Nashville PRIDE February 24, 2023

Nashville Repertory Theatre presents August Wilson’s Fences See page 7

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volume XXXvii, Number 8

People Are Talking Former Memphis officers maintain innocence in Tyre Nichols’ death

Nashville, TN

Chairman Thompson: Classified tapes House speaker turned over to Fox News has ‘serious national security implications’

Former Memphis police officers accused of murder in the death of Tyre Nichols appear with their attorneys at an indictment hearing at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center Friday, Feb. 17, in Memphis, Tenn. They pleaded not guilty to seconddegree murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Nichols (AP photo by Brandon Dill).

by Associated Press Five former Memphis police officers pleaded not guilty Friday to second-degree murder and other charges in the violent arrest and death of Tyre Nichols, with his mother saying afterward that none of them would look her in the eye in court.

Tadarrius Bean; Demetrius Haley; Desmond Mills, Jr.; Emmitt Martin III; and Justin Smith made their first court appearances with their lawyers before a judge in Shelby County Criminal Court.

The officers were fired after an internal police investigation into the Jan. 7 arrest of Nichols, who died in a hospital three days later.

His beating was caught on video.

At a news conference after the hearing, Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, said the officers didn’t have the courage to look her in the eye. But “they’re going to see me at every court date, every one, until we get justice for my son.”

“I feel very numb right now,” Wells said. “I’m waiting for this nightmare, basically, that I’m going through right now—I’m waiting for somebody to wake me up. I know that’s not going to happen.”

The officers pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression. They are all out on bond. Their next hearing is scheduled for May 1.

The Nichols case is the latest to prompt nationwide protests and renew an intense public discussion about police brutality. Nichols, 29, was Black. All five officers charged in his death also are Black.

Addressing the courtroom, Judge James Jones, Jr. asked for patience and civility: “This case can take some time.”

“Everyone involved wants this case to be concluded as quickly as possible,” Jones said. “But it’s important for you all to understand that the state of Tennessee, as well as each one of these defendants, have an absolute right to a fair trial.”

Congressman Bennie Thompson

by Stacy M. Brown, McCarthy (R-Calif.) turned over to NNPA Newswire senior Fox News included classified material national correspondent that could threaten national security.

Mississippi Democratic CongressIn an exclusive 65-minute interman Bennie Thompson revealed that view with Let It Be Known, a live some of the 41,000 hours of video daily news show put on by the footage from the January 6, 2021, National Newspaper Publishers insurrection that House Speaker Kevin Association, Thompson, the head of

the January 6 Commission, said he wanted to see what document McCarthy signed with Fox News to transfer the footage.

“There are serious national security implications, a lot of what we saw and did not share with the public as a committee,” Thompson said in a noholds-barred discussion with Black Press reporters on the program. “There are safeguards in place, and some of this material is privileged.

“You can’t just open the store and let someone come in and clean it out.

We want to see what document was executed for that transfer of information. I chaired the [January 6] committee, and I can tell you that there is clearly information in there that we choose not to put in the public arena because of its sensitivity.”

The bold and unusual move by the House speaker of handing over such information reportedly comes after McCarthy faced intense pressure from his right flank to re-litigate the work of the House select committee.

While it took an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting for McCarthy to win the speakership, one of the reasons Republicans relented was because he vowed to hold hearings on the Capitol riot.

Thompson noted that the cause for alarm rose further when McCarthy Continued on page 5

Stanford collaboration with Dept. of Treasury admits Black taxpayers targeted for audit more than others

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent According to Stanford RegLab, Black taxpayers receive IRS audit notices at least 2.9 times more frequently than non-Black taxpayers and possibly as much as 4.7 times more often.

The new study included research

by Daniel E. Ho, the William Benjamin Scott; Luna M. Scott Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, faculty director of the Stanford RegLab, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research; Hadi Elzayn, a researcher at the Stanford RegLab; Evelyn Smith, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan; Arun Ramesh, a pre-doctoral fellow at the University of Chicago; Jacob Goldin, a professor of tax law at the University of Chicago; and economists

The IRS workforce has been reduced by 22% since 2010, leaving one-third the number of enforcement agents and less than half the number of customer service representatives (photo courtesy of iStockphoto). in the U.S. Department of Treasury’s on the part of IRS staff.”

Office of Tax Analysis.

The team’s research showed that a The researchers concluded that the Continued on page 5 disparity “is unlikely to be intentional

Georgia Grand Jury forewoman strongly hints of criminal indictment against Trump

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The grand jury has recommended indictments of multiple people on what the New York Times said was a range of charges.

by Stacy M. Brown, Donald J. Trump will be indicted in the NNPA Newswire senior Peach State. national correspondent “It is not a short list,” Kohrs told Emily Kohrs, the forewoman of the the New York Times on Feb. 21.

Georgia Special Grand Jury that invesWhile the newspaper said she tigated election interference, gave the declined to discuss who specifically strongest hint yet that former President that grand jury recommended for

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indictment, Kohrs appeared to remove any suspense.

“You’re not going to be shocked.

It’s not rocket science,” she responded when asked specifically whether the jury recommended indicting Trump.

Reportedly, the grand jury has recommended indictments of multiple people on what the Times said was a range of charges.

Most of the grand jury’s report remains under seal at the order of judge.

Led by District Attorney Fani Willis, legal experts view Georgia as the place Trump has potentially the most legal exposure criminally.

In January, the Manhattan district attorney’s office started presenting evidence to a grand jury on whether Trump paid off a porn star to keep her silent during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson, who chaired the Jan. 6 committee that investigated the Continued on page 3

National/State www.pridepublishinggroup.com February 24, 2023 Hip-Hop, RAP Act and demonization of rap culture (part 1) Nashville PRIDE

Page 2

Hip-Hop fans, experts comment on efficacy of RAP Act, rap culture

by Cory Utsey, HUNewsService.com Those who believe that art should be separate from the artist are most often referring to the exploits of their ‘problematic faves,’ but this concept remains especially relevant when considering how certain art forms and their proprietors face demonization.

The case against rapper Young Thug and the Young Slime Life (YSL) label, which began the week of Jan. 9 in Atlanta’s Fulton County, has garnered much attention and renewed arguments about lyrics being used against rappers in criminal court cases, therein begging the question of whether lyrics should be seen as separate from an artist’s lifestyle.

Thug and other affiliates of YSL are accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organiza-

DJ stuns audience at concert (photo by Jorge Jimenez/Pixabay). tions (RICO) Act. The court is nothing new, as House of Representagrand-jury indictment of the likes of Snoop Dogg, tives by Congressmen over 80 pages alleges Mac Phipps, 2 Live Jamaal Bowman, D182 instances of involve- Crew and Tay-K have all N.Y., and Hank Johnson, ment in gang activity, had lyrics referencing D-Ga., the RAP Act including murder. Evi- violent acts used against seeks to protect artists dence includes ‘SLIME’ them, according to XXL. from having their song labeled clothing and The recently intro- lyrics used as legal eviaccessories, social media duced Restoring Artistic dence in criminal cases. posts and song lyrics. Protection Act, or ‘RAP David F. Green, Jr., The phenomena of using Act,’ aims to address this Ph.D., who is an expert lyrics as evidence in issue. Presented to the in African American

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says quiet part out loud – wants pre-Civil War United States where Whites dominated enslaved Blacks

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has said the quiet part out loud. The Georgia congresswoman, like some of her peers, doesn’t want to live anywhere near people of color.

Greene has called for the U.S. to be separated by red and blue states and for a shrinking of the federal government in a tweet on President’s Day, the two-term congresswoman’s latest in a string of controversial statements.

“We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government,” said Greene, R-Ga, in the tweet. “Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting ‘woke’ culture issues shoved down our throats

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K'(L K'(L Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to the Democrat’s trai- called her out for her torous America Last racism. policies, we are done.”

“And what you are The racially-charged requesting is only to get tone-deaf tweet does not dumb people riled up,” take into account, sports card enthusiast among other things, that Tony Posnanski resthe United States fought ponded to Greene. “You a civil war in the 1860s aren’t even a joke after a group of southern because jokes are funny. states tried to secede You are just trash.” from America.

Added strategist and Greene’s tweet rec- former Democratic eived thousands of Chair Chris Jackson, “If responses on her time- someone would have line, most of which Continued on page 5

recovery in memory, and, driven by the expanded Child Tax Credit, we cut child poverty to its lowest rate on record in 2021, including record low Black, Latino, Native American, and rural child poverty.”

He said the economy had created nearly 11 million jobs, and the federal government has brought down unemployment nationwide— particularly for Black and Latino workers, whose unemployment rates are near 50-year lows.

Administration officials noted continued racial disparities in wealth, housing, crime, and education. Biden has said those disparities

reflect decades of discriminatory policies.

On his first day in office two years ago, the president signed an executive order recognizing long-standing disparities and pledging that the government would remedy them.

The new executive order comes as African Americans and others observe Black History Month. It amends the previous order, making the initial review he requested in January 2021 an annual requirement for federal agencies.

The reviews aim to increase access to federal programs, services, and activities for disadvantaged communities.

Continued on page 5

NASHville P*R*i*D*e

Staff and Afillates Administration Publisher: Meekahl Davis, CEO Advertising Sales: Scott Davis Attorney: Karen Davis

Editorial Department Editor: C. Ailene Lydia Staff Writers: David Lawrence; Wanda Clay

Table of Contents Front Page .......................... 1 National/State..................... 2 Local.................................... 3 Editorials ............................ 4 Continuations ..................... 5 Pastor,Pew & Pulpit .......... 6 Leisure ................................ 7 Black History Month......... 8

“There also needs to be a stronger understanding of how certain cultural practices have come about historically.”

Green says that hiphop, as an art form born out of response to the marginalization of Black and Brown communities, has always faced scrutiny. While the tone and themes of hip-hop and rap music have changed over time, the view of the culture remains monolithic— especially in the United States.

“People are listening to various forms of hiphop across the world for various means,” he said.

“It is only in America where it still kind of holds this demonized kind of position, where we can honor a hip-hop artist at various award shows but in the same breath come to view them or believe them to be capable of certain acts or certain behaviors just because of their music.”

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Contributing Writers: Alvin Campbell; T.A. Spence; Reeju Davis General Columnists: William T. Robinson, Jr. Church Columnists: Rev. Barbara WoodsWashington, Dr. Monterey D. Lee, Sr. B. Bethel Writers/Photojournalists (fl): Cass F.L.Teague, Jr., Wanda Clay, Justin Darden,

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Biden issues executive Order on advancing racial equity, support for underserved communities

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent President Joe Biden has told the government to do more to fix the problem of racial inequality.

On Feb. 16, Biden signed an executive order for the federal government to do more to promote racial equality and help underserved communities.

When signing the order, the president pointed out what his administration had already done.

“My administration’s commitment to fairness has led to better decisions and more fair results,” Biden said.

“We have delivered the most equitable economic

rhetoric, critical pedagogy and hip-hop, believes that the RAP Act could certainly put structures in place to ensure that rappers can continue their modes of creative expression without threat of facing jail time. Yet when considering the larger cultural perception of hiphop and rap culture, he believes that the RAP Act is not enough.

“It doesn’t address the larger kind of social issues that contribute to these feelings, to these experiences, to the targeting that is occurring,” said Green, an associate professor of English and the director of First-Year Writing at Howard University.

“What needs to happen is, as with everything, a kind of multipronged approach, one that raises public awareness and public consciousness of the ways that these things are discriminatory,” he said.

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Local

Cancer…My Journey in time: A time for reflections

by Wanda Clay There always comes a time when we reflect on who we are and where we are in our lives, noting the direction we should go according to where we have been. This can happen at any time in our lives. Yet this time of the year is known as the season of Lent. It is when Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. It was there that he was tempted, and it is then when his reflections determined how he would respond to those temptations.

While you may not completely fast as Jesus did, we can take time to ‘fast’ in our own way. Most importantly, we should take time to reflect on life.

Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor of Corinthian MBC, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer over two years ago. The time has not always centered on pain and suffering; he has been blessed with continuous healing and the ability to continue to minister and bless his family, friends, congregation and the community. He continues to respond to the needs and many requests and to do what

Rev. Enoch Fuzz he does best: offer great leadership and assistance. Fuzz’s journey is a reflection of life to which we all can it witness—what means to continue in spite of ailments, sickness, disease, and discomforts.

This is a time people cannot only reflect on their lives, but on the lives of others that see working we through situations that might seem impossible. One should take the time to reflect on life and meditate on how to make things happen—not on what a negative situation it may be. It is time to make changes that may be needed in order to create or maintain a viable life at whatever point of living you are in.

Currently Rev. Fuzz is in a state of needed rest, as he has been

throughout this journey. He always listens to what the doctors instruct him to do.

However, sometimes it is hard for him to maintain that level of prescribed ‘healing rest.’

When we have thoughts of how Rev. Fuzz can help in our endeavors, consider the energy he might use and the energy he may need to conserve for the healing he needs.

His doctors have instructed him to cut down on so many activities to promote his healing.

Assess your situation. Pray on your situation. Continue to move forward in your assignment from God. Move forward in your situation, but with consideration for your health and well-being.

Resist temptations that may take you off focus.

Continue to pray for Rev. Enoch Fuzz.

He is an example of working through a situation, even when he is prescribed to get more rest. One could even reflect on Rev. Fuzz’s life and be encouraged in your journey.

Pray, share and be encouraged by the postings and weekly readings of ‘Cancer: My Journey in Time.’

Belmont names Dr. D’Angelo Taylor inaugural vice president for ‘Hope, Unity and Belonging’ (HUB) Belmont University has announced that Dr. D’Angelo Taylor has been named as the university’s vice president for Hope, Unity and Belonging (HUB) and will serve as the architect of the newly created HUB—Belmont’s Office of Hope, Unity and Belonging. As part of this work, Taylor will lead the university’s diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives in support of its strategic emphasis to embrace hope and inclusive excellence to reweave the social fabric. Taylor will begin his new role at Belmont on May 1.

The HUB will serve as a centralized office dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives, carrying out the institution’s desire for all community members to experience a meaningful and authentic sense of connection. As part of this charge, the HUB will be responsible for managing all efforts related to Title IX compliance and prevention, as well as all non-discrimination and equity work (Titles VI, VII and IX) including prevention, protection and accountability.

Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said: “As an accomplished leader in higher education, diversity and inclusion, I am delighted to welcome Dr. Taylor to our campus community and am confident he will make an immeasurable impact on our efforts to creating spaces that promote belonging, creativity, innovation and flourishing. We are excited for the leadership and strategic vision that he will bring to this role and our entire campus community.”

Taylor currently serves as vice president for student affairs at Central State University, Ohio’s only public HBCU. In this role he provides vision, leadership and strategic direction to the Division of Student Affairs and supervises a

Dr. D’Angelo Taylor variety of student support services including career services, enrollment management and admissions, health and psychological services, housing, dining and more.

"I am honored and excited to have been selected as the inaugural vice president of Hope, Unity, & Belonging at Belmont,” said Dr. Taylor. “I look forward to connecting and collaborating with some of the brightest minds as we work to become the most inclusive Christcentered university in the world."

Previously, Taylor served as the associate director of the Multicultural Center at the University of Southern Indiana. While there, he worked to build partnerships with multiple entities across the institution and within the city and oversaw extensive programming and training efforts for the Center. He also served as director for the Collegiate Men of Distinction Mentoring Program and created an all-encompassing curriculum to enhance retention and graduation rates among Black males at the university.

This programming proved to be one of the most successful college

Black male mentoring programs in southwestern Indiana.

Susan West, executive vice president for Administration & Chief of Staff and the leader who will oversee Taylor in his new role at Belmont said: “Dr. Taylor’s appointment as vice president of Hope, Unity and Belonging is the next step in working to ensure all members of our community experience a meaningful and authentic sense of connection and belonging.

This is an important next step for Belmont, and I am thrilled that Dr. Taylor will be leading us into the future.”

In addition to his extensive career in higher education, Taylor has served on a variety of boards including as the vice-chairman of the John M. Caldwell Community Development Corporation, specifically focused on youth education and development and as a member of the Board of Brothers Out Saving Souls, Inc. (BOSS), an Evansville non-profit offering programs to help youth deal with issues such as violence and challenges at home and within the public education system.

Taylor is a 2021 recipient of the Evansville Rotary’s 20 Under 40 Award and the 2021 Social Change Award recipient at the University of Southern Indiana.

He is also a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law’s Professional Council.

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Clinton Global initiative University meets at vanderbilt March 3-5

by Cass Teague With a theme of “Homecoming: Strengthning Community, Leadership & Action,” the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) 2023 Annual Meeting will tackle pressing global challenges including climate change, reproductive rights for girls and women, protecting human rights, and health equity. President Bill Clinton, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton announced the program for this event, March 3-5 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

“CGI University has proven what’s possible when you bring together thousands of motivated young leaders to take action on the biggest challenges facing campuses, communities, and our world today,” said Chelsea Clinton.

“CGIU students share a commitment and drive to take action and I couldn’t think of a better place to host this year’s meeting than Vanderbilt University with their dedication to connecting students and people from around the world in pursuit of fearless inquiry, innovation and progress.”

Building on the momentum from the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2022 Meeting, CGI U’s 15th Annual Meeting will bring together aspiring leaders and global experts in business, public service, and social impact to develop innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

This is the first time in five years CGI U is convening in person, first since before the pandemic.

President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton will be joined by leaders in the public, private, and philanthropic sectors, including Anoka Prim-rose Abeyrathne, Co-Founder, Growin’ Money; Andrew Aboujaoude,

Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama share a handshake during a plenary session at the Clinton Global Initiative 2011 Annual Meeting.

Photo by Paul Morse Founder and President, President and CEO, Hearts for the Homeless CARE USA; Love International; Donnel Odetola, PhD Candidate, Baird, CEO, BlocPower; University of North Grant Bennett, Diversity Carolina Greensboro; Strategist, Google; Joel Ryan Ubuntu Olson, Bervell, Social Media Global Manager-DiverMedical Educator, Johns sity, Equity, Engagement Hopkins University; & Inclusion, DAI; Ai-jen Melissa Bradley, Man- Poo, President, National aging Partner, 1863 Domestic Workers Ventures; Secretary Pete Alliance; Elissa Russell, Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary CGI U ‘20, Founder and of Transportation; Ben CEO, READI ConsultConard, Chief of Staff, ing; Belinda ‘Otukolo Fair Trade USA; Melissa Saltiban, Associate Vice Diamond, Founder, A Chancellor of Equity, Global Voice for Autism; Diversity and Inclusion, Pashtana Dorani, Exe- Vanderbilt University; cutive Director, LEARN Reshma Saujani, FouAfghanistan; Allyson nder and CEO, Moms Felix, 5 Time Olympian First; and more. and Co-Founder of CGI U will bring Saysh; Abby Feuer, together students, alumExecutive Vice Pres- ni, and other volunteers ident, Marketing and for a Day of Action to Growth, Donors-Cho- mobilize and provide ose; Sasha Fisher, Co- meaningful community Founder and Executive service on and off the Director, Spark Micro Vanderbilt campus. With Grants; Jonathan Gill- Hands On Nashville, igan, Associate Profes- CGI U will provide food sor, Vanderbilt Univer- to families with Second sity; Vinny Johl, Comm- Harvest Food Bank, preitment Mentor, CGI U; pare flashcards and Diego Mariscal, Founder school supplies for stuand CEO, 2Gether- dents with PENCIL, and International; Larissa clear land for an upcomMay, Founder and ing cultural center with Executive Director, the Native American #HalfTheStory; Mich- Indian Association of elle Morse, MD, MPH, Tennessee. Learn more Chief Medical Officer & at: https://www.clinton Deputy Commissioner, foundation.org/ on FaceNYC Department of book at Facebook.com/ Health and Mental Hyg- ClintonFoundation, and iene; Michelle Nunn, on Twitter@ClintonFdn.

Georgia Grand Jury... from page 1 Capitol insurrection, told the Black Press that the panel turned over a mountain of evidence against Trump to the U.S. Department of Justice. “It would be tragic—a travesty of justice,” Thompson said, if Trump isn’t indicted.

As the Times pointed out: “A focal point of the Atlanta inquiry is a

call that Trump made on Jan. 2, 2021, to Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state, in which he pressed Mr. Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, to recalculate the results and ‘find’ 11,780 votes, or enough to overturn his loss in the state.”

“We definitely started with the first phone

call,” said Kohrs, “the call to Secretary Raffensperger that was so publicized. I will tell you that if the judge releases the recommendations, it is not going to be some giant plot twist. You probably have a fair idea of what may be in there. I’m trying very hard to say that delicately.”

Page 4

Nashville PRIDE

Editorials

Unapologetically Black

by William T. Robinson, Jr. No one should have to feel bad or apologize for their race because of how others may treat or portray them. Unfortunately, we find groups or segments of people especially people of African descent that are often stigmatized and treated differently from their White counterparts who make up the majority of the population in this country. The history of Blacks in this country has been etched in the scroll of time by the dominant Eurocentric culture by doing anything possible to subjugate African Americans and devalue and trivialize their worth.

It would be more comfortable for many people if we could ignore the past tumultuous and horrendous treatment of African Americans in this country. But it is not that simple. Maintaining White dominance and White supremacy is indoctrinated systemically in all institutions— our whether socially, economically, politically or educationally. Teaching true history (whether good or bad) will reveal the fragilities and transgressions that occurred, and will make us understand the reality of what we are experiencing today, especially as it relates to economic inequality and race relations. It’s easy to recognize the group of people in denial (or those with their heads deeply in the sand). They rationalize and deny that racism doesn’t exist, or it is exaggerated.

Is America ready to address the psyche of a race of people who have been traumatized and dehumanized since their arrival to this country as slaves? These are a people America enslaved, helping Whites gain enormous wealth, especially generational wealth; a people that you, America, ostracized or discriminated against in your banks, schools, jobs, and communities.

Even now, some Whites

William T. Robinson, Jr. have the audacity to ban books or curriculum that will educate young people to the truth. Those who claim the truth will spurn hate are perpetuating that White supremacy should stay intact.

They are not concerned with whether or not our children become racist, because the truth will bring about a generation committed to empathy, compassion, and a desire to make amends going forward. They’re not interested in learning from our mistakes.

The beauty of all the pain, hurt and suffering Blacks have endured and are still enduring is that they have persevered and continued to achieve and prosper in spite of all the obstacles that may be thrown in their path by their oppressors.

But never forget that we live in a country that relentlessly promotes a Eurocentric agenda. At times it seems that promoting diversity is just a diversion, because we still often end up with Eurocentric assimilation.

Those who are committed to true African World History are now privy to information from Black narratives.

The world is now able to see the true greatness of people of African descent—great warriors, kings and queens, builders of pyramids, architects of mathematics and medicine, great thinkers and philosophers, true and original cultivators of civilization. It should be of no surprise that those who seek to continue to control Blacks would be up at arms at exposing the

truth of a people they have spent centuries trying to discredit. Very few woke people are buying the historical picture painted of Blacks by their oppressors, i.e.: dumb, lazy, unambitious, thieves, nasty liars, promiscuous, and immoral. The truth is that many of these vices can be found among those victimizers still seeking to oppress Blacks and people of color.

Black boys and girls who have been subjected to lowering their heads and feeling inferior have but to learn their true history and reject the lies they have been told.

Understanding the madness they have been subjected to through education helps puts Blacks in a better position to counteract the effects of racism and demand change. We also need more good Whites to speak out against systemic racism and call out their peers, blatantly promoting racism.

Blacks promoting unity and love among Blacks should not have to apologize or be made to feel guilty promoting Black unity and love. Do not fall for the game of some Whites that by loving your race you are prejudiced and antiWhite. Black History is a beautiful thing after centuries of Africa Americans being taught and programmed to hate each other. We are finally learning our greatness and to really love who we are. Blacks should welcome breaking the chains keeping us prisoners and learn to unapologetically love who we are. Can’t America see that when a person truly learns to love who he/she is, they can more easily love others. We all win.

Being unapologetically Black is a blessing that no one can take away from us no matter how hard they may try. All we ask is that African Americans be equally afforded all the same rights and opportunities as their fellow Americans.

www.pridepublishinggroup.com

February 24, 2023

Florida just the latest battlefield in ‘Right’s War’ on education

by Svante Myrick (TriceEdneyWire. com) – It’s been a few weeks since a mess started boiling over in Florida with the rollout of the new AP African American Studies course, and no one involved is looking good: not the state Department of Education, not the College Board, and definitely not Gov. Ron DeSantis, who blasted the course publicly and pressured the College Board to water it down. Now DeSantis, pum-ped up by what he thinks is his victory over educators, is making noise about going after all AP courses in the state.

It’s sad and infuriating to see the adults behaving like bullies and cowards, pointing fingers and trading accusations, while the ones being hurt are kids. Not just Black kids, who have waited years for a collegelevel course like this, but all kids who will be deprived of a chance to learn foundational concepts in modern Black history if these adults have their way.

The new course omits many contemporary Black thinkers and writers. The core program doesn’t cover essential issues like structural marginalization, intersectionality, mass incarceration, reparations or the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s impossible to say students are well-versed in African American studies if these topics are considered optional.

It’s even more absurd to say these students have attained college-level mastery of the subject, which is what AP credit is all about.

And what gets

Svante Myrick erased next? Do we teach kids about Martin Luther King, Jr. and not Malcolm X? Do we sideline Jesse Jackson? How about erasing Ruby Bridges, the little girl who was the first to integrate New schools?

Orleans Ridiculous? Not at all: the far-right group Moms for Liberty really did try to ban a book about Ruby from classrooms, claiming it was too upsetting for kids to read about the White mob that harassed sixyear-old Ruby on her way to school.

College Board officials insist that Ron DeSantis’ pressure did not force them to make the changes they made in the AP African American Studies course, and I will give them credit for publicly pointing out the ignorance and political motivations on display at the Florida Department of Education.

Regardless, the Board played right into DeSantis’ hands. And their decision to remove important material from the core portion of the course had the same effect in the end: kids don’t get exposed to it and their freedom to learn is shortchanged. All of us should demand that the College Board revise the curriculum to more accurately reflect the contemporary Black experience.

And at the same time, we should set our

sights on removing politicians like DeSantis. Because he is hellbent on building his right-wing political brand, today’s battlefield in the Far Right’s war on education is Florida.

But it won’t stop there. It will be fought in Virginia, and Texas, and states across the Ambitious country. politicians like DeSantis in Florida and Glenn Young-kin in Virginia smell opportunity in this environment. It’s up to us to use the power vested in us by our representative democracy to stop them.

Maybe because I have served in office myself and have spent many years mentoring young elected officials, I will always have an unshakable faith in the power of representative democracy to solve problems and improve lives. I really believe that whatever mess elected officials have gotten us into, voters and true public servants can get us out. Those of us who care about threats to education need to wield our power at the ballot box against antipolitieducation cians—or run for office ourselves. It might be a seat on the school board, or a local legislature, or a state office—or higher.

That’s what I hope will come out of this disaster in Florida: not just the ultimate defeat of truly terrible officeholders but the elevation of truly good ones, who get into public service because they see a wrong to right.

People we can count on to make inclusive education and opportunity a reality for all students, because all students have that right.

New financial rule could put $9B back in consumers’ pockets

the beat, the CFPB has the lowest rates of ecoby Charlene Crowell begun the rule making nomic mobility paid near(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Amid still-rising interest process to rein in the ly $10 more in late fee rates, most families financial harms caused by charges per account comremain financially chal- a myriad of fees affecting pared to people in areas lenged to make household at least 85% of con- with the highest rates of

by Ben Jealous lage where median needs fit into their budg- sumers, according to a economic mobility.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) household income is ets. For Black Americans 2019 survey by ConWhile acknowledging – People around East about two-thirds the Ohio whose wea-lth amounts to sumer Reports. the Bureau’s earlier Palestine, Ohio, have average. They are places 25 cents for every $1 of The proposed CFPB efforts to rein in high-cost been warned not to run that historically get over- White family wealth, rule change would make overdraft fees, Nadine their vacuum cleaners. looked. according to the St. Louis exorbitant late fees illegal. Chabrier, a senior policy That was the reality The best news is we Federal Reserve, the chal- Based on the agency’s counsel with the Center two weeks after a train already know what to do. lenge is especially daunt- estimates, the proposal for Responsible Lending derailment in the village While the cause of the ing. could reduce credit card says more must be done of about 4,700 people Ohio derailment hasn’t So it is particularly late fees by as much as $9 to protect consumers from near the border with been determined official- encouraging to Blacks, billion per year—even other costly junk fees.

Pennsylvania that damly, reports indicate a and others of modest though no additional col“These charges wreak aged public health and the wheel bearing in the car means, for a sitting presi- lection costs are incurred. havoc on household environment in ways that that caused the accident dent to speak to the aver“In markets across the budgets,” said Chabrier.

Ben Jealous still aren’t fully known. overheated; there are sen- age person’s concerns in economy, junk fees have “We applaud President Pennsylvania’s health about risks they face and sors for that we can the annual State of the unfortunately become the Biden for highlighting department has told resi- support to which they are require. Similarly, we can Union Address. norm,” said Rohit their harm. We are dents that data from its air entitled. While federal replace braking technolo“Junk fees may not Chopra, CFPB director, in encouraged that the conquality monitoring “do authorities generally gy that dates back more matter to the very announcing the proposed sumer bureau announced not indicate a potential defer to state officials in than a century with newer wealthy, but they matter rule. “These junk fees it will take additional for long-term health disasters, the simmering brakes that even Norfolk to most folks in homes aren’t subject to the nor- steps, and we urge the effects,” but if people mistrust caused by the Southern said cuts stop- like the one I grew up in,” mal forces of competition. bureau to place strong choose to vacuum after strange odors residents ping distances by 60%. said President Joe Biden They’re often charged for limits on the size and fretheir evacuation they say they smell, the soreAnyone who saw on February 7. “They add so-called services that a quency of these fees.” should do so “small ness of their throats, and videos of the burning cars up to hundreds of dollars consumer never wanted More support for amounts at a time and the aching in their heads after the crash or the huge a month. I know how and are set at levels far eliminating these budgettake frequent breaks by seems to cry out for a dif- cloud of smoke when unfair it feels when a beyond the true cost. Junk busting fees came from walking outdoors.” As ferent response. vinyl chloride was burned company overcharges fees inflate prices and Congresswoman Maxine confusing as those mesThe EPA and Trans- off to prevent an explo- you and gets away with it. chip away at monthly Waters, the current Ranksages may be, Ohioans portation Department sion may be shocked to But not anymore.” budgets by obscuring part ing Member of the House have gotten even less must ensure that Norfolk learn that the wrecked Junk fees are hidden of the price from compar- Financial Services Cominformation from that Southern meets its obli- train wasn’t designated a and unexpected charges ison shopping, making it mittee, and its former state’s government. gation to make things ‘high-hazard flammable that are often not included difficult for Americans to chair.

Five of the derailed right. The Sierra Club’s train,’ which would trig- in the initial or listed price shop around.”

“I was pleased to hear cars contained nearly one Ohio director Ericka ger additional safety steps of a transaction but are “When we asked peo- President Biden call out million pounds of vinyl Copeland captured it: and more notice to state added on at the time of the ple to submit their com- junk fees by name, and chloride, a toxic flamma- “East Palestine and the and local officials. This is payment. ments on and experiences double down on the ble liquid; other cars car- surrounding communities an easy step to take.

Many consumers are with junk fees, we were Administration’s commitried butyl acrylate, ethyl- in Ohio and Pennsylvania These remedies have unaware of how junk fees inundated with stories ment to limit hidden fees hexyl acrylate, and deserve full transparency been proposed before. bloat the costs of a variety from thousands of indi- and surcharges in a numisobutylene. The spills from the EPA, Norfolk The railroad industry of goods and services. As viduals about being ber of industries,” stated from the wreck have left a Southern, and state lead- calls them too costly. But a result, the actual costs charged fees for things Waters on February 8, the long chemical plume ership. Residents deserve that claim must be consumers pay are much that weren’t in their con- day after the State of the moving down the Ohio to be able to safely return weighed against nearly larger than expected or trol, like in the case of Union Address. “We have River at about a mile an to their homes and access $200 billion in stock buy- advertised. Prepaid card surprise overdraft fees,” long helped lead the fight hour. drinking water without backs and dividends for fees, convenience fees, said Chopra. “Many to shine a bright light on The result has been at the risk of everyday activ- the nation’s biggest rail overdraft fees, and late Americans bel-ieve these these types of harmful least 3,500 fish killed. ities like vacuuming companies since 2010 as fees are among the myri- fees are just plain wrong.” junk fees and have The train’s owner Nor- exposing them further to they also cut their work- ad of add-on charges that The proposed rule advanced legislation to folk Southern said it is these chemicals.” forces. consumers often learn making is based on earlier ensure consumers are not removing contaminated Moving forward, we We can start by restor- about after or during CFPB research released ‘nickel and dimed’ out of soil at the crash site, need to do more to protect ing brake system and transactions. last year that found that in savings that could go which can leach toxic people and places from other safety rules rescindThe Consumer Fin- only one year, 2020, cred- towards buying a new chemicals into the water hazardous materials that ed during the Trump ancial Protection Bureau it card companies charged home or starting a small and air, after the Environ- move in more than two administration. Once we (CFPB) has a section of $12 billion in late fees business.” mental Protection Agency million freight cars each push for all these com- its website dedicated to alone. Card interest rates “Thanks to the leader(EPA) raised questions. year. To be fair, reports mon-sense measures to explaining the varying generate a separate rev- ship of Director Chopra, The immediate need show that freight rail protect ourselves and our types of junk fees and enue stream. the CFPB is helping to is to respond to make sure spills happen less often neighborhoods, we their respective charges.

Other key findings advance these efforts to that harm to people, than spills from trucks or should start asking anothTo learn more about from this report found that put more money back into wildlife, and waters now planes. But we know er question: What was this growing consumer cardholders in majority- consumers’ pockets. I and and in the future are lim- those trains don’t run going to happen to all issue, visit www.con Black areas paid more in consumers across the ited to the extent we are through posh suburbs. those toxic chemicals sumerfinance.gov/ruleslate fees for each card country can’t wait for this able. As a starting point, They run through places once they reached the rail policy/junk-fees/. they held with major rule to be finalized residents need clear, like East Palestine, a yard where they were Further, as the con- credit card issuers in as soon as possible,” understandable answers working-class White vil- headed? sumer’s financial cop-on- 2019. People in areas with Waters said.

The editorials on this page do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers or staff of this newspaper.

Railroad safety action shouldn’t require a toxic spill and fiery crash

February 24, 2023

www.pridepublishinggroup.com

Continuations

Nashville PRIDE

Page 5

Classified tapes... from page 1 Black taxpayers... from page 1 gave the classified information to Carlson, the most outspoken Fox host, to promote the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. “You turn the tapes over to a guy who was the cheerleader of lies being told, and even when he knew what he was saying was wrong, he kept saying it,” Thompson said. “I don’t know what it means from a journalistic standpoint, we can have differences of opinion, but when facts say something different and are irrefutable, and you try to promote alternate situations, that’s not journalism.

“You turn this kind of information to these people who have been proven in a court of law not to tell the truth about a subject they had already acknowledged in court. Fox News has turned this information over to the courts in a lawsuit, and now that same Fox News has access to information about January 6. The speaker should have said, ‘I can’t let you have this.’ But he did.”

Thompson While doesn’t expect McCarthy to pay the price for his action, he stated his belief that he, a Democrat and African American, most certainly would have it been him who turned over classified information.’

“I, and every other member of Congress, take an oath that you are not supposed to release that kind of information,” Thompson said.

“If you do, you have violated the oath of office and broken the law.”

Thompson, who led the investigation into the January 6 insurrection,

called it challenging to work with Republicans like McCarthy, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and others.

“I think Speaker McCarthy, because of his challenge to become speaker, made so many off-the-record commitments to become the speaker that he can’t say ‘no’ to certain people,” Thompson said. “He can’t say ‘no’ to Marjorie Taylor Greene or some of those other folks. So it took him too long to become the speaker. Every time a vote was taken, they negotiated, and ultimately McCarthy got the number he needed. Still, it’s clear that he had to give up all authority and power inherent in a traditional speakership to get the job.

“So, I’m not surprised he gave this information to Fox News.

They’ve been in his corner promoting an alternate reality, which is part of the payback to the Fox Network.”

Thompson said politics are far different today than in previous times.

While many of his colleagues believe in the rule of law and that America is a nation of laws, Thompson said some in Congress differ substantially.

Taylor “Marjorie Greene tweeted that there should be a national divorce, but that’s the Civil War. That’s the 2.0 version of divide and conquer or us versus them,” Thompson said.

“What we try to do is based on facts and to promote the truth.

“A lot of our colleagues could give a tinker’s damn about the truth. I’ll celebrate 30 years in this institution

in a couple of months, and I’ve never seen it this partisan, and I’ve never seen the lack of respect I see now for the institution.”

Thompson also revealed for the first time how challenging, and life-threatening serving on the January 6 Commission was.

“Every member ended up with a security detail,” Thompson said.

“The moment they landed in Washington, the Capitol police would meet them at the airport and be with them until they got back on the plane. When you went home, another detail would meet you and be at the house until you returned to Washington.

Based on the threat level, they assessed and looked at social media postings. We had folks crazy enough to call the office. So, they gave everyone a detail. It was also what was being said. People were talking about family members.

You can pick on Bennie Thompson but leave my wife, daughter, and grandchildren alone. It was a challenge.

“We had witnesses we wanted to talk to, but they were afraid. So for a couple who testified, we moved them out of their apartments before they testified and put them in undisclosed locations. We were concerned. After they testified, they left town the same day. It was something that the annals of history, over time, will tell you that we went through.

“But we told everyone that they were welcome to be a witness in public or in private, but under oath. If you lie to us, we will charge you with perjury.”

executive Order... from page 2 “These transformative achievements have advanced the work of building a more equitable nation,” Biden said. “Yet, members of underserved communities, many of whom have endured generations of discrimination and disinvestment, still confront significant barriers to realizing the full promise of our great nation, and the federal government has a responsibility to remove these barriers.

“It is imperative to reject the narrow, cramped view of American opportunity as a zero-sum game. When any person or community is denied freedom, dignity, and prosperity, our entire nation is held back.

“But when we lift each other up, we are all lifted up.”

The president declared that his administration must take additional action across the federal government (in collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and state and local government) to continue the

work begun with his initial order to combat discrimination and advance equal opportunity, including by redressing unfair disparities and removing barriers to government programs and services.

Biden insisted that racial equality and helping communities that don’t get enough help are not one-time projects.

The new order also directs federal agencies to have equity teams and name senior leaders who would be accountable for increasing equity and addressing bias.

Biden is “doubling down,” according to Chiraag Bains, the president’s special assistant for racial justice and equity, on the promise he made on his first day in office “to put fairness at the center of how this government runs.”

The order recognizes that attaining equity is not a one- or two-year undertaking, and it makes official Biden’s promise that government be open and accessible to all.

Bains referred to it as a “generational commitment.”

There is room for improvement in how often and how effectively federal agencies partner with communities affected by systemic discrimination, Bains said.

Moreover, the new order formally establishes the president’s aim of increasing federal procurement expenditures going to small and disadvantaged enterprises by 50% by the year 2025.

Under the order, agencies must also focus on new civil rights threats, such as discrimination in automated technology and access for people with disabilities and those who speak languages other than English. It also includes a push to improve collection, transparency, and data analysis to help improve equity.

“By redoubling our efforts, the federal government can help bridge the gap between the world we see and the future we seek,” Biden stated.

Rep. Greene... from page 2 said something like this 15 years ago, they would be deemed unstable and laughed out of politics.

Today, it is embraced by the Speaker of the House. That says it all.”

Still, others noted how Greene and all members of Congress swore under oath that they “do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that [they] will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that [they] take this obligation freely.”

Greene continues to openly support the insurrectionists from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and

American Democracy.

As NBC News noted, many know Greene for her controversial statements.

For example, she has said that Jewish space lasers could start wildfires if they were put into the right place. She has also said that Muslim congresswomen could not be sworn in properly.

But she has been trying to rebrand herself as someone who can bridge the divides in her party as she angles to be Donald Trump’s 2024 running mate, NBC News reported last month.

Green is not the first Republican to call for a line of succession, and support for a separate

country has been growing since the 2020 elections. A June 2021 poll

by Bright Line Watch and YouGov found that 66% of Southern Republicans supported leaving the U.S. and forming a new country.

Support was also high among Democrats in the West, where 47% supported a division.

“Please cease from calling for a ‘Civil War’ under the guise of ‘National Divorce,’” attorney and activist Gerald Griggs wrote to Greene.

“You swore an oath to the United States of America and the state of Georgia to represent us.

Please represent all the people.”

set of internal IRS algorithms causes racial differences in audit selection. Goldin compared them to the recipe for Coca-Cola: “It’s completely secret.”

To better understand this audit selection bias, the research team modeled the racial impact that various alternative audit selection policies might have.

The result showed how the IRS could change its secret algorithm to make it less unfair to people of different races. “The IRS should drill down to understand and modify its existing audit selection methods to mitigate the disparity we’ve documented,” Ho said.

“And we’ve shown they can do that without sacrificing tax revenue.”

Although there have long-standing been questions about whether the IRS uses its audit powers somewhat, Ho said it was challenging to study because tax returns are private.

The IRS’s approach to audit decisions was confidential.

That changed when, on his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order This order 13985. requires all federal agencies to examine how their programs affect racial and ethnic equity.

To apply that order to the IRS tax return audit program, economists at the Treasury Department worked with the Stanford RegLab team to analyze more than 148 million tax returns and about 780,000 tax returns for 2014. The RegLab team used anonymous data to do the analysis.

Even with all that information, the research team found that tax returns do not ask for a person’s race or ethnicity.

So the team adapted and improved on a stateof-the-art approach that uses first names, last names, and geography (U.S. Census block groups) to predict the probability that a person identifies as Black.

They confirmed their racial identification results using a North Carolina sample of voter registration records. In that state, until recently, when people registered to vote, they had to check a box for race and ethnicity.

After finding that Black taxpayers were 2.9 to 4.7 times more likely to be audited than non-Black taxpayers, the team looked at why this might be the case.

They suspected that the problem lay with an IRS algorithm’s use of the Dependent Database, which flags a potential problem and generates an audit letter to the taxpayer.

That instinct proved correct in that most racial differences were found in so-called ‘correspondence’ audits.

These audits are done by mail rather than in person.

The team also found that the IRS audits people more often who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC helps low- and moderate-income people.

But claiming the EITC only explains a small percentage of the observed racial disparity.

The largest source of disparity occurs among EITC claimants. Indeed, Black taxpayers accounted for 21% of EITC claims but were the focus of 43% of EITC audits.

The racial disparity in audit rates persists regardless of whether EITC claimants are male or female, married or unmarried, raising chil-

dren, or childless.

But it is most extreme for single male taxpayers claiming dependents (7.73% for Black claimants; 3.46% for non-Black claimants) and for single male taxpayers who did not claim dependents (5.66% for Black; 2% for nonBlack).

Perhaps the most striking statistic is this: A single Black man with dependents who claims the EITC is nearly 20 times as likely to be audited as a non-Black jointly filing (married) taxpayer claiming the EITC. Although the team does not know precisely what algorithm the IRS uses to choose audits, they thought of several possible reasons for high audit rates.

First, they tried an ‘Oracle’ approach. They used a dataset called the National Research Project (NRP).

Because each tax return in this dataset was subjected to a line-byline audit, the amount of underreported tax liability is known.

So the researchers looked at what would happen if the IRS selected taxpayers based on the known amount of underreported tax in the NRP dataset.

The result: The racial difference in audit selection flips.

The IRS would audit more non-Black taxpayers than Black taxpayers to catch the most underreported income tax.

The team also used the NRP dataset to train a model to predict the likelihood that a taxpayer has underreported income and the magnitude of a taxpayer’s underreporting for the entire 2014 dataset.

They found that an approach focused just on the likelihood that there’s underreporting of at least $100 would result in auditing more Black taxpayers (as was observed).

By contrast, focusing on the magnitude of underreporting (the amount of money unpaid by a taxpayer) would yield a result much closer to the oracle: More non-Black taxpayers would be audited than Black.

“The choice to focus on whether there is underreporting, as opposed to the magnitude of underreporting, is connected to broader structural sources of economic inequality and racial justice,” Smith said.

Because far more Black taxpayers have lower income, they have less opportunity to underreport substantial amounts of income, the researchers concluded.

By contrast, Smith said, “focusing audits on the amount of underreported income will disproportionately end up focusing on higher income individuals who are less likely to be Black taxpayers.”

Finally, the team wondered if the racial disparity in audits springs from IRS and congressional concerns about refundable tax credits, including the EITC and several others.

When someone claims one of these social security tax credits, they receive a refund even if they did not pay any taxes.

And some in government think it’s more important to avoid paying money to someone who claims it inappropriately than to collect all the tax dollars due from someone engaged in some other form of tax evasion.

To test the hypothesis that this approach would have a disparate impact on Black taxpay-

ers, the team examined what would happen if the IRS focused audits specifically on the underreporting due to over-claiming of refundable tax credits (the EITC as well as two others) rather than total underreporting.

Their findings: This policy would result in Black taxpayers being audited at rates like what the team observed in the 2014 data.

Seventy percent of IRS audits happen through the mail, and 50% involve EITC claimants.

The team found that correspondence audits of EITC claimants are easy to trigger compared to labor-intensive field audits, cost very little, and require minimal effort by IRS personnel.

Unfortunately, the burden of correspondence audits on EITC claimants is more likely to fall on lower-income individuals, whose tax returns are less complex and less likely to lead to litigation, according to a recent study by the same research team.

In their new work, the team found that additional aspects of the IRS audit selection process have a racially disparate impact in the United States.

For example, even among correspondence of EITC audits claimants, the IRS devotes fewer resources to auditing EITC returns with business income.

The team concluded suggested that it’s because it would be more expensive to audit EITC returns with business income (about $385 per audit compared to $29 per audit for EITC claimants with no business income).

And the team found this cost-saving measure has a disparate impact on Black taxpayers, who make up only 10% of EITC claimants reporting business income but 20% of EITC claimants who don’t report business income.

Yet even if IRS resource limits explain some of the racial disparities the team observed, they don’t explain all of them.

“Even holding fixed how many audits are devoted to EITC claimants who report business income, we still observe racial disparities,” Elzayn said.

The study’s authors have not made any formal recommendations for making the IRS audit selection algorithm more just.

Instead, they have written about the possible effects of alternative policies. This allows the IRS to reduce the racial impact of its system of choosing auditors.

These include predicting and focusing on the magnitude of taxpayers’ underreported income rather than just the likelihood of it; using IRS resources to audit more complex returns rather than focusing only on the simpler ones that are cheaper to audit; and viewing dollars as equal whether they are to be paid in refundable credits or received in taxes.

Before Biden signed the Racial Justice Executive Order that engendered this research project, the IRS needed more impetus and the ability to do that.

Now that they know the equity implications of how they select audits, Ho hopes they will tweak their confidential audit selection algorithm.

“Racial disparities in income are well known, and what the IRS chooses to focus on has big implications for whether audits complement, or undercut, a progressive tax system,” Ho said.

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Nashville PRIDE

Pastor, Pew, & Pulpit www.pridepublishinggroup.com February 24, 2023

Faith of A Mustard Seed

By Barbara A. Woods Washington, M. Div. Some really great people have walked this planet and shared their Knowledge for the generations to come.

And ‘Real Knowledge’ is ‘Time Tested’ and found... True!

“Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance.” (Plato) "In spite of our tendency to error, a knowing mind is always in contact, at some point or other, with the actual world. What we know is not merely our ideas, but the real world, our ideas constituting our more or less accurate apprehension of the nature of the real world.

One of the purposes of human life is the constant re-examination of those apprehensions in the hope that they will become increasingly more accurate.

Knowledge is never simple or easy, delusion is common, and the true apprehension of reality, if it comes, comes at the end of the process rather than at the beginning.

Genuine knowledge is always an achievement and never the datum with which we start."

(D. Trueblood).

“Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality” (Dalai Lama XIV) "In our search for religious knowledge, one of the primary guides should be the

Barbara A. Woods Washington, M. Div. principle of inclusiveness. The student must not be satisfied with his knowledge of one religious tradition— and that perhaps only partially understood. He must seek to know sympathetically all the religions of mankind, and to understand why each has claimed for itself the same ultimate authority which all the others claim. If (you) know only one religion (you are) a most unsatisfactory judge of any religion." (Q. Lyon) “Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.”

(William Shakespeare) “And the LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, 'Return, faithless Israel, says the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, says the LORD; I will not be angry for

ever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the LORD your God and scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, says the LORD. Return, O faithless children, says the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. (Jeremiah) “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

(Marcus Garvery) “One part of knowledge consists of being ignorant of such things as are not worthy to be known.” (Socrates). "...a human being is a multi-leveled being, a being that is made of, so to say, several stories, one above the other. The highest one is really identical with the God-head; the highest one. ... As it is, it's as though I inherited a skyscraper and I'm living only on the first story, or sometimes even below, in the basement." (A. Steinsaltz) “Knowledge is Biblical. Education is not.” (Barbara Woods) by email: myfa thersmansionpress@ gmail.com.

Faithful utterances What’s your ‘why’ with work?

by Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew Since I was a child, I knew the importance of work. When I was about 12 years old, my parents opened up a restaurant. I remember working after school and on weekends to help my parents from the time I was in middle school until I graduated from high school with their business. I learned such a strong work ethic and learned very quickly that if I wanted something, I had to work for it.

As an adult, that work ethic has not changed but I’ve had to re-evaluate the ‘why’ behind the work. We all work because it helps us to pay our bills, take care of children and help our families. Research states that the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime.

How we spend our time at work and even outside of work is important in shaping the life that we are called to live.

It's easy to forget that our purpose is much bigger than what we do or the titles we possess.

Making money is a means but it is not the end. Work can be a vehicle to build and utilize our gifts but ultimately, all that we do should glorify God. If we are going to spend so much time working, it is imperative that we seek God about our work.

For some reason, we tend to separate God from our work lives. It’s as if we go to church on Sunday and the rest of the week, we fail to recognize the role that God has in our daily lives and interactions, especially on the job. Many of us are miserable because we’ve sought human advice and instruction

instead of seeking God—even in the very mundane tasks that we encounter every day.

How is God a part of your work life?

Scripture reminds us of the bigger purpose for work: • “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need,” Ephesians 4:28. Work is not only for us but a mechanism to use our resources to bless others.

• “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you,” John 6:27. We are not only working for just a life on earth but one that will allow us to ultimately reside with God in eternity. Is your life one you can be proud of?

One that God will acknowledge because you were a ‘good and faithful servant’?

(Matthew 25:23) • The ‘Parable of the Talents,’ in Matthew 25:14–30 tells of a master who was leaving his house to travel. Before leaving, he entrusted his property to his servants.

According to the abilities of each man, one servant received five talents, the second had received two, and the third received only one.

Each one of the servants doubled what they were given with the exception of the servant with the one talent. He chose to bury his without maximizing what he was given. How are you multiplying the gifts, talents, and resources God has given you? Are you burying them in the ground waiting on the

Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew perfect opportunity to walk into your purpose or are you trusting God to multiply what you have in faith?

• “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done,” Genesis 2:3.

If God understood the importance of rest from work, are you, too, taking the time to rejuvenate? Rest is essential not only for our bodies and minds but to hear from God. We can be too busy that we miss the divine opportunities. Proverbs 8:12 talks about wisdom which comes from God. In this wisdom, God can give knowledge of witty inventions. Are you missing the great idea because you are too busy with many good ideas?

Work can be a gift but don’t miss out on the many gifts God gives for us to live a life of abundance in not only work but in time with God, play, and rest as well.

(Dr. Froswa’ BookerDrew is the host of the Tapestry podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the vice president of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas.

To learn more, visit <drfroswa.com>.)

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expressions of faith Wait on God

by Bishop-elect Dr. Monterey D. Lee, Sr. Isaiah gives Israel these words: "Wait on the Lord" to usher them into the presence of God's awareness. Whatever your needs are, He is able and available to come through on your behalf. The only place you can find what you need is in God. As you wait on Him, don't be weary. Waiting is a sign of patience. Worrying is a sign of being impatient. It causes anxiety or potential problems that you cannot solve. You cannot solve a problem with the same thinking you used to create a problem.

Israel continually sinned and rebelled against their covenantkeeping God through unbelief and foolishness.

So Isaiah wrote almost 40 chapters of reproof and rebuke to them for their unbelief and to ask them an everlasting question.

"Do you not know, have you not heard, that the everlasting God [Yahweh], the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increases strength," Isaiah 40:28-31.

Israel you cannot trust your own sufficiency or strength. God is not looking at your quality or state of being physically strong. He is looking for how spiritually strong you are. God looks at how strong you

are on the inside. When have spiritual you strength it activates your spirit and connects you to the divine power and presence of God from within, giving you the power you need to live a life of purpose and fulfillment. This is why you must have values, beliefs, and purpose in your life that demonstrates or explains who God is in you.

Who is God in your life? What is being conveyed from you for the world to see?

What has God promised you that you are waiting to see come to pass?

What are you still waiting on in your life that has the full manifestation of God's blessings?

What do you need God to do in your life that you know He has promised you and is His will?

Do you not know, have you not heard what your God can do only if you come back? Wait, and stop being in such a hurry for Him to move.

You know you have to wait on God to do it. You cannot be impulsive or anxious for nothing.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God," Philippians 4:6.

You make it known unto God and let Him work it. You make it known unto God and let Him fix it.

You make it known unto God and let Him

Bishop-elect Dr. Monterey D. Lee, Sr. come through on your behalf. Be thankful that He's working it out.

You may ask ‘when will God reveal His will to me’? I know that the releasing of God's will is His power, but when will God reveal His power to me? I'm not going to stop worshiping Him, praising Him, or living for Him. I just need to know when. God is looking for you just to wait, believe and trust Him. He is the only one who knows the right time to reveal and to release the plans He has for you.

"Wait on the Lord and be of good courage.

For they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint," Psalm 27:14.

God knows what He wants for us. He has the blueprint for our lives all drawn up. He is putting seeds in the hearts of mankind, just like a gardener. He waters the seed so it can grow and be able to carry out His will. You just wait on Him!

Nashville PRiDe Directory of Churches 40th Avenue Church of Christ 616 40th Avenue North Nashville TN, 37209 www.40thavecoc.com Sunday School 9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study: Wed. 7:00 p.m. & Thurs 11:00 a.m.

(615) 329-2325 Min. Dr. Charles A Beaman Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Nashville 1130 8th Ave S Nashville, TN 37203 615-687-4600 7 days a week with Service every Sunday at 11AM scientology-ccnashville.org Senior Pastor: Rev. Brian Fesler Clark Memorial United Methodist Church 1014 14th Ave. North Nashville, TN 37208 Ph: (615) 329-4464 FAX: (615) 321-0975 Sunday Worship: 8:00 a.m./10:45 a.m.

Herbert Lester, Jr.,pastor clarkumcnashville.org Cleveland Street MBC 608 Cleveland Street Nashville, TN 37207 615-227-1149 Sunday Worship: 10:45 a.m./9:15 Church School clevelandstreet baptist@comcast.net www.clevelandstreet baptistchurch.com Dr. Donald Snead, pastor Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church 819 33rd Avenue N. Nashville, TN 37209 (615) 977-6855 Sunday School 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.

Wed. Worship: 7:30 PM Rev. Enoch Fuzz, pastor Ezra Emmanuel Ministries 2606 Union Hall Rd. Clarksville, TN 37040 www.ezraemmanuelmin.org 9 a.m. Sunday worship 6 p.m. Wednesday Hr of Empowerment 931-378-1092 Overseer Danelle M. Stephens Gospel United Missionary Baptist Church 3700 Fairview Dr. Nashville, TN 37218 615-876-7022 9:30 Sunday School Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Pastor Carlos A. Jones

Greater St. John Baptist Church 2200 26th Ave, No. Nashville, TN 37208 (615) 263-9450 Sunday Worship: 10:45 a.m.

Herbert T. Brown, pastor Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church 2334 Herman Street Nashville, TN 3728 615-329-2779 Sunday School @ 8:45am Sunday Worship @ 10:00am Bible Studies: Monday Thursday @ 6pm; Wednesdays @ 12 noon gordonmemorialumc.org Rev. Dr. Paula B. Smith, Pastor Jefferson Street MBC 2708 Jefferson Street Nashville TN 37208 615-329-2990 Morning Worship: 10 a.m.

Rev. Aaron X. Marble, pastor John Wesley UMC 901 Benton Avenue 615-298-2019 Sunday worship 8am/11am Daniel M. Hayes, Sr. pastor jwesleyumc@bellsouth.net http://jwesleyumc.org/ Lake Providence MBC 5891 Nolensville Pike Nashville, TN 37211 (615) 833-5539 Sunday worship: 8am/11am Rev. H. Bruce Maxwell, pastor The Living Word International Church 5100 Wyoming Ave. Nashville, TN 37209 615-297-7437 Worship Times: 11:00 a.m. 7 p.m.

(1st & 2nd Sun.) Bishop Adebanjo thelivingwordcogic.com Mt. Lebanon MBC 222 Franklin Lime Stone Rd. 11:00 a.m. worship service 615-596-0456 jamesgreen@yahoo.com Rev. James J. Green, pastor Mt. Vernon MBC 1022 New Providence Pass Madison, TN 37115 Sunday Worship 11 a.m.

615-860-0213 Bishop Willie Joy, pastor mtvernon1022@cocast.net

Nehemiah Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Thomas E. Hunter, Sr. 916 16th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37208 615-942-5261 Sunday School:9:00am Sunday Service: 10:00am Tues. Bible Study:6:30pm nehemiahmissionary baptistchurch.com New Salem A.M.E. Church 1800 4th Ave. N. Nashville, TN 37208 615-964-7246 Sunday Worship 11 a.m.

Pastor Eddie L. Sneed Payne Chapel AME Church 212 Neil Avenue (615) 262-3675 Sunday Worship: 10 am Rev. W. Antoni Sinkfield Schrader Lane Church of Christ 1234 Schrader Lane Nashville, TN 37208 (615) 329-0950 Sunday Worship: 7:45/10:15 a.m./5:00 p.m.

Robert Gardenhire, Pastor Spruce Street Baptist Church 504 Spruce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Worship at 11 a.m.

(615) 329-4105 Pastor Raymond Bowman St. John A.M.E. Church 1822 Formosa Street Nashville, TN. 37208 (615) 320-1026 sainjohname@aol.com Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m.

Rev. Lisa Hammonds St. Luke A.M.E. Church 355 Blythe Ave. Gallatin, Tenn. 37066 615-452-3137 Sunday School 9:15 am Sunday Worship 10:30 am Rev. Dr. Barbara J.Crawford St. Matthew MBC 2412 Osage Street (615) 329-0173 Sunday Worship 11:00 a.m.

Rev. W.B. Armstrong, pastor St. Paul A.M.E. Church 3340 W. Hamilton Ave. Nashville, TN 37218 (615) 876-7219 Rev. Harold Moses Love, Jr. www.stpaul-amec.com Word of Life Christian Center International 4100 Clarksville Pike Nashville, TN 37218 (615) 876-3086 Sunday Worship: 11:00 am Rev. Alexander Arthur

February 24, 2023

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Nashville Repertory Theatre presents August Wilson’s Fences March 3-5

By Cass Teague Nashville Repertory Theatre presents August Wilson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences, on stage from Friday, March 3 through Sunday, March 5, 2023, followed by a week of school performances at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s James K. Polk Theater, 505 Deaderick Street.

Come see this powerful and moving play and experience the artistry and brilliance of August Wilson for yourself.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm.

For ticket and more information, visit www. nashvillerep.org.

Wilson’s August Fences explores the lives of a working-class Black family in the 1950s, taking audiences on a journey through the complexities of fatherhood, family, and race, offering

The entire cast of August Wilson’s Fences, Photo by Michael Scott Evans a powerful look at one Despite his hard-won brother Gabriel, and his man’s struggle to come success and the love of best friend Jim, Troy to terms with his past and his wife Rose, Troy is must confront the find his place in a rapid- haunted by his own ‘fences’ he has built ly changing world. At the sense of failure and the around himself and his center of the play is the injustices of a world that family to break down the that stand character of Troy Max- never fully recognized barriers son, a former baseball his talent. Through his between him and the life star who now works as a relationships with his he desires. garbage collector. sons Cory and Lyons, his The talented cast of

Fences brings these complex and powerful characters to life, with Clark Harris as Troy Maxson, Alicia Haymer as Rose Maxson, Cameron Mitchell as Cory Maxson, DéYonté Jenkins as Lyons Maxson, Bakari King as Gabriel Maxson, Kenny Dozier as Jim Bono, and Jordan Marie Elizabeth Nixon as Raynell Maxson. The production also features outstanding understudies Jermaine Pearson as Troy Maxson, Nina Hibbler Webster as Rose Maxson, and Jakholbi Murry as Cory Maxson.

Wilson’s August Fences is a timeless work of art, exploring universal themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in a world that often seems unjust and unpredictable.

This production offers audiences a chance to experience the power of Wilson’s writing and the depth of the human expe-

rience.

August Wilson has been referred to as the “theater’s poet of Black America.” He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called The Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicle the experiences and heritage of the African-American community in the 20th century. Wilson was born April 27, 1945, in Pittsburgh’s Hill District; he died on October 2, 2005.

The remainder of Nashville Rep’s 22/23 season includes the stage adaption of the beloved New York Times Best Selling Novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time March 24 - April 2, 2023 and closing the season, is the intimate musical Violet May 12 -21, 2023.

For Nashville Repertory 2022- 23 season tickets and showtime information, visit: www. or nashvillerep.org www.tpac.org.

Rising Hollywood star Rayan lawrence reflects on hit cable series and influence of ‘50 Cent’

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent Rayan Lawrence doesn’t let his success make him arrogant.

Lawrence, who plays K-9 in the hit Starz show BMF (Black Mafia Family), is just enjoying his newfound fame as the show’s new lead character.

Lawrence told the Informer: “I love this, it’s so cool. Back in New York, I went to a fashion show, and everyone there loves K-9. Because of what we’re doing with the character, everyone loves me.”

BMF tells the true story of how the Flenory brothers, Demetrius ‘Big Meech’ Flenory and Terry ‘Southwest Tee’ Flenory, fought their way out of poverty and the war on drugs in Detroit to become cultural and hip-hop game changers.

As the Flenory brothers build a national empire, their pursuit of the American Dream is tied in with themes of family, faith, and loyalty.

Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, a business and hip-hop mogul, is the executive producer of the hit show. Starz just announced that it has signed on for a third season of BMF.

Rayan Lawrence The aspect of family creates a great attraction for Lawrence, he said.

“I was raised to value family, so it’s been amazing to be a part of this,” Lawrence said.

“And to work with 50 Cent again. I worked with him on Power, and I’ve been so excited to meet him.

LaLa Anthony, Mo’Nique, Steve Harris, and others also appear on BMF. But playing the role of K-9, a ruthless gang leader aligned with Big Meech, counts as Lawrence’s biggest role to date.

In the past, he has appeared as a guest on shows like Ironside, FBI, and Magnum P.I. He said that when he was a guest on Blue Bloods, he learned a lot from the famous actor Tom Selleck.

But he also gives credit to actor and director Shiek Mahmud-Bey, who has made a name for himself onscreen and teaches actors like Lawrence through his ‘Char’Actors’ company and ‘Shiek Studios.’

New York, Detroit, Arkansas, and Atlanta are all now home to Shiek Studios.

Later this year, Shiek Studios will add Shiek University, a school where people can learn how to be a director.

Lawrence said: “Shiek is my guy. We’ve worked together for many years. When we worked on a movie together, I found him very interesting.

“A director told me about Shiek, so I looked him up and thought, ‘Oh, I get it.’ I wanted to be a part of what he was doing, and I love the way he does his job. He helped me with auditions and gave me advice on BMF.” Lawrence said Mahmud-Bey taught him to be true to the characters he portrays.

“I learned a lot from what he taught me,” Lawrence said. “Be honest and sure of yourself, and be present, ready to listen and answer. That’s what he said to me.”

That advice worked

out well.

Lawrence said he was moved to learn more about the history of slavery while he was making the movie Underground.

Before the movie, Lawrence said he stayed away from those stories because they were traumatizing.

During the 2016 election, presidential Underground was being filmed.

Lawrence recalled that they filmed a pivotal scene on the day that Donald Trump was elected president.

“One of the most important scenes was shot on the day Donald Trump was elected,” Lawrence said. “We had a scene about the right to vote. It was very dramatic, and we were in Atlanta. I played an abolitionist, and I must tell you that in the scene we shot that day, I really did throw some punches.

There was so much tension.”

Lawrence’s first job was as a model, but he said he was bored.

He said he enjoyed acting better than being a model because as a model, “all I did was take pictures all day.”

“I started looking into characters to figure out how they thought, and I love the process,”

Movie Reviews: Knock at the Cabin

by Dwight Brown, Closeups on the little Film critic, NNPA girl as she collects News Wire and grasshoppers and a DwightBrownInk.com stranger who approaches (**) her are from mid foreJust because you can, head to chin. It’s an odd doesn’t mean you device that doesn’t draw should. For some reason you into the characters. veteran horror/thrill It’s just invasive enough director M. Night Shyato make you notice the malan (The Sixth Sense) technique. has decided to put a lot Interiors and exteriof bad juju vibes out into ors (production design the world. If you’re curiNaaman Marshall), cineous, read on. matography (Jarin It’s an unusual premBlaschke, The Northman ise, but so what. Four and Lowell A. Meyer, strangers (Dave Dave Bautista, Abby Quinn and Nikki Amuka- Servant), costumes (CarBautista, Nikki Amukaoline Duncan) and props Bird, Abby Quinn, Bird costar in Knock at the Cabin.

(Robbie Duncan) don’t’ Rupert Grint) think real- like a fancy wooden the moment and chrono- stand out. If anything, ly bad things will hap- structure that would rent logically developed the Herdis Stefansdóttir’s pen. They feel they’ve for a fortune in Bucks narrative bit-by-bit, heavy bass musical been called to stop catas- County. The married minute-by-minute, it score drones in a way trophes, natural disas- twosome is gay, which is might have sustained that sounds like a whale ters, carnage—and are about as forward think- momentum for a full one dying and it is effective. convinced their mission ing as the multicultural hour and 40 minutes As the two dads, is noble beyond cast of interlopers. The (editor Noemi Katharina Aldridge and Groff have reproach: “The most casting doesn’t feel nec- Preiswerk). It does not. the toughest roles, trying important job in the his- essarily exploitative, For horror fans hunt- to pull the audience into tory of the world.” The more like a reflection of ing for the newest realm, their plight, standing only way to stop the life. forget it. Life here on strong and wavering at impending apocalypse is like any However, the script, earth is all you get. For moments to ask a couple (Ben by Shyamalan, Steve sci-fi fans hoping for human would who is in Aldridge, Jonathan Desmond and Michael incredible special eff- shock. Aldridge has the Groff), who have a child Sherman, does over ects, a gigantic water meatier role and man(Kristen Cui), to make a extract from the plume is the only visual ages to add texture to the huge life-or-death sacri- male/male subplot with device of interest, and dad character whose hisfice. The messengers of way too many flash- that’s an old trick. There tory of trauma carries gloom beg, plead and backs.

Background is tension. There is the most emotional manipulate. Says one: “I sequences include bloodshed, but not like weight. don’t have a scar, but if apprehensive parents, a that in a gory slasher The four strangers you look inside, you will gay bashing incident and film—more in a generic are played by actors who see that my heart is bro- the loving adoption of thriller way dotted with largely don’t distinguish ken.” So what? their Asian daughter. repulsion as characters themselves—except BaThe confrontation None of it adds much fight for their lives or utista, who gets the most occurs in a remote depth to the story, and bite the dust like screen time and seems a wooded area in Pennsyl- the frequent look-backs champs. bit deeper than the rest. vania. The menacing don’t reveal anything an It’s noticeable that But he was far more quartet knocks on the audience couldn’t the camera lens likes to impressive in Glass door of what is called a already fathom. Also, if be intrusive, especially Onion: A Knives Out ‘cabin,’ but looks more this film had stayed in in the opening scenes. Mystery.

To read the full review, go to our website: www.pridepublishinggroup.com

Lawrence said. “After all these years, I still love the process, including going to auditions.”

BMF is filmed in Detroit, but Lawrence said he hasn’t had a chance to see much of the Motor City yet.

“We filmed here,” he said, “and we stayed at

the Motor City Casino Hotel. It’s a great and unique experience, but I’ve seen run-down houses where you can buy a house for $900, but no one seems to take advantage of that.

“It’s sad because there are many things that could be done.”

Board Games 63. Bard's before ACROSS 64. Rip apart 1. G in mg DOWN 5. Medicinal amt.

1. Govt. property org.

8. Say no 2. Fabled fliers 11. Popular Scotch 3. Mine passage mixer 4. India's Chennai, 12. Country dance pre-1996 formation 5. Flooring choice, pl.

13. List of candidates 6. Hose woes 15. Certain battery 7. 100 centavos in component Mexico 16. Exclamation of 8. Rum cake sorrow 9. Particle in A-bomb 17. *“The Game of Unspeakable Fun” 10. What’s-old-is-newagain prefix 18. *“Fascinating two-handed strategy 12. Somewhat late 13. Be at the helm game" 14. *Not chutes 20. Dutch cheese 19. #39 Across, pl.

21. Not quite right 22. Is no longer 22. *"I thee ____" 23. *Trade, build, settle 23. CrËme de ____ this island 26. Where Japan is 24. Oenophile’s 30. Part of concern circumference 25. Curtain fabric 31. Threatened Asian or African odd-toed 26. *Connect how many? ungulate 27. Theater passage 34. Ready for picking 28. Asparagus unit 35. Reasons to sue 29. Written works 37. Romanian money 32. Hipbones 38. English county 33. Butterfly catcher 39. Popular Arabic 36. *Like pursuit of no name vital importance 40. Lemon, in Paris 38. “____ ____ a high 42. Latissimus dorsi, note” for short 40. A Camel, for short 43. Angola's southern 41. Result of neighbor equipment failure 45. Dairy farm glands 47. Relax, or ____ out 44. The beauty of the ball?

48. Brooke or John Jacob, of New York 46. Morgan Freeman in “Driving Miss 50. USPS delivery Daisy,” e.g.

52. *Cards against 48. Sign of bad news what?

49. Inflict a blow 55. Medicinal plant with purple berries 50. Supernatural life force 56. Bug-eyed 51. Drunkard, slangily 57. Tiny bottle 59. a.k.a. jumping bone 52. Exhibiting good health 60. Plucked string 53. Swing seat, instrument sometimes 61. Makes a mistake 54. Knitter's supply 62. *"____ Day," desirable square in 55. Tree fluid The Game of Life 58. Dropped drug, acr.

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BHM 2023

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February 24, 2023

White House holds screening of movie about emmett Till In honor of Black History Month, President Biden hosted a screening of Till at the White House. The film tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14year-old son Emmett Till.

“To remember history is to shine a light on the good, the bad, the truth, and who we are as a nation,” said President Biden.

“And our history shows that while darkness and denialism hide very much, they erase nothing. They can’t erase the past, and they shouldn’t. nly with truth comes healing and justice and repair and another step forward in that promise we all made but have never reached: a more perfect union. But we’ve never fully given up on it.

“That’s why we can’t just choose to learn what we want to know and what we should know. We have to learn what we should know. We should know everything about our history.

And that’s what the great nations do.

Great nations. And we’re a great nation.

“And that’s why history matters so much. You know, that’s why this film matters so much.”

A year ago, President Biden signed the nation’s first-ever anti-lynching law in Emmett Till’s name.

The historic signing, which was done during a White House ceremony on the South Lawn, happened 67 years after Till was murdered by a White mob for allegedly whistling at a White woman.

President Joe Biden giving remarks at White House Till movie screening.

BHM: Rosenwald Schools – a Personal Memoir

By Cass Teague There is special exhibition opening this week at the Tennessee State Museum that focuses on sharing the histories and legacies of what were known as Rosenwald schools, the nearly 5,000 public schools in the Southeastern United States to improve education opportunities for African American students from 1912 to 1937, Julius Rosenwald rose to lead Sears, Roebuck & Company and turn it into the world’s largest retailer. With Booker T. Washington, the two men launched a program to partner with Black communities to build public schools for African American children.

The program built 4,978 schools across 15 southern states, including 354 in Tennessee.

The first of two exhibitions around Rosenwald Schools is a traveling photography exhibit by Andrew Feiler, titled ‘A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America,’ and runs from February 23, 2023 through May 21, 2023. As previously told in the pages of the PRIDE, Feiler drove more than 25,000 miles, photographed 105 schools, and interviewed former students, teachers, preservationists, and community leaders from each participating state.

In Conversation: Andrew Feiler, Frank Brinkley, and Charles Brinkley Andrew Feiler will discuss his photography work and the exhibition, “A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America” on Saturday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m. Afterwards, he will join brothers, educators, and preservationists Frank and Charles Brinkley in conversation about their experience as Rosenwald School students in Cairo, Tennessee. This "In Conversation" program will be held in the Digital Learning Center at the Tennessee State Museum. This is a free event, and RSVPs are not required.

Philanthropist Julius Rosenwald Feiler’s 2021 book of the same title, now in its third printing, and available at the Tennessee State Museum Store, as well as Nashville’s Public Library, includes an introduction by former Rosenwald school attendee and congressman, John Lewis. Interestingly, the book is divided into three sections, as follows: (1) Innovation: The Tuskegee Phase, 1912 – 1920; (2) Expansion: The Nashville Phase, 1920 – 1927; and (3) Transition: The Chicago Phase, 1927 – 1937.

I have a personal fondness and appreciation for these Rosenwald schools, as do or should most African Americans in the South. I may likely never have been born had it not been for these schools. You see, my grandmother was a teacher and principal of one of these schools, and her daughter, my mother, followed in her footsteps to teach at that same school. I vividly recall visiting the school in the 1960s as a young child where my grandmother was still teaching.

As a local teacher and highly respected person in Madisonville, Kentucky in 1943, my mother was chosen to serve as a chaperone for a group of young women from Hopkins County, Kentucky for a dance to entertain Colored Army troops stationed at Fort Henderson. My dad was a First Sargeant, and he was one of the chaperones for the soldiers. They met there,

fell in love, and the rest is history. So, had she not had the opportunity to teach at the Madisonville Rosenwald School, she likely would not have been there to meet him --- Lucky me (and my sister)!

According to public records: “Professor C. L. Timberlake had established the first high school in the city of Madisonville for blacks. Rosenwald High School opened in 1932; operated until 1966. Rosenwald Foundation funded its construction. In 1936, their basketball team won the National Negro tournament. Educators included Whitney Young, Jr., Pearl Arnett, & Caldwell Smith, Sr.” A second show, ‘Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee,’ will run from June 16, 2023 through February 25, 2024 at the Tennessee State Museum.

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