75 CENTS
OMAHA STAR
THE
Celebrating 80 Years
1938 2018
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed
~ Marcus Garvey
Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 81 - No. 4 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, February 22, 2019
75 cents
February is Black History Month
Veteran Actor John Beasley Comes of Age in New Sci-Fi Thriller Series ‘Limetown’ By Walter V. Brooks John Beasley, native son of North Omaha, is one of America’s veteran character actors. Imagine my surprise when Beasley told me that, in his recurring role in the new Facebook Watch original series, “Limetown,” he finally “feels like he has come of age.” When we think of someone coming of age, we tend to think of one’s younger years. But John Beasley has been a working class character actor since 1989. Beasley scored his first movie role as a “henchman,” in the crime thriller “Rapid Fire,” starring Brandon Lee. The following year, 1990, he bagged a recurring role in the Oprah Winfrey produced television series, “Brewster Place.” He’s never looked back. Since then, Beasley has appeared in 28 movies, 29 television shows, including recurring roles in “Everwood” for four years, and “Soul Man” for five years. Oh, and he has performed live on stages across the United States, and his signature John Beasley Theater in Omaha. For 30 straight years, John Beasley has never not been working. He’s on the big screen, the television screen, and theater stages, as actor, director, writer, producer, and even ticket taker (he once collected my tickets at the Beasley Theater). So, how is it that Beasley, now 75 years old, says he’s finally come of age and ready for the “close-up” of his career? Well, there’s one important fact I left out. John Beasley was almost 45 years old before he scored that first shot at
Hollywood. Beasley puts the “work” follows Lia Haddock (Jessica Biel), mysterious baggage, who may be a in the term “working class actor.” a journalist for American Public survivor of whatever made 300 others He raised his family in Omaha while Radio, as she investigates the mystery disappear. It is the spotlight role working at Union Pacific, and other behind the disappearance of over 300 Beasley has been working towards employments, maintaining his since he began acting. commitments as father and “I have never had the husband. But he also jumped opportunity to carry a film,” at every opportunity to get on Beasley said. “Limetown is stage and develop his craft. the kind of heavy lifting that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. takes your career to that kind famously said the “universal of level. I am not the series arc of covenant is long, but star, but I get a star-making it bends toward justice.” Dr. character to perform. King wanted Black people to “You work, you build your believe that the work we put skill sets, you establish your in, no matter how small, is reliability on a set, you’re always building on a higher always there on time, know purpose, that there will be a your lines, know your marks, payoff if we have the patience and you’re willing to stand and endurance and focus to in, personally, during scenes see it through. John Beasley with other actors, so that they lives Dr. King’s words. Like can play off your face and the tortoise plodding along emotions, even though I know against the razzle dazzle I will not be shown on screen. flash of the hare, Beasley You stay patient and work never took his eyes off the your ass off, believing that prize and with his recurring Biel and Beasley in character on the set of new original your day is going to come.” role in “Limetown,” the first series “Limetown.” And Beasley learned. He original series produced by the learned from other actors, Facebook Corporation, John Beasley people at a neuroscience research directors, producers, script writers, is finally up there where he belongs. facility in the small rural community and the technicians, without whom no “Limetown is the role of my career,” of Limetown,Tenn. Biel co-stars with film or television or stage production Beasley said. “This is an actor’s role hall-of-fame veteran character actor could ever exist. Having a bit part in and I finally get to really show what I Stanley Tucci in the seven-episode a movie was never just a pay check or can do. I have never had this degree of series. resume builder for Beasley. Every shot a showcase. Ever.” Beasley comes on screen late in at another set was converted into some “Limetown” is a mixture of the the third episode, and explodes in kind of master class. An acting career is “X-Files” series, an investigative the fourth episode with what he like going to college knowing that you journalist crime thriller, and maybe considers one of the most dominant will never ever graduate. There is no even a science-fiction horror story. performances of his career. He plays end-game or fulfillment of knowledge. The premise is scary. Limetown a preacher, with a whole heap of Every single performance could just
Alpha Kappa Alpha Mid-Western Region Headed to Omaha Thursday, March 14, through Sunday, March 17, over 600 members of the nation’s oldest African American Greek lettered organization and one of the premier service organizations in the world, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., will arrive in Omaha, where they will paint the town pink and green as they attend the 89th Mid-Western Dr. Glenda Glover – Alpha Regional Conference Twyla Woods Buford – Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. at the Hilton Omaha Mid-Western Regional Director International President Conference Center. Over the course of the four days, the Mid-Western Regional Conference will have a potential financial impact of well over $500,000 to the Omaha community. The members from the region’s eight states including Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Montana will be welcomed by the sorority’s host chapters of Cluster B, which include graduate and undergraduate chapters from Missouri; Beta Omega – Kansas City, Gamma Epsilon Omega – Jefferson City, Kappa Chi Omega – Columbia, Xi Tau Omega – Grandview, Omega Nu Omega – Springfield, Alpha Iota – Jefferson City, Delta Tau – Columbia, Pi Xi – Warrensburg, Rho Alpha – Kansas City, Rho Iota – St. Joseph and Nebraska chapters; Delta Epsilon Omega – Omaha, Psi Chi Omega – Lincoln, and Gamma Beta – Omaha. Conference Chairman is Dr. Angela D. Williams, with Co-Chairmen Treyla Lee and LaTanya Thomas-Patton. The conference theme, “On Track to Exemplify Excellence,” is destined to capture the mission this organization has continued to achieve with the service it has provided communities across the country and abroad for 111 years. The theme complements the international program platform “Exemplifying Excellence Through Sustainable Service.” See AKA continued on page 5
as easily be your last. Hollywood is a marathon. And John Beasley always understood that mental toughness is the core strength of all long-distance runners. That endurance includes having to take some near misses on the chin and keep going. For example, Denzel Washington, received the Tony award for his star performance as Troy Maxson in “Fences” on Broadway. Then Washington was nominated for Academy Award Best Actor in a Motion Picture when he reprised the same role in the movie version. But when August Wilson brought “Fences” to the world, he didn’t open his signature stage drama on Broadway, he opened it in Boston, at the Huntington Theater, starring John Beasley in the lead role. John Beasley “killed” Troy Maxson and earned the prestigious IRNE Award for Best Actor in a Large Theater (Independent Reviewers of New England). Denzel Washington had the marquee name recognition that sells thousands of tickets on Broadway, and at the movie box office. But Beasley defined Troy Maxson at the depth Wilson wrote him. Beasley felt that in the movie version Viola Davis blew Washington off the screen and Troy Maxson, as August Wilson wrote him, would never have allowed himself to be dominated like that. An actor has to turn himself inside out to play the ugliness and pathos of August Wilson’s signature character and Beasley did it. His “Limetown” See Beasley continued on page 2
Omaha NAACP Installation Ceremony – The Legacy Continues The Omaha Branch of the NAACP officer installation was held Feb. 16 at Love’s Jazz and Arts Center, 2510 N. 24th St. Family and friends gathered during the general meeting to witness officers, executive members and appointed committee chairpersons being sworn into office. President – Vickie R. Young, Vice President – Preston Love, 2nd Vice – Chris Carithers, Secretary – Precious McKesson, Treasurer – Edna Brooks, Asst. Treasurer – Arnitria Smith, Executive Committee – Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr., Gwen Breakfield, Victoria Corbin, Taina Evans, Marita Franklin, Steve Jackson, Alberta Nelson, Eddie Nelson, Patrice Pittman, and Barry Thomas took an oath to serve to the best of their abilities. Apostle Marshall McGee, Agape Worship Center International, presided over the installation ceremony. As part of President Young’s duties, the following chairpersons were appointed: Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Young – Eddie Nelson, By-Laws – Alberta Nelson, Education – Glenn Mitchell, Health – Taina Evans, Political Action – Barry Thomas, and Religious Affairs – Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams Jr.; each contributing their talents and expertise for the betterment of work of the Omaha NAACP. Since 2008, President Young served the branch as Executive Committee member, Juneteenth Chairperson and Back-to-School Stay-in-School Committee member, before serving three terms as president. The following are initiatives during her tenure: Omaha NAACP Juneteenth Parade Celebration, NAACP Juneteenth Gospel Jubilee, NAACP Reads Harvest of Readers,
North Omaha Mental Health Initiative – NOMHI, and the NAACP Political Candidate Forum. She also serves as 2nd Vice President of the NAACP IA/NE State Area Conference of Branches. On a national level, 2015 Education Chairperson, Clarice Jackson, authored a resolution on dyslexia. The resolution was adopted by the Omaha Branch and later at the NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, NV. This year marks over 100 years of civil rights advocacy for the branch. Founded in 1914, later incorporated in 1918, the Omaha NAACP is the oldest branch west of the Missouri River; serving Douglas County, Bennington, Norfolk, and other cities in western Nebraska. Rev. John Albert Williams, the first president of the Omaha branch, spoke out against Jim Crow, prohibition, and the lynching of Willy Brown in 1919. President Young and the Omaha Branch continues his legacy through advocacy, lobbying legislation and networking with community organizations; all in an effort of advancing people of color and protecting our civil rights. The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Monthly meetings are held the 3rd Saturday of every month at Love’s Jazz and Arts Center. Executive meeting is 10-11:30 a.m. and general meeting is 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. For questions about the Omaha NAACP, phone 402-345-6227.
Meet the Descendants of DeWitty – March 2.
2019 - You know what that means! There’ll be dancing in the streets, July 29 – August 5, during Native Omahan Days.
See The Future of Tomorrow – March 8.
See In the Village for details.
Watch the Omaha Star for information as it becomes available.
See In the Village for details.