last year ahead of Trump and other rivals in opinion polls. But his success on the campaign trail quickly crumbled amid questions about whether elements of his rags-to-riches autobiography were exaggerated or fabricated—including a purported childhood fit of rage in which he tried to FORMER RIVALS—In this Aug. 25 photo, former Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson stab his best friend in the during Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s roundtable meeting with the Republican belly only to be foiled by a belt buckle. Carson’s busiLeadership Initiative at Trump Tower. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) ness dealings also faced scrutiny, including his ties directing the first surgery as the head of pediatric 2013 speech at the Nato a wealthy Pittsburgh to separate twins connectneurosurgery at Johns tional Prayer Breakfast, Hopkins Children’s Center ed at the back of the head. where he gave a withering dentist whom he helped Carson’s rise to political in Baltimore. There he garcritique of the modern wel- avoid prison time for felony health care fraud. prominence began with a nered national acclaim for fare state and the nation’s