Judge Dinkins service to be held Saturday See page 2
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month See page 8
TSU Tigers prevail at Homecoming See page 7
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volume XXXvii, Number 42
Nashville, TN
October 20, 2023
Enjoy the Haunted Museum and new Tennessee Playlist exhibition Black student faces at the Tennessee State Museum disciplinary action People Are Talking
over dreadlocks at Texas high school
George, suspended since August 31, will be forced to enroll in the EPIC alternative program from October 12 through November 29, according to a letter from Principal Lance Murphy. by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent Darryl George, an 18-year-old junior at Barbers Hill High School in Mont Belvie, Texas, remains suspended from school, and now officials have transferred him to a disciplinary alternative education program, sparking controversy over alleged violations of the school’s dress code policy. George, suspended since August 31, will be forced to enroll in the EPIC alternative program from October 12 through November 29, according to a letter from Principal Lance Murphy. George’s family shared the letter with news reporters. The suspension and subsequent disciplinary action were attributed to George’s “failure to comply” with multiple campus and classroom regulations outlined in the school’s student conduct standards. The crux of the issue revolves around the school district’s policy regarding male students’ hair length. The Barbers Hill Independent School District’s student handbook stipulates that male students are prohibited from having hair extending below the eyebrows, ear lobes, or the top of a Tshirt collar. Additionally, the policy mandates that all student’s hair must be clean, well-groomed, geometrical, and not an unnatural color or variation. Notably, the school does not have a uniform requirement. George’s mother, Darresha George, and the family’s legal representative contend that the teenager’s hairstyle complies with the dress code. In response to the disciplinary action, they have lodged a formal complaint with the Texas Education Agency and filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the state’s governor and attorney general. Their argument hinges on an alleged violation of the state’s CROWN Act, which became law on September 1. The law, an acronym for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is designed to prevent race-based hair discrimination and bars institutions from penalizing individuals due to their hair texture or protective hairstyles, such as Afros, braids, dreadlocks, twists, or Bantu knots. While the U.S. House of Representatives passed a federal version of the CROWN Act a year ago, the U.S. Senate resisted. The school district, in response, has taken the matter to the courts, filing a lawsuit in state district court to seek clarification on whether its dress code restrictions infringe on the CROWN Act. Continued on page 5 The Nashville PRIDE Newspaper is on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @pridenews
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by Cass Teague On Saturday, October 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Tennessee State Museum will celebrate its 25th annual Haunted Museum Storytelling Festival. Begun in the fall of 1998, this family day has become one of the most anticipated days of the year at the Museum. It offers families a free, fun and safe Halloween event for children of all ages, with snacks, games, costumes, ghost stories and more. Each year, the Museum dresses up in its Halloween décor and presents games, crafts, stories and prizes. Kids wear their costumes and settle in to hear spooky stories from Tennessee’s past. A Ghost Trail through the Museum guides visitors through various strange and not-so-scary stories. The storytellers this year will be Tony Marr, Charlie McCoin, and Allen Dyer. The costumed interpreters in the Museum’s frontier printing press create commemorative posters for the occasion. Partnering with TSM again are Nashville Public Library’s beloved Puppet Truck with performances throughout the day, and the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation with free book giveaways. This year the Puppet Truck will be sharing a story called The Stonecutter, based on a traditional Asian folktale and featuring Bunraku puppetry, this story teaches two life lessons: be happy with who you are and make your wishes carefully! Running time: 30 minutes. Performances at 10:30, 11:30 and 1:30, but we recommend checking the website at TNMuseum.org in case that changes. Exhibition Highlight: The Tennessee Playlist Now Open The Tennessee Playlist: The People, Places, and Roots of Our Music
Storyteller Butterfly enchants the audience at a recent Haunted Museum program. (photo courtesy TSM) opened October 13, 2023. Musical traditions have deep roots in Tennessee. The state has inspired musicians for generations, whether they made music on front porches, at studios, or in arenas. Now open in the Curb Music
Gallery, The Tennessee Playlist: The People, Places, and Roots of Our Music explores the diverse sounds of the state and the interplay of tradition Continued on page 5
Urban League of Middle Tennessee to host 2023 annual meeting
Attending the 2022 Urban League of Middle Tennessee Annual Meeting are ULMT President and CEO Clifton Harris (standing at left), along with Elizabeth White (standing at right) and (seated, l-r): Julian Flournoy, Brenda Harper, Michelle Willis, and Doug Gold, of sponsor Wilson Bank & Trust. (Photo courtesy ULMT) by Cass Teague at Nissan Stadium’s Wesley Mortgage The Urban League of Middle Club, presented by Wilson Bank. Tennessee (ULMT) will host its 2023 ULMT President and CEO Clifton Annual Meeting Thursday, October Harris will provide the annual “State 26, 2023, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. of ULMT Address” during which he
will highlight the successes, accomplishments, and milestones of the past year, which include the year-long, community-wide celebration of the organization’s 55th Anniversary. “With the support of our extremely committed and dedicated Board of Directors; our amazingly passionate, professional, and devoted staff; and the hundreds of individuals, businesses, and organizations who each year provide their time, talent, and significant financial investment, we have accomplished much this year,” says Harris. “Our Annual Meeting provides us with the opportunity to thank those who have supported us in our work and in our mission of “empowering communities and changing lives.” Additional highlights of the past year were the awarding of a $7.8 million grant from Nashville/Metro government to support the Advancing Workforce Equity (AWE) initiative, a partnership between the Urban League of Middle Tennessee and Nashville State Community College, focused on training and placing at least 1500 Continued on page 5
Biden-Harris Administration announces bold measures to expand homeownership opportunities by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent In a concerted effort to bolster homeownership for millions of Americans, the Biden-Harris Administration has unveiled a multi-pronged strategy to increase accessibility, affordability, and support for existing and aspiring homeowners. For many Americans, owning a home is a cornerstone of their lives and a primary source of wealth. In a news release, the administration said it is determined to break down barriers and ensure the wealth-building potential of homeownership is accessible to all. The Treasury Department released data showcasing the “significant federal investment” in homeownership under President Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, providing over $12 billion in support. Notably, the White
House said the American Rescue Plan’s Homeowner Assistance Fund has aided nearly 400,000 homeowners at risk of foreclosure. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that the Federal Housing Administration’s first-time homebuyer rate is at its highest since 2000, with 1.8 million homeowners benefiting from FHAbacked mortgages, 83.6 percent of whom are first-time buyers. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture announced that it has made strides, offering over 7,100 direct housing loans in the past fiscal year, benefiting borrowers with an average income of $42,918. The White House said 55 percent of those borrowers were from female-headed households, and 22 percent identified Continued on page 5
The Biden Harris administration said it is determined to break down barriers and ensure the wealthbuilding potential of homeownership is accessible to all. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)